I am working on a book, also called Probably Overthinking It, which is about using evidence and reason to answer questions and make better decisions. It will be published in 2023 by the University of Chicago Press. If you would like to get an occasional update about the book, please join my mailing list Commentary: Washington's hegemonic colors laid bare again Xinhua) 09:26, March 04, 2025 BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Washington's mask has once again slipped. The abrupt collapse of U.S.-Ukraine talks over the weekend was not mere diplomatic friction. Behind the crumbling veneer of etiquette lies Washington's frustration over its stalled scheme to plunder Ukraine's natural resources. According to a draft agreement between the United States and Ukraine, the latter will put 50 percent of the future revenues from its state-owned natural resources into a fund "jointly managed" by Washington and Kiev. This deal extends far beyond minerals and rare earth elements; it encompasses Ukraine's oil and gas reserves, as well as crucial infrastructure such as ports and liquified natural gas terminals. No wonder even Western media outlets called the deal "an economic colonization of Ukraine." Some Ukrainian media outlets also described it as "a colonial agreement." Despite Kiev's monumental concessions on its economic future, its most pressing concern -- security guarantees from Washington -- was left unaddressed, leading up to the blow-up in the White House. History abounds with grim reminders of how Washington pursued its own strategic and economic interests at the expense of the well-being or sovereignty of other countries. The 20-year-long war in Afghanistan left a death toll of 174,000 people, including over 30,000 civilians, and a country in rubble when the United States ultimately withdrew. Similarly, the Iraq War, waged in 2003 on the pretext of "weapons of mass destruction" that were never found, resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands and paved the way for the extraction of Iraq's oil. In Ukraine, the pattern is disturbingly familiar. The resources in question may have shifted to rare earth minerals, but the script remains unchanged. In the long record of Washington's exploitation of others, Ukraine risks becoming the latest casualty. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) 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. 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Those outside, covered runs are not sufficient, Orangeburg County Director of Code Enforcement Menard Clarkson told Orangeburg County Council's Parks, Recreation and Agriculture Committee. Clarkson said the shelter is currently able to house 32 dogs in its 32 runs, although it could house up to 64 if the shelter co-houses the dogs. Clarkson said the shelter is proposing an expansion of the existing shelter that would allow it to house 70 more dogs. He estimates it would cost about $470,000 to build a metallic building to house the additional dogs. The shelter currently has 150 dogs, requiring the county to pay about $22 a day to board dogs at other locations both inside and outside the county. For example, an invoice for Jan. 9 through Feb. 4 reveals the county spent $21,246 on boarding dogs at the Chapin Pet Lodge alone. We got about 52 in a boarding facility that was necessary because of the inclement weather, Clarkson said. They were out the door in the cold. We couldn't leave them out there. Clarkson called it, costly but necessary. I still need the funding and assistance to have these dogs adequately placed somewhere until we can look at a future extension, he said. We can't continue to operate in this posture, Clarkson continued. In addition to expanding the shelter, Animal Control is looking to restart its adoption program and to heavily promote its fostering program to help move animals in and out of the shelter more quickly. The shelter at one time had an adoption program but ended it due to the high number of animal returns. Currently, the county partners with rescues that transport dogs as far away as Canada. Quarles said socializing the dogs is crucial to make them more adoptable. When they are in a shelter, it is almost like you are in a jail cell, Orangeburg County Animal Control Manager Jasmine Quarles said. You are not able to be a dog. You are scared and anxious all the time. Clarkson said the shelter does try to provide the dogs with outdoor socialization time. Lexington County Animal Services Director in Chief Brittany Jones has visited the Orangeburg County shelter five times recently and says the biggest issue facing the shelter is staffing. Staffing is what they need, truthfully, Jones said. They need more staffing. This helps retention. From there, you have better care for the animals. When we visited, some dogs were in crates, she said. This is an issue. Jones said animals should be let out at least three times when housed in a crate and should be eventually transitioned out of a crate. That can't happen if you don't have the correct staffing, Jones said. Dr. Lucy Fuller, chief veterinarian officer for the Charleston Animal Society, said the county needs to find a way to reduce the length of stay at the shelter. That will mean having a robust adoption and fostering program combined with a humane euthanasia program. It is estimated about 90 percent of dogs are adoptable and about 10 percent are not. Any stay over two weeks is be considered long term by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, Fuller said. We need to do everything we can to move animals through the system as quicky possible so that not only can we house more animals ... but also we can keep the ones we have in now in the best state possible. Fuller said every single day an animal is in the shelter beyond two weeks, it becomes more and more detrimental to their health and can make dogs unadoptable. Clarkson and Quarles said currently the shelter has housed a dog for four years at a cost of $10 a day for about $14,000 over the four-year period. The average time in the shelter for a dog that has not been adopted is about two to three years, Quarles said. Abigail Appleton, chief project officer at the Charleston Animal Society and head of the No Kill South Carolina Initiative, says while euthanizing animals has a stigma attached to it, the No Kill South Carolina Initiative realizes that humanly euthanizing an animal that has been injured or is aggressive or a danger to others is a generally accepted practice. No kill means we save the healthy and treatable animals that we can save, Appleton said. No kill does not mean never euthanize. Clarkson said the county will continue to do all it can for dogs, but there is a breaking point. We want to be transparent, Clarkson said. We don't want all of a sudden to get to that point where we have to euthanize animals. We will not be euthanizing them for space. We will be euthanizing because they have reached that point to where they are not adoptable and they don't meet the other standards. We have to do what is right. 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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 Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon on Monday evening vetoed four bills that included requiring an ultrasound prior to an abortion being performed, removing the cap on the number of charter schools that can be authorized and prohibiting the use of drones over critical infrastructure. The bills HB0036Hathaway scholarship-amendments; HB0064Chemical abortions-ultrasound requirement; HB0094 Charter school authorizations-amendments; and SF0132Protecting critical infrastructure and systems from drones were passed by the Legislature with enough time for veto overrides to be conducted. Speaker of the House Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, was not immediately available for comment on whether the chamber would be seeking to conduct veto overrides. Gordon in his veto message of the abortion bill sponsored by Neiman wrote that he has held a pro-life stance on the abortion issue but that he also believes that exceptions should be made for rape, incest or the life of the mother which Neimans bill does not have. The bill would require that pregnant women seeking to have a chemical abortion undergo an ultrasound not less than 48 hours before the procedure is conducted. Intimate obstetric and gynecological examinations can be highly problematic for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, or victims whose pregnancy is caused by rape or incest, or a woman and her family who is forced to choose her health over that of the unborn, Gordon wrote in his letter. This Act requires that these populations of women who may be more likely to feel disempowered or feel guilt-induced duress to undergo a potentially retraumatizing experience. Forcing victims of rape to endure such an invasion a second time seems cruel. Gordon reiterated in his letter that he is pro-life, but that the bill goes too far. To be clear, I am pro-life. Life is precious and that applies to both mother and child. Every year we continue to lose unborn babies in Wyoming, Gordon wrote. Making it easier for mothers to have babies in Wyoming and supporting them afterwards is a far better course. Mandating this intimate, personally invasive, and often medically unnecessary procedure goes too far. Education bills Gordon vetoed a bill sponsored by Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie, that sought to remove the cap on the number of charter schools that the Wyoming charter school authorizing board can authorize. Gordon said that he is a believer in school choice but that he vetoed the bill because Wyoming public schools face significant financial uncertainty and due to an incomplete framework to support the expansion of charter schools. A Laramie County District Court judge last week ruled that the Wyoming Legislature had been unconstitutionally underfunding public schools in the state. Without a sustainable, transparent plan to ensure adequate funding for public schools, education savings accounts, and charter schools alike, lifting the cap on charter school authorizations is both premature and irresponsible, Gordon wrote in his veto letter. He added that he has been requesting a comprehensive review of charter school legislation since 2021. I am deeply disappointed that the Legislature has ignored the critical issue as well as constructive opportunities to ensure Wyoming can cultivate a fertile landscape for Charters beyond just throwing the gates open, he wrote. This veto is not a rejection of charter schools it is a call for responsible governance, fiscal accountability and a commitment to ensuring every student in Wyoming has access to a well-funded, high quality education. Gordon also vetoed a bill amending the Hathaway Scholarship and said that the bill compromises the integrity of the already overtaxed scholarship program. The bill sponsored by Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, would have changed the wording of the scholarship to include trade certificate programs. While I have consistently advocated for an expansion of Career and Technical Education, I have also advocated for a separate scholarship specific to the trades since becoming Treasurer in 2012, Gordon wrote in his veto letter. Further expanding the definition of certificate to include short-term training programs dilutes the scholarships effectiveness even more, further weakens its original intent, and risks stretching limited resources too thin. Gordon added that he recommends creating a new fund to support CTE and Trades education. Preferably, the Legislature should consider endowing a separate permanent fund dedicated to supporting CTE and trades education, he wrote. Drones Gordons final veto on Monday evening was directed at a bill prohibiting the use of drones over critical infrastructure. In his letter Gordon said the veto came down to conflict with the Federal Aviation Administration, which has jurisdiction over drones. The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Stacy Jones, R-Rock Springs, said that the legislation is targeted to address big drones that have been spotted in Sweetwater County. Rich Fischer of the Sweetwater County Sheriffs office testified in support of the bill. Weve been dealing with drone sightings, specifically over the power plant in Sweetwater County; also visible from the airport, over the communities of Rock Springs and Green River to include areas over water treatment plants, he said. Weve been unable to identify those drones. Gordon in his veto letter wrote that it is a felony to damage, destroy, disable or wreck any manned or unmanned aircraft which include drones and that the state cant preempt federal jurisdiction. We should not be placing our law enforcement personnel in a Catch-22 situation where they are authorized by the state to break federal law and regulations, Gordon wrote about a provision that would allow local law enforcement to stop or prevent unmanned aircraft in prohibited locations. Gordon ended his letter by thanking the legislature and added that it is best to see how the new administration will tackle the issue. This years Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) results have revealed a concerning learning gap among primary school students, Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath has said. Speaking at a recognition ceremony for the top five performers in the 2025 SEA yesterday at the ministrys head office in Port of Spain, Dowlath said the data will be analysed for better performance moving forward. Last Tuesday, Gwynne Dyer headlined his Express column Stupid old men. You could substitute all sorts of adjectives before the words, old men, to describe the characteristics of the cohort that has had the most influence on the world we inhabit. Greedy, self-righteous, racist, arrogant, selfish, a multitude of negative words readily suit the clique. At first, angrily thinking about the subject of todays column, I was focusing on Caribbean men in leadership positions who have been sleazy lechers, foisting themselves on hapless females and males with impunity. Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra is going to the opera with its Opera and Songs From Around the World concert this weekend. Meanwhile, Tucson Symphony Orchestra is bringing Prokofievs traditional childrens piece to its Masterworks series along with the world premiere of a piece the orchestra commissioned from a rising young composer. The TSO first heard of Xavier Muzik when it performed a public reading of his Somatic for Orchestra in 2022 as part of the American Composers Orchestras EarShot program. The orchestra was so impressed it commissioned him to write Ease in Apathy, which the orchestra will perform three times this weekend at Catalina Foothills High School. SASOs Opera and Songs concert features a cast of guest soloists lyric soprano Yunah Lee, mezzo-soprano Kristin Dauphinais and tenor Justin Kroll, winner of the SASO Prize at the eighth Linus Lerner International Voice Competition joining Music Director Linus Lerner and the orchestra for a concert of fiery rhythms of Spain, soaring melodies of Italy and the soul-stirring sounds of Eastern Europe in the latest installment of the orchestras season-long Musical Journeys series. Lerner paired the trios opera arias with the evocative overture from Antonio Carlos Gomess Il Guarany and the flamenco-rich Ritual Fire Dance from Spanish composer Manuel de Fallas El amor brujo. Italian composer Pietro Mascagnis Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana will offer a contrast to the concerts intense dramatic arias, while Korean composer Sung-hwan Chois The Arirang Fantasy will showcase the emotionally captivating soundscape of blending traditional Korean melodies with Western classical influences. Of course, any excursion into the world of opera would not be complete without a little taste of Bizets Carmen. The exuberant Spanish bullfighting-themed Les Toreadors sets the stage for the drama and passion of Carmen. Lerner has programmed a dozen operatic arias, including from Tchaikovskys Eugene Onegin, Verdis Rigoletto, Puccinis La Boheme, Saint-Saens Samson et Dalila, Strausss Die Fledermaus, Mascagnis Cavalleria Rusticana and Franz Lehars The Merry Widow. SASO will perform the concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at SaddleBrookes DesertView Performing Arts Center, 39900 S. Clubhouse Drive; and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 7575 N. Paseo del Norte. Tickets are $35 for SaddleBrooke, $28 for Tucson at sasomusic.org/buy-tickets. Peter and the Wolf and a world premiere Tucson Symphony Orchestra usually programs Prokofievs Peter and the Wolf on its Just for Kids series or slips excerpts into its youth concerts. But this weekend, its promoting Peter and the Wolf to the adults table. The work, which Prokofiev composed in 1936 specifically for children, casts instruments as characters in a Russian folk tale that will be narrated this weekend by Sophie Gibson Rush. Prokofiev wanted to introduce children to instruments in the orchestra and the notes they played. But TSO Music Director Jose Luis Gomez recognized that the piece has wide appeal to adults so why not put it on the orchestras chamber music series? Peter and the Wolf follows the world premiere of Xavier Muziks Ease in Apathy, which the orchestra commissioned not long after performing his work in 2022. In 2023, Muzik won the Michael Morgan Prize in the San Francisco Conservatory of Musics third annual Emerging Black Composers Project, which came with a $15,000 commission to write a piece for the San Francisco Symphony. This weekends Masterworks program also includes Mussorgskys stormy Night on Bald Mountain and Shostakovichs Symphony No. 9, considered to be his most classical work. Performances will be at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at Catalina Foothills High School, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive. Tickets are $50-$88 through tucsonsymphony.org. More than $300,000 has been spent on efforts to influence voters on Proposition 414, the half-cent sales tax increase Tucson voters will decide March 11. Tucson voters will decide on the $800 million plan that raises the citys sales for 10 years to mostly pay for items linked to police and fire expenses. The proposition would send about 66% of the expected $80 million per year the higher tax would raise to public safety needs. About 34% would go to address issues related to affordable housing, homelessness and other social needs. If approved, Prop. 414 would raise the city sales tax rate by a half-cent, from 8.7% to 9.2% for the next decade. Ballots for the all-mail election were sent Feb. 12. The deadline to mail your ballot back is Wednesday, according to the city. Nearly 306,000 mail-in ballots were sent to Tucson voters. The Tucson Metro Chamber PACs opposition campaign spent nearly $180,000 through the first two months of the year about $53,500 in January and about $126,000 in February, according to filings with the Arizona Secretary of States office. The largest expenditure, almost $75,000, was spent on TV, radio and online advertising in February. Tucson Metro Chambers PAC raised nearly $120,000 as of Feb. 17. The Arizona Multihousing Association and the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, both Phoenix-based organizations, each donated $40,000 to the PAC. And $25,000 was sent from the Tucson Association of Realtors; $7,710 came from Royal Speedway, part of Tucson-based Royal Automotive Group; and $7,021 was donated from Jim Click, Inc., according to the PACs filings. The PAC had $21,620 on-hand as of its latest filing on Feb. 21. The Yes on 414 coalition has spent about $123,346 of the more than $151,000 it has raised, according to a March 1, pre-election filing. Its largest donors were International Association of Firefighters, giving $55,000. Another $25,000 came from United Food & Commercial Workers Local 99 (UFCW99), and $10,000 each came from the Fraternal Order of Police, the Tucson Police Officers Association PAC and Arizona for All. The largest donation from an individual was $10,000 from Fletcher McCusker, CEO of UAVenture Capital. McCusker is also chair of the Rio Nuevo board. The coalitions largest expenditure was to Uplift Campaigns for mail advertising, costing $55,261, according to the filing. In-total, the PAC spent nearly $90,000 on radio, digital and mail advertising, according to the March 1 finance report. All but $10,000 of that advertising money went to Uplift. The PAC reported having a little over $28,000 on-hand entering March. The 10-year sales tax, dubbed the Safe & Vibrant City, would raise an average of $80 million annually, according to the city. About one-third of revenues generated would go toward boosting staffing across city departments, but mostly for police and fire. PHOENIX Over objections about infringing on First Amendment rights, a divided House has approved legislation that would outlaw encampments on college and university campuses. The 41-17 vote Monday came on legislation crafted by Rep. Alma Hernandez, who told colleagues about incidents of last year during pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests. The issue, said the Tucson Democrat, is not about the ability to protest. But Hernandez said what was occurring crossed the line. We just want to make sure that individuals are able to go to class without being harassed, without having to take alternate routes just because theres individuals who do not want them to exist, said the Tucson Democrat. Nothing in the First Amendment protects an encampment. Hernandez, who pointed out she is Jewish, said she speaks from experience. I first-hand have experienced it, she told colleagues. And I first-hand have seen what goes on, on our college campuses. Her measure drew support from Rep. Teresa Martinez. Theres an antisemitism feeling running through this country, said the Casa Grande Republican. It needs to stop. And Martinez said this isnt just some grass-roots, spontaneous reaction to Israel invading Gaza in the wake of the 2023 attack by Hamas that left about 1,200 civilians dead and resulted in 251 individuals being taken hostage. These encampments are very well funded, she said. They have pop-up tents, they have pizza delivered, they have all kinds of things going on across campuses. Martinez told other lawmakers that they need to support the Jewish community at all costs and to do it for very personal reasons. Next, itll be a different community: African Americans, Hispanics, she said. If we dont take a stand and support our brothers and sisters of Jewish persuasion, then no one else will. But Rep. Anna Abeytia said she cant see putting limits on protests. As an activist at heart, this is not a good bill for those of us who are activists and do go out and protest, said the Phoenix Democrat. Encampments are a form of sit-ins, she said. And sit-ins have a long history, particularly in the Chicano culture. And Phoenix Democrat Quanta Crews said she fears how the proposal could be used to quash other protests. There are young people who are not trying to intimidate other people ... who are not trying to provide a fearful environment, she said. And Crews said it would be one thing if the legislation was needed to give police more power to deal with those who intimidate others. This, she said, is overly broad. I feel like it could be weaponized against different groups that are not intending to harm other students and are just trying to exercise their First Amendment right, Crews said. Rep. Alexander Kolodin said he originally was planning to vote for the measure. But he told colleagues he changed his mind after finding a flaw in the bill. The Scottsdale Republican noted the bill defines an encampment as a temporary shelter, including tents, that is installed on the campus of a university or community college and that is used to stay on the campus overnight or for a prolonged period of time. What that would include, he said, is a shade and table set up by a conservative group like Turning Point USA while it is seeking to register voters on the campus. Ditto, Kolodin said, of pro-life organizations when theyre handing out literature. And he made no secret of his belief that enforcement will end up being based on who is affected. Lets not fool ourselves about who runs these universities, Kolodin said. Is this bill really going to be used against Students for Justice in Palestine? Probably not, he said. It is going to get used against Turning Point and pro-life organizations? Far more likely. Kolodin wasnt the only one troubled by the wording. Mesa Republican Justin Olson said he doesnt believe that Hernandez intends to ban campus setups like those used by groups registering voters or handing out literature, even if they do set up a tent or similar structure to shield them from the elements. What is ambiguous, he said, is what constitutes a prolonged period of time. And that, said Olson, should be addressed when the measure now goes to the Senate. Hernandez, for her part, doesnt believe her legislation needs further work. In regards to prolonged, I dont understand where the confusion is, she told Capitol Media Services after the vote. The encampments on campus refused to leave until the university met the ridiculous list of demands, Hernandez said of what she saw at the University of Arizona when Students Against Apartheid set up camp last April on the Tucson campus. That list included divesting from companies profiting from the war between Israel and Hamas, halting surveillance of student organizers, publicly condemning Israels genocidal campaign and defunding the U of A police department. These people had no intention of leaving. It ended when police moved in with pepper balls and rubber bullets and arrested some of those involved. The senator also said it was quite obvious that this wasnt some temporary event. People brought in couches and furniture in an attempt to stay there overnight, she said. Our universities are not campground sites, Hernandez continued. They are educational institutions and should be treated as such, not trashed or vandalized. Countries around the world already are feeling the impact of the Trump administration's decision to eliminate more than 90% of foreign aid contracts and cut some $60 billion in funding. Hours after the announcement, programs were shuttered, leaving millions of people without access to life-saving care. Some 10,000 contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development were terminated Feb. 26, in letters sent to nongovernmental organizations across the globe. Many of the programs are in fragile countries that are highly reliant on U.S. aid to support health systems, nutrition programs and stave off starvation. Other major issues like fighting terrorism, human and drug trafficking, including fentanyl, and monitoring and aiding migrants also will suffer as a result of the U.S. cuts, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Here some key projects around the world that AP has confirmed have closed: 1. In Congo, aid group Action Against Hunger will stop treating tens of thousands of malnourished children from May, which the charity said will put the children in "mortal danger." 2. In Ethiopia, food assistance stopped for more than 1 million people, according to the Tigray Disaster Risk Management Commission. The Ministry of Health also was forced to terminate the contract of 5,000 workers across the country focused on HIV and malaria prevention, vaccinations and helping vulnerable women deal with the trauma of war. 3. In Senegal, the biggest malaria project closed. It distributed bed nets and medication to tens of thousands of people, according to a USAID worker who was not authorized to speak to the media. Maternal and child health and nutrition services also closed. They provided lifesaving care to tens of thousands of pregnant women and treatment that would have prevented and treated acute malnutrition. 4. In South Sudan, the International Rescue Committee closed a project providing access to quality health care and nutrition services to more than 115,000 people. 5. A program shuttered by the Norwegian Refugee Council in Colombia left 50,000 people without lifesaving support including in the northeast, where growing violence has precipitated a once-in-a-generation humanitarian crisis. It included food, shelter, clean water and other basic items for people displaced in the region. 6. In war-torn Sudan, 90 communal kitchens closed in the capital, Khartoum, leaving more than half a million people without consistent access to food, according to the International Rescue Committee. 7. In Bangladesh, 600,000 women and children will lose access to critical maternal health care, protection from violence, reproductive health services and other lifesaving care, according the United Nations Population Fund. 8. In Mali, critical aid, such as access to water, food and health services was cut for more than 270,000 people, according to an aid group that did not want to be named for fear of reprisal. 9. More than 400,000 people in northern Burkina Faso lost access to services such as water. Services for gender-based violence and child protection for thousands are also no longer available, according to an aid group that did not want to be named for fear of reprisal. 10. In Somalia, 50 health centers servicing more than 19,000 people a month closed because health workers are not being paid, according to Alright, a U.S aid group. 11. In Ukraine, cash-based humanitarian programs that reached 1 million people last year were suspended, according to the spokesperson for the U.N. secretary-general. 12. In Afghanistan, hundreds of mobile health teams and other services were suspended, affecting 9 million people, according to the U.N. spokesperson. 13. In Syria, aid programs for some 2.5 million people in the country's northeast stopped providing services, according to the U.N. secretary-general. Also in the north, a dozen health clinics, including the main referral hospital for the area, have shut down, said Doctors Without Borders. 14. In Kenya, more than 600,000 people living in areas plagued by drought and persistent acute malnutrition will lose access to lifesaving food and nutrition support, according to Mercy Corps. 15. In Haiti, 13,000 people have lost access to nutritional support, according to Action Against Hunger. The cuts will affect in total at least 550,000 people who were receiving aid. 16. In Thailand, hospitals helping some 100,000 refugees from Myanmar have shuttered, according to aid group Border Consortium. 17. In Nigeria, 25,000 extremely malnourished children will stop receiving food assistance by April, according to the International Rescue Committee. 18. In the Philippines, a program to improve access to disaster warning systems for disabled people was stopped, according to Humanity & Inclusion. 19. In Vietnam, a program assisting disabled people through training caregivers and providing at home medical care stopped, according to Humanity & Inclusion. 20. In Yemen, 220,000 displaced people will lose access to critical maternal health care, protection from violence, rape treatment and other lifesaving care, according the United Nations Population Fund. SCOTTSDALE A security guard at an Arizona hospital was shot and wounded over the weekend, and the man suspected in the attack was quickly disarmed and taken into custody, authorities say. The security guard was shot around 1 p.m. Sunday inside the emergency room at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, Scottsdale Police said in a news release. The shooting was the latest in a series of incidents of increasing violence against U.S. healthcare workers and highlighted the challenges of protecting them. The 30-year-old suspect was disarmed and detained by other members of the security team and staff before arriving officers arrested him, police said. Police on Monday identified the suspect as Maximillian Yanofsky. He was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on multiple charges including aggravated assault, police said. Efforts to contact a lawyer for Yanofsky on Monday weren't immediately successful. The security guard was taken to a trauma center for a higher level of care and remained hospitalized Monday, police said. A different security guard was injured in the hand and wrist during the incident, police said. Police said Yanofsky had been taken to HonorHealth Shea earlier in the day as a potential patient. No reason for the shooting was given. Police said officers were called about a disturbance in the emergency room that escalated to an altercation with security. Police said that during the altercation, Yanofsky took out a gun and shot the guard once in the upper body. Late last month, a man carrying a pistol and zip ties entered a Pennsylvania hospitals intensive care unit and took staff members hostage before he was killed by police in a shootout that also left an officer dead, authorities said. Last year, a man shot two corrections officers in the ambulance bay of an Idaho hospital while freeing a white supremacist gang member before he could be returned to prison. They were caught less than two days later. PHOENIX State representatives approved legislation to create a new crime of swarming that police and prosecutors say they need to bring serious charges against gang members who assault others. But according to foes, what it may also do is turn what could have been a schoolyard fight into a crime that sends those involved to prison for 2.5 years or more. House Bill 2611 was prompted by a series of incidents in the Phoenix areas East Valley over more than a year where a gang of teens known as the Gilbert Goons was beating others up. One incident in particular got public attention: the 2023 beating death of 16-year-old Preston Lord at a Halloween party in Queen Creek. That led to questions of whether existing laws on assault are adequate. In general, such attacks the Lord case being an exception because of the death are considered Class 6 felonies. But Phoenix Republican Rep. Matt Gress pointed out that Arizona law allows them to be handled by courts as misdemeanors. By contrast, this legislation creates a more serious Class 4 felony, with its possible prison term, when there is an attack aided by two or more accomplices and the assault is directed at a single person. Republican Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, who worked with Gress to craft the measure, called what is happening swarming. She said the measure is a direct outgrowth of growing teen violence. It was clear that to truly hold these kinds of attackers accountable, we must have the right tools meaning the right laws, she said. While teen violence was the impetus of the measure, the bill has broader reach, Mitchell said. It will apply not just to children, but to any attacker who foolishly believes that by hiding in a crowd theyll get away with it, she said. Scottsdale Republican Rep. Alexander Kolodin said creating an entirely new crime is unnecessary. Preston Lords killers were charged with murder and a variety of other crimes, he said. Our criminal laws are sufficient to put them away for the rest of their lives. Nor does he think that, had Gress proposal been law, it would have prevented the death. Preston Lords murderers had previously committed aggravated assault by our current definition of aggravated assault, Kolodin said. What went wrong, he said, was not the laws on the books but the responses of those charged with enforcing them. The people responsible for Preston Lords death are the town of Gilbert and the Maricopa County Attorneys Office, Kolodin said, saying both were aware for years of the gang attacks. That brought a sharp rebuke from Mitchell, who told Capitol Media Services it was another sign of him being soft on crime. Kolodin, however, told colleagues they need to look closely at the breadth of what theyre approving. It sends our kids to jail for a very long time for a very serious felony for getting into a fight at school that does not cause serious physical injury to anyone, he said. In fact, he said, the bill as approved by the House says the accomplices do not even need to be present at the fight to make whatever occurred a Class 4 felony. What does it even mean to have two accomplices who are not present? Kolodin asked. Consider, he said, what happens in a one-on-one fight at a school, with some friends cheering on the assailant from the side. And that kid, without ever breaking somebodys bones, without ever hurting them in any persistent or permanent way, will now spend years in jail so that we can cover up for the people who killed Preston Lord, Kolodin said. Gress called his comments quite a tale ... about what this bill is and is not. The measure is simple, Gress countered. It says if three or more people engage in an assault on a single person, then this statute would allow a prosecutor to prosecute for swarming, Gress told colleagues. He also said this is a probation-eligible offense, meaning its not necessarily true that anyone convicted would be sent to prison for years. Gress also disputed Kolodins claim that nothing in the bill would have prevented the death of Preston Lord. The Gilbert Goons had been engaging in a pattern of ganging up on people, single individuals, and attacking them, he said. And they finally crossed the line and took Preston Lords life. That mob violence should not be tolerated at all. He said that requires giving prosecutors the tools they need to stop things from getting out of hand. But Rep. Lupe Contreras said what happened to Lord and what Gress said the bill is about is way different. The Avondale Democrat said it puts kids that were just in a regular fight ... in the same (legal) verbiage as mob violence when it was just a brawl or a miscommunication between kids at a schoolyard. I have kids in high school right now, Contreras said. And I would hate for my son to be put in that predicament because somebody did something to his sister and hes standing up for them, and maybe his friend jumps in. And now, all of a sudden, my kid and his friend get into some problem and it wasnt mob violence. Rep. Justin Olson agreed with Kolodin that what happened to Preston Lord wasnt due to existing laws being inadequate. Law enforcement had the tools that they needed to go after these individuals, but they didnt, said the Mesa Republican. It was a failure of law enforcement, he continued. And Im afraid that were rushing to a new policy here today in order to satisfy our frustration that law enforcement did not act to stop the crimes that should have been stopped. But Olson ended up voting for the bill anyway, saying he will stand with law enforcement. Rep. Khyl Powell, a Gilbert Republican, agreed that no one wants their children to end up in prison. He suggested that police were slow to respond. We constantly asked, Why is this taking so long? Why did a group of hellions roam the town for two years where the police understood and knew all about it? he said. But he, too, supported the legislation. Unfortunately, when people cannot manage their behavior, we as legislators must act in order to preserve life, Powell said. SBS has announced a second run of its SBS Factual initiative, calling out for original format ideas that explore the subject of polarisation in Australia. Announced to coincide with the Australian International Documentary Conference, the initiative offers up to $50,000 in development funding. Bethan Arwel-Lewis, Factual Commissioning Editor, SBS, said: Were excited to once again be challenging creatives across the country to shock us and surprise audiences with something never seen on screens before. With growing polarisation one of the most significant social issues impacting the nation, were urging producers to break new ground to drive an important national conversation, and create must-see TV. We want daring ideas that examine the political, social and cultural lines dividing communities. Whats driving rifts and disparities, what is the toll on society and which Australians feel the biggest impact? Are there ways we can bridge this division? From politics to socio-economics, gender, race, religion, or something else entirely, keeping the SBS Charter at the heart of the idea is key, and concepts must demonstrate an undeniable sense of scale, boldness and ambition. Recent research through the latest McKinnon Poll reveals that more than half of the nation believes Australia is more divided than five years ago, and almost a third feel that Australia is extremely or very divided on key political, economic and social issues*. SBS is looking for inventive and ambitious series ideas to expose the growing divide in the nations public opinions and beliefs, and also look beyond to explore polarisation across society more broadly. SBS is seeking shows that take new risks to delve into whats driving division, shine a light on the cost, and explore solutions to bridge the widening gaps. The announcement today, to coincide with the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) in Melbourne, follows the launch of the first-of-its-kind initiative at AIDC last year. The 2024 call out was focused on ideas exploring themes of inequality and social cohesion in Australian society, and led to SBS commissioning Robodebt (working title) [pictured], a genre-bending and innovative series combining factual storytelling and high-end drama. Produced by CJZ, this new landmark series will expose how ordinary Australians fought back against the notorious Robodebt scheme, and is set to premiere on SBS later this year. Entries are now open, with pitches being considered by SBS with a pot of up to $50,000 in development funding available. Ideas must have the SBS Charter at their core and demonstrate an approach that is overwhelmingly new and fresh. Whether its genre-bending or format-flipping, ideas must grab the nations attention, and appeal to a big and broad prime time audience on television and on SBS On Demand. Submission information SBS is seeking original factual format ideas that are 3-4 x 1 hour episodes. Ideas must explore the subject of polarisation in Australia today, and align with the SBS Charter. Project proposals should be no more than three pages, and submissions must include a title, a logline and a single paragraph synopsis. Ideas must be submitted to the SBS factual pitching portal by emailing [email protected], with the subject title New Factual Format. All applications need to be eligible for state/federal documentary funding programs. Entries are now open and will close Sunday 4th of May 2025. Many stay or return to their rural hometowns for peace, nature and solitude. In Van Zandt County, residents are fighting foreign companies they say threaten that way of life. One of the main reasons I moved out here is to get away from light and sound pollution, said Matthew Hernandez, Director for Texas House District 2 Rep. Brent Money. Thats a beautiful part of what we have here in Texas, but as you can see now, thats being infringed upon by these companies. Amador Energy Storage, a 100 MW battery storage project in rural Van Zandt County, is being developed by Taaleri Energia, a Finland-based wind, solar and battery storage fund manager. Construction on the $90 million project began in December 2024, with operations expected by December 2025. At a Feb. 20 meeting, over 100 residents gathered to learn about the project and voice safety concerns, including the risk of fire and environmental damage from a lithium battery explosion. According to the Amador website, the developer believes the project will bring significant benefits to Van Zandt County, requiring few public services but contributing over $10 million in property tax revenue. The facility could prevent power outages like those caused by Winter Storm Uri, improving the reliability and resilience of the local power grid, the website states. Despite the potential benefits, local residents continue to voice concerns they feel have not been addressed by the company. This has been a never-ending rabbit hole, said Nancy White, a homeschool mom and energy project opponent. Every time I have a question, more questions arise, and it just seems insane. Fire safety risks Van Zandt County has only one full-time fire department in Canton, while other areas rely on volunteer fire departments lacking proper equipment and protective gear for hazardous material fires. Firefighters current gear is designed for thermal protection, not for exposure to hazardous chemicals, which increases cancer risk. Lithium fires require hazmat gear, as exposure to toxic particles can be deadly. Fire departments responding to lithium battery fires dont use water, but rather work to keep metal storage containers below 176 degrees Fahrenheit. Given that storage sites can contain up to 150,000 pounds of lithium, preventing overheating is crucial. However, the closest fire department is over 15 miles away, and specialized hazmat teams are over 95 minutes away, making emergency response slow. Amador Energy Storage claims the project is designed with fire safety features, including training for local fire departments and mutual aid responders, with annual refresher courses at no cost. According to the website, battery fires do not require specialized equipment; firefighters monitor the fire, which is expected to self-extinguish with facility support. National security concerns White also raised concerns about China-based company CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited), which produces battery control systems. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and other members of Congress have labeled CATL a national security threat due to its ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). CATL control systems were removed from U.S. military bases for security reasons but they are still being installed at battery storage sites across the country, including Texas. Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order warns the CCP has threatened to use American infrastructure, including the energy grid, to cause harm. Lithium battery fires, if uncontrolled, could damage water supplies, livestock and farmland, similar to the Moss Landing fires impact on Californias agricultural sector. Cybersecurity risks Cybersecurity risks are another concern. A 2021 investigation into a lithium battery fire revealed that a malfunctioning fire suppression system triggered the thermal runaway, causing the fire. Experts warn that a cyberattack could change a single digit in a systems code, overheating batteries and causing catastrophic failures. With over 900 planned lithium storage sites in Texas, this poses a significant risk to critical infrastructure, including water supplies and food production. Lack of oversight Regulatory agencies responsible for overseeing battery storage systems and power transmission are not properly monitoring cybersecurity threats. Engineers primarily focus on mechanical issues, rather than software vulnerabilities. White said previous investigations into unauthorized equipment from the same Chinese company, raising concerns about backdoor access. From inadequate fire protection and evacuation plans to national security and cybersecurity risks, Van Zandt County residents argue for stricter regulations to address these concerns. In the middle of the country, where youre supposed to hear birds and enjoy quiet, youre hearing loud electrical sounds in your backyard, White said. What can we do? What are our options? National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 855 When Taaleri first met with Van Zandt County commissioners, Precinct 2 Commissioner Cliff Williams said they initially believed the project would be well-received. However, as citizens began researching the safety of battery energy storage systems, they found troubling reports of fires and explosions. The commissioners began to scrutinize the safety of battery storage systems, asking the developers for information such as testing results, emergency plans and commissioning details. The initial testing results provided by the developers did not meet required safety standards. The tests showed that the batteries experienced thermal runaway, where one battery ignites and potentially causes others to catch fire. The runaway was not contained, and the smoke and emissions were found to be flammable outside the container. If theyre safe, if they comply with all the rules established in Texas, they can turn it on, Williams said. But if they dont comply with every detail of NFPA 855, they cannot. Amador Energy Storage asserts it is fully compliant with NFPA 855. 391 Commission The county has unanimously voted to establish a 391 Commission, which will collaborate with other political subdivisions to create a Regional Planning Commission. The commission ensures that state agencies work together to protect citizens and support community development. White explained that the commission allows the county to request vital information from state and federal agencies, strengthening their position. The Regional Planning Commission brings together counties, cities and special districts, providing more collective power than individual towns could have on their own. Williams said he has spoken with Henderson County, noting it is also considering the 391 process. He said discussions are ongoing with other East Texas counties that may join the initiative. Legislative efforts State legislators are also working on solutions to address concerns about battery energy storage. Rep. Money outlined three initiatives under consideration in a video presentation at a community meeting. One is Senate Bill 934, which would prohibit green energy projects from using software or components sourced from foreign adversary nations. Another initiative focuses on updating fire codes to require facility operators to provide adequate training and firefighting equipment at their own expense. The third initiative would give counties more regulatory authority over industrial projects in unincorporated areas, requiring developers to obtain permits from the County Commissioners Court after at least two public hearings. Taaleri Energia representatives were not present at the town hall to advocate for their project. They know theyre not wanted here, White said. Even though they dont intend to back out. White believes the technology behind the project isnt ready and that the risks, particularly regarding fire mitigation, remain unaddressed. While the company outlines its commitment to safety, White said Texans have long held the mantra Dont mess with Texas, and this project isnt welcome in the state. ACHSI certification The world's strictest standards for healthcare quality In the healthcare field, the ACHSI certification has long been considered a guarantee of quality healthcare services globally. Established in 1974, ACHS is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious healthcare quality standards consultant in Australia. As an independent, non-profit organisation, ACHS has worked with healthcare institutions to improve quality, tailoring services to the needs of each healthcare system. Today, many prominent global hospitals, including Dubai London Hospital (UAE), Al-Ahli Hospital (Qatar), and ICON Group International Hospital (Singapore), have adopted ACHSI standards. Thanks to a strict and rigorous assessment process, ACHSI standards have been adopted by many prestigious hospitals worldwide. These standards not only ensure safety but also enhance patient experience and satisfaction. Mr. Christopher Morley, Trade and Investment Commissioner at the Australian Embassy in Viet Nam, emphasized: The ACHSI is a well-established Australian company that is highly regarded in the medical field in Australia. It has set up a number of programs and raised standards in healthcare across Australia. Now, they are extending these initiatives globally. The Australian Center for Healthcare Standards continues to explore new ways to collaborate with Vietnamese partners to improve healthcare across the country. Practical benefits of the ACHSI hospital quality certification for patients After nearly two years of continuous effort and improvement, Hong Ngoc General Hospital has successfully passed the stringent evaluation process encompassing 38 criteria and 722 sub-criteria across six quality commitment areas. Among them, some notable criteria that bring practical benefits to patients and demonstrate the international quality standards of this private healthcare system include: Ensuring radiation safety and comprehensively optimising the infection control system. 100% of operating rooms are equipped with air filtration systems that ensure air quality standards are safely met.Maximising patient rights and benefits according to WHO declarations.A standardised medication management system, ensuring optimal drug storage, safe dispensing, and appropriateness.Completing the hospital-wide 'code red' alarm system while establishing 'rapid response' teams to improve the patient emergency process, enabling timely responses to both medical and non-medical emergencies.A commitment to continuously updating the most advanced medical equipment to serve diagnosis and treatment.Incorporating technology into hospital management and operations to optimise effectiveness, delivering the best experience with cost efficiency for patients. Joining virtually, Ms. Louise Cuskelly, CEO of ACHS International, shared: During our evaluation, our team of experts recognized Hong Ngoc General Hospitals strong governance system and exceptional culture of accountability. One of its most outstanding strengths of Hong Ngoc General Hospital is the well-organized patient admission and care process, which is deeply patient-centered. This achievement is not merely about meeting standards but surpassing them to improve treatment outcomes for patients. Achieving international quality certification after a rigorous evaluation not only strengthens the trust of patients and partners in the Hong Ngoc healthcare system but also enhances the service experience. Patients receive care with international standards, and the medical team is continuously trained to improve expertise, meeting over 700 criteria focused on patient care, prioritising comprehensive healthcare, and offering the best support for patients' health. Also speaking at the event, Dr. Duong Huy Luong, Deputy Director General of the Department of Medical Services Administration, emphasized: It can be said that attaining international accreditation is a challenging for hospitals nationwide. Some hospitals in Vietnam have achieved this milestone by placing a strong emphasis on quality improvement. They have actively enhanced their standards in accordance with the 83 criteria set by the Ministry of Health, as well as other quality improvement regulations issued by the Ministry of Health, thereby making a transition towards international benchmarks" Commitment to sustainable development, putting patients first The Head of the Evaluation Team, Timothy Gardner, highly praised the achievements of Hong Ngoc General Hospital, saying: ACHS has its own highly stringent healthcare quality standards, which have been developed over the course of 50 years of the organisation's history. These standards are continuously updated and adapted to global trends, creating international-level criteria. Moreover, ACHS is particularly focused on maintaining and continuously improving healthcare quality through annual assessments, even after a hospital has received certification. This is why we highly value Hong Ngocs achievement, placing it on par with many of the top hospitals worldwide. With the strict requirements from one of the worlds leading healthcare quality assessment organisations, Hong Ngoc General Hospital will undergo annual evaluations by ACHS to maintain the validity of its certification and ensure that its quality commitments are consistently upheld at the highest standards for patients. Prof. PhD. Dr. Le Van Thach, Director of Hong Ngoc General Hospital Phuc Truong Minh, said: One of the values that impressed us about ACHSI and aligns with the mission of Hong Ngoc General Hospital is the constant improvement. With the annual evaluations, we are confident that our commitment to healthcare quality will always be maintained at the highest level. There is pressure, but it is essential to strengthen a safe and friendly working environment for healthcare staff, improve patient experience and safety, and contribute to the overall development of Viet Nam's healthcare sector. It can be confidently stated that, as the first general hospital to successfully achieve the ACHSI quality certification, Hong Ngoc General Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to putting patient benefits first. It is worthy of being a trusted destination for patients, while also paving the way for Viet Nam's healthcare system to integrate and meet global healthcare standards./. VIFA EXPO 2025 will take place from March 58, 2025, at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC) 799 Nguyen Van Linh, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. It is expected to welcome over 20,000 visitors and importers from Vietnam and all over the world. VIFA EXPO Vietnam International Furniture and Home Accessories Fair - is Vietnams pioneering and longest-standing specialised furniture fair, serving as an ideal destination for thousands of exhibitors and hundreds of thousands of buyers and importers since 2008. With an international reputation built over the past 17 years, the 16th VIFA EXPO continues to affirm its brand position, while expanding its scale to become Vietnam's largest indoor and outdoor furniture exhibition in 2025, standing shoulder to shoulder with major exhibitions around the world. International furniture trade hub with grand scale VIFA EXPO 2025 will have the largest fair scale since 2008, bringing together over 650 exhibitors with more than 2,500 booths spanning over 40,000 m. This includes 52 per cent international exhibitors from 19 countries and territories: Denmark, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Malaysia, Netherlands, Thailand, India, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, England and Wales, Australia, the US, Taiwan (China), Cambodia, Italy, Japan, Canada, Czech Republic, and 48 per cent Vietnamese exhibitors from 17 provinces and cities: Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Da Nang, Dong Nai, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Lam Dong, Long An, Nam Dinh, Phu Tho, Quang Nam, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Tien Giang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. VIFA EXPO 2024 gathers leading prestigious brands in the indoor and outdoor furniture industry such as: Annda International, Minh Tin - USofa, Your Furn Partner Part of Wendelbo Group, Trend World Furniture, Far East Foam, Reindeer Furniture, Babakagu, Canadian Wood, Latitude Tree, Paul-Yu, Koda, Woodnet, Scancom, Fine Scandinavian, MFC, PMA, Savimex, Thinh Viet, Lyprodan, Eurofar, Hiep Long, Cattie, Master Pacific, Mega Home, Wood Concept and more. This exhibition is not only a place to display and introduce new products, but also an opportunity for businesses to update on the international market status and new trends. This event promises to be a major boost for the Vietnamese furniture industry, contributing to economic growth and strengthening Vietnam's position on the world map of furniture and handicraft exports. Exciting programmes and activities at VIFA EXPO 2025 At VIFA EXPO 2025, visitors will have the opportunity to attend a series of industry talk shows, which will share and update on the current status and future trends of the furniture industry. The series begins with the talk show "Global Furniture Outlook 2024 & Trends Forecast 2025" from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm on March 5, 2025, featuring leading experts from CSIL (Italy), Home Living (Japan), and Moebel Markt (Germany). This is followed by the talk show "Furniture Industry Moving Towards a Net-Zero Market - Opportunities & Challenges" from 9:30 am to 11:30 am on March 6, 2025, focusing on sharing updated regulations on environmental and ESG standards for the industry. Finally, the talk show "Made in Vietnam, Sold on Wayfair" from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm on March 6, 2025, will be presented by Wayfair the leading furniture e-commerce platform in the US in collaboration with Lien Minh Company. Moreover, international buyers at VIFA EXPO will receive comprehensive support from the organisers, covering all aspects from transportation to accommodation: Support at Tan Son Nhat International Airport; Shuttle bus from the official hotels to SECC; Factory visit tours to factories in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Dong Nai; Business matching with VIFA EXPOs exhibitors (organised by Amazon Global Selling Vietnam and Lien Minh Company); Free two-night hotel stay (for VIP buyers); Virtual fair on the platform vifaexpo.online; Attendance at the Gala Dinner of VIFA EXPO 2025; and souvenirs from the organiser. As the grand gateway, VIFA EXPO 2025 Vietnam's largest indoor and outdoor furniture and handicraft trade fair is opening up thousands of potential export opportunities for the Vietnamese furniture and handicraft community to the world, while positioning Ho Chi Minh City as a leading furniture trade centre in the region. For more details about VIFA EXPO 2025, please visit: www.vifaexpo.com Contact Lien Minh Company: Address: 2/13 Bau Cat 2, Ward 14, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City. Phone: +84 28 7306 7887 - Hotline: +84 79999 7657 Email: info@hawacorp.com.vn - Website: www.vifafair.com The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) has become an iconic event that attracts millions of domestic and international visitors annually. This year, DIFF promises to elevate the festival to new heights, not only with spectacular fireworks displays but also with a world-class performance stage that will bring fresh experiences to visitors. DIFF 2025: A premier artistic stage Sun Group, the festival's co-organiser, has high expectations for DIFF 2025, aiming to transform the event into a multidimensional artistic space where fireworks are just one element of a grand artistic showcase. Each night will feature not only world-class fireworks displays from various countries competing for the title but also explosive live concerts with renowned artists and music idols from Vietnam and beyond. The fusion of music, lighting, choreography and cutting-edge performance technology promises unforgettable moments that exceed all audience expectations. DIFF 2025 will unfold under meaningful themes: Legacy of Culture, The Art of Creativity, The Path of Unity, Sustainable Development, Powered by Innovation, and the Grand Finale, The New Rising Era. These themes not only celebrate artistic values but also inspire creativity and a vision for the future. With groundbreaking improvements, DIFF 2025 is set to be a highlight of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Da Nangs Liberation Day. This year's programme brings a youthful, dynamic atmosphere, aligning with modern trends. The event space is meticulously designed with aesthetic, artistic and technological investments, ensuring an optimal and exceptional experience for visitors. A standout feature of DIFF 2025 is the integration of advanced technology into every aspect of the experience. The Sun Paradise Land (SPL) app will allow visitors to personalise their Da Nang itinerary, purchase event tickets, and vote for their favourite fireworks team each night. Notably, AR (augmented reality) technology will be introduced for the first time, enabling festival-goers across Vietnam from Ha Noi and HCM City to Phu Quoc to immerse themselves in the festivals atmosphere through unique virtual fireworks effects. Ticket holders at the grandstands will also enjoy exclusive AR-enhanced effects, creating a personalised, novel and surprising experience. Secure your tickets early for spectacular competition nights Event organisers have released the seating chart and detailed ticket pricing, starting at VN1 million. To enjoy the artistic space and unique fireworks displays, visitors can choose from five grandstand ticket categories ranging from A3 to A VIP. Ticket prices are as follows: Grandstand A3: 1,000,000 VND Grandstand A2 and A1: 1,500,000 VND Grandstand A: 2,000,000 VND Grandstand A VIP: 3,500,000 VND For the Grand Finale on July 12, 2025, an additional A4 grandstand will be available, with slightly higher ticket prices than regular competition nights: Grandstand A4, A3: 1,300,000 VND Grandstand A2, A1: 2,000,000 VND Grandstand A: 2,500,000 VND Grandstand A VIP: 4,000,000 VND Tickets apply to visitors who are at least one metre tall. Children under one metre can attend DIFF for free if seated with an adult. However, if they require a separate seat, a regular ticket purchase is necessary. With Grand Finale tickets consistently selling out, visitors are advised to book early to secure a spot for this top-tier event. DIFF's opening night also always leaves a strong impression, with an intense showdown between the host country and the reigning champion, making the opening fireworks and performances a must-see spectacle worthy of the festival's grand scale. Visitors can stay updated and purchase their tickets at www.diff.vn. Analyst's Pick Vo Tri Thanh* The Ministry of Planning and Investment has put forth a proposal to broaden the pool of eligible entities for establishing businesses by suggesting amendments to certain provisions of the 2020 Law on Enterprises. This proposal signifies a shift in mindset towards creating a conducive environment for development. It aligns with the ongoing trend of socialisation, which is a state policy aimed at mobilising all resources for public goods and social services, as exemplified in sectors such as education and healthcare. In accordance with the 2010 Law on Public Employees, a public employee is defined as a Vietnamese citizen employed based on job positions, working at public service providers under the terms of employment contract policies, and receiving remuneration from the salary funds of public service providers as prescribed by law. Public employees are generally prohibited from engaging in the management and administration of limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, partnerships, cooperatives, private hospitals, schools or scientific research institutions unless specified otherwise by law. This regulation is designed to mitigate conflicts of interest and prevent unhealthy competition. By maintaining this separation, the regulation seeks to safeguard the public interest, ensure accountability and promote ethical conduct among public employees. However, according to the proposed amendments to the Law on Enterprises, employees who are scientists will be permitted to establish and oversee businesses dealing with researched scientific products. This adjustment reflects the recognition that Viet Nam prioritises people-centric development and positions science and technology-based enterprises as key drivers of progress. Party General Secretary To Lam underscored that science and technology play pivotal roles in national advancement, serving as essential prerequisites for the nation to prosper in the new era. First, the proposal to broaden the scope of subjects allowed to engage in business activities presents a significant opportunity for increasing the number of businesses operating nationwide, thereby offering individuals and enterprises the chance to expand their investments and business ventures. Despite setting a target of reaching one million enterprises five years ago, the current number remains below that threshold. Therefore, amending various regulations within the existing Enterprise Law aims to create more opportunities for individuals to feel confident in investing in businesses, emphasising the importance of the freedom to engage in lawful business activities. Development of businesses is not merely increase in quality but also improvement in quality through the commercialisation and transfer of scientific and technological research results. The commercialisation of scientific research results plays a vital role in fostering motivation for research endeavours. It serves as a driving force from the inception of ideas, through the implementation process, to the concerted efforts required to achieve final results. Additionally, commercialisation not only facilitates the creation and supplementation of research activities but also serves as a means of compensating scientists, thereby ensuring their livelihoods and professional status. By turning scientific research outcomes into commercial ventures, researchers are incentivised to pursue innovative ideas, conduct rigorous investigations, and strive for tangible results that can be applied in practical settings. Moreover, the commercialisation of research results can lead to the development of products, services, and technologies that benefit society, drive economic growth, and address real-world challenges. By translating scientific findings into marketable products or services, researchers can not only advance their own careers but also contribute to the broader advancement of knowledge and innovation in various fields. However, achieving a breakthrough in quantity is not guaranteed, as the growth of the business community hinges on other essential factors. Key elements crucial in promoting the entrepreneurial spirit among the populace include creating stability and safety in the business environment and developing a systematic and transparent legal framework. Stability and safety in the business environment means implementing policies and regulations that provide a stable and secure business environment where rules are consistent and not subject to frequent changes. Meanwhile, a systematic and transparent legal framework is to ensure that the legal system is coherent, free of overlaps and contradictions that could impede individuals and officials when interpreting and implementing laws. In addition to amending the Enterprise Law to broaden participation, a gradual reform of business activities should be undertaken in the short, medium and long term, simultaneously across all sectors in a comprehensive manner. For instance, immediate actions may include reducing the number of conditional business lines and digitising administrative procedures to simplify processes and reduce bureaucratic hurdles. In the latest move, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man has signed off Resolution No. 193/2025/QH15 on piloting several special mechanisms and policies to create breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. The resolution is deemed a legal foundation for amendments to the Law on Enterprises to be approved. However, it should be noted that there is still cases of interest conflicts when public employees are assigned to manage a business so it is necessary to have a sanction to deal with the conflict. Besides, the resolution does not mention the case when the business established by a public employee wants to mobilise capital, or list in the stock market or do M&A transaction. How to evaluate it when a part of the business asset is managed by the public service providers is another matter. So it is on the one hand plausible for the MPI to put forth the amendments, on the other hand, to realise it properly and effectively, the ministry should prepare more thoroughly related legal documents. Resolution piloting several special policies for science, technology development attestedThis resolution applies to domestic and foreign organisations and individuals; foreign organisations and individuals participating in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation activities in Viet Nam; and other related organisations and individuals.Public scientific and technological organisations, as well as public higher education institutions, are allowed to establish, participate in the establishment of businesses, and contribute capital to businesses in order to commercialise the scientific research and technological development results owned or entrusted to them for management and use.With the consent of the head of the organisation, officials and managers working at public science and technology organisations and public higher education institutions are allowed to contribute capital, participate in the management and operation of enterprises, work at enterprises established by that organisation or participate in the establishment to commercialise research results created by that organisation.Regarding risk acceptance in scientific research and technological development, the Resolution stipulates: Organisations and individuals engaged in scientific research and technological development activities are exempted from civil liability when causing damage to the State in the process of performing scientific and technological tasks using the State budget when they have fully implemented relevant procedures and regulations in the process of implementing scientific research and technological development activities.The organisation in charge of implementing a scientific and technological task using the state budget during the implementation process has fully implemented the regulations on management of scientific and technological tasks, the research process and content have been explained but have not achieved the expected results, it does not have to refund the funds used.The Resolution specifies that the central budget will be used to invest in, procure, lease, operate, and maintain digital platforms and national or regional-scale information systems for use by central and local agencies and organisations, to be shared for the purpose of serving socio-economic development, ensuring efficiency, and avoiding wastefulness.This resolution takes effect from the date it is approved by the National Assembly on February 19, 2025. VNS *Vo Tri Thanh is former vice-president at the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) and a member of the National Financial and Monetary Policy Advisory Council. With a doctorate in economics from Australian National University, Thanh mainly undertakes research and provides consultation on issues related to macroeconomic policies, trade liberalisation and international economic integration. Other areas of interest include institutional reforms, financial systems and economics of development. He authors the Viet Nam News column Analysts Pick. HA NOI Viet Nams agro-forestry-fisheries exports reached an estimated US$4.4 billion in February, marking a 37.2 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. This pushed the total export value in the first two months of 2025 to $9.38 billion, up 8.3 per cent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE). Of the total, agricultural products brought home $4.89 billion during the first two months, up 4.5 per cent, while the contribution from animal farming was $72.2 million, marking a 4 per cent increase. Aquatic product exports saw a significant boost of 18.6 per cent to $1.42 billion, and forestry product exports rose 11.9 per cent to $2.68 billion. Salt exports saw a remarkable increase, doubling to $1.4 million. Asia remained the dominant market for Viet Nam's agro-forestry-fisheries products, accounting for 42.2 per cent of the total export value. The Americas and Europe followed, with respective shares of 24.2 per cent and 15.5 per cent. Shipments to Africa and Oceania represented smaller shares, at 2.9 per cent and 1.4 per cent, respectively. In terms of specific markets, exports to the US surged by 18.9 per cent, while those to China recorded a decline of 4.3 per cent. The Japanese market also saw a rise of 19.1 per cent. Among key agricultural products, Viet Nam's coffee exports reached 284,000 tonnes from January to February, valued at $1.58 billion. Although the volume decreased by 28.4 per cent, the value climbed 26.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. The increase was attributed to a significant jump in average export prices, which soared 76.3 per cent to nearly $5,575 per tonne. Germany, Italy, and Japan were the largest markets for Vietnamese coffee. Pepper exports also showed a positive trend, with volume falling by 9.4 per cent but value increasing by 52 per cent to 28,000 tonnes and $188.7 million. Meanwhile, 1.1 million tonnes of rice worth $613 million was shipped abroad during the reviewed period. While the volume increased 5.9 per cent, the value fell 13.6 per cent. The average export price of rice dropped 18.3 per cent year-on-year to $553.6 per tonne. The Philippines was the largest buyer of Vietnamese rice, accounting for 38.6 per cent of the total exports, followed by Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana with shares of 15.9 per cent and 12.3 per cent, respectively. Fruit and vegetable exports posted a decline of 11 per cent in value to $724.5 million. China remained the largest market for Vietnamese fruits and vegetables, making up 46.5 per cent of the total shipments, followed by the US and Thailand with respective shares of 8.3 and 5.3 per cent, according to the MoAE. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam's impressive economic growth in 2024 was fueled by contributions from various sectors, with foreign direct investment (FDI) playing a pivotal role. As the country aims to achieve a growth rate of at least 8 per cent in 2025 and double-digit growth in subsequent years, the contributions from the FDI sector need to be amplified. According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), Viet Nam secured US$38.23 billion in FDI last year, positioning itself among the top 15 developing countries for FDI inflows. Notably, the disbursement of FDI capital hit a record high of $25.35 billion, up 9.4 per cent from the previous year. The influx has contributed significantly to Viet Nam's position as a regional leader in economic growth. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung said the FDI sector has left a significant milestone in bolstering Viet Nams collaboration with global tech giants such as NVIDIA in R&D activities, technology transfer, and high-quality human resources development to capitalise on semiconductor and AIs potential, helping deliver on the countrys targets in the new era. FDI has shared the investment burden in a context where State budget resources remain limited and spread across various priorities. Besides generating millions of jobs, the sector has boosted exports, expanded international economic relations, and enhanced Viet Nam's competitiveness in global economic integration. It currently accounts for over 70 per cent of the country's total export turnover. The sector has actually emerged as one of the main drivers of Viet Nam's economic growth, with its influence extending deeply into the country's socio-economic landscape. Against the backdrop, it is necessary to identify strengths and weaknesses to enhance the sectors effectiveness and contributions. With a view to realising the target of luring some 150-200 billion USD in FDI for 2021-25, and $200-300 billion for 2026-30, measures need to be taken to settle several existing issues within the FDI sector, including cases of non-compliance with Vietnamese laws, violations of environmental protection regulations, labour and wage infractions, and tax evasion. Besides, transfer pricing has become increasingly sophisticated, raising questions about why some FDI enterprises report losses while simultaneously proposing expansion of their investments in Viet Nam. Although regulatory authorities have identified and penalised many companies, combating transfer pricing remains challenging. Improvements for enhanced attractiveness Experts proposed several ways to enhance FDI's impact on Viet Nam's economic growth, laying stress on the significance of maintaining preferential policies to lure the capital and making them more transparent, attractive, and competitive. They held that FDI policies should be selective, with priority given to quality, efficiency, technology, and environmental protection. Furthermore, administrative reforms should enhance support for the FDI sector while management should be tightened with proactive post-inspection measures, creating conditions for investors to shorten preparation and implementation time of projects. They also suggested that Viet Nam should prioritise projects featuring advanced and clean technologies, modern governance, high added value, spillover effects, and global connectivity between production and supply chains. Additionally, the country should continue negotiating and signing free trade agreements to create a favourable environment for foreign trade, thereby attracting FDI to launch production for export in Viet Nam. Viet Nam is gradually shifting towards enhancing FDI quality by focusing on selective, proactive attraction of high-tech, environmentally friendly projects in spearhead sectors. Notably, in recent years, Viet Nam has identified semiconductors and AI as two strategic industries to drive national development. Deputy Director of the National Innovation Centre (NIC) Vo Xuan Hoai said that Viet Nam has proactively developed a domestic semiconductor ecosystem and created a favourable legal corridor to welcome global enterprises. He said Viet Nam has made impressive progress in semiconductor cooperation with the US, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan, Taiwan (China), and Europe. Last year, the NIC announced its partnership with NVIDIA, a major chip and AI corporation, to set up an AI R&D Centre and an AI Data Centre. The Vietnamese Government is planning to train some 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030 to meet the increasing demand of this strategic sector. To enhance the capacity for genuine and effective evaluation and control of the FDI sector's contribution to the economy, the Prime Minister recently issued a decision establishing criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of foreign investment in Viet Nam. Notable among these are 29 economic indicators measuring important factors such as budget contributions, profit before tax, profit margins, and linkages between FDI enterprises and domestic companies. In another move, the Government issued a decree on the establishment, management, and use of the Investment Support Fund, affirming its commitment to to promoting high-tech enterprises, particularly in semiconductors and AI. This initiative not only serves as an important driver for enhancing competitiveness but also helps Viet Nam integrate more deeply into the international market. Director General of the RoK-based Hana Micron, Inc Lee Dong-Chul said that Viet Nam has become an attractive destination for high-tech enterprises on the back of the Governments strong support, sound infrastructure, and high-quality human resources at rational costs. VNS HA NOI Foreign media outlets have cast a positive light on Viet Nams economic growth, hailing its resilience amid global challenges and strategic vision for future growth. Australias East Asia Forum commended Viet Nam as an economic development model, crediting the new leadership for pushing hi-tech innovation, mega infrastructure and institutional reforms. By wooing global tech giants, combating corruption and pursuing tactful diplomacy, Viet Nam is well on its way to achieving its goal of becoming a developed, high-income nation by 2045. The UK's Financial Times has underscored Viet Nam's growing global trade networks, which now encompass China, the US, North Asia, the European Union, and ASEAN. Viet Nam has outperformed regional countries in foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction, luring capital flows from the Republic of Korea (RoK), Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, mainland China and the US. Meanwhile, Frances economic-research.bnpparibas.com pinpointed several edges driving Viet Nams economic growth, including booming global demand for electronics, a manufacturing surge fueled by FDI, a rebounding real estate market following 2022-2023 crisis, and potential hikes in private consumption and the governments spending. According to the UK's The Globalist, Viet Nam's per capita GDP surpassed that of the Philippines and closed in on Indonesia's last year. The country has achieved an impressive annual compound growth rate of 5 per cent in real terms over the past two decades, outpacing the global average by 1.7 times. By 2035, 36 million more Vietnamese will join the consumer class, with cities driving 90 per cent of spending growth. Deep-water ports and regional road links only sweeten the deal, while the ultra-high-net-worth population is set to jump 30 per cent by 2028, only behind that in Malaysia and Indonesia. The US's investing.com, citing a report by Viet Nam Holding investment fund, noted that despite volatility in the Vietnamese securities market in January, the banking and retail sectors remained stable thanks to the government's stimulus packages. It spotlighted a solid foundation for Viet Nams growth, with tourism experiencing a positive start in early 2025. Foreign tourist arrivals hit a record 2.5 million in January, surpassing the pre-COVID-19 level and marking a 36.9 per cent year-on-year rise. This tourism boom, paired with rising domestic consumption and a growing middle class, is expected to cushion exports against global trade wobbles. VNS HA NOI The market saw a modest increase on Tuesday, with the VN-Index successfully surpassing the 1,310-point threshold. Liquidity also improved, although foreign investors extended their selling streak for the ninth consecutive session. On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index gained 2.54 points, or 0.19 per cent, to close at 1,311.91 points. Despite the increase, market breadth remained negative, with 115 gainers compared to 199 decliners. Trading liquidity surged to VN23.2 trillion (US$907.1 million), with over one billion shares changing hands. The VN30-Index, which tracks the 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation, also rose by 6.81 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 1,367.97 points. Among the VN30 basket, 15 stocks advanced, 12 declined and three remained unchanged. The market rally was largely driven by banking stocks, led by Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TCB), which surged 5.36 per cent, contributing nearly 2.5 points to the VN-Index. Other key contributors included Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (CTG), which gained 0.85 per cent, and Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MBB), which rose 1.3 per cent. Additionally, Vietnam Rubber Group - Joint Stock Company (GVR) and Masan Group Corporation (MSN) recorded gains of 1.21 per cent and 1.62 per cent, respectively. On the downside, some large-cap and banking stocks weighed on the market. Vinhomes JSC (VHM) dropped 1.18 per cent, while Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam (VCB) fell 0.32 per cent and Hoa Phat Group Joint Stock Company (HPG) declined 0.71 per cent. According to analysts at Viet Dragon Securities, the market tested the previous peak around 1,306 points during the session and briefly dipped to 1,302 points before rebounding at close to 1,310 points. Liquidity increased compared to the previous session, indicating that capital flows are still actively supporting the market. "Investors can expect the market to extend its uptrend," the analysts noted. "Short-term opportunities remain, particularly in stocks with strong technical support. However, profit-taking should be considered for stocks that have seen rapid gains and are approaching resistance levels." On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index edged down 0.42 per cent, closing at 237.35 points. Trading value on the northern exchange exceeded VN1.2 trillion, with over 70 million shares exchanged. Foreign investors continued their net-selling trend, offloading shares worth over VN323 billion on the HoSE. BIZHUB/VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a dialogue with South Korean businesses operating in Viet Nam to strengthen cooperation and investment. The event on Tuesday marked the ninth meeting between both domestic and foreign business leaders in the past month, reinforcing the governments commitment to boosting investment, production and trade. PM Chinh highlighted that South Korea now had more than 10,000 investment projects in Viet Nam, with total registered capital exceeding US$92 billion. Bilateral trade in 2024 reached US$81.5 billion, with Viet Nams imports from South Korea amounting to US$55.9 billion. These figures underscored the strength of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations, with economic, trade and investment cooperation playing a pivotal role. During the meeting, the South Korean Ambassador to Viet Nam Choi Youngsam and business leaders expressed strong approval of Viet Nams improving investment climate. They noted that recent reforms to legal frameworks and administrative processes had made it easier for businesses to invest and operate. A survey revealed that 82 per cent of South Korean enterprises were confident and eager to expand their investments in Viet Nam. Ambassador Choi said regular engagement with businesses was essential for addressing challenges and creating a supportive environment for growth. Some Korean businessmen also raised concerns about the impact of shifting trade policies in some countries, urging Vietnamese authorities at all levels to devise effective countermeasures and stabilise policiesespecially in high-tech sectors such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors, and in matters related to VAT and domestic import/export tax frameworks. Viet Nam is actively working to improve its business environment by simplifying administrative procedures, reducing decision-making time, streamlining labour permit processes, enhancing logistics services, and ensuring a stable power supply. These efforts are intended to help enterprises access investment funds more easily and reduce operating costs. PM Chinh also noted that South Korean businesses were becoming increasingly active in Viet Nam, expanding their operations and diversifying their investments even during periods of declining global investment. He encouraged South Korean enterprises to build on their success and offer strategic advice to further develop Viet Nams economy. He called for closer collaboration on major projects such as high-speed rail linking the north and south, nuclear power plants, and initiatives in high technology, electronics, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, green energy, biotechnology, new materials, shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing, logistics, finance, and pharmaceuticals. The PM also urged Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and local authorities to work together to address issues raised by South Korean companies swiftly. The PM stressed that the two economies complemented each other and should focus on healthy competition rather than aggressive rivalry. Looking ahead, PM Chinh reaffirmed Viet Nams commitment to further improving its business environment. International rankings showed steady progress in government e-services, economic freedom, innovation, sustainable development, and human development. The government was actively implementing policies to develop digital, green, circular, shared, and creative economies while reforming tax policies and reducing protectionist measures. VNS HA NOI Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) on March 4 organised a conference to evaluate and discuss trade promotion activities conducted in February through Vietnamese trade offices abroad. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang and was attended by representatives from industry associations, localities, enterprises, and the overseas Vietnamese trade offices. The conference featured two main discussion sessions. The first session focused on the dissemination of new legal documents related to the industry and trade sector. The second addressed changes in trade policies of major countries and provided recommendations for Vietnamese enterprises seeking to navigate these evolving dynamics. This monthly conference, which has been organised by the MoIT over the past two years, has garnered positive feedback from Vietnamese trade offices abroad, as well as localities, commodity associations and import-export enterprises. It has become a vital platform for fostering collaboration and communication between domestic enterprises, local governments, and the overseas Vietnamese trade office system. The conference has become an important forum for localities, industry associations and domestic enterprises to connect and exchange with the Vietnamese trade offices abroad, contributing positively to the development of import-export markets. BIZHUB.VN/VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a dialogue in Ha Noi on Tuesday with businesses from ASEAN member countries that are operating in Viet Nam. This was the 10th working session in a month that the Vietnamese Government leader had held with both domestic and foreign business communities, aiming to promote investment, production, and business activities, helping Viet Nam achieve a growth target of 8 per cent in 2025 and double-digit rates in the following years. Over the years, Viet Nam-ASEAN relations have stood as a vivid testament to solidarity, mutual support, cooperation, and successful regional integration. Viet Nam's total trade with ASEAN countries reached US$83.6 billion in 2024. ASEAN is now Viet Nam's 4th largest export market and 3rd biggest import market. Several ASEAN countries are also among the top foreign investors in Viet Nam. Specifically, Singapore takes the lead with 3,946 projects worth $84.3 billion, followed by Thailand with 755 projects worth $14.3 billion, and Malaysia with 767 projects totaling $12.9 billion. Conversely, Viet Nam has invested in 871 projects across ASEAN countries, with a total investment nearing $12.1 billion, mainly in Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Singapore. However, these results remain modest compared to ASEANs potential and the expectations of Viet Nam. At the dialogue, ASEAN businesses pledged to work with Viet Nam to achieve at least 8 per cent growth in 2025 and double-digit expansion in the following years. They plan to boost investment in key sectors such as high technology, semiconductors, AI, aviation, energy, e-commerce agriculture, finance and logistics. They also urged Viet Nam to improve its legal framework, enhance tax transparency, simplify customs procedures, ease land and visa regulations, and speed up investment licensing, while raising concerns about ongoing projects. PM Chinh thanked the firms for their proposals, and assigned ministries and sectors to promptly address businesses concerns. He affirmed that Viet Nam is actively addressing these matters, guided by the spirit of "harmonising interests, sharing risks, and ensuring no one is left behind." He urged businesses to maintain close collaboration with relevant ministries, sectors, and local authorities to resolve any remaining bottlenecks through open, equal, and honest dialogue. Analysing the current world situation, he proposed that ASEAN countries and businesses pursue greater political and diplomatic solidarity and unity; stronger economic connectivity and more effective, deeper cooperation; bolder and more effective mindset reforms; more practical and responsive solutions to meet real-world demands; and more decisive and focused implementation, with tighter coordination between countries and businesses. PM Chinh underlined that Viet Nam views ASEAN as a common home and close neighbour, identifying it as a strategic priority in its foreign policy. Viet Nam is committed to working with ASEAN to build a united and strong community, he stated. However, the cooperation potential between Viet Nam and ASEAN remains substantial, he held, urging both sides to exert even greater efforts, moving from effective to even more effective, with ASEAN businesses taking the lead in this process. The leader affirmed Viet Nam consistently pursue its renewal process and foreign policy, aiming for at least 8 per cent growth in 2025 and double-digit growth in following years, with the goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and high middle income by 2030 and a high-income developed nation by 2045. He highlighted Viet Nam's improved business environment and upgraded global rankings in 2024, positioning the country as a strategic production hub. Viet Nam is focusing on three breakthroughs -- institutional reform, infrastructure, and human resources development, to support sustainable business operations, calling on ASEAN businesses to expand investment, transfer technology, support legal reforms, and help train skilled workers. Particularly, the PM urged Singaporean businesses to actively support the implementation of the Viet Nam-Singapore Economic Connectivity Framework Agreement and the Green and Digital Economy Partnership, initially focusing on digital transformation, circular economy, innovation, and clean energy. He encouraged the expansion and transformation of Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs) into smart, green, sustainable ones, and called on Singapore to maintain its position as Viet Nam's top ASEAN investor while improving FDI quality, especially in high-tech, digital economy, circular economy, clean energy, semiconductors, and AI, and to help Viet Nam develop international financial centres. For Thai businesses, he urged efforts to raise bilateral trade to $25 billion, with a more balanced trade structure. He highlighted cooperation opportunities in the "three connectivity" strategy, particularly supply chains, transport, tourism, digital economy, and green economy. As Viet Nam target $18 billion in bilateral trade with Malayia, Chinh called for reduced trade barriers, easier Halal certification, and increased imports of Vietnamese Halal products. He also highlighted cooperation in digital economy, green economy, energy transition, innovation, smart agriculture, e-government, and cybersecurity. For Indonesian businesses, he proposed removing agricultural and Halal trade barriers, targeting $20 billion in trade. He encouraged investments in new sectors such as digital economy, green economy, e-commerce, digital transformation, and EV ecosystems. Talking to Philippine businesses, he said he hopes two-way trade will reach $10 billion soon, with smoother agricultural trade and increased cooperation in food processing, infrastructure, automotive, renewable energy, and high-tech agriculture. The leader also reaffirmed Viet Nam's commitment to a fair, transparent, and competitive investment environment, protecting businesses legal rights and interests, ensuring political and social stability, and maintaining consistent laws and policies. He concluded by stressing that the Vietnamese Government will always stand by businesses to foster breakthroughs, unite strengths, and shape the future, keeping ASEAN a dynamic, innovative, and growth-centered region that benefits all member countries. VNA/VNS NHA TRANG In a pioneering effort to regenerate Viet Nams declining coral reefs, a research team from the Viet Nam-Russia Tropical Centre has, for the first time, successfully collected coral gametes from the wild in Nha Trang Bay. This milestone marks a significant advancement in the study of coral reproduction and underscores the arduous journey of scientists battling to preserve marine ecosystems. Historically, Viet Nam has relied on asexual reproduction, known as coral fragmentation, to propagate corals. In this method, scientists extract branches from parent coral colonies and transplant them to degraded reef areas to restore coverage. Each fragment, typically one to three centimetres in size, can increase coral coverage by three to six times in a short period. While simple to implement, this technique lacks long-term sustainability. "Not all coral colonies can be fragmented. We can only select certain types suited for this method," said Vo Sy Tuan, a marine ecology expert. He noted that asexual reproduction does not enhance genetic diversity, as each fragment retains the exact genetic makeup of its parent colony. This uniformity leaves reefs vulnerable to mass die-offs during environmental crises such as rising sea temperatures. "Transporting fragments between distant regions is risky. If optimal conditions are not maintained, transplanted corals can die from shock," said Nguyen Van Long, head of the Aquatic Resources Department at the Institute of Oceanography. By comparison, sexual reproduction, where sperm and eggs from different coral colonies combine to produce genetically diverse offspring, offers a more resilient solution. This method, successfully implemented in Australia, Germany, Japan, and China, is now the focus of global coral restoration efforts. Coral sexual reproduction involves a synchronised release of eggs and sperm into the water, typically triggered by water temperature or lunar cycles. "If the release is not simultaneous, the chances of fertilisation drop sharply as currents sweep gametes away. Corals have evolved to maximise fertilisation through mass spawning," explained ang o Hung Viet, a member of the team. Once fertilised, zygotes develop into floating larvae for one to three weeks before settling on suitable substrates to grow into juvenile corals. This process boosts genetic diversity and adaptability, enabling future generations to withstand rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification and diseases - key threats amid intensifying climate change. However, coral spawning lasts mere minutes and occurs just once annually per colony, forcing the team to conduct hundreds of night dives to capture these fleeting moments. "Eggs are mostly pink, though some are yellow or white, ranging from pearl-sized to dust-like particles. After release, they float to the surface, where sperm fertilise them," Viet said. However, timing remains unpredictable. "This year, corals spawned at a certain time, but next year could be different. Once, a colleague waited underwater for an hour with no spawning, only for it to happen right after he surfaced," Long recounted. Visible bulges on coral colonies signal imminent spawning, guiding researchers to prime observation spots. "At night, with low tides, we can not use boats. We swim long distances to reach the corals, facing unpredictable currents that make it dangerous," Viet added. The team, including researcher Hoang Ngoc Lam, endured 10-day monitoring stints from 6pm to 10pm, under immense pressure to not miss the brief spawning window. "Missing it by minutes means waiting another year," Lam said. Their perseverance paid off on April 30, 2024, when they recorded coral spawning in Nha Trang Bay, the first such documentation in Viet Nam. "While the nation celebrated a holiday, we were diving. The reward was gametes and footage of this magical process," Viet said. "We were ecstatic after sleepless nights watching it unfold before our eyes," Lam added. Collected eggs and sperm were separated and cross-fertilised in labs, avoiding inbreeding through natural genetic barriers. "In March, when the next spawning season begins, we hope to replicate this success," said team member inh Thi Phuong Thuy. Nguyen Nhu Hung, coastal branch director at the Viet Nam-Russia Tropical Centre, emphasised the broader goal: "We want people to recognise the value of reef restoration and the effort it demands, fostering greater awareness and marine conservation." With initial gamete samples secured, the team aims to refine breeding techniques to supply coral stock for large-scale restoration projects. "If corals vanish, the ocean floor becomes barren and all life disappears. Thats what drives me to protect these reefs," Viet said. VNS HA NOI A documentary about Nguyen uc, one of Viet Nam's first conjoined twins to be separated 37 years ago, is being shown in theatres in Ha Noi and HCM City. The 75-minute documentary, entitled Danh Cho Viet (Dearest Viet), was produced by Japanese independent film producer Ruth Yoshie Linton in 2023 and was shown at the first HCM International Film Festival (HIFF) last year. uc was born conjoined to his twin brother Nguyen Viet in 1981 as a result of the use of Agent Orange during the American War in Viet Nam. While their separation surgery was televised across Viet Nam and Japan, little is known about uc's life and struggles today - until now. Born in a village in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, which had been sprayed with the toxic herbicide Agent Orange during the war, Viet and uc had been conjoined at the lower halves of their bodies and shared some organs. A team of more than 70 Vietnamese and Japanese doctors and nurses successfully separated the twins in 1988. The surgery saved both of them in a medical miracle that resonated around the globe. Before their surgery, there had been only six cases of conjoined twins successfully separated worldwide. Many years later, Viet died due to his weakened condition, leaving only uc with relentless efforts to lead a meaningful life. "The film is my sincere thanks to doctors, medical workers and friends in Japan and Viet Nam," uc said at the film's official launch in HCM City last week. "Dearest Viet focuses on real-life situations in my daily life. Cameras were put in different corners of my house to capture truthful moments. "I couldn't think that I would overcome so many difficulties and get to be here. After the surgery in 1988, I had more than 10 surgeries. I found that the most important thing is health and spirits, not money. I overcame pains and difficulties to support myself and take care of my family, and I always told myself to try harder in life. "I don't live for myself but also for my brother," uc added. After resolving to live a useful and independent life, uc got married and has a family. He works as a Peace Ambassador for Viet Nam and Japan, is a member of the Executive Board of the Viet Nam - Japan Friendship Association of HCM City in the 2023 - 2028 term, and holds a professorship at Hiroshima International University. He is also the founder of the organisation 'NPO Duc Nihon - For a Brighter World' and makes continuous efforts to contribute to social activities bringing Vietnamese and Japanese together. uc's life has inspired Ruth. She learned about the Vietnamese conjoined twins through Japanese media when she was just seven years old. "The information about their surgery was imbedded in my mind, it was strange," Ruth said. "uc is known as a mystical success in medicine, but not many people know him as an ordinary person." Recently, witnessing the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as other wars, Ruth was fuelled by her desire to create a film carrying the message of peace. She chose uc -- a special Vietnamese friend she met 10 years ago -- as the messenger. Dearest Viet was directed by Kohei Kawabata, who produced Moe Wadas boundary-pushing documentary Rope in 2023 during the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Viet Nam - Japan diplomatic relations. "I was inspired by the things uc shared with us that were deep in his soul," said the director at HIFF in 2024. "uc is not a saint. Just like everyone else, he is full of pride and struggles with everyday life. "Hopefully, every viewer can understand in their own way. I will be satisfied if they can feel the importance of peace and the nature of the desire for peace." The documentary is being shown at BHD Star Pham Ngoc Thach in Ha Noi and Cinestar Quoc Thanh in HCM City until March 9. Visit fanpage Bo Phim "Danh Cho Viet" for further information. - VNS BA RIA-VUNG TAU The Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command and Task Force No. 3 for Drug Crime Prevention and Control launched their 2025 training campaign and high-intensity emulation movement at a ceremony held on Monday in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command under the Viet Nam Coast Guard (VCG) is committed to comprehensive and focused innovation in training to achieve significant improvements. The training framework will adhere to the principles of "Fundamental Practical Steady", with the overarching goal of enhancing sovereignty protection, law enforcement, and the development of a modern, elite, and professional coast guard force. Key priorities include implementing the "Three perspectives, eight principles, and six combinations" training doctrine; strengthening disciplinary management, tactical training, and physical fitness; mastering new technical equipment and refining expertise in law enforcement, maritime operations, and international legal frameworks; enhancing training for command officers and agencies with the motto "Know the higher level, excel at your own level, and surpass the lower level"; and integrating information technology to optimise training effectiveness. The unit will maintain and expand the "Determined to Win" emulation movement, with a strong emphasis on "Excellence in training, strict discipline, mastery of weapons and equipment, and absolute safety." Speaking at the event, Major General am Xuan Tuan, Deputy Commander of VCG, highly commended the outstanding achievements of Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command over last year. To ensure success this year, he urged the unit to thoroughly implement the Central Military Commissions resolution and the Coast Guard Party Committees resolution on enhancing training quality from 2023 to 2030 and beyond. The unit needs to continuously innovate and improve combat training while upholding strict discipline and organisational regulations, he said. Fostering proactive cooperation and unity, and ensuring immediate and effective implementation from the first day and week of the training cycle are also needed, he said. During the ceremony, CGR3 officially launched a emulation movement, running from March 3 to July 31, 2025. The movement is divided into two phases; Phase 1 will last from March 3 to May 19, and Phase 2 will run from May 20 to July 31. It is held to mark the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the 135th birthday of late President Ho Chi Minh, and the 6th Party Congress of Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command for the 2025-2030 term. Colonel Le Van Tu, Political Commissar of the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command, emphasised the positive impact of the emulation movement on combat training. He praised the leadership and units for organising dynamic and meaningful activities, which have significantly improved weak areas and led to the successful completion of numerous Coast Guard missions with outstanding results. With the "Swift Victory" spirit, the unit is determined to achieve high-quality training, reinforce discipline, and enhance operational readiness, contributing to the continued strengthening and modernisation of VCG forces. VNS HA NOI Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs o Hung Viet has affirmed that the criteria for granting amnesty are the same for both Vietnamese and foreign prisoners. "The core principle of the amnesty review and decision-making process is non-discrimination between prisoners of Vietnamese nationality and those of foreign nationality," Viet said at a press conference in Ha Noi on Tuesday, announcing the 2025 Amnesty Decision by the President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. The event was organised by the Office of the President in coordination with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme Peoples Court and other relevant agencies. Deputy Head of the Office of the President Pham Thanh Ha presided over the briefing. Amnesty is a legal institution enshrined in Article 88 of Viet Nams Constitution and codified in the 2018 Amnesty Law. Since 2009, Viet Nam has conducted ten rounds of amnesty on significant national occasions, granting clemency to nearly 100,000 inmates who demonstrated good conduct in rehabilitation, labour and education, allowing them to reintegrate into society, according to Ha. Through the Presidents Amnesty Decisions, tens of thousands of individuals have been pardoned, reunited with their families and given a second chance to rebuild their lives. The majority have reintegrated into their communities, stabilised their lives and pursued lawful employment, with a remarkably low recidivism rate. "This is the most profound humanitarian aspect of the amnesty policy, reflecting the Party and States unwavering commitment to safeguarding and promoting human rights in all policies and initiatives," Ha noted. The year 2025 marks several significant national milestones, including the Party Congresses at various levels leading up to the 14th National Congress, the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, and the 80th anniversary of Viet Nams National Day. At the press conference, Ha announced Decision No 266 on the 2025 amnesty, granting early release to eligible inmates serving fixed-term or life sentences on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 2025). The decision was signed by President Luong Cuong on Monday. The period of sentence served for amnesty consideration is calculated up to April 30, 2025. Eligible individuals include those serving fixed-term imprisonment, life-sentenced inmates whose sentences have been commuted and those granted temporary suspension of their sentences. To qualify for amnesty, inmates must demonstrate good conduct, a positive attitude toward rehabilitation and be classified as having "fair" or "good" compliance with prison regulations. They must have served at least one-third of their fixed-term sentence or at least 14 years if originally sentenced to life but later commuted. Additionally, they must have fulfilled financial penalties, court fees and civil obligations such as restitution and compensation in corruption-related cases. The Presidents decision also specifies 16 categories of individuals ineligible for amnesty, including those convicted of treason, attempts to overthrow the government, espionage, territorial security violations, riots, terrorism against the state, and those with multiple prior convictions. Individuals previously granted amnesty, those with two or more criminal records or those facing additional criminal charges are also excluded. For special-case amnesty, the Government, in coordination with the Supreme Peoples Court, the Supreme Peoples Procuracy and relevant agencies, will compile and review candidate dossiers before submitting them to the President for final approval. As of January 31, 2025, there were 197,158 inmates serving sentences in detention facilities nationwide. Based on the Presidents Decision, the Central Advisory Council on Amnesty has tasked relevant agencies with reviewing cases to ensure that only those meeting the criteria are reported for final consideration and approval. VNS HA NOI Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang has called on the UK to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens to reside, work and study in the UK legally, describing it as a key measure to prevent illegal migration. The proposal was made during a meeting on Tuesday in Ha Noi between the Vietnamese Minister and the UK Home Offices Permanent Secretary, Simon Ridley, to boost bilateral cooperation in security, immigration and efforts to combat human trafficking. Welcoming Ridley and the UK delegation, General Quang expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the third Viet Nam-UK Migration Dialogue held earlier that day between the Ministry and the UK Home Office. "The dialogue mechanism enables us to exchange views on issues of mutual concern, clarify each others positions on emerging challenges and identify cooperative measures to elevate the strategic partnership between our countries, General Quang said. He urged both sides to translate the dialogues outcomes into concrete actions and advance the implementation of signed cooperation documents, including MoUs on combating human trafficking, sharing immigration data and migration issues, and a joint statement from the dialogue. Increased exchanges at all levels were also urged, particularly among experts, to share expertise on combatting human trafficking and illegal migration. General Quang suggested joint investigations into networks that falsify asylum claims and exploit trafficking victims for profit, ensuring perpetrators face justice. Expanding collaboration in some areas with the UK Home Office was also underlined, such as tackling high-tech crime, financial offences, money laundering and passport counterfeiting. In response, Ridley thanked General Quang for the warm reception and praised the increasingly close partnership between the two ministries, particularly their effective coordination during the dialogue earlier that day. Ridley affirmed the UK Home Offices commitment to working closely with the Ministry to implement the signed agreements. He also expressed readiness to broaden cooperation in areas of UK expertise. VNS HA NOI National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh held a meeting in Ha Noi on Tuesday with Caroline Nyamayemombe, UN Women Representative in Viet Nam, and Michaela Bauer, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Viet Nam, to strengthen cooperation on gender equality and womens empowerment. Thanh praised the strong collaboration between UN Women and Viet Nam in developing and implementing policies on gender equality and preventing gender-based violence. She reaffirmed that Viet Nam remains firmly committed to promoting gender equality and empowering women, noting the NA and Government's continuous efforts to improve legal frameworks and ensure gender equality is integrated into all socio-economic development policies, strategies, and plans. On January 1, 2025, Viet Nam officially began its membership of the UN Women Executive Board for 2025-2027, Thanh said. She highlighted the nations intention to contribute actively to shaping UN Womens programmes that align with the common goals of UN member states, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals and the key documents of the Summit of the Future. Viet Nam has also made significant progress in enhancing womens participation in leadership and management roles, with female deputies now accounting for over 30 per cent of the NA seats. However, the official noted that considerable challenges remain, particularly in improving access to education, employment, science, and technology for women and girls in rural, remote, and disadvantaged areas. Mentioning her participation at the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York on March 10, Thanh said she will present Viet Nams concerns and proposals aimed at accelerating the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. She will also highlight Viet Nams achievements and share its experiences in promoting gender equality and advancing womens rights. The legislator called on UN Women to maintain close cooperation with the Vietnamese Government under the UN Womens Strategy Note for Viet Nam for 2022-2026. She asked the organisation to prioritise programmes that help Vietnamese women access science and technology, adopt digital and AI tools, and improve their skills to secure quality jobs. She also urged greater efforts to enhance womens roles in politics, economy, and society, while supporting the implementation of Viet Nams National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. Meanwhile, Thanh reaffirmed Viet Nams recognition of UNICEF as a vital development partner, with long-standing contributions to child protection, education, and welfare in Viet Nam over the past decades. She asked UNICEF to mobilise more resources to support Vietnamese children, particularly those in climate-vulnerable and disadvantaged areas, and to strengthen policy advice and capacity building for officials working in child-related sectors. Nyamayemombe and Bauer commended Viet Nams prioritisation of gender equality and child protection, as reflected in its policies, plans, and programmes. They highlighted the significance of CSW69 in setting ambitious global goals for gender equality and empowering all women and girls. They expressed confidence that the Vietnamese delegation, led by Thanh, will hold productive exchanges at CSW69 on key issues, including advancing gender equality within government structures, developing a national action plan to end violence against women, promoting a just transition to a green economy with a focus on new skills for green jobs, and ensuring womens equal access to technology and economic opportunities. The UN Women Representative in Viet Nam expressed her hope that Viet Nam will help rally global momentum for policy changes and practical actions that foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for science, technology, and innovation to ensure women and girls not only use technology but also lead and shape the future of science, technology, and innovation itself. VNA/VNS HA NOI Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang visited Kazakhstan from March 2 to 3 for a political consultation at the invitation of the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The consultation took place on March 3, co-chaired by Hang and her Kazakh counterpart Alibek Bakayev. Both officials expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in the countries traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation, particularly following Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayevs official visit to Viet Nam in August 2023. The two sides stressed the need to further enhance regular exchanges and interactions across Party, State, and parliamentary channels to increase political trust and mutual understanding, laying the foundation for stronger and more sustainable cooperation in various sectors. They agreed to coordinate closely to ensure the successful organisation of upcoming high-level visits between the countries. While acknowledging the positive growth in bilateral trade in recent years, the officials noted that the current trade volume remains modest compared to its full potential, given that Vietnamese and Kazakh goods do not directly compete but rather complement each other. Both sides agreed to maximise the benefits of the free trade agreement between Viet Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of which Kazakhstan is a member, and to utilise multimodal transport corridors and routes to boost two-way trade. The officials highlighted the visa exemption agreement, which was signed in August 2023 and took effect in May 2024, as a key facilitator for expanding bilateral cooperation in tourism, people-to-people exchange, and locality-to-locality cooperation. The number of Kazakh tourists to Viet Nam reached 150,000 last year. The deputy foreign ministers also recognised vast opportunities for bilateral cooperation in science-technology, transport-logistics, education-training, and culture, serving their development needs in the 4th Industrial Revolution. In terms of their ministries' cooperation, the officials agreed to maintain regular political consultations and high-level interactions to enhance their coordination role in promoting the ties between Viet Nam and Kazakhstan as well as their government agencies and localities. Hang and her Kazakh counterpart also exchanged views on global and regional developments, highlighting the two countries' commitment to an open, balanced, diversified and multilateral foreign policy. Both sides welcomed the close coordination at international organisations and multilateral forums, including the United Nations (UN), to enhance their roles and contributions towards peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. They agreed to continue supporting each others participation in multilateral institutions, particularly within the UN framework. Bakayev expressed Kazakhstans desire to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN and sought Viet Nams support in this regard. In return, Kazakhstan affirmed its readiness to serve as a bridge for Viet Nams engagement with Central Asian nations. Hang reiterated Viet Nams commitment to fostering ASEAN-Kazakhstan relations and promoting cooperation between ASEAN and regional organisations in which Kazakhstan holds membership, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The Vietnamese diplomat expressed her hope that Kazakhstan will actively support ASEAN's and Viet Nams position on maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and trade in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea). She emphasised the importance of resolving disputes through peaceful means and in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Deputy Minister thanked the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its support for the Vietnamese community in Kazakhstan and urged the latter to continue providing favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens residing and working in the country. On this occasion, Hang met with A. Kuspan, Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Security and head of the Kazakhstan-Viet Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group at the Kazakh Lower House, along with representatives of Kazakh political parties. A. Kuspan reaffirmed Kazakhstans interest in Viet Nams socio-economic achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam over nearly four decades of reform. She noted that Hangs visit for this round of political consultations demonstrated Viet Nams high regard for bilateral relations, particularly diplomatic ties. She welcomed upcoming high-level delegation exchanges and affirmed Kazakhstans commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation and ensuring thorough preparations for future visits. Hang thanked A. Kuspan for the reception and pledged to work closely with the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to advance bilateral relations. She emphasised the commitment to implementing the agreements reached by high-level leaders for the benefit of both nations and for regional and global peace, cooperation, and development. Earlier, on the afternoon of March 2, the Vietnamese deputy foreign minister held a working session with the Vietnamese embassy in Kazakhstan. VNA/VNS HUE Chairman of the Danish Parliaments Foreign Policy Committee Michael Aastrup Jensen has praised Viet Nams vessel monitoring system for fishing activities and the quality of its seafood products. During a working session with the Thuan An Fish Port Management Board in the central city of Hue, Jensen expressed his appreciation for the countrys fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, pledging to relay these positive insights to the European Commission (EC). The Danish delegation witnessed firsthand how Hues fishing boats are tracked live through an advanced Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), run by the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. They also raised questions about the handling of local fishing vessels caught illegally fishing in foreign waters, the status of foreign vessels violating Viet Nam's maritime boundaries, and the ongoing decline in offshore catch volumes. The municipal fish port management board reported that 437 offshore fishing vessels in Hue have been equipped with the VMS. The city is now working to integrate vessel management data from the national fisheries database (VNFishbase) and the VMS data into the Hue-S smart urban service platform. It is also intensifying monthly tracking of each fishing trip to maintain precise records of vessel movements both into and out of the city's ports. Using real-time monitoring via shore stations, authorities will detect when fishing vessels risk crossing into prohibited zones in the Gulf of Tonkin. Timely warnings are issued to ensure vessels return to Vietnamese waters, preventing their unintentional violations. Relevant agencies are also taking proactive measures to maintain VMS device connectivity and issuing alerts for vessels at high risk of engaging in IUU fishing, thereby ensuring coordinated action across departments. VNA/VNS HA NOI National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man chaired a meeting between NA leaders and the Standing Board of the Ethnic Council, NA committees, and the NA Office to review February's work and set priorities for March and beyond. Presenting a report at the meeting, NA Secretary-General and Chairman of the NA Office Le Quang Tung noted that NA agencies had worked with urgency, responsibility, and efficiency in February to fulfil their assigned tasks. Key priorities for March and beyond include preparing reports and coordinating with the inspection teams of the Party Central Committee's Politburo and Secretariat for their 2025 review. The agencies will also advise the Standing Board of the NAs Party Committee in organising the 2nd Congress of the NAs Party Committee for the 2025-30 term. Other areas of focus will be preparations for the NA Standing Committees upcoming meetings in Q2 and events marking the 80th anniversary of the National Assembly. Chairman Man commended NA agencies, full-time deputies, and staff for their dedication to successfully organising the NA's ninth extraordinary session, which delivered many historic decisions. Looking ahead, he emphasised that the workload would be heavy, with many challenges requiring unity and commitment. He called on NA agencies to strengthen their role in legislation, supreme oversight, and major national decisions. To ensure progress, Chairman Man directed NA agencies to complete reports for submission to the Politburo, Party Secretariat, and Party Central Committee by March 15 regarding the review of Resolution 18-NQ/TW dated on streamlining the organisational apparatus of the political system for greater efficiency. He also requested instructions for internal restructuring within the NAs Party organisation be finalised by March 7. For institutional reforms, the top legislator assigned NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac inh to direct the Legal and Judicial Committee to urgently consider amendments to the 2013 Constitutions provisions related to the state apparatus. To prepare for upcoming NA sessions, Man urged a detailed review of laws related to administrative restructuring. He called for urgent proposals for special regulations that cannot be handled under standard legal frameworks, ensuring timely approval by the NA or its Standing Committee. The NA Office was assigned to coordinate with relevant units to prepare the agendas for upcoming NA Standing Committee meetings and the 9th plenary session. It will also propose and draft necessary legal documents to ensure procedural efficiency and broad consensus. The NA Chairman instructed continued refinement of the draft amendments to the Law on NA and Peoples Council Oversight, while directing NA committees to work closely with the Government to implement laws and resolutions passed during the recent extraordinary session. He emphasised the need for continued legislative reforms, enhanced oversight, and strengthened accountability in lawmaking. He also urged greater innovation, professionalism, and scientific approaches in NA operations. VNA/VNS HA NOI Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien hosted Second Permanent Secretary at the UK Home Office Simon Ridley in Ha Noi on Tuesday. Chien said non-traditional security challenges, including human trafficking, have been a shared concern of the international community, as well as Vietnam and the UK in recent times. Viet Nam considers combating human trafficking a crucial task to protect human rights in accordance with international law, including international conventions on human rights to which Viet Nam is a signatory, as well as to maintain security and social order in compliance with legal regulations, he said. The officer appreciated the UK's cooperation with Viet Nam in combating human trafficking with various activities, such as delegation exchange, experience sharing, and English language teaching. Chien expressed his hope that the two sides will continue working together to effectively implement relevant cooperation agreements in this field. For his part, Ridley spoke highly of collaboration between the UK Home Office and the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence. He affirmed that Viet Nam is one of the Offices key partners in the combat through multiple initiatives, with experience-sharing cooperation being a key focus that the UK is keen to promote. Ridley pledged to work harder to enhance cooperation with Viet Nam in this effort, thereby contributing to the overall development of Viet NamUK relations and collaboration between the Defence Ministry and the Office in particular. VNA/VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Public Security has announced that it will revise aviation security control procedures after taking over the responsibility for security, aiming to tighten protocols while maximising convenience for passengers. The Ministry of Public Security officially assumed control of aviation security operations starting March 1, marking a significant shift in the country's approach to ensuring management efficiency. The ministry announced that its aviation security force has taken over two key functions from the Ministry of Transport, managing the aviation security sector and providing aviation security services at airports and cargo handling facilities. To support the transition, the ministry has re-organised and upgraded its Air Security Division, under the Immigration Department, into the National Aviation Security Centre. It will oversees aviation security and service provision at airports and related facilities. At provincial level, immigration offices under the public security departments of 17 centrally-governed provinces and cities have been tasked with supervising and implementing aviation security control measures. In the initial days of the transition, task forces from the Immigration Department conducted inspections to ensure the smooth implementation of aviation security measures at airports nationwide. Major General Pham ang Khoa, director of the Immigration Department, stated that public security forces have demonstrated high morale and close coordination with immigration authorities at airports. This collaboration has ensured uninterrupted and secure flight operations, maintaining absolute safety and security. Hoang Ngoc Thu, an international tour guide undergoing procedures at Noi Bai International Airport on March 2, expressed confidence and satisfaction with the professionalism of the public security forces. He noted that the transition ensures high safety standards while facilitating smoother travel for passengers. Ta Tuan Anh, deputy dead of the International Screening Security Team at Noi Bai International Airport, said the ministrys forces had worked alongside existing aviation security teams in recent days to execute their duties. He hinted at forthcoming improvements, including streamlined processes to eliminate overlapping steps, such as reducing passport checks to a single instance, which would cut processing times for travelers. The ministry emphasised that aviation security cannot operate in isolation, pledging continued collaboration with domestic and international partners to safeguard operations. VNS AK LAK Over the past few years, inmates in ak Trung Prison in ak Lak Province have started preparing for jobs ready for their reintegration into the community. Located in Ea Kpam Commune, Cu MGar District, ak Lak Province, ak Trung Prison holds more than 3,000 inmates. The facility has focused on implementing policies for inmates to foster 'seeds of kindness' and provide motivation for each prisoner to make efforts in rehabilitation and strive to become useful upon their reintegration into society. Vocational training enhancement The prison management board has organised several workshops for inmates with the aim to prepare a career path for when they rejoin the community. In the woodworking vocational training area, each inmate has a task. Some are planing, some sawing, others cutting, stamping or carving. Everyone is focused, meticulous and swift in both learning and practising. Inmate P.V.. was born in 1973 and lived in ak Song District, ak Nong Province before being sentenced to nine years in prison for abusing trust to appropriate property. Now, after six years of serving his sentence, P.V.. is the team leader of the woodworking unit in Subdivision 1. He has mastered the craft and can produce tables, chairs, doors and cabinets, passing on his skills to other inmates. The inmate said that when he was first moved to the prison, he knew nothing about woodworking. Thanks to the guidance of prison officers, I have now acquired a skill. Once I complete my sentence, I plan to return to my hometown and open a carpentry workshop to rebuild a new life, said. Learning a vocation in prison has given him the motivation to improve himself. During training, inmates encourage each other to work hard and persevere in acquiring expertise. N.T.C., 28, from ak Lak Province's Krong Ana District, was sentenced to three years in prison by the ak Lak Provincial People's Court for intentional infliction of injury. Like , N.T.C. quickly picked up woodworking skills during his time in ak Trung Prison and can now make tables, chairs, cabinets and beds. His goal after release is also to open a carpentry workshop in his hometown, earning an income to support his parents and create jobs for young people in his community. Beyond woodworking, ak Trung Prison offers training in various other jobs, including handicraft weaving, machine repair, cashew nut processing, rubber tapping, construction, farming and animal husbandry. Over the years, the organisation of prison labour and vocational training has gradually stabilised. Inmate N.M.T., born in 1988, from Krong Nang District, was sentenced to three years in prison for gambling. After nearly seven months of serving his sentence, he has learned how to repair, assemble and paint motorbikes. He believes that acquiring a skill in prison increases an inmate's chances of employment post-release. Motorbike repair is a practical skill, so I am determined to master it to support my wife and two young children, he said. According to Colonel Le Trong Nga, the prisons deputy warden, most inmates come in without vocational skills. Each year, based on conditions, climate and available resources, the prison organises labour and vocational training for inmates, aiming for a training success rate of 65-70 per cent annually. Income from inmate labour is used to supplement their monthly food rations and reward those with good rehabilitation progress. Before inmates complete their sentences, the prison invites political and social organisations to provide consultations on credit policies for former prisoners, helping them access financial resources to apply their learned skills in real life. Path to redemption Within ak Trung Prison, alongside vocational training workshops, literacy classes echo through each subdivision weekly. These classes are for inmates who are illiterate or have limited reading and writing skills. Inmate V.V.T., 40, from Buon Ma Thuot City, who was sentenced to ten years in prison for illegal drug trading, is an example. During his time at the prison, he was taught how to read and write by prison officers. Now, he can read and write at a basic level, perform simple calculations and read letters from his wife and children. Learning to read and write has given him hope for a brighter future and aids him in woodworking tasks. Each literacy class at the prison lasts 18 months, divided into two groups of about 20 students each. Literacy training not only improves inmates' knowledge but also equips them with the necessary skills to reintegrate into society successfully after release. Currently, ak Trung Prison houses eleven children living with their incarcerated mothers, with the youngest under one month old and the oldest over two years old. The prison ensures child care following the Law on Children and Government Decree 118/2024/N-CP. On special occasions like holidays, Children's Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival, gifts are provided for the children. Their nutrition, vaccinations and medical care are prioritised. Inmate N.H.B.T., 24, from Cam Ranh city of Khanh Hoa Province, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for murder. She only discovered her pregnancy after she was sent to prison. Last December, she and her child were transferred to ak Trung Prison to continue serving her sentence. Every day, she cares for her child while assisting in looking after other children in the facility. Encouraged by prison officers, she is committed to rehabilitation and caring for her child. Seeing my child grow healthy gives me hope and determination to reform and benefit from leniency policies, allowing me to reunite with society sooner, she said. Over the years, ak Trung Prison has continuously innovated and improved its educational and rehabilitation efforts, fostering a clean and humane environment. The institution prioritises education and rehabilitation for its prisoners, holding classes on current affairs and legal education for inmates every year. They are also allowed visits from family, receive mail and packages, and make phone calls to stay connected with loved ones. Upon admission, inmates undergo health checks to assign suitable work. Juvenile offenders are held separately and receive education and work arrangements according to regulations. Alongside vocational training, the prison's management and the Amnesty Review Council actively collaborate to assess and recommend sentence reductions, ensuring that well-rehabilitated inmates benefit from the Party and State's humanitarian policies. Colonel Nga said that during amnesty periods, after receiving guidelines from the Central Advisory Council on Amnesty, ak Trung Prison would publicly announce and explain the process to prisoners. Following an internal vote among inmates, the prison's management and Amnesty Review Council would carefully evaluate applications to ensure transparency, fairness and adherence to regulations, he said. Last year, ak Trung Prison granted amnesty to 63 prisoners. By effectively implementing policies for inmates, ak Trung Prison not only enhances rehabilitation outcomes but also provides support, instilling hope and opening a path to redemption for those who have strayed, allowing them to rebuild their lives. VNS HA NOI UNICEF Viet Nam and the Ministry of Health have launched a campaign urging parents to vaccinate their children with two complete doses of the Rota vaccine before six months of age. Titled 'Protect Your Baby from the First Steps', the campaign seeks to enhance public awareness, particularly among parents, about the crucial role of the Rota vaccine in preventing acute diarrhoea caused by the Rotavirus. Rotavirus-induced acute diarrhoea is a highly contagious gastrointestinal infection that can be life-threatening for children. In Viet Nam, Rotavirus accounted for 20 to over 50 per cent of acute diarrhoea cases in young children between 2016 and 2023. Every year, hundreds of thousands of children require hospitalisation, with thousands needing emergency care. This situation places immense pressure on the healthcare system, imposes financial burdens on families and hampers children's healthy development, especially in remote and disadvantaged areas with limited vaccine access. The Rota vaccine has demonstrated exceptional efficacy in preventing diarrhoea caused by Rotavirus. Studies show it is 85-98 per cent effective in preventing severe diarrhoea and 74-87 per cent effective for all cases of acute diarrhoea within the first year of administration. Successfully implemented in over 120 countries, the vaccine has significantly reduced child mortality and hospitalisation rates. Currently, Viet Nam-produced Rota vaccines ensure a sufficient supply for the national expanded programme on immunisation. A ministerial decision issued last year mandated the inclusion of this vaccine in the expanded immunisation programme. Since 2024, the initiative has provided free vaccinations to children in 32 economically disadvantaged and mountainous provinces. As part of a phased expansion aligned with Government resolutions, the programme will extend to nine additional localities this year and achieve nationwide coverage by 2026. The 'Protect Your Baby from the First Steps' campaign reinforces the importance of vaccinating children with two complete doses of the Rota vaccine before six months of age to prevent acute diarrhoea and support healthy growth. Campaign messages will be disseminated through television and radio programmes, articles and social media activities, including materials written in multiple ethnic languages and videos in sign language. VNS HA NOI The Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam on Monday held an official signing ceremony for non-refundable aid to areas severely impacted by super typhoon Yagi in September last year. Recipients include the local authorities of Bat Xat, Bac Ha and Bao Yen communes in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai. In Bat Xat, the financial aid amounting to US$130,101 will be used to build a concrete bridge crossing the Phin Ho River valley in Phin Ngan Ward, replacing the old Lo Suoi Tung Bridge that was destroyed in the typhoon. The new bridge will allow locals to safely travel to schools and necessary public facilities while also helping the local agricultural trade. Meanwhile, multi-functional and disaster-proof community houses worth $133,023 will be erected in Bac Ha Commune. Bac Ha was severely affected by Typhoon Yagi last year, with its death-missing toll reaching 34 people, with 116 houses were completely destroyed. Similar structures worth $129,386 in total will also be built in Bao Yen, which counted 82 deaths and 1,422 damaged houses from the typhoon and its aftermath last year. Following the signing ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam Ito Naoki visited the local communities to discuss with residents and understand their challenges in maintaining a safe and stable life. From 1992 to the fiscal year 2024, the Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam carried out 739 non-refundable aid projects, totalling $66 million. These projects addressed multiple social aspects, including education, healthcare and infrastructure development, to promote local economic growth. VNS LAO CAI Authorities in the northern province Lao Cai said they had successfully located and rescued a Dutch tourist who went missing overnight while hiking Mount Fansipan, dubbed the Roof of Indochina. The 60-year-old man, identified only as Christiaan, begun his ascent at 9am on March 3. His last communication was a message to his wife, Nathalie Margaretha Carola, at 4.11 pm, informing her that his phone battery was running low and that he might have to spend the night in the forest. When she was unable to reach him afterwards, she reported his disappearance to the local authorities. At approximately 3am on March 4, the Hoang Lien Commune Police received her report, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation. The Hoang Lien Commune Command for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue mobilised a team consisting of local police officers, security personnel, commune officials, military forces, forest rangers and village defence units. The search effort was divided into two teams of 14 people, setting out at 4am. One team followed a trail from Sin Chai Village, while the other took a route from Tram Ton and Nui Xe in Hoang Lien National Park. By 7.30am, two additional search teams, consisting of 12 members, were deployed. One team scoured the trail along the stream from Cat Cat village toward the summit, while the other conducted an aerial search via the Fansipan cable car system. After hours of searching, the rescue team found Christiaan at Sin Chai village in Hoang Lien Commune. Fortunately, he was in stable condition and was safely escorted back to safety. Authorities have issued a reminder to tourists planning to climb Mount Fansipan to thoroughly research the terrain and weather conditions, ensure they are physically prepared and are carrying essential equipment before embarking on their trek. VNS Envoys express confidence in China's growth 09:26, March 04, 2025 By Zhao Jia, Mo Jingxi ( Chinadaily.com.cn This photo taken from Jingshan Hill on Aug 12, 2024 shows the skyscrapers of the central business district (CBD) on a sunny day in Beijing. (Photo/Xinhua) As the curtain is raised for the annual sessions of China's top legislative and political advisory bodies this week, foreign envoys to Beijing have expressed optimism about the nation's growth prospects, saying that the sessions offer a critical window to observe the nation's whole-process people's democracy. With China's role as a global economic driver solidified, the outcomes of this year's discussions will resonate far beyond its borders, according to the diplomats. The annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, starts on Tuesday, followed by the opening on Wednesday of the annual session of the National People's Congress, the top legislature. During the NPC session, lawmakers are set to deliberate the Government Work Report, which will set out key targets for the nation's socioeconomic development this year and unveil key measures to shore up growth of the world's second-largest economy. Turkish Ambassador to China Ismail Hakki Musa said he sees China's commitment to high-level opening-up as a catalyst for a more dynamic and efficient market, which will benefit foreign investors, including Turkish enterprises. Reflecting on the major decisions made during last year's two sessions, particularly those aimed at "deepening economic reforms and improving the business environment", he said that China's focus on nurturing high-tech industries and fostering new quality productive forces has led to rapid advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence, a field in which the country is emerging as a major global player. Data shows that China's total expenditure on research and development exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan ($494 billion) in 2024, making it the world's second-largest R&D spender. The country also climbed to 11th place in the Global Innovation Index in 2024, solidifying its status as one of the fastest-improving economies. Djauhari Oratmangun, the Indonesian ambassador to China, stressed the importance of the two sessions in shaping China's economic direction, particularly at a time of global uncertainty. He noted that whenever China achieves economic growth, it will have a "positive effect" beyond its borders, playing a crucial role in global economic recovery. In 2024, China's economic output exceeded 130 trillion yuan for the first time, achieving its expected GDP growth target of around 5 percent. The country's contribution to global economic growth has remained at approximately 30 percent for many years. Oratmangun noted that Indonesia's economy is projected to grow 5.1 percent this year, and that strong trade and economic cooperation between Jakarta and Beijing is a key driver. Namibian Ambassador to China Elia Kaiyamo said China's governance model is effective. He said he believes that the gatherings will further outline China's modernization blueprint, unlock its potential in innovation, and address key issues such as China's global partnerships, in order to drive shared development. "I have no doubt that China will continue to be a major engine for global growth this year," he said. Salvador Moncada, Honduran ambassador to China, said: "The two sessions always provide the most valuable insights into China's policy direction for the year. Personally, with my background in science, I would be particularly interested in some areas such as science and technology ... and how China plans to boost its self-reliance in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and other strategic industries." Ambassadors also view the two sessions as a demonstration of China's whole-process people's democracy, showcasing how the system incorporates broad participation, consultation and decision-making. Moncada highlighted how China's democratic system ensures continuous public input, adding that "public reports, policy debates and legislative votes demonstrate transparency and legitimacy, highlighting China's model of democracy as a process involving consultation, deliberation and implementation". Musa, the Turkish ambassador, said that China's unique democratic system is results-oriented and focuses on people's real needs, making it a topic of international interest. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) MANILA The Philippine Navy is expected to receive the delivery of a corvette next month that is set to be the first vessel of its class and the most capable in the fleet. The future BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06), built by South Koreas HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, is scheduled to arrive in early April, Navy chief Vice Adm. Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezepeleta told the Inquirer. Two 3,200-ton corvettes with antiship, antisubmarine and anti-aircraft capabilities are part of a P28-billion deal that the Department of National Defense (DND) signed up with HD Hyundai in 2021. A sendoff ceremony for the future BRP Miguel Malvar and a ship launch for the upcoming BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07), the second corvette, are set to take place on the same day at the end of the month, Ezpeleta said. The future BRP Miguel Malvar will undergo comprehensive evaluation prior to the handover, he said. The future BRP Diego Silang, meanwhile, is expected to be delivered by late 2025. The Malvar-class design was derived from HHIs HDC-3100, but modified to fit the Philippine Navys requirements. It has an overall length of 118.4 meters, range of 4,500 nautical miles, a cruising speed of 15 knots, and a top speed of about 25 knots. HD Hyundai also laid the keel of the first of six offshore patrol vessels (OPV) for the Navy last Feb. 5 at the Ulsan shipyard, marking the start of full production of the ship, according to a video released by HD Hyundai. The DND signed a P30-billion contract for six OPVs in 2022. Sources said the first OPV is expected to be delivered by early 2026. HD Hyundais OPV offer was based on the HDP-1500 Neo design, with an overall length of 94.4 meters, a displacement of 2,400 tons and a maximum speed of 22 knots. They are expected to be equipped with 76mm naval guns, autocannons in remote-controlled weapon stations, and a helideck capable of operating helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. The same shipbuilder also signed a deal for two 2,600-ton frigates for the Navy worth P16 billion in 2016. PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ANN SEOUL As South Korean schools kicked off the new semester on Tuesday, the government's ambitious plan to introduce digital textbooks using artificial intelligence has yet to gain full traction. The South Korean education ministry revealed that the adoption rate remains at just 33 per cent, with administrative and technical hurdles slowing down implementation. During a press briefing the same day, an education ministry official stated that as of Friday, the rate of AI digital textbook adoption across schools nationwide stood at 33 per cent, a figure nearly unchanged from the 32.4 per cent reported on February 20. The ministry acknowledged that finalised figures for each region will be announced once schools complete their administrative procedures. To fully integrate AI textbooks, schools must complete several steps prior to implementation within the National Education Information System, including registration of selected AI textbooks, inputting class schedules and updating students' academic records. The administrative processes mean that students and teachers may have to wait one or two weeks additionally before they can actively use the digital materials. Despite the delays, South Korea's education ministry expects a much smoother process next year, with officials planning to finalise academic operational plans by February and to simplify administrative procedures. To address potential technical issues, the government has set up a comprehensive response centre, which includes a centralised call centre and a smart inquiry system to monitor and resolve problems in real time. Meanwhile, acting President and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok emphasized the importance of ensuring a smooth transition for major education reforms, including the AI digital textbook system, expansion of the all-day Neulbom School initiative and adoption of a credit hour system for high schools that would offer students greater autonomy in choosing courses. THE KOREA HERALD/ANN Bali to use water taxi to address traffic congestion, Illustrative image (Source: pexels.com) Jakarta - The government of Indonesias renowned Bali island is currently planning to introduce a water taxi system as a strategic solution to deal with frequent traffic congestion, particularly in South Bali, its main tourism hub. Bali Governor Wayan Koster said that the proposed service will connect I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport to the Nusa Dua area in Badung Regency, offering an alternative mode of transport for both residents and tourists. As part of the initial assessment, the use of jukung - traditional Balinese boats - was conducted on a trial basis to measure the efficiency of water-based transport. Results showed that a trip from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport to Uluwatu Temple in Nusa Dua took approximately 35-40 minutes using these traditional boats. With modern, high-speed water taxis, travel time is expected to be shortened to 25-30 minutes. In addition to water taxis, authorities are also considering other transportation solutions to enhance connectivity between major tourist destinations. One of these includes a seaplane service, which is being explored for operations in strategic locations such as Bali, Labuan Bajo, and Sumba. BritCham Fun Run 2025 will be held on March 30 at the Global City site in Thu Duc of Ho Chi Minh City Held on Sunday, March 30, at The Global City, Thu Duc of Ho Chi Minh City, the competition will includea costume competition, art performances, a lucky draw, food stalls, and a play area dedicated to children. Runners will experience a vibrant, energetic atmosphere and have fun and memorable moments with friends, family and loved ones. The British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) Run is not only a healthy activity but also a bridge connecting the British business community, improving health, and encouraging community spirit. The first run was organised by BritCham in 2000 and has been preserved and promoted for more than two decades. From there, this event has creating memorable memories for more than 150,000 runners in the two largest cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. BritCham in Vietnam was licensed in 1998 and has become one of the most dynamic foreign business associations in the country with over 500 members. As part of the British Chamber of Commerce network worldwide, BritCham Vietnam is a friendly and professional organisation, working in parallel with the British Embassy in Vietnam to encourage trade, economic investment and develop diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Vietnam. BritCham focuses its resources and dedication on charitable activities to improve the quality of life and provide opportunities for people in rural areas of Vietnam. Its charitable projects have had a positive and lasting impact on the people they support, as part of the BritCham Vietnams commitment to social responsibility. AstraZeneca honoured with award from BritCham The British Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam has acknowledged AstraZeneca for its unwavering commitment and outstanding achievements in advancing innovation and applying science in the healthcare sector in Vietnam. High hopes for Childrens Cancer Run 2024 The Childrens Cancer Run 2024 will take place on November 17 at The Global City in Ho Chi Minh City. Consultation continues on the Law on Food Safety. Photo: Le Toan The workshop is being held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Food Safety Department under the Ministry of Health. The draft decree introduces several new provisions, such as product explanatory documents accompanying declaration/self-declaration dossiers; storage of product information dossiers; the number of times and deadlines for amending or supplementing dossiers; and cases requiring re-registration. However, some parties have expressed a view that issues remain in the draft, including a lack of important regulations for ensuring food safety as directed by the government. For example, to prevent food poisoning, there needs to be a stronger focus on food safety for street food, fresh and raw foods, and collective kitchens, the main causes of food poisoning. Instead, the draft only increases administrative procedures for pre-packaged foods, which rarely cause food poisoning. Businesses expect to see stricter regulations to shift from pre-inspection to post-inspection of products on the market. In addition, the registration procedure for health supplement product declarations is currently handled by the Food Safety Department. However, the Government Inspectorates conclusions show that most of these administrative procedures have been delayed, and therefore it has been proposed that this procedure be decentralised to local authorities. Public investment may contribute 1 per cent to GDP growth A 40 per cent increase in public investment could add 1 per cent to GDP growth in 2025; however, implementation may be difficult due to remaining bottlenecks. World Instant Noodles Association hosts first food safety meeting in Vietnam The World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) has held a conference on food safety in Ho Chi Minh City, in which Acecook Vietnam was the only representative from Vietnam. Acecook Vietnam raises food safety awareness Acecook Vietnam, the leading instant noodle manufacturer in Vietnam, is joining hands with the Food Safety Department under the Ministry of Health and womens unions to organise seminars to raise awareness of food safety and proper nutrition for women. Vietnam's instant noodles exempt from heightened EU food safety controls Vietnamese instant noodles will be exempted from the EU's heightened food safety control when exported to the EU starting on July 2, 2024. Hanoi promotes IT application to ensure food safety Advancing digital transformation and applying science and technology in agricultural management will help cooperatives and businesses leverage land advantages and potential, reduce chemical use, and produce safe, high-value products. The EVFTA came into effect in August 2020, causing Vietnams pharmaceutical import rate from the EU to steadily climb upward, evidently shown by an increase of 15.4 per cent in 2021 in comparison to 2020. Duong Thi Mai Hoa, managing partner, I-V Legal In 2024, pharma imports were calculated to reach nearly $4.4 billion, resulting in a 27.9 per cent increase compared to 2023, with major imports from France, Germany, and other countries. The introduction of the deal has certainly raised the stakes between Vietnamese and EU pharmaceutical businesses. Under its commitments, EU companies are allowed to establish foreign-invested enterprises in Vietnam. These enterprises are not only permitted to conduct clinical research and pharma testing in accordance with Vietnamese law, but they can also import pharmaceuticals approved for circulation here, build warehouses to store imported drugs, and sell drugs to authorised distributors or wholesalers, whereas direct distribution of products to end users is currently limited by the laws. As a result, domestic manufacturers and distributors face competitive pressure from EU enterprises, especially for proprietary and specialised drugs (patent medicine) that are still under patent protection and have not yet been produced in Vietnam. This may be a direct result from the EVFTA having effectively eliminated nearly all tariff barriers for pharmaceuticals, making it easier and more direct to import EU products here. Vietnam has also committed to stronger intellectual property protections for pharmaceuticals, including commitments on compensating for delays and protecting exclusive data, making it harder for drugs to become generics and thus reducing the likelihood of price drops. However, this also provides an advantage for Vietnamese businesses, which can access high-quality raw materials at competitive prices, while consumers benefit from the opportunity to use the EUs high-quality pharmaceuticals. The challenges posed by the commitments under the EVFTA are also opportunities for Vietnamese pharma companies to seek development strategies and enhance their competitive advantages. One notable example is the race among reputable domestic pharmaceutical companies to develop EU-GMP-standard manufacturing plants. Products meeting EU-GMP or equivalent standards will have high quality, elevating the brand value of companies, increasing domestic sales, and contributing to higher export rates of Vietnamese pharmaceuticals to the EU market. Currently, 25 out of 240 pharma manufacturing plants in this country have met one of the high GMP standards. Additionally, some Vietnamese companies are shifting their focus to developing domestic distribution channels to expand supply, ensuring reputable, high-quality, timely, and convenient distribution for patients. Strengthening business cooperation and distribution support between Vietnamese and EU pharma companies and parent companies in the EU for the Vietnamese market is also among their key focuses. For EU companies, besides focusing on exporting to Vietnam through overseas funding, they are also increasing investment by establishing branches, expanding manufacturing facilities, and seeking distribution partners. They are encouraging the development of high-quality, safe, effective, and environmentally friendly research and development to meet the needs of Vietnams market. Overall, the procedures for drug registration and import licensing have been largely made more transparent and simplified. Since the EVFTA took effect, Vietnam has been adjusting various legal documents essential for the development of its pharmaceutical sector to institutionalise and implement its commitments. These adjustments include issuing documents to address difficulties in drug registration over the past few years. To adjust the highest legal framework, thus creating a practical and effective legal corridor for the sector, a new law will replace the 2016 Pharmaceutical Law. This new law shall take effect starting from July, introducing several new provisions. They include establishing a legal framework for new business models, specifically recognising pharmacy chain organisations as a separate type of business establishment. It defines business conditions, rights, and responsibilities of pharmacy chain organisations and individual pharmacies within the chain, notably the rights to transfer drugs and professional personnel between pharmacies in the chain. The e-commerce business of pharmaceuticals and ingredients will be regulated by specifying electronic platforms, types, and ingredients permitted for e-commerce. It also clarifies the rights and responsibilities of such businesses engaged in e-commerce. Rights and responsibilities of foreign-invested businesses will be clarified within the law to ensure transparency in state management, and administrative reforms in drug and ingredient registration procedures will be enhanced. However, to boost competitiveness, Vietnam needs to continue improving investment incentives, supporting domestic research and production, and establishing mechanisms to assist local businesses in meeting international standards. Vietnamese pharmaceutical companies should take advantage of tariff barriers being lifted to increase the export of high-quality products to the EU market. Secondly, strengthening technology transfer and research cooperation to expand production capacity in Vietnam should also be made a priority in the near future. However, aside from intense competition from large pharmaceutical companies operating in this country and increasing requirements for quality, safety, and intellectual property protection from the EU, Vietnamese companies, especially pharmaceutical businesses, will be affected by the governments organisational streamlining and policy adjustments, leading to delays in implementing new regulations. This will require Vietnamese businesses to have the capacity to quickly adapt to domestic and international legal changes. Stimulating year ahead for pharma Vietnams pharmaceutical market is expected to have a year of optimism after experiencing a multicoloured gamut in 2024. Movenpick Resort Phan Thiet is offering attractive promotions in March Guests will have opportunities to discover the essence of Spanish cuisine with our curated tapas menu, perfectly paired with fine wines. Let your taste buds embark on a colourful journey, from croquetas salmon with spicy cheese sauce and grilled beef tenderloin with betel leaves with garlic chilli fish sauce, to crispy fried seafood spring rolls and fresh cheese tart with Italian ham, or crispy bread dipped in olive oil. Enjoy the delicate harmony of food and wine, creating an unforgettable experience. Enjoy the essence of Spanish cuisine with our curated tapas menu Indulge in a refreshing dragon fruit ice cream, with distinctive flavours blended harmoniously with creamy richness. This ice cream is not only the sweet, cool essence of a sun-drenched region but also a vibrant, colourful work of art. The gentle sweet-and-sour notes of dragon fruit, combined with the smoothness of the ice cream, deliver a wonderfully invigorating sensation. This is an occasion to discover the culinary treasures of the Mediterranean with traditional sSouvlaki skewers from the Greek islands. Fresh, tender meat, marinated with rich spices, and grilled over charcoal with fresh vegetables, creates a nutritious and flavourful meal. Souvlaki is not just a dish, but also a part of Greek culture, bringing a warm and intimate feeling like enjoying a family meal. This is an occasion to discover the culinary treasures of the Mediterranean with traditional souvlaki skewers from the Greek islands Customers can treat themselves and their loved ones to a wonderful spa experience with our special offer of 40 per cent off your second treatment during your stay (treatment menu only, one per stay, packages excluded). Plus, on Women's Day, when booking any 60+ minute treatment, customers will receive a complimentary 30-minute herbal jacuzzi bath. In addition, guests will receive a gift for any treatment over 60 minutes during their birthday month a Movenpick parrot. Especially, customers can explore the stunning Port Royal next to unspoiled the beauty of nature at Tien Thanh Beach at Movenpick Resort Phan Thiet. The full board package includes accommodation and a full dining experience, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the resort. Leading tax lawyer Phan Thi Lieu joins Dentons LuatViet Dentons LuatViet has enhanced its tax and legal prowess by bringing on board Phan Thi Lieu, a distinguished tax law expert with over a quarter-century of expertise in prominent global entities. Danang Marriott Resort & Spa, an all-villa oceanfront resort on Danangs stunning coast Danang Marriott Resort & Spa, Non Nuoc Beach Villas invites travellers to experience a family-friendly holiday, crafted local touches, and ultimate relaxation at the oceanfront all-villa resort along Danangs coastline. Danang Marriott Resort & Spa, Non Nuoc Beach Villas introduces all-villa oceanfront resort Marriott Hotels villa-only beach resort is nestled on Danangs breathtaking coastline with 122 two- to four-bedroom pool villas, an infinity pool, five restaurants & bars and extended facilities inviting families and groups of travellers to experience the wonderful hospitality. Resort in the sky at Fusion Resort & Villas Da Nang Opened from July, the high-rise hotel component of Fusion Resort & Villas Da Nang is captivating guests seeking a unique accommodation experience in the city. According to the latest statistics from Vietnam Customs, pharmaceutical imports totalled nearly $4.4 billion last year, up 27.9 per cent from 2023, of which $2.5 billion came from the European Union. One of the most notable aspects of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) for the pharmaceutical industry is the reduction of tariffs on medicinal products and related materials. This has made significant changes in the market and facilitated imports from the EU since August 2020 when the deal took effect, said industry expert Hai Ngo. One month later, pharmaceutical imports from the EU increased by 19.1 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year, surpassing the annual import growth rate from the EU five years ago, which was 15.4 per cent. The major markets supplying pharmaceuticals to Vietnam in 2024 was led by France, reaching $572.46 million and an increase of 31.4 per cent on-year, accounting for 13 per cent of the countrys total pharma import turnover. The runners-up include Germany at $404.8 million, up 26.8 per cent on-year, and Italy, up 57.6 per cent on-year. Belgium, Ireland, Austria, Spain, and Sweden also saw double-digit growth. The EVFTA requires member states to commit to higher standards than those they have already committed to the World Trade Organization on the same issue. Vietnam commits to eliminating tariffs on approximately 71 per cent of pharmaceutical-related tariff lines upon the agreements implementation, with the remaining tariffs being phased out over a maximum period of 10 years. Certain drug categories have been benefiting from faster tax reductions. For example, HS3003, which includes a variety of pharma products, has the quickest tariff reduction schedule. Six tax lines under this group will see immediate tariff reductions to zero. Groups like HS3004, which includes a broader range of items, will experience a longer tariff protection period, with 26 tax lines seeing reductions over time. Meanwhile, the HS3005 group, which includes a smaller range of drugs, will undergo an eight-year tariff reduction period. Together with the tariff reduction, simplification of the marketing authorisation (MA) process and clearer business rights have been leveraging multinational corporations to increase pharma exports to Vietnam. The country has committed under the EVFTA to align its MA procedures with international standards, aiming for greater transparency and efficiency. One of the key developments in this regard is the Ministry of Healths (MoH) issuance of rules that simplify the renewal process by reducing the amount of required documentation. Previously, related companies needed to submit seven documents to renew the MA for their products. With the new regulation, domestic drugs require only two documents, and imported drugs require three. Additionally, the new Pharmaceutical Law also includes provisions aimed at streamlining the renewal of the MA administrative procedures. It is expected that after the amended Pharmaceutical Laws provisions on MA renewal procedures take effect in July, the process of extending the validity of certificates will see significant improvements, which will facilitate businesses participation and enhance the management and administration efforts of the MoH and relevant authorities. The EVFTA also facilitates greater foreign investment in Vietnams market. The agreement specifically addresses the rights of foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) to import pharma products into the country. In addition, the 2024 amendment to the law provides clear provisions allowing them to engage in activities such as contract manufacturing, technology transfer, and transportation of products to wholesalers warehouses. These improvements create a more enabling environment and new opportunities for the EUs pharma companies, as they can take advantage of lower import tariffs to increase their competitiveness in the Vietnamese market. Recent moves by multinationals prove the impacts, Hai Ngo added. Such groups include AstraZeneca Vietnam, which has committed to investing approximately $220 million in the country over the past few years. Elsewhere, Sanofi views the EVFTA as a significant step forward for pharma imports in Vietnam. It has also made improvements and restructured various aspects, including transportation, storage, quality management, and business operations. Similarly, Danish-led Novo Nordisk Vietnam achieved its first shipment of products from Denmark in July 2024 as a fully recognised legal foreign entity in the country. With the recognition, Novo Nordisk is now fully recognised by the government as its own legal entity that can import its own medicines to Vietnam, to be sold on to the local distributor. Other experts, however, said the EVFTA still offers challenges in terms of meeting global standards. With the tariff reduction strategy, Vietnam aims to build a more open and efficient pharma market. However, its commitments to eliminate or reduce tariffs have not yet had a significant impact, said healthcare analyst Duyen Nguyen. Vietnam will need to continue refining its legal and regulatory framework to fully align with its commitments under the EVFTA, ensuring a thriving pharmaceutical industry. The RoK and Thailand hold their second round of negotiations for a bilateral economic partnership agreement in Seoul on September 25, 2024. (Photo: Yonhap) Seoul - The Republic of Korea (RoK) and Thailand are holding the 4th round of negotiations for a bilateral economic partnership agreement (EPA) in Seoul from March 4-7. According to the RoKs Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Korean delegation is led by Roh Keon-ki, deputy minister for trade negotiations at the ministry. Meanwhile, the Thai delegation is led by Chotima Iemsawasdikul, Director General of the Department of Trade Negotiations under the Ministry of Commerce. Each delegation consists of 50 members who are from the ministries of commerce, foreign affairs, finance, agriculture, environment and natural resources. During the 4th round of negotiations, the two sides plan to focus 17 sectors that cover goods and services, digital technology, government procurement, and economic cooperation. The two sides will also discuss ways to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as economy, digitalisation, and sustainable development. Since the two countries officially started negotiating the EPA in March 2024, the two sides have held three rounds of negotiations in July, September, and December 2024. The two countries have conducted extensive discussions with the goal of concluding an agreement at a higher level than the RoK-ASEAN FTA or the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Roh Geon-gi, head of the Korean delegation, said the global trade environment is changing rapidly, increasing uncertainties for the economies of countries, including the RoK. Signing new trade agreements with promising markets like Thailand is more important than ever, so the RoK is pushing ahead with negotiations to reach a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Thailand, an important partner in the ASEAN region. Recognising the increasing demand for a robust data centre presence in Vietnam, SAM has collaborated with key stakeholders to address critical challenges faced by international operators entering the market. Over the past two years, SAM has worked alongside industry leaders to identify and overcome primary barriers to investment, including properly zoned land within an hour of major urban centres; reliable access to sustainable power sources and sufficient water for cooling; proximity to domestic and international airports; and connectivity to multiple telecommunications providers and reliable fibre networks. These considerations have culminated in the formation of SAM DigitalHub, a groundbreaking initiative designed to provide world-class data centre solutions in Vietnam. A key component of SAM DigitalHubs success is its collaboration with Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP), a flagship government-to-government platform combining the strengths of Sembcorp, a leading energy and urban solutions provider, and Becamex, Vietnams foremost industrial and urban real estate developer. Nguyen Phu Thinh, CEO of VSIP, emphasised the significance of this partnership, VSIP is excited to partner with a leading investment firm like SAM to jointly develop Vietnams first-of-its-kind data centre campus. SAMs strategy involved securing a 50-hectare site capable of rapid scaling to meet the surging demand from international operators and hyperscalers. Many potential locations have faced challenges such as non-compliant land zoning, inadequate infrastructure, limited lease tenure, and insufficient power capacity. The SAM-VSIP partnership mitigates these challenges. Additionally, SAM DigitalHub is committed to integrating renewable energy solutions, ensuring a net zero pathway for its clients, and targeting an initial renewable energy capacity of 50MW. Louis Nguyen, CEO of SAM, highlighted the projects significance, saying, The three key obstacles that have deterred our hyperscaler clients from entering Vietnam have been licensing, land, and power. By partnering with VSIP, we have successfully addressed these challenges, paving the way for the launch of our SAM Digital Hub." "PMX, a SAM DigitalHub stakeholder, has successfully delivered or played key roles in delivering three projects totalling nearly a 125MW IT load in the past two years in Malaysia. Building on this track record, PMX is currently engaged in the delivery of two additional hyperscale projects exceeding a 100MW IT load, further reinforcing their experience, operational know-how, and customer engagement capabilities with both American and Chinese hyperscaler end-users. These strengths provide the foundation needed to ensure SAM DigitalHub becomes a premier, high-performance data centre destination for both local and international clients. Colin Phua, managing director of PMX, acknowledged SAMs capabilities, saying, SAM has a long history and a successful track record in investment performance in Vietnam, and we are pleased to partner on this venture. The SAM team has assembled the ideal trifecta of investor, landowner, and data centre developer to make this major accomplishment, SAM DigitalHub, a reality. To accelerate investment in Vietnams data centre sector, SAM has launched the $300 million Vietnam Data Centre Fund (VDCF), with the first closing expected by Q4. This initiative aims to support the financial success of SAMs digital infrastructure projects and attract a diverse range of international investors. Reflecting on the evolving market dynamics, Nguyen added, We saw significant trends in the region where data centre demand was shifting from Singapore to other countries. Our goal was to collaborate with as many end customers and partners as possible to address their concerns and provide a seamless entry point. SAM DigitalHub is the culmination of that effort. The development of SAM DigitalHub positions Vietnam as a key player in the Southeast Asian digital economy, providing cutting-edge infrastructure and sustainable solutions to meet the surging demand for data centre services. SK Group eyes investments in LNG, hydrogen, and data centres South Korean conglomerate SK Group is looking to develop large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plants, AI-ready data centres, hydrogen energy, and small modular nuclear reactors. Data centre shift is a green challenge While Vietnam is emerging as a hotspot for hyperscale data centre initiatives, the country will have to face up to their carbon emission impacts. As the countrys longest-standing specialised furniture fair, VIFA EXPO has been an ideal destination for thousands of exhibitors and hundreds of thousands of buyers and importers since 2008. The sixteenth iteration of the event is expected to be Vietnam's largest indoor and outdoor furniture exhibition this year when it welcomes over 20,000 visitors and importers from Vietnam and all over the world to the SECC. Photo: Lien Minh Company VIFA EXPO 2025 will the largest fair yet, bringing together over 650 exhibitors with more than 2,500 booths spanning over 40,000sq.m. More than half of the exhibitors are from overseas, from places such as Denmark, the Netherlands, the UK, Australia, the US, Canada, China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and India, to name but a few. The remaining Vietnamese exhibitors come from 17 localities nationwide, including Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Danang, Dong Nai, Haiphong, Hung Yen, Lam Dong, Long An, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City, among others. Prestigious brands from the furniture industry will gather under one roof, such as Annda International, Your Furn Partner - part of Wendelbo Group, Trend World Furniture, Far East Foam, Reindeer Furniture, Fine Scandinavian, MFC, PMA, Savimex, Thinh Viet, Eurofar, Hiep Long, Master Pacific, Mega Home, Wood Concept, and more. The event promises to be a major boost for the Vietnamese furniture industry, contributing to driving economic growth and leveraging Vietnam's position on the world map of furniture and handicraft exports. An aerial view of the fair. Photo: Lien Minh Company Visitors will have the opportunity to attend a series of industry talk shows discussing the current status and future trends of the furniture industry. The series begins with 'Global Furniture Outlook 2024 and Trends Forecast 2025' from 13:30 to 16:00 on March 5, featuring leading experts from CSIL (Italy), the Home Living (Japan), and Moebel Markt (Germany). This is followed by 'Furniture industry moving towards Net-Zero market - Chances and Challenges' from 09:30 to 11:30 on March 6, with a focus on sharing the updated regulations on environmental and environmental, social, and governance standards for the industry. Finally, 'Made in Vietnam, Sold on Wayfair' from 13:30 to 17:30 on March 6, is presented by Wayfair - a top furniture e-commerce platform in the US - in collaboration with Lien Minh Company. Photo: Lien Minh Company International vendors attending VIFA EXPO will receive comprehensive support from the organiser, covering all aspects from transportation to accommodation, including support at Tan Son Nhat International Airport; shuttle buses from the official hotels to the SECC; factory visit tours to the factories in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Dong Nai; business matching with VIFA EXPOs exhibitors (organised by Amazon Global Selling Vietnam and Lien Minh Company); free two-night hotel stay (for VIP buyers); visit a virtual fair on the platform vifaexpo.online; attendance at VIFA EXPO 2025's gala dinner and souvenirs from the organiser. More details about VIFA EXPO 2025, please visit: www.vifaexpo.com Contact Lien Minh Company: Address: 2/13 Bau Cat 2, ward 14, Tan Binh district, Ho Chi Minh City. Phone: +84 28 7306 7887 - Hotline: +84 79999 7657 Email: info@hawacorp.com.vn - Website: www.vifafair.com Vietnam Elevator Expo to open in early December The Vietnam Elevator Expo will place on December 5-7 in Ho Chi Minh City, making it the largest of its kind in Vietnam. archives 29 Jun - 6 Jul (2) 22 Jun - 29 Jun (4) 15 Jun - 22 Jun (1) 8 Jun - 15 Jun (3) 1 Jun - 8 Jun (4) 25 May - 1 Jun (5) 18 May - 25 May (2) 11 May - 18 May (3) 4 May - 11 May (2) 27 Apr - 4 May (5) 20 Apr - 27 Apr (1) 13 Apr - 20 Apr (2) 30 Mar - 6 Apr (5) 23 Mar - 30 Mar (2) 9 Mar - 16 Mar (1) 2 Mar - 9 Mar (2) 16 Feb - 23 Feb (3) 9 Feb - 16 Feb (1) 2 Feb - 9 Feb (3) 26 Jan - 2 Feb (2) 12 Jan - 19 Jan (1) 5 Jan - 12 Jan (1) 22 Dec - 29 Dec (1) 15 Dec - 22 Dec (2) 8 Dec - 15 Dec (1) 24 Nov - 1 Dec (1) 17 Nov - 24 Nov (4) 10 Nov - 17 Nov (2) 3 Nov - 10 Nov (1) 27 Oct - 3 Nov (4) 20 Oct - 27 Oct (4) 13 Oct - 20 Oct (1) 6 Oct - 13 Oct (1) 29 Sep - 6 Oct (1) 22 Sep - 29 Sep (1) 15 Sep - 22 Sep (1) 18 Aug - 25 Aug (5) 4 Aug - 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14 Sep (22) 31 Aug - 7 Sep (15) 24 Aug - 31 Aug (14) 17 Aug - 24 Aug (9) 10 Aug - 17 Aug (5) Betsi Cadwaladr to remain in special measures despite encouraging signs of improvement This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 4th, 2025 Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board will remain in special measures despite some encouraging signs of improvement. The North Wales health board was escalated to the highest level of Welsh Government support in February 2023 following serious concerns over the its effectiveness, governance, patient safety, operational delivery, leadership, and financial management. A damning report released by the Auditor General for Wales two years ago highlighted deep-rooted issues with the working relationships at the most senior levels within the health board. The emergency department and vascular services at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd also came under fire before a decision was made by the then Health Minister, Eluned Morgan, to place the health board into targeted interventions for a second time. Since June 2015 Betsi Cadwaladr has spent just three years out of special measures. An update report released today by the Welsh Government states that despite encouraging signs of improvement the health board will remain under the highest level of support. This is amid ongoing challenges around planned care performance and timely access to urgent and emergency care. Figures released by the Welsh Government show that in North Wales emergency departments in January just 58.5 per cent of patients spent less than four hours waiting for either treatment of discharge. A further breakdown of the figures shows that just 40 per cent of patients at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital were seen within the target time in January. This is a slight increase from 39.6 per cent in December. Ysbyty Glan Clwyd saw the lowest percentage against the four hour target at 38.3 per cent. At Ysbyty Gwynedd this was 59.1 per cent. Against the eight hour target 65.1 per cent of patients were seen at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital and 76.1 per cent within 12 hours. However the Welsh Government says that there has been significant progress in several areas, including: The number of people waiting more than two years for orthopaedic treatment has fallen by two-thirds since February 2023. Mental health performance for adults and young people has improved. The health board has the highest number of consultations carried out under the pharmacist independent prescribing service in Wales. New NHS dental contracts worth more than 5m have been agreed. A series of new services have been developed in North Wales including: The new North Wales Medical School has opened The community audiology van is the first of its kind in Wales Ysbyty Glan Clwyd has been chosen as one of eight sites across the UK to take part in a new STEPS II Parkinsons trial. Surgeons in Abergele Hospital trialling augmented reality technology for knee surgery Ysbyty Gwynedds emergency department ranked best place to train in Wales. Todays progress report describes the situation at the health board as having stabilised, with building blocks put in place to become a sustainable organisation over the course of the last 2 years under the current level 5 (special measures) arrangements. Progress has been made in relation to corporate governance, financial control and governance and over the last 12 months the quality management system has begun to demonstrate improved grip and control, it adds. The focus the chair, independent members, chief executive and executive directors are bringing to these areas has made an impact but, as this report highlights, there are areas of continuing fragility, which are linked to operational performance and clinical services, where further improvements are urgently needed. Speaking about the progress made to date, Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said: I want to commend the staffs commitment and determination to make meaningful improvements to health services for the people throughout North Wales. I have seen first-hand examples of the excellent work taking place, but we know there is more to do to improve the experience of staff, patients and their families. We will continue to support the health board to improve and provide excellent care for North Wales. Charitable Centenarian marks milestone birthday in style! This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 4th, 2025 A charitable centenarian has marked her milestone birthday in style. Katharina Morris, a resident of the Plas Telford independent living community in Wrexham, celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends, with a celebration as inspiring as her life story. She was joined by loved ones from as far afield as the USA and Australia, alongside friends and family from across the UK, for a heartwarming party at Plas Telford, where she has lived for ten-years. Born in Ukraine in 1925, Katharina lost both of her parents in childhood and endured the hardships of war including temporary homelessness. Eventually, whilst in Germany, she met Elfyn Morris from Cefn Mawr in 1947. The couple married and settled in North Wales, where together they built a family and a future, overcoming adversity with determination and love. Katharina, who remains incredibly active, enjoys a variety of hobbies from baking and making her own clothes, to challenging herself with sudoku puzzles and socialising with fellow residents. She designed and made the stunning blue and white dress, with matching waistcoat, which she wore for her 100th birthday celebration meal. And after eating lunch, she changed into native dress from her home country Ukraine, to celebrate and honour her heritage. Rather than receive birthday gifts, Katharina made the selfless request for donations to the charity Ukraine Relief, honouring the country she fled as a young woman following the Second World War. My wish for my birthday, was to give something back to the people of Ukraine, who are facing such hardships today, said Katharina. I know what it is like to be forced from your home. Hopefully these donations will help in some way. Katharina receives a bouquet from local councillor Phil Vaughan, to celebrate her 100th Birthday. Celebrations included a special meal, live music, and a beautiful birthday cake topped with a fondant model of Katharina and her trusty sewing machine. Alison Randall, manager at Plas Telford, said: Its a privilege to have Katharina as part of our community. She lives an incredibly full life and is an inspiration to us all. Her generosity in choosing to support Ukraine Relief, rather than receive gifts is just another example of her kind and giving nature. The fabulous birthday cake, complete with fondant model of Katharina and her sewing machine. Katharinas fundraising efforts have already raised almost 700 for charity. Ukraine Relief, gathers and distributes essential supplies to those who are most in need across Ukraine. For more information visit: www.ukrainerelief.org.uk Former counter-extremism chief warns Senedd of online threats to UK democracy This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 4th, 2025 A former counter-extremism chief warned the growing threat of online disinformation and misinformation creates a permissive environment for extremism to flourish in the UK. Sara Khan, who led a 2024 review for the UK Government, gave evidence as the Senedds equality committee launched an inquiry into social cohesion on March 3. Dame Sara raised concerns about an evolving and accelerated extremism landscape, with significant growth in the far right and extreme narratives becoming mainstreamed. She said: Were seeing, I think, quite stark warnings about growing levels of disillusionment with democracy, distrust in our democratic institutions. She told the committee that trust in government is at an all-time low, with falling levels of trust in the police, media and other institutions. Chronic decline Dame Sara warned: I think the UK is at serious risk of chronic democratic decline. What I showed in my review was that Whitehall simply does not have a strategic approach to A, measure this but B, to also prevent and respond to it. Jenny Rathbone, who chairs the committee, asked what action, if any, the UK Government has taken or committed to in response to the review which focused on England. Dame Sara said she has not had any response to the reports 15 recommendations, which were published in March, warning of a lack of a counter-extremism strategy since 2021. Thats quite concerning, she said. Firstly because obviously there was the riots in the summer which affected 27 towns and cities, luckily not in Wales, but in parts of Northern Ireland and, of course, England, Many of which I predicted in my report. There have been many examples of similar but smaller disturbances, riots [and] violent protests that have broken out. Legal but harmful The former counter-extremism commissioner told the committee that the summer riots should not have been a shock to Westminster, with many early warning signs flashing. Dame Sara raised comments from Ken McCallum, MI5s director-general, who warned of a three-fold increase in under-18s being radicalised over the past three years. She said: The scale and pace of threats whether its extremism, technological threats threats that are seeking to undermine social cohesion, they are moving at a rapid pace and I feel the UK Government doesnt seem to understand the seriousness. Dame Sara questioned whether the Online Safety Act 2023 will effectively deal with disinformation because it falls into a legal but harmful category. She said: It will be very interesting to see how Ofcom responds particularly now when, for example, Meta has said were now going to remove all fact checkers that inevitably will mean more disinformation online, so that challenge undoubtedly is going to get worse. Picknmix extremism Dame Sara raised the example of disinformation that Axel Rudakubana, the Cardiff-born perpetrator of the Southport stabbings, was an illegal immigrant. She said disinformation on one far-right X account received about five million impressions within two hours of the attack and, according to a poll, people increasingly believe the false claims. She pointed to last months BBC Wales investigation on Patriotic Alternative, a far-right group, which was involved in fuelling disturbances and anger surrounding Southport. Dame Sara said: Youre seeing what we call salad bar or picknmix extremism, which is where individuals pick and select from different extremist ideologies. She also raised the threat of incel (involuntarily celibate) extremism this really pernicious and violent hatred towards women by men. Growing acceptance Dame Sara said: I think were going to see worsening extremism, we are definitely seeing a growing acceptance of extremist narratives in a way that we werent seeing 20 years ago. She added: The growing threat of disinformation, misinformation create a permissive environment for extremism to flourish, as well as disillusionment with democracy. She told the committee: There is no doubt that social media is playing a very critical role in undermining social cohesion but I would not put it to just social media alone. Dame Sara made a case for deliberative democracy, giving citizens a more meaningful role in public decision-making, with research showing it enhances public trust in government. She said: Why do people feel that their voices are not heard? The idea that peoples voices are only heard once every five years when theres a general election I dont think thats acceptable, I just dont think thats good enough. By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter Penny for your thoughts on Wrexhams public toilets This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 4th, 2025 Wrexham residents and visitors are being invited to share their thoughts on the future of public toilet facilities across the county borough. The local authority has launched a consultation as it looks to review the quality and quantity of local toilets throughout Wrexham. While public toilets may not be a topic of daily conversation, they are essential for the enjoyment and comfort of anyone out and about in the area. Whether for local residents or visitors to the county, accessible, clean, and well-placed toilet facilities are a crucial part of daily life. This is particularly true for those with young children, the elderly and people living with certain health conditions. In 2023, Wrexham Council consulted with the public about their experiences and opinions regarding existing public toilet services. From opening hours to cleanliness, location to accessibility, residents were asked to share what matters most to them. A total of 520 responses were received, with comments made on the adequacy of the existing facilities, including the cleanliness, location and the cost of using them. Based on this feedback, a draft strategy has been developed to address the needs of both locals and visitors in a sustainable and long-term manner. The draft Public Convenience Strategy is described as a review of the quality and quantity of local toilets throughout the county borough and is designed to help provide or facilitate the provision of clean, safe, accessible and sustainable toilets for residents and visitors. As part of the consultation Wrexham Council is particularly keen to hear views on creating a more inclusive approach to these essential services, ensuring that public toilets are not only accessible but cater to the needs of all members of the community. The draft strategy does not include upgrading any of the existing facilities due to budget constraints. However, cleaning, vital maintenance and repairs due to vandalism will continue. The consultations summary, notes: It is evident from the population assessment, involvement, and identification and mapping that provision of publicly accessible toilets is a significant concern for both residents and visitors to Wrexham. There is a difference in type and quality of publicly accessible toilet facilities throughout the county, with levels of facilities and cleanliness varying. As demonstrated in the map / toilet listing, there are publicly accessible toilet facilities available throughout the county, but the majority are concentrated within the city centre. In addition to this, considering the BTA (British Toilet Association) recommendations, there is a sufficient number of standard accessible toilets currently available. Although the city centre is catered for, a clear gap in publicly accessible toilet provision can be seen in some of the more rural areas. The provision of publicly accessible toilets is essential to ensuring peoples wellbeing and their overall enjoyment of Wrexham County, therefore long term solutions need to be developed in order to ensure future provision. The draft strategy can be viewed in full here. The consultation will run until April 14. Alpine County, in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), is seeking resident applicants along the east slope of Alpine County for their 'Bear Box Grant' program. Residents of the East Slope, which includes Mesa Vista, Woodfords, Markleville, Marklevillage, Hope Valley, Hung a Lei ti, Chambers Lane, and the Carson River Corridor, are said to be eligible to receive up to $2,200 from Alpine County for installing a bear-proof trash container, or "bear box." Alpine County is able to install about 300 bear cages in the previously mentioned areas thanks to CDFW funds. Due to the limited number of boxes available, it is recommended that interested residents apply as soon as possible. The program is open to qualified residents on a first-come, first-served basis. Bear boxes must be installed by May 31, 2025, for residents to be eligible for the reimbursement. Alpine County has created a list of authorized bear box suppliers and is accepting online applications via the Community Development Department's permitting system (iWorQ). Click here to access the application or learn more about the program. A man has been arrested in Dayton on multiple charges, including failing to register as a sex offender, resisting arrest, and battery on a peace officer. On Wednesday, February 19 Lyon County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to an unwanted subject call in the Dayton area according to a release from the LCSO. The suspect, identified as Timothy Dean Johnson, was approached by deputies, who allegedly found he had an outstanding misdemeanor arrest warrant. Deputies went to arrest Johnson when he allegedly resisted arrest and battered one of the arresting deputies. Once Johnson was taken into custody, one of the responding deputies, who is also a member of the Lyon County Sheriffs Office Sex Offender Task Force, recognized Johnson as a convicted sex offender, according to the LCSO release. Deputies confirmed that Johnson had recently moved back into Lyon County, the release said, and that he had failed to register with the Sheriffs Office. Johnson was booked into the Lyon County Jail on multiple charges, including failing to register as a sex offender, resisting arrest, and battery on a peace officer. Authorities have arrested a man suspected of human trafficking. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office says detectives from the Human Exploitation and Recovery Operations (H.E.R.O.) and the Northern Nevada Regional Intelligence Center (N.N.R.I.C.) arrested Luis Sencion-Gonzalez in connection with multiple felony charges related to human trafficking. Authorities say Sencion-Gonzalez contacted what he thought believed to be a 15-year-old child, when it reality, he contacted an undercover detective with the H.E.R.O. team. Sencion-Gonzalez is charged with the following crimes: * Attempted Statutory Sexual Seduction by Person Over 21 Felony * Attempted Kidnapping of Minor, First Degree Felony * Attempted Child Abuse or Neglect, First Offense Felony * Luring of a Child with Use of Computer Technology/Sexual Conduct Felony * Attempt to use Minor to be Subject of Sexual Portrayal/Performance Felony The H.E.R.O. Unit is comprised of Detectives from the Washoe County Sheriffs Office, University Police Services, and the Pyramid Lake Police Department. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, you can reach out for help. Contact the Washoe County Sheriffs Office H.E.R.O. Unit at (775) 328-3048 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. (Washoe County Sheriff's Office contributed to this report.) Students who will be five years old on or before August 1, 2025 are eligible to attend kindergarten this coming school year - and registration is now open. Enrollment for kindergarten is based primarily on the prospective student's age. A few elementary schools in the Washoe County School District will be hosting Open Houses, so that parents can bring their kids and learn more about kindergarten and how to get your child registered. The district recommends registering your eligible students as early as you can, so that the district is able to determine class sizes and distribute teachers properly. Anyone with questions about registration should reach out to their zoned school for more information. Otherwise, for general registration information, check out the Washoe Schools website. We are following up on our coverage from last week, when the Mineral County Sheriff, Bill Ferguson, said Nevada State Police had "abandoned" them. We drove up to Hawthorne to speak with the Sheriff himself. According to him, last week on Monday, there was a shooting where they did not ask for any state assistance, but it did exhaust most of their resources. Then, that next Tuesday, on Highway 6 near the Nevada and California border, a southbound truck driver had pulled over after his check engine light came on. According to the Sheriff, that driver walked over to a truck driver that was parked northbound, to ask for some coolant. When the two were talking, the Sheriff says that's when another driver pulled up and started shooting. They say the southbound driver was hit in the leg, but the other was uninjured. Mineral County Sheriff's Office then called Nevada State Police for some assistance. "Per the Sergeant, with the nature of the criminal act, this will be handled by the county and NHP (Nevada Highway Patrol) will not be responding," said a NSP dispatcher in audio which the Mineral County Sheriff's Office gave 2 News Nevada. After that, is when Sheriff Ferguson reached out to the agency, stressing the importance. "The only reason we had a response on U.S. 6 is because I called the Major on his cell phone probably at his home and I complained," Sheriff Ferguson said. One NSP Trooper did eventually show up, but the Sheriff says it was about 10-15 minutes before the scene was already cleared. Nevada State Police wrote us a statement last Friday saying in part, "To travel to a rural location, this process can involve travel time, as was the case with the recent Mineral County Incident." Sheriff Ferguson says he has felt less of a presence from the state agency over the years. "Over the years they would average anywhere to 20 to 15 arrests per year," he said. "In the past three years, they've had zero arrests." The office has also seen less citations as well. In 2019, Nevada State Police wrote 1,231 citations in Mineral County. Last year, they only wrote 44, and so far in 2025, they have only cited one person. We've reported on Nevada State Police's staffing shortages over the years, and Mineral County is also feeling it. "I understand that they're working on short manpower," Sheriff Ferguson said. "So am I. I'm down seven deputies." The Sheriff says that communication with Governor's Office has also not been the greatest. "They offered to get a meeting together involving all of us, and I have yet to hear anything on that and I'm still waiting," he said. Sheriff Ferguson says some of the other rural law enforcement agencies feel the same way. We reached out to Nevada State Police and the Governor's Office for additional comment from Friday's statements and they have not gotten back to us. As Social Security prepares to slash its workforce, AARP is urging its members to call on Congress to protect the program that provides crucial financial support to 68 million retirees, people with disabilities and members of their families. Weve been hearing from thousands of older Americans across the country who are concerned and confused about their Social Security will their payments come on time? Can they get timely answers to their questions? says Nancy LeaMond, chief advocacy and engagement officer for AARP. Members only We want to work with Congress and the administration to get answers and address concerns, LeaMond says. We are also encouraging our members to contact their members of Congress and tell them that Social Security must be protected. AARP has created an easy way for members to contact their congressional representatives. The appeal notes that 2025 marks Social Securitys 90th birthday and calls on lawmakers to ensure that Social Security remains reliable and strong. Join AARP's Fight to Protect Your Social Security Youve worked hard and paid into Social Security with every paycheck. But recently, we've heard from thousands of worried Americans. Join us in sending a loud and clear message to lawmakers. The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced plans last week for a massive restructuring that aims to reduce the agencys workforce of roughly 57,000 already down by more than 9 percent since 2015 by another 12.3 percent to 50,000. That decade has seen a significant decline in SSA customer service, as documented in a July 2024 report from the AARP Public Policy Institute. The average time it takes to get a decision on an initial claim for disability benefits has more than doubled since 2016, from four to eight months, and callers to Social Securitys toll-free helpline have experienced waits averaging as long as 40 minutes to speak to a representative. The SSA also has closed or plans to close nearly four dozen offices in 24 states, according to a listing on the website of the Department of Government Efficiency, the federal office that is charged with reducing federal spending. AARP has long called on Congress to give the SSA the resources and the flexibility it needs to address customer-service deficiencies. Following US convictions for arranging corrupt loans to the Republic of Mozambique, the FCA has banned Andrew Pearse and Surjan Singh, former Credit Suisse managing directors, from the UK financial services industry for lacking integrity. In July 2019, Mr Pearse pleaded guilty in the US for his role in the conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud, which included him accepting over US $45 million in unlawful kickbacks in connection with the loans. In September 2019, Mr Singh also pleaded guilty in the US for his role in the conspiracy to commit money laundering, which included him accepting US $5.7million in unlawful kickbacks in connection with the loans. In October 2021, the FCA fined Credit Suisse over 145 million as part of a US $475 million global settlement for serious financial crime due diligence failings related to the loans which the bank arranged for the Republic of Mozambique, worth US $1.3 billion. The loans were tainted by corruption. The FCA also secured Credit Suisses agreement to write off US $200 million of debt owed by the Republic of Mozambique. Steve Smart, joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA said: Mr Pearse and Mr Singh were experienced executives at Credit Suisse who admit to having received over US $50 million in kickbacks. There is no place in our markets for those who engage in bribery and corruption. Actor Adarsh Gourav, known for his versatile performances across Hollywood and Bollywood, is now ready to explore Tollywood. The talented star, who has never let language barriers define his artistic choices, is set to make his Telugu debut in a psychological horror film. The project is being spearheaded by Jahnavi, daughter of renowned producer D.V.V. Danayya, best known for producing the global blockbuster RRR and is being directed by Baba Shashank. Scheduled for release in 2025, the film promises to push creative boundaries and bring a fresh cinematic experience to audiences. Speaking about this exciting new chapter in his career, Adarsh shared, "I've always believed that great stories transcend language, and as an actor, my biggest thrill is to explore diverse narratives across industries. The South film industry has consistently delivered some of the most compelling and innovative films, and Im excited to finally be a part of it. This project, in particular, is unlike anything Ive never done Psychological horror genre and it has a gripping story that immediately drew me in. Collaborating with a visionary team and making my Telugu debut with Jahnavi's production is truly special. I can't wait for audiences to see what were creating." With Bollywood stars increasingly expanding their horizons in South cinema, Adarshs entry into Tollywood further cements the industry's growing cross-regional collaborations. As anticipation builds, fans can look forward to witnessing the dynamic actor bring his signature depth and intensity to yet another exciting role. Also Read: Adarsh Gourav stars in Ridley Scott's "Alien: Earth," releasing in 2025 Chique Studio, a premium womens wear brand, has a new face the fashion icon, and an Indian household name, Malaika Arora. With a vision to empower modern women through fashion, Chique seamlessly blends traditional and contemporary styles, making it a preferred choice for fashion-conscious women across the country. Malaika Arora, known for her timeless style and confidence, perfectly aligns with Chiques mission of celebrating individuality and elegance. Expressing his enthusiasm about the collaboration Siddhant Gupta, Founder of Chique Studio, shares: Malaika embodies the sophistication and confidence that define Chique. Her association will enhance our brand's appeal and inspire more women to embrace fashion that is both stylish and accessible. Sharing her excitement, Malaika Arora adds: I am delighted to join Chique, a brand that values elegance and self-expression. Their designs strike the perfect balance between comfort and style, making every woman feel effortlessly chic. With a retail footprint of 60+ stores across 25+ cities and a strong online presence, Chique is now available at Shoppers Stop, further expanding its reach. The brand has also entered international markets, including Dubai, Singapore, South Africa, and Bangladesh, with plans for further global expansion. This collaboration is set to elevate Chiques presence, bringing its distinctive fashion sensibility to a broader audience while reinforcing its commitment to empowering women through stylish, inclusive, and high-quality apparel. Gemini Edibles and Fats India Ltd, Indias No 1 Sunflower oil company with 21.7% All India Market Share (Freedom & Be-Rite) and Coimbatore-based Sree Annapoorna Foods, one of country's oldest spice processing brands, have formed a joint venture - GEF Foods India Pvt Ltd - to make and distribute masalas, meal mixes and more. Over the years, Sree Annapoorna Foods has captured the essence of the precise tastes of regional dishes and has been bringing the richness, the authenticity and traditional techniques of home-cooked food from across the country to the plates. Their specialty products include pure spices, regional blends, blended spices and biryani masalas. On the joint venture, Akshay Chowdhry, Group Vice President, Gemini Edibles and Fats India Ltd, said, We are thrilled to join hands with Sree Annapoorna Foods and launch GEF foods India Pvt Ltd. Both our organisations follow the highest standards of professionalism and wish to give customers a multi-sensory experience of cooking and eating, while also relishing our rich culinary culture. Gemini Edibles and Fats India is entering the spices business through GEF foods Pvt Ltd as part of its diversification strategy. Sharing his thoughts, Chandra Shekhara Reddy, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, said, Sree Annapoorna Foods is an iconic brand and with a whole range of masalas catering to different tastes of the consumers. With an experience of 50 years, Annapoorna masalas and spices carry a rich legacy. This joint venture will benefit from the deep market knowledge and distribution network of GEF India and help Annapoorna masalas grow its presence. On the joint venture, Vijay Prasad, Managing Partner of Sree Annapoorna Foods and CEO of GEF Food India Pvt Ltd, said, We are elated to partner with GEF India to do deliver healthy and tasty masalas to consumers. As the pioneer in the spices industry, we will continue to deliver the best. Backed by GEF Indias strong distribution network, Annapoorna masalas would soon be available across India. With growing culinary culture, increased health awareness and rise of e-commerce platforms, the demand for organic and premium spices is rising. Brand Annapoorna has always been synonymous with quality, and we wish to build further on that by emphasizing on quality sourcing and eco-friendly packaging initiatives. Also Read: Gemini Edibles & Fats India Ltd contributes Rs. 2 Crore to AP State DMF Hindustan Unilever (HUL)s Vim brand is launching Dynamic Product Displays (DPDs), also known as "shelf bots," for its new Vim UltraPro Floor Cleaner. This AI-powered tool is designed to transform traditional retail spaces into engaging and informative environments, improving the in-store shopping experience and increasing product visibility within the competitive floor cleaning category. This two-month activation is a joint venture with Reliance Retail Group and will be featured in the top 100 Reliance stores across more than 15+ cities (ie. Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, among others). The launch coincides with the Q4-2024 India launch of the Vim UltraPro Floor Cleaner, a unique innovation that delivers benefits due to a combination of probiotics technology & superior formulations. Speaking about the technology and its role in innovative marketing and driving consumer engagement and sales, Srinandan Sundaram, Hindustan Unilever (General Manager: Home Care India), said, This initiative underscores HULs commitment to innovation and providing consumers with a superior shopping experience. The DPDs represent a significant advancement in modern trade marketing, setting a new standard for in-store engagement and product discovery. Strategically placed in modern trade stores, these DPDs utilize motion detection technology to engage shoppers. As customers approach, the robotic arm activates, using motion, lighting, and audio to deliver key product information. This creates a memorable and informative experience, differentiating it from traditional shelf displays. The DPD deliver localized audio messages highlighting the key benefits and superior cleaning power of the new Vim UltraPro Floor Cleaner. This targeted approach ensures clear and relatable communication, enhancing consumer understanding and purchase consideration. HUL anticipates approximately 200+ interactions per day per store, leading to increased consumer engagement and dwell time. This innovative approach underscores HUL's commitment to investing in the growth and success of this new category. Also Read: How HULs brands delighted consumers at the Maha Kumbh 2025 LS Digital, India's leading integrated Digital Business Transformation (DBT) company, today announced the launch of DataQuark, a dedicated business unit focused on revolutionising the Data & Insights; designed to revolutionize the measurement, analysis, and reporting of data, empowering modern businesses to thrive. Following an overwhelming response to the Data & Insights pillar of LS Digitals DBT framework, the company decided to give it a strategic identity of its own. Vinay Tamboli, who was leading this domain as CEO of Data & Insights, will now take charge as the CEO of DataQuark. The name DataQuark is inspired by the fundamental principles of data and physics. Quarks are the elementary particles that form the foundation of matter, just as data forms the foundation of every digital enterprise. DataQuark symbolises the building blocks of intelligence, enabling businesses to unify, process, and activate data to drive strategic growth and AI-led transformation. Commenting on the launch of DataQuark business unit, Prasad Shejale, Founder & CEO, LS Digital said, In todays digital-first world, businesses must do more than just collect data; they must harness its full potential. The launch of DataQuark is a natural progression in our journey, ensuring data is not only a foundational asset but a key driver of business transformation. Just as bringing in Langoor, f1studioz, and Social Panga helped strengthened the respective pillars within our DBT framework, DataQuark will now lead the charge in Data & AI. This move is an integral part of our business growth strategy underscoring our commitment to empowering brands to reach new heights of success. Turning Data into a Competitive Advantage DataQuark is designed to bridge the gap between raw data and actionable intelligence, helping brands elevate their AI maturity and drive measurable business impact. The business unit follows the methodology of Collect Collate Activate, ensuring data integrity, privacy, and activation at scale. With a robust suite of offerings, DataQuark enables brands to transform their data infrastructure, enhance AI capabilities, and optimise marketing effectiveness. Over the years, we have witnessed how Data & Insights have been instrumental in driving digital business transformation across industries. As AI continues to evolve, the role of data has never been more critical. Through DataQuark, we are building a powerful ecosystem that integrates AI-driven solutions, advanced analytics, and strategic partnerships to help brands break data silos and accelerate innovation. The demand for privacy-first, AI-ready data solutions is soaring, and DataQuark is uniquely positioned to meet this need, said Vinay Tamboli, CEO, DataQuark. DataQuark offers four key services to help businesses unlock the full potential of their data. Marketing Data Infrastructure lays the foundation for growth by integrating first-party data with advertising platforms to drive revenue and conversions. Business Data Infrastructure connects finance, marketing, operations, and sales, using data lakes and streamlined engineering for better decision-making. With AI & ML Solutions, we deliver actionable insights, predict business KPIs, and automate processes to boost efficiency. Lastly, Data and AI Readiness services ensure organisations are primed for AI adoption through audits, strategy development, and customised playbooks. By leveraging Google cloud partnership and Meta partnership DataQuark is future ready with latest AI technologies. Powering the Future with AI & Strategic Partnerships DataQuarks advanced solutions include DigiVerse, AI-powered data platforms, and partnerships with leading industry players such as Aqilliz, DataMorph, and VWO, enabling businesses to leverage blockchain-powered data collaboration, predictive analytics, and AI-driven insights. By launching DataQuark as a standalone business unit, LS Digital is reaffirming its commitment to redefining how brands interact with data in an AI-driven economy. This launch is a strategic step in empowering CXOs to navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape with data as their competitive edge. Also Read: LS Digital and DataMorph collaborate to speed-up Enterprise AI Readiness The NDTV Auto Awards 2025 brought together the most esteemed names in the automotive world for a grand celebration of innovation, performance, and excellence. Industry leaders, visionaries, and automobile enthusiasts convened to recognize achievements that are shaping the future of mobility. Held in New Delhi on 28th February, the event commenced with a keynote address by Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs. Emphasizing India's rising prominence in the global automotive sector, he stated, "India will be a major hub for the automobile industry." He also highlighted the transformative potential of electric vehicles, asserting that "EVs are the future." The jury for the awards, comprising some of the most respected names in the automotive industryincluding journalists, experts, and influencersmeticulously evaluated the nominations, selecting the best among both timeless classics and groundbreaking new entrants. The panel included: Car Jury Mugdha Mishra, Editor, NDTV Auto Renuka Kirpalani, Contributing Editor Automotive, Mashable; Juror World Car of the Year Hari Singh, 5-time Indian Rally Champion, Asian Zone Rally Champion, Founder Drivetecindia Rachit Hirani, Founder Motor Octane, Indias largest Auto YouTube Channel Bertrand Dsouza, Ex-Editor, Overdrive, Founder, Speedway Events and Production Rakesh Srivastava, Former Managing Director of Nissan Motor India, Director of JSW Energy, Director of Hyundai Motor India & Vice President of Maruti Suzuki. Nikhil Chawla, New-Age Media Consultant; Founder, Unbiased Blog; Tech & Auto Journalist Bike Jury Simranjeet Singh, Pro Superbike racer, Record Holder ??????? ?????? in the ?????? segment at ??? Kalyani Potekar, Professional Motorcyclist, Champion Racer, Represented India in the FIM Asia Cup of Road Racing Deepak Gupta, Experienced Motorcyclist with over 4 decades of riding covering over a million kilometre Dr Arun Thareja, ENT Surgeon; Motorcyclist Abhinav Bhatt, Veteran Journalist with 18 years of experience; Adventure Biker Kingshuk Dutta, Sr Associate Editor, NDTV Auto Bringing together the best in the industry, the inaugural edition set the stage for a highly competitive arena. Esteemed manufacturers such as Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra Auto, Mercedes-Benz, Hero MotoCorp, and Royal Enfield competed across the car and two-wheeler categories, with key representatives from these brands attending, further cementing the awards' stature as a premier platform that celebrated innovation and performance. The event honored the best in automobiles launched in 2024, focusing on their performance and tech advancements, underscoring the remarkable achievements of manufacturers and industry leaders. From cutting-edge electric vehicles to advancements in sustainable technology, this years awards reflected the industry's relentless pursuit of progress. Mandeep Singh, Revenue Head-TV, NDTV, emphasized the impact of the awards, stating "The NDTV Auto Awards 2025 mark a new milestone in our automotive journey, bringing brands, innovation, and excellence together on a platform that not only celebrates the industrys best but also drives real business impact. As a platform, it continues to create value by connecting brands with the right audience in a space thats constantly evolving." Mugdha Mishra, Editor, Auto, NDTV, remarked on the significance of the event, stating, "The NDTV Auto Awards have consistently highlighted the industrys drive for excellence. This year, we have witnessed groundbreaking innovations that are reshaping mobility, from next-generation electric vehicles to revolutionary advancements in automotive technology. These awards not only recognize the best in the industry but also inspire the next wave of automotive evolution." Reaffirming its position as the ultimate stage for automotive excellence, the NDTV Auto Awards 2025 spotlighted the brands and leaders driving the industry forward with groundbreaking innovation and unmatched performance. The awards recognized not only the finest vehicles and brands but also the visionaries shaping the future of mobility in India. Here is the list of winners: - Car of the Year Mahindra Thar Roxx Mahindra Thar Roxx Compact Car of the Year Maruti Suzuki Dzire Maruti Suzuki Dzire Subcompact SUV of the Year Tata Punch EV Tata Punch EV SUV of the Year Mahindra Thar Roxx Mahindra Thar Roxx Sedan of the Year Toyota Camry Toyota Camry MPV of the Year Kia Carnival Kia Carnival Electric Car of the Year MG Windsor EV MG Windsor EV Luxury Sedan of the Year Mercedes-Benz E-Class Mercedes-Benz E-Class Luxury SUV of the Year Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Luxury EV of the Year BMW i5 BMW i5 Luxury Car of the Year Mercedes-Benz E-Class Mercedes-Benz E-Class Performance Car of the Year Mercedes-AMG G 63 Mercedes-AMG G 63 Car Manufacturer of the Year Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz Design of the Year Citroen Basalt Citroen Basalt Motorcycle of the Year Aprilia RS 457 Aprilia RS 457 Scooter of the Year TVS Jupiter 110 TVS Jupiter 110 Performance Motorcycle of the Year Aprilia RS 457 Aprilia RS 457 Adventure Motorcycle of the Year Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE Modern Classic Motorcycle of the Year Royal Enfield Bear 650 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Electric Two-Wheeler of the Year Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2 Two-Wheeler Design of the Year Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350 Two-Wheeler Manufacturer of the Year Royal Enfield Royal Enfield Automotive Personality of the Year Vikram Pahwa Vikram Pahwa Business Leader - Automotive Sector Tarun Garg Tarun Garg Global Lifetime Achievement Award Late Ratan Tata Late Ratan Tata Global Lifetime Achievement Award Late Osamu Suzuki Late Osamu Suzuki Viewers Choice Car of the Year Honda Amaze Honda Amaze Viewers Choice Motorcycle of the Year Hero Xtreme 125R Hero Xtreme 125R Viewers Choice Innovation of the Year MG Windsor EV (BaaS) MG Windsor EV (BaaS) Dealership in the Fast Lane URS KAR Also Read: NDTV Brand Studio Appoints Prabhat Karwal as Group Head - Revenue Global marketing and advertising giant Omnicom Group Inc. has formally filed a request with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for approval of its proposed acquisition of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG). This landmark deal, valued at approximately $30 billion, is poised to reshape the global advertising landscape. The proposed merger would see Omnicom's subsidiary, EXT Subsidiary Inc., merge with IPG, resulting in IPG becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Omnicom. The combined entity is projected to manage a staggering $65 billion in global media billings. The deal, expected to close in the second half of 2025, is contingent upon securing regulatory approvals worldwide, including from the CCI, and receiving shareholder approval from both companies. Industry analysts highlight the strategic significance of this merger, noting that it will create a formidable player in the rapidly evolving marketing and advertising sector. Omnicom CEO John Wren has expressed confidence in navigating regulatory hurdles, stating that he anticipates no significant issues. Key points of the merger include: Scale: The combined company will be one of the largest global advertising entities. Leadership: Omnicom CEO John Wren will remain at the helm, while IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky will become Co-President and COO. Regulatory Scrutiny: The CCI will assess the merger's potential impact on competition within the Indian market. Global Impact: The merger is expected to trigger further consolidation within the global advertising industry. This move follows Omnicom's previous failed merger attempt with Publicis Groupe in 2014. The successful completion of this acquisition would significantly strengthen Omnicom's position in the global advertising arena. Also Read: Global Forrester research reveals Omnicom Group as a leader Tips Music Ltd and Sony Music Publishing today announced an expansion of their successful global publishing partnership by adding YouTube (worldwide, excluding India) as a key platform, for international publishing exploitation of Tips Music's vast catalogue. This strategic renewal reinforces both companies' commitment to amplifying the global presence of Indian music, particularly as Bollywood soundtracks continue to gain momentum in international markets. The deal encompasses administration, synchronization, and expanded promotion of Tips Music's rich repertoire across global digital platforms. Guy Henderson, President, International said: We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with Kumar and his team at Tips. Tips exceptional growth has been a constant factor over many years. Sony Music Publishing looks forward to an exciting future with Tips with their continued growth and success around the world. Kumar Taurani, Managing Director of Tips Music Ltd, commented: "Building on the success of our initial partnership with Sony Music Publishing, this renewal marks an exciting evolution in our global publishing business. In just over a year of collaboration, we've seen remarkable growth in our international music usage, with our songs finding new listeners across continents. Adding YouTube as a platform opens significant new avenues for our artists and catalogues to reach audiences worldwide." Dinraj Shetty, Managing Director, Sony Music Publishing India, added: Our strengthened partnership and renewed collaboration with Tips Music marks a new era of growth and global impact. By combining their iconic catalog with our publishing expertise, we are committed to bringing the soul of Indian music to audiences worldwide." Hari Nair, CEO of Tips Music Ltd, added, "Sony Music Publishing has the best teams and world-class reporting systems, allowing Tips to monitor publishing revenues. The enhanced agreement with SMP enables us to leverage their unparalleled international network of partners and societies globally. The addition of YouTube should drive significant growth in our international publishing revenues." The expanded multi-year agreement grants SMP extended rights to Tips Music's catalogue, which features over 32,000 tracks across 24 languages. This vast collection represents some of India's most beloved film soundtracks and popular music. Tips Music plans to invest heavily and release 12-15 Bollywood/ Regional film albums per year. The company also has a slate of independent music releases under the Tips Originals brand. This partnership highlights the growing global appetite for diverse musical content and positions both companies at the forefront of the international expansion of Indian music. The deal is expected to significantly enhance publishing revenue streams and create new collaborative opportunities. Also Read: Sony Music & My FM present Sagar Bhatia's Sagarwali Qawwal Dhananjay Munde Resigns as Minister Amid Beed Sarpanch Murder Scandal 2 Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde resigned from the state cabinet on Tuesday following mounting pressure over the alleged involvement of his close aide, Walmik Karad, in the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. The decision came after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accepted his resignation and forwarded it to Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan. Mundes exit followed relentless opposition demands for his removal after chilling details from the CID chargesheet exposed the brutal abduction, torture, and murder of Deshmukh, who was allegedly targeted for resisting an extortion attempt against an energy company in Beed. The Crime Investigation Department (CID) submitted a 1,200-page chargesheet in a Beed district court on February 27, detailing the crime. The case has led to the arrest of seven individuals, including Karad, Sudarshan Ghule, Vishnu Chate, Jairam Chate, Mahesh Kedar, Siddhartha Sonawane, Sudhir Sangale, and Prateek Ghule, with another accused, Krishna Andhale, still absconding. Authorities have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in three related cases, including Deshmukhs murder, an extortion attempt on Avaada Energy, and an attack on the companys security guard. Fadnavis held a late-night meeting with Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, along with senior NCP leaders, before Mundes resignation was finalized. With political tensions escalating over the gruesome crime, the fallout of Mundes resignation is expected to have far-reaching political implications in Maharashtra. FIR Against Abu Azmi Over Aurangzeb Remarks: 'He Has No Right to Stay in India' 2 A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Azmi at Wagle Estate Police Station, Thane, following a complaint by Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske over his remarks praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The case has been filed under BNS sections 299, 302, 356(1), and 356(2) for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Mhaske accused Azmi of glorifying Aurangzeb, stating, He has no right to stay in India. Aurangzeb destroyed thousands of Hindu temples, tortured women, and brutally persecuted Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. He was against the country and looted our nation. Mhaske further emphasized that Deputy CM Eknath Shinde had called for a sedition case against Azmi and insisted that strict legal action must follow. Azmi, who represents the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar constituency, landed in controversy after commenting on historical portrayals in the Bollywood film Chhava. Defending Aurangzeb, Azmi said, Wrong history is being shown. Aurangzeb built many temples. I do not consider him a cruel ruler. The battle between Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb was about state administration, not a religious conflict. His remarks sparked outrage, particularly from Shiv Sena leaders and the ruling coalition, who condemned his statements and demanded immediate action. As backlash mounted, Shiv Sena workers gathered outside the Wagle Estate Police Station, pressing for swift action against Azmi. Meanwhile, Azmi defended his position, claiming that India flourished under Aurangzeb, its territory extended to Afghanistan, and the nation accounted for 24% of the global GDP. He maintained that the emperor was an able administrator and dismissed the idea that his conflicts were religiously motivated. With political pressure escalating, the controversy surrounding Azmis remarks has taken center stage in Maharashtras political discourse. Whether legal action will proceed further remains to be seen, but the uproar against him continues to grow. SC Allows Ranveer Allahbadia to Resume Podcast Amid 'Morality' Row 2 The Supreme Court has granted permission to podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, to resume his podcast, The Ranveer Show, with strict conditions ensuring content remains suitable for all age groups. The decision came after a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh considered Allahbadias submission that the podcast was his sole source of livelihood, employing nearly 280 individuals. The court modified its February 18 order, which had barred Allahbadia from airing any content on YouTube or other digital platforms. However, it required him to furnish an undertaking to uphold decency and morality in his shows. The bench took exception to articles criticizing the earlier ban, asserting that fundamental rights are not absolute and come with duties. Justice Surya Kant remarked, We know how to handle those who misuse free speech. Allahbadia faces multiple FIRs over his controversial remarks on Samay Rainas YouTube show, Indias Got Latent, which authorities deemed vulgar and perverse. While the SC extended interim protection from arrest, it restricted him from discussing sub-judice matters on his podcast. His request for travel abroad will only be considered upon full cooperation with the Guwahati investigation. During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the court to maintain restrictions, stating, Let him remain silent for some time. The SC also criticized another accused who fled to Canada and made public remarks about the case. The court warned, These youngsters think they are oversmart. We hope they behave responsibly, or we know how to deal with them. The bench expanded the scope of the case, directing the Centre to draft a social media content regulation framework that balances free speech with moral responsibility under Article 19(4). The draft will be open for public consultation before any legislative or judicial intervention. Allahbadias plea was heard alongside YouTuber Ashish Chanchlanis request to club multiple FIRs related to the controversy. On February 18, the SC had slammed Allahbadias remarks as vulgar, stating that his dirty mind brought shame to society. Alongside Allahbadia and Samay Raina, comics Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija are also named in the Assam FIR. Trump Freezes Ukraine Military Aid After Oval Office Clash with Zelenskyy 2 US President Donald Trump has abruptly suspended all US military aid to Ukraine, an order that takes effect immediately, cutting off more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition that were in the pipeline. The decision follows a dramatic Oval Office standoff with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking a critical turning point in US-Ukraine relations. According to The New York Times, a senior administration official revealed that the aid freeze resulted from a series of high-level White House meetings. The suspension will remain in place until Ukraine demonstrates a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia, the official stated. The freeze also halts hundreds of millions of dollars under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows Kyiv to purchase US-made military hardware. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Washington has provided nearly $65.9 billion in military aid, and $69.2 billion since Russias initial aggression in 2014. The sudden aid halt deals a massive blow to Ukraine as it enters its third year of war with Russia. The move comes just days after a heated public clash between Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Zelenskyy at the White House. Zelenskyy, who had arrived to sign a rare minerals deal, faced sharp criticism from Trump and Vance during a tense 50-minute press conference. At one point, Vance rebuked Zelenskyy, saying, Its disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media you should be thanking the president. Trump followed up with a warning: Youre gambling with World War Three. What youre doing is very disrespectful to this country, which has backed you far more than many believe it should. As Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of lacking gratitude for US support, European leaders and global figures rallied behind Ukraine on social media, reaffirming their solidarity with Kyiv. In response, Zelenskyy simply replied: Thank you for your support. Casey Anthony, left, talks with her attorney, Dorothy Clay Sims, during a sentencing hearing in Orlando, Fla. on Thursday, July 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Joe Burbank, Pool) ASSOCIATED PRESS Casey Anthony, acquitted in 2011 of murder charges in the death of her daughter Caylee Marie Anthony, has created a TikTok to tout her role as a legal advocate. The video posted on March 1 from what Anthony said was her car encouraged viewers to connect with her account set up on Substack. By Monday morning, her account had more than 28,000 followers and the video has more than 1.2 million views. This is my first of probably many recordings on a series that Im starting, Anthony said in the three-minute long video. I am a legal advocate. I am a researcher. Ive been in the legal field since 2011 and in this capacity, I feel that its necessary, if Im going to continue to operate appropriately as a legal advocate, that I start to advocate for myself and also advocate for my daughter. Caylee Marie died at the age of 2, and the murder remains unsolved following the notorious trial of her mother. When news broke that she was missing in the summer of 2008 in Orlando, people held out hope that she was still alive. Curiously, her disappearance was not reported for a month by Casey. Caylee Maries body was found December 2008 in a wooded area behind the Orlando home of George and Cindy Anthony, Caseys parents and Caylee Maries grandparents. Nearly three years later, Casey Anthony stood trial for Caylee Maries murder. Casey Anthony contends Caylee Marie died of accidental drowning, and has blamed her parents for the death. In the TikTok video, Anthony said she would be posting a series of videos, but that they would not be about her parents. This is not about them. This is not in response to anything that they have said or done. Thats not to say that Im not going to respond at some point to some of the things that they have said and done. The whole point of this is for me to begin to reintroduce myself, she said. She said her intention is to post about legal issues including privacy rights, saying some people close to her have been targeted and attacked. So as a proponent for the LGBTQ community, for legal community, womens rights, I feel that its important that I use this platform that was thrust upon me and now look at as a blessing, as opposed to the curse that it has been since 2008, she said. Gerardo Bloise, a former crime scene investigator with the Orange County Sheriffs Office who retired in 2023 and has written a book about the case reached out to say Anthony has no credibility and is not capable of advising anyone on legal matters. The only advice she can give is lie, lie, lie, he said. --------- 2025 Orlando Sentinel. Visit at orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A south Alabama woman has been charged in a deadly crash that killed a 2-year-old in her vehicle and injured five other children. Sarah Emily Janes, 31, of Atmore, is charged with reckless murder and two counts of first-degree assault. Janes was taken into custody Friday in Escambia County in Florida and now is being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail in Alabama. Charging documents state Janes was driving under the influence. Additional details werent immediately available. The wreck happened shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, on U.S. 31, about one mile west of Atmore. ALEA Sr. Trooper Joshua Thompson said the 2-year-old was a passenger in a Cadillac SRX that collided head-on with a Chrysler Pacific. The toddler died Saturday. The childs name and relationship to Janes has not been released. Janes was driving the Cadillac. She was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, and a 4-year-old passenger in her vehicle was also injured and hospitalized. The driver of the Chrysler van, 38-year-old Brittany N. Colley of Mobile, and her four children ages 15, 12, 9 and 6 were also taken to the hospital with varying degrees of injury. A GoFundMe for the Colley family said the van caught fire after the collision. Troy Universitys Board of Trustees voted on March 1 to close its Phenix City campus at the end of the year. Troy Universitys Phenix City campus has played a vital role in our mission and educational outreach for over five decades, significantly contributing to higher education in East Alabama, Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. wrote in a news release. However, as more adult learners shift toward online and flexible learning options, demand for traditional in-person instruction at satellite locations has declined. This decision was not made lightly, and I am profoundly grateful to the faculty, staff, students, and community leaders who have built the Phenix City Campuss legacy of excellence. Administrators will assist students, staff and faculty in transitioning to online programs or the other satellite campuses in Dothan or Montgomery. Fort Moore military students can still utilize university staff for educational opportunities at that location. Technology has changed the way we live, including how we deliver education, but our commitment to students in the Phenix City area remains as strong as ever, Hawkins said. We may not have a physical campus, but were not going anywherewe will continue to serve this community. Troys satellite office was founded at Fort Benning in 1974. A campus opened next to Chattahoochee Valley Community College the following year. The Phenix City campus has been at its current location since 2015. The news release cited the 2022 Hechinger Report study that showed 861 college campuses have closed nationwide since 2004. In 2023, Troy reported 14,679 full- and part-time students across all locations. Got a birthday coming up? Weve got a restaurant (or 12) we think would be the perfect spot to celebrate. This is Alabama recently asked its Facebook followers what their go-to restaurant for a birthday meal is. From long-standing restaurants to fine dining spots, casual eateries and more, the responses did not disappoint. Of course, whats a birthday meal without a little, or a lot, of dessert? So in addition to sharing some of the suggestions below, we also shared some of the sweet treats up for grabs at each one too. Heres a look at 12 Alabama restaurants perfect for your next birthday. Cobalt Restaurant. (Courtesy of Cobalt Restaurant) (Courtesy of Cobalt) Cobalt 28099 Perdido Beach Blvd., Orange Beach If youre lucky enough to be spending your birthday at the beach, Cobalt, the Restaurant in Orange Beach is the perfect spot to grab a celebratory meal. While there, not only will you be able to take in gorgeous waterfront views, but all a diverse menu full of fresh, coastal cuisine. Among its offerings are the popular firecracker shrimp appetizer, pecan fried catfish, crab and scallop gnocchi and much more. Just dont forget to save room for dessert. That triple layer chocolate cake isnt going to eat itself. Related: 12 beach restaurants Alabamians love Ol Heidelberg Cafe 6125 University Drive N.W in Huntsville If you want to try something a little out of the ordinary for your birthday this year, head to Ol Heidelberg Cafe in Huntsville, which has been serving authentic German fare for more than 50 years. No matter what you order-- whether you go for a Bavarian Pork Schnitzel, a Bratwurst sausage platter, potato encrusted tilapia or something else from its eclectic menu -- itll be a birthday meal unlike any other. Oh, and it probably doesnt need to be said, but a big slice of German chocolate cake is also a must. Related: 15 Alabama restaurants that have stood the test of time Chuck's Fish is located at 508 Greensboro Avenue in Tuscaloosa. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com) Chucks Fish Locations throughout the state Chucks Fish is a great option for your next birthday no matter what part of Alabama you live in. The restaurant got its start in Birmingham in 2009, but thanks to its menu of fresh seafood, steak, sushi and more, its popularity has grown, leading to locations all over the state. With so much to choose from -- including crab cakes, red snapper throats and every kind of sushi you could want -- the hard part will be deciding what to order. Well, until dessert comes around that is. Chocolate creme brulee seems like an easy choice. Related: Beloved seafood, steak, sushi restaurant opens another Alabama location Top O' the River Locations in Anniston, Gadsden and Guntersville If youre not looking for anything too fancy, but still want a meal that feels special, head to Top O' the River. In business since 1982, you can fill up on catfish, steak and all the country fixings while there. We vote go all out and get largest seafood platter in the world, which comes with golden fried catfish fillet, fried gulf shrimp, Creole boiled shrimp, crab meat and popcorn shrimp because if you cant go all out on your birthday, when can you? Just be sure to save room for some of their chocolate beyond reason pie. Related: 20 Alabama non-steakhouses that grill some serious beef Shrimp tacos from Rosies Mexican Cantina. (Matt Wake/mwake@al,com) Matt Wake Rosies Cantina Locations in Florence and Huntsville If youre in the mood for handmade Tex-Mex on your birthday, Rosies Cantina is a wonderful option that has you covered. Its menu includes nachos, quesadillas, grande burritos, fajitas, enchiladas and more classic fare as well as Mahi-Mahi fish tacos, Mexican lasagna, pollo Verde, raspberry chipotle salmon and other specialty dishes. Not to mention, its dessert menu, with Tres leches, fried ice cream, cinnamon nachos and more up for grabs, is worth a visit on its own. Related: The special story behind a rising Huntsville restaurateurs next place Central 129 Coosa Street in Montgomery Located in the heart of downtown Montgomery, Central has become a popular fine dining spot in the capital city for locals and visitors alike thanks to its diverse menu featuring regionally-sourced ingredients and warm, but elegant atmosphere. While there, you can enjoy started like she crab bisque and beef tartare alongside entrees like Chilean sea bass, slow cooked beef short ribs and more. Afterward, you can skip having to pick just one sweet treat and get the dessert flight featuring the creme brulee, jakes mile high pie and a chef beignet. Related: Southern Living says you should visit this under-the-radar Alabama city Bama Bucks Steakhouse and Wild Game Restaurant is located in Boaz, Ala. (Photo courtesy of Terry Turk) (Photo courtesy of Terry Turk) Bama Bucks Restaurant 292 Bryant Road in Boaz Want to get a little wild on your birthday this year? Head to Bama Bucks Steakhouse and Wild Game Restaurant in Boaz. In addition to trying dishes you wont find anywhere else, like bison lasagna, elk steaks and gator bites, you can also take a tour of the grounds while you wait to get up-close and personal with the kangaroos, ostriches, lemurs, camel, deer, alligators and more that call the exotic animal park home. As for dessert, you can never go wrong with peanut butter pie. Related: Part wild game restaurant, part exotic animal park, Bama Bucks Steakhouse is one of a kind Connors Steak and Seafood 345 The Bridge Street in Huntsville If you want to go a little bit fancy for your birthday this year without going too far out of your comfort zone, be sure to make a reservation at Connors Steak and Seafood. The Huntsville location of the Knoxville-based eatery opened in 2009 and offers an upscale dining experience with a touch of Southern flare, serving dishes like truffled deviled eggs, Cajun red grouper as well as shrimp and grits and more. As for dessert, some a slice of warm carrot cake, drizzled with caramel and served with homemade ice cream should do. The Bright Star restaurant is at 304 19th St. North in Bessemer, Ala. The restaurant opened in 1907, and has been recognized by the Alabama Tourism Department as the oldest restaurant in Alabama. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com) The Bright Star 304 19th Street North in Bessemer No matter what the occasion is -- be it a birthday, anniversary, family get-together or just another Thursday -- it seems The Bright Star in Bessemer is always a good idea. With more than 100 years in business, The Bright Star has had plenty of time to perfect its diverse menu, which offers seafood, steaks and other Greek-style cuisine. (The fried snapper throats are also a favorite.) Another area theyve perfected? The dessert menu, which offers everything from Bananas Foster to Baklava cheesecake, chocolate almond pie and more. Related: Meet the woman who helps this classic Alabama restaurant continue a New Orleans tradition Taste at The Fain 101 East Bridge St., Wetumpka At Taste at The Fain in Wetumpka, you can have a unique meal in an even more unique setting -- the former Fain Theater that is nearly a century old. While there, you can spend your birthday sampling a variety of tapas, like roasted Brussel sprouts and Spanish meatballs, as well as small plates, including steak sliders and crab cake po' boys, as well as entrees like garlic shrimp, bone-in pork chops and more. Whatever you decide to order, be sure to pair it with your favorite wine flight and the pecan praline bread pudding. Related: Things to do in Wetumpka Eggplant Parmigiana at Gambino's Italian Grill in Fairhope. Gambinos Italian Grill 18 Laurel Avenue in Fairhope If youre in the mood for Italian food, go to Gambinos Italian Grill in Fairhope. Theyve got a full menu of all the hearty classics, from spaghetti and lasagna, manicotti, chicken tortellini and more, as well as seafood dishes and steaks. If youre not sure what to order, why not all out and get the Taste of Italy, which includes oven-baked chicken parmesan, lasagna, chicken and veal cannelloni with sauce and more? Plus, hot fudge lava cake sounds like a birthday-appropriate dessert if there ever was one. Related: Alabama restaurant among Tripadvisor Travelers Choice picks EastWest 2306 2nd Avenue North in Birmingham EastWest Kitchen and Bar in Birmingham offers Asian fusion food youd be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, and its this break from the ordinary that makes it an ideal birthday dinner spot. Among its offerings are small plates like Chinese duck nachos and Korean-fried cauliflower, to staples like char-grilled short rib bao buns, tempura fried shrimp rice bowls and Mongolian ribeye. For dessert, have your pick of either a chocolate torte or white chocolate bread pudding. (Or both! Birthdays are a judgement-free zone.) Related: 5 terrific restaurants in Birmingham that visitors will love Wawa, the East Coast convenience store chain expanding rapidly across the central Gulf Coast, will open its fifth Alabama store Thursday, March 6. The new Fairhope store will be the third in Baldwin County, after locations on the south side of Fairhope and in Robertsdale. Mobiles first Wawa opened in August, followed by its second in November; overall, the company says it plans to open seven to 10 locations in coastal Alabama over the next three to four years. The new Wawa is at 10040 Encounter Drive, just off the intersection of Ala. 104 and Ala. 181. According to information released by the company, Thursdays festivities start at 7:45 a.m. and doors open at 8 a.m., with free T-shirts for the first 100 people in line. Other attractions include a Hoagies for Heroes contest with competitors winning donations for area nonprofits, and customers are invited to participate in a celebration and parade at 8:30 a.m. Read more: What to order for lunch at Wawa Wally Goose, Fairhope cheerleaders and others dance at the opening of Alabama's first Wawa store. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com Free samples of limited-time breakfast offerings including French toast and the sausage, egg and cheese Sizzli breakfast sandwich will be available in limited quantities. As is usual at Wawa openings hot coffee will be free for 10 days. Read more: We ranked Wawas famous hoagies Wawa is a food market/gas station chain that started with a dairy market in 1964 in the Pennsylvania town of Wawa. Its a privately held company with more than 1,000 stores, mostly in East Coast states, including many in Floridas main peninsula. The company announced in 2022 that it planned a rapid expansion into the Florida Panhandle and Lower Alabama. Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts are picked in an Associated Press file photo. AP If you like free doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, youre in luck. Krispy Kreme is giving out free doughnuts on Tuesday in celebration of Mardi Gras. The doughnut chain is offering customers who wear Mardi Gras beads to a Krispy Kreme shop. The limit is one per guest. The offer is available in-shop or in the drive-thru and no purchase is necessary, reports USA TODAY. More Fat Tuesday Freebies: Pancakes at IHOP If youre in the mood for free pancakes, youre in luck--free pancakes have returned to IHOP. The breakfast chain is giving customers three free buttermilk pancakes when they dine in on Tuesday, March 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at participating locations in honor of its National Pancake Day promotion, according to the companys website. No purchase minimum is required. This is the 20th anniversary of IHOPs National Pancake Day. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall says he is "bewildered" with Gov. Kay Ivey for commuting death sentence to life. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) AP This is an opinion column. Gov. Kay Ivey made Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall sad. Not just somewhat sad but deeply saddened, or so Marshall wrote in a letter to the governor after she commuted the death sentence of Robin Rocky Myers to life in prison. I am astonished by Governor Iveys decision to commute the death sentence of Rocky Myers and am bewildered that she chose not to directly communicate with me about this case or her decision, Marshall said. Astonished? Bewildered? Somebody get that man some smelling salts before he faints. It shouldnt astonish or bewilder Marshall that Ivey didnt want to put Myers to death. The jury that convicted Myers in 1993 didnt want to kill him, either. According to one of those jurors, the jury had been divided on Myerss guilt, with three holdouts pushing for the death penalty. Their verdict guilty with a recommendation for life in prison had been a compromise verdict. However, the judge in the case overrode the jurys recommendation and gave him the death penalty, anyway, a practice since outlawed by the Alabama Legislature . Judicial override aside, the case against Myers was a sloppy mess , riddled with witnesses who changed their stories before and after the trial. Myers scored between 64 and 71 on IQ tests when he was a kid and before the murder. The victim who was alert when police found her and who knew Myers, a neighbor didnt identify him as the killer before she died, nor could a second victim who survived the attack that night. And no physical evidence linking Myers to the crime. A palmprint taken from the scene and fingerprints lifted from a VCR stolen from the victims home didnt match Myers, either. Two witnesses later said Myers had traded the stolen VCR for crack cocaine, although those witnesses also identified others before and after. Another witness from the crackhouse said police dropped an auto theft case against him in exchange for his testimony that implicated Myers. He now says he lied, and police dumped the car he stole by the side of a road. All of this is to say, there are many reasons to doubt Myerss guilt enough to convince Ivey the state shouldnt kill him, though not enough for her to set him free. Thats something, I guess. Ive been harshly critical of how Ivey has neglected and ignored even more clear-cut cases of wrongful conviction on Alabamas death row, and Im not going to let her off the hook for that quite yet. Ivey made the right call in Myerss case, but theres still work to be done. Toforrest Johnson is still there . Prosecutors were so uncertain of Johnsons case, they simultaneously charged another man with the same murder, even though only one of them could have done it. As it turns out, both men had multiple alibi witnesses putting them across town at the time of the murder, and even the prosecutor who brought the case now says Johnson deserves at least another trial. Christopher Barbour is still there, too. His defense lawyers fought to test DNA collected at the scene of a 1992 rape and murder. Not only did that DNA not implicate Barbour, but it matched a neighbor a neighbor now in prison for later murdering somebody else. In all three cases, the Alabama Attorney Generals office has fought to walk these men into Alabamas execution chamber despite not just reasonable doubt of their guilt but compelling evidence of their innocence. In Barbours case, the Alabama Attorney Generals office fought against testing that DNA until a court ruled against them in 2023, more than 30 years after the murder. And despite that evidence pointing to someone else, state prosecutors still insist Barbour did it and should die. It is puzzling that in this case, the State downplays the significance of the new DNA evidence when the State otherwise relies on similar DNA evidence to secure convictions and clear cold cases, U.S. District Judge Emily Marks, who is reviewing the case, wrote last year. Not just puzzling. Its bewildering. And absolutely on par for Steve Marshall. Marshall would rather cover up a broken system than fix it. He would rather put innocent people to death than explain how they got on death row in the first place, which is why we need a governor who will do that for him. Thats the astonishing thing here, not the governor exercising her duty under the law, but an attorney general who would rather kill a prisoner than question his guilt. And thats so much worse than sad. Kyle Whitmire is the Washington watchdog columnist for AL.com and winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize. You can follow him on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X , Threads and Bluesky. An Alabama couple filed a nearly $15 million federal lawsuit claiming Tennessee authorities unjustly took their children from them after they were arrested on DUI and child abuse charges they alleged stemmed from insufficient evidence. Nicholas and Elizabeth Frye said it took them nine months to regain the custody of their two children, according to the lawsuit they filed Tuesday against the city of Sevierville, the Sevierville Police Department, three Sevierville police officers and the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services. The suit, which accuses the defendants of violating the parents' and childrens rights against illegal seizure, among other claims, seeks $14.98 million. A spokesman for Sevierville said the city does not generally comment in regard to ongoing litigation. On Feb. 24, 2024, the Fryes were at a Tennessee resort celebrating one of their childrens seventh birthday when Elizabeth Frye slipped and fell on concrete. The family then headed to the Walmart in Sevierville to pick up medical supplies. After exiting the parking lot, the lawsuit claimed, Sevierville Officer Laura Franklin stopped the familys car for no justifiable reason sounding in reasonable suspicion or probable cause. Franklin, the lawsuit claimed, accused the Fryes of being intoxicated and/or impaired, and the parents explained the situation and denied any level of intoxication or impairment. Officers Jacob Rademacher and Camden Davis helped Franklin helped Franklin test the parents' sobriety. The lawsuit claimed blood was taken from Nicholas Frye but it was not an immediate test to determine if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol as the ultimate blood results for Nicholas Frye show the absence of drugs and alcohol in their system at the time of arrest or otherwise that would show probable cause that Nicholas Frye was intoxicated. Yet probable cause was determined to exist and both parents were arrested, the lawsuit alleged. Franklin arrested the parents on numerous charges, according to the lawsuit, including DUI, public intoxication, child abuse and neglect and aggravated child abuse and neglect. After taking the parents into custody, Franklin or another Sevierville officer notified the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services while the Fryes' children were taken to police headquarters where they were detained until their grandmother arrived from Alabama, the lawsuit claimed. A Tennessee DCS agent allegedly prevented the Fryes from seeing their children and took their custody away without any evidentiary basis and without probable cause. From Feb. 25, 2024, it took more than nine months for the Frye parents to regain custody of their minor children, the lawsuit stated. The Fryes and their children, according to the lawsuit, are undergoing mental health treatment for their significant mental and emotional anguish. While the parents suffered deleterious effects to their reputations, the children have had similar struggles in school and have fear of police officers and government officials, the lawsuit claimed. The University of Alabama's specialty license plate is being redesigned. Department of Revenue A redesign of the University of Alabama license plate has been postponed, according to the university and the Department of Revenue. Frank Miles, communications and public relations manager for the Department of Revenue, said the university postponed the redesign because they are still tweaking it. Alex House, associate director of communications for UA, said the university is working with the Department of Revenue on the tag but did not have any other information to share. Most of the proceeds from the sale of University of Alabama license tags fund scholarship programs at UA. The UA tags have been the most popular specialty tags in the state. Beginning March 1, according to the Department of Revenue, redesigned Atlanta Braves tags became available, along with these redesigned tags: A Pink Breast Cancer Tag; Faulkner University; Habitat for Humanity; Helping Schools; Miles College. With a variety of severe weather threats in store for Alabama on Tuesday, a couple of Alabama schools have announced changes to their schedules. Damaging winds, heavy rain and a couple of tornadoes may be in the cards for Alabama, according to the National Weather Service. The timeframe is from Tuesday evening in the west through early Wednesday morning in the east. Forecasters think Tuesdays storms could reach Alabamas western border between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday and quickly track eastward. Storms are expected to be the strongest over west Alabama. Several severe storms will be possible. The strongest of those could have wind gusts from 60 mph to even 70 mph, according to the weather service, which could take down trees and power lines. A few tornadoes will also be possible along the line of storms. They will likely be those hard-to-warn-for quick-hitting spin-ups that are there and gone within a few minutes. These schools have announced changes to their Tuesday schedules: Northwest Shoals Community College: Closing campuses at 4 p.m. Pickens County Schools: 2 p.m. early dismissal Lauderdale County Schools: 1:30 p.m. early dismissal Scottsboro City Schools: 11:15 AM early dismissal Tuesday for elementary schools (Nelson, Caldwell, and Collins.) 12 p.m. early dismissal Tuesday for secondary schools (Scottsboro Junior High and Scottsboro High School.) This story will be updated as more school districts announce changes. Aileen Paton, mother of Alabama's David Paton, never got over the memories of the London Blitz, and of the Americans who came to the rescue. Wikimedia and Paton family This is an opinion column. David Paton wasnt born in America, but he knows American exceptionalism. His mother Aileen was traumatized by WWII. But she taught him from birth what America meant to her, and he brought that idea across the Atlantic as a young man. He went to college here, toured the land with a band, and married a redheaded Southern bewitching angel who brought him to Alabama. He found love there, and built a business, and still pursued his music. He has performed at Honor Flight events, at gatherings held to show a countrys gratitude to those who fought for it, to those who risked their lives for freedom and Americas name across the world. He has looked them in the eye and told them what his mother told him. I got choked up, he said. As I did when he told the story to me. This is that story: Im from England. My mother spoke occasionally about the horrors of living in London during the Blitz. The Heinkels and Messerschmitts buzzing overhead, then later the screaming V1s and V2s. She tells of moving to a house with her kids away from London, looking out the window at a Stuka dive bomber aimed at her house at the end of the cul-de-sac and dropping a bomb. It, luckily for all, hit the asphalt on its side and caromed over the house and exploded in the woods in back. She named friends who died in the bombings, fathers, brothers and sons who never made it back home from France, or Belgium, or Germany. But she always ended up saying: and then the Americans came... The U.S. really didnt have a dog in the fight in Europe, but came anyway. The thousands who died, tens of thousands broken and damaged, the millions in armaments and support were freely given. That is American exceptionalism, the generosity of plenty. Americas greatness is not in its power and wealth, but in its fundamental goodness and kindness. Paton said it wasnt the story that made him emotional when he told it at Honor Flight events. It was those men before him, those Americans, and the weight of their sacrifice. I looked at those men, sitting there, he said. America didnt come into this war. Americans did. They came with a happy-go-lucky attitude, landed all around London, set off in those rickety old ships, and got their heads blown off on the beaches. All Americans came they said this is what well do. I looked those guys in the eye and I said, You were the ones my mother was talking about. Paton said his mom suffered from PTSD for decades after the war. Like many others who endured the Blitz, she froze at high-pitched sounds, for the memories of those Nazi weapons lived forever. Aileen Paton died in 2013. She was 102 years old. I dont want to overstate, to equate daily events to war, but it sure feels like a battle right now, and it ought not be a partisan one. It feels like America is in its own Blitz, when the ping of a news alert causes many to freeze as if in war. And maybe it is a war for the soul of this country and the memories of those who fought to make America great. Not with greed and power and dictates on high, but goodness and kindness and bravery and sacrifice. John Archibald is a two-time Pulitzer winner. A predawn dispute at a Jefferson County bingo hall left one of the employees shot. Jefferson County sheriffs deputies were dispatched just after 5 a.m. Monday to the business at 5712 Chalkville Road on a report of a person shot. Deputies arrived to find an employee wounded. Center Point Fire and Rescue took him to UAB Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Sheriffs spokesman Henry Irby said the preliminary investigation indicates a verbal argument took place between the employee and the bingo halls security guard. The security guard shot the victim, Irby said. He remained at the scene and was cooperative with deputies. There have been no arrests or charges filed in the case. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriffs office at 205-325-1450 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Discount chain ALDI announced new locations will come through organic growth and converting select Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores to the new ALDI format. (Staten Island Advance/Jessica J One of the fastest-growing grocery chains in the U.S. plans to open more than 225 new stores in the coming year, a move that marks the biggest surge in 50 years. Discount chain ALDI announced new locations ,will come through organic growth and converting select Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores to the new ALDI format. In total, ALDI will convert some 220 Southeastern Grocers locations to its format through 2027. When we announced our acquisition of Southeastern Grocers, we shared that we intended for a meaningful number of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets to continue to operate, and were delivering on that promise while also supporting ALDI growth, ALDI CEO Jason Hart said. Converting the remaining locations to the ALDI format is critically important to our nationwide commitment to help shoppers fill their carts with quality groceries for less. As part of its plans, Aldi also sold some 170 former Southeastern Grocery stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers with locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Winn-Dixies liquor store business is also being sold. Grand openings planned Grand openings for the first several converted Southeastern Grocer stores are already underway with approximately 100 converted locations reopening as ALDI stores by the end of 2025. A portion of the stores will be located in the Southeast with other growth coming in the northeast and Midwest regions, as well as more stores in Southern California and Arizona. ALDI is also eying new cities, including Las Vegas. ALDI opened 120 stores last year, bringing its total count to 2,400. The couple and their dog were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home. (Photo by Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Getty Images It will likely take weeks to sort out the death of actor Gene Hackman and his wife as authorities revealed new details about the case. The Oscar winner and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead with one of the familys three dogs in their New Mexico home by maintenance workers on Wednesday. Authorities said there were no obvious signs of foul play, but that the circumstances of their deaths warranted further investigation. Where does the investigation go from here? Besides work from the medical examiner, investigators are looking at pills found at the scene and the couples cellphones to piece together the last days of their lives. Well be analyzing cellphone data, phone calls, text messages, events, photos in the cellphone, to try to piece a timeline together, Santa Fe Sheriff County Adan Mendoza said Friday. Investigators removed two phones, blood pressure and thyroid medications, Tylenol, medical records and a 2025 monthly planner from the home, according to a search warrant summary. In the coming days, investigators will build a timeline for when the two were last seen alive and try to evaluate who spoke to them last. Mendoza described Hackman and Arakawa as private individuals who kept to themselves. There are no security cameras inside or outside the home for the investigators to draw upon, Mendoza said Friday. Maintenance workers told investigators that they last spoke to the couple about two weeks before their bodies were found. Arakawa mainly communicated with the workers via text message or in phone calls. How was the couple found? Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found by a pair of maintenance workers in their housing community shortly before 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The workers then notified a community caretaker, who went to the home and then called 911. The caretaker didnt have all the information when he called but knew he was looking through a window at two bodies lying on the floor inside. The caller can be heard on audio telling the dispatcher that he can see what appears to be two motionless bodies inside the house. Shaken, he repeatedly says damn and urges authorities to rapidly respond. No, they are not moving. Please send someone out here quick, the caller says. Hackmans body was found on the floor near the kitchen with a walking cane and a pair of sunglasses nearby, according to a court affidavit. Arakawas body was found in a bathroom by the homes main entrance, and prescription pills were scattered on a nearby countertop. Mendoza said he could not release details about the prescriptions due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The positioning of the couples bodies indicated that they may have suddenly fallen, according to the affidavit. A German shepherd was found dead inside the home while two other dogs were alive on the property and able to enter the residence through a door at the back. The dogs cause of death is unknown. How did they die? The cause of the deaths is still under investigation. Initial autopsy results ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning and found no signs of blunt force trauma on the couples bodies, he said. The medical examiner will make a ruling on the official cause of death after receiving full toxicology and autopsy results a process that Mendoza said could take months. Mendoza said at a news conference Friday that Feb. 17 was the last day Hackmans pacemaker showed activity and that it is a very good assumption that it was his last day of life. ___ 2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Toforest Johnson is seeking a new trial, after Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr called his conviction in doubt. (Photo courtesy of the Johnson family) Contributed Lawyers for Toforest Johnson, an Alabama Death Row inmate whose conviction has long been questioned even by the original prosecutor, criticized the Alabama Attorney Generals Office in a court filing Monday morning, calling its actions in the case alarming. The Attorney Generals actions and inactions here are cause for serious concern, wrote Johnsons legal team. The comments came in the lawyers' latest filing asking Jefferson County Circuit Judge Kandice Pickett to toss out Johnsons conviction and order a new trial. Johnson , now 52, was convicted of capital murder in 1998 for the 1995 death of Jefferson County Deputy William G. Hardy, who was shot to death while working a part-time security job for a Birmingham hotel. Johnson has been on death row since 1998 for the killing, which he has always denied. The case has been in legal limbo for years as appeals played out in different courts. But in 2020, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carrwho wasnt in office when Johnson was convictedvoiced his concerns about Johnsons case and asked for a new trial. That motion for a new trial was pending in Jefferson County while the Supreme Court looked at a previous appeal, but the nations highest court declined to review the case in 2023. Since that denial, the case has been ongoing in Jefferson County. A prosecutors duty is not merely to secure convictions, but to seek justice, Carr wrote in 2020, and he detailed the investigation that prompted his office to conclude that Johnsons conviction was fundamentally unreliable and that the duty to seek justice required intervention in this case. Despite Carr questioning the conviction, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshalls office has said Johnson belongs on death row. In a January court filing, the AGs Office argued Johnson shouldnt be allowed to litigate the same claims again. The court records speak for themselves, the office said. And Carrs opinion does not provide an independent, viable legal claim, Marshalls office wrote. Carr has had no role in this matter as a prosecutor, and Johnsons petition does not allege otherwise, the office wrote. Assistant attorneys general argued Carrs 2020 review does not permit him to provide an opinion on the ultimate issue in this case and was outside the scope of duties. Marshalls office called the review unsanctioned because it happened before Jefferson County formally opened a Conviction Review Unit in 2021. But Johnsons lawyers pointed out in their Monday filing that the original prosecutor in the caseformer Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Jeff Wallacehas also spoken out in support of a new trial. The AGs Office has also claimed Johnsons case should be dismissed based on procedural issues. Johnsons lawyers wrote Monday, To be clear, the Attorney Generals procedural argument is that this Court should allow Johnson to be executed even if the foundation of the prosecutions case has disintegrated over time, even if the totality of the evidence shows that the conviction is fundamentally unreliable, and even if Johnson would not be convicted if he were tried today. That argument is both wrong and remarkable. The lawyers call Marshalls arguments a chilling suggestion that the Court should allow Johnsons execution to proceed whether or not the underlying conclusions about his guilt are correct. The Attorney General does not appear to dispute that a failure to entertain Johnsons petition would result in a miscarriage of justice. Perhaps this is not surprising, because it is beyond dispute that the execution of an innocent person would constitute a miscarriage of justice, Johnsons lawyers wrote. The District Attorneys Office has faithfully discharged its duties; it prosecuted a case that it believed in many years ago, and it alerted the Court when it determined, after an extensive review, that it likely made a terrible mistake. And Carrs review does not appear even to have sparked the curiosity of the Attorney Generals Office, let alone tempered the zeal with which it continues to defend Johnsons conviction and death sentence. The AGs Office blames Carr for the issue, Johnsons lawyers wrote, instead of facing issues in the investigation. And their January comments were a culmination of years of efforts to bury, ignore, and attack the conclusion of the District Attorneys Office. Marshalls office has asked Pickett to dismiss the case, writing in January that no purpose would be served by any further proceedings. But Johnsons lawyers disagree. The purpose of further proceedings is clear: to ensure that Alabama does not execute an innocent person based on a conviction that is fundamentally unreliable. Former Alabama Chief Justice Drayton Nabers and former Alabama Attorney General Bill Baxley have been among numerous lawyers, former judges and prosecutors who have voiced support for a new trial for Johnson. Other supporters include former U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance, former magistrate Judge John Carroll, and three former jurors on the case. Kim Kardashian and Richard Branson have also voiced their support for Johnson. The Land Title Building is a 31,000-square-foot building is located across from 1901 Sixth Ave. in Birmingham. Harbert Retail An 80-year-old downtown Birmingham fixture has just been sold. The Land Title Building, a four-story building facing diagonally at 600 20th St. N., sold for $2.925 million to Land Title Partners out of Spring Hill, Tenn. Harbert Retails Casey Howard represented the seller, Land Title Building, LLC, a Sixty West company. The 31,000-square-foot building is about 84% occupied with tenants, including Jaffe & Erdberg, Parnell & Parnell Law, Land Title Co., Sydney May Engineering, Sheffield & Lentine and others. Built in the 1940s with a mix of Alabama limestone and marble, the Greek Revival-style building was designed by Birmingham architecture firm Warren, Knight & Davis. Madison is working toward opening the westbound ramp of the I-565 interchange at Town Madison by the end of the month. The nearly $37 million project, which the city funded through a bond issue, was initially expected to be completed in mid-2024. A series of weather-imposed delays pushed back those estimates, said Samantha Magnuson, communications director for Madison. Magnuson said the city met last week with state Department of Transportation staff on the constructions progress, and paving, striping and guardrail work remains to be finished. ALDOT will be doing their final inspections soon, she said. Within just a few weeks, it will be open to traffic. Work to ease westbound traffics flow into the mixed use development thats home to Toyota Field began in November 2022. While the eastbound interchange opened in 2021, westbound drivers must exit I-565 about two miles before Town Madison and pass three signaled intersections. Also in November 2022, Madison city councilors voted to annex the Publix at Clift Farm, a move that was expected to add over $700,000 in annual tax revenue to help cover the cost, according to AL.com. The city then issued bonds for the construction project. Madison Mayor Paul Finley said at the time the bonds would cover the cost for the interchanges final phase, including, flyover ramps to move westbound traffic safely and efficiently in and out of Toyota Field and Town Madison, along with easier access from Redstone Arsenal Gate 7. Paying the cost rather than waiting for state or federal funding, Finley said, ensured the interchange would be built promptly. The Madison County Sheriffs Office is investigating the death of an inmate while at the county jail. John Mitchell Rigdon, 68, was found unresponsive in his medical cell at about 4:30 a.m. Monday. Sheriffs detention officers and medical staff began life-saving measures. but Rigdon was pronounced dead, the sheriffs office said in a news release. An in-custody death is always difficult for everyone involved: facility staff members, medical staff, and emergency first responders, Sheriff Kevin Turner said. We are extremely saddened to report the death of Mr. Rigdon and send our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. The cause of death is was not immediately known and will be established through autopsy and toxicology reports conducted by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Huntsville Police officers arrested Rigdon, 68, charging him with criminal trespassing in the third degree, after an incident Sunday at Crestwood Hospital. Rigdon had been discharged from the hospital earlier in the day. but returned, and Crestwood Hospital personnel contacted the Huntsville Police Department, requesting their assistance. Upon arrival, officers arrested Rigdon and took him to the Madison County Sheriffs facility for processing and detention. At the Madison County Jail, sheriffs office medical personnel found Rigdon had a history of medical issues and was suffering from a terminal condition, and he was placed in the jail infirmary. An on-call doctor was notified and wrote medical orders for Rigdon, the sheriffs office said. Huntsville's Wilson Lumber Co. has acquired Nashville Lumber Co. Wilson Lumber Co. A 75-year-old family-owned Huntsville company has made an acquisition into Tennessees largest market. Wilson Lumber Co. announced Monday it has reached an agreement to acquire Nashville Lumber, a building materials supplier. Terms of the deal, which has been finalized, were not disclosed. Nashville Lumber will operate under the Wilson Lumber Co. name. Wilson Lumber is in its third generation of family ownership and has been in business since 1949. The company serves builders, contractors, and construction professionals. It provides lumber and building materials, truss and windows manufacturing, and millwork and doors, offering delivery and logistics. Wilson Lumber President Josh Hendrickson said the combined companies look forward to combining our expertise to continue meeting the needs of our customers. The company has more than 300 employees. This is a guest opinion Scientific discovery, research, and development grow Alabamas economy by supporting jobs, and industry. Government research grants are investments in scientists work to cure diseases, grow our food and ensure it is safe, respond to emerging threats (bird flu), create innovative technology, and discover new sources of energy. Alabama received over $90 million dollars from the National Science Foundation and another $380 million from the National Institutes of Health last year, which then generated more than a billion dollars for Alabamas economy. Yet today, Alabamas continued excellence in research is being threatened by government actions including grant funding cuts and freezes, preventing information sharing and collaborations, and termination of colleagues at government agencies that facilitate scientific research efforts. These funds not only support science but provide jobs for many people who support research efforts that in turn go back into our economy. Grant funds pay salaries for scientists as well as scientists-in-training including graduate and undergraduate students, and high school interns. Most research faculty have 9-month appointments and use grant funds to pay their remaining three-months of salary. Universities also receive a portion of these grant funds, which are necessary to pay for infrastructure and salaries for support staff, including secretaries, custodial and maintenance personnel, and many other workers that enable scientific research. Their salaries are spent supporting a myriad of local businesses and municipal budgets through sales taxes. Cuts in federal funding for science hurt research progress, delay, or derail important discoveries. The accountability and rigorous peer review that comes with securing research grants ensures that funds are used effectively and legally. This system encourages innovation while maintaining high standards and accountability for spending tax-payer dollars. Continued support for scientific funding is essential for addressing many societal challenges and requires continued support from citizens and government leaders. Oyster research is but one example of how federal dollars benefit Alabama. Oysters are a favorite dish of Alabamians and intimately tied to our culture, generating an income for many of our watermen. Gulf oyster populations are declining and remain at or below historic low levels in Alabama and Mississippi, and globally populations have declined more than 85%. Here on the Gulf Coast, research seeks to restore oyster habitat and reverse this decline, protecting not only our waterways but also the fishing industry. Using federal funding from Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Alabama Coastal Management Program, and from the National Science Foundation (NSF) coastal scientists have uncovered innovative methods to help bring oysters back to our waters (oyster restoration success) by finding ways to increase their survival, which will in turn save the jobs of our watermen and businesses tangentially dependent on them. In this local example, federally funded research resulted in a recent important discovery which led to the creation of a new oyster reef habitat in Bayou la Batre. This research in turn created jobs for more than a dozen people, engaged nearby high school students in research, and then generated funds that helped repair infrastructure and provided salaries for numerous support staff connected through this project. Please keep science funded, it directly benefits all of us and improves our economy. Dr. Lee Smee is Chair of University Programs at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and a Professor at the University of South Alabama in the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences. He is an Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster of Troop 251G in Mobile. Americas newest federal agency, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), now says on its website that it has saved taxpayers over $14 million from terminating the leases of a dozen more federal offices in Alabama. This totals out to roughly $20 million that the department claims to have saved in the state since its creation two months ago. It further claims that it has saved taxpayers $105 billion nationally in that time. While Alabama representatives are worried about how these cuts could impact residents, some agencies are bringing into question how valid the site may be. According to the DOGE website, it has cut spending by terminating the leases at a dozen more federal offices in the state as of this month. Those are: Montgomery- Office of U.S. Attorneys, $3,210,894 Montgomery- Farm Service Agency, $3,041,170 Montgomery- Internal Revenue Service National Office, $1,259,025 Montgomery- Forest Service, $800,734 Montgomery- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, $158,518 Mobile- Occupational Safety and Health Administration, $493,540 Mobile - Employment Standards Administration Wage and Hour Division, $104,460 Daphne-United States Fish and Wildlife Service, $311,781 Birmingham- Internal Revenue National Office, $2,807,854 Birmingham- Internal Revenue National Office, $126,702 Birmingham- Mine Safety Health Administration, $1,699,269 Huntsville-Government Accountability Office, $68,611 The list also includes the closure of Fort Paynes National Park Service office but lists the total savings at $0. The annual cost to lease the office is $78,171, according to the site. Representatives for U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala. told AL.com Tuesday that House Ways and Means Committee Democrats obtained a document indicating that the Trump Administration is terminating the leases of seven IRS offices in Alabama including two in Birmingham. In a post to X, Sewell said that This will make it much harder for working class Alabamians to get help filing their taxes! NEWS: As Trump and Musk look to cut taxes for billionaires, they are shutting down seven IRS offices in Alabama, including two in Birmingham. This will make it much harder for working class Alabamians to get help filing their taxes! Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) March 4, 2025 Sewell also spoke out against recent cuts to Birmingham Social Security offices that impacted at least 100 federal employees across multiple states. Elon Musks reckless power trip is directly threatening the livelihoods of my constituents, she wrote in a post to X. This madness must stop! While DOGE cuts have already started to impact the states workforce, there has been trouble verifying the validity of the departments savings claims. Kenneth Stripling, district director of the Wage and Hour Division in Mobile, said he was not aware of any lease termination and said their offices remained open and ready to serve the public. And Congressman Robert Aderholts office recently told Alabama Daily News that the Jasper and Cullman Social Security offices are open and will remain open, despite DOGEs claim that their leases will be terminated. The adjustments being made involve the cancellation of lease agreements covering hearing spaces, not the areas used for day-to-day operations, Aderholt, R-Haleyville, told Alabama Daily News in a statement. These changes will not affect the ability of residents to access Social Security services at these locations. Dustin Gautney, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District also told AL.com previously that without an address, the Corps real estate division is unable to pinpoint what lease is referenced on the DOGE website. Gautney later reached out to clarify that the Corps did not say DOGE didnt terminate a lease of which it may have been the initial leasing agent. We just cannot confirm or deny based on the data provided, he said. The Corps of Engineers Mobile District manages real estate for the military all over the Gulf Coast region, Gautney said, so its difficult to know what the lease is related to. Around a year ago, the Corps did terminate a lease with the U.S. General Services Administration for the second story of a federally owned building on St. Michael Street in downtown Mobile. The approximate square footage the Corps leased was 24,000 square feet. The building was used by the federal court system until 2020, and since then has been used by several federal agencies, Gautney said. But the lease was terminated prior to the creation of DOGE, which was created via executive order after President Donald Trump was inaugurated last month and therefore could not have been involved with the lease termination. A recent NPR analysis found that the site overestimates DOGEs $105 billion government spending slash, which has more than doubled since last week, by several billion dollars. Six other current and former federal contracting officers who spoke with NPR on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation say that the DOGE savings page is misleading the public with the data it includes like overemphasizing the maximum possible value of contracts cancelled as well as with what it leaves out, they say, like how much has already been budgeted and spent to fulfill the contract," NPRs Stephen Fowler writes. Although he said he hasnt heard any news about the predicted lease terminations in his district, Rep. Philip Ensler, D-Montgomery, is concerned about how the loss of these federal offices could impact the community. In general, the federal DOGE firings are of deep concern to many residents in my district as they are having a devastating impact on middle class Americans, communities, and important government functions, he wrote in a statement to AL.com. If these cuts happen in Montgomery, it would be deeply hurtful to many hard-working residents, our local economy, and potentially to government services. Efforts to reach all of the federal offices included in the list above, with the exception of Mobiles Wage and Hour Division, were not immediately successful. Severe storms will be possible across Alabama tonight into Wednesday morning. Damaging winds, tornadoes and heavy rain will all be possible. Areas above in orange have a Level 3 out of 5 severe weather risk tonight. Areas in yellow have a Level 2 risk and areas in dark green have a Level 1 risk. Storm Prediction Center Strong to severe storms will continue to be possible overnight in Alabama. The National Weather Service issued multiple warnings on Tuesday and expected strong to severe storms to be possible through early Wednesday morning. The weather service received a deluge of reports of downed trees starting on Tuesday afternoon and lasting into Tuesday night. A tornado watch and severe thunderstorm watch were in effect for parts of the state. The strongest storms could bring wind gusts as high as hurricane force (70-80 mph), according to the weather service. Winds like that could bring down lots of trees and power lines. A few tornadoes will also be possible. A tornado watch will be in effect for south and south-central parts of Alabama until 1 a.m. Wednesday: A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Alabama and Florida until 1 AM CST pic.twitter.com/73H6B4jN7w NWS Mobile (@NWSMobile) March 4, 2025 The Alabama counties in the tornado watch are Autauga, Baldwin, Butler, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dallas, Elmore, Escambia, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox. The Storm Prediction Center also issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of east Alabama that will be in effect until 3 a.m. Wednesday: A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Alabama and Georgia until 3 AM CST pic.twitter.com/1HI7LiOM5K NWS Severe Tstorm (@NWSSevereTstorm) March 5, 2025 The Alabama counties in the severe thunderstorm watch are Barbour, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Lee, Macon, Marshall, Pike, Randolph, Russell, St. Clair, Talladega and Tallapoosa. Since the storms could affect parts of the state overnight, the weather service urged Alabamians to ensure they have multiple ways to receive warnings, including ones that will wake them up in the middle of the night. Those can be in the form of a NOAA weather radio or phone app -- but make sure not to turn phones on silent mode tonight. The line of storms should be moving fast, which can increase the potential for high winds with storms. And keep an eye out for non-thunderstorm winds too. Wind advisories were in effect statewide, and some will last into Wednesday. The weather service said winds could gust from 35 mph to as high as 50 mph in some areas before the storms even arrive as well as after they are gone. The storms were expected to move out of the state early Wednesday, and cooler and calmer weather is expected for the rest of the work week. The next chance for rain could arrive by Saturday. So far, no severe weather is in the forecast for the weekend, but thats not certain to hold so keep an eye on the forecast later this week. The meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent shockwaves across Europe, unleashing tangible dread over the beleaguered continent. European leaders rushed to affirm their support for Ukraine and President Zelenskyy. British prime minister Keir Starmer declared that Britain confronts a 'generational challenge' in national security, adding that his country 'needs to do more.' This brings to mind a snarky quip from my generation, reserved for when someone belabored the blindingly apparent: 'Thanks, Captain Obvious.' A NATO breakdown for 2024 indicates that the United States contributed approximately 16% of NATOs annual expenditures, sharing the top spot with Germany. The other 30 member nations lagged significantly behind, with France and the UK coming in at just 10% apiece. Beyond NATO contributions, the United States allocates nearly a trillion dollars annually to its overall defense, significantly bolstering NATOs capabilities when required. For instance, an aircraft carrier stationed in the South China Sea could swiftly redirect to the Mediterranean to reinforce NATO in a pinch. Despite the United States substantial contributions to NATO, both direct and indirect, a prevailing sentiment across Europe holds that under Donald Trump, the U.S. is forsaking its allies, fracturing a web of alliances forged after World War II and strengthened following the Soviet Unions collapse. This perspective is, naturally, scandalously asinine. The United States has far exceeded its share in fortifying the transatlantic partnership. What unsettles Europe is the return of a President who dares to draw a line and deliver a blunt truth: this is your continent, and its high time you shoulder more of your own security burden. After all, the United States is protected by, as Zelenskyy put it, 'a nice big ocean.' What about the claim that Donald Trump disgraced himself and the United States during that Oval Office clash? Is that accurate, or did Trump simply voice a necessary truth? Critics of Trumps approach to the Ukrainian-Russian conflict -- whether in the U.S. or Europe -- offer no substantive strategy. They cant define what a Ukrainian victory looks like, nor can they outline a clear path to achieve it. This leads me to believe their plan boils down to sending Ukrainians, armed with American taxpayer-funded war tools, into an endless meat grinder. But what happens when Ukraine, where soldiers are already averaging over 40 years of age, runs out of manpower? Is Europe counting on the United States deploying troops? That would mean significant American casualties and the specter of nuclear war escalating to a level not seen since the Cuban Missile Crisis. President Trump sees the bigger picture. He understands that Ukraine, unfortunately, holds little leverage in this conflict. Plainly stated, Ukraine cannot sustain its resistance against Russia without U.S. backing, and dragging the war out for another three years is unconscionable -- indeed, its immoral. Ukraine can stage a defiant stand and delay the inevitable with continued American financial and military support. They can put on a show, with EU leaders clapping like trained seals in the background. Trump detractors across all continents might even feel good about it. But ultimately, Ukraine will fall, and in the meantime, countless more lives will be lost -- to what end? Trump is a tough negotiator, often brusque, but I see a genuine intent to stop the bloodshed, and hes applying pressure to the one leader in this conflict where it might actually make a difference. Acknowledging that Ukraine cannot win this war is not a sign of weakness. Choosing to negotiate an end to the bloodshed, rather than committing American lives and risking the threat of nuclear war, is not a betrayal of Reagans principles. It is precisely the opposite. It reflects strength and a deep respect for the sanctity of human life. No one is dragging a nuclear-armed Putin out of his bed and putting him on a plane to The Hague to face war crimes charges. Russia will not permit Ukraine to join NATO. For the past forty years, every Russian expert -- regardless of political affiliation, American or European -- has consistently warned that Ukraine joining NATO is a blood-red line. Anyone who believes Putin would accept such a loss of face without resorting to extreme measures fails to grasp his character or the deep-rooted conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which stretches back a thousand years. However unpalatable these truths may be, Donald Trump understands them. Until his detractors can articulate a clear vision of what a Ukrainian victory entails and provide a coherent plan to achieve it -- while guaranteeing we steer clear of nuclear war -- they should hold their tongues and let him do his work. Their current rhetoric offers nothing of substance; its just empty platitudes that do nothing to save lives. Image: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine The globalist vision for Ukraine is a fantasy. Washington (although this has changed with President Trumps inauguration on the policy level), Brussels, and London pretend Kyiv can restore its pre-2014 borders, put Putin on trial, and impose lasting consequences on Moscowall without answering a simple question: How? Where will the troops and weapons come from? The math doesnt work. Reclaiming lost territorywhether in Donetsk, Luhansk, or Crimeawould require hundreds of thousands of troops. Ukraine doesnt have them. Europe has spent decades neglecting its defenses. And the United States is neither willing nor able to send an occupying force into a nuclear-armed Russias backyard. A War Strategy Built on Delusions For all the grand rhetoric about Ukraine standing for democracy, the harsh reality is that Ukraine has been at a massive manpower disadvantage from day one. While Kyiv launched some successful counteroffensives early in the war, Russian forces quickly adapted, strengthening defensive positions and replenishing their ranks. Western leaders bet everything on Ukrainian counteroffensives amidst a primarily defensive war. This approach failed. Ukraine suffered heavy losses, and Russian lines held firm. The long-promised breakthroughs never materialized. Now, Ukrainian cities face relentless missile barrages, and Russia is advancing methodically, capturing more terrain while Ukraine burns through its remaining stockpiles and yields more of its territory. Yet, instead of reassessing their approach, Ukraines globalist backers keep doubling down, demanding more weapons, more money, and more commitment from the United States and NATO. The reality is that Europe is not prepared for waryears of military neglect have left NATO members critically under-resourced. A recent Hudson Institute assessment lays bare the alarming gap between NATOs actual capabilities and the firepower Russia has built up. Germany is still struggling to meet its 2% defense spending commitment, and most European militaries are bureaucratic shells, ill-equipped for a sustained conflict. The idea that they could muster a force capable of changing the wars trajectory is a fantasy. The NATO Dilemma: How Far Will Europe Go? While some European leaders whisper about sending troops, they refuse to acknowledge the consequences. If European nations were to deploy ground forces in Ukraine and Russia retaliated, would NATO invoke Article 5, the collective defense clause? Trump should make it clear: If European troops enter Ukraine and Russia retaliates, NATOs Article 5 does not apply. The alliance was designed for mutual defensenot to bail out European leaders who blunder into war. A reckless European escalation would be their war, not NATOs. Yet, the globalists refuse to accept this reality. Fridays Oval Office episode with Zelenskyy exposed their blind commitment to escalation. Zelenskyy, whose country depends entirely on Western support, showed outright disrespect to President Trump and Vice President Vance, deliberately pushing the same reckless strategy that could lead to direct confrontation with Russia. Even NATOs Secretary General, Mark Rutte, is signaling a shift. He warned Zelenskyy to restore his relationship with Trump, clearly acknowledging that Ukraine cannot afford to alienate the one leader who can determine its future. Yet Zelenskyy lectured the President of the United States instead of engaging in diplomacya move that deepened Ukraines isolation. As Trump made clear, he will not be bullied into World War III. The globalists are doubling down, urging European nations to fill the gap if America pulls back. But Europe stepping in does nothing to change the battlefield realityand risks triggering an existential response from Moscow. Then what? If Russia retaliates with tactical nuclear weapons, as its longstanding doctrine allows, is the West genuinely prepared for the consequences? What if a threatened Russia opens another front elsewhere, drawing more nations into the conflict? At this point, it seems some in the Westand stateside within the Democrat party and the neocon foreign policy apparatchiksare less interested in securing peace than in setting the stage to blame Trump for Ukraines inevitable defeat. They know Ukraine is trapped in the Russian meatgrinder, burning through its last reserves of manpower and ammunition, but their priority is political optics, not real-world outcomes. They arent strategizing for Ukraines survivaltheyre strategizing for political survival in Washington. Rather than accept the reality that Bidens failed policies brought Ukraine to this moment, they would prefer to shift responsibility onto Trumphoping to absolve themselves of blame while setting up a phony narrative of betrayal. Globalists Endgame: A Recipe for Disaster Those insisting that Ukraine must achieve total victory refuse to answer key questions: Where will the troops come from? Europe wont provide them, and America isnt about to send them. Europe wont provide them, and America isnt about to send them. What happens if European troops push into Russian territory? Do they believe a cornered Putin wont retaliate, possibly with nuclear weapons? Do they believe a cornered Putin wont retaliate, possibly with nuclear weapons? What was Bidens definition of victory, and what did his administration do to achieve it? If the goal was to bleed Russia dry, why is Russia in a stronger military position on the ground now? The Biden administrations Ukraine strategy was never grounded in reality. It was a mix of wish-casting and geopolitical arrogance, assuming that economic sanctions and arms shipments alone would cripple Moscow. That theory has been proven falseat significant cost to Ukraine itself. Trumps Approach: Deterrence, Not Escalation Trump understands that actual deterrence requires clarity. His administration must make it plain to European allies that if they escalate this war by deploying European troops or other escalations, the United States will not be dragged into this conflict against our will by NATOs collective defense obligations. The difference between defending NATO territory and getting entangled in a non-NATO war must be crystal clear. A realistic end to the war must involve negotiationsnot fantastical visions of toppling Putin and marching into Moscow. The sooner Europe and the globalists accept this reality, the better for everyone involved. Americas Interests Must Come First The United States cannot and should not be responsible for securing every European border when Europe refuses to secure its own. The war in Ukraine has exposed just how hollow Europes security architecture has become. The globalists overpromised, failed, and now expect America to foot the bill for their delusions. Trumps response? No more blank checks. No more globalist wars. No more illusionsAmerica First. Charlton Allen is an attorney, former chief executive officer, and chief judicial officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He is the founder of the Madison Center for Law & Liberty, Inc., editor of The American Salient, and the host of the Modern Federalist podcast. X: @CharltonAllenNC Image: Free image, Pixabay license. Rachel Maddow is being asked to put her money where her mouth is, according to Bluesky platform users. She famously went on a rant about losing her non-white colleague, Joy Reid, and others at MSNBC, even going so far as to cite (what else) racism. Reid -- whose dwindling audience had shrunk to an astonishing 45,000 to 65,000 (not a misprint in digits) -- had been non-white for more than nine years while at the network. Surely management had noticed. Squeezing fanciful facts into a fixed narrative serves as Rachel Maddows trademark style of broadcasting. If she was so outraged by managements decision, many conservatives on Bluesky media platform (numbering 30 million) recommended she demonstrate true solidarity and resign her $25 million annual salary. (She took a much-publicized $5 million pay cut last year.) This sort of public pushback could prove problematic for Maddow: Shes accustomed to asking the rhetorical questions and acting as an opinion arbitrator. Her own bosses are now enduring the Maddow spin, listening to a version of the story which bears virtually no resemblance to the real story. (There is a reason she earned the moniker as the Queen of the Russia Hoax.) Maddow failed to mention many of the non-white personnel in prime-time slots were hemorrhaging viewers, as in the case of Joy Reid. And as a final humiliation, Katie Phang of the The Katie Phang Show, as a non-white host cited by Maddow, was even beaten out by the TV startup NewsNation Live Weekend. Maddows sense of outrage at the heartlessness of MSNBCs management also failed to mention many of the dozens of other laid-off personnel who would be offered positions in different areas of programming. Ms. Phang will remain with the network, but in a less high-profile capacity. Running fast-and-loose with the truth is a much-heralded trait of Maddow, and her now departed former network colleague, Joy Reid. Reid, who was never at a loss for vile condemnations, was subject to an avalanche of critical comments on social media by viewers from both sides of the political aisle. Many found her racist rants against whitey for alleged acts of white supremacy, more than tiresome, and her delusional tirades against Trump, rolled into a Hitler/Stalin/Mussolini comparison, and alleging the comparisons between Nazi Germany and America today cannot be disputed. Does she truly believe what shes saying? Or does she think shes conveying a message worth conveying? Her ratings would suggest otherwise. None of this came between Maddow and her devotion to ReidOut. I love everything about her, Maddow gushed on air. I have learned so much from her. I have so much more to learn from her. This is aptly professed from the Queen of Russia-Hoax who kept her audience in her thrall with breathless accounts of the president colluding with the Russians. Her gullible audience hung onto every absurd rumor from reliable sources and blatantly false tips from corrupted intelligence personnel for two years. Apparently the secret Putin tapes incriminating the president never materialized, along with Adam Schiffs (D-CA) pontifications about circumstantial evidence night after night. (He promised to be on the verge of arresting the presidents son.) That approach once brought in viewers. Maddows rating bonanza faded away with the collusion fantasy, but not her arrogance as an opinion maker. She assumed her paid position as the arbitrator of public opinion all while the network issued pink slips. I think its a big mistake, she asserted in her moralizing tone. Some asserted she should shut up or put up. So resign if youre so outraged, wrote a Bluesky contributor. Another podcast watcher, getting more personal, wrote: Rachel Maddow will have to resign from MSNBC (and leave $ on the table. She wont be able to maintain credibility on that platform, appeared another remark in the stream of comments. Maddow, oddly enough, never mentioned the pay difference between her blockbuster salary and Reids paltry $3 million annual compensation. It was treated as a non-story. The famous broadcaster appeared to forget an important part of what might have led to the recent round of layoffs. She was, undoubtedly, an integral part of the networks recent financial setback. Her employer recently settled a $30 million lawsuit filed by a physician whose reputation had been defamed by Maddow and several of her colleagues. Mahendra Amin, M.D., was referred to as a uterus collector for allegedly performing unnecessary hysterectomies at a Georgia immigration detention center. It turns out Dr. Amin performed two hysterectomies. But the story checked off the most important boxes for Maddow and colleagues, exposing the physician for allegedly committing acts of medical cruelty against poor immigrant women. This was especially important as (then) candidate Trump in 2024 promised to address the flood of illegal aliens in the country. Maddow, and her colleagues, were perfectly satisfied with regurgitating the content of an alleged whistleblowers letter, which proved to be patently false. Sloppiness isnt the word for what happened with the scurrilous broadcasts being repeated over and over (jumping on board were newscasters Chris Hayes and Nicole Wallace). Dr. Amin watched as broadcasters destroyed his reputation and made the most outlandish allegations whipping them up from thin air (or false testimonial). Just as Maddow asked viewers to count the number of non-whites laid off, she would be wise to count the number of digits in the settlement: The amount, most assuredly, has placed the flailing network in a weaker financial position. Fake news is now coming with a heavier price tag. Broadcasters were not held accountable in the Russia-collusion news cycle, but they are now witnessing a different era of accountability. Some broadcasters leave in disgrace, and others simply remain clueless about the circumstances that led up to the decline of their networks. Joy Reid undoubtedly numbers among the clueless. In her bitter signoff, she delivered her trademark rant displaying jumbled emotions and nonsensical views. Fascism is already here, she warned viewers. The first rule is to fight back. Apparently, she failed to notice the fascism hysteria has run its course, much like her position at MSNBC. Image: AT via Magic Studio I own a small amount of crypto assets in my portfolio, so I am not against this asset class per se. I do object to the federal government starting their own reserve fund. Crypto is a relatively new asset and we are still in the beginning stages of exploring how it works as an asset for investing. We have already determined that it does not work as a currency in the U.S. The primary reason is that you must declare capital gains or losses with each transaction. The government should not pick winners and losers. Right now, the Trump administration wants to invest in five crypto assets. Over time tremendous pressure and lobbying will take place to add to or replace those five tokens. The government should not be acting as a portfolio manager. Unlike the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, there is no intrinsic value in crypto assets. We would be investing in it primarily in the hopes of increasing prices. But why crypto and not a basket of top 100 stocks? Lets say that the best-case scenario happens, and this basket of assets is up several fold over a few years. Then what? Do we sell the assets and take a profit? Do the taxpayers get a dividend? The U.S. does not publish an annual balance sheet, so the fact that the government made a paper profit is nice but irrelevant. Is it a rainy-day fund? Im very skeptical of this approach given that Presidents of both parties now frequently declare emergencies whenever it suits their agenda. It would be too tempting to sell whenever the political winds are convenient rather than when it best suits the countrys long-term interest. There is also the question as regards Bitcoins largest holder of the token. It is widely agreed that if the anonymous founder Satoshi Nakamoto would ever start to sell his holdings that Bitcoin prices would come under tremendous pressure. The fact that Nakamoto may or may not be a friend of the U.S. is too risky. The U.S. needs to look at ways to increase revenues, not to spend more money on a speculative asset. We should explore monetizing the 650 million acres that the U.S. government owns. Perhaps the U.S. could offer land trusts on federal land that the average taxpayer could take advantage of. If we are determined to get into the digital currency business, the U.S. could offer its own token backed by its gold holdings. The U.S. owns approximately 8100 tons of gold. Selling tokens based on a part of that could raise tens of billions of dollars for the treasury. Lets have laws and rules that are clear for crypto investors and leave speculation and investing to individuals, not the government. Image: QuoteInspector.com According to the Daily Mail, left-wing managers of a Paris theatre called the Gaite Lyrique, one of the French capitals most historic arts venues, have caused themselves a nearly intractable problem. Last December, the management gave 200 mostly young male African migrants free tickets to a conference titled Refugees Welcome in France. The problem? When the conference was finished, the previously homeless migrants refused to leave the theater. In fact, they are still there. Makeshift beds have been placed around the stage and auditorium. The theater is now occupied by 446 migrants, all of whom are living inside illegally. The theater had to cancel numerous performances, costing it many thousands of Euros in revenue. The progressive theater managers are set to abandon the building and face bankruptcy because of sex-related violence. They say that the crisis is now so explosive that immediate retreat is their only option. Most of the migrants claim they are minors under the age of 18 who deserve permanent housing. But most are known to the local authorities who say they are adults. The Daily Mail reported that The Collectif des Jeunes du Parc de Belleville, the group which organized the occupation, slammed the age test as 'racist and expeditive. Age tests are racist? So, literally everything is racist. Misogyny must then be racist, too. Is racism ageist and misogynistic? Do words even matter anymore? The whole sordid episode is a tragicomedy and a perfect metaphor for what is happening to Western Europe on a macro scale. Or, as Mark Steyn wrote in a column today, the entire history of the contemporary western world in a single news story. As France and other Western nations comprising the erstwhile European theatre are ever more subsumed by Muslim migrants, the arts will gradually go the way of the dinosaur and Christianity. And sex-related assault and violence will take their place. When you invite people into your country to live for free, with no mandate to assimilate, you might find that they arent as welcoming of you as you are of them. And, as the left-wing managers of a Paris theatre discovered, they might stay permanently forcing you to leave. Someone once said, there is a great deal of ruin in a nation. But there doesnt have to be. Image: Screen shot from Velocity video, via YouTube It has always been my contention that many government agencies, like universities, are hotbeds of political activism. This has been quite apparent for years within the corridors of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Many scientists at NOAA have been using their status to promote their political positions. It is time to drop the facade of respect and push backwhich is exactly what DOGE is doing. Heres this, from the Associated Press: Hundreds of weather forecasters and other federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees on probationary status were fired Thursday, lawmakers and weather experts said. The recent effort by the Trump administration, I believe, is aimed at rooting out these climate activists. However, one cannot be entirely certain. The attack is not coming in the form of a frontal assault on the political activism that has been masquerading as science within NOAA. Instead, it is coming from DOGE as a mandate to improve efficiency. There is a certain beauty in using that strategy. The scientists have constructed elaborate defenses to justify their positions on pseudo-intellectual grounds, but I dont think they have given a thought to defending their jobs based on any efficiency metric. Most of them would probably not know what that means, seeing as they have been sheltered from intruding eyes throughout their careers. However, they are not waiting to find out what that means. They are trying to convince the American people that firing hundreds of NOAA workers would have a severe impact on day-to-day life for Americans. They assert that We depend on NOAA workers every day to warn us of weather events, protect our commercial fisheries, support first-responders when disasters happen, and much more. We have already seen the damage Trump and Musk have done to other critical agencies. We have seen how families and communities have paid a heavy price for so-called efficiency. NOAA must be defended! I am not sure the appeal will resonate with the American people. Most Americans are over-informed about weather events, and might only want more predictive granularity if they are planning an ad hoc ski trip to synchronize with a snowfall, a use case that I can attest has some value. In addition, Americans have not seen how families and communities have paid a heavy price for so-called efficiency. It might be indelicate for me to mention but creative destruction is inherent to free market capitalism and should not be thwarted, lest it impede the reallocation of capital from less to more productive resources. I believe that we might find, as we inspect under the hood of NOAA, waste on a scale that could rival USAID. Although one would not find NOAA sponsoring as many transgender festivals, one would certainly find it sponsoring an abundance of dubious save-the-planet initiatives. Climate justice for sea lions, anyone? Let Elon and the DOGE machine carry on and let aspiring climate activists within NOAA sweat a bit longer. Image: Free image, Pixabay license. Nuclear weapons hold about the same position in modern military armament as bayonets. Both can kill you but, as working tools, neither has much present-day use in the tactical application of military power. That has not always been the case since nuclear weapons settled the argument with Imperial Japan. The military problem in the Korean War was that Truman limited it politically and geographically (much to MacArthurs regret). After initial maneuver warfare up and down the peninsula, the war devolved into massed Chinese troops launching infantry attacks on the key hills around the 38th parallel that American, South Korean, and other UN troops defended. Using their superior conventional firepower, the Americans would take a hilltop only to see the Chinese overwhelm it again. President Eisenhower (former general that he was) showed how to blunt those mass attacks. He used a huge new field artillery piece to fire a 20 kiloton (kT) artillery shell into the Nevada desert. Before you can have a massed infantry attack, you must first mass your infantry, making them easy, out-in-the-open targets for a 20 kT artillery shell. He filmed the test and gave a copy to the Swedes to share with the Communists. The North Koreans promptly came to the negotiating table. Nuclear test. Public domain. In the Cold War in Europe, a Russian attack would require massed tank columns funneling through the Fulda Gap along the border of East and West Germany. Using conventional nuclear weapons would work (see the Davy Crocket) but the collateral damage to Europe was unacceptable to our NATO allies. The US answer was enhanced radiation weapons (aka the neutron bomb.) Our weapon developers dialed back the blast and fallout effects while still maintaining the neutron radiation flux. Neutrons are impossible to shield against in iron tanks and, with enough dose, would literally dissolve the brains of the Russian tank crews, leaving crewless tanks to create impossible traffic jams. The US fielded a multitude of tactical nuclear weapons during the Cold War. Where are they now? No more nuclear depth charges, no more BOMARCs, no more Davy Crockets, no more atomic demolition munitions. We gladly gave them up in our various disarmament treaties with the USSR. Obsolete all, even if still deadly. We kept our bayonets even if we once stopped training for their use. Nuclear weapon states can still destroy an opponents cities if they have the delivery means, but the threat of retaliation deters use. Even the once unstoppable ICBM is now blunted with limited but effective US anti-ballistic missile defense hardware like THAAD, Patriot, and Safeguard on land and AEGIS SM-3 missiles at sea. Meanwhile, Israel has its proven Iron Dome. Russia has famously threatened the use of its nuclear weapons in the current Ukrainian war. While in one case explicitly mentioning London as a target, the UK keeps at least one boomer submarine on station at all times, armed with its own nuclear warheads and missiles, ready to return fire. Burn London, lose Moscow is the calculus, the very essence of the mutually assured destruction (MAD) that has made such trades unlikely. Russia could nuke Kiev or any Ukrainian city it pleases, although it might take more than one warhead due to delivery attrition and low reliability. But, to paraphrase a line from our Vietnam War experience, why destroy the country to conquer it? On the battlefield in Ukraine, where would the use of nuclear weapons aid in the Russian conquest? From afar, the war looks like WWI trench warfare with dronesanother Verdun, as VD Hanson has pointed out. Using nukes against entrenched troops when drones do about the same job more economically is stupid. Plus, drones leave the battlefield site accessible to advancing troops, an iffy proposition with nukes. Anti-tank weapons like the Javelin fired by up-close infantry have made tanks of limited utility, ending the need for neutron bombs. Air power would be the past answer to trench and tank battles, but the anti-aircraft defenses have kept both Russian and Ukrainian warplanes back from the fighting. Parked aircraft are rather vulnerable to the blast effects of nuclear weapons but the response would be and has been dispersal. While nuclear weapons are not going away, they wont be used, at least this time. Just the political costs of breaking the tradition of no first use since Nagasaki would work against Russia, even if they had something to gain. While the US has led the planets nuclear non-proliferation efforts, Russia has all along largely supported that effort. What would they gain if Poland, Turkey, South Korea, Finland, Kazakhstan, Japan, Taiwan, or Germany decided they needed nuclear weapons? What did they gain when China under Mao got theirs? Sorry Mr. Putin, but I call your bluff. Threat or menace? Maybe both but little more. The author was rightfully scared of Russian nukes growing up in the Cold War. But now hes learned to stop worrying and love the bomb. Sunday night was the 97th presentation of the Academy Awards. The big winner of the evening was Anora, which captured five Oscars, including Best Picture. The event was lacking, however, for there was no Kabuki Theater award. That statue for Best Kabuki Performance would surely have gone to Volodymyr Zelensky for his portrayal of a national leader with his nations best interests, supposedly, at heart. But if Zelensky was the puppet, who was pulling the strings? I believe that it was the Democrat party. Since his inauguration on January 20, Donald Trump has done nothing but win, win, win. His achievements have been so rapid and spectacular that the poor Democrats collective heads are spinning. The loyal (not really) opposition had to do something to slow his progress, at least in their own lying eyes. According to the Federalists Mollie Hemingway, the Democrats, led by Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), former Obama foreign policy adviser Susan Rice, former Biden secretary of State Antony Blinken, and disgraced former lieutenant colonel Alexander Vindman, convinced Zelensky not to accept Trumps generous deal. Rice, a much better denier than she was adviser, denied that any such discussion ever took place. Im more inclined to believe Hemingway. As far as I know, Mollie has never gone on three Sunday morning news talk shows and brazenly lied to the American public by claiming that a YouTube video was responsible for the Benghazi embassy riot that claimed the life of American ambassador Chris Stevens. I have heard no denials from the other three Dems. I guess they were leaving the denials to the pro in their midst. The oval kerfuffle resulted in obvious reactions from the Democrats, and even a few RINOs, such as former Republican rep. Adam Kinzinger, who said, Trump is too much of a coward to say a bad thing to Putin, yet he dares lecture Zelensky? Russia is on the verge of collapse, and Trump/Vance are desperate to save them. But former Zelensky ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) declared he was proud of Trump and Vance and condemned Zelensky for insulting our leaders in the hallowed presidential office. The Democrats may have believed for a while that they had slowed, if not derailed, the Trump train. But Victor Davis Hanson tore them apart with his opinion on the matter. Hanson declared that the Ukrainian dictator boxed himself and his country into a no-win situation with his petulant display. If Zelensky still wants the deal, he will have to dine on crow and humble pie rather than the sumptuous lunch he might have had on Friday, and he will have to make a public apology to the American people. He not only wants the deal, but desperately needs it. The Europeans are not going to save his thin skin. He definitely will not get the American boots on the ground that he has been maneuvering for. He will have to return to the bargaining table a chastened man. The late Jim Croce said it best. You dont tug on Supermans cape, you dont spit into the wind, you dont pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger, and you dont mess around with Trump. (A slight alteration in the last line of the song tells it like it is.) I havent seen Anora. Maybe when it gets to Netflix Ill waste a couple of hours and watch. Im certain, though, that it will not be as entertaining as the show put on this past Friday by President Trump and Vice President Vance, aided ineptly by Volodymyr Zelensky. Bill Hansmann is a dentist and dental educator with over fifty years in the profession. He continues to teach and write political blogs and semi-mediocre novels while living with his wife and cats in Georgia. Image: Volodymyr Zelensky. Credit: Raw Pixel. Samsung is currently having its Spring Sale, and that means the company has a deal for just about everyone, including those looking to upgrade to a Galaxy S25. Right now, you can save on the Galaxy S25 through Samsung in two ways. First, and this is the best offer, you can save up to $500 on a brand-new Galaxy S25 when you trade in your old phone. Now, the base model Galaxy S25 with 128GB of storage retails for $799.99, so if you get the maximum trade-in value, youll end up getting the Galaxy S25 for just $299.99. That really isnt bad at all. How much you get back will, of course, depend on which phone you trade. Alternatively, you can forgo the phone trade-in and simply save $125 without it. So essentially, you just get the Galaxy S25 for $125 off. The Galaxy S25 is Samsungs most recent flagship device, sporting all the latest features, including new Galaxy AI software and updated specs. It has a three-camera system on the back with a 50MP main camera, plus a 10MP telephoto camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. It also has a 12MP camera on the front for selfies. Its powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset as well so its powerful enough to handle the latest games. Additionally, it has a 6.2-inch FHD+ display with a decent peak brightness and great battery life. During our testing, it lasted for 10 hours or so of screen-on time over about 28-30 hours. Plus, it supports Samsungs Super Fast Charging so you can juice it back up in a flash. The phone comes in several colors as well, and Samsung even offers a few exclusive ones that you cant get anywhere else. Such as Pink Gold and Blueblack. Buy at Samsung Google is pushing out a new set of features for Android today, including additional ways to protect yourself through new scam detection features. With the power of AI, Google is adding two new ways to get the jump on scams and stay ahead of potential fraud. Scams have become more rampant in the past few years, with scammers finding new and inventive ways to try and steal your sensitive information. To help protect you from these kinds of scams, Google is adding new scam detection features for both calls and messages. Scam detection in messages was also announced as part of four new features coming to Android devices. Scam detection for calls is also being rolled out so you can be more vigilant in avoiding any potential pitfalls. Last year, scammers ended up stealing more than $1 trillion globally from unsuspecting victims on mobile. A big part of how they were able to achieve this was with new generative AI tools. So, Google is fighting fire with fire by introducing scam protections that use AI to alert you of potential scams. Android now incorporates scam detection into messages Scam texts are nothing new, but they have become increasingly sophisticated. With the advent of AI, scammers, just like everyone else, have a bunch of new tools at their fingertips. If youre using Google Messages, youll have one more way to protect yourself. Rolling out this week, Android users who use Google Messages will get alerts when the app detects that a message may be a scam. Alerts pop up in the message thread along with the rest of the conversation. On top of that, the alert gives you two ways to respond. If youre certain its not a scam, you can tap a button to tell Google Messages this. Theres also a button to report & block right next to that. Text scams these days can start off appearing as a harmless conversation. However, they can grow into something more dangerous, with scammers finding ways to convince people to share sensitive information. Google says it worked with financial institutions around the world to better understand these new scams. Specifically, the most common scams that people are currently facing. The on-device AI can also detect these scams in real time across SMS, MMS, and RCS messages. So youre covered no matter the type of message that it is. Its also worth noting that this setting is on by default. However, you can always turn it off, though you probably shouldnt. The scam detection also only applies to people who arent in your contacts list. This feature will launch first in English in the US, UK, and Canada on Pixel devices from the Pixel 6 onward. More countries will gain the feature at a later date. Google is expanding its most advanced Scam Detection for calls to more users Scam Detection for calls was technically rolled out late last year, but it was only available through a limited beta. Starting today, Google will begin expanding it to more users. When it was rolled out last year, Google used different AI models to analyze calls for potential scams. On Pixel 9 devices, it used Gemini Nano. On Pixel 6+ devices, Google says it used smaller, robust on-device machine-learning models. Gemini Nano outperformed the other models in all scenarios. So now, Google is expanding the availability of the beta to all English-speaking Pixel 9+ users in the US. There are some things to keep in mind with scam detection in calls compared to messages. Unlike the Messages app, scam detection in the Phone by Google app is disabled by default. Google says this is to give users more control over the feature because call audio is more ephemeral compared to messages, which are stored on the device. Like the scam detection in messages, however, it only applies to non-contacts. So you wont get alerts for calls happening with people in your contacts list. Infinix came to Mobile World Congress with a slew of interesting concepts to show off. Including its new Solar Energy Reserving Technology, which I got a chance to demo and experience myself, here in Barcelona. Essentially, Infinix has included an efficient solar panel on the back of this phone. Which allows it to charge under light and sun. This means you dont necessarily need sunlight to charge the phone. Now, it is solar, which means its not a fast charging product, at about 2W. Its more meant to help with standby time versus charging your phone from 0 to 100%. It does use perovskite solar cells, which allows it to be thinner and cheaper compared to traditional solar panels. It also uses a system that helps regulate voltage to help keep the phone cool, even while its charging under sunlight; this is called Maximum Power Point Tracking. I was able to see this in action, and it works pretty well. There is an LED on the back that lights up when the phone is charging with solar, while most ambient light wont be enough to charge the phone, if you get enough sunlight from a window, that should do the trick. This is less concept, and more practical I couldnt help but draw comparisons between this and the Lenovo Solar PC Concept that I also saw this week. Infinix is basically doing the same thing, but on a much smaller scale, obviously. Like Lenovos concept, this concept from Infinix is definitely pretty practical. In fact, Infinixs representatives told me that the phone charged in their bag at MWC, thanks to the heat from other phones in the bag, which is pretty impressive. And youd also be able to charge your phone while walking down the street, if theres enough sun. This solar-powered phone concept could be a game-changer for urban commuters in cities like New York and San Francisco. Imagine charging your device during your morning walk or while sitting near a window, ensuring you arrive at work with a fully charged laptop. Its an exciting glimpse into how portable technology might evolve in the coming years. Thats not all, though. Infinix also put this tech into a case for their upcoming Note 50 Pro smartphone, which allows it to charge the phone. However, it is a bit slower since it is a case instead of being built into the phone by itself. Theoretically, Infinix could make cases for their other phones to make this work with them, which would be super cool. Though, Im sure the case would cost quite a bit more. The case itself is not very thick, which is fairly impressive. Samsung launched its first smart ring last year with good reviews overall. The Galaxy Ring helped spark interest in a segment that is pretty niche. After all, most people tend to turn to smartwatches over smart rings. Now, a patent shows some of the potential improvements that future generations of the Samsung Galaxy Ring could bring, including a function to measure temperature. The Galaxy Ring boasts a host of useful features for monitoring your health. It also has some shortcomings compared to smartwatches, but this is normal considering that all the technology must be packed into a much smallerand more comfortableproduct. Samsungs patent, recently published by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), shows how the company could improve the original model. Samsungs patent shows a Galaxy Ring that can measure temperature Samsungs current smart ring integrates a temperature sensor. However, you cannot trigger it at will to get measurements of your body temperature. The ring uses the sensor for the menstrual cycle prediction function in women. Basically, it uses the temperature changes in womens bodies while they sleep as a key parameter. That said, Samsungs patent describes a ring in which you can start temperature measurements. The ring could use gestures or movements to trigger some functions. For example, extending your hand or moving your finger in a certain way could trigger the temperature sensor. This control system is necessary since there are no buttons or touch surfaces. The sensor is located on the inner side of the ring. You can check your body temperature in the Samsung Health app. Samsung also considered a system to distinguish your body temperature from others. This is necessary to prevent contact with other people or surfaces from altering your own measurements. The sketches show that you could even measure the temperature of others by placing the ring over their foreheads. Galaxy Rings could get ways to send alerts to users The patent notes that the ring can alert the user either visually, auditorily, or tactically. The current Galaxy Ring does not feature a haptic motor or any way to send alerts to the user. Its possible that future models will be able to vibrate slightly, for example. This would be quite useful to warn of abnormal measurements that require attention. Its worth noting that patents are not always implemented as is in commercial products. However, all of the technologies described seem quite feasible. An earlier patent showed a Galaxy Ring that self-adjusts to the size of your finger. Its possible that this system will take much longer to arriveif it is implemented at all. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE series devices have been leaking for a while now, and now their images have appeared, showing different colors of the two devices. Just to be clear, the devices in question are the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE series tablets appeared in several different colors The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ appeared in CAD-based renders a couple of days ago. Well, todays leak actually shows official renders, or so it seems. The images come from ytechb, and you can check them out in the galleries below. Galaxy Tab S10 FE: Galaxy Tab S10 FE+: Youll see that both tablets will be available in identical color options, at least based on these images. Theyre coming in Blue, Gray, and Silver color variants. That blue color is very light, though. A single camera will be placed on the back of both devices, while there will be some differences between devices. The Plus model will include a larger display, of course. The Plus model will have a much larger display The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE is rumored to offer a 10.9-inch panel, while the Plus model will feature a 13.1-inch display. So it will be huge, even bigger than its predecessor, which offered a 12.4-inch panel. Both of these tablets are said to arrive in 8GB and 12GB RAM options, paired with 128GB and 256GB of internal storage. That is an improvement compared to the Galaxy Tab S9 FE. The same SoC is tipped to fuel both devices. Samsungs Exynos 1580 is the processor in question. That same chip fuels the Samsung Galaxy A56, which was announced recently. Android 15 is expected to come pre-installed, along with Samsungs One UI 7 skin. The Galaxy Tab S9 FE family arrived in October 2023, so it has been about a year and a half since that point. That leads us to believe these two tablets could arrive in the near future. Samsung likely wont wait until October. Many of the major tech brands attended MWC 2025 in Barcelona. We are seeing a lot of new products and impressive advancements that bode well for the future. Samsung is one of the big names that has attended, offering another look at its XR headset. Additionally, Samsung Display showed several developments in display technologies during the OLED Magic Show. Samsungs OLED Magic MWC 2025 conference showcased several developments in display tech Samsung first showed off the Ultra High (5000 nit) Brightness OLED. As the name suggests, this is a display that can reach 5,000 nits of peak brightness at a 10% on-pixel ratio. It has up to 1.5 times the brightness of standard OLED displays, plus reduced power consumption. Next up is the Flex Gaming, a foldable handheld console concept. It is built around a 7.2-inch foldable OLED display. This particular form factor could be very useful for making handheld gaming productslike hybrid consoleseven more portable. Samsung has been showing off its stretchable display tech at events for a few years now, and MWC 2025 has been no exception. Were talking about displays that can grow and shrink without having to fold/unfold them. This time, Samsung has confirmed that it plans to commercialize stretchable display products in the future. Sadly, theres still no ETA for that to happen. Also bezel-less screens and foldable displays that turn into a briefcase Another demonstration was OLED Tile displays with tiny bezels of just 0.6 mm. The result is a visual illusion where the bezel around the screen is non-existent. The demonstration involved ten 6.8-inch panels and two 31.5-inch monitors. The firm used images inspired by the stained glass windows of the Sagrada Familia. The Flexible Briefcase was the most unusual product shown by Samsung. It is a foldable OLED panel that reaches 18.1 inches. However, a unique property is that it can transform into a briefcase with handles. When unfolded, the screen becomes the equivalent size of two standard tablets. Lastly, the South Korean giant also held a demonstration called Seamless OLED. Basically, Samsung was boasting about the image quality of its AMOLED technology. The test involved 31.5-inch AMOLED displays, a 16-inch one (on a laptop) and a 6.7-inch one (on a smartphone). These were placed next to LCD displays (on laptops), showing the clear superiority in terms of image quality of AMOLED displays. The latter also exhibited higher uniformity in color, contrast, and brightness. Samsung Display has taken to Mobile World Congress 2025 with a handful of new display innovations, one of which is a flexible gaming handheld the company is calling the Flex Gaming. Samsung is one of the industrys leading brands in foldable displays, although most of its tech revolves around folding screens on smartphones like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. The Flex Gaming handheld is a new direction for the company, envisioning a future where its not just phones that could incorporate folding screens. The idea is that you get a handheld gaming device that offers a bigger display when playing games. When its time to store the device, it folds up to be more compact. Its a novel idea, given the size of current handheld gaming devices like the ROG Ally X. According to Samsung, the handheld comes with a 7.2-inch screen when unfolded. So its about the same size as the display on most other handheld PCs. This isnt the first time weve seen the design for something like this either. A patent for this device popped up in November of last year. Samsungs Flex Gaming handheld is just a concept While this device is neat, its worth mentioning that it isnt something you can actually buy. Samsung confirms its just a concept to showcase the possibilities of something like this. That means it may not ever come to market. However, theres always a chance that someone could come up with a handheld like this. Samsungs proof of concept shows that its possible. All that needs to happen is for some company to see Samsungs vision and decide the device is worth making. Samsung did also patent it. So perhaps it does have plans to make it a reality. Of course, there are bound to be some potential complications. The Flex Gaming handheld appears to be running on a mobile OS, likely Android. It may not necessarily be possible to build a folding handheld gaming PC due to all the components needed to produce the kind of performance we currently get from whats available. Were merely speculating, though. That being said, this could be one of the complications a company might run into. The challenge of designing and engineering a handheld gaming PC like the Steam Deck that can fold in half. Samsung came up with a rather ingenious design If you think about it, Samsung already came up with an idea to tackle one issue. The joysticks. How might one create a handheld with a folding screen when the joysticks would just get in the way? The Flex Gaming handheld has the solution. It has holes that are adjacent to the joysticks on the opposite side of the handheld. So when you fold it in half, the joysticks neatly fit right into those holes. Its also worth mentioning that the handheld doesnt have any action buttons or a d-pad. With those in place, the device might not sit flush when folding in half. That presents an extra challenge. If Samsung or any other company decided to make a device like this, they would need to come up with a way to incorporate those other standard controls. Again, though, this is just a proof of concept. So its just Samsung Display showcasing that a device like this could exist if companies wanted to make it. Sonys popular WH-1000 headphones have been a staple in the wireless headphone space due to their prized active noise cancellation quality, and the latest version, the WH-1000XM6, may be arriving soon, according to a new leak. The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones have popped up a couple of times before. A rumor that surfaced in June of last year claimed that Sony wouldnt be launching them until sometime in 2025. Then, in January of this year, they received their FCC certification, suggesting that Sony was nearing the final stages of production and getting ready to announce the headphones. Naturally, an announcement would be followed by a launch not long after. The new leak is admittedly minor. However, its another piece of information that points to a possible launch coming up in the near future. Sony WH-1000XM6 leak reveals available colors The leak, which was first spotted by The Walkman Blog (via Techradar and What HIFI?) is based on the FCC filing that was discovered back in January. In The Walkman Blogs original post, which has now been updated, recently discovered importer filings reveal two new pieces of information. First, it seems theres now some information on what colors Sony will offer. Much like the WH-1000XM5 headphones, the WH-1000XM6 model will come in three of the same colors. These include Black, Silver, and Midnight Blue. Sony offers the former model in a Smoky Pink color as well, but this isnt listed in the importer filings. The leak also details two of the regions where Sony plans to launch the new headphones Vietnam and India. The headphones will no doubt launch globally Although only two countries are listed in the importer filings, Sony will no doubt launch these headphones globally. An easier way to think about it is to look at the current availability of the WH-1000XM5. Sony made these available in several regions across the world. Including the US and Europe. With that being said, expect the new model of Sonys most popular headphones to be available pretty much anywhere. Of course, theres no guarantee Sony will follow its past launch strategy. T-Mobiles technology president, Ulf Ewaldsson, has announced that the company is all set to roll out its 5G advanced service nationwide soon. Ewaldsson used his slice of a panel at the ongoing Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona to make the announcement. Furthermore, the T-Mobile executive said the telco is moving to infuse artificial intelligence into its network management platform. T-Mobile is expanding 5G Advanced network capabilities nationwide T-Mobile is about to make 5G Advanced nationwide, Ewaldsson said, promising an upside of improved coverage and capacity from the same physical network. The company is about to make a move for the significant expansion of its 5G Advanced capabilities. The enhanced service will improve network performance for T-Mobile customers across the United States. T-Mobiles new move represents a major step forward in offering faster download/upload speeds, enhanced responsiveness, and a more robust 5G experience. For those unaware, 5G Advanced utilizes cutting-edge next-gen technology to deliver faster data speeds, lower latency, and a bigger network capacity. Some of the advanced features of the service are possible thanks to the companys standalone (SA) 5G network. T-Mobile will expand the Carrier Aggregation technology Another important technology that T-Mobile includes in its 5G Advanced experience is Carrier Aggregation. The telecom giant started deploying this tech on its standalone 5G in 2021. It will now aggregate four channels for downloads and two for upload purposes. The company will soon upgrade the download channels to five. To simplify this technology, you can imagine a two-lane road that becomes a six-lane super highway. This will allow the highway to provide more room for traffic, allowing vehicles to move at faster speeds. T-Mobile will combine multiple frequency bands to increase the bandwidth, resulting in increased data speeds, thanks to the Carrier Aggregation technology. Furthermore, the company will inject artificial intelligence into its network management system. The network is performing better than it ever has, said Edwaldsson. We have halved the downtime per subscriber by using AI technology, he added. The company will use AI to automate network management and also open up new business possibilities by offering enhanced connectivity for businesses and services. Forget Samsung and Apple, the mid-range market is where youll find the most fun devices. One of the stars of this market is Tecno. The Chinese brand has been releasing some great phones like the stellar Camon 30 Premier. Now, Tecno has announced the new Camon 40 series at MWC, and were in for quite a treat. In case you dont know, were knee-deep in MWC, and weve already seen some pretty interesting tech. Theres a phone for your pets and an affordable gaming handset among other interesting devices. If you want to know more about what companies are showing off, check out our MWC coverage. You never know if youll see your new favorite device set to launch. Tecno takes the wraps off of its beautiful Camon 40 series at MWC Despite targeting a sub-premium market, Tecno knows how to produce a good-looking phone. The company launches multiple variants of its Camon phones with a Pro model and a Premier model. For the past couple of years, both variants shared the same design, but the company flipped the script this time. As for the Camon 40 series, there are four devices. In the image, we see two designs. One design carries over the circular design we saw with last years Camon 30 series. This will remind you of the OnePlus 13. However, theres a bit of a difference. It has a two-tone design with the secondary color gradually widening near the edge. The Camon 30 phones had a similar shape. We see this same widening shape with the other Camon 40 model, however, theres a drastic difference. Just like how the first model was inspired by the OnePlus 13, this one drew inspiration from Samsungs phones. There are three camera lenses that jut directly from the back. Be that as it may, Tecno brought its own flair to the design. Theres a two-toned look to this one as well. However, the widening shape is the camera island, so it sticks out a bit. Specs More information on these devices will come out. However, since the Camon 40 Premier is the leader of the pack, Tecno shared information about this device. The Tecno Camon 40 Premier uses the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Ultimate. This is a pretty powerful mid-range processor. In fact, you shouldnt see a huge difference between this chip and a flagship one. Backing this up, we have up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Hopefully, theres a 512GB model as well. Moving on, the Tecno Camon 40 Premier has a 50MP Sony LYT-701 sensor. While mid-range phones dont typically get praise for their camera performance, DXOMARK marked this camera as the best under $600. Accompanying that, theres a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 50MP periscope telephoto camera. Thats a pretty beefy camera setup. Keeping the lights on, theres a large 5,100mAh battery. Thats pretty standard for most phones on the market nowadays. Along with that, theres 70W fast charging. This is a durable phone, as it comes with IP69 water and dust resistance. Along with that, youll expect AI tools like call translation, AI image extender, an image object eraser, Circle To Search, and more. Right now, we dont know how much this phone will cost or where it will be available. However, well be on the lookout for that information. Xiaomi has been one of the top hardware companies in the world. However, it, like many other hardware companies, has pivoted toward AI. During MWC, where the company unveiled the Xiaomi 15 series, Xiaomi introduced us all to Hyper AI. This is the companys suite of AI tools. Its Xiaomis equivalent of Galaxy AI or Apple Intelligence. As such, youll only be able to use it on Xiaomis devices. Hyper AI will make its way to several Xiaomi devices, as the company announced. Xiaomi unveils Hyper AI at MWC Were just past the first day of MWC, and were already seeing some interesting technology. Since AI is the biggest innovation since humanity discovered fire, you can expect there to be a ton of companies showing off AI in some capacity. Among the companies, we have Xiaomi. The Chinese company showed off its answer to the top AI platforms on the market. Hyper AI comes with the typical slew of AI tools that youd see on other platforms. Of course, you have your standard text generation services. So, youll be able to summarize text and do spell checks. Along with that, there are translation and dictation services that generate text from your speech. There are also photo editing AI tools that weve seen on other platforms. This includes Xiaomis version of Magic Eraser and a reflection remover. On a more exciting note, theres an image extender that lets you take a photo and zoom out by generating content around the original image. Taking a note from Samsungs book, theres an AI tool that will generate an image from a simple sketch. So, there will be no shortage of photo generation tools. Heres something that we dont see too often with AI suites. Hyper AI will come with a video generator tool. Since AI video is really kicking off, we can definitely see a ton of people using this tool. Lastly, the company announced a partnership with Google. They will integrate Gemini into Xiaomi Notes, Calendar, and Clock. Hyper AI will come to the Xiaomi 14, Xiaomi 14T, Xiaomi 14T Pro, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Xiaomi MIX Flip, Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro, and Redmi Note 14 Pro in April. Its also extending HyperOS 2.0 to more phones over the next couple of months including the Xiaomi Pad 6, Xiaomi Pad Pro 5G, Redmi Pad Prp, Redmi Pad SE 8.7 4G, Redmi Pad SE 8.7, and Redmi Pad SE. These devices will receive the update in May. Lastly, the Redmi Note 14 series comprising of the 4G and 5G versions of the vanilla and pro models and the Pro+ 5G will get it between March and June. Bridging cultures: Brazilian scholar promotes Chinese martial arts, philosophy People's Daily Online) 09:31, March 04, 2025 Rogerio Fernandes de Macedo showcases Taiji moves. (courtesy of the interviewee) "Martial arts opened a window for me to understand China," said Rogerio Fernandes de Macedo, director of the Sun Bin Martial Arts Association of Brazil in a recent interview with People's Daily. As a teenager, he was fascinated by the graceful movements and chivalrous spirit of Chinese martial arts, which inspired him to adopt the Chinese name Huo Xinwu. What started as a childhood interest in Chinese martial arts eventually led Macedo to immerse himself in Chinese culture and pursue comparative sinology as the focus of his doctoral studies. In 2018, he studied at Beijing Jiaotong University as an exchange student, where he improved his Chinese language skills and gained a deeper appreciation of Chinese traditions. Upon returning to Brazil, he remained committed to promoting Chinese culture, teaching both the Chinese language and martial arts in his home country. "Martial arts is more than just a sportit is a vessel of China's rich traditional culture. Learning martial arts offers a direct way to engage with Chinese heritage," Macedo explained. He believes that as China modernizes, it continues to preserve the essence of its traditional culture. In his teaching, he often integrates discussions on Chinese philosophy and classical texts, helping his students better understand China's history and culture. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Brazil diplomatic relations, and Macedo contributed to a relevant commemorative volume, celebrating the deep-rooted friendship between the two nations. He sees cultural exchange as a crucial force in strengthening bilateral ties, noting that China's development has sparked growing interest in its culture among Brazilians. "Cultural exchanges bring our people closer together. Mutual understanding and trust will form the foundation for future cooperation between our countries. I hope more Brazilians will discover China through cultural exchange," he said. Macedo recently attended the 2nd World Conference of Sinologists in southeast China's Fujian Province, and his in-depth discussions with scholars from around the world at the event excited him very much. As China's modernization progresses, Macedo believes it presents valuable opportunities for Brazil and other Global South nations, attracting increasing attention from scholars worldwide. Looking ahead, he hopes to further cultural exchange between China and Brazil by translating more Chinese classics and literary works, making them accessible to a broader audience. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) A ban on zero-hour contracts will apply to agency workers, and umbrella companies will be regulated, under Government plans to strengthen workers rights. The Government is tabling amendments to its Employment Rights Bill after consultations with business groups and trade unions. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds also set out moves to align trade unions with modern work practices and extend statutory sick pay. Agency workers will be included in a crackdown on zero-hour contracts so that such work does not become a loophole in the plans, Mr Reynolds said. The Government believes that every worker should be able to access a contract which reflects the hours they regularly work. We believe this should extend to agency workers, not only to offer them greater certainty of hours and security of income, but to also ensure that agency work does not become a loophole in the plans to end exploitative zero-hours contracts, the Business Secretary said. Collective redundancy rules will also change to increase the maximum period of protective award from 90 to 180 days. This will mean employment tribunals can grant larger awards to employees when an employer fails to meet requirements during redundancy consultations. And umbrella companies, which Mr Reynolds said leave many workers unaware of who is responsible for their rights or whether they are entitled to any, will be regulated over employment rights. The Government also plans to update the framework for trade unions to align it with modern work practices, Reynolds said. This aims to remove unnecessary restrictions on trade union activity and create a system that balances the interests of workers, businesses and the wider public. The amendments aim to streamline the process for unions to gain recognition from employers, extend the expiry of mandate for industrial action from six to 12 months and ensure that trade unions provide a 10-day notice period for industrial action. Statutory sick pay will also be strengthened to make it a legal right for all workers. About 1.3 million people paid less than 123 per week in the UK will get guaranteed sick pay equivalent to 80% of their weekly salary as part of changes expected to come in next year. They will get 80% of pay or the new rate of statutory sick pay, whichever is lowest. Unions were largely positive in their response. Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: This comprehensive package of measures is what working people and decent employers have been waiting for. Prospects general secretary Mike Clancy said it was an important piece of legislation that puts the UK on the path to a fairer and more productive approach to work and employment relations. He added: The focus must now turn to getting the implementation of this legislation right, including resourcing the agencies responsible for enforcement so that these rights exist in reality as well as on paper. The GMB unions general secretary said the Bill was far from perfect but a massive step forward. The Resolution Foundation said low-paid workers stood to gain the most from the changes. Nye Cominetti, principal economist at the think tank, said: The Governments employment rights reform agenda will, if successfully implemented, amount to the biggest shake-up of UK workplaces in a generation. While all workers are covered by new rights and expanded sick pay, in reality, low-paid workers stand to gain most as their job security is far lower than that enjoyed by middle and higher earners. The provisions being proposed today will improve the quality of many peoples lives. But the scale of change theyd bring about in low-paying sectors like retail and hospitality means they should be implemented carefully. Workplace reform shouldnt end with this Bill either. Todays provisions should be reinforced by greater clarity over workers employment status, and better enforcement of workplace rights. Meanwhile, the Conservatives called it a flawed Bill and said the changes made it worse for businesses and employees. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said: Jonathan Reynolds head remains well and truly in the sand as he prepares to unleash waves of low-threshold, short-notice strikes through this unemployment Bill under direction of his trade union paymasters. No government serious about growth would be giving this flawed Bill the light of day, let alone rushing it through Parliament. Despite months of businesses warning of job losses, price hikes and shuttering up shop, the amendments the Government have introduced make the Employment Bill worse not better for businesses and employees. Under new leadership, the Conservatives understand that without supporting business to grow, the economy will not grow which is why we are calling on the Government to end their assault on business. Mahmud Abbas,the Palestinian Authority president, left, with Egypts president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Gaza summit in Cairo - PPO/AFP via Getty Images Arab leaders have reportedly agreed to build about 200,000 new homes in Gaza as part of an alternative to Donald Trumps Middle East Riviera plan. Leaked documents from a summit in Cairo envisage a reconstructed and affluent-looking development, not entirely dissimilar to the US presidents vision, but without first displacing the civilian population. The plans, which are set to be published and formally agreed within days, would involve a temporary committee of technocrats to run Gaza, with no formal role for Hamas. This would be under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority, the administration which currently runs the West Bank from Ramallah. Despite being an alternative to Mr Trumps proposal, some language from leaders in Cairo on Tuesday suggested it was pitched with the US president in mind. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypts president, said he was certain Mr Trump would be able to achieve peace on the question of Gaza. Elements of Mr Trumps entourage have suggested over the past month that his incendiary proposal to clear out the Palestinians and build a Las Vegas-style international hub was intended to provoke fresh thinking from the Middle East. Arab leaders have been considering rebuilding plans for Gaza, which may include 200,000 swish new homes - Royal Hashemite Court/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Meanwhile, Arab diplomatic sources have briefed in recent weeks that they believe the White House could accept an alternative vision, so long as it was workable and had widespread support in the region. Such a scenario would be potentially nightmarish for Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahus government, which has repeatedly ruled out what appear to be important facets of the current Arab plan. One is the involvement of the Palestinian Authority, which has been described by senior ministers as just as bad as Hamas. Late on Tuesday, the Israeli government appeared to reject the Arab plan. Oren Marmorstein, a spokesman for the ministry of foreign affairs, said the statement issued at the summit fails to address the realities of the situation following October 7 2023, remaining rooted in outdated perspectives. He criticised it for failing to condemn Hamas, as well as for continuing to rely on the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA, the UN body that works in Gaza and the West Bank. Both have repeatedly demonstrated corruption, support for terrorism and failure in resolving the issue. He added: Now, with President Trumps idea, there is an opportunity for the Gazans to have free choice based on their free will. This should be encouraged. The Arab plan reportedly involves the holding of elections in the Palestinian territories, where they have not taken place for 20 years. The other sticking point could be the status of the terror group itself. Israel has said that it is not sufficient for Hamas to be absent from a future government and that it will not tolerate the presence of the armed group in Gaza in any form. The rubble in Rafah, in southern Gaza. Arab leaders plan an ambitious rebuilding project - Hatem Khaled/Reuters Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesman, suggested on Tuesday that the group might be content to cede power in Gaza for a plan that had the backing of the civilian population. However, Israel has warned that it will not accept a Lebanon-style situation, where a terror group may not formally hold power but in reality dominates by virtue of its armed strength. Hamas has previously suggested that disarming would be a red line for the organisation. The UN estimates that approximately 90 per cent of homes in Gaza are destroyed or damaged, with most of the infrastructure also ruined. According to leaked documents, the new plan is based on studies conducted by the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme. The UN has said that reconstruction would cost $50 billion (39 billion) and wealthy Arab states would be expected to foot some of this bill. The plans initial stage calls for around 200,000 homes to be built in Gaza over the next two years at an estimated cost of $20 billion. However, it is unlikely that any significant financial package will be forthcoming unless the backers are confident that the area will not return to war. Parts of Gaza such as Jabalia in the north are flattened, so much-needed rebuilding will be welcome - Mahmoud Al-Basos/Reuters A 91-page glossy brochure, reportedly inspired by Emirati designs, has been circulating in Cairo in a push to gain acceptance for the plan. However, while not addressing the Trump proposal explicitly, language within the draft document sets a clear alternate position on the issue of the Palestinian population. Any malicious attempts to displace Palestinians or annex any part of occupied Palestinian territories would lead to new phases of conflict, undermine stability opportunities, expand conflict into other countries in the region, and pose a clear threat to peace foundations in the Middle East, it warns. Liz and David Murphy, pictured left with their children Tom and Charlotte, bought a mini village in France with Liz's parents, embracing their multi-generation home. (SWNS) (SWNS) A couple who sold their 400k Manchester home and bought an entire village in France say they have no regrets, four years on. Liz Murphy, 47, and her husband David, 56, took the plunge back in 2020 and joined forces with Lizs mum Helen Diaper and her stepdad Terry, both 73, to create a multi-generation home in the beautiful French countryside. Together, they were able to buy six 400-year-old houses, two barns and three acres of land and one of the huge benefits of having Lizs parents living just one minute away is that theyve been able to help with looking after the couples two children Tom, now 14 and Charlotte, 10. "Having them so close by for the kids has been really great, says Liz. Its great to have on-site babysitters." "They are so integral to our lives," she continues. "Its lovely to just cross over the driveway to see them. They are so much more involved in the kids lives. We see them every day. Its really nice to see the special bond they have with their grandchildren." Helen Diaper, Liz's mum, and her step-dad Terry, joined the family to start a new life in France. (SWNS) (SWNS) As well as the benefits of free on-site childcare, for Liz and husband David in France, their set-up has allowed them to create their dream lifestyle, by sharing the financial investment with her parents. They have turned their rural hamlet of Lac De Maison, in Poitou-Charentes, south west France into a thriving business, by converting three of the buildings into holiday homes, sleeping 19 people in total. Liz Murphy (with husband David) says she loves her parents being closely involved in their grandchildren's lives. (SWNS) (SWNS) Before their big move to France, the couple used to work in radio, but felt trapped in the "rat race", working busy nine-to-five jobs. After being put on furlough in 2020, the couple followed their dream of leaving behind their lives in Manchester and buying a place in France. They were delighted when Lizs parents agreed to join them. "In France, were mortgage-free, so although were making less money than we did in the UK, its massively outweighed by our quality of life," says Liz. "My mum and stepdad decided to sell their house in Nottingham and come with us. Covid made us reassess, and David and I said if theyd like to come with us, wed really like that. They both said, 'Why not have one last adventure, lets do it?'" Pooling resources with Liz's parents has enabled them to buy six houses, two barns and three acres of land in France. (SWNS) (SWNS) Four years on, they couldnt be happier, working for themselves and feeling "in control of their own destiny." France now feels "like home" and their children have thrived in French schools. "Theyre both fluent in French and I think my daughter especially feels more French than English," says Liz. "We loved the UK," she adds, "but we dont regret moving here and dont have any plans to move back." Liz and David Murphy's children have thrived in French schools. (SWNS) (SWNS) The rise in multi-generation living Three-generation living similar to Lizs set-up but where three generations of the same family live in the same house has become more popular in recent years. The most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show that multi-family households accounted for 1.4% of all households in 2021, an increase from 1.2% back in 2011. This is partly in response to the rising cost of living and increasing childcare costs. "Intergenerational living arrangements are common in many cultures," says psychotherapist Susie Masterson. "During lockdown, this started to become more prevalent in the UK, and has continued for many people due to the rising cost of living." As well as being driven by the convenience of having childcare on tap, it can happen for other reasons too. "With young people finding it harder to move out of the parental home and older (adult) children returning to care for their parents, there is increasing diversity in the way we live," adds Masterson. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's three-gen set-up Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen divided his house in Cirencester into three separate homes: one for him and his wife Jackie, and two more for each of his daughters Cecile and Hermione and their partners Dan and Drew, plus their four grandchildren. Laurence has pointed out in the past how their domestic set-up could be a brilliant solution to the UKs childcare problem, as at the time his wife Jackie was providing full-time childcare to the grandchildren, to allow their own parents to work easily. "The crazy thing is this is exactly how families were 200 years ago," Llewelyn-Bowen said back in 2022. "You used the older generation as a social support network for the younger generation to be able to do their thing." Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, pictured at the Shooting Star Charity Ball, London, back in 2022. Laurence has spoken about the benefits of three-generation living. (Getty Images) (Suzan Moore - PA Images via Getty Images) Challenges to consider While Liz and her husband have had no issues with their close-knit family set-up, psychotherapist Tina Chummun, the founder of Care2Counsel, explains there are some challenges with this kind of arrangement. "While proximity can be a blessing, it may also blur boundaries between the parents and grandparents, leading to enmeshment where individual autonomy of the parents is compromised due to over-involvement of the grandparents," she says. "Parents may feel pressured to conform to their own parents expectations regarding child-rearing, leading to conflict or feelings of guilt." Before taking the plunge and buying a property with or next-door to your parents or in-laws, its crucial of course to think carefully about how strong and respectful your existing relationship is with them. Chummun advises, "Ask yourself: Are boundaries well established? Can both parties communicate openly about expectations and space?" You also need to think about the impact on your own partnership as a couple. "Even as adults, we often fall into childhood patterns of relating with and responding to our parents," says Masterson. "This can result in us being less present in our romantic relationships." "Prolonged external involvement can sometimes shift dynamics," agrees Chummun. "This can leave one partner feeling overwhelmed or unheard. A good rule of thumb is to ensure that support enhances, rather than replaces, a couples autonomy in decision-making." Clear communication and boundary-setting are crucial, she says. "Couples should discuss practical aspects before moving in, such as childcare expectations, privacy needs and how to navigate disagreements," continues Chummun. "Having a structured approach such as designated childcare days rather than an open-ended arrangement can help maintain equilibrium." She also warns dont expect parents to "just understand boundaries". Have direct conversations, rather than relying on passive communication. Additional reporting: SWNS Read more about grandparents and childcare: A gang of burglars targeted Premier League star Alexander Isak as they carried out a series of high-value break-ins, jurors were told. The Newcastle United and Sweden forward was the third victim of the gang who had already stolen jewellery and clothes worth more than 1 million from a Tyneside businesswoman, a court was told. Three members of the same family, living in Italy, have admitted conspiracy to commit burglary, Newcastle Crown Court has heard. But a fourth family member, Valentino Nikolov, 32, denies the charge. Dan Cordey, prosecuting, said the Newcastle United players home in Darras Hall was subjected to a break-in last April. He will outline more of the prosecution case about that on Wednesday. Earlier, Mr Cordey said that the gang arrived in the UK via a ferry from Calais to Dover in a Citroen C3 and a Ford motorhome last March. They headed to London then drove to the North East a few days later, Mr Cordey said. The gang used the Citroen to travel to break-ins and the motorhome was a base where they slept, the prosecution said. The first burglary was at the home of Helen and Michael McCardle in Jesmond, Newcastle, on March 30 last year when the couple were on holiday, Mr Cordey said. The gang stole her CBE medal, the prosecution said, as well as clothes, jewellery, gold coins and handbags worth more than 1 million. Two days later the gang broke into the home of Stephanie Stokoe, in Whitburn, Sunderland, and stole property including jewellery, designer handbags and shoes worth more than 100,000, the prosecution said. Nikolov, of Tew Park Road, Birmingham, is representing himself at the trial and requires an Italian interpreter. Jurors have been told his brother Giacomo Nikolov, 28, his sister Jela Jovanovic, 43, and her son Charlie Jovanovic, 23, who all reside in Italy, have admitted conspiracy to commit burglary. Safet Ramic, who is the 58-year-old father of Valentino Nikolovs former partner, and who is from Winson Street, Birmingham, denies handling stolen goods. The prosecution will continue opening its case on Wednesday. Channel 4 News has admitted the son of a Hamas official featured in parts of its daily coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. The boy in question, Abdullah al-Yazouri, is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamass deputy minister of agriculture, and he also featured in the BBC documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone. Channel 4 said it had thoroughly reviewed how the youngster came to appear in three short news segments for the programme, but denied he had featured in a documentary or any of its coverage which won awards. The broadcaster said his appearances represented only a handful of minutes across hundreds of hours of output. The Channel 4 building in London (Ian West/PA) A statement from the broadcaster said: Abdullah al-Yazouri did categorically not appear in any documentary broadcast on Channel 4, as has been erroneously misreported by the Daily Telegraph on the front page of this mornings early editions. The packages in which Abdullah al-Yazouri appeared were aired as part of daily news coverage during the conflict, representing a handful of minutes across hundreds of hours of Channel 4 News output covering the Israel-Hamas war. He appeared alongside other voices, including Israeli voices, as part of wider packaging and reporting for Channel 4 News and in line with our principles of due impartiality. Channel 4 said no payment was made to the boy or any of his family members, and that, once the foreign reporting team became aware of the role the boys father held, they took a decision not to feature him again. The statement continued: Neither Abdullah al-Yazouri or any of members of his family received any payment from Channel 4 News for the appearances, and (director) Yousef Hammash was not involved in sourcing or filming him. As international media access is restricted, Abdullah was sourced through an established journalist who has also worked for other major global media outlets. As has been widely reported since February 18, subsequent to the broadcast of these news items, it emerged that Abdullahs father is Ayman al-Yazouri, a deputy agricultural minister in Gazas Hamas-run government. The identity of the man named as his uncle in the first report was miscommunicated to Channel 4 News as his father by a local fixer on the ground. Channel 4 News experienced foreign reporting team became aware his father held a technocratic role within the Hamas government in summer 2024 and they took a decision not to feature him again. Once Channel 4 News senior leadership team recently became aware, action was taken to provide additional context to the archived online copy of the reports in which Abdullah features. Where context could not be added, namely to social media, the content was removed in line with standard editorial procedures. This action was taken on February 20. Abdullah al-Yazouri did not feature in any of Channel 4 News award-winning coverage, including the International Emmy, RTS, Bafta, British Journalism Awards, or Broadcast Awards. The broadcaster said it is proud of its duly impartial coverage throughout the conflict which has upheld the highest editorial standards. We continue to mark the contribution of our colleagues across Israel and Gaza who contributed to news coverage for Channel 4 News, in reporting the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Last year, Channel 4 News was named news programme of the year at the annual Royal Television Society (RTS) awards, and also took home the title of news provider of the year at the 2024 British Journalism Awards. RTS said in a statement: The RTS has concluded its review following Channel 4 News confirmation that no video material featuring Abdullah al-Yazouri has featured in their awards entries for 2024 or the forthcoming awards for 2025. Based on the assurances we have received from Channel 4 News and the available information we have no plans to revoke the awards. Last week the BBC issued an apology and removed the documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone from iPlayer, saying it had identified serious flaws in the making of the programme. A statement from the corporation added that a full fact-finding review will be undertaken, and that it has no plans to broadcast the programme again in its current form or return it to iPlayer. Exports from Canada and Mexico face tariffs of 25% under Trumps direction. Photograph: Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters China and Canada have announced retaliatory measures against the US after Donald Trump imposed his sweeping tariffs plan, despite warnings it could spark an escalating trade war. US tariffs of 25% have come into force against goods from Canada and Mexico, the USs two biggest trading partners, and 20% tariffs against Chinese goods doubling the levy on China from last month. The duties will affect more than $918bn (722bn) worth of US imports from Canada and Mexico. Related: Trumps threatened 25% tariffs on EU imports could trigger economic turmoil China said on Tuesday it would impose fresh tariffs on a range of agricultural imports from the US next week. Its finance ministry said additional 15% tariffs would be imposed on chicken, wheat, corn and cotton, with further 10% tariffs on sorghum, soya beans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. It has also raised additional complaints against the US with the World Trade Organization. The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said Ottawa would respond with immediate 25% tariffs on C$30bn (16.3bn) worth of US imports. He said previously that Canada would target US beer, wine, bourbon, home appliances and Florida orange juice. Tariffs will be placed on another C$125bn (68bn) of US goods if Trumps tariffs are still in place in 21 days. Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship, Trudeau said, adding that they would violate the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement signed by Trump during his first term. Mexicos president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said on Tuesday that there was no justification for Trumps tariffs and said her government would respond with tariff and non-tariff measures. Asian markets were down after sharp falls in US markets on Monday as Japans Nikkei fell 1.2%, Taiwans benchmark TWII index was off 0.5% and Hong Kongs Hang Seng was down 0.3%. The Canadian dollar and the Mexican peso fell to their lowest levels in a month on Tuesday. The US dollar index, which tracks the currency against six peers, fell to a three-month low, down 0.75%. In Europe, the FTSE 100 dropped by 81 points, or 0.8%, a day after rising to more than 8,900 points for the first time. Germanys Dax and Spains Ibex indices fell more than 2%, while Frances Cac 40 was off almost 2%. Trump and his allies claim that higher tariffs on US imports from across the world will help make America great again by enabling it to obtain political and economic concessions from allies and rivals on the global stage. Businesses, inside the US and worldwide, have warned of widespread disruption if the Trump administration pushes ahead with this strategy. Since winning Novembers presidential election, Trump has focused on China, Canada and Mexico, threatening the three markets with steep duties on their exports unless they reduced the unacceptable levels of illegal drugs crossing into the US. While he slapped a 10% tariff on China last month, Trump has repeatedly delayed the imposition of tariffs on Canada and Mexico. He has pledged to bring down prices in the US, but economists have warned that consumers in the country could be adversely affected by his trade plans. A 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico and a 10% levy on China amounts to the largest tax increase in at least a generation, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a thinktank that estimated the move would cost the typical US household more than $1,200 each year. Trump has vowed to go further, threatening to introduce reciprocal tariffs on countries that have their own duties on goods made in the US. He has said these will come into effect as soon as next month. The US Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, claimed that Chinese manufacturers would swallow the US tariffs. He said on Tuesday: Chinas business model is export, export, export, and thats unacceptable. I am highly confident that the Chinese manufacturers will eat the tariffs; prices wont go up. Trump has said the tariffs on China are because the government has failed to stop illicit fentanyl entering the US, which Beijing says is a pretext to threaten China. China opposes this move and will do what is necessary to firmly safeguard its legitimate interests, a foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, said. If the United States persists in waging a tariff war, a trade war, or any other kind of war, the Chinese side will fight them to the bitter end. Chinas finance ministry said: The USs unilateral tariff increase damages the multilateral trading system, increases the burden on US companies and consumers, and undermines the foundation of economic and trade cooperation between China and the US. The ministry said products shipped from the US to China that departed before 10 March and arrived before 12 April would not be subject to the tariffs. The Crown star Khalid Abdalla has been summoned to attend a formal interview by the Metropolitan Police in relation to a pro-Palestinian protest, he said. The actor, who played Dodi Al Fayed in the series, posted on Instagram to say he and others had been asked to attend an interview in relation to the protest on January 18, and it remains to be seen if this will result in charges. Januarys Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) protest was adjusted to be a static rally after police curtailed organisers plans for a march past the BBC and near a synagogue. But a large group marched towards Trafalgar Square from Whitehall after speeches were made at the rally. Abdalla posted on his Instagram on Monday saying: On Thursday, alongside others, including Stephen Kapos, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, I received a letter from the Metropolitan Police summoning me to attend a formal interview in relation to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest of Jan 18th. It remains to be seen if this will result in charges. Ive expressed my feelings on the experience of that day on previous posts available online. He added: The right to protest is under attack in this country and it requires us all to defend it. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: As part of our ongoing investigation into alleged breaches of Public Order Act conditions on Saturday, January 18, we have invited a further eight people to be interviewed under caution at a police station. While we are aware of names being attributed to those who have been invited for interview, we do not confirm the identity of anyone under investigation. Country music superstar Dolly Parton has paid tribute to her husband Carl Dean, following his death aged 82. In a post on X, Parton said her husband would be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family in attendance. Carl and I spent many wonderful years together, she said. Words cant do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank-you for your prayers and sympathy. The family, who requested privacy, did not specify a cause of death. He was survived by Parton, as well as siblings Sandra and Donnie. Dean, who owned an asphalt paving business in Nashville, Tennessee, was also the inspiration behind Partons hit song Jolene. She got this terrible crush on my husband, Parton told US public radio organisation NPR in 2008. And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us when I was saying, Hell, youre spending a lot of time at the bank. I dont believe weve got that kind of money. So its really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one. Parton met her husband outside a laundromat in 1964 when she was 18. They married two years later in 1966 in a small ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia. I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me), Parton recalled their meet-cute in a 2008 interview. He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about. The pair renewed their vows on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary. Were going to get married again! the star told People magazine at the time. Ill have a beautiful wedding dress, cause I didnt have a big, long wedding dress when we got married and weve got a suit for him, so were going to dress up and take a bunch of pictures. The pair were intensely private, with Parton telling the Associated Press in 1984: A lot of people say theres no Carl Dean, that hes just somebody I made up to keep other people off me. In an interview with People magazine in 2019, Parton called Dean her biggest supporter. Hes always supporting me as long as I dont try to drag him in on it, she said. Hes always been my biggest fan behind the scenes, but hes at home. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeaus Liberal Party has seen a dramatic change of fortune - Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images World leaders caught in Donald Trumps sights may find that a rather uncomfortable place to be, but there is an upside it can do wonders for their domestic popularity. From Canadas embattled liberals to Mexicos Left-wing president and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky, politicians Mr Trump seems to want to weaken have instead found themselves in stronger positions as they reconnect with their people. None has seen as dramatic a change of fortune as the Liberal Party of Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, which found itself trailing the opposition Conservatives by 24 points in the opinion polls two months ago. Even Mr Trudeaus resignation in early January seemed unlikely to revive the Liberals fortunes in a general election year amid a cost of living crisis and the backlash generated by an unpopular carbon tax. Yet Mr Trumps suggestion that the US should take over Canada, coupled with threats to impose tariffs and end military protection, has seen the Liberals record one of the most extraordinary turnarounds in Canadian electoral history. Canadian projections now calculate that the chances of a majority for Pierre Poilievres Conservatives have fallen below 50 per cent - Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images Last week, two opinion polls gave the Liberals a narrow lead over the Tories, the first in nearly four years, while other projections now calculate that the chances of a Conservative majority have fallen below 50 per cent. Canadas general election must take place before Oct 20. Perhaps conscious of the fact that his combative approach is harming the prospects of the man he would like to lead Canada, Mr Trump is now attempting to distance himself from Pierre Poilievre, the fiery Conservative leader, criticising him for not being a Maga guy. I dont like what hes saying about me, Mr Trump told the US edition of The Spectator after Mr Poilievre scrambled to take a tougher line against the US presidents rhetoric as polling numbers turned against him. Its just not positive about me. The Canadian Liberals, who will choose a new leader on Sunday, are not the only political beneficiaries. Mexicos president Claudia Sheinbaum has been boosted by a looming trade war with Mr Trump - Alfredo Estrella/AFP via Getty Images Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican president, has also received a boost for her deft handling of a looming trade war with Mr Trump, who imposed 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Mexico as well as Canada on Tuesday. She has even won over conservative sceptics. An opinion poll this week showed that her approval ratings had climbed from 70 per cent last year to 85 per cent, a record eclipsing that held by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, her popular and populist predecessor. Meanwhile, even domestic opponents of Mr Zelensky have rallied behind him following his tempestuous meeting with the US president at the White House on Friday. Mr Trump had previously accused his Ukrainian counterpart of being a dictator who had only a four per cent popularity rating. In fact Mr Zelensky is regarded favourably by 52 per cent of Ukrainians, giving him better figures than Mr Trump, whose net approval ratings have deteriorated sharply since he took office. According to FiveThirtyEight, a research firm that analyses polling data, 47.8 per cent of Americans approve of Mr Trump while 47.7 per cent do not, giving him a net approval rating of 0.1 per cent down from 8.2 per cent on Jan 20. Ursula von der Leyen, the EU Commission president - Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images Ursula von der Leyen has unveiled plans for an 800billion boost to EU defence spending to win over Donald Trump. The European Commission president announced her ReArm Europe strategy warning that the stakes could not be higher and the time for action is now. The plan follows the US presidents decision to suspend all US military aid to Ukraine, which has threatened to deepen the rift between the White House and Europe. In a letter to EU leaders, seen by The Telegraph, Mrs von der Leyen writes: A new era is upon us. Europe faces a clear and present danger on a scale that none of us have seen in our adult lifetime. Some of our fundamental assumptions are being undermined to their very core. The pace of change is disconcerting and increasingly alarming. Sir Keir Starmer with European and Nato leaders at Sundays security summit in London - Javad Parsa/via Reuters The plan, set to be discussed at an EU summit on Thursday, includes a 150billion defence loan for the joint purchases of air defence systems, artillery guns, missiles and ammunition. It came as Germany last night agreed to tear up its strict fiscal rules to help ramp up defence spending. In addition to suspending military aid to Ukraine, Mr Trump has also signalled that he intends to pull back American security for Europe, ending decades of the continents reliance on Washington. European leaders have agreed that a massive hike in defence spending is the only way to win back White House backing for Europe and war-torn Ukraine. Mrs von der Leyens plan would allow national capitals to massively step up their support to Ukraine, she told reporters in Brussels. The Commission chief also offered an escape clause that would allow member states to spend more on defence without breaching the blocs strict rules on public deficits. She said: This will support EU efforts to achieve a rapid and significant increase in defence spending in order to answer the unprecedented security and defence situation. Mrs von der Leyen added that by collectively boosting military expenditure by 1.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it would free up 650billion over the next four years. Last year, the bloc spent about 325billion on defence, around 1.9 per cent of its shared GDP, according to its official estimates. A senior British Army source told The Telegraph: If this is the moment that truly galvanises Europe to realise it has to take responsibility for its own defence there is still time. In economic terms we dwarf Russia. If you rearm Ukraine, you rearm Europe. The source added that while 2.5 per cent of GDP was not enough and that defence spending would need to increase beyond that figure, he insisted: Europe has the potential to be capable without US. Mr Trump is demanding that Nato countries spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence. Other steps proposed by Mrs von der Leyen include using cohesion funds, normally reserved for building roads and airports around the bloc, to ramp up defence spending. She also suggested relaxing European Investment Bank rules to allow it to finance military projects. Mrs von der Leyen appeared to go to great lengths to thank America for its role in Europes security, after JD Vance, the vice president, demanded that Volodymyr Zelensky say thank you to America and its president for their military support in a fiery White House row on Friday. She said: We in Europe are very appreciative of the support of the United States and the role it has played in European security for decades. There was no mention of Britain in her letter to EU leaders, dealing a blow to Sir Keir Starmers ambitions for a pan-European bomb bank. The Prime Minister was hoping to raise 100billion, which falls short of the EU defence loans, to help meet the continents future security needs. Frances economy minister Eric Lombard said on Tuesday that plans to boost defence spending over 3 per cent of GDP would need higher taxes on the rich and setting up defence investment funds. We can look at how the effort can be shared among the French population, he said, suggesting taxes could be raised on those with substantial savings. Bart De Wever, Belgians prime minister, wants to increase defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP by this summer, up from 1.31 per cent. It means an extra 4billion will have to be found by June, instead of by 2029 as was initially agreed by the governing coalition. In the Netherlands, opposition parties called on the government to promise more aid to Ukraine after Mr Trumps pausing of support for Kyiv. Dick Schoof, the prime minister, was criticised for not making any concrete commitments on defence spending or aid at the Lancaster House summit in London on Sunday. Geert Wilders, the leader of the largest party in the countrys ruling coalition, is against sending troops to Ukraine but has not ruled out aid. The Dutch government hopes to raise defence spending to above 2 per cent but that has not yet been agreed. British-made action-adventure game Senuas Saga: Hellblade II leads the way with 11 nominations at this years Bafta Games Awards, with the head of Bafta calling the range of nominees extraordinary. A total of 41 games have been nominated across 17 categories for the awards, which take place in April. Made by Cambridge-based studio Ninja Theory, Senuas Saga: Hellblade IIs nominations include in the animation, artistic achievement, audio achievement and British game categories, while Sonys Astro Bot and indie horror game Still Wakes The Deep each have eight nominations. The nominations feature a host of independent and first-time nominees as well as big name franchises and well-known series such as Call Of Duty, Star Wars and Final Fantasy, which Bafta chief executive Jane Millichip said showed the gaming industry was really healthy. I think its a wide open field, she told the PA news agency. Thats what is extraordinary this year, its the range of genres, the size of games indie, big studio, multiplayer its a bewildering variety. Its really interesting to see how broad it is, and great to see so many British studios represented 11 British studios from the length and breadth of the country, from Yorkshire to Brighton. Its a kind of mesmerising variety and certainly in the short time Ive been involved in Bafta, it seems more than ever that that is the distinguishing factor this year, which is really exciting, and with a really open field of 41 games nominated its really, really healthy. Tara Saunders, chair of the Bafta Games Committee, said the nominees were a beacon of light following some dark times for the gaming industry in recent years, which has seen widespread job cuts in the wake of an economic downturn. Its a huge testament, and I think it shows the resilience of the teams and individuals that are making this content it takes a lot of effort to make a fun product, and I think theyre channelling all their energy into that, she told PA. I think its really important that we take this moment to celebrate the teams and the individuals that have crafted these standout games experiences. I really love that in the best game (category) weve got some indie games going shoulder to shoulder with some really big budget games. And I love that Bafta gives that platform for that to happen, to really shine a light on some of the smaller teams that are out there. Comedy game Thank Goodness Youre Here made by independent Yorkshire studio Coal Supper has seven nominations for this years awards, including for best game, British game and debut game. In the best game category, it will compete alongside titles from industry giants Sony, the makers of the PlayStation, and Nintendo, for whom The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom, the latest instalment in the hugely popular, long-running fantasy series, has been nominated. The definition of single malt whisky will not be changed, the Government has confirmed, amid fears Scotch whisky producers could lose out from an application for protected status for an English single malt. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said he had spoken to ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the definition of single malt whisky would not be watered down, as Scottish whisky producers said they could be undercut by their English counterparts if the proposal went ahead. Last month Defra said it was considering making an application for protected geographic status for English single malt. It proposed defining English single malt as being made from UK grain at an English distillery using water local to the distillery. Darren Jones said Defra ministers had confirmed to him the definition would not be watered down (Ben Whitley/PA) The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) previously protested that it would only require distillation at the single distillery location and not the creation of the spirit from malted barley at a single site and could be very damaging for Scotch producers. Under questioning from the Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, Tracy Gilbert, Mr Jones said the Government would not be altering the definition. Ms Gilbert had raised concerns about the impact on investment and growth if the change was made. She told Treasury questions: Im sure (Rachel Reeves) will agree with me on the importance of the Scotch whisky industry. Support for the industry starts at home by attracting investment, including at the Port of Leith distillery in my Edinburgh North and Leith constituency, which is producing single malt Scotch whisky, attracting tourists and showcasing the best of Scottish hospitality. (She) will be aware of the concern from the industry about the watering down of the definition of single malt, which will have an impact on investment and growth. Will she therefore work with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that no changes are made to the definition of single malt that undermine the Scottish success story and investment in the Scottish whisky industry? Single malt whisky is produced from a single distillery, with Scotch whisky specifically referring to products made in Scotland that have been aged in oak casks for at least three years. According to the SWA, the value of Scotch exports totalled 5.4 billion last year, a decrease of 3.7% on the previous year. Responding on behalf of the Treasury team, Labours Mr Jones said: Scotch whisky is a proud British brand and export and this Government will always support the industry. I have checked with Defra ministers and I can confirm to her that we will not be watering down the definition of single malt whisky. A spokesperson for the SWA had previously said: It would be very damaging for the reputation of single malt whisky from the UK, and by extension single malt Scotch whisky, if English whiskies were allowed to describe spirit as single malt despite being produced in a different manner to the established process and long-standing traditions of the Scotch whisky industry. The proposals had also received criticism from the Scottish National Party, with First Minister John Swinney telling Holyrood that the Scottish Government would make all necessary representations on this issue to protect the identity and the character of Scotch whisky. Defra has been approached for comment. The Government has been urged to act to free a British man detained in India for years after he was cleared in one of the cases against him. Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh activist from Dumbarton, near Glasgow, was in Punjab, northern India, for his wedding in 2017 when his family said he was arrested and bundled into an unmarked car. Mr Johal has been acquitted in a case in Punjab but is still facing a series of charges at federal level. Foreign Secretary David Lammy is due to meet his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday for talks on trade and investment. It is understood the discussions will include consular matters as well as climate, defence and education. West Dunbartonshire MP Douglas McAllister said: The Government must act now to secure Jagtars release. Jagtar Singh Johal has been acquitted of one charge (Family/PA) This is a unique opportunity to secure a resolution with the Indian authorities and bring this young British man back to his family in Dumbarton. Without decisive diplomatic action, he faces being imprisoned for decades while the remaining trials drag on, despite the complete lack of credible evidence against him. Mr Johal is said to have been tortured, including with electric shocks, and faces the death penalty because of his campaigning for Sikh rights. He said he was forced to sign a blank confession after being tortured and made to record a video which was broadcast on Indian TV. The 37-year-old has been held in solitary confinement in a prison in Delhi since 2019. In 2022, a United Nations panel acknowledged Mr Johal had been arbitrarily detained in India. Dan Dolan, director of advocacy and policy at advocacy group Reprieve, said: Despite being cleared Jagtar still faces the threat of the death penalty in the eight duplicate cases against him. The central allegation in all nine cases is the same but prosecutors have supplied no credible evidence to support it, either in Punjab or the remaining eight NIA (National Investigation Agency) cases. And it has now been tested and rejected in court. There is no physical evidence, no email trail, no CCTV footage, no record of a bank transfer, no notes or recordings of telephone calls, and so the court quite rightly found him not guilty. The Sikh Federation said it was a massive step forward in efforts to free him and urged the UK Government to keep up pressure. Dabinderjit Singh, the federations political engagement lead, said: Jagtars acquittal today due to a lack of credible evidence is a massive step forward to get him released and back home to the UK to be reunited with his family. Mr Singh said it opens up the way for other charges to be dropped. The UK Government need to keep up pressure and prepare to get him home quickly so he can be with his family and begin to enjoy married life, he added. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) welcomed the acquittal. A spokesperson said: We welcome the progress in the case. The UK Government remains committed to working for faster progress on Jagtars case, and the FCDO continue to work to support Mr Johal and his family. The Foreign Secretary met Mr Johals brother, Member of Parliament and a representative from Reprieve on 30 October 2024. Irelands Prime Minister Micheal Martin greeting Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky - AFP It has been more than a century since Irish independence. But until now threats to national security have not seriously troubled politicians in the Republic of Ireland. The country has worn its neutrality and its tiny contingents of United Nations peace-keepers like a comfort blanket. Apart from the Second World War which it called The Emergency, and during which 70,000 quietly joined the British forces, and the Irish government assisted the Allies covertly it is only now that the Irish political class have accepted that the country and its taxpayers have to take responsibility for self-defence. We can no longer leave that job to our neighbours. The Irish army is a joke. Its active establishment at last count was 7,520, with a reserve establishment of 3,869. Neither is up to strength. Few young people with aspirations for a military career see the point. The proud tradition of Irish soldiers and sailors as part of the British Empire, when many won the highest award for valour, has been forgotten. The navy barely exists. Until recently it was a dirty little secret that we had an understanding with the RAF: if we were in trouble, we could call on them for discreet help. In November, for instance, the Royal Navy tracked a Russian spy ship straying close to undersea cables in the Irish Sea. This was less than 24 hours after RAF jets had been scrambled to monitor a Russian reconnaissance plane flying close to UK airspace. Attention was scarcely drawn to these incidents to stop extreme nationalists from getting excited. Yet in the last year there has been a dawning realisation that Ireland is on a suicidal course. Despite being one of the richest countries in Europe, it has a miniscule defence budget: it spends 1.1 billion annually on the army, navy and air corps of which a quarter covers pensions. Ireland is an unwitting enemy within the West because her territorial waters and her economic zone are vulnerable. The realisation that Russia is threatening military exercises in Irish international waters while the government has no idea who is intruding into Irish airspace and waters is chilling. And now Ireland faces the wrath of Donald Trump, who threatens the economy by pulling the rug from under the American corporations who use Ireland as a tax haven. He has shaken up the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs enough that the government plans to double defence spending. The Commission on the future of the Defence Forces has called for 3 billion a year over the next ten years. This will be spent on a military radar system, 24 fighter jets and several new ships, as well as a complete revamp of the armed forces. The objective is to be able to emulate Norway and Switzerland both countries are neutral and properly equipped. This being Ireland, there will be a citizens assembly and a national debate, but no amount of blether can alter that fact that, to paraphrase W.B. Yeats, all has changed utterly. Israel risks breaching obligations under international humanitarian law by blocking aid to Gaza, a Foreign Office minister has said. Catherine Wests remarks came as the Government was also urged to support the international community in opposing what the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee described as Israels long-term plan to annex the West Bank. Green Party MP Ellie Chowns asked an urgent question in the Commons where she said Israel was once again using starvation as a weapon of war. Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza to try to get Hamas to accept a new ceasefire proposal and has warned of additional consequences, raising fears of a return to war. Israels preferred ceasefire plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners, a key component of the first phase. The suspension of aid drew widespread criticism, with human rights groups saying it violated Israels obligations as an occupying power under international law. Green Party MP Ellie Chowns asked an urgent question in the Commons where she said Israel was once again using starvation as a weapon of war (Ian West/PA) Ms Chowns (North Herefordshire) told MPs: These decisions coincide with the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, with negotiations on phase two barely begun, jeopardising the release of the remaining live hostages, plans for a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a longer term peace agreement. She added: Does the minister agree that the Israeli government is again in clear violation of the ceasefire agreement and of international humanitarian law? Ms West replied: A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that announced by the government of Israel, does risk breaching obligations under international humanitarian law and to answer her question directly, the UK government has been in touch with interlocutors to make that point. She added: Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool. Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry asked what the international community was going to do to stop the annexation of the West Bank (Maja Smiejkowska/PA) Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry said the Israeli government had a long-term plan to annex the West Bank, and asked how the Government would oppose this in these days of hard power. Dame Emily, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, recently visited the Middle East with other committee members and said they were warned in Saudi Arabia, in Jordan, in the West Bank, and in Israel that the far-right government in Israel may have no long-term plan when it comes to Gaza, but there is a long-term plan when it comes to the West Bank, and that is annexation. She continued: The international community is well aware of this. They see the evictions, they see the demolitions, they see the increasing numbers of Israeli settlements and the 40,000 people who have recently been displaced. In these days of hard power, what is plan B? What is the international community going to do to stop the annexation of the West Bank? Because it wont be enough to simply condemn it once its happened. Last week we visited the Middle East to help inform our inquiry into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We met with local people alongside the West Bank Protection Consortium to better understand the challenges facing local Palestinian communities in the West Bank. pic.twitter.com/qVdX34uMoN Foreign Affairs Committee (@CommonsForeign) March 3, 2025 Ms West replied: The UK Government has taken a very tough position on attacks by some of the militant factions or groups who are attacking Palestinians in the occupied territories in the West Bank, and we are continuing to look at measures which are available to get our message across, not just in words, but in actions. Conservative former minister Kit Malthouse said the minister was right to mention the macabre display around the return of the hostages but added: Why hasnt she mentioned the return of the Palestinian non-combatants? Why hasnt she mentioned their condition, when theyre returning often emaciated, and with signs of torture? Why hasnt she mentioned the number of senior medics who have been detained without charge and then died in mysterious circumstances in Israeli detention? Apparently there being some kind of investigation, which never comes to a conclusion. And is she surprised that people have become cynical about British conduct in this conflict, when it seems that were only concerned about the welfare of one side? Ms West said there had been a very balanced approach across this House to the suffering of all the communities based in the region. She said Mr Malthouse was right to mention the terrible suffering, but added: Could I also remind him that there are concerns that there might be people who shouldnt have been released, who are being released. Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed (Sheffield Central) said: Will the minister confirm that the decision of blocking all aid into Gaza, collectively punishing the entire population is a war crime, and a breach of international law? Ms West replied: A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that recently announced by the government of Israel, does risk breaching its obligations under international humanitarian law. Its not for a minister at the despatch box to make legal decisions or judgments. Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to British soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan after US Vice President JD Vance was accused of insulting their memories. He used Prime Ministers Questions to remember and honour those who fell fighting in recent wars. These men fought and died for their country, our country said Sir Keir. Across the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 642 individuals died fighting for Britain alongside our allies. Many more were wounded. We will never forget their bravery, their sacrifice. Earlier, US Vice President JD Vance was accused of insulting the memories of British troops who died in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting alongside US soldiers. Former British defence minister Lord Beamish criticised Mr Vance, who was pushing the idea of a deal to let America gain access to Ukraines mineral wealth, after he belittled a planned peace-keeping force for the war-torn country to be led by the UK and France. If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine, Mr Vance told Fox News. See also: Americas Hitler? How JD Vance spoke about Trump before he became Vice President That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years. But Kevan Jones, who was North Durham MP before being elevated to the Upper Chamber as Lord Beamish, condemned the remark. He told The Standard: This type of talk isnt helpful and will be insulting and very hurtful to the memories of those who died and still suffer today from injuries from Iraq and Afghanistan and who fought alongside American forces. Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson Helen Maguire, a former Captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, said: "JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. She added: I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. JD Vance interviewed on Fox News on Monday night (Fox News) Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didnt return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality. More than 450 British armed forces personnel died in Afghanistan over the 20 years since the US-led invasion after the 2001 September 11 terror attacks on America. It is the only time that Natos Article V mutual defence agreement has been evoked. Military experts have now raised doubts over whether Trump is committed to Article V given his rapprochement with Vladimir Putin and refusal so far to offer a security guarantee backstop to a peace-keeping force in Ukraine. More than 2,200 US military personnel were killed in Afghanistan. The UK lost 179 servicemen and women during the Iraq War, during which more than 4,400 American service personnel also died. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, said: The disrespect shown by the new US vice president to the sacrifices of our service personnel is unacceptable. Later on Tuesday, Mr Vance claimed it was absurdly dishonest to suggest he had been referring to either Britain or France. I dont even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond, he said. No10 refused to be drawn on whether the Prime Minister had found the comments insulting or disrespectful. Britains Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, greets Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, for a meeting at 10 Downing Street (Peter Nicholls via AP) (AP) Sir Keir Starmer has committed British troops and planes for a peace-keeping mission in Ukraine if Putins three-year war ends. But hopes of a deal were dealt a fresh blow as Donald Trump paused military aid for Ukraine, in a move which will weaken Kyivs negotiating position. Trumps decision came after an astonishing clash between him and Mr Vance against Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky in the White Houses Oval Office last week. Donald Trump clashed with Volodymyr Zelensky in the White Houses Oval Office (AFP via Getty Images) Mr Vance launched a fresh attack on Mr Zelensky, accusing him of needling Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement as the US President paused aid to Ukraine. Sitting down with Fox News Sean Hannity early on Tuesday, Mr Vance said: He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy. Mr Zelensky has stressed he wants a peace deal but insists a US security guarantee is needed to stop another attack by Putin. US vice president JD Vance accused Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky of needling Donald Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement as the US President paused aid to Ukraine. The development comes as Mr Trump seeks to pressure Mr Zelensky into committing to peace talks with Russia, following their tense confrontation in the Oval Office last week. Sitting down with Fox News Sean Hannity early on Tuesday, Mr Vance said the encounter, which happened in front of the media, really set Zelensky off. He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy, he said. Thats the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasnt yet there. And frankly, still isnt there. But I think hell get there eventually, he has to. Mr Vance confirmed Ukrainian officials made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but efforts were shut down by Mr Trump. But he added the door is open so long as Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace. He also used the interview as an opportunity to criticise Europes approach to free speech, saying governments wanted to silence and shut down free speech in response to criticism over immigration. The interview came as Mr Trump ordered a pause on aid to Ukraine. A White House official said the US was pausing and reviewing aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, the Associated Press reported. Mr Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Mr Zelensky committed to that goal, the official said. Mr Trump, who has led the push for a peace deal with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, said the European demand for US guarantees was showing weakness to the Kremlin. His comments came as Sir Keir Starmer restated his call for strong US backing for any European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine. The Prime Minister gathered leaders from Europe and Canada, including Mr Zelensky, for talks in London on Sunday. The US president had criticised Mr Zelensky for suggesting a deal to end the war with Russia is still very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Monday. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, as President Donald Trump, centre, listens in the Oval Office at the White House (AP/ Mystyslav Chernov) What are they thinking? He later said European countries had acted very well and were good people. Were going to make deals with everybody to get this war (finished), including Europe and European nations. And theyve acted very well. You know, theyre good people they want to work it out, Mr Trump said at the White House. Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir again promised British troops and jets would be available to a peacekeeping force if a deal is done to end the war, along with a coalition of the willing from other nations. It is right that Europe do the heavy lifting to support peace on our continent, he said. Good to talk again with @marcorubio today. The UK-US alliance is critical for global security. We are working together to deliver enduring peace in Ukraine and to ensure the ceasefire in Gaza is sustained. David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 3, 2025 But to succeed, this effort must also have strong US backing. The Prime Minister said the proposed minerals deal between the US and Ukraine is not enough of a security guarantee on its own. Plans for Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky to sign the minerals deal were put on hold after the Ukrainian leader left the White House early following their Oval Office bust-up. But Mr Zelensky has since suggested he is ready to sign it. Sir Keir said Mr Trumps commitment to peace was sincere and that a security guarantee should be led by Europe but needs US backing. Sir Keir told MPs Britain needs to lead from the front and that the European coalition of the willing has been formed to avoid moving at the speed of the most reluctant and that will be too slow. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Frances President Emmanuel Macron met during the summit on Sunday (Justin Tallis/PA) Downing Street said various options are on the table but insisted no plan has been agreed after Frances President, Emmanuel Macron, said his country and Britain are backing the prospect of a limited ceasefire. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: There are clearly a number of options on the table. Defence Secretary John Healey is expected to visit the US later this week for talks with his counterpart Pete Hegseth. On Monday evening, Foreign Secretary David Lammy reported having a good phone conversation with US secretary of state Marco Rubio. The UK-US alliance is critical for global security, he posted on X. We are working together to deliver enduring peace in Ukraine and to ensure the ceasefire in Gaza is sustained. Germany and France meanwhile have reportedly started discussions of how 200 billion euros (165 billion) of frozen Russian assets could be used as a way to hold Moscow to a potential ceasefire deal. On Sunday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves signed off on a 2.26 billion loan scheme to help Ukraine buy weapons and fund its reconstruction after the war, which will be repaid with the profits of frozen Russian assets. The King said that he took immense pride in all who had brought HMS Prince of Wales to life - PO Phot Rory Arnold/PA The King recalled his formative and fondest memories of his naval service as he became the first monarch to visit a Royal Navy warship at sea in almost 40 years. His Majesty flew by helicopter to HMS Prince of Wales in the Channel as it prepared for a major deployment to Japan. The King told sailors gathered in the hangar that he took immense pride in all who had brought the vessel to life with such indomitable spirit and spoke of his enduring respect for the Navy. As Prince of Wales, the King served with the Royal Navy from 1971 until 1976, rising to command minesweeper HMS Bronington before returning to royal duties. My own time at sea remains one of the most formative, and fondest, experiences of my life, the King said, adding that he could still vividly recall his first deck landings on HMS Hermes, moments which left an indelible impression. To mark the visit, Buckingham Palace released black and white photographs of the monarch, then Prince Charles, in 1977, when he flew in a Buccaneer jet to HMS Ark Royal. The King first visited HMS Prince of Wales in June 2016, while it was under construction at Rosyth Dockyard. He accompanied the Queen when she officially named the vessel the following September and again when it was formally commissioned in 2019. In 1977 the King, then Prince Charles, landed on HMS Ark Royal in a Buccaneer jet - x.com/RoyalFamily On Tuesday, the monarch was shown around the 65,000-tonne ship before watching as F-35B fighter jets carried out landing exercises on the deck of the Portsmouth-based carrier. He visited in his role as the Honorary Commodore-in-Chief Aircraft Carriers, the first reigning monarch to visit a Royal Navy warship at sea since Elizabeth II made the short trip from Rosyth to Leith on minehunter HMS Brocklesby in 1988. The trip came during the closing stages of crews intensive training before setting sail for Japan in April on a mission to deepen the UKs defence partnerships and promote security and stability. Capt Will Blackett, the commanding officer of HMS Prince of Wales, said the Kings visit was a great source of morale for my excellent ships company - PO Phot Rory Arnold/PA The King said that he could still vividly recall his first deck landings on an aircraft carrier, moments which left an indelible impression - PO Phot Rory Arnold/PA The King told personnel gathered in the hangar: As you prepare to set sail as the flagship of the UK Carrier Strike Group, building on the success of HMS Queen Elizabeths inaugural deployment in 2021, I just wanted to express, on behalf of the nation, my heartfelt gratitude for the extraordinarily valuable contributions and personal sacrifices that you and your families continue to make in the name of duty. I can sense the anticipation and excitement amongst many of you today for what lies ahead over the next eight months and all I can say is I will be watching your progress with great interest. The King told crew that he could sense their excitement and that he would be watching their progress with great interest - PO Phot Rory Arnold/PA The monarch arrived from Sandringham by Royal Navy Merlin helicopter and was joined aboard by Admiral Sir Ben Key, the First Sea Lord and head of the Royal Navy, and Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the chief of the Royal Air Force. Capt Will Blackett, HMS Prince of Waless commanding officer, said: It was a great honour to host His Majesty onboard today. I was able to show him first hand that HMS Prince of Wales is at high readiness, standing by to deliver for the UK when ordered. His visit was a great source of morale for my excellent ships company and we look forward to doing him proud in all our endeavours this year. The King has visited the Royal Navys flagship as it prepares for a major deployment to the other side of the world. Charles flew to HMS Prince of Wales in the English Channel, where he spoke to sailors and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for their service. He also watched as F-35B fighter jets carried out landing exercises on the deck of the 65,000-tonne Portsmouth-based carrier. Charles was visiting in his role as the Honorary Commodore-in-Chief Aircraft Carriers marking the first time in nearly 40 years that a reigning monarch has visited a Royal Navy warship at sea. The King speaks to members of the crew of the Royal Navys flagship, HMS Prince of Wales (PO Phot Rory Arnold/PA) His trip came during the closing stages of crews intensive training before setting sail for Japan on a mission to deepen the UKs defence partnerships and promote security and stability. He told told personnel gathered in the hangar: As you prepare to set sail as the flagship of the UK Carrier Strike Group, building on the success of HMS Queen Elizabeths inaugural deployment in 2021, I just wanted to express, on behalf of the nation, my heartfelt gratitude for the extraordinarily valuable contributions and personal sacrifices that you and your families continue to make in the name of duty. I can sense the anticipation and excitement amongst many of you today for what lies ahead over the next eight months and all I can say is I will be watching your progress with great interest. Charles arrived from Sandringham by Royal Navy Merlin helicopter and was joined aboard by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, the head of the Royal Navy, and chief of the Royal Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton. The ships Commanding Officer, Captain Will Blackett, said: It was a great honour to host His Majesty onboard today. Charles watched F-35B fighter jets carry out landing exercises on the deck of the Portsmouth-based carrier (PO Phot Rory Arnold/PA) I was able to show him first hand that HMS Prince of Wales is at high readiness, standing by to deliver for the UK when ordered. His visit was a great source of morale for my excellent ships company and we look forward to doing him proud in all our endeavours this year. Able Seaman Marc Rutherford, who met the King on the ships bridge said: It was the proudest day of my life since joining the Royal Navy, Im still in shock, he was funny and I was surprised he would support a team like Burnley Newcastle would be much better. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced in December that the flagship will head the carrier strike group to the Indo-Pacific during which it will become the first of the two Queen Elizabeth class carriers to visit Australia. The 3 billion warship will also take part in Exercise Talisman Sabre, a multi-national exercise hosted by Australia involving 19 nations. Local people will have control of where the Whitehall cash goes under funding plans for deprived neighbourhoods, ministers have announced. Officials have set aside 1.5 billion to be shared around 75 areas across the UK, which can be used for projects such as youth clubs and cultural venues, as well as community services such as health and education. The scheme follows on from the long-term plan for towns under Rishi Sunaks government, which had similarly pledged funding for the same areas across Britain and Northern Ireland. Under the plan for neighbourhoods, the selected areas will all be handed up to 20 million each and will have a local board set up comprised of residents, businesses and campaigners who will get to decide how money is used, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner speaks with volunteers (Leon Neal/PA) The boards will be presented with options of where the cash can be spent, such as repairs to pavements or neighbourhood watch schemes. Among the areas selected to receive funding are Coleraine in Northern Ireland, Kilmarnock in Scotland and Wrexham in Wales. Across the English regions, among the included towns are Darlington, Scarborough and Great Yarmouth. Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister and the secretary of state responsible for local government said: For years, too many neighbourhoods have been starved of investment, despite their potential to thrive and grow. Communities across the UK have so much to offer rich cultural capital, unique heritage but most of all, an understanding of their own neighbourhood. We will do things differently, our fully funded Plan for Neighbourhoods puts local people in the driving seat of their potential, having control of where the Whitehall cash goes what issues they want to tackle, where they want to regenerate and what growth they want turbocharge. Local growth minister Alex Norris said that when our local neighbourhoods thrive, the rest of the country thrives too. Thats why we are empowering communities to take control of their futures and create the regeneration and growth they want to see. Money will be made available from April 2025, with projects expected to be able to get up and running in 2026. The Conservatives criticised the funding plans as wasteful pet projects. Local areas are feeling increased pressure due to immigration, increased council tax and Labour changing the local government finance settlement to benefit urban areas over rural areas, Shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake said. Labour erased the phrase levelling up from government and instead of delivering for local communities are now spending taxpayer cash on wasteful pet projects this country cant afford. Several MPs welcomed the funding plans announced by the Government. Labour MP Florence Eshalomi, who chairs the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, told the Commons: The competitive tendering process did, unfortunately, pit some councils against each other, including depriving councils, so I think its right that we move away from that and the sticking plaster politics weve seen over the last few years. Liberal Democrat housing and planning spokesman Gideon Amos said his party welcomed the move away from the previous divisive bidding system and towards a more objective approach. Mr Norris, responding to questions, said the Government has honoured the commitment to 75 areas before noting: There may be scope to go further in the future, I cant run ahead of the spending review. But we know if we can prove that things have worked in these 75 towns then therell be a very strong case to do them elsewhere. Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to questions during a meeting with members of the media in London, March 2 The suspension of all US military aid to Ukraine has fulfilled Volodymyr Zelenskys nightmare scenario, calling into question how long the countrys forces can hold out against Russia. Throughout the war, Ukraine has been heavily dependent on Washingtons military largesse. Not only has the United States been by far Ukraines biggest single financial and military backer, it has provided weapons systems that no European state can match. Despite the blow, and however grave the crisis and sense of betrayal in Ukraine, soldiers on the front line say they will continue fighting the Russian invaders for as long as they can. Such claims are not just wishful thinking. Ukraine has increased domestic weapons manufacturing capacity. Its drones are becoming ever more sophisticated, helping to slow the Russian advance along the front, and also enabling Ukraine to strike critical infrastructure targets deep in Russian territory. With other Western allies, including Britain, pledging to step up support there is some hope that, even if it suffers some territorial losses in the Donbas, Ukraine will be able to keep fighting at least until the summer, most analysts agree. How far beyond that it can survive is a much harder question to answer. What will the immediate impact of the freeze be? Since the start of the war three years ago, the United States has allocated more than $67 billion (53 billion) in military aid, according to the Kiel Institute, a German think tank. In the final few months of his presidency, Joe Biden stepped up weapons deliveries to Ukraine, meaning that Kyivs stockpiles are reasonably healthy for the next few months. Yet there will still be an immediate impact. More than $1billion in arms and ammunition that is either on order or in the process of being delivered will now not cross the Polish border until the pause on aid is lifted if it ever is. Donald Trump, the US president, has indicated he will keep the freeze in place until he is convinced that Mr Zelensky is genuinely committed to negotiations with Russia, presumably on Mr Trumps terms. As a result, Ukraine will soon feel greater pressure on the front line. Three years into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia controls around a fifth of Ukraines internationally recognised territory, mainly in the south and east. However, Ukraines defences on the eastern front are mostly holding and Vladimir Putins forces are only making small-scale advances. Nonetheless, given Russias superior manpower and firepower, the cessation of US military assistance and monetary assistance risks tipping the balance of the war, according to an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). What weapons has the US provided? The Pentagon has sent Ukraine more than 71 shipments from existing stockpiles worth $33.8 billion (27 billion), which included more than three million 155-millimeter artillery shells, tens of thousands of guided artillery rockets and anti-tank missiles, thousands of anti-aircraft missiles, thousands of armored vehicles and dozens of tanks. Ukraine has also leveraged US-supplied military systems including Patriot air defense systems and Himars and Atacms long-range strike systems which have allowed Kyiv to defend against nightly Russian drone and missile strikes. Credit: Telegram/Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces The US has also provided $33.2 billion (26 billion) under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides funds that Kyiv can only use to buy new military hardware directly from US defence companies. According to the Pentagon, an additional $3.85 billion (3 billion) of money authorised by the Biden administration remains unspent. It has also been more than 50 days since the US announced a new package of weapons to Ukraine. Can Europe plug the gap? Some analysts had speculated that if the US ceases aid many European countries will also scale back their donations. But in the aftermath of Mr Zelenskys stormy meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, European leaders have rallied around the Ukrainian leader. And while the US has provided Ukraine with the most military aid, it is European powers that have been the main source of overall aid to Ukraine since 2022, contributing $138 billion (109 billion) in total, compared with $119 billion (94 billion) from the US, according to Kiel Institute data. Countries outside of Europe, such as Japan and Canada, have also contributed. Even so, without American military aid, we will last six months, Lieutenant-General Ihor Romanenko, former first deputy of the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces, told Al-Jazeera on Feb 17, during the Munich Conference. Europe cant possibly replace American aid, he added. However, Ukrainian commanders say they are particularly grateful for the supply of Storm Shadow missiles provided by Britain and France, which are now being used against targets deep inside Russia. They pack less of a punch than the American missiles, but they have pinpoint accuracy and they are better at evading counter-measures, one Ukrainian military intelligence officer said. Norway has provided air defence systems too. Other Nato countries, including Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, have pledged to give Ukraine dozens more planes, while European states have also sent more than 200 German-made Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks. However, Europes arms stocks are running low and less than a quarter of the weapons it provides Ukraine are actually produced by the continent, according to analyst Mark Galeotti. Despite the difficulties, the EU is working on a military aid package worth at least 20 billion (16.5 billion), and has previously approved using frozen Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraines military needs. Following Sundays summit of European leaders in London, Sir Keir Starmer also announced a 1.6 billion missile deal for Ukraine. What Ukraine can do on its own Ukraine may be dependent on Western allies for much of its weaponry, but it has also significantly stepped up its own capabilities. It is now a world leader in drone technologies, producing cheap devices, costing 20,000 each, that can attack targets like oil refineries and munitions factories more than 1,000 miles into Russian territory. At the same time its forces on the front line are increasingly reliant on modified first-person view (FPV) drones, which now inflict more than two thirds of all casualties on the battleground, according to Ukrainian estimates. By contrast, mostly because they are so easily targeted by such drones, tanks and armoured vehicles have become less useful on the battlefield. The United States gave Ukraine 31 M1 Abrams tanks, arguably the most sophisticated and powerful battle tanks in the world, in 2023. Of these 19 have been destroyed, disabled or captured mostly as a result of drone attacks while the surviving 12 have mostly been taken off the front line. Ukraines dependency on expensive US kit has therefore diminished. In the meantime it has sharply ramped up the production of FPV drones, making more than a million last year. Officials in reckon production this year could be quadrupled. The nature of war has changed, Maj Dmytro Mokych, a front-line brigade commander, told The Telegraph last month. A modern T-90 tank costs millions of dollars but we can destroy it with a handful of first-person drones that cost a couple of thousand dollars each. While Russia has increased production at nearly the same rate, negating any Ukrainian advantage, the constant threat of drone attack means that rapid battlefield advances along the front line are now very unlikely, with or without US assistance. How long can Ukraine survive without US support? Ukraine is a long way off being able to fight without US support in the longer term. Traditional hardware may be less useful on the battlefield, but US air defence missiles are still vital for the protection of Ukrainian cities. Without them fewer Russian attacks will be intercepted, leading to far greater death and destruction in densely populated civilian areas. There is little doubt that one of the consequences of the US freeze is that more Ukrainian women and children will die than in the past, particularly since no European state has any air defence missiles as sophisticated as the US Patriot systems. It should also be remembered that Washington doesnt just deliver arms, it maintains and repairs them, too. Furthermore, should Elon Musks Starlink be shut down, soldiers will struggle to communicate on the battlefield, although Ukraine has developed workarounds having been denied access to the system for operations inside Russias Kursk region. Perhaps the biggest blow of all would be the potential loss of US intelligence sharing, making it harder to identify and attack Russian targets. And even though the drone is now king, artillery remains important. When Republicans in Congress held up the delivery of military aid in late 2023, Ukraine ran short of shells and many of its best soldiers were killed after Russia established a clear artillery advantage. A shortage now would most likely be less devastating, but it would still hurt. The loss of US assistance would therefore undoubtedly be a major setback and one that even with the best will in the world Ukraine and its Western allies would be unlikely to make up entirely. The loss of technologically superior US weaponry aside, there is also a fear that if Washington eases or lifts sanctions on Moscow, Russias defence industry could boom, further increasing the pressure on Ukraine. There is no doubt that Mr Trumps announcement heralds grim times for Ukraine, but for the next few months at least the country will quite literally soldier on even without the support of its chief ally. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CNN: The impact is going to be big. I would call it crippling. Mr Cancian estimated that Ukraine would feel the impacts of the pause in aid within two to four months, as aid from European countries helps Kyiv remain in the fight for now. Thats why they dont fall off a cliff, but when your supplies get cut in half, eventually that shows up on the front lines. Their front lines would continue to buckle and eventually they would break and Ukraine would have to accept an adverse even catastrophic peace settlement. Others are more optimistic. Would the loss of US aid make the situation more difficult for Ukrainian forces? Yes, a former Ukrainian military officer wrote on social media. Would it lead to total collapse in six months? No. It would mean more Ukrainian soldiers and civilians killed, especially as air defence stocks deplete, but on the battlefield, there would be no sudden collapse. Celeste Wallander, who until recently was an assistant defence secretary in the United States, agreed, telling the Washington Post that with what Europe is now committing, Ukraine can fight through 2025 at least, if it fights smart. This view is echoed by Radoslaw Sikorski, the Polish foreign minister, who said: Ukraine can fight on its own with our European support for the rest of this year, and I think Putin has to take this into account. Peers have backed a proposed law that aims to help prevent and reduce the harm of terror attacks at event venues, such as nightclubs, concert halls and churches. The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill has passed report stage in the House of Lords and is ready for its third reading, the final stage in its parliamentary journey before the King gives royal assent. Known as Martyns Law, the legislation will compel all UK venues that expect 200 or more people to be on site to prepare for the event of a terror attack, such as establishing evacuation plans. It will also require larger venues that expect 800 or more people to attend to take steps to reduce their vulnerability to an attack. The law is named after Martyn Hett, a 29-year-old man who was killed, along with 21 other people, in the Manchester Arena bombing at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in May 2027. The Government saw off Conservative attempts to amend the bill at report stage in the Lords to increase the capacity thresholds for which these venues will be required to comply with the measures in the Bill from 200 to 500 people for the lower threshold, and from 800 to 1000 people for the higher threshold. Tory peers raised concerns over the financial and administrative burdens these requirements would place on smaller venues, especially those run by volunteers. Lord Udny-Lister, former Downing Street Chief of Staff for Boris Johnson, argued that a capacity threshold of 200 people captures far too many small businesses, community venues and organisations that simply do not have the resources to comply effectively with the security measures in this legislation. Figen Murray, the mother of Manchester Arena bombing victim Martyn Hett, at the Manchester Memorial (Peter Byrne/PA) Former Tory Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth said: I worry greatly that one of the unintended consequences of this Bill will be to drive such small business and community facilities, which are presently just about managing and just about balancing the books, out of business, with the consequent massive impact on our communities and our high streets. If this happens, the terrorists will have won. However, Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint said that the requirements on venues captured by the lower threshold are not what I would term onerous; they are good practice, they are things that a good employer should do, they are things that good volunteers should do. He added that raising the lower threshold up to venues with 500 or more people would mean just 4% of premises would be subject to the measures in the Bill. Conservative peer Lord De Mauley argued that the higher threshold should be raised from those expecting 800 or more people to those expecting 1,000 or more people to attend, arguing that the requirements could negatively impact small ticketed charitable events. However, Lord Hanson insisted that the 800 people figure was decided after significant consultation, adding: In the event of a terrorist attack, which we will try to prevent downstream, the measures in this Bill may help save a life and, had they been in place at the Manchester Arena when the attack took place there, lives may have been saved. Peers voted against both these thresholds moving, rejecting by 248 votes to 214, majority 34, the lower threshold rising from 200 to 500 people, and rejecting by 249 votes to 213, majority 36, the higher threshold rising from 800 to 1,000 people. Ministers also saw off a bid that would allow venues to apply for an exemption from putting in place public protection procedures. Lord De Mauley argued that this would allow security measures to be appropriately targeted, allowing exemptions where venues can clearly demonstrate that it doesnt meet a reasonable threshold of risk based on their size, location, historical risk data and the nature of the events they host. However, Lord Hanson argued that setting up the bureaucracy to manage the influx of exemption applications would be a major task and would create confusion. Peers voted by 236 votes to 200, majority 36, against allowing venues to apply for an exemption. The Bill will now proceed to its third reading. Iran has been announced as the first foreign power to be placed on the enhanced tier of a new government scheme to protect the UK from covert foreign influence. Security minister Dan Jarvis told MPs the Tehran regime and its intelligence agencies would be placed on the top level of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs) when it comes into effect this year. Mr Jarvis said Iran had become increasingly emboldened, asserting itself more aggressively to advance their objectives and undermine ours. In a Commons statement on Tuesday, he said evidence of the Iranian regimes direct action against UK targets has substantially increased in recent years, including of media organisations and journalists reporting on its violent oppression, and Jewish and Israeli people internationally. Security minister Dan Jarvis set out the measures in the Commons (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament/PA) The minister revealed that MI5 investigations into state threats jumped by 48% last year. And of Iran, he said how the director general of MI5 detailed since the start of 2022 that the UK has responded to 20 Iran-backed plots that presented potentially lethal threats to British citizens and UK residents. It is clear that these plots are a conscious strategy of the Iranian regime to stifle criticism through intimidation and fear, Mr Jarvis said. These threats are unacceptable. They must and will be defended against at every turn. The minister said Firs is a critical disruptive tool the UK intelligence and law enforcement agencies need to degrade threats faced by the state. Under the scheme, anyone who is directed by Iran to carry out activities in the UK, such as criminal proxies, must register it or face five years in prison, the minister said. Firs was initially expected to come into force in 2024, but in August the new Labour Government confirmed a delay to its implementation. Mr Jarvis told the Commons it is expected to have the scheme up and running by the summer. Individuals and businesses will be required to register on the Government website, like applying for a passport or driving licence, and will be given a three-month notice and grace period from when the scheme comes into force. It is understood the number of people who are legitimately working with the Islamic Republic of Iran, such as supplying pharmaceuticals, goods or services, would be quite low. But for those who do not register, it will allow intelligence services to prosecute them under a lower threshold than for more complex offences such as espionage. It is also hoped the risk of jail time may act as a deterrent for anyone considering to get into an arrangement with the regime in the first place. Exemptions will be given to some groups including diplomatic staff, journalists and lawyers. The announcement comes as the Government has faced calls to place China in the enhanced tier of the scheme. The designation would give ministers the power to require registration of a broader range of activities for specified countries, parts of countries or foreign government-controlled entities where this is necessary to protect the safety of interests of the UK, according to the Home Office. Asked by shadow home secretary Chris Philp whether China will also be placed on the list, Mr Jarvis said: Announcements with regard to Firs will be made in this House. Todays announcement specifically relates to the decision we have taken on Iran, todays announcement is specifically about that country and other announcements that are made with regard to Firs will be made in due course. In the statement, Mr Jarvis also announced that terrorism law watchdog Jonathan Hall KC has been asked to draw up a new procedure to allow the proscription of state and state-linked organisations, which could deal with groups including the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Mr Halls work will give specific consideration to the design of a proscription mechanism for state and state-linked bodies providing more flexibility than is offered under the existing powers, the minister said. He continued: We are utterly determined to stay ahead of those who threaten our country and any step that could aid us in that critical endeavour will be considered. The Duchess of Sussex loves her surname, purposely under-salts the Duke of Sussexs food, and was the unofficial head of morale on the set of Suits. Meghan gives a rare insight into her life in Montecito, offering up a number of revelations. But there is no direct mention of the royal family in the eight-episode output, with Meghan steering clear of bringing up any controversies. The royal family escaped any direct mention in Meghans Netflix series (Paul Grover/Daily Telegraph/PA) Here is what we learned: Meghan loves her Sussex name When the actress Mindy Kaling uses Meghans maiden name, the duchess speaks with pride about being a Sussex: You keep saying, Meghan Markle, you know, Im Sussex now. You have kids, and you go, now I share my name with my children I didnt know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go this is our family name, our little family name. Newlywed Harry and Meghan in 2018 (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The Sussex title was given to Harry on the morning of his wedding by his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. Harry and Meghan stopped using their HRH styles when they stepped away from the monarchy. There were calls at the time for them to lose their Sussex titles, but this can only be actioned through legislation. Harry is a good cook Meghan says: H is a great cook. He makes a really great breakfast. Her former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer remarks: Is he really? with friend Kelly McKee Zajfen praising his scrambled eggs. Harry salts his food without tasting it But Meghan under-salts his food in return. I have a family, a husband, who no matter what meal is put in front of him before he tastes it puts salt on, so I try to under-salt, she says. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Invictus Games (Aaron Chown/PA) The Sussexes also enjoy a daily veg platter, Meghan reveals. We have a veggie platter, crudites, every day in our house, she says. Archie likes fishing Meghan reveals how Prince Archie caught two trout while fishing on holiday. I have two kids, and then we had two trout. Its like: Were going to salt bake a fish, because it would be fun for them. Lili likes jam-making Princess Lilibet helped make a batch of strawberry jam, which Meghan serves in a dessert to Spencer and Zajfen. Meghan says: This is a strawberry preserve. Lili and I actually made this batch together. She picked all those berries, with then shes like: No, no Mama Ill do it and she wants to try. Shes like: Ill stir it. Ill mash it, its like, great, and then you keep the hot stuff away and go: Ill pour it in, but shes proud. That part feels good. Meghans chickens were rescues Her chickens came from factory farms and it took six months to rehabilitate them. Most of these girls were rescues, she says. But she also has two silkies which were gifts and have been named Phil and Jill by Archie and Lilibet. It changes on the day. This is either Phil or Jill. Depends on how the kids are feeling, she says. Guy the dog had a lot of stories to tell Meghans elderly rescue beagle Guy, who has since died, is described by Meghan as my shadow. As she talks about the years he has spent with her moving to the UK and back to the US, she says: So yeah, Guy has a lot of stories to tell. Meghan was raised on junk food I was a latch-key kid so I grew up with a lot of fast food and also a lot of TV tray dinners, she says. Meghan with her mother Doria Ragland (Steve Parsons/PA) It feels like such a different time but that was so normal with the microwavable kids meals The numbering of her jams caused problems Meghan reveals how her numbered homemade jam caused some friction with her celebrity friends when she soft-launched her lifestyle brand. It was not a ranking, it was just let me share them and then people started to take it very personally, she says. But she then adds her mother was given jar number one because that felt like the right thing to do. Meghan likes Seventies rock The duchess reveals she listens to 70s soft rock, yacht rock, and lot of soul, and also French dinner party music. Lilis new doll has its own picnic basket of food Meghan tells how Lili was given a doll called Stella al Fresco which comes with a little pretend baguette and some cheese. The fabric doll by Manhattan Toy costs around 38, wears dungarees and has a magnetic pacifier, fabric picnic basket, baguette, and a wheel of artisan cheese. Meghan was head of morale on Suits I felt like you were head of morale on the show, Spencer says, as they talk about their time on Suits. Meghan responds: I liked to plan fun for everyone or to have people at the house. Her first job was in an ice cream shop The duchess tells how her grandmother worked in an ice cream shop and so did she for her first job, at the age of 13, at Humphrey Yogurt. She did her wedding cake tasting with her make up artist friend Meghan chats to close friend Daniel Martin about her lemon and elderflower wedding cake, saying: We did the tasting together. At the time, baker Claire Ptak said Harry and Meghan loved the lemon and elderflower cake after trying a number of different samples. Harry and Meghans wedding cake (Steve Parsons/PA) Meghan plays mahjong The duchess has taken to playing mahjong with three Montecito friends and getting together for game nights. And here are some of Meghans soundbites: Good night sweetheart as Meghan puts a cake in the oven I feel like youre watching me falling in love, she says as she eats a raw turnip. I love feeding people. I think its probably my love language, on the joy of cooking for guests. The first batch of the Duchess of Sussexs As Ever products were unveiled on the same day as her Netflix series (Adam Davy/PA) Well, its just adding that extra bit of decor to the things that we eat because we eat with our eyes first, as she cuts up fruit to dehydrate the slices for drinks. Shes so beautiful on the inside and you just dont know how good she is until you go deep and you get to know her better, about her cake. Baking is not my favourite thing but I will do it for one of my favourite people, to make up artist Daniel Martin. So I hope she and I can become friends. I cant wait. Im like: Do you want to come over to my house for Thanksgiving? as she prepares to meet chef Alice Waters for the first time. Has anyone in the world ever been so tickled by the sight of lettuces? watching Waters put lettuce leaves in a bowl. I have a lazy Susan at home. Its great and by the way there is nothing lazy about that Susan she works hard, about the kitchen gadget. I find when Im cooking bacon my kitchen very immediately becomes full of husband and three dogs. Its not my perfume that brings them all in. My bacon brings all the boys to the yard on cooking bacon. Were not in the pursuit of perfection. Were in the pursuit of joy. Retail staff say they have seen shoplifters load bags with alcohol and walk out of the store. Photograph: Vitalij Chalupnik/Alamy It was about 8pm in Tesco Express and Katherine*, a shift manager in north-west England, was alone with her younger colleague when she noticed a man acting suspiciously in the aisle containing home goods. The section which stocked items such as laundry detergent and fabric softener is behind plastic security barriers, so he basically ripped it out the shelf, swept it into a duffel bag and walked out, Katherine said. The incident in 2023 is part of a trend Katherine has noticed in recent years working for the supermarket chain, of more common and more flagrant shoplifting. She said starting at Tesco 10 years ago, shoplifting was absolutely nothing compared with what it is now. Related: Soaring UK crime costing up to 250bn a year, says thinktank Her observations are backed up by the British Retail Consortiums crime survey, which found retail theft increased 25% in 2023-24 on the year before to more than 20m incidents the highest since records began in 2003. As well as the financial cost companies lost about 2.2bn the BRC spotlighted violence and abuse against retail workers, with incidents rising to more than 2,000 a day. Thieves sweeping shelves of higher-priced goods, shoplifters verbally abusing staff, parents hiding items in prams, teenagers nonchalantly making off with sweets, people sweeping spirits into bags these are just a handful of stories from dozens of people who responded to a Guardian callout about their experiences with shoplifting. Its very brazen, said Katherine, 26, adding that last year a group of teenagers targeted a display solely for hay fever tablets, saying the store calculated the thieves took hundreds of pounds worth. She said that for retail workers, the scary thing is you dont know whos carrying a knife, you dont know what theyve got on them. She said its frustrating that Tesco head office grumbles when stock is lost but wont invest in adequate team members or front-of-shop security in order to deter thieves. I absolutely feel let down by head office, she said. Theyre passing the buck on to us. A Tesco spokesperson said the safety of customers and colleagues was its absolute priority and that the company had invested tens of millions of pounds in safety and security. Recent measures include installing protective screens, providing body-worn cameras and strengthening door entry systems, they said. We have also invested in developing our central security hub, which is an expert team dedicated to joining up evidence and supporting the police to tackle crime and shoplifting, helping to keep our colleagues and customers safe. Katherine said for her store, shoplifting contributed to about 3,000 of shrinkage (lost, damaged or missing stock) during the last six-month stock take, with common missing items including baby milk. Paul, a team leader for a village grocery store in Perthshire, said his colleagues recently saw a woman load a suitcase with alcohol and walk out, which they suspected would be sold on the hidden market. He said stealing alcohol occurs about three times a week, even in his small community. Its literally impossible to keep an eye on this level of theft, he said. But Paul also said one of his duties is changing the stores grocery prices each week, and its very noticeable how much things have gone up in the past few years. The Guardian also spoke to small-scale shoplifters who said they had been forced to steal the odd item regularly to survive amid the cost of living crisis and spiralling prices in recent years. In north-east England, 45-year-old George* said he had been driven to shoplifting because his welfare payments are not enough to live on. George, a former electrician who said he had been off work for seven years because of mental health struggles, gets 783.78 a month in universal credit. But he said after covering rent (475), electricity (about 170) and council tax (20), he was left with less than 120 a month for groceries. George said he used a local food bank, but visits were limited to once every four weeks, and he shared custody of his 10-year-old daughter with her mother. Amid the cost of living crisis, Ive had to shoplift much more than I used to, George said. Only ever food, and only ever after my universal credit has run out I hate doing it. It brings me no joy. I dread getting caught, but hunger is hunger. Hell usually go to a big supermarket, pay for a basket of things but conceal a few items. Ive got a big coat with big pockets, George said. I dont go mad, I only nick like a packet of sausages or a block of cheese, something like that. George used to feel bad, but no longer does. Now I just feel like its something Ive got to do, he said. Everythings more expensive, like the price of a chocolate bar has doubled for my kid. However, others who admitted to occasional shoplifting said their motives were driven more by opportunity and convenience. Jaqueline*, a 57-year-old administrator in Surrey, said the first time she made off with an item was an accident after her M&S self-service kiosk failed to scan properly. Jaqueline said she realised with self-checkouts how easy shoplifting of small items was easier, she feels, than attracting the attention of an overworked staff member when it malfunctioned. I havent paid for quite a few things in the past couple of years. She will sometimes take a lunchtime salad, vegetable or Boursin cheese I put it in my bag and walk away. Jaqueline doesnt feel guilty, partly because of recent cost rises. They charge twice as much while giving us half the service, she said. But watching shoplifters target his local Co-op left Tommy Cooper, a 63-year-old in Doncaster, feeling very unsettled about society. One morning at about 10.30am, a young man was browsing the aisles, picked up a pizza and crate of beer and just sauntered out of the store without paying, Cooper said. Cooper, a retired market trader, spoke to the cashier, but she told him the police probably wont be interested. Its the relaxed and carefree manner of the theft that is gnawing away at my mind, Cooper said. It seemed like a small act of anarchy like watching society unravel. *Some names changed Tension hit an all-time high when Trump and Zelenskys encounter in the Oval Office turned into a spat - AFP On Monday afternoon, a Boeing 747 jet freighted with US weaponry landed in Rzeszow, the Polish border town that serves as a gateway to the battlefield in Ukraine. Its cargo was safely deposited. But unless it was transported onwards immediately, it is likely to remain there. By nightfall, the Trump administration had frozen all military support to Ukraine, plunging the nation into the deepest crisis it has faced since the war began. For days after their disastrous summit in the White House, it appeared possible that Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump could patch things up between them. The White House put out unambiguous signals that it expected a televised apology from the Ukrainian president, who had refused to go along with its rushed peace deal just as he refused to comply with Russias slapdash invasion. Mr Trump reposted a commentary on Truth Social suggesting that Mr Zelensky would eventually have to concede and sign his minerals deal, recognising it as the best - and only - US commitment coming his way. But then, speaking once again with his mind on the frontlines and not on the mood in the Oval Office, Mr Zelensky said that peace was very, very far away. That appears to have torn it. By Monday night, White House officials briefed out that they had suspended all deliveries of military aid to Ukraine, including weapons already in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting to cross the border in Poland. Protesters hold signs showing the face of Zelensky outside the US embassy in Poland on March 3 - Czarek Sokolowski/AP The impact of a prolonged hold on US aid will be transparently disastrous. When Mr Trumps Republican allies led Congress to block weapons shipments in 2023, guns went silent across the frontline, helping Russia capture towns including Avdiivka. European aid helped make up the shortfall then. But it cannot immediately replace the loss of US military support, which both Europe and Washington have been delivering to Ukraine at a rate of about 1.4bn per month since the war began. To put the cut in scale, around 3bn of weaponry remains to be sent to Ukraine under a presidential drawdown by outgoing president Biden. But some 30bn more is due to be delivered up until March 2028, according to figures from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. In fact, US aid was set to drastically increase this year compared to last, as US defence manufacturers fulfil procurement contracts signed in the early days of war. (A dozen Himars systems, ordered in 2022, were soon due to arrive on the battlefield.) Little interest in peace deal The figures do not tell the story. What they deliver is GPS-guided GMLRS rockets that rain down on Russian troops behind the frontlines, Bradley fighting vehicles that keep Kyivs troops nimble, and Patriot air defence missiles that protect cities from endless long-range bombardment. They provide shells and tanks, Javelins and JDAMS. Crucially, too, they provide hope: that the former teachers and electricians on the frontline have a constant supply of world-beating weaponry as they attempt to hold off the vastly outnumbering army of Vladimir Putin. Today they will wake up learning that is gone. If the Trump administration does not turn the taps back on, it is likely that Ukraine will, in the end, be crushed. Mr Zelensky himself has said its chances of survival are low without American support. Putin will have little interest in signing a peace deal when his enemy is so vulnerable. If he does, it will be a feint for gradual constriction. Ukraines own defence industry, which has stepped up the production of drones 100-fold since the war began, can hold the line for a while with Europes assistance. But over time, it will crack. The longer Putin waits, and the US stands back, the better chance he has of achieving a goal something like regime change in Kyiv. Such that it exists, the hope is this. In his interview with Fox News on Monday night, JD Vance left the door open for Mr Zelensky to come back and sign the minerals deal. (The vice-president, betraying an callous disregard for the British and French troops who fought alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, said that the deal would be better than an EU peacekeeping force made up of random countries that havent fought a war in 30 or 40 years). Mr Zelensky must now do so. If it takes saying three bags full, sir, he should do that. White House officials have described the aid cut as a pause to ascertain if Ukraine is truly ready to seek peace. And there is reason to hope that Mr Trump may baulk at cancelling all 30bn due to be delivered to Ukraine by 2028; the US government may have to pay break fees and other penalties if it cuts off contracts Kyiv signed with American defence manufacturers, even though it paid using US funds. In a best case scenario, Mr Trump is employing a negotiating tactic to secure the deal he wants. By pressing this button, though, he has given Putin every incentive to keep fighting - and the heroic Ukrainian army holding out against him plenty of reason to think twice. Jagtar Singh Johal has been held in detention for seven years awaiting judgment. Photograph: Family handout/PA Jagtar Singh Johal, the British human rights activist accused of terrorism has been acquitted on all charges in a case in Punjab, after a court rejected the allegations against him made by Indian authorities. Johal has been held in detention for seven years awaiting judgment, but must remain in prison since he is facing eight essentially duplicate cases brought by Indias National Investigation Agency (NIA) based on the same alleged confession. The ruling is likely to lead to renewed pressure on the UK Foreign Office to secure his release on the basis that a court, after exhaustive investigation, has been unable to compile any credible evidence against him. Johals lawyers allege he was forced to sign his name on a blank piece of paper after police tortured him with electricity and brought petrol into the cell and threatened to burn him alive. He faces the threat of the death penalty in the eight duplicate cases against him. The central allegation in all nine cases is that Johal transferred money to supposed co-conspirators, and that this was used to fund a series of attacks in Punjab in 2016-17. The Indian authorities do not claim Johal was directly involved in any of these attacks. Reprieve, the organisation that represented him during the case, said the prosecutors supplied no credible evidence to support it, over seven years and almost 150 court hearings. NIA prosecutors have also had seven years to build a case, and have produced no physical evidence, no email trail, no CCTV footage, no record of a bank transfer, no notes or recordings of telephone calls. Johals brother Gurpreet Singh Johal said: Weve always said the allegations against Jagtar are baseless, and now the court in Punjab has agreed, the whole case against him has been exposed as a fabrication. This demolishes the eight NIA cases theres nothing left. Surely, the UK government recognises that this injustice cannot continue? Johals MP, Douglas McAllister, said: The government must act now to secure Jagtars release. This is a unique opportunity to secure a resolution with the Indian authorities and bring this young British man back to his family in Dumbarton. Without decisive diplomatic action, he faces being imprisoned for decades while the remaining trials drag on, despite the complete lack of credible evidence against him. Dan Dolan, Reprieves executive director, said: For Jagtar to remain imprisoned and facing a death sentence after this acquittal would be a mockery of justice. The eight essentially duplicate cases against him flagrantly violate the double jeopardy principle, which protects people from being put on trial twice for the same crime and is enshrined in both international and Indian law. The remaining cases against him should be dropped, and Jagtar set free. Downing Street has defended it plan to stop small boat crossings after more than 1,100 migrants travelled across the Channel in the first four days of March. Some 1,168 people have made the perilous journey from France to the UK already this month, Home Office data showed on Wednesday. It brings the total number of arrivals for the year so far to 3,224 and takes the number of crossings since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister to almost 26,000. A Home Office spokesperson said: "We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. "We are delivering real change in our approach through legislation to create new tools, powers, offences and enforcement action which will keep us one step ahead of the people-smuggling gangs." Small boat arrivals hit a daily high over the weekend as 592 cross the water on March 2. It was the largest number of arrivals on a single day so far in 2025. The Prime Ministers official spokesman insisted this week it would take time to bring down the number of migrants attempting to come to Britain in small boats. We inherited a system in chaos, and we've all said that there are no quick fixes to curb the global problem of illegal migration, he said on Monday. But we put in place a serious and credible plan. Set up this new Border Security Command. We've ramped up removals. We've given law enforcement greater powers than ever to take down these [people smuggling] gangs. You've seen with our collaboration across borders with other agencies, significant arrests and disruption of people smuggling gangs across Europe in recent weeks and months. You've seen us returning 19,000 failed asylum seekers, foreign criminals, ramping up the level of illegal working arrests and visits and we will remain focused on taking all the action needed. Before Sunday the previous daily high for arrivals this year was 260, which was recorded on January 13. As weather conditions improve, arrivals are expected to continue to increase. Earlier this year the Government announced new powers designed to turbocharge efforts to smash the gangs smuggling migrants across the Channel. Investigators will have the power to seize the mobile phones of suspected people traffickers and it will become an offence to endanger lives at sea under new laws designed to crack down on small boat crossings. People selling and handling parts of vessels being used to bring people across the Channel could face up to 14 years in prison under the measures announced by Home Office Yvette Cooper. The path of a lunar eclipse over the ESOs very large telescope at Paranal. Photograph: ESO/JC Munoz-Mateos In the Atacama desert, the driest non-polar region on Earth, the sky shines when the sun sets. Up in the arid hills 130km south of the Chilean city of Antofagasta, comets burn brightly and flawless trails of stars and nebulae streak the night sky. So complete is the darkness in this part of the world, that Indigenous peoples staring up at these skies contemplated the dark spots in between the stars finding the forms of animals and ancestors in the perfect darkness beyond. These are the darkest, clearest skies for observation in the world, and they have propelled Chile to become the worlds astronomical powerhouse. But they are under immediate threat, astronomers are warning. In December, the energy company AES Andes put forward plans for the countrys first industrial-scale green hydrogen and ammonia processing plant, known as the Inna project. The proposed 3,000-hectare facility, which also includes a port, transport links to the coast and three solar power plants, will generate solar and wind energy, feeding excess into the national grid. The suggested main site is just 11.6km from one of Chiles most important observatories. Last Monday, Chiles environmental regulator criticised the projects proposed location, but let a deadline to strike down the $10bn project elapse. The threat to Chiles observatories remains. The astronomical community is unequivocal in its rejection of the proposal, saying that the size and scale of the project which will need to be illuminated at night for safety as well as light reflected off roofs, solar panels and machinery, will seriously affect readings. Even the dust kicked up during construction and the atmospheric turbulence of planned wind turbines worry scientists. An ideal location for ground-based astronomy requires three things: a large number of clear nights, low atmospheric interference, and dark skies, said Dr Fabio Falchi of the Istituto Superiore Enrico Fermi in Mantova. If we combine all of these then we have very few places on Earth which are ideal: among the very best are Paranal and Armazones. The very large telescope (VLT) at Paranal observatory, built 2,600m above sea level, where the dry air stings your lips and the sun scorches the earth, has taken the readings that have won three Nobel prizes. And on nearby Cerro Armazones, the extremely large telescope (ELT), a hulking mass of steel and concrete like a spacemans helmet, is under construction. When it is completed at the end of the decade, it will be the largest and most powerful telescope ever built, allowing astronomers to see into distant galaxies to identify Earth-like exoplanets that might support life. Light will be concentrated by a vast mirror comprising 798 polished hexagonal segments, allowing us to see further into space than ever before. Essentially, brighter skies lower the quality of the data you can collect, said Dr Falchi. Light pollution in the vicinity of the ELT would mean that the readings it can take would effectively be the same as those of a much smaller telescope. The Paranal observatory is operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our goal is to take a step forward in our understanding of the universe, and to do this, we need the best quality skies possible, explained Itziar de Gregorio, ESOs director in Chile. All of ESOs astronomical infrastructure is in Chile, and it has operated in the country for more than 60 years. To keep observing the universe, we need atmospheric stability and for darkness to prevail without this, we wont be able to further our understanding, said De Gregorio. Paranal is a truly exceptional site. If we lose it, we lose one of our last windows into the universe, and Chile will lose its astronomical leadership, and the hundreds of millions of euros invested here. It will become a mediocre site and we will have to look elsewhere for future projects. A 60-day public consultation process for the Inna project ends on 3 April. AES Chile could not be reached for comment, but a press release from December claimed that the company was committed to the highest environmental standards, and that its project aligned with Chiles green hydrogen goals. How can we compare the short-termism of an industry which will create jobs and local economic development with this long-term goal of studying and understanding the universe? asked astronomer Eduardo Unda-Sanzana, who is leading a crusade to protect the skies of northern Chile from the University of Antofagasta. Its a false equivalence: human beings and the knowledge they pursue are worth considerably more than the money that ends up in their pockets each month. Chile has pioneering light pollution regulation as part of its environmental norms, setting limits on light emissions in certain areas and promoting dark skies as a basic right. It is nonsense to me that with 6,400km of coastline in Chile, they have to put this facility so close to the biggest telescope in the world, said Dr Falchi. We need to face the problem of light pollution in the same way we tackled atmospheric pollutants, where we had huge success putting red lines in place which should not be passed. We need to do this in order to save the night sky in the long term. This article was amended on 4 March 2025. The Paranal observatory is operated by the European Southern Observatory, not the European Space Observatory. The author with an advance copy of her latest novel. Photograph: X/Chimamanda_Adichie When Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie asked participants at her annual writers workshop in Lagos to introduce themselves, one woman was so excited to be close to her idol that she immediately burst into tears. She asked someone to get me water and my heart just melted, says writer and actor Uzoamaka Power. [That workshop] was one of the best moments of my life. That was June 2015 and the 25-year-old Power had read every single thing Adichie had written but most deeply connected with Purple Hibiscus, the 2003 novel partly set in the Nsukka campus of the University of Nigeria where Power had studied. Now 34 and a Nollywood star, Power is brimming with anticipation ahead of the release of Dream Count, a long-awaited new novel from Adichie whose last book, Americanah, came out in 2013. In fiecely patriotic Nigeria, Adichie, regarded as one of the greatest writers of the 21st century, has reached folk hero status. While her feminist stances have made her a divisive figure among some, her simple to digest style and insistence on writing about everyday experiences have won her fans. She made it OK to explore our inner lives, even if we were ordinary, says Saratu Abiola, a writer and policy strategist in Abuja. She really elevated relatability. Power agrees. In many ways, Chimamanda gave me permission to be ordinary and to be comfortable, and to be strong and to be solid in my ordinariness. Even for something like natural hair that people might consider trivial, she says. She helped shift expectations so that the next wave of African writers didnt have to over-explain, dilute or justify their stories Ainehi Edoro, Brittle Paper To be able to live in this world and know that somebody as powerful as Chimamanda is fine with travelling and doing all these great things that she does and still looks gorgeous does something for young girls and women alike. The publishing industry was also influenced by Adichies style, says Ainehi Edoro, founder of literary blog Brittle Paper and associate professor of English at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before her, African fiction often came packaged with a kind of ethnographic weight expected to explain Africa to a western audience, she says. But Adichies work wasnt performing Africanness for an outsiders gaze; it was literary, intimate, contemporary. She helped shift expectations both in publishing and among readers so that the next wave of African writers didnt have to over-explain, dilute or justify their stories. After her first two novels, Adichie became well-known in literary circles but it was a Beyonce collaboration in 2013, the same year that Americanah was released, that saw her influence grow exponentially and elevated her to rock star status. Id say she transcended being a literary favourite when she teamed up with Beyonce on Flawless and started to occupy more mainstream stages, says Abiola, who has compared the roll out and anticipation for Dream Count to that of a big music artists upcoming album. Nothing we love more than seeing a fellow Nigerian in the lights. In 2022, Adichie privately declined a national honour from the government, according to her spokesperson, but her home town conferred on her the chieftaincy title of Odeluwa Igbo for the one who writes for the world. Diehard fans began substituting their English first names with their Nigerian ones, including Power, who dropped Doris for Uzoamaka after a chat with Adichie at the end of the 2015 workshop. Young women began following her Instagram for style tips and became cheerleaders for what they called her rich aunty style, while playfully leaving comments on her posts like: What happened to Kainene?, a reference to the Half of a Yellow Sun character who does not return home at the end of the Biafran war. Isioma Onyegikei, author of the novel Aegis, sees Adichie as a bridge between older and contemporary African literary excellence. She says people have taken to Adichie because she is visible enough for many to feel like they are able to touch her. I read Flora Nwapa and Buchi Emecheta growing up but somehow they felt like an imagination, says Onyegikei. Its different with Chimamanda, she adds. I watch her videos, see her share her pain of loss and it feels very relatable because shes succeeding, shes in her prime, using the same apps that we use and it almost feels like I can touch her and be the same person one day. On X, young feminists banded together after Americanah came out, holding conversations on gender-based violence, traditional gender roles, natural hair and equal opportunities for women or the lack of in the workplace, while calling her my president and our leader. The debates stirred the platform so much that the term Daughters of Chimamanda emerged first as a descriptor, then as a slur, for Nigerias feminists. Related: I was told books dont sell here. I knew that wasnt true: the English teacher shaking up Nigerias publishing scene Perceptions of her began to change on social media after her stance on transgender people triggered worldwide debate in 2017. Adichie has argued and continues to do so that the experiences of people who previously lived as men and were accorded male societal privileges before transitioning to be women, are significantly different from those of people who were born female. Another comment, in a 2021 video I often say to young Nigerian feminists, please do not use feminism to justify your wickedness displeased some of her Nigerian fan base, partly because some said it had been weaponised on X. Nevertheless, her literary icon status holds fast and many of her readers see her as a multidimensional figure, much like a character in one of her books. Chimamanda is very interesting, said Onyegikei. Many of the people particularly guys who hated her guts for her stance on feminism now stan [admire] her for her stance on transwomen. The people who stanned her then for her views on feminism cant stand her because of transwomen. All in all, love or hate her, you must respect her. Comedian Matt Lucas has apologised to Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown after he used a catchphrase from a Little Britain character alongside photographs of her on social media site X. Last week Lucas, 50, wrote the phrase no but yeah but, used by delinquent teenager Vicky Pollard in the popular sketch comedy series, above pictures of the actress. British actress Brown, 21, was photographed out and about in Los Angeles, wearing hoop earrings and a pink top, which Lucas said had prompted him to point out the similarity by posting one of her (Vickys) catchphrases. The apology from Lucas, in response to an Instagram post from Brown, said: Dear Millie, I just saw your post and wanted to respond, and provide some context. Nearly 25 years ago I co-wrote and appeared in a sketch show called Little Britain. There was a character in it called Vicky Pollard, who had blonde hair and always wore a pink top, and in the photo you had blonde hair and wore a pink top so I pointed out the similarity by posting one of her catchphrases. I thought you looked terrific and I was mortified when the press wrote that I slammed you, firstly because thats not my style, and secondly because I think youre brilliant. I would not have posted it if I had thought it would have upset you but I realise it has and for that I apologise. Little Britain, which also starred David Walliams, began as a radio show in 2000 and moved to TV in 2003, running for three series. Characters included Pollard, with her catchphrase, Andy and his carer Lou, Fat Fighters Marjorie Dawes, and rubber outfit-wearing Daffyd. Lucass apology came after Brown, whose role as Eleven in Netflix series Stranger Things made her a household name, took to Instagram saying media coverage of her changing appearance has amounted to bullying. Millie Bobby Brown attends the launch of her debut novel Nineteen Steps at the Hackney Empire in east London with her partner, Jacob Hurley Bongiovi (Yui Mok/PA) Alongside a video, the actress said: I want to take a moment to address something that I think is bigger than just me, something that affects every young woman who grows up under public scrutiny. I think its necessary to speak up about this. I started in this industry when I was 10 years old. I grew up in front of the world, and, for some reason, people cant seem to grow with me. Instead, they act like Im supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things Season 1. And because I dont, Im now a target. She quoted headlines from articles, among them references to Lucass X comments, which she said were amplifying an insult rather than questioning why a grown man is mocking a young womans appearance. She added: This isnt journalism. This is bullying. The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, its disturbing. The fact that some of these articles are written by women? Even worse. We always talk about supporting and uplifting young women but, when the time comes, it seems easier to tear them down for clicks. Disillusioned people cant handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs. I refuse to apologise for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who cant handle seeing a girl become a woman. I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself. We have become a society where its so much easier to criticise than it is to pay a compliment. She ended her post saying: Lets do better. Not just for me, but for every young girl who deserves to grow up without fear of being torn apart for simply existing. Celebrities including Sex And The Citys Sarah Jessica Parker and Sort Your Life Out presenter Stacey Solomon were among those commending Brown on her post, with Solomon writing: Louder for the people at the back! Youre incredible Millie. And so grounded & intelligent. I love this & everything youre standing for. (L to R) Gaten Matarazzo, Charlie Heaton, Noah Schnapp, Natalia Dyer, Shannon Purser, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Joe Keery and Caleb McLaughlin accept the award for Show of the Year for Stranger Things at the 2017 MTV Movie and TV Awards (PA) Filming on the fifth and final series of Stranger Things has now finished, with it due to air sometime in 2025. The series, created by brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, also stars Edward Scissorhands Winona Ryder and David Harbour, first aired on Netflix in 2016 and was set in the 1980s. It followed the disappearance of 12-year-old Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and showed his friends, his unsettled mother Joyce (Ryder) and his brother Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) trying to find him. It sparked a nostalgia for 80s pop culture, with Kate Bushs 1985 hit Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) soaring to number one in the UKs single charts after it was used in the soundtrack for series four. Since her breakout role in Stranger Things, Brown landed the title role as mystery-solving sleuth Enola Holmes in the 2020 Netflix film and its sequel two years later. Brown, who married Jake Bongiovi, the son of rock star Jon Bon Jovi, last year, has been promoting the new Russo Brothers film, The Electric State, in which she stars alongside Chris Pratt. Indian army members conduct rescue mission in thick snow after avalanche struck camp in Uttarakhand, India - Indian Army/Reuters Dozens of construction workers have been pulled alive from metal containers after being trapped for nearly two days by a deadly avalanche in the Himalayas. Rescue teams from the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police dug out 46 people in an operation that lasted 60 hours in freezing temperatures. A further eight people were killed in the disaster. The avalanche struck the village of Mana, Uttarakhand, in India last Friday following heavy snowfall near a construction site some 10,000 feet above sea level. Many of those rescued were migrant labourers working on a highway project in the remote region 26 km away from the Line of Actual Control, a de facto border between India and China, according to local officials. Dozens of construction workers were pulled from the metal containers alive after being trapped for nearly two days - Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Lt Col Manish Srivastava, an Indian defence spokesperson in Uttarakhand, said the workers had been sheltering inside eight metal containers instead of their usual tents because of the harsh weather a decision that likely saved many lives. A senior Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) official told The Telegraph: The containers provided crucial protection, and in fact, made the rescue operation easier. He continued: Finding people buried under dense snow is extremely challenging, but these containers helped keep them safe and visible to rescue teams. They had just enough oxygen to hold on until we got them out. Officials say the workers decision to sleep in metal containers rather than their usual tents likely saved their lives - Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Jagbir Singh, one of the survivors from the city of Amritsar, said, I was sleeping in the container when suddenly, it started rolling down with the snow. By the time I realised what had happened, I found myself trapped one of my legs was fractured, I had a head injury, and a colleague lying next to me was dead. The avalanche was so powerful that it hurled the containers 300 meters downhill in just 10 seconds towards the Alaknanda river, he said. A smaller snow slide had occurred earlier, but the main avalanche struck at around 5:30am, giving us no time to react, Mr Singh said. We lay there for nearly 12 hours before the Army and ITBP teams started rescuing us. If they had not arrived in time, we would not have made it, he added. Eight people were confirmed to have died in the avalanche near the village of Mana - AFP Images shared by the Indian Army showed soldiers and sniffer dogs searching through deep snow around the crushed metal containers. In a video shared by Indian Army on X, formerly Twitter, an unnamed survivor said: The snow was relentless, but the Army team acted swiftly. Whoever could be rescued immediately was pulled out, and our treatment began without delay. We received full support. The avalanche struck the highway less than 5km from the popular Hindu temple of Badrinath, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of devotees each year. The avalanche struck the highway less than 5km from the popular Hindu temple of Badrinath - Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Uttarakhand/AFP via Getty Images Avalanches and landslides are common in the Himalayas, particularly during the winter months. However, scientists warn that climate change is making extreme weather events more severe and unpredictable. A 2023 report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development found that glaciers in the Himalayas melted 65 percent faster in the 2010s compared with the previous decade, indicating the increasing impact of rising temperatures. The resulting erosion of glacial slopes has heightened the risk of floods, landslides, and avalanches, endangering millions living in mountainous areas. The region has witnessed devastating disasters in recent years. In 2021, more than 200 people were killed when a section of a glacier collapsed in Uttarakhand, sending a deadly mix of ice, rock and water hurtling through a mountain gorge and destroying a dam in its path. Ursula von der Leyen addresess the media at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday. Photograph: Wiktor Dabkowski/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock A five-part plan to bolster Europes defence industry and increase its military capability could raise nearly 800bn (660bn) and help provide urgent military support for Ukraine after the US suspended aid to Kyiv, the head of the European Commission has said. Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday the 27-member bloc would propose giving member states more fiscal space for defence investments, as well as 150bn in loans for those investments, and would also aim to mobilise private capital. Presenting the ReArm Europe package in Brussels, von der Leyen said: This is a moment for Europe, and we are ready to step up. The proposals could mobilise close to 800bn of defence expenditures for a safe and resilient Europe, she added. Later on Tuesday, the prospective partners in Germanys next government said they would seek to loosen the nations debt rules to allow for higher defence spending. Friedrich Merz, the conservative leader who is trying to put together a coalition government with the centre-left Social Democrats, said the two sides would propose exempting spending of more than 1% of gross domestic product on defence from rules that limit the governments ability to borrow money, known as the debt brake. The announcements in Berlin and Brussels came after Washingtons decision to suspend all US military aid to Ukraine, blocking billions of dollars worth of ammunition, vehicles and other vital equipment as Donald Trump piles pressure on Kyiv to agree a peace deal with Russia. The US presidents announcement came after heated exchanges in the White House on Friday between Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and a crisis meeting in London on Sunday at which European leaders rallied round Kyiv. Trumps direct approach to Russia on ending the Ukraine war has thrown Ukraines future into question and left Europe contemplating the stark prospect of the US withdrawing longer-term support from Ukraine and from its European allies. EU leaders are due to discuss the proposals at a special summit devoted to defence spending in Brussels on Thursday although diplomats have said immediate decisions beyond strong commitments were unlikely. A new era is upon us, the commission president wrote to EU leaders. Europe faces a clear and present danger on a scale that none of us has seen in our adult lifetime We are living in the most momentous and dangerous of times. The commissions plan includes 150bn of new joint EU borrowing that would be lent to EU governments to fund pan-European capabilities in areas such as air and missile defence, artillery systems, missiles, ammunition, drones and other needs. It will help member states to pool demand and to buy together. This will reduce costs, reduce fragmentation, increase interoperability and strengthen our defence industrial base, von der Leyen said. With this equipment, member states can massively step up their support to Ukraine. So, immediate military equipment for Ukraine, she added. The commission would also propose loosening the fiscal constraints the EU puts on government spending to allow member states to significantly increase their defence expenditures without triggering punishing budget deficit rules, she said. If member states increase their defence spending by 1.5% of GDP on average, this could create fiscal space of close to 650bn over a period of four years, von der Leyen said. Defence spending in many EU states is below the Nato target of 2% of GDP. The package also includes action by the European Investment Bank which EU member states want to drop limits on lending to defence firms and on a savings and investments union to help European companies access capital. Frances finance minister, Eric Lombard, said on Tuesday that his country would have to spend faster and harder on defence even if it meant it would have to make savings elsewhere, though the welfare system would largely remain intact. Lombard rejected seizing Russian assets to fund European military spending, saying Pariss position was that these Russian assets belong notably to the Russian central bank and seizing them would be contrary to international agreements. The European Commission insisted that the US remained an ally, saying that it was not up to us to comment on decisions or announcements that are made on the other side of the Atlantic. Deputy chief spokesperson Stefan de Keersmaecker told reporters: We know that its important to support Ukraine also in its defence also to make sure that its in a better negotiating place. Credit: La Radio Canaria Tourists have been warned to stay indoors as heavy flooding swept debris through the streets of the Canary Islands. Video and pictures from the town of Telde, one of the worst hit areas on the eastern half of Gran Canaria, showed cars being swept out to sea by muddy flood waters. People were seen helping drivers escape from their cars out of the path of fallen trees and other abandoned cars carried by the torrent. Submerged cars drifted down streets in Telde - Reuters Torrential rainfall has battered the islands including Gran Canaria and Tenerife for several days now. The government issued a severe weather alert on Sunday warning of rain, hail and snow. The storms could last until today on parts of the island chain, according to AEMET. Flood waters trapped at least 80 people in a supermarket in Tenerife, who could not reach their vehicles as a result of the high water levels in a car park, local media reported. Emergency services worked to pump water out of the car park to enable people to leave the building. The severe rainfall comes during the islands carnival celebrations, with many events being cancelled or rescheduled. People stand near a car that was swept away in the Las Bachilleras ravine, Telde - Reuters The owner of a damaged car inspects his vehicle - Reuters The annual festival, due to end on March 9, features a drag queen competition and parades with fancy dress. In recent years, floods in Spain have become more frequent and severe. Freak storms in Valencia last year killed more than 200 people and caused extensive damage to the eastern Spanish region, exacerbated by what critics characterised as a lack of warning and preparedness from the regional and Spanish governments. Credit: TASNIM_Military Iran has unveiled a new miniature jet-powered stealth fighter drone that it says can carry out bombing and reconnaissance missions. Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corpss (IRGC) naval wing, said: With its high speed, the JAS 313 can efficiently carry out its missions. He introduced it during a ceremony onboard the Shahid Bagheri, the Iranian navys drone carrier. Footage showed the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which is a smaller version of Irans Qaher 313 prototype stealth fighter, dwarfed by the carriers runway as it took off for flight tests. According to Mr Tangsiri, the drone was designed specifically for taking off from such runways and is expected to be fully operational soon. [The] JAS drone performs both reconnaissance and bombing missions for the IRGC Navy, he said. However, some Iranian social media users mocked the tiny aircraft, with one saying, you could find a cheaper and more efficient one on Amazon. The new fighter drone has a jet engine, allowing it to travel at high speed Last week the US imposed sanctions on entities in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland that were accused of facilitating Tehrans acquisition of parts for its drone programmes. Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, said: Iran continues to try to find new ways to procure the key components it needs to bolster its UAV weapons program through new front companies and third-country suppliers. Iran has invested heavily in its drone development in recent years and 1,000 new UAVs were delivered to the army in January. Iranian drones have been used across the region in Syria and Yemen, and Russia has made heavy use of Iranian-developed Shahed attack drones to bombard Ukrainian cities. Last month, a drone launched by Russia struck the protective shell covering the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Ukrainian media released images of the UAVs engine, which appeared to be from a Shahed. Iran is bracing for more showdowns with Israel and the United States, particularly following Donald Trumps maximum pressure campaign on Tehran. Iran is the first country to be publicly placed on the highest tier of the UKs foreign influence register - Majid Saeedi Iran and any agents acting on its behalf are to be declared a security threat and forced to register their activities in the UK or face five years in jail. Dan Jarvis, the security minister, said on Tuesday that the whole Iranian state including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its intelligence agency will be placed in the highest category of a new foreign influence register. In a statement to the Commons, Mr Jarvis said this would include any proxy group or individual directed by Iran to conduct activities on behalf of Iran such as criminal recruits previously caught carrying out surveillance in the UK. He also announced that Jonathan Hall, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, will look at whether there should be a new proscription mechanism for hostile states like Iran and bodies such as the IRGC linked to them. The list of proscribed groups is currently restricted to terrorist groups with the Government having previously resisted demands to ban the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. Mr Jarvis said the list would continue to be kept under constant review. Mr Jarvis said Iran had become increasingly emboldened, asserting itself more aggressively to advance their objectives and undermine ours. The Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to disrupt and degrade the threats that we face from Iran. Dan Jarvis, the security minister, said the UK had thwarted 20 plots since 2022 - Heathcliff O'Malley He said the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) was a critical disruptive tool for the UK for the state, its agents and criminal proxies. They will face a choice: expose their actions to the Government or face jail, he said. All police forces in the UK are being offered training by counter-terror police in how to spot state threat incidents, Mr Jarvis told MPs. This will mean that when any front line officer encounters a suspected state threat incident they will know what to do, and what to look for to ensure our communities are kept safe, he added. Mr Jarvis revealed that the UK intelligence and police had thwarted 20 plots since 2022 that presented potentially lethal threats to British citizens or UK residents. Iran is the first country to be publicly placed on the enhanced tier of FIRS, which is targeted at hostile states where anyone carrying out any activity who fails to register will face up to five years in jail. Mr Jarvis refused to be drawn on whether China would also be included in the enhanced tier although ministers have previously rejected calls for the Communist state to be declared such a security threat. The minister told MPs that the announcements on other countries such as China and Russia would be made in due course. The Government intends for the FIRS scheme to be up and running by the summer. Ireland is proud of the role its peacekeepers have played in areas such as southern Lebanon - AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS Ireland could join a British-led European peacekeeping force in Ukraine as Dublin plans to buy new fighter jets and double the size of its navy. The move is a boost to Sir Keir Starmers hopes of building a coalition of the willing to police a future peace deal, which has been dealt a blow by Donald Trumps decision to pause aid to Ukraine. The Prime Minister has called for a British and French-led Europe-plus force that would put boots on the ground in Ukraine, provided it is backed by US military guarantees. Ireland has a long-standing policy of military neutrality but also of taking part in UN peacekeeping missions, which are a source of national pride. It has soldiers stationed in the Middle East and Africa and deployed peacekeepers as part of UN and EU missions in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. An Irish Department of Defence spokesman told The Telegraph that Ireland would take part in discussions over the force. In relation to the potential to deploy peacekeepers as part of any future peacekeeping mission, we do not believe we should recuse ourselves from such conversations in the event where a peace deal was agreed, the defence ministry spokesman said. We will not be found wanting Simon Harris, the defence minister and deputy prime minister, later told the Financial Times: Ireland has not been found wanting when it comes to opening our doors to Ukrainians fleeing conflict and also non-lethal military support. If the circumstances arise, we will not be found wanting in terms of peacekeeping either. The Baltic states and Finland, which all border Russia, could be involved in the coalition of the willing. The Netherlands has not ruled it out. Nato members Canada and even Turkey could contribute but Italy and Poland have ruled it out at this stage. The spokesman said: Ireland stands firmly behind Ukraine in the face of Russias brutal war. In fact, just this week, Irelands Tanaiste and minister for defence Simon Harris is seeking Cabinet approval to provide a further 100 million in financial support for Ukraine. Mr Harris is also pushing to end Irelands triple lock, which is a mechanism that stops more than 12 Irish peacekeepers being deployed without the backing of the parliament, government and UN. Simon Harris, Irelands foreign minister, wants to end the triple lock mechanism limiting its deployment of peacekeeping troops - Virginia Mayo/Virginia Mayo But that is controversial in Ireland, with Sinn Fein, the opposition party, saying Irish people want to preserve both neutrality and the triple lock. Ireland plans to spend more than 2 billion on the fighter jets, which would be its first acquisition in 50 years, and end decades of reliance on the UK to protect its skies. The Irish Times reported that Mr Harris had asked for detailed costings and timelines for between eight and 14 combat aircraft, which is estimated to cost between 60 million and 100 million annually over the next 20 to 25 years. Under his proposals, the Irish Naval Service will double its fleet to 12 ships and be renamed the Irish Navy, which will give Ireland a defensive conventional maritime warfighting capability. Could only sail a single ship at times The Irish Defence Forces, which includes the army, navy and air corps, had 7,550 permanent personnel at the end of 2023. Last year, faced with a staffing crisis, it outsourced naval recruitment to a private company. The manpower problems were so acute, Ireland could only sail a single ship at times last year and several sailings were cancelled. Mr Harris has called for Irelands defence budget, the lowest in the EU, to triple in size in the years ahead. Ireland is running a healthy budget surplus but it is also vulnerable because of its exports to US tariffs if Donald Trump starts a trade war with the EU. EU leaders including Micheal Martin, Irelands Taoiseach, will be in Brussels on Thursday to discuss Ukraine and boosting Europes defence spending in talks dominated by Mr Trumps decision to pause aid to Kyiv. Mr Martin will then face a diplomatic tightrope in Washington next week, when he meets Mr Trump for the annual St Patricks Day celebrations where he will be expected to make Europes case for continued support for Ukraine. JD Vance has said the best security guarantee for Ukraine is to guarantee US economic interests in country. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock The US vice-president, JD Vance, said that the best way to protect Ukraine from another Russian invasion is to guarantee the US has a financial interest in Ukraines future. If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine, Vance said in the interview with Fox News Sean Hannity which aired on Monday night. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years, he said. Related: Britain is back: did Ukraine crisis talks create a post-Brexit turning point? The interview aired the same day the White House reportedly announced it was pausing military aid to Ukraine and days after Donald Trump clashed with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the Oval Office. What is the actual plan here? You cant just fund the war forever. The American people wont stand for that, Vance said. This interview was recorded in advance, so it is unclear whether Vance was aware that the US would have paused aid by the time it aired. Vance and Hannity spoke about Fridays contentious meeting, which Vance said he tried to defuse. He said that the doors were still open for negotiations. There was a lack of respect. There was a certain sense of entitlement, Vance said about Zelenskyy. They showed a clear unwillingness to discuss the peaceful settlement that President Trump has tried to bring to this situation. Before Fridays meeting, a minerals deal was meant to establish a joint fund between the US and Ukraine that would receive revenues from the mining of rare earth metals and other precious minerals in Ukraine, as well as some oil and gas revenues. Later in Mondays interview, Vance doubled down on his criticism on European leaders over free speech and democracy. The vice-president claimed that the Biden administration promoted censorship. These ideas are going to destroy western civilization, Vance said. Theyre going to destroy Europe, and they would destroy the United States of America if we allowed them to fester. He went on to repeat anti-immigrant rhetoric, claiming mass migration poses a major threat to Europe. By the end of the interview, the conversation had turned to anti-trans topics, just days after Trump signed an executive order barring transgender athletes from competing in womens sports. Iain McNicol told the Treasurys consultation that Astra Protocols team meant it was uniquely placed to provide meaningful insights into the challenges and opportunities of crypto assets. Composite: Guardian Design/AFP/Getty Images/Rex Features A Labour peer who served on Keir Starmers frontbench wrote to the Treasury on behalf of a cryptocurrency firm that was paying him as an adviser, raising questions about whether this was within the rules. Iain McNicol, 55, advised the Dubai- and Zurich-based Astra Protocol, a tech startup that launched a cryptocurrency token, which has plunged in value by 99.7% since its peak. His role at the firm was announced in January 2023, and he wrote to the Treasury in June that year offering its views on regulation as a submission to a consultation that had closed two months earlier. A consultation is a process of inviting views on an issue to help inform government decision-making. In his letter, Lord McNicol, a former general secretary of the Labour party, wrote that the firm had assembled an esteemed team of industry veterans and high-profile political advisers, with extensive experience in crypto. He told the Treasury consultation that Astra Protocols team meant it was uniquely placed to provide meaningful insights into the challenges and opportunities that come with regulating DeFi [decentralised finance] and other crypto assets. He cautioned in the letter against allowing regulation to stifle innovation. In a covering email, he acknowledged that the deadline for the consultation had passed, saying: This is a long shot and if not considered as a submission then, hopefully, helpful background information for you. The peer added: If you do wish to follow up we would be more than happy to go into further detail. Related: What are the House of Lords rules and what happens if they are broken? He referred to Astra Protocols unique offering and expertise on cryptocurrency, and signed the letter as Lord Iain McNicol of West Kilbride Advisor, Astra Protocol. The email and letter from McNicol to the Treasury were released under Freedom of Information laws. Tom Brake, the director of Unlock Democracy and a former deputy leader of the House of Commons, said there were questions over whether McNicols approach to Treasury officials fell foul of House of Lords rules that prohibit peers from providing parliamentary services to organisations that are paying them. Peers are allowed to take on paid roles and must list them on a public register, but unlike MPs they do not have to declare how much they earn unless working for a foreign state. The House of Lords rules at the time stated: The prohibition on accepting payment in return for parliamentary services means that members may not, in return for payment or other incentive or reward, assist outside organisations or persons in influencing members of either house, ministers or officials. This includes seeking by means of participation in proceedings of the house to confer exclusive benefit upon the organisation or person, or making use of their position to lobby, or to help others to lobby, members of either house, ministers or officials, by whatever means. Brake said: Urgent clarification is needed from the House of Lords commissioners on whether this action was within the rules. If it is deemed in order, then there is a very strong case that the Guardian has identified a loophole which needs to be promptly plugged. Astra Protocol, whose advisory board includes the former EU commissioner Phil Hogan and a former chief of staff to Donald Trumps White House, Mick Mulvaney, marketed itself as a fintech startup aiming to develop tools to help crypto firms with regulatory compliance. However, by July 2023 the companys $ASTRA token had lost 99.7% of its value. By October 2023, McNicol had joined Starmers frontbench in the House of Lords, a role he held until the general election in July last year. McNicol told the Guardian he had given up his paid consultancy role at Astra Protocol in September 2023, but had kept the entry on his Lords register of interests since then because he was offering occasional strategic advice to the firm. It is still listed under the category of remunerated employment. McNicols spokesperson said: Lord McNicol responded openly to a public consultation in 2023 and made clear on his social media and in the written submission to the consultation that he did so in his capacity as a strategic adviser to Astra Protocol. The response was emailed to public enquiries at the Treasury and was one of over 130 to the public consultation. At no point in the process did he meet with or speak to any minister or civil servant. Lord McNicols external strategic advice to Astra focused on the importance of anti money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) technology. His paid advisory work for Astra ceased at the end of September 2023. In May last year, while a member of Starmers frontbench team, McNicol gave a speech at the British Blockchain Association about Labours plans for the fintech sector, during which he mentioned his role advising the firm, by then known as Astra Enterprise, describing it as developing anti-money-laundering technology. McNicol made his speech as an avatar addressing a conference in a futuristic virtual reality setting, according to a video still on YouTube. Labour is keen to prevent the UK slipping behind in a fast-moving industry such as this, he told the virtual audience. And with such strong competition globally thats going to be very easy to do. We want fintech businesses to stay and to choose to locate themselves here. His speech is likely to raise questions about why a then shadow minister spoke across both his private interests and Labour policy. McNicol was also until then an adviser to a communications and lobbying outfit, Stonehaven, and to another business, Kekst CNC, until December. Stonehaven decided to part company with peers after an outcry about its decision to make Charlotte Vere, a former transport minister, a partner. According to McNicols register of interests he is still an adviser to Astra Enterprise, which rebranded from Astra Protocol last year, with two of its original founders still apparently part of the management. According to its social media, the original Astra Protocol company now appears entirely separate under a new Astra branding, with a new chief executive. It released a statement in October 2024 saying it was under new management and would honour its commitments to those who had bought cryptocurrency tokens. McNicol is a former trade unionist and was general secretary of the Labour party from 2011 to 2018, during the Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn years. Before that, he was national political officer at the GMB union. Since entering the Lords, his declarations on the register of interests show he has acquired a portfolio of roles in financial services. Since 2019 he has chaired the oversight board of a for-profit social enterprise money lender called Salad Projects, ending in January this year, and in 2023 he was retained to act as a strategic adviser to the Investing and Saving Alliance, an industry group. He also has a consulting firm, McNicol Consulting, whose only client appears to be the International Republican Institute, described as a non-profit, non-partisan organisation working to support and strengthen democratic institutions. Its board is mostly drawn from members of the US Republican party. Authorities in Japan have warned that the countrys biggest wildfire in decades is likely to spread, after it damaged dozens of homes and forced more than 1,000 people to flee. Fires continued to rage a week after they broke out in the city of Ofunato, on the north-east coast, with weather officials speculating that this years unusually dry winter and strong winds were to blame. As of Monday, the fire had spread through about 2,100 hectares of land, damaged 84 homes and forced 1,200 residents to take refuge in school gymnasiums and other shelters. A further 2,000 are staying with friends or relatives. Local authorities believe that the blaze may have been responsible for the death of a man whose body was discovered on a road in the city late last week. More than 2,000 self-defence force [SDF] troops and firefighters have struggled to control the flames as they spread through heavily forested mountainous areas bordering Ofunato, which was among communities destroyed in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The fire has significant force, the citys mayor, Kiyoshi Fuchigami, told reporters this week, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. We are concerned that it will spread further. The prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, has vowed to deploy as many firefighters and SDF personnel as necessary in an attempt to limit the damage. Although it is inevitable that the fire will spread to some extent, we will take all possible measures to ensure there will be no impact on peoples homes, he told MPs. Relief could be on the way, however. The meteorological agency said snow should start falling from early on Wednesday and turn into rain from around noon. Four days after the fire started, aerial footage from the public broadcaster NHK showed the burned-out frames of buildings, and flames and thick white smoke rising from other structures in the worst-hit neighbourhoods of Ofunato, a city of about 40,000 people located 500 km north of Tokyo. The wildfire is the biggest in Japan since the late 1980s, according to the fire and disaster management agency. Fires have broken out in other regions this winter, including mountainous Nagano prefecture, but have been brought under control, local media reported. Regions in north-east Japan have experienced their driest winter since the meteorological agency began keeping records in 1946. Ofunato saw just 2.5mm of rainfall throughout February, according to the meteorological agency compared with an average of 41 mm for the same month in previous years. The weather conditions are dry, winds are strong, and the terrain is steep, Yoshiya Touge, a professor of water resource research at Kyoto University, told the Japan Times. And the trees, many of which are conifers, are highly flammable. These factors contribute to the fire spreading at a faster rate. The number of wildfires in Japan has declined since the peak in the 1970s, according to government data. But there were about 1,300 across the country in 2023, concentrated in the February to April period when the air dries and winds pick up. The United States has halted military aid to Ukraine on Monday, pausing the delivery of billions of dollars worth of arms and other military assistance previously authorised under the Biden administration. The decision comes after an explosive showdown in the White House on Friday, during which US President Donald Trump grew increasingly irritated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys perceived lack of gratitude for US support and his unwillingness to commit to a ceasefire with Russia. Trump told Mr Zelensky that he was gambling with World War III and that he should come back when he is ready for peace. The announcement has left experts unsure how long Ukraine can survive without US military aid if Mr Zelensky does not accept Trumps calls for an immediate ceasefire. How long can Ukraine hold out without US military aid? Exactly how long Ukraine can survive without US military aid is uncertain. In February, Mr Zelensky told NBC News that US military support was critical for Ukraines survival and that the nation has a low chance of defending itself from Russia without it. This assessment was echoed by Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former deputy head of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who told Al Jazeera that Ukraine will last six months without US military support and Europe cant possibly replace American aid. Experts in the US agreed that the withdrawal of military support in Ukraine could be fatal. The bottom line is that no, Ukraine cannot survive without US support, a US government official told The Washington Post. He said that Europe would be unable to supply US technologies including NASAMs [national advanced surface-to-air missile systems], Patriots [missile defense] systems and HIMARS [multiple launch rocket systems] that were essential to Ukraines defense strategy. The US has huge stockpiles of weapons, they are a supplier of critically important intelligence information, Andriy Zolotarev, director of the Third Sector Analytical Center, a Kyiv-based think tank, told Voice of America. Trumps decision may have wider implications for Ukraine and beyond, Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a former deputy US national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia, told The Washington Post. She said that if the US were to abandon Ukraine, European nations may be encouraged to follow their track, since the war might look like a lost cause without US support. Why has the US pulled military aid? The announcement follows Trumps tense clash with Mr Zelensky at the White House on Friday. Trump told the Ukrainian president that he should be more appreciative of US military support and that a peace deal with Russia should not be that hard a deal to make. He added that it could be made very fast and that if somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long. Following the televised meeting, Mr Zelensky continued to irk Trump by saying that the end of the war was still very, very far away. Trump then posted on social media that this is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump added: This guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing. On Monday, a White House official said: The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. Where do Ukraine and the US go from here? The implications of the Trump administrations decision are still unknown. US Vice President JD Vance implied that Mr Zelensky still has the option to repair ties with Trump. Of course, the door is open, Mr Vance told Fox News. When theyre willing to talk peace, I think President Trump will be the first person to pick up the phone. France, Britain and other European countries have offered to send troops to Ukraine if there was a ceasefire, but experts are not confident that support from Europe will be enough. By freezing military aid to Ukraine, President Trump has kicked the door wide open for Putin to escalate his violent aggression against innocent Ukrainians. The repercussions will undoubtedly be devastating, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told Reuters. Keir Starmer has announced a cut in the foreign aid budget to fund an increase in defence spending - TOLGA AKMEN/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine and the dramatic shift in American policy since the return of President Trump have destroyed the post-Cold War status quo, and it is essential that we respond to the volatile and changing reality. Thats why Liberal Democrats know that defence spending must rise to 2.5 per cent as soon as possible, and with a view to reaching 3 per cent. We called for the rise in defence spending before the Prime Minister announced it but we would fund it differently doing so at the expense of development spending is ultimately counterproductive. We believe the decision taken last week to cut the international development budget is a short-sighted mistake that will harm British security. Britain faces huge challenges: growing our economy after years of stagnation, rescuing our NHS after years of underfunding and mismanagement, securing our borders, and strengthening this countrys defences. There are few easy solutions but reducing development spending from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) risks all of them. It is a moral and strategic error. The three instruments of foreign policy Defence works in collaboration with development and diplomacy the three instruments of foreign policy are indivisible and together can be employed to promote economic growth, to increase our national security, and to secure our borders. Through tools like the Integrated Security Fund which addresses the highest priority threats to British national security and is partly financed through official development assistance (ODA) we invest in peace and resilience-building because we know that when fragile states collapse, it will have consequences for the safety of the British people, and because we know that preventing wars is better and cheaper than fighting them. We also protect our own borders, because when conflicts escalate even in far-off places about which most of us do not regularly think vast numbers of people can be displaced. Today, more people are refugees than at any other time since the end of the Second World War. In Sudan, the worlds largest humanitarian crisis is currently unfolding over half the population are facing acute food insecurity. It is right for the United Kingdom to increase humanitarian aid for Sudan and to work for peace through all levers available to us as the penholder in the UN Security Council. At the same time, however, we must be clear-eyed about the fact that last year, at least 2,000 people from Sudan made the crossing to the UK on small boats, an increase of 16 per cent on the previous year. When we invest in deconfliction, we invest in a stable world and the benefits of that for our own borders and security. Following Elon Musk and President Trumps gutting of USAID, we have watched the United States retreat from the forefront of global development, and now we are following them. When we step back, actors fill the gap who do not share our values. Whether that is China moving into regions vacated by USAID, or Russian state-owned radio taking over radio frequencies in Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territories that previously carried BBC World Service broadcasting, it inevitably diminishes our influence. In the long run that affects trade and growth and so our prosperity. In addition to securing our borders and bolstering our national security, development spending can serve growth and health-related objectives. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is one of the most remarkable successes in the history of UK development leadership. We played a crucial role in founding, and have since been the largest sovereign donor, in the Alliance which is responsible for immunising over one billion children and saving an estimated 18 million lives. In its quarter-century of operation, Gavi has cut childhood mortality by over half and contributed an estimated 200 billion in economic benefits to supported countries. Through improvements in public health, countries can grow into stable partners for trade and cooperation. British science and industry also benefit directly from the work of organisations like Gavi, which sources vaccines from British manufacturers, supports UK-led medical research, and engages with City of London financial institutions to secure funding. Moreover, global health security cannot be a distant concern. We saw in late 2019 and early 2020, how quickly an outbreak on the far side of the world can develop into a threat. Disease knows no borders without well-funded international health programs, future outbreaks could reach the UK more quickly and risk overwhelming our NHS. When Leader of the Opposition in 2021, the now-Prime Minister argued passionately for the value of development spending, that trying to pit defence and development against one another represented a false economy. He would do well to remember those words now. Instead, he is relinquishing global leadership and risking more conflict, more disease, more displaced people, and more cost to Britain as a result. Monica Harding is the Liberal Democrat MP for Esher and Walton, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. She currently undertakes the role of Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (International Development). Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Well-wishers praying in front of a statue of Pope John Paul II at the entrance to the Gemelli hospital on Monday. Photograph: Riccardo Antimiani/EPA Pope Francis remained stable on Tuesday and did not suffer any further respiratory crises, the Vatican has said. The pope, who has pneumonia in both lungs, has been at the Gemelli hospital in Rome for more than two weeks. The Vatican said in its evening update that the pontiff, 88, remained stable and had had no episodes of respiratory failure or bronchospasm, which is an asthma-style attack. It said Francis had no fever and had been receiving high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula since Tuesday morning. It also said his breathing overnight would be aided by non-invasive mechanical ventilation until Wednesday morning, adding he was always alert and collaborating with therapies. A Vatican official said the popes overall clinical condition, for example his heart and kidney health, was stable compared with previous days, but that he was continuing treatment within a complex framework and was not out of danger. The situation has been touch and go since the pope was admitted to hospital on 14 February. The Vatican said the two episodes of acute respiratory failure on Monday were caused by significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and a consequent bronchospasm. Francis also suffered a bronchospasm on Friday that caused him to vomit and inhale vomit. That episode followed a prolonged breathing crisis on 22 February, which required blood transfusions for a low platelet count. Bronchospasms are not unexpected in a patient with complex pneumonia, the Vatican official said. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a senior Vatican official, will replace Pope Francis in leading the Ash Wednesday service, which marks the beginning of the Christian season of Lent, on Romes Aventine Hill. On some days since his admission, however, Francis, who has been pontiff since 2013 and is often described as working himself to exhaustion, has continued to lead the Vatican from his hospital room, including approving individuals for sainthood last week. He has also made several staff appointments, and on Friday the Vatican released a papal letter to participants in a church training course in Rome, which was signed by Francis with a note to say it was sent from Gemelli hospital. Nightly prayer vigils for the popes health continued to take place at St Peters Basilica as well as in towns and cities across Italy and abroad. Vigils have also been held outside the Gemelli, which has long been the preferred hospital for pontiffs. Francis is prone to lung infections because he developed pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed while training to be a priest in his native Argentina. The pope has suffered from ill health in recent years. He was admitted to hospital in March 2023 for what was diagnosed as pneumonia. He underwent a colon operation in June 2021. The pontiff has often been seen using a wheelchair or a walking stick as a result of sciatic nerve pain and a knee problem. Before his latest hospital admission, the pope maintained an intense schedule, especially with events related to the Catholic jubilee year. Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, missed his traditional Angelus prayer for a third straight Sunday and the Vatican issued a written text instead. In it, the pope thanked well-wishers for their prayers, saying: I feel all your affection and closeness and, at this particular time, I feel as if I am carried and supported by all Gods people. Thank you all. Immature Katie Evans was regrettably susceptible to manipulation, said a judge - South Yorkshire Police/PA An immature female prison officer told a jailed robber she was his queen during their relationship, a court heard. Katie Evans, 26, a mother of one, wept in the dock as she was jailed for 21 months for starting an intimate relationship with inmate Daniel Brownley at Doncaster Prison in South Yorkshire. Evans had more than 140 phone calls with him, moved money around bank accounts for him, and supplied him with information the prison held on him, said Judge Jeremy Richardson KC at Sheffield Crown Court. The court was told last week that Evans admitted an intimate relationship with Brownley, but prosecutors said it was not clear whether she accepted this was sexual. The judge heard she had boasted to a former prison officer that she had performed a sex act on the inmate, and the defendant referred to herself as your queen when talking to Brownley. He corrupted you, not the reverse On Tuesday, Judge Richardson told Evans: It appears you indulged in some form of sexual activity in the prison. It is truly a terrible situation for a judge to be passing sentence on a former prison officer who has been branded a corrupt prison officer. Judge Richardson told Evans he corrupted you and not the reverse, adding: Im entirely satisfied you were manipulated by an experienced criminal to assist him. But he said: Your misconduct materially affected the good order and discipline of the prison. The judge said Evans was young and immature at the time of the offending in 2020 and that she was regrettably susceptible to manipulation. You were inexperienced and immature but that is, however, no excuse for what you did, he told her. He said he accepted she was genuinely remorseful and posed no danger to the public in the future. Judge Richardson said the sentence of 21 months should have been longer but, purely as an act of mercy, he reduced it to take into account the effect it will have on her relationship with her young daughter and the difficulties she will have in prison as a former officer. The judge also outlined the issues prisons are currently having with accommodating inmates serving short sentences. But he said the offending was so serious that only an immediate sentence of imprisonment is appropriate in this case. Evans, of Hatfield, Doncaster, admitted misconduct in a public office at a previous hearing. Still crying, she waved at family members in the public gallery as she was led from the dock. The court heard that Brownley had been jailed for five and a half years in 2016 for attempted robbery, burglary and handling stolen goods. He had been released but was back in prison in 2020 after he was recalled for breaching his licence conditions. Downham Preparatory School A dozen private schools have blamed the Governments VAT raid for forcing them to close since the policy was first touted. Twelve schools have directly linked their closures or planned closures to Labours tax raid, while scores more have shuttered since the policy was first seriously discussed by the party. The policy came into force on Jan 1, and made private school fees subject to 20 per cent VAT for the first time. According to Department for Education statistics, 77 private schools and independent specialist schools in England have shut down since it was revealed in October 2023 that Labour would apply VAT to fees within its first year of power. Four schools have pointed the finger at the levy for forcing them to close down so far, while a further eight have announced plans to shut in the coming months and blamed VAT. St Josephs Preparatory School, in Stoke on Trent, closed in December, on the eve of the VATs introduction. The school said the incredibly difficult decision was made ahead of the changes coming regarding independent school funding. Roisin Maguire, who was head teacher at the Catholic school for 12 years, said the school was forced to close because parents simply could not manage an extra 20 per cent on fees and warned that further school closures would follow. Two Scottish schools have also accused the tax raid of causing them to buckle, including Cedars School in Greenock, which closed at the end of September. It described the VAT raid as the straw that broke the camels back. Kilgraston School in Perthshire, Scotlands only Catholic boarding school, also said it would close last August. In a letter to parents, it claimed the VAT policy would exacerbate its falling pupil roll and hammer the schools finances, which had already racked up a 860,000 shortfall in the last academic year. Other private schools that have already shuttered and blamed the tax raid include Alton School in Hampshire and Downham Preparatory School in Norfolk. Both of these closed before the general election last July, but their head teachers claimed they would not be able to subsidise VAT on fees under an incoming Labour government, making them unaffordable for parents. Alton School said adverse political and economic factors had drained pupil numbers and left it unviable to run, while Downham Prep claimed the prospect of VAT on fees was the nail in the coffin since it was already borrowing money, so we couldnt absorb any of that. A further eight have announced plans to shutter at the end of the school year and pointed the finger at VAT. They include St Hildas Prep School for Girls in Hertfordshire, which announced last week it is consulting over a planned closure as early as this summer. The school counts former home secretary Suella Braverman among its alumni. In a letter to parents, St Hildas said the financial difficulties facing the school were substantial and warned it was currently operating at a significant loss. It added: Coupled with falling pupil numbers, the school is also facing significant financial challenges, including the implementation of VAT on school fees from January 2025, the increase in employer National Insurance contributions and the removal of 80 per cent business rates relief from April 2025. Downham Preparatory School in Norfolk claimed the VAT raid was the nail in the coffin Other schools have announced their closures since Labour first firmly committed to introducing VAT on fees, although they have not linked the decisions directly to the tax policy. Most of the schools that have collapsed to date had amassed serious financial losses or suffered from dwindling pupil rolls over the past years, making them vulnerable to political changes. The Government has insisted that around 50 mainstream private schools in England shut in a typical year, alongside smaller specialist schools and others across the UK. However, the sector has warned that a fresh wave of schools is expected to close when the Government strips charitable private schools in England of their business rates relief next month. This will force them to pay full business rates on buildings for the first time. Experts have suggested that smaller private schools will be most at risk compared with larger and more historic institutions such as Eton College, where parents can more readily afford fee rises and which usually have bigger reserves. Treasury estimates suggest the raid will lead to 37,000 fewer private school pupils in the long term a fall of around 6 per cent, many of whom will face a scramble for state school places. On Monday, a Labour MP called on the Government to consider reversing the policy if the economy grows. Rupa Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton, warned that the private school sector was not one size fits all and that the VAT levy would make an elitist system more elitist. The Government says in their response [that] ending tax breaks to private schools was a tough but necessary decision. I mean, could there be when this growth comes a way of undoing it or something? she said. What I would suggest is possibly doing it on a turnover basis so for your enormous schools that can afford it, yes but for the smaller ones who have been caught in this trap, no, she told a House of Commons debate on the topic. The Government is currently facing legal action over its flagship education policy after the Independent Schools Council (ISC) launched a High Court challenge. The lobby group, which represents more than 1,400 private schools, has argued that the VAT raid undermines the human rights of some children, with a judicial review hearing set to take place from April 1 to 3. Julie Robinson, chief executive of the ISC, said earlier this year that the impact of the Governments VAT policy would increase over the coming months and years. It is true that a small number of schools close every year. But it is equally true that the Governments triple tax whammy on independent schools will prove a bridge too far for schools already under financial pressure, she said. Neil OBrien, the shadow schools minister, warned that it will be parents, pupils, and teachers in the state sector that will pay the price for Labours ideological attack. Once again, we can see the deeply damaging impacts of Labours education tax, he said. Every independent school that is forced to close by this punitive measure represents more pupils that will need to be found places in state schools, many of which will struggle to accommodate them. Fewer parents will get their first choice of state school as a result. There are 130,000 children with special needs being educated in the independent sector at present, and if thousands of them are taxed into the state sector that will put a lot of pressure on special needs provision in the state sector. At the end of the day, it will be parents, pupils, and teachers in the state sector that will pay the price for Labours ideological attack. A government spokesman said: Ending tax breaks for private schools will raise 1.8 billion a year by 2029-30 to help fund public services, including supporting the 94 per cent of children in state schools to achieve and thrive. On average, around 50 mainstream private schools typically close each year. This is due to a range of reasons, including financial struggles and school standards issues. Local authorities and schools commonly support children and parents in these circumstances, we are confident in local state schools ability to accommodate new pupils. Iranian hardliners have become increasingly opposed to talks between the Islamic Republic and America following the Zelensky row - NurPhoto Iran is considering a request from Vladimir Putin to start direct talks with Donald Trump, The Telegraph has learned. A senior Iranian official has revealed that the Kremlin has contacted the Islamic Republics supreme national security council to facilitate direct talks between the two arch-enemies. On Tuesday, Russia confirmed that it had agreed to help facilitate talks between Mr Trump and Iran, including on Tehrans nuclear programme and its support for regional anti-US proxies. Iranian officials, however, are reluctant to accept the offer as hardliners have become increasingly opposed to the talks following the row between Mr Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House last week. Officials from the Kremlin contacted the supreme national security council and said Putin wants to mediate and hes ready to facilitate direct talks between Iran and America, an Iranian official told The Telegraph from Tehran. They said Trump wants to talk and is preferring it over war but, here, there is a big uncertainty around it after what happened in the White House last week. The offer feels like being stuck on a two-way road [where] one path leads to war and destruction and the other leads to humiliation. Yet, no one here wants to reject any offer from Putin yes, its a difficult situation. Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations and that Moscow is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this. A billboard in Tehran reads reliance on the wind as regime supporters say the humiliation of Zelensky became a lesson for those seeking negotiations with the US The report, picked up by Russian state media, quoted Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, as saying that Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations and that Moscow is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this. Mr Trump is thought to have gained leverage with Putin in recent weeks by taking a hard line on Ukraine and pushing for peace talks that appear to be on favourable terms to Russia. The Islamic Republic is in its weakest position since the 1979 revolution that brought the clerical regime into power. Israels attacks on Hezbollah and the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria have significantly damaged Irans regional influence. Its ability to threaten Israel through Hamas and Hezbollah has been crippled, and it has lost Syria as a weapons smuggling route. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is also under pressure from hardliners to lift a ban on building nuclear bombs. In response to a question asking whether Russia had offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington on Monday, a spokesman for Irans foreign ministry said it was only natural for countries to offer their assistance. Esmaeil Baghaei said: Given the significance of these matters, its possible that many parties will show good will and readiness to help with various problems. He added: From this perspective, its natural that countries will present an offer of help if its needed. However, a spokesperson for president Masoud Pezeshkians administration said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic will not negotiate under maximum pressure. Mr Trump has sent mixed messages on Iran since returning to the White House. He has expressed a preference for making a deal with Tehran but has also made it clear that he is considering US military action if negotiations fail. Trump blocks Iran nuclear weapon Last month, Mr Trump restored his maximum pressure campaign on Iran, including efforts to stop it from obtaining a nuclear weapon by driving its oil exports down to zero. But he has also expressed interest in quickly negotiating a verified nuclear peace agreement with Iran. Negotiations with the Trump administration now appear to be off the table in Tehran, according to Iranian officials. One official said that since Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskys row in Washington, moderates in Tehran who have been calling for talks with the US are sidelined and hardliners are getting dominance. He said: Anyone with any trace of moderation is not even allowed to discuss any level of negotiation with America. If someone dares to bring it up, they will be called clowns like Zelensky. He added: Since last week, hardliners seem to have gained new life, as if fresh blood has been poured into their veins they are now the dominant force. Tehran municipality put up billboards with images of Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump, with the slogans Reliance on the Wind and #The-Lesson-of-Ukraine warning Tehran against engaging in talks with the US. A hardline newspaper in Tehran described any negotiations with the Trump administration as treason. Kayhan, with its editor directly appointed by Ayatollah Khamenei, wrote on Monday: Talking about negotiations with the United States and presenting them as a solution to the countrys domestic problems is certainly not a rational approach if not outright treasonous. Iran is seeking ways to revive the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from in 2018, while the US is pushing for complete disarmament. Mr Trumps second term has begun with ambitious diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving several major international conflicts before reaching his first 100 days in office. The new administration has launched peace efforts across multiple fronts simultaneously, beginning with the Gaza conflict, then to Ukraine, and now engaging with Iran. Russia and Iran, both heavily sanctioned by the US, have strengthened ties in trade, energy and security. Russia has relied on Iranian drones in its war against Ukraine. With some of the newer additions to Netflixs fly-on-the-wall sports documentary canon falling by the wayside in recent months Six Nations Full Contact, Tour de France Unchained, Break Point it is worth noting that the OG of this format, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, is still going strong. DTS (so big it has its own initialism) is more relentless than Max Verstappen with the scent of Lando Norris in his nostrils. Season 7 is released this Friday and will be eagerly anticipated by DTS fans, not least because it deals with two of the more explosive Formula One storylines of recent times. Namely, Lewis Hamiltons shock move to Ferrari, and the Christian Horner Red Bull allegations, both of which occurred over the winter of 2023-24. Given the grade A material at its disposal, expectations will doubtless be high. But fans are likely to be only partially satisfied by a 10-episode series which has its moments but does not quite make the most of its spicy ingredients. For a start, those two storylines are largely dealt with in episode one, entitled Business as Usual, which as anyone who followed the Red Bull rumpus of 12 months ago will remember was the phrase Horner deployed whenever he was asked whether the allegations of inappropriate behaviour levelled at him by a female Red Bull employee had destabilised the team. The amount of content that Netflix must have mined this time 12 months ago might have filled an entire 10-episode series on its own. One suspects the lawyers must have been extremely busy over the winter to pare it down to what is actually shown here. That does include a delicious opening sequence to episode one, before the credits even roll, in which Horner and his wife, Geri Halliwell, get into their 4x4 at Horner Towers and set off on a trip somewhere, waxing lyrical about the season just gone (2023). Can you believe the year youve had? Geri asks. The statistics are crazy, Horner nods in response, reeling them off one by one. 21 out of 22 races [won]. Broke the record for the most wins in a year, the most podiums in a year, the most poles to wins in a year, the most points in a year, the biggest winning margin ever Red Bull chief Christian Horner and wife Geri Halliwell feature prominently in episode one Of course, you know what is coming down the tracks so the hubris is writ large, even before Geri utters: The truth is, you never know what lifes going to bring. You certainly dont. Episode one is, unsurprisingly, the strongest of the 10. There are some memorable moments Halliwell arriving hand-in-hand with Horner at the first race in Bahrain, rictus smile on her face; Horner calling Zak Brown a p---- after leaving a press conference in the Gulf kingdom in which the McLaren chief executive called for greater transparency in the Red Bull investigation (apparently it was c--- in the original but the final version is sanitised); Halliwell kissing Jos Verstappen after his sons victory in that race, which must have required superhuman effort on her part, especially given he then went and called publicly for her husband to go. But even with all the material at its disposal it is impossible for producers Box to Box to truly convey just how febrile the atmosphere was in Bahrain, or the following race in Saudi Arabia (which is dealt with very perfunctorily). It is the same with Hamiltons departure from Mercedes (which is relegated to the second storyline of episode one despite being arguably the biggest move in F1 history). The sense of awkwardness between Hamilton and Toto Wolff at the car launch in February is palpable, such as when Wolff goes in for a hug and Hamilton offers his hand, or when Hamilton offers very limited feedback on the car in Bahrain. But there was likely a whole lot more we did not see. This was a 24-race divorce, remember, which got so awkward that at one stage anonymous emails were being sent to the press purporting to be coming from an employee at Brackley and falsely accusing spurned Wolff of endangering Hamiltons life by sending him out on dodgy tyres in revenge for Hamilton moving to Ferrari (the email was referred to Northamptonshire police, who took no further action). There are some other nice moments in episode two, Frenemies, which deals with Norriss relationship with Max Verstappen, and offers plenty of insight. Norris is superb at showing vulnerability. Episode five, Le Curse of Leclerc, which follows the Ferrari driver in the week of his home race of Monaco, where Leclerc has always suffered dreadful luck but which he eventually wins in memory of his father Herve, who died just before Leclerc made it as a fully-fledged F1 driver. Episode seven In the Heat of the Night is also insightful, with Norris, Leclerc, Alex Albon, George Russell and Pierre Gasly equipped with special Netflix phones for the Singapore weekend and asked to document their antics. In between the banter and the joshing, you can see the complex social and professional dynamics at play between these drivers who first raced each other in karting. Russell and Albon teasing Norris about flying on a private jet with Verstappen (Oh yeah, Lando wouldnt want to fly commercial would he? Hes too big-time for that!). Or Norris taking the mickey out of himself. I think my nobs gone, says the McLaren driver as he lounges in an ice bath post-race. Its shrunk from 6-3! Centimetres? asks the Netflix camera operator. These are the moments in which DTS excels, when you are offered unvarnished glimpses of the drivers. Russell absolutely banjaxed after the Singapore race, hyperventilating behind a closed door. Or amusing insights, such as when the same driver pulls a duvet and a pillow out of his luggage. But so much of it is clearly scripted, and the increasing use of partners/wives/girlfriends/friends to carry out private chats as a means of developing a narrative is off-putting. For instance Susie Wolff talking to her husband about Hamiltons departure over breakfast in Monaco (although the Mercedes team boss does reveal he had an agreement with Hamilton not to talk to Verstappen, which he notes he is now free to do). All in all, its the usual bag. DTS fans will love it. And those who feel Netflix is the tail now wagging the F1 dog will hate it. You have to admire the fact that it continues to go from strength to strength though. Yep, they know what they are doing, these Netflix guys. In Formula 1, theres winners and w-----s. And you dont want to be in the w-----s category, remarks Horner at one point. F1 fans will enjoy being able to make their own minds up once more as to who belongs in which. Ukraine is defending positions on the western bank of the Dnipro River. Photograph: Press service of the 24 Mechanized brigade/EPA Russian forces are repeatedly trying to seize a foothold across Ukraines Dnipro River, dispatching troops on high-casualty missions to gain territory for future peace negotiations, according to the Ukrainian governor of Kherson region. Oleksandr Prokudin said Russian forces were trying to cross in four locations to justify their claim to the whole oblast, one of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow says it wants to incorporate. Every single day they are trying to cross, Prokudin said, while on a working visit to the UK. We heard from our intelligence, that the Russian deputy commander told troops in the area that they had to force the river at any cost, though not all the soldiers are willing to do that. The governor, directly appointed by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said his understanding was that Russian soldiers had been told they have to make the right [western] bank part of the negotiation by capturing a village across the river, though so far they had failed to do so. Casualties had been high, Prokudin continued, and the attackers were killed or injured almost immediately. The Russians completely understand it is a suicidal mission, he said. Documents recovered from soldiers showed that some were recent recruits while others had fought for more than two years in Ukraine, he added. Russia had largely captured the Kherson region, which includes territory on both sides of the Dnipro River, in the early stages of the war, but was forced to retreat from the west bank, including the city of Kherson, in November 2022 because it was proving impossible to supply it. Nevertheless, a few weeks before that, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, unilaterally announced the annexation of the entire region as well as three others, declaring in the Kremlin that people who lived in those regions were our citizens for ever. Kherson is particularly important because it straddles the mouth of the countrys main river. Before the war it had a population of about 1 million, but only about 155,000 remain on the Ukrainian-controlled side, with constant drone and artillery attacks continuing in the frontline regions. Those territorial claims have not been forgotten by Russia, which is trying to gain as much land in Ukraine as it can ahead of any peace negotiations. Though Ukraine has said repeatedly it will not formally surrender territory, the countrys leadership knows it is unable to win back much land on the battlefield. Prokudin said he thought Russia was trying to tick a box to show that we are present on the right bank, and so press a claim for the whole region. He added that the struggle had become particularly urgent as various peace negotiations began. Last month, the US began direct discussions with Russia, largely marginalising Ukraine. Russian offensives are taking place in four locations: across the marshy islands at the mouth of the Dnipro, a treacherous grey zone; the Antonivka road and rail bridges east of Kherson city; and beyond that, the villages of Lvove and Zmiivka, the latter of which is upstream of the destroyed Nova Kakhovka dam. The Kherson governor said he thought there were three possible future scenarios for the end of the war, including one where Zelenskyy was replaced by a pro-Russian president and the country ended up ceding territories to Moscow, meaning that the borders of Russia would shift closer to Europe. The most favourable, he added, was one in which Ukraine received firm security guarantees from Europe and elsewhere as part of a negotiated peace settlement, but he questioned if Europe was ready to do so without the US. That left what he said was the most probable scenario a freezing of the conflict at the existing frontline, though he feared that the danger for Ukraine there would be that it would allow Russia time to regroup and restock ammunition. Prokudin was in the UK to sign an economic partnership agreement with Lincolnshire council. Both Kherson and Lincolnshire are predominantly agricultural regions and the English county has a small Ukrainian population, having taken in 1,000 refugees under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Russell Findlay said a fast-track apprenticeship or college would be better for children not suited to academia - JANE BARLOW/PA Children should have the choice of leaving school at 14 if they are not suited to academia, the Scottish Tory leader is to argue. Russell Findlay is to call for the school leaving age to be cut from 16 to prevent pupils being trapped in a system that isnt working for them. In a speech to a think tank in Edinburgh, Mr Findlay will insist that allowing children to quit school earlier was not about writing off these young people. Instead he will argue they could benefit from being in a form of hybrid education that is better suited to their talents, such as a fast-tracked apprenticeship or college. One in seven quit after S4 Official figures published last week showed that around one in seven school leavers quit after S4, the highest number since 2010. The proportion of pupils who left school last year with one or more passes at National 5s, or equivalent and one or more pass at Higher level or equivalent also dropped. Last year 83.5 per cent of school leavers had one pass or more at National 5 level, while 57.4 per cent had one pass or more at Higher level. Both were lower than in 2022/23. Trapped Mr Findlay is expected to tell the Reform Scotland think tank: For decades, Scotlands minimum school leaving age has been 16. Too many young people become trapped in a system that isnt working for them. Even worse, far too many exit from it altogether. This is not about writing off these young people. It is the very opposite of that. It is about guiding each individual onto the path best suited to their aspirations. He will add: Upon leaving school at 15, maybe even 14, they would still be required to stay in education. But it would be a form of education that works for them a fast track to opportunity, whether college or an apprenticeship. The plan is Victorian The Scottish Tory leader will argue the move would boost Scotlands workforce by reducing skills gaps but the Liberal Democrats said the plan was Victorian. Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrats education spokesman, said: Im all for increasing apprenticeships and expanding opportunities for young people but Russell Findlay seems like he is about six months away from sending kids back up chimneys. Jenny Gilruth, the SNP education secretary, said: These reckless plans were proposed by the Scottish Tories in 2011 and were soundly rejected by the Scottish people. The Tories should say what they mean they want to see working class children leave school at 14 and leave academic pursuits to the middle and upper class. That is not an approach this government will agree with. Infrastructure Victorias report said the 30km/h speed limit changes should apply to streets with current limits of 50km/h or less. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP Speed limits would be slashed to 30km/h on streets in Victoria frequented by children under a recommendation by the states peak infrastructure body. Infrastructure Victoria on Tuesday released its draft 30-year infrastructure plan, which also outlines a plan to boost the states supply of social homes by 60,000 over 15 years. The strategy which is updated every five years includes 50 priorities across Victoria for housing, energy, transport, health, social infrastructure and the environment. Infrastructure Victoria recommended local speed limits be reduced to 30km/h in areas visited by children. It recommended then extending this to more local streets over time to improve pedestrian safety. The report said the changes should apply to streets with current speed limits of 50km/h or less. It said a pedestrian hit by a car at 50km/h has an 85% chance of dying, and a 40% chance at 40km/h. At 30km/h, this falls to 10%, the report said. Infrastructure Victoria said seven children die on the states roads each year, according to data from the Transport Accident Commission. The draft strategy also includes a 15-year plan to provide 60,000 social homes at a cost of between $19bn and $30bn. Victoria has the lowest rate of social housing in the country, according to statistics by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The body said the cost of building the new homes could be reduced if supported by the federal government or if the state government built on land it already owns. It also said building on land owned by local councils and not-for-profit housing organisations could reduce the cost. Infrastructure Victorias chief executive, Dr Jonathan Spear, said homelessness was on the rise and the state lacked enough social housing to meet the demand. Now is the time for government to commit to a 15-year program for Victorias social housing, he said. Building 60,000 social homes is achievable when delivered over 15 years. It provides secure and affordable housing to Victorians in need. It can also help lower government spending on healthcare and support services. Infrastructure Victoria pointed to the state governments initial Big Housing Build which is ending after funding 9,300 new social homes. Under the recommendation, the state government would build about 4,000 social housing units each year for Victorians each year. Under the plan, each new home is estimated to cost between $240,000 and $580,000 depending on size and location. Related: We want to get on with it: Albanese makes $7bn promise for Melbournes long-awaited airport train But Spear warned consistent investment in social housing over the next 20 years would reduce homelessness, but would not end it. As the population grows, the government will need to keep investing in social housing. This can create a long-term infrastructure pipeline to deliver more social homes over time, he said. Infrastructure Victoria recommends the social housing units be built close to jobs, transport and amenities in the state, with eligibility prioritising those who have recently experienced homelessness family violence or have other special needs. Infrastructure Victoria has also recommended the government build at least 300 Aboriginal social homes each year for a decade, in line with the states self-determined housing policy. The draft strategy is open for feedback until 28 April. The Victorian government will respond to the reports recommendations once the strategy is finalised and tabled in parliament later this year. Eight vehicles were burned out and four badly damaged in the attack A dozen Teslas have been set alight in a suspected arson attack at a car dealership in France. An investigation has been opened into the incident near the southern city of Toulouse, which left eight vehicles burned out and four badly damaged. There is evidence that the blaze was not at all accidental, according to the prosecutors office. Philippe Guyot, the mayor of Plaisance-du-Touch, told AFP that firefighters quickly determined that the cause of the blaze was criminal, adding that the dealership premises had not been targeted. A number of anti-Tesla actions have occurred in Europe since Elon Musks rapprochement with Donald Trump, the US president, his backing of European far-Right parties and attacks on diversity. In Germany, Left-wing activists projected a giant image of Mr Musk doing a gesture that has been likened to a Nazi salute alongside the word heil on to Teslas Berlin factory. Germanys Centre for Political Beauty and the UK group Led By Donkeys beamed a photo of Mr Musk with his arm outstretched, which he did at a Trump rally in January, onto the nine-metre-high building on Wednesday night. They also projected the words heil and boycott alongside the Tesla logo, as if to read heil Tesla or boycott Tesla. The activists projected a video showing Mr Musks tweets in support of Germanys far-Right Alternative for Germany party. The incident took place at a car dealership near Toulouse Sales of Tesla cars nearly halved year-on-year in January 2025 in Germany and France and have also dropped sharply in Scandinavia. Tesla, whose cars topped sales charts in Norway, Sweden and Denmark in 2023 and 2024, has slipped this year behind rivals with newer model line-ups, such as Volkswagen and Toyota, new registration data showed on Monday. A total of 613 new Teslas were registered in Sweden last month, down 42 per cent year-on-year, while registrations in Norway and Denmark each fell by 48 per cent to 917 and 509 cars respectively. This comes despite an overall rising of auto demand in the three countries, including for electric vehicles. Tesla registrations in France also declined by 45 per cent over the first two months of the year compared to the same period in 2024, data published on Saturday by PFA, a French car body, showed, continuing this years negative trend in Europe. Last year, the companys Model Y was the most sold electric vehicle in France and the 10th most sold car, while this year, it is only 27th so far and has been outpaced by the electric Peugeot 208, Renault 5 and Citroen e-C3. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An alleged scam centre at a border checkpoint between Thailand and Myanmar - AFP Thailand is considering plans to build a border wall with Cambodia to crack down on people being trafficked to work in scam centres. The country is broadening its efforts to dismantle the centres, where workers target people across the world with online romance and crypto scams, operating close to its borders with Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos. The United Nations estimates that hundreds of thousands of people are trapped inside these compounds, many having been trafficked after applying for legitimate jobs. In 2023, the UN said the financial losses for people in east and south-east Asia alone were between $18 and $37 billion (14 and 29 billion). The scamdemic has only grown since then. But Thailand has recently ramped up efforts to both stop criminal gangs from trafficking people through the country, and help repatriate thousands of people stuck inside including in Cambodia. At the weekend, a police operation rescued 215 people in a joint raid on Poipet, a Wild West town on the border that has long been implicated in the scamming operations. Many of those trapped in the centres were trafficked after applying for legitimate jobs - AFP Now, the Cabinet has discussed a border wall, according to Jirayu Houngsub, a government spokesman. He told local media that during Mondays meeting, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the Thai prime minister, asked relevant agencies to study the idea to prevent illegal crossings and travels of call-centre gangsters as well as the drugs and contraband trades. He did not specify how much of the 508 mile border between the two countries would be covered. The Thai defence ministry has previously suggested that a wall could be erected to cut off a 34 mile crossing between Thailands eastern Sa Kaeo province and Poipet at the moment, the two nations are separated only by a razor wire. Mr Jirayu said: If it is done, how will it be done? What results and how will it solve problems? This is a study. The Cambodian government has not commented, but the suggestion comes as Thailand and China double down on efforts to cut off scam centres. The issue has dominated headlines in the region since the high profile rescue of a Chinese actor in January, who was trafficked into Myanmar after the promise of a casting call. Thai tourism has taken a major hit as a result, with many Chinese holiday-makers cancelling over concerns that they could be the next victim. Victims of scam centres are stuck in limbo at a compound inside a fraud factory - REUTERS Liu Zhongyi, the deputy minister of public security who is Beijings newly appointed anti-scam tsar, has since visited both Thailands east and western borders, while Bangkok has cut off power to Shwe Kokko a largely lawless town in Myanmar notorious for hosting scam centres. And in nearby Myawaddy, more than 7,000 foreigners from some 25 countries, but predominantly from China are also waiting to cross into Thailand to be repatriated home. More than 800 people have already left on flights chartered by the Chinese government. Analysts have suggested that there may be more roadblocks involved when tackling the scam centres in Cambodia. While the majority of scam centres in Myanmar are in regions controlled by ethnic armed groups, it has been claimed that operations in Cambodia are backed by the state. Jacob Sims, a visiting expert on transnational crime at the US Institute of Peace, wrote in The Diplomat: All the evidence suggests that Cambodias single most lucrative industry (and the state-partys core patrimonial resource) is a trafficking-cybercrime ring protected by a sovereign shield. The costs of applying unilateral pressure in such a case are just much higher and less likely to yield meaningful results. The Cambodian government denies complicity. Delegates leave after attending preparatory meetings for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Photograph: Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images As thousands of delegates from across China arrive in Beijing this week to participate in the annual parliamentary session, there is a barely perceptible shift in the mood in the capital. Though few ordinary Chinese pay much attention to goings-on inside the Great Hall of the People, the imposing 1950s modernist building that flanks the western edge of Tiananmen Square, the ripple effects of this weeks conclave can be felt across the city. Security is heightened. Extra uniformed personnel have been deployed to stand guard on Beijings bridges lest anyone attempt a stunt inspired by Peng Lifas protest at Sitong Bridge ahead of the 20th party congress in 2022. Guards at busy subway stations subject commuters to random scans of their identification cards. Virtual private networks apps used to tunnel through the firewall of internet censorship slow down, as the authorities try to tighten their grip on the exchange of information with the outside world. It is imperative to the Communist party that the parallel sessions of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body, and the National Peoples Congress (NPC), Chinas rubber-stamp parliament, run smoothly. Put together, the meetings are known as the Two Sessions, and represent the most important annual event in Chinas political calendar. From Beijing, the outside world appears to be in flux. Chinas claim to be the beacon of stability in a chaotic world is being bolstered by events. The presidents of the US and Ukraine are trading verbal blows live on television; the US-backed ceasefire deal in Gaza is on the brink of collapse. China, save for a few headlines about tariffs, is staying out of the news. The tariffs themselves are generally far from the public consciousness, despite the fact that China imposed another round of countermeasures on the US on Tuesday, after Donald Trump doubled duties on Chinese goods to 20%. The trade war wont influence me, said Wang Zichen, an 18-year-old salesperson working in Beijings upmarket Chaoyang district. The US and China are just having some problems and need a solution [the US] is a friendly country. Wang is more interested in hustling for his next customer. Business is slow. Total sales of consumer goods in Chaoyang dropped by 4% in 2024, while sales of commercial and residential property fell by 10% and 13% respectively, when measured in square metres. China was supposed to roar back from the pandemic as consumer spending was unleashed, but most people on the street agree that hasnt happened. Real estate prices are falling. Millennials and Gen-Z workers are struggling to find work and even the middle-aged, including people with their own young children, are sitting at home without jobs. They, like the younger generations, are tangping, or lying flat: choosing passivity in a society that doesnt feel like it is rewarding hard work. Young parents even talk of kenlao, or eating the old living off their elders who have healthy state pensions. This kind of economic nihilism is exactly what Beijing wants to combat. High on the agenda for this weeks NPC will be fiscal stimulus. In December, the Central Economic Work Conference, an economic planning session convened by the CCP politburo, stressed the need to stimulate consumption and stabilise economic growth. When the Chinese premier, Li Qiang, delivers the government work report at the NPCs opening session on Wednesday, analysts will be watching closely for the GDP target for 2025, expected to be 5%, and for details on the directions set by the CCP at the end of last year. With the first shots of the US-China trade war fired since that December meeting, Beijing is under pressure to find ways to shield its economy from the impact of tariffs. In 2024, Chinas economy reached its GDP target with the help of an end-of-year export boom. Exports to the US in December increased by 15.6%. With tariffs back on the menu, economic growth built on exports will be harder to pull off in 2025. Chinas economic boom was built on infrastructure and policies that prioritised GDP growth above all else. Then it turned to manufacturing, becoming the factory of the world. Now Chinas leaders want to pivot the economy towards new quality productive forces, a phrase coined by Chinas leader, Xi Jinping, in 2023. That means focusing on investment in innovation and hi-tech sectors. And in 2025, that means DeepSeek. The upstart Chinese AI company took the world by storm in January when it released an AI model that emulated the sophistication of leading American competitors, seemingly at a fraction of the cost. DeepSeeks debut wiped a record $1tn off US tech stocks as investors reeled from the revelation that the US may not keep its leading position in AI for much longer. DeepSeek, a private research firm bankrolled by a hedge-fund entrepreneur named Liang Wenfeng, achieved its success without state backing. But the state has since embraced Liang and his company. Last month, Xi held a rare in-person meeting with tech leaders in Beijing, with Liang reportedly present. While Liang is burnishing his connections in the capital, his company is everywhere. The technology giant Baidu is integrating DeepSeek with its own large language model, Ernie, with DeepSeek already being embedded into Baidus apps. Beijing commuters consult DeepSeeks chatbot while huddling on crowded subway carriages. Western diplomats report that Chinese officials are mentioning DeepSeeks potential at every possible opportunity. The local public transport authority in Shenzhen, Chinas southern tech hub, has started using DeepSeek in its AI-powered customer service agent, and claims to have increased efficiency by 50% as a result. There is no doubting a spring in the step of Chinese policymakers tasked with promoting Xis beloved new quality productive forces. The delegates to this weeks Two Sessions will have to hope that such optimism in the corridors of power can spread on to the streets of Beijing, and beyond. Additional research by Jason Tzu Kuan Lu A triple killer raped his ex-girlfriend in a violent, sexual act of spite during an attack which saw him murder her and her sister with a crossbow and their mother with a butchers knife, a court has heard. Kyle Clifford, who is being tried in his absence, is alleged to have become angry when 25-year-old former partner Louise Hunt ended their 18-month relationship before he carefully planned and executed the murders on July 9 last year. Cambridge Crown Court heard the defendant gained access to the family home by deceiving 61-year-old Carol Hunt, the wife of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, before stabbing her to death in a brutal knife attack. After killing Carol and Louise, he fatally shot 28-year-old Hannah Hunt when she returned to the property in the quiet cul-de-sac of Ashlyn Close in Bushey, Hertfordshire, after work. The defendant previously admitted three counts of murder, one of false imprisonment against Louise Hunt, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons the crossbow and the knife. Floral tributes near the scene in Bushey, Hertfordshire, where Carol Hunt, the wife of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, and two of their daughters, Hannah and Louise, were killed in a crossbow attack (Jonathan Brady/PA) Mr Hunt observed proceedings from the public gallery on Tuesday. Opening the prosecutions case, Alison Morgan KC told the jury: It is not in dispute therefore that he murdered three members of the Hunt family Carol, Louise and Hannah. It is also not in dispute that he was unlawfully in possession of a knife and a crossbow that day. He also accepts that he falsely imprisoned Louise Hunt during the course of the incident, restraining her against her will. Ms Morgan continued: During the course of this prolonged incident of violence, the prosecution alleges that the defendant raped Louise Hunt. It was a violent, sexual act of spite, before he then killed her. You will have to determine that allegation against him. Following the attacks, Clifford, who served in the military from 2019 for around three years, became the subject of a manhunt for a number of hours before he was found injured in Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield, north London, after shooting himself in the chest with the crossbow. The court heard Louises friends and family hoped that the relationship would come to an end after they became concerned about the way Clifford treated her. The jury was told Louise had shared with her friends that he had a nasty temper and that he behaved in an aggressive manner, with her sister Hannah deeming him to be disrespectful, rude and arrogant. Clifford had also been in relationships with other women while he was dating Louise which he hid from her, the court heard. Police and forensics officers at the scene of the murders in Ashlyn Close, Bushey, Hertfordshire (James Manning/PA) Addressing the defendants motive to kill his victims, Ms Morgan said: Louise instigated the end of the relationship, supported by her friends and family. In the days that followed, the message prompted the defendant to try to rekindle the relationship in various ways, all of which were rebuffed by Louise Hunt. This rejection angered the defendant. He was angry at Louise, but also at the Hunt family generally, as he correctly assumed that friends and family members had advised Louise to end the relationship with him. The prosecutor continued: The attack was carefully planned and executed, involving the deceit of Louises mother Carol Hunt, in order to gain access to the family home, followed by a brutal knife attack upon Carol Hunt. The defendant then waited for Louise to enter the property, before restraining, raping and ultimately murdering her with a crossbow. He then killed Louises sister Hannah Hunt with the crossbow, when she returned to the property after work. Clifford, of Enfield, north London, denies a single charge of rape. The trial continues. Brisbane residents wait for sandbags at a depot in anticipation of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Photograph: Savannah Meacham/AAP Forecasters say there is now increased certainty that Tropical Cyclone Alfred will hit the heavily populated south-east Queensland coast in the coming days, as the storms potential track narrows. Alfred was upgraded to a category two cyclone early on Tuesday. The Bureau of Meteorology said that coastal communities in and around Brisbane could experience wind gusts up to 100km an hour as early as Wednesday, and single-day rainfall totals of up to 400mm later in the week. Updated tracking maps from the BoM on Tuesday forecast Alfred potentially making landfall just north of Brisbane on Thursday night or Friday morning. The forecast track would represent a nightmare scenario for authorities in the Queensland capital, a city with 2.5 million people and susceptible to severe flooding. The bureau said most of the intense rainfall would occur to the south of where Alfred makes landfall. But tracking maps may change again over the coming days as the forecast evolves. Related: When and where is Tropical Cyclone Alfred likely to hit? Heres what you need to know The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, said on Tuesday the area of interest has narrowed to a stretch of coastline that includes the Sunshine Coast, greater Brisbane and the Gold Coast. [That is] a largely populated area and were asking Queenslanders to stay on their guard, Crisafulli said. The cyclone has firmed. All of the information does show this is something we need to take seriously. Were asking a large part of the population, in a pretty big area, to be ready. There is still an element of the population that hasnt yet fully understood the magnitude of this system. Its been many decades since Queensland has been here. I know the people in the south-east might not have experienced a cyclone before. More than 4 million people from Grafton in New South Wales to Kgari in Queensland remained on a formal warning footing by the bureau. Early on Tuesday morning, Alfred was 560km east of Brisbane and moving away, to the south-east, at about 6km/h. But forecasters said with increasing confidence they expected the system to undergo a recurvature by late Tuesday afternoon a sudden change of direction as it bumped up against another weather system to the south. Models are in agreement that the strengthening mid-level ridge to the south to steer Alfred westwards from later today, the bureaus technical bulletin from Tuesday morning said. Landfall location could range from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast, and there is also uncertainty in terms of the timing of coastal crossing between late Thursday and Friday morning. The update said the nature of the cyclone meant it was difficult to predict its intensity when it reaches landfall. There were three main causes of concern: surf conditions and coastal erosion; damaging winds; and potential flooding. Crisafulli said the severity of the system and the timing of it crossing the coast would be critical. If it crosses at high tide, it makes it a far more challenging prospect, he said Sue Oates from the Bureau of Meteorology said there was total consensus from seven global models that Alfred would head back towards the coast. Oates said strong winds potentially more than 90km/h could be recorded in coastal communities from Wednesday. There was also a significant risk of riverine flooding after predicted very intense rainfall. As Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to move closer to the coast, rainfall will move further inland and become more intense, and were likely to see daily rainfall totals of around 200mm-plus, with isolated totals even higher than that, and up around 400mm is not out of the question, Oates said. This will continue into Friday and looks like at this stage Saturday will still be significantly wet for south-east Queensland. In the suburbs of the south-east, residents had begun preparations. Brisbane had severely flooded three times in the past 15 years. Unlike parts of northern Queensland, locals do not typically prepare for the possibility of a cyclone. Many older Queenslander homes, an architectural feature of the area, were timber-built from the early 1900s. Those risks have prompted authorities to issue clear early warnings. Early preparation can reduce damage and increase safety, said Andrew Gissing, the chief executive of Natural Hazards Research Australia. Research shows that often people do not understand what they need to do to be fully prepared. For example, research after the 2022 floods in Queensland and NSW found that 50% of residents acknowledged that they could have been more prepared. Gissing said the primary hazards associated with cyclones were flooding, strong winds and coastal erosion, and that these occurring in a densely populated area were of significant concern. The damage that Alfred could lead to includes damages to homes, businesses and infrastructure; disruption to essential services and supply chains; agricultural losses; and injury and fatalities, he said. Significant coastal damage can occur without a cyclone making landfall because of abnormally high tides and damaging surf. Gissing said homes older than 1980 might not be built to building codes and could be at particular risk from strong winds. Read more of Guardian Australias Tropical Cyclone Alfred coverage: There are about 900,000 agency workers in the UK. Photograph: Tony Tallec/Alamy Agency workers will reportedly be included in a ban on exploitative zero-hours contracts as part of changes to the UK governments employment bill. Under the new rules, employers will have to offer agency workers a contract that guarantees a minimum number of hours every week, the BBC reported. Agency workers who choose to be on zero-hours contracts will be eligible for compensation if their shifts are changed at short notice. Related: Labour unveils sick-pay guarantee for 1.3m lowest-paid workers It is one of a number of amendments to the governments employment rights bill, which will be presented on Tuesday. Labour has promised repeatedly to ban exploitative zero-hours contracts. According to the BBC, the government still has to decide whether the minimum hours offered in a contract to agency workers will be based on a 12-week reference period or longer. More than 1 million people in the UK are working on a zero-hours contract basis, in areas ranging from hospitality and warehouses to the NHS. Hundreds of thousands of them are on zero-hours contracts despite working for the same employer for years, according to the TUC. Unions have campaigned for the inclusion of agency workers in the ban, arguing that employers could get around the ban on zero-hours contracts by hiring agency workers instead. There are about 900,000 agency workers in the UK. However, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation is concerned that the change should not undermine the flexibility that zero-hours contracts offer some people. Big recruiters and staffing companies including Hays, Adecco and Manpower wrote to the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, saying that the new rules were unworkable. They said in December the rules would lead to lower levels of hiring, and more work being delayed or carried out by people taken on as self-employed. Ben Harrison, the director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, a thinktank, said:This reform will help ensure workers especially those aged 16-24 who are 5.9 times more likely to be on zero-hours contracts than older workers enter a labour market where good jobs offer both security and flexibility. At a time of record sickness levels, worker shortages and rising numbers of young people out of work or education, improving job quality is essential. We cannot afford a system that traps people in precarious jobs or pushes them out of work altogether, and so its vital that the government sticks to its guns and delivers on its ambition for the employment rights bill in the weeks and months ahead. Under the changes in the proposed legislation, parents in Britain will be granted a right to bereavement leave after suffering a miscarriage, the Guardian revealed. Mothers and their partners will be given the right to two weeks of bereavement leave if they have suffered a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks gestation. The reforms will also allow 1.3 million of the lowest-paid UK workers will be guaranteed sick pay worth up to 80% of their weekly salary from the first day of sickness. The UK has one of the stingiest rates of statutory sick pay in the developed world, according to the Resolution Foundation. People earning less than 123 a week are not entitled to anything. For the rest, the rate is just 116.75 a week at present, rising to 118.75 or 3 an hour for full-time workers from April, but that only kicks in after three days of sickness. Workers unload a shipment of military aid delivered as part of US security assistance to Ukraine in January 2022. Photograph: Efrem Lukatsky/AP Ukraines allies were not told in advance of Donald Trumps decision to pause military aid, Polands foreign ministry has said, as rattled European politicians reaffirmed their backing for Kyiv faced with dramatic further evidence of a US policy shift. The US presidents announcement was made without any information or consultation, neither with Nato allies nor with the Ramstein group which is involved in supporting Ukraine, the ministry spokesperson Pawe Wronski said on Tuesday. Polands prime minister, Donald Tusk, told a cabinet meeting in Warsaw that Europe faced unprecedented risks, including the biggest in the last few decades when it comes to security. Tusk said his government would have to make some extraordinary decisions. A decision was announced to suspend the US aid for Ukraine, and perhaps start lifting sanctions on Russia. We dont have any reason to think these are just words, he said. This puts Europe, Ukraine, Poland in a more difficult situation, he said, adding that Warsaw was determined to intensify activities in Europe to increase our defence capabilities while maintaining the best possible relations with the US. The French prime minister, Francois Bayrou, said the US decision to freeze weapons aid to Ukraine while it was at war signalled that Washington was abandoning the country under attack, and accepting or desiring that the aggressor wins. It was Europes responsibility to replace that aid, he said. Bayrou told parliament that Europeans are going to have to think about our model, about our priorities and to look at the world differently We have seen it is more dangerous than we had though, coming from those we thought were allies. Frances foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said the US decision meant it was now vital that Europe help Ukraine hold the frontline against Russia, which he said was the first line of defence for Europe and France. The time had come for Europe to drop its dependency on US weapons, he added. We are faced with a choice that is imposed on us, between effort and freedom, or comfort and servitude, he told MPs. Germanys foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said: Two things are now essential for peace through strength: additional aid - military and financial - for Ukraine, which is defending our freedom. And a quantum leap to strengthen our EU defence. The European Commission insisted that the US remained an ally, saying that it was not up to us to comment on decisions or announcements that are made on the other side of the Atlantic. Deputy chief spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker told reporters: We know that its important to support Ukraine also in its defence also to make sure that its in a better negotiating place. EU leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss a five-part, 800bn (660bn) plan presented by the European commission to bolster Europes defence industry, increase military capability and help provide urgent military support for Ukraine. A spokesperson for the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, who hosted a crisis meeting of European and other leaders on Sunday, said London was absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and was engaging with key allies. The spokesperson said the prime minister had spoken to Trump twice over the weekend and again on Monday night. The spokesperson said the UK had already committed to provide Ukraine with 3bn a year in military aid for as long as it took and was providing a 2.26bn loan using sanctioned Russian assets. The Czech Republics prime minister, Petr Fiala, called for a fundamental shift in European policy, saying Trumps decision meant we must strengthen our economic and military capabilities and take full responsibility for our own security. Europe would have to increase significantly defence investment, he said, adding that ensuring our security also means intensifying our support for Ukraine. We cannot allow Russias aggressive policy, which threatens us all, to succeed. Estonias foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, said Europe must step up assistance to Ukraine to fill the gap left by the US freeze, which followed a public bust-up in the White House between Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Europe must increase military aid to Ukraine to allow Ukraine to continue fighting for a just and lasting peace, he said, adding that Tallinn had already decided to boost its assistance by 25% this year. Related: Ukraine reacts with defiance and anger to Trump withdrawal of military aid He said one option for obtaining additional resources to help Ukraine was to use Russias assets frozen in Europe. Claims that there are no legal ways to use Russias frozen assets are unfounded, he said. The sole perpetrator of the war must feel pressure and the victim of the aggression must have strong support because it is the only way to force Russia to give up its goals and achieve lasting peace in Ukraine. Denmarks defence minster, Troels Lund Poulsen, said Ukraine was completely dependent on some US aid, including Patriot missiles. So this will put Europe in a situation where we now really need to do more ourselves to help Ukraine, he said. Only Hungarys illiberal government struck a discordant note, with a spokesperson for the countrys Moscow-friendly prime minister, Viktor Orban, saying the US and Hungary shared the same stance. Instead of continuing weapons shipments and the war, a ceasefire and peace talks are needed as soon as possible, they said. The Trump administration announced the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine hours after Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, said western countries must keep such assistance flowing. The prime minister told MPs on Monday that Ukraine would need money and weapons from allied countries even after a peace deal. On Tuesday evening, the White House said its pause would last until Trump determined that Ukrainian leaders were demonstrating a good-faith commitment to peace. This is not permanent termination of aid, its a pause, Fox News quoted a Trump administration official as saying. Aid was being reviewed to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. Democrats blasted Trump for blocking aid that was approved by Congress on a bipartisan basis. Donald Trump earlier on Tuesday suggested a minerals deal with Ukraine was not dead. The deal went unsigned on Friday after Trump and JD Vance berated Zelenskyy in a White House argument that was widely seen as being orchestrated to undermine the Ukrainian presidents case for a fair and lasting peace grounded in security guarantees preventing future Russian aggression. Trump said he would give an update on the situation on Tuesday night when he addresses a joint session of Congress. An oil pipeline burned in Russias southern Rostov region after a wave of Ukrainian drones attacked industrial and energy sites. As a result of a mass drone attack in Chertovsky district, a fire has broken out on an oil pipeline, posted the acting regional governor, Yuri Slyusar. Slyusar reported another attack near Novoshakhtinsk where previous drone attacks put an oil refinery out of action. The Ukrainian military posted pictures saying they showed the oil refinery again in flames. A drone attack also damaged an industrial site near the border, Slyusar said. A negligence investigation was under way in Ukraine after a deadly Russian missile strike on a military training ground in the Dnipropetrovsk region at the weekend. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraines army chief, said Russia had struck with cluster munitions. He did not disclose casualty details. Syrskyi said a training centre head and a commander of a military unit were suspended, with checks ordered into implementation of a ban on outside meetings. We are witnessing untimely decisions and unlearned lessons, said Ukraines land forces commander, Mykhailo Drapatyi, adding that those responsible would be found. No one will hide behind explanations or formal reports. Russia has previously hit Ukrainian troops when they have assembled for parades and ceremonies. A Russian drone attack damaged energy infrastructure in Ukraines Black Sea port of Odesa on Monday, triggering power cuts and knocking out heating systems, local officials said. The Institute for the Study of War has said about 620,000 Russian soldiers are operating in Ukraine and Kursk oblast based on Ukrainian military intelligence figures. It represented an increase of about 40,000 personnel compared with late 2024, the ISW said. Russian authorities reportedly exceeded their recruitment quotas in 2024 and January 2025, likely in part due to increased financial incentives for recruits and prison recruitment efforts that are unsustainable in the medium to long term. The ISW said in an assessment that Ukrainian forces had advanced near Pokrovsk, while Russian forces had advanced near Velyka Novosilka and in around Novaya Sorochina in Kursk oblast. The UN nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, on Monday defended his staff for travelling to Ukraines Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant through Russian-occupied territory, saying the exception was aimed at protecting lives. Staff from the UN nuclear watchdog are supposed to only go there through Ukraines territory because Russia occupies the plant illegally. Ukraines foreign ministry on Sunday condemned the violation of Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity by IAEA staff in their latest rotation. Grossi replied on Monday that it was done for the security of my staff. A drone strike affected a staff rotation in December and another mission had to be aborted. Kyiv said the disruptions and the IAEAs breach of protocol were the result of Russian blackmail. JD Vance has been accused of being power crazy and a clown - Nathan Howard/Reuters Credit: Fox News JD Vance has denied denigrating Britains war record after making comments suggesting that the UK and France had not fought a war in 40 years. The US vice-president wrote on X that it was absurdly dishonest to suggest he was speaking about France and the UK when he said that Americas minerals peace deal was way better than a security guarantee from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. His initial comments caused a backlash, including from the former chief of the British Army, who accused Mr Vance of having become power crazy. On Tuesday morning, the US vice-president appeared to backtrack on what he said, writing on X: I dont even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years and beyond. However, he added: But lets be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful. This is absurdly dishonest. I don't even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. https://t.co/hrkb5pTV8p JD Vance (@JDVance) March 4, 2025 During a Fox News interview, Mr Vance commented on Donald Trumps minerals deal for Ukraine. He said: If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. More than 600 British troops were killed fighting alongside the US in Iraq between 2003 and 2011 and in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. Mr Vances remarks prompted Lord Dannatt, who was head of the Army during key years of the Iraq war, to tell The Telegraph: What planet is this guy on? Has he forgotten we deployed a division in both Gulf Wars and fought alongside US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan? He seems to have gone power crazy. A growing number of MPs and former MPs voiced dismay at Mr Vances comments. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, said: Nato Article Five has been invoked once on 12/9/01 by the USA, after 9/11. Britain and France came to their aid, deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including numerous parliamentary colleagues past and present. Its deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice. Johnny Mercer, a former soldier and Tory minister for veterans, dismissed Mr Vance as a clown and called on him to check his privilege. Referring to Mr Vances days in the Marines, where he spent his time writing articles and taking pictures, Mr Mercer said: Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own countrys crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice. Helen Maguire, the Liberal Democrat defence spokeswoman, said: JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. I saw first-hand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didnt return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality. As the UKs representative to the US, Peter Mandelson should call on Vance to apologise for these comments. On Tuesday, Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, sought to stop Conservative MPs sharing their real-time views on the Ukraine conflict. Alicia Kearns, a shadow minister, had urged the King to withdraw Mr Trumps state visit invitation while Graham Stuart, another Tory MP, claimed the US president may be a Russian asset. A text to all Tory MPs sent by Rebecca Harris, the Tory chief whip, and first reported by The Spectator, read: We understand that there are many concerns about the unfolding events around Ukraine and US involvement. We do not need to tweet all of our thoughts in real time. When it comes to defence and national security, we need to raise the threshold for what needs to be said publicly and ensure the facts are clear first. Mrs Badenoch said: I know JD Vance quite well. Ive looked at the comments, I dont think he actually said that. A lot of people are getting carried away. Theyre saying loads of things and getting quite animated. Lets keep cool heads America is our closest ally. I believe President Trump and JD Vance want peace. Theyre looking after their national interest we need to do so as well. Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader who has closely aligned himself with the White House on the majority of issues criticised Mr Vance on Thursday. He said: JD Vance is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. For 20 years in Afghanistan pro rata, our size against Americas, we spent the same amount of money, we put the same number of men and women in, we suffered the same losses. We stood by America all through those 20 years putting in exactly the same contribution. And alright, they may be six times bigger, but we did our bit. So, on this one JD is wrong. Elsewhere in the Fox News interview, Mr Vance denied that he had planned to ambush Volodymyr Zelensky to harm relations between the US and Ukraine. The event was intended to be the ceremonial signing of a minerals deal between the two countries before the tough talk of negotiating peace, he said. The US vice-president also doubled down on his criticisms of European leaders at the Munich Security Conference last month over free speech and suppressing fears about mass migration. He hit out at attempts by governments to silence and shut down their own citizenry, referring to the example of Adam Smith-Connor, a British man who was convicted for praying outside an abortion clinic. Mr Smith-Connor, who was name-checked in Mr Vances Munich speech, has previously told The Telegraph that Mr Vance was exposing the reality of censorship in Britain. The decline in the number of medically-fit British troops has raised concerns about how well-placed they are to be sent to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force in the event of a peace deal. Mark Francois, the shadow armed forces minister, said: Alongside many other Nato nations, our Armed Forces face serious recruitment and retention challenges but this is amplified when we have thousands of serving soldiers who are not fully fit to fight. The Army, in particular, needs to urgently address this, in areas like dentistry and physiotherapy, especially in light of the situation in Ukraine and recent discussions about putting boots on the ground. Volodymyr Zelensky said he regretted his argument with Donald Trump in the Oval Office last week - Javad Parsa/Reuters Volodomyr Zelensky made an 11th-hour attempt to make things right with Donald Trump on Tuesday and said he was ready to make peace with Russia. As the US president prepared to give a landmark speech on Ukraine, Mr Zelensky backed down and, in an extraordinary social media message, said he would sign Mr Trumps minerals deal. It is understood Sir Keir Starmer helped persuade the Ukrainian president to swallow his pride and offer the olive branch to his US counterpart after their public argument in the Oval Office last week. The Prime Minister spoke to Mr Zelensky on Tuesday to deliver hard truths and advise him on what Mr Trump would need to hear before talks could get back on track. Soon afterwards, the Ukrainian leader published a long message on social media, praising the US presidents strong leadership, expressing gratitude for his countrys military help, and describing their argument as regrettable. He said he was ready to come to the negotiating table with Mr Trump and sign the presidents minerals deal, and would also countenance a ceasefire in the sea and the air. It is time to make things right, said the Ukrainian leader. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. The offer came less than 24 hours after Mr Trump paused US military aid to Kyiv. Sir Keir, who hopes he can help build bridges between Kyiv and Washington, spoke to the US president on Monday and had advance warning that aid would be halted. The Telegraph understands that the UK and its European allies wanted to use the warm relationship they have with the Ukrainian leader, demonstrated over the weekend at a London summit, to deliver some hard truths to him. Sir Keir Starmer gave Mr Zelensky a warm welcome at a summit in London at the weekend - Toby Melville/PA The Government believed there was an urgent need to draw a line under the row, but there is concern in Westminster that Mr Zelenskys tweet will not be enough as positions are hardening in Washington. Mr Trump was due to give a speech to Congress on Tuesday night setting out his foreign policy ambitions, expected to include a deal for Ukraine and Gaza, and reiterate his position on tariffs and trade. The president said he would tell it like it is. There were also reports that he planned to sign the minerals deal in time to announce it in his speech. Mr Zelenskys European allies had been putting pressure on him to apologise after the unedifying spectacle last week, when he was thrown out of the White House for failing to show enough respect. Mr Trump welcomed the Ukrainian leader to the White House last week, but their meeting ended in acrimony - Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Mr Trump was particularly annoyed with him saying that an end to the war was far away. The UK appears to have advised Mr Zelensky that he needed to do more to show gratitude after JD Vance, Mr Trumps vice-president, accused him last week of not saying thank you for military assistance. Mr Zelensky said he was grateful for Sir Keirs advice and support during this challenging time following their call. However, there was deep anger in Britain on Tuesday after Mr Vance appeared to denigrate the war record of UK troops, who fought alongside US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. He dismissed security guarantees from 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years, a remark which was interpreted as referring to the Prime Ministers plans for a British and French-led European peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Mr Vance later claimed he had not been referring to the UK or France. It came as newly released figures from the Ministry of Defence showed that the number of troops considered fit for active service has fallen over recent months. Just under 54,700 troops were considered medically fully deployable in the British Army in January 2025 down from last October. The figures across the Armed Forces have also dwindled by 300 to just under 99,200. After the call with Mr Zelensky, a Downing Street spokesman said: It was vital that all parties worked towards a lasting and secure peace for Ukraine as soon as possible. The Prime Minister welcomed President Zelenskys steadfast commitment to securing peace. Underscoring that any peace for Ukraine needed to be lasting and secure, the Prime Minister said no one wanted peace more than Ukraine. The spokesman refused to criticise the US decision to halt military aid, saying it was a matter for Washington. On Friday, Mr Trump was furious that Mr Zelensky did not sign a deal giving the US access to Ukrainian rare minerals as part of a peace agreement. The US president had claimed it would compensate for the billions in aid money his country had sent to Ukraine. In his message on X, the Ukrainian president said: Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. He also suggested a partial ceasefire in the sky and the sea, which Emmanuel Macron, the French president, had suggested in a newspaper interview. On Wednesday, John Healey, the Defence Secretary, will meet his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington to discuss Ukraine peace initiatives being worked on by the US, UK and France. It follows their first meeting last month, when the UK convened the 50-nation strong Ukraine Defence Contact Group, which coordinates urgent military support for Ukraine. Ahead of the visit he said: Amid a period of growing global instability, the unique and special relationship between the UK and US is as strong as ever underlined by a shared commitment to freedom and democracy. It is crucial that the UK and Europe step up further to take more responsibility for our security, and we are doing so. In the face of increasing global threats, we are cementing our ties as Nato allies, bolstering our national security and economic security, too. The Prime Minister was clear following his meetings over the past week, that we will continue our dialogue with friends and allies to secure a path to a lasting peace in Ukraine. We will advance that work in Washington over the coming days. A pensioner was sawn into 27 pieces with a hacksaw and his body parts dumped across a city, a jury has heard. Marcin Majerkiewicz, 42, is accused of murdering Stuart Everett, 67, whose lower torso and thighs were found by a member of the public, wrapped in cling film and hidden in an abandoned bunker in Kersal Dale nature reserve, in Salford on April 4 last year, Manchester Crown Court was told. The defendant was caught on CCTV making numerous trips dumping Mr Everetts body parts, it is alleged. Majerkiewicz denies murder and manslaughter. Jason Pitter KC, began opening the case for the prosecution to the jury of six women and six men, with the first discovery of body parts in the nature reserve. For obvious reasons it was not known who it was, he said. What was apparent, it transpired, was that it must have been a man who had been sawn into pieces. As you will hear, 27 pieces. That initial gruesome finding was to trigger investigations that led to, a number of weeks later, April 27 and 28 and May 1, further parts, including parts of his skull and ear, over various locations in the Greater Manchester area. This case is about who that man was. Who it is that was responsible for murdering him, cutting him into pieces and depositing his body in various locations? The investigations, the prosecution say, was able to identify those two things: That the body was that of a Stuart Everett, indeed a man of 67 years of age at the time he died. The person responsible for killing him was the defendant, Marcin Majerkiewicz. The court heard both men lived in a house in the Winton area of Salford and there is good evidence to suggest Mr Everett was killed on the evening and into the morning of the 27th to the 28th of March of last year. Mr Everett was of Polish heritage and was born with the name Roman Ziemacki and he had a brother, Richard Ziemacki, who lived in the Derby area. He lived at a shared house at 95 Worsely Road, in Winton, as the sole tenant, responsible for the rent but sub-let rooms in the property, which he sub-let to others including Majerkiewicz. An increase in rent may have led to tension between the two men, the court heard. Another Polish man, Michal Polchowski, also lived at the same address at the time of Mr Everetts killing and dismemberment, but Mr Pitter said Majerkiewicz was solely responsible. The prosecutor said after the initial torso find police scoured CCTV from the area around Kersal Dale on April 4 2024. Detectives found, two days before, around 5pm, a man was seen entering the pathway nearby carrying a heavy blue bag, walking to the wooded area where the body part was found. The same person was seen to emerge a short while later holding the bag folded up. Majerkiewicz was traced and arrested on suspicion of murder as he matched the man in the CCTV footage, the court heard. He had on him two mobile phones, one belonging to Mr Everett along with the dead mans bank cards, the court was told. When police searched Majerkiewiczs address they found evidence of bloodstaining and a clean-up operation, showing something terrible had happened in that house, Mr Pitter added. Analysis of Majerkiewiczs phone movements and CCTV footage showed him making a number of journeys with bags before returning, the court heard. At one location, Chesterfield Close in Winton, nine packages of body parts were recovered, including many internal organs and Mr Everetts genitalia, the court was told. Recoveries at Linneyshaw Colliery Wood included body parts wrapped in cling film, containing bones and muscle tissue. At Blackleach Reservoir a further six body parts were found, including parts of the skull, scalp and left ear and parts of the skin from Mr Everetts face. Jurors were told only around one third of Mr Everetts body was recovered. Back at their home address, officers found blood-staining in the kitchen and a piece of cut-out carpet from the defendants bedroom, the court was told. Pathology of the skull fragments showed Mr Everett had been subject to a sustained, severe blunt force physical assault, with repeated blows to his head, shattering and fracturing his skull. Analysis showed dismemberment of the body was consistent with the use of a hacksaw and took place after death, but Mr Pitter added: It is possible though, that some of the cuts occurred whilst Stuart Everett was alive. The trial continues. PM will not be bounced over Ukraine peace, Rayner insists, as US halts aid Sir Keir Starmer will not be blindsided or bounced from the pursuit of peace in Ukraine, the Deputy Prime Minister has insisted, as Europe reels from Donald Trumps decision to pause US military aid to the country. The White House has suspended delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv, announcing overnight that assistance is being reviewed to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. It comes after a clash in the Oval Office between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the US leader last Friday left bilateral ties between the two nations in tatters. Speaking on Tuesday, Angela Rayner said the Prime Minister remains laser-focused on securing a lasting peace for Kyiv and would not be derailed in those efforts. We are absolutely focused on making sure that we get that peace and the security guarantees as part of that, she said. We wont be derailed or sidelined by commentary, ongoing commentary, but that we will use our relationship, our long-standing relationship, with the US and our European allies to support Ukraine and President Zelensky in getting that peace deal and making sure those securities are part of that. Allies led by Britain and France have spent recent days scrambling to find a way forward following the row, which ended with Mr Zelensky leaving the White House empty-handed despite plans to sign a minerals deal with the US. US President Donald Trump clashed with the Ukrainian leader in the White House last week (Pool via AP) The Prime Ministers own trip to Washington last week appeared to have gone as well as No 10 could have hoped, with Mr Trump indicating he would not block the Chagos Islands deal and suggesting a trade agreement could spare British exports from US tariffs. He is seeking to act as a bridge between America and Europe in efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine amid fears that Kyiv and its allies will continue to be excluded from talks over its future after White House representatives met Kremlin officials for talks about ending the war. Following the suspension of US aid on Monday, a UK Government spokeswoman said key allies are being engaged with as Britain remains absolutely committed to securing a lasting ceasefire. We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with 3 billion a year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a 2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets, the spokeswoman said. In addition, weve set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK export finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace. Ms Rayner denied the Government is acting as if it is business as usual, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Its a very serious moment and I think the Prime Minister has been very serious about the way he has conducted himself. Ms Rayner added: Hes laser-focused on getting peace. He wont be derailed by announcements. He will continue that dialogue with our oldest and strongest ally, the US, and with European partners and with Ukraine. Ms Rayner told ITVs Good Morning Britain that the halt in military aid was a matter for the US President but the UK would be an honest broker, working with both the White House and European allies. Asked if Sir Keir would pick up the phone to speak to Mr Trump, she said she would not give a running commentary but that he would continue to have that dialogue. We wont be blindsided or bounced from the focus of getting peace for Ukraine with those security guarantees, she said. Ms Rayner said Sir Keir will continue to speak with both the US and Kyiv, adding: Thats what the Prime Minister is focused on. He wont be bounced by particular announcements overnight, he will continue to work with our strong allies to get the peace for Ukraine and for Europe. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the PM would not be bounced from his commitment to peace (Peter Byrne/PA) Earlier on Tuesday, US vice president JD Vance also heightened his criticism of the Ukrainian president, accusing him of needling Mr Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement. He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy, he told Fox News. Thats the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasnt yet there. And, frankly, still isnt there. But I think hell get there eventually, he has to. Mr Vance said Ukrainian officials have made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but their efforts were shut down by the President. He claimed the door is open as long as Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace. Over the weekend, Mr Zelensky told reporters he is prepared to stand down in exchange for Nato membership, and suggested he is ready to sign the minerals deal with the US. He has also repeatedly emphasised his gratitude towards Washington for the support it has given to Ukraine after Mr Vance told him he should offer some words of appreciation. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said we must work to keep America in, and Russia out (PA) Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the UK and Europe must rearm faster following the profoundly worrying US announcement. She said: The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. We must work to keep America in, and Russia out. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey appeared to suggest the White House decision had humiliated figures like Sir Keir, who has been insisting there is common ground between the UK and US in the pursuit of peace. By suspending all military aid to Ukraine, Donald Trump has humiliated the people who pretended he was a reliable ally only in search of peace, he said. Meanwhile, Tory MP and former minister Graham Stuart said it was time to consider whether the US president was a Russian asset. We have to consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset. If so, Trumps acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putins FSB career and Europe is on its own, he said. Defence experts said Europe will likely need to double its annual artillery shell production to compensate for the loss of US aid, warning of a nightmare scenario in which Washington could announce a deal accepting most of Moscows demands. Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, said: (Europe) could dig deeper into its own reserves of other weapons. The problem is that while Europe has donated more in value terms, it also ends up providing many different weapons and vehicle types, which means the Ukrainian force is operating an unwieldy variety of equipment, making training more complicated. If US personnel stop working at storage depots as part of the move announced by the White House, military deliveries from other countries could also be disrupted, he added. Malcolm Chambers, deputy director general at the institute, said: The nightmare scenario is that the US announces a deal soon that accepts most of Russias demands, and then tells Ukraine to take it or leave it. The European offer of boots on the ground after a deal has helped reassure Ukraine. But the debate has now moved on. And what will count most of all is how far the UK and Europe are prepared to help Ukraine in defiance of the US. RUSI director general Rachel Ellehuus disputed Mr Trumps claims of US neutrality in the conflict. Withholding aid that Ukraine has been using to defend itself is enabling Russian aggression, she said. Yahoo UK's poll of the week lets you vote and indicate your strength of feeling on one of the week's hot topics. After the poll closes, we'll publish and analyse the results each Friday, giving readers the chance to see how polarising a topic has become and if their view chimes with other Yahoo UK readers. A woman walks past burnt cars after a drone attack in Odesa. (Getty Images) (OLEKSANDR GIMANOVOLEKSANDR GIMANOV via Getty Images) The future of Ukraine is looking more precarious than ever, after the US administration announced it was suspending all military aid to the war-torn country. It follows a tense week in which US president Donald Trump told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that he was "gambling with World War Three" and instructed him to "come back when he is ready for peace" in an extraordinary row in the Oval Office on Friday. Trump appears to be pressuring Kyiv into a ceasefire with Russia, as the US president attempts to form closer ties with Vladimir Putin. However, Trump's actions have prompted outrage from Democrats, who said he has "kicked the door open" for more Russian aggression in Ukraine. Many fear Putin will not stop at Ukraine, with advocacy group Razom for Ukraine accusing Trump of "hanging Ukrainians out to dry and giving Russia the green light to continue marching west". Relations between the US and Ukraine have crumbled following a tense exchange in the Oval Office, and later a suspension of military aid. (Reuters) (Reuters / Reuters) While European leaders are still intent on working with Trump to secure peace, many have agreed they need to step up their defences collectively as a continent, to deter any future Russian aggression. Holding a summit in London on Sunday, UK prime minister Keir Starmer said the continent is at a "crossroads in history" and called on leaders to help put Ukraine in the strongest position possible militarily, while ramping up their own defence spending. Leaders at the Lancaster House meeting also agreed to present a common peace plan for Ukraine to Trump, with Starmer saying the UK, France and others are prepared to put "boots on the ground, and planes in the air" as part of a future peacekeeping mission. This drew scorn from US vice president JD Vance, who said giving America an "economic upside in the future of Ukraine" would be a better solution, while Russia has already accused Britain and France of trying to "further fuel the conflict" by sending troops. None of this bodes well for Ukraine's future, but how worried are you about the war escalating? Let us know in the poll below. Who do you think is to blame for this break down of peace talks? Are you worried about the conflict spreading beyond Ukraine? Have your say and your comment may be featured in our results article on Friday. Vance insists 'random country' remark was not about UK or France The US vice president has been forced to clarify that his criticism of a possible European peacekeeping force in Ukraine was not aimed at the UK or France after a backlash from British politicians and ex-soldiers. In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, JD Vance appeared to downplay the potential of 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years in monitoring any ceasefire. His comments were widely perceived to be directed towards the UK and France, who have been leading European efforts to secure a peace deal between Russia and Kyiv. In an apparent reference to a deal being pushed by the US to gain access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals, Vance added: If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine." JD Vance denied aiming his jibe at the UK or France. (Alamy) (Bill Clark, Associated Press) Some UK politicians and ex-personnel reacted furiously to the vice-presidents remarks, including Liberal Democrat defence spokeswoman Helen Maguire MP, a former Captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq. She accused Vance of "erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan" and called on the UK's ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, to seek an apology. Later on Tuesday, Vance claimed it was absurdly dishonest to suggest he had been referring to either France or Britain. I dont even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond, he said. Come back on Friday to read the results and analysis via the link below. Read more of Yahoo UK's Poll of the Week articles Misha says that he and his brigade will keep fighting on no matter what impact the end of US supplies has - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph On the ruined streets of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, less than 20 miles from the front line, news of Donald Trumps halt to military aid brought 50-year-old Lilia to tears. All of Ukraine felt pain in that moment, she said as she stood alone outside her home in a town battered by three years of war. There is no hope with Trumps actions. On Monday night, the US president suspended the delivery of all US military aid to Kyiv, deepening a schism that has developed between Kyiv and Washington in recent weeks. Trains loaded with weapons and ammunition bound for the front line were stopped in Poland before crossing the Ukrainian border. Kyivs military is now set to lose over $1 billion (790 million) in arms, potentially dealing a fatal blow to its battlefield chances. America has abandoned Ukraine, said Lilia as she spoke of losing loved ones in the fight against the Russian invasion. I worked for 30 years in a kindergarten and four of the children I once cared for have now grown up and are lying in the alley of heroes in Kramatorsk. For the sake of the children who are still alive, we must keep fighting we need the help of the entire world. Driving into Kramatorsk from Dnipro means passing a constant flow of ambulances carrying injured soldiers away from the front line. The citys buildings are boarded up. Many of the windows are smashed by nearby explosions. Stray dogs prowl the streets and the silence is broken only by air raid sirens. The city of Kramatorsk has been battered by three years of war Those who remain are exhausted by years of fighting. Of course we are all tired of this war, said Lilia. In the centre of Kramatorsk, 52-year-old Nataliya stood outside of her food stall on an empty street. I cannot comprehend how such horrific things are happening in the 21st century, she said. She expressed disgust at last weeks meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, and Mr Trump, which descended into a shouting match in front of the worlds media. Trump provoked him, Nataliya said. What do I think of Trump? I will not resort to name-calling. This is a betrayal. The US has, in some way, guaranteed our security over these past three years of full-scale war. But now, I do not feel it. Nataliya implored Britain as well as its allies in Europe to take Americas place in helping to defend her country. I want to hear from our friends in the UK about some kind of security guarantees for my country, for my children, for my grandchildren. Flags and tributes in memory of both the fallen and the living surround the sign for Donetsk Oblast on the road to Kramatorsk - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph Every person The Telegraph spoke to in Kramatorsk said they longed for peace, but each expressed doubt at a potential deal brokered by Russia. On Tuesday, after days of pressure from Washington, Mr Zelensky said he was ready to come to the negotiation table with Mr Trump as soon as possible to sign a minerals deal and secure peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians, Mr Zelensky said. The proposed minerals deal would mark the first official agreement in Mr Trumps efforts to end the war. When Mr Trump first mooted a US-Ukraine minerals deal, he claimed Washington was owed $500 billion (394 billion) worth of Ukraines resources in exchange for past military support to defend against the Russian invasion. Alex, a 32-year-old soldier who fought in the battle for Kyiv, said the deal proposed by Mr Trump makes no sense. What is the point of giving our resources and being left with nothing? he said. We will have lost men for nothing. If we give up territory it will do nothing, he added, saying that Russia would not stop with Ukraine, but keep moving into Europe. Russia wont stop. We cant let them take over. Lilia, a tearful resident of Kramatorsk, described feeling abandoned by the US - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph Misha, a 40-year-old soldier fighting on the front lines just outside Kramatorsk, said he believed Vladimir Putin and Mr Trump were less concerned with peace and more focused on Ukraines natural resources. I want to save Ukraine as a country, whereas Russia and the US want our resources. He added that he believed a peace deal would not stop Russia advancing in Ukraine. If it would save lives to have a deal I would accept it, but I believe Russia wouldnt follow it. They will not stick to a deal. Misha told The Telegraph that he and his brigade would keep fighting on no matter what impact the end of US supplies had. He said that his unit could divide into partisan groups as a way to continue to defend on the front line. If needed we will become small groups and we will still keep pushing to defend our country, he said. Ukrainian servicemen fire a M777 howitzer towards Russian positions at the front line near Donetsk - Roman Chop/AP Misha said that he feared his unit would be taken over by Russian forces if they continued to advance. If the rest of Ukraine is taken by Russia, we will be forced to fight for them, like people in Luhansk and Donetsk. Alex expressed worries about the coming summer, Ukraines ability to take back territory from Russia, and what dwindling supplies could mean for Ukraine. We need to focus on the summer and prepare for bigger battles, he said. Moscow has said Mr Trumps decision to suspend military support for Ukraine was the best hope for peace. But Mr Trump has continually declined to state that Russia was the aggressor and invader. I cannot accept a so-called peace where they claim Russia did not attack, did not kill. I cannot accept that, said Nataliya. Nataliya implored Britain and its allies in Europe to take Americas place in helping to defend her country - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph Anna, a 23-year-old sergeant serving near Kramatorsk, said that any peace deal that did not recognise the devastation caused by Russia was a farce. Trump is saying that we are guilty when Russia is the one killing us and destroying our country. Anna echoed the feelings of abandonment expressed by other locals. America is absolutely abandoning Ukraine. This aid is absolutely crucial for us. In his pleas to America and Europe, Mr Zelensky has repeatedly raised the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which promised US, UK, French and Russian security guarantees for Ukraine in exchange for Kyiv giving up its arsenal of Soviet-inherited nuclear weapons. No one is following Budapest, where it was agreed to provide our protection, said Anna. Anna suffered personally at the hands of Russia, having spent months detained as a prisoner of war. During her time in captivity she was electrocuted during interrogations, heavily beaten and forced to strip naked. I feel it is a complete disregard of what myself and others went through, she said. I am furious about this. I dont understand why it would be ignored and how its even possible to do so. Nataliya said she had spoken to mothers, widows, and many others and it was unbearable to think that Putin could be recognised as a victor. I want all countries to unite and help put an end to this bloodshed. Kramatorsk residents expressed doubts about a potential peace deal brokered by Russia - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph According to reports, the UK Government was blindsided by Mr Trumps decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine Sir Keir Starmer had told the House of Commons just hours before that withdrawing aid was not Washingtons position. Europe has been scrambling to draw up its own plans for peace in Ukraine and pleading with Mr Trump to provide security guarantees, which he has so far declined. I want the support from Europe to be more, said Nataliya. After the full-scale invasion in 2022, everyone was helping, everyone was doing something. The UK has provided tremendous support not just as a country, but also as individuals. Nataliya said that she appealed to Europe from the bottom of her heart to stop the fighting. Let there be peace. As Lilia wiped her eyes, she recalled the death of her sons best friend. He was killed two days ago at the age of 18. The boy wanted peace, he wanted to live in a peaceful country. He never left he stayed in Kramatorsk from the beginning of the war until his last day. The next generation must have its own country, its own homeland. Russian President Vladimir Putin In the Commons on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer was asked about rumours that America was about to suspend military aid to Ukraine. I have not seen reports of the United States withdrawing support for Ukraine, and, as I understand it, that is not its position, he replied. It is astonishing that just a few days after his apparent diplomatic triumph in Washington, wooing the notoriously capricious American president, that he should have been blindsided about such a momentous decision. Sir Keir was also asked whether the US could any longer be considered a reliable ally. He replied: The US and the UK have the closest of relationships; our defence, security and intelligence are completely intertwined. No two countries are as close as our two countries and at a time like this, it would be a huge mistake to suggest that any weakening of that link is the way forward for security and defence in Europe. It may be dawning on the Prime Minister that the link is being weakened, or even severed, not here but on the other side of the Atlantic, whatever honeyed blandishments he received from Mr Trump during his talks. The evidence is compelling. Arguably, the most important event last week was not the humiliation of Volodomyr Zelensky in the White House but the vote in the UN on the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. America voted against a resolution condemning Russia, siding with North Korea and Belarus in doing so. This might have been considered a signal of US intent, unless we are to believe everything Trump does is some sort of clever ruse designed to discombobulate his opponents. Instead of searching for some secondary meaning perhaps we should consider that what he says and does is what he believes. Sir Keir is adamant that Trump remains committed to Nato and to the Article 5 all for one and one for all provision. Really? Would anyone trust the US under its current president to come to the aid of, say, Estonia if the Russians invaded? The words of Bismarck come to mind: that the Balkans are not worth the bones of one Pomeranian grenadier. Trump thinks the same about the Baltics and a single US marine. It is ironic, however, that the only time in its history that Nato has invoked Article 5 was on behalf of the United States after 9/11. The geopolitics of the post-Cold War era are being turned upside down as, indeed, are all domestic assumptions. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Western democracies salivated at the prospect of spending the money previously allocated to defence and security on welfare, health and education. History was over, the West had won, there were no real threats in Europe anymore. Russia was even admitted to the top table as a member of what became the G8. We could afford to hand out benefits never previously imagined. Parents would get free nursery care; pensioners free TV licences, triple locks and winter fuel allowances; welfare budgets ballooned with millions able to live a life of dependency on the state. If a threat did reappear in Europe, Uncle Sam was always ready and willing to lend a hand and give the offender a good hiding. Nato was the vehicle and the Americans the principal driver. Thats all gone now. The freeloading is over as it should have been years ago. Now, from London to Warsaw the talk is all about spending more on defence. Sir Keir Starmer has raided the countrys foreign aid budget in order to push the military budget up to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027 but this is nowhere near enough. Nor is a vague promise of moving to 3 per cent some time in the next decade. It is not as though the money is not there. What is missing is the political will to prioritise defence over all the other spending programmes on which people have come to rely. Not only do we need to spend more on our own security but there is now a pressing need to fill the void left by US isolationism. The case for seizing 250 billion of Russian assets frozen by sanctions is, therefore, stronger than ever. There has been talk of doing so almost from the moment the first Russian tank crossed the border in 2022 but no one is able to agree on what to do. It came up at the weekends summit in London, but again a common position could not be found. Germany is among the countries raising objections. Polands prime minister Donald Tusk has been pressing the EU to expropriate the assets of the Russian Central Bank, which are mostly held in Belgium. So far only the revenues from the interest have been used. At the weekend Rachel Reeves authorised a 2.26 billion UK-Ukraine bilateral loan agreement taken from the profits generated on sanctioned and frozen Russian sovereign assets. Reeves said: Its Russia that has to pay for the damage and the devastation its caused in Ukraine. In that case, why not confiscate the assets rather than use them for speculation? Opponents say the money is Russias sovereign property protected by international law. But legal considerations did not stop Russia invading its neighbour or continuing to strafe its towns and cities almost daily with missiles and drones. Even if there is a peace agreement, Russia should pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Why should Western taxpayers fund work to repair the damage caused by the aggressor when we have 250 billion of its money under our control? Another argument against confiscation is that the Kremlin will retaliate. But if the Americans are really disengaging from Europe, it would be perverse to hand back huge amounts of money that Moscow could then spend on weapons to be used against us. Asset confiscation will be on the agenda for the G7 meeting in Canada in June, but the way things are going will America even turn up? The hosts are preparing a plan for seizure but it is by no means clear that agreement can be reached. In the Commons Sir Keir Starmer said it was a very complex issue and would not commit to supporting the idea. This dithering must end. Trump may consider Vladimir Putin to be a potential ally but he behaves like our enemy and should be made to pay. Sir Elton John has spoken of his admiration for Irish band Kneecap and their energy and vitality. The rap trio from West Belfast are known for merging Irish and English in their music alongside politically charged and satirical lyrics. Speaking to broadcaster Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 6 Music, the 77-year old musician said: I saw a video of them, and I just was so knocked out, by the energy they had and the vitality they had. Mo Chara (Naoise O Caireallain), Moglai Bap (Liam Og O Hannaidh), Rich Peppiatt and DJ Provai of Kneecap (Ian West/PA) Theyre just extraordinary and they, what they talk about is political, and theres not many bands that do that. So, yeah, I love them. I love the energy. I love everything about them. Kneecap is made up of Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Moglai Bap, whose real name is Naoise O Caireallain, and DJ Provai, whose full name is JJ O Dochartaigh. The band has received some criticism and censorship over their music and was in dispute with now-Tory leader Kemi Badenoch when the group launched a discrimination case. The trio were blocked by the former Conservative government from receiving a grant aimed at supporting UK artists, despite their application being successful. The Department of Business and Trade, which was headed by Ms Badenoch at the time, said they did not want to give taxpayers money to people who oppose the United Kingdom itself. Kneecap with director Rich Peppiatt who won a Bafta award (Ian West/PA) The group took legal action against the government, claiming the decision was discriminatory and won in November 2024, receiving 14,250 the total amount of the original grant. The trio donated the money to two youth organisations in Belfast, splitting it between a nationalist and a unionist area. In 2024, the band released an eponymous debut film starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender which is a fictionalised retelling of how the band came together. The film was nominated for six Baftas and took home the award for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer. It was also among the big winners at the Irish Film and Television Academy (Ifta), scooping four awards including best director for Rich Peppiatt. Sir Elton, known for hit songs Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer and Im Still Standing, also spoke about still getting nervous before releasing new music. Sir Elton said: All the time. Oh, it never goes away. When you play new tracks for people, you still feel the same as you did when I was playing Empty Sky, my first album to somebody. It never goes away, nor should it. Fear is the greatest motivator. While Starmer aims to lead on the global stage, the reality of Britains economic and defence struggles hits home - Shutterstock While Sir Keir Starmer was auditioning for an exciting new position that has recently fallen vacant Leader of the Free World, Yay! I wandered around taking the temperature in our lovely north Essex market town. It was payday weekend and retailers and hospitality always expect to do well, or a bit better anyway. The sun was out and it felt like the first day of spring, but sadly there were few green shoots in the local economy. In no particular order I was told that the splendid butcher had had his worst day since he started trading decades ago. Our branch of Waitrose is having to shed 300 staff hours a week (the men and women who work there are mainly older and terrific. What will they do?). While the Prime Minister rattles his tiny sabre and brags about putting boots on the ground in Ukraine, there were precious few boots, or shoes, in these British shops and cafes. Footfall is right down. A friend with a shop and a cafe works seven days a week to stay afloat. She is bracing herself for April when the minimum wage goes up alongside employers National Insurance Contributions. Lizzie winced when she pointed out that in her Budget for growth Rachel Reeves sneakily lowered the threshold so those contributions now start at just 5,000 basically that means all Lizzies staff, even the young part-timers. How is it all to be paid for when margins are already cut finer than Serrano ham? She has dark bags under her eyes from not sleeping. Starmer must know recession is either here already, or around the corner. International affairs are a welcome distraction from domestic chaos and plummeting personal popularity. Robust talk of distant conflict and shared values lends stature to an unimpressive man. Sir Keir has never looked more chipper than when threatening to put our boys and girls in harms way. Increasing support to Ukraine will also provide cover for the tax rises Labour will soon need to impose to sustain the monstrous delusion of net zero while starting to rebuild our threadbare armed forces. The Government will blame it on Trump, of course, for threatening to withdraw Americas security umbrella, forcing poor old Europe to pay its own way. Even though Trump made it clear back in 2016 that he thought the US contribution to Nato was disproportionate and other member nations must step up. The political class put their fingers in their ears and breathed a sigh of relief when ghastly Orange Man went away. Now hes back, they forget their shameful inaction, congratulating themselves instead on their new resolve and a coalition of the willing. They were unwilling for far too long. After meeting with both Zelensky and Starmer over the weekend, Trump announced on Tuesday that US aid to Ukraine is being paused - China News Service A hawkish Starmer says he will put boots on the ground and planes in the air. He also says hell only do so with strong US backing, but president Trump has categorically ruled out American troops in Ukraine. What is Starmer doing? Except, that is, inflaming tensions and putting us at risk. But no one in Parliament on Monday, not one of them, stood up and said, Excuse me, what? Or, You must be having a laugh. MPs darent criticise the PM for fear of looking like a Putin appeaser and were too busy cheerleading to call out his arrant nonsense. So let me do it for them. How can we possibly afford it? Britain is already on its knees. Debt is a horrifying 98 per cent of GDP. Taxes are at their highest level for 70 years and about to go up again. This country needs to muster such resources as it has to take care of our own. (To be fair, both Robert Jenrick and Reforms Rupert Lowe have been asking the necessary tough, strategic questions.) And why us? Poland, the EU country which sensibly spends most on defence, has said a categorical no to sending forces into Ukraine. Germany is unlikely to be much more enthusiastic. What will Starmers coalition of the willing end up as: a bit of the Netherlands and the French, who stop fighting for a three-course lunch on linen tablecloths while our squaddies have a sarnie and packet of smoky bacon crisps on a tank (true story, amusingly)? Well, I am a mother and let me tell you there is no way Id let my son sign up for such a foolhardy, open-ended enterprise. Nor would I expect any mothers son to do it, nor any brave soldier either. The last time a British prime minister used the phrase coalition of the willing Tony Blair was trying to persuade us of the merits of invading Iraq. The consequences of that fateful decision are still around, not least in the thousands of Iraqis crossing the Channel in small boats. Today, we hear the same deluded drumbeat for intervention as broadcasters and members of the commentariat fall into lockstep behind a leader who has done so much to undermine the patriotic feeling he now exhorts in others. The fashionable fool who once knelt down to Black Lives Matter is suddenly channelling Churchill. As if. Does Starmer think this is his Falklands moment? Act like a tough guy, throw a few thousand troops (whatever paltry number we can muster) into active service in exchange for a lift in the polls? It is all so bogus and squalid. A country that was serious about defence would not permit the closure of the last steelworks manufacturing steel of high enough quality to manufacture tanks and weapons. (Yet that is what happened to Port Talbot; a great plant with good jobs sacrificed to the god of net zero and taking with it a key part of our national security.) A country that was serious about defence would not airily assume it could buy that steel for weapons from China or India; not when they are both allies of the country we supposedly need the tanks and artillery to fight against. We no longer have much of a manufacturing base, relying on international arms producers. It will take a decade to crank up the necessary industrial capacity what is the Army supposed to do in the meantime? As of July 2024, the British Army has 109,086 personnel - Bloomberg A country that was serious about defence would not permit the number of young male migrants who broke into the UK (another 600 came ashore on Sunday, God help us) to outnumber the men in our military. Some 162,000 migrants received settled status last year. The total British Army strength last summer was 109,086 personnel 74,296 regular soldiers, 4,244 Gurkhas and almost 26,000 volunteer reserves. Anyone see a potential problem? A country that was serious about defence would make protecting its own borders a priority, not Ukraines. A country that was serious about defence would find it a bit strange that its allies in the EU spend more on Russian oil and gas than on aid to Ukraine. In 2024, Europe is estimated to have bought 22 billion of fossil fuels from Russia while giving 19 billion to support Kyiv. If Russia poses an existential threat to the security of Europe, why is Europe filling Putins coffers with treasure? A country that was serious about defence would not have laughed when Donald Trump warned them eight years ago about the danger of becoming overly dependent on energy from Russia. Germany, were looking at you. A country that was serious about defence would not have allowed its world-renowned armed forces, which numbered over 330,000 in the Sixties, to become a shadow of their former selves. We are down to 18,000 infantry, around 6,000 Royal Marines and up to 3,000 Special Forces, 850 of them being tier one SAS/SBS. How are they supposed to defend a border with Russia that is 1,220 miles long? One Royal Marine mocks Starmer. Boots on the ground what boots? Where can they be found? We still have to beg decent rations off the Yanks. Recently back from training guys in Ukraine, he says that, unfortunately, its a lost cause. A Telegraph reader acidly points out the Royal Navy cant leave port with all our frontline ships because we dont have enough sailors. We cant deploy both aircraft carriers with our own ships to protect them as we dont have enough frigates, destroyers and submarines. Pitiful. As for our nuclear deterrent, that too would be in a grave state of disrepair were it not for magnificent support from the United States. It makes you want to weep, doesnt it, the way we have let those people some of our very best people down? I cant bear it. What say the cowardly warmongers in the Commons who allowed defence spending to fall so low we are, to an extent no one cares to admit, largely defenceless? Conservatives presided over that lethal weakening of our native strength for over 14 years in government, allowing Labour to take the credit for making us stronger. Yes, Trumps brutal humiliation of Zelensky in the Oval Office was horrible to watch a leader who has witnessed naked aggression against his sovereign country, and hundreds of thousands of lives lost, deserves better. (Although Joe Biden had previously lost his temper with the Ukrainian leader for being insufficiently grateful for US help.) There is no doubt Zelenskys fierce pride and stubborn determination have sustained him and his nation through the darkest times, but they may make him insufficiently flexible as the inevitable ugly compromise approaches. I was appalled by the US decision to side with Russia in a recent vote in the United Nations condemning Russias territorial aggression against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022. That put America in the company of Belarus and North Korea for goodness sake. The US then drafted and voted for a resolution at the UN Security Council which called for an end to the conflict, but contained no criticism of Russia (the UK and France abstained after their attempts to amend the wording were vetoed). But what if there is method in Trumps madness? What if he is giving Putin a way out that doesnt mean he is humiliated and lends him a better story to tell at home which is, after all, the only way that a dictator will be persuaded to agree a ceasefire and come to terms? What if the US taking rare minerals rights in Ukraine puts American citizens in the country and makes it politically impossible for Russia to attack again? I have absolutely no idea, quite frankly. Your guess is as good as mine. Lightning is easier to predict than Donald Trump. I do know that today Zelensky dramatically changed his tune, expressing regret that his meeting with Trump didnt go the way it was supposed to and that he thanked the US for its support, saying Kyiv was ready to sign the proposed minerals deal. Trump told him he hadnt got the cards, and he was right. Those are the bitter lessons of realpolitick: might may not always be right, but its hard to argue with. What I do know is that our Prime Minister has no business bigging himself up and making boastful offers on our behalf during a highly combustible situation when our armed forces are in no position to deliver on his pledges. Starmer should devote himself to saving this country from the coming economic storm. The character Keir Starmer resembles most right now is not Winston Churchill, but Lord Farquaad in Shrek: Some of you may die, but its a sacrifice Im willing to make. There is only one question to put to the British people: are you willing to let your sons and daughters die for the Donbas? I make that a resounding, No. Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Donald Trump about the need to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine just hours before the White House paused military aid to Kyiv. Downing Street revealed on Tuesday that the Prime Minister and the US president spoke on Monday night. At around midnight reports emerged from Washington indicating Mr Trump was halting the flow of arms to Volodymyr Zelenskys country in the latest sign of tensions between the US and Ukrainian presidents. Downing Street said the conversation had focused on progress towards securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. The conversation on Monday night followed to phone calls with Mr Trump over the weekend and the Prime Ministers visit to Washington last week. Ministers insisted Sir Keir would not be blindsided or bounced by Mr Trumps actions over Ukraine. The White House suspended delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv, announcing overnight that assistance is being reviewed to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. It comes after a clash in the Oval Office between Mr Zelensky and the US leader last Friday left bilateral ties between the two nations in tatters. Speaking on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said Sir Keir remains laser-focused on securing a lasting peace for Kyiv and would not be derailed in those efforts. We are absolutely focused on making sure that we get that peace and the security guarantees as part of that, she said. We wont be derailed or sidelined by commentary, ongoing commentary, but that we will use our relationship, our long-standing relationship, with the US and our European allies to support Ukraine and President Zelensky in getting that peace deal and making sure those securities are part of that. Allies led by Britain and France have spent recent days scrambling to find a way forward following the row, which ended with Mr Zelensky leaving the White House empty-handed despite plans to sign a minerals deal with the US. The Prime Ministers own trip to Washington last week appeared to have gone as well as No 10 could have hoped, with Mr Trump indicating he would not block the Chagos Islands deal and suggesting a trade agreement could spare British exports from US tariffs. He is seeking to act as a bridge between America and Europe in efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine amid fears that Kyiv and its allies will continue to be excluded from negotiations over its future after Mr Trump opened talks with Russias Vladimir Putin. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the Prime Minister would not be bounced from his commitment to peace (Peter Byrne/PA) Ms Rayner denied the Government is acting as if it is business as usual, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Its a very serious moment and I think the Prime Minister has been very serious about the way he has conducted himself. Ms Rayner added: Hes laser-focused on getting peace. He wont be derailed by announcements. He will continue that dialogue with our oldest and strongest ally, the US, and with European partners and with Ukraine. Ms Rayner told ITVs Good Morning Britain that the halt in military aid was a matter for the US president but the UK would be an honest broker, working with both the White House and European allies. We wont be blindsided or bounced from the focus of getting peace for Ukraine with those security guarantees, she said. Earlier on Tuesday, US vice president JD Vance also heightened his criticism of the Ukrainian president, accusing him of needling Mr Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the USs decision to halt military aid to Ukraine was profoundly worrying (Jordan Pettitt/PA) He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy, he told Fox News. Thats the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasnt yet there. And, frankly, still isnt there. But I think hell get there eventually, he has to. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the UK and Europe must rearm faster following the profoundly worrying US announcement. She said: The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. We must work to keep America in, and Russia out. We have to consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset. If so, Trump's acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putin's FSB career and Europe is on its own, Graham Stuart MP (@grahamstuart) March 4, 2025 Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey appeared to suggest the White House decision had humiliated figures like Sir Keir, who has been insisting there is common ground between the UK and US in the pursuit of peace. By suspending all military aid to Ukraine, Donald Trump has humiliated the people who pretended he was a reliable ally only in search of peace, he said. Meanwhile, Tory MP and former minister Graham Stuart said it was time to consider whether the US president was a Russian asset, adding: If so, Trumps acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putins FSB career and Europe is on its own. Malcolm Chambers, deputy director general at defence think tank the Royal United Services Institute, said: The nightmare scenario is that the US announces a deal soon that accepts most of Russias demands, and then tells Ukraine to take it or leave it. The European offer of boots on the ground after a deal has helped reassure Ukraine. But the debate has now moved on. And what will count most of all is how far the UK and Europe are prepared to help Ukraine in defiance of the US. Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed Volodymyr Zelenskys steadfast commitment to securing peace as the Ukrainian leader said he was ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to end the war with Russia. The Prime Minister spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart on Tuesday afternoon and said that no one wanted peace more than Kyiv. It comes as Mr Zelensky has called for a truce in the sky and a truce in the sea if Russia agrees to the same and said it is time to make things right after his clash in the Oval Office with Donald Trump last week. I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025 Sir Keir had previously spoken to Mr Trump about the need to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine, hours before the White House paused military aid to Kyiv on Monday. Issuing a read out of the call between the leaders, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: The Prime Minister updated on his discussion with President Trump last night. It was vital that all parties worked towards a lasting and secure peace for Ukraine as soon as possible, the Prime Minister added. Turning to President Zelenskys most recent calls for further diplomatic efforts to achieve the swiftest possible end to the war, the Prime Minister welcomed President Zelenskys steadfast commitment to securing peace. Underscoring that any peace for Ukraine needed to be lasting and secure, the Prime Minister said no one wanted peace more than Ukraine. The leaders agreed to stay in close touch in the coming days. Mr Zelensky said the two leaders discussed the current developments and exchanged views on the next steps, saying he was grateful for the advice and support during this challenging time. We are co-ordinating our positions and doing everything to achieve guaranteed peace as soon as possible and bring an end to this war, he said. I spoke with UK Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer. We discussed the current developments and exchanged views on the next steps. We are coordinating our positions and doing everything to achieve guaranteed peace as soon as possible and bring an end to this war. Peace is needed for pic.twitter.com/Cv6SOykPi7 Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025 The bilateral ties between Kyiv and Washington appeared to be in tatters after the clash in the Oval Office between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky on Friday, an encounter the Ukrainian leader has now called regrettable. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Zelensky had said: My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. He said that Ukraine is ready to sign a minerals deal and said the Washington meeting did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive, he said. The White House has suspended delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv, announcing overnight that assistance is being reviewed to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. Downing Street had earlier revealed on Tuesday that the Prime Minister and the US president spoke on Monday night. At around midnight reports emerged from Washington indicating Mr Trump was halting the flow of arms to Mr Zelenskys country in the latest sign of tensions between the US and Ukrainian presidents. Downing Street said the conversation had focused on progress towards securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. The conversation on Monday night followed phone calls with Mr Trump over the weekend and the Prime Ministers visit to Washington last week. The matter of security guarantees that could be given to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal to discourage Vladimir Putin from reinvading has been a key topic in discussions. Sir John Sawers, the former chief of MI6, told LBC on Tuesday evening that there could be border incursions into the Baltic states as a test of Nato Article 5 resilience. He said: I think well see more targeted attacks against undersea cables and maybe gas pipelines, just to unnerve the Europeans. And we might see some border incursions into the Baltic states, for example, just to test whether Article 5 is still there. Families affected by a horrific blaze on the Isle of Man 50 years ago have lodged an application for a fresh inquest into the incident. The fire at the Summerland leisure complex on August 2 1973 killed 50 people, among them 11 children. More than 100 people were injured. The victims and survivors came from across Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and as far as Australia. The fire was determined to have originated at a crazy golf course outside the complex but ripped its way through Summerland within 30 minutes, quickly spreading through the glass structure that covered the entire building. Thousands of holidaymakers inside the building had been enjoying their summer break, making use of the five floors of amusement arcades, dance halls, a bingo hall, restaurants and bars. Phoenix Law solicitor Darragh Mackin (Niall Carson/PA) It later emerged that flammable Galbestos cladding was known to be a safety risk but was allowed to be used in the construction of what was then a state-of-the-art complex. The incident, which was one of the deadliest fire disasters in British history, has left victims families and survivors with lingering questions and unresolved grievances. They have called for a thorough investigation into circumstances surrounding the fire. On Tuesday, a solicitor for many of those affected announced that an application for a fresh inquest into the tragic fire had been lodged. Darragh Mackin, of Belfast-based Phoenix Law, which acts for the Justice for Summerland Campaign, said the application underscores the concerns of the affected families. He said it came after it was uncovered that a forensic scientist who worked on analysis of the Summerland fire had provided evidence in other cases which was later found to be unreliable and where convictions had been quashed. Darragh Mackin speaking to the media in front of survivors, family members and supporters after a verdict of unlawful killing was returned in the Stardust fire inquest (Brian Lawless/PA) Mr Mackin said: It is difficult to envisage a more compelling set of circumstances to which point firmly in favour of a fresh investigation. He added: This revelation coupled with the evolution in forensic techniques make a clear and indisputable need for a fresh investigation. Mr Mackin previously represented several families affected by the Stardust tragedy in Dublin, Ireland, which claimed the lives of 48 young people. In April, an inquest concluded that the victims of that fire had been unlawfully killed. A previous finding in 1982 said that the fire had been started deliberately, a theory the families never accepted. One of the grounds for the new inquest into the Summerland fire is listed as an insufficiency or irregularity in the proceedings lasting just one day, with its conclusions largely limited to the medical cause of death. Elsewhere, Phoenix Law argues that there have been scientific developments in forensic science which could benefit a new inquiry, as well as the fact that the scientists evidence has been found to be unreliable in other situations. It added that the Stardust fire inquest demonstrates the significance of the development of forensic techniques within the area of fire science. A spokesman for the Isle of Man government said: The Attorney Generals Chambers can confirm that an application has been received and will be given appropriate consideration. A triple killer raped his ex-girlfriend in a violent, sexual act of spite during an attack which saw him murder her and her sister with a crossbow and their mother with a butchers knife, a court has heard. Kyle Clifford, who is being tried in his absence, is alleged to have become enraged when 25-year-old former partner Louise Hunt ended their 18-month relationship before he carefully planned and executed the murders on July 9 last year. Cambridge Crown Court heard the defendant gained access to the family home by deceiving 61-year-old Carol Hunt, the wife of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, before stabbing her to death in a brutal knife attack. After killing Carol and Louise, he fatally shot 28-year-old Hannah Hunt when she returned to the property in the quiet cul-de-sac of Ashlyn Close in Bushey, Hertfordshire, after work. Floral tributes near the scene in Bushey, Hertfordshire, where Carol Hunt, the wife of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, and two of their daughters, Hannah and Louise, were killed in a crossbow attack (Jonathan Brady/PA) The defendant previously admitted three counts of murder, one of false imprisonment against Louise Hunt, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons the crossbow and the knife. After hearing some of the prosecutions opening of the case the trial judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, told jurors that shocking though the events are, we must be calm and collected as he urged them to focus on the charge of rape. Mr Hunt observed proceedings from the public gallery on Tuesday. Opening the prosecutions case, Alison Morgan KC told the jury: It is not in dispute therefore that he murdered three members of the Hunt family Carol, Louise and Hannah. It is also not in dispute that he was unlawfully in possession of a knife and a crossbow that day. He also accepts that he falsely imprisoned Louise Hunt during the course of the incident, restraining her against her will. The court heard that customers of Louises dog grooming business, based in a pod in the Hunt familys garden, were using the gate at the side of the house not realising what was happening when Carol was murdered. The jury panel was told a faint scream could be heard from the address shortly after Louise entered the house, and she was found to have been restrained with tape at the wrist and ankles. Hannah is heard on audio at the Hunt family home saying Kyle I swear to God after returning home and appearing to find Kyle Clifford in the house, the court heard. Ms Morgan said Hannah messaged her partner, Alex Klein, telling him to call police immediately. To mine. Now. Kyle here. Police now. Hes tying us up. Police and forensics officers at the scene of the murders in Ashlyn Close, Bushey, Hertfordshire (James Manning/PA) Ms Morgan continued: During the course of this prolonged incident of violence, the prosecution alleges that the defendant raped Louise Hunt. It was a violent, sexual act of spite, before he then killed her. You will have to determine that allegation against him. Cliffords sister had messaged him on the day of the attacks asking him what are you playing at? when she realised he had taken the crossbow out with him. The defendant told her he was doing nothing illegal and that he was shooting it in his friends back garden. Following the attacks, Clifford, who served in the military from 2019 for around three years, became the subject of a manhunt for a number of hours before he was found injured in Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield, north London, after shooting himself in the chest with the crossbow. The court heard Louises friends and family hoped that the relationship would come to an end after they became concerned about the way Clifford treated her. The jury was told Louise had shared with her friends that he had a nasty temper and that he behaved in an aggressive manner, with her sister Hannah deeming him to be disrespectful, rude and arrogant. Clifford had also been in relationships with other women while he was dating Louise which he hid from her, the court heard. Louise made a note on her phone five days before the murders titled When youre sad, look, which set out how Clifford was racist, had commented he did not like transgender people and had used belittling language. Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Kyle Clifford appearing via videolink at Westminster Magistrates Court (PA) Ms Morgan said that in the days leading up to the attacks, Clifford had searched for how to purchase a crossbow and had accessed pornography, including for a video of former HMP Wandsworth prison officer Linda De Sousa Abreu, who admitted having sex with a prisoner last year. The prosecutor said the defendants violent intentions were shown through the use of weapons and his sexual preoccupations. Addressing the defendants motive to kill his victims, Ms Morgan said: Louise instigated the end of the relationship, supported by her friends and family. In the days that followed, the message prompted the defendant to try to rekindle the relationship in various ways, all of which were rebuffed by Louise Hunt. This rejection angered the defendant. He was angry at Louise, but also at the Hunt family generally, as he correctly assumed that friends and family members had advised Louise to end the relationship with him. The prosecutor continued: The attack was carefully planned and executed, involving the deceit of Louises mother Carol Hunt, in order to gain access to the family home, followed by a brutal knife attack upon Carol Hunt. The defendant then waited for Louise to enter the property, before restraining, raping and ultimately murdering her with a crossbow. He then killed Louises sister Hannah Hunt with the crossbow, when she returned to the property after work. Concluding her opening to the jury, Ms Morgan said: The prosecutions case is that the defendant planned a terrible attack on Louise and her family, enraged by her rejection of him. That attack included an act of sexual violence, committed out of spite, when she was restrained and unable to escape from him. Clifford, of Enfield, north London, denies a single charge of rape. The trial continues. John Swinney said his administration would stand steadfast behind Ukraine - Jane Barlow/PA John Swinney has said it would be unthinkable to allow Donald Trump to have a second state visit to the UK if US military aid to Ukraine does not resume. The First Minister said the invitation to the US president from the King should only remain in force if it could help solidify US support for Ukraine. He said Washingtons decision to pause military aid can only run the risk of emboldening Russia, the aggressor and the visit should not take place if it continued. In a statement at Holyrood, Mr Swinney also pledged that his SNP administration would present a united front with Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, in standing steadfast behind Ukraine. However, he doubled down on his opposition to Britains Trident nuclear deterrent, despite it being viewed as increasingly vital for Europes security in light of Mr Trumps threat to withdraw military support from the continent. Russell Findlay, the Scottish Tory leader, said it would be immense folly to surrender our nuclear deterrent with Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Europe and Nato no longer certain of what American future support might look like. He said Ukraine bitterly regrets giving up its nuclear arsenal in the 1990s, with some senior figures in the country saying that Russia would not have dared to invade had it been retained. Mr Findlay also accused senior SNP politicians of making self-indulgent and counter-productive interventions that risked sowing division between Western allies, to the delight of the Kremlin. His comments came after Stephen Flynn, the SNPs Westminster leader, attacked the Prime Ministers weak response to the row between Mr Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, in the White House on Friday. In the aftermath, Mr Flynn and Mr Swinney said the Kings invitation to president Trump for a state visit to the UK should be rescinded. After the US president suspended all military aid to Ukraine on Monday night, the First Minister told MSPs that if this were to remain the posture of the US government, a second state visit for President Trump becomes unthinkable. However, Mr Swinney said he opposed calls for the invitation to be withdrawn in all circumstances, arguing that supporting Ukraine means being willing to do things that are hard; things we would rather not do. So, if a state visit could help solidify US support for Ukraine, if that is part of what supporting Ukraine means in practice, then it is a possibility, he added. For that to be true, however, the US would have to sustain the steadfast support of Ukraine, her independence and territorial integrity. Donald Trumps first state visit to the UK took place in June 2019 - Jeff Gilbert However, Mr Findlay questioned how this would help fragile western unity and whether Mr Swinney believed he has the power to lay down conditions on the US, which lack any meaningful detail, and expect the King to heed to his terms. The Scottish Tory leader added: And when it comes to our nuclear deterrent, John Swinney only doubled down on his dangerous and naive position ... the SNPs policy on nuclear weapons is simply not serious for these times. Mr Swinney retorted: I would simply observe to Russell Findlay today that, with all the possession of nuclear weapons, Ukraine has been invaded, and that is the reality of what we are facing. So nuclear weapons have not deterred Russia from invading Ukraine. He argued that spending on Trident would be better diverted to conventional weaponry. It comes after Sir Keir told the Commons on Monday that the SNPs support for unilaterally scrapping Trident was completely wrong-headed. Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, also appeared to attack Mr Flynn, saying that the crisis requires serious, grown-up, leadership, not Twitter diplomacy. He added: It is an issue of war and peace and of life and death, so politicians should not resort to childish attacks on social media for perceived party interests, but instead prioritise peace and the national interest. UK considering all options as Sunak presses for Russian assets to be seized Rachel Reeves has insisted all options are being considered after former prime minister Rishi Sunak urged the Government to help Ukraine by seizing frozen Russian assets. Mr Sunak said the decision by the United States to pause and review its assistance to Kyiv highlighted further the need for Europe to find considerably more resources for Ukraine. Chancellor Ms Reeves said it is incredibly complicated to take further action in line with international law but added Russia should pay for the damage that Russia has caused. Conservative former prime minister Rishi Sunak (Jonathan Brady/PA) MPs have pressed for the UK and its European allies to seize Russian assets worth some 300 billion US dollars, which have been frozen across the continent, to assist Ukraine with its war and rebuilding efforts. Germany and France meanwhile have reportedly started discussions of how 200 billion euros (165 billion) of frozen Russian assets could be used as a way to hold Moscow to a potential ceasefire deal. Speaking at Treasury questions, Conservative MP Mr Sunak told the House of Commons: Events overnight make it even clearer that Europe must find considerably more resources for Ukraine. The Chancellor has rightly continued our policy of using the interest on frozen Russian state assets to benefit Ukraine, but I believe now is the moment to go further and to actually seize those assets. Russias invasion of Ukraine violates the principle of sovereign equality providing a basis in international law for this and by acting in concert with our allies we can ensure there are no risks to financial stability. So can I urge the Chancellor to push for co-ordinated action to seize those frozen Russian state assets, give that money to the Ukrainians so that they can defend their country and rebuild it too? Ms Reeves replied: Last week we expanded the sanctions on Russia, including looking at the financial services. This week weve both signed off a UK EF (export finance) package to provide more military support above and beyond our defence spending, as well as that loan repaid by the profits of those assets. As the Prime Minister said yesterday, we would look at going further but as (Mr Sunak) knows it is incredibly complicated to do that in line with international law, but we keep all options on the table because (Mr Sunak) is absolutely right, Russia should pay for the damage that Russia has caused. Seizing frozen Russian assets would require partnership with other countries, she said later. To seize the assets is much trickier under international law. It would require partnership between countries, the Chancellor said at a manufacturing conference. A White House official said the US was pausing and reviewing aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. It comes days after a heated clash between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Elsewhere at Treasury questions, Labour MP David Taylor (Hemel Hempstead) sought assurances over spending on overseas aid in the coming months. The Government said defence spending will rise from its current 2.3% share of the economy to 2.5% in 2027. But it will be funded by slashing development assistance aid from its current level of 0.5% of gross national income to 0.3% in 2027. Mr Taylor asked: Can ministers confirm whether ODA (official development assistance) will remain at 0.5% for the calendar year of 2026, which will help ensure that UK aid keeps the maximum number of people alive for the longest possible time? Treasury minister Darren Jones replied: Impacts on ODA budgets are currently under review by the Government. Our commitment is to prioritise legal obligations and minimise disruption, and well confirm details in due course. Mr Jones offered to meet Mr Taylor and other MPs to discuss the issue. The UK remains absolutely committed to peace in Ukraine and is engaging with key allies, the Government has said after Donald Trump halted US military aid to the country. The White House has suspended delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv after announcing overnight that it is reviewing its assistance to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. It comes after a clash in the Oval Office between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the US leader last Friday left bilateral ties between the two nations in tatters. Allies led by Britain and France have spent recent days scrambling to find a way forward following the row, which ended with Mr Zelensky leaving the White House empty-handed despite plans to sign a minerals deal with the US. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmers own trip to Washington last week appeared to have gone as well as No 10 could have hoped, with Mr Trump indicating he would not block the Chagos Islands deal and suggesting a trade agreement could spare British exports from US tariffs. He is seeking to act as a bridge between America and Europe in efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine amid fears that Kyiv and its allies will continue to be excluded from talks over its future after White House representatives met Kremlin officials for talks about ending the war. Following the suspension of US aid on Monday, a UK Government spokeswoman said key allies are being engaged with as Britain seeks to secure a lasting peace. We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so, she said. We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with 3 billion a year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a 2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets. In addition, weve set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK export finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said Sir Keir remains laser-focused on Ukraine and will not be derailed by announcements from the White House. She denied the Government is acting as if it is business as usual, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Its a very serious moment and I think the Prime Minister has been very serious about the way he has conducted himself. Ms Rayner added: Hes laser-focused on getting peace. He wont be derailed by announcements. He will continue that dialogue with our oldest and strongest ally, the US, and with European partners and with Ukraine. Asked how the Government should handle a leader who appears to backtrack on remarks, after Mr Trump called Mr Zelensky a dictator before days later refusing to repeat the claim, she said: I think if you look at how the president went, the correspondence and the way in which that meeting went with the Prime Minister, youll have seen the warmth there. Youll have seen the opportunities for a trade deal, youll have seen the president say about the Chagos deal there was lots of dialogue there that was constructive. The Prime Minister continues to speak to President Trump. Earlier on Tuesday, US Vice President JD Vance also heightened his criticism of the Ukrainian president, accusing him of needling Mr Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement. He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy, he told Fox News. Thats the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasnt yet there. And, frankly, still isnt there. But I think hell get there eventually, he has to. Mr Vance said Ukrainian officials have made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but their efforts were shut down by the president. He claimed the door is open as long as Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace. Over the weekend, Mr Zelensky told reporters he is prepared to stand down in exchange for Nato membership, and suggested he is ready to sign the minerals deal with the US. He has also repeatedly emphasised his gratitude towards Washington for the support it has given to Ukraine after Mr Vance told him he should offer some words of appreciation. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the UK and Europe must rearm faster following the US announcement. She said: The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. We must work to keep America in, and Russia out. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey appeared to suggest the White House decision had humiliated figures like Sir Keir, who has been insisting there is common ground between the UK and US in the pursuit of peace. By suspending all military aid to Ukraine, Donald Trump has humiliated the people who pretended he was a reliable ally only in search of peace, he said in a post on social media site X. JD Vance claimed it was absurdly dishonest to argue that he had been referring to the UK or France in his comments. Photograph: Ting Shen/AFP/Getty Images The shadow defence secretary and other MPs have reacted with fury after JD Vance appeared to describe a proposed Anglo-French peace deployment to Ukraine as 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years. It comes after Downing Street said Keir Starmer had spoken to Donald Trump on Monday night, part of continued UK efforts to try to patch up a faltering peace plan for Ukraine. During an interview with the Fox News channels Hannity, Vance, the increasingly outspoken US vice-president, was scathing about the idea of other countries being able to give meaningful security guarantees after any peace deal. A proposed minerals agreement would give the US more economic interests in Ukraine and thus provide a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years, Vance said. While UK politicians are largely united in agreeing that a US military presence in some form will be necessary in any peace deal, there was immediate outrage about Vances apparent dismissal of a UK military that fought alongside American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, said: Britain and France came to their [the USs] aid, deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including my own brother and numerous parliamentary colleagues, past and present. Its deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice. On Tuesday, Vance said it was absurdly dishonest to argue that he had been referring to the UK or France, despite the countries being at the forefront of efforts to provide a non-US peacekeeping force. I dont even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond, he tweeted. But lets be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful. The former foreign secretary James Cleverly condemned what he called Vances foolish and insulting, throwaway remark given the support allies including the UK and France had provided after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The Conservative MP told Times Radio: I understand that he has explained his position, but I think it was a hurtful and thoughtless remark. Asked about Vances initial comments, Starmers official spokesperson did not directly address them but reiterated the fact that UK forces had fought recently alongside their American counterparts. The prime minister, and I think this whole country, is full of admiration for all British troops who have served, for instance, in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom have lost their lives in the process, and have fought alongside allies, including the United States, he said. The spokesperson said the prime minister had spoken to Trump twice over the weekend and again on Monday night. In contrast to Cartlidge, Kemi Badenoch declined to condemn Vances remarks. I know JD Vance quite well, the Conservative leader told GB News. Ive looked at the comments; I dont think he actually said that. A lot of people are getting carried away. Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, who is close to Trump and Vance, was trenchant in his response, telling GB News: JD Vance is wrong wrong, wrong, wrong. He added: For 20 years in Afghanistan, pro rata our size against Americas, we spent the same amount of money; we put the same number of men and women in. We suffered the same losses. Johnny Mercer, the Conservative former armed forces minister, who is no longer an MP, called Vance a clown. Mercer, who served in Afghanistan as an army officer, said: Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own countrys crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice. The Liberal Democrats said Peter Mandelson, the UK ambassador to Washington, should seek an apology from Vance. The partys defence spokesperson, Helen Maguire, who served in Iraq as a military police officer, said: I saw first-hand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didnt return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said she wants to use the recently announced boost to defence spending to support UK businesses but will not pull up the drawbridge to foreign manufacturers. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to increase defence spending to 2.5% of the size of the economy from April 2027, something the Chancellor believes will help create jobs and drive growth in the UK. Ms Reeves was asked if she would be minded to buy British when it came to spending the extra money for defence, for example when choosing fighter jets. I do want to make sure that as we spend more on defence, that that is used to support British jobs and British industries, she told a manufacturing industry conference in London on Tuesday. She said she was working with UK defence companies on how to increase capacity and capability to step up to this moment in the same way the Government is stepping up to this moment, and that a defence innovation hub was being set up to help smaller businesses benefit from the extra military spending. Well always have a need to buy things from abroad. I dont want to pull up the drawbridge, but as we spend more on defence, of course, I want to see that benefit the UK economy and UK jobs, Ms Reeves said. The business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has added a slew of extra protections in the latest version of the bill. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Trade unions have declared victory as Labour bolstered a string of measures in its workers rights bill, amid criticism of the government from business groups saying there had been no meaningful change despite engagement. Union sources said they were delighted there had been no watering down of any key measures in the employment rights bill, which will face its final vote in the Commons next week, after wrangling between ministers, unions and businesses. Despite intensive lobbying, ministers have held firm on plans for day-one rights for 9 million people against unfair dismissal, previously only granted after two years employment. The bill will give more than 1 million low-paid workers on zero hours the right to a new contract, and an extra 30,000 parents will gain new rights to paternity leave. Few concessions to business have been made in the bill after five consultations with employers and unions, though the government confirmed it was not proceeding with any legal guarantees on the right to switch off, which had not been in the original bill. Instead, the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has added a slew of extra employee protections in the latest version of the bill, including extending a ban on exploitative zero-hours contracts to agency workers, guaranteeing sick pay to 1 million of the lowest-paid workers and bolstering enforcement powers against rogue employers. One union source said the trade unions had got almost everything we asked for. Unite, whose leadership has been deeply critical of Keir Starmer and had previously accused the government of watering down the bill, said the government had listened and acted to improve the bill in favour of workers. The unions general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: For decades, workers rights have been pushed down the agenda. This is the first time in a generation that workers rights have been taken seriously. The Unison general secretary, Christina McAnea, said huge improvements had been made to the bill and it was what working people and decent employers have been waiting for. Other amendments tabled by the government include a penalty for abuse of fire-and-rehire practices, which ministers hope will prevent another P&O Ferries-style scandal. Another amendment will ban employers from flooding the bargaining unit, which can unfairly influence the recognition ballot process. The GMB union had argued that when it made its first application with Amazon, 1,400 people were working at the warehouse, but the union claimed the fulfilment centre then added another 1,400 workers on temporary contracts, making it more difficult to reach the 50% target needed for statutory union recognition. The TUCs general secretary, Paul Nowak, said that change was particularly welcome. Corporate bullyboys like Amazon throw everything at trying to stop workers from having an independent voice at work, he said. This bill will help to stop this sort of egregious tactics. The CBIs Rain Newton-Smith said there was frustration among firms that the governments promise to listen to business concerns about the bill had not led to any material difference. Businesses will remain deeply concerned that this willingness to engage has not translated into meaningful change on several key areas where the legislation locks in an irreversible direction of travel, she said. Tina McKenzie, the policy chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said the government had missed an opportunity today to intervene and help businesses cope. Business groups won two major concessions in October when the bill was first published a statutory probation period of up to nine months to allow for lighter-touch dismissals, and an allowance for zero-hours contracts to continue where employees request them. Announcing the changes, Reynolds said most businesses had nothing to fear from the changes. Many businesses already have worker-friendly practices in place and can attest to the positive impact they have on retention, productivity and job satisfaction, he said. Most of the bill applies to England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland, where employment law is devolved. Some clauses have different territorial extent. People kneel during a ceremony in Kyiv for the Ukrainian dancer Volodymyr Rakov, who was killed on the frontline. This isnt a peace plan, its a trap to force our surrender, said one expert. Photograph: Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images Ukraine has reacted with defiance and anger to Donald Trumps suspension of US military aid, saying the decision amounted to betrayal by an ally and would help Russia to bomb and kill more civilians. Deliveries of ammunition and vehicles have ceased, including shipments agreed when Joe Biden was president. Some Ukrainians said the biggest impact was likely to be on Ukraines ability to defend itself from Russian air attacks, which have escalated in recent weeks. Ukrainian journalists and commentators noted bitterly that Trump had so far demanded no concessions from Vladimir Putin. The White Houses latest punitive move against Ukraine would lead to joy in Moscow, they said. Instead of acting as a mediator, Trump had sought to squeeze and humiliate Ukraine and force it into territorial concessions that would benefit the Kremlin, they said. Russia says it has annexed four Ukrainian regions, including cities it does not control such as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. There was a consensus that Trump had already decided to cut US aid before his acrimonious White House meeting on Friday with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the row stirred up deliberately and now used as a pretext. The US was actively aiding Russia, at the expense of Ukraine, it was suggested. This isnt a peace plan, its a trap to force our surrender, Maria Avdeeva, a Ukrainian security expert, posted on BlueSky. She added: Siding with Russia never helped anyone. Putin isnt negotiating he wants our capitulation. Ukraine will remain strong. The philosopher and essayist Volodymyyr Yermolenko acknowledged that the consequences would be extremely painful for ordinary Ukrainians. Even before the shutdown, Ukrainian cities and towns were under massive bombardment from drones and ballistic missiles. This war is a slaughter. The Russians are mostly killing defenceless civilians. By halting assistance (primarily air defence), Trump is helping to escalate this slaughter even further, Yermolenko wrote. Ukrainian soldiers said Trumps decision inevitably meant more military personnel would be killed. The number of dead will double, a marine with the call sign Tourist said as he sat in front of a memorial in Kyiv to fallen soldiers and smoked a cigarette. He added: I drank tea with 50 guys who are now dead. Tourist said the cut-off was not a surprise, given the US presidents closeness to Putin, which he said was evident from Trumps first presidential term. Ukraine will win, even without American help. We would like a new alliance with Europe, he added. Bart, a special forces sniper fighting near the eastern city of Pokrovsk, said he was full of anger. America has sided with Russia, North Korea and Iran. They have chosen the side of darkness, he told the Kyiv Independent, saying the US had abandoned its role of world policeman. There was also praise for Zelenskyy. What happened in the Oval Office, I think, is that many Ukrainians realised that our president has got balls, said Artem Kolisnichenko, 28, in Kyivs Independence Square. We can manage somehow without the US. We dont have any choice. Some observers expressed optimism that Ukraine had been written off before and would prevail against the odds once again. They noted that Putin originally expected to conquer Ukraine within three days back in 2022. Three years later, his troops are still fighting and bogged down in an attritional war. We shall endure this as well, the writer and blogger Ilia Ponomarenko posted. The prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, suggested Ukraine might now struggle to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles. Kyiv relies on donated US Patriot air defence systems to protect its cities but supplies of Patriot munitions, as well as maintenance and repairs, will now stop. Shmyhal said Ukraine would urgently increase its own production of weapons and ammunition, as well as drones, by way of response. Without giving details, he said the countrys military and government had sufficient tools to maintain the situation on the frontline. He also said Kyiv was ready to sign a minerals deal with Washington. The ceremony was abandoned on Friday, after Trumps disastrous meeting with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. Ukraines former defence minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk said the White House was trying to bully Zelenskyy into accepting a bad peace deal on Moscows brutal terms. If Kyiv did not agree, US military aid would be halted permanently, he predicted. I think this is extremely wrong on all different levels, Zagorodnyuk told the Guardian. Also it will not work with Ukraine. Ukraine will never bend to bullies, and to bullying. Its as simple as that. In a video address recorded from Kyiv before Monday nights announcement, Zelenskyy repeated his calls for a just settlement of the war. It followed a hostile social media post by Trump claiming that Ukraines president did not want peace. We need peace, true and honest peace not endless war, Zelenskyy said. He made clear that any deal had to come with security guarantees the same position that triggered anger from Trump and the US vice-president, JD Vance, when expressed by Zelenskyy in the White House. Zelenskyy said security guarantees were essential and that a lack of guarantees had allowed Russia to seize Crimea in 2014 and begin a covert takeover of the Donbas region. Subsequently, it led to Russias full-scale 2022 invasion and to its continuing war, he said. Without mentioning the US, Zelenskyy added: The world sees this, and the world acknowledges it. Today, we continued our work with European partners on a special diplomatic and security architecture that can bring us closer to peace. Unai Emery praised Tyrone Mings after his redemption against Club Brugge helped Aston Villa put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals. Just 118 days after Mings inexplicably picked up a goal kick in the penalty area to send Villa to defeat in Novembers league phase match against the same opposition, he redeemed himself with a sensational goal-saving clearance which swung the balance of the match. It was finely poised at 1-1 after Leon Baileys opener after 135 seconds, which Mings set up, was cancelled out by Maxim De Cuyper. The centre-halfs intervention to divert Hans Vanakens goalbound header proved pivotal as Brandon Mecheles 82nd-minute own goal followed by Marco Asensios penalty six minutes later saw Villa grab the tie with both hands. BEST GOAL-LINE CLEARANCE EVER??? Tyrone Mings stops Hans Vanaken from giving Brugge the lead in SPECTACULAR style Watch the Champions League LIVE on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Z82R6XPIMo Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 4, 2025 Emery said: It is very important getting experiences. The first experience he had here was not good but today he reacted fantastic, playing focused, serious, saving one action that was a goal. We are demanding everyone inside. I am demanding with the players and they have to be demanding themselves. Of course I know the difficulties in football and how we can (have) experiences and how we can get better and analyse everything deeply and try and correct it, that is my only target with the players. We corrected something from the match we played here. Of course we have to correct something we didnt do well today here for the next week against Bruges. Brandon Mecheles own goal put Villa ahead (PA Wire via Belga) Emery insisted it is not job done, despite Villas clear advantage going into next weeks second leg in Villa Park. But Villa are enjoying a dream debut season in Europes premier club competition and only a second-leg collapse on home soil will deny them a last-eight meeting with either Liverpool or Paris St Germain. We are not in the quarter-final, he added. Theres still 90 minutes to play, were ready in case we need extra-time and penalties because I know how difficult it is in each match and how we can change one match in 90 minutes. Emery urged his players to keep their focus ahead of next weeks second leg (PA Wire via Belga) The players, Im sure they have experiences before as well with matches like that and we have to respect the opponent always. There are still 90 minutes to play. They won against Atalanta 3-1 and they compete very well. We need to watch the match again with the players to understand the difficulties we can face against teams in Europe. I am happy but calm, getting balance. There are still 90 minutes to play. Tina Peters reacts to early election returns during a primary night watch party on 28 June 2022 in Sedalia, Colorado. Photograph: Marc Piscotty/Getty Images Donald Trumps justice department said it will review the Colorado conviction of former election clerk Tina Peters, who received a nine-year prison sentence for her role in a voting system data-breach scheme as part of an unsuccessful quest to find voter fraud in 2021. Yaakov Roth, an acting assistant attorney general, wrote in a court filing on Monday that the Department of Justice was reviewing cases across the nation for abuses of the criminal justice process, including Peters. This review will include an evaluation of the state of Colorados prosecution of Ms Peters and, in particular, whether the case was oriented more toward inflicting political pain than toward pursuing actual justice or legitimate governmental objectives, Roth wrote, echoing the language in a Trump executive order on Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government. Peters, then the clerk of Mesa county, allowed a man affiliated with the pillow salesman and election denier Mike Lindell to misuse a security card to access the Mesa county election system. Lindell posted about the DoJs statement on his fundraising website, telling donors their assistance had contributed to positive developments at the Department of Justice that give us hope that the wheels are in motion for the early release of Tina Peters. Jurors found Peters guilty in August, convicting her on seven counts related to misconduct, conspiracy and impersonation, four of which were felony charges. Judge Matthew Barrett sentenced her in October to nine years in prison, calling Peters as defiant as a defendant that the court has ever seen and said he believed Peters would do it all over again if she could. Peters had argued for probation and is appealing against her conviction. Related: Trump orders justice department to fire all US attorneys appointed by Biden The DoJs statement of interest notes that Peters physical and mental health have deteriorated while shes been in prison, and that reasonable concerns have been raised about her case, including the exceptionally lengthy sentence the court imposed and the denial of bail for Peters while her appeal plays out. Her appeal deserves prompt and careful consideration by the court, Roth wrote. Dan Rubinstein, the Mesa County district attorney, said in a statement that nothing about the prosecution of Ms Peters was politically motivated. In one of the most conservative jurisdictions in Colorado, the same voters who elected Ms Peters, also elected the Republican district attorney who handled the prosecution, and the all-Republican board of county commissioners who unanimously requested the prosecution of Ms Peters on behalf of the citizens she victimized, Rubinstein said. Ms Peters was indicted by a grand jury of her peers, and convicted at trial by the jury of her peers that she selected. Peters has become a cause celebre on the right, with some Republicans promoting a free Tina Peters movement. A small rally in Fort Collins, Colorado, over the weekend called attention to Peters appeal, and protesters there insisted she was innocent and had discovered election fraud. Trump cannot pardon Peters because she was convicted of state crimes, not federal ones. Some Colorado Republicans have suggested Trump should withhold federal funds from the state until the Democratic governor Jared Polis agrees to pardon Peters, Colorados 9News reports. The US vice president has been forced to clarify that his criticism of a possible European peacekeeping force in Ukraine was not aimed at the UK or France after a backlash from British politicians and ex-soldiers. In an interview on Tuesday, JD Vance appeared to downplay the potential of 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years in monitoring any ceasefire. His comments were widely perceived to be directed towards the UK and France, who have been leading European efforts to secure a peace deal between Russia and Kyiv. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is full of admiration for service personnel, Downing Street said (Julian Simmonds/Daily Telegraph/PA) Later on Tuesday, Mr Vance claimed it was absurdly dishonest to suggest he had been referring to either of the countries. I dont even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond, he said. During an interview on Fox News, Mr Vance said: If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 20 or 30 years. The US had been poised to sign a minerals deal with Kyiv last week, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left the White House empty-handed after a dramatic row in the Oval Office with Mr Vance and Donald Trump. Some UK politicians and ex-personnel reacted furiously to the vice-presidents remarks. Liberal Democrat defence spokeswoman Helen Maguire MP, a former Captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, demanded the UK ambassador to the US, Lord Mandelson, seek an apology from Mr Vance. JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, she said. I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didnt return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality. As the UKs representative to the US, Peter Mandelson should call on Vance to apologise for these comments. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge described the remarks as deeply disrespectful while Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, said they were unacceptable. Nato Article 5 has been invoked once on 12/9/01 by (the US), after 9/11. (Britain and France) came to their aid deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including my own brother and numerous parliamentary colleagues, past and present, Mr Cartlidge said. Its deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice. Mr Obese-Jecty cited Mr Vances account in his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, of his own time as a Marine Corps journalist in Iraq, where he said he was lucky to escape any real fighting. The MP for Huntingdon went on: I was part of British forces fighting in highly kinetic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the latter in response to Article 5 following 9/11. The disrespect shown by the new US vice president to the sacrifices of our service personnel is unacceptable. Downing Street refused to be drawn on whether Sir Keir Starmer had found the comments insulting or disrespectful but said he was full of admiration for all British troops who have served, for instance in Iraq and Afghanistan. Asked about the remarks, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Many have lost their lives in the process and have fought obviously alongside allies including the United States. And its very clear that their courage and bravery has helped to ensure global security, defend our values, defend our national interests. Our focus, once again, is on how we protect our national interests and global security by progressing the discussions to secure lasting peace for Ukraine. Vladimir Putin smiles after a meeting with Myanmars military chief in Moscow, as Volodymyr Zelensky said he will return to the negotiating table - REUTERS Volodymyr Zelensky said he is ready to come to the negotiation table with Donald Trump as soon as possible to sign a mineral deal and secure peace. After Washington halted military aid for Ukraine, Mr Zelensky said it was regrettable what happened in their Oval Office meeting last Friday and told the US president that it is time to make things right. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians, the Ukrainian leader said, praising Mr Trumps strong leadership. It comes hours before Mr Trump is set to make an address to the nation to lay out his goals for the next four years, including plans for peace around the globe. I will tell it like it is, he warned. Europe has been scrambling to draw up its own plans for peace in Ukraine and pleading with Mr Trump to provide security guarantees, which he has so far declined. The European Commission on Tuesday unveiled plans for an 800 billion boost to EU defence spending to win over the US with its rearmament. 07:54 PM GMT Thats it for today. Thank you for following our live coverage of the war in Ukraine and the US suspension of military aid. We will be back soon with updates. 07:53 PM GMT Zelensky requests official information on aid suspension Volodymyr Zelensky said he has instructed Ukrainian officials to contact Washington to obtain official information on the suspension of military aid. I have instructed the defence minister, our intelligence chiefs and diplomats to contact their counterparts in the United States and get official information, he said in his nightly address. People should not be left to guess. 07:29 PM GMT French PM condemns unbearable pause in US military aid Frances prime minister decried the US pause on providing military aid to Ukraine as unbearable, describing it as tantamount to abandoning Ukrainians and helping a Russian victory. The word suspension fools no one, Francois Bayrou, the prime minister, said, mounting his second sharp criticism of the Trump administration in recent days. Addressing French senators, he added: The suspension in war of assistance to an aggressed country signifies that the aggressed country is being abandoned and that one accepts or hopes that its aggressor wins. Its obviously unbearable, Mr Bayrou said. 07:08 PM GMT US and Ukraine plan to sign minerals deal tonight Donald Trumps administration and Ukraine plan to sign the much-debated minerals deal tonight, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The US president told his advisers that he wants to announce the agreement in his address to Congress, three of the sources said, cautioning that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change. 06:48 PM GMT Germanys Merz pledges to unblock 3bn in Ukraine aid Friedrich Merz, Germanys chancellor-in-waiting, said he would support the immediate approval of a 3bn aid package for Ukraine which has been held up in parliament for weeks. Mr Merz said he would meet outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz to speak about the urgent help needed for Ukraine, around 3.0 or 3.5 billion euros, which... can be approved now as off-budget expenditure. 06:43 PM GMT Listen to todays episode of Ukraine: The Latest 06:22 PM GMT Vance sets conditions for US aid to be restored for Ukraine JD Vance said that for US military aid to be restored then Ukraine must come to the table and start negotiating. The US vice-president told reporters: Its important that everybody come to the table. And the President is trying to send a very explicit message, the Ukrainians have got to come to the table and start negotiating with President Trump for the mineral deal. Pushed on whether the US-Ukraine rare mineral deal will go ahead, Mr Vance that Donald Trump is still committed to the proposal, but they are waiting on a signature from our friends in Ukraine. 06:08 PM GMT What to know about Trumps speech tonight: Donald Trump will be making his first major speech tonight since returning to the White House in January. The US president has promised that it will be big and he will tell it like it is. Speaking to Congress and the nation, Mr Trump is expected to lay out his goals for the next four years, including plans for peace around the globe. It will start at 9pm ET (2am GMT). It is not formally a State of the Union address. Delivering the Democrats rebuttal to Mr Trump will be Elissa Slotkin, the newly-elected Michigan senator. 05:49 PM GMT US military aid pause is temporary, says US House Speaker Mike Johnson, US Speaker of the House, called the halting of all US military aid to Ukraine a temporary move. Defending Donald Trumps decision, Mr Johnson said: Its a temporary pause, and it is to do a reset. He encouraged Volodymyr Zelensky to come and make right what happened last week, calling Mr Trump and the Ukrainian leaders televised row in the Oval Office shocking. If Mr Zelensky does that, it would be a win-win scenario for everybody, he said, adding that he was pleased Mr Zelensky has now indicated that he does want to do this deal after all. 05:41 PM GMT Starmer: No one wanted peace more than Ukraine Keir Starmer said no one wanted peace more than Ukraine on a call with Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday afternoon, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. The Prime Minister also underscored that any peace for Ukraine needed to be lasting and secure, the spokesman said of the phone call, which came before the Ukrainian president announced he was ready to return to the negotiating table. 05:26 PM GMT Analysis: Europe needs a Plan B for peace in Ukraine and fast It is not just the United States that believes Volodymyr Zelensky needs to make concessions - particularly on land and on Nato membership. Many European allies also privately believe reconquest is unrealistic, and the Ukrainian Nato membership is nothing but trouble. There is a world in which Russia makes concessions too - concessions on Ukrainian militarisation and the presence of European troops in Ukraine. Put those together, and you have the outline of a deal that actually would not be all that bad. Not ideal. Certainly not just. But far from disastrous. Russia would get to keep the 20 percent of Ukraine that it has conquered. Vladimir Putin would be able to tell the Russian public that because Nato membership is off the table, he has defended Russian core interests and the world is finally taking Moscow seriously. Russia might even get sanctions relief. Ukraine would hang on to all of its most important cities, 80 percent of its territory, and - crucially - its sovereignty. It might be diminished, but it would be relatively secure from a second invasion. The trouble is that Donald Trump at this moment is only interested in the first half. Thats why France and Britain have come up with the second half - it involves some 30,000 of their troops on the ground in Ukraine to back a ceasefire. In plain language, it means American jets and missiles based in eastern-flank Nato countries ready to carry out punitive strikes should Russia break the ceasefire or attack the Anglo-French contingent on the ground. And yet the White House has shown no interest whatsoever in buying into this idea. If Mr Trump does not shift on this, the European plan is dead on arrival. In fact, by cutting off military aid to Ukraine, the United States is taking entirely the opposite tack - removing Ukrainian security rather than reinforcing it. This is the true test of the White Houses intentions. If Mr Trump does not ask Mr Putin to make any such concession, London and Paris will have to accept he has a completely different vision for peace from theirs. And since that looks quite possible, they had better come up with a plan B quick. 05:19 PM GMT Pictured: Soldiers training in Ukraines frozen east A Ukrainian soldier of the 24th Mechanized Brigade trains at an undisclosed location in the eastern region of Ukraine - AFP Troops crawl through razor wire during the war exercises - AFP A female soldier climbs an obstacle course in preparation for deployment - AFP 05:12 PM GMT Europes arms makers say filling Ukraine defence gap will take time Europes arms firms say they are ready and willing to step up to fill a defence gap left by Donald Trumps pause on military aid for Ukraine - but getting there will take time. The regions defence firms - which saw a major stock rally on Monday on prospects for more spending - are convinced that they can ramp up production, but warned delivery times could stretch into years. It is also a matter of how fast political pledges turn into contracts. When the contracts come we will be ready, said Patrice Caine, CEO of Thales, as the French firms share price hit a record high. Does Europe have the necessary technology to produce the full spectrum of defence equipment that it needs? The answer is yes, he added. 04:45 PM GMT Zelensky proposes first stages for ending war As part of his announcement, Volodymyr Zelensky said the first stage of a truce deal with Russia would involve the release of prisoners and truce in the sky. This beginning stage, he said, would see a ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Next, he said: Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. Below The Telegraph mapped France and Britians proposed plans for a potential ceasefire: 04:37 PM GMT Starmer spoke to Zelensky before announcement Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky before he announced that Ukraine was ready to return to the negotiating table. The Prime Ministers deputy spokesman said the call was made ahead of the Ukrainian leader telling Donald Trump that he was ready to make things right and called for a truce in the sea and the sky. The spokesman added: We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. Were engaging with key allies in support of this effort. Its the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do, and our immediate focus remains putting Ukraine in the position of strength and bringing the US and Ukraine together for the benefits of our collective security. Asked whether anyone from the Government spoke to JD Vance following his apparent criticism of the UK-French peace proposal for Ukraine, the spokesman decline to share details on private conversations. 04:21 PM GMT Zelensky says he is ready at any time to sign US mineral deal Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is now ready at any time to sign a rare minerals deal with the US, calling it as a step towards securing solid security agreements from the Trump administration. Read The Telegraphs in-depth look into what the deal really means for Ukraine. It may be the basis for a new international order but can Kyiv trust this document will ensure US support? 04:03 PM GMT It is time to make things right: Zelenskys statement in full: Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said that Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as he praised Donald Trumps strong leadership. Here is his statement: I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively. I would like to reiterate Ukraine's commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025 03:50 PM GMT EU announces 800bn plan to rearm Europe and win over Trump Ursula von der Leyen has unveiled plans for an 800 billion boost to EU defence spending to win over Donald Trump. The European Commission president announced her ReArm Europe strategy warning that the stakes could not be higher and the time for action is now. The plan follows Mr Trumps decision to suspend all US military aid to Ukraine, which has threatened to deepen the rift between the White House and Europe. In a letter to EU leaders, seen by The Telegraph, Ms von der Leyen said: Some of our fundamental assumptions are being undermined to their very core. The plan, set to be discussed at an EU summit on Thursday, includes a 150 billion defence loan for the joint purchases of air defence systems, artillery guns, missiles and other ammunition. A further 650 billion will be freed up by exempting future defence spending from the blocs strict debt and budget rules. Read the full article here. Ursula von der Leyen unveiled plans for a 800bn boost to Europes defence - AFP 03:31 PM GMT Orban had phone call with Trump about everything Viktor Orban said revealed he had a phone call with Donald Trump to discuss everything. The Hungarian prime minister has good relations with the US president and has been accused of being Vladimir Putins closest European ally. He has praised the recent US-Russia peace talks which Ukraine was shut out off. Mr Orban also said he would meet with Emmanuel Macron to talk about Ukraine on Wednesday ahead of an extraordinary summit of European Union leaders scheduled for Thursday, following on from a summit in London on Sunday. 03:24 PM GMT How long can Ukraine survive without US support? The suspension of all US military aid to Ukraine has fulfilled Volodymyr Zelenskys nightmare scenario, calling into question how long the countrys forces can hold out against Russia. Throughout the war, Ukraine has been heavily dependent on Washingtons military largesse. Not only has the United States been by far Ukraines biggest single financial and military backer, it has provided weapons systems that no European state can match. Despite the blow, and however grave the crisis and sense of betrayal in Ukraine, soldiers on the front line say they will continue fighting the Russian invaders for as long as they can. Ukraine will be able to keep fighting at least until the summer, most analysts agree. How far beyond that it can survive is a much harder question to answer. Read the full explainer here. 03:15 PM GMT France to rally all possible means to help Ukraine France will seek to rally all possible means to help war-torn Ukraine alongside other European nations, the French prime minister said, after Donald Trump announced a halt on military aid supplies to Kyiv. Describing the situation on the ground, Francois Bayrou said US military aid shipments are coming to a halt, as entire trains that were loaded for Ukraine are being stopped and prevented from reaching their destination. Jean-Noel Barrot, the French foreign minister, said that Ukraine was the first line of defence for Europe and for France. He added that it was time for Europe to break from its dependency on American weapons. We Europeans are now faced with a choice that is imposed on us: that of effort and freedom, or that of comfort and servitude, he went on to say. 02:56 PM GMT Foreign Secretary to discuss Trumps Ukraine aid halt with EU leaders David Lammy will speak to European foreign ministers this afternoon as the continent grapples with Donald Trumps withdrawal of American aid from Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary will speak to his opposite numbers in France, Germany, Poland, Spain and Italy in a meeting of the Weimar+ group, which was launched last month in response to Mr Trumps inauguration. The meeting had been pre-planned, but the talks will now be dominated by discussion of Mr Trumps aid withdrawal and how Europe responds. A Whitehall source told The Telegraph: It was a major announcement last night. Were having conversations with lots of people and our strategy remains the same. Were acting as a bridge and bringing people together. The source added that there have also been various levels of contact with the US today. 02:45 PM GMT Badenoch cracks down on Tories sharing thoughts on Ukraine Kemi Badenoch has launched a crackdown on Tory MPs sharing their own opinions about the Russia-Ukraine war in real time. The intervention by Mrs Badenoch came after Alicia Kearns, a shadow minister, called on the King to rescind Donald Trumps invitation for a historic State Visit. Graham Stuart, another Conservative MP, later suggested that Mr Trump could be a Russian asset. A text to all Tory MPs sent by Tory chief whip Rebecca Harris, and first reported by the Spectator, reads: We understand that there are many concerns about the unfolding events around Ukraine and US involvement. We do not need to tweet all of our thoughts in real time. When it comes to defence and national security, we need to raise the threshold for what needs to be said publicly and ensure the facts are clear first. 02:34 PM GMT Ukraine PM: Ukraine is ready to sign rare earths deal Denys Shmyhal, Ukraines prime minister, says Kyiv is ready to sign a deal that would give America access to Ukraines deposits of rare earth minerals. The proposal, which has been contested for weeks and is a particularly sore spot between Donald Trump and Voloydmyr Zelensky, would grant the US half of Ukraines revenues from its critical minerals. Last week, Ukraine agreed to a revised deal with the US set to provide security guarantees to end the war after Mr Trump dropped some of its toughest demands. However, it remains unsigned and uncertain after a major row between the two leaders. Speaking at a press conference, Mr Shmyhal also said the Ukraine was ramping up its arms production and that its forces will hold out against Russia, even without US military aid. Denys Shmyhal holds a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday - AFP 02:17 PM GMT Ukrainians outraged by Trumps aid suspension Anna Vasylyshyna Ganna, 36, was forced to flee from Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine to Kyiv after fighting engulfed her home town last Autumn. Life has been better for her in the capital, she told the Telegraph, but said she and her family were outraged by Donald Trumps recent behaviour, including suspending military aid to Ukraine. It is unfair to the Ukrainian people, I still cant believe that America has become an ally of Russia. It all seems like it was planned, its a pity for the Ukrainian people who are dying. Anna Vasylyshyna Ganna pictured in Pokrovsk eastern Ukraine before she fled the fighting 02:07 PM GMT Badenoch and Farage split over Vances controversial remarks Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage were split on Tuesday over controversial remarks made by US vice-president JD Vance. Mr Vance insisted it was absurdly dishonest to suggest he was referring to France and the UK by stating Donald Trumps peace deal was way better than a security guarantee from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Mrs Badenoch, the Tory leader, said: I know JD Vance quite well. Ive looked at the comments, I dont think he actually said that. A lot of people are getting carried away. Theyre saying loads of things and getting quite animated. Lets keep cool heads America is our closest ally. I believe President Trump and JD Vance want peace, theyre looking after their national interest, we need to do so as well. But Mr Farage, the Reform leader, said: JD Vance is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. For 20 years in Afghanistan pro rata, our size against Americas, we spent the same amount of money, we put the same number of men and women in. We suffered the same losses. We stood by America all through those 20 years putting in exactly the same contribution. And alright, they may be six times bigger but we did our bit. So, on this one JD is wrong. 02:03 PM GMT Watch: Vance attacks European plans for peace In an interview with Fox News, JD Vance said: If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Credit: Fox News 01:56 PM GMT Kremlin: US halting arms to Ukraine will push Kyiv towards peace The Kremlin said on Tuesday that the suspension of all US military aid to Ukraine could push Kyiv toward the peace process. Reacting to Donald Trumps decision, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: We have yet to find out the details. But if this is true, then this is a decision that could really push the Kyiv regime towards a peace process. Yet, he declined to say whether Russia was ready for a ceasefire. We see that some European countries are declaring that they will continue to provide comprehensive assistance, etc. That is, they will probably try to compensate for the decreasing volume of ammunition. But of course, the main volume has so far come from the US and through US channels. Therefore, well see. If the US suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to peace, he added. 01:50 PM GMT Pictured: Volunteer evacuates dog from frontline A volunteer from Ukraines Eastern SOS rescue organisation takes a selfie with an evacuated dog in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine - Anadolu 01:44 PM GMT Kyiv: Trump cutting off military aid is painful not fatal Kyiv believes Donald Trumps extraordinary, and potentially devastating, decision to halt all military aid to Ukraine is very painful, but not fatal. A senior Ukrainian official told Politico: First, it is a suspension that leaves hope for its resumption. So, this is a measure of coercive diplomacy, not a rupture. Second, it is very painful, but not fatal. It will cost Ukraine unnecessary deaths and lost territories, but will not lead to defeat. Third, I am convinced that a solution formula will be found with the new administration. 01:33 PM GMT Ukraine strikes Russian energy targets overnight Ukraines military said it carried out a number of strikes on important energy infrastructure across Russia overnight. The Ukrainian general staff said its drones forces targetted an oil pumping station in the the Rostov region. Powerful explosions and fire were recorded. Separately, it recorded an impact on the production capacity of the Syzran oil refinery in the Samara region and powerful explosions close to a gas pipeline in Sokhranovka in the Rostov region. Defense forces continue to take all measures to undermine the military-economic potential of Russian occupiers and force Russia to end its armed aggression against Ukraine, the military said in its daily update on Facebook. 01:22 PM GMT Pictured: Russian drones target Ukraines port city of Odesa The aftermath of a Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Odesa - REUTERS Firefighters work to control a fire in the city that has for three years been a major target of Russian strikes - REUTERS 01:15 PM GMT What could happen to aid for Ukraine in 2025: 01:10 PM GMT Starmer refuses to take a view on US halting arms to Ukraine Downing Street declined to take a view this lunchtime on Donald Trumps decision to suspend US military aid to Ukraine. It comes despite the pause in aid being heavily criticised by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Decisions for the United States are a matter for the United States. Its only right that we see the details of that. Weve also recognised that theres an absolutely crucial role for Europe to be stepping up in support for Ukraine. 01:06 PM GMT British peace plan will not be derailed by Trump Britains peace plans for Ukraine will not be derailed by Donald Trumps decision to suspend all military aid, the Deputy Prime Minister has insisted. The White House announced the decision late on Monday evening after Mr Trump criticised Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, for saying the end of the war was very, very far away. Mr Trumps decision threatens to widen the gap with European nations, who have been scrambling to boost defence spending amid fears the US could abandon Kyiv. Angela Rayner said the Prime Minister would not be derailed by announcements and said he remained laser focused on getting peace. He will continue that dialogue with our oldest and strongest ally the US and our European partners and Ukraine, she said. It is not clear exactly how long Ukraine will be able to continue fighting effectively without US military support, though some analysts have suggested the summer. Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington, DC on Monday - AFP 12:46 PM GMT Starmer shares his admiration for British troops following Vance row Sir Keir Starmer is full of admiration for British troops who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, his official spokesman said following a row over comments made by JD Vance. The US vice president insisted he was not referring to Britain or France when he took a dismissive sweep at the idea of European plans for peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, saying that Donald Trumps peace deal was a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Asked about the remarks, The Prime Minister, as with the whole country, is full of admiration for troops that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years. The Prime Ministers position on the role that British troops have played in ensuring global security and defending our national interest is very clear. Challenged on whether Sir Keir found the comments personally offensive, the spokesman replied: As I say, the Prime Minister is full of admiration for British troops, many of whom have lost their lives, theyve served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Theyve fought alongside the United States and other allies. 12:42 PM GMT Ukraine isnt Starmers Falklands, its his Iraq Sir Keir Starmer rightly says that Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted, and therefore the US needs to provide a security guarantee for any peace deal. What could that security guarantee be? America and Europe have been sending weapons to Ukraine for 10 years, even more so since 2022, and that hasnt deterred or stopped Russia. It has slowed up Putins army and inflicted heavy casualties, but three years on from the full-scale invasion, Russia is still advancing inside Ukraine. Had significantly more munitions been supplied much earlier in the war then the picture today might be different. But that wont happen now, not even with Starmers promised 5,000 air defence missiles. Nor did economic sanctions achieve very much given Western fears of excessive self-harm plus continued unrestrained Russian trade with many countries including China, India and Turkey. Read the full column here. Keir Starmer is trying to form a coalition of the willing to provide security guarantees and defend peace in Ukraine - Getty Images Europe 12:35 PM GMT Starmer spoke to Trump last night Sir Keir Starmer took part in another phone call with Donald Trump last night, his official spokesman confirmed. Downing Street did not clarify whether the Prime Minister spoke to the US president before it was announced that American military aid to Ukraine would be suspended, although it is believed that the conversation took place before this. The spokesman added: Ultimately [were] all progressing towards the same kind of objective which is a durable peace in Ukraine. Im not going to get into that but the Prime Minister and the President have been speaking regularly in recent days including the trip last week and then twice over the weekend and most recently last night. Im not going to get into the conversation in detail. Obviously the Prime Minister and President Trump are focused on the same outcome which is delivering a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine. 12:30 PM GMT Ukraine vows to do everything to hold out Denys Shmyhal, Ukraines prime minister, said Kyiv will do everything to hold out despite the US military aid cut, adding that its troops had the tools to maintain the current frontline. Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv, he said: Ukraine is absolutely determined to continue cooperation with the US. He added: The US is an important partner and we need to preserve this. 12:09 PM GMT JD Vance denies targeting UK in peace plan jibe JD Vance has insisted he was not talking about the UK or France after he appeared to criticise European plans for a peacekeeping force. The US vice president drew a backlash after insisting Donald Trumps plan for a peace deal was the only realistic means to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years, he said, seemingly referring to British and French-led plans for a coalition of the willing. But responding to reporting of his remarks which said they were bad news for Starmer and Macron, Mr Vance replied: This is absurdly dishonest. I dont even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. He added: But lets be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful. This is absurdly dishonest. I don't even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. https://t.co/hrkb5pTV8p JD Vance (@JDVance) March 4, 2025 12:01 PM GMT Zelenskys first statement since US paused military aid Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken for the first time since Donald Trump decided to withdraw all military aid to Ukraine. The Ukrainian president revealed he had spoken with Friedrich Merz, Germanys next chancellor, about further cooperation between the two countries. We remember that Germany is the leader in supplying air defense systems to Ukraine and plays a crucial role in ensuring our financial stability, Mr Zelensky said. 11:57 AM GMT Todays Blower cartoon Patrick Blowers cartoon on Europes plan to rearm 11:49 AM GMT Putin agrees to broker US-Iran nuclear talks Vladimir Putin has agreed to help Donald Trump negotiate with Iran over its nuclear programme and support for anti-US proxies, sources have told Bloomberg. The US president raised the prospect of Putin acting as a broker during talks with the Russian president last month. It was also discussed by senior Trump figures, including Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, in a meeting with Russian officials in Riadh, Saudi Arabia, just days later. Irans foreign ministry did not deny the claim, with a spokesman saying it was natural for other countries to offer their help. The US president had previously said he wants to secure a verified nuclear peace agreement with Tehran, though insisted he would maintain maximum pressure on the country. Mr Trump has also sought to fast-track a process to normalise relations with Russia, including by restoring embassies in each nation and working on a plan to end the war in Ukraine. 11:41 AM GMT Poland confirms aid pause Reports from southern Poland confirm that United States aid for Kyiv has been paused, Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister, has said. A decision was announced to suspend American aid for Ukraine and to possibly begin lifting sanctions on Russia from the American side, Mr Tusk told a government meeting. The reports that are coming from the border from our hub in Jasionka... confirm the announcements of the American side. 11:24 AM GMT How Ukraine aid levels differ without the US 11:11 AM GMT Tories hit back at disrespectful JD Vance after peace plan jibe The Tories have labelled JD Vance deeply disrespectful after the US vice-president appeared to call the UK some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Mr Vance made the comments after Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron drew up plans for a coalition of the willing that will likely include sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. In an interview with Fox News, the vice-president said: If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, noted Article 5 of the Nato treaty has been invoked once on September 12, 2001 by the USA after 9/11. Mr Cartlidge said: Britain and France came to their aid deploying 1,000s of personnel to Afghanistan, including numerous parliamentary colleagues, past and present. Its deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice. Helen Maguire, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, added: JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didnt return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality. As the UKs representative to the US, Peter Mandelson should call on Vance to apologise for these comments. 11:00 AM GMT Kyiv ready to negotiate with Trump Ukraine has said it is willing to negotiate with Donald Trump after he paused all military aid to the war-torn country. We are discussing options with our European partners, and of course, we are not overlooking the possibility of negotiations with our American counterparts, Mykhailo Pdolyak, a Ukrainian presidential adviser, said on X. 10:55 AM GMT Analysis: Ukraines nightmare scenario Ukraines nightmare scenario after Donald Trumps aid cut is that the US and Russia announce a deal soon, presenting it as take it or leave it to Kyiv and the rest of Europe, according to the deputy director general of the Royal United Services Institute think tank. The European offer of boots on the ground after a deal has helped reassure Ukraine. But the debate has now moved on. And what will count most of all is how far the UK and Europe are prepared to help Ukraine in defiance of the US, Malcolm Chalmers said. He added: Recent estimates suggest that only 20 per cent of total military hardware supplied to Ukrainian forces is now from the US. 55 per cent is home-produced in Ukraine and 25 per cent from Europe and the rest of the world, but the 20 per cent is the most lethal and important. Ukraine will not collapse they already experienced an aid cutoff last year, but the effect will be cumulative. 10:36 AM GMT UK blindsided by Trump announcement The UK Government was blindsided by Donald Trumps decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine, according to reports. Sir Keir Starmer had told the House of Commons just hours before that withdrawing aid was not Washingtons position. Insiders still hope the decision is leverage by Mr Trump to pressure Europe and Ukraine into backing his peace plan, Bloomberg UK reported. 10:26 AM GMT Analysis: Has Trump strangled Starmers peace plan at birth? A central plank of the Prime Ministers strategy is to keep arming Ukraine to ensure it is in the strongest negotiating position possible for any peace talks and. If a ceasefire is struck, he wants Ukraine to be armed to the teeth to deter any future Russian attacks. By pausing US aid to Kyiv, Mr Trump has put a big question mark over key elements of the peace plan Sir Keir sketched out to European leaders at Sundays London summit. The idea of a coalition of willing countries for a Europe-plus peacekeeping force in Ukraine rests on the US providing European soldiers with a backstop of military guarantees. Mr Trump has also put huge pressure on EU leaders to deliver something concrete at Thursdays emergency summit in Brussels on Ukraine and defence. The US has been the largest supplier of weapons to Ukraine since Putins invasion. The EU has collectively committed nearly $145 billion in aid. It can drum up more money but cant fill a Washington-sized hole in weapons supplies yet. The EU will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat. It has done so before during Covid and the eurozone crisis, but the clock is already ticking down on how long Ukraine will be able to hold out without US weapons. Not all EU leaders are singing from the same hymn sheet. Hungary, led by the Trump-allied Viktor Orban, moved to block an EU 20 billion aid package to Ukraine before Thursdays summit. Where does all this leave the coalition of the willing? France and maybe Canada are on board with Britain but Poland and Italy are not. Some countries may be grateful to hide behind the US presidents actions as an excuse for inaction. Others, shocked at American unreliability, may rally to the idea of building a force that could one day act independently of Washington, culminating in a new European military alliance. 10:02 AM GMT In pictures: Protests in Poland after aid pause People hold a demonstration in support of Ukraine outside the US Embassy in Warsaw - AP Poles express their support for Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelensky after his fallout with Donald Trump - AFP 09:54 AM GMT EU chief unveils 800bn plan to rearm Europe Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, has set out the EUs plans to boost defence spending, declaring we are in an era of rearmament. A new era is upon us, she said in a letter presenting the plan to EU leaders, two days before a summit aimed at cementing joint action on support for Ukraine and European security. Europe faces a clear and present danger on a scale that none of us has seen in our adult lifetime, she wrote, as she outlined options for funding a European defence surge. ReArm Europe could mobilise close to 800bn of defence expenditures for a safe and resilient Europe, she told reporters in Brussels as she outlined the contents of her plan. Part of the plan involves proposing that the EU suspend strict budget rules to allow member states to ramp up their spending on defence. 09:35 AM GMT Pause in aid profoundly worrying, says Badenoch Kemi Badenoch has criticised Donald Trumps decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine as profoundly worrying. The Tory leader issued some of her strongest criticism of the US president to date in a post on X this morning. Mrs Badenoch said: The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. It is clear that Britain and Europe must re-arm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. We must work to keep America in, and Russia out. 09:26 AM GMT Rayner: Britain wont cut military aid Angela Rayner insisted Donald Trumps decision to cut military aid to Ukraine was a matter for the US but said Britain would not do the same. The Deputy Prime Minister told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Ive said and Ill say it again that is a matter for the US. We are focused on support for Ukraine, bringing the US around the table alongside our European partners and Ukraine. But when later asked on ITVs Good Morning Britain whether the UK could follow suit, Ms Rayner said: First of all its not either/or. I think the Prime Minister outlined he made some very difficult decisions about where the money was going to come from, and thats why we increased our defence spending and the difficult decision to take money out of the foreign aid budget. She added: I appreciate that people are angry and fed up because theyve not had money in their pockets. The most important job of any government is to keep its citizens safe and thats why we put that money into defence and why the Prime Minister has spent a lot of time working with our allies in the US and across Europe to bring about that peace. 09:18 AM GMT Kremlin glee after US pauses military support Moscow has said Donald Trumps decision to suspend military support for Ukraine is the best hope for peace. If the United States stops (military supplies), this would probably be the best contribution to peace, the Kremlin said, adding that it would need to clarify the details of Mr Trumps announcement. Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putins spokesman, also said any future normalising of ties with the US would require lifting sanctions on Moscow. The United States is reportedly drawing up a plan to potentially give Russia sanctions relief. 09:06 AM GMT Your views... 08:42 AM GMT Republicans criticise Ukraine aid suspension Donald Trumps decision to suspend US military aid to Ukraine has underlined the divisions in the Republican party. Republican Mike Lawler said stopping support for Ukraine would jeopardise the stability of Europe and the free world. Too bad Iran, North Korea and China are not pausing their military aid and economic support, Republican Don Bacon said. There is an invader and a victim, there is a democracy and a dictatorship, there is a country who wants to be part of the West and one who hates the West. We should be unambiguously for the good side, he added. Meanwhile, Mary Miller, also a Republican, expressed her support for the presidents decision. If Zelensky wants to continue fighting an endless war, let him do it himself, she wrote on X. The US will no longer participate in this conflict that has led to the death of thousands. Its time for peace! 08:32 AM GMT Musk: Zelensky should be offered amnesty in neutral country Elon Musk has suggested Volodymyr Zelenesky should be offered an amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for Ukraines transition back to democracy. The Tesla billionaire, a key Donald Trump ally, has repeatedly criticised the Ukrainian president for not holding elections, which are banned under martial law in Ukraine. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine, Mr Musk wrote on X overnight. Earlier, he accused Mr Zelensky of being evil and wanting to extend the war to stay in power as Mr Trumps cabinets stepped up their public attacks against the Ukrainian president. He later shared a video of Tulsi Gabbard, the new director of national intelligence, attacking Mr Zelensky for banning opposition parties in Ukraine. Zelensky cancelled elections in the name of martial law, suspending Ukraines constitution so he could stay in power, Ms Gubbard said. Questions over the legitimacy of Mr Zelensky is a key Russian talking point which the Kremlin has parroted for years. Matt Gaetz, who Mr Trump had wanted to run the justice department, called Mr Zelensky a grifter. True. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine. https://t.co/ZpF6nLIDtw Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2025 08:22 AM GMT Ukrainian soldier tells the Telegraph: We will fight on A Ukrainian soldier has told the Telegraph that he and his brigade will keep fighting on despite the United States cutting military aid. Mickhail, a soldier fighting on the front lines near Kramatorsk, said believes that his unit can continue to defend Ukraine despite the US cuts to aid. He said that his unit could divide into smaller groups as a way to continue to defend on the front line. If needed we will become small groups and we will still keep pushing to defend our country, he said. Mickhail said that he believes a peace deal would not stop Russia advancing in Ukraine. If it would save lives to have a deal I would accept it, but I believe Russia wouldnt follow it. They will not stick to a deal. He claimed that Russia and the US are only concerned with using Ukrainian natural resources. I want to save Ukraine as a country. Russia and the US want our resources. Mickhail said that he fears his unit will be taken over by Russia if they continue to advance. The rest of Ukraine will be taken by Russia and we will be forced to fight for them, like people in Luhansk and Donetsk. 08:09 AM GMT UK absolutely committed to Ukraine after US aid suspended The Government said it remained absolutely committed to an enduring peace in Ukraine after Donald Trump suspended military aid to the country overnight. A Government spokesman said: We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and [it] is in our interest to do so. We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with 3 billion a year in military aid for as long as it takes, and through a 2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets. In addition, weve set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace. It came as Alex Norris, a growth minister, said he would not police Volodymyr Zelenskys words when asked if he should apologise to Donald Trump after their Oval Office spat. Mr Norris told Times Radio: Its for President Zelensky to lead his country and to decide what he says and to who he says it. I dont think its for me to try and police his words or tell him what you ought to say. This is a process that were all involved in in our own ways. Were accountable, of course, for what were doing on behalf of the British people. Thats why were giving the aid we are in order to make sure that Ukraine is in the strongest position for a lasting peace. But I dont think Id go any further than that. 08:01 AM GMT How did we get here? Tensions between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky are nothing new. In fact, their troubled relationship goes back to 2019, when the US president phoned his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The call was at the centre of the Democrats efforts to impeach the US president. But tensions have ratcheted up in recent weeks over Mr Trumps efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Their initial spat came after Mr Zelensky rejected a critical minerals deal with the US, saying it did not give Ukraine enough security guarantees. Mr Trump then launched a furious tirade, claiming Ukraine had started the war - echoing Russian propaganda. Mr Zelensky responded by claiming the US president was being influenced by Russian disinformation. This escalated things further, with Mr Trump slamming the Ukrainian president was a dictator for not holding elections, despite the fact they are banned under Ukrainian martial law. There was hope that the relationship could be patched up when Mr Zelensky visited the White House last Friday to sign a revised version of the minerals deal. But a public row in the Oval Office left their relationship in tatters. Mr Trump had reportedly been hoping for a public apology but that never came. And so three days later, he suspended all military aid to Ukraine. Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky engaged in a public row in the Oval Office on Friday - AFP 07:40 AM GMT US military aid stopped in early hours of morning US military aid to Ukraine was stopped in the early hours of Tuesday morning, a source familiar with the situation has said. The source said that the deliveries heading to Ukraine were stopped around 3.30 am (1.30am in the UK). 07:18 AM GMT Ukraine can continue fighting without aid until summer Ukraine will be able to continue fighting effectively without US aid until the summer, according to estimates. Current and former Western officials told the Wall Street Journal that by then, Kyiv will likely face a shortage of ammunition and an inability to use the most advanced weapons. Europe has been preparing to fill the gap, with the EU, UK, and Norway providing more financial aid to Ukraine than the US in 2024. But some key US supplies, including surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, air defence systems, long-range rockets, and navigation systems, will be virtually impossible to replace at speed. In turn, Ukraines ability to strike long-range targets inside Russia and defend its rear positions will be significantly diminished, according to analysts. 07:04 AM GMT Analysis: Trump has given Putin every incentive to keep fighting On Tuesday afternoon, a Boeing 747 jet freighted with US weaponry landed in Rzeszow, the Polish border town that serves as a gateway to the battlefield in Ukraine. Its cargo was safely deposited. But unless it was transported onwards immediately, it is likely to remain there. By nightfall, the Trump administration had frozen all military support to Ukraine, plunging the nation into the deepest crisis it has faced since the war began. For days after their disastrous summit in the White House, it appeared possible that Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump could patch things up between them. By Tuesday night, White House officials briefed out that they had suspended all deliveries of military aid to Ukraine, including weapons already in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting to cross the border in Poland. The impact of a prolonged hold on US aid will be transparently disastrous. When Mr Trumps Republican allies led Congress to block weapons shipments in 2023, guns went silent across the frontline, helping Russia capture towns including Avdiivka. European aid helped make up the shortfall then. But it cannot immediately replace the loss of US military support, which both Europe and Washington have been delivering to Ukraine at a rate of about 1.4bn per month since the war began. 06:49 AM GMT If youre just joining us... Donald Trump has paused all military aid to Ukraine to pressure Volodymyr Zelensky into agreeing a ceasefire with Russia. The extraordinary move came after Mr Trump launched a fresh attack on the Ukrainian president, who he said wont be around very long if he does not agree to end the war soon. Russian advances along the frontline have been slowing, with reports of Ukraine taking back land in key area, though Moscows forces are continuing to take Ukrainian villages. The withdrawal of military aid threatens any progress being made and leaves Ukraine, which is already suffering from a weapons and manpower deficit, facing the prospect of scaling down operations. A White House official said late on Monday night: President [Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. 05:33 AM GMT Vance accuses Zelensky of needling Trump In the interview with Fox News Sean Hannity, JD Vance also accused Volodymyr Zelensky of needling Donald Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement. Mr Vance said the encounter, which happened in front of the media, really set Zelensky off. 05:11 AM GMT Oil pipeline hit by drone attack A Ukrainian drone attack sparked a blaze at a Russian oil pipeline early on Tuesday. Russian authorities have since put out the fires at the pipeline, which is located in the southern region of Rostov. There were no injuries or other reports of damage, Yuri Slyusar, the regions acting governor, said, without identifying the damaged pipeline. Fortunately, no one was hurt, Mr Slyusar said on Telegram. Earlier, he said workers had been evacuated from various sites in the area, just over the Ukraine border. It comes as Russia intercepted and destroyed 18 Ukrainian drones overnight across its southern and western regions, the Russian defence ministry said. Ten of the drones were destroyed over the southern Rostov region, with the remaining over the Voronezh, Samara, Kursk, Belgorod and Astrakhan regions. 04:34 AM GMT Australia open to sending troops to Ukraine Australia is open to sending troops to Ukraine as part of peacekeeping efforts, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday, despite his Labor government suggesting the idea was not under consideration a day earlier. Mr Albanese struck a different tone on Tuesday, saying Australia was ready to assist Ukraine. Theres a discussion at the moment about potential peacekeeping and from my governments perspective, were open to consideration of any proposals going forward, he said. Anthony Albanese has changed his tune on sending troops to Ukraine - Shutterstock 03:40 AM GMT Vance: Private opinions differ JD Vance also told Fox that European leaders are publicly backing Volodymyr Zelensky while privately calling for the war in Ukraine to end. The US Vice President claimed that allies had privately expressed dread about the war with Russia continuing for years to come, and warned them against dragging out the conflict by puff[ing] up the Ukrainian leader. European leaders are privately pushing for Mr Zelensky to build bridges with Donald Trump, the US President, after he threw his Ukrainian counterpart out of the White House last week following an explosive meeting. Read more: EU leaders say different things about Zelensky behind closed doors 03:24 AM GMT Vance confident Zelensky will agree to peace deal JD Vance said he believed that Volodymyr Zelensky would eventually agree to discuss peace with Russia. In an interview with Fox News, Mr Vance said Ukraines president showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process sought by Donald Trump. But I think hell get there eventually, the vice president said. He has to. 03:00 AM GMT Vance: US economic interest would be security guarantee JD Vance has said giving Washington an economic interest in the future of Ukraine would serve as a security guarantee for the country. If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine, Mr Vance said in an interview with Fox News on Monday. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years, he added. 01:46 AM GMT US and Russia talks location still up in the air It is too early to talk about where the next round of peace talks between Russia and the US might take place, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of Putin, told RIA on Tuesday. Mr Peskov added that the talks were unlikely to happen before the embassies of both countries resumed normal operations. Operations have been curtailed since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. 01:41 AM GMT Aid pause another extortion of Zelensky Democratic congressman Dan Goldman said the pausing of US aid to Ukraine was another extortion of Mr Zelensky. This is the exact opposite of peace through strength, Mr Goldman said. Its another extortion of President Zelensky, illegally withholding aid in order to get President Zelensky to agree to a minerals deal. 01:31 AM GMT Trumps pause on Ukraine aid reckless Congressman Brendan Boyle, who is co-chairman of the Congressional EU Caucus, called Mr Trumps decision to pause funding for Ukraine reckless, indefensible, and a direct threat to our national security. This aid was approved by Congress on a bipartisan basisRepublicans and Democrats alike recognised that standing with Ukraine is standing for democracy and against Putins aggression, Mr Boyle said in a statement. Yet, Trump, who has repeatedly praised Putin and undermined our allies, is now playing political games with critical military assistance. With Trump, is always Russia First. https://t.co/aSh0imLoY8 Congressman Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) March 4, 2025 01:26 AM GMT Fractures in coalition of the willing In Europe, cracks began to show on Monday in Sir Keir Starmers coalition of the willing, which is working on a plan for a prolonged ceasefire and European security guarantees in exchange for peace. Italy partially rejected Emmanuel Macrons proposal for a one-month truce in Ukraine, saying that the plans were premature. I believe that everything must be done together, Europe and United States, sitting at a table with Ukraine and Russia to reach a fair and especially a long-lasting peace, Antonio Tajani, Italys foreign minister, said on Monday. Therefore, it is still premature to see what to do, how to do it, he added. Sir Keir suggested he would not send British troops into Ukraine without first having secured vital security guarantees from the US. The Ukrainian president was also unanimously told to patch up relations with Mr Trump at a weekend summit hosted by Sir Keir, The Telegraph can reveal. 01:19 AM GMT Analysis: Trump seems to be playing judge, jury and executioner Just this afternoon, the president said that he had not talked about suspending military aid to Ukraine following the outburst with Mr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday. Yet hours later, a decision was made to ruthlessly cut the aid until Mr Trump determined the countrys leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace. Grim reading for Mr Zelensky when he wakes up, who faces a president who appears to be playing judge, jury and executioner. 01:00 AM GMT Analysis: A crippling blow to Ukraines war effort Trumps decision to pull military aid is a crippling blow to Zelenskys war effort and threatens Kyivs ability to fight in the crucial Spring months ahead. Russia has launched spring offensives when the harsh winter conditions improve, attempting to push deeper into Ukrainian territory before it receives new Western aid. Ukraine relies on the US provided Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems to help protect cities and infrastructure from Putins missile and drone attacks. The air defence system, which depends heavily on American support, could find itself without enough interceptors to protect its military. Putin may choose this time to push for more territory, which Russia may argue to keep in a peace deal, before Kyiv can find alternative sources of support. Europe will scramble to fill the gaps in the supply, a task they will not be able to do quickly. The prospect of a peace deal in the Belgian capital on Thursday, where European Union leaders, and Mr Zelensky will gather, seems all the more pressing. 12:53 AM GMT Reports: Weapons being sent to Ukraine will be paused All of the military equipment that is being sent to Ukraine will be paused by the US governments freeze, Bloomberg reports. This includes weapons that are still in transit and being stored in deports in Poland. 12:47 AM GMT Statement from White House official in full According to a White House official quoted by US media: The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. 12:45 AM GMT Aid frozen until Zelensky shows hes committed to peace Donald Trump is pausing military aid to Ukraine until he decides that Volodymyr Zelensky is committed to peace, Bloomberg and Fox News report. 12:38 AM GMT White House official confirms aid pause A White House official has said the US has paused and is in the process of reviewing aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. 12:36 AM GMT Trump aides took extreme positions against Zelensky Donald Trump had been expected on Monday to meet with close aides to discuss freezing military aid to Ukraine. Some advisers had taken taken extreme positions against Mr Zelensky and his country, Bloomberg reported, while some expected the Ukrainian president to resign after a peace deal - a key Russian demand. 12:25 AM GMT What has Trump said about cutting off aid? Donald Trump was asked whether he was planning to cut off military aid to Ukraine at a press conference on Monday, amid reports that he was considering freezing weapons shipments. I havent even talked about that right now, the US President responded. 12:22 AM GMT Trumps latest criticisms of Zelensky Donald Trump earlier today launched a fresh attack on Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting the Ukrainian president wont be around very long if he does not end the war soon. The rift between the leaders appeared to deepen as he said a peace deal should not be that hard a deal to make. He added: If somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long. Because I believe that Russia wants to make a deal. Mr Trump had previously condemned Mr Zelensky for saying that a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia is still very, very far away. 12:15 AM GMT Welcome Fox News and Bloomberg are reporting that Donald Trump has paused all military aid to Ukraine. Follow our live blog for the latest on this developing story. Zelensky ready to work under Trump leadership to get peace Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he is ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to end the war with Russia. The Ukrainian president has called for a truce in the sky and a truce in the sea if Russia agrees to the same and said it is time to make things right after his clash in the Oval Office with Donald Trump last week. Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Mr Zelensky on Tuesday afternoon, Number 10 said. It comes after it emerged the Prime Minister had spoken to Mr Trump about the need to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine just hours before the White House paused military aid to Kyiv on Monday. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Zelensky said: My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. He said that Ukraine is ready to sign a minerals deal and said the Washington meeting did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive, he said. Downing Street had earlier revealed on Tuesday that the Prime Minister and the US president spoke on Monday night. At around midnight reports emerged from Washington indicating Mr Trump was halting the flow of arms to Mr Zelenskys country in the latest sign of tensions between the US and Ukrainian presidents. Downing Street said the conversation had focused on progress towards securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. The conversation on Monday night followed phone calls with Mr Trump over the weekend and the Prime Ministers visit to Washington last week. Ministers insisted Sir Keir would not be blindsided or bounced by Mr Trumps actions over Ukraine. The White House suspended delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv, announcing overnight that assistance is being reviewed to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the Prime Minister would not be bounced from his commitment to peace (Peter Byrne/PA) It comes after a clash in the Oval Office between Mr Zelensky and the US leader last Friday left bilateral ties between the two nations in tatters. Speaking on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said Sir Keir remains laser-focused on securing a lasting peace for Kyiv and would not be derailed in those efforts. We are absolutely focused on making sure that we get that peace and the security guarantees as part of that, she said. We wont be derailed or sidelined by commentary, ongoing commentary, but that we will use our relationship, our long-standing relationship, with the US and our European allies to support Ukraine and President Zelensky in getting that peace deal and making sure those securities are part of that. Allies led by Britain and France have spent recent days scrambling to find a way forward following the row, which ended with Mr Zelensky leaving the White House empty-handed despite plans to sign a minerals deal with the US. The Prime Ministers own trip to Washington last week appeared to have gone as well as No 10 could have hoped, with Mr Trump indicating he would not block the Chagos Islands deal and suggesting a trade agreement could spare British exports from US tariffs. He is seeking to act as a bridge between America and Europe in efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine amid fears that Kyiv and its allies will continue to be excluded from negotiations over its future after Mr Trump opened talks with Russias Vladimir Putin. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the USs decision to halt military aid to Ukraine was profoundly worrying (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Ms Rayner denied the Government is acting as if it is business as usual, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Its a very serious moment and I think the Prime Minister has been very serious about the way he has conducted himself. Ms Rayner added: Hes laser-focused on getting peace. He wont be derailed by announcements. He will continue that dialogue with our oldest and strongest ally, the US, and with European partners and with Ukraine. Ms Rayner told ITVs Good Morning Britain that the halt in military aid was a matter for the US president but the UK would be an honest broker, working with both the White House and European allies. We wont be blindsided or bounced from the focus of getting peace for Ukraine with those security guarantees, she said. Earlier on Tuesday, US vice president JD Vance also heightened his criticism of the Ukrainian president, accusing him of needling Mr Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement. We have to consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset. If so, Trump's acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putin's FSB career and Europe is on its own, Graham Stuart MP (@grahamstuart) March 4, 2025 He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy, he told Fox News. Thats the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasnt yet there. And, frankly, still isnt there. But I think hell get there eventually, he has to. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the UK and Europe must rearm faster following the profoundly worrying US announcement. She said: The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. We must work to keep America in, and Russia out. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey appeared to suggest the White House decision had humiliated figures like Sir Keir, who has been insisting there is common ground between the UK and US in the pursuit of peace. By suspending all military aid to Ukraine, Donald Trump has humiliated the people who pretended he was a reliable ally only in search of peace, he said. Meanwhile, Tory MP and former minister Graham Stuart said it was time to consider whether the US president was a Russian asset, adding: If so, Trumps acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putins FSB career and Europe is on its own. Malcolm Chambers, deputy director general at defence think tank the Royal United Services Institute, said: The nightmare scenario is that the US announces a deal soon that accepts most of Russias demands, and then tells Ukraine to take it or leave it. The European offer of boots on the ground after a deal has helped reassure Ukraine. But the debate has now moved on. And what will count most of all is how far the UK and Europe are prepared to help Ukraine in defiance of the US. Zelenskyy acknowledged his meeting with Trump and JD Vance in the Oval Office did not go the way it was supposed to. Photograph: Jens Buttner/Reuters Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed a possible peace plan to end the war in Ukraine, saying he is willing to work constructively under Donald Trumps strong leadership and to sign a deal giving the US access to his countrys mineral wealth. In an attempt to mend fences with Washington after Trump abruptly suspended supplies of military aid, Zelenskyy said on Tuesday he was ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible. I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace, he wrote on X. In an extraordinary turnaround, late on Tuesday both sides appeared to be close to signing a critical minerals deal that the White House has indicated is a precursor to peace talks, Reuters reported, underlining the chaotic nature of the relationship between Kyiv and Washington under Donald Trump. I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025 Alarmed European leaders reaffirmed their backing for Kyiv on Tuesday as it emerged that Ukraines Nato allies had not been told in advance of the suspension of US aid. A spokesperson for the Polish foreign ministry said Trumps announcement was made without any information or consultation, neither with Nato allies nor with the Ramstein group which is involved in supporting Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, announced proposals to increase EU defence spending, which she said could raise up to 800bn ($848bn). This is a moment for Europe, and we are ready to step up, she said. In his comments, Zelenskyy sketched out a plan for how the war might stop. The first stages could include a release of prisoners and a ban on missiles and long-range drones used to attack energy and civilian infrastructure. This truce in the air might be applied to the sea as well, he said, if Russia will do the same. Zelenskyys post came hours after the Trump administration said it was blocking all deliveries of ammunition, vehicles and other equipment, including shipments agreed when Joe Biden was president. He acknowledged his meeting on Friday with Trump and the US vice-president, JD Vance, did not go the way it was supposed to. He said: It is regrettable it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. But his conciliatory comments appear to fall short of the grovelling apology demanded by the White House. Trump has accused Zelenskyy of disrespect, and the US presidents aides have claimed Zelenskyy provoked the row by insisting any peace deal had to come with security guarantees. Vance also repeatedly accused Ukraines president of ingratitude. By way of response on Tuesday, Zelenskyy thanked Trump for providing Kyiv with Javelin missiles during his first presidential term. We really do value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence, he said. On Tuesday, Vance denied that Trump wanted a public apology from Zelenskyy despite media reports to the contrary, saying that the public stuff did not matter as much as Ukrainian engagement toward a meaningful settlement. We need the Ukrainians privately to come to us and say: This is what we need. This is what we want. This is how were going to participate in the process to end this conflict, Vance told reporters on Capitol Hill. That is the most important thing, and that lack of private engagement is what is most concerning. US officials have said Zelenskyy and an adviser, Andriy Yermak, had sought the White House meeting despite the concerns of some Trump advisers who had said there was the potential for a clash. But there are also suspicions the White House was looking for a pretext to distance itself from Ukraine. At a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening, Trump is expected to propose plans to restore peace around the world. A White House official told Fox News he would lay out his plans to end the war in Ukraine, as well as plans to negotiate the release of hostages held in Gaza, the outlet reported. Ukraine and the US were supposed to sign a minerals deal that would have resulted in the US investing in Ukraines underdeveloped minerals and mining sector. Trump has said the presence of US workers in Ukraine would be enough to deter Putin from future acts of aggression, with no further security promises needed. Asked whether he believed there was still hope for the minerals deal, Vance responded: Yeah, I certainly do. He added: And I think the president is still committed to the mineral deal. I think weve heard some positive things, but not yet, of course, a signature from our friends in Ukraine. Kyiv was ready to sign the deal in any time and in any convenient format, Zelenskyy indicated. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively, he wrote. Its a temporary pause and its to do a reset, Mike Johnson, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, said of the suspension of US military aid. I am heartened by the development that President Zelenskyy has indicated that he does want to do this deal after all I certainly encourage that to happen and he needs to come and make right what happened last week the shocking developments in the Oval Office and if he does that then I think this is the win-win-win scenario for everyone involved. Moscow celebrated Trumps decision to suspend military aid as the best possible step towards peace, with the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, saying the US had been the main supplier of this war so far. Polands prime minister, Donald Tusk, told a cabinet meeting in Warsaw that Europe faced unprecedented risks, including the biggest in the last few decades when it comes to security. Tusk said his government would have to make some extraordinary decisions. A decision was announced to suspend the US aid for Ukraine, and perhaps start lifting sanctions on Russia. We dont have any reason to think these are just words, he said. This puts Europe, Ukraine, Poland in a more difficult situation, Tusk said, adding that Warsaw was determined to intensify activities in Europe to increase our defence capabilities while maintaining the best possible relations with the US. Frances foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said the US decision meant it was vital Europe helped Ukraine hold the frontline against Russia, which he said was the first line of defence for Europe and France. The time had come for Europe to drop its dependency on US weapons, he added. We are faced with a choice that is imposed on us, between effort and freedom, or comfort and servitude, he told MPs. The French prime minister, Francois Bayrou, said the US decision to suspend weapons aid in wartime signalled that Washington was abandoning Ukraine and letting the aggressor win and that it was Europes responsibility to replace them. Bayrou told parliament that Europeans are going to have to think about our model, about our priorities and to look at the world differently We have seen it is more dangerous than we had though, coming from those we thought were allies. Germanys foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said: Two things are now essential for peace through strength: additional aid military and financial for Ukraine, which is defending our freedom. And a quantum leap to strengthen our EU defence. EU leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss a five-part, 800bn (660bn) plan presented by the European commission to bolster Europes defence industry, increase military capability and help provide urgent military support for Ukraine. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Skelton brothers Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner Skelton, 5, disappeared while celebrating Thanksgiving with their father in 2010 Their father John Skelton was sentenced to prison for not returning the boys to their mother Their mother Tanya Zuvers believes they were killed by their father. He was never charged in connection with their deaths A Michigan court was set to decide on Monday whether to legally declare dead three siblings who disappeared 15 years ago after spending Thanksgiving vacation with their father. The Skelton boys Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5, were last seen in November 2010 in their fathers Morenci, Mich., home, where they were spending Thanksgiving, the Associated Press previously reported. The boys mother, Tanya Zuvers, was seeking a divorce from their father John Skelton at the time, per the outlet. Now, with more than a decade of no answers, Zuvers is requesting a court to declare her three sons dead. She filed the paperwork for this process in December 2023, FOX 2 Detroit reported. On Monday, March 3, a Lenawee County court heard from investigators involved that there are no signs the boys are still alive, per AP. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Age progression photos of the Skelton brothers In November 2010, when the children did not return to her the day after Thanksgiving, police traced Johns phone to Ohio at 4 a.m. and back in Michigan after 6 a.m., the outlet reported. Detectives made an ominous discovery at Johns home while he was in the hospital for an ankle injury the same day. Amid the mess in his residence, per AP, police found a noose hanging from the second floor, an open Bible with a verse circled and a note, seemingly for Zuvers, which read: You will hate me forever and I know this, according to FBI agent Corey Burras. On one occasion, when his church pastor confronted him about the boys, John allegedly said, I sent them home, Burras testified, statements he said implied John had killed the children, AP reported. Im confident theyre deceased, Larry Weeks, who was Morenci police chief in 2010, said in court on Monday. The boys' mother also said she believed John killed them, WTOL reported. The investigation also revealed internet searches by John, looking up instructions on how to break a neck, Weeks said. He further alleged that John had lied about the childrens whereabouts, making false claims that they had been handed over to people for their safety. Zuvers also alleges John "claimed that the boys would hibernate until they graduate," FOX 2 Detroit reported, citing a statement from the bereaved mother. Michigan Department of Corrections John Skelton Zuvers told the court on Monday that this legal declaration will allow her to pay respect to her sons and put a date on their headstone, WTOL reported. "Because their dad showed them no respect," she said. "Because any loving father would not have done what he did, and I owe them the respect." "This decision came after much thought and discussion with my family and friends. It did not come lightly and was definitely a difficult decision to make," she previously said in a 2024 statement, FOX 2 Detroit reported. "No parent wants to lose a child, but to have to have the courts step in and declare them deceased is just unfathomable." 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. John has not been charged in connection with the boys deaths; he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years for failure to return the boys to their mother, according to AP and FOX 2 Detroit. On Monday, John appeared in court via video and declined to participate. Everyone has got lawyers. I dont, he said, per AP. Im at a disadvantage. Anything I say isnt going to make a difference. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People Sherry Andrews holds a 13-month-old's hand after giving the child its first MMR vaccine dose in Lubbock, Texas, on February 27. - Annie Rice/Reuters A measles outbreak in Texas has grown to 159 cases, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is now on the ground in that state to respond. The agency posted on X that its partnering with the Texas Department of State Health Services. This partnership known as an Epi-Aid is a rapid response by CDCs Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) to tackle urgent public health issues like disease outbreaks. EIS officers provide local officials onsite support for 1-3 weeks, aiding in quick decision-making to control health threats. The local authority leads the investigation while collaborating with CDC experts, the post said. Previously, the CDC had provided lab support and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines to Texas to help the outbreak response. In an update Tuesday, Texas reported 159 measles cases, including 22 people who are hospitalized. The majority of the cases are in Gaines County, which is home to a large unvaccinated Mennonite population. Texas announced last week the first death in the outbreak, a school-age child who was not vaccinated and had no underlying health conditions. It was the first measles death in the US since 2015 and the first in a child in the US since 2003. Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described delivering vitamin A and providing ambulance assistance from Gaines County. He also described treatments with a steroid, budesonide, and an antibiotic, clarithromycin, as well as cod liver oil. What were trying to do is really to restore faith in government and to make sure that we are there to help them with their needs and not particularly to dictate what they ought to be doing, Kennedy said. Kennedy also referenced vaccines in a portion of the interview aired on Fox Business on Tuesday afternoon, saying, in highly unvaccinated communities like the Mennonites, its something we recommend, but we also understand there is a lot of mistrust of the vaccines. There are people who should not be vaccinated in the community because they have autoimmune problems or other immune problems. If you do get vaccinated, you are protecting those people from a possible spread. Kennedy, who has a long history of anti-vaccine activism, did not explicitly recommend vaccinating against measles in an opinion piece posted on Fox News website on Sunday. The decision to vaccinate is a personal one, he wrote. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles but also contribute to community immunity. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan outside the federal court building in Chicago Dec. 4, 2024 Jim Talamonti | The Center Square (The Center Square) A consumer advocate is calling for utility reform after multiple corruption-related convictions tied to ComEd. Citizens Utility Board Director of Governmental Affairs Bryan McDaniel said the series of trials have been sad and infuriating for Illinois consumers. Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was convicted on 10 counts of corruption last month, including four counts related to ComEd. Five convictions against the ComEd Four defendants, who were found guilty in 2023, remain in place after a judge tossed four counts on Monday. McDaniel urged Illinoisans to support Senate Bill 1275, filed by state Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Western Springs. McDaniel said the measure is aimed at preventing utility companies from enhancing their political power with consumer dollars. You want to spend money on these things, thats fine, utility, but you cant recover it from your customers any more. You shouldnt be increasing your political power through customers wallets. You ought to be pushing political power through your own wallet, McDaniel told The Center Square. McDaniel said Connecticut, Colorado and Maine have passed similar legislation. Were paying more because of utility power, and so part of our legislative agenda is trying to chip away at that power, McDaniel said. McDaniel said Illinois gas, electric and water bills include charges for utility memberships and trade associations. And then those trade associations show up to lobby against consumers, McDaniel said, adding that consumers also pay for utilities goodwill advertising, insurance plans to protect utility shareholders, and also outside lawyers and witnesses in rate cases. So we get to pay for outside lawyers and witnesses to help them raise our utility rates. These kinds of charges are what help build utility political power and influence, McDaniel said. McDaniel said he sometimes feels like the bad guy in Springfield because he is greatly outnumbered by utility companies. Utilities paint a picture of what is actually going on in society with utility rates, and most of the time it is not that well-connected to reality, McDaniel said. McDaniel also expressed support for Illinois House Bill 1621, filed by state Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, which would prevent utilities from making campaign contributions to people seeking municipal or state office. I can tell you thatd be wonderful if that bill could pass. Well see, McDaniel said. Campaign donations and campaign events were discussed several times during the Madigan trial in Chicago. The longtime speaker and Democratic Party of Illinois chair is awaiting a forfeiture bench trial in early May and sentencing on 10 corruption-related counts at a later date. In the related ComEd Four case, four people were convicted of corruption charges in 2023, and ComEd agreed to pay $200 million in fines as part of a deferred prosecution agreement. One of the four defendants, former lobbyist and Illinois state Rep. Michael McClain, D-Quincy, was not convicted in the Madigan trial. McClain, Jay Doherty, John Hooker and Anne Pramaggiore face sentencing on five charges from the ComEd Four case after U.S. District Court Judge Manish Shah tossed four counts on Monday. The former University of Kentucky student jailed for a year for calling a black classmate the N-word more than 200 times wants to be sprung from custody early claiming shes dedicated herself to personal growth and accountability. Just four months into her punishment, Sophia Rosing, 24, asked a judge week to suspend her prison sentence, allowing her to walk free on probation, documents obtained by LEX 18 show. Rosing was a 22-year-old senior at the University of Kentucky in November 2022 when she drunkenly stumbled into a campus dorm one night and accosted 19-year-old student worker Kyla Spring. Sophia Rosing, 24, asked to be let out of prison early, just months into her one-year prison sentence. AP The entire incident was caught on camera, with Rosing hurling a deluge of N-words and other derogatory language while slapping, punching, pushing, and biting Spring. Rosing was sentenced to 12 months in jail in October after pleading guilty to assault. She now claims shes reformed, arguing in court papers that she does not pose an ongoing threat to public safety and that remaining behind bars until her term is up would be counterproductive to her rehabilitation. She intends to seek professional counseling, complete alcohol treatment programs, and enroll in racial sensitivity training, the court papers said. The documents added that the significant public scrutiny and reputational harm she suffered when the 10-minute video of her vile behavior went viral has also led to lasting consequences, all of which serve as strong deterrents against re-offending. Rosing was caught on camera attacking a black classmate. In that footage, the blonde repeatedly shouted at the student worker Youre a nr and youre a bitch, adding things like Its not my fault that youre black, and Do my chores as she drunkenly swung her fists. I do not get paid enough for this, the student worker, who was working the dorms front desk at the time, said as she struggled to hold the drunken Rosing at bay. When police were called and hauled Rosing off to the drunk tank, she continued her tirade and tried to bite, punch, and slap the officers, too. She was carted off by police but didnt let up her racist tirade. Rosing pleaded guilty to assault and other charges in August and was sentenced to 12 months in prison in October. Fayette County Detention Center After her arrest, Rosing was quickly banned from campus, and after pleading guilty to four counts of fourth-degree assault, disorderly conduct, and public intoxication, she was sentenced to 12 months in prison. Rosing was placed in protective custody at the Fayette County Detention Center meaning she has been separated from the general prison population over fears she could face retaliation from other inmates for her behavior. Her attorney, Fred Peters, previously told the Lexington Herald-Leader that he thought the sentence was excessive. What she said was awful, Peters said. She got into a scuffle with the clerk and bit people on the hand, [but] I think she did not deserve a sentence of 12 months in prison for the very first offense in her life. Nvidia, led by CEO Jensen Huang, is feeling the pain of Trump's tariffs. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Nvidias stock has taken a hit as Donald Trumps new tariffs rattled investors. Nvidias stock tumbled nearly 9% on Monday, while concerns over unauthorized exports to China also rattled investors. Nvidia's stock price plunged nearly 9% following Donald Trump's tough tariff announcements. The U.S. president announced that tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will go into effect on Tuesday, dashing hopes of a last-minute reprieve. The aggressive tariff plans prompted a broader market pullback, as concerns over trade restrictions sent stocks reeling and the Dow plunging more than 600 points. Asian tech stocks also slid in response to Trump stating he would impose an additional 10% tariff on imports from China. Shares of Advantest, a Japanese semiconductor company, South Korea's SK Hynix, and Chinese AI companies fell following the tariff announcement. Nvidia is now valued at approximately $2.79 trilliondown from its previous $3 trillion valuationand is trading at its lowest levels since September, before the U.S. presidential election. The tech giant's stock has fallen just over 13% since the company reported earnings on Wednesday. While Nvidia beat estimates in its latest earnings report, with revenue rising 78% from a year ago to $39.3 billionjust edging past Wall Street's projection of $38.3 billionthe growth didn't appear to be enough for investors, who have grown accustomed to blowout numbers from the AI chipmaker. Nvidia primarily produces its AI chips in Taiwan, which is not currently subject to U.S. tariffs. However, many of its products are assembled in other locations, including Mexico, where higher import costs could drive up expenses. The tariffs on Mexico and Canada announced by President Trump may impact Nvidia as they have some manufacturing in Mexico. This raises concerns about additional tariffs that have been threatened against chips made in Taiwan, where Nvidia has the majority of their chips produced currently," Alvin Nguyen, a senior analyst at Forrester, told Fortune. "Although Nvidia has committed to having chips produced in the U.S. by TSMC after its announcement of a $100 billion investment in U.S. facilities, this type of build-out takes years," he added. Nvidia's challenges beyond tariffs Concerns around unauthorized exports of Nvidia chips to China may have also affected investor confidence in the company. On Monday, Singaporean authorities arrested three people for allegedly misrepresenting the final destination of U.S.-made servers, likely containing Nvidias AI chips. The arrests highlight an ongoing shadow trade network, despite export restrictions, with analysts warning that a full ban on Nvidia chip exports to China could cost the company up to $5 billion in revenue. Nvidia's most powerful chips are already restricted from export to China under U.S. trade controls first introduced by President Joe Biden to slow China's AI advancements. As geopolitical tensions escalate, the Trump administration is reportedly considering ramping up export controls to limit Beijing's progress in AI chip development. Last week, Bloomberg reported that the new administration was drafting tougher semiconductor restrictions and pressuring key allies to tighten their own limits on Chinas AI industry. Nvidia has been directly impacted by Chinas recent AI progress. The launch of DeepSeeks R1 reasoning model caused the chipmaker's shares to plummet, wiping out around $600 billion of its market value. The claim that DeepSeek built its newest model using lower-cost, less powerful chips sparked fears that major tech firms could scale back their demand for Nvidias high-end AI processors. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang responded to the markets reaction, saying it was based on a misunderstanding. He argued that investors misinterpreted DeepSeeks innovation as proof that AI companies no longer needed intensive computing powerwhen, in fact, the opposite is true. Representatives for Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fortune, made outside normal working hours. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com New low-altitude economy research institute established in SW China Xinhua) 09:37, March 04, 2025 CHENGDU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A new low-altitude economy research institute has been launched in Mianyang in southwest China's Sichuan Province, marking a strategic move to drive the development of low-altitude industries in the country's vast western region, according to China Low Altitude Economic Alliance. The China (Mianyang) Science and Technology City Low-Altitude Economy Research Institute was inaugurated on Sunday. It is jointly established by 14 entities, including Sichuan Jiuzhou Investment Holding Group Co., Ltd., Southwest University of Science and Technology, and leading commercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) company JOUAV. The institute aims to foster technological innovation and industry integration in this rapidly emerging sector. It brings together the strengths of government, industry, academia, research and application in Mianyang, a city known for its strong scientific and technological foundation. With its solid technological base, comprehensive industrial support and diverse application scenarios, Mianyang is poised to become a leading "city of low altitude" in western China, noted Luo Jun, executive director of the alliance. Speaking at the institute's launch ceremony, Luo said that Mianyang will join the national low-altitude transportation network pilot program, which aims to integrate drones and air mobility systems into a unified traffic management framework. The institute's establishment aligns with China's broader strategy to advance the low-altitude economy, encompassing UAVs, urban air mobility, and other emerging sectors. In his keynote speech, Xiang Jinwu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, described the low-altitude economy as an important engine for economic transformation and upgrading in the new era. Mianyang should leverage the institute as a platform to drive innovation, foster industrial clustering, and serve as a demonstration site for low-altitude economy applications. Moving forward, the institute will focus on key technological breakthroughs and the transformation of research outcomes while striving to become a leading hub for low-altitude economy innovation in western China and beyond. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) When Gina Williams moved into a Florida townhouse in late 2024, she became one of the tens of millions of Americans who count themselves as homeowners. Williams also joined a much smaller group: first-time buyers who have amassed more than $100,000 in down payment assistance . Williams landed a $95,000 loan through Palm Beach County and the Florida Housing Finance Corp., the states housing finance agency. She also received about $10,000 toward closing costs and the down payment from her lender, Third Federal Savings . This totally changed my life, says Williams, an administrative assistant and longtime renter. Down payment help hits six figures in costly markets Supersized down payment subsidies are something of an outlier. The typical award nationally is $18,000, according to Down Payment Resource, a company that tracks homebuyer assistance. Yet as home prices flirt with record highs and mortgage rates remain elevated, six-figure down payment assistance packages have grown more common. In fact, dozens of down payment programs now offer more than $100,000 in assistance. In one particularly large example, the City of San Francisco extends up to $500,000 in down payment assistance to first-time buyers, reflecting a housing market where the median home sale price as of January 2025 was $1.4 million. Eighty-one percent of aspiring homeowners say the down payment and closing costs are a very significant or somewhat significant obstacle to homeownership, according to Bankrates 2025 Home Affordability Report. Since 2020, weve seen increased purchase price limits, increased income limits and larger assistance amounts, says Sean Moss, executive vice president at Down Payment Resource, of these programs. While generous down payment packages are most common in California, buyers in more affordable areas might also score hefty packages. Software engineer Diana Muro moved into a townhouse in Charlotte, North Carolina, in late 2024 after receiving more than $100,000 in down payment assistance. Help doesnt come without hoops Williams, 63, was a renter for decades. As a single person with a modest income, apartment life was a good fit. I loved to rent, Williams says. Her attitude toward renting changed, however, during the pandemic. They raised my rent three times in the last three years, Williams says. It squeezed every last dollar out of me. As her rent was skyrocketing, Palm Beach County launched a program offering up to $100,000 in down payment assistance to first-time buyers who met certain guidelines. Among other criteria, applicants were required to show a mortgage preapproval letter, complete a first-time buyer class and buy a place valued at no more than $568,557. The program also imposed shifting income requirements: A round of grants awarded in early 2024 limited single-person households to an income of $95,480, while another cycle later in the year capped single applicants incomes at $60,000. Williams applied and then the frustrations began. A paperwork mishap delayed her application by six months. She then had one bid after another accepted by the seller, only to later fall through. Over the course of four ill-fated offers, Williams figured she wound up spending a total of $6,000 on appraisals, home inspections and application fees to condo associations. Ultimately, she made an offer that stuck but Williams says she couldnt get a clear answer about whether her down payment assistance was approved, or for how much, until the day of closing. Nothing was easy, Williams says. This was the biggest learning experience of my life. Her persistence paid off. In December, Williams closed on her $195,000 townhome. The $95,000 down payment assistance from the state and county is structured as a no-interest loan thats forgiven after 30 years. If she sells before then, shell have to repay it. Learn more: Co-buying helps frustrated homebuyers hack the market Tips to supersize your down payment assistance While large down payment assistance packages arent the norm everywhere, they are available. Here are some lessons learned from buyers whove landed large subsidies: CBS Mornings/YouTube Rafael Seirafe-Novaes and Beatriz Rapoport de Campos Maia speaking to CBS News Miami The woman who was arrested at Miami International Airport after she and her fiance allegedly attempted to force their way onto a flight and later, were accused of throwing coffee at one of the airport staffers during the scuffle is speaking out in self-defense. In an interview on Tuesday, March 4, with CBS News Miami after her release from jail, the woman, Beatriz Rapoport De Campos Maia, said, "Nobody threw coffee. The coffee fell." "The lady who said I threw it was a liar. It just dropped on the floor," she added of the incident, which occurred the morning of Sunday, March 2. "I am not crazy. We would not throw coffee. Coffee, I drink," De Campos Maia's fiance, Rafael Seirafe-Novaes, told CBS News Miami after their release. PEOPLE reached out to Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office and Miami International Airport for comment, but they did not immediately respond. The couple reportedly ran late for their flight to Cancun when they allegedly attempted to force themselves through security to get onto the aircraft, the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office said in a statement to PEOPLE on Monday, March 3. In a clip shared to social media, at least five officers appear to attempt to restrain Seirafe-Novaes. One of the two suspects was accused of throwing coffee at one of the airport staffers during the scuffle, a representative from the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office told PEOPLE. The incident concluded with Seirafe-Novaes being escorted in handcuffs to a police car on the tarmac, as seen in the video footage shared. De Campos Maia and Seirafe-Novaes were both charged with two counts of battery and trespassing on property after warning, according to their booking reports. Seirafe-Novaes received an added charge of resisting arrest. The American Airlines Flight 2494 to Mexico was delayed as a result of the incident. It was scheduled to depart Miami at 9:01 a.m. ET and arrive in Cancun at 10:56 a.m. ET, but ultimately departed at 9:10 a.m. ET and arrived at 11:22 a.m. ET. Prior to boarding American Airlines flight 2494 from Miami (MIA) to Cancun (CUN), law enforcement responded to the gate for two disruptive customers, a spokesperson for the airline told PEOPLE in a statement on Tuesday. 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. Miami Dade Corrections Rafael Seirafe-Novaes and Beatriz Rapoport De Campos Maia Acts of violence are not tolerated by American Airlines and we are committed to working closely with law enforcement in their investigation," the statement added. Committing acts of intentional violence in an international airport is a federal crime, per the U.S. Department of Justice, punishable with a fine of up to $250,000 and 20 years in prison. PEOPLE also reached out to American Airlines for comment on the couple's post-release statements, but they did not immediately respond. Read the original article on People AP Photo/George Frey Utah Congresswoman Mia Love in 2018. Mia Love, the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, is no longer responding to treatment for an aggressive and malignant brain tumor known as glioblastoma, with which she was diagnosed in 2022. The former Utah congresswoman, 49, who was elected to serve the states fourth district in 2014, had shared her glioblastoma brain cancer diagnosis on CNN last May, telling host Jake Tapper that she was undergoing a clinical immunotherapy trial. At the time, she said the trial was working. Every scan I go through, its either not growing, or it has reduced a little bit," she said. But the prognosis recently took a different turn. Her daughter Abigale wrote in a March 1 post on Loves account on X, Many of you are aware that Mom has been fighting GBM brain cancer. Sadly her cancer is no longer responding to treatment and the cancer is progressing. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais Mia Love made history as the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress. We have a shifted our focus from treatment to enjoying our remaining time with her. I am building an archive of special memories with Mia. Please send your pictures, videos and memories to me at MiaLoveMemories@gmail.com. Thank you, Abigale wrote, prompting a reply from Tapper who wrote, Abigale and other members of the Love family: we are crushed by this news. We have known and loved your mom for years. Sending all our prayers. Former Florida Congresswoman Val Demings also replied, writing, I had the pleasure of serving with Mia during my first term in congress. We were on different sides of the aisle but she was strong and showed love and compassion for the least among us. She demonstrated that regardless of party, we can do both. Praying for Mia and her family. Hello Friends, Im Mias daughter Abigale. Many of you are aware that Mom has been fighting GBM brain cancer. Sadly her cancer is no longer responding to treatment and the cancer is progressing. We have a shifted our focus from treatment to enjoying our remaining time with her. I pic.twitter.com/xlJfSC3IX7 Mia Love (@MiaBLove) March 1, 2025 Glioblastoma is a devastating cancer that starts in your brain and spinal cord, the Cleveland Clinic explains, adding theres no cure for the condition and the prognosis isnt good. Thats because glioblastoma cancer cells grow rapidly, and without treatment, can cause the patients death within six months. As Love shared in a Facebook post last May, I want my journey to give others hope. Whether you are facing a cancer diagnosis yourself, or fighting a different battle, there is hope! For me, that hope comes from my faith and my family. Both have been a source of immeasurable strength, peace, love, and support. Every day, I thank God for my life and a family who give that life beauty and meaning. 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. Read the original article on People Getty Woman holding sore knee stock image Letting out a curse word when you get injured may actually help you feel better at least according to researchers. U.K. researchers Olly Robertson and Richard Stephens have done several studies over the past few years in order to figure out whether there is a correlation between swearing and pain and have been successful in linking the two, according to The Washington Post. In one of their early studies from 2009, they were also able to link swearing with hypoalgesia, which according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a reduction in pain that occurs during or following exercise. They also noted that people who used conventional swear words after an injury had a 32% increase in pain threshold and a 33% increase in pain tolerance compared to those who didnt. In following studies, they found that conventional swear words had an effect on pain tolerance compared to more emotional and humorous words like fouch and twizpipe. Related: Drinking Tea and Coffee May Lower Risk for Some Cancers: Study Stephens noted, per The Washington Post, that this was likely because swearing in pain evoked a bodily response similar to the fight or flight stress response in which a person's heart rate goes up and a surge of adrenaline is released into a persons muscles to prepare them physically. Robertson and Stephens also noted that the power of swearing also worked with different languages by comparing English and Japanese speakers the latter of which doesnt use swearing as much socially compared to the former, per The Washington Post. They noted that the effect was still the same and swearing in a different language was still linked to pain tolerance no matter the language. Getty Woman with back pain stock image. 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. Samford University professor and physical therapist Nick Washmuth told the outlet that this can be used in real-world practices, for instance, if a person stubs their toe. He suggested people use a swear word that they thought feels powerful. If no word comes to mind, the f-word is the most commonly self-selected swear word by participants in these studies and is considered one of the most powerful swear words out there, Samford University professor and physical therapist Nick Washmuth told The Washington Post.. Swear at a steady pace once a second to once every three seconds, at a normal speech volume, he further advised. Related: Heavy Cannabis Use May Impair Brain's Working Memory, Study Suggests A 2018 study by Stephens and others found that swearing can go beyond just making you feel better, as it was also linked to an improvement in strength and power during an anaerobic power test on a bike. However, as the study noted, it was unclear whether these results are due to an "alteration" of a person's nervous system or an "unknown mechanism." Additional studies on swearing's effects on the body are being carried out, including one by Washmuth, who wants to understand if the "intensity of the swear word and other variables" could affect pain tolerance and whether a persons environment, age and how often they swear daily could impact it as well. We need to better understand those factors and how they play a role to be able to prescribe swearing in a medical sense, in a clinical sense, Washmuth told The Washington Post. Is there an optimal dosage for swearing? Read the original article on People If you're looking for free pancakes on Tuesday, IHOP has you covered. The breakfast chain is giving customers three free buttermilk pancakes when they dine in on Tuesday, March 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at participating locations in honor of its National Pancake Day promotion, according to the company's website. No purchase minimum is required. According to IHOP, this is the 20th anniversary of its National Pancake Day. The company began the promotion as a way to raise money for charity, and this year is no different IHOP encourages customers to donate to Feeding America either on their checks or online. The company has over 1,800 locations around the world, including restaurants in all 50 states and 13 countries outside the United States. You can use the chain's store locator to find the IHOP location closest to you. Another freebie: Krispy Kreme giving away free doughnuts Tuesday If you find yourself to be more of a doughnut person than a pancake person, you can get a free doughnut at Krispy Kreme Tuesday. The doughnut chain is offering customers who wear Mardi Gras beads to a Krispy Kreme shop on Tuesday, March 4 a free original glazed doughnut, limit one per guest. The offer is available in-shop or in the drive-thru and no purchase is necessary, according to the company. Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: IHOP giving away free pancakes for National Pancake Day Tuesday We may earn money from links on this page, but commission does not influence what we write or the products we recommend. AOL upholds a rigorous editorial process to ensure what we publish is fair, accurate and trustworthy. Here's why our 70-year-old testers loved the Leesa Sapira Hybrid mattress. (Leesa) Buying a mattress online may seem risky, but we promise it's not. All the brands we cover offer generous sleep trials, meaning you can sleep on the mattress for months before deciding if you want to keep it. Most online mattress brands also offer White Glove delivery and installation, meaning they'll set-up your mattress for you and haul away your old one. We tried all this out with the Leesa Sapira Hybrid, one of the highest rated mattresses you can find on the internet right now. Leesa is a popular Arizona-based bedding company thats been designing and shipping beds to buyers since 2015. Nowadays, you can buy Leesa mattresses online or find them at stores like West Elm and Pottery Barn, if you want to try one out in person before buying. The Sapira Hybrid one of the first mattresses Leesa rolled out has remained a bestseller for the brand. It's marketed as a medium to medium-firm mattress that works for all sleep positions. There are plenty of mattress companies that claim they can satisfy everyone. Our 75-year-old tester and his 71-year-old wife spent two months testing the Leesa Sapira Hybrid to see if it could live up to the hype. Leesa Best Mattress for All Sleepers Leesa Sapira Hybrid The Leesa Sapira Hybrid mattress is designed to support a variety of sleeping positions, with an emphasis on crowd-pleasing comfort and cooling features. The mattress is constructed from two layers of memory foam and individual-wrapped springs, combining cushioning and support. Our tester, a 75-year-old man who shares a bed with his 71-year-old wife, tried the mattress for two months and fell in love with its firmness, feel, and cooling properties. Pros Great edge support May keep hot sleepers cool Comfortable balance of firmness and give Easy setup with white glove delivery Cons Only one firmness option White glove delivery costs extra $1,599 at Leesa Leesa Sapira Hybrid Key Features Best Mattress for Combination Sleepers The Leesa Sapira Hybrid is a good choice for combination sleepers people who change positions throughout the night. Both our tester and his wife tend to shift positions while sleeping. They confirmed that this mattress was remarkably comfortable all through the night, no matter how they tossed and turned. Medium-firm mattresses are usually best for combination sleepers. Ideally, these mattresses will be firm enough to keep you supported when you lie on your stomach or back, but plush enough to let your shoulder sink in when you lie on your side. How firm your mattress feels will depend partially on how heavy your body is, with heavier bodies sinking in more than lighter bodies. Because of this, a lot of medium-firm mattresses wind up being a tad too firm for some people or a tad too soft for others. But the Leesa Sapira blew us away. Both our 61 tester and his petite wife enjoyed comfortable nights of sleep, with minimal dipping or jostling in the mattress. Theres no one mattress that will work for everyone, but the Leesa Sapira Hybrid might come close. Hybrid Construction The Leesa Sapira is a hybrid mattress, which means its constructed with both innersprings and layers of foam. Traditionally, a spring mattress will feel supportive, bouncy, and responsive. An all-foam mattress, meanwhile, will conform to the shape of your body without bouncing back. Hybrid mattresses split the difference, offering a bit of extra cushioning on top of supportive springs. Hybrid mattresses are popular with couples, since they offer a compromise between different mattress types. With foam on top, they can also do a decent job of reducing motion transfer (all-foam mattresses will always be top performers if youre really trying to prevent jostling). Our tester found that the Sapira did a wonderful job cutting down on unwanted motion transfer. He regularly gets out of bed several hours before his wife, and the mattress absorbed motion so well she often didnt even wake up when he rose. Great Edge Support Edge support was important to our tester, who was replacing a bed with edges so soft he often felt like he could fall off the side. By comparison, the edges of the Leesa Sapira Hybrid were even and firm, providing the same support as the rest of the mattress. Not every sleeper will need or even notice excellent edge support. But when a mattress has soft edges, it can add to the feeling that the sleeper is going to roll off especially if they share the bed with a partner. Supportive edges are also important for anyone who needs a little extra stability to help them stand up in the morning. Our tester noted this, remarking, Its nice to have that edge. It gives me the confidence to get out of bed. Cooling Mattress for Hot Sleepers Our tester is a hot sleeper. In the past, he had been bothered by heat that was retained in his mattress, making it difficult to fall or stay asleep. He was happy to note, therefore, that he had no problems with overheating on the Leesa Sapira Hybrid. This mattress comes in two models the Sapira Hybrid and the Sapira Chill Hybrid, which is specifically designed for hot sleepers. The main difference between the two is that the Chill model has an extra layer of quilt foam and an additional mattress cover made of cooling fibers. That being said, even the basic Leesa Sapira Hybrid promises to help sleepers stay cool with enhanced airflow through the springs and foam topper. Our tester didnt try the Chill model, but he was still very pleased with the cooling. The Leesa mattress is easy to setup. Unroll it and slide it on your bedframe then enjoy! Setting Up the Leesa Sapira Hybrid We opted for Leesas white glove delivery service, which cost an extra $199. With this service, a delivery crew will handle bringing the vacuum-sealed mattress inside, taking it out of the box, and removing the old mattress if needed. Our tester had a wonderful experience with Leesas delivery service. The two-man crew was pleasant, neat, and very efficient it only took them about 15 minutes to get the new bed set up and the old one hauled away. The only thing we did was strip the bed and make sure there was an open pathway downstairs to their truck, said our tester. The white glove delivery was wonderful. Thats a selling point in my eyes. Leesa Sapira Hybrid Policies 100-Night Sleep Trial Leesa offers a 100-night trial for all the mattresses it sells. Your 100-night trial period will begin the day your mattress arrives, regardless of when you start sleeping on it. It can take a month or longer to get used to a new mattress, so its a good idea to take advantage of this period to really make sure youve picked the right mattress for you. If you decide its not the right fit, Leesa will coordinate a pickup and refund the cost of the mattress minus any discount you might have gotten. White Glove Delivery Leesa offers in-home delivery and setup for new mattresses for $199. The delivery crew will email to coordinate a time for delivery, and then call or text when theyre 30 minutes away. The crew will bring your packaged mattress into your home, remove it from the box, and set it up on your bed frame. All the buyer needs to do is make sure the area around the bed is clear and any linens are stripped from the old mattress. You also have the option to opt-in for removal of your old mattress (and bed frame, if applicable). This white glove delivery service was a big highlight for our tester. He found the crew efficient and neat, and appreciated that they were there to bring the mattress up two flights of stairs. Return Policy Leesa requires you to keep your new mattress for at least 30 days before initiating a return, which is standard for the mattress industry. After the first month of the 100-night trial period, you can initiate a return on the phone or through email. In some cases, Leesa may give you the option to donate your mattress to a local charity. If you do this, be sure to collect a receipt so you can show it to the Leesa customer service team and still get your refund. This approach requires you to transport the mattress yourself, but if thats not an option, Leesa will come and pick it up for you. Returns are free during the trial period in most states. In Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada, youll be charged $100 for a return. Availability You can order a Leesa Sapira Hybrid online or buy one from certain brick and mortar locations. Leesa mattresses are stocked at various stores and showrooms across the United States. You can explore Leesas interactive map to find a location close to you. The Leesa mattress arrives neatly packed in a cardboard box. (Leesa) Warranty Leesa offers a limited lifetime warranty. For the first 10 years you own your mattress, Leesa will cover the cost of a replacement if there are any manufacturer defects (this includes things like cracked foam or extreme sagging). After 10 years, Leesa will offer you prorated discounts on a replacement mattress, ranging from 50% to 25% off the purchase price. Leesa will consider your warranty void if you remove the mattress cover at any time, and it never covers damage from spills, burns, or other accidents. How We Tested the Leesa Sapira Hybrid To get the best sense of the Leesa Sapira Hybrid, we sent it to one of our testers a 61 75-year-old man who sleeps in multiple positions and tends to run hot. In the past, he struggled with overheating in the night, feeling like his bed didnt offer adequate edge support, and sagging in the middle of the mattress. Our tester shares the mattress with his wife, a 71-year-old petite woman. Because she has a smaller stature than her husband, she has often battled the feeling that she was rolling towards him in the night, rather than enjoying even support. The two of them slept on the Sapira Hybrid for two months, taking notes on their experience and reporting their findings through a final survey and interview with our team. After two months of sleeping on the mattress, our tester and his wife were both delighted with its performance. They reported consistent support, comfort, and satisfactory cooling properties. Our tester particularly appreciated the firm edge support and how easy it was to get in and out of bed. Final Thoughts The Leesa Sapira Hybrid is an all-round excellent mattress that has earned its accolades for good reason. With superb edge support, pressure point relief, and a solid balance of comfort and firmness, were hard-pressed to find drawbacks. Finding the right mattress is personal. Some people want a bed they can sink into, while others will only be comfortable on a very firm surface. We think the Leesa Sapira Hybrid is the best bed for just about anyone, especially if you sleep hot, require solid edge support, or sleep alongside a partner. Leesa Best Mattress for All Sleepers Leesa Sapira Hybrid The Leesa Sapira Hybrid mattress is designed to support a variety of sleeping positions, with an emphasis on crowd-pleasing comfort and cooling features. The mattress is constructed from two layers of memory foam and individual-wrapped springs, combining cushioning and support. Our tester, a 75-year-old man who shares a bed with his 71-year-old wife, tried the mattress for two months and fell in love with its firmness, feel, and cooling properties. Pros Great edge support May keep hot sleepers cool Comfortable balance of firmness and give Easy setup with white glove delivery Cons Only one firmness option White glove delivery costs extra $1,599 at Leesa If you have any questions about mattresses or you just wanna chat about your favorite products you think we should check out send us an email at shopping.editors@aol.com and we'll write you back! Senior meteorologists Jonathan Erdman and Dina Knightly contributed to this article. A mixed bag of dangerous weather ripped across the South Tuesday, bringing storms and tornadoes from Oklahoma and Texas to Louisiana and Mississippi, plus flooding rain, raging wildfires, a dust storm and even snow. Power was knocked out to hundreds of thousands of people, including in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, flight delays stacked up and homes and businesses were damaged. Winds ushered in by the storms caused schedule changes for some Mardi Gras parades in the New Orleans area and fueled wildfires that prompted evacuations and a shelter-in-place order in Texas. (MORE: Severe Weather Forecast | Storm Maps Tracker) Here are our live updates as the weather tore through the region into Tuesday night: (08:54 PM EST) Power Outages Stretch Across Six States Here's the latest look at the numbers, from PowerOutage.us: Texas - 212,079 power outages, most of them customers of Oncor Alabama - 35,095 power outages Louisiana - 28,369 outages Mississippi - 25,189 outages Oklahoma - 12,360 outages Tennessee - 10,502 outages (08:43 PM EST) What's Next For This Week's Severe Weather Threat? On Wednesday the storms slide east with an enhanced area of storms possible from southern Virginia to South Carolina. Tornadoes, damaging winds, power outages and hail are all possible. Storms will also be possible in the D.C. area, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. (08:06 PM EST) Texas Town Sheltering In Place Residents in Sinton, Texas, are being told to stay put until at least 8 p.m. local time. The reason? Wildfire smoke, from a blaze that earlier today forced the evacuation of the community's high school and elementary school. Sinton is in San Patricio County, northwest of Corpus Christi, and is sometimes called the "Gateway to the Gulf Coast." (07:52 PM EST) NWS Corpus Christi Office Evacuated A wildfire forced meteorologists out of their office at the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi. The staff was evacuated around 4 p.m. local time and later posted a photo on social media. The post noted wind gusts around 60 mph and a red flag warning and wind advisory in effect for the region. (07:50 PM EST) Photos Show Post-Storm Damage In Texas Large metal pieces lay next to a school building. Pieces of insulation and metal cover the ground. (07:25 PM EST) About Those Mardi Gras Parades ... Speaking of wind, it's a good thing New Orleans moved up some of today's Mardi Gras celebrations. Wind gusts up to 70 mph were clocked in the area later. (07:10 PM EST) Winds Whip In Mississippi The line of thunderstorms moving through Mississippi has produced winds gusts to 70 mph near Jackson and a possible tornado caused damage to a roof near the community of Jayess. Winds are strong well ahead of this line and trees are down near Birmingham, Alabama. (06:57 PM EST) New Tornado Watch For Alabama, Florida Panhandle A new tornado watch has been issued by the Storm Prediction Center until 1 a.m. local time in Alabama and part of the Florida Panhandle. The threats include some intense tornadoes, wind gusts to 80 mph and large hail. (06:44 PM EST) Flash Flooding Hits Jackson, Mississippi Flooding is one of the most dangerous types of weather we cover. With just over an inch of rainfall in a short amount of time, Jackson, Mississippi, saw some flash flooding today. It doesnt take a lot of rain to flood, but when it comes in quickly, even an inch can flood roads. (06:28 PM EST) Why Tornadoes Are More Deadly At Night As the sun sets and the threat of severe weather continues, it's important to note that tornadoes during the night are about twice as likely to kill people, versus those that happen in daylight. New research also shows that tornado deaths at night are on the rise. One reason for the increased lethality after dark is the lack of visibility and therefore lack of eyewitness storm reports. Another reason is that people might miss alerts for tornado warnings and other important information because they are sleeping. Read more here on how to prepare for overnight tornadoes. (06:14 PM EST) Two Schools Evacuated Due To Texas Wildfire Crews in Sinton, Texas, are working to battle multiple brush fires, according to local news reports. One of the blazes forced the evacuation of both Sinton High School and Sinton Elementary, KRIS-TV reported. Sinton is located in San Patricio County, about 18 miles northwest of Corpus Christi. Officials across parts of Texas are warning of dangerous fire weather to high winds ushered in by today's storms. (06:05 PM EST) Oncor Working To Restore Power In Texas An update posted about 20 minutes ago by Texas utility provider Oncor says crews are working to restore power to those impacted by the storms. More than 201,000 Oncor customers are without electricity, with about one quarter of those located in Dallas County. The update did not give a specific estimate of how long repairs might take. (05:47 PM EST) Mardi Gras Rolls On In New Orleans Revelers packed the streets of New Orleans for the peak day of Mardi Gras, despite the threat of bad weather. Some parades were moved earlier and others postponed to work around the severe weather headed toward the city as the day went on. Mardi Gras is all about having these moments. This city is like nowhere else in the country right now, Kendall Calyen, 41, told The Associated Press, marveling at the 200-year-old tradition unfolding before his eyes. People in brightly colored costumes fill a city street. (05:28 PM EST) Tornado Watch For Parts Of Louisiana And Mississippi There is a tornado watch until 7 p.m. local time for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. Primary threats include a few tornadoes that could be intense. There could also be scattered wind gusts to 80 mph and hail to 1 inch. (05:20 PM EST) Power Outages Climb By The Hour In Texas, Alabama More than 410,000 homes, businesses and other utility customers are without power in Texas alone, according to PowerOutage.us. Since each account can represent multiple people in one building or household, the actual number of people affected is typically many times larger. Mississippi and Louisiana are each reporting about 30,000 outages, while Alabama sits at about 21,000 and Tennessee at 8,400. More than 14,000 outages are also being reported in Oklahoma. (05:08 PM EST) Wheres Tornado Alley?' Tornadoes can occur any time, anywhere, but some states are more prone to them than others and they happen more often at certain times of the year. From around 1950 to the 1980s, data showed tornadoes most often happened from northern Texas into Oklahoma and Kansas. But more recent research shows Tornado Alley is shifting southward. (04:57 PM EST) Southwest Kansas Blasted These are some reports we just received from the National Weather Service near Garden City, Kansas: Multiple trees were downed due to high winds, some on homes. A pergola collapsed over a homes back porch. Sheet metal was ripped off the Sunflower Electric Power Corporations Holcomb Station just southwest of Garden City. An 85 mph wind gust was measured at Garden City just after 2:30 p.m. local time. (04:36 PM EST) Video Shows Tornado Damage In Irving, Texas Severe weather in Irving, Texas, this morning ripped through homes, blew out windows and mangled trees and power lines. Watch this video to see what it looked like. (04:20 PM EST) Dallas-Fort Worth Airport Delays Mount More than 375 flights to or from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport are canceled, according to airline tracker FlightAware.com. Another 660 were delayed. In all, that adds up to about half of the flights scheduled today. More than 150 flights are also impacted at nearby Dallas Love Field. (04:01 PM EST) Dust Reaches Dallas-Ft. Worth The latest observations and satellite imagery indicates airborne dust from western Texas and New Mexico has now reached Dallas-Ft. Worth metro, about nine hours after the Metroplex was socked by severe thunderstorms with 83 mph winds. Quite a surreal day, indeed! The plumes of dust are also moving into Waco, and will soon reach the Austin and San Antonio metro areas, as well. (03:53 PM EST) Avoid This Road In San Antonio In addition to evacuations, a wildfire near San Antonio, Texas, is also disrupting traffic. A social media update from the city advised drivers to avoid Interstate 37 on the south side of San Antonio. (03:41 PM EST) Power Outages Top 400,000 From Texas To Tennessee More than 400,000 homes, businesses and other utility customers across five states are without power. Here are the latest numbers, according to PowerOutage.us: Texas - 333,718 outages Louisiana - 33,624 Mississippi - 22,459 Oklahoma - 14,455 Tennessee - 10,161 (03:32 PM EST) Tornadoes Confirmed In Dallas-Fort Worth Area And Oklahoma The National Weather Service has just confirmed a second Oklahoma EF1 tornado touched down early this morning. While only on the ground for about a minute, this tornado heavily damaged the Union Valley volunteer fire station, as well as snapped numerous trees in Pontotoc County near Stonewall, NWS found. A brief EF1 was also confirmed by an NWS damage survey in the Dallas-Ft. Worth suburb of Irving, with damage spread over a few blocks, the NWS-Fort Worth office noted. (03:23 PM EST) Heads Up Tonight For Wind, Maybe Tornadoes The wind damage threat will continue overnight. Thats pretty much a certainty across the Deep South. The question, though, is how many tornadoes we get. They could be embedded within the line of severe t-storms or there could be supercells ahead of the line. Theres a lot of uncertainty in how many supercells we see ahead of that line of storms. (03:12 PM EST) Why Wearing A Helmet During A Tornado Could Save Your Life We always advise you to have a helmet handy when there is a chance of severe weather. Doctors say it can help prevent head injuries from flying debris or other hazards common when a tornado strikes. Even a bicycle helmet or any kind of sports helmet can provide a good degree of protection. Dont forget closed-toe shoes, too, in case you need to walk over debris once the storm passes. (03:04 PM EST) Damaging Winds Well Ahead Of Thunderstorms We just received reports from the National Weather Service of a few trees downed in northern Alabama between Birmingham and Huntsville. Wind gusts over 40 mph have also been clocked in the Florida Panhandle. Thats at least 300 miles ahead of the line of t-storms, which shows you the massive coverage of high winds from this expansive March storm, from the Dakotas to Colorado, New Mexico to the northern Gulf Coast and the Tennessee Valley. (02:59 PM EST) Wildfire Breaks Out Near San Antonio Evacuations are under way due to a wildfire burning near San Antonio, Texas. An alert from Bexar County emergency officials about 20 minutes ago included a map showing a small number of buildings and some businesses in the evacuation zone. Earlier, officials warned of critical fire weather in the area today, fueled by high winds and low humidity. (02:41 PM EST) Where To Track This March Storm Our live tracker page has all the maps and information you need to follow this storm and stay safe. You can also check our latest severe weather forecast here. (02:33 PM EST) Here Are The Latest Severe Weather Reports Over 120 reports of severe thunderstorms, including high wind gusts and damage, have been received by the National Weather Service as of 2:15 p.m. ET. (02:29 PM EST) Powerful Wind Gusts In The Dallas-Fort Worth Area The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth recorded wind gusts of 83 mph in Little Elm, Texas. Heres a quick sampling of the wind gusts that hit other places in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex: 80 MPH, Wise County - Decatur 78 MPH, Dallas Love Field 74 MPH, Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport 72 MPH, Waco (01:56 PM EST) Severe Status Check First up, the severe thunderstorm threat is largely over in Texas, including Houston, as well as in Little Rock, Arkansas, though we cant rule out a few isolated t-storms this afternoon with hail in north Texas and Oklahoma. A new tornado watch has been issued for southeast Louisiana and all but northern Mississippi until 7 p.m. CST. This watch includes New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Jackson, Mississippi. The line of severe thunderstorms is now stretching from southeast Arkansas into Louisiana. A gust to 70 mph was measured at Ft. Polk, Louisiana just before 11:30 a.m CT. However, high winds not from t-storms continue in Texas. A roof was blown off and trees uprooted or snapped near Wolfforth, just southwest of Lubbock, before noon, according to the NWS. (01:44 PM EST) Tornado Confirmed in Ada, Oklahoma The National Weather Service confirms that an EF1 tornado touched down on the west side of Ada, Oklahoma, this morning just after 6 a.m. local time. With peak winds around 105 mph, the twister cut a path nearly four miles long. In an earlier update we showed you pictures of extensive damage in Ada. In a Facebook post the city government reported one injury, and said 24 families were displaced. (01:28 PM EST) If Mars Had A Lake, This Is What It Would Look Like If the Lone Star State hasnt had enough so far today, a dust storm is now surging east across the rolling plains of western Texas. Dust storm warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for the city of San Angelo, where visibility has been reduced as low as 1.5 miles in airborne dust, accompanied by wind gusts over 60 mph. This dust plume could make it to at least parts of the Interstate 35 corridor this afternoon, including Dallas-Ft. Worth, Waco and Austin. The video above posted by NWS San Angelo shows how dusty it is around Lake Nasworthy, where buoys bounce up and down on the choppy water. (01:15 PM EST) Roadway Flooding Reported In Owasso Owasso Police Department is reporting flooding in low-lying areas. At least one car is reported to have stalled in the floodwaters. The following areas are under water: 96th Street North between 161 East Avenue and 177 East Avenue 106th Street North between 145th East Avenue and 161st East Avenue 106th Street North at 177th East Avenue 116th Street North between Memorial Drive and Sheridan Road (01:02 PM EST) Even Winds Not From T-Storms Are Damaging High wind warnings from the National Weather Service blanket parts of 15 states from the High Plains to the Appalachians. These strong winds have already knocked a tree onto a carport in Lubbock, Texas, and blew over a semi on Interstate 70 in Brewster, Kansas. Theyll also likely trigger at least some scattered power outages in the areas covered by the high wind warnings. (12:48 PM EST) Sheriffs Office Damaged In McKinney, Texas Winds downed trees and damaged some vehicles at the Collin County Sheriffs Office in McKinney Texas. In a Facebook post, the office shared that deputies were still out on patrol, but noted that all county offices would be closed until noon local time, as crews worked to restore power. (10:56 AM EST) Severe Reports, So Far So far, over 90 reports of severe thunderstorms have been received by National Weather Service offices since late Monday night. The majority of them have been in a swath from the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex into southern Oklahoma. NWS damage surveys will be conducted later to determine the number, strength and paths of any tornadoes. It is likely both Oklahoma and Texas just had their first tornadoes of 2025 early this morning. (10:20 AM EST) Widespread Damage In Ada, Oklahoma Residents of Ada, Oklahoma are sharing photos of homes and other buildings torn apart overnight and early this morning. City officials are urging people to stay at home because there are downed power lines, gas leaks and trees everywhere. (10:05 AM EST) The Difference Between A Tornado Watch And A Tornado Warning During active weather, its critical to know the difference between watches and warnings. A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible in the watch area or other locations nearby. A watch means you should pay close attention to weather alerts and be ready to take immediate action. Anyone in manufactured housing or vulnerable structures should consider heading to stronger shelter. A tornado warning means its time to take action now quickly move into your shelter or safe space and stay there until the warning is over. (09:52 AM EST) Warehouse Collapses In Lewisville, Texas A warehouse for Benjamin Moore Paints is seen torn open after a suspected tornado ripped through Lewisville, Texas. Part of the warehouse collapsed and the debris buried semi-trailers and other vehicles nearby. The parking lot is covered with metal sheeting from the warehouse roof. Its not yet clear if any workers were inside the building at the time of the collapse, but first responders are on the scene and there are no immediate reports of injuries. Part of warehouse collapsed as storms hit Lewisville, Texas (09:25 AM EST) Its Snow, Now. Blizzard Conditions Ahead Within the past hour or so, rain has quickly changed over to wet snow from eastern Colorado and far northwestern Kansas to parts of South Dakota. Winds are also gusting from 30 to 55 mph in this zone. Conditions are deteriorating along stretches of Interstate 70, 80 and 90 in these areas. Whiteout conditions are possible in these areas, at times. (09:11 AM EST) Damage Reported In Southeast Oklahoma A home is reported destroyed and several campers are overturned in Kingston County, Oklahoma. In Nida, Oklahoma, a trailer home is left destroyed, according to Johnston County Emergency Management. Marshall County Emergency Management reports power lines down and structural damage in the county. In Durant, a house collapsed, but no injuries are reported, according to Durant Emergency Management. (09:36 AM EST) Significant Storm Damage In Irving, Texas Irving Police Department is warning people to avoid the intersection of North OConnor Road and West Pioneer Drive as significant storm damage is seen in the area. In photos posted on social media by the police department, a wall can be seen completely torn off of an apartment building and the roof is damaged. (08:59 AM EST) Squall Line Threats Today Today is a good example why you should take severe t-storm warnings as seriously as tornado warnings, as weather.com senior meteorologist Chris Dolce wrote. Wind gusts capable of downing trees and knocking out power are likely within the line of severe t-storms rolling through the South. It doesnt take a tornado to do that. A falling tree can be life threatening. And as weve already seen earlier this morning, tornadoes can quickly form within the line of severe t-storms. Seek shelter with any severe t-storm or tornado warning today. (08:43 AM EST) Flights Cancelled, Power Outages In Dallas-Fort Worth FlightAware.com reports more than 200 flights to and from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are cancelled as the area sees severe weather. In North Texas, more than 200,000 customers are without power, according to PowerOutage.com. Some structures in the area have sustained damage from the storms. (08:30 AM EST) What's Happening Right Now A line of severe t-storms is near the Oklahoma-Arkansas border southward into northeast Texas. Damaging t-storm winds are the main threats right now with this line, with wind gusts strong enough to down trees and knock out power. The severe threat has ended in both Dallas-Ft. Worth and Oklahoma City, though gusty winds are persisting. (08:12 AM EST) Mardi Gras Events Canceled Today is Fat Tuesday, the traditional peak of Louisiana Mardi Gras parades. But weather is getting in the way. Parades are officially canceled in Jefferson Parish, which is part of the greater New Orleans area. As of Monday evening, police in New Orleans said they were watching the weather closely. Some parade times were changed, but they said cancellations could be called closer to the events. At least one was canceled. Luigi Mangione Accused health care CEO killer Luigi Mangione has received $30,000 for his legal defense fund from an anonymous donor who says Mayor Eric Adams politicized corruption case motivated him. The fundraising account for Mangione, 26, on GiveSendGo has topped $641,795 to help him defend himself against federal and state charges for allegedly gunning down UnitedHealthcare honcho Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel Dec. 4. Mangione could face the death penalty if convicted at his federal trial on charges related to terrorism in the case. Luigi Mangione received a $30,000 anonymous donation to his legal defense fund. Steven Hirsch for NY Post The anonymous donor last week made the largest contribution to date to the Ivy League grads fund, saying, I never needed to worry about affording med care, the Independent first reported. But here I am bc, even among the affluent, it is clear that from the motion to dismiss Adams charges to perp walk, the case is likely politicized, the anonymous giver said. Makes me highly doubtful of any claimed evidence and pursuit of capital punishment, the person added of Mangiones case. CP, esp, would personally & strongly tilt me in favor of defense; the motives are suspect & due process is lacking. The New York City mayor had been indicted on federal corruption and bribery charges last year, but President Trumps Justice Department said it wants to dismiss the case, at least for now. Manhattan federal Judge Dale Ho still has to sign off on Justices move, leaving things up in the air for the mayor at least until mid-March. Opponents of the Adams dismissal have accused the Trump administration of offering a quid pro quo arrangement under which Adams could dodge trial in exchange for his help curbing the migrant crisis in New York City. Mangione is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December. Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images The anonymous donor cited Mayor Eric Adams politicized criminal case as the motivation for the donation. GiveSendGo Adams had accused the DOJ under former President Joe Biden of bringing the case against him for political reasons, because he was critical of the Dem administrations handling of the migrant flood. The cases against Adams and Mangione are not related in any way. Mangione is being held without bail in a Brooklyn federal lockup and has received a load of support on his fundraiser page and letters from fans while in jail, many including photos of his throngs of female supporters. Mangione who comes from a renowned, well-to-do Maryland real estate and health care family last month asked his followers to limit themselves to sending five photos at once after he was bombarded with pictures from his obsessed fans. Thompson was on his way to a health care conference in Midtown when he was killed. AP I am overwhelmed by and grateful for everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support, Mangione wrote on his fundraiser page. Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions. The fundraising site has set a goal to raise $1 million for Mangiones defense. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed against his critics and accused the media of working with the deep state as he rejected the establishment of a court-appointed inquiry into the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks. In a speech at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, Netanyahu, without providing any evidence, suggested the findings would be predetermined and told lawmakers it was important and crucial to investigate in depth the events of Oct. 7 and what led up to it, but thought a court-led probe would be biased. What do you think? That were children? he shouted into a microphone as some his fellow politicians jeered and shouted at him during Monday night's debate. Israels High Court of Justice ruled in December that Netanyahus government should hold a Cabinet hearing on whether to form a state commission of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Hamas-led attacks, looking at why the countrys military was unable to prevent the deadly assault. But it has since agreed to requests from the government to delay updates to the court about its stance on the creation of such an inquiry. Lawmakers, including former war Cabinet minister Benny Gantz, have long called for a state commission to be set up. Banging on the podium in the Knesset, Netanyahu acknowledged that the public demands the truth about the Hamas attacks and he called for the formation of a commission that would investigate everything, including alleged leaks from Cabinet meetings and confidential parliamentary sessions. He went on to blast the media, accusing news outlets of full cooperation with the deep state and of creating scandals. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The cooperation between the bureaucracy in the deep state and the media didnt work in the United States, and it wont work here, he said, aping the rhetoric of President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly referred to the idea that clandestine networks operate within governments, acting to manipulate or control policy. Netanyahus rivals were quick to condemn his comments. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said the events of Oct. 7 would always belong to the Israeli prime minister, adding that there was never a government here that had so many reasons to ask for forgiveness. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the debate reflected a total disconnect by a disastrous government. After conducting its own investigation into the deadly attacks, Israels military acknowledged last month that it had misjudged Hamas intentions and underestimated the militant groups capabilities and was wholly unprepared for the surprise attack, in which 1,200 people were killed and around 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli officials. More than 48,000 people have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza since then, according to health officials in the enclave. However, many Israelis believe the failures surrounding the attacks extend beyond the military and Netanyahu has faced calls to take responsibility for his countrys apparent lack of preparedness. At least 65% of Israelis said they believed the most appropriate method to investigate the attacks was a State Commission of Inquiry, according to a recent poll conducted by the Jerusalem-based Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research. Surveyed between from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2, just 17% of the 604 Jewish and 151 Arab respondents said they supported the idea of a government-appointed commission of inquiry. Netanyahu has nonetheless maintained that he will answer difficult questions, but only after the war that has consumed the Middle East for almost a-year-and-a-half comes to an end. His outburst came amid growing fears over the future of the fragile ceasefire between his government and Hamas, and as Israel faces mounting criticism for halting the entry of aid and goods into the Gaza Strip. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar doubled down on that decision Tuesday, blaming Hamas for the pause which came as families across Gaza marked the month of Ramadan after the militant group refused to accept a proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire. The Trump administration has sought to expedite the delivery of $4 billion in military aid to Israel and reverse a partial arms embargo introduced by the Biden administration. Rep. Allen Chesser, R-Nash Allen Chesser | Facebook (The Center Square) A turret gunner in Iraq before he was 21, North Carolina lawmaker Allen Chesser called Gov. Josh Steins embrace and signature to a statement involving Ukraine and second-term Republican President Donald Trump disgraceful and a cheap stunt. This isnt about left or right; its about right and wrong, Chesser says. This pandering is as unnecessary as it is disgraceful, and its time we stopped preening for the cameras and started working for the people who elected us. Ive enough waste in war I wont stand for it in Raleigh. Chesser, a Bunn High graduate, began his military service in 2003 motivated by the 9/11 attacks on America. He served in the Army and Army National Guard through 2009, completing more than 100 combat missions as turret gunner after deployment with the 5th Battalion, 113th Field Artillery Regiment. After Trump met on Friday with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Stein affixed his name to a statement with other Democrats nationwide. It read, Donald Trump and J.D. Vance used the sacred Oval Office to berate President Zelenskyy for not trusting Vladimir Putins word. Americans must protect our strong democratic values on the world stage instead of undermining Presidents Zelenskyys work to fight for his nation and the freedom of his people after being invaded by Russia. We, along with millions of Americans, stand united with the Ukrainian people. Stein was just named a co-chairman of the National Governors Association by Trump. The first-term Democrat, with Ivy League degrees from Harvard Law and Dartmouth, was joined on the statement by Democratic Govs. Laura Kelly of Kansas, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Bob Ferguson of Washington, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Kathy Hochul of New York, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Janet Mills of Maine, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. This isnt leadership its political pandering at its most unnecessary and hollow, Chesser said. Barely two months into his term, Steins already chasing national headlines, firing off partisan potshots when he should be laser-focused on the people of North Carolina. Ive seen the cost of war up close bodies broken, families shattered, futures erased and I know that every effort to pursue peace, however messy, beats the alternative. For Stein to fling accusations over a diplomatic exchange he has no business meddling in reeks of opportunism, not principle. Chesser said its clear the Constitution gives foreign policy to the president, not the governor of North Carolina. I dont care if Stein likes how Trump and Vance talked to Zelenskyy thats not his lane, and its not his fight, the Nash County Republican said. Others with Republican ties also rebuked Stein. Other Democrats, including representatives of the state, had criticisms of Trump and Vance. By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on Monday that giving Washington an economic interest in the future of Ukraine will serve as a security guarantee for the country that Russia invaded in February 2022. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT President Donald Trump has been seeking a minerals deal with Ukraine - home to a trove of lithium deposits and rare earth minerals - as payback for billions of dollars in U.S. aid to Ukraine during Russia's invasion. Trump said he will give more details on the future of that potential deal on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's talks with Trump in the White House on Friday broke down in acrimonious exchanges and ended without a formal agreement on that front. KEY QUOTES "If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that (Russian President) Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine," Vance said in the interview. "That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years." Vance also said: "What President Trump has said clearly and consistently is, of course, the door is open, so long as Zelenskiy is willing to seriously talk peace. You can't come into the Oval Office or anywhere else and refuse to even discuss the details of a peace deal." CONTEXT Trump has been pushing for a deal to end the war. France, Britain and potentially other European countries have offered to send troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire - something Moscow has already rejected. Zelenskiy says a ceasefire must carry explicit security guarantees from the West. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Stephen Coates) The two top leaders of one of the biggest human smuggling rings that funneled 20,000 illegal migrants into the US since 2019 have been arrested in Los Angeles, authorities said. Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, who was busted Friday, is accused of helming the twisted group, which lured migrants from Guatemala for $15,000 to $18,000 and handed them off to smugglers in Mexico who would bring them into the US. The feds also collared Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, who prosecutors said was Renoj-Matuls right-hand man, on Friday. The two men are being held without bond. The ring is accused of holding some of its victims hostage in stash houses and killing seven migrants, including a 4-year-old, according to a federal indictment. The smuggling organization brought 20,000 illegal migrants into the US, charging them between $15,000 and $18,000 for the journey. AP Acting US Attorney Joseph McNally said the indictment and arrests have dismantled one of the countrys largest and most dangerous smuggling organizations. This work saves lives, and the members of the organization will now face significant consequences, said McNally. Some of the smuggled migrants were held hostage in stash houses in Phoenix and Los Angeles until they could pay their fees, officials said. Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, who prosecutors described as a lieutenant of the smuggling ring, remains at-large. Obtained by NY Post Once the debt was paid, the group allegedly transported the migrants across the country to at least 20 states, including New York, for an additional fee. In one example of the groups brutality, prosecutors alleged Renoj-Matul called a migrants mother, threatening that her daughter would come home in a box if she failed to pay her smuggling fees. A third suspect, Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, described as the groups lieutenant, is still at-large after threatening to behead a Homeland Security agent, along with members of their family, authorities said. If convicted of all, the accused smugglers face the death sentence or life imprisonment. President Trumps border czar Tom Homan has vowed to not stop cracking down on illegal immigration until every criminal migrant is eradicated. AFP via Getty Images The Trump administration has locked down the southern border with Mexico in recent weeks by ending the problematic catch-and-release policy, instructing ICE to ramp up arrests and deploying thousands of additional troops to the frontlines. As a result, roughly 8,000 illegal border crossers were encountered last month, marking the lowest month of illegal immigration in the region in at least 25 years, according to data first obtained by The Post. President Trumps border czar Tom Homan has vowed to not stop cracking down on illegal immigration until every criminal migrant is eradicated. By Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Mushtaq Ali KABUL/PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani and Afghan security forces clashed on Monday at the recently shuttered main border crossing between the two countries, killing at least one combatant and injuring several, officials said. The conflict erupted on the first working day of the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, when food imports from Pakistan usually peak in Afghanistan, which is facing a humanitarian and hunger crisis. A 10-day-old closure of the Torkham border point has stranded thousands of trucks filled with essential goods. The Taliban-run Afghan Interior Ministry said on Monday the latest firing took place overnight and that one Taliban fighter had been killed and two injured. Two Pakistani security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that members of the Pakistani security forces had been wounded. Pakistan's foreign office did not respond to a request for comment. The neighbouring countries have a strained relationship, with Pakistan saying that several Islamist militant attacks that have occurred there have been launched from Afghan soil - a charge the Taliban deny. Pakistani military aircraft carried out strikes that killed dozens on Afghan territory in December. Abdul Mateen Qaniee, the Afghan interior ministry spokesperson, said that this week's clashes had been resolved but did not comment on whether the border crossing would now reopen. It has been shut since February 21. The latest closure, which chamber of commerce officials said was sparked by a dispute over the construction of a border-area outpost, has left 5,000 trucks stranded and traders alarmed at rising losses. "This is a very serious issue and is badly affecting trade between the two countries," said Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce. The Torkham crossing is the main transit artery for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. Trade between the two countries was worth over $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistan's foreign office. Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan's Khyber district where the Torkham crossing is located, said the closure had caused at least $15 million in losses. It could exacerbate the challenges confronting the Afghan economy, which has teetered near crisis since the Taliban took over in 2021, leading to a cut in development aid and sanctions affecting the banking sector that has hampered businesses. Millions of Afghans are at risk of hunger and around half the population needs humanitarian assistance to survive, according to the United Nations. (Reporting by Mushtaq Ali in Peshawar and Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul; writing by Saad Sayeed and Charlotte Greenfield; editing by Mark Heinrich) Not all lawmakers will be attending President Donald Trumps address before a joint session of Congress this evening - namely, several high-profile Democrats. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) posted on social media that she'll be sitting out the president's speech Im not going to the Joint Address. I will be live posting and chatting with you all here instead. Then going on IG Live after, Ocasio-Cortez said in a post on Bluesky. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) during a session to the House of Representatives on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. Democrats have seemed to be in discussions on how to respond to Trumps speech. According to reporting from Axios, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, told his party to avoid disrupting or drawing attention away from the Tuesday speech. Jeffries comments come as Democratic constituents have urged their representatives to fight back against Trumps policies. But Ocasio-Cortez is not the only Democrat who is set to boycott Trumps speech, here is what you need to know. Who will be skipping Trumps address? Keeping with tradition, Democrats will have an official response to Trumps speech, delivered by Michigans Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., on Sunday called the address a farce he refuses to be a part of. I think it's going to be a MAGA pep rally, not a serious talk to the nation, Murphy told CNNs Dana Bash. U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) speaks to the media, on the day of a Senate Democrats' weekly policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 19, 2025. Instead, Murphy and fellow Democrat Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii will co-host, along with podcaster and comedian Akilah Hughes, a live stream prebuttal beginning before and running through Trumps speech. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., told USA TODAY he will also be skipping Trumps speech and instead hold a virtual town hall with his constituents. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., will not be in attendance either, Politico reported. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. said she would also not attend the Tuesday night speech. I will not be attending President Trumps address to Congress. The state of the union is that the President is spitting in the face of the law and he is letting an unelected billionaire fire cancer researchers and wreck federal agencies like the Social Security Administration at will, Murray said in a press release. When will Trump address Congress? Trump is set to address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4. Multiple media outlets have announced plans to start live coverage of the address at 9 p.m. ET, including USA TODAY, ABC, Fox News, NPR, NewsNation, PBS and more. Contributing: Sudiksha Kochi and Savannah Kuchar Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AOC says she will not attend Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday Removing Benjamin Franklin from the $100 bill and replacing the Founding Father's image with one of President Donald Trump is what a Republican lawmaker is proposing. Rep. Brandon Gill, of Texas' 26th Congressional District, introduced the "Golden Age Act of 2025" bill on the House floor on Monday. According to Gill's news release, this legislation would "require that all $100 bills feature a picture of Donald J. Trump on the front face of the note." President Trump could be enjoying his golden years golfing and spending time with his family. Instead, he took a bullet for this country and is now working overtime to secure our border, fix our uneven trade relationship with the rest of the world, make America energy independent again, and put America first by ending useless foreign aid, Gill said in the release. There has been no one who has done more to bring America into the golden age than President Trump. Featuring him on the $100 bill is a small way to honor all he will accomplish these next four years. The Secretary of Treasury has until no later than Dec. 31, 2026, to release the preliminary design of the $100 note "prominently featuring Trump" to the public, Gill's bill says. If passed, the legislation would require all $100 bills after Dec. 31, 2028, to feature a picture of Trump on the front face of the note, according to the congressman. Rep. Troy Nehls, of Texas's 22nd congressional district, is the original co-sponsor for Gill's bill. The legislation has a long way to go, as it has to be passed by the House and the Senate before being signed by the president. President Donald Trump hands a five-dollar bill back to a supporter after signing it for her following a rally with sportsmen in Walterboro, South Carolina February 17, 2016. Who is Rep. Brandon Gill? Born on a U.S. Air Force base, Gill grew up on a thousand-acre cattle ranch outside of Abilene, Texas, according to the 31-year-old's bio. "For as long as I can remember, I was working cows, building fences, driving tractors and backhoes, plowing fields, and slinging hay bales," his bio reads. "The work was difficult, but being part of a family business that involved long days and hard labor taught me that great things dont come easy. It was the type of work too many in Washington look down upon, and the people I grew up with are the Americans too often forgotten by our elite class." Rep.-elect Brandon Gill (R-TX) mingles with other congressional freshmen of the 119th Congress after posing for a group photograph on the steps of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol Building on November 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. After graduating from Dartmouth, Gill became an investment banker on Wall Street and then worked as an analyst for a global hedge fund, according to his bio. He would ultimately leave his finance career to launch DC Enquirer, a conservative "America First news outlet." "For many people, I was living the American Dream. I was working in one of the largest, most successful hedge funds in the world, and rising fast in the industry," Gill said. "Yet, the call for service and duty to my country came." Will Rep. Brandon Gill's bill pass? It is unclear how far Gill's bill will get but nothing is out of the realm of possibility, especially considering that Republicans secured control of the Senate and House in the 2024 election. Gill's bill would change something that began in 1914 when the first $100 Federal Reserve Note was issued with a portrait of Franklin on it, according to the History Channel. It is also important to keep in mind that only about 6% of legislation introduced in Congress actually passes, Emory Law says. "Many bills are introduced with no intention or expectation of actually passing," the Atlanta, Georgia-based law school said. "Some bills are introduced purely for reassurance of constituents or other special interest groups." Gill's proposal to put Trump on the $100 bill is not the only attempt to memorialize the current president. In late January, Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida introduced a bill proposing to carve Trump into Mount Rushmore. Luna's announcement of the bill, which does not include any details on the timing or funding of the project, includes a rendering of Trump's figure in stone next to Lincoln's. Contributing: Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump on the $100 bill? A Republican lawmaker is proposing the change Roanoke County Jail Jordan Daniel Pierce mugshot A Virginia man faces criminal charges after allegedly shooting his sons' mother's fiance and his friend all in front of his two children, authorities say. Jordan Daniel Pierce, 45, of Salem, was arrested on Sunday, March 2, and charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of use of a firearm in commission of felony, according to online court records. Just before 5:15 p.m. that day, Vinton Police Officers responded to a disturbance in the rear parking lot of the Town of Vinton Municipal Building where the police department is located and found two men suffering from gunshot wounds, the Vinton Police Department said in a release. The victims, identified as Jeffrey Alan Catron, 31, and Brian Christian Sledd, 29, both of Bedford County, were pronounced dead at the scene. According to a criminal complaint obtained by WDBJ 7 and WFXR and 10 News, Pierce was dropping off his three sons with the childrens mother in the parking lot of the municipal building, deemed a safe exchange zone. Shortly after, Pierce allegedly fired about 13 rounds, shooting Catron and Sledd, the complaint alleges. Catron was the mothers fiance and Sledd was an acquaintance, according to the complaint. It is unclear what led up to the alleged shooting. Pierce shot the two men in front of his children, their mother and two firefighters, according to the complaint. 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. Pierce was still in the parking lot when officers arrived. He was taken into custody and is being held without bond at the Roanoke County Jail. It is unclear whether he has retained an attorney who can speak on his behalf. He is expected to appear in court on March 10 for a hearing to appoint him an attorney. Read the original article on People As a first-generation Italian American, Gabriel D'Alatri said he felt it was his duty to serve the country that had provided refuge and safety to his family. At 20 years old, he joined the Marines, where he said he was injured and consequently disabled in service. After serving three years, he went to college and decided to get a federal job to continue showing his commitment to the United States. On Feb. 26, 2024, he began a job as a product manager for the IRS in Hartford, Connecticut, thinking this was the first step in a decadeslong career in the federal government. However, on Feb. 20, just five days away from his probation period ending and with a 6-month-old baby to take care of, he said he was unexpectedly fired. PHOTO: A sign marks the headquarters of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., Feb. 20, 2025. (Brian Snyder/Reuters) Over the past month, the Trump administration, through Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, has fired thousands of federal workers nationwide in the past month, in an effort, it claimed, to cut down on government waste. Among those who have lost their jobs are veterans, who make up about 28% of the federal worker labor force as of September 2024, according to federal data. As of Feb. 25, Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee said at least 6,000 veterans had been fired across the federal government. A spokesperson from the Office of Personnel Management, which has spearheaded the "reduction in force" effort across the government, said the "OPM recognizes the dedication and service of all federal employees, including our veteran workforce, and remains committed to supporting them during this transition." "While workforce restructuring can be a difficult process, we are working to ensure affected employees have access to available resources and opportunities," the spokesperson added. In a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer last Thursday, President Donald Trump told reporters he is aware and keeping track of the veterans fired as a result of the DOGE cuts. "We take good care of our veterans, so we're watching that very carefully," Trump said. "We hope it's going to be a smaller number, but we are having great success in slimming down our government." On Tuesday, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told ABC News, "President Trump has consistently stood up for our brave men and women in uniform -- delivering crucial reforms that improved VA healthcare, decreased veteran homelessness and enhanced education benefits. His efforts to cut wasteful spending and make agencies more efficient will ensure our government can better serve all American families, especially our veterans." PHOTO: Gabriel D'Alatri is seen in his Marine Corps uniform. (Office of Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02)) On Monday, Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., sent letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting prioritization of veteran employment during workforce reduction. "Many of these veterans already experience the daily challenges of transitioning to civilian life, and facing such layoffs only add to their undue burden," wrote Kiggans, whose district includes 196,000 veterans and 180,000 active-duty military and DOD employees. As a former Navy helicopter pilot and a commonsense conservative, I believe we can responsibly rein in government waste while ensuring DoD personnel with prior military service remain in positions where they can continue to contribute to our national security," Kiggans told ABC News on Monday. "We cannot allow much-needed reforms to the size and scope of the federal government to weaken our defense capabilities, especially as we face increasing threats around the globe from adversaries like China and Russia. An extension to their service Veterans often pursue government work after their time in the armed forces, with many seeing it as an extension to their service. Will Attig, executive director of the Union Veterans Council, said he often encourages and puts veterans on a pathway to careers in the federal workforce. "It's disappointing to me that all the work we did to improve veterans' lives is being thrown down the drain," he said. "As a veteran advocate who's fought for and worked to make sure I can go to a veteran in need and say, 'Here is a job for you, so you can live the American dream you fought for,' and then come to find out everything I told them was a lie -- I feel like I betrayed myself." MORE: Republicans who got an earful from constituents have message for Trump and DOGE D'Alatri said he was advancing greatly in the company and that he had a glowing midyear performance review. He said he was in the middle of the workday when his manager called him to tell him his name was on a list of people to be fired as a result of the federal cuts. In about an hour, following his manager's instructions, he reported to the office, turned in his equipment and was escorted out of his office building. D'Alatri said he believes he had gone above and beyond in his role. When he was given three months of parental leave when his baby was born, he said he only took one month out of concern he'd fall behind. He noted that his job loss has forced his wife to end maternity leave early and return to full-time work. "I worked tirelessly for the past year. I never called out once. This just comes as a shock to me because the feedback I was getting from the people I worked for was great," he said. "A few years back, I proved my loyalty. I love this country -- we are the backbone of this country. It's really hurtful and it's sad because I love this country so much." PHOTO: Gabriel DAlatri, a veteran who was a federal worker and was recently fired, is seen with his wife Sarah. (Office of Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02)) MORE: Veterans share personal stories of DOGE firings in virtual town hall Attig said he believes the government has much to lose by firing veterans in the federal workforce. "They lose someone who is dedicated to this country, someone who at a very young age, they raised their right hand to say, I am going to give my life for this country. When they entered the civil service after their military service, they raised their same right hand and said they're going to pledge to uphold the Constitution," he said. "Most importantly, you take away someone who truly cares about their country, someone who is using their federal work as a second service," he added. Lyndsay Butts is a disabled veteran who served in the Air Force and was an executive assistant at the U.S. Forest Service in Cedar City, Utah. She, too, was terminated when her probation period was nearing completion -- it was set to end on March 9. 'It feels like a slap in the face' "Those of us that are veterans wrote a blank check for our lives and said, 'Use me how you can to support this country.' It feels like a slap in the face to not even have the opportunity to defend my job. It feels like a slap in the face that my brothers and sisters in arms have been treated the same way," she said. "I sacrificed a part of my life and I have lasting baggage from that experience, and you're just going to get rid of me?" she added. "Throw me away like a piece of garbage? It hurts." Butts said she worries the firings in her agency will cause a huge lack of services to forests and the people who enjoy them. Everything from toilets to trails won't be adequately cleaned and maintained, firewood permits won't be sold and campgrounds may not open, she said. "They didn't bring anyone down to ask us, 'What do you need? What don't you need?' They have no idea how we operate," she said. "I just want my job back. I want my job back because my job is needed. I know my job is important." PHOTO: Lyndsay Butts, a veteran and former federal worker for the U.S. Forest Service, working at a booth in during the Panguitch Balloon Rally in Utah. (Courtesy of Lyndsay Butts) Bill to reinstate veterans unlikely to pass To combat the uncertainty these firings have caused veterans across the country, Rep. Derek Tran, D-Calif., an Army veteran, introduced a bill to reinstate veterans fired from the federal government under Trump. The bill, titled the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, would also require federal agencies to submit reports to Congress on the veteran dismissals and provide clear justifications for termination. D'Alatri sought help from Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., who is a co-sponsor of this bill, and he will be Courtney's special guest at Trump's joint address to Congress Tuesday night, Courtney announced. PHOTO: Newly-elected Rep. Derek Tran, D-Calif., walks to a new member orientation at the U.S. Capitol, Nov. 14, 2024, in Washington, (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images, FILE) However, the bill is unlikely to pass in the Republican-led House. "I've spoken to some Republicans on the other side of the aisle. They've shared they think it's a great bill but this is not the right time for them to jump into something like this," Tran told ABC News. "Probably because of what's going on with the administration or fear of retaliation on their part, but that's me speculating." He said he believes the best way people can help veterans is by supporting the bill. "Veterans bring incredible value and expertise to our federal government and provide essential services to American families and service members," Tran said. "It is critical we protect the livelihoods of veterans who have served our country honorably and who continue to do so through civilian service. Our veterans have always had our backs, and now it's time we step up to have theirs." MORE: Federal employees scramble as some terminations across agencies are rescinded On Thursday, Feb. 27, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a combat veteran who serves on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, held a town hall for veterans concerned about federal terminations. "Let's call Trump and Musk's DOGE cuts what they are: They're a middle finger to our veterans, and they're a slap in the face to the sacrifices they've made," Duckworth said. "Trump and unelected billionaire Elon Musk may not know the first thing about sacrifice and service, but our veterans sure as hell do. We will not be quiet, and I will never stop working to honor the commitment we've made to our nation's heroes." Earlier this month, Duckworth said the Department of Veterans Affairs was working to rehire several employees who worked on the Veterans Crisis Line after she raised concerns alongside Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. "Now, after I raised these cases to the VA and spoke out about them, it sounds like, thankfully, at least some of these employees will be rehired," she added. 'A slap in the face': Veterans react to finding out they were laid off originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Food & Wine / Starbucks You dont truly know the full Starbucks experience until youve visited a Starbucks Reserve, one of the companys highly experiential specialty cafes. And this week, the brand is launching a lineup of new, exciting items to sweeten the experience even more. Starbucks is launching a brand-new spring menu in select Reserve locations, a representative tells Food & Wine. This seasonal lineup, featuring springtime flavors and pastel shades, will be available exclusively at Reserve locations in Seattle, Chicago, and New York starting tomorrow. It coincides with the overall chains spring menu, which is also set to drop. Related: Starbucks Is Betting on Bold Floral Flavors and Spicy Treats for Its Spring Menu Try the Sakura Float, featuring cherry blossom-inspired Sakura Allure tea topped with a scoop of vanilla gelato. You can also enjoy the pillowy Iced Ube Coconut Latte, which boasts a thick layer of vibrant purple cold foam and a sprinkle of coconut. For those who prefer sweeter options, the Lavender Matcha Malt reminiscent of a milkshake combines green tea, vanilla gelato, and bitters. Beyond that, those looking to imbibe will be delighted: Starbucks Reserve, which has always served cocktails, is bringing in more spring flavors with its Lavender Matcha Margarita, Butterfly Tea Spritz, and Sakura Blossom Negroni. As for food pairings, expect a host of delightful treats: The Twice-Baked Pistachio Rose Cornetto, Blueberry Lavender Doughnut, and Butterfly Pea Swirl Cake are all available at Reserve locations in the United States. (Of course, that doesnt include a tempting lineup of sandwiches, pastries, snacks, and other bites on the year-round menu) Starbucks is approaching Reserve as a destination rather than a quick coffee stop along the way. Never been to a Starbucks Reserve? This might just be the excuse you needed. What is Starbucks Reserve? Reserve outposts, which landed on the coffee scene in the 2010s, offer a unique behind-the-scenes extension of the Starbucks brand. Here, new takes on old coffee classics abound. Formally, Starbucks regards Reserve as the epitome of craft, theater and innovation of coffee. (Think highly inventive drinks, decadent layered pastries, and an ultimately finer experience than your corner Starbucks.) Expect to pay a little extra for these drinks, but youll also receive a more crafted, upscale experience. Another thing youll notice: Coffee- and tea-based cocktails are available at select Reserve locations, blending the companys coffee expertise with a bit of mixology. At some locations, you can even learn to shake up your own espresso martini (for a cool $95 per person). Where can you find Starbucks Reserve locations? There are nine Starbucks Reserve roasteries and stores in six cities across the globe: Seattle, Chicago, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Milan. The Seattle roastery, opened in 2014 just down the street from the chains first-ever Pike Place location, is among the most impressive. Visitors can expect a full tour of the roasting process, a historical overview of the chain, and all the coffee expertise the company has to offer. Another Seattle location, Sodo, stands as the companys HQ. Otherwise, you can visit three locations in New York City, including one at the base of the Empire State Building and another on Chicagos Magnificent Mile. How is Starbucks Reserve different from a regular Starbucks? Starbucks Reserve differs in both dining room presentation and menu offerings: It boasts dark and elegantly moody interiors, reminiscent of a bar that looks quite unlike your neighborhood Starbucks. And while you can still order the classics, Reserve locations offer a signature menu of innovative, specialty-crafted drinks including the Caramel Mocha Drizzle Affogato and Hot Honey Dirty Chai. Select locations, such as the Seattle building, also offer tours of the on-site roastery. Visitors can also book a coffee tasting, which covers the basics of the brands most popular roasts, or a mixology class. New Spring Drinks 2025 Lavender Matcha Malt Iced Ube Coconut Latte Sakura Float Lavender Matcha Margarita (alcoholic) Butterfly Tea Spritz (alcoholic) Sakura Blossom Negroni (alcoholic) New Spring Treats 2025 Twice-Baked Pistachio Rose Cornetto Blueberry Lavender Doughnut Butterfly Pea Swirl Cake Fig Walnut Ricotta Toast Read the original article on Food & Wine U.S. stocks tumbled on Tuesday after the Trump administrations long-promised tariffs took effect. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 670 points, or 1.5%; while the S&P 500 fell 1.2%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq ticked down 0.3%. The policy taxes imports from Mexico, Canada and China -- the three largest trading partners of the United States -- meaning that it could raise prices for everything from gasoline to avocados to iPhones. Shares of retail giant Target fell 3% on Tuesday, following an earnings release from the company that cited "tariff uncertainty" as a potential impediment for the business. Walmart's stock price dipped about 2.5% on Tuesday, while Amazon shares inched down 0.6%. PHOTO: A customer buys Canadian-made maple syrup at the Real Canadian Superstore, Mar. 3, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. (Katherine Ky Cheng/Getty Images) Shares of Best Buy plummeted more than 13%. The sharp drop came after Best Buy CEO told analysts that price increases are "highly likely" as a result of the tariffs. Higher costs for car production could also pose a challenge for U.S. automakers, many of which depend on a supply chain closely intertwined with Mexico and Canada. Shares of Ford tumbled nearly 3% on Tuesday, while General Motors dropped about 4.5%. Stellantis -- the parent company of Jeep and Chrysler -- saw shares decline more than 4%. Tesla, the electric carmaker led by Elon Musk, saw its stock price drop about 4.5%. MORE: What to know as tariffs go into effect on Mexico, Canada, China The far-reaching losses extend a market slide that began on Monday afternoon when Trump affirmed plans to impose a fresh round of tariffs. Trump stuck to a March 4 start date for 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as 10% tariff on Chinese goods -- which, as of Tuesday, rises to 20%, per an amended executive order. Tariffs of this magnitude would likely increase prices paid by U.S. shoppers, since importers typically pass along a share of the cost of those higher taxes to consumers, experts said. The duties also raise input costs for manufacturers that import raw materials. In addition to Tesla and Amazon, the tariffs appeared to impact some of the other so-called "Magnificent Seven," a group of large tech firms that helped drive stock market gains in recent years. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, suffered a 2% drop in its stock price. Apple, which makes some of its products in China, fell nearly 1%. Shares of Microsoft defied the trend, however, remaining essentially unchanged on Tuesday. Chipmaker Nvidia, which relies on semiconductors from Taiwan but also imports some materials from Mexico, saw shares increase about 1.5%. Alphabet's stock price climbed about 2%. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Stocks tumble as Trump tariffs create 'uncertainty' in markets originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Hair stylist braiding a clients hair in a beauty salon. (RoGina Montgomery / Getty Images) Ingredients that can cause cancer were found in 10 synthetic hair products used in braids, extensions and other hairstyles popular with Black women, including artificial hair from popular brands such as Magic Fingers, Sensationnel and Shake-N-Go, according to a Consumer Reports study published Thursday. Lead, which can cause serious health and developmental problems, was also found in nine of the 10 packs of synthetic hair surveyed, including one package of braiding hair that exceeded the maximum allowed dose of lead by more than 600%, according to the study. Consumer Reports used Californias maximum allowable dosage level, describing it as the most protective available in the U.S., because there are no federal limits on lead in synthetic braiding hair. Synthetic hair has long been a staple in protective hairstyles for Black women like braids, locs and twists. These styles can be worn for weeks at a time, protecting the hair from breakage, exposure to the elements or day-to-day heat styling. This translates to longer exposure to the chemicals, Consumer Reports said. Synthetic hair is commonly found at neighborhood beauty supply stores and online. Consumer Reports researchers assessed braiding hair from 10 companies, many of which use synthetic hair made from Kanekalon, a material produced by the Kaneka brand, according to Consumer Reports. Kaneka did not immediately respond to NBC News request for comment but told Consumer Reports, Kaneka only manufactures the Kanekalon fibers that are used in various hair products, such as synthetic hair braids and wigs, and does not produce any of the final products. The braiding hair companies themselves dye and style the Kanekalon, Kaneka added. The company also told Consumer Reports it would need more information to properly analyze the complaint. Sensationnel, Magic Fingers and other products contain benzene, known to be a cancer-causing ingredient, according to the study. The chemical likely causes acute myeloid leukemia, according to the American Cancer Society. Consumer Reports also found methylene chloride, which the EPA says can lead to liver and lung cancer after chronic exposure. No level of methylene chloride is permitted in cosmetics by the Food and Drug Administration. There is no safe level of exposure to lead or benzene, Alexa Friedman, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, a research and advocacy health organization, said. When possible, exposure to either chemical should be avoided as they are associated with serious health effects. Nine of the 10 products tested also contained lead, the report found. Lead can cause a number of developmental disabilities in children, as well as reproductive issues in adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are no federal limits on the amount of lead in synthetic braiding products, Friedman said. Lead is not permitted to be intentionally added to cosmetic products in the US but may be present as a contamination of certain ingredients. Magic Fingers, Sensationnel and Shake-n-Go did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Magic Fingers told Consumer Reports that its customers can count on us for braids and extensions that meet their highest expectations for fashion and performance. Sensationnel told Consumer Reports, We unequivocally stand by the safety of Sensationnel products. While most of these products are below the FDA standard for lead contamination in cosmetics, when possible exposure to lead should be avoided, Friedman said. Both Magic Fingers and Sensationnel did not agree with the methodology used to test the products, saying it was not representative of consumers use of the products. Consumer Reports tested 10 artificial braiding hair products and a total of 20 samples, blind-coding them and sending them to a laboratory for heavy metal analysis. Shake-n-Go did not respond to Consumer Reports request for comment. In 2022, companies that make chemical hair relaxers, which straighten hair, were sued in a class-action lawsuit by hundreds of Black people who said the products led to uterine cancer. Several wide-scale studies have been published in recent years showing heightened rates of cancer, infertility and other illnesses among women who use chemical hair relaxers, which are generally marketed to Black women. Friedman said the Consumer Reports study highlights an alarming trend of toxic products being marketed toward Black women, which the organization tracks. On average, women use 12 personal care products a day, which can expose people to mixtures of harmful chemicals, Friedman said in a statement, And studies show that repeated exposure to mixtures of chemicals can pose far greater health risks than exposure to a single ingredient. EWG tested more than 4,000 products marketed toward Black women and found that most of them were at least moderately, if not highly, hazardous to human health. EWG has developed a database, Skin Deep, where consumers can look up beauty products and see whether theyre classified as low, moderately or highly hazardous by the group. Everyone deserves access to safe products, Friedman said. Manufacturers should prioritize safety for consumers. Natalie Martin Facebook; Horry County Police Department Natalie Martin and Blake Linkous A 20-year-old Blue Rock, Ohio, man pleaded guilty to killing his ex-girlfriend when they were on a high school graduation trip to Myrtle Beach in June 2023. Shortly before his trial was due to start on Monday, Blake Linkous admitted to strangling 18-year-old Natalie Martin of Roseville, Ohio, to death. At the time of the murder, the former couple were on a group trip with friends. Martin had reportedly broken up with Linkous about two weeks before they left for the trip. The breakup had been triggered by a pushing incident, Chief Deputy Solicitor Scott Hixson told the court, according to My Horry News. After attending an event at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach on June 6, 2023, Martin, Linkous and another friend began heading back to where they were staying, per WMBF News. Linkous reportedly told the group he had tried to end his own life because he couldnt live without Martin. The students later found Martins body on the floor and called 911. Linkous reportedly texted his father after the murder and told him hed killed his best friend, per My Horry News. 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. Although they were broken up and agreed to see other people, he became mad at her for texting another boy, Chief Deputy Solicitor Scott Hixson said in court, according to WBTW.com. Hixson described Linkous as controlling, insecure and jealous. Martins father told the court Linkous' 45-year sentence didnt help him feel better about what had happened to his daughter. Theres nothing you could say here today or do thats going to make me feel better, he said, per WMBF News. But were not here about making me happy. ... You owe the people of South Carolina, you owe the citizens, and taxpayers of Horry County, you owe them the knowledge that the judicial system has their back. Right now, from where Im standing, it doesnt feel like that. Linkous himself told the court he felt like hed failed. [Martin] was the love of my life, he said, per WMBF News. I swore to protect her, and I failed. A judge sentenced Linkous to 45 years in prison without the possibility of parole. His guilty plea allowed him to avoid going through a trial. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People A shooting at a northern Texas car wash Monday killed a 5-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man who was reportedly local rapper G$ Lil Ronnie. Police said two suspects opened fire at the victims shortly before 11 a.m. local time in Forest Hill, a suburb about 30 miles west of Dallas. Officers performed life-saving measures but both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. A preliminary investigation found that the suspects fled the scene in a white four-door Kia after approaching the victim's vehicle, according to the Forest Hill Police Department. There is an active capital murder warrant issued for the arrests of the suspects, whose names have not been shared yet. A witness at the scene said they heard around 20 to 30 gunshots, local station KTVT reported. The shooting marks the fourth and fifth homicides in Forest Hill this year compared to none in 2024, the police department said. Aunt said Smith had no known enemies: Report Friends and family have identified the man killed as rapper Ronnie "LilRonnie" Smith, also known as G$ Lil Ronnie, according to local stations WFAA and KTVT. Smith's aunt, Stella Houston, said her nephew had no known enemies that she knew of, WFAA reported. "He was a good kid. He was," Houston told WFAA. "He didnt bother noody." Smith had around 40,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. His highest streaming track was "Hoodfame Killuminati," off a 2018 collaborative project with Go Yayo, whose real name is Kyrin Xavier Peters. Peters posted a photo of the two on his Instagram story Monday and wrote "Life or death 4 u big brudda." The Forest Hill Police Department is urging anyone with information on the shooting or the suspect's whereabouts to call 817-531-5250 or email policeinvestigations@foresthilltx.org. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas rapper G$ Lil Ronnie, daughter killed in shooting: Reports Editor's note: This story reflects news of the winter storm and dangerous weather across the country for Tuesday, March 4. For the latest news on the winter storm, read USA TODAY's story for Wednesday, March 5. A massive winter storm marched across the central U.S. on Tuesday, unloading heavy winds, rain, and snow across much of the country, killing two people in Mississippi, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of customers, and forcing officials to reschedule Mardi Gras events in New Orleans. Two people in Mississippi died due to the severe weather, Gov. Tate Reeves confirmed on the social media platform X. WAPT-TV reported that one person was killed when a power line fell in Madison County and that another person in the same county died after a tree fell on his car. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch Tuesday extended until 9 p.m. CT for parts of Mississippi and Louisiana, including New Orleans, where tens of thousands gathered outdoors for the yearly Mardi Gras celebration. Police had already announced shortened parade routes ahead of the harsh weather. The weather service reported a possible tornado moving northeastward at 45 mph toward Pointe a la Hache, a community about 50 miles southeast of New Orleans. By 8 p.m. CT, the service said severe weather in the region was "almost done" as the line of storms steadily moved east off the Louisiana coast. The service also confirmed a brief tornado in Irving, Texas, about 10 miles northwest of Dallas, and said the twister had peak wind speeds of 110 mph. No injuries or deaths were reported. Tens of millions of people were under severe weather advisories because of the storm, from tornado, thunderstorm and fire-related warnings in the South to blizzard warnings across the northern Plains region. Hurricane-force winds were reported in northeastern Texas and southeastern Oklahoma through the morning, prompting red flag warnings across the drought-stricken region. The winds caused widespread power outages that affected over 360,000 homes and businesses in Texas alone. Meanwhile, forecasters in Minnesota and Nebraska warned of heavy snowfall that could cause whiteout conditions and make travel "treacherous and potentially life-threatening." Through the midweek, the low-pressure system is expected to spread as far south as Florida and as far north as Pennsylvania and New Jersey, coming up just short of New York City, which may still be in for some thunderstorms, AccuWeather said. In all, the storm could impact up to 170 million people across more than 20 states. Storm damage is shown in Ada, Oklahoma, on March 4, 2025, after severe thunderstorms and an EF-1 tornado moved through the area. Uprooted trees, damaged buildings, tangled power lines Damage was reported in multiple states as the expansive storm brought hurricane-force winds across the South. In south-central Oklahoma, the city of Ada was ravaged by strong winds and a confirmed tornado. Images showed an uprooted tree smashed into a mobile home while mangled debris littered the streets. The city urged residents to stay home if possible, with "downed power lines, gas leaks, and trees everywhere," according to a Facebook post. In Lewisville, Texas, multiple local media outlets reported that a warehouse collapsed overnight. The city said wreckage-covered roads and winds knocked out traffic lights, snarling traffic. In the nearby city of Irving, the police department said on X that there was "significant storm damage." In Plano, just north of Dallas, winds ripped off a portion of a high school's roof while heavy rain flooded the school's sports facility, KHOU reported. The NWS office in Fort Worth, Texas, said dust storms the rest of Tuesday will reduce visibility to about 2 miles in some locations. The El Paso, Texas, office of the NWS warned motorist against driving in such conditions Tuesday, when a "plume of dust'' from New Mexico was headed its way. The previous day, a large, fast-moving dust storm known as a "haboob'' drastically reduced visibility in parts of New Mexico and Texas. In Ascension Parish, Louisiana, the local sheriff's office said about five houses received weather-related damage on Tuesday. No injuries were immediately reported. The parish is part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan area and about 60 miles northwest of New Orleans. Responders throughout the Baton Rouge area also reported fallen trees in several parishes. In Rapides Parish, located in central Louisiana, residents and authorities reported damages to structures, homes. and roads. The Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office said it was aware of damages, but there were no reported injuries. Strong winds, dry conditions cause fires in Texas High winds and low humidity, as well as dry vegetation in Texas fueled wildfires across the state. Earlier Tuesday, the Texas A&M Forest Service said extreme fire weather conditions were expected to be widespread in the western and southern parts of Texas near the cities of Abilene, Austin, Del Rio, Fort Worth, Killeen, Laredo, San Angelo, San Antonio, Stephenville, and Weatherford. "Any wildfire that ignites in dry vegetation could have forward rates of spread up to six miles per hour," the Texas A&M Forest Service warned. By late Tuesday, fire crews responded to 13 active wildfires, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service's incident viewer. Storm blasts Plains, Midwest with whiteout conditions While the storm unleashed damaging winds in the South, it is also set to bring heavy snow and blizzard conditions to portions of the north-central U.S. into Wednesday. The two main trouble spots for heavy snow are parts of Colorado and the upper Midwest. On Tuesday, the swath of heaviest snow will expand and shift from northeastern Colorado to South Dakota, Iowa, and central and western Minnesota, AccuWeather said. Blizzard warnings are in effect in six states, and some 6 million people could be impacted, the National Weather Service said. "Travel should be restricted to emergencies only," the NWS office in Iowa warned. "If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle." Doyle Rice Storm damage is shown in Ada, Oklahoma, on March 4, 2025, after severe thunderstorms and an EF-1 tornado moved through the area. Hurricane-force winds threaten 'extreme fire behavior' The storm's damaging winds come as parts of the eastern U.S. are seeing a breakout of wildfires and the South's drought conditions have turned the region into a tinderbox. In the Carolinas, firefighters continued battling blazes that have prompted evacuations and clouded communities in heavy smoke. Just outside Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, first responders were working to contain a 2,000-acre fire that erupted over the weekend. In North Carolina, fires were engulfing swaths of the state's national forests while evacuation orders remained in parts of Polk County, where a 600-acre fire burned in the Blue Ridge Mountains. With powerful winds on the horizon, fire officials across the East warned residents to refrain from burning anything outdoors. The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued red flag warnings throughout central and southern Texas as the storm pushed across the state. The area did not receive much rain, and hurricane-force winds threatened to fuel any fires that ignited in the dry lands. Forecast map from the Weather Prediction Center showing a major storm that will sweep across the central and eastern U.S. this week. Power outages abound amid cross-country storm In Texas, the number of homes and businesses without power had dwindled from upward of 360,000 to about 210,000 as of 8 p.m. CT Tuesday, according to PowerOutage.us. More than 31,000 outages were reported in Louisiana while over 24,000 utility customers had no power in Mississippi and 39,000 in Alabama as the storm moved east, the outage tracker said. "While we may not yet have a specific time for customers power to return, resources are working as quickly and safely as possible around the clock," Texas' largest power provider, Oncor, said in a statement. Wind advisories stretch across the US Wind warnings and advisories were in place Tuesday from New Mexico to Florida and up to Virginia as the massive storm barreled east across the central U.S. "As these thunderstorms roar eastward, the biggest threat will be damaging wind gusts, especially in Arkansas, Louisiana and western Mississippi," said Tyler Roys, a senior meteorologist for AccuWeather, adding that the area could see "widespread gusts of up to 80 mph" and some possibly as high as 100 mph. A gust of 93 mph just 3 mph below Category 2 hurricane strength was registered near the small town of Hugoton in southwestern Kansas on Tuesday afternoon, KSN-TV reported. The gusts are expected to continue grounding flights and knocking out power. Another main concern: the threat of wildfires in the South and spreading the blazes already burning in the Carolinas. Tornado warnings and watches issued across Texas, Oklahoma The National Weather Service issued tornado advisories for multiple southern Plains states Tuesday morning, including Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. The weather service offices in the Oklahoma cities of Tulsa and Norman warned residents of severe storms "capable of producing tornadoes" moving across the southeastern part of the state. Dallas was among the cities in northeastern Texas under tornado watches. The services office in Forth Worth, Texas, urged residents to prepare an emergency kit with essentials. The office also alerted of the critical fire weather in the Dallas area because of the high winds and low humidity Tuesday. Travel delays pile up at Texas airports More than 280 flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport were canceled Tuesday and over 500 were delayed, according to FlightAware. The Federal Aviation Administration said flights at the airport were being delayed by an average of two hours "due to wind." Strong storms this morning are leading to hazardous road conditions around the metro area, the airport said in a statement on X. Please allow extra time and be safe as storms move quickly over the area. Check your flight status for any schedule impacts this morning. The smaller Dallas Love Field airport reported over 60 cancellations and dozens of delays, according to FlightAware. In Houston, George Bush Intercontinental Airport saw 45-minute delays because of the storm, the FAA said. Mardi Gras forced to reschedule events because of severe weather With the storm threatening to bring powerful wind gusts, hail and possible tornadoes to New Orleans on Fat Tuesday, officials have had to reschedule events and cut some short. Two of the city's largest parades were set for Tuesday morning, and while they still occurred, the New Orleans Police Department set a deadline of 11:30 a.m. for the festivities to end before the worst of the storm moves over the area. The parades will also have shortened routes. The National Weather Service in New Orleans said the city is at an enhanced risk of severe weather, issuing a tornado watch and warning of "damaging winds in excess of 60 mph." The office reported damage from a possible tornado in Gramercy, about 45 miles west of New Orleans, and said around 5 p.m. local time, "the next 2-3 hours will be the busiest.'' Major storm threatens nocturnal tornadoes Through March 2, the U.S. had totaled 61 confirmed tornadoes this year, less than half the yearly average of 138 for that period. That figure is about to change, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva, who said the number of twisters is less relevant than where and when they strike. Nocturnal tornadoes are particularly concerning because they may hit homes when people are sleeping and not ready to seek cover. It really only takes one, he said in an online forecast. If you get one really powerful tornado to go through a very populated area, people are really going to remember that. We just want people to be vigilant. Forecasters raise alarms about layoffs, budget cuts Weather experts across the nation say they fear the Trump administration's government cuts that resulted in hundreds of employees leaving the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including the weather service, may increase the threat during these severe weather events. Recent terminations within the government workforce for science are likely to cause irreparable harm and have far-reaching consequences for public safety, economic well-being, and the United States global leadership, the American Meteorological Society said Monday. President Donald Trump and his senior advisor Elon Musk have looked to the Department of Government Efficiency to enact Trump's signature campaign promise to reduce the size of the federal government. Most weather service field offices already are understaffed, said James Spann, chief meteorologist for WBMA-TV in Birmingham, Alabama. If NWS products and services are reduced, we all suffer especially during times of life-threatening weather, Spann wrote in a social media post. NOAA has said it's committed to keeping Americans informed about dangerous weather. More than 1,000 protesters demonstrated against the layoffs Monday outside the agency's office in Boulder, Colorado. In addition to the probationary employees who were dismissed, a wave of senior weather service meteorologists retired Friday, and others left as part of the agencys Fork in the Road plan that will pay them administrative leave through September. Contributing: Michael Tortorich, Gonzales Weekly Citizen; Melissa Gregory, Alexandria Town Talk This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Severe weather: Deadly storms bring wildfires and blizzard conditions The move by OPM follows a legal setback to President Donald Trump's efforts to drastically reduce the federal workforce. The Trump administration on Tuesday revised its guidance on probationary employment in the federal government after a judge ruled last week that the Office of Personnel Management lacked the authority to make hiring or termination decisions for other agencies. The new guidance clarifies that agencies, and not OPM, are the final word when it comes to performance-based personnel actions. "Please note that, by this memorandum, OPM is not directing agencies to take any specific performance-based actions regarding probationary employees," the new guidance states. "Agencies have ultimate decision-making authority over, and responsibility for, such personnel actions." The revised guidance comes days after a federal judge ordered the Office of Personnel Management to rescind its earlier instructions telling other federal agencies to "promptly determine" whether probationary employees "should be retained at the agency." Senior District Judge William Alsup of the Northern District of California ruled Thursday for a retraction of the initial Jan. 20 memo, saying that OPM "does not have any authority whatsoever under any statute in the history of the universe, to hire and fire employees within another agency." Alsups ruling did not reinstate the thousands of recently dismissed employees, but it has affected efforts by the Trump administration to slash the federal workforce. The new guidance from OPM also adjusts the definition of probationary periods. In the revised text, they are described as a tool for employee performance and to "ensure that 'a probationer's conduct and performance have established that the individual will be an asset to the Government.'" Follow live politics coverage here The original guidance similarly referred to probationary periods as a performance assessment tool, but said they also served to "manage staffing levels." Employees are often classified as probationary if they were recently hired or if they took on a new position. Asked about the revisions, a spokesperson for OPM said that "this change was to help provide clarity in light of a recent court order" and what the spokesperson called "some public misinformation." "It has always been up to agencies whether to take performance-based actions against probationary employees," the spokesperson added. American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley said in a statement that the Office of Personnel Management's revised guidance served as "a clear admission that it unlawfully directed federal agencies to carry out mass terminations of probationary employees." "Every agency should immediately rescind these unlawful terminations and reinstate everyone who was illegally fired," Kelley said. TCS - The president of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., C.C. Wei, announces a new $100 billion investment in the U.S. with President Donald Trump and White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks. The White House | YouTube (The Center Square) A week after Apples $500 billion record U.S. investment announcement, President Donald Trump announced Monday that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. plans to invest at least $100 billion in the U.S. over the next four years as well. The company is a global market leader in semiconductor manufacturing and is adding onto the $65 billion it has already invested in facilities in the U.S. Semiconductors have specific conductive properties and are used in nearly all electronics manufacturing. The announcement is aligned with Trumps efforts to bring more manufacturing to the U.S. In total, todays announcement brings Taiwan Semiconductor investments to about $165 billion theyve started already among the largest new foreign direct investments in the United States, Trump said. Trump said the companys investment commitment was important for Americas economic and national security. Semiconductors are the backbone of the 21st-century economy and really, without the semiconductors, there is no economy, powering everything from AI to automobiles to advanced manufacturing, Trump said. We must be able to build the chips and semiconductors that we need right here in American factories with American skill and American labor, and thats exactly what were doing. The additional $100 billion will go toward building five state-of-the-art fabrication facilities and employing thousands of workers in high-paying jobs, according to company president C.C. Wei. This continues the most incredible path youve ever seen in these first weeks and months of the Trump administration of incredible manufacturing coming to America, said David Sacks, Trumps AI and crypto czar. Sacks mentioned that the company had invested $65 billion in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing under the Biden administration with a $6.6 billion grant. America gave TSMC 10% of the money to build here, Sacks said, and now youre seeing the power of Donald Trumps presidency because TSMC is coming to America with $100 billion investment. Chinese leader Xi Jinping, center, attends a meeting at Beijing's Great Hall of the People during China's annual two sessions political gathering last March. - Ju Peng/Xinhua/Getty Images China has vowed to fight till the end after US President Donald Trump escalated his trade war by doubling tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20%. Beijing hit back at Trumps levies by imposing retaliatory tariffs of up to 15% on selected American goods, expanding export controls to a dozen US firms and filing a lawsuit at the World Trade Organization. It also sent a stern warning to the Trump administration: Chinese people will never bow to hegemony or bullying. Pressure, coercion and threats are not the right ways to engage with China. Trying to exert maximum pressure on China is a miscalculation and a mistake, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for Chinas Foreign Ministry, told a regular news briefing Tuesday afternoon. If the US insists on waging a tariff war, trade war, or any other kind of war, China will fight till the end. The barrage of retaliatory measures and fiery exchanges came as Chinese leader Xi Jinping is preparing to hold a major political gathering designed to project confidence in his countrys ability to stay the course and weather external headwinds. As thousands of delegates convene in the Chinese capital for the countrys two sessions annual meeting, Xi and his officials are set to use the highly choreographed spectacle to broadcast China as a major power steadily advancing its tech prowess and global rise. That escalating rivalry between the two powers will be in the spotlight on Wednesday morning in Beijing, when Trumps first address to Congress will roughly coincide with a state-of-the-union-like speech delivered by Chinas No. 2 official Li Qiang at the opening meeting of the Nationals People Congress (NPC), which rubber-stamps decisions already made behind closed doors. There, Li is expected to announce Chinas yearly targets for economic growth and military spending and lay out how Beijing plans to continue its economic growth and transformation into a technological powerhouse in the face of mounting pressure from the United States. Despite the challenges, analysts arent bracing for any major policy surprises or U-turns from the roughly weeklong meetings of both the NPC and the countrys top advisory body. True decision-making power lies with the Chinese Communist Party, whose authority cannot be challenged in the country and Xi, the partys most powerful leader in decades. The increased tariffs and the threat of more economic and tech controls to come are casting a long shadow over Chinas two sessions, which observers will also be watching for signs on how Beijing will continue to address its rumbling economic difficulties at home. And signs point to Beijing staying the course on its leaders strategies to bolster innovation, industry and self-sufficiency to steel itself against frictions ahead: all while projecting that, in China, its business as usual. We must face difficulties head-on and strengthen confidence amid growing external challenges, the Communist Party journal Qiushi quoted Xi as saying in an article released Friday thats meant to set the tone for the gathering. High-tech prowess China is entering this years two sessions buoyed by a surge of confidence and national pride in its tech sector. Earlier this year, privately owned Chinese AI firm DeepSeek stunned Silicon Valley with the breakout success of its latest open-source large language model. Adding to that milestone: Beijings long-term plans for achieving global dominance in green technologies have borne fruit, with its top electric vehicle maker rivaling Elon Musks Tesla. Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, whose app is pictured above, stunned Silicon Valley with the release of its breakthrough large language model earlier this year. - Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images Chinas leaders are expected to continue to prioritize investment in innovation and making the worlds second-largest economy self-sufficient in high tech. Xi and his cadres see high-end chips, quantum computing, robotics and AI as critical to powering economic growth and upgrading Chinese manufacturing. China needs to find a new engine for its economic development. The old model, the big infrastructure, constructiondriven (one), is probably not going to work and (the high tech sector) is the most feasible path China has, said political scholar Liu Dongshu of the City University of Hong Kong. China will prioritize this and US pressure makes this more urgent. Last month, Washington said it was considering expanding restrictions on US investment in sensitive technologies in China and would continue to restrict Chinese investment in strategic American sectors. But its not all negative pressure, Liu added, as China sees an opportunity to replace the United States in some parts of the world order. China may think that since (DeepSeeks success) it can be the leader in global AI over the US, or similarly in areas like climate change, where electric vehicles might be Chinas signature policy to solve the climate change problem, he said. Observers will also be watching closely what steps Beijing may take to unleash private industry to advance innovation as it gears up for the potential of more restrictions from the US. Xi sent a strong signal that China needed its entrepreneurs to step up in this fight last month, hosting the countrys top tech executives in Beijing, where he proclaimed it was prime time for private enterprises to give full play to their capabilities. Beijing followed the meeting with steps to improve market access for private firms and discussion of a Private Economy Promotion Law, which could be passed in the months, if not the days, ahead seen as a significant course correction following a years-long, sweeping regulatory crackdown on private industry. Doubling down The two sessions gathering is also set, as in past years, to reflect Xis increasingly tight grip over Chinas political system. The leader used the 2018 NPC meeting to pave the way for him to stay in power indefinitely, with the removal of the presidential two-term limit in the Chinese constitution. Last year, the scrapping of a longstanding annual press conference led by the countrys second highest-ranking official was widely seen as another sign of Xis control over the official narrative and eliminated a rare chance for journalists to interact with a top Chinese official. The event is not expected to resume this year. This year, the gathering is expected to again highlight how united the political apparatus is around his vision for the future, despite the countrys economic hurdles. The NPC this year will really be in the context of continuing to derisk Chinas rise and really hardening its posture against global uncertainties, including in Beijings relationship with the US and Europe, said Nis Grunberg, a lead analyst at MERICS think tank in Germany. As China doubles down on this approach, deepening the role of the party and the core of the party Xi Jinping to steer this whole process is more important than ever to the leadership, he said. Chinas slowing economy has been roiled by a property sector crisis and high local government debt, while foreign investment has cratered, consumption has flagged and young people struggle to find jobs. China earlier this year reported 5% economic growth in 2024, a figure viewed with heavy skepticism by many external observers, and analysts say its likely to float a similar number for its GDP target this year. Signs for how Beijing plans to address these challenges will also be closely watched, after a raft of policy adjustments since last summer were seen as falling short. In the days ahead, Beijing may unveil new efforts to boost consumer spending through stimulus or social welfare benefits. US tariffs make this even more urgent, observers say, as Chinas manufacturers may need to rely more on the domestic market. Xi linked weak demand to Chinas economic security during a key Communist Party economic meeting late last year, according to his speech published Friday in Qiushi in a signal of the increasing importance of addressing the issue. But even still, analysts see little sign of a departure from Xis primary focus on bolstering support for industry. Chinese soldiers march outside Beijing's Great Hall of the People ahead of the start to this year's two sessions. - Andres Martinez Casares/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Beijing is likely to release policies to make sure that at least the big and some of the medium-sized industrial producers can survive additional (US) tariffs, according to Victor Shih, director of the University of California San Diegos 21st Century China Center. Beijing is counting on its subsidized companies being able to weather those tariffs, given the dependency of US industries on Chinese goods and to have its own firms ultimately come out dominant. So in a sense theyre not afraid of (them), he added, of US tariffs. In the short term, such industrial support could create more friction with the US and Chinas other trade partners. The countrys reliance on exports as an agent of growth propelled it to a nearly $1 trillion trade surplus with the rest of the world last year a driving factor for Trumps tariff push. For China, that fits in with the wider message its expected to send in the coming days: even as headwinds mount, its confidently staying its course and ready to be seen as a champion of global trade and order. CNNs Hassan Tayir contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Mystery continues to swirl around the deaths of Gene and Betsy Hackman, who were found deceased in their Santa Fe, N.M., home around at about 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Gene, 95, was found in the home's mudroom, dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved T-shirt, and wearing slippers. A pair of sunglasses and a cane were nearby. Betsy, 65, whose maiden name was Arakawa, was found dead in the bathroom, where prescription pills were scattered on a counter. It looked like both had been dead for days, said authorities. Authorities have since launched an investigation into what happened to the couple, who'd been married since 1991. Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los Angeles James Gill, Chief Medical Examiner, with the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, is not investigating Hackman's death in his professional capacity. But he offered insight into the tragedy to PEOPLE, theorizing that a companion suicide where a couple dies by suicide together is not likely. I've seen cases like that usually they're together in bed, he says. The fact that theyre in two separate locations tells me that I think thats less likely. Related: Gene Hackman Was Likely Dead for 9 Days Before His Body Was Found: Sheriff Ron Galella Collection via Getty Betsy and Gene Hackman From the initial kind of circumstances, it seems like he may have collapsed he's got a history of heart disease. He's got a pacemaker. So that would not be unusual, Gill says. And the fact that he's ambulatory, that I think is important too, because sometimes we'll see instances where someone is bedridden and maybe they have dementia and then their caregiver dies from a natural event, and then there's no one there to take care of them, and then they can die from dehydration or what have you. I don't think that's the case in this. Roberto Rosales/AP the home of Gene Hackman and his wife Related: Sheriff Reveals How Long He Thinks Gene Hackman and Wife Were Dead Before Their Bodies Were Discovered Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Hackmans pacemaker was last working on Feb. 17, nine days before the couple was found. Gill says there are different types of pacemakers and defibrillators, some of which can shock the heart if needed, and newer models often have WiFi or Bluetooth to record irregular rhythms, which could help determine the time of death. What's the time [of Gene's death] related to his wife?," Gill says. "When did she die? Thats a little bit of a more gray area, I think. Related: How Did Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Die? As Police Try to Unravel the Mystery, Insiders Detail Their Final Days (Exclusive) Authorities also found one of the couple's dogs, a German shepherd, dead in a kennel crate in a closet near Betsy. I think the dog could easily be explained by just not getting enough food and water, he says. "And they can only survive for a week or so without food and water. Two other dogs were found alive and are currently being cared for by a family friend. Hackman and his wife were found by a pest-control worker who stopped by the house. When the couple didnt answer, he called a neighborhood security officer, who saw the bodies through a window and called 9-1-1. Read the original article on People The widow of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller and an American recently released from Russian prison will be among the everyday American heroes honored by President Trump Tuesday night during his speech to a joint session of Congress, The Post has learned. Stephanie Diller and Marc Fogel will also be joined by family members of Pennsylvania firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed protecting his loved ones when a gunman opened fire at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pa. this past July 13. We will never forget their stories, a White House official told The Post. NYPD officer Jonathan Diller and his wife Stephanie Diller at his Academy graduation. Courtesy of Stephanie Diller Trump, 78, attended the Long Island wake for Diller, a married father of one who was shot and killed on March 25, 2024, during a routine traffic stop in Far Rockaway, Queens. Diller, 31, had approached a suspicious-looking vehicle and had ordered the two men inside, identified as Lindy Jones and Guy Rivera, to get out, only to be shot dead by Rivera who is awaiting trial on murder and other charges. Trump spent 40 minutes at the wake, where he spoke with Stephanie and met the couples 1-year-old son, Ryan. I said, Something has to come out of it, and the only thing that you could really think that could come out of it is we get stronger and tougher so this doesnt keep happening, Trump told The Post of his conversation with the Diller family. Stephanie Diller holds Jonathans picture at a press conference. Brigitte Stelzer This isnt just a New York thing, he added. I saw police officers from other states. I saw [officers from] Texas, I saw Ohio. So this has captured a moment, and I think its captured it from the standpoint that we have to get tough on crime, we have to get tough on criminals. In her eulogy, delivered March 30, 2024, Stephanie Diller asked: How many more police officers and how many families need to make the ultimate sacrifice before we start protecting them? Social media photo of Corey Comperatore, the fatal victim in the crowd during the Trump rally shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania. Facebook/Helen Comperatore Corey Comperatore put his life at risk by protecting his family. facebook Trump has also repeatedly honored Comperatore displaying his firefighting jacket at the Republican National Convention, a second Butler rally in October 2024 and his inauguration parade in January. The president has praised the volunteer fire chief for laying down his life to be a shield for his family when gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on the rally crowd. Donald Trump welcomes Marc Fogel back to the United States after being released from Russian custody, at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Getty Images Malphine Fogel, 95, advocated for her son Marc to come home. AP Fogel returned to the US earlier this month after having been detained in a Russian prison for the past three and a half years on charges related to what he said was legally prescribed marijuana. In 2022, Fogel was sentenced to serve 14 years in a Russian labor camp, and claimed the physical effort forced him into prison hospitals for more than 100 days. Trump was able to successfully negotiate with Russia for Fogels release, fulfilling a promise to his 95-year-old mother, Malphine, who had asked Trump to bring her son home when they met at the July Butler rally, but the shots rang out. Hes got a great mother, Trump said of Malphine Fogel, who will also be in the House gallery Tuesday night, after greeting Marc Fogel at the White House Feb. 11. And when I saw his mother at a rally, she said, If you win, will you get my son out? And I promised shes 95 years old that wed get him out. And we got him out pretty quickly. I had to get him back home because I would have big trouble with his mom. A Bronx daycare owner has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after one child died from fentanyl poisoning and three others were hurt. Grei Mendez, 37, was sentenced to 45 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl out of the daycare in the Bronx, New York, as well as five years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York announced Monday in a press release. The sentencing comes after three children died and one died in September 2023 due to fentanyl poisoning while in her care. Mendez was previously charged with one count of distributing narcotics resulting in death and one count of possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. She pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, prosecutors said. Her husband, Felix Herrera Garcia, was charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death. Garcia was sentenced to 45 years in October, the attorney's office announced. Garcias cousin, Carlisto Acevedo Brito, lived in the unit where the daycare was housed and was also charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death, court documents show. Lawyers representing Mendez at the federal level did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. Javier A. Solano, a lawyer representing Mendez at the state level, told USA TODAY during a phone call Tuesday morning that 45 years is an excessive sentence. The job of the court and the job of prosecutors is to dispense justice, Solano said. Her husband was given 45 years as well, and somehow they've made it seem that she's equally responsible as her husband. Multiple children poisoned, one dead According to court documents, officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and found that from July 2023 to September 2023, Mendez, her husband and her husbands cousin worked together to run a drug operation out of Mendezs business, Divino Nino Daycare. Fentanyl was stored on top of childrens playmats, as well as in items built to distribute the drugs, the court documents read. On Sept. 15, 2023, four children who were all under three years old were at the daycare when they began to get sick, the court documents read. Mendez called 911 at 2:40 p.m. that day to report that three children ranging from 8 months to two years old were unresponsive. An ambulance came and took them to the hospital, where emergency responders administered Narcan, nasal spray to treat opioid overdose, to two of the children. The 1-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the hospital, court documents show. Emergency responders tested the urine of one of the children and found that fentanyl was in the childs system. Also that day, about two hours before Mendez called 911, a 1-year-old child went home early. Eventually, the childs parents noticed the toddler was lethargic and not responsive. The parents called 911, where doctors administered Narcan and the child was hospitalized, court documents show. Doctors said all four children showed signs of opioid poisoning and some of them improved after doctors administered Narcan, court documents show. Woman called husband before 911, suspects seen leaving with bags Once authorities secured a search warrant, they searched the daycare, which was housed in a one-bedroom apartment that included a bedroom, a playroom, a bathroom and a kitchen. Authorities found fentanyl, as well as press machines used to package drugs. In a hallway closet located near the Daycare bathroom, law enforcement officers found a packaged white, powdery substance weighing approximately one kilogram that field-tested positive for fentanyl, officials write in the court documents. The fentanyl was located inside of a bag that was stacked on top of pieces of a childrens playmat. Authorities also said in the court documents that before calling 911, Mendez made multiple phone calls. She first called a daycare employee, then called her husband twice. She then called 911, then called her husband twice more. She was also seen on surveillance footage leaving the property with shopping bags. At one point, she left through the back of the building, which led to an alley. Surveillance footage also showed her husband minutes before emergency responders arrived. He left the scene with shopping bags, headed towards the alley. Court documents show Mendez deleted 21,526 messages from an encrypted messaging app on her phone. She had previously used the app to talk to her husband between March 2021 and September 2023. In some of the recovered messages, Mendez told her husband police were asking about him. He replied and told her to tell the police he was working. She also told him to look for a lawyer. Mendez spoke with investigators and denied that there were drugs in the daycare. She claimed that kilo presses may have been left there by a previous tenant, court documents show. Authorities also found evidence that Garcias cousin, Acevedo Brito, lived in the units bedroom. Inside the closet, they found a kilo press, which he denied knowing anything about. Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Matthew Podolsky said Monday in the news release that Mendez put babies in harms way. They slept, played, and ate in a room where over 11 kilograms of fentanyl was hidden underneath their feet, he said. No punishment can make up for a child lost, but todays sentence sends the message that this Office and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice anyone who uses children as a shield in the drug trade. Solano, who represents Mendez at the state level, said he feels badly for the families of the children who were poisoned and the child who died, but 45 years was excessive for Mendezs sentencing. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daycare worker Grei Mendez sentenced after child's fentanyl death Two measles cases have been confirmed in New York City. Two cases of measles have been confirmed in New York City as of the end of February, according to the New York City Health Department. Officials didnt disclose the ages or vaccination status of the two cases, but they are urging parents to vaccinate their children. The news comes as New Jersey has issued a measles alert in response to three confirmed cases in Bergen County. New York City has confirmed two measles cases as of the end of February. stock.adobe.com According to NYCs health department, the two cases are unrelated, with one occurring earlier this year. For each case, our agency conducts routine case and contact investigation and we ensure proper follow-ups for exposed persons. acting commissioner of the NYC Health Department Dr. Michelle Morse told USA Today. Measles is highly contagious and can be deadly. The city had 14 cases in 2024, making up nearly all of New York States 15 total cases. The rest of New York State has no confirmed cases yet this year. Measles were declared officially eliminated in the US in 2000, but cases have been on the rise in recent years. According to the CDC, there have been 164 cases across the US as of Feb. 27, spreading across Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas. Twenty percent of those cases have resulted in hospitalization. Texas has had the biggest outbreak with 146 cases, and last week reported the countrys first measles death since 2015. Measles, also called rubeola, shows no symptoms for the first 10 to 14 days after infection. Those who are infected then typically experience cough, sore throat, runny nose, pink eye, white spots inside the mouth, a blotchy skin rash and fever, which can rise as high as 104 to 105.8 F. Public health officials are urging people to vaccinate their children after the US recorded its first measles death since 2015. Getty Images Its also highly contagious people with measles can spread it for several days before the rash even appears. According to the New York City Health Department. if a person has measles, 90% of those around them who are not vaccinated or immune through previous infection will get it. Health officials have urged usage of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as individual protection against the virus and to promote herd immunity. As a pediatrician and the States doctor, I want to remind everyone that immunization is safe and the best protection for your children against measles and other potentially deadly diseases, State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a PSA. Measles is a very contagious, serious respiratory disease that causes rash and fever. In some cases, measles can reduce the immune systems ability to fight other infections like pneumonia. I encourage anyone not vaccinated against measles to receive at least one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and get their children vaccinated with two doses. Morse added to PIX11: If you get the vaccine, the risk for measles for you is incredibly small, it leads to 97% coverage. While its very rare to get measles if youre fully vaccinated, breakthrough infections do happen, with the CDC noting that they make up about 5% of total infections. These are common in places where there in an outbreak, meaning there are more people with the virus, increasing potential exposure. On Sunday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who has been outspoken in his vaccine skepticism promoted the measles jab in a Fox News Digital op-ed. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness with certain health risks, especially to unvaccinated individuals, he wrote. Prior to the introduction of the vaccine in the 1960s, virtually every child in the United States contracted measles, he went on, pointing to a fatality rate of 1 in 1,205 cases from 1953 to 1962. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons, he said. KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday his clash with Donald Trump last week was "regrettable", that he was ready to work under the U.S. president's leadership to bring lasting peace, and that it was "time to make things right". The statement came after Washington paused military aid to Kyiv in a stunning move overnight, days after Zelenskiy's talks with Trump descended into acrimony, prompting the U.S. secretary of state to call on the Ukrainian leader to apologise. "Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right," Zelenskiy posted on X. "My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," he said. His statement made no mention of the U.S. suspension of military assistance, the latest move by Trump's administration that has upended U.S. policy on the war in Ukraine and adopted a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow. The Ukrainian leader said that Kyiv was interested in future cooperation and communication with the United States. "We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence," he said. "None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians," he said. (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Gareth Jones) by Silvia Torriti Just one month after the launch of the new made in China artificial intelligence prototype, municipalities and government officials are competing to adopt it in their offices. It is considered an important step forward in the realisation of so-called smart cities. Milan (AsiaNews) - DeepSeek mania has already taken hold in China. About a month after its launch, the new prototype of artificial intelligence made in China has already found wide application in many sectors of society. After being adopted by the giants of Chinese technology, including Tencent, ByteDance, Huawei and Alibaba, the revolutionary R1 model is also making inroads into local public administration. As reported in a recent article in the South China Morning Post, for the first time the leaders of several Chinese municipalities have announced their decision to integrate this specific AI technology into government-run services to improve their efficiency. Among these is An Wei, general secretary of the Communist Party of Zhengzhou, capital of Hunan, who urged government officials to study and fully master [...] and make extensive use of artificial intelligence to support decision-making, analysis and problem solving, in order to support the transformation and development of the city. Similarly, the authorities in Laibin (Guangxi) have invited their subordinates to embrace and proactively learn new technologies, while those in Foshan (Guangdong) agree that DeepSeek could provide intelligent support for government decision-making. In order to allow administrative staff to gain a greater knowledge of AI technologies, some local governments have organised training courses, such as those held in Zhengzhou by an artificial intelligence expert from Qinghua University in Beijing. This operation, besides being the result of the national frenzy generated around the R1 model of DeepSeek, a winning ace in the technological war against the United States and a turning point in global innovation of artificial intelligence, also has another important meaning. It allows us to take a further step forward in the creation of so-called smart cities, that is, efficient, hyper-digitalised and eco-friendly urban realities, as indicated in the past by Xi Jinping himself. Longgang, a district of the city of Shenzhen, in the southern province of Guangdong, was one of the first in China to adopt the use of the DeepSeek R1 model in daily practice. As explained in a report published on the local government's web portal, AI technology has simplified the work of officials in various ways: from the most trivial support in drafting and correcting documents, to the rapid analysis of feedback sent by citizens, to the search for missing persons, through the 230,000 surveillance cameras with integrated AI monitored by the district. The government of Kunshun, in the eastern province of Jiangsu, has stated that it has applied DeepSeek models to its e-government system, making its functionalities available to various departments. The police, for example, are using AI to extract large volumes of data useful for searching for clues, while the transport authorities are exploiting its advantages to predict traffic flows more quickly. The city of Guangzhou, capital of the Guangdong province, has integrated DeepSeek into its support services, and in particular the 12345 toll-free number, to more effectively manage the reception of complaints and suggestions from local residents. According to the city government, this has reduced the average waiting time for calls by 43% and increased the accuracy of forwarding requests to the relevant department by 97%. Zhang Shijia, technical director of the online and telephone platform 12345 in Liaoning province, is also satisfied with the results achieved after connecting the helpline to AI: intervention and emergency resolution times have been significantly reduced compared to before, and the level of accuracy in information processing has increased. In the wake of DeepSeek's success, the country's universities are gearing up to include courses focused on DeepSeek and other AI technologies in their curricula. The University of Shenzhen, located in China's southern technology hub, has partnered with Tencent Cloud to introduce a course based on the well-known Chinese start-up, starting this semester. As can be read on the institution's social media, the aim is to help students gain a greater understanding of AI technology and its applications, in order to promote deeper integration and innovation of artificial intelligence in a variety of contexts. In addition, issues related to AI security, privacy and ethics will also be addressed. Similarly, Zhejiang University in eastern China has recently launched an online course focusing on Chinese start-ups that is open to the public as well as students and teachers. According to Xu Hui, a researcher at the University of Jena in Germany, the rapid introduction of DeepSeek-related courses in Chinese universities reflects the strong demand for AI from both the market and the public. The researcher adds that DeepSeek has significantly promoted the application of AI in various sectors of Chinese society and colleges and universities have been most affected. Xu, however, is certain that young Chinese people who have quickly familiarised themselves with these cutting-edge tools will be more competitive in the job market. by Nirmala Carvalho The death sentence has been carried out on Shahzadi Khan, a migrant from Uttar Pradesh, imprisoned for the death of a 4-month-old baby following a vaccination. The family did not want an autopsy and - after two months - accused her of murder. The video in which she is accused was allegedly extracted through torture. Her father: The Indian embassy abandoned her. Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Killed in a capital punishment carried out without much publicity because she was accused of the death of the 4-month-old child in her care. Despite the fact that her family had claimed that her confession of guilt had been extorted from her and that the child had in fact died as a result of a reaction to a vaccination. This is the chilling fate that befell Shahzadi Khan, a 33-year-old Indian Muslim woman originally from Banda in Uttar Pradesh, who had been on death row in Abu Dhabi for months. The authorities of the United Arab Emirates have notified the Indian embassy that the death sentence was carried out on 15 February; her body is available for the funeral rites, which will take place on 5 March. Shahzadi had had scars on her face since childhood, her brother told the Times of India. She wanted to have them removed, so when a man called Uzair from Agra told her that if she went to work in the United Arab Emirates it would be possible, she thought she was dreaming. She arrived in Abu Dhabi in December 2021 and eight months later she started working as a caregiver for her employer's newborn. The baby died on 7 December 2022, after receiving routine vaccinations. Despite the hospital's request for an autopsy, the parents refused and signed a waiver. Then, in February 2023, a video allegedly showed Shahzadi confessing to the murder of the child; however, she always claimed that the confession had been extracted from her under torture by her employer. Arrested on 10 February 2023, she was sentenced to death on 31 July 2023, with an appeal then rejected and the sentence confirmed on 28 February 2024. Her father Shabbir Khan accused the Indian embassy of not offering his daughter any help, claiming that the lawyer himself had pressured her into making a confession. He made several requests for clemency to the Emirates authorities, without receiving any response. On 14 February he had received a phone call from Shahzadi, who told him of her imminent execution. Seeking clarity, he formally approached the Indian Foreign Ministry on 20 February, but again received no updates. After the execution, his father called it an injustice, claiming that the family had been denied support from the Indian government. Their lawyer, Ali Mohammad, described it as an extrajudicial killing disguised as a judicial execution. Thanks to a project backed by the Lombardy Region, Milans Ambrosiana Library has digitised an important collection of Arabic manuscripts. The Nainuwa platform will make it possible to consult remotely ancient texts from the Christian and Islamic traditions, facilitating research activities and interreligious dialogue. Milan (AsiaNews) The Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan has implemented a project that will allow users to consult and research ancient Arabic manuscripts from their computer and even their mobile phone thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), something made possible thanks to funding from the Lombardy Region and the collaboration with Treventus Mechatronics GmBh, a Vienna-based digitisation company. Starting tomorrow, it will be possible to access the Nainuwa platform with features made available by AI for the recognition of handwritten texts. Not only images of the manuscripts will be available, but also the transcriptions of the texts. The project, which involves the digitisation of about a thousand Arabic manuscripts over a period of about three years, will make 250 texts and 96,000 pages immediately available online, including a Qur'an in Sufic script with gold miniatures dating back to the 8th-9th century (see picture 1) and a translation of the Gospels into Arabic made at the Monastery of Saint Anthony, in Egypt, in 1280, copying the original translation by Abu l-Farag Hibatullah al-As'ad Ibn al'Assal (see picture 2). The Library inaugurated a digital version in 2019, with the project Arabic Manuscripts in the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana: the digital collection. For this, we are grateful for the support received from the Lombardy Region, said Mgr Francesco Braschi, vice prefect and director of Slavistics, African and Oriental courses at the Accademia Ambrosiana, during the inauguration event held today in Milan. With the latest addition, the Biblioteca Ambrosiana confirms both its vocation born for the glory of God and the common good, and the particular attention that its founder, Card Federico Borromeo, always had for the Arab language and culture, Mgr Braschi added. Cardinal Borromeo was a member of the commission charged with revising the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, and for this task he consulted versions of the Scriptures in various oriental languages. He later instructed his agents to purchase Christian and Islamic codices and manuscripts from the Near East. In fact, he gave great value to relations with Eastern Churches, in particular the Maronite and Coptic, to preserve and enhance the Arab Christian cultural heritage", Mgr Braschi explained. The Biblioteca Ambrosiana, inaugurated in 1609, today has about a million printed volumes and 35,000 manuscripts collected between the 16th and 20th centuries that represent different cultural and religious traditions, from the Turkish-Ottoman to the Iraqi and ancient Egyptian. The Arab collection is certainly the most important and the most precious in Milan, said Mgr Marco Maria Navoni, Prefect of the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, during the inauguration. The largest part of the ancient collection includes works on Islamic literature, for which Borromeo himself, who created a compendium in 1627 to explain the Christian faith to Muslims, always paid particular attention. Also for this reason, the digitisation of Arabic manuscripts is in absolute continuity with the sensitivity of Federico Borromeo", Mgr Braschi noted. The librarys director, Mgr Federico Gallo expressed hope that the project would further promote interreligious dialogue, noting that the institute made available ancient works in collaboration with Notre Dame University (which put some manuscripts preserved at the Ambrosiana on microfilm in the 1960s) and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan. Lombardy Regional Councillor for Culture, lawyer Francesca Caruso, said that the Region would soon issue new tenders for cultural programmes regarding activities of the Ambrosiana, stressing that these projects make the Lombardy Region proud. Dr Fabio Cusimano, responsible for cataloguing and digitising the Librarys works, reiterated the importance of making the heritage of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana accessible to anyone through new technologies that make it possible to go beyond the concept of digital images of analogue objects. Treventus Mechatronics has used these technologies. As the company's co-founder, engineer Stephan Tratter, put it, the digital capture of manuscript content was made possible thanks to a ScanRobot that collects data on the page even if the manuscript is not fully opened. The name of the online platform, Nainuwa, Tratter added, corresponds to the Latin transcription of the Arabic name for Nineveh, the ancient city in Mesopotamia that housed a library, the Royal Library of Ashurbanipal, dating back to 1,800 BC, which had 25,000 clay tablets in cuneiform writing, all the knowledge of the time. by Stefano Vecchia The Philippines is no longer the top supplier to the Chinese market, with a 32 per cent drop in exports. Vietnam instead consolidated its growth thanks to competitive prices, geographic proximity, and higher production. Meanwhile, the European Union is boosting ties with the communist Southeast Asian country after the US threatens new tariffs. Hanoi (AsiaNews) Vietnam has become the main supplier of bananas to the Chinese market, reaching first spot that the Philippines had held for over 20 years. The change is not only symbolic, but marks a turning point in regional trade and raises questions about Philippine competitiveness in agriculture. Both Vietnam and the Philippines are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), partners in a regional free trade system that is also oriented to external markets. Data for 2024 show a sharp drop in Philippine banana exports to China, down 32.45 per cent from the previous year, at just over 463,000 tonnes, while Vietnams exports hit 625,000 tonnes, up by 24 per cent. This is a significant change from 2017, when the Philippines covered 70 per cent of China's banana imports, now down to 27.47 per cent, according to the International Trade Centre. Vietnam has focused on prices, geographic proximity, and higher production, going from 1 per cent of the Chinese market in 2014 to 37 per cent in 2024. For China, which imports about 1.8 million tonnes of bananas a year, Vietnam is an increasingly reliable supplier. Philippines is facing competitiveness problems, compounded by poor planning and insufficient assessment of emerging markets, contributing to the sectors decline. Even in South Korea, Philippine banana producers have lost ground. Diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines may have influenced trade as well. In 2018-2019, when President Rodrigo Duterte's administration maintained good relations with Beijing, China was the main outlet for Philippine bananas. By contrast, under Ferdinand Marcos Jr, relations have cooled. Manila has strengthened its strategic partnership with Washington, upping the ante in territorial disputes in the South China Sea. In the face of growing uncertainty, Philippine producers are looking for alternative markets outside Asia, urging their government to take concrete steps to support production and stabilise prices. In addition to consolidating its position in China, Vietnam is attracting the interest of the European Union since US President Donald Trump said that he might impose new tariffs on Vietnamese exports. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to visit the Southeast Asian country, while European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic could bring forward talks as early as April. The EU seeks closer trade relations and offers new investment opportunities, especially after the Trump administration decided to freeze US foreign aid. In 2023, the EU imported US$ 52 billion worth of goods from Vietnam, less than half of what the United States did. However, for Vietnam, the EU is its third-largest export market, thanks to an existing free-trade agreement. Trade and diplomatic exchanges come at a time when Vietnam is trying to diversify its military supplies and increase public spending on infrastructure, including a major national railway project in which European companies are competing for contracts. Champion local news. Join our community of readers who value daily beat reporting and in-depth stories alike. Your membership allows us to continue the legacy of local, independent journalism in the Roaring Fork Valley. With your support, we can remain a free and accessible source of news for everyone, always without paywalls or corporate influence. Together, we can ensure that vital local stories are told. 4 March 2025 13:44 (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. However, these developments also raise important questions about the underlying factors driving the surge in foreign currency transactions. One possible explanation is the fluctuating global economic environment, which has led to increased uncertainty and volatility in various markets. As a result, Azerbaijani individuals and businesses may be seeking refuge in more stable currencies like the USD and euro to mitigate potential risks. 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! 4 March 2025 15:47 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more In recent weeks, the trial of Armenian nationals accused of war crimes, terrorism, genocide, and state-sponsored sabotage has sparked intense political debate. These individuals, who were captured during anti-terror measures in Azerbaijans Garabagh region in September 2023, stand charged in Azerbaijans military courts. Yet, the narrative surrounding their trial has been severely distorted by Armenian lobbying groups, leading to widespread misrepresentation in international forums, including at the United Nations. As mentioned earlier, the confrontation began after Azerbaijan launched anti-terror measures in Garabagh, which led to the capture of members of an armed terror group. The individuals now face trial in Baku, where they are accused of orchestrating terror attacks, committing war crimes, and attempting to undermine the state. However, the Yerevan administration and certain influential lobbying factions are steadfast in their denial of the charges, attempting to spin a narrative of innocence, and even manipulating UN officials to bolster their false claims. A particularly striking example of this interference came from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, whose recent comments on the detainees have raised eyebrows in Azerbaijan. In his speech at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Turk insisted that "ethnic Armenians detained in Azerbaijan must be immediately released", adding that "their rights to a fair trial must be fully respected". While Azerbaijan acknowledges the importance of human rights and supports the principle of a fair trial for all, the situation on the ground tells a more complex story. The court proceedings, in which the accused individuals have offered testimonies, provide critical insights into the alleged crimes. During the trial, one of the accused, Lyova Mnaksakanyan, admitted to his involvement in the 2020 military conflict against Azerbaijan, stating that he participated as a member of the Armenian regular army. He revealed that a secret military decision was made on September 20, 2020, of which he had no prior knowledge. Mnaksakanyan confirmed that he had no contact with the army after his discharge, despite a directive from Armenias Prime Minister forbidding such interactions. This testimony, along with those of other accused individuals such as Arayik Harutyunyan, Erik Ghazaryan, and Vasili Beglaryan, paints a far different picture from the one presented by Armenian lobbyists. Despite attempts by these groups to downplay the crimes and mislead international opinion, the mounting evidence presented in Azerbaijan's military courts leaves little room for doubt about the involvement of these individuals in orchestrating acts of violence and terror. What is particularly troubling is the active role of the Armenian lobbying apparatus in influencing public opinion. Through strategic alliances with certain members of international organizations and even some UN officials, these groups have attempted to cast the accused as victims, rather than criminals. Volker Turks statementsclearly influenced by these powerful lobbying effortsserve as a reminder of the ongoing challenge faced by Azerbaijan in ensuring that justice is served fairly, amidst a sea of misinformation. One could ask, as the trial unfolds, why the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has not addressed the broader scope of violations, such as the rocket attacks on civilian populations in the Azerbaijani cities of Ganja and Barda during the 44-day war in 2020. These attacks, which were reportedly ordered by Armenian military leaders, are among the many war crimes that have yet to be fully acknowledged or prosecuted by international bodies. The problem of selective justice is further compounded by the fact that many perpetrators from the First Garabagh War, who have been linked to numerous atrocities, continue to evade accountability, hiding in Armenia. Their crimes have been systematically whitewashed by international actors who choose to ignore the overwhelming evidence against them. Against the backdrop of these undeniable war crimes, the international community, including the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, must rise to the challenge of ensuring accountability. Sadly, the relentless lobbying efforts of Armenian groups, who have long sought to manipulate international law and portray themselves as victims, complicate this process. It is worth remembering that it was Armenia that chose to disregard the four UN resolutions during its 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands, a fact that the international community must not forget. 4 March 2025 20:06 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Amid the chaos which the world faced ensuing the harsh argument between the leaders of Ukraine and the USA in the Oval Office, Macrons proffer of a one-month truce 'in the air, at sea, and on energy infrastructure' left many scratching their heads in confusion. It is no secret that Ukraine could hardly cope with the Russian aggression alone, devoid of the assistance provided by the USA and the EU. On the other hand, the decisions made by the USA and the EU have sparked ambiguities and resulted in significant destruction, embodying the proverbial saying: neither killing nor recovering, but letting to breathe. Initially, jointly with Russia, they conned Ukraine into handing over its over 1,800 nuclear weapons, along with heavy bombers and long-range missiles inherited from the USSR, to Russia in exchange for security guarantees. However, when Russia annexed Crimea and invaded Donbas, they did little more than impose mild sanctions. Obsessed with Russian lies, the USA and the EU believed that Russia would invade Kyiv within a week and thus provide Ukraine with weapons like short-range anti-tank missiles, which were suitable for conducting a partisan war. Against all odds, Ukraine bravely withstood the Russian incursion for months alone, devoid of any external assistance. Only after that did the USA and the EU start providing partial help. They gave Ukraine tanks, howitzers, MLRS, and all that but did not supply the hardware that Ukraine desperately needed. For example, when the Russian navy attacked and invaded the southeast of the country, Kyiv requested anti-ship missiles, but the USA and the EU declined. Ukrainians demonstrated extraordinary bravery by fighting the Russian navy with old MLRS, drones, and other equipment that was not designed for naval combat. Eventually, Ukraine was forced to use Neptune missiles, which were domestically developed but still in the testing phase. After sinking up to 20 ships. Later, the USA and the EU provided Ukraine with Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The Russian navy withdrew from the southwest of Ukraine, citing a 'gesture of goodwill.' However, it was too late, as Russia had already invaded the southeast of the country. Unfortunately, the Russo-Ukrainian war is rife with examples like the ones mentioned above. Take air defence systems, for instance. The Russian air force bombed all corners of Ukraine, causing significant damage to the country. Once again, the resilient Ukrainians performed miracles by downing over 300 military aircraft, thanks to MANPADS and outdated aircraft. Only after that did Western partners supply air defence systems. However, during this period, Russia managed to destroy much of the country's infrastructure. To give credit where it's due, supplying anti-ship missiles and air defence systems was not as ridiculous as supplying short-range missiles. They provided Ukraine with the said missiles and boxed their usage in Ukrainian territories. However, Russia struck Ukraine from its own territories but Ukraine could not respond. Against all odds, Ukraine strives to develop its own defence industry and has achieved significant progress. The country has produced its own short-range missiles, developed air defence systems, and become one of the leading UAV-producing nations globally. Since mid-2024, Ukraine has showcased newly developed drone missiles such as Palianytsia and Peklo, enhancing its military capabilities. Over the past two months, Ukraine has actively deployed these drones and drone missiles, reportedly conducting strikes approximately every two days on oil refineries, oil depots, and other critical infrastructure deep within Russia. These operations have disrupted Russian supply lines, providing a strategic advantage to Ukrainian armed forces on the battlefield. In light of this development, France has suddenly proposed a one-month truce 'in the air, at sea, and on energy infrastructure.' Perhaps President Macron has good intentions, but the timing raises questions. Why did they not offer such a truce earlier when Russia indiscriminately bombed Ukrainian civilian infrastructure? Considering that Russia has damaged significant portions of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, who would benefit from this truce? Of course, Russia. So, why should Ukraine accept it? 4 March 2025 10:25 (UTC+04:00) With the support of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Embassy of Hungary in Azerbaijan, a formal visit to the University of Pecs was conducted on February 12, 2025, by representatives of Azerbaijan Medical University and Scandens Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. The University of Pecs, established in 1367 by King Louis I, holds a distinguished position in history as Hungarys first university and the fourth oldest institution of higher education in Central Europe. Scandens Pharmaceutical Industries, founded in 2016, is a research-based pharmaceutical manufacturing facility operating in Azerbaijan. The purpose of the visit is to exchange existing knowledge and experience between the University of Pecs and the technical base of the Hungarian pharmaceutical production Pannon Pharma, including teaching methodologies, and to implement them among the Azerbaijan Medical University and Scandens Pharmaceutical Industries LTD. This includes the adaptation of educational methodologies and joint academic initiatives. The initiatives key goals encompass student and internship exchange programs, specialization tracks, doctoral studies, dual-degree programs, and other academic opportunities. Within the scope of this four-party cooperation, the parties aim to strengthen scientific and research collaboration and contribute to developing local professional capacity in the pharmaceutical sector on an international scale. In addition, Scandens initiated meetings with Azerbaijani students studying at the University of Pecs with the aim of encouraging their active participation in the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Azerbaijan and strengthening the national economic potential. At the conclusion of the visit, it was agreed to take significant steps toward enhancing educational and scientific cooperation between Azerbaijan and Hungary, including signing a memorandum of understanding. 4 March 2025 16:39 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more The next stage of constructing the Trans-Caspian Fiber Optic Cable Line, a key component of the Digital Silk Way project aimed at creating a digital corridor between Europe and Asia through Azerbaijan, is underway, Azernews reports. With the participation of the Prime Ministers of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, Ali Asadov and Olzhas Bektenov, a document was signed to approve the agreement for the construction of underwater fiber-optic communication lines along the Caspian Sea floor. The agreement was signed by Emil Masimov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AzerTelecom, and Bagdat Musin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kazakhtelecom. As part of the Trans-Caspian Fiber Optic Cable Line Project, a 380 km fiber-optic cable will be laid along the bottom of the Caspian Sea between Sumgayit (Azerbaijan) and Aktau (Kazakhstan). This will ensure the transmission of multi-terabit data and establish high-speed internet connections of up to 400 terabits per second. The construction will be carried out in several stages, including coastal area and seabed assessments, the design and manufacture of high-quality, durable cables, and their transportation and installation. AzerTelecom and Kazakhtelecom aim to complete the construction by the end of 2026. The Trans-Caspian Fiber Optic Cable Line is a vital part of the Digital Silk Road project, a digital telecommunications corridor passing through countries like Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. This infrastructure will offer the most optimal and shortest route for data transmission, with high bandwidth and minimal latency, fostering regional cooperation and sustainable development. 4 March 2025 13:28 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have agreed to hold the 14th meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation in the first half of this year. Azernews reports that this was announced during a meeting between Uzbekistan's Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade, Laziz Kudratov, and Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Huseyn Guliyev. Following the meeting, it was agreed to take joint steps to organize the 14th meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation, as well as other events within the framework of the bilateral Uzbek-Azerbaijani cooperation agenda, in the first half of 2025. The upcoming meeting will serve as an important platform for both countries to strengthen their cooperation and explore new opportunities for mutual growth in various sectors. 4 March 2025 15:08 (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. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have reached an agreement to further develop their cooperation in the agricultural sector, implement joint projects, and carry out planned initiatives, Azernews reports, the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan. 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! 4 March 2025 17:32 (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. Entrepreneurs have invested 49.5 million manat in the Neftchala Industrial District to date, Azernews reports, citing the Economic Zones Development Agency under the Ministry of Economy. 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 March 2025 00:04 (UTC+04:00) On March 4, the Nizami Cinema Centre presented the documentary film "In the footsteps of a tripGreat Britain," dedicated to the official visits of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev to the United Kingdom. Azernews reports, citing Azertag, that the President of the Baku Media Center, Arzu Aliyeva, attended the film's presentation. Speaking before the screening of the film, the project leader, well-known traveler and journalist Azer Garib said that the film, which takes viewers to the historical cities of Great Britain - London and Edinburgh - visited by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, shows the unofficial aspects of the official visit. He noted that the film also presents historical facts about the special role played by the Great Leader in the formation of friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Great Britain. The film was shot in London and Edinburgh. This is the fourth film in the Following the Trail of a Trip series dedicated to the trips of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The first film is dedicated to the Great Leaders trip to Italy, the second to Japan, the third to China, and the fourth to Great Britain. The project highlights Heydar Aliyevs various foreign trips and their historical significance. The film collection "In the Footsteps of a Journey" reflects the activities of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev at the international level, the work he did to strengthen Azerbaijan's relations with world countries, and the steps he took to increase our country's international reputation. The creative team of the film, whose idea was conceived by Azer Garib, includes editor Ayaz Mirzayev, producer Asgar Garibzadeh, cameraman Ali Aliyev, and editing specialist Elmar Tariyeloglu. The film was produced with the support of the national air carrier Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), BP-Azerbaijan, and the CinemaPlus cinema chain. 3 March 2025 23:54 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Court hearings on the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Lyova Mnatsakanyan and others, who are accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violation of the laws and customs of warfare, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia's military aggression, was continued on March 3, Azernews reports. The hearings held at the Baku Military Court were presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev and a panel consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova). Each of the accused was provided with an interpreter into the language of their choice, as well as defense attorneys. Present at the hearings were the accused and their defense attorneys, some of the victims, their legal successors and representatives, as well as prosecutors in charge of public prosecution. When starting the questioning, the presiding judge offered each of the accused the opportunity to make a statement on the charges brought against them and other circumstances important for a comprehensive, complete and objective consideration of the charges. The court session saw free testimony from the accused Lyova Mnaksakanyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Erik Ghazaryan and Vasili Beglaryan. In his testimony, the accused Lyova Mnaksakanyan confirmed his participation in the war against Azerbaijan as part of the Armenian regular army. He said that a secret decision had been made on 20 September 2020 of which he was unaware. He said, I participated in the war against Azerbaijan as part of the Armenian regular army. I dont want to talk any further as to what the order was about. You all know that. In general, after I was discharged from military service, I didnt have any contact with the army. I was not interested for family and other reasons. In addition, we were forbidden to maintain any contact with the army. In particular, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia forbade us to talk to or stay in touch with anyone. Lyova Mnaksakanyan also spoke about the battles of April 2016, noting that Armenia had provided the self-styled regime with weaponry. There was no need for me to be involved in the 2016 operations. If there had been, of course, I would have been involved. We had a great deal of tactical, reconnaissance weapons and radio-electronic devices, some of which were available in Armenia. We got those weapons from Armenia. Finally, I want to state that if the high command gives us something, we must allocate staff and attract personnel for that. Speaking next was the accused Arayik Harutyunyan. In his free statement, he spoke about what happened in the run-up to the 44-day war. In June 2020, I asked Pashinyan to familiarize us with the process of negotiations. In June 2020, a meeting of the joint Security Council was held in Yerevan. The meeting was open to everyone. During that meeting, the then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia introduced us to the negotiation process. It was clear that this process was at an impasse. During the meeting, the heads of the Armenian defense agencies familiarized us with the situation in the army. It became clear that Armenia was not ready for war. War requires certain resources. In particular, food, weapons and financial resources were needed. It turned out that Armenia did not have the resources to wage war. I expressed my opinion there quite briefly. I stated that the outcome of the war would hinge on our resources. After all, any war is a war of resources. The potential of Azerbaijan in all areas was many times superior to that of Armenia. Then, in July, as you know quite well, there were shootings in Tovuz at the time. I had no idea what was happening there. I only know what they showed on TV. Since I was a new person, I had to get acquainted with the situation in the army and find out what was going on there on the line of contact. In the summer of 2020, I started to travel to the front line and get acquainted with the army. I published several articles on my Facebook page and the leadership website. The press service provided us with all the information about the army. And they were published on my page. And yes, there have been speeches and statements of mine that I now regret that I allowed to happen. He stated that he observed the exercises of the Garabagh army in the summer and at the end of June of that year, acknowledging that the exercises were led by the Chief of Staff of the Armenian army, Onik Gasparyan, and that the decisions on strikes deep into Azerbaijani territory had been made in Armenia. The exercises were led by the Chief of Staff of the Armenian army, Onik Gasparyan. And this was not a secret process, but something that was in front of everyone's eyes. At the end of the summer, Nikol Pashinyan arrived in Garabagh. I accompanied him to the army units. He got acquainted with the situation. I could see and hear what was happening in the armed forces. I had not received any information from the Garabagh defense committee. I was never provided with any information about the situation. I had no authority over the army. You know this too. This is also written about in the indictment. It has been repeatedly stated in the Armenian media that Armenia is responsible for the security of Armenians in Garabagh. The Armenian armed forces and the Garabagh defense army were also part of that. So, Armenia is responsible for security issues. As you know, on September 27, a large-scale war broke out. In accordance with the laws of Garabagh, we had to declare martial law, and so we did. The parliament was informed that the war had begun. The call-up announced by the leadership of the Garabagh army began. It was clear to me what the outcome would be. From the first days, my conversation with Pashinyan boiled down to when the war would stop. I met with members of parliament on a regular basis, almost every day. Almost every day, I met with Bako Sahakyan and Arkadi Ghukasyan. We talked about stopping the war at least a minute earlier. The next court hearing is scheduled for March 6. The hearing will continue with free statements of other defendants. We recall that a total of 15 Armenian nationals are being charged with numerous crimes involving direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, its state bodies, military forces and illegal armed formations, verbal and written instructions, orders and assignments, provision of material and technical support, central governance, as well as the exercise of rigorous control, with the aim of committing military aggression and acts of terror against the Republic of Azerbaijan in the territory of Azerbaijan in violation of domestic and international law. 4 March 2025 11:42 (UTC+04:00) According to Armenian media, Pashinyan outlined several key points regarding Armenias position: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that Yerevan is prepared to take steps to restore relations with Baku and Ankara, Azernews reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 4 March 2025 11:04 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Plans are underway to increase the number of personnel involved in humanitarian mine clearance operations in the Qazakh region of Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing the Azerbaijani National Mine Action Agency (ANAMA). It is worth noting that mine clearance activities in the liberated areas of the Qazakh district have been underway since April 2024. So far, 59.9 hectares of land have been cleared, and 857 anti-personnel mines, 95 anti-tank mines, and 38 unexploded military ordnance have been detected and neutralized. Additionally, as a result of last years delimitation work, a 12.7-kilometer-long border line was established, ensuring the return of four villages in the Qazakh district Bagans Ayrm, Asag skipara, Xeyrml, and Qzlhacl covering a total area of 6.5 square kilometers to Azerbaijan. On May 24, the territory of these four villages in the Qazakh region was placed under the control of the Azerbaijani State Border Service. 4 March 2025 13:02 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The Russian company Alfa Insurance has made the full insurance payment for the Embraer 190 passenger aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) that crashed near Katau, Kazakhstan, Azernews reports, citing Ilya Kabachnik, Deputy General Director of Alfa Insurance for Aviation and Space Insurance. "Both the aircraft and the carrier's liability to passengers were insured by Alfa Insurance. The main part of the risk was re-insured to the Russian National Reinsurance Company. The full insurance payment was made in February," he stated. Each airline, including AZAL, insures its aircraft, and passengers also have flight insurance included in their ticket price. Alfastrakhovanie fulfilled its contractual obligations to AZAL, covering the insured aircraft and passenger liabilities. Kabachnik also clarified why the insurer proceeded with the payment before the official investigation was completed. "Although the investigation into the accident is ongoing, we have enough information to arrange payments. As an insurer, the fact that the aircraft was destroyed is important to us. Since the risks of war and terrorism are also insured, the airline will receive payment in any case," he explained. 4 March 2025 14:45 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more "The Western Azerbaijan Community (WACC) condemns the biased statements made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk at the UN Human Rights Council," the community stated, Azernews reprots. "We expected the High Commissioner to condemn the grave consequences of Armenias occupation of Azerbaijani lands, including the destruction of religious and cultural heritage and mine terrorism, and to invite Armenia to sincerely cooperate with Azerbaijan to determine the fate of about 4,000 missing Azerbaijanis. The High Commissioner also did not condemn the recently racist speech of the first President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan, which reflected the goal of creating a mono-ethnic state by deporting Azerbaijanis, the construction of a restaurant on the ruins of an ancient mosque in Yerevan, as well as the revanchist statements periodically made by Armenia. We expected the High Commissioner to call on Armenia to start a dialogue with us, Western Azerbaijanis, who are struggling for a peaceful return to our ancestral lands. However, the High Commissioner did none of this. On the contrary, he went against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan by calling for the release of war criminals who committed the Khojaly genocide. This call by the High Commissioner actually means encouraging impunity. We call on the High Commissioner not to be selective in his approach to international law, international humanitarian law, international human rights law and not to interfere in the work of the judicial system of a sovereign state," the Community added. 4 March 2025 15:23 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more For the first time, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Ireland, based in London, organized a mobile consular service in Dublin, Azernews reports, citing the embassy. Held on March 1, 2025, the service was marked by the active participation of the Azerbaijani community in Ireland. Citizens had their questions answered, and applications for passport renewals and other consular services were accepted. The primary goal of the mobile consular service was to improve accessibility to consular services, demonstrate the state's attention to its citizens, and enhance overall citizen satisfaction. 4 March 2025 16:22 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has directed the Ministry of Commerce to develop a plan to increase trade with Azerbaijan to $2 billion, Azernews reports, citing the local media. This directive follows Sharif's recent visit to Azerbaijan, where several memorandums and agreements were signed. Sharif emphasized the immediate implementation of these agreements and highlighted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's pledge to invest $2 billion in Pakistan. To facilitate this, a committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will focus on agreements in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Additionally, Sharif instructed the Ministry of Commerce to submit a detailed plan to boost trade turnover and prioritize preparations for the Azerbaijani President's visit to Pakistan next month. The Prime Minister also ordered the appointment of trade representatives in Azerbaijan and other key markets for Pakistan. 4 March 2025 22:05 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The Commissioner for Human Rights of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva, conducted another visit within the framework of the National Preventive Mechanism, focusing on places where individuals are deprived of their freedom, Azernews reports. The latest visit took place at the Temporary Detention Center and Pre-trial Detention Center of the State Security Service, with the participation of the Ombudsman and members of the National Preventive Group on the Prevention of Torture. During the visit, several accused individuals, including Ruben Vardanyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and David Babayan, were received individually by the Ombudsman. Their appeals were heard, and their detention conditions and rights were assessed. A medical specialist from the National Preventive Group also conducted examinations. R. Vardanyan and B. Sahakyan confirmed that they had been treated humanely since their detention, had not faced discrimination or ill-treatment, and were provided with adequate medical care and detention conditions. They also acknowledged multiple visits by the Ombudsman and the International Committee of the Red Cross, expressing gratitude for the continued monitoring. The visit included an on-site inspection of hygiene, medical care, nutrition, and access to legal assistance, confirming that detainees were receiving necessary services without discrimination. Additionally, individuals were provided with informational materials on legal rights and mechanisms for appeal, including the Ombudsmans "916" Call Center. 4 March 2025 09:00 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Kazakhstan has launched a pilot project called "Digital Nomad Residency," aimed at offering new opportunities for foreign IT specialists, Azernews reports. "The goal of the program is to attract global IT talent to work and permanently reside in Kazakhstan, becoming an integral part of its rapidly growing digital economy," the report states. The Digital Nomad Residency program allows foreign IT professionals to obtain a permanent residence permit in Kazakhstan through a simplified process. The application review period lasts 45 calendar days, after which successful applicants can travel to Kazakhstan and complete their registration. This initiative aligns with Kazakhstan's broader strategy to enhance its digital economy and position itself as a hub for innovation and technological development in Central Asia. By offering foreign specialists an easier path to residence, the country aims to foster a dynamic and diverse tech ecosystem, attract international talent, and strengthen its competitiveness in the global digital landscape. In addition to attracting skilled workers, the program could boost local job creation, increase knowledge transfer, and foster collaboration between international and local businesses. As digital nomadism continues to rise globally, Kazakhstan's move reflects the growing trend of countries seeking to attract tech professionals and entrepreneurs to fuel economic growth. 4 March 2025 22:23 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva India, the worlds second-largest producer of unrefined steel, imported record amounts of finished steel from China, South Korea, and Japan in the first 10 months of the fiscal year, Azernews reports. Imports of finished steel from South Korea increased by 11.7 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 2.4 million tons. During this period, South Korea became the largest exporter of steel alloys to India. Steel imports to India from China totaled 2.3 million tons, while imports from Japan amounted to 1.8 million tons. Indias surge in finished steel imports highlights a significant shift in its steel industry, which traditionally focuses on producing raw steel. The increased demand for finished steel reflects a growing need in sectors like construction, automotive, and infrastructure development. While India is a major steel producer, the demand for high-quality, specialized steel alloys from countries like South Korea and Japan has led to a rise in imports, especially for advanced manufacturing processes. This trend also underscores the global interconnectedness of the steel market, with major producers like China, Japan, and South Korea catering to the growing demand in emerging markets like India. As India continues to invest in infrastructure and urban development, the reliance on imported steel may increase, impacting the dynamics of both global steel production and trade. 4 March 2025 22:47 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva South Korea and the United States have agreed to establish working advisory bodies to discuss Washingtons tariff policy and foster bilateral cooperation in the shipbuilding and energy sectors, Azernews reports. This announcement was made on Tuesday by South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk Geun during a briefing following his visit to Washington. According to Ahn, South Korea is the first country to form such advisory bodies with the new U.S. administration. These bodies are expected to begin their work soon. A total of four negotiation channels will be created, covering topics such as shipbuilding, energy cooperation (including South Korea's potential involvement in a liquefied natural gas project in Alaska), tariffs, and non-tariff barriers. During his three-day visit, Ahn Duk Geun held meetings with key U.S. officials, including Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. This collaboration marks a significant step in enhancing U.S.-South Korea relations, especially as both countries navigate global economic challenges. The establishment of these advisory bodies reflects a broader push to deepen cooperation in emerging sectors like energy and technology, particularly around issues like clean energy and supply chain resilience. South Koreas potential involvement in the LNG project in Alaska is especially noteworthy, as it aligns with both nations' efforts to bolster energy security and reduce dependence on volatile energy markets. The focus on tariffs and non-tariff barriers highlights ongoing concerns about trade imbalances and market access. Given the growing geopolitical tensions, particularly with China, the strengthened U.S.-South Korea partnership in these sectors could play a key role in shaping regional dynamics in Asia and beyond. "Alarming levels" of plastics are inside human brains. There are microplastics and nanoplastics in the brain Scientists have said a spoonful of microplastics and nanoplastics have been found in human brain tissue, and it has been linked to dementia, which is a degenerative condition - which causes a decline in thinking, memory, and reasoning skills. Doctor Brandon Luu, from the University of Toronto, said this is caused by people being exposed to bottled water. As a result, he recommends people drink tap water. He is quoted by the Daily Star newspaper as saying: "Bottled water can expose people to nearly as many microplastic particles annually as ingested and inhaled sources combined. "Switching to tap water could reduce this exposure by almost 90 per cent." The quack doctors who promote gender transition surgeries on minors to line their own pockets are often reported to pressure parents for approval of the gential mutilation surgery by telling them that their children are at risk of sucide if the surgery is not done. It turns out that this lie is the direct opposite of reality. A study conducted by Oxford University has found that those who have the genital mutilation surgery actually have an incresase in suicidal thoughts. This brutal surgery actually promotes suicide. https://modernity.news/2025/03/02/trans-surgeries-increase-risk-of-suicidal-ideation-oxford-study/ https://redstate.com/mike_miller/2025/03/04/new-comprehensive-national-data-base-study-links-gender-affirming-surgery-to-mental-health-risks-n2186267 This comes as the Trump administration has ordered a cutoff of federal funds to those who conduct these horrific surgeries. That is being contested by the gender transition industry through lawsuits in front of radical Obama judges. The first two "gender transition surgeries" both male to female were conducted in the 1930s in Germany by a doctor later convicted as a Nazi war criminal. One patient lived and the other died. Regarding the recent Israel /Iran Conflict (the "12 Day War"), culminating in the United States Air Force employing seven B2 Bombers to complete a 33 hour flight, dropping 14 fifteen ton bunker busting bombs on three Iranian nuclear facilities buried deep under mountain rock, which destroyed Iran's nuclear ambitions against Israel and the United States: Should President Trump have unilaterally made the decision to make such a bold decision to conduct this operation, without first running this prospective operation before the US Congress for their approval? 14.29% No, The War Powers Act prohibitions, which requires NO presidential military action without congressional approval.85.71% Yes, the President has Article 2 Constitutional authority to take unilateral military action to protect the American People, providing he does not break congressional codes, which he did not.0% Don't care, never have. An extremely violent crime gang that infiltrated America and set up shop all over America has been exposed as having deep ties to terrorist groups. Tren de Aragua is a Venezuelan crime gang which first appeared in the United States two years ago and has spread rapidly. One of its members murdered Laken Riley. It has been involved in taking over apartment complexes in mulitple states. That the US is now the focus of its operations was shown last year when TdA moved its headquarters from Venezuela to Juarez, Meixo, directly across the Rio Grande River from Texas. Tren de Aragua's spread to and within the US is a direct result of the Biden open borders policies. Now, it has been revealed that Tren de Aragua also has deep ties to international terrorist organizations including Herzbollah and to the Islamo-fascist government of Iran. Fittingly, President Trump has recently designated TdA as an international terrorist organization itself. These terrorist ties are deeply troubling given the extent to which the Biden regime allowed TdA to spread its tenacles across the US. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14339055/Tren-Aragua-Hezbollah-Iran-terrorists.html Here is an example of how TdA gangsters got into our country. A TdA gangster just arrested in Florida on gun charges was discovered to have come into the US on Biden's "advance parole" pipeline. There was no vetting. https://www.breitbart.com/border/2025/03/04/tren-de-aragua-suspect-faces-florida-gun-charges-used-bidens-cbp-one-app-to-enter-u-s/ TdA gang tattoos: SPW recently entered an agreement with Austin, Texas-based Capital Pain Institute, spurring the partnership with Terre Haute Surgical Center to perform interventional pain management procedures at the ASC. According to the report, SPWs services will include nerve blocks, epidural injections and medical device implants to help with chronic pain. 1. The Urology Center of Colorado, based in Denver, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Feb. 13 in the wake of a $1 million lawsuit from an Iowa-based data security company. The center, known as TUCC, abruptly closed last summer as the first step in the bankruptcy process. One patient reportedly wrote in a Yelp review that their appointment was cancelled without warning. An undated message on TUCCs website reads: After 18 years of dedicated service to the Denver community, we are announcing the closure of The Urology Surgery Center of Colorado. It has truly been a privilege to care for you and your families during this time. According to the BusinessDen, just two weeks before filing for bankruptcy TUCC and its former CEO John Tillett, MD, were sued by Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Ark Data Centers, a data security company that stored TUCCs data. The lawsuit seeks $1 million in unpaid bills and accuses Dr. Tillet and the company of perjury and fraud, according to the report. 2. Tenants of a three-story medical office building in Dorchester, Mass., have been ordered to vacate by May. The medical office building is located on the campus of Carney Hospital, which shut down abruptly following a bankruptcy filing by its parent company Dallas-based Steward Health Care. The building, known locally as Seton Medical Building, will officially shutter in May and currently houses family medicine, podiatry, surgery, cardiology and other practices. 3. Sturm Cosmetic Surgery, an ASC in Ames, Iowa, has closed for unknown reasons. A notice pinned to the front door of the center said that the center is no longer accepting patients. All upcoming surgical appointments have also been canceled. The centers website is no longer active and has been scrubbed of all information. It remains unclear why the practice closed. The facility was operated by Lindsay Sturm, MD, whose license remains active, according to the report. Dr. Sturm is currently entangled in a pair of malpractice lawsuits that have alleged negligence, according to the Tribune. One lawsuit claimed Dr. Strum caused injury to a patient, allegedly leading to death. Glen DeBrueys, a seasoned ASC leader and CEO of East Brunswick, N.J.-based AmericanSurgisite, recently joined Beckers to discuss the evolution and future of ASC-hospital relationships. Mr. DeBrueys has managed and operated ASCs since 1987, when he first launched a joint venture with 13 ophthalmologists. Within 10 years, the group had developed four surgery centers in New Jersey, which were then sold to a public company. Mr. DeBrueys eventually bought back those surgery centers and expanded the company across several states. In 2017, with the advent of private equity discovering ophthalmology, according to Mr. DeBrueys, he sold one of the surgery centers to a hospital system. Its been an upper deck home run, he said. In a nutshell, we had formed a company called Vision Centers Network of America with nine surgery centers in the New York City metropolitan area with the prospect of gaining a seat at the table for insurance contracting. Securing favorable payer contracts is a top reason that ASCs seeks out hospital and health system partnerships, which was a major payoff for Mr. DeBrueys and his centers. He currently owns and operates three centers. [T]he best thing for surgery center owners to look for would be acquisition by the right hospital system, he said. Finding the right hospital system comes down to mutual understanding of financial goals and alignment, he said. When they approached us, I was very leery about it, he said. But I went to another center that was the first center that my partner and I had developed back in 88, and they had sold it, and I questioned the people there about it. While improved rates from payers was a central factor in the success of that sale, he also said that there was an understanding attitude toward learning more about the operations of ASCs. At the end of the day, they trusted us, he said. I know that everybodys happy with the way we run the business. He attributes this to the proven efficiency of his ASCs and a cultural alignment between his centers and the hospital. It doesnt mean that if you sell to a hospital system, its going to turn out this way. It really has everything to do with the quality of their contracts, he said. And I think their culture, as it turns out, is similar to ours. In 2022, just 44% of physicians owned their practice, compared with 76% in the early 1980s, according to a report from the American Medical Association. Around 61% of employed physicians said they have moderate or no autonomy to make referrals outside of their practice or ownership system, and 47% said they adjust patient treatment options to reduce costs based on practice policies or incentives, according to a survey from NORC at the University of Chicago. This one factor makes physicians vulnerable to the whims of large corporations, Loay Kabbani, MD, a vascular surgery specialist at Detroit-based Henry Ford Health, told Beckers. As physicians become more and more employed, we lose control of our practice and our patient-physician relationships. Sean Gipson, CEO and ASC division president of Remedy Surgery Center in Houston, has worked as a hospital administrator for a large health system in Texas, giving him firsthand experience with the differences between hospital employment and ASC practice. The call responsibilities, the bureaucratic red tape its just a lot harder to get things done in a hospital system compared to an ASC, Mr. Gipson told Beckers. One advantage of ASCs is their ability to move quickly on operational decisions. For instance, when physicians request a piece of capital equipment, hospitals require them to navigate a lengthy approval process, often waiting for the next years budget cycle, he said. In contrast, ASCs can pivot much faster. In a hospital system, you need to go through a budget committee, get approval and then hope you make the cut for next years capital budget, he said. By that time, the ASC is already operating on patients. ASCs also offer greater flexibility in scheduling and case management. Unlike hospitals, which can have rigid structures and backup teams, ASCs can adapt quickly to maximize efficiency. However, this comes with trade-offs particularly in attracting top-tier talent. In an ASC model, its harder to attract renowned physicians because the budget isnt always there, Mr. Gipson said. We have to be savvy in negotiating contracts to even have a chance at bringing those physicians on board, even if its just for a couple of days a week or every other month. Despite the benefits of ASCs, many physicians still gravitate toward hospitals for one key reason: financial security. Doctors often feel safer in a system because hospitals have deeper pockets than an ASC, which operates with limited funds whether from private equity, physician investment or other sources, he said. According to a Feb. 20 NYC Health + Hospitals news release, Dr. Soto will oversee North Central Bronxs outpatient clinics, including pediatric, womens health, primary care and surgical specialties. Dr. Soto has served as a physician within the system for 20 years. She earned her medical degree from the State University of New York Downstate in Brooklyn in 2001 and went on to complete her internal medicine residency at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx. She worked at various primary care practices before returning to NYC Health + Hospitals and working at several of their branches, where she spearheaded treatment for chronically ill mental health patients. In 2020, Dr. Soto was promoted to chief of ambulatory care and also served as the health equity officer at South Brooklyn (N.Y.) Health. Karla Sofia Gascon has thanked the Academy after this year's Oscars. Karla Sofia Gascon has thanked the Academy The 'Emilia Perez' actress - whose award season campaign has been marred with controversial after resurfaced social media posts from 2021 showed her making negative comments about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Academy Awards - was nominated for best actress and appeared at the event on Sunday (02.03.25), although she skipped the red carpet. In a message on Instagram translated from Spanish, she wrote: "Thanks to the members of the Academy for the best actress nomination, for the invitation to the ceremony. "I enjoyed it very much, it was entertaining and fun, especially the fabulous host Jimmy Kimmel he is fantastic and looks more like the great Conan OBrien every day. Her Kimmel quip was a reference to Oscars host Conan OBrien's joke about her controversy. During his monologue, he said: Anora uses the F-word 479 times. Thats three times more than the record set by the publicist of Karla Sofia Gascon. Karla, if you are going to tweet about the Oscars, remember my name is Jimmy Kimmel. According to Page Six and the Los Angeles Times, Karla was seen heading to the bar during a break in the ceremony with her agent, a Netflix publicist and what appeared to be a security guard. Karla became the first transgender woman nominated for best actress by the Academy, with Emilia Perez leading the years nominations with 13 in total. Academy CEO Bill Kramer had urged attendees to show respect for the nominee. He said in a statement: The Academy does not condone hate speech I want to be very clear about that. Karlas nomination is historic. Thats really important. Shes still a nominee. We honour that, but we do not condone hate speech. She had previously addressed the backlash against her social media posts scandal in a statement to Page Six, saying: I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt. She added: As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness. Richard Gray, MD, CEO of Mayo Clinic in Arizona, told Beckers the 1.2 million-square-foot expansion part of the Bold. Forward. Unbound. strategic initiative aligns with Mayo Clinics broader Bold. Forward. strategy and its long-term vision for national growth and innovation. Editors note: Responses are lightly edited for length and clarity. Question: Mayo Clinics Bold. Forward. strategy aims to cure, connect and transform healthcare. How does Bold. Forward. Unbound. specifically align with and advance that strategy? Dr. Richard Gray: Bold. Forward. is intended to cure, connect and transform healthcare specifically, by Mayo Clinic leading in providing new cures and new care for patients with the most serious and complex conditions; connecting people with data to produce new insights and more personalized and proactive care; and transforming healthcare to a more platform approach, where we can bring the best solution from anyone to patients who need them, wherever they are not just those that physically come to Mayo Clinic. The centerpiece of our transform portion is the creation of Mayo Clinic Platform, which is a collaboration of nearly half of the top 11 healthcare organizations in the world, across four continents, to create a distributed data network that has the depth, breadth and heterogeneity of data on patients across socioeconomic class; urban versus rural; racial, ethnic categories, to ensure we can create and validate the most effective AI models to help anyone. The rules of the road are that any values-aligned solution developer can leverage Mayo Clinic Platform data to create and validate algorithms, as long as those algorithms are then available on the platform for any healthcare organization that wishes to be part of the platform to take in to benefit their patients. So, that Mayo Clinic Platform piece is to benefit all of healthcare and all of society. Were Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Arizona, which fits into that. With this new way this new platform and data-informed, personalized and proactive approach to healthcare we need facilities that allow for that kind of delivery of care, where we are blending those data- and AI-driven pieces. At Mayo Clinic, we now have over 300 AI models in various stages of deployment, to where our facilities become more intelligent. In some ways, they are intelligent facilities that become part of the care team, and what Mayo Clinic is best known for is teamwork and multiple specialists working together around patients with complex conditions. So we need these facilities to both grow so that we can impact more patients at Mayo Clinic, but more importantly, transform the way that future healthcare models will be carried out in a way that is safer, more personalized to patients, and leverages the advantages of AI-driven solutions that are created on platforms like the Mayo Clinic Platform. Q: With this expansion increasing clinical space in Phoenix by nearly 60%, how is Mayo Clinic strategically planning for workforce growth, technology integration and operational efficiency to support this level of expansion? RG: What makes Mayo Clinic special is our special people who are both humble and brilliant and come together and execute on our core value that the best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered. The needs of the patient come first. So people are the center of our strategy our Mayo Clinic people helping people, our patients. And so we do absolutely have a workforce strategy with this, because, in the next 10 years, with this expansion, we will be adding 3,500 full-time equivalents, which means even more than 3,500 jobs at Mayo Clinic in Arizona specifically. That will encompass a lot of different skill sets, from physicians to scientists to nurses to other healthcare technicians. As part of that, we have been, for quite some time, developing our workforce pipeline. Mayo Clinic, of course, combines clinical practice, research and education, and within education, we have five schools of education. Those five schools within Mayo Clinic provide a significant pipeline of talent to bring into our organization. But we also collaborate with a lot of other organizations. We have collaborations with Arizona State University within the Phoenix metropolitan area. Across Mayo Clinic, we have collaborations with universities elsewhere. We collaborate with community colleges in our region and even technical schools. So we are very proactive at mapping out when we will need specific skill sets. And because this is a transformation, we also need to reskill and upskill our existing workforce for these new models of care, and we are carrying those out as well. We have a program for our existing employees to increase their education, where we cover that so that they can increase their skill sets either formally through additional degrees or informally through internal or external educational programs that provide additional skills. In terms of technology integration, weve added a lot of automation to unburden our staff from routine tasks so that they can spend more time and attention on meeting the needs of our patients and, quite frankly, have more joy in what they do. What they enjoy doing is being with and caring for patients. What they dont enjoy doing are the routine administrative tasks, and so we are definitely integrating technology into that. We are also unburdening them in some aspects where we can leverage technology to keep patients safe and informed. Some of those more routine or worrisome tasks how do I make sure that a patient doesnt have a fall?, for example can be eased with technology integration, helping provide staff with greater peace of mind. Q: In addition to Arizona, Mayos Bold. Forward. Unbound. physical plan also includes projects underway in Rochester and in Jacksonville, Fla., and Mayo Clinic Health Systems recently completed projects in Mankato, Minn., and La Crosse, Wis. How does the Arizona project fit into Mayos broader long-term vision for national growth and innovation? RG: All of this fits together very cohesively. All of that is part of the Bold. Forward. Unbound. phase of our overall Bold. Forward. strategy, knowing we need greater facilities for those patients who need to physically come to us. Even though were reaching more through digital solutions, for those patients who come to us, we need to do so in a different way with more technology integration, with more automation and with different approaches for patients. Specifically, some of the other principles of Bold. Forward. Unbound. that are being carried out in Arizona, Jacksonville and Rochester and to a degree in our health system are things like creating care neighborhoods. As healthcare facilities grow and become very large, it starts to be daunting and even intimidating for patients. So weve taken it as a principle to map out patient journeys and, as much as possible, create care neighborhoods where patients can come and have a more familiar area. Similar to all of us, wherever we are, we have access to a lot of things we need close by maybe our grocery store, a hardware store, a pharmacy, whatever it may be in our neighborhood. Now, we all know we need to leave our neighborhoods for certain things, but theres that comfort and familiarity with most of the things we access around our neighborhood. Its a similar principle were executing on through Bold. Forward. Unbound. not just in Arizona, but also at our other sites creating care neighborhoods where patients more often enter a space that is familiar to them, where they can get most of their needs met without traveling across a large medical campus. They can feel that sense of home, belonging and familiarity that gives them more peace of mind. When coming to Mayo Clinic, they are often facing some of the most serious and complex conditions patients can face. Similarly, we are focused on creating very intuitive and simple patient wayfinding and engendering trust. All of those components are part of the strategic planning for Bold. Forward. Unbound. So yes, this is about expanding access to Mayo Clinic for those patients with the most serious and complex conditions, and thats extremely important, but its also about transforming the way we do healthcare technology-enabled, AI-driven, data-driven but in a way that makes technology feel like its in the background. Its just that things are better, and patients feel more comfortable. They feel that sense of trust and ease. Here is the average weekly travel nurse pay for each state, as of February 2025, along with the percentage difference between February and January. Note: States are listed in descending order based on their average weekly travel nurse pay in January 2025. California February: $2,819.68 Month-over-month decrease: 0.75% Alaska February: $2,646.59 Month-over-month decrease: 0.73% Delaware February: $2,598.05 Month-over-month decrease: 0.14% Nevada February: $2,556.69 Month-over-month decrease: 0.36% Massachusetts February: $2,552.14 Month-over-month decrease: 0.46% Minnesota February: $2,540.43 Month-over-month decrease: 0.72% New Jersey February: $2,517.67 Month-over-month decrease: 0.41% New York February: $2,513.75 Month-over-month decrease: 1.49% Oregon February: $2,507.46 Month-over-month decrease: 0.31% Rhode Island February: $2,462.20 Month-over-month increase: 1.35% Wisconsin February: $2,455.29 Month-over-month increase: 0.51% Vermont February: $2,446.67 Month-over-month decrease: 0.09% New Hampshire February: $2,420.37 Month-over-month decrease: 0.52% Maine February: $2,414.38 Month-over-month decrease: 1.12% Montana February: $2,381.07 Month-over-month decrease: 0.20% Washington February: $2,368.94 Month-over-month decrease: 0.78% Illinois February: $2,363.18 Month-over-month increase: 0.16% South Dakota February: $2,359.53 Month-over-month decrease: 0.48% Hawaii February: $2,352.39 Month-over-month decrease: 0.94% Wyoming February: $2,352.29 Month-over-month increase: 0.62% Pennsylvania February: $2,347.60 Month-over-month decrease: 0.15% Connecticut February: $2,343.42 Month-over-month decrease: 0.22% Virginia February: $2,241.71 Month-over-month decrease: 0.98% North Dakota February: $2,337.38 Month-over-month increase: 2.09% Idaho February: $2,313.28 Month-over-month decrease: 0.02% Nebraska February: $2,302.25 Month-over-month increase: 2.90% Missouri February: $2,246.79 Month-over-month increase: 0.01% Iowa February: $2,244.15 Month-over-month increase: 1.03% Arizona February: $2,237.99 Month-over-month increase: 0.55% New Mexico February: $2,235.17 Month-over-month increase: 1.32% Utah February: $2,227.88 Month-over-month decrease: 0.63% Ohio February: $2,205.42 Month-over-month decrease: 0.97% Kentucky February: $2,182.24 Month-over-month decrease: 1.95% West Virginia February: $2,214.40 Month-over-month decrease: 0.39% Indiana February: $2,206.06 Month-over-month decrease: 0.40% Maryland February: $2,177.68 Month-over-month decrease: 2.05% Michigan February: $2,149.88 Month-over-month increase: 0.31% Oklahoma February: $2,146.24 Month-over-month decrease: 1.20% Kansas February: $2,093.59 Month-over-month decrease: 2.12% North Carolina February: $2,090.62 Month-over-month decrease: 0.47% Arkansas February: $2,075.55 Month-over-month increase: 0.72% Florida February: $2,069.76 Month-over-month decrease: 1.44% South Carolina February: $2,069.19 Month-over-month decrease: 0.78% Louisiana February: $2,055.15 Month-over-month decrease: 0.13% Colorado February: $2,053.51 Month-over-month decrease: 7.02% Georgia February: $2,036.58 Month-over-month decrease: 0.13% Tennessee February: $1,995.08 Month-over-month decrease: 0.07% Texas February: $1,962.83 Month-over-month decrease: 0.38% Alabama February: $1,932.31 Month-over-month decrease: 1.29% Mississippi February: $1,823.22 Month-over-month increase: 0.97% Vista East, part of Waukegan-based Vista Health System, implemented the furloughs to cut costs. Kevin Spiegel, CEO of Vista Health, did not provide the Tribune with a timeframe of the furlough extension. Instead, the hospital has hired 35 full-time nurses to help meet patient needs to move closer to profitability as the hospital continues to operate at a loss. Our focus is in hiring full-time nurses and not administrative and ancillary personnel, Mr. Spiegel told the publication. They will provide the bedside care our patients need. The hospital was acquired by Glendale, Calif.-based American Health Systems for $23.5 million in July 2023, and the facility came with an existing debt. AHS also paid $15 million for new hospital equipment. In February 2024, the hospital lost its level 2 trauma center resignation, but it was reinstated in March 2024. Vista East is also under investigation by state health officials and police for the late January 2025 death of a 28-year-old woman who was found unconscious on the hospitals roof. The patients family has filed a wrongful death suit, the Tribune said. Through the furloughs and hiring of 35 full-time nurses, Mr. Spiegel said the hospital aims to lessen its overall payroll expenses and boost revenue by becoming a designated safety-net hospital through the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services. Beckers has reached out to Vista Health for comment and will update this story should more information become available. Prior to joining Mount Sinai, Mr. Tammaro spent more than two years as CFO of Columbus, Ohio-based Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, but the Bronx native is happy to be back in the Big Apple. Growing up in the city, you always heard about many of the great things going on at Mount Sinai, always known for its excellence in research and clinical care delivery models, Mr. Tammaro said during a Beckers CFO+Revenue Cycle Podcast episode. Mr. Tammaro said one area in healthcare that he is following closely is the adoption of new technology tools, particularly in workforce. The system has been investing in digital scribe technologies to combat healthcare worker burnout, reduce documentation and ensure more time is spent treating patients. There are a lot of cool AI scribe technologies out there that weve been piloting at Mount Sinai over the last three to six months, he said. As healthcare turns more toward outpatient treatment, Mr. Tammaro said hes excited to continue executing on ambulatory strategy at Mount Sinai. In December 2024, Ania Wajnberg, MD, president of Mount Sinai at Home, told Beckers that the system also doubled its hospital-at-home program over the last year. When it comes to collaborations and partnerships, Mr. Tammaro said its important to think outside of the box to look at all opportunities in the New York City marketplace. As we think about costs continuing to go up, as we look at wage pressures, we continue to focus on productivity, he said. [From] a governmental reimbursement standpoint, there arent many increases coming. From the commercial space, the majority of the commercial business is self insured, and many of the large companies are looking to reduce their cost structures too. Were kind of being limited as far as the rate increases, theres only so much we can do on productivity, so the only other opportunity is growth, which will allow us to continue to drive an overall financial performance for the organization. The patients in our hospitals are becoming more acute with each passing decade, Tom McCoy, MD, medical director of biomedical engineering at Massachusetts General Hospital, told Beckers. When we look at acute care, its very obvious that medical devices are a critical component of delivering very high-acuity medical care. Hospitals currently receive a vast amount of patient information from multiple sources, including EHRs, medical devices and lab results. However, these systems often do not integrate seamlessly, leading to fragmented data that makes it challenging for physicians to get a comprehensive view of a patients condition. To address this issue, Philips and Mass General Brigham are developing a system to consolidate real-time patient data into a single platform. Philips technology will collect live data from devices such as ventilators and patient monitors, integrating it with medical records. AI will then analyze this data and send automated alerts if a patients condition changes, allowing physicians to respond more quickly. Meanwhile, Mass General Brigham will contribute its expertise in engineering, AI and clinical care to develop tools that identify patterns in patient data. These tools aim to detect early warning signs of deteriorating health, enabling earlier intervention and potentially preventing complications. When you walk into a modern, high-acuity patient room, youll see that a single patient is supported by multiple medical devices. For software to truly support the patient, it must integrate data flows from all these devices in real time. That requires a vendor-neutral medical device integration system, where data from physiological monitors, ventilators and other devices can be shared on the same computational platform, Dr. McCoy said. When we conducted our market analysis in 2017, the Philips Capsule system stood out as the best solution for mobilizing data from high-acuity settings. Over time, weve seen that this data provides valuable insights into patient conditions. However, the challenge lies in maintaining the complex software environment behind the commercial product. The Philips Capsule system collects the data, but we need a computational engine to process it, generate insights and support clinical decision-making. This partnership focuses on building this next layerthe system that links and analyzes these signals in real time. To use an airline analogy, its like ensuring that a check engine light and a low fuel alarm arent just separate alerts but are analyzed together to detect discrepancies in fuel consumption, Dr. McCoy said. This next step allows us to integrate and compute over multiple signals, offering clinicians a clearer picture of a patients condition. One of the initial research initiatives of this partnership focuses on real-time cardiac monitoring. The goal is to detect early signs of decompensation in patients on cardiac monitors in acute care. Using supervised machine learning, the system will analyze cases where patients required rapid response or resuscitation to predict future deterioration, Dr. McCoy said. Lets use the markers from our existing healthcare system that indicate a person has gotten dramatically sicker and try to get advanced notice on impending dramatic sickness in our future patients. By combining AI-driven insights with real-time data, this partnership aims to set a new standard for patient monitoring in high-acuity settings, improving outcomes and response times. Tina Esposito, chief data officer of Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health, has seen the role grow over the past five to 10 years due to strategic industry shifts, such as the emergence of value-based care. That was, to some extent, a way in which data became much more important in the organization, Ms. Esposito told Beckers. It was always important, but when something shifts so dramatically in terms of the strategy around how we deliver care, you have to then think about how to ensure the data corresponds. The growth in this role at health systems has slowed down as most organizations have already filled the position, according to Kiran Mysore, chief data and analytics officer at Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health. Now, the role of chief artificial intelligence officer is expanding, a position that requires close collaboration with the chief data officer, he said. AIs rise is accelerating this trend, but the importance of a CDO remains vital because good AI models rely on good data and foundation, Mr. Mysore said. Beyond AI, the role has evolved in response to the industrys need for compliance and regulation, as well as better interoperability and integration. Good interoperability and ease of data sharing are crucial, as data is exchanged securely with a large ecosystem outside the hospital, Mr. Mysore said. Healthcare requires handling large volumes of structured and unstructured data for value-based care, population health, research and precision medicine. How the chief data officer role is changing Ms. Espositos role focuses on leveraging data to drive better patient outcomes and organizational performance. Her work includes the full scope of managing data: modernizing data platforms, reporting, analytics and data governance. The role will continue to change because of a few factors, she said. This is already happening, but the cloud enablement has been game changing, and I think that will continue, she said. This has brought forward a different aspect of the role that has not been present until recently, partially due to initial concerns about patient privacy, challenges that the industry has largely addressed. Now, cloud platforms and front and center as an AI enabler, she added. Ms. Esposito also predicted that health systems will consider integrating more external data, combining it with internal know-how to provide broader insights. The increase in mergers and acquisitions could also present new challenges in merging assets. What is becoming very apparent is that data is definitely a specialty, and as these organizations become larger and more complex, all of that is reflected in their data, Ms. Esposito said. Whats becoming very clear for folks is that you need professionals not just the chief data officer, but a data team to support that level of complexity. Data driving success Much of the data-focused work at Advocate Health has entailed integration efforts post-merger, Ms. Esposito said. This has entailed enabling an integrated view for senior and operational leaders around health outcomes and safety. With year-end results, weve improved the long-term health of about 600,000 hypertension patients, she said. Similarly, weve had very good success with our diabetic population, about 220,000 patients that weve impacted by helping them keep their glucose in control. Sutter Health is building a data platform to enhance patient access and experience, expand its reach, improve efficiency, manage quality and risk, and optimize its workforce. The system recently launched Sutter Navigator, a tool that provides operations staff and leadership with a single source of truth for key operational metrics, Mr. Mysore said. These metrics are updated daily, offering valuable insights into hospital and ambulatory performance across various business aspects, he said. The tool has improved our operational reviews and allows our operators to manage their areas more proactively. Weve also incorporated AI and GenAI capabilities into the platform, enhancing the insights we provide. Sutter Navigator is driving better transparency to our health system and is helping us meet our patient and business goals through better insights and foresights. Ms. Prybylo will retire May 1 as president of the 112-bed hospital and as senior vice president of Andover, Mass.-based Covenant Health. Community hospitals, especially in rural communities, are the backbone of the U.S. healthcare system, Ms. Prybylo told Beckers. One of her proudest achievements has been reinforcing St. Josephs role as a community hospital. Ive always believed that you need to sit on your doorstep and look out to see what the issues are, and that the community owns our hospital, she said. We are now known as a convener and an integrator. We cant solve all the problems of our community, but we can certainly bring people together around the table. Ms. Prybylos philosophy and commitment to the community have been reflected in her convening of a community health leadership board and the development of the Sexual Assault and Forensic Examiner nursing program, which ensures 24/7 access to nurses trained to care for victims of violence. She also helped form an accountable care organization Community Care Partnership of Maine which is independently operated, unlike many other ACOs, she said. Ms. Prybylo said the group serves as an important support network for community hospitals and federal quality health centers throughout Maine. Expanding age-friendly care Located in the state with the oldest population in the U.S., St. Joseph has strengthened its primary and specialty care network under Ms. Prybylos leadership, improving access for older adults. The hospital has also developed a hub-and-spoke model to support rural communities, addressing high morbidity and mortality rates in these areas. Ms. Prybylo will continue focusing on age-friendly care after her retirement. She is set to complete her PhD in nursing in August, with research centered on enhancing care for older adults. Her research examines how patients self-reported health assessments gathered during Medicare wellness visits can serve as a predictive tool. Research has shown that patients with lower self-reported health assessments have a much lower life expectancy than those with high self-assessments. My research focuses on trying to use that as a risk stratifier, almost as another vital sign, to be able to assess patients and develop a plan of care, she said. Ms. Prybylo will also remain involved with the Community Care Partnership of Maine as its chief research and innovation officer. The organization is collaborating with Philadelphia-based University of Pennsylvania to implement and adapt its transitional care management model for rural communities with limited access to nurses. The pilot program, set to launch in March, aims to provide better care coordination for patients with chronic conditions across the care continuum. Leadership advice Reflecting on her career, Ms. Prybylo said great leadership comes down to instilling a sense of purpose in teams. If you dont grab the hearts and minds of the people that youre working with, theyre not going to follow what youre telling them to do, she said. Throughout her tenure, and especially during the pandemic, Ms. Prybylo saw firsthand the flexibility and innovation of healthcare workers, as well as the heavy burdens they carry. Always be aware of what challenges the staff has, particularly direct caregivers, she said. Recognize that your workforce is made up of humans who carry a lot of burdens, and theyre still coming into work every day and doing a phenomenal job. We need to support them in that work, but also in totality, in terms of their lives. Below are the 13 hospital transactions that Beckers has reported on since Feb. 27: 1. New York City-based NYU Langone completed its merger March 3 with Patchogue, N.Y.-based Long Island Community Hospital. The hospital, which will now be known as NYU Langone Hospital-Suffolk, is NYU Langones seventh inpatient facility. 2. Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems sold ShorePoint Health-Port Charlotte (Fla.) and certain assets of ShorePoint Health-Punta Gorda (Fla.) on March 1 for $260 million to Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth. The 254-bed Port Charlotte facility was renamed AdventHealth Port Charlotte. The 208-bed Punta Gorda facility indefinitely suspended inpatient operations in fall 2024 after sustaining irreparable damage during hurricanes Helene and Milton. AdventHealth has not confirmed whether it will repair the damage and resume operations at the hospital. 3. Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare acquired eight St. Louis-based Ascension Hospitals in Illinois on March 1. The hospitals are: Ascension Holy Family in Des Plaines, Ascension Mercy in Aurora, Ascension Resurrection in Chicago, Ascension St. Francis in Evanston, Ascension St. Joseph-Elgin, Ascension St. Joseph-Joliet, Ascension St. Mary-Chicago and Ascension St. Mary-Kankakee. The transaction also included four post-acute and older adult living facilities, and two ASCs. Ascension St. Elizabeth in Chicago was part of the sale, but the hospital closed in mid-February. Prime will work with Chicago and the community to determine next steps for the hospital. 4. Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare purchased Lehigh Acres, Fla.-based Lehigh Regional Medical Center, from Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare on Feb. 27. The parties signed an asset purchase agreement Oct. 3 for the 53-bed hospital, which has been renamed HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital. The newly acquired hospital is NYU Langones seventh inpatient facility, according to a March 3 news release from the health system. The organizations have been affiliated since 2022. In that time, NYU Langone has made several investments in the 306-bed hospital, including: Investing in operating room technology, including robotic equipment to enhance gynecologic, orthopedic and vascular procedures Implementing Epics EHR system Hiring more than 100 physicians and other advanced providers Reopening the inpatient psychiatry unit Expanding trauma capabilities Installing MyWall digital tablets in patient rooms The completion of this merger, along with the expansion of our outpatient locations in the local community, marks a new era of healthcare exceptionalism on Long Island, Robert Grossman, MD, CEO of NYU Langone Health and dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in the release. Of those 12 states with abortion bans, 11 impose criminal penalties that range from a few months in prison to life sentences. Clinicians can also face fines and have their medical licenses revoked, as most ban violations are classified as felonies. Losing their medical license could prevent many physicians from practicing in other states, though some states that support abortion allow physicians who had their license revoked due to a ban violation conviction to still practice in their state. So far, no clinician has yet been convicted or imprisoned for performing an abortion since Dobbs. Here are the states that impose criminal penalties for physicians who perform abortions and the prison sentences allowed. Alabama: 10 years Arkansas: 10 years Idaho: two to five years Indiana: one to six years Kentucky: one to five years Louisiana: one to 10 years Mississippi: one to 10 years Oklahoma: two to five years Tennessee: three to 15 years Texas: five to 99 years or life South Dakota: two years West Virginia: No criminal penalty for physicians but non-physicians could face three to 10 years Read the full report here. Elon Musk, a key figure in President Donald Trump's administration and head of the United States Department of Government Efficiency, has publicly backed the idea of the U.S. withdrawing from NATO and the United Nations. Musk voiced his support on Saturday night, simply responding "I agree" to an X post stating, "It's time to leave NATO and the UN." His remarks align with calls from some Republican lawmakers, including Senator Mike Lee, who has criticized NATO as a "Cold War relic" that disproportionately benefits Europe at America's expense, the UK Defense Journal reported. Musk's endorsement of the move comes amid ongoing discussions within the Trump administration regarding the U.S. role in international alliances. While Trump has not explicitly committed to leaving NATO, he has repeatedly pressured European nations to increase their defense spending, arguing that the U.S. should not bear the financial burden alone. With the war in Ukraine ongoing and NATO playing a key role in European security, U.S. withdrawal could significantly reshape global defense dynamics. European leaders have already expressed concerns over Trump's approach to the alliance, particularly as Trump seeming embraces Russian President Vladimir Putin while NATO counters Russian aggression. Musk's comments signal a growing push within the administration for a more isolationist foreign policy, prioritizing domestic defense over international commitments. Originally published on Latin Times Originally published on ibtimes.com.au Boston Scientific has reached an agreement to acquire SoniVie, a medical device company developing the TIVUS Intravascular Ultrasound System, an investigational technology aimed at treating hypertension through renal artery denervation. Dr. Nelson is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in shoulder, joint replacement and elbow surgery, according to a news release shared with Beckers. In addition, Dr. Nelson has expertise in areas including arthroscopic procedures for minimally invasive repairs, elbow ligament reconstruction and total joint replacements of the shoulder, elbow and knee. Orthopedic Associates supports locations in Missouri and Illinois, according to its website. Michelle O'Neill said that 'rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services' A DUP MLA has accused Sinn Fein of double standards after it criticised the UK supplying weapons to Ukraine days after hero-worshiping IRA bomber Bik McFarland. David Brooks hit out at Michelle O'Neill, who said it was "incredulous" that the Thales factory in Belfast had been contracted to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to the war-torn country. Former Kainos CEO Russell Sloan (right) stepped down from the role before ex-boss Brendan Mooney was re-appointed in December 2024. A Belfast-based IT firm has announced its axing 190 jobs in response to challenging trading conditions which are causing clients to delay making decisions on projects. Kainos plc, the only NI company listed on the FTSE 250, currently employs around 3,000 meaning that the number of redundancies equate to around 7% of its global workforce. The move comes just months after the firm replaced its chief executive after telling shareholders to expect full year sales to come in below market expectations. On Tuesday, Kainos confirmed it had made the "difficult decision" to reduce staff numbers in response to the "current market environment". "This decision was made with careful consideration and a focus on the long-term growth opportunities of our business, a statement read. "While our business fundamentals remain strong, this step allows us to manage costs responsibly while continuing to support our customers. "We recognise that this means saying goodbye to talented colleagues who have made valuable contributions to Kainos. "They leave with our deep gratitude, and we are committed to supporting them in their transition to new opportunities." Just last April the company was given planning permission to build new 14-storey city centre headquarters on Dublin Road with construction reportedly due be finished in early 2027. In November, Kainos reported a 5% fall in revenue to 183.1m in interim results for the six months to September 30, 2024. But Kainos said it had maintained profitability with a 1% decline in adjusted pre-tax profits to 38.2m. While it had strong growth in its Workday products division, it said there was a subdued services market amid a tougher trading environment. The figure for adjusted pre-tax profit included a 1.2m investment to support its partnership with Workday. Overall bookings were 11% lower at 179.5m, down from 201.9m. But there was a 8% rise in contracted backlog at the end of the six months to 354.1m, and a strong cash position of 151.6m. The company operates across three divisions digital services, Workday services and Workday products. Then in December, the companys former chief executive Brendan Mooney made a surprise return to his old job which he retired from in September 2023 after 22 years in charge. His successor Russell Sloan stepped down with immediate effect. After being reappointed, Mr Mooney insisted there is "significant growth opportunities" for the business and said his time off had given him "a fresh perspective on future potential". Kainos chair, Rosaleen Blair, thanked his predecessor insisting the Mr Sloan left with our gratitude and respect and we wish him every success in the future". Mr Sloan said: "It has been a privilege to work with so many talented people over my 25-year career in Kainos and I'm tremendously proud of everything we have achieved and delivered for our clients." How an encounter with a billionaire at dads funeral launched this mans finance career Founder of fledgling wealth manager Fordel, Stephen Felle, whose business partner is from NI, tells Sean Pollock there are rich pickings in a sector thats ripe for shake-up and new blood Stephen Felle is boss of his own wealth management firm, Fordel. Photo: Frank McGrath. Sean Pollock Tue 4 Mar 2025 at 07:39 Stephen Felle was walking out of his fathers funeral in Co Meath when the billionaire businessman, Dermot Desmond, asked the 15-year-old what he wanted to do with his future. Review: This is the best Oasis have been since 96 some might say better... a rock reunion to end them all Excellence in Innovation sponsor Innovation is the lifeblood of a thriving economy, and businesses that invest in research and development (R&D) play a crucial role in driving progress. Recognising the importance of continuous improvement and ambition to originate creative solutions, Sumer Northern Ireland is proud to sponsor the Excellence in Innovation category at the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards. With a highly specialised team, including three engineers with experience in the pharmaceutical, cybersecurity and aerospace sectors, Sumer Northern Ireland has built a reputation as a trusted advisor in the field of R&D tax relief and patent box claims. Cathy Kennedy, associate director at Sumer Northern Ireland, said: With so many complexities in the R&D tax relief system, businesses need expert support to ensure that they are analysing and recording their R&D activities correctly in a timely manner and in accordance with the relevant legislation. Our team firmly understands the financial and technical aspects of innovation, allowing us to provide tailored guidance that adds real value, and we can also assist with any grant applications that may be applicable. Sumer NI logo In recent years, HMRCs approach to R&D tax claims has altered significantly to mitigate against fraudulent claims. With a more stringent review process in place, the Sumer Northern Ireland team is fully focused on innovation taxes and ensures clients are complying with the relevant requirements, helping businesses fully understand the tax reliefs available, submit compliant claims, and remove ambivalence and delay by using technical subject matter experts. Ms Kennedy said: Post-Covid, HMRCs R&D tax relief process is more stringent, and businesses need to be prepared for increased scrutiny. We proactively work with our clients to ensure their claims are robust and they have a sustainable plan for R&D analysis going forward, with involvement from factory floor to the design team and the finance team to the CEO. The Advanced Notification Form (ANF), which was introduced for accounting periods starting on or after April 2023, represents another major shift in the R&D tax relief process. Businesses must now notify HMRC of their intent to submit a claim at least six months from the end of their accounting period or risk losing the ability to claim entirely. This update places a greater emphasis on proactive planning and compliance, making expert guidance more crucial than ever. Another key area where Sumer Northern Ireland can help businesses is in responding to HMRC enquiries, which are occurring at an unprecedented rate. One method of response utilised by the team is alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Belfast Telegraph Business Awards logo While R&D tax relief is widely recognised, the patent box regime, which offers a lower rate of 10% corporation tax for profits attributable to patents, remains underutilised, despite offering significant tax savings. Given the recent rise in corporation tax, patent box which was introduced on April 1, 2013 is an invaluable tool with a massive tax differential for innovative companies looking to enhance their financial efficiency. Ms Kennedy said: Patent box is an excellent opportunity for businesses to make significant tax savings, yet many are not taking advantage of it for a number of reasons, including lack of awareness, criteria, costs and a reluctance to disclose trade secrets. We want to change that by helping businesses implement strategies to benefit from this underused scheme. As proud sponsors of the Excellence in Innovation category, were looking forward to celebrating the businesses that are driving progress and economic growth. Good luck to all the entrants. To find out more, go to www.sumerni.co.uk. To enter the awards, go to www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/businessawards/enter A leading university across the island of Ireland and a member of the Russell Group, Queens University Belfast combines excellence in research and education with a student-centred ethos and strong cognisance of their civic and social responsibility. Queens is ranked number two in the UK for entrepreneurial impact and together with their commercial arm, QUBIS, they have developed in excess of 100 companies with an estimated combined annual turnover of circa 500m. Supporting entrepreneurial activity is a key focus for the university in delivering significant impact. The work of the Students Union Enterprise team (SU Enterprise) is central to this, offering support to students and recent graduates who want to start or grow their own business. This support ranges from one-to-one advice, programmes, competitions and funding opportunities, with an emphasis on cultivating an entrepreneurial culture and connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with resources to help turn their ideas into successful ventures. One such success story is that of Peter Gilleece who completed his mechanical engineering degree at Queens in 2020, all the while working on his entrepreneurial ideas with the support of SU Enterprise. Queen's University Peter entered the What's the Big Idea? competition in 2019, securing a 500 initial investment for his business venture, quickly followed by a 4,000 investment from the QUB Dragons Den programme. Since then, he has gone on to develop Vikela - a 3D printing technology company creating lightweight body armour and game-changing composites, now a rapidly growing business that was recently recognised in the 2025 Startups 100 Index for Most Disruptive New UK Startups. In July 2024, Vikela closed an investment round, securing significant funding from Two Magnolias Venture Capital, ScaleX Investments and other angel investors. This has enabled Peter to open Vikelas brand new, state of the art factory in Bangor, in addition to expanding his already established team of staff. Belfast Telegraph Business Awards He often revisits the Students Union to support the next generation of entrepreneurial talent and to share his journey to inspire current students. Beyond the provision of niche support to the next generation of budding entrepreneurs here in Northern Ireland, Queens University is a key player in the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD), accelerating economic growth and ensuring a talent pipeline of fully equipped, future ready graduates to meet future business demand. The economic impact of the university extends across the UK, with a London Economics Report estimating the total impact at over 3bn per annum. As Queens celebrates its 180th anniversary this year, their ambition as a university remains steadfast to shape a better world through life-changing education and research. To enter, go to www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/businessawards/enter The rates are next to nothing compared to up north, says founder Sam Shephard A healthy food and juice chain from Northern Ireland plans to open three stores in Dublin. Juice Jar, founded by Sam Shephard in 2019, is opening its first shop in the city on Dawson Street in an outlet next to Marco Pierre White Steakhouse and Grill later this month. The brand has six other stores in Belfast and Bristol and will serve sandwiches, fresh juices, smoothies and acai bowls. Mr Shephard said Juice Jar had identified a second unit in Dublin within a stones throw of its Dawson Street outlet. He is also looking at a third site in the Blackrock suburbs and hopes to have all three open by the end of the year. In terms of why Ireland? Well, primarily, its from a business perspective. The fundamentals stack up hugely, he said. I could rhyme off a million reasons. You have Vat sitting at 9% in July 2025. Up north, its 20% across the board. Corporation tax is 12.5% down here while its 25% up there. The rates down here are next to nothing compared to up north, where theyre about 40% of your rent. Down here, it works out at about 10% of rent. There are a lot of plusses. For me, it is just the straight economics of it. Mr Shephard said the heart of Dublin sees six times the footfall of Belfast. He added that the opportunity on Dawson Street was significant, predicting it could potentially generate three times the sales of one store in Belfast. The Juice Jar shop on Dawson Street is a 2,300sqft unit undergoing a 500,000 (413,000) fit-out. It will create 15 new jobs, as well as three managers who are moving down from Northern Ireland. In terms of optimism, I dont think you can get a better street for hospitality in Dublin, he said. Explainer: How does China's green development contribute to global climate action? Xinhua) 10:05, March 04, 2025 An aerial drone photo taken on July 19, 2024 shows a wind farm in Tongliao, China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen) "If a country has effective and low-cost green technologies, is committed to a global ecological civilization, practices free trade, and is willing to share its green technologies, then it can play a key role in shaping a postmodern, ecological global civilization," said Philip Clayton, president of the U.S. Institute for Ecological Civilization. "China can play and is playing this crucial role." BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Recent years have witnessed record-breaking heatwaves worldwide, making it clear that global warming is not merely a distant warning but a harsh reality. Meanwhile, China, with its steadfast commitment and remarkable progress in green development, has emerged as a champion in the global transition to renewable energy, serving as a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change. What has China achieved so far? What does it mean to the world? Here is what to know. This photo shows a ceremony marking the 10 million milestone that China's annual production of new energy vehicles (NEVs) has surpassed for the first time, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Nov. 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) A GREENER CHINA China has been making concrete steps toward its commitment to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP decreased by 50.9 percent in 2021 compared to 2005, the base year for the country's climate contributions, according to recent reports submitted by China to the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The country has been growing literally greener. China's forest coverage rate reached 25 percent by 2023, with forest stock exceeding 20 billion cubic meters. The annual carbon-sink capacity of China's forests and grassland has exceeded 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, ranking first in the world. Meanwhile, renewable energy expansion in China continues to set new records, with over 200 million kilowatts of newly installed capacity for renewable energy power generation in the first three quarters of 2024, accounting for more than 80 percent of total new installed capacity. In 2023, China accounted for 60 percent of the new renewable capacity added worldwide, according to World Energy Outlook 2024. Electricity generated from clean energy accounted for 39.7 percent of the country's total power generation in 2023, up by around 15 percentage points from 2013, according to a white paper titled China's Energy Transition issued in 2024. China is also a top player in reducing energy intensity, with 26 percent down since 2012. Its production and sales of new energy vehicles have topped the world for 10 consecutive years. China's achievements in green development reflect its strong commitment to balancing economic development with environmental sustainability, said Naing Swe Oo, a senior advisory board member of Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies. "Through the ambitious carbon neutrality goals, energy structure adjustments and industrial decarbonization efforts, China has made significant progress in the transition to a more sustainable economy," he said. Maksat Abilgaziev (R) and his colleague check power transformer equipment at Zhanatas wind farm in Zhanatas, Kazakhstan, on April 3, 2023. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua) THE GREEN GROWTH Bearing fruitful achievements domestically, China has been assisting other countries in achieving green growth and strengthening their adaptation capacity for climate change. For years, China has aided the construction of clean energy and environmental protection projects in developing countries. For instance, under the China-Ethiopia-Sri Lanka Renewable Energy Technology Transfer Project, 11 green energy solutions have been installed covering 12 small and medium-sized demonstration sites and benefiting more than 50,000 people across five provinces in Sri Lanka and four regions in Ethiopia. They are expected to generate at least 70,000 kWh of energy -- saving approximately 157,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Moreover, clean energy stations with Chinese investments have taken off in both Kazakhstan and Mali. The Zhanatas Wind Farm in Kazakhstan generates 350 million kWh of clean electricity annually, equivalent to saving 109,500 tons of standard coal and cutting carbon emissions by 289,000 tons every year. The Gouina Hydropower Station in Mali has transformed West Africa's energy landscape since its 2022 launch. Generating 687 million kWh annually, the hydropower plant provides enough power for 1 million residents across Mali, Senegal and Mauritania, replacing 240,000 tons of coal and reducing carbon emissions by 630,000 tons yearly. Kenya economist James Shikwati noted that China's experience in green and sustainable development provides valuable inspirations for Kenya and other African countries. "If China can produce more green products within Africa, it would be a significant benefit for the continent," he said. Boasting the world's largest and most complete new-energy industrial chain, China is home to 70 percent of the photovoltaic components and 60 percent of wind power equipment worldwide. In 2023 alone, the country's export of wind and photovoltaic products helped reduce carbon emissions by 810 million tons in recipient countries. "Solving China's problems also helps solve problems for many other countries," said Hoe Ee Khor, chief economist of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office. "If a country has effective and low-cost green technologies, is committed to a global ecological civilization, practices free trade, and is willing to share its green technologies, then it can play a key role in shaping a postmodern, ecological global civilization," said Philip Clayton, president of the U.S. Institute for Ecological Civilization. "China can play and is playing this crucial role." This aerial photo taken on July 17, 2023 shows the newly built solar farm of Tianjin Yinghua New Energy Technology Development Co., Ltd. in north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua) A GREEN FUTURE No matter how the international landscape evolves, China's determination and action for proactive climate response never changes. It is one of the initial parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and among the first signatories and ratifiers of the Paris Agreement on climate change. From 2016 to 2023, China supported other developing countries with roughly 24.5 billion U.S. dollars in total climate-related funding. Over the years, China has been active in promoting a fair and more equitable global climate governance system. Within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UN Environment Programme on building a green Belt and Road for 2017-2022, launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development together with 31 countries, and formed the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition with more than 150 partners from more than 40 countries. "Through such initiatives as the BRI, China is helping other developing countries deploy green technologies, such as solar farms and wind power infrastructure. This not only promotes China's influence, but also accelerates the global green transformation," said Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank. By October 2024, China, an active participant in South-South cooperation, had signed 53 MoUs on South-South cooperation addressing climate change with 42 developing countries, and had implemented nearly 100 projects focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Additionally, China had rolled out over 300 capacity-building programs in climate-related fields and provided training opportunities for over 10,000 participants from more than 120 developing countries. With climate change and green development listed among its eight key areas, the Global Development Initiative proposed by China has won the support of an increasing number of countries and regions around the world. It has established more than 30 cooperation platforms, with over 1,100 projects launched, covering all 17 of the United Nations' sustainable development goals. "There's no doubt that China's commitment to green development has positioned itself as a leader in the global fight against climate change, which is critical to global decarbonization efforts," said Malindog-Uy. "China's continued leadership in this field is likely to shape the future of the global energy markets and climate policy." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) President Donald Trump is scheduled to host the first ever cryptocurrency summit at the White House on Friday, signaling bigger changes for the industry under the new administration. The White House announced the news Saturday to an ecstatic crypto community that was expecting a lot of positive outcomes from the summit. What will the summit focus on? According to the press release, the summit will include "prominent founders, CEOs, and investors from the crypto industry," and members of the Trump working group on digital assets. Chaired by White House crypto and AI czar David Sacks and administered by the crypto council's Executive Director Bo Hines, the upcoming event was already making waves across crypto communities. JUST IN: The White House to host "first ever crypto summit." pic.twitter.com/kp5TOI2vAC Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) March 1, 2025 According to the White House press release, the summit will delve into these topics: Responsible growth: The presser reiterated that Trump was committed to ensuring support for "responsible growth and use" of cryptocurrencies, indicating that the attendees will discuss security and safety for crypto investors. The presser reiterated that Trump was committed to ensuring support for "responsible growth and use" of cryptocurrencies, indicating that the attendees will discuss security and safety for crypto investors. A new dawn for crypto: The statement also noted that Trump's "policy vision" was one that sought a new era for fintech, indicating a focus on innovation and development. The statement also noted that Trump's "policy vision" was one that sought a new era for fintech, indicating a focus on innovation and development. Regulatory framework: For many in crypto, the lack of clear rules in crypto regulation has stifled growth, but the Trump administration said it was committed to delivering a "clear regulatory framework, enabling innovation," which means regulations will also be a major topic during the summit. For many in crypto, the lack of clear rules in crypto regulation has stifled growth, but the Trump administration said it was committed to delivering a "clear regulatory framework, enabling innovation," which means regulations will also be a major topic during the summit. Freedom: The statement reiterated that Trump was committed to "protecting economic liberty," suggesting that the summit will also discuss a major issue for many crypto holders in centralized financial systems: a lack of individual freedom to transact and be free from prying eyes. Sacks also said after Trump announced a "crypto strategic reserve," the matter will be discussed at the summit. President Trump has announced a Crypto Strategic Reserve consisting of Bitcoin and other top cryptocurrencies. This is consistent with his week-one E.O. 14178. President Trump is keeping his promise to make the U.S. the Crypto Capital of the World. More to come at the Summit. David Sacks (@davidsacks47) March 2, 2025 What crypto users are expecting While the White House has provided a rough outline on what the summit will focus on, crypto users on X have also made their suggestions. Web3 gaming investor Ryan Patrick said it would be great if the summit tackled a "no tax on crypto" executive order or new regulations around crypto. LCX Founder and CEO Monty Metzger said there should be discussions on a "national license for crypto exchanges" for the industry, instead of state-by-state solutions that can be complex for some applying exchanges. A national license for crypto exchanges is needed for the industry; instead of complex state by state solutions. A lightweight regulatory solution which still gives room for innovation. Monty Metzger (@montymetzger) March 1, 2025 It remains to be seen whether any of the provided aspects of crypto will be discussed, and if any of the recommendations will be tackled at some point. For now, positive sentiments within the community have helped crypto recover from the previous weeks' downturn, with Bitcoin climbing above $90,000 following a major drop below $80,000 last week. Originally published on ibtimes.com.au Ambitious trainees ready to learn from the best at Culinary Salon dinner event When chef Mark Hix first considered a career in the culinary world he had a simple choice to make. Take domestic science at school in the west country seaside town of Weymouth, where he grew up, or go with the tried and trusted, male dominated metalwork. I chose domestic science, he said. I thought it might be a good way to meet some girls. It turned out quite the opposite all the girls chose metalwork and there were three of us, all boys, in the class. It was, looking back on a career which saw him work in the kitchens of some of the most celebrated London restaurants, a wise decision, if not for the reasons he initially intended. Having become a top chef at establishments including The Ivy, The Hilton, The Dorchester and Le Caprice, Mark is now lauded as a pioneer of English cuisine, re-writing the rulebook. He then branched out on his own with his unique HIX restaurants, has been involved in TV work with the Great British Menu and penned 12 cookbooks. He arrived in Belfast yesterday to impart some of his knowledge to a new generation of chefs at Ulster University as part of the Oxford Cultural Collective backed Culinary Salon series. Celebrity chef Mark Hix at the University of Ulster Academy restaurant in Belfast with trainee chefs Caoimhe Hamilton and Jodie Chan (Stephen Hamilton) While running his own restaurants took a back seat when he called it quits during the Covid pandemic, Mark remains very much at home in the kitchen and as an award-winning food writer. I started at catering college in Dorset and moved straight to the London scene, he said. I just got stuck in. You have to put in the groundwork. Today colleges on the mainland arent as good as they used to be, but I always find when I come to Ireland theyre a few notches up from whats on offer elsewhere. Its places like this, at Ulster University, where it all starts. They get the right amount of people with the right attitude to succeed. I worked through the ranks and ended up having my own business. I would never do anything differently when I look back on where Ive been, the places Ive worked and the restaurants Ive managed, the celebrities served. Now Ive got no restaurants, so its about the next generation. But its all been good fun. Ive been here a few times, he said. Peter Hannan (Hannan Meats, Moira) has always been a key supplier to my restaurants and a good friend. We fish a lot together and cook up some of his meats on a barbecue. Ive enjoyed a lot of good times in Northern Ireland. And youre making some the best cheese and butter to be found anywhere, he added. ...its one of those businesses thats never going to die off...People are always going to want new dining experiences, and we need young people like those here at Ulster University coming through. Mark will be leading students as part of the Culinary Salon series, with 100 guests arriving at the universitys Academy restaurant on Tuesday night. Seasonal and simple is the plan for the menu, he said. For me its always been natural to cook in seasons, he added. Use the ingredients from that season rather than trying to use all ingredients all year round. It keeps the menu varied across the year. Hospitalitys a business thats never going to go away, he said, and hes been impressed recent changes in Belfast. Its always been a difficult business, he said. And sometimes a wealthy mans business, but Ive seen the developments around St Annes Square. Belfast is always a place where youll get great food. But even when you think youve got a good formula it doesnt always work out. Staffing and rent costs can be high so it can be quite a struggle. Good food and good ingredients are key to success. But its one of those businesses thats never going to die off, he added. People are always going to want new dining experiences, and we need young people like those here at Ulster University coming through. Celebrity chef Mark Hix at the University of Ulster Academy restaurant in Belfast (Stephen Hamilton) Donald Sloan, chair and founder of the Oxford Cultural Collective, is delighted to have Mark involved in the scheme. In every generation there are only a small number of chefs considered to have changed attitudes to food and bring a new perspective to menus, he said. In the 1980s and 90s when Mark was at Le Caprice he did that. His contribution was absolutely game changing. Two students hoping his game-changing knowledge helps them are Jodie Chan and Caoimhe Hamilton, currently in their second year of culinary arts. Its very exciting to have an opportunity like this, said Caoimhe. You know where hes been, where hes worked, the restaurants hes run and the TV work so having him here looking over our shoulders is a little daunting, but we can learn so much, This is the third or fourth time weve been involved in a night like this and every time is different, added Jodie. Chefs all have their own styles and ways in the kitchen. Having Mark behind with us does put a bit of pressure on, but its good pressure. Were here to learn from the best. Union calls for tougher action as it warns appalling behaviour is contributing to school staff recruitment and retention crisis Eighty per cent of school leaders here say they have been abused by parents in the past year. Eighty per cent of school leaders here say they have been abused by parents in the past year, a survey has revealed. The poll by the NAHT revealed shocking examples of head teachers and other senior staff being targeted. The union surveyed 1,642 school leaders across England, Wales and Northern Ireland last November. Verbal abuse was the most common form suffered, with 88% of those polled saying they had experienced it. This was followed by threatening behaviour (76%); online abuse (30%) and discriminatory language (21%), including racism, sexism or homophobia. Nearly one in 10 (9%) was physically attacked. The survey exposed widespread trolling on social media and in parent groups, as well as appalling hate campaigns, harassment and intimidation. Some school leaders said the abuse had made their lives a misery to the extent they had considered quitting the profession. It has left some suffering anxiety, depression and panic attacks. NAHTs Dr Graham Gault said: These statistics paint an alarming and deeply troubling picture for schools in Northern Ireland, one that cannot be ignored. It is unacceptable that, as public servants dedicated to the education and well-being of children, they should be subjected to such treatment. Urgent action is required. We will continue to press employing authorities to take decisive steps in addressing unacceptable behaviour and violence, including online abuse, and to establish clear and robust processes for dealing with these incidents when they occur. Seventy-four per cent of those surveyed said abuse from parents had increased in the last three years, with 34% saying it had greatly increased. Nobody said abuse had decreased. Thirty-three per cent said they typically experienced abuse every term; 25% said it happened every month, and 13% said it occurred weekly. Just 27% said it was rare. Dr Graham Gault, NAHT NI national secretary NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said: The vast majority of parents are very supportive of schools and in most cases the relationship between school and home is really positive. However, in recent years we have heard of a worrying increase in the amount of abuse school leaders are experiencing. Some of the stories we are hearing about the appalling abuse leaders and their staff are suffering are almost beyond belief. These are dedicated professionals, who work hard day in, day out to deliver a first-rate education for children in often trying circumstances. No one should have to suffer this sort of abuse in their place of work. It causes enormous distress for school leaders, their staff, and sometimes pupils, and is even contributing to decisions by good people to leave the profession at a time schools are in the grip of a severe recruitment and retention crisis. Where parents have concerns, worries or complaints, they of course should be able to raise these with the school, but that has to be done in a respectful manner. Put simply, whatever the situation, there is never an excuse for abuse. In response to the abuse, 19% of principals here had banned parents from the school; 20% had reported parents to police or the local authority; 17% had reported them to the local trust; 67% had arranged a meeting with parents, while 45% had issued a warning letter or email. Across the UK, 82% of head teachers said they had been abused by parents (verbal 85%; threatening behaviour 68%; online abuse 46%; discriminatory language 22%, and physical violence 10%). Last week Stormonts Department of Education revealed the number of assaults on teaching staff in schools had almost doubled (86% increase) in the last two years. In total, 1,677 assaults were reported to the Education Authority and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools between 2022 and 2024 A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: The Department considers that any verbal or physical abuse within educational establishments is entirely unacceptable. All employers across the education sector fully endorse this view and advice, guidance and support on the prevention of violence at work is provided by the employers to their schools and teachers. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said she would not be introducing domestic water charges (Liam McBurney/PA) Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has said she will resist a concerted effort to push for the introduction of domestic water charges in Northern Ireland. The Sinn Fein minister has insisted the charges will not be happening, stating she did not want to add additional pressure on people struggling with the cost of living. Northern Ireland Water, which is funded by the Department for Infrastructure, provides water and sewerage services. There has been strong political opposition to the introduction of domestic water charges in Northern Ireland (Rui Vieira/PA) It has previously warned that uncertainty of financial support and historic underfunding are having a serious impact on wastewater services, which is impacting on the construction sector. An Audit Office report last year called for a comprehensive review of the current funding arrangements for NI Water. While non-domestic water charges already apply in Northern Ireland, there has been strong political opposition to introducing domestic water charges. In her first appearance at ministerial question time since taking on the infrastructure portfolio, Ms Kimmins was asked for her assessment of the funding model of NI Water. She said: My department has reviewed water utility company structures across Britain and Ireland for best practice, including mutualisation. However, the privatisation and mutualisation models favoured in England and Wales require charges to be paid by domestic water customers, so they are essentially water charges by the back door. Furthermore recent evidence has demonstrated that these governance models do not necessarily provide the better levels of services people expect and can lead to higher levels of debt and increasing costs. I am keen to see the delivery of improvements to wastewater infrastructure to facilitate housing growth and economic development as well as helping improve water quality. Alliance Party MLA Andrew McMurray said that mutualisation is community-ownership, pointing out this was different from privatisation. The minister responded: Mutualisation essentially will result in the Executive oversight being relinquished and that is concerning given that we have seen examples where this hasnt worked well. To achieve mutualisation, this would require charges to be paid by domestic water customers, there is no ambiguity around that. NI Water would also be required to secure debt and financing at quite a significant scale. In order to do that they will be required to borrow large amounts of money which would have to be financed in some way. The newly published Programme for Government contains pledges for a number of new social houses to begin being built by 2027, MLAs heard (David Young/PA) For me I feel it is just another way of dressing up the introduction of water charges for domestic customers and I am committed to ensuring that we dont add an additional pressure to people here who are already struggling with the cost of living. TUV MLA Timothy Gaston pointed out that Communities Minister Gordon Lyons had announced 100,000 new houses would be built by 2039 and the Executives new Programme for Government had committed to more than 5,000 new social houses being started by 2027. He said: The current wastewater infrastructure doesnt support these developments. Ms Kimmins said: The reality is that the overall Executive budget would still not be enough to deliver the wastewater upgrade that is required. That does not mean we do nothing and I will continue to work to the best of my ability with all of my Executive colleagues to ensure we can do as much as we can to ensure the homes we have committed to build are built at the earliest possible stage. Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen asked the minister when her department would accept that the current funding model for NI Water is not working. She said: I dont believe that the model isnt working. I think the problem is we dont have enough funding. I think there is a concerted effort to push us in the direction to implement water charges. That will not be happening and I am committed not to doing that. Holywood woman Natalie Brannigan leaves Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday afternoon following pleas by her legal team ahead of sentencing later this month on charges arising from the murder of Denis Curtis Shearer at a house in Bangor, County Down. Photo Alan Lewis A Bangor man murdered by his cousin's partner was subjected to a "brutal and sustained attack" as he lay asleep with "no chance to defend himself", a court has heard. Denis Curtis Shearer was attacked in the bedroom of his Fernmore Road home in the early hours of February 28, 2021. The 25-year-old was struck up to nine times in the head with a blunt instrument and passed away in hospital nine days later from his injuries. Details of the fatal attack emerged during a plea hearing at Belfast Crown Court today. Timothy Walker (43), whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry and who is originally from Abbey Ring in Holywood, pleaded guilty at a hearing on March 9, 2021, to a charge of murdering Mr Shearer. Last December, Walker was handed a life sentence by Mr Justice O'Hara. Walker was back in court today alongside his partner and co-accused Natalie Brannigan (42). Brannigan, from The Green in Holywood, admitted a charge of assisting offenders. She accepted that on February 28, 2021, knowing Timothy Walker had committed an offence, she did an act with intent to impede his apprehension by driving her car to collect him in the Glencairn area of north Belfast, after he burned his car out, then drove him to Holywood and onwards to Newtownards. The couple, who have four children together, were told by Mr Justice O'Hara that they will be sentenced for their respective offences on Tuesday, March 11. Prior to this, the senior judge was addressed by barristers from both the Crown and defence. Prosecuting KC David McDowell said that at the time of his death, Mr Shearer lived in Bangor with his foster parents and had a "number of mental health issues". At around 3am on February 28, 2021, Mr Shearer's foster parents were woken by a loud bang. Hearing footsteps in their home, Mr Shearer's foster mother shouted: Denis is everything OK?. Someone then closed her bedroom door. As she knew something was wrong, she got out of bed and heard a noise, which she later realised was her foster son shouting out in pain. Upon investigation, she saw both her porch and front door were open, with the Crown saying the locks on both doors had been broken by "the intruder". When Mr Shearer's foster mother then entered his bedroom, she saw blood on his duvet and pillow. She shook his leg as he lay in bed and yelled his name, but there was no response. Mr McDowell said it was "apparent" that Mr Shearer had sustained a head injury and that blood was splattered on the walls and ceiling. An ambulance was called, Mr Shearer was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, and he passed away nine days later on March 9. A post-mortem concluded that Mr Shearer's death was due to a severe head injury caused by at least nine forceful blows with a blunt weapon. The court heard that around a month before his murder, an allegation about Mr Shearer was made, which was reported to the PSNI. When she was asked about the attack, Mr Shearer's foster mother spoke of the allegation and mentioned the names Timothy and Natalie. The PSNI launched an investigation and CCTV footage from a house on Fernmore Road was viewed. The footage captured a dark car which resembled Walker's Mercedes C-Class car in the area at the relevant time. The CCTV also captured a figure parking the car outside Mr Shearer's home at around 3am, getting out of the vehicle and pulling his hood up. The same male was then seen making his way from the house at around at 3.17am. Three hours later, a Mercedes car was reported as being on fire at waste ground in the Forthriver area of Belfast. This car, which belonged to Walker, was destroyed in the fire along with his mobile phone. A police investigation was launched and it was established that Walker and Brannigan had been at a party in Holywood on February 27 where alcohol was consumed. Brannigan left around midnight, with Walker leaving separately. Walker returned to the party in the early hours of February 28 and told someone in the house: I have done something stupid. When she was arrested at 9.40am on February 28, Brannigan was interviewed over three days. During this period, she said she had been drinking at the party. She also admitted that after being contacted by Walker, she collected him from the Forthriver area of Belfast, took him to Holywood, then drove him to Ards, knowing he had seriously assaulted her cousin. Regarding Walker, Mr McDowell said police were initially unable to locate him. But on March 1, during a call between Walker and a police sergeant, the wanted man said he was at a caravan park in Ballyhalbert and that he would take the rap. The following day, Walker attended a police station and was arrested on suspicion, at that stage, of attempted murder. During the course of nine interviews, Walker said he suffered from mental health issues. When asked to account for his movements, he said he couldn't but claimed he heard voices in his head telling him to do stuff. He also said he had drunk a lot at the party and couldn't remember leaving, that he couldn't remember going to Bangor and that his partner had done nothing wrong. Walker also initially denied assaulting Mr Shearer and denied being in the area where his car was burnt out. Despite this, Walker subsequently admitted murdering Mr Shearer. Mr McDowell told Mr Justice O'Hara that victim impact statements made by the deceased's mother and his foster parents set out "the trauma" of the attack and the nine days "before the unimaginable decision for them to turn off his life support. He added: "They also detail the very deep loss felt by them and their recognition that their lives have been irretrievably altered." The prosecutor also set out several aggravating factors and described the attack on Mr Shearer as "brutal and sustained", one where multiple blows were inflicted. The Crown KS described Mr Shearer as "vulnerable" and said he was "attacked with a weapon as he lay asleep in his bed with no chance of defending himself". Mr McDowell also said "it was a vigilante attack" and that Walker had "decided to take the law into his own hands". Defence barrister John Kearney KC, representing Walker, spoke of his client's "underlying mental health issues" as well as alcohol misuse. Saying there was "no history of violence" in Walker's background, Mr Kearney said the attack was "spur of the moment" and that his client was bound to be apprehended. Mr Kearney also spoke of Walker's traumatic "younger years", said "this is a man who does not have his sorrows to seek" and pointed out that his client had accepted responsibility for the fatal attack. Brannigan's barrister, Eilis McDermott KC, told Mr Justice O'Hara that her client "had no involvement in the murder". Citing Brannigan's clear criminal record, her employment history and her desire to qualify as nurse, Ms McDermott also spoke of Brannigan's parental responsibility to her children, especially given that their father is now serving a life sentence in prison. After listening to all the oral submissions, Mr Justice O'Hara said he would impose the sentences on March 11. Victim Denis Shearer News Catch Up - Tuesday 4 March Police have released CCTV footage of a person they wish to identify. The CCTV footage was posted by police to social media on Tuesday morning. The footage appears to show a man in dark clothing and a dark hat pass a number of properties. Police wouldnt be drawn on the nature of the incident but posting to social media PSNI North Belfast said: Can you help us identify the individual in the accompanying footage? We are investigating a recent incident that occurred in north Belfast on Monday, 3rd February. We believe the individual in this footage may be able to assist us with our enquiries, and we are asking them or anyone who has information to contact us on 101. A woman has been taken to hospital after being rescued from a body of water in Belfast. The incident happened in the Cromac Place area of Belfast shortly after 6:30am this morning. Police received reports that a woman had entered the water following a concern for safety. Officers who arrived on scene first used a life ring to assist in getting the woman out of the water. In a statement, a police spokesperson said: Police received a report of a concern for safety in the Cromac Place area at around 6.30am this morning. Officers attended, along with colleagues from Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, and a woman who entered the water, was safely removed." Stock Image: Police attended the scene News Catch Up - Tuesday 4 March Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said patients expectations had been raised by language used in the PFG (Liam McBurney/PA) It will be a terrible condemnation of the Stormont powersharing Executive if pledges of extra money in the Programme for Government to tackle hospital waiting lists are not delivered, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has said. Mr Nesbitt issued a public challenge to Finance Minister John ODowd, First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to show me the money as he seeks clarity over targets in the document. Mr Nesbitt also said the language in the programme for government (PFG) was to some extent aspirational. First Minister Michelle ONeill (left) and deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly (right) with the Stormont Executives Programme for Government on Monday (David Young/PA) The PFG published on Monday includes a pledge to spend up to 80 million a year to prevent waiting lists getting any longer and 135 million a year to reduce them. Mr Nesbitt had previously said he only became aware of the commitment when he received a final version of the PFG last week. A spokesperson for the Department of Finance has said the draft 2025-26 budget is currently out for consultation and the Executive will agree the final allocations. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Mr Nesbitt said the target of an additional 215 million to alleviate hospital waiting list pressures was a huge reversal by The Executive Office. He said: We had asked for that money before and hadnt been successful. It is extremely welcome. I want a bit of clarity about the money and particularly about the timeline because if we are getting it, we have to spend it. We absolutely have to spend it and therefore we need urgently to plan how we do that, because it is not just about money, it is about the buildings and equipment and above all the workforce who can deliver the change to the waiting lists. Mr Nesbtt added: What I said yesterday was that on the face of it, it was really good news and represented a change of heart in terms of The Executive Office and the Executive. But I do want to say to the Minister for Finance, and to the First Minister and deputy First Minister, show me the money. Because now that that is out in the public domain, that has raised expectations for people on the waiting lists, for the professionals, for me, for everybody. The worst thing we could do is not deliver on that. So I will be writing urgently to the First and deputy First Minister (and) to John ODowd in Finance. I will be looking for meetings just to nail that down and have absolutely surety about the money being there and when it is going to be available to be spent. Asked why he had not asked for clarity before he agreed to the publication of the PFG, Mr Nesbitt said: I asked for that surety, we asked for that money before and those bids were not successful. But I am not for walking away. I am going to go in and do the best job I can with the money that is available to me, with the workforce that is available to me with the resources that are available to me. The minister said that reading the PFG, it is clear this is to some extent aspirational. He said: It talks about with Executive support we will have up to 135 million, not we will have 135 million. I am just going to work with what I have got and I am going to continue to argue for what I need. Asked if the expectations of patients were to be dashed again, Mr Nesbitt added: I dont think the bubble has burst and I think if the bubble were to burst it would be a terrible condemnation of the Executive, for raising expectations, only to dash them. We are talking about people who are living in pain, maybe have been living in pain for years and now they are suddenly being given hope for the first time in a long time that they may get some relief. So, it would be worse than cruel to dash those hopes. A spokesperson for the Department of Finance: The health service is a priority for the Executive with this being reflected as one of the nine pillars in the Programme for Government. The Draft 2025-26 Budget is currently out for consultation. Once this is complete, the Executive will agree the final Budget including the final allocations for each individual department. Like Hitler, most sinister, a political obscenity: Declassified files reveal what British and Irish officials thought of Ian Paisley Declassified files show officials in London and Dublin were united in contempt for the firebrand in early days before he mellowed Ian Paisley speaking to Orange marchers at Knockagoney in 1970 (Photo: PA via Getty) Sam McBride Tue 4 Mar 2025 at 07:15 As the Troubles exploded in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the British and Irish Governments found themselves in regular rows but few issues united them more than their intense dislike of Ian Paisley. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said the US decision to suspend delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv is a serious setback towards achieving peace (Noel Sweeney/PA) The US decision to suspend delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv is a serious setback towards achieving peace, the Irish premier has said. The White House decision to review its assistance comes after a row between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office last Friday. Meanwhile, ties between the European Union and the US appeared under strain after Mr Trump said security guarantees for Ukraine will be left to Europe. Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who is due to meet Mr Trump in Washington DC next week, said on Tuesday: Its a very serious development, theres no point in saying anything else. He said there needs to be continued engagement between EU leaders and the US to do everything possible for a peace that protects Ukrainian sovereignty and its territorial integrity. US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Carl Court/PA) He added: It will not be easy. Its been three years on now, this war, it has exacted a very heavy toll on a lot of people, and particularly on the people of Ukraine, who have shown extraordinary resilience, extraordinary courage in terms of meeting an illegal invasion. Europe is very conscious, also, of the fact that there are many other states across Europe who fear Russian aggression and Russian ambition, and those countries see this as an existential threat to their sovereignty. The European Union is very, very conscious of that, and that is what is motivating the European Union in its continued strong support of Ukraine, because this is a broader European issue. The matter is also expected to form part of Mr Martins forthcoming bilateral with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Mr Martin told reporters that Tuesdays Cabinet meeting in Dublin will sign off on an additional 100 million euro in aid for Ukraine which had been signalled to Mr Zelensky when the two leaders met at Shannon Airport in south-west Ireland last week. The funding had already been committed under the European Peace Facility which had been vetoed by Hungary. Mr Martin also added that he expects significant proposals from the European Commission for further aid for Ukraine this week. He added: We really havent had an indication from Russia as to whether it is up for a durable, sustainable peace. But, in any event, I think Europe will not stop in endeavouring to move this forward in a more positive light than currently is the situation. Tanaiste Simon Harris said the US suspension of military aid to Ukraine is extraordinarily concerning (Brian Lawless/PA) Meanwhile, Irelands deputy premier said the US move is extraordinarily concerning. Simon Harris, who is also the countrys foreign affairs and defence minister, described the move as a very worrying development. Until now, it has always been the situation that aid is continuing to be provided, that equipment and support was continuing to be provided, whilst trying to find a process towards peace. To unilaterally and abruptly disrupt that would have very significant consequences, he said. He added: But weve got to be very honest here even the European Union doing much more, we will still require the European Union and the United States of America working together in relation to this issue. And at a time when we need to move closer on this matter, it does seem that were moving further apart and of course, very significant diplomatic efforts need to continue here. As part of a policy of military neutrality, Ireland does not provide what it characterises as lethal aid to Ukraine, including weapons. However, the state has provided hundreds of millions of euros in non-lethal military assistance as well as stabilisation and humanitarian supports. Ireland has also welcomed more than 100,000 Ukrainians under the EU temporary protection directive. A Utah woman accused of killing her husband was denied bond after prosecutors say she confessed eerie details of the crime to an informant in a phone call. Jennifer Gledhill, 42, is accused of shooting her husband Matthew Johnson, 51, while he was lying in their bed in September 2024. Prosecutors during the detention hearing that Gledhill had shown the informant a gun days before the shooting and had arranged for the couple's three children to be at her parent's home the night of the killing. "On September 22, the defendant confessed to the informant that she shot Matthew in the master bedroom with a gun as he slept," Prosecutor Emily Paulos said at the detention hearing. "She also confessed that she loaded Matthew's body into a rooftop storage container, slid him down the stairs and loaded him into her minivan. She buried him in a shallow grave and cleaned everything up." Later Paulos said that Gledhill made other incriminating statements to the informant in a recorded phone call. Paulos said the Gledhill asked the informant to not think of her as a monster. When the informant said that if the situation was reversed, wouldn't Gledhill be afraid, Gledhill said, "Not if I deserved it. I always preached that I was like the Queen of Hearts in my past lives because I'm like off with their heads. I'm like, if we could just round up the scum of this earth and put them on an island or just kill them all, I could ship-shape this country back to a good place." According to Paulos, Gledhill continued that she couldn't hurt a fly and that her husband "wasn't a person anymore, he wasn't Matt." The conversation took place before Johnson was reported missing, Paulos said. Among other evidence Paulos referenced in the hearing, was the fact that when police searched the home their was a new mattress on the bed, the house smelled of bleach, and blood was found on the carpet under the bed. Paulos said police had cut a slat from the rug where they found a blood stain under the area of the bed where Johnson had slept. Gledhill has pleaded not guilty to murder charges. Johnson's body has not been found. Originally published on Latin Times The Taoiseach has defended the Governments response to tackling emissions after a new report warned that Ireland could face potential costs of 27 billion euro if it fails to reach its targets. Micheal Martin said Ireland has made very significant progress on climate issues in the last four years, adding that the Government is determined to continue its progress. Mr Martin said the next big push will be offshore renewables. The alarming figure of 27 billion euro comes under a worst-case projection under which Ireland does not implement any further measures to reduce emissions and the price of purchasing credits from other EU member states. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content On the other hand, the Government could reduce this risk and potential costs to between three and 12 billion euro if it follows through on measures from its own plans that have yet to be enacted. Ireland is bound by targets for renewable energy consumption and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions under multiple EU schemes, which come with significant potential costs for non-compliance. A joint report by the Fiscal Advisory Council and Climate Change Advisory Council says that Ireland needs to act on the climate targets now to avoid incurring colossal costs. Reacting to the report, which Mr Martin said he has not yet read in its entirety, he said: The first thing I would say is, Government is spending a lot of money right now on climate, and its spending a lot of money on infrastructure. For example, that report talks about the (electricity) grid, and were spending money on the grid, and weve already indicated that the next wave of spending on the grid will be very, very significant. Weve accelerated plans. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Weve asked EirGrid to come back to Government in respect of accelerating plans in terms of enhancement and expansion of the grid, in the context of Storm Eowyn. There has been a lot of capital expenditure on the grid. There will be more capital expenditure on the grid. The Government has to bring people with it in terms of the journey. But were well below 1990 levels in terms of emissions, and thats notwithstanding the fact that our population has increased nearly by one and a half million. Our economy has been growing. Emissions have come down last year. There are positive signs this year as well in respect of emissions. So theres a positive side of what Ireland has been doing quickly on onshore renewables, which probably has been one of the more successful countries in Europe, on onshore renewables. The next big push would be offshore. But there are planning mechanisms which we cant abolish, and there are issues there, but we are moving on it, and were on target in terms of 2030 in respect of offshore renewable. I think the last four years represented very significant progress on climate, and we are determined as a Government to continue that progress. Theres a huge range in what that report concludes, and the authors themselves confirm that theres a lot of uncertainty about it. Most countries in the EU are off track to meet reduction targets under the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR), but Ireland is among the worst-performing countries for exceeding its targets of million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2 eq). Fiscal Advisory Council chairman Seamus Coffey said costs could be up to 12 billion euro, depending on what measures are taken by the Government (Niall Carson/PA) On a per head of population basis, Ireland is the worst performing country under the ESR targets, which covers non-aviation domestic transport, buildings, small industry, waste and agriculture emissions. Marie Donnelly, chairwoman of the Climate Change Advisory Council, described Ireland as a standout laggard in this regard. If Ireland fails to comply with its EU requirements, the scale of the potential bill depends on how close it gets to meeting each of its targets and the price of compliance. The price also depends on broader progress across the EU in achieving the same targets. The report finds that if the Government follows through on its Climate Action Plan, this would reduce potential costs by more than half. However, the councils warn that the plan is not being delivered at the scale or the speed required. Asked about the large gap between the lowest and highest cost estimates, Fiscal Advisory Council chairman Seamus Coffey said: The range is very broad but it doesnt include zero, it doesnt include negative numbers. A range that broad that doesnt get over zero suggests what side of the line were going to be on. Pressed on where he expected the final bill to be, he said there was still a lot of uncertainty but said it could be between 10 and 12 billion euro, depending on what action the Government takes. The report presents the Government with a choice between spending now and reaping the benefits of ramping up efforts, or transferring massive amounts to EU neighbours for Irelands non-compliance and falling into deepening emissions targets. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The authors argue that it makes the most sense to spend money now and avoid a colossal missed opportunity. Recent events have highlighted how climate action can benefit people. Irelands reliance on imported fossil fuels left it exposed to geopolitical disruptions and price rises during the cost-of-living crisis. More recently, Storm Eowyn showed the need for more secure and stable energy infrastructure. Acting now can help reduce these vulnerabilities and avoid large transfers to neighbouring countries. Ultimately, these are funds that could instead be used to improve peoples wellbeing. The report states that failure to meet targets has already cost Ireland significant amounts of money. In the past four years, Ireland has lost out on 500 million euro of potential revenue from carbon credits it could have sold but is instead holding on to the bridge the gap to the overall target. The authors add: Swifter action would do more than just avoid hefty payments and meet Irelands agreed commitments. It would transform Irelands society, making it healthier, more sustainable, and more energy secure. The prices that will apply under the ESR are highly uncertain and will ultimately depend on the extent to which other EU member states achieve their targets. The price of emissions allocations from countries that have overperformed on their reductions will be agreed by the two states involved. As many countries are due to miss their targets, there will probably be a shortage of allocations to go around, and therefore, market prices are hard to predict. With a shortage of allocations, some countries could face infringement proceedings, which may be set at the level of the last allocation purchased. However, Ms Donnelly said there is hope and that a few measures could make a big difference. As examples, she said seven billion euro could be spent on upgrading Irelands electricity grid, four billion euro could be spent on reducing the price of 700,000 electric cars to below 15,000 euro and ramping up charging infrastructure, one billion euro could be spent on supports for forestry and peatlands. This amounts to 12 billion euro one-tenth of the capital spending planned out to 2030. The Taoiseach has described a damning report which sets out the potential costs of missing legally binding climate targets as highly speculative and uncertain. Micheal Martin also hit back at accusations that the Government is rowing back on its climate commitments, saying that its work over the last four years to tackle climate change has been very significant. The report found that Ireland could face potential costs of 27 billion euros if it fails to reach its 2030 target of reducing emissions by 51%. Taoiseach Micheal Martin defended the Governments response to meeting its climate targets (Brian Lawless/PA) The figure comes as part of a worst-case projection under which Ireland does not implement any further measures to reduce emissions and the price of purchasing credits from other EU member states. On the other hand, the Government could reduce this risk and potential costs to between three and 12 billion euros if it follows through on measures from its own plans that have yet to be enacted. The Government has been widely criticised by the opposition over the report, with Labour leader Ivana Bacik claiming that taking climate action was not a priority for it. Speaking about the costs cited in the report, Mr Martin told the Dail: Highly speculative, by the way, highly uncertain. I listened to the authors this morning, highly uncertain. Highly speculative in terms of what will transpire. It will be very challenging because as soon as we move on any one of them, different elements of the opposition will oppose some of them in respect of measures that weve announced and that weve taken. Theres a huge retrofitting programme underway, and our public transport usage is up 25%. We are fully committed to all of the public transport initiatives that we had committed to in the previous government. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content However, Ms Bacik accused the Government of making no effort to meet its 2030 targets. Theres been a clear rowing back from the position on climate taken by the previous government, of which the Green Party was a member, Ms Bacik added. Heres some examples. Just months after denying that this would happen, you are now going to import dirty LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) into our country, and youve abandoned in your Programme for Government the spending ratio for active travel and public transport. Your programme will instead favour the building of roads, baby roads, as (US President Donald) Trump might say. Incredibly, your Programme for Government makes no reference to the legally required carbon budgets or to sectoral emission ceilings, which might set a pathway for achieving net zero. Mr Martin denied the Government is rowing back on its commitments, saying the last four years has been very significant. He added: In many respects, when you juxtapose the growth in population, growth in economic activity to the reduction in emissions, it is quite a remarkable story in terms of what Ireland has achieved. But its not enough. On your phrase dirty LNG, remember today is about energy security. We have a responsibility that if anything was to happen or interrupt our current gas supplies, we do need a backup. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content It would be irresponsible not to do that and and also, were doing it consistent with the European frameworks and consistent with the legal advice, by the way, that weve received in respect of that issue also. I dont think its good enough for you to just kind of throw that aside as dirty LNG. Ireland is bound by targets for renewable energy consumption and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions under multiple EU schemes, which come with significant potential costs for non-compliance. The joint report by the Fiscal Advisory Council and Climate Change Advisory Council says that Ireland needs to act on the climate targets now to avoid incurring colossal costs. Most countries in the EU are off track to meet reduction targets under the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR), but Ireland is among the worst-performing countries for exceeding its targets of million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2 eq). On a per head of population basis, Ireland is the worst performing country under the ESR targets, which covers non-aviation domestic transport, buildings, small industry, waste and agriculture emissions. Marie Donnelly, chairwoman of the Climate Change Advisory Council, described Ireland as a standout laggard in this regard. If Ireland fails to comply with its EU requirements, the scale of the potential bill depends on how close it gets to meeting each of its targets and the price of compliance. The price also depends on broader progress across the EU in achieving the same targets. Fiscal Advisory Council chairman Seamus Coffey said costs could be up to 12 billion euros, depending on what measures are taken by the Government (Niall Carson/PA) The report finds that if the Government follows through on its Climate Action Plan, this would reduce potential costs by more than half. However, the councils warn that the plan is not being delivered at the scale or the speed required. Asked about the large gap between the lowest and highest cost estimates, Fiscal Advisory Council chairman Seamus Coffey said: The range is very broad but it doesnt include zero, it doesnt include negative numbers. A range that broad that doesnt get over zero suggests what side of the line were going to be on. Pressed on where he expected the final bill to be, he said there was still a lot of uncertainty but said it could be between 10 and 12 billion euros, depending on what action the Government takes. The report presents the Government with a choice between spending now and reaping the benefits of ramping up efforts, or transferring massive amounts to EU neighbours for Irelands non-compliance and falling into deepening emissions targets. The authors argue that it makes the most sense to spend money now and avoid a colossal missed opportunity. Recent events have highlighted how climate action can benefit people. Irelands reliance on imported fossil fuels left it exposed to geopolitical disruptions and price rises during the cost-of-living crisis. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content More recently, Storm Eowyn showed the need for more secure and stable energy infrastructure. Acting now can help reduce these vulnerabilities and avoid large transfers to neighbouring countries. Ultimately, these are funds that could instead be used to improve peoples wellbeing. The report states that failure to meet targets has already cost Ireland significant amounts of money. In the past four years, Ireland has lost out on 500 million euros of potential revenue from carbon credits it could have sold but is instead holding on to the bridge the gap to the overall target. The authors add: Swifter action would do more than just avoid hefty payments and meet Irelands agreed commitments. It would transform Irelands society, making it healthier, more sustainable, and more energy secure. The prices that will apply under the ESR are highly uncertain and will ultimately depend on the extent to which other EU member states achieve their targets. The price of emissions allocations from countries that have overperformed on their reductions will be agreed by the two states involved. As many countries are due to miss their targets, there will probably be a shortage of allocations to go around, and therefore, market prices are hard to predict. With a shortage of allocations, some countries could face infringement proceedings, which may be set at the level of the last allocation purchased. However, Ms Donnelly said there is hope and that a few measures could make a big difference. As examples, she said seven billion euros could be spent on upgrading Irelands electricity grid, four billion euros could be spent on reducing the price of 700,000 electric cars to below 15,000 euros and ramping up charging infrastructure and one billion euros could be spent on supports for forestry and peatlands. This amounts to 12 billion euros one-tenth of the capital spending planned out to 2030. US vice president JD Vance accused Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky of needling Donald Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement as the US President paused aid to Ukraine. The development comes as Mr Trump seeks to pressure Mr Zelensky into committing to peace talks with Russia, following their tense confrontation in the Oval Office last week. Sitting down with Fox News Sean Hannity early on Tuesday, Mr Vance said the encounter, which happened in front of the media, really set Zelensky off. He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy, he said. Thats the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasnt yet there. And frankly, still isnt there. But I think hell get there eventually, he has to. Mr Vance confirmed Ukrainian officials made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but efforts were shut down by Mr Trump. But he added the door is open so long as Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace. He also used the interview as an opportunity to criticise Europes approach to free speech, saying governments wanted to silence and shut down free speech in response to criticism over immigration. The interview came as Mr Trump ordered a pause on aid to Ukraine. A White House official said the US was pausing and reviewing aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, the Associated Press reported. Mr Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Mr Zelensky committed to that goal, the official said. Mr Trump, who has led the push for a peace deal with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, said the European demand for US guarantees was showing weakness to the Kremlin. His comments came as Sir Keir Starmer restated his call for strong US backing for any European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine. The Prime Minister gathered leaders from Europe and Canada, including Mr Zelensky, for talks in London on Sunday. The US president had criticised Mr Zelensky for suggesting a deal to end the war with Russia is still very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Monday. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, as President Donald Trump, centre, listens in the Oval Office at the White House (AP/ Mystyslav Chernov) What are they thinking? He later said European countries had acted very well and were good people. Were going to make deals with everybody to get this war (finished), including Europe and European nations. And theyve acted very well. You know, theyre good people they want to work it out, Mr Trump said at the White House. Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir again promised British troops and jets would be available to a peacekeeping force if a deal is done to end the war, along with a coalition of the willing from other nations. It is right that Europe do the heavy lifting to support peace on our continent, he said. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content But to succeed, this effort must also have strong US backing. The Prime Minister said the proposed minerals deal between the US and Ukraine is not enough of a security guarantee on its own. Plans for Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky to sign the minerals deal were put on hold after the Ukrainian leader left the White House early following their Oval Office bust-up. But Mr Zelensky has since suggested he is ready to sign it. Sir Keir said Mr Trumps commitment to peace was sincere and that a security guarantee should be led by Europe but needs US backing. Sir Keir told MPs Britain needs to lead from the front and that the European coalition of the willing has been formed to avoid moving at the speed of the most reluctant and that will be too slow. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Frances President Emmanuel Macron met during the summit on Sunday (Justin Tallis/PA) Downing Street said various options are on the table but insisted no plan has been agreed after Frances President, Emmanuel Macron, said his country and Britain are backing the prospect of a limited ceasefire. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: There are clearly a number of options on the table. Defence Secretary John Healey is expected to visit the US later this week for talks with his counterpart Pete Hegseth. On Monday evening, Foreign Secretary David Lammy reported having a good phone conversation with US secretary of state Marco Rubio. The UK-US alliance is critical for global security, he posted on X. We are working together to deliver enduring peace in Ukraine and to ensure the ceasefire in Gaza is sustained. Germany and France meanwhile have reportedly started discussions of how 200 billion euros (165 billion) of frozen Russian assets could be used as a way to hold Moscow to a potential ceasefire deal. On Sunday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves signed off on a 2.26 billion loan scheme to help Ukraine buy weapons and fund its reconstruction after the war, which will be repaid with the profits of frozen Russian assets. MPs have recounted witnessing acts of intimidation from Israeli settlers during their visits to the West Bank. Father of the House Sir Edward Leigh said he witnessed two young settlers with submachine guns, while Labour MP Uma Kumaran said she had guns pointed in her face when in the West Bank with the Foreign Affairs Committee. Last month Israeli tanks moved into the occupied West Bank for the first time since 2002, amidst a backdrop of increasing settler violence against Palestinians. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has previously said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to increase the intensity of the activity to thwart terrorism in all refugee camps in the West Bank. In Westminster Hall, Conservative MP Sir Edward told MPs: The purpose of this debate, if we have any moral authority at all, is to convince our moderate Israeli friends that it is simply not in the long-term interests of Israel to hold down in occupation some five million Palestinians, two million in Gaza and three million on the West Bank. And there are many, many a majority I would say of moderate Israeli citizens who agree with that supposition. However, there are some extremist settlers who have a completely wrong idea that somehow they can expel people who lived for centuries in the West Bank from their ancestral homelands. The group saw Palestinian villages damaged by settlers. Sir Edward recalled: The moment we turned up, two young settlers, I can only describe them as punks, turned up with submachine guns in a clear act of intimidation. He added: Hundreds of Palestinian-owned olive trees have been torched, sawed down or destroyed. Settlers have been drafted into the army to protect local settlements because of the deployment of troops in Gaza and Lebanon. As a consequence some settlers have committed violence whilst in IDF uniform. Palestinian houses are seen in the West Bank (Leo Correa/AP) Sir Edward also visited Hebron, a Palestinian city in the southern West Bank, where he said the main road was completely deserted. He said: A small settler movement has moved into Hebron and there are 800 Israeli soldiers protecting them and the Palestinians are prevented from even walking down the main road in their own town. And it was moving when we went to Ramallah to talk to a grandmother, actually a very distinguished banker, who cant even see her grandson because its a very quick drive to Nablus from Ramallah but there are so many checkpoints it takes seven or eight hours. Everywhere you go in the West Bank there are checkpoints. Virtually every application to build or expand a settlement is granted, so 90-plus per cent, virtually every application by Palestinians to build is rejected. This is totally one-sided, it is intolerable and we should speak out about it in this Parliament. He added: Of course its illegal. The Israeli government could stop it tomorrow. They chose not to. Ms Kumaran, MP for Stratford and Bow, travelled to the Middle East on a separate trip with the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. She said: Sitting down with counterparts in the Knesset I saw no will or desire to push forward for peace and it was sobering and it was frankly quite depressing. Discussing her time in Area C, a region of the West Bank that is fully controlled by Israel, she said: The wider conditions for the community are stark. Their access to electricity is limited, their access to water is hampered. There is a stream within touching distance and they are unable to use that stream, in fact there is a sign erected above the stream with a Star of David that makes it clear they are unable to touch or even drink that water. It is terrifying and shocking and I tell you that I was there as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee with full diplomatic protection, with security, with a reinforced 44, and we still had guns pointed in our faces, we were still terrified and our drivers would still not take us any further into Area C for fear of what would happen to us. Labour MP Uma Kumaran said the wider conditions for the community are stark (PA) Labour MP for Rochdale Paul Waugh also attended the trip with Sir Edward. He said: While the tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza rightly deserve our attention, what became clear is as the Father of the House has just said, is that on our trip to the West Bank we became very, very conscious that a future Palestinian state is being slowly suffocated by Israeli settlements. By extremist settlers enabled and protected by Israeli police and the armed forces. Liberal Democrat MP Pippa Heylings (South Cambridgeshire) also attended the trip. She said West Bank violence by Israel is not new, it did not start on October 7 and has been ongoing and escalating since the ceasefire agreement. She said: During our visit we were witness to the impacts of daily violence by extremist settlers in the occupied territories and of the policies that continue to erode the rights and dignities of the Palestinian people. Foreign Office minister Catherine West said: Whats needed now is a political process and a political horizon towards a two-state solution and thats why its so important that members of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee visited the region so that they can deepen their understanding. A state visit to the UK by American President Donald Trump should be possible if it shores up US support for Ukraine, First Minister John Swinney has said. Relations between the two countries have become strained since Mr Trump took office in January, culminating in an extraordinary meeting in the White House on Friday which devolved into a shouting match with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On Monday, the US announced a freeze to all aid heading to Ukraine. Mr Trump announced a freeze to aid in Ukraine on Monday (Carl Court/PA) Following the Oval Office spat, Scotlands First Minister said a state visit which had been proposed through a letter from the King to Mr Trump delivered by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last week would be unimaginable if American support for Ukraine was rescinded. But speaking before the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Swinney suggested the visit could be used as a bargaining chip to shore up support for the invaded nation. Mr Trump is famously a fan of large displays such as those seen during state visits, having previously proposed a military parade through Washington DC in 2018. Right now, today, as we stand here, men, women and children in Ukraine are putting their lives and their freedom on the line to defend their country and all our democracies, the First Minister said. We say we support them and we do. But that means being willing to do things that are hard; things we would rather not do. So, if a state visit could help solidify US support for Ukraine, if that is part of what supporting Ukraine means in practice, then it is a possibility. The Prime Minister presented a letter to the US President from the King, inviting him to a second state visit (Carl Court/PA) For that to be true, however, the US would have to sustain the steadfast support of Ukraine, her independence and territorial integrity. The First Minister, who was speaking as the Ukrainian Consul in Edinburgh watched from the public gallery, went on to pledge Scotlands fullest support for the country, adding: Here in Scotland, we will, forever, stand with Ukraine. Both the leaders of the Scottish Tories and Scottish Labour while being supportive of the thrust of the First Ministers remarks appeared to attack comments from SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who was branded a keyboard warrior by the Prime Minister after urging him to get off his knees and rescind the state visit offer. For the sake of the heroic people of Ukraine, suffering slaughter at (Russian President Vladimir) Putins hands, politicians in this country should recognise the responsibility that we have, Tory leader Russell Findlay said. It is critical to do what we can to repair, rather than exacerbate, these rifts. Grandstanding comments, such as those from some senior SNP politicians, are self-indulgent and counter-productive. They risk sowing division between western allies to the delight of the Kremlin and other despotic and dangerous regimes. Mr Findlay said Russia wants to see a fragmented West, and asked how the First Ministers comments about the cancellation of the statement would help fragile Western unity. The Tory leader went on to describe the Oval Office meeting as disturbing and seismic. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the situation required serious grown-up leadership, not Twitter diplomacy. Its an issue of war and peace, life and death, he said. So politicians should not resort to childish attacks on social media for perceived party interest, but instead prioritise peace and the national interest. Scottish Green leader Patrick Harvie praised Mr Zelenskys conduct in the White House, saying he told the truth and challenged Russian propaganda, saying Scotland was outraged that the US would abandon them. Mr Harvie went on to ask about the countrys cyber defences and if US companies in the sector should be considered a threat in light of the past few days. Mr Swinney said the Scottish Government must be certain we are doing all that we can to protect the countrys data systems, adding that Justice Secretary Angela Constance will regularly brief ministers on the issue. Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the Oval Office meeting was appalling and a premeditated act where Mr Trump and his vice president JD Vance sought to humiliate one of the bravest leaders of our time on the international stage. It feels like America could be on the verge of a betrayal of Ukraine, he added. But asking the King to withdraw the offer of state visit will throw away the most significant leverage that we may have to influence Trumps thinking on Ukraine and Americas place in the Western alliance. Escalating international tensions amid the search for a Ukrainian peace deal continue to dominate headlines on Tuesday. The Guardian, the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph lead on the deepening rift between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Mr Trump suggested Mr Zelensky wont be around very long and condemned earlier comments from the Ukrainian leader who suggested a deal with Russia seemed very far away. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Mr Trump also lambasted European leaders for their weakness in relying on US backing for any potential peace deal, according to The Times. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports European leaders are backing efforts to seize more than 200 billion euros (165 billion) of frozen Russian assets held in the EU if Russia were to violate any future ceasefire deal. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Back on British soil, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says the UK must lead from the front when it comes to stopping the Russian menace, the Daily Express reports. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content And the Daily Mirror says Sir Keir enjoys a United Kingdom with MPs on both sides of the political aisle backing his staunch support for Ukraine. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The i writes Britain is approaching Middle East countries including Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to join peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content In other news, Metro reports Tiktok is being investigated for how it uses childrens data. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Lastly, the Daily Star claims scumbag chatbots will be doing so many menial jobs humans will be paid to do nothing. Trump hits 'pause' on US aid to Ukraine after Oval Office confrontation The White House has announced it is pausing military aid to Ukraine as Donald Trump seeks to turn the screw on Volodymyr Zelensky in the wake of the pairs dramatic Oval Office bust-up. A US official said the Trump administration was pausing and reviewing aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, the Associated Press reported. Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Mr Zelensky committed to that goal, the official said. The move came as the US President, who is pushing deal with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to end the war, claimed European demands for US guarantees was showing weakness to the Kremlin. Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, as President Donald Trump, centre, listens in the Oval Office at the White House (AP/ Mystyslav Chernov) The US president criticised Mr Zelensky for suggesting a deal to end the war with Russia is still very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Monday. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US - probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking? He later said European countries had acted very well and were good people. Were going to make deals with everybody to get this war (finished), including Europe and European nations. And theyve acted very well. You know, theyre good people ... they want to work it out, Trump said at the White House. Hours after the announcement, US vice president JD Vance accused Mr Zelensky of needling Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement when they met at the White House. Sitting down with Fox News Sean Hannity early on Tuesday, Mr Vance said the encounter, which happened in front of the media, really set Zelensky off. He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy, he said. Thats the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasnt yet there. And frankly, still isnt there. But I think hell get there eventually, he has to. He accused European leaders of doing Ukrainians a disservice in the way they have been talking up Mr Zelensky, and said they need to be realistic on the war. I think our European friends, frankly, are really doing a disservice to the Ukrainians because their own populations are saying, Were not going to fund this war indefinitely, Vance argued. Zelensky, he goes to Europe and a lot of our European friends puff him up, They say, you know, Youre a freedom fighter. You need to keep fighting forever. Well, fighting forever with what? With whose money? With whose ammunition? and with whose lives? The president is actually taking a much more realistic perspective and saying, This cant go on forever. We cant fund this thing forever. The Ukrainians cant fight forever. So lets bring this thing to a peaceful settlement, he added. Mr Vance confirmed Ukrainian officials made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but efforts were shut down Mr Trump. US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their tense meeting in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28 (Getty Images) He also used the interview as an opportunity to criticise Europes approach to free speech, saying governments wanted to silence and shut down free speech in response to criticism over immigration. The dramatic development followed Sir Keir Starmer restating his call for strong US backing for any European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine. The Prime Minister gathered leaders from Europe and Canada, including Mr Zelensky, for talks in London on Sunday. Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir again promised British troops and jets would be available to a peacekeeping force if a deal is done to end the war, along with a coalition of the willing from other nations. It is right that Europe do the heavy lifting to support peace on our continent, he said. But to succeed, this effort must also have strong US backing. Trump suggests Zelensky wont be around very long if he does not make deal with Russia The Prime Minister said the proposed minerals deal between the US and Ukraine is not enough of a security guarantee on its own. Plans for Trump and Mr Zelensky to sign the minerals deal were put on hold after the Ukrainian leader left the White House early following their Oval Office bust-up on Friday. But Mr Zelensky has since suggested he is ready to sign it. Sir Keir said Trumps commitment to peace was sincere and that a security guarantee should be led by Europe but needs US backing. Sir Keir told MPs Britain needs to lead from the front and that the European coalition of the willing has been formed to avoid moving at the speed of the most reluctant and that will be too slow. Downing Street said various options are on the table but insisted no plan has been agreed after Frances President, Emmanuel Macron, said his country and Britain are backing the prospect of a limited ceasefire. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: There are clearly a number of options on the table. Defence Secretary John Healey is expected to visit the US later this week for talks with his counterpart Pete Hegseth. Germany and France meanwhile have reportedly started discussions of how 200 billion euros (165 billion) of frozen Russian assets could be used as a way to hold Moscow to a potential ceasefire deal. On Sunday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves signed off on a 2.26 billion loan scheme to help Ukraine buy weapons and fund its reconstruction after the war, which will be repaid with the profits of frozen Russian assets. A tent camp for displaced Palestinians is set up west of Gaza City (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said that Arab leaders have endorsed Egypts post-war plan for the Gaza Strip that would allow its two million Palestinians to remain in the territory. Meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, the leaders endorsed a counter-proposal to President Donald Trumps plan to depopulate the territory and redevelop it as a beach destination. It was unclear if Israel or the United States would accept the Egyptian plan. Trucks line up at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip (Mohamed Arafat/AP) The summit hosted by Egypt included the emir of Qatar, the vice president of the United Arab Emirates and the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia countries whose support is crucial for any post-war plan. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres also attended. Israel has embraced what it says is an alternative US proposal for the ceasefire itself and the release of hostages taken in Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war. Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza to try to get Hamas to accept the new proposal and has warned of additional consequences, raising fears of a return to fighting. The suspension of aid drew widespread criticism, with human rights groups saying that it violated Israels obligations as an occupying power under international law. The new plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages the militant groups main bargaining chip in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners a key component of the first phase. A 112-page draft of Egypts 53 billion dollars plan obtained by The Associated Press foresees rebuilding Gaza by 2030 without removing its population. The first phase calls for starting the removal of unexploded ordnance and clearing the more than 50 million tons of rubble left by Israels bombardment and military offensives. Hundreds of thousands of temporary housing units would be set up where Gazas population could live while reconstruction takes place. The rubble would be recycled, with some of it used as infill to create expanded lands on Gazas Mediterranean coast. In the following years, the plan envisages completely reshaping the strip, building sustainable, green and walkable housing and urban areas, with renewable energy. It renovates agricultural lands and creates industrial zones and large park areas. It also calls for the opening of an airport, a fishing port and a commercial port. The Oslo peace accords in the 1990s called for the opening of an airport and a commercial port in Gaza, but the projects withered as the peace process collapsed. Under the plan, Hamas would cede power to an interim administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Western-backed authority and an opponent of Hamas, was attending the summit. Israel has ruled out any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and, along with the United States, has demanded Hamas disarmament. Hamas, which does not accept Israels existence, has said it is willing to cede power in Gaza to other Palestinians, but will not give up its arms until there is a Palestinian state. Addressing the summit, Mr el-Sissi said that the plan preserves the right of Palestinian people in rebuilding their nation and guarantees their existence on their land. He said there is a need for a parallel path for peace to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement to the Palestinian cause. There will be no true peace without the establishment of the Palestinian state, Mr el-Sissi said. Its time to adopt the launching of a serious and effective political path that leads to a permanent and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause according to the resolutions of international legitimacy. An early draft of the statement endorsing the plan called for a permanent and just solution for the Palestinian cause, and for the UN Security Council to deploy international peacekeepers in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The mention of peacekeepers was dropped from a later draft. Israel has vowed to maintain open-ended security control over both territories, which it captured in the 1967 Mideast war and which Palestinians want for their future state. Israels government and most of its political class are opposed to Palestinian statehood. Mr Trump shocked the region last month when he suggested Gazas roughly two million Palestinians be resettled in other countries. He said the United States would take ownership of the territory and redevelop it into a Middle Eastern Riviera. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embraced the proposal, which was roundly rejected by Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights experts, who said it would likely violate international law. Riccardo Fabiani, North Africa director at the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank, said the summit is a key pillar in Egypts strategy to counter Mr Trumps plan for Gaza. Egypt is trying to present a credible alternative focused on reconstruction and an indirect consultation mechanism for Hamas that could reassure Israel and the US, he said. The idea is also to continue to frame this plan as part of a new push towards the two-state solution. US President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday (Pool via AP) US President Donald Trump will stand before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday to give an account of his first weeks in office. It will be the latest milestone in Mr Trumps total takeover of the nations capital where the Republican-led House and Senate have done little to restrain the president as he and his allies work to slash the size of the federal government and remake Americas place in the world. With a tight grip on his party, Mr Trump has been emboldened to take sweeping actions after overcoming impeachments and criminal prosecutions. The White House said Mr Trumps theme would be the renewal of the American dream, and he was expected to lay out his achievements since returning to the White House, as well as appeal to Congress to provide more money to finance his aggressive immigration crackdown. Its an opportunity for President Trump, as only he can, to lay out the last month of record-setting, record-breaking, unprecedented achievements and accomplishments, said senior adviser Stephen Miller. Democrats, many of whom stayed away from Mr Trumps inauguration in January, were largely brushing aside calls for boycotts as they struggle to come up with an effective counter to the president. Instead, they chose to highlight the impact of Mr Trumps actions by inviting sacked federal workers as guests, including a disabled veteran from Arizona, a health worker from Maryland and a forestry employee who worked on wildfire prevention in California. They also invited guests who would be harmed by steep federal budget cuts to Medicaid and other programmes. Rather than focusing on American families and kitchen table issues, President Trumps first month in office has focused on tax cuts for billionaires, paid for by the very people he promised to help, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. Mr Trump also planned to use his speech to address his proposals for fostering peace in Ukraine and the Middle East, where he has unceremoniously upended the policies of the Biden administration in a matter of just weeks. On Monday, Mr Trump ordered a freeze to US military assistance to Ukraine, ending years of staunch American support for the country in fending off Russias invasion. Mr Trump was tightening the screws after his explosive Oval Office meeting Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the US leader tries to pressure the erstwhile American ally to embrace peace talks with its invader Russia. In the Middle East, negotiations to extend a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have stalled, with Mr Trump floating the permanent displacement of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and a US takeover of the territory, straining partnerships with countries in the region and undoing long-time American support for a two-state solution to end the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The backdrop of Mr Trumps speech will also be new economic uncertainty unleashed after the president opened the day by placing stiff tariffs on imports from the countrys neighbours and closest trading partners. A 25% tax on goods from Canada and Mexico went into effect just after midnight on Tuesday ostensibly to secure greater co-operation to tackle illicit fentanyl trafficking triggering immediate retaliation and sparking fears of a wider trade war. Mr Trump also raised tariffs on goods from China to 20%. The whole scene for Mr Trumps speech was a marked contrast to his final State of the Union address in his first term. Five years ago, Mr Trump delivered his annual address just after the Senate had acquitted him during his first impeachment trial and before the Covid-19 pandemic had taken root across society. Tuesdays address is not referred to as a State of the Union because he is still in the first year of his new term. The president planned to use his high-profile moment to press his efforts to reshape the countrys approach to social issues, as he looks to continue to eradicate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the country and to roll back some public accommodations for transgender individuals. Watching from the gallery will be first lady Melania Trump, who only on Monday held her first solo public event since her husband returned to power. She pushed for passage of a Bill to prevent revenge porn, and her guests in the chamber will include 15-year-old Elliston Berry, the victim of an explicit deepfake image sent to classmates. The Democrats guests also include at least one government watchdog dismissed by Mr Trump in his bid to emplace loyalists across positions of influence. Republicans politicians, too, are trying to make a point with their invited guests. Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said she would host Scott Root, father of the late Sarah Root, who died on the night of her 2016 college graduation in a vehicle crash involving an immigrant who was in the country without legal authority. Outside Washington, the latest round of public protest against Mr Trump and his administration also was unfolding on Tuesday. Loosely co-ordinated groups planned demonstrations in all 50 states and the District of Colombia timed to Mr Trumps address. Its worth searching the world for: American who fell for NI man pens book on their love story Ten years on since they featured in a Belfast Telegraph article on whirlwind romances, Michigan woman on secret to marital bliss Aidan and Rochelle on their wedding day Aine Toner Tue 4 Mar 2025 at 15:00 An American woman who married her Co Down husband after a whirlwind romance has written a book all about their crazy love story. A German tourist making her way to Los Angeles was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in San Diego on Jan. 25, where she remains today with no clear deportation date in sight. Jessica Brosche was walking from Tijuana to San Diego with her friend, Nikita Lofving, an American citizen living in Los Angeles, when she was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and accused of working in the country last time she was in the United States on a visa, KGTV reported. The 29-year-old tourist was detained in a cell at the San Diego border before she was taken by ICE to the Otay Mesa Detention Center, where she remains today. "It is horrible," Brosche told KGTV. "I just want to get home, you know. I'm really desperate." Brosche was also allegedly forced to spend more than a week in solitary confinement at the facility for an unclear reason, which caused her to become violent. "She says it was like a horror movie. They were screaming in all different rooms," Lofving, Brosche's friend in Los Angeles, told the outlet. "After nine days, she said she went so insane that she started punching the walls and then she's got blood on her knuckles and on the walls." The German tourist was then released from solitary confinement and met with a psychologist who tried to prescribe her an anti-psychotic medication that she refused, stating she wants to "either get deported and go home, or just not be in a room alone." The German consulate is reportedly in talk with American officials to ensure Brosche is returned to Germany, but it remains unclear when she will be released by ICE. Originally published on Latin Times Millions poured in for Live Aid as wives pawned wedding rings and even Geldof was proud to be Irish If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. BENNINGTON Kevin Hoyt, the former three-time candidate for Governor of Vermont, candidate for State Senate, and candidate for the Bennington Select Board, has taken a plea deal with prosecutors after pleading no contest to a single count of violating an abuse prevention order. Hoyt, 55, pleaded no contest to one count of a misdemeanor violation of an abuse prevention/no stalking order after Hoyt violated a court order to stay away from former State Representative Christopher Bates. In exchange for his plea, two other violations of the same order with the same victim months apart were permanently dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be filed again. Hoyt was ordered by the court to stay away from former Vermont Representative Christopher Bates in March of 2022. Court documents accused Hoyt of violating that order three times: in June, October, and again in November of that same year after allegedly posting and threatening Bates on social media. According to a police affidavit in the case he pleaded no contest to, Hoyt posted a video on social media in which he threatened to shoot Bates. In the video, Hoyt can be observed leaving the Bennington Courthouse on South Street on October 19, 2022, recording himself talking. Hoyt makes reference to a Sheriffs Deputy being off that day, as well as a judge, police, and federal officers. Hoyt goes on to say that no one will help protect him from Bates." Hoyt says that if Bates comes after him, I will shoot him. He then posted the video to his Facebook page. At the time of the video, Hoyt was under a March 2022 Final Order of Stalking listing Christopher Bates as the plaintiff. Hoyt was ordered to stay away from Bates, which listed talking to, posting about, or talking to other people as a way to contact Bates. He was also ordered to stay at least 300 feet from Bates. There were two other instances of Hoyt allegedly breaking the order, once in June and another in November 2022. An arrest warrant was issued for Hoyt in November 2022. He was picked up in Fair Haven in July 2024 and arraigned on all three violations that same day. It is unclear why over two years passed before his arrest. At his arraignment in July 2024, Hoyt stated, I am a free, living man on Gods soil. Im actually electing not to participate in this fictional corporate entity, but I dont have much of a choice." Kevin Hoyt chose to represent himself after he was arrested on a warrant in Fair Haven for violating a no stalking order. Id like to enter a plea of not guilty to all three counts today, please. A judge at his arraignment ordered Hoyt to follow the same conditions set back in 2022 not to have contact or make statements about Bates which Hoyt claimed violated his First Amendment rights. Hoyt was given no jail time for the no-contest plea. The two other violations counts were dismissed. Hoyt was given a $50 fine and a Restorative Justice sentence, meaning the Bennington County Restorative Justice organization will determine what Hoyt need to do to complete his sentence. That could include things like issuing an apology letter to Bates, counseling, classes, community service, or any other condition the BCRJ deems necessary. The sentence included no incarceration or probation period. The conviction, however, will remain on his record permanently. Hoyt faced a possible three years behind bars if he was found guilty at trial. A jury pick date was set for March 11. That date is now canceled, and the case is considered closed. Hoyt immediately posted reaction to his change of plea on his Facebook page. In the post, Hoyt recapped his experience and voiced his opinion on perceived slights made by the court, including a denial of a motion to depose state witnesses, the State allegedly failing to respond to his motion to dismiss in a timely manner, and several other issues he claims he faced while seeking justice as a defendant. When reached for his reaction to the plea deal, former Rep. Christopher Bates declined comment. Popular left-leaning political streamer Hasan Piker, also known as HasanAbi, was suspended from Twitch on Monday, just days after making controversial remarks about Florida Senator Rick Scott. "If you cared about Medicare fraud, or Medicaid fraud, you would kill Rick Scott, okay?" Piker said on Feb. 28 while discussing a clip of House Speaker Mike Johnson speaking to CNN's Kaitlan Collins. Piker, who boasts 2.8 million followers on Twitch and another 1.5 million on YouTubewhere his account remains activehas not disclosed the duration of his suspension. Visitors to his Twitch page are met with a message stating that his account is "temporarily unavailable due to a violation of Twitch's Community Guidelines or Terms of Service." Clarifying his comments, Piker later added: "The reason why I'm saying if you care about Medicare or Medicaid fraud you'd kill Rick Scott and not make him a prominent part of the Republican party is because he, to this day, is still, also known as committing the largest Medicare fraud in U.S. history." Piker was referring to Columbia/HCA, the healthcare company Scott founded, which was fined $1.7 billion for defrauding federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid in the 1990s. Scott has maintained that he was unfairly targeted. "By the way, I saw this. It happened to me," Scott said last year. "I fought Hillarycare, and guess what happened when I fought Hillarycare? Justice came after me and attacked me and my company." Following the Twitch suspension, Piker took to X (formerly Twitter), sarcastically stating that next time he would call for "MAX PUNISHMENT" for Scott. Past Controversies and Political Stances Piker, known for his outspoken progressive views, was recently profiled by Slate, which described him as "proPalestinian liberation, pro-immigrant, pro-trans, pro-choice, and unapologetically himself." The profile also noted accusations of antisemitism against him, which he has strongly denied. Piker has been a vocal critic of Israel following the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, calling Israel a country based on an "ethno-nationalist, supremacist ideology." He recently helped raise over $100,000 for a fundraiser linked to the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, which provides aid to Gazans. This is not Piker's first controversy on Twitch. In 2019, he sparked backlash for saying, "America deserved 9/11, dude. F it, I'm saying it." When Reid Middle School student Emily Escalon-Brizuela competes in the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee for Region 4, she'll be looking to punch her ticket to the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. But however that contest shakes out, she's already a big winner in our book, representing Pittsfield with pride among just 17 middle school students from the entire Northeast region who qualified. GREAT BARRINGTON Today, science is under great duress when it is more needed than ever: the specter of new pandemics requiring rapid response; bacteria increasingly developing resistance to antibiotics; changes in climate and ensuing mass migrations; loss of biodiversity; the need for conflict resolution at a time when the combined nuclear arsenal is sufficient to end all civilization; long-term sustainability. The list goes on. If you look around, every single aspect of our lives has benefited from scientific research. Most important is the eradication of deadly or debilitating diseases based on new knowledge of disease processes and the large ensuing boost in life expectancy over the past 150 years. By following advice from scientists and ensuring steady support for science, past administrations and legislators including those under Republican presidents before Donald Trump have wisely created a safety net that protects us. Its current disruption and destruction will cost us dearly. Science at risk Why science funding matters to Berkshire County The cutting-edge research that led to innovations from the early detection of Alzheimers disease to the development of the COVID-19 vaccine would not have been possible without funding from agencies like the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation. What happens if that funding is cut? In her Feb. 25 op-ed piece in The Berkshire Eagle Why science funding matters to Berkshire County, Mount Holyoke College lab director and instructor Natasha Matos depicted the deplorable situation universities across the country are facing due to the most recent unprecedented cuts in government spending. To understand what the cut of a research project means, one has to realize that it is not an activity of a kind that can be switched off and on at will. Once it is eliminated, the detailed know-how in a lab accumulated over years and kept alive in mentors, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students disappears, and it takes years to recreate it. The length of time characteristic for the development of a methodology, measured in five to 10 years or even more, stands in stark contrast with the short perspective of politics. It follows that rash decisions on funding made by nonexperts can have serious effects on the economy of the country and well-being of its citizens that can last for decades. Nobel winner Joachim Frank, a part-time Alford resident, peers deep into life's machinery GREAT BARRINGTON It was on a drive into Vermont, passing through its forests, that Joachim Frank saw deep into nature, and felt the essence of his life's work."All the sudden it occurred to In 2017, after I received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, reporter Heather Bellow interviewed me for The Berkshire Eagle. (In the accompanying picture, she captured me looking at a model of a ribosome in my hands, following a style of iconography going back to the Middle Ages. More about this later.) The development for which I was honored, along with Jacques Dubochet and Richard Henderson, was for a technique to determine the structure of biomolecules by cryo-electron microscopy. Its a new way to find out the atomic structure of the building blocks of life crucial knowledge that is required to understand normal life processes in the cell and their disruption in disease. Medicine nowadays is to a large extent based on this knowledge, as implied in the term molecular medicine. Numerous discoveries are now being made in the U.S. and all over the world using these techniques, leading to the development of cures for many diseases for which remedies are currently lacking. With the exception of funding from Howard Hughes Medical Institute from 1998 to 2017, most of the work in my lab first at the Wadsworth Center in Albany, N.Y., since 1981, and then at Columbia University since 2008 has been funded by grants from the National Institutes for Health. Without these grants, this work would have been impossible or would have proceeded very slowly. Research under threat But let me describe what Ive been doing more recently in my own narrow area of science and how the work is affected by the cuts of government funding. With a much smaller team of people, Ive been pursuing another ambitious goal: to image molecules as they perform reactions in real time, measured in milliseconds. With this time-resolved method, one can look at the precise sequence of events that happen in the factory of the cell. For instance, we were able to see in detail, in a moving sequence, how bacteria are able to fight off drugs attacking their ribosomes, and that knowledge will be invaluable in the design of more effective drugs. In the same way, many other molecules and molecular machines can be seen in action with our method. The ribosome is a large complex molecule a wondrous little machine that performs the synthesis of proteins according to the specifications of the genetic blueprint. Each cell in our body contains millions of ribosomes, ever busy to replace degraded proteins with new, functioning ones. The reason why I hold a model of the ribosome in my hand in the photograph accompanying The Eagles 2017 interview is that it happens to be the molecule I used to develop the mathematical and computational procedures of the method back in the 1970s and 1980s. Its structure holds the clues on numerous diseases, including cancer, and their prevention. My team consists of postdoctoral fellows specialized in microfluidics/nano fabrication, biochemistry, ribosome biology and bioinformatics. Their salaries are locked in contracts and paid from federal grants, and so are supplies and the costly use of time on high-end electron microscopes. The recent flood of government actions and oscillating decrees (freezing, possible impoundment of grants already awarded, cut of indirect costs supporting institutional infrastructure to 15 percent, etc.) has created high uncertainty about my ability to retain these highly specialized postdocs so that these important studies can be brought to fruition for the benefit of medicine. What can be done apart from joining public protests? Pressure from constituents on their representatives in Congress to vote their conscience rather than follow partisan dictate seems the only way. BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. Zydus to develop worlds first combination vaccine to offer protection against shigellosis and typhoid for children March 04, 2025 | Tuesday | News Project is expected to get underway in March 2025, supported by the Gates Foundation image credit- shutterstock Ahmedabad-based Zydus Lifesciences has announced its focus on the development of a combination vaccine against shigellosis and typhoid. This combination vaccine, being developed for the first time in the world, underscores Indias innovation capabilities with the potential to provide protection against deadly enteric diseases - Typhoid and Shigella. Zydus will carry out early-stage development, animal immunogenicity studies and regulatory preclinical toxicology studies for this combination vaccine. The project is expected to get underway in March 2025, and is being supported by the Gates Foundation. Zydus will collaborate with a partner for the research and co-development of a combination vaccine using Zydus WHO prequalified Typhoid conjugate vaccine (ZyVac TCV) and Shigella Vaccine from Zydus partner. Vaccination remains the most effective way of preventing and controlling the disease. The TCV-Shigella combination vaccine aims to protect children below 5 years against shigellosis, a diarrhoeal disease caused by the Shigella bacteria and typhoid fever, caused by salmonella bacteria in areas where both the diseases are endemic. This combination of vaccines, if found successful, will safeguard children against two lethal enteric diseases of global relevance and potentially offer a viable solution in a scenario where childhood immunisation schedules are becoming increasingly crowded, expensive, and unsustainable. An estimated 1121 million cases of typhoid fever and 5 million cases of paratyphoid fever occur worldwide each year, causing an estimated 135,000230,000 deaths. Further, Shigella was the second-leading cause of diarrhoeal mortality in 2016 among all ages, and the leading bacterial cause of diarrhoea, accounting for approximately 212 000 deaths and about 13% of all diarrhoea- associated deaths. President Donald Trump lashed back at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after his criticism of the tariffs imposed by the U.S., again referring to him as "governor." "Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount," Trump said in his social media platform, Truth Social. It is the latest episode of a back-and-forth between the two heads of state following the implementation of the tariffs, which led Trudeau to warn that the action could destroy one of the most successful relationships the world has ever known while also drawing closer to a "lying, murderous dictator" like Russian President Vladimir Putin. Addressing reporters on Parliament Hill, Trudeau said the tariffs, which include a 25 percent duty on most Canadian exports, are unjustified and harmful to both countries. "Your government has chosen to do this to you," Trudeau told the American public, urging them to recognize that the trade war will have no winners. The tariffs, which began Tuesday, have prompted Canada to immediately impose retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods, with an additional $125 billion to follow in 21 days. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also slammed Trump on Tuesday, threatening to cut off electricity as well as nickel exports to the United States in response to the tariffs. Speaking at a press conference following his re-election, Ford said that "if they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do anything, including cutting off their energy with a smile on my face." Ford went on NBC's Meet the Press on Monday and doubled down on his promises, describing tariffs as an "absolute disaster" for both countries, citing potential damage to Ontario's manufacturing and steel industries, as reported by CTV News: "We keep the lights on for 1.5 million homes and manufacturing (businesses) in New York, in Michigan and in Minnesota. If he (Trump) wants to destroy our economy and our families, I will shut down the electricity going down to the U.S. I am telling you we will do it" He warned that restricting exports of other key resources such as uranium, potash, aluminum, steel, and lumber would have a severe impact on American industries. "We will respond like they have never seen before," he added. In addition to trade restrictions, Ford outlined other retaliatory measures his government is prepared to take. These include implementing a surcharge on electricity sold to U.S. states, canceling a $100 million deal with Starlink for satellite internet in Northern Ontario, and directing the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to remove American alcohol from store shelves. Originally published on Latin Times Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. Help Our Community Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. None of the responses will be shared or used for any other purpose except to better serve our community. The survey is at: www.pulsepoll.com $1,000 is being awarded. Everyone completing the survey will be able to enter a contest to Win as our way of saying, "Thank You" for your time. Thank You! Take The Survey The Biden administration gave Canadian electric bus maker The Lion Electric Company $160 million in subsidies to manufacture 435 buses for schools around the U.S. The company is nearing bankruptcy and laid off almost half its employees, but $95 million of the buses have still not been provided, according to the Washington Free Beacon. Some of the $65 million worth of buses that were delivered are not without problems. The federal Environmental Protection Agency is investigating Lion Electric for fraud after the buses it sent to Winthrop Public Schools in Maine were unusable for a year and a half due to faulty parts. Lion Electric received the third most money of all manufacturers subsidized by President Bidens $5 billion Clean School Bus program, yet there are still 55 school districts waiting for their buses, the Free Beacon reported. Meanwhile, Lion Electrics stock has fallen to $.08 per share compared to $33.48 in January 2021. The company has also allegedly faced issues with properly disclosing its finances. A group of investors sued the company last year for its allegedly grossly unrealistic financial projections, and the Securities and Exchange Commission issued a warning last August over inaccurate numbers The issues were already clear when the government awarded its grant to Lion Electric in October 2022. The company had reported $17.2 million in losses in the previous three months, the Free Beacon reported. Winthrop Public Schools in Maine is in a particularly tough spot. The school is required to either use the EV buses or pay back the federal grant used to buy them. Many of the buses are out of commission, and the school says Lion Electric has not provided support. Lion Electric is required to pay Winthrop back for any time the buses spend off the road, but the school told Central Maine they dont expect to get the $57,000 they are owed. The company nearly received another $50 million subsidy from Illinois, but it failed to keep the required number of employees on staff. Americans deserve investments in companies that are fully vetted and do what they promise to do. (The #WasteOfTheDay is from forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com via RealClearWire.) 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 Sir Elton John has spoken of his admiration for Irish band Kneecap and their energy and vitality. The rap trio from West Belfast are known for merging Irish and English in their music alongside politically charged and satirical lyrics. Advertisement Speaking to broadcaster Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 6 Music, the 77-year old musician said: I saw a video of them, and I just was so knocked out, by the energy they had and the vitality they had. Mo Chara (Naoise O Caireallain), Moglai Bap (Liam Og O Hannaidh), Rich Peppiatt and DJ Provai of Kneecap (Ian West/PA) Theyre just extraordinary and they, what they talk about is political, and theres not many bands that do that. So, yeah, I love them. I love the energy. I love everything about them. Kneecap is made up of Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Moglai Bap, whose real name is Naoise O Caireallain, and DJ Provai, whose full name is JJ O Dochartaigh. Advertisement The band has received some criticism and censorship over their music and was in dispute with now-Tory leader Kemi Badenoch when the group launched a discrimination case. The trio were blocked by the former Conservative government from receiving a grant aimed at supporting UK artists, despite their application being successful. The UK Department of Business and Trade, which was headed by Ms Badenoch at the time, said they did not want to give taxpayers money to people who oppose the United Kingdom itself. Kneecap with director Rich Peppiatt who won a Bafta award (Ian West/PA) The group took legal action against the UK government, claiming the decision was discriminatory and won in November 2024, receiving 14,250 the total amount of the original grant. Advertisement The trio donated the money to two youth organisations in Belfast, splitting it between a nationalist and a unionist area. In 2024, the band released an eponymous debut film starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender which is a fictionalised retelling of how the band came together. The film was nominated for six Baftas and took home the award for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer. It was also among the big winners at the Irish Film and Television Academy (Ifta), scooping four awards including best director for Rich Peppiatt. Advertisement John, known for hit songs Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer and Im Still Standing, also spoke about still getting nervous before releasing new music. John said: All the time. Oh, it never goes away. When you play new tracks for people, you still feel the same as you did when I was playing Empty Sky, my first album to somebody. It never goes away, nor should it. Fear is the greatest motivator. Irish MEP Regina Doherty has joined growing calls in Europe to use frozen Russian funds to support Ukraine as US president Donald Trump paused military support. Mr Trump's decision came after a fiery White House meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Advertisement The president and his vice president JD Vance constantly spoke over Mr Zelenskiy in the Oval Office encounter, which sent shockwaves through the world, with US allies in Europe particularly concerned. Ms Doherty is calling on the EU to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to support Ukraines defence and rebuilding. Speaking ahead of this Thursdays EU summit on Ukraine, Ms Doherty stressed that Europe cannot afford to delay as Ukraine faces growing uncertainty over international military support. Donald Trump's White House meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskiy sent shockwaves through Europe. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images How much money is involved? The EU has frozen over 200 billion in Russian central bank assets. Advertisement Ukraine will be relying heavily on European partners to continue fighting against the Russian invasion, particularly while American support remains uncertain. Its time to turn Putins own war chest against him. Ms Doherty added: "Russia thinks it will get this money back after the war it shouldnt. Instead of letting these funds sit idle, we should be using them now to help Ukraine rebuild, strengthen its defences, and secure its future as a free nation. Its time to turn Putins own war chest against him. Ms Doherty called on the EU to shift from claiming interest revenues from these Russian assets to using all of the money. The EU is running out of excuses. If we are serious about making Russia pay for the destruction it has caused, then its time to take full control of these assets." Advertisement Regina Doherty said the funds should be used to "turn Putin's own war chest against him". Ireland has stood with Ukraine through sanctions and aid, but Ms Doherty warned that inaction on Russian state assets sends the wrong message to Moscow. Ireland should be pushing for an EU-wide decision to fully seize and redirect Russian central bank funds to Ukraine. This money should never return to the Kremlin. Sunak calls for Ukraine to receive frozen Russian assets Writing in The Economist, former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak also called for frozen Russian assets to go towards the defence of Ukraine. "One unused source of funding is the Russian state assets that are currently frozen. There are about $300bn-worth of these, predominantly in European financial systems. Advertisement "There are legal challenges to seizing these assets, but they can be overcome, as recent work by international legal experts such as Paul Reichler shows. Russias brutal assault on Ukraine has so violated the principle of 'sovereign equality'that all states have a duty to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of other statesthat it is hard to see how this concept can be invoked to stop these assets from being seized and used to compensate the victim of Vladimir Putins illegal aggression. "Once transferred to Ukraine, this money can be used to ensure that the country can not only recover from the war but also prevent a repeat of it. Ukraine can spend the money on rebuilding civilian infrastructure targeted by Russia, on restabilising its economy and on building armed forces that can deter Russia. The reconstruction bill will run to hundreds of billions of dollarsand it is only fair that Russia should pay for the damage its war has caused." What has Trump said? A White House official said Mr Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Mr Zelenskiy committed to that goal. The official added that the US was pausing and reviewing its aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. Advertisement The order will remain in effect until Mr Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia, the official said. How much has the US provided in military support to Ukraine? The US has has provided $65.9 billion (62.6 billion) in military support to Ukraine since Russias 2022 invasion. This means the 200 billion in Russian assets could be vital in Ukraine's survival. However, releasing the funds is likely to take time, and may still face some resistance at the EU level. European allies may also be wary that Mr Trump would move to permanently cut support for Ukraine, particularly as he has spoken favourably about his dealings with Russian president Vladimir Putin. What has Ireland done? The Government has announced an additional 100 million in non-lethal military equipment and support for Ukraine. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said there is "no doubt" the US president's decision to pause military aid to Ukraine is "a very, very serious development". Mr Martin described it as "a serious setback" and he called for "continued engagement between everybody". Taoiseach Micheal Martin during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskiy at Shannon Airport in Co Clare before Zelenskiy's White House meeting with Donald Trump. The Taoiseach will already be preparing for his approach to the White House meeting with Mr Trump, where he will be under pressure to reiterate Ireland's support for Ukraine while also attempting to mitigate the damage of potential tariffs. Mr Martin is likely to highlight Irish business' investment in the US, and the fact the country houses the European HQ of many US businesses. EU response Ireland Politics watch: Triple lock change, Martin facing... Read More The frozen assets issue will be raised at the EU summit on Ukraine on Thursday. Meanwhile, the European Commission proposed on Tuesday new joint EU borrowing of 150 billion to lend to EU governments for defence as part of an overall 800 billion total financing effort to boost Europe's defence capabilities. The 150 billion of new joint borrowing is to go towards building pan-European capability domains like air and missile defence, artillery systems, missiles and ammunition, drones and anti-drone systems or to address other needs from cyber to military mobility, the Commission said. "It will help member states to pool demand and to buy together. This will reduce costs, reduce fragmentation increase interoperability and strengthen our defence industrial base," Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said. Ireland moved on Tuesday to remove a law that prevents the deployment of its troops without UN approval, with Taoiseach Micheal Martin saying he did not want Russia, China or the United States having a veto on deployments. Ireland currently only allows troop deployment with the approval of the United Nations, the Government and Oireachtas - the so-called "triple lock". Advertisement A draft law removing the UN requirement was presented to a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday after plans to drop it were announced in late 2023. "Russia should not have a veto, China should not have a veto, U.S. should not have a veto over where we send our soldiers in pursuit of peace," Mr Martin told the Dail, listing three of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Explained How Europe could use frozen Russian assets as US p... Read More Opposition leaders said that the move would undermine Irish neutrality and its commitment to multilateralism, charges Martin rejected. "Ireland cannot put its head in the sand," Martin said, adding that the geopolitical situation had changed "very, very dramatically". Martin reiterated Ireland's plans to increase military spending, which is among the lowest in Europe, but ruled out changing its policy of non-alignment. Ireland currently has UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon and has deployed troops on missions including in Syria and East Timor. - Reuters A man has been jailed for five years after he attacked a terrified sex worker, brandished a knife and threatened to "cut her neck" while demanding a refund. Dylan McMahon (30), of Kilpatrick, Kildangan, Monasterevin, Co Kildare, who claimed he had lots of respect for women, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the woman "who did not think she would survive," and robbery. Advertisement It happened at a house in Athlone, Co Westmeath, where she had been working on March 26th, 2019. Judge Keenan Johnson sentenced McMahon on Tuesday at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court. He noted the victim had been in Ireland for four weeks and in Athlone for one day when she had the encounter with McMahon. Judge Johnson noted she was humiliated and suffered trauma and had already been exploited and forced to provide a service which, but for her "dire" circumstances, she would have been unwilling to perform. Advertisement He set a headline sentence of nine years for the robbery; however, noting the guilty plea, he reduced it to six years with one year suspended for three years. A three-year concurrent sentence was imposed for the assault. The court heard the woman from the Dominican Republic, who has since left Ireland, had been working as an escort to support her family. McMahon got her number from a website and made the appointment, during which she was attacked. Advertisement Although he admitted the charges, he still disputed portions of the prosecution evidence, which resulted in what is known as a Newton hearing. Earlier, she told the court via video link that the woman said she advertised on a website and recalled that the accused arrived and asked to use the bathroom before enquiring how much she charged. She accused McMahon of punching her face and body and said he pulled her by her hair into her bedroom before going to the kitchen and returning with a knife. She agreed with prosecutor Cathal O Braonain BL that McMahon was threatening to cut her neck. Advertisement The woman recounted how she begged him to leave her alone and told him that she had a family, but she said he "shrugged his shoulders" and told her to perform oral sex. However, the court heard she kept a can of pepper spray and used it to fight him off her. She said he took 400 to 600 from her and a watch valued at 105. He was still hitting her as she begged him to stop. Cross-examined by the defence, she denied that she was not the lady McMahon expected to meet. Advertisement It was put to her that he did not want to engage in oral sex with her, and she offered him tablets to get an erection, which the victim did not accept. McMahon told the court he went to see the escort because of depression and heartbreak after he split up with his former girlfriend. He claimed he paid but was expecting to see a different woman and could not get an erection and that the victim went to get him Viagra to help him. McMahon denied getting a knife and claimed that the woman went berserk and sprayed him when he demanded a refund. He said he had a lot of respect for women and would never hit one, but accepted being guilty of the charges. However, he maintained that the theft was a recovery of the money he had paid. McMahon contended that he was pepper-sprayed after he pulled up his trousers and said, "Can I have my money back?". He tried to convince the court that the assault happened while he was trying to get out of her house, but he could barely see and was "nearly blind". The court heard he left his phone and wallet at the scene after he fled, which led to his arrest a day later in an intoxicated state. Victim impact statement In her victim impact statement, the woman opened up about how she turned to escort work "to support my family, including my brother, who had an accident and needed care." The assault left her with facial and body injuries and feeling humiliated. She still finds it difficult to sleep. Father of one McMahon, who suffered an acquired brain injury almost ten years ago, was unable to explain the woman's injuries. The court heard he suffered from severe anxiety, instability and low mood. His mental health issues had been exasperated by drug and alcohol abuse. Ireland Man (59) jailed for robbing two escorts at knifepo... Read More Judge Johnson heard that McMahon had 33 prior convictions and was already serving a three-year sentence since 2023 for a criminal damage offence. He said he was satisfied that McMahon had a "huge credibility issue" and he had lost his temper. He accepted the complainant's version and noted the impact the incident had on her from a victim impact statement. The accused, who did not address the court, must remain under Probation Service supervision, refrain from alcohol and illicit drugs and continue addiction treatment for three years following his release from prison. The wife of Martin The Viper Foley told a judge on Tuesday that if the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is permitted to sell their home in Cashel Avenue, Kimmage, Dublin, then she and her nine-year-old daughter will be left homeless. Foley, described as a 74-year-old pensioner, is fighting CABs demands for possession of his home to meet part of his long standing tax debt which now totals close on 1 million. Advertisement He said he and his wife have lived together since they were married in 2013, a year prior to the judgment against him. Barristers Keith Farry and John Temple, counsel for Foley and his wife, Sonia, told Judge Fiona OSullivan in the Circuit Civil Court on Tuesday that Mrs Foley was claiming a half-share interest in what was her family home while her husband had, among other suggestions, offered CAB weekly payments towards paying off the outstanding debt. Shaula Connaughton-Deeny, who appeared with State Solicitor Emma Griffin for CAB, said judgment had already been obtained against Mr Foley and the Bureau was now seeking a well-charging order against the property at 114 Cashel Avenue to facilitate its sale. Judge OSullivan said she would deliver judgment next week. The judge heard that while the Sheriff had attended at the Foley property to seize goods and chattels all that had been raised was 2,503. Advertisement Ms Connaughton-Deeny said Mr Foley was the registered owner of the Kimmage property with his late wife, Pauline Foley. A 916,960 High Court judgment obtained by CAB was made up of unpaid arrears on income tax and interest. Foley says he is willing to engage in a mortgage to rent scheme whereby CAB can sell the house but he would live in it with his wife and child and make weekly or monthly contributions through a payment plan. He was also willing to hand over to CAB the benefit of two defamation actions he is taking against the BBC and Penguin Books. Mr Farry told the court today that Mr Foley had been led to believe that CAB and the Revenue Commissioners had agreed not to pursue him for the outstanding 1 million tax bill because he had made a deal with them. He alleged he had been told if he didnt pursue the Gilligan gunman Charles Bowden for 120,000 CAB would not pursue him for the tax debt. Bowden, who is now in the witness protection programme, was responsible for the weapons used by John Gilligans drugs gang and has given evidence against Gilligan and Brian Meehan in the Special Criminal Court. Meehan is still serving a life sentence for the murder of Veronica Guerin. Advertisement He said if he had received the 120,000 he was due when he won his case against Charles Bowden, he would have given that to the Criminal Assets Bureau and this would have gone a long way, with the additional contributions to pay off the original 178,000 debt. He said his home was not the proceeds of crime. His wife, who is on social welfare, claimed she was not liable in any way for the debt owed to CAB and pointed out that the house was her home and only property. There is no reality to me purchasing another home, she said in written evidence. Eviction would make my daughter and I homeless. Ms Connaughton-Deeny told the court that no explanation had been offered as to why Sonya Foley could not work. Ireland Trial of mother, uncle and third man accused of ra... Read More She says shes on disability, weve no evidence of that, their evidence is vague and bare at best, she said. We have no evidence of bank accounts or other assets they may have, how they are all surviving without any income? Advertisement There is nothing vouching anything they say before the court she said. Martin Foley has more than 60 previous convictions including for assault robbery and possession of weapons. He was part of the criminal gang led by Martin Cahill who was known as the General and has survived several attempts on his life. Mr Farry said Mr Foley had been led to believe his tax debt would not be pursued and now after all these years it was unfair and disproportionate to do so. He had remarried and the seizure of their home would have a detrimental effect on his current wife and child. A man accused of murdering his partner, who died from stab wounds at their home, told gardai in interview that she came at him with a knife during an argument, but "accidentally", the knife went into her, a jury has heard. Daniel Blanaru (37), who denies murdering Larisa Serban (26) in Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, also told gardai during his initial interview: I dont care that Im going to be in for 100 years before adding: If shes not here then I cannot live anymore. Advertisement The jury at the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday continued viewing video footage of Mr Blanarus first interview in Ashbourne Garda Station with Detective Sergeant Mark Looby and Detective Garda Padraig ORourke on August 12th, 2022. In the interview, Mr Blanaru, speaking through a Romanian interpreter, said Larisa always kept a knife in her bag. Asked why she kept a knife, Mr Blanaru said it was to protect herself. Mr Blanaru initially confirmed to gardai that he did not see Larisa with a knife on the night. He said he didnt look in her bag, but he was thinking the knife was in there. When gardai asked the accused to take his time, as they wanted to clarify a few things, Mr Blanaru said: I dont care that Im going to be in for 100 years. I care about my kids because if shes not here, then I cannot live anymore. Advertisement The trial heard on Monday that Mr Blanaru told gardai that he pushed and hit Larisa during an argument after he claimed he found her having a party with her brother David Serban and another tall guy hours before she was found stabbed to death in her home. Mr Blanaru told officers he couldnt remember exactly when he left his home that night but he thought it was around 1am. He said he went to his sisters home in Drogheda and then spoke to his brother Leon, asking him to go to his house and check what was happening there. He said his sisters husband told him to go to the guards. When the detectives questioned why his brother-in-law had told him to do this, Mr Blanaru said: Because I kind of got scared. Advertisement Pressed by the detective to tell the truth, a prolonged silence ensued before Mr Blanaru said he wanted to see his children. They dont have a mother, they dont have a father now. They have no love. We lost everything. Whats the point of living? he said. When questioned further about what happened at the property in Rathmore, Mr Blanaru said that Larisa started swearing at him, and then David approached them. I dont know if he had something in his hand, he said. I turned around, I dont know what he had in his hand, I dont think it was a knife. Mr Blanaru said the tall guy who was also present in the house was sitting down in a different part of the room. He said David approached, Mr Blanaru turned away and when he turned back Larisa put her hand on her chest and said owh. Advertisement I didnt see any blood or anything like that, he added. Asked by detectives to clarify who had something in his hand, Mr Blanaru said: David had something but said he wasnt sure what it was. The accused said the next thing he knew he was at the door with David. I said wait, dont worry about it Im going to go, and I took my car, and I went and when I got to Drogheda I called, he said. I took [his sister] Simonas phone, and I called [his brother] Leon to go there and check because its a party and I had a fight with them, thats all. Advertisement He said that when he left, Larisa was sitting down near the corner in the living room. You can blame me for everything because I dont know; I was drunk, I cant remember everything. And I smoked as well, the accused told gardai. When theres an argument and theres many people, and when its everything happening at the same time, you are confused. Thats where the problem is. He went on: Because God is up there, and one day hes going to judge. But Im not saying that anybody is guilty because thats no good. As the interview was being read back to him, Mr Blanaru interjected and then told gardai that Larisa came at him with a knife. Asked to explain, Mr Blanaru said: When she was upset and she came towards me thats what I think and I was upset too. Maybe she wanted to use the knife to stab me, I dont know, but accidentallyit happened to her. He continued: Im just thinking maybe its possible that that could happen. The accused said Larisa was coming towards me, and when she approached, he turned and that was a mistake. When the detectives expressed confusion about what he was trying to say, Mr Blanaru demonstrated how he was standing with his back to Larisa. He said she had the knife in her right hand and as he turned around towards her the knife went into her and she said owh. Asked by Det Sgt Looby if he saw the knife in Larisas hand, Mr Blanaru said: Yes I did. The trial continues on Wednesday before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury of 11 men and four women. The Norths First Minister has said she is incredulous at a large order for a Belfast plant to supply missiles for Ukraine. The Thales plant in east Belfast is to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth up to 1.6 billion (2 billion), the British government has announced. Advertisement However, Michelle ONeill said she found the deal incredulous at the time of public service cuts, winter fuel payment cuts, national insurance hikes and inheritance tax changes for farmers. British prime minister Keir Starmer made the missiles announcement during a press conference on Sunday. Photo: Julian Simmonds/Daily Telegraph/PA Speaking in the Northern Assembly on Monday, she said: I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services. Ms ONeill also said she felt the focus of the international community should always be to work towards negotiation and peace settlements. Our own example here will tell us that, she added. Advertisement British prime minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that the lightweight-multirole missiles (LMM) will be made at the Thales weapons plant in Belfast, creating 200 jobs. This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now and strengthen Ukraine in securing the peace when it comes, he said. The missiles, which are capable of flying at 1.5 times the speed of sound and striking targets more than 6km away, can be used to attack enemy vehicles, boats and drones. UUP MLA Steve Aiken raised Ms ONeills comments later in the Assembly chamber to deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, against the commitments to driving the economy in the region. Advertisement Ms Little-Pengelly responded praising Northern Irelands fantastic aerospace and defence industry. So much of that is around supporting people to secure peace, she told MLAs. We do all want to see peace. We want to see a peaceful outcome negotiated. We should be very proud of the world-class products and contribution that they are making in very, very important areas. Advertisement Meanwhile TUV leader Jim Allister said: ONeill feigns concern for money which she alleges should be spent on public services while defending an IRA campaign which cost the health service alone countless millions. With the approach of the new administration in Washington increasingly moving towards disengagement in Europe, it is more important than ever that Europe steps up to the plate when it comes to spending on defence something it frankly hasnt done in many decades. Earlier, during a press conference at Stormont, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the deal is hugely significant for the Belfast workforce. Mr Robinson also described the recent heated Oval Office confrontation between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy as appalling. Advertisement It is a hugely significant order, he said. The Thales weapons factory in Belfast will make the 5,000 lightweight-multirole missiles for Ukraine. Photo: David Young/PA "It builds on not only the work that has been done to encourage defence contributions and spend in Northern Ireland, but it also recognises the significant contribution Thales has made to the ongoing efforts in Ukraine." Mr Robinson said previous missiles built in Belfast had been vital to the defence of Ukraine. He added: "In fact, Ukraine would have fallen had it not been for the contribution from Belfast in the early phases. "While international coalitions have increased and contributions have been made from a wide range of countries and companies, the Belfast contribution has continued to grow. "It is of vital importance. To achieve a contract of 1.6 billion with 5,000 units and the encouragement for employment of 200 new employees at Thales is hugely significant indeed." He added: This order of 5,000 units in an overall package of 1.6 billion is hugely significant for the Belfast workforce. It is a recognition of their skill and what they do in our city. "There is no point talking about international principles, no point talking about the values we respect and that we wish to protect globally if you are not prepared to stand up for them."] Asked about the scenes in the White House when Mr Zelenskiy visited on Friday, Mr Robinson said they were appalling. I thought it was appalling and I think anybody that watched it will have been disappointed because you will always have to-ing and fro-ing in international relations and in diplomatic channels, but actually President Zelensky is a gentleman who has stood at the forefront of his country and their plight over the last three years. He is internationally regarded as somebody who has stepped up remarkably in defence of his nation, giving hope where seemingly there was little. For such a public spectacle it was disappointing. Ireland Belfast factory to make 5,000 air defence missiles... Read More What we can recognise is that in all of these things there will be discussions to be had behind closed doors. That was a very public display of a discussion I dont think we needed to see. Im glad that things have moved on since, I think the encouragement and the discussions between the UK government and Ukraine have been important over the weekend. The summit that took place yesterday was another important step forward in the support that is available for Ukraine and last night a suggestion that actually the discussions between the US and Ukraine are back on track. A range of stories make it to the front pages of Tuesday's newspapers. The Irish Times, Irish Examiner and Irish Independent report that the potential cost of missing emissions targets could reach a staggering 27 billion. The Irish Daily Mail leads with US president Donald Trump's latest "insult" to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Advertisement Gardai are sending almost 100 newly graduated officers on to the frontline in Dublin for St Patrick's Day, the Irish Daily Mirror reports. The Irish Daily Star reveals that gardai hacked into the phone of a man accused of stabbing his wife to death and discovered video and audio footage of the murder. Three-quarters of school principals in the North have been threatened by parents, according to the Belfast Telegraph. The Echo reveals the homelessness in Cork city has risen 13 per cent over the past year to reach a record high. Escalating international tensions amid the search for a Ukrainian peace deal continue to dominate the British headlines on Tuesday. Advertisement The Guardian, the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph lead on the deepening rift between US president Donald Trump and Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Mr Trump suggested Mr Zelenskiy wont be around very long and condemned earlier comments from the Ukrainian leader who suggested a deal with Russia seemed very far away. Mr Trump also lambasted European leaders for their weakness in relying on US backing for any potential peace deal, according to The Times. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports European leaders are backing efforts to seize more than 200 billion of frozen Russian assets held in the EU if Russia were to violate any future ceasefire deal. Back on British soil, prime minister Keir Starmer says the UK must lead from the front when it comes to stopping the Russian menace, the Daily Express reports. Advertisement And the Daily Mirror says Mr Starmer enjoys a United Kingdom with MPs on both sides of the political aisle backing his staunch support for Ukraine. The i writes Britain is approaching Middle East countries including Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to join peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine. In other news, Metro reports Tiktok is being investigated for how it uses childrens data. Lastly, the Daily Star claims scumbag chatbots will be doing so many menial jobs humans will be paid to do nothing. What was once considered a luxury for those looking to unwind, regular sauna use is now gaining recognition for its potential to boost both physical and mental health. As sauna popularity soars, mini sauna cabins have started popping up all around Ireland, sparking curiosity about the science behind these benefits. Advertisement Weve consulted with experts who have shared seven key advantages of incorporating sauna sessions into your regular routine. 1. Cardiovascular health benefits Regular sauna use can significantly benefit cardiovascular health (Alamy/PA) Research, particularly from Finland, where sauna culture is deeply ingrained, suggests that frequent use of saunas (four or more times per week) can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, says Dr Mohammed Enayat, GP. This is because the heat exposure induces a temporary increase in heart rate, mimicking the effects of moderate exercise. Blood vessels dilate, improving circulation and reducing blood pressure over time. Advertisement Sauna use has also been linked to improved endothelial function, which is essential for maintaining healthy blood vessels, adds the GP. 2. Immune system support Sauna bathing may reduce the risk of respiratory diseases. The rise in body temperature triggers heat shock proteins that protect cells from stress, increases white blood cell production, improving the bodys ability to fight infections, and enhances antimicrobial peptides, which combat bacteria and viruses, explains Dr Vijay Murthy. Regular sauna users have been found to have fewer colds and respiratory infections [in some studies], likely due to this immune-enhancing effect. 3. Skin health benefits Many people find that saunas help give their skin a radiant complexion (Alamy/PA) Stepping into the heat can help keep your pores clean. Advertisement The increased circulation brings more oxygen and nutrients to the skin, promoting a healthy, radiant complexion, says Enayat. Sweating also helps clear out pores, which can reduce the likelihood of acne and other skin conditions. Furthermore, sauna heat stimulates collagen production, which is crucial for maintaining skin elasticity and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. However, Enayat stresses that those with very sensitive or dry skin should ensure they hydrate properly and avoid excessive heat exposure. Advertisement 4. Aids muscle recovery and can help with joint pain The combination of heat, increased blood flow and endorphin release helps reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise, improves joint mobility and reduces stiffness in arthritis sufferers, and stimulates cellular repair by activating heat shock proteins, highlights Murthy. This is why athletes frequently use saunas to enhance recovery and prevent injury. 5. Reduces inflammation Sauna therapy activates anti-inflammatory pathways, reducing chronic inflammation at the cellular level, says Murthy. Heat exposure increases circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues, and induces nitric oxide release which relaxes blood vessels and muscles. It also triggers the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines, helping manage systemic inflammation. This makes saunas beneficial not only for muscle tension but also for inflammatory conditions, like fibromyalgia and autoimmune arthritis. 6. Mental wellbeing benefits Saunas can help boost wellbeing (Alamy/PA) Frequent sauna users often experience a wide range of mental benefits. Advertisement The heat triggers the release of endorphins, the bodys natural feel-good chemicals, which help reduce stress and promote relaxation, explains Enayat. In addition, sauna use lowers cortisol levels and enhances parasympathetic nervous system activity, leading to a state of deep relaxation. Many people report improved sleep quality after using a sauna, which further contributes to mental health benefits. 7. The social aspect Saunas are a distraction-free space where people can bond (Alamy/PA) Alanna Kit, co-founder of communal contrast therapy site Arc, has seen the social benefits of saunas first hand. Saunas enhance connection and community because of this relaxation process in the mind and body, enhancing mood and reducing feelings of loneliness, says Kit. Being part of a wellness community also provides a sense of support and accountability. They provide a relaxed, distraction-free space where people can engage in meaningful conversations. China announced on Tuesday it will impose additional tariffs of up to 15% on imports of major US farm products, including chicken, pork, soy and beef, and also expanded controls on doing business with key US companies. The tariffs announced by the Commerce Ministry are due to take effect from March 10, though goods already in transit will be exempt until April 12. Advertisement They follow US President Donald Trumps order to raise tariffs on imports of Chinese products to 20% across the board. Those took effect on Tuesday. Imports of US-grown chicken, wheat, corn and cotton will face an extra 15% tariff, it said. The tariff on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, seafoods, fruit, vegetables and dairy products will be increased by 10%. Separately, Chinas customs said it was suspending the import of US lumber effective immediately, saying it had detected forest pests such as bark beetles and longhorn beetles in imported logs. China also suspended the soybean import qualifications of three U.S. companies after saying it detected ergot a kind of fungi as well as seed-coating agents in soybeans exported to China. Advertisement The Commerce Ministry also launched its first anti-circumvention investigation into the import of fibre optic products from the US, which it said was initiated at the request of a domestic fibre optic company. The evidence submitted showed that US exporters may have circumvented Chinas anti-dumping measures on certain products, the ministry said. Also on Tuesday, Beijing placed 10 more US firms on its unreliable entity list, which would bar them from engaging in China-related import or export activities and from making new investments in the country. The firms listed are TCOM,Limited Partnership; Stick Rudder Enterprises LLC; Teledyne Brown Engineering; Huntington Ingalls Industries; S3 AeroDefense; Cubic Corporation; TextOre; ACT1 Federal; Exovera and Planate Management Group. Advertisement Separately, China added 15 US companies to its export control list, including aerospace and defence companies such as General Dynamics Land Systems and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, among others. China has decided to include 15 US entities that endanger Chinas national security and interests in the export control list, prohibiting the export of dual-use items to them, the ministry said in a statement. While the tariffs Beijing has imposed on American farm products are sweeping, China held back from imposing higher tariffs across the board, and both sides showed restraint, said Sun Chenghao, an international relations professor at Beijings Tsinghua University. The US hopes to get a trade deal with China in the end, Mr Sun said. For the long term, it is possible that China and the US will continue to negotiate, but the current atmosphere is not good. Advertisement By raising tariffs, the US has repaid kindness with enmity, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said. I would like to reiterate that the Chinese people have never been afraid of evil, do not believe in ghosts, and have never been bullied, Mr Lin said. China is a major importer of American farm products, though its purchases dipped after MrTrump launched a trade war during his first term in office, and then recovered. The Commerce Ministry included about two dozen US farm exports subject to additional 15% tariffs, including chicken feet and wings, and 711 items subject to an extra 10% tariff. Advertisement In 2021-22, the United States logged record export values to China for soybeans, corn, beef, chicken meat, tree nuts and sorghum. Cotton exports to China also rebounded, according to the US Department of Agriculture. US farm exports to China totalled 33.8 billion dollars (26.6 billion) in fiscal in 2023 and 36.4 billion dollars (28.6 billion) in fiscal in 2022. China has been diversifying its sources for farm imports, buying more soybeans from Brazil and Argentina, among other growers. Beijing clearly is prepared to hit back, said Xu Botao, research director of the GoGlobal Institute at EqualOcean, a Shanghai-based Chinese think-tank. The Chinese government and Chinese companies will not be easily frightened and give up resisting unjust trade pressure from the US and other countries, Mr Xu said. The end result will depend on how the US side approaches Beijing, analysts said. So far, the US hasnt sent a positive signal. If the US wants to talk, it should not damage the atmosphere, Mr Sun said. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said that Arab leaders have endorsed Egypts post-war plan for the Gaza Strip that would allow its two million Palestinians to remain in the territory. Meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, the leaders endorsed a counter-proposal to President Donald Trumps plan to depopulate the territory and redevelop it as a beach destination. Advertisement It was unclear if Israel or the United States would accept the Egyptian plan. Trucks line up at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip (Mohamed Arafat/AP) The summit hosted by Egypt included the emir of Qatar, the vice president of the United Arab Emirates and the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia countries whose support is crucial for any post-war plan. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres also attended. Israel has embraced what it says is an alternative US proposal for the ceasefire itself and the release of hostages taken in Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war. Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza to try to get Hamas to accept the new proposal and has warned of additional consequences, raising fears of a return to fighting. Advertisement The suspension of aid drew widespread criticism, with human rights groups saying that it violated Israels obligations as an occupying power under international law. The new plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages the militant groups main bargaining chip in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners a key component of the first phase. A 112-page draft of Egypts 53 billion dollars plan obtained by The Associated Press foresees rebuilding Gaza by 2030 without removing its population. Advertisement The first phase calls for starting the removal of unexploded ordnance and clearing the more than 50 million tons of rubble left by Israels bombardment and military offensives. Hundreds of thousands of temporary housing units would be set up where Gazas population could live while reconstruction takes place. The rubble would be recycled, with some of it used as infill to create expanded lands on Gazas Mediterranean coast. In the following years, the plan envisages completely reshaping the strip, building sustainable, green and walkable housing and urban areas, with renewable energy. It renovates agricultural lands and creates industrial zones and large park areas. It also calls for the opening of an airport, a fishing port and a commercial port. The Oslo peace accords in the 1990s called for the opening of an airport and a commercial port in Gaza, but the projects withered as the peace process collapsed. Advertisement Under the plan, Hamas would cede power to an interim administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Western-backed authority and an opponent of Hamas, was attending the summit. Israel has ruled out any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and, along with the United States, has demanded Hamas disarmament. Hamas, which does not accept Israels existence, has said it is willing to cede power in Gaza to other Palestinians, but will not give up its arms until there is a Palestinian state. Advertisement Addressing the summit, Mr el-Sissi said that the plan preserves the right of Palestinian people in rebuilding their nation and guarantees their existence on their land. He said there is a need for a parallel path for peace to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement to the Palestinian cause. There will be no true peace without the establishment of the Palestinian state, Mr el-Sissi said. Its time to adopt the launching of a serious and effective political path that leads to a permanent and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause according to the resolutions of international legitimacy. An early draft of the statement endorsing the plan called for a permanent and just solution for the Palestinian cause, and for the UN Security Council to deploy international peacekeepers in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The mention of peacekeepers was dropped from a later draft. Israel has vowed to maintain open-ended security control over both territories, which it captured in the 1967 Mideast war and which Palestinians want for their future state. Israels government and most of its political class are opposed to Palestinian statehood. Mr Trump shocked the region last month when he suggested Gazas roughly two million Palestinians be resettled in other countries. He said the United States would take ownership of the territory and redevelop it into a Middle Eastern Riviera. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embraced the proposal, which was roundly rejected by Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights experts, who said it would likely violate international law. Riccardo Fabiani, North Africa director at the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank, said the summit is a key pillar in Egypts strategy to counter Mr Trumps plan for Gaza. Egypt is trying to present a credible alternative focused on reconstruction and an indirect consultation mechanism for Hamas that could reassure Israel and the US, he said. The idea is also to continue to frame this plan as part of a new push towards the two-state solution. The European Commission proposed on Tuesday new joint EU borrowing of 150 billion to lend to EU governments for defence as part of an overall 800 billion total financing effort to boost Europe's defence capabilities. The 150 billion of new joint borrowing is to go towards building pan-European capability domains like air and missile defence, artillery systems, missiles and ammunition, drones and anti-drone systems or to address other needs from cyber to military mobility, the Commission said. Advertisement "It will help member states to pool demand and to buy together. This will reduce costs, reduce fragmentation increase interoperability and strengthen our defence industrial base," Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. EU leaders will discuss the proposal at a special summit devoted to defence spending on Thursday. The Commission also proposed to lift limits imposed by EU rules on government spending in case of defence investments. "If member states would increase their defence spending by 1.5 per cent of GDP on average this could create fiscal space of close to 650 billion," von der Leyen said. Ireland Harris to bring legislation to amend triple lock o... Read More The Commission also proposed that EU countries can use for defence purposes money they receive from the EU budget in funds to equalise the standards of living across Europe. All these elements could provide up to 800 billion for EU governments to spend on defence projects. "Europe is ready to assume its responsibilities. Europe could mobilize close to 800 billion for a safe and resilient Europe. We will continue working closely with our partners in Nato. This is a moment for Europe. And we are ready to step up," she said. The Stoxx Europe Aerospace and Defence index rose on the news to 2284.88 from 2265.36. Investigators on Tuesday will question a driver who allegedly rammed a car into a crowd in the southwestern German city of Mannheim, killing two people and injuring 11. Andreas Stenger, head of the State Criminal Police Office, told German news agency dpa that police hope the interview will lead to information about a motive for Mondays attack. Advertisement Mourners left flowers in the citys centre to honour the victims. Police officers stand next to a damaged vehicle in Mannheim, Germany (Boris Roessler/dpa via AP) The suspect is a 40-year-old German man from the nearby state of Rhineland-Palatinate who was detained and is in hospital after being injured, state interior minister Thomas Strobl of Baden-Wurttemberg, which includes Mannheim, told dpa on Monday. Mr Strobl later told reporters in Mannheim that as far as the specific motivation of the crime is concerned, we have no indication of an extremist or religious background at the moment. The motivation could rather be based in the person of the perpetrator himself. German police and prosecutors said on Monday at a joint news conference that the driver intentionally rammed his car into people and is being investigated for murder and attempted murder. Five of the 11 injured were seriously wounded. Advertisement Police and prosecutors said the driver shot himself in the mouth when he was arrested and had to undergo medical treatment in hospital. While the driver did not seem to be ideologically motivated, prosecutors said that the man, whose identity was not revealed in line with German privacy rules, has several previous convictions. Police and emergency services in the centre of Mannheim (Boris Roessler/dpa via AP) He served a short prison sentence for assault more than 10 years ago, and was convicted for drink driving. He had also been investigated for a hate speech offence on Facebook in 2018, for which he was fined, prosecutors said without giving further details. Investigators are also looking into the possibility that the driver may suffer from psychological problems. Advertisement Cars have been used as deadly weapons in several acts of violence in recent months in Germany. Police said earlier that indications of a second perpetrator cannot be confirmed at this stage of the investigation. They said there was no more danger to the public. Police spokesman Stefan Wilhelm said a vehicle drove into people on Paradeplatz, a pedestrian street, around noon, when workers come out for lunchbreaks. Local media reported a carnival market was taking place, meaning more visitors than usual in Mannheim, which has a population of 326,000. Mannheim University Hospital said they were treating three people, two adults and a child, dpa reported. The other wounded people were taken to different hospitals in the region. Advertisement Images from the scene showed parts of the area cordoned off, with a heavy police presence. Officers gathered round a badly damaged black car. Friedrich Merz, who will likely become Germanys next chancellor, wrote on X that the incident as well as the terrible acts of the past few months is an urgent reminder that we must do everything we can to prevent such acts. Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X that we mourn with the families of the victims of a senseless act of violence. Last month, a two-year-old girl and her mother died two days after they were injured in a car-ramming attack on a union demonstration in Munich. A 24-year-old Afghan man who came to Germany as an asylum-seeker was arrested, and prosecutors said he appeared to have an Islamic extremist motive. Advertisement Last year, six people were killed and more than 200 injured when a car slammed into a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg. The suspect, who was arrested, is a 50-year-old doctor originally from Saudi Arabia who had expressed anti-Muslim views and support for the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative For Germany party. US vice president JD Vance accused Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of needling Donald Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement as the US president paused aid to Ukraine. The development comes as Mr Trump seeks to pressure Mr Zelenskiy into committing to peace talks with Russia, following their tense confrontation in the Oval Office last week. Advertisement Sitting down with Fox News Sean Hannity early on Tuesday, Mr Vance said the encounter, which happened in front of the media, really set Zelenskiy off. He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy, he said. Thats the real breakdown. I think Zelenskiy wasnt yet there. And frankly, still isnt there. But I think hell get there eventually, he has to. Mr Vance confirmed Ukrainian officials made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but efforts were shut down by Mr Trump. Advertisement But he added the door is open so long as Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace. He also used the interview as an opportunity to criticise Europes approach to free speech, saying governments wanted to silence and shut down free speech in response to criticism over immigration. The interview came as Mr Trump ordered a pause on aid to Ukraine. A White House official said the US was pausing and reviewing aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, the Associated Press reported. Advertisement Mr Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Mr Zelenskiy committed to that goal, the official said. Mr Trump, who has led the push for a peace deal with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, said the European demand for US guarantees was showing weakness to the Kremlin. His comments came as Sir Keir Starmer restated his call for strong US backing for any European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine. The UK prime minister gathered leaders from Europe and Canada, including Mr Zelenskiy, for talks in London on Sunday. Advertisement The US president had criticised Mr Zelenskiy for suggesting a deal to end the war with Russia is still very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Monday. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, as President Donald Trump, centre, listens in the Oval Office at the White House (AP/ Mystyslav Chernov) What are they thinking? Advertisement He later said European countries had acted very well and were good people. Were going to make deals with everybody to get this war (finished), including Europe and European nations. And theyve acted very well. You know, theyre good people they want to work it out, Mr Trump said at the White House. Speaking in the UK House of Commons, Mr Starmer again promised British troops and jets would be available to a peacekeeping force if a deal is done to end the war, along with a coalition of the willing from other nations. It is right that Europe do the heavy lifting to support peace on our continent, he said. Good to talk again with @marcorubio today. The UK-US alliance is critical for global security. We are working together to deliver enduring peace in Ukraine and to ensure the ceasefire in Gaza is sustained. David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 3, 2025 But to succeed, this effort must also have strong US backing. The prime minister said the proposed minerals deal between the US and Ukraine is not enough of a security guarantee on its own. Plans for Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskiy to sign the minerals deal were put on hold after the Ukrainian leader left the White House early following their Oval Office bust-up. But Mr Zelenskiy has since suggested he is ready to sign it. Mr Starmer said Mr Trumps commitment to peace was sincere and that a security guarantee should be led by Europe but needs US backing. Mr Starmer told MPs Britain needs to lead from the front and that the European coalition of the willing has been formed to avoid moving at the speed of the most reluctant and that will be too slow. Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Frances president Emmanuel Macron met during the summit on Sunday (Justin Tallis/PA) Downing Street said various options are on the table but insisted no plan has been agreed after Frances president, Emmanuel Macron, said his country and Britain are backing the prospect of a limited ceasefire. The prime ministers official spokesman said: There are clearly a number of options on the table. UK defence secretary John Healey is expected to visit the US later this week for talks with his counterpart Pete Hegseth. On Monday evening, UK foreign secretary David Lammy reported having a good phone conversation with US secretary of state Marco Rubio. The UK-US alliance is critical for global security, he posted on X. We are working together to deliver enduring peace in Ukraine and to ensure the ceasefire in Gaza is sustained. Germany and France meanwhile have reportedly started discussions of how 200 billion of frozen Russian assets could be used as a way to hold Moscow to a potential ceasefire deal. On Sunday, chancellor Rachel Reeves signed off on a 2.26 billion loan scheme to help Ukraine buy weapons and fund its reconstruction after the war, which will be repaid with the profits of frozen Russian assets. US President Donald Trump will stand before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday to give an account of his first weeks in office. It will be the latest milestone in Mr Trumps total takeover of the nations capital where the Republican-led House and Senate have done little to restrain the president as he and his allies work to slash the size of the federal government and remake Americas place in the world. Advertisement With a tight grip on his party, Mr Trump has been emboldened to take sweeping actions after overcoming impeachments and criminal prosecutions. The White House said Mr Trumps theme would be the renewal of the American dream, and he was expected to lay out his achievements since returning to the White House, as well as appeal to Congress to provide more money to finance his aggressive immigration crackdown. Its an opportunity for President Trump, as only he can, to lay out the last month of record-setting, record-breaking, unprecedented achievements and accomplishments, said senior adviser Stephen Miller. Democrats, many of whom stayed away from Mr Trumps inauguration in January, were largely brushing aside calls for boycotts as they struggle to come up with an effective counter to the president. Advertisement Instead, they chose to highlight the impact of Mr Trumps actions by inviting sacked federal workers as guests, including a disabled veteran from Arizona, a health worker from Maryland and a forestry employee who worked on wildfire prevention in California. They also invited guests who would be harmed by steep federal budget cuts to Medicaid and other programmes. Rather than focusing on American families and kitchen table issues, President Trumps first month in office has focused on tax cuts for billionaires, paid for by the very people he promised to help, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. Mr Trump also planned to use his speech to address his proposals for fostering peace in Ukraine and the Middle East, where he has unceremoniously upended the policies of the Biden administration in a matter of just weeks. Advertisement On Monday, Mr Trump ordered a freeze to US military assistance to Ukraine, ending years of staunch American support for the country in fending off Russias invasion. Mr Trump was tightening the screws after his explosive Oval Office meeting Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the US leader tries to pressure the erstwhile American ally to embrace peace talks with its invader Russia. In the Middle East, negotiations to extend a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have stalled, with Mr Trump floating the permanent displacement of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and a US takeover of the territory, straining partnerships with countries in the region and undoing long-time American support for a two-state solution to end the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The backdrop of Mr Trumps speech will also be new economic uncertainty unleashed after the president opened the day by placing stiff tariffs on imports from the countrys neighbours and closest trading partners. Advertisement A 25% tax on goods from Canada and Mexico went into effect just after midnight on Tuesday ostensibly to secure greater co-operation to tackle illicit fentanyl trafficking triggering immediate retaliation and sparking fears of a wider trade war. Mr Trump also raised tariffs on goods from China to 20%. The whole scene for Mr Trumps speech was a marked contrast to his final State of the Union address in his first term. Five years ago, Mr Trump delivered his annual address just after the Senate had acquitted him during his first impeachment trial and before the Covid-19 pandemic had taken root across society. Tuesdays address is not referred to as a State of the Union because he is still in the first year of his new term. The president planned to use his high-profile moment to press his efforts to reshape the countrys approach to social issues, as he looks to continue to eradicate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the country and to roll back some public accommodations for transgender individuals. Advertisement Watching from the gallery will be first lady Melania Trump, who only on Monday held her first solo public event since her husband returned to power. She pushed for passage of a Bill to prevent revenge porn, and her guests in the chamber will include 15-year-old Elliston Berry, the victim of an explicit deepfake image sent to classmates. The Democrats guests also include at least one government watchdog dismissed by Mr Trump in his bid to emplace loyalists across positions of influence. Republicans politicians, too, are trying to make a point with their invited guests. Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said she would host Scott Root, father of the late Sarah Root, who died on the night of her 2016 college graduation in a vehicle crash involving an immigrant who was in the country without legal authority. Outside Washington, the latest round of public protest against Mr Trump and his administration also was unfolding on Tuesday. Loosely co-ordinated groups planned demonstrations in all 50 states and the District of Colombia timed to Mr Trumps address. Ukrainians expressed alarm and apprehension on Tuesday at a US decision to pause military aid that is critical to their fighting Russias invasion, as a rift deepens between Kyiv and Washington. Days after an explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump ordered the assistance to be halted in a bid to pressure Kyiv to engage in peace talks with Russia. Advertisement Officials in Kyiv said they were grateful for vital US help in the war and want to keep working with Washington. The countrys prime minister, though, said Ukraine still wants security guarantees to be part of any peace deal and will not recognise Russian occupation of any Ukrainian land. Ukraine and its allies are concerned Mr Trump is pushing for a quick ceasefire that will favour Russia, which Kyiv says cannot be trusted to honour truces. Ukraine, which depends heavily on foreign help to hold back Russias full-scale invasion that began on February 24 2022 has feared that aid could be stopped since Mr Trump took office. US-made Patriot air defence missile systems, for example, are a pivotal part of protecting Ukraine. Just as vital is US intelligence assistance, which has allowed Ukraine to track Russian troop movements and select targets. Advertisement I feel betrayed, but this feeling is not really deep for some reason. I was expecting something like that from Trumps side, said a Ukrainian soldier fighting in Russias Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a daring military incursion in August 2024 to improve its hand in negotiations. The soldier spoke by phone to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media. On the front line, where Ukraine is struggling to fend off the much larger and better-equipped Russian army, another soldier said the US decision would allow further battlefield gains for Moscow. War is very pragmatic, he told AP, speaking on condition of anonymity in compliance with military regulations. Advertisement If we have weapons, enough ammunition, infantry, armoured vehicles and aviation, great. If not, then were done, he said. He recalled a seven-month delay in US aid that ended in April 2024 but opened a door for the Russian capture of the strategically important city of Avdiivka. The pause in US aid is not expected to have an immediate impact on the battlefield. Ukrainian forces have slowed Russian advances along the roughly 1,000-km (600-mile) front line, especially in the fiercely contested Donetsk region some 700km (400 miles) east of Kyiv. The Russian onslaught has been costly in troops and armour but has not brought a strategically significant breakthrough for the Kremlin. Advertisement Olena Fedorova, 46, a resident of the southern port city of Odesa, said she hoped Mr Trumps decision would be temporary because we really need help. US support is vital because Europe cannot fully provide what Ukraine needs in air defence systems, said Ukrainian politician Yehor Chernov. As a result, this will lead to an increase in the number of casualties among civilians, he said. The US-Ukraine relationship has taken a downturn since Mr Trump took office and his team launched bilateral talks with Russia. Advertisement Mr Trump says he wants to get traction for peace negotiations. He vowed during his campaign to settle the war in 24 hours, but later changed that timeframe and voiced hope that peace could be negotiated in six months. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said US help is vital and has saved perhaps tens of thousands of civilian and military lives. But he emphasised at a Kyiv news conference that any peace agreement must be on Ukraines terms, as the victim country. Ukraine wants concrete security guarantees from Washington, European countries and Group of Seven leading industrialised nations, he said. Giving up territory to Russia, which occupies nearly 20% of Ukraine, is not possible under the UN Charter, he said. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal speaks during a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) He repeated Mr Zelenskys position that Ukraine is still ready to sign a lucrative minerals deal with Mr Trump that could be the first step toward a ceasefire. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Washingtons decision could act as a spur to a peace agreement. The US has been the chief supplier in this war so far, Mr Peskov said. If the US suspends these supplies, it will make the best contribution to peace. Polands Foreign Ministry said the US had not consulted with or informed Nato countries before announcing the pause. Russia will likely try to use the halt in supplies to extend its territorial gains and strengthen its position in prospective peace talks. Russias state RIA Novosti news agency quoted Andrei Kartapolov, a retired general who chairs the defence committee in the lower house of parliament, as saying Ukraine would exhaust its current ammunition reserves within months. We need to keep up the pressure and continue to target their bases and depots with long-range precision weapons to destroy the stockpiles, he said. Ukraines European allies, meanwhile, reaffirmed their commitment to Kyiv. The chief of the European Unions executive proposed an 800 billion-euro ((662 billion)) plan to bolster defences of EU nations and provide Ukraine with military muscle. The UK government, which has been leading European efforts to keep Mr Trump from pushing to end the war on terms that could favour Moscow, said in a statement that it remains absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director-general of the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based defence think tank, said Washingtons move could encourage Russia to ask for more Ukrainian concessions, including demilitarisation and neutrality. This decision is not about economics. It is driven fundamentally by Trumps view that Russia is willing to do a peace deal, and only Ukraine is the obstacle, Mr Chalmers said. But there is no evidence that Russia would be prepared to accept a deal, and what that would be. Mr Trump said on Monday he is still interested in signing a deal that would hand over a share of Ukraines rare-earth minerals to the US, an agreement that Mr Zelensky has also said he is ready to sign. By abruptly halting military assistance to Ukraine, President Trump is hanging Ukrainians out to dry and giving Russia the green light to continue marching west, said Razom for Ukraine, a Ukrainian advocacy group. It urged the White House to immediately reverse course, resume military aid and pressure Putin to end his horrific invasion. 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 As autumn blows into Australia, it brings with it an array of new books, ranging from fiction and memoir to political and cultural history. Heres a sample of 12 new volumes heading our way and there are plenty more waiting at your local bookshop. Blue Poles: Jackson Pollock, Gough Whitlam and the Painting That Changed a Nation Tom McIlroy Hachette, $34.99 Theres a great photo in Tom McIlroys book about Jackson Pollocks painting that the National Gallery bought in 1973 for $1.3 million. It shows it as it lived for many years in art collector Ben Hellers apartment. Imagine having that on your wall. McIlroys book is an account of the paintings life and times and those of the people involved, from Pollock himself to Lee Krasner, gallery director James Mollison and many more. To be read in conjunction, perhaps, with Angela OKeeffes novel, Night Blue, written from the paintings point of view. Tom McIlroy tells the story of Blue Poles and how Gough Whitlam rubber stamped its purchase. Credit: Belinda Pratten The Buried Life Andrea Goldsmith Transit Lounge, $34.99 The great thing about Andrea Goldsmiths novels, going back to earlier ones such as Gracious Living or more recent ones such as Reunion or The Memory Trap, is the life and strength of her characters. Here, there are four main ones Tony, a would-be novelist; his put-upon wife, Laura; Adrian, an academic researching death; and Keziah, who has escaped a religious community. As our review says: This is a novel in which sharp contrasts are skilfully braided as the narrative moves towards its 13 pages of resolution, the artistry of which is moving and quite breathtaking. The great thing about Andrea Goldsmiths novels is the life and strength of her characters. Whats the Big Idea? Eds., Anna Chang & Alice Grundy Australia Institute Press, $34.99 Plenty, it seems, judging by the contributors and topics assembled in this collection of essays on matters pertinent to Australia now and into the future, to mark the 30th anniversary of the think tank The Australia Institute. It may be Bill Browne writing on the worth of parliamentarians and pointing out that without democracy all ideas are inert. Or climate scientist Joelle Gergis on the three key things to know about climate change, and the need to accelerate the clean change energy transmission as fast as is humanly possible. Stimulating bite-sized essays to make you think. Twist Colum McCann Bloomsbury, $32.99 If youve ever wondered about the passage of information and other things carried through all those fibre-optic cables that slink along the sea bed between continents, then this dramatic novel about a journalist and an engineer tasked with repairing damaged cables, who must face up to conflicting demands and ruptured connections is for you. This is a return to straight fiction for the Irish-American writer, whose last book, American Mother, was written with Diane Foley, mother of James, the US journalist murdered by Islamic State. Advertisement The Strange Case of Jane O. Karen Thompson Walker Manilla Press, $32.99 The premise of this American writers first novel, The Age of Miracles, was intriguing: rotation of the Earth starts to slow, causing chaos, disease, intense storms and an existential crisis. In her third, she creates what is in effect a case study both of a young mother, Jane O., and the psychiatrist treating her. After the first consultation, Jane disappears, only to end up in hospital with no idea of what happened. Dr Henry Byrd tries to find out whats going on in her head, and thereby finds out plenty about himself. Loading Miles Franklin Undercover Kerrie Davies Allen & Unwin, $34.99 Kerrie Davies calls her book a slice of life biography, in that it follows Miles Franklins surprisingly tough life from 1901 immediately after her iconic novel, My Brilliant Career, was published to 1915. It was a time when Franklin worked as a servant in the posh homes of Sydney and Melbourne, before heading to Chicago where she wrote When I was Mary-Anne, a Slavey, a manuscript that was never published but that Davies mines along with the authors diaries to reveal a fascinating story of an embattled talent. Kerrie Davies gives the reader a slice of the life Miles Franklin. Credit: One Hundred Years of Betty Debra Oswald Allen & Unwin, $34.99 The latest book by Debra Oswald, prolific playwright, novelist and creator of the hit television series Offspring, has a structure that allows her a vast canvas. Betty is about to turn 100 and this is her story, of a woman with gumption galore but living most of her days through a century that doesnt allow women to live the lives they want, deserve or are capable of. Betty leaves Britain for Australia and finds fresh life, frustrations and rewards. Chameleon: A Memoir of Art, Travel, Ideas and Love Robert Dessaix Text, $36.99 What a blessing Robert Dessaix has been to the readers of Australia. In this carefully crafted and moving memoir of sorts, he considers his life by addressing the man he used to be, Thomas Robert Jones, the name he was given on his adoption. So the refrain of this wide-ranging book that considers all aspects of his life now that he has reached the fraying, but suddenly illumined, highly coloured end of my life is I have never been the man I seemed to be. Robert Dessaix address the man he used to be in Chameleon. Credit: Adam Gibson Advertisement POLITICS One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This Omar El Akkad Text, $32.99 There are too many horrific stories to recount. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed by Israel in Gaza since October 7, 2023, the day that Hamas attacked Israel and murdered about 1200 people, and yet we barely know any of their names or stories. The nightmares inflicted by the Israeli army, and backed, armed, defended and endorsed by virtually every Western state including Australia, has left the Gaza Strip in ruins, its civilian population destitute, maimed, hungry and trapped. Just one example will suffice. In May last year, a senior officer in the Israeli militarys Nahal Brigade tied an explosive cord around the neck of an 80-year-old Palestinian man in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City and forced him to be a human shield. After his job was done, the solders pushed the elderly man and his wife to flee, and both were soon executed by other soldiers. Have you heard this tale of woe? Almost certainly not. Their lives dont matter, at least not like Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Theres a hierarchy of compassion and Palestinians reside at the bottom. Jewish existence means more than shredded Arab bodies. As a Jew myself, this is a direct rejection of our humanistic values for millennia and yet, its aggressively pushed by Israel and its wild-eyed supporters across the globe. Ive never done less of it because of my back, because I just dont have any control over it, Chatten says. Its not really me up there. But in a quiet moment on a pause in the bands four-city, two-festival Australian tour, he explains that back problems or not, his on-stage persona is beyond his control. Not that youd know it onstage, the Irish rocker is ceaseless, throwing up a heavy boot onto a speaker, twisting one arm behind him, bending his neck back as he sneers into the microphone. He explains that the high-energy stagecraft masked the impostor syndrome the Dublin post-punk band, formed in 2014, felt early on. But they should be beyond that now. The release of their fourth album Romance in August last year, marks their rise from young contenders to international heavyweights. Irish band Fontaines DC are touring Australia again following the release of their Grammy-nominated album Romance. Credit: James Brickwood They were nominated for two Grammys, including best rock album. Elton John told Chatten on his podcast they were the best band out there at the moment. Album single Favourite was on Barack Obamas end-of-year playlist. Last week while in Brisbane they accepted the BRIT award for best international group (with a gracious nod to fellow nominees Amyl and the Sniffers). Chatten says the Australian shows so far, in Perth, Brisbane and at Wollongongs Yours and Owls Festival, have been among their best. Playing in a country with a large Irish diaspora, recent and historic 2.4 million Australians said they had ancestry in the 2021 census has something to do with it. People are still dotted all around this vast continent singing old Irish tunes, and telling old Irish stories, Chatten, who has family in the country, says. I think it is probably more emotionally charged for people, because there is that extra dimension of missing home. Tutoring colleges are playing on parents vulnerabilities and their concerns by targeting the parents of schoolchildren, says Meriden School principal Lisa Brown. During a conversation on gifted education, Brown said that comprehensive schools could offer a more holistic education than selective schools, which she said offered a highly pressurised and competitive learning environment. Meriden School principal, Lisa Brown, speaking at the SMH Schools Summit. Credit: Edwina Pickles I worry that to maintain that standard, that academic standard, at a selective school, theres heavy tutoring and heavy pressure, and that means compromises in other areas. So then I worry that students arent receiving a well-rounded and balanced development during their adolescent years. Martin Graham, Deputy Secretary Learning and Student Wellbeing at the NSW Department of Education, said that many families with gifted students felt a push to leave their community to access specific types of schooling, and this could be alleviated through the inclusion of gifted learning programs in every school. Professor Jae Jung, from the School of Education at UNSW reiterated this, saying gifted students dont only exist in selected schools. We have gifted students in all schools in the state. With this concept, Jung said we should never take away options for gifted students, across the schooling spectrum. Former lord mayor Sally Capp is taking on a new role as a model at the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Capp will model an outfit from local designer Mastani in the festivals F*** the Invisible runway on Friday night, aimed at inspiring and empowering women in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond. Former lord mayor Sally Capp, wearing a design by Mastani, is preparing to walk the runway in the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Credit: Simon Schluter This is a great example of making sure that everyone feels that they can see themselves on the runway, that they can enjoy fashion, Capp said. The big part of this particular runway is saying youre not ignored, dont feel that youre invisible, that you actually can take centre place and feel very comfortable with that. West Australian Premier Roger Cook has walked back on a comment branding Vice President JD Vance a knob in front of a crowd of hundreds at a business breakfast in Perth on Tuesday morning. Cook was asked a series of rapid-fire questions during a Q&A session at the breakfast at Crown Perth on Tuesday morning, when moderator Jess Page asked the premier to finish the sentence: JD Vance is a... WA Premier Roger Cook and US Vice President JD Vance. Knob, Cook responded quickly, to applause from the crowd. Sorry, youve got to have one unprofessional moment, dont you? That was it. Beijing: China has slapped additional duties of 10 to 15 per cent on American chicken, corn, soybeans, pork, dairy, and other agricultural products, firing back at US President Donald Trumps latest salvo in his tariff war. Beijing retaliated within minutes of the US doubling the duties on Chinese imports to 20 per cent on Tuesday, just as China kicks off its most important political and economic event of the year. Donald Trump is imposing tariffs on Chinese goods as of midnight Washington time. Credit: AP Chinas Foreign Ministry said it was legitimate and necessary for Beijing to take counter-measures to defend its interests, warning that exerting maximum pressure on China is a mis-targeted and miscalculated approach. If the US insists on waging a tariff war, trade war or whatever war, China will not flinch and is ready to take due response, a ministry spokesman said. London: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed regret over his angry exchange with Donald Trump in the Oval Office and vowed to return to the negotiating table to sign a minerals deal and secure peace. After the US president announced a sudden freeze on military aid, Zelensky said it was regrettable what happened in their White House meeting last Friday and told Trump that it is time to make things right. Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance during their explosive meeting in the Oval Office. Credit: Bloomberg None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians, the Ukrainian leader said in a post on X, praising Trumps strong leadership. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be, he wrote. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. Washington: Canada will sue the United States in the World Trade Organisation and has initiated retaliatory tariffs after US President Donald Trump whacked his northern neighbour with 25 per cent import duties in a move Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described as very dumb. In a pointed barb at the Trump administrations foreign and economic policies, Trudeau said the US was starting a trade war with its closest allies at the same time as it was appeasing [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator by pausing military aid to Ukraine. We will not back down from a fight: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Credit: AP Make that make sense, he said. Canadians are reasonable, and we are polite, but we will not back down from a fight not when our country and the wellbeing of everyone in it is at stake. Looking ahead espite the challenges, the push for gender pay equality is gaining momentum, driven by comprehensive data and proactive employer engagement. As companies continue to address these issues, the landscape of Australian workplaces is set to evolve, aiming for greater equity and inclusion across all levels of employment. China's tech hub Shenzhen unveils plan to boost embodied intelligent robotics Xinhua) 10:20, March 04, 2025 SHENZHEN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's tech hub Shenzhen has formulated a new action plan to boost the embodied intelligent robotics sector, aiming for an industrial output exceeding 100 billion yuan (about 14 billion U.S. dollars) by 2027, the Shenzhen municipal bureau of science and technology innovation said on Monday. As outlined in its 2025-2027 action plan for technological innovation and industrial development of embodied intelligent robots, breakthroughs are anticipated in key areas such as robot core components, AI chips, AI-robotics integration, multimodal perception technologies, high-precision motion control, and dexterous manipulation technologies. Known as China's "Silicon Valley," the city aims to cultivate more than 10 companies valued at over 10 billion yuan and over 20 companies with revenues exceeding 1 billion yuan by 2027, with the number of enterprises in the embodied intelligent robot industry cluster expected to surpass 1,200. Shenzhen, once a small fishing village in Guangdong Province, south China, has transformed into one of China's most dynamic and innovative cities. It is home to more than 2,200 AI companies and boasts a comprehensive AI industry chain that spans from smart chips and algorithm frameworks to large models and software-hardware applications, according to data from the Shenzhen AI industry office. Data from iResearch, an industry research and consulting institute, indicates that China's AI industry is projected to reach 811 billion yuan by 2028, with emerging sectors such as AI and robotics poised to unlock significant market potential and development opportunities. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) This is it. The excise tax exemption on pickup trucks is now gone thanks to the effectivity of the Capital Market Efficiency Promotions Act ... IN A YEAR that saw nearly 10,000 distinct baby names registered across Ireland, Carlow parents showed their preference for tradition mixed with a touch of the contemporary when naming their little bundles of joy in 2024. According to the latest figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Jack and Sophie among the most popular names for newborns in Carlow are the top baby names in Ireland overall, with Jack maintaining its national dominance for the eighth consecutive year. Carlows top boys names was a perfect tie between Jack and Noah, while the county showed a lot of diversity in girls names with a 14-way tie for the top spot including Caoimhe, Croia, Emily, Isla, Julia, Kate, Lily, Lucy, Maisie, Molly, Meabh, Rosie, Sadie and Sophie. Looking at neighbouring counties, Kilkenny parents also favoured Jack for boys, while Eabha topped the list for girls. In Wexford, Rian was the boys name of choice, with Sophie leading for girls, while Laois parents opted for Rian and Fiadh. Weve seen some fascinating regional variations across Ireland, noted Sean OConnor, statistician in the Vital Statistics Section of the CSO. While Jack was the top or joint top boys name in 11 locations around the country, Sophie was the favourite in seven areas. Nationally, Jack, Noah, Rian, Cillian and James made up the top five boys names, while Sophie, Eabha, Grace, Emily and Fiadh completed the girls top five. Among the fastest climbers in popularity, Caleb made a remarkable leap of 51 places to reach 91st position for boys, while Rhea jumped 37 places to 93rd for girls. New entries to the top 100 included Rowan, Caleb and Iarlaith for boys, and Hallie, Rhea, Caragh and Aurora for girls. The times certainly are changing when it comes to naming trends in Ireland. Fifty years ago, John and Mary topped the charts, but Mary has now fallen so far that 2024 marks only the third time in half a century that it failed to feature in the top 100. Parents nationality also influenced naming choices, with David and Sofia being the most popular for babies born to parents from EU27 countries, while Muhammad topped the list for parents from outside the EU. With 9,582 distinct names registered last year, it seems Irish parents are becoming increasingly creative when it comes to naming their little ones though Jacks enduring popularity suggests some classics never go out of style. Tom Tuite A medical doctor suffering from drug addiction has pleaded guilty to forgery, stealing prescriptions from two major hospitals and using them in pharmacies around the midlands over a three-year period. Daniel Nevin, 39, of Greenpark Meadows, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, pleaded guilty on Tuesday at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts on an indictment for offences of theft, forgery and using false instruments, committed from 2021 until 2024. His 34-year-old partner, Rebecca Moylan, who has the same address, admitted stealing prescriptions from a hospital and unlawfully using them in pharmacies in Mullingar. Sentencing was adjourned pending reports on his efforts to tackle his addiction to prescription drugs. Among the doctor's charges were two thefts of prescriptions from University Hospital Galway between July 2021 and July 2023 and the Midlands Regional General Hospital Mullingar from July 10th, 2023, until February 18th, 2024. The remaining charges Nevin admitted included three counts of using false prescriptions in pharmacies in Kells, Co Meath, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath and Tullamore, Co. Offaly, on various dates. There were also five counts of forging prescriptions. He was initially sent forward for trial on 49 charges in the book of evidence, but guilty pleas were entered to ten on a full facts basis. Colm Smyth SC, defending, said Nevin was a young medical doctor who had suffered from an addiction to prescription drugs since 2019. Mr Smyth said Nevin was referred to the medical council at that time, and it was supportive. But he relapsed, and that led to the offences before the court. He has been engaging with a GP, another doctor who is a rehabilitation specialist, and a psychiatrist about other trauma issues. Nevin has been involved in a weaning process from drugs and has been providing monthly urine analysis, the court heard. Mr Smyth asked that sentencing be delayed so that various reports would be available, and by that stage, Nevin would have been providing urine analysis for a year. Judge Keenan Johnson remanded him on continuing bail pending sentence to appear again in July along with his 34-year-old fiancee. Rebecca Moylan admitted to the theft of prescriptions from St Jamess Hospital in Dublin from September 1st, 2023, until November of that year. She also owned up to using false prescriptions in three pharmacies. The defence told Judge Johnson that she used the prescriptions to assist someone who was in chronic pain. They spoke only to confirm their pleas. Isabel Hayes A man accused of raping a Spanish tourist in Dublin six years ago led her in a menacing and predatory way to a quiet area and had sex with her when she was in a bad state as a result of alcohol, a jury has been told. The 33-year-old man has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to one count of rape on January 1st, 2019. He cannot be named for legal reasons. It is the State's case that the man raped the woman on a street in the Dublin Castle area and that the woman did not consent and was unable to consent due to the effects of alcohol. The man denies any wrongdoing. In his closing speech to the jury on Tuesday, Tony McGillicuddy SC, prosecuting, said the jury must have regard to the CCTV footage in the case, which showed the pair meeting at a shop shortly after she had vomited and then walking to the Dublin Castle area. The woman was looking for her friend from whom she had got separated, and the man also told gardai that she asked him to help find her friend, but prosecution counsel noted the man brought the woman to a different part of the city. (He) led her in a menacing and predatory way into an area off the normal streets of Dublin City Centre on New Year's Eve to have sexual intercourse with a 19-year-old Spanish student with hardly any English against her consent and when she was in a bad state as a result of alcohol, he said. He said the complainant's account of what happened that night was honest, sincere and accounted for, and he urged jurors to find the man guilty of the charge before the court. The trial heard the woman had been in town to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks that night when she got separated from her friend and came into contact with the accused man outside a shop. She told the court she was trying to find a bar to meet her friend and the man walked her through town to a car park area where the alleged rape occurred. 'Felt like a doll' The woman said she felt like a doll and didn't have any strength in her body during the alleged incident. Afterwards, the court has heard she walked with the man back through the city centre, where she got talking to a couple a man and woman - outside a shop and parted ways with the accused man. The woman ended up in a B&B with the second man after the woman went home, where they had anal sex before the woman went home to her accommodation. She told the court it was painful, and she persuaded the man to stop. The trial was played CCTV footage of this encounter, which occurred in the hallway of the B&B. When the complainant woke up the next morning, she told the court she realised I had two rapes and there might be a medical issue with that. She went to hospital. The jury has been told that no charge has been brought against the second man. Mr McGillicuddy said the jury had heard evidence from the woman the complainant met at a shop who said she looked all out of whack and that she approached her and told her it was a dangerous part of town. The second man told the trial the woman was highly intoxicated. Mr McGillicuddy said he had not dwelt on the woman's sexual encounter with the second man that night because the charge before the court related to the accused man only. He said what the jury had to consider was whether the woman was capable of consenting to sexual intercourse between 1.40am and 2.17am on the morning in question. 'Bizarre' elements to case In his closing speech to the jury, Padraig Dwyer SC, defending, said there were bizarre elements to the case. He told the jury there were huge similarities between the two sexual encounters the woman had that night. He said she met the men both in a public place, had sexual intercourse with each of them in a semi-private, semi-public place and that she spent the same amount of time with them. He said that if it weren't for the fact that the jury had watched video evidence of the woman's sexual encounter with the second man, He would be sitting there where (the accused man) is sitting now. Mr Dwyer said the woman's word was not reliable and that she was in full control of her faculties at the time. He urged the jury to look at the CCTV footage of the woman walking through town, and he said there was no evidence the accused man was present when she vomited in the shop. It's also strange that someone who was raped would remain with her rapist for a period of 40 minutes without saying a word to anyone or trying to alert anyone to the problem, he said. ..In this particular case, I would suggest to you what happened here was in fact a scenario where she regretted what happened and she was confused about what happened and ashamed about what happened, he said. He said the woman was capable of consenting on the night, that she was unreliable and imprecise. She is someone who should not be relied on to convict a man of one of the most serious crimes. He urged the jury to enter a verdict of not guilty against the man. The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. Sign up to get our news digest delivered directly to your inbox twice a week. Enigmatic German filmmaker and provocateur Werner Herzog is directing the first animated feature of his legendary sixty-plus year filmmaking career. The 82-year-old director of films like Grizzly Man, Fitzcarraldo, Aguirre, The Wrath of God, and Cave of Forgotten Dreams, will make his feature animation directorial debut with The Twilight World, adapted from his recent novel of the same title. The project, currently in development, will be pitched for the first time this week at the animated film pitching event Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux, France. Heres what we currently know about Herzogs film: Advertisement The Lebap cement plant in Turkmenistan produced 111,600t of cement in January 2025, representing a 71.6 per cent increase when compared with January 2024. The increase in production has been attributed to efficient work organisation and the implementation of modern technologies, according to Trend. In addition, the use of local raw materials has helped to keep production costs and sales prices low, benefitting export markets. In 2023, 107,500t of cement were exported to Uzbekistan. Advertisement India-based Dalmia Bharat announced a INR35.2bn (US$403m) investment in Maharashtra and Karnataka, funded by a combination of debt and internal accruals. The new capacity is expected to come online by the 4QFY26-27. The company will build a 3.6Mta clinker plant and a 3Mta grinding unit at its existing Belgaum (Belagavi) plant in Karnataka as well as a 3Mta split grinding unit at a greenfield site in Pune, Maharashtra. The new capacity will increase the companys cement capacity to 55.5Mta, following the ongoing expansion of the 2.9Mta of capacity at Assam and Bihar. The Karnataka grinding unit will supply the underserved southern Maharashtra markets while improving market penetration in the existing region. Meanwhile, the Pune plant will enable Dalmia Bharat to enter the western Maharashtra market. The investment is part of the companys vision to be a pan-India cement supplier and achieve 75Mta capacity by FY27-28 and 110-130Mta by 2031. Advertisement Perus cement deliveries fell by 2.4 per cent to 0.991Mt in January 2025 from 1.015Mt in January 2024, according to the countrys cement association, ASOCEM. Of this total, association members dispatched 0.893Mt, down 4.8 per cent YoY from 0.938Mt in January 2024. Cement production declined by 6.1 per cent YoY to 0.867Mt in January 2025 from 0.924Mt in the equivalent period of the previous year. Clinker production dropped 30 per cent YoY to 0.599Mt from 0.857Mt over the same period. External trade Approximately 1.6 per cent was shaved off cement exports, which declined to 10,200t from 10,400t in the first month of January 2024. In contrast, clinker exports were up 122 per cent to 73,600t when compared with 33,100t in January 2024. Cement imports saw a 63 per cent surge to 50,000t in January 2025 from 31,000t in the previous years equivalent period. Approximately 90 per cent of imports originated in Vietnam, six per cent from Chile and four per cent from Bolivia. The average CIF import price at the Tacna land terminal slipped by one per cent to US$126/t while in Desaguadero the price was US$96/t. In the port of Chancery, the average CIF import price was US$69/t. Clinker imports were down 29 per cent YoY to 44,000t from 62,000t in January 2024. All imports were shipped from South Korea and entered Peru via the port of Callao. The average CIF import price fell 21 per cent YoY to US$49/t in January 2025. Previous Next The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that U.S. Army Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sanford G. Roy, 31, of Chattanooga, killed during World War II, was accounted for June 20, 2024. Mr. Roys family recently received their full briefing on his identification. Officials said, "In spring 1944, Roy was assigned to the 732nd Bombardment Squadron, 453rd Bombardment Group, 2nd Combat Bomb Wing, 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force in the European Theater. On April 8, Roy, a waist gunner onboard a B-24H 'Liberator' Little Joe, was killed in action when his plane was shot down by enemy fighter aircraft fire while on a bombing mission to Brunswick, Germany. Airmen aboard other aircraft flying in formation with Little Joe did not report seeing any crewmembers exiting the aircraft before it crashed in the vicinity of Salzwedel. The crash site could not be located by Allied forces during the war, and the remains of all nine crewmembers, including Roy, were unaccounted for following the war."Beginning in 1946, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, began investigating the numerous bomber losses in the Salzwedel and Wistedt areas of Germany. German forces had maintained accurate documentation (Kampfflugzeug Unterlagen, or KU) of American aircraft shoot-downs, with several reports indicating B-24s crashing in the area. However, AGRC was unable to associate any KU reports with Little Joe and investigators were unable to locate any crash or burial sites associated with the loss."In 2015, an independent research group, Missing Allied Air Crew Research Team (MAACRT), contacted DPAA historians with new information related to a possible crash site near Wistedt, Germany. Interviews with elderly local residents indicated there were two crash sites, but only one was recovered by American forces following the war. Investigators located the second crash site and were able to recover various pieces of wreckage. Possible osseous remains were also located and transferred to the DPAA laboratory for analysis and identification. At the time, no matches could be made with any Unknowns and further investigations were scheduled."Between 2021 and 2023, DPAA investigators returned to the crash site and continued investigations, then excavations and recoveries. By the end of November 2023, all evidence, including possible osseous remains and possible life support equipment, had been recovered and returned to the DPAA laboratory."To identify Roys remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological and dental analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis."Roys name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for."Roy will be buried in his hometown on the 81st anniversary of his loss, April 8, 2025. For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at 800-892-2490."For additional information on the Defense Departments mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving their country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa, https://www.linkedin.com/company/dodpaa,https://www.instagram.com/dodpaa/, or https://x.com/dodpaa."Roys personnel profile can be viewed at https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000LlG5EAK." He will be laid to rest in his home town of Chattanooga. A visitation will be held at the North Chapel of the Chattanooga Funeral Home on Monday, April 7 from 4-8 p.m. A graveside service will be held at the Chattanooga National Cemetery on Tuesday, April 8 at 12:30 p.m., with full military honors. The public is invited. Anyone wishing to join the procession to the cemetery will need to be at the North Chapel around 11:30 a.m. for the procession to leave at noon. Pilgrim United Church of Christ (400 Glenwood Drive) received a grant from the UCC Neighbors in Need fund. This grant will be used to host free family breakfasts on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:30am. Breakfasts will start March 9th and run through May 25th. The aim of these breakfasts is to feed any hungry children in our community, but also to welcome and get to know our neighbors. Additionally, through the generous donations by Pilgrim UCC's congregation, there will be a food pantry of shelf stable items available during the breakfasts. All are welcome to attend. A team of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Doctor of Physical Therapy students made an impressive debut at the American Physical Therapy Associations annual Knowledge Bowl, competing for the first time on the national stage.It turned out they werent just there to compete.Third-year DPT students Lauren Clark, Jaimin Rasmussen, Candace Ricketts and Rebecca Sullivanall set to graduate in Maydefeated student teams from some of the nations top-ranked DPT programs in winning the APTA Combined Sections Meeting Knowledge Bowl in Houston.The Knowledge Bowl is a Jeopardy-style competition designed to test DPT students knowledge of various topics related to physical therapyincluding clinical practice, biomechanics, pathology, patient care and professional standards.Physical therapy programs across the country were invited to compete in a fast-paced and highly competitive environment to showcase their expertise and problem-solving skills.With Aprils National Physical Therapy Exam fast approaching, soon-to-be DPT graduates have been hard at work preparing for the boards. Participating in the Knowledge Bowl is a precursor, butunlike the NPTEthis high-stakes challenge came with a live audience.It was really cool to have a lot of audience members and other students from UTC that ended up coming. We could hear them cheering after each round, said Mr. Rasmussen, who is doing his clinical education at the Blount Memorial Health Center at Cherokee in his hometown of Maryville, Tn. We ended up becoming the people to watch out for halfway through.The UTC team defeated student groups from the University of Delaware (ranked No. 2 nationally among DPT programs) and Duke University (No. 6)along with teams from the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the University of Texas at El Paso, Shenandoah University (Virginia), Marymount University (Virginia), Regis University (Colorado), and a combined group from the University of California, San Francisco and San Francisco State University.Ms. Ricketts compared the Knowledge Bowl to a competition day for a sporting event or dance performance.Its like exam dayyou know that the answer is coming and youve studied for itbut you have that rush of anxiety wondering, Am I remembering this correctly? The adrenaline is definitely building as youre going along, said Ms. Ricketts, a native of Chattanooga who received a bachelors degree in health and human performance from UTC in 2022. David Wayne Fritts has been given a 12-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to the murder of a North Chattanooga woman he was dating. Fritts pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Angela Young. Chattanooga Police said Fritts left his phone charging on a nightstand near the body ofMs. Young. On Jan. 26, 2023, at approximately 12:33 p.m., Chattanooga Police officers responded to 605 Merriam St. on an unconscious person. They found Ms. Young lying on her bed with a gunshot wound to the back of her head. Police said there were no signs of a struggle. The report indicated that Ms. Young and Fritts were in a new relationship. The report also said Fritts' fingerprint was found in a bathroom. They also found a Publix receipt in the trash dated Jan. 24, and the contents from that shopping trip were found in a frying pan in the refrigerator. Surveillance from Publix showed Ms. Young driving a red car to the store, which her family did not recognize. Fritts told police he had stolen that car in Ohio. He told Ms. Young he did not want to stay long at her house, and wanted to return the car to its owners. When police caught up with Fritts in Monroe County, New York, he said "he just liked driving." Ruland Engineering & Consulting GmbH has been planning and building process systems for the production of liquid products since 2000. What began with just seven employees has developed into an international company with 320 employees and 5 locations. Ruland stands for process plants with the highest hygiene requirements and safe processing of liquids. Manufacturers from the beverage, food, pharmaceutical, health care and household products sectors rely on the quality and reliability of Ruland process systems. Customised process systems for every requirement Consultancy is the top priority at Ruland. The team analyses the specific needs of its customers in order to develop customised systems. Thanks to the in-depth engineering expertise, solutions are created that fulfil the respective requirements for product safety, quality, hygiene and legal specifications. Customers particularly appreciate this flexibility and customised planning. Ruland plans the systems, procures components and manufactures fully automated modules that are assembled and commissioned on site. The portfolio also includes pipework systems for complete factories or production areas. Family business with a strong team Despite its global success, Ruland remains a family business. For Florian Klein, Managing Partner, one thing is certain: Our employees are the heart of our company. They carry our knowledge and realise our quality standards every day. This appreciation is also reflected in the long-term planning. Last year, two long-standing employees, Jurgen Schutze and Jens Schumann, were appointed to the management this way Ruland prepares its future and its management at an early point of time. Global process industry software developer eschbach has once again won the Best of Industry Award 2024 in the special category of artificial intelligence for its Shiftconnector Smart Solutions module. This award marks the second year in a row that eschbach has won in this category, having already been recognized in 2023 for its Shiftconnector Smart Search module. After more than 20,000 votes were cast in the 15 categories of the award, the eschbach team and the other winners were honored at the awards ceremony in Wurzburg in January. Shiftconnector Smart Solutions, launched in October 2024, builds on the successful Shiftconnector platform for the process industry and adds powerful, AI-driven problem solving. In the event of a problem during production, users can enter queries related to the problem into the module. These are then analyzed and contextualized by the software by matching them against thousands of existing process logs and similar terms to identify and recommend possible solutions. The technology enables unprecedented knowledge sharing between production teams regardless of seniority, shift models or work schedules, with the software only recommending solutions based on data previously entered by employees. Crucially, Smart Solutions' powerful AI recognizes related queries regardless of the choice of language or wording to ensure maximum accuracy. Andreas Eschbach, founder and CEO of eschbach, said: "AI technologies are increasingly becoming an integral part of process management, so it is a great honor to be recognized in such an important category for the second year in a row. I would like to thank our entire team for their continued hard work, without which this would not have been possible." Christian Matt, AI/NLP Team Lead at eschbach, explained what this technology looks like in practice: "Let's say the team is cleaning a tank for the next batch of product and finds that there is still residue from the previous product. By simply entering this request into the Smart Solutions module, Shiftconnector searches the plant's process logs for successful actions that other employees have taken in the past and uses this information to recommend a list of possible solutions, such as using a different detergent or solvent during the cleaning process. "This means that effective solutions can be identified in seconds and implemented in minutes rather than hours or days, providing significant benefits for process optimization and plant operations." Shiftconnector currently has over 80,000 users. eschbach is now working to expand the module into a global service by using machine translation technology to enable global knowledge sharing between production plants and process lines around the world. Andreas Eschbach: "Knowledge sharing, especially between experienced and less experienced employees, is one of the biggest challenges facing our industry today. By combining the power of AI with proven human expertise, Smart Solutions is making significant strides to bridge this gap. In a four-year EU project led by Empa, eleven collaborators from research and industry succeeded in significantly improving batteries for electric cars. One of the main objectives of the project was to scale up the new materials and technologies so that they can be brought to market as fast as possible. The new lithium-ion cells are more sustainable, safer and have a higher energy density. SeNSE Consortium No new cars with combustion engines are to be sold in Europe after 2035. To achieve this ambitious goal, one thing is needed above all: better batteries so that electric cars can charge faster, travel longer distances and have a smaller ecological footprint. A large number of major research projects are supporting the battery and automotive industry in developing the batteries of the future. One of these, a Horizon 2020 project called SeNSE, came to a successful conclusion in early 2024. The four-year EU project with an overall budget of more than 10 million Euro was initiated and led by researchers from Empa's Materials for Energy Conversion laboratory. At the time of the call for proposals, the relatively new laboratory was barely known in the field of battery research. Laboratory head Corsin Battaglia knew that in order to be part of a European battery project, he and his team would have to launch one themselves. And this they did: Battaglia and his colleague Ruben-Simon Kuhnel were able to persuade institutions and industrial companies from around the world to join them, and together, they secured the funding. Technologies for today The aim of SeNSE was both pragmatic and ambitious. The eleven collaborators wanted to develop solutions for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries the next, emphasizes Battaglia, and not the one after that. In other words: At the end of the project, the developed materials and technologies should be as close as possible to industrial-scale production, and therefore to being used in electric cars. "We are also researching battery technologies that are potentially worlds better than lithium-ion batteries more sustainable, safer and with a higher energy density," says Battaglia. "But it will still be a few years before they can be produced industrially. In SeNSE, we wanted to develop technologies that can be installed in market-ready electric cars within a few years." To achieve this, the teams involved worked through almost the entire battery production value chain in just four years: from developing new materials and scaling them up to installing them in battery cells. The pouch cells, which are roughly the size of a smartphone, were manufactured by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT). FPT Motorenforschung AG, the Innovation center of FPT Industrial brand, belonging to Iveco Group, was then able to install the cells in a ready-to-use module like the ones used in electric vehicles including the associated electronics and software. All components improved The SeNSE module has several improvements over today's batteries: a higher energy density and a more favorable environmental balance, fast-charging capability and increased fire safety and, of course, cost-effectiveness. All core components of the battery were further developed in the project. The cathode contains only half as much of the critical raw material cobalt as today's batteries. In the anode, the collaborators were able to replace some of the graphite also classified as critical precisely because of battery production with silicon, one of the most common elements in the Earth's crust. The electrolyte the liquid that transfers ions between the electrodes and thus enables the battery to be charged and discharged has also been improved. Here, Empa researchers led the development efforts. Conventional electrolytes are flammable, explains Empa researcher Kuhnel. We were able to greatly reduce the flammability by using certain additives without impairing the conductivity, which is key for fast charging and discharging. In order to further improve the fast-charging capability, Coventry University and FPT Motorenforschung AG also developed a sophisticated temperature management system for the pilot module. Sensors embedded directly in the cells monitor the temperature inside the battery in real time. A specially developed algorithm can then charge the cell just quickly enough to prevent damage from overheating. Battaglia and Kuhnel see the scalability and the direct transfer to industry as the project's greatest successes. The industrial teams have already been able to register several patents for the new developments resulting from SeNSE, build pilot plants and secure financing, as well as incorporate their new knowledge into other battery technologies. The chemical company Huntsman has already launched the conductive additive which was used in the SeNSE electrodes on the market, where it is now available to battery manufacturers. The next step The path to success was not without its hurdles, though. In addition to the major organizational challenges posed by the pandemic, unstable supply chains and rising raw material and energy prices, there were also technical difficulties. For example, the prototype cells are not yet as stable as the project team would like them to be. Scaling, although successful, is also far from complete. We have scaled up all new developments from laboratory to pilot scale, says Battaglia. For production in a so-called gigafactory, of, e.g., project partner Northvolt, producing multiple gigawatt hours of batteries per year, the entire material production process would have to be scaled up once more, say, by a factor of 1000. This will require the commitment of industry. Leonard Peltier speaks during an interview in Belcourt, N.D, on Feb. 25. In February 2025, approximately 260 workers from 19 countries are freed from human trafficking "scam compounds" in Myanmar and handed over to the Thai army. | Screenshot: YouTube/ Reuters International Justice Mission (IJM), a Christian non-governmental legal rights organization, reports that approximately 260 workers from 19 countries have been rescued from human trafficking scam compounds in Myanmar, with expectations that hundreds more will be released soon. These scam complexes are notorious for forcing trafficking victims to work under harsh conditions while subjecting them to physical violence and constant surveillance, as updated by IJM Australia on LinkedIn. According to an IJM Thailand report, the victims were liberated by ethnic militias in the southeastern town of Myawaddy, Myanmar, and were subsequently handed over to Thai authorities near Mae Sot, located at the border of the two countries. Andrew Wasuwongse, country director of IJM Thailand, stated, This is the beginning of one of the largest releases of victims from the scam compounds in Myanmar, with hundreds or thousands expected to be freed in the coming weeks. Were grateful for the Thai government and the nonprofit organizations we partner with, who have been working tirelessly to support survivors of forced labor in online scam operations. On Feb. 22, IJM Thailand collaborated with Thai authorities and local nonprofit organizations to mobilize a team of workers to assist the victims. This effort included recognizing the victims as trafficking victims by providing support to the Thai government's multi-disciplinary teams and facilitating translation services. At the time of publication, a total of 258 victims were identified under Thailands National Referral Mechanism. Victims of trafficking, numbering in the thousands, are lured to these scam centers by traffickers who falsely promise high salaries. Wasuwongse praised the Thai governments decisive action in combating the scam compounds, which includes cutting off the electricity supply from the Thai side and disconnecting the internet links to the properties utilized by the trafficking gangs in Myanmar. The rescued individuals originate from diverse countries across Asia and Africa, such as the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, China, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Taiwan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, as well as countries like Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Brazil. IJM operates offices in Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia, where they collaborate with governmental agencies and embassies to rescue and support survivors. In addition, they are involved in cross-border investigations into human trafficking networks. Since 2021, IJM has helped as many as 500 individuals affected by these trafficking schemes. Screenshot: YouTube/ WKRN News 2 Christian refugee and humanitarian organizations are expressing concerns in response to the U.S. State Department's confirmation on Wednesday that it is implementing a 92% reduction in foreign assistance-related grants to save approximately $60 billion. This significant cut will impact around 10,000 grants and contracts from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department, as outlined in a Wednesday appeals court filing by attorneys of the Trump administration. Reports indicate that approximately 500 USAID awards and 2,700 State Department awards will remain. The Trump administration has defended these cuts as necessary to address waste and abuse at USAID, asserting that the agency has been financing ridiculous and, in many cases, malicious pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats, with next-to-no oversight. Among the examples highlighted by the White House are $1.5 million allocated to advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities, $2 million spent on sex changes and LGBT activism in Guatemala, and the provision of hundreds of thousands of free meals to al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists in Syria. The announcement of these budgetary reductions has faced backlash from organizations like World Relief, an Evangelical refugee resettlement group. World Relief, one of the nine organizations receiving State Department grants for refugee resettlement in the United States, expressed opposition to the cuts in a statement. The organization has criticized the administration's decision to halt the refugee resettlement program, stating that such cuts could adversely affect critical programs that provide life-saving support to some of the world's most vulnerable populations. World Relief emphasized that these terminations threaten food security, healthcare, and essential services in countries affected by crises, worsening the hardships faced in regions already experiencing severe difficulties. They also pointed out that the cuts impact the State Department's Reception and Placement program, which provides resources to resettlement agencies to assist newly arriving refugees. While World Relief acknowledged that it affirms the Trump administration's authority and responsibility to review such funds and ensure that they align with American interests, the organization highlighted that the sudden nature of the orders have had devastating consequences. They referenced the dire situation in Sudan, noting, since the outbreak of war in Sudan in 2023, the Sudanese people have endured unspeakable suffering that many donors, including the U.S. government, have rallied to alleviate. The organization warned that halting these programs does not pause the humanitarian needs they address; rather, it intensifies them, deepening suffering and instability. Global Refuge, formerly known as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, is another organization reliant on State Department funding and has recently announced plans to lay off over 400 employees, which represents more than half of its staff. Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge, commented on the dire situation, stating that the termination of federal support and the ongoing failure to reimburse for services already provided constitutes the destruction of a program that has saved over 3.6 million lives since its inception in 1980. The State Department has canceled a refugee resettlement services contract with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The USCCB was informed of this cancellation in a letter dated Feb. 26, stated that the contract no longer effectuated agency priorities. Home News Episcopal Bishop Budde thanks supporters, gets 20K letters after rebuking Trump in sermon An Episcopal Church bishop who garnered international headlines for rebuking President Donald Trump in a sermon the day after his inauguration claims she's received over 20,000 letters of support since then. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington recently posted a reel to her Facebook page thanking those who expressed their support of her amid the controversy. I cannot tell you how much it has meant to me to receive the letters, phone calls, notes, gifts and expressions of gratitude, support and encouragement, Budde said. 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 I am persuaded that there is a spirit of love and goodness in this land that flows through all of us. And that now is a time for us to stand together, to take courage from one another, and learn together how we are to be brave now. Budde urged supporters to hold on to the things that are good about us and about our country, adding that we can do this, especially if we remember that we are never alone and that when one of us falters, there are hundreds of others that are standing strong. Together, God will work through us to bring about the kind of society, the kind of community that we all deserve and that we want to pass on to those who come after us, she continued. In addition to 20,000 letters of support, The Episcopal Church Executive Council also applauded Budde at their meeting last month, according to the Episcopal News Service. In January, Budde delivered the sermon at the Washington National Cathedrals Service of Prayer for the Nation, which Trump and his family attended the day after his inauguration and was seated in the front row. Near the end of her homily, Budde directly addressed Trump, imploring him to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families. Some who fear for their lives, she stated. The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde takes a swipe @realDonaldTrump at the @WNCathedral service, says trans kids and families now "fear for their lives." pic.twitter.com/yd9FRy8VSP Melissa Barnhart (@MelBarnhart) January 21, 2025 "The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meat-packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals. They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals." Budde asked Trump "to have mercy" on people "in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away and that you help those who are fleeing warzones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here." The sermon garnered national attention, with supporters arguing that it was an example of prophetic witness, while others believed it was unnecessarily divisive and partisan. Rob Pacienza, senior pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was among the critics, saying in an earlier interview with The Christian Post that he believed it "wasn't really a sermon" but rather "a lecture that really came across as mean and divisive." "I think the irony was she attempted to preach on unity, but her rhetoric and her very unwelcoming spirit from the beginning to the end of her message actually created more division in the end," he said. "She was advocating for transgenderism. She was advocating for open borders. She was advocating for lawlessness in America. She was advocating for an administration to embrace sexuality that is against God's design." For his part, Trump demanded that Budde apologize for her comments, adding that he believed she was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater and was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. [Budde] failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions, Trump wrote. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA." Home News Franklin Graham calls for an 'end to this terrible war' in Ukraine The Rev. Franklin Graham is calling for an end to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict after a tense meeting between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week. In a social media post published Saturday, the day after the contentious meeting in the Oval Office, Graham acknowledged the fact that the meeting "was tense and unfortunately did not end well." "The progress we had all hoped for is again delayed," Graham wrote. "Pray for the people of Ukraine, and that there would be an end to this terrible war." 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 As the CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Evangelical aid charity Samaritan's Purse, Graham's organizations have actively provided relief to the Ukrainian people since Russia invaded the eastern European nation three years ago. Russia invaded Ukrainian territory in February 2022, claiming it wanted to secure the rights of pro-Russian communities in Eastern Ukraine regions like Donetsk and Luhansk. In the days after the invasion, Samaritan's Purse deployed disaster response specialists to Poland and Romania, where refugees fleeing the war-torn nation were arriving in large numbers. In April 2022, Graham preached an Easter sermon in Ukraine. The hostile exchange between Trump, Vance and Zelensky began when Zelensky criticized Vance's suggestion to embrace the Trump administration's "diplomacy" with Russia in an effort to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Vance accused Zelensky of acting "disrespectful" by attacking "the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country." "Don't tell us what we're going to feel," Trump told Zelensky after the Ukrainian president suggested that the U.S. would experience difficulties as a result of the war. "We're trying to solve a problem." Trump told Zelensky, "You're in no position to dictate what we're going to feel," predicting that "we're going to feel very good and very strong." "You're right now not in a very good position," Trump also said to the Ukrainian president. "You don't have the cards right now." As the two presidents engaged in crosstalk, Trump assured his Ukrainian counterpart that "with us, you start having cards," while asserting that "you're gambling with the lives of millions of people." "You're gambling with World War III and what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, disrespectful to the country, this country, that's backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have," Trump added. Vance jumped in and asked Zelensky if he had ever "said thank you" during the meeting. While Zelensky insisted that he had, Vance implied that Zelensky had an ulterior motive by bringing up how the Ukrainian leader "went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October." Zelensky accused Vance of speaking "loudly," which prompted Trump to proclaim, "he's not speaking loudly." Trump stressed to Zelensky that "your country is in big trouble." The Ukrainian president responded, "I know." "You're not winning," Trump maintained. "You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us." After Vance accused Zelensky of trying to "litigate" disagreements between the U.S. and Ukraine in front of the media, Trump took issue with Zelensky's rejection of a ceasefire. Trump touted a ceasefire as a way to ensure that "the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed," stressing Zelensky should be "more thankful" for all the U.S. has done for his country. The meeting ended with Trump kicking Zelensky out of the White House without holding a planned joint press conference or signing a rare minerals deal with Ukraine. Trump elaborated in a statement shared on social media, describing the meeting as "very meaningful" while concluding that "Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations." "I don't want advantage, I want PEACE," he stated. "He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he's ready for Peace." Home News Trump DOJ backs church's lawsuit over borough's building ban The United States Department of Justice has expressed support for a Pennsylvania church that is suing a borough over its refusal to allow it to move into a neighborhood. Last year, The Hope Rising Community Church sued the Borough of Clarion over local officials' decision to reject an application to purchase property in a given neighborhood. The DOJ filed a statement of interest on Monday backing the church, which alleges that the borough is violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. 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 Amended Complaint plausibly alleges a facial equal terms claim under RLUIPA because the C-2 District excludes religious assembly uses while permitting nonreligious assembly uses like theaters and civic/cultural buildings even though these uses all similarly impact the zoning districts regulatory purpose, read the statement of interest. The Church also has standing to bring its facial equal terms claim. It alleges a concrete injury in that the Boroughs Zoning Code has stymied its efforts to buy and develop the only suitable property for the Church in Clarion. The DOJ went on to argue that the Court can issue meaningful relief by enjoining the zoning provisions that violate RLUIPAs equal terms provision, which would allow the Church to proceed with its plan to develop a church. Zoning codes that prohibit religious uses while permitting comparable secular uses violate RLUIPA, said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, in a press release issued Monday. Central to the Civil Rights Divisions mission is combatting religious discrimination and ensuring that houses of worship receive equal treatment under the law. We will continue to protect the foundational right of all Americans to religious freedom. In 2013, the borough adopted a zoning code that prohibits houses of worship from owning buildings in its three commercial districts, though it does allow for civic/cultural buildings. Hope Rising Community Church filed its lawsuit against the borough last November after local officials denied its request to move into a property located in the C-2 Commercial District. According to court documents, the church claims it needs the commercial district property to accommodate its 600-member congregation which has outgrown its present space. I hope you find a building outside the Borough, because we dont need any more Churches, the city manager told the church, according to the statement of interest. Home News Chained and starving: Mother of Hamas hostage Alon Ohel pleads for son's freedom WASHINGTON Since Hamas kidnapped her son over 500 days ago, Idit Ohel has been unable to think about anything else aside from seeing him brought home. The mother of an Israeli hostage being starved in chains inside a Hamas tunnel with shrapnel injuries blinding his left eye is tirelessly fighting for her son's freedom amid reports from hostages recently released by the terror group that he is still alive. "I don't think there is a mother in the world who could sleep knowing that her son is wounded and not being taken care of," Ohel told The Christian Post. "As a mother, you want to take care of your child, but you have no way of physically doing that." 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 only way I can is spiritual in some way," she added. "That's what I'm looking to do to help him." Ohel has traveled the globe to advocate and pray for her son, Alon, who has been captive of the Hamas terror group in Gaza since it abducted him and around 240 others during its Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack in southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. As a spiritual person, the mother has faith that her son, who turned 24 in captivity on Feb. 10, can hear her prayers in the tunnels where Hamas is holding him. On the day of Hamas' invasion, Alon Ohel attended the Nova Music Festival, where Hamas extremists massacred over 380 people and sent thousands fleeing for their lives. He took cover in a bomb shelter as terrorists attacked and was wounded by a grenade thrown into the shelter. Hamas abducted the pianist alongside several others who had hidden in the same spot. Idit Ohel received confirmation from hostages released from captivity through a recent ceasefire deal that her son is still alive but malnourished and injured. The three-staged deal, reached in January, temporarily halted the fighting, with Israel agreeing to release Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for hostages taken by Hamas. "He's being starved," the mother said. "He has been in the tunnels for over 500 days; he has been chained, so he cannot move. He has shrapnel in his eye, so he cannot see in his right eye. He doesn't know the difference between day or night." Alon Ohel is someone who makes friends easily, his mother said. He also loves music and started learning to play piano at 9. Former prisoners of Hamas who saw Ohel's son also told her that Alon Ohel is "fighting for his life" and often spoke confidently about the future and returning home. Witnesses remembered Alon Ohel hummed songs to himself as a way of maintaining a connection to his old life. Based on the reports she has heard about the condition of hostages Hamas has released as part of the current deal, Idit Ohel believes freeing the remaining captives is the utmost priority. She thinks the ceasefire deal intended to secure the hostages' release should have happened sooner. The mother stressed that Israel didn't start the war with Hamas and acknowledged Israel's accomplishments during the war, such as the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. But Idit Ohel maintains that the Israeli government's primary focus should now be on rescuing the hostages. For her, every life spared "is the whole world" even if it means Israel releasing Palestinian terrorists in exchange for those held captive by the terror group. "The most important thing is to bring the hostages home because they don't have time. We know there are hostages that we can save," Idit Ohel told CP. "We have to get them out and bring them home alive. And the ones that are not alive need to be buried. So, that's how I see it. Because I live in the now." Any mother would feel the same level of protectiveness for her child, she said, vowing to continue advocating on her son's behalf and those still held in captivity along with him. "I want my son to have a future. That's the most important thing," Idit Ohel said. "This is what I need to do. This is what everybody has to do: Make sure that the hostages that are alive have a future." Home News Elon Musk's transgender-identifying son blasts Christian Post for 'misgendering' SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's transgender-identifying son Xavier, who now goes by the name Vivian Jenna Wilson, recently criticized The Christian Post for publishing an op-ed that referred to him with masculine pronouns. "The Christian Post just published an article calling me a Trans-Identified Son who's just a tragic little gay boy. Love thy neighbor right," Wilson wrote Friday on Threads. "I am unamused." The Feb. 26 op-ed, titled "The tragic story of Elon Musk and his trans-identified son," was written by contributor Joseph Sciambra, who argued that Musk's assertion his son was "born gay" is unsubstantiated and likely a means of deflecting from his own neglectful parenting. 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 Responding to a tweet from the Gays Against Groomers X account last July, Musk claimed that Wilson, who was born in 2004 to Musk's first wife, Justine, was "born gay and slightly autistic, two attributes that contribute to gender dysphoria." "I knew that from when he was about 4 years old and he would pick out clothes for me to wear like a jacket and tell me it was 'fabulous!,' as well as love of musicals & theatre," Musk added. "But he was not a girl." Wilson took to Threads after his father's claim, which he called "entirely fake." He went on to allege that Musk "doesn't know what I was like as a child because he quite simply wasnt there, and in the little time that he was I was relentlessly harassed for my femininity and queerness." During an interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson last July, Musk claimed his son Xavier is effectively "dead," and that he was "tricked" into authorizing his chemical transition amid the threat from medical professionals that his son might otherwise commit suicide. JUST IN: Elon Musk says his son is "dead" thanks to the woke mind virus after he was put on puberty blockers, says he vowed to "destroy the woke mind virus after that." ???????? "I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys... This was before I had pic.twitter.com/wfWztIziTs Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 22, 2024 "It happened to one of my older boys, where I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys, Xavier. This is before I had any understanding of what was going on," said Musk, who reportedly has 14 children with four different women. "I agree with you that people that have been promoting this should go to prison," Musk said. "I was tricked into doing this. It wasn't explained to me that puberty blockers are actually just sterilization drugs." "And so I lost my son, essentially," he continued. "So, you know, they call it 'deadnaming' for a reason, alright? So the reason it's called 'deadnaming' is because your son is dead. So my son, Xavier, is dead, killed by the woke mind virus." Musk added that he "vowed to destroy the woke mind virus after that." Sciambra, who repented of the homosexual lifestyle himself, expressed skepticism that Musk's son was led astray solely by "the woke mind virus" and "communism," as his father claims. "But how is a 4-year-old boy being influenced by the woke mind virus and communism? He isn't. Though he is deeply affected by the absence of his father. Musk blames everyone except himself. But I've seen it hundreds of times, some people would rather believe that their son was 'born gay,' or even born in the wrong body, rather than admit to themselves that they were neglectful or abusive parents," he wrote. He went on to describe Musk and his son, writing that he sees them as "a confused and hurt father, who refuses to accept any responsibility, and an angry and injured son." In response to Wilson's reaction to his op-ed, Sciambra tweeted, "I wrote the article. It's never my intention to hurt anyone. Especially those who've been deceived by the LGBT cult. Because I was one of them. But I believe that no one is born gay. And no one is born in the wrong body. My prayers are with you all." I wrote the article. It's never my intention to hurt anyone. Especially those who've been deceived by the LGBT cult. Because I was one of them. But I believe that no one is born gay. And no one is born in the wrong body. My prayers are with you all. ??https://t.co/r3iBH9Pt4o Joseph Sciambra ? (@JosephSciambra) March 3, 2025 Musk has been drawing backlash in recent weeks from users on X who take issue with the number of children he has sired with multiple women to whom he is not married, as noted by USA Today. Home News Iowa eliminates all references to 'gender identity' from state law Iowa has passed a bill to eliminate all references to "gender identity" from state law while defining sex as biologically determined at birth, a move supporers say is designed to protect "the rights of women and girls." Iowa's Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 418 into law on Friday. Approved by the Republican-controlled Iowa Senate in a 33-15 vote Thursday, the Republican-controlled Iowa House of Representatives passed the measure in a 60-36 vote on the same day. Support for the legislation fell mostly along party lines, with Republicans supporting it and Democrats opposing it. However, five House Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the measure. 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 Reynolds says the bill "safeguards the rights of women and girls," insisting in a statement that it is necessary because the state's "Civil Rights Code blurred the biological line between the sexes" and "forced Iowa taxpayers to pay for gender reassignment surgeries." The legislation establishes rules regarding "the construction of statutes" and begins by defining "Sex" as "the state of being either male or female as observed or clinically verified at birth." The law identifies a "female" as "an individual who has, had, will have through the course of normal development, or would have but for a developmental anomaly, genetic anomaly, or accident, a reproductive system that at some point produces ova." A "male" is defined as "an individual who has, had, will have through the course of normal development, or would have but for a developmental anomaly, genetic anomaly, or accident, a reproductive system that at some point produces sperm." The policy lists "woman," "girl" and "mother" as terms that correspond to females and "man," "boy" and "father" as words that refer to males. The term "gender" will be "considered a synonym for sex and shall not be considered a synonym or shorthand expression for gender identity, experienced gender, gender expression, or gender role." The law notes "the term 'equal' does not mean 'same' or 'identical'" and that "separate accommodations are not inherently unequal." Reynolds said acknowledging "the obvious differences between men and women" is "necessary to secure genuine equal protection for women and girls." She highlighted the need to "have men and women's bathrooms, but not men and women's conference rooms; girls, and boys' sports, but not girls' math and boys' math; separate men and women's prisons, but not different laws for men and women." Reynolds insists, "It is about the biological differences, and that is all." Another provision of the measure removes a section of state law allowing individuals to change the sex on their birth certificate. The legislation removes all references to "gender identity" from state law and replaces the phrase with "gender theory" when amending existing laws prohibiting school officials from teaching students about matters related to sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through sixth grade. The legislation is opposed by progressive pro-LGBT organizations, such as the ACLU of Iowa, which decried the legislation as "barbaric." In a statement following the bill's passage but before Reynolds signed it, ACLU of Iowa Director Mark Stringer described Thursday as "a difficult day for all Iowans who rely on the rule of law to protect their basic human rights." "For nearly two decades, Iowa law has protected people from discrimination based on their gender identity," he added. "This has been a lifeline for people in areas as broad as housing, workplace fairness, credit, public accommodations, and education." Stringer lamented that the measure would make Iowa "the first state in the country to repeal protections for LGBTQ people from its state civil rights law." "Iowa has been a trailblazer in advancing civil and basic human rights from banning slavery all the way to ensuring marriage equality," Stringer said. "In many instances, our laws have helped advance the causes of freedom and equality in our nation." Stringer described the prospect of Iowa becoming the first state to "specifically single out transgender people for removal of their legal rights as enshrined in state antidiscrimination law" as "unacceptable." Reynolds addressed what she characterized as "misinformation" about the bill, maintaining that "it simply brings Iowa in line with the federal Civil Rights Code, as well as most states." "We all agree that every Iowan, without exception, deserves respect and dignity. We are all children of God, and no law changes that," Reynolds proclaimed. Passage of the Iowa bill comes weeks after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it would eliminate "gender ideology" from its policies, declaring that there are two sexes. In a Feb. 19 statement, HHS stated that it is "restoring the concept of biological truth in federal government." Under the Republican Trump administration, HHS will define "sex" as an "immutable biological classification as either male or female." Under the Democratic Obama and Biden administrations, the term "sex" was broadened to include concepts like gender identity and sexual orientation. The HHS Office on Women's Health launched a webpage to advance guidance on sex-based definitions and provide other resources "on efforts to protect women and children." "There are only two sexes, female and male, because there are only two types of gametes," the website reads. "An individual human is either female or male based on whether the person is of the sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing eggs (ova) or sperm." "The sex of a human, female or male, is determined genetically at conception (fertilization), and is observable before birth," it continues. "Having the biological function to produce eggs or sperm does not require that eggs or sperm are ever produced. Some females or males may not or may no longer produce eggs or sperm due to factors such as age, congenital disorders or other developmental conditions, injury, or medical conditions that cause infertility." On the first day of his second term in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order known as "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government." The order instructed HHS to issue "clear guidance expanding on the sex-based definitions" within 30 days. Home News Israel exposes UNRWAs deep ties to Hamas in ICJ testimony, citing hostage accounts The Israeli Foreign Ministry on Friday submitted written testimony to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), detailing the close ties between the disgraced United Nations aid agency UNRWA and the Hamas terrorist organization in connection with the atrocities of Oct. 7, 2023. The Israeli report also included testimony from freed Israeli hostage Emily Damari, where she confirmed that Hamas terrorists were holding her captive in an UNRWA facility in Gaza. Other Israeli hostages have also testified that they were held captive by UNRWA employees. However, the U.N. and the ICJ have largely ignored and even whitewashed the strong ties between UNRWA and Hamas. 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 Israeli Foreign Ministry criticized what it called a distorted process by the international organizations, where the outcome was predetermined. The process ignores the atrocities of October 7 and the shameful involvement of UNRWA employees in the October 7 massacre and terrorist activities, the Foreign Ministry stated. This is a fundamentally flawed process in which, through the automatic political majority against Israel at the U.N., the institutions of international law are used for making political decisions. The Foreign Ministry also emphasized that the report it filed with the ICJ exposes the deliberate bias concerning an advisory opinion and unveils the links of UNRWA employees to Hamas activities, the deep involvement of UNRWA employees in terrorist activities, the use of UNRWA facilities for terrorist activities, and the numerous violations of the neutrality to which UN institutions are committed. Israeli intelligence has estimated that at least 12% of UNRWAs 13,000 employees in Gaza are simultaneously members of Hamas and other terror groups. In other words, over 1,000 terrorists have been embedded in the U.N. agency in flagrant violation of the United Nations commitment to neutrality. In January 2024, the United States and several other donor nations temporarily suspended financial aid to UNRWA after Israel provided incriminating evidence of its employees' involvement in the Oct. 7 massacre and kidnapping of primarily Israeli civilians. However, international aid to UNRWA was largely restored in April 2024 after a controversial panel report minimized the strong ties between Hamas and UNRWA. Last July, the Israeli Foreign Ministry specifically named 100 terrorists employed by UNRWA in a letter addressed to UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. The Israeli ambassador to Jordan, Amir Weissbrod, who wrote the letter to Lazzarini, noted that Hamas infiltration into UNRWA had been a "recurring concern" for the Jewish state even before the Oct. 7 attack. "However, the full scope of this unprecedented infiltration was unknown and became clear only after the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel, in which, as you know, UNRWA employees actively participated," Weissbrod stated. In October 2024, the Israeli Knesset banned UNRWA operations despite international pressure to refrain from such a move. Israeli leaders across the political spectrum have emphasized that UNRWAs close affiliation with Hamas threatens Israeli security. This article was originally published by All Israel News. Home News Middle school teacher facing charges of possessing 1,000 images, videos of child porn, including rape of toddler A man who most recently worked as a math teacher at a public middle school in Manhattan has been arrested and charged with two counts of possession of child pornography after authorities caught him with at least 1,000 images or videos of child pornography, including a male toddler and pre-pubescent boys being raped and exploited in other ways by adult men. The teacher, identified as 41-year-old Ross Lanvin, most recently taught math at MS 256 Lafayette Academy on Manhattans Upper East Side, sources told the New York Post. He was employed by the New York City Department of Education from about 2006 through 2013, and again in 2016, according to a complaint filed against him by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. As alleged, Ross Lanvin, who had close contact with students as a teacher at a public school in Manhattan, possessed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. Together with our partners at the NYPD and Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigations for the NYC School District, we will continue to work to root out those who possess child pornography, especially when those individuals work in positions that give them access to childrensome of the most vulnerable members of our community, Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said in a statement. 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 Our investigation into Lanvin is ongoing, and we encourage anyone with information to contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the United States Attorneys Office of the Southern District of New York. Lanvin has been in possession of child pornography from at least September 2021 through December 2024 which he kept hidden in a Google Drive account under an alias, according to the complaint against him. The files include images and videos of nude children, ranging from approximately 3- to 4-year-old children, on the one hand, to pre-pubescent children, on the other hand. The vast majority of the files appear to be child pornography, Caitlin Steele, a task force officer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations wrote. Lanvins cache of child pornography was first flagged by Google staff who terminated access to his account on Dec. 20, 2024, after they suspected he was stockpiling child pornography. Google then alerted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and shared approximately 150 images and 90 videos with apparent or unconfirmed child pornography or otherwise suspected sexually explicit material. Based on my review of records Google produced pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant (the Google Warrant), I know that the vast majority, if not all, of the images and videos in the Subject Google Accounts Google Drive are images and videos of nude children, including child pornography, noted Steele, who shared graphic descriptions of what she saw. I know based on my review of the records produced pursuant to the Google Warrant that the Subject Google Account contained at least approximately 1,000 images or videos of child pornography. Despite using a burner account to stash his child pornography, Steele said she was able to track and identify Lanvin through phone records and cookie data that links various emails to the teacher, including his work email. He was employed by the New York City Department of Education (the DOE) from in or about 2006 through in or about 2013 and again beginning in or about 2016. The NCMEC referrals indicate that, on or about May 10, 2024, the Subject Google Account was accessed from an IP address that Google reported as associated with the DOE, Steele explained. The Subject Google Account has been used to search for lesson plans and other teaching resources, as well as for pornography using search terms such as young or teen boys. For instance, on or about September 16, 2021, the day that the child pornography was uploaded to the Subject Google Accounts Google Drive, the Subject Google Account was used to search for videos involving gay teen boys and also accessed the website academyforteachers.org, the investigator added. Steele said she participated in a search of Lanvins apartment on Feb. 13 and found at least four videos on a tablet belonging to Lanvin showing boys as young as 6 being sexually abused. After waving his Miranda rights and signing a written Miranda consent form, Lanvin voluntarily spoke to law enforcement. During this interview, he confirmed that the 8499 Number and one of the "rlanvin" emails were his. Lanvin also admitted that the Subject Google Account was his and that he had access to it as recently as approximately two months ago, at which point he was blocked from accessing it, Steele wrote. Finally, Lanvin acknowledged that he had previously accessed child pornography on electronic platforms. Home News At war with its own people: Nicaragua leaves UN Human Rights Council after damning report Nicaragua has withdrawn from the United Nations Human Rights Council following a damning report by U.N. experts accusing President Daniel Ortegas government of systematically suppressing human rights, democracy and religious groups. The report, released two days before Nicaraguas withdrawal, described the Ortega administration as being engaged in methodical repression of dissent, noted the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern. One of the experts, Ariela Peralta, stated that the government was effectively at war with its own people. 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 decision to leave the UNHRC comes amid continued tightening of power by Ortega, including naming his wife, Rosario Murillo, as co-president and bringing the legislative and judicial branches under his control. The Nicaraguan government claims that international bodies, including the U.N. and the Organization of American States, are waging a smear campaign against it. Murillo dismissed the U.N. report as falsehoods and slander. Nicaragua has been increasingly criticized for targeting religious groups, particularly the Catholic Church. A 2018 law regulating NGO (non-governmental organizations) funding has led to the mass revocation of legal status for thousands of organizations, but Catholic institutions have faced the harshest crackdown due to their vocal opposition to government actions and their role in sheltering student protesters in 2019. International bodies have been tracking the decline in religious freedom in Nicaragua for years. The U.S. Department of State placed the country on its Special Watchlist for religious freedom violations in 2019 before elevating it to the more serious Countries of Particular Concern list in 2022, a designation that typically triggers sanctions. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has noted worsening conditions, including the arbitrary arrest, imprisonment, and expulsion of Catholic clergy, the seizure of church property and the intimidation of worshipers in Nicaragua. The U.K.-based religious freedom advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide has also released a report on repression against religious communities in that country, titled Total Control: The Eradication of Independent Voices in Nicaragua. CSW documented 222 cases of religious persecution, many involving multiple violations affecting thousands of people. Authorities have continued to cancel religious events and prevent public religious processions, the report states, adding that the government has imposed new restrictions on religious leaders, forcing them to report weekly to designated police officers, submit their activity schedules and have their photos taken. Some have been warned that noncompliance could lead to detention or exile. Protestant Pastor Efren Antonio Vilchez Lopez has been sentenced to 23 years in prison on what are described as fabricated charges, according to the CSW report, which expresses concerns about his deteriorating health due to untreated diabetes. Catholic lay leaders Carmen Maria Saenz Martinez and Lesbia del Socorro Gutierrez Poveda have been held in incommunicado detention since August 2024, with no proof of life provided to their families, says the report. The Inter-American Human Rights Commission has called for protective measures in these cases, but the Nicaraguan government has not responded, CSW adds. In total, CSW recorded 46 instances of religious leaders being arbitrarily detained in 2024, both short- and long-term. CSWs Director of Advocacy, Anna Lee Stangl, stated that Ortega, Murillo and their ruling party, the Sandinista National Liberation Front, are intent on eradicating independent civil society and silencing critics. She urged the international community to find new ways to support Nicaraguan dissidents, whether inside the country or in exile, given the governments refusal to engage with organizations like the U.N. Home News NY police chaplain, priest charged with patronizing a prostitute A New York Police Department chaplain and Catholic priest has been arrested and accused of hiring a prostitute, though the clergyman maintains his innocence. Father Michael Eguino, a 40-year-old pastor at the Church of St. Anselm & St. Roch who was appointed a chaplain in 2021, was arrested last Friday and charged with soliciting prostitution. Eguino was reportedly arrested not far from his parish and given a desk appearance ticket, reported NBC New York. He will soon need to appear before a judge at a Bronx courthouse. 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 In addition to his position as a parish priest and police chaplain, Eguino also served as a spiritual director for the NYPD Manhattan, Bronx, and Staten Island Holy Name Society. Oliver Storch, the attorney for Eguino, released a statement quoted by News 12 of New York on Saturday denying that the clergyman was patronizing a prostitute when he was arrested. According to Storch, the arrest derived from a prior allegation of a woman who is not a prostitute but a troubled individual who Father Eguino had counseled in the past. The Catholic Archdiocese of New York issued a statement for Eguinos parish on Saturday, explaining that it will cooperate with the investigation by the appropriate authorities. As you may have heard in the media, an allegation of inappropriate behavior with an adult woman has been made against your pastor, Father Michael Eguino. While it is painful for all to hear this, our people have expressed that they appreciate hearing from us directly, stated the Archdiocese. Father Eguino denies the allegations and maintains the presumption of his innocence. However, for the good of the parish, Father Eguino has voluntarily stepped away from the parish while the matter is investigated. The Catholic regional body concluded by saying that, as the present situation unfolds, we remain united in prayer for all those involved, especially the parish family of St. Anselm. Members of Eguino expressed surprise at the news of the arrest, with one congregant telling News 12 that she was in shock right now. Hes such a nice person, said another member of the congregation, as quoted by News 12. I cant believe it. I cant believe this happened. Such a nice person. Home News Pakistani girl kidnapped second time at gunpoint after escaping captor LAHORE, Pakistan A Muslim man in Pakistan who kidnapped and forcibly converted a Christian girl who later escaped has abducted her again, her father said. Salman Masih said that Arsalan Ali again kidnapped his 15-year-old daughter, Muskan Salman, as the family visited their remote hometown, Tando Ghulam Ali in Badin District, Sindh Province, on Feb. 18 to attend the funeral of a close relative. Muskan had escaped from Ali on Dec. 15, 2024, and was coerced into a false marriage. 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 Masih, a Catholic, said that Muskan was home with her 10-year-old cousin while all other members of the family had gone to the funeral when Ali and an unidentified accomplice broke in and took her away at gunpoint. When we returned home, we saw that my niece was crying in the courtyard while Muskan was missing, Masih told Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star. The child told us that she and Muskan were playing when the two men forced their way into the house and took Muskan with them. Masih said that he immediately informed police and tried to get an abduction case registered against Ali, but officers refused to register his complaint. Its been over 10 days since Muskan was taken, but the police are not taking any action, he said. Ali is also missing, and we have no information about their whereabouts. I made a grave mistake by taking Muskan to our hometown for the funeral without consulting our lawyer, Masih said. I thought that we would discreetly attend the funeral, commiserate with the bereaved family and return to Karachi the next day without Ali getting any information about our presence there. But I was wrong. Ali had been threatening the family and demanding that Muskan be returned to him as his legally-wedded wife, according to Masih. We are very concerned for our daughters safety, and the polices indifference to our plight is exacerbating our fears that we might not be able to see her again, he said, appealing to the provincial government and senior police officials to intervene. Muskan was first abducted from her home on March 11, 2024. The Masih family had filed a First Information Report accusing Ali of kidnapping, but Muskan was coerced into declaring that she was 19 years old and that she had converted to Islam and married Ali of her own free will, her family learned. In Sindh Province, the legal marriage age for both genders is 18. Ali, estimated to be between 25 and 27 years old, forcibly converted Muskan to Islam and forged a marriage certificate as legal cover for the crime, Masih said. She escaped on Dec. 15 and reunited with her family. A Christian attorney in Karachi, Luke Victor, helped the family flee from their hometown to Karachi, where Muskan was kept in a safe-house to protect her from her captor. Victor said that in her written statement to the court on Dec. 16, 2024, Muskan had categorically denied that she converted to Islam and denied she willingly married Ali. The court had allowed her to stay with her parents till Badin police investigated the case anew to determine her age and ascertain if it warranted legal action under the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act 2014, he said. Its very unfortunate that the Masih family took Muskan to Tando Ghulam Ali without informing us, he said. We put in a lot of effort, legal and otherwise, to save the girl, but now we are back to from where we started. Pakistan ranked eighth on Open Doors 2025 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year. This article was originally published at Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News Home News Women who have had an abortion are twice as likely to attempt suicide: study Women who had abortions or experienced natural pregnancy loss were twice as likely to have attempted suicide compared to women who succesfully delivered their babies, according to a recent survey. The topic-blind study surveyed 2,829 American women between ages 41 and 45 about their reproductive histories and any past suicide attempts. Elliot Institute Director David Reardon, an associate scholar at the pro-life research organization Charlotte Lozier Institute, authored the study published in January in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology. A history of attempted suicide was highest among women who have undergone abortions. Over one-third (35%) of the post-abortive women surveyed reported that they had attempted suicide. Women who only had successful deliveries of their children had the lowest suicide attempt rate at 13%. 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 For women who reported a pregnancy loss but no history of abortion, the suicide attempt rate was 30%, according to the research. Women who experienced a problematic pregnancy which the study defined as an unplanned or "otherwise difficult pregnancy" have a suicide attempt rate of about 28%. Dr. Ingrid Skop, an OB-GYN who serves as vice president and director of medical affairs at Charlotte Lozier Institute, says the research adds to data from Europe that has found higher rates of suicide among women who have abortions compared to those who gave birth or experienced a pregnancy loss. "We must believe these women who tell us directly that their abortion caused them harm," Skop told The Christian Post. Skop dismissed the Turnaway Study, research cited by media outlets to support the idea that over 90% of women do not regret their abortions. Critics of the study, however, often highlight its low participation rate and the high number of respondents who dropped out before the final interview as reasons to doubt the study's accuracy. "The devastating realization that abortion may lead to a woman's suicide must motivate the pro-life community to continue to provide resources and support to vulnerable women encountering a crisis pregnancy," Skop stated. "We must walk with these women through their pregnancy decision and childbirth, even into the early years of their child's life, as so many pregnancy resource centers do." Reardon's latest study noted respondents' history of attempted suicide varied in relation to the "abortion decision type." Post-abortive women who said they felt coerced into an abortion contrary to their own values and preferences had the highest attempted suicide rate at 46%, according to the research. In comparison, women whose abortions were described as wanted and consistent with their own values and preferences had a suicide attempt rate (29.5%) similar to those who reported a natural pregnancy loss (30%) or a problematic pregnancy (27.9%). The rate was still higher than that of women who had never been pregnant (175) or only had successful deliveries (13.4%). The study suggests abortion was "significantly more likely to be associated with self-destructive thoughts and suicidal thoughts or behaviors compared to all three other pregnancy outcomes." "Women who experience pregnancy losses, either induced or natural, are at higher risk of suicidal and self-destructive thoughts and behaviors," Reardon stated. "Exposure to abortion, especially when the abortion is contrary to the values and preferences of the pregnant women, may contribute to higher rates of suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts, and self-destructive behaviors," the study author added. Robyn Chambers, vice president of advocacy for children at the Evangelical parachurch organization Focus on the Family, emphasized that women matter as much as their children and deserve access to ongoing support. Focus on the Family has worked with more than 2,500 pregnancy centers across the U.S. that offer post-abortion healing classes. "Those classes are open to women and men who have made an abortion decision and are now struggling with that decision," Chambers told CP in a statement. "Our Physician's Resource Council provides studies that show an increase in mental health issues, so we make every effort to ensure every woman that comes into a pregnancy center is cared for with warmth, safety, and information to heal." Reardon co-authored a study published in May 2023 alongside scholars Katherine A. Rafferty and Tessa Longbons. Researchers assessed 1,000 women between the ages of 41 to 45, finding that adverse mental health outcomes were more strongly associated with women who felt pressured to abort. According to the 2023 study, of the over 200 women who reported a history of abortion, only a third (33%) identified it as wanted. Forty-three percent described their abortion as accepted but inconsistent with their values and preferences, while 24% said the abortion was unwanted or coerced. "More research is needed to understand better the experience of the two-thirds of women for whom abortion is unwanted, coerced, or otherwise inconsistent with their own values and preferences," the researchers concluded. In an interview last year with CP, Sheila Harper opened up about her struggles with drug and alcohol abuse after an abortion she had in March 1985. Harper remembered that the facility in Tennessee where she underwent the abortion smelled like vomit, and the staff never asked her for identification. The woman said she cried when she met with a counselor at the facility, who she said just seemed "dead." Harper, who was 19 at the time, said that she felt as if she had no other choice but to abort. She said the counselor handed her a number and instructed her to wait for the staff to call her name. "That was it. That was the extent of my counseling," Harper said. Looking back on the abortion, Harper described it as "excruciatingly painful" and "humiliating." When it was over, the then-teenager couldn't walk, and two nurses had to drag her to the recovery room. The boyfriend, who was the father of the child, broke up with Harper not long after the abortion. Harper endured what she described as "seven years of Hell," falling prey to drug and alcohol abuse and her emotions spiraled out of control. In 1992, Harper heard a commercial on the radio about an abortion recovery program operated by a pregnancy resource center. After standing the center up three times, Harper attended a class and was surprised to connect with women with similar stories. As a result of the healing program, the post-abortive woman said she underwent a miraculous transformation and welcomed Christ fully into her life. In 2000, God placed a calling on her heart to start an organization called Save One, which helps men and women share their abortion stories. "I kept hearing people say at every class I taught if I could just save one unborn baby, I would be willing to tell my story," the nonprofit founder said. "And I knew God was speaking to me through that phrase." Home News Rhett and Link give update 5 years after deconstructing, say they're not scared of Hell: 'It doesn't make sense' Five years after publicly deconstructing their faith, YouTube stars Rhett and Link have opened up about their religious views and revealed theyre not scared of going to Hell, dismissing it as a human construct rather than a biblical one and a mechanism to keep people in Christianity. During a two-hour Feb. 17 podcast titled Link Actually Prayed on their Ear Biscuits YouTube channel, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, better known as Rhett & Link, gave their annual update on their religious views after departing from Christianity in early 2020. I'm in a good place, but it's like holding steady and still at arm's length, Link said. I like to keep it simple, you know. And I like to keep it to like, love platitudes. 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 Rhett added that he believes people are spiritual beings, but added: I don't know the nature of reality beyond what I can see, touch, feel and experience. I'm open to there being things beyond my understanding. I'm open to there being a God. I'm open to there being [...] a traditional, spiritual, metaphysical experience that is available to me and to everyone else. But I don't know that that's the case. And I think that there can be really meaningful, active, spiritual practices that everyone can experience that don't have anything to do with having foundational specific beliefs. When they announced their departure from Christianity in February 2020 on their podcast, Rhett described himself as a hopeful agnostic, while Link expressed that he no longer identified as an Evangelical Christian but still had some spiritual beliefs. The duo, who have over 30 million subscribers across their multiple YouTube channels, were previously outspoken Christians, former missionaries and Campus Crusade (now Cru) staff members. In their latest podcast, Rhett said his moral compass today is the same as it was when he was a Christian, dismissing the idea that someones moral compass is linked to any particular religious philosophy. I think your moral compass is something that is inherent to the human experience. I think most moral decisions are made by moral intuition, he said. The YouTuber claimed hes essentially the same person after deconstructing with the same heart and same attitude toward people, but adheres to a secular humanist moral philosophy rather than biblical principles. Even when I was a Christian, I was really uncomfortable with what I had to believe about gay people [because] it wasnt consistent with my moral compass. As an Evangelical Christian, he said, My moral philosophy was in slight conflict with my moral compass. Later in the podcast, the duo reflected on whether or not they still pray despite their views. Link said that recently, he was super sad about a situation and said a prayer on a bit of a whim, but my heart was in it. Though he later saw a positive trajectory occurring, he said he didnt believe prayer was the cause, adding: I do think it helped immediately in terms of being an exercise in empathy. Gods going to do what Gods going to do, he said, explaining that he always struggled with the concepts of prayer and Gods sovereignty. Rhett told Link it was beautiful he had prayed, saying its a powerful way of connecting with the recipient of the need. Praying for someone is a great way to focus and to love someone. It doesnt make sense that God is waiting for me to get to this part of my checklist, so Hell then be like, Alright, now I can do this, he said. It didnt seem consistent with what I understood about God. Today, Rhett said he feels like he still has a vibrant spiritual life, but spends that time in reflection or meditation instead of prayer and communion with God. The duo also answered questions from callers, including one who said the hardest part of his own deconstruction journey was letting go of the idea of Heaven and asked if the YouTubers had the same struggles. Rhett said although there are times when he starts thinking about the fact that one day hell cease to exist altogether, hes not bothered by it. First of all, I may, I may go on, he said. I dont know. There may be an afterlife. It'd be cool. I want to see other planets. I've made this clear. Maybe that's part of it, but if it's not the case for me, personally, it doesn't bother me that much. But I will say that religion has the advantage in the talking about death and comforting people, which, ding, ding, ding, should be a hint for maybe one of the reasons we came up with it. This is a really comforting thing to believe, a really comforting thing to be able to say to someone. In fact, it's so comforting that there are times when I think that it's just worth believing it. But I can't believe it, he added. Another caller asked Rhett and Link if they ever worry about being wrong and going to Hell as a result. In response, Link responded that he doesnt buy it because Hell just doesnt make sense. Rhett said, I can honestly say that I do not ever fear Hell. I did for a while, especially in the midst of deconstruction, but no, this is not an issue for me now. The reason, Rhett explained, is that he didnt fear dying and coming back as a grasshopper when I was a Christian because I didnt believe in reincarnation. Rhett described Hell as a human construct, not a biblical one, noting its a really, really effective mechanism to keep people in the religion. Get them in by promising eternal life in Heaven; keep them in by saying, if you leave youre going to go to the bad place. Another caller asked Rhett if he still labels himself a hopeful agnostic, and he said he still does. When I say that Im agnostic, Im saying, I dont know. And Im also saying Im OK with that, he said. Im open to knowing, but I find it a little bit interesting that weve been around for a long time and theres been billions of us for hundreds of thousands of years, and nobodys figured it out yet. Thats why Im not looking, honestly, ... Im not trying to talk you out of it. Im talking about me. I dont believe [Christianity], and Im just as happy. Life is beautiful, life is mysterious, and I am hopeful." Rhett said he wants to stay on this fence of not knowing and will probably die on that fence. I kind of hope theres something beyond what I can experience with my physical senses, he said. The thing that makes the most sense to me is that the whole universe is God, and God gave birth to itself, and split itself apart, and its goal is to bring itself back together. And thats why every time we connect with one another or we connect with nature, we are bringing God back together to itself. Home Opinion World Orphan Week: The Church needs to step up for 153M orphans UNICEF estimates that 153 million children worldwide are orphans removed from their parents because of death, poverty, or social unrest. World Orphan Week is set aside each year at the beginning of March and serves as a reminder that these precious children desperately need the Church to step up and fill the gaps that the government was never created to handle. The number of children impacted is overwhelming; however, the Church has a biblical mandate to defend the fatherless and speak up for the vulnerable so we must act. An orphan is defined as one deprived of parental care. According to Humanium, several factors contribute to children becoming orphans, such as poverty, abandonment, abuse, natural disasters, health epidemics, and conflicts. Once classified as an orphan, children face a plethora of additional complex issues like trauma, lack of stability and care, and long-term negative effects on their sense of identity. James 1:27 captures the Bibles clarity on the Churchs role in caring for vulnerable children, Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction. 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 Furthermore, David penned the words of Psalm 82:3: Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. The Church must never be tempted to casually turn misdirected attention to the plight of the vulnerable because caring for orphans and vulnerable women is true worship, pure religion, and a command from our Holy God. The Christ followers call is to clearly imitate the Fathers adoptive love, which He shows us through the Gospel of His Son, Christ Jesus. Pastor David Platt has continually proclaimed the biblical truth, We are not the rescuers; we are the rescued. Christians understand spiritual bankruptcy and orphanhood we were once spiritually fatherless, lost in our sin, but through Christ, we were adopted into Gods family, embraced by a loving Father, and cherished beyond imagination. Since God the Father extended that kind of love to us, shouldnt we be compelled to show others that same kind of love to the most vulnerable among us? Worldly secular and other religious cultures see vulnerable children as untouchable outcasts, but our God is a loving and perfect Father to the fatherless. Our great God has ordained His church to be the extension of His never-ending love and care for the vulnerable. Beloved, we must be the Church, a sanctified people willing to contend each and every day for the hearts and lives of children living in great peril from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The Bible has not left us with a nebulous command, but Deuteronomy 24:17-22 describes the practical ways we are called to care. Ruth 2 then becomes the living application of these same commands. The Church needs to call and equip Christ's followers to adopt vulnerable children from around the world. Furthermore, churches can defend the 400,000 children in U.S. foster care by hosting informational meetings to prepare homes to welcome and care for vulnerable children. The Church also must support vulnerable families to see reunification from foster care while standing in the gap for the countless children who age out of the foster system each and every day. The Church is a much-needed partner in child welfare as she supports ministries that provide adoption and foster care opportunities. However, the most powerful tool that the Church has to care for vulnerable children is action rooted in prayer. We must pray for the hearts of vulnerable children around the world to find physical homes where they will come to know the love of their Heavenly Father. We need to pray for the fruitfulness of our advocacy of potential adoptive and foster families while praying that these future families will be strengthened and encouraged. And it's crucial that we speak up while praying for the hearts of government leaders to be softened so that the Church can more adequately advocate and care for the vulnerable. We simply cannot ignore the over 100 million orphans worldwide. The truth is we know why we are supposed to care, but we need God to further illuminate our individual calling for how we are to look after vulnerable children in their affliction. World Orphan Week is the perfect opportunity to go from hearing the call to answering the call through action. You can take the first steps in the adoption or foster care process. You could volunteer with Harbor Families, which offers mentorship and community support for vulnerable families in your area. You might even get involved with foster children at risk of aging out of the system by providing them with the necessary life skills to set them up for success. You could also support a foster family in your church by providing respite care or taking them meals on a regular basis. There are many ways to serve vulnerable children, women, and families we must stop finding convenient excuses. At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, Huawei has positioned itself at the forefront of technological innovation, showcasing its latest advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing. The Chinese tech giant presented cutting-edge solutions aimed at enhancing connectivity, smart cities, and enterprise digital transformation, with a particular emphasis on how these developments will impact the Middle East. The company unveiled its next-generation 5G infrastructure, promising faster speeds, lower latency, and greater efficiency. The company also introduced its vision for 6G, emphasizing AI-driven networks that will redefine the future of connectivity. With a strong focus on AI, Huawei demonstrated how artificial intelligence is integrated into its cloud computing services, providing enhanced cybersecurity, automated operations, and data-driven insights for businesses and telecom operators. The Huawei Cloud Summit at MWC 2025, themed Accelerate Intelligence, Amplify Success, brought together industry leaders from telecom, finance, government, and more. Huawei Cloud unveiled cutting-edge AI-native cloud services, reinforcing its commitment to intelligent transformation. AI is reshaping industries globally, and Huawei Cloud is at the forefront of this shift. Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service, emphasized Huawei Clouds strategy of transitioning from cloud-native to AI-native, integrating AI across all cloud services and offering platforms to accelerate AI adoption. In 2024, Huawei Cloud expanded by over 50% outside of China, partnering with over 140 carriers and 500 financial institutions. Hi everybody. Welcome to Global Tech Tales, the show where we talk with editors from around the world about the latest technology and leadership topics to find out what buyers want. I'm Keith Shaw co hosting along with Matt Egan, the global content and editorial director at Foundry, who also is representing the UK on this global podcast. And joining us on this episode is Andrea Benito. She is the editor of CIO Middle East for Foundry. Welcome everybody. Hello, hello, thank you. You know the episode that we're going to talk about today is managing risk in an AI world. So we're going to talk a lot about security, but also talk about risk. And when we start the show, we talk about some statistics. And so from our friends at IDC, from their worldwide responsible AI survey, they said more than 30% of respondents have noted that the lack of governance and risk management solutions was their top barrier to adopting and scaling AI. More than 75% of those who use responsible AI solutions reported improvements in data privacy, customer experience, confident business decisions, brand reputation and trust and organizations are increasing their investments in AI and machine learning governance tool, 35% of AI organizations spend in 2024 was allocated towards governance tools, and 32% was to professional services. However, another survey by PwC showed that while 73% of executives said they currently plan or plan to use generative AI in their organizations. Only 58% of them have completed a preliminary assessment of AI risks in their organization. So as we think about these statistics, I want to hear what people are talking about around the world, some of from from the IT leader perspective. So you know, what are some of the risks that they are discovering that need to be managed? So Andrea, why don't we start with you? You know, what are you hearing in your side of the world? It depends who you ask. If you are talking to a CIO or you are talking to a CISO, because AI, for example, is an open door for CIOs as a great opportunity, but it's also a back door for hackers and more sophisticated attacks. So what I hear is that CISOs need to be proactive, and of course, they can modernize cyber security measures and AI driven risk management strategy and are becoming more integral across industry, but evolving trends are also emerging due to AI so CSOs, they see a great potential, but because of all the volume of data that is being generated on all the new attacks that are coming through, AI is this a false alarm? Because of the vast volumes of data like they need to find the difference between true threats and false alarms. I can say that, for example, in the UAE, where I'm based, there is a proactive approach to AI. We have a national artificial intelligence strategy for 2031and we have seen a huge increase in the use of AI, especially specialty in the healthcare sector, but also in oil and gas, where they are integrating AI for predictive maintenance and logistics. That's one of the, you know, huge sectors across the Gulf region, oil and gas. Yeah, but as I say, great opportunity for CIOs, but a back door for more sophisticated and new attacks. So CISOs, they see AI as a kind of a threat, and they fear the impact of having AI everywhere. I mean everything, okay. And Matt, you know, I wanted to ask you about some of the different areas of risk. Do you think that data privacy is the is the biggest issue, or is it some other areas where some potential risks could be jumping in, whether it's, you know, generative AI that could create a vulnerability or or things like that, or, you know, the risk of putting AI into a company's existing products, you know, or is data privacy like the big, the big chunk? I mean, it's certainly one of the biggest, if not the biggest. It's really interesting actually listening to Andrea, from her perspective, and Keith, you and I, you know, I'm in the UK, we're both very focused on the US market. All IT leaders. Literally every single one tells us that they are either scoping, trialing or implementing AI projects. And in our own recent research, our AI priority study, 98% of IT decision makers say they see challenges with AI deployments, and a big part of that is, is, to your point, is the unknowns, right? AI is a very powerful thing. It can exponentially accelerate good outcomes, which means and Andrea touched on this like it can accelerate bad outcomes too. And in the same piece of research, and certainly in anecdotal conversations, you have, 96% of decision makers IT leaders say they have difficulty addressing the ethical implications when implementing AI technologies, 44% to your point, Keith, specifically say they have concerns over data privacy. And a really interesting stat, I think, is that 30% of surveyed, IT decision makers say they believe that organizations are moving too fast, specifically with generative AI, none of these things are directly about managing risk, but it's all related, right? There are unknowns. AI is an accelerator. IT leaders. Andrea spoke about this. The CIOs, they're kind of under pressure to to go and play in this space and and find out, like, how success can be achieved. And you touched on this. Keith, like, I think data privacy is a big part of this, but I think we can break down the risks into two different approaches. One is the use of AI in existing internal processes and operations, and the other is the building of AI into products and services that are going externally. And they do offer two different, completely different types of challenges. On one hand, on the internal side, you have to manage the risks of things going badly wrong, and that is where the data privacy thing really comes in, right? You could be creating vulnerabilities that could lead to a data breach. There's a risk of you misusing data because you don't know, in the end, how a generative AI in particular is going to adapt and continue to to use data. There's an ethical risk. On the other hand, if you're building customer products and services that include elements of AI like you're putting that risk, all of those things into the hands of your customers, and on that side, especially, but but in both cases, you have to consider the supply chain. So every platform it touches, every vendor that's involved, is it open source? What about your storage and connectivity? Each link in the chain offers risks that needs to be recognized and managed. And I do think to your point, Keith, I think at the root of all of this is privacy as well as ethical use of data, there's also this, this potential that you're going to create some kind of vulnerability because of the the accelerant nature of the AI. You know, I really enjoy having these conversations, because sometimes it doesn't matter where you are based, because I'm based in Dubai, but covering Middle East, and every CIO is having the same issue, and I completely agree with everything that Matt has has say. Because when I attend events, you know, our technology is moving so fast, but we humans and tech tech leaders are not moving that fast. So sometimes here I was approached to me like, now generative AI is the hot topic. It was cloud in the past. Blockchains in the past as the war and my CEO, my C senior levels, are coming to me like, we need to implement AI. We need to have this. We need to implement generative AI. And every CIO in these events are like, but why? What? What's the goal of doing this? And it's because it's the whole topic. Is because everyone is saying like, we need to have AI. But what is the value like, why? What is AI? What do you want to get from AI, and what is the value that you want to achieve by implementing these solutions? Do you think the business leaders understand that, or do you feel like maybe the IT leaders are sometimes seen as the bad guy or the traffic cop that's holding up the stop sign while everybody else is rushing towards them, going, ai, ai, ai, and either the CIO or the CISO or the CSO is saying, Whoa, we can't do this because of these risks. When you talk to the CSOs. Do they feel bad about, maybe, about trying to slow it down or hold it up? Anybody? No, I was gonna say that. I don't think tech leaders are tech leader anymore. They are business leaders. They are involved in every board member conversation. I think the CEOs are well aware on senior levels of the importance of investing in digital transformation, in cyber security, like we all know that, and they are part of the conversations, and CIOs are the right hand of CA CEOs, but still we have not achieved that same level conversation yet they they know they have to do it. They know they need to work with the CIO, but we still did not achieve the 100% of the understanding like what it means and what is the back door that is going to mean also. And this is something we talk about in every conversation. Keith, like is the idea of the CIO, the IT leader as the the agent of transformation, but we carried a report on CIO recently, on cio.com recently, which said that CFOs were extremely, not negative necessarily, but cautious around AI. And you can, you can see that from a cost perspective, right, like we've spent the past. 18 months trialing big projects and to Andrea's point, like with the IT leader and being the agent of transformation. But you know, as I think, was behind the way you framed that question, Keith, there are lots of organizations whereby AI might be the answer, but no one's quite sure what the question is, I think. But the other thing that is impacting the CFO mindset is definitely this idea of risk, right? We're introducing things, and we don't know what the outcomes are, and we've got regulation to deal with. And you know, it definitely feels like in that context, IT leaders, CIOs specifically, are kind of in the middle. And it varies from org to org, and it varies from individual but you know, what I hear often is, you know that the CIO feels like, on the one hand, their IT strategy has to almost drive business strategy these days, which is a whole new thing, but on the other hand, they've got to make that strategy work, which means the infrastructure piece is huge, and so they're kind of both driving transformation and managing risk with their CISO partners. And it can be quite an invidious position to be in, but it also can be quite a cool position to be in the right organization. When you talk to, you know, these, the CSOs and the CIOs out there, how confident are they in their data? Because generative AI kind of came on like this wave, and a lot of companies, at least the ones that we were talking to here in the US were still in the middle of a lot of data transformation, digital transformation projects. So there's there was a feeling that maybe that they didn't have their data ready for generative AI yet, they're still working on that. But what are we hearing in other parts of the world, from my perspective, from my conversations with CIOs, there is definitely a lot of tension. They don't think the data, the data is ready, the data is there, and they can get value from there, but they don't know where to start, like not all the solutions have been yet implemented, so they think that they are spending a lot of time taking that data to be used, and there is still a lot of data that they say, literally, is trash. It's rubbish. It's losing my time, and I, I'm not able to use this data anymore. And that is the real fear, all the garbage that is out, right? That's, that's the, the term that we hear here is garbage in, garbage out. So, yeah, yeah. you're hearing the same thing, yeah. I mean, it varies from org to org. Of course it does. But exactly what Andrea was speaking to that, I think, is the case is that, and again, this, this can be that, that issue of the difference in perception between a business leader and the person who has to implement the strategy we've talked about this before many times, Keith, but like, if you are the CIO, not only are you kind of responsible for driving forward an innovative strategy, but you're also responsible for, like, the the data, the infrastructure, cloud and connectivity and and the security with your CISO partner, and those are the big pieces that need to be in place before any AI project can succeed. I think the challenge, and this is definitely a risk management issue, is that you cannot afford any one of those elements to be sub optimal, and with data, especially the marketing department, might not want to accept or may not even know that their data is trash. And so that can be quite a difficult perception to challenge, if you're the person who's in charge of implementing something that that kind of can't succeed until that heavy but hidden work is done. And I know we brought up vulnerabilities earlier and some data breaches potential. How concerned are the IT leaders that you talk with? How concerned are they about their use of AI by some of these bad actors? And do they feel like that? They have to now be even more vigilant in their protection schemes, and, you know, because of better social engineering capabilities, insider threats, things like that. And then are they also looking at AI to help them come combat these, these new threats. Andrea, why don't we start with you? I wanted to say that, well, I want to talk about, later we will talk about AI regulations, because I know this is we are talking that every CIO is having the same issues, but AI regulations are different in all the countries where we are based. But I wanted to say, before going deeper into that, that, for example, AI enabled ransomware is one of the biggest fear for me at companies here. I mean, CISOs are asking and searching for AI tools capable to prevent zero day attacks, for example, yeah, definitely, definitely, I think probably a worldwide situation as well. With the speed of of how AI can can do that. It's an Arms Race, right? It's an arms race. Ai enables the acceleration of everything. So it is definitely enabling the acceleration of defense, but it needs to, because bad actors are able to increase threats exponentially. And if I could make this link, you know, governments are pretty slow to regulate against these things. Like, it tends to be that the bad actors and the AI can can move more quickly. So regulation is a big deal, right? Yeah, all right, that's a great segue. I want to get back to Andrea talking about some of the regulations that she's seeing in the in the Middle East. When we talked before the show, you had mentioned Amazon, AWS, for example. Like, there are regulations that prevent companies from using that service in your area. Is that right? Or did I miss that? Yeah, yeah, that's right. I mean, here many countries are in the region are aligning with GDPR, but depends on, you know, some sensitive data, like healthcare, banking, like companies have to be very careful about where they source the data. That's why some companies are fully embrace public cloud, like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, because of data residency concerns. That's why CIOs are looking at more hybrid models. But I'm pleased to see in the last few years, like all the advancements that major cloud providers are making to build local data center like, for example, AWS is going to base 5.5 point 3 million USD to build data centers in Saudi Arabia to boost their technology in the region. And for example, another great example. What we have seen, Oracle. Oracle, they just opened the second cloud region in Saudi Arabia. The first one was yellow in Red Sea. And now is they just open real and they are going to open in neon in the north, plus two more data centers in the UAE. Yeah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. So I think this, in total, is yeah, 1.5 billion USD investments only in Saudi Arabia, not talking about the UAE. So yeah, this all happened just in the last four years. So yeah. I mean, I'm really looking forward to seeing what these cloud providers are going to do in the region in the next years. And Matt, I wanted to bring up things that are going on in the UK and the US, where we're starting to see some political situations arise too, right? Yeah, I mean, the UK specifically is in a unique and potentially uniquely bad situation in the sense that we're outside the EU. But we have tended, as with the UAE, actually, we have tended to map to EU regulations. So GDPR, for instance, is is not enforced in the in the UK, but, but, but our laws mirror it kind of thing. But we're also an international hub, and so pretty much every organization, even if it's, you know, something like a university or a public sector organization, it needs to operate to international standards and manage risk with that in mind. But at the same time, our economy is in the toilet, basically. So the UK Government needs something to kick start that economy, particularly since we left the EU, and sees AI and deregulation as a means of doing that, which kind of makes it a bit of an unholy mess if you happen to be an IT leader on this island, because there's huge amounts of expectations and lots of unknowns to manage, and then at the same time, Keith, you know, we can speak to this Right, like in the US, the political situation, means that I think we're seeing similar, but maybe even more accelerated versions of those, of those trends. Yeah, it feels like that, that Trump is going to kind of be hands off on AI, but you never know. I mean, it's, it's a, you know, it's such a wild card situation, especially he's got, you know, he's, he's, he's working with Elon Musk, and it feels like, right now that they're probably not looking at AI, but at some point they could. I think they might pull back from some of the Biden regulations and executive orders that were issued. But I wouldn't, I wouldn't put it across, you know, them to suddenly then come, you know, and say something like the data storage requirement, for example, I know that they're big on making sure that data storage stays in the US, or, you know, doesn't go to some of the their enemies, so that that could be something that that companies would have to worry about as well. You have to look kind of beneath the surface of what's driving a lot of this. And it's, it's economics, right? Like, like, most of the major Western economies are struggling somewhat, and so I'll give you an example, which is, there's been quite heavy lobbying in the UK for the government to kind of roll back a little on intellectual property and copyright as it relates to AI, which obviously in our industry as the creators of content and intellectual property. That's kind of not something we want to hear. That's what our business values. And you know, some quite strong voices within the UK Government are seeming to be impacted by this lobbying, because they see maybe if you sort of deregulate copyright, like there's some kind of accelerator for for business, and I do see similar kind of trends in the US where it's definitely the case. That the big tech companies have got more of an influential voice now than they have had. And how do you manage risk there, right? If things have been deregulated, in a way, I mean, history tells us, time and again, when financial markets are deregulated, in the end, something goes boom, right? And you know that that kind of feels like, from an IT decision maker perspective, like it's a very challenging situation to be in to try and map to multiple different governments and the trends around regulations that they're trying to handle. I mean, to Andrea's point, those are very controlled regulatory environments, which certainly the US and the UK feel like is is less the case than it was. Right? There's one more area I want to touch upon, and that's around employee training. Do you feel like risk management is an area where companies would need to invest more in employee skills and training, such as in other areas of AI, we're hearing that for a lot of things. Or, do you know, do they feel like that they can accomplish this with their existing risk management tools, or maybe they're asking their vendors to just provide AI capabilities within existing tools. Where do people stand in terms of the employee skills training? Tech leaders in the Middle East, like of course, they see, they recognize the importance of employees skills training for effective risk management, not only the IT department, but also the employers, the employers that they always talk to, the board members that we need to invest in skills training for effective risk management, like for example, While advanced platforms are valuable, investing in training ensures employees can utilize these tools to manage risk better, like we've seen so many times that the issue comes from a normal employee who didn't know how to use the right tools or how to use the email like facing attacks So like, it's not only about the tech department anymore. Like companies and board members and CEOs need to know that part of the budget has to be gone to, you know, employee skills training, especially for effective rates management. Okay? And Matt, you have anything else that you wanted to add? This is a classic case where the perfect skill set, the perfect tool, doesn't exist. You cannot create 100% risk free environment. And it is, it is about having an individual or individuals who have full accountability and responsibility for figuring things out. But it is also definitely about every individual within the organization having the right level of training and context to understand, like, the risks that we're dealing with. And just you know, you have to hope a little bit like bringing up children, right? You have to train people in the right way and hope that they make, they make the right decisions, right? But you can't control it. So there's a level of of of kind of investing in all of your people sharing accountability and responsibility, and, yeah, hoping for the best. It's risk management. It's not risk elimination. Do I have a feeling that we're going to see more security training efforts and add in, add in AI capabilities to make sure that you can maybe recognize some of these AI phishing attempts versus other types of things, or other data leak types of issues. Okay, I want to, I want to end the show with our vote. This is usually, this doesn't this always, I always try to do a yes or no question, and we always get yes, no or maybe so or it depends. So I'm going to allow, allow for the use of, it depends. But I'm wondering if you feel like CSOs and the other IT leaders are going to be able to properly manage the risk associated with AI this year, or in order to speed up projects, will we start seeing more projects deployed because CSOs will feel more confident about the data, or is it going to be just kind of the same level that we're seeing right now. Well, I'm sorry, I know you say you're looking for a yes or no, but in my case, it's gonna be, it depends. Yeah, that's because, for example, I mean, chief security officer, they can manage AI risk, but it depends on some factors like the availability of the right tools, employee training, and the company's commitment to cyber security, okay? And that, I think, for the first time ever, Keith, I am going to give a definitive answer and not say it depends, because I think, like, I don't think anything stopping this train rolling, and I think risk management is a problem for it and the other departments to solve. I don't think it's a blocker for movement report. I think actually the blocker around AI currently is return on investment. That's that's the biggest that's the biggest challenge for those implementing AI projects in 2025 I don't I think the challenge for those people who have to manage the. Risk is that the risk isn't necessarily recognized with their line of business leaders. So I don't think it will stop this train from rolling forward pretty fast. Yeah, I have a feeling that the I'm also going to say that they will, that it's going to be a yes, they will be able to properly manage the risk. I think they will kind of ease up off of the break. I think they should be able to get a handle on some projects. There might be some other projects where they still have to hold up that stop sign. But for the most part, I think that they are not going to be a roadblock. And to your point, Matt, it might. It might be the CFOs and the people holding the budgets that that might slow it down. Okay, all right. So again, thank you all for participating. We're going to be back next month with more global editors to talk about the issue of preparing data for AI usage in analytics, another great AI topic, and that's all the time we have for the show today. Feel free to add any comments you have below and check out our other TECHtalk shows, such as today in tech CIO Leadership Live and DEMO, if you are interested in seeing B to B product demonstrations. I'm Keith Shaw, thanks for watching, everybody. Abonati-va sa primiti pe email saptamanal lista articolelor adaugate pe parcursul saptamanii. Adresele .ru nu sunt acceptate. Email NEWSLETTER From left to right: Nathan Gamester, managing director of the Centre for Social Justice Foundation; Rory Brooks, commissioner of the Charity Commission; Andrew Law, chairman and CEO of Caxton Associates; Cath Dovey, co-founder of the Beacon Collaborative; Neil Heslop, CEO of Charities Aid Foundation; Chris Bryant, DCMS minister. A change in how charitable giving is described is needed to boost philanthropy in the UK, a government minister has said. Culture minister Chris Bryant said at an event in London yesterday that the UK could learn from the US, where there is more of a philanthropic culture. Bryant said: I don't really like the word philanthropy because I've talked to trustees who are trustees of long-standing foundations and many of them go: I have no idea what you're talking about. Do you mean giving? He said that in the US, lots of people give as part of their national or local duty on a monthly basis to a variety of different causes. We haven't got that in the bloodstream at the moment in the UK, and that's the thing I would most dearly love to do, he said. And we need to think about the language to enable that to happen. Bryant was speaking at the launch event of the Centre for Social Justices (CSJ) Supercharging Philanthropy report , which estimates that billions could be unlocked for small charities in the UK through measures including matched donations schemes and dormant assets. 8bn of donations could be released CSJs report estimates that new matched funding initiatives using 3.2bn of dormant assets could release 8.22bn of philanthropic support because of appetite from wealthy donors. However, it warns that philanthropy risks tailing off without a clear leadership and that grants and corporate giving have declined in recent years. It calls on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to lead other government departments to create a national, cross-government strategy on how to increase domestic philanthropic giving. The strategy should include a specific approach to increase philanthropic giving to small and medium-sized charities with a numerical target for national giving in the next five years, it says. It suggests that funders should publish previously successful grant applications, anonymising them, to give prospective applicants an indication of what givers are likely to fund. Funders should also provide stability and longevity in their giving by committing to multiyear funding projects where appropriate, with a preference away from contracts of under one year, it states. It also suggests that the Financial Conduct Authority should establish an accredited professional certificate in philanthropic advice available to various professionals including solicitors, financial advisors and accountants. Im going to call it philanthropy Cath Dovey, co-founder of the Beacon Collaborative, said in response to Bryants comment: I'm going to call it philanthropy because if you sit and think about how you can make a difference, not just putting pennies in the pot or putting a direct debit in place that you never think about again, you are doing something different from just giving. You are trying to make an incremental difference for people's lives, and you're doing it in a way that works alongside the government because a philanthropist will always get to places where the government can't reach. These charities exist because there are places the government can't reach and there are news [reports of] where the government isn't supporting. So it is additional and it provides fuel for charities. So I will use the word for that because it matters a lot to me and that we understand that this activity is incrementally important to our culture and beyond what happens with government funding. Dovey said that using the dormant fund and assets is not a cost to the government but rather an investment. Every pound that the government puts in, more money will come out in the places that need it. That's the bottom line, she said. Government urged to set out bold vision Also speaking at the launch event, Charities Aid Foundation's chief executive Neil Heslop said: We know that Britain is a generous country, but we also know that there's probably never been a tougher time for charities than right now with the long-lasting legacy of the pandemic crisis. Many, many of these organisations, which are absolutely central to our social framework, are dealing with that triple binding of higher demand, increasing costs and real pressure. Many of us as citizens are getting out of the habit of giving and that ecosystem where charities are in a position where they are increasingly relying more and more on fewer and fewer people. He added: We do need a long-term, serious effort to turn some of those long-term trends around. And I do believe that now is the right time for the government to set out the bold vision such that philanthropy or giving actually extends to all different parts of the country. Rory Brooks, commissioner of the Charity Commission, said at the event: Having been in financial markets for a lot of my life, the business of getting big money to small places is one of the worst intermediated markets I have ever seen. But Brooks said he was very encouraged by this report, he said. We've all got our shoulder to the wheel. The commission will obviously study these recommendations and figure out what is within its capacity. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. On October 5, 1973, Joshua Miele, then four years old, was burned and blinded when a delusional neighbor poured acid on him in Park Slope, Brooklyn. In 2021, married with children and living in the Bay Area, he won a MacArthur genius award for his work developing technology for blind people. Several years before he won the award, he was profiled in the New York Times. In this excerpt from his new memoir, Connecting Dots: A Blind Life, Miele recounts the delicate dance between subject and writer that led to that story, while providing a primer on the tropes and cliches journalists should avoid when writing about disability. I almost never checked my spam folder, but one day in September 2012, I happened to, and there I found a short, recent, and curious email. Its subject line said simply, Hello from New York. The body read in its entirety: Dear Dr. Miele: My name is Wendell Jamieson. I am trying to get in touch with the Joshua Miele who grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn, as I did. Have I reached the right person? More interesting than the note was the New York Times email address from which it came. Sign up for CJRs daily email Well now, what do we have here? I told Wendell hed gotten his man and asked what I could do for him. He emailed back quickly that hed like to discuss writing a story about me, about my being burned, about my recovery, and about the work I was doing now. He said wed never met, but like others in Park Slope hed been so affected by what happened to me that, even now, when he was forty-six, he felt a sense of dread when he answered the door beneath the stoop when he visited his mothers brownstone, five blocks from President Street; thats how deep in his psyche lurked that dark neighborhood legend, the Acid Man. It had been thirty-nine years since I got burned, and the initial press interest had long ago faded. But I always had this sense that sooner or later, another reporter would call to check in on me. Now that the call had come, I experienced a mix of emotions. My first one? No way. No thank you. I could imagine it all: the heartwarming tale of a poor little blind boy overcoming adversity to live a normal life. And burned with acid, no less. What a trouper! What a plucky, brave little soul! And some kind woman even married him! Lets all pity and celebrate him. I didnt want to excavate my past for the world to see. I worried that I would lose credibility in the science world by talking about myself, that this would be some kind of inspiration porn at which the world would stare even as it wanted to turn away. I started to reply with a polite decline, even typed a few lines, but then something made me pause. I didnt want to be known for what happened to me, but I couldnt deny that I wanted to be known. And Id had some successesmy new tactile maps were being produced en masse, and my tactile-audio maps of the BART transit system were coming together beautifully; YouDescribe, my app to allow crowdsourced audio descriptions of YouTube content, was set to launch in a few months. I had a bunch of other interesting projects moving along, in areas like accessible STEM education and mobile wayfinding tools. And I had recently been named chair of the board of the LightHouse for the Blind in San Francisco. I knew a story in the Times would inevitably put a lot of focus on the sensational details of the attack, but maybe that would be worth it if I could minimize that and tell the world about all the cool things I was doing now. I faced one other quandary: Would I be exploiting my own childhood trauma for gain as an adult? I decided that if anyone had a right to do that, it would be me. The truth is, I never thought about what had happened and I never felt a hint of anger about it, even for one second. It sounded like Wendell thought about it more than I did. I hadnt talked about it for years, maybe decades. Being a crime victim just wasnt my identity. But I certainly did feel anger at those in society who marginalized disabled people, or those who failed to think of even the simplest solutions to make our lives livable, like the designers of early bank ATMs. Being burned was just something that had happened a long, long time ago. I told Wendell Id think about it. Then I invited him to meet me the next time I was in Brooklyn to visit my dad, and a few weeks later we sat down at a new Scandinavian-themed coffeehouse in Park Slope. He seemed like a nice enough guy, with two children just a little older than mine. The coffees were ridiculously expensive, but that was okay because the Times was paying. We joked about how the neighborhood had changed since we were little, how the biggest danger these days were au pairs aggressively piloting double and even triple strollers down the sidewalks. When I got back to California, I asked Wendell to send me a few stories hed written, and, while they were interesting, all set in Park Slope, they skewed a little too nostalgic, a little too sentimental, for my tastes. I told him so. If I did the story, I admonished him, it couldnt be at all sappy. He seemed a little taken aback but said hed do his best. Then he cautioned me: If we move forward, youll have to put yourself in my hands a little bit. Now, that was scary. I didnt like putting myself in anybody elses hands. I couldnt decide. I sought counsel from friends old and new. Jon, the manager of my high school band, who always had a cool head about these kinds of things, was on the fence. Same with my wife, Liz. She worried that the story might draw undue attention to our children. There are a lot of nuts out there, she said. But any story wouldnt just be about me: everyone in my family would have to be included. Id need their buy-in. So as I weighed the pros and cons, a flurry of phone calls and emails ricocheted around the country as I asked everyone what they thought. Nearly forty years had gone by, but now the true narrative arc of that dumped cup of sulfuric acid, of the damage it did in seconds, of the long, tangled journey in the aftermathmuch of its lingering pain buried and much of it unknown to other players, even if wed become as close as any family could bewould be laid bare. My dad was retired and lived on Carroll Street in Park Slope with his wife, Lori, and their daughter, Emma. He loved the idea of a story in the Times; his quick thinking in the hours, days, and weeks after I got burned had saved my life and helped my recovery. My mom lived in Rockland County with my stepfather, Klaus. She was hesitant; did we really want to dredge all that up, and who was this Wendell guy, anyway? But she said shed respect my wishes. Julia, my sister, lived in Park Slope with her husband and their children. She was a professor at CUNY and had a PhD in English, but her main focus was disability studies. I was partially responsible for this choice. Having a blind little brother had certainly affected her worldview: as she studied literature, especially Victorian literature, and even before that, she found she was drawn to stories of the blind and otherwise disabled and the role they played in fiction, movies, and other facets of life. She was against participating. She worried, as I had, that it would simplify my complicated life of ups and downs into a black-and-white narrative of inspirational overcoming, that the mere fact I could put my pants on in the morning would be celebrated as miraculous. But she had another reason: she was a terrific writer, and shed harbored ideas of one day publishing a book about our family story herself. Who was Wendell to come take the story away from her? In the end it was Jean, my big brother, who clinched it for me. His journey had been a long one, one that had begun from a place of true angerthe anger hed taken on, perhaps, for the whole familybut which had now brought him to a place of calm and contentment, even wisdom, that was remarkable. He was the most thoughtful of my conversational partners as I wrestled with the idea of participating in this Times story. He listened, he advised, he offered points and counterpoints. We talked about how my experience, and my successes, could help people who werent as far along as I was in their journeys of blindness or being burned, or at least show them there was a path forward. And then he said this: When the universe presents you with an opportunity, just say yes. He was right. Id come to realize that this story could make a real difference. My visibility could be a real public service. I told Wendell I was in. The story took monthsWendell disappeared for a few weeks dealing with Superstorm Sandy and its aftermath. In time, he spoke to everyone in my family. He also tracked down Carmen Bouza, the sister of the man who had poured the acid on me, and Col. Basil Pruitt at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, who had led the team that treated me; both acted as if theyd been expecting his call, as I had. Carmen Bouza started to cry when he introduced himself over the phone and told her why he wanted to talk. And even though nearly forty years had passed, Colonel Pruitt recounted with cool military precision the specifics of my injuries and treatment without consulting any notes or records. He said he had used slides of them to instruct generations of Army burn specialists. I met with Wendell several more times in Brooklyn, and then he flew out to California. We had bourbon at Johns Grill in downtown San Franciscofabled haunt of Dashiell Hammettand then took BART to Berkeley for sushi and sake at the house with Liz and the kids; my daughter, Vivien, now seven, and heavily into musical theater, performed an a cappella rendition of Tomorrow from the musical Annie after dinnerher voice was beautiful and clear like a bell, with not even a hint of nervous vibrato, and I couldnt have felt any more proud and content as those surprisingly robust tones filled my home. The next day, Wendell came over to the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, the nonprofit where I worked, and played with a BART tactile map and tested a beta version of YouDescribe. It was great funI liked talking about myself. But this trip down memory lane wasnt joyous for everyone. My mother struggled. She went back and forth about whether she wanted to participate. Klaus, my stepfather, would later say she seemed distracted and out of sorts during this whole process; usually, she was as sharp as a blade. Theres no better way to demonstrate her emotional turmoil than by reading her own words in emails she exchanged with Wendell. Its still an open wound and most probably will remain that way until the day I die. I keep it carefully insulated so it doesnt color my functioning daily lifebut its always there. Once open, I have things to say, but not sure how far I want them heard. I think our family is stronger for having this as part of us. I believe something similar of all people who become parents: theyre stronger people than those who are not. Are you a parent? Can you imagine something like this happening to your child? The Crime of His Childhood ran on March 2, 2013, on the cover of the Times Metropolitan section, and spent some time at the top of the homepage that afternoon. As I had feared, the story was mostly about the attack and my recovery; I sighed when I read the headline. But the story did include a healthy chunk about all the stuff I was doing. The story contained some revelations: my assailant had died of emphysema in 1992 after moving to Florida, and in moments of lucidity was horrified by what hed done, his sister Carmen said. Nothing was ever the same after that day, she told Wendell, crying. This thing destroyed my family. The irony was clear: It had not destroyed my family. It had shaken it, it had rocked it, and it had affected everyone deeply and still didjust look at Julias and my careers, and my mothers strugglebut here we were, stronger than ever. The online views were through the roofthough for proprietary reasons Wendell wouldnt share exact numbersand soon the story had hundreds of comments, all more or less the same: I was a fine fellow, an inspiration, a great guy. I guess I cant control what people think. The following week several people introduced themselves to me on the street or on BART. My father heard from acquaintances far and near about what a great guy he was. Jean also heard from friends old and new, with many apologizing for not realizing what he was going through as a teenager and for not being more sympathetic or patient with him. Julias response was more complex. She thought Wendell had done a good job but perhaps had defaulted a bit too much to the stereotypical trope of the struggling disabled person overcoming adversity against all odds. She expressed this very publicly: she wrote a letter to the editor critiquing the story, which the Times published the following week. I am concerned that some readers will see Joshs success in relatively simple terms: he was victimized; he struggled; he overcame, she wrote. Obviously, his life, like all lives, is more complicated than that. And it is critically important that we be open to many different kinds of stories about disability, especially those that are complex and open-ended, and especially those that people with disabilities tell themselves. And my mother? She sent Wendell a single email: Nicely done. Coming from her, that was a rave. I hadnt been allowed to read the story before it was published, so when it finally came out, I read it with some trepidation. I had worked hard with Wendell to make sure he understood about inspiration porn and the tired cliches associated with injury and blindness, and while he seemed to be paying attention, I couldnt be sure if all my lectures had landed. I had gambled with my story, put myself in someone elses hands, but as I read I realized I had mostly wonWendell told the story of my getting burned with good taste and decent sensitivity to disability. And I marveled at how my story seemed to resonate so powerfully with so many other people, and how it remained embedded in the collective psyche of Park Slope while to me it was just a distant memory. But most importantly, my work on accessibility and digital equity for blind people had made it to the top of the homepage of the New York Times. I felt like it was a pretty good trade. Excerpted from Connecting Dots: A Blind Life by Joshua A. Miele with Wendell Jamieson. Copyright 2025. Available from Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group Inc. Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. On Saturday, the first stage of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, painstakingly brokered by delegations from the US, Egypt, and Qatar after fifteen devastating months of war, came to a close. It saw the return of thirty-three hostages taken from Israel on October 7, 2023, in exchange for roughly nineteen hundred Palestinian prisoners. But the future of the deal remains uncertain. Israel is now proposing to extend the temporary ceasefire by fifty days rather than moving to phase two, which would involve the withdrawal of remaining Israeli troops from Gaza. Hamas rejected the change. In response, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu halted the delivery of aid. (There will be no free lunches, he said.) On the day a ceasefire was finally announced, I spoke with a friend who is currently reporting from the West Bank for a prominent international news organization. He told me that, as soon as members of the foreign press are allowed back into Gaza, he will likely be heading straight there to begin reporting on the aftermath of the war. Since October 2023, foreign reporters have not been allowed into Gaza without Israeli military escort; Israeli officials said at the time that it could not guarantee journalists safety. That conversation was over six weeks ago, and members of the press have still not yet been allowed back in. Israel has not commented on whenand, indeed, ifthat will change. Absent their international counterparts, Gazan journalists have reported determinedly, despite incredible risks; one hundred and sixty-six Palestinian reporters and media workers were killed during the war, some of whom the Committee to Protect Journalists believes were targeted. (Two Israeli journalists were killed on October 7 when militants from Gaza murdered roughly twelve hundred Israelis and foreign nationals and took hundreds more hostage.) For those who had been risking their lives to report on the destruction, the ceasefire came as an incredible relief. One of the most moving videos I saw in the hours after the deal was announced featured dozens of Gazan journalists gathered in their blue flak jackets, smiling as they sang a slow but triumphant Arabic ballad: We will stay here until the pain is gone, the lyrics went. We will stay here until life is sweet. But, despite the commitment of local journalists, the fact that international reporters have not been allowed into Gaza has hindered the presss ability to effectively communicate the devastation of the war. Last summer, Daoud Kuttab, a veteran Palestinian journalist from the West Bank who is currently based in Jordan, told me that this policy has made it easier for Israeli authorities to control the media narrative: If the only reporters are Palestinian, its their word against the word of the Israeli army, he said. Speaking about Israels claims that Hamas was using hospitals for military purposes, Kuttab said, Imagine if Anderson Cooper was in Gaza and filmed the hospital, showing that there was no evidence it had been used by Hamas. How many lives would have been saved? He added that the fact that outside journalists were barred from entering should have been noted in every article that ran about the war. This is not a normal situation, he said. Its abnormal. Whether Gazan hospitals were used by militants in violation of international law remains unclear. Groups of foreign journalists embedded with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have seen and photographed guns and explosives in tunnels beneath various hospitals but have had no opportunity to independently confirm the evidence. In its February 2024 report, a digital research group called Forensic Architecture analyzed the claims made by Israel to the International Criminal Court about the matter. The group concluded that the evidence presented by Israel was false and misleading. A UN report from last December similarly concluded that Israeli allegations have remained vague and broad, and in some cases appear contradicted by publicly available information. In response to the UN report, Israel shared videos and an infographic purporting to prove that militants had been present on hospital grounds. This ambiguity is exactly Kuttabs point. And, as time passesand when they are allowed into Gazait will likely become more and more difficult for reporters to investigate. Jonathan Dagher, the head of the Middle East desk at Reporters Without Borders (RSF), told me that the safety concern cited by Israel no longer stands. There is no reason that journalists should not be allowed to show the world the extent of the humanitarian crisis within Gaza, he said, adding that the policy clearly shows an intention to make journalism as difficult and as dangerous as possible. For now, the work of journalists on the ground continues. With the terms of the ceasefire dangling by a thread, fighting could resume at any moment in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli raids in the West Bank have intensified, displacing more than twenty thousand Palestinians as the death toll rises. There, too, journalists face significant repression from both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli military, both of which have detained journalists. Those journalists routinely report under extremely dangerous conditions. Its only a matter of time before we get another Shireen moment, my West Bankbased reporter friend told me, referring to Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian journalist who was killed by Israeli fire in 2022 while reporting on a military operation in the West Bank. Sign up for CJRs daily email This state of limbo, where Gazan journalists are left wondering if support will arrive and news outlets have no answers about when foreign correspondents will be allowed to reenter, mirrors the lack of commitment to a long-term plan that has characterized this conflict for decades. For now, journalists in Gaza are safer than they were before the ceasefire, though conditions on the ground remain dire. They will not stop reporting, it appears, until the pain is gone and life is sweet. After reporting a $13 billion underwriting loss in 2022 and $14 billion in 2023, State Farm recorded another underwriting loss last yearbut the total for 2024 was less than half of those prior reports. Coming in at just over $6 billion for 2024 overall, State Farms auto underwriting results drove the improvement. With auto earned premiums jumping 20% to $67.5 billion, auto underwriting results were still written in red ink, but the underwriting loss figure was $2.7 billion in 2024$7 billion less than the $9.7 billion auto underwriting loss recorded in 2023. Translated to a combined ratio, thats about a 104 for 2024more than 13 points better than 2023s auto combined ratio of roughly 117. For property lines, earned premiums rose 13.1% to $34.5 billion, but underwriting losses improved by only $1.2 billion, coming in at $3.5 billion for 2024. In total, State Farm said that its property/casualty companies reported a combined underwriting loss of $6.1 billion on earned premium of $103.0 billion. The 2024 underwriting loss, combined with investment and other income of $6.0 billion, resulted in a P/C pre-tax operating loss of $111 million, compared to operating losses of more than $8 billion in the prior two years (an $8.5 billion loss reported in 2023 and an $8.3 billion operating for 2022). Total revenue, which includes premium revenue, earned investment income and realized capital gains and losses was $123.0 billion for 2024, up 18.0% from $104.2 billion for 2023. On the bottom line, State Farm ultimate reported a net income figure of $5.3 billion in 2024 compared to a net loss of $6.3 billion in 2023. The reported net income for 2024 includes the impact of $3.0 billion of realized capital gains, net of tax. Financial Strength and Parental Support The media statement about the financial results stressed the financial strength of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, noting that the net worth for State Farm Mutual Auto ended the year at $145.2 billion compared to $134.8 billion at year-end 2023. The change during 2024 includes an increase in the value of the P/C companies unaffiliated stock portfolio, driven by increases in the U.S. equities market, partially offset by the P/C groups pre-tax operating loss. The financial strength of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and each of its affiliates is key to fulfilling our promises to customers in the future and expanding and enhancing the way we serve customers, the media statement from the nations largest insurance group said. The statement also provided an update on State Farms service to customers in response to the January 2025 California wildfires. As of February 26, weve received more than 11,750 total fire and auto claims related to the fires and have paid nearly $2.2 billion to our customers, said Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer Mark Schwamberger. Our customer-centered approach leads us to measure success in the number of promises kept. The financial strength of each affiliate is critical to our ability to keep those promises, and we will continue to take a state-specific approach in the way in which we operate. The reference to the separate financial strength of each affiliate appeared again in a footnote to the media statement: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and each of its affiliates must meet solvency and regulatory requirements on an individual entity-by-entity basis without regard to the solvency or financial condition of any other affiliated entity. That footnote is not new. It was included at the bottom of prior financial reports from State Farm. But this year, it seemed to take on more significance, with the focus on one particular affiliated entityState Farms California homeowners insurance company, State Farm General. The question of whether State Farms parent company, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, would be willing or able to provide financial support to State Farm General was raised by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara during a meeting to discuss State Farm Generals request for his approval of an emergency interim rate increase last week. The meeting, which involved representatives of State Farm General, the department of insurance and consumer group Consumer Watchdog, took place just two days before State Farms overall financial results were published. Beyond written responses State Farm General executives sent to Commissioner Lara in a letter the day before the meeting, a transcript of the proceedings that Carrier Management located online shows that executives again stressed the need for individual affiliates to remain financially viable but indicated that the approval of a 22% emergency rate increase would help them in taking a request for support to the parent company board. Related articles: S&P Puts State Farm General Ratings on CreditWatch; Not So Fast: State Farm Didnt Prove Its Case for Rate Hike, CDI Says; LA Fire-Related Capital Hit Prompts State Farm Emergency Rate Request Keesha-Lu Mitra, senior vice president and general counsel, noted that the State Farm Mutual board is comprised of all external, independent directors except for the State Farm Mutual chief executive officer. [T]heir fiduciary duties require them to exercise reasonable care, judgment, and diligence of what is in State Farm Mutuals best interest as an entity and its policyholder group as a whole of State Farm, she said, according to the online transcript. She went on to say that the California company would expect the members of State Farm Mutuals independent board to give robust consideration to any request that might be presented to them for potential assistance. Dan Krause, president and CEO of State Farm General, then noted that he would be the one who would be tasked with making such a request. There has to be some sort of positive sign that State Farm General would be able to sustain itself from a capital position to support its risk profile.Thats the purpose of the interim rate request. That would give us that type of a positive sign, both to the rating agencies and to any potential investors, including State Farm Mutual. Thats the emergency basis of thisbecause it would help, at least, me [in] building a case to go to the Mutual board to ask for consideration, Krause said according to the transcript. Later Lara asked again to clarify his understanding: An approval would help you potentially make a successful request to the parent company for additional support? Krause replied: It would allow a positive sign that would show that this is a market that we can compete, generate a return in, and stay inand give us a chance for consideration for the parent company. Yes. Exposure vs. Capital That response came after some back and forth on questions of how an approval of the emergency rate increase being sought would benefit consumers. Would it prompt State Farm General to pause non-renewals? To write more in California? Not immediately, Krause and Schwamberger said. In fact, when the commissioner asked the executives to comment on the idea hes heard from some constituents suggesting that there is no benefit to consumersthat the rate increase is just a step in a financial bailout of State Farm GeneralSchwamberger ultimately said, The only other thing that we could do without rate and without the ability to increase capital, is to substantially reduce exposure. Any other actions arent going to be enoughto prevent the unfortunate situation that could arise should we not have positive signs about the prospective ability to be self-sustaining, the CFO told Lara, who asked what other actions the company is undertaking. Meaning, you would continue to non-renew or have to cancel policies? Lara asked. At the end of the day, yes, sir. To the degree you cannot be self-sustaining and you dont have viability and the capital to stand behind promises, [then] were left with no other alternative, Schwamberger responded, according to the transcript. Asked directly whether approving the emergency rate increase would pave the way to pause non-renewals, Schwamberger said, I think the short-term answer to that is no, explaining that it takes time to get rate and grow. [G]iven our current exposure and where we are, we would not be in a position to fiscally and responsibly starting to regrow within the California market just because of this rate in the very near term, he said, according to the transcript. Both Schwamberger and Krause talked about State Farms desire to remain in California, however. We look forward to some of the reforms, Schwamberger said, referring to the departments Sustainable Insurance Strategy reforms, which include allowing insurers to include the cost of reinsurance and to use forward-looking catastrophe models for provisions included in rate filing indications. We literally just want to survive to be able to see that day when the reforms are there and we continue to serve millions of customers in the state of California. Commissioner Lara pressed on to try to get some guarantee to provide a benefit to customers in exchange for his stamp of approval on the immediate emergency rate increase. What about making a commitment not to non-renew any more customers, the commissioner asked. I think thats an appropriate way to think about it, said Schwamberger in the transcribed remarks. That prospective ability to generate capital and be self-sustainingthat is the positive sign that [Krause] talked about earlier, which is what we need to see. Said Krause: Weve been here for almost 100 years. We want to be here for 100 more, but weve got to be able to have this[for] State Farm General [to] survive Beyond P/C According to the media statement summarizing State Farm Groups overall financial results published on Feb. 28, 2025, the State Farm life insurance companies paid out more than $817 million in dividends to policyholders, and issued a record $122 billion in new policy volume bringing the year-end 2024 individual life insurance in force to $1.2 trillion. The two life companies, State Farm Life Insurance Company and State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company, reported premium income of $6.7 billion and net income for 2024 was $1.7 billion. The State Farm insurance operations consist of 14 P/C companies and two life insurers, each of which is managed on an individual affiliate level. In addition auto, homeowners and CMP, the P/C companies are also engaged in health and reinsurance lines of business. The life companies are primarily engaged in individual life insurance and annuity business. In addition, State Farm group makes third-party products, such as annuities, banking, health, mutual funds and pet medical insurance. Auto Improvement vs. Competitors Focusing on just the most improved part of State Farms P/C businessesthe personal auto resultsthe nearly 11.9-point drop in its loss and loss adjustment ratio was larger than three competitors, Progressive, GEICO and Allstate. All four carriers reported improved underwriting results, but State Farms personal auto loss and LAE ratio, at 83.3, remains higher than the 81.5 auto combined ratio of GEICO, which includes underwriting expenses for the direct writer, GEICO. Progressives 2024 combined ratio, 88.1, was only five points higher than State Farms loss ratio. According to figures compiled by Carrier Management from financial reports of all four carriers, State Farm also reported lower growth in auto earned premiums than Progressive in 2024, with Progressives earned premiums jumping nearly 24%, beating State Farms 20% jump in earned premiums. Featured image: AI-generated (Adobe/Firefly); State Farm headquarters from State Farm media assets Real estate firm Douglas Elliman Inc. and its former chief executive officer Howard Lorber were sued by five women who say they were sexually assaulted by the Alexander brothers, as part of a lawsuit against the siblings that accused several parties of enabling their alleged misconduct. The complaint, filed Friday in New York state court, also names the parents of the three brothers and a family-run security company, Kent Security Services, as defendants. Two of the brothers, Oren and Tal Alexander, were star brokers at Douglas Elliman before they started their own firm in 2022. The third brother, Alon Alexander, worked at Kent Security. The Alexander Brothers sex trafficked so many women over such a long period of time because they had money, resources, and help from many others, the women said in the lawsuit, which accused the brothers of running a sex trafficking ring. The women cited a New York City statute that allows for lawsuits against a party who commits, directs, enables, participates in, or conspires in the commission of a crime of violence motivated by gender. They are suing for an unspecified amount of damages. The case is one of several civil suits alleging sexual assault by Oren, Tal and Alon that were filed last week ahead of a Feb. 28 deadline for people to sue under the act even if the normal time limit for their claims had lapsed. The Alexander brothers are also facing federal sex-trafficking charges to which all three have pleaded not guilty. The government has not accused Douglas Elliman, Lorber, the parents, or Kent Security of wrongdoing. Many of the allegations against the brothers span the decade that Oren and Tal worked at the brokerage. The two were major real estate agents in cities including New York and Miami, working with an extensive roster of ultra-wealthy and celebrity clients. Like most real estate agents, Oren and Tal were independent contractors when they worked at Douglas Elliman. False and Irresponsible Fridays complaint appears to be the first time that Douglas Elliman, Lorber, the Alexanders parents, or Kent Security have been included in a lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct by the siblings. The lawsuit alleged that Douglas Elliman and Lorber, the former CEO, failed to properly oversee Tal and Oren and created the opportunity for the women to be dehumanized and violated by the brothers. The women also claim that Douglas Elliman and Lorber knew or should have known that defendant Tal Alexander and/or defendant Oren Alexander had the propensity and did in fact sexually abuse, assault, batter, drug and/or rape women. Douglas Elliman declined to comment. Marc Kasowitz, a lawyer for Lorber, said the allegations against his client had no connection to reality and were false and irresponsible. Lawyers for all three brothers called the new suits allegations unsupported and accused the women of hoping to win outsized damages. A lawyer for Oren Alexander said the suit amounted to unsupported, uncorroborated claims and that his client had passed a polygraph examination. Tals attorney called the lawsuit outrageous. A lawyer for Alon said his client had also passed a lie-detector test and the women bringing the case had failed to give any forensic evidence that they were drugged or that Alon had any sexual contact with them. Other Resources The lawsuit alleged the three brothers could not and would not have sex trafficked all of these women without the financial and other resources provided by their parents and their security company. The parents, Orly and Shlomo Alexander, and Kent Security also created the opportunity for the alleged misconduct, according to the complaint. Furthermore, the parents and Kent Security had a duty to stop Alon because he worked at the security company, according to the women. Howard Srebnick, who is also representing the parents as well as Alon in the case, said in a statement that suing Orly and Shlomo was a desperate attempt at a payday. The president, chief executive officer and a vice president for Kent Security didnt respond to multiple requests for comment. A representative for the company told the New York Times that Kent Security didnt receive allegations about Alon when he worked there and that its policy was to not comment on pending litigation, according to the newspaper. The brothers are currently in custody at Brooklyns Metropolitan Detention Center while they await trial on the federal charges. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. GATES MILLS, Ohio -- Officers checked on a stopped vehicle at the intersection of River and Brigham roads at 12:30 a.m. Feb. 27 and found the driver confused. The man, 77, said he was from Harrisburg, Pa., and was trying to drive home after visiting his wifes grave. He said he became lost. The Orange Board of Education approved a consulting contract Monday (March 3) with the Ohio School Boards Association to provide a search for the districts next treasurer. From left, board members are, front row, President Jeffrey Leikin, Vice President Beth Wilson-Fish; back row, Angela Arnold, Scott Bilsky and Rebecca Boyle. (Photo Courtesy of Orange City Schools) PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- The Orange Board of Education has approved a consulting contract with the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) to provide a search for the districts next treasurer. At a special meeting Monday (March 3), the board approved the contract in the amount of $8,000. The vote came after a one-hour executive session. There was no discussion by the board in the open session. On Feb. 24, the board accepted the resignation of Treasurer Todd Puster for the purpose of retirement. Puster, the districts treasurer and chief financial officer since 2015, will retire July 31. During the executive session, the board met with Kristine Robbins, a consultant for the Columbus-based OSBA in its board and management services division. Robbins works closely with Ohio school board members and administrators in areas of superintendent and treasurer searches, according to her LinkedIn page. Robbins said the vacancy and information about the search will be posted on the OSBA website, ohioschoolboards.org, starting Tuesday (March 4). The deadline for applications has been set for March 28, she said. Puster did not attend the meeting Monday. Board Vice President Beth Wilson-Fish served as treasurer pro tempore in Pusters absence. Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun. President Donald Trump walks from the podium after he delivered his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP WASHINGTON, D. C. - Just as its a yearly tradition for the President of the United States to address a joint session of Congress, its a yearly tradition for Congress members to invite guests to make political points. U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown, a Warrensville Heights Democrat, announced Monday that shes inviting Greater Cleveland Food Bank President Kristin Warzocha to be her guest at Tuesdays speech. Brown wants to highlight proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). I want my colleagues to understand that these cuts will not make our country stronger, they will force more folks to rely on food banksor go hungry, said Brown, who last week voted against a Republican budget proposal that she said would cut SNAP by $230 billion nationally. Trump is set to address Congress at 9 p.m. EST on Tuesday. In the first speech hes delivered to Congress since returning to the White House in January, hes expected to plug his administrations efforts to reduce the size of the federal government, expel illegal immigrants, and redefine U.S. foreign policy. Cleveland.com has asked other Congress members who represent Northeast Ohio who they plan to bring to the speech. U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, a Cincinnati Democrat, is bringing a constituent named Ken Green, who has lived with Type 1 diabetes his entire life. Landsman has introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and says Green will help raise awaress of that problem. U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, a Champaign County Republican who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, said he and the chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Kentucky Republican James Comer, were inviting IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler to be their speech guests. A statement from Jordan and Comer described the pair as honorable public servants who risked their careers and livelihoods to expose misconduct and politicization in the federal criminal investigation of Hunter Biden. U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Toledo Democrat who serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture announced shell bring Huron, Ohio farmer Bob Jones, Jr. to highlight his committment to sustainable agriculture. Some Congress members refrained from making political points with their guests. U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, a Columbus-area Republican, is bringing his wife. Brown, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, which has jurisdiction over the nations nutrition programs, said more than 180,000 of her constituents rely on SNAP to feed themselves, including a large proportion of households with children, elderly residents, and people with disabilities. She said her district has the highest proportion of SNAP recipients of any Ohio congressional district Having Warzocha as her guest will recognize the food banks work, and spotlight the importance of fighting hunger in Northeast Ohio, said Brown. Thousands of our friends and neighbors are facing so much uncertainty right now and often dont know where or how they will get their next meal, said a statement from Warzocha. Lets use this historic gathering to shine a light on their challenges, tell their stories, and recommit ourselves to standing up for those facing hunger. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in Northeast Ohio having served over 424,000 people in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Ashland and Richland counties in FY2024, Browns office said. In 2022, Brown secured $4 million in Community Project Funding for its Capital Expansion and Capacity Building Project. Sabrina Eaton writes about the federal government and politics in Washington, D.C., for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. PLA naval vessels in replenishment-at-sea training China Military Online) 10:31, March 04, 2025 The comprehensive supply ship Hulunhu (Hull 901) is attached to a combat support ship flotilla with the navy under the Chinese PLA Northern Theater Command conducts replenishment-at-sea for the guided-missile destroyer Anshan (Hull 103) and Huainan (Hull 123) during a maritime training exercise in early February 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhou Yuanzhi) The comprehensive supply ship Hulunhu (Hull 901) is attached to a combat support ship flotilla with the navy under the Chinese PLA Northern Theater Command practices alongside replenishment-at-sea with the guided-missile destroyer Chengdu (Hull 120) during a maritime training exercise in early February 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhou Yuanzhi) The comprehensive supply ship Hulunhu (Hull 901) is attached to a combat support ship flotilla with the navy under the Chinese PLA Northern Theater Command practices astern replenishment-at-sea with the guided-missile destroyer Huainan (Hull 123) during a maritime training exercise in early February 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhou Yuanzhi) The comprehensive supply ship Hulunhu (Hull 901), attached to a combat support ship flotilla with the navy under the Chinese PLA Northern Theater Command, sails on the sea during a maritime training exercise in early February 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhou Yuanzhi) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) Pedestrians walking across a crowded traffic at Shibuya crossing square in Tokyo, Japan. Japanese stocks led declines in Asia-Pacific markets, after U.S. President Donald Trump made it clear that tariffs on Mexico and Canada would go into effect as planned. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index plunged 1.20% to end the day at 37,331.18, while the broader Topix index lost 0.71% to close at 2,710.18. Japan's employment rate for January came in at 2.5%, slightly higher than Reuters' estimates of 2.4%. South Korea's Kospi index ended the day 0.15% lower at 2,528.92, while the small-cap Kosdaq retreated 0.81% to 737.90. The country's retail sales for January fell 0.6% from the previous month. Revised estimates show a rise in the 0.2% rise in the metric in December. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 0.16% in its last hour of trade. Investors kept a watch on Chinese stocks as the mainland kicks off its annual parliamentary gathering, known as the "Two Sessions." Mainland China's CSI 300 index ended the day flat at 3,885.22. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 ended the day 0.58% lower at 8,198.10. The country's retail sales for January rose 0.3% in line with Reuters estimates. Retail sales had declined 0.1% in December. Indian's benchmark Nifty 50 was trading down 0.28%, while the BSE Sensex index lost 0.27% as at 1.15 p.m. local time. Employees move semiconductor testers on the assembly line of the Advantest Corp. plant in Ora, Japan on Aug. 10, 2012. Asian tech and chip-related stocks fell Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump made it clear that tariffs on Mexico and Canada would go into effect as planned. Trump said the U.S. would impose 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, adding that there was "no room left for Mexico or for Canada" to negotiate an alternative to the tariffs. Trump also said he would impose an additional 10% tariff on imports from China, having already levied 10% duties that came into effect in February. Asian tech stocks were also pressured by the near 9% fall in artificial intelligence darling Nvidia's shares overnight. Japanese semiconductor equipment maker Advantest plunged as much as 9%, to its lowest level since last October, while Chipmaker Renesas Electronics lost 6.35%. Tech investor SoftBank Group dropped 6.25%. The company's CEO Masayoshi Son plans to borrow $16 billion to invest in artificial intelligence, according to a news report that came out over the weekend. Over in South Korea, shares in SK Hynix lost as much as 3.26%, while Samsung Electronics bucked the trend to rise nearly 1% following the launch of its Galaxy A series smartphones with AI-powered features. Chinese AI-linked stocks also fell with Alibaba and Kingsoft Cloud down as much as 2.23% and 8.46% respectively. Meanwhile, shopping platform Meituan lost 0.62%, electronic vehicle maker BYD plunged 6.60%, Xpeng traded 1.97% lower and Li Auto lost 2.68%. Chinese tech major Tencent 's shares were trading 0.91% higher in Hong Kong. In Taiwan, shares in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company lost more than 2% Tuesday, after Trump said the company would invest $100 billion in the U.S. to bolster chip manufacturing. The investment was a "tremendous move by the most powerful company in the world," Trump said. The financial sector Tuesday morning was on track for one of its worst sessions since the March 2023 regional banking crisis. Jim Cramer sees the decline in one bank stock as a buying opportunity. The news Shares of American banks sank as President Donald Trump's tariffs went into effect on key trade partners, escalating concerns about the global economy. The S & P 500 plunged on the open and worked its way lower in late-morning trading after 25% tariffs went into effect on Canadian and Mexican imports. Trump also imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports on top of the 10% duty already in place. All three countries promised retaliation. The overall market bounced off its lows of the day in afternoon trading. Investors hope to hear more about the president's tariff plans and other global and domestic policies when he addresses a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. WFC GS YTD mountain Wells Fargo vs. Goldman Sachs YTD Tuesday's drop in the market, which pared its losses in the afternoon, highlighted a big reversal for bank stocks in 2025. Wells Fargo was the Club's biggest laggard on the session declining more than 7% early before trimming some of those losses Tuesday afternoon. The stock was trading about 9% below its record-high close of $81.42 on Feb. 6. Goldman Sachs fell as much as 6% on Tuesday morning before cutting those declines in half. The Club stock was trading about 12% below its $672.19 record-high close from Feb. 18. Shares of Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs were both still modestly higher year to date. Deutsche Bank analysts described the sector's outperformance earlier in the year as "likely due to the anticipated pickup in volume-related growth (both in investment banking and loans) and de-regulation" in a Tuesday note to clients. Trump's approach to relaxing federal business regulations has been viewed as a positive for the banking sector and for companies looking to merge or go public. Big picture The escalation of Trump's trade war comes at a time of growing concern for the U.S. economy following a string of disappointing data releases. Early economic data for the first quarter of the year pointed to negative gross domestic product growth, according to the Atlanta Fed's GDPNow tracker. Meanwhile, consumer confidence last month saw its steepest drop since August 2021 . The labor market has also shown more weakness, with fewer-than-expected nonfarm jobs added in January. The government's February employment report is out on Friday . Bottom line New investors should capitalize on the recent dip in Wells Fargo stock, Jim said Tuesday. That's because the market's reaction is bleeding into shares of Wells even though it will be less impacted by potential economic distress than other bank names. Wells Fargo's stock performance doesn't rely on a rebound in investment banking as much as Goldman Sachs does, which could take longer than expected due to increased macroeconomic uncertainty from the trade war. In fact, Wells Fargo garners more of its revenue from net interest income (NII) than fees from Wall Street dealmaking. "I do think that this is a buy for those who don't have it," Jim added. To be sure, the Club does not plan on purchasing more Wells Fargo right now. Our position is large enough at a 4.4% weighting in the portfolio. It's the second-largest holding following Apple 's 5.4% weighting and neck-and-neck with Meta Platforms and Amazon . We rarely want to see any single holding go too much above a 5% weighting. Investors shouldn't forget that Wells Fargo still has a key catalyst on the horizon: the expected removal of the $1.95 trillion asset cap that the Fed imposed in 2018 after a series of misdeeds under previous management. While the timing of such a move is uncertain, it's a key reason we believe so strongly in the stock. Once the cap is gone, Wells will be able to invest further in other revenue-generating businesses like investment banking, trading, and capital markets. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long WFC, GS, AAPL, META, AMZN. 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. South Korea registered its deadliest year for suicides in more than a decade in 2024, with close to 14,439 people taking their lives. It is the highest figure since 2011, despite attempts to lower the national suicide rate. As per Yonhap News, stats from last year show that an average of around 40 people a day took their own lives. The Korea Life Respect Hope Foundation and Statistics Korea noted that the overall suicide rate also hit an 11-year high, at 28.3 suicide deaths per 100,000 residents. These worrisome stats reflect a complete reverse of the trend we have seen in the last decade. The figure had been hovering near 13,000 for the previous six years, even falling below that number in 2017 and 2022. In fact, it dramatically increased in 2023 and did not stop until the following year. This data indicated that more than twice as many men die by suicide as women, at 10,341 and 4,098, respectively. This rise was most pronounced for men aged 30-50 and during the first quarter of the year. Specialists have said the increased coverage by the media of suicides involving celebrities would also have played a part in the increase, which they also attributed in part to the recession, an aging population, and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The South Korean government is implementing new plans to meet this crisis by cutting the nation's suicide rate in half over the next decade. Officials gathered in January with representatives from all 17 provinces and cities to discuss specific assistance for such high-risk groups as prior suicide attempters and their families. Concerns mounted over South Korea's ability to tackle this escalating crisis, with suicides rising for the second year in a row. The final statistics, which will be released in September, will give a clearer picture of the extent of the issue and the success of existing preventative action. The Port Newark Container Terminal in Newark, New Jersey, March 3, 2025. Kena Betancur/View Press | Getty Images News | Getty Images Tariffs on Canada and Mexico took effect Tuesday and they're bound to raise prices for consumers, sometimes in unexpected ways, according to economists. Tariffs are a tax on foreign imports, paid by the U.S. entity importing a particular good. President Donald Trump on Tuesday imposed a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico, the two largest trading partners of the United States. Trump set a lower 10% tariff on energy from Canada. Businesses typically pass along some of the additional cost of tariffs to consumers, economists said. Certain products such as fruits and vegetables from Mexico and oil from Canada which are among their major exports to the U.S. will get more expensive as a result, economists said. But there are also far-reaching impacts across supply chains that aren't as clear-cut, they said. "Tariffs create ripple effects that move through complex supply chains in ways that aren't always obvious," Travis Tokar, professor of supply chain management at Texas Christian University, wrote in an e-mail. watch now Such dynamics make it challenging to predict precise product and price impacts, Tokar said. Take a fast-food chicken sandwich, for example. While none of its ingredients may come directly from Canada or Mexico, the aluminum foil used in its packaging might driving up costs that could be passed on to consumers, Tokar said. Nearly everything consumers buy is transported by trucks fueled by refined oil products meaning the impact of tariffs on crude oil from Canada "could be much broader than it appears at first glance," Tokar said. The U.S. sources almost half of its foreign fuel from Canada, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. "Costs eventually have to go through the supply chain" to the end consumer, said Mary Lovely, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. How much tariffs may cost the typical person The U.S. traded $1.6 trillion of goods with Canada and Mexico in 2024, accounting for more than 30% of total U.S. trade, according to Census Bureau data as of December. Tariffs on Canada and Mexico are expected to cost the average American household $930 in 2026, according to a January analysis by the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. The levies would cost the typical household $1,200 a year after also accounting for tariffs on China, according to a PIIE analysis. The analysis considered only a 10% tariff on imports from China that Trump imposed in February; he put another 10% tariff in place Tuesday. More from Personal Finance: Who benefits from Trump tax cuts? Americans are suffering from 'sticker shock' How the U.S. has used tariffs throughout history That PIIE assessment of consumer impact is "conservative," said Lovely. For one, it doesn't factor in how domestic manufacturers would likely respond to less foreign competition, she said. "These tariffs will increase the price of imported goods" and domestic producers would likely raise their prices to "match" those of their foreign counterparts, said Alexander Field, an economics professor at Santa Clara University. 'Hugely disruptive' for the auto sector Consumer impact will also depend on the particular industry and company. Economists expect the automobile industry to be the most affected sector, since automakers have extensive supply chains built up across North America. A new car that's assembled in Alabama, for example, may seem unaffected by the tariffs but many of those car parts may come from Mexico or Canada, Tokar said. Major automakers such as Ford, General Motors and Stellantis may "face higher production costs due to the reliance on cross-border supply chains for parts and vehicles," according to a Bank of America Global Research note on Monday. All told, Canada and Mexico tariffs could add almost $6,000 to the cost of a car, according to an estimate from investment bank Benchmark Co. in February. That dynamic is expected to drive up car insurance premiums. President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office on Feb. 25, 2025. Trump directed the Commerce Department to open an investigation into potential tariffs for copper imports. Alex Wong | Getty Images News | Getty Images "This will be hugely disruptive for the auto industry," said Douglas Irwin, an economics professor at Dartmouth College and author of "Clashing over Commerce: A History of U.S. Trade Policy." Fresh produce could see swift price hikes Brian Cornell, the CEO of Target, said Mexico tariffs could force the company to raise prices on fruits and vegetables including strawberries, avocados and bananas within a few days. Food prices overall would rise nearly 2% in the short term, according to an analysis of Canada, Mexico and China tariffs by the Budget Lab at Yale. Fresh produce prices would rise almost 3%. Construction materials are also a big export from Canada including more than 40% of U.S. imports of wood products, according to PIIE. "If you're doing a renovation this summer, you're kind of out of luck," Lovely said. Big corporations may be in a position to absorb some of the tariff cost, instead of passing on everything to consumers, Lovely said. But agricultural producers, for example, may not be in a position to do that since there are often "very low margins across the supply chain," she said. Businesses that absorb some of the cost to avoid immediate sticker shock for consumers will have less profit to invest in new equipment, hire workers or develop new products, which creates an "economic drag that is less visible but still significant," Tokar said. Retaliation also has an effect Consumers would also be affected by foreign retaliation on U.S. trade something to which officials in Mexico, Canada and China have already committed. "You don't put these kinds of tariffs in place without expecting retaliation, and that's happening right now," said Field. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday announced a 25% levy on CA$30 billion worth of U.S. imports, effective immediately. Tariffs on another CA$125 billion in U.S. goods will take effect in 21 days, he said. watch now Bernstein is taking a contrarian view on Nvidia stock even as other investors signal that valuations had grown for the broader artificial intelligence trade and as tariffs weigh on sentiment and depress prices. In fact, Bernstein managing director and senior analyst Stacy Rasgon argued that Nvidia's valuation is a buying opportunity for investors, now that the stock is trading at roughly 25 times the next twelve months, or NTM, estimated earnings. Rasgon says that's the lowest forward valuation level in a year for Nvidia and close to a 10-year low. "Worries that the AI trade is 'over' feel a little premature to us, and valuation is getting increasingly attractive," Rasgon said. "Sentiment has clearly pivoted for now on the AI group. However, spending intentions seemingly continue to rise, a product cycle is just kicking off, and we have GTC coming in a few weeks." GTC refers to Nvidia's GPU Technology Conference , an AI conference for researchers, developers, engineers and investors. It has usually been profitable for investors to buy Nvidia at a 25 times NTM P/E ratio, with an average return of 150% over the past 10 years at that level, Rasgon said. Bernstein has an outperform rating on Nvidia alongside a $185 per share price target, implying about 62% upside moving forward. Nvidia stock has pulled back close to 14% so far in 2025. Earlier Tuesday, the decline was closer to 17%. NVDA YTD mountain Nvidia over the past year. "It is clear that the Blackwell introduction has not gone as smoothly as the company might have hoped, and there remains added volatility given how laser-focused investors are on this supply chain," Rasgon wrote in a report on Tuesday. "However, it does seem they have worked through things." Rasgon cautioned that the potential headwind Bernstein is most closely keeping an eye on is how stringent President Donald Trump's export restrictions on China will ultimately prove. "For what it is worth, every ~$10B would account for ~25 cents in NVDA EPS; a full China datacenter ban would likely impact EPS ($5-6 baseline?) by mid to high single digits, with the stock already pulling back by much more than that," Rasgon said. Questions have recently emerged about the actual level of demand for AI applications and projects. Microsoft recently slashed some of its leases for data centers , walking away from its most ambitious expansion plans and signaling that the company backing OpenAI may be reappraising the future growth of generative AI. Chinese and U.S. flags flutter near The Bund, before U.S. trade delegation meet their Chinese counterparts for talks in Shanghai, China July 30, 2019. BEIJING China announced Tuesday it would impose additional tariffs of up to 15% on some U.S. goods from March 10 and restrict exports to 15 U.S. companies. The retaliatory measures from China's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Commerce came just as additional U.S. tariffs took effect on Chinese goods. The additional Chinese tariffs largely cover U.S. agricultural goods, including corn and soybeans, which will be subject to new duties of 15% and 10%, respectively, according to the finance ministry's website. Companies affected by the export controls include Leidos and General Dynamics Land Systems, according to the commerce ministry. China's relationship with the U.S. is bound to see disagreements, but China will not accept pressuring or threatening, Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, told reporters Tuesday morning. The congress is set to kick off an annual meeting on Wednesday. The White House has confirmed that new duties of 10% on Chinese goods are set to take effect Tuesday, bringing the total amount of new tariffs imposed in just about a month to 20%. s Goldman Sachs Asset Management has thrown its hat into the ring of increasingly popular buffer exchange-traded funds, just as the stock market is showing some signs of fragility. On Tuesday, the firm announced the launch of the Goldman Sachs U.S. Large Cap Buffer 3 ETF (GBXC). That follows two similar funds that launched in recent months. Each fund resets on a quarterly basis, meaning investors now have a fresh version to choose from every month. Buffer funds fall into a category called defined outcome products that has attracted billions of dollars from investors in recent years. Buffer funds use derivatives, often in the form of equity-linked notes, to trade off some potential upside in the market for downside protection. There is a wide variety of buffer funds on the market, with various levels of protection and upside participation. In the case of the new Goldman funds, they will protect against losses from 5% to 15% in the market, represented by the underlying SPDR Portfolio S & P 500 ETF (SPLG) . In exchange, the funds have upside caps of between 5% and 7%. Brendan McCarthy, global head of ETF distribution at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, said the firm believes that the 5% to 15% range is the "sweet spot." "The feedback we were getting from clients was, I'm in the marketplace. I can live with down a few percent. That's kind of like what I expect. It gets painful when I'm talking down 5 to down 15," McCarthy said. Two key differences with the Goldman funds from other buffer funds is that most of the competitors reset annually instead of quarterly, and the Goldman funds have an additional floor built in. In addition to the 5%-15% protection band, the funds have an extra buffer that kicks in when the market is down roughly 25%, limiting total possible losses in each outcome period to approximately 15%. How the funds work Buffer funds are designed to be bought on or very near to the reset date and held throughout the entire period. The price of the fund can fall by more than the buffer zone indicates during the interim period, based on how options pricing changes over time. "You could show a loss in your position, but as long as you hold on to it to the next reset, then you'll get the published parameters," said Stuart Chaussee, a registered investment advisor based in Beverly Hills, California, who regularly uses buffer ETFs from multiple fund issuers. While the funds are designed for each outcome period, their impacts can compound over time if investors hold them through multiple resets. For example, if the market falls sharply one quarter but rallies the next, the rally in a buffer fund would come from a higher starting place. "These are meant to basically kind of help you to sink less deeply to help you recover faster," said Oliver Bunn, portfolio manager and global head of the quantitative investment strategies alternatives team within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Of course, the same is true in the opposite case. The performance of a buffer fund would suffer over time if the market was steadily climbing and exceeding the upside cap. Some of the biggest other players in the buffer fund space are Innovator, First Trust and Allianz. The new Goldman Sachs funds have a 0.50% fee, which is cheaper than many of the largest buffer funds already on the market. Market environment ETF launches are typically a monthslong process, and timing them to certain market periods is difficult. Still, the Goldman funds could be coming at just the right time for early adoption. On Monday, the S & P 500 fell 1.76%, its worst session since December. The index is now 4.84% below its record highs. .SPX YTD mountain The S & P 500 is off to a rough start in 2025. Chaussee said clients often come to him asking about buffer funds when volatility picks up. "With all the uncertainty that we have now and the fact that stocks are trading at lofty multiples, that's when you may well have some protection on," Chaussee said. A version of this article first appeared in CNBC's Healthy Returns newsletter, which brings the latest health-care news straight to your inbox. Subscribe here to receive future editions. The booming weight loss drug market has gained a new potential competitor. AbbVie said on Monday that it will pay up to $2.2 billion to develop Danish drugmaker Gubra's experimental obesity drug, marking its late foray into the segment. Under the terms of the deal, the pharmaceutical giant will pay Gubra $350 million upfront. AbbVie will also pay up to nearly $1.9 billion if the drug meets certain development and sales milestones. Gubra, which provides pre-clinical contract research and peptide-based drug discovery services, will be eligible to receive certain royalties on global net sales of the drug, called GUB014295. Shares OF Gubra closed 15% higher on Monday after the licensing agreement was announced. Here's what's important to know about the medicine: It is an injection that mimics amylin, a different gut hormone than the existing obesity drugs on the market target. Amylin activates signals to the brain that suppress appetite and reduce food intake, according to AbbVie. The hormone also slows so-called gastric emptying, or the process by which the contents of the stomach are moved into the small intestine. Novo Nordisk 's blockbuster obesity treatment Wegovy mimics a hormone called GLP-1 to tamp down appetite and regulate blood sugar, while Eli Lilly 's own drug Zepbound targets both GLP-1 and another hormone called GIP. A few companies, including Novo Nordisk, Zealand Pharma, AstraZeneca and Structure Therapeutics , are developing products that target amylin. Some of those drugs are further along in development than Gubra's medicine, such as Zealand's petrelintide, but it is still too early to know which one is most effective for weight loss. Some drugmakers believe that targeting amylin could reduce the gastrointestinal side effects typically seen with treatments that target GLP-1, and may lead to less muscle loss than existing drugs. But those effects have to be proven in clinical trials. In a research note Monday, BMO analyst Evan Seigerman said "all-in we're positive on the deal" for AbbVie. He said the company's entrance into the obesity market could "come with synergies" to other areas of its business, such as inflammation and aesthetics. For example, researchers are studying the inflammatory benefits of obesity drugs for conditions such as a serious form of liver disease, cardiovascular outcomes and Alzheimer's, among others, Seigerman wrote. "We see an opportunity for AbbVie to leverage their expertise in this space to better understand these potential benefits," he added. An obesity drug could also complement AbbVie's aesthetics business, which offers Botox, other facial injectables, skin care and body contouring, among other products, according to Seigerman. Notably, the deal comes as AbbVie looks for its next top-selling drug following the patent expiration for its mega blockbuster autoimmune medicine Humira. "Our partnership with Gubra marks our entry into the obesity field, offering a compelling opportunity based on the potential to address patient needs while also fostering long-term growth for our company," AbbVie CEO Robert Michael, who took over just over six months ago, said in a statement on Monday. The deal, however, could be a "potential negative" for Structure Therapeutics, Seigerman said. That biotech company is still looking for potential partnerships with large pharmaceutical companies to further develop and commercialize its experimental GLP-1 and amylin products. Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Annika at annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com. My top 10 things to watch Tuesday, March 4 1. Tariffs lower the price we will pay for stocks. Remember, we are now in the era of "Every Day Lower Prices," call it the Walmart-White House. This is from a president who used the market to measure success. 2. Wall Street was under pressure again today as President Donald Trump 's tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports went into effect. Canada and Mexico promised to retaliate. U.S. stocks were crushed yesterday. 3. The U.S. also added another 10% tariff on Chinese imports on top of the 10% duties Trump already put in place. China retaliated immediately. Club name Apple will feel the bite as the U.S. tech giant looks to make AI inroads in China. 4. Target CEO Brian Cornell told CNBC today that Trump's Mexico tariffs could lead to higher prices on strawberries, avocados, bananas, and other produce in the next few days. 5. Target reported better-than-feared fourth-quarter results but warned on guidance due to "ongoing consumer uncertainty." The worrying outlook matched similar warnings from Walmart last month. 6. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing , the go-to fabricator of Club name Nvidia and other big chip designers, promised to invest another $100 billion in the U.S. on top of the $65 billion already committed. 7. Elbridge Colby, going for Defense undersecretary of policy, has previously written that "Taiwan itself isn't of existential importance to America," which is disconcerting to those of us who own companies connected to TSMC. Shares of Nvidia were falling this morning after being slammed yesterday . Still, Colby has said Taiwan is an important part of "denying China regional hegemony over Asia." 8. Oil prices fell Tuesday as OPEC+ appeared ready to go forward with production increases to add 2.2 million barrels per day by 2026. U.S. crude is coming down below $70 per barrel. 9. The Wall Street analyst parade of CrowdStrike price target hikes continued, with Canaccord going to $420 per share from $370 and keeping its buy rating. The Club name reports earnings tonight. 10. Club holding Honeywell has agreed to buy Sundyne for nearly $2.2 billion. The pump maker will be part of Honeywell's energy business ahead of the company's three-way split, focusing on advanced materials, aviation and automation. Sign up for my Top 10 Morning Thoughts on the Market email newsletter for free (See here for a full list of the stocks at Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. "The question is whether Malaysia was a final destination or from Malaysia, it went to somewhere else, which we do not know for certain at this point," Shanmugam told reporters. On Feb. 27, Singapore charged three men with fraud, with local broadcaster CNA saying it understood the cases are linked to the alleged movement of Nvidia chips. That comes after Singapore Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam reportedly said on Monday that the servers in the fraud case may have contained Nvidia's artificial intelligence chips which were then sent to Malaysia. Malaysia said it will take "necessary action" against Malaysian companies if they are found to be involved in a fraud case linked to the alleged movement of Nvidia chips from Singapore to China. Speaking to CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" on Tuesday, Tengku Zafrul Aziz, Malaysia's minister for investment, trade and industry, said the country has no information that data center companies operating in Malaysia are "not using the chips that they are supposed to be using." He said such servers are imported by data center companies such as Microsoft , AWS and Google. Singapore's Shanmugam had said Nvidia's chips were embedded in servers supplied by Dell and Supermicro to Singapore-based companies, before they went to Malaysia. He added that "there may have been false representation on the final destination of the servers." When asked if Malaysia knew where the servers were now, Zafrul replied, "we don't know," adding that Malaysian authorities are discussing with the data center companies and checking if they have gone to the right parties. "Right now, there's no such cases in Malaysia to date, and we are investigating if they are. We'll definitely discuss this with Singapore and well, the companies would then have to be held accountable by the relevant authorities," he added. CNA also reported two Singaporeans were charged with criminal conspiracy to commit fraud on a supplier of servers. Citing charge sheets, CNA said they allegedly made false representations in 2024 that the items would not be transferred to a person other than the "authorized ultimate consignee of end users." The charges also come after Reuters reported in late January that the U.S. Commerce Department is looking into whether Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has been using U.S. chips that are not allowed to be shipped to China. Citing a person familiar with the matter, Reuters said "organized AI chip smuggling to China has been tracked out of countries including Malaysia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates." Zafrul told CNBC that Malaysia will be checking the chips' destination, but added, "what I can say today [is] the chips are not meant to be in Malaysia in the first place. So the question is, why is it going out of Singapore?" In this article QCOM 2330-TW Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT watch now Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. 's $100 billion commitment to expand manufacturing in the U.S. is "great news," Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon told CNBC on Tuesday, adding it helps with diversification of chipmaking locations. Amon also addressed U.S President Donald Trump's tariff policy, suggesting longer term technology trends would outweigh any short term uncertainty. Trump announced on Monday that TSMC would invest $100 billion in the U.S. which would go toward building more chip fabrication plants in Arizona. TSMC is the world's largest semiconductor manufacturer and supplies chips to the likes of Qualcomm, Apple and Nvidia . The U.S., under leadership of both Trump and former President Joe Biden, has sought to bring more cutting-edge chip manufacturing to American soil on the grounds that it is a matter of national and economic security to have these advanced technologies made closer to home. Many in the technology industry have backed these plans, including Qualcomm. "Look, this is great news," Amon said. "It shows that semiconductors are important. It's going to be important for ... the economy. Economic security means access to semiconductors. More manufacturing is music to our ears." Amon said that some of Qualcomm's chips are already manufactured in TSMC's existing plants in Arizona and in the future, the company will get more semiconductors made in the U.S. "TSMC is a great supplier of manufacturing for Qualcomm. They have a facility in Arizona. We already have chips built in Arizona. The more capacity that they put we're going to use it, same way we've been using in Taiwan, we're going to use it in other locations," Amon said. Global companies are also digesting the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. on Mexico and Canada as well as additional duties on China. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon speaks at the Computex forum in Taipei, Taiwan, June 3, 2024. Ann Wang | Reuters Amon said it's currently difficult to predict the impact on Qualcomm from the tariffs. "It's hard to tell because you don't know exactly how this is going to go. The interesting thing is we're big exporters of chips. We're not an importer of chips ... Chips are going to devices. They're made all over the world, and it's hard to really know what is happening," Amon said. "We're just is going to navigate based on whatever the outcome is." The Qualcomm CEO said there are a number of key technology trends that are likely to support the U.S. giant's business in the long term, over the short term tariff uncertainty. We are right at the "beginning of a significant upgrade for AI smartphones. We're seeing PCs changing to AI PCs. Cars are becoming computers. That's what's driving our business, not necessarily what we're going to see in the short term," Amon said. In this handout photo released by the South Korean Defense Ministry, South Korean navy vessels taking part in a naval drill off the east coast on September 4, 2017 in East Sea, South Korea. South Korean defense stocks rose Tuesday, in line with a broad-based pickup in defense names globally, as the Russia-Ukraine war fuels security concerns. Gains among South Korean names were led by Hanwha Aerospace, Korea Aerospace Industries, Hyundai Rotem and LIG Nex1. Shares in Hanwha Aerospace surged as much as 16.67%, while Hyundai Rotem shares rose as much as 11.51%. Hyundai Rotem specializes in producing railway equipment and defense products. Meanwhile, shares in Korea Aerospace and LIG Nex 1, which manufactures arms and aerospace equipment, gained as much as 7.77% and 7.76% respectively. Other South Korean defense stocks were also trading higher, with Victek shares up 4.88%, Firstec up 4.69% and Poongsan up 7.65%. South Korean military manufacturing companies saw demand pickup in 2024 powered by massive arms orders. "South Korea's position as a defense industrial powerhouse is backed up by real numbers," a report released by the Italian Institute for International Political Studies last April stated. It also highlighted that the country's arms exports increased from $2 billion to $3 billion in the late 2010s, hitting $7.3 billion in 2021. The pickup in South Korean defense stocks comes amid expectations of higher defense spending by Europe, after regional leaders held security talks that touched on bolstered military spending. The meeting touched on the need to strengthen Ukraine and European defense, after Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clashed at the White House on Feb. 28 over differing views on how to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also pledged to boost military spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2027. Other European nations may follow suit. Morningstar's aerospace and defense analyst Loredana Muharremi expects European defense spending to reach 3.1% of gross domestic product by 2029, and 3.5% by 2032. "We believe a 3.1% defense spending target by 2029 is feasible if this is strategically structured, with debt financing potentially supporting the growth, and focuses on European production and research and development," she wrote in a report on Monday. The Stoxx Europe aerospace and defense index surged 8% on Monday. This marked the index's best session in 5 years. Meanwhile, defense stocks in the U.S. also climbed Monday, after Trump made it clear that tariffs on Mexico and Canada would go into effect as planned. CNBC's Lim Hui Jie contributed to this report. Starbucks announced Tuesday that Nordstrom Chief Financial Officer Cathy Smith will join the company as its new CFO, replacing longtime veteran Rachel Ruggeri. The executive change is the latest for Starbucks after Brian Niccol joined the company as chief executive in September with the goal of turning around slumping coffee sales. So far, noteworthy departures during Niccol's tenure have included the company's North American CEO, North American president, chief supply officer and the former chair of the board. Meanwhile, many executives with ties to Niccol from his time leading Chipotle Mexican Grill and Yum Brands' Taco Bell have joined the company. Smith, 61, joins Starbucks after two years at Nordstrom, which is also based in Seattle and recently announced a $6.25 billion deal to go private. Throughout her decades-long career, Smith has also served as CFO for Bright Health Group, Target, Express Scripts, Walmart International, GameStop, Centex, Kennametal, Textron and Raytheon. Smith is expected to start next month, Niccol wrote in a letter to employees. Ruggeri has served as CFO for Starbucks since 2021. Excluding two brief stints at other companies, she has worked at the coffee chain since 2001. "I'm personally grateful for the partnership we've had over the last 6 months since I joined Starbucks," Niccol said in the letter. "Thank you, Rachel, for all you have done for our business, our culture and our partners." Her departure is without cause, the company said in a regulatory filing. Ruggeri will stick around to help with Smith's transition into the role, according to Niccol. Correction: Smith is expected to start in the next month. A previous version of this story misstated the timeline. Europe should "take its destiny in its own hands" and strive to keep new defense budgets within its own borders, according to the chief executive of French defense giant Thales . The European Union plans to mobilize as much as 800 billion euros ($841 billion) to ramp up defense spending. The announcement came after the U.S. reportedly halted military aid to Ukraine, increasing pressure on the bloc to take action. "It sounds logical for Europe to take its destiny in its own hands and build, if needed, more and more capacity in terms of engineering, R&D, industry," Thales CEO Patrice Caine told CNBC's Charlotte Reed on Tuesday, after EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the so-called ReArm Europe Plan. Caine told CNBC that, in his view, it made sense for European companies to be beneficiaries of the increased spending. "It's exactly what happens in the U.S., and we are a U.S. player as well, so we know how it is. The U.S. supply their defense equipment systems from US suppliers, and that's normal. Australia they do the same, the U.K. does the same so why should Europe do it differently?" "If you want to be autonomous, if you want to give meaning to the word sovereignty, you need to be independent from third parties and be as self-sufficient as possible in this type of capability," he said, adding that the European defense industry was capable of meeting demand. The chief executive said France was an example of a European country this is 100% self sufficient. "It's only a political willingness to buy more and more from European suppliers rather than suppliers based outside of Europe," he said. Thales on Tuesday reported higher income and revenue for 2024. Shares popped 12% before paring gains to close 2.5% higher. The EU's "ReArm Europe Plan" strategy bolsters the company's confidence when it came to its future performance, Caine said. "It reinforces our own conviction that we see a decade of growth for Thales in defense it will not change the equation for 2025, but clearly it's a positive on the long run," he said, emphasizing that there will be "a gap" between the announcement of the plan and any increase in orders. "It takes a bit of time, let's say two years, from a political decision to a contract in force. So clearly, the future will tell, but it's very positive for the overall industry, for Europe, to see this strong political momentum," he said. President-elect Donald Trump walks onto the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) with his wife Melania, after being named TIMEs Person of the Year for the second time on December 12, 2024 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images The S&P 500 has now lost all of its post-election gains as President Donald Trump dismayed some investors who hoped he was just bluffing on tariffs and instead ignited a trade war. The index closed at 5,778.15 in Tuesday's market sell-off, below the 5,782.76 close on Election Day, Nov. 5. Investors originally embraced Trump's victory, as the S&P 500 jumped 2.53% on Nov. 6 on the hopes deregulation and tax cuts would outweigh any tariff impact. At its peak, the S&P 500 closed at 6,144.15 on Feb. 19, putting total post-election gains at 6.25%. The gains began to be called the "Trump bump" on Wall Street. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon The S&P 500 has now given up all of its postelection gains. The S&P 500 is now down about 1.8% year to date, and the Nasdaq Composite is flirting with a correction, or a decline of 10% or more from a recent high. Some of the sectors that many investors and strategists expected to benefit under Trump have also struggled since the election. Small caps hit (L-R) Attorney Alina Habba speaks as Donald Trump looks on during a press conference at Trump Tower in New York City on Sept. 6, 2024. President Donald Trump's top lawyer Alina Habba on Tuesday questioned whether some military veterans fired from federal government jobs as part of an ongoing workforce reduction are capable of working or willing to do so. "You know, we care about veterans tremendously," Habba told reporters at the White House. "But at the same time, we have taxpayer dollars, we have a fiscal responsibility to use taxpayer dollars to pay people that actually work," said Habba, who holds the title of Trump's counselor. "We're going to care for them in the right way, but perhaps they're not fit to have a job at this moment, or not willing to come to work," she said. "And we can't, you know, I wouldn't take money from you and pay somebody and say sorry, you know they're not going to come to work," Habba said. "It's just not acceptable." The Trump administration is engaged in a wide-ranging effort to cut the number of federal workers. How that is being done, as well as the personal stories of individuals such as veterans and others affected by the cuts, has led to blowback among the public. Habba spoke hours before Trump was set to address a joint session of Congress. Senate Democrats, in a press release Tuesday, said their guests for that speech would "include veterans indiscriminately fired as part of the Trump Administration's mass terminations of federal government employees." Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for example, has invited as his guest "Alissa Ellman, a disabled, toxic-exposed Army veteran who was illegally and indiscriminately fired from her job at the Buffalo VA during VA Secretary [Doug] Collins' mass terminations of VA employees and veterans," the release said. Veterans make up about 30% of the total federal workforce, according to a report by the Office of Personnel Management. As of September 2021, nearly 640,000 veterans were employed in that workforce. Of that tally, 53% were disabled. The chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee has advised GOP lawmakers to stop holding in-person town halls on the heels of several events that featured attendees strongly criticizing members of Congress. The compromises with Canada and Mexico will likely be revealed as soon as Wednesday, Lutnick said on "Fox Business." After his remarks, U.S. stock futures tied to all three major averages rose. Lutnick's comments came minutes after the U.S. stock market limped to a close for a second day of sharp declines, spurred at least in part by investors' fears that Trump's aggressive policies will ignite a crippling trade war. President Donald Trump will "probably" announce tariff compromise deals with Canada and Mexico soon, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday. The potential agreements would likely involve scaling back at least part of Trump's brand new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, he added. While the Cabinet secretary did not specify what Trump would agree to, he suggested the U.S. president would be willing to meet Canada and Mexico "in the middle." He also appeared to foreclose on the possibility that Trump would lift the tariffs entirely. The Trump administration on Tuesday reimposed sweeping 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports after putting them on pause for a month. Trump, who has held up tariffs as an all-powerful negotiating tool, based the policy on allegations that the neighboring countries were failing to stem the flow of drugs and crime into the U.S. "Both the Mexicans and the Canadians are on the phone with me all day today, trying to show that they'll do better," Lutnick said Tuesday afternoon. "And the President is listening because, you know, he's very, very fair and very reasonable. So I think he's going to work something out with them," he said. Lutnick described a deal in which Canada and Mexico agree to "do more," at which point Trump would "meet you in the middle some way." "We're going to probably be announcing that tomorrow," he said. Lutnick said the announcement would not be another pause. The comments came hours before Trump was set to deliver a primetime address to a joint session of Congress. U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks with members of the media on the South Lawn before boarding Marine One at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 28, 2025. Nathan Howard | Reuters U.S. importers and their customers are about to experience the full force of President Donald Trump's unprecedented use of emergency economic powers. At midnight Tuesday, 25% tariffs on imports from America's top two trading partners, Canada and Mexico, went into effect, as did an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports. Tariffs on Canadian energy, at a rate of 10%, also began at midnight Tuesday. It's difficult to overstate how far-reaching the impact of these tariffs will be, or how quickly they will be felt. U.S. trade with Mexico, Canada and China in 2024 accounted for around 40% of America's total commerce in goods around the world. And unlike traditional trade policy, these tariffs are designed to deliver a financial sting right away, trade experts told CNBC. "From a technical standpoint, the imposition of the tariffs is basically a light switch. They're on or they're off," said Daniel Anthony, the president of Trade Partnership Worldwide, a policy research firm. Literally overnight, the cost of importing, for example, $100,000 worth of limes from Mexico increased by $25,000 on Tuesday. This is money that the importer will need to pay directly to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when the limes cross the border. Consumers will bear the brunt of the tariffs in higher prices, experts say. The Tax Policy Center estimates that Trump's Mexico and Canada tariffs alone will cost the average household an additional $930 a year by 2026. Target CEO Brian Cornell told investors Tuesday that shoppers could see produce prices rise within days, the result of tariffs on Mexican fruits and vegetables. Even if a glitch prevented tariffs from being collected starting at exactly 12:01 a.m. E.T. on Tuesday, they would still be tallied, and importers could expect to receive a tax bill retroactively, said Nicole Bivens Collinson, a Washington trade lobbyist and managing principal at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg. "It's like when you get an Uber bill and you forgot to tip, and add it on later," she said. watch now Along with the two new North American tariff rates, Trump also signed an order Monday doubling his earlier 10% tariff on imports from China, for a total 20% additional tariff rate on the nation. Taken together, Canada, China and Mexico accounted for $2.2 trillion worth of U.S. overseas trade in 2024, according to federal census data. About $840 billion of that came from trade with Mexico, $762 billion from Canadian imports and exports, and $582 billion from China. Extraordinary power Containers at the Port of Vancouver in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Feb. 28, 2025. Ethan Cairns/Bloomberg via Getty Images The imposition of the massive new tariffs is a sharp reminder of how much power Trump wields over global commerce. But it also hints at the limitations of this power. Part of the reason Trump could impose the tariffs so quickly is because the White House is invoking a sweeping national security law to justify the new levies. Until now, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, IEEPA, had been used mainly to impose emergency sanctions on foreign dictators or suspected terrorist groups. But the Trump administration argues that the illicit global fentanyl trade and immigrants at the Mexican border both qualify as "unusual and extraordinary" foreign threats to American national security, justifying Trump's use of emergency powers under IEEPA. Trump is using the law in a broader way than any president has before, Trade Partnership Worldwide's Anthony said. By pushing the boundaries of presidential authority, Trump is inviting legal challenges, Anthony said. watch now And implementing such broad orders on an emergency basis is not without its complications. In the case of so-called de minimis shipments, the Trump administration imposed new levies on millions of shipments entering the United States before the federal government had the means to actually collect the fees. The de minimis mess Oscar Wong | Moment | Getty Images A packet of antibiotics and various other medicines on a table in a pharmacy. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Europe's pharmaceutical firms are rushing to prepare for the potential fallout of U.S. import duties, with some forming "tariff taskforces," even as analysts warn that levies on the sector could break global trade rules. Fresenius Medical Care says that it has installed its first-ever "tariff taskforce" to manage uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed trade charges, with some production likely to be directly impacted. "Clearly we're looking at what happens to the tariffs in Europe and what also happens to tariffs [on] medical equipment," CEO Helen Giza told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" last week. "The escalation and speed of this, with the executive orders, is something we assembled pretty quickly," Giza said of the taskforce. President Trump on Wednesday signaled that the European Union may be next to face sweeping 25% tariffs on its exports to the U.S., mirroring similar threats toward Canada and Mexico. It came a week after Trump said he was considering a flat charge of around 25% on all pharmaceutical, auto and chip imports. The suggestion has prompted concern from some analysts, who say that such duties on the pharma industry would mark an infringement of rules set by the World Trade Organization which counts the U.S. as a member. watch now According to the WTO's 1994 Pharma Agreement, the majority of pharmaceutical products and the substances used to produce them are exempt from tariffs, binding them at duty-free levels. However, Diederik Stadig, sector economist at ING, said that provision might not be enough to prevent the White House leader's plans. "I do not think the WTO infringement would be enough to prompt an exemption from reciprocal tariffs," Stadig told CNBC by email on Monday, dubbing the launch of tariff taskforces a "prudent business move." "It seems like the Trump administration doesn't really care [if it breaks WTO rules]," Soren Lontoft, pharma equity analyst at Sydbank, told CNBC by phone on Friday. A spokesperson for the White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the possibility of a trade infringement. A spokesperson for the WTO Secretariat said that it "does not comment on the specific actions of our members, whether proposed or actual," but added that participants could raise concerns about other member's actions or initiate dispute settlement proceedings. Tariff taskforces The uncertainty around Trump's proposals and their feasibility serves as a major headache for European firms. European pharmaceutical companies would be among the hardest hit by sweeping tariffs on the sector. The U.S. consumed around $560 billion worth of pharmaceutical products in 2024, more than one third of which were imported, primarily from Ireland, Germany and Switzerland, according to ING calculations. "These are the countries that are going to be hit particularly hard should the threat become a reality," Stadig wrote in a note last month. Germany's Fresenius Medical Care said that tariffs would likely hit the group's supply of dialysis machines and consumable products to the U.S., even as some of the company's U.S.-based manufacturing remains insulated. Alcon CEO David Endicott said the Swiss-American pharmaceutical and medical device company was "paying very close attention" to levies. Despite seeing limited exposure on a direct, import-export level, Endicott pointed to potential concerns around the firm's supply chains, including raw material imports. "We don't see a big exposure here, but it's a dynamic time," he told CNBC on Wednesday. Brian McNamara, CEO of British multinational consumer healthcare company Haleon , meanwhile said Thursday that though much of the firm's U.S. sales derive from domestic production, the business was "working through what the impact might be" of tariffs on one of its plants in Canada and several more in Europe. watch now Autoworkers at Nissan's Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant in Tennessee, June 6, 2022. The plant employs thousands of people and produces a variety of vehicles, including the Leaf EV and Rogue crossover. S&P Global Mobility reports 25 automakers on average produce 63,900 light-duty passenger vehicles in North America per day. A majority of those, roughly 65%, are assembled in the U.S., followed by 27% in Mexico and 8% in Canada. "We have a new dawn, to a degree. This is a significant move," Stephanie Brinley, associate director in AutoIntelligence at S&P Global Mobility, said during a webinar with the Automotive Press Association . The production impact as well as possibility of layoffs would continue to grow if the tariffs, which Trump implemented Tuesday , are not changed or lifted. That lost production would equate to roughly 20,000 units per day, according to a new analysis from prominent data and forecasting firm S&P Global Mobility. DETROIT Roughly a third of vehicle production in North America could be cut by next week as a result of President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, as automakers attempt to mitigate increased costs and buyers hold off on purchasing new cars and trucks. President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office on Feb. 25, 2025. Trump directed the Commerce Department to open an investigation into potential tariffs for copper imports. Shares of automotive stocks fell more than the broader market Tuesday as a result of the tariffs. "I think we're going to see some plants drop shifts. We're going to see some plants just slow build rates," Brinley said. "It won't be necessarily consistent across [automakers]. It's going to very much be about what they need and how much they need it." The affected production will vary by automaker, vehicle and plant location. It could mean a plant is completely idled or that it produces fewer vehicles that rely on parts that cross borders multiple times in different forms before being installed in a vehicle. A tariff is a tax on imports, or foreign goods, brought into the United States. The companies importing the goods pay the tariffs, and some experts fear the companies would simply pass any additional costs on to consumers raising the cost of vehicles and potentially reducing demand. Several automakers this week declined to comment directly on the 25% tariffs, relying on past comments or trade associations to speak on their behalf. The American Automotive Policy Council, which represents Ford Motor , General Motors and Stellantis all of which are heavily affected by the tariffs argues that vehicles and parts that meet the stringent domestic and regional content requirements of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, should be exempt from the tariff increase. "Our American automakers, who invested billions in the U.S. to meet these requirements, should not have their competitiveness undermined by tariffs that will raise the cost of building vehicles in the United States and stymie investment in the American workforce, while our competitors from outside of North America benefit from easy access to our home market," said former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, president of AAPC, in a statement Monday night. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing the vast majority of automakers selling vehicles in the U.S., warned that no automakers will come out unscathed, resulting in increased consumer costs. "This isn't hypothetical," the trade group's CEO, John Bozzella, said in a statement. "All automakers will be impacted by these tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Most anticipate the price of some vehicle models will increase by as much as 25 percent and the negative impact on vehicle price and vehicle availability will be felt almost immediately." Nissan Motor late Monday said, "Sustained tariffs of this magnitude will have a negative impact for automotive manufacturers, and we are evaluating how we will take action accordingly. We remain hopeful that the sides can come to an agreement for a productive path forward." Several automotive executives and Wall Street analysts have described the tariffs as inserting unneeded chaos into the automotive industry. "President Trump has talked a lot about making our U.S. auto industry stronger, bringing more production here, more innovation in the U.S., and if his administration can achieve that, it would be one of ... the most signature accomplishments," Ford CEO Jim Farley said in February during the Wolfe Research investor conference. "So far what we're seeing is a lot of cost and a lot of chaos." Supporters of the tariffs have argued they are a way to help level trade disparities with the countries, while potentially serving as a leverage to renegotiate USMCA, which Trump originally negotiated during his first term as president. Automakers have been relatively quiet about the financial impacts they expect from such tariffs, however GM CEO Mary Barra in February said the automaker believes it could mitigate short-term impacts of between 30% and 50% of additional costs "without deploying any capital." It's difficult to calculate the total impact such tariffs will have on North American vehicle production. "It's one of the most fluid situations that the auto industry has ever really seen ... on top of a few years of unexpected Covid situations, supply situations," Brinley said. "The industry itself has developed to be a little bit more agile than maybe it was seven or eight years ago ... but a lot of it is still very uncertain." Stock futures rose on Tuesday after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that a tariffs compromise could be in the cards. Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average popped 266 points, or 0.6%. S&P 500 futures added 0.7%, and Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.8%. It marked an about-face from the markets action of the past two days, in which the major averages have sold off sharply on worries over tariffs and their impact on the economy. Lutnick, speaking on "Fox Business," said that President Donald Trump could reach a deal with Mexico and Canada on tariffs. Darla Mercado The New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on Feb. 19, 2025. One basis point is equivalent to 0.01%, and yields and prices move in opposite directions. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield rose more than 3 basis points to 4.216%, reversing course after dropping earlier in the day. The 2-year Treasury yield slid around 3 basis points to 3.949%. The 10-year Treasury yield edged higher on Tuesday as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China went into effect, escalating fears of a global trade war. Trump's 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada took effect Tuesday. The president imposed an additional 10% duty on Chinese goods, bringing the total amount of new tariffs on China to 20%. In retaliation, China announced it will impose additional tariffs of up to 15% on some U.S. goods starting March 10. The new Chinese tariffs primarily affect U.S. agricultural products, such as corn and soybeans, which will face additional duties of 15% and 10%, respectively. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will be implementing 25% tariffs on 155 billion Canadian dollars' ($107 billion) worth of American goods. Trump said in response he would match any retaliatory tariffs from the country. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the U.S.' Southern neighbor would respond with tariffs and other tools that would be announced this weekend. Investors are also looking ahead to February's all-important jobs data due Friday. Waymo on Tuesday began offering robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, through the Uber app. The launch sets up Waymo to showcase its driverless technology during Austin's annual South by Southwest festival that kicks off Friday. Approximately 300,000 people descend on the Texas capital to attend SXSW on average each year, according to the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We can't wait for Austin locals and visitors alike to experience Waymo One via the Uber app starting this week," said Nicole Gavel, Waymo's head of business development and strategic partnerships, in a statement. Waymo previously said it would be launching in Austin, among several other U.S. cities, in 2025. Austin is the first market in which Uber will manage and dispatch a fleet of Waymo vehicles. Riders in Phoenix can book Waymo rides through the Uber app, but the ride-sharing company does not manage the Waymo fleet in that market. The two companies' partnership will expand to Atlanta later this year, where Waymo employees have already begun taking fully autonomous trips across the city, the company said Tuesday. Uber sold off its autonomous vehicle, or AV, unit in 2020 after a string of earlier safety incidents including one fatality. The two companies have not disclosed how they split revenue for Waymo rides booked through the Uber app. "With Waymo's technology and Uber's proven platform, we're excited to introduce our customers to a future of transportation that is increasingly electric and autonomous," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a statement. Alphabet -owned Waymo, which has pulled far ahead of self-driving car competitors in the U.S., is currently serving more than 200,000 paid trips per week across San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, according to the company. Waymo's Austin expansion means the company has beat Austin-based Tesla to the market. Elon Musk-led Tesla has promised to launch a driverless ride-share service in Austin in June. The company produces electric cars with partially automated driving systems. These require a human driver at the wheel ready to steer or brake at any time. Tesla has designed a robotaxi, called the CyberCab, but the company does not yet produce it. Waymo riders will be able to travel across 37 square miles of Austin, covering neighborhoods including the city's downtown, Hyde Park and Montopolis, the company said. Uber users who request an UberX, Uber Comfort, Uber Green or Uber Comfort Electric will be shown the option to match with Waymo vehicles when available, the company added. CNBC's Lora Kolodny contributed to this report. Since late January, 146 cases of measles have been identified in West Texas, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Twenty patients have been hospitalized, and a school-age child who wasn't vaccinated against measles died. Measles outbreaks have since spread to other parts of the U.S. including New Mexico, New Jersey and Georgia, according to USA Today. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines "outbreak" status as having three or more related cases of a disease. Measles is highly contagious and airborne. A person infected with the virus can spread it through coughing, sneezing and talking. "If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected," according to the CDC. So how concerning is the current number of measles cases for public health experts? Very concerning, says Frederic Bertley, CEO and President of the Center of Science & Industry and a leading science educator with a background in immunology. "People should be worried, both in the U.S. [and] around the world," Bertley tells CNBC Make It. "To put it in perspective, last year [in the U.S.] we had 285 cases. That was for the entire year, 12 months. We have not even finished the first quarter [of 2025]. We're just beginning March, and we're already at 164. And we've already had a death. We have not had a death from measles since 2015 in the United States of America." Measles can affect people of all ages, but it does primarily pose a greater risk to children, especially under five years old. Here's how you can keep yourself and your kids safe against measles, according to Bertley and Dr. Adam J. Ratner, director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at NYU Langone Health. Tech giants Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms, Snapchat and TikTok have urged Australia to reconsider a decision to exempt Alphabet's YouTube from its laws banning social media for children younger than 16.The landmark legislation setting some of the world's most stringent limits on social media was approved by Australia's parliament in November, forcing such firms to bar log-ins by minors, or pay fines of up to A$49.5 million ($31 million).YouTube stands to be exempted from the ban set to take effect by the end of the year as it is considered a key educational tool and is the only service allowed for children as part of a family account with parental supervision rights.But Meta said a young person with a YouTube account experiences the features outlined by the government to justify the ban, including algorithmic content recommendations, social interaction features and exposure to harmful content."YouTube's exemption is at odds with the purported reasons for the law and we call on the government to ensure equal application of the law across all social media services," it said in a blog posting on Wednesday.TikTok is concerned that exempting YouTube from the minimum age rule would result in a law that is "illogical, anticompetitive, and short-sighted", it told the government in a submission, urging consistency for all social media platforms.Snapchat said no specific company should receive preferential treatment."There must be a fair and impartial application of exclusions and all services should be held to the same standard," Snap Inc said in a submission on Friday.Some mental health and extremism experts told Reuters YouTube exposes children to addictive and harmful content as it hosts the same sort of dangerous content as other sites.In public online statements, YouTube has said its moderation effort is getting more aggressive, while it has broadened its definition of harmful content picked up by its automated detection system. North Korea has slammed the United States for "political and military provocations" over the visit of a US Navy aircraft carrier to the South Korean port of Busan. The statement by Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's ruler Kim Jong Un, was published Tuesday by the state-owned Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)."As soon as its new administration appeared this year, the US has stepped up the political and military provocations against the DPRK, 'carrying forward' the former administration's hostile policy," her statement read. DPRK is the acronym for the North's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The USS Carl Vinson, the flagship of a carrier strike group, arrived in Busan for a scheduled port visit on Sunday, the US Navy said in a statement."The visit to Busan exemplifies the US commitment to the region, further enhancing relationships with ROK leaders and the local population," the US Navy said, using the acronym for the South's formal name. Military cooperation between Seoul and Washington regularly invites condemnation from Pyongyang, where the government sees such moves as preparation for an invasion, and often carries out missile tests in response."The US vicious moves for confrontation with the DPRK have been intensified in March with the appearance of Carl Vinson in the Korean peninsula," said Kim Yo Jong. South Korea's ministry of defense said that Kim's statement is "nothing more than an excuse aimed at justifying its nuclear missile development and creating a pretext for provocations." "North Korea's nuclear ambitions can never be tolerated, and the only path to its survival is to abandon its obsession and delusions about nuclear weapons," said the ministry said in a statement.Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul have been at one of their lowest points in years, with the North launching a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions. Last week, North Korea carried out a test-launch of strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea, in a drill Pyongyang said was aimed at showing off its "counterattack" capabilities.Joint South Korea-US "Freedom Shield" military exercises are set to begin this month. The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. Kim Yo Jong's missive ended with what appeared to be a threat to "renew its records" in the testing of nuclear-capable missiles and other such technology."If the US continues to renew its records in the anti-DPRK military demonstration, the DPRK will be naturally compelled to renew its records in the exercise of strategic deterrence". She also added that the United States and its allies were the "root cause of escalating tension" in the region, and that the North "bitterly condemns the reckless visible actions and muscle-flexing" of Washington. Russia has agreed to help President Donald Trumps administration engage with Iran on key issues, including its nuclear program and support for regional groups opposed to US interests, reported Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter. Trump reportedly conveyed his interest in Russian mediation directly to President Vladimir Putin during a phone call in February. Days later, senior officials from both governments discussed the matter in Saudi Arabia, according to individuals in Moscow who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said th Bloomberg report. The White House has yet to comment on the discussions, while neither Russia nor Iran have publicly confirmed or denied the request. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations and that Moscow is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this. Irans foreign ministry, when asked whether Russia had offered to mediate, did not directly confirm the initiative but suggested that such involvement was natural. Given the significance of these matters, its possible that many parties will show goodwill and readiness to help with various problems, ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at a televised press conference in Tehran. Since assuming office about six weeks ago, Trump has sought to rebuild ties with Putin, which were severed after Russias 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine . As part of his diplomatic outreach, Trump has expressed a willingness to negotiate directly with Putin to end the conflict, including during a phone call on February 12. Both nations have also signaled interest in collaborating on other geopolitical issues, including trade routes and Arctic resources. Senior US and Russian officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, met in Riyadh on February 18 to discuss Washingtons interest in Moscows involvement in Iran-related matters, sources familiar with the talks said, as per the report. Lavrov later relayed details of that meeting to his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, during a visit to Tehran, Araghchi confirmed in a press conference. Trumps policy toward Iran has been marked by contradictions. Since his return to the White House, he has signaled a return to the maximum pressure campaign of his first term, reinstating sanctions and targeting Irans security forces. However, he has also voiced interest in swiftly negotiating a verified nuclear peace agreement with Iran. Russia and Iran, both heavily sanctioned by the US, have strengthened their ties in trade, energy, and military cooperation. Moscow has relied on Iranian drones in its war against Ukraine, while Tehran continues to seek economic relief amid ongoing Western sanctions. 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. Can you believe that over a billion people traveled internationally in just nine months last year? The industry also contributed 10 trillion to the global GDP in 2023. With travel booming like this, crypto is taking root in the industry more than ever. It is really changing how we book flights and hotels and how loyalty points are managed and distributed. In fact, 20% of travelers worldwide would prefer to pay for travel using digital wallets, and blockchain is making that possible. But it is not just about paymentsit is about convenience, security, and so much more. As more airlines, hotels, and travel platforms continue to embrace crypto, let's explore how it is shaping travel today and what that means for the future. Crypto in Travel Payments The number of payments you have to make when planning trips is kind of crazy. There is transport, food, activities, you name it. With traditional payment methods, the totals can go way higher than needed when you include the high transaction costs and crazy currency conversion rates for international travel. Thanks to crypto, that narrative is changing. Now, you can make seamless, borderless payments using digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum without worrying about exchange rates and bank delays. But even if a destination doesn't accept crypto directly, using a reputable crypto exchange to swap your digital assets at more friendly rates is always an option. With more travelers willing to pay for flights with crypto, there is a rise in airlines that have made room for that by either accepting crypto payments directly or through third-party providers. AirBaltic, for example, is known for its crypto-friendliness. Actually, in 2014, it was the first airline worldwide to accept flight payments in Bitcoin. It accepts other cryptocurrencies as well, and recently, in 2021, it started issuing NFTs. Platforms like Alternative Airlines allow you to pay using Bitcoin on over 600 airlines, including Emirates. Hotel chains like The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts have also not been left behind in this crypto movement. They were the first global boutique hotel group to accept crypto bookings using over 40 digital currencies. Not forgetting travel platforms like Travala and CheapAir that allow you to book almost everything on your trip without having to convert your virtual currencies. As a matter of fact, the recent partnership between Travala and Trivago allows you to book accommodation at over 2 million hotels globally, using over 100 different cryptocurrencies. Loyalty Programs and Rewards For a long time, loyalty programs have been the travel industry's special tool for encouraging customers to return and recommend them to others. In fact, over 84% of consumers will be more inclined to a brand that offers rewards. Unfortunately, the traditional way of redeeming those points and rewards, especially in the hotel sector, has been somewhat of a hassle. A report by Morning Consult from a US survey last year showed that only less than half of program members actually felt valued, suggesting that there is a lot of room for improvement. That is where crypto and blockchain come in, making loyalty programs more flexible and valuable. Blockchain is transforming loyalty points into crypto-based tokens, so instead of being confined to a single brand, you can freely spend them across multiple platforms. Whether you want to use your hotel rewards for souvenirs or your flight miles for a car rental, the choice is yours. You can also opt to trade or transfer them if you don't want to redeem them for travel-related services. It turns out that about 67% of consumers would actually be more into loyalty programs if they could earn crypto rewards instead of the usual points. Companies like Travala are already making it happen by rewarding their customers who book hotels with cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and their native token, AVA. Plus, blockchain-based loyalty programs are quite secure and transparent. You can clearly track and verify how you've been earning and spending your points. The technology is also transparent, so you don't have to worry about your points 'magically' disappearing or someone tampering with them. A Few Challenges While crypto in travel is exciting, it is not without its challenges. Volatility is a major one because crypto prices can wildly fluctuate, making it tricky for both travelers and traveling businesses to set stable prices. That is probably one of the reasons why more companies are turning to stablecoins like USDT, which offer crypto benefits minus the price jumps. Also, the regulation around crypto is a bit complex, with some countries embracing it and others making it nearly impossible to use. Plus, there are still a huge number of hotels and airlines that don't accept crypto. Such inconsistencies mean that you can't fully rely on digital currencies for travel just yet until more businesses and countries jump on board. With all that we have discussed, the future of crypto in travel looks promising. We are already seeing NFT-based travel perks such as exclusive lounge access or VIP event tickets that travelers can own or trade. Some destinations like Slovenia and Dubai are considered friendly for crypto travel, where you can pay for your transport or even coffee in digital currencies. As the technology is growing and more people are embracing it, booking trips with crypto might soon be as effortless as swiping a card. Every Shane Gillis fan knows that the stand-up star is a history buff, but does he know the historical record of his own jokes? This past Saturday, Saturday Night Live host and almost-alumnus Gillis devoted nearly half of his opening monologue to roasting the late writer and historian Shelby Foote for taking creative liberties with his historical accounts in Ken Burns acclaimed 1990 mini-series The Civil War. Gillis joked that Burns nine-part documentary is kryptonite to women, saying of The Civil War, If you put that on, they will fall asleep. Thats a little Cosby tip for you, actually. The comic then laid into frequent Civil War interviewee Foote for playing fast and loose with the minutia of the war and its combatants, describing how Foote dramatized the events and details of the Civil War with an almost sexual aplomb. While Gillis ribbing of the liberals in SNLs audience and his casually crass comments on women during the opening monologue certainly sparked low-grade controversy among the shows majority left-leaning fandom, Gillis most esoteric punchlines also provoked outrage in small corners of the intentionally offensive comedy community that supported the stand-up star long before his SNL hired-to-fired scandal in 2019. Don't Miss Fans of the now-defunct and deliriously crude comedy podcast Cum Town have accused Gillis of lifting his recent riff about Foote, the historian's nearly fetishistic approach to the Civil War and Foote's artistic license in the war's retelling straight from the show that made Gillis' past use of slurs on Matt and Shanes Secret Podcast sound like a Hannah Gadsby routine. According to hundreds of users in the subreddit for The Adam Friedland Show, which is the sequel podcast to Cum Town featuring hosts Friedland and Nick Mullen, Gillis' riff about the late Foote being a pervert who fabricates ridiculous fantasies about the Civil War and the soldiers who fought it is just a drastically toned-down version of a routine that Mullen did on a 2019 episode of his old podcast. In the Cum Town bit, Mullen made the same criticisms of Foote's strange obsession with details that he couldn't possibly know about figures from the Civil War, only, instead of making Foote out to be a horned-up confederate as Gillis did, Mullen's Foote character accused everyone from Abraham Lincoln to Robert E. Lee of being a genital-mutilating pedophile. Advertisement In a thread titled Shane Robbed Nick, Mullen's fans trashed Gillis' SNL appearance and argued that the former's indulgently offensive caricature of the late historian was better than the latter's more sanitized and TV-friendly impression. The original poster alleged, SNL monologue was nearly a word for word rip off of Nicks Shelby Foote Cumtown bit." Nicks lazy commentary about Shelby Foote on the podcast is funnier than Shanes prepared bit lol, the top commenter wrote, I like Shane but he kinda bombed that shit. Advertisement Criticism of Gillis' SNL jokes and comparisons to Mullens' jokes about the same suspiciously topic also spilled over onto Twitter, with one fan of late 2010s profane podcasts live-tweeting of the monologue, Shane Gillis is ripping off a Nick Mullen bit on SNL right now (Ken Burns' Civil War/Shelby Foote). Shane on his Amy Schumer arc, another Twitter user claimed in a separate thread about the alleged joke theft. Advertisement While the topic of Foote's embellishments and weirdly intimate romanticization in The Civil War may seem too specific to be a coincidence, criticism of Foote's overly personal approach to the history of America's deadliest-ever war stretches back to the documentary's release in 1990 and continues to this day. In 2019, Smithsonian Magazine published an article titled Why We Need a New Civil War Documentary that focused on the faults in Foote's feelings-based accounts, calling him a writer and journalist with no historical background" whose only valuable contribution to the series was his being charming and stereotypically 'southern.' It seems more likely that two deliberately offensive comedy podcasters had the same interest in The Civil War and thought that Foote was a funny and insane character rather than Gillis deliberately lifted jokes from a comic who runs in the same circles and shares much of the same audience as him. For all the common criticisms against Gillis, he doesn't have a history of being a joke thief, and he doesn't seem dumb enough to steal material for an SNL monologue especially for one that kind of sucked. Comedy is all about heightening the bit. For instance, if someone jokingly accuses you of being a plagiarist, you react by raping and murdering their fictional family. The comedy cold war between The Simpsons and Family Guy is, perhaps, the foundational conflict of animated television. Ever since Seth MacFarlane first introduced his own white, middle-class family with a lazy alcoholic father, a hot nagging wife whos too good for him, a similarly stupid oldest son, a middle daughter who the audience vaguely disdains and a baby who is trapped in an endless, floating timeline infancy, Simpsons fans have been unfavorably comparing Family Guy to its famous predecessor, and the two shows respective writing staffs have kept up an occasionally unhealthy competition. And, while the two animated comedies would eventually make up in the 44-minute long and entirely underwhelming 2014 crossover The Simpsons Guy, the Family Guy versus Simpsons rivalry used to be one of the most bitter and asymmetrical wars on TV. Don't Miss In 2005, The Simpsons aired The Italian Bob, an international episode that contained playful jabs at both Family Guy and MacFarlanes newly started side series American Dad!, setting the table for the most disproportionate response in the history of rape jokes. As the above Simpsons fan indicated in their mega-viral tweet, less than two years after the airing of The Italian Bob, MacFarlane and his writers, presumably incensed by The Simpsons calling them plagiarists, plotted their revenge with a 75-second sequence in the episode Movin' Out (Brian's Song) that began as a Simpsons chyron ad featuring Marge that Quagmire quickly crashed by dragging Marge offscreen and sexually assaulting her. Advertisement In case that wasnt horrifying and unfunny enough, Quagmire and Marge returned to the screen moments later as Marge moaned about how much she actually enjoyed getting raped by Family Guys favorite rapist. The two then returned to the Simpsons house in Springfield for an extramarital affair that the audience could hear Homer interrupt before Quagmire pulled out a gun and murdered the entire Simpsons family one by one. MacFarlanes reaction to The Simpsons plagiarism joke effectively ended the tradition of the two rival comedies trading barbs on the same network, as Fox executives would swiftly intervene and place a moratorium on either show poking fun at the other in response to understandable fan backlash following the airing of Movin Out (Brians Song). Advertisement This meant that MacFarlane secured the last well, not laugh gasp? in his feud with The Simpsons simply by massively overreacting to an utterly innocuous, Italian-flavored dig at the similarities between Family Guy and The Simpsons that everyone had had already identified during the Family Guy pilot. But, ultimately, MacFarlanes extended rape scene did prove The Simpsons wrong. If Family Guy really did commit plagiarismo against The Simpsons, MacFarlanes clap-back would have been funny. Last week we talked about how Jon Stewart got so fired up about Elon Musks conspicuously selective government funding cuts that he smashed a coffee mug on his desk and actually cut himself. But dont worry, as Stewart later revealed, he quickly got treatment on the set and was immediately prescribed medical duct tape by Dr. Random Crew Guy. Play After the episode aired, there were some interesting developments. An X user suggested that Musk should, himself, appear on The Daily Show, and he agreed to do it if the show airs unedited. Don't Miss The Daily Show responded on social media, saying that theyd be delighted to host the interview. In retrospect, they were probably just happy that Musks one proviso wasnt that he be allowed to awkwardly wave a chainsaw around the studio while wearing cartoonishly large sunglasses. But Musk later seemed to walk back that initial offer, suggesting that Stewart is actually more of a propagandist than it would seem. Advertisement Advertisement Since Stewart only hosts The Daily Show on Mondays, he finally got a chance to respond to all this on camera last night. After thinking about his offer, I thought, You know, hey, thats actually how the in-studio interviews normally air: unedited, Stewart began. So, sure. Wed be delighted. He also underscored that the show is very flexible about its format, while taking the opportunity to dunk on Comedy Central. As a matter of fact, let me sweeten or unsweeten the pot, Stewart continued. The interview can be 15 minutes, it can be an hour, it can be two hours, whatever. Ill be honest, I dont think this network makes any other programming. So we can do whatever the fuck we want as long as we wrap before the new season of South Park, which comes out in like May or June of 2026. Advertisement Advertisement But after citing Musks newest apparent excuse for not doing the show, as well as an earlier post criticizing Stewart for being too partisan, Stewart called out the inherent hypocrisy in these criticisms: The guy who custom-made his own dark MAGA hat, that he wears to opine in the Oval Office with the president who he spent $270 million to elect, thinks Im just too partisan. Im really not sure what he thinks bipartisan means, but its generally not, I support Donald Trump and also Germanys AfD party. Thats not bipartisan, thats just the same shit, Stewart noted, referencing Musks support of far-right European politicians. Advertisement Advertisement If you want to come on and talk about the show, great. If you dont want to, sure. But can we just drop the pretense that you wont do it because I dont measure up to the standards of neutral discourse that you demand and display at all times? Because, quite frankly, you know it, I know it: bullshit, the host concluded. Thankfully there were no breakable objects within reach during this segment. Bill Murray has often randomly shown up in unexpected places, be it a wedding, a house party or a baffling Super Bowl commercial. This past weekend, Murray surprised the internet by bringing his confused uncle energy to the Joe Rogan Experience studio, despite having no idea who the hell Joe Rogan is. Since Rogan is obviously a controversial figure to say the least, and Murray has a history of allegedly abusive behavior, some comedy fans may treat this podcast as if it were the VHS tape from The Ring. But the two hour and twenty minute interview may have been worth it for the moment in which Rogan tells Murray that hes a giant fan only for Murray to respond, Ive never heard your show, and then reveal that he had to ask a staff member to actually point out which guy Joe Rogan was. Don't Miss Murray also confessed that he never saw NewsRadio, and seemingly had no idea that it even existed. Play But the moment from the interview that went viral was when the two discussed former Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward. Rogan brought up his belief in Tucker Carlsons theory that Nixon was muscled out of office by a deep-state conspiracy orchestrated by the CIA, who didnt want Nixon looking into the JFK assassination. Carlson claimed that Woodward wasnt really a journalist, but rather, a CIA asset. Shockingly, it seems as though the theory floated by the Why arent M&M's fuckable anymore? guy was riddled with inaccuracies. While Murray didnt want to touch the JFK stuff, he did share his opinion of Woodward. Advertisement Weve talked before about Wired, Woodwards 1984 biography about John Belushi, which Dan Aykroyd called trash and Belushis widow, Judy Belushi-Pisano, claimed was only about drugs and madness, and it wasnt even accurate. Well, it seems that Murray similarly took issue with the book. When I read Wired, the book written by, whats his name, Woodward, about Belushi. I read like five pages of Wired, and I went, Oh my God. They framed Nixon, Murray told Rogan. If this is what he writes about my friend that Ive known, you know, for, you know, half of my adult life which is completely inaccurate, talking to like, the people of the outer outer circle, getting the story what the hell did that could they have done to Nixon? And I know you say, well, you could have two sources and everything like that, Murray continued, but the two sources that he had, if he had them for the Wired book, were so far outside the inner circle that it was criminal. Advertisement The Groundhog Day star concluded by joking, So theres all my controversy for today. Thats all I got, before adding, I got a bone about that one. You know, I got a bone for Woodward, ever since I read those five pages. Fate is a funny thing. Just a day after the podcast episode was released, Murray attended a screening of Becoming Katharine Graham, a new documentary about the late Washington Post publisher, which was held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Woodward was also in attendance. So, possibly inspired by the recent chat with Rogan, Murray decided to confront Woodward. Advertisement According to New York Magazines Washington correspondent, Ben Terris, Murray had words with Woodward about the Belushi book. And things got a little tense. The New York Times also noted that the pair got into a quarrel but didnt provide any further details. Advertisement Presumably they just talked about Belushi, not that stuff about Woodward being a secret CIA agent. STORY LINK Pound Sterling Skyrockets vs US Dollar amid Ukraine Peace Hopes Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound US Dollar exchange rate jumped up on Monday as a significant upbeat market mood bolstered the exchange rate.At the time of writing, GBP/USD was trading at approximately $1.2704, virtually up roughly 1% from the start of Mondays session.On Monday, the US Dollar (USD) plummeted against most of its major counterparts as a positive market sentiment, fuelled by European discussions of peace in Ukraine, took hold.European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, expressed optimism about a potential month-long ceasefire in Ukraine, boosting market spirits.The Greenbacks decline was further exacerbated by the release of the latest ISM manufacturing PMI data for the country, which came in lower than anticipated.On Monday, the Pound (GBP) gained significant strength against most of its major counterparts, buoyed by the day's positive trading conditions that favoured risk-sensitive currencies.The Pounds performance was bolstered by the market's optimistic mood following discussions of a European initiative to bring peace to Ukraine.This positive sentiment supported the currency, even as some underwhelming UK data was released.The UK's final manufacturing PMI for February declined further into contraction territory, dropping from 48.3 to 46.9, which was slightly better than the forecast of 46.4.Looking ahead, the main driver for the Pound US Dollar exchange rate on Tuesday will likely be market sentiment, given the absence of any significant UK or US economic data releases.If market mood turns negative, it could weigh on GBP/USD exchange rates.However, if Mondays positive sentiment persists, we could see the exchange rate continue to strengthen as we enter Tuesday's European trading session. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Dollar Forecasts STORY LINK Trumps Tariffs Send Pound to Eight Year Best Exchange Rate Against Canadian Dollar Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: Canadian dollar (CAD) exchange rates dipped sharply against the Pound and Euro after President Trump announced that tariffs on Canadian imports would go ahead.The Pound Sterling has held firm on hopes that the UK will not be the firing line.The overall reaction to tariffs being imposed has been measured, but the Pound to Canadian dollar jumped to 8-year highs just below 1.8450 before trading just below 1.8400.Trump has carried out his threat to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. In addition, extra tariffs on Chinese goods have been doubled to 20% from 10% with all measures coming into effect at Midnight US time Tuesday.Canada has announced immediate retaliation against US imports worth C$30bn with levies on a further C$120bn due to come into effect over the next three weeks.China has also imposed tariffs on US agricultural products and banned some bio-tech companies while Mexico has also promised action will be announced later Tuesday.The Canadian dollar dipped sharply late on Monday as Trump stated that the tariffs would come into effect and the currency has avoided further selling at this stage.The overall market reaction has also been relatively contained amid hopes that Canada will come to the negotiating table and work out a deal to have the tariffs annulled quickly, lessening the risk of an extended trade war.Tensions will, however, remain very high, especially with the US also announcing that military aid to Ukraine will be suspended, including those supplies already in Europe which have not yet been delivered to Ukraine. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Canadian Dollar Forecasts STORY LINK GBP/USD Forecast: Pound Sterling Ticks Up vs Dollar despite Downbeat Trade Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: Pound Sterling (GBP) firmed against the US Dollar (USD) on Tuesday despite the days negative trading conditions.At the time of writing, the Pound US Dollar exchange rate was trading at approximately $1.2735, up roughly 0.3% from the start of Tuesdays session.On Tuesday, the US Dollar (USD) had difficulty attracting buyers and weakened against several of its major counterparts.While the 'Greenback' did recover somewhat from Monday's losses following a Europe-led initiative to bring peace to Ukraine, USD exchange rates remained largely under pressure during Tuesday's European trading session.Moreover, despite a risk-averse market environment, the US Dollar failed to leverage its safe-haven status as geopolitical concerns and worries about the US economy diminished USD's appeal.On Tuesday, the Pound (GBP) traded within a broad range, maintaining its position against many currencies while showing some weakness in others.This volatility was primarily due to the lack of UK economic data and a generally cautious market sentiment.After Monday's positive trading, the market's negative mood on Tuesday dampened the risk-sensitive nature of Sterling.Investors were also hesitant to make significant moves on the Pound, ahead of important data releases later in the week.On Wednesday, the key driver for the Pound US Dollar exchange rate will likely be the release of the latest services PMIsfrom both the UK and the US.The UK's services PMI for February are expected to show a slight improvement. If the data meets these expectations, it could provide a boost to the Pound.Additionally, Bank of England (BoE) Governor Andrew Bailey is set to deliver a speech. If his comments lean towards amore hawkish stance, it could further strengthen the Pound.For the US Dollar, the latest ISM services PMI for February is also forecast to rise, which could support the 'Greenback' in mid-week trading.Moreover, the US will release its January factory orders, which are expected to show a rebound. This positive data couldfurther strengthen the USD exchange rates. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Dollar Forecasts We're an independent student-run newspaper, and need your support to maintain our coverage. Donate New York, US (PANA) - Armed men are raping and sexually assaulting children, including infants as young as one, amid the nationwide conflict rippling across Sudan Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Keir Starmer, leader of a Brexit Britain for which he did not vote, now finds himself leading Europes efforts to bolster Ukraine after Donald Trumps shameful treatment of President Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday. For a Prime Minister with no previous experience of defence, foreign policy or geopolitics, hes proved to be a remarkably quick learner. Amid the turmoil which passes for normality in Trump World, he has remained steadfast in supporting Ukraine while still valiantly trying to stay in Trumps good books. Even as the British political mainstream recoiled from Trumps bully-boy behaviour, Starmer yesterday told the House of Commons: We must strengthen our relationship with America. It was the right thing for a British Prime Minister to say, whatever absurdities emanate from Washington these days. Pivotal Nato is tottering. It might not survive another four years of Trump in the White House. But if the most successful military alliance the world has ever seen is to be consigned to the dustbin of history, then it must be clear that Trump was the assassin and that Britain did nothing to push America away. Unlike political pygmies such as Lib Dem leader Ed Davey and other more excitable blowhards on the Commons backbenches, Starmer realises that. It was heart-warming to see our Prime Minister hug Zelensky when he arrived on our shores straight from his verbal punishment beating in the White House, writes Andrew Neil A Russian drone strike on Odesa, Ukraine today Which is why he suddenly finds himself in a pivotal position: the only leader who can rally European support for Ukraine and with enough clout in Washington to have any chance of keeping Trump on board. Other world leaders have quickly clocked Starmers new significance, which is why 19 of them came to London on Sunday to chart a way forward in a world in which America is in retreat. He has enhanced his credibility because he hasnt just chosen his words carefully, he has also acted with impressive determination and conviction. A Labour Prime Minister prepared to raid the international aid budget to pay for our rearmament is clearly putting country above party or party politics. Of course, the increase in defence spending from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent he announced last week is not nearly enough. But there is good reason to believe its just the start, and that he is aiming for 3 per cent. The National Wealth Fund is to be tapped to bolster the defence of the realm. At some stage, the PM will realise that the billions being squandered by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband in his futile quest for net zero would be much better spent on rebuilding our military, and would command far more popular support. In an indication of military spending to come, 1.6 billion has been allocated for Thales in Belfast to manufacture more than 5,000 air defence missiles for Ukraine. Even the ill-gotten gains of Russian oligarchs are to be mobilised in Kyivs cause. All very satisfying substance to go with the strong words of support for our defence and Ukraine. But symbolism also matters in times of national peril, and it was heart-warming to see our Prime Minister hug Zelensky when he arrived on our shores straight from his verbal punishment beating in the White House. Britain and France would lead a peacekeeping force a coalition of the willing, Starmer calls it with boots on Ukrainian soil The stark reality is this: either Europe gets its act together, or it withers and dies There was something deeply upsetting about the treatment he had to endure. A draft-avoiding President berating a brave war leader for standing up for his country against a brutal dictator. And playing Muttley to Trumps Dick Dastardly, a Vice President who knows nothing about Ukraine (could he even find it on a map?) getting the hump because Zelensky dared to explain how Putin has reneged on every deal hes made. Contrast that with the civilised, compassionate, low-key manner in which our own head of state, King Charles, welcomed Zelensky on Sunday afternoon. It was a magnificent gesture. Im sure for many people it generated a new pride in Britain. It certainly did for me. So far, so good. Now comes the hard part. A peace plan of sorts for Ukraine is taking shape after Sundays gathering of leaders from Europe, Canada and Turkey, largely sculpted by Starmer and President Macron of France. But it is fraught with difficulty and danger. Macron wants a ceasefire first in the air and on the sea. If that holds for a month, the ceasefire would then expand to cover the frontlines on the ground. Britain and France would lead a peacekeeping force a coalition of the willing, Starmer calls it with boots on Ukrainian soil. Zelensky would have to sign that mineral rights deal with America that he was meant to sign on Friday. Even the British and French are not yet agreed on all the details, but there is unanimity on its most crucial aspect of all: it depends on a US guarantee of air cover and extensive help in the many areas where European military capability falls short: intelligence gathering, satellite surveillance and reconnaissance, air defence and heavy airlift. Nightmare No one knows if Trump would agree to any of this. The omens are not encouraging. Yesterday, we learned that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered US cyber command to pause offensive operations against Russia. Trumps court jester, Elon Musk, endorsed a social media post at the weekend advocating the withdrawal of the US from Nato. Some officials indicate that Trump is no longer prepared to deal with Zelensky. As I write, the word out of Washington is that he is even mulling over the cancellation of all US aid for Ukraine, effective immediately. In which case the European ceasefire-cum-peace-plan would be stillborn. Where wed go from there is anybodys guess. The Kremlin is beginning to wonder aloud if either America or Europe has a peace plan, as opposed to just a plan for a ceasefire. And it is highly unlikely, in my view, that Putin would agree to any deployment of Nato troops on Ukrainian soil, even as peacekeepers, with or without US guarantees. In some ways, that is his worst nightmare. As for Britain, wed need to think long and hard before placing our troops on a frontline opposite Russian forces. Even with his massive Labour majority, Keir Starmer could have trouble getting that through Parliament. Whatever the case, Europe has to prepare for the worst: that were no longer looking at a Nato in which Europe rightly pays much more of its fair share, but at a Nato without America. Grit Starmer hopes to avoid this, but he knows that anything is possible with Trump in the Oval Office. The challenge for Europe is immense, given its recent history in which its been very badly governed by leaders like Angela Merkel and is now in genteel but steady economic decline, with a disastrously ageing demography and a hollowed out military. The bill to free Europe from US military dependence has been put by one think tank at 500 billion. Europe might have neither the grit nor the resources to stump up. But what is the alternative? America is in the grip of an isolationist worldview under Trump-Vance-Musk, and much more than just Ukraine is at stake. In Trumps Orwellian realpolitik, China gets to dominate much of the Pacific, Russia dominates Europe, especially the east, and the US reigns supreme across the Americas, including Canada and Mexico. Not so much brave new world as a return to a brutal old world of power politics and might is right. It is not a world in which Britain, or the continent of which were a part, is likely to stay free and prosper. So the stark reality is this: either Europe gets its act together, or it withers and dies. I suspect Starmer, in his new role as budding apprentice statesman, already understands that. Eerie echoes of an earlier invasion, an earlier Labour PM. Twenty-two years ago some of us watched Tony Blair being cheered more by the Tories than by his own MPs as he lured us to war in Iraq. Blairs aides luxuriated in their parliamentary opponents support and talked of a British prime minister standing tall in the world. They even mocked the then Tory leader, Iain Duncan Smith, for calling the prime minister sir at No 10 meetings. One much-used phrase at that time was of the White House leading a coalition of the willing. The result of that war? Sub-optimal. Two decades on: same chamber, same cracked green-leather benches, same despatch boxes, although Sir Keir Starmer uses a small wooden platform to raise his script. If its language was familiar that is because it was identical. We must proceed with strength, averred Sir Keir, jutting his Buzz Lightyear jaw, and that does now require, urgently, a coalition of the willing. His national security adviser is Jonathan Powell, who was Blairs chief of staff. Maybe he suggested this lifeless phrase to the new PM. That they have readmitted such a man to the cockpit of power is astonishing. Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) gave the Commons an update on Ukraine and his remarks received more support vocally from the Conservatives than from his own backbenchers Former Prime Minister Tony Blair (pictured) was cheered more by the Tories than by his own MPs as he lured us to war in Iraq Sir Keirs jackets are suddenly inflated by a greater self-belief. Are his shirts crisper, his ties more silken? It seems so. He was giving the Commons an update on Ukraine and his remarks received more support vocally from the Conservatives than from his own backbenchers. Hear hear! harrumphed blue-tuskers such as Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough), who recalled that in 1914 the Kaiser sneered about the weakness of the British Army. And look what happened to the Boche, egad. Sir Edward, who is at least 130, remembers Wilhelm II well. Kemi Badenoch, while seeking further particulars on Sir Keirs proposal for boots on the ground and planes in the air, stated that President Zelensky was a hero (reverberating agreement from all sides). To her question what can be done to heal his rift with Washington? there was no real suggestion. In reply to a question from Andrew Murrison (Con, SW Wilts), Sir Keir all but admitted that there could be no British boots on the ground of Ukraine unless Mr Trump promised to whack Putin if he broke any peace agreement. The one memorable phrase in Sir Keirs speech was about Putins untrustworthiness - the calibre of his word. Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) admitted that there could be no British boots on the ground of Ukraine unless Mr Trump promised to whack Putin if he broke any peace agreement There was a succession of Labour backbenchers eager to thank the old pudding for his leadership Though support for Sir Keir may not have been quite so spontaneous on the Labour side there was still a succession of Labour backbenchers eager to thank the old pudding for his leadership. Remarkably Dame Emily Thornberry was in attendance. Dame Emily chairs the Commons foreign affairs select committee and has been away for much of the past month on essential jaunts (fact-finding trips, please). She cooed that Sir Keirs leadership had been pitch-perfect and then went on to voice a quibble about foreign aid cuts. Pitch-perfect was also the expression shrieked forth by young Oliver Ryan from Burnley. Hes that impressionable greaser who has been suspended from Labour for insulting voters and party workers in social-media posts. He praised Sir Keir in the strongest possible terms and jabbered that he was now the leader of the free world. After this paean Mr Ryan sat with his tongue outside his mouth. Actually panting. Kemi Badenoch (pictured) stated that President Zelensky was a hero (reverberating agreement from all sides) Dame Emily Thornberry cooed that Sir Keirs (pictured) leadership had been pitch-perfect and then went on to voice a quibble about foreign aid cuts The government chief whip permitted himself the smallest of burps. A cobra digesting a plump lizard. Other suck-ups such as Mark Seward (Lab, Leeds SW) were furious to be out-suctioned by Ryan. China was not mentioned until after more than 90 minutes. Jeremy Corbyn (Ind, Islington N) unjustly had to wait almost until the end until he could voice doubts. Nigel Farage made a wisecrack about how maybe Sir Keir now understood the advantages of Brexit. And on a day when others united, Scottish Labour MPs hurled jibes at the SNP. Zelensky and Trump, maybe even Zelensky and Putin, will be reconciled before there is peace between Scottish Labour and the Scots Nats. At this rate we may need more smelling salts. Urgent signal to quartermasters: salvolatile stocks dangerously low, please resupply soonest. After Trumpians took theatrical umbrage at the Ukrainian president not wearing a tie in the Oval Office (hell never get into the Garrick Club with that attitude) it was our turn to be monocle-poppingly indignant. US Vice-President James Vance gave a blowy account of himself to American television and casually slandered British and French troops who fought alongside his country in recent times. Mr Vance pooh-poohed any Anglo-French-led security presence in Ukraine. He dismissed it as 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. At which British war widows may have felt a twist of poignard in their grieving guts. Had Mr Vance forgotten Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and other conflicts where loved ones fell while helping Uncle Sam? France is Washingtons oldest ally, Britain its most ardent. Hands up who now feels like supporting the US if China invades Taiwan. Westminster pounced on the blunder. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge called Mr Vances remarks unacceptable. His party leader, Kemi Badenoch, appealed for calm but pleas for a ceasefire are seldom heeded, as we have seen in recent days. Ben Obese-Jecty (Con, Huntingdon), ex-Yorkshire Regiment, ran towards battle and recalled that while he and his Army comrades were on highly kinetic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the latter in response to 9/11, Mr Vance himself had been back at US Marine Corps base hiding under the photocopier as a Press officer. I paraphrase Mr Obese-Jecty only slightly. US Vice-President James Vance (pictured) gave a blowy account of himself to American television and casually slandered British and French troops US Vice-President James Vance (pictured) kept cackling with laughter about Fridays Trump-Zelensky bust-up in a Fox News interview Helen Maguire (Lib Dem, Epsom), ex-military police, demanded that Lord Mandelson, our ambassador in DC, extract an apology from former Corporal Vance. As we foxhole-monkeys say, it was all kickin off. Lib Dems on the war path? A battalion of Private Godfreys sucking their gums. Even Senator Farage (Ref, Clacton) gave Mr Vance the bums rush. Cue a certain amount of fumbling for reverse gear in the now smoke-filled Vance Humvee. The Vice-President, who is only 40, claimed he did not even mention the UK or France but was referring to others in the proposed peace-keeping force. Of whom, er, there were none. Mr Vance has the blowtorch-blue eyes of a Eugene Terreblanche but he may not be quite as good as he thinks he is. Recent days have exposed him as that unloveliest of characters, the chief stooge in a drama. From Goldfingers Oddjob to Idi Amins Bob Astles the stooge often meets a sticky end. He may wish to be thought an Appalachian tough-guy hence his Dukes Of Hazzard moniker JD but basically he plays Smee to Mr Trumps Captain Hook. Why do we indulge this JD pose? Initials went out with WG Grace and WF Deedes. In the Fox News interview he kept cackling about Fridays Trump-Zelensky bust-up. Mr Trump had tried to be diplomatic, thats his normal instinct, claimed Mr Vance. Obviously Im biased because I really love the guy. Violin and a red rose to table ten, Luigi. Mr Vance (pictured) has the blowtorch blue eyes of a Eugene Terreblanche but he may not be quite as good as he thinks he is Ukrainian President Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance had a verbal spat in the Oval Office JD Vance may wish to be thought an Appalachians tough-guy but basically he plays Smee to Mr Trumps Captain Hook Mr Zelensky had showed a lack of respect, we heard. Come, come, it could have been worse. He could have suggested dead US soldiers lives were no more valuable than beaten dockets. Mr Vance proceeded to offer a homily about diplomacy. Peace was not achieved, he averred, by having a Press conference and calling a guy every name in the book. One should explain that he was here denouncing Joe Bidens name-calling of V Putin and not referring to his own bosss defamation of Mr Zelensky as a dictator. You cant come into the Oval Office or anywhere else and refuse to discuss the details of a peace deal, added our humble stooge. As a Parliamentary sketch writer I have seen some hypocritical gems over the decades but given the White Houses attempt to make Ukraine sign away its mineral riches before offering details of security guarantees, this was Koh-i-noor cant. Whether it's sweet American-style fluffy pancakes or thin and crispy savory crepes, people across the UK will be cooking up a stack to celebrate Pancake Day. While many prefer the classic flavours of lemon and sugar, others like to experiment with more unusual combinations such as pesto and halloumi pancakes. Shrove Tuesday is the feast day before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and is also known as Pancake Day in the UK, Ireland, Australia and Canada. The Christian holiday started after it was thought that pancakes were a good way to use up ingredients like eggs, milk, and sugar before the fasting period of Lent. On Pancake Day, the UK alone uses an estimated 52 million eggs - 22 million more than the average day, according to National Geographic. Over the years, millions of people have experimented with the classic ingredients and some have opted for more savoury flavours. Pancake Day is the busiest day of the year for Good Food, with goodfood.com getting over six million page views. The most popular recipe is Food Director Cassie Best's traditional three ingredient Easy Pancakes, but the rise of American-style fluffy pancakes has seen them hold second and third place on the most viewed recipes on goodfood.com, and they now make up four out of the top 10 most viewed recipes on the site. Good Food's Managing Editor Lulu Grimes, says: 'We have over 300 sweet and savoury pancake recipes on goodfood.com and every year we add more thoroughly tested recipes from the indulgent Chocolate-filled with caramelised bananas, to Eggs Benedict to the Classic crepes with lemon and sugar. This year given the popularity of air fryers we've tested a new recipe for how to make Apple pancakes in an air fryer, great for a Shrove Tuesday special breakfast, or a Pancake Day dessert served with ice cream.' From an indulgent apple crepe cake with meringue to a potato pancake with salmon, there is certainly something to suit everyone. If you're looking for inspiration, look no further, as FEMAIL has put together the ultimate Pancake Day recipe guides to treat friends and family. Easy crepes by BBC Good Food Nail the basics with this easy crepe recipe Prep: 5 mins Cook: 20 mins Makes: 8 large pancakes Use this easy crepe mix to make sweet or savoury pancakes. There's enough batter to make a main course and dessert for a family of four. Ingredients 175g plain flour 3 large eggs 450ml milk sunflower oil, for frying Method STEP 1 Weigh the flour in a large jug or bowl. Crack in the eggs, add half the milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk to a smooth, thick batter. Add the remaining milk and whisk again. Set aside for at least 30 mins. STEP 2 Heat a large non-stick crepe pan or frying pan. Add a drizzle of oil, then wipe out the excess with kitchen paper. When the pan is hot, add enough batter to just cover the surface, swirling it and pouring any excess back into the bowl. The pancake should be as thin as possible. When the edges are peeling away from the sides of the pan, shake it to see if the pancake easily releases and is browning on the underside. If not, cook a little longer. Flip and cook the other side for a minute or two. Serve, or keep warm in a low oven Advertisement Banana pancakes with crispy bacon & syrup by BBC Good Food Fancy American style? Try these fluffy bacon pancakes with bacon Prep:15 mins Cook:25 mins Serves 4 (makes about 10 pancakes) Treat yourself to a lazy brunch with these American-style fluffy pancakes with pancetta and maple drizzle Ingredients 8 rashers smoked streaky bacon (or pancetta strips) 140g self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tbsp light soft brown sugar 2 ripe bananas, 1 mashed, 1 thinly sliced 2 large eggs 25g butter, melted, plus a little extra 125ml milk maple syrup Method STEP 1 Heat the grill to high. Arrange the bacon on a baking tray lined with foil. Cook for 5-7 mins until crisp, then turn off the grill but leave the tray inside to keep warm. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and sugar with a pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre and add the mashed banana, eggs, butter and milk. Whisk to a smooth batter without any flour lumps. STEP 2 Heat a little butter in a large frying pan. Once sizzling, ladle in small dollops of the pancake batter, leaving a little space between each, as they will spread out. Put 2 or 3 slices of banana onto the surface of each pancake and cook for 2 mins over a medium heat. When you see bubbles appear between the banana slices, flip the pancakes over and cook for 1 min more, until puffed up and golden. Transfer to a plate and keep warm with the bacon while you cook the rest. Serve the pancakes with the crispy bacon and a drizzle of maple syrup. Advertisement Brunch Potato Pancakes by Nanna Tate Makes 12-15 Take it as an opportunity to use some you've saved as leftovers Nutritional values (per 100g): Calories: 75, Protein: 3g , Carbs: 9g , Fat: 3g Ingredients: 250g Nanna Tate Super Scrumptious Mash (or homemade / leftover mash) 75g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 eggs 125ml milk 1 tbsp chopped chives 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional) 1 tsp sunflower oil Knob of butter Salt & black pepper Optional: Serve with Smoked salmon, pickled red onion and creme fraiche 100g smoked salmon 200ml creme fraiche 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced 50ml cider vinegar 50g sugar 1 tsp coriander seeds 100ml water 20g dill, finely chopped Method: 1. To make the pickled red onion, gently warm the vinegar, sugar, coriander seeds and water together for 10 minutes on a low heat. Add the sliced red onion and let it steep for minimum of 30 minutes. Strain the red onions before serving. 2. Cook the Super Scrumptious Mash according to the pack instructions (or make 250g of your own mash) and allow to cool. 3. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the mash. Whisk the eggs and milk together and add to the potato mix with the chives and pinch of chilli flakes if required. 4. Whisk the batter until smooth. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat with a dot of butter and the oil. 5. When the fat is hot begin to cook the pancakes in batches. Add 1 tbsp of the mixture for each pancake. 6. Cook until golden usually around a minute or so, and flip to cook the other side. To make the creme fraiche dressing, combine the creme fraiche and chopped dill, season with salt and black pepper. 7. Serve the pancakes topped with the smoked salmon, pickled red onions and creme fraiche dressing. Advertisement Super Green Pancakes by The Groovy Food Company Makes 4 Super Green Pancakes by The Groovy Food Company Ingredients: 1 ripe avocado 350g cherry tomatoes 100g baby spinach 3 spring onions a bunch of fresh coriander (15g) 1 lime 3 Sprays of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray 1 large egg 1 mug of self-raising flour 1 mug of semi-skimmed milk 300g cottage cheese hot chilli sauce Method: 1. Halve, destone, peel and finely slice the avocado and quarter the tomatoes, then place in a salad bowl with a quarter of the spinach. 2. Trim, finely slice and add the spring onions and pick in the coriander leaves, then squeeze over the lime juice. 3. Add 1 spray of The Groovy Food Company Extra Olive Oil Cooking Spray, season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper, toss to coat and put aside. 4. Crack the egg into a blender, add the flour, milk, remaining spinach and a pinch of salt and pepper, then blitz until smooth. 5. Place a large non stick frying pan on a medium heat, Add the remaining 2 sprays of The Groovy Food Company Extra Olive Oil Cooking Spray, then pour in a thin layer of batter, swirling it up and around the edges. Cook on one side only for 2 minutes, or until lightly golden, then stack up on a serving plate and repeat. 6. Top each pancake with dollops of cottage cheese, the avocado salad, and a few good shakes of chilli sauce. Really nice served with extra lime wedges for squeezing over, and a fried egg on top, if you fancy. Advertisement Raymond's Pancakes With Homemade Chocolate Sauce Raymond's Pancakes With Homemade Chocolate Sauce INGREDIENTS 100g plain flour 2 Eggs, medium 1 pinch sea salt 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper 200ml whole milk 50g unsalted butter Vegetable oil for cooking the pancakes For the chocolate sauce 2 tbsp (30ml) Whole milk 6 tbsp (90ml) whipping cream 80g Dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), chopped To finish (optional) 1 tbsp Icing sugar (or casting sugar) for dusting 1 lemon, cut into wedges for squeezing over the pancakes METHOD Step 1 For the chocolate sauce: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to the boil, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate. Continue to stir until melted and smooth. Serve in a jug alongside your pancakes. (If the sauce begins to solidify before serving, briefly microwave it). Step 2 For the pancakes: Place a cloth under a large mixing bowel to make it more stable. Add the flour, make a well and crack in the two eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs, gradually incorporating the flour. Thin down with a little milk. This will ensure a smooth batter. Pour in the rest of the milk, little by little, whisking continuously. Step 3 Now heat the butter in a small pan and when it foams pour it into the pancake batter, whisking it all the time. (The butter will give flavour and stop the pancakes from sticking). Keep the batter to one side. Have a spatula ready, as well as a tray on which to place the pancakes once cooked. Step 4 Heat a frying pan (16-18cm diameter), on a medium heat. Add about a teaspoon of oil to the pan and swirl it around. Before you begin to cook, please bear in mind that the oil must be hot enough to sear and cook the pancakes - too hot and they will burn; not hot enough and theyll be beige. Step 5 Add just enough pancake batter to the hot pan so that when swirled the batter covers the surface. Cook for 15-20 seconds. Slide the spatula underneath and flip the pancake. Cook for a further 15-20 seconds. Repeat until all the batter is used. Try to make them as thin as possible. The right thickness will give you 12 -14 pancakes. To serve: Serve still warm with a dusting of icing sugar and my homemade chocolate sauce, or simply with a sprinkling of caster sugar and lemon juice. Raymond Blanc is Chef Patron of 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants Advertisement Lyle's Golden Syrup Fluffy American Pancakes For traditionalists, Golden Syrup is a great goto INGRIDIENTS 300g Self raising flour 1 tsp Baking-powder 1 tsp Fairtrade Golden Caster 300ml of full fat milk 2 Medium eggs 1 tbsp Lyle's-golden-syrup METHOD Step 1 Mix the flour and baking powder, then beat the eggs, Lyle's Golden Syrup and butter until smooth, and whisk in the milk. Make a well in the flour and gradually add the egg mixture, stirring all the time to make a lovely thick, smooth batter. Step 2 Heat a large non-stick frying pan, and brush with oil. Add a full tablespoon of batter, then repeat twice, leaving a little space for the pancake to spread. Step 3 Cook over a low heat for 2-3 minutes until small bubbles appear on the surface. Turn and cook on the other side until golden. Keep warm and cook the rest of your pancakes in the same way. Step 4 Serve with extra Lyle's Golden Syrup and your favourite additional toppings. Advertisement JAZZ Apple Crepe Cake with Meringue Serves 10 JAZZ Apple Crepe Cake with Meringue Ingredients: 3 eggs 250ml (1 cup) milk 160ml ( cup) soda water 185g (1 cups) plain flour tsp fine salt 1 tsp natural vanilla extract 430g (1 cups) caster sugar cooking oil spray, for frying 9 apples (1 kg) 120g unsalted butter (1 cup) water 4 egg whites tsp cream of tartar Method: 1. Combine the eggs, milk, soda water, flour, salt, vanilla and 30g (2 Tbsp) caster sugar in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover with cling film, then set aside for 1 hour. Strain through a fine sieve. 2. Set a large non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat and sprinkle with cooking oil spray. Add a small ladle of the batter at a time, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan evenly, then cook gently for 2 minutes each side, then set aside to cool. The batter will make 12 crepes. 3. Put the apples, butter and 110g ( cup) sugar in a large saucepan and cook over a moderate heat for 10 minutes. Add 125ml ( cup) water, then simmer for 30 minutes, until well-softened, then mash roughly with a fork. 4. Pour the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Cook the remaining sugar and water in a saucepan over a high heat, brushing down the sides regularly with a damp brush, until the syrup reaches 119C. At this point a drop of the syrup will form a hard ball if placed in a glass of cold water. 5. When the syrup is nearly ready begin beating the egg whites they will need to be at soft peaks with the syrup is hot. With the motor running, add the syrup in a steady stream and beat until cold. 6. Place a crepe on a large plate then top with some of the apple mixture. Repeat until all the crepes and apple mixture are used up, finishing with a crepe. Pipe the meringue on top, then scorch lightly under a hot grill or with a kitchen blowtorch. Advertisement Jazz Apple Fluffy Pancake With Cinnamon Sugar Jazz apple fluffy pancake with powdered cinnamon sugar, maple syrup and cream Ingredients: 1 large jazz apple (diced into small pieces) 1 large egg 1 large cup of all-purpose flour (sieved) 2tsp of baking powder pinch of salt 2tbsp of sugar 1tbsp of icing sugar 1tbsp of light brown sugar 2tbsp of unsalted melted butter 1tsp of vanilla extract 2 tsp of cinnamon powder 1 glass of milk Maple syrup Cooking oil Method: 1. In a bowl add your flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and 1tsp of cinnamon then stir until all dried ingredients are combined. 2. In a separate bowl add your egg, milk, vanilla, and melted butter and stir until combined well (make sure butter is a little cool so it doesn't cook the egg). 3. Once done add your wet ingredients into your dried pancake mixture until you get a nice smooth runny mixture then leave to a side. 4. In a pan add your jazz apples and a small knob of butter and cook until slightly soften. Then add your brown sugar and cook a little more until the sugar has caramelised. Then set to a side. 5. In a separate pan cook your pancakes in some oil until fluffy and golden brown. Once done stack a few on a plate generously scatter your caramelised jazz apples over the pancakes, dust over some cinnamon icing sugar add a dollop of fresh cream and finish off with a drizzle of maple syrup. Serve and enjoy while still hot. Advertisement Pesto and Halloumi Pancakes From Trewithen Dairy Serves 1 Pesto and Halloumi Pancakes From Trewithen Dairy. Recipe created by Emilyontoast Ingredients: 80g self raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 eggs 100ml milk 75g halloumi, cut into small cubes 2 tbsp pesto Pickled red onions, to serve (optional) Method: 1. In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, 1 of the eggs, the milk, halloumi and pesto. Season with salt and beat until you've got a smooth batter. 2. Heat a frying pan with a little oil over a medium heat and spoon in some of the pancake mix. Depending how big your pan is, you should be able to do 2-3 at once. 3. Fry for a couple of minutes before flipping over and repeating on the other side. 4. In a separate pan, fry the other egg in a little oil. 5. Stack the pancakes up and top with the fried egg and some pickled red onions. Dig in. Advertisement Matcha Pancakes by The Groovy Food Company Makes 4 Matcha Pancakes by The Groovy Food Company Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp granulated sugar 1 Tbsp matcha powder 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup milk 1 large egg 2 tsp of The Groovy Food Company Light Agave Method: 1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, matcha, baking powder, and salt. Add in The Groovy Food Company Light Agave Nectar, milk and egg. Mix until smooth. 2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Scoop 1/3 cup of the batter for each pancake. Flip when the bubbles are covering the surface. Cook the other side until it is golden. 3. Top with yogurt, berries and drizzle with more The Groovy Food Company Light Agave Nectar to taste. Enjoy. Advertisement Chickpea and Turmeric Pancakes with Crushed Peas, Roast Butternut Squash and Tahini Dressing by Yes Peas! Serves 2 Chickpea and Turmeric Pancakes with Crushed Peas, Roast Butternut Squash and Tahini Dressing by Yes Peas! Ingredients: For the pancakes: 100g chickpea (gram) flour 100g frozen peas, defrosted 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp turmeric tsp sea salt flakes & freshly ground black pepper Vegetable oil, for frying For the dressing: 300g Greek yoghurt 1 tbsp tahini 4 heaped tbsp chopped fresh mint and coriander 1 garlic clove, crushed Zest and juice of 1 lime For the squash and pea filling: butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp garam masala tsp chilli flakes 250g frozen peas, cooked Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. 2. To make the pancakes, put the flour, peas, oil, turmeric, salt and pepper into a bowl and whisk together. Add 150ml of cold water and whisk to make a smooth batter. Set aside for one hour. 3. Combine all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl, adding a little water to thin down and cover with cling film and put in the fridge to chill. 4. Spread the chopped squash and onion in a single layer in a baking tray. Drizzle over the oil, then sprinkle the cumin seeds, garam masala and chilli flakes over the squash and onion, seasoning with salt and a little pepper. 5. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning the vegetables half way through until golden and tender. Take out of the oven and mix in the peas. Keep warm. 6. To cook the pancakes, heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and add a little of the vegetable oil. Turn the heat down to a medium heat and pour a quarter of the batter into the pan, swirling the pan so that the batter covers the base. Cook until the pancake sets, this should take around a minute, toss the pancake and cook for about 10 seconds longer. 7. Transfer to a plate and keep warm by covering loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining batter until you have 4 pancakes. 8. To serve, divide the roasted squash and red onion mixture between the pancakes and spoon over some dressing. Lightly fold the pancakes over and serve immediately. Advertisement California Walnut Pancakes with Grilled Bananas by Gemtakesfoodpics California Walnut Pancakes with Grilled Bananas by Gemtakesfoodpics Ingredients: 1 large egg 250g self raising flour 1 tbsp icing sugar tbsp cinnamon 1 tsp baking powder 1 pinch nutmeg 355 ml milk 3 tbsp butter melted 1 tsp vanilla 60g California Walnuts chopped finely Butter for greasing pan 2 bananas sliced 1cm thick Maple syrup to serve Instructions: 1. Separate egg white and yolk (save yolk). Whisk egg white in a clean bowl until fluffy and shiny. 2. Add all dry ingredients (except walnuts) into a separate large bowl. 3. Add all wet ingredients including the yolk but not the egg whites. Mix together gently. 4. Fold in egg whites with a wooden spoon or spatula. 5. Heat 1 tsp butter in the frying pan and spread to cover the entire base of the pan. 6. Spoon 1 scoop of the batter into the pan and place a 2nd scoop directly into the middle of the first. 7. Sprinkle a tbsp of the chopped walnuts onto the pancake and cover with the pancake batter gently. 8. After a few minutes, bubbles will form throughout the pancake and the bottom will be golden, flip! 9. Cook for a few more minutes until fluffy. Once pancakes are done (or in a separate pan), place 1 tsp butter for greasing. 10. Place banana slices flat into the pan and fry until golden and soft (a minute or two) and then flip for the other side. 11. Serve your pancakes up with grilled bananas on top and a drizzling of maple syrup. Nutrition Information: Serving: 1g | Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9.3g | Fibre: 4.5g | Sugar: 17g Advertisement Chocolate orange pancakes by Sweet Freedom Serves: 6 little pancakes Chocolate orange pancakes by Sweet Freedom Ingredients: 125g oat flour 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 150ml plant based milk 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 tablespoons CHOC SHOT Orange pinch of salt 1 tablespoon oil to cook with Optional toppings: extra CHOC SHOT Orange, orange pieces/dried oranges, banana discs, berries, quinoa puffs Method: 1. Blend or whisk the pancake ingredients. 2. Heat a little oil in a pan. 3. Pour batter into the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side. 4. Repeat until all the batter has been used. 5. Go wild with your toppings and a generous drizzle of CHOC SHOT Orange! Advertisement Fluffy Pancakes With Mango Sauce by Sweet Freedom Serves: 2 Fluffy Pancakes With Mango Sauce by Sweet Freedom Ingredients: 1 packet mango puree (for the mango sauce) 3 tbsps fruit syrup (for the mango sauce) 3 tsps corn flour (for the mango sauce) 1/3 cup water (for the mango sauce) 150g oat flour 75g self raising flour 2 mashed bananas 2 heaped tsps baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt enough plant-based milk to make a good batter! Method: 1. Mix together all the pancake ingredients and leave to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 2. Defrost the mango puree packet by placing it in a bowl filled with warm water for a few minutes. 3. Pour the puree to a saucepan, add fruit syrup, combine over a medium heat. 4. Dissolve corn flour in water, make sure there are no lumps. Add it to the saucepan. 5. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. 6. Remove from the stove. 7. Heat a frying pan on medium-high and dollop on spoonfuls of the batter forming small circles as you go. 8. Cook on one side until the edges start to firm up and then give them a flip for another couple of minutes. 9. Repeat the process until you've used up all the batter. 10. Stack pancakes on a plate and pour over the mango sauce. Add any fresh fruit or yogurt you wish! Advertisement Jazz Apple Pie Pancakes a La Mode (vegan) Makes six to eight pancakes Jazz Apple Pie Pancakes a La Mode (vegan) Jazz Apple Pie Filling: 5 Jazz apples, peeled, cored, and diced 75g light brown sugar 1 tbsp lemon juice. 1 tbsp vegan butter 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp allspice Pinch of cloves (optional) 240ml water Cornstarch slurry (1/2 tbsp cornflour + 1/2 tbsp water) Method: To a large, non-stick pan, add the apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, vegan butter, spices, and water. Stir together and simmer over medium heat until the apples are softened and starting to caramelise (about 10-15 minutes), then mix together the cornflour and water and add the slurry to the apples. Stir well until the liquid starts to thicken, adding a little extra water if needed to keep the mixture a bit saucy, then remove from the heat and set aside while making the pancake batter. For the Pancakes: 240ml unsweetened soy milk 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp vanilla extract 200g plain flour 30g light brown sugar 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying To serve: Vegan vanilla ice cream Maple syrup Method: 1. Mix the soy milk and vinegar together in a bowl and set aside for 10 minutes to curdle into vegan buttermilk. Once curdled, stir in the vanilla extract. 2. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and stir together. Slowly pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, whisking until it becomes a smooth batter. 3. Heat a non-stick pan on medium to medium low and add the vegetable oil to start. Add a large spoonful of batter, then a small spoonful of apple pie filling to the centre of the batter. Flatten it with the spoon so it will be easier to cover with the rest of the batter, then add another spoonful of batter on top of the apples, gently spreading it to cover the apples as much as possible. 4. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until bubbles start forming and the bottom is golden brown. (The pan will hold heat and may start cooking the pancakes more quickly, so you may need to reduce the heat a little as you go.) 5. Serve the pancakes topped with more apple pie filling, a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream, and an extra drizzle of maple syrup. Advertisement Mini Mighty Pancakes by Sweet Freedom Serves: 1-2 Mini Mighty Pancakes by Sweet Freedom Ingredients: 180g flour (wholewheat, plain or gluten free) 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda 2 tbsp Sweet Freedom FRUIT SYRUP 240ml plant based milk 2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice Berries for topping Method: 1. Start by combining the milk and vinegar. Set aside for 10 mins. 2. Mix together the dry ingredients and then stir in the milk mixture and FRUIT SYRUP. 3. Heat a non-stick pan and lightly grease. 4. Pour the pancake mixture into a piping bag and pipe small pancakes onto the pan. 5. Cook for about 30 seconds on one side, or until bubbles start to form, and then flip and cook the other side. 6. Serve with berries and a generous drizzle of FRUIT SYRUP. Advertisement Matcha, White Chocolate, Raspberry and Pistachio Layered Crepe Cake by Ocado.com Serves: 10 Patricia Trijbits founder of Where the Pancakes Are restaurants has created this pretty pastel Matcha, White Chocolate, Raspberry and Pistachio Layered Crepe Cake Ingredients: 25 tbsp unsalted butter , plus extra for for frying 600ml double cream , 150 for toppings 2 tsp matcha green tea powder, or berry/ acai powder (optional) 150g white chocolate, finely chopped 1 tbsp runny honey 100g raspberries 25g roasted pistachios, roughly chopped Method: 1. Wipe a 20cm frying pan with butter or oil using kitchen towel and place on a medium-high heat. Pour in 60ml of the batter mix, tilting the pan to create a thin layer. Cook for 1-2 mins, and when the underside is golden brown, flip the pancake over and cook for another 1-2 mins. Repeat to use up all the batter, then keep the pancakes in the fridge until you need them. The mix should make 12-15 pancakes. 2. To make the ganache, heat 300ml of the cream and the 25g butter in a small pan set over a medium heat, until hot. 3. If you're using one of the matcha or berry powders, put the powder into a mixing bowl, add 1 tbsp of the hot cream and stir until you have a thick paste. Add the chocolate to the bowl, then pour over the remaining hot cream and add the honey. Leave to stand for 1 min, then stir gently until the chocolate has melted. Or, if you're not using matcha or berry powder, simply put the chocolate into a mixing bowl, add the hot cream and the honey, and stir to combine until silky smooth. 4. Allow the ganache to cool a little, then chill in the fridge for 4-5 hrs (or overnight) until very thick and beginning to set. Remove from the fridge, add 150ml of double cream and use a balloon whisk to beat the mixture by hand until it's thick and can hold its own shape. 5. To assemble the cake, place a pancake onto a serving plate or cake stand, then use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread over 1-2 tbsp of the ganache. Repeat to use all the pancakes, then chill for 15 mins to firm up. Meanwhile, to make your topping, whip the remaining 150ml of double cream to soft peaks. 6. Remove the cake from the fridge, spoon the whipped cream onto the top, then decorate with the raspberries and scatter over the pistachios. Cut into wedges and serve, or cover and chill for a few hours until serving. Advertisement Buckwheat Pancake Cannelloni by Ocado.com Serves 4 A twist on Italian cannelloni swaps out pasta tubes for thin, rolled up pancakes stuffed with a creamy, cheesy mix of spinach, lemon and thyme Ingredients: 6 eggs 300g buckwheat flour 1 tsp salt 400ml whole milk 800g spinach, washed 400g creme fraiche 1 lemon, zested 1 small handful thyme springs 200g gruyere, beaufort or cheddar 1 pinch nutmeg, grated 100g butter Method: 1. Beat together 3 of the eggs. Place the flour and salt in a bowl and stir in the eggs. Mix the milk with 200ml water and slowly drizzle into the flour, beating until you have a batter the consistency of single cream. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for at least 1 hr. 2. Meanwhile, make the filling. Put the spinach in a large pan(you will probably have to do half at a time), cover with a lid and place over a medium-high heat for about 5 mins, stirring a few times, until the spinach has collapsed and wilted down. Drain the spinach in a sieve, pushing with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out every last drop of liquid that you can. Put the spinach on a board, roughly chop and then transfer to a bowl. 3. Whisk the creme fraiche with the remaining 3 eggs, lemon zest, thyme and two-thirds of the cheese. Season with salt, pepper and a generous grating of nutmeg. Mix half of this through the spinach and set aside. 4. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Melt half the butter and stir into the batter. Melt 1tsp of the remaining butter in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium-low heat and, when hot, add one-eighth of the batter. Swirl it around the pan so that it is evenly coated, then allow to cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 mins. Toss the pancake and cook for 1-2 mins on the other side. Continue with the remaining batter to make a stack of pancakes, laying baking parchment between each. 5. Spread a couple of spoonfuls of the creme fraiche mix over the base of a small oven dish. Spread one-eighth of the spinach mix along one edge of each pancake, then roll up and place in the oven dish, seam down. Once you have rolled all the pancakes, spoon over the remaining creme fraiche mix, sprinkle over the rest of the cheese and bake for 15-20 mins until golden on top. Leave to cool for a moment before serving with a green salad Advertisement Mushroom and Pancetta Pancakes Stack with Fried Egg by European Mushrooms Serves 4 Mushroom and Pancetta Pancakes Stack with Fried Egg by European Mushrooms Ingredients: For pancakes: 80g closed-cup mushrooms, roughly chopped 150g plain flour 150ml milk 2 eggs Pinch of salt 1 tsp baking powder To serve: 40g pancetta cubes 1 courgette, spiralised 1 lemon, juice and zest 1 tbsp chilli flakes 1 garlic clove, very finely sliced Handful of hazelnuts toasted Handful of parsley Method: 1. Heat a saute pan with a little oil. Fry the pancetta with the garlic until both are crisp and golden. Add the courgette spirals, lemon juice and zest and set aside. 2. Make up the pancake batter by whisking together the mushrooms, flour, milk, egg, salt and baking powder. 3. Heat up a non-stick pan with a little butter. Pour in a ladleful of the mixture into the pan to create a 10cm wide pancake. Fit as many as you can in the pan. Cook gently on a low heat until bubbles form on the surface and the underside is golden. Flip until golden on the other side. Repeat until you finish the batter (about 8). 4. Top the pancakes with the pancetta and courgette mix, sprinkle with chilli flakes, hazelnuts and parsley. Serve immediately or stack them up for more pancakes and top with a fried egg Advertisement Jazz Apple Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe Jazz Apple Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Ingredients: 2 JAZZ apples 30g butter, melted (plus extra for greasing) 4 free range eggs 3 tbsp caster sugar (divided) 1 tsp vanilla extract A pinch salt 60g plain flour 30ml milk tsp baking powder tsp grated nutmeg tsp cinnamon Icing sugar, to taste Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200 fan/gas 7. 2. Melt the butter and whisk with the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, 1 tbsp caster sugar and a pinch of salt. 3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and grated nutmeg. Make a well in the centre and gradually pour in the wet ingredients, trying to whisk as constantly as possible while pouring. 4. Mix until the batter is smooth, then set aside for 30 minutes. 5. While the batter is sitting, mix 2 tbsp caster sugar with tsp ground cinnamon. Then core and cut the apples into roughly 8 slices. 6. Just before the batter is ready, heat a generous knob of butter in a cast iron skillet or an oven-proof pan and brush the melted butter up the sides of the pan. Dust with a little cinnamon sugar, then add the apples to the pan. Sprinkle a little more cinnamon sugar over the apples, then once the mixture is bubbling add the batter to the pan and push the apples towards the centre. 7. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, or until the apples are cooked and the batter is browned. 8. Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes and sprinkle with a dusting of icing sugar before eating. Advertisement Sweet potato pancakes with halloumi & chilli jam by Waitrose Preparation time: 15 minutes + cooling Cooking time: 20 minutes Total time: 35 minutes + cooling Serves: 4 For a spicy alternative, try these halloumi and chilli pancakes Ingredients 400g sweet potatoes, scrubbed and diced 2 British Blacktail Medium Free Range Eggs, separated tsp ground cinnamon 2 tbsp Tracklements Fresh Chilli Jam 250g pack essential Halloumi 2-3 tbsp mild olive oil 40g watercress, large stalks removed Method 1. Cook the sweet potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted water until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain thoroughly, return to the pan and mash until smooth. Turn into a bowl and leave to cool slightly. 2. Beat the egg yolks and cinnamon into the mash. Whisk the egg whites in a thoroughly clean bowl until peaking. Stir a third into the mash to lighten it. Add the remainder and fold in using a large metal spoon. Combine the chilli jam in a small bowl with 2 tbsp water. Pat the halloumi dry on kitchen paper then cut into 8 slices. 3. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan. Add 4 large spoonfuls of the sweet potato mixture (about half) and flatten down slightly. Fry for about 2 minutes until firm enough on the undersides to be able to turn them with a fish slice. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes until just firm. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Cook the remainder to make a total of 8 pancakes, adding a dash more oil to the pan if necessary. 4. Once the pancakes are cooked, add a little more oil to the pan and cook the halloumi for 1-2 minutes on each side until crisp and golden. 5. Place the pancakes on warmed serving plates and pile the halloumi on top. Place a handful of watercress over each and serve drizzled with the chilli jam. Advertisement Japanese Atsuyaki Thick & Fluffy Pancakes by the Japan Centre If you really want to impress, try making the Japanese Atsuyaki Thick & Fluffy Pancakes by the Japan Centre INGRIDIENTS 450g Japanese pancake mix 3 eggs 150ml milk 150g plain yoghurt 30g melted butter Suggested Toppings: butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream You will also need: A circular metal mould open on both ends, about 10cm in diameter, and 5cm in height METHOD 1. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, yogurt, and melted butter. Mix with a hand mixer until frothy and completely combined. 2. Add the pancake mix to the mixture and mix until combined. Be careful not to over mix or the pancakes may become tough. 3. Prepare some parchment paper. Using the mould as a guide, cut out 6 circles of parchment paper. Lightly butter one side of each circle. 4. Preheat a frying pan on medium heat. Place one of the parchment circles in the centre, and then place the mould on top. 5. Add the pancake mix until the mould is about two thirds full. 6. Place a lid on the frying pan and reduce the heat to medium low heat. Allow the pancake to cook for about 10 mins, until small bubbles start to form across the entire surface of the pancake. Remove the lid and lift the mould and parchment to check for colour and cook more if needed until golden brown. 7. When the first side is finished, place a circle of parchment on top of the mould. Then using the lid or a small plate, flip the pancake onto it and place the uncooked side onto the frying pan. Remove the parchment on top from the cooked side. Cook for a further 5 mins until done. Test for doneness with a toothpick or small knife and if it comes out clean it is finished. 8. Remove from the frying pan and repeat the cooking process 2 more times to make a total of 3 pancakes. Advertisement Funfetti Rainbow Pancakes by Aldi Sure to be a hit with kids and grown-ups, this Instagram friendly stack will go down a treat INGRIDIENTS For the pancakes 200g Self Raising Flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 15g Caster Sugar 250ml Semi Skimmed Milk 3 Medium Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Essence 5ml each Red, Green, Blue and Yellow Food Colouring 20g Sprinkles Sunflower Oil For the sauce 1 25g Icing Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Essence 125ml Evaporated Milk Extra Sprinkles METHOD 1. To make the batter, mix the eggs, milk, and vanilla essence together in a bowl. 2. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and sugar. Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the milk mixture gradually, mixing into the flour until you have a smooth batter. Divide the mixture into 4 and colour each one with a different food colour. Add 5g of sprinkles to each and mix. 3. Grease a non-stick frying pan with some oil and put a teaspoon full of each coloured batter in and swirl to make a round pancake. Cook for a minute or so until set, then flip and cook the other side. Do this with the remaining pancakes until all the batter has been used up keep the cooked ones warm while you make the sauce. 4. Sieve the icing sugar and add the evaporated milk and vanilla essence and whisk until you have a smooth sauce. 5. Serve the pancakes stacked and drizzled with the sauce and sprinkled with extra sprinkles Advertisement Tequila Rose-infused Pink Pancakes Instagrammer Ginger Natalie has shared her pink pancake recipe - which is topped with Tequila Rose, marshmallows, whipped cream and berries Ingredients: Tequila Rose Pink food colouring 135g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder tsp salt 2 tbsp caster sugar 130ml milk 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 tbsp melted butter (allowed to cool slightly) or olive oil, plus extra for cooking Marshmallows, strawberries and whipped cream to decorate Method: Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the milk and egg, then whisk in the melted butter. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and beat with a fork until you have a smooth batter - let it stand for a few minutes. Add a drop of pink food colouring and mix, add more if needed until desired shade of pink Heat a non-stick frying pans over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. When melted, add a ladle of batter. Wait until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, then turn it over and cook until both sides are golden brown and the pancake has risen to about 1 cm thick Stack the pancakes then decorate with whipped cream, strawberries, marshmallows and drizzle over Tequila Rose Advertisement Heather appeared on the latest episode of Channel 4's 24 Hours In A&E A stroke survivor who faced a frightening ordeal in the latest episode of 24 Hours In A&E has revealed she 'doesn't remember anything'. Heather, 65, was rushed to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham on the Channel 4 show after being found collapsed in the park. She had woken up that day perfectly well, but fell out of her car on the way to walk her dog in Arnot Hill Park, and was thought to have hit her head. Having suffered three heart attacks in the past, her son Andrew, a nurse at the hospital, was understandably concerned, even saying, 'there's a real possibility mum's not going to survive this'. He said the side of Heather's face had been drooping when he found her and, together, with her slurred speech, doctors assumed she was suffering a stroke. Eventually, after two CT scans, they found a blood clot on her brain, eventually having emergency thrombectomy surgery. She was seen being rushed into the operating theatre, with Andrew left wondering if it would be the 'last time' he would ever see her. But right at the end of the programme, Heather spoke directly to the camera for the first time to discuss her amazing recovery, admitting she had no memories of the ordeal. Heather, 65, was rushed to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham on the Channel 4 show after being found collapsed in the park She said: 'I don't remember anything at all about the stroke, going into hospital, being in hospital or anything. 'My recovery process for me, I think it's been really slow, but for the stroke team, they keep coming in and going "oh my gosh, you're doing so well!"' Speaking of her son, she added: 'I burst with pride with Andrew. He is my greatest achievement, and I don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for him.' Heather was also seen in cheery spirits, once more walking her dog alongside Andrew following her six-day hospital stay and successful surgery. The programme showed the close bond between the mother and son. Andrew described how Heather was 'such a character' and would 'always put people first'. Heather had joined the army when she left school and was posted abroad to Cyprus before moving to Doncaster and settling down. But when Andrew was a teenager, her health began to decline - having an initial heat attack while he was staying with his dad, and another one due to her stressful work as a medical rep. But right at the end of the programme, Heather (pictured) spoke directly to the camera for the first time to discuss her amazing recovery, admitting she had no memories of the ordeal Heather (pictured being rushed to hospital) had woken up that day perfectly well, but fell out of her car on the way to walk her dog in Arnot Hill Park, and was thought to have hit her head Andrew recalled how he had been told he'd be lucky if she was able to live for another five years. During the programme, Heather was rushed into the A&E department with a suspected stroke. An initial CT scan showed no results, but she soon began to worsen and became increasingly incoherent. Andrew said: 'I was very scared, you do feel quite helpless. There was a real possibility that mum's not going to survive this.' According to the Stroke Association, many people have problems with their memory after a stroke, especially in the first weeks and months. This can affect both long and short term memory, and people may find themselves forgetting a recent conversation, but recalling an event from decades ago. Common symptoms of a stroke include sudden weakness or numbness in areas of the body. Those affected may feel confused or have trouble speaking, as Heather did on the programme. Eventually, after two CT scans, they found a blood clot on her brain, eventually having emergency thrombectomy surgery. Heather (pictured) was seen being rushed into the operating theatre, with Andrew left wondering if it would be the 'last time' he would ever see her Heather was also seen in cheery spirits, once more walking her dog alongside Andrew following her six-day hospital stay and successful surgery Common risk factors may include age, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Elsewhere, the episode heard from domestic cleaner Deanna, a long-serving member of the A&E team, who shared her struggles in early life. She told how she had overcome an 11-year addiction, which began when she met a partner who had 'gone the wrong way' in life. The fly on the wall series documents a snapshot of time in one of the busiest major trauma centres in Europe The programme moved to Nottingham in 2021 after 10 years in London. 24 Hours In A&E is available to watch on Channel 4 now. Texas refugee service sues White House over immigrant resettlement funding Xinhua) 11:08, March 04, 2025 HOUSTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A refugee service in the U.S. state of Texas filed a lawsuit on Monday against the Trump administration, accusing the White House of "unlawfully" freezing more than 36 million U.S. dollars meant to help about 100,000 authorized immigrants in the state. Catholic Charities Fort Worth (CCFW), the parent organization for the Texas Office for Refugees, alleged that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. block funds to provide help to "those fleeing persecution in their home countries," according to a CCFW news release. The aid group said that reimbursements to the agency have not resumed since the Trump administration rescinded a memo freezing all federal grant payments in late January. "[M]any entities have received their federal funding in the weeks since the attempted funding freeze," the complaint reads. "CCFW has not been able to draw down any funds -- and has not received any indication why its funds remain frozen." Catholic Charities has asked 14 times for funding and gotten no reply, the lawsuit states. The funding covers the cost of services like workforce development, cash assistance, case management, and English classes for approximately 100,000 authorized immigrants across the state, according to the CCFW, which launched the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. Monday's lawsuit suggests that the lack of payments has led to staff furloughs or layoffs at 24 of the 29 organizations in Texas that receive federal reimbursements for providing refugee support services, said a report from the Austin American-Statesman. The U.S. government accepts refugees from the United Nations and non-governmental organizations after meticulous vetting, said the report, noting that Texas received just under 11,000 refugees in 2024, with most coming from Afghanistan, Venezuela or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Catholic Charities lawsuit is the latest in a growing list of court actions against the Trump administration. Last month, the U.S. Conference of Bishops sued the Trump administration over similar issues. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) A former school staff in Minnesota's Twin Cities area is being accused of using artificial intelligence technology to create child sexual abuse materials of kids who were under his care. The suspect, identified as William Michael Haslach, was charged with five counts each of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography and one count of production of an obscene visual representation of child sexual abuse, as revealed by a United States Attorney's Office federal indictment. Officials said that Haslach was previously employed as a traffic guard and lunch monitor at the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District. He was working at the school district from August 2021 to January 2025 Creating Child Sexual Abuse Materials Additionally, the suspect served as a paraprofessional and a youth summer programs assistant for Stillwater Area Public Schools from 2021 through 2024. Court documents revealed that the man took advantage of his closeness with the children to take non-explicit photographs of them, according to CBS News. However, he then used those innocent images and turned them into ones that featured sexually explicit conduct with the use of AI. The charges against Haslach also noted that he possessed sexual abuse materials of other kids. Read more: Tempe Mother Who Killed Children in 2021 Using Meat Cleaver As Revenge to Husband Gets Guilty Verdict The suspect made his first court appearance on Wednesday, where he was ordered by a judge to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing scheduled for next Monday. Investigators believe that Haslach has other victims on top of the ones they currently know about. Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick said that prosecuting the predators who walk amongst innocent people will always be a top priority in the District of Minnesota. She said, "My thoughts are with the many Minnesota parents who will be horrified to learn how Haslach used AI advances to victimize schoolchildren in his care," KSTP reported. Coordination Between Agencies Special Agent in Charge Matthew Cybert of the U.S. Secret Service - Minneapolis Field Office said that every child is entitled to a secure and safe upbringing. He noted that Haslach's case highlights the powerful collaboration among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in safeguarding them. On top of the charges against Haslach, investigators are still trying to determine whether or not the suspect distributed the sexually explicit photographs of the children, and if so, to what extent. A Department of Justice (DOJ) website regarding the case noted that there were "strong indications that he did." There is a similar "nudification" issue that the Minnesota Legislature is tackling with a bipartisan bill in the Senate. It proposes imposing fines on individuals who run an app or website that allows others to access "nudification" technology, as per Fox9. UberEats is celebrating making one billion deliveries since launching in 2016 UberEats has revealed its 25 'hottest bites' for 2025 as the delivery platform predicts this year's best takeaways. To celebrate making their one billionth delivery in the UK since launching nine years ago in 2016, UberEats has shed light on this year's growing food trends. The final list includes on-trend meals, from burgers and sushi to desserts and snack items. Taking the crown for the trendiest meal was the Pad Thai from Rosa's Thai - a beloved classic featuring stir-fried noodles with tamarind sauce, eggs and crushed peanuts, with the option to choose between veg and tofu, chicken and king prawns. In second place was the chicken gyro from Going Greek, which has six locations across North London and Essex. The classic gyro is the eatery's most liked item at 9.25, including chicken inside a pita wrap with tomatoes and red onions, parsley, paprika, oregano fries and house sauce, with the option to add halloumi for an extra 2.75. Also making the top five is the Shack Burger from Shack Shack, and the ever-popular chilli chicken ramen from Tonkotsu. Meanwhile the Curry Goat Pon Fries from Natty's Jerk, finished with apple & mango slaw, is also set to be a popular choice this year. UberEats has revealed its 25 'hottest bites' for 2025 as the delivery platform predicts this year's best takeaways. In first place was the Pad Thai from Rosa's (pictured) The Jamaican restaurant, based in Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton, was previously crowned the best takeaway in the UK and Ireland in the UberEats 2024 awards. But it's not just main meals that have made the running this year, as desserts and snacks also featured in the competitive top 25. The list also contains sweet items, such as Subway's 1,344 'world first' footlong cookie and the 'Nutella Crustbonara' from Crust Bros - a decadent take on a classic pizza. UberEats partners with both independent eateries and chains, with more than 70,000 restaurants featuring on the platform. It has recently celebrated a whopping one billion deliveries since its 2016 launch, with the landmark food order consisting of cod and chips with a battered sausage from College Fish Bar in Birmingham. UberEats also revealed that the Half Chicken from Manjaros, 6 Piece Chicken Wings from Wngz from, and Roti Chicken from Roti King were the most popular dishes on the app. During the pandemic in 2020, Uber Eats introduced a new function which allows customers to do their grocery shopping online - a move which has now given way to a new breed of shoppers who scarcely set foot in a supermarket. In the last two years, the number of people doing their food shopping via the app has nearly doubled and this figure has been even higher in certain parts of Europe, reported The Grocer. The final list includes on-trend meals, from burgers and sushi to desserts and snack items The list included popular items from chains and independent eateries alike. Pictured: KFC's Zinger The Pan Fried Pork Soup Dumplings from Dumpling Shack were another tasty addition The list also contains sweet items, such as Subway's 1,344 'world first' footlong cookie and the 'Nutella Crustbonara' from Crust Bros The Chicken Kyiv sandwich from Sandwich Sandwich is sure to delight foodies Uber Eats: 25 Hottest Bites for 2025 Pad Thai From Rosa's Thai Chicken Gyro from Going Greek Shack Burger from Shack Shack Chilli Chicken Ramen from Tonkotsu Curry Goat Pon Fries from Natty's Jerk Double Down Burger from KFC Cadillac from Detroit Pizza The Hogless Roast Burger from Hogless Roast Prawn & Pork Spicy Wonton From Din Tai Fung Sunny Salmon From Poke House DOUBLE SMASHED Burger from Honest Burger Kung Pao Chicken Sando from Coqfighter Barbacoa (Beef) Bowl from Tortilla Chicken Kyiv Sandwich from Sandwich Sandwich BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich from Grandad needs his Medicine Breakfast Bao from Pablo Eggsgobao Footlong Cookie from Subway Carbonara from Pasta Evangelists Cinnamon Social Slice from Ole & Steen Health & Happiness from Itsu Nutella, Crust-bonara from Crust Bros Masala Dosa from Tamila Salt and Chilli Chicken Box from Salt and Chilli Oriental Pan Fried Pork Soup Dumplings from Dumpling Shack Barbecue Box from Low & Slow Barbecue Advertisement Its enduring popularity has largely been credited to Gen Z, who will often order takeaways via the app. Matthew Price Regional General Manager, Uber Eats, UKI & Northern Europe, said: 'Reaching our one billionth delivery in the UK and Ireland is a huge milestone, made possible by the hundreds of thousands of couriers and over 70,000 restaurants we partner withmany of them small businesses. 'In fact, SMEs make up more than half of our restaurant partners across the country, and we're proud to help them grow by connecting them with new and loyal customers every day. 'As we look ahead to the next billion orders, we're excited to continue supporting local businesses, expanding our offerings beyond food delivery, and making sustainable choices more accessible to our restaurant partners and customers alike.' The presenters took a swipe at the Duchess of Sussex, 43, and her show Good Morning Britain poked fun at Meghan Markle today as the former actress debuted her series with Netflix. In her new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex revealed she makes a fruit platter in the shape of a rainbow for her children's breakfast on the weekends. The clip was shared to Instagram yesterday as a sneak peak ahead of the show's debut today - with many people shocked at the simplicity of the hack. Today, Good Morning Britain presenter Richard Arnold poked fun at the former royal as he showed off his own 'rainbow platter' complete with an unpeeled banana, sprinkles of cornflakes and browning apple chunks. After showing a clip of Meghan's documentary to viewers, the camera then cut to Richard laughing as he joked: 'Here's one we made earlier' as he gestured to a chopping board filled with cubed apples, grapes and prunes. 'This is why I never do a cookery show,' he said. 'We've got some grapes here which I've been reliably informed have been washed,' he added. Good Morning Britain poked fun at the mixed fruit 'rainbow platter' which featured in Meghan Markle's new Netflix show on Tuesday (pictured) Good Morning Britain poked fun at the mixed fruit 'rainbow platter' which featured in Meghan Markle's new Netflix show on Tuesday (pictured) He then joked that he doesn't normally have to peel his own bananas and that he hadn't added dried flowers - unlike Meghan. As he showed off his finished plate of fruit complete with sprinkles, he cheekily added 'And there you have it, from Dickie, With Love.' Susanna Reid joked: 'In the old days it used to be called a fruit salad'. Speaking in her with lifestyle show, Meghan revealed she makes platters to 'make the morning more fun'. 'It's a real delight in being able to be a present parent. And it's a luxury sometimes because we all have to work. We all have a lot of stuff to do. 'But when you can take a minute to just... finding the fun in those moments, makes for a really sweet start to the weekend,' added Meghan, before finishing off her colourful display with yogurt and flower sprinkles. 'It doesn't need to be big for a party, it's how you incorporate these practices everyday,' concluded the Duchess. Based on the fruit plate, ITV presenter Richard Arnold decided to make his own, poking fun at the Duchess of Sussex in the process He even included an intro inspired directly by Meghan's own show, with a title that read 'With Love, Dickie' Richard explained that the banana at the centre of the platter was unpeeled because he didn't normally have to peel his own bananas, taking a swipe at Meghan It comes as Meghan has seemingly made a subtle dig at the Royal Family at the end of her the show, saying her 'new chapter' was 'part of that creativity that I've missed so much'. The Duchess of Sussex also spoke about 'healing' something 'broken' after she previously accused royal aides of preventing her from expressing her true self during her time in Britain. This morning, the former actress's lifestyle series 'With Love, Meghan' premiered in a make-or-break moment for the Sussexes and their bumper $100million Netflix deal. She closed the last of eight episodes with a speech to guests including her husband Prince Harry and mother Doria Ragland, saying: 'I just want to raise a glass to you guys. This feels like a new chapter that I'm so excited that I'm able to share and I've been able to learn from all of you. So I just thank you for all the love and support. 'And here we go, there's a business! All of that is part of that creativity that I've missed so much, so thank you for loving me so much and celebrating with me.' Meghan is also seen speaking to Harry about the party she organised for the show: 'It's good, right?' He says: 'Well done. You did a great job.' Meghan adds: 'Thank you.' And Harry then says: 'I love it.' Prince Harry tells his wife Meghan: 'Well done. You did a great job.' in the new Netflix show With Love, Meghan launched on the Netflix at 8am UK time today and midnight in California It comes five years after Meghan and Harry acrimoniously stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family and began a new life in California, which has been followed by a series of barbs about other royals and the struggles they had in the UK. Now, the new series 'With Love, Meghan' has come out, with eight episodes timed at about half an hour each launching at 8am in the UK and midnight in California. Earlier in the final episode, while making salad, Meghan - who returned to the US in 2020 - also says of the final dish: 'It tastes like home, and I've missed California.' In another nod to her troubled time with the Royal Family, in episode five her Suits co-star Abgail Spencer says 'we've all been through a lot' - then glances at Meghan. In episode seven, Meghan also spoke about 'healing' when she discussed Kintsugi, Japanese art of repairing broken pottery, with her millionaire neighbour Vicky Tsai. The Duchess told her: 'You gave me this idea, I think it's so meaningful, that if you break something that is precious and valuable, it's not broken. That that fracture, and you taught me this, that that fracture actually makes it more beautiful, that break makes it more beautiful. 'And I just think that it felt really symbolic of saying to anyone if you've been through something, you're not broken. It can be fixed, it can be sealed and healed at the same time'. Ms Tsai then says: 'Or celebrated because it's what makes you beautiful perfect isn't beautiful. Things that have lived and been dropped and put back together again are more beautiful.' Filmed in the kitchen of a rented 5million mansion near the Sussexes' Montecito villa, the new show promises an intimate 'at home' experience with Meghan. But royal sources say it could be a make-or-break moment for Meghan and husband Prince Harry as they seek to salvage a $100million deal with the streaming giant. Queen Mary of Denmark brought glamour to a dreary day in Finland as she arrived in the European nation with her husband, King Frederik, for a state visit. The royal couple were received by Finland's President Alexander Stubb and first lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb at an official reception in the Presidential Palace in Helsinki this morning. Despite rainy conditions, mother-of-four Mary, 52, looked chic in a weather-appropriate ensemble, namely a chic navy blue coat, a thick plum blouse and blue pointed suede boots. She also donned a plum-coloured hat and matching clutch bag, while her coat featured a striking plum jewelled broach. For the occasion she opted for subtle make-up, wearing only the slightest touch of blush, black eyeliner, mascara and a matte pink lip. Her lustrous brunette locks were coiffed to perfection and styled in loose waves which fell elegantly down her back. She kept her jewellery pared back, opting only for a pair of micro crystalised studs. The Queen and Finland's first lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb stood side by side and appeared to be in high spirits as they engaged in heavy chatter. The powerful women were pictured embracing for a kiss on the cheek, while in another it appeared Suzanne gifted the royal with a stunning bouquet of flowers which she received warmly. Queen Mary of Denmark braved the pouring rain to attend an official visit to Finland with her husband King Frederik The royal couple were received by Finland's President Alexander Stubb and first lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb (left) at an official reception in the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland The mother-of-four, 52, looked chic in a weather-appropriate navy blue coat Various pictures captured the pair smiling happily and often bursting into friendly laughter. The 55-year-old attorney also came prepared for the weather, opting for a stylish beige overcoat and what appeared to be a cream floor length gown. Her accessories such as a pair of cream leather gloves and a matching hat were pointedly similar to that of her royal guest. However her choice of gold coloured-studs, bangle and necklace made for a much bolder statement. King Frederik of Denmark and Finland's President Alexander Stubb were the heroes of the day, saving their ladies from the disastrous wet weather by holding up umbrellas for them during the event. Their down-to-earth husbands each held towering black umbrellas over their heads, providing the women much needed shelter from the rain. The high powered men were pictured in high spirits and were seen waving to the gathering crowd and cameras. The King, 56, looked exceptionally suave in a navy blue coat and trousers, a crisp sky blue shirt and an orange tie. The powerful women were seen embracing for a kiss on the cheek (Pictured: Finland's first lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb and Queen Mary of Denmark) It appears Suzanne gifted the royal with a stunning bouquet of flowers which the Queen received warmly The powerful stood side by side while flanked by a guard at Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland Their down-to-earth husbands each held towering black umbrellas over their heads, providing the women much needed shelter from the rain Meanwhile Finnish president, also 56, impressed in a long wool black coat, a sharp white shirt and a grey pattern tie. Both men completed their looks with a pair of black leather gloves. It appears comfort was the order of the day as all four figures donned winter coats for the occasion. The news comes as Queen Mary dazzled in a glittering pink gown as she and King Frederik hosted a gala dinner to celebrate Danish art and culture last week. The royal oozed glamour as she arrived at Christiansborg Palace in a sequinned dress, which featured silver beading and embellishments of clear crystals in the shape of flowers. Mary added touches of glitz to her already chic ensemble with a jewelled diadem, which she matched with vintage-look earrings and a show stopping diamond ring Various pictures have captured Mary and Suzanne smiling happily and often bursting into friendly laughter Both ladies donned similar outerwear, including thick wool coats King Frederik, 56, looked exceptionally suave in a navy blue coat and trousers, meanwhile Finland's president Alexander Stubb, also 56, impressed in a long wool black coat Queen Mary wore a chic navy blue coat, a thick plum blouse and blue pointed suede boots She wore her brunette locks pushed back from her face with the tiara, and opted for a natural make up style for the evening in Copenhagen. The royal grinned as she arrived alongside her husband, King Frederik, 56, who also dressed up for the occasion in a classic black tuxedo. Also in attendance was Queen Margrethe, who abdicated from the Danish throne last January, handing the throne to her son King Frederik X. Margrethe, 84, joined the gala dinner in a satin, royal blue gown, which featured black lace detailing across the top and sleeves. She too wore a glistening diadem, and opted for a statement silver necklace. It comes on a busy week for Queen Mary, who had presented the Ministry of Education and Research's EliteForsk awards in her native Denmark's capital on Tuesday. Mary joined the Minister for Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund, to host the awards at Copenhagen's Black Diamond - a modern waterfront extension to the Royal Danish Library's old building on Slotsolmen. The awards are aimed at recognising researchers who have made significant contributions to Danish science. King Charles served in the Royal Navy between 1971 and 1976 King Charles appeared in high spirits today as he helicoptered onto the Royal Navys flagship aircraft carrier as it prepares for deployment on the other side of the world. The 76-year-old monarch landed on HMS Prince of Wales in the English Channel, where he told sailors of his heartfelt gratitude for their service ahead of major manoeuvres in the Indo-Pacific. Charles, who was there in his role as Commodore-in-Chief, Aircraft Carriers, looked smart in his uniform as he beamed while greeting Royal Navy personnel during the engagement. Speaking to the crew, Charles said pointedly: This Ship represents a powerful emblem of the skill, ingenuity and strength of the Royal Navy, and of the United Kingdoms enduring dedication to promoting and protecting peace and stability across the world. I can only say that I take immense pride in you - the men and women who bring this vessel to life with such indomitable spirit - for your vital service on behalf of us all. The visit comes as the navy finalises preparations for the 3 billion vessel to go on a global deployment to Japan this spring. Charles was seen touring the 65,000-tonne warship and watched F-35B Lightning jets carrying out landing exercises on the deck This area will be home to fighters, helicopters and drones during the global deployment of the warship. The Royal Family's official X account also posted some snaps of Charles from almost 50 years ago, when he flew in a jet to an aircraft carrier. It stated: 'Almost 50 years ago, in 1977, The King, as Prince of Wales, flew in a Buccaneer jet to HMS Ark Royal from Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton. 'Today, His Majesty recalled the experience whilst aboard HMS Prince of Wales at sea, where he saw F-35B Lightning jets operating from the flight deck.' The monarch, 76, looked smart in his uniform as he beamed while greeting Royal Navy personnel during the engagement King Charles is seen looking into the distance with Royal Navy personnel as they explain the warship The Royal Family 's official X account also posted some snaps of Charles from almost 50 years ago, when he flew in a jet to an aircraft carrier The images, which were printed in black and white, were of Charles when he was around 29 years old and were taken the year he met Princess Diana. The young King, who was then the Prince of Wales, is wearing a helmet and flight gear on the ship as he looks up towards the sky. In a second picture, Charles was snapped chatting to another marine from inside the Buccaneer jet, which had 'HRH Prince of Wales,' printed along the side. At the time, he sat in the rear seat while Commander Tony Morton piloted the aircraft. During his visit on Tuesday afternoon, Charles travelled from Sandringham by Royal Navy Merlin helicopter and was joined by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, the head of the Royal Navy, and chief of the Royal Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton. His mother, Queen Elizabeth, undertook a similar engagement when she was monarch, visiting aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth in 2021. Similar to HMS Prince of Wales, the flagship then deployed on a global mission. The Queen was the last reigning monarch to visit a Royal Navy warship at sea, after she travelled in HMS Brocklesby, making the short trip from Rosyth to Leith, escorted by HMS Maxton, in 1988 with Prince Philip. King Charles - who has served in the Navy himself - was snapped shaking hands with other marines The young King, who was then the Prince of Wales, is wearing a helmet and flight gear on the ship as he looks up towards the sky Charles was seen touring the 65,000-tonne warship and watched F-35B Lightning jets operating from the flight deck The visit comes as the navy finalises preparations for the vessel to go on a global deployment to Japan this spring The King served in the Royal Navy between 1971 and 1976, with former clearance diver Petty Officer John Friar revealing that Charles got 'very seasick' Charles - who was proudly donning his medals - looked inquisitive as he chatted to marines of various different ranks as they showed him around the warship During his visit on Tuesday afternoon, Charles travelled from Sandringham by Royal Navy Merlin helicopter King Charles appeared in high spirits today as he visited HMS Prince of Wales warship in the Channel on Tuesday afternoon The King told told personnel gathered in the hangar: I just wanted to express, on behalf of the nation, my heartfelt gratitude for the extraordinarily valuable contributions and personal sacrifices that you and your families continue to make in the name of duty. Your deployment in the next month comes amidst new challenges in a ever-changing and more unpredictable world; it will undoubtedly demand tenacity and determination, both at sea and for those you leave behind at home. Whether protecting vital shipping lanes, fostering partnerships with our allies, or indeed remaining alert and at readiness for eventualities that we hope may never come to pass, your work helps to ensure the safety and prosperity of the United Kingdom, our allies and our partners. This deployment marks the culmination of a great deal of training and preparation, for which you should all be proud. The ships Commanding Officer, Captain Will Blackett, said: It was a great honour to host His Majesty onboard today. I was able to show him first hand that HMS Prince of Wales is at high readiness, standing by to deliver for the UK when ordered. His visit was a great source of morale for my excellent ships company and we look forward to doing him proud in all our endeavours this year. Able Seaman Marc Rutherford, who met the King on the ships bridge, added: It was the proudest day of my life since joining the Royal Navy, Im still in shock. The King served in the Royal Navy between 1971 and 1976, with former clearance diver Petty Officer John Friar revealing that Charles got 'very seasick'. However, he said that the royal was 'without doubt, the best ship handler by far. Believe me, if he had been rubbish, I would say so.' This comes as Charles gave a warm welcome to Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau at Sandringham on Monday. King Charles today welcomed Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau to his private Sandringham estate in Norfolk The King welcomed and shook hands with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday The pair were pictured as they met and chatted in a saloon at the royal property on Sunday The King's latest embrace of a world leader came today, 24 hours after being hailed for showing solidarity to Ukraine's President Zelensky. Sources told the Mail yesterday not to underestimate the significance of the meeting between the monarch and Mr Trudeau at his private Norfolk estate. The Canadian leader had made clear before the meeting that he wanted to discuss matters of importance to Canadians with the monarch. He said: 'Nothing seems more important to Canadians right now than standing up for our sovereignty and our independence as a nation.' Charles appeared to give a hearty laugh as Mr Trudeau gestured towards him with a pointed figure and shook the monarch's hand. The Canadian PM also clasped the King's hand in both of his in a demonstration of the ease of their relationship as the pair met in the saloon at the royal property Sandringham House in Norfolk. While Buckingham Palace declined to comment, a well-placed source told the Mail: 'As is often the case with the Royal Family's role, the pictures speak for themselves.' Armie Hammer has been branded 'incredibly ignorant' after he opened up about his 'hilarious' brief experimentation with a same-sex romance - with many begging him to stop talking. The actor, 38, spoke candidly about his brief trysts with other men on the latest episode of his HammerTime podcast, in which he also described women as 'the worst' and said, 'gay dudes seem to have it so easy.' 'I tried hooking up with a dude one time and it was hilarious because I was like you know what, women are the worst, gay dudes seem to have it so easy,' he said. He went on to reveal that he was on Grindr at one point, adding: 'I'm at a restaurant my phone blows up and it's Grindr and someone else is like "I'm at the same restaurant do you want a b*****b in the bathroom?" and you're like "hey guys I'll be back in five minutes." 'You get up and you go to the bathroom you get a b*****b, you come back and you're like "what was that?" I don't know some guy just sucked my d***. 'It's like "who?" And it's like "oh I don't know I didn't get his name. Anyway what did you order?"' Hammer continued: 'I was like you know what, I'm gonna give this a try yeah like maybe this actually works for me. 'I remember I met this dude, handsome French - you know the whole thing - I was like okay this could work, this could work let's try this.' Armie Hammer has been branded 'incredibly ignorant' after he opened up about his brief experimentation with a same-sex romance The actor described women as 'the worst' and said, 'gay dudes seem to have it so easy' 'I remember I started making out with them and I just remember being like God beards, like women like it when you shave. This thing is f***ing rough like how do I get in there?' he recalled. 'I remember I put my arms around him, and I was like oh my God and these shoulders are so wide he's so big like he's almost my height, like this is so strange and it did physically for absolutely nothing. Nothing, like didn't like not even a twitch. 'I was just like okay and then I remember we were making out and it was kind of like getting hotter and heavier. 'But I was going through the motions like not feeling anything and then he reached for my d*** and I was like you're not going to touch my flacid p***s, like this is not going to happen I'm sorry.' Hammer didn't specify when this encounter happened. Unsurprisingly, his comments didn't sit well with social media users, with many pleading with him to stop talking. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one asked: 'Why are people still speaking to this vulture?' 'He needs to not talk like never never ever.,' added another. Hammer's comments didn't sit well with social media users, with many pleading with him to stop talking He shares two children, daughter Harper and son Ford, with his ex-wife Elizabeth Chambers He said: 'I tried hooking up with a dude one time uh and it was it was it was hilarious 'cause I was like you know what like women are the worst like gay dudes seem to have it so easy' A third said: 'It is extraordinary, everything that comes out of his mouth is pure garbage.' 'He's incredibly ignorant. Go away!!!' added a fourth. A fifth continued: 'Is there a way to stop learning new things about Armie Hammer? I'm all set.' During the chat Druz said that when she first moved to Los Angeles from New York City, just to 'get a baseline,' she told everyone that she was a lesbian. The experiment didn't last too long for Druz, with Hammer then opening up. Hammer shares two children, daughter Harper and son Ford, with his ex-wife Elizabeth Chambers, and they have been co-parenting since their 2020 split. Their divorce was finalized in 2023. Last year, Chambers explained that she was 'fiercely protecting' her kids amid the headlines her husband was making. 'Things are fabulous,' she said. 'My sister said it best. She said, 'Every single day somebody just taps you on the shoulder, reminding you of the most painful time of your life.'' 'But also, I am fiercely protecting my children, which is why we're still here, and they have, thank God, no idea about what is going on.' 'My children are blissfully happy. They should think that their dad is a superhero, and to be fair, he has been to them. He's been the best he can be,' she added. In a separate confessional during the episode, Chambers said of Hammer: 'I don't speak negatively about him in the press.' 'I don't speak negatively about him to my children, because nobody wants a daughter with daddy issues and nobody wants a son with daddy issues. They should think their dad is a superhero.' During the divorce proceedings, the former couple agreed to shared custody of their two children. A Russian man seeking a larger manhood ended up paying the ultimate price after the botched procedure triggering a fatal complication in his lungs. Experts from the Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise in Moscow reported the case of a 56-year-old man who died after having size-enhancing jabs into his penis. The substance injected was hyaluronic acid, a type of cosmetic 'filler' also used in cosmetic treatments for the face, adding volume to the lips and cheeks. In penis enlargement, filler adds extra girth, giving it an overall plumper appearance. But shortly having the injections, the unnamed man started experiencing breathing problems, nausea, weakness and tremors. Emergency treatment was given but he died the following morning from a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening blockage in a critical blood vessel in the lung. British surgeons have told MailOnline that any man undergoing the procedure is at potential risk of such an outcome if the filler is put 'in the wrong place'. Writing in the journal Forensic Medical Expertise, the authors of the case report said a postmortem confirmed an injection had been made to the tip of his penis. Experts from the Bureau of Forensic Medical Expertise in Moscow reported the case of a 56-year-old man who died after having hyaluronic acid injected into his penis Further investigations then found a large amount of a 'foreign substance with jelly-like consistency' accumulated where organ connected to the groin. This substance matched samples of gel which were found in blood vessels of the man's lungs, directly linking his death to the enlargement procedure. Charles Durrant, a consultant plastic surgeon at Ad Nova in Portsmouth, told MailOnline that injuries and deaths from such injections were rare but not unheard of. 'Anything that introduces material into the body, whether it's filler or fat, there is always a danger, in amateur hands, of a problem like this,' he said. 'Even a small amount of damage to the vein as you're putting this filler in... that pressure forces some of that material into the vein. 'That material then travels back to the heart where it is then pumped into the lung where it causes the embolism.' While Mr Durrant doesn't provide penis enlargement procedures, he said such embolisms were a known risk of any treatment involving filler being injected anywhere in the body. But he added that the risks were particularly high in areas like the penis due to the presence of large blood vessels. Data suggests British men's penis size has increased 0.46in, to an average of 5.63in erect, between 2022 and 2024 On the opposite end of the scale, Italian manhoods have shrunk by a fifth to just under 5in 'Anyone who has seen a penis knows that there a big veins in there...particularly the dorsal vein which is a deep vein that you can't really see but is a very large structure that helps control rigidity,' he said. 'If you're just putting in filler or fat willy-nilly, and you're an amateur practitioner, it's quite possible to inject something into one of those veins.' He said when such material reaches the veins it can kill within a matter of minutes or hours after the procedure. Mr Durrant said such deaths and complications were rare in most reputable clinics, where experts use tools like ultrasound to ensure sensitive blood vessels are avoided. While the most recent case was in Russia, Mr Durrant highlighted how, given the use of fillers in the UK is unregulated, there is a risk of such deaths and injuries here. 'Pretty much any beautician can inject filler into any part of the body with impunity at the moment,' he said. The Russian experts who reported the case didn't detail when the incident occurred. Penis enlargement injections are available in multiple clinics in the UK with some advertising the jabs for as little as 280 in a procedure lasting as little as 30 minutes. Clinics claim that such injections can increase the girth of the penis by up to 40 per cent, though 10 to 15 per cent is more typical, for up to 18 months after which a repeat procedure will be needed. Deaths from botched penis enlargement procedures have been reported before. Previous studies have suggested about 45 per cent of British men aren't satisfied with their penis size. The NHS says the average size of an adult penis is 3 to 4in when flaccid, and between 6 to 7in when erect. Two different types of penis enlargement procedures are available on the NHS, and they include lengthening and widening. But only men with a micropenis an organ less than 2.8 inches are eligible as well as men whose members were damaged in serious accidents. Micropenises usually develop in the womb from a hormonal or genetic condition and is typically diagnosed shortly after birth. Dozens of people killed by a mystery outbreak in Africa may have fallen victim to chemical poisoning, health chiefs have claimed. More than 1,000 people have been struck down with the as yet unexplained illness, leaving 60 dead, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), since late January. Worried officials quickly launched a probe to discover the cause, warning it could pose a 'significant public health threat' with most victims dying within just a day of symptoms appearing. Tests have, to date, all proven negative for Ebola or other haemorrhagic fever diseases like Marburg dubbed 'the eye-bleeding virus', which have been found in the DRC before. Now, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the mystery cases could have been triggered by 'chemical poisoning' or 'bacterial meningitis'. However, what exactly triggered the sudden outbreak or how the illness is spreading is still unknown, with investigations ongoing. In an update the WHO said numerous factors suggested an alternative to a viral disease outbreak. These included the rapid decline in reported deaths in recent days, the fact cases were clustered to a local area, the age profile of cases and the rapid disease progression in the initial wave of patients. Concerned officials in the African nation have launched a probe to discover the cause of the outbreak, warning it could pose a 'significant public health threat' should it continue to spread uncontrolled As such the UN-body said it was now exploring if a chemical spill or a cluster of meningitis, a serious infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, could be responsible. 'Working hypotheses include chemical poisoning or a rapid onset bacterial meningitis cluster, on a background of malaria and other infectious illnesses endemic in the region,' they wrote. They added they were now conducting analysis of environmental samples, including water, to 'explore chemical causes'. Officials added other diseases common in the region, like malaria, could also be playing a part in contributing to illness and death. As of February 25, a total of 1,318 patients had suffered symptoms of the mystery illness, the UN agency added. Roughly half of tests taken were positive for malaria. According to the WHO, young adults particularly men appear to have been 'disproportionately affected' by the most recent outbreak. Marburg has a mortality rate of up to 88 percent. There are currently no vaccines or treatments approved to treat the virus Cases first emerged in the town of Boloko, in north-western DRC, after the deaths of three children all aged under 5. All three had reportedly eaten a dead bat before falling ill with haemorrhagic fever symptoms where organs and blood vessels are damaged, causing bleeding internally or from the eyes, mouth and ears. By January 27, 2025, a total of 12 cases, including eight deaths, had been recorded in Boloko. A larger second outbreak of the mystery disease was then identified in the town of Bomate on February 9, roughly 180 kilometers away. Both towns are around 300 kilometers from the provincial capital, Mbandaka. In the fresh update, the WHO said it had dispatched a team of experts and medical supplies, including testing kits, to the area. But it did not give details on how many. The public health risk locally therefore, remains 'moderate', while globally it is deemed 'low', the WHO noted. Victims' symptoms have included a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, and intense thirst. Children have also reported bleeding from the nose, vomiting blood and incessant crying. The remote location of the villages has hindered access to patients while the weak health care infrastructure has made it difficult to carry out surveillance and manage patients. It marks the second time an unknown disease has hit DRC in under three months, after more than 400 people were sickened in late December in what was later linked to cases of malaria and malnutrition. The CDC is 'monitoring' a mystery outbreak in the Congo that has killed people within 24 hours of symptoms appearing. A spokesperson for the agency said Monday: 'CDC is monitoring the situation closely and engaging with DRC officials on what support the agency can offer'. The tally rose to 1,318 illnesses in the mystery outbreak yesterday, up 20 percent or 222 cases on the same time last week while up to 60 deaths have been reported. People started to fall ill in early February, suffering from a fever, headache, chills, joint pain and bleeding from the nose. A local report also suggested patients had experienced persistent crying. The World Health Organization has dispatched a team of at least 80 health workers to the affected area to deliver emergency supplies and trace new infections. But officials are still stumped as to the cause, after samples tested negative for Ebola and Marburg. They are now working on the assumption that the sicknesses may have been caused by chemical contamination of food or water, either intentional or accidental, or that it is due to malnutrition in the area. WHO officials say the risk to the US and other countries is 'low', while the risk in the affected area of the DRC is considered to be 'moderate'. Pictured above are workers in the Congo disinfecting buildings following an Ebola virus outbreak in July 2018 The CDC is yet to assess the risk of the outbreak to the US, and first revealed to ABC News that it was monitoring the outbreak. But ex-White House doctor Stephanie Psaki who spoke to DailyMail.com last week said it was likely 'low'. It is at least the third mystery outbreak to hit the Democratic Republic of the Congo in as many months after another outbreak later linked to malnutrition and severe malaria was reported in late December and an outbreak of 12 cases and eight deaths was reported in January. The three outbreaks are not thought to be linked. It comes amid an escalating war in the country, with forces now fighting an M23 insurgency in the east near the border with Rwanda. In the latest outbreak, the alarm was first raised on February 9 after 24 unexplained deaths were reported in Basankusu, Equateur province in the north-west of the country. Adolescent and young men were among most of the fatalities, which was unusual given that fatality rates are normally highest in older adults and children under five years old prompting an investigation. Officials also noted the rapid progression of the disease, with patients dying within a day of symptoms appearing on average. A health team was then dispatched to the area, and told to consider anyone who has a fever and at least one other symptom as a patient. Tests for Ebola and Marburg were negative, but about half of the patients tested have been positive for severe malaria. The above shows the number of illnesses by the date reported in this outbreak The above shows deaths in the mystery outbreak by date reported And this shows the areas that have reported illnesses (left) and deaths as of February 25 Further tests on cerebrospinal fluid in patients and food and water samples for signs of contamination are ongoing. A WHO spokesperson said: 'Given the rapid decline in the incidence of reported deaths, their geographic clustering, the age profile of deaths and the rapid disease progression in the initial cluster, working hypotheses include chemical poisoning or rapid onset bacterial meningitis cluster, on a background of malaria and other infectious illnesses endemic in the region.' It follows a second cluster of illnesses in Basankusu, about 175 kilometers away, where 12 people fell sick and eight people died in January. WHO officials say there is no link between the two areas, which are separated by dense forest and poor impassable roads. Doctors are growing increasingly concerned over the rise of cancers linked to a common virus spread by risky sex. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of viruses most often spread through oral or penetrative sex and responsible for 95 percent of cervical cancers in women. However, researchers said the virus is increasingly becoming associated with rising rates of cancers that affect the tonsils, tongue, throat, neck, esophagus, anus and genitals. A lack of public knowledge of HPV has doctors concerned the spread will increase and rates of related cancers will continue to rise. A team from Ohio State University conducted a survey last month of 1,000 people that revealed a majority held limited knowledge of or false beliefs about HPV, including being unaware HPV is actually more common in men than women. Dr Electra Paskett, a cancer researcher at Ohio State, said: 'This is concerning because more men are infected with HPV than women and they could unknowingly spread it to their partners.' About 42million people are infected with HPV, according to the researchers, and 98 percent of Americans have been exposed to the virus, which can spread through saliva or sexual contact, as well as through childbirth. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of viruses that infect the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus and mouth and is most often spread through oral or penetrative sex There is no cure for HPV and most cases of the infection go away on their own, but if a person's immune system doesn't neutralize it, HPV can become cancerous. However, there is a vaccine that reduces the risk of infection by up to 90 percent, and for extra precaution, people should wear condoms during sex. To gauge public knowledge about HPV, the Ohio team surveyed 1,005 people from the Opinion Panel Omnibus platform - a twice monthly survey. Participants were asked if they agreed or disagreed with statements relating to HPV. Results showed many people still think it is an infection that impacts women more than men, which researchers found 'concerning.' Nearly half of respondents, 45 percent, did not know if HPV was linked to other cancers besides cervical, which affects 11,500 American women and kills 4,000 per year. While it is the primary risk factor for cervical cancer in women, it is also linked to rising rates of cancers that affect the neck and throat. Oncologists are increasingly looking at oral sex as a primary driver of an 'epidemic' of throat cancers as rates of a specific type - oropharyngeal cancer - have been rising since the mid-2000s. Its main cause is HPV. Oropharyngeal cancer is cancer of the tube-like structure that connects the nasal cavity and mouth to the esophagus and trachea. In 2024, the National Cancer Institute reports there were 58,450 new cases and 12,230 deaths from the disease. It has now become more common than cervical cancer in the US and the number of lifetime sexual partners is the leading risk factor for this specific type of throat cancer. Dr Hisham Mehanna an oncologist at the UKs University of Birmingham wrote in the Conversation that people with six or more oral sex partners in their lifetime are 8.5 times more likely to get the cancer than people who do not practice oral sex. Second, the Ohio survey results showed 42 percent of people believed HPV was more common in women. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for 95 percent of cervical cancers in women, but cervical cancer screenings among women have been on the decline However, HPV is actually more common in men, but because there is only a test for HPV in women - a pap smear - people mistakenly think it only affects that population, the researchers stated. Lastly, 40 percent believed someone with HPV will show symptoms. In fact, many people do not show symptoms and therefore may not realize they are infected and unknowingly transmit it to sexual partners. Dr Paskett stressed the importance of the vaccine, which is recommended for people between the ages of nine and 12. While it is most effective in that age range, it is available for people up until 45. She said: 'We have a vaccine that has been shown to reduce the risk of HPV infection by up to 90 percent. 'This is a powerful tool for cancer prevention that has only been available to us in the past few decades, and we are seeing the impact of those vaccines now through the scientific data.' Your browser does not support iframes. However, the CDC reports just 57 percent of children eligible to receive the shot have been vaccinated against HPV. This is extremely worrying to experts, including head and neck surgeon Dr Matthew Old. He said if the upward trend of HPV infections and neck and throat cancers continues, they could become the most common forms of adult cancer. And recent estimates suggest oropharyngeal cancer may become one of the top three cancers among middle-aged men in the US by 2045, as well as the most common form of cancer among senior men in the next 10 years. Dr Old said: 'It can take years or even decades for the genetic changes caused by HPV to take effect and transform into cancer. 'Once exposed, there are currently no treatments for HPV infections, and many who are unvaccinated unknowingly carry and spread high-risk strains of the virus. Thats why vaccination is so important.' There's probably one lurking on your desk, kitchen top or bedside table. But people should steer clear of bottled water to reduce the level of toxic microplastics in their brain, scientists warned today. Canadian researchers said switching from bottled to filtered tap water alone could slash their intake of microplastics by 90 per cent from roughly 90,000 to 4,000 particles each year. The report, highlighting practical strategies for reducing exposure, follows research published last month that found some human brains now contain up to 7 grams of plastic. This is roughly about as much as goes into making a small spoon. Levels were also three to five times higher in individuals with documented dementia diagnoses, US researchers discovered. Invisible to the human eye, microplastics are tiny plastic fragments as small as two micrometres, or two-thousandths of a millimetre. These particles make their way into food, water supplies and even into the air as plastic products degrade over time. Canadian researchers said switching from bottled to filtered tap water alone could slash their intake by 90 per cent from roughly 90,000 to 4,000 particles each year Dr Brandon Luu, a resident physician in internal medicine at the University of Toronto and report co-author said today: 'Bottled water alone can expose people to nearly as many microplastic particles annually as all ingested and inhaled sources combined. 'Switching to tap water could reduce this exposure by almost 90 per cent, making it one of the simplest ways to cut down on microplastic intake.' The report, published in the journal Brain Medicine, also said other 'significant' sources of microplastic intake included using plastic tea bags and how food is heated. 'Heating food in plastic containers especially in the microwave can release substantial amounts of microplastics and nanoplastics,' Dr Luu added. 'Avoiding plastic food storage and using glass or stainless steel alternatives is a small but meaningful step in limiting exposure. 'While these changes make sense, we still need research to confirm whether lowering intake leads to reduced accumulation in human tissues.' The earlier study, published last month in Nature Medicine, saw US scientists analyse the brain tissue of 52 people who died in 2016 and 2024. They found the levels of microplastic found in people's brains was in 2024 was about 50 per cent higher than in those who died in 2016, suggesting the concentration in our bodies is rising as the environment becomes more polluted. Experts say you can cut your exposure to microplastics by swapping out plastics in your home for natural materials, metal and glass The University of New Mexico researchers also found higher amounts of tiny plastic particles in the brains of dementia patients who had died compared to those without the condition, suggesting a potential link. However, they noted that this didn't show that plastics harmed brain health. Instead, it merely hinted at a correlation. Dr Nicholas Fabiano, an expert in psychiatry at the University of Ottawa and lead author of the Brain Health commentary, said: 'The dramatic increase in brain microplastic concentrations over just eight years, from 2016 to 2024, is particularly alarming. 'This rise mirrors the exponential increase we're seeing in environmental microplastic levels.' To get into the brain, plastics have to cross the blood-brain barrier a layer of cells surrounding the brain which acts as a filter to prevent the entry of harmful substances. Microplastics have worried scientists for decades. While the long-term effects of microplastics on human health remain unclear concern is rising because avoiding them is almost impossible. A recent study even found using a single tea bag could release billions of dangerous microplastics into the body. Microplastics have been found in variety of other human tissue including the intestines and even in men's sperm. United States President Donald Trump's administration resumed the investigation into disability-related discrimination in schools across the nation. The situation comes after cases that had been progressing toward mediation or a resolution with school districts were suddenly postponed with no explanation. Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates CEO Denise Marshall fielded worries from parents nationwide over the last month. Complaints of Disability-Related Discrimination in Schools She said that in recent weeks, staffers at the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, who had been given the responsibility of investigating students' situations, suspended communications altogether. An internal memo and an agency spokesperson revealed that the Trump administration lifted the suspension of the investigations on Feb. 20, 2025. However, current and former officials added that much of the branch's remaining work, which plays a key role in curbing discrimination against students and teachers, remains largely in limbo. The memo showed that investigators have resumed looking into complaints that alleged just disability-based discrimination. However, advocates argued that they are worried that complaints regarding prejudice on multiple fronts will still be suspended, according to USA Today. It is typical for the Education Department's civil rights arm to temporarily suspend some of its operations when a new president is elected. This is as the Oval Office shifts its policy priorities to align with the new leader's administration. However, in the past, the bulk of its least controversial grunt work, such as investigations into disability-related discrimination, has not been largely impacted. Former officials and advocates argued that when Trump retook office, staffers in the civil rights office experienced an unconventional pause. Discrimination Based on Race and Gender The resumption of investigations only affecting cases related to discrimination means that those that relate to race and gender are still on hold. These include cases that allege unfair discipline or race-based harassment, Pro Publica reported. On top of these, a report last week noted that the Department of Education decided to suspend ongoing civil rights investigations during the presidential transition. This was an unusual decision, even during this moment in the legal landscape. The situation comes as during the first weeks of the Trump administration taking control, the Department of Education has launched investigations into complaints involving antisemitism and transgender athletes being allowed to compete in women's sports. These efforts delivered on the president's promise to use federal funding as a means of leverage to target perceived "wokeness" in schools. However, many are concerned that the administration focuses on these instead of responding to complaints from families of students with disabilities, as per the Associated Press. A newborn babys penis had to be fully amputated after a surgeon botched his circumcision. The infant, from Somalia, was seven days old when he was given the procedure, which is very common in East Africa. The 'inexperienced' surgeon applied too much heat while cauterizing the foreskin, which led to the penile tissue becoming extreme damaged. The skin on the boy's penis head quickly became discolored and eventually died, forcing doctors to remove dead tissue to prevent infection and further complications. They eventually had to perform a full amputation of the penis. Unfortunately, the entire organ perished along with the skin that covered it, doctors who treated the boy said. They inserted a catheter in what was left of the newborn's penis to prevent the urethra from narrowing, and it remained inserted for months. The harrowing 2023 case was reported in the Annals of Medicine & Surgery. A seven-day-old baby suffered severe damage to his penis, which became necrotic, after an inexperienced surgeon performed a standard circumcision incorrectly, permanently affecting the boy's life In the US, 80 percent of men 14 to 59 are circumcised. Complications from circumcisions are usually manageable, mild, and relatively rare. The typical rate of complications after circumcision has been recorded in children of all ages. In a systematic review, this rate was found to be 1.5 percent globally, though rates vary by region. In the US, it's around two percent. In the US, circumcisions are performed using clamps that protects the rest of the penis while the foreskin is removed. Cautery, using heat to burn or seal tissue, is not used in routine infant circumcisions in the US because the risk of burns or tissue damage is too high, like in the case of the Somalian boy. After the surgical error, doctors immediately placed the baby under general anesthesia and began treatment. The necrotic tissue was carefully removed over two days, and a catheter was inserted to help with urination and prevent narrowing of the urethra. Despite attempts to save the tissue, the head of the penis and surrounding skin were too damaged, so the doctors applied antibiotics and worked to close the remaining skin around the penis. After the surgery, the baby stayed in the hospital for a few more days to ensure proper healing. The catheter stayed in place for three months to prevent any issues with the urethra. Over the following months, the baby received regular follow-up care to ensure that the wound healed properly and that the baby was able to urinate normally. Fortunately, the healing process went well, and no skin graft was necessary. It is unclear if he will have a new penis reconstructed. Dr Berto Lopez, shown above, has had his medical license revoked. An investigation into court showed the 64-year-old OB-GYN in West Palm Beach was associated with numerous medical failures including a failed circumcision Doctors explained how a skilled practitioner should perform the procedure. Before continuing with the removal of the foreskin, doctors must make sure that the foreskin is completely separated from the head of the penis, including the area around the edge called the corona. This is important because the foreskin should only be pulled back when the entire corona is visible. One method to remove the foreskin is the guillotine technique, which is simple, fast, and typically doesnt result in much bleeding, and it provides a good cosmetic outcome. Your browser does not support iframes. However, the main risk of this procedure is that it could accidentally pinch the foreskin, which could lead to serious complications like tearing of the head of the penis, loss of part of the head of the penis, shortening of the area that connects the foreskin to the head of the penis, or even the formation of an abnormal connection between the urethra and the surrounding tissue. While cases of circumcisions going severely wrong are rare, the case report from Somalia echoes one in Florida. An investigation into court and official records revealed that Dr. Berto Lopez, a 64-year-old OB-GYN in West Palm Beach, was associated with numerous medical failures. These included the death of a mother-of-two who bled to death after Dr. Lopez left the hospital to go to bed, and a 31-year-old woman who accused him of failing to altogether remove her deceased fetus, resulting in her giving birth to its remains in a friend's bathroom. Dr Lopez told the family the bleeding was normal. But, concerned, the next day they took their newborn son to the ER (Family pictured above) Between 1988 and 2021, six patients died under his care, and he performed two failed circumcisions. His medical license was revoked in February 2021. In the latest incident, the parents of a child said Dr. Lopez dismissed their son's post-circumcision bleeding as normal, but when they took him to the hospital the following day, other doctors were visibly shocked by his injuries. In August last year, a jury ordered Dr. Lopez to pay the family $100 million for the harm their son suffered. A review by The Palm Beach Post revealed that Dr Lopez had been involved in four disciplinary actions and nine other medical malpractice cases. The circumcision, which occurred on February 15, 2021, was performed for $250, just 10 days after his medical license was revoked due to the death of a pregnant mother-of-two. The family, who wishes to remain anonymous, was unaware of the doctor's past legal troubles and revoked license. They stated that had they known, they would have run out that door so fast it would have broken. Dr Lopez is no longer operating a clinic in Florida following the revocation of his medical license. A father of two who developed an incurable lung disease after making trendy quartz kitchen worktops has told how he was forced to quit his job to 'save his life'. Ryan Fenton, from Ipswich in Suffolk, was employed as a stonemason to make the popular counters in 2016 and recalls how extraction systems at his workplace designed to remove dust were 'ineffective'. Dust, he now knows, was slowly destroying his lungs with very breath. The 49-year-old's body has been ravaged by silicosis, a terrifying disease that causes internal scarring and inflammation of the lungs which medics say is irreversible and could kill him. Mr Fenton, who quit the industry last year, is one of the few public faces of a scandal which has already killed two British stoneworkers, with at least 26 others rendered severely ill. The youngest case was in a stonemason aged just 24. However, doctors have warned these known cases are likely just the tip of the iceberg. Such is the concern, that medics and unions who represent more than 5.5 million workers have called on the Government to stop the manufacturing of quartz in Britain to 'prevent hundreds of deaths'. Ryan Fenton, from Ipswich in Suffolk, was employed as a stonemason to make the popular counters in 2016 and recalls how extraction systems at his workplace designed to remove dust were 'ineffective' Expensive quartz worktops are made from one of the hardest minerals on earth which, when processed, results in the release of potentially harmful particles of fine dust Popular quartz worktops are made from 90 per cent ground quartz, and 10 per cent resins and pigments. When processed into their final worktop form this results in the release of potentially harmful particles of fine silica dust being released into the air. Cheaper than granite or marble, the worktops have become a staple of kitchen revamps, but workers are paying the price. Mr Fenton said his job was to use an angle grinder to cut slabs, making room for sinks and hobs to fit the dimensions of customers' homes and businesses. But the work was 'very dusty' and despite wearing marks as he was advised by his employer they did not prevent him breathing in silica dust. His clothes, hands, face and hair were also often left coated in dust from the work, he claimed. Mr Fenton had his condition caught early by chance after suffering a transient ischaemic attack also known as a mini stroke in December 2022, caused by undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. When doctors carried out a scan to assess the damage, they spotted unusual scarring on his lungs. The 49-year-old's body has been ravaged by silicosis, a terrifying disease that causes internal scarring and inflammation of the lungs which medics say is irreversible and could kill him Puzzled by this his medics referred to specialists at Royal Brompton Hospital in west London. A biopsy showed Mr Fenton who has two daughters, aged 22 and 20 had silicosis and he said he was told by medics the condition was related to his work with engineered stone. Silicosis leaves the lungs at increased risk of infection, reduced their overall effectiveness, and can potentially cause them to fail. Struggling to breathe can also put a potentially deadly strain on the heart. Silicosis isn't a new disease, it has blighted the lives of miners, builders and stonemasons in the UK before. Britain's workplace health and safety watchdog the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimate 12 people are killed each year as a consequence of silicosis exposure. However, HSE says this is likely an underestimate. Mr Fenton said he was also advised to stop working with the stone in a bid to slow the progression of the disease or quartz could destroy his lungs. Silicosis leaves the lungs at increased risk of infection, reduced their overall effectiveness, and can potentially cause them to fail Now, working in adult social care, he claimed he has been forced to take an annual pay cut of around 8,000. He added: 'It is a massive blow that, just because my job involved cutting engineered stone worktops, I have had to give up well-paid work that I enjoyed. 'It is disappointing that I was allowed to work in these conditions with a product known to have the potential to be so dangerous. 'I am lucky that I was diagnosed early enough to give myself a better chance of avoiding developing a much worse condition, but I am very worried that others out there work in similar conditions and face the same dangers. 'I want to share my story because action needs to be taken to stop people working with engineered stone in these hazardous conditions. 'I don't want other people to have to go through the turmoil of having to give up their job and worrying about what the future holds for them.' In October 2024, Mr Fenton also instructed solicitor Leigh Day to investigate his case. Leigh Day partner, Ewan Tant said: 'It is deeply concerning that as result of the conditions my client alleges he was subjected to whilst working with engineered stone, he has had to take the difficult decision to give up a job he enjoyed. Mr Marzec, who was originally from Poland, worked for several engineered stone manufacturers in north London and Hertfordshire since 2012. He was diagnosed with silicosis in April 2024 Marek Marzec was left terminally ill at 48 after spending a decade working with quartz worktops at a stone manufacturer. His family have since confirmed his death 'He now faces an uncertain future because of his condition. 'No-one should be forced to take such decisions and face such uncertainty simply because they go to work. 'We remain deeply concerned that, without action being taken to address the dangers of working with engineered stone without adequate protection, more and more people will be placed in Ryan's situation.' In December, father-of-three and stonemason Marek Marzec, 48, died after months of receiving end-of-life care for silicosis. Mr Marzec said the dust he inhaled while cutting trendy quartz kitchen worktops has left him 'unable to breathe' and 'in terrible pain'. Meanwhile last May, Wessam al Jundi, 28, died in hospital while waiting for a lung transplant in what is believed to be the first confirmed death from quartz worktop-related silicosis. People who died and were brought back to life are revealing what they saw on the other side. One person who suffered a car crash last year described being 'knocked out' of their body and sent to a 'void.' In the hospital, once they were brought back to life, they spent four days with bizarre visions. 'I could see bugs crawling on a tree from a mile away. I could travel in an instant anywhere. Every time I blinked, a new vision,' they wrote online. Another felt a 'supernova of consciousness,' feeling like they could be multiple places at multiple points in history all at once. And a devout Christian had their faith shaken when they got to the other side and saw nothing. They said: 'Everything I'd been promised at church was NOT there.' Social media users have detailed what they saw during their near-death experiences (stock image) Amber Cavanagh was 43 when she suffered two strokes and entered the 'meeting point' of heaven. She said she met guides when she crossed over who gave her two options: remain there or return to her family Your browser does not support iframes. Their stories come as doctors work to determine what happens during a near-death experience and shortly after death, with some research suggesting dying people may still have sparks of brain activity an hour after they stop breathing. Other small studies have found the long-term impact of a near-death experience isn't significant. A report published in 2023 found of 19 patients who were considered dead, none showed personality changes or improved quality of life following their experience. In a recent Reddit thread, the user who spent four days experiencing visions - it is unclear how long they were considered dead - called it 'the most defining moment in my life.' Once they decided they could no longer handle the visions because they were too intense, they thought: 'I can't handle these right now. Please take them away.' And in an instant, the visions stopped. In the same thread, another user said they 'could feel everything that connected to me - forward and back.' They added: 'If I had to abstractly model it, it'd almost be like an invisible universal neural network suddenly fired that was connected to, I suppose, everything related to fate/destiny.' In some moments, they saw images from ancient cultures, such as the pyramids of Egypt. In another older Reddit post, a user who did not see anything after death said the incident strained their faith. They wrote: 'Being raised in a nondenominational household, I have been raised to believe that when we die, we go straight to heaven. However, my personal experience negates this belief, to an extent. 'So how can I believe what the Bible says, when one of the core teachings I have been brought up on does not reflect what I have experienced? 'I used to be a super devout Christian, having attended church, praying, and even having the blessing of "speaking in tongues." But now, I am doubting my faith and wondering why I believe what I do.' In one case report, a Hindu woman claimed to have seen the three gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva and a 'brilliant light' when she was declared dead. And a four-year-old boy thought he had spent months surrounded by 'silvery white clouds' while he was unconscious - though not considered dead - from gastroenteritis for a week. Other people have shared their near-death experiences publicly. Jose Hernandez, from Canada, was a lifelong atheist before his near-death experience in 2000. Now about 70, Mr Hernandez, pictured here, said: 'Everything I believe was destroyed when I died' Lynn Mildner, 70, from the UK, recalled a 'beautiful white light' and talking with deceased family members when she technically died Jose Hernandez, from Canada, was raced to intensive care after getting into a car crash in 2000. Despite being a lifelong atheist, he 'started thinking about God' while he was clinically dead for three minutes. He said his consciousness transported him through a dark otherworldly portal that led to a mysterious transitional realm of living light and color that left him 'instantly amazed.' Now in his 70s, Mr Hernandez said: 'Everything I believe was destroyed when I died. 'Everything I believed in science and all that. That wasn't the answer. No. There was something more that was created.' Amber Cavanagh was just 43 when she suffered two strokes and had a near death experience. Mrs Cavanagh said: 'I heard everyone saying their goodbyes and crying, not knowing I was still in there. 'It's still, to this day, one of the most terrifying things I have ever experienced.' As she was flown by helicopter to the hospital, she closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she was in another dimension, having crossed to the 'other side,' she said. Mrs Cavanagh said: 'I could see my physical body beneath me, but I could also see my kids being driven by their grandparents to the hospital. I could see my husband weeping over my body. 'There was no going toward the light, or people calling me I was just watching over everything and everyone.' Amber Cavanagh, from Canada, was just 43 when she suffered two strokes and heard her family saying their goodbyes She added: 'I went into what I can only describe as the "meeting point" of heaven before officially passing over. There was no fear, only love. 'Then, I saw all my loved ones to the right, every version of me, past, present and future to the left, and my guides stood right in front of me. 'I spoke telepathically to everyone, including my nan and grandma... there was such a deep-rooted feeling of pure comfort.' And Lynn Mildner, 70, from the UK, recalled a 'beautiful white light' and talking with deceased family members. She said: 'I couldn't wait to pass that threshold, and meet my grandmothers. But Auntie Nellie told me I couldn't. 'I had to go back because I had so much yet to do and to achieve. I begged her to just come in for a short while and she said no. That threshold was final. When you passed it there was no going back. And I must go back.' An article on 19 February reported claims on a podcast by the founder of Yo! Sushi, Simon Woodroffe, that he had been abused at the age of seven by the headmaster of his boarding school, which we incorrectly named as Marlborough College. In fact, it has been pointed out that the podcast did not name the college, and that the school referred to by Mr Woodroffe cannot have been Marlborough College, which only accepts pupils from 13. We are happy to clarify the position. To report an inaccuracy, please email corrections@mailonline.co.uk. To make a formal complaint under IPSO rules please go to www.mailonline.co.uk/readerseditor where you will find an easy-to-use complaints form. You can also write to Readers' Editor, MailOnline, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or contact IPSO directly at ipso.co.uk Anyone interested in fragrances will know Le Labo is one of the bougiest brands around. Created in New York in 2006, the trailblazing perfume house is known for its house-blended, unisex scents that are impressively long-lasting yet clean, fresh and never cloying. Le Labos range now includes more than 20 different scents, available as everything from eau de parfums and candles to body washes and cleansers. But of all the invigorating fragrances, theres one in particular that stands out: Santal 33. Inspired by the American West, the earthy perfume melds cardamom, iris and violet with a bed of leather and musk. Le Labo's unisex scent is loved by A-listers Santal 33 Eau de Parfum, 234, Le Labo I first smelt it after it was included in the Liberty advent calendar mailing list, and my mum can testify I didnt shut up about how nice it was until she finally relented and got me a bottle. But dont just take my word for it. Celebs from Alexa Chung and Jodie Comer to Ryan Reynolds and Paul Mescal opt for the smoky and woodsy Santal 33 as their signature scent. If I cant smell Paul Mescal, Id say the next best thing is to smell like him. But while Ill happily attest Santal 33 is worth the price tag, at 234 for a 100ml bottle, its clearly one to savour for very special occasions. Which is a shame, given every cheaper scent I rotate through I end up comparing to my Le Labo staple. (They all fall short, FYI.) Relate to my struggle? Well, I have great news for you. Everyones favourite budget supermarket, Aldi, is launching three new fragrances based on Le Labo favourites. And it gets better: each is just 9.99, meaning youre saving 224 on perfumes that are pretty much dead ringers for the Brooklyn-born fragrance brands products. The new trio of Lacura perfumes look more than a little familiar Of course, theres a Santal 33 dupe in the form of Lacuras Sandalwood Eau de Parfum, a similarly spicy and musky scent with violet and amber. Then theres Lacuras Addition, with ripe pear, jasmine, rose and musk, inspired by Le Labos Another 13 (a favourite of Billie Eilish!). The final new edition is Lacuras Black Intense, with spicy clove, refreshing bergamot, sweet fig and a rich tobacco base, just like Le Labos The Noir 29. The trio of perfumes will be released in Aldi stores on Sunday 9th March, and like all its top-tier dupes, we reckon all three will sell-out in no time. Grab yours quickly and relax in the knowledge you smell just like Paul. Rachel Maddow has compared President Trump to a Nazi-linked senator from the 1940s. The MSNBC host made the comparison at the beginning of her show on the network where she told viewers about the Minnesota senator Ernest Lundeen who was secretly bankrolled by the Nazi Party. Giving a short history lesson, Maddow explained how Lundeen gave a 'national speech on the radio in which he demanded that England should say thank you to us.' Paraphrasing his speech, Maddow said: 'They should be way more grateful. They should show us some respect. Frankly all our allies should for all we've done for them. 'And it was time frankly for them to start paying us back.' Her comment comes after last week's extraordinary meeting between the President and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. The two leaders got into a heated argument where Trump and Vice President JD Vance repeatedly asked Zelensky to say thank you for the US's support in his fightback against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The shouting match ended with Zelensky being booted out of the White House. Rachel Maddow made the comparison at the beginning of her show on the network where she told viewers about the Minnesota senator Ernest Lundeen who was secretly bankrolled by the Nazi Party Trump speaking to the media outside the White House after his metting with Zelensky where he repeatedly asked him to say thank you for the US's support in his fightback against Russia's invasion of Ukraine Minnesota senator Ernest Lundeen was secretly paid by the Nazis who used the senator to make the case to the American people that they shouldn't help the allies fight back against the Nazis Maddow then went on to explain Lundeen's other attempts to make Europe pay for American assistance during the war such as by claiming the allies should pay back debt by giving the US land. Lundeen then died in a mysterious plane crash in 1940 where it was discovered that he was being paid by the Nazis who used the senator to make the case to the American people that they shouldn't help the allies fight back against the Nazis. He even had a speech on his body that was written by a Fascist agent which argued that 'What's so bad about Germany?'. 'We should instead focus on getting them to apologise to us for not being able to pay back everything we did for them in the first World War,' Maddow said 'We should be getting them to show their gratitude to us now by figuring by figuring out what they can do, what they can give up of their own resources to prioritise paying us while they're fighting off the Nazis or whatever.' If her comparison could not be more clear Maddow then played a clip from Fox News which showed a reporter telling viewers any minerals deal won't happen unless Ukrainian President apologises on camera for the incident in the White House. 'Ukraine doesn't have any islands to give up to us. But they do have minerals, I guess? That we could take off them, that we could mine,' Maddow said as she concluded her monologue. 'And so under Donald Trump, our offer to our ally Ukraine as they try to fight off an invasion from Russia our offer to them is that they should be so lucky that we would deign to take all of their minerals. Her comment comes after last week's extraordinary meeting between the President and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office Trump has previously been accused of using Nazi rhetoric and of allegedly showing admiration for some of Hitler's policies 'They'd be lucky to get such a deal with us. In fact, they'll only even get that deal they'll only get the privilege of us taking their resources off of them if they grovel for it.' Trump has previously been accused of using Nazi rhetoric and of allegedly showing admiration for some of Hitler's policies. During the election last year, John Kelly, who served on Trump's staff from 2017 to 2019, gave a scathing interview with the New York Times where he accused Trump of being the 'definition of fascist' and claims he does not have an understanding of American history or the Constitution. Kelly, 74, alleged that Trump once said 'Hitler did some good things' and praised the Nazi dictator for having 'rebuilt the economy'. Kelly also said that Trump said he wanted his staff to be more like 'German generals in World War II' because they were 'totally loyal' to Hitler. In December 2023, at a rally in New Hampshire, Trump was accused of paraphrasing Hitler when he told the crowd that illegal immigrants 'poisoned mental institutions and prisons all over the world'. Although he didn't elaborate on how migrants are 'poisoning' mental institutions and prisons - Trump's words resemble those of Adolf Hitler, who used the same phrase in his book Mein Kampf. 'All great cultures of the past perished only because the originally creative race died out from blood poisoning,' the German dictator wrote in his 1925 manifesto. Greg Jackson is a solitary figure in utilities. Beyond his eco credentials and social media presence, people now recognise him on the street. A couple of weeks ago, it was a couple from Liverpool in a pub, but it has happened more frequently since he launched Octopus Energy in 2016. He says it stemmed from the energy crisis when, whether reluctantly or not, Jackson became the public face of Octopus and the industry as a whole. 'Other energy bosses are pretty anonymous. For too long in many industries, CEOs could kind of just hide from the consequences of their actions. In sectors everyone has to use, we should be very accountable.' It means that, whether fans of Octopus or not, people associate Jackson with a new type of energy company. That much is obvious when I visit their offices in central London on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. Immediately I'm met with hundreds of plush Octopus toys, foliage and bright neon lights. If you're remotely familiar with the company, it's perhaps not surprising. While the challenger energy brand has overtaken British Gas as the country's largest supplier, Jackson is not taking his foot off the gas as he takes inspiration from some unlikely places. Beating rivals: Octopus Energy is now the country's biggest energy supplier The Jeff Bezos of energy? A humble and unsuspecting character, Jackson makes a firm point of not being like other bosses. Throughout our conversation, he references putting customers first so many times that it's hard to know whether he's being sincere. But it seems he is. When I press exactly how he prioritises customers, he says he spends about an hour a day speaking with them. Before Octopus reached 1.5million customers, Jackson says he spent two hours a night answering every email a customer sent him. What is more telling about Jackson's psyche and approach to business is his frequent references to Amazon and Jeff Bezos - there's even a quote by the tech boss plastered on an office wall. It will take some time to reach Amazon's heights, but it is making quiet progress, having recently overtaken British Gas as the biggest supplier in the country. Jackson says that while it was 'fun to beat British Gas' the real achievement was becoming a Which? recommended provider for the eighth consecutive year. Can that really be the case? When you join a market as a challenger, the aim is eventually to beat the incumbents. Although, how much Octopus can still be considered a challenger is questionable. With its current scale, there is a risk that Octopus falls into the trap of becoming a company they initially fought against but Jackson is adamant that won't be the case. 'We're big in the UK we're currently building out our business [elsewhere] but we won't be successful at that if we're tarnished in the UK. 'It's a bit like Amazon. It started in the US and American customers benefited first, but then they took that promise around the world. We're doing the same in energy. Although we look big, actually we're only just starting what we need to achieve.' He also says that its profit margin of 0.3 per cent is still minuscule compared to some generators that make 20 per cent or more. 'Jeff Bezos said there are companies who'll work hard to charge customers more and others that will work hard to charge less. We'll be the latter,' he says, referencing his hero again. Another unlikely inspiration comes in the shape of outspoken Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin. 'Companies like Wetherspoons illustrate you can charge customers less by investing in, and really working hard, on the supply chain and still do well as a company. That's our strategy.' Like Martin, Jackson is outspoken, albeit less aggressively and publicly takes the fight to his rivals, telling me his advice for competitors is 'to look at your customers. 'Focus on them. Even in the zonal pricing debate, they're not coming up with any better solutions for customers they're just attacking us.' The 'secret sauce' behind Octopus One way that the energy firm could reach Amazon's level is Octopus' less well-known little brother: Kraken. The software company, which now employs 2,000 people, makes up four per cent of the group's revenue, although investors value it around the same as Octopus now it is licensed to other energy companies. Jackson and his team initially built the platform to outsmart other utilities that use systems that are over 50 years old. 'Kraken was the secret sauce that let us run with lower costs and pass them onto consumers 'It always struck me that bosses of supermarkets can visit the stores and they'll see how well their team are looking after their customers, how well cared for the stores are, they'll see whether the customers are happy or not, they'll be able to see whether they're putting the right offers in front of customers. 'I think when we set out to build Octopus, we built the technology Kraken that enabled the bosses here to have the same insight. 'I don't know how many other bosses can open up their customer support systems but I expect all the senior people here to be using our system every day to look at what's going on for customers. 'If a customer complains about an issue, we should dig into what we've got wrong.' 'Broken market' needs changing The zonal pricing debate, where prices would be set regionally depending on supply and demand, is Jackson's new pet project. He, along with regulator Ofgem, is one of the few industry figures to support a change to the 'broken market' and has received backlash from incumbents, trade unions and business groups. Why has Jackson got such a bee in his bonnet about it? He likens the current policy to that of the Common Agricultural Policy when European farmers were paid to produce crops 'that no one wanted,' says Jackson. He claims the same is happening in the electricity industry, and introducing a system based on supply and demand would bring customers' bills down. He has admirable intentions but you suspect there might be more at play. When consumers see Jackson as the only high-profile proponent of it, they will want to know just how much Octopus stands to benefit. 'The benefit to us is, if we can push down energy costs, we'll continue to win more customers as an energy supplier. We've got customers who've got solar panels, I want them to do better.' He points to Tesco 'which have worked really hard to push down prices on their side'. The parallel with retail is perhaps more useful than that to Amazon and Bezos. 'What's been missing in energy has been the innovation you see in supermarkets,' admits Jackson. 'We thought the supermarket industry was mature and then along comes Aldi and Lidl to put pressure on everyone else. That's what we've been trying to do in energy.' While Jackson might cling onto that challenger label for as long as possible, Octopus Energy is far more like the established Tesco, with its Kraken tech as essential to the project as the Clubcard is to the retail giant. The Isa season is ramping up and investors are off on a US shopping spree ahead of the April 5 deadline. Global funds, US market trackers and smaller companies funds have dominated the best buy tables over the past month. One peculiarity, noted by Hal Cook of Hargreaves Lansdown, is the lack of not just Chinese but wider Asian funds on his company's list, and also of European equities despite a recent rally. Among individual stocks, chip maker Nvidia remains in heavy demand despite the shock arrival of Chinese competitor DeepSeek, say investing experts. Dan Coatsworth of AJ Bell says investors seem to be taking the view there is still a significant opportunity for Nvidia to grow earnings at a high rate. So what are investors filling their Isas with this year? We asked four top DIY platforms to reveal the most popular active funds, trackers and ETFs, investments trusts and shares on their sites. The best buy tables below were all based on customer data during the month to 19 February. > Searching for a fund, trust or ETF? Find latest data on thousands of investments US dominant: Investor appetite for tech stocks in particular remains strong US fans turn to smaller companies funds Demand for US market exposure is evident across funds, trusts, and shares, according to Fidelity International's investment director Tom Stevenson. 'Technology giants like Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, Meta Platforms and Amazon featured prominently in individual share purchases, reflecting strong confidence in the continued dominance of US innovation,' he says. Stevenson says many investors are still looking for simple, low-cost exposure to the US via a market tracker fund like UBS S&P 500 Index, but the appearance of Artemis and Brown Advisory's US smaller companies funds on the list below point to a desire to diversify away from the big tech stocks. He notes that global diversification has also gained traction. 'Funds like the Legal & General Global Equity Index Fund and Dodge & Cox Worldwide Global Stock Fund offer investors access to balanced exposure across regions, enabling broader portfolio diversification. 'Investment trusts like Schroder Japan Trust highlight growing interest in regional opportunities outside of traditional markets, signalling a strategic approach to mitigating risk through geographic spread.' Stevenson says investors remain interested in sustainable investments like renewable energy. 'The Greencoat UK Wind trust demonstrates the sustained appeal of sustainable infrastructure, despite a possible shift in the attitude to climate change, and investment in renewables, under the Trump administration.' Your browser does not support iframes. China and Europe are missing as investors focus on US 'Investors have been in bullish mood recently,' says Hal Cook, senior investment analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. He echoes the view that US, tech and global equities are most in favour, and highlights Nvidia's position at the top of the best selling shares list despite the emergence of potential rival DeepSeek in January. 'After the 17 per cent fall in Nvidias share price, its very possible that investors looked to take advantage of the volatility,' he adds. Greencoat UK Wind is in the top investment trusts list - but that could simply be a reflection of how cheap it looks Cook says the Artemis US Smaller Companies fund has been popular since Donald Trump won the US election in November, and the president's threat to impose tariffs on imports could mean domestically facing US companies are the place to be over the short to medium term. He also notes Greencoat UK Wind's spot in the top investment trusts list, but Cook reckons this might be down to its bargain status - it has a yield of 9.26 per cent and a discount to net asset value of 26 per cent. 'Its also interesting to think about what isnt in these lists,' he says. 'Theres nothing linked to China, or indeed Asia more widely. Nor is there anything representing Europe, which is a bit of a surprise given the rally weve seen in European markets so far in 2025. 'And the UK is only seen within investment trusts and shares. It seems that investor appetite for the US continues to trump all other regions. And yes, the pun was intended.' Your browser does not support iframes. Rolls-Royce and IAG are UK market favourites Investors have been lining their Isas with direct purchases of the 'Magnificent Seven' stocks - Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla - says Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor. 'Despite some untypical weakness across the sector given the DeepSeek threat, investors (and indeed the market generally) have shrugged off these concerns at least for the moment. 'Nvidia shares lost over 13 per cent during the month of January, although remaining up by 100 per cent over the last year and indeed 550 per cent over the last two. 'Tesla has been boosted by the close relationship between its CEO Elon Musk and the new president, quite apart from the potential for its electric vehicles, and the shares have risen by 86 per cent over the last year.' On the UK front, Hunter says Rolls-Royce and British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines have become market favourites of late given their positive prospects in their respective sectors. The best buy list also includes some income generators, due to the preference of older investors for yield in the twilight of their investing years, he suggests. 'The usual stalwart Legal & General (dividend yield currently 8.6 per cent) is joined by Taylor Wimpey (yield 8.5 per cent), the latter of which could also double as a recovery play with the shares having fallen by 21 per cent over the last year.' Check our Shares A-Z: Find latest prices, yields, PE ratios and more Your browser does not support iframes. Trackers dominate, but investment trusts still popular Investor buying choices suggest they started this year hoping for broad-based gains on equity markets or a third year in a row for tech sector strength, says AJ Bell investment analyst Dan Coatsworth. 'The top five most popular funds were all passive vehicles index funds or ETFs tracking an index which reinforces the view that more people are turning their back on active managers,' he says. But he adds certain investors are still happy to lean on an expert in the hope of added gains, with investment trusts - universally actively managed - remaining popular. 'JPMorgan Global Growth & Income has been a firm favourite,' says Coatsworth. 'It is once again near the top of the most popular investment trusts list. Providing exposure to growing companies and with decent income offers the best of both worlds to investors.' He says over five years the trust has returned 113 per cent versus 110 per cent from the US index. 'No other global equity income investment trust has kept pace with the S&P 500 over those five years, let alone come anywhere close. Its no wonder that investors remain big fans.' Coatsworth says Nvidia was the most popular share based on net buys on AJ Bell's platform over the past month. 'Having delivered stellar gains in 2023 and 2024 amid excitement around AI, investors buying shares in 2025 are taking the view there is still a significant opportunity for Nvidia to grow its earnings at a high rate.' BItcoin bounced back from a three-month low yesterday as cryptocurrencies rallied on Donald Trumps plan to create a US strategic reserve. The worlds biggest cryptocurrency rose towards $95,000 having hit $78,273 on Friday. It later dropped back to $86,300, however. The initial rally came after Trump vowed to make sure the US is the crypto capital of the world, and said Bitcoin and Ethereum would be at the heart of the reserve. The fund will also include smaller tokens Solana, XRP and Cardano, Trump said ahead of the first White House Crypto Summit, which he will host on Friday. Bitcoin tumbled last month amid disappointment that the US President had not yet followed through on his promises to loosen crypto regulation. Its price had soared after Trumps election win in November and rocketed to an all-time high on the day of his inauguration in January. Crypto president: US President Donald Trump (pictured) vowed to make sure the US is the crypto capital of the world On the campaign trail he had promised to be a crypto president and accepted digital assets as donations. Trump and his wife Melania also launched their own meme coin the day before his return to the White House. Investors were hopeful that he would remove regulatory roadblocks to bring the digital currency into the mainstream following a crackdown by his predecessor Joe Biden. But beyond a flurry of appointments of crypto-friendly officials when he took office, there has been little concrete news to buoy investors since. That led to the infamously volatile asset plunging more than 17 per cent in February its biggest monthly percentage fall in more than two years and losing more than a third of its price since it topped $109,000 in January. The President said in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday evening that his executive order on digital assets would create a stockpile of currencies including Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana and Cardano. The names had not previously been announced. Like Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP also bounced after his social media post. Trump just gave the pump that crypto traders have been holding out for, said Matt Simpson, a senior market analyst at City Index. It is not clear whether US authorities will go on a crypto buying spree or fill the reserve with coins seized from criminals. Trump has not yet provided details on how the fund will be managed. Labour was yesterday urged to use a multi-billion pound increase in defence spending to boost UK industry as governments across Europe face up to the need to rearm. Stephen Phipson, head of manufacturing trade body Make UK, said a pledge to increase Britains defence budget to 2.5 per cent of GDP should focus on building sovereign capability making weapons at home rather than importing them. Governments have responded to the seismic shift in Americas military relationship with its allies under Donald Trump raising fears that Washington will no longer come to their aid. Those fears deepened yesterday as it emerged that the US was pausing military aid to Ukraine. Meanwhile, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen unveiled plans for a massive rise in defence spending across the EU that could mobilise up to 660billion over coming years. It comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlined plans to add 6billion a year to the defence budget as it climbs from 2.3 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent by 2027. Going nuclear: The BAE submarine factory in Barrow-in-Furness. Labour was yesterday urged to use a multi-billion pound increase in defence spending to boost UK industry Spending is intended to rise further, to 3 per cent of GDP, in the next Parliament. The British and European moves have resulted in defence stocks surging. Phipson told Make UKs conference in London that the Government must use the extra funds to cement Britains position as a global leader in the defence sector. As war rages on in Europe due to the barbaric invasion of Ukraine by Russia, it has highlighted that we must do more as a country to ensure that we have the capabilities to defend ourselves and our allies, he said. The UK has some world leading manufacturers in the defence sector. 'With defence rightly being identified as one of the priority sectors of the UK economy, we must start to capitalise on our research and innovation capabilities to make sure that the defence sector is leading the way globally for years to come. Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the conference that she wished to fire up Britains industrial base to increase arms production and would seek changes to military procurement rules to speed up delivery times. She said Labour was making defence a cornerstone of our industrial strategy to create jobs, drive growth and meet emerging global threats head on. Former Rolls-Royce boss Warren East told the BBC that industry would have trouble ramping up supply chains and recruiting engineers and needed to boost investment. Georgia lawmakers moved forward with a proposed bill on Monday that effectively bans transgender treatment for children. The proposal, known as Senate Bill 30, is sponsored by Sen. Ben Watson and bans sex-change surgeries, hormone therapy, and puberty blockers for minors who have gender dysphoria. This is a condition where a person feels distress due to their gender not matching their sex. Transgender Treatment for Children Under the new bill, doctors and hospitals who push forward with administering those procedures to children are at risk of being stripped of their licenses. The proposal passed in the Senate by a 34-19 vote and is now set to go to the House for final approval. Additionally, Senate lawmakers were expected to move forward with Senate Bill 175 on Monday evening, which is sponsored by Sen. Randy Roberts. This particular bill bars prisons from using state funds for inmate sex-change surgeries and hormone treatments. The debates on the two proposed bills followed House lawmakers' approval of another measure, House Bill 267, last week. According to State Affairs, this proposal requires student-athletes in schools and universities across the state to play on teams based on their biological sex. Backers of SB 30 argued that the proposed ban would work to protect children and their families from sex-related surgeries and treatments that they could regret later in life. Watson, who is a primary care physician, said that minors are not allowed to do a lot of things right now, such as smoke cigarettes and get tattoos. On the other hand, critics slammed the proposed bill as an attack on the medical rights and dignity of the state's transgender community. They described the community's members as collateral damage in a political "witch hunt" that is being done to please far-right voters. Watson's bill comes two years after Republican lawmakers assured parents of transgender children that legislation passed in 2023 to ban specific procedures to assist minors in their gender transition was only a "pause," AJC reported. Legislations Restricting Transgender Care In 2023, Watson had a hand in letting minors take hormone treatment before the law that year to continue. Additionally, he pushed to remove the ban on puberty blockers from legislation. However, he seems to have changed his stance this year. Furthermore, the state Senate passed a bill last month that aims to block state employees benefitting from the state-sponsored health plan from receiving gender-affirming care, such as hormone therapy. Sen. Blake Tillery, who sponsored Senate Bill 39, said it would apply to state employees and minor children. The lawmaker noted that it aims to address a loophole that allowed parents to get banned treatments for their kids using the state plan, as per the Georgia Recorder. Tren de Aragua, the gang that has unleashed a wave of crime across the US, is linked to Iran and Hezbollah and is even more terrifying than most Americans know, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. The gangsters - responsible for the murder of Laken Riley, the beating of NYPD officers and the take-over of multiple apartment complexes across the US - were funded by Hezbollah long before they crossed the US-Mexico border in 2022. US law enforcement is still grappling to understand the enormity of who Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan prison gang turned international criminal organization, really is. However, experts who have tracked TdA, as the South American syndicate is known, have for the first time linked Tren de Aragua to Hezbollah - and are urging Americans not to mistake it for a simple street gang made of up of uneducated, young thugs. 'I don't like to call them a "gang" because they're a highly sophisticated network that goes all the way up to the (Nicolas) Maduro regime,' retired federal agent Victor Avila, Jr. told DailyMail.com. 'The connection that TdA has through Venezuela with terrorist organizations, with Iran and Hezbollah...for some reason people don't want to pick that up, they don't want to talk about it.' For years, Iran and Venezuela's dictators have engaged in a bromance fueled by their mutual hatred for the US and its economic sanctions that have crippled both the governments in Tehran and Caracas. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed terrorist organization based in Lebanon, has been welcomed by the Maduro regime, who has rolled out the red carpet so the extremists can 'operate freely', according to the Miami Herald. Soldiers stand guard near a poster of the late leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, during a rally to commemorate him and to show support to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, in Sanaa, Yemen October 4, 2024 In 2021, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush wrote an op-ed for the newspaper, urging the Biden administration that Hezbollah's presence in Venezuela posed a 'grave threat' to the United States. Iran and Hezbollah in Venezuela The two international pariahs have been chummy since former communist dictator Hugo Chavez lead Venezuela from 1999-2013. After Chavez died of cancer, his hand-picked successor Nicolas Maduro, took the countries relationship to the next level. Under Madros illegitimate rule (he remained in power despite losing elections in 2018 and 2023 in what's been called the 'mother of all electoral frauds') the South American nation 'become a forward operating base in the Western Hemisphere for Iranian forces, Bush wrote. The alarming developments include Iran using an airline to send petroleum equipment to Venezuelas state-run oil company. Like a James Bond villain, Maduro sent stolen gold bars to Tehran, the US alleged in 2020. 'Maduro's thugs looted nine tons of gold bars and sent it to the Iranian regime,' U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted in May 2020. 'The world's leading thieves are partnering with the world's leading state sponsor of terror. The greatest victims are the Venezuelan and Iranian people. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on July 30, 2006 in Tehran, Iran Venezuelans honor Iran's General Qasem Sulemani with mural. Suemani was killed in a drone strike by the US in 2020 Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (C) and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) shake hands before an inter-delegation meeting at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezula on August 27, 2016 In this photo released Thursday, June 10, 2021, by the Iranian army, an Iranian warship moves in the Atlantic Ocean. Iran has dispatched two warships to the Atlantic Ocean, a rare mission to demonstrate the country's maritime power, state TV reported Thursday, without specifying the vessels' final destination In a show of power, Irans leaders sent warships into the Atlantic Ocean for the first time ever to flex their military muscles in the West. The two nations are also helping each other get around US sanctions, with Iran peddling Venezuelas petroleum to China. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has been welcomed with open arms with its members given legal residency in Venezuela. The move allows the Middle Easterners to legally travel on the South American continent. The terrorist network has also been targeting Israelis living in Colombia and keeping tabs on Americans in Venezuela. Now in new countries, Hezbollah is running illegal businesses and using their profits to finance their terrorist plots around the world. In exchange, Iran and Hezbollah are beefing up Maduro's military capabilities, helping the country where most residents dont own clothing dryers with the same sophisticated surveillance and drone technology it uses against Israel. Maduro has been working on creating a listening post in the northern part of his country to spy on airline and maritime communications, and is believed to be working on acquiring long-range missiles with Irans help. Tren de Aragua, which means 'train from Aragua' for the Venezuelan province where the gang was born, has carried out the dictator's orders for years. The Maduro regime is essentially a cartel. They have the name of the Cartel de los Soles,"' Miami immigration attorney Rolando Vazquez said in a interview with DailyMail.com. 'They are the largest cartel on this side of the hemisphere so all criminal organizations underneath him, if theyre not in line with them, they cant operate. Under Maduro's regime, Tren de Aragua expanded outside of the walls of the Tocoron prison where it was born, spreading within Venezuela and later throughout South America. In Venezuela, being a TdA member carries a status symbol, and they are well known 'Chavisitas'-- loyal supporters of the communist regime that began with Hugo Chavez. 'These guys are "Chavisitas." These guys are communists, they're socialists,' Avila added. 'They have a very different ideology than anybody else. They have been trained since a young age to disregard authority.' Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, third left, reviews an honor guard as he is accompanied by his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi, left, during his official welcoming ceremony at the Saadabad Palace in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 11, 2022 A motorcyclist passes in front of a mural painted by the Venezuelan artist Nelson Santana and a brigade of the La Piedrita community depicting slain Iranian general Qasem Soleimani (L) alongside late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (R) at the 23 de Enero neighborhood in Caracas on January 4, 2023 Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, right, and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro shake hands at the conclusion of their joint news briefing at the Saadabad Palace in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 11, 2022 (L) Victor Avila is a retired Supervisory Special Agent with ICE-HSI U.S. Immigration and Customs (R) Rolando Vazquez is an immigration attorney in Miami, Florida and has strong ties to the Venezuelan community in the US In 2018, Maduro-- now in his third term-- stole his first election, and the people revolted. While many Venezuelans sought to kick him out of power only to be brutally squashed, other Venezuelans simply gave up and left, seeking refuge in other Latin American countries-- hoping to eventually return to their homeland. As an exodus began, Tren de Aragua seized on the opportunity to exploit their own desperate countrymen and make money off them as they fled Venezuela-- charging them to leave their borders or enter new countries. Many Venezuelans fled their homes to get away from the extreme poverty and corruption, but also from Marduro's henchmen, like TdA. Executing Maduro's orders in the US In 2020, the Trump administration charged Maduro and 14 of his current and former officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking charges. As the leader of the Cartel of the Suns, Maduro's government worked with the FARC, a paramilitary group in Colombia, to 'flood' the US with cocaine since 1999. 'These officials repeatedly and knowingly betrayed the people of Venezuela, conspiring, for personal gain, with drug traffickers and designated foreign terrorist organizations like the FARC,' then-DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon said. With clandestine shipments through sea and flights to Honduras, called an 'air bridge' to Honduras, the Cartel of the Suns moved an estimated 250 or more tons of cocaine a year out of their country. 'As alleged, Maduro and the other defendants expressly intended to flood the United States with cocaine in order to undermine the health and wellbeing of our nation,' US Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman stated. Additionally, prosecutors were hoping to stop the Cartel of the Suns, called that because the corrupt officials wear a sun insignias on their uniforms, from laundering their drug profits through banks and property in South Florida. The Department of Justice announced a $15 reward for Maduro's arrest and multi-million rewards for his top lieutenants. The DOJ released these images in 2020, as it charged top members of the Venezuela's government, including current President Nicolas Maduro, with being drug traffickers In the superseding indictment, US prosecutors allege Venezuela's government trafficked tons of cocaine into the US. The feds claim the 'Cartel de los Soles,' which Madro leads, used an 'air bridge' to move the drugs into the US Nicolas Maduro remains president of Venezuela despite stealing two elections, most recently in 2023 As pandemic travel restrictions were lifted around the globe, many Venezuelans looked to the US as an escape, with nearly 8 million people abandoning their homes for other countries, according to the United Nations. As Venezuelans poured over the US's southern border, TdA members mixed in with asylum-seekers, posing as refugees. Since Venezuela and the US do not have diplomatic relations, the two nations don't share criminal records-- meaning there was no way to properly vet Venezuelans arriving at the international boundary. Criminal history would come back clean even for the worst Venezuelan criminals who crossed into the US as they were checked by US Border Patrol agents. What Maduro did was send them over here for the purpose of expanding their operations and terrorizing and attacking US citizens,' Vasquez said. In my opinion, what Maduro did was an act of war. He sent his agents here to attack us.' As DailyMail.com first reported in 2023 when we broke the story about TdA arriving in the US, Maduro's soldiers went to cities across America, carrying out his orders. 'Think of them as the soldiers for these regimes,' Avila added. 'These are the guys who are actually on the ground carrying out the orders of whatever the regime wants to do. Is it going to be a terrorist attack? Is it going to be just murdering young girls and raping them?' Under orders from the Maduro regime, Tren de Aragua got to work, establishing itself in the US while making money for their bosses back home. TdA followed a model it repeated in several US cities of taking over apartment complexes in cities like Aurora, Colorado where they took over at least four rental properties. 'I believe that theyre setting up their network right now. These guys are setting up faster than MS-13 did. Theyre getting into these apartment complexes and what theyre doing is theyre starting with prostitution,' John Fabbricatore, the former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for Colorado told DailyMail.com. Two of the 19 individuals arrested during the Oct. 19 raid at the Palatia Apartments in San Antonio where authorities say Tren de Aragua had been operating At least four of the people arrested on October 5 in San Antonio have been confirmed as gang members Tren de Aragua gang tattoos (pictured above) were part of a Department of Homeland Security bulletin that was recently shared with federal agents TdA has taken over at least four apartment buildings in the Denver area, exploiting and terrorizing their migrant neighbors. A bombshell report by a law firm that represents one of the apartment management companies assaults, threats of murder, extortion and even child prostitution. 'Prostitution is a big money-maker, and the thing with prostitution is that it brings guys in that they can then sell dope to,' Fabbricatore explained. 'These guys come in, they meet these Johns and shake them down. See if they want to buy drugs. Theyve started with moving these girls through, and if you go in these apartments, youll see these young girls. Its bad. The Aurora model was copied and pasted in four apartment complexes in San Antonio, Texas and likely many other American cities. San Antonio's police chief warned of TdA members who were caught wearing red-colored clothing. 'Red is the color of Maduros political party. Thats why TdA wears red,' Vazquez shared. In both Texas and Colorado, police arrested TdA members they classified as 'shot callers,' or 'enforcers.' These mobsters with rank have direct ties to Maduro, law enforcement has confirmed. Adelvis Jose Rodriguez-Carmona is one of four alleged Tren de Aragua members arrested in Chattanooga, Tennessee who has been linked to a sex trafficking ring by the authorities 'The connection that TdA has, through Venezuela to terrorist organizations-- with Iran and Hezbollah,' Avila said. 'They're not migrants. They're not refugees. They're not economic migrants. They are in a very separate category all by themselves, and it is the link to terrorism.' When Trump took office in January, his administration promised to arrest criminal migrants as part of the largest mass deportation plan the Republican campaigned on. At least a few dozens TdA members have been arrested in raids across the nation, however Immigrant and Customs Enforcement has not responded to request for an official tally. Rounding them up is of the utmost importance, Avila believes, referring an order the gangsters have received, giving them the 'green light' to shot law enforcement in the US. Already, suspected TdA members are accused of killing a federal immigration agent in Mexico, as he tried to stop them from reaching the US-Mexico border near El Paso, Texas. 'These guys don't care. They don't want to be confronted by any kind of authority, and that's what makes they very dangerous,' Avila warned. Socialite James Stunt walked free from court today after being cleared of involvement in a 266million money laundering operation. The ex-husband of Formula One heiress Petra Ecclestone was accused being at the heart of an operation to turn criminal cash from drug gangs into gold. Mr Stunt, 43, was living in a Los Angeles mansion and always insisted he had no idea tens of millions of pounds of cash being counted in his firm's London headquarters was from criminal sources and part of an international money laundering scheme. He has finally been cleared after the jury were handed a majority direction, eight years after his office was raided by police, five years after he was charged and following two lengthy jury trials. Mr Stunt clapped his hands together with relief as he was found not guilty of money laundering, having been cleared by majority verdict. He hugged his father outside the court room as they struggled to hold back the tears. Daniel Rawson, the only other defendant in the dock, collapsed in tears and fell to the floor of the dock after being found guilty. The other three defendants, Gregory Frankel, Haroon Rashid and Arjun Babber, who were not in court and are understood to be on the run, were also found guilty. Following the verdict, Mr Stunt said: 'It has been nine years of hell.' Speaking outside court alongside his girlfriend Helena Robinson, he added: 'I would like to profusely thank the jury and my legal team. I have always maintained my innocence and am very thankful to the jury for seeing through the evidence and doing its job.' James Stunt has been cleared of any involvement in a 266m money laundering ring. He is pictured outside Leeds Crown Court with his girlfriend Helena Robinson James Stunt (pictured with his ex-wife Petra Ecclestone at their engagement party in 2011) walked free from court after being cleared of involvement in a 266m money laundering con A look at Mr Stunt's huge mansion in Los Angeles which he shared with his 'staggeringly wealthy' ex-wife, Formula One heiress Petra Ecclestone He said the years leading up to this verdict had been 'tough.' He previously described the money laundering operation - which Mr Stunt said he had no knowledge of - as 'the biggest heist since Brink's-Mat without a shot being fired'. In the meantime, all his assets have been frozen by a court 'restraint order' and the once super-rich tycoon was declared bankrupt in 2019, with Legal Aid funded by taxpayers estimated at more than 1.5million for his legal fees. Whether he can now recover any of his seized assets and what wealth is left remains to be seen and could be decided in another court battle. His lawyers today insisted they will now apply to the High Court to have the restraint order freezing his assets lifted. It is not expected to be opposed. Just what has been frozen has never been revealed. The first trial ended with the jury unable to reach a verdict over the key charge and he has now been found not guilty of money laundering at the end of a four-month trial at Leeds Crown Court. During his six-year marriage, which ended in 2017 with him receiving a 10million divorce settlement, Mr Stunt and his wife spent a total of 69million. They lived in 'America's most expensive home', and he behaved like a latter-day emperor, splashing out on masterpiece paintings, fine wine, gambling millions and being driven around in a fleet of expensive cars. James Stunt leaves Leeds Crown Court with his girlfriend Helena Robinson on Tuesday Mr Stunt clapped his hands together with relief as he was found not guilty of money laundering. He is seen outside of Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday morning In the witness box, Mr Stunt spoke about the drug addictions and gambling habit he has battled with over the years and detailed a life of privilege and opulence. He gave the impression that if cleared by the jury he could return to this life of luxury. But Mr Stunt was described by the prosecutor in the first trial as a 'conman' who has been 'putting on a front' all of his life and it is not known what assets remains under his name. He claimed in court around 100 works of art were seized under the court order pending the result of the money laundering trial and a document produced to show West Yorkshire Police had insured paintings for 100million. His fine wines were said to be worth 30million. While a Chelsea Harbour apartment he bought for 3,375,000 in 2012 remains registered to him. Mr Stunt pictured with his then-wife Petra Ecclestone at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2012 Mr Stunt is pictured on Tuesday arriving at Leeds Crown Court The jury was told how Mr Stunt became embroiled in the money laundering operation after his dream of refining the highest quality 'Stunt' branded gold bars went disastrously wrong. He built a refinery in Sheffield but was unable to source the unrefined or scrap gold that he needed as the raw material. He went into partnership with Bradford-jewellers Fowler Oldfield, but the prosecution claimed the loss-making gold manufacturing venture in time turned into a profitable criminal money laundering enterprise. Up to 30million of criminal cash, probably from drug gangs, was delivered to his firm's London office, counted and collected to be deposited in the Fowler Oldfield NatWest bank account. In total 266million of 'dirty' money was laundered, mainly between 2014 and 2016, by those involved in the entire scheme, organised by a master fixer in Dubai, the jury heard. A significant amount of gold that was processed by Mr Stunt's refinery was also turned into untraceable gold grain and sent to Dubai, presumably to be dispatched to the criminal gang masters providing the mountains of 'dirty' cash, the court was told. Police alleged that up to 30m in cash was counted and collected at Mr Stunt's London office Mr Stunt told the court he had no idea how much money was being counted at his opulent London office (pictured) Before this trial, 14 couriers who delivered cash to Fowler Oldfield in Bradford were convicted of money laundering and NatWest fined 265million for breaking anti-money laundering rules. Mr Stunt insisted he believed the cash counted in his office was from Fowler Oldfield customers and he had no idea it came from criminal sources or the operation was illegal. In both trials a photograph of him posing with the King at a private palace audience was shown to the jury in his defence. Details of how he donated 2.2million to charities, including substantial donations to the Prince's Trust, were given in court. It was even revealed in the first trial how he boasted to a bank that the then-Prince of Wales was one of his 'best friends'. The judge rejected an attempt to allow letters from Charles, thanking him for loans and donations to his charities, to be read to the jury. But ultimately the jury wasn't convinced Mr Stunt was aware of the criminality his Mayfair-based company had become embroiled in and he was cleared. Mr Stunt made huge charity donations during his marriage to Petra Ecclestone and his generosity earnt him an audience with the King, the court heard James Stunt, pictured with new girlfriend Helena Robinson at Leeds Cloth Hall Court in 2022 THE TAXPAYERS' BILL Despite his opulent lifestyle, James Stunt's appearance in court has cost taxpayers a fortune. The freezing of his assets and a subsequent bankruptcy order against Stunt means that he was eligible for Legal Aid. Taxpayers have had to pick up the bill for his legal fees during two long crown court trials and the huge amount of preparation work his solicitors carried out. The total cost has not been disclosed but is estimated to exceed 1.5million. The first trial in 2022 lasted seven months and his retrial four months. In both he was represented by a KC and junior counsel. A legal source estimated the first trial barristers bill at around 300,000 and the retrial more than half that figure. The time spent by lawyers preparing the case over many months would dwarf the trial cost. In addition, the cost to the public purse of running and staffing the crown court for 11 months in total is over 600,000. James Stunt arrives at the Rolls Building, in London, on March 6 2024 for his bankruptcy trial NATWEST The massive money laundering operation was made possible by criminal failures at the NatWest bank where the millions in cash was deposited. The bank was fined almost 265million at Southwark Crown Court in December 2021 for failing to comply with anti-laundering rules in connection with deposits to Bradford-based gold dealer Fowler Oldfield. Between 2012 and 2016 about 50 NatWest branches were used to deposit around 264million in cash and 365million in total funds into the company's account. This included 42million at a branch in Southall, west London, between January 2015 and March 2016. Up to 1.8million of cash was being paid in every day at the height of the activity on the account, according to the Financial Conduct Authority. However, while some staff flagged worries and automated monitoring systems also issued alerts, these concerns did not result in NatWest filing suspicious activity reports to the authorities at the time. The court heard a staff member at Fowler Oldfield developed a 'corrupt relationship' with a NatWest bank manager who was able to 'deflect' questions and facilitated the unusual deposits. He is currently under police investigation. NatWest admitted three money laundering offences and was the first bank to be prosecuted by the City regulator for such offences. Passing sentence Mrs Justice Cockerill said that although the bank was 'in no way complicit' in money laundering, it had been 'functionally vital'. She said: 'Without the bank's failures, the money could not be effectively laundered.' Jeffrey Epstein's 'top recruiter' has been dragged back in the spotlight after newly unsealed evidence documents show the convicted pedophile seemed to have left her large amounts of cash in envelopes. Among the long-awaited 'Epstein files' released by Attorney General Pam Bondi last week was an evidence list that suggests the disgraced financier had set aside $21,000 for Sarah Kellen in 2008, DailyMail.com can reveal. Kellen was known as Epstein's longtime assistant and alleged recruiter of young girls in his sex trafficking operation and has been accused in multiple lawsuits of arranging 'massages' and escorting underage girls to the room where they were abused. She was given immunity during Epstein's first criminal case which saw him strike a controversial plea deal that year and resulted in him serving a 15-month sentence. The evidence records included in the newly-released trove of documents show a list of over 150 items including photos, hard drives, sex toys, and two envelopes labeled 'SK', presumably Kellen's initials, containing cash payments. One envelope containing $17,115 was dated August 27, 2008, just weeks after Epstein signed the deal and when Kellen's loyalty would have been paramount. The unearthed evidence has once again raised questions as to why Kellen has never faced charges, unlike Epstein's infamous madam Ghislaine Maxwell who was ultimately tried and convicted in 2021. Lawyers have claimed that Kellen 'saw herself as the boss' and during Maxwell's sentencing for child sex trafficking in 2022 and Judge Sarah Nathan pointedly said that Kellen was a 'knowing participant' who was 'criminally responsible'. An evidence list included in the long-awaited 'Epstein files' released last week suggests the disgraced financier had set aside $21,000 for his assistant Sarah Kellen; pictured together in 2012 Kellen, who has been described by witnesses and victims as Epstein's recruiter in his sex trafficking operation, has managed to avoid charges after being given immunity during his initial criminal cases Maxwell is currently serving a 20 year sentence. The apparent references to Kellen, 45, appear in the evidence list released last week which appears to had been prepared for Maxwell's 2021 trial. Maxwell was arrested after Epstein hanged himself in 2019 after being arrested on child sex trafficking charges and, much to the frustration of Epstein's victims, remains the only person in his orbit to face charges. Among the items on the list is one which is described as: 'One heat-sealed bag containing one yellow envelope marked 'SK' dated 08/27/08 containing multiple smaller envelopes containing $17,115 USD (152 x $100, 35 x $50, 4 x $20, 6 x $10, 5 x $5)' Another envelope appears to date back to the year 2000. It is described as: 'One heat-sealed bag containing one small white envelope with writing '2000-SK' containing $4,400 USC (44 x $100)'. The evidence list does not explain why the money was still in the envelopes years later. But the one from 2008 appears to be significant as that is the year that Epstein signed his plea deal. Victims have claimed Kellen (right) was deeply involved in Epstein's operation and should face justice just like Ghislaine Maxwell (left) Kellen (with blonde hair) was allegedly Ghislaine Maxwell's right-hand woman during Epstein's reign of terror Two months earlier, in June 2008, in a state court he admitted to one count of solicitation of prostitution and one count of solicitation of prostitution with a minor under the age of 18. Epstein was jailed for 18 months followed by a year of house arrest and was ordered to register as a sex offender. The following month Epstein's victims found out about the plea after the fact and filed an emergency petition to force federal prosecutors to abide by the Crime Victims' Rights Act, which requires they be informed about such plea agreements and appear at sentencing. The payment for Kellen was marked for the following month - a time when her loyalty to Epstein would have been paramount for him. That is especially the case given how central her role allegedly was in his sex trafficking operation. Kellen has attracted particular scorn from Epstein victims because she was in her 20s when she allegedly helped traffic young girls which, in their view, makes her more culpable than if she were closer to their age. Before the Maxwell trial there was speculation that Kellen would give evidence for the prosecution, not least to avoid being arrested herself. She did not end up testifying but was mentioned a staggering 81 times in the first two weeks, the length of the prosecution case. Attorney General Pam Bondi last week announced she was releasing previously sealed documents related to the Epstein case People walk out of the West Wing and show 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' binders, at the White House Epstein's former Palm Beach housekeeper, Juan Alessi, said that at the end of his time working there Kellen began working for Epstein - he left in 2002. He said that Kellen 'immediately took over the telephone, answering the phone, and I guess - I think she did the scheduling of the massages'. During victim Carolyn Andriano's court testimony she said that for the first year or two Maxwell had called her to schedule the more than 100 massages she gave Epstein between the ages of 14 and 18. After that Kellen was the one who contacted her. Carolyn testified that Kellen took nude photos of her at Epstein's house after the pedophile offered her $600 for the images. Evidence not shown to the jury included flight logs which show that Kellen flew 350 times on Epstein's private jet, known as the 'Lolita Express', and has been seen in photographs on his private island in the Caribbean. Epstein victim Sarah Ransome has told the New York Times that 'it was Ghislaine and Sarah Kellen that showed me how to please Jeffrey'. In their memo ahead of Maxwell's sentencing, prosecutors said: 'Kellen joined the conspiracy when Maxwell was still second in command under Epstein. Given Maxwell's role in the household and in the conspiracy, she certainly exercised authority over Kellen. The apparent references to Kellen, 45, appear in the evidence list which appears to had been prepared for Ghislaine Maxwell's 2021 trial. Maxwell is currently serving a 20 year sentence Kellen is now married to Nascar driver turned investor Brian Vickers, 41, and has rebranded herself as an interior designer under the name Sarah Kensington 'The clear inference from this record is that Maxwell instructed Kellen regarding how to schedule massages and run the part of the scheme that Maxwell had previously handled, at which point Kellen switched to making calls to schedule appointments following Maxwell's directions'. Kellen is now married to Nascar driver turned investor Brian Vickers, 41, and has rebranded herself as an interior designer under the name Sarah Kensington. She and her husband reside in a $5.3million penthouse in the trendy SoHo area of Manhattan. They bought it in 2007 and it is unclear how Kellen was able to pay for the property. In addition to their property in New York, the couple own a stunning one bedroom condo in Miami with a large balcony that has sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean. After being approached by a journalist in 2020, Kellen reportedly said: 'I've been made out to be such a monster - but it's not true'. She went on: 'I'm a victim of Jeffrey Epstein. I was raped and abused weekly.' A lawsuit filed by a woman who appeared to be Kellen claimed that he abused her for three years starting when she was 14 and going through financial difficulties. And in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Kellen's parents said she was groomed and manipulated after growing up in a devout religious household and then falling out with them. A Facebook page for Kellen's interior design company is still up but the comments left by visitors are blunt. One reads: 'I can't wait to see how you'll decorate your apartment in prison'. Neither Kellen nor Vickers responded to calls asking for comment. In November last year, Gails, the upmarket bakery chain, announced it would be opening a new branch in Primrose Hill, a particularly chichi corner of north London, on a street where terraced houses can fetch up to 6million. It erected smart hoardings, with a picture of a chef carrying a tray of freshly cooked quiches, saying: Gails well be baking here soon. This was quickly defaced with graffiti polite, of course, this is Primrose Hill, after all which said Fails Go Away. Gosh! What on earth has this company done to upset the locals? Indeed, what has this chain done to upset all sorts of people its mere presence seems to provoke residents, from Walthamstow in trendy east London to fashionable Lewes, East Sussex, into a rage. To find out, the Daily Mail spent the day in, and near, its Primrose Hill branch, which opened less than a month ago. And the sharply differing range of opinions from the locals makes clear that Gails is more than just a bakery chain with 169 branches, selling 4.90 loaves of sourdough and 4.40 oat milk lattes. It has become a lightning rod, attracting all the hopes and fears about the state of British society and the economy. And not just because it was revealed this week to be throwing out binloads of unsold sandwiches and buns despite its zero food waste policy. It seems strange that so many people really dont like it. Because there is no doubt Gails, over the last few years, has been one of the great success stories on the British high street in an age where there have not been too many of those. Harry Wallop visits the new Gail's bakery in Primrose Hill, north London In the year to February 2024, it achieved a turnover of 232 million, up from 182 million the previous year, according to the most recent accounts it has filed at Companies House. Thats a very impressive 27 per cent increase in sales, when the overall bakery and sandwich shop market grew reportedly by a mere 4.7 per cent. A tiny part of that growth will have come from me. I confess, I occasionally treat myself to its sticky, chewy cinnamon buns, the number one Gails best seller. Yes, they cost 3.60 which is more than four times the cost of a similar pastry in Tesco but Gails version is a superior indulgence. Since then, it has continued to go gangbusters, thanks to the fact it keeps on opening new shops ten in the first two months of this year, and three planned over the next few weeks: in Stoke Newington, north London; Macclesfield, Cheshire; and Ely, Cambridgeshire. But even taking the boost from new shops into account, it is still doing well. Gails is growing faster than the market, says Maria Vanifatova, chief executive of Meaningful Vision, an analysis company that specialises in the eating-out market. They are quite expensive but they have found their audience and they are focused at targeting them the middle class and upper class. Its very much about lifestyle. I think Gails is the Waitrose of sandwich and bakery shops. Many Primrose Hill customers say it is an affordable luxury. Serena Arkus, 48, has bought a 4.90 waste-less sourdough loaf. The bread is just very good, its fresher than most other places. Yes, it is expensive for bread. But look, it depends on your priorities Everyone spends their money how they want. Another fan is Jonathan Brandling-Harris, 38. He has popped in for a coffee, between meetings, spending 3.90 for a takeaway flat white. The view from Primrose Bakery overlooking the modern Gail's Isnt that pricey? I ask. Anything under 4 is acceptable, in my view, he explains. While 3.90 may sound a lot, its the same price as Pret a Manger and Caffe Nero. Just like Waitrose, its reputation for fancy pastries and even fancier customers means that it has spawned the so-called Gails effect. Namely, if one opens in your area, the house prices will go up. This theory is backed up by Brandling-Harris, who owns the House Collective estate agency, and who has lived in Primrose Hill for 15 years. Gails is good for the area, its a community hub. It is really consistent good sandwiches, good coffee. And, importantly, it has filled a void. This was an empty site before. This outlet occupies a site left vacant when an independent delicatessen called Melrose & Morgan was forced to close, after falling into administration last year, before resurfacing as an online-only shop. Many locals, however, would have much preferred another independent, rather than a fast-expanding chain. This includes the Left-wing, Brexit-loathing barrister Jolyon Maugham, who decries it as, McDonalds for those with more money than taste. Another Primrose Hill critic, Cuitlahuac Turrent, who works for an investment bank, tells me: It could destroy local neighbourhood bakeries with its bland, soulless food and atmosphere. Cuitlahuac Turrent feels Gail's could destroy local bakeries 'with its bland, soulless food and atmosphere' Turrent, who moved to Primrose Hill with his partner, Chris, last year from New York says: Everyone in the Primrose Hill community has been really welcoming to us mainly through all these local shops, the cafes, the nail salon, the dry cleaners. Thats where we have met people. Gails is just not in that spirit. He adds bluntly: Gails is the worst. I meet him across from Gails with his dog, a cavapoo called Panchito, in a rival cafe called Jolie Corner. Next door to Jolie Corner is the Primrose Bakery, opened by Martha Swift nearly 20 years ago. There are just so many Gails, she says in exasperation. There are five others within walking distance. This branch is less than 500 yards from one in Camden Lock and the same distance from one in Camden Town; three others are less than a mile away. Swift specialises in bespoke wedding and birthday cakes, so we do different things, but she also makes quite a bit of her money from people popping in for 3.40 coffee and a 3.50 cupcake. But she has noticed lots of customers come into her shop clutching a Gails coffee cup. It is really tough to run an independent business on the high street at the moment the cost of ingredients has gone through the roof, its a nightmare. Then theres the price of electricity, plus the cost of business rates. You just cant pass on these costs to customers. She adds: A chain like Gails can afford to lose money, whereas if you are an independent business you have to make a living. This is the crux of many peoples objections to Gails. For years, with its intimate name and handbaked goods, the bakery has almost masqueraded as an independent but is in fact owned by a consortium of US and British private equity companies and can afford to lose money, while it expands rapidly. Though its tills are ringing, it still made a pre-tax loss last year of 7.4 million. Jonathan Brandling-Harris popped into Gail's for a takeaway coffee, spending 3.90 on a flat white Others blame Gails for the gentrification of areas, claiming that its arrival heralds small, local shops and services being priced out. This concern was so acute that when Gails moved into Walthamstow last year, a petition garnered 1,800 signatures. Its about choosing inclusive growth, preserving diversity and creating equitable and sustainable local economies, the petition claimed. In Bath, where Gails is planning to open, it has been met with a new backlash for the same reason. Another problem in the eyes of many boycotters, is that one of its directors and co-owners is Luke Johnson, entrepreneur and prominent supporter of Brexit, who critics have decnounced as peddling climate denialism, woke-hating, anti-lockdown views. In a world where consumers increasingly want to spend their money in a business that aligns with their politics, Gails just isnt woke enough for some. Even worse, in the eyes of some detractors, is the false belief that it is an Israeli company, and therefore buying pasties at Gails helps them to continue their support of the genocide in Gaza as one protestor claimed on the social media site X. This is nonsense. The company felt so alarmed at the growing backlash, particularly on TikTok, that chief executive Tom Molnar felt compelled last year to say: Gails proudly has Jewish roots and theres plenty of stuff out there celebrating our heritage and history, but its not true its Israel-owned. Gails was founded by an Israeli baker, Gail Mejia, in the 1990s, as a wholesale bakery in Hendon, supplying Londons restaurants. Back then it was called the Bread Factory. It still makes over a third of its turnover from supplying large-scale customers such as five-star hotels and even the royal household Gails has a warrant from King Charles. At the time, Molnar, an American who grew up in Florida and still sometimes skateboards to work, was a management consultant working for McKinsey in London. Hed tried the bread, liked it, but decided the companys management was ruining a potentially great business. He admits he had little interest, initially, in bread or croissants I was looking for something to do that was interesting, he has said. When I met Gail, she was gonna lose her house and her car, a whole bunch of stuff was just falling apart, he recounted in a podcast earlier this year. And the guy who was running it was getting drunk at lunch and punching the bakers. And we were like: This cant go on. He and a fellow McKinsey management consultant, Ran Avidan, an Israeli, took over the company with Gail and set about restructuring it, going on to open its first cafe in Hampstead in 2005, named after its female founder. Mejia herself quit the business and sold her stake when Luke Johnson arrived as an investor in 2011. For many years Johnson was chairman, helping it to expand rapidly and raise yet more money. Its main backers now are the vast venture capital funds Bain Capital, alongside McWin Capital Partners, which owns a franchise for Burger King in Germany, a stake in fried chicken chain Popeyes and runs 370 Subway sandwich shops in France and the Czech Republic. Molnar, now 58, and the senior management team own a 25 per cent stake in the company, which could be worth an eye-watering 125 million. Thats because at the end of last year Wall Street bank Goldman Sachs was brought in to potentially sell the business for a reported 500 million. Molnar wont comment on these rumours, but he told the Daily Mail that it was mistaken to blame his chain for gentrification. We open bakeries when we feel we have something to contribute to the neighbourhood, but the reality is that well be one of 20, 30, 40 businesses in that place, so were only a small part of the picture. He also insisted that we tend to take over unused businesses and sympathetically transform them into spaces which reflect the heritage and architecture of that place. That isnt always the case. Gails upset many locals when it opened a branch in Lewes, last year, taking over a former NatWest branch, a handsome Grade II-listed Georgian building, replacing the old oak door for modern glass ones. When the South Downs National Park demanded the company reinstate the original, Gails applied for retrospective planning permission, which was refused. To its critics, this episode exemplified why Gails rubs some up the wrong way. It purports to be a champion of communities Molnar proudly talks about giving away over one million items of food to local charities in the last year but too often it seems more interested in expanding quickly and asking for forgiveness later rather than seeking permission first. To its fans, however, all the complaints derive from either snobbism, anti-Israeli sentiment or an inability to appreciate a really good, if pricey, 6.80 smoked salmon bagel. We love it because everything is extremely fresh. My favourite salad is the lentil, beetroot and feta one its delicious, says Shirit Kedar, 53, an Israeli filmmaker and long-time resident of Primrose Hill. The people who boycott it are talking rubbish. She is the final customer that I speak to lunching with a neighbour and I point out that many locals say they are upset that Gails has replaced Melrose & Morgan. They were much more expensive than Gails. We used to call them Melrose & Mortgage, she laughs. Look, Gails is good for the high street. They are reliable, they employ people, they are tasty. And in a high street where many struggle, perhaps Gails greatest crime is that it is successful. Jack Vettriano never made any bones about what it was that inspired him as an artist. I want to paint attractive women, I dont give a damn about the men, he once told me. I will spend half an hour putting a seam on to a stocking and two minutes on a mans face. I want to paint the things that touch me, that move me, because they are me. I know my priorities. Vettriano, whose death at the age of 73 was announced yesterday, first became fascinated by the female form as a teenager. The numerous liaisons that followed would inform his lifes work. These included relationships with a number of his models and muses, as well as an admission that he had, in the past, frequented brothels and downmarket bars to research his art. The details of those assignations resonated through his paintings the big beehive hair, the red lipstick, the cigarettes, the stockings and suspenders and sense of sexual tension. Ironically, it is a picture of a very different nature for which Vettriano will forever be remembered, one which turned this Scottish miners son into Britains most popular artist. Called The Singing Butler it depicts an elegant couple dancing on a storm-swept beach accompanied by their maid and umbrella-wielding butler. Jack Vettriano in his London studio in 2010 Vettriano at a Clarence House reception hosted by Queen Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall Vettriano at Bonhams auction house in Edinburgh with his painting An Unexpected Guest It was painted in 1992 in the very early days of his professional career, only for it to be rejected by the Scottish Arts Council and by the Royal Academy for its summer exhibition. Little more than a decade later, it was auctioned by Sothebys in Edinburgh. After fierce bidding, it finally sold for a staggering 744,800, the highest price ever paid at auction for a Scottish painting. The sale and the images use on everything from biscuit tins to birthday cards would ignite the debate surrounding Vettrianos worth as an artist. On one side were large sections of the art establishment, disdainful of his craft and the sleazy subject matter of many of his paintings. As Richard Calvocoressi, the former head of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, once wrote: We think Vettriano an indifferent painter and he is very low on our priorities. On the other were the collectors, who include the likes of Jack Nicholson and Sir Alex Ferguson, and the general public who so love Vettrianos work that his prints outsell those by Van Gogh, Dali and Monet. More fuel was added to the fire when a newspaper announced it had discovered an art manual from which Vettriano had copied a number of figures in his most famous work. It was then, in 2005, that I first met the painter. Determined to defend his reputation from the art worlds criticisms, he invited me to his Art Deco apartment in the South of France to interview him for the Daily Mail. There he defended the work, saying: What I do is not cutting edge, it is not pushing back any boundaries. It pleases me and fortunately it also pleases other people. I do not apologise for The Singing Butler, far from it. I think to have been able to do that, to have been able to create an iconic image from a 17 manual, deserves a wee bit more than scorn. Vettriano's The Singing Butler became a bestselling image in Britain Vettriano's The Billy Boys, one of his most famous paintings Vettriano's exhibition A Retrospective in Glasgow But it was clear from that meeting and from interviews I conducted with him for a subsequent book how much the controversy and criticisms had stung him. Because while his popularity brought him financial success at his peak he was earning royalties of 500,000 a year I sensed it never entirely made up for the lack of critical acclaim. Naturally tending to melancholia, he also battled cocaine and alcohol abuse for many years. If a critic writes I am someone who just colours in and that I shouldnt be an artist, well, then, you would have to be sub-human not to be affected by that, he admitted. I know I am supposed to be Britains most popular artist but that is with the public. I am Britains most unpopular artist with the critics. And maybe you can never have it both ways. Born in 1951, Vettriano was the second of four children born to Bill and Catherine Hoggan in a mid-terrace Coal Board house in Methilhill on Scotlands east coast. Life was short on creature comforts another cup of water in the soup, was his fathers cry whenever he learned his wife was pregnant again and there was never any expectation that Jack would do anything other than find a trade. Aged ten, his family moved to nearby Leven, a popular holiday destination that would shape his view of women. In those days women all wore stockings and you could be guaranteed if you went out you would get a glimpse of a stocking top, he said. That did for me I spent the age of ten to about 13 on my knees, desperate to catch a glimpse. Then there were the working girls who used to hang around the Innerleven Hotel. Me and a friend would wait around, looking at them all dressed up in that very cheap way. I believe that the things that move you when you go into puberty never quite leave you. Vettriano left school at 15, and an apprenticeship as a mining engineer and a number of short-lived jobs followed. Then, aged 22, he dated a schoolteacher who encouraged him to study at college and also gave him a set of poster paints. For the next two decades Vettriano practised copying other artists, starting with the Impressionists, moving on to the likes of Picasso and Dali. During that time he moved between a number of white-collar jobs and married Gail Cormack, a local girl from Kirkcaldy. But as the years passed Vettriano became disillusioned with his middle-class lifestyle and started to devote all his spare time to painting work of his own. He adopted a variation of his mothers maiden name and in 1988 submitted two small paintings to the Royal Scottish Academys summer exhibition in Edinburgh. One was of a man moodily leaning against a pillar in a ballroom, the other of a woman in a white slip. Both sold within minutes. I remember going back home on the train that evening and thinking: If you like that kind of work, Ive got plenty more where that came from, he said. Vettriano started painting for 16 hours a day, stopped socialising and his marriage collapsed. In 1990 he moved to Edinburgh. It was a particularly hedonistic time, with regular visits to sauna parlours and prostitutes. Solo exhibitions followed, as did representation by a leading London gallery. Vettriano started to spend more and more time in the English capital, buying an apartment close to Harrods. He also later bought a property in Nice. In large part his success was fuelled by his decision in 1995 to allow his works to be reproduced. He thought the move might bring in a couple of thousand pounds a year but the prints, posters, cards and coffee mugs proved hugely popular and saw him dubbed The Peoples Painter. Then came the sale of The Singing Butler and the controversy that surrounded it. As he told me at the time, all he did was what artists have always done, foraging for material from which to work from. One such source was The Illustrators Figure Reference Manual, bought from a bookshop in Edinburgh. He turned to it for inspiration when he came up with the idea for The Singing Butler. I wish I could say that there is some terribly romantic tale behind the painting but there isnt, he said. At the time I was having an exhibition in Perthshire and this old lady who had seen a painting I had done of this guy digging for bait on a beach said: You know, son, youre very good at doing beaches. Recognition would follow, if not from the art world, in the shape of an OBE for services to visual arts. Vettriano struggled with ill-health later in life but he continued to paint. At the age of 70 he revealed that he had not one but two new female muses, Eastern Europeans aged 38 and 42. According to his publicist, Vettrianos body was found at his apartment in Nice on Saturday. There are said to be no suspicious circumstances. Paying tribute to him, Scottish First Minister John Swinney said: I am very sorry to hear that one of Scotlands best-known artists, Jack Vettriano, has died, and I want to express my deepest condolences to his family. Jack made a unique and evocative contribution to artistic life in Scotland. How history views his work, only time will tell. But as Vettriano himself observed, if you cant please everyone, pleasing lots of people isnt a bad start. The UK's Net Zero drive is making families poorer by squeezing living standards, economists have claimed. A new report, by researchers at investment bank Peel Hunt, questioned whether Britain's decarbonisation efforts were to blame for the country's productivity crisis. They found a 'clear link' between falling energy capacity and weak productivity in the UK, which has 'hurt economic performance and growth in living standards'. A decline in UK electricity supply, which began in 2006, coincided with the start of structural weakness in productivity growth, the research added. The economists said their analysis challenges the Government's claim that there is no trade-off between Net Zero and economic growth. Prior to winning last year's general election, Labour pledged to decarbonise the UK's electricity grid by 2030 as part of accelerating Net Zero efforts. Since entering Downing Street, Sir Keir Starmer has lifted a de facto ban on onshore wind farms in England and given consent for a slew of solar projects. The PM has hailed Net Zero as 'one of the economic opportunities' of this century, while business chiefs recently pointed to an 83billion boost from the sector last year. But the Tories have said the UK's Net Zero target 'leaves us economically worse off' and admitted putting the 2050 deadline into law was among 'mistakes' they made when in power. Sir Keir Starmer, pictured with Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan during a visit to Alltwalis Wind Farm, has hailed Net Zero as 'one of the economic opportunities' of this century A new report, by researchers at investment bank Peel Hunt, pointed to a chart showing peak UK electricity coincided with a kink in productivity trend The economists said their analysis challenges the Government's claim that there is no trade-off between Net Zero and economic growth In the Peel Hunt report, authors Kallum Pickering and Charles Hall wrote: 'Our analysis challenges the Governments claim that there is no trade-off between Net Zero and economic growth. Two decades of experience suggests otherwise. 'The result of the UKs decarbonisation efforts, so far, appears to be weak economic growth, high energy prices, de-industrialisation and no significant impact on the overall trajectory of global emissions.' They noted that the 2008 financial crash inflicted 'lasting damage' on the UK economy, but added that 'productivity weakness has continued - and recently worsened'. 'This oddity suggests another factor at play,' their report added. The authors found, since peaking in 2005, electricity availability in the UK has declined by 21 per cent. 'This decline has occurred, by and large, due to the planned decommissioning of various types of electricity production facilities most notably coal and oil, but also nuclear,' they wrote. 'As capacity has been destroyed or mothballed, it has not been replaced with like-for-like output, and overall electricity availability has declined precipitously.' They pointed to a chart showing peak UK electricity coincided with a kink in productivity trend, adding: 'Put simply, once the electricity available to the UK economy starts to decline, the trend rate of productivity slows sharply. 'This story fits with our earlier analysis across countries, which shows a clear positive trend between per capita GDP and per capita energy consumption. 'If an economy throttles its production of energy, it impairs its capacity to produce all types of goods and services. Productivity is the major driver of per capita GDP.' The authors found, since peaking in 2005, electricity availability in the UK has declined by 21 per cent The report compared the 'very different approach so far' between UK and US efforts to decarbonise their economies The report compared the 'very different approach so far' between UK and US efforts to decarbonise their economies. 'While the US has been growing its living standards while keeping per capita energy consumption roughly stable (much like the UK from 1990 to 2005), the UK has been holding its living standards broadly stable while cutting per capita energy consumption,' it said. But the authors suggested there were 'better times ahead' as projections show a 60 per cent rise in electricity supply by 2050 relative to last year. 'If the Government can stay on track with plans to build new renewable capacities, electricity supplies can rise sharply,' they added - although they warned new technology such as Artificial Intelligence would ramp up energy demands. The report contrasts with a recent analysis by the Confederation of British Industry that suggested the Net Zero sector in the UK has become a 'powerhouse of job creation and economic expansion'. It found the Net Zero sector grew by 10 per cent in 2024 and generated 83billion in gross value added (GVA), a measure of how much value companies add through the goods and services they produce. Keir Starmer is facing a growing Labour backlash over his decision to raid the foreign aid budget to boost defence spending. Labour MPs lined up to criticise the move in the Commons on Monday, with former frontbencher Barry Gardiner warning it would lead to more more people being slain by famine, drought, disaster and war. The Prime Minister said the decision to slash 6 billion from the aid budget have been necessary to raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027. A YouGov poll yesterday found the move is popular, with 65 per cent of people supporting it and just 20 per cent opposed. But the decision, which will see the aid budget cut from 0.5 per cent of GDP to 0.3 per cent, is causing mounting anger on Labours benches. Aid minister Anneliese Dodds resigned in protest on Friday. And Labour MPs have called on the PM to find the cash for defence by raising taxes or relaxing the Governments fiscal rules to allow for more borrowing. Dame Emily Thornberry, chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, urged the PM to think again. She said that, with the aid budget also paying out billions to house asylum seekers in hotels in the UK, it was hard to believe there would be enough left to meet the PMs stated aim of supporting desperate people in war zones like Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. Sir Keir Starmer is facing a backlash over his decision to cut 6billion of foreign aid in order to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027 Labour MP Barry Gardiner (pictured) said the move would lead to more people being slain by famine, drought, disaster and war Anneliese Dodds (pictured) resigned from her position as aid minister on Friday in protest against the spending cut Ms Dodds suggested that taxes will need to rise as the new military demands cannot be met be 'tactical' reductions to spending She warned that the cuts would in the long-term hobble the very leadership that the Prime Minister has shown this weekend on Ukraine. Mr Gardiner said it was a moment to accept that the post-war international settlement has now been fractured and that the necessary rise in defence spending should be achieved by changing the fiscal rules, not by cuts to international aid. Labour MP Nadia Whittome said the decision risks both increasing global instability and undermining support for Ukraine both here at home and internationally. Fellow Labour MP Cat Smith asked the PM to recommit to last years manifesto pledge to restore aid spending to 0.7 per cent of GDP. The PM said he wanted to restore aid and development funding as soon as fiscal events allow. Its a principle I believe in. Im proud of what weve done. In the meantime, he said he was working with the World Bank and others to find ways of encouraging the private sector to fund development projects without necessarily increasing the spend within the Government budget. He added: The security and safety and defence of Europe has to come first but Im absolutely committed to doing what we can to increasing the aid and development that were able to provide, which is why Ill look at the priorities and work with others on other ways to leverage the support that we might be able to put in place. All three agents charged with breaching Surveillance Devices Act Three private detectives are facing an extended stay behind bars if they are found guilty of spying on a property developer in the midst of a feud with his sibling rival. GM Risk Group boss Liam Ryan has been charged with 11 breaches of the Surveillance Devices Act after allegedly being hired by Joe Nahas. The 45-year-old is accused of installing tracking and surveillance devices on Fadie's car while it was parked outside his apartment in Sydney's Olympic Park on April 27, 2019, alongside operatives Johanna Hamdorff, 38, and Vinnie Rovedi, 58. The team is accused of then gathering information obtained from those devices to pass onto Joe, including Fadie's whereabouts and activities. Installation of surveillance devices without the owner's consent has a maximum sentence of five years behind bars. That penalty applies again if information collected from an illegal device is passed on to a third party. Hamdorff will face one charge over the alleged installation of the tracking device on Fadie's car, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Rovedi, a former undercover drug officer for NSW Police, has been charged with four offences. Three private security agents could be thrown behind bars if found guilty of spying after being hired by property developer Joe Nahas (pictured) The most serious allegation is faces is using identification information with the intention of committing a crime - punishable by up to seven years behind bars. Ryan and Hamdorff lost their individual security licences after being hit with criminal charges in March 2024 but will challenge the decision in court on March 18. Rovedi did not have a NSW security licence at the time of the alleged offences. Their criminal case will return to court on April 10. Joe, who has not faced any charges over the alleged spying scandal and is not accused of any wrongdoing, is the owner of Coronation Property which has some $5.7billion worth of developments under its belt. It is understood he and his younger brother fell out over a business disagreement. Joe came to the public's attention in early 2022 after Coronation Property employed embattled former deputy prime minister John Barilaro as its executive director. Mr Barilo quit his position with the company after being appointed as a government trade ambassador based in New York. Johanna Hamdorff, Vinnie Rovedi (pictured) and Liam Ryan were allegedly involved in the installation of an illegal surveillance device on Fadie's car While his involvement with the politician may be what he's known best for, Joe's own rise to success has been applauded. Joe listed himself as 'unemployed' on his then personal insolvency agreement in October 2012 following the failure of his three construction companies. He then went on to become the director of Coronation Property in March 2014 having finalised his obligations to creditors. Records seen by the Herald indicate much of Joe's development projects have been bankrolled by 63-year-old billionaire recluse Zeljko Ranogajec, 63. The high-stakes gambler has been nicknamed 'The Loch Ness Monster' due to his rare public sightings. Ranogajec fronted a Sydney court in 2008 for an issue relating to his wagering company. He used his alias, John Wilson, and described himself as a investor living in Mosman. When asked how much his syndicate's annual turnover is, Ranogajec said: 'My guess would be $1billion'. Mr Naha's development projects have been largely bankrolled by billionaire recluse Zeljko Ranogajec (pictured) It's understood Ranogajec is also financing Joe's beach houses in Wamberal, on the Central Coast, and Darling Point mansion. Joe's then-wife, Danielle Elkorr spent $11.125million on a waterfront property in Sutherland Crescent in 2015. After having blown through an estimated $10million in the last decade, the home remains incomplete. Elkorr last year was granted a $15million mortgage on the property from a company owned by a 'John Wilson'. The alleged spying incident by the agents isn't the first time the Nahas family has drawn scrutiny from the public eye. Prominent lawyer John Landerer represented the Nahas brother in Federal Court in an effort to take down a story by the Nine Network on their feud with Fadie. Andy was convicted of assault in 2016. A controversial Aboriginal group that previously blocked plans for a billion-dollar mining project has been slammed as 'crazy' by an Indigenous elder for seeking to have the peak of Mount Panorama declared a sacred site. If successful, the move would restrict public access and prevent any new development at Mount Panorama, in NSW's central-west, which is the home of the world famous Bathurst 1000 and Bathurst 12 Hour car races. The Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation wants to register the peak as a heritage site, after it scattered the ashes of former member Uncle Brian Grant there in 2022. Under the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System, the peak is registered as the 'burial site and ceremonial site for Wiradjuri Lore Man Mallyan Merriganoury (Grant's Wiradjuri name)'. This was recorded by Uncle Jade Flynn, a prominent member of the Wiradyuri group, but its current status is not deemed significant, The Australian reported. But Roy Ah-See, a Wiradyuri elder and former chair of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, slammed the group's proposal as 'crazy'. 'It really does undermine the legitimacy of our Aboriginal heritage, particularly when they're not listening to the local Aboriginal land council,' he said. Mr Ah-See told 2GB's Ben Fordham that Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council, not the Wiradyuri group, 'is the cultural authority' for the area. Uncle Jade Flynn of the Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation is pictured with former Coalition minister Sussan Ley Mount Panorama in Bathurst (pictured) is currently owned by the local council. It is the home of the world famous Bathurst 1000 and Bathurst 12 Hour car races 'When are these people going to understand that if you want to put claim to a piece of land, go through the Commonwealth Native Title Act and legislation and put a claim on it. Be legitimate,' he told the show on Tuesday. He added that 'under the NSW Land Rights legislation section 36, when land is lawfully used and occupied you can not put a claim on it'. Mr Ah-See was concerned about using the spreading of ashes on a site as the basis of a rights claim. 'To utilise and use it in this way is disrespectful to the people that have gone before us. You can't do this,' he said. McPhillamy Park, on the summit, has a viewpoint over Bathurst and the Mount Panorama Circuit race track and is owned by the local council. The Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council said it was not informed of the proposal made by the fringe Wiradyuri group, which wants the site recognised as 'significant'. Mr Grant's family reportedly wants a federal order that would restrict public access to one of Mount Panorama's best viewpoints and stop any new development there. The group made headlines last year when Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek blocked the proposed site of a tailings dam for a goldmine in Blayney, just 37km west of Bathurst. Mount Panorama, in the NSW central west, which is the home of the world famous Bathurst 1000 and Bathurst 12 Hour car races (pictured) The Wiradjuri corporation demanded Ms Plibersek protect the springs of the Belubula River as a site central to Creation stories. That was despite the NSW Independent Planning Commission originally approving the mine in March 2023, a process that involved consultation with the Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council, the elected body for local Indigenous leaders. Ms Plibersek's decision - effectively ending the billion-dollar mine proposal - came after artist Nyree Reynolds put in a submission saying the dam would destroy sacred land. Ms Reynolds said she is the descendant of a Wiradjuri woman born in the 1820s, but local Aboriginal groups said they had never heard of her,and were furious at the intrusion on the dam project which would have been lucrative for their people. Bathurst Regional Council said there had been no indicaiton that heritage status would be sought in the Wiradyuri group's Mount Panorama submission. 'Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation contacted council in November 2022 seeking access to the top of the mountain for a final goodbye ceremony. This was negotiated and agreed to,' general manager David Sherley said. Toni-Lee Scott, the CEO of Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council, slammed the proposed site declaration, which her group had not been consulted on. Nyree Reynolds (pictured) said she heard the voices of her Wiradyuri ancestors. She claims to be a descendant of a Wiradjuri woman born in the 1820s She said the scattering of Mr Grant's ashes was 'a traditional ceremony, but for a person that was not born and raised here, I find it a little bit uneasy'. Ms Scott added that most of the local Indigenous community probably 'aren't aware of the claim by the Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation. 'These government politicians listen to their every word,' she said. When the Wiradyuri group successfully stopped the Blayney mine, Ms Reynolds said she heard her ancestors' voices talking to her about it. 'Every time I drove past (the site), I could feel the ancestors saying "help us", and I thought, if I can do work with everyone, and the ancestors, to stop this (I will), because to kill the Belubula by putting cement in the springs was unthinkable.' The Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. Shoppers at a Westfield in Perth were brought to a standstill after they spotted a woman swimming in a rooftop pond that can be viewed from inside the centre. The man-made pond atop Carousel Shopping Centre in Cannington looks over one of the concourses. A TikTok posted over the weekend showed a woman enter the small pool and swim around in it. Inside the shopping centre, patrons gathered underneath the glass-bottomed pond to take in the spectacle as the woman is seen banging to get their attention. A security guard is then seen looking up at the woman before approaching her. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Westfield Carousel for comment. With almost 60,000 likes and hundreds of comments, Tik Tok users shared their thoughts on the bizarre act. 'I work at Mecca and see this so often lol it's hilarious,' someone said. The minute-long video showed an unknown woman slipping as she entered the rooftop pool A rooftop pool is a feature at Westfield Carousel, looking onto the main concourse 'As a fellow Perth person why am I not surprised this just feels like the norm for Australia's most isolated city,' another wrote. Some locals said they had never even noticed the rooftop pool. 'I didn't even know there was water up there,' one said. I've been here 100 times and never noticed that on the roof,' a second wrote. A third asked: 'You're allowed to swim in it?' 'I'm jealous - I wanna go swimming at a shopping centre,' a fourth said. 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Thiessen became the latest ally of Ukraine to demand President Volodymyr Zelensky either fix his relationship with Donald Trump or step down. The fallout from Zelensky's disaster meeting Friday with Trump and JD Vance has led to many of the biggest pro-Ukraine voices connected to Trump to demand Zelensky change. Both Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senator Lindsey Graham - who visited Zelensky nine times during the war - have said they believe he no longer has a tenable position. Thiessen - a former George W. Bush speechwriter and pro-Ukraine voice - has added his name to the list with an op-ed titled: 'Zelensky must mend the breach with Trump - or resign.' 'The blowup was Zelenskys fault,' he wrote, saying that Trump 'greeted Zelensky graciously' and downplayed previous arguments the pair had. Trump's commitments to Ukraine and refusing to insult Zelensky for not wearing a suit 'should have been music to Zelenskys ears.' Instead, he chose to attack President Trump's wish for a ceasefire, leading to a shocking meltdown. Thiessen asked: 'Why on earth did Zelensky choose to fact-check Trump in front of the entire world rather than debate the wisdom of a ceasefire behind closed doors?' Columnist Marc A. Thiessen became the latest ally of Ukraine to demand President Volodymyr Zelensky either fix his relationship with Donald Trump or step down The fallout from Zelensky's disaster meeting Friday with Trump and JD Vance has led to many of the biggest pro-Ukraine voices connected to Trump to demand Zelensky change 'This should have been a backslapping, feel-good meeting celebrating the minerals deal. Instead, Zelensky hijacked the meeting, jumping in when he was not asked a question, looking for opportunities to interrupt and make his points,' Thiessen wrote. He also slammed Zelensky for refusing to apologize in a Fox news interview later Friday evening and further, said he should have not left the White House until he mended fences. 'Zelensky does not have the luxury of getting emotional on the world stage. Europe does not have the military capabilities Ukraine needs to survive. Ukraine cannot have a president who is not on speaking terms with the president of the United States,' Thiessen said. He wrote that due to his inability to manage 'his country's relations with Trump,' he has to either apologize or go. 'Right now, Zelensky is refusing, insisting he did nothing wrong. That is not sustainable. Either Zelensky needs to apologize and mend the breach, or he needs to step down and allow someone else to do it. ' The tense war of words played out inside the Oval Office Friday and quickly went off the rails when Trump took offense of how Zelensky treated his vice president JD Vance in front of the cameras. Rubio hinted that Zelensky owes the president an apology and found his behavior leading up to the Oval Office blowout unacceptable. 'You guys only saw the end, you don't see all the things that led up to this. The president's been very clear on this, he campaigned on this. He thinks this war should have never started and I agree that had he been president it never would have happened,' Rubio stated. Marc A. Thiessen - a former George W. Bush speechwriter and pro-Ukraine voice - has added his name to the list with an op-ed titled: 'Zelensky must mend the breach with Trump - or resign Thiessen slammed Zelensky for refusing to apologize in a Fox news interview later Friday evening and further, said he should have not left the White House until he mended fences 'Now here we are, he's trying to bring an end to this conflict, we've explained very clearly what our plan is here: we want to get the Russians to a negotiating table, we want to explore whether peace is possible,' he added. Rubio's contention was that what happened in the ten days leading up to today's meeting led to a 'predictable outcome' and the meeting didn't even have to happen, claiming they were only here to sign the deal for minerals. 'Apologize for turning this thing into the fiasco that it became,' he said, in reference to Zelensky. 'Don't come here and create a scenario where you're going to start lecturing us about how diplomacy isn't going to work. Zelensky took it in that direction and it ended in a predictable outcome as a result.' Graham has visited Ukraine several times - as recently as last year - and has been one of the Republican Party's biggest cheerleaders for American support of the war, even meeting with the president minutes before his showdown with Trump and JD Vance. Speaking to Fox News amid the fallout, Graham said he was 'devastated' at what took place. 'Everything I and many have been working for to try to get a new relationship with the United States around our critical minerals deal was completely obliterated today,' he said. He said he'd 'warned' Zelensky to 'be grateful' and 'be thankful' to Trump when they met, then asked a shocking question. In an effort to shift the blame away from Trump and Vance, whose aggression has provoked an international outcry from even the US's closest allies, Rubio hinted that Zelensky owes the president an apology and found his behavior leading up to the Oval Office blowout unacceptable 'The question for me is: is he redeemable in the eyes of Americans? Most Americans witnessing what they saw today would not want Zelensky to be their business partner, including me.' After meeting with Trump, he said the choice was clear for the beleaguered Ukrainian president. 'He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change,' Graham said. Zelensky refused to apologize and said he wants Donald Trump to be 'more on our side' during his first major interview since the blowup. The Ukrainian president, speaking to Fox News, was asked point blank if he owed Trump an apology and twice filibustered before refusing and instead attempting to be gracious and added 'I'm not sure we did something bad.' 'We're thankful to Americans for all your support, you did a lot, I'm thankful to President Trump and Congress' bipartisan support,' Zelensky said. 'You helped us a lot from the very beginning, you helped us to survive. We are strategic partners.' When asked again, he refused again and tried to explain his own position. Graham has visited Ukraine several times - as recently as last year - and has been one of the Republican Party's biggest cheerleaders for American support of the war, even meeting with the president minutes before his showdown with Trump and JD Vance 'We have to be honest and we have to be direct with each other. Nobody wants to finish more than we because we are in this war, in this battle for freedom for our lives,' he said. The Ukrainian leader said he needs Trump to be 'on the same side' and needs him to stop Vladimir Putin. 'I want President Trump to be more on our side,' he said when Baier asked if he felt it was okay for Trump to be 'in the middle' of negotiations. 'Trump said he will stop the war and I hope he will. We need to pressure him with Europe.' Zelensky then attempted to quote former President Ronald Reagan in saying what he wanted in a deal. 'Peace is not just the absence of war. We are speaking of a just, lasting peace,' he said. Zelensky also said that Trump was lying when the president said that he wants to go back into the White House and have a do-over right now. 'No. First of all, we want peace, that's why we are in the US. The deal on minerals is the first step to security guarantees, it's the first step closer to peace. We have a tough situation, to understand it is to be in Ukraine,' he said. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky refused to apologize in his first major interview since his disaster brawl and public meltdown with Donald Trump and JD Vance He added: 'But I respect my soldiers and our people, our civilians who work and support our warriors. I can't just say stop because everyone is afraid that Putin will come back tomorrow.' Zelensky added that he respects Trump and the American people but reiterated that he felt he was being honest. 'I think this kind of spat is not good for both sides. I can't change our Ukranian attitude to Russia. They are killers for us. This is very clear that Americans are the best friends, Europeans are the best friends. It doesn't mean that we don't want peace, we recognize the reality of the situation.' He also said that his country wants peace and diplomacy and said they are willing to negotiate, going against what Trump said that he wants to 'fight fight fight.' 'Ukraine wants peace and we will have diplomacy, we will have negotiations. It's about just and lasting peace, we have to be very strong at the table of negotiations,' he said. Baier asked him lastly if his relationship with Trump was repairable after this mess. 'Yes, of course, because it's relations more than two presidents. It's strong relations between our people and that's why I always thank your people from our people.' One of New York City's most prestigious private schools has been humiliated in court after hiring a convicted felon who has now also pleaded guilty to catfishing students into sending him lewd pictures. Winston Nguyen was given a second chance in 2020 to teach at Saint Ann's in Brooklyn after he was convicted on fraud charges. But just four years later, the math teacher was arrested again - sending the prep school spiraling into a PR crisis. On Monday, the 38-year-old pleaded guilty to soliciting lewd images and videos of students younger than 17. He faces seven years in prison. St Ann's charges $60,000 per year in tuition and has built a reputation as one of the best prep schools in New York for wealthy creative students. Nguyen was hired as an administrative aide in 2020, just one year after he was convicted for fraud for stealing more than $300,000 from an elderly couple while employed as their home health support. Maureen 'Mo' Yusuf-Morales, the Head of the Upper Middle School at Saint Ann's and an experienced DEI trainer, had pushed for him to be given a chance, despite his past crimes. He had declared to the administrator that he was a convicted felon, and according to the New York Times at least one of the school leaders vehemently opposed the decision to hire him regardless. And yet, he was given a second shot, climbing his way through the ranks to ultimately earn a math teaching gig by 2021 at a school known for unorthodox teaching methods. On Monday, the 38-year-old pleaded guilty to soliciting lewd images and videos of students younger than 17. He faces seven years in prison. Pictured in court on July 25, 2024 St Ann's (pictured) charges $60,000 per year in tuition and has built a reputation as one of the best prep schools in New York for wealthy creative students He also taught a seminar called 'Crime and Punishment.' Parents were not alerted to Nguyen's criminal record, but students quickly discovered news articles about his initial crime on the internet. When parents expressed concerns to the school, they were dismissed. In October 2021, head of school Vince Tompkins sent an email which assured families 'as with any teacher we hire, we are confident in Winston's ability and fitness to educate and care for our students.' Multiple parents and witnesses later reported they feared they'd be branded 'racist' or 'not progressive enough if they raised a substantive concern about a person of color.' Then in 2022, students at both Saint Ann's and other private schools within Brooklyn began reporting that they were receiving solicitations via Snapchat for inappropriate photos and videos. Some of these students were as young as 13. The District Attorney's office alerted Saint Ann's in February 2024 that an investigation was taking place into the anonymous account. Parents were not notified. Nguyen, who competed in and won Jeapordy in 2014, was ultimately arrested in June 2024 and charged with a litany of offences. Yusuf-Morales, who allegedly pushed the hardest to hire Nguyen, left Saint Ann's and took a job at a charter school in Brooklyn. Nguyen, who competed in and won Jeapordy in 2014, was ultimately arrested in June 2024 and charged with a litany of offences Nguyen is pictured on July 31, 2018, appearing in court over the fraud charges She had appeared on an episode of the Nonprofit Lowdown podcast on July 23, 2020, to discuss anti-racist education just two weeks before recommending Nguyen, allegedly insisting that he was 'reformed' and a 'strong teacher who was good with children.' She said he was 'brilliant' and described him as both her 'mentee' and a 'long time friend.' Speaking after his plea deal was heard and accepted in court, Nguyen's lawyer Frank Rothman said his client likely faced a difficult first night in the notorious Rikers prison. 'I don't know what his first night is going to be like. I'm sure he is anxious. He is going to jail as a sex offender. 'There is no defense one can proffer when you have images on your phone.' Nguyen told the New York Times he was sexually abused as a child and suffers from bipolar II disorder. He pleaded guilty to one count of using a child in a sexual performance and a further five counts - linked to five children - of 'knowingly acting in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than 17 years.' The state is seeking a punishment of seven years in prison, a further 10 years of supervision upon his release into the community, and a 20 year registration as a sex offender. If he reoffends or commits any felony after he is released from prison, he would face an automatic sentence of 25 years to life in prison. Nguyen will be sentenced in two weeks. EXCLUSIVE Derryn Hinch has been slammed as 'inappropriate' for sharing a suggestive ditty from his childhood, with his followers divided over whether it was nostalgic or harmful. The media personality, 80, took to Facebook on Monday to share part of a song he remembers from when he was a young boy. 'I like the girls who do. I like the girls who don't. I hate the girls who say they will, and then they say they won't,' the post read. 'But the girl I love the most of all, and I think you'll say I'm right, is the girl who says she never does - but she looks as though she might.' Hinch commonly shares lyrics he remembers from childhood, as well as pictures of clouds as part of his ongoing 'cloud therapy'. But his latest post sparked an angry response from some fans. 'Hoped you may have recognised how it sounds somewhat inappropriate, Derryn Hinch,' one person wrote. The media personality (pictured in 2018) maintains the lyrics were a whimsical memory from childhood that he was sharing with his followers The ditty was slammed as 'inappropriate' and 'terrible' by commenters on the post (pictured) This was echoed by another commenter who recalled hearing the lyrics at their Brunswick primary school, writing: 'It was inappropriate to hear.' 'I'd be glad to never hear it again', a third said, with another calling the lyrics 'terrible'. The ditty sparked a debate over whether the lyrics could be justified as nostalgia. 'It was of its time, stop being such a snowflake!' one person wrote. Another wrote: 'I'm very surprised by the amount of people thinking this ditty is cute and funny... especially the fact it refers to girls.' Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Hinch said he was surprised at the response to a 'lighthearted, whimsical memory from as a kid'. 'This was about teenage boys kissing teenage girls, nothing more sinister in it. It wasn't at all, it was an innocent childhood thing,' he said. Hinch said he remembered the lyrics from a Max Miller record owned by his father. The 'Cheeky Chappie' comedian was thought of as The Depression's best-loved act and was known for telling risque jokes. Derryn Hinch described how the world is different from when comedian Max Miller (pictured) sang the contentious lyrics A fan-favourite gag of Millers' went as follows: 'When roses are red, they're ready for plucking. When a girl is 16, she's ready for... 'Ere! No! You wicked lot. It's people like you that give me a bad name!' But Hinch said the world has changed, adding: 'I look at a movie from 30 years ago and think they wouldn't make it now. 'Times have changed, and for the better... I'm the last one to try and talk about disrespect for women.' The former Senator has found support from some nostalgic Aussies. 'Well that is one I have never heard of before, amazing the things that come back to us from years ago, amusing to say the least,' one person wrote. Another recognised the original author: 'A favorite of Max Miller.' Hinch also found support from a commenter who lashed the 'sensitivity' of the new prudishness. 'Common sense has gone, so has sense of humour. People need to have a thicker skin and get over themselves,' they said. 'My goodness, laugh a little.' The NATO split is deepening as Donald Trump accuses the UK-led 'coalition of the willing' of being weak for relying on an American backstop for peace. As bombs and drones rained down on Ukraine yesterday, Emmanuel Macron proposed a 30-day end to the fighting but without any security guarantees for Kyiv. It comes as the US draws up plans to potentially give Russia sanctions relief - and Trump looks to mend ties with Moscow. Britain and other allies gave the 30-day plan the cold shoulder, as the UK supports the Ukrainian position which is that any end to the war must be secured by an agreement which Russia will be too scared to break. European leaders were hoping a common policy on Ukraine would emerge following Sunday's landmark security summit at Lancaster House in London. Reports of the French diplomatic effort emerged yesterday. When the plan was put to leaders at Sunday's meeting, none volunteered their support. But out of respect for French president Mr Macron, nobody spoke against it either. But concerns remain among allies over the number of troops countries can provide as part of a post-settlement stabilisation force. Trump said following the summit: 'It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S.' He added in what appeared to be an attack on what he appeared to perceive as a weakness of European leaders: 'Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?' Trump also launched a new attack on Zelensky on Monday after his Ukrainian counterpart said peace with Russia 'is still very, very far away.' 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Trump posted on his Truth Social website. The NATO split is deepening as Donald Trump accuses the UK-led 'coalition of the willing' of being weak for relying on an American backstop for peace Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron hold a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House on March 2, 2025 in London, England In media rounds yesterday, Armed Forces minister Luke Pollard warned that any temporary deal would grant Russia an opportunity to rearm and refresh, rather than encouraging Kremlin officials to pause for thought about the three-year conflict. The French plan would have permitted fighting to continue on the frontline but would have applied to air and sea operations and attacks on civil infrastructure. French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the limited ceasefire would allow the West to determine whether Russian president Vladimir Putin was acting in good faith. It would also give an indication as to whether Trump wanted to support a peace deal on Europe's terms rather than Russia's. Now, the White House has asked the State and Treasury departments to draft a list of sanctions that could be eased for U.S. officials to talk about with Russia, an insider claimed. It comes amid broad discussions with Moscow on improving diplomatic and economic relations, the source said. During Sunday's summit, Sir Keir Starmer also unveiled a four-point plan to work with Ukraine to end the war and defend the country from Russia. The PM's plan would see European states deploy tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine without US troops alongside them. But there would be US air cover and security guarantees as part of a US 'backstop' to deter Putin, which Trump criticised. Doubts remained over which states would provide soldiers to serve alongside British and French soldiers. Sir Keir has called for a 'coalition of the willing' to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, but only 'one or two others' are apparently on board. No coalition could be a NATO enterprise as two member states, Slovakia and Hungary, would vote to block any deployment of soldiers from the alliance to Ukraine. This is due to their close relationship with Russia. Front row, left to right: Finland's President Alexander Stubb, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Poland's PM Donald Tusk. Centre row from left: Spain's PM Pedro Sanchez, Denmark's PM Mette Frederiksen, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Antonio Costa, Canada's PM Justin Trudeau and Romania's interim President Ilie Bolojan. Back row from left: Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, Netherlands PM Dick Schoof, Sweden's PM Ulf Kristersson. Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Norway's PM Jonas Gahr Store, Czech Republic's PM Petr Fiala, Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni and Turkey's foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia are expected to make a contribution, despite the small size of their armies. Italy was also rumoured to be involved, but prime minister Giorgia Meloni said on Monday that 'we will not send Italian soldiers to Ukraine'. Meloni said about the British-French plan: 'I have expressed various doubts about the Franco-British proposal while thanking my colleagues. It is very complex to implement, I am not convinced of its effectiveness. 'This is the reason why [...] we said that we will not send Italian soldiers to Ukraine, but it is certainly a moment in which all those who make proposals are doing something useful in the attempt to find a solution.' She has previously clashed with French President Emmanuel Macron over the issue of European troop deployments to Ukraine. Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau has said 'everything is on the table', while Poland has ruled itself out of sending soldiers because its borders with Ukraine and Russia's ally Belarus mean it has to concentrate on its own security issues. Spain has said it is 'too early to talk about deploying troops' while Germany's situation is complicated by the transition between governments following last month's elections. Former chancellor Olaf Scholz previously ruled out sending troops. But his expected successor Friedrich Merz, who has not yet been sworn in, may reverse that policy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni meets with Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street, in London, Britain, March 2, 2025 Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C), French President Emmanuel Macron (C-L) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-R) attend a meeting with European leaders during a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Britain, 02 March 2025 NATO chief Mark Rutte Sunday night pointed to promises from more European countries to 'ramp up defence spending', while insisting that Washington remained committed to the transatlantic alliance. Macron suggested that European countries should raise their defence spending to between 3.0 and 3.5 percent of GDP to respond to Washington's shifting priorities and Russia's militarisation. Last week, Sir Keir announced that the UK would increase its defence spending to 2.5 per cent of its GDP, slashing the aid budget, with plans to increase military spending to three per cent soon after. Attorney General Pam Bondi is apparently moving to take action against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for informing illegal immigrants on how they can further skirt U.S. law. Bondi is reportedly preparing to file federal charges against Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), according to a few assertions made by conservative social media accounts on Monday. One such account wrote: 'I'm hearing AG Pam Bondi is reportedly going to charge Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for instructing illegal aliens how to avoid ICE.' 'THIS is the only way elected officials stop breaking federal immigration laws,' they added, with the advice: 'Lawyer up, AOC.' The Justice Department did not respond to DailyMail.com to confirm if the claims are true or whether the agency is actually investigating the congresswoman. President Donald Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan said he asked Bondi over the last few weeks to open an investigation into the New York lawmaker over impending federal law enforcement officers. Reports indicate that Attorney General Pam Bondi is preparing to charge Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for informing illegal migrants on how to evade immigration enforcement officials Rep. AOC insists she was only distributing content and providing resources to her constituents informing them of their constitutional and legal rights after holding webinars and publishing videos and posts about to avoid Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) It came after Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive member of the so-called 'squad,' held webinars and published videos and social media posts with advice for migrants on how to evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid a nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration. Homan said he wanted Bondi to issue formal guidance on whether Ocasio-Cortez's action equated to obstruction in the eyes of Trump's DOJ. The New York congresswoman responded to Homan's media appearances by sending a letter to Bondi asking if she 'yielded to political pressure' to open an investigation. She claimed in the letter sent last week that Homan and other immigration officials are seeking to 'weaponize' the Justice Department against her. AOC insists she was only distributing content and providing resources to her constituents informing them of their constitutional and legal rights. But Homan wonders if her actions were an illegal obstruction preventing ICE from doing their jobs. President Trump directed his immigration enforcement agencies and arms including ICE, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to conduct raids, arrest undocumented migrants and relocate them to custody in preparation for mass deportations. ICE, DEA and HSI have engaged in nationwide raids to detect, arrest and detain those living in the U.S. illegally Border czar Tom Homan went on multiple news shows to claim he asked the Justice Department to examine AOC's 'webinar' and tell him if it equates to 'impeding federal law enforcement' operations In the first two weeks of the new administration, a White House official confirmed to DailyMail.com that 6,000 migrants were deported. And in the first month with Trump back in office, officials arrested 20,000 people with undocumented status in the U.S. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), those taken into custody during that time include 22 known suspected terrorists and 640 suspected terrorists. A Roman Catholic diocese has been ordered to hand over nearly 500,000 to a man who was sexually abused by a priest almost 50 years ago. Judge Lord Clark ordered the Diocese of Galloway to pay the man, who has not been identified for legal reasons, 473,250 for the impact the abuse has had on him. Lawyers for the victim raised an action against the Church at the Court of Session. They argued that he was entitled to compensation for how the priest targeted the boy when he was about five or six at St Marks Primary School in Irvine, Ayrshire. The court heard the boy had sustained a serious psychiatric injury as a consequence of the abuse and this had affected his ability to work and live his life. The same priest, who also wasnt identified, targeted the boy again when he was about 14-16 while he was a boarder at Fort Augustus Abbey school, Inverness-shire. The priest died in 2021. The diocese accepted the priest, who was convicted of sexual abuse, preyed on the boy at St Marks. The Church also agreed it was vicariously liable for the abuse. The priest targeted the boy when he was about five or six at St Marks Primary School in Irvine, Ayrshire (pictured) Lawyers for the diocese argued that some of the causes of the mans psychiatric injuries were attributable to other adverse life events. But in a written judgment issued yesterday, Lord Clark found that the abuse was the most prominent cause of his later poor mental health. He wrote: This is a complex case in which there was serious and damaging sexual abuse of the pursuer when he was very young at primary school. He then suffered further abuse at secondary school, with sexual elements, and of a physical and emotional nature. That later abuse lasted longer than the first and may well, based on the medical literature, have had a profound effect on his life. But the devastating nature of the horrific sexual abuse at St Marks when he was a young child was the more prominent cause. That being so, he is entitled to an appropriate award of damages for that abuse. The action was raised against the diocese because the priest was within its area at the time of the offending. The court heard the victim has developed complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) originally diagnosed as severe PTSD in about 2012. He did various forms of work throughout his life but felt unable to continue in employment from about 2012 onwards. File Image: The court heard the boy had sustained a serious psychiatric injury as a consequence of the abuse and this had affected his ability to work and live his life Archbishop William Nolan, who was once Bishop of Galloway but is now Archbishop of Glasgow, gave evidence. The court heard he wrote a letter to the man after the priests conviction Lord Clark wrote of how this sought to assist the pursuer. Lord Clark originally awarded the man 627,000 for the abuse at St Marks. However, he wrote that the man had already received 50,000 compensation from another church organisation and a representative of a person who had abused him while he was at Fort Augustus Abbey. Lord Clark wrote that the man had also received 153,749 in respect of the abuse perpetrated at St Marks and concluded that the final sum due to him was 473,250. Donald Trump may do business out of the White House and Mar-a-Lago but a move strictly out of the fictional New Jersey of TV classic The Sopranos he used to show Volodymyr Zelensky he was 'cooked.' The disaster Friday Oval Office meeting has had worldwide repercussions, leading to Trump reportedly pausing all funding for Ukraine's war against Russia. The tense war of words played out inside the Oval Office Friday and quickly went off the rails when Trump took offense of how Zelensky treated his vice president JD Vance in front of the cameras. Hogan Gidley, former White House Deputy Press Secretary before serving a similar role in his re-election campaign, said that he knew Zelensky was done for when Trump was seen pointing two split fingers at the Ukrainian president. The visual of Trump looked eerily similar to Paul Gualtieri, aka 'Paulie Walnuts,' from the seminal HBO mafia series The Sopranos. Benny Johnson asked Gidley: 'If Trump uses this hand gesture toward you, are you officially cooked? Are you done?' 'Absolutely! Trump doesn't do things by accident. Usually it's the hands but when he gets to this, you know you've got some bigger problems,' Gidley said. Gualtieri, portrayed by the Tony Sirico on the series, is one of Tony Soprano's top henchman and the most outwardly aggressive of the mob boss' crime family. Donald Trump may do business out of the White House and Mar-a-Lago but a move strictly out of the fictional New Jersey of TV classic The Sopranos he used to show Volodymyr Zelensky he was 'cooked' The visual of Trump looked eerily similar to Paul Gualtieri, aka 'Paulie Walnuts,' from the seminal HBO mafia series The Sopranos 'I've seen the picture you're showing, the memes, it's amazing,' Gidley added. The disruptive ending of Zelensky's meeting at the White House on Friday with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance has thrown all future aid to Ukraine into question after the Ukrainian president was asked to leave the White House after the meeting. Trump reasserted his record on Ukraine, after suffering a weekend of criticism in the press for his treatment of Zelensky. 'The only President who gave none of Ukraine's land to Putin's Russia is President Donald J. Trump,' the president wrote on Truth Social. 'Remember that when the weak and ineffective Democrat's criticize, and the Fake News gladly puts out anything they say!' Trump's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz warned in an interview on FOX News Channel's America's Newsroom Monday morning that the days of unlimited support from America to Ukraine were over. 'The American people's patience is not unlimited, their wallets are not unlimited and our stockpiles and munitions are not unlimited,' he said. 'The time to talk is now.' Waltz said that Zelensky failed to demonstrate that he was willing to work with the United States and Russia to strike a peace deal to end the war. 'Success looks like President Zelensky sitting down and talking the terms of peace ... what became so evident to us in that session is he's not ready to talk peace at all but here's the problem: Time is not on his side,' he said. 'Absolutely! Trump doesn't do things by accident. Usually it's the hands but when he gets to this, you know you've got some bigger problems,' Gidley said. (Pictured left to right: Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham and Deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley on October 3, 2019) The disruptive ending of Zelensky's meeting at the White House on Friday with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance has thrown all future aid to Ukraine into question after the Ukrainian president was asked to leave the White House after the meeting Waltz said it was 'really confounding' that Zelensky blew up the meeting and lost an opportunity to work with the American people for the future of his country. 'I think that President Zelensky truly did his country a real disservice by not having a positive outcome on Friday and we'll see where things are going forward,' he concluded. Zelensky grew frustrated during the Oval Office meeting after Vance spoke about the importance of allowing President Trump to engage in diplomacy with Russia. 'What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?' he asked, after listing all of the ways that Putin had broken previous agreements with Ukraine. 'I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President,' Vance replied, before accusing Zelensky of being disrespectful to President Trump by trying to voice his opposition to a peace deal in front of the American media. After the contentious Oval Office meeting, Trump told Zelensky to leave, canceling the planned lunch, and a meeting to sign an mineral deal agreement followed by a press conference to celebrate. 'I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President,' Vance replied, before accusing Zelensky of being disrespectful to President Trump by trying to voice his opposition to a peace deal in front of the American media. Trump criticized Zelensky for disrespecting the United States in the Oval Office, noting the Ukrainian president did not appear willing to make a peace deal. 'He can come back when he is ready for Peace,' Trump wrote on social media. After the disastrous meeting with Trump, Zelensky made an emergency trip to London where he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European leaders who emphasized their support for Ukraine. 'The U.K. is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others,' Starmer said. 'Europe must do the heavy lifting, but to support peace in our continent and to succeed, this effort must have strong U.S. backing.' Is there no one our immigration courts believe should be removed from this country? Their recent decisions have become so farcical they appear to have lost all touch with reality. There was the paedophile allowed to stay because he might face hostility in his native Zimbabwe; the Polish drug dealer because he didnt speak good enough Polish; and the Nigerian woman granted asylum at her eighth attempt after joining a terrorist organisation in her home country. And many more. Today we report two more egregious examples of criminals we cant deport for fear of breaching their human rights one an Iraqi drug dealer who said he was too Westernised to be sent back and a Jamaican killer who claimed deportation would infringe his right to family life. But what about the rights of their victims and anyone else they might do harm to in future? Dont they deserve protection from such ghastly villains? The truth is that immigration judges, mostly human rights lawyers who have risen through the ranks, have become part of the problem. For public confidence to be restored, the whole circus needs root and branch reform, and a limit placed on the number of appeals allowed. Meanwhile, the small boats keep coming, feeding thousands more into the asylum system, all confident in the knowledge that once here they are vanishingly unlikely to be deported. Just 3 per cent of small boat arrivals have been removed since 2018. Some 600 made the perilous cross-Channel journey on Sunday alone, the highest daily total since December, and total crossings are up 26 per cent since the election. Despite Home Secretary Yvette Coopers vain boast Labour would smash the gangs, business is brisker than ever. She claimed before the election to have a plan to stop the boats. So where is it? Is there no one our immigration courts believe should be removed from this country? Their recent decisions have become so farcical they appear to have lost all touch with reality Two more egregious examples of criminals we cant deport for fear of breaching their human rights one an Iraqi drug dealer who said he was too Westernised to be sent back and a Jamaican killer who claimed deportation would infringe his right to family life Despite Home Secretary Yvette Cooper s vain boast Labour would smash the gangs, business is brisker than ever. She spoke alongside France's Minister of the Interior at a joint press conference to address the ongoing migrant crisis and the fight against smugglers. Pictured above in Le Touquet, northern France The cracks in the transatlantic alliance widened yesterday, as Donald Trump doubled down on his contemptuous criticism of Volodomyr Zelensky. Above, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington last week. Keirs conundrum The cracks in the transatlantic alliance widened yesterday, as Donald Trump doubled down on his contemptuous criticism of Volodomyr Zelensky. The contrast between the unanimous show of support from the Commons for Ukraines president and Washingtons continuing attempts to undermine him was stark. Like some feudal lord berating a vassal, Mr Trump effectively ordered Mr Zelensky to apologise for being bullied at the White House last Friday, sign away billions of pounds in mineral rights and accept a peace deal he has not been allowed to be part of. Most ominously, he added: America will not put up with this for much longer. How Vladimir Putin must be rubbing his hands. Mr Trumps admiration for the Russian dictator and obvious disdain for the heroic Mr Zelensky and his beleaguered nation piles the pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to find some sort of compromise. He has played his diplomatic cards well so far, but the real challenges are yet to come. How to forge a peace deal which is acceptable to the US but doesnt sell out Ukraine. How to get Mr Trump to back any deal with military support. And, above all, how to keep Nato from falling apart. Sir Keir rightly says his priority is to smooth over the cracks and strengthen relations with the US. In the absence of American military might, defending Ukraine against further Russian aggression will be infinitely more difficult. But in his present mood, Mr Trump cannot be relied on. Europe must prepare for the prospect of having to face down tyranny without his help and quickly. Elon Musk has branded Volodymyr Zelensky 'evil' for pushing a 'forever war' with Russia. 'Zelensky wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil,' Musk wrote on X in reaction to a Truth Social post by Donald Trump lashing out at the Ukrainian leader for saying the end of the war with Russia was 'still very, very far away'. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Trump posted on his Truth Social website after upping the pressure on Kyiv to end the war. Trump added that Zelensky 'doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing'. Musk also alleged in another post that Zelensky 'wants a forever war' because he would otherwise 'lose his spotlight on the international stage'. US President Trump hinted during a press conference on Monday that Zelensky might not survive long as Ukrainian president if he continued to make demands ahead of a peace deal. 'It should not be that hard a deal to make,' Trump told reporters at the White House. 'It could be made very fast. Now, maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long.' Elon Musk (pictured on February 26 in the White House) has branded Volodymyr Zelensky 'evil' for pushing a 'forever war' with Russia US President Trump hinted during a press conference on Monday (pictured) that Zelensky might not survive long as Ukrainian president if he continued to make demands ahead of a peace deal 'Zelensky wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil,' Musk wrote on X in reaction to a Truth Social post by Donald Trump lashing out at the Ukrainian leader for saying the end of the war with Russia was 'still very, very far away' In reply to a post on X claiming that 'Zelensky knows if the war ends, his power ends' and branding him a 'dictator', Musk said: 'True. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine.' This echoes a statement by Trump, who also called Zelensky a 'dictator' for not holding elections in Ukraine, where Martial Law has been declared since the start of Russia's invasion in 2022. On Monday, Trump was asked what Zelensky needed to do to resume talks with Washington. 'Well, I just think you should be more appreciative, because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin,' he said, before repeating a falsehood about levels of American aid. He added: 'We've given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us.' Trump is pushing for a rapid deal to end the war in Ukraine. His administration has held talks with Kyiv on a rare earth minerals deal that would allow Washington to recoup some of its costs. On Friday, Zelensky visited the White House to discuss the minerals deal, but the meeting ended in disaster after him and Trump clashed in the Oval Office over whether or not Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted. Elon Musk listens to U.S. President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 11, 2025 Zelensky then traveled to the UK where European leaders - among them France, Germany and the UK - and Canada scrambled to thrash out a joint position on Ukraine at an emergency summit before reiterating their support for the war-torn country. Trump said: 'It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be Peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US.' Trump said he would give an update on the minerals deal during his speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night. He added on Monday in what appeared to be an attack on European leaders: 'Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?' This comes after NATO chief Mark Rutte on Sunday pointed to promises from more European countries to 'ramp up defence spending', while insisting that Washington remained committed to the transatlantic alliance. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested that European countries should raise their defence spending to between 3.0 and 3.5 percent of GDP to respond to Washington's shifting priorities and Russia's militarisation. Last week, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the UK would increase its defence spending to 2.5 per cent of its GDP, slashing the aid budget, with plans to increase military spending to three per cent soon after. Donald Trump clashed with his Ukrainian counterpart in the Oval Office on Friday Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron embrace after holding a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House in central London on March 2, 2025 While the US is the largest single donor of aid to Ukraine, more than 50 allies and partner countries have provided security assurances to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022. As of December 31, 2024, Europe had contributed 132.3bn euros in allocated aid, versus 114.2bn given by the US. Europe's contributions are also expected to keep flowing; 115.1bn remained to be allocated from Europe, with just 4.84bn from the US. The key difference is in what the U.S. is able to supply. Britain has been able to match the U.S. with long-range missiles, able to hit deep into Russian territory. And the Challenger 2 tank has been one of the most reliable fixtures on the battlefield. But American air defences - and their sheer volume - are critical to fending off Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and disrupting utilities. Long range ATACMS missiles can also 'make a significant difference in the war', according to Olga Tokariuk, Academy Associate, Ukraine Forum, Russia and Eurasia Programme. The summit between the European leaders, where countries promised to increase their defence spending to react to Washington's shifting priorities and Russia's militarisation, has been commended by US national security advisor Mike Waltz. 'We welcome the Europeans taking a lead in European security,' he told reporters at the White House and even praised Sir Keir and Macron. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz (left) and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, greets French President Emmanuel Macron as he arrives for a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025 'I mean that's been an underpinning. They have to invest in the capability to do that. They're certainly showing a will. Both Starmer and Macron showed that will last week before Friday.' Waltz added: 'We also had the NATO Secretary-General on the phone with the president before President Zelensky came. We welcome Europe stepping up for Europe, but they have to also invest in the capabilities to do so. 'All of that was evident was before Friday, and he [Zelensky] could have been left with economic guarantees that benefited Ukraine [] it's really confounding to us why we had such hostility coming in.' Three Channel 4 News clips on Gaza featured the same son of a Hamas minister whose involvement in a BBC programme has plunged the corporation into crisis. The clips featured then-13-year-old Abdullah Al-Yazouri who is the son of Dr Ayman Al-Yazouri, Deputy Agriculture Minister of the Hamas-run government. The revelation comes just weeks after the BBC were exposed for involving the same boy in their documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, which has now been pulled from streaming services. In the Channel 4 coverage, camera operators follow Abdullah as he sells confectionery in Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip. The broadcaster said its journalists learned of Abdullah's links to Hamas last summer, but only added an online clarification seven months later when an investigative journalist made it public, The Telegraph revealed. His involvement in the show led the Royal Television Society (RTS) to place the programme 'under review' after they named it their 2024 News Programme of the Year. In the Channel 4 coverage, camera operators follow Abdullah Al-Yazourias as he sells confectionery in Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip Then 13-year-old Abdullah can be seen in the documentary which last year won a Bafta and an International Emmy for war reporting The BBC also featured Abdullah Al-Yazouri (pictured), son of Ayman Al-Yazouri, Deputy Agriculture Minister in the Hamas Government, as their programme Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone's narrator However, the RTS confirmed to MailOnline that their review is now closed and that the award will remain in place. A spokesperson said: 'The RTS has concluded its review following Channel 4 News confirmation that no video material featuring Abdullah al-Yazouri has featured in their awards entries for 2024 or the forthcoming awards for 2025. 'Based on the assurances we have received from Channel 4 News and the available information we have no plans to revoke the awards.' Press Gazette also gave it News Programme of the Year in 2024. From November 2023 to April 2024, Channel 4 misidentified Abdullah's father, whose ties to the terrorist group Hamas have been well-documented, as his uncle. Investigative journalist David Collier, who made the information surrounding Abdullah public, said the difference from Channel 4's broadcast to the BBC's recent documentary showed the boy's 'acting ability' had 'visibly improved over time'. Producers of Channel 4, Independent Television News (ITN), are said to be under pressure to retract the coverage but have said no payments were made to Al-Yazouri or his family. ITN also said Abdullah did not feature in any of the coverage which saw it awarded by the International Emmys, RTS, Bafta, British Journalism Awards or Broadcast Awards. Mr Collier said the channel being given multiple awards should raise wider concerns over their integrity. Channel 4 News are set to come under fire for featuring Abdullah Al-Yazouri in their award-winning coverage, after the BBC has been plunged into crisis for doing the same The broadcaster failed to disclose that the film featured the son of Ayman Alyazouri (pictured), who currently holds the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture in the Hamas-run government He said: 'Channel 4 News has admitted its staff knew Abdullah's true identity but withheld it from the public for over half a year until my revelation. This raises profound questions about its journalistic integrity.' 'All awarding bodies must urgently rescind any honours granted for its Gaza reporting pending a full, independent investigation.' Mr Kermani, who previously worked for BBC Newsnight before working at Channel 4, first introduced Abdullah under the false name of Abdullah Abu Shamala. The broadcasting blunder also showed Abdullah's 'father' as Khalil Abu Shammala - who formerly held a senior role with a campaign group for the freedom of jailed Palestinian fighters - when he is in fact his uncle. Mr Collier said the documentary portrayed Abdullah as an ordinary citizen, when in fact, he has direct links to a terrorist organisation through his father. Editor-in-Chief and Awards Chairman for Press Gazette, Dominic Ponsford reportedly said the interviews with Abdullah 'did not feature in Channel 4 News's submission to the judges' and that there were 'no plans' to revoke the award. The row over the BBC's documentary last week spilled on to the streets of the capital as anti-Hamas protesters arrived outside Broadcasting House in Portland Place, London Meanwhile, a spokesman for BAFTA said its award for Channel 4 News's Gaza coverage was also not under review as the submission they received also did not feature Abdullah. MailOnline has approached Channel 4 News for comment. We told yesterday how the BBC's chief of news gave the green light to its Gaza documentary before it was broadcast. Deborah Turness, Chief Executive of BBC News and Current Affairs, watched Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone at a private screening almost three weeks before it was aired. And it emerged that the CEO, who earns more than 400,000 per year, did not question the programme which has since come under fire after it emerged that the 14-year-old boy narrating it was the son of a senior Hamas official. Despite the documentary now being removed from streaming service BBC iPlayer, it has raised concerns over whether licence-fee cash was put straight into the pockets of a terrorist organisation. It has been revealed that Deborah Turness, CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, watched the documentary at a private screening almost three weeks before it was aired Controversy forced the BBC to issue an apology and pull the programme from iPlayer last week It is also set to bring into sharp focus Ms Turness's involvement in BBC Verify, which she launched in May 2023 with the goal of upholding 'rigorous editorial standards'. A source close to the CEO has since defended Ms Turness, saying she had 'assumed due diligence checks had already taken place' before the documentary was finished. They also said the documentary was not given any 'special treatment' and has assumed it was 'fully compliant with BBC guidelines'. When approached for comment, the BBC said their stance remains as it was on their statement published on February 27. In a statement, Channel 4 said: Channel 4 News takes this matter very seriously and has thoroughly reviewed how Abdullah al-Yazouri came to appear in three short news segments for the programme. Abdullah al-Yazouri categorically did not appear in any documentary broadcast on Channel 4, as has been erroneously misreported by the Daily Telegraph on the front page of this mornings early editions. The packages in which Abdullah al-Yazouri appeared were aired as part of daily news coverage during the conflict, representing a handful of minutes across hundreds of hours of Channel 4 News output covering the Israel-Hamas war. He appeared alongside other voices, including Israeli voices, as part of wider packaging and reporting for Channel 4 News and in line with our principles of due impartiality. Neither Abdullah al-Yazouri or any of members of his family received any payment from Channel 4 News for the appearances, and Yousef Hammash was not involved in sourcing or filming him. As international media access is restricted, Abdullah was sourced through an established journalist who has also worked for other major global media outlets. As has been widely reported since 18th February, subsequent to the broadcast of these news items, it emerged that Abdullahs father is Ayman al-Yazouri, a deputy Agricultural Minister in Gazas Hamas-run government. The identity of the man named as his uncle in the first report was miscommunicated to Channel 4 News as his father by a local fixer on the ground. Channel 4 News experienced foreign reporting team became aware his father held a technocratic role within the Hamas government in Summer 2024 and they took a decision not to feature him again. Once Channel 4 News senior leadership team recently became aware, action was taken to provide additional context to the archived online copy of the reports in which Abdullah features. Where context could not be added, namely to social media, the content was removed in line with standard editorial procedures. This action was taken on 20 February. Abdullah al-Yazouri did not feature in any of Channel 4 News award-winning coverage, including the International Emmy, RTS, Bafta, British Journalism Awards, or Broadcast Awards. Channel 4 News is proud of its duly impartial coverage throughout the conflict which has upheld the highest editorial standards. We continue to mark the contribution of our colleagues across Israel and Gaza who contributed to news coverage for Channel 4 News, in reporting the conflict between Israel and Hamas. BBC's statement in full 'BBC News has conducted an initial review on the programme 'Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone'. Today the BBC Board was updated on that work. It has identified serious flaws in the making of this programme. 'Some of these were made by the production company, and some by the BBC; all of them are unacceptable. BBC News takes full responsibility for these and the impact that these have had on the Corporation's reputation. We apologise for this. 'Nothing is more important than the trust that our audiences have in our journalism. This incident has damaged that trust. While the intent of the documentary was aligned with our purpose to tell the story of what is happening around the world, even in the most difficult and dangerous places the processes and execution of this programme fell short of our expectations. 'Although the programme was made by an independent production company, who were commissioned to deliver a fully compliant documentary, the BBC has ultimate editorial responsibility for this programme as broadcast. 'One of the core questions is around the family connections of the young boy who is the narrator of the film. During the production process, the independent production company was asked in writing a number of times by the BBC, about any potential connections he and his family might have with Hamas. 'Since transmission, they have acknowledged that they knew that the boy's father was a Deputy Agriculture Minister in the Hamas Government; they have also acknowledged that they never told the BBC this fact. It was then the BBC's own failing that we did not uncover that fact and the documentary was aired. 'Hoyo Films have told us that they paid the boy's mother, via his sister's bank account, a limited sum of money for the narration. While Hoyo Films have assured us that no payments were made to members of Hamas or its affiliates, either directly, in kind, or as a gift, the BBC is seeking additional assurance around the budget of the programme and will undertake a full audit of expenditure. We are requesting the relevant financial accounts of the production company in order to do that. 'Given the BBC's own failings, the Director-General has asked for complaints on this matter to be expedited to the Editorial Complaints Unit, which is separate from BBC News. Alongside this a full fact-finding review will be undertaken; the Director-General has asked Peter Johnston to lead this work. 'Peter Johnston, the Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews, is independent of BBC News and reports directly to the Director-General. He will consider all of the complaints and issues that have been raised. 'He will determine whether any editorial guidelines have been broken; rapidly address the complaints that have been made; and, enable the BBC to determine whether any disciplinary action is warranted in relation to shortcomings in the making of this programme. This will include issues around the use of language, translation and continuity that have also been raised with the BBC. 'We have no plans to broadcast the programme again in its current form or return it to iPlayer and will make a further assessment once the work of Peter Johnston is complete.' Advertisement They are man's best friend, with a natural ability to lift us when we're low. And dogs rely on us to raise their mood, too - as 70 per cent of owners say their pooches suffer 'bouts of stress and anxiety'. The apparent prevalence of doggy depressions leads 41 per cent of owners to say they worry about their pet's mental health, a poll found. And over half (56 per cent) have go-to ways to deal with their pet's low moods, with special treats (68 per cent), a longer than usual walk in the park (48 per cent), extra belly rubs (48 per cent) and snuggling up on the sofa together (46 per cent) the main remedies. Playing relaxing music on the radio (24 per cent), a new soft toy (23 per cent), a trip to the beach (15 per cent), a scoop of doggy-friendly ice cream (10 per cent) and playdates with their canine friends (9 per cent) are also on the agenda for dogs that are down in the dumps, according to the research from Adaptil. Nathalie Ingham, canine behaviourist and training manager at Battersea Dogs & Cats home, said: 'As a nation of animal lovers our pets are seen as part of the family, so it can be worrying for an owner to see their dog showing anxious behaviours. 'However, while many dogs can experience these behaviours, with the right combination of training and support, owners can help their pets to overcome their fears and feel more confident and relaxed. File image: 70 per cent of owners say their pooches suffer 'bouts of stress and anxiety' File Image: Owners have go-to ways to deal with doggy depression , including special treats, extra belly rubs, snuggling on the sofa and longer than usual walks in the park File Image: Main signs of anxiety in dogs include an increase in barking, having a low or tucked tail, pacing around or trembling 'It's important to understand the root cause of your pet's anxieties to work out what's best for them, whether that's putting together a dedicated training plan or setting up a cosy, quiet space and using calming products to help them feel more relaxed. 'We have plenty of helpful advice on the Battersea website to help owners with their own pets, as well as a dedicated Behaviour Advice Line to offer personalised support to those who need us.' More than half (56 per cent) of the nation's dog owners say they can tell immediately if their pooch is feeling stressed or having a bad day, with the main signs including an increase in barking (44 per cent), having a low or tucked tail (42 per cent), pacing around (34 per cent) or trembling (29 per cent). Jimmy Bratley, vet advisor at Adaptil, which commissioned the research to mark Pet Anxiety Month, said: 'It's evident how many dog owners worry about their pets experiencing low mood and anxiety. 'However, awareness of available solutions remains low. 'That's why this month is so important to us we are committed to raising awareness about pet anxiety, helping owners support their dogs' well-being, and giving our pets a voice.' President Donald Trump ordered a pause on all military aid to Ukraine and issued a stark ultimatum to President Volodymyr Zelensky after last week's Oval Office meeting imploded. The order came after Trump met senior advisors on Monday to consider the future of the aid, even as European countries are discussing how to increase their support for Ukraine. It appears the crucial decision was reached in that meeting, as the pause on all military aid will go into effect immediately, DailyMail.com confirmed on Monday night. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly executed the pause. Over $1 billion in arms and ammunition will be stalled, as well as hundreds of millions in aid, leaving Ukraine to deal with private contractors, the New York Times reported. The Biden administration provided Kyiv with more than $66.5 billion in military aid and weapons since the war began. It had left unspent about $3.85 billion in congressionally authorized funding to send more weapons to Ukraine from existing U.S. stockpiles - a sum that had not been affected by the foreign aid freeze that Trump put in place when he first took office. Although President Biden suspended deliveries of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel amid humanitarian concerns in Gaza, Trump's move against Ukraine essentially acts as a final ultimatum to Zelensky. Either the Ukrainian leader capitulate to Trump's demands or face devastating losses on the battlefield. President Donald Trump is putting a pause on all military aid to Ukraine and issuing an ultimatum to President Volodymyr Zelensky after their Oval Office meeting blew up on Friday President Donald Trump welcomes Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington. A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal to end the more than three-year war sparked by Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine, and wants Zelensky 'committed' to that goal. The official added that the U.S. was 'pausing and reviewing' its aid to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All of the US' NATO brethren has promised to increase aid to Ukraine since the disaster meeting, though they are nowhere near as heavily armed as America. This comes after Trump appeared to have lost his patience with Zelensky, warning that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' following the Ukrainian president's comments that the end of the war is 'still very, very far away'. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Trump posted on his Truth Social website after upping the pressure on Kyiv to end the war. Trump also questioned Zelensky's commitment to peace, saying that he 'doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing'. He also hinted that Zelensky might not be Ukrainian president much longer. Elon Musk later branded Zelensky 'evil' for pushing a 'forever war' with Russia . 'Zelensky wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil,' Musk wrote on X in reaction to Trump's comments. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron embrace after holding a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House in central London on March 2, 2025 Musk also alleged in another post that Zelensky 'wants a forever war' because he would otherwise 'lose his spotlight on the international stage'. Trump hinted during a press conference on Monday that Zelensky might not survive long as Ukrainian president if he continued to make demands ahead of a peace deal. 'It should not be that hard a deal to make,' Trump told reporters at the White House. 'It could be made very fast. Now, maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long.' In reply to a post on X claiming that 'Zelensky knows if the war ends, his power ends' and branding him a 'dictator', Musk said: 'True. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine.' This echoes a statement by Trump, who also called Zelensky a 'dictator' for not holding elections in Ukraine, where Martial Law has been declared since the start of Russia's invasion in 2022. On Monday, Trump was asked what Zelensky needed to do to resume talks with Washington. 'Well, I just think you should be more appreciative, because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin,' he said, before repeating a falsehood about levels of American aid. Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He added: 'We've given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us.' Trump has been pushing for a rapid deal to end the war in Ukraine ever since he returned to office in January. His administration has held talks with Kyiv on a rare earth minerals deal that would allow Washington to recoup some of its costs. The disruptive ending of Zelensky's meeting at the White House on Friday with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance has thrown all future aid to Ukraine into question after the Ukrainian president was asked to leave the White House after the meeting. Trump reasserted his record on Ukraine, after suffering a weekend of criticism in the press for his treatment of Zelensky. 'The only President who gave none of Ukraine's land to Putin's Russia is President Donald J. Trump,' the president wrote on Truth Social. 'Remember that when the weak and ineffective Democrat's criticize, and the Fake News gladly puts out anything they say!' Trump's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz warned in an interview on FOX News Channel's America's Newsroom Monday morning that the days of unlimited support from America to Ukraine were over. 'The American people's patience is not unlimited, their wallets are not unlimited and our stockpiles and munitions are not unlimited,' he said. 'The time to talk is now.' Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, third from right, looks towards Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they take part in a plenary during the Securing our Future Summit on Ukraine Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, center, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and France's President Emmanuel Macron meet during the European leaders' summit Waltz said that Zelensky failed to demonstrate that he was willing to work with the United States and Russia to strike a peace deal to end the war. 'Success looks like President Zelensky sitting down and talking the terms of peace ... what became so evident to us in that session is he's not ready to talk peace at all but here's the problem: Time is not on his side,' he said. Waltz said it was 'really confounding' that Zelensky blew up the meeting and lost an opportunity to work with the American people for the future of his country. 'I think that President Zelensky truly did his country a real disservice by not having a positive outcome on Friday and we'll see where things are going forward,' he concluded. Zelensky grew frustrated during the Oval Office meeting after Vance spoke about the importance of allowing President Trump to engage in diplomacy with Russia. 'What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?' he asked, after listing all of the ways that Putin had broken previous agreements with Ukraine. 'I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President,' Vance replied, before accusing Zelensky of being disrespectful to President Trump by trying to voice his opposition to a peace deal in front of the American media. After the contentious Oval Office meeting, Trump told Zelensky to leave, canceling the planned lunch, and a meeting to sign an mineral deal agreement followed by a press conference to celebrate. Keir Starmer embraced Volodymyr Zelensky on the steps of Lancaster House in London as they try to repair alliances in the wake of the debacle 'I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President,' Vance replied, before accusing Zelensky of being disrespectful to President Trump by trying to voice his opposition to a peace deal in front of the American media. Trump criticized Zelensky for disrespecting the United States in the Oval Office, noting the Ukrainian president did not appear willing to make a peace deal. 'He can come back when he is ready for Peace,' Trump wrote on social media. After the disastrous meeting with Trump, Zelensky made an emergency trip to London where he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European leaders who emphasized their support for Ukraine. 'The U.K. is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others,' Starmer said. 'Europe must do the heavy lifting, but to support peace in our continent and to succeed, this effort must have strong U.S. backing.' But NATO members appeared to be split following the meeting, while Trump accused the UK-led 'coalition of the willing' of being weak for relying on an American backstop for peace. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a 30-day end to the fighting but without any security guarantees for Kyiv. Britain and other allies gave the plan the cold shoulder, as the UK supports the Ukrainian position which is that any end to the war must be secured by an agreement which Russia will be too scared to break. European leaders were hoping a common policy on Ukraine would emerge following Sunday's summit, with reports of the French diplomatic effort emerging yesterday. When the plan was put to leaders at Sunday's meeting, none volunteered their support. But out of respect for Macron, nobody spoke against it either. Concerns remain among allies over the number of troops countries can provide as part of a post-settlement stabilisation force as Trump rejects using the US as a 'backstop' to prevent Russia from attacking again. Trump said following the summit: 'It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be Peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US.' He added in what appeared to be an attack on what he appeared to perceive as a weakness of European leaders: 'Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?' The son of Buc-ee's co-founder Don Wasek is facing serious legal trouble after he was arrested and charged with possessing child pornography. Mitchell Wasek, 29, was officially charged with third-degree felony possession of child pornography in Travis County, Texas on Friday. The charges stem from an incident dating back to September 26, 2023. If convicted, he could face between two to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 under Texas law. The latest indictment only adds to Wasek's growing legal troubles. In May 2024, he was indicted on 21 felony counts of invasive visual recording after authorities uncovered hidden cameras secretly recording 13 unsuspecting victims at multiple properties owned by his family. It included footage allegedly shot in the bathrooms and bedrooms of a luxurious Lake Travis estate, a high-rise Austin apartment, a penthouse in Dallas, and a vacation home in Telluride, Colorado. The disturbing case first came to light when a group of friends who were visiting the Lake Travis home noticed an unusual charging port in the bathroom. Mitchell Wasek, 29, was officially charged with third-degree felony possession of child pornography in Travis County, Texas on Friday Wasek, the son of Buc-ee's co-founder Donald Wasek, is facing serious legal trouble after he was arrested and charged with possessing child pornography Wasek is the son of Buc-ee's co-founder Donald Wasek, left. Also pictured are politician Dan Patrick, centre, and Arch Aplin III, Wasek's Buc-ee's co-founder One of them, an employee in cybersecurity for the Department of Defense, inspected the device and found a hidden camera embedded inside. The group removed the camera and upon inspecting the memory card found dozens of videos of themselves and others in compromising situations - using the toilet, showering, changing clothes, and engaging in sexual activity. Realizing the gravity of the situation, they turned the camera over to authorities. Investigators then discovered a total of 68 video files, many of which had been recorded without consent over a period of at least two years. Amazon records also showed Wasek had ordered 'spy cameras'. 'The Travis County District Attorney's Office takes the work of presenting all facts and evidence to a grand jury very seriously. In this case, a group of independent Travis County community members heard the evidence and law and decided that Mr. Wasek's conduct was unlawful,' said Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza. It was as investigators combed through the digital evidence they uncovered even more disturbing material - images of children who appeared to be prepubescent. Detectives at the Travis County Sheriff's Office sent the files to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, where a comparison with existing databases revealed that at least one victim, a seven-year-old girl had been previously exploited and her images had been circulated online. Wasek's secret spy recordings came to light in 2023 when witnesses went to police after finding footage of themselves and other guests on a hidden camera at a $8.2 million lake house owned by his father and other properties He is also accused of filming visitors at his parents $1million condo in Austin Further forensic investigations led to the conviction of another suspect for production, distribution, and possession of child pornography, suggesting that Wasek's recordings may have been shared or obtained through illegal networks. Buc-ee's, renowned for its massive convenience stores, spotless restrooms, and signature snacks like Beaver Nuggets and brisket sandwiches, has cultivated a loyal customer base. The chain has locations in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas where it began. But the family's clean cut brand is now being dragged into a scandal of criminal voyeurism and the exploitation of minors. Before these latest charges, Wasek had already dealt with the personal fallout from his previous arrests. After being charged in October 2023, Wasek was forced to vacate his luxury $4,700-a-month penthouse in Dallas's prestigious Village Drey apartment complex. A spokesperson for the complex, David Margulies, confirmed to DailyMail.com that management had taken swift action: 'Clearly, he was not going to be permitted to stay there.' Wasek faces 28 felony charges but remains free on a $280,000 bond. If convicted on all counts, he could be looking at decades behind bars A team of six professional movers was seen emptying the residence, and Wasek's belongings were later moved to a storage unit near one of his father's Austin properties. Neighbors were left shaken by the scandal. 'I guess you never really know who your neighbors are,' one resident remarked after seeing police execute a search warrant at Wasek's apartment. 'I'm relieved he's gone.' Another half-jokingly admitted: 'I guess I need to check for cameras.' Wasek's legal team is now attempting to mount a defense. His attorney, David Gonzalez, has previously stated: 'This case involves the legal right to install cameras in one's own home. Wasek was also forced to move out of his luxury Dallas penthouse after he was charged with secretly filming guests 'in various states of undress' 'May a homeowner install a camera in his home without telling housekeepers or guests, or does the guest have a greater legal right than the homeowner?' Gonzalez posed in a rhetorical question to USA Today. Legal experts argue recording individuals in intimate settings without their knowledge is a clear violation of Texas law, and the addition of child pornography charges makes his case even more dire. In Lake Jackson, Texas, where Wasek's family first founded Buc-ee's in 1982, the scandal is the talk of the town. 'We knew him growing up,' one local commented. 'His parents were very nice businesspeople. I have his mom's lamps in my house after she passed away.' Others expressed shock, disappointment, and anger, with some remarking on the contrast between the family's successful business empire and the shocking actions of their son. Wasek faces 28 felony charges but remains free on a $280,000 bond. If convicted on all counts, he could be looking at decades behind bars. According to court records, Wasek's first court appearance for the new charges is slated for March 19. Mice perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on fallen companions, a study has revealed. The rodents were seen rushing to a drugged mouse and clearing the airways of the casualty. The conscious animals would drag the tongue out of the immobilised mouse and bite around their mouth in what humans could consider mouth-to mouth. The apparent attempt at resuscitation was also coupled with intense licking and grooming of the dormant rodent. The attempts to revive the fallen were more intense if the mice knew each other, in what scientists considered was social recognition. Researchers from the University of Southern California said the instinctive behaviour was reminiscent of human emergency responses. Huizhong Whit Tao, who led the study which was published in the journal Science, added that the clearance of foreign objects from the mouth, improved airway opening, and hastened recovery suggested reviving-like efforts. The mice would also release oxytocin hormones - needed for social bonding - when they saw the unconscious animal, The Times reports. The rodents were seen rushing to a drugged mouse and clearing the airways of the casualty Researchers from the University of Southern California said the instinctive behaviour was reminiscent of human emergency responses The apparent attempt at resuscitation was also coupled with intense licking and grooming of the dormant rodent Assisting unresponsive group members may be an innate behaviour widely present among social animals, the study added. Other animals like elephants, dolphins and chimpanzees are known to recognise an unconscious group member and will intervene by touching, nudging and sometimes carrying them. It is not thought to be learnt behaviour but rather instinctual and this is the first time it has been reported in a study. More than half of the cases showed that the mice would enlarge the airways of their unconscious counterparts. The study also revealed that when an object was placed in an unconscious rodent's mouth, it was removed 80 per cent of the time by the mouse performing 'first aid'. Rodents who did not receive the treatment did not recover as quickly as those who did. In commentary, published in Science on the study, William Sheeran and Zoe Donaldson of the University of Colorado said that the findings showed that the impulse to help others in distress is shared by many other species. Former SA Liberal leader David Speirs faces an additional charge arising from footage of him appearing to snort a white substance off a plate in his home. Mr Speirs fronted Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday for his second appearance since he was charged in September last year. Direct of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton KC confirmed he would proceed with two counts of supplying or administering a drug that is not cannabis to another person. Mr Speirs originally faced two charges before one charge had been dropped and the other was varied, but now is back to facing two counts. Court documents now show the dates of the alleged offences have been amended to August 1 and from August 1-10 at Kingston Park in southern Adelaide. Mr Speirs has yet to enter pleas in response to the allegations. Outside court, Mr Speirs said the change from one charge to two was 'just administrative'. He told the media scrum he 'would like to see a resolution sooner rather than later'. David Speirs (pictured) attended the Adelaide Magistrates Court for his second appearance over alleged drug supply on Tuesday 'But I respect the judicial processes of this state,' Mr Speirs said. 'I just look forward to working through the process in a logical and methodical way.' On September 9, News Corp published a video purportedly showing Speirs snorting a powder. He declared the footage to be a 'deepfake' and vowed to clear his name. Two days later, he took medical leave, saying the matter had been 'exceptionally distressing' and that he was left 'feeling exceptionally vulnerable and at risk'. On October 5, Mr Speirs released a video statement saying he did not believe he could 'adequately and effectively serve my local community while also dealing with this matter, protecting my mental health and supporting my family and friends'. 'Since allegations of illicit substance use in my home became public, my home has been raided by armed police, I was arrested and I was questioned,' he said. The former opposition leader resigned from parliament on October 15, clearing the way for a by-election in his southern Adelaide seat last November, which was won by Labor candidate Alex Dighton. He has been embroiled in controversy since he quit the leadership on August 8, declaring that he 'just had a gutful' of leadership speculation and did not have the energy to keep fighting. After the appearance in court, Mr Speirs (pictured leaving court) told reporters the change from one count to two was 'just administrative' During his first appearance in November, Mr Speirs was granted permission to travel overseas. Prosecutors agreed that Mr Speirs' passport be returned to him but he must lodge his itinerary with police and provide a guarantor for $15,000, with a similar cash surety. No details of his destination were given in court, but he was ordered to report to police on his return from overseas and hand back his passport. He is scheduled to appear in court at the end of March. An 1980s thrash metal guitarist and his wife have been arrested for some heinous crimes after police tracked a teenage girl to their New Jersey home. Marc Piovanetti, 58, a former guitarist for Carnivore and Crumbsuckers, and his wife, Jennifer Piovanetti, 50, were taken into custody from their Fort Lee home last week and are now facing charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor, NJ Advance Media reports. The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office explained that police started investigating the couple on February 23, when officers with the New York Police Department contacted their counterparts in Fort Lee about a child who had been reported missing the day before. Police now say Marc met the girl, who was between the ages of 13 and 16, on the social media app, TurnUp - which connects people who share similar music tastes - and arranged to meet with her. Once the girl was at his home, Marc allegedly plied her with marijuana and sexually assaulted her. At some point over the course of the weekend, the girl was able to take Marc's phone and began contacting her mother. Officers were then able to ping the phone and located the teenager at the home. Fort Lee police have since also accused Jennifer of being at the home when the girl was sexually assaulted and being aware of what was happening - with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office saying 'she was aware of the childs presence, along with another child under the age of thirteen who was also there.' Marc Piovanetti, 58, and his wife, Jennifer Piovanetti, 50, were taken into custody from their Fort Lee home last week and are now facing charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor Marc (pictured right with his back turned) was a a guitarist for Carnivore and Crumbsuckers He allegedly met the teenage victim on the TurnUp app - which connects people who share similar music tastes - and arranged to meet with her This is not the first time the former guitarist has gotten into trouble with the law. He was previously convicted in New York City in 2017 of rape of a child under 15 years old, criminal sex act on a victim incapable of consent/mentally disabled and sexual performance by child under 16/access to view, according to records obtained by the Daily Voice. Marc was sentenced to 10 years probation at the time and was required to register as a sex offender. He is now facing four counts of second degree sexual assault, second degree luring, second degree endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of third degree endangering the welfare of a child. Jennifer, meanwhile, is facing charges of second and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. They are now both in custody at the Bergen County Sheriff's Office pending their first court appearance. In the meantime, authorities are asking any parent or guardian who believes their child may have received inappropriate online communications from Marc to contact the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office. The head of the FBI in New York has been forced to resign after several acts of defiance against the new Trump administration. Veteran agent James Dennehy had told his colleagues to 'dig in' against Trump's efforts to purge prosecutors who investigated and pursued January 6 defendants. He backed bureau leaders who refused to turn over the names of anybody who investigated the 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Dennehy also drew the ire of Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday after her highly anticipated Jeffrey Epstein files dump was criticized for failing to reveal anything new about the pedophile billionaire. She accused the FBI of failing to hand over thousands of pages of documents relating to Epstein and his crimes and gave the office a 5pm Friday deadline to hand over everything it had. In a defiant email to his colleagues on Monday seen by the New York Times, Dennehy revealed he was told late on Friday he must turn in his resignation. 'Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did,' he wrote in the email. 'I was not given a reason for this decision. Regardless, I apologize to all of you for not being able to fulfill my commitment to you.' Veteran agent James Dennehy had told his colleagues and subordinates to 'dig in' against Trump's efforts to purge prosecutors who investigated and pursued January 6 defendants He backed bureau leaders who refused to turn over the names of anybody who investigated the 2021 attack on the US Capitol He added: 'We will not bend. We will not falter. We will not sacrifice what is right for anything or anyone. I've been told many times in my life, ''when you find yourself in a hole, sometimes it's best to quit digging''. Screw that. 'I will never stop defending this joint. I'll just do it willingly and proudly from outside the wire.' Back in January, when acting FBI leaders Brian Driscoll and Robert Kissane refused to name their colleagues involved in the January 6 investigations, Dennehy came to their defense and told his own staff to 'dig in.' He praised the duo for upholding the bureau's commitment to independence. Ultimately, the FBI caved and turned over the information to the Trump administration. The FBI has been under increased scrutiny from the Trump administration. Following Bondi's allegations that the FBI failed to turn over all the Epstein files, she demanded new chief Patel conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into his own department. Citing an anonymous source who told her the FBI has 'thousands of pages of documents' relating to Epstein, Bondi told Patel: I am also directing you to conduct an immediate investigation into why my order to the FBI was not followed. The FBI has been under increased scrutiny from the Trump administration Back in January, when acting FBI leaders Brian Driscoll and Robert Kissane refused to name their colleagues involved in the January 6 investigations, Dennehy came to their defense and told his own staff to 'dig in' In a defiant email to his colleagues on Monday, Dennehy revealed he was told late on Friday he must turn in his resignation 'You will deliver to me a comprehensive report of your findings and proposed personnel action within 14 days.' Patel himself responded to the allegations, saying: 'The FBI is entering a new eraone that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice. 'There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned - and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. 'If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them. 'And we will bring everything we find to the DOJ to be fully assessed and transparently disseminated to the American people as it should be. 'The oath we take is to the Constitution, and under my leadership, that promise will be upheld without compromise.' Porsches billionaire chairman has angered locals with his plans to build a 500m tunnel and private garage under one of Salzburg's most recognisable landmarks. Wolfgang Porsche, 81, wants to dig a passage beneath his 8.4million mansion on the Kapuzinerberg - a forested hill that overlooks the Austrian city. The underground complex would allow the billionaire to park up to a dozen of his cars underneath the historic 17th-century villa. But, although the city has granted preliminary approval for the tunnel, with Porsche paying 40,000 for access rights, local opposition has mounted, reports The Times. Porsche purchased the sprawling stately home - Paschinger Schlossl - in 2020 but it is an integral part of Salzburg's mythology. This is primarily because of the novelist Stefan Zweig, who acquired and renovated it in 1917. Zweig wrote some of his best-known works in the mansion and hosted parties for so many famous writers that it was nicknamed the 'Villa Europe'. He eventually left it when he moved to Britain in 1934, following the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany. Wolfgang Porsche, 81, wants to dig a 500m passage and private garage beneath his mansion on the Kapuzinerberg - a forested hill and walking area that overlooks Salzburg The underground complex would allow the billionaire to park up to a dozen of his cars underneath the historic 17th-century villa (pictured) Pictured: Claudia Huebner and Wolfgang Porsche attend the 'La Clemenzia di Tito' premiere during the Salzburg Festival 2017 Porsches purchase of the villa has always been controversial as some councillors had wanted to turn it into a memorial museum. But, tensions reached boiling point when Porsche became frustrated by the crowded and narrow roads leading up to his property. Porsche turned to the city's former mayor, Harald Preuner, for help. And, in February 2023, he was discreetly given permission to not only dig the 1,500sqm tunnel complex under his own land but also to use an existing publicly owned car park as an entrance. He paid Salzburg city 40,000 (33,000) for the privilege. The details only came to light after a municipal election where the ruling conservative party was wiped out and the communist party made impressive headway. Porsches purchase of the villa has always been controversial as some councillors had wanted to turn it into a memorial museum The Porsche company, whose supervisory board is still chaired by Porsche, said the matter was a 'purely private property issue'. Pictured: Wolfgang Porsche Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Stands Next to a New Porsche Macan in 2014 The communist group on the city council is calling on the local authority to release the files. The Green party councillors have also criticised the deal. Ingeborg Haller, the partys local leader, told Der Standard it was 'special treatment for the super-rich' and 'left a strange taste in the mouth'. The Porsche company, whose supervisory board is still chaired by Porsche, said the matter was a 'purely private property issue'. Bernhard Auinger, Salzburgs new Social Democratic mayor, told Taz, a German newspaper, that it would have been 'smarter' to have made the public aware of the arrangement sooner, but it was not for him to judge whether the tunnel was 'suitable or morally justifiable'. MailOnline has approached Harald Preuner for comment. New CCTV video of missing mum Tayla Spies shows her buying fuel from a BP truck stop in the outback Queensland town of Condamine on the day she vanished. In the new footage, the country Queensland mother-of-three gets out of her her distinctive white 2017 dual cab Toyota Hilux ute. She then walks around the vehicle to fill it with diesel from the service station on Wambo Street about 9.20am on February 2. It's believed to the final video clip of the 29-year-old wedding and events planner before she vanished without trace. The last official sighting of her is a witness who spotted her passing the Cobb & Co Changing Station in Surat, 80km west of Roma in rural Queensland, around 11am. The new video footage was released by police as a $5000 reward was put up by a friend of the missing woman's family for any information on her whereabouts. Any information can be sent confidentially to the can be sent confidentially to a Facebook page set up to focus attention on the hunt for her. Police are baffled by the lack of sightings of Ms Spies or her car with the distinctive black bumper bar, blacked out wheels and registration plate 559 GJ7 over the last 30 days. The wedding and events planner runs her own successful business in the Queensland outback New CCTV video of missing mum Tayla Spies shows buying fuel from BP truck stop in the outback Queensland town of Condamine on the day she went missing. Police have released the video of the missing woman at the Condamine servo (above) as a $5000 reward to anyone with information on her whereabouts is being offered In CCTV video released previously, Ms Spies was seen leaving a Dalby motel heaving a very large white and yellow patterned red bag into her vehicle on the morning she vanished. She was wearing light coloured shorts and a bright pink shirt, but her sister said she later changed into 'a white shirt with purple writing on it and a Mimco shoulder bag'. Rebecca Spies also recorded a desperate video appeal for her sister's return and said her sister's disappearance had preoccupied her devastated family since. 'We have no knowledge if anybody has spoken to her since then, has seen her and we have no knowledge if she is okay,' she said. 'The pain and enormity of her absence increases with each day that passes, and the worry is consuming us all. 'My sister Tayla is funny, brave, thoughtful, and is always there for people when they need her. 'She loves her family wholeheartedly and never lets us forget it.' Tayla missed her upcoming 29th birthday celebrations, and her relatives were 'out of their minds' with frustration and felt like they were 'hitting their heads against a brick wall'. Tayla Spies' sister Rebecca said that 'the pain and enormity of her absence increases with each day that passes, and the worry is consuming us all' Malcolm Spies said his large family, based in the Dalby area of the Western Downs, said there was 'no trace of her, nor of her car, what's more.' On her wedding planner site, Ms Spies calls herself 'the head problem solver' and promises to handle all stages of planning, adding: 'Let us take the stress out of your special event. She added on Instagram: 'Whether that means perfecting the styling, (or) ensuring that the day runs smoothly ... I am there, I am invested and Im ready to do whatever it takes to make my clients wedding day, THE BEST.' The search area could be as big as 9000sq km, including the area west of Yuleba (Wallumbilla South) and also go south of the Surat Development Road down to Teelba, Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia. Ms Spies - pronounced 'Speez' - was last seen driving on the Carnarvon Highway, just south of the Condamine turnoff heading towards Roma. Her partner reported her missing the following day. Her sister added: 'Please, if anybody has seen Tayla or her car, report it ASAP. We just want to know she's okay and safe.' A school in Lincolnshire has banned mirrors in toilets because pupils were spending too much time looking at them. Grant Edgar, headmaster of William Farr Church of England Comprehensive School in Welton, has made the changes after pupils were turning up late to lessons and gathering in groups in the lavatories. Mr Edgar said the groups of pupils congregating had also caused other students to feel uncomfortable. He said the mirrors encourage pupils to spend 'too much time in the toilets'. The school had faced 'punctuality' issues from transition times between lessons. 'This can make it uncomfortable for some pupils to use the toilets,' he told BBC News. Pupils who need a mirror for medical purposes are allowed to ask for one at reception, Mr Edgar said. The move has not been popular with parents, who described the ban as 'strange' and 'a bit extreme'. Mirrors have been removed from bathrooms at a Lincolnshire school over concerns about pupils congregating Headteacher Grant Edgar said the mirrors were causing students to spend too much time in the toilets One parent named Kelly told The Telegraph that she was concerned about the changes. She said her daughter wears contact lenses and said she would need a mirror if she needed to take them out. Another parent, also named Kelly, labelled the removal 'silly' and 'a bit extreme'. Meanwhile one mother named Karen supported the change, suggesting her daughter could get to class on time instead of checking that her eyelashes 'hadn't fallen off'. Psychologist Emma Kenny called for the pupils to be part of decisions which affect their lives. She said: 'You don't know what's going on in that kid's life. That hub in the bathroom where they are checking make-up and covering spots can be powerfully important to them.' Ms Kenny suggested that questioning why pupils were spending so much time in the toilets may be a bigger problem. In 2023, Christopher Whitehead Language College in Worcester replaced mirrors in girls toilets with posters describing make-up as a 'harmful drug' that makes women 'feel ugly'. Parents criticised the decision, with some pointing out their children may need to use the mirrors In a bizarre move, the doors to the toilets were also removed to allow teachers to view the washing areas. The 'motivational' messages about inner beauty were plastered on the walls of the bathrooms at the school. One read: 'If all girls started wearing no make-up and comfortable clothes, guys would have no choice but to fall for girls because of natural beauty.' Another said: 'Dear girls, Make-up is a harmful drug. Once you start using it, you'll feel ugly without it.' In response, a parent said: 'Is the school really telling girls that putting lipstick on is as bad as injecting heroin or taking crack cocaine? 'Yes, girls need to be taught about inner beauty, but this approach is plain wrong.' Headmaster Neil Morris was forced to admit that his decision was a mistake as he tried to quell the protests from parents and students. Dubbed Britain's strictest headteacher, Katharine Birbalsingh, head teacher of Michaela Community School in Wembley, North London made national headlines earlier this year following her banning of prayer rituals during school hours. Ms. Birbalsingh banned payer rituals in her school and has called on the UK government to ban smartphones in schools across Britain She has also called for smartphones to be banned in schools across the UK. To date, 11 per cent of secondary schools in Britain have adopted some form of smartphone restrictions. Notably, in June of this year, Eton College announced a new policy in which its Year 9 students would be provided with basic 'brick' phones which can only send and receive texts and calls. The Berkshire boarding school only allows these phones to be used outside of the school day and is also providing pupils with an iPad to support academic study. This was followed by news that Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), a managing group of schools with over 35,000 pupils attending across the UK, would be banning phones in the classroom due to 'overwhelming' relationship between excessive smartphone usage and poor mental health amongst the young. Young people are in the midst of a midlife crisis as they are more likely to be in the toughest years of their life, a study has found. The study found that in six English-speaking countries worldwide a booming mental health crisis meant the youth were no longer one of the happiest generations. Traditionally, happiness was considered to follow a U-shape - where young people have care-free experiences, then a tougher middle age and a more comfortable later life. But experts say the course of happiness over our lifetime has changed and wellbeing now rises steadily with age instead. The young are now experiencing a bad case of an early midlife crisis - where peak misery starts as early as 18. 'The U-shape in wellbeing by age that used to exist in these countries is now gone, replaced by a crisis in wellbeing among the young,' according to the paper published by the US National Bureau of Economic Research. Participants surveyed across the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, found that life satisfaction and happiness had fallen among young people over the past decade, and especially among young women. The prevalent use of smart phones and social media in young people suggests this mental health crisis coincided with increasing internet use. Young people are in the midst of a midlife crisis as they are more likely to be in the toughest years of their life, a study has found The study found that in six English-speaking countries worldwide a booming mental health crisis meant the youth were no longer one of the happiest generations The study suggested the rise in technology meant the youth aren't going out as much, socialising or having sex, which has impacting overall happiness. David Blanchflower, the lead academic (with Jean Twenge) and former Bank of England policymaker, told the Guardian there had been a sharp drop in wellbeing in the US and the UK, and pointed to the growth of social media, cyberbullying and body shaming online. 'The young have become isolated. It's also not so much that people are sitting there on the phone, it's what they're not doing. They're not going out as much; playing with their friends, interacting with others, or having as much sex.' He added: 'I don't think there is any doubt you have an absolute global crisis. Young people are in deep disarray and trouble. And the question is what do we do about it? And we don't know.' Other studies have drawn links between the youth mental health crisis and, unregulated social media, unstable employment and the climate crisis. Young people are also increasingly like to be outside the jobs market with mental health conditions. Donald Trump stunned NATO allies as he ended all US military aid to Ukraine late on Monday in an effort to pile pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky to end the war on his terms. 'The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution,' a White House official said. The decision casts doubt over Ukraine's ability to continue to defend itself against the Russian invaders. It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in jeopardy. Trump's manipulation of the war followed an abrupt post warning that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' on Monday after Zelensky had suggested the end of the war is still 'very, very far away'. Zelensky had spoken after a summit in London on Sunday, with 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. British PM Keir Starmer said a 'coalition of the willing' would come together to present a viable peace plan to Trump. But Zelensky's warning was met with ire in Washington, where Trump's inner circle branded the comment 'evil'. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Trump posted on his Truth Social website after upping the pressure on Kyiv to end the war. Trump also questioned Zelensky's commitment to peace, saying that he 'doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing'. He also hinted that Zelensky might not be Ukrainian president much longer. US President Donald Trump has stunned European NATO allies as he ended all US military aid to Ukraine after losing patience with President Volodymyr Zelensky This comes after Trump appeared to have lost his patience with Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured), warnings that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' following the Ukrainian president's comments that the end of the war is 'still very, very far away' Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron embrace after holding a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House in central London on March 2, 2025 Elon Musk later branded Zelensky 'evil' for pushing a 'forever war' with Russia. 'Zelensky wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil,' Musk wrote on X in reaction to Trump's comments. Musk also alleged in another post that Zelensky 'wants a forever war' because he would otherwise 'lose his spotlight on the international stage'. In reply to a post on X claiming that 'Zelensky knows if the war ends, his power ends' and branding him a 'dictator', Musk said: 'True. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine.' Trump also hinted during a press conference on Monday that Zelensky might not survive long as Ukrainian president if he continued to make demands ahead of a peace deal. 'It should not be that hard a deal to make,' Trump told reporters at the White House. 'It could be made very fast. Now, maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long.' He also laid into Europe's effort to fill the void where the U.S. said it would withdraw support for Ukraine. Trump accused the UK-led 'coalition of the willing' of being weak for relying on an American backstop for peace - after his administration praised the UK for pledging to lift its defence spending. Trump said following the summit: 'It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S.' With the U.S. increasingly turning away from Europe, the EU's Ursula von der Leyen said today that Europe was ready to massively boost its defence spending, unveiling a 150 Billion Defense Loan Plan for Pan-European Security and presenting a plan to mobilise 800bn for European defence. The EU will propose to give member states more fiscal space for defence investments, as well as 150 billion euros in loans for those investments, and will aim to mobilize private capital as well, von der Leyen said. The strong-arm move from Trump to pause US military supplies to Ukraine leaves Zelenskys defences vulnerable without arms such as Patriot air defence missiles. Russia continued to strike civilian infrastructure overnight, with a drone attacking a childrens clinic in Sumy region, and another attack damaging two kindergartens in Odesa, where energy infrastructure were targeted. Ukrainian military drones set ablaze a Russian oil refinery in Syzran, Samara region, and a key pipeline in Rostov region. But while aid is ostensibly under 'review', Trump's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz warned in an interview on FOX News Channel's America's Newsroom on Monday morning that the days of unlimited support from America to Ukraine were over. 'The American people's patience is not unlimited, their wallets are not unlimited and our stockpiles and munitions are not unlimited,' he said. 'The time to talk is now.' Elon Musk (pictured in the White House in February) later branded Zelensky 'evil' for pushing a 'forever war' with Russia US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz (left) and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth Waltz said that Zelensky failed to demonstrate that he was willing to work with the United States and Russia to strike a peace deal to end the war. 'Success looks like President Zelensky sitting down and talking the terms of peace... what became so evident to us in that session is he's not ready to talk peace at all but here's the problem: Time is not on his side,' he said. Waltz said it was 'really confounding' that Zelensky blew up the meeting and lost an opportunity to work with the American people for the future of his country. 'I think that President Zelensky truly did his country a real disservice by not having a positive outcome on Friday and we'll see where things are going forward,' he concluded. Before the decision to cut aid, the ISW estimated it would take Russian forces more than 83 years to capture the remaining 80% of the country, assuming they can sustain massive personnel losses indefinitely. But Zelensky suggested previously that Ukraine could last just six months without American backing. Dr Kenton White, politics and international relations expert at the University of Reading, told MailOnline yesterday, ahead of the shock announcement: 'Ukraine would struggle without US support as the US has the greater capacity for the manufacture and supply of weapons, ammunition and all of the supporting military equipment and infrastructure required to prosecute a modern war. 'A US backstop is urgent because Western Europe has been complacent about its own defence, and its ability to produce the military infrastructure necessary for fighting a war. 'Even within NATO there is no flexibility for anything other than short term, low intensity conflicts. NATO is not war-ready at all.' On Monday, Trump was asked what Zelensky needed to do to resume talks with Washington. 'Well, I just think you should be more appreciative, because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin,' he said, before repeating a falsehood about levels of American aid. He added: 'We've given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us.' Trump has been pushing for a rapid deal to end the war in Ukraine ever since he returned to office in January. His administration has held talks with Kyiv on a rare earth minerals deal that would allow Washington to recoup some of its costs. On Friday, Zelensky visited the White House to discuss the minerals deal, but the meeting ended in disaster, with the Ukrainian president reportedly being asked to leave the Oval Office. Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci warned the U.S. had 'switched sides' late on Sunday Lib Dem leader Ed Davey called for Europe to use some 200bn euros in frozen assets in light of the decision to withhold aid Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Donald Trump clashed with his Ukrainian counterpart in the Oval Office on Friday Zelensky grew frustrated during the Oval Office meeting after Vance spoke about the importance of allowing President Trump to engage in diplomacy with Russia. 'What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?' he asked, after listing all of the ways that Putin had broken previous agreements with Ukraine. 'I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President,' Vance replied, before accusing Zelensky of being disrespectful to President Trump by trying to voice his opposition to a peace deal in front of the American media. After the Oval Office meeting, Trump told Zelensky to leave, canceling the planned lunch, and a meeting to sign a mineral deal agreement followed by a press conference to celebrate. Trump criticized Zelensky for disrespecting the United States in the Oval Office, noting the Ukrainian president did not appear willing to make a peace deal. 'He can come back when he is ready for Peace,' Trump wrote on social media. Zelensky then made an emergency trip to London where he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European leaders who emphasized their support for Ukraine. 'The UK is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others,' Starmer said. 'Europe must do the heavy lifting, but to support peace in our continent and to succeed, this effort must have strong US backing.' Front row, left to right: Finland's President Alexander Stubb, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Poland's PM Donald Tusk. Centre row from left: Spain's PM Pedro Sanchez, Denmark's PM Mette Frederiksen, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Antonio Costa, Canada's PM Justin Trudeau and Romania's interim President Ilie Bolojan. Back row from left: Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, Netherlands PM Dick Schoof, Sweden's PM Ulf Kristersson. Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Norway's PM Jonas Gahr Store, Czech Republic's PM Petr Fiala, Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni and Turkey's foreign Minister Hakan Fidan Keir Starmer embraced Volodymyr Zelensky on the steps of Lancaster House in London as they try to repair alliances in the wake of the debacle French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a 30-day end to the fighting but without any security guarantees for Kyiv. Britain and other allies gave the plan the cold shoulder, as the UK supports the Ukrainian position which is that any end to the war must be secured by an agreement which Russia will be too scared to break. European leaders were hoping a common policy on Ukraine would emerge following Sunday's summit at Lancaster House, with reports of the French diplomatic effort emerging yesterday. When the plan was put to leaders at Sunday's meeting, none volunteered their support. But out of respect for French president Mr Macron, nobody spoke against it either. Concerns remain among allies over the number of troops countries can provide as part of a post-settlement stabilisation force as Trump rejects using the US as a 'backstop' to prevent Russia from attacking again. Trump said following the summit: 'It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be Peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US.' He added in what appeared to be an attack on what he appeared to perceive as a weakness of European leaders: 'Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?' In media rounds yesterday, Armed Forces minister Luke Pollard warned that any temporary deal would grant Russia an opportunity to rearm and refresh, rather than encouraging Kremlin officials to pause for thought about the three-year conflict. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C), French President Emmanuel Macron (C-L) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-R) attend a meeting with European leaders during a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Britain, 02 March 2025 The French plan would have permitted fighting to continue on the frontline but would have applied to air and sea operations and attacks on civil infrastructure. French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the limited ceasefire would allow the West to determine whether Russian president Vladimir Putin was acting in good faith. It would also give an indication as to whether Trump wanted to support a peace deal on Europe's terms rather than Russia's. During Sunday's summit, Sir Keir Starmer also unveiled a four-point plan to work with Ukraine to end the war and defend the country from Russia. The PM's plan would see European states deploy tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine without US troops alongside them. But there would be US air cover and security guarantees as part of a US 'backstop' to deter Putin, which Trump previously opposed. Doubts remained over which states would provide soldiers to serve alongside British and French soldiers. Sir Keir has called for a 'coalition of the willing' to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, but only 'one or two others' are apparently on board. No coalition could be a NATO enterprise as two member states, Slovakia and Hungary, would vote to block any deployment of soldiers from the alliance to Ukraine. This is due to their close relationship with Russia. The Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia are expected to make a contribution, despite the small size of their armies. Italy was also rumoured to be involved, but prime minister Giorgia Meloni said on Monday that 'we will not send Italian soldiers to Ukraine'. Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, third from right, looks towards Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they take part in a plenary during the Securing our Future Summit on Ukraine Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni meets with Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street, in London, Britain, March 2, 2025 Meloni said about the British-French plan: 'I have expressed various doubts about the Franco-British proposal while thanking my colleagues. It is very complex to implement, I am not convinced of its effectiveness. 'This is the reason why [...] we said that we will not send Italian soldiers to Ukraine, but it is certainly a moment in which all those who make proposals are doing something useful in the attempt to find a solution.' She has previously clashed with French President Emmanuel Macron over the issue of European troop deployments to Ukraine. Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau has said 'everything is on the table', while Poland has ruled itself out of sending soldiers because its borders with Ukraine and Russia's ally Belarus mean it has to concentrate on its own security issues. Spain has said it is 'too early to talk about deploying troops' while Germany's situation is complicated by the transition between governments following last month's elections. Former chancellor Olaf Scholz previously ruled out sending troops. But his expected successor Friedrich Merz, who has not yet been sworn in, may reverse that policy. More than 25 migrants died trying to enter the UK after Border Force allegedly rescued the wrong boat, an inquiry has heard. Around 33 people are believed to have been on board an inflatable dinghy which sank in the early hours of November 24, 2021 - killing at least 27 of its passengers including men, women and children. It is said to be the deadliest-ever English Channel crossing on record. When the group of migrants - who left Dunkirk, France at 10pm the previous night - realised their boat was sinking at 1.30am, Mubin Rizghar Hussein, 16, rang Border Force for help and said 'everything was finished' in a 'harrowing' call. After having not been rescued in an hour, the 16-year-old called again and was this time told him to stop calling as help was on the way. However, instead of Border Force getting to the boat in question, it was another migrant boat that they subsequently rescued. The sea enforcement initially marked the incident as 'closed' before the only two remaining survivors were rescued 12 hours later. Rory Phillips KC led the first full hearing and described it as a 'terrible human tragedy', and said how the migrants had been encouraged to make the crossing by a criminal gang. Border Force were called for help but instead of getting to the boat in question in 2021, it was another migrant boat that they subsequently rescued (stock) Your browser does not support iframes. 'They were fed misinformation promised that once they entered British waters they would be accepted as asylum seekers,' he said. Around three hours after the migrants set off from France, the boat - known as 'Charlie' in the inquiry - 'began to take on a significant amount of water and became swamped', Mr Phillips added. It was at this moment the passengers began making 'panicked calls for help'. After the Border Force received the initial call at 1.30am, their HMC Valiant vessel did not leave Dover until 2.22am and 'took another hour to reach the last known location of the boat'. By the time the sea enforcement arrived in the area where the dinghy was last reported at about 3.24am, it was no longer there. Sonali Naik KC, representing the families of the survivors, said previous evidence meant the tragedy was 'entirely predictable' as authorities were 'overwhelmed' and 'ill-equipped' to respond. The inquiry heard that 367 people were rescued by Border Force in the Channel that night, which was described as 'not a busy night' compared to others during that period. A total of 757 people arrived in the UK after crossing by small boat on November 24. The Valiant did not find 'Charlie' in its last location, and it was mistakenly recorded as another boat Border Force attended called 'Lima' around 10 minutes later, despite the fact it 'bore no resemblance' to the sinking incident with men, women and children on board. A helicopter operating that night also did not find the boat and was stood down. 'No-one in the UK was looking for Charlie, no-one came to their rescue,' Mr Phillips said. 'At the time when the Valiant was cleared from incident Charlie, when she returned to Dover, and when the helicopter returned to base, the incident was marked as resolved and closed, all those times human beings who had been on board the sinking small boat were in the water and the vast majority were drowning.' Mr Phillips said one of the two survivors, Issa Mohamed Omar, told the inquiry when the sun rose he saw 15 people clinging to the sunken boat, and he recalled a mother screaming searching for her children. Mr Phillips said the horror of what he saw was 'unimaginable'. At around 12.30pm on November 24, a French fishing boat found the first bodies floating in the water, the inquiry heard. 'It is said one of the victims died just half an hour before rescue,' Mr Phillips said. 'The question if loss of life was avoidable is not an academic one in this case.' A report by cold water expert Professor Michael Tipton concluded while some on board may have drowned immediately, it is likely the majority of victims died over a long period, by sunrise at 7am and between sunrise and the rescue in the afternoon the next day. He said most drowned when they could no longer hold onto the wreckage, or due to hypothermia after being in the cold waters. James Maxwell-Scott KC, representing the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), said the French coastguard had been aware of small boat activity from around 9pm on November 23, but delayed sharing tracker information until 12.56am on November 24. 'It is clear that had the French authorities acted differently events would have unfolded in a different way,' he said. Mr Maxwell-Scott added that the UK Coastguard believed 'Charlie' had been found and there was no new information for a change of mind. 'It's been suggested that this tragedy was preventable at the outset of the evidence, I would urge you to treat that proposition with caution, not to be swayed by hindsight,' he said. 'At sea, safety is never guaranteed, nor is rescue.' The inquiry heard concerns over UK coastguard capacity before the incident, including chronic under-staffing issues. The majority of small boat rescues that month had been undertaken by Border Force vessels which were not designed for search and rescue, and it was acknowledged the situation was 'unsustainable' without an increase in asset numbers. Alongside resources, the inquiry will question why it took two hours for Border Force's Valiant to reach Charlie's last known location, and why it was recorded in error as another boat picked up in the Channel. The inquiry hearings continue until March 27. A young genius and his father are taking legal action after he was rejected by 16 universities despite his stellar grades before he was hired by Google. Stanley Zhong, now 19, and his father, Nan Zhong, have filed federal lawsuits alleging he was discriminated against as an Asian American when some of the nation's best universities and even five state schools rejected his application in 2023. They noted that Zhong had a 3.97 grade point average and a 4.42 weighted GPA, and was one of only about 2,000 students to score a 1590 or higher on the SAT - out of the more than two million students that take it each year. He even managed his own startup, e-document signature platform Rabbit-Sign, while still in high school and was recruited by Google at the age of 13, the Sacramento Bee reports. Several schools the teen was rejected from have lower average GPA and test scores than Stanley's own stats, including California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo which has a middle 50 percent GPA of 4.13-4.25 for admitted engineering students. 'There's nothing more un-American than this,' Nan told the New York Post. 'I don't really think [these schools] give a damn about the damage they're doing to these kids,' he added. The United States Supreme Court has since ruled that it is unconstitutional for a university to take into account an applicant's race in its admission process, but the Zhongs have decided to sue the universities that rejected Stanley in states that had pre-existing laws banning racial discrimination in admissions. Stanley Zhong, now 19, is taking legal action after he was rejected by 16 universities despite his stellar grades before he was hired by Google A federal suit filed in California notes that Zhong was offered a PhD level position as a software engineer for Google even though he was not accepted into UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis 'Our case is a matter of enforcing the law and holding schools responsible,' Nan explained. 'It's great the Supreme Court ruled in that case, but I think the enforcement is going to be a lot harder than just declaring its unconstitutional.' He added that he has another son who is now 16 and is 'very much worried about the prospect he's facing' in the college admission process. 'My other son is part of the reason we're fighting this battle,' the worried father told the Post. 'We're doing this for other Asian kids, including my younger kid and my future grandkids.' The father-and-son duo have already filed a massive 291-page lawsuit against the University of California system alleging discrimination with SWORD, Students Who Oppose Racial Discrimination - a group comprising other students who believe Asian Americans are discriminated against in the college admissions process. The suit notes that Zhong was offered a PhD level position as a software engineer for Google even though he was not accepted into UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis. '[Stanley's admission] results stand in stark contrast to his receipt of a full-time job offer from Google for a position requiring a PhD degree or equivalent practical experience,' the lawsuit reads. 'Wile it is true that Google's job offer came after UC's rejections - meaning UC could not have foreseen that Google would recognize Stanley's skills had already reached the PhD level - the fundamental issue remains: the technical achievements included in Stanley's UC applications were substantially the same as those sent to Google. 'Stanley's experience is emblematic of a broader pattern of racial discrimination against highly-qualified Asian American students at UC,' it argues. He and his father, Nan Zhong, claim he was discriminated against as an Asian American when some of the nation's best universities and even five state schools rejected his application in 2023 California voters had banned the use of race as a determinant for acceptance through Proposition 209 in 1996. But Nan now claims he has evidence that the state school system has continued to engage in the practice. 'First of all, in addition to Stanley there are a lot of Asian American students who actually contacted us about their college admissions stories, how they were rejected by UCs, despite their outstanding qualifications, similar to Stanley's,' he told ABC 7. Nan, who is an immigrant from China, went on to claim he has proof 'that the UC is using race, in clear violation of the law, in faculty hiring. And to the degree that it's not only using it, but they're also knowing it's illegal and they're also hiding the evidence of using it.' He said he and his son 'looked at some of the limited available public data, and there's a clear suppression of Asian enrollment despite the strong growth of the Asian community here in California.' The family is now seeking an unspecified amount of damages and is demanding a jury trial, as it also accuses the US Department of Education of failing to take action against the university system's alleged racial discrimination. The federal lawsuit in California also names the Department of Education as a defendant, accusing it of failing to take action against the university system's alleged racial discrimination The Zhongs also filed a similar lawsuit against the University of Washington and one against the University of Michigan, which a court clerk is still processing, according to the New York Post. But the universities have thus far denied they have done anything wrong. Rachael Zaentz, the senior director of Strategic and Critical Communications in the University of California's Office of the President, told ABC 7 it had not yet received the lawsuit - but it is prepared to fight the allegations. 'If served, we will vigorously defend our admission practices,' she said, adding that she believes it and another lawsuit filed by the Students Against Racial Discrimination which alleges UC's use of holistic admissions diminishes academic merits and hurts Asian American and white students are 'meritless' and 'distract us from our mission to provide California students with a world class education.' 'Since the consideration of race in admissions was banned in California in 1996, the University of California has adjusted its admissions practices to comply with the law,' Zaentz argued. 'We stand by our admission policies and our record of expanding access for all qualified students. A similar lawsuit has been filed against the University of Washington (pictured) 'The UC undergraduate admissions application collects students' race and ethnicity for statistical purposes only,' Zaentz added. 'This information is not shared with application reviewers and is not used for admission.' Victor Balta, of the University of Washington, also told the Post the school 'stands behind its admissions process, and we have long recognized that our capacity is limited and we are not able to admit some very talented people and capable applicants. 'We are reviewing the lawsuit,' he said. A spokesperson for the University of Michigan, meanwhile, said they have not yet received the lawsuit. DailyMail.com has also reached out to the universities and the federal Department of Education for comment. Luigi Mangione allegedly made upwards of 20 highly stylized sex tapes before he was arrested on charges of shooting dead a healthcare CEO in New York City. The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate has amassed a loyal fanbase behind bars, with women reportedly throwing themselves at him as he faces charges for allegedly shooting dead UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Now, an insider has told RadarOnline about Mangione's life before prison, revealing there are 'at least 20 videos of him having sex' that he filmed and 'wanted to be watched.' 'It wasn't just some grainy, late-night mistake. It was perfect lighting, everything,' the insider claimed. 'He wanted to be watched. He got off on it. There are at least 20 videos of him having sex.' The person went on to say 'a lot of the girls are too afraid to come forward or tell anyone for fear they might get dragged into his case somehow.' Mangione was the subject of a widespread manhunt after Thompson was shot dead on the streets of Manhattan in the early hours of December 4 while attending a conference. In the weeks that followed his arrest, key details about Mangione's sex life and health battles were made public. The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate has amassed a loyal fanbase behind bars, with women reportedly throwing themselves at him as he faces charges for allegedly shooting dead UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Authorities believe Mangione is responsible with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, seen here He had posted on his X page about having a 'pretty huge d***', in response to a post asking if anyone on the platform had a PhD. It also emerged that he had suffered a back injury so severe he was unable to have sex, according to his former roommate. RJ Martin had lived with the murder suspect for six months at a Hawaii co-living space and told The New York Times of his secret agony. 'He knew that dating and being physically intimate with his back condition wasn't possible. I remember him telling me that, and my heart just breaks,' Martin said. He added that Mangione had a back condition called spondylolisthesis that was worsened by a surfing accident. 'His spine was kind of misaligned. He said his lower vertebrae were almost like a half-inch off, and I think it pinched a nerve', Martin added. But the new insider who has shared about his sex tapes said he would often record himself in the act, and would also share nude pictures of himself with women he knew. 'People thought he was this misunderstood genius, but... he was filming everything like he was starring in his own private porno empire,' the source told Radar. Mangione was the subject of a widespread manhunt after Thompson was shot dead on the streets of Manhattan in the early hours of December 4 while attending a healthcare conference Authorities confirmed he had a handwritten manifesto on him in which he blasted UnitedHealthcare. His alleged crime has sparked protests and he has amassed supporters 'He wasn't just reckless he was putting on a show. And now, the show is over.' At the time of his arrest, Mangione had been on the run for five days. Authorities confirmed he had a handwritten manifesto on him in which he blasted UnitedHealthcare. In the 262-word document, Mangione said that as UnitedHealthcare's market capitalization has grown, the life expectancy of Americans has not. The document condemned companies that 'continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it.' Mangione is from a wealthy family, with his grandfather a self-made multimillionaire who owned a luxury holiday resort, nursing homes and a radio station. He attended the $40,000-a-year Gilman prep school in Baltimore, where he graduated as valedictorian in 2016. The ex-husband of former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers blew almost half a million dollars on an epic booze, drugs and gambling spree, a court has heard. Justin McKeone allegedly stole almost $481,490 while working as a financial manager at a Melbourne firm. On Tuesday he abandoned his defence on a civil claim over the cash, after previously vanishing in November and missing an earlier court date. The 37-year old was due to appear in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday to mount a defence to the allegations, but again failed to appear. According to court documents, he is alleged to have stolen the money during his five-month tenure as Head of Finance at Rocket Brands (Cozmic Sales Pty Ltd). Supreme Court Associate Justice Ian Irving heard McKeone had spent booty on drugs, alcohol and gambling. An affidavit submitted to the court alleged employees told Rocket Brands director Matthew Holmes that McKeone was 'sleeping in the work toilets for up to four hours a day'. He was also taking excessively long lunch breaks, and frequently leaving the office without completing his duties. Justin McKeone pictured with ex-wife former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers His latest non-appearance was the final insult to the court, which has now all but accepted his failure to engage with the hearing as an acceptance of guilt. McKeone had been dodging court for months, with a previous hearing before Christmas being told he had not made contact with his lawyers since November 11 when he was contacted by lawyers acting for his former employer. Amid fears for his safety, Daily Mail Australia revealed on December 27 McKeone had moved back to his home state of Western Australia. He told the court he had engaged Melbourne legal firm Galbally & OBryan, which is also defending the man accused of murdering Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy. But on Tuesday, the court heard Galbally & OBryan had dumped McKeone on the eve of Tuesday's hearing, leaving him to represent himself. The court was told McKeone joined Rocket Brands last March on a $200,000 a year salary. But just weeks into his probationary period, staff reportedly raised concerns about his erratic behaviour. The court heard McKeone admitted to the theft when he was confronted by Holmes in mid-October. During the meeting, McKeone allegedly confessed to embezzling the cash to fund 'a very serious drug habit' and told Holmes he would 'do his best' to repay the business. Bank statements tendered to the court allegedly show McKeone brazenly stole and spent more than $34,000 over a two-day period in August last year. The records showed McKeone had a little over $1000 in his own account when he is accused of taking more than $6000 in his first four thefts from his bosses, and allegedly blew it all within the week on booze, gambling and drugs. Barrister Kieren Hickie (left) leaves the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday The Bachelor Australia 2021s Tahnee Leeson (left) has since gone public with her relationship with McKeone. The couple are expecting a baby Barrister Kieren Hickie, for Rocket Brands, branded it a 'spending spree' which did not end until McKeone's erratic behaviour sparked the owner's investigation into the company's finances. '(He's) going on a spending spree for his own personal purposes, depleting his account down to nearly zero,' he said. 'What happens next is this pattern repeats itself over and over for a period of about five months. The amount of the theft increases over time.' McKeone's boss reported the alleged theft to Victoria Police on October 14, sparking a criminal investigation. Detectives interviewed McKeone on November 6, but no criminal charges have yet been laid while the investigation continues. In January, McKeone revealed he was expecting a child with The Bachelor Australia 2021s Tahnee Leeson, who he had been in an on-again-off again relationship with since his split with Molly Rogers. The couple shared their family news with a series of embarrassing photos of them together on a beach. 'Starting the new year with the most exciting news to date,' Leeson wrote on the post. Justin McKeone and ex-wife former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers pictured together in happier times Olivia Molly Rogers (pictured) has no contact with her estranged husband Justin McKeone 'Cannot believe how much we love you already. So grateful you chose us.' McKeone commented under the images: 'Youre going to be an amazing mum! I cannot wait.' The court heard McKeone had all but ignored the civil suit and failed to even file a single document in defence of the alleged fraud. He had also failed to challenge the freezing orders previously granted by the court. The court heard McKeone had to be contacted by social media or email to offer him an opportunity to argue his case. The court had already ordered a freeze on McKeone's assets totalling the amount Rocket Brands claimed he stole between May 23 and October 6. That order was due to expire last year, but was extended in McKeone's absence. The court heard McKeone, who once rubbed shoulders with Melbourne's high society, had limited access to $800 a week for living costs and $10,000 to pay any legal expenses. Justin McKeone proposed to former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers On Tuesday, the court heard his former employer wanted an additional $70,000 from him to cover its legal expenses and another $17,000 in interest on the cash he allegedly stole. Mr Hickie said the effect of McKeone's failure to engage with the proceedings allowed the court to accept all of the allegations his former employer made against him as fact. 'Mr McKeone is taken to admit all of the allegations in the written Statement of Claim and is taken to admit my client's right to recover damages or compensation in accordance with the facts that my client has alleged,' he said. 'Where there is no defence to a Statement of Claim, each of the allegations is taken to be admitted.' While reserving his decision, Justice Gray indicated he did not have much of any issue with what had been proposed by Mr Hickie. 'I do want to go through some of the material from today just to satisfy myself, but with the absence of any opposition ... I can give a preliminary indication that I don't see any problems with making the judgement in the terms that you seek,' he said. Olivia Molly Rogers (pictured), who divorced from McKeone in 2023, has not commented on the legal case McKeone allegedly blew almost half a million dollars on an epic booze, drugs and gambling spree (he is pictured with Tahnee Leeson and Justine McKeone enjoy the beach life) Court documents claim McKeone disguised 114 unauthorised transactions as legitimate supplier payments, funnelling company money into his personal bank account to allegedly fund a drug addiction. According to court filings, McKeone allegedly used his exclusive access to Rocket's financial systems to approve and process the payments. The affidavit claims McKeone manipulated invoices to reflect payments to suppliers like 'Storage King' and 'Net Focus IT' while redirecting funds into his own Westpac account. Screenshots submitted to the court allegedly show McKeone editing and approving these allegedly fraudulent transactions using the Xero software program. Holmes told the court he had not authorised any of those payments. The alleged embezzlement was reportedly hidden in Rocket's financial statements under the guise of 'historical adjustments' totalling $310,878, further complicating the company's efforts to identify the missing funds. The company has described his alleged actions in court documents as calculated and damaging, claiming the alleged theft has caused significant financial losses. The court filing states McKeone's actions were allegedly a 'gross breach of trust' and that the company is 'not in a position to accept [his] representation' that he has no money left in his accounts. Olivia Molly Rogers, who divorced from McKeone in 2023, has not commented on the legal case. A decision will declared at a date to be fixed. President Volodymyr Zelensky can still come back to the table to make a deal with Donald Trump. Vice President J.D. Vance said that the 'door is open' even after the disastrous public Oval Office meeting last week where Zelensky, Trump and Vance got into a heated back-and-forth over continued U.S. support. Vance's interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that aired on Monday evening was pre-filmed. And just before it went live on the right-leaning network, news broke that the Trump administration is pausing aid to Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the U.S. has sent $65.9 billion in military assistance all approved under former President Joe Biden and mostly under the Democrat-controlled Congress. Vance warned Ukrainians that Trump might be the only chance for the war torn country against aggressor Russia. Vice President J.D. Vance claimed in an interview that aired on Monday that President Donald Trump is the only hope for Ukraine in its war with Russia 'My message to Ukrainians, by the way, to President Zelensky, is when you've lost [Senator] Lindsey Graham, that means you need to come to the negotiating table and recognize Donald Trump is the only game in town,' the vice president told Fox News host Sean Hannity in the Monday interview. 'He's the only person who I think has a meaningful plan to save that country,' the VP noted. Sen. Graham (R-S.C.) is notably a very pro-Ukraine Republican senator who has advocated for aiding the Eastern European nation in its defense against Moscow. Most Americans or at least Republican politicians who are in charge in Washington, D.C. are losing their sympathy for the continued war and no longer want their taxpayer dollars going towards the conflict. But Vance warns that Trump is the only hope and revealed that behind-the-scenes European leaders are not so earnest in their support for Ukraine's war conflict. 'Here's the problem with the Europeans and a lot of these guys are our friends, they're our allies the president has a great relationship with a lot of European heads of state, and so do I, but they need to be realistic,' Vance insists. 'Sometimes you'll have European heads of state who may pop up their chest and say, 'we're in it with President Zelensky for the next 10 years.' And then in private, they'll pick up the phone and say, 'This can't go on forever. He has to come to [the] negotiating table.' A meeting between President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and VP Vance devolved into absolute chaos as they publicly argued over the U.S. stance in the war He went on: 'So I honestly don't care what the Europeans say in public. What I care is what they say in private. And what they need to be saying to President Zelensky is 'this can't go on forever.' The bloodshed, the killing, the economic devastation. It's making everyone worse off.' 'The only pathway to peace and prosperity is what the President is trying to accomplish,' Vance concluded. While the two world leaders left their meeting at the White House last week on shaky ground, Vance says that Zelensky is still welcome to come back and make a deal. As long as Zelensky is serious, Vance says, he is welcome to come back to the Oval Office. US President Donald Trump has paused all aid to Ukraine Anthony Albanese has said he is 'open' to sending Australian peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, just hours after the Defence Industry Minister dismissed the suggestion. The Prime Minister and Opposition leader Peter Dutton both praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following a heated White House meeting with US President Donald Trump last Friday. On Tuesday afternoon Mr Trump announced a pause on all military aid to Ukraine and issued an ultimatum to President Zelensky. Mr Albanese said the government had not been approached with any request yet, but was open to potential peacekeeping operations. 'There are proposals being discussed. If a request is made, then we would give consideration to it,' he told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday. 'Australia has historically played an important role in areas, including in Africa, in Cyprus, in a range of peacekeeping areas. 'We want to see peace in Ukraine. But we want to make sure that the illegal, immoral actions of Russia are not rewarded, and that Vladimir Putin and his designs - which are imperialistic, not just on Ukraine, but on other countries - are not rewarded or encouraged.' Mr Albanese said Australia's alliance with the US remained important to the nation. Anthony Albanese (pictured) has said he is 'open' to sending Australian peacekeeping troops to Ukraine just hours after a defence minister dismissed the suggestion 'Australia determines our foreign policy,' he said. 'We do it in Australia's national interests. And it is in Australia's national interest to stand with Ukraine, and that's what my government is doing.' Earlier on Tuesday, though, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said Australia was not considering sending peacekeepers to Ukraine. 'We're not envisaging that sort of commitment, but we stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, and we are proud to be the biggest dominant non-NATO contributor,' he said. Australia has given $1.5billion in taxpayers money to Ukraine since the war began three years ago. A White House official said Mr Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal to end the conflict, and wants Mr Zelensky 'committed' to that goal. President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) had a heated White House meeting with US President Donald Trump (right) last Friday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese repledged his support for Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday following the Ukrainian President's White House clash (pictured together in 2022) They added that the US was 'pausing and reviewing' its aid to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. The argumentative ending of Mr Zelensky's meeting with Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance threw all future aid to Ukraine into question after the Ukrainian president was asked to leave the White House after the meeting. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in question, as the US pressures Ukraine into accepting a peace deal. On Saturday, just hours after Mr Zelensky was told to leave the White House, Mr Albanese said 'We stand with Ukraine'. 'The people of Ukraine are fighting not just for their own national sovereignty - they are fighting for the international rule of law. 'We will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes because this is the struggle of a democratic nation versus an authoritarian regime led by Vladimir Putin who, clearly, has imperialistic designs not just on Ukraine but throughout that region.' Despite showing his support for Mr Zelensky, Mr Dutton rejected the idea of sending Australian peacekeepers to Ukraine. He said European countries needed to 'step up' and deal with the security threats in their region. 'There's no need for Australia to send troops, but we should continue our support for Ukraine,' Mr Dutton said. 'The European nations, particularly the bigger nations, can't continue to rely (on) financial support or military support from the United States. They need to chip in themselves.' The number of small-boat migrants reaching Britain since Labour came to power is up by just over a quarter, after more than 600 arrived over the weekend. Home Office figures showed 592 crossed the Channel on Sunday the highest daily total since mid-December. It followed 68 on Saturday. It means 25,958 migrants have made it to Britain since the election, up 26 per cent on the equivalent period in 2023-24. One of Labours first acts in office was scrapping the Tories Rwanda asylum deal, which was designed to deter migrants from risking their lives in the Channel. The Government has instead placed an emphasis on law-enforcement measures against human-trafficking gangs. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: Labour made a catastrophic mistake by cancelling Rwanda before it even started. Labours handling of the Rwanda deportation scheme descended into farce last night as the east African nation demanded a further 50million from the British taxpayer. Relations between the two countries turned sour as Kigali accused Lord Collins, the minister for Africa, of making inflammatory and irresponsible comments concerning its ongoing conflict with a neighbouring African nation. He suggested Rwanda was linked with an attack on a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo by Islamic State-related group ADF. The Rwandan government said it breached the trust between the two countries and as a result it would be seeking 50 million which the UK was legally bound to pay, despite the schemes cancellation. One of Labours first acts in office was scrapping the Tories Rwanda asylum deal, which was designed to deter migrants from risking their lives in the Channel (pictured: Keir Starmer) An inflatable dinghy carrying around 65 people crosses the English Channel on March 6, 2024 Drone view an inflatable dinghy carrying migrants makes its way towards England in the English Channel Your browser does not support iframes. A UK Government spokesman disputed the claim, saying diplomatic agreements already signed meant Rwanda had waived any additional payment. Sundays mass arrival aboard 11 dinghies was an unusually high total for so early in the year, with similar peaks not seen until mid-April or May in previous years. Asked about Sundays arrivals, a Home Office source said it was always likely that the first day of sunshine and calm seas would bring a surge, adding: But after seven years of these crossings we need to get to a position where our border security is no longer dependent on the weather. Meanwhile, two child migrants who arrived in the UK across the Channel alone are to return to France to rejoin their Kurdish Turk parents after a landmark legal case. The Daily Mail first reported in January how the Home Office had launched a legal battle to prevent the parents claiming asylum in the UK using human rights laws. They had been separated from the boys, aged six and nine, during a small-boat launch last July but the children reached Britain and were placed in foster care in Kent. The Home Office fought the human rights claim amid fears that inviting the parents into the country would set a dangerous precedent. Now the High Court has approved a deal to reunite the boys in France amid undertakings from the parents that they will not attempt to again cross the Channel illegally. The former head of Social Security has made a dire prediction that the program is facing an unprecedented threat and is on the brink of collapse. It comes as the Trump administration plows ahead with its efforts to shrink the size of the federal government through job cuts and sweeping changes within the Social Security Administration (SSA) under Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE's mission is to slash government spending but critics argue that such drastic measures are now also dismantling a system that has safeguarded generations. The SSA has been a pillar of stability for Americans for more than eight decades, ensuring that monthly benefit payments arrive on time. But former SSA Commissioner Martin O'Malley is now forecasting a complete implosion within the next 30 to 90 days, as payments become disrupted for more than 72.5 million Americans who rely on the program. 'Ultimately, you're going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits. People should start saving now,' O'Malley urged retirees, the disabled and others who depend on Social Security - including for retirement and disability benefits. O'Malley previously testified before Congress about the urgent need for Social Security modernization and is now warning that DOGE's interference is leading to staffing shortages, IT failures, and office closures. 'Those intermittent IT outages may happen more frequently and for more extended periods of time until there is a system collapse and an interruption of benefits,' he cautioned during an interview with CNBC. Social Security is facing an unprecedented threat and is on the brink of collapse warns former SSA Commissioner Martin O'Malley, pictured The Social Security Administration has been a pillar of stability for Americans for more than eight decades ensuring that monthly benefit payments arrive on time The crisis stems from sweeping changes within the SSA under newly established DOGE, the agency created under the Trump administration and led by billionaire Elon Musk O'Malley, a Democrat who served as governor of Maryland from 2007 to 2015, believes that public outrage may be the only thing that stops the dismantling of Social Security. 'People are going to start bringing a lot of heat to members of Congress who have been enabling the destruction of Social Security and the interruption of earned benefits,' he said. 'These are earned benefits.' The upheaval at SSA has already triggered high-profile resignations. Last month, Michelle King, the agency's acting commissioner, abruptly stepped down following a reported dispute over DOGE's demands for access to sensitive data. In her place, the Trump administration has nominated Frank Bisignano, CEO of financial technology firm Fiserv, to serve as the new commissioner. However, he has yet to be confirmed by the Senate, leaving Leland Dudek, a longtime SSA employee, as acting commissioner. Dudek held a meeting last week with management and told them they had to produce a plan that eliminated half of the workforce at SSA headquarters in Washington and at least half of the workers in regional offices. The termination of office leases for Social Security sites across the country are detailed on the DOGE website, which maintains a 'Wall of Receipts,' which is a self-described 'transparent account of DOGE's findings and actions.' The site states that leases for dozens of Social Security sites across Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, and other states have been or will be ended. But the chaos doesn't end there. Dudek was then placed on administrative leave for allegedly aiding DOGE representatives, further deepening concerns about the agency's ability to function effectively. Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) has slammed the restructuring as a 'backdoor benefit cut.' 'Let me be clear - laying off half of the workforce at the Social Security Administration and shuttering field offices will mean the delay, disruption, and denial of benefits,' Larson warned. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), along with Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) held a press conference on Monday denouncing DOGE's actions as an assault on Social Security 'It is hard to believe that the Trump administration wants to cut Social Security, but that's what's happening,' Schumer said. 'We're in a pincer move that shows just what they're up to.' Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) has slammed the restructuring as a 'backdoor benefit cut' According to Jill Hornick, a union official at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1395, 'The American public needs to understand that one of their major social safety nets is in dire jeopardy.' 'It'll take a while for the effects to be felt, but they're coming,' Hornick said, predicting what will happen to Social Security is going to be 'far worse' than the planned cuts to Medicaid. The most immediate impact would be on those filing new claims for retirement or disability benefits, as the agency faces severe staff shortages. While current benefit recipients might see delays, those waiting for approvals will be hit hardest, especially older Americans and disabled individuals who rely on in-person services. The SSA is preparing to lay off at least 7,000 employees from its workforce of 60,000, with some reports suggesting the cuts could reach 50 percent of the agency's workforce. That would leave tens of millions of Americans with fewer resources, longer processing times, and potentially no assistance at all. 'Not everybody can do things electronically,' said Maria Freese, senior legislative representative at the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. 'If you don't have people to run an agency that requires hands-on customer service, then of course there's a risk that you could end up with benefits being either denied or interrupted,' Freese told CNBC. Adding to the crisis, DOGE has also announced plans to close 45 SSA field offices across the country. According to Rich Couture, spokesperson for AFGE SSA General Committee, 'If they're going to close these offices that are busy in highly populated areas, it would suggest to me that there's no office in this country that would be safe from having a lease terminated, especially in rural areas.' Last month, Michelle King, the agency's acting commissioner, pictured, abruptly stepped down following a reported dispute with DOGE House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed concerns, stating, 'The Trump administration is putting Social Security benefits at risk by firing the staff who help beneficiaries and closing down the offices that serve communities across the country.' More than 72.5 million Americans rely on the program which include retirees and children who receive retirement and disability benefits Such closures could leave millions, particularly in low-income and rural communities without a lifeline for accessing Social Security services. The sweeping changes have led to a fierce backlash from Democratic lawmakers and advocacy groups. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), along with Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), held a press conference denouncing DOGE's actions as an assault on Social Security. 'It is hard to believe that the Trump administration wants to cut Social Security, but that's what's happening,' Schumer declared. 'We're in a pincer move that shows just what they're up to.' Senator Wyden said in a statement that 'a plan like this will result in field office closures that will hit seniors in rural communities the hardest.' House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed their concerns, stating, 'The Trump administration is putting Social Security benefits at risk by firing the staff who help beneficiaries and closing down the offices that serve communities across the country.' Meanwhile, advocacy groups like Social Security Works warn that the system is already overstretched and that these cuts will push it to the breaking point. Despite widespread opposition, DOGE continues to push forward with its austerity measures, arguing that the SSA has become 'bloated' and that reducing staff and consolidating offices will improve efficiency. However, others insist that these drastic measures are crippling the system. As March 14 approaches - the deadline for SSA employees to accept early buyouts before layoffs begin - millions of Americans could face an uncertain future. 'The Social Security Administration is already chronically understaffed. Now, the Trump administration wants to demolish it,' said Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works. There are plenty of Americans who are unhappy at the work being conduct by Musk and Trump Demonstrators protest against cuts. Since taking office in January, Trump has launched a campaign led by Elon Musk to unilaterally, downsize or dismantle swaths of the US government Demonstrators are seen protesting federal layoffs and demanding the termination of Elon Musk from the Department of Government Efficiency Altman said the reductions in force 'will deny many Americans access to their hard-earned Social Security benefits. Field offices around the country will close. Wait times for the 1-800 number will soar.' Trump campaigned on a promise of not cutting the Social Security or Medicare programs for the elderly. Social Security is the largest single item in the federal budget, accounting for over 20% of expenditures. In fiscal year 2024, $1.5 trillion was spent on the program. The federal pension and disability program currently serves around 73 million people and is growing with the aging 'Baby Boomer' population. According to projections from the Congressional Budget Office two of the funds will be drained by 2035 while another major fund will be gone by 2048 Social Security spending has been on the rise as more Americans hit retirement age and leave the workforce, solely relying on the fund's benefits The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund are the two funds most in danger of being depleted while the CBO says the Disability Insurance Trust Fund is also of grave concern It is known as the 'third rail' in American politics: Touch it by cutting benefits and you will get electrocuted because it is so popular. That said, the House Budget Committee last year and some senators separately weighed the establishment of a 'fiscal commission' to study ways to stop the dramatic growth in the national debt, which now stands at $36.5 trillion. Such an effort would be separate from Congress' regular budget and appropriations process, depending on how such a commission was structured. Without a replenishment of the Social Security Trust Fund, it will run out of reserves in 2035, meaning benefits could be cut by some 24 percent as tax revenues would then provide the only source of income. Heading that off could mean raising the retirement age or making other savings in the shorter-term. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday embarked on a visit to Brazil to participate in the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum where he is scheduled to prese ... A 'truckload' of Jeffrey Epstein files have been delivered to Attorney General Pam Bondi after she ordered the FBI to turn over everything they have on the late pedophile financier. Bondi was furious last week after her highly anticipated Epstein File release was widely panned for failing to unearth any new information. A source within the department told her the FBI was hiding thousands more pages of files relating to Epstein's laundry list of crimes, and issued a demand that they all be turned over by 8am Friday. Speaking to Sean Hannity on Fox on Monday night, Bondi revealed the FBI, now helmed by Kash Patel, delivered the additional documents by deadline. 'A source told me where the documents were being kept... Southern District of New York, shock,' she said. 'I gave [the FBI] a deadline of Friday 8am to get us everything. 'We got them all by Friday 8am... a truckload of evidence.' Bondi said Patel has a team of employees sifting through 'thousands of pages of documents' while simultaneously working on 'a detailed report as to why the FBI withheld all those documents.' She has vowed go sort through the files 'as fast as we can' whilst simultaneously being cautious to 'protect all the victims of Epstein.' Bondi revealed the FBI, now helmed by Kash Patel, delivered the additional documents by deadline Bondi was furious last week after her highly anticipated Epstein File release was widely panned for failing to unearth any new information. Pictured: right wing influencers and commentators leaving the White House with the Epstein Files: Phase 1 Epstein would recruit young girls and women to give him and his friends erotic massages Following Bondi's allegations that the FBI failed to turn over all the Epstein files, she demanded new chief Patel conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into his own department. Bondi told Patel: 'I am also directing you to conduct an immediate investigation into why my order to the FBI was not followed. 'You will deliver to me a comprehensive report of your findings and proposed personnel action within 14 days.' Patel himself responded to the allegations, saying: 'The FBI is entering a new eraone that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice. 'There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned - and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. 'If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them. 'And we will bring everything we find to the DOJ to be fully assessed and transparently disseminated to the American people as it should be. 'The oath we take is to the Constitution, and under my leadership, that promise will be upheld without compromise.' The batch of documents also included copies of flight logs from Epsteins private plane and a redacted photocopy of an address book purportedly compiled by Epstein and his longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell While the documents had been circulating in the public domain for years, Bondi said they had never been 'released in a formal capacity by the U.S. Government' Bondi also lashed the Biden administration for failing to turn over the full and complete Epstein files to the American public. 'No one did anything with them,' she said. 'And why were they sitting in the Southern District of New York? I want a full report on that. You know, sadly, these people don't believe in transparency. But I think more unfortunately, I think a lot of them don't believe in honesty. 'And it's a new day. It's a new administration, and everything's going to come out to the public. The public has the right to know Americans have a right to know.' The files that were released last week included a completely redacted masseuse list. While the names of all the masseuses Epstein employed were redacted, the documents reveal that a total of 254 masseuses were linked to him at various stages. Epstein would recruit young girls and women to give him and his friends erotic massages. They would often have no massage experience, and were instructed to 'bring friends' who would also be paid for their services. These young victims were given no reason to suspect that the visit would involve sexual activity until they were already there. Patel has a team of employees sifting through 'thousands of pages of documents' while simultaneously working on 'a detailed report as to why the FBI withheld all those documents' Following Bondi's allegations that the FBI failed to turn over all the Epstein files, she demanded new chief Patel conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into his own department In the filing released by Bondi on Thursday, it states the masseuses' names have been 'redacted to protect potential victim information.' While the documents had been circulating in the public domain for years, Bondi said they had never been 'released in a formal capacity by the U.S. Government.' The batch of documents also included copies of flight logs from Epsteins private plane and a redacted photocopy of an address book purportedly compiled by Epstein and his longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell. Volodymyr Zelensky's prediction that the end of war in Ukraine was 'very, very far away' was branded 'evil' by Donald Trump's inner circle and infuriated the president before he decided to pull military aid to the beleaguered nation. Trump swiftly called a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz on Monday to discuss a way forward in light of the comments. Zelensky had spoken after a summit in London on Sunday, with 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. Leaving the U.K., Zelensky told reporters he felt there was more to be done before the war could end - invoking a dramatic response from Trump. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' Trump posted on his Truth Social website. A White House official then said on Monday: 'The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. 'The Ukrainians didn't think we were serious. We had to make a demonstration,' one official told The Wall Street Journal as Trump confirmed he was cutting aid to Ukraine. The drastic move comes just days after a Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky in the Oval Office for failing to show gratitude for the $180 billion in US military aid sent to Kyiv since Russia invaded three years ago. The aid pause - which the Department of Defense confirmed to DailyMail.com Monday night - could leave Ukraine without air-defense systems, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and long-range rocket artillery. The Ukraine leader had already flown to Europe desperately seeking help from NATO allies following a disastrous Oval Office meeting. The war-torn nation could collapse within months without US assistance. In the leadup to the 2024 election, Trump vowed a quick end to the war in Ukraine, even boasting he could end the fighting in one day and questioning whether Zelensky wanted peace. US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 28, 2025 The site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released March 4, 2025 Donald Trump's inner circle saw Volodymyr Zelensky's comment that an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia as 'very far away' as 'evil' as the president pulled military aid Trump was apoplectic following both White House fracas and the statement from the Ukraine leader claiming the end of the war with Russia was 'still very, very far away.' He also laid into Europe's effort to fill the void where the U.S. said it would withdraw support for Ukraine. Trump accused the UK-led 'coalition of the willing' of being weak for relying on an American backstop for peace - after his administration praised the UK for pledging to lift its defence spending. Trump said following the summit: 'It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S.' JD Vance also appeared to take aim at America's allies in Britain and France as he urged Ukraine to sign the minerals deal in interview with Fox News. Vance said giving Americans 'economic upside in the future of Ukraine' was a 'way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. British troops supported both the American-led invasions of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003) following the September 11 attacks. The attacks prompted the first and only time NATO invoked Article 5, calling on allies for military support. With the U.S. increasingly turning away from Europe, the EU's Ursula von der Leyen said today that Europe was ready to massively boost its defence spending, unveiling a 150 Billion Defense Loan Plan for Pan-European Security and presenting a plan to mobilise 800bn for European defence. The EU will propose to give member states more fiscal space for defence investments, as well as 150 billion euros in loans for those investments, and will aim to mobilize private capital as well, von der Leyen said. Trump renewed his attack on Zelensky after his Ukrainian counterpart said peace with Russia 'is still very, very far away.' That infuriated Trump who has upped the pressure on Kyiv to end the war 'First Buddy' Elon Musk branded Zelensky 'evil' for pushing a 'forever war' with Russia earlier Monday Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci warned the U.S. had 'switched sides' late on Sunday Trump recognises that Europe will struggle to go it alone without U.S. support. He said following the London summit: 'It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S.' White House DOGE leader Elon Musk branded Zelensky 'evil' for continuing to pursue war after the president made clear he wants to bargain with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'Zelensky wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil,' Musk wrote on X. 'Stop sending men to die for nothing. ENOUGH!!' Earlier Monday night, the State Department said Secretary Marco Rubio insisted a diplomatic end to the war was imperative. 'We want to get the Russians to a negotiating table. We want to explore whether peace is possible,' Rubio said. 'President Trump is the only leader in the world right now who even has a chance at bringing an enduring and lasting end to the war in Ukraine.' For Ukraine, it could be a debilitating setback for their efforts against Russia for multiple reasons. 'Zelensky wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil,' Musk wrote on X in reaction to a Truth Social post by Donald Trump lashing out at the Ukrainian leader for saying the end of the war with Russia was 'still very, very far away' Earlier Monday night, without announcing the aid pause, the State Department repeated a quote from Secretary Marco Rubio on Friday Zelensky said in an interview last month that America provided nearly a third of Ukraine's war machine. 'The contribution from the United States to Ukraine's defensive capability and security is now around 30 percent,' Zelensky said. 'You can imagine what would happen to us without this crucial 30 percent.' Furthermore, as Ukraine enters the spring, Russia will use the warmer weather to renew its push to try and take more territory in the weakened nation, The Telegraph reported. The war continued to rage overnight, with Russia again hitting civilian infrastructure - with a drone striking a children's clinic in Sumy region, and another attack damaging two kindergartens in Odesa, where energy infrastructure were targeted. Ukrainian military drones set ablaze a Russian oil refinery in Syzran, Samara region, and a key pipeline in Rostov region. The strong-arm move from Trump to 'pause' US military supplies to Ukraine leaves Zelensky's defenses facing peril because it will stop vital arms such as Patriot air defense missiles. Ukraine was severely hurt by Congressional Republicans withholding aid for several months last year. Families were forced to take shelter in train stations in Kyiv while Russia hit the country's energy infrastructure. Republican Mike Lawler, who won his seat in New York in a district that Kamala Harris narrowly beat Trump in November, criticized the move without naming Trump However, Ukraine has become somewhat less dependent on the US, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior fellow Michael Kofman told the New York Times, 'than it was a year ago.' Dr Kenton White, politics and international relations expert at the University of Reading, told MailOnline yesterday, ahead of the shock announcement, that Ukraine was still reliant on America's scale and efficiency of production. 'Ukraine would struggle without US support as the US has the greater capacity for the manufacture and supply of weapons, ammunition and all of the supporting military equipment and infrastructure required to prosecute a modern war,' he said. 'A US backstop is urgent because Western Europe has been complacent about its own defence, and its ability to produce the military infrastructure necessary for fighting a war. 'Even within NATO there is no flexibility for anything other than short term, low intensity conflicts. NATO is not 'war-ready' at all.' Reactions to the news in the U.S. largely went along party lines, though there was some resistance from Republicans in swing districts. Republican Mike Lawler, who won his seat in New York in a district that Kamala Harris narrowly beat Trump in November, criticized the move without naming Trump. 'Stopping support for Ukraine would jeopardize the stability of Europe and the free world,' Lawler said. 'There are strong opinions on both sides of this issue, and I respect that. However, we must be pragmatic about the bigger picture and protect America's interests abroad,' he said on social media. British Lib Dem leader Ed Davey called for Europe to use some 200bn euros in frozen assets in light of the decision to withhold aid For Ukraine, it could be a debilitating setback for their efforts against Russia for multiple reasons. Zelensky said in an interview last month that America provided nearly a third of Ukraine's war machine. Pictured: A worker in Pennsylvania builds 155mm caliber shells Don Bacon, who won his seat in Nebraska by less than half a point, also slammed the move but didn't mention Trump, noting that Russia's supporters were not pausing aid. 'There is an invader and a victim, there is a democracy and a dictatorship, there is a country who wants to be part of the West and one who hates the West. We should be unambiguously for the good side,' he said. New York Democrat Dan Goldman said that Trump was attempting 'extortion' on Zelensky. 'Basically, he wants Ukraine to cave. That's the only thing that I can tell,' he told CNN Monday. Mary Miller, an Illinois Republican, represented much of the caucus in backing Trump: 'If Zelensky wants to continue fighting an endless war, let him do it himself. The U.S. will no longer participate in this conflict that has led to the death of thousands. It's time for peace!' The order came after Trump met senior advisors on Monday to consider the future of the aid, even as European countries are discussing how to increase their support for Ukraine. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly executed the pause. Over $1 billion in arms and ammunition will be stalled, as well as hundreds of millions in aid, leaving Ukraine to deal with private contractors, the New York Times reported. Daily Beast columnist and Russian Media Monitor creator Julia Davis warned the decision to halt aid was handing all the power to Russia Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (pictured right), Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz (pictured left) all met with Trump Monday to discuss a way forward and the decision was reportedly unanimous to cut aid. Hegseth reportedly executed the pause Mary Miller, an Illinois Republican, represented much of the caucus in backing Trump The Biden administration provided Kyiv with more than $66.5 billion in military aid and weapons since the war began. It had left unspent about $3.85 billion in congressionally authorized funding to send more weapons to Ukraine from existing U.S. stockpiles - a sum that had not been affected by the foreign aid freeze that Trump put in place when he first took office. Although President Biden suspended deliveries of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel amid humanitarian concerns in Gaza, Trump's move against Ukraine essentially acts as a final ultimatum to Zelensky. Either the Ukrainian leader capitulate to Trump's demands or face devastating losses on the battlefield. A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal to end the more than three-year war sparked by Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine, and wants Zelensky 'committed' to that goal. The official added that the U.S. was 'pausing and reviewing' its aid to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All of the US' NATO brethren has promised to increase aid to Ukraine since the disaster meeting, though they are nowhere near as heavily armed as America. The move comes just days after a disastrous Oval Office meeting in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance tore into Zelensky for what they perceived as insufficient gratitude for the more than $180 billion in military aid the US has sent to Kyiv since Russia invaded three years ago Trump's move against Ukraine essentially acts as a final ultimatum to Zelensky Trump hinted during a press conference on Monday that Zelensky might not survive long as Ukrainian president if he continued to make demands ahead of a peace deal. 'It should not be that hard a deal to make,' Trump told reporters at the White House. 'It could be made very fast. Now, maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long.' In reply to a post on X claiming that 'Zelensky knows if the war ends, his power ends' and branding him a 'dictator', Musk said: 'True. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine.' This echoes a statement by Trump, who also called Zelensky a 'dictator' for not holding elections in Ukraine, where Martial Law has been declared since the start of Russia's invasion in 2022. On Monday, Trump was asked what Zelensky needed to do to resume talks with Washington. 'Well, I just think you should be more appreciative, because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin,' he said, before repeating a falsehood about levels of American aid. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, greets French President Emmanuel Macron as he arrives for a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London on Sunday He added: 'We've given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us.' Trump has been pushing for a rapid deal to end the war in Ukraine ever since he returned to office in January. His administration has held talks with Kyiv on a rare earth minerals deal that would allow Washington to recoup some of its costs. The disruptive ending of Zelensky's meeting at the White House on Friday with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance has thrown all future aid to Ukraine into question after the Ukrainian president was asked to leave the White House after the meeting. Trump reasserted his record on Ukraine, after suffering a weekend of criticism in the press for his treatment of Zelensky. 'The only President who gave none of Ukraine's land to Putin's Russia is President Donald J. Trump,' the president wrote on Truth Social. 'Remember that when the weak and ineffective Democrat's criticize, and the Fake News gladly puts out anything they say!' Trump's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz warned in an interview on FOX News Channel's America's Newsroom Monday morning that the days of unlimited support from America to Ukraine were over. 'The American people's patience is not unlimited, their wallets are not unlimited and our stockpiles and munitions are not unlimited,' he said. 'The time to talk is now.' Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was with Starmer and Zelensky during the Securing our Future Summit on Ukraine Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, center, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and France's President Emmanuel Macron meet during the European leaders' summit Waltz said that Zelensky failed to demonstrate that he was willing to work with the United States and Russia to strike a peace deal to end the war. 'Success looks like President Zelensky sitting down and talking the terms of peace ... what became so evident to us in that session is he's not ready to talk peace at all but here's the problem: Time is not on his side,' he said. Waltz said it was 'really confounding' that Zelensky blew up the meeting and lost an opportunity to work with the American people for the future of his country. 'I think that President Zelensky truly did his country a real disservice by not having a positive outcome on Friday and we'll see where things are going forward,' he concluded. Zelensky grew frustrated during the Oval Office meeting after Vance spoke about the importance of allowing President Trump to engage in diplomacy with Russia. 'What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?' he asked, after listing all of the ways that Putin had broken previous agreements with Ukraine. 'I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President,' Vance replied, before accusing Zelensky of being disrespectful to President Trump by trying to voice his opposition to a peace deal in front of the American media. After the contentious Oval Office meeting, Trump told Zelensky to leave, canceling the planned lunch, and a meeting to sign an mineral deal agreement followed by a press conference to celebrate. Marco Rubio (pictured right) has been one of the senior White House officials demanding Zelensky change his tune Keir Starmer embraced Volodymyr Zelensky on the steps of Lancaster House in London as they try to repair alliances in the wake of the debacle 'I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President,' Vance replied, before accusing Zelensky of being disrespectful to President Trump by trying to voice his opposition to a peace deal in front of the American media. Trump criticized Zelensky for disrespecting the United States in the Oval Office, noting the Ukrainian president did not appear willing to make a peace deal. 'He can come back when he is ready for Peace,' Trump wrote on social media. After the disastrous meeting with Trump, Zelensky made an emergency trip to London where he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European leaders who emphasized their support for Ukraine. 'The U.K. is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others,' Starmer said. 'Europe must do the heavy lifting, but to support peace in our continent and to succeed, this effort must have strong U.S. backing.' But NATO members appeared to be split following the meeting, while Trump accused the UK-led 'coalition of the willing' of being weak for relying on an American backstop for peace. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a 30-day end to the fighting but without any security guarantees for Kyiv. Britain and other allies gave the plan the cold shoulder, as the UK supports the Ukrainian position which is that any end to the war must be secured by an agreement which Russia will be too scared to break. European leaders were hoping a common policy on Ukraine would emerge following Sunday's summit, with reports of the French diplomatic effort emerging yesterday. When the plan was put to leaders at Sunday's meeting, none volunteered their support. But out of respect for Macron, nobody spoke against it either. Concerns remain among allies over the number of troops countries can provide as part of a post-settlement stabilisation force as Trump rejects using the US as a 'backstop' to prevent Russia from attacking again. Trump said following the summit: 'It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be Peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US.' He added in what appeared to be an attack on what he appeared to perceive as a weakness of European leaders: 'Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?' The Department of Government Efficiency has claimed that it saved American taxpayers $105 billion in savings, including millions of dollars the Defense Department says were being spent on wasteful DEI programs. DOGE, headed by 'First Buddy' Elon Musk provided its third weekly update on its federal cost cutting efforts Sunday night, claiming it saved a total of $105 billion - up from $65 billion it had claimed the week before, ABC News reports. The controversial department has said that the figure is based on a 'combination of asset sales, contract/lease cancelations and renegotiations, fraud and improper payment deletion, grant cancelations, interest savings, programmatic changes, regulatory savings and workforce reductions.' Among the contracts that were canceled were some $80 million that the Department of Defense has deemed to be wasteful spending. In a video posted to social media on Monday, Press Secretary Sean Parnell listed some of those contracts, including one for $1.9 million for DEI trainings in the Air Force and a $3.5 million contract at Defense Human Resources Activity for support of DEI groups. Some of the money also went to public universities, with $6 million going to the University of Montana to 'strengthen American democracy by bridging dividers' and $1.6 million to the University of Florida 'to study social and institutional detriments of vulnerability and resilience to climate hazards' in the African Sahel. 'This stuff is not a core function of our military... This is a distraction,' Parnell said. 'We believe that these initial findings will probably save $80 million in wasteful spending,' he noted, adding that Monday's actions were 'just the start' and more savings would be announced later in the week. The Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk has claimed that it saved American taxpayers $105 billion in savings Much of the money DOGE said it saved, however, came from its controversial cuts to the United States Agency for International Development, totaling $8.7 billion. The department posted on its Wall of Receipts that it canceled a USAID contract for Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative worth $256 million, from which DOGE claims it saved $170 million that has not yet been fulfilled. Another newly canceled contract listed on DOGE's website is one for USAID's Global Health Training, Advisory and Support Contract program - a multi-year effort that started in 2021 and was capped at $682 million through 2029. DOGE says it saved $284 million by terminating that program. The single biggest contract that the department said it canceled this week is a seven-year IT services contract from USAID vendor Salient CRGT Inc, which had a $597 million ceiling. But the agency's figures have been called into question, as the 2,299 contracts listed on the Wall of Receipts only amounts to $8.8 billion in alleged savings. The department also claims on its website, though, that it has terminated $660 million worth of real estate leases as well as $10.3 billion in federal government grants. Still, that would only amount to $19.7 billion in savings - a far cry from the $105 billion the department said it has saved. Department of Defense Press Secretary Sean Parnell said the department canceled $80 million contracts it deemed to be wasteful spending Amid the discrepancies, DOGE has quietly erased some of the contracts it listed as having canceled after the New York Times found that it triple-counted the same cancelation or claimed credit for contracts that ended years or even decades before Musk's onslaught of the federal government. One such contract from a seven-year blanket purchase agreement with the Internal Revenue Service with a $1.9 billion cap for 'IT strategy and modernization' is no longer on the department's website after the vendor, financial management and IT company Centennial Technologies, told the Times the contract was actually canceled last fall - under the Biden administration, according to ABC News. DOGE also had to revise down its largest claimed savings contract from $8 billion to $8 million after the contract's vendor claimed that the $8 billion listed on its procurement records was likely a clerical error. A third contract that was removed from DOGE's Wall of Receipts was a five-year USAID contract under the Asia Futures Activity Initiative, aimed at serving the department's Asia Bureau to solve 'interconnected challenges of economic growth, democratic governance and resilience in the face of increasing health, climate and food security threats.' It further appears DOGE deleted a $149 million contract for the National Institutes of Health awarded to software company Advanced Automation Technologies from its savings page. The listing for that contract last week linked to a different NIH contract for leasing and maintaining refrigerated gas tanks. But an NIH contract with the same ID as the one listed on the DOGE site is capped at just $1.4 million. Much of the money DOGE said it saved, however, came from its controversial cuts to the United States Agency for International Development , totaling $8.7 billion As the agency has been forced to delete its mistakes, the total amount of savings that the initiative has claimed it redeemed from canceling contracts has steadily declined - from $16 billion to now less than $9 billion. It also lists more than 940 contracts where the contract obligations have already been fulfilled - meaning that 40 percent of the contracts the department says it terminated will not actually result in any savings. DOGE's Wall of Receipts also still includes claims DOGE achieved $106 million in savings by canceling a pair of contracts that the US Coast Guard signed for administrative help. Those contracts, though, were actually completed in 2005 and 2006 - when George W. Bush was president, according to the Times. Other figures DOGE claims to have saved are harder to track, as much of the data is missing information about which agency the canceled leases were under. And even though it said it canceled 3,389 grants and lists the names of the awarding agency and the amount of each grant, the site does not list the name of the grants or their purpose. Two passengers who were arrested after trying to force their way onto a plane at Miami International Airport on Sunday and were caught on camera 'hurling coffee into the face' of a gate agent claim their drink simply fell. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said the passengers, Beatriz Rapoport de Campos Maia, 29, and her fiance, Rafael Seirafe-Novaes, 41, were late for their flight to Mexico. They got into a fight with airport staff which saw the hot coffee end up over all over one of the airline workers as they tried to push their way past to get on the plane and down the air bridge. 'Nobody threw coffee. The coffee fell,' de Campos Maia told CBS News after being released from jail in Miami on Monday, while also claiming she works as a doctor in Brazil. 'The lady who said I threw it was a liar. It just dropped on the floor,' she went on, pushing back against claims that she deliberately attacked airline staff. Her fiance, Seirafe-Novaes, was equally adamant. 'No, no. I am not crazy. We would not throw coffee. Coffee, I drink,' he said in broken English. The couple explained that after completing two exhausting connections, they were desperate to make their final flight to Cancun, only to find themselves blocked from boarding. Their frustration turned into a heated exchange and then into a scuffle with authorities, but according to them what happened was simply an accident blown out of proportion. Beatriz Rapoport de Campos Maia, 29, and her fiance, Rafael Seirafe-Novaes, 41, were arrested after hot coffee was 'hurled' at an American Airlines gate agent at Miami Airport The pair were arrested after trying to force their way onto a plane at Miami Airport on Sunday They couple got into a fight with airport staff and then 'threw' coffee onto one workers out of frustration while trying to get onto their flight to Mexico As the situation escalated law enforcement intervened, leading to what the couple claims was an unnecessary use of force. Video shared on social media showed cops tackling Seirafe-Novaes to the ground before they arrested him outside the gate and ultimately hauled him off to a waiting patrol car on the tarmac. A second video saw de Campos Maia being grabbed by an officer and forced to sit down while the other cops arrested her partner. Seirafe-Novaes showed visible scrapes on his knee, which he alleged were as a result of rough treatment by the police during his arrest. 'I got this from the carpet from the policia,' he said, suggesting that authorities forcefully took him down even though he claims he was not resisting. The arrest was caught on cell phone video with snippet showing law enforcement pinning Seirafe-Novaes to the ground. The pair have been charged with battery and trespassing after allegedly ignoring 'No Trespassing' signs on the jet bridge while attempting to board their flight to the Mexican hotspot. Seirafe-Novaes also faces a charge of resisting arrest without violence. Beatriz Rapoport de Campos Maia, 29, said nobody threw the coffee cup and that it just fell Rafael Seirafe-Novaes, 41, was equally adamant. 'No, no. I am not crazy. We would not throw coffee. Coffee, I drink,' he said in broken English Beatriz Rapoport de Campos Maia, 29, claims to be a doctor back in her native Brazil The couple revealed they are Advantage Platinum Pro members with American Airlines meaning they are among the airlines most frequent flyers and valued customers. Now, with battery and trespassing charges hanging over them, the pair say they are unsure whether they will still attempt to visit Cancun or if their travel plans are permanently derailed. The dramatic scene at Miami International Airport left bystanders stunned, with passengers weighing in on the altercation. One traveler, speaking to CBS News Miami remarked, 'I think it shows a lack of respect for each other and people in general.' Another passenger expressed disbelief stating, 'Throwing coffee at somebody is not okay. You could burn someone, and even if it is not hot, it is still not okay to throw it at anyone.' American Airlines also quickly responded to the couple's behavior, issuing a statement reinforcing its zero-tolerance policy for violence. 'Acts of violence are not tolerated by American Airlines, and we are committed to working closely with law enforcement in the investigation.' The distraught daughter of a missing Queensland woman has launched an urgent public plea after her mum failed to return home from a rock concert. Jasmine Carter was last spotted at Brisbane Showgrounds attending a Slipknot concert at about 8.30pm Sunday night and hasn't been seen or heard from since. Her phone remains switched off almost 48 hours later. Police and family have serious concerns for her welfare and described her disappearance as out of character. If you have seen her anywhere or have any information please reach out, her daughter Samira posted on Facebook. She is my mother and she never would have done anything like this, we are all very worried. 'If you have seen this woman, please DM me.' Jasmine Carter (pictured) was last seen at the Slipknot concert at Brisbane Showgrounds on Sunday night Missing mum Jasmine Carter pictured in the outfit she was last seen in Samira also shared a photo of her mum wearing the outfit she was last seen wearing. Aged in her 40s, Jasmine is described as Caucasian, 157cm tall, medium build and has blue eyes and distinctive red hair that is shaved on the sides. She has distinctive tattoo of a skull and native Australian bees on her left upper arm, and a mole on the right side of her face. She was last seen wearing leopard print shorts, a black top, black boots and glasses. A public appeal shared online by Queensland Police on Tuesday attracted almost 1,000 shares within two hours. 'Plz come home Jazz, we all are so concerned for your safety,' a worried friend commented. Police urge anyone with information regarding Jasmine's whereabouts, or who may have seen her since Sunday night to come forward or call Policelink on 131 444. A major counter-terrorism operation has been launched after Sydney's newest mosque received a mass-shooting threat. Police attended the Australian Islamic House Masjid in Edmondson Park in south-west Sydney on Tuesday after the mosque 'immediately' reported an threat posted on its Instagram page. 'I'm about to christ church [sic] 2.0 this join[t]' the comment read. The statement appeared to reference to the Al-Noor Mosque massacre in New Zealand on March 15, 2019, where Australian Brenton Tarrant shot dead 51 innocent worshippers. Australian Islamic House Masjid just opened it doors last Friday in time for the start of Ramadan. President Mazhar Hadid said the mosque was 'profoundly concerned' by the threat but will continue to host nightly prayers during Ramadan. 'We are profoundly concerned by this threat and take it with the utmost seriousness,' Mr Hadid said in a statement. 'Our community deserves to feel safe and protected, just like any other citizen of this country. The Australian Islamic House Masjid (pictured) alerted police to an online threat allegedly made on its social media page just four days after it opened its doors 'We call on the authorities to treat this matter with the highest urgency and to ensure that all places of worship are safeguarded against such acts of hatred and violence. 'We also urge the public to remain vigilant and to stand united against Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry.' The mosque will continue to host nightly prayers during Ramadan following consultation with police. Strike Force Pearl officers will increase their presence in the vicinity to ensure the safety of parishioners. The comment appeared under a post celebrating the mosque opening its doors last Friday after 'decades in the making'. The same user wrote other comments under the same post instructing worshippers to 'leave the country'. NSW Police confirmed it's taking the alleged threat very seriously. 'There are no ongoing threats to the community and initial inquiries revealed the source of the threat was interstate,' a statement read. The mosque has urged the public to 'remain vigilant and to stand united against Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry' 'Increased taskings will be conducted by officers as part of Strike Force Pearl.' NSW Premier Chris Minns said that anybody caught making racist threats would be met with the 'full force of the law'. 'This is very distressing, particularly as Muslims right across the state are participating in prayer during the month of Ramadan,' he said. 'The NSW government and NSW Police are taking this very seriously. 'Racist threats and Islamophobia will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law.' Multicultural minister Steve Kamper added: 'This threat on our Muslim brothers and sisters is incredibly concerning. The alleged threat appeared to reference to the Al-Noor Mosque massacre in New Zealand on March 15, 2019, where Australian Brenton Tarrant shot dead 51 innocent worshippers. Pictured are emergency responders at the scene 'Acts designed to intimidate and divide have no place in our society. Importantly, places of worship should always be a safe haven for our community. 'No matter your ethnicity, religion, or country of birth, we are all bound first and foremost by our common commitment to each other as Australians. 'I unequivocally condemn Islamophobia in all its forms. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A conservation agency is suing Tanya Plibersek in a claim that alleges she has failed to come up with a plan to save threatened wildlife facing extinction. The Wilderness Society claimed that the federal environment minister is yet to create or adopt recovery plans for 11 threatened species in a suit filed to the Federal Court on Monday. The group claimed Ms Plibersek did not meet her obligations as outlined in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The Act states that ministers must make or adopt recovery plans for species within 90 days of them being listed as threatened. The 11 threatened native species includes the greater glider, ghost bat, Baudin's cockatoo, forest red-tailed black cockatoo, Carnaby's black cockatoo, Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle, red goshawk, long-footed potoroo, Australian grayling, Australian lungfish and sandhill dunnart. The Wilderness Society alleges that the minister has risked Australias biodiversity by failing to act. 'Recovery plans are legally required. Following the law should not be a high bar for government ministers,' The Wilderness Society's biodiversity policy and campaign manager Sam Szoke-Burke said. 'Environment ministers must be nature's strongest champions. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is being sued by The Wilderness Society Some of the species Ms Plibersek allegedly neglected were the greater glider (pictured), ghost bat, Baudin's cockatoo, forest red-tailed black cockatoo and Carnaby's black cockatoo 'That successive ministers have not made required recovery plans is a symptom of the continuing government neglect that is pushing unique species like the greater glider and Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle closer to extinction.' Ms Plibersek laid the blame on her Coalition predecessor Sussan Ley. 'After a decade of environmental vandalism by the Liberals and Nationals, Labor has made record investments to undo the damage done,' she said, NCA Newswire reported. 'We've doubled funding for our neglected national parks, invested a record $1.2bn to protect and restore the Great Barrier Reef, established more Indigenous Protected Areas, and funded world-leading environmental science from the Great Barrier Reef to Antarctica. 'We're also investing more than half a billion dollars to save our native plants and animals from extinction.' Meanwhile the Greens, said both major parties failed in their obligation to protect the environment. The Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle, red goshawk, long-footed potoroo, Australian grayling, Australian lungfish and sandhill dunnart (pictured) are also under threat of extinction Ms Plibersek is alleged to have failed to complete recovery plans for 11 species within 90 days of them being listed as threatened (pictured, the forest red-tailed black cockatoo) Greens environment spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young accused Ms Plibersek of failing to halt forest logging. She also told the publication that Labor's continuing to approve new coal and gas mines was a failure. 'It should not be too much to ask for an environment minister to do their job properly and protect nature,' Senator Hanson-Young said. Meghan Markle fans with tattoos that read 'As ever' in honour of her new lifestyle brand were left stunned when she made a surprise appearance in New York City. The Duchess of Sussex greeted a group of her shocked followers last night at a private members' club on the eve of her new Netflix show launching today. The supporters were attending the event for 'With Love, Meghan' in a screening room at Ludlow House, a Soho House club in Manhattan's Lower East Side. They watched the opening episode in the exclusive venue and were then filmed on Meghan's Instagram story looking shocked when she walked into the room. The group had been following Meghan since the days of her now-defunct lifestyle blog The Tig and proudly showed off real tattoos that read 'As ever'. They also had special bottles of Tignanello wine, which inspired The Tig name, for the occasion. To celebrate the launch, Meghan's husband Prince Harry and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet made her a handwritten card along with a bouquet. It read: 'Congratulations mumma! We love your show, and we love you!' and was signed by 'Lili, Archie [and] Papa.' The 43-year-old former actress posted the video of her appearance at the watchalong event with the caption: 'A surprise in the Big Apple tonight.' The Duchess of Sussex shocked a group of her devoted followers in New York last night Two devoted Meghan supporters proudly showed off real tattoos that read 'As ever' As she enters the room, Meghan asks the amazed group of women: 'What'd you guys think?' Meghan arrives at Ludlow House, Soho House members' club in New York City last night In the video, she can be heard saying: 'They don't know I'm coming,' moments before the big reveal. The Duchess popped out from a side door to surprise a roomful of people who had just finished watching the screening. As she enters the room, Meghan asks the amazed group of women: 'What'd you guys think?'. Her surprise public appearance comes ahead of the new lifestyle series launching. The show will be the second Netflix collaboration for the Sussexes, who signed a lucrative multi-million pound deal with the streaming giant in 2020. Other photos of the screening showed Meghan embracing members of the crowd and trading friendship bracelets. 'Had to make sure they saw it first,' she captioned one photo. 'The girls that have supported me for nearly a decade!' Meghan recently renamed her lifestyle brand As Ever, switching from the name American Riviera Orchard after facing trademark issues. It comes days after she gave an interview to US magazine People ahead of the launch of her Netflix show. Meghan poses for a selfie with some of her fans during the launch in New York City last night The Duchess said on Instagram that some fans had been supporting her for nearly a decade Meghan's fans watch and film her during the Netflix launch event in New York City last night The Duchess thanked Netflix for hosting the launch event which took place at Ludlow House The duchess told People: 'I appreciate everyone who gave me the grace to make mistakes and figure it out, and also to be forgiving with myself through that. It's a learning curve.' She described how there were 'tons of twists and turns - even with the name', adding 'I was figuring it out in real-time'. Meghan also explained how she had found making the series 'super joyful', saying: 'As a woman, a mom and a wife, to be able to find yourself again ... is a wonderful feeling.' And she told how her son Archie, five, told her 'Mama, don't work too hard' as he was sleeping next to her in bed. Archie helped with the clapperboard while visiting the set with sister Lilibet and Harry, and some elements of the series were filmed in the Sussexes' chicken coop, garden and orchard. With Love, Meghan is a natural extension of The Tig, which was started in 2014 as a place for the Duchess to share her favourite food and travel discoveries. The Duchess shared a sweet gift from her husband and children. Meghan shared a photo of a large bouquet of flowers with a special card from her family. 'Congratulations mumma!' it read. 'We love your show, and we love you.'The note was signed 'Lili, Archie and Papa'. Special bottles of Tignanello wine, which inspired the Tig name, for the special occasion. Meghan arrives at Ludlow House, Soho House members' club in New York City last night Meghan announced she was shutting down the blog in 2017 as her relationship with Harry progressed ahead of their wedding in May 2018. Speaking ahead of the show's release, Meghan said the eight-part series had helped her to 'find herself' again. But despite her huge 2million-strong following on social media, she insisted she instead saw as a 'female founder' and 'entrepreneur' rather than an influencer. A teaser trailer for the series shows the Duchess bonding with 'new friend' and chef Roy Choi over their shared love of 'karaoke and dancing' in Koreatown while preparing a hearty meal of Korean fried chicken in a glamorous kitchen set. The clip began with Meghan telling Choi: 'The best thing about Koreatown is that you could go to all ages clubs and karaoke bars...' 'I was part of dance crews, all that stuff,' he replies. London is set to be bathed in uninterrupted sunshine this week as the Spring weather finally arrives in the UK. After a gloomy winter filled with storms and sub-zero temperatures, the capital is set to be hotter than Barcelona and Madrid on Thursday, with temperatures predicted to reach 16C. It means the warm and sunny start to March will continue, after the widespread fine conditions were seen across England and Wales over the weekend. Met Office forecasters have predicted that skies will remain clear all the way through until Sunday, with the mercury set to steadily rise throughout the week. And meteorologist Honor Criswick told The Standard that the fine weather was 'on the cards' for a while, as the ridge of high pressure bringing the better conditions is set to stick around into next week. The warmest figures are likely in the Bristol area on Thursday, and temperatures are likely to reach the mid-teens in parts of northern England, too, with 16C (61F) possible in York. The only areas which may have widespread cloud and some drizzle are parts of the far North West, such as Cumbria, on Wednesday and Friday, plus parts of the far west and south west. The upbeat forecast follows a cloudy and dull February, with only 88 per cent of the average sunshine, the Meteorological Office said. After a gloomy winter filled with storms and sub-zero temperatures, the capital is set to be hotter than Barcelona and Madrid on Thursday (pictured: Beautiful spring flowers at St James Park in Westminster, London on Monday) TODAY: Met Office forecasters have predicted that skies will remain clear all the way through until Sunday, with the mercury set to steadily rise throughout the week WEDNESDAY: From Wednesday onwards, it is likely to be cloudier overnight, meaning temperatures are likely to stay above freezing THURSDAY: The warm and sunny start to March will continue this week, after the widespread fine conditions were seen across England and Wales over the weekend Parts of London endured zero minutes of sunshine for seven consecutive days for the first time in nearly 50 years. As spring flowers such as daffodils provide welcome cheer, Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey warned people not to be fooled into thinking winter has entirely disappeared. The clear skies mean cold, frosty nights were felt on Sunday and Monday. Temperatures fell to -6.8C (20F) at Benson, Oxfordshire, and lows of -6C (21F) were still expected on Tuesday night. From Wednesday onwards, it is likely to be cloudier overnight, meaning temperatures are likely to stay above freezing. The weekend is set to remain mostly dry with sunny spells and mild temperatures, with the warmest spots including south and south-east England, as well as sheltered spots in North Wales. Forecasters say there is still a chance of a colder spell towards the middle of March - so it may not yet be time to pack away the winter woollies - but then it is likely to warm up as spring officially arrives from March 20. By the end of the month, the Met Office predicts that above average temperatures are more likely, though some colder spells remain possible during late March. A premier has apologised for his foolish criticism of the US Vice President. Western Australian Premier Roger Cook says he was just having fun on Tuesday morning when he reportedly called JD Vance a 'knob' during a business breakfast speech. 'It was a light-hearted, non-professional moment and I didn't mean any offence,' he told reporters afterwards. 'When I made the comments there was a lot of applause around the room so perhaps some people enjoyed the fun that came with it. 'Other people might have been offended and I apologise.' Asked by a reporter whether his comment could derail the AUKUS deal, which is expected to create thousands of jobs in WA, Mr Cook said: 'I don't think the people in the Oval Office are listening to a sub-jurisdictional (chief executive) in Western Australia'. Liberal leader Libby Mettam cautioned Mr Cook and said he should focus on the WA people rather than international affairs. 'He's just illustrated he's out of his depth, and they are foolish comments from a premier who has got his priorities wrong,' she said. Western Australia Premier Roger Cook has apologised for calling US Vice President JD Vance a 'knob' at a breakfast event on Tuesday JD Vance (pictured right with President Donald Trump) stirred up headlines by spearheading an attack against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House last Friday 'There's no bipartisanship on this ... The United States is an important security and trading partner.' Ms Mettam said the incumbent Labor government should prioritise 'fixing the broken health system, addressing law and order issues, building more homes and restoring regional services'. Experts are tipping a comfortable win for Labor in next Saturday's contest. The party holds 53 of 59 seats in the lower house after an unprecedented landslide victory in 2021. But the Liberals have refused to concede defeat, with Ms Mettam on Tuesday promising to slash elective surgery waiting times if her party is elected. 'We have a range of measures to do this, one of which is our elective surgery guarantee,' she said. 'This means partnering with day hospitals, with private hospitals, to ensure that if a patient is at their clinical boundary, we will ensure that that surgery happens or takes place in an alternative, public or private facility.' Liberal leader Libby Mettam (pictured) said Mr Cook should be focused on winning the upcoming state election instead of offending important international partners The WA state election will be held on this Saturday, March 8 Mr Cook headed to WA's south-west after the breakfast, where he promised $60 million to help attract renewable energy projects to the state if Labor is re-elected. 'For every dollar we put from the Investment Attraction Fund into a company, we get an investment back into our local economy of around about $6,' he said. 'It has been responsible for a whole range of industries, engaging new technology, new plant and equipment, innovative ideas, commercialising inventions, and really continuing to drive industries in Western Australia.' Ukraine's front could collapse within just six months, officials fear, as Russian forces are dispatching masses of troops across the Dnipro river on high-casualty missions in a suicidal attempt to gain Ukrainian territory for future peace negotiations. Oleksandr Prokudin, the governor of Kherson region in Ukraine, said that Vladimir Putin's army was trying to cross the key river in four locations to bolster their claim over the entire oblast, as Trump last night stunned NATO allies by pausing US military aid to Ukraine in an effort to pile pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky to end the war on his terms. Prokudin told the Guardian: 'We heard from our intelligence, that the Russian deputy commander told troops in the area that they had to force the river at any cost, though not all the soldiers are willing to do that.' 'The Russians completely understand it is a suicidal mission,' the governor said, claiming that documents recovered from fallen Russian soldiers showed the casualties ranged from new recruits to battle-hardened soldiers who have fought for over two years. He added that his understanding was that Putin's forces in the region have been told 'they have to make the right [western] bank part of the negotiation' by taking over at least one village, though so far they have failed in this endeavour. Lieutenant-General Ihor Romanenko, former first deputy of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told Al Jazeera last month 'we will last six months' without American military aid. He added that he didn't believe Europe had the capacity to step up in America's place. Nikolai Mitrokhin, a researcher at the University of Bremen (Germany), backed this up, saying that that current US supplies if used sparingly, could not last beyond 'mid-summer' or 'autumn.' Your browser does not support iframes. Servicemen of the 24th Mechanized Brigade, named after King Danylo, of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire an M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops in a front line near the town of Chasiv Yar in Ukraine February 28, 2025 Servicemen of the mobile fire group of the Ukrainian 113th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade return from a combat position in the Volchansk direction, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, on February 22, 2025 Russia has expended thousands of troops for the sake of territory, and had made large strides in the Kherson region. While its army nearly completely captured the region in the early stages of the war, it was forced to retreat in November 2022 due to supply issues. But since peace negotiations between Russia and the US, which have largely sidelined Ukraine, opened last month, Russian forces have been attacking the the Kherson villages of Lvove and Zmiivka, the marshy islands at the mouth of the Dnipro and the Antonivka road and rail bridges east of Kherson city to press for a claim on the whole region. Russian forces have also been getting more aggressive elsewhere, as overnight drone strikes hit civilians, leaving a children's clinic in Sumy, northeast Ukraine, damaged. Some neighbourhoods lost power and two hospitals were forced to use back-up generators. In Odesa, four people were injured as residential buildings and two nursery schools were hit. Ukraine hit Syzran Oil Refinery where several loud explosions preceded a giant inferno. In Rostov region, Ukraine hit the Kuibyshev-Lysychansk main oil pipeline which supplies the military and civilian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea. The site of a damaged residential building following a Russian drone attack amid the ongoing Russian invasion in Kharkiv, Ukraine, March 2 2025 Firefighters work to control a fire in a location given as Odesa, Ukraine, after a Russian drone attack damaged energy infrastructure in Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa, triggering power cuts in the city and knocking out heating systems, according to local officials, in this handout image released on March 4, 2025 Lieutenant-General Ihor Romanenko, former first deputy of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told Al Jazeera last month 'we will last six months' without American military aid An emergency psychologist assists a resident who reacts at the site of Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released March 4, 2025 Overnight, a White House official said: 'The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The decision casts doubt over Ukraine's ability to continue to defending itself against Russian invaders. It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in jeopardy. Trump's manipulation of the war followed an abrupt post warning that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' on Monday after Zelensky had suggested the end of the war is still 'very, very far away'. Zelensky had spoken after a summit in London on Sunday, with 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. British PM Keir Starmer said a 'coalition of the willing' would come together to present a viable peace plan to Trump. But Zelensky's warning was met with ire in Washington, where Trump's inner circle branded the comment 'evil'. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Trump posted on his Truth Social website after upping the pressure on Kyiv to end the war. Trump also questioned Zelensky's commitment to peace, saying that he 'doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing'. He also hinted that Zelensky might not be Ukrainian president much longer. Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a damaged building following a Russian drone attack amid the ongoing Russian invasion in Kharkiv, Ukraine, 02 March 2025 Damaged vehicles stand at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released March 4, 2025 A view shows the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released March 4, 2025 A view taken through the broken glass of a window overlooking the site of a damaged residential building as rescue works continue, in Dnipro, southeastern Ukraine, 15 January 2023 The strong-arm move from Trump to 'pause' US military supplies to Ukraine leaves Zelensky's defences facing peril because it will stop vital arms such as Patriot air defence missiles. US President Trump hinted during a press conference on Monday that Zelensky might not survive long as Ukrainian president if he continued to make demands ahead of a peace deal. 'It should not be that hard a deal to make,' Trump told reporters at the White House. 'It could be made very fast. Now, maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long.' He also slated Europe's effort to fill the void where the U.S. said it would withdraw support for Ukraine. Trump accused the UK-led 'coalition of the willing' of being weak for relying on an American backstop for peace - after his administration praised the UK for pledging to lift its defence spending. Trump said following the summit: 'It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S.' Trump's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz warned in an interview on FOX News Channel's America's Newsroom on Monday morning that the days of unlimited support from America to Ukraine were over. 'The American people's patience is not unlimited, their wallets are not unlimited and our stockpiles and munitions are not unlimited,' he said. 'The time to talk is now.' Since the announcement last night, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a 'Rearm Europe' plan that could unlock up to 800billion (661.59billion) in additional defence spending over the coming years. The plans, sent to national governments on Tuesday morning, would include the ability for EU countries to draw on up to 150billion in loans. The European Commission leader said today: 'Europe is ready to massively boost its defense spending, both to respond to the short term urgency to act and to support Ukraine, but also to address the long term need to take on more responsibility for our own European security.' Expectant parents who suffer a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy will be granted a right to bereavement leave under new Labour reforms. Parents are already granted bereavement leave in cases where they have lost a child or suffered a pregnancy loss after 24 weeks. And time off is also given to those whose partner has died in childbirth but whose baby survives. But a change to the employment rights bill, set to pass its final hurdles in the Commons this week, will see couples given two weeks leave if they suffer a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks gestation, the Guardian reported. Although many workplaces already offer the leave unofficially, the women and equalities select committee has been campaigning for its transformation into a universal right enshrined in legislation. Chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen, a report from the committee early this year concluded the need for change was 'overwhelming', given the mental and physical impacts of miscarriage. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds told ITV in January that he was 'sympathetic' to the change, having himself experienced pregnancy loss. 'I know how important it is. Like a lot of people I've had some experience of this myself. It's very, very difficult,' he said. Chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen (pictured), the women and equalities select committee concluded the need for change was 'overwhelming' Around 250,000 women in the UK suffer a miscarriage each year, with 10 to 20 per cent of these occurring within 12 weeks of pregnancy (File image) Around 250,000 women in the UK suffer a miscarriage each year, with 10 to 20 per cent of these occurring within 12 weeks of pregnancy. Other amendments to the bill will make it easier for trade unions to digitally access workplaces via intranets, a change that will strengthen union engagement with gig-economy workers. And a new statutory minimum probation period allowing for 'lighter touch' dismissal of employees is yet to be consulted on. Currently, an employee has to have been in post for at least two years to claim unfair dismissal but the bill will grant this right immediately. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticised Reform UK's opposition to the bill, saying: 'They talk the language of workers' rights online and on the doorstep but they voted against banning fire-and-rehire. 'They voted against scrapping exploitative zero-hours contracts.' Elon Musk has clung on to his membership of the UK's national academy of sciences despite growing calls for his expulsion from the prestigious body. The billionaire was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society in 2018 for his technological achievements in space travel and electric vehicles. However, there has been a widespread call for his removal among the scientific community - which would make him the first person thrown out of the body for over 150 years. More than 3,400 scientists have signed an open letter accusing the X owner of breaching the society's code of conduct. The letter, penned by Stephen Curry, an emeritus professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, cited Musk's apparent shift from scientific pursuits towards right-wing politics both in the US and abroad as the principal concern of other members. Referencing Musk's perpetuation of conspiracy theories online, his trolling of Dr Anthony Fauci and his labelling of Labour MP Jess Phillips as a 'rape genocide apologist', Curry argued the South African billionaire had clearly breached the Royal Society's code of conduct. Other issues of contention included Musk's involvement with the Donald Trump administration's new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its alleged impact on the science community. In the open letter, Curry stated: 'The situation is rendered more serious because Mr Musk now occupies a position within a Trump administration in the USA that has over the past several weeks engaged in an assault on scientific research in the US that has fallen foul of federal courts'. Billionaire Elon Musk has been a Fellow at the Royal Society since 2018 but could become the first Fellow to be expelled in over 150 years The Royal Society, the world's oldest continually existing scientific academy, was first established back in 1660 and boasts the likes of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein as previous members Elon Musk, seen above gesturing to the crowd in what he claims was a 'throwing my heart out to you' movement but many have interpreted as a Nazi salute, at President Donald Trump's inauguration last month The 'crisis meeting' of the fellowship of the Royal Society took place on Monday evening and was specifically set up to discuss the public pronouncements and behaviour of fellows, The Guardian reported. Following the meeting, the Royal Society released a statement referencing 'radical cutbacks in research funding' and the need to 'counter the misinformation and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists' - but avoided explicitly mentioning Elon Musk by name. The statement said: 'At a meeting this evening of the Royal Society, Fellows agreed on the need to stand up for science and for scientists around the world in the face of the growing challenges science faces. 'Concern was expressed, in particular, about the fate of colleagues in the US who are reportedly facing the prospect of losing their jobs amid threats of radical cutbacks in research funding. 'Fellows, over 150 of whom attended tonights meeting, were united in the need for the Society to step up its efforts to advocate for science and scientists at a time when these are under threat as never before and yet at the same time have never been more necessary for humanity at large. 'The Society agreed to look at potential further actions that might help make the case for science and scientific research and counter the misinformation and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists.' The Tesla CEO had a testy exchange with the 'godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton on Sunday after Mr Hinton called for Musk to be removed from the Royal Society due to 'the huge damage he is doing to scientific institutions in the US' In a post on X, Mr Hinton wrote: 'I think Elon Musk should be expelled from the British Royal Society. 'Not because he peddles conspiracy theories and makes Nazi salutes, but because of the huge damage he is doing to scientific institutions in the US. Now let's see if he really believes in free speech.' The Tesla CEO had a testy exchange with AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton on Sunday after Mr Hinton called for Musk to be removed from the Royal Society due to 'the huge damage he is doing to scientific institutions in the US' Musk has also been heavily critical of Dr Anthony Fauci, who led the US response to the Covid 19 pandemic Musk's branding of Labour MP Jess Phillips as a 'rape genocide apologist' was also cited by Royal Society members as a breach of the society's code of conduct In his reply, the Tesla, SpaceX and Neuralink CEO, who also owns the social media platform X, said: 'Only craven, insecure fools care about awards and memberships. History is the actual judge, always and forever. 'Your comments are carelessly ignorant, cruel and false. That said, what specific actions require correction. I will make mistakes, but endeavour to fix them fast.' The Royal Societys code of conduct and disciplinary regulations state: 'Fellowship and foreign membership of the society is a privilege predicated on adherence to particular standards of conduct.' One passage in the document is explicit about the need for Royal Society members to 'strive to uphold the reputation of the society and those who work in it' when considering their public pronouncements or written statements. The document says: 'When speaking or publicising statements in a personal capacity, fellows and foreign members must still strive to uphold the reputation of the society and those who work in it, and be mindful that what is said or stated in a personal capacity could still impact the society.' Two eminent scientists have already resigned their fellowships in protest at Musk's continuing membership of the society. Dr Dorothy Bishop of Oxford University and Prof Andrew Millar from University of Edinburgh have both stepped down, calling Musk's actions and statements 'incompatible' with the society's code of conduct. Last November, Professor Dorothy Bishop, a University of Oxford psychologist, resigned from the scientific institution. Following the crisis meeting, the Royal Society released a statement referencing 'radical cutbacks in research funding' and the need to 'counter the misinformation and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists' - but avoided explicitly mentioning Elon Musk by name Protesting Musk's behaviour and involvement in the 2024 US Presidential election, Prof. Bishop said she refused to be associated with a group that calls Musk a member - remarking that Musk appeared to be modelling himself on a 'Bond villain'. 'I just feel far more comfortable to be dissociated from an institution that continues to honour this disreputable man,' she added. Her resignation was followed by that of Andrew Miller, a University of Edinburgh biologist in February 2025. Miller cited the society's 'inability to take proportionate action on Elon Musks current promotion of disinformation and attacks on evidence-based policies and science advice' as cause for his resignation. Adverts with images of sinking boats have been launched by the Home Office in Iraq in an attempt to stop people crossing the English Channel. The campaign is underway amid a 20 per cent increase in illegal migrants who made the journey this year, with the total standing at 2,716 so far. It comes after similar initiatives were spearheaded in Albania and Vietnam by the previous Conservative government in 2023 and 2024. And last Sunday alone saw 592 migrants in 11 boats cross the Channel, representing the highest total for a day in March on record. The Home Office says the adverts are being displayed to deter the 'dangerous lies' of 'ruthless criminal gangs'. They currently feature on social media, apps and news websites with one showing an image of a destroyed dinghy floating in the water and testimony from a man saying 'the boat was too crowded' and 'people disappeared into the sea'. Minister Dame Angela Eagle said: 'Ruthless criminal gangs spread dangerous lies on social media to exploit people for money, and we are exposing them using the real stories of their victims.' In 2024, of the 36,816 people who made the crossing, more than 2000 came from Iraq. The Home Office says the adverts are being displayed to deter the 'dangerous lies' of 'ruthless criminal gangs' Another advert features an account of one woman who says: 'I was promised a well-paid job. Instead I was a slave' An inflatable dinghy carrying around 65 people crosses the English Channel on March 6, 2024 Another advert features an account of one woman who says: 'I was promised a well-paid job. Instead I was a slave.' The Refugee Council has said someone 'desperate to flee persecution' in their homeland would be unlikely to change their mind because of a social media campaign. Last week, Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt visited Iraq in a bid to increase international co-operational. Mr Hewitt said: 'Our international campaign is sending a clear message to prospective migrants that these criminals cannot be trusted.' The adverts will be initially focused on the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Separately, the Home Office says UK ministers will sign a joint communique with the Vietnamese government agreeing to 'build on our joint work to prevent the exploitation of irregular migrants, disrupt criminal gang operations, strengthen intelligence sharing and return those with no right to be in the UK'. Home Office officials say Vietnamese and Iraqi nationals are among the top ten nationality groups crossing the Channel illegally. The campaign comes with Sir Keir Starmer's government under pressure to show it was making a real difference to illegal immigration amid Tory claims that scrapping the option of processing illegal migrants in Rwanda had removed a real deterrent. Minister Dame Angela Eagle said: 'Ruthless criminal gangs spread dangerous lies on social media to exploit people for money, and we are exposing them using the real stories of their victims' At the end of last year, figures showed the number of small boat migrants reaching Britain since Labour seized power has soared by 29 per cent compared with the same period in 2023. Between July 5 - the day after the general election - and the end of the year 23,242 migrants arrived across the Channel. In the same period in 2023 the figure was 18,004, analysis of official Home Office figures showed. A doomsday prepper who has a stash worth $400,000 has issued a urgent warning for people to 'act now' following Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky's clash in the White House. Rowan Mackenzie is well-known for her expert advice in preparing for any disaster, including the end of the world. The 40-year-old has spent over a decade preparing for doomsday after she started stocking up her cupboards 13 years ago. Since then she has spent thousands of dollars on essential items to survive the apolcalypse - this included constructing an underground bunker. Following last week's war of words in the Oval Office between Trump and Zelensky, which ended with the Ukrainian President being booted out of the White House, Ms Mackenzie is urging people to 'act now' and for those in denial to 'wake up'. She said: 'This event between two Presidents is proof that anything can happen at any time. 'All it takes is someone saying something that upsets the other person and with a snap of a finger causes a war.' The homemaker and estate agent added that she agrees with how Trump handled Zelenksky, despite Trump's claim that the world leader was 'gambling with World War Three', but thought it could have 'repercussions'. Rowan Mackenzie (pictured) is well-known for her expert advice in preparing for any disaster, including the end of the world Ms Mackenzie's stockpile of goods. The 40-year-old has spent over a decade preparing for doomsday after she started stocking up her cupboards 13 years ago Ms Mackenzie has spent $400,000 in preparation for the end of the world which she claims could be 'imminent' Ms Mackenzie has also issued fresh advice to her fellow preppers to continue to stock up on essentials such as non-perishable food and survival gear. 'You never know when disaster could strike and right now, it could be imminent,' she said. Stockpiles, such as Ms Mackenzie's, shouldn't expire for at least another 25 years. And while she's learned how to preserve foods and to ensure little to wastage, the clash has still put her and others in the prepping community on edge. She said: 'It shows a potential shift in the reliability of government support during crises and so preppers are getting the signal to reassess their strategies. 'There's more of an emphasis now on self-reliance and local community networks. 'And it's causing us to intensify our efforts in securing resources because we just don't know what's going to happen next or how easily we'll be able to get our hands on things.' Ms Mackenzie previously revealed how 'grateful' she was that Trump had been re-elected into the White House. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arguing in the Oval Office last week Ms Mackenzie has also issued fresh advice to her fellow preppers to continue to stock up on essentials such as non-perishable food and survival gear Stockpiles, such as Ms Mackenzie's, shouldn't expire for at least another 25 years But as always, her advice remains clear. She added: 'Don't panic, make a list and execute. 'I've said it time and time again, you've got to be prepared for anything at any time.' Since last week's clash in the White House, President Trump surprised America's allies yesterday when he announced the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine. 'The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution,' a White House official said. The decision casts doubt over Ukraine's ability to continue to defending itself against Russian invaders. It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in jeopardy. Depsite knowing how to preserve foods and to ensure little to wastage, the clash has still put her and others in the prepping community on edge Trump's manipulation of the war followed an abrupt post warning that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' on Monday after Zelensky had suggested the end of the war is still 'very, very far away'. Zelensky had spoken after a summit in London on Sunday, with 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. British PM Keir Starmer said a 'coalition of the willing' would come together to present a viable peace plan to Trump. But Zelensky's warning was met with ire in Washington, where Trump's inner circle branded the comment 'evil'. Keir Starmer is 'engaging with key allies' today after Donald Trump's bombshell move to pull all military aid to Ukraine. The PM is 'absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace' after the extraordinary announcement by the US president. Sir Keir spoke to Mr Trump last night, although it is not clear whether the call was before or after the news broke. In interviews, Angela Rayner admitted it is a 'very serious moment' but American military aid was a 'matter for the US'. The White House has paused delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv after announcing overnight it was 'reviewing' assistance to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution'. The move appears to be part of a power play to heap pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky to make concessions in negotiations with Russia. Meanwhile, there are claims that Trump officials have been drawing up plans to ease sanctions on Vladimir Putin, as decades of Western alliances are effectively torn up. And Vice President JD Vance has launched a vicious jibe at the UK's 'coalition of the willing' underwriting peace in Ukraine, dismissing it as '20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. Keir Starmer is 'engaging with key allies' today after Donald Trump 's bombshell move to pull all military aid to Ukraine Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office European leaders and Canada gathered in London on Sunday to consider the response to the Ukraine crisis A UK Government spokeswoman said: 'We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so. 'We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with 3 billion-a-year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a 2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets. 'In addition, we've set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace.' Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid. Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office. That triggered crisis talks between European leaders in London on Sunday, with Sir Keir trying to forge a 'coalition of the willing' that could enforce any peace deal with Russia. Mr Zelensky looks to be resisting Washington's demands that he accepts the principle of ceding territory to Russia, after the latest full-scale invasion in 2022. Putin's troops current occupy around a fifth of Ukraine. A White House official said: 'The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The decision casts doubt over Ukraine's ability to continue to defending itself against Russian invaders. It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in jeopardy. Trump's shift followed an abrupt post warning that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' yesterday after Mr Zelensky suggested the end of the war is still 'very, very far away'. JD Vance jibed that the offer of UK and French boots on the ground amounted to '20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years' Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's (pictured) intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid Mr Zelensky was speaking after the London summit saw 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. Sir Keir said the powers would work together to draw up a viable peace plan that could be presented to Mr Trump. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social website. Mr Trump also questioned Mr Zelensky's commitment to peace, saying that he 'doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing'. He also hinted that Mr Zelensky might not be Ukrainian president much longer - a key demand of Putin. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the UK and Europe must 'rearm faster' following the US announcement. She said:' The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. 'It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. 'We must work to keep America in, and Russia out.' Amid the fallout, Tory MP and former minister Graham Stuart claimed this morning the UK needed to 'consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset'. Border Force officers arrested four men as they returned to shore with 35million worth of cocaine left bobbing in the sea of Cornwall with Apple Airtags attached, a court has heard. The men were allegedly being instructed by drug suppliers in South America through a Garmin device while they were on board a fishing boat which was intercepted off Northern Cornwall last September. Truro Crown Court heard yesterday that 1,078kgs of high-purity cocaine had been left in the sea in 49 sacks, all containing Apple tracking devices, so their location could be monitored by GPS. Two of the men, Michael Kelly, 45, and 26-year-old Jake Marchant previously admitted conspiring to smuggle a tonne of cocaine, the court heard. Jon Paul Williams, 46, and Patrick Godfrey, 31, deny the same charge and are on trial. All four were all charged with conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of class A drugs after the vessel was intercepted by UK Border Force officers and the case was passed to the National Crime Agency who already had them under surveillance. On September 13 a Border Force vessel was on patrol off the north coast of Cornwall and at shortly after 2pm it intercepted the Lily Lola, the fishing boat used for drug smuggling. When officers boarded the Lily Lola they found a 'strong smell of alcohol' and discovered Williams and and Marchant at the helm. Border Force arrested four men after they allegedly tried to smuggle 35million worth of cocaine All four were all charged with conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of class A drugs after the vessel was intercepted by UK Border Force officers Kelly was found in the accommodation area at the front of the boat and Godfrey was found asleep in a deck chair. 'Upon a cursory search of the vessel the officer's saw five large black packages in the forward accommodation space where Kelly had been found,' prosecuter Frederick Hookway told the court. 'It was suspected these were packages of drugs. All four men on board were arrested and removed. 'The officers made further searches of the Lily Lola and found more suspected drug packages. 'Sixteen to 18 blocks were stashed in the deck toilet and another eight to nine were in the right side deck hatch and two more bales were in the stern compartment.' The Lily Lola was then taken into Plymouth Royal Dockyard and arrived on September 14. The blocks found on board weighed a total of 1,078 kg, and the sixteen sent for forensic analysis were found to be more than 80 per cent pure cocaine. At 33,000 per kg, the wholesale value was 35million, reportedly worth around 100million if sold on the streets. A mobile phone which Williams had allegedly hidden down his trousers was seized as well as a Garmin device. Mr Hookway said: 'The Garmin device was downloaded and some messages were recovered. These demonstrated the boat receiving instruction from a third party. These included coordinates. 'Whoever was sending the messages was linked to those who were supplying the drugs. 'They said things like "why have you stopped?", "Speed up, you are going too slow" and "you are going to be late". 'They are going out to sea seemingly being directed by a third party who is sending these messages.' He said those monitoring the haul must have been able to monitor every sack via the Airtags because there was a later instruction that they did not have all of the 49 bags and needed to go back and get more. He said: 'Then towards the end we see an instruction to continue looking for what appears to be nineteen lost bags.' Images supplied by the NCA showed 17 brick-shaped packages in brown wrapping and two in dark wrapping, most with the label 'pezx' The National Crime Agency was able to access a mobile phone allegedly seized from Godfrey. It included photographs taken on the morning of September 13 of seven of the packages containing the blocks of cocaine, including loose blocks with the label 'PEZX'. There was also an image of a radar screen showing a route to a location south of the Scilly Isles which was very similar to the route travelled by the Lily Lola. At 9.56am on September 13 Godfrey sent a WhatsApp message which told the recipient 'delete everything you see and not show anybody'. He also had carried out internet searches from August 29 onwards linked to shipping, Newquay/Cornwall, and 'how long does it take a ship to leave Peru to UK', the court heard. Mr Hookway said: 'Given the majority of cocaine is produced in South America, this might reveal where the boat was coming from. 'That inference is strengthened by one of the Apple Airtags from drug packages being linked to a user account in Ecuador. 'All of this is potentially relevant to the defendant's knowledge of what was planned.' National Crime Agency officers had also installed a listening device and GPS tracker on their boat. As Kelly boarded the boat at Newquay, in a conversation with Williams, he was heard to say 'We're gonna pick a f***ing big thing up'. At around 11.15am Marchant said 'gonna push on big old five hundred kilos you know mate' Using GPS the National Crime Agency was able to plot the route which showed the boat left Newquay during the morning on September 12 and travelled west along the north coast of Cornwall before reaching the Isle of Scilly. It then sailed south into the middle of the channel, reaching the most southerly point at 4.45am, before sailing north, rounding Land's End, before heading east back towards Newquay. Williams paid 140,000 for the boat from its former owner in Ramsgate and had it transported to Swansea. One of the Apple Airtags from drug packages has linked to a user account in Ecuador. File image It was sailed in the Celtic Sea and stopped and searched by Border Force but nothing was found on an earlier date. It was sailed by the men from there to Newquay on September 7, arriving the next day. The court heard that Kelly and Marchant both pleaded guilty on 23 October 2024 to their charges. Mr Hookway said: 'You are being told about their guilty pleas because it proves there was a criminal agreement in operation to smuggle class-A drugs into the UK. 'But, importantly, these pleas do not prove these two defendants were party to that agreement. That will be for you to decide having heard all the evidence in this case.' He said Williams and Godfrey were interviewed under caution on September 14 and both answered no comment to all questions asked. The trial continues. The Crown actor Khalid Abdalla has announced he is to be interviewed by police over alleged public order breaches at a pro-Palestine march. Mr Abdalla, who played Dodi Fayed in the Netflix drama, took to social media to reveal he is set to be interviewed in relation to a march on January 18. He has been one of Hollywood's most outspoken actors on the conflict in Gaza, previously calling for a permanent ceasefire and signing an open letter from Artists for Palestine UK to the BBC after it pulled a documentary from its platforms. The documentary, which focussed on the lives of children in Gaza, was pulled after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. Mr Abdalla has also attended multiple pro-Palestine marches in London, including one on January 18. It is unclear what the actor will be questioned about, but the Met Police has said that conditions for the protest, which was supposed to remain in Whitehall, were broken by a large group that marched to Trafalgar Square. Taking to social media, Mr Abdalla said: 'On Thursday, alongside others, including Stephen Kapos, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, I received a letter from the Metropolitan Police summoning me to attend 'a formal interview' in relations to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest of Jan 18th. Khalid Abdalla, who played Dodi Fayed in the Netflix drama, took to social media to reveal he is set to be interviewed in relation to a march on January 18 (Mr Abdalla is pictured at a protest in 2024) The Crown actor has been an outspoken proponent of a permanent ceasefire, including on the red carpet 'It remains to be seen if this will result in any charges. 'I've expressed my feelings on the experience of that day on previous posts online. 'The right to protest is under attack in this country and it requires us all to defend it. 'While there is an alarming rise in attempts to censor voices that stand up for Palestine, even as it faces open calls for ethnic cleansing, it will not work. 'The days of silence and intimidation are gone.' He added: 'Let us be the change we want to see in the world, and make it happen. Let our solidarity be in flow.' Among protesters to have been summoned over the protest were Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, who have already been questioned. A total of 21 people have so far been charged over events on January 18, police said. Since the protest, Mr Abdalla has continued to attend marches and give speeches calling for a ceasefire (pictured on February 13) In a statement on Instagram, the actor said: 'The right to protest is under attack in this country' Cast member Khalid Abdalla shows slogans written on his hands regarding to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, as he attends the premiere for the second part of Season 6 of the TV series The Crown in London in December 2023 A Met Police spokesperson said: 'As part of our ongoing investigation into alleged breaches of Public Order Act conditions on Saturday, 18 January we have invited a further eight people to be interviewed under caution at a police station. 'While we are aware of names being attributed to those who have been invited for interview, we do not confirm the identity of anyone under investigation.' The Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, which organised the protest, said: 'What is claimed by the police as justification for this massive overreach of their powers is a complete misrepresentation of what took place, not just on the day but beforehand.' And it added: 'We demand that the Metropolitan Police halt any prosecutions or proceedings against those involved in this entirely peaceful protest.' The number of Americans seeking UK citizenship has reached record levels since Donald Trump was re-elected President. Over 6,100 US citizens applied last year, an all-time high after figures began two decades ago and 26 per cent more than in 2023. Immigration lawyers claim the leader's presidential bid and victory in early November helped spur the increase, with others adding the US political landscape was 'a very serious driver'. Elena Hinchin, partner at law firm Farrer & Co, said: 'We've definitely seen more interest in citizenship from the US since the lead-up to the election campaign. 'There's much more interest than under the previous Trump administration.' She added the UK's abolition of non-dom tax status had also encouraged some wealthy Americans living in Britain to seek citizenship before they left, the Financial Times reports. Some experts have cautioned against a black and white reading of the figures however with Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford university, pointing out politics tends to be a 'third or fourth order factor' for people moving from 'safe countries', not a key reason on its own. Home Office data shows applications by Americans have risen steadily since the end of 2022. Immigration lawyers say the leader's presidential bid and victory in early November helped spur the increase, with others adding the US political landscape was 'a very serious driver' Overall, applications for UK citizenships were up 6 per cent last year to 251,000, another record Your browser does not support iframes. They surged in the last quarter of 2024 in particular, rising 40 per cent year on year to about 1,700. Overall, applications for UK citizenships were up 6 per cent last year to 251,000, another record. Eligibility for UK citizenship entails having lived in the UK for five years or having parents with British citizenship. Anyone who is married to a Brit and has lived in the UK for three years can also apply. Ono Okeregha, director at the law firm Immigration Advice Service, said there was a 'huge spike' in British citizenship searches the day after the US election in November. There has also been an increase in Americans seeking citizenship in Ireland, with data revealing a 46 per cent rise in applications last year from people in North America with Irish ancestry. Irish law allows US citizens to apply for citizenship through descent, if those seeking passports are able to prove that a grandparent was born in the European country. There were a whopping 3,692 applications made from the US in November alone - the highest number seen in a single calendar month in ten years, RTE News reported. Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi (both pictured) decided to move from California to the English countryside instead of Australia Overall, applications for UK citizenships were up 6 per cent last year to 251,000, another record (file image) Your browser does not support iframes. Ellen DeGeneres notoriously stormed out of Hollywood last year incensed by the election of Donald Trump and moved to England for a fresh start in the Cotswolds. US media reported Ellen and wife Portia, who donated money to Kamala Harris's doomed election campaign, decided to 'get the hell out' of the US after Donald Trump's victory, apparently vowing to never return. But according to New Idea, the 67-year-old comedian also moved to England to focus on her comedy career. 'Ellen wants to continue with her comedy work, and there is a huge scene in Britain,' a source told the publication. 'Sitting back and chilling on a beach in Australia is for when she's ready to retire and Ellen's not there yet.' Discontent with Mr Trump has amplified in the past few days among his detractors after he was accused of deliberately escalating last week's angry clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The President told off Zelensky in their Oval Office meeting on Friday, telling him to be more 'thankful' for US support against the invading Russian army in the three-year-old war and demanding he 'make a deal' with Moscow. 'According to my assessment, this was not a spontaneous reaction to what Zelensky was saying but clearly a deliberate escalation,' Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz told reporters at a press conference about the White House meeting that also included US Vice President JD Vance. Donald Trump's Vice President faced anger today after brutally dismissing Sir Keir Starmer's 'coalition of the willing' to secure Ukraine. JD Vance jibed that the offer of a force with UK and French boots on the ground amounted to '20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. He told Fox News that a minerals deal giving the US an economic stake in the country would offer more effective protection from Russia. MPs demanded an apology, accusing Mr Vance of 'erasing from history' the hundreds of UK troops who fought and died alongside American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The vice-president himself served a tour in Iraq in an embedded communications role. Tory frontbencher James Cartlidge pointed out Nato's collective defence provision had been invoked only once, by the US after September 11 attacks. He said Britons deployed with American forces including 'my own brother and numerous parliamentary colleagues, past and present'. 'It's deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice,' he added. The intervention came after Mr Trump inflicted another hammer blow on decades of Western alliances by pulling all military aid to Ukraine. The White House has paused delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv after announcing overnight it was 'reviewing' assistance to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution'. The move appears to be part of a power play to heap pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky to make concessions in negotiations with Russia. Meanwhile, there are claims that US officials have been drawing up plans to ease sanctions on Vladimir Putin. A Government spokeswoman said the Government is 'absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace' after the extraordinary decision by the US president. In interviews, Angela Rayner admitted it is a 'very serious moment' but American military aid was a 'matter for the US'. JD Vance jibed that the offer of UK and French boots on the ground amounted to '20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years' Keir Starmer is 'engaging with key allies' today after Donald Trump 's bombshell move to pull all military aid to Ukraine Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office European leaders and Canada gathered in London on Sunday to consider the response to the Ukraine crisis In his interview, Mr Vance heightened his criticism of the Ukrainian president, accusing him of 'needling' Mr Trump and having a 'certain sense of entitlement'. 'He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy,' he told Fox News. 'That's the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasn't yet there. And, frankly, still isn't there. But I think he'll get there eventually, he has to.' Mr Vance said Ukrainian officials have made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but their efforts were shut down by the president. He claimed the 'door is open' as long as 'Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace'. Highlighting the minerals deal, Mr Vance said that would amount to a security deal with the US that would prevent Putin 'invading Ukraine again'. 'If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine,' he said. 'That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.' Lib Dem MP Helen Maguire, a former Captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, said: 'JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didn't return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality. 'As the UK's representative to the US, Peter Mandelson should call on Vance to apologise for these comments.' A UK Government spokeswoman said: 'We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so. 'We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with 3 billion-a-year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a 2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets. 'In addition, we've set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace.' Ms Rayner said the premier remains 'laser-focused' on securing a lasting peace for Kyiv and would not be 'derailed'. 'We are absolutely focused on making sure that we get that peace and the security guarantees as part of that,' she said. 'We won't be derailed or sidelined by commentary, ongoing commentary, but that we will use our relationship, our long-standing relationship, with the US and our European allies to support Ukraine and President Zelensky in getting that peace deal and making sure those securities are part of that.' Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid. Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office. That triggered crisis talks between European leaders in London on Sunday, with Sir Keir trying to forge a 'coalition of the willing' that could enforce any peace deal with Russia. The UK and France have signalled they would be ready to contribute troops on the ground, while Canada, Italy and Poland are other potential participants. But Sir Keir has made clear that UK troops would not be deployed without an underpinning of security guarantees from the US. Mr Zelensky looks to be resisting Washington's demands that he accepts the principle of ceding territory to Russia, after the latest full-scale invasion in 2022. Putin's troops current occupy around a fifth of Ukraine. A White House official said: 'The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The decision casts doubt over Ukraine's ability to continue to defending itself against Russian invaders. It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in jeopardy. Mr Trump's shift followed an abrupt post warning that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' yesterday after Mr Zelensky suggested the end of the war is still 'very, very far away'. Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's (pictured) intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid Mr Zelensky was speaking after the London summit saw 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. Sir Keir said the powers would work together to draw up a viable peace plan that could be presented to Mr Trump. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social website. Mr Trump also questioned Mr Zelensky's commitment to peace, saying that he 'doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing'. He also hinted that Mr Zelensky might not be Ukrainian president much longer - a key demand of Putin. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the UK and Europe must 'rearm faster' following the US announcement. She said:' The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. 'It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. 'We must work to keep America in, and Russia out.' A Tesla dealership in southern France went up in flames during a suspected arson attack as backlash against Elon Musk's EU 'meddling' and backing of Donald Trump intensifies across Europe. The Tesla showroom in was set ablaze in the early hours of Monday, destroying 12 vehicles worth a staggering 550,000 in what authorities are treating as a deliberate attack. The fire broke out around 3:15am at the dealership in Plaisance-du-Touch, near Toulouse, according to the local prosecutor's office. Officials confirmed they have launched an investigation into 'the destruction and damage of property belonging to others by dangerous means.' The suspected arson comes amid escalating tensions in Europe over Elon Musk's perceived interference in EU affairs and his association with US President Donald Trump, particularly concerning the contentious issue of US military aid to Ukraine. European leaders have expressed growing frustration with Musk's political involvement, especially following his public support for Trump and critical remarks about EU policies. French President Emmanuel Macron, without naming Musk directly, last month highlighted the challenges posed by influential figures undermining European democratic institutions. 'Ten years ago, who could have imagined it if we had been told that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world would support a new international reactionary movement and intervene directly in elections, including in Germany,' Macron told French ambassadors gathered in Paris. A Tesla dealership near Toulouse, southern France, was set alight on Monday morning destroying around 550,000 worth of cars Officials confirmed they have launched an investigation into 'the destruction and damage of property belonging to others by dangerous means' The fire broke out around 3:15am at the dealership in Plaisance-du-Touch, near Toulouse France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot, called on the European Union to take firmer action against Musk's use of his social platform, alleging that he was 'interfering' in European countries' domestic politics. Macron's comments came after Musk also openly supported right-wing, eurosceptic parties, including Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD), prompting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to label the billionaire's endorsements as 'really disgusting.' The suspected act of protests also comes after a Norwegian fuel giant vowed not to deliver a litre more to US warships over Trump's recent showdown with Zelensky. Gunnar Gran, chief executive of Haltbakk Bunkers, told Norwegian maritime news outlet Kystens Nringsliv: 'Not a litre will be delivered [to US ships] until Trump is finished.. We run a private company and choose our customers!' He went on to explain that his company stopped supplying Russian clients following the invasion of Ukraine - a decision that hurt revenue streams but remained in line with company values. 'We lost a lot of revenue. But we have a moral compass. Now the United States is excluded based on their behaviour towards the Ukrainians,' Gran said. 'We support Ukraine. We have many Ukrainian employees, and we know how terribly this war affects them and their families.' The convergence of these events has fueled public outrage across Europe, manifesting in acts of vandalism against Tesla properties and a decline in the company's sales in key European markets. In France, Tesla's sales plummeted by 45 per cent in the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year. The suspected arson attack in France is part of a broader pattern of hostility towards Tesla. In recent weeks, Tesla stores have been targeted by vandals and arsonists across two continents, prompting investigations by authorities, including the FBI. One of Musk's initial actions was advocating for a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid, directly impacting the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Musk openly supported right-wing, eurosceptic parties, including Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) European leaders have expressed growing frustration with Musk's political involvement, including French President Emmanuel Macron Furthermore, Musk's involvement in the geopolitical arena has raised eyebrows. His reported threats to withdraw Starlink services from Ukraine have led the European Commission to explore alternative satellite communication options for Kyiv. Compounding the situation, in January, Trump appointed Musk as the head of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasking him with reducing federal spending. One of Musk's initial actions was advocating for a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid, directly impacting the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Musk described USAID as a 'viper's nest of radical-Left Marxists who hate America,' and his team reportedly accessed classified databases within the agency. This move has raised concerns about the future of USAID-funded projects, including those involving Musks own company, Starlink, which received at least $1million from USAID over the past four years to provide internet access in war zones and developing countries. President Trump recently suspended all US military aid to Ukraine, citing a need to reassess commitments, a move that has unsettled NATO allies and emboldened Russia. Musk's involvement in DOGE has fueled a wave of anti-Tesla demonstrations, with activists staging protests outside Tesla dealerships across the US and Europe. Protesters have vowed to boycott Tesla in a bid to hurt the company financially. 'We can get back at Elon,' said Nathan Phillips, a 58-year-old environmental activist from Massachusetts, during a protest in Boston. US President Donald Trump has stunned European NATO allies as he ended all US military aid to Ukraine after losing patience with President Volodymyr Zelensky This comes after Trump appeared to have lost his patience with Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured), warnings that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' following the Ukrainian president's comments that the end of the war is 'still very, very far away' Elon Musk (pictured in the White House in February) later branded Zelensky 'evil' for pushing a 'forever war' with Russia 'We can impose direct economic damage on Tesla by showing up at showrooms everywhere, boycotting Tesla, and telling everyone else to get out, sell your stocks, sell your Teslas,' he told reporters. The movement, dubbed 'Tesla Takedown,' has seen over 50 demonstrations across the US in cities including New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, Tucson, and Palo Alto - the home of Tesla's headquarters. Protests have also been reported in Spain, Portugal, and the UK. Some Tesla owners have reported their cars being vandalised, with swastikas spray-painted onto vehicles in what Jewish groups fear is a disturbing rise in anti-Semitism. Musk, who has frequently clashed with critics online, has dismissed the backlash, claiming that Tesla's brand and reputation remain strong despite the controversy. Despite the growing unrest, the White House defended Musk and Trump, making it clear that the protests would not derail their plans. 'Protests will not deter President Trump and Musk from delivering on the promise to establish DOGE and make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers across the country,' spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement. As investigations into the suspected arson attack continue, the incident underscores the growing backlash against Musk's political engagements and their potential repercussions on his business ventures in Europe. Authorities have not yet linked the fire to the wider protests, but the timing has raised suspicions that Tesla could be a growing target for political activism and vandalism. An seemingly innocent emoji shared in a WhatsApp group chat allegedly sparked a misunderstanding between two couples before it escalated into a wild street brawl. Two teens and two men faced court on Tuesday over the melee which allegedly involved bricks, wooden sticks and knives being used as weapons in a quiet suburban street in Fairfield in Sydney's south-west about 5.15pm on Monday. Police allege that a number of men and women and women were involved in the altercation. Two men were rushed to hospital with head and facial injuries, including father-of-six Mohammed El Dhobi. It's understood the feud broke out after Mr El Dhobi, allegedly 'reacted' with a heart emoji on a picture of a family friend's wife on the messaging app. The seemingly innocent act was allegedly mistaken as inappropriate. Mr El Dhobi's wife claimed bricks from their front yard were used as weapons in the alleged attack, according to Nine News. She also alleged the group had been waiting for them when they arrived home from the shops. Men and women were involved in an alleged confrontation on Monday, according to police Mohammed El Dhobi allegedly had bricks thrown at him after he reacted a friend's WhatsApp photo with a heart emoji Footage filmed by a passing motorist showed a man armed with an object appearing to charge toward a group of people standing in a driveway. He appeared to allegedly throw the object, believed to be a brick, which struck another man in the head. A male in a white hoodie also appeared to hurl an object at the group. Mr El Dhobi fled the confrontation before the male in a white hoodie allegedly appeared to launch a second projectile in his direction. Mr El Dhobi has not been charged. He and another man, 21, were treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition. Khalid Al-Halabi, 38 and Ahmad Abrach, 53, and two teenage boys aged 16 and 17, were arrested at the scene and were later charged by police. The men were charged with affray, while Abrach was also charged being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence. Al-Halabi and Abrach were granted bail when they faced court on Tuesday Two young males were seen allegedly hurling bricks at a group in a Fairfield street on Monday The pair must not come into contact with each other or with any other witnesses, need to report daily to police, surrender their passports and not approach any international point of departure as part of their strict bail conditions Their matters were adjourned to March 18 at Fairfield Local Court, where they're expected to enter pleas. The teenage boys were both charged with affray and armed with intent to commit an indictable offence. They were also granted bail when they faced a children's court on Tuesday. The 21-year-old man has been released from hospital and was later arrested and taken Fairfield Police Station. No charges have yet been laid against him. Police urge anyone with information or CCTV or dashcam footage of the alleged incident to contact Crime Stoppers. Angela Rayner today insisted that her plan to implement 'the biggest upgrade in workers rights in a generation' will boost the economy, amid fears it will hammer businesses. The Deputy Prime Minister insisted that the Employment Rights Bill would trigger a boom in spending because millions of people would have the security to 'get on in life'. Ms Rayner is facing business backlash to her bill over fears firms will be hit with major new costs at a time when the economy is staggering. Amendments are being tabled to the legislation today that water down some of the original provisions, including axing the 'right to switch off' that would allow workers to ignore emails, texts and call our of work hours. It will also bring in a nine-month probation period for new workers, rather than the six months previously announced. It will also expand a ban on zero-hours contracts that are deemed 'exploitative' to include agency workers. Ms Rayner told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that 'insecure work and low pay has left our economy in a really difficult position'. 'When they have that (pay and security) they can spend that in their local economy and they can get on in life,' she added. The Deputy Prime Minister insisted that the Employment Rights Bill would trigger a boom in spending because millions of people would have the security to 'get on in life'. The decision is said to have been taken by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Chancellor Rachel Reeves over concerns the provision would have been too much of a burden. 'At the moment far too many workers don't know what pay they are going to be getting, have far too month left at the end of their paycheck. 'They cannot get a mortgage, they cannot secure their hours and that is what we are going to change.' But Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, said: 'No government serious about growth would be giving this flawed bill the light of day, let alone rushing it through Parliament. 'Despite months of businesses warning of job losses, price hikes and shuttering up shop, the amendments the government have introduced make the Employment Bill worse not better for businesses and employees.' The proposal to grant workers a 'right to switch off' was originally included in Labour's 'new deal for working people'. Similar proposals have been implemented in countries such as Belgium, Ireland, and France - which allow workers to avoid emails, texts and phone calls received out of hours without fear of reprisals. Supporters say the right would help Brits avoid their homes becoming '24/7 offices', after the pandemic drove a surge in remote working. The decision is said to have been taken by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Chancellor Rachel Reeves over concerns the provision would have been too much of a burden. The rights overhaul was rebranded as 'Labour's plan to make work pay' in May, with a blanket commitment to ending zero-hours contracts downgraded to ending those which are 'exploitative'. Under amendments announced by Mr Reynolds today that right would also be extended to agency workers, to prevent them being used as a way around the legislation. The mandate for industrial action - the period in which workers can strike after voting to walk out - is also to be increased from six to 12 months. Would-be parents who suffer a miscarriage before 24 weeks are also expected to be given the right to bereavement leave, the Guardian reported. In a written statement to MPs, Mr Reynolds said: 'The Government's Plan to Make Work Pay is a core part of our mission to grow the economy, raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all. 'It will tackle the low pay, poor working conditions and poor job security that has been holding our economy back.' Mark Zuckerberg has sacked 20 Meta employees after they leaked information to the media following the tech giant's pivot towards President Trump. The firings come just weeks after comments made during internal meetings by Zuckerberg and other senior employees appeared in news reports. 'We tell employees when they join the company, and we offer periodic reminders, that it is against our policies to leak internal information, no matter the intent,' a Meta spokesperson said confirming the job losses. 'We recently conducted an investigation that resulted in roughly 20 employees being terminated for sharing confidential information outside the company, and we expect there will be more,' the company added. 'We take this seriously, and will continue to take action when we identify leaks.' Meta, which owns social media giants such as FaceBook and Instagram, has faced internal dissent since Zuckerberg announced a number of policies which critics have claimed were designed to cozy up to the new Trump administration. This included scrapping DEI initiatives and removing fact-checking efforts in favour of community notes similar to those used on X. Due to the frequent leaks Zuckerberg told employees he would no longer be forthcoming with information. Meta boss and billionaire Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg's company has faced internal dissent since he announced a number of policies which critics have claimed were designed to cozy up to the new Trump administration Meta already laid off 4,000 workers earlier this month who were classified as 'low performers' (file image) 'We try to be really open and then everything I say leaks. It sucks,' Zuckerberg said in a meeting first reported by The Verge. Somewhat ironically, Zuckerberg's remarks were then leaked to the press and this led to Meta issuing a company-wide memo warning staff that revealing information to the press was a sackable offence. Meta chief information security officer Guy Rosen, in a memo seen by the New York Post, said: 'When information is stolen or leaked, there are repercussions beyond the immediate security impact. 'Our teams become demoralised and we all waste time that is better spent working on our products and toward our goals and mission.' Meta's chief technology officer Andrew Bosworth later said the company was 'making progress on catching people' This was then also leaked to the press. Zuckerberg has previously warned his employees to 'buckle up' for the coming year and said that Meta would be a productive partner with the White House. Tech leaders have broadly fallen in line around Trump since he won the election in November, with Zuckerberg making a particular turn towards the Republican since his return to office. Zuckerberg at the inauguration of Donald Trump. He has previously warned his employees to 'buckle up' for the coming year and said that Meta would be a productive partner with the White House Zuckerberg has multiplied his advances towards Trump, who last summer threatened the tech tycoon with life imprisonment after Meta excluded the president from Facebook in January 2021 for encouraging the assault on the Capitol. The CEO and founder has dined with the Republican on several occasions, donated to the president's inauguration fund, eased up on content moderation, and ended FaceBook's US fact-checking program in an effort to draw closer to the new Republican leadership in Washington. His longtime political affairs boss was also replaced by a prominent Republican, and he named Trump ally Dana White to his board after the US election. The measures align with the conservative views of the president and his allies, as well as masculinist entertainers and personalities like Elon Musk. On the Joe Rogan podcast, Zuckerberg complained that 'a lot of the corporate world is pretty culturally neutered' and that embracing masculine energy 'is good.' These most recent firings come on top of the roughly 4,000 workers laid off earlier this month who were classified as 'low performers.' The cuts amounted to about five per cent of the company's workforce. Zuckerberg said he expects an 'intense year' ahead as Meta competes with rivals to develop advanced artificial intelligence products and signaled that the company would hire new workers to replace the ousted employees. Rachel Reeves will today promise to cut red tape to make it quicker for Britain to buy military kit as Labour looks to 'fire up' the UK's defence industry. Speaking at a manufacturing industry conference in London, the Chancellor will demand an overhaul of defence procurement rules in the face of Russia's threat. After the Government vowed to hike military spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, she will stress how the defence industry is central to her bid for economic growth. Ms Reeves will also outline plans to open up defence contracts to more small and medium-sized buisinesses as ministers look to increase Britain's supply of arms. She will blast previous governments for having 'ducked and dodged' the decisions needed to keep the UK safe. The Chancellor's scramble to speed up Britain's buying of arms comes as US President Donald Trump dramatically withdraws military support for Ukraine. He has also demanded that other European nations shoulder greater responsibility for their own security, which has sparked panic across the continent. PM Sir Keir Starmer last week announced the boost to UK defence spending and also promised to spend 3 per cent of GDP on the Armed Forces in the next parliament. Rachel Reeves will promise to cut red tape to make it quicker for Britain to buy military kit as Labour looks to 'fire up' the UK's defence industry. The Chancellor and Defence Secretary John Healey last week met with RAF personnel at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire Ms Reeves' scramble to speed up Britain's buying of arms comes as US President Donald Trump dramatically withdraws military support for Ukraine Speaking at the Make UK conference later today, Ms Reeves is expected to say: 'I am proud of our manufacturing sector, and the opportunities that it creates for the future - bringing more jobs and growth to parts of the country that have been ignored. 'For too long politicians of all stripes have ducked and dodged the decisions need to fire up Britain's industrial base and unleash its potential to keep the country safe. 'We're changing that by increasing defence spending and making defence a cornerstone of our industrial strategy to create jobs, drive growth and meet emerging global threats head on.' As part of the shake-up of defence procurement rules, ministers will review 'single source' contract rules that govern the majority of defence deals. These are not open to competition for national security reasons, or because there is only one specialist supplier available. But the Government wants to incentivise faster delivery and learn lessons from the rapid procurement of arms for Ukraine. Ms Reeves is also aiming to cut unnecessary red tape that slows down the procurement of defence equipment, from ships to munitions. And she hopes to open up defence contracts to more companies so that more small and medium sized businesses can benefit from the uplift in defence spending. Ministers hope this will see the UK's defence industry benefit from their innovation. A council has voted to remove prayers before meetings in a move supporters say fosters better 'equality and inclusivity. Traditionally, a prayer has been said at the start of all St Albans City and District Council meetings. But this is set to change after local officials voted 25-20 in favour of abolishing religious words before full council meetings last week - even though almost half the population there is still Christian. The motion was proposed by Liberal Democrat councillor Sinead Howland, who said the inclusion of prayers before the meetings 'may inadvertently exclude or alienate individuals of different faiths or those without religious beliefs'. She said it contradicted the Hertfordshire city council's commitment to 'equality and inclusivity' and 'disrupts the start of the meeting'. The motion noted that despite the intention to hold prayers in a separate session before the meetings, this separation 'has not been consistently or effectively achieved'. This had led to councillors of other religions and beliefs feeling 'the need to wait outside, disrupting the process of preparing for the meeting,' the motion added. The motion also noted the Equality Act 2010 includes a Public Sector Equality Duty on public bodies to 'eliminate discrimination and foster good relations between people with different characteristics', including both religious and nonreligious beliefs. St Albans City and District Council (pictured) voted 25-20 in favour of abolishing religious words before full council meetings last week Removing prayers aligns with these obligations and demonstrates 'leadership in fostering a neutral, welcoming environment for all councillors and stakeholders,' the motion went on, adding that many other councils were doing the same. 'This reflects a growing movement towards more inclusive and secular proceedings,' the motion said. It is now understood that at the mayor's discretion, a moment of silence for personal reflection can be added, although it will be carried out in an entirely non-denominational way. Cllr Howland said the motion 'addresses fairness, inclusion, and respect'. She added: 'This motion ensures that our council meetings mirror the diversity of our community, allowing no councillor to feel like an outsider in their own chamber. 'Numerous councils have already implemented this change, recognising the necessity for a neutral and professional environment where all members can begin their work on equal footing. 'By supporting this motion, we modernise our proceedings and reaffirm our commitment to equality for all.' According to the 2021 census, the largest religious group in the area is Christian, with 47.4% of people identifying themselves as such - a drop from 59.7% in 2011. The motion was proposed by Liberal Democrat councillor Sinead Howland, who said the inclusion of prayers before the meetings 'may inadvertently exclude or alienate individuals of different faiths or those without religious beliefs' Meanwhile 37.1% reported having no religion, and other religious groups accounted for tiny proportions of the population - 4.7% were Muslim, 1.5% Jewish and 1.8% Hindu. The National Secular Society (NSS) has expressed its support for the decision. The NSS campaigns for inclusive local democracy and opposes the imposition of acts of worship in council meetings. NSS head of campaigns, Megan Manson, said: 'It's great news that St Albans Council recognises the importance of an inclusive and secular approach to local government. 'We congratulate the council on its decision to remove prayers from the beginning of meetings, to ensure no one in attendance feels alienated or excluded. 'We urge all local councils across the country which still hold prayers to take heed and follow this example.' The council has been contacted for comment. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday threatened Hamas with 'unimaginable consequences' if it did not return hostages held in Gaza, as the Palestinian group accused him of sabotaging a fragile ceasefire. Israel on Sunday announced that it wanted to extend the first phase of an ongoing truce with Hamas until mid-April that would see the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza. Netanyahu referred to this plan as the 'Witkoff proposal,' saying it came from US President Donald Trump's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff. But the White House has yet to confirm that, saying only that it supports whatever action Israel takes. Meanwhile, Hamas has insisted on a transition to a new phase of ceasefire that would kickstart negotiations to bring a permanent end to the war. In an attempt to force the Palestinian group to accept the 'Witkoff proposal', Netanyahu's office on Sunday announced a suspension of 'all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip'. Then Netanyahu himself on Monday warned Hamas 'there will be consequences that you cannot imagine' if the dozens of hostages still held by militants were not released. Defence Minister Israel Katz later struck a similar tone, saying if the group did not free the hostages, 'the gates of Gaza will be locked, and the gates of hell will open'. The stark warnings came as Arab leaders met in Egypt to approve a counterproposal to President Donald Trump's declaration that an American-led initiative could depopulate and reconstruct the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu's office on Sunday announced a suspension of 'all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip' Hamas has insisted on a transition to a new phase of ceasefire that would kickstart negotiations to bring a permanent end to the war Market vendors offer for sale the few food and basic life necessities they had left during the holy month of Ramadan in a market set up on the streets of Khan Yunis, Gaza on March 2, 2025 U.S President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the entrance of the White House in Washington, U.S., February 4, 2025 The first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas agreed on January 19 ended over the weekend and talks on its future have hit an impasse after six weeks of relative calm that included exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners and an influx of aid. Israel's move to block aid to Gaza drew criticism from key truce mediators Egypt and Qatar, with both calling it a violation of the ceasefire deal. A senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, accused Israel of actively sabotaging the ceasefire, calling its push for an extension 'a blatant attempt to... avoid entering into negotiations for the second phase'. Israel 'was interested in the collapse of the agreement and worked hard to achieve that', Hamdan said in a video statement. Other governments in the region as well as the United Nations and some of Israel's Western allies have spoken against the Israeli decision. Germany's foreign ministry said that denying humanitarian access 'is not a legitimate means of pressure in negotiations', while Britain said aid 'must not be blocked'. Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the terms of the truce, which has largely held since it began on January 19. Meanwhile, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported this morning that the government was considering a scheme that would subject Gaza to yet more punitive measures to push Hamas to accept a truce extension. This scheme could include displacing Gazans from the territory's north and halting the electricity supply to the embattled Palestinian territory. The diplomatic clashes between Israel and Hamas continue to rage as Arab leaders prepare to unveil a plan later today for the reconstruction of Gaza. Donald Trump shocked the region last month when he suggested Gaza's roughly 2 million residents be resettled in other countries. He said the United States would take ownership of the war-ravaged territory and redevelop it into a Middle Eastern 'Riviera.' Netanyahu also embraced the proposal, hailing Trump's 'visionary and innovative' plan to forcibly remove Gazans, saying it was 'time to give them the freedom to leave'. But it was roundly rejected by Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights experts, who said it would likely violate international law. Israelis demonstrate demanding that the government complete all stages of the ceasefire and prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel in West Jerusalem on March 02, 2025 Market vendors offer for sale the few food and basic life necessities they had left during the holy month of Ramadan in a market set up on the streets of Khan Yunis, Gaza on March 2, 2025 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is hosting Arab leaders in Cairo to unveil a plan for postwar reconstruction of Gaza Several Arab leaders and ministers are expected to attend the summit in Cairo today. Pictured: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman stands with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders, Jordan's King Abdullah, and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, during 'Friendly Brotherly Meeting' in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 21, 2025 Yesterday, Arab ministers held a 'preparatory and consultative' session centred on a plan to rebuild the territory without displacing Palestinians, a source at the Arab League told AFP on condition of anonymity ahead of the official summit today. Today's event, hosted by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo, is expected to include the leaders of regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whose support is seen as crucial for any Arab-led postwar plan. Egypt has developed a counterproposal in which Palestinians would be relocated to safe areas inside Gaza equipped with mobile homes and shelters while its cities are rebuilt. Hamas would cede power to an interim administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is an opponent of Hamas and has little support in Gaza, was attending the summit. Israel has ruled out any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and along with the United States has demanded Hamas' disarmament. The war has destroyed or damaged most buildings in Gaza, displaced almost the entire population and triggered widespread hunger, according to the UN. The fighting was triggered by Hamas's unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. That attack resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people, most of them civilians, while Israel's military retaliation in Gaza has killed nearly 48,400 people, also mostly civilians, data from both sides show. Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 58 remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military has confirmed are dead. Russia has hailed Donald Trump's decision to cut aid to Ukraine, asserting that the withdrawal of arms 'will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace'. 'It is obvious that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far. If the United States stops being (an arms supplier) or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today. Peskov was cautious to accept the reports of a pause in U.S. aid and said the details needed to be seen. 'If this is true, then this is a decision that can really encourage the Kyiv regime to (come to) the peace process,' he said. But the reports have already sparked fury in Ukraine, wider Europe and the United States, with critics accusing Trump of appeasement and warning 'thousands will die' as a result of the latest 'shock' twist in U.S. foreign policy. Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko told Sky News the 'pause' in aid would create a 'catastrophic situation' in Ukraine and 'embolden Putin', making 'things worse for everyone'. 'I understand we have a crisis in relationships right now after Friday's meeting in the Oval Office, but I just want to ask Donald Trump to reconsider... maybe just give us some time to get out of this because this is catastrophic for us,' he said. Relations between Ukraine and the United States have soured in the wake of a disastrous public meeting between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump on Friday. Crisis talks in London on Sunday culminated with reassurances from Ukraine's backers in Europe - but a stray comment from Zelensky that the end of the war still seemed 'very, very far away' invoked Trump's ire on Monday. A White House official said on Monday: 'The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released March 4, 2025 The site of an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine March 4, 2025 Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Head of Republic of Tatarstan in Moscow on March 3 Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, told the BBC the move 'came as a shock' to Ukraine. 'At the surface it looks like a disastrous decision, especially right now. We are in desperate need of American ... support. 'To suspend military aid to Ukraine it looks like siding with Russia and it's extremely dangerous.' He said 'as far as I know' the suspension also includes air defence systems, which have been vital in protecting civilians from Russia's bombardment of population centres. 'To stop aid now means to help (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,' he told Reuters. 'On the surface, this looks really bad. It looks like he is pushing us towards capitulation, meaning (accepting) Russia's demands.' He added: 'This is worse than Munich, because at least there they didn't try to paint Czechoslovakia as the aggressor, but here they try to accuse the victim of aggression - it is extremely dangerous.' Ukrainian troops train ahead of deployment at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk region, on January 22, 2025 US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 28 Firefighters work to put out a fire on the fifth floor of a residential building following a Russian Shahed drone attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine on March 2 Poland also suggested cutting aid would amount to helping Putin in the war and at the negotiating table. 'A sovereign, pro-western Ukraine which can defend itself, means a stronger and safer Poland,' Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X. 'In the political turmoil and growing chaos, this is what counts most. Whoever questions this obvious truth contributes to Putin's triumph. Understand?' A spokesperson for the British government said: 'We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so.' Tory MP Graham Stuart, a former Foreign Office minister, wrote on X that 'We have to consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset. 'If so, Trump's acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putin's FSB career - and Europe is on its own.' The aid decision was also met with anger in the United States. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a top democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said: 'By freezing military aid to Ukraine, President Trump has kicked the door wide open for Putin to escalate his violent aggression against innocent Ukrainians. 'The repercussions will undoubtedly be devastating.' Ukrainian soldiers of the 93rd Brigade attend the combat drills outside of the Pokrovsk, Ukraine on February 13, 2025 Paramedics pick up the bodies of two civilians killed after a Russian artillery attack on Kostiantynivka, Ukraine, on February 20, 2025 A M142 HIMARS launches a rocket on Russian position on December 29, 2023 in Ukraine An American official familiar with the matter told CNN that the halt on aid might take several days or weeks to be felt. They said that the effect would be severe, even if other nations try to fill the void. 'There is a capability gap that Europe cannot fill alone,' the official said. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CNN that it would likely be felt within two to four months with a 'crippling' impact. Trump appears to have made the move in an effort to bend the will of Ukraine to sign a critical minerals deal; his vice president, JD Vance, acknowledged in an interview with Fox News aired on Monday that '20,000 troops from some random country' would not be enough to keep the peace in the event of a ceasefire. Vance said giving Americans 'economic upside in the future of Ukraine' was a 'way better security guarantee' for Ukraine. The U.S. hopes to push Kyiv into signing a deal allowing America to extract wealth from Ukraine's natural resources, which they argue would buy American investment in the country's long-term security. Zelensky argues that Putin cannot be trusted to not invade again, and cited 25 times Russia has broken ceasefires since 2014. Ukraine had already been chosen for significant American investment before Putin annexed Crimea in 2014. Ukrainian servicemen of the 3rd Tank Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces ride atop a T-72 tank at an undisclosed location in Kharkiv region on February 10, 2025 Tracers and explosions are seen in the night sky as Ukrainian servicemen fire at the drone during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 23 British soldiers practice an assault on February 17, 2025 in Smardan, Romania In a post on X yesterday, Zelensky explained his position: 'The basic scenario is to maintain positions and create conditions for proper diplomacy to achieve the swiftest possible end to this war with a just peace. We need peace, true and honest peace not endless war. And security guarantees are essential. 'The absence of security guarantees for Ukraine 11 years ago allowed Russia to start with the occupation of Crimea and the war in Donbas. Later, the absence of security guarantees allows Russia to launch a full-scale invasion, and now, due to the lack of clear security guarantees, Russia continues to fuel this war. The world sees this, and the world acknowledges it. 'Today, we continued our work with European partners on a special diplomatic and security architecture that can bring us closer to peace.' Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, warned that the 'nightmare situation' to follow would be if the U.S. presents Ukraine with a deal that 'accepts most of Russia's demands' and then tells Ukraine and Europe to 'take it or leave it'. 'The European offer of 'boots on the ground' after a deal has helped reassure Ukraine. But the debate has now moved on. And what will count most of all is how far the UK and Europe are prepared to help Ukraine in defiance of the US,' he said. In order to make up for the shortfall, Europe 'would probably need to double annual artillery shell production to compensate'. 'It could dig deeper into its own reserves of other weapons. The problem is that while Europe has donated more in value terms, it also ends up providing many different weapons and vehicle types, which means the Ukrainian force is operating an unwieldy variety of equipment, making training more complicated'. Chalmers concluded by saying that withholding aid was not 'neutrality' but 'enabling Russian aggression'. Analysts have warned that North Korea could have more nuclear weapons than the UK by 2035 thanks to Russian assistance, and may already have the ability to detonate a warhead over an American city. The insular nation currently has an arsenal of about 50 nuclear warheads, but Ankit Panda, an expert on North Korea's development of nuclear weapons at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Radio Free Asia that this may rise to around 300 in a decade with assistance from Russia. Mr Panda said: 'I think by the mid-2030s, we might be looking at a North Korea with 300-plus nuclear warheads.' The UK is estimated to have 225 nuclear warheads at the moment. In 2021, the government announced a sudden increase in the upper limit of the country's stockpiled to 'no more than 260 warheads'. Later that year, then-Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told the UN that this number 'is a ceiling, not a target, and is not our current stockpile.' Mr Panda said that Russia, which has in recent years formed close ties with Kim Jong Un's nation, 'will be very, very eager to help the North Koreans out.' He added: 'The area where I think the Russians can really help them is with guidance computers, cruise missile manoeuvring, cruise missile control and potentially even countermeasures.' This, he said, would 'just improve the reliability of North Korea's manufacturing standards for missile systems.' He added that North Korea's nuclear missile programme 'very probably' had the ability to already detonate a warhead over an American city. Kim Jon Un's (pictured) nation currently has an arsenal of about 50 nuclear warheads North Korea's nuclear arsenal may rise to 300 in the next decade The analysis comes after the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, accused North Korea of violating UN resolutions by continuing to develop nuclear weapons. He said the DPRK released photos at an undeclared nuclear enrichment facility in Yongbyon, in the west of the country, in late January. Grossi said Kim Jong Un ordered nuclear scientists to 'over-fulfill the plan for producing weapons-grade nuclear materials.' This, along with the release of photos from an undeclared enrichment facility at the Kangson Complex in September 2024, 'are of serious concern', Grossi said in a statement. Grossi added that Iran has increased its stockpile of 60% U-235, an isotope of Uranium often used in nuclear weapons, by more than 50% in the past three months. 'Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon State enriching to this level, causing me serious concern', Grossi said. Yesterday, experts warned Europe would need to dramatically increase its nuclear weapons stockpile should the US withdraw from NATO and cease to provide security guarantees to the continent in the face of threats from Russia. Maximilian Terhalle, a former Senior Adviser for strategic affairs to Britain's Ministry of Defence and Visiting Professor at the Grand Strategy Programme of King's College London told The Telegraph: 'We need to be on par with Russia's 1,550 strategic warheads. A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 15 January 2024 shows a test fire of an intermediate-range solid-fuel ballistic missile This picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 20, 2023 shows a warhead missile launch exercise simulating a tactical nuclear attack in Cholsan county, North Pyongan Province A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows a test of the separation and guidance control test of individual mobile warheads at an undisclosed location in North Korea, 26 June 2024 'Otherwise we will not strategically influence what is going on in Putin's mind, which is critical for deterrence.' Russia has more than 5,000 nuclear warheads at its disposal, with 1,550 strategic warheads deployed in line with the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) - though Putin suspended Moscow's participation in 2023. Recognising Europe's vulnerability in the event of a US withdrawal from NATO, German Chancellor-elect Friedrich Merz declared last month he would explore the possibility of forming a nuclear triumvirate with Britain and France. Merz, who is currently trying to get the outgoing Bundestag to vote through a constitutional change that would allow Germany to dramatically boost defence spending, said: 'We have to talk to the British and French whether their nuclear protection could also be extended to us. '(This is) an issue that the French government has repeatedly raised with the German government... We must talk to each other about what that could look like.' A British woman shot dead by her estranged husband in France was threatened by the serving police officer in the months before he killed her, her family have said. The body of Alison Erb, 49, was found at her home in Roppentzwiller, near the Swiss border, alongside that of her partner, Loreto Di Salvatore. Her estranged husband Olivier Erb - a serving police officer - is said to have admitted 'liability' for the killings and is in custody awaiting a trial. The couple were in the process of divorcing and, according to French media, Erb had twice been investigated on suspicion of abusing and harassing his wife. Mrs Erb's sister, who still lives in Norfolk but wanted to remain anonymous, said in the months leading up to her death in May 2023, she suffered death threats. She said: 'Alison had described the death threats that Olivier made. 'I would urge her to leave. 'During the last months before her death, I would ask her to come with Loreto and her daughter Lana and live with us until things settled down in France. The body of Alison Erb (L), 49, was found at her home in Roppentzwiller, near the Swiss border Her estranged husband Olivier Erb (L) - a serving police officer - has admitted 'liability' for the killings and is in custody awaiting a trial 'My understanding and impression of Alison's and Olivier relationship over the years is that Olivier was a bully. 'Ali worked very hard to manage working life and bringing up the children. 'It was important to her to always have her own money. 'Ali always hoped that over time Olivier would become less irritable.' The sibling said she spoke with her sister 'most days' but missed a call from her the night before she was found dead. But she soon heard about the tragic news in another call from a family member, who told her: 'He's done it, he's killed her.' The bodies of Mrs Erb - whose maiden name is Knott - and Mr Di Salvatore were found on May 25, 2023, in their flat they shared above the town hall in Roppentzwiller. According to French media reports, firefighters made the gruesome discovery when they entered the building through a balcony after neighbours raised the alarm about dogs barking in the building. Police began an investigation and found Mrs Erb, a nursery manager, and Mr Di Salvatore had been shot three times each Police began an investigation and found Mrs Erb, a nursery manager, and Mr Di Salvatore had been shot three times each. French media say the weapon, a small-calibre revolver, was found at the scene. Police recovered CCTV footage which showed Mrs Erb leaving the property and a masked and gloved man entering the property where he killed Mr Di Salvatore. Mother-of-three Mrs Erb was shot on the stairs leading up to the flat when she returned eight minutes later, before the killer fled via a skylight. Mr Erb hosted an intimate barbecue for her family on the day of the funeral who were unaware he was the chief suspect in the double murder case. They were also not informed the couple had separated and were in the process of divorcing. A family friend, who didnt want to be identified, described how Mr Erb had been shaking at the funeral before taking guests to the house he once shared with his wife. It was only a small funeral, for family and close friends. Olivier did a barbecue for everyone afterwards, they revealed. Mrs Erb's body was found at her home in Roppentzwiller (pictured), near the Swiss border Mr Erb, who lived in nearby Wittenheim and worked for a police dog unit, was indicted for murder almost two weeks after the killing. Although Erb is in custody and has admitted liability for the deaths, under the French justice system he is still waiting for a judge to decide what charges he will face. The 50-year-old - who is understood to have still been a serving with the police at the time of the deaths - had been investigated for verbal abuse in 2020 and malicious calls in 2022, both in relation to Mrs Erb. Reports in the French media say that at the time of the killings, he was banned from visiting her home or contacting her and both victims had told relatives of their concerns about him. Mrs Erb grew up in Worstead and Smallburgh in Norfolk before moving across the Channel in 1995 to work for a large family with several small children living in the Alsace region. She later married Erb and the couple had three children, two daughters, now aged 26 and 15 and a son, 27. Mrs Erb's sister said she had been 'unable to attend' the 'rather swiftly organised wedding' as she had been overseas at the time. She said her aunt and mother attended the 'very small wedding'. The 50-year-old - who is understood to have still been a serving with the police at the time of the deaths - had been investigated for verbal abuse in 2020 and malicious calls in 2022, both in relation to Mrs Erb When she visited Mrs Erb in France she could see her sister was a 'wonderful mother' who loved living there, although as Olivier worked nights she did not often see him. 'I often would question Ali about his tone. He often sounded irritated,' she said. 'I do not speak French, but the atmosphere when he was around was often tense.' At the time of Mrs Erb's death, she had been managing a nursery in nearby Switzerland and had hoped to build a new life there with Mr Di Salvatore, 51. Mrs Erb's sister said her sibling met Mr Di Salvatore at a stables. The pair found out they shared many common interests, including horses, dining out, travel and music. The sister said: 'I met Loreto. He was a very kind, intelligent and humble man. 'All he wanted to do was love and protect my sister.' She said although Mr Di Salvatore wanted to protect her sister, the police in France were unable to. The sister added: 'The police failed to protect Alison and Loreto. 'Olivier's movements should have been monitored. There was a restraining order in place that Olivier broke on many occasions. 'For three years Alison and Loreto were living in fear. 'Over those three years Olivier committed assault, threatened violence and sent intimidating messages.' Mrs Erb's sister said her much loved sibling had a 'huge heart'. She said: 'Alison was incredibly witty. We could chat and laugh for hours. 'Her bravery to still have a sense of humour and see beyond what she was going through was remarkable.' A shocked family friend said the murders still felt unbelievable and the couples extended families had been close. They added: He [Erb] was a good man, a good father. He used to see his mother every day and look after her. I can only think he had a breakdown and flipped. At the time of her death, Mrs Erb was managing a childrens nursery in the Swiss city Basel, while her husband worked with a police dog unit. A family friend said: When she went to France, she couldnt speak French but she soon learned. She was just a good girl, very clever I really miss her. Mrs Erbs sister has also spoken of her heartbreak at the loss She said: I have never felt more alone. I still can't believe such a kind and beautiful soul has been stolen from the world. Andrew Tate called Britain a 'fallen nation' in a bizarre rant during his first interview since fleeing Bucharest before vowing to return to Romania to face police. In his first podcast interview since landing in Florida, Tate, 38, also heaped praise on US President Donald Trump, whose administration reportedly assisted in lifting travel restrictions that allowed the Tate brothers to leave Romania. Tate and his younger brother Tristan, 36, departed Bucharest and arrived in Florida last Thursday, despite facing ongoing sex trafficking allegations. Romanian authorities had previously imposed travel bans on the brothers, but these restrictions were lifted following pressure from US officials. In the recent PBD Podcast with Patrick Bert-David, Andrew Tate criticised the British government, describing the UK as a 'fallen nation' and positioning himself as 'a symbol of resistance against their communism'. The former kickboxer expressed a 'strong suspicion' about why the UK 'hates' him, attributing it to a perceived decline in traditional masculinity. Tate's controversial views have been linked to the promotion of the so-called 'manosphere', a movement urging males to push back against feminism. UK MPs have warned that he has 'brainwashed' young men and boys, encouraging misogynistic behaviour and violence against women. In Britain, four of the Tate brother's alleged victims called on Sir Keir Starmer to challenge the Trump administration and said they were 'retraumatised' by their apparent escape from justice. Former professional kickboxer and social media influencer Andrew Tate (C) speaks with the media as he and his brother Tristan (R) arrive at Fort Lauderdale Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, 27 February 2025 Tate (left) criticised the British government , describing the UK as a 'fallen nation' and positioning himself as 'a symbol of resistance against their communism'. Pictured: Police officers escort Andrew Tate, center, handcuffed to his brother Tristan Tate, to the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023 In his first podcast interview since his arrival in Florida, Tate heaped praise onto US President Donald Trump, whose administration reportedly assisted in lifting travel restrictions that allowed the Tate brothers to leave Romania The brothers were accused of rape, coercive control and assault in a separate civil case in the High Court brought by four British women. Appearing to respond to the threats of extrication, and addressing his legal situation, Tate expressed distrust towards the UK, stating: 'Are they going to try and get me? Probably. 'If I go to the UK, will I ever get out? Probably not. 'Am I afraid of them? No.' When probed on his distrust towards the UK, the controversial influencer blamed the UK foreign office for contributing to the downfall of his public image. He accused them of labelling him as a problem, talking about him in parliament and even using him as 'their fall guy'. A Home Office spokesman said: 'As a matter of long-standing policy and practice, the UK will neither confirm nor deny that an extradition request has been made or received. 'Given the ongoing Romanian investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further.' Tate said he was not afraid of the British Government amid calls for him to be extradited to the UK to face trial. The former kickboxer expressed a 'strong suspicion' about why the UK 'hates' him, attributing it to a perceived decline in traditional masculinity The brothers have been accused of rape, coercive control and assault in a separate civil case in the High Court brought by four British women The Tate brothers' recent actions have sparked widespread condemnation, with UK authorities demanding their extradition to face charges 'I'd like to be optimistic and believe that Donald Trump saw this garbage, and maybe [asked] some questions. I like that idea, but I don't know. I had no confirmation. I have no idea,' he told the PBD Podcast. 'I am going back. I'm going to fly back and obey my bail conditions, I'm not running from anything, because I'm not a coward.' The Tate brothers were arrested in Romania three years ago after relocating from the UK and still face serious charges, including rape, trafficking minors, and money laundering, all of which they deny. Despite their recent departure to the US, Romanian officials require their court appearances, raising questions about potential legal actions they may face in the States. In December, British authorities seized more than 2million from the brothers after they allegedly failed to pay taxes on 21million in revenue from their online businesses. The funds are currently held in frozen bank accounts, and UK police are seeking their extradition. Andrew Tate first gained public attention through his brief appearance on 'Big Brother', from which he was removed after footage emerged allegedly showing him engaging in violent behaviour towards a woman. He later established a significant online following by promoting a lavish lifestyle and controversial views on masculinity and gender roles. The Tate brothers' recent actions have sparked widespread condemnation, with UK authorities demanding their extradition to face charges. The situation continues to develop as legal proceedings unfold in both Europe and the United States. A triple killer raped his ex-girlfriend in a 'violent, sexual act of spite' during an attack which saw him murder her and her sister with a crossbow and their mother with a butcher's knife, a court has heard. Kyle Clifford, who is being tried in his absence, is alleged to have become 'angry' when 25-year-old former partner Louise Hunt ended their relationship before he 'carefully planned and executed' the murders on July 9 last year. Cambridge Crown Court heard that the 'final catalyst for the break-up' with Louise came two weeks before the murders when the pair went to a wedding in Scarborough, where he boasted of bedding other women. Jurors were told 26-year-old Clifford 'implied that he had slept with a number of people which upset Louise'. He also made 'patronising comments about Louise's ability to use an oven'. The court heard the defendant gained access to the family home by deceiving 61-year-old Carol Hunt, the wife of BBC racing commentator John Hunt, before stabbing her to death in a 'brutal knife attack'. After killing Carol and Louise, he fatally shot 28-year-old Hannah Hunt when she returned to the property in the quiet cul-de-sac of Ashlyn Close in Bushey, Hertfordshire, after work. The defendant previously admitted three counts of murder, one of false imprisonment against Louise, and two counts of possession of offensive weapons - the crossbow and the knife. Family members including Mr Hunt observed proceedings from the public gallery on Tuesday. Kyle Clifford is alleged to have become 'angry' when 25-year-old former partner Louise Hunt ended their relationship before he 'carefully planned and executed' the murders last July Louise Hunt (pictured) was among three people killed by Clifford in Bushey, Hertfordshire Louise's father is BBC racing commentator John Hunt, pictured here with his wife Carol Opening the prosecution's case, Alison Morgan KC told the jury: 'It is not in dispute therefore that he murdered three members of the Hunt family - Carol, Louise and Hannah. 'It is also not in dispute that he was unlawfully in possession of a knife and a crossbow that day. 'He also accepts that he falsely imprisoned Louise Hunt during the course of the incident, restraining her against her will.' Ms Morgan continued: 'During the course of this prolonged incident of violence, the prosecution alleges that the defendant raped Louise Hunt. 'It was a violent, sexual act of spite, before he then killed her. You will have to determine that allegation against him.' Following the attacks, Clifford, who served in the military from 2019 for around three years, became the subject of a manhunt for a number of hours before he was found injured in Lavender Hill Cemetery in Enfield, north London, after shooting himself in the chest with the crossbow. The court heard Louise's friends and family 'hoped that the relationship would come to an end' after they became concerned about the way Clifford treated her. The jury was told Louise had shared with her friends that he had a 'nasty temper' and that he behaved in an 'aggressive manner', with her sister Hannah deeming him to be 'disrespectful, rude and arrogant'. Clifford had also been in relationships with other women while he was dating Louise 'which he hid' from her, the court heard - as well as that the killer had racist and transphobic views and behaved in an 'aggressive manner' towards his ex-partner. Louise made a note to herself on her phone setting out the 'reasons why she should not be sad about ending the relationship' with Clifford, the court heard. A court artist's sketch of Kyle Clifford appearing via videolink at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 17 Jurors were told that the note, titled 'When you're sad, look!', included that his family was a 'mess', his 'road rage' and his use of 'belittling' language. The note also included reference to his brother Bradley Clifford who was previously jailed for life for murder, and that Clifford did not find what he did 'horrendous' and still saw him every other week. Prosecutor Ms Morgan said the list also included how Clifford believed he had a higher IQ than Louise's family and that he found his father's and his brother's violence 'funny'. Addressing the defendant's motive to kill his victims, Ms Morgan said: 'Louise instigated the end of the relationship, supported by her friends and family. 'In the days that followed, the message prompted the defendant to try to rekindle the relationship in various ways, all of which were rebuffed by Louise Hunt. This rejection angered the defendant. 'He was angry at Louise, but also at the Hunt family generally, as he correctly assumed that friends and family members had advised Louise to end the relationship with him.' The prosecutor continued: 'The attack was carefully planned and executed, involving the deceit of Louise's mother Carol Hunt, in order to gain access to the family home, followed by a brutal knife attack upon Carol Hunt. 'The defendant then waited for Louise to enter the property, before restraining, raping and ultimately murdering her with a crossbow. Brave Hannah Hunt called 999 during the attacks and was still alive when police arrived at the home in Bushey, but later died from her wounds 'He then killed Louise's sister Hannah Hunt with the crossbow, when she returned to the property after work.' Following their return from the wedding on June 23 last year, 'caring and happy' Louise messaged Clifford saying they 'needed to have a conversation', the court heard, prompting him to respond that he was 'not going to take any sh** from her'. The defendant initially appeared to accept her decision to break up, the prosecutor said, messaging: 'It's okay Louise. You're an amazing, strong, beautiful perfect woman and I know you will succeed going forward.' But later that day, he added: 'When I look back on all our dates, holidays and time together it brings me to tears, that all of that is being thrown out of the window I honestly can't think of life without you.' Hannah agreed to drive her sister to Clifford's house for a 'civil closure' and the court heard how she messaged her own partner and told him: 'He's obviously turned on the water works and has now made her confused.' But by June 26, Louise had 'made her position clear' in a message, in which she said: 'I'm sorry Kyle but I feel I can't continue with what we have, I feel like it's been broken.' Ms Morgan said it was clear the defendant - whose affairs behind Louise's back included one that was 'still current' when he committed the murders 'had not accepted the break-up in the amicable way he had presented'. The prosecutor said the attack came after 'tearful' Clifford 'tried to rekindle the 18-month relationship in various ways, all of which were rebuffed by Louise'. Following the break-up, Louise sent a message to Clifford in which she said she needed to 'take some space' from the relationship. Prosecutor Ms Morgan KC said Louise told him in a message on June 26 last year: 'I don't know that in the future if we both do the work on ourselves this could be something amazing, but I just feel right now I owe it to myself to take some space and walk away for my own sanity and health. 'Thank you for the incredible time we've had this year, I hope you know how much I love you and still will for a long time. 'I never want there to be anything nasty between us ever. Take care of yourself always please.' The prosecutor told the court that Clifford appeared to accept this position and said in his reply: 'Thank you for the clarity Louise so we can both start our healing process. I love you so much and will do for a long time.' But Ms Morgan said during the relationship Clifford was 'in fact in relationships with other women, which he hid from Louise Hunt'. These 'were people the defendant worked with'. Following the split, Clifford created a note on his mobile phone which 'appeared to be a suicide letter', the jury was told. He wrote: 'Nothing I can think of will make me happy.' Clifford was also 'accessing pornography' on the internet and searched for stories about Linda De Sousa Abreu, a prison officer who was filmed having sex with an inmate in June last year. He also allegedly began purchasing items including a 30m (100ft) length of rope, the crossbow, petrol cans, duct tape and the knife, an 89 Dalstrong Phantom Series 10-inch blade - a 'high-level butchering knife described as being designed to cut through flesh and cartilage'. A 219 CO2 Glock air pistol that he ordered failed to arrive before the killings. On July 4, the defendant 'indicated on social media that his dog had died' and Louise, 'for whom animals were extremely important', messaged him to commiserate. But as a reminder that she had 'done the right thing' in ending the relationship, she compiled a list which included '[his] brother being in prison racist comments road rage.. belittling language'. Clifford also wrote a message to himself on his phone in the days leading up to the attack, saying: 'This is my decision to just be at peace.' Jurors were told the note, updated between June 26 and July 7 last year, was addressed in part to friends and family of the defendant and in part to himself. One part of the note told them: 'Please don't think of me as throwing my life away - I have lived and I am grateful for everything and everyone who has been a part of it. 'I know you will have so many questions and wish you could have done something different to prevent this. However none of you have failed.' In a message to himself, Clifford said: 'To myself, I am so sorry I didn't give myself a chance to move on past this to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 'I know you want to find peace and it's a battle in your head right now. What's different this time? I don't want to live my life without her. Nothing I can think of can make me happy.' On the day of the murders, Clifford carried out an internet search of 'horse racing today', which the prosecution say was to 'see if John was working on that day', and sent a message to another woman he was seeing in which he said 'Sorry Sam'. He then drove to the Hunt family home and talked his way in just after 2.30pm by telling Carol that he had a farewell card for the family and wanted to borrow a plastic bag to put some items in, the court heard in a timeline of events that day. Parts of the conversation were recorded on a doorbell camera and Clifford can be heard saying 'Hey, I'm er, dropping off some of Louise's stuff', adding: 'I got you guys a card as well to say bye. Is John in?' He then talked about started therapy, with Carol telling him: 'You're not a nasty person.' The defendant eventually asked 'Do you have a plastic bag to put this stuff in?' and stepped inside. A few minutes later, the jury was told, 'screams can be heard from a female'. Ms Morgan KC said: 'She was brutally attacked. The evidence suggests that she struggled to get away from the defendant. 'Although it is not possible to know precisely when Carol died, she is likely to have died rapidly after the infliction of [her] injuries.' Visitors to the property who were dropping off or picking up dogs from Louise's business used a side entrance and were 'completely oblivious' to the attack on her mother. Clifford, of Enfield, north London, denies a single charge of rape. The trial continues. A passenger caused panic on a transatlantic flight after allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit mid-air. The shocking incident unfolded aboard Plus Ultra Flight 701 from Madrid to Caracas on February 28, when the Airbus A330 was cruising over the Atlantic. Eyewitnesses say the man suddenly jumped from his seat and lunged toward an emergency exit, yanking at the door lever. Shocked passengers screamed as flight attendants rushed to intervene. Footage from the scene shows the man standing at the exit while cabin crew members wrestled him away. Several passengers and flight attendants then worked together to subdue him, tackling him to the floor and restraining him with his hands behind his back. He remained under close watch for the remainder of the journey. A passenger (circled) is restrained after appearing to try and open the door of a plane in flight Passengers and flight attendants dived onto the man and tried to restrain him He was wrestled to the ground by several people The Airbus A330 was soaring over the Atlantic Ocean and was about halfway through its journey to the Venezuelan capital Caracas on 28 February when the incident unfolded. At least one flight attendant suffered injuries as they tried to restrain the man. Despite the alarming event, the plane landed safely in Caracas ahead of schedule, where authorities detained the suspect upon arrival. A Plus Ultra spokesperson told NeedToKnow: 'A passenger began to feel restless, annoying the person in the next seat with shouts and slapping him while he was asleep. 'The crew acted quickly, calming the situation between the two and relocating the passenger to another seat where he could not disturb anyone. 'Moments later, this individual suddenly went to one of the doors of the plane trying to manipulate it. 'Immediately, our cabin crew subdued the passenger and, following the action protocol, secured him in the back of the plane until he reached the destination. 'At all times he was accompanied by two people from the crew, lying on the ground and attended to avoid any possible altercation.' They added: 'One of our cabin crew suffered a partial fracture of the fibula for which he has already been treated and which will keep him out for a few weeks.' A flight attendant is seen intervening as the man fiddled with the door Several people held him down He was restrained and monitored until landing, at which point he was arrested It is unclear what prompted the passenger to attempt to open the emergency exit. While mid-air emergency exits may seem vulnerable, modern aircraft like the Airbus A330 are designed to prevent them from being opened at cruising altitude. The immense difference between cabin and external air pressure effectively seals the doors, with some aircraft also featuring flight lock mechanisms to prevent tampering. However, rare incidents have occurred. In 2023, a passenger aboard an Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 managed to open an exit door as the plane descended to land in South Korea. Plus Ultra, a Spanish carrier, operates scheduled flights between Madrid and Latin America. This is the jaw-dropping moment a brave security guard launched himself at a shoplifter and grappled him to the ground after he attempted to steal wine - as shocked customers looked on in horror. The thief and a female accomplice were caught on camera trying to flee the supermarket with two baskets full of bottles. As they made their escape, some of the red wine could be seen smashed on the ground just outside the Tesco Express store in Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, east London, on Sunday night. But the hero security guard - wearing a hi-vis jacket - collared the man outside the supermarket and dragged him back inside. The pair are then seen wrestling one another on the ground in one of the aisles. At the time the incident occurred, the store was full of customers, including a mother and two children among the witnesses to the fight. It took almost a minute for the the thief to wriggle free from the security man's grasp, as he attempted to apprehend him. One Tesco worker was heard on the phone saying: 'I called the police. He tried to steal the wine from the store with another female.' This is the jaw-dropping moment a brave security guard launched himself at a shoplifter in Forest Gate, East London, on Sunday night Moments earlier the hero security guard - wearing a hi-vis jacket - collared the man outside the supermarket and dragged him back inside. Smashed wine could be seen on the pavement The shocking incident happened in full view of other customers, including a mother and her two children The staff member can then be heard attempting to usher customers out of the shop. He said: 'Yes, leave the store. Just leave the store.' The crook eventually managed to escape the guard's grasp after an astonishing 50 seconds and fled. One onlooker filmed it on his mobile phone in a video lasting one minute and 30 seconds. An eyewitness hailed the guard and was heard saying: 'Security doing their job.' Locals also praised his bravery, as reported on NeedToKnow. One - named Lewis - said: 'A security guard who's actually giving it a good go. 'Unlike most of the others you see.' Calvin McDonald said: 'Yes, I'd be stepping in on this one and helping the man on the door. A female accomplice was seen picking up the bottles and walking away as the fight ensued inside the store The incident occurred outside this Tesco Express store in Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, east London, on Sunday night Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. 'Once apprehended, I'd give the perpetrator a choice. 'Apologise to the staff, put the goods back and never return. 'Or get taken to the back room and wait for the old Bill to come and cart him off.' Stuart Kew said: 'I'm totally sick of seeing incidents like this. 'Time we considered proper deterrents. Oh wait, I forgot, that will never happen.' Another added: 'Fair enough, but it's really not worth the level of combat for a Tesco thief.' Tesco and the Met Police have been approached for comment. The incident occurred as official figures revealed that 80,041 shoplifting offences were recorded in London in the year to September, up from 53,202 the year before. An average of 55,000 thefts a day now take place in Britain's shops according to a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), up by a quarter in the last 12 months. Violent thefts involving a weapon take place 70 times a day with retailers blaming a surge in organised gangs stealing to order. 'People in retail have been spat on, racially abused, and threatened with machetes,' said BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson. 'Every day this continues, criminals are getting bolder and more aggressive.' The crimewave has produced a flood of chilling videos filmed by despairing traders and customers and uploaded to social media. Many of the shoplifters appear to have no fear of the staff, or of the cameras, as they brazenly load up with their goods and saunter out of the stores. Last month a gang of at least of eight hooded youths raided an Apple store in north London in a shocking daytime heist one Sunday afternoon. A sea of shoppers, including parents with young children, could be seen dramatically fleeing the store as the mob ripped out expensive devices around them in a raid that took just 24 seconds. Last year another pair of thieves were filmed calmly clearing the shelves in a north London Boots store just 200 yards from Chingford Police Station. The men carried on impassively as a woman dialled 999 within earshot and pleaded for a police response, before both sauntered out. A teen from Western Australia has been arrested after a newly opened mosque on the other side of the country received a mass shooting threat. Detectives attended the Australian Islamic House Masjid in Edmondson Park in south-west Sydney on Tuesday after the mosque found an alleged threat posted on its Instagram page a day earlier. 'I'm about to christ church [sic] 2.0 this join[t]' the alleged comment read. The comment appeared to be in reference to the Al-Noor Mosque massacre in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15, 2019, where Australian Brenton Tarrant shot dead 51 innocent worshippers. Western Australia Police arrested a boy, 16, at Eaton in the state's south-west later on Tuesday afternoon following a referral from their NSW counterparts. The teen is currently assisting police with inquiries. No charges have yet been laid. NSW Police reassured there are no ongoing threats to the community. The alleged threat has sparked outrage from political and religious leaders as the six year anniversary of the Christchurch massacre looms. The Australian Islamic House Masjid (pictured inside) alerted police to an online threat allegedly made on its social media page just four days after it opened its doors Prime Minister Anthony Albanese branded the alleged threats as 'abhorrent'. 'There is no place for this in Australia,' he said. 'The authorities have my full support as they investigate this matter. 'Those responsible must face the full force of the law. Racism and Islamophobia will not be tolerated.' The Alliance of Australians for Muslims and The Australian National Imams Council are 'deeply alarmed and profoundly concerned' for the safety and well-being of Muslims in Sydney following the alleged threat. 'This threat is both disturbing and heartbreaking, shaking the Muslim community to its core and evoking painful memories of the tragic and brutal Christchurch massacre', the organisations said in a joint statement. 'The shadow of this violence now looms even larger over Sydney, heightening fears of further harm and underscoring the urgent need for robust protection of Muslim places of worship and communities across the nation. Australian Islamic House Masjid opened its doors for the first time last Friday in time for the start of Ramadan. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese branded the alleged threats towards Australian Islamic House Masjid as 'abhorrent' The newly opened mosque has urged the public to 'remain vigilant and to stand united against Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry' 'To threaten a mosque during this blessed month, when worshippers are vulnerable, is not just an attack on individualsit's a deliberate act of terror targeting religious freedom and peace, amplified by its timing,' the joint statement continued. 'These vile threats come amidst a disturbing rise in violent Islamophobic attacks, which are contributing to a climate of fear and insecurity.' The mosque will continue to hold its nightly prayers during Ramadan following consultation with police. The fifth night of Ramadan went ahead as planned on Tuesday night. 'We are profoundly concerned by this threat and take it with the utmost seriousness,' mosque president Mazhar Hadid said. 'Our community deserves to feel safe and protected, just like any other citizen of this country. 'We call on the authorities to treat this matter with the highest urgency and to ensure that all places of worship are safeguarded against such acts of hatred and violence. 'We also urge the public to remain vigilant and to stand united against Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry.' Police attached to Strike Force Pearl will increase their presence to ensure the safety of parishioners attending the nightly prayer sessions during Ramadan. The alleged threat appeared to reference to the Al-Noor Mosque massacre in New Zealand on March 15, 2019, where Australian Brenton Tarrant shot dead 51 innocent worshippers. Pictured are emergency responders at the scene The alleged online threat appeared under a post celebrating the mosque opening its doors last Friday after 'decades in the making'. The same user wrote other comments under the same post instructing worshippers to 'leave the country'. NSW Premier Chris Minns warned that anybody caught making racist threats would be met with the 'full force of the law'. 'This is very distressing, particularly as Muslims right across the state are participating in prayer during the month of Ramadan,' he said. 'The NSW government and NSW Police are taking this very seriously. 'Racist threats and Islamophobia will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law.' Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. JD Vance today scrambled to resolve a transatlantic rift as he denied dismissing Britain as a 'random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. The US Vice President desperately attempted to clarify his comments after he sparked a furious backlash among military veterans and MPs from all parties. In widespread anger at Mr Vance's apparent dig at Britain's military history, the American politician was branded 'shameful' and faced calls to apologise. It came after he rubbished Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's offer of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine with British and French boots on the ground. Mr Vance used a Fox News interview to instead pile pressure on Ukraine to sign a minerals deal with US President Donald Trump. He said this was 'a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. Seething ex-servicemen pointed out that 636 British troops died in Afghanistan and Iraq after the UK allied with the US in military action following the 9/11 terror attacks. Mr Vance was accused of 'erasing from history' the sacrifice of UK personnel in those bloody conflicts, with his remarks labelled 'deeply disrespectful'. But the Vice President later strained to claw back his remarks amid the widespread anger at his intervention. He claimed he hadn't been aiming his barb at Britain or France - who are the only two countries to publicly commit to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Yet Mr Vance failed to clarify which nations he had been referring to. JD Vance was today branded 'shameful' after the US Vice President appeared to dismiss Britain as a 'random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years' Mourners pay their respects as the coffins British troops who died in Afghanistan pass through the village of Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Vance said: 'This is absurdly dishonest. 'I don't even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. 'But let's be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful.' But the Vice President's efforts to clarify his remarks brought further condemnation. Critics pointed to the huge list of countries who lost troops after joining US military action in Afghanistan after 9/11. Mr Vance had earlier ramped up transatlantic tensions as he poured cold water over Sir Keir's plan for a 'coalition of the willing' to secure peace in Ukraine. He told Fox News: 'If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. 'That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.' Mr Vance was heavily criticised for his Fox News comments and told to 'wind his neck in' as he risked souring UK relations with Mr Trump's administration. Downing Street slapped down the Vice President's comments. Sir Keir's official spokesman saying: 'The PM and this country are full of admiration for UK troops who served in recent years in Iraq and Afghanistan alongside the US and other allies.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Mr Vance was 'wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong'. 'For 20 years in Afghanistan - pro rata our size against America's - we spent the same amount of money, we put the same number of men and women in, and we suffered the same losses,' he told GB News, as he attended a farmers' protest in Westminster. 'We stood by America all through those 20 years, putting in exactly the same contribution. 'And, alright, they may be six times bigger but we did our bit. So, on this one, JD is wrong.' But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch - who has launched a crackdown on Tory MPs posting on social media about the Ukraine crisis - agreed with Mr Vance's suggestion that he had been misrepresented over his remarks. 'I know JD Vance quite well. I've looked at the comments, I don't think he actually said that,' Mrs Badenoch said. 'A lot of people are getting carried away. They're saying loads of things and getting quite animated. Let's keep cool heads. 'America is our closest ally and I believe President Trump and JD Vance want peace. They're looking after their national interest. We need to do so as well.' This was despite one of Mrs Badenoch's top shadow ministers and a string of other Conservative MPs lashing out at Mr Vance's comments on social media. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, pointed to how NATO allies rushed to America's aid after the 9/11 attacks, when the US invoked the alliance's Article 5 collective defence clause. 'Britain and France came to their aid deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including my own brother and numerous parliamentary colleagues past and present,' Mr Cartlidge said. 'It's deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who attended a farmers' protest in Westminster today, said Mr Vance was 'wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong' But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch suggested Mr Vance had been misrepresented over his remarks Ex-Armed Forces minister James Heappey, a former soldier, said that serving alongside American and French troops were 'defining moments of my military career'. 'Sad to hear the relationship reduced to this,' he added, in response to Mr Vance's comments. Fellow Conservative politician Johnny Mercer, who was veterans minister until July last year and served as a commando in Afghanistan, said: 'Vance needs to wind his neck in. Show a bit of respect and stop making yourself look so unpleasant.' He added: 'This clown needs to check his privilege. I read his book making the mistake of finding him quite interesting. 'By his own admission he spent his time in the Marines 'writing articles and taking pictures'. 'Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own country's crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice.' Ben Obese-Jecty, the Tory MP for Huntingdon, also noted how Mr Vance wrote in his 2016 memoir that he was 'lucky to escape any real fighting' during his time as a Marine Corps journalist in Iraq. Mr Obese-Jecty, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan himself, added: 'British troops stood shoulder to shoulder with the US after Article 5 was invoked following 9/11. 'I served in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010 during its most kinetic phase. In Sangin, I saw first-hand the sacrifices made by our soldiers; a quarter of the 457 British soldiers lost died there. 'Vice-President Vance served in Iraq writing articles and taking photos for the US Marines. He should be well aware of the sacrifices made by America's allies in recent decades. 'To suggest Britain did not pay our share of blood and treasure does a disservice to the close relationship between our two militaries.' David Taylor, the Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead, said: 'This great nation has proudly fought shoulder to shoulder with our US allies, with 457 service men and women killed defending freedom in Afghanistan alone. 'These shameful remarks will never undo their sacrifice or the gratitude we have for their defence of British values.' Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire, a former captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, said: 'JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. 'Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didn't return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality.' She said Lord Mandelson, the UK's ambassador to the US, should 'call on Vance to apologise for these comments'. Andy McNab, the former SAS soldier who fought in the First Gulf War, invited Mr Vance to visit Britain's war memorials. The best-selling author said: 'He needs to read the names of the dead who have fought and shed blood alongside US troops.' Graham Stuart, the Tory MP for Beverley and Holderness, said: 'We have to consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset. 'If so, Trump's acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putin's FSB career - and Europe is on its own.' It later emerged how Mrs Badenoch is attempting to limit interventions by her party's MPs over the Ukraine crisis and actions by Mr Trump and his team. In a message to every Tory MP, Rebecca Harris - the Conservative chief whip - said: 'We understand that there are many concerns about the unfolding events around Ukraine and US involvement. We do not need to tweet all of our thoughts in real time. 'When it comes to defence and national security, we need to raise the threshold for what needs to be said publicly and ensure the facts are clear first.' Mr Vance's own intervention came after Mr Trump inflicted another hammer blow on decades of Western alliances by pulling all military aid to Ukraine. The White House has paused delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv after announcing overnight it was 'reviewing' assistance to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution'. The move appears to be part of a power play to heap pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to make concessions in negotiations with Russia. Meanwhile, there are claims that Trump officials have been drawing up plans to ease sanctions on Mr Putin, the Russian President. A Government spokeswoman said the UK is 'absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace' after the extraordinary decision by the US President. In radio and TV interviews this morning, Deputy PM Angela Rayner admitted it is a 'very serious moment' but American military aid was a 'matter for the US'. In his Fox News interview, Mr Vance heightened his criticism of Mr Zelensky, accusing him of 'needling' Mr Trump and having a 'certain sense of entitlement'. 'He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy,' he said. 'That's the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasn't yet there. And, frankly, still isn't there. But I think he'll get there eventually, he has to.' Mr Vance said Ukrainian officials have made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but their efforts were shut down by the president. He claimed the 'door is open' as long as 'Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace'. Highlighting the minerals deal, Mr Vance said that would amount to a security deal with the US that would prevent Putin 'invading Ukraine again'. 'If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine,' he said. 'That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.' Keir Starmer is 'engaging with key allies' today after Donald Trump 's bombshell move to pull all military aid to Ukraine Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office European leaders and Canada gathered in London on Sunday to consider the response to the Ukraine crisis A UK Government spokeswoman said: 'We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so. 'We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with 3 billion-a-year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a 2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets. 'In addition, we've set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace.' Ms Rayner said Sir Keir remains 'laser-focused' on securing a lasting peace for Kyiv and would not be 'derailed'. 'We are absolutely focused on making sure that we get that peace and the security guarantees as part of that,' she said. 'We won't be derailed or sidelined by commentary, ongoing commentary, but that we will use our relationship, our long-standing relationship, with the US and our European allies to support Ukraine and President Zelensky in getting that peace deal and making sure those securities are part of that.' Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid. Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office. That triggered crisis talks between European leaders in London on Sunday, with Sir Keir trying to forge a 'coalition of the willing' that could enforce any peace deal with Russia. The UK and France have signalled they would be ready to contribute troops on the ground, while Canada, Italy and Poland are other potential participants. But Sir Keir has made clear that UK troops would not be deployed without an underpinning of security guarantees from the US. Mr Zelensky looks to be resisting Washington's demands that he accepts the principle of ceding territory to Russia, after the latest full-scale invasion in 2022. Putin's troops current occupy around a fifth of Ukraine. A White House official said: 'The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The decision casts doubt over Ukraine's ability to continue to defending itself against Russian invaders. It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in jeopardy. Mr Trump's shift followed an abrupt post warning that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' yesterday after Mr Zelensky suggested the end of the war is still 'very, very far away'. Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's (pictured) intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid Mr Zelensky was speaking after the London summit saw 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. Sir Keir said the powers would work together to draw up a viable peace plan that could be presented to Mr Trump. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social website. Mr Trump also questioned Mr Zelensky's commitment to peace, saying that he 'doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing'. He also hinted that Mr Zelensky might not be Ukrainian president much longer - a key demand of Putin. Mrs Badenoch said the UK and Europe must 'rearm faster' following the US announcement. She said:' The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. 'It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. 'We must work to keep America in, and Russia out.' Three brothers who butchered an innocent father-of-six to death in a botched vigilante killing have been quietly released from prison after less than 16 years in jail. The brutal murder of devout Christian Julien Warrington, 43, in September 2007 shocked the nation when it emerged that he was the victim of mistaken identity. The chef had been relaxing at his home in Camberwell, south London, when a gang kicked the front door from its hinges and smashed the bay window in broad daylight before storming into the living room. Clutching a butchers knife and other weapons they dragged Mr Warrington from his desk and knifed him nineteen times in a frenzied attack. He was heard to scream: Oh, no, no, no. He was looking at pictures of his children saved on his computer when the gang burst in. After the brutal attack one shouted: weve finished in here now as they sped off in a waiting car and van. Mr Warrington, who had four daughters and two sons, was left to die in a pool of his own blood, slumped across the sofa. John Fitzgerald, 28, of nearby Brixton and his half-brother, Alan Ellis, 19, of Camberwell, were convicted of his murder at the Old Bailey in September 2008. The murder of Julien Warrington, 43, shocked the nation in September 2007 when it emerged that his brutal killing was a case of mistaken identity Murderers (from left) John Fitzgerald, Alan Ellis and Declan Fitzgerald have all been released after less than 16 years in jail after receiving life sentences for murdering Julien Warrington A third brother, 23-year-old Declan Fitzgerald, of Battersea, south London, pleaded guilty to murder before the start of the trial. All three were jailed for life with Fitzgerald getting a minimum term of 17 years, his brother Declan 15 years, and Ellis 14 years. The trial heard that Ellis had been attacked earlier on the 3rd September 2007 and had vowed revenge. The gang mistakenly thought Mr Warrington was involved and launched the knife assault at his sisters flat. He had been staying there. Prosecutor Jonathan Turner QC said a neighbour heard an almighty bang and looked outside to see a gang of men at Mr Warringtons house. Roughly four people, white men, were kicking at the door. One of them was breaking the glass of the bay window. One of them was carrying a knife. He described their demeanour as that of men, not youths and their conduct reminded him of commandos. Mr Warrington was stabbed to death in his own room, shortly after two oclock in the afternoon in broad daylight. Julien Warrington's sisters sing beside his coffin at his funeral in Brixton, south London on November 16 2007 Julien Warrington was knifed him nineteen times in a frenzied attack after the three brothers kicked his door of its hinges, smashed his window and forced their way in He suffered numerous stab wounds to his body, limbs and head. One of them caused a deep penetrating injury to his back, which was the wound that killed him, pierced his right lung. What lay behind this attack was revenge. The killing sparked one of the earliest debates about soaring knife crime and became a cause celeb for campaigners seeking an urgent need for effective solutions. Despite the outrage, MailOnline can reveal that the three brothers are all now out of jail on licence. If they breach any rules, they can be returned to prison. The Parole Board has confirmed that Declan Fitzgerald, now 39, was the first to be freed in 2022. He had served 14-years in jail and was recommended for parole on his second application. The next to be recommended for release was Ellis, now 35, in March last year. He had served 16-years. John Fitzgerald, 44, was recommended for release in November 2024. A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Declan Fitzgerald following an oral hearing. Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. Julien's family said his murder 'has had a devastating effect on our whole family. It has left us in pieces. A large chunk of our hearts have been ripped out that can never be replaced' After the case his family said in a statement: Juliens murder has had a devastating effect on our whole family. It has left us in pieces. A large chunk of our hearts have been ripped out that can never be replaced. To have him so brutalized in a case of mistaken identity sickens us and has left us with a gap that can never be filled. He was a hard working man who always put his children first. Now his childrens lives will never be complete without him. Julien was not a fighter, nor was he an aggressive or angry man. He was passive, patient, very loving and most of all a joker. During the verdicts, the family had stormed out of court after a fourth brother, Stephen Fitzgerald, of Bromley, Kent, was cleared of murder. Detective Chief Inspector Damian Allain said outside court: Julien Warringtons life was taken in the most brutal way by men who mistook him for someone they felt they had a grievance against. Screen legend Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa could have died from food poisoning, according to a former FBI agent. The mummified remains of the Oscar winner, 95, and his classical pianist wife, 65, were found in their $3.8 million Santa Fe home last week, but the cause of their deaths remains a mystery. 'Toxicology there could have been some other type of poisoning, possibly food? They'll go through their trash, fridge this is stuff the police can do in the meantime while gathering evidence,' former FBI agent Bill Daly told Fox News. 'There are a number of possibilities.' READ MORE: Incredible story behind Gene Hackman's devotion to German Shepherds after adopting a stray that wandered onto the set of 1999 film The Replacements Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said there were no signs of foul play or external trauma on the couple's bodies. The deaths were originally deemed suspicious enough to warrant a full investigation but cops no longer believe anyone else was involved. One of three of couple's dogs was found dead inside a kennel in a bathroom. The other two were found healthy, roaming around. Detectives found an orange prescription bottle by Arakawa's body, two cellphones and a 2025 planner while searching the couple's home, per Fox News Digital. Hackman's pacemaker last recorded him alive on February 17 - nine days before his body was found. A former FBI agent has put forward the theory that Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy died from food poisoning. They are seen in 2024 Police are seen outside the couple's Santa Fe home. The cause of their deaths remains unknown Hackman met Arakawa, a classically trained pianist who grew up in Hawaii, when she was working part-time at a California gym in the mid-1980s. They are seen in 2003 'An initial interrogation was conducted of Mr. Hackmans pacemaker. This revealed that his last event was recorded on Feb. 17, 2025,' Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said in a press conference on Friday. Police do not suspect foul play, despite the front door being found 'ajar.' There were no signs of forced entry into the home. 'I think I'm pretty confident that there is no foul play just based on the lack of evidence,' Mendoza later told Today. 'But, of course, we're not ruling that out.' Suspicions the couple and their pooch died from a gas leak have been ruled out by the Santa Fe Fire Department, according to Chief Brian Moya. The case is shrouded in the kind of intrigue reserved for Hackman's detective thriller novels and has garnered international attention - with many wondering how their deaths went unnoticed for so long. Neighbors in their gated private community off a winding canyon road five miles outside of Santa Fe told The New York Times that despite living with the celebrity couple for years, most of them never even caught a glimpse of them. Hackman was in a mud room off the kitchen. His sunglasses and cane were on the floor and it has been suggested the actor had suffered a fall. Morgan Freeman speaks about Gene Hackman with an image of Gene Hackman on the screen during the Oscars on Sunday Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner with an estimated net worth of $80million, just turned 95 in late January. He became a recluse in the last 20 years of his life, after retiring from acting in 2004. He packed up his things, left Los Angeles for a quiet life in New Mexico - and he never looked back. Friends occasionally shared glimpses of his post-acting life, including social media shots of fishing expeditions - while paying tribute to his silver screen triumphs. He would also occasionally be spotted pedaling around Santa Fe on a bicycle. The gruff-but-beloved Hackman was among the finest actors of his generation, appearing as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s. He was a five-time Oscar nominee who won for The French Connection in 1972 and Unforgiven two decades later. His death comes just four days before this year's ceremony. Hackman met Arakawa, a classically trained pianist who grew up in Hawaii, when she was working part-time at a California gym in the mid-1980s, the New York Times reported in 1989. They soon moved in together, and by the end of the decade had decamped to Santa Fe. A besotted prison officer who performed a sex act on a convicted burglar and referred to herself as his 'queen' has been jailed for 21 months. Katie Evans, 26, was locked up after admitting to an 'intimate' relationship with inmate Daniel Brownley at HMP Doncaster. The mother-of-one, from Hatfield, South Yorkshire, boasted to an ex-prison officer that she had performed a sex act on the con. Phone records revealed she had communicated with Brownley 140 times on a SIM card that had been smuggled into the category B jail, with some calls lasting nearly an hour. During their phone conversations, Evans called herself 'your queen' while talking to Brownlee, who was serving five-a-half-years for burglary, attempted robbery and handling stolen goods. Evans was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court, where Judge Jeremy Richardson, KC, told her she had 'betrayed the trust' placed in her as a prison officer. He told Evans, who sobbed in the dock: 'There must be a prison sentence. Corrupt prison officers must be punished. There is no question about that. The public expects punishment for those who betray trust in the way that you did. 'It is truly a terrible situation for a judge to be passing sentence on a former prison officer, who has been branded a corrupt prison officer, but it must be done.' Katie Evans, 26, was locked up after admitting to an 'intimate' relationship with inmate Daniel Brownley at HMP Doncaster Evans was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court, where Judge Jeremy Richardson, KC, told her she had 'betrayed the trust' placed in her as a prison officer Evans, who admitted misconduct in a public office, committed the offences between March and November 2020 while working at HMP Doncaster, aged 21. Phone records revealed she had 39 conversations with Brownley in just one day. She also boasted to an ex-prison officer that she had performed oral sex on him. Judge Richardson told Evans: 'It appears a SIM card for a mobile telephone had been smuggled into the prison. 'You were not involved in that. However, you communicated via telephone to this prisoner on 140 occasions. 'There were regular conversations. Some of the calls were long. You formed an intimate relationship with this prisoner. 'You described yourself to him as 'your queen'. It appears that you indulged in some forms of sexual activity in the prison. 'It has been described that there was one occasion when you had oral sex with him.' The court also heard that Evans had boasted about collecting 1,000 in respect of cannabis deals on behalf of Brownley, and shared confidential prison information with him. Judge Richardson said her behaviour was a 'serious manifestation' of corruption that undermined public confidence in the prison system. Defence barrister Edward Moss told the court that Evans was 'immature and vulnerable' at the time of the offences The judge reduced her sentence from two years to 21 months as an 'act of mercy' due to her young daughter He told her: 'You were manipulated by a serious criminal to assist him. Your misconduct materially affected the good order and discipline of the prison. 'You not only had some form of sexual intimacy with the prisoner but you also assisted him in his conduct within the prison in terms of handling money for him and sharing prison information about him, with him.' Judge Evans added: 'Whether that was money relating to drugs or it was legitimate is neither here nor there. You are not permitted to handle the money of prisoners. You certainly boasted, whether it was true or not, that 1,000 connected to cannabis was handled by you. 'You shared information about the prisoner which he had no business to know. You discussed prison arrangements in relation to him and you communicated with him by using a false name in order to camouflage your real identity.' Defence barrister Edward Moss told the court that Evans was 'immature and vulnerable' at the time of the offences. He said she was manipulated by Brownley and 'ashamed' of her behaviour. The judge reduced her sentence from two years to 21 months as an 'act of mercy' due to her young daughter. Judge Richardson said Evans was 'no doubt filled with remorse' and told her: 'You were a prison officer at the time. You were also very young at the time. You were inexperienced and immature. That is, however, no excuse for what you did.' He added: 'I appreciate prison will fall hard upon you as a former prison officer.' Vice President J.D. Vance said it was wrong to assume that he was snubbing European allies during his interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday. He did claim that if some European allies were called into assist Ukraine with ground troops they would be sending in thousands who have not faced a ground war in decades. But allies in Europe who helped Americans in the Middle East conflict over the last 20 years didn't take kindly to the insinuation. Vance deflected and instead defended his stance claiming that if the U.S. were to completely stop supporting Ukraine financially and militarily in its war with Russia, then other European nations would fail to step up to the plate to fill the massive void. He also insisted that some of these nations are not prepared to send in thousands of troops after not facing a war in decades. Hannity's interview with the vice president was pre-taped, and news broke just before it aired that President Donald Trump was pausing all military aid to Ukraine. A U.K. correspondent for an Italian newspaper posted to X claiming that Vance's comments on Monday evening are 'bad news' for the leaders of Britain and France. But Vance asserted he did not make any reference about those two countries in his interview. He did, however, say in the sit-down with Hannity that Trump is the only hope for Ukraine and that their President Volodymyr Zelensky should come back to the table to make a deal to secure continued U.S. support. If Europe wants 'security guarantees' for Ukraine, Vance says, they need to help ensure the U.S. has 'economic upsides' and 'long term interest' in the future of the country. Vice President J.D. Vance says it's 'absurdly dishonest' to say he attacked European allies of France and the U.K. during his interview with Sean Hannity A U.S. correspondent for an Italian newspaper said that Vance's comments about U.S. security guarantees in Ukraine are 'bad news' from French PResident Emanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer And Vance alleges that some European nations might not be earnest in their willingness to support Ukraine's war efforts. 'Here's the problem with the Europeans and a lot of these guys are our friends, they're our allies the president has a great relationship with a lot of European heads of state, and so do I, but they need to be realistic,' Vance insisted to Hannity. He revealed: 'Sometimes you'll have European heads of state who may pop up their chest and say, 'we're in it with President Zelensky for the next 10 years.' And then in private, they'll pick up the phone and say, 'This can't go on forever. He has to come to [the] negotiating table.' 'So I honestly don't care what the Europeans say in public,' the vice president continued. 'What I care is what they say in private. And what they need to be saying to President Zelensky is 'this can't go on forever.' The bloodshed, the killing, the economic devastation. It's making everyone worse off.' 'The only pathway to peace and prosperity is what the President is trying to accomplish,' Vance concluded. But European allies have insisted they will fill the void left by the U.S. after it paused aid on Monday night. Your browser does not support iframes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) met with British PM Starmer (center) and French President Macron (right) on March 2, 2025. The next day, President Donald Trump announced a pause on military aid to Ukraine President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said: 'This is Europe's moment and we must live up to it.' 'There's a lot we can do in this domain in the short term to direct more funds to defense related investments,' she insisted. Vance told Hannity: 'If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that [Russian President] Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.' 'That has a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years,' he added. 'The security guarantee, and also the economic guarantee for Ukraine is to rebuild the country, and ensure that America has a long term interest.' 'You're not going to do that if you come to the oval office, insult the president and refuse to follow his plan for peace,' he concluded. China firmly opposes U.S. new tariff move, vows countermeasures to safeguard interests Xinhua) 11:10, March 04, 2025 BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the U.S. decision to impose an additional 10-percent tariff on goods imported from China again, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday. China will take countermeasures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests, the spokesperson said. China is one of the countries with the strictest and most rigorously enforced anti-drug policies in the world. China and the United States have engaged in extensive and in-depth anti-drug cooperation, achieving remarkable results, the spokesperson noted. However, the United States has repeatedly shifted the blame and imposed additional tariffs on Chinese exports to the country, citing the issue of fentanyl as a pretext. "What the U.S. side has done is a typical act of unilateralism and bullying in disregard of facts, international trade rules and the voice of all parties," the spokesperson said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Dozens of shipwrecked migrants have been left stranded on the lower decks of a gas rig adrift in the Mediterranean Sea - with an international row brewing over who should rescue them. One of the men took to social media to explain how they had set out from Libya and spent five days aboard a rubber dinghy before being shipwrecked at the rig in the Miskar oil and gas field, located off the coast of Tunisia, on Saturday. Dozens of people, including women and children, are seen shivering as they lay or sat on metal grating hovering precariously above the waves raging mere feet below them. One is already said to have died. 'You see here, on the floor. We are sick, we are hungry and cold. If you can come and help us, otherwise we will end up like the others,' he said in Tigrinya, suggesting he had travelled from Eritrea or the Tigray region of Ethiopia. 'We don't have a way out. We are sick and famished. We haven't eaten for five days, we are dying from the cold.' There are believed to be a total of 32 migrants trapped on the rig in the Miskar gas field according to the Med Alarm Phone, an activist-run group which takes distress calls from migrants in the Mediterranean, and Sea Watch, a refugee rescue organisation. But four days on from their stranding, there is still no word of a rescue. Under international law, the refugees have the right to be brought to safe harbour, but neither Libya or Tunisia are considered safe countries. Sea Watch and the NGO Saving Humans Mediterranea called on European authorities to intervene, reporting that Italian and Maltese authorities had been notified but that the Italian authorities passed the case back to Libya. Migrants left stranded on the lower decks of a gas rig adrift in the Mediterranean Sea have made an urgent appeal for help Dozens of people, including women and children, are seen shivering as they lay or sat on metal grating hovering precariously above the waves raging mere feet below them. One is already said to have died On Saturday, March 1 2025, the Watch The Med Alarm Phone network issued an alert that 32 migrants were shipwrecked in the Miskar gas field off Tunisia Speaking to The Civil Fleet on Sunday, Sea Watch spokesman Paul Wagner said that workers on board the Miskar gas rig informed the NGO's reconnaissance aircraft that the stranded migrants were still alive. 'We demand that Italian and Maltese authorities rescue the people stuck on the platform. They are in international waters, in the Tunisian and the Maltese search-and-rescue (SAR) region - it is their right to be brought to a safe harbour,' Wagner said. He added that the Tunisian Navy had reportedly volunteered to collect the shipwrecked migrants, but that no vessel ever showed up. 'Italian or Maltese authorities must rescue the people on the platform and bring them to a safe European harbour as soon as possible,' he concluded. Activists said that the operators of the Miskar gas rig, Amilcar Petroleum Operations (APO), would be complicit in violating human rights if they provided no aid to the trapped migrants on board their platform. APO is run by Tunisia's state-owned oil and gas corporation. MailOnline has contacted APO for comment. Although the Miskar gas field is Tunisian-owned and operated, it sits in international waters and is a few dozen miles off the Italian coastal town of Lampedusa. News of the shipwreck comes as Tunisian authorities said 64 more migrants were rescued from a boat that capsized off the country's eastern coast after running out of fuel. The migrant craft is seen floating beside the oil rig in this image taken by a migrant and shared with the Med Alarm Phone The Miskar gas platform in Tunisia The country's national customs agency said maritime patrols sent to the capsized vessel rescued 64 people of various nationalities off the coast of Mahdia on Friday evening, one day before the migrants became stranded at the gas rig. No deaths were reported. 'The rescued migrants were trying to illegally cross by boat towards the European space,' the customs agency said. Initial findings of the investigation suggest that the migrants had set off from an unnamed neighbouring country, likely to be Libya. The migrants were taken to the port of Chebba, 37 miles (60 kilometers) north of Sfax, for further investigation. More than 30,000 migrants set sail from Libya and arrived in Italy in 2024, according to UNHCR. The UN refugee agency said 61% of those arriving in Italy by sea came from Libya, followed by 32% from Tunisia. The UN's International Organisation for Migration estimates that more than 100 migrants have died or gone missing in the central Mediterranean off the coast of Tunisia and Libya since the beginning of 2025. There is no official data about the actual number of migrants living in Libya. A German dominatrix faces three years in prison after her businessman client was allegedly strangled to death by chains he was hanging from during a six-hour 750 bondage session. The sex worker, 38-year-old Jacqueline S., is reported to have wrapped the 53-year-old Dresden businessman in a corset and tied his arms to his body, before hanging him up with a steel chain that was wrapped around his neck three times. Bild reported that an 'anal hook' was attached to his back as well. The Dresden man, who has not been named, wrote to the dominatrix before the six-hour session: 'I want to be used, tortured, humiliated. Really suffer! I'd be very happy if you answered by kissing my feet.' But Jacqueline S, accused of grievous bodily harm resulting in death, said after he was hoisted in the complicated position for 15 minutes, he suddenly collapsed. 'It was like turning off the light. Nothing before, no cold sweat, no shaking. He didn't say the agreed code word "red" either. I can't explain it', she said. She told the court in Hamburg the businessman did not react to hits to his genitals. The dominatrix added that she could not support his heavy body, and the carabiner that was holding him up would not open, meaning the steel chain around his neck tightened. She finally ran out of the room and screamed: 'He's dead! He's dead!' The sex worker, 38-year-old Jacqueline S., is reported to have wrapped the 53-year-old Dresden businessman in a corset and tied his arms to his body (File image) While paramedics who rushed to get the Dresden man down were able to free and revive him, he tragically died in hospital three days later. Jacqueline said she believed he was experienced in hardcore sex: 'He gave me a very confident impression, a seasoned man who knows what he's doing.' In 2022, an Australian sex worker with 'no apparent experience' in dominatrix work was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison after tying down a businessman to the point where he could not move and his breathing had been restricted in a sex act described as 'inherently dangerous'. Madeleine Joan Lewin was found guilty of the manslaughter of Anthony Brady, 52, whose body was found on the sixth floor of Sunshine Tower Hotel, Cairns, on the evening of August 12, 2020. Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane told the Cairns Supreme Court during the trial that from the way Mr Brady's body was found it didn't suggest Ms Lewin attempted any medical intervention or made any phone calls to a medical professional. Ms Lewin snapped a SIM card before leaving the hotel. She then allegedly headed to a Manoora McDonalds before going to the home of acquaintance. The court heard the acquaintance would give evidence Ms Lewin was behaving erratically when she arrived at her residence after 12am. A quiet Oklahoma neighborhood is being torn apart by the sound of a noisy generator that keeps them up at night and vibrates their homes. About a month ago, the residents of Southfork at Surrey Hills in Yukon, near Oklahoma City, became experiencing the disruptions of a loud humming sound coming from a generator that is helping to power a Bitcoin mining company. The disturbance is nonstop and can range from the sound of a fridge running to the roaring of a carwash, according to KFOR. And in parts of the neighborhood, residents have complained it is vibrating their walls and waking them up at night. 'Its nonstop, all day long and all night long,' James Perry, who moved to the neighborhood eight years ago, told the outlet. 'Their kids arent sleeping. Theyre not sleeping. Couples are getting angry and its just its just unnerving.' James and his wife Kristen moved to the neighborhood because they liked the peace and quiet, and their home is settled roughly 100 yards away from the community swimming pool and the two United Production Company's gas wells. United is selling gas to a Bitcoin mining company and is aware of the incessant sound plaguing the community. 'So far, we have placed walls around the generators inside the tank facility and are currently adding wood picket fencing to the existing fence around the outside of the tank facility, to further reduce the noise,' it told KFOR in a statement. The company began selling its gas to the Bitcoin mining company after it's previous gas purchaser 'removed their sales meter' after a contractor 'ruptured the takeaway line during construction, which was the only option to to sell our gas.' About a month ago, the residents of Southfork at Surrey Hills in Yukon, near Oklahoma City, became experiencing the disruptions of a loud humming sound coming from a generator that is helping to power a Bitcoin mining company United Production Company is selling gas to a Bitcoin mining company and is aware of the incessant sound plaguing the community. It has installed a wall and fencing in hopes that it will quiet the sound 'Its nonstop, all day long and all night long,' James Perry (right), who moved to the neighborhood eight years ago, said. Neighbor, Katherine Kent (left) said: 'There is no escaping it. You cant turn everything off in your house. Theres no peace and quiet. The walls are vibrating' United said it has endlessly tried to get the meter reinstalled and the damage repaired, but their efforts have not succeed. They have also gotten several extensions through the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to extend their time offline. 'The only reasonable solution at this point for us was to produce and sell our gas to power a local bitcoin mining company,' it said in a statement. The gas company insisted it is trying to mitigate the sound 'at our own cost,' despite not being required to, as their equipment is outside the homeowner's association zone. Despite the efforts, residents are overwhelmed and tired of the noise and want the equipment moved further away. 'It needs to be moved somewhere, you know, off the off the main path, where we can have some peace and quiet and enjoy the things that we work hard to pay for here,' Katherine Kent, who lives in the neighborhood where homes start at $200,000, told the outlet. 'There is no escaping it. You cant turn everything off in your house. Theres no peace and quiet. The walls are vibrating,' 'The stress level in the community has become almost unmanageable at times,' James agreed. 'There isnt a room in my house that I cant hear this noise. It wakes me up in the middle of the night, and were very concerned about it because its just irritable,' his wife, Kristen, said. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' aides were warned about the prospect of wildfires before she jetted off to Ghana on a heavily-criticized trip. Over a dozen of Bass' aides received an email from LA's Emergency Management Department on January 3 that warned about a 'high confidence in damaging winds and elevated fire conditions occurring next week,' per the Los Angeles Times. But Bass was never informed about the email, and still went on the trip the next day, staying for the new Ghanaian president's inauguration and a cocktail party at the US embassy on January 7 - the same day the dystopian wildfires broke out. Bass' absence from the city saw her widely-condemned. The mayor since sought to pass the buck and terminated the city's fire chief Kristin Crowley for failing to warn her of the fire dangers. But critics say new evidence of what Bass' team knew before the fires began suggest the mayor is trying to deceive voters and distract attention from the appalling failings of her own office. City councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who supports former fire chief Crowley said: '(Bass) keeps saying, "I wouldnt have left had I known." But her staff did know. 'This verifies that her staff was notified of the potential threat by EMD, whose responsibility it is to let us know of these potential weather events.' A committee comprised mainly of Republicans is now fundraising for a recall election, which could see Bass fired from office. The office of Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass received an email about the potential for dangerous winds a day before she flew to Ghana in January. She is seen during the trip One of Bass' aides said the email did not suggest an imminent catastrophe, but the email included the above graphic An aerial view of homes which burned in the Eaton Fire on January 25 As the LA Times notes, by then the National Weather Service had long begun sending alerts about the risk of wildfires. Deputy mayor Zach Seidl, one of the aides who received the warning email, claimed the communication did not flag an imminent catastrophe because the suggested meeting about it was 'tentative.' Seidl has repeated Bass' claim that the city's fire chief should have called her directly. 'Before other major weather emergencies, the Mayor or at minimum, the Mayors Chief of Staff has received a direct call from the Fire Chief, flagging the severity of the situation. This time, that call never came,' Seidl told the LA Times. However, the email included a graphic that showed a large red flame with the words 'Critical fire conditions' and said winds could reach 80mph on January 7 which could create a major risk for the area. Moreover, EMD officer also directly emailed two Bass aides with a Zoom link to a meeting that was to be an adverse weather coordination call. The National Weather Service was on alert since the final days of December, when it began holding daily briefings on the fire risk, and the first 'fire call' happened on December 30, with another on January 2, officials told the LA Times. From then on, there were daily conference calls and webinars about the fire threat. On January 2, two days before Bass flew to Ghana, the weather agency warned during the daily call of a DAMAGING OFFSHORE WIND EVENT in LA as well as the 'long duration of Red Flag conditions.' A day after Bass left for Ghana, on January 5, the weather service went from a red flame icon to a purple one, indicating the fire risk had risen to 'extreme.' The following day the weather service said on X: 'HEADS UP!!! A LIFE-THREATENING, DESTRUCTIVE, Widespread Windstorm is expected Tue afternoon-Weds morning across much of Ventura/LA Co.' Bass did not return to LA until January 8 - over a day after the wildfires in Palisades started. Thousands of properties were destroyed across the city by a series of fires that killed 29. The National Weather Service had begun sending alerts about the risk of wildfires long before Bass flew to Ghana in January Bass has blamed former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, who she fired, for the response to the fires Bass' apparent attempts to scapegoat former fire chief Crowley have yet to shift attention away from her own shortcomings, with Crowley appealing her firing. While Bass initially praised Crowley in the early hours of firefighting, she said she later learned an additional 1,000 firefighters could have been deployed the day the blaze ignited. Additionally, she said Crowley rebuffed a request to prepare a report on the fires that is a critical part of investigations into what happened and why. 'One thousand firefighters who could have been on the job fighting the fires were sent home' on Crowleys watch, Bass said. The Palisades Fire began during heavy winds January 7, destroying or damaging nearly 8,000 homes, businesses and other structures and killing at least 12 people in the affluent LA neighborhood. Another wind-whipped fire started the same day in suburban Altadena, a community to the east, killing at least 17 people and destroying or damaging more than 10,000 homes and other buildings. Speaking at City Hall, Bass said Crowley never notified her of the looming danger before she departed, even though that was standard practice since she took office in December 2022. 'She has my cellphone. She knows she can call me 24/7,' Bass said. 'That did not happen this time.' The Democrat has been widely criticized for her handling of the tragic fires that destroyed thousands of properties and left 12 dead - with a committee of mostly Republican operatives is now raising funds to put a recall on the ballot Bass did not return to LA until January 8 - over a day after the wildfires in Palisades started At City Hall, Bass was pressed again on how she could have been unaware of the fire risk before leaving the country, given widespread media coverage about intensifying winds and tinder-dry conditions. She didnt appear to respond directly. The firefighters union sharply criticized Bass decision and echoed the former chiefs concerns over the departments staffing and funding. Crowley is 'being made a scapegoat ... without the benefit of a full investigation into what actually happened,' United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, Local 112, said in a statement. 'The reality is our fire department has been understaffed and under-resourced for years including during Mayor Bass time in office,' the union said. 'The LAFD did have operational budget cuts in this fiscal year, including cuts to overtime, brush clearance and civilian positions. In fact, we still have nearly 100 broken down fire engines, trucks and ambulances in the maintenance yard because of civilian mechanic job cuts. This is a city that has neglected its fire department,' the statement said. Disgraced broadcaster Huw Edwards has been 'unwilling' to pay back the 200,000 salary he pocketed between his arrest and resignation, a BBC top boss has revealed. Chairman Samir Shah admitted today that the corporation has not been able to recover any salary as yet from the former BBC star, who was convicted of downloading child sex abuse images last year, and described the situation as 'quite frustrating'. Last year, Edwards, 63, was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after he admitted to having indecent images of children. After his guilty plea in July, the BBC asked him to return his salary, which he was paid during the period following his arrest in November 2023 until he resigned in April 2024. Asked if they have been able to recover any salary from Edwards during the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday, Dr Shah said: 'We have not... We've obviously asked, and we've said it many times, but he seems unwilling. 'There was a moment that we thought that he might just do the right thing for a change, then he decided not to.' He added: 'It's quite frustrating this, really, because I think he should have done it. He could still do it. 'It's not right. He's taken licence fee payers' money and he knew what he'd done and he should return it now.' Disgraced broadcaster Huw Edwards has been 'unwilling' to pay back the 200,000 salary he pocketed between his arrest and resignation, a BBC top boss has revealed Chairman Samir Shah admitted today that the corporation has not been able to recover any salary as yet from former BBC star Huw Edwards The BBC director general also confirmed the corporation has sought legal advice and there is nothing more it can do at this stage. Edwards pleaded guilty to having indecent images of children on July 31 at Westminster Magistrates' Court, including 13 of the most serious category A and one of a child as young as seven. The disgraced BBC news presenter, who is yet to pay back any of the 200,000 the broadcaster paid him after his arrest, was pictured last month walking down a street in Swansea, Wales, on February 15. An onlooker, who witnessed Edwards walking along in his native Wales unbothered, said the journalist was a 'shadow of his former, super-confident self'. 'He was vaping and coughing and spluttering a bit, and didn't look in the best shape,' they told The Sun. 'But he was lucky to be enjoying his freedom when most people think he should have been jailed for what he did.' He was among the BBC's highest-paid, with its accounts putting him in a pay bracket of between 475,000 and 479,999 for 2023/24 . This was a 40,000 pay rise from 2022/23, when he was paid between 435,000 and 439,999. Huw Edwards leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent pictures of children in July 2024 The former news anchor also raked in an astonishing 200,000 between his arrest in November 2023 and his resignation on 'medical grounds' the following April after the discovery of indecent images of children in a WhatsApp chat. At the time the Welshman, who boasted a six-figure salary, was not dismissed despite some more senior BBC staff being aware of his arrest, with reports he paid a teenager 35,000 for sexual images later emerging last September. He was handed a six-month suspended sentence sparking outrage among campaign groups who branded it 'ludicrous, absurd and embarrassing' that he had been allowed to walk out of court instead of being sent to prison. As well as a suspended sentence, Edwards was also put on the sex offender register and was told he had to take part in rehabilitation sessions. At the time BBC boss said there were discussions regarding the six-figure sum Edwards had earned following his arrest saying the BBC could possibly go down the legal route to retrieve the wages. The latest revelation comes just months after a man who was sent child abuse images by a sex offender who also shared pictures with Huw Edwards was spared jail. Jac Davies, 25, should avoid prison to achieve 'parity' with the disgraced BBC presenter, his defence lawyer told his sentencing hearing in December. He was given a sentence of 12 months, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to possession of indecent images of children and possession of Class A drugs. Davies was investigated after South Wales Police discovered he had been involved in the sharing of images with paedophile Alex Williams, who had also sent pictures to Edwards, Leeds Magistrates' Court heard last December. Edwards is currently being divorced by his wife Vicky Find, who is also the mother of his five children, with his 4.75 million Dulwich home also up for sale. A man whose body was cut into at least 27 pieces had been bludgeoned to death by his lodger who then set about dismembering his body using a hacksaw, a jury was told today. Stuart Everett's skull alone was split into several fragments with his face stripped off and dumped separately, they were told after being warned they were about to hear 'distressing' evidence about his death. The 'gruesome' discovery of a lower torso and thighs wrapped in cling film by a horrified member of the public in a Salford nature reserve last April sparked a massive police search to identify the victim. It was immediately obvious that the body part belonged to a man who had been 'sawn into pieces', according to the prosecution. Police later found a further 26 parts of his body at four other locations, jurors were told however only around one-third of Mr Everett's remains have so far been recovered. They discovered CCTV footage of a man entering woodland where the torso was found carrying a heavy looking bag for life before re-emerging with it empty and folded-up, the court heard. Officers arrested Marcin Majerkiewicz, now 42, as he matched the suspect's description and found him carrying two mobile phones plus bank cards in the name of Mr Everett, Manchester Crown Court heard. Detectives established that Polish-born Majerkiewicz had been subletting a room from the 67-year-old, who hadn't been seen alive for several weeks although messages had allegedly been sent from his phone saying he was unwell. Stuart Everett (pictured) was found cut into at least 27 pieces had been bludgeoned to death by his lodger The discovery of a lower torso and thighs by a horrified member of the public sparked a massive police search to identify the victim (Pictured: A forensic tent at Kersal Dale) Searches of the house they shared in Winton found bloodstains and saw marks evidence that 'something terrible had happened' there, prosecutor Jason Pitter KC told jurors. Police analysed Majerkiewicz's movements in the days after Mr Everett's disappearance using mobile phone data and recovered a further 26 parts of his body from four other locations, he said. These included several pieces of skull which were found in a reservoir as well as Mr Everett's face, which had been cut off. The skull fragments were placed together by a pathologist who concluded that Mr Everett had been killed by 'sustained, severe force blunt force physical assault in the form of repeated strikes to the head with a heavy blunt implement', Mr Pitter said. The first remains were found in a concrete bunker at Kersal Dale nature reserve on April 4 last year. But jurors were told that Mr Everett was probably killed on the night of March 27. Like the alleged killer, he was of Polish heritage having been born Roman Ziemacki, living in a rented property in which he sub-let rooms to Majerkiewicz and a second man, Michal Polchowski. Jurors were told that Mr Everett and Majerkiewicz were 'close', but that the accused had expressed 'frustration' at his rent being increased. It was immediately obvious that the body part belonged to a man who had been 'sawn into pieces', according to the prosecution (Pictured: Forensic officers at Kersal Dale) Police found a further 26 parts of his body at four other locations, however only around one-third of Mr Everett's remains have so far been recovered (Pictured: Police carry out searches) His lower torso and thighs were found in one piece by members of the public who informed police, however at that stage his identity was unknown (Pictured: Police and forensics) His lower torso and thighs were found in one piece by members of the public who informed police, however at that stage his identity was unknown. Police examined CCTV of the area from April 2 and spotted a man with shoulder-length hair 'holding what appeared to be a heavy blue bag for life,' Mr Pitter said. 'A part of the item in the bag was visible and the prosecution say was of a size that could match the body part later recovered. 'He was to emerge a short while later holding the same bag but this time folded up.' No one was pictured carrying anything similar into the area, jurors were told. It was therefore a 'proper conclusion' that this was the killer 'dumping the part of the body', he told jurors. A man fitting the suspect's description was arrested on April 25 and gave his name as Marcin Majerkiewicz, the heard. He allegedly had two mobile phones one belonging to Mr Everett as well as the victim's bank cards. Detectives established that Polish-born Majerkiewicz had been subletting a room from the 67-year-old, who hadn't been seen alive for several weeks (Pictured: Forensics at the scene) Like the alleged killer Mr Everett was of Polish heritage, having been born Roman Ziemacki, living in a rented property in which he sub-let rooms to Majerkiewicz (Pictured: Forensics) Police then visited the men's address where Mr Polchowski told them he had received a message from Mr Everett saying he was unwell and was moving to Derby, jurors were told. It also contained Mr Everett's bank details along with permission to use them at that stage, Mr Polchowski was also arrested. 'The prosecution say that message was a part of the cover up by the defendant and therefore sent by him,' Mr Pitter said. Searches of the property revealed bloodstains and an area of carpet from Majerkiewicz's room which had been cut out. Outside was a skip which contained further evidence that 'a significant clean-up operation' had recently taken place, he added. It demonstrated that 'something terrible had happened in that house', the prosecutor said. With Majerkiewicz in custody, his mobile phone was examined, and detectives retrieved CCTV from the locations he had visited in the days after Mr Everett's disappearance, the court heard. On March 28 he travelled to Worsley Woods with a wheeled bag, returning without it, Mr Pitter said. Pictured: A heavy police presence at Blackleach Country Park as part of the investigation into the headless torso Pictured: North West's Underwater Search and Marine Unit operating in Blackleach Country Park Reservoir in search of remains Police searched the woodland and found a black bin bag which allegedly contained Mr Everett's blood. Later that day he was seen carrying a large blue bag and travelling near to Chesterfield Close. Here police found nine packages of body parts including internal organs such as Mr Everett's heart, kidney, lungs and his genitalia. On March 29 Majerkiewicz was seen travelling to Boggart Hole Clough a popular Manchester park where a section of spinal column was found. Aso that day he was seen carrying a heavy bag to Linneyshaw Colliery Wood where police found another package of body parts wrapped in cling film, jurors heard. It contained bones, muscle tissue and was comprised of ten different body parts which appeared to have been sawed away from the body. Then on April 3 he visited Blackleach Reservoir in Salford where a further six parts of Mr Everett's body were found, including skull fragments, face, and an ear. Evidence therefore placed Majerkiewicz in those locations, Mr Pitter told jurors, 'often arriving with an apparently heavy bag but each time leaving without it or having emptied the contents'. As the jury was sworn in yesterday, trial judge Mr Justice Cavanagh told jurors it was a 'major case' which 'may excite strong emotions'. 'Some of the evidence will be distressing, however you must keep a cool head,' he told them. Majerkiewicz his hair now closely cropped and dressed in a dark grey tracksuit top sat in the glass-panelled dock alongside a Polish interpreter listening to the case against him. Jurors were told it was likely that Majerkiewicz had 'dismembered' Mr Everett at the house they had shared following the 'brutal' killing. While it was 'likely that the entire dismemberment took place after death', he told jurors it was 'possible' that 'some of the cuts occurred whilst Stuart Everett was alive'. Bloodstains were found on the washing machine door along with 'splashes' in Majerkiewicz's bedroom, jurors were told. In the skip outside were pieces of the carpet from his room containing diluted blood 'evidence of an attempted clean-up', Mr Pitter said. Majerkiewicz had 'most likely' used a hacksaw to cut up the bones - as one was found with Mr Everett's DNA on it near the reservoir where the skull fragments were found, he said. A 'sharp implement' was used to cut the soft tissues, Mr Pitter said. The 'removal of the facial skin, whilst broadly keeping it intact, would have required some patience and skill to achieve', he added. 'Together they marked a brutal attack on Stuart Everett leading to his death,' Mr Pitter said. After the killing a 'great attempt' to clean up the property took place, jurors heard, with Majerkiewicz ordering a skip using Mr Everett's name and a neighbour seeing black bin bags brought outside. The bin bags were searched and found to contain a hacksaw blade with Mr Everett's DNA on plus antibacterial wipes allegedly with traces of his blood. Also inside the bags was a waterproof coat belonging to Majerkiewicz with Mr Everett's blood on the cuff, the court was told. The victim's blood was also found on a sofa bed while traces of his DNA were recovered from a fridge, jurors heard. Messages sent from Mr Everett's phone to Mr Polchowski saying he was in Derby and had suffered a stroke had in reality clearly been sent by Majerkiewicz, the prosecution say. Police also searched the home of Majerkiewicz's partner Agnes where they found bloodstained fragments of Mr Everett's skin along with tiny pieces of bone in a Rug Doctor carpet cleaning machine, it was alleged. They also discovered traces of the victim's blood on a suit and a pair of Adidas sliders allegedly belonging to Majerkiewicz as well as on an electrical cord and an empty bottle of Lenor fabric conditioner. All of this was evidence pointing to Majerkiewicz having been 'the person responsible for killing and dismembering Stuart Everett', Mr Pitter said. Majerkiewicz denies murder and manslaughter. The trial continues. First Lady Melania Trump is bringing 15 people to her husband's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening. The guests range from families of victims of illegal immigrant crime to a former hostage in Russia and other 'everyday Americans' plagued by plights President Donald Trump has vowed to fix over the next four years in Washington. Trump's first joint session address of his second term is at 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening. He is expected to tout his fast-moving agenda and preview more to come over the remainder of his term under the 'America First' priorities. Notably, the family of Corey Comperatore will sit in the first lady's guest box at the Capitol. Helen Comperatore and her two daughters Allyson and Kaylee are the widow and children of the firefighter who died after he was shot by would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks at Trump's Butler, Pennsylvania rally in July. President Trump brought Comperatore's uniform on stage at the Republican National Convention just days later and kissed the uniform of the man who lost his life while attending an event supporting his 2024 campaign. Fifteen-year-old Elliston Berry from Aledo, Texas was the victim of deepfake bullying. Her attendance as a guest of Melania Trump's is meant to bring awareness to the rise of these attacks using AI image generations. It comes the day after Melania's event where she made her first public remarks after returning to the East Wing and spoke out against revenge porn and deepfake images generated by AI. 'I expected to see more Democrat leaders with us here today to address this serious issue. Surely as adults, we can prioritize America's children ahead of partisan politics,' she said of the Capitol Hill event where Rep. Ro Khanna of California was the only Democratic lawmaker attending. First Lady Melania Trump is bringing 15 people as guests to her husband's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening, her office announced Her guests include the mother and sister of slain nursing student Laken Riley (pictured), who was murdered by an illegal immigrant while on a jog in Georgia last year Melania Trump's guests also include 15-year-old Elliston Berry (left) from Aledo, Texas, who was the victim of deepfake bullying. Her attendance comes the day after the first lady's Capitol event speaking out against revenge porn and deepfake images generated by AI Laken Riley's mother Allyson and sister Lauren are also special guests of Melania for the president's remarks. Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia who was murdered by an illegal immigrant during a morning run. The murderer was apprehended for illegally crossing the border but was released into the country under former President Joe Biden's lax migrant policies. 'The very first bill President Trump signed into law this year was named in Laken's honor,' notes Melania Trump's announcement on her guest line-up. Underscoring the importance of addressing the border crisis, the first lady is also bringing as a guest Houston, Texas native Alexis Nungaray, the mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn, who was murdered by two illegal immigrants during a walk to the store in her hometown. These two individuals were also apprehended and released into the U.S. by Biden's administration just weeks before they murdered Jocelyn. Additionally, Roberto Ortiz from Weslaco, Texas is joining the box after he was shot multiple times by cartel members while performing his Border Patrol duties near the Rio Grande River. Regarding her choices for the guest box this year, the first lady's office wrote: 'These men, women, and families come from all different walks of life with incredible stories about the disaster wrought by the previous administration, and the historic achievements President Trump has already enacted to usher in the Golden Age of America.' The family of Corey Comperatore is also invited as Melania's guests, including his widow Helen (pictured on right) Comperatore's daughters Allyson and Kaylee will sit in the first lady's guest box in the chamber Comperatore was a police officer who was killed by would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks at Trump's Butler, Pennsylvania rally in July. Trump kissed Comperatore's uniform on stage at the RNC this summer American history teacher Marc Fogel is bringing his mother Malphine Fogel, 95, to the remarks as guests of the first lady after President Trump made good on his promise to secure his freedom after he was taken hostage and 'wrongfully sentenced' to 14 years in a Russian prison. It's typical for the first lady's guest box at addresses to joint sessions of Congress to include those affected by policies that the president is looking to address. This year, that includes two individuals impacted by 'woke' transgender policies under the previous administration. Payton McNabb of Murphy, North Carolina was a high school volleyball athlete who suffered a traumatic brain injury in September 2022 after a biological male playing with the women on the opposing team spiked the ball at her face. She could not go on to play volleyball at the collegiate level like she planned. President Trump signed an executive order putting an end to the permission of biological men being allowed to compete in women's sports. Attorney General Pam Bondi has started to warn states like California and Maine against refusing to comply with the law. To underscore a ban men from women's sports, Melania Trump is bringing Payton McNabb to the Tuesday address after her collegiate career of volleyball was crush. During a high school game in September 2022, a biological male on the opposing women's volleyball team spiked a ball into McNabb's face so hard it resulted in a traumatic brain injury Marc Fogel (right) will attend the remarks after President Trump secured his return to the U.S. after Russia took him hostage and sentenced the Pennsylvania history teacher to 14 years in prison for allegedly possessing marijuana at the airport Additionally, January Littlejohn is a parents' rights advocate in Tallahassee, Florida who sued her child's school district after the middle school allowed the biological girl to socially transition to boy without informing her parents. She will sit with Melania Trump and the other guests at the president's remarks on Tuesday evening. Stephanie Diller from Long Island, New York is the widow of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller. She was invited to the joint address after her husband was murdered at a traffic stop in Queens in March 2024 by a 'repeat criminal.' Decatur, Alabama native Jeff Denard is a steel plant worker, volunteer firefighter and good samaritan who provided a foster home to dozens of children and helped organize a natural disaster relief to multiple events, including Hurricane Helene. And finally, Haley Ferguson from Spring Hill, Tennessee is a former foster child who received a Fostering the Future scholarship from the first lady's organization Be Best. The frantic search for an Oregon boy has entered its third day as fears grow for the well-being of Dane Paulsen, 2, who vanished from his home while playing in the front yard on Saturday afternoon. A massive community-wide effort is underway as almost 100 certified search and rescue members were enlisted to comb the rural community of Siletz. A gold station wagon and an adult man were spotted near a bridge close to the toddler's home when he vanished. Police asked the community to keep an eye out for the car, and announced on Sunday that a public tip led to the discovery of the suspect. After an investigation, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said they were no longer considering the man a point of interest. Authorities are pleading with the public for any information that could lead to Dane's location. Police issued an update on Monday night notifying the community that search efforts would continue into the evening and throughout the day on Tuesday. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office warned volunteers not to search after dark and avoid the primary search area as to not disrupt the rescue team's methodical search. Dane Paulsen, 2, vanished from his home in Siletz, Oregon at 4:25 pm on Saturday The child has brown hair, green eyes, and was last seen wearing a grey fuzzy hoody with black pants Dale's family lives in Siletz, Oregon where the toddler vanished on Saturday in broad daylight So far, search teams have covered 311 miles of ground and searched 682 acres, 230 of which were conducted by volunteers from the community. Four watercrafts have also been used in the search along with 13 divers, four drones, six canines, and 40 investigators, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. The Siletz River and acres of forested land were the focus of the search. Several law enforcement agencies have joined the sheriff's office in the investigation including, the Oregon State Police, the Lincoln City Police Department, Newport PD, the FBI, and Siletz Valley fire. Dane's mom, Cha Met, posted a heartbreaking message on her Facebook account, pleading with the public for help. 'Our baby is missing name his is Dane hes 2 years old he look like hes 3 or 4 he was wearing navy blue shoes with two stars white socks black sweats with a dark blue zip up hooded fleece with teddy bear ears on the hood of his zip up,' she wrote on Sunday. Met also reposted details on the search and wrote, 'We need all the man power we can get when light hits if youd like to help us find our baby boy please show up.' A community member, Casey Navarro, shared her love for the family on social media, writing to the public, 'My heart has been in shambles all night over Dane. 'Cha Met (Danes mom) is such a wonderful person. Shes the kind of person who shows up at your house to tell your older kid she got baby chickens and takes your toddler too so she doesnt feel left out.' The toddler is said to be 'friendly and fearless' and loves the water but can't swim Friends of the family have posted photos of Dane on social media to raise awareness following the toddler's disappearance Members of the community are encouraged to help with volunteer search efforts and notify authorities if they have any information on Dane's whereabouts The Elks Toketee Illahee campground is serving as the home base for community search efforts. Community volunteers meet up at the campground and split off into groups to crawl through the woods in hopes of seeing something that will lead to Dane's location. Elks Lodge member Jeff Lawrence leads groups of volunteers through the woods and instructs them to treat the area like a crime scene if they find a toddler. 'Put a jacket or a blanket over and send somebody right away,' he instructed the volunteers, according to Oregon Live. 'Most of us have kids,' volunteer Mike Lambert told the publication. 'Kind of gut-wrenching,' he added. Dane was last seen at 4:25 pm outside his home on Siletz River Highway. He was wearing a grey fuzzy hoody with ears, blue and white shoes, and black pants. The two-year-old has brown hair and green eyes. Authorities have covered 311 miles and searched 682 acres of Siletz, Oregon The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office reports Dane was last seen playing near milepost 21 on Siletz River Highway, also known as Oregon Route 229 The sheriff's office said over 140 community members have assisted in volunteer search efforts to find Dane The Elks Toketee Illahee campground is serving as a home base for search and rescue efforts 'At the time of Danes disappearance, he was playing in the front yard of their residence and out of sight of his parents,' the sheriff's office said in a statement. 'Dane is friendly and fearless, and is comfortable around strangers and water, but cannot swim. Dane is known to love water and vehicles.' Anyone with information on Dane's whereabouts is asked to call the tip line at 541-265-0669. The sheriff's office determined that the case didn't meet the requirements to issue an Amber Alert. 'Once again, we thank our community for their compassion and assistance. Our team and the community are working to bring Dane home,' the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Dailymail.com reached out to the sheriff's office for an update on the case but didn't immediately hear back. Senior government sources have warned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's position may be untenable without access to American military aid. An anonymous senior official told The Times that Ukraine could 'last a matter of months, maybe less' unless the flow of support from Washington resumes. 'The Ukrainians are already living hand to mouth,' the source told the newspaper. 'Any delay in the supply of GPS-guided missiles, Himars, artillery and air defence missiles will be a serious problem for them. They can last a matter of months, maybe less.' They stressed the importance of Zelensky 'building up a relationship' with Donald Trump and JD Vance in the wake of a growing spat that led to the U.S. ceasing all aid to Ukraine on Monday. Another source warned that Zelensky's current position may become 'untenable' as the Ukrainians 'cannot hold the line without U.S. support'. The fears echo those voiced by Ukraine following the shock announcement on Monday. A senior Ukrainian intelligence official said that Ukraine would probably run out of the last American military supplies in 'two or three months'. 'After that, it will be very difficult for us,' they told the Financial Times. 'It will not be a total collapse, but we will be forced to withdraw from areas more quickly.' Ukrainian servicemen fire an OTO Melara howitzer towards Russian troops at a position in a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, Ukraine March 3, 2025 Ukrainian troops preparing to fire a M109 self-propelled 155mm howitzer towards Russian army positions near Chasiv Ya in Donetsk region, Ukraine, 28 February Experts continue to predict that Ukrainian arsenals are equipped to repel Putin's invasion until the summer. This is only if the war continues at its current rate; were Putin to throw more resources at the war, it could pressure Zelensky into signing a deal sooner. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CNN that the withdrawal of aid would likely be felt within two to four months with a 'crippling' impact. An American official familiar with the matter told the outlet that the halt on aid might take several days or weeks to be felt - and warned that other allies would not be able to fill the void. 'There is a capability gap that Europe cannot fill alone,' the official said. Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, said in light of the move that Europe 'would probably need to double annual artillery shell production to compensate'. But the variation in equipment would prove a challenge in training, with far more to learn. '[Europe] could dig deeper into its own reserves of other weapons. The problem is that while Europe has donated more in value terms, it also ends up providing many different weapons and vehicle types, which means the Ukrainian force is operating an unwieldy variety of equipment, making training more complicated'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens questions during a meeting with members of the media on the outskirts of London, Britain, March 2, 2025 Your browser does not support iframes. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting in the Oval Office became a shouting match Prior to the announcement, Ukraine had assessed that it would likely last just six months without American aid. Lieutenant-General Ihor Romanenko, former first deputy of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told Al Jazeera in February 'we will last six months' without American military aid. He added that he didn't believe Europe had the capacity to step up in America's place. However, Ukraine has become somewhat less dependent on the US, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior fellow Michael Kofman told the New York Times, 'than it was a year ago.' Dr Kenton White, politics and international relations expert at the University of Reading, told MailOnline yesterday, ahead of the shock announcement, that Ukraine was still reliant on America's scale and efficiency of production, however. 'Ukraine would struggle without US support as the US has the greater capacity for the manufacture and supply of weapons, ammunition and all of the supporting military equipment and infrastructure required to prosecute a modern war,' he said. 'A US backstop is urgent because Western Europe has been complacent about its own defence, and its ability to produce the military infrastructure necessary for fighting a war. 'Even within NATO there is no flexibility for anything other than short term, low intensity conflicts. NATO is not 'war-ready' at all.' Firefighters work to control a fire in Odesa, after a Russian drone attack damaged energy infrastructure in Ukraine's Black Sea port, in this photo released on March 4, 2025 Ukrainian forces firing a 120mm mortar towards Russian positions at an undisclosed location near Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, on February 8 Before aid was withdrawn, the Institute for the Study of War think tank estimated it would take Russian forces more than 83 years to capture the remaining 80% of the country, assuming they could sustain massive personnel losses indefinitely. A White House official confirmed overnight that the U.S. would be 'pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution'. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. A glamorous California influencer got the last laugh after thieves ran off with fake money from her glitzy Bel-Air mansion. 'Money Queen' Amanda Frances's home, which was once owned by Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards, was broken into on Monday around 1am, with thieves making off with designer bags, jewelry, and what they thought were stacks of real money. 'The burglars ransacked my closet, damaging my home in the process, but they dropped nearly everything, prioritizing the prop money when confronted by a neighbors security guard,' Frances told The Los Angeles Times. Frances, 39, had recently done a photoshoot in her driveway with mountains of fake money spilling out of her Mercedes G Wagon as she wore a fashionable pink co-op and skintight white shirt with shiny silver over-the-knee boots. Previously, the mother-of-four had withdrawn real money for photoshoots like this and would return the stacks of green later on. But this time, she changed course after her photographer suggested fake money would be safer. Despite the relief that the thieves took off with loads of fake bills, the influencer still lost a few bags, a ring, and a necklace. By the time police arrived, the suspects had already fled the area. Most of her stolen valuables were recovered in the street by police. The monetary value of the items that remain lost is unclear. DailyMail.com has reached out to Frances for comment. 'Money Queen' Amanda Frances' home was broken into on Monday around 1:00am, with thieves making off with designer bags, jewelry, and what they thought were stacks of real money Frances had recently done a photoshoot in her driveway with mountains of fake money spilling out of her Mercedes G Wagon as she wore a fashionable pink co-op and skintight white shirt with shiny silver over-the-knee boots 'The burglars ransacked my closet, damaging my home in the process, but they dropped nearly everything, prioritizing the prop money when confronted by a neighbors security guard,' Frances said 'Ive worked incredibly hard my entire life to build what I have and own my home in Bel-Air,' the self-made millionaire told The Times. 'I am disheartened and distraught that the city I have dreamed of living in - since I was a child being raised in a tiny town in Oklahoma - has turned out to be an unsafe place to raise a family.' Since the break-in, Frances and her partner, Edward 'Eddie' Tsivislavsky, no longer feel safe raising their small children in the neighborhood, which houses some of the wealthiest people in America. They purchased the former home of Kyle Richards - Paris Hilton's aunt. Kyle and her husband Mauricio Umansky raised their children there, making Frances and Tsivislavsky feel it would be safe to raise their own family in Bel-Air. 'They raised their four kids here, I have four kids. 'This is a family home and we no longer feel safe,' she told The Times. In an eerie coincidence, Richards also experienced a scary burglary in 2017 in her Encino home, where thieves made off with more than $1million in jewelry and handbags. Richards, the aunt of Paris Hilton, sold her Bel-Air home to Frances in 2022 for $6.1million. Bel-Air - which houses the like celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Beyonce - is one of the safest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, according to Property Club. Despite the relief that the thieves took off with loads of fake bills, the influencer still lost a few bags, a ring, and a necklace Since the break-in, Frances and her partner, Edward 'Eddie' Tsivislavsky, no longer feel safe raising their small children in the neighborhood, which houses some of the wealthiest people in America Frances makes her riches by teaching others how to accumulate wealth. She is now selling a digital course, Money Mentality Makeover, which is what the photoshoot full of fake $100 bills was used for. She bases her company, which she started in 2011, to empower young women financially. In 2021, Paul Kiyan, 34, broke into Mat Sabz's home in Bel-Air and refused to leave. While there, he tried on the owner's clothes, swam in his pool, and killed the family parakeets. Kiyan was caught on home surveillance cameras as he entered the house and began to make his way up the stairs. Sabz was only alerted to the uninvited visitor after his wife received an alert on her phone that someone was inside the home who shouldn't be. Beverly Hills Police eventually showed up Kiyan and arrested him. An allegedly violent teen who was not charged by America's most lenient prosecutor after police say he killed a girl in a car crash allegedly went on to commit yet another heinous act days later. Conner Michael Iversen, 18, of St. Paul, Minnesota, is accused of causing a fatal two-vehicle crash last week but inexplicably no charges have been filed yet by Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty. Just two days later, he was charged for a violent stabbing, marking his third alleged offense in under three months. Moriarty, a career public defender before becoming district attorney, has faced mounting criticism for her soft-on-crime approach, often prioritizing leniency over public safety. In a tone-deaf move, she even boldly shared a Facebook post on Monday about how prison reform equates to 'public safety'. Her not charging Iversen despite his seemingly reckless disregard for the law has sparked further outrage. Iversen's alleged criminal history is lengthy. On December 16, 2024, authorities said he led police on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph while recklessly weaving through traffic. Witnesses reported that the driver was recklessly disregarding traffic laws, illegally passing in a no-passing zone, speeding, using the shoulder to overtake vehicles, and swerving erratically across the road. An allegedly violent teen was not charged by America's most lenient prosecutor Mary Moriarty, only to allegedly commit yet another crime just days after cops say he killed a young girl in a car crash Connor Michael Iverson he was charged for a violent stabbing, marking his third serious offense in under three months He was eventually stopped with police spike strips and arrested, but was still allowed to walk free. On February 26, at approximately 8 a.m., he allegedly ran a stop sign at the intersection of County Roads 6 and 110 in Independence, T-boning an SUV carrying the Loycano family. Lilyana Loycano, 11, was critically injured and died two days later. Still, he was able to walk free. Just 48 hours after Lilyana's death, Iversen allegedly stabbed a man at Theodore Wirth Parkway and Olson Highway in Golden Valley on February 28. The victim, who had attempted to help Iversen by offering him a ride, suffered stab wounds to the leg and facial injuries after being struck with a large stick, according to a criminal complaint. Police later tracked Iversen to a nearby maintenance building, where he had allegedly broken in and was found covered in blood and scratches. Before authorities located Iversen, investigators suspect he may have broken into a home in the Hidden Lakes neighborhood, stolen an e-bike, and attempted to enter several other residences. 'Golden Valley is currently investigating multiple burglaries [Friday morning] possibly connected to Iversen,' the complaint noted. Lilyana Loycano, 11, was critically injured and died two days after the accident Kailey Caspersen died in May 2021, aged 25, after taking pain killers sold to her by Jesse Lietzau Stephen Markey, a 39-year-old paralegal, was shot and killed in broad daylight by two teenagers trying to rob him and steal his car 'This was surprising because Golden Valley is a real quiet community you don't see these things happen often and when they do it kind of alarms people,' said Golden Valley Police Chief Virgil Green. Despite his alleged pattern of violence, it took multiple offenses before he was finally jailed only after public outrage. Since taking office, Moriarty has repeatedly faced backlash for decisions that prioritize leniency over justice. In her first week in office, she dismissed charges against a 35-year-old man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl due to a legal technicality, preventing him from ever being retried. She also pushed for probation instead of prison for Jesse Lietzau, whose fentanyl-laced pills killed 25-year-old Kailey Caspersen, leaving her grieving mother demanding justice. In the case of Stephen Markey, a man gunned down during a carjacking, Moriarty offered one of the teenage killers just five years of probation, meaning he may never serve a single day in prison. Despite repeated pleas from victims' families and public officials including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison Moriarty has refused to change course. Even when Governor Tim Walz intervened to remove her from a case involving a brutal home invasion murder, she remained defiant. 'I stand by my decisions,' Moriarty told the press, dismissing public concerns as mere 'pushback.' Only after multiple crimes, including the fatal crash and brutal stabbing, has Iversen finally been held on $50,000 bail. A large number of migrants from Romania have illegally crossed the border into the United States from Canada in recent years. U.S. Customs and Border Protection data showed 2,548 Romanians were encountered by border patrol agents across the country in the 2024 fiscal year. Of those encounters, 865 of them happened along the northern border. Romanians in particular have made up an increasing number of illegal migrants crossing the border into Maine. In 2024, the nationality made up 12 percent of crossings into the state. That is a sharp increase from just four percent the year before. Houlton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Juan Bernal argued that criminal operations in the Northeast may be a contributing factor to the growing number. 'What's really common, especially with the Romanian demographic, is that a lot are involved in some type of fraudulent activity,' Bernal told Bangor Daily News. 'They tell [friends and family], "Come down, we're making all this money exploiting the locals and committing these fraudulent acts."' On February 5, Bernal revealed that two Romanian youths were captured by border patrol agents in the snowy woods after illegally entering the country. Romanians in particular have made up an increasing number of illegal migrants crossing the border into Maine On February 5 two Romanian youths were captured by border patrol agents in the snowy woods after illegally entering the country 'Thanks to a tip from a concerned citizen, Border Patrol Agents near Caswell, Maine used a small Unmanned Aerial System to locate and arrest two subjects from Romania, who had recently crossed the border illegally,' Bernal said. In one encounter from November 2023, 20 Romanians in four cars illegally crossed into Maine during a 'border rush', reported the Bangor Daily News. Of those illegal migrants, two of them were criminals listed on the Transnational Criminal Organized Crime database and were processed for expedited removal hearings. Michelle Mittelstadt, director of communications at the Migration Policy Institute, suggested the increase could be an indicator of a smuggling market. 'Some person or entity is now facilitating travel and making it easier for people who have the money to pay for a smuggler,' Mittelstadt said. 'But again, with conditions so favorable for Romanians to access other EU countries, it seems unlikely that this represents the start of a significant new pattern of movement.' While it is more common for Romanians to migrate throughout Europe since the nation joined the European Union in 2007, there are some contributing factors experts believe to the large sharing trying to enter the U.S. A recent survey of EU members found Romanian citizens are among the most dissatisfied Europeans with their lives, reported non-profit Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Houlton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Juan Bernal (pictured) argued that criminal operations in the Northeast may be a contributing factor to the growing number The survey found 38 percent of people in the country declared themselves completely dissatisfied, with around a third reporting that they expect their lives to get worse in 2025. The most important problems reported by Romanian citizens included price increases, the country's economic situation and the war in nearby Ukraine. Prince Harry's war hero pal who lost two limbs in Afghanistan has tonight demanded an apology from 'shameful' JD Vance after he seemingly branded Britain a 'random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 years'. Ben McBean, 37, from Plymouth, lost an arm and a leg after stepping on a landmine while patrolling in Afghanistan's notorious Helmand Province in February, 2008. The Royal Marine - who Prince Harry hailed as a 'hero' for fighting back from his catastrophic injuries - has accused US Vice President Mr Vance of 'insulting' the memories of hundreds of UK troops killed in the Middle East. It comes as the under-fire American politician desperately scrambled today to prevent a transatlantic rift from widening, as he denied dismissing the UK's military sacrifices in Afghanistan and Iraq. But his 'disrespectful' remarks have been met with fury from military veterans, who have branded US President Donald Trump's number two a 'f***ing a***hole', who deserved to 'get filled in'. Speaking to MailOnline, hero Commando Ben said: 'He owes us an apology. We lost more than 600 men. There were over a 1,000 injured. And this muppet is just going out there and insulting all of them, saying it never happened. 'Don't pretend 600 dead bodies from war didn't happen. He's a keyboard warrior.' It comes as a former Army commander raged Vance had 'sullied' the memories of a generation of brave UK troops who were killed or hurt fighting in support of the US. 'The man is a complete f***ing a***hole,' fumed Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, who completed two tours in Helmand Province. Ben McBean, 37, from Plymouth, lost an arm and a leg after stepping on a landmine while patrolling in Afghanistan's notorious Helmand Province in February, 2008. He struck up a friendship with Prince Harry when he was flown back to the UK for treatment on the same flight as the Duke of Sussex (both are pictured in October 2014) Father-of-two Ben said he will have to live with his wounds for the rest of his life JD Vance was today branded 'shameful' after the US Vice President appeared to dismiss Britain as a 'random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years' 'It wouldn't matter unless he was someone important - and he is, he is the Vice President of the United States. 'It's a crass comment to make. He claims to be an ex-marine. [To see] someone with such a lack of empathy and sensitivity is quite remarkable.' What has been interpreted as Mr Vance's apparent dig at Britain's military history has sparked widespread anger across the UK, from armed forces personnel, veterans and MPs across all political parties. It came after he rubbished Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's offer of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine with British and French boots on the ground. Mr Vance used a Fox News interview to instead pile pressure on Ukraine to sign a minerals deal with Donald Trump. He said this was 'a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. Seething ex-servicemen pointed out that 636 British troops died in Afghanistan and Iraq after the UK allied with the US in military action following the 9/11 terror attacks. Father-of-two Ben, who marked the 17th anniversary of his injury last week, said Vance's seemingly off-the-cuff comments had left veterans and their families reeling. 'I was blown up in Afghanistan. I'm living like this for the rest of my life but he gets to forget about his comments tomorrow,' Ben told MailOnline. Hero Commando Ben said said the US Vice President 'owes us an apology' for is comments Ben is pictured on the parade square receiving his campaign medal just weeks after losing a leg and an arm in an IED blast Mourners pay their respects as the coffins British troops who died in Afghanistan pass through the village of Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire 'He shouldn't get to talk about me and my friends who, at 18 years old, were out there scrapping and dying like it never happened. 'I lost people there. The whole 20 years if you went there, you lost someone. I lost guys on the ground and guys when they came back, who killed themselves. I almost killed myself a few years ago... He doesn't have the right to say anything to us.' The double amputee, who was medevacced home on the same flight in 2008 which brought Prince Harry back to the UK, added: 'He would get filled in if anyone got hold of him. I'd fill him in if I got hold of him.' Mr Vance was accused of 'erasing from history' the sacrifice of UK personnel in those bloody conflicts, with his remarks labelled 'deeply disrespectful'. But the Vice President later strained to claw back his remarks amid the widespread anger at his intervention. He claimed he hadn't been aiming his barb at Britain or France - who are the only two countries to publicly commit to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Yet Mr Vance failed to clarify which nations he had been referring to. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Vance said: 'This is absurdly dishonest. 'I don't even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. 'But let's be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful.' Plymouth-based M Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines, carrying out Operation Volcano against Taliban forces in the village of Barikyu in Nothern Helmand Province, Afghanistan British Army anaesthetist Lt Col Peter Mahoney (L) ventilates British soldier as he is moved back to the Intensive care Unit after a CT scan on May 5, 2007 at Camp Bastion Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon lashed out over the comments by JD Vance But the Vice President's efforts to clarify his remarks brought further condemnation. Critics pointed to the huge list of countries who lost troops after joining US military action in Afghanistan after 9/11. Mr Vance had earlier ramped up transatlantic tensions as he poured cold water over Sir Keir's plan for a 'coalition of the willing' to secure peace in Ukraine. He told Fox News: 'If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. 'That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.' Mr Vance was heavily criticised for his Fox News comments and told to 'wind his neck in' as he risked souring UK relations with Mr Trump's administration. Downing Street slapped down the Vice President's comments. Sir Keir's official spokesman saying: 'The PM and this country are full of admiration for UK troops who served in recent years in Iraq and Afghanistan alongside the US and other allies.' British soldiers from 21 Air Assault Battery Royal Artillery are pictured in Lashkar Gar in 2006 Prince Harry sits with a group of Gurkha soldiers after firing a machine gun from the observation post on JTAC Hill, close to FOB Delhi (forward operating base), on January 2, 2008 Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Mr Vance was 'wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong'. 'For 20 years in Afghanistan - pro rata our size against America's - we spent the same amount of money, we put the same number of men and women in, and we suffered the same losses,' he told GB News, as he attended a farmers' protest in Westminster. 'We stood by America all through those 20 years, putting in exactly the same contribution. 'And, alright, they may be six times bigger but we did our bit. So, on this one, JD is wrong.' But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch - who has launched a crackdown on Tory MPs posting on social media about the Ukraine crisis - agreed with Mr Vance's suggestion that he had been misrepresented over his remarks. 'I know JD Vance quite well. I've looked at the comments, I don't think he actually said that,' Mrs Badenoch said. 'A lot of people are getting carried away. They're saying loads of things and getting quite animated. Let's keep cool heads. 'America is our closest ally and I believe President Trump and JD Vance want peace. They're looking after their national interest. We need to do so as well.' This was despite one of Mrs Badenoch's top shadow ministers and a string of other Conservative MPs lashing out at Mr Vance's comments on social media. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, pointed to how NATO allies rushed to America's aid after the 9/11 attacks, when the US invoked the alliance's Article 5 collective defence clause. 'Britain and France came to their aid deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including my own brother and numerous parliamentary colleagues past and present,' Mr Cartlidge said. 'It's deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who attended a farmers' protest in Westminster today, said Mr Vance was 'wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong' But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch suggested Mr Vance had been misrepresented over his remarks Ex-Armed Forces minister James Heappey, a former soldier, said that serving alongside American and French troops were 'defining moments of my military career'. 'Sad to hear the relationship reduced to this,' he added, in response to Mr Vance's comments. Fellow Conservative politician Johnny Mercer, who was veterans minister until July last year and served as a commando in Afghanistan, said: 'Vance needs to wind his neck in. Show a bit of respect and stop making yourself look so unpleasant.' He added: 'This clown needs to check his privilege. I read his book making the mistake of finding him quite interesting. 'By his own admission he spent his time in the Marines 'writing articles and taking pictures'. 'Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own country's crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice.' Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood said: The Vice Presidents re-writing of history (claiming the UK has not fought in 30 years) is an insult to all the sacrifices our brave military made fighting along side the US in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'This is further confirmation that America is increasingly aligning itself away from Europe and towards Russia. We are on our own.' Ben Obese-Jecty, the Tory MP for Huntingdon, also noted how Mr Vance wrote in his 2016 memoir that he was 'lucky to escape any real fighting' during his time as a Marine Corps journalist in Iraq. Mr Obese-Jecty, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan himself, added: 'British troops stood shoulder to shoulder with the US after Article 5 was invoked following 9/11. 'I served in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010 during its most kinetic phase. In Sangin, I saw first-hand the sacrifices made by our soldiers; a quarter of the 457 British soldiers lost died there. 'Vice-President Vance served in Iraq writing articles and taking photos for the US Marines. He should be well aware of the sacrifices made by America's allies in recent decades. 'To suggest Britain did not pay our share of blood and treasure does a disservice to the close relationship between our two militaries.' David Taylor, the Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead, said: 'This great nation has proudly fought shoulder to shoulder with our US allies, with 457 service men and women killed defending freedom in Afghanistan alone. 'These shameful remarks will never undo their sacrifice or the gratitude we have for their defence of British values.' Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire, a former captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, said: 'JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. 'Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didn't return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality.' She said Lord Mandelson, the UK's ambassador to the US, should 'call on Vance to apologise for these comments'. Andy McNab, the former SAS soldier who fought in the First Gulf War, invited Mr Vance to visit Britain's war memorials. The best-selling author said: 'He needs to read the names of the dead who have fought and shed blood alongside US troops.' Graham Stuart, the Tory MP for Beverley and Holderness, said: 'We have to consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset. 'If so, Trump's acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putin's FSB career - and Europe is on its own.' It later emerged how Mrs Badenoch is attempting to limit interventions by her party's MPs over the Ukraine crisis and actions by Mr Trump and his team. In a message to every Tory MP, Rebecca Harris - the Conservative chief whip - said: 'We understand that there are many concerns about the unfolding events around Ukraine and US involvement. We do not need to tweet all of our thoughts in real time. 'When it comes to defence and national security, we need to raise the threshold for what needs to be said publicly and ensure the facts are clear first.' Mr Vance's own intervention came after Mr Trump inflicted another hammer blow on decades of Western alliances by pulling all military aid to Ukraine. The White House has paused delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv after announcing overnight it was 'reviewing' assistance to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution'. The move appears to be part of a power play to heap pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to make concessions in negotiations with Russia. Meanwhile, there are claims that Trump officials have been drawing up plans to ease sanctions on Mr Putin, the Russian President. A Government spokeswoman said the UK is 'absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace' after the extraordinary decision by the US President. In radio and TV interviews this morning, Deputy PM Angela Rayner admitted it is a 'very serious moment' but American military aid was a 'matter for the US'. In his Fox News interview, Mr Vance heightened his criticism of Mr Zelensky, accusing him of 'needling' Mr Trump and having a 'certain sense of entitlement'. 'He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy,' he said. 'That's the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasn't yet there. And, frankly, still isn't there. But I think he'll get there eventually, he has to.' Mr Vance said Ukrainian officials have made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but their efforts were shut down by the president. He claimed the 'door is open' as long as 'Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace'. Highlighting the minerals deal, Mr Vance said that would amount to a security deal with the US that would prevent Putin 'invading Ukraine again'. 'If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine,' he said. 'That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.' Keir Starmer is 'engaging with key allies' today after Donald Trump 's bombshell move to pull all military aid to Ukraine Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office European leaders and Canada gathered in London on Sunday to consider the response to the Ukraine crisis A UK Government spokeswoman said: 'We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so. 'We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with 3 billion-a-year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a 2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets. 'In addition, we've set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace.' Ms Rayner said Sir Keir remains 'laser-focused' on securing a lasting peace for Kyiv and would not be 'derailed'. 'We are absolutely focused on making sure that we get that peace and the security guarantees as part of that,' she said. 'We won't be derailed or sidelined by commentary, ongoing commentary, but that we will use our relationship, our long-standing relationship, with the US and our European allies to support Ukraine and President Zelensky in getting that peace deal and making sure those securities are part of that.' Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid. Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office. That triggered crisis talks between European leaders in London on Sunday, with Sir Keir trying to forge a 'coalition of the willing' that could enforce any peace deal with Russia. The UK and France have signalled they would be ready to contribute troops on the ground, while Canada, Italy and Poland are other potential participants. But Sir Keir has made clear that UK troops would not be deployed without an underpinning of security guarantees from the US. Mr Zelensky looks to be resisting Washington's demands that he accepts the principle of ceding territory to Russia, after the latest full-scale invasion in 2022. Putin's troops current occupy around a fifth of Ukraine. A White House official said: 'The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The decision casts doubt over Ukraine's ability to continue to defending itself against Russian invaders. It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in jeopardy. Mr Trump's shift followed an abrupt post warning that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' yesterday after Mr Zelensky suggested the end of the war is still 'very, very far away'. Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's (pictured) intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid Mr Zelensky was speaking after the London summit saw 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. Sir Keir said the powers would work together to draw up a viable peace plan that could be presented to Mr Trump. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social website. Mr Trump also questioned Mr Zelensky's commitment to peace, saying that he 'doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing'. He also hinted that Mr Zelensky might not be Ukrainian president much longer - a key demand of Putin. Mrs Badenoch said the UK and Europe must 'rearm faster' following the US announcement. She said:' The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. 'It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. 'We must work to keep America in, and Russia out.' A go-kart driver tragically died after his steering wheel popped off during a high-speed practice run, causing him to lose control and crash into a wall. The harrowing moment was captured by the driver's helmet camera and showed him getting violently thrown from the go-kart after the malfunction forced him off course. The victim, Braulio Antao, 46, died at the scene Saturday at the Ayrton Senna Kart Track in Brasilia, Brazil. Police investigators impounded the go-kart, which is being inspected. Footage showed Antao's steering wheel coming loose during a turn, causing him to smash into a protective barrier. The driver, who used a wheelchair and had a modified go-kart, was an avid racer. He had been a regular visitor at Ayrton Senna Kart Track for the past six years. Friends told Brazilian news outlet G1 that practiced three times a week. Brazilian lawyer Braulio Antao was killed in a go-kart accident in Brasilia, Brazil on Saturday. The 46-year-old was an avid motorsport fan and had been riding karts for a decade A video camera mounted on Braulio Antao's helmet captured the moment he lost control of his go-kart after his steering wheel came off Braulio Antao, who used a wheelchair, drove go-karts as a form of therapy Brasilia Drivers and Associates BraulioClub representative Dibo Neto said that Antao love motorsports and drove go-karts as a form of therapy. 'His passion for motorsports, dedication to the track and spirit of camaraderie left an unforgettable mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him,' the club said in a statement. Federal District Automobile Federation also mourned his tragic death. 'With deep regret, we mourn the death of Dr. Braulio Antao, a driver and great supporter of motorsports, and we send our most sincere condolences to his family,' the federation said in a statement. BBC director general Tim Davie said he is 'not ruling anything out' when asked if a documentary on Gaza which featured the son of a Hamas official could return to iPlayer. The corporation removed the documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone from the BBC's on demand service after it emerged that the child narrator is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture. The broadcaster apologised last week for 'serious flaws' in the making of the programme after conducting an initial review and it has launched a further internal probe. Appearing before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday, Mr Davie said: 'As editor-in-chief, I have to be secured, not only editorially where the film's at, but the making of that film. And at that point, quite quickly, I lost trust in that film. 'Therefore I have taken the decision, took the decision quite quickly, to take it off iPlayer while we do this deep dive.' Questioned whether it could return to iPlayer, the BBC boss said he is 'not ruling anything out' but he wants 'forensic analysis' to be carried out on the programme on various areas including its budget. Mr Davie added that he is aware of a 'small payment' being made to the sister of the son of the Hamas official who featured in the documentary for his part in recording the narration. Following an initial review, a BBC spokesperson said last week that the broadcaster had 'no plans to broadcast the programme again in its current form or return it to iPlayer' and that it would make a 'further assessment' once the review is complete. BBC director general Tim Davie said he is 'not ruling anything out' when asked if a documentary on Gaza which featured the son of a Hamas official could return to iPlayer Abudullah, the son of a senior Hamas official, seen in the BBC's controversial documentary Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone The row over the BBC's documentary, Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone, spilled on to the streets of the capital on Tuesday evening as anti-Hamas protesters arrived outside Broadcasting House in Portland Place, London In a letter to the BBC on Monday, Ofcom chairman Lord Grade said the regulator could step in if an internal inquiry into the making of the documentary is not satisfactory. Lord Grade said Ofcom has 'ongoing concerns about the nature and gravity of these failings and the negative impact they have on the trust audiences place in the BBC's journalism'. During the committee session on Tuesday, Mr Davie said there is 'a lot of frustration and disappointment' that the Gaza documentary has affected public trust in the corporation. He said: 'I'd say nothing's more important than we're trusted and we have actually built trust... so you can imagine that there's a lot of frustration and disappointment. 'It's not about the BBC and people like myself, but we're very sorry to the audience, because we don't want to be in a position where we have flaws in the programme-making. 'And overall, I am proud of the way we're covering some of these polarised, fiendishly difficult events where many of our journalists, as you know, are under enormous pressure, ferocious lobbying, and it's been extremely difficult.' However, he acknowledged that there were 'flaws' with the documentary and said the BBC has had around 500 complaints about the film being biased against Israel, and around 1,800 which wanted the film put back on iPlayer. It comes after a former BBC chief said the Corporation was 'manipulated by terrorists'. The BBC said they had been assured by independent production company Hoyo Films that no payments were made to 'Hamas or its affiliates' The senior Hamas official's son was featured heavily in the documentary and even narrated it Protesters pictured with signs calling the BBC 'spokespeople for terrorists' outside their headquarters in London Danny Cohen, the former controller of BBC1, laid criticism at the Beeb and called on Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to ensure an independent inquiry is held into the failings of the documentary and the 'wider systemic issues of anti-Israel bias'. Mr Cohen has called for an inquiry as he accused the BBC of being 'manipulated by terrorists'. He told the Times: 'Given the scale of the BBC's failings, it feels absolutely appropriate for the culture secretary to ensure this happens. 'The ultimate failing here is by the BBC's leadership. They should not be allowed to just investigate themselves the journalistic failings of this programme are part of a wider system failure at the BBC.' This is the moment a British woman is rescued by helicopter after getting stranded without phone signal on top of a 6,000ft snow-covered ridge in Italy while hiking. Footage from the Vigili del Fuoco, Italy's firefighting service, showed the rescue chopper slowly making its way over the ridge on Monte Poggio Santa Croce, a mountain in the Apennines in central Italy on March 3. The video then cuts to a shot showing a rescue worker down by the woman, apparently checking her over, before signalling that she was well enough to be lifted into the aerial vehicle. She can then be seen getting hoisted upwards into the helicopter. The woman, who has not yet been identified, got lost while hiking in the mountains and was forced to call emergency services to come and rescue her, shortly before her phone's signal cut out. But an analysis of her call allowed rescuers to identify a precise area for their search. The Lombardy Flight Department sent out the Drago 150 helicopter, equipped for high-altitude rescue operations, to search for her. Though she was safely rescued, hikers and climbers are known to have suffered terrifying deaths while at high altitudes. Footage from the Vigili del Fuoco, Italy's firefighting service, showed the rescue chopper slowly making its way over the ridge on Monte Poggio Santa Croce The woman can be seen getting hoisted upwards into the helicopter Last month, two climbers in Wales died within ten days of each other. Civil engineer Maria Eftimova, 28, who had a 'love for extreme sports', died when she fell 60ft while scaling Snowdonia's Tryfan north ridge. The 28-year-old, who had more than 10,000 followers on social media, was an experienced mountaineer and had recently completed an ice-climbing course in Norway. She lived in Manchester where she worked for a civil engineering firm but well-wishers are now raising money to repatriate her body to her family in her native Bulgaria. Friend Victoria Critchley, who set up the page, said: 'Maria was an ambitious, bright and cherished 28-year-old, whose vibrant personality, energy and aura touched and uplifted all around her. 'She had a passion for engineering, having studied Civil Engineering at the University of Salford and a love for extreme sports. Her biggest passion being Snowboarding, which she was super excited for and looking forward to doing again on her upcoming trip to Austria. 'She had an insatiable thirst for life and exploring our world's beauty. Tragically, she was taken from her family far, far, far too soon!' Meanwhile, 'dedicated' and 'promising' doctor Charlotte Crook, 30, fell to her death while scrambling with a friend on a Welsh mountain, an inquest heard. Maria Eftimova was an experienced mountaineer and had recently completed an ice-climbing course in Norway Dr Charlotte Crook, 30, pictured, and her colleague Adam Weatherhogg were walking on Glyder Fach, near Llanberis, Snowdonia, on February 16 when the tragedy occurred Hospital clinician and St John Ambulance volunteer Dr Crook was descending a section of path on her stomach when she appeared to lose her footing and went over a ledge, the hearing was told. Dr Crook, who graduated with her medical degree from Birmingham University in 2022 and had worked for Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, was thought to have fallen about 10 metres (30ft) down the side of the 994m (3,126ft mountain). Pathologist Dr Muhammad Aslam gave the cause of death as head injuries. On Facebook, St John Ambulance Walsall posted: St John Walsall were saddened to learn of the sudden death of Dr Charlotte Crook. Charlotte was a diligent and dedicated volunteer, who represented the values of the organisation in the best way possible. She was the District Youth Lead for the West Midlands District up until our recent restructuring so many of the cadets will have met her at various courses or events. She will be sadly missed and our thoughts and prayers go out to her family at this very sad time. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday his decision to crack down on 'illegal protests' at college campuses. 'All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,' he wrote on social media. The president's announcement coincided with recent anti-Israel campus protests at Barnard College. A group of over 50 students stormed and occupied a campus building and assaulted and injured a staff member on Wednesday, sending the person to the hospital. The NYPD made several arrests on Thursday as the masked anti-Israel demonstrators chanted 'Free Palestine.' Trump indicated that the protests would no longer be tolerated. 'Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came,' he wrote. 'American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested.' 'NO MASKS!' he concluded. Pro-Palestinian student protesters demonstrate outside Barnard College in New York US President Donald Trump threatened to defund colleges if they permit 'illegal protests' The Barnard College protest drew the attention of Speaker Mike Johnson, who has led the condemnation of campus protests in Congress. 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,' Johnson wrote on X on Thursday. 'Pro-Hamas mobs have NO place on our college campuses. Barnard College & Columbia University must put an end to the antisemitic chaos on campus.' Since the October 7th, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, outside agitators and student protests have escalated on campus protesting the Israeli war in Gaza. In the 2023-2024 academic year, anti-Israel activism on U.S. campuses tallied 2,637 anti-Israel incidents of assault, vandalism, harassment according to a report published by the Anti-Defamation League. Pro-Palestinian student protesters face police as they demonstrate outside Barnard College Protestors were enraged after two students were expelled after they interrupted a university class on Israel Campus faculty and staff were initially more permissive of the protests, but are starting to crack down on activists and protests that are explicitly anti Semitic. The Barnard College protests were sparked after two students were expelled for storming a Columbia University classroom in January and allegedly threw around material that included hate speech. In January, Trump signed an executive order to protect American Jews, citing 'an unprecedented wave of vile anti-Semitic discrimination, vandalism, and violence against our citizens, especially in our schools and on our campuses.' 'This failure is unacceptable and ends today,' the executive order read, ordering each executive cabinet agency to submit additional measures to combat campus anti-semitism. A German tattoo artist says she was locked up in solitary confinement after she was detained while trying to walk through a checkpoint on the southern border. Jessica Brosche, 26, was arrested by US Customs and Border Protection as she tried to enter the country through San Diego, from Tijuana, on January 25th, ABC10 reported. Brosche was traveling with her American friend Nikita Lofving as a tourist under the ESTA visa waiver program. The two had met in Tijuana and were carrying tattooing equipment. Immigration officials reportedly accused Brosche of working in the US the last time she entered the country with the ESTA program, an electronic system that determines whether someone is eligible to enter the US without a visa. ESTAs are only intended for tourists and people are not allowed to work in the US while visiting on one. Lofving told the outlet she asked officials if Brosche could be sent back to Mexico, but they said she would be deported to Germany in three to five days because she could not offer proof of residence in the Latin American country. But Brosche says she spent days in a cell at the San Diego border before she was taken into ICE custody and brought to the the Otay Mesa Detention Center, where she has been held for more than a month. German tattoo artist Jessica Brosche, 26, says she was left i solitary confinement with over a week after being arrested while trying to legally cross the US-Mexico border Brosche was traveling with her American friend Nikita Lofving. The two met in Tijuana Brosche was detained while trying to cross the US-Mexico border in San Diego 'I just want to get home, you know? Im really desperate,' she told ABC 10. Her detainment included a 'horrible' eight days in solitary confinement, she added. However, the company that owns the detention center - CoreCivic - told the outlet Brosche 'was not in any kind of restrictive housing for eight days.' But Brosche insisted the alleged solitary confinement was 'like a horror movie.' 'They were screaming in all different rooms,' Lofving said. 'After nine days, she said she went so insane that she started punching the walls and then she's got blood on her knuckles.' Lofving said she did not know where her friend was taken until she pleaded for help online and used the the federal Detainee Locator website. She also claimed that a psychologist tried to prescribe Brosche anti-psychotic medicine, which she has refused to take. The German tattoo artist has been held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center for over a month Lofving said on Tuesday that Brosche will be sent home on March 11 On Tuesday, Lofving posted a message on Instagram saying Brosche will be 'going home' on March 11. The circumstances of her pending release are unclear. A GoFundMe for Brosche has collected 1,555 of its 2.5K goal. CoreCivic spokesman Brian Todd the company uses 'restrictive housing' for medical and mental health observations or protective custody. They added that solitary confinement 'does not exist in any of the facilities we operate.' Police have released a vital clue that could help catch a sick predator who sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl near a primary school. The young girl was attacked near Over Hall Primary School in Winsford, Cheshire at 3.30pm on November 16, 2023. The unknown man was said to have approached her from behind on a public footpath before he sexually assaulted her. Following the incident, the man fled the scene on foot in the direction of the primary School. The suspect was described as a tall white man with broad shoulders and possibly with ginger arm hair. He was wearing dark clothing and had his hood up at the time of the offence and smelled of cigarettes. It has also now been revealed that he had a tattoo on his wrist, that could be crucial in identifying him. Detective Constable Felicity Gregory, of Northwich Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, said: 'I understand the concern that this incident is likely to cause, and I would like to reassure residents that we are doing all we can to trace the person responsible. The innocent victim reported that at 3.30pm on November 16 2023 she was attacked near Over Hall Primary School, pictured Police have revealed this drawing of the tattoo on the suspects wrist as they appeal for information from the public following reports that a child was sexually assaulted in Winsford 'The victim in the case is being provided with specialist support and as part of our investigation I'm keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incident or anyone with any information which may aid the investigation. 'While I understand this incident took place over a year ago, even the smallest amount of information could prove vital, and I would urge anyone with any information to get in touch.' Enquiries in relation to the incident are ongoing and officers are appealing for anyone with any information to get in touch. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Cheshire Police on 101, or at www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us, quoting 24001038137. Information can also be reported anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Thousands of outraged farmers descended on Westminster this morning to protest against the so-called 'family death tax'. Several enormous combine harvesters parked up along Whitehall in central London for the 'Pancake Day rally' despite a police ban on all tractors and 'mechanically propelled vehicles' from the capital. This march is the latest action being taken by farmers to protest the hated levy change, which would force farmers to pay 20 per cent inheritance tax on agricultural land worth more than 1million. Several high-profile politicians including Reform leader Nigel Farage and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch attended the protest to express their opposition to the crippling tax. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch who arrived at around midday told the Daily Mail: 'I am here today to make sure that people don't forget what people are doing to the farmers. 'It's very important we keep this issue at the top of the agenda.' Nigel Farage added: 'The rural community are under attack from an urbanised political party. 'I believe Labour are very vulnerable on this.' Thousands of outraged farmers descended on Westminster this morning to protest against the so-called 'family death tax' The march is the latest action by farmers to protest the hated levy change, which would force farmers to pay 20 per cent inheritance tax on agricultural land worth more than 1m Campaigners argue the tax, which comes into effect next year, is 'incentivising' elderly farmers to commit suicide before April 2026 to avoid being penalised As protesters marched down Embankment to Bob Dylan's 'Knockin on Heaven's Door' campaign organisers at the front of the procession held a banner warning: 'Is agriculture worth dying for?' It comes as campaigners argue the tax, which comes into effect next year, is 'incentivising' elderly farmers to commit suicide before April 2026 to avoid being penalised. David Gunn, 69, was attending the 'Pancake Day protest' in Whitehall with his longtime friend and fellow farmer, 50-year-old Russell Tremann, who said Labour was 'alienating' the countryside. Speaking candidly, Russell told the Daily Mail: 'This policy is incentivising the elderly farmers to commit suicide. 'My 84-year-old father is still in my business. 'If he were to die in the next year we would get 100 per cent tax relief. But after April 2026 we would lose it completely. 'This is putting many older farmers - including my father - in an impossible position. David added: 'We've travelled here from Sevenoaks today to oppose this appalling tax. Several high-profile politicians including Reform leader Nigel Farage attended the protest to express their opposition to the crippling tax Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she attended the protest to help 'keep this issue at the top of the agenda' Shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary Victoria Atkins was also present Several enormous combine harvesters parked up along Whitehall in central London for the 'Pancake Day rally' despite a police ban on the vehicles in the capital Protesters held up banners as they protested against the controversial inheritance tax 'This Labour Government is alienating the rural people in this country. 'You cannot make the country prosperous again by taxing businesses to death.' As farmers marched towards Parliament Square they were seen holding signs including 'Keir Starmer farmer harmer' and 'Grim Reaper Reeves' while chanting 'we won't back down'. Among those in attendance were farmers Sophie Cresswell, 56, who had travelled to Whitehall from Northumberland with her 26-year-old daughter Lucy. A frustrated Lucy explained: 'In order to pay this new tax small farms such as ours will have to sell land because we simply don't make enough money. 'It will make the business completely unviable. 'This is a discriminatory tax against people who are dying.' Her mother Sophie added: 'My father-in-law is 90, which means we have not had time to plan for this tax change. Farmers argue the reforms will be devastating for multi-generational farming families Farmers marched along in Whitehall, central London, on Tuesday morning to protest the reform Tractors lined up on the streets of the capital, despite police issuing a specific ban on them The concerned demonstrators gathered to hear speeches at Whitehall, in London on Tuesday 'We will end up with an unbelievable tax bill that we haven't been able to make provisions for. 'So I have travelled here today to express my concern for the future of the countryside.' Andrew Griffith, shadow secretary of state for business and trade, added: 'I'm here today with so many of my Conservative colleagues because the Government is still not listening. 'Farming, businesses and our rural communities are incredibly important. 'Food security equals national security. I know just how hard it has been for rural businesses with Labour's budget. 'The family farm death tax demonstrates that Labour are not on the side of rural communities. 'So once again we are here again in Whitehall desperately hoping the government will change course.' Tom Bradshaw, head of the National Farmers Union, emphasised the importance of food security and supporting farmers amid a backdrop of increased global instability. Many farming families are concerned the inheritance tax will devastate their industry He said: 'We are here to re-emphasise that the farming industry will not go away while this pernicious policy hangs over the industry. 'Within the Labour manifesto there was that line - food security is national security - that's never felt more relevant than today. 'I would urge the Government to think about farmers' critical role in our future.' JD Vance was today facing furious demands to apologise after he appeared to dismiss Britain as a 'random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. The US Vice President was accused of 'disrespecting' the sacrifice of British troops who fought alongside American servicemen in Afghanistan and Iraq. He sparked widespread anger among veterans and MPs from across the House of Commons with his apparent dig at Britain's miltary history. It came as he rubbished Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's offer of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine with British and French boots on the ground. Mr Vance used a Fox News interview to instead heap pressure on Ukraine to sign a minerals deal with US President Donald Trump. He said this was 'a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. But seething ex-servicemen pointed out that 636 British troops died in Afghanistan and Iraq after the UK joined US military action in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks. Following the furious backlash at his remarks, Mr Vance later attempted to quell the anger by scrambling to clarify his comments. He claimed he hadn't been aiming his barb at Britain or France - who are the only two countries to publicly commit to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Yet Mr Vance failed to clarify which nations he had been referring to. This saw pressure continue to pile on Lord Mandelson, Britain's ambassador to the US, to extract an apology from the Vice President. JD Vance was branded 'shameful' after the US Vice President appeared to dismiss Britain as a 'random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years' Mourners pay their respects as the coffins British troops who died in Afghanistan pass through the village of Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire, a former captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, said: 'JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'I saw first hand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. 'Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didn't return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality.' She added Lord Mandelson should 'call on Vance to apologise for these comments'. Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, also called on Mr Vance to apologise. 'We know that JD Vance is a former US marine himself so he knows well the sacrifices made by British and French forces both in Iraq and Afghanistan, standing shoulder-to-shoulder alongside America,' he told the BBC. Lord Richard Dannatt, who was head of the British Army between 2006 to 2009, said: 'What planet is this guy on? 'Has he forgotten we deployed a division in both Gulf Wars and fought alongside US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He seems to have gone power crazy.' The Vice President had ramped up transatlantic tensions as he poured cold water over Sir Keir's plan for a 'coalition of the willing' to secure peace in Ukraine. He told Fox News: 'If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. 'That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.' Following a backlash at his comments, Mr Vance denied he was targeting his jibe at Britain or France. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he wrote: 'This is absurdly dishonest. 'I don't even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. 'But let's be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful.' But the Vice President's efforts to clarify his remarks brought further condemnation. Critics pointed to the huge list of countries who lost troops after joining US military action in Afghanistan after 9/11. Mr Vance had been heavily criticised for his Fox News comments and told to 'wind his neck in' as he risked souring UK relations with Mr Trump's administration. Downing Street also slapped down the Vice President's initial remarks. Sir Keir's official spokesman saying: 'The PM and this country are full of admiration for UK troops who served in recent years in Iraq and Afghanistan alongside the US and other allies.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Mr Vance was 'wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong'. 'For 20 years in Afghanistan - pro rata our size against America's - we spent the same amount of money, we put the same number of men and women in, and we suffered the same losses,' he told GB News, as he attended a farmers' protest in Westminster. 'We stood by America all through those 20 years, putting in exactly the same contribution. 'And, alright, they may be six times bigger but we did our bit. So, on this one, JD is wrong.' But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch - who has launched a crackdown on Tory MPs posting on social media about the Ukraine crisis - agreed with Mr Vance's later suggestion that he had been misrepresented over his remarks. 'I know JD Vance quite well. I've looked at the comments, I don't think he actually said that,' Mrs Badenoch said. 'A lot of people are getting carried away. They're saying loads of things and getting quite animated. Let's keep cool heads. 'America is our closest ally and I believe President Trump and JD Vance want peace. They're looking after their national interest. We need to do so as well.' This was despite one of Mrs Badenoch's top shadow ministers and a string of other Conservative MPs lashing out at Mr Vance's comments on social media. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, pointed to how NATO allies rushed to America's aid after the 9/11 attacks, when the US invoked the alliance's Article 5 collective defence clause. 'Britain and France came to their aid deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including my own brother and numerous parliamentary colleagues past and present,' Mr Cartlidge said. 'It's deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who attended a farmers' protest in Westminster today, said Mr Vance was 'wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong' But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch suggested Mr Vance had been misrepresented over his remarks Johnny Mercer (left), a former veterans minister, told Mr Vance to 'wind his neck in'. And Lord Richard Dannatt (right), the former head of the British Army, asked: What planet is this guy on?' Ex-Armed Forces minister James Heappey, a former soldier, said that serving alongside American and French troops were 'defining moments of my military career'. 'Sad to hear the relationship reduced to this,' he added, in response to Mr Vance's comments. Fellow Conservative politician Johnny Mercer, who was veterans minister until July last year and served as a commando in Afghanistan, said: 'Vance needs to wind his neck in. Show a bit of respect and stop making yourself look so unpleasant.' He added: 'This clown needs to check his privilege. I read his book making the mistake of finding him quite interesting. 'By his own admission he spent his time in the Marines 'writing articles and taking pictures'. 'Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own country's crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice.' Mr Obese-Jecty, MP for Huntingdon, also noted how Mr Vance wrote in his 2016 memoir that he was 'lucky to escape any real fighting' during his time as a Marine Corps journalist in Iraq. He said: 'British troops stood shoulder to shoulder with the US after Article 5 was invoked following 9/11. 'I served in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010 during its most kinetic phase. In Sangin, I saw first-hand the sacrifices made by our soldiers; a quarter of the 457 British soldiers lost died there. 'Vice-President Vance served in Iraq writing articles and taking photos for the US Marines. He should be well aware of the sacrifices made by America's allies in recent decades. 'To suggest Britain did not pay our share of blood and treasure does a disservice to the close relationship between our two militaries.' David Taylor, the Labour MP for Hemel Hempstead, said: 'This great nation has proudly fought shoulder to shoulder with our US allies, with 457 service men and women killed defending freedom in Afghanistan alone. 'These shameful remarks will never undo their sacrifice or the gratitude we have for their defence of British values.' Andy McNab, the former SAS soldier who fought in the First Gulf War, invited Mr Vance to visit Britain's war memorials. The best-selling author said: 'He needs to read the names of the dead who have fought and shed blood alongside US troops.' Graham Stuart, the Tory MP for Beverley and Holderness, said: 'We have to consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset. 'If so, Trump's acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putin's FSB career - and Europe is on its own.' It later emerged how Mrs Badenoch is attempting to limit interventions by her party's MPs over the Ukraine crisis and actions by Mr Trump and his team. In a message to every Tory MP, Rebecca Harris - the Conservative chief whip - said: 'We understand that there are many concerns about the unfolding events around Ukraine and US involvement. We do not need to tweet all of our thoughts in real time. 'When it comes to defence and national security, we need to raise the threshold for what needs to be said publicly and ensure the facts are clear first.' At the weekend, shadow minister Alicia Kearns had suggested a second state visit offered to Mr Trump during Sir Keir's recent trip to Washington should be withdrawn. But a spokesman for Mrs Badenoch effectively disowned the remark saying the views of individual MPs are not the position of the party. Mr Vance's own intervention came after Mr Trump inflicted another hammer blow on decades of Western alliances by pulling all military aid to Ukraine. The White House has paused delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv after announcing overnight it was 'reviewing' assistance to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution'. The move appears to be part of a power play to heap pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to make concessions in negotiations with Russia. In an apparent olive branch to Mr Trump - following their dramatic falling-out at the White House last week - Mr Zelensky today said he was ready to work under the US President's 'strong leadership to get a peace that lasts'. He posted on X: 'We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. 'Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. 'We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. 'And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this. 'Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. 'It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. 'Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. 'We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.' Mr Zelensky's social media post followed a call with Sir Keir this afternoon. A Downing Street spokeswoman said: 'The PM spoke to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, this afternoon. 'The PM updated on his discussion with President Trump last night. It was vital that all parties worked towards a lasting and secure peace for Ukraine as soon as possible, the PM added. 'Turning to President Zelensky's most recent calls for further diplomatic efforts to achieve the swiftest possible end to the war, the PM welcomed President Zelensky's steadfast commitment to securing peace. 'Underscoring that any peace for Ukraine needed to be lasting and secure, the PM said no one wanted peace more than Ukraine. The leaders agreed to stay in close touch in the coming days.' Sir Keir Starmer is 'engaging with key allies' after Donald Trump 's bombshell move to pull all military aid to Ukraine Relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office European leaders and Canada gathered in London on Sunday to consider the response to the Ukraine crisis In his Fox News interview, Mr Vance had heightened his criticism of Mr Zelensky, accusing him of 'needling' Mr Trump and having a 'certain sense of entitlement'. 'He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump said is the policy,' he said. 'That's the real breakdown. I think Zelensky wasn't yet there. And, frankly, still isn't there. But I think he'll get there eventually, he has to.' Mr Vance said Ukrainian officials have made at least one attempt to restart negotiations after leaving the White House, but their efforts were shut down by the president. He claimed the 'door is open' as long as 'Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace'. Highlighting the minerals deal, Mr Vance said that would amount to a security deal with the US that would prevent Putin 'invading Ukraine again'. In radio and TV interviews this morning, Deputy PM Angela Rayner admitted the US pulling military aid for Ukraine is a 'very serious moment' but said American support was a 'matter for the US'. Ms Rayner said Sir Keir remains 'laser-focused' on securing a lasting peace for Kyiv and would not be 'derailed'. 'We are absolutely focused on making sure that we get that peace and the security guarantees as part of that,' she said. 'We won't be derailed or sidelined by commentary, ongoing commentary, but that we will use our relationship, our long-standing relationship, with the US and our European allies to support Ukraine and President Zelensky in getting that peace deal and making sure those securities are part of that.' A UK Government spokeswoman said: 'We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so. 'We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with 3 billion-a-year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a 2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets. 'In addition, we've set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace.' Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid. Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office. That triggered crisis talks between European leaders in London on Sunday, with Sir Keir trying to forge a 'coalition of the willing' that could enforce any peace deal with Russia. The UK and France have signalled they would be ready to contribute troops on the ground, while Canada, Italy and Poland are other potential participants. But Sir Keir has made clear that UK troops would not be deployed without an underpinning of security guarantees from the US. Mr Zelensky looks to be resisting Washington's demands that he accepts the principle of ceding territory to Russia, after the latest full-scale invasion in 2022. Putin's troops current occupy around a fifth of Ukraine. A White House official said: 'The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The decision casts doubt over Ukraine's ability to continue to defending itself against Russian invaders. It is understood the 'pause' will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration. A second official told Fox News that 'this is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause'. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in jeopardy. Mr Trump's shift followed an abrupt post warning that 'America will not put up with it for much longer' yesterday after Mr Zelensky suggested the end of the war is still 'very, very far away'. Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump's intervention that he 'understood' the US position was not to withdraw aid Mr Zelensky was speaking after the London summit saw 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. Sir Keir said the powers would work together to draw up a viable peace plan that could be presented to Mr Trump. 'This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,' an infuriated Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social website. Mr Trump also questioned Mr Zelensky's commitment to peace, saying that he 'doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing'. He also hinted that Mr Zelensky might not be Ukrainian president much longer - a key demand of Putin. Mrs Badenoch said the UK and Europe must 'rearm faster' following the US announcement. She said:' The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. 'It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. 'We must work to keep America in, and Russia out.' At least 31 people were killed after a bus collided with a SUV on a highway in southern Bolivia on Monday. The impact of the crash plunged the bus into a 1,600-foot-deep ravine in Potosi and left 22 people injured, including the truck driver. The youngest victim was identified as 11-year-old Phillip Martilano Flores, according to a list that was released by Potosi Departmental Police. The bus, which is owned by Challapata Fleet, departed from Orubu and was traveling to a station in Potosi when it slammed head into the SUV. Police arrested the SUV driver, Grover Portillo, 23, who suffered a leg injury and was hospitalized. Portillo, who has been accused by authorities for being responsible for the accident, said that the bus drove into his lane moments before the crash. 'I don't remember anything,' Portillo said, as quoted by Bolivian newspaper El Deber. 'I only know that I was going this way, in my lane, the [bus] just came, it appeared suddenly, I wanted to turn and I couldn't.' President Luis Arce expressed condolences for the victims on social media. Thirty-one people were killed after a passenger bus collided with a SUV on a highway in the souther Bolivian city of Potosi on Monday. Authorities said 22 people, including the SUV driver who is under arrest, were injured An SUV was destroyed after it hit head on by a passenger bus on a highway connecting the Bolivian towns of Orubu and Potosi The bus fell into a 1,600-foot-deep ravine after it collided with a SUV on a highway in Potosi, Bolivia on Monday 'This unfortunate event must be investigated to establish responsibilities,' he said in a post on Facebook. 'We send our most sincere condolences to the bereaved families, wishing them the necessary strength to face these difficult times.' The crash comes just days after 37 people died and 40 were injured after two buses collided on a road that connects the western Bolivian cities of Colchani and Uyuni. A preliminary report indicated that one of the buses encroached into the oncoming lane, presumably due to speeding, and caused the collision, the Bolivian Ministry of Government said in a statement. Authorities deployed a crane had to turn over one of the buses which had rolled over onto its side. First responders were also seen removing bodies from the debris and carrying them away in wrapped blankets. A grief stricken father told his daughter's murderer he wanted to 'smell his hair burn' as he was sentenced to 45 years in prison. Blake Linkous, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the June 2023 killing of Nataline Martin, 18, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The two, both from Ohio, had been in the city as part of a graduation trip and had been celebrating the occasion when Linkous strangled her. Linkous reached a plea with prosecutors in Horry County, and on Monday was officially sentenced for the death of Martin. Her father Jesse addressed the courtroom shortly as the sentence was handed down. In an impact statement, he called for Linkous to get the electric chair, saying: 'Theres nothing you could say here today or do thats going to make me feel better. 'If you all would let me smell his hair burn, thats what I want, thats what would make me happy.' Martin added Linkous had 'wrapped his greasy cowardly hands around her neck and he strangled the life out of her'. Nataline Martin, 18, was brutally strangled to death by her former boyfriend Blake Linkous Linkous reached a plea with prosecutors in Horry County, and on Monday was officially sentenced for the death of Martin on Monday He also expressed his disgust at Linkous being given bond in 2023, saying: 'If you wanna do whats right, its 635 days of my daughters murderer out running around in Ohio. 'I dont know what the people of Horry County think, but that doesnt matter, your honor.' According to WISTV, the court had heard how Martin had broken up with Linkous two weeks before their trip that they were both taking with friends. Alongside their friends, the two had went to an event at the House of Blues on June 6 before the former couple and one other returned to their shared condo. The court heard that Linkous told the group that he didn't want to live without Martin in his life, and that he had attempted suicide. They then found Martin dead on the floor of one of the bedrooms, according to the outlet. She had been strangled to death. According to the Zanesville Times Recorder, prosecutor Scott Hixson said the evidence pointed to Linkous being 'controlling, insecure and jealous'. He said: 'Although they were broken up and agreed to see other people, he became mad at her for texting another boy.' Her father Jesse, seen here with his back to the cameras, addressed the courtroom as the sentence was handed down An obituary described her as having lived 'her life to the fullest with joy, laughter, and love' Addressing the court, Linkous said: 'She was the love of my life. I swore to protect her, and I failed.' Judge Deadra L. Jefferson had acknowledged factors in his sentencing, citing Linkous being autistic as one and him being under the influence of alcohol. In sentencing him, Jefferson added that: 'Manual strangulation takes an inordinate amount of force.' Both Linkous and Martin had been students at Philo High School in Duncan Falls, Ohio, and had graduated the May before their senior trip. An obituary described her as having lived 'her life to the fullest with joy, laughter, and love'. It adds: 'She brought true happiness to all that knew her. She had a free, pure and wild spirit with a contagious laugh, a personality out of this world that could bring anyone out of their darkest of days.' Iran has been announced as the first foreign power to be placed on the enhanced tier of a new government scheme to protect the UK from covert foreign influence. Security minister Dan Jarvis told MPs the Tehran regime and its intelligence agencies would be placed on the top level of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs) when it comes into effect this year. Mr Jarvis said Iran had become 'increasingly emboldened, asserting itself more aggressively to advance their objectives and undermine ours'. In a Commons statement he also announced that terrorism law watchdog Jonathan Hall KC has been asked to draw up a new procedure to allow the proscription of state and state-linked organisations, which could deal with groups including the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Mr Hall's work will give 'specific consideration to the design of a proscription mechanism for state and state-linked bodies providing more flexibility than is offered under the existing powers', the minister said. Mr Hall is already the Government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation. Mr Jarvis added that Mr Hall's work will give 'specific consideration to the design of a proscription mechanism for state and state-linked bodies providing more flexibility than is offered under the existing powers'. He continued: 'We are utterly determined to stay ahead of those who threaten our country and any step that could aid us in that critical endeavour will be considered.' Security minister Dan Jarvis told MPs the Tehran regime and its intelligence agencies would be placed on the top level of the foreign influence registration scheme when it comes into effect. In a Commons statement he also announced that terrorism law watchdog Jonathan Hall KC has been asked to draw up a new procedure to allow the proscription of state and state-linked organisations, which could deal with groups including the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Mr Jarvis added the Government was considering further sanctions against Iranian-linked criminals All police forces in the UK are being offered training by counter-terror police in how to spot 'state threat incidents', Mr Jarvis said. The security minister said: 'This will mean that when any frontline officer encounters a suspected state threats incident they will know what to do, and what to look for to ensure our communities are kept safe.' People and organisations under threat from the Iranian regime will continue to be able to get advice and support from the National Protective Security Authority and counter terrorism police, MPs heard. Mr Jarvis added the Government was considering further sanctions against Iranian-linked criminals, and the National Crime Agency was monitoring people suspected of assisting the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and those who may be laundering money in the UK on the group's behalf. He told MPs he welcomed the Charity Commission's statutory inquiries into the Islamic Centre of England, and the Al-Tawheed (TUCF) Charitable Trust as part of a bid to tackle 'those who promote Iranian influence in the UK'. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'We support the listing of Iran in the enhanced tier of Firs (Foreign Influence Registration Scheme), we support the Government in that and will support the relevant statutory instrument when it comes before Parliament.' Mr Philp went on to ask: 'Is merely requiring registration a strong enough sanction, and I put it to the House that it is not strong enough because under Firs all that is required is registration and that alone is not enough. 'We've seen our allies the United States in 2019 designate the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) as a terror organisation, we've seen our Canadian allies do the same just last year and yet I've heard nothing on proscription.' Security minister Dan Jarvis said it was 'long-standing' Government procedure not to comment on organisations or entities that are being considered for proscription, adding: 'I know that he wouldn't really expect me to break from that long-standing precedent today and I'm not going to.' In response to Mr Philp asking if China will be placed in the enhanced tier, Mr Jarvis said: 'Announcements with regard to Firs will be made in this House. 'Today's announcement specifically relates to the decision we have taken on Iran, today's announcement is specifically about that country and other announcements that are made with regard to Firs will be made in due course.' Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)'s on 24 January 2025 shows soldiers firing anti-aircraft artillery during a military exercise in the Persian Gulf, southern Iran IRGC carrying out a military exercise in the Persian Gult, southern Iran on January 24, 2025 DAN JARVIS: Britain will not stand for the Iranian regimes threatening behaviour I have been closely observing the Iranian threat for more than two decades. As a soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan, I saw the regimes influence and pursuit of violence. As Security Minister, I work with law enforcement and intelligence agencies as they tirelessly serve in the shadows to keep us safe. The threat of Iran is felt across the globe, and in the last two years the UK has responded to 20 Iranian-backed plots to undermine our security. These were real, potentially lethal threats to UK residents and British citizens, on British soil. Britain will not stand for the Iranian regimes threatening behaviour. Keeping the public safe will always be the first duty of government, and protecting our national security is a foundation of our Plan for Change. Thats why yesterday I announced co-ordinated action to counter the threat from Iran. Firstly, we will disrupt the Iranian states activity in the UK, using the National Security Act to clamp down on the activities of organisations like the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Anyone working for regimes like Irans, whether for ideological or financial reasons, will feel the full force of that law. Security Minister Dan Jarvis says he has felt the Iranian regime's influence as both a politician and soldier Iran has been placed atop of the newly updated register of foreign influence But now we are going further, by placing the Iranian state on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme - a critical operational tool for taking on those that threaten the UKs safety or interests. This scheme strengthens the resilience of the UK political system against covert foreign influence - and provides greater assurance around the activities of certain foreign powers or entities that are a national security risk. Next, with government support, counter-terrorism policing, the National Crime Agency, and MI5 will work together more closely in pursuit of Iran-backed criminal networks, such as the Zindashti organised crime group, which has already been sanctioned. Finally, we will look at ways to strengthen our legal powers. This will include a review of the need for a tool similar to counter-terrorism proscription but for state bodies, in recognition of the specific and unique threat represented by organisations such as the IRGC. Iran presents a serious and complex threat. Together with our international allies, we will expose and condemn malign Iranian activity wherever we find it, and fulfil the sacred duty of protecting our national security. Texas has beef with the Big Apple and New Yorkers are not taking it lightly. The state's Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick called for the popular New York Strip steak to be renamed the 'Texas Strip' on Friday because 'liberal New York shouldn't get the credit for our hard-working ranchers.' The Republican's proposal did not sit well with New Yorkers - specifically those who own or work at steakhouses across the Big Apple, who warned the politician: 'Don't mess with New York.' Todd Shapiro, owner of Albany's War Room, has even threatened the southern state with a multi-million dollar lawsuit if they try and get him to change his menu. 'Oh my God, it's so ridiculous. Even if they change it, Im going to leave it as the New York strip,' Harry Sinanaj, who runs Ben & Jack's Steakhouse in Midtown East, told Raw Story. Others took to social media to share their opinion on Patrick's proposal, as one called it the 'dumbest waste of time and money.' 'It's called a New York Strip because the cut of meat, with the bone resembles the geographical outline of the State of New York. It had nothing to do with steakhouses of New York! It also won't change it's shape suddenly to Texas with a house bill,' they added. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has called for the New York Strip steak to be renamed the 'Texas Strip.' (Pictured: File photo of a New York Strip steak) Todd Shapiro (pictured), owner of Albany's War Room steakhouse, said he will also take legal action if Patrick's plan is entertained, adding that it could cause a huge economic impact for his business and many others across the city New Yorkers quickly reacted to Patrick's proposal, with many slamming the politician (pictured in 2020) Another said: 'It's a NY strip forever stop trying to change history.' Gov Patrick, 74, demanded the change in a lengthy post on X: 'Just because a New York restaurant named Texas beef a New York Strip in the 19th century doesn't mean we need to keep doing that.' Patrick, who's served under Governor Greg Abbott since 2015, then announced that legal actions will be taken to try and correct the name that he hopes will 'catch on across the country and around the globe.' The New York Strip was conjured up at Delmonico's, a prestigious 197-year-old steak house in the Big Apple. The lavish fine-dining establishment, which opened its doors in 1837, initially listed the iconic steak as a 'New York Strip' on its menu, Chowhound reported. The name quickly gained popularity, serving as the standard for states across the country. 'Our historic restaurant pioneered these cuts of steak, which are still found on menus and in butcher shops across the US,' Dennis Turcinovic, owner and manager of Delmonico's, told DailyMail.com following the announcement of Patrick's plan. 'The name pays homage to a culinary tradition that dates back to the 1800s. You can change the name to whatever you want, but theres a genuine history behind these steaks that we will continue to honor.' Turcinovic said he does not think the name change will impact New York steakhouses. 'From what I'm reading and hearing, the responses have been similar: restaurants are not changing the name of the New York Strip Steak,' he said. The upscale eatery is not the only one who is angry over the proposed name change, as steakhouses across the Big Apple have weighed in on the idea. 'Remember the Alamo? What happens to the Alamo will happen to [Texas Lt. Gov.] Dan Patrick if he messes with our steak,' Todd Shapiro, owner of Albany's War Room steakhouse told The Post. The New York Strip was conjured up at Delmonico's (pictured), a prestigious 197-year-old steak house in the Big Apple Shapiro said he will also take legal action if Patrick's plan is entertained, adding that it could cause a huge economic impact for his business and many others across the city. 'I plan on filing a million-dollar lawsuit against the state of Texas if they want to take the New York strip off my menu,' he said. 'You hear "dont mess with Texas?" Well, dont mess with New York. Ill make you an offer you cant refuse.' Alan Rosen, the owner of Junior's Restaurant in Brooklyn, is also infuriated by Patrick's idea. 'This guy should find something else to do with his free time we have more pressing issues in our country. Are we going to call New York cheesecake Athens cheesecake now?,' Rosen said. 'We have a Texas I mean New York strip steak at our Las Vegas location. New York has a better ring to it.' Another leader in the industry told the outlet that no matter what people call the cut of beef, New York does it best. 'We cook the strip steak better than [Texas]. They produce it, but we know what to do with it,' a manager at Empire Steakhouse said. Patrick, who's served under Governor Greg Abbott since 2015, then announced that legal actions are being taken to try and correct the name that he hopes will 'catch on across the country and around the globe' The Republican lt. governor suggested that an official name change for the popular cut of meat would better align with Texas's abundance of cattle, according to a post he shared to X on Friday Patrick, however, suggested that its '19th century' historical roots had little relevance today, claiming that there is no reason to keep using it. After meeting with the Texas Cattle Feeders and Cattle Raisers last week, Patrick started to wonder why New York gets to claim the steak. 'Out of curiosity, I asked each of them their favorite cut of meat. A few said New York Strip. I asked why we didnt call it a Texas Strip because New York has mostly dairy cows,' he said. 'The Texas Senate will file a concurrent resolution to officially change the name of the New York Strip to the Texas Strip in the Lone Star State,' the Republican said. 'We ask restaurants to change the name of this strip of meat the next time they reprint their menus, and grocery stores to do the same. We want this to catch on across the country and around the globe.' Although his proposal might not seem like a 'serious' issue facing the nation right now, Patrick explained that the 'simple resolution will help better market Texas beef.' 'Thats good for the Texas cattle industry. The Cattle Associations sure liked the idea. Liberal New York shouldnt get the credit for our hard-working ranchers. We promote the Texas brand on everything made or grown in Texas because it benefits our economy and jobs,' he continued. The Lieutenant Governor went on to poke fun at one of President Donald Trump's new executive orders - renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. As of January 1, 2025, New York State had roughly 1.4 million cattle, including calves. About 111,000 of the animals were beef cows specifically A New York Strip's cut comes from the short loin at the top of the cow, a soft and tender area that produces the juicy steak loved by millions 'After session ends this summer, I might take a short cruise across the Gulf of America and have a juicy medium-rare Texas Strip,' Patrick wrote. As of January 1, 2025, New York State has roughly 1.4 million cattle, including calves. About 111,000 of the animals are beef cows specifically, according to a state agriculture overview. Texas, on the other hand, has about 12.2 million head of cattle, including 4,4 million beef cows - more than any other state in the country, solidifying its position as a leading beef-producer. While many people slammed Patrick's ideas, others were supportive of it, as one wrote: 'New Yorker's are nice enough, but they don't know steak.' 'I stand with the Texas strip. I'll grill one tonight while looking at the Gulf of America.' 'Texas Strip,' wrote another. 'I'm pulling out my strips from the freezer and sharping out NY in favor of Texas.' Another added: 'TEXAS STRIP IT IS!!!!!' DailyMail.com contacted Patrick's office for comment. A hot mic caught President Donald Trump's orders to staff right after the car-crash meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. Mr Trump instructed his aides to take the Ukrainian delegation to the Roosevelt Room down the hall, where they were informed the president wanted Mr Zelensky to leave the White House. 'Youre right, maybe we should (INAUDIBLE). Lets have a little something....' the president said to an unidentified aide as the press was clearing out of the room. 'Would you bring them to the Roosevelt Room?' the president then asked. Mr Trump kicked Mr Zelensky out of the White House and cancelled the signing of a minerals deal after he felt 'disrespected' by the Ukrainian leader's 'tone' during Friday's meeting. The meeting devolved into a shouting match as vice-president JD Vance repeatedly demanded Mr Zelensky thank the president for the US's support in the war with Russia. In the aftermath the diplomatic crisis, Mr Trump has paused US assistance to Ukraine as he seeks to pressure Mr Zelensky to engage in negotiations to end the war with Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022. A hot mic tea revealed president Donald Trump's words before he kicked Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenksy out of the White House on Friday Mr Trump instructed his aides to take the Ukrainian delegation to the Roosevelt Room following the shouting match in the Oval Office Your browser does not support iframes. Mr Trump earlier on Monday slammed Mr Zelensky for suggesting that the end of the war likely 'is still very, very far away'. Mr Zelensky had suggested it would take time to come to an agreement to end the war as he tried to offer a positive take on the US-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of last weeks White House meeting. Mr Zelensky later took to social media in an effort to further explain his thinking. He did not directly refer to Mr Trumps comments, but underscored that it 'is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible.' 'We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns,' Mr Zelensky added. 'We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security.' Mr Trump administration and Ukrainian officials had been expected to sign off on a deal during Mr Zelenskys visit last week that would have given the US access to Ukraines critical minerals in part to pay back the US for aid it has sent Kyiv since the start of the war. The White House had billed such a pact as a way to tighten US-Ukrainian relations in the long term. Democrats said the pausing of aid to Ukraine was dangerous and ill-advised - Democratic representative Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, who is co-chair of the Congressional EU Caucus, said the decision 'is reckless, indefensible, and a direct threat to our national security'. A White House official said Mr Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Mr Zelensky 'committed' to that goal. The official added that the US was 'pausing and reviewing' its aid to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution,' according to the Associated Press. The order will remain in effect until Mr Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia, the official said. The halting of military aid comes some five years after Mr Trump held up congressionally authorized assistance to Ukraine as he sought to pressure Mr Zelensky to launch an investigation into Joe Biden, then a Democratic presidential candidate. The moment led to Trumps first impeachment. In the leadup to the 2024 election, Mr Trump vowed a quick end to the war in Ukraine, even once boasting that he could bring a halt to the fighting in one day. He has shown increasing frustration with Mr Zelensky over the war while simultaneously expressing confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has long admired, can be trusted to keep the peace if a truce is reached. Germania Rodriguez Poleo is the host of Daily Mail's podcast Welcome to MAGALand, bringing you all the latest news and gossip from the Trump administration. Listen wherever you get your podcasts now. Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted he is ready to work under Donald Trump's 'strong leadership' and wants to 'make things right' after their 'regrettable' White House row. The wartime leader today said in a post to X that he was keen to agree on a truce in the sky and sea 'immediately, if Russia will do the same.' Last night, Trump's administration said it was pausing all military aid following a major spat in the White House last week. In the wake of this, senior British government sources warned that Zelensky's position may be untenable without access to American military aid. An anonymous senior official told The Times that Ukraine could 'last a matter of months, maybe less' unless the flow of support from Washington resumes. The Ukrainian leader was kicked out of the White House last week without signing the much-needed minerals deal after he and Trump got into a blistering shouting match in the Oval Office. As fears mount that Kyiv could not sustain itself without US support, Zelensky made a dramatic climb down on X today. 'Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right.' He emphasised: 'None of us wants an endless war.Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) has called for a truce in the sky and sea Zelensky and Trump got into a heated war of words in the Oval Office late last month Ukraine has been devastated by war since February 2022 'My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. 'We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. 'Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. 'We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this. 'Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. 'We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. 'We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.' Zelensky's climb-down came after Trump said today in a post to Truth Social that 'tomorrow night will be big', without explicitly saying what he was announcing. An emergency psychologist assists a resident who reacts at the site of Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released March 4, 2025 Firefighters work to control a fire in a location given as Odesa, Ukraine, after a Russian drone attack damaged energy infrastructure in Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa, triggering power cuts in the city and knocking out heating systems, according to local officials, in this handout image released on March 4, 2025 The site of a damaged residential building following a Russian drone attack amid the ongoing Russian invasion in Kharkiv, Ukraine, March 2 2025 Your browser does not support iframes. He added in a later post: 'The only President who gave none of Ukraine's land to Putin's Russia is President Donald J. Trump. 'Remember that when the weak and ineffective Democrat's [sic] criticize, and the Fake News gladly puts out anything they say!' Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky's 'steadfast commitment to securing peace' in a call with the Ukrainian leader, Downing Street has said. The PM's deputy spokesperson said: 'We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. 'We're engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It's the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do, and our immediate focus remains putting Ukraine in the position of strength and bringing the US and Ukraine together for the benefits of our collective security.' Earlier, an anonymous senior UK government official told The Times that Ukraine could 'last a matter of months, maybe less' unless the flow of support from Washington resumes. 'The Ukrainians are already living hand to mouth,' the source told the newspaper. 'Any delay in the supply of GPS-guided missiles, Himars, artillery and air defence missiles will be a serious problem for them. They can last a matter of months, maybe less.' Damaged vehicles stand at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released March 4, 2025 A view shows the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released March 4, 2025 They stressed the importance of Zelensky 'building up a relationship' with Donald Trump and JD Vance in the wake of a growing spat that led to the U.S. ceasing all aid to Ukraine on Monday. Another source warned that Zelensky's current position may become 'untenable' as the Ukrainians 'cannot hold the line without U.S. support'. And Lieutenant-General Ihor Romanenko, former first deputy of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told Al Jazeera last month 'we will last six months' without American military aid. He added that he didn't believe Europe had the capacity to step up in America's place. Nikolai Mitrokhin, a researcher at the University of Bremen (Germany), backed this up, saying that that current US supplies if used sparingly, could not last beyond 'mid-summer' or 'autumn.' RUSI fellow Samuel Ramani said on X: 'Zelensky's new statement showcases Ukraine's willingness to work with the US on peace and to revive the mineral deal. 'It weaves in the sea/sky truce proposed by France and still seems to link the mineral deal to security guarantees.' In an interview with Le Figaro newspaper on Sunday, Macron proposed a month-long truce 'in the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure'. It would not cover ground fighting along the front line in the east, he said, as 'it would be very difficult to verify [a truce] along the front was being respected.' In a separate interview, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said: 'Such a truce on air, sea and energy infrastructure would allow us to determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith when he commits to a truce. And that's when real peace negotiations could start.' But French prime minister Francois Bayrou today said that the US suspending weapons aid to Ukraine in the middle of the war signalled that the US is 'abandoning' Ukraine. Bayrou also said it would allow Russia 'to win', adding that it is now Europe's responsibility to replace American weapon deliveries as 'quickly and efficiently as possible so that Ukraine does not crack'. But Trump's American allies have begun backing Zelensky's move. US Senator Lindsey Graham, who earlier suggested Zelensky should resign following the spat, wrote on X: 'Better days are ahead.' He posted his message with a thumbs-up emoji. Trump (pictured) last night said he was suspending US military aid to Ukraine US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 28 Servicemen of the mobile fire group of the Ukrainian 113th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade return from a combat position in the Volchansk direction, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, on February 22, 2025 Servicemen of the 24th Mechanized Brigade, named after King Danylo, of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire an M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops in a front line near the town of Chasiv Yar in Ukraine February 28, 2025 The Kremlin has not yet responded to the statement. Zelensky's statement came after US president Donald Trump announced he was pausing all military aid to Ukraine following a bitter spat in the White House, in which the two world leaders shouted over each other. The spat capped weeks of escalating tensions between the two leaders, after Trump called his Ukrainian counterpart a 'dictator' and Zelensky said the Republican had succumbed to Russian 'disinformation'. The major minerals deal, which would see Ukraine hand over rights to vast rare earth minerals to the US, was supposed to be inked in Washington last week before Zelensky was kicked out of the White House after the public row with Trump. A White House spokesperson said last night: 'The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.' The Kremlin praised Trump's move, with government spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying: 'It is obvious that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far. If the United States stops being (an arms supplier) or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.' But it sparked fury in Ukraine, wider Europe and the United States, with critics accusing Trump of appeasement and warning 'thousands will die' as a result of the latest 'shock' twist in U.S. foreign policy. This morning, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a 'Rearm Europe' plan that could unlock up to 800billion (661.59billion) in additional defence spending over the coming years. The plans, sent to national governments earlier today, would include the ability for EU countries to draw on up to 150billion in loans. The European Commission leader said today: 'Europe is ready to massively boost its defense spending, both to respond to the short term urgency to act and to support Ukraine, but also to address the long term need to take on more responsibility for our own European security.' It is not currently clear how Zelensky's appeal for a partial truce would affect the Rearm Europe plans. Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko told Sky News the 'pause' in aid would create a 'catastrophic situation' in Ukraine and 'embolden Putin', making 'things worse for everyone'. The site of an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine March 4, 2025 The site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released March 4, 2025 'I understand we have a crisis in relationships right now after Friday's meeting in the Oval Office, but I just want to ask Donald Trump to reconsider... maybe just give us some time to get out of this because this is catastrophic for us,' he said. Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, told the BBC the move 'came as a shock' to Ukraine. 'At the surface it looks like a disastrous decision, especially right now. We are in desperate need of American ... support. 'To suspend military aid to Ukraine it looks like siding with Russia and it's extremely dangerous.' He said 'as far as I know' the suspension also includes air defence systems, which have been vital in protecting civilians from Russia's bombardment of population centres. 'To stop aid now means to help (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,' he told Reuters. 'On the surface, this looks really bad. It looks like he is pushing us towards capitulation, meaning (accepting) Russia's demands.' He added: 'This is worse than Munich, because at least there they didn't try to paint Czechoslovakia as the aggressor, but here they try to accuse the victim of aggression - it is extremely dangerous.' More to follow. A Texas rapper known as G$ Lil Ronnie was shot and killed while at a car wash with his daughter, 5, on Monday in broad daylight. Just before 11 am, police responded to a shooting at Slappy's Express Car Wash in Forest Hill, a suburb of Fort Worth, and despite life-saving measures, pronounced the rapper, Ronnie Smith, and his daughter, R'Mani, dead at the scene. Police said the two suspects were driving a white four-door Kia and approached the victim's vehicle while it was parked. They opened fire and fled the scene before authorities arrived. Police have not released the identities of the suspects, but did say they were two black men wearing blue jeans and grey sweaters. Surveillance footage of the incident went viral on social media and revealed the moments before shots were fired. Ronnie was seen running across the parking lot while two men chased after him before fleeing the scene. A suspect has been identified and police released an active warrant for Capital Murder. The tragic shooting has left the community of Forest Hill and the family members of the victims shocked and devastated. Family members confirmed the identities of the victims to local ABC affiliate, WFAA News. Family members told local news that Ronnie was a family man and didn't have any enemies Ronnie was cleaning his car at a local car wash when the tragic shooting occurred, killing him and his daughter Slappy's Express Car Wash will be closed for two days and is an active crime scene as police investigate the shooting 'He was a good kid. He was,' Ronnie's aunt Stella Houston told the outlet. 'He didn't bother nobody, He didn't.' Houston told local NBC affiliate, WCAU News, that all her family knows so far is Ronnie was cleaning out his car when the suspects shot him. 'Why would you target him? Why would you target him? He didn't bother nobody. And a baby? His baby?' Becky Johnson, a resident who lived near the shooting, told WFAA that she heard about six gunshots. Other neighbors in the area reported hearing up to 20 gunshots on Monday morning. Slappy's Car Wash released a statement following the tragedy that read, 'Right now, there are more questions than answers. 'Thankfully, law enforcement and medics responded quickly and worked to secure the area, protect and treat the victims as well as our people who were working early this morning.' Family members told WCAU that R'Mani had just celebrated her fifth birthday on Sunday. Just two weeks ago he shared a photo with his daughter celebrating Valentine's Day at their school. Ronnie toured music halls last fall and called the tour the 'Best Gambler in Texas SODMG Tour' with Go Yayo Ronnie Smith, known as Lil Ronnie, pictured with his daughter R'Mani, who family members said just celebrated her fifth birthday Ronnie posed with his daughter and her friend at the event, captioning the sweet photo, 'My Lil Valentines Literally.' Tributes have already begun pouring in for the local rapper and his little girl, with many flocking to his social media to send condolences. 'You and your baby girl rest easy ! Literally the best gambler in Texas !' one comment read. 'Whole city hurt right now RIP to ronnie n babygirl get yall rest baby [praying emoji] praying for the family,' another added. 'Whole city hurt [heartbroken emoji,' another agreed. 'Lil Ronnie and his 5 year old daughter getting shot up gotta be the saddest and most disgusting thing to happen this year. An innocent baby,' one fan wrote in a tweet on X. 'Shoutout lil Ronnie for all the heat he gave us thru middle school and hs. Bro was fr a pioneer to DFW [Dallas-Fort Worth] rap. R.I.P,' another wrote. Ronnie had over 151,000 followers on Instagram and frequently posted vlogs and music videos on his social media accounts. He had over 19,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 40,000 listeners on Spotify. Ronnie's top songs were Hoodfame Killuminati, Wops, Stay Out My Way featuring Go Yayo and Cj Kasino, and Crash Pt 4. featuring Go Yayo. The senseless tragedy contributes to a concerning trend in Forest Hill, as the deaths mark the fourth and fifth homicides reported in the city this year. The increase in homicides has community members concerned, especially since the city didn't have any last year. 'You just got to be careful out here, watch your step, it's crazy out here,' Forest Hill resident Randy Owens told WCAU. 'You're not safe nowhere, you just got to pick your spots, you know what I'm saying?' Rapper Lil Ronnie and his five-year-old daughter were shot and killed at a local car wash in Texas Investigators have determined Slappy's Express Car Wash in Forest Hill an active crime scene following the shooting Ronnie was a popular local Texas rapper and a father to a five-year-old girl The rise in gun violence in Forest Hill took the lives of two people after a shooting at an auto sales business just two weeks ago. Days later, a mother in the neighborhood was sitting by a fire pit in her backyard when a bullet penetrated her fence and killed her. The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into the shooting with the assistance of the Forest Hill Criminal Division and local police departments. Authorities are asking anyone with information on the suspect's whereabouts to contact the Forest Hill Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division. Dailymail.com reached out to the Texas Rangers and Forest Hill PD for an update on the case but didn't immediately hear back. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau launched a blistering response to President Donald Trump's decision to level punishing tariffs on his country. Looking directly into a TV camera and addressing 'Donald,' he said: 'Even though you are a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.' Trudeau, at times close to tears during an emotional press conference in Ottawa, was quoting a previous verdict on Trump's tariff policy delivered by the Wall Street Journal. U.S. Imports from Canada will now be taxed at 25 percent as Trump's tariffs went into effect on Tuesday. Trudeau said: 'Today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, and their closest friend. At the same time they're talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin a lying murderous dictator. Make that make sense.' The United States imported $412 billion worth of goods from Canada in 2024, according to the US Census Bureau. Canada is America's third largest trading partner. Trudeau veered between anger, frustration, defiance and sadness during his extended press conference. 'We're insulted, we're angry, but we're Canadian, which means we're gonna stand up for each other, we're gonna fight...and we're gonna win,' he declared. Trump has repeatedly proposed that if Canada wants to avoid the tariffs they should consider joining the United States as its '51st state'. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a news conference on imposed U.S. tariffs in Ottawa U.S. Imports from Canada will now be taxed at 25 percent as Trump's tariffs went into effect on Tuesday 'I say Canada should be our 51st state,' Trump said last week. 'There's no tariffs, no nothing.' Trump has even proposed to Trudeau that he could become governor of Canada if it joined the U.S. 'I think he's a very good guy. I call him Governor Trudeau,' Trump said. An irate Trudeau spoke directly to the American people, blaming President Trump for making the decision to level tariffs, and warning it would hurt the U.S. economically. 'We don't want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally and we don't want to see you hurt either but your government has chosen to do this to you,' he said. Trudeau announced that Canada would begin implementing 25 percent tariffs on $155 billion of American goods, starting with $30 billion worth immediately. 'This is a time to hit back hard and to demonstrate that a fight with Canada will have no winners,' he said. Trudeau appeared deeply upset, warning the tariffs would hurt Canadian families and business, and said he would work with the United States to convince them to lift the measures. 'I will admit I have been holding out hope that these tariffs were just a clever negotiating ploy,' he said. Trump has long defended tariffs as a 'powerful weapon' that should be used by the United States to bolster American manufacturing. He has also argued the United States does not need Canada's lumber, dairy products, or auto manufacturing. US Presidnt Donald Trump greets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the White House in Washington, DC, on June 20, 2019 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was deeply upset by the news 'We don't need them to make our cars, we make a lot of them, we don't need their lumber because we have our own forests... we don't need their oil and gas, we have more than anybody,' Trump said in January. American companies who rely on products manufactured in Canada warn that tariffs will only will make their items more expensive as they pass their costs to consumers. The president also leveled a 25 percent tariff on goods from Mexico and increased a 10 percent tariff on imports from China by an additional ten percent. 'I love the people of Canada and - but honestly it's not fair for us to be supporting Canada,' Trump said last week. Trudeau concluded is press conference by warning the American people that Canadians were 'angry' and 'hurt' by the news, and would likely choose to forgo 'classic American products' like bourbon, and choose to avoid vacations in states like Florida. 'Yeah, we're probably going to keep booing the American anthem,' he said. 'But let me tell Americans we are not booing your teams, we're not booing your players. We're booing a policy that is designed to hurt us.' Target CEO Brian Cornell and Best Buy CEO Corey Barry issued warnings predicting potential price increases as Trump's tariffs go into effect. He said: 'We expect our vendors across our entire assortment will pass along some level of tariff costs to retailers, making price increases for American consumers highly likely.' Many American grocery retailers like Target rely on Mexican produce during the winter months. Trump reacted to Trudeaus press conference on social media, threatening additional tariffs. Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount! he warned. Donald Trump's Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned Democrats planning to distract and provoke the president during his joint address to Congress this evening to think again. Axios first reported that some Democratic lawmakers hatched plans to bring eggs, noisemakers and other knick-knacks to the Republican's nationally televised speech. Democrats also mentioned that they could leave the House chamber if they find Trump's remarks particularly repugnant. Liberal lawmakers have also considered bringing signs similar to ones Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., held up during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech last year, which read 'war criminal.' Addressing the planned protests, and the report on Fox News Tuesday morning, Leavitt suggested Democrats take a different approach. 'Frankly, the Democrats should think about if they should stand up in applause for some of the things President Trump will be talking about,' she said. 'He's bringing common sense back to this country.' 'Look at Democrats: yesterday, 45 Senate Dems voted against keeping men out of women's sports. How can you be against that when 80% of the country is for it?' White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt reacted Tuesday to Democrats reportedly planning protests and disruptions to President Donald Trump's primetime address to Congress All of Donald Trump's addresses to Congress have been protested by Democrats. in 2017 - 2020, lawmakers wore matching colors to signify different sentiments, like women's rights Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., holds a sign as she attends a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a joint meeting of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024 Historically, Democrats have protested addresses given by Trump. During his first joint speech to Congress in 2017, Democratic women wore white to signify the suffragist movement, as they perceived Trump would role back women's rights. The next year the liberal ladies wore black to show solidarity with the then-surging 'Me Too' movement. In 2019 and 2020, they went back to white, to again celebrate suffragists. Most notable of all the protests lawmakers made during a Trump speech before Congress was when former Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore a part a copy of the Republican's speech after he concluded his State of the Union in 2020. Her act of tearing apart Trump's speech while standing right next to him quickly went viral. Republican's have also had outburst, like when South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson yelled out that Barack Obama was a liar in 2009. 'You lie!' could be heard in recordings of the speech. Some lawmakers may just sit quietly and refuse to clap or standa tried and true method of expressing displeasure. Leavitt dismissed the claims, stating Democrats should be thinking about 'standing up in applause' for some of what Trump will highlight to the American people Tlaib held up signs that had 'guilty of genocide' written on one side and 'war criminal' on the other during Netanyahu's address Some factions of the Democratic caucus are planning on wearing different colors to signify different causes, Axios reports. The Democratic Women's Caucus members are planning on wearing pink, while the Congressional Black Caucus is planning on wearing black. Another contingent is planning on donning blue and yellow to express support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky after Trump asked him to leave the White House last week. Meanwhile, Leavitt told Fox News that Trump's still interested in making a deal. 'President Trump wants to make a deal,' Leavitt said during her interview. 'And unfortunately, it has appeared thus far that President Zelensky is unwilling to talk about a real peace agreement.' Leavitt continued: 'The president is a dealmaker and that's what he wants to do. He wants this war to end. He wants to stop the killing. He wants to see a ceasefire, and he had an economic agreement on the table on a silver platter for President Zelensky to sign at the White House last Friday, which wouldn't have just been an economic agreement.' The press secretary reasoned that the deal would have been a 'lifeline' for Zelensky and Ukraine amid their three year war. 'If you have American companies and American miners exploring for those rare earth minerals in Ukraine, that serves as an incredible deterrent to Putin into Russia.' 'Unfortunately, that deal wasn't signed because President Zelensky did not come into the Oval Office with the right mindset,' Leavitt said. Counselor to the president Alina Habba tore into fired federal employees amid DOGE layoffs accusing them without evidence of working multiple jobs and saying she doesn't 'feel sorry' for Democrats. She made her blistering comments to Fox News after her interviewer played a clip of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the Trump administration of an 'assault on hardworking families. That drove Habba, who last year represented Trump in his Stormy Daniels and E. Jean Carroll cases, to tee off on Democrats for bringing fired federal workers to President Trump's speech to Congress tonight. 'We've heard that they're going to bring people that have lost their jobs,' she snapped after shaking her head. Then she went after the employees themselves. 'Yeah, you get fired. You get fired when you don't show up to work. You get fired when you are taking taxpayer dollars, and you're not working for the federal government, and you are double dipping. That is this administration,' she said. She didn't provide evidence of double-dipping. Many of the thousands of laid off workers have been 'provisional' employees who have left the government for a year or two and lack worker protections, even if they had strong ratings. Some, like more than 300 fired from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), were quickly urged to come back. Trump and DOGE head Elon Musk have said mass emails to federal employees are intended as a 'pulse check' to see if they are alive, but have not provided evidence of people collecting checks without working. Counselor to the president Alina Habba tore into fired federal workers. 'Yeah, you get fired. You get fired when you don't show up to work,' she said, apparently referring to teleworking arrangements that are being ended They have both ripped government work-from-home policies, but those are set to end this month. 'They can cry wolf all day long, I really dont feel sorry for them, Alina continue. 'They should get back to work for the American people like President Trump and this administration. She also ripped Democrats in advance of the speech, with some saying they didn't plan to show. 'To the hecklers and to the people that refuse to stand up and clap for America not just Trump shame on you. We know youre coming, she told the network. Former George W. Bush White House Press Secretary Dana Perino preceded her question to Habba by playing a clip of Jeffries standing in front of the Capitol blasting some of Trump's economic moves. Auto engine noise could be heard in the background. 'It does seem they're struggling to figure out a way to contrast with President Trump. Habba's bristling comments come after DOGE has been forced to acknowledge embarrassing errors in its 'wall of receipts,' while fired workers have been forced to suddenly clear out their desks. Former USAID administrator SAMANTHA POWER consoles former employees who were given 15 minutes each to clean out there personal items following the shutdown of the agency outside the Ronald Reagan Building Some Democrats are bringing fired federal workers to President Trump's speech to protest efforts by Elon Musk and DOGE to slash the workforce Last week, Habba savaged federal workers who didn't want to respond to a Musk-driven email to explain five things they did last week. 'I can name 5 things 5 bullets in about 5 minutes of me coming into the office every day,' Habba said. 'If you struggle to do that for a week, there's no excuse for that.' Democrats, who tend to be at a disadvantage when a Republican speaker addresses a joint session, are seeking to put a spotlight on the firings. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) plans to bring a disabled Army vet who did three tours in Iraq. He got fired by email from the Homeland Security Department - a move Gallego called a 'disgraceful betrayal,' the Hill reported. Democratic Rep. Jimmy Panetta is bringing a U.S. Forest Service employee who worked on fire prevention in the Los Padres National Forest. President Donald Trump reacted to Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeaus press conference on Tuesday, warning him that the United States was willing to level additional tariffs on their country's economy. Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount! Trump warned on social media. Since he was reelected president in November, Trump has started referring to Trudeau as a 'governor' of Canada that could soon become the '51st state' of the United States of America. Trudeau was deeply disturbed by the news of Trump's intent to level a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods imported into the United States, describing the decision as 'dumb.' He announced that Canada would begin implementing 25 percent tariffs on $155 billion of American goods, starting with $30 billion worth of products immediately. 'This is a time to hit back hard and to demonstrate that a fight with Canada will have no winners,' he said. The United States imported $412 billion worth of goods from Canada in 2024, according to the US Census Bureau. Trump has argued that the trade deficit with Canada demonstrates that the United States deserves to level more tariffs on their imported goods. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference about the US tariffs against Canada 'We subsidize them $200 billion a year. Without us, Canada cant make it,' Trump said during a cabinet meeting last week. 'You know, Canada relies on us 95 percent. We rely on them 4 percent. Big difference.' Trudeau veered between anger, frustration, defiance and sadness during his extended press conference in Ottawa. 'We're insulted, we're angry, but we're Canadian, which means we're gonna stand up for each other, we're gonna fight...and we're gonna win,' he declared. Trump has suggested that Canada should join the United States if they want to escape the tariffs. 'I say Canada should be our 51st state. Theres no tariffs, no nothing,' he said last week. US Vice President J.D. Vance on Capitol Hill Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference about the US tariffs against Canada Trump also argues that since the United States pays largely for Canada's military security, the country should also pay more in tariffs. 'We protect Canada. But its not fair. Its not fair that theyre not paying their way. And if they had to pay their way, they couldnt exist,' he said. Canadians continue exploring ways to make the United States suffer as a result of the tariffs. The premier of Ontario on Monday threatened to cut off energy to the United States. 'They rely on our energy, they need to feel the pain. They want to come at us hard, were going to come back twice as hard,' Ontario Premier Doug Ford said at a press conference. Ontario exports electricity to American border states like New York, Michigan, and Minnesota. The tariff news triggered a sharp selloff on Wall Street Tuesday as the Dow fell over 500 points. Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday that Trump would continue to negotiate with Canada as the tariffs went into effect, suggesting that they could get relief if they prevented fentanyl from crossing into the United States. 'We need to see real engagement on the fentanyl issue, on the drug issue, that is fundamentally the underlying element of these tariffs, is we think the Canadians have not been serious about struck stopping the drug trade,' Vance said. President Trump will address the United States Congress on Tuesday night, previewing that will not shy away from controversial topics. 'TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE BIG. I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS,' he wrote in all-caps on social media on Monday. The CEO of grocery store giant Kroger's shock resignation over mysterious 'personal conduct' cost him a staggering $11.2 million. Rodney McMullen, 64, stepped down from the helm of the corporation on Monday, with bosses claiming his scandal was 'unrelated to the business' and 'inconsistent with Kroger's policy on business ethics.' He alerted the board to his 'certain personal conduct' on February 21 and independent lawyers were drafted in to probe his behavior. Kroger insisted the scandal 'is not related to the company's financial performance, operations or reporting.' McMullen's surprise resignation caused him to forfeit $11.2 million worth of unvested stock and options and any eligibility for a bonus for the fiscal year that ended on February 1, reported the Cincinnati Enquirer. 'In connection with his resignation, Mr. McMullen will forfeit all unvested equity awards outstanding under the Companys 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan and will not be eligible to receive payment of a 2024 bonus,' Kroger said in Securities and Exchange Commission filings. 'Mr. McMullen will retain any equity awards that, as of the resignation date, are fully vested pursuant to their terms or for which the performance period is complete.' The terms of his departure appear harsher than for a typical 'voluntary termination or retirement,' according to the newspaper. Rodney McMullen, 64, forfeited $11.2 million worth of unvested stock and options and any eligibility for a bonus when he resigned on Monday The grocery store giant said McMullen's resignation was over mysterious 'personal conduct' and 'unrelated to the business' The company's employment plan for managers generally allows the unvested stock and options for outgoing employees, who are at least 62 and have five years' service, to continue to vest. SEC filings revealed McMullen's total compensation from Kroger in 2023 was $15.7 million. He was allowed to keep $14.7 million worth of stock and options that were vested as of his March 3 resignation. However, he may have lost millions in bonus pay, as McMullen took home more than $4 million from the incentive plan in 2021 and 2022. If he had delayed his resignation, McMullen may have been able to keep an additional $6.3 million worth of stock and options that were set to vest by March 11. The 64-year-old began his career with Kroger in 1978 as a part-time stock clerk and bagger at a store in Lexington, Kentucky. He worked his way up through the company, becoming chief financial officer in 1995 and chief operating officer in 2009. McMullen was named Kroger's CEO in 2014 and chairman in 2015. He held both positions until his dismissal. SEC filings revealed McMullen's total compensation from Kroger in 2023 was $15.7 million The former CEO has an estimated net worth of at least $22.7 million and lives a $1.5 million mansion (pictured) in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife He has an estimated net worth of at least $22.7 million and owns over 6,000 units of Kroger stock valued at over $1.6 million, according to Market Realist. Public records show he lives in a $1.5 million four-bedroom, seven-bathroom mansion in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife, Kathryn McMullen. The couple met as students at the University of Kentucky and do not appear to have any children. McMullen's resignation comes after Kroger's $25 billion merger with Albertsons fell apart in December. The companies said a merger, which was originally proposed in 2022, would help them better compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon. But the deal faced three separate legal challenges, including one filed by the Federal Trade Commission, which argued that if the companies combined it would reduce competition and push up grocery prices for consumers. Both a federal and state judge blocked the deal on December 10, which would have been the largest grocery store merger in US history. Pope Francis is in a stable condition again - just one day after he suffered multiple 'respiratory crises'. In their daily evening update on the health of the Pontiff, 88, the Holy Press Office announced that Francis, who is recovering from double pneumonia, is stable, alert and without fever. 'The clinical condition of the Holy Father today has remained stable,' the Vatican's statement read. 'He has not experienced episodes of respiratory failure or bronchospasm. He has remained without a fever, always alert, cooperative with therapies, and oriented. 'This morning he transitioned to high-flow oxygen therapy and underwent respiratory physiotherapy. 'As scheduled, tonight he will resume non-invasive mechanical ventilation until tomorrow morning. 'The prognosis remains guarded. 'During the day he alternated between spending time in prayer and at rest, and this morning he received the Eucharist.' The Holy Press Office have this evening announced that Pope Francis, who is recovering from double pneumonia , is stable, alert and without fever (pictured 9 February 2025) The Pope is currently enduring his eighteenth day recovering from double pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli Hospital (pictured yesterday) In a worrying update on Monday evening, the Pope had suffered two 'respiratory crises' caused by a significant amount of mucus accumulation in his lungs. Following the episodes, doctors at Rome's Gemelli Hospital decided to put the Pontiff back on mechanical ventilation to help his breathing. But Pope Francis 'slept well' on his eighteenth night in hospital recovering from bronchitis which developed into double pneumonia. The Argentinian 'devoted his morning to rest and prayer' earlier today, on a day where the Vatican announced it will be going ahead with its plans for Ash Wednesday this week, despite the 88-year-old's poor health. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the former vicar of Rome, has been designated to take Francis's place this week on Ash Wednesday, which opens Lent with a traditional service and procession in Rome. Senior Cardinals at the Vatican were also said to be discussing the possibility of the Pope stepping down from his position in the near future - something Pope Benedict XVI chose to do amid his declining condition in 2013. A friend of the Pope, Elisabetta Pique, denied such a presumption, however, saying the Pope has no plans to resign. Thousands continue to gather at St Peter's Square in Rome everyday amid the Pontiff's ongoing health struggles (pictured today) The Vatican announced today that Cardinal Angelo De Donatis (pictured) will be leading Ash Wednesday this week (pictured 23 February 2025) This evening's Rosary Prayer for the health of Pope Francis will go ahead at 8pm GMT in Vatican City (pictured 3 March 2025) 'He's always been a fighter. He doesn't give in under pressure The more pressure they put on him, the more likely he won't give in,' she said. Pope Francis has made a return to X in recent days too, initially with two posts on Sunday, March 2. The Pontiff thanked well-wishers across the globe for their prayers in one post, as well as wishing his best to Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and Kyiv amid ongoing unrest. While trying to maintain neutrality, the Pope has repeatedly called for peace between Ukraine and Russia as well as attempting to achieve a similar balancing act for Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. It was announced last week that despite his serious illness, Francis has continued his daily contact with Gaza's only Catholic church via phone call. Well-wishers around the world continue to pray the Pope's good health, with a daily vigil service going ahead at 8pm (GMT) each evening at St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. At every service, Cardinals have read the Rosary Prayer with thousands gathering in the square to pray and sing hymns together. Crowds have also been congregating outside the ward where Francis is receiving treatment in Rome, placing flowers and praying around a statue of the late Pope John Paul II which has been illuminated while the current leader of the Catholic Church battles his illness. Earlier today, a group of well-wishers from Pope Francis's native Argentina were pictured praying for the Pontiff's outside of the ward where he is being treated at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. At least three MPs were injured on Tuesday after chaos erupted in Serbia's parliament when smoke bombs and flares were thrown. Politicians were scheduled to vote on a law that would increase funding for university education, but opposition parties insisted the session was illegal and should first confirm the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and his government. The parliamentary chaos started about an hour after the session started, with opposition blowing whistles and holding up a banner reading 'Serbia has risen so the regime would fall!' Video footage from the assembly hall showed a clash first between politicians, and later flares and smoke bombs being thrown. Serbian media said eggs and water bottles were also tossed around. Officials later said three people had been injured in the disturbance, including MP Jasmina Obradovic who was taken to hospital. Parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabic accused the opposition of being a 'terrorist gang'. She confirmed two lawmakers were injured, with one, Jasmina Obradovic of the SNS party, suffering a stroke and in critical condition. 'The parliament will continue to work and to defend Serbia,' she told the session. Serbian opposition lawmakers let off smoke grenades inside Serbian parliament, in Belgrade, Serbia, today Politicians were set to vote on a law that would increase funding for universities, but opposition parties insisted the session was illegal and should first confirm the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic Image shows Serbian opposition lawmakers lighting flares and discharging suspected tear gas during the opening day of the spring session of parliament in a sign of support for ongoing anti-corruption protests The incident reflects a deep political crisis in the Balkan country where months-long anti-corruption protests have rattled a populist government. Mr Vucevic resigned the post in January as authorities faced swelling protests over a collapse in November of a concrete canopy in the Serbia's north that killed 15 people and which critics blamed on rampant corruption. Parliament must confirm the prime minister's resignation for it to take effect. Opposition parties have insisted that the government has no authority to pass new laws. Meanwhile, opposition deputies today also held signs reading 'general strike' and 'justice for the killed'. while outside the building protesters stood in silence to honour 15 people killed by a railway station roof collapse that was the spark for the protest movement. Protest leaders called for a major rally in the capital Belgrade on March 15. Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic described those behind Tuesday's incident as 'a disgrace to Serbia'. 'The vandalism of opposition MPs has exposed the nature of their personalities and the essence of their political agenda,' Mr Gasic said. The footage shared online showed opposition members holding colourful flares and throwing what appeared to be smoke cannisters during the legislative session Serbia has been rocked for months by student-led anti-corruption protests following the fatal collapse of a train station roof last year that killed 15 people The ruling coalition says Western intelligence agencies are trying to destabilise Serbia Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic visited Ms Obradovic in hospital. 'Jasmina will win, Serbia will win,' Mr Vucic said in a post on Instagram, showing him holding the politician's hand in an emergency room. The ruling coalition says Western intelligence agencies are trying to destabilise Serbia and topple the government by backing the protests. Parliament was due on Tuesday to adopt a law increasing funds for universities - one of the main demands of students blocking faculties since December. Parliament had also been due to note the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic. But other items put on the agenda by the ruling coalition angered the opposition. A heartbreaking interview of Gene Hackman opening up about his tragic childhood has resurfaced on social media in the wake of his recent death. Hackman appeared on an episode of Inside the Actors Studio, a cable television talk series previously hosted by James Lipton in 2001. He was asked about his upbringing, and Hackman revealed that his father abandoned his family when he was just 13 years old. The late actor said the goodbye came casually while he played outside with his friends. 'He drove by and kind of waved,' Hackman recalled while choking back tears. When asked if Hackman saw his father occasionally after he left, he silently nodded. He added that he was close to his mother and became emotional. As Hackman struggled to keep his emotions at bay, he broke the tension with a joke, telling the audience, 'It's only been 65 years or so.' The joke received a laugh and a resounding applause from the live studio audience as Hackman brushed off the pain. Gene Hackman sat down for an emotional interview in 2001 where he opened up about the toll his father's abandonment had on him Gene Hackman, age 16, was born in San Bernardino California but grew up in Illinois In an attempt to divert the conversation back, Lipton asked Hackman if the pain from his childhood ever went away. 'Probably makes you a better actor, I don't know,' Hackman quipped before quickly clarifying, 'I don't advocate [for] that.' He went on to say that his father's abandonment forced him to get in touch with his feelings and being able to draw from the pain in his work was beneficial to his acting ability. 'You get something out of it,' Hackman concluded, ending the conversation on a positive note. Even though the interview aired over two decades ago, the clip has now made the rounds on social media after he and his wife were found dead in their New Mexico home on February 26. Social media users were struck by Hackman's candor in the clip, with many praising the late actor and mourning his tragic death. 'Even though Gene Hackman is 78 years old in this video, the question about his father leaving him still gets him emotional,' one user wrote on X. 'And he later went on to channel all of that negative energy into great films by being an amazing actor. His pain wasn't wasted,' another commented. Hackman made a joke that he still hadn't recovered from his father's abandonment over 60 years later Hackman choked back tears when talking about his parents, but made sure to make a joke to lighten the mood for the audience Hackman dropped out of school and lied about his age to join the military as a teenager 'Gene was 71 when he did this interview. Obviously he still carries the scars and trauma of that day. It just goes to show when you hurt a child, they never truly get over it. I hope he finally found his peace,' a third user wrote under the clip on YouTube. 'That kind of pain never leaves you. Rest in peace Mr. Hackman, Ive enjoyed every moment I watched you on the screen,' a fourth added. Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa were found dead at home with one of their dogs. Their causes of death remain a mystery, with a recent discovery of Hackman's pacemaker noting that his last recorded heartbeat was on February 17, nine days before his body was discovered. Two other dogs in the home were still alive when a neighbor made the shocking discovery. Their bodies were found with signs of 'mummification' and body decomposition. Hackman's body was found in a mud room off the kitchen next to his sunglasses and cane, while Arakawa was found in a separate room with a pill bottle beside her. Detectives don't speculate foul play and said there were no signs of forced entry into their home. One of the actor's children, Leslie Ann Hackman, previously told Dailymail.com that she initially believed her father and stepmother died after inhaling toxic fumes. 'Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition. He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week. So he was in good health,' she said. She added that she was close to her father and credited her stepmother for taking care of him in his old age. The Academy Awards honored Hackman on Sunday night and his colleague, Morgan Freeman paid tribute to him Hackman and Arakawa pictured at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2003 Leslie added that despite the seemingly positive relationship with her father, she hadn't spoken to him in the weeks before his death. Hackman previously admitted that his relationship with his kids suffered when they were young due to his career. He confessed that he was 'gone so much' while the kids were young and was absent when his son, Christopher was at an 'age where he needed support and guidance.' Hackman had said that he was 'selfish' when he became a Hollywood star and his jobs would mean he was away from his kids for multiple months at a time. He shared his three children, Christopher Allen, now 65, Elizabeth Jean, 62, and Leslie Ann Hackman, 59, with his first wife, Fay Maltese. Hackman and Maltese struggled financially during the start of their marriage, living with their family in a New York City walk up apartment with no hot water. Once Hackman hit it big, their fortunes began to change, but the actor then had to be away from his kids for months at a time. It wasn't until he married Arakawa who helped him reconnect with his children, insiders previously revealed. Hackman spent the last 20 years of his life retired from acting and living a quiet lifestyle with Arakawa in Santa Fe. Before his retirement, Hackman was a proper movie star, appearing in a slew of films and scoring two Oscar awards. He starred in the critically acclaimed film, The French Connection in 1972, and Unforgiven two decades later. Hackman was also known for the iconic role of Lex Luther in the 1978 adaptation of Superman, opposite Christopher Reeves. The actor and his wife's cause of death has not yet been revealed and many questions still loom over what happened to the couple in the weeks before their bodies were discovered. Karoline Leavitt has complimented Donald Trump for his handling of the Oval Office blowup between him and Volodymyr Zelensky. The White House press secretary, 27, called the President's wild showdown an 'incredibly refreshing' moment after it caused controversy worldwide. She said it served as proof Trump had been willing to fight for Americans no matter the setting. Leavitt aired the assessment to Fox News' Sean Hannity, weeks after his sitdown with Trump and Elon Musk. Musk was not in the Oval Office Friday, but JD Vance was. Leavitt called the two's treatment of Zelensky an appropriate response - considering what she viewed as ungratefulness to the American taxpayer. Vance said the same during their sitdown, which devolved into a shouting match after he and Trump both accused Zelensky of not being thankful for the US's support. The US has supplied Ukraine with more than $100billion on aid since the conflict began four years ago, with Zelensky thanking the US some 33 times since. But that did not sway Leavitt, who told Hannity that 'putting aside [her] job as President Trump's spokeswoman, as an American citizen, it was incredibly profound to watch our president actually stand up for us.' Scroll down for video: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has complimented Donald Trump for his handling of the Oval Office blowup between him and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Leavitt, 27, called the president's very public rebuke of the guest last week an 'incredibly refreshing' moment - after it caused controversy worldwide 'For the taxpaying American, law-abiding citizen,' she continued. 'Who is sick and tired of seeing hundreds of billions of dollars go out the door every single year when we have real problems in our country here. 'President Trump wants to end this war,' Leavitt continued, still less than two months into her tenure. 'He talked about it at every single rally across the country. Unfortunately, President Zelensky is not in the mindset to negotiate peace. 'Frankly, it was incredibly refreshing to watch the president and the vice president stand up for America and to have that be before the world to see,' she further told the host. 'The world was able to finally watch what President Trump and his team have been dealing with behind closed doors. 'A hardheaded notice from President Zelensky and the Ukrainians,' she concluded. 'And negotiating a true peace deal with Russia.' Hannity went on to ask how she was handling being the 'youngest White House press secretary in history', while complimenting her for the poise she's shown battling back opinionated journalists like Katilan Collins and Peter Alexander so far. 'I think God gives everybody unique gifts and skills and I guess public speaking is one of mine,' she said. Leavitt aired the assessment to Fox News' Sean Hannity, weeks after his sitdown with Trump and Elon Musk. Leavitt called the two's treatment of Zelensky an appropriate response - considering what she viewed as ungratefulness to the American taxpayer Leavitt further told Hannity that 'putting aside [her] job as President Trump's spokeswoman, as an American citizen, it was incredibly profound to watch our president actually stand up for us' The US has supplied Ukraine with more than $100billion on aid since the conflict began four years ago. Pictured, Ukrainian servicemen crawling under razor wire in the eastern region of the country on Tuesday. Trump paused all military aid to the country on Monday. 'But I do work for a great boss who makes my job quite easy, because he says something and he does it. 'There is no spin, it's all truth,' she went on. 'We have the facts on our side.' The next day, in a statement to Fox News, Leavitt warned Democrats to not engage in any distractions meant to derail Trump's joint address to Congress Tuesday, amid accounts provided to outlets like Axios indicating they were perhaps plotting to do so. 'Frankly, the Democrats should think about if they should stand up in applause for some of the things President Trump will be talking about,' Leavitt said in response. 'He's bringing common sense back to this country.' Some Democratic lawmakers are advocating for disruptions at the event, Axios reported, as the part is said to be still struggling to find the best way to handle Trump's second presidency. A recent series of near-identical videos from Senators Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren and Corry Booker served as the latest attempt Tuesday morning - leading to widespread ridicule. 'Who is writing the words that the puppets speak? That's the real question,' Musk posted to X in reply, as composites juxtaposing the three clips made clear the politicians were reading from a script. Trump, meanwhile, paused all military aid to Ukraine on Monday. An unmarried couple from El Salvador have been allowed to remain in the UK after claiming that opposing gangs in their home towns stopped them from continuing their relationship. The unnamed man fled El Salvador after he was threatened by the local gang while visiting the town where his girlfriend lived. He was given asylum in the UK due to the risk of persecution if he returned to El Salvador, the Telegraph reports. His girlfriend, who joined him in the UK, was granted permission to stay after claiming that her deportation would breach her Article 8 rights to a family life under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The couple's wishes to 'remain together in the UK' outweighed the 'public interest in immigration control', an immigration tribunal ruled. The decision was despite the couple both being asylum seekers who 'do not work (because they are not allowed to), do not speak English and are not self-sufficient'. The Home Office rejected the couple's initial asylum claims after they arrived in the UK in March 2020. However, they appealed and the man won the right to asylum. And while the woman's ECHR claim was backed by a first-tier tribunal, her asylum claim was rejected. She then appealed the decision. The Home Office rejected the couple's initial asylum claims after they arrived in the UK in March 2020 Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp (pictured) has called for a 'fundamental reform of human rights law is needed.' During her appeal, the upper tribunal heard that her partner had lived in Comasagua, an area controlled by the Barrio-18 gang. He visited her in San Marcos and was threatened by the gang MS-13 on three occasions. The gang warned him that if he returned to the town he would face the same fate as his cousin who 'disappeared'. It was accepted by the tribunal judges that if he returned to El Salvador he was at 'real risk of persecution', entitling him to protection under the Refugee Convention. The judges said: 'The alternative, for fear of harm, is to remain out of sight and/or to cease visiting one another. Neither is an acceptable state of affairs. It is regrettable that international protection may be required in such circumstances.' They also backed the woman's right to remain in the UK because of her rights to a family life under article 8 of the ECHR and due to 'real risk of serious harm' from the MS-13 gang because of her partner's association with her partner. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: 'Gang violence in El Salvador has been very substantially reduced recently, and extending to someone's girlfriend's who the man is not even married to family rights is a step too far. 'Family rights were designed to stop families and children being broken up in war, not as an immigration back door. This is another case which shows why fundamental reform of human rights law is needed.' The MailOnline has approached Home Office for comment. A Republican congressman was shouted down as a 'Nazi' and 'fascist' by his constituents at a town hall in southern California. Rep. Jay Obernolte, who represents the Big Bear Lake area in DC, was mercilessly heckled by the overflowing crowd at the Yucca Valley Community Center last month, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Footage from the chaotic scene in the conservative district shows the crowd booing Obernolte, 54, as he tried to speak to his furious constituents before he was eventually escorted out by police. When Obernolte told the crowd to call his office when they have problems with their government, a woman shouted back to the tune of the Ghostbusters theme song: 'Who ya gonna call? The fasc-ists!' 'Were not on team liberal or conservative; were not on team Republican or Democrat. We all play for team United States of America,' Obernolte went on as the boos drowned him out. Obernolte downplayed the hectic situation to the LA Times, saying the meeting was an 'anomaly' and many in the audience 'attended with the intent to disrupt rather than engage in a productive conversation.' The LA Times reported there while some speakers identified as Democrats, there were plenty of local residents at the February 22 meeting, with at least one wearing a MAGA hat. His constituents were furious about Obernolte's support of president Donald Trump's mass firings of federal workers through the Government of Government Efficiency (DOGE), per the LA Times. They shouted, 'No king! No king! No king!' in reference to Trump. Republican Rep. Jay Obernolte was shouted down by his constituents at the Yucca Valley Community Center in southern California The lawmaker was escorted out of the event by police after he was called a fascist by furious attendants of the community meeting Obernolte defended DOGE to the crowd, saying: 'I am very glad someone is looking at all of the waste...' But the lawmaker's pleas were drowned out by boos and chants of 'No more Musk!' and 'Do your job!' 'Your surrendering to billionaires, you coward!' shouted someone in the crowd. 'The American people voted for change in November, and change is what they're getting' Obernolte added. Obernolte did say he disagreed with DOGE's cuts at Joshua Tree, stating they would 'devastate our communities.' When he promised there would be no cuts to benefits like Social Security and Medicare, the crowd called him a liar. As Politico noted, DOGE cuts have also sparked protests at the town halls of Wisconsin rep. Glenn Grothman and Oregon rep. Cliff Bentz, among others. Obernolte told the outlet that despite the protests, he is not wavering in his support of DOGE. 'Its unfortunate that the other partys chosen to turn this into a political stunt,' he said. The protests come as Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are introducing a pair of resolutions demanding the Trump administration turn over documents and information about billionaire adviser Musks potential conflicts of interest and the firings of federal workers, The Associated Press has learned. His constituents were furious about Obernolte's support of president Trump and Elon Musk's mass firings of federal workers through DOGE. Trump is seen with Elon Musk at the Oval Office Your browser does not support iframes. Its the most aggressive move yet by Democrats trying to confront Trumps actions. The top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, and Rep. Rep. Kweisi Mfume of Maryland are leading the effort as the party mounts a resistance against the Trump-Musk dismantling of government. Democrats are deepening their opposition to the Trump administrations actions, particularly those of DOGE, which is blazing through the federal government, slashing jobs and programs in search of waste, fraud and abuse. Thousands of federal government employees have been shown the door in the first months of Trumps administration as the White House and DOGE fire both new and career workers, tell agency leaders to plan for large-scale reductions in force and freeze trillions of dollars in federal grant funds. It is affecting more than just the national capital region, home to about 20 percent of the 2.4 million members of the civilian federal workforce, which does not include military personnel and postal workers. More than 80 percent of that workforce lives outside the Washington area. The discovery of four lynx in the Highlands of Scotland in January made headlines around the world. Now police have installed cameras in secret locations in the south of Scotland after receiving a possible sighting of one of the animals in woodland near Newton Stewart. Officers have warned people not to approach the famously shy creature if they chance upon it. And, in an attempt to track it down, wildlife cameras are said to have been installed. Some reports have stated the sighting was made near the tiny village of Sorbie, which is around 10 miles south of the town of Newton Stewart. A spokesman for the force said: We are aware of a possible sighting of a lynx in woodland near Newton Stewart around 12pm on Wednesday, 26 February, 2025. The sighting was reported to police on Friday, 28 February, and officers are working with partners to establish the full circumstances. If there are any further sightings, members of the public are asked not to approach the animal and contact Police Scotland. One of one of three lynx illegally released in the Cairngorms, who were trapped in early January The lynx released in the Highlands earlier this year were caught on wildlife cameras Some conservationists have argued that a viable population of around 450 Lynx could exist in Scotland, with the biggest numbers being supported by the habitat in the highlands. Theories suggest a smaller population could be established in the Southern Uplands and extend across the border into the English part of Kielder Forest. One local in Sorbie said there have been claims of Big Cats in the area since the 1990s but little evidence to back up the claims. However, they said there were two intriguing developments in recent days. They said: One of my friends had set up a camera to try and find a missing dog. When they watched the footage back they were convinced it showed a big cat. They added: I have two friends who found a dead sheep. They reported it to the farmer but when he came out the next day it was gone. Sue Barrow runs Sorbie School CL - a caravan and motorhome site in the grounds of the former primary school in the centre of Sorbie village. One of the lynx captured earlier this year after it was spotted in the Cairngorms She said: Theres a little bit of woodland near us but not much. I havent heard anything about it. She added: I dont think the idea of reintroducing lynx would work here as theres so much farmland. Ill have to keep my eye out for it. The latest development comes after four lynx were released in January near Kingussie in Inverness-shire, with their shocking presence proven after footage of them was captured on wildlife cameras. One died shortly after it was caught but the others, all females, were transported to Edinburgh Zoo where they are said to be thriving. Last month First Minister John Swinney ruled out a legal release of lynx or other large carnivores in Scotland. His statement came after he was quizzed on rewilding policies as he spoke to the National Farmers Union Scotland AGM. Farmers have complained about beaver reintroduction projects in recent years, saying they damage land. Proponents say the animals can improve the environment and biodiversity. At the NFUS AGM, Mr Swinney said: My government will not be reintroducing lynx, or indeed any other large carnivorous species in Scotland. A nanny who quit her job after just three hours of work has successfully sued for unpaid wages. Ley Tsang was shown the ropes during an induction session with the childs parents before changing her mind about the job the next day, an employment tribunal was told. Despite never having actually looked after the couples daughter, the nanny sued them after they refused to pay her for the session - and won 39. A south London employment tribunal heard Ms Tsang met the childs parents using a website called Koru Kids. After an initial introduction in April 2024, it was agreed that the nanny would start looking after the girl three times a week in three-hour shifts, beginning the following month. That first day was to be an induction day, when the mother and her partner showed Ms Tsang their daughters school and the route to their house, gave her keys to their house, and showed her what was expected of her, the tribunal was told. Ms Tsang also spent some time with their daughter. The mother and her partner were present in the house for the duration. An nanny who quit her job after just three hours of work has successfully sued for unpaid wages (file image) Ruling in favour of Ms Tsangs claim, an employment judge concluded she was entitled to be paid the 39 she was owed for attending the induction session (file image) The following day, the nanny changed her mind about the 13-an-hour role, and handed in her notice. But arguing that she had not actually undertaken any childcare, the girls parents refused to pay, the tribunal was told. Ms Tsang told the tribunal she had experienced stress as a result of the case. Ruling in favour of Ms Tsangs claim, an employment judge concluded she was entitled to be paid for attending the induction session. The nanny had been instructed to start on Friday, the judge said, the day she was shown the ropes by the couple. The parents were ordered to pay Ms Tsang the 39 she is owed. Thirty Los Angeles based correctional officers held 'gladiator'-style fights between detainees inside a juvenile hall, a bombshell indictment has alleged. Officers looking after youths kept inside Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall between July and December of 2023 'allowed and in some instances encouraged' mass brawls. Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the indictment against the officers, with more than 140 victims between the ages of 12 and 18 believed to have been involved. Officials in The Golden State started an investigation after footage emerged of a fight inside the facility last January. The clip, first reported on by the LA Times, shows probation officers standing by as a group of six young men beat a 17-year-old. The horrifying clip shows the teen taking punches and kicks from the gang, inside what was described as a 'day room', the youths all appear to be eating breakfast. Officers could be seen laughing and shaking hands with some of the attackers in the horrifying clip. Bonta said that as investigators started to investigate they managed to uncover 'striking similarities' between the leaked clip and other incidents. Officers looking after youths kept inside Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall between July and December of 2023 'allowed and in some instances encouraged' mass brawls The clip, first reported on by the LA Times, shows probation officers standing by as a group of six young men beat a 17-year-old In total, his office reviewed footage and found 69 fights that had taken place between 143 youths in the first six months of it opening in July 2023. In a statement, Bonta said: 'Officers at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall have a duty to ensure the safety and well-being of those under their care. 'Instead, the officers charged today did just the opposite overseeing 'gladiator fights' when they should have intervened. 'The indictment, and the filing of criminal charges, is an important step toward holding these officers accountable and addressing shortfalls at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. 'Let today's charges be a warning for all those who abuse their power: the California Department of Justice is watching, and we will hold you accountable.' Speaking at a press conference, Bonta also said that his office believed the fights had been planned out in advance by officers. In total, there are 69 counts of child abuse, one count of conspiracy to commit a crime and one count of battery brought against the list of 30 defendants. Two of the officers, Taneha Brooks and Shawn Smyles, are said to have told officers to not intervene or make reports when the fights happened, the indictment says. California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a news conference at the San Francisco Public Library's Bernal Heights branch in San Francisco, Dec. 4, 2024 It was found that 69 fights had taken place between 143 youths in the first six months of the facility in Downey opening in July 2023 22 of the officers were arraigned on Monday at Los Angeles Superior Court, with the remaining eight to be arraigned on April 18, according to the California DOJ. One of those indicted, Ramses Patron, is a director of the facility, with his attorney telling ABC7 he is innocent. Attorney Tom Yu told the outlet: 'My client didn't set up any fights. He didn't know about any fights, so I'm not sure how they got him into this as an accomplice.' The Times also later identified the teenager who was attacked as Sylmar Thursday, who suffered a broken nose and a 'traumatic brain injury' in the brawl. After the footage from the LA Times was revealed last year, Probation Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa placed 14 officers on leave and referred the fight to the California DOJ. On Monday, the Probation Department said: 'While these incidents are deeply troubling, we believe this marks an important step toward rebuilding trust and reinforcing our commitment to the meaningful changes we are proposing in our juvenile facilities. 'Our vision for them is one that prioritizes rehabilitation, support, and positive outcomes for justice-involved youth, as well as upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity for our staff.' Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo Garcia said in a statement: 'Accountability for those who have failed to protect our youth is long overdue there is no justice in a system that abuses the very youth it is entrusted to care for.' People have been accused of acting like 'vultures' as a heavily populated Australian coastal region braces for a cyclone to hit for the first time in 50 years. A long wait for sandbags has ended in frustration in a region bracing for a rare cyclone direct hit after people were accused of acting like 'vultures'. More sandbagging sites have opened across the region as people attempt to safeguard their homes, but Morningside local Matthew Formosa still couldn't get his fill. He tried to get sandbags twice on Monday night but after a 40 minute wait was turned away at the 24-hour depot. Mr Formosa returned at 5am on Tuesday hoping to beat the rush but still had to wait almost three hours to collect just eight bags. 'There was no real order in getting the sandbags it is just like, once they have dumped there everyone is like vultures,' he told AAP. Mr Formosa was told on Tuesday there was a two-hour wait as sand had run out at the depot. He criticised the lack of support staff to help the elderly load sandbags into their cars. 'Seeing older people carrying a bag and struggling, it just has to be an easier way for them to help them out,' he said. He was hoping to collect sandbags for his partner in Capalaba, south of Brisbane, who was worried flooding may inundate her home after a few near misses over the years. 'We're just trying to prevent it if it does happen, but hopefully it'll blow away,' he said of Alfred. About 100,000 sandbags have been collected in the past three days in Brisbane alone as it hunkers down for Alfred. Authorities have called for calm before the storm, with panic buying also widespread in southeast Queensland ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred's arrival. The fruit and vegetable manager at Sam Coco Trading in Brisbane told Daily Mail Australia people are trying to get their hands on two items. 'They're taking water and toilet paper,' Troy said. 'Since Covid, they just do it and we prepare for it. Covid has made us used to panic buying. 'It's clear as a bell at the moment. There's no sign of the cyclone but they're all panic buying. It's pretty much just staples. 'There's about to be plenty of water coming from the sky but they're still buying it.' Rainfall and strong wind gusts have begun ahead of the cyclone expected to make landfall between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane on Thursday evening or Friday morning. It will mark the first time a cyclone has hit the southeast Queensland coast since 1974. Supermarket shelves have been stripped bare in some stores as locals brace for impact, prompting a call for calm. Sunshine Coast Police Superintendent Craig Hawkins said there were no supply issues and no need to panic buy ahead of the cyclone's arrival. 'Get what you need but be respectful of others who also need supplies to get through this,' he told reporters on Tuesday. The worst of Alfred's impact once it makes landfall will hit the state's southern flank, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast and NSW's Northern Rivers. Beaches and university campuses have closed, ferry services have stopped and Gold Coast theme parks are set to shut down from Wednesday as Alfred looms. Emergency services, telco providers and Energex crews have bolstered the region. 'Today's a really, really key day for everyone ... today's the day that we've got to get those logistics right so I'm asking people to take it seriously,' Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told ABC Radio Brisbane on Tuesday. Heavy rainfall of up to 400mm is forecast this week leading to widespread flooding in southeast Queensland and NSW's northeast. NSW's Northern Rivers is again in the firing line three years after flooding claimed five lives and destroyed homes. 'Obviously those communities have already gone through massive amounts of flooding in recent years,' NSW Premier Chris Minns told ABC. A huge dust storm has caused a 23-car pileup along with several other crashes and injured two people on an important highway. Motorists were driving almost completely blind along Highway 285 near Roswell, New Mexico, on Monday as the sky turned orange. Roswell is famous for a UFO conspiracy theory and had a top-secret government facility nearby some claim was for extra-terrestrial research. High winds whipped the sand across the road in ferocious fashion, and videos posted online showed only several feet of visibility. Ambulances and local police rushed to Carrol and Orchard Park, just south of Midway between Roswell and Artesia, after the crashes were reported. Two people were badly hurt in the crashes and rushed to Eastern New Mexico Medical Center in Roswell. A huge dust storm has caused a 23-car pileup along with several other crashes and injured two people on an important highway Motorists were driving almost completely blind along Highway 285 near Roswell, New Mexico, on Monday as the sky turned orange High winds whipped the sand across the road in ferocious fashion, and videos posted online showed only several feet of visibility Five semi-trucks and 18 other vehicles were towed to the Chaves County Sheriffs Office after being involved in the biggest pileup. Dexter Fire and Rescue chief Justin Powell said roads through the area were closed and urged everyone to stay indoors. 'Highway 285 is still closed between Roswell and Artesia. Zero visibility in spots. State road 2 is also very bad with low and NO visibility,' he wrote online. 'Multiple vehicle accidents all around the area. If you do not need to be driving, please do not do so. Stay put! 'Warnings have all been extended into the evening time now. Wind is also expected to blow next couple of days. 'This is spring time in the desert NM, so this is expected at times. Just please use caution and common sense. Ambulances and local police rushed to Carrol and Orchard Park, just south of Midway between Roswell and Artesia, after the crashes were reported Five semi-trucks and 18 other vehicles were towed to the Chaves County Sheriffs Office after being involved in the biggest pileup Dexter Fire and Rescue chief Justin Powell said roads through the area were closed and urged everyone to stay indoors 'So many emergency agencies are out working all these accidents. At times every available ambulance has been taking in multiple patients at a time. 'So please be safe, stay out if you can until winds die down and visibility gets better.' Satellite images showed plumes of brown dust across huge areas of the region. Roswell's alien conspiracy dates to the 1947 crash of a top-secret US Army experimental weather balloon designed to detect Soviet missile launches. The balloon debris included a large metal disc, which started the claim that it was a UFO and that balloon was a cover-up. This was helped by a poorly worded army statement that it was in possession of a 'flying disc', which set off a frenzy before it was retracted hours later. Authorities have released the harrowing cause of death for a young mother whose body was found last December in Charlotte, North Carolina. TaHaley Payton, 22, died from hypothermia, according to an autopsy report from the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's Office. Her death was ruled an accident. She also had non-lethal levels of rubbing alcohol and a non-pharmaceutical benzodiazepine in her system, according to the report. TaHaley, the mother of a newborn daughter, was visiting Charlotte from Spartanburg in November to celebrate her birthday with her boyfriend, the father of the child. She was reported missing by her family on November 20, with the day before being her actual birthday. Karlotta Payton, TaHaley's younger sister, told FOX Carolina that TaHaley and her boyfriend got into an argument while on the trip. Kelanie Davis, TaHaley's best friend, said her boyfriend drove away and left her 'with no phone, no money, no resources.' He allegedly kicked her out of his car after this and left her at the Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham in the northern part of the city, the Charlotte Observer reported. TaHaley Payton, 22, died from hypothermia, according to an autopsy report. She disappeared on November 20 and was later found in a creek in Charlotte, North Carolina Pictured: The approximate area where her body was found on December 9 The boyfriend was then said to have driven home and called TaHaley's mother telling her to pick her up. A witness said they saw TaHaley walk into a Crumbl Cookies three times asking for help and hoping to use someone's phone. One woman who let her use her phone said TaHaley texted her boyfriend that she was 'sorry for everything' and would sleep outside. Employees at an Arby's and a Trader Joe's in that area also said they saw TaHaley that night. Her family said she admitted to an area emergency department for postpartum depression but was later released. Her body was found on December 9 in the waters of Little Sugar Creek near the 1100 block of Baxter Street. This is close the center of the city and where her friends and family had organized a search a few days earlier. 'Im saddened to share that TaHaley Payton was found yesterday. While this case is not closed, I truly believe that the public's efforts contributed 100% to helping locate my best friend, and we will continue to work together to bring her justice,' Davis wrote on Facebook the day after TaHaley was found. Even though the autopsy ruled TaHaley's death an accident, her mother Stephanie Crawford doesn't believe it. That's largely because TaHaley was found wearing only a bra. The report also noted that much of her hair was ripped out Pictured: Photos of TaHaley her family and friends brought to her funeral service That's largely because she was found wearing only a bra. The report also noted that much of her hair was ripped out. 'Where are her clothes at? Where is her hair? She only had three strands of hair left in her head. What about the gash on her forehead? She was found naked with no clothing on,' Crawford told WCCB. 'Im not going to stop fighting until I get the answers because, I cant rest until I have the answers,' she added. Crawford said she will keep investigating what happened to her daughter by going around to businesses in the area to compile more security footage from the night she went missing. She also plans to hire a private medical examiner to conduct a second autopsy. Through a GoFundMe, the family has raised $1,605 toward the $3,500 they need. A second GoFundMe set up for the family helped pay to transport her body back to her hometown and her funeral service. The late trade unionist Jimmy Reid was a unique character in our national politics. He was a radical who enjoyed the admiration of supporters and opponents alike, a truth underlined by the fact both Gordon Brown and Alex Salmond attended his funeral in 2010. Mr Reid who moved from the Communist Party to Labour before joining the SNP became an internationally respected figure as one of the leaders of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders work-in of 1971-72. His powerful speech to workers lingers in the memory of anyone who has heard it. There will be no hooliganism, Mr Reid told union members, there will be no vandalism, there will be no bevvying, because the world is watching us and it is our responsibility to conduct ourselves with responsibility and with dignity and with maturity. It was always a pleasure in the foreign country of the past to bump into Mr Reid who remained a supporter of independence until the age of 78 at a political conference. He was erudite, thoughtful and very funny. It was easy to see how he charmed TV viewers in the 1970s when, appearing on Michael Parkinsons chat show, he challenged the anti-union views of the actor Kenneth Williams. In his heyday, Mr Reid fought the biggest possible fights to protect the livelihoods of thousands of workers. He and his colleagues brought about real change, forcing Ted Heaths Conservative government to invest millions in the Upper Clyde yard. The late trade unionist Jimmy Reid won admiration from across the political spectrum There arent many Jimmy Reids left these days. In trade union news this week, Unite breathlessly announced its latest victory. In a statement marked Breaking, Unites hospitality branch announced that management at Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) had agreed to cut ties with soft drinks giant Coca-Cola. Until Monday. Unites statement explained that the cinema would not sell Coke for the duration of the Glasgow Film Festival, which closes on Sunday evening. The bar will then sell its remaining Coca-Cola and, once thats gone, will begin stocking an ethically sourced alternative. This move, you will be entirely unsurprised to learn, is intended to encourage others to take a stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Doubtless, the people of Gaza will be pleased to learn that a small group of people in Glasgow are not drinking Coke while watching a digitally remastered version of Federico Fellinis 1963 masterpiece 8 (its not bad but it lacks car chases, if you ask me). Of course, the deal struck between the GFT and Unite will change precisely nothing, apart from meaning the sale of, in my unshakeable view, inferior cola in the bar. Were I in the mood to be kind, Id accuse the union officials involved in securing this great victory of being naive. I am, however, in the mood to be honest and Im afraid all I see is narcissistic virtue signalling. For a start, theres the laughably portentous language Unite used cut ties with as if this was some significant breakdown in relations between two big players rather than a decision not to buy any more Coke from the cash and carry because, erm Zionism? But more importantly, this case is illustrative of a crisis in the trades union movement, where many key figures seem to have forgotten their responsibility to workers. Doubtless, the distress the staff at the GFT felt at having to serve Coca-Cola to cinema-goers was genuine; the struggle, as the kids say, is real. But it should also have been ignored. The hospitality business is one of the toughest there is. Most staff in the industry work very long hours for relatively low wages and I am entirely unconvinced that the time of their union representatives was best used fighting over which soft drink a cinema might be permitted to sell. Right now, unions are getting as much attention for the cases they wont touch as they are for those they back. While Unite officials felt it was essential for the good of their members for them not to have to sell Coca-Cola, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has turned its back on clear-cut cases where their members needed help. Take Sandie Peggie, for example, the nurse currently claiming discrimination and harassment against NHS Fife and Dr Beth Upton, a trans woman, after she was suspended for complaining she shouldnt have to share a changing room with the trans medic. This, you might have thought, was something the RCN would be all over. Instead, Ms Peggie, a dedicated professional with 30 years of service, was abandoned by her union. It was a shameful decision that shows that ideology trumps the rights of workers so far as the RCN is concerned. The nursing union also left nurses in the County Durham town of Darlington high and dry. A total of 27 nurses signed a letter to NHS managers complaining about a decision to allow trans woman Rose Henderson to share their changing room. Not only did both the RCN and Unison fail to back the nurses, the response from on high in County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust was that they should broaden their mindset. The nurses in that ongoing case have now formed the Darlington Nurses Union, which Sandie Peggie has joined. How did unions get themselves into a place where theyll prioritise the need to remove Coca-Cola from a bar but refuse to support members whose sex-based rights are being trampled on? They took the same route as political parties of the progressive Left. They attached themselves, then fully committed, to causes which are barely relevant to most people. Trade unionists of Jimmy Reids era were of the people they represented. Those men and women, whether you agreed with their objectives or not, were fully committed to the folk they represented. Their solidarity was beyond question. Now, as is the case in politics, the trades union movement is dominated by overgrown student debaters whove spent next to no time in the real world between graduating and campaigning. The shop stewards who won the battle against Coke in the GFT and those who abandoned Sandie Peggie and her colleagues in Darlington have lost touch completely with the priorities of those they represent. A worker in need of help in the 1970s could look to trade unionists like Jimmy Reid and know they had clever, energetic and decent people on their side. A worker in need of help today had better make sure they share the approved personal opinions of their union shop steward or else they can expect to be on their own. President Donald Trump's administration and Ukraine plan to sign the much-debated minerals deal following his disastrous Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky. It comes after Trump turned the screws on the U.S. ally by pausing U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Trump has told his advisers that he wants to announce the agreement in his address to Congress Tuesday evening, according to three sources. They cautioned that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Ukraine's presidential administration in Kyiv and the Ukrainian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The deal, if salvaged, would mark a stunning turnaround from Friday, when Trump held an angry Oval Office meeting with Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance, with Trump questioning whether Zelensky wanted peace and Vance repeatedly urging him to say 'thank you.' It resulted in the Ukrainian leader's swift departure from the White House before a planned luncheon and press conference. Zelensky had traveled to Washington to sign the deal. Donald Trump may announce the deal to Congress 'You're gambling with World War III,' Trump lectured during the meeting. The blowup threatened to throw the U.S.-Ukraine relationship, and on Monday the Trump administration suspended U.S. military support for the embattled nation. European leaders huddled over the weekend to explore ways to try to fill Kiev's need for arms and funds. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said a 'coalition of the willing' would forge ahead, but there were serious concerns about Ukraine's path forward without U.S. support. U.S. officials have in recent days spoken to officials in Kyiv about signing the minerals deal despite Friday's blow-up. They urged Zelensky's advisers to convince the Ukrainian president to apologize openly to Trump, according to one of the people familiar with the matter. President Donald Trump greets President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, Friday, February 28, 2025 President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting in the Oval Office became a shouting match Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) has called for a truce in the sky and sea Vice President J.D. Vance says it's 'absurdly dishonest' to say he attacked European allies of France and the U.K. during his interview with Sean Hannity On Tuesday, Zelensky posted on X that Ukraine was ready to sign the deal and called the Oval Office meeting 'regrettable.' He wrote: 'Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer.' It came after a week spent posting about gratitude for the U.S., even as he pressed the need for 'security,' after Moscow reneged on multiple past cease fires and other commitments. The wartime leader today said in a post to X that he was keen to agree on a truce in the sky and sea 'immediately, if Russia will do the same.' 'My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts,' he wrote, providing some of the praise that Trump's team expects. He also thanked Trump for providing javelin missiles to Ukraine years ago. 'We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. At the end of his post, Zelensky got to what Trump and his team have been pushing for. 'Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. 'We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively,' he wrote. Monday night, Trump's administration said it was pausing all military aid following a major spat in the White House last week. In the wake of this, senior British government sources warned that Zelensky's position may be untenable without access to American military aid. An anonymous senior official told The Times that Ukraine could 'last a matter of months, maybe less' unless the flow of support from Washington resumes. Vice President JD Vance in an appearance on 'Hannity' on Fox News talked up the importance of the deal, calling it tantamount to security by tying Ukraine to U.S. companies, even while diminishing the impact of peacekeepers under consideration. Vance told Hannity: 'If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that [Russian President] Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.' 'That has a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years,' he added. 'The security guarantee, and also the economic guarantee for Ukraine is to rebuild the country, and ensure that America has a long term interest.' 'You're not going to do that if you come to the oval office, insult the president and refuse to follow his plan for peace,' he concluded. Apple is appealing against an order which could allow the British government to spy on iPhone users. Yvette Cooper recently demanded that the tech giant install a 'backdoor' to give the Home Office access to private data. But, the company appealed the order as it would require it to break Advanced Data Protection (ADP) - the encryption that secures its iCloud online storage system. It comes as last week President Trump hit out at Sir Keir Starmer over the demand, likening it to 'something you might hear about with China' and telling him 'you can't do this'. Apple lodged the appeal with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, the court that oversees Britain's surveillance laws. In February Apple chose to shut down its ADP feature in Britain rather than comply with the order, saying it was 'gravely disappointed'. This means it can access iCloud backups in certain cases that it otherwise could not, such as copies of iMessages, and hand it over to authorities if legally compelled. With end-to-end encryption enabled, even Apple could not access the data. At the time Apple said it has 'never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and never will'. The demand from the UK Government was also criticised by Donald Trump, who said: 'We told them you can't do this... We actually told him [Starmer]... That's incredible. That's something, you know, that you hear about with China.' Apple is suing Britain and has launched a legal battle to block spies having access to private iPhone messages (stock image) It comes after Yvette Cooper (pictured) recently served the tech giant with an order requiring it to install a 'backdoor' on the iPhone which would give the Home Office access to users' messages It comes as last week President Trump hit out at Sir Keir Starmer over the order telling him 'you can't do this' Investigatory powers appeals - which are often held in secret - will determine whether Ms Cooper's order is necessary and proportionate. Apple has argued that creating a gateway would put millions of customers at risk by making it easier for hackers to access private information. Security services have long claimed that fully securing digital activity with end-to-end encryption gives criminals the chance to operate freely and impedes investigations. The encryption provided by ADP means that Apple is unable to retrieve iPhone backups containing messages and photos, even when it is ordered to by law. Apple's appeal could be heard in the next month, according to the Financial Times, which first reported the challenge. It is the first known case of the Home Office serving a technical capability notice to break encryption or of it being challenged. Although Apple has prevented customers turning on ADP, it could still be in breach of the government order because existing users can still have the feature activated. Last week U.S. officials were investigating whether Britain violated a bilateral pact by reportedly pressuring Apple to create a 'back door' for government access to encrypted cloud backups. The move could breach the CLOUD Act, which bars the United Kingdom from issuing demands for the data of U.S. citizens and vice versa. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We do not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any such notices. 'But more broadly, the UK has a longstanding position of protecting our citizens from the very worst crimes, such as child sex abuse and terrorism, at the same time as protecting people's privacy. 'As the Security Minister said in the House of Commons, the suggestion that privacy and security are at odds is not correct - we can and must have both. 'The UK has robust safeguards and independent oversight to protect privacy and privacy is only impacted on an exceptional basis, in relation to the most serious crimes and only when it is necessary and proportionate to do so.' A unhinged passenger who missed his flight scampered onto the airport tarmac in a desperate attempt to stop the plane from departing. Footage of the bizarre incident showed the unidentified 29-year-old man running toward a LATAM Airlines jet at El Tepual International Airport in Puerto Montt, Chile on Monday. The man could be seen waving at the plane in an apparent attempt to capture the pilots' attention in hopes of being allowed on the one-hour flight to the city of Concepcion. An airport worker could be seen rushing toward the man as he continued to gesture toward the jetliner. Security staff then arrived and the man was eventually escorted away. He was arrested and was scheduled to appear before a judge on Tuesday. It wasn't the passenger's first run-in with the law. He has been arrested in the past for threats and thefts, according to online news outlet BioBioChile. Footage of the bizarre incident showed the unidentified man running toward a LATAM Airlines jet at El Tepual International Airport in Puerto Montt, Chile on Monday The man could be seen waving at the plane in an apparent attempt to capture the pilots' attention in hopes of being allowed on the one-hour flight The man was eventually escorted off the tarmac Puerto Montt Mayor Rodrigo Wainraihgt questioned the airport's security measures in an interview with DUNA radio. 'It certainly also leads us to see what policies are being taken at the airport,' Wainraihgt said. The security breach comes after a Haitian man arrested for destroying the check-in counter area at Santiago International Airport in the Chilean capital. The passenger reportedly lost his temper after an airline staffer reportedly declined to provide him assistance to return to the Caribbean nation. Six month earlier, he went on a similar rampage at the airport after saying he paid for a ticket but was not allowed to check in because he did not have a visa. Suspects held over the murder of a Scots businessman who was found dead in a sack of pineapples stole money from his account, detectives have claimed. Two men have appeared in a Kenyan court in connection with the murder of Campbell Scott while he was in the country for a conference, with police still on the hunt for accomplices. Investigators are now investigating a financial trail left behind by the suspects. Officers working on the case have said the murder probe so far has shown several successful and attempted withdrawals of money from Mr Scotts account, local media has reported. But detectives are still looking for a mobile phone and a sim card as they search for accomplices involved in the murder. Because of concerns the two suspects could sabotage the investigation, Alex Mutua and Albunus Mutinda have been detained for three weeks. Mr Scott had checked in to Nairobis JW Marriot Hotel last month, and was set to attend a conference on behalf the American credit scoring firm he worked for. But shortly after he arrived he vanished and worried colleagues reported him missing. Campbell Scott was murdered whilst on a business trip to Kenya Alex Mutua Kithuka, left, and Albunus Mutinda Nzioki who were arrested in connection with the murder of Mr Scott Around a week later his body was found in a forest around two hours away from the Kenyan capital, stuffed in a bag with his hands and legs tied. Security camera footage emerged of him in the company of a mystery man who called a taxi - with the two then going in the vehicle to a notorious slum in Nairobi called Pipeline. Yesterday more details emerged of what prosecutors fear happened to Mr Scott - including how money appeared to be taken out of his account after he went missing. The Daily Nation reported that police documents revealed: Preliminary investigations have revealed that the deceased person was taken to Pipeline to a house belonging to Mr Mutua, where it is believed the deceased was murdered and his body disposed of in Makongo Forest. Shortly after he disappeared there had been several successful and attempted withdrawals from Scotts account in Nairobi, Voi, and Mombasa, the newspaper reported. Amid growing concerns about Mr Scotts safety after he was reported missing, detectives used mobile phone triangulation and spoke to witnesses to track down the taxi driver who took him to Mutuas home in Pipeline. When they raided the flat it was empty, with Mutua said to have already left along with his belongings to an unknown address. Joyce Olajo, principal prosecution counsel, told Milimani Law Courts: The suspect [Mutua] is believed to have removed the body of Campbell and transported it to an unknown place while he was moving his household goods and belongings from his Pipeline residence. Because of the seriousness of the crime, and the potential the ongoing investigation could be hindered, chief magistrate Lucas Onyina remanded them in custody. Local media reported he told the court: The police have established there are good grounds to warrant the detention of the suspects for 21 days. The application is hereby allowed. In new footage of court proceedings released in the early hours of yesterday, the two men can be seen in court staring at the ground as lawyers discussed the case. Walking through the court building the suspects were handcuffed to each other, with one covering his face to hide his identity. Exactly how Mr Scott, from Dunfermline, died remains a mystery. A post-mortem did not return a conclusive result and further tests have been scheduled. Yesterday the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigation said the two arrested were the prime suspects and that forensic evidence has conclusively linked the two suspects to the murder. The last time Mr Scott had been seen alive was on February 17, police said, when he visited the Havana Bar and Restaurant with an unidentified man. In a statement last night, the directorate said: Investigators uncovered multiple attempts both successful and unsuccessful to withdraw funds from Scotts bank accounts in Nairobi, Voi, and Mombasa before his murder and the subsequent disposal of his body in Makongo forest. Despite the arrest and court appearance of the two suspects, more are still at large. The directorate said: Detectives are actively pursuing another suspect, who was captured on CCTV footage with Scott outside a club in Westlands, and his two accomplices. A barrister who refused to give a sample of breath after police stopped her Range Rover on the grounds she had just had cosmetic surgery was 'worried you would fail the test', judge told her yesterday. Rachel Tansey, 44, initially refused to use a breathalyser saying she'd had cosmetic surgery done on her lips the day before, a court heard. The 'snappy' mother-of-three also wouldn't take a blood test on the grounds that she had phobia of needles. She was last month found guilty of failing to provide a specimen after a district judge said her account 'lacks any credibility whatsoever'. Convicting her, District Judge James Hatton said she had attempted to 'backtrack' from saying she'd had her 'lips done' due to the 'inference' that a needle had been used. He warned her she faced a possible prison sentence. But yesterday Tansey wiped away tears as a different judge imposed a community order and a two-year driving ban. The incident occurred in the early hours of April 20, 2023 when Tansey was reported to be 'weaving around' a bypass at 20mph near her 1.4million mansion in Formby, Merseyside. Rachel Tansey, 44, pictured leaving court after receiving a two-year driving ban Tansey, 44, initially refused to use a breathalyser saying she'd had cosmetic surgery done on her lips the day before At the time she was in the midst of an acrimonious divorce at the time while on a break from law to run restaurants and bars, her trial was told. Among her business interests was the Liverpool branch of controversial restaurant chain Hooters, which has been accused of creating a 'sexually objectifying and misogynistic environment' over its scantily-clad female waitresses. When police asked the barrister to provide a breath sample, she only partially got her lips around the tube then cited cosmetic treatment the day before, Sefton magistrates court heard. 'I am doing my very best,' she told them. 'It is like asking someone to jump up after a tummy tuck. I cannot do it.' Tansey denied wrong-doing, insisting she had only been driving slowly as she had dropped a chicken wrap and been swilling mouthwash. But a healthcare professional confirmed there was no reason why she could not provide a sample. She appeared for sentence at Liverpool magistrates court yesterday where District Judge Timothy Boswell said she had been 'obstructive from the start'. Tansey appeared before Liverpool Magistrates' Court (pictured) yesterday for sentencing Saying she had 'deliberately refused to provide a sample', he added: 'The only proper inference I can draw is that you were worried you would fail the test.' It was therefore impossible to say whether or not she had been above the drink-drive limit, he added. The judge imposed a 12 month community order and ordered her to pay prosecution costs and surcharge totalling 764. He also banned her from driving for two years and ordered her to carry out 130 hours' unpaid work. Tansey, who was wearing a long black dress and black ankle boots, wiped away tears as she was sentenced. Earlier Jack Cooper, representing Tansey, said she had no previous convictions. He said she accepted being 'snappy' with police and felt 'ashamed' to be in the dock but had not felt 'unfit to drive'. The company through which Tansey operated Hooters in Liverpool went into liquidation last year. As Donald Trump has swiftly shaken up the government and launched an array of initiatives to enact his MAGA mandate, Democrats have been looking for a leader. Now, one is volunteering, saying she will lead the charge pushing back against he president. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Monday in an interview with NPR she will be 'leading the resistance' against the 78-year-old Republican's second administration. Hochul, who explicitly said weeks ago that she will not be leading a movement against the president, has since changed her tune. Her announcement comes after Trump frustrated the New York leader by posting an outrageous message on social media announcing that he killed Manhattan's congestion pricing. 'Congestion pricing is dead. Manhattan, and all of New York, is saved,' Trump wrote before calling himself a 'king.' Hochul said this week she 'offered up an olive branch' to Trump, proposing joint infrastructure projects, like redoing New York City's Penn Station. 'But once you draw first blood on us, we're coming back hard,' she said of Trump. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul shared in an NPR interview on Monday that she would be leading the 'resistance' against President Donald Trump Hochul and Trump met to discuss congestion pricing in New York City this year A demonstrator protesting against Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE in Oklahoma 'I will be leading the resistance on policies like these where you're hurting New Yorkers directly,' the 66-year-old governor shared. 'This is our decision, not yours.' The congestion pricing charges residents for entering Manhattan and other New York City areas, and the costs fluctuate depending on the time of day. The law kicked into effect on January 5, 2025, and it has quickly drawn criticism for making New York City, already an expensive place, even more pricey. 'We have a Republican White House, a Republican Senate and a Republican House of Representatives,' the Democrat noted in the NPR interview. 'But elections come around very quickly.' 'And it is our job to fight back in court, resist the way we are on congestion pricing, and each individual policy demands a different response,' she said. However, just two weeks ago Hochul said she would not be the face of the Democratic resistance to Trump. 'Ive been asked countless [times] are you leading the resistance?' No, Im governing the great state of New York,' she said when asked recently about how she will approach the Trump administration. Though now she is adamant that Democratic governors stand up a 'firewall' to protect against Trump's policies. 'Ive been asked countless [times] are you leading the resistance?' No, Im governing the great state of New York,' Hochul told reporters weeks ago Democratic governors must 'stand up against this destruction of policies that are helping people and have been in place for decades,' she said. The Trump administration is pushing New York to end the congestion pricing my March 21. A Commons Speaker billed taxpayers more than 500 to take an extra suitcase on one of his lavish jaunts, it can be revealed. A list of Sir Lindsay Hoyles expenses reveals he lodged the claim during a nine-day trip to South Africa and St Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic. The total cost of the sojourn was 23,643, including 21,300 on First and Business Class flights with British Airways and South African carrier Airlink. But the small print shows how 504 was paid to bring an extra suitcase onboard during the jaunt, which was also enjoyed by two of Sir Lindsays staff. His office last night said the spend was necessary because the baggage allowance on the Johannesburg-St Helena leg of the trip, operated by Airlink, was less than the London-Johannesburg BA leg. However, they refused to say what the extra weight allowance was needed for, simply saying that it contained necessary resources to support the trip. But former Tory Brexit minister David Jones blasted: How many clothes do you need for St Helena? Its in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and I wouldnt have thought thered be many black tie events there. A list of Sir Lindsay Hoyles expenses reveals he lodged the claim during a nine-day trip to South Africa and St Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic A list of Sir Lindsay Hoyles expenses reveals he lodged the claim during a nine-day trip to South Africa and St Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic All Parliamentarians, no matter how exalted, have got a duty to take into account the value of taxpayers money and at first sight this looks as if certain items of his expenditure couldnt reasonably be warranted. The fact is, weve got lots of people finding it difficult to make ends meet with the cost of living and I think theyll be concerned at repeated use of taxpayers money on what might be described as jaunts to exotic parts of the world. On Tuesday the Mail revealed the lavish scale of Sir Lindsays globe-trotting, with thousands of pounds spent on first class flights, limousine firms and five-star resorts, including in the Cayman Islands, Qatar and California. He blew more than 180,000 of taxpayers cash on flights alone in just two years, with over 250,000 in total spent on 19 jaunts since October 2022. In comparison John Bercow, his predecessor, took ten years to rack up the same bill for non- regular foreign travel. His expenses list, obtained exclusively by the Mail, shows how Sir Lindsay never travels in economy, always opting for first or business class seats. This was the case even for short-haul trips to Dublin and Italy. He also chartered a private plane during a jaunt to the paradise Caribbean island of Montserrat, another British Overseas Territory. As well as the 504 bill for luggage, further details of the staggering sums behind some of his claims can also be revealed. The list, obtained via Freedom of Information requests, breaks down the extravagant sums But the small print shows how 504 was paid to bring an extra suitcase onboard during the jaunt, which was also enjoyed by two of Sir Lindsays staff (pictured: Jamestown on St Helena) A trip to Canberra in January 2023 to attend a conference of Commonwealth Speakers totalled more than 40,500. This included more than 33,000 on First Class and Business Class flights with Qantas for him and two staff. During a trip to Qatar to meet officials in September last year, he splashed nearly 11,000 on Business Class flights with Qatar Airways for him and two staff. He stayed at the five-star beachside St Regis hotel in Doha during the trip, where he racked up one subsistence bill for 811. The total cost of the trip was nearly 13,000. In December 2023, Sir Lindsay billed taxpayers 5,000 - including 2,000 for BA Business Class flights - for a four-day jaunt to Gibraltar. The visit was to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Gibraltar, where he is chancellor. He took three members of staff with him. His trip to Montserrat in March 2023 was to meet the islands Governor and Speaker of its Parliament. While flights and accommodation were apparently paid for by his hosts, he chartered private planes with carriers Trans Anguilla Airways and Fly Montserrat. His office has refused to say how much these cost. The MP for Chorley has shelled out thousands of pounds to stay at luxurious resorts and hotels around the globe, including The St Regis in Doha Nearly 19,000 was also spent on Business Class flights to Jakarta and Singapore, more than 21,000 on fares to Tokyo and nearly 15,000 on Business Class tickets to Jordan. The hotels and resorts Sir Lindsay stayed in were up to nearly 900 a night. The list also shows that during a trip to Los Angeles in February 2023 he lavished more than 3,000 on chauffeur-driven cars. He splashed more than 4,500 on chauffeur-driven vehicles during his trip to Canberra, Australia, a month earlier. A spokesman for the Speaker said: The baggage allowance on the Airlink flight from South Africa to St Helena was smaller than the London to Johannesburg leg, so the cost set by the airline for one suitcase had to be paid for separately. The case contained necessary resources to support the trip. Republican Senator Joni Ernst's office is slamming reports she had inappropriate romantic relationships with two top military officials who lobbied her Senate committee. According to a report from ProPublica, Major General Christopher Finerty had a relationship with the Iowa senator, which her office has denied as 'slander.' Finerty has been embroiled in scandal after a recent report from the Air Force inspector general found he had multiple inappropriate and 'sexual' relationships with women who worked on Capitol Hill. The names of the women were redacted in the report and it is not clear if Ernst was named. Ernsts relationship with Finerty was confirmed to ProPublica by two sources with knowledge of the investigation' but has not been independently confirmed by DailyMail.com. His alleged relationship with Ernst raised ethical concerns according to ProPublica because Ernst sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The committee oversees the Pentagon, and she is one of the most powerful voices on the hill when it comes to the military. The ProPublica report also alleged Ernst previously had a romantic relationship with a legislative affairs official who worked for the Navy. It cited three sources familiar with the relationship which took place around 2019. Neither the senator nor the two officials were married at the time and Senate rules do not ban lawmakers from romantic relationships with lobbyists or advocates. The fake news media is clearly too busy gossiping to report the real news that Senator Ernst is focused on cutting waste at the Pentagon, a statement from her office stated. Her vote and work in the Senate are guided by the voices of Iowans who elected her and her constitutional duty alone. Any insinuation otherwise by tabloid journalism is a slanderous lie full stop, it continued. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) accused of romantic relationships with two top military officials who lobbied Congress raising ethics questions, according to a new report ProPublica's report states that 'ethics experts' say 'such relationships can create a conflict of interest, and other lawmakers have been criticized for such behavior in the past.' The senators office declined to comment beyond the statement provided to ProPublica. The 41-page report detailing the inspector generals investigation into Finerty was first completed in September 2023, but it was shared with Congress and the public this year in response to a records request. Retired Maj. Gen. Christopher Finerty The investigation was first launched in response to a complaint filed in January 2023 which accused Finerty of unprofessional and inappropriate relationships with multiple women. While much of the report and the names of the women were redacted, it stated that testimony and documented evidence such as texts indicated that Finerty engaged in sexual, inappropriate, or unprofessional relationships with five women. The text messages contain explicit sexual content and photos showing an intimate, cyber sexual relationship with an enlisted member, the report read. The release of the report documenting Finertys behavior with the women was first reported by Politico in late January. In response to ProPublica, Finertys lawyer also released a statement, but declined to say whether he had a relationship with Ernst while lobbying for the Air Force. The IG report found no evidence suggesting anything remotely approaching either conflict of interest or undue influence involving General Finerty and anyone on Capitol Hill, the statement read. Further, the IG report found no law, rule, policy or guidance prohibited any of General Finertys relationships. Any suggestion to the contrary would be defamatory, it continued. Ernst is the first woman combat veteran in the Senate. The 54-year-old served in the Iowa Army National Guard during the Iraq War and has played a crucial role in the congressional oversight of the Pentagon and allegations of sexual misconduct in the military. Just before the report was released, Ernst also played a crucial role in the Senate confirmation of Pete Hegseth as defense secretary after throwing her support behind the embattled nominee. Labour were accused of placing its relationship with Beijing over national security after leaving China off the UK's new foreign influence register. MPs from across the House rounded on the government for failing to take the threat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seriously after ministers confirmed the surprise snub. Security Minister Dan Jarvis confirmed Iran would be in the top tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), the only country on the new list, but declined to comment on Beijing's status. It means Chinese operatives - who have been accused in recent weeks of targeting Hong Kong democracy activists on British soil - will not, for now, need to declare their activities to the government. Labour has been accused of being too soft in responding to attempts by the CCP to infiltrate the British state to boost hopes of a trade deal with Beijing and attract much-needed investment. When questioned by the Tories about China's absence from the list, Mr Jarvis said that yesterday's announcement 'specifically relates to Iran' and that decisions on other nations 'will be made in due course.' Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Mail last night: 'China has aggressively targeted UK residences through secret police stations and now even placing a bounty on their heads. 'This is in addition to industrial scale intellectual property theft of sensitive advanced technologies from companies and universities. Chancellor Rachel Reeves pictured with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeneg Labour has been accused of placing its relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping (pictured) over national security China's top political advisory body, the CPPCC, pictured beginning their annual session today in Beijing 'There is no question China should be in the Enhanced Tier, and I am very surprised the government has not yet done this. I can only assume it comes from a misguided desire to place conciliating the Chinese government above national security.' Labour MP Sarah Champion added: 'I find it extraordinary that China is not seen as a top threat to the UK. 'Every defence briefing I've had confirms China, Russia and Iran are our greatest risks - so why aren't the Government acting on this? 'We've identified alleged Chinese spies on the parliamentary estate, MPs, including myself, had Chinese spyware on our Parliamentary computers - how bad does it need to be?' Luke De Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said: 'The foreign influence registration scheme is utterly pointless if it fails to address our biggest security threat, China. We should be giving our agencies the tools needed to deal with the threat posed by Beijing, not undermining their essential work.' The surprising snub came just minutes after MPs called for more protections for Hong Kong activists living in the UK who the CCP has targeted in recent weeks. Last month the Mail exposed how bounty notes offering more than 100,000 were delivered to neighbours of two anti-China campaigners now living in Britain. In an Urgent Question yesterday, Mr Philp said: Bounties have apparently been placed on three people who are in the United Kingdom, amounting to approximately 100,000 each. All of them fled Hong Kong owing to persecution. Security Minister Dan Jarvis refused to be drawn on China's lac of mention on the new foreign influence register Female soldiers from the People's Liberation Army march in Tiananmen Square 'I understand that posters appeared near the home addresses of two of these people and letters were posted to their neighbours offering a reward if they were quote 'delivered to the Chinese Embassy'. This is completely unacceptable, cannot be tolerated, and robust action must be taken.' Mr Jarvis replied: 'The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the UK is of the utmost importance, and the UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong. 'Let me also say to him that wherever we identify such threats we will use any and all measures, including through the use of our world class intelligence services, to mitigate the risk to individuals..' Kemi Badenoch last night ordered Tory MPs to stop posting instant reaction to the Ukraine crisis on social media, amid concern the party's message discipline is breaking down. In a message sent to all Conservative MPs, the Tory chief whip Dame Rebecca Harris told them to 'ensure the facts are clear' before taking to social media. 'We understand that there are many concerns about the unfolding events around Ukraine and US involvement. We do not need to Tweet all of our thoughts in real time,' she said. 'When it comes to defence and national security, we need to raise the threshold for what needs to be said publicly and ensure the facts are clear first. The intervention came after several senior figures contradicted Mrs Badenoch's position on aspects of the crisis in recent days. On Sunday, shadow home affairs minister Alicia Kearns was slapped down after suggesting Donald Trump's state visit should be put on hold until his 'steadfastness as an ally' has been confirmed. A spokesman for Mrs Badenoch said Ms Kearns's comments were not an 'official Conservative Party position', adding that it was 'imperative that the UK remains close to Nato.' Yesterday, the Tory leader refused to criticise US Vice-President JD Vance over his suggestion that a proposed Anglo-French peacekeeping force amounted to '20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. Kemi Badenoch last night ordered Tory MPs to stop posting instant reaction to the Ukraine crisis on social media On Sunday, shadow home affairs minister Alicia Kearns was slapped down after suggesting Donald Trump 's state visit should be put on hold until his 'steadfastness as an ally' has been confirmed Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge condemned his comments on X, saying it was 'deeply disrespectful' to ignore the contribution of British service personnel who came to America's aid in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks on New York. But Mrs Badenoch noted that Mr Vance did not directly call Britain a 'random country'. She added: 'A lot of people are getting carried away. They're saying loads of things and getting quite animated. Let's keep cool heads.' Yesterday, Elon Musk branded Tory MP Graham Stuart a 'retard' after he said it was time to 'consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset.'. A shocking video posted to TikTok showed the moment a couple abandoned their child to go on a ride at Disneyland. TikTok user @keesha4rank, a mom of three, said she was at the park in California when she noticed an unattended stroller parked behind a wall last month. She was stunned when she suddenly saw movement beneath a Spider-Man blanket draped over the stroller. 'Why would somebody leave their baby in the stroller while they went to get on the ride,' the woman said in the February 18 video, before panning over to stroller behind her. 'There is a baby in there. Somebody's kid is in there.' She went on to claim that the child's parents had gone on the Guardians of the Galaxy ride, which was right across the walkway seem in the video. She added that one of the fathers in her vicinity thought it would be a good idea to 'put a chair there to block that side off.' The woman explained in the comments that she and others reported the abandoned child to an employee, who intervened and checked on the baby. It was unclear what happened to the baby or its parents, with the witness reporting that no police were involved at the time of filming. The child is seen in the stroller underneath Spider-Man blanket all alone while his parents are on the Guardians of the Galaxy ride at Disneyland California Pictured: A Disneyland employee looks under the blanket to see the abandoned child Pictured: The exterior of 'Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout!' at Disneyland The Guardians of the Galaxy ride has a 40-inch height requirement, but even if the child was too small to go on, it's one of the attractions that offers the Rider Switch option. Parents with children can switch off with one another if they use this option. One parent will go on the ride while the other waits with the child. The one who waits first does not have to go to the back of the line. Most rides at Disneyland have this Rider Switch option, according to the amusement park's website. The video of the abandoned child got nearly a million views and over 3,000 comments. Commenters were shocked at that someone would leave their child in the sun for as long as they could have. 'Guardians is usually like 60 to 80 minute wait also. So they were planning on leaving that baby for at least over an hour,' one person wrote. 'Thats absolutely insane, I dont care how safe Disney is, I would never leave my children unattended,' another person wrote. 'I wouldn't even let my 11 yr old use the bathroom by himself there, my mouth is dropped...like what!!' a third commented. DailyMail.com approached Disney for comment. The United States has banned Britain from sharing intelligence from Washington with Ukraine as part of its withdrawal of support for Volodymyr Zelensky. Donald Trump's decision to freeze American military aid to Kyiv yesterday brought warnings that Ukraine could run out of weapons in as little as two to three months' time. But on top of missiles and ammunition, all UK intelligence agencies and military outlets also received an order expressly forbidding the sharing of US-generated intelligence, previously known as 'Rel UKR' - short for Releasable to Ukraine'. Since the conflict began three years ago, the UK and other Western security partners such as Australia and New Zealand have shared such knowledge with Ukraine. But the Mail has learnt the top-level security classification has now been removed by the United States pending further notification and is likely to impact upon Kyiv's ability to defend itself against Russia's continuing onslaught. The ban affects the likes of the UK's GCHQ, the spy agencies and intelligence branches of the Ministry of Defence. Last night, UK military intelligence expert Phil Ingram told the Mail: 'The United States's instruction to stop allies sharing US-derived intelligence with Ukraine is what I would expect. 'The US's intelligence partners, including Britain, have had their authority to pass on intelligence revoked. The United States has banned Britain from sharing intelligence from Washington with Ukraine as part of its withdrawal of support for Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured: Donald Trump) The ban affects the likes of the UK's GCHQ (pictured), the spy agencies and intelligence branches of the Ministry of Defence Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a summit on Ukraine, at Lancaster House in London on Sunday 'The US will tightly control distribution of its intelligence to Ukraine through agencies based in Kyiv.' The move coincided with the US confirming it was pausing military aid to Kyiv as the rift between the two supposed allies deepened before Ukraine's president Volodmyr Zelensky offered US counterpart Donald Trump an olive branch yesterday. Last night, a senior Ukrainian official told the Financial Times: 'We have two to three months. After that, the position will be very difficult for us. 'It will not be a total collapse, but we will be forced to withdraw from some areas more quickly'. Critics suggested any long-term freeze would lengthen rather than shorten the war. That is because it is expected to encourage the Kremlin to exploit Kyiv's dwindling weapons and ammunition stocks and launch a fresh bid for more territory. Russia currently occupies around one fifth of Ukraine, including eastern provinces and the Crimean peninsula. Ukraine is clinging on to a relatively small amount of territory it seized last year in the southern Russia province of Kursk. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a summit on Ukraine, at Lancaster House in London on Sunday Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C), French President Emmanuel Macron (C-L) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-R) attend a meeting with European leaders during a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London on Sunday Currently, Ukrainian and Russia troops are facing off along a 600-mile frontline, which has gradually been pushed deeper into Ukraine due to Russian advances. The decision to suspend military aid came three days after a dramatic clash in the Oval Office between presidents Trump and Zelensky. To date, the US has provided military aid worth 53 billion to Ukraine, compared to Europe's combined total, which includes Britain, of 51 billion. While, in theory, Europe could eventually double its support for Ukraine - and use frozen Russian assets to pay for weapons - the US supplies a lot of high-end equipment that other states do not possess. The impact of the suspension of military aid could be felt first by Ukrainian civilians should US-gifted Patriot defence missile systems run dry and leave Kyiv unable to protect its skies from Russian bombardments. Last night, Nato allies expressed regret over the decision. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen told a thinktank in London 'we need the Americans militarily. 'This definitely shouldn't be a moment where we give in. As on the battlefield, Russia has not really been advancing in recent months.' French prime minister Francois Bayrou said the freeze on aid was akin to abandoning Ukraine in favour of a Russian victory. He told French senators: 'The word 'suspension' fools no one. Ukraine has been devastated by war since February 2022 'The suspension in war of assistance to an aggressed country signifies that the aggressed country is being abandoned and that one accepts or hopes that its aggressor wins. It is obviously unbearable.' Unsurprisingly, the White House's move was welcomed in the Kremlin, where Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'If the US stops or suspends supplies, this will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.' According to Western officials, about 20 per cent of military hardware in the Ukraine comes from the US. Some 25 per cent comes from Europe, including the UK and other nations. About 55 per cent is funded by Ukraine and comes from Ukrainian production. The pause includes all US military equipment not currently in Ukraine, including weapons in transit and at bases in Poland. It will affect more than 790 million in arms and ammunition, such as rockets, anti-tank weapons and armoured vehicles. Even before the pause, Ukraine was outnumbered three to one on troops, five to one on artillery and ten to one on artillery vehicles compared to Russia. Artillery, GPS-guided missile systems and Patriot air defence systems, provided by the US, are deemed essential if Ukraine wants to stave off certain defeat. Even some sophisticated UK weapons systems, including Storm Shadow cruise missiles rely on the US to hit the right targets. Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) said Storm Shadow need the dummy missiles provided by the US to interfere with Russian air defences. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting in the Oval Office became a shouting match The highly advanced 750 million Patriots are crucial for protecting Ukraine's skies and can do Russia's most advanced ballistic missiles including its air-launched hypersonic Kinzhal. For this reason, the UK's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is determined to secure Patriot as part of a US air-cover package for any UK-led European peacekeeping force. To date, the US has provided Ukraine with more than 40 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), more than 200 Howitzers and more than 300,000 155mm artillery rounds. It has also sent more than 3 million 155mm artillery rounds, more than 7,000 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds, 1 million 105mm artillery rounds and more than 400,000 152mm artillery rounds. The US has also gifted more than 700,000 mortar rounds, 31 world-leading Abrams tanks, more than 300 Bradley fighting vehicles and around 2,000 armoured personnel carriers. A killer Michigan teen fidgeted with his thumbs while the family of the man he shot dead confronted him at his sentencing hearing. Justice Chimner, 15, pleaded guilty to the February 2023 murder of 17-year-old Jack Snyder in December. Snyder was driving home from a party when he asked then-14-year-old Chimner and 13-year-old Dewond Estes III if they needed a lift because of the bitter cold. The pair accepted Snyder's act of kindness, but then the two teens suddenly decided to carjack Snyder's vehicle, shooting him twice and leaving him for dead. A judge sentenced Chimner to 35 to 60 years in prison on Monday after the remorseless teen twiddled his thumbs while Snyder's loved ones read their statements, reported WWMT. 'When you took Jack from this world, you didn't just ruin one life. You completely stripped bare an entire village of people who valued the responsibility of raising good people into good adults,' said Snyder's cousin, Trinity Walker. 'There isn't a valid or justifiable reason as to why you chose to take a gun to assist you in taking something that Jack earned. It was a decision that you so carelessly made, simple as that: a choice, a choice in favor of evil. 'Jack's choice to help you out of the freezing cold that night was a choice in the favor of the good of this world. While you lay alone in your cold cell tonight, I hope that the magnitude of your decision to murder Jack Snyder is so suffocating you cannot breathe.' Justice Chimner, 15, fidgeted with his thumbs while the family of the man he shot dead confronted him at his sentencing hearing Then 14-year-old Chimner and 13-year-old Dewond Estes III killed 17-year-old Jack Snyder (pictured) after he offered them a ride home from a party Chimner - who later admitted that he stole his mother's 9mm pistol earlier in the day and shot Snyder - apologized at the hearing Chimner - who later admitted that he stole his mother's 9mm pistol earlier in the day and shot Snyder - apologized at the hearing, according to FOX 17. 'I deeply regret my poor judgment and harm I caused. This experience has given me significant time to reflect on my actions, and I have come to realize that the severity of my mistake,' he said. 'I am truly sorry for any distress I have caused to the Snyder family, to the court, to the community and anyone who may have been directly impacted. I respectfully ask for your understanding in my case.' Snyder was in the school's National Honor Society and enrolled in an EMT program via a local community college. His mother, Theresa Snyder, told the local news station she believed Chimner's past contributed to the decision he made the night her son was killed. 'It wasn't new that he was a troublemaker; the schools knew it, probation officers knew it, and his parents knew it,' she said. 'Clearly, nobody did enough to stop it.' Chimner was initially charged as an adult for carjacking, felony open murder, and two counts of felony firearm charges, and he faced life in prison without the possibility of parole. Estes pleaded guilty in October to the carjacking and was given a mixed sentence in January. Snyder was in the school's National Honor Society and enrolled in an EMT program via a local community college Estes (pictured) pleaded guilty in October to the carjacking and was given a mixed sentence in January Marcus Parsons (pictured), 20, was also charged in Snyder's death after Estes admitted to talking to him over Snapchat about stealing a car for money He will stay at a juvenile home as a state ward and have his case reviewed every three months. When he turns 18, he will be transferred to prison if that is considered necessary. A third man was charged in connection to the murder after Estes admitted to talking with someone called 'Spaz' over Snapchat about stealing a car for money. Police identified 'Spaz' as Marcus Parsons, 20, and charged him with felony murder on January 20. Parsons admitted the Snapchat belonged to him and said he was 'present' while discussing the carjacking, according to an affidavit. He has a preliminary examination on March 21. A father-of-two was battling stage four colon cancer when he was murdered in what appears to be a random attack. Larry Evans, 48, was found unconscious and not breathing while suffering from an apparent gunshot wound outside of a McDonald's on Benning Road just minutes after midnight on February 24. First responders tried to save him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to DC News Now. Upon further investigation, police found surveillance footage showing a light-colored sedan pulling up near the McDonald's. The footage, released by the Metropolitan Police Department last week, then shows a man walking near the fast food joint wearing a black hoodie, pants, black-and-white sneakers, shoes and a mask. The man, whom authorities are now considering a person of interest, was also captured on surveillance footage from inside the restaurant walking past. Following the shooting, the suspect is also seen running to the light-colored sedan, entering it on the passenger side before it speeds away. Larry Evans, 48, a father-of-two, was murdered on February 24 in what appears to be a random attack outside of a McDonald's Surveillance footage showed a person of interest walking near the McDonald's wearing a black hoodie, pants, black-and-white sneakers, shoes and a mask He had apparently arrived in a light-colored sedan and ran back into the vehicle following the shooting Family members told Fox 5 that Evans was a 'funny guy' who had two daughters. One family member also told the network that she doesn't know why Evans was on Benning Road that night, leaving them to wonder who gunned down the family man and why. As the investigation, police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information on the suspect that leads to an arrest or conviction. Donald Trump is considering relinquishing its leadership of Nato after insisting that European allies take more responsibility for the security of the continent, the Mail can reveal. The US has held its leadership position since the founding of the defence alliance in the aftermath of World War Two. Since then, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe has always been a senior US general. But in line with the US's insistence that European allies take more responsibility for Europe's security, it also expects a British or French general to take up this position. It comes after the US President stunned Western allies by imposing a 'temporary' pause in the supply of vital American military aid following a historic spat with Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week. President Trump warned on Monday night that he would 'not put up with' the Ukrainian leader for much longer as the relationship between the pair soured yet further after two weeks of back and forth comments. Hours later, the White House said assistance was being 'reviewed' to 'ensure that it is contributing to a solution', triggering warnings that, without a U-turn, Ukraine's vital stockpile of US weapons would be spent by the summer. But on Tuesday Zelensky extended an olive branch to Trump after Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned him he had to rebuild relations to save his country. In a conciliatory intervention, after the White House announced a freeze on military aid to Kyiv, the Ukrainian President said he 'really valued' America's support and was 'ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts'. US President Donald Trump (pictured) is considering relinquishing its leadership of Nato after instating that European allies take more responsibility for the security of the continent The US also expects a British or French general to take up this position. Pictured: British soldiers practice an assault on February 17, 2025 in Smardan, Romania Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron embrace after holding a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House in central London on March 2, 2025 He described last week's astonishing Oval Office bust-up with President Trump as 'regrettable'. And he revealed that leaders are working on a peace deal that could begin with 'a truce in the sky... and truce in the sea immediately' if Russia is willing to follow suit. Diplomatic sources said that Sir Keir and Emmanuel Macron were willing to travel to Washington with President Zelensky as early as next week to present a united front on the plan to Mr Trump. Mr Trump was angered by President Zelensky's warning at the weekend that a deal to end the war is 'still very, very far away'. In a statement on X Mr Zelensky said he was 'ready to work fast to end the war' and willing to sign an agreement allowing American firms to exploit Ukrainian reserves of rare minerals 'at any time'. Reports suggested Mr Trump was preparing to announce the deal during a major speech to Congress that took place in the early hours of today. Some allies of the US President have demanded an apology over the scenes in the Oval Office, where Mr Zelensky was accused of being 'disrespectful' for not wearing a suit and failing to be sufficiently grateful. President Zelensky stopped short of an apology, but said: 'Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.' Your browser does not support iframes. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky were seen sitting side by side in front of the fireplace in the Oval Office The moment that lit the touchpaper was when Mr Zelensky suggested that Putin broke agreements to exchange prisoners on President Trump's watch He also praised Mr Trump for sending Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine in 2019, saying: 'We are grateful for this.' His statement came shortly after a phone call with Sir Keir in which the PM warned him he had to rebuild relations with President Trump to have any hope of securing US support for a lasting peace deal that would save his country from Vladimir Putin's forces. The PM last night welcomed the Ukrainian leader's 'steadfast commitment to securing peace'. Mr Zelensky said he was grateful for Sir Keir's 'advice and support during this challenging time'. The bid to revive the peace process came as: US Vice-President JD Vance was urged to apologise for saying a proposed Anglo-French peacekeeping force amounted to '20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years'. Military experts said Ukraine could run out weapons within two to three months unless military aid restarts, with one Ukrainian MP warning: 'Thousands of people will die.' Ministers were braced for further for further chaos overnight, amid speculation that Mr Trump could relinquish America's leadership of Nato and start withdrawing troops from Europe. European Commission chief Ursula Von der Leyen proposed a 660 billion ReArm Europe plan to strengthen the continents defences. Former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers warned that Baltic states could face 'border incursions' by Russia to 'test' whether the US still supports Nato's founding principle that an attack on one is an attack on all. Keir Starmer embraced Volodymyr Zelensky on the steps of Lancaster House in London as they try to repair alliances in the wake of the debacle Volodymyr Zelensky, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron hold a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House in central London on March Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens questions during a meeting with members of the media on the outskirts of London Mr Trump's decision to suspend military aid blindsided No 10. Hours earlier the PM dismissed rumours of the move, telling MPs: 'As I understand it, that is not their position.' The two leaders are thought to have discussed the issue in an emergency call on Monday night, but the PM was unable to talk the President out of it. Downing Street was last night still scrambling to discover exactly how far the pause in military aid extends. Reports yesterday suggested that supplies of ammunition were no longer crossing the Polish border. And intelligence sharing was also pulled yesterday, the Mail learnt. The decision to suspend aid is a major blow to Sir Keir's four-step plan for Ukraine, which begins with: 'Keeping military aid flowing into Ukraine while the war is ongoing.' Mr Trump has also hinted he could ease economic sanctions on Russia as part of plans to get Putin to the negotiating table. Government sources said efforts were being made 'at all levels' to persuade the US to restore supplies to Ukraine quickly. President Zelensky revealed fresh details of the new peace plan now being brokered with Sir Keir and President Macron. He said: 'We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky - ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure - and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.' Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C), French President Emmanuel Macron (C-L) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-R) attend a meeting with European leaders during a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Britain, 02 March 2025 European leaders and Canada gathered in London on Sunday to consider the response to the Ukraine crisis Diplomatic sources confirmed that a ceasefire could begin with an end to the aerial and naval bombardment by both sides. A source said that much of the damage was currently being carried out by airborne drones and missiles. If successful, the two sides would then move towards a ceasefire on land, which a source said would be 'harder to verify and easier to derail.' President Macron had initially suggested a one-month pause in the fighting in the air and at sea. But the proposal is now expected to be open ended. In return, Sir Keir hopes to persuade President Trump to guarantee a US security 'backstop' that would allow Britain, France and other members of a developing 'coalition of the willing' to send their own troops to keep the peace in Ukraine without fear of immediate attack by Russian forces. Sir Keir agreed this week it would be 'utter folly' to send British forces into harm's way without American support. But President Trump has so far indicated he believes the presence of American citizens working on the minerals deal would be enough to deter further Russian attacks. Last week he told Sir Keir he trusted Putin to keep his word. As the world tuned in to watch the King's Coronation in May 2023, you would expect Charles to be the centre of attention, or perhaps Queen Camilla. But it was a former Conservative politician dressed in an elegant teal gown while carrying an 8lb ceremonial sword for more than an hour who truly stole the show. Penny Mordaunt, 52, became the first woman to carry and present two of the four steels used in the ceremony, symbolising 'royal power and the King accepting his duty and knightly virtues', according to the BBC. As leader of the House of Commons and lord president of the council, Ms Mordaunt was expected to carry the 17th century Sword of State into Westminster Abbey before exchanging it for the Jewelled Sword of Offering - a practice which dates back to the coronation of Richard the Lionheart in 1189. She carried this diamond, ruby and emerald encrusted sword for the rest of the service, walking with it in front of the newly crowned King as he left the abbey. Dressed in a custom-made deep blue, knee length dress with a matching cape and headband with gold embellishments from London-based label Safiyaa, Mordaunt completed her physically demanding role with poise, earning praise from across the political spectrum. Labour MP Emily Thornberry tweeted, 'Penny Mordaunt looks damn fine! The sword-bearer steals the show,' while Tony Blair's former spokesman Alastair Campbell wrote: 'Don't let anyone ever say I never say anything positive about the Tories... I am in awe of @PennyMordaunt arm and shoulder strength.' And, it seems one member of the Royal Family was particularly impressed with her performance, taking the time to write her a congratulatory letter after the Coronation. Penny Mordaunt is seen carrying the Sword of State at the King's Coronation in May 2023 The former politician presents the Sword of State to King Charles during the ceremony Ms Mordaunt walks in front of King Charles while holding the sword 'It was a huge privilege to be a part of it but it was a little embarrassing, the sort of attention,' the former cabinet minister told hosts Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman on Sky News podcast Electoral Dysfunction. 'I got loads of lovely letters after it,' she continued. 'One of them was from a member of the Royal Family. 'It was a very lovely letter thanking me for my efforts but it started: "How kind of the king and queen to come to your event this afternoon.' All of the women burst into laughter as Ms Mordaunt added that the 'unsung heroes' were actually the men standing behind her with 'slightly lighter swords'. She said: 'If you went into the abbey, you had this wonderful scent of flowers. It was an amazing atmosphere until you got to our corner when the flowers sort of faded and there was this waft of Voltarol as we were all trying to, you know, keep ourselves going throughout it all.' As well as liberally applying the pain relief gel, Ms Mordaunt later admitted to taking painkillers before her impressive display of stamina. 'I did take a couple of painkillers before just to make sure I was going to be all right,' she told Nick Robinson's Political Thinking podcast. While making an appearance on ITV's This Morning, Ms Mordaunt chuckled as presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary tried their hand at carrying the sword. As Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, Ms Mordaunt walks in front of the newly crowned King with the Jewelled Sword of Offering She is dressed in a custom-made deep blue, knee length dress with a matching cape and headband with gold embellishments from London-based label Safiyaa Ms Mordaunt bows her head as Queen Camilla departs Westminster Abbey The former cabinet minister told hosts Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman on Sky News podcast Electoral Dysfunction that she received a letter for a member of the Royal Family Ms Hammond said: 'It's really heavy, I can feel it straight away, on the shoulders and in the body. You can feel it in your body.' And O'Leary added: 'Penny Mordaunt, you must have been doing a bit of training for that, feeling the burn already. Good stuff.' Ms Mordaunt's navy career also came into play as she was able to stand for over an hour without fainting by 'wriggling her toes' to keep the circulation going. She also made sure to complete rigorous strength training at the gym, practicing push-ups to be able to hold the 8lb sword at a right angle to her body. Ms Mordaunt, who later lost her Portsmouth North seat to Labour's Amanda Martin in the 2024 General Election, also used weighted replicas of the sword to practise carrying it for the necessary period of time. She said her experience as a Royal Navy Reservist helped her prepare for the physical feat of the big day. But her gruelling practice paid off, with Money Saving Expert's Martin Lewis writing: 'Is Penny Mordant the new Pippa Middleton? She has stolen the show!' And Labour MP Chris Bryant quipped: 'The Penny is mightier than the sword.' Ms Mordaunt, who lost her Portsmouth North seat to Labour's Amanda Martin in the 2024 General Election, arrives at Westminster Abbey Her teal ensemble later went on display in the Speaker's House at the House of Commons Ms Mordaunt's scene-stealing teal ensemble later went on display in the Speaker's House at the House of Commons, before she sold it with the proceeds going to fund projects in her Portsmouth constituency. The hand embroidered gold ferns across the shoulders of the cape and hat referenced the traditional Privy Council uniform, as well as paying homage to her coastal constituency, Portsmouth North. Speaking to The Sunday Times, she said: 'I can never wear it again - unless I'm going to a fancy dress party as myself! 'It struck me it ought to do some good. It's such an iconic dress that it ought to go on and do some other good things.' Whether they're doused in maple syrup or simply dusted with sugar, pancakes will be on the menu for millions of Britons today to celebrate Shrove Tuesday. With just a few ingredients, you might think that pancakes are a doddle to whip up. But as many home cooks will know, mastering the perfect stack isn't always straightforward. Thankfully, help is at hand, as scientists have revealed the ultimate method, just in time for Pancake Day. According to the experts, the perfect batter requires just three key ingredients - flour, milk, and eggs. And while you might be tempted to reach for the butter, Professor Ian Eames, a fluid mechanics expert from UCL, explains why this is a no-go. So, have you been making pancakes wrong or have you got the ultimate method down? Here's what the scientists have to say. Your browser does not support iframes. Scientists have revealed the ultimate pancake cooking method, just in time for Pancake Day (stock image) How to make the perfect pancake batter Every good pancake starts with a great batter. The basic ingredients are simple: flour, milk, eggs, and anything else you want to use as a flavouring agent. But it is the ratio and method you use to combine these ingredients that decides whether your pancakes flop. Professor Eames has put more time than most into thinking about the physics of pancake batter. 'The characteristics of your pancake are determined by the baker's ratio, which is an indication of how much liquid is in your mixture, and the thickness of your pancake,' he explained. To work out the baker's ratio of your batter, divide the amount of milk in millilitres by the weight of flour in grams and multiply by 100. A lower baker's ratio will lead to a thicker batter, while a higher ratio will give a thinner, more crepe-like batter. This chart shows the relationship between baker's ratio, which is determined by the amount of milk, and the thickness and size of the pancake. The ideal UK-style thin pancake (yellow star) has a bakers ratio of about 200 while American-style pancakes (red star) come in a little over 100 Professor Eames' research has found that the consistency of the batter determines how the pancake will cook. For the ideal UK pancake (yellow star) you are aiming to get the top showing islands and a ring of browning while the bottom is smooth with dark spots The perfect pancake Batter ingredients 100 grams of flour 200 millilitres of milk One or two eggs A pinch of salt How to cook the perfect pancake Add vegetable oil to a hot pan Pour in the batter while tilting the pan steeply Keep the pan tilted while circling the batter around the circumference Slowly reduce the tilt while circling until the pan is evenly coated Aim for a 15-20 cm diameter Brown on one side and then flip Advertisement Professor Eames measured the baker's ratio and thickness of pancakes from all across the world to determine the exact relationship between batter and pancake. According to his calculations, the ideal baker's ratio for a UK-style thin pancake is 100. He explained: 'Use 200ml of milk, 100g of flour, one or two eggs, and a pinch of salt. The salt is a good contrast with the sweetness if you are going traditional with lemon and sugar.' If you want a more American-style pancake, Professor Eames suggests 200ml of milk, 200g of flour, and two eggs. How to mix your batter When flour is mixed with wet ingredients, two proteins called glutenin and gliadin combine to form long chains of gluten proteins. But getting the right texture requires a tricky trade-off: too much gluten and the pancake will be tough, while not enough and it won't have any structure. Just like kneading dough, over-mixing to try and remove all the lumps can create too much gluten and lead to a tough, rubbery pancake. To get the perfect pancake every time pour the batter into an steeply tilted pan and then circle the pan to allow the batter to run around the circumference. Slowly reduce the tilt and keep the circles going until the pan is evenly coated (stock image) 'I would always advise on whisking up the batter with a fork so that you bind in as much air as you can,' Professer Eames said. This allows you to beat out any lumps in the batter and develop gluten which can bind trapped air to keep the pancake light and tender without losing its structure. If you want an even more thin crepe-like pancake, let your batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes after whisking. This will let the gluten strands relax as the protein chains untangle and the flour fully hydrates, leading to a thin delicate pancake. How to cook the perfect pancake Of course, making the batter is only half the battle. Professor Eames said: 'The science tells you the relationship between the milk content of your pancake and its typical size. The higher the milk content, the thinner you should make your pancake.' For a British-style thin pancake, Professor Eames recommends a diameter of about 15-20cm to ensure even cooking. The secret to perfect pancakes? The tilt Trying to spread the batter around from the centre leads to uneven thickness and holes. Instead, tilt the pan sharply in one direction as you pour in the batter, letting it run quickly to the edge of the pan. Once all the batter has reached one edge, keep the pan tilted and rotate the pan in a circular motion, letting the batter run around the full circumference. Then, slowly decrease the tilt while keeping the circular motion going until you bring the pan back to flat. Advertisement For a thicker American pancake, he recommends looking for a diameter of around 10cm. Meanwhile, to get that perfectly thin, crisp pancake, he suggests ditching the butter for vegetable oil. Vegetable oil has a lower smoke point than butter so can get hotter without burning and spreads around the pan easier, meaning better heat transfer to the pancake for more even cooking. That might be easier said than done as pancake batter seems to seize up the moment it hits the pan rather than spreading into a neat circle. But, once again, science has the answer. Professor Mathieu Sellier, head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Canterbury, has developed the optimal way of tilting the pan to ensure the batter is evenly spread. He said: 'Often, the problem is that if the batter is delivered in the centre of the pan and the pan is left flat (horizontal), the batter cooks quickly and solidifies before reaching the rim of the pan. 'Therefore, most people tend to tilt the pan and rotate it in order to speed up the spreading because of the steeper slope offered by a tilted pan speeds up the flow.' Trying to spread the batter around from the centre leads to uneven thickness and holes. Instead, tilt the pan sharply in one direction as you pour in the batter, letting it run quickly to the edge of the pan The issue is that as the hot pan transfers heat to the batter it goes from behaving more like a liquid to more like a solid. So, trying to spread the batter around from the centre leads to uneven thickness and holes. To get around this issue, Professor Sellier and his co-authors created an algorithm to predict the optimal way of tilting the pan to get a perfect pancake every time. The solution is to tilt the pan sharply in one direction as you pour in the batter, letting it run quickly to the edge of the pan. Once all the batter has reached one edge, keep the pan tilted and rotate the pan in a circular motion, letting the batter run around the full circumference. Then, slowly decrease the tilt while keeping the circular motion going until you bring the pan back to flat. Now, all that is left to do is let it cook until browned on one side and just starting to cook through before flipping. Unfortunately, your flipping technique is still something you will have to work out yourself. NASA's stranded astronauts will face a long road to recovery after spending more than nine months in space. Doctors told DailyMail.com that Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will not be able to walk on their own when they return to Earth this month due to living in low gravity. When the crew emerges from the SpaceX capsule on either March 19 or 20, they will be immediately placed on stretches and immediately taken for medical evaluations. Dr Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran said the astronauts could need up to six weeks of rehabilitation to regain their strength, which will include guided exercise and a nutritional plan. The crew will begin their rehabilitation program the very same day they return to Earth, with the first phase focusing on walking, flexibility and muscle strengthening. Williams and Wilmore will also have been exposed to extreme levels of space radiation during their extended ISS mission. In just one week on the ISS, astronauts are exposed to the equivalent of one year's exposure on Earth. This may increase their risk of developing cancer, central nervous system damage, bone loss and some cardiovascular diseases, according to NASA. 'If I was their physician, I would think about a more proactive strategy for cancer screening,' Dr Gupta said. Doctors told DailyMail.com that NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore will face a grueling road to recovery after spending more than nine months on the ISS 'We want to take a different approach here, given that they had such a unique exposure history,' he said. Williams and Wilmore were only supposed to spend eight days on the International Space Station (ISS) when they blasted off on June 5. But a scourge of technical issues with their spacecraft, Boeing's Starliner, ultimately drove NASA to delay their return until they could hitch a ride home on a safer ship. However, living on the ISS comes with its own risks. Between low gravity and extreme levels of space radiation not to mention the mental impact of being in such a confined space this harsh environment takes a serious toll on the human body. To combat the effects of living in low gravity, astronauts exercise for at least two hours per day on the ISS. But it still isn't enough to stop muscle and bone loss, doctors told DailyMail.com. Astronauts who spend long periods of time in low gravity 'lose musculature, they lose bone density,' Dr. John Jaquish, a biomedical engineer, said. NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick was helped onto a stretcher after he emerged from SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule on October 25, 2024. He spent 232 in space NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn also could not walk on his own after he returned from a 176-day stay on the ISS, splashing down on May 6, 2022 In a simulated emergency landing of a shuttle crew at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, emergency rescue personnel place an 'injured astronaut' onto a stretcher 'The human body needs the Earth's gravitational pull, and in an absence of that, a lot of things are not functioning correctly.' Astronauts can lose up to 20 percent of their muscle mass after just five days in low gravity, and weight-bearing bones lose between one percent and 1.5 percent of their density per month during four-to-six-month ISS missions, according to NASA. Research has shown that a 30 to 50 year old astronaut who spends six months in space loses about half their strength. This not only leaves them physically debilitated when they return to Earth, but puts them at greater risk of bone fracture and premature osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones as people age. To reduce these impacts, astronauts work to make sure they are in peak physical condition before they embark on an ISS mission and continue to workout on the ISS to maintain. But 'the reality is, they're effectively getting a fraction of the sort of exercise that we all take for granted just by walking in [Earth's] gravity,' said Dr Gupta. NASA astronaut Raja Chari performs strengthening exercises after returning from a 177-day-long ISS mission 'Invariably, despite them doing all the right things (which I know they are) you're going to see a decrease in muscle mass and strength no question.' And it's not just their muscles and bones taking a hit. Low gravity impacts their cardiovascular health too. That's because blood and other bodily fluids shift upwards towards the head, which means the cardiovascular system doesn't have to work as hard to maintain blood flow to the brain. This can result in reduced blood volume and reduced function of the heart and blood vessels, according to NASA. To regain their strength and cardiovascular endurance, Williams and Wilmore will need to stick to an intense rehabilitation program once they're back on Earth. NASA astronauts who return from long ISS missions complete a 45 day rehabilitation program that consists of three phases. After regaining some of their strength, flexibility and their ability to walk during phase one, the astronauts move onto phase two, which adds proprioceptive exercises and cardio reconditioning. Proprioceptive exercises strengthen the body and improve the mind's perception of its movement and position. Phase three, the longest phase, focuses on returning the astronaut to their optimal level of physical performance through functional development training. Most astronauts return to their re-mission fitness level after the 45 days, according to NASA. But it can take months or even years for some to recover, and research has shown that many astronauts never fully restore their bone density. Williams and Wilmore could have a particularly difficult time rehabilitating from their longer-than-usual ISS mission. Dr. Jaquish said they could still recover their pre-flight bone density if they use osteogenic loading, but it won't be easy. Osteogenic loading involves exercises that strengthen bones by putting stress on them, such as squats, lunges or jumping. But in order to stimulate bone growth, the astronauts' bones will have to bear a load 4.2 times their body weight, Dr. Jaquish said. For reference, 'the world record squat is only four times body weight, so the minimum [weight] you need is more load than the world record holders,' he said. In addition to reconditioning their bodies, Williams and Wilmore may need to rehabilitate their minds, according to psychiatrist Dr Carole Lieberman. She said the astronauts will need to process intense emotions they may have been feeling during their time on the ISS, such as fear of dying and frustration or disappointment with having to stay in space longer than they planned. While Williams and Wilmore have repeatedly stated that they have not been stranded or abandoned, Dr Liberman said: 'This may be partly true, but surely both astronauts will at least have some feelings of betrayal, resentment, anger that they either denied or actively hid from anyone on Earth.' It's barely been two weeks since Apple released its new budget smartphone, the iPhone 16e, but a new device is already on the way. In a cryptic post on X (formerly Twitter), Apple CEO Tim Cook appeared to confirm the release of a new product coming in the next few days. Cook shared a video showing the words 'There's something in the AIR' alongside a caption that read: 'This week'. While Apple is staying tight-lipped about what this mystery device could be, fans think they already know what it is. Many commenters are convinced that the release will be a new version of the MacBook Air featuring Apple's more powerful M4 chips. One excited commenter wrote: 'M4 MacBook Air incoming!!' However, not every Apple enthusiast is convinced that the next product is going to be a laptop. Other excited tech fans speculated that we might soon see the long-rumoured 'iPhone Air'. In a cryptic post on X, formerly Twitter, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirms that a new device is going to be announced this week Tim Cook (pictured) shared a short clip showing the words 'something is in the AIR'. However, the Apple CEO hasn't provided any more details about what could be in store On social media, Apple fans were convinced that the new product would either be an iPad Air or a MacBook Air One of the most likely contenders for this new product is an updated version of the Apple MacBook Air. The MacBook Air line received its last major update exactly a year ago on March 4, 2024, when Apple announced the 13-inch MacBook Air featuring the M3 chip. It is widely expected that Apple is now poised to release a version of the popular laptop featuring the latest M4 chip currently available in the MacBook Pro. On X, many commenters assumed that this was almost certain. 'M4 MacBook Air yay', wrote one commenter responding to Cook's post. Another chimed in: 'Is this the rumoured M4 MacBook Air? Or maybe something else? Probably too early for a new iPad Air.' And there might be a very good reason to think that they are correct. Back in 2008 when then-Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the first MacBook Air, he kicked off his announcement with the phrase: 'There's something in the air.' Some Apple fans were certain that the 'Air' in Tim Cook's post referred to the MacBook Air Some believe that Apple will soon reveal an updated MacBook Air featuring the newer M4 chips One social media sleuth noticed that Tim Cook's announcement used a clip from the song featured in the original MacBook Air advert from 2024 Likewise, one sharp-eared social media sleuth spotted that the six-second music clip used in Cook's post is from the same song from year's MacBook Air announcement. Additionally, Bloomberg's veteran Apple analyst Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple is getting ready to unveil 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the upgraded M4 chip. If that proves to be true, fans can expect to see a laptop that is significantly better suited to running Apple Intelligence, Apple's suite of AI features. Rumours also suggest that the M4 MacBook Air will feature improved battery life, and the new Nano-texture display which Apple currently reserves for its top-of-the-line products. It's also believed that this new MacBook will come with 16GB of RAM as standard, with options to extend that up to 32GB at the highest price point. However, not everyone is convinced that the MacBook Air is on its way. Eagle-eyed fans have broken down Tim Cook's announcement video frame by frame to reveal what could be a hidden clue. In the video, the word 'AIR' is blurred by an object moving quickly across the screen. The MacBook Air lineup received its last update on March 4, 2024, when Apple revealed an updated version with the M3 chip (pictured) Some commenters disagreed, arguing that the clip appears to show an iPad passing through the word 'AIR' A closer look reveals that this object looks a lot like a thin, new iPad seen from the side. One commenter wrote: 'I think you are all missing it, or it might be part of the announcement. It's not a MacBook Air cutting across the word AIR. That looks like an iPad Air to me.' 'Looks like an iPad Air to me. The aftermath of the video looks like a stylus tip in the word Air, too,' added another. Meanwhile, one commenter bluntly wrote: 'New iPads.' The latest generation of the iPad Air was also released about a year ago on May 15 and featured the M2 Chip and larger size options of 11 and 13 inches. Although it is pretty soon for an update, some rumours suggest that there could be a new iPad Air featuring the M3 chip on its way. According to Mark Gurman, Apple is already 'beginning to wind down' its inventory of the older iPad Air, a sign that often precedes a new product announcement. That means we might expect the iPad Air to arrive sometime later this year. Apple released a new iPad Pro (pictured) last year which was the thinnest iPad product to date, measuring just 5.1mm On X, one commenter jokingly suggested that Tim Cook could be announcing an Apple air fryer and shared an AI-generated image of what that could look like Another Apple fan joked that the post could be a reference to the Nike Air Force 1 trainers, sharing an AI-generated impression of the shoes featuring an Apple logo On X, some commenters jokingly shared even wilder ideas for what Tim Cook could be hinting at. One Apple fan posted an AI-generated image of an air fryer emblazoned with the Apple logo, writing: 'Finally what we've been waiting for!' Another shared an AI-generated image of a set of Nike Air Force 1 trainers featuring the Apple Logo on the side with a caption that read: 'The day has finally come.' The reference to 'Air' also excited some Apple fans who have long been waiting for the rumoured iPhone Air. Responding to Tim Cook's post, one commenter asked: 'iPhone Air?' Although there is no official information about this potential product, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the iPhone Air could be as thin as 5.5mm. This would make it one of Apple's thinnest products and the thinnest iPhone model by more than a millimetre. However, it is probably far too early for any more iPhone models with the iPhone 16e having been released last month. From the Flat Earth theory to the moon landing hoax, conspiracy theories have surged in recent years. In fact, research in 2023 found that as many as one in three people in the UK think that at least one conspiracy is definitely or probably true. So, why do some people believe in conspiracy theories? In a new study, scientists from Staffordshire University set out to answer this age-old question. And according to their analysis, conspiracy belief comes down to one key factor - spite. 'Spiteful psychological motives tend to emerge when people feel at a competitive disadvantage, often when they feel uncertain, threatened or undervalued,' explained Dr David Gordon, lead author of the study. 'Spite is the desire to "level the playing field" by trying to knock someone else down, because it feels like there is no other choice. 'Conspiracy theories can serve as a way for individuals to satisfy this desire through rejecting expert opinion and scientific consensus.' From the Flat Earth theory (artist's impression) to the moon landing hoax, conspiracy theories have surged in recent years Conspiracy theories are alternative explanations for major events that reject the accepted narrative in favour of more fantastical plots. For example, because Earth's surface looks and feels flat, so-called 'Flat Earthers' denounce all evidence to the contrary. Meanwhile, after NASA delayed its upcoming moon mission, moon landing deniers rushed to social media to claim that the space agency couldn't return to the moon since it never went there in the first place. In their new study, the researchers set out to examine whether or not spitefulness plays a role in conspiracy belief. The team carried out three expeirments involving 1,000 participants to assess how spitefulness interacts with three established motivations for conspiracy thinking. These were: a need to understand the world (epistemic motives), a need for security (existential motives), and a need for social significance (social motives). Across all three motivations, the researchers found that higher levels of spite were associated with stronger belief in conspiracy theories. Dr Megan Birney, co-author from the University of Birmingham, said: 'We are not suggesting that people consciously choose to be spiteful when believing and spreading conspiracy theories. Across all three motivations, the researchers found that higher levels of spite were associated with stronger belief in conspiracy theories (stock image) 'Instead, our findings suggest that feelings of disadvantage in those three areas can provoke a common psychologicalspitefulresponse, one that makes individuals more receptive to believing conspiracy theories.' The researchers hope the findings could help to combat belief in conspiracy theories. At the moment, most people try to win conspiracy theorists over with information. Instead, the study suggests that we should address the social and political conditions that foster feelings of disenfranchisement, precariousness and competition. 'If we understand conspiracy beliefs as a manifestation of spitea reaction to real or perceived social and economic disadvantagethen tackling misinformation is inseparable from addressing broader societal issues such as financial insecurity and inequality,' Dr Gordon concluded. An enigmatic mass glimpsed beneath the frigid waters of Loch Ness has been hailed as the first Nessie sighting of 2025. The Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit said the snap had been captured by a witness at Dores Beach, near the lake's northern end. Using a Google Pixel 8 pro, the man whose been identified only as John captured what's described as part of Nessie's body near the surface. The sighting, which reportedly lasted for several minutes, is now being hailed by the Loch Ness Centre as the first glimpse of the mythical monster in 2025. General manager Nagina Ishaq said: 'We've had numerous observations over the years, but this recent sighting has been particularly captivating. 'The conditions on the day of this sighting were absolutely perfect. 'This could very well be our first significant sighting of the year, further fuelling the mystery surrounding Loch Ness and its most famous resident.' Alongside Loch Ness Exploration (LNE), an independent voluntary research group, the centre has hosted The Quest a mass hunt for the monster for two years running. An enigmatic mass glimpsed beneath the frigid waters of Loch Ness has been hailed as the first Nessie sighting of 2025 The centre says it has also worked with the University of Aberdeen, using cutting-edge technology to unravel the mystery of Nessie. Ishaq continued: 'As always, we are committed to solving the mystery of Nessie once and for all. 'Our previous collaborations with the University of Aberdeen and Loch Ness Exploration allowed us to advance our research efforts significantly. 'And this potential sighting is a reminder that the mystery of Loch Ness is far from solved. 'We continue to explore every possibility and are committed to uncovering the truth.' Alan McKenna, found of LNE, invited other visitors to share their sightings. He said: 'It's fantastic to see the ongoing enthusiasm for scanning the waters of Loch Ness in search of the legendary monster. 'Whether you're capturing intriguing sonar readings, spotting unusual surface disturbances, or noticing patterns in the loch's natural behaviour, we'd love to hear from you. The Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit said the snap had been captured by a witness at Dores Beach, near the lake's northern end 'Every observation adds to our understanding, whether it's potential evidence of Nessie or new insights into the loch's unique ecosystem. 'Keep sharing your findings we're always excited to analyse and explore what they could mean!' The latest sighting isn't the only contender for the first glimpse of Nessie in 2025, however. Eoin O'Faodhagain was watching Loch Ness via webcam when he spotted something rising and sinking in the water, estimated to be up to 20 feet long. In the footage, recorded on January 26 at around 1pm, a pair of black humps can be seen rising and sinking in the water. It was captured using a webcam at the Clansman Hotel maintained by Visit Inverness Loch Ness (VILN). At time of writing, The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register has not added either sighting to its records. The VILN webcams can be watched live online at visitinvernesslochness.com A woman who was part of her school's Gifted and Talented program in the early 2000s believes the classes may have been a part of the Pentagon's secret UFO unit. The Gifted And Talented Education program (GATE) provides students with an advanced curriculum and activities to foster creativity and critical thinking skills. Some former GATE students believe that the program was tied to the CIA's Gateway Program that was developed in the 1980s to explore the limitations of human consciousness using sound, meditation and other techniques. Many students say they had to learn Morse code, sit through meditative audio testing and learn languages spoken by the US' foreign adversaries, such as Russian. One such student, who goes by the name Milli on TikTok, has been sharing worksheets and study materials that were part of her GATE curriculum. A decoding worksheet, which she says she completed in 2004, was titled 'A Strange Message,' and its message points to UFO sightings that occurred in Peru, Egypt and Mexico that same year. It reads: 'Fellow Colonists, the mother ship from Zorex landed on Earth last week Earth time in Peru. Our oneness visited the Yucatan and Egypt before moving the ship to its present location. 'It now awaits our gathering. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. While the worksheet told a whimsical story, there were reports of UFOs in the three countries during 2004. The worksheet contains a message that describes a 'mothership' traveling from Peru to Egypt and Yucatan, Mexico 'Let our minds reveal the ship's location. Our oneness will direct our way. Fear no human intervention,' the sheet continued. 'The ship is a fifth-dimensional model invisible to normal Earth eyes.' 'We may attend the gathering of minds in our Earth forms or through astral projection. Those using non-human forms or assigned to underwater lives will use astral powers. Peace, oneofus.' Former GATE students have flooded TikTok with videos, claiming to recall vivid memories about their time in the program, saying they believe it was a CIA training camp. Some tests were basic IQ assessments, but many of them were of the meditation-type testing, where 'we had to listen to a woman's voice on an audio tape with big earphones,' said one former GATE student who goes by Rachel on TikTok. 'They were facilitated by people who did not work at our school,' she added in a recent video. In a previous video, Milli shared her workbook to show how she cracked codes and learned Russian at a young age. 'The stuff I found in there I'm like, what were you training us for?' she said. A woman who was part of her school's Gifted and Talented program in the early 2000s has shared a worksheet that references real UFO sightings Now, Milli has taken a second look at one of the worksheets, finding it featured a message about UFO reports that were claimed to have happened. In 2004, Peru and Yucatan, Mexico each had one reported UFO sighting and Egypt had two, according to the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) database. In Lima, Peru, witnesses reported an unidentified object with shining lights that was detected by 'numerous airline aircraft,' the report states. The person who made the report also claimed to have a photo of the object, though they did not include it. And in Yucatan, a group of witnesses reported 'star-like objects turning and moving at different directions and sometimes at incredible speed.' 'They would appear coming from different places in the sky and move in different directions, sometimes at about the speed of an airplane but then moving suddenly at incredible speed in different directions,' the report reads. 'The UFO's were almost as bright as a star and seemed to be very high but their speed at times made you think they were a lot closer as they could move across the sky in a few seconds at their highest speed.' One of the two Egypt sightings occurred in the city of Alexandria, where a witness reported a bizarre encounter with 50 UFOs surrounded by an 'aura or haze' that emitted other objects, changed color and landed. 'The ships were color-changing and a man with a tail and blue fur took my cat and painted him red orange,' the report states. 'During the night I heard a loud bang outside my window. Me and my brother ran outside and saw exactly 50 crafts floating around our yard. One of them landed and a small man with a long tail and blue fur came out and walked to our shed. 'When he came out he was carrying my cat. He took my cat into the ship and the crafts stayed until midnight the next day when the ships disappeared in a flash of blue light. 5 hours later we found our cat, painted red orange, in the toilet.' The other sighting occurred in Cairo, Egypt. A witness reported 'two fast moving disk-shaped objects' that appeared over the Great Pyramid of Giza. The witness also said that the object showed up in a digital photograph. None of these sightings have been officially verified, and there's no way to know whether they are actually connected to the message hidden in the GATE program worksheet. 'Might be a coincidence, who knows,' Milli said in a recent TikTok. Some say it's a hotel that looks like a number two, but it's the No.1 in the eyes of the judges of a prestigious hospitality award. The W Edinburgh is widely derided as resembling a poop emoji - but it has just been named Scottish Hotel of the Year 2025 at the Hotels of the Year Scotland Awards. The walnut-shaped, 199-room hotel, the centrepiece of the city's 850million St James Quarter development, is wrapped in ribbons of steel. This has led to it being dubbed the 'ribbon building'. But a curly flourish poking out at the top has been seized upon as giving the property a poop-like profile. Olaf Stando, Special Adviser to the First Minister of Scotland, wrote on Twitter when the design was unveiled: 'Excuse the hot take, but I think it's total madness that one of the world's most iconic city skylines was tarnished by the architectural embodiment of the poop emoji.' Author and critic David Black remarked, meanwhile, in an interview with The Guardian, that the profile meant a 'great city had been defaced'. The W Edinburgh is widely derided as resembling a poop emoji - but it has just been named Scottish Hotel of the Year 2025 at the Hotels of the Year Scotland Awards The W Edinburgh is wrapped in ribbons of steel, with its poop-like profile coming from a curly flourish poking out at the top In contrast, the Hotels of the Year Scotland Awards judges had nothing but warm words for the five-star property and its design. They praised the 'charming professionalism' of the 'welcoming and enthusiastic' team, adding: 'Expect a fabulous, special VIP experience staying at W Edinburgh, from the moment you arrive in the reception lobby of the iconic, circular, copper-clad "ribbon building".' W Edinburgh, in a statement, declared that it offers 'a unique blend of bold design, vibrant experiences, and world-class hospitality', boasting that it's a 'destination in itself'. Guests, the hotel points out, can 'indulge in an array of luxury experiences, including unrivalled 360-degree views of the city from the W Lounge and W Deck and signature cocktails at secret-apartment-speakeasy Joao's Place'. The Hotels of the Year Scotland Awards judges praised the 'charming professionalism' of the 'welcoming and enthusiastic' W team The judges said: 'Expect a fabulous, special VIP experience staying at W Edinburgh' W Edinburgh also scooped Cocktail Bar of the Year 2025 Ken Millar, General Manager at W Edinburgh, commented: 'We are thrilled to be recognised as Scottish Hotel of the Year 2025, particularly in such a competitive landscape' W Edinburgh also scooped three further awards - Lifestyle Luxury Hotel of the Year 2025, Cocktail Bar of the Year 2025 and Spa Treatments Award of the Year 2025. Ken Millar, General Manager at W Edinburgh, commented: 'We are thrilled to be recognised as Scottish Hotel of the Year 2025, particularly in such a competitive landscape. 'It is testament to our talented team who have worked incredibly hard to bring this property to life over the past year. 'We are honoured to be part of the vibrant Scottish tourism sector and are thrilled to continue offering our esteemed guests our now award-winning W hospitality.' Other winners announced at the awards ceremony, held at the Crowne Plaza Glasgow, were Loch Melfort Hotel, the Independent Hotel Winner, and Radisson Blu Glasgow, the Large Hotel Winner. Imagine . . . The Academy Of Armando (BBC1) Rating: Teachers at Armando Iannuccis Catholic school in Glasgow told him solemnly that listening to Billy Connolly was a mortal sin. That was a bit awkward, because hed already borrowed one of the comedians LPs from the library. With inspiration like that, its no wonder hes made a career from pointing out lifes little absurdities. Imagine . . . The Academy Of Armando was highly entertaining and occasionally revealing, but exactly the sort of programme that the creator of The Thick Of It and The Death Of Stalin would normally enjoy poking fun at. For a start, he was interviewed by Alan Yentob, a man who once employed him at the BBC. So an alternative title might have been Armando: Is He Absolutely Ruddy Marvellous, Or What? Everybody who appeared praised his genius. Steve Coogan, who first played Alan Partridge on TV on The Day Today, even claimed Armando had changed his life. For all that, the programme offered a masterclass in how to make comedy. Armando Lannucci (pictured) made a career from pointing out lifes little absurdities Alan Yentob (right) interviewed Armando Lannucci (left) on the show Imagine . . . The Academy Of Armando Armando Lannucci (pictured) was made a CBE in June for his contributions to film and television One particular moment should be watched by anybody who thinks themselves vaguely amusing. It showed Iannucci looking at a page of script and demanding, politely but firmly: It needs to be quicker and funnier. He is a great comic disrupter, constantly looking for new ways to squeeze more laughs from a script. One scene in The Death Of Stalin features three men including Michael Palins Molotov plotting in the back of a car. Iannucci decided it would be better with a badly-behaved dog. He was right, too. Actors including Peter Capaldi, Rebecca Front and Chris Addison told of his improvisational style, with the cast moving about the set at will and cameras keeping up as best they can. This can be quite demanding. Peter Capaldi recalled his audition to be sweary Malcolm Tucker in The Thick Of It: Armando basically told him to make it up. Capaldi was in a foul mood at the time, which must have helped. Writer and director Armando Iannucci (pictured) is a great comic disrupter, constantly looking for new ways to squeeze more laughs from a script Armando Iannucci wrote and directed the political satire The Death of Stalin (pictured) We call it the academy of Armando, he said. You cant ever go back to acting the way you did before. One of the talking heads said programmes like The Day Today and The Thick Of It had changed the nature of politics and the media, which was stretching it a bit. Has TV news been noticeably less self-important since The Day Today? Quite the opposite. I prefer to believe Chris Morris, co-creator of The Day Today. I believed this was going to change everything, he said. Then he bumped into Newsnights Peter Snow, who excitedly wondered when the next series would be out. You change nothing, Morris admitted. Life is just a series of disappointments. There was one unexpected revelation. Did anybody else notice how Steve Coogan especially with glasses on is beginning to look like Peter Mandelson? Get all Daily Mail Australia's latest MAFS stories on WhatsApp here Married At First Sight descended into chaos on Tuesday night as cast members almost came to blows during an explosive fireside argument. The drama continued on from Monday's episode which saw bride Lauren Hall slam her 'bogan' cast mates before storming out. After making a dramatic exit, Lauren was asked by a producer if she was okay. 'Yeah, I'm just bored with these people, they're just such losers,' she said of her fellow cast members. 'I don't want to spend another minute with them. 'This is the reason I wanted to leave. They are not my friends, I don't care about them, I don't care about what they have to say.' Back inside, the remaining brides took to discussing Lauren's behaviour with Beth Kelly declaring: 'I just feel like she acts like the experiment is beneath her.' Married At First Sight descended into chaos on Tuesday night as cast members almost came to blows during an explosive fireside argument. Pictured: Jamie Marinos The drama continued on from Monday's episode which saw bride Lauren Hall (pictured) slam her 'bogan' cast mates before storming out Carina Mirabile then jumped in, telling producers the methods some brides were using to reach Lauren were perhaps not the best. 'I'm a Switzerland. I want everyone to come together and be friends,' she said. 'But I think Awhina, Jamie and Beth wanted some answerseveryone wanted answersbut there's ways to go about it.' Her assessment did not go down well when she brought it up with her fellow brides. 'No, no, it's her response,' Jamie replied when Carina suggested they had perhaps been 'abrupt with Lauren'. Empathising with Lauren, Carina said: 'I'm just saying if i was in this position and all of the girls were saying their two cents I would feel attacked.' Jamie took severe umbrage with this shooting back: 'She was so rude to all of us, and to me. And f*** you all because I stand up for all of you.' It was a sentiment Jamie reiterated to producers. Carina Mirabile (elft) then jumped in, telling producers the methods some brides were using to reach Lauren were perhaps not the best Jamie took severe umbrage with this shooting back: 'She was so rude to all of us, and to me. And f*** you all because I stand up for all of you' 'Excuse me? how are we even defending Lauren right now? 'And why are we having empathy for this woman who just s**t on all of us? I'm literally raging,' she said. As the conversation continued to head south Carina and Rhi Disljenkovic decided to take their leave. 'Rhi and Carina go follow her to comfort her. She's been so rude to me. Why are we comforting her? I don't appreciate Carina defending her,' Jamie said before adding she would 'let loose' if the pair did not 'stick up for her to Lauren'. Rhi and Carina then spoke to Lauren outside, trying to play Devil's Advocate for both sides. Lauren was having none of it, replying with: 'I would never be friends outside of here. They're buffoons.' As the chatter continued inside, Awhina revealed to the group Eliot told her Lauren had called the other wives 'drunk bogans', which triggered Jamie even more. Rhi and Carina eventually convinced Lauren to return to the group and things quickly descended into chaos. With Rhi playing moderator she pleaded for Lauren to 'let her walls down' in an attempt for the group to better understand her. The bride broke down in tears over how she was treated Rhi and Carina eventually convinced Lauren to return to the group and things quickly descended into chaos 'Being here is out of my comfort zone. I don't have a connection with Clint. There is no spark, but I don't feel like I need to share it with all of you,' Lauren said. 'I actually don't want to talk to any of you right now.' When pressed, Lauren revealed she specifically had no interest in getting to know Awhina and Jamie. 'Watch your f***ing tone,' Jamie said as she pointed her finger at her adversary before declaring to producers: 'What a f***ing b***h.' Things went from bad to worse later in the episode when the couples were gathered around the fire over a few drinks. Jamie's husband Dave Hand, slammed Lauren for being 'disrespectful' to his wife and the other brides, branding her behaviour as s**t. The group were further shocked when Lauren's beleaguered husband Clint revealed he backed his wife, despite her earlier comments. As the back and forth continued between Jamie and Lauren, Jamie became visibly angry and began raising her voice. Jamie's husband Dave Hand (pictured), slammed Lauren for being 'disrespectful' to his wife and the other brides, branding her behaviour as s**t When Clint asked her do 'bring it down a bit' Dave jumped in again to defend his wife. 'Don't tell her to bring it down, mate,' he shot back. 'She's worked up because of the actions of your wife.' Clint continued to badger Jamie telling her to 'listen more and speak less' which prompted Dave to stand threateningly and say: 'Don't speak to her like that, mate.' When Jamie joined her husband Clint said: 'Jamie, sit he f*** down.' Clint's comment drew the ire from the grooms in the group including Adrian Araouzou who said: 'Bro, you cant be swearing at women, and you're [Lauren] rude and arrogant. That's it.' Jamie then revealed she had been left devastated after being abandoned by Rhi and Carina in the confrontation. A visibly upset Jamie then took herself and Dave away from the gathering, ending the confrontation. For now. 'It's so embarrassing,' a tearful Jamie said to camera. 'I'm so sick to death of it. I've done this too many times. I'm so sick of being the bad guy. Where is my defence?' Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine. Martin Compston has insisted that there is 'nothing coming soon' for Line Of Duty. The 40-year-old actor is best known for playing Detective Inspector Steve Arnott on the hit BBC police drama from 2012 until 2021 over the course of all six series. The popular BBC show wrapped up four years ago, and fans are desperate to know if there will ever be another instalment after their disappointment over the identity of H. While he is still in touch with co-star Vicky McClure and creator Jed Mercurio, there are no plans for a seventh run of episodes. He told The Sun newspaper's TVBiz column: 'I was with Jed last week, actually. 'He was out in LA doing a show he was working on, so he came to Vegas for the weekend, and I saw Vicky at The Brits on Saturday night. Martin Compston gave a bleak three-word update on Line Of Duty's future, saying there is 'nothing coming soon' The 40-year-old pictured with his co-stars Adrian Dunbar (middle), who plays Superintendent Ted Hastings and Vicky McClure (right), who plays DI Kate Flemming 'Its just a case of one of the great benefits of that show is that its given us great careers outside of it. 'I just started my new show yesterday [the thriller Red Eye], so Im filming in London and Vickys working on Trigger Point. 'So were all working and theres nothing coming soon. It will be a sad day when people stop asking about Line Of Duty. 'I appreciate that people want it back.' Martin added that he has complete confidence in Jed and knows that the writer will make the decision whether the drama makes a comeback. But admitted he and his co-stars would be 'gutted' if he decided to kill any of them off. He added: 'I trust Jed implicitly and, if he decided it wasnt right for it to come back, then so be it. 'If he decided to kill any of us off, wed be gutted. Jed Mercurio, 58 (pictured) is the creator of Line Of Duty 'Wed only do it for whats best for the show, and if that was his decision, then that would be it. 'Whats great about it at the moment is were not planning on doing it, but its nice knowing its out there. 'Thats a lovely feeling.' In December Martin opened up about the future of the beloved series while appearing as a guest on Radio X. Host Chris Moyles, 50, asked the question on everyone's lips to find out if it's coming back any time soon. Martin, 40, replied: 'I love that people ask and the love that people have. Line Of Duty star Martin Compston opened up about the future of the popular BBC series during an interview on Radio X, saying 'Were not planning anything immediately' Martin starred as Steve Arnott in the series alongside Vicky McClure as Kate Fleming and Adrian Dunbar as Ted Hastings 'When people stop asking about it itll be a sad day. I do love that but, you dont want to give fans false hope because people get excited.' He added: 'Were not planning anything immediately. Wed love to do another one at some point but were all working next year on other stuff.' Chris joked: 'Well stop working on other stuff, stop being so selfish.' Despite there being nothing set in stone, Martin seems to be hopeful about the future. Martin later confessed: 'I'm hopeful and sure well get to it at some point, but honestly once were going to do it youll hear it from us first. 'We'd be delighted to tell people!' Back in November Martin's co-star Adrian Dunbar appeared to 'confirm' the show's return. The Irish actor, 66, has played Superintendent Ted Hastings in Line of Duty from the very start of the series. He opened up about his character's hilarious sayings on the show, such as 'Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey' and 'Theres only one thing Im interested in and that is catching bent coppers.' The actor spoke to radio host Chris Moyles about the future of the popular show, saying: 'I'm hopeful and sure well get to it at some point' During an interview with Virgin Radio UK, he told Ryan Tubridy: 'The one I didn't get in, which is kind of a really good Irish one about not stopping things happening is, "Don't stall the digger". 'That's a good one, isn't it? Like, you know, "You've got to keep going'" That's going in the next season.' Not only that, he also explained that Jed Mercurio has been working on it. He added to the radio host: 'He is writing We haven't got a script on the desk yet. 'We know that Dr Mercurio is out there doing something, Jed is writing. But as to when it's going to happen, we don't know.' Recently fans were also thrilled after Martin reunited with his co-star Vicky McClure to appear in a new Waitrose Christmas advert. Line Of Duty first hit screens back in 2012. Throughout the series members of AC-12 - Steve, Ted and DI Kate Fleming - were trying to find out the identity of 'H'. During the last episode of series six, it was finally revealed - but viewers were left underwhelmed and many took to social media to share their disappointment. Gene Hackman and wife Betsy were 'true animal lovers, known for treating their beloved dogs 'as if they were their own children', before being found dead in their New Mexico home last week, friends tell DailyMail.com. News of their mysterious deaths has left friends, fans, and the local community baffled after it was revealed the couple was found lifeless on the floor along with a deceased German Shepherd. Their two other dogs were found alive at the property. Investigators have not yet determined a cause of death, however, animal advocates who knew the family say Hackman was a 'softy' and he and Betsy were devoted dog owners who 'would never, ever put them in harm's way'. 'Gene was what I would call a confirmed German Shepherd aficionado. I could not imagine him without a Shepherd,' Steff Smith, the founder of the Southwest German Shepherd Society in Phoenix, Arizona told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview. 'He was also a major softy. I recall him shedding tears upon meeting the first dog he adopted from us.' Hackman, 95, and wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, ended up adopting two dogs from the shelter in the early 2000s and remained longtime supporters and friends of the non-profit, according to Smith. Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa developed a love for German Shepherds that saw the couple adopt at least three dogs over the years The couple is seen introducing their new rescue, Roscoe, right, to Maisie, left, two years after adopting the Maisie from the Southwest German Shepherd Rescue in Phoenix, Arizona in 2005 Aerial photos of the couple's Santa Fe, New Mexico home where they were found dead last week Smith first met the couple in 2005, when they were looking for a new friend for Hackman's German Shepherd, Duke, who the actor famously adopted as a stray while he was filming The Replacements in 1999. Smith arranged for a meet-up at a park in order to assess Duke's interaction with Maisie, a young female German Shepherd, who quickly became a member of the Hackman family. 'They brought their dog Duke with them. They were staying at a high-end resort in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area and contacted me,' explained Smith. 'Betsy could certainly hold her own with the big dogs and was committed to their health and care. If one presented so much as a hang nail, they would get a full work-up. 'The word that comes to mind when I think of Betsy is warm, a genuinely warm and giving, yet sharp lady,' Smith fondly recalled. 'We communicated for years, exchanging pictures, Maisie and Duke playing on the property, swimming, playing with each other, you name it. Hackman first adopted a German Shepherd in 1999 (pictured) after the stray dog wandered on the set of The Replacements The actor later adopted it from the Animal Rescue Inc. in Pennsylvania and named it Duke (pictured) The couple adopted Maisie from the SW German Shepherd Rescue in 2005, but after Duke sadly passed away two years later, they took in Roscoe (pictured meeting for the first time) 'When you share your life with a German Shepherd it's much more like having a roommate, than a pet. They are all about their person.' Two years later in 2007, the couple returned after their beloved Duke died. 'It gave you an indication that Gene could not be without a dog that he lost very long at all.' Enter Roscoe, a handsome male German Shepherd who became Maisie's new bestie. Smith shared photos of that day with DailyMail.com where Roscoe was introduced to the Hackman family who were all smiles with the arrival of their new pup. 'We stayed in touch and remained long-distance friends. You could not meet two nicer, kinder people,' the German Shepherd expert told DailyMail.com. News of Gene and Betsy's mysterious deaths has left friends, fans, and the local community baffled after it was revealed they were found dead along with one of their German Shepherds at their home Santa Fe County deputies were seen outside of Betsy and Gene's home in Santa Fe last week after their bodies were discovered Gene had adopted Duke back in 1999 while working on the movie The Replacements in Baltimore after two stray German Shepherds were found wandering inside the Raven's Stadium where they had been filming. Phil Staelens still remembers the day two dogs arrived at his Pennsylvania-based animal organization, in a limousine provided by the actor, himself. 'These two German Shepherds were about one or two years old. We named them Gene and Keanu. 'Gene ended up adopting one of the dogs, the one named Gene, but he actually renamed him Duke, in honor of his close friend John Wayne,' said Staelens who with his wife Grace Froelich founded Animal Rescue, Inc. in New Freedom, Pennsylvania in 1978. The other pup, Keanu, was adopted by another loving family Staelens told DailyMail.com. 'They were very humble people. They were very nice. Gene was just like a regular person. He didn't want anything special' said Staelens. A picture of Gene Hackman was displayed during an in memoriam presentation at the Oscars show at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood on Sunday evening 'Betsy even ended up volunteering here while they were filming. She scooped up poop, she did it all.' The popular Animal Rescue, Inc. is home to some 500 dogs and cats, all available for adoption. The non-profit has been a refuge for homeless animals for nearly 50 years and a leader in their cat spay and neuter program. 'The manner of their passing makes the loss all the more painful,' added Smith who revealed that the Hackman house had a doggy door which allowed the pets to go outside. As far as the use of a dog crate, their pet could have been older and/or had a medical challenge. 'The Hackmans treated their dogs as if they were their children and would never, ever put them in harm's way,' Smith told DailyMail.com. 'And they always adopted rescues, that says a lot about them. True animal lovers, and the kindest of people.' US punk superstars Green Day have shared what they really think of Australia. The band are currently performing Down Under as part of their Saviors tour. During the band's set at Sydney's Engie Stadium on Monday, lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong let fans know about the state of play stateside. TikTok user Alanah_Bananas shared a short clip of the show that showed Billie Joe taking to the crowd between songs. 'We're going to put all of our differences away right now,' he declared. 'Australia, you're not as f***ed up as America,' he added before breaking into a cheeky laugh. US punk superstars Green Day have shared what they really think of Australia. Pictured from left: Mike Dirnt, Billie Joe Armsttrong, and Tre Cool He continued, 'I just can't help myself', as the crowd roared in appreciation. It comes after the acerbic frontman launched a savage attack on US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk in Melbourne on Sunday night, the Herald Sun reported. 'Dont you want these f***ing politicians to shut the f*** up?' he asked the crowd at Marvel Stadium. 'Dont you want Elon Musk to shut the f*** up? Dont you want Donald Trump to shut the f*** up? 'Im not gonna get angry. F*** that shit,' his explicit rant continued. 'We dont need to see whats on Twitter. This is about us; everybody together. It comes after fans slammed Ticketmaster over the pricing structure of the Australian leg of Green Day's Saviors tour. The Basket Case hitmakers announced they would bring their Saviors stadium tour Down Under back in September, after promising to return to the country a year ago. 'We're going to put all of our differences away right now,' he declared at Sydney's Engie Stadium on Monday. 'Australia, you're not as f***ed up as America.' It comes after the acerbic frontman launched a savage attack on US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk in Melbourne on Sunday night, the Herald Sun reported 'Dont you want Elon Musk to shut the f*** up? Dont you want Donald Trump to shut the f*** up?,' he asked the crowd However, fans were not happy with Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing model, which saw the costs of tickets rise in accordance with consumer demand, and up to $500 per head. Unhappy Australian fans took to social media to voice their frustration. 'Shameful and elitist,' one person sniped, while a second added: 'dynamic pricing is outrageous.' 'The government needs to make this stop,' a third person chipped in. 'Green day, red flag,' another furious fan wrote. Speaking with the Daily Telegraph back in January, Billie Joe opened up about his struggles with addiction. 'I had gotten sober for five years and then I guess you get FOMO, as they say, and I started drinking again, he shared. 'It really started taking a physical and mental toll on me where I just felt like I just couldnt stop. Im a glutton, its an obsession.' The band will round out their Australian tour with a show at The Gold Coast's CBUS Super Stadium on Wednesday before heading to Mumbail to headline day two of Lollapalooza India Now sober for 18 months, the 51 year old revealed how he managed to put down the bottle. 'It started affecting on the people around me that I love the most. And thats what I wrote about,' he said. 'I didnt do it through any program or anything, I just decided one day, that Ive had enough. Theres no party I havent seen, you know.' The band will round out their Australian tour with a show at The Gold Coast's CBUS Super Stadium on Wednesday They will then head to Mumbai to headline day two of Lollapalooza India on March 9 Michelle Trachtenberg was working on a new project before her tragic death at age 39 last week. The Gossip Girl alum - who died shortly after undergoing a liver transplant - was shopping a screenplay she wrote to studios with director and producer Casey Tebo. Tebo said the script, called Toy Monster, was one of the best he'd ever read, TMZ reported. It is based on the book of the same name and tells the story of Jack Ryan, who left his job designing missiles for the Pentagon during the Cold War era to become chief engineer at Mattel. He was designing toys during the time that Barbie, Chatty Cathy and Hot Wheels and had a dark side, living a life of excess in his off hours. Michelle and Tebo had a deal at a studio for the film years ago but then the studio head left and the knew head didn't want to make the film. Michelle Trachtenberg was working on a new project before her tragic death at age 39 last week - pictured 2020 Now, he's determined to bring the Buffy the Vampire Slayer star's final work to life. According to the outlet, he feels the most 'tragic' part of the screenplay is how neglected Michelle's talents were by Hollywood executives who only saw her as capable of the roles she played in Harriet the Spy, Euro Trip and others. Tebo hopes that Michelle can get the recognition she deserves and that her fans are delighted about her talent for writing. He is committed to finding a home for the script and bringing it to audiences. Michelle was found dead in her Manhattan apartment on February 26. Her cause of death will remain unknown as her family has declined having an autopsy done. Trachtenberg wast set to appear at a benefit screening of the movie Spyral during the annual SXSW film festival in Austin, Texas next month. Jennifer Hutchins, a Spyral producer, told TMZ that the movie team was aware of Michelle's health issues and only expected her to attend the event whether in-person or virtually if she felt well enough. In her final credit, Trachtenberg was cast to read excerpts from the diary of Randall White's late wife Michelle Cody White. The Gossip Girl alum was shopping a screenplay she wrote to studios with Director and producer Casey Tebo Tebo said the script, called Toy Monster, was one of the best he'd ever read, TMZ reported Michelle Trachtenberg, James Marsters, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Amber Benson, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, Nicholas Brendon, Emma Caulfield star in Buffy The Vampire Slayer 2003 The event will go on as scheduled, but will be tweaked to pay tribute to Trachtenberg in the wake of her untimely death. Hutchins told the outlet that Michelle was 'one of the sweetest, most gentle human beings I've ever had the pleasure to know.' She added, 'I could tell she cared deeply about people and using her voice for the greater good.' The producer also gave a nod to the actress' moving performance in Spyral, recalling that her voice work brought people on the set to tears. There is no foul play suspected in her death. Sources told DailyMail.com that the actress had been battling alcohol issues. She had a liver transplant a few months before her death. Patients can receive a liver transplant after damaging the vital organ through alcohol abuse, hepatitis C or liver disease. Anyone who's received a liver transplant due to alcohol abuse is advised to abstain from alcohol afterwards. Trachtenberg was best known for her on role teen supernatural drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer spanning 2000-2003. Michelle is seen here in a still from 1996's Harriet the Spy She played Buffy's younger sister Dawn Summers in 66 episodes of the hit show. The Brooklyn native also had a recurring role as 'The Witch of the Upper East Side' Georgina Sparks in 28 episodes of The CW teen soap Gossip Girl spanning 2008-2012. She also appeared in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy when she was 10 years old, alongside Rosie O'Donnell. EastEnders and Coronation Street starKathryn Apanowicz has died aged 64. Katheryn, who was the partner of former Countdown host Richard Whiteley, was reportedly suffering from a long illness. Her death was announced on Monday as a friend paid tribute on social media. On Facebook, former ITV Calendar presenter Christa Ackroyd wrote: 'Reunited with her beloved Richard. I will miss you so much my lovely friend. What adventures we had. The world will always be a duller place without you...' Kathryn and Richard were in a relationship from 1994 until his death in 2005 aged 61 from heart problems. EastEnders and Coronation Street starKathryn Apanowicz has died aged 64 (pictured in 2009) Katheryn, who was the partner of former Countdown host Richard Whiteley, was reportedly suffering from a long illness (pictured in 2003) Ian White of ITV Calendar also paid tribute and wrote: 'Very sad news tonight about friend and former colleague Kathryn Apanowicz.' Another fan shared: 'I was sad to hear that the presenter and actress Kathryn Apanowicz has passed away. 'I remember Kathryn's days in EastEnders and her appearing in a charity show in Leicester back in the late 80s. RIP, Kathryn.' Kathryn started her television career as a child performer in Yorkshire Television's Junior Show Time and in the film Bugsy Malone. Throughout her career she starred in BBC programme Angels, where she played Nurse Rose Butchins, before multiple appearances in soaps, including EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street. In EastEnders she played the caterer Magda Czajkowski. She appeared in Emmerdale in 1972 and Corrie in 1960 and again in 1997. In her later life she presented on BBC Radio Leeds and BBC Radio York. She also wrote a book following Richard's death, titled Richard by Kathryn: The Life of Richard Whiteley. Kathryn as Helen Ackroyd in Coronation Street in 1997, alongside Billy Hartman She also wrote a book following Richard's death, titled Richard by Kathryn - pictured with Richard's Countdown co-star Carol Vorderman at Richard's memorial service in 2005 Ian White of ITV Calendar also paid tribute on social media, writing: 'Very sad news tonight about friend and former colleague Kathryn Apanowicz.' Another fan said: 'I was sad to hear that the presenter and actress Kathryn Apanowicz has passed away. I remember Kathryn's days in EastEnders and her appearing in a charity show in Leicester back in the late 80s. RIP, Kathryn.' Nicolas Cage's ex-girlfriend Christina Fulton is speaking out after launching a lawsuit against the Longlegs star. On Monday, the actress spoke to TMZ about holding her 61-year-old ex accountable after their 34-year-old son Weston Cage allegedly assaulted her. Before she entered a courthouse in Los Angeles, Christina, 57, declared she had been 'heartbroken ... for a very long time' over her treatment by both her son and the Los Angeles Police Department. She accused officers of having left her alone 'on the ground, bleeding,' after her son allegedly attacked her. 'I have done this alone, I have been left alone if not blocked,' she continued, before clarifying that she was accusing Cage of preventing her from addressing Weston's issues. DailyMail.com has reached out to a representative for Cage for comment. Nicolas Cage's ex Christina Fulton is speaking out after filing a lawsuit against her ex after their son Weston, 34, allegedly assaulted her in April 2024. When asked Monday by TMZ why she was suing Cage, she responded: 'I'm holding everyone responsible'; seen in 2015 in Beverly Hills She stated that Cage, 61, is Weston's father and claimed that he could have done 'a hell of a lot more' to help their son and maintain her safety'; seen with Weston in 2022 in LA Fulton previously accused her ex of 'enabling Weston his whole life,' which she says led to his allegedly aggressive behavior. She said that her son was in the midst of a 'manic rage' before he was arrested for attacking her. On Monday, Christina emphasized that she 'love[s her] son,' but she thinks he now needs 'tough love' to address his issues. She also clarified that she sees him as a victim of a 'mental health crisis epidemic.' The actress said she hoped to 'be here' for 'mothers' in similar situations, but she also wanted to support her son to help him get the appropriate treatments. When she was asked why she was suing Nicolas, Christina responded: 'I'm holding everyone responsible.' She stated that the actor is Weston's father and claimed that he could have done 'a hell of a lot more' to help their son and maintain her safety. When she was asked if she and her son had attempted to make amends, she simply responded, 'We're in court.' She also accused Cage of blocking her attempts to get their son professional help; seen in 1988 in LA Christina then took a long pause and shook her head before indicating that Weston hasn't yet gotten any of the treatment she's hoping for. Fulton filed her lawsuits against Cage and their son after Weston allegedly assaulted her in April 2024. The actress who dated Cage from 1988 through 1991 submitted a civil complaint to the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County earlier this month, per the Los Angeles Times. She is suing Cage for 'negligent supervision and negligent undertaking' of their son. Christina is also suing her son for assault, battery and negligent and intentional inflection of emotional distress. The Hard Drive actress previously claimed that the 34-year-old 'brutally assaulted' her during a mental health crisis near his home, which left her with 'severe and life-threatening injuries.' Weston who has since pleaded not guilty was arrested in July 2024 on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, and was released on a $150,000 bond. Nicolas Cage's lawyer hit back at Fulton's claims in a statement to People after her lawsuits were filed. 'The allegations by Christina Fulton against Nicolas Cage are absurd and frivolous,' they said. 'Weston Coppola is a 34-year-old man. Mr. Cage does not control Weston's behavior in any manner and is not responsible for Weston's alleged assault of his mother.' Nicolas Cage's, 61, ex-girlfriend, Christina Fulton, 57, is suing both the actor and their son Weston Cage following an alleged physical altercation that took place last year in April 2024 Last month, the pair were spotted at the assault trial in Los Angeles, which was granted a continuance and delayed. Fulton is also requesting unspecified damages for the 'catastrophic physical, emotional and economic harm she has endured due to an unprovoked attack by their son, Weston.' In the complaint, the star claimed that Nicolas enabled their son's behavior - despite being 'aware' of Weston's 'long history of mental and psychological disorder.' 'Weston has a long history of mental and psychological disorder and a history of committing violent assault and battery and harming numerous individuals,' the suit stated, according to People. 'Nicolas has been aware of Weston's history and nevertheless failed to take action to prevent Weston from committing acts of violence and harming others.' Christina also claimed that her ex further enabled Weston's 'reckless' lifestyle and behavior such as drinking alcohol together 'despite knowing his substance abuse history.' She also alleged the Longlegs actor bailed their son out of jail on more than one occasion, paid his son's rent at a condo in L.A. and did nothing to ensure that Weston received 'necessary psychiatric' help. 'Nicolas knew or should have known that Weston posed a serious and imminent danger to others, including Plaintiff, based on his documented history of violent assaults, substance abuse, and mental instability.' Fulton - who dated Cage from 1988 through 1991, submitted a civil complaint to the Superior Court of California in LA County earlier this month, per the LA Times; seen in 1988 in L.A. She is suing Cage for 'negligent supervision and negligent undertaking' of their son when under his care. Christina is also suing her son for assault, battery as well as negligent and intentional inflection of emotional distress; seen in 2022 in LA In the complaint, Christina claimed that the alleged assault that took place in April of last year 'devastated Fulton's thriving career as a former model, actress and entrepreneur.' At the time, she had been working on a Netflix project which she had to halt and had been involved in other business ventures which were also 'jeopardized.' In January, Fulton also accused Nicolas of 'enabling' their son following the alleged April 2024 attack. Weston and Fulton both arrived separately at an LA court last month for the assault trial, with Fulton's attorney Joseph Farzam accusing Cage of 'enabling Weston his whole life', leading to his alleged aggressive behavior. In a video obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com after the trial was granted a continuance, Farzam said: 'The defendant is buying time to try and evade justice and that's not going to happen, my client is here to make sure justice is done.' He added, 'Essentially as you can understand, my client was brutally assaulted, she was viciously attacked by her own son and by making sure that justice is served and he is prosecuted to the full extent of the law, what she's doing is tough love. 'She's making sure he's held accountable so he'll never do this to anybody else. Justice will get served and she will come here as many times as she needs to make sure that gets done. 'I'm confident he'll be convicted, she'll make sure he gets mental health treatment, he needs serious mental health help, jail time. if that's what it takes, so be it.' In the complaint, the star claimed that Nicolas enabled their son's behavior - despite being 'aware' of Weston's 'long history of mental and psychological disorder'; seen in 2024 in Newport Beach When asked if Cage had been in contact amid the assault allegations, Farzam said: 'We are of the position that Nicolas Cage has enabled Weston his whole life, he is the way he is because he's been enabled. He will no longer be enabled if he's convicted.' The attorney confirmed that Weston and Fulton have had no contact since the alleged assault, saying: 'She fears for her life, she fears he'll do this again and she'll have no further contact with him.' The scuffle between Weston and Fulton occurred on April 28 in the Los Angeles area, when a verbal dispute reportedly turned physical. 'On April 28th, 2024, around 5:30 p.m., I received urgent messages from friends of my son, Weston Cage, regarding his deteriorating mental state, urging me to come help,' Fulton said in a statement obtained by People. 'When I arrived to offer support and console him, he was already in the midst of a manic rage. Within minutes, I was brutally assaulted and sustained serious injuries,' she claimed. 'Despite my desperate pleas to the responding police officers to detain him for a mental-health evaluation, the police officers refused my request.' Fulton added in her statement: 'As a mother, I am deeply saddened and concerned about Weston's ongoing mental-health crisis. It is imperative that he receives the help he desperately needs.' The LAPD confirmed that Weston was booked for assault with a deadly weapon - just weeks after his mother was spotted with intense bruises on her face. 'I'm confident he'll be convicted, she'll make sure he gets mental health treatment, he needs serious mental health help, jail time. if that's what it takes, so be it,' Fulton's attorney said; Weston seen in June 2024 in Santa Monica The LAPD also confirmed with People the arrest was made in direct connection to the alleged April 28 altercation. Weston's case was submitted to the district attorney's office on May 10 and on June 26 the DA filed two counts of assault with a deadly weapon against him. An arrest warrant was later issued. The actor was released on a $150,000 bail around 10am. The U.S. Sun reported that his father is believed to be the one who bailed him out. A source previously told The Sun of the arrest: 'The family knew this was going to happen but needless to say, it is a very big shock.' An ambulance was reportedly called to the home to check out Fulton, but she declined to be taken to the hospital, TMZ reported at the time of the alleged incident. It is not the first time the son of the National Treasure actor has been in trouble with the law, as he was arrested in 2017 got DUI and a hit-and-run. Police said that he hit multiple parked cars, signs and mailboxes before he crashed his car into a tree. After being taken to the hospital, he was charged with a DUI and arrested on $30,000 bail. In 2011, he faced domestic violence charges after he had a dispute with his ex-wife Nikki Williams, according to ABC News. The scuffle between Weston and Fulton occurred on April 28 in the Los Angeles area, when a verbal dispute reportedly turned physical; seen in 2019 in Beverly Hills Weston has been treated for mental health issues in the past. He was hospitalized on a psychiatric hold in 2011 after a violent incident in Los Angeles. Fulton and Cage began dating in 1988 and welcomed Weston in 1990. The couple never married and broke up within a year of Weston's birth. In November 2023, both Weston and Fulton filed a lawsuit against Weston's ex-wife Hila Arounian. They alleged she embezzled $100,000, engaged in a smear campaign against them and requested a 'fraudulent restraining order' that stopped Fulton and her family from seeing Weston's twin girls, Venice and Cyress. TikTok famous Italian Nonna has ripped into global movie stars and their extravagant fashion choices at the 2025 Academy Awards, which took place on Monday. Sydney-based Nonna Fina, who regularly rates celebrity outfits on her granddaughter Maddie's social accounts, gave her unfiltered opinion on this year's Oscar gowns. No star was safe, with Nonna taking a swipe at the likes of Ariana Grande, Zoe Saldana, Timothee Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp, among others. Maddie began their latest video by asking Nonna what she thought of the bubble-inspired Schiaparelli gown Ariana, 31, walked the red carpet in. 'You're already giving me rubbish? Straight away? It looks like a curtain at the bottom,' Nonna said, referencing the cascading tulle skirt on the garb. She proceeded to give the Wicked star a 'six out of 10' score, before moving on to Guardians of the Galaxy actress Zoe Saldana. TikTok famous Italian Nonna has ripped into global movie stars and their extravagant fashion choices at the 2025 Academy Awards, which took place on Monday 'Oh, mamma mia. What the hell. The dress looks like balloons. Five,' was Nonna's brutal verdict of the ruby Saint Laurent dress the movie star, 46, wore. As for Whoopi Goldberg's metallic look by Christian Siriano, Nonna said: 'This dress looks like it's going to space. Astronaut. No I don't like this I'm sorry. Four.' Not even Hollywood hunk Timothee Chalamet was safe in his yellow suit, with Nonna declaring she didn't like the colour, though she rated him a seven out of 10. Nosferatu star Lily-Rose Depp copped the harshest criticism for her black lace Chanel garb. 'Oh no. Look at this dress. Come on Madeleine don't give me this rubbish dress. It looks like pyjamas in disorder. Five,' Nonna said. Despite her stern opinion on many of the outfits worn to the Oscars this year, there were some looks the TikTok sensation couldn't fault. Selena Gomez was largely hailed as the best dressed at Hollywood's night-of-nights as she stepped out in a custom Ralph Lauren gown with Bvlgari jewellery. Nonna agreed with critics, saying of the crystal encrusted garb: 'Oh this is nice. I like everything. Ten.' No star was safe, with Nonna taking a swipe at the likes of Ariana Grande, 31, (pictured) Zoe Saldana, 46, Timothee Chalamet, 29, and Lily-Rose Depp, 25, among others 'Oh, mamma mia. What the hell. The dress looks like balloons. Five,' was Nonna's brutal verdict of the ruby Saint Laurent dress Zoe wore Elle Fanning also got a glowing review with her custom white Givenchy and Cartier jewellery. 'Ah this is nice. That's a surprise. I like everything. Nine,' Nonna said. The 97th Academy Awards honoured the best films of 2024, with the star-studded ceremony being held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Conan O'Brien made his debut as Oscars host after joking: 'I only agreed to host so that I could get invited.' This year's ceremony had an unusually unsettled field in many of the most high-profile categories, including best picture and most of the acting categories. The musical crime flick Emilia Perez led the nominations with 13, including for best picture, actress (for Karla Sofia Gascon), supporting actress (for Zoe Saldana), director (for Jacques Audiard), adapted screenplay and original song. Karia Sofia, 52, stars as the title character, a former Mexican drug lord who comes out as a transgender woman and fakes her own death in order to reinvent herself as a pro-social force. While Zoe played an ethically challenged lawyer who helps set up her new identity. Nosferatu star Lily-Rose Depp copped the harshest criticism for her black lace Chanel garb. 'Oh no. Look at this dress. Come on Madeleine don't give me this rubbish dress. It looks like pyjamas in disorder. Five,' Nonna said Nonna had high praise for Selena Gomez, 32, saying: 'Oh this is nice. I like everything. Ten.' The Brutalist landed in second place with 10 nominations, including for best picture, director (for Brady Corbet), actor (for Adrien Brody), supporting actor (for Guy Pearce), supporting actress (for Felicity Jones), and original screenplay. Adrien, 51, starred as a Jewish Hungarian architect who immigrated to the US after surviving the Holocaust. The epic historical drama followed his character Laszlo Toth's attempts to realise his creative vision even as it conflicts with the petty desires of his wealthy benefactor (Guy). Wicked tied it for 10 nominations, including for best picture, actress (for Cynthia Erivo), and supporting actress (for Ariana Grande). The blockbuster musical is an adaptation of only the first half of the theatre musical of the same name, a re-imagined prequel to The Wizard Of Oz starring Cynthia, 38, as Elphaba, future Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana as Glinda Upland, who becomes Glinda the Good. All three movies were beaten in Best Picture by Anora which tells the tale of a young woman from Brooklyn who meets and marries the son of a Russian oligarch against the wishes of his family. Other best pictures nominees included A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, I'm Still Here, Nickel Boys and The Substance. The Oasis reunion tour is just months away, but the fiery Gallagher brothers have yet to do a single rehearsal because of lingering resentment between the pair. Insiders told the Mail that while Liam, 52, and Noel, 57, publicly buried the hatchet on their 15-year feud last year, they are still spending no time in each other's company. A source said: 'It's proving really tricky to get Noel and Liam in the same room. After years of feuding there is no love lost between the pair and it is making organising the tour a nightmare. 'You'd think they would want to pull out all the stops to justify the hefty ticket prices, but the pair won't even start rehearsals until late May.' The Oasis Live 25 tour kicks off on 4 July at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before playing sell-out gigs at Manchester's Heaton Park, Wembley Stadium in London, and Edinburgh's Murrayfield stadium. The pair will then embark on a global tour taking in shows in Japan, Argentina, the United States and Brazil. The Oasis reunion tour is just months away, but the fiery Gallagher brothers have yet to do a single rehearsal because of lingering resentment between the pair Insiders told the Mail that while Liam, 52, and Noel, 57, publicly buried the hatchet on their 15-year feud last year, they are still spending no time in each other's company Oasis fans had feared they would never see the two brothers in the same room again, after they spectacularly fell out following a backstage fight in Paris in 2009. Noel said at the time: 'I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.' However, last August, Liam and Noel reconciled and announced Oasis were reforming for a string of stadium dates in 2025 which will net the brothers an estimated 100m payday. It will be a much needed boost to Noel's bank balance, after his expensive 20m divorce settlement to ex-wife Sara MacDonald in 2023. In a statement announcing the tour, Oasis said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.' But when tickets went on sale the tour was slammed for using 'dynamic pricing' when tickets went on sale for hundreds of pounds last August. Fans were furious after waiting up to 15 hours to get to the front of online queues. Ticketmaster's pricing method was described as 'scandalous' after tickets for the original dates shot up from 148 to 355. The Oasis Live 25 tour kicks off on 4 July at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before playing sell-out gigs in Manchester, London, and Edinburgh (Liam left in 2021 and Noel right in 2022) Last month, it was reported that the pair had met for conciliatory talks about the tour, but these were vehemently denied by Liam who denounced it on social media as 'fake news'. Oasis's representatives were contacted. Jay-Z has sued the Alabama woman who accused him of a 2000 sexual assault with Sean 'Diddy' Combs, and her attorney Tony Buzbee, saying the 'lies' and 'extortionate threats' made by them led him to a $20 million loss. The Empire State Of Mind artist, 55, accused the defendants in the case, in addition to attorney David Fortney, of 'malicious prosecution, abuse of process, civil conspiracy and defamation,' according to legal documents filed in Alabama and reviewed by Dailymail.com. In the legal complaint reviewed by the outlet, the 99 Problems rapper, who is wed to fellow music superstar Beyonce, 43, says the defendants 'were soullessly motivated by greed, in abject disregard of the truth and the most fundamental precepts of human decency.' Buzbee represented the woman (who identifies herself as Jane Doe in court documents) claiming the 24-time Grammy-winner and Combs sexually assaulted her when she was 13. She claims the incident took place at an MTV Music Awards afterparty in September of 2000 - accusations which Jay-Z and Diddy have denied. The case was dismissed last month, with the Hard Knock Life rapper saying at the time, 'Today is a victory. The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere.' Jay-Z, 55, has sued the woman who accused him of a 2000 sexual assault with Sean Combs, and her attorney, saying the 'lies' and 'extortionate threats' made by them led him to a $20 million loss. Pictured in LA February 2 at the Grammys with wife Beyonce and Bruno Mars Attorney Tony Buzbee represented the woman (who identifies herself as Jane Doe in court docs) claiming Jay-Z and Sean 'Diddy' Combs, 55, sexually assaulted her when she was 13. Pictured October 1, 2024, in Houston Buzbee told Dailymail.com exclusively Monday, 'This new case alleges the same claims as the other one they pieced together and filed in Los Angeles. 'Like the one in LA, this new case in Alabama also has no legal merit. He continued: 'Shawn Carters investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story. 'She hasnt, and wont. Instead she has stated repeatedly she stands by her claims. These same group of investigators have been caught on tape offering to pay people to sue me and my firm.' Buzbee told Dailymail.com that he spoke 'with Jane Doe today' and 'it appears that the quotes attributed to her in the lawsuit are completely made up, or they spoke to someone who isnt Jane Doe.' The attorney added: 'This is just another attempt to intimidate and bully this poor woman that we will deal with in due course.' Buzbee wrapped up his statement to Dailymail.com, 'We wont be bullied or intimidated by frivolous cases.' Dailymail.com has reached out to reps for Jay-Z for comment on the story. Jay-Z's lawyers have cited a December television interview with NBC News in which his accuser acknowledged inconsistencies in her story as a reason to toss the case Buzbee told Dailymail.com exclusively Monday, 'Shawn Carters investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story. Pictured in June of 2023 In January, lawyers for Jay-Z asked the court to sanction sanction Buzbee, alleging he did not personally meet with the woman ahead of filing the legal complaint, TMZ reported after reviewing legal docs in the case. The legal team for the 24-time Grammy-winner, led by attorney Alex Spiro, said Buzbee admitted to not personally speaking with the woman ahead of filing the case, which is a major ethical lapse, TMZ reported. Buzbee told Dailymail.com in response that 'what Spiro has filed, like everything else he has filed thus far, is utterly frivolous and meritless.' Buzbee previously told TMZ that 'he did, in fact, personally interview the plaintiff, as did four other lawyers,' the outlet reported, noting that he said that 'anyone who says otherwise has their own agenda.' Buzbee told Dailymail.com that 'with every frantic filing the defense in this case grows more desperate.' He added of his case against the rapper, whose name is Shawn Carter: 'The rules apply equally to everyone, even those who wrongly think they are above the law. No one is above the law.' Lawyers for Jay-Z said that Buzbee - whose Texas-based firm is in charge of more than 150 people suing Combs - didn't properly vet the woman accusing Jay-Z ahead of a December interview she conducted with NBC News in which she acknowledged inconsistencies in her story. Jane Doe said in her legal filing she was living in Rochester in 2000 when she made her way to New York City and befriended a limousine driver who drove her to the party in a trek that took about 20 minutes. The legal team for Jay-Z, led by attorney Alex Spiro, said Buzbee admitted to not personally speaking with the woman ahead of filing the case, which is a major ethical lapse. Spiro pictured in July in Santa Fe, New Mexico The alleged incident took place at an MTV VMAs afterparty in September of 2000, Jay-Z's accuser said. The rapper pictured months earlier during a July 4 bash in the Hamptons Jay-Z, pictured December 9 with wife Beyonce, has denied all of the claims against him Buzbee has said his firm is representing more than 150 people, both male and female, who claims Combs sexual abused and exploited them. Many of Buzbee's legal filing include allegations of spiked drinks at lavish parties in locales such as New York, California and Florida. Combs lawyers have characterized Buzbees lawsuits as 'shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr. Combs.' Jay-Z and Combs gained fame in the 2000s, emerging as successful rappers and business magnates, with Forbes last year estimating Jay-Z's net worth to be $2.5 billion. The artists have collaborated over the years, with Jay-Z appearing on Combs' debut album, No Way Out and Combs performing on Jay-Zs sophomore album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Combs has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges after his September arrest. He has remained incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn awaiting a May 5 trial, after he was refused bail on multiple occasions. Prosecutors in Combs' federal case say the music mogul used blackmail and violence in his efforts to silence victims. Combs pictured with ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in March of 2016 in LA Prior to his arrest, Diddy was in the headlines for much of 2024 year after video of him assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie surfaced on CNN in May Among the claims made against the entertainer is that he persuaded women to participate against their will in group sexual exhibitions referred to as 'Freak Offs.' The Can't Nobody Hold Me Down performer remains in federal custody nearly five months after his September 16 arrest in Manhattan in connection with sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Combs, who is also charged with transportation to engage in prostitution, has made a trio of attempts in vain to be granted bail, amid concerns from the court he would attempt to flee or tamper with his case. Prior to his arrest he was in the headlines for much of 2024 year after raids on multiple properties in March; and video of him assaulting Cassie surfacing on CNN in May. Lawyers for Combs - who has denied all of the claims against him - issued Dailymail.com a statement last month in response to the litigation their client is involved in. 'No matter how many lawsuits are filed - especially by individuals who refuse to put their own names behind their claims - it wont change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone - man or woman, adult or minor,' attorneys for Combs said. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline can be reacted at 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Espanol RAINN.org/es. Sydney socialite Montarna McDonald has been living the high life since her divorce from lawyer Nicholas Pitt. Now the PR guru has shown her ex exactly what he's missing. The blonde beauty bared her nipples in a very revealing sheer top as she cuddled up with friends on the way to the Kylie Minogue concert at Qudos Bank Arena on Monday night. Her look consisted of a completely see-through top over a lace bralette that struggled to contain her modesty. She paired the racy look with a pair of blue jeans as she enjoyed a boat ride on the harbour ahead of the Kylie, 56, show. Montarna partied the evening away with her friends and was later spotted having a meet-and-greet with the Aussie pop star. Sydney socialite Montarna McDonald donned a very risque outfit for a Kylie Minogue concert on Monday. Pictured with a friend The PR guru has been living the high life since her divorce from lawyer Nicholas Pitt It comes after Montarna celebrated her divorce at Mimi's in Coogee with her friends following her split from Nicholas. The former couple's marital home in leafy Paddington was also sold late last year for an undisclosed sum. There was no sale price given for the glorious 1900s terrace on Renny Street, but value estimates suggest it went for about $4million. The circumstances of Montarna and Nicholas' divorce remain unclear. Montarna, who worked for Roxy Jacenko at Sweaty Betty PR before founding her own business The Audience Agency, began dating the Sydney personal injury lawyer, at the firm Wotton Kearney, in 2014. The pair tied the knot in an intimate ceremony at Redleaf Wollombi, just a short drive from the wineries of Hunter Valley, in 2018. Montarna and Nicholas were married for six years and together for 10 when they parted ways last year. They share two daughters. News of their separation came to light back in July, but while society splits tend to become tabloid fodder, details about this particular break-up have remained scant. The blonde beauty captured selfies of her racy black ensemble as she cuddled up with friends on the way to the Kylie Minogue concert at Qudos Bank Arena She paired the racy look with a pair of blue jeans as she enjoyed a boat ride on the harbour ahead of the Kylie show On the eve of what would have been their six-year wedding anniversary, Montarna threw a celebratory party and formally reverted to her maiden name. Montarna, who donned a pink sequined knee-length frock with a plunging neckline, documented the lavish 'do on Instagram, alongside the caption: 'To new beginnings.' Several friends and fans congratulated her on her fresh start. 'To new beginnings, cheers Montana McDonald,' commented Lisa Wipfli, the wife of Sydney radio presenter Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli. Davina McCall has signed up to host a brand new BBC dating show, marking her TV comeback after her recent brain tumour surgery. The TV presenter, 57, will front BBC programme Stranded on Honeymoon Island which is scheduled to hit screens later this year. The new show sees twelve unlucky-in-love singles matched into couples at a speed dating event. They will then marry and immediately start their honeymoon on a tropical island. Davina will guide the singles through their journey as their marriages and their survival skills are put to the test on the isolated island. Davina gushed in a statement that she is perfect for the matchmaker role. 'I am a serial matchmaker. So I jumped at the chance to host the BBC's new dating show. I can't wait to meet our couples and find out how they get on when they're Stranded on Honeymoon Island.' Davina McCall has signed up to host a brand new BBC dating show, as makes her TV comeback after her recent brain tumour surgery (pictured at the Brit Awards on Saturday) The BBC show is produced by CPL Productions, the BAFTA Award winning production company behind huge dating shows Married At First Sight UK and Love Is Blind UK. First broadcast in Belgium, subsequent versions have aired in Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, and Czech Republic. The format has also been commissioned in Australia. The news comes after Davina's previous dating show My Mum, Your Dad was cancelled after just two series. My Mum, Your Dad sees a group of single parents try and find love again - all while their children are secretly watching them. The programme became a huge hit with fans and many will be gutted to find out that it won't be back on our screens this year. A TV insider told The Sun: 'Strangely there were lots of stunning women in the 45 to 65 bracket who wanted to take part, but a sad dearth of men who fitted the bill. 'This was a problem they encountered in 2024 when they tried to make the second series and just about managed to get enough candidates together. 'But when it came to the third outing they realised it was just going to be too difficult, and decided taking a break might be the best option.' The news comes after Davina's previous dating show My Mum, Your Dad was cancelled after just two series My Mum, Your Dad sees a group of single parents try and find love again - all while their children are secretly watching them An ITV spokesperson added: 'My Mum Your Dad achieved a fantastic audience response across its two series, and the show's boxsets continue to deliver a strong performance on ITVX. 'There are currently no plans for a new series in 2025 owing to other priorities in our schedule, but we may revisit the show at some point beyond that.' Married At First Sight's Morena Farina cut a stylish figure as she skipped out of Australia's 'social experiment' and bid 'good riddance' to her TV husband Tony Mojanovski. The 57-year-old DJ claimed she was 'ready to walk' from production weeks ago, but was pressured into staying after a late-night intervention from production bosses. And she looked happy to be gone as she was spotted in a colourful display on Chapel Street in her native Melbourne after filming her final commitment ceremony. The newly single blonde positively glowed, as took style cues from cult '90s film Clueless, and basked in her newfound freedom from 24/7 filming. Morena pulled the Bridgette boucle mini skirt and textured blazer from her pre-MAFS wardrobe, pairing the Decjuba co-ord with a white lace camisole, a pair of white go-go boots and a fresh spray tan. She finished the look with a pair of large silver hoop earrings and a black handbag, as well as a broad smile. Married At First Sight's Morena Farina, 57, cut a stylish figure as she skipped out of Australia's 'social experiment' and bid 'good riddance' to her TV husband Tony Mojanovski In Sunday's episode, Morena returned unexpectedly to the couch following her disappearance after the dinner party last Wednesday, determined not to let Tony, 53, have the final say on their tumultuous relationship. 'Did you really think I wasn't gonna come?' she asked as she strode into the room, turning heads. 'Did you really think I was gonna give him the last word?' Her entrance set the stage for an explosive showdown, with Tony attempting to explain why he felt their relationship was doomed from the start. 'They were holding me against my will. I told them, "I'm going to call the policegive me my phone,"' Morena told Daily Mail Australia. 'They put their hands up and acted innocent, saying, "No, no, no, we haven't touched you."' Despite being prepared to leave, Morena was convinced to stay after a conversation with the show's top executives. 'I had the big boss on the phone for a long time,' she revealed. The DJ claimed she was 'ready to walk' from production weeks ago, but was pressured into staying after a late-night intervention from production bosses 'They told me, "Are you really going to let Tony get away with everything he's done to you? You know he's married. He wanted his wife to come into the experiment. 'He thinks you're too old, calls you a sl**, even headlocks you."' Morena eventually agreed to attend one final Commitment Ceremonybut with conditions. 'I told them, "I'm not speaking to the experts. They've never had my back. I just need to confront Tony,"' she explained. 'They said, "Done. You can make a grand entry when Tony is on the couch and rip into him."' Sunday's episode saw Morena storm onto the set while Tony is on the couch, delivering a brutal take-down of her on-screen husband before dramatically walking out for good. 'I slammed the door so hard the whole set trembled,' she recalled. 'Tony was stunned. The entire cast was in shock.' During the fiery confrontation, Morena exposed multiple secrets about Tony's behaviour in the experiment, including his alleged desire to bring his estranged wife onto the show. And she looked happy to be gone as she was spotted in a colourful display on Chapel Street in her native Melbourne after filming her final commitment ceremony 'He suddenly changed his story and said it wasn't about my age - it was because he wanted a baby,' Morena said. 'I grabbed his hand and told him, "Tony, if you wanted a baby, I would have let you go. I would never stop you."' However, she later claimed that Tony's own cousin had told her he was infertile. Morena also revealed the shocking tactics used behind the scenes, claiming she was 'locked in a tent for hours' before filming dinner parties and commitment ceremonies. 'They either freeze you or overheat you. 'They do it so you can become aggressive. You get soft drink and junk food, and that's it,' she said. She added that some cast members, including Tony, were given preferential treatment, with her husband allegedly being allowed to return home to Wollongong every weekend. Morena insisted her frustration on-screen was a result of the conditions she endured. The newly single blonde positively glowed, as took style cues from cult '90s film Clueless, and basked in her newfound freedom from 24/7 filming 'Every day, Tony told me he was repulsed by me. He didn't want to be there. He was only in the experiment for exposure,' she alleged. 'I threw up every day. The stress was unbearable.' The reality star also revealed she had no regrets about leaving the show. 'They didn't show my story. I don't care that I was made the villain. But I refuse to be defeated,' she said. Taking to social media on Monday, Morena was in good spirits after playing a sold-out DJ gig to 250 people. 'Strangers have tried to shut me down, but all theyve done is empower me,' she wrote. 'I cannot be broken and life is too precious to be defeated by a bunch of strangers. Good people always win in life.' Angelina Jolie proudly supported her daughter Zahara, a keynote speaker at Women in Training Inc.'s brunch in Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday. The actress, 49, was among a number of guests who witnessed the 20-year-old deliver a speech about 'period poverty.' Period poverty is described as women and girls 'having insufficient access to menstrual products, education, and sanitation facilities' according to the National Institutes of Health. Zahara, Spelman College's Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority member since November 2023, gave the speech at the Women in Training Inc.'s fourth Mother-Daughter Brunch at the Renaissance hotel. Angelina was pictured proudly listening to Zahara, whom she adopted in 2005 from Ethiopia when she was 7-months-old. The Oscar winner who shares six children with ex Brad Pitt, 61 stunned in a white button-up blouse and a matching maxi skirt. Angelina Jolie, 49, proudly supported her daughter Zahara, 20, a keynote speaker at Women in Training Inc.'s brunch in Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday The actress was among a number of guests who witnessed Zahara deliver a speech about 'period poverty' Meanwhile Zahara, who seemingly dropped her famous father's last name in 2023, looked chic in a white dress and pointed-toe heels. The duo were seen posing with some of the guests at the event. 'We are truly honored that Zahara Jolie-Pitt will speak at the Fourth Annual WIT Mother-Daughter Brunch about her passion to end period poverty, which is the mission of Women in Training,' Adeyela Bennett, president and CEO of Women in Training, said ahead of the event, as per WAKA 8 Action News. 'We are also excited that her mother, the internationally renowned movie star Angelina Jolie, will join us to support her daughter and to support our goal of ensuring that every girl and young woman has the products she needs to live her life to the fullest extent,' she added. Aside from Zahara, Jolie also shares Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, both 16, with Pitt. A month prior, Angelina and her children were busy helping out those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires. 'Her kids are volunteering around the state, asking for whats needed and jumping in,' a source told People at the time. 'She went to see the firefighters at the Rose Bowl and is close to the team at World Central Kitchen,' the source added. Zahara, Spelman College's Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority member since November 2023, gave the speech at the Women in Training Inc.'s fourth Mother-Daughter Brunch at the Renaissance hotel Angelina was pictured proudly listening to Zahara, whom she adopted in 2005 from Ethiopia when she was 7-months-old The Oscar winner who shares six children with ex Brad Pitt , 61 stunned in a white button-up blouse and a matching maxi skirt Meanwhile Zahara, who seemingly dropped her famous father's last name in 2023, looked chic in a white dress and pointed-toe heels Period poverty is described as women and girls 'having insufficient access to menstrual products, education, and sanitation facilities' according to the National Institutes of Health Their appearance comes shortly after news broke that Angelina and Brad have finally settled their lengthy, eight-year divorce battlebringing an official close to one of Hollywoods most high-profile splits. At the time, Page Six sources said 'Brad is missing his kids and wishes he had a closer relationship with them, particularly with celebrating the holidays and his birthday this month.' When it comes to romance, Angelina is in no rush to move on. 'It's hard for her to trust men after what she went through with Brad,' a source recently told Us Weekly. 'She hasnt sworn off men, but shes not looking for anything serious right now.' The insider added that the star 'doesnt think shell ever get over the trauma of her relationship with Pitt, reinforcing that 'shes not looking for love right now.' The source added that Jolie feels 'fulfilled' and is 'content with her children and life.' Last month, a different source close to Jolie described the divorce process as a nightmare for her and her family. 'These last eight years have been such a horrendous time for her and her family,' a source told People. Aside from Zahara, Jolie also shares Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, both 16, with Pitt; seen with her kids in 2021 'Brad is missing his kids and wishes he had a closer relationship with them, particularly with celebrating the holidays and his birthday this month,' a source recently told Page Six (Angelina and Brad pictured with Maddox and Zahara in 2007) Angelina and Brad settled their lengthy, eight-year divorce battle in December bringing an official close to one of Hollywoods most high-profile splits; the former pair seen in 2012 Pitt, however, pushed back on Jolies claims, telling People, 'Jolie has engaged in one-sided attacks for the past eight years, including a never-ending distortion of facts and projecting their own behavior onto others, causing tremendous collateral damage to those in and around the family.' Jolie filed to end the marriage in September of 2016, just two years after tying the knot. They had dated 10 years before they decided to get married. It has since been alleged that the couple and their six children had taken a private plane days prior to her filing in which Pitt had become physically abusive. Jolie claimed in court filings that Pitt's 'history of physical abuse' started 'well before' the plane incident. The Maleficent actress also said her ex tried to force her to sign a $8.5 million NDA to cover up his 'years of abuse'. Pitt has always denied the claims of abuse and was cleared by law enforcement following an investigation. Justin Bieber's latest social media post left fans increasingly worried. The Baby hitmaker, 31, took to his Instagram on Monday sharing photos that showed him smoking from what appeared to be a bong while sitting on an electric bike. Sporting a burgundy hoodie, black sweatpants, and brown boots, the Canadian musician who shot to stardom at 14 was pictured indulging in a smoke during his recent getaway to Idaho, where he rang in his 31st birthday. The post was set to the song 'Hits From The Bong' by Cypress Hill, which features lyrics about preparing and smoking marijuana using a bong. Meanwhile his wife Hailey Bieber, 28, with whom he shares six-month-old son Jack Blues, was left to attend Sunday's Variety Oscars afterparty on her own, and shared solo photos from the event. Fans expressed disappointment following Justin's latest post, which came shortly after videos of him smoking a 'joint' and rapping about getting 'high.' 'Arent you in your 30s? This is a post a 14 year old would make. Man up and be a DAD.' Justin Bieber's, 31, latest social media post left fans increasingly worried, as he shared photos that showed him smoking from what appeared to be a bong while sitting on an electric bike Meanwhile his wife, Hailey Bieber, 28, with whom he shares six-month-old son Jack Blues, was left to attend Sunday's Variety Oscars afterparty on her own, and shared solo photos 'Get off the drugs and raise your son,' another one added. 'I hope Jack doesnt have to be around all this smoke. A kid doesnt deserve it.' 'You have a child and you smoke? What a shame.' 'At least do it discreetly, such a bad model for your son and fans.' Another added, 'Just keep in mind whatever you post is forever. Your child will see it someday.' 'Father of the year!!! Unfortunately your dad was not a good role model, the main reason you should be to your sons. Break the cycle! Hope the best for you!!!' 'oh my god. again j? u are 31 years old stop posting this and i need everyone in the comments to stop thinking its cute when this is one of HIS biggest signs that hes not doing well behind the scenes.' The comments continued, with another fan writing, 'you're a new father, something you've wanted. Set a better example for your son.' Someone else added, 'You should make friends that tell you quit your bad habbits and help you, whats the point of showing you're smoking weed, bad influence.' 'I can smell this photo,' another fan chimed in, followed by 'grow up.' Sporting a burgundy hoodie, black sweatpants, and brown boots, the Canadian musician who shot to stardom at 14 was pictured indulging in a smoke He was seen sitting on a blue bike during his recent getaway to Idaho, where he rang in his 31st birthday He held what appeared to be a glass bong in his hand Recent paparazzi images of the entertainer looking unusually tired and disheveled sparked online speculation that the former teen heartthrob could be using drugs Fans expressed disappointment following Justin's latest post, which came shortly after videos of him smoking a 'joint' and rapping about getting 'high' One fan wrote, 'Arent you in your 30s? This is a post a 14 year old would make. Man up and be a DAD' Meanwhile Hailey took to her Instagram with some solo shots of herself, as she showed off the vintage Yves Saint Laurent gown she wore to the Vanity Fair's Oscars 2025 after-party on Sunday. The Rhode skincare founder commanded attention in a strapless black, ruched dress with a bow accent at the waist. She simply captioned the post with a black heart emoji. Last week Justin shared another eyebrow raising video, where he stood close to the camera while inhaling and exhaling smoke from what appeared to be a joint in a minute-long clip, shared to his Stories. At one point he had his eyes closed and flashed a wide smile for a prolonged period of time while seemingly dancing. The video might have been a response to critics who claimed he was behaving 'strange' at his wife Hailey's Rhode Skin pop-up event in Los Angeles last week. It also comes just two days after he shared a video of himself performing a rap about being 'high.' Justin's absence alongside Hailey at the Oscars afterparty came one day after he celebrated his 31st birthday, and after weeks of fans expressing concern over his health. The hitmaker celebrated his birthday with Hailey, their son, and a number of his friends at Gozzer Ranch in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Meanwhile Hailey took to her Instagram with some solo shots of herself, as she showed off the vintage Yves Saint Laurent gown she wore to the Vanity Fair's Oscars 2025 after-party The Rhode skincare founder commanded attention in a strapless black, ruched dress with a bow accent at the waist One snap saw a close-up of her makeup She simply captioned the post with a black heart emoji Another image saw the back of her dress The Peaches hitmaker uploaded a few posts to his main Instagram page on Saturday. The music artist shared an adorable family snap as both he and his wife Hailey held up their son Jack into the air. Recent paparazzi images of the entertainer looking unusually tired and disheveled sparked online speculation that the former teen heartthrob could be using drugs. But a rep for the Yummy hitmaker told TMZ in February, 'The recurring narrative that Justin is using hard drugs is absolutely not true.' His representative denied that he was using hard drugs and claimed he looks hollow-eyed because he has been caring for his son who is struggling to sleep. It was added that the father-of-one is 'in one of the best places in his life.' Last week a source has claimed that Hailey is 'deeply concerned' for her husband and doesn't know 'where to turn' for 'help.' They claimed that he 'doesn't care about his well-being anymore' and that he has 'lost' all 'motivation' - even for making music, which used to excite him. 'Hes not working out like he used to, he doesnt seem to eat like he once did, and people can see he has lost weight,' they told DailyMail.com. 'Its like he doesnt care about his well-being anymore. Hes moodier too. People are worried that hes lost any motivation, even for his music. He recently shared a video of himself smoking what appeared to be a joint It came just two days after he shared a video of himself shirtless performing a rap about being 'high' The singer has sparked concern over his well-being in recent weeks following a string of appearances looking noticeably gaunt and pale and wearing bizarre outfits; seen in February 'He goes to start recording but then he cancels sessions because "he isnt in the mood." Its like he is struggling to focus on his own songwriting.' The source alleged that Hailey has tried to 'help' him but he 'won't listen' to her. They added that she now doesn't know 'where to turn' because neither of them are close with their respective families. 'Hailey is deeply concerned for Justin,' they continued. 'He wont listen to her when she tries to help.' 'Hailey struggles with where to turn. Its not as if she can ask his family for help - or hers for that matter. Theyve both experienced estrangement from them.' Justin's increasingly disheveled appearance has notably coincided with the epic fall from grace of his former mentor Sean 'Diddy' Combs, who was arrested last year on suspicion of a string of sex trafficking and racketeering offenses. He has denied the claims. A separate source previously claimed to DailyMail.com that Justin was deeply troubled by the allegations against Diddy, who turned the rising star into his party pal when he was just 15. '[Justin] is so disturbed by the Diddy news and is unwilling to process it or discuss it so he has shut off,' they said. Justin rang in his 31st birthday over the weekend with his baby boy Jack and wife Hailey during a lowkey celebration 'So many people who helped to make him who he is were very close to Diddy and it has completely thrown him. 'Justin hasn't been responding on this since the home raids. He's not going to.' Another insider claimed that the star has been struggling with his mental health for a few years, adding: 'Justin has been struggling for the last couple of years with his mental health and a significant part of that is down to his worry about being in certain public situations. 'He has built up a deep fear of being out in spaces with lots of people and has a deep-seated worry about large crowds.' They claimed Hailey has been encouraging him to spend time outside with those close to him. 'The toll of being locked away from the world is also tough,' they said. 'It is tough on a partner, like Hailey, who is supportive and wants to help him get through these moments. Justin has talked candidly in the past about his mental health struggles, revealing there were times when he felt 'really, really suicidal' at his lowest. Speaking on his YouTube documentary Justin Bieber: Next Chapter in 2020, he said he experienced 'consistent' pain. His comments came months after he announced he was taking a break from music to focus on 'some of the deep rooted issues that I have... so that I don't fall apart, so that I can sustain my marriage and be the father I want to be.' It's been reported that Hailey is 'deeply concerned' for her husband and doesn't know 'where to turn' for 'help' Rumors recently erupted of marital problems after he briefly unfollowed Hailey on Instagram last month, which he later attributed to someone 'hacking' his account. 'Someone went on my account and unfollowed my wife,' he wrote in a statement shared to his Stories. 'S**t getting suss out here.' Rhode Beauty founder Hailey also appeared to do damage control by sharing a picture of a sleeping Justin. Another insider told DailyMail.com last month that Justin and Hailey's marriage is seemingly far from idyllic, with the model struggling with Justin being a 'loose cannon' since the 'start of their marriage.' Dolly Parton's signature hit Jolene was inspired by a stunning bank teller who had been partial to her spouse Carl Dean, who died Monday at the age of 83. The 78-year-old music legend made the revelation about the track, which came out in October of 1973, while in concert at the Glastonbury Festival 2014. The Pittman Center, Tennessee-born icon explained to the crowd of how the tune came to be creatively, The Independent reported at the time. After performing the song - which has been covered by Beyonce and a host of other artists - Parton told the crowd, 'Now, some of you may or may not know that that song was loosely based on a little bit of truth.' 'I wrote that years ago when my husband was spending a little more time with Jolene than I thought he should be.' After the crowd booed at the news of Dean's roving eye, Parton reassured the fans she 'put a stop to that' and 'got rid of that redhead woman in a hurry,' spurring cheers from the crowd. Dolly Parton's signature hit Jolene was inspired by a lady who had been partial to her spouse Carl Dean, who died Monday at the age of 83. Pictured in England in 2014 The 78-year-old music legend made the revelation about the track, which came out in October of 1973, while in concert at the Glastonbury Festival 2014 Parton told the audience that channeling her emotions from the uncomfortable situation into a Grammy-winning song ultimately made her very wealthy. 'I want you folks to know, though, that something good can come from anything,' Parton said. 'Had it not been for that woman I would never have written Jolene and I wouldn't have made all that money, so thank you, Jolene.' Speaking with NPR in a 2008 chat, Parton said that the woman who inspired the track had 'this terrible crush on [her] husband.' She added, 'And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. 'It was kinda like a running joke between us - when I was saying, "Hell, you're spending a lot of time at the bank. I don't believe we've got that kind of money." So it's really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.' Parton told NPR about the physical characteristics the woman displayed and how they differed from her own. 'She had everything I didn't, like legs,' Parton said. 'You know, she was about 6 feet tall. 'So no matter how beautiful a woman might be, you're always threatened by certain... You're always threatened by other women, period.' While the emotions brought about by the bank teller made for the creative backbone of the hit song, Parton said the name Jolene itself was from a young fan who attended one of her concerts. Parton's spouse Carl Dean died Monday at the age of 83. Pictured in 2019 in Brentwood, Tennessee Parton said in a statement about her late spouse on Monday, 'Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy' 'One night, I was on stage, and there was this beautiful little girl - she was probably 8 years old at the time,' she told the outlet. 'And she had this beautiful red hair, this beautiful skin, these beautiful green eyes, and she was looking up at me, holding, you know, for an autograph. 'I said, "Well, you're the prettiest little thing I ever saw. So what is your name?" And she said, "Jolene." Parton added, 'And I said, "Jolene. Jolene. Jolene. Jolene." I said, "That is pretty. That sounds like a song. I'm going to write a song about that."' Parton's publicist told the AP in a statement Monday that Dean passed away Nashville, Tennessee, and that his funeral will be a private ceremony restricted to relatives. Parton said in a statement about her late spouse on Monday, 'Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. 'Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.' The Married At First Sight cast were spotted arriving back in Sydney after a tumultuous Couples Retreat in Byron Bay. With emotions still running high following a week of fiery clashes, betrayals, and ultimatums, cast members looked worse for wear after the three day escape. Fresh from his retreat ordeal, Clint Rice, 43, was seen arriving solo at the airport, dressed in a casual striped button-up shirt, beige shorts, and white sneakers. He carried a navy blue jacket over his arm while looking deep in conversation with a producer. His solo return comes amid speculation that his relationship with Lauren Hall is all but over after she walked out on Girls' Night and dramatically distanced herself from the group. But in a telling sign of trouble, Lauren was nowhere to be seen. The Married At First Sight cast were spotted arriving back in Sydney after a tumultuous Couples Retreat in Byron Bay With emotions still running high following a week of fiery clashes, betrayals, and ultimatums, cast members looked worse for wear after the three day escape Fresh from his retreat ordeal, Clint Rice, 43, was seen arriving solo at the airport, dressed in a casual striped button-up shirt, beige shorts, and white sneakers Daily Mail Australia can reveal that instead of heading back home with Clint, Lauren packed her bags and chose to visit a friend in Byron Bay. The move has only added fuel to speculation that she has checked out of the experiment entirely, after days of tension with the group and growing doubts about her connection with Clint. Meanwhile, Jamie Marinos appeared determined to fly under the radar, keeping her head down in an all-black hoodie and oversized sunglasses. The marketing manager, who felt betrayed by castmates Carina Mirabile and Rhi Disljenkovic when they comforted Lauren instead of siding with her, was seen hurrying past cameras, attempting to avoid attention. Amid the chaos, Dave Thomas, 36, was spotted planting a tender kiss on Jamie's head, showing his loyalty to his co-star after the retreat left her feeling isolated. Dave, dressed casually in a white t-shirt with a lilac sweater draped over his shoulders, wheeled his luggage through the airport while keeping close to Jamie. The 'TikTok tradie' has been vocal about calling out Lauren's behaviour and was reportedly frustrated with Clint for failing to see the warning signs. Ryan Donnelly, 36, and Jacqui Burfoot, 29, arrived together but looked far from loved-up after their retreat showdown. Amid the chaos, Dave Thomas, 36, was spotted planting a tender kiss on Jamie's head, showing his loyalty to his co-star after the retreat left her feeling isolated Meanwhile, Jamie Marinos appeared determined to fly under the radar, keeping her head down in an all-black hoodie and oversized sunglasses Dave, dressed casually in a white t-shirt with a lilac sweater draped over his shoulders, wheeled his luggage through the airport while keeping close to Jamie Jacqui stepped off her flight in a chic yet relaxed ensemble, embracing laid-back luxury with her effortlessly stylish airport look She wore a light blue denim playsuit with a button-up front, cinched at the waist with a matching fabric belt, highlighting her toned figure During a group chat, Jacqui let slip that Ryan prioritised the gym over intimacy, leading to a heated discussion around the firepit. Ryan, feeling blindsided, issued Jacqui with an ultimatum, demanding she prove she was serious about their relationship. Their tense body language at the airport suggested that their troubles are far from resolved. Jacqui stepped off her flight in a chic yet relaxed ensemble, embracing laid-back luxury with her effortlessly stylish airport look. She wore a light blue denim playsuit with a button-up front, cinched at the waist with a matching fabric belt, highlighting her toned figure. The billowing sleeves added a touch of femininity to the structured denim, while the short hemline showed off her legs. Adding a designer touch, she accessorised with a Fendi bucket hat, featuring the brands signature brown monogram print. The stylish headwear framed her loose, tousled blonde waves, giving her a beachy, effortlessly cool vibe. She kept it practical yet stylish with strappy white gladiator-style sandals. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was among the glamorous stars who enjoyed a swanky fashion week dinner at the Hotel Costes in Paris on Monday night. The model, 37, who had just arrived in the French capital earlier in the day, showed off her best look as she headed home from the celebrity hotspot. She cut an elegant figure in a black bodycon dress with a structured waist-cincher corset that showed off her incredible figure. The beauty teamed it with a pair of black suede boots and toted her belonging in a small black clutch bag. Rosie finished her look with simple silver stud earrings and a swipe of deep rose pink lipstick. The British icon appeared in high spirits as she flashed the camera a smile she left the luxurious dinner. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was among the glamorous stars who enjoyed a swanky fashion week dinner at the Hotel Costes in Paris on Monday night The model, 37, who had just arrived in the French capital earlier in the day , showed off her best look as she headed home from the celebrity hotspot Earlier in the night, other stars were seen arriving at the hotspot, including model Naomi Campbell, 54, who looked effortlessly stylish in a long black coat layered over smart black trousers. She opted for a pair of grey New Balance trainers and shielded her eyes with a pair of large black sunglasses. The stunner finished her off duty model look with a black beanie hat and accessorised with a purple crocodile Birkin, worth a whooping 33k. Fashion designer Stella McCartney, 53, was also seen arriving at the swanky venue in a chic all grey ensemble. She turned heads in a long grey coat layered over a pinstripe blazer suit and sheer fitted vest. The last time Rosie graced a fashion runway was for the Balmain Spring/Summer show in September 2015. Rosie has made a name for herself as a model and even became a Victoria's Secret Angel, but has not been seen on the runway in recent years. However, she made her epic return for the first time in 10 years earlier this month at the Jean Paul Gaultier show during Paris Fashion Week. She cut an elegant figure in a black bodycon dress with a structured waist-cincher corset that showed off her incredible figure The beauty teamed it with a pair of black suede boots and toted her belonging in a small black clutch bag Rosie finished her look with simple silver stud earrings and a swipe of deep rose pink lipstick that complimented her stunning complexation Earlier in the night, other stars were seen arriving at the hotspot, including model Naomi Campbell , 54, who looked effortlessly stylish in a long black coat layered over smart black trousers The stunner finished her off duty model look with a black beanie hat and accessorised with a purple crocodile Birkin, worth a whooping 33k Fashion designer Stella McCartney, 53, was also seen arriving at the swanky venue in a chic all grey ensemble She turned heads in a long grey coat layered over a pinstripe blazer suit and sheer fitted vest The Plymouth-born icon modelled a stunning creation by Ludovic de Saint Sernin as the guest designer made his successful debut during Paris Fashion Week. The model's gown was part of a collection which imagined a sartorial shipwreck, with the sculptural corseting and maritime influences that have become entwined with JPG's legacy. Since, Rosie has embarked on several business ventures including her own beauty line Rose Inc and a hugely successful collaboration with Wardrobe. NYC. In another major life change, Rosie and her Hollywood star partner Jason Statham, 57, recently moved back to London for the safety of their children. After living in California for 11 years, Rosie and Jason have invested 15million in three luxury homes in London. Speaking to the Telegraph in October, Rosie said the experience had been 'grounding'. Rosie's appearance comes just days after she she sat on the front row for the Ferragamo Fall RTW 2025 fashion show as part of Milan Fashion Week (pictured at the event) She said: 'Living back in the UK has been a really grounding experience for us. The fact that we can walk out of our front door and go and get a coffee and a loaf of bread [without paparazzi intrusion]. 'We'd leave our home in LA and there'd be five cars following us down the block to the gym. Both Jason and I felt like it was really important for our children to not be impacted by our line of work. 'We wanted our kids to have a childhood away from cameras as much as we could. Because I've seen that. 'I've seen children of celebrities whose parents didn't give them that choice. It's Jack's choice and it's Bella's choice, whether they live in the public eye. 'If they want to, that won't be a problem. But I just always feared my son turning round to me one day and saying, 'You and Daddy didn't protect me, I don't want this'.' She and Jason first began dating in 2009 after meeting at a party in London and experiencing what Rosie called "instant chemistry".' Green Day have scrapped the final gig of their Australian tour due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred. As wild weather prepares to bear down on Queensland, the US punk superstars have been forced to cancel their show at the Gold Coast's Robina Stadium, also known as the Cbus Super Stadium, which was due to take place on Wednesday. 'Hey Australia, unfortunately due to circumstances out of our control, tomorrow's Gold Coast show has been cancelled,' the band posted to Instagram Stories on Tuesday evening. 'With Cyclone Alfred bringing some seriously nasty weather, it's just not possible to go ahead safely. We know this is a huge disappointment, and we're just as bummed as you are. Stay safe out there!' Robina Stadium also issues a statement, informing patrons: 'Cbus Super Stadium has been advised that the Green Day Saviors concert has been cancelled, due to the extreme weather conditions forecast. 'We know how excited fans were for the concert and we share your disappointment. Concert organisers explored every opportunity to go ahead with the event, but the safety and travel certainty of concert goers, performers and staff cannot be ensured under current conditions.' Green Day have scrapped the final gig of their Australian tour due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Pictured: Green Day's Tre Cool, Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt Cyclone Alfred is 550km east of Brisane and is expected to make landfall between Noosa and Brisbane on Thursday evening or early Friday, triggering destructive winds of up to 130km/h, heavy rainfall and flooding. The storm, moving towards the densely populated region at 6km/h, is expected to be the first cyclone to impact the area in more than 50 years. The worst of Alfred's impact will hit the state's southern flank, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast and NSW's Northern Rivers. It is predicted to bring days of heavy rainfall and deadly flash floods, with 400mm of rain forecast for Brisbane while the Gold Coast is expected to be hit with 450mm in just three days. Green Day are currently Down Under as part of their Saviors tour. They performed at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on March 1st and ENGIE Stadium in Sydney on March 3rd. Their Gold Coast show was originally intended to close out the tour on March 5th. They will next head to Mumbai to headline day two of Lollapalooza India on March 9. During the band's set at Sydney's Engie Stadium on Monday, lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstron let fans know about the state of play stateside. As wild weather prepares to bear down on Queensland , the US punk superstars have been forced to cancel their show at the Gold Coast's Robina Stadium which was due to take place on Wednesday. The band make a statement on Instagram Stories on Tuesday night TikTok user Alanah_Bananas shared a short clip of the show that showed Billie Joe taking to the crowd between songs. 'We're going to put all of our differences away right now,' he declared. 'Australia, you're not as f***ed up as America,' he added before breaking into a cheeky laugh. He continued, 'I just can't help myself', as the crowd roared in appreciation. It comes after the acerbic frontman launched a savage attack on US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk in Melbourne on Sunday night, the Herald Sun reported. 'Don't you want these f***ing politicians to shut the f*** up?' he asked the crowd at Marvel Stadium. 'Don't you want Elon Musk to shut the f*** up? Don't you want Donald Trump to shut the f*** up? 'I'm not gonna get angry. F*** that shit,' his explicit rant continued. Cyclone Alfred is 550km east of Brisane and is expected to make landfall between Noosa and Brisbane on Thursday evening or early Friday, triggering destructive winds of up to 130km/h, heavy rainfall and flooding 'With Cyclone Alfred bringing some seriously nasty weather, it's just not possible to go ahead safely. We know this is a huge disappointment, and we're just as bummed as you are. Stay safe out there!' the band said 'We don't need to see what's on Twitter. This is about us; everybody together. Fans had earlier slammed Ticketmaster over the pricing structure of the Australian leg of Green Day's Saviors tour. The Basket Case hitmakers announced they would bring their Saviors stadium tour Down Under back in September, after promising to return to the country a year ago. However, fans were not happy with Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing model, which saw the costs of tickets rise in accordance with consumer demand, and up to $500 per head. Unhappy Australian fans took to social media to voice their frustration. 'Shameful and elitist,' one person sniped, while a second added: 'dynamic pricing is outrageous.' 'The government needs to make this stop,' a third person chipped in. 'Green day, red flag,' another furious fan wrote. Green Day are currently Down Under as part of their Saviors tour Speaking with the Daily Telegraph back in January, Billie Joe opened up about his struggles with addiction. 'I had gotten sober for five years and then I guess you get FOMO, as they say, and I started drinking again, he shared. 'It really started taking a physical and mental toll on me where I just felt like I just couldn't stop. I'm a glutton, it's an obsession.' Now sober for 18 months, the 51 year old revealed how he managed to put down the bottle. 'It started affecting on the people around me that I love the most. And that's what I wrote about,' he said. 'I didn't do it through any program or anything, I just decided one day, that I've had enough. There's no party I haven't seen, you know.' Vanessa Feltz did not hold back as she gave her 2025 Oscars fashion review in an update on Tuesday. The TV personality, 63, claimed Kylie Jenner 'looked like she's going to Hooters,' and compared her boyfriend Timothee Chalamet to a tub of Lurpak. Not stopping there, she branded Whoopi Goldberg's gown a 'car crash' and questioned why her 'family doesn't love her enough' to tell her it was 'awful.' Kicking off her latest YouTube video, Vanessa began: 'The Oscars 2025. Was it a fashion faux pas, or a fashion fan fare?' She lauded Halle Berry, Heidi Klum, Jeff Goldblum, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Raye, Zoe Saldana and Michelle Yeoh looks before launching to a rant about who she believed to be this year's worst dressed celebrities. 'Some dresses are some kind of crime against humanity, among them I would rank Whoopi Goldberg's dress,' Vanessa explained. Vanessa Feltz did not hold back as she gave her 2025 Oscars fashion review in an update on Tuesday The TV personality, 63, claimed Kylie Jenner 'looked like she's going to Hooters,' and compared her boyfriend Timothee Chalamet to a tub of Lurpak She continued: 'It's a car crash, it does look like a crash car, a horrible blue that doesn't sell, a nasty blue colour... it's a shocker of a shape too. 'It looks like a mess, like a jumble sale. Why don't her family love her enough to tell her it's awful?' 'No one can come close to Oprah so I hope she will forgive me but her outfit was awful. 'But, possibly, the worst dressed couple in the room were Kylie and Timothee. 'He looks like a bit of Lurpak, he's small anyway, if there was a rat infestation they would have thought he was a piece of cheese and eaten him. It's a terrible suit.' 'The question is what has Givenchy got against Timothee Chalamet? Why have they dressed him in that, butter yellow abomination of a suit. 'Kylie looked like she was going to a local branch of Hooters. She had too much bosom and not enough dress.' 'She looked amazing at the Met Gala but at the Oscar's this year, I think she let herself down.' Not stopping there, she branded Whoopi Goldberg's gown a 'car crash' and questioned why her 'family doesn't love her enough' to tell her it was 'awful' Kicking off her latest YouTube video, Vanessa began: 'The Oscars 2025. Was it a fashion faux pas, or a fashion fan fare?' 'He looks like a bit of Lurpak, he's small anyway, if there was a rat infestation they would have thought he was a piece of cheese and eaten him. It's a terrible suit,' Vanessa said She added of Kylie: 'Kylie looked like she was going to a local branch of Hooters. She had too much bosom and not enough dress' Kylie heads in a barely-there, strappy black gown by Miu Miu, exuding effortless glamour. Meanwhile, fashion fans were quick to slam Timothee after he made his debut at the 2025 Oscars in a butter-yellow suit. The actor, who lost out on Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, wore a custom leather two-piece by Givenchy. The suit featured loose-fitting pants and a cropped jacket, which the star paired with a matching silk button down shirt. Instead of a tie or bowtie, Timothee wore a gold necklace, and tied everything together with a pair of shiny black dress shoes. However, the look wasn't one that was for everyone, as many took to X to share their thoughts on his bold look, with some even comparing him to The Man with the Yellow Hat in the Curious George series. Fashion fans were also quick to slam Timothee after he made his debut at the 2025 Oscars in a butter-yellow suit 'Timothee Chalamets yellow man from Curious George serve,' one person wrote, as they compared a side-by-side of Chalamet next to the character. 'Wheres his yellow hat and little monkey,' another chimed in. 'Timothee Chalamet looks like the guy in the yellow hat from curious George #theoscars,' someone shared. Kylie and Timothee have been together for almost two years, with rumors of their romance first swirling in April 2023 when her car was parked outside his Beverly Hills home. The eventually made their first public appearance at Beyonces star-studded birthday concert in September 2023, where videos circulated of them cuddling and kissing in full view of concertgoers. The couple made their award season debut at the 81st Golden Globes last January. Dan Edgar got a passionate kiss from girlfriend Ella Rae Wise as he returned to TOWIE filming on Monday, just a day after being given the boot from Dancing On Ice. The reality star, 34, and partner Vanessa James narrowly missed out on a place in the final of the ITV skating show after becoming the seventh celebrity to be voted out of the competition. However, Dan didn't let his skating disappointment get him down as he plastered on a huge smile while joining his co-stars in Essex to film new scenes for the show. Cutting a sharp figure in a long, stone-coloured coat which he teamed with a white T-shirt and beige joggers, Dan looked in great spirits while cosying up to Ella, 24. The pair were joined by pal James 'Diags' Bennewith, with Dan filmed house-hunting in the Brentwood area amid plans to move out of the home he shares with James Argent. The trio certainly appeared in a good mood as they shared a giggle while shooting funs scenes. Dan Edgar got a passionate kiss from girlfriend Ella Rae Wise as he returned to TOWIE filming on Monday, just a day after being given the boot from Dancing On Ice Dan didn't let his skating disappointment get him down as he plastered on a huge smile while joining his co-stars in Essex to film new scenes for the show The reality star, 34, and partner Vanessa James narrowly missed out on a place in the final of the ITV skating show after becoming the seventh celebrity to be voted out of the competition Dan's outing with Ella comes after she finally confirmed last month that the couple were back together after weeks of speculation. She set tongues wagging as she shared romantic Valentine's Day snaps on Instagram. Just days after being spotted cheering on Dan in the Dancing On Ice audience, Ella confirmed things are back on as she posted a snap of a huge bouquet of red roses. Tagging Dan in the post, Ella then shared a glimpse of their intimate date night at celebrity hotspot Sheesh, including a telling shot of her hand intertwined with Dan's across the table. The pair first sparked rumours of a reunion when Ella was seen front row of the audience during Dan's Dancing On Ice debut. As hosts Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern chatted to the crowd, Dan and Ella's on-off fling was brought up. Ella kept tight-lipped on the pair's relationship status as she replied to Stephen with one word. He jokingly asked Ella if she would go on a date with him if she is currently single, to which she replied: 'No.' Cutting a sharp figure in a long, stone-coloured coat which he teamed with a white T-shirt and beige joggers, Dan looked in great spirits while cosying up to Ella, 24 The pair were joined by pal James ' Diags ' Bennewith [R], with Dan filmed house-hunting in the Brentwood area amid plans to move out of the home he shares with James Argent Dan, Ella and Diags were seen viewing properties in Brentwood Ella and Dan certainly appeared back on track amid recent split speculation The couple strolled together weeks after Ella confirmed their romance was back on The trio certainly appeared in a good mood as they shared a giggle while shooting funs scenes Ella was sat in the audience during the show next to her TOWIE co-stars Diags and Tom Pearce. She also took to Instagram to share a snap from the Dancing On Ice studio to ask fans to 'vote for Dan', also setting tongues wagging. In November, Dan and Ella were shown having a blazing row in an episode of TOWIE, where she was left in tears and later blocked Dan on social media. The pair were reported to have secretly split up after 'weeks of fake dating' on the show. However, they looked firmly back on and happy than ever amid the latest snaps. Elsewhere on Monday, Jordan Brook, Sophie Kasaei, Amy Childs, Billy Debosq and Harry Derbidge were spotted arriving at Tarantino Italian restaurant to shoot further scenes. Elsewhere on Monday, Jordan Brook, Sophie Kasaei, Amy Childs, Billy Debosq and Harry Derbidge were spotted arriving at Tarantino Italian restaurant to shoot further scenes [Amy and Billy pictured] Sophie ensured all eyes were on her as she rocked a shimmering brown mini dress which showcased her toned legs She was on fine form as she posed with partner Jordan, who planted a sweet kiss on her cheek Amy, who dressed to impress in a burgundy co-ord, also got a kiss from her beau Billy, as they put on a loved-up display Amy's cousin Harry was also present as they filmed scenes at the restaurant And Sophie ensured all eyes were on her as she rocked a shimmering brown mini dress which showcased her toned legs. The Geordie Shore favourite teamed her leggy dress with tanned heels and a coordinating handbag. She was on fine form as she posed with partner Jordan, who planted a sweet kiss on her cheek. Amy, who dressed to impress in a burgundy co-ord, also got a kiss from her beau Billy, as they put on a loved-up display. Ruth Jones looked worlds away from her Gavin And Stacey character as she filmed scenes for her new role in a Harlan Coben Netflix series in Liverpool on Tuesday. The Welsh actress, 58, is swapping Barry Island for the north of England as she gears up to star in the thriller Run Away following the final ever episode of Gavin and Stacey on Christmas Day. She reprised her role as Nessa Jenkins for the emotional special but has now turned her attention to highly-anticipated upcoming limited series. With more than 80 million books sold and everything that comes off his smoking-hot keyboard optioned for TV by Netflix, Harlan Coben is taking the world by storm. And with Ruth joining the cast, the new twist-filled crime thriller is set to be another huge hit. The actress cut a smart figure as she was spotted on set in a patterned, knitted sweater vest, layered on top of a dark green polo shirt. Ruth Jones looked world's away from her Gavin And Stacey character as she filmed scenes for her new role in a Harlan Coben Netflix series in Liverpool on Tuesday The Welsh actress, 58, is swapping Barry Island for the north of England as she gears up to star in the thriller Run Away following the final ever episode of Gavin and Stacey on Christmas Day She teamed the look with flared blue jeans and brown brogue shoes, before throwing on a maroon waterproof jacket. In one scene, the star had a white plastic disposable full-body suit on her lower half as she read something from a piece of paper. And it looks like Ruth's character is set to be in the midst of the drama as she was seen filming on set with police tape and a police car. She seemed to be in extremely high spirits as she flashed an excited smile and waved at passers-by watching the filming. The star also made sure to get a quick hair and makeup touch-up in between takes as the team flocked around her. Also starring in the show are James Nesbitt, Minnie Driver, Alfred Enoch, Ellie de Lange and Lucian Msamati. The eight-episode series, based on the bestselling book, follows Simon (played by James Nesbitt) as he searches for his daughter Paige (Ellie de Lange). Ruth will star as private investigator Elena Ravenscroft who is looking for a missing young man. Harlan told Netflix's Tudum: 'Run Away is about family - about what we will do to keep our family intact, what secrets we keep within our family, and what secrets we keep as a family.' She seemed to be in extremely high spirits as she flashed an excited smile and waved at passers-by watching the filming The actress cut a smart figure as she was spotted on set in a patterned, knitted sweater vest, layered on top of a dark green polo shirt She teamed the look with flared blue jeans and brown brogue shoes, before throwing on a maroon waterproof jacket The star also made sure to get a quick hair and makeup touch-up in between takes as the team flocked around her. In one scene, the star had a white plastic disposable full-body suit on her lower half as she read something from a piece of paper And it looks like Ruth's character is set to be in the midst of the drama as she was seen filming on set with police tape and a police car Ruth will star as private investigator Elena Ravenscroft who is looking for a missing young man He added: 'Every time you walk past the house, there's a whole universe that goes on behind that door and none of us have a clue what it is.' Run Away comes following the success of Harlan's thriller Fool Me Once in 2024, starring Michelle Keegan in a lead role. The show became the most-watched series for the first half of the year, racking up an impressive 108 million views. It saw the British actress, 37, spot her presumed dead husband on a baby camera as her niece and nephew struggled to get to the bottom of the murder of their mother. The drama, which aired in January 2024 to positive reviews, also starred Joanna Lumley and Richard Armitage. More recently, Harlan's mystery series Missing You filled Fool Me Once's big boots after it was well-received by viewers following its release at the end of December. The five-part series followed Missing Persons detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) who was shocked to see her ex fiance Josh (Ashley Walters) on a dating app 11 years after he disappeared from her life without a trace. Josh's reappearance forced her to dive back into the mystery surrounding her father's (Lenny Henry) murder and led her to uncover long-buried secrets from her past. Run Away's James and Fool Me Once actor Richard joined lead actress Rosalind in the cast which also included Steve Pemberton and Jessica Plummer. Run Away comes following the success of Harlan's thriller series Fool Me Once in 2024, starring Michelle Keegan in a lead role Harlan's series Missing You filled Fool Me Once's boots following its release in December (pictured: Rosalind Elezar as Kat Donovan, Ashley Walters as Josh Buchanan in the show) Elsewhere, almost 20million viewers sat down to watch Gavin and Stacey on Christmas Day, making it one of the BBC's most-watched scripted dramas ever (Ruth pictured as Nessa) Elsewhere, almost 20million viewers sat down to watch Gavin and Stacey on Christmas Day, making it one of the BBC's most-watched scripted dramas ever. Viewers had been waiting for five years to learn the fate of the BBC sitcom's beloved characters and see if Smithy had accepted Nessa's proposal. The final episode was hailed 'perfect' by viewers, who were left in tears as the long-running show finally aired its last episode after 17 years. The series, which debuted back in 2007 after being created by stars James Corden and Ruth , concluded with on/off lovers Smithy and Nessa finally declaring their love for one another and tying the knot, but not without a few hiccups along the way.Despite ruling out a return to the series, James has said he wants to work with Ruth again. He said: 'We don't know if we have another idea in us but I can honestly say that if we didn't attempt to try and even explore the idea of writing together then I'd be so disappointed.' Karla Sofia Gascon has broken her silence after Conan O'Brien mocked her during his opening monologue at the 2025 Oscars. The Spanish actress, 52, was pulled from awards season appearances after 'racist' tweets of hers were unearthed - sparking speculation as to whether or not she would attend Sunday's Oscars. But Gascon did attend, and the controversy became the focus of one of host Conan's jokes as he opened the show. Conan said: 'Anora uses the F word 479 times... That's three more than the record set by Karla Sofia Gascon's publicist: "You tweeted WHAT?"' Gascon responded with a tight smile, as Conan continued by quipping: 'Karla, if you are gonna tweet about the Oscars my name is Jimmy Kimmel.' She has now broken her silence on the joke as she took to Instagram on Monday to commemorate her night as an Oscar nominee. Seemingly taking the joke in her stride, Gascon referred to the host as Kimmel in her post. Karla Sofia Gascon has broken her silence after Conan O'Brien mocked her during his opening monologue at the 2025 O Mentioning the controversy surrounding Gascon, Conan said: 'Anora uses the F word 479 times... That's three more than the record set by Karla Sofia Gascon's publicist: "You tweeted WHAT?"' 'Thanks to the members of @theacademy for the nomination for best leading actress, for the invitation to the gala; I really enjoyed it, very amiable and funny, especially your fabulous host Jimmy Kimmel, he is fantastic, every day he looks more like the great Conan OBrien,' she wrote. 'Loved hugging so many friends and colleagues on this homecoming.' Gascon added: 'Congratulations to all the winners, especially to @camilleofficiel @zoesaldana @clementducol. 'Thank you #jacquesaudiard @netflix @whynotproductions_officiel Thank you Emilia Perez for teaching me so many things.' Gascon had a lonely night at the Oscars after she was accused of being a racist over social media posts targeting Muslims and George Floyd. The Emilia Perez star - the first trans woman to be nominated for an acting Oscar - was once considered a front-runner to win Best Actress, but was shunned by Netflix and her co-stars after the posts emerged. Mikey Madison took the gong on Sunday. It was unclear if she would show up at the event, as Netflix had pulled the plug on many of her pre-awards appearances after the scandal. But she did show, alongside her daughter, agent, a 'concerned' Netflix publicist and private security, The New York Times reported. She was photographed interacting with co-star Selena Gomez in the audience after the show started, but did not walk the red carpet or pose with anyone from her film. While making the gag O'Brien joked: 'Karla, if you are gonna tweet about the Oscars my name is Jimmy Kimmel' (Kimmel pictured hosting the 2024 Oscars ceremony) She has now broken her silence on the joke as she took to Instagram on Monday to commemorate her night as an Oscar nominee She wrote: 'I really enjoyed it, very amiable and funny, especially your fabulous host Jimmy Kimmel, he is fantastic' Gascon did reportedly share a warm moment with Best Actor winner Adrian Brody at the bar, but was kept from speaking to any press by the Netflix publicist. 'Gascon was jovial and interested in chatting,' the NYT reported. 'But before she could get out any answer, the Netflix publicist shut down any more conversation and moved the reporter away from Gascon.' The Los Angeles Times noted that the controversy surrounding Gascon's social media posts were 'the most uncomfortable thing about being at the Academy Awards this year.' The audience applauded politely every time Gascon was mentioned - but 'without any real warmth,' per the LA Times. She was accompanied by a bodyguard and a Netflix publicist every time she got up from her seat. Just after Gascon's nomination was announced last month, Muslim writer Sarah Hagi dug up a series of old social media posts by the actress. One posted in November 2020 read: 'I'm sorry. Is it just my impression or is there more muslims in Spain? Every time I go to pick up my daughter from school there are more women with their hair covered and their skirts down to their heels. Next year instead of English we'll have to teach Arabic.' In September 2020, she posted an image of a Muslim family eating at a restaurant, where the wife was in a full black burqa, along with a sarcastic comment. Gascon said hello to co-star Selena Gomez, but did not pose with any of the Emilia Perez cast Gascon was a regular in Mexican telenovelas before transitioning in 2018. In Emilia Perez, she plays a menacing cartel kingpin who fakes his death in order to transition to a woman 'Islam is marvelous, without any machismo,' she wrote. 'Women are respected, and when they are so respected they are left with a little squared hole on their faces for their eyes to be visible and their mouths, but only if she behaves. Although they dress this way for their own enjoyment. How DEEPLY DISGUSTING OF HUMANITY.' She also tweeted about the Black Lives Matter riots sparked by George Floyd's death in police custody, in another post that drew brickbats. 'I really think that very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict swindler, but his death has served to once again demonstrate that there are people who still consider black people to be monkeys without rights and consider policemen to be assassins. They are both wrong,' wrote Gascon. Gascon apologised for for the posts but had insisted she is not a racist. 'As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain,' she said in a statement via Netflix, where her film can be streamed. 'All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.' Gascon was a regular in Mexican telenovelas before transitioning in 2018. In Emilia Perez, she plays a menacing cartel kingpin who fakes his death in order to transition to a woman. Years later, her character contacts the lawyer who facilitated her transition to help her reunite with her wife and their children. Leo Woodall opened up about going to therapy as he spoke in a candid new podcast chat released on Tuesday. The actor, 28, told how he started seeing a professional when he shot to fame starring in the huge hit series White Lotus. Appearing on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast he explained that he took the steps in order not 'lose himself'. He said on the podcast: 'I think it takes therapy. I think everyone should do that. I think I found a lot of confidence, a newfound confidence 'When things started to really kick off with [White] Lotus I kind of had to rally quite quickly and go, 'okay, there's going to be a lot of exposure. I'm a bit more out there now and I want to make sure that I protect myself and stay sane and don't lose myself.' 'And the only way that I could do that was just to go, 'okay, this is me.' 'I think it [therapy] is a process. I think it takes that choice to go, 'okay, whatever it is that I'm struggling with, I need to work through it and I need to be able to talk about it.' Leo Woodall opened up about going to therapy as he spoke in a candid new podcast chat released on Tuesday The actor, 28, told how he started seeing a professional when he shot to fame starring in the huge hit series White Lotus (seen in the show) And honestly, there are days where, I dunno if you do therapy, but you walk in, you're like, 'you know what? I feel great today. I don't need f**king therapy,' but those days are also incredibly important. 'For me it's built a real resilience and it helped me grow not just a sense of self, but an acceptance that everyone else is also dealing with their own sh*t and you can't help, everyone and you can't conduct anyone else's behavior. 'And I think having an acceptance of that is actually quite freeing.' Leo most recently starred in the Bridget Jones film Mad About the Boy where he played Bridget's (Renee Zellweger) younger love interest Roxster. During the podcast chat he gushed about taking part in the film and his co-stars' talents. He said: 'That's one of those surreal moments I love Bridget Jones. It is one of those films that I'd probably watched for the first time very young at Christmas, and just then it became an annual thing. 'So to be a part of it, it's very, very, very special. I think it's wonderful I think what Renee has done with that character across the span of 20 years is really one in itself. 'There's not something that I think I could compare to it. I think she's so wonderful. Leo most recently starred in the Bridget Jones film Mad About the Boy where he played Bridget's (Renee Zellweger) younger love interest Roxster 'She's made so many people, if not feel seen, but just feel cozy. And I think what the Mad About The Boy achieves is that same effect. 'It has got all the Bridgetisms that we know and love and it's stayed true to that kind of template, but it's got a new aspect as well, which is her dealing with grief. And she plays it so wonderfully. It's written so beautifully and it's incredibly moving.' Last month Leo revealed he isn't 'bothered' by the toyboy label after his age-gap romance in the new film. The One Day star plays Renee's character Bridget's much-younger love interest, Roxster, in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy. Leo insisted he isn't fazed by the 'toyboy' phrase, adding that romances between younger men and older women aren't 'that unusual'. The British actor also gave a rare update on his relationship with his White Lotus co-star Meghann Fahy, 34, who is six years his senior. The couple - who looked loved-up at a Bridget Jones screening earlier that week - have been tight-lipped in the press since they began dating in 2022. In a rare comment, Leo told The Telegraph he is 'very, very happy' with the American actress and added that 'everything would be a bit too crazy without her there'. They met in Sicily while filming season two of the hit drama, The White Lotus, and have been going strong ever since. Discussing his Bridget Jones character's label as a 'toyboy', he told the outlet: '[The toyboy phrase] is being used a lot. He said in the podcast: 'When things started to really kick off with [White] Lotus (seen) I kind of had to rally quite quickly and go, ''okay, there's going to be a lot of exposure'' The star is currently in a relationship with Meghann Fahy, 34, who he met while filming The White Lotus 'And look: I'm someone who typically leans into wanting to find the humour in things, and not taking things too seriously, particularly when it pertains to myself. 'So it's not the phrase that bothers me, really. It's more that in the story, Roxster is actually more than just a toyboy, they do have a real relationship and find a real connection.' He added that people just 'aren't used' to seeing a younger man/older woman dynamic onscreen, whereas the older man/younger woman romance has been shown 'countless times'. Leo and Meghann confirmed dating rumours in November 2023 when they were spotted kissing under an umbrella in New York City. Rachel Riley looked incredible in a series of bikini-clad snaps as she shared an insight into her first nature trip with husband Pasha Kovalev. In celebration of World Wildlife Day, the TV presenter, 39, uploaded some photos from Brazil in 2016, with the Strictly Come Dancing star, 45. The couple could be seen enjoying a bike ride, hiking, scuba diving and kayaking after visiting a conservation project in the worlds largest wetlands. Rachel wrote: 'Its World Wildlife Day today, which gives me a good excuse to post this pic taken just as Pash was getting bitten by ants when we were in India a few years back! 'Youre supposed to tell wildlife conservation success stories today, so it made me think of our first nature trip together, which sparked a whole load of others and is pretty much our favourite way to spend our time. 'Back in 2016 we went to Brazil, and one of the highlights was visiting the Oncafari jaguar conservation project in the worlds largest wetlands - The Pantanal.' Rachel Riley looked incredible in a series of holiday snaps as she shared an insight into her first nature trip with husband Pasha Kovalev In celebration of World Wildlife Day, the TV presenter, 39, uploaded some photos from Brazil in 2016, with the Strictly Come Dancing star, 45 Rachel continued: 'It was in its infancy then, conservationists had visited Africa, and brought techniques back like staking (already killed in nature) prey out in open spaces vs dense forest. 'So, tourists have more chance of spotting cats returning to the carcass to eat at nightfall, in order to boost eco tourism, collecting data showing jags werent the culprits eating cattle, and generally that jaguars are more valuable alive than dead. 'As is so much in life, the financial arguments often have more sway than anything else. 'Since then weve been to The Galapagos, Napo Valley in the Amazon Basin, Sri Lanka, India, The Maldives and can honestly say wildlife trips are where our happiest memories are. 'Hopefully more trips to follow when the kids are a bit bigger! (Any suggestions on where and when with them for future are much appreciated!) 'PS sorry for the terrible home videos at the end (Pantanal capybaras, jaguar, giant anteater), Ive definitely not missed my calling as a wildlife camerawoman but happy memories nonetheless!' Rachel and Pasha met when they were paired together on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013. Last week, it was announced a YouTuber is replacing Rachel on Countdown in a shock shake-up. The couple could be seen enjoying a bike ride, hiking, scuba diving and kayaking after visiting a conservation project in the worlds largest wetlands Rachel wrote: 'Its World Wildlife Day today, which gives me a good excuse to post this pic taken just as Pash was getting bitten by ants when we were in India a few years back!' The presenter continued: 'Youre supposed to tell wildlife conservation success stories today, so it made me think of our first nature trip together, which sparked a whole load of others' 'Back in 2016 we went to Brazil, and one of the highlights was visiting the Oncafari jaguar conservation project in the worlds largest wetlands - The Pantanal,' she added Rachel and Pasha met when they were paired together on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 Last week, it was announced YouTuber Dr Tom Crawford is replacing Rachel on Countdown in a shock shake-up A change from the usual glamorous number expert Rachel, 39, Cambridge and Oxford university mathematics boffin, Dr Tom Crawford, will be taking her place while she has a break from the show. Used to being behind a camera, Dr Crawford has made a name for himself with his impressive intellect and maths skills that he shows off on his YouTube channel. Racking up over 200,000 subscribers with his question-solving videos on Tom Rocks Maths, he also has 22,000 followers on Instagram. Some of his videos have racked up millions of views and he regularly posts clips of himself tackling exams or discussing math-related topics. And now, the mathematics geek will stand behind Channel 4's cameras when he features on Countdown for the next three weeks. Julie Bishop never misses an opportunity to flaunt her passion for fashion. The former Minister of Foreign Affairs made a glamorous appearance at the National Designer Awards x David Jones at the Melbourne Fashion Festival. The 68-year-old stunned in a black gown with lace cutouts at the shoulders and bust that showed off some skin. The form-fitting maxi frock also featured crochet accents around the hem as well as a bold floral applique. She added a pair of black, pointed heels to the ensemble and wore a smattering of accessories including pearl drop earrings. For makeup, Julie chose a peachy toned palette with a soft pink lipstick and lots of eye liner. Julie Bishop (pictured) never misses an opportunity to flaunt her passion for fashion The former Minister of Foreign Affairs made a glamorous appearance at the National Designer Awards x David Jones at the Melbourne Fashion Festival The former politician is currently dating Stephen Gray, who she 'soft-launched' on her social media account in July 2023. Bishop put on a tender display with her boyfriend in November as they made their way through Sydney Airport. It looked to be an exciting day out for the couple, who went public with their relationship in 2023. Little is known about Mr Gray, whose Instagram account is private with only 60 followers. They appear to have been an item for more than a year after she 'soft-launched' him on her social media accounts in July 2023. Last year, they travelled to South Australia for a 'fabulous Outback adventure'. In a video shared to her Instagram page, Bishop put together a montage of images and video clips from their holiday and tagged her partner. The news of her new romance came two years after David Panton, 62, allegedly dumped Ms Bishop over dinner in Sydney in July 2022, putting an end to their eight-year relationship. The 68-year-old stunned in a black gown with lace cutouts at the shoulders and bust that showed off some skin. She posed alongside other attendees The form-fitting maxi frock also featured crochet accents around the hem as well as a bold floral applique During their partnership, Bishop took Panton to the United Nations to meet world leaders, Buckingham Palace to hobnob with British royalty and to the White House where he met Donald Trump. The pair first stepped out publicly in 2014. They were pictured at countless celebrity events over the years including the 2018 wedding of Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough. Bishop was understood to have been 'blindsided' by the sudden breakdown of her relationship, sources close to the former politician said. It comes after Julie was spotted rubbing shoulders with supermodel Tyra Banks. The legendary catwalk model and TV star has been living in Sydney's eastern suburbs for some time. The pair appeared to be very chummy when they met at restaurant Nobu recently. The legendary catwalk model and TV star has been living in Sydney's eastern suburbs for sometime, and the pair appeared to be very chummy when they met at restaurant Nobu recently. Kelly Osbourne was spotted out in Adelaide, Australia, where she is visiting with her husband Sid Mason and their son ahead of his band Slipknot's concert. The TV personality, 40, showed off the results of her dramatic weight loss during the recent outing, sporting a brown waistcoat and pleated skirt co-ord. Kelly has been open about her 85lb postpartum weight loss and has denied having used Ozempic to help her shed the weight. She revealed she 'rapidly' lost the weight by cutting out 'sugar and carbohydrates' and not by using Hollywood's favorite weight-loss drug. Kelly was carrying her son Sidney, two, in her arms as the family showed their support for her husband Sid by joining him on the trip. The mother of one styled her outfit with a selection of gold chain necklaces and a Chanel bag and a pair of loafers from brand. Kelly Osbourne was spotted out in Adelaide, Australia, where she is visiting with her husband Sid Mason and their son ahead of his band Slipknot's concert The TV personality, 40, showed off the results of her dramatic weight loss during the recent outing, sporting a brown waistcoat and pleated skirt co-ord Kelly has been open about her 85lb postpartum weight loss and has denied having used Ozempic to help her shed the weight Sid was wearing black jacket with a pair of shorts and chunky Adidas trainers. Slipknot are visiting Adelaides AEC Arena on Tuesday 4 March, and Spark Arena in Auckland on Tuesday 11 March. Kelly first addressed her weight loss in April last year, when she revealed she 'doesn't know where it came from' that she had used Ozempic. she told Extra: 'I know everybody thinks I took Ozempic. I did not take Ozempic. I don't know where that came from. My mum took Ozempic.' The star also explained her weight loss was prompted after she developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy. 'I had gestational diabetes, and I had to lose the weight that I had gained during pregnancy, otherwise I was at a higher risk of actually getting diabetes, which I did not want.' 'I cut out sugar and carbohydrates and I rapidly lost weight,' Kelly who shares her son with Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson stated. She also revealed she's been getting a total tone-up treatment, which combines EMFACE and EMSCULPT NEO, in order to sculpt her face and tighten her body. She revealed she 'rapidly' lost the weight by cutting out 'sugar and carbohydrates' and not by using Hollywood's favorite weight-loss drug Kelly was carrying her son Sidney, two, in her arms as the family showed their support for her husband Sid by joining him on the trip 'I had the baby and my stomach got so many stretch marks, and the skin, it looks like it lost its elasticity,' Kelly shared. However while she didn't use Ozempic herself, her mum Sharon did, and Kelly has been supportive of the drug as she spoke candidly about it on their family podcast back in April. She said: 'I made some comments about Ozempic recently where it was like 50 percent of the people hated it, 50 percent of the people liked it. 'But the truth is, my opinion used to be the same as the people who didnt like my opinion on Ozempic until I met somebody who lost weight from Ozempic and it changed their life.' She added: 'They explained to me how it took the mental obsession with food away and from that reprieve allowed them to dig deeper through therapy and really figure out who they were and how life-changing it was for them.' Following the new information, she said, 'It completely changed my opinion on it so Im like yeah, its great. If theres a medication out there that can help people lose weight then whats so bad about it?' Kelly was carrying her son Sidney, two, in her arms as the family showed their support for her husband Sid by joining him on the trip David 'Kochie' Koch has taken his wife Libby out for a night on the town. The couple headed to the 2025 AFL Season Launch at Luna Park in Sydney on Tuesday night. The former Sunrise host, 68, looked dapper in a well tailored navy blue suit paired with leather shoes. He added a white dress shirt to the look as well as a bold patterned tie in shades of green. Libby was looking summery in a patterned, sleeveless maxi dress in tones of pastel pink, brown, blue and white. She added accessories that complimented her floral frock including stacked wedge heels and a chunky bronze bangle. David 'Kochie' Koch has taken his wife Libby out for a night on the town. The couple headed to the 2025 AFL Season Launch at Luna Park in Sydney on Tuesday night. Both pictured The couple held hands for a sweet photo as they entered the venue for a rare date night. Late last year, David revealed he has become a grandfather for the ninth time. He posted to Instagram to share the jovial news that his youngest daughter Georgie has given birth to her first child. The TV host confirmed that Georgie and her husband Alex Merkel, who live in London, have welcomed a baby daughter called Heidi. David, known by his nickname Kochie, shared an adorable picture of his wife Libby meeting their ninth grandchild for the first time in London in the heartfelt post. He gushed in a caption: 'When Libby meets Heidi grandchild #9 in London for the first time. First child for Georgie and Alex.' David confirmed his youngest daughter Georgie was expecting her first child live on The Morning Show back in April last year. He told hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies at the time: 'Georgie is expecting her first child, she lives in London at the moment. Late last year, David revealed he has become a grandfather for the ninth time. He posted to Instagram to share the jovial news that his youngest daughter Georgie has given birth to her first child (pictured) Georgie's baby is David's ninth grandchild, as his other three children - Brianna, Samantha and AJ - have eight kids between them (David and Libby are pictured with their grandchildren) 'Lib and I are off to London to visit her and on Monday we are going to the ultrasound appointment. She is 24/25 weeks.' David also gave an insight into his very sweet family tradition as he revealed the item he will be buying for Georgie during his London visit. He shared: 'We have a family tradition, we buy the first pram for each of the families. '(We're) very excited. It's number nine for us.' Georgie married her now-husband Alex in a romantic outdoor ceremony in Regent's Park, London, in July 2022. As well as Georgie, David and Libby also share daughters Brianna and Samantha, and son Alexander, better known as AJ. David already has eight other grandchildren as his son AJ welcomed his first child - a daughter called Catalina May - with his wife Carolina in 2021. The little one was born weeks after Samantha welcomed a daughter called Florence May with her partner Toby. They also share three other children - Lila, Oscar, and Matilda. Georgie married her now-husband Alex in a romantic outdoor ceremony in Regent's Park, London, in July 2022 (both pictured with David and Libby) David's other daughter Brianna, who lives in Perth, also has three children - Jax, Teddy and Ella - with her partner CJ Jayasinghe. David met his wife Libby decades ago when they were in their 20s and went on to tie the knot in 1979, and have been happily married ever since. 'Lib was a 20-year-old nurse. Our friend Judy decided to have a party, and that's where we met back in 1977,' David told New Idea magazine of their first meeting. David was the co-host of Channel Seven's breakfast show Sunrise for 21 years until he stepped down from the role in May last year. He said at the time: 'I have loved every single minute of it and I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved here over the last 21 years.' The beloved star told how he was stepping back to enjoy more flexible working hours and spend time with his growing family. Adrien Brody has posted a cryptic message hours after jailed Harvey Weinstein's shock response to the actor mentioning his children in his Oscars acceptance speech was revealed. Brody, 51 - who has been dating Weinstein's ex-wife Georgina Chapman, 48, since 2019, picked up his second Best Actor Oscar at Sunday's ceremony and in an emotional acceptance speech, thanked his partner and her two children. The Brutalist star said: 'I share this with my amazing partner Georgina, who has not only reinvigorated my own self-worth but my sense of value and my values and her beautiful children, Dash and India. Revealing the nickname Weinstein's children aged 14 and 11 have for him, he added: 'It's been a rollercoaster, but thank you for accepting me into your life, and Popsy's coming home a winner.' Former film mogul and convicted rapist Weinstein, 72, is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence at Rikers Island. Weinstein's spokesman Juda Engelmayer exclusively told DailyMail.com: Harvey is happy for Georgina and grateful that his kids are being loved and cared for as they deserve to be.' Adrien Brody has posted a cryptic message hours after jailed Harvey Weinstein 's shock response to the actor mentioning his children in his Oscars acceptance speech was revealed Disgraced former film mogul Weinstein, 72, is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence at Rikers Island after being convicted of rape and sexual assault in 2020 - pictured July 2024 Brody, 51 - who has been dating Weinstein's ex-wife Georgina Chapman, 48, since 2019, picked up his second Best Actor Oscar at Sunday's ceremony and in an emotional acceptance speech, thanked his partner and her two children Hours later Adrien took to Instagram to share a video of himself walking out in Los Angeles. He said: 'You I got no sleep. I got no sleep last night. I am going to keep this video short because I know I made the longest Oscars speech in history.' Brody began giggling himself after revealing he had the longest speech ever in the 97 year history of the Academy Awards as it clocked in at five minutes and 40 seconds in total. The previous record was held by Greer Garson according to the Guinness World Records as hers was reportedly five minutes and 30 seconds when she won for Mrs. Miniver in 1943. He continued on his social media video by saying: 'I'm going to keep it short. I love you all. You know I'm grateful. 'Keep smiling and I hope that this proves that dreams can come true and I hope that your dreams come true as well. God bless you.' He also captioned the social media post to his 1.9million followers: 'Believe in hope. Believe in yourself. Spread love, not hate. and thank you #keepsmiling' Fashion designer Chapman divorced Weinstein in 2017 shortly after his horrific crimes against women in Hollywood were exposed in a bombshell expose. Revealing the nickname the children have for him, he added: 'It's been a rollercoaster, but thank you for accepting me into your life, and Popsy's coming home a winner.' Weinstein's spokesman Juda Engelmayer exclusively told DailyMail.com: Harvey is happy for Georgina and grateful that his kids are being loved and cared for as they deserve to be' - pictured 2014 Weinstein became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement, which took root in 2017 when women began to go public with accounts of his behavior - pictured 2020 In October it was reported Weinstein had been receiving treatment behind bars at Rikers Island for a rare type of bone marrow cancer known as chronic myeloid leukemia. Weinstein had spent most of the summer hospitalized with various maladies, from Covid and double pneumonia to needing fluid on his heart and lungs removed. As for Weinsteins current health situation, Engelmayer said, He is fighting for his health and healthcare. Its challenging where he is and not in the hospital where he should be. He is doing as well as he can. He added that Weinstein went to the prison hospital last month for blood pressure issues but is back in the prison. Weinstein has denied that he raped or sexually assaulted anyone. Weinstein became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement, which took root in 2017 when women began to go public with accounts of his behavior. At the original trial, Weinstein was convicted of forcibly performing oral sex on a TV and film production assistant in 2006 and rape in the third degree for an attack on an aspiring actor in 2013. Weinstein saw his 2020 conviction on rape and sexual assault charges overturned last April and he was ordered to undergo a new trial. Hours after Weinstein's statement, Adrien took to Instagram to share a video of himself walking out in Los Angeles. He said: 'You I got no sleep. I got no sleep last night. I am going to keep this video short because I know I made the longest Oscars speech in history' Brody began giggling himself after revealing he had the longest speech ever in the 97 year history of the Academy Awards as it clocked in at five minutes and 40 seconds in total He continued on his social media video by saying: 'I'm going to keep it short. I love you all. You know I'm grateful. Keep smiling and I hope that this proves that dreams can come true and I hope that your dreams come true as well. God bless you' The case was overturned after the Court of Appeals determined the trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against Weinstein based on allegations from other women that were not part of the trial. Those allegations will be part of his retrial, which is set to begin in New York on April 15. Weinstein's acquittals on charges of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape still stand. After the retrial, Weinstein is due to start serving a 16-year sentence in California for a separate rape conviction in Los Angeles, authorities said. Weinstein was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022. Weinstein, the co-founder of Miramax and The Weinstein Company film studios, was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, producing such Oscar winners as Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love. This Morning's Dr Zoe Williams has issued a new update after revealing she had a terrifying health scare just a few months ago. The TV doctor, 44, was rushed to hospital with an abnormal heart rhythm last October and even had to draft up an emergency will. Now, speaking out about the details, Dr. Zoe told New Magazine: 'I had to, for the first time, consider my own mortality. 'I didn't think I was going to die, but I also didn't feel completely certain that I wasn't going to die in that scenario, hence the makeshift will.' She continued: 'Since then, I've had a procedure which means that won't happen again and I've been reassured by the cardiologist that it's not anything I've done, my heart is actually very healthy. It's just a thing where some peopler are unlucky.' Dr. Zoe admitted that although it was a terrifying experience, it was also a 'gift' and a 'wake-up call' to help her realise what matters in life. This Morning's Dr Zoe Williams has issued a new update after revealing she had a terrifying health scare just a few months ago The TV doctor, 44, was rushed to hospital with an abnormal heart rhythm last October and even had to draft up an emergency will Zoe first shared the news of her health scare in October as she revealed she had been suffering a 'year of health blips'. She explained: 'I got signed off by my cardiologist todayI'm OK. But I wasn't certain that I would be for a while! 'It's been a year of health blips. The most worrying being my heart But I'm OK. 'Writing an emergency will from your hospital bed, just in case, is not the one though. But I'm OK.' She continued: 'It's interesting how we can be thankful for these experiences. They can make us see clearly. What matters. What doesn't. And just how easy it is to take our health for granted xxx.' Dr Zoe suffered another health scare in September 2023. She revealed she had gone into hospital to receive spinal steroid injections and took to Instagram to share the details with her followers. The star snapped a picture of herself in her gown in the morning as she wrote 'Just waiting to go into theatre for my spine injections. Wish me luck'. Talking to her followers whilst she chilled out on the sofa with her son Lisbon, three, she shared: 'Just to say a huge thanks for your well wishes, your prayers and your love. It's been felt warmly and is very much appreciated. Now, speaking out about the details, Dr Zoe said: 'I had to, for the first time, consider my own mortality' Dr Zoe is a regular on This Morning (L-R Zoe, Alice Beer, Sharon Marshall, Dr Ranj, Dr Chris Steele, Steve Wilson and Martin Lewis) She added: 'I didn't think I was going to die, but I also didn't feel completely certain that I wasn't going to die in that scenario, hence the makeshift will' 'I am back home with my boy...We're eating biscuits and oranges and watching Toy Story.' The star went on to answer her fans questions explaining she was sedated throughout the procedure so didn't feel or remember anything, admitting she was 'just a bit drowsy afterward.' She also said 'The pain so far is better than it was this morning but the thing is with these injections is that they don't work for everybody and things can get worse before they get better.' Along with the help of her son she then reassured her fans that if anyone is booked in for a steroid injection, 'do not fear'. Dr. Zoe then promised to get into more detail about steroid injections in a future post, acknowledging that her having a good experience isn't always the total picture. While she has a good relationship with her followers she previously revealed that she had fallen foul of mum-shaming trolls. In an exclusive chat with MailOnline, the mother said she also feels there is pressure for her as a doctor in the public eye to be a 'role model' for her fans. She explained: 'I think we live in a society where as soon as there's a baby involved people feel that they have a right [to get involved]. 'Mostly it comes from a good place where they're worried about the health of the baby, but I've had people comment on a number of things whether the way my baby sleeps, whether I have my baby swaddled or not swaddled, whether my baby has a dummy or doesn't have a dummy - people will comment on every little thing. She continued: 'It's interesting how we can be thankful for these experiences. They can make us see clearly. What matters. What doesn't' She shared the news with her Instagram followers in a lengthy post and was immediately flooded with messages of support from the likes of Alexandra Burke and Alesha Dixon She explained: 'I got signed off by my Cardiologist today I'm ok. But I wasn't certain that I would be for a while!' Dr Zoe suffered another health scare in September last year. She revealed she had gone into hospital to receive spinal steroid injections and took to Instagram to share the details While she has a good relationship with her followers she previously revealed that she had fallen foul of mum-shaming trolls (pictured with son Lisbon, three) 'I'm very careful that, for example, I did a post with WaterWipes and had the baby on the changing table, I made sure my hand was in the picture. One because otherwise people would criticise me, but two because I feel I am role modelling as well. 'For example, if I am using a baby carrier and not using it correctly, people might look to me and assume I know what I'm doing and getting it right and might copy the way I do things, so there is some responsibility on social media whilst being honest, also try and demonstrate best practice.' Zoe, who had a water birth at home, went on to note that despite her ordeal, she doesn't let trolls on her platform bring her down. 'I ignore them. It depends sometimes I comment, mostly I would say I ignore them,' she explained. 'Sometimes I will reply if there's a reason to, it's quite rare but occasionally I will respond, but if someone's being abusive then I will delete them life's too short.' A regular face on This Morning, Dr Zoe paved her media career on her passion for fitness and health after graduating medical school in 2007. Originally from Burnley, Lancashire, she had her first experience on TV with the 2009 reboot of Sky 1's Gladiators. She is now a GP based in London with regular appearances on the ITV daytime show. Dr Zoe has also presented BBC shows including Trust Me I am a Doctor and a Horizon episode about the contraceptive pill. Multiple lawmakers, political advisors focus on AI-related topics as China's 'two sessions' approaches Global Times) 13:19, March 04, 2025 Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to become a hot topic during the upcoming "two sessions," the annual meetings of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, which will kick off respectively on Wednesday and Tuesday in Beijing. The Global Times has learned that a number of lawmakers and political advisers plan to raise AI-related proposals, covering how to promote AI development, support AI's integration into college education and medical treatment, and address security risks brought by AI while promoting technological innovation. Li Jinghong, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body and professor from Tsinghua University, plans to propose the introduction of an AI Promotion Law to create a better environment for innovative development. Li told the Global Times that there are still significant differences in society's understanding of AI, such as the public sentiment triggered by self-driving taxis, concerns about AI's impact on traditional employment, and illegal abuse of AI, which hinder technological exploration and industry development. Li plans to submit the suggestion that the AI Promotion Law focus on promoting effective application, inclusive services, technological innovation, talent cultivation, employment protection, and international cooperation. The law should also be aimed at addressing problems such as the insufficient understanding of AI development, delayed coordination of laws, regulations, and policies, inadequate supply and protection of high-quality data, and the protection of copyright and intellectual property, Li said. This year's Spring Festival saw the emergence of the domestic large model DeepSeek, which sparked widespread discussion and will accelerate the integration of AI technology with various industries. But at the same time, safety challenges brought by large models are becoming increasingly severe, said political advisor Qi Xiangdong and chairman of Qi An Xin Technology Group, a Chinese cybersecurity firm. He told the Global Times that he will especially focus on the issue of AI safety during the "two sessions" and wants to contribute to cybersecurity in the era of AI through practical measures. Another political advisor Lu Hongbing echoed Li's view on better promoting China's AI development through legislative regulation and guidance. Through extensive research, Li, who is also a partner at Grandall Law Firm, pointed out that lawmaking is difficult and time-consuming, while AI is developing rapidly, The Paper reported. Therefore, he plans to suggest focusing on aspects that concern the public and using administrative regulations to regulate AI oversight. Some lawmakers focused on the integration of AI technology with traditional industries. Fang Fuquan, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, and President of Capital Normal University, said that AI can be leveraged through discipline planning in humanities, social sciences, arts, and sciences, and that students' ability to master AI tool needs to be enhanced, China Youth Daily reported. However, NPC deputy Liu Zhongjun, who is chief orthopedic surgeon at Peking University Third Hospital, expressed concerns over deploying AI in medical treatment. He told the Global Times that AI has been put into use to assist doctors in quickly generating medical reports, analyzing medical images, and processing vast amounts of literature and data, but AI's accuracy must be guaranteed. Gu Weiying, an NPC deputy and Vice Chair of the Art Committee at the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre, was also worried that the development of AI technology might pose a risk to the inheritance of traditional culture, as AI may hinder the preservation of its original form, China Youth Daily reported. Lawmaker and chairman and chief executive officer of TCL Technology Group Corporation Li Dongsheng plans to present suggestions on strengthening the management of AI deepfake fraud, China National Radio reported. Li said that relevant content platforms should introduce requirements, making it obligatory for users to label deepfake videos and audio when publishing them. According to a report on the development of generative AI released by the China Internet Network Information Center in December 2024, the user base of generative AI products in China had reached 230 million by June 2024. The report said that China has built a relatively comprehensive AI industry ecosystem with over 4,500 related companies in the sector, with the value of the core sector nearing 600 billion yuan (about $82.84 billion). (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) Lucy Boynton has admitted that portraying Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, was 'more intense' than she had anticipated. Ruth Ellis was put to death nearly 55 years ago aged just 28 for shooting dead her violent boyfriend, racing driver David Blakely. The actress, 31, stars as the titular character in new four-part ITV drama, A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, with the first episode released last month. And amid new pictures from the drama, Lucy looked back on researching Ruth's tragic life for her role, admitting that one can't read her story without being 'emotionally affected'. Speaking to The Italian Reve, Lucy explained: 'It was different than I expected, and it was more intense than Id anticipated. 'I tried to start the research process from a very analytical point of view. I was really aware of how much the media portrayal of Ruth Ellis had colored public opinion of her and colored the way that she was then written about afterward, so I wanted to approach her in a completely neutral way to be able to ascertain my own opinion.' Lucy Boynton has admitted that portraying Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, was 'more intense' than she had anticipated The actress, 31, stars as the titular character in new four-part ITV drama, A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, with the first episode released last month Ellis had been condemned to death for shooting her violent racing driver boyfriend David Blakely following a trial that lasted less than two days (Seen is real Ruth Ellis with boyfriend David Blakely) The film star noted how she later attempted to approach the project from a more 'empathetic and emotional' viewpoint in order to figure out how to portray Ruth, however, those feelings emerged much sooner than she had anticipated. She continued: 'I realized very quickly there was no neutrality when approaching this topic and there was no neutrality when approaching her case. You cant read about the details of her life and what happened to her and what happened to her within the time of meeting David Blakely and not feel emotionally affected.' The actress noted that she was 29 when she played Ruth, who was 28 at the time of her death, with Lucy adding that these parallels were 'really affecting'. She added that the society that she lives in today has 'immensely improved' from Ruth's period of her life, going on to say that she found the research process 'really intense', while the filming itself was 'really hard'. The Bohemian Rhapsody star went on to remark how she was 'really plagued' by the 'dark material' as a true story is harder to leave at work than a fictional one. The four-part series is described as 'a compelling legal and emotional rollercoaster' and is based on Carol Ann Lee's acclaimed biography A Fine Day for Hanging: The Real Ruth Ellis Story. Set in 1955 in the glamorous and intoxicating world of London club-land, Ruth found huge acclaim as the capital's youngest club manager and was the last woman in the UK to be hanged for her crimes. The series will tell the tale of Ruth's life as a manageress, her abusive relationship, and her subsequent arrest, trial and the legal fight to reprieve her. Amid new pictures from the drama, Lucy looked back on researching Ruth's tragic life for her role, admitting that one can't read her story without being 'emotionally affected' Lucy explained: 'It was different than I expected, and it was more intense than Id anticipated' Of the first look at Lucy playing Ruth, executive producer for Silverprint Pictures Kate Bartlett told Tatler magazine: 'Lucy Boynton is absolutely mesmerising as Ruth Ellis, pictured here, at the height of her success as London's youngest club manager. 'Aged 28, her ascendancy was brought to a sharp halt when she became enmeshed in an intoxicating love triangle which brought death and tragedy.' Lucy said: 'Ruth Ellis's story is a fascinating one. Both she and this complex case have always evoked a strong reaction. 'With Kelly [Jones]'s insightful scripts I'm looking forward to bringing a new perspective to both familiar audiences as well as those who are unaware of her mark on British history.' Revealing the lasting impact the role had on her, she explained: 'It was so hard to let go it took a year after we ended filming to stop grinding my teeth, because it was a true story and much heavier than anything I'd done before.' Lucy also explained her complicated feelings surrounding the character, who was hanged at Holloway Prison in 1955 following the fatal shooting of her lover, David Blakely. She shared: 'It was infuriating because you feel so much more protective towards Ruth than she ever felt towards herself, everyone was scrabbling around to help her but she just didn't think she deserved it. 'She has this stiff-upper-lip British sensibility, where you don't cry about what is done to you, and she was incredibly pragmatic about cause and effect.' 'You cant read about the details of her life and what happened to her and what happened to her within the time of meeting David Blakely and not feel emotionally affected' Lucys notable roles have seen her star as ruthless teenager Astrid Sloan alongside Gwyneth Paltrow in the Netflix series The Politician. In the series, she appeared in lesbian romps and threesomes with her co-stars Ben Platt and David Corenswet. Meanwhile she landed her first blockbuster role when she appeared in the Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. Laying Freddie Mercurys partner and devoted best friend Mary Austin, Lucy received critical plaudits and award nominations, all while the film cleaned up at the box office becoming the biggest biopic of all time. She instantly became a pop culture icon after bursting into the public eye as loudmouthed Page 3 girl, Jordan. Having tried her hand at modelling, singing, presenting, campaigning and reality TV, the glamour model quickly became a household name in Britain. Yet while Katie Price's moniker will ring a bell for both young and old, you would be forgiven for not recognising the star on sight alone, with Katie famously undergoing numerous cosmetic procedures over the years. After two decades in the spotlight, Katie is almost unrecognisable from the naturally pretty teenager who burst on to the modelling scene at the age of 16, with her natural curls and fresh-faced beauty winning her an army of fans. Katie, now 46, has undergone an array of procedures over the years, including rhinoplasty, a silhouette facelift, 3D, veneers, lip fillers and Botox, culminating in her first facelift in 2017. Now, after two decades under the surgeon's scalpel, MailOnline takes a look at the many faces of Katie Price. The many faces of Katie Price: MailOnline takes a look at the star's changing look after two decades of boob jobs, Botox and face lifts 1995 - Barefaced beauty At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling. At a friend's suggestion, the teenager had professional photographs taken and was quickly snapped up by a modelling agency who landed her a Page 3 slot in The Sun newspaper the following year, sparking the creation of her glamour model alter ego, Jordan. Speaking last year, Katie revealed she was glad that she wasn't exposed to social media at the time as she had 'no idea what Botox was or fillers', otherwise she may have started her tweaks and enhancements at an even earlier age. 1995: At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling 1998 - First boob job Having just turned 20, the rising glamour model experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C. The procedure cost 4,500 and it's thought her mum Amy and stepdad Paul helped pay for her to have the procedure. Katie has since spoken out about her decision to go under the knife, admitting she was 'too young' and that she feels sorry for young girls growing up these days in a world of social media and filters. 1998: Having just turned 20, Katie experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C 1999 - Second and third boob job Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures the following year at the age of 21. Katie boosted her bust from a C cup to a D cup and just a few months later went up again to a F cup. Katie has previously claimed that she has only paid for two of her boob jobs over the course of her career - it is not known if these were the ones. 1999: Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures at the age of 21 2001 - Lip fillers At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers. While the glamour model did not confirm the rumours at the time, she was seen sporting a noticeably fuller pout while out enjoying the party scene. Her overall look had also started drastically transforming, with the model sporting dramatic false lashes, bright lipstick and pale hair extensions. 2001: At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers 2004 - Botox Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines and wrinkles. She made no secret of her love of the procedure, announcing at the time: 'I get my forehead and around my eyes Botoxed every six months and I love it. You can't beat it. It just freezes all the wrinkles and that's what you want.' At the time, Katie insisted she would never take things further and have a facelift, explaining: 'I'd never have a full facelift. I've seen what they can do to people and I don't want to go through that.' 2004: Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines 2006 - Fourth boob job Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup. The glamour model also played around with her overall look and embraced her dark side with a new brunette hairstyle. She also continued to dabble with fillers and Botox. 2006: Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup 2007 - First nose job and veneers At the age of 29, Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and treating herself to a 25,000 set of new veneers. 'Oh my God, it burned like hell!' she said at the time. 'The next day I had this hideous red rash on my chin but two days later there wasn't a single spot left.' Speaking about her nose job at the time, she admitted to liking her original nose, explaining: 'I liked my nose before and now. If I had a cupboard with both noses, I would alternate between them!' 2007:Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and a 25,000 set of veneers 2008 - Fifth boob job Despite gradually increasingly her bust size over the year, Katie fancied a change on her 30th and brought her bra size back down from an F cup to a C cup. The procedure meant that Katie had returned to the size of her first boob job 10 years prior. Katie's changing shape also coincided with the launch of her first clothing line - an equestrian range. 2008: Despite gradually increasingly her bust size, Katie fancied a change and brought her bra size back down to a C cup 2011 - Sixth boob job Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup. Katie also underwent body-contouring treatment and cheek and lip fillers. The Loose Women panelist admitted that she loved having her cheeks filled to give her a 'plumper, more youthful look'. 2011: Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup 2015 - Seventh and eighth boob job Just before appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, the reality star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast and an implant protruding from her flesh. Katie told her shocked housemates: 'Ive got no tits anymore. Theyve gone. Theres not even anything there. If you saw what Im like underneath. The scars gone septic. My whole implant was hanging out on New Years Day.' Shortly after leaving the Big Brother house she underwent corrective surgery and had her implants swapped for a D-cup. 2015: Just before Celebrity Big Brother, the star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast 2016 - Ninth boob job and tattooed makeup Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie was undeterred and flew to a Brussels clinic to go under the knife yet again, this time settling on a 32GG bust. The reality star also had her eyebrows and lips tattooed, also known as 'permanent make-up', explaining that she prefers to go make-up free on a day-to-day basis. Additionally the star has regular facial treatments, last year sharing a bloodied selfie after having a dermal roller micro-needling treatment, which sees a dermaroller with many tiny needles rolled across into the skin - designed to stimulate cells into regeneration. 2016: Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie flew to a Brussels clinic to get another boob job, this time a 32GG cup 2017 - First face lift, new veneers and 10th boob job Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word undergoing a 'Silhouette' face lift. The procedure is designed to lift a sagging cheeks and blurred jawline, using 'sutures' implanted under the skin to sculpt features. However, Katie was soon spotted with puffy features, revealing that she suffered an allergic reaction to anesthetic penicillin after having further work on her veneers. She also had her breast implants reduced from 1000ml implants to 795ml. 2017: Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word 2018 - Second face lift Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40 to correct it. She said at the time 'I need to get my face re-corrected after surgeon has totally f**ked my face up', admitting it had He agent added: 'She had the thread and it really quite distorted her look. She got a lot of backlash, a lot of negative press, a lot of trolling, everyone saying shed taken it too far, when actually it was a job that had not gone to plan.' 2018: Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40 2019 - Third face lift, boob job first Brazilian bum lift and 11th boob job Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her entire look with a full body transformation. The reality star opted for a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck. Just three months later she returned to the clinic and opted for another boob job, going back down to a D cup. 2019: Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her look with a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck 2020 - 12th boob job and another set of veneers Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers and revealed her real teeth had been reduced to stubs as she flashed a smile on her YouTube channel. The mother-of-five then jetted to Belgium to correct botched surgery on her breasts, saying her surgeon was utterly shocked by the 'awful' previous procedure. Katie said: 'They looked deformed, they were absolutely awful. That's the first time I've gone to a different surgeon. I had to go back to Frank with my head down, ashamed that I'd been to another clinic.' 2020: Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers then jetted to Belgium to correct a botched boob job 2021 - Liposuction, eye and lid lifts and 13th boob job Amid the Covid pandemic, Katie jetted off to then red-list Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts, liposuction under her chin, and fat injected into her bum. The reality star also visited Belgium to have her 13th boob job as well as full body liposuction with bum fat removal. The plastic surgery - performed by Dr Frank Plovier - came just five days ahead of the glamour model's sentencing for her shocking drink-drive crash. 2021: Katie jetted to Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts 2022 - Another brow and eye lift Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium at the beginning of 2022 for an eye and brow lift and had been concealing her new look with her head in a bandage. Dr Judy Todd, an aesthetic doctor at Clinica Medica in Glasgow, said: 'It appears like she's had a face lift, temporal brow lift, and possibly an upper blepharoplasty.' It was reported last month that Katie plans to travel to Turkey imminently for yet more plastic surgery, amid claims she wanted to get some tweaks in after being unhappy with her latest work. Sian Dellar, Brow Specialist and Founder of Sian Dellar Permanent Makeup Clinic, added: 'Katie's eyebrows, like the rest of her, have changed lots over the years! 'Back in the 90s she had a very thin over plucked brow which was the fashion at the time, and today she has an extremely thick and unnatural looking brow. 'Currently it seems the face or eye lift that shes had have pulled her brows outward which looks unnatural and makes the brows appear almost stretched. 'Of course, as with any enhancement, its personal preference but we recommend not going too many shades darker, and keeping the shape as natural looking as possible and work to create or enhance brows to frame the face. 'Katies choice to have them so thick and dark and in that unusual positioning means they dominate her face and are the first thing the eye is drawn to. I would love to see Katie take her brows back to 2015/2016 when the fuller brow became a big trend. She got it right then and they framed her face well.' 2022: Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium for an eye and brow lift and is planning to to travel to Turkey for more surgery 2023 - 16th and 'biggest ever' boob job It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th. The star went under the knife in a bid to have the 'biggest in Britain' and was subsequently pictured being wheeled into surgery at the Be Clinic in Belgium. She is said to have wanted even bigger breasts, opting for 2120 CC implants in a bid to boost her already large bust size. Katie told OK! magazine of her boobs: 'I love them. They healed really quickly and they didn't hurt at all. That probably doesn't help. Because I heal quickly, it doesn't put me off and I have more. 'I would go bigger as well and I will eventually. I just love having big boobs and a small body. I've always loved that look. In my eyes, if I'm having a boob job, I want them to look fake, I don't want them to look natural. I don't like the natural look. 'I just like that old-school American Playboy pin-up look. When I have surgery, that is what I'm striving for. If I could look like my airbrushed pictures, that would be amazing. But that's impossible to achieve.' 2023: It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th 2024 - MORE facial surgery In July 2024 Katie confirmed she is travelling to Turkey for facial surgery, to be filmed for a new documentary, after failing to attend a bankruptcy hearing. The former glamour model was absent at a scheduled 760,000 bankruptcy court hearing having flown overseas for her latest cosmetic procedure. A warrant was subsequently issued, with Katie admitting she's 'doing the best she can' to rectify her financial issues after receiving 'very clear warnings' that she needed to attend court. The creepy way in which Gene Hackman's time of death was found has been revealed after he and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead. The 95-year-old acting legend and his 65-year-old classical pianist wife - whose cause of death has been speculated on by a former FBI agent - were found mummified in their $3.8 million Santa Fe home last week. And though their cause of their deaths remains a mystery, Hackman's time of death has been revealed due to his pacemaker. According to an affidavit, Santa Fe Sheriffs Office Det. Roy Arndt reported that Hackman's pacemaker data indicated that he had been dead since February 17 which was nine days before he and his wife's bodies were found. It also stated that there was no indication that either had suffered blunt-instrument trauma, or that anything had been removed or disturbed from the house. Detectives had also found 'no obvious signs of a gas leak' according to the affidavit. The creepy way in which Gene Hackman's time of death was found has been revealed after he and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead. They are seen in 2024 Police are seen outside the couple's Santa Fe home. The cause of their deaths remains unknown Hackman's (seen in 1993) time of death has been revealed due to his pacemaker according to an affidavit, Santa Fe Sheriffs Office Det. Roy Arndt reported that Hackman's pacemaker data indicated that he had been dead since February 17 which was nine days before he and his wife's bodies were found 'An initial interrogation was conducted of Mr. Hackmans pacemaker. This revealed that his last event was recorded on Feb. 17, 2025,' Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said in a press conference on Friday. Police do not suspect foul play, despite the front door being found 'ajar.' There were no signs of forced entry into the home. 'I think I'm pretty confident that there is no foul play just based on the lack of evidence,' Mendoza later told Today. 'But, of course, we're not ruling that out.' Suspicions the couple and their pooch died from a gas leak have been ruled out by the Santa Fe Fire Department, according to Chief Brian Moya. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Hackman and Arakawa could have died from food poisoning, according to a former FBI agent. 'Toxicology there could have been some other type of poisoning, possibly food? They'll go through their trash, fridge this is stuff the police can do in the meantime while gathering evidence,' former FBI agent Bill Daly told Fox News. 'There are a number of possibilities.' Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said there were no signs of foul play or external trauma on the couple's bodies. The deaths were originally deemed suspicious enough to warrant a full investigation but cops no longer believe anyone else was involved. Hackman met Arakawa, a classically trained pianist who grew up in Hawaii, when she was working part-time at a California gym in the mid-1980s. They are seen in 2003 One of three of couple's dogs was found dead inside a kennel in a bathroom. The other two were found healthy, roaming around. Detectives found an orange prescription bottle by Arakawa's body, two cellphones and a 2025 planner while searching the couple's home, per Fox News Digital. The case is shrouded in the kind of intrigue reserved for Hackman's detective thriller novels and has garnered international attention - with many wondering how their deaths went unnoticed for so long. Neighbors in their gated private community off a winding canyon road five miles outside of Santa Fe told The New York Times that despite living with the celebrity couple for years, most of them never even caught a glimpse of them. Hackman was in a mud room off the kitchen. His sunglasses and cane were on the floor and it has been suggested the actor had suffered a fall. Morgan Freeman speaks about Gene Hackman with an image of Gene Hackman on the screen during the Oscars on Sunday Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner with an estimated net worth of $80million, just turned 95 in late January. He became a recluse in the last 20 years of his life, after retiring from acting in 2004. He packed up his things, left Los Angeles for a quiet life in New Mexico - and he never looked back. Friends occasionally shared glimpses of his post-acting life, including social media shots of fishing expeditions - while paying tribute to his silver screen triumphs. He would also occasionally be spotted pedaling around Santa Fe on a bicycle. The gruff-but-beloved Hackman was among the finest actors of his generation, appearing as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s. He was a five-time Oscar nominee who won for The French Connection in 1972 and Unforgiven two decades later. His death comes just four days before this year's ceremony. Hackman met Arakawa, a classically trained pianist who grew up in Hawaii, when she was working part-time at a California gym in the mid-1980s, the New York Times reported in 1989. They soon moved in together, and by the end of the decade had decamped to Santa Fe. Kylie Jenner posted several stunning images from outside her $12million mansion in Hidden Hills, California. The new portraits were taken of her in her dark beaded gown before she attended the Oscars on Sunday in Hollywood to support her boyfriend Timothee Chalamet who was nominated for his role in A Complete Unknown. Jenner looked so ravishing in her Miu Miu dress that had cut-outs on her tummy as her raven hair cascaded down her chest that it was hard to notice anything else in the frames. But fans picked up on a detail about her opulent home. After looking closely, it could be seen that the billionaire makeup mogul had something unusual outside her dwelling. Kylie Jenner posted several stunning images from outside her $12million mansion in Hidden Hills, California The new portraits were taken of her in her dark beaded gown before she attended the Oscars on Sunday in Hollywood to support her boyfriend Timothee Chalamet who was nominated for his role in A Complete Unknown The unusual thing is the fake grass used on the front yard and in between pavers on her driveway. 'That is so trailer park, she uses fake grass, that is for poor people!' commented one troll. Another added, 'She ain't got no real grass? Fool.' But it seemed the haters are being much too harsh. Kylie using fake grass is actually a smart eco-friendly move as Southern California suffers from persistent drought. In fact, some of the Kardashian family members have been dragged in the past for using too much water for their lush green lawns. So it appears as if Kylie is trying to conserve some water. Also, it is very hard to keep real grass healthy when it is placed between driveway pavers as the water does not soak in evenly. Most of the comments for her post were incredibly positive. Kylie's sister Khloe Kardashian wrote, 'I love you' and her pal Olivia Pierson added, 'So beautiful Ky .' Jenner looked so ravishing in her Miu Miu dress that had cut-outs on her tummy as her raven hair cascaded down her chest that it was hard to notice anything else in the frames But fans picked up on a detail about her opulent home After looking closely, it could be seen that the billionaire makeup mogul had something unusual outside her dwelling Can you tell what is different? She also posed inside her home as she gave a look at the stone floors, black door and long, thin lights on the wall. In 2016, Jenner purchased a 13,200-square-foot, Cape Cod-style mansion in Hidden Hills for $12 million. The home has eight bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, home theater, game room, pool, and spa and massage room. This comes after Kylie faced a big loss. Jenner doesn't know how she'll 'move forward' without Jesus Guerrero. The 27-year-old make-up mogul has taken to social media to pay a glowing tribute to her hairstylist, who recently passed away aged 34. Alongside a carousel of throwback videos and photographs, Kylie wrote on Instagram: 'Jesus was more than my friend - he was a light in my life, a source of laughter, comfort, love, and unwavering support. 'I don't know how I would have made it through the last almost decade without him by my side. He had a way of making even the heaviest days feel lighter.' The unusual thing is the fake grass used on the front yard and in between pavers on her driveway. Some thought the fake grass was tacky, but Kylie is actually saving water Jenner and Chalamet at the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 2 Later Kylie was seen in this black lace gown as she posed with Monica Barbaro at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Kylie has experienced 'unbearable' pain since Jesus passed away. The reality star has also admitted to feeling inspired by her hairstylist. Kylie wrote on the photo-sharing platform: 'Thank you, Jesus, for always being there for me, for lifting me up, for being my friend. 'The pain of losing you is just unbearable and i don't know how to move forward without you but I know great grief is born only of great love. and I loved you so much. You were the best person, with a talent that was unmatched. a true artist. 'You inspired so many, and you always will. 'Your words, your laughter, your kindness, your beautiful spirit will live in my heart forever. 'I'll cherish all our moments together. every laugh and hug. I wish I could hug you again. I laid in your bed the way you used to lay in mine, talking for hours. I would give anything for one more deep talk. I'm going to miss you so much. more than any words can say. 222 my angel.' The fiancee of Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe has died at sea after falling overboard from a cruise ship. Kimberly Burch, 56, fell to her death 'from a room balcony' on the first night of The 80s Cruise on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Explorer of the Seas on March 2 - after an alleged 'heated' argument with the rocker, 60. A Royal Caribbean Group spokesman confirmed to DailyMail.com: 'Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort, is working with local authorities, and we are providing support and assistance to the guests family during this difficult time. 'To respect the privacy of our guests family, we have no additional details to share.' Realtor Kimberly had traveled on the seven day cruise to support Taime, who was performing with the punk band. The cruise departed from Miami and was set to visit Nassau, San Juan, and Labadee. She had been in a relationship with Downe, 60, for around six years. Her body has not been recovered. Hours before her death she posed up with Downe on the ship and wrote: 'We made it to @the80scruise.' The fiancee of Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe has died at sea after falling overboard from a cruise ship - pictured Kimberly Burch and Downe hours before her death Sunday Downe, 60, is the lead vocalist of the iconic 80s metal band - pictured 2013 with Xristian Simon, Danny Nordahl, and Ace Von Johnson Burch, 56, fell to her death shortly after an alleged heated argument with the rocker, 60, during The 80s Cruise on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Explorer of the Seas (pictured) on March 2 Kimberly's mother Carnell Burch told TMZ Taime had called her on Monday to reveal Kimberly had died and that it is 'still unclear' whether her daughter jumped or accidentally fell from the ship, although she is 'confident Kimberly would not purposefully hurt herself.' Kimberly was drinking on the cruise, Carnell said, which was 'out of character for her' and Carnell claimed her daughter had had an argument with Taime before her death. Carnell added her daughter was not suffering from depression or emotional issues at the time and was excited for the trip, which was in its first day and featured musical acts including Squeeze, Adam Ant, Tiffany and Men at Work. Kimberly is said to have gone overboard on the first day of the cruise around 11pm PST - with a guest claiming on X she had 'jumped from the balcony of her 8th floor room' 80 miles from Miami. They wrote: 'Currently on the #RCL Explorer of the Seas for the #80scruise. Unfortunately, we have a "woman overboard' situation and boats have been deployed. We are currently 80+ miles from Miami at 11pm PST. Not good. 'It looks like the woman "jumped" from the balcony of her 8th floor room after an argument with her partner. This is our 15th cruise, and the first time we've actually experienced this. 'Clearly, the priority is recovering the woman. And the boat has turned around and is at a dead stop. They have deployed boats for the search. Could be a long night.... Another guest wrote: 'Person overboard on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas. On the 80s Cruise. Just saw a great show by Squeeze, then it was announced a person is overboard. Ship is stopped and searching. Other nearby ships helping. She had traveled on the seven day cruise to support Taime, who was performing with the punk band. The cruise departed from Miami and was set to visit Nassau, San Juan, and Labadee Kimberly is said to have gone overboard on the first day of the cruise around 11pm PST - with a guest claiming on X she had 'jumped from the balcony of her 8th floor room' 80 miles from Miami A room and balcony on Explorer of the Seas is pictured Kimberly is pictured with Taime and his mother in Seattle 2023 Kimberly is pictured in an Instagram post from 2022 Guests aboard the ship posted messages about the search on X Kimberly and Taime had been together for around 'five or six years' A US Coast Guard spokesperson said the incident happened roughly 20 miles from Freeport, Bahamas. The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter crew and other personnel to assist the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in their search - which was later suspended. Kimberly and Taime had been together for around 'five or six years.' A passenger also told THR: 'There was an announcement over the PA saying someone went overboard so the ship was going to stop and turn around to try and locate the person. '[The] ship was stopped for a few hours. Safety boats were deployed with floodlights to illuminate the surrounding area. Another cruise ship nearby had its floodlights on searching as well. My wife spoke with some people on one of the decks saying they heard that it was a woman and it was caught on camera. Cant confirm though. 'Eventually the ship powered up and off we went. This morning a PA announcement said that the US Coast Guard had taken over the search. We arrived at Nassau, Bahamas a few hours behind schedule. No excursions were canceled. Havent heard anything since.' Kimberly was drinking on the cruise, Carnell said, which was 'out of character for her' DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Taime Downe, The 80s Cruise and Royal Caribbean for comment. Glam metal band Faster Pussycat formed in 1985 comprised of Downe, guitarists Greg Steele and Brent Muscat and bassist Kelly Nickels. They forged a successful career over the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling over two million records worldwide They have released four albums, Faster Pussycat (1987), Wake Me When It's Over (1989), Whipped! (1992) and The Power and the Glory Hole (2006). They broke up in 1993, but reformed in 2001. Former drummer Brett Bradshaw died on March 26, 2021, at age 50. Kimberley Garner left little to the imagination as she went topless in a racy Instagram clip on Tuesday. The reality star turned swimwear designer, 34, set pulses racing as she slipped into nothing but lilac thong bikini bottoms for a relaxing day at the beach. The blonde beauty confidently showcased her enviable figure and long, toned legs as she strolled along the sandy shore. Kimberley appeared in high spirits as she was joined by several furry friends on the picturesque beach. The sizzling clip comes after Kimberley showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a skimpy green and white bikini on Instagram last week. The former Made In Chelsea star proved she is her own best advert as she modelled the tiny two-piece from her own brand Kimberley London. Kimberley Garner went topless and flashed her perky derriere in a racy Instagram clip on Tuesday The reality star turned swimwear designer, 34, set pulses racing as she slipped into nothing but lilac thong bikini bottoms for a relaxing day at the beach Leaving her long blonde tresses loose, Kimberley looked sensational in the swimwear as she relaxed on a sofa during a lavish holiday. She flashed her gorgeous smile as she held a pretty red flower and stretched on the sofa throwing her arms in the air. The stunner accessorised her beachwear with several pieces of gold jewellery and wore a glamorous palette of makeup. She wrote: 'Island girl, bikini I designed for @kimberleylondon' The shoot comes as Kimberley revealed that she had a new man, handsome trader boyfriend William Claeyssens de Tena, 30 in her life last November. She stepped out with partner William for the first time at the Chain of Hope Gala Ball in November. Speaking exclusively to the Mail on Sunday, Kimberley confirmed her relationship status, revealing the budding romance was going well, and she was happy. 'We met through friends just last week, so this is our second date,' she added. The blonde beauty confidently showcased her enviable figure and long, toned legs as she strolled along the sandy shore The star appeared in high spirits as she was joined by several furry friends on the picturesque beach Kimberley's beau's Instagram says he divides his time between Marbella and London, and he appears to enjoy the high life - sailing, shooting, and attending events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed being some of his hobbies. Her date reveal came after recently revealing she had 'just broken up with someone'. Kimberley's last known romance began in the summer of 2023 when it was revealed that she was going out with financier Andreas Anthis, but the pair broke up in April last year with Kimberley calling it the 'right decision'. Kimberley was spotted for the first time with Andreas last July, as they packed on the PDA while walking her dog Sasha in London. The reality star previously dated her MIC co-star Richard Dinan. She also revealed she has bought a new house in Belgravia, London, and was 'excited' to live back in the UK after putting her Miami beach house on the market. She said it was a decision which was not driven by the presidential race because she was 'happy' with the result. 'I just bought a new property in Belgravia, so I have been working for the last two months and had my head down,' she said. 'This is my first night out in two months.' The sizzling clip comes after Kimberley showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a skimpy green and white bikini on Instagram last week 'I am selling my flat in America, so I am actually moving my money from the US to London.' 'I love it in America, but I just love British culture we are fabulous. We have our culture, history, accents.' 'I love our traditions here and feel it is very elegant. It is where I grew up, I went to boarding school here and think it is amazing.' Kimberley first found fame on Made In Chelsea and has made a name for herself as a successful swimsuit brand entrepreneur. Jessica Alba appears to be moving on from her split from Cash Warren with stand-up comedian Alex Edelman, who was most recently linked to model Kaia Gerber. On Sunday night, the newly single actress, 43, and comedy writer, 35, sparked romance rumors after leaving the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party together. Edelman's olive green tuxedo jacket could be seen draped over the Dark Angel star's shoulders as she left the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. As they walked out, Edelman wrapped his arms around the mother-of-three, who officially filed for divorce from Warren after 16 years of marriage on February 7. At the event, the comedian, who won a Tony and Emmy Award last year, was also pictured mingling with Olivia Wilde, Nikki Glaser and Renee Rapp. Despite recently supporting Gerber by attending her play, Evanston Salt Costs Climbing, it is unknown if the Palm Royale actress and Edelman interacted at all. Jessica Alba appears to be moving on from her split from Cash Warren with stand-up comedian Alex Edelman, who was most recently linked to model Kaia Gerber Gerber seemingly spent the majority of the night with Charlie Walker, who exited the bash at the same time as her. In recent months the Saturday Night actress has been seen in the company of Outer Range star Lewis Pullman, 32, who is the son of actor Bill Pullman. Before Lewis, the cover girl was dating Elvis actor Austin Butler. Meanwhile, Alba shared pictures inside the bash with Sydney Sweeney, Sofia Vergara, Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos The Vanity Fair Oscars party guest list also included comedians and other public figures like Mick Jagger, Olivia Rodrigo Miley Cyrus, Kendall Jenner and more. This marks the first time Alba was seen with someone new since calling it quits with Warren. Last month, with the help of celebrity divorce lawyer Laura Wasser, she filed for divorce without a prenup. The Sin City star listed 'irreconcilable differences' for the reason of their split, according to legal documents, obtained by DailyMail.com. On Sunday night, the newly single actress, 43, and comedy writer, 35, sparked romance rumors after leaving the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party together Edelman's olive green tuxedo jacket could be seen draped over the Dark Angel star's shoulders as she left the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts As they walked out, Edelman wrapped his arms around the mother-of-three, who officially filed for divorce from Warren after 16 years of marriage on February 7 The Vanity Fair Oscars party guest list also included comedians and other public figures like Kendall Jenner, Margaret Qualley, Sydney Sweeney, Selma Blair and more In the filing, it was noted that the exact nature of their community, quasi-community assets, and separate property and obligations are 'unknown' and 'will be determined.' Her estranged spouse, 46, followed suit immediately as he filed with assistance from attorney Adam Lipsic. Both stars are asking for joint physical and legal custody of their kids Honor, 16, and Haven 13, and Hayes, 7. They both listed their date of separation as December 27. Although there is a huge amount on money at stake, sources told TMZ that the divorce is 'extremely amicable.' In 2016, Forbes estimated Alba's net worth was around $340 million due to the success The Honest Company, which she founded in 2011. Five years later, they retracted the report and said with her '6% stake (including options)' in the brand, she 'would only be worth just under $100 million.' It is unclear if they left in the same car but they were seen waiting outside together This marks the first time Alba was seen with someone new since calling it quits with Warren Last month, with the help of celebrity divorce lawyer Laura Wasser, she filed for divorce without a prenup 'That is far less than the $340 million Forbes estimated she was worth when we estimated her stake to be 20% and put her on our 2016 list of America's most successful self-made women,' the publication explained in their correction. Like his wife, Warren has found success as an entrepreneur after launching his underwear and sock company, Pair of Thieves, valued at around $100 million. In January, a legal expert told DailyMail.com that the couple's split could get 'complicated' as various factors come into play. Alba's money comes not just from her high-profile acting career which includes films such as Into The Blue, Honey and Sin City. But it also is from her success as the founder of Honest Company. The Honest Company, Inc. is a consumer goods company based in Los Angeles and founded by Alba, Christopher Gavigan, and Brian Lee. The company is valued at roughly $640 million. Earlier this week, Edelman was seen giving Gerber a hug and chatting with her for about 20 minutes before saying goodbye after her performance of Evanston Salt Costs Climbing in LA Among their assets is a $10M Beverly Hills mansion that they bought in 2017. DailyMail.com checked in with attorney Yonatan Levoritz, Founder of Levoritz Law Firm, an award-winning New York City-based family law firm, about what the couple may be facing. 'After a 17-year marriage, there may be an award of alimony/maintenance to the non-monied spouse,' said Yonatan. If Alba had a prenup with Warren, the settlement would have been a lot easier. 'One of the most valuable lessons from celebrity divorces is the importance of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements,' the lawyer added. The Sin City star listed 'irreconcilable differences' for the reason of their split, according to legal documents, obtained by DailyMail.com At the event, the comedian, who won a Tony and Emmy Award last year, was also pictured mingling with Olivia Wilde, Nikki Glaser and Renee Rapp Edelman seen posing with Rapp Edelman also chatted inside with Glaser 'These legal agreements can pre-emptively resolve potential disputes by clearly outlining how assets and spousal support will be handled in the event of a divorce. Even for those without substantial wealth, these agreements provide clarity and can prevent costly and time-consuming legal battles. 'In terms of the business, if there is no prenup or postnup then at that point in time, the business will have to be valued and then divided. Most times courts do not like when people continue to share businesses so there will probably be a buyout of the interest.' The value of their massive home in Los Angeles may be an issue and might have to be sold. 'In high-profile divorces, real estate often becomes a major point of contention,' said Levoritz. Alba and Warren were married for almost 17 years (seen together last year at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party) Both stars are asking for joint physical and legal custody of their kids Honor, 16, and Haven 13, and Hayes, 7 (pictured in May 2024) 'Whether it's a luxury penthouse or a sprawling estate, these properties hold both financial and emotional value. Dividing real estate assets requires careful negotiation and a solid understanding of property laws. Anyone going through a divorce should be prepared to address real estate disputes.' Then there is the question of whether spousal support will come up. Calculating spousal support in 'high-asset cases' can be challenging due to the substantial finances involved, the lawyer stated. 'The goal is to balance the lifestyle needs of the children and the spouse with available resources,' Levoritz added. 'A lifestyle analysis, a tool commonly used in celebrity divorces, can be an effective method to assess spending habits and determine fair support payments.' They will also have to work hard to protect the privacy of their three children. There may even be a gag order so neither can talk about the kids. Photos of the children are often seen on Alba's social media accounts. Alba filed with the help of Kim Kardashian 's divorce lawyer, Laura Wasser, and Cash filed immediately after with assistance from attorney Adam Lipsic; seen in September 2024 'Since they have children who are minors, the court will likely allow the custodial parent to remain in the former marital residence,' said Yonatan. 'There is also a significant chance that co-parenting therapists will be assigned to aid in the custody case.' Yonatan finished with: 'Finally, these parties may want to take a low profile, unlike Brad and Angelina. Their high-profile divorce likely added fuel to the flames of the divorce.' In January, the actress took to Instagram with a typed note announced the end of her marriage to Warren. In January, the actress took to Instagram with a typed note announced the end of her marriage to Warren 'I've been on a journey of self realization and transformation for years - both as an individual and in partnership with Cash,' began her message as she did not allow comments. 'I'm proud of how we've grown in our marriage over the last 20 years and it's now time for us to embark on a new chapter of growth and evolution as individuals. 'We are moving forward with love, kindness and respect for each other and will forever be family.' Alba ended with, 'Our children remain our highest priority and we request privacy at this time,' as she added a white heart emoji. Warren met the Dark Angel actress on the set of the Fantastic Four in 2004 and got married in May 2008. Jameela Jamil recently revealed why she refuses to take part in sex scenes after candidly admitting to having been a former internet troll. The British actress, 39, joined David Tennant on his podcast David Tennant Does a Podcast With to discuss her experiences with internet trolling and her passionate mission to promote empathy and civil discourse. And the star admitted she has even lost out on work as she shared her firm stance on never taking part in sex scenes, stating that her contracts specifically forbid them, despite previously considering a career in the porn industry. She told David: 'All my contracts are no sex scenes, very little kissing and I'll only do comedy kissing.' 'I dropped out of two projects this year because they wanted me to be physically intimate with the other person and I was just like, I just can't take myself seriously here. This is too weird. It's ridiculous. I could pretend to kill someone.' David responded: 'Are you sure' as Jameela replied: 'I could pretend to do all, I pretended to fall down a sinkhole, I could do all kinds of things, but I won't do that.' Jameela Jamil has revealed she has lost out on jobs after refusing to film sex scenes and candidly admitted to being a former internet troll (pictured in January) The British actress, 39, joined David Tennant on his podcast to discuss her experiences with internet trolling and her passionate mission to promote empathy and civil discourse The Scottish actor, 53, also asked Jameela how she deals with the downside of fame and the torrents of abuse from trolls. In response, Jameela candidly admitted that she was once a troll herself, without even realising it. She shared: 'I used to be an internet troll, David. I was an internet c**t. I didn't even realise I was, but I was just on the internet just to make fun of people and be mean.' Jameela continued: 'This is at the very beginning of social media and I was s**t shaming and I was a misogynist and I didn't know anything about activism. I didn't know what the word patriarchy was.' 'I didn't know anything because I was just mentally ill and lonely and insane. So I would get online and just be a little b***h.' She went on: 'So I understand the mentality of someone who feels so disempowered in their own life, and they have so much rage pent up and need to go somewhere and they can't for whatever reason express it where they are,' 'So they just think, "Oh, this is all so dehumanised. I'm just going to spur out some s**t online and it's not really going to hurt anyone because it's just words" so I kind of get it so it doesn't really bother me.' Jameela added: 'When I see that I go, you're lonely or you're having a mental health crisis.' She told David: 'All my contracts are no sex scenes, very little kissing and I'll only do comedy kissing' (pictured 2024) In response, Jameela candidly admitted that she was once a troll herself, without even realising it. She shared: 'I used to be an internet troll, David. I was an internet c**t' (pictured 2024) David asked: 'So when you were doing that what changed? Was there a moment when you went hang on?' Jameela then explained: 'Yeah, I had a nervous breakdown and I got therapy and I became a happier person and started living a happier life.' 'Then boom the urge to be a c**t went away but I was one and I own that and I understand it and I'm really glad now, kind of.' Jameela is a British presenter, and activist known for her distinctive voice and passion for social justice. She first gained widespread recognition as the face of the pop culture program T4 on the Beach in 2009. Her career took a significant leap when she transitioned into acting, landing the role of Tahani Al-Jamil on NBC's The Good Place, which cemented her place in Hollywood. Before her acting career, Jameela was already a familiar face in UK television, working as a radio presenter and TV host on Channel 4 and BBC Radio 1. But it wasnt until The Good Place that she gained international fame. In addition to acting, Jameela has become a powerful voice in activism, particularly in the areas of body positivity, mental health, and self-love. David Tennant Does A Podcast With... is available on Spotify now.. Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe was seen giving an obscene onstage rant during his performance on a cruise, just moments before his fiancee plunged to her death from the same ship. Kimberly Burch, 56, fell to her death 'from a room balcony' on the first night of The 80s Cruise on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Explorer of the Seas on Sunday - after an alleged 'heated' argument with the rocker, 60. Around 90 minutes earlier, he and his bandmates performed to a boozy crowd of cruisegoers. Video of that performance showed excited fans taking pictures of the rockers, eagerly singing along with their hands in the air. The rock star, who donned an all-black outfit, black hat, and black sunglasses, appeared to be enjoying the night as the noisy crowd cheered the band on. Right before the horrific incident, Downe was seen performing on the ship, ending his show shouting: 'It's all about the p**** motherf***er!' The circumstances surrounding the tragedy remain unclear. What is known is that Burch fell to her death from the balcony of her eighth floor cabin. Downe, and other cruise ship guests say she jumped. Some witnesses say the pair argued shortly beforehand. Royal Caribbean is yet to confirm that they were heard clashing. A spokesman told DailyMail.com on Tuesday: 'Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort, is working with local authorities, and we are providing support and assistance to the guests family during this difficult time. Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe (pictured) was seen in an obscene on stage rant just moments before his fiancee plunged to her death from a cruise ship on Sunday Kimberly Burch, 56, fell to her death 'from a room balcony' on the first night of The 80s Cruise on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Explorer of the Seas. (Pictured: Burch and Downe) 'To respect the privacy of our guests family, we have no additional details to share.' Kimberly had traveled on the seven day cruise to support Taime, who was performing with the punk band. The cruise departed from Miami and was set to visit Nassau, San Juan, and Labadee. She had been in a relationship with the rocker, 60, for around six years. Her body has not been recovered. Hours before her death she posed up with Downe on the ship and wrote: 'We made it to @the80scruise.' Kimberly's mother Carnell Burch told TMZ Taime had called her on Monday to reveal Kimberly had died and that it is 'still unclear' whether her daughter jumped or accidentally fell from the ship, although she is 'confident Kimberly would not purposefully hurt herself.' Kimberly was drinking on the cruise, Carnell said, which was 'out of character for her' and Carnell claimed her daughter had had an argument with Taime before her death. Carnell added her daughter was not suffering from depression or emotional issues at the time and was excited for the trip, which was in its first day and featured musical acts including Squeeze, Adam Ant, Tiffany and Men at Work. Kimberly is said to have gone overboard on the first day of the cruise around 11pm EST - with a guest claiming on X she had 'jumped from the balcony of her 8th floor room' 80 miles from Miami. They wrote: 'Currently on the #RCL Explorer of the Seas for the #80scruise. Unfortunately, we have a "woman overboard" situation and boats have been deployed. We are currently 80+ miles from Miami at 11pm PST. Not good. 'It looks like the woman "jumped" from the balcony of her 8th floor room after an argument with her partner. This is our 15th cruise, and the first time we've actually experienced this. 'Clearly, the priority is recovering the woman. And the boat has turned around and is at a dead stop. They have deployed boats for the search. Could be a long night.... Right before the horrific incident, Downe was seen performing on the ship, ending his show shouting: 'It's all about the p**** motherf***er! Kimberly (pictured) had traveled on the seven day cruise to support Taime, who was performing with the punk band. The cruise departed from Miami and was set to visit Nassau, San Juan, and Labadee Hours before her death she posed up with Downe on the ship and wrote: 'We made it to @the80scruise' Another guest wrote: 'Person overboard on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas. On the 80s Cruise. Just saw a great show by Squeeze, then it was announced a person is overboard. Ship is stopped and searching. Other nearby ships helping.' A US Coast Guard spokesperson said the incident happened roughly 20 miles from Freeport, Bahamas. The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter crew and other personnel to assist the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in their search - which was later suspended. Kimberly and Taime had been together for around 'five or six years.' A passenger also told THR: 'There was an announcement over the PA saying someone went overboard so the ship was going to stop and turn around to try and locate the person. '[The] ship was stopped for a few hours. Safety boats were deployed with floodlights to illuminate the surrounding area. Another cruise ship nearby had its floodlights on searching as well. My wife spoke with some people on one of the decks saying they heard that it was a woman and it was caught on camera. Cant confirm though. Kimberly was drinking on the cruise, her mother, Carnell Burch said, which was 'out of character for her' and Carnell claimed her daughter had had an argument with Taime before her death Kimberly is said to have gone overboard on the first day of the cruise around 11pm EST - with a guest claiming on X she had 'jumped from the balcony of her 8th floor room' 80 miles from Miami. (Pictured: Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Explorer of the Seas) Kimberly is said to have gone overboard on the first day of the cruise around 11pm EST - with a guest claiming on X she had 'jumped from the balcony of her 8th floor room' 80 miles from Miami Downe, 60, is the lead vocalist of the iconic 80s metal band - pictured 2013 with Xristian Simon, Danny Nordahl, and Ace Von Johnson 'Eventually the ship powered up and off we went. This morning a PA announcement said that the US Coast Guard had taken over the search. We arrived at Nassau, Bahamas a few hours behind schedule. No excursions were canceled. Havent heard anything since.' DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Taime Downe, The 80s Cruise and Royal Caribbean for comment. Glam metal band Faster Pussycat formed in 1985 comprised of Downe, guitarists Greg Steele and Brent Muscat and bassist Kelly Nickels. They forged a successful career over the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling over two million records worldwide They have released four albums, Faster Pussycat (1987), Wake Me When It's Over (1989), Whipped! (1992) and The Power and the Glory Hole (2006). They broke up in 1993, but reformed in 2001. Former drummer Brett Bradshaw died on March 26, 2021, at age 50. Faster Pussycat star Taime Downe shared a heartbreaking final post with his fiancee Kimberly Burch days before she died after falling off a cruise ship. Burch, 56, fell to her death 'from a room balcony' on the first night of The 80s Cruise on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Explorer of the Seas on March 2 - after an alleged 'heated' argument with the rocker, 60. A Royal Caribbean Group spokesman confirmed to DailyMail.com: 'Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort, is working with local authorities, and we are providing support and assistance to the guests family during this difficult time. 'To respect the privacy of our guests family, we have no additional details to share.' Two weeks before Burch's death on February 15, Downe shared a romantic Valentine's Day tribute to his love, saying he was a 'lucky man'. Posing for a loved-up snap, he wrote: 'I had a beautiful #valentinesday with my love and better half @burchkimberly. We ate candy and cupcakes. Im a lucky man!' Faster Pussycat star Taime Downe shared a heartbreaking final post with his fiancee Kimberly Burch days before she died after falling off a cruise ship Burch, 56, fell to her death on the first night of The 80s Cruise on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Explorer of the Seas on March 2 - pictured Burch and Downe hours before her death Burch posted a final selfie from the cruise on March 2 with Downe captioned: 'We made it to @the80scruise.' Kimberly had traveled on the seven day cruise to support Taime, who was performing with the punk band. The cruise departed from Miami and was set to visit Nassau, San Juan, and Labadee. She had been in a relationship with the rocker for around six years. Her body has not been recovered. Taime had called her on Monday to reveal Kimberly had died and that it is 'still unclear' whether her daughter jumped or accidentally fell from the ship, although she is 'confident Kimberly would not purposefully hurt herself.' Kimberly's mother Carnell Burch told TMZ Kimberly was drinking on the cruise, Carnell said, which was 'out of character for her' and Carnell claimed her daughter had had an argument with Taime before her death. Carnell added her daughter was not suffering from depression or emotional issues at the time and was excited for the trip, which was in its first day and featured musical acts including Squeeze, Adam Ant, Tiffany and Men at Work. Kimberly is said to have gone overboard on the first day of the cruise around 11pm PST - with a guest claiming on X she had 'jumped from the balcony of her 8th floor room' 80 miles from Miami. They wrote: 'Currently on the #RCL Explorer of the Seas for the #80scruise. Unfortunately, we have a "woman overboard' situation and boats have been deployed. We are currently 80+ miles from Miami at 11pm PST. Not good. 'It looks like the woman "jumped" from the balcony of her 8th floor room after an argument with her partner. This is our 15th cruise, and the first time we've actually experienced this. Downe reflected on his relationship in a final Instagram post two weeks before the death Kimberly is pictured with Taime and his mother in Seattle 2023 Downe, 60, is the lead vocalist of the iconic 80s metal band - pictured 2013 with Xristian Simon, Danny Nordahl, and Ace Von Johnson Burch, 56, fell to her death shortly after an alleged heated argument with the rocker, 60, during The 80s Cruise on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Explorer of the Seas (pictured) on March 2 'Clearly, the priority is recovering the woman. And the boat has turned around and is at a dead stop. They have deployed boats for the search. Could be a long night.... Another guest wrote: 'Person overboard on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas. On the 80s Cruise. Just saw a great show by Squeeze, then it was announced a person is overboard. Ship is stopped and searching. Other nearby ships helping. She had traveled on the seven day cruise to support Taime, who was performing with the punk band. The cruise departed from Miami and was set to visit Nassau, San Juan, and Labadee Kimberly is said to have gone overboard on the first day of the cruise around 11pm PST - with a guest claiming on X she had 'jumped from the balcony of her 8th floor room' 80 miles from Miami Guests aboard the ship posted messages about the search on X Kimberly and Taime had been together for around 'five or six years' A US Coast Guard spokesperson said the incident happened roughly 20 miles from Freeport, Bahamas. The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter crew and other personnel to assist the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in their search - which was later suspended. Kimberly and Taime had been together for around 'five or six years.' A passenger also told THR: 'There was an announcement over the PA saying someone went overboard so the ship was going to stop and turn around to try and locate the person. '[The] ship was stopped for a few hours. Safety boats were deployed with floodlights to illuminate the surrounding area. Another cruise ship nearby had its floodlights on searching as well. My wife spoke with some people on one of the decks saying they heard that it was a woman and it was caught on camera. Cant confirm though. 'Eventually the ship powered up and off we went. This morning a PA announcement said that the US Coast Guard had taken over the search. We arrived at Nassau, Bahamas a few hours behind schedule. No excursions were canceled. Havent heard anything since.' Kimberly was drinking on the cruise, Carnell said, which was 'out of character for her' DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Taime Downe, The 80s Cruise and Royal Caribbean for comment. Glam metal band Faster Pussycat formed in 1985 comprised of Downe, guitarists Greg Steele and Brent Muscat and bassist Kelly Nickels. They forged a successful career over the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling over two million records worldwide They have released four albums, Faster Pussycat (1987), Wake Me When It's Over (1989), Whipped! (1992) and The Power and the Glory Hole (2006). They broke up in 1993, but reformed in 2001. Former drummer Brett Bradshaw died on March 26, 2021, at age 50. One of ITV's biggest stars has reportedly jumped channels to the BBC, after signing up for the return of Celebrity Apprentice. AJ Odudu is the latest name rumoured to be taking part in the new series, hoping to impress Lord Sugar in the famous boardroom. Best known as the host of ITV's revival of Big Brother and the celebrity spin-off, which returns this spring, AJ reportedly 'jumped' at the chance to take part. She is no stranger to BBC screens, after reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing back in 2021. A source told The Sun: 'AJ is one of TV's most in-demand stars so bosses are thrilled to have her onboard. 'She jumped at the chance to do it and is always up for new challenges. Plus she is a big fan of the show. AJ Odudu has reportedly signed up for the return of Celebrity Apprentice, jumping from ITV to their rivals BBC (pictured last month) The presenter is the latest name rumoured to be taking part in the new series, hoping to impress Lord Sugar in the famous boardroom 'She also has a strong competitive side, as viewers saw by how well she did on Strictly, so expect her to go far in the series.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for AJ Odudu and Celebrity Apprentice for comment. AJ joins JLS star JB Gill as the latest names who have reportedly signed up for celebrity version of The Apprentice, alongside EastEnders' Jake Wood, presenters Robert Rinder and Angela Scanlon and Paralympian Kadeena Cox. Despite not having much business experience, JB has joined the show as part of its 20th anniversary and hopes to impress BBC viewers. A TV insider told The Sun: 'JB certainly isn't afraid of a challenge, in fact he relishes one. And that was pretty obvious from his barnstorming performances on Strictly. 'But at least he had a background in dancing and performing in front of big audiences thanks to being a member of a huge boyband. 'He doesn't have quite the same level of experience when it comes to running a business, but that only makes for more entertaining viewing, which is the whole point of this show.' MailOnline have contacted JB's and the BBC's representatives for comment. Best known as the host of ITV's revival of Big Brother (pictured with co-host Will Best), which returns this spring, AJ reportedly 'jumped' at the chance to take part AJ joins JLS star JB Gill as the latest names who have reportedly signed up for celebrity version of The Apprentice It's the first time spin-off Celebrity Apprentice, which is fronted by Lord Alan Sugar, 77, has been staged in 16 years. Producers of the show are reportedly hoping to sign some big names including Cheryl Tweedy and Piers Morgan, as they have appeared on celebrity spin-offs before. A TV insider told The Sun: 'Execs want to get A-list stars involved for this very special version of The Apprentice, and signing up Piers, in particular, would be TV gold as there's a long-running stand-off between him and Lord Sugar.' 'Few celebrities have been approached yet as the show is still at the early stages and they want to take their time carefully selecting the right mix for the programme.' The celebrity version is likely to go out towards the end of 2025, and the show will reportedly air just before the release of the 20th series. The first episode of the UK's Apprentice, which was hosted by the then Sir Alan Sugar, aired on February 15, 2005, and it was almost an instant hit with viewers. Then came the celebrity spin-offs in 2007, first for Comic Relief, featuring Piers, Cheryl, Maureen Lipman and Karren Brady, who went on to star in the 'civilian' version of the show alongside Lord Sugar. Despite not having much business experience, JB has joined the show as part of it's 20th anniversary and hopes to impress BBC viewers (pictured with Strictly pro Lauren Oakley) In 2008, Sport Relief produced a celebrity spin-off and the lineup included Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross, Michelle Mone, and Patsy Palmer. In the same year ,Piers went on to star in the US version of the show when the now President of the United States, Donald Trump, was fronting the contest. It was also the cementing of a personal relationship between the two men. Meanwhile, the nineteenth series of The Apprentice is currently airing, with Dr Jana Denzel the latest contestant to leave the show. However, rather than be fired, Dr Denzel quit the show after becoming embroiled in an alleged racism row. The Harley Street cosmetic dentist was spoken to by producers for describing a black person as 'coloured' during filming and he then underwent diversity training. Dr Denzel then quit the competition during last Thursday night's episode but he and the BBC both insisted that it was not to do with his 'ill-informed' comment, which was not broadcast. He has now set the record straight as he claimed the real reason he quit the programme was actually because of a 'really hurtful' remark from Lord Alan Sugar. Producers of the show are reportedly hoping to sign some big names including Piers Morgan, as he has appeared on celebrity spin-offs before It was also reported that they are hoping to sign Girls Aloud star Cheryl He said he thought he had performed 'really, really well' until episode four, when the formidable boss said to him: 'You've been really, really quiet since the last few weeks.' Dr Denzel, who is of Sri Lankan heritage, said he was 'hurt' by the remark because he was putting in '100 per cent' and claimed that was what led him to quit the show. 'I've been one of the best performing candidates here for the last few weeks, I've been really giving it 100 per cent and all of myself. But you just say that I've been really, really quiet is really hurtful,' he said. 'That moment onwards, I looked at him and I was like, You know what? Maybe this just isn't a great fit, then, because if I'm positively contributing and giving 100 per cent of myself, and you're saying, ''I'm really, really quiet, and you haven't seen much from me'', then I don't think this is going to work. 'So, I actually made my decision in that boardroom at the end of episode four, and I said to the producers as well, I don't think this is [going to] work or be a great fit for me because I don't like how that was going down.' Grieving family members of Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe's late fiancee are demanding answers from the rocker over her mysterious cruise ship death. Kimberly Burch, 56, died after falling overboard from a private balcony on the first night of a seven-day 80s-themed cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas on Sunday, moments after the band performed for fans. Downe, 60, called Burch's mom to notify her of her daughter's heartbreaking death on Monday - but Burchs sister-in-law, Kellie Burch, told DailyMail.com that the family hasnt heard from him since. We havent spoken to him, said Kellie of Downe. He called my mother-in-law to notify her, but she hasnt had any contact with him since then. None of us have. The circumstances of how Burch came to fall from the ship remain unclear. Both Kellie and Carnell say they don't believe Burch would intentionally harm herself. 'She wouldn't do that,' Kellie said. Its just not her. Kellie declined to comment when asked about the couples relationship history. Kimberly Burch, 56, had traveled on the seven day cruise to support Taime Downe, 60, who was performing with his glam metal band Faster Pussycat Burch is believed to have falled to her death at around 11pm on Sunday - the first night of the cruise Burch, 56, fell shortly after an alleged heated argument with Downe, according to her mom We just want to know what happened, said Kellie. We just want answers. The search to find Burch's body remains ongoing. Burch is believed to have fallen into the water roughly 20 miles off the shore of Freeport, Bahamas, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said. When contacted by DailyMail.com on Tuesday afternoon, Kellie Burch said the Coast Guards search had been temporarily suspended due to bad weather. A grief-stricken Kellie said that adding to the familys anguish is the fact that the family is currently being stonewalled by the Royal Carribean Group. All we want is answers. Weve had absolutely zero contact with the cruise company. Weve emailed, weve called, and nobody has gotten back to us. Kellie said the companys lack of communication is unacceptable. In the meantime, she said all her family can do is pray and continue to support each other until answers are forthcoming. She was the life of the party and the light of the room, added Kellie of Burch. I last heard from her about a week ago [...] she was looking forward to the trip. We are doing as well as we possibly can be while we wait. Royal Carribean Group has been contacted for comment on behalf of the Burch family. In an earlier statement, a company spokesperson said Royal Carribean was providing support and assistance to the guests family during this time. To respect the privacy of our guests family, we have no additional details to share, the company added. Kimberly was drinking on the cruise, her mom said, which was 'out of character for her' One of Burch's last social media posts showed the pair onboard together Burch had embarked on the seven-day nostalgia-themed trip to support Downe, who was due to perform with his famed glam metal band, Faster Pussycat, alongside other iconic 80s acts Squeeze, Adam Ant, and Men at Work. The cruise set sail from Miami on Sunday with scheduled stops in Nassau, San Juan, and Labadee. Burch reportedly went overboard after falling from the balcony in her cabin on the first night of the cruise at around 11 pm. An immediate search and rescue operation was launched by Royal Carribean after Burchs plunge was reported. The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter crew and other personnel to assist the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in their search - which was later suspended. A passenger told The Hollywood Reporter that guests were alerted to the incident over the ship's PA system late on Sunday night, informing them that someone went overboard so the ship was going to stop and turn around to try and locate the person. [The] ship was stopped for a few hours. Safety boats were deployed with floodlights to illuminate the surrounding area. Another cruise ship nearby had its floodlights on, searching as well, said the guest, who asked to remain anonymous. My wife spoke with some people on one of the decks saying they heard that it was a woman and it was caught on camera. Cant confirm, though. 'Eventually, the ship powered up, and off we went. This morning, a PA announcement said that the US Coast Guard had taken over the search. We arrived at Nassau, Bahamas, a few hours behind schedule. No excursions were canceled. Havent heard anything since.' Carnell said her daughter had been with Downe for around five to six years. Burch was drinking on the cruise, Carnell added, which was 'out of character for her. However, Burch was not suffering from depression or any emotional issues at the time and would not have sought to harm herself, Carnell stated. DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Taime Downe, The 80s Cruise and Royal Caribbean for additional comment. Kellie Burch last spoke with her sister-in-law a week ago and said she was excited about the trip Burch's fall came roughly 20 miles off the coast of the Bahamas, a Coast Guard spokesperson said Kimberly and Taime had been together for around 'five or six years' Kimberly is pictured with Taime and his mother in Seattle 2023 Tributes have been flooding in for Burch across social media. 'I am literally numb,' wrote friend Julian Douglas in a heartfelt post. 'I prayed all night, and held out hope friends were wrong about this tragedy, even posting a news article stating a different woman was lost. 'None of that matters now. A friend has lost his fiance [sic], the love of his life, a family has lost someone special, and all her friends have lost someone we cared for deeply. 'I had the honor of knowing Kim for many decades. One of the most beautiful women both inside and out Ive ever met. 'From my first shows back in the day, she always supported me. We did the best prom photo pics by the way. We rocked, we rolled, you made me laugh, now youve made me cry. Ill miss her spirit, Ill miss our late night conversations, I, and so very many will simply miss her. 'As my heart breaks, my deepest thoughts go out to Taime Downe, to Kimberlys family, to all those so close to her, and those who had the chance to just know her. Rest Peacefully my friend, you will always be loved and thank you for being you.' Faster Pussycat formed in 1985 and is comprised of Downe, guitarists Greg Steele and Brent Muscat, and bassist Kelly Nickels. They forged a successful career over the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling over two million records worldwide They have released four albums, Faster Pussycat (1987), Wake Me When It's Over (1989), Whipped! (1992) and The Power and the Glory Hole (2006). They broke up in 1993, but reformed in 2001. Former drummer Brett Bradshaw died on March 26, 2021, at age 50. A Kardashian-Jenner family member got married over the weekend. Khloe Kardashian, Kris Jenner and grandma MJ were all gussied up as they attended the seaside ceremony. The bride was Natalie Zettel, who is the daughter of Kris' late sister Karen Houghton. Her father is Mark Zettel. She wore a white Oscar de la Renta gown with Christian Dior heels as she said 'I do' to Noah Warren. Kris shared several stunning photos from the small weekend wedding in the tony neighborhood of La Jolla near San Diego, California. The momager also shared a warm note for her darling niece. 'Last weekend was a dream in La Jolla, California, celebrating my beautiful niece Natalies wedding!' began the mother of Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, Rob, Kendall and Kylie. 'Such a magical day filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable moments. Congratulations, Natalie and Noah! Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness! @nataliezettel @noah_warren721 Thank you @oscardelarenta for the absolutely GORGEOUS gown!!!!' A Kardashian/Jenner family member got married over the weekend. Khloe Kardashian, Kris Jenner and grandma MJ were all gussied up as they attended the seaside ceremony The bride was Natalie Zettel, who is the daughter of Kris' late sister Karen Houghton. Her father is Mark Zettel Khloe has not yet posted about the nuptials but she did show off her sexy little outfit that she wore to the ceremony. It was a minidress with a fur hem. Natalie wrote a romantic post as she shared photos too. 'It was all a dream the most beautiful, perfect and magical day,' she penned. 'I wouldnt have changed a thing. Leading up to the moment I was excited, anxious, happy, all of the above and right before I walked down the aisle, my mom brought this whole sense of calmness, peace and reassurance and I knew I was ready to marry the love of my life. 'Not to mention it was supposed to rain and mommy brought the perfect weather. Blue skies and turquoise waters. She wore a white Oscar de la Renta gown with Christian Dior heels as she said 'I do' to Noah Warren 'I felt her presence with me the whole time. Everything fell right into place, just the way it was meant to be. I love you, my husband @noah_warren721 & I am SO proud to be your wife!!!!!! 'Thank you @oscardelarenta for making me the most perfect dress. I knew the moment I stepped into it, that it was mine. wedding glow up by @evolveskinspa @shades_tan makeup by @brennaartistry hair by @hairby_helen #mrswarren #warrenwedding2025.' Karen died 'unexpectedly' aged 65 in March 2024. Karen - who famously had a rollercoaster relationship with Kris- was reported deceased to San Diego County officials in San Marcos, California, TMZ reported last year. Kris shared several stunning photos from the small weekend wedding in the tony neighborhood of La Jolla near San Diego, California The momager also shared a warm note for her darling niece. 'Last weekend was a dream in La Jolla, California, celebrating my beautiful niece Natalies wedding!' began the mother of Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, Rob, Kendall and Kylie 'Such a magical day filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable moments. Congratulations, Natalie and Noah! Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness! @nataliezettel @noah_warren721 Thank you @oscardelarenta for the absolutely GORGEOUS gown!!!!' Khloe has not yet posted about the nuptials but she did show off her sexy little outfit that she wore to the ceremony. It was a minidress with a fur hem The Kocktails With Khloe veteran wore her nails long and pale pink She showed off her woven pink purse too as it sat on a Louis Vuitton trunk The exact circumstances of her passing are unclear, with county officials attributing her death to natural causes for now. Karen was Kris' only sister, with the pair growing up in San Diego together raised predominately by mom MJ after her divorce from the pair's father Robert Houghton. Jenner shared snaps with her sister and wrote: 'It is with the heaviest heart and deepest sadness that I share that my sister Karen passed away yesterday unexpectedly. Kris' younger sister Karen died aged 65 in March 2024 Jenner shared snaps with her beloved sister and wrote: 'It is with the heaviest heart and deepest sadness that I share that my sister Karen passed away yesterday unexpectedly' Kris reunited with Karen after a period of estrangement in 2019 - with their meet documented in an Instagram Story posted by Karen's daughter Natalie Zettel - [L-R] Natalie, Karen, Mary Jo Campbell, Kris and Kylie Jenner 'My heart aches for my mom MJ and my niece Natalie and I pray that God guides us all through this difficult time. Karen was beautiful inside and out. She was the sweetest, kindest, the most sensitive and vulnerable and so so funny. 'She always felt grateful and thankful for her life and treasured her family and friends and especially her beautiful daughter. She holds such a huge part of my heart and I cherish every single memory we have together. 'Karens passing is a reminder that life is so short and precious and tomorrow is never promised. We must tell those we cherish how much we love them. I love you my beautiful sister.' Karen is survived by her daughter Natalie, mother MJ, Kris and nieces Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and nephew Rob Kardashian. Kris and Karen had long endured a rollercoaster relationship, oscillating between taking public barbs at one another, to Kris lavishing her little sister with pricey gifts. In 2019 the pair were revealed to have reunited in an Instagram Story posted by Karen's daughter Natalie. The feuding sisters posed smiling with Natalie, her famous cousin Kylie Jenner, and their mother Mary Jo Campbell. Part-time nurse Karen had become known as the black sheep of the family after she candidly opened up outside Kim Kardashian's baby shower in 2013 and even did a jig for waiting reporters. The exact circumstances of her passing are unclear, with county officials attributing her death to natural causes for now Kris shared photos of Karen with her late ex-husband Robert Kardashian and mom MJ Despite signing an NDA for the event, Karen waxed lyrical about eating 'marshmallow on a stick', the rose cake at the event and the goody bag, saying Kim and Kanye West 'gave out Rolexes'. Karen had frequently been outspoken when her sister Kris has riled her. In 2013 Karen claimed that Kris had spent an eye-watering $1million on plastic surgery, which stemmed from being self-conscious about her weight when she was younger. She was heavy as a kid and became worried about her looks at age 15, Karen told In Touch magazine. She added: The whole world knows it Kris is vain. Cops investigating Gene Hackman and his wife's mysterious deaths have admitted to misidentifying the dog that was found deceased along with them in their home. Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, were both found dead in the $3.8 million home in separate rooms by a caretaker around 1.45pm in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday. Police initially said the couple's German Shepherd named Bear was found dead in its kennel inside the home, but the pup was actually alive and healthy at a pet daycare center in Santa Fe along with their other dog Nikita, a seven-year-old Akita-shepherd mix, according to USA Today. The dog that was actually found dead in the home with the couple was Zinna, their 12-year-old reddish Australian Kelpie mixed breed, Sherry Gaber, a friend of the couple, told the outlet. Gaber, an animal chiropractor, was already thrown off by the news of Hackman and Arakawa's deaths, but when she heard about Bear, she couldn't wrap her head around it. Just five months prior, Gaber said she adjusted Bear, who was happy and healthy. 'I cant handle that image,' Gaber said, recalling news of Bear's apparent death. 'Thats why this whole thing is so distressing. It just doesnt add up.' Nikita and Bear are both staying at Santa Fe Tails, a local pet daycare, according to Joey Padilla, the owner of the facility. It is unclear how the deceased dog was misidentified, but a spokeswoman with the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office told the outlet she wasn't aware of the mix-up. Cops admitted to misidentifying the wrong dog who was found dead along with Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa on Wednesday. (Pictured: The couple with their previous dogs in 2005) Police initially said the couple's German Shepherd Bear was found deceased in its kennel inside the home, but the pup was actually alive and healthy at a pet daycare center in Santa Fe along with their other dog Nikita 'Our deputies do not deal with canines on a daily basis and I cannot currently speak to the condition or state of the dogs body upon discovery,' Denise Womack-Avila told the outlet. Gaber said that although she's grateful Bear wasn't the pup that died, 'it's still a tragic story.' 'My body's just shaking right now,' she continued. Hackman was found dead in his mudroom while his wife's lifeless body was discovered in the bathroom by the front door of their home. Two days after the couple were found police announced that they believe the Oscar-winner died on February 17, after finding that was the day his pacemaker stopped recording his heartbeat. Police saw no signs of foul play but are also investigating the deaths as potentially suspicious. The case is shrouded in the kind of intrigue reserved for Hackman's detective thriller novels and has garnered international attention - with many wondering how their deaths went unnoticed for so long. Neighbors in their gated private community off a winding canyon road five miles outside of Santa Fe told The New York Times that despite living with the celebrity couple for years, most of them never even caught a glimpse of them. 'They have a gate, and we have a gate, and we just have never even seen each other,' said James Everett, who has lived part-time in a house next door for about five years. Hackman was found dead in his mudroom while his wife's lifeless body was discovered in the bathroom by the front door of their home Bud Hamilton lived next door to the couple for about two decades, but said he and his wife had dinner with them only once in 20 years. Longtime resident and former president of the homeowner's association, Harvey Chalker, said Arakawa handled their business and met Hackman once when he bought a pair of hiking shoes from his shop. 'He wanted to be quiet, he didn't want to be bothered, and I don't blame him,' Chalker said. Fernando Miranda, a neurologist who has owned a house near the couple since 2018, recalled visiting the neighborhood on February 17 and said it is saddening to know the couple may have died then. 'We all sort of cherish the fact that we are isolated,' he said. Investigators probing their deaths soon found a prescription bottle, surrounded by pills on the countertop in the actor's home. Three medications were removed from the home, including Diltiazem, a blood pressure medication; a thyroid medication, and Tylenol, according to a search warrant. Santa Fe Sheriff Adam Mendoza told the Today Show on Friday that the prescription bottle 'is something of concern.' Mendoza said the medication has been passed onto the medical examiner's office to help them make a cause of death determination. It could be months before the toxicology results come back. 'Were looking at that specifically and other medications, of course, that were possibly in the residence,' he told Today. 'But were hoping [the report] comes sooner than later so we can answer some of these questions and hopefully itll help us in our investigation to help determine the matter and cause of death.' Police do not suspect foul play, despite the front door being found 'ajar.' There were no signs of forced entry into the home. 'I think I'm pretty confident that there is no foul play just based on the lack of evidence,' Mendoza later told Today. 'But, of course, we're not ruling that out.' Suspicions that the couple and their pooch died from a gas leak have been ruled out by the Santa Fe Fire Department, according to Chief Brian Moya. Three medications were removed from the home, including Diltiazem, a blood pressure medication; a thyroid medication, and Tylenol, according to a search warrant. (Pictured: Hackman and Arakawa celebrating the actor's 94th birthday) Officials said that there was no trace of the deadly gas in the bodies of the couple, and that there was still no official cause of death. Friends recently told DailyMail.com that the couple were 'true animal lovers, known for treating their beloved dogs as if they were their own children.' Investigators have not yet determined a cause of death, however, animal advocates who knew the family say Hackman was a 'softy' and he and Betsy were devoted dog owners who 'would never, ever put them in harm's way.' 'Gene was what I would call a confirmed German Shepherd aficionado. I could not imagine him without a Shepherd,' Steff Smith, the founder of the Southwest German Shepherd Society in Phoenix, Arizona told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview. 'He was also a major softy. I recall him shedding tears upon meeting the first dog he adopted from us.' The Traitors star Freddie Fraser was forced to hastily delete an Instagram video, after accidentally flashing his manhood to his followers. The Nottingham University politics student, 20, appeared on the iconic BBC show earlier this year, and quickly won an army of fans as the heartthrob of the series. Since being banished from the castle, Freddie has been building a career as an influencer, and on Tuesday he shared a clip documenting his weekend travelling to London for the BRIT Awards. However, the video received much more attention than Freddie intended, when eagle-eyed fans spotted a revealing shadow in the shower. In the post, Freddie recreated his famous shower scene on The Traitors, but covered up the glass door to preserve his modesty. However, Freddie forgot to cover the door all the way, leaving the shadow of his manhood on full display. The Traitors star Freddie Fraser, 20, was forced to hastily delete an Instagram video, after accidentally flashing his manhood to his followers Since being banished from the castle, Freddie has been building a career as an influencer, and on Tuesday he shared a clip documenting his weekend at the BRIT Awards While a sea of fans were quick to flood the comments section, Freddie hastily took down the post, and after reuploading it, posted on his Stories that it 'deleted itself.' Some fans were quick to poke fun at the blunder, writing: '@freddiefraserr shower scene not long enough this time round;' 'You all missed the original version.' Freddie was banished from The Traitors after several weeks as a Faithful, before a short-lived stint on the villainous side saw his gameplan fall to pieces. He was stunned to learn that his ally Charlotte Berman had 'thrown him under the bus' by trying to murder Leanne Quigley, all the while knowing she was in possession of a shield. In a dramatic roundtable, Leanne was quick to note that Freddie didn't know that she had a shield, immediately causing suspicion that he is a Traitor. Freddie lied that he had known about the shield, insisting the now-banished Traitor Minah Shannon had told him at the bar. However, Francesca Rowan-Plowden was quick to note that Minah had already left the castle by the time they headed to the bar, leaving Freddie's reasoning in tatters. However, the video received much more attention than Freddie intended, when eagle-eyed fans spotted a revealing shadow in the shower While a sea of fans were quick to flood the comments section, Freddie hastily took down the post, and after reuploading it, posted on his Stories that it 'deleted itself' Freddie was banished from The Traitors after several weeks as a Faithful, before a short-lived stint on the villainous side saw his gameplan fall to pieces Viewers were devastated as Freddie received votes from all the remaining Faithfuls, and fellow Traitor Charlotte, meaning he'd been banished. He previously told his friends that he was starting an internship for MI5 last summer. In fact, he was filming with host Claudia Winkleman and his castmates on the set of The Traitors in Scotland. He has yet to see his fellow students since his appearance on the show. Freddie told The Traitors Uncloaked podcast: 'I actually haven't been back to campus since the show aired, I go back in February. I haven't thought about what it's going to be like when I go, people are going to be looking at me.' 'I did not want to be a Traitor in the slightest. I felt sick when she asked me the question. I'm a bad liar anyway... I just thought, 'I just have no clue what I'm doing at all. 'For someone who is only 20 years old, when I had all of these older people voting for me or saying my name, I was like, 'Oh my God.' You feel like you're being attacked almost.' Freddie also disappointed fans when he revealed he had a secret girlfriend after leaving The Traitors. He told Metro: 'She enjoyed the watch for sure. I think she was a bit overwhelmed to begin with, it was quite a lot of attention going on and we're quite young still so it was quite like a scary situation that we haven't been in but she's been really supportive.' BRIT Award winners have been left devastated after they were forced to cancel their UK tour on Tuesday. Flo were set to head out on tour around the country and across Europe but have had to postpone the dates after one member of the band suffered a horror injury. The R&B group had been preparing to hit the road to support their debut album, Access All Areas, which stormed the UK charts last year. The trio, which is made up of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renee Downer, revealed the tour is on hold after sharing an update on Instagram. They wrote: 'It absolutely breaks our hearts that we are going to have to reschedule our UK and European tour. 'Towards the end of our rehearsals, Renee damaged ligaments in her knee, and whilst alongside our team we have tried our best to find a solution, we just aren't able to give you the show we want at this time and a tour that you deserve.' BRIT Award winners Flo have been left devastated after they were forced to cancel their UK tour on Tuesday; pictured L-R Stella Quaresma, Renee Downer and Jorja Douglas Flo were set to head out on tour around the country and across Europe but have had to postpone the dates after one member of the band suffered a horror injury They continued: 'We are so sad and sorry that we won't be seeing you over the next few weeks but we are working on rescheduling these shows ASAP, so please hold onto your tickets as these will be valid for the new date.' Giving up update on Renee's injury, the band added: 'Renee will be recovered in time for the US dates, so they will go ahead as planned. 'UK and Europe, we love you and absolutely can't wait to see you all very soon.' The band had been scheduled to play in Birmingham, London, Manchester and Glasgow but these shows are now all on hold. Flo were set to start their tour on Wednesday, March 5 in Hamburg, Germany before jetting to the Netherlands, France and the UK. Their 27 shows across North America in April and May remain unaffected. Fans quickly took to the comments to wish Renee a 'speedy recovery' while others said they were gutted by the cancelled shows. They wrote: 'I was going to the Glasgow show ohh lord. I had booked a hotel and all. Cancelling everything now; Is there going to be a refund option in case we cant go to the new dates????? The trio, which is made up of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renee Downer, revealed the tour is on hold after sharing an update on Instagram They wrote: 'It absolutely breaks our hearts that we are going to have to reschedule our UK and European tour. Towards the end of our rehearsals, Renee damaged ligaments in her knee' The band had been scheduled to play in Birmingham, London, Manchester and Glasgow but these shows are now all on hold. Their 27 shows across North America in April and May remain unaffected Fans quickly took to the comments to wish Renee a 'speedy recovery' while others said they were gutted by the cancelled shows 'Oh no!! I hope she gets better soon; Was so looking forward to seeing you in Manchester! Wishing you a speedy recovery Renee and see you girls soon; Praying for Renees healthy recovery; Take care and get better soon Renee! Get well soon Renee'. Flo first rose to fame with their hit single Cardboard Box, before they took home the Rising Star gong at the 2023 BRIT Awards. Their debut album, released last November, charted at number three and bagged the group a BRIT nomination this year for Best R&B Act. The group showed off they jaw-dropping figures at the ceremony in figure hugging cut out red outfits. Popular sandwich chain Jimmy John's is giving out $1 million worth of new toasted subs for free. The brand's parent company, Inspire Brands, confirmed that it would give away sandwiches to lucky customers in a press release on Tuesday. The toasted menu additions became available at participating Jimmy John's locations on Monday. 'No one does sandwiches like Jimmy John's, and while we may be fashionably late to the Toasted Sandwich party, we've made sure they're worth the wait,' Chief Brand Marketing Officer of Jimmy John's Darin Dugan said. 'They're everything you love about Jimmy John's, now with a toasty twist.' The chain ultimately chose to add three sandwiches starting at $8.59: Roast Beef & Cheddar, Ultimate Italian, and Chicken Bacon Ranch. Entries are limited to one per person and available for customers logged into the Jimmy John's app or website using the promo code 'TOASTEDTUESDAY.' The sandwiches were selected after Jimmy John's tested various toasted items at more than 200 stores in nearly two years. Jimmy John's is giving away $1 million worth of toasted sandwiches on Tuesday The three new sandwiches are Roast Beef & Cheddar, Ultimate Italian and Chicken Bacon Ranch 'The brand listened to guest feedback along the way and modified the product line up throughout the test in order to develop the best products for national launch,' Jimmy John's said in a statement to USA TODAY. Its Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich contains all-natural chicken with bacon, provolone cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, mayo and ranch. Customers looking to try a beefy sandwich may enjoy the Roast Beef & Cheddar menu addition. The sandwich includes roast beef with bacon, cheddar cheese, horseradish, fried onions, tomato, lettuce, onion, and mayo. Besides the chicken and beef items, fans can try the Ultimate Italian sandwich, which comes with capocollo, salami, ham, bacon, parmesan and provolone cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, mayo, and oregano-basil with a bit of oil and vinegar. Customers can also customize the toasted sandwiches based on their preferences. Besides the new sandwiches and giveaway, Jimmy John's announced its upcoming Toasted Truck. The Toasted Truck will be offering free samples of the new sandwiches to customers in the US this month. The new Roast Beef & Cheddar sandwich is made up of roast beef with bacon, cheddar cheese, horseradish, fried onions, tomato, lettuce, onion, and mayo 'Jimmy John's is excited to announce the long-awaited Toasted Sandwiches, offering a crispy, melty twist to our signature sandwiches,' said Darin Dugan, Chief Brand Marketing Officer of Jimmy John's. 'And to celebrate, were hitting the road with our Toasted Truck bringing toasty goodness to five cities.' The truck will also be selling exclusive Jimmy John's merchandise. The brand announced the Toasted Truck would be an option for customers who 'miss out on Toasted Tuesday.' 'Be sure to catch the Toasted Truck, stocked with free samples and exclusive merchandise, in Chicago on March 15, Lexington on March 20 & 22, Atlanta on March 29-30, Dallas on April 4-5, and Phoenix on April 18-19.' All the new and upcoming deals come after Jimmy John's participation in last year's value meal wars by offering a limited-time $10 Total Package Meal. The sandwich chain was also part of the 2024 pickle craze, which received mixed reviews despite Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi starring in its promo video. There are currently over 2,600 Jimmy John's locations in the US There are currently more than 2,600 Jimmy John's locations in the U.S., according to Inspire Brands. It's the nation's largest owned delivery sandwich brand known for servicing 'kick-a** sandwiches on your terms.' The popular brand has been racking in over $2 billion in system wide sales for several years. DailyMail.com has reached out to Jimmy John's and Inspired Brands for comment. The future of Walgreens is uncertain as the beleaguered company nears a major deal. The struggling pharmacy giant is reportedly nearing a $10 billion deal to sell itself to private equity firm Sycamore Partners, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal. The deal would take the company private and could lead to the dismantling of unprofitable sections of the brand. Sources close to the negotiations told the Journal that an agreement could be announced as early as March 6. Sycamore is expected to pay between $11.30 and $11.40 per share for Walgreens Boots Alliance, a slight premium over Monday's closing price of $10.26. Walgreens shares jumped on March 4 following the report, trading at around $11. Shares of the company, however, are down more than 51 percent over the past year. If the deal goes through, Sycamore is expected to continue operating some Walgreens retail locations while selling or spinning off other business segments. The company has been shutting scores of locations, and CEO Tim Wentworth said in January Walgreens expected to significantly increase the pace of closures and had targeted the next 450 stores, the Journal reported. Walgreens is reportedly in talks to sell the brand - it could lead to major spin-offs Beyond its flagship stores, Walgreens also owns Boots, VillageMD, Duane Reade, and No7 Beauty. The pharmacy chain did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Walgreens has been a fixture of American retail since its founding in 1901. In 2014, it merged with Boots, a U.K.-based pharmacy chain, forming Walgreens Boots Alliance, which now operates around 12,500 locations worldwide. But the companies have encountered serious headwinds as the pharmacy industry undergoes massive disruptions. More customers are turning to online delivery for prescriptions, while Walgreens -where 25 percent of sales come from household essentials and drugstore cosmetics - has struggled to compete on price and convenience. In a bid to turn the company around, it has announced plans to shutter stores from its bloated brick-and-mortar portfolio. Around 1,200 shops are on the chopping block in the next three years. 'Walgreens has been in a tailspin for a long period of time,' retail expert Neil Saunders, of Global Data, previously explained to the Daily Mail. 'Profitability and sales are under pressure, especially on the retail side of the business.' Experts say Walgreens' hasn't invested enough in its retail operations The company also operates a handful of other chains, like New York City-based Duane Reade The retailer has been struck hard by pricing issues, with customers turning to bargain shops Other competitors have also run into some major trouble. CVS has announced plans to close around 900 stores by 2026. Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy in 2023 after the company settled multiple million-dollar lawsuits alleging it over-prescribed addictive opioid drugs. Similarly, Walgreens received a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department in mid-January, alleging the company also contributed to the opioid crisis. Meanwhile, Sycamore has a long history of buying shrinking retailers and breaking them up. The New York-based private equity firm bought Staples in 2017 before chopping up the retailer. It also purchased smoothie chain Playa Bowl in late 2024. India and Belgium on Monday here discussed the possibility of bilateral maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and looked at ways to enhance defence industrial ties. Ways to bolster India-Belgium defence engagement figured prominently at a meeting between Belgium's Princess Astrid and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The two sides also agreed to explore the setting up of an institutionalised defence cooperation mechanism between the two nations. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken was also part of the Belgian delegation. Princess Astrid is leading an Economic Mission to India that comprises top ministers and business leaders. "Both sides discussed the possibility of defence engagements in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in maritime domain," the defence ministry said. It said there were discussions on ways and means to enhance bilateral defence industrial cooperation and that Rajnath Singh welcomed Belgian investments in the defence sector. "He suggested that the Belgian companies could play an important role by expanding their footprint in India and integrating the Indian vendors in their supply chains," the ministry said in a statement. "Further, both countries agreed to explore an institutionalised defence cooperation mechanism," it said. The overall trajectory of India-Belgium ties has witnessed steady expansion in the last few years. The focus of the relations has traditionally been on trade and investment. India is Belgium's 14th largest export destination and the 16th largest importer to Belgium. India is Belgium's seventh largest export destination outside the EU and the sixth largest trade partner outside the EU. Trade in diamonds dominates the bilateral trade. In 2021, the bilateral trade between Belgium and India totalled Euro 12.22 Billion. Belgian imports from India in 2021 totalled Euro 6.07 Billion, while Belgian exports to India were Euro 6.15 Billion. Appeasing someone like Putin is akin to trying to get Hitlers guarantee that he would not invade Poland. Okay, Trump is a businessman and sees every action in monetary terms, but he is flailing around in the dark blinded by dollars. The Ukraine war is not just about money, its about survival, and the fight for its continued existence. Once Ukraine goes, thats it, the door is open for Putin to walk through a Europe where resistance will be minimal. The EU has concentrated for decades on woke indoctrination, which has effectively weakened entire nations to a point of uselessness. As Trump pulls military aid to Ukraine, theres only one real winner here, and thats Russia. Meanwhile, Putin is loving every moment of this, and this Trump move to pause aid is just the thing the Russians need to make further incursions into Ukraine. US military aid to Ukraine was a crucial component in containing Russian aggression, but now that is gone, it looks like the bankrupt and weakened EU and UK will have to somehow try to prop up the beleaguered nation. Putins aim is to destroy Ukraine, take all its resources, then move on to the next target. Slava Ukraine! Fight to the death! BREAKING: President Trump has stopped all military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Zelensky at the White House. The pause wont stop until Trump determines that the Ukrainians show a commitment of good faith peace negotiations. The move comes after Zelensky said that pic.twitter.com/NbYtlGT0qE Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 4, 2025 This shit is getting to the stage of becoming beyond satire, a term we use only on very special occasions. Trump has halted all military aid to Ukraine. While the EU and UK are propping up the Ukrainians in their good fight against the Russian invaders of their country, Trump is now proposing that all economic sanctions on Russia are dropped. Putin is a mass murdering psychopath who should be arrested for war crimes, not lauded and helped by the USA. In this sense, the United States is now allied with Russia by offering Putin economic assistance. The EU is now planning to release 350 billion euros of seized Russian assets to Ukraine, which is obviously exactly opposite to the US position. While Russia is on the brink of economic and military collapse, Trump is the knight in shining armour coming to the rescue of Putin. Whats next, is Trump going to invade the UK and Europe, who are viewed by Trump as aiding and abetting Ukraine? Meanwhile, in the trenches of Ukraine, theyre just going to have to conserve their bullets. Trump is punishing the victims of an aggressive invasion whilst giving aid to the aggressor. Police in Derry are appealing for information to locate the driver of a blue BMW who made off after ramming a police vehicle in the city this morning, Tuesday 4 March. Officers were on patrol in the Creevagh Heights area at around 11.25am when the driver of the BMW reversed out of a driveway at speed, hitting the side of their car. The BMW drove forward before reversing and ramming the police vehicle a second time. As the driver of the BMW made off, it is reported the vehicle almost struck a female pedestrian, who fortunately was not physically injured. As enquiries continue, Inspector Gahan from the Foyleside and Moor Neighbourhood Team is appealing to anyone with information about who owns the vehicle, or who can assist in identifying the driver to get in touch. "This was an appalling incident in which the offending vehicle was used as a weapon against our officers. This was a frightening and distressing experience for our colleagues, both of whom have been left badly shaken and, as a precaution, they will not be continuing with their shifts today. Its completely unacceptable they were targeted in this way," said Inspector Gahan. "The police vehicle sustained damage and will be off the road for repairs, which impacts on the local community. As enquiries continue, I appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time, or who may have information on the whereabouts of the driver or the vehicle, which is likely to have sustained damage, to contact us on 101 quoting reference 518 of 04/03/25." You can also submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Ciaran McQuillan, has welcomed volunteers from Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers (RVAR) to a reception in Cloonavin. With the help of RVAR volunteers, Councils Museum Services were able to reopen Green Lane Museum in April 2023 after having been closed for several years. The museum, located in Roe Valley Country Park in Limavady, has opened every weekend and bank holiday between early April and the end of September, welcoming over 4,500 visitors from across Ireland, the UK and further afield. The volunteers provided visitors with a guided tour of the museum, explaining the history of artefacts. They also organised a range of themed events and activities including arts, crafts and demonstrations. Councillor Ciaran McQuillan, thanked the group saying: I was delighted to host a Mayors reception to thank Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers for the valuable help the members have provided to Councils Museum Services. The volunteers are incredibly dedicated and with an increasing number of visitors to the Causeway Coast and Glens area, they should be recognised and thanked for the important work they have done to keep Green Lane Museum open. Showing their dedication to preserving the museum, group visits were also accommodated, including mid-week, by arrangement with RVAR. Councils Museum Services team supported the volunteers to do this, thereby ensuring the valuable resource was open to the public. Speaking about the support from RVAR volunteers, Joanne Honeyford, Museum Services Community Engagement Officer commented: We are extremely grateful to RVAR for ensuring that such an integral part of Causeway Coast and Glens history can continue. The commitment of volunteers at Green Lane Museum greatly enhanced the visitor experience in the Borough, as without this wonderful community spirt the museum would have remained closed. Elizabeth Ferguson, Director and Founding Member of RVAR added: Green Lane Museum is such an important part of our Borough, keeping the memories of the past alive and allowing the younger generations to learn about the old ways of life. We were delighted to have been able to play our part in keeping the museum open, and I look forward to many more people visiting and enjoying the fantastic facility for many years to come. For more information about the charity and its work, please visit Roe Valley Research. Click NEXT or on the arrows above to see next picture Forty five Apprentices and Trainees from Northern Regional College showcased their talents at the annual inter-campus heats of SkillBuild NI 2025, the UKs largest multi-trade competition for young students and apprentices. Electrical Installation (from left to right): Lewis Armour, Patrick Wallace Principal Lecturer, Traineeships at Northern Regional College, Emeka Onwuka, Lewis Armour and Rachel Dorovatas, Director of Industry Training and Support at CITB NI Governed by the Construction Industry Training Board NI (CITB NI), SkillBuild NI provides a platform for participants to demonstrate their expertise across various construction-related disciplines. The competitions for joinery, carpentry, cabinet making, plumbing, and electrical installation were hosted at the Colleges Newtownabbey campus, while the brickwork competition took place at the Farm Lodge campus in Ballymena. These heats mark the first step for competitors aiming to qualify for the Northern Ireland regional heats at South Eastern Regional College in May, with the potential to reach the UK national finals later in the year. READ NEXT: Up to 40 million pounds investment for Derry and Coleraine David Russell, Curriculum Area Manager for Construction in the Department of Advanced Technologies at Northern Regional College, commended all participants for their dedication and hard work, highlighting the vital role of employer support in the apprentices' development. The SkillBuild NI competition is a fantastic opportunity for apprentices and trainees to put their skills to the test in a competitive environment. We are incredibly proud of our students and their achievements, and we look forward to seeing them progress in their respective fields. Patrick Wallace, Principal Lecturer for Traineeships at Northern Regional College said, This prestigious event not only challenges participants to showcase their technical abilities but also helps them develop confidence, problem-solving skills, and a professional mindset. Competitions like SkillBuild NI play a crucial role in preparing young professionals for successful careers, and we look forward to seeing them continue to grow, refine their craft, and make valuable contributions to their respective industries. Each competitor received a participation certificate, while the top three in each category were awarded Screwfix vouchers in recognition of their achievements. Rachel Dorovatas, Director of Industry Training and Support at CITB NI, praised the high standards of skill and training demonstrated at the event. We are continually impressed by the talent and commitment of the apprentices and trainees in the Inter Campus College Competitions across the college and training network. We congratulate all participants with special recognition given to those who excelled in their respective trade categories. Their exceptional performance may provide an opportunity to further showcase their talents at the upcoming SkillBuild NI Regional Competition, scheduled to take place in Downpatrick this May. Derry and Coleraine are set to receive a funding boost of 20 million each, it has been confirmed. The funding is part of the government's Plan for Neighbourhoods scheme, which aim to tackle deprivation and 'turbocharge growth'. In each area, the government will support the establishment of a new Neighbourhood Board, bringing together residents, local businesses, and grassroots campaigners to draw up and implement a new vision for their neighbourhood. Each board will decide how to spend up to 20 million of funding and support. The governments Plan for Neighbourhoods ultimate aim is to create thriving places, strengthen communities, and empower local people to take back control in towns across the country. By creating thriving places, strengthening communities, and empowering people to take back control areas can drive forward their priorities and the Governments long-term Plan for Change missions: breaking down barriers to opportunity and kickstarting economic growth. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn MP said: I am delighted that the UK Governments Plan for Neighbourhoods will deliver 20m worth of investment each for Coleraine and Derry-Londonderry, providing a hugely welcome boost for those communities. "This Government is committed to supporting growth and public service transformation in Northern Ireland, and through the Budget we are delivering the largest real-terms funding settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution." The annual Legenderry Motor Show, held last September in St Columbs Park has successfully raised an incredible 15,598 in support of kidney patient support charity Kidney Care UK. The show, a much-anticipated annual event, brought, together all types of cars, bikes, vans, tractors and trucks along with trade stands, and automotive enthusiasts from across the region. It continues to have a hugely positive impact on the city, attracting visitors, boosting local businesses, and fostering a strong sense of community. Organisers Richard and Joanne Gillespie extended their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who played a part in making the event such a success. Commenting they said: We want to sincerely thank the marshals, exhibitors, trade stands, volunteers, and every single person who attended, supported, and donated so generously. A special thanks to the Mayor for her presence at the Show and for her ongoing support. The support we receive truly means so much to us and to Kidney Care UK. Each year the Show goes from strength to strength and its wonderful for us to be able to share our passion for all things automotive as we continue to add new and exciting attractions. Practically everything with an engine is welcome at the Show, whether its cars, bikes, vans, tractors, trucks, gliders and the list goes on! This year we reached such a successful total as we also took part in a Legenderry Three Bridges Walk around the city from Altnagelvin Hospital, across the bridges and around the historic walls. The funds raised were recently presented to Kidney Care UK Northern Ireland Ambassador Jo-Anne Dobson at a cheque presentation at Altnagelvin Hospitals dialysis unit, alongside staff who provide essential care and support for kidney patients in the city. Jo-Anne Dobson, who is herself a living kidney donor, also expressed her gratitude: The generosity shown at the Legenderry Motor Show will make a real difference to people living with kidney disease across Northern Ireland. On behalf of the charity, thank you to everyone who helped make this possible and a special word of thanks to kidney recipient Heather Vance who led our dedicated volunteers, many of whom are connected to our local kidney family and I thank them all. At Kidney Care UK we provide dedicated financial and emotional support services, including funding Shared Care nurses and Psychology services at the Renal Units at Altnagelvin and Omagh Hospitals. We also fund the children from across Northern Ireland to attend the Transplant Games. None of this would be possible without the terrific support we receive from the heart of the local community for which we are truly thankful. Looking ahead, Richard and Joanne Gillespie are continuing their fundraising efforts with a Legenderry Stairway to Heaven sponsored walk taking place on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29. This event, which is open to all to take part, aims to raise further funds and awareness for the Legenderry Motor Show and for Kidney Care UK. The full details will be available on the Legenderry Motor Show Facebook page. Sadly following this years show Richards beloved father Graham passed away in November. Graham was very much part of every aspect of every show, he was the Legend in Legenderry. The family have confirmed that the 2025 show scheduled for Sunday, September 28 in St Columbs Park - will take place in his memory. You can find out more information about the show on Facebook at @LegenderryMotorShow and about Kidney Care UK at www.kidneycareuk.org PICTURED ABOVE: Attending the Legenderry Motor Show cheque presentation at Altnagelvin Hospital Renal Unit were staff from Altnagelvin Renal Unit with Jo-Anne Dobson NI Ambassador for Kidney Care UK alongside Legenderry Motor Show organiser Richard Gillespie with his daughter Rachel and kidney recipient Heather Vance. Members of Derry City and Strabane District Councils Governance and Strategic Policy committee have unanimously backed a proposal regarding further allegations against former SDLP councillor Brian Tierney. Cllr Tierney resigned from the SDLP following his provision of a character reference for convicted rapist Kielan Mooney; he currently sits on Council as an independent councillor. Speaking at Tuesday afternoons meeting, Cllr Sandra Duffy (Sinn Fein) said she had been contacted by women in the Council area regarding a recent newspaper article which claimed Cllr Tierney had provided support to a man charged with seven counts of rape. Cllr Duffy said: [The] article accused this councillor of re-traumatising a survivor with his performance at our January Council meeting. This, we all need to agree, is shameful. I would say, coming out of that article, there are a few questions that we as a society need to ask and particularly a few questions the SDLP need to answer. Cllr Duffys motion, which was seconded by Cllr Emma McGinley (Sinn Fein) read: We will write to the SDLP asking the following questions, addressing this letter to party leader Clare Hanna, regarding the article in The Belfast Telegraph from Alison Morris, on March 3, relating to Cllr Tierney. Firstly, when did they first know about this allegation? Who in the SDLP knew about it? What did they do at the time? Did they investigate? Was there action taken? And, why, having known, did they allow Cllr Tierney to embark on a round of media and this council, portraying himself as a victim, someone that had been duped, knowing that he had been accused of this before? Supporting the motion, Cllr Catherine McDaid (SDLP) said she stood in solidarity with every single victim and survivor of any form of abuse. In regards to what the party is doing or anything else, I am happy for the party to speak up and say what has been happening. I havent been involved in any investigation or anything like that because that would happen at a higher level - at senior leadership. I will leave it up to our party to decide how we will approach the proposal but I would imagine we will be supporting it, added Cllr McDaid. Cllr Gary Donnelly (Independent) said answers needed to be supplied on the matter. Cllr Rory Farrell (SDLP) said his understanding of the issue was that Cllr Tierney liked a post on Facebook of a person he knew who died. I have not seen any reference to any reference to be honest but I am happy to support the recommendation and hopefully we will get a fuller response from the party, he added. Also supporting Cllr Duffys motion, Alderman Derek Hussey said he was surprised no-one had suggested referring the matter to the [Standards in Public Office] Commission. Projects to speed up the justice system and support children with special educational needs (SEN) are among those to receive funding as part of a drive to transform public services in Northern Ireland. Finance Minister John ODowd has announced 129 million will be distributed to six projects across a range of Stormont departments. As part of the financial package which led to the restoration of the devolved powersharing institutions last year, 235 million was committed by the UK Government for transformation funding over a five-year period. Reform and transformation of public services was also one of the priorities in the programme for government published this week, Mr ODowd told the Northern Ireland Assembly. He said: As our society changes, we must ensure our public services adapt and evolve to meet the new and changing needs of communities. As an Executive we have been clear that we want to transform the delivery of public services and make life better for the people we serve. The minister announced the first six projects which would be funded by the scheme: 61 million for the Department of Healths Primary Care Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) proposal. MDTs are a partnership between GP federations and health and social care trusts that has introduced new early intervention physiotherapy, social work and mental health roles into general practice to work alongside existing teams. 27.5 million for the Department of Educations Special Educational Needs (SEN) proposal. This proposal will support pilot programmes focused on early intervention. 20.45 million for the joint Department of Justice and Public Prosecution Services proposal on speeding up and transforming the criminal justice system. This proposal aims to reduce delay and maximise efficiencies through the promotion of engagement between the PSNI, prosecution and defence services. It will also target alternative approaches for out of court disposals for lower-level crime, freeing up capacity in courts for more serious cases. 2.19 million for the Department of Justices modernisation of electronic monitoring proposal. The funding will enable the creation of a multi-disciplinary team to examine the technical and policy implications of implementing GPS location monitoring for those on bail or on licence fitted with an electronic tag. 15 million for the Department for Infrastructures urban drainage proposal. This will fund a pilot project to demonstrate the benefits of managing rainwater naturally on the surface, to slow its flow into rivers and piped drainage systems. 3 million for the Department for Infrastructures transforming planning proposal. This will lead to the appointment of independent persons to deliver reports on planning and environmental considerations in major projects. Mr ODowd said that approximately 102.5 million remains for further distribution. He said: While the 235 million in funding will in no way tackle the magnitude of issues at hand, it will be significant in helping to develop and implement a model of delivery, to stimulate the wider transformation of public services. Transformation will take time and this is a step on that journey. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said the task of stabilising and transforming Northern Irelands health and other public services is a priority. He added: This allocation of UK Government funding is a really important step towards this, and in this UK Government, the Executive will always have a partner that is committed to supporting this work every step of the way. I am delighted that Northern Ireland will this year receive its largest real terms financial settlement since devolution, supporting growth and investment. Todays additional funding will go directly towards the transformation of public services, which the people of Northern Ireland want to see. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Subscriber content preview By DIDI TANG and MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press WASHINGTON Chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. plans to invest a $100 billion in the United States, President Donald Trump announced Monday as he appeared with the company's head at the White House. TSMC, the world's biggest semiconductor manufacturer, produces chips for companies including Apple, Intel and Nvidia. The company had already announced plans to invest more than $65 billion in the U.S., including three plants in Arizona after the Biden administration offered billions in subsidies. Its first factory in Arizona has started mass production of its 4-nanometer chips. . . . Subscriber content preview TUMWATER The Commercial Aviation Work Group is scheduled to hold its first public meeting of 2025 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday at the Capital Event Center at 6005 Tyee Dr. S.W. in Tumwater, and online via Zoom. The work group, created last year by the state Legislature, evaluates Washington's long-range commercial aviation and transportation needs, including alternatives for additional aviation capacity and expanding the use of existing airports and multimodal opportunities, according to a press release from the group. . . . Subscriber content preview Photo via SMR Architects [enlarge] The flagship is located at 1118 Fifth Ave. on the corner of Fifth and Seneca. YWCA Seattle, King, Snohomish is celebrating the rehabilitation of its historic flagship building at 1118 Fifth Ave., and will officially reopen the property on Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. . . . Moorehall Lodge Ardee has been commended for its commitment to maintaining a high standard of care and reducing restrictive practices following an unannounced inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). The inspection, which took place on December 2, 2024, assessed the nursing homes compliance with national standards for residential care settings for older people in Ireland. The report highlights that residents at Moorehall Lodge Ardee enjoy a high quality of life, with minimal use of restrictive practices. During the inspection, residents expressed satisfaction with the level of care provided, stating that their rights were respected and that they had freedom of movement. The use of restrictive practices has been significantly reduced, with only one resident using bedrails, while alternatives such as sensor mats have become the preferred option. Residents are free to come and go as long as they alert staff of their plans, with staff facilitating outings and social activities, including regular trips and Christmas shopping excursions. Secure internal courtyards are accessible at all times, providing a safe and welcoming space for both residents and visitors. Visitors are welcomed at Moorehall Lodge Ardee without restrictions, with entry controlled via a front doorbell and sign-in system at reception. Residents also have full access to privacy within their own rooms, which they are encouraged to personalise with their belongings. Each room includes lockable storage to secure valuables, ensuring peace of mind for residents. A diverse range of activities is offered, helping to keep residents engaged and socially active. Many spoke positively about the regular visits from local community groups, including the Legion of Mary and school children who visit weekly. Live music performances, exercise classes, and dog therapy sessions are also scheduled frequently, while religious services are easily accessible both in-house and via live-streamed broadcasts. The centres management team has implemented a self-assessment process to monitor restrictive practices and has established a dedicated restrictive practice committee that meets monthly to assess and further reduce restrictions. A comprehensive restraints policy ensures that any restrictive measures used are proportionate and remain the least restrictive option available. Read Next: PICTURES: This recently converted barn in Louth has hit the market for 900 a month Regular audits and quality improvement plans have been put in place to track restraint use, ensuring that any necessary practices are well-documented and continually reassessed. Staff training has also been a key focus, with employees receiving education on human rights, advocacy, and assisted decision-making to ensure they understand the impact of restrictive practices and how best to support residents autonomy. HIQAs overall judgment found Moorehall Lodge Ardee to be fully compliant with national standards, particularly in the areas of person-centred care, safety, and governance. Residents are well-informed about their rights, with clear access to complaints procedures and advocacy services. Many residents confirmed that they feel supported in their daily choices, including the ability to vote, attend religious services, and maintain personal relationships. 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. All Louth motorists looking to renew their motor insurance, or take out a new motor insurance policy must provide their driver number from the end of the month onwards, the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) has warned. From 31st March 2025 it will be an offence for any insurance provider or broker to issue a motor insurance policy where the driver number has not been supplied. This means that anyone in Louth who does not provide the driver numbers for all named drivers on their respective policy will not be legally able to receive motor insurance. Every motorist has their own unique Driver Number which stays with them for life, regardless of changes to their vehicle, insurance policy and even when they renew their drivers licence. It is listed under section 4(d) of every persons drivers licence. This road safety measure was included in the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 and is aimed at further enhancing road safety. The driver number details for Louth and the rest of the country will be added to the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID), the tool already used by the Gardai to detect and apprehend uninsured drivers. Already An Garda Siochana receive insurance details for more than 3 million vehicles and 5 million drivers which are updated on a daily basis. The addition of the Driver Number will act as a unique identifier for each specific driver. This will provide An Garda Siochana with a more comprehensive insight into any offences individuals may have committed and make it even more difficult for drivers who act illegally on Irish roads to evade detection. The addition of the Driver Number will represent the final data phase of the Irish Motor Insurance Database project, a joint initiative between the Department of Transport, An Garda Siochana, Insurance Ireland, the MIBI and insurance providers. The project was established to help clamp down on the high levels of uninsured driving in the State, with figures from the MIBI showing there were approximately 188,000 uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads in 2022, representing one in every 12 private vehicles. The MIBI is a not for profit organisation that was established to compensate the victims of road traffic accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles. From 31st March onwards this legislative requirement will be a necessity for anyone in Louth who is looking to renew their motor insurance or to take out a new policy, said David Fitzgerald, CEO of the MIBI. For most Louth people this will just mean they will have to take a quick look at their drivers licence and provide the correct number, listed under point 4(d) on their licence as part of their renewal process. If they have additional drivers listed on their policy, then the driver numbers for those individuals will also have to be provided. This is an important measure that will help bring more safety to Irish roads and greater accountability to anyone who breaks the law. Every licensed driver has their own unique driver number which stays with them regardless of the vehicle they are using. This new legal requirement provides An Garda Siochana with a more comprehensive insight into any offences a driver may have committed, making it even more difficult for drivers who act illegally on Irish roads to evade detection. When combined with the impact the database is already making, allowing the Gardai to identify uninsured drivers in seconds, this will further enhance the policing of Irish roads. We all want safer roads in Louth and across this country. This adds another layer of effectiveness to IMID, aiding the battle against illegal driving activity, Mr. Fitzgerald concluded. Further information on Driver Numbers and the new requirements are available on https://www.understandinginsurance.ie/driver-number Louth based Senator Alison Comyn has called for a second railway station to be built in Drogheda in a bid to tackle commuter issues. Senator Comyn informed Minister for Transport Darragh OBrien in the Seanad that the ideal time to construct the tunnel and overpass would be during the third phase of the Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR) Road. The Louth Senator said Droghedas commuters are suffering due to lack of parking at the current station and traffic congestion, and with over 20,000 new residents in the next few years on the northside, planning is needed now to open a new railway station during construction of the third section of road. The ideal location for the northside railway station would be adjacent to the Port Access link road, and with the second phase due to begin, construction of a tunnel and opening of the new rail station would coincide perfectly with the third phase of the PANCR road, explained Senator Comyn. Its location would also assist in routing port traffic and heavy goods vehicles away from the centre of town and would encourage new users to the port facility generating new industry and jobs for the locality. She said the rapid expansion of the town, in particular the volume of housing being constructed close to the Ballymakenny Road, means the infrastructure needs to be planned now, rather than later. A new IDA business park is ready to open close to the link road, Drogheda Utd is planning a state-of-the-art football ground and it would be the ideal place for a much-needed hotel for the Drogheda area, as our largest one is still being used for International Protection Asylum seekers, she added. It could essentially become a transport hub serving thousands of commuters, residents and students across South Louth, Mid Louth and parts of Meath, as well as tourists to Louth and the Boyne Valley area. Senator Comyn met with Brian Hanratty and Kevin Enright of the Commuter North Rail Users Group in Drogheda last week to discuss the possibility and they said they will work closely with rail users to achieve this. It was a very useful meeting, said Mr Hanratty. Alison is well aware of all the key issues relating to the need for Irish Rail to provide rail commuters in Drogheda and East Meath a top class and competitively priced rail service. Mr Enright also endorsed Alisons view that, initially, the Government needs to focus on delivering a new Drogheda North Railway Station, before looking at other stations. This initiative would attract new rail commuters from the north side of Drogheda and key areas of rural Louth, such as Clogherhead; Termonfeckin and Tullyallen while easing traffic and parking congestion at the current station, he added. Senator Comyn also met with CEO of Drogheda and District Chamber Hubert Murphy on the second rail station and he said the underpass at the railway line is vital to complete the road and every option must be considered to make sure its developed. Obviously, the cost will be a factor, but that will have to be met in some way, be it government or private concerns, otherwise the road is useless and unfinished, said Mr Murphy. With the next phase of the road due to start shortly, having a plan in place quickly to progress to a third stage would be hugely beneficial. Louth County Council has announced that An Bord Pleanala has granted planning approval for the Westgate Vision project. The objective of the Westgate Vision is to bring about a positive identity to the west end of Drogheda, to recover the townscape area, and to create a dynamic regeneration for the broader town centre. A spokesperson for the council said: "The approval marks a significant milestone in urban regeneration and public realm enhancement efforts, positioning the project as a catalyst for rejuvenating Drogheda's town centre. "This phase of the Westgate Vision, up to planning consent, was funded as a Category B project by the URDF (Urban Regeneration Development Fund) with matched funding by Louth County Council. "The URDF provides funding for the delivery of key objectives of Project Ireland 2040, and it is expected that future phases of the Westgate Vision project will be eligible for capital funding under future rounds of URDF, channelling investment into Drogheda's core." David Conway, Chief Executive of Louth County Council, welcomed the decision, saying: The approval of planning for the Westgate Vision is a major step forward in our commitment to urban regeneration in County Louth. This project will reimagine and reinvigorate Droghedas historic core, providing enhanced public spaces, better connectivity, and a more vibrant environment for businesses, residents, and visitors. Louth County Council is dedicated to delivering a town centre that reflects the areas rich heritage while supporting future growth. Cllr Kevin Callan, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, added: Drogheda has a unique history and an exciting future, and the Westgate Vision will play a crucial role in shaping the town for generations to come. This project will not only enhance the physical environment but create opportunities for businesses and the wider community. The support from An Bord Pleanala is a clear endorsement of the ambitious vision Louth County Council has for the town. Turley Planning was appointed by Louth County Council to lead the integrated Urban Design Team for Westgate Phase I, collaborating with Arrow Architects to develop design proposals, an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), and a Natura Impact Statement. The approved designs focus on enhancing the public realm in four key areas: Westgate Area : The Westgate area is the entrance gateway from the west into Droghedas Heritage Quarter. The design proposals will reconnect buildings onto the street front and create a strong entry into the Medieval Walled Town area. The proposals include a sequence of public terraces on Georges Street that support commercial activity and reactivate the street frontages , with links connecting to the River Boyne, forming a starting point for a new experience of Droghedas medieval town. Old Abbey Area : Improving connections to the Old Abbey through surrounding streets and lanes, establishing an event space for year-round use. The design approach respects the historical context, clearly distinguishing between new and existing elements to showcase the Old Abbey's heritage. Medieval Town Wall : Connecting Westgate to the River Boyne via a curved walkway, providing a fresh perspective and identity to the historic town wall. Boyne River Front : Reconnecting Drogheda's town centre to the river Boyne, revitalising the riverfront, and creating further value to public spaces and the town centre. Read Next: Macbeth: Shadows of the Supernatural coming to Dundalk's An Tain Paul McMonagle, Associate Director at Turley Planning, commented: "We are delighted to have supported Louth County Council in securing planning permission for these significant public realm regeneration works within the Westgate area of Drogheda. The approval represents a pivotal moment for this transformational project, which is part-funded under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF), a flagship initiative of Project Ireland 2040. Importantly, the Westgate 2040 project has people and places at its heart and will act as a catalyst to support positive regeneration, compact growth, and sustainable development of the area and the wider Drogheda Town Centre." For more details on the Westgate Vision proposals, visit Louth County Council's consultation portal and An Bord Pleanala website. Maxi Zoo, Irelands largest specialty pet retailer, has donated 90,000 worth of pet product to animal charities across the country, including to two charities in Louth. The product includes dog food, cat food and non-food products such as bedding, toys, leashes, collars and puppy pads. All of the organisations in receipt of the stock are voluntary and rely on donations to continue operating. 32 organisations across 17 counties will receive the donation, following a nationwide drive. In Louth, the recipient charities are Louth SPCA and Drogheda Animal Rescue. The LSPCA aims to improve the welfare of all animals both domestic and wild through a range of activities, including inspection of reported cases of cruelty, organising the fostering and rehoming of animals, and provision of education on animal welfare. Drogheda Animal Rescue provides shelter and care to abandoned, strayed, neglected, abused, and injured dogs and cats. All of the animals in care by DAR are neutered before being rehomed, and all potential new homes and owners are vetted to ensure that the animals will be well looked after and cared for by their new owners. It is DARs policy not to put a healthy animal to sleep. Rory Farrell, Head of Sales Maxi Zoo Ireland said, While so many people love and care for their pets, the sad reality is, there are many animals suffering and in need of help. This is why these organisations, that operate on the ground in local areas and in a voluntary capacity, are so vital. Community is really important to us at Maxi Zoo and we are grateful to be in a position to donate this product on such a widespread scale to those that need it." The campaign is one of many ways in which Maxi Zoo Ireland is involved with the welfare of animals. The company donated over 6,500 to the Irish Blue Cross recently, as part of its Together for Pets campaign, while Maxi Zoo also saw its customers granting 2,564 wishes to animal welfare organisations across 17 counties in 2024, through its annual Shelter Wishes campaign. Passing on our Irish language to the next generation is a priority for many adults in Ireland today, whether they have a cupla focal of their own, speak Irish at home, or are entirely new to the language", according to Laureate na nOg, Patricia Forde, as she launched Treoirleabhar Leitheoireachta 2025, an Irish language reading guide for young readers in Louth, ahead of this years Seachtain na Gaeilge. The reading guide is a collaboration between Foras na Gaeilge and Childrens Books Ireland, with the support of Love Leabhar Gaeilge and featured titles range from boardbooks to picturebooks, non-fiction, poetry collections, comics, middle-grade fiction, all the way up to young adult fiction. Copies are available for free to families in 91 participating bookshops and 36 libraries nationwide, including Easons in The Marshes Shopping Centre, Dundalk and Louth Library in Drogheda. The guide is also free to download on www.childrensbooksireland.ie and www.loveleabhargaeilge.ie. Speaking about the reading guide, Ms Forde said: Treoirleabhar Leitheoireachta 2025 is filled with 100 brilliant recommendations, encouraging young readers aged 018 to pick up a book as Gaeilge. "Working with Childrens Books Ireland, in my role as Laureate na nOg, I believe that one of the best places to start when learning a language, is to pick up a book. Within its pages, we can explore new words with the help of illustrations or rhyming text while enjoying the excitement of a brand-new story. These 100 books are the perfect way to make the Irish language accessible, to start or continue a young persons Irish language journey. Elaina Ryan, CEO of Childrens Books Ireland said: In Ireland, we are incredibly fortunate to have such a rich seam of talent in the artists who write and illustrate books for young readers in both our national languages. "As Seachtain na Gaeilge approaches, we have a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and showcase leabhair Ghaeilge for children and young people, from vibrant picturebooks through to graphic novels for teenagers. We hope this selection of 100 great reads acts as a helpful signpost for families and teachers, to guide them on their reading journey. Sean O Coinn, CEO, Foras na Gaeilge said: Foras na Gaeilge is responsible for the promotion of Irish-language publishing and reading in Ireland. Collaborating with Childrens Books Ireland has been such an effective way of amplifying the importance of this new reading guide which features 100 great reads as Gaeilge. "Our shared vision of promoting the breadth of high-quality Irish-language books available for children and young people allows us to come together to showcase an excellent selection of Irish-language writers, translators, publishers and illustrators through these fantastic books. More than a dozen motorists are facing prosecution before the courts arising from the seizure of several vehicles during a major garda operation in Dublin. Highlighting the operation on social media, gardai say they were 'kept busy' while deployed in the Ballymun area of the capital on Monday night. A total of 15 vehicles were seized after multiple offences were detected. "This includes unaccompanied learner drivers, one vehicle that had no tax for over 1,000 days, and several cars that had no tax," read the post on social media which added that court proceedings have been initiated in relation to each of the vehicles. Photographs posted on Facebook and X show a number of cars being removed from the area on a recovery truck, including a Honda, a Nissan and a Volkswagen. READ ALSO: Five men arrested as illegal Irish 'cigarette factory' smoked out and dismantled by gardai The social media posts, which have been viewed thousands of times, have drawn a variety of comments. "Some good catches, Keep them off the road," wrote one person on Facebook while a user on X, formerly Twitters, said: "Over 3 years without tax? Only in Ballymun". A number of social media users criticised Monday's operation saying there are other things they believe that gardai should be focussing on. The recent passing-out parade for the recruits of Cork City Fire Brigade was an emotional affair. Welcoming the probationary firefighters into the Brigade Family, David Spillett, the recently appointed Chief Fire Officer of Cork City Fire Brigade, had an extra reason to feel proud. Not only have these 16 new recruits passed through some of the most rigorous training and testing over the past year to join the ranks of Cork City Fire Brigade. Many, like his youngest brother Peter, are carrying on a family tradition. Their father, Adrian, who retired from the rank of Third Officer in 2013 after 42 years of service, also joined them for the celebrations. The O'Brien family are third generation firefighters, pictured attending the passing out off the newest family recruit, Colin are extended family members Fiona, Aidan, his father Robert, third officer, his Uncle Steven and his mother Linda who holds a photograph of his late grandfather Bob, now deceased, served in the fire brigade for 28 years. Picture Chani Anderson Third Officer, Robert OBrien, too, had much cause for celebration as his son Colin was one of the recruits who passed out in February. He is the third generation from the OBrien family to serve in the fire brigade. My dad joined in the mid-60s, explained Robert, and retired after 28 years of service. I joined in 1992 and was joined by my brother Steven in 1994. Steven has now retired but served for a time in the same unit as his brother. Family is a word that dominates the conversations. Not only is there an invisible familial bond of trust and loyalty among the firefighters. Since its inception in 1877, the roots of inter-generational families are also threaded into the larger support structure of the brigade itself. Spanning several generations, weve had fathers and sons, brothers, from multiple families, working side by side, explains David. Family surnames such as Beecher, Birmingham, Bolster, Brennan, Buckley, Byrne, Cotter, Crean, Cronin, Crowley, Higgins, Hosford, Irwin, Lawton, McCann, McGowan, McSweeney, Murphy, Murtagh, OBrien, OConnell, OConnor, ODonoghue, ORiordan, Poland, Ring, Scannell, Spillett, and Walsh, along with many others who served alongside them, are hugely associated with the brigade. The history of these families is inextricably woven into the very fabric of the history, traditions, and culture of the Cork City Fire Brigade, and by extension, Cork. Kevin Higgins is one such example. The fifth generation of his family to serve in the brigade, on December 11, 1920, the fateful night Cork burned down, both his great-grandfather Martin and great great-grandfather Patrick worked side by side, with their fellow firefighters, in very hostile conditions, to help bring the fire under control and save our city. This deep connection with our heritage promotes our strength, relationships, traditions and history, says David. While he insists that they are just ordinary people, the extraordinary job they do, on a daily basis, is beyond words. Not everyone is cut out for the job, says Adrian Spillett, retired third officer, whose motivation for joining, back in 1970, was his desire to help people. I was always inclined to help people. I saw it as my duty to look out for them. I went to school in Sullivans Quay, just down the road from the fire station, and was also in the civil defence which had an auxiliary fire service. Both sparked an interest in me. David Spillett, Chief of the Cork City Fire Brigade, pictured with his father Adrian (retired third officer after 43 years of service), and his brother Peter who was one of the recruits passing out at the ceremony at Ballincollig Fire Station. Picture Chani Anderson The entrance criteria are so difficult, however, that many dont get in on the first attempt. Davids stand-out childhood memory was of his dad, Adrian, arriving home from a night shift, smelling of smoke, leaving his cap and his boots at the front door, and me excitedly jumping into those boots. My attraction to the job was the pride I had in seeing my dad go out the door in his uniform, doing such a noble job. I wanted to do my bit too, make sure I could help. When he first joined the ranks, 25 years ago, the mantra was to protect life, property and render humanitarian assistance. While the job is constantly evolving, this driving force remains unchanged. The number of actual fires has reduced in that time, David says. However, there has been an increase in the numbers of special services, like river rescues, road traffic accidents and medical assistance. The call rate for our 140-member brigade in 2024 was 3,500. While the improvements in fire standards in buildings has led to a reduction in conventional fires, the risk to the firefighters has increased. We have to be aware of stuff that wasnt an issue a few years ago, explains David. There would have been no such thing as batteries but now houses have e-scooters, e-bikes, lithium batteries, solar panels. All this new technology is leading to an increase in the risk of electrical type incidents and serious fire conditions, including chemical and gas contamination or even potential explosions. Ger Ryan, Third Officer, Robert O'Brien, Third officer, Gerry Myers, Third Officer, Victor Shine, Second Officer, Tadhg O Mahony, Third Officer and David Spillett, Chief of the Cork City Fire Brigade pictured at the passing out ceremony in Ballincollig fire station. Picture Chani Anderson As Third Officer, Robert OBrien has the onerous task of managing incidents on the ground, assessing and controlling the risks, before committing his crew. Health and safety procedures have improved significantly since he joined the brigade 33 years ago, and these are rigorously upheld to ensure the protection of all. In its 148-year history, three people have lost their lives during service, the most recent being Dick Beecher who died on the job, 50 years ago, in Washington Street. I hope none of us will ever have to experience that loss again, adds David. Dad never discussed at home the scenes or emergencies he had attended. Although nowadays we can discuss stories more freely. Corks newest firefighters stand proudly to attention during their passing out ceremony in Ballincollig Fire Station. Picture Chani Anderson This is a bond that is shared with colleagues. We can all relate to some of the incidents that we attended. They affect and shape you as a person. We are blessed to have good support on the job. It is very much teamwork. And the support at home is equally as important. I consider it like an eco-system, insists David. We couldnt do those long, difficult hours at times without such wonderful support at home. Station Officer Brendan Henry with his son Brandon, 4 pictured at the new firefighter passing out ceremony in Ballincollig Fire Station. Picture Chani Anderson An additional challenge in these changing times is the diminishing number of applicants during recent recruitment drives. That is felt across all the emergency services, he says. There was a time when we would have had 2,500 to 3,000 applicants, but there has been a steady downward trend and that is worrying. The most recent recruitment drive saw initial applicants whittled down to the 16 firefighters who passed out last month. It was an extremely proud day for myself and my wife Linda, said Robert. Colin always wanted to be a firefighter and worked so hard to get where he is, even working part-time with Carrigaline fire brigade for a year. Josh Beecher, great grandnephew of the late Dick Beecher was among Corks newest firefighters pictured standing proudly to attention during their passing out ceremony in Ballincollig fire station. Picture Chani Anderson I was also present on their first day, as part of the training team, so it was brilliant to see them as fully fledged firefighters now, he adds. From minor to severe incidents, the team of firefighters pulls together in an unshakeable bond of trust, support, loyalty and family. We are so lucky to have the career and opportunities that are afforded to us in Cork City Fire Brigade, David Spillett concludes. The commonality between us is the shared desire to help people in times of need. A Cork TD has called for the Revenue Commissioners to work closely with social media companies and Coimisiun na Mean to prevent the advertising and sale of illicit tobacco products online. Noel McCarthy, Fine Gael TD for Cork East, accused illegal tobacco vendors of using social media platforms to bypass advertising laws for the illegal sale of their products. We need to see significant engagement from social media companies for better regulation and greater enforcement of these advertising laws, the first-time TD said. Tobacco sellers that are willing to bypass rules on advertising tobacco products, may also be willing to bypass age restrictions for the sale of their products.This is really concerning and needs to be addressed. Mr McCarthy said Ireland had always been to the forefront in the control of tobacco products, and it needed to continue to do so by engaging with social media companies to prevent the advertising of illegal tobacco products. Combatting the effects of marketing tobacco to young people is essential to decrease the numbers of new smokers each year. The sale of these illegal products undermines our public health rules and can put peoples lives at risk, Mr McCarthy said. Responding in the Dail to a parliamentary question from Mr McCarthy, finance minister Paschal Donohoe said that the Revenue Commissioners had not engaged directly with online media platforms in relation to tobacco products being offered for sale online, as it was the role of Coimisiun na Mean to assess if providers of an online platform were meeting their obligations under the Digital Services Act in relation to illegal content. Under the Digital Services Act, online platforms are obliged to remove illegal content once it has been reported to them, Mr Donohoe said. The minister said Coimisiun na Mean could not compel the immediate removal of illegal content, and online content that was believed to be illegal should in the first instance be reported to the social media platform. If the platform does not act on the illegal content, this can then be reported to Coimisiun na Mean, Mr Donohoe said. Mr McCarthy said having more engagement between Revenue, social media companies and Coimisiun na Mean would be an important step towards reducing tobacco consumption in Ireland and supporting public health. Its shocking to see the illegal advertising and sale of tobacco is being allowed on social media platforms, we need to see Revenue, Coimisiuin na Mean, and all social media platforms work together to ensure this kind of content is immediately removed, he said. News that the latest homelessness figures show a record high of 611 adults in emergency accommodation in Cork in January should be a wake-up call for the new Government. The figures in the Department of Housings monthly homelessness report mark a 13% increase over 12 months, and are up 3% on the 591 adults in emergency accommodation in Cork in December. Speaking to The Echo, Paul Sheehan from the Cork Simon Community said the latest figures were very disappointing. Were coming into a new year, and we have over 600 adults with nowhere to call home and very little chance of finding a way out of homelessness very quickly, he said. We have got a new Government in place, and these figures should be a wake-up call to make addressing homelessness their absolute top priority. The homelessness figures show that, in the last week of January, there were 663 adults in emergency accommodation in Cork and Kerry. That represents a 14% increase on the January 2024 figures, when there were 584 adults in emergency accommodation in Cork and Kerry. The region had 96 families with 199 children in emergency accommodation in January. Nationally, homelessness figures hit a record high, with 15,286 people homeless at the end of January 4,603 of them children. Mr Sheehan said Cork Simons emergency shelter on Andersons Quay was currently packed to the rafters, accommodating about 76 people every night. Thats the highest its ever accommodated, he said. Weve just found as many spare places as we possibly can. Its not ideal, its not a place to be stuck long-term, but its certainly a better alternative than the street. But it gives very little scope for people to work on the issues that pushed them into homelessness in the first place, and were just seeing the number of people in long-term homelessness now increase, and theyre at record numbers as well. Reacting to the new data, Thomas Gould, Sinn Fein TD for Cork North-Central, said the figures represented a dark day for the State. There are hundreds... living in hotels and emergency accommodation across Cork and Kerry, he said. Shame on this Government. They are traumatising people, they are stripping them of opportunities and they are offering no solutions. Padraig Rice, Social Democrats TD for Cork South-Central, said the Government must immediately develop a family homelessness strategy and reintroduce a no-fault eviction ban. Homelessness is a human tragedy, he said. It should not be tolerated in any properly functioning society. John Maher, Labour Party councillor for the citys North East ward, said the figures proved the need for a radical reset in housing policy. That means a commitment to large-scale, State-led construction of social and affordable homes on public land, as well as stronger protections for renters to give people security and peace of mind, he said. This article was corrected on March 5. An earlier version stated that Cork and Kerry had 199 families with 96 children in emergency accommodation in January. The mother of a sixth-class pupil in a North Cork primary school has told The Echo how her son has finally been given a secondary school place in a dedicated autism spectrum/multi-disciplinary unit. It comes after the family applied without success to 10 other schools in the region. Odhran OSullivan will be attending Mitchelstown CBS as a first-year pupil next September, and this will entail a 30km journey to and from his home near Buttevant each day. The news comes ahead of a planned protest next weekend at City Hall in Cork which is being organised by the mothers of children with special needs who are seeking a school place in the next school year. The protest takes place on Saturday at 2pm. Dara Neary, the mother of Richie, said yesterday that there were at least 17 such children in Cork without a school place for September. Ms Neary, who hails from Ballygarvan, was present at the sleep-out protest outside the Department of Education last weekend. Odhrans mother, Donna, told The Echo that she had encountered bureaucratic difficulties because her son was outside of the catchment area for a number of schools for which she had applied on his behalf. I had to apply everywhere because this was the advice I was given by the special education needs officers, she explained. They say apply to every unit, and you might be lucky enough to get one. The notification that Odhran had secured a place in Mitchelstown CBS came in mid-February and it was something she hadnt expected. I received an email... to say that Odhran wasnt in the catchment area for the school and he was placed 22nd on the waiting list for a place, but due to other people accepting other places, [and] other pupils going to college, Odhran was offered a place in Mitchelstown CBS, she said. I was super stressed because I dont know anything about Mitchelstown. Its 30km from home and, I suppose, it becomes overwhelming because why cant our son go to a school of our choice just because he was born with additional needs that he had no choice in in the first place? However, Ms OSullivan said she visited the school the following day and described the principal and her colleagues as very accommodating and lovely people and added that she was definitely more at ease after this visit. She described Odhran as on the higher end of the autism spectrum, and as highly intelligent. Ms OSullivan was speaking to The Echo after her sons situation had been raised in the Dail by Cork North-Central Labour Party TD Eoghan Kenny. Mr Kenny said his party had campaigned on an autism guarantee to secure an appropriate school place for every child and develop a fully inclusive model of education. To realise this means better long-term planning, multi-annual funding, and an overhaul of the Epsen [Education for Persons With Special Educational Needs] Act, said Mr Kenny. The mother of Cork woman Olivia Dunlea, who was murdered 12 years ago, has said that the chance for her daughters killer to get parole this year is terrible. Anne Dunlea featured on The Opinion Line with PJ Coogan on Corks 96FM yesterday morning to speak with Mr Coogan ahead of this weeks episode of TG4s true crime docuseries, Maru Inar Measc, which will feature her daughters case. For the Dunlea family, this year not only represents another year without Olivia, but the year that her convicted murderer, Darren Murphy, will be eligible to apply for parole. Speaking on this possibility, Anne Dunlea said: It gets harder every year, theres nothing easy about it. Its like being at trial again. Its terrible to think that he could get parole. Im hoping he wont, but we have to be practical and think what if. Im not prepared for that Im hoping that our voices will be heard. Its very hard to get justice in this country. To me, life [in prison] is life [in prison]. Why should he be left out? What about my poor child? Were never going to see her again. She added: I dont want to meet that murderer coming down the road. Its heartbreaking seeing her poor children now growing up without her. It doesnt get any easier; and the longer its going on, the worse it gets. Shes never going to come back to us, and thats the worst part of it. Episode three of Maru Inar Measc explores the murder of Olivia Dunlea, a 36-year-old playschool teacher and mother of three. Olivia was found dead in her home, having suffered six stab wounds, after reports of a fire at her residence in Passage West on February 17, 2013. The episode will air on TG4 tomorrow at 9.30pm, and will feature interviews with Olivias family, including her daughter Megan, who will be speaking about the death for the first time. A noticeable increase in the number of both assistance dogs and guide dogs accompanying guests and visitors has prompted the management of one of Corks top hotels to announce a charity partnership with the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. Among the measures being implemented at Rochestown Park Hotel as part of the deal is a display in its main reception area illustrating what guide and assistance dogs look like in their working jackets. The signs will also advise that the dogs should not be petted, fed, or distracted while they are working. It is also planned to offer in-house training to key staff members who will be advocating for the charitys strategy to raise awareness for accessibility, and some workers will be taking up roles as puppy raisers or helping by caring for dogs in their advanced training. At the official launch of the partnership, the hotels sales and marketing manager, Steve Cox, said there had been a noticeable increase in the number of assistance dogs and guide dogs accompanying guests and visitors in the hotel. We know that before launching our pilot hospitality sector autism awareness programme in 2022, many guests and diners in the hotel, and indeed many team members, were unfamiliar with how to behave around service dogs, said Mr Cox. By investing our time in raising awareness, we know we have contributed in a very significant way to creating better experiences for children, individuals, and families. The hotel has a very long tradition of community engagement, which fits perfectly with the grassroots approach that the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is so well known for. Therefore, we believe that now is an ideal time for us to broaden our awareness-raising activities for the benefit of a wider community to include those who are vision-impaired, and the families of children with autism. Tim OMahony, chief executive of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, expressed his thanks to the hotel and all of its employees. Their dedication to ensuring that our clients can fully enjoy the hotels amenities in comfort and safety is truly commendable, he added. Councillors have continued to query the funding of the restoration of the Firemans Rest, the price of which has risen to 361,446. A breakdown provided by the council to Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould last week described the project as fully funded by Cork City Council, and included 143,750 spent on metalwork repair restoration and recasting, as well as 4,600 for scaffolding, and 908 for photography. This prompted concerns about the councils priorities in terms of budgeting, but Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy explained that the money used for the hut had to be used for restoration. We were informed that commemoration grant money from central government was built up over several years and put aside, he said. A Cork City Council spokesperson told The Echo: The refurbishment of the Firemans Rest necessitated a standard of conservation craftmanship that most general construction contractors do not possess. The project was based upon a competitively tendered works package and involved the careful, skilled dismantling of the existing structure, transport for stripping, blasting and casting of new panels, extensive repair of cracked cast iron panels, working with wrought iron, lead roofing, and stonemasonry to the new cut limestone plinth to replicate the initial scheme. The refurbishment is now complete, and it will be opened up to the public during scheduled events. Interpretation panels will be installed at a later point. A revenue provision was made in council budgets over a number of years to fund commemorations programme activity. Successful funding applications for central funding enabled the council to set aside monies from this provision that created a fund which was then used for this project when the Decade of Commemorations concluded. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, which provided the commemoration grants, told The Echo it can confirm that no funding from its Decade of Centenaries programme allocation went to support works to the Firemans Rest in Cork city. However, a spokesperson explained: Each year during the Decade of Centenaries programme, the minister approved a funding allocation to each local authority to develop commemorative programmes, specific to their locality, to mark the often sensitive and complex events of the period 1912-1923. All initiatives funded through this allocation were required to be in keeping with the principles of commemorations established by the expert advisory group (EAG) on centenary commemorations. The decisions regarding the inclusion of initiatives within a local authoritys programme were a matter for the individual local authorities, who the EAG recognised were best-placed to decide what was appropriate for their communities guided by their local knowledge and expertise. Many local authorities, understanding the real interest and engagement from their communities, chose to supplement this allocation from their own resources and fund additional projects relevant to the themes and events of the programme. These projects, including the Firemans Rest, were a matter for the local authority and did not receive support from the department. Labour Party councillor Peter Horgan, who was not yet a member of the council at the time the restoration was signed off on, said: I reiterate that answers are needed on this large spend. It needs to be explained on who signed off the final spend, who wanted this project, and who [were] the cheerleaders for it. It is an obscene amount of money when I have projects such as additional playgrounds and public toilets being squeezed into either-or situations. A student in bed with three others after a night out reached over and sexually assaulted another student as she slept, and today he appealed the severity of a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence but his appeal was dismissed. Barrister Neal Horgan for the accused submitted to the Court of Criminal Appeal sitting in Cork that the headline sentence of five years was too high, and that the reduction of it to four and a half years with the last year suspended took insufficient account of mitigating factors. Mr Horgan stressed that the sentenced man had no previous convictions, was of previous good character, was relatively young and was highly qualified and had lost a lot of career opportunity as a result. During the submissions, one of the three judges Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said in respect of the latter point: It may be that there are adverse consequences to people committing crimes but I dont think that is your best point. Paula McCarthy barrister for the prosecution said: This young lady was out socialising with friends and returned to the house where she was residing and had a right to feel safe. When asleep he reached over another man to digitally penetrate her. He was asked by his brother to stop but he continued. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, who considered the appeal with Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, said that the judges might each have imposed a different sentence to Judge Helen Boyle at Cork Circuit Court, whether that would be higher or lower than what was imposed. But Judge Boyle heard this trial over four days and she had the complete picture. We do not think there was an error in principle arriving at the headline sentence of five years and the (sentence reached). We take the view there was no error in principle in this case. We are in agreement the judge acted within her margin of discretion so we dismiss this appeal, Judge McCarthy said. In her victim impact statement, the young woman said: It was one of the worst things I have ever experienced I am still struggling to get back to myself. The days immediately after were horrendous. I learned an unfortunate but valuable lesson that night even in familiar surroundings with friends there is always a possibility that someone else could violate your safety. The man who was convicted of the sexual assault had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury. He had no previous convictions of any kind. The parties cannot be named for legal reasons. The victim said she was very good friends with the man who was beside her in the bed and that the other two students in the bed were with him. The young woman testified that she was out drinking with friends in Cork city on the night in question and that she was drunk and could not remember anything from the moment they left the pub to the moment when she woke to find the accused putting his fingers in her vagina. She said she was on one side of the bed, her friend was on the other side of her and that the man who sexually assaulted her was reaching over her friend to carry out the assault. The accused said that the young woman consented to the sexual contact and had been sucking his fingers before the disputed incident occurred. She said she was asleep and could not have consented. Detective Garda Kevin Hastings of the Garda Protective Services Unit said the parties had been out socialising together and returned to a house in Cork where all four ended up in the one bed. Mallow General Hospital is to be home to an obesity unit, as opening the second half of a wing at the North Cork hospital is among the HSEs priorities for the year. Cork North Central Labour TD Eoghan Kenny recently asked Taoiseach Micheal Martin about plans to open the remaining floors of the new wing of the hospital. He said: A unit with 48 single beds opened in Mallow General Hospital. Two floors of the four-floor unit are still not open. I asked the Taoiseach to look at the feasibility of opening them. Mr Martin told him: There has been a lot of investment in Mallow hospital over the last number of years, to be fair... we will certainly follow through on the opening of the two floors that are not open. There was initially a plan to open one floor as a rehabilitation centre, for physical recovery from injuries, similar to the facility in Dun Laoghaire, but this idea was shelved. Noel OConnor, treasurer of the Friends of Mallow Hospital, told The Echo: What we would like to see is the hospital used for more elective procedures and short stays, two to three days. CUH is very clogged up. I believe that the new minister for health will be visiting the hospital and all other Cork hospitals in the coming months, and I am sure by that time we will have a clearer vision for the future of the hospital. Mr Kenny told The Echo: Having asked the Taoiseach about the newly-built wing of Mallow General Hospital, I welcome the Taoiseachs commitment to follow through [with] the opening of all floors of the new wing of Mallow General Hospital. Mallow General Hospital, he said, provides fantastic services for the people of the Munster region. Mr Kenny said it was important that services are maintained and upgraded, adding that he would be contacting the HSE to seek a timeline on when the remaining floors of the new wing of the hospital are to be opened. Colm Burke, Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central, said that the current plan for the first and ground floors are an outpatient and obesity unit, which are to be rolled out over an 18-month period. We built a four-storey unit during covid, which was a challenging time, stating the need for the remaining two floors to now open up. What everyones looking for at this stage is up-to-date facilities to give support to patients and to staff, who are very dedicated and committed. A spokesperson for the hospital confirmed: The HSE Capital Plan for 2025 is to deliver an additional 24 inpatient beds on one floor at Mallow General Hospital and a new outpatient department incorporating an obesity service on the other floor. The spokesperson did not respond to a request for a timeline on the work. Drugs were thrown over the wall of Cork Prison at Rathmore Road in what was described as an inept and easily detectable crime, as sentencing of the culprit was adjourned until June for that and other crimes. Sergeant John Kelleher outlined the background to the crimes committed by 31-year-old Dean Cremin of Inchera Close, Mahon, Cork. He explained: On May 2, 2021, Garda Niamh Crowley attended a call where prison personnel observed a man throw a number of objects over the prison wall from Rathmore Rd. These items were retrieved by a prison officer. She handed over an evidence bag sealed with 67 unknown tablets and a small quantity of cannabis. The person who threw the objects was identified as Dean Cremin. He made admissions when questioned by gardai. The tablets were identified as Delorazepam and cannabis. Cremin had more than 100 previous convictions, including four for possession of drugs and one for having them for sale or supply. Pleaded guilty He also pleaded guilty to shoplifting at JJ ODriscolls, Ballinlough on July 31, 2023. And in a third incident on June 18, 2023, there was an incident where he was threatening towards another man. Defence solicitor Frank Buttimer said: There was no reason for the argument to occur. He was in the throes of heroin addiction. He was not able to control his temper, as much as anything else. In relation to the drugs at the prison, it was an inept effort to do what he did. He was manifestly, easily identified. "He was interviewed and he outlined the circumstances where he was somewhat prevailed upon he put the effort he made in a particular context, I dont want to go into it. He was concerned about something that might happen [if he did not agree to supply the drugs in this manner], Mr Buttimer said. Judge Mary Dorgan said she would adjourn the sentencing of Cremin on the various matters until June 16 to see if he stays out of trouble and to do three supervised urinalysis tests in the meantime. Over the weekend, I watched a sweet Ukrainian boy blow out the ten candles on his birthday cake. Closing his eyes, he took a minute to make his birthday wish. Around the table we all silently guessed, and willed, his wish to come true. No-one asked, but we were all pretty sure he wished to see his father who he hasnt seen for two birthdays now. This boy is growing up fast, like all children do. He is growing up in precarious hotel accommodation with his mother and grandmother in a country 3,000km from home. Five accommodation centres and two schools in 17 months. Uncertainty, insecurity, separation - all taking a toll. The family are grateful to be safe in Ireland rather than living on the eastern flank of Ukraine - 59 people were killed and 328 people were injured in an airstrike in their city a few months ago. There, children spend much of their school days doing their lessons in air raid bunkers. Happy childhoods are incompatible with war. If this gentle boy had wished for something attainable like a new bike or computer game, we could make it come true, but the idea of reunification with his father and home-place seems like a far-off dream. This felt even more impossible the day after President Trump clashed with President Zelensky in the Oval Office in a room of supposed grown-ups. Trump called it good television; I watched it through my fingers in horror. I watched, hoping that someone would pipe up, saying: Go easy on the man. Hes in the middle of fighting a war. Forgive him for not trusting a possible ceasefire agreement with Putin, the man responsible for the deaths of 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 12,000 civilians. He doesnt want to surrender half his countrys mineral wealth to help build your electric cars, only for Russia to roll back across the border next year. But no, no-one spoke up. There wasnt a shred of empathy or humanity in the room. The men in suits harangued the man not wearing a suit, pointing fingers, demanding gratitude. The American people have been strong supporters of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, but the Trump administration has done nothing for Zelensky to be thankful for. Unbelievably, one of the first questions to Zelensky from a member of the press corps asked why he wasnt wearing a suit at the White House - this from a nation whose people visit the wonders of the world wearing oversized t-shirts, sweat pants, and box bright white trainers. Zelensky doesnt wear a suit because he is in the middle of a war (see above!) and has more to be doing than thinking of what shade of tie he should wear for his next political engagement where he pleads for the continued existence of his nation and people. He has worn this black jumper, trouser and boots combo throughout the ongoing war as a show of solidarity with his soldiers who have risked their lives on the frontline. Many privileged individuals use their status for positive leadership, but despite Trumps silver spoon upbringing, his version of privilege relies on dominance and aggression. Trumps style of diplomacy has all the hallmarks of a bully. Coercion, intimidation and low impulse control. Give me half your rare earth minerals, or else. If he was a primary school child, wed be having words with his parents, but at 78 years of age he is beyond repair. Damage control is the only approach. They say dont give a bully the satisfaction of an emotional response. You are supposed to shrug their assault off because to react is to feed their hunger for making other people feel worse than they do. Avoid emotional escalation. But, man, Im so tired of aggressive men disrupting the lives of millions with impunity. Watching the Oval Office display of public humiliation, I got the mammy rage that rises when you are sick of listening to the incessant squabbling of boys and want to bang their heads off each other to knock some sense into them. Re-watching Trump and JD Vance squandering their privileged power, using it to bully a wartime leader like Zelensky, I thought about the children in places like Ukraine, Gaza and Congo making their birthday wishes, waiting for selfish men to decide what happens next. Children whose desires arent for toys or games, but for safety, for family, for normality. In gilded rooms, men debate borders and minerals, strategy and supremacy, while the children they displace blow out candles in borrowed or blown-up homes, longing for parents they havent seen in years, or will never see again. If only the ones pulling the strings could sit at that birthday table and really feel, even for a moment, what its like to wish for something as simple - and as unreachable - as home. Trump says 25 pct tariffs on Mexico, Canada to take effect "tomorrow" Xinhua) 08:11, March 04, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, Feb. 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) On Feb. 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with a 10 percent tariff increase specifically for Canadian energy products. WASHINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday, March 4. "Very importantly, tomorrow, tariffs, 25 percent on Canada and 25 percent on Mexico, and that'll start," Trump told reporters at the White House. "What they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs," Trump said. Trump also reiterated that the reciprocal tariffs will start on April 2. On Feb. 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with a 10 percent tariff increase specifically for Canadian energy products. On Feb. 3, Trump announced that the additional tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada would be deferred for one month, allowing more time for negotiations. According to this decision, the relevant tariff measures are set to take effect on March 4. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) 'Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou' usher in new era of technological innovation 14:11, March 04, 2025 By Shen Mengzhe ( People's Daily At a Beijing symposium on private sector dynamism in mid-February, two figures symbolised China's shifting entrepreneurial landscape: Wang Xingxing of Unitree Robotics and Liang Wenfeng of DeepSeek. Born in 1990 and 1985 respectively, these founders epitomise a new wave of Chinese innovators reshaping emerging industries through boundary-pushing technologies. Their companies anchor an ambitious cluster in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, alongside peers like Game Science, BrainCo, Manycore Tech, and DEEP Robotics. Dubbed the "Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou" by online communities, this coalition has transformed the historic city into an innovation hub. Photo shows the West Lake in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (People's Daily Online/Long Wei) Since the beginning of this year, from Unitree Robotics' humanoid robots performance becoming a hot topic at the Spring Festival Gala to DeepSeek's AI large model capturing global attention, a wave of phenomenal innovations has thrust the name of the "Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou" into the global spotlight. The phenomenon has prompted rigorous analysis among municipal governments in China. Some cities have begun reflecting on why such companies did not emerge locally, leading to deep introspection on factors such as business environment, talent support, innovation investment, and government guidance. With cutting-edge products and thought-provoking questions, this wave of innovation can aptly be called the "Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou" phenomenon. At its core, the phenomenon underscores China's capacity to cultivate world-leading enterprises at technology's cutting edge. The cohort spans disciplines from artificial intelligence to neurotechnology and cloud-native systems engineering, with members advancing existing paradigms while charting unexplored scientific frontiers. Amidst patent thickets and technological chokepoints, the ascent of these enterprises reaffirms China's capacity to surmount developmental constraints through autonomous innovation. The "Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou" phenomenon further illuminates the prodigious dynamism latent within China's vast domestic ecosystem. These ventures epitomize a vanguard of agile private-sector innovatorsyouth-led teams who forged operational frameworks during metro commutes and prototyped systems amidst urban bustle, with their digital architecture rising through coded logic and algorithmic frameworks. Photo shows the Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (Photo from Qianjiang Evening News) China's industrial foundations have been forged through multigenerational endeavor, and its future horizons now beckon with equal intensity of purpose. The "Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou" phenomenon also sends a clear message to the world: China is committed to running its own affairs well and benefiting humanity as a whole. DeepSeek's open-source AI models lower the barriers to AI applications; Unitree Robotics reshapes robotics economics by challenging cost-prohibitive market structures; and BrainCo pioneers neural interface breakthroughs with cross-border humanitarian implications. These enterprises collectively embody China's vision for "technological egalitarianism" - positioning emerging innovations as universal assets within humanity's intellectual commons. Amid global economic stagnation and fractious geopolitics, China's paradigm answers the critical dichotomy: Should nations pursue decoupling and severing supply chains or collaborative technological leaps? The "Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou" phenomenon offers inspiration for global development: Humanity does not need short-sighted speculation or fleeting stimulation, but long-term vision, perseverance and the courage to push boundaries. The future of humanity does not lie in isolation behind closed doors or in building a "small yard with high fences," but in the commitment to standing firm at the forefront and the audacity to pioneer new paths. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) March 4, 2025: Since late 2024 there have been several underwater cables cut in the Baltic Sea. The cable tampered with included one for power, one for data and one for natural gas. The damage was done using anchors dragged long distances across the seabed. The common factor in all this is Russia and its oil smuggling operation. The economic sanctions on Russia because of the Ukraine War have made Russia desperate and vindictive. Russia has a fleet of tankers that operate in the shadows to smuggle Russian oil. The more the Russians carry out these acts, the more the sanctions are increased. Russia is not the first nation to attack via the hundreds of underwater cable networks around the world. In 2009 the U.S. Navy found itself defending underwater Internet cables. That's where most of the planet's Internet traffic spends most of its time, as it travels from continent to continent via fiber-optic cables. The navy proposed to undertake more aggressive operations to prevent terrorists, or hostile nations, from trying to cut these cables. In 2005, the navy began discussing missions that were long known but not admitted. There were the Cold War missions to tap into Russian undersea communications cables. For all we know, American subs are still doing this. It's not the sort of thing you publicize. Over the last fifty years the navy has acquired a lot of secret experience, and specialized equipment for these missions. Then the navy offered to use some of this knowledge to help guard those fiber-optic cable networks. The navy has a lot of specialized equipment for this, including both submarines modified to do so and a very expensive Seawolf class sub built specifically for such missions. Then there is the undersea passive sonar system. During the Cold War, there were several networks of these underwater listening devices, which could detect ships and subs over a thousand kilometers away. The U.S. still maintains a lead in that kind of technology, as well as other techniques for tracking underwater traffic. While it's possible for a hostile party to cut underwater data cables, it's even more likely to happen by accident. There have been several cables cut by ship anchors in the last decade. Then there are natural disasters like undersea landslides and earthquakes. While the navy can't do much about accidents, they can, in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard keep track of a lot of the merchant and military ships on the world's oceans. If the navy has a plan for Internet defense at sea, much of it will involve secret projects. You won't hear much about it until it's all over. American submarines have tapped into those undersea cables several times. These fiber optic cables moved enormous amounts of data, with five gigabytes a second being a common throughput. To give you a sense of what that means, consider that iPods have over a hundred gigabytes of storage. A fiber optic cable can fill up a 60 gigabyte drive in 12 seconds. It can fill 300 of those drives in an hour, 7200 in a day, and 216,000 in a month. U.S. Navy submarines equipped to tap into fiber optic cables, cant hold enough hard drives or tape drives to hold more than a week or so worth of data. The problem is no longer one of grabbing the data, but of quickly finding what you need. The cable tapping subs were equipped with a powerful computer system that could process data as it was collected. These submarines also contain an underwater joining room for splicing and tapping into, fiber optic cable. This is a very tricky task, considering the high voltage running through the cable, and the need to tap in without interrupting service, and alerting the cable operator. Another factor is all this is that some 90 percent of transoceanic fiber optic cables eventually cross American or British territory. So getting into the cable is not impossible, but is kept very secret as is any news about the software, and other technology, that would be used to scan the data stream coming through the fiber optic cable. But that raises another question. How long are you going to park the sub over that tap in order to filter its throughput? The solution is to have most of the taps being made on land, or close to land so another cable can be run to a land station containing computer equipment to handle the filtering. The Americans subs involved concentrate on undersea fiber optic cables out there that dont cross friendly territory. Whatever these operations actually involve, it will be decades before the general public knows the details of what is inside that sub, and what exactly it does. By Cillian Sherlock and Cate McCurry, PA The US decision to suspend delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv is a serious setback towards achieving peace, the Taoiseach has said. The White House decision to review its assistance comes after a row between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy and US president Donald Trump in the Oval Office last Friday. Meanwhile, ties between the European Union and the US appeared under strain after Mr Trump said security guarantees for Ukraine will be left to Europe. Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who is due to meet Mr Trump in Washington DC next week, said on Tuesday: Its a very serious development, theres no point in saying anything else. He said there needs to be continued engagement between EU leaders and the US to do everything possible for a peace that protects Ukrainian sovereignty and its territorial integrity. US president Donald Trump and British prime minister Keir Starmer. Photo: Carl Court/PA He added: It will not be easy. Its been three years on now, this war, it has exacted a very heavy toll on a lot of people, and particularly on the people of Ukraine, who have shown extraordinary resilience, extraordinary courage in terms of meeting an illegal invasion. Europe is very conscious, also, of the fact that there are many other states across Europe who fear Russian aggression and Russian ambition, and those countries see this as an existential threat to their sovereignty. The European Union is very, very conscious of that, and that is what is motivating the European Union in its continued strong support of Ukraine, because this is a broader European issue. The matter is also expected to form part of Mr Martins forthcoming bilateral with British prime minister Keir Starmer. Mr Martin told reporters that Tuesdays Cabinet meeting in Dublin will sign off on an additional 100 million in aid for Ukraine which had been signalled to Mr Zelenskiy when the two leaders met at Shannon Airport in south-west Ireland last week. The funding had already been committed under the European Peace Facility which had been vetoed by Hungary. Mr Martin also added that he expects significant proposals from the European Commission for further aid for Ukraine this week. He added: We really havent had an indication from Russia as to whether it is up for a durable, sustainable peace. But, in any event, I think Europe will not stop in endeavouring to move this forward in a more positive light than currently is the situation. Tanaiste Simon Harris said the US suspension of military aid to Ukraine is extraordinarily concerning. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Meanwhile, the Tanaiste said the US move is extraordinarily concerning. Simon Harris, who is also the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, described the move as a very worrying development. Until now, it has always been the situation that aid is continuing to be provided, that equipment and support was continuing to be provided, whilst trying to find a process towards peace. To unilaterally and abruptly disrupt that would have very significant consequences, he said. He added: But weve got to be very honest here even the European Union doing much more, we will still require the European Union and the United States of America working together in relation to this issue. And at a time when we need to move closer on this matter, it does seem that were moving further apart and of course, very significant diplomatic efforts need to continue here. As part of a policy of military neutrality, the Republic does not provide what it characterises as lethal aid to Ukraine, including weapons. However, the State has provided hundreds of millions of euros in non-lethal military assistance as well as stabilisation and humanitarian supports. Ireland has also welcomed more than 100,000 Ukrainians under the EU temporary protection directive. James Cox Irish MEP Regina Doherty has joined growing calls in Europe to use frozen Russian funds to support Ukraine as US president Donald Trump paused military support. Mr Trump's decision came after a fiery White House meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The president and his vice president JD Vance constantly spoke over Mr Zelenskiy in the Oval Office encoutner, which sent shockwaves through the world, US allies in Europe particularly concerned. Ms Doherty is calling on the EU to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to support Ukraines defence and rebuilding. Speaking ahead of this Thursdays EU summit on Ukraine, Ms Doherty stressed that Europe cannot afford to delay as Ukraine faces growing uncertainty over international military support. Donald Trump's White House meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskiy sent shockwaves through Europe. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images How much money is involved? The EU has frozen over 200 billion in Russian central bank assets. Ukraine will be relying heavily on European partners to continue fighting against the Russian invasion, particularly while American support remains uncertain. Its time to turn Putins own war chest against him. Ms Doherty added: "Russia thinks it will get this money back after the warit shouldnt. Instead of letting these funds sit idle, we should be using them now to help Ukraine rebuild, strengthen its defences, and secure its future as a free nation. Its time to turn Putins own war chest against him. Ms Doherty called on the EU to shift from claiming interest revenues from these Russian assets to using all of the money. The EU is running out of excuses. If we are serious about making Russia pay for the destruction it has caused, then its time to take full control of these assets." Regina Doherty said the funds should be used to "turn Putin's own war chest against him". Ireland has stood with Ukraine through sanctions and aid, but Ms Doherty warned that inaction on Russian state assets sends the wrong message to Moscow. Ireland should be pushing for an EU-wide decision to fully seize and redirect Russian central bank funds to Ukraine. This money should never return to the Kremlin. Sunak calls for Ukraine to receive frozen Russian assets Writing in The Economist, former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak also called for frozen Russian assets to go towards the defence of Ukraine. "One unused source of funding is the Russian state assets that are currently frozen. There are about $300bn-worth of these, predominantly in European financial systems. "There are legal challenges to seizing these assets, but they can be overcome, as recent work by international legal experts such as Paul Reichler shows. Russias brutal assault on Ukraine has so violated the principle of 'sovereign equality'that all states have a duty to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of other statesthat it is hard to see how this concept can be invoked to stop these assets from being seized and used to compensate the victim of Vladimir Putins illegal aggression. "Once transferred to Ukraine, this money can be used to ensure that the country can not only recover from the war but also prevent a repeat of it. Ukraine can spend the money on rebuilding civilian infrastructure targeted by Russia, on restabilising its economy and on building armed forces that can deter Russia. The reconstruction bill will run to hundreds of billions of dollarsand it is only fair that Russia should pay for the damage its war has caused." What has Trump said? A White House official said Mr Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Mr Zelenskiy committed to that goal. The official added that the US was pausing and reviewing its aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. The order will remain in effect until Mr Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia, the official said. How much has the US provided in military support to Ukraine? The US has has provided $65.9 billion (62.6 billion) in military support to Ukraine since Russias 2022 invasion. This means the 200 billion in Russian assets could be vital in Ukraine's survival. However, releasing the funds is likely to take time, and may still face some resistance at the EU level. European allies may also be wary that Mr Trump would move to permanently cut support for Ukraine, particularly as he has spoken favourably about his dealings with Russian president Vladimir Putin. What has Ireland done? The Government has announced an additional 100 million in non-lethal military equipment and support for Ukraine. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said there is "no doubt" the US president's decision to pause military aid to Ukraine is "a very, very serious development". Mr Martin described it as "a serious setback" and he called for "continued engagement between everybody". Taoiseach Micheal Martin during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskiy at Shannon Airport in Co Clare before Zelenskiy's White House meeting with Donald Trump. The Taoiseach will already be preparing for his approach to the White House meeting with Mr Trump, where he will be under pressure to reiterate Ireland's support for Ukraine while also attempting to mitigate the damage of potential tariffs. Mr Martin is likely to highlight Irish business' investment in the US, and the fact the country houses the European HQ of many US businesses. EU response The frozen assets issue will be raised at the EU summit on Ukraine on Thursday. Meanwhile, the European Commission proposed on Tuesday new joint EU borrowing of 150 billion to lend to EU governments for defence as part of an overall 800 billion total financing effort to boost Europe's defence capabilities. The 150 billion of new joint borrowing is to go towards building pan-European capability domains like air and missile defence, artillery systems, missiles and ammunition, drones and anti-drone systems or to address other needs from cyber to military mobility, the Commission said. "It will help member states to pool demand and to buy together. This will reduce costs, reduce fragmentation increase interoperability and strengthen our defence industrial base," Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said. My 23-year-old daughter is the last of the four to leave home. She finished a Masters in UCC in September and three weeks later, packed her bags with two friends and headed for Barcelona. Her older brother had laid the foundations for that particular route when he set off to the city five years ago. Now he has a job that he loves, an apartment and a life - work, surfing, hiking, jiu-jitsu, and lots more besides. I cant imagine he will ever come back to the long months of cold, wind and rain that epitomises Irish winters. His sister got the bug. As soon as she could, she was off. For the first few months, she finished off the job she had on work placement while doing her Masters. But by the end of the year, she needed a job to keep the dream going. She would take almost anything until she found a proper job. Only working in a bar was out-ruled. Up all night, sleeping all day, being leered at by beery travellers, and walking home late at night. Not a chance. A couple of weeks later, she had found a job in a marketing firm, with offices looking out over the marina. Three interviews in one week four days later she got the go-ahead. Money was tight for the last few months. She knew if she ran out she would be on the way home. The prospect of having to leave Barcelona and forsake her new found independence with her friends in the city of her dreams was all the motivation she needed to put everything into getting the outcome she needed. And so, the adventure goes on. Shes there because she learnt to stand on her two feet as a child. I did not have her spirit of adventure when I was her age. However, her three older siblings and her army of cousins taught her from very early on that life begins when you step out of your comfort zone. Dr Catherine Conlon is a public health doctor in Cork. In recent weeks, the latest round of data from the Growing up in Ireland survey found that almost two-thirds (62%) of 25-year-olds were living with their parents mostly for financial reasons. The study showed nearly a third of women (31%) and almost one in five men (18%) of men had been diagnosed with either depression or anxiety at some point in their lives. A tiny fraction of respondents (7.5%) were living outside the parental home and outside the region they lived in when they were aged nine. The study, called the Growing Up in Ireland Cohort 98, interviews the same group of people who were born in 1998 as it follows them from childhood to adulthood. The majority reported they were optimistic about the future and were satisfied with their lives. But how can the majority of 25-year-olds be satisfied with a situation where they are still forced for financial reasons to live at home? In Ireland, we are really fortunate to have the whole of the EU available to us when it comes to job applications. Language of course is a barrier but not an insurmountable one. The youngest learnt Spanish as an extra subject when she was in senior school, augmented by two summers spent in Spain as an au pair where she spent a lot of time soaking up the sun and swimming in the pool with her charges. Her brother learnt Spanish from Duolingo in the six months before he decided thats where he wanted to live and work. So, language is not an insurmountable barrier. The bigger barrier is the ability to step out of your comfort zone and dive into a new culture without the support of friends or family and to weather the challenges that that implies. We are told that stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to grow. But what is the evidence for this? The idea of comfort zones is rooted in research conducted by psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and John Dillingham Donson in 1908. They developed the Yerkes-Dodson Law which states that performance increases as stress increases and performance decreases as stress decreases. To a point. Beyond a certain high level of stress, the relationship breaks down and performance plummets. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone forces you to work harder and performance and outcomes improve. By moving out of your comfort zone you move into your growth zones and your achieve growth. Youll find yourself more productive, achieving more, and reaching the goals you set for yourself if youre willing to work. Accomplishments bring the added reward of self-confidence, especially if you worked hard, challenged yourself and saw it through. And the boost in self-confidence you get can push you to achieve more. Travelling to a new city is challenging on your own but brings its own particular rewards. Learning a new culture, a new language, meeting new people, seeing new places and trying new experiences. All of these can heighten your awareness of the world and your place in it. It can lead to new interests, new job prospects and new ways of doing things you might want to explore. Critically, moving outside your comfort zone can build resilience a quality that in our safety-first culture of helicopter parenting and bulldozing barriers out of the way for young kids, is often in short supply. We all gain more confidence by dealing with setbacks and learning to handle higher levels of stress and uncertainty. Stepping out of our comfort zone is key to developing a sense of self about who we really are. Summer holidays can be a great time to build resilience. My tribe spent their summers roaming around Ballinskelligs with their cousins, climbing mountains, jumping into the sea, surfing way out in the distance where the waves were breaking far, from the reach of their mother anxiously yelling at them to come in. Later, they travelled abroad on exchanges, fending for themselves for months at a time, having adventures, learning languages, getting into scrapes, sorting things out on their own. The youngest particularly enjoyed being without the essentials. Holidaying in a caravan without running water, electricity, or any of the most basic comforts once it was near the ocean was her idea of heaven. Even now, all she wants is a camper van, a laptop, and the ability to roam the world. If youre not taking chances in life, youre not growing. Youre not fulfilling your dreams or goals. If you find yourself wondering why youre not getting on - making new friends, moving on in your job - then perhaps its time to wonder if you need to step out of your comfort zone. Staying in a bubble of comfort leads to boredom, frustration, and stagnancy. The best way to move forward is to start small, accept that it will take a while to learn something new, set a plan, visualise what you want to achieve, and get going. Maybe its time to push yourself towards figuring out who you really are. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. In a new program launched on Friday, England will soon release beavers into its waterways. The return of the ecosystem engineers to the wild signals a renewed respect for an animal that was once hunted to extinction. Eurasian beavers have been extinct in Britain since the 16th century, when they were killed for their meat, fur and castor sacs glands that secrete castoreum, an oily, strong-smelling substance that was widely used in the making of perfumes, reported AFP. After centuries of absence, beavers are beginning to reclaim their rightful place in the English landscape, a press release from Natural England said. The beavers ability to transform and revitalise our degraded landscape is extraordinary. Natural England believes that their successful reintroduction will play a vital part in restoring rivers and wetlands, addressing the nature crisis and contributing to the delivery of national biodiversity targets including the creation of wildlife-rich habitats and halting the decline in species abundance. The United Kingdoms government said the release of the industrious rodents would be carefully managed, AFP reported. In recent years, smaller populations of beavers were reintroduced in enclosures as part of a more extensive rewilding effort. Following some illegal releases and escapes, roughly 500 are thought to already be living in Englands wildlands. Beavers are considered a keystone species by biologists for their ability to reshape the surrounding environment by building dams and pools, which benefit other wildlife while helping to prevent drought and flooding. Restoring nature means restoring whole ecosystems, and few can beat the beaver in helping bring landscapes to life, said Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, as reported by The Guardian. Their eco-engineering creates diverse habitats that are great for local communities and for wildlife. Its high time for wild releases and excellent that the government is making progress. A beaver-created wetland. Beavers create and restore wetland habitats, providing a haven for many species to thrive. Alan Puttock / University of Exeter The reintroduction efforts have been controversial in Britain, as farmers worry about how the beavers will impact their land, AFP reported. Tom Bradshaw, head of the National Farmers Union, made the argument that landowners need to have the right to use lethal control if beavers end up in the wrong place. The new program specifies that as a last resort, beavers may be trapped and translocated or lethally controlled. Reintroducing beavers is a complex process that requires careful planning and collaboration. Natural Englands licensing approach and criteria aim to achieve a measured pace of reintroduction, and prioritise areas where beavers can thrive without causing significant conflicts with people, agriculture and infrastructure, the press release said. Each beaver rewilding proposal is required to provide a 10-year plan in support of their return. The government has pledged to help farmers who make space for the animals on their land. The first project that we have licensed for wild release is the National Trusts Purbeck Beaver Project in Dorset where beavers are expected to deliver many benefits across the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve including increasing biodiversity, restoring lost wetland habitats and improving the condition of the protected sites across the area. The project was assessed against beaver wild release criteria which have been developed through extensive engagement with stakeholders, in particular with the Environment Agency staff in our integrated project team, Natural England said. One of the most nature-depleted areas on the planet, the UK has lost nearly half of its wild species in recent decades, a 2021 parliamentary report said. Dr. Roisin Campbell-Palmer, head of restoration at the Beaver Trust, called for the widespread granting of licenses, saying the reintroduction effort was a landmark moment, reported AFP. Roisin said England was generations behind the rest of Europe, where countries like France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and Germany have come up with plans to help beavers reestablish themselves. Reintroducing beavers to the wild is a critical milestone for this governments plan to protect and restore our natural world, said Minister for Nature Mary Creagh. (Photo: Reuters / Eduardo Munoz)Frank Simmonds, of the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, carries a cross on the Brooklyn Bridge during the 18th annual 'Way of the Cross Over the Brooklyn Bridge Ceremony' in New York City March 29, 2013. The ceremony, hosted yearly on the Christian holy day of Good Friday, includes walking from St. James Cathedral, over the Brooklyn Bridge to St. Peter's Church, in Manhattan. The event attracts approximately 2,000 people each year. After many years of steady decline, the share of Americans who identify as Christians shows signs of leveling off at least temporarily at slightly above six-in-ten, a substantial new Pew Research Center survey of 36,908 U.S. adults shows. The Religious Landscape Study (RLS) is the largest single survey the Center conducts, aiming to provide authoritative figures on the size of U.S. religious groups because the U.S. census does not collect that information. Pew said it conducted three landscape surveys over the past 17 years, with more than 35,000 randomly sampled respondents each time. "That's enough to paint a statistical portrait of religion not only nationally, but also in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in 34 large metro areas," said Pew. The first RLS, fielded in 2007, found that 78 percent of U.S. adults identified as Christians of one sort or another. That number ticked steadily downward in Pew's smaller surveys each year and was pegged at 71 percent in the second RLS, conducted in 2014. The latest RLS, fielded over seven months in 2023-24, finds that 62 percent of U.S. adults identify as Christians. That is a decline of 9 percentage points since 2014 and a 16-point drop since 2007. Yet for the last five years, between 2019 and 2024, the Christian share of the adult population has been relatively stable, hovering between 60 percent and 64 percent. - Religious Landscape Study The 62 percent figure in the new Religious Landscape Study is exactly in the middle of that recent range. The largest subgroups of Christians in the United States are Protestants now 40 percent of U.S. adults and Catholics, now 19 percent. People who identify with all other Christian groups (including the Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses and many others) total about 3 percent of U.S. adults. Both Protestant and Catholic numbers are down significantly since 2007, though the Protestant share of the population has remained fairly level since 2019 and the Catholic share has been stable since 2014, with only small fluctuations in our annual surveys. Meanwhile, the share of Americans who identify with a religion other than Christianity has been trending upward, though it is still in single digits. Today, 1.7 percent of U.S. adults say they are Jewish when asked about their religion, while 1.2 percent of respondents in the new survey are Muslim, 1.1 percent are Buddhist, and 0.9 percent are Hindu. Religiously unaffiliated adults those who identify as atheists, agnostics, or as "nothing in particular" when asked about their religion account for 29 percent of the population in the new RLS. The size of the religiously unaffiliated population, which we sometimes call religious "nones," has plateaued in recent years after a long period of sustained growth. Rates of prayer, and attendance at religious services are also relatively stable Though down significantly since 2007, the share of Americans who say they pray daily has consistently held between 44 percent and 46 percent since 2021. In the new RLS, 44 percent say they pray at least once a day. Similarly, since 2020, the percentage of U.S. adults who say they attend religious services monthly has hovered in the low 30s. In the new RLS, 33 percent say they go to religious services at least once a month. - Spiritual Outlook Moreover, the survey shows that a large majority of Americans have a spiritual or supernatural outlook on the world. For example: 86 percent believe people have a soul or spirit in addition to their physical body. 83 percent believe in God or a universal spirit. 79 percent believe there is something spiritual beyond the natural world, even if we can't see it. 70 percent believe in an afterlife (heaven, hell or both). A B-1B Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., takes off during a training mission in support of Bomber Task Force 25-1 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 24, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Robert M. Trujillo) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases X Help Keep Us From Drying Up We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways: Late last year, Australia passed a law banning social media for all people under 16 years old. Now, some of those companies namely Meta, TikTok and Snap are not happy at one exception: YouTube. Australia has deemed YouTube as a critical education tool and is allowing use, despite an original assumption that the Google-owned platform would be included, Reuters and The Guardian reports. This follows last month's report from Australia's eSafety Commissioner, which found that YouTube is the most popular platform with 13 to 15-year-olds with just under three-fourths of that age range using it in 2024. Notably, anyone under 16 needs to be part of a family account that offers parental supervision rights to use YouTube. Remarks from big tech were pointed. "It is illogical to restrict two platforms while exempting the third. It would be akin to banning the sale of soft drinks to minors but exempting Coca-Cola," said TikToks director of public policy in Australia and New Zealand, Ella Woods-Joyce. Meanwhile, Meta called out the Australian government for failed transparency and making "a mockery of the governments stated intention, when passing the age ban law, to protect young people." Snap reiterated its fellow platforms' concerns, stating, "There must be a fair and impartial application of exclusions and all services should be held to the same standard." At the same time, Snap is arguing that it's a messaging service and thus shouldn't be part of the ban. Australia's ban on social media for under 16-year-olds should go into effect towards the end of this year. Time will tell whether big tech's outrage will change its impact on YouTube. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has once again promised to end the provinces $100 million contract with Elon Musks Starlink after reversing course back in February, according to reporting by the CBC. The reasoning behind this reversal is fairly obvious. The long-threatened Trump tariffs have officially gone into effect, which pops a 25 percent tariff on most Canadian goods and a 10 percent tariff on energy exports. The contract was signed in November of last year and tasked Starlink with providing internet service to remote parts of Ontario. Ford, a former staunch supporter of President Trump, is prepared to go even further to protect Canadas interests. He said that if the tariffs persist that the region will be forced to issue its own 25 percent surcharge on electricity exported to the US. He also said he would shut off electricity with a smile on his face to US customers if things arent resolved, according to the Toronto Sun. "We also need to be ready to dig in for a long fight," Ford said. "We need to be ready to escalate using every tool in our tool kit." Its worth noting that Canada provides electricity to US residents in Michigan, New York and Minnesota, and a shutdown would impact over 1.5 million people. Ford has also floated the idea of issuing a surcharge to mineral exports or ending them entirely. Ontarios primary liquor wholesaler, the LCBO, has confirmed that it will stop purchasing and selling US-made alcohol. Additionally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada would be issuing its own retaliatory matching tariffs on US goods. "Today the US launched a trade war against Canada, their closest ally and their closest friend. At the same time, they're talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense," Trudeau said during a news conference. He also suggested that Trump was trying to weaken the Canadian economy as an annexation strategy, but that "Canada will never be the 51st state." Trumps stated boogeyman behind these tariffs continues to be fentanyl, even though less than one percent of the drug arrives in this country via Canadian routes. This data has been confirmed by both Trudeau and the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Dont worry about SpaceX and Starlinks financials. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) just announced a partnership to install Starlink terminals at various airports, which seems like auspicious timing. The agency also reportedly ordered staffers to begin finding tens of millions of dollars for a Starlink deal. Government efficiency at its finest. In any event, we've reached out to Ontario's Ministry of Infrastructure for details regarding the the contract cancellation and will update this post when we find out more. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's top semiconductor manufacturer, has pledged to invest another $100 billion over the next four years to boost advanced semiconductor manufacturing in the United States. The company's chairman and CEO C.C. Wei has announced its expanded investment in the US at the White House with President Donald Trump. TSMC was originally going to invest $40 billion into building chip-making facilities in Arizona, which it then raised to $65 billion after it was announced as a CHIPS Act recipient getting $6.6 billion in grants under the Biden administration. This announcement is for an additional $100 billion, bringing the company's total planned investment to $165 billion. TSMC called it "the largest single foreign direct investment in US history." During the announcement at the White House, Trump reportedly said that his threat to impose new tariffs on chip imports prompted TSMC to invest more into its US manufacturing efforts. The president previously told reporters that his administration could collect 25 percent in taxes, or higher, for chip imports. The tariffs could go substantially higher over the course of a year, he said. The company's original investment already included plans for three fabrication factories in Arizona. This expansion will allow TSMC to build three more fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities and a major research and development center. TSMC's facilities in Arizona will manufacture chips for AI and other cutting-edge applications for its customers, which include Apple, NVIDIA, AMD, Broadcom and Qualcomm. The company didn't give a timeline for when the new facilities will open, but it said its additional investment will lead to 40,000 construction jobs in the next four years and will create "tens of thousands of high-paying, high-tech jobs in advanced chip manufacturing and R&D." Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Mobile World Congress is taking place in Barcelona this week, offering manufacturers an opportunity to show off new gear without needing to hold their own splashy event. So far, we've learned about some new laptops and phones, as well as upcoming AI updates to Android and an internet connectivity announcement from Meta. There's also been some interesting ideas in the world of headphones and a whole lot of concepts that might never make it to market, but are fun to look at any way. Here's a look at everything announced at Mobile World Congress that caught our eye. We'll update this story throughout the week. Lenovo Sam Rutherford for Engadget Among the bigger-name manufacturers, Lenovo has arguably had the busiest MWC so far. The company has revealed a whole bunch of laptops, including upgraded ThinkPads and several intriguing concept models. The ThinkPad T14s 2-in-1 has a design thats more aligned with the convertible format of the Yoga lineup than a typical ThinkPad. The 14-inch machine can be equipped with a 400-nit WUXGA touch display. Other ThinkPads are getting spec upgrades, while Lenovo claims the new ThinkPad X13 Gen 6 has one of the lightest ThinkPad designs ever. The company has a fresh slate of laptops with generative AI capabilities as well. Some of Lenovos concepts have certainly caught our attention. Its a bummer that the company doesnt currently plan to turn the Yoga Solar PC Concept into a commercial device. Thanks to the solar cells on the casing, the laptop can soak up enough energy from the sun in 20 minutes to play an hour of videos. As little as 0.3 watts of light is enough to juice up the battery. While solar-powered laptops aren't exactly new, the Yoga Solar PC feels polished. Here's hoping Lenovo does more with the notion in the future. Sam Rutherford for Engadget In addition, Lenovo showed off some conceptual display accessories for a ThinkBook laptop. There's an eight-inch screen that attaches to the side magnetically to help you, for instance, keep up with notifications and widgets. The Magic Bay Dual Display Concept adds a 13.3-inch panel to either side of the main display. There's also a slim second display that's designed to sit above your laptop screen and provide quick access to things like the time, weather, notifications, a focus mode timer, an AI assistant and notifications. Sam Rutherford for Engadget On top of all of that, Lenovo offered a look at a new prototype laptop with a flexible display. Building on the tech the company used in the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, the ThinkBook codename Flip AI PC Proof of concept (to give its full name) has a fold-out screen. This allows Lenovo to double the panel's size from 13 inches to 18.1 inches. The ThinkBook Rollable's display, on the other hand, can extend to 16.7 inches. Again, Lenovo doesn't currently plan to release a commercial version of this fold-out laptop, but it's an interesting idea. Samsung Photo by Mat Smith for Engadget. The main MWC news from Samsung this year is the company's latest midrange and budget phones. The Galaxy A56 has a larger screen than its predecessor at 6.7 inches, but it's thinner too at 7.44mm vs. 8.2mm. There's now a small bump where the volume and power buttons are a tweak that we feel makes the A56 easier to handle. Samsung has switched up the camera array in the A56. On the front, there's a lower-res 12MP lens. On the other side, you'll find an upgraded 12MP ultrawide, 50MP main sensor and a 5MP macro lens. The A56 has a bunch of AI-powered camera and image editing features, such as enhanced subject detection in portrait mode and an object eraser. Pre-orders are open in the UK for the Galaxy A56, which costs $499/499. It will hit the UK on March 19, but folks in the US will have to wait until "later this year" for it. Samsung also revealed the Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G. Both devices have a 120Hz, 6.7-inch display with brightness of up to 1,200 nits. They also share an IP67 rating and 5,000mAh battery with the A56. However, the base models of each only have 6GB of RAM (compared with the A56's 12GB). In addition, the A36 has the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor instead of the Exynos 1580 that the A56 boasts, while the A26 has a Exynos 1380 chipset. Samsung's concept folding phones and gaming handhelds In addition to properly launching the trio of A-series phones, Samsung also brought a bunch of concept devices to Barcelona, further showing off its flexible display prowess. We've seen reporting of these, like Android Police's coverage of a "Flex Gaming" handheld. That prototype consists of a 7.2-inch OLED screen that bends in half. Flanking the display are what appear to be controllers and holes where they'd fit when the handheld is folded up. Elsewhere on the internet we also saw Samsung showcase a Galaxy Z Flip-esque device that had two hinges that let it fold in on itself from the top and bottom. Allison Johnson at The Verge has nicknamed it "The Claw," which to our editor Cherlynn Low is just reminiscent of an MSI device. Xiaomi Sam Rutherford for Engadget Unfortunately, Xiaomi doesn't have plans to bring a handset it showed off at MWC to the US. That's a real pity, because no other companies are selling phones quite like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra in the country these days. Xiaomi teamed up with Leica to make a smartphone that leans heavily into photography. The camera array includes a 1-inch 50-megapixel Sony main sensor, an f/2.2 50MP ultrawide cam, a 50MP midrange lens with a 70mm focal length and a 200MP periscope array with a 100mm focal length that equates to a 4.7x optical zoom. Some preset Leica filters help to tie the two brands' knowhow together. That's not all that might be interesting to mobile snappers. Xiaomi's separate Photography kit includes an add-on camera grip with a physical shutter button, an adjustable dial and dedicated video button. You'll have the option to attach a standard 67mm filter adapter to a case as well in other words, some of the equipment you might use on a dedicated camera is compatible with the Ultra 15 as part of this setup. Moreover, the Ultra 15 has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200 nits of brightness to help you get a good look at your captures. Plus, unlike some other Chinese phones (like Huawei's), Xiaomi supports Google services in HyperOS 2, which is an Android skin. The Ultra 15 starts at about 1,499 (around $1,572). Android Speaking of Android, Google announced two new AI-powered features for the operating system at MWC. The Live Video function, which Google first previewed at I/O 2024, allows you to share what your phone's camera sees with Gemini so you can ask the chatbot questions about the footage. The new screensharing function works in a similar way. You can ask Gemini questions about whatever's on your phone or tablet's display. If they work as well as advertised, these features could be a boon for accessibility. Google will first offer them to Gemini Advanced subscribers starting later this month. Those with a $20 per month Google One AI Premium membership, which is included with some Verizon plans, have access to Gemini Advanced. Nothing Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Samsung wasn't the only smartphone maker of note to show off two new mid-range devices at MWC. Nothing debuted its Phone 3a Pro and Phone 3a at the event even though it has yet to unleash the Phone 3. The 3a Pro has a beefier camera module (quite literally as the device is about 10 grams heavier than the 3a). It contains a 50MP telephoto sensor with a 3x optical zoom; a 50MP primary sensor with f/1.88 lens and dual-pixel phase detection auto-focus (PDAF); and an ultrawide 8MP sensor with a 120-degree field of view. The handset has a telemacro mode too. As for the 3a, that boasts a main 50MP camera with single-pixel PDAF, but the other two sensors are the same as on the 3a Pro. The cameras are the main difference between the two phones, which both have a 6.77-inch AMOLED LTPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,300 nits of brightness. The phones have a 5,000mAh battery with support for 50W fast charging, and they run on a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. The devices have Nothing's multipurpose Essential Key, a physical button that can take screenshots and help you record voice notes. The phones also have some generative AI features, such as the ability to transcribe said voice notes and describe what's in screenshots and photos. As usual, Nothing is initially offering these devices in the US through a beta program. Phone 3a pre-orders are open now and the $379 handset ships on March 11. That's the date when pre-orders for the Phone 3a Pro go live. The $459 phone can be in your hands on March 25. There was more news out of MWC beyond new gear and OS updates. Meta and the Internet Society announced a partnership to bolster affordable internet connectivity around the globe. They're jointly putting $30 million into the initiative over the next five years. A major aim of the project is to help build out infrastructure in areas where commercial providers have yet to do so. The Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative will also back training programs, community-centered solutions for underserved areas and locally owned networks. The Internet Society is hoping to find more partners to help with the project. HMD Finnish company HMD, which also makes devices under the Nokia brand, brought a bunch of phones to Barcelona this year, but maybe the most interesting thing was some earbuds. The Amped Earbuds are a pair of fairly standard Bluetooth buds, with a twist in the case: It's got a 1,600mAh battery built in that supports reverse wireless charging. It's a pretty solid idea given you're likely already carrying a phone and some headphones. Perhaps the one issue is that capacity: 1,600mAh is enough to charge a lot of headphones, but it's dramatically smaller than the battery in your phone. Still, an extra 20 percent of battery life could be an lifesaver. Update, March 7 2025, 4:05PM ET: This story has been updated twice since publish. Once to include a section on Samsung's concept folding devices, and once to add a section on HMD's Amped Earbuds. The introduction of the article was also changed. Engadget will be reporting all the latest mobile and smartphone news from MWC 2025 as it happens the week of March 2. The latest Pixel feature drop is here with Google rolling updates across its family of smartphones and wearables. If you're a Pixel 9 owner in the US, you'll soon have access to a new version of Pixel Studio capable of creating stickers and images of people. As a refresher, Pixel Studio is an AI image app that is exclusive to Pixel devices. "Just type a description of a person or scene youd like to see, or choose the style you want, like 'video game' or '3D cartoon,'" Google says of the new feature. The approach Google taking here is similar to the one Apple currently employs with Image Playground. Photorealistic images are off the table so that you can't use Pixel Studio to confuse your friends and family. Beyond Pixel Studio, Google is bringing other AI features to the Pixel family in the US and beyond. Most notably, the company's live scam protection, which Google brought to testers last fall, is expanding to more devices, with additional functionality for those with Pixel 9 handsets in the US. If you own a Pixel 9, it will start screening English calls to protect you from scams. On the Pixel 6 and newer, Google is expanding the availability of scam text detection, with the feature rolling out to phones in the US, Canada and United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 Pro users in Japan can look forward to a large portion of the brand's AI suite, including Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio, rolling out to their devices. Similarly, Google is making many of those same features available to Pixel 9 users in Germany. Google If AI features aren't your thing, this month's Pixel drop won't leave you disappointed. To start, Google is updating its Find My Device app to allow users to send and receive the location of friends and family, "so you can rest easy knowing where they are, or that they got where they were going safely." This is rolling out to recent Pixel devices, and more broadly the wider Android ecosystem. One other nifty new feature allows Pixel 9 owners to connect their phone to a recent GoPro camera or another Pixel phone to stream video from multiple angles. Google hasn't forgotten about Pixel Watch users. If you're running the latest model, the company has obtained clearance from the FDA to offer its Loss of Pulse Detection feature. "This first-of-its-kind feature can detect when you've experienced a loss of pulse," Google explains. A loss of pulse can occur due to a cardiac arrest, a respiratory or circulatory failure, overdose or poisoning. Whatever the case, the Pixel Watch 3 will automatically call emergency services if the user is unresponsive. Google is also rolling out on-device menstrual tracking to the Pixel Watch 3, and the entire Watch family will start tracking steps with greater precision and accuracy. This is due to the fact Google has made the underlying algorithm better at recognizing when you deviate from your usual walking pattern to go do something like push a shopping cart or wheelchair. "The improved algorithm ensures that not only are your steps accurately counted toward your daily goal, but that you'll get reliable insights into your daily activities." The March Pixel drop is starting to roll out today. As usual, it may take a few days before the update is available to download on your device. Nothing doesnt have a Phone 3 yet, instead choosing to make a lateral move to not one, but two new mid-range devices, the Nothing Phone 3a and, intriguingly, the 3a Pro. Reassuringly, Nothing continues to design phones unlike anything else out there. Its retro-future design aesthetic for the exposed-but-not hardware on the rear of the phones, as well as the dot-matrix fonts, animations and software, are all back. Hardware design remains Nothings biggest strength. I get asked about the Nothing phone more than I do when Im using the latest iPhone, Samsungs foldables or anything else. Its just different. The Phone 3a series now has a glass backing (upgraded from polycarbonate) and you can still see screw fittings, electronics and a return of Nothings Glyph lighting system. The Phone 3a is rated IP64, adding better protection this year against rogue water sprays and liquid incidents. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Nothing has once again rejigged the exposed hardware, and the Glyph lighting details are all at the top of the phone, circling the camera unit. On the Phone 3a Pro, courtesy of a new periscope sensor capable of 3X optical zoom, a substantial circular camera unit protrudes from the back. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement If you think the 3a Pros camera module looks chunky, it also adds roughly 10 grams to its weight compared to the base Nothing Phone 3a. But for camera obsessives, only one of these phones will hold your attention. (Although the blue iteration of the Nothing Phone 3a is gorgeous.) The Nothing Phone 3a Pros 50-megapixel telephoto sensor can stretch to 3x optical zoom, but it also includes a rather useable, in my early testing, lossless cropped 6x zoom. Theres also a 50MP primary sensor with f/1.88 lens, and dual-pixel phase detection auto-focus (PDAF). Nothing has crammed in an ultrawide 8MP sensor with a 120-degree field of view. The 3a Pro also has a telemacro mode and can combine focus as close as 15cm (5.9 inches) away with the zoom of the telephoto. Its a feature that makes macro photography far more useful and still rare on phones outside of China. The base model Phone 3as main 50MP camera has single-pixel PDAF, but otherwise keeps the same primary camera specs. Its telephoto stretches to 2x optical zoom, and a third ultrawide 8MP camera. While well explore the camera more deeply in our review, my early impressions are positive. Images are crisp and Nothing has a knack for curated filters that look good. I especially like the frosted glass effect, which Nothing also offers for wallpaper customization. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Nothing says its TrueLens Engine 3.0 combines AI-powered tone mapping with Ultra XDR, which it co-developed with Google, to tune photos. It involves a burst of 8 RAW images, which are all processed together to adjust the brightness of each pixel up to five times. Nothings image processing seems to lean towards punchy, high-contrast photos and video. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro are otherwise identical in specs. Compared to the Nothing Phone 2a, both new devices have a bigger 6.77-inch AMOLED LTPS display, now using Panda Glass rather than Cornings Gorilla Glass. As you might expect from most (but not all) phones, the 3a has an always-on display, can reach 120Hz refresh rates and it now hits 1,300 nits, making it brighter than the companys last phone, too. Once again, the phones both have a big 5,000mAh battery and fast charging at up to 50W. According to Nothing, this means it should take less than an hour to charge the device entirely, while you should be able to get halfway there in 19 minutes. One of the only parts of the Nothing Phone 3a series that hints that they aren't quite at a flagship level is their processor: a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. Well put that chip through its paces in our review, but it is supposed to help with Nothings own custom software pecadillos, like the TrueLens Engine. The company says that chip makes the 3a series 92 percent better at AI processing than its predecessor. In a nod to both its OnePlus history and the recent trend for adding buttons, Nothing added its Essential Key to the Phone 3a, on the right edge below the power button. Oddly, it has a different finish to the rest of the machined buttons on the 3a and feels a bit cheaper. It works like an AI assistant launcher on other smartphones, like Samsungs Gemini AI launcher, although the AI hooks come later. One press will capture and send content a screenshot to Nothings Essential Space app, while a longer press will start recording a voice note. You can also double-press to launch straight into the Essential Space app, which is a storage space for all those collections. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Nothing uses the same AI tricks weve seen elsewhere; it just simplifies them. The Phone 3a will transcribe your voice notes, automate reminders, and even describe your photos and screenshots if needed. As I juggle work commitments, other writing projects, life and everything else, this is an intriguing soup of AI tools, storage and automation, all in a single place. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement This also seems to be Nothings equivalent of Androids Labs setting. The company is teasing further functionality, such as focused search, flip-to-record, Camera Capture (using the Essential key while in the camera app), Smart Collections of all your notes and more. It seems to be the Notes equivalent of how Google Photos gives you quick and easy access to the images and videos youre looking for. With the Phone 3a Pros software more broadly, Nothing OS is fun. Despite a learning curve in places, its playful. The icons, fonts, and animations across Nothings take on Android 15 add a refreshing touch of personality in a sea of smartphone sameness. Perhaps there are a few too many creative cooks, as Nothings decorative touches jostle with what I assume are Googles baked-in fonts and menus. Some of the icons are hard to discern, too. After powering up the Phone 3a for the first time, a pixelated smiley face appeared on the home screen. Id tap it and realize it does nothing. It turns out this is Nothings attempt at showing your screen time but it doesnt need to be a 2x2 widget. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Other nice touches include a monochrome theme (on these monochrome phones), app label removal and a smart app drawer that corrals similar apps together for more straightforward navigation. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Availability in the US will come through a Beta Program, like in previous years. The Phone 3a ($379) is available to preorder now in grey, black and blue, with devices landing March 11, while the Phone 3a Pro ($459) in black and grey, goes on preorder March 11 and launches March 25. In the UK, the companys Nothing Store in London will be one of the first places to offer the phone directly, from 11AM GMT on March 8. March 4, 2025: The most recent problems include famine because of disrupted food aid deliveries. There has been a cholera outbreak. Meanwhile a civil war has been tearing Sudan apart since early 2023. The fighting has been between the Sudanese government and major portions of the country that violently disagree with government policies. The SNC/Sovereign National Council was created by civilian and military groups to negotiate a peace deal. That effort has ended as a stalemate in the effort to restore democracy. The coup was supposed to be a temporary condition to speed things up. That backfired as a lot of the pro-reform civilians declared the military government another effort to restore dictatorship. Thats how Omar al Bashir, the dictator from 1989-to-2019, got his start. What form post-Bashir Sudan will take is still unknown. The situation in South Sudan, one of the results of Bashirs misrule, is more settled. Before the April 2023 outbreak of fighting between the RSF/Rapid Support Forces and the army, Sudan was planning a long period of peace, reconciliation, reform and rebuilding. By early 2025 the death toll, including civilians, is approaching 80,000. Many more people have been driven from their homes and lost their jobs. This has turned into an economic disaster and food shortages are growing. Foreign aid is often stolen by gangsters, the RSF or soldiers. Instability and violence are becoming Sudans normal state of affairs. The two Sudans became quieter in 2019 when the long-lasting Bashir dictatorship was removed by determined popular resistance. South Sudan ended its post-independence civil war when everyone realized that they were destroying what they were allegedly fighting over and maybe a shouting-match was preferable to a death match. That brought peace to both Sudans for the first time since the 1989 coup where then general Bashir took power and led Sudan on a downward trajectory. The peace did not last and the fighting between government forces and those of the RSF that has been around since 1988, when they appeared as the Janjaweed Arab Sudanese militia in the west Sudan region of Darfur. Before 1988 the Janjaweed were involved with violence going on in neighboring Chad and Libya but after 1988 the Janjaweed concentrated its activities in Darfur. In 2013 the Janjaweed rebranded themselves as the RSF and evolved into paid Sudanese government enforcers in Darfur. In 2023 the Sudan government suggested that the RSF become part of the Sudanese Army. RSF refused and in April 2023 the fighting between government forces and the RSF began. At this point the RSF was powerful enough to take on the army. Currently that struggle continues. Between then and now there were some other interesting developments. For example the slavery problem continues in Sudan and sometimes gets into the news. This happened a lot in Sudan since the 1990s as the government encouraged Arabized tribes to raid non-Moslem black African tribes and take slaves. In northern Mali retreating al Qaeda men sometimes took newly enslaved blacks with them. This tolerance of slaving is one of the many reasons Sudan is one of the five most corrupt nations in the world. These five outlaw states are, according to the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, North Korea, Yemen, Syria, South Sudan and Somalia. Sudan is considered a bit less corrupt than South Sudan and ranks 162 out of 180 nations. South Sudan ranks closer to the bottom at 177th place. Sudan has been behaving in other ways and in October 2020 was removed from the U.S.s State Sponsor of Terrorism/SST list. Sudan agreed to pay compensation to American victims of terror attacks, with the attack on the 2000 USS Cole in Yemen and the 1998 attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania the most important. Sudan was on the SST list for 27 years. Sudans 2020 transitional government agreed to peaceful relations with Israel. That eventually happened and since late 202, Israeli governments and security forces have cooperated with their Sudanese equivalents. Recognizing Israel was a divisive issue in Sudan. Even some pro-democracy groups opposed it. As for the SST, escaping the list means Sudan now had better access to international financial and investment organizations. It will also make it much easier and legal for Sudanese to import western technology like computers, smart phones and software. Sudan now had easier access to foreign aid of all types, including life-saving medical. The aid was a major consideration, for Sudans governments were always facing an extended economic crisis and shortages of food and medical supplies. Adrian Brody took home the Oscar for Best Actor at the 2025 ceremony, but he also broke a record in the process. At the event, Brody came out triumphant ahead of stiff competition from the likes of Colman Domingo and Timothee Chalamet among others. His role as Hungarian-Jewish architect Laszlo Toth in the movie 'The Brutalist' allowed him to claim the trophy and when he went up on stage, he gave a lengthy speech about his win. "I share this with my amazing partner Georgina, who has not only reinvigorated my own self-worth but my sense of value and my values and her beautiful children, Dash and India. It's been a rollercoaster, but thank you for accepting me into your life, and Popsy's coming home a winner," he said in his speech, per ABC. "I have to thank my mom and dad, who are here as well. They've just created just such a strong foundation of respect and of kindness and a wonderful spirit, and ... they've given me the strength to pursue this dream," Brody added. Read more: Social Media Explodes with Zelensky Comparisons After Adam Sandler Walks Out of Oscars The actor also told the music to calm down when he was being rushed off of stage because his speech had exceeded the max length allowed for the program. "Turn the music off! I've done this before. Thank you. It's not my first rodeo, but I will be brief," he said. While he eventually wrapped up his speech, Brody's speech lasted a total of 5 minutes and 40 seconds. In doing so, he set a new record for the longest acceptance speech at the Oscars, a record that was previously held by Greer Garson whose speech lasted 5 minutes and 30 seconds, The Hollywood Reporter claims. However, that is not the only record that Brody has when it comes to the Oscars. According to the Guinness World Records, Brody holds the record for the youngest actor to win Best Actor when he picked up his first Academy Award for his role in the movie 'The Pianist' at the age of 29 years and 343 days. Brody's Oscar win comes after he had swept award season, winning a Critics' Choice Award and BAFTA Award along with a Golden Globe award. Tuesday, March 4, 2025 The Origins of Womens History Month: A Legacy of Advocacy In 1978, a group of visionary educators from Sonoma County, CaliforniaMolly Murphy MacGregor, Mary Ruthsdotter, Maria Cuevas, Paula Hammett, and Bette Morgantofounded the National Womens History Project (NWHP) in Santa Rosa. They were motivated by a crucial realization: womens historical contributions were frequently overlooked or missing from school textbooks. Determined to change this, they sought to ensure that womens historical roles would be recognized and celebrated. After successfully establishing Womens History Week in Sonoma County, the NWHP led a coalition that effectively urged President Carter to issue the first Presidential Proclamation, designating the week of March 8, 1980, as the inaugural National History Week. March 8 is also recognized as International Womens Day. With support from Representative Barbara Mikulski and Senator Orrin Hatch, Congress declared March as National Womens History Month. This milestone has since transformed into an annual celebration. From the beginning, the project established a theme each year and provided essential educational resources and materials to honor the trailblazing women who shaped history. In 2018, the project evolved into the National Womens History Alliance (NWHA), expanding its mission to promote womens history all year long. Today, NWHA is the premier national organization dedicated to providing information, training, and resources on multicultural womens historysupporting educators, community leaders, and anyone eager to enhance their understanding of womens roles in U.S. history. You can explore their initiatives and the significance of Womens History Month on their website: nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org. Honoring a Hidden Figure: Dusty Roads One of the remarkable women honored by the NWHP was Dusty Roads, recognized in 2017 as a Trailblazing Woman in Labor and Business. Roads was a resident of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, where the NWHP was located. As a former American Airlines stewardess, she played a pivotal role in the womens rights movement before it had a name. In the 1950s, she took a courageous stand against widespread discrimination, advocating for fair working conditions for stewardesses as a union leader and congressional lobbyist. For 15 relentless years, she fought against and overturned policies that mandated stewardesses to retire at the age of 32 and barred them from working if they were married. In 1963, she captured the nations attention by leading the first-ever union protest for stewardesses, and in 1965, she helped a colleague file the nations first sex-based discrimination complaint with the newly established Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Dusty Roads fearless advocacy paved the way for the womens movement that followed. To learn more about her groundbreaking story, check out my book, Dusty Roads: Meet the Hidden Figure Who Ignited the Womens Movement. Im honored that Molly MacGregor, a key figure behind the National Womens History Project, wrote the Foreword, further solidifying Dustys rightful place in history. Tuesday, March 4, 2025 What Trump supporters say they love about him is his ability to speak his mind clearly, even when his positions are deeply unpopular. Personally, I have never liked the way President Trump talks. Frankness is a desirable trait, but his incessant use of foul and abusive language is something that I find highly objectionable. In spite of that, I can understand why many of his supporters are drawn to him. Like them, I am frustrated by the inability of most politicians to get simple words out of their mouths. But Trumps backers apparently want to have it both ways. Events this past week have revealed their blatant hypocrisy. By now, everyone knows about the fiasco in the Oval Office during the meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy, with the U.S. Vice President JD Vance in attendance. The global debate about who is to blame for that implosion will likely go on for a long time. But in the meantime, Trump supporters need to be asked to look in the mirror. Since last Friday, the day of the meeting, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has been apoplectic that Zelenskyy was not delicate in his handling of Trump in the Oval Office, as he had advised him to do. Senator Graham has suggested to Zelenskyy that in the form of an apology for his behavior, he should convey the following message to Trump: I screwed up big time for my country and for the U.S. relationship and if I had to do it over again, Id have done it differently and Im sorry. To be fair to Senator Graham, he has been one of the staunchest allies of Ukraine throughout this war. He means well for Ukraine, and is rightly disappointed by the outcome of last weeks meeting between the two leaders. I also agree with him that given what was at stake, President Zelenskyy could have shown a bit more restraint. But Senator Graham has to be honest and admit that the bulk of the blame should be placed at the feet of President Trump and Vice President Vance. He should also put himself in Zelenskyys shoes and ask himself how he would have reacted to those deliberate provocations by the vice president. Zelenskyy is a man who has presided over such a brutal war for three years and is under tremendous stress, both emotionally and physically. Containing oneself under such conditions is easier said than done. I argued recently that if anything, President Zelenskyy, and Ukrainians in general, have been too polite in their pleas for military and other assistance from the U.S. and its Western allies during this war. Some people may disagree, but whatever the U.S. has provided Ukraine thus far cannot be seen as some charitable donation. America has an obligation to help defend Ukraine. The increasing level of frustration that President Zelenskyy has shown in the last few months is absolutely legitimate. He is the leader of a country that the U.S. coerced to hand over its large cache of nuclear weapons to Russia, of all nations, in exchange for security assurances. As is happening today, no one in America was willing to use the term security guarantee in 1994 when we pressured the Ukrainians into doing that bad deal. That loose language was obviously crafted to give us the flexibility to shirk our future responsibility if we ever felt like doing so. The Ukrainians have now seen the result of that deceitful arrangement. Hundreds of thousands of their citizens have been killed, injured, tortured, and taken prisoner to Russia. The Russians have deliberately destroyed their energy infrastructure in an effort to freeze them to death in the midst of Ukraines harsh winters. And we are blaming Ukrainians for being upset? Calling them disrespectful? We cannot be serious. President Zelenskyy, in my view, is the most courageous leader on the planet today. He put his life on the line in February 2022 when Russian tanks were rolling menacingly into Kyiv. Every indication was that he was going to be captured and killed, and it prompted President Bidens proposal to evacuate him out of Kyiv. Under those circumstances, 99.99 percent of the human population would accept such an offer in a heartbeat. But not Zelenskyy. He told Biden that he needed ammunition, not a ride. That decision to stay and fight for his country has forever etched his name in historygloriously. Six months before President Zelenskyy made that courageous stand, another head of state chose to flee his capital as a rebel group, not even an army, marched on it. We know how life has turned out for the citizens of that nation. An entire generation of girls have been banned from receiving education, and life under the new tyrannical regime is dire for everyone else in the country. The thing that we used to call international community, even if it still exists, pretends as if it doesnt know about the desperation of the girls who want to do something as simple as sit in a classroom and learn. That kind of oppression was the fate that awaited Ukrainians had Zelenskyy not faced up to the Russians. No one, not even the president of the United States, has the right to lecture this brave man about how to show gratitude. Senator Graham, at least, has his heart in the right place. The people who really have questions to answer are the Trump supporters who accuse Zelenskyy of being a total ingrate and disrespectful to the president. They hold up Trump as a model of the straight-talking politician they say this country has needed for a long time. If that is the case, then we should expect their man to be a little more tolerant of criticism than he has demonstrated during his time in public office. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer both visited the White House last week before President Zelenskyy arrived on Friday. Macron and Starmer both showered praises on Trump effusively, and fawned over him. We all know that deep down in their hearts, those cannot be their true feelings about our president. But they did so because that is what everyone says has to be done when dealing with Trump. It is time for Trump supporters to tell us what they really want. Do they like all that flattery on display when people meet with him? Isnt that duplicitousness what they have been saying over the last several years that they found absolutely abhorrent? Frankly, this endless toadyism is quite tacky. Those who claim to prefer straight-talking should refrain from asking others to perform choreographed dances around the president when dealing with him. Update March 6: President Donald Trump postponed tariffs on most goods from Mexico and Canada on March 6. However, the exemptions expire on April 2, Imports from Mexico that comply with the 2020 USMCA trade pact are excluded from the 25% tariffs for a month, according to the orders signed by Trump. Potash that U.S. farmers import from Canada for use in fertilizer would be tariffed at 10%, the same rate at which Trump wants to tariff Canadian energy products, according to the Associated Press. The American Farm Bureau Federation and other ag groups expressed appreciation for the reprieve from the trade war with its North American trading partners but still urged the administration to find permanent resolutions. This story was updated March 5 at 11:30 a.m. SALEM, Ohio National agricultural groups are urging President Donald Trump to restore the flow of trade between its top trading partners before it does irreparable damage to American farmers and rural communities at a time when they can least afford it. Some farmers still havent recovered from the impacts of Trumps last trade war in 2018, American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland said in a statement. This will further exacerbate economic hardship on our farmers, he said. Trumps long-threatened Tariffs against Canada and Mexico went into effect just after midnight March 4, and existing duties on Chinese goods were doubled to 20%. Imports from Canada and Mexico are now to be taxed at 25%, with Canadian energy products subject to 10% import duties. Retaliation was swift, with China putting additional tariffs on a wide array of U.S. farm exports, set to take effect March 10. Imports of U.S. grown chicken, wheat, corn and cotton will face an extra 15% tariff, according to the Chinese government. Tariffs on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, seafoods, fruit, vegetables and dairy products will be increased by 10%. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement that retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion worth of U.S. imports would take effect immediately and another $86 billion in tariffs would follow if Trumps tariffs were still in place in 21 days. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said shell announce retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods on March 9. Soybeans and trade The American Soybean Association railed against the tariffs, saying they would disproportionately impact its producers. Soybeans are the no. 1 export crop for the U.S., with China being the largest market, Ragland said. About 44% of the United States beans were exported to China last year. Ragland also took issue with Trumps seemingly flippant response to the impact tariffs would have on farmers. Trump said in a March 3 post on his private social media platform that U.S. tariffs on external product would take effect in April, although it was unclear exactly what that meant. To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun! Trump wrote on Truth Social. Farmers are frustrated. Tariffs are not something to take lightly and have fun with, Ragland said, in a statement. Not only do they hit our family businesses squarely in the wallet, but they rock a core tenet on which our trading relationships are built, and that is reliability. Ragland said American soybean farmers are still struggling to overcome the long-term reputational impact of the disruptions from the 2018 trade war. China wont have to look hard to find somewhere else to get soybeans to avoid American tariffs. The U.S. lost Chinese import ground to Brazil during the 2018 trade war and never recovered. Plus the South American country Soybean producers in Midwestern states were among those who faced the largest losses from the 2018 trade war, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture research. Pork and sorghum producers also faced heavy losses. Overall agricultural losses from the trade were estimated to be $13.2 billion from 2018-2019. Unlike in 2018, farmers are in a more tentative financial situation in 2025, Ragland said. Commodity prices are down nearly 50% from three years ago. And, they are operating their farms during a time when costs for land and inputs like seed, pesticides and fertilizer are high, meaning much slimmer margins and less savings to draw from when tariffs make circumstances go south. Bad timing The timing of the tariffs is especially difficult, hitting farmers just as spring planting season is about to begin. Most of the U.S. potash supply a key ingredient in fertilizer is imported from Canada. The Fertilizer Institute President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch urged the Trump administration to provide a strategic carveout for Canadian fertilizers from the tariffs through designation as critical minerals. The 25 percent tariffs on critical fertilizer imports from Canada, including potash, ammonium sulfate, nitrogen fertilizers and sulfur will drive up the cost of production for U.S. farmers. These costs ripple throughout the agriculture community, ultimately leading to higher prices at the grocery store. Rosenbusch said in a statement that the trade restrictions will drive up costs for farmers, which could ultimately be felt at the grocery store by consumers. With the spring planting season fast approaching and U.S. agriculture continuing to face serious headwinds, maintaining reliable and cost-effective fertilizer supply chains is essential to ensuring a productive harvest and protecting American farmers from unnecessary financial strain, Rosenbusch said. Other groups also urged the administration to work with its trading partners to find a resolution before the impacts hit home, including the National Farmers Union, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Milk Producers Federation and National Corn Growers Association. Duvall said farmers support ensuring security and fair trade with other nations, but that additional tariffs and retaliatory tariffs will take a toll on rural America. For the third straight year, farmers are losing money on almost every major crop planted, said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. Adding even more costs and reducing markets for American agricultural goods could create an economic burden some farmers may not be able to bear. BACKGROUND The Canada and Mexico tariffs were supposed to begin in February, but Trump agreed to a 30-day suspension to negotiate further. The stated reason for the tariffs is to address drug trafficking and illegal immigration, but Trump has also indicated that he wants to correct trade imbalances and push more manufacturing to relocate to the U.S. Its going to be very costly for people to take advantage of this country, Trump said March 3 at the White House. They cant come in and steal our money and steal our jobs and take our factories and take our businesses and expect not to be punished, and theyre being punished by tariffs. Its a very powerful weapon that politicians havent used because they were either dishonest, stupid or paid off in some other form. And now were using them, he continued. The latest release from Apple, iOS 18.4 beta 2, has added a list of new features to enjoy on iPhones and iPads, including one nifty feature for Control Center that offers easy access to Apple Intelligence and Siri. This update for Control Center offers a new section dedicated to the generative AI system of the Cupertino-based tech giant, as well as its AI assistant. iOS 18.4 Beta 2 Adds Apple Intelligence, Siri Controls to Control Center For users part of the Apple beta program, there is now a lot to unpack from the latest update that the company released, iOS 18.4 beta 2. The update comes with an addition to the Control Center for easy access to Apple's AI systems. According to 9to5Mac, Apple users may now head on over to the Control Center to rearrange their controls for the device's features as a dedicated list of controls found under the category of "Apple Intelligence & Siri" now offers a list of several features. They features can directly bring the AI technology to users without the need to head to certain apps or call Siri's name via voice control. The controls that users may add to their Control Center layout are as follows: Talk to Siri Type to Siri Visual Intelligence The first two features are aimed directly at Siri controls, which will focus on the capabilities of the AI assistant that can assist users with several features. It should be noted that it also offers ChatGPT access with it. On the other hand, Visual Intelligence is an Apple Intelligence feature that can detect objects or items where the camera is pointed for easier identification. Here's How to Easily Access Apple's AI Features To edit the Control Center layout to add these new Apple Intelligence and Siri features, users only need to long press on any blank field after bringing up Control Center to reveal the 'Add Control' option. After pressing this, scroll to 'Apple Intelligence & Siri' and add the controls you wish to be easily accessible via the Control Center. Apple Intelligence and Siri's Latest Capabilities Apple has come a long way since it first released iOS 18 last October and showed the world what Apple Intelligence has to offer. While many find it lacking compared to other AI chatbots and systems, it is still a significant advancement. Recently, the company suffered from a "hallucinating" AI Notification Summaries feature, which it already addressed with the iOS 18.3 release. AI Notification Summaries is only one of the many AI features available from the Cupertino-based tech giant's take on machine learning. It is part of the broader release featuring Writing Tools, Image Playground, and more. Indeed, Apple's AI is still limited in its present state, but it already offers several advanced features, including Genmoji for custom emojis and the much-awaited Siri and ChatGPT integration. As President Donald Trumps 25-per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports take effect today, both the countries have swiftly responded. While Canada announced 25-per cent tariffs on C$155 billion ($107 billion) worth of US goods, with C$30 billion ($20.7 billion) in immediate effect, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country is preparing countermeasures. The rest of the retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth C$125 billion will be slapped within 21 days, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in an official statement. As the 25-per cent US tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports take effect today, Canada announced 25-per cent tariffs on $107 billion worth of US goods, with $20.7 billion in immediate effect, and Mexico said it is preparing countermeasures. China also announced 15-per cent tariffs on US chicken, wheat, corn and cotton, plus 10-per cent tariffs on soybeans, pork, beef and dairy beginning March 10. Canadian tariffs will remain in place until the US trade action is withdrawn, and should US tariffs not cease, his government is discussing with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures, Trudeau added. Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship. They will violate the very trade agreement that was negotiated by President Trump in his last term, the Canadian PMs statement concluded. Sheinbaum told a press conference she would speak more about her decisions today, but that whatever the United States has decided, Mexico was ready. "We have a plan B, C, D," Sheinbaum said, without elaborating. Officials from Mexico met with their US counterparts in Washington last week to discuss trade and security policy. Meanwhile, China announced imposing 15-per cent tariffs on US chicken, wheat, corn and cotton, plus 10-per cent tariffs on soybeans, pork, beef and dairy beginning March 10. The move places 25 US firms under export and investment restrictions. The United States imposed 10-per cent tariff on all US imports from China on top of existing extra tariffs. Beijing strongly opposed US tariff hikes, warning of further actions. "These new tariffs are compounding rapidly. Amid other hints at hitting hard on the EU [European Union] and other allies as well, each HTS code of tariffs snowballs into a growingand potentially crushingburden on American businesses and hardworking American families," said Steve Lamar, president and chief executive officer of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA). "Uncertainty and instability are corrosive, undermining the vitality of our consumer driven economy, and the 3.5 million American jobs created by our industry. We look forward to discussions with Administration officials, including US trade representative Ambassador Greer and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, on needed guardrails that will allow us to champion smart trade policies, he said in a statement. It is vital that our governments actions be aligned so that they benefit both the crucial exports of American-grown and American-manufactured goods as well as U.S. imports of safe, affordable, and innovative consumer products, he added. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Millie Bobby Brown is calling out the media for obsessing over her looks instead of focusing on her work. The Stranger Things star slammed certain publications for picking apart her face, body, and choices, calling it "bullying" rather than real journalism. This came after people started talking about her new blonde hair during promotions for her upcoming Netflix movie, The Electric State, with some saying it made her look older. In an Instagram video, she said its disturbing that adult writers spend time criticizing her appearance and urged people to do betternot just for her, but for all young girls who shouldnt have to fear being judged just for growing up. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Millie Bobby Brown (@milliebobbybrown) Many celebrities showed their support in the comments. Actress Emma Caulfield, known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, sent Brown love and called her "sunshine & light." Others also stood by her, agreeing that young women in Hollywood deserve to be treated with more kindness and respect. She opened up about how hard its been to grow up in front of the world. Brown, who started acting at 10 and became famous as Eleven in Stranger Things, said people refuse to accept that shes not a kid anymore. She pointed out that some still expect her to look the same as she did in the first season, and because she doesnt, shes now a target for criticism. Now 21, she highlighted several articles that unfairly judged her appearance, including one questioning if she had done something to her face and another comparing her to a mother while she was out with her younger sister.Brown made it clear that she wont apologize for growing up. She said she refuses to change herself to meet unrealistic expectations or let people shame her for how she looks, dresses, or presents herself. She called out the pressure placed on young women in the industry, saying its unfair that theyre expected to stay the same while being constantly judged. Instead, shes embracing who she is and wont let negativity bring her down. Telugu actor Sudheer Babu is gearing up for his next film, Jatadhara. It is being helmed by Venkat Kalyan. Now, we are getting to know that Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha has been locked as the lead of the film. She will reportedly join the sets on March 8th. However, an official confirmation is awaited from the makers of the film. This will mark the actress' Telugu debut. Prior to this, the actress was seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period drama Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar and in the OTT horror film Kakuda. Meanwhile, the actress was also in news recently for speaking about her interfaith marriage with Zaheer Iqbal. She shared why she didn't change her religion after the wedding and said, "We were not looking at religion. We are two people in love who wanted to get married, and thats exactly what we did. He is not enforcing his religion on me, and I am not enforcing mine on him. We never even discussed religion. We dont sit and talk about it. Instead, we appreciate and understand each others cultures. They follow certain traditions in their home, and I have mine. I respect them and their culture, just as they respect me and my family. Thats how it should be." The Lootera actress added that there was never a question of conversion and their love for each other was enough." Adrien Brody had a great night at the 97th Academy Awards. The actor won the Best Actor award for his impressive role as Laszlo Toth in the epic period drama The Brutalist. Brody beat Timothee Chalamet, Colman Domingo, Sebastan Stan and Ralph Fiennes to achieve the feat. This marks his second Academy Award after The Pianist. Upon winning, Brody was understandably emotional and went on to deliver a long speech.As per reports, Adrien Brody has broken the record for the longest Oscar acceptance speech. Having won earlier, he was aware of the 45-second time. However, he requested that the rap music that plays as a time cue to end the speech, be turned off. His record-breaking speech was five minutes and 30 seconds long.Previously, the record was held by Best Actress winner Greer Garson who won the award for Mrs Miniver back in 1943.In his speech, Adrien said, "They're already counting me down, okay thank you God. Thank you for this blessed life. If I may just humbly begin by giving thanks for the tremendous outpouring of love that I felt from this world and every individual that has treated me with respect, and appreciation, I feel so fortunate. You know, acting is a very fragile profession, it looks very glamorous, and certain moments it is but the one thing I've gained, having the privilege to come back here is to have some perspective and no matter where you are in your career, no matter what you've accomplished it can all go away and I think what makes this night most special is the awareness of that and the gratitude that I have to still to do the work that I love."He added, "Winning an award like this it signifies a destination and it's something my character references in the film but to me it also beyond the pinnacle of a career it is a chance to begin again and the opportunity to hopefully be fortunate enough for that the next 20 years of my life that I can prove that I am worthy of such meaningful and important and relevant roles. I share this with my fellow nominees, who are just wonderful human beings who exude grace and goodness and brilliance with their work, there's so many people to thank. I will really try and be as brief as possible."He ended the speech saying, "Okay, I'll get out of here, I love you, I appreciate you all. Let's fight for what's right, keep smiling, keep loving one another, let's rebuild together. Thank you."Directed by Brady Corbet, The Brutalist is a period drama that revolves around a Hungarian Jewish architect who escapes the Holocaust and flees to the United States. He soon strikes a turbulent relationship with a plutocrat.The Brutalist is currently available to watch in theatres in India. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2025) - Hansco Capital Corp. (TSXV: HCO.P) (the "Company" or "Hansco") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a business combination agreement dated as of March 3, 2025 (the "Definitive Agreement") with NSC Game Studio Inc. ("NSC"), an arm's length party, and 1529300 B.C. Ltd. B.C. LTD. ("SubCo"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, pursuant to which the Company intends to acquire (the "Proposed Transaction") all of the issued and outstanding securities of NSC by way of three-cornered amalgamation, subject to regulatory approval including that of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The Proposed Transaction is expected to constitute the Company's qualifying transaction under the policies of the Exchange. Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, subject to all requisite approvals, it is anticipated that the Resulting Issuer (as defined herein) will be a Tier 2 - Technology Issuer. About NSC Game Studio Inc. NSC Game Studio is a company focused on developing video games across multiple platforms, publishing video games in collaboration with other game studios, and introducing the new technology focused on Tactical Assault Combat System ("TACS") simulators which are specialized for operations utilizing AR/VR technologies and NSC's game data for use in military simulations. NSC has licensed worldwide rights to Black Squad, a first-person shooter gaming title, and all associated intellectual property pursuant to the terms of a license agreement with NS Studio Inc. (the "License Agreement"). Black Squad I is available for download on Steam, with over 30 million cumulative users worldwide. NSC is currently developing Black Squad II, as well as other video game titles and TACS simulators. NS Studio Inc. is not a related party to NSC or to the Company. NSC has a limited history of operations to date. NSC is currently focused on raising capital to fund the development of Black Squad II, as well as to expand and capitalize on its TACS business line, including manufacturing and sales of airsoft guns. NSC was incorporated pursuant to the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) on August 20, 2022. Sangkyu Youn, the proposed CEO of the Resulting Issuer (as defined below), is a "Control Person" of NSC, as such term is defined under the Securities Act (British Columbia). Following closing of the Proposed Transaction, it is expected that Mr. Youn will be a "Control Person" of the Resulting Issuer. The Proposed Transaction The Proposed Transaction will be completed pursuant to a three-cornered amalgamation among the Company, NSC and SubCo, whereby SubCo and NSC will amalgamate and continue as one corporation (the "Amalgamation") and the shareholders of NSC will receive approximately 25,275,670 shares of the Company (referred to on a post-closing basis as the "Resulting Issuer"). Pursuant to the Definitive Agreement, and upon the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set out therein, in connection with the closing of the Proposed Transaction, among other things: the Company will complete a 3:1 consolidation of its currently issued and outstanding common shares (the " Consolidation "); "); the Company will change its name to "NSC Game Studio Inc." (the " Name Change ") or any such name acceptable to NSC; ") or any such name acceptable to NSC; the Amalgamation will be completed, and the NSC shareholders will exchange each NSC common share (the " NSC Shares ") for one common share of the Resulting Issuer (the " Resulting Issuer Shares "); and ") for one common share of the Resulting Issuer (the " "); and the board of directors and management of the Resulting Issuer will be replaced with nominees of NSC (as described herein). The Resulting Issuer will hold on a consolidated basis, all of the assets and will be subject to all of the liabilities of the Company and NSC, and will continue the business of NSC. Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including, but not limited to, NSC completing a non-brokered private placement of subscription receipts (each, a "Subscription Receipt") for gross proceeds of $4,000,000 at a price of $0.75 per Subscription Receipt (as described below); the Company completing the Consolidation; the Company completing the Name Change; Exchange acceptance of the Proposed Transaction; and receipt of the necessary approvals of the shareholders of the Company and NSC, as applicable. The Resulting Issuer will enter into such escrow or pooling agreements as required by the Exchange or as agreed by the parties. No loans or advances between Hansco, NSC or SubCo are expected in connection with the Proposed Transaction. No finder's fees are contemplated in connection with the Proposed Transaction. The Definitive Agreement will be posted to the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and contains additional details regarding the Proposed Transaction. Financing In connection with the Proposed Transaction, NSC intends to complete a financing (the "Financing") of Subscription Receipts for gross proceeds of $4,000,000, at a price of $0.75 per Subscription Receipt. The Subscription Receipts will convert into Resulting Issuer Shares and the funds raised under the Financing will be released to the Resulting Issuer, upon successful completion of the Proposed Transaction. Other than in connection with the Financing, neither party will issue any shares or rights exchangeable or exercisable into shares of such party prior to closing of the Proposed Transaction. The proceeds of the Financing will be used for developing new products, sourcing new games to publish and working capital requirements of the Resulting Issuer. In addition to the Financing, NSC is conducting a non-brokered private placement of NSC Shares for gross proceeds of $1,000,000, at a price of $0.75 per NSC Share (the "Initial Financing"). The proceeds from the Initial Financing will be used for development costs, listing costs and working capital requirements. Management Following the completion of the Proposed Transaction (and as outlined in the Definitive Agreement), the Resulting Issuer is expected to be led by Sangkyu Youn (CEO and Director); Dong H. Shim (CFO and Corporate Secretary); Gunmin Park (Independent Director); Aris Morfopoulos (Director) and Minkwon Park (Independent Director). Sangkyu Youn (CEO and Director) Sangkyu Youn is a pioneering executive with over 20 years of experience in the global gaming industry. As a co-founder and former CEO of Neowiz, he played a pivotal role in shaping the online gaming landscape in South Korea. Under his leadership, Neowiz had transformed from a fledgling startup into an industry giant, positioning itself among the top gaming firms in South Korea. As the CEO of NS Studio Inc. in South Korea since 2012 and NSC Game Studio Inc. in Canada since 2022, Mr. Youn has launched Black Squad, which recorded over 30 million downloads globally. During his tenure as CEO at Neowiz, through a strategic partnership with Eletronic Arts, he launched FIFA Online. Mr. Youn also played a key role to service CrossFire in China and Southeast Asia, where it became a success with many concurrent users and corresponding revenue. His extensive expertise covers the entire gaming value chain, from concept and development to publishing and marketing. Dong H. Shim (CFO and Corporate Secretary) Mr. Shim is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia, and a Certified Public Accountant registered in the State of Illinois, United States. He has served as an audit partner on numerous audit engagements with a mid-size firm located in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he audited various publicly traded companies, primarily focusing on junior mining, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, and high-tech industries. As an audit partner, Mr. Shim also assisted various start-up companies in achieving public listings on the TSX Venture Exchange, the Canadian Securities Exchange and the OTC Market. Mr. Shim is currently the President of Golden Tree Capital Corp. and SHIM Accounting Corporation with a primary focus on business advisory, corporate consulting and regulatory filings both in the United States and Canada. Gunmin Park (Independent Director) Gunmin Park received his Economics and Applied Statistics as a double degree (Financial Engineering Program) with Honours at Yonsei University in South Korea and has obtained his Certified Financial Planner designation in Canada. Over the past 15 years, Mr. Park has accumulated substantial experience with asset management. Mr. Park has expertise in the specialized field of corporate ownership and estate and tax planning. Mr. Park works with an extensive network of professional advisors (accountants, lawyers, and private corporation owners among others) across Canada, South Korea and Asia. Aris Morfopoulos (Director) Mr. Morfopoulos is a corporate executive and accountant with over 30 years experience. He has worked as senior management, CFO, and director of several public and private companies in the mineral resource exploration and Internet-based industries since 1994, accumulating significant experience in mergers, acquisitions and cross-border transactions. He graduated with a B. Commerce (Hons.) degree from the University of Manitoba in 1975. Minkwon Park (Independent Director) Minkwon (Gideon) Park has a unique blend of military expertise, simulation hardware development, and deep industry connections in the airsoft gun community. Serving as a military officer in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, he committed himself to advancing combat strategies and improving personal equipment. Following his military service, Mr. Park established strong connections with airsoft gun manufacturers represented by Bolt, a renowned manufacturer in Taiwan, and many South Korean small and mid-sized manufacturers such as Custom Revolution, which specializes in metal processing and 3D printing. Trading Halt Trading of the Company's shares has been halted and will remain halted pending the Exchange's receipt of satisfactory documentation and completion of the Proposed Transaction. Filing Statement In connection with the Proposed Transaction and pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange, the Company will file a filing statement or a management information circular on its issuer profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), which will contain details regarding the Proposed Transaction, NSC, the Financing, and the Resulting Issuer. Financial Information A summary of the unaudited financial information of NSC for the year ended October 31, 2024, disclosed in accordance with TSXV policies, is included in the table below: October 31, 2024 Total revenues Nil Total assets $329,766 Basic and diluted loss per share $(0.01) Total expenses $344,983 Net loss and comprehensive (loss) $(344,956) Additional financial information with respect to NSC will be provided in the filing statement to be filed with the TSXV in connection with the Acquisition. Sponsorship of the Proposed Transaction Sponsorship of a "Qualifying Transaction" of a capital pool company is required by the Exchange unless exempt in accordance with Exchange policies. The Company anticipates requesting a waiver from Sponsorship requirements. However, there is no assurance that a waiver from this requirement can or will be obtained. Cautionary Statements Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions including as disclosed herein, but not limited to, Exchange acceptance and if applicable, disinterested shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Proposed Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder and Exchange approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Proposed Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. All information contained in this press release with respect to the Company and NSC was supplied by the parties respectively, for inclusion herein, without independent review by the other party, and each party and its directors and officers have relied on the other party for any information concerning the other party. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. Forward-Looking Information This press release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward looking, including without limitation any statements concerning the expected results of the Proposed Transaction, the completion of the transactions contemplated by the Definitive Agreement, the anticipated timing thereof, completion of the Financing and the expected use of proceeds therefrom. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions readers that all forward-looking statements, are based on assumptions none of which can be assured and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws or the Exchange. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243157 SOURCE: Hansco Capital Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2025) - FIRST ANDES SILVER LTD. (TSXV: FAS) (OTC Pink: MSLVF) (FSE: 9TZ) (the "Company" or "First Andes") today announced that it has closed its oversubscribed private placement financing, previously announced on February 10, 2025, by issuing a total of 21,300,000 common shares at a price of $0.05 per share for gross proceeds of $1,065,000 (the "Offering"). The securities issued under the Offering will be subject to restrictions on resale for a period of four months from the date of issue. The Company paid finders a cash fee of $38,500 and issued 770,000 non-transferable warrants exercisable at $0.05 per share for a period of two years from the date of issue. The proceeds of the Offering will be used for a follow-up drill program at the high-grade Santas Gloria silver property and general working capital purposes. Ian Stalker, the Company's Executive Chairman and a director, subscribed for 2,000,000 Shares, contributing $100,000 to the Offering. This participation constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). However, the Company expects to be exempt from formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements under Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a) of MI 61-101, as his participation does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. About First Andes Silver Ltd. First Andes Silver Ltd. is a British Columbia company that holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Santas Gloria silver property, located in a major mining district 100 km east of Lima, Peru. Santas Gloria has excellent established road access, and is situated within a well-known intermediate sulphidation belt, and hosts over 12 km of multiphase veins mapped at surface which had never been historically drilled or explored by modern techniques before 2024. First Andes' maiden diamond drill program last year reported high-grade silver grades on all drilled vein systems confirming silver endowment and warranting high priority follow-up drilling in 2025. Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Company's limited operating history, ability to obtain sufficient financing to carry out its exploration programs and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243158 SOURCE: First Andes Silver Ltd. VANCOUVER, BC, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV) (FRA: 5LB) (OTCQB: BVAXF) ("BioVaxys" or "Company") announces that, further to its news release dated February 13, 2025, its principal regulator, the British Columbia Securities Commission (the "BCSC"), has accepted the Company's application for, and has granted, a management cease trade order (the "MCTO") under National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203"). As previously announced, the Company applied for the MCTO as it anticipated a short-term delay in the filing of its audited annual financial statements for the year ended October 31, 2024, the related management's discussion and analysis, and its Form 52-109FV1 CEO and CFO certifications of annual filings (collectively the "Required Filings"). Under National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations, the Required Filings were required to be made not later than February 28, 2025. While every effort is being made to make the Required Filings as soon as possible, one of the factors contributing to the delay is the recent acquisition of all intellectual property, immunotherapeutics platform Technology, and clinical stage assets of the former IMV Inc. completed on February 16, 2024. The purchase involved the acquisition of 120 patents, and it is taking longer than expected for the auditor to complete its review and valuation of the patents. The Company expects that its auditor, Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton LaBonte LLP, will be in a position to complete the audit by March 30, 2025, ?with the Required Filings to be completed as soon as possible ?thereafter.? While the MCTO is in effect, the general investing public will continue to be able to trade freely the Company's listed common shares. However, the MCTO will prohibit the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer from trading securities of the Company for so long as the Required Filings are not filed. Additionally, the Company will be prohibited from directly or indirectly issuing or acquiring securities from insiders or employees of the Company until such time as the Required Filings have been made and all continuous disclosure requirements have been met by the Company, and the MCTO has been revoked. The Company confirms that it will comply with the alternative information guidelines set out under NP 12-203 by issuing bi-weekly default status reports, in the form of news releases, until such time as the Required Filings have been made and all continuous disclosure requirements have been met by the Company, and the MCTO has been revoked. The Company also confirms as of the date of this news release that there is no insolvency proceeding against it and there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed. About BioVaxys Technology Corp. BioVaxys Technology Corp. (www.biovaxys.com), a biopharmaceuticals company registered in British Columbia, Canada, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving patient lives with novel immunotherapies based on the DPX immune-educating technology platform and it's HapTenix 'neoantigen' tumor cell construct platform, for treating cancers, infectious disease, antigen desensitization, and other immunological fields. The Company's clinical stage pipeline includes maveropepimut-S which is in Phase II clinical development for advanced Relapsed-Refractory Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) and platinum resistant ovarian cancer, and BVX-0918, a personalized immunotherapeutic vaccine using it proprietary HapTenix 'neoantigen' tumor cell construct platform which is soon to enter Phase I in Spain for treating refractive late-stage ovarian cancer. The Company is also capitalizing on its tumor immunology know-how and creation of a unique library of T-lymphocytes & other datasets post-vaccination with its personalized immunotherapeutic vaccines to utilize predictive algorithms and other technologies to identify new targetable tumor antigens. BioVaxys common shares are listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the stock symbol "BIOV" and trade on the Frankfurt Bourse (FRA: 5LB) and in the U.S. on the OTC Markets (OTCQB marketplace). For more information, visit www.biovaxys.com and connect with us on X and LinkedIn. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Signed "James Passin" James Passin, Chief Executive Officer Phone: +1 740 358 0555 Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating to the filing of the Required Filings by March 30, 2025 and the Company's ability to comply with the provision of the alternative information guidelines described by NP 12-203, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates, primarily the assumption that BioVaxys will be successful in developing and testing vaccines, that, while considered reasonable by BioVaxys, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the risk that the Company may not be able to file the Required Filings by March 30, 2025. BioVaxys does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by applicable securities laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2415135/5196269/BioVaxys_Technology_Corp_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/biovaxys-technology-corp-granted-management-cease-trade-order-302390737.html Star Copper Corp. ("Star" or the "Company") (CSE:STCU) is pleased to announce it intends to conduct a non-brokered private placement of up to 8,000,000 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.25 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant, with each warrant exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.32 per share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day. The Company may pay finder's fees in connection with the Offering in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. Completion of the Offering is subject to customary conditions and the receipt of all necessary approvals. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for project evaluation, general working capital purposes and to satisfy existing property commitments and payables. Further to the February 14, 2025 news release, the Company also announces that it is delaying the commencement of its consulting services agreement with Upswitch Media Corp. from March 15, 2025 to April 15, 2025. About Star Copper Corp. (CSE: STCU) (OTC: ALCUF) (FWB: PP0) Star Copper is focused on contributing to the green economy by finding and developing copper resource assets in stable jurisdictions. The Company is positioned to earn a 60-per-cent interest in the Indata copper-gold project located in north-central British Columbia. After the acquisition of Cavu Energy Metals, the Company has acquired 100% of the Star copper-gold porphyry project in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia, as well as the 100% owned Quesnel project in the middle of the Quesnel Trough, host to a number of alkalic copper-gold porphyry deposits running northwest across western British Columbia. The company also holds a 100% interest in the Copper-Molybdenum Okeover project north of Powell River. For more information visit https://starcopper.com/ . On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Star ~Darryl Jones~ Darryl Jones CEO, President & Director Star Copper Corp. Contact Star Copper Invictus Investor Relations +1 (604) 343.8661 walter@invictusir.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the terms and completion of the Offering. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include but are not limited to market conditions and the risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. SOURCE: Star Copper Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2025) - Wildsky Resources Inc. (TSXV: WSK) (the "Company") hereby announces that it has granted 2,100,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to certain officers, directors and consultants of the Company. Each Option permits an optionee to acquire one common share (an "Option Share") in the capital of the Company at any time at a price of $0.10 per Option Share up to the end of business on the fifth anniversary of the date of the grant. Each Option is subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day. About Wildsky Resources Inc. Wildsky Resources Inc. is a Canadian based exploration and development company with an office located in Vancouver, B.C. The Company's goal is to create value for shareholders through continuously exploring and developing its current properties in Nigeria, and at the same time looking for new properties to acquire through its international connections. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS signed by "Wenhong Jin" Wenhong Jin President and CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243164 SOURCE: WildSky Resources Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2025) - LQWD Technologies Corp. (TSXV: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF) ("LQWD" or the "Company"), announces that further to its news release dated January 17, 2025, the Company has received an extension from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") to close its non-brokered private placement of up to 1,200,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of CDN$1.75 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to CDN$2,100,000 (the "Private Placement"). The Private Placement is expected to close on or about April 2, 2025, and is subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including, but not limited to, acceptance of the TSX-V. All terms of the Private Placement remain the same. About LQWD Technologies Corp. LQWD is focused on enhancing shareholder value through its innovative Bitcoin accumulation strategy and scalable yield-generating opportunities through the Company's Lightning Network operations. For more information, please visit LQWD's corporate presentation and connect with the Company's Lightning Network nodes in real time. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's business plans and the outlook of the Company's industry. Although the Company believes, considering the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and the Company assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances other than as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Units, nor shall there be any sale of the Units in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The Units being offered will not be, and have not been, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, a U.S. person. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243172 SOURCE: LQWD Technologies Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2025) - ZEB Nickel Corp. (TSXV: ZBNI) (OTCQB: ZBNIF) ("Zeb" or the "Company") today announced that it has filed its interim financial statements and associated management discussion and analysis for the period ended December 31, 2024. Shareholders can obtain copies of the Company's financial statements and associated management discussion and analysis on SEDAR+ at: www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at: www.zebnickel.com. Additionally, effective today Alex Spiro will be taking on the role of advisor to the board of directors and subsequently stepping down from his position as director of the Corporation. About the Company and Project Zeb Nickel Corp is focused on exploring for and developing world-class mineral deposits, with a focus on metals that are critical in the production of rechargeable batteries, such as nickel, graphite, lithium, cobalt, manganese, copper and aluminum. The Company is currently focused on developing its flagship Zeb Nickel Project, located in Limpopo, South Africa. On behalf of the Board of Directors Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, drill results relating to the Zeb Project, the potential thereof, timing of economic studies and mineral resource estimates, the ability to classify the historical resource as a current mineral resource, the ability to sell marketable materials, strategic plans, including future exploration and development results, and corporate and technical objectives. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals, the future demand for metals, the results of drilling, inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property, environmental liabilities (known and unknown), general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, results of exploration programs, risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals, and the impact of COVID-19 related disruptions in relation to the Company's business operations including upon its employees, suppliers, facilities and other stakeholders. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243188 SOURCE: Zeb Nickel Corp. The future of home care is here, and it's virtual. Electronic Caregiver (ECG) is leading the charge in reshaping private duty home care with Addison Care, an AI-powered virtual caregiver that delivers 24/7 client oversight, maximizes revenue, opens new market opportunities, and addresses caregiver and client retention challenges-all for the low consumer cost of an $8-a-day service. Senior Man with Caregiver and Addison Tablet Senior Man and Caregiver review Addison Tablet Bridging the Gaps in Home Care with Virtual Support Home care providers continually battle competitors, new client adoption rates, clients lost due to events that occur between visits, and other financial roadblocks that impair growth and stability. Addison Care delivers not only 24/7 support for clients and caregiver management but provides a very important, cost-effective, 640 hours of additional client support per month. These hours represent a safety net between visits so home care providers have a client to come back to. This fills the gaps between the typical 80 hours of monthly contracted services for part-time live care. Addison Care helps ensure home care providers retain their hard-earned clients while offering continuous, value-enhancing care, with an added competitive edge that delivers peace of mind for clients and their families. Unleashing New Revenue Streams with Virtual Care Unlock a New Pipeline of Clients - Clinics, home care agencies, insurers, senior living communities, and other referral sources typically have 10x- 20x the number of virtual care leads, than those clients who need live care, leading to immediate new services and revenue, while also capturing the relationships with tomorrow's live-care customers. Convert More Leads from Advertising - Traditional home care leads who want and can afford 80 hours of live care each month, are limited, sometimes representing only 6% of call in inquiries. Virtual care opens a floodgate of new potential to convert more leads from paid advertising efforts. Addison Care provides an affordable entry point, turning those lost leads into active clients. Tap into an Underserved $53M+ Market - The number of Family Caregivers who are often juggling careers, multiple obligations and residences, and burdened with the overwhelm and high stress of caregiving, has increased by 10 million in just five years, up from 43M to 53M. Once seen as a competitor or "no-go" marketplace, family caregivers need virtual care support. Virtual care is their answer, providing relief, oversight, organization, and around-the-clock assistance to help both the caregiver and loved one live more safely, with more support, and greater emphasis and focus on self-care for both. AI Caregiving: Scaling Home Care Services Without Hiring More Staff With Addison Care, home care providers can deploy AI virtual carers to far more residential environments than they can serve with live caregivers alone, without investment or increased expenses, expanding reach, clientele, and rapidly growing new lines of revenue and their brand within their communities. Virtual care empowers home care providers with a 24/7 workforce of AI-driven digital care agents. It's like deploying thousands of income generating caregivers overnight-without payroll costs. Resolves caregiver turnover and recruitment headaches - Annual caregiver turnover can reach 77%. Virtual care revenue empowers home care providers with new resources not available with current profit margins, to create incentives to attract and retain caregivers. An AI workforce without the liabilities - No risk of no-shows, theft, mistreatment, or background check failures. Addison Care delivers consistent, high-quality service every time. Addison Aware: Discreet Activity Monitoring Delivers Added Value As part of the Addison Care system, Addison Aware powered by Cognitive Systems, enables discreet activity monitoring through Wi-Fi sensing technology. This innovative feature provides real-time insights into the activities of those receiving care, ensuring continuous monitoring without the need for wearable devices or intrusive technologies. With Addison Aware, families and caregivers can have peace of mind knowing that their loved ones are being closely monitored, with 24/7 on-demand insights to check on a loved one's overall activity levels and patterns. Family and Carers can get iOS or Android alerts if a family member rises from bed, fails to rise from bed, can view weekly trends for sleep patterns, and significant changes in activity levels in the bedroom, main living area, kitchen, and bath. A Public Relations Powerhouse AI-driven virtual care is not just a revenue engine-it's a media magnet. As 10,000 people turn 65 daily and demand for home care surges, agencies embracing AI will dominate headlines, local news, and industry discussions. The visibility and credibility gained from offering an innovative care solution can generate millions in equivalent advertising exposure. The Future is Here: Adapt or Be Left Behind Virtual care is becoming the new industry standard. Traditional home care providers that fail to integrate AI and digital solutions, risk market erosion and eventual consolidation. It's not about just scheduling or billing, it's about leveraging AI and digital technologies for quality of service, and income. The choice is clear: Go Addison Care or lose relevancy. For more information on integrating Addison Care into your business, visit https://electroniccaregiver.com/ or contact Sales at 833-324-5433 Ext. 1. About Electronic Caregiver: Electronic Caregiver, Inc. is a leading digital health technology and services company dedicated to transforming care for aging and chronically ill individuals worldwide. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Las Cruces, New Mexico, the company pioneers innovative telehealth solutions, including Addison, the AI-driven 3D Virtual Caregiver. By integrating advanced technology-such as real-time health monitoring, medication management, and personalized support with a patient-centric approach, Electronic Caregiver empowers individuals to live healthier, more independent lives while enhancing caregiver efficacy. Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies, Electronic Caregiver partners with global leaders like Samsung, Intel, and AWS to deliver scalable, cutting-edge care solutions. Contact Information Travis Luevano Director, Digital Marketing media@ecg-hq.com (575) 649-7808 SOURCE: Electronic Caregiver, inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2025) - Mynd Life Sciences Inc. (CNSX: MYND) ("Mynd" or the "Company") announces that it has been advised by its external auditors (the "Auditors") that they will not be in a position to complete their work on the Company's annual consolidated financial statements for the year ended October 31, 2024 (the "2024 Financial Statements") prior to the filing deadline of February 28, 2025 (the "Annual Filing Deadline") due to a delay in finalizing the required financial documents due to significant restructuring of the Company's debt and equity. As a result, the Company will not be able to file the 2024 Financial Statements, accompanying Management Discussion & Analysis and CEO and CFO certifications, and the Annual Information Form (collectively, the "2024 Annual Filings") prior to the Annual Filing Deadline as required under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company has made arrangements to complete and file the 2024 Financial Statements prior to the April 29, 2025 deadline. Accordingly, subsequent to the Annual Filing Deadline, the Company will be in default of its continuous disclosure obligations under applicable Canadian securities laws and placed on the defaulting issuers list of the British Columbia Securities Commission ("BCSC"). The Company further announces that it has been granted a management cease trade order (MCTO) under National Policy 12-203 of the Canadian Securities Administrators ("NP 12-203") imposed against certain insiders of the Company. The MCTO will remain in effect until the Company has filed its audited statements and the Executive Director of the BCSC has revoked the order. The Company will be required to comply with the provisions of the alternative information guidelines as set out in NP 12-203 for so long as the MCTO remains in effect, including the issuance of bi-weekly default status reports by way of press releases. The Company will make further announcements with respect to the status of the 2024 Annual Filings as and when appropriate. ABOUT MYND LIFE SCIENCES INC. MYND Life Sciences Inc. is a medical biotech drug research and development company focused on neuro-pharmaceutical and novel psilocybin drug development, diagnostics and vaccines. MYND is developing new biological entities (NBEs) and new chemical entities (NCEs) and differentiates itself from other (bio)pharmaceutical companies by unique molecular concepts for the applications of Psilocybins for overcoming disease. The Company advances pharmaceutical developments through rigorous science and clinical trials while diligently patenting and safeguarding its intellectual property. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243193 SOURCE: MYND Life Sciences Inc. TOKYO, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Binance , the global blockchain ecosystem behind the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has announced its sponsorship and strategic support for the Global Fintech Institute (GFI) to advance fintech education, professional development and innovation. This collaboration aims to equip professionals with the skills needed to thrive in an era defined by artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and evolving financial regulations. Empowering the Fintech Workforce for a Digital Future As part of this initiative, Binance is excited to sponsor over 500 scholarships for GFI's latest course, Foundation in Crypto Regulation and Compliance. The course is catered for professionals in regulatory bodies, financial institutions, and compliance roles, especially those with a passion and curiosity for crypto. Designed by leading industry experts and academics, this 16-hour online program provides regulators and compliance professionals with a comprehensive understanding of blockchain, cryptocurrency, and financial regulations. Participants will also gain hands-on insights into numerous important areas such as AML/KYC compliance and financial crime prevention, blockchain forensics and cross-border regulatory frameworks, RegTech solutions, and more. By the end of the course, attendees will be well-equipped to tackle compliance challenges, mitigate risks, and adapt to the evolving crypto landscape. Interested professionals can apply for the scholarship at: https://share.hsforms.com/2LlwvBcnnTRGy1PXrfnzKCg5nir0 Importance of Fintech Education in a Transformative Era Through this strategic collaboration, Binance and GFI aim to equip professionals with expertise in AI-driven finance and digital assets, develop fintech training programs, advance research, host industry events, and enhance global fintech literacy. Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, commented on the partnership: "We are thrilled to join forces with the Global Fintech Institute to advance fintech education in this transformative era of AI and cryptocurrency. Education plays a crucial role in closing the knowledge gap for blockchain and crypto, just as it has for other emerging technologies in the past. Today's announcement underscores Binance's commitment to fostering innovation, enhancing regulatory compliance, and ensuring that the global fintech workforce is future-ready. With the ever-rising interest and popularity of crypto, we are certain that crypto-focused courses like these would be in high demand, and we look forward to welcoming interested applicants." Professor David Lee, Founding Chairman at GFI, added: "As AI, blockchain, and digital assets continue to transform the financial landscape, there is an urgent need for structured fintech education and informed policy discussions. The rapid pace of technological advancement demands that professionals, regulators, and institutions stay ahead of emerging trends to ensure financial stability, security, and innovation-driven growth. Binance's generous support allows us to expand our educational programs, conduct critical research, and foster industry-wide collaboration. This partnership enables us to bridge the knowledge gap between traditional finance and digital innovations, equipping professionals with the expertise to navigate regulatory challenges, harness new opportunities, and drive responsible adoption of cutting-edge financial technologies." The Policy Shift & Its Impact on Fintech The growing political endorsement of digital assets in many key markets globally signals a significant policy shift that could accelerate institutional adoption, regulatory clarity, and the integration of blockchain technology into mainstream finance. If pro-crypto policies gain traction, we could see: More financial institutions embracing Bitcoin, stablecoins, and tokenized assets. Regulatory clarity attracting global investments into fintech startups and digital finance. AI-powered DeFi and blockchain-based financial services gaining wider acceptance, transforming traditional banking. This partnership between Binance and GFI ensures that compliance and regulation professionals are well-equipped to capitalize on these emerging opportunities by providing cutting-edge training, research, and thought leadership. The collaboration between Binance and GFI was first announced at GFTN Forum, Japan 2025. Both Binance and GFI are proud members and partners of the GFTN network. About Binance Binance is a leading global blockchain ecosystem behind the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and registered users. Binance is trusted by more than 260 million people in 100+ countries for its industry-leading trading engine speed, protections for investors, and unmatched portfolio of digital asset products and offerings from trading and finance to education, research, social good, payments, institutional services, and Web3 features. Binance is devoted to building an inclusive crypto ecosystem to increase the freedom of money and financial access for people around the world with crypto as the fundamental means. For more information, visit: https://www.binance.com About Global Fintech Institute Global Fintech Institute (GFI) is a not-for-profit think tank and certification body dedicated to advancing fintech education, fostering meaningful collaboration, and promoting professional excellence across regulatory bodies, corporations, and academic institutions. Headquartered in Singapore, GFI tackles key challenges in the fintech landscape through rigorous research, insightful whitepapers, and thought leadership discussions which influence policy and set industry standards. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1773650/Binance_Logo_Yellow_4x_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/binance-supports-global-fintech-institute-to-advance-fintech-education-in-the-ai--crypto-era-302389813.html General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) welcomes the U.S. Air Force's designation for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft: the new uncrewed jet fighter will be called the YFQ-42A. The announcement on Monday followed an earlier USAF decision in 2024 that GA-ASI was selected to develop and build the YFQ-42A. "We're proud to get a new official aircraft designation," said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. "YFQ-42A continues a long and distinguished history for GA-ASI that dates back to the 1990s and the debut of the RQ-1 Predator, which later changed to MQ-1 Predator. That uncrewed aircraft gave way to the MQ-9A Reaper, the MQ-20 Avenger, our new MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian, and many others. "These aircraft represent an unrivaled history of capable, dependable uncrewed platforms that meet the needs of America's warfighters and point the way to a significant new era for airpower." The Air Force selected YFQ-42A as the Mission Design Series (MDS) for GA-ASI's CCA prototype, representing the first in a new generation of unmanned fighter aircraft. YFQ-42A will be critical in securing air dominance for the Joint Force in future conflicts, leveraging autonomous capabilities and crewed-uncrewed teaming to defeat enemy threats in contested environments. The Air Force is developing Autonomous Collaborative Platforms to maintain its air superiority. Semi-autonomous aircraft, like YFQ-42A, will enhance flexibility, affordability, and mission effectiveness. YFQ-42A will enhance air superiority as a flexible, affordable force multiplier. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with current and next-generation crewed aircraft, expanding mission capabilities and ensuring continued air dominance. In short, YFQ-42A provides fighter capacity - affordable mass - at a lower cost and on a threat-relevant timeline. The YFQ-42A designation follows the Air Force's decision to designate GA-ASI's highly common predecessor aircraft as the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station. The XQ-67A was ordered by the Air Force Research Lab to support the development of concepts necessary to implement the vision for CCA. In the Air Force system, an "X" plane is designed for testing and experimentation, while "Y" describes initial production-representative aircraft, usually ahead of a formal program. "F" is for fighter and "Q" designates an uncrewed aircraft. Once the production-representative aircraft moves into production, the "Y" will drop from the prefix. GA-ASI will have a one-sixth scale model of the YFQ-42A on display during the Air Warfare Symposium March 3-5, 2025, in booth #1003. About GA-ASI General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable RPA systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator RPA series and the Lynx Multi-mode Radar. With more than eight million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent situational awareness. The company also produces a variety of sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas. For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com. Avenger, Gray Eagle, Lynx, Predator, Reaper, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., registered in the United States and/or other countries. SOURCE: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. EQS Newswire / 04/03/2025 / 09:48 UTC+8 Ficus Technology Holdings Limited (8107.HK) Entered into A Subscription Agreement To Access up to US$100.0 million for Business Development Purposes (Hong Kong - 3 March 2025) Innovative supply chain management service provider - Ficus Technology Holdings Limited ("Ficus Technology" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") is pleased to announce that on 3 March 2025, the Company entered into a subscription agreement (the "Subscription Agreement") with Arena Business Solutions Global SPC II, Ltd, (the "Investor"), for a commitment amount of up to US$100.0 million. Subscription Agreement At any time during the Subscription Agreement, the Company may, subject to certain conditions, require the Investor to subscribe for Shares by delivering an Advance Notice. The amount specified in each notice will be determined by the Company and will not exceed the lesser of: i) US$5.0 million, or ii) the amount equal to 40% of the average daily value traded of the Shares on the 10 trading days preceding an Advance Notice. The subscription price will be equal to not less than 80% of the higher of: the closing sale price of the Shares on the date of the Settlement Document; and the average closing sale price of the Shares in the 5 trading days immediately prior to the earlier of: the date of announcement in respect of the Advance; the date of the Settlement Document; and the date on which the subscription price is fixed. Use of Proceeds The net proceeds from the subscription agreement will be used to: Strengthen the Group's sales of innovative anti-counterfeit, traceability, and marketing products and related ancillaries, and the provision of supply chain management solutions; Enhance Ficus Discovery, the e-commerce platform operated by the Group by expanding its sales channels, and strengthening its functions including online showcasing, online transactions and product delivery; and Strengthen the Group's working capital. Commitment Fee Shares In consideration for the Investor's execution and delivery of the Subscription Agreement, the Company shall issue the Commitment Fee Shares to the Investor, with an aggregate dollar value equal to US$2.0 million under a specific mandate by way of an ordinary resolution. The resolution will be proposed for passing by the independent shareholders of the Company at the EGM in accordance with the GEM Listing Rule. The Commitment Fee Shares Price of HK$0.60 per Commitment Fee Shares represents: a discount of approximately 1.64% to the closing price of HK$0.61 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange on 3 March 2025, being the date of the Subscription Agreement; a premium of approximately 3.09% to the average of the closing price of HK$0.582 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange for the last five consecutive trading days immediately prior to the date of the Subscription Agreement; and a premium of approximately 3.81% over the average of the closing price of HK$0.578 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange for the last ten consecutive trading days immediately prior to the date of the Subscription Agreement. About the Investor Arena Business Solutions Global SPC II, Ltd., an affiliate of Arena Investors, LP, is a subsidiary of Arena Investor Group Holdings, LLC ("Arena"). Arena is an institutional asset manager founded in partnership with The Westaim Corporation (TSXV: WED). With approximately $3.5 billion of invested and committed assets under management as of December 31, 2024, and a team of over 180 employees in offices globally, Arena provides creative solutions for those seeking capital across all corporate, real estate, and structured finance investment areas, at all levels of the capital structure, and in all developed markets, alongside operational capabilities to manage and improve businesses. The firm brings individuals with decades of experience, a track record of comfort with complexity, the ability to deliver within time constraints, and the flexibility to engage in transactions and business operations that cannot be addressed by banks and other conventional financial institutions. See www.arenaco.com for more information. About Ficus Discovery Ficus Discovery is a comprehensive electronic commerce platform operated by the Group that offers distinctive properties including anti-counterfeit, traceability and marketing functions, which are able to boost customer confidence and reinforce the authenticity of the products. Along with its valuable connections with a number of lottery kiosks and local community service centres, the platform is well-positioned to be a trustworthy gateway for brands and manufacturers to access target customers. Mr. Chan Ting, Chairman and Executive Director of Ficus Technology Holdings Limited commented: "We are pleased to announce our Subscription Agreement with the Investor, securing up to US$100 million in funding to support our business development. As we receive funding from one of our substantial shareholders through subscription, this not only reflects their ultimate confidence in our management capabilities, but also highlight their shared vision for innovative supply chain management solutions as well as the potentials of Ficus Discovery. In addition, the subscription arrangement also offers significant flexibility, allowing the Company to request advances as needed, rather than drawing down the entire facility at once. By opting to pay the commitment fee in the form of Commitment Fee Shares instead of cash, the Company can also retain its cash for other operational needs or investment opportunities." "As we secured such substantial funding, we will strive to enhance our anti-counterfeit, traceability, and marketing capabilities across a broader range of products. It also allows us to add new features and increase the adoption of our Ficus Discovery platform. We believe these initiatives will strengthen our role in the supply chain, attract more offline outlets and users to adopt our solutions, and in turn, establish a solid foundation for future financial success." About Ficus Technology Holdings Limited ( 8107.HK ) Ficus Technology Holdings Limited is an innovative supply chain management service provider, mainly focusing on the sales of apparel and related products along with the provision of relevant supply chain management services. The Group's advanced supply chain management services include anti-counterfeit, traceability, and marketing functions, capable of protecting brand equity for both apparel and other products. This press release is issued by DLK Advisory Limited on behalf of Ficus Technology Holdings Limited. File: 8107_ELOC_Press_Release_EN_20250304 04/03/2025 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Media archive at www.todayir.com Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2025) - Plus Outdoor, the trailblazing retailer of plus-size outdoor gear, is excited to unveil its new "Check Please!" service. This innovative customer service removes the guesswork out of the online shopping experience. Empowering plus-size adventurers to confirm their size with a quick, personalized process - ensuring they're ready to conquer the outdoors in gear that works for them. Unlike traditional online shopping generic size tools, "Check Please!" invites users to input key measurements-height, chest/bust, waist, and hips-via an easy-to-use online form. Optional preferences, like desired fit (e.g., snug or relaxed), allow for even greater customization. A short time later, customers receive tailored human powered recommendations from Plus Outdoor's expert customer fitting team. A curated collection of high-performance outdoor apparel with personalised information. Enhanced features include mobile-friendly access, detailed measuring guidance, and the option to further consult with a sizing specialist for extra support. "We're not just selling gear; we're helping people find what truly fits their bodies and their adventures," said Mon Balon, founder of Plus Outdoor. " 'Check Please!' is about giving plus-size outdoor lovers the confidence that comes with knowing their gear is right for them-before they hit the trail." Plus Outdoor continues to lead the industry with sizes up to women's 30 and men's 11XL, featuring trusted brands like Outdoor Research, Amble, Cartel and STOY. A curated collection of the best plus-size brands currently available in the industry. The "Check Please!" service addresses the real-world challenges of plus-size apparel, and expensive and unnecessary shipping costs, moving beyond guesswork to deliver precision and comfort. Early testers are raving about the difference: "I used Check Please' and finally got a hiking jacket that fits perfectly-no more squeezing or sagging," said Sarah T., a Sydney-based hiker. Available now at no cost, "Check Please!" invites plus-size skiers, hikers, campers, and explorers to take control of their gear choices. Whether it's a rainy hike or Arctic northern lights journey, this tool ensures every adventurer steps into nature with confidence. About Plus Outdoor Founded by Mon Balon, Plus Outdoor is the world's first outdoor store designed exlusively for plus-size adventurers. Dedicated to breaking barriers in the outdoor industry by providing technical, high-performing gear for Plus Size Women and Plus Size Men. From hiking pants to waterproof jackets, every product is selected or designed to meet the needs of real people who love the outdoors. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243042 SOURCE: Search Jam Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2025) - Hempalta Corp. (TSXV: HEMP) ("HEMPALTA" or the "Company") has released its financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2024. The Company's unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements (the "Financial Statements") and related management's discussion and analysis (the "MD&A") for the three-month period are available on www.sedarplus.ca. Financial Results As HEMPALTA sharpens its focus on the high-growth carbon credit market, the Company experienced a transition period in its financials during the last quarter. Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2024, was $70,497, reflecting a planned transition from consumer packaged goods (CPG) sales to a scalable, high-margin carbon credit model. While this shift resulted in lower short-term revenues (a 41% decrease year over year), it positions HEMPALTA for long-term growth in the voluntary carbon market. Cost of Sales for the three months ended December 31, 2024 decreased 38% to $84,162, compared to the same period in 2023, primarily due to lower production volumes and cost efficiencies as the Company streamlined its operations to align with its carbon credit focus. Net Loss for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was $432,281 ($0.00 per share), a 13% improvement over the same period in 2023, reflecting disciplined cost management and a one-time gain on debt settlement. General & Administrative Expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2024 increased 79% year over year, primarily due to transaction fees associated with acquiring the remaining 49.9% interest in Hemp Carbon Standard Inc. ("HCS"), as well as lower expense allocations to cost of goods sold due to decreased production activity. Financial Position & Shareholder Support As of December 31, 2024, HEMPALTA had $182,768 in cash and $287,726 in working capital. While the Company completes its planned focus on HCS over the balance of the second quarter, major shareholders Darren Bondar and Prairie Merchant Corporation (the "Lenders") have extended a one-year term loan in the aggregate amount of $325,000 at 12% interest (the "Loan"). In connection with the Loan, the Company will issue a loan bonus to the Lenders of an aggregate of 5,416,667 common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants"), exercisable for a period of one year with an exercise price equal to $0.06 (the "Bonus"). The Warrants are subject to a hold period under Canadian securities laws, expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance. The Loan and the Bonus are subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. This Loan provides additional working capital to support HEMPALTA's growth in the carbon credit market. As the Lenders are insiders of the Corporation, the issuance of the Warrants to the Lenders is considered to be a related party transaction within the meaning of Exchange policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company intends to rely on exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of the Lender participation. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, "U.S. persons," as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, unless an exemption from such registration is available. Industrial Hemp Carbon Credits Platform With full ownership of HCS, HEMPALTA is now poised to scale a unique, low-cost carbon credit platform focused on industrial hemp. This milestone marks a pivotal step in the Company's evolution toward becoming a leader in nature-based carbon removal solutions. The demand for high-integrity carbon credits continues to rise as corporations seek solutions to meet their net-zero commitments. Industrial hemp offers a unique advantage in carbon sequestration due to its rapid growth cycle and ability to store CO2 both in biomass and soil. HCS has pioneered a precision quantification methodology using remote sensing and AI-driven monitoring, ensuring the accurate measurement and verification of CO2 removal. The platform empowers industrial hemp farmers to monetize regenerative agriculture practices while providing corporate buyers with premium carbon credits backed by ISO 14064-2 certification. By participating in the voluntary carbon market, industrial hemp farmers can diversify revenue streams while contributing to global climate action. The completion of the HCS acquisition enables HEMPALTA to: Expand its network of regenerative hemp farms Issue high-integrity carbon credits at scale Enhance verification standards for carbon removal Strengthen partnerships with corporate buyers seeking trusted, nature-based solutions Outlook Darren Bondar, President and Chief Executive Officer of HEMPALTA, said, "In our first years of operation, we focused on scaling industrial hemp processing and consumer packaged goods. As demand for sustainable solutions grows, we have shifted toward the rapidly expanding voluntary carbon market. Our acquisition of 100% of HCS solidifies our ability to offer scalable, high-integrity carbon credits with a low-capital model. By collaborating with farmers and corporate buyers, we are positioned to drive sustainability while generating long-term growth for HEMPALTA and our investors." To further align with this strategic shift, the Company is also marketing its turnkey hemp production facility and processing equipment, and exploring licensing opportunities for its CPG product lines. Investor Updates Investors can follow HEMPALTA's journey as it pioneers high-integrity carbon removal solutions by subscribing to the mailing list for investor updates at www.hempalta.com where they can also view the latest corporate presentation and company announcements. About HEMPALTA Hempalta Corp. (TSXV: HEMP) is a nature-based carbon credit provider leveraging industrial hemp's potential to sequester carbon. Through its subsidiary, Hemp Carbon Standard Inc. (HCS), the Company develops methodologies and supports farmers in monetizing regenerative agriculture practices. In addition to HCS, Hempalta Processing Inc. manages the Company's established hemp-based product lines, which are available for licensing. Learn more at www.hempalta.com or contact Investor Relations at invest@hempalta.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-Looking information is typically, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "will", "expected", "plans", "enable", "positions", "aim" and similar words, including negatives thereof, or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Forward-Looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's plans with respect to the HCS platform, including the scaling of such program; the integration of HCS positioning the Company to deliver premium-quality carbon credits efficiently to corporate buyers; fluctuations in the capital resources of the Company; the demand for carbon credits increasing; industrial hemp farmers being able to diversify their revenue streams by participating in the voluntary carbon market; the acquisition of HCS positioning the Company to tap into the expanding carbon credit market using a low-capital, scalable model; the Loan, the Bonus and the approval of the Exchange of both the Loan and the Bonus; the use of proceeds from the Loans; and the Company offering its turnkey hemp production facility and processing equipment for sale, while also exploring one-time licensing opportunities for its CPG product lines. Such forward-looking information is based on various assumptions and factors that may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, factors and assumptions with respect to: the ability of the Company to successfully implement its strategic plans and initiatives and the expected benefits therefrom; the anticipated benefits of the HCS acquisition and of the business of HCS; the anticipated benefits from offering its turnkey hemp production facility and processing equipment for sale, while also exploring one-time licensing opportunities for its CPG product lines; the ability of farms and sites currently signed up by HCS to grow hemp; required regulatory approvals; the ability of the Company to effect its proposed strategy and business plans; the approval of the Exchange with respect to the Loans and the Bonus; and the ability of HCS to sell carbon removal credits through the voluntary credit market. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that it will prove to be correct or that any of the events anticipated by such forward-looking information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive therefrom. Actual results may vary from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including, but not limited to: the risk that the benefits from the HCS acquisition, and the ownership and operation of the HCS business, will not be as anticipated; the risk that the Company will not be able to successfully offer the turnkey hemp production facility and processing equipment for sale, and if done successfully, the risk that the benefits therefrom will not be as anticipated; receipt of necessary regulatory approvals including the Exchange; risks associated with general economic conditions; conditions in the carbon credit markets; adverse industry events; the risk that farms and sites currently signed up by HCS will not grow or be able to grow industrial hemp as anticipated or at all; the Company has limited financial resources and may require additional funds to continue operating; the Company may not generate sufficient revenue to maintain operations; the forecasts and models of the Company could be inaccurate; the risk that HCS may not be able to sell carbon removal credits as anticipated or at all; adverse weather conditions affecting the growth of hemp; future legislative, tax and regulatory developments; the risk factors included in the Company's other continuous disclosure available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca; and the ability of management to execute its business strategy, objectives and plans. The forward-looking information included in this news release is made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR OVER U.S. NEWSWIRES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243209 SOURCE: Hempalta Corp. Ende Mai leitete US-Prasident Donald Trump mit der Unterzeichnung mehrerer Dekrete eine weitreichende Wende in der amerikanischen Energiepolitik ein. Im Fokus: der beschleunigte Ausbau der Kernenergie. Mit einem umfassenden Manahmenpaket sollen Genehmigungsprozesse reformiert, kleinere Reaktoren gefordert und der Anteil von Atomstrom in den USA massiv gesteigert werden. Ausloser ist der explodierende Energiebedarf durch KI-Rechenzentren, der eine stabile, CO-arme Grundlastversorgung zwingend notwendig macht. In unserem kostenlosen Spezialreport erfahren Sie, welche 3 Unternehmen jetzt im Zentrum dieser energiepolitischen Neuausrichtung stehen, und wer vom kommenden Boom der Nuklearindustrie besonders profitieren konnte. Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Verpassen Sie nicht, welche Aktien besonders von der Energiewende in den USA profitieren durften, und laden Sie sich das Gratis-PDF jetzt kostenlos herunter. Dieses exklusive Angebot gilt aber nur fur kurze Zeit! Daher jetzt downloaden! Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Purebread Brands Inc. (TSXV: BRED) ("Purebread" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has filed its unaudited Q3 2025 financial results, the highlights of which are included in this news release. The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2024, can be viewed on the Company's website at www.purebreadbrands.com or on its profile at SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). Financial Highlights for the Quarter Ending December 31, 2024 Total operating expenses were reduced by 33% compared to Q3 2024 and by 17% compared to Q2 2025, aligning with management's cost-reduction efforts and continued focus on streamlining the business. compared to Q3 2024 and by 17% compared to Q2 2025, aligning with management's cost-reduction efforts and continued focus on streamlining the business. The Company reported its second consecutive positive adjusted EBITDA (1) of $266,321 in Q3 2025, compared to $(489,896) in the same period last year, representing a $756,217 YoY improvement. The increase in adjusted EBITDA was attributed to: (i) consistently strong performance from Purebread's operations, and (ii) the Company's continued focus on streamlining administrative functions and reducing operating expenses. (1) of $266,321 in Q3 2025, compared to $(489,896) in the same period last year, representing a $756,217 YoY improvement. The increase in adjusted EBITDA was attributed to: (i) consistently strong performance from Purebread's operations, and (ii) the Company's continued focus on streamlining administrative functions and reducing operating expenses. Revenue declined by 10% YoY, from $4.1 million in Q3 2024 to $3.7 million this quarter. The reduction in revenue is directly attributable to the closure of underperforming and unprofitable Coho Commissary locations. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7816/243211_89e9a91314270be5_001full.jpg Notes: (1) Defined as net loss, less interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted for share based compensation, accretion and loss on provision for facility related obligations. Management Commentary "Purebread delivered significant year-over-year profitability growth in Q3, with consistent performance as we focused on strengthening our foundation," said Amrit Maharaj, Interim Chief Executive Officer. "This quarter, we prioritized improving internal operations, reducing expenses, and enhancing cash flow to position the business for long-term stability. As we move forward, our focus will be on sustainable growth and disciplined capital management to ensure we continue delivering value to our customers and stakeholders." Operating Highlights for the Quarter Purebread Bakery Performance Strong Online Sales: Digital ordering remained a key revenue driver, contributing to consistent growth. Operational Cost Reduction: Focused cost-control measures improved efficiency and strengthened margins. Record December Revenue & Traffic: The holiday season saw the highest-ever sales and foot traffic across locations. Average Check Value Decline: Economic conditions led to a slight reduction in per-transaction spending, though overall volume remained strong. Coho Commissary Operations Closure of Underperforming Assets: The Company successfully completed the transition of non-core locations to streamline operations. Strong Vancouver Performance: The two remaining Vancouver commissaries continue to operate well, with high demand and stable occupancy. Staff Cost Reductions: Simplified operations led to lower staffing costs while maintaining service levels. Certain information provided in this news release is extracted from the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and MD&A of the Company for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2024, and should be read in conjunction with them. It is only in the context of the fulsome information and disclosures contained in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and MD&A that an investor can properly analyze this information. About Purebread Purebread Brands Inc. is a leader in fast-casual cafe / bakeries in British Columbia, driving retail expansion in vibrant communities across Canada and beyond. Purebread is committed to crafting exceptional food experiences and making a positive impact on the communities it serves. For more information and updated investor presentation, please visit www.purebreadbrands.com. Non-IFRS Measures, Reconciliation and Discussion This press release contains references to "Adjusted EBITDA" that is a non-IFRS financial measures. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings (or loss) from operations before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted for share based compensation, accretion and non-recurring transaction costs, and is a non-IFRS measure. For Adjusted EBITDA: This measure can be used to analyze and compare profitability among companies and industries, as it eliminates the effects of financing and capital expenditures. It is often used in valuation ratios and can be compared to enterprise value and revenue. This measure does not have any standardized meaning according to IFRS and, therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. There are no comparable IFRS financial measures presented in Coho's financial statements. Reconciliations of the supplemental non-IFRS measure are presented in the Company's MD&A for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2024 ("Q3 2024 MD&A"). This non-IFRS financial measure is presented because management has evaluated the financial results both including and excluding the adjusted items and believes that the non-IFRS financial measure presented provides additional perspective and insights when analyzing the core operating performance of the business. The Company believes that the supplemental measure provides information which is useful to shareholders and investors in understanding the Company's performance and may assist in the evaluation of the Company's business relative to that of its peers. The non-IFRS financial measure should not be considered superior to, as a substitute for, or as an alternative to, and should be considered in conjunction with the IFRS financial measures presented in the Company's financial statements. For more information, please see "Adjusted EBITDA (non-IFRS measure)" in the Company's Q3 2024 MD&A, which is available under the Company's System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR+") profile on www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-Looking Information This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflect management's current expectations regarding future events. Forward-Looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, Coho's ability to open the locations described in this press release substantially in accordance with the timelines indicated above, the ability of the Company to execute on its strategy, the growth and performance of the ghost kitchen industry globally and in Canada; risks inherent in the ghost-kitchen, retail bakery, or coffeehouse sectors in general; that future results may vary from historical results; and competition in the markets where Coho operates. Except as required by securities law, Coho does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243211 SOURCE: Purebread Brands Inc. Falls Church, Virginia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Golden Eagle Group, Inc., a premier real estate investment and management firm based in Herndon, VA, is pleased to announce the successful lease-up of 3130 Fairview Park Drive to 98% occupancy following a full-scale renovation. The achievement underscores Golden Eagle's commitment to delivering high-quality commercial office spaces that meet the evolving needs of modern tenants. Image 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8717/241754_217c086ee4aedbaa_001full.jpg The revitalized property attracted a distinguished list of tenants, including Arete, CHEMTREC, Keller Williams, and Arizona College of Nursing, who now call 3130 Fairview Park Drive home. The leasing efforts were spearheaded by Cushman & Wakefield, whose strategic approach, in partnership with Golden Eagle's ownership team, proved instrumental in securing long-term commitments. The property boasts a 12-year weighted average lease term (WALT), demonstrating the confidence tenants have in the building's future and Golden Eagle's management. Irfan Totonji, CEO of Golden Eagle Group, emphasized the firm's tenant-centric approach, stating, "At Golden Eagle, we see each tenant as a partner. Their success is ultimately our success, and that philosophy has guided us throughout this lease-up process." Image 2 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8717/241754_217c086ee4aedbaa_002full.jpg In today's challenging leasing environment, achieving such high occupancy rates required a dedicated, hands-on approach from both the leasing team and ownership. Tim Summers and Will Thomas of Cushman & Wakefield, along with Michael Nathan, William Gray, and Abduljabar "Jabs" Totonji who led the leasing efforts for Golden Eagle Group, ensured that every prospective tenant was met with a clear message of partnership and long-term support. "Leasing office space in today's market is no easy feat, but thanks to our fantastic leasing team and our collaborative approach, we were able to achieve incredible results," said Jabs. "Our presence and hands-on involvement in every tour and negotiation made it clear to tenants that we are more than just a landlord-we are an active partner in their growth and success." Image 3 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8717/241754_217c086ee4aedbaa_003full.jpg The successful lease-up of 3130 Fairview Park Drive is a testament to Golden Eagle Group's strategic vision and ability to execute in a dynamic market. As the company continues to invest in and enhance its portfolio, it remains committed to fostering strong, long-term tenant relationships and delivering best-in-class office environments. For more information on Golden Eagle Group and their portfolio, please visit www.GoldenEagleGroup.net. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/241754 SOURCE: Asiacryptos Renata Jungo Brungger and Lila Tretikov to be nominated for election to the Board of Directors of UBS Group AG and UBS AG Claudia Bockstiegel and Nathalie Rachou will not stand for re-election after four, respectively five years of Board membership Regulatory News: Ad hoc announcement pursuant to article 53 of the SIX Exchange Regulation Listing Rules UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS) (SWX:UBSN) announces the nominations of Renata Jungo Brungger (born 1961) and Lila Tretikov (born 1978) for election to the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting on 10 April 2025. Renata Jungo Brungger is a highly respected professional with extensive experience in legal affairs, governance, and sustainability. Since 2016, she has been serving as a member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, overseeing the areas of Integrity, Governance, and Sustainability and being responsible for the legal, compliance, and corporate audit functions. In this role, she is appointed until December 2025. Ms. Jungo Brungger is also a member of the supervisory boards of Munich Re and Daimler Truck Holding AG. After completing a law degree at the University of Fribourg, gaining admission to the bar, and later earning an LL.M. in international commercial law, she has built a career spanning 30 years, during which she has held a variety of senior legal and general counsel positions. Lila Tretikov is a well-known expert in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology-driven business transformation. Currently, she leads AI strategy at New Enterprise Associates, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm. Most recently, she served as Deputy Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft, where she led substantial transformation initiatives, and Senior Vice President at Engie, CEO Vice Chair of Terrawatt at Engie. Ms. Tretikov is a distinguished software engineer and programmer, as well as an alumna of the University of California, Berkeley. Colm Kelleher, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: "I am delighted to announce the nominations of Renata Jungo Brungger and Lila Tretikov. Renata's impressive background, including her General Counsel positions in leading global firms, coupled with her extensive knowledge of topics such as governance and sustainability, equips her perfectly to assist us in shaping our strategic direction and driving ongoing success. Lila's expertise and vision across digital topics, including AI and cybersecurity, are invaluable assets for UBS. With her appointment, we will significantly improve the technology competence on our Board of Directors." At the Annual General Meeting, Claudia Bockstiegel and Nathalie Rachou will not stand for re-election. Claudia Bockstiegel, who has been a Board member since 2021 and served on the Corporate Culture and Responsibility Committee, has decided to focus on her executive role at Roche. Nathalie Rachou, who has been a Board member since 2020 and served on the Risk Committee, the Governance and Nominating Committee, and the Audit Committee, is stepping down for personal reasons. The Chairman of the Board of Directors as well as the Board extend their gratitude to Claudia Bockstiegel and Nathalie Rachou for their dedicated service and significant contributions over the last years. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250303651753/en/ Contacts: UBS Group AG and UBS AG Investor contact Switzerland: +41-44-234 41 00 Media contact Switzerland: +41-44-234 85 00 UK: +44-207-567 47 14 Americas: +1-212-882 58 58 APAC: +852-297-1 82 00 www.ubs.com/media First close of Series B financing raises 10 million Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd joins as new international investor Proceeds will accelerate preclinical and clinical development of its broad-spectrum influenza vaccine candidates Osivax, a biopharmaceutical company developing vaccines to provide broad-spectrum protection against highly mutating respiratory viruses, today announced the successful first close of its Series B financing, raising 10 million from new and existing investors. The company is pleased to welcome Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd, a leading Japanese pharmaceutical company specializing in infectious diseases, as a new investor. With a legacy spanning over 75 years, Meiji Seika Pharma is a subsidiary of the Meiji Group and brings extensive expertise in vaccine development and commercialization. The funds secured from Meiji Seika Pharma, new and existing investors, combined with non-diluted funding, will support the continued preclinical and clinical development of OVX836, Osivax's broad-spectrum influenza vaccine candidate. This includes a Phase 2b field efficacy study (NCT05569239), designed to evaluate OVX836 against placebo in a large cohort of 2,850 participants across multiple international sites. The study represents a significant step in advancing the science of influenza prevention beyond conventional approaches. "This funding is a strong endorsement of our technology, our team and our vision to develop broad-spectrum influenza vaccine candidates," said Alexandre Le Vert, CEO and Co-Founder of Osivax. "We are gaining significant momentum in advancing Osivax's development strategy, and we are thrilled to welcome Meiji Seika Pharma as a new investor. Their support, alongside that of our existing investors, reinforces our shared ambition to transform the prevention of respiratory infectious diseases." About Osivax Osivax is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging its novel, self-assembling nanoparticle platform technology, oligoDOMTM, to develop transformative, first-in-class pan-respiratory virus vaccines generating superior T-cell responses in addition to strong and sustained B-cell responses. The company is establishing proof of concept with its broad-spectrum influenza vaccine candidate, OVX836, which is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials with over 1,200 volunteers tested and encouraging efficacy proof of concept data. Osivax's ambition is to develop a pan-respiratory virus vaccine to prevent all strains of influenza and all variants of Covid-19 in one single shot. The company will expand into other infectious disease indications through combinations and collaborations worldwide. For further information: https://osivax.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250303843963/en/ Contacts: Contact Osivax Alexandre LE VERT, CEO contact@osivax.com +33 (0)9 70 30 13 80 For Media Inquiries Trophic Communications Desmond James or Anja Heuer osivax@trophic.eu +49 (0) 151 678 59086 or +49 (0) 151 106 199 05 Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR Pratteln, Switzerland, March 4, 2025 - Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) today provides a trading update for the fiscal year 2024 and an outlook for 2025 and beyond. Dario Eklund, CEO of Santhera said: "The year 2024 has been a transformational year for Santhera as we strengthened our financial position and advanced the commercial roll out of AGAMREE (vamorolone) for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in key European markets. We remain committed to executing our strategy, with a strong focus on maximizing value by expanding access to AGAMREE and ensuring more patients benefit from this important treatment. Looking ahead, we will continue to explore opportunities to expand our pipeline through strategic partnerships and business development initiatives." Key unaudited financials for 2024 Total revenue from contracts with customers: CHF 39.1 million (2023 CHF103.4 million), driven by strong underlying revenue growth offset by significant licensing milestones recognised in 2023 from out-licensing activities in major territories. CHF 39.1 million (2023 CHF103.4 million), driven by strong underlying revenue growth offset by significant licensing milestones recognised in 2023 from out-licensing activities in major territories. Product sales: CHF 14.8 million (2023 CHF 0.8 million) driven by the successful launch of AGAMREE in Germany and Austria. CHF 14.8 million (2023 CHF 0.8 million) driven by the successful launch of AGAMREE in Germany and Austria. Royalties & milestones: CHF 19.3 million (2023 CHF 99.9 million), 2023 revenues were bolstered by out-licensing milestones received from Catalyst Pharmaceuticals in the U.S. and Sperogenix in China. CHF 19.3 million (2023 CHF 99.9 million), 2023 revenues were bolstered by out-licensing milestones received from Catalyst Pharmaceuticals in the U.S. and Sperogenix in China. Revenue from supply of product and services to partners: CHF 5.0 million (2023 CHF 2.7 million) CHF 5.0 million (2023 CHF 2.7 million) Cash and cash equivalents: CHF 41.0 million (2023 CHF 30.3 million). CHF 41.0 million (2023 CHF 30.3 million). Cash runway: Extended to mid 2026 at which point the Company expects to be cash breakeven. Operational Highlights Launch progress in own markets: AGAMREE has been successfully launched in Germany and Austria achieving strong early adoption, with launches expected to follow in Italy, Spain, Nordics, Benelux, Portugal, Ireland, France and Switzerland through 2025 and the first half 2026. UK reimbursement has been secured, with initial sales already achieved in Scotland and the rest of the UK expected to follow by early Q2 2025. Annual revenue was CHF 14.8 million post clawback related to finalisation of pricing in Germany. Gross product revenue excluding the clawback for pricing was CHF 18.2 million for the year with CHF 11.8 million in the second half compared to CHF 6.5 million in the first half. As at the end of the year, less than a year since launch, over 300 patients were on continuing treatment with AGAMREE, representing almost 30% of those currently on steroid treatment. This strong uptake is a reflection of AGAMREE's impact on the DMD community. AGAMREE has been successfully launched in Germany and Austria achieving strong early adoption, with launches expected to follow in Italy, Spain, Nordics, Benelux, Portugal, Ireland, France and Switzerland through 2025 and the first half 2026. UK reimbursement has been secured, with initial sales already achieved in Scotland and the rest of the UK expected to follow by early Q2 2025. Annual revenue was CHF 14.8 million post clawback related to finalisation of pricing in Germany. Gross product revenue excluding the clawback for pricing was CHF 18.2 million for the year with CHF 11.8 million in the second half compared to CHF 6.5 million in the first half. As at the end of the year, less than a year since launch, over 300 patients were on continuing treatment with AGAMREE, representing almost 30% of those currently on steroid treatment. This strong uptake is a reflection of AGAMREE's impact on the DMD community. Catalyst & Sperogenix partnerships: The Company continues to benefit from collaborations in North America and China, with milestone and royalty flows contributing to Santhera's financial stability. Based on the 2024 royalty monetisation agreement, 75% of the net royalties are paid to our royalty partners until a cap is reached, at which point all royalties return to the company. Catalyst launched AGAMREE in the U.S in March 2024 and reported USD 46 million revenue for the calendar year, surpassing its upgraded guidance figures for the year. They additionally provided guidance for in excess of USD 100 million in sales for 2025, which would trigger a further milestone to Santhera in addition to the royalties received throughout the year on sales. In China, Sperogenix has commenced an early access program and now, following the regulatory approval in December 2024, is preparing for commercial rollout mid 2025 on a non-reimbursed basis, with full pricing reimbursement expected in early 2026. The Company continues to benefit from collaborations in North America and China, with milestone and royalty flows contributing to Santhera's financial stability. Based on the 2024 royalty monetisation agreement, 75% of the net royalties are paid to our royalty partners until a cap is reached, at which point all royalties return to the company. Catalyst launched AGAMREE in the U.S in March 2024 and reported USD 46 million revenue for the calendar year, surpassing its upgraded guidance figures for the year. They additionally provided guidance for in excess of USD 100 million in sales for 2025, which would trigger a further milestone to Santhera in addition to the royalties received throughout the year on sales. In China, Sperogenix has commenced an early access program and now, following the regulatory approval in December 2024, is preparing for commercial rollout mid 2025 on a non-reimbursed basis, with full pricing reimbursement expected in early 2026. Other territories: Agreements were entered into covering European non-direct markets, Israel and Qatar as well as a named patient supply agreement with Clinigen to cover territories where AGAMREE is not yet commercially available. Santhera remains active in expanding territories through additional partnerships. Agreements were entered into covering European non-direct markets, Israel and Qatar as well as a named patient supply agreement with Clinigen to cover territories where AGAMREE is not yet commercially available. Santhera remains active in expanding territories through additional partnerships. Manufacturing expansion: To increase manufacturing capacity, streamline supply chain efficiencies, and reduce manufacturing cost, the Company as well as Catalyst are validating second manufacturers. While this could lead to lower product sales to Catalyst, these combined changes would have minimal impact on profit margins. To increase manufacturing capacity, streamline supply chain efficiencies, and reduce manufacturing cost, the Company as well as Catalyst are validating second manufacturers. While this could lead to lower product sales to Catalyst, these combined changes would have minimal impact on profit margins. R&D strategy: The Company continues to generate additional evidence of long-term safety on the use of AGAMREE in DMD and looks forward to long-term data readout from the GUARDIAN study, expected in Q4-25. The Company continues to generate additional evidence of long-term safety on the use of AGAMREE in DMD and looks forward to long-term data readout from the GUARDIAN study, expected in Q4-25. Pipeline development: Santhera remains actively engaged in expanding its late-stage pipeline through licensing, distribution agreements, and potential M&A transactions, with updates expected in 2026. The Company will not be investing further in additional indication expansion for AGAMREE in the near term. However, the company has an option to leverage indication expansion studies undertaken by its partners at a future date. Instead, the company will use funds to focus on maximizing the opportunity with AGAMREE in DMD and expanding its product pipeline. Guidance & Financial Outlook 2025 revenue guidance: CHF 65-70 million CHF 65-70 million 2028 revenue outlook: EUR 150 million - this covers direct and partnered markets, as well as royalty income from North America and China but not milestones payments received from partners EUR 150 million - this covers direct and partnered markets, as well as royalty income from North America and China but not milestones payments received from partners Operating expenses (2025 and going forward on constant portfolio basis): CHF 50-55 million - this excludes non-cash share compensation Upcoming Events Capital Markets Day - March 24, 2025 Full-Year 2024 Financial Results - April 29, 2025 Annual General Assembly - May 20, 2025 Santhera remains committed to delivering long-term value through disciplined financial management, strategic commercial execution, and continued focus on pipeline expansion. The company will provide further insights into its growth strategy during its Capital Markets Day on March 24, 2025. About AGAMREE (vamorolone) AGAMREE is a novel drug with a mode of action based on binding to the same receptor as glucocorticoids but modifying its downstream activity. Moreover, it is not a substrate for the 11--hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11-HSD) enzymes that may be responsible for local drug amplification and corticosteroid-associated toxicity in local tissues [1-4]. This mechanism has shown the potential to 'dissociate' efficacy from steroid safety concerns and therefore AGAMREE is positioned as a dissociative anti-inflammatory drug and an alternative to existing corticosteroids, the current standard of care in children and adolescent patients with DMD [1-4]. In the pivotal VISION-DMD study, AGAMREE met the primary endpoint Time to Stand (TTSTAND) velocity versus placebo (p=0.002) at 24 weeks of treatment and showed a good safety and tolerability profile [1, 4]. The most commonly reported side effects were cushingoid features, vomiting, weight increase and irritability. Side effects were generally of mild to moderate severity. Currently available data show that AGAMREE, unlike corticosteroids, has no restriction of growth [5] and no negative effects on bone metabolism as demonstrated by normal bone formation and bone resorption serum markers [6]. ? This medicinal product is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions. References: [1] Dang UJ et al.. [2] Guglieri M et al. [3] Liu X et al. [6] Hasham et al., MDA 2022 Poster presentation. Link. About Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare inherited X-chromosome-linked disease, which almost exclusively affects males. DMD is characterized by inflammation which is present at birth or shortly thereafter. Inflammation leads to fibrosis of muscle and is clinically manifested by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. Major milestones in the disease are the loss of ambulation, the loss of self-feeding, the start of assisted ventilation, and the development of cardiomyopathy. DMD reduces life expectancy to before the fourth decade due to respiratory and/or cardiac failure. Corticosteroids are the current standard of care for the treatment of DMD. About Santhera Santhera Pharmaceuticals. AGAMREE is a trademark of Santhera Pharmaceuticals. For further information please contact: public-relations@santhera.comor Catherine Isted, Chief Financial Officer Catherine.Isted@Sanathera.com Disclaimer / Forward-looking This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG. This publication may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning the Company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. # # # Attachment BARCELONA, Spain, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tune Talk, Malaysia's fastest-growing digital telco, has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Mavenir, the cloud-native network infrastructure provider, to provide a cutting-edge Cloud-Native Digital Operations Support System (OSS) and Business Support System (BSS) platform. The announcement was made at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona, reinforcing Tune Talk's commitment to technological innovation and enhanced customer experience. The cloud-native OSS/BSS platform is designed to enable Tune Talk to implement self-healing and automatic scaling capabilities, significantly improving operational efficiency. With zero-touch operations, the platform is designed to streamline network management, reduce downtime, and enhance service reliability. Additionally, AI-driven tools will revolutionize customer engagement, offering hyper-personalized services tailored to individual subscriber needs. "This partnership with Mavenir marks a significant step in our digital transformation journey. By leveraging cloud-native and AI-powered solutions, we are not only optimizing our operations but also enhancing our ability to deliver superior and highly personalized services to our customers," said Gurtaj Singh Padda, Executive Director and CEO of Tune Talk. "This move aligns with our vision of making digital connectivity more seamless and intelligent for all Malaysians." Echoing this sentiment, Jay Pandey, Chief Technology Officer of Tune Talk, highlighted the operational efficiencies that this collaboration will bring: "With Mavenir's cloud-native solutions, we expect to increase our operational efficiency by 60 to 70%. Network performance will see fewer interruptions, ensuring low latency and a more seamless experience for our subscribers. This partnership represents a transformative step in our technology processes, making our network smarter and more resilient than ever before." Pardeep Kohli, President and CEO at Mavenir, also expressed enthusiasm for the strategic partnership: "We fully support Tune Talk's efforts in becoming a cloud mobile network operator. Our cloud-native OSS/BSS platform is designed to enable Tune Talk to operate with greater agility, efficiency, and automation, setting a new standard for digital-first telco services in Malaysia and beyond. We look forward to driving this transformation together." The implementation of this next-generation platform is expected to set a new benchmark in Malaysia's telecommunications industry. By automating network operations and leveraging AI for predictive analytics, Tune Talk aims to improve network performance and customer satisfaction while reducing operational costs. This initiative also strengthens Malaysia's position in the global digital economy, fostering innovation in the telco sector and setting a precedent for cloud-native adoption in the region. As digital transformation accelerates, the collaboration between Tune Talk and Mavenir is poised to redefine telco service delivery, bringing cutting-edge advancements to Malaysian consumers and the broader industry. About Tune Talk Tune Talk is the fastest-growing fully cloud-enabled Mobile Network Operator in Asia. Since our launch in 2009, we have remained committed to offering affordable rates and exciting incentives. As a digital lifestyle telecommunications company, our services include unlimited calls, SMS, and high-speed internet packages, tailored to meet the demands for simple, value-driven products with easy accessibility and wide distribution. Our focus on innovation and digital disruption drives us to continuously provide cutting-edge telecommunication solutions, meeting the evolving needs of our customers and keeping us at the forefront of the industry. For more information, please visit www.tunetalk.com. About Mavenir: Mavenir is building the future of networks today with cloud-native, AI-enabled solutions which are green by design, empowering operators to realize the benefits of 5G and achieve intelligent, automated, programmable networks. As the pioneer of Open RAN and a proven industry disruptor, Mavenir's award-winning solutions are delivering automation and monetization across mobile networks globally, accelerating software network transformation for 300+ Communications Service Providers in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the world's subscribers. For more information, please visit www.mavenir.com PR Contacts: Mavenir: Emmanuela Spiteri | PR@mavenir.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3ec6ad0e-db50-409f-be25-495db047d71c Regulatory News: Veolia (Paris:VIE) and CriteriaCaixa, la Caixa Foundation's investment company, announce that CriteriaCaixa will enter into the capital of Veolia Environnement, and have a representative to its Board of Directors, as part of a stable shareholding and governance agreement. CriteriaCaixa's upcoming investment in Veolia, a world leader in ecological transformation, reflects its commitment to Veolia's vision and strategic direction, and in particular to its GreenUp plan, which offers its shareholders an investment profile with the opportunity of creating sustainable value. Such investment is also based on the values promoted by Veolia and its global approach to managing its activities and its relations with its employees, partners and stakeholders, across the globe and in the context of the company engagement in Spain. With a representative on Veolia's Board of Directors to be proposed at the next General Shareholders Meeting, CriteriaCaixa, as a strategic investor, will thus support Veolia's strategic direction, governance and independence, both on the Board of Directors and at the General Shareholders Meeting. Through this representation CriteriaCaixa will be able to contribute meaningfully to the company's governance and long-term success. The acquisition of a 5% stake in Veolia will reinforce CriteriaCaixa's diversified portfolio. The deal will be a major milestone in the company 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes its role as a stabilizing agent of the economy, reinforcing its commitment to companies in strategic industries such as banking, energy, telecommunications and utilities, as well as promoting future industrial development through investment in new sectors and projects. CriteriaCaixa has capped its stake in Veolia at 5.5% and will hold on to its shares for at least two years. Isidro Faine, Chairman of CriteriaCaixa, expressed: "We are very pleased to join forces with Veolia and to contribute to its future development. Our commitment and involvement in the success of this company will strengthen "la Caixa" Foundation's assets structure, with the aim of generating the necessary financial resources to further developing our social and philanthropic activity". Antoine Frerot, Chairman of Veolia Environnement, commented: "We are delighted to welcome our new shareholder CriteriaCaixa, a company that we know well, to our Board of Directors. Veolia is convinced that through this investment, the friendly commitment of this major ally in support of our strategic plan and our independence will create shared opportunities and have a very positive impact on the Group's development'." ABOUT CRITERIACAIXA CriteriaCaixa is the holding company of "la Caixa" Foundation that manages its business assets. The company priority is to provide the economic resources that allow the foundation to continue pursuing social action, year after year, contributing to the development of a society that gives more opportunities to those who most need them and increasing the foundation's wealth through value generation. As the first investment holding company in Spain and one of the first in Europe, CriteriaCaixa manages a portfolio of close to 30 billion that combines relevant shareholdings in strategic sectors with a growing diversified investment portfolio, ensuring the recurring flow of dividends. ABOUT VEOLIA Veolia group aims to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. Present on five continents with 215,000 employees, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for the management of water, waste and energy that are contributing to a radical turnaround of the current situation. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, to preserve available resources and to renew them. In 2024, the Veolia group provided 111 million inhabitants with drinking water and 98 million with sanitation, produced 42 million megawatt hours of energy and treated 65 million tonnes of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) achieved consolidated revenue of 44.7 billion euros in 2024. www.veolia.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250303480628/en/ Contacts: PRESS RELATIONS VEOLIA Laurent Obadia Evgeniya Mazalova Anna Beaubatie Aurelien Sarrosquy Charline Bouchereau Tel.+ 33 (0) 1 85 57 86 25 presse.groupe@veolia.com PRESS RELATIONS CRITERIACAIXA Leticia Gonzalvez Tel.+ 34 649 254 091 comunicacion@criteria.com Die Finanzwelt ist im Umbruch! Nach Jahren der Dominanz erschuttert Donald Trumps erratische Wirtschaftspolitik das Fundament des amerikanischen Kapitalismus. Handelskriege, Rekordzolle und politische Isolation haben eine Kapitalflucht historischen Ausmaes ausgelost. Milliarden stromen aus den USA und suchen neue, lukrative Ziele. Und genau hier kommt China ins Spiel. Trotz aller Spannungen wachst die chinesische Wirtschaft dynamisch weiter, Innovation und Digitalisierung treiben die Markte an. Im kostenlosen Spezialreport stellen wir Ihnen 5 Aktien aus China vor, die vom US-Niedergang profitieren und das Potenzial haben, den Markt regelrecht zu uberflugeln. Wer jetzt klug investiert, sichert sich den Zugang zu den neuen Wachstums-Champions von morgen. Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Verpassen Sie nicht, welche 5 Aktien die Konkurrenz aus den USA outperformen durften, und laden Sie sich das Gratis-PDF jetzt kostenlos herunter. Dieses exklusive Angebot gilt aber nur fur kurze Zeit! Daher jetzt downloaden! The global universal banking market is experiencing growth due to convenience for customers and competitive advantage. PORTLAND, Ore., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Universal Banking Market by Service (Commercial Banking Service, Investment Banking Service, Retail Banking Service and Others), and Function (Deposit and Lending, Wealth Management, Asset Management and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2032". According to the report, the universal banking market was valued at $3.2 trillion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $8.3 trillion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 10.9% from 2024 to 2032. Get a Sample Copy of this Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A323732 Prime determinants of growth However, regulatory constraints hinder market growth to some extent. On the contrary, technological advancements and integrated financial solutions offer remunerative opportunities for the expansion of the global universal banking market. Report coverage & details: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2024-2032 Base Year 2023 Market Size in 2023 $3.2 Trillion Market Size in 2032 $8.3 Trillion CAGR 0.109 No. of Pages in Report 200 Segments Covered Service, Function and Region. Drivers Convenience for Customers Competitive Advantage Opportunities Technological Advancements Advancements Integrated Financial Solutions Restraint Regulatory Constraints Segment Highlights The commercial banking segment held the largest market share in 2023 By service, the commercial banking segment held the largest market share in 2023, owing to its important role in providing comprehensive financial services to businesses. It offers a wide range of products such as business loans, credit lines, cash management services, and treasury solutions, which are essential for the daily operations and growth of businesses. In addition, the increasing demand from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporations for tailored financial solutions, along with the growth in global trade and economic activities, thereby significantly contributed to the dominance of the commercial banking segment in the universal banking market. Enquire Before Buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/A323732 The deposits and lending segment held the largest market share in 2023 By function, the deposits and lending held the largest market share in 2023, owing to its essential role in providing fundamental banking services. It includes savings and checking accounts, personal and business loans, and mortgages, which are vital for daily financial operations and economic growth. The ability to attract deposits ensures a stable funding source for banks, while lending activities generate substantial interest income, driving profitability. The widespread necessity and usage of these services make the segment dominant in the universal banking market North America to maintain its dominance by 2032 North America led the market share in 2023, owing to its advanced financial infrastructure, robust economy, and high adoption of innovative banking technologies. The presence of major global financial institutions and a well-regulated banking sector contribute to market stability and growth. Additionally, the strong demand for diverse banking services from a large consumer base, along with significant investments in digital banking solutions and financial inclusion initiatives, drives the region's dominance in the universal banking market. Buy Now: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/Universal-Banking-Market Players: - JPMorgan Chase Bank of America Wells Fargo BNP Paribas Deutsche Bank Barclays Banco Santander Mizuho Financial Group Lloyds Banking Group HSBC Bank ICICI BanK Ltd HDFC Bank Ltd The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global universal banking market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, agreements, acquisition and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario. Recent Development: In May 2023, JPMorgan Chase announced it acquired a substantial majority of assets and assumed the deposits and certain other liabilities of First Republic Bank from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). By executing this transaction, JPMorgan Chase is leveraging its significant strength and execution capabilities to support the U.S. financial system. As part of the acquisition, JPMorgan Chase is assuming all deposits, both insured and uninsured. In October 2023, Mizuho Financial Group announced its intention to change its structure in the EU region, through the creation of Universal Bank, which is bringing together its Banking and Securities business in the region. Key Benefits for Stakeholders This report provides a quantitative analysis of the market segments, current trends, estimations, and dynamics of the universal banking market analysis from 2024 to 2032 to identify the prevailing universal banking market opportunities. Market research is offered along with information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities. Porter's five forces analysis highlights the potency of buyers and suppliers to enable stakeholders to make profit-oriented business decisions and strengthen their supplier-buyer network. In-depth analysis of the universal banking market segmentation assists to determine the prevailing market opportunities. Major countries in each region are mapped according to their revenue contribution to the global market. Market player positioning facilitates benchmarking and provides a clear understanding of the present position of the market players. The report includes the analysis of the regional as well as global universal banking market trends, key players, market segments, application areas, and universal banking market outlook strategies. Request Customization: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/A323732 Universal Banking Market Report Highlights By Service Commercial Banking Service Investment Banking Service Retail Banking Service Others By Function Deposit and Lending Wealth Management Asset Management Others By Region North America (U.S., Canada) (U.S., Canada) Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Rest of Europe) (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Rest of Europe) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) LAMEA (Latin America, Middle East, Africa) Key Market Players BNP Paribas, Barclays Bank Plc., HSBC Bank, Lloyds Banking Group, Deutsche Bank., Wells Fargo and Co., JPMorgan Chase & Co, Mizuho Financial Group, HDFC Bank limited, Banco Santander, ICICI Bank Ltd., Bank of America Trending Reports in BFSI Industry (Book Now with 10% Discount + Covid-19 scenario): Financial Risk Management Software Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Component, by Deployment Mode, by Enterprise Size, by End-User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2031 Loan Management Software Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Component, by Deployment Mode, by Enterprise Size, by Application, by End User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031 P&C Insurance Software Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Component, by Deployment Model, by Application: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031 Loan Servicing Software Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Component, by Deployment Mode, by Enterprise Size, by Application, by End User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031 Digital Gift Card Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Channel, by Transaction Type, by Card Type, by Application Area, by End Users: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 Gift Cards Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Card Type, by End User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 Virtual Cards Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Product Type, by End-User, by Industry Vertical: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2032 About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Wilmington, Delaware. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports Insights" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies, and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact Us: United States 1209 Orange Street, Corporation Trust Center, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware 19801 USA. Int'l: +1-503-894-6022 Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 Fax: +1-800-792-5285 help@alliedmarketresearch.com https://medium.com/@kokate.mayuri1991 https://www.scoop.it/u/monika-718 https://bfsibloghub.blogspot.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/universal-banking-market-to-reach-8-3-trillion-globally-by-2032-at-10-9-cagr-allied-market-research-302391176.html The Hub aims to engage all citizens in sustainable technology and support EU energy security Ricardo, a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company, has been selected to lead the European Commission's Citizen's Energy Advisory Hub, a resource supporting energy security and adoption of clean energy technology across all EU states. The Citizen Energy Advisory Hub has been established to make the adoption and investment in sustainable energy technology and infrastructure more accessible for all EU citizens. The Hub will also act as a central support for related citizen energy initiatives across the region, to ensure optimum impact. As the lead in the project, Ricardo will head a consortium composed of six other organisations; map all existing citizen energy projects and regulatory frameworks across the EU; identify and build on best practices; produce guidance for regulators, companies and citizens; provide technical assistance; connect regulators to providers, and lead on the communication of the project. Ricardo's Associate Director, Policy Strategy and Economics, Eugenia Bonifazi, said: "We're delighted to be continuing our work with the European Commission on driving citizen energy across the EU, empowering citizens to produce, consume, and invest in the future of EU energy security." The appointment of Ricardo to this role follows their successful delivery of the European Commission's Rural Energy Community Advisory Hub (RECAH) project that ran between 2022 and 2024. Similar to the Citizen's Energy Advisory Hub, RECAH sought to accelerate the development of sustainable energy community projects in European rural areas. The project, which is set to run for three years, will host its kick off meeting in March, with a website for the project scheduled to launch in June 2025. About Ricardo Ricardo plc is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company, listed on the London Stock Exchange. With over 100 years of engineering excellence and employing close to 3,000 employees in more than 20 countries, we provide exceptional levels of expertise in delivering innovative cross-sector sustainable outcomes to support energy transition and scarce resources, environmental services together with safe and smart mobility. Our global team of consultants, environmental specialists, engineers and scientists support our customers to solve the most complex and dynamic challenges to help achieve a safe and sustainable world. Visit www.ricardo.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250303382408/en/ Contacts: Media Contact Sophie Mills Sophie.mills@ricardo.com Director, Integrated Communications MatriceLab Innove announced that the first large-scale randomized controlled trial investigating endometrial immune profiling showed that personalized treatment based on immune testing can significantly increase live birth rates from IVF. The trial showed that patients receiving personalized care based on MatriceLab's UTIMPRO endometrial immune profiling test had a live birth rate (LBR) of 41.4%, compared with 29.7% for those in a control group receiving conventional care. Frontiers in Immunology publishedan article analyzing the results of the trial, which marks a major advance in precision medicine for reproductive health. Results were particularly strong for patients with morphologically suboptimal embryos (39.6% live birth rate vs 21.2% in the control group), and for patients with two or more failed transfers (41% LBR vs 25.5%). The article concluded that "based on these findings, endometrial immune profiling could become an essential part of routine ART practice." According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 17.5% of people experience infertility in their lifetimes. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have made progress, yet success rates remain low: The live birth rate per initial cycle is about 30% for women under 35, a figure that declines rapidly with age. The trial analyzed the endometrial profiles of 484 patients, of which 78%, or 378 patients, were found to have dysregulated endometrial immune profiles. The patients with dysregulated profiles were randomized into two groups, one receiving personalized care based on their immune profiles, and a control group receiving conventional care. "For decades, the role of uterine immunity in IVF success has been debated, with many clinicians skeptical of immune testing and treatments due to limited evidence," Dr. Nathalie Ledee, co-founder and chief executive of MatriceLab, said. "Through this randomized controlled trial, we've demonstrated that identifying and addressing endometrial immune imbalances can significantly improve live birth rates." Dr. Laura Prat-Ellenberg, Head of Reproductive Medicine at L'hopital Pierre Rouques Les Bluets, and senior author of the publication, said: "While the focus has long been on embryo quality, we now have definitive evidence that the endometrial immune environment is equally crucial. With immune profiling and precision treatment, we're not just improving success rates-we're rewriting our understanding of why implantation fails and succeeds." Read more about MatriceLaband the UTIMPRO test at matricelabinnove.com. About MatriceLab MatriceLab Innove specializes in endometrial immune health research and diagnostics. Founded in 2012 by Drs. Nathalie Ledee and Marie Petitbarat, the lab is building on more than a decade of research to help clinicians better address fertility challenges through evidence-based solutions. Their work focuses on understanding the complex relationship between immune factors and reproductive success. The company's UTIMPRO test, a CE-marked medical device that analyzes key biomarkers, provides insights into endometrial immune factors that may affect IVF success. This diagnostic approach, developed through collaboration with the University Versailles St. Quentin en Yvelines and INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), forms the basis for personalized fertility treatment decisions. By analyzing specific immune biomarkers in the endometrium, the test helps identify potential barriers to successful implantation that conventional assessments might not detect. MatriceLab's research contributions are supported by the French Ministry of Health through its Hospital Clinical Research Program. The company works closely with l'Hopital Pierre Rouques les Bluets in Paris, a respected ART and maternity hospital. MatriceLab maintains ISO 13485 certification, demonstrating its adherence to international quality standards for medical technologies and commitment to maintaining rigorous processes in reproductive medicine. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250303775054/en/ Contacts: International press contact: James Connell, Bogert-Magnier Communications jim@bogert-magnier.com +33 6 2152 1755 LONDON, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Henley & Partners has published the 2025 edition of its pioneering Henley Opportunity Index, further cementing its reputation as a premier benchmarking tool for assessing how top-tier education, combined with enhanced global access, shapes future success. Now in its second year, the index evaluates how combining premium education with additional investment-based residence and citizenship rights creates significant opportunity for the next generation, growing their global networks, maximizing their career prospects, earning potential, and economic mobility for greater achievement and prosperity across their lifetimes. As Tess Wilkinson, Director of Henley & Partners Education, points out, a first-class education alone is no longer a guaranteed pathway to success in an increasingly competitive global job market. "While studies confirm that tertiary graduates earn around 50% more than those with only secondary education, research also reveals that over two-thirds of income disparity worldwide is dictated by the country in which an individual lives and works. With barriers to opportunity often dictated by the limitations of our citizenship, the index makes a compelling case for investment migration as a game-changing strategy for families looking to transcend the constraints of their 'birthright lottery'." Enhancing the probability of success The Henley Opportunity Index is the first study of its kind to quantify the benefits of combining premium education with expanded residence or citizenship rights, scoring investment migration programs available worldwide across six key factors - premium education, employment prospects, earning potential, career advancement, economic mobility, and livability. Switzerland, which offers an investment option developed by Henley & Partners that combines private residence with Swiss forfait tax provisions, leads the ranking with a total score of 84%. Asia's wealth hub Singapore with its Global Investor Program follows with an opportunity score of 79%, and the US, with its EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program and new "gold card" visa proposed, is not far behind on 78%. Australia, which recently launched a new National Innovation Visa, comes in next with 76%, ahead of Canada, which offers a popular Start-Up Visa Program for entrepreneurs and scores 73%, rounding up the Top 5. The UK with its Innovator Founder Visa secures an opportunity score of 70% when it comes to providing strategic advantage to its citizens and residents, and the UAE, which has numerous categories of beneficiaries for its Golden Residence visa, earns 67%. Austria, which requires a substantial contribution to its economy to secure citizenship, and New Zealand, which recently eased the rules for its Active Investor Plus Visa Program to incentivize investors, each achieve 65%, closely followed by Italy, which also offers an Investor Visa and scores 64% on the Henley Opportunity Index. Unlocking the cumulative advantage The comparative function within the Henley Opportunity Index highlights the profound impact of strategic investment migration on improving future opportunities for families worldwide. For instance, a Vietnamese family with an opportunity score of just 29% in their home country could elevate their next generation's potential success to 78% by securing US residence through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. Similarly, an Indian family with a 37% score could boost their advantage to 84% by relocating to Switzerland via the Swiss Residence Program. Wilkinson says that "by securing strategic residence or citizenship rights, individuals gain access to dynamic economies, high-growth industries, and unparalleled career prospects - proving that in today's world, where you live matters just as much as what you learn." Read the Full Press Release View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/groundbreaking-henley-opportunity-index-reveals-impact-of-education-and-global-citizenship-on-generational-success-302387872.html Cendyn lights up more business intelligence capabilities with launch of CRM Analytics platform and Knowland's return to Europe, supported by AI-driven insights BERLIN, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cendyn , a global integrated hotel technology company, has advanced its business intelligence solutions with AI-enabled analysis to deliver hotels smarter data with practical commercial insights. Reinforcing its commitment to empowering hotels globally to excel through world-class technology, Cendyn has integrated AI into its CRM and Knowland platform. Hotel sales and marketing teams now have quickly accessible actionable insights reducing manual management of spreadsheets and complex reports. Through the launch of CRM Analytics, Cendyn is revolutionizing data and insights available for hotel customer relationship management. AI-generated insights and analysis allow hotels to quickly leverage real-time guest behavior data to optimize marketing campaigns and uncover key business drivers with precision. Smart narratives - that concisely and succinctly summarize data - simplify and identify trends from complex datasets for hotels to take immediate action. Following the acquisition of Knowland in October 2024, Cendyn has launched a new AI search capability within the platform to further assist hotels in accessing business intelligence. This new AI search capability aligns with the latest consumer search trends, enabling hoteliers to input long-form queries, as they do with traditional search engines. With a smarter, more user-friendly entry point to Knowland data, hoteliers retrieve insights faster and more intuitively to identify future business prospects and maximize market competitiveness. This news comes alongside the official expansion of Knowland beyond the US, Middle East, and APAC back into Europe. With London as the first market, hotels and venues will soon be able to leverage the platform to drive total account revenue with data-backed insights capitalizing on growing opportunities in the MICE sector. "We strongly believe that leveraging tools like AI across our suite of solutions will enable our customers to do their jobs more effectively and provide significant time savings," said Chris Egan, Chief Product Officer, Cendyn. "AI analysis is giving visibility to aspects of our customer's performance that may otherwise be overlooked." "By using long-form text for search queries and pulling tangible insights out of complex data charts, hoteliers can quickly get the precise information they need. This will help the industry move beyond static reports to dynamic, real-time intelligence that results in more direct bookings and increased revenue. As an integrated solutions provider, we are in the process of bringing together data from different sources and leveraging AI to provide even greater business optimization in a manner that hasn't been done before." The integration of AI for advanced data functionality across the Cendyn portfolio provides the hotel industry with a powerful collection of integrated solutions, enabling hoteliers to find new guests, book more direct, and grow revenue. Cendyn will be exhibiting at ITB 2025, Hall 8.1, Stand 111, for more information discover Cendyn's range of products and services at cendyn.com For requests and further information contact: Ryan Haynes ryan@haynesmarcoms.agency, +44 (0)7919 510051 Katy Reilly katy@haynesmarcoms.agency About Cendyn Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to drive revenue, maximize profitability, and create deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions. Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn drives commercial success for hotels through its Find, Book, Grow promise: find the right guests; drive them to book direct, and grow loyalty and revenue across the spectrum of digital guest interactions. Cendyn has over 32,000 customers worldwide in more than 150 countries, generating more than $20 billion in annual hotel revenue. The company supports its growing customer base from locations across the globe, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangkok, and India. To find out more, visit cendyn.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/514869/Cendyn_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cendyn-goes-bold-with-ai-across-hotel-analytics-platforms-302389555.html New US$30M fund to expand affordable, reliable Internet access across the globe BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As leaders in mobile technology and connectivity gather in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, the Internet Society -a global charitable organization championing an open, globally connected, and secure Internet-today announced the expansion of its partnership with Meta with the launch of a new Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative. The initiative aims to scale up efforts to expand affordable, reliable, and sustainable Internet access globally, with both the Internet Society and Internet Society Foundation committing a $30 million investment through 2030. Meta has joined as the first co-funding partner as the Internet Society calls for additional partners to support the vision of a more equitable, connected world. Across the globe, 2.6 billion people lack access to the Internet, excluding them from vital opportunities in education, healthcare, economic growth, and civic participation. Through the new Co-Funding Initiative, the Internet Society is leveraging its decades of expertise, global network, proven grant-making systems, and advocacy to help enable policies to address these issues. Meta is the first company to join the Co-Funding following a successful partnership with the Internet Society. Since 2018, the two organizations have collaborated to develop Internet Exchange Point (IXP) infrastructure, train technical communities, and measure Internet resilience in countries around the world. Specifically, the Co-Funding focuses on investing in community-centered infrastructure development, addressing market gaps and advocacy, and providing training to build technical capacity. It aims to: Increase Funding and Advocacy: Fund infrastructure deployment and empower communities to manage their networks. Fund infrastructure deployment and empower communities to manage their networks. Address Market Gaps: Address market failures where commercial providers see no viable business case. Address market failures where commercial providers see no viable business case. Enhance Training: Scale training programs to build technical capacity, empower marginalized groups, and develop the next generation of Internet leaders. Scale training programs to build technical capacity, empower marginalized groups, and develop the next generation of Internet leaders. Improve Community-Centered Solutions: Build and strengthen last-mile community-centered solutions for people, businesses, schools and health facilities in underserved areas. Build and strengthen last-mile community-centered solutions for people, businesses, schools and health facilities in underserved areas. Build Sustainable Networks: Support locally owned, scalable, and sustainable networks that create jobs and foster entrepreneurship, retain value within communities, and promote self-reliance. Support locally owned, scalable, and sustainable networks that create jobs and foster entrepreneurship, retain value within communities, and promote self-reliance. Mobilize Advocates: Increase global impact by working with the Internet Society's 130 local chapters and 133,000 members worldwide. "Over the past several years, our partnership with Meta has resulted in 56 IXPs in 45 countries, giving millions of people faster, more affordable, and reliable Internet access," said Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society. "This new Connectivity Co-Funding initiative, supported by Meta, is a prime example of collective action that will help provide meaningful access to more than 2 billion people across the world with insufficient or no Internet. It is our hope that this fund plays a pivotal role in reducing this gap and creating a more equitable digital society." "Meta is proud to extend our collaboration with the Internet Society, reinforcing our commitment to bridging the digital divide. Together, we aim to empower communities worldwide with sustainable and equitable Internet access, fostering innovation and connectivity for all, said Aaron Russell, Director of Edge Network Infrastructure. This partnership complements our existing infrastructure investments, including subsea cables, which help make the Internet ecosystem more reliable and lower the overall cost of providing access." More information on the Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative can be found at: https://internetsociety.org/issues/access/connectivity-co-funding-initiative/. About the Internet Society Founded by Internet pioneers, the Internet Society (ISOC) is a global charitable organization dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet. Through a global community of chapters and members, the Internet Society collaborates with a wide range of groups to promote the technologies that keep the Internet safe and secure and advocates for policies that enable universal access. The Internet Society is also the organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) About Meta Meta is building the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1656167/Internet_Society.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/internet-society-extends-multi-year-partnership-with-meta-and-announces-connectivity-co-funding-initiative-302391041.html Original-Research: Scandinavian Astor Group AB - from NuWays AG 04.03.2025 / 09:01 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Research, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this research. The result of this research does not constitute investment advice or an invitation to conclude certain stock exchange transactions. Classification of NuWays AG to Scandinavian Astor Group AB Company Name: Scandinavian Astor Group AB ISIN: SE0019175274 Reason for the research: Update Recommendation: Buy from: 04.03.2025 Target price: SEK 30.00 Target price on sight of: 12 months Last rating change: Analyst: Henry Wendisch Final Q4 out, gearing up for more; raising est. & PT Topic: Following Q4 prelims in early Feb'25, Astor released final Q4 results and hosted a bullish earnings call last week. Here are our key takeaways: Strong top-line momentum. Sales (Q4: SEK 91m; FY: 223m) arrived in line with prelims, however the split between organic and inorganic sales revealed a strong underlying performance: Organic sales expanded by 44% yoy in FY'24 (+160% yoy in Q4 alone), whereas M&A created additional inorganic sales growth of 125% yoy in FY'24 (+171% yoy in Q4'24). Worth highlighting is CFO Wictor Billstroms comment, that in an as-if scenario (i.e. in the scenario of the new acquisitions being consolidated for the full year), FY'24 sales would have exceeded SEK 300m, which bodes extremely well for sales visibility into FY'25e &' 26e. Back to black numbers. Group EBITDA (Q4: SEK 20.6m; FY: 19.7m) rose sharply (vs. SEK 1.5m in FY'23) and drove the group EBITDA margin by 7.1pp yoy to 8.8%, especially carried by the strong Q4 which further improved the holding expenses coverage (SEK 11m in FY'24). Q4'24 alone saw an group EBITDA margin of 23%, a 23pp yoy increase, thanks to the acquisition of Scandiflash. Further, the company also reached a positive bottom line with a net income of SEK 0.4m (vs. SEK -3.6m in FY'23), thanks to the strong Q4 (SEK 13m net income, with a 14% profit margin). Tech segment is now a second cash cow. The segment report revealed the strong earnings power of last year's acquisitions, with the Tech segment coming from almost no revenues in FY'23 to now 25% of sales in FY'24 and 49% in Q4'24, carried by the acquisitions of Scandiflash and Airsafe. A key highlight is the segment's profitability as EBITDA rose from SEK -6m in FY'23 to now SEK 7.4m in FY'24 (thereof SEK 13.4m in Q4'24), with an 13% EBITDA margin (30% in Q4'24), even exceeding the margins of the Industry segment. - see table on p. 2 - Industry segment remains in full swing with top line and profitability notably increasing in FY'24. Sales grew by 107% yoy in FY'24 (125% yoy in Q4'24), carried by strong underlying growth and the smaller acquisitions of CDS, Welas and ID Modeller. Therefore, the segment's EBITDA margin increased by 1.3pp in FY'24 to 14.7%, showing that also the Industry segment remains in full swing. - see table on p. 2 - Upbeat cash generation. OpCF grew to SEK 10.5m in FY'24 (vs. SEK -9.7m in FY'23), mainly driven by the strong Q4 (SEK 16.8m opCF). This corresponds to a 53% cash conversion (opCF/EBITDA) in FY'24 and a staggering 81% in Q4'24. This development bodes extremely for the future, as it lays the foundation to finance future acquisition from opCFs, going forward. Gearing up for further M&A. During the earnings call, CFO Billstrom mentioned currently c. 50 targets in the short-list and anticipates Astor 'to keep the pace up', when it comes to further acquisitions. Therefore, we expect further M&A deals in 2025e, however do not include any in our estimates. Raising estimates. Thanks to the stellar organic sales development visible in FY'24 and especially in Q4'24, our old organic sales growth estimate of 18% in FY'25e (16% in FY'26e) seemed too conservative, in our view. Therefore, we increase our organic sales growth assumption to 24% in FY'25e (20% in FY'26e), which should better reflect Astor's growth path. Also, we raise our group profitability estimates thanks to the strong Tech segment's profitability visible in Q4 (which included Scandiflash as of Q4'24). By simply assuming the Q4'24 EBITDA (SEK 21m) as a run-rate for FY'25 (simply put: SEK 84m), there could be even more upside to our new FY'25e EBITDA estimate of SEK 66m. Mid-term guidance upgrade in the cards, especially after a potential acquisition. With our new estimate of SEK 447m sales and an EBITDA margin of 21% for FY'26e, we are already positioned well above the mid-term guidance (see bottom right), even without future M&A. Any new acquisition that follows, should thus lift our estimates even further, which could trigger a guidance upgrade in the next quarters, in our view. First foothold in the German market. Moreover, Astor reported a first order via its newly founded sales channel for the German market called 'Astor Group Deutschland GmbH'. The order comprises Scandiflash service parts and is not financially significant, but it shows a first business development step into the German defence market, which is seeing strong demand for technologically advanced defence product for years. Volatile newsflow, but stable demand for years. Currently, there is volatile newsflow regarding the Ukraine war in terms of US/EU support, a potential ceasefire, peace and new NATO or national defence spending discussions. While defence stocks typically react volatile to that kind of newsflow, the fundamental rise in defence spending is here to stay. Therefore, potential share price drops should present attractive buying opportunities, in our view. Against this backdrop, we strongly reiterate our BUY recommendation and increase our PT to SEK 30.00 (old: SEK 17.00), based on DCF. You can download the research here: http://www.more-ir.de/d/31893.pdf For additional information visit our website: https://www.nuways-ag.com/research-feed Contact for questions: NuWays AG - Equity Research Web: www.nuways-ag.com Email: research@nuways-ag.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nuwaysag Adresse: Mittelweg 16-17, 20148 Hamburg, Germany ++++++++++ Diese Meldung ist keine Anlageberatung oder Aufforderung zum Abschluss bestimmter Borsengeschafte. Offenlegung moglicher Interessenskonflikte nach 85 WpHG beim oben analysierten Unternehmen befinden sich in der vollstandigen Analyse. ++++++++++ The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com 2094695 04.03.2025 CET/CEST STOCKHOLM, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aduna, a landmark venture between some of the world's leading telecom operators and Ericsson, today announced that, in a significant move for the telecom industry, two of France's leading network operators - Bouygues Telecom and Free (iliad Group) - will become network partners. They join Orange - a founding Aduna venture partner - to accelerate the adoption and innovation of common network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) by developers on a global scale. The strategic partnership marks a major step in unlocking new digital innovation opportunities across industries in France and beyond. Launched in September 2024, Aduna is combining and selling network APIs globally, with a vision that new applications will work anywhere, and on any network, paving the way for developers to innovate much more quickly and easily. Network APIs are at the center of a new era of opportunity for the telecom industry and easily accessible advanced network capabilities are empowering developers to create new use cases across multiple sectors. Marking a significant milestone, the first two network APIs, SIM Swap and KYC (Know Your Customer) are planning to launch in France in Spring 2025, after the agreements with above mentioned French network operators are finalized, bringing enhanced security and digital identity verification to the market. Built on the CAMARA framework, these APIs are just the beginning. The planned roadmap includes additional advanced capabilities such as location verification and retrieval, network insights and quality of service - key features in high demand by enterprises seeking more secure and data-driven solutions. Chrystel Abadie Truchet, Head of Strategy, Communication and Development at Bouygues Telecom, says: "French major network operators joining forces with Aduna to launch network APIs is a major step in unlocking new digital innovation opportunities across industries in France and beyond. Bouygues Telecom is proud to be part of this project with other market leaders such as Free and Orange, and we believe this strategic partnership holds immense potential for driving digital transformation in France and abroad." Rui Frazao, CTO at Free - iliad Group, says: "The partnership with Aduna is in line with iliad Group's strategy to democratize and accelerate the adoption of 5G SA and network APIs by making them accessible to developers and service providers worldwide." Otilia Anton, Director, Orange LiveNet, said: "Network APIs pave the way to programmable networks for personalized and secure customer experiences leveraging connectivity data. Aduna will play an important role in simplifying global access to CAMARA APIs. We are proud of this first commercial exposure of Orange APIs on Aduna contributing to enforcing network APIs' reach and value proposition for identity and antifraud solutions." With the launch of network APIs in France, major French network operators - through Aduna - are paving the way for broader adoption across Europe and globally while reinforcing France's leadership in the global API economy. Anthony Bartolo, CEO of Aduna, said, "Aduna is thrilled to be able to provide developers with access to aggregated CAMARA-based network APIs from major operators in France through our developer platform providers. By making advanced network capabilities more accessible to developers, we're fostering innovation that empowers enterprises across France to accelerate their digital transformation and strengthen their competitive advantage." Jean-Marc Racine, Chief Product Officer at Haivision, a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions, says: "Haivision has long collaborated with leading communication service providers on how network APIs can enhance and enrich broadcasters' live contributions over cellular networks. We look forward to leveraging the availability of unified CAMARA network APIs in the French market and beyond." To find out more about network APIs and Aduna, visit adunaglobal.com. Notes to editors: Media Contact: Email: MediaRelations@adunaglobal.com Tel: +46 10 719 69 92 About Aduna Aduna is a landmark venture between some of the world's leading telecom operators and Ericsson, dedicated to enabling developers worldwide to accelerate innovation by leveraging networks to their full potential via common network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Its venture partners include: America Movil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, e&, KDDI, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone. Aduna's developer partner platforms include Google Cloud, Infobip, Sinch and Vonage. By combining network APIs from multiple operators globally under a unified platform based on the CAMARA open-source project, driven by the GSMA and the Linux Foundation, Aduna provides a standardized platform to foster collaboration, enhance user experiences, and drive industry growth. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com. https://news.cision.com/ericsson/r/leading-french-operators-join-aduna-as-network-partners-to-open-network-apis-to-the-market,c4113805 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/15448/4113805/3298411.pdf PDF: Leading French operators join Aduna as network partners to open network APIs to the market https://news.cision.com/ericsson/i/developer-working-on-a-laptop-outdoors-,c3383275 Developer working on a laptop outdoors. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/leading-french-operators-join-aduna-as-network-partners-to-open-network-apis-to-the-market-302391215.html MUMBAI, India and ISELIN, N.J. and LONDON, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hexaware Technologies, a leading IT services and solutions provider, proudly announces its entry into the Top 25 Most Valuable IT Brands globally, as recognized in the Brand Finance IT Services 25 2025 report. This milestone highlights Hexaware's unwavering commitment to innovation, excellence, and industry leadership. Hexaware's brand value has soared from USD 724 million in 2024 to USD 824 million in 2025, reflecting a remarkable 14% year-on-year growth. Over the past four years, the company has clocked an impressive 124.5% growth in brand value. It has climbed five ranks to secure the 24th position this year, with its Brand Strength Index (BSI) advancing from 73.4 to 76.4 and its brand rating elevated to AA+. The report attributes this impressive growth to stable financial performance and an enhanced BSI despite challenging geopolitical conditions and disruptions in decision-making. The refreshed Brand Strength Framework, underpinned by Global ITDM Research findings, has elevated Hexaware's perception and behavior scores across key geographies, including the US and Europe. Hexaware's unwavering efforts to brand building and innovation continue to yield robust growth, encouraging brand customer funnel scores in the US further reinforcing its dedication to delivering transformative value for customers. With an 'AI-first' strategy at its core, Hexaware has redefined its service offerings and internal operations, seamlessly integrating AI across its business landscape. Hexaware is not just adopting technology; it's reshaping how it delivers value. An astounding 99% of its IT workforce, including the leadership team, has undergone intensive AI and Generative AI training, ensuring Hexaware remains at the forefront of technological advancement. Commenting on this milestone, R Srikrishna, CEO and Managing Director, Hexaware, stated, "This achievement recognizes our efforts to innovate and deliver value to our customers. Our 'AI-first' approach has not only transformed our services but has also empowered our clients to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. We are immensely proud of this achievement and are excited to continue our journey of growth and transformation." "At Hexaware, we believe in pushing boundaries and redefining possibilities," said Nidhi Alexander, Chief Marketing Officer, Hexaware. "Our brand's ascent in the rankings reflects our team's dedication and the trust our clients place in us. We are committed to driving innovation and delivering transformative value to our clients." David Haigh, CEO and Chairman, Brand Finance, said, "Hexaware's debut in Brand Finance's IT Services ranking reflects its unwavering commitment to innovation, employee engagement, and client satisfaction-key drivers of its brand value and brand strength growth. As the digital landscape evolves, Hexaware's 'AI-first' strategy further solidifies its position as a key player in the sector, leveraging artificial intelligence to fuel expansion and deliver advanced solutions to clients worldwide." About Hexaware Hexaware is a global technology and business process services company. Every day, Hexawarians wake up with a singular purpose; to create smiles through great people and technology. With offices across the world, we empower enterprises worldwide to realize digital transformation at scale and speed by partnering with them to build, transform, run, and optimize their technology and business processes. Learn more about Hexaware at https://hexaware.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2237417/Hexaware_NEW_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hexaware-among-the-worlds-top-25-it-services-brands-brand-finance-it-services-2025-302391220.html Materials Suppliers and Producers Sure to Gain a New Outlook on How Cloud Solutions Simplify Daily Tasks, Improve Decision Making, and Ensure More Secure, Scalable, and Efficient Operations BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 04, 2025, the leading software and solutions provider for the heavy building materials industry, is excited to announce its participation in the bauma 2025, taking place from April 7 - 13, 2025, at the exhibition center in Munich, Germany. This is the 34th edition of the World's Leading Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines, Construction Vehicles and Construction Equipment which brings together professionals to explore the latest in construction industry advancements and innovations. Command Alkon will showcase Command Cloud and its comprehensive portfolio of solutions for producers and suppliers of ready-mix concrete, concrete products, aggregates and asphalt in Hall C1, Booth 137. Command Cloud builds on the strong foundation of Command Alkon's in-market, core products that are in place in over 24,000 plants, quarries, and sites in 80 plus countries around the globe. "Harnessing the power of the cloud, our solutions are built to help our customers streamline their business operations through more efficient allocation of production resources, reduced downtime, and better handling during peak demand and load times," said Ranjeev Teelock, Chief Product Officer. "This cloud-native strategy allows our customers to leverage the most advanced technologies in the market today, like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and IoT, driving innovation and unlocking new possibilities for this great industry." Command Cloud empowers businesses with secure, centralized data management, and data informed decision making across all business processes. By leveraging cloud-native capabilities and no SQL technology, Command Cloud provides unmatched scalability, resilience, and a consistent user experience - all while reducing operational overhead and maximizing efficiency. The platform incorporates modern UI design making it easy to use and learn, machine learning and generative AI tools to provide tailored predictive analytics, and next-generation configurable dashboards to visualize business performance metrics and drive profitability. Command Cloud Dispatch, Sales & Quoting, Billing & Invoicing, & Customer Portal: These critical operational solutions in Command Cloud share centralized master data, streamlined workflows, and a standardized user experience that enhances communications and collaboration across teams and removes errors and inefficiencies. Configurable and shareable dashboards ensure stakeholders have easy access to real-time, consistent information and can track against key performance indicators with ease. The unified data and processes ensure accuracy in pricing, billing and speed up processes for quoting, order entry, and invoicing. Customers are delivered real-time delivery ETAs and empowered with digital proof of delivery and order requests via an easy-to-use Customer Portal mobile app that is available anytime and on any device type. Command Cloud Batch AI, Plant Analytics & Remote Batching: Batch AI leverages advanced machine learning models to dynamically optimize the ready mix production process in real-time, ensuring consistent quality, reduced waste, and lower CO2 emissions. Centralized Plant Analytics capabilities deliver unprecedented visibility into production performance and allow monitoring of trends across a network of plants. Combined with next-generation Remote Batching capabilities, these Command Cloud innovations deliver a modern, digital platform that enables real-time analysis, precise control, and optimal performance for a network of concrete plants. Command Cloud Material Supply: Materials Producers can achieve new levels of efficiency and accuracy in managing their raw materials inventory with Material Supply. This Command Cloud solution digitizes raw material receipts, automates inventory updates to production, delivers centralized views of inventory levels and demand across multiple plants, and supports automated reconciliation of material receipts to invoices to speed payment processes. Command Cloud Scale Ticketing & Bulk Dispatch: Easy-to-use scale ticketing screens are combined with modern edge computing interfaces to inbound and outbound scales to centralize data and streamline billing and invoicing processes across multiple locations. For vertically integrated business, Sales & Quoting, Dispatch, Billing & Invoicing processes and user experiences are standardized, allowing system users to work consistently no matter what materials they are managing. Command Cloud APIs: An open API approach gives businesses the flexibility to customize their system architecture. Using the available API library and developer hub, operations can couple the value of Command Alkon core solutions with other leading industry solutions to create a technology landscape to meet their specific business objectives. "For the past 49 years Command Alkon has remained committed to driving innovation in the construction sector," said Jeff Newlin, Chief Revenue Officer. "Our latest solutions help our customers move forward with centralized production and business processes that not only drive operational performance but deliver a new level of security, scalability, reliability, and accessibility that is required and expected in today's technology landscape." As market specific requirements are evaluated and localized, Command Cloud solutions will be made available globally. Visit the regional Command Alkon websites at www.commandalkon.comto stay in tune with availability in each market. View the full schedule for demonstrations and other activities occurring in Command Alkon's Booth 137, Hall C1 by clicking here.For more information about bauma please visit the event website. ABOUT COMMAND ALKON Command Alkon is the global leader in software and technology solutions for ready mix, concrete products, asphalt, aggregate and cement suppliers. With over 45 years of industry expertise, Command Alkon's services and products empower heavy building materials suppliers to improve production and quality control, dispatch and trucking, and office efficiency and performance. Karli Langner Command Alkon (205) 879-3282 x 3968 klangner@commandalkon.com HELSINKI, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CalcuQuote has partnered with Banyan.eco to transform sustainability in the electronics manufacturing industry by bringing instant, AI-powered, and cost-efficient product carbon footprint measurement directly to supply chain workflows. This collaboration enables manufacturers to turn sustainability efforts into a competitive advantage -- providing high-quality, audit-ready product carbon footprints instantly and affordably. Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) providers can now offer new, value-added services to their Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) customers, allowing both to make greener decisions, meet compliance requirements, and drive industry-wide sustainability efforts at scale. Sustainability is becoming a top priority for electronics manufacturers -- driven by industry pioneers, global regulations, and customer expectations. To meet these demands, electronics manufacturers need to track emissions at every stage of the supply chain, from raw materials and transportation to manufacturing, packaging, and end-of-life treatment. However, without efficient tools, carbon footprint measurement can be time-consuming, costly, and dependent on outdated industry averages. With Banyan.eco's AI-driven automation, CalcuQuote customers can reduce carbon footprint calculation time from months to just minutes while ensuring greater accuracy and full auditability. Through this collaboration, CalcuQuote and Banyan.eco eliminate the barriers to carbon tracking, making it easy and more accessible for electronics manufacturers to: Reduce Costs - Achieve cost-efficient carbon reporting compared to manual tracking methods. - Achieve cost-efficient carbon reporting compared to manual tracking methods. Ensure Compliance - Generate audit-ready, traceable carbon data for ESG goals, Scope 3 reporting, eco-design and digital product passport regulation. - Generate audit-ready, traceable carbon data for ESG goals, Scope 3 reporting, eco-design and digital product passport regulation. Speed Up Carbon Footprint Analysis - Lead with speed by obtaining accurate product carbon impact insights in minutes instead of months. - Lead with speed by obtaining accurate product carbon impact insights in minutes instead of months. Streamline Supply Chain Decisions - Integrate sustainability insights into sourcing and procurement for better decision-making. - Integrate sustainability insights into sourcing and procurement for better decision-making. Stay Ahead - Future-proof operations with eco-design competitiveness and regulatory preparedness by measuring, predicting, and reducing product emissions. "As part of Elisa IndustrIQ, CalcuQuote shares Elisa's mission of a sustainable future through digitalisation. By integrating Banyan.eco's AI-driven carbon footprint solution into existing supply chain processes, we enable electronics manufacturers to achieve greater efficiency and sustainability in a cost- and time-efficient way. Together, we are empowering businesses to make greener decisions and contribute to a more sustainable world," said David Sharp, CEO of CalcuQuote. " With over 300 electronics industry customers, CalcuQuote drives supply chain automation with innovative solutions. We are pleased to collaborate with them to extend this digitalization to product carbon footprint calculations, making it accessible at scale." said Francis D'Souza, CEO and Founder of Banyan.eco. Free AI-Powered Carbon Footprint Analysis available To help electronics manufacturers take the next step in data-driven sustainability, CalcuQuote is offering a free product carbon footprint report. They can simply upload their Bill of Materials (BOM) and receive a personalized AI-driven analysis of their product's carbon impact. Get your free carbon footprint report today: https://www.calcuquote.com/measure-carbon-footprint More information & interview requests: Elisa Mediadesk, mediadesk@elisa.fi, tel. +358 50 305 1605 About CalcuQuote CalcuQuote provides software solutions that optimize supply chain operations across sourcing, purchasing, quoting, and supplier collaboration, serving as a strategic partner to EMS companies, OEMs, and component suppliers. The CQ platform offers access to real-time supply data and seamless API integrations, ensuring end-to-end management that significantly improves the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of supply chain processes. Founded in 2014, CalcuQuote serves hundreds of companies worldwide and has established its platform as an indispensable system for the future of the electronics industry. CalcuQuote is an Elisa IndustrIQ company, a part of Elisa Corporation. https://www.calcuquote.com/ About Banyan.eco Banyan.eco is the world's first sustainable design platform for electronics. By mutualizing industry intelligence and leveraging AI, Banyan.eco generates end to end environmental data visibility and transparency in electronics supply chains. This transparency enables companies across the sector including OEMs, manufacturers and intermediate component suppliers to design more sustainable products and processes using a cradle-to-grave approach. As a trusted partner to electronics companies, Banyan.eco helps reduce environmental footprints, gain a competitive advantage through sustainable design, and ensure seamless regulatory compliance. https://banyan.eco/ This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Public/18382/4113323/a5ac55a411152b30_org.png PCF report per phase4 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/elisa-oyj-calcuquote-and-banyaneco-partner-to-simplify-product-carbon-footprint-measurement-for-electronics-manufacturers-302391270.html EQS-Media / 04.03.2025 / 10:20 CET/CEST Aareal Bank grants Cedar Capital Partners a EUR 200 million loan to acquire a pan-European portfolio of five lifestyle hotels Wiesbaden, 4 March 2025 - Aareal Bank has successfully provided a loan of approximately EUR 200 million to finance the acquisition of a pan-European hotel portfolio of five lifestyle assets under the Hoxton and Mama Shelter brands. The properties are located in European gateway cities: Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Florence, Prague, and Rome. The portfolio is owned by a fund managed by Cedar Capital Partners. Cedar Capital Partners is a specialist hotel investment firm that has acquired more than USD 4 billion of hotel assets across Europe and the US with a focus on luxury, full-service and lifestyle hotels. The recapitalisation of the assets was recently completed in cooperation with Ares Management Real Estate Secondaries Funds, which belongs to Ares Management Corporation, a leading global alternative investment manager. Three of the five assets - Hoxton, Rome, Hoxton, Amsterdam Loyd, and Mama Shelter Prague - have undergone transformational renovations in recent years. The number of rooms has also expanded to a total of 566 units, catering to a diverse clientele and meeting both leisure and business demands. Hoxton Rome and Mama Shelter Prague qualify as green properties. The remaining two hotels are scheduled to open in 2025. All five hotels are managed by Ennismore, a fast-growing lifestyle hospitality operator with over 160 hotels in operation and more than 100 in the pipeline. Strong interest in the European hotel property sector "We are delighted to provide financing for Cedar Capital to advance this portfolio of lifestyle hotels across Europe through its next growth stage," noted Michelle Weiss, Head of Hotel Properties at Aareal Bank. "The sector is highly demanding, and the success of an investment depends not only on the location and quality of the property but also on the selection of the right operator, the right brand positioning, and a good interaction between owner and operator. We consider all these aspects to be well fulfilled in this portfolio." Ramsey Mankarious, CEO and Founder at Cedar Capital Partners said: "For more than 20 years, we have built a strong and long-standing relationship with the Aareal Bank team. Once again, we were impressed by their collaboration and expertise. Their deep hospitality knowledge and nuanced understanding of the mechanics of managed properties make their commercial lending capabilities truly unique." Michelle Creed, Partner and Co-Head of Real Estate Secondaries at Ares Management added: "Partnering with Aareal Bank allows us to capitalise on a rare investment opportunity in the highly sought-after European lifestyle hotel sector." Aareal Bank AG acted as the arranger, facility agent, and security agent for this transaction. DLA and Van Doorne provided legal advice to Aareal Bank on this transaction, while HVS was responsible for the valuation. Contact for the media: Jasmin Maraslioglu Phone: +49 (0)611 348 2951 Mobile: +49 (0) 175 195 7649 Email : jasmin.maraslioglu@aareal-bank.com Web: www.aareal-bank.com Aareal Bank Group Aareal Bank Group, headquartered in Wiesbaden, is a leading international property specialist. The Bank uses its expertise to identify trends, challenges and opportunities at an early stage, and to exploit them for the benefit of its stakeholders. Aareal Bank Group provides financings, banking services and payments solutions for the property sector and related industries, and is present across three continents: Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific region. Aareal Bank Group's business strategy focuses on sustainable business success, with environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects as an integral part of this strategy. Aareal Bank AG comprises the business segments Structured Property Financing and Banking & Digital Solutions. The Structured Property Financing segment encompasses all of Aareal Bank Group's property financing and funding activities. Here, the Bank supports its clients in making large-volume commercial property investments. The investment properties mostly comprise office buildings, hotels, shopping centres, logistics and residential property, as well as student apartments. In the Banking & Digital Solutions segment, Aareal Bank Group supports businesses from the housing, property management and energy industries as a digitalisation partner - combining extensive advisory services and product solutions with traditional corporate banking services and deposit-taking. 04.03.2025 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com Mondi Plc - Annual Financial Report PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, March 04 Mondi plc (Incorporated in England and Wales) (Registered number: 6209386) LEI: 213800LOZA69QFDC9N34 JSE share code: MNP ISIN: GB00BMWC6P49 LSE share code: MNDI 4 March 2025 PUBLICATION OF INTEGRATED REPORT, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT AND NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF MONDI plc The Mondi Group Integrated report and financial statements 2024 and the Notice of the Annual General Meeting of Mondi plc (the "Company") have been published today and will shortly be posted to shareholders. The audited consolidated financial statements reported in the Integrated report and financial statements 2024 do not contain any material changes from the results published in Mondi plc's preliminary statement (which were audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP) issued on 20 February 2025. In accordance with Listing Rule 6.4.1, copies of the following documents have been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at: https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism - Mondi Group Integrated report and financial statements 2024 - Mondi plc Notice of Annual General Meeting 2025 - Mondi plc Form of Proxy for 2025 Annual General Meeting - Draft rules of the Mondi plc Bonus Share Plan 2025 - Draft rules of the Mondi plc Long-Term Incentive Plan 2025 Mondi's 2024 Sustainable Development report has also been published today. The report provides an overview of Mondi's performance and approach to sustainable development. The Mondi Group Integrated report and financial statements 2024, Sustainable Development report 2024 and the Notice of Annual General Meeting of Mondi plc are available on the Mondi Group website at www.mondigroup.com . Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of Mondi plc ("AGM") is due to be held at 10:30 (UK time) on 8 May 2025 at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, KT13 0SL, United Kingdom. Shareholders may also participate in the AGM by way of a webinar facility. While listening to the webinar does not of itself constitute attendance at the AGM, it will provide an opportunity for shareholders to hear events of the meeting. Please see the Notice of AGM and Mondi's website for details. To be entitled to vote at the AGM, shareholders on the UK register must be registered in the register of members of the Company as at 18:30 (UK time) on 6 May 2025. Shareholders on the South African branch register must be registered on the branch register as at 18.00 (SA time) on 6 May 2025; the last date to trade for this purpose is 30 April. About Mondi Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by producing products that are sustainable by design. We employ 22,000 people in more than 30 countries and operate an integrated business with expertise spanning the entire value chain, enabling us to offer our customers a broad range of innovative solutions for consumer and industrial end-use applications. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy, with our ambitious commitments to 2030 focused on circular driven solutions, created by empowered people, taking action on climate. In 2024, Mondi had revenues of 7.4 billion and underlying EBITDA of 1.0 billion. Mondi is listed on the London Stock Exchange in the ESCC category (MNDI), where the Group is a FTSE100 constituent. It also has a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP). Sponsor in South Africa: Merrill Lynch South Africa Proprietary Limited t/a BofA Securities. Last week, leading experts from academia, industry and regulatory backgrounds gathered to discuss the legal and commercial implications of AI explainability. The industry and academia panel discussion, hosted by Professor Shlomit Yaniski Ravid of Yale Law and Fordham Law, brought together thought leaders to address the growing need for transparency in AI-driven decision-making. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304657219/en/ Industry and Academia Discuss AI Explainability and Its Immediate Impact in Expert Panel (Graphic: Business Wire) AI is becoming an essential tool in fields such as healthcare, finance, and law enforcement, yet its widespread use raises critical concerns about accountability. The discussion explored how explainability can bridge the gap between AI innovation, legal frameworks, and public trust. Dr. Hanan Mandel, an internationally recognized expert in AI, opened the discussion by emphasizing the importance of ensuring AI operates within ethical and legal parameters. He stressed the need to "open the black box" of AI decision-making, making its processes understandable to regulators, businesses, and the public alike. "Explainability is not just about compliance-it's about trust. Without clear reasoning behind AI decisions, we risk undermining both regulatory confidence and public acceptance," he said. Regulatory Challenges and The New AI Standard ISO 42001 Tony Porter, former Surveillance Camera Commissioner for the UK Home Office and Corsight AI Chief Privacy Officer, provided insights into regulatory challenges surrounding AI transparency. He explained the significance of ISO 42001, the international standard for AI management systems, and how it provides a framework for responsible AI governance. "Regulations are evolving rapidly, but standards like ISO 42001 offer organizations a structured approach to balancing innovation with accountability," Porter noted. The discussion highlighted key differences in AI regulations between the US and Europe. While European regulators place significant emphasis on privacy and ethical considerations, the US regulatory landscape remains more fragmented, influenced by both commercial interests and state-level policies. Industry Perspectives on AI Explainability The panel featured representatives from leading AI companies who shared how their organizations implement transparency in their AI systems. Daphne Tapia from ImiSight highlighted the importance of explainability in AI-powered image intelligence. She also emphasized the challenge of AI interpretability in high-stakes applications such as border security and environmental monitoring, where false positives and undetected anomalies can have significant consequences. ImiSight specializes in multi-sensor integration and analysis, utilizing AI/ML algorithms to detect changes, anomalies, and objects in various sectors, including land encroachment, environmental monitoring, border security, and infrastructure maintenance. "AI explainability means understanding why a specific object or change was detected. We prioritize traceability and transparency to ensure users can trust our system's outputs," Tapia explained. ImiSight ensures its AI remains robust and reliable by continuously refining its models based on real-world data and user feedback. The company collaborates with regulatory agencies to ensure its AI meets international compliance standards. Pini Usha from Buffers.ai shared insights on AI-driven inventory optimization. He noted that AI models must not only predict supply chain trends but also provide clear, understandable insights for non-technical users, ensuring businesses can act confidently on AI-driven recommendations. Buffers.ai helps businesses manage their supply chains by predicting demand, reducing waste, and optimizing logistics. "Transparency is key. If businesses cannot understand how AI predicts demand fluctuations or supply chain risks, they will be hesitant to rely on it," Usha noted. Buffers.ai integrates explainability tools that allow clients to visualize and adjust AI-driven forecasts, ensuring they align with real-time business operations and market trends. The company's solutions help businesses improve efficiency while adhering to emerging data governance standards. Matan Noga from Corsight AI discussed the role of explainability in facial recognition technology. Corsight AI specializes in real-world facial recognition, providing solutions to law enforcement, airports, malls and retailers. Their technology is used for watchlist alerting, locating missing persons, and forensic investigations. Corsight AI differentiates itself by focusing on high-speed, real-time recognition while ensuring compliance with evolving privacy laws and ethical AI guidelines. The company works closely with government and commercial clients to ensure responsible AI adoption. Ensuring AI Transparency and Human Oversight in Legal Decision-Making Alex Zilberman from Chamelio, a legal intelligence platform, addressed the role of AI in corporate legal teams. He pointed out that in legal decision-making, even the best AI systems must allow for human oversight, ensuring that legal professionals retain control over critical judgments rather than relying entirely on automated outputs. Chamelio transforms how in-house legal teams operate by using AI to extract critical obligations, streamline contract reviews, monitor compliance, and deliver actionable insights from vast legal document repositories. "Trust in AI-powered legal tools comes from transparency. Our system ensures legal professionals understand the source of every recommendation, avoiding the pitfalls of black-box AI," he said. Chamelio's AI is designed to adapt to an organization's specific legal frameworks, allowing seamless integration with existing workflows while maintaining compliance with regulatory standards. The platform prioritizes user control, allowing legal teams to verify and adjust AI-generated insights. "How do you handle AI hallucinations?" Zilberman: "One example is when the algorithm identifies a need to modify an agreement based on logic derived from past agreements. It analyzes patterns, recognizes common clauses, and suggests adjustments accordingly. However, when the algorithm encounters a dilemma it has never handled before-such as a clause with no precedent or conflicting legal terms-it does not generate assumptions or fabricate responses. Instead, we instruct the model to flag the uncertainty and ask for human input, ensuring that legal professionals remain in control of critical decisions." Balancing Commercial Demands and Regulation One of the key themes of the discussion was how AI companies navigate the tension between commercial objectives and regulatory requirements. Panelists agreed that public-private partnerships are crucial in shaping policies that align with both business interests and ethical standards. Prof. Yaniski posed a key question to the panel: "Do you see different approaches between commercial and government AI applications? And what are the differences between the US and Europe in terms of AI regulation?" Matan Noga responded: "The difference lies in regulatory compliance. In highly regulated industries like banks and casinos, every system must adhere to strict privacy, data protection, and many other standards. In less regulated sectors such as retail, the focus is ROI: when a retailer sees that live facial recognition significantly reduces shoplifting and employee fraud, it's a no-brainer. From our experience, police and intelligence agencies are less constrained by regulations than commercial entities." On geographical differences, Noga added: "In Europe and the UK, both government and commercial clients tend to prioritize privacy and fair use. In other parts of the world, these concerns are almost non-existent. In Latin America, for example, where violent crime is widespread, public opinion tends to prioritize personal safety over privacy." The debate also touched on regional differences in AI adoption. In Europe and the UK, privacy laws and ethical AI frameworks take precedence, whereas in Latin America and other regions with high crime rates, security considerations often outweigh privacy concerns. The Path Forward The panel discussion underscored the growing urgency of AI explainability as regulators worldwide seek to impose stricter oversight on AI-driven systems. Industry leaders, legal experts, and policymakers must work together to develop practical standards that ensure AI remains both effective and accountable. As AI continues to transform industries, transparency will be essential in fostering public trust and enabling responsible innovation. The discussion highlighted that while challenges remain, collaborative efforts between academia, regulators, and industry can drive meaningful progress in AI governance. Prof. Yaniski concluded the discussion by emphasizing the importance of ongoing dialogue between stakeholders. "AI explainability is not just a technical issue-it is a societal challenge that requires continuous engagement between regulators, industry leaders, and academia to ensure AI remains fair, accountable, and transparent." Watch the full session here View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304657219/en/ Contacts: Dror Simsolo Dror.simsolo@corsight.ai DUBAI, UAE, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit , the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, was represented at the Inclusive FinTech Forum , the global platform for financial inclusion and fintech for good. Chief Legal & Compliance Officer Robert MacDonald joined leading industry figures as a featured speaker in the "Driving Inclusive Access for SME Cross-Border Currency Flows" roundtable, held at the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC). The session explored how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can better leverage cross-border business opportunities in Africa and beyond while managing financial risks such as currency fluctuations, liquidity constraints, and payment security. Robert was joined by an esteemed panel of speakers, including representatives from the South African Reserve Bank, Bank of Ghana, I&M Bank Rwanda, NALA, Liquid Group, and the Africa Fintech Network. Moderated by Valence Kimenyi, Director of Financial Sector Development and Inclusion at the National Bank of Rwanda. The discussion highlighted the latest innovations in digital payments, regulatory frameworks, and financial tools designed to enhance SME growth and economic inclusion. Robert MacDonald emphasized the importance of regulatory clarity and industry collaboration in supporting SME expansion: "SMEs are the backbone of economic growth, making up approx. 90% of businesses in Rwanda, yet many still face significant hurdles in accessing reliable, efficient access to financial products and cross-border payment solutions. By working together - regulators, fintech providers, and financial institutions - we can create a more inclusive financial ecosystem that fosters secure, seamless international transactions while ensuring compliance and risk mitigation." The Inclusive FinTech Forum is a unique collaboration between Kigali International Financial Centre, the National Bank of Rwanda, and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), a not-for-profit organization established by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The forum brings together global leaders, investors, and fintech innovators to advance policies, regulations, and partnerships that drive financial inclusion and digital transformation. Bybit's participation in the roundtable reinforces its commitment to enhancing financial accessibility and shaping the future of digital assets and cross-border payments. Bybit / TheCryptoArk/ IFF2025 //ENDS About Bybit Bybit is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com. For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633032/Photo_GFTN_Marketing.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2267288/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bybit-joins-industry-leaders-to-advance-sme-cross-border-payments-at-inclusive-fintech-forum-302391297.html HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter "Ping An", "the Company" or the "Group" HKEX: 2318 / 82318; SSE: 601318) recently launched its 2025 Spring Campus Recruitment offering over 2,000 positions, highlighted by Ping An's self-developed "Ping An Talent" recruitment system. This platform integrates AI-driven job matching, AI interviews, and AI salary negotiation to provide campus recruits with a fair, convenient, and efficient recruitment experience. "Ping An Talent" uses natural language processing and machine learning technology to perform keyword matching and semantic analysis on resumes, accurately identifying students who meet the job requirements. These AI innovations not only reduce the workload of HR staff and avoid screening error and evaluate resumes efficiently to match graduate talent with suitable positions faster than before. The AI interviewer function provides students with a flexible interview experience. Students can communicate with the company by simply tapping the screen, regardless of their location. The AI interviewer efficiently assesses students' comprehensive abilities and personality traits based on facial expressions, speech rate, tone, and the logical structure of their answers. The AI salary negotiation technology improves the efficiency of salary discussions with recruits. It can help campus recruits clearly understand salary information through smart outbound calls based on student backgrounds and job requirements. Based on its technology-driven "integrated finance + healthcare and senior care" strategy, Ping An together with more than 10 of its subsidiaries, offers over 2,000 positions across eight major categories, including business, investment & financing, technology, product, operations, and other functions, providing comprehensive career development paths for students from diverse academic backgrounds. There are also a large number of positions provided member companies in AI, big data, algorithms, and product operations to support Ping An Technology, Ping An Health Insurance, and other businesses. About Ping An Group Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (HKEx:2318 / 82318; SSE:601318) is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. It strives to become a world-leading provider of integrated finance, health and senior care services. Under the technology-driven "integrated finance + health and senior care" strategy, the Group provides professional "financial advisory, family doctor, and senior care concierge" services to its 240 million retail customers. Ping An advances intelligent digital transformation and employs technologies to improve financial businesses' quality and efficiency and enhance risk management. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. As of the end of September 2024, Ping An had more than RMB12 trillion in total assets. The Group ranked 29th in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2024 and 53rd in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2024. For more information, please visit www.group.pingan.com and follow us on LinkedIn - PING AN. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ping-an-enhances-recruitment-experience-with-ping-an-talent-ai-system-302391325.html Issuer: Skyborn Renewables GmbH / Key word(s): Miscellaneous The Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm has officially been inaugurated 04.03.2025 / 11:32 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Hamburg, Germany, 04 March 2025 The Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm has officially been inaugurated 640MW sustainable and clean energy Delivering lasting value for all stakeholders Providing clean energy to over 600,000 households Major milestone for Taiwan's offshore wind energy sector Skyborn Renewables (Skyborn) and its partners in Yunneng Wind Power Co., Ltd. (Yunneng) are pleased to announce that the Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) has been official inaugurated. With a total capacity of 640 MW installed, the Yunlin OWF is now fully operational and connected to the grid, solidifying its position as one of the region's largest offshore wind farms. This milestone marks a significant achievement for Taiwan's offshore wind energy sector, contributing to the nation's transition towards clean and sustainable energy. Skyborn has been responsible for the development, construction and operation of the Yunlin OWF. Following the commercial operations date (COD), which is envisaged for June 2025, TotalEnergies will take the lead of the technical operations management, while Skyborn will continue to oversee other management services. The inauguration ceremony was held at the Santiaolun Beach & Water Park in Sihu Township, and offered guests a unique view of the Yunlin OWF, located just 8 km off the picturesque coastline of Yunlin County. Esteemed guests included representatives of the Taiwanese government and authorities, senior executives of the joint venture partners TotalEnergies, Electricity Generating Public Company and Sojitz Corporation as well as financing banks, contractors, suppliers, and media representatives. Official inauguration of the 640 MW Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm in Taiwan. From the left: Masayoshi Fujimoto (CEO, Sojitz), Wong Su-jhen (Chief Secretary of Energy Administration), Chang Ming-ping (Director-General of Investment Promotion Department (MOEA)), Olivier Jouny (Senior Vice President Renewables, TotalEnergies), Cynthia Kiang (Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs), XS Koo (Chairperson,YWPC),Hsieh Su-ya (Deputy Mayor of Yunlin County), Patrick Lammers (CEO, Skyborn Renewables), Wu Long-jing (Director of Marine Resources Department (Ocean Affairs Council)), Dr. Jiraporn Sirikum (CEO, EGCO) "With today's inauguration, we celebrate a significant achievement for Skyborn, our partners in Yunneng, and for Taiwan. The Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm is not any project: It is one of Taiwan's largest offshore wind farms and Skyborn's first operational project in APAC. It is the proof of our ability to delivering on our commitments. I want to thank all those involved, especially our partners and shareholders as well as the Taiwanese government for their support throughout this project. The Yunlin OWF is a landmark project for Taiwan's clean energy transition. We are proud to contribute to this transformative endeavour alongside our partners," said Patrick Lammers, CEO of Skyborn. About the project The Yunlin OWF is located in the Taiwan Strait, between 8 and 17 km off the west coast of Taiwan, at water depths from 7 up to 35 m. The 82 km project area comprises 80 wind turbine generators, whose generated electricity is fed into the Taiwanese power grid via two onshore substations near the townships of Taixi and Sihu in Yunlin County. Electricity from the project is provided to Taiwan Power Company (TPC) under two 20-year power purchase agreements. The project is backed by a strong financial consortium established in 2019, including Taiwanese and international banks alongside export credit agencies. Skyborn was awarded the grid capacity for the Yunlin OWF in 2018 as part of the Round II offshore wind farm auction, whereby the Yunlin OWF was the first offshore wind farm in Taiwan to incorporate locally manufactured components. Skyborn acted as a delivery platform, starting with the initial development and site allocation, through environmental impact assessments, local stakeholder engagement, grid capacity and permitting awards, until construction until its inauguration today. The experience and technology Skyborn introduced as well as the active collaboration with local businesses supported the development of a local Taiwanese supply chain. Contact for Journalists: Benedicte Bergeaud Senior Director Global Corporate Affairs b.bergeaud@skybornrenewables.com +33 (6) 88946817 This press release and press photos are available at skybornrenewables.com/articles/newsroom/official_inauguration_640mw_yunlin_offshore_wind_farm_taiwan About Skyborn Renewables Skyborn is an accomplished offshore wind developer and operator with more than 20 years' experience, headquartered in Germany. The company's capabilities cover the entire offshore wind value chain, including greenfield development, project engineering and design, procurement, financing, corporate power purchase agreements, construction management and asset management. Skyborn is a portfolio company of New York based Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a leading infrastructure investor and part of Blackrock. For more information, visit www.skybornrenewables.com Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com Regulatory News: This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304140609/en/ Orange Africa and Middle East (OMEA) and Eutelsat (Paris:ETL) (LSE:ETL) announce a strategic partnership to bridge the digital divide through satellite connectivity in Africa and the Middle East. It aims to connect isolated areas with broadband access, thereby strengthening digital inclusion in the region. As part of this multi-year partnership, Orange will use the EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite, which offers state-of-the-art broadband technology, to provide reliable and accessible Internet access. Initially, deployment will involve Jordan, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the aim of gradually extending to all countries in the region. By combining Orange's expertise in telecommunications and Eutelsat's technological innovation in the satellite sector, this partnership will make it possible to offer services tailored to both private individuals (B2C) and businesses (B2B), guaranteeing secure, reliable and high-performance connectivity. The complementary nature of the fixed, mobile and satellite technology offers will help to connect isolated territories and meet the growing need for Internet access in the region. The partnership is based on cutting-edge solutions offering speeds of up to 100 Mbps, which, combined with Orange's capabilities, will make it possible to: Cover white and rural areas, Provide services tailored to local conditions and the needs of individuals and businesses, Provide reliable and secure connectivity, in compliance with national regulations. This proactive approach is part of a long-term vision to support digital development in all the areas where Orange is present, using the best technologies available, while respecting national frameworks and enhancing local ecosystems. Jerome Henique, Managing Director, Orange Africa and Middle East, comments: "This partnership illustrates our commitment to connecting all territories and bridging the digital divide in Africa and the Middle East. Today, Orange serves more than 160 million customers in the region, and is pursuing its ambition to provide digital access for all. Drawing on our expertise and local roots, we are positioning ourselves as a key player in supporting evolving customer expectations, while guaranteeing sustainable connectivity that respects local legislation." Michael Trabbia, CEO of Orange Wholesale, said: "I am delighted with this strategic partnership between the Orange Group and Eutelsat Group, which is part of a long-term relationship. It is part of our strategy to offer our customers the best satellite connectivity solutions in high and low orbit, complementing our terrestrial networks. Orange Wholesale's satellite factory has all the expertise required to implement this strategy for all Orange Group entities. We also offer satellite operators the terrestrial connectivity solutions they need, such as teleports or long-distance fiber." Cyril Dujardin, President of the Connectivity Business Unit within the Eutelsat Group added: "Our satellite technology including GEO capacity, combined with Orange's local footprint, brings connectivity where it's needed most. Together, we're creating a robust solution to accessibility challenges, providing reliable and affordable connectivity for consumers and businesses alike." Orange is already a reference customer of Eutelsat's KONNECT VHTS satellite, which it uses to provide broadband services to its subscribers in France. About Orange Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with revenues of 40.3 billion euros in 2024 and 127,000 employees worldwide at 31 December 2024, including 71,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 291 million customers worldwide at 31 December 2024, including 253 million mobile customers and 22 million fixed broadband customers. These figures account for the deconsolidation of certain activities in Spain following the creation of MASORANGE. The Group is present in 26 countries (including non-consolidated countries). Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business. In February 2023, the Group presented its strategic plan "Lead the Future", built on a new business model and guided by responsibility and efficiency. "Lead the Future" capitalizes on network excellence to reinforce Orange's leadership in service quality. Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA). For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com and the Orange News app or to follow us on X: @orangegrouppr. Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited. About Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA) Orange is present in 18 countries in Africa and the Middle East and has 161 million customers at 31 December 2024. With 7.7 billion euros of revenues in 2024, Orange MEA is the first growth area in the Orange group. Orange Money, its flagship mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer is available in 17 countries and has more than 100 million customers. Orange, multi-services operator, key partner of the digital transformation provides its expertise to support the development of new digital services in Africa and the Middle East. About Eutelsat Group Eutelsat Group is a global leader in satellite communications, delivering connectivity and broadcast services worldwide. The Group was formed through the combination of the Company and OneWeb in 2023, becoming the first fully integrated GEO-LEO satellite operator with a fleet of 35 Geostationary satellites and a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 600 satellites. The Group addresses the needs of customers in four key verticals of Video, where it distributes more than 6,500 television channels, and the high-growth connectivity markets of Mobile Connectivity, Fixed Connectivity, and Government Services. Eutelsat Group's unique suite of in-orbit assets and ground infrastructure enables it to deliver integrated solutions to meet the needs of global customers. The Company is headquartered in Paris and the Eutelsat Group employs more than 1,500 people across more than 50 countries. The Group is committed to delivering safe, resilient, and environmentally sustainable connectivity to help bridge the digital divide. The Company is listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL) and the London Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL) Find out more at www.eutelsat.com DISCLAIMER The forward-looking statements included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on management's views and assumptions as of the date of this document. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks. For illustrative purposes only, such risks include but are not limited to: risks related to the health crisis; operational risks related to satellite failures or impaired satellite performance, or failure to roll out the deployment plan as planned and within the expected timeframe; risks related to the trend in the satellite telecommunications market resulting from increased competition or technological changes affecting the market; risks related to the international dimension of the Group's customers and activities; risks related to the adoption of international rules on frequency coordination and financial risks related, inter alia, to the financial guarantee granted to the Intergovernmental Organization's closed pension fund, and foreign exchange risk. Eutelsat Communications expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any projections, forecasts or estimates contained in this document to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. The information contained in this document is not based on historical fact and should not be construed as a guarantee that the facts or data mentioned will occur. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates that the Group considers as reasonable. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304140609/en/ Contacts: Presse Orange Stella Fumey stella.fumey@orange.com Ibtissame Nafii ibtissame.nafii@orange.com Eutelsat Group Media enquiries Joanna Darlington Tel. +33 674 521 531 jdarlington@eutelsat.com Anita Baltagi Tel. +33 +33 643 930 178 abaltagi@eutelsat.com Katie Dowd Tel. +1 202 271 2209 kdowd@oneweb.net Investors Joanna Darlington Tel. +33 674 521 531 jdarlington@eutelsat.com Hugo Laurens Berge Tel. +33 670 80 95 58 hlaurensberge@eutelsat.com Barcelona, Spain--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - FOSSiBOT, a new rising star brand from China, is showcasing new feature rugged smartphones, rugged tablets, a balcony portable power station, and the highest outlet power 7200W home energy solar generator at MWC 2025 at booth No.: 7D9, Hall 3. As an influential communications and technology event, MWC 2025 brings together top companies and industry leaders from around the world. MWC booth showcasing new products. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8722/243237_c24659b12489388b_001full.jpg MWC 2025: New concept environment-friendly rugged phone FOSSiBOT F112 Pro FOSSiBOT F112 Pro: This rugged smartphone has adopted liquid silicone gel material which is environmentally friendly. Due to the material, the F112 Pro is skin-friendly soft, colorful, IP68-waterproof, shock-resistant, dustproof and thinner than other rugged phones. The F112 Pro is generally a mid-ranger with 8GB RAM+256GB ROM, 50MP+5MP macro cameras, and Dimensity 6300 5G processor. The F112 Pro will be launched by middle March, 2025. New F112PRO and F107 smartphones. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8722/243237_c24659b12489388b_002full.jpg MWC 2025: Starlight night vision camera rugged phone FOSSiBOT F107 Pro FOSSiBOT F107 Pro: For the first time, FOSSiBOT combines starlight night vision camera with smartphones. The starlight night vision camera is mostly used in a car's reversing imaging or full color supervisory control cameras, but now, it's on the F107 Pro. The starlight night vision camera generates full color images with slight star light; the darker the environment is, the better photo effect it will take. Besides the starlight night vision camera, the F107 Pro will come with a 28000mAh battery and a strong lumen flashlight torch. The F107 Pro is expected to go to market by May 2025. MWC 2025: The highest output power 7200W power station F7200. FOSSiBOT F7200: As the name suggests, the F7200 offers 7200W constant AC output power, which is the highest in the market. It will come with 5.22kwh capacity power with EV-grade lifepo4 battery. Through simultaneous AC+solar panels charging, the 5.22kwh power will be fully recharged in just 1.5 hours. With such huge capacity and high output power, the F7200 is suitable for off-grid living, home backup power and RV living. This will be a new energy product that maximizes the use of solar energy F7200 and FBP1200 power stations. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8722/243237_c24659b12489388b_003full.jpg MWC 2025: New balcony power station FBP1200 FOSSiBOT FBP1200: This product offers a whole system of generating solar power by solar panels>store electricity>using electricity in household. The FBP1200 offers 800W max AC output power to household appliances intelligently with wall socket connected, saving energy bills and contributing to the environment with sustainable green energy. For camping outdoors, the FBP1200 offers 1200W max AC output power. In addition to the outlined four products, FOSSiBOT also brings their rugged phones, including the F109 and F106 Pro, and power stations like FOSSiBOT F2400, FOSSiBOT F1200 and FOSSiBOT F3600 Pro. FOSSiBOT has always been committed to combining technological innovation with sustainable development. The Company believes that the future of technology is not only about innovation, but also about responsibility. FOSSiBOT will continue to promote the development of green technology and provide users around the world with more environmentally friendly and sustainable smart products. For more products, keep an eye on FOSSiBOT social media or visit booth 7D9, Hall 3 at Barcelona MWC 2025. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243237 SOURCE: Global News SVM UK Emerging Fund Plc - Result of GM PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, March 04 NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY (IN WHOLE OR IN PART) IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICITON WHERE TO DO SO WOULD COSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THE JURISDICITON. 4 March 2025 SVM UK Emerging Fund plc (the "Company") Result of General Meeting The Company announces that at the General Meeting held today the special resolution concerning the voluntary winding-up of the Company and the appointment of the Liquidators was duly passed. All terms capitalised but not defined in this announcement shall have the meaning given to them in the Company's circular to Shareholders dated 7 February 2025. For further information, please contact: Colin McLean SVM Asset Management Limited 0131 226 6699 Legal Entity Identifier: 213800KIT8DHOPEWW568 MainStreetChamber Holdings (MSCH) is transforming the laundromat industry with the launch of kathy ireland Laundry, a groundbreaking licensing program designed to triple laundromat wash-dry-fold business within six months-the most profitable and fastest-growing segment in the industry. Unlike traditional laundromat franchises that require significant upfront investments and ongoing fees, kathy ireland Laundry offers an affordable and scalable growth model that includes: 25 Dedicated Sales Reps to sign up commercial, residential, and apartment complex accounts, ensuring consistent revenue growth. State-of-the-Art Software for seamless order management and operational efficiency. A High-Performing Website designed to maximize customer engagement and online bookings. Exclusive, Protected Territory , eliminating competition within the licensed area. World-Class kathy ireland Marketing, leveraging the power of a globally trusted brand at a fraction of traditional franchise costs. "The laundromat industry is at a turning point, and kathy ireland Laundry is the ultimate solution for owners looking to maximize profits in the fastest-growing sector," said Larry Kozin, Chairman and CEO of MainStreetChamber Holdings. "We provide everything a laundromat needs to dominate their market-without the excessive costs and limitations of a franchise. This is a revolution for laundromat owners who want financial independence and explosive business growth." "kathy ireland Laundry is a game-changing opportunity for laundromat owners who want to expand their businesses without the overwhelming costs of a franchise. This model provides entrepreneurs with the tools, technology, and marketing power needed to thrive in today's competitive market. We are excited to help laundromat owners achieve sustainable success and financial independence through this innovative approach," says Kathy Ireland, who is named as one of the most powerful women in licensing by License Global! Tommy Meharey, President of MSCH, echoed this vision, stating, "This is not just about laundry; it's about empowering entrepreneurs with a business model that works. With kathy ireland Laundry, laundromat owners get access to world-class resources, technology, and branding that were once out of reach. We're making success more accessible than ever." As consumer demand for convenient, professional laundry services continues to rise, kathy ireland Laundry is poised to reshape the industry by delivering unparalleled growth opportunities for laundromat owners. For more information about licensing opportunities with kathy ireland Laundry, visit www.msch.com or email info@MSCH.com About MainStreetChamber Holdings Inc. MainStreetChamber Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK:MSCH) is a leading global provider of intellectual property and brand licensing solutions. The company develops and markets innovative licensing solutions for organizations of all sizes, from startups to established enterprises. Its diverse portfolio includes Advanced Licensing, kathy ireland Laundry, kathy ireland Furniture, kathy Ireland Logistics, kathy ireland Kids, and the MainStreetChamber of Commerce. A pioneer in business expansion, licensing, and franchise alternatives, MSCH empowers entrepreneurs by offering high-growth, low-cost business models that drive rapid revenue generation. Through strategic partnerships and world-class marketing, the company enables business owners to maximize profitability and long-term success. About Kathy Ireland Kathy Ireland is an internationally acclaimed business leader, author, and humanitarian who rose to prominence as a supermodel before forging a legacy in entrepreneurship and philanthropy. With a sharp acumen for business, she has built a multi-billion-dollar empire across various industries, including home design, health, and finance, while championing causes such as women's empowerment, education, and childhood cancer research. Kathy's dedication to philanthropy and business innovation has solidified her as one of the most influential self-made women in the world. A visionary leader responsible for billions of dollars in retail sales, Kathy is ranked #1 in Lifestyle in Forbes magazine's prestigious 50 Over 50 special issue. She is named one of the 19 most influential women in licensing by License Global, one of the 50 most influential people in fashion by Fairchild publications, and a leading force in the furniture industry by Furniture Today. Kathy is inducted into the International Licensing Hall of Fame, and was honored by the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association (IHFRA) with its coveted ICON Award. Company Contact: MainStreetChamber Holdings, Inc. Tel: (877) 594-7277 info@msch.com PR & Communications: Rona Menashe Guttman Associates PR & Marketing Tel: (310) 246-4600 Rona@GuttmanPR.com SOURCE: MainStreetChamber Holdings Inc. Key Infill Holes Deliver: Hole V-24-119 intersects 617.6 m at 1.68 g/t Au from bedrock surface at 2.4 m downhole, including 202.0 m at 3.24 g/t Au , highlighting along with other holes consistency of strong, near-surface mineralization across largest gaps in previous drilling Updated Mineral Resource Estimate Forthcoming: Valley MRE to be updated in first half of 2025, following a 90% increase in total drilling (53 km vs 28 km in 2024) Rapid Project Advancement : Work underway on first-ever Preliminary Economic Assessment for Valley deposit, set to highlight potential economics of large, low strip, front-heavy gold system. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / SNOWLINE GOLD CORP (TSXV:SGD)(OTCQB:SNWGF) (the "Company" or "Snowline") is pleased to announce additional drill results from its 2024 drill campaign on the Valley deposit, Rogue Project, Yukon. At Valley, holes V-24-119 through V-24-122 returned intervals of strong gold mineralization from key drill coverage gaps at Valley, showcasing continuity of Valley's high-grade, near-surface core zone and further derisking the deposit. Additional holes V-24-123 and V-24-124 returned zones of low-grade mineralization in large step-outs to the southeast of the existing Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). Together, these results and previous 2024 drill results will help to inform an updated MRE for Valley anticipated in the coming months. The Company has also initiated work on a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) of Valley based on all drilling to date, engaging SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc and additional independent contractors to conduct the study. Table 1 - Highlight summary of Snowline's latest assay results; see Table 2 for details. Note that the interval reported in V-24-119 comprises two closely spaced mineralized intervals along with the low-grade 12.0 m interval in between. *Interval widths reported. "Today's excellent drill results come on the heels of Snowline's fourth anniversary as a company-we commenced trading on March 1, 2021," said Scott Berdahl, CEO & Director of Snowline. "At that time, what is now the Valley deposit was a grassroots, greenfield target: an outcrop chip sample of 4.2 grams per tonne gold over 4.7 m[i]. Snowline drilled the first ever holes at Valley in September 2021. The speed and efficiency with which we have advanced Valley from that outcrop sample to a significant gold deposit since is a testament to many of the same qualities that we feel would make for a robust future gold mine, namely the three-dimensional consistency of high-grade, non-refractory gold mineralization beginning at surface. We are excited to continue our rapid advancement of Valley with an updated MRE along with a PEA to quantify the compound effects of these positive attributes on potential future economics. "We are also looking forward to another big season in 2025, with five drills currently on site and ready to commence a program of district-scale exploration alongside advancement and potential expansion of Valley, commencing in mid-May. The details of this program will be outlined in a future release." VALLEY DRILLING, ROGUE PROJECT Figure 1 - Plan map of drill results on the Rogue Project's Valley deposit, highlighting current results in drill holes V-24-119 through V-24-124. Past analytical results are faded. Roughly 53 km of drilling to date has revealed a large, continuous and relatively high-grade near surface ore body at Valley. The Company is working on an updated MRE for the Valley deposit as well as its first-ever PEA. The six holes reported herein from Valley primarily target gaps in previous drilling, with V-24-119 and 120 collared in the largest gaps remaining in the grid covering the high-grade core of the Valley deposit. V-24-123 and 124 are drilled as step-outs to the southeast. The results continue to build on the Company's understanding of the Valley deposit through de-risking and potential expansion. Roughly 25,000 m were drilled at Valley in 55 holes in 2024 - nearly double the amount of drilling (27,911 m) used to inform the Company's initial MRE for Valley. The results of this drilling will be used to produce an updated MRE on the Valley deposit in H1 of 2025, as well as to inform a PEA for Valley that is currently underway. Figure 2 - Cross-section A-A', showing V-24-119 & 120 in the context of the initial Valley MRE block model and MRE-constraining revenue factor 0.72 pit shell. The underlying Valley block model has not been updated to reflect the current results, nor any results to date from 2024. Blocks shown outside of the current pit shell constraint are not included in the initial MRE for Valley. Areas without blocks have not been modelled and were assumed as nil for the initial Valley MRE. Hole V-24-119 V-24-119 infills a 130 m gap along section between previous holes V-24-071 and V-22-029. It intersected primarily coarse-grained granodiorite. From bedrock surface at 2.4 m downhole, the hole returned an interval of 543.1 m averaging 1.80 g/t Au, including 202.0 m at 3.24 g/t Au from 96.5 m downhole. A 19.5 m section from 210.0 m downhole averages 5.68 g/t Au (Table 2). Twelve metres below this interval, a second mineralized interval averaged 1.03 g/t Au over 53.0 m from 557.5 m downhole. Including two short (12.0 m and 6.0 m) weakly mineralized intervals, V-24-119 averages 1.68 g/t Au over the entire 617.6 m downhole from bedrock surface at 2.4 m, ending in low grade mineralization (0.3 g/t Au over the final 3.5 m from 616.5 m downhole). These results and those of subsequent holes V-24-120 through V-24-122 significantly de-risk the core of the Valley deposit, reducing uncertainty and efficiently helping to constrain deposit grades throughout a broad volume. Hole V-24-120 Collared in the same section as V-24-119 located within a 170 m gap, V-24-120 encountered strong mineralization from bedrock surface at 7.6 m downhole, averaging 1.88 g/t Au over 200.9 m, including 2.90 g/t Au over 104.5 m from 11.5 m downhole. The hole exits the intrusion at 248.5 m downhole and was terminated shortly thereafter. Figure 3 - Cross-section B-B', showing V-24-121 in the context of the initial Valley MRE block model and MRE-constraining revenue factor 0.72 pit shell. The hole encountered an unexpected zone of >1 g/t Au gold grades near the top of the hole. The underlying Valley block model has not been updated to reflect the current results, nor any results to date from 2024. Blocks shown outside of the current pit shell constraint are not included in the initial MRE for Valley. Areas without blocks have not been modelled and were assumed as nil for the initial Valley MRE. Hole V-24-121 V-24-121 is collared in a 150 m gap along section between previous holes V-23-050 and V-24-090, near the northeastern edge of the Valley deposit (Figures 1 & 3). The hole averaged 0.80 g/t Au-double the 0.4 g/t Au cutoff grade used in the initial MRE at Valley-over its first 486.5 m from bedrock surface at 6.0 m downhole, including a slightly higher-grade section of 1.06 g/t Au over 243.0 m from 41.0 m downhole. Notably, the top of this subinterval averages 1.80 g/t Au over 21.0 m, expanding the breadth of near-surface, relatively high-grade mineralization at Valley to the northeast (Figure 3). Hole V-24-122 V-24-122 reports a consistent interval of 352.0 m averaging 1.05 g/t Au from bedrock surface at 6.5 m downhole. The hole fills a gap in previous coverage in the southeastern part of the Valley deposit, with the nearest hole V-23-052 collared roughly 50 m to the east. Highlighting this consistency, capping the mineralization at 10.0 g/t Au has no effect on the resultant interval grades (Table 2). Figure 4 - Cross-section C-C', showing V-24-122 in the context of the initial Valley MRE block model and MRE-constraining revenue factor 0.72 pit shell. The underlying Valley block model has not been updated to reflect the current results, nor any results to date from 2024. Blocks shown outside of the current pit shell constraint are not included in the initial MRE for Valley. Areas without blocks have not been modelled and were assumed as nil for the initial Valley MRE. Holes V-24-123 & V-24-124 V-24-123 & 124 are among the southeasternmost holes drilled at Valley (Figure 1), each a step-out of roughly 50 m from previous drilling. Both holes encountered anomalous (>1 g/t Au) gold mineralization, with V-24-123 encountering multiple broad intervals throughout its length averaging from 0.2 to 0.9 g/t Au (Table 2) and extending the envelope of known mineralization at Valley to the southeast. Table 2 - Summary of significant mineralization returned from current holes from Valley. The consistency of strong mineralization in the Valley deposit is reinforced by the capped values in the rightmost column, wherein any assay result >10 g/t Au is replaced by 10.0 g/t Au to calculate the average interval grades. Rounding errors may be present in interval lengths. *Interval widths reported; true widths of the Valley system are complex, with different vein generations, orientations, and grade distributions present within various intervals through the bulk tonnage gold target at Valley. QA/QC On receipt from the drill site NQ2-sized drill core was systematically logged for geological attributes, photographed and sampled at Snowline's "Forks" Camp. Sample lengths as small as 0.5 m were used to isolate features of interest, but most samples within moderate to strong mineralization were 1.0 m in length; otherwise, a default 1.5 m downhole sample length was used. Core was cut in half lengthwise along a pre-determined line, with one half (same half, consistently, dictated by orientation line where present or by dominant vein orientation where absent) collected for analysis and one half stored as a record. Field duplicates were collected at regular intervals as core samples by splitting the core sent for sampling, leaving a consistent record of half core material from duplicate and non-duplicate samples alike. Standard reference materials and blanks were inserted by Snowline personnel at regular intervals into the sample stream. Bagged samples were sealed with security tags to ensure integrity during transport. They were delivered by expeditor to Bureau Veritas' preparatory facility in Whitehorse, Yukon. Sample preparation was completed in Whitehorse, with analyses completed in Vancouver. Bureau Veritas is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO9001 for quality management. Samples were crushed by BV to >85% passing below 2 mm and split using a riffle splitter. 250 g splits were pulverized to >85% passing below 75 microns. A four-acid digest with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) finish was used for 59-element analysis on 0.25 g sample pulps (BV code: MA250). All samples were analysed for gold content by fire assay with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish on 30 g samples (BV code: FA430). Any sample returning >10 g/t Au was reanalysed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish on a 30 g sample (BV code: FA530). For the purposes of this release, contiguous mineralized intervals at Valley are defined as runs of mineralization with no break >5.0 m assaying <0.1 g/t Au and may include any highlight subsections thereof. ABOUT ROGUE Snowline Gold's 100%-owned, flagship Rogue Project, in Canada's Yukon Territory, covers a 60 x 30 km cluster of intrusions in the eastern Tombstone Gold Belt known as the Rogue Plutonic Complex. Since its launch in 2021, Snowline has progressed the Rogue Project's Valley deposit from a greenfield prospecting discovery to a significant bulk tonnage gold resource, with 4.05 Moz gold Indicated mineral resource at 1.66 g/t Au and an additional 3.26 Moz Inferred mineral resource at 1.25 g/t Au within a pit-shell constraint. The resource estimate numbers are supported by the recent technical report for Rogue, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 standards, entitled "Rogue Gold Project: NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate," authored by Heather Burrell, P. Geo., Daniel J. Redmond, P. Geo., and Steven C. Haggarty, P. Eng., with an effective date of May 15, 2024. Exploration of the open Valley deposit is ongoing. Valley is a reduced intrusion-related gold system (RIRGS), geologically similar to multi-million-ounce RIRGS deposits currently in production, like Kinross's Fort Knox Mine in Alaska, but with substantially higher gold grades. Gold is associated with bismuthinite and telluride minerals hosted in sheeted quartz vein arrays within and along the margins of a one-kilometer-scale, mid-Cretaceous aged Mayo-series intrusion. The Rogue Project area hosts multiple intrusions similar to Valley along with widespread gold anomalism in stream sediment, soil and rock samples. Elsewhere, RIRGS deposits are known to occur in clusters. For these reasons, Snowline considers the Rogue Project to have district-scale potential to host additional reduced intrusion-related gold systems. ABOUT SNOWLINE GOLD CORP. Snowline Gold Corp. is a Yukon Territory focused gold exploration and development company with an eight-project portfolio covering roughly 360,000 ha (3,600 km2). The Company is advancing its Valley deposit-a large, low-strip, near surface, >1 g/t Au bulk tonnage gold system located in the eastern Yukon-while continuing regional exploration of surrounding targets on the Rogue Project and the broader district in the highly prospective yet underexplored Selwyn Basin. Snowline's project portfolio sits within the prolific Tintina Gold Province, host to multiple million-ounce-plus gold mines and deposits across the central Yukon and Alaska. The Company's comprehensive first-mover position and extensive exploration database provide a distinct competitive advantage and a unique opportunity for investors to be part of multiple discoveries, the advancement of a significant gold deposit, and the creation of a new gold district. QUALIFIED PERSON Information in this release has been prepared under supervision of and approved by Thomas Branson, M.Sc., P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration for Snowline Gold Corp, as Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Scott Berdahl CEO & Director For further information, please contact: Snowline Gold Corp. +1 778 650 5485 info@snowlinegold.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the significance of analytical results, the significance of visual drill core observations and visible gold, the potential effects of current analytical results on future mineral resource estimates including expansion of the pit shell and de-risking of the current estimate, the timing and progression of updated MRE and PEA studies, the effects of Valley deposit parameters on potential future economics, the discovery potential within the Valley intrusion and on other exploration targets, the potential for investors to participate in multiple future discoveries, the Rogue Project having district-scale prospectivity, the creation of a new gold district and the Company's future plans and intentions. Wherever possible, words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "expect", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict" or "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof. Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among other things: risks related to uncertainties inherent in drill results and the estimation of mineral resources; and risks associated with executing the Company's plans and intentions. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. [i] Historical sample reported by Burke, M.R. and Carlos, S.A., 2014, in assessment report titled: "2012 rock and soil sampling program, Rogue A, B, D, E properties, Mayo Mining District, Yukon, Canada." SOURCE: Snowline Gold Corp. The Coalition for Patient Rights, Integrative Providers Association, and Compassion Center strongly oppose Nevada's AB76, which threatens access to vital cannabis-based therapies by misclassifying widely used extraction methods as "synthetic." This legislation endangers patients who rely on concentrates, undermines scientific integrity, and expands regulatory overreach. Advocates urge lawmakers to amend the bill and protect patient rights. Compassion Center, the Integrative Providers Association (IPA) and Coalition for Patient Rights (CPR) are extremely alarmed and deeply disheartened by the language in Nevada's 83rd Session's AB76, particularly Page 7, Section 10, Lines 18-19 where, if passed, Nevadans will be losing their ability to access and even utilize affordable hemp and cannabis concentrates that are augmented using synthetic cannabinoids. If passed, this law is poised to widen the gap between patients and their wellness. Furthermore, this legislation is leaving way too much up for interpretation by those in the field. Researchers and scientists are not typically regulators, and lawmakers and regulators are not usually practicing scientists so asking one to do the job of another can be otherwise catastrophic if not short of expectations just due to a lack of bandwidth. Our scientists rely upon lawmakers to implement laws based on scientific facts, and the facts are, lawmakers and regulators should be focused on interpreting and enforcing the laws and they should both be leaving the interpretation and implementation of science up to researchers and scientists. On behalf of Compassion Center, CPR, IPA and the wider scientific community, we would like to collectively remind the great citizens of the state of Nevada, and each of their elected officials, that regulators are in the business of regulation, and lawmakers are in the business of making laws, neither of which have any business interpreting the science. Researchers and scientists also have no business interpreting the law. Even if a legislator happens to have the subject matter expertise to weigh in on a scientific subject, they should still recuse themselves as an expert due to their inherent conflicts of interests, and leave the interpretation up to the experts since one cannot serve more than one 5-Star General and laws like these need accountability. Please take a moment and call your local legislators, and Congressional representatives, and let them know why this legislation needs to be stopped before it sets a catastrophic precedent. Unfortunately, this legislation dangerously broadens the definition of 'synthetic cannabis' to also include any product 'not obtained directly without the use of chemicals derived from a plant of the genus cannabis.' Under this interpretation, Nevada follows suit and caves into California's influences, where even cannabis and hemp extracts made using "chemicals" such as but not limited to water-a benign and natural solvent-could become legally classified as "synthetic cannabinoids" if the investigator that is interpreting the law is confused as to how to properly interpret the law. The way this bill is written, it can be difficult for the layperson to interpret, and can lead to one overlooking the overreach that threatens their accessibility, affordability and safety of otherwise vital cannabis-based, hops-based, and hemp-based therapies for countless patients, and it unnecessarily punishes many of our small family farmers, processors and producers, effectively restricting their options to strictly producing, and/or smoking, cured flowers that may or may not be from a reputable source. By criminalizing and/or delegitimizing widely used forms of augmented cannabis such as terpene infused wax, tinctures, edibles, and vapes, this bill undermines decades of work and further restricts the profound healing potential of the cannabis plant while abandoning patients who depend on these therapies for managing their pain or improving their individual quality of life. A Step Backward for Medical Freedom Cannabis is a lifeline for people managing chronic pain, epilepsy, PTSD, cancer, and numerous other conditions. Many of these patients cannot or should not smoke cannabis due to underlying health concerns, workplace restrictions, or personal preferences, and should not be forced to do so just because some legislator or regulator wishes to expand their agency's regulatory reach or overreach. Nevada Bill AB76 strips our most vulnerable, low-income, patients of their freedoms to choose the most effective and accessible form of cannabis for meeting their individual needs. By redefining well-established extraction processes as "synthetic," this legislation conflates what is considered patient-centered medicine with artificial and harmful substances. This dangerous misunderstanding punishes patients, caregivers and producers, pushing many of them toward a gray market, or the black market, or worse, forcing patients to endure unnecessary suffering by going without. Throwing Patients to the Wolves At a time when progress in cannabis research and advocacy offers hope to millions across the country, [Page 6, Section 6, Lines 30-36] of Nevada's 83rd Session AB76 betrays that hope by granting the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) broad authority to override judicial review and undermine the due process rights guaranteed under the Constitution. This bill also throws patients to the proverbial wolves-restricting safe, regulated, and affordable access, and jeopardizing the health and well-being of our most vulnerable citizens by prioritizing bureaucratic control over compassion, scientific understanding, and common sense. Patients are not criminals. The methods used to extract the healing compounds of cannabis, whether with ice, water, ethanol, or CO2, are not acts of synthetic engineering-they are acts of care, designed to ensure safety, precision, and effectiveness of the medicine patients rely on. Lives Are at Stake Compassion Center, Integrative Providers Association and the Coalition for Patient Rights urge lawmakers to reconsider this bill and the damaging language in Nevada Bill AB76. We call on Nevadan advocates, caregivers, and patients across Nevada to raise their voices against this ill-conceived legislation. The lives and dignity of Nevada's most vulnerable residents depend on it. This bill is more than a setback-it's a threat to progress, compassion, and the core belief that every patient deserves access to the medicine that works best for them. We cannot allow outdated fears and misconceptions to rob people of their health and hope. Take Action Now The Coalition for Patient Rights implores the public to contact their representatives and demand an immediate revision to the language of AB76. We also call on Nevada medical professionals, advocacy groups, and concerned citizens to join us in ensuring that Nevada's cannabis laws protect, not punish, its patients. Together, we can stop this dangerous legislation and uphold the rights and dignity of those who rely on cannabis for healing. About Us Compassion Center, Coalition for Patients' Rights (CPR), and the Integrative Providers Association (IPA) are dedicated to advocating for healthcare reform that prioritizes patient empowerment, integrative medicine, and sustainable wellness solutions. We believe in a healthcare system that serves the people first-rooted in compassion, science, and the fundamental right to informed health choices. Founded in 2001, Compassion Center was founded by-patients, for-patients in the name of patients in Eugene, Oregon and has grown to serve patients in over 18 states. Compassion Center is dedicated to advancing professional education, patient advocacy and healthcare innovations that lead to improved access, affordability and equity for all. To learn more about the Compassion Center, visit: https://compassion-center.org/ To learn more about the Coalition for Patient Rights, visit: https://coalitionforpatientrights.org/ To learn more about the Integrative Providers Association, visit: www.IntegrativeProviders.org Related Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLqqFFqolQY Related Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLqqFFqolQY Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Canadian Copper Inc. (CSE: CCI) ("Canadian Copper" or the "Company") announces voting results from the Company's Annual General and Special Meeting of the Shareholders held on February 18, 2025. A total of 29,365,354 common shares were voted, representing 28.71% of all outstanding common shares of the Company. A summary of the results of the election of the Company's directors is as follows: Item Voted Upon Votes For Votes Withheld/Against Number % Number % Election of Simon Quick 29,341,527 99.96 10,372 0.04 Election of Andrew Elinesky 29,351,899 100.00 0 0.00 Election of Marcel Robillard 29,246,899 99.64 105,000 0.36 Election of Andre Tessier 29,346,899 99.98 5,000 0.02 Election of Brent Omland 29,251,899 99.66 100,000 0.34 Appointment of Auditor 29,365,354 100.00 0 0.00 Approval of Stock Option Plan 28,727,969 97.87 623,930 2.13 Canadian Copper further reports that pursuant to its stock option plan, it has granted 2,400,000 stock options to directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company at an exercise price of $0.22 per common share to vest quarterly over an 18-month period and expire on March 3, 2027. Simon Quick, CEO of the Company, stated, "This is Canadian Copper's first stock option grant since being a public company in 2022. Further, the Company has priced these option units at a premium to the current market price in an effort to respect our current and future investors that support us. This grant is designed to reward and incentivize individuals for their past contributions to Canadian Copper and their current efforts linked to the successful financing and closing of the Caribou Complex transaction. The Company relied on sections 5.5 (a) and (b) and 5.7(1)(a) and (b) of MI 61-101 as the exemption from the minority approval requirements of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions MI 61-101 in respect of the grant of stock options to the directors of the Company as neither the fair market value of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the grant of the options to the director of the Company exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization. About Canadian Copper Inc. Canadian Copper is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company with a copper and base metals portfolio of historical resources and grassroots projects. The Company is focused on the prolific Bathurst Mining Camp (BMC) of New Brunswick, Canada. There are currently 102,271,319 shares issued and outstanding in the Company. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243220 SOURCE: Canadian Copper Inc. Milestone Supports High-Value Digital Experiences, Accelerates Expansion Into Adjacent Markets Zain KSA announced today that it has completed a large-scale digital transformation program with Netcracker Technology. The complex BSS/OSS transformation across all lines of business was successfully achieved in less than three years. With the new cloud-based BSS/OSS in place, Zain KSA will further enhance customer experiences and scale up its business ecosystem and expansion across adjacent markets, including fintech, IoT and cloud computing services. The transformation also supports enhanced operational efficiencies, demonstrated through a 50 percent decrease in product development time and customer line activation time. Zain KSA partnered with Netcracker on a comprehensive, full-stack, AI-driven IT transformation based on Netcracker Digital Platform, the foundation for a cloud-native digital BSS and OSS, as well as Netcracker's comprehensive suite of managed services. The project included replacing Zain KSA's existing IT stack and migrating customers to the new cloud-based systems. Executive VP of Information Technology at Zain KSA, Eng. Maha Al Qernas, stated: "Transitioning into a cloud-based BSS/OSS is a new milestone for Zain KSA's advanced digital ecosystem. This transformation, achieved through our strategic partnership with Netcracker, aligns with Zain KSA's goal to create fully digital journeys for our individual and enterprise customers. We are proud that we have leveraged the market's demand for 5G standalone technology. Our cloud-based systems support a broad range of innovative use cases, enriching our capabilities in 5G, and setting a new benchmark in connectivity and enabling transformative experiences for customers across the Kingdom and beyond to continue to empower a tech-enhanced quality of life in Saudi Arabia." "We are extremely honored to play a role in this significant transformation program with a leader in the 5G space and a disruptor in the market," said Benedetto Spaziani, GM at Netcracker. "Zain KSA has been at the forefront of adopting new technologies and bringing innovative services to customers, and we look forward to being part of its ongoing success." Zain KSA started updating its BSS/OSS systems in late 2021. The initiative aims to enhance customer experiences and improve cybersecurity, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030 and the nationwide digital transformation. About Netcracker Technology Netcracker Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, has the expertise, culture and resources to help service providers around the world transform their businesses to thrive in the digital economy. Our innovative solutions, value-driven services and unbroken delivery track record have enabled our customers to grow and succeed for more than three decades. With the latest technological advancements in key areas including 5G monetization, AI, automation and vertical industries, we help service providers to reach their transformation goals, advance their telco to techco evolution and realize business growth and profitability. To learn more, visit www.netcracker.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304903022/en/ Contacts: Anita Karve Netcracker Technology MediaGroup@Netcracker.com SAN FRANCISCO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sojern, the leading marketing platform built for hospitality, is excited to announce the addition of a fully managed email marketing service as part of its multichannel Commission offering. This industry-first solution streamlines marketing, making it easier to drive direct bookings, build guest loyalty, and reduce online travel agency (OTA) dependence-all within Sojern's transparent pay-for-performance commission model. Now available in the US and Canada, with additional countries coming soon. Email campaigns are a powerful tool for hoteliers to engage travelers and build loyalty at every stage-from awareness to post-stay. With email marketing revenue expected to hit $17.9 billion by 2027, the channel continues to grow. However, time, expertise, and budget constraints often limit hoteliers' ability to run effective email campaigns. Now, hoteliers can partner with Sojern to effortlessly execute high-performing email campaigns without the need for in-house resources. Powered by Sojern's AI-driven marketing platform, this new fully managed service combines Sojern's Guest Marketing Suite with the expertise of email designers and copywriters to ensure seamless campaign creation, deployment, performance and measurement. Sojern's email solution seamlessly connects with the hotel's property management system (PMS) to unlock powerful guest insights, enabling targeted email campaigns that drive engagement and direct bookings. Automated reconciliation further streamlines operations, allowing hoteliers to focus on the guest experience rather than manual tasks. "Today's travelers increasingly seek personalized experiences, from their destination choices to their on-property stays," said Noreen Henry, Chief Revenue Officer at Sojern. "In fact, 90% of consumers expect brands to understand and anticipate their needs. As guests invest more in memorable and tailored experiences, they expect the same level of personalization from hotels before they've even arrived. With Sojern's fully-managed email solution, hotel marketers can deliver timely, branded content that drives engagement, direct bookings, and loyalty-overcoming traditional bandwidth and budget hurdles without additional work." Cultivate Guest Relationships to Drive Direct Bookings While many hotels still rely on bookings from OTAs, and will continue to in some capacity, the industry is shifting. Skift projects that by 2030, direct digital channels are expected to surpass OTAs as the dominant distribution channel for hoteliers, with an estimated $409 billion in direct bookings compared to $333 billion from OTAs. Sojern's fully managed email service helps hoteliers capitalize on this shift by delivering brand-aligned email campaigns that engage past guests, encourage repeat stays, reduce OTA dependence, and recapture abandoned bookings. And since repeat customers spend 67% more than new guests, investing in customized branded email campaigns isn't just smart-it's a revenue-driving necessity. Early adopter Nicole Willams, Principal/VP Sales & Marketing, Daryon Hotels International said, "Working with Sojern has been a fantastic experience. Their email marketing campaigns have been a game-changer, helping us reach the right audience and drive more bookings. The process is seamless, the reporting is clear, and the results speak for themselves." Pay Only for Results Budget constraints often limit hotel marketers' abilities to get their brand in front of potential travelers. Rather than front-loading costs, Sojern's pay-for-performance pricing model is tied directly to revenue, allowing hoteliers to participate in managed email campaigns by only paying for performance. Beyond reducing upfront costs, Sojern's multichannel approach allows hoteliers to ensure every touchpoint works together seamlessly to maximize conversions. With sophisticated attribution, hoteliers are able to engage travelers across channels, optimizing marketing spend and effectiveness to maximize ROI. To learn more about Sojern's fully-managed email offering as part of its Commission solution, hoteliers can join the waitlist here. About Sojern Sojern is the leading marketing platform built for hospitality, designed to boost growth and profitability for the travel industry. The Sojern marketing platform is a set of easy-to-use software and services that delivers unrivaled traveler insight, intelligent audiences, multichannel activation and optimization, and a connected guest experience-all in one place. More than 10,000 travel marketers rely on our platform annually to find, attract, convert and engage travelers. Founded in 2007, Sojern is headquartered in San Francisco, California with teams in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/249299/Sojern_Logo_V1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sojern-introduces-fully-managed-email-campaignshoteliers-pay-for-performance-302388652.html Maret Anne Sara presents new site-specific work for Turbine Hall as the tenth Hyundai Commission artist, open from October 14, 2025, to April 6, 2026 Hyundai Motor and Tate announce extension of partnership until 2036, encompassing Hyundai Commission and Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung highlights that the partnership cultivates a space for dialogue through the arts that reflects our time, transcending generational, geographical, and disciplinary boundaries SEOUL, South Korea and LONDON, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company and Tate announced that Maret Anne Sara will create the next annual Hyundai Commission. Maret Anne Sara is a Northern Sami artist and author known for her work exploring global ecological issues through the lens of her lived experience within the Sami community. Open to the public from October 14, 2025 - April 6, 2026, Hyundai Commission: Maret Anne Sara will be the tenth annual series of new site-specific work for Tate Modern's Turbine Hall. Maret Anne Sara was born in 1983 to a Sami reindeer herding family in Guovdageaidnu in the Norwegian part of Sapmi, the traditional territory of the Sami people which is today divided between the nation states of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, where she continues to work today. Through her multidisciplinary practice, Sara highlights the impact of Nordic colonialism on Sami ways of life, exploring the importance of preserving Sami ancestral knowledge and values to protect the environment for future generations. Often using materials and methodologies derived from reindeer herding, Sara creates powerful sculptures and installations which uphold the reciprocal relationship between animals, lands, waters and humans. "Maret Anne Sara is among a prolific group of Sami artists who have received widespread international attention in recent years for making visible the issues facing Sapmi and Sami people," said Karin Hindsbo, Director of Tate Modern. "By addressing the major social, ecological and political concerns of her community, Sara hopes not only to increase interest and awareness, but also to effect real change. I'm thrilled she will be creating her first work in the UK here at Tate Modern and I look forward to seeing how she will transform the Turbine Hall. I'm sure it will be both challenging and full of wonder." Today, Hyundai Motor and Tate also announced the extension of their partnership, which encompasses support of both Hyundai Commission and Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational, until 2036. This partnership was founded in 2014 with the longest initial commitment from a corporate partner in Tate's history and is built on a shared vision to offer new ways to experience art and support diverse perspectives from across the contemporary cultural landscape. "Over the past decade, our partnership with Tate has cultivated a space for dialogue through the arts that reflects our time, transcending generational, geographical, and disciplinary boundaries," said Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group. "We believe in enhancing this collaboration, reaffirming our shared commitment to future generations." Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2630384/Image_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2630385/Image_2.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hyundai-motor-and-tate-announce-maret-anne-sara-as-next-hyundai-commission-artist-and-extend-partnership-until-2036-302388650.html TSXV: PGZ | OTCQX: PGZFF | FRA: 2EU First test of large (2km x 1.5km) gravity anomaly, 1km east of La Romana copper-tin-silver discovery New IP survey identifies chargeability and resistivity anomalies coincident with the Bravo target Eight Bravo drillholes planned to test for VMS mineralization Bravo is one of several high priority targets included in current multi-target 7,000m Escacena drill program VANCOUVER, BC, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pan Global Resources Inc. ("Pan Global" or the "Company") (TSXV: PGZ) (OTCQX: PGZFF) (FRA: 2EU) is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced at the Bravo target at the Company's 100%-owned copper, tin, gold, silver Escacena Project ("Escacena"), in southern Spain. Bravo is located 1km east and on-trend from the Company's La Romana copper-tin-silver discovery, and 3.5km southwest of Grupo Mexico's (Minera Los Frailes) Aznalcollar-Los Frailes mining project. The first phase of drilling is expected to be completed by mid-year. "The geophysics at Bravo shows many of the signatures associated with the Company's nearby La Romana copper-tin-silver discovery, enhancing the potential for mineralization. Based on its size and location, Bravo is a high-priority target amongst several previously untested targets in this highly prospective area for significant volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") associated mineralization. After several months of diligent fieldwork, we are excited that drilling has now commenced," said Tim Moody, Pan Global's President and CEO. The recently completed 18.2-line-km IP geophysics survey identified chargeability and resistivity anomalies coincident with the Bravo gravity anomaly. These results indicate potential extensions or repetitions of the geology trend hosting the La Romana mineralization 1km to the west of Bravo. The IP survey results have been integrated with modelling of the Company's detailed gravity, soil geochemistry, and helicopter electromagnetics survey data to prioritize drill targets. The first phase of drilling at Bravo will include up to eight wide-spaced drillholes to test for VMS mineralization associated with geophysics and geochemistry anomalies. The drilling will also test a very strong IP-chargeability anomaly 500m south of the main Bravo gravity anomaly on the interpreted continuation of the La Romana mineralization trend. Results from the first phase drill program will be released as they become available. Subject to results, the current planned 7,000m multi-target drill program at the Escacena Project may be expanded. About the Escacena Project The Escacena Project comprises a large, contiguous, 5,760-hectare land package controlled 100% by Pan Global in the east of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Escacena is located near the operating mine at Riotinto and is immediately adjacent to the former Aznalcollar and Los Frailes mines where Minera Los Frailes/Grupo Mexico is in the final permitting stage to allow new mine construction to commence. The Escacena Project hosts Pan Global's La Romana copper-tin-silver and Canada Honda copper-gold discoveries, and a number of other prospective targets, including, Bravo, Barbacena, La Pantoja, El Pozo, Romana Norte, San Pablo, Zarcita, Hornitos, La Jarosa, Romana Deep, and Cortijo. A longer-term goal is to define 100 million tonnes of copper resources from a cluster of deposits in the Project area, comparable to other mine operations in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. About Pan Global Resources Pan Global Resources Inc. is actively targeting copper-rich mineral deposits, given copper's compelling supply-demand fundamentals and outlook for strong long-term prices as a critical metal for global electrification and energy transition. The Company's flagship Escacena Project is located in the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt in southern Spain, where a favourable permitting track record, excellent infrastructure, mining and professional expertise, and support for copper as a Strategic Raw Material by the European Commission collectively define a tier-one low-risk jurisdiction for mining investment. The Pan Global team comprises proven talent in exploration, discovery, development, and mine operations - all of which are committed to operating safely and with utmost respect for the environment and our partnered communities. The Company is a member, and operates under the principles, of the United Nations Global Compact. Qualified Persons Alvaro Merino, Vice President Exploration for Pan Global Resources and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information for this media release. Mr. Merino is not independent of the Company. www.panglobalresources.com Forward-looking statements Statements which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information included in this media release are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental, environmental, and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products, and prices. Readers should refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis of its audited financial statements filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission. The forward-looking information contained in this media release is based on information available to the Company as of the date of this media release. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2631354/Pan_Global_Resources_Inc__PAN_GLOBAL_COMMENCES_DRILLING_AT_BRAVO.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2631353/Pan_Global_Resources_Inc__PAN_GLOBAL_COMMENCES_DRILLING_AT_BRAVO.jpg ?FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Jason Mercier, VP Investor Relations and Communications, jason@panglobalresources.com / investors@panglobalresources.com, Tel: +1-236-886-9518 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pan-global-commences-drilling-at-bravo-target-in-the-escacena-copper-tin-project-spain-302389609.html 12.12.2024 - Marktfreundliches Konjunkturumfeld und positives Gewinnwachstum Chancen und Risiken in der US-Auen- und Handelspolitik Bald begruen wir das neue Jahr 2025, welchem wir mit vorsichtigem Optimismus und Zuversicht begegnen konnen. Die Kapitalmarktexperten von Berenberg geben einen verhalten positiven Ausblick auf die kommenden Monate. "Wir erwarten, dass die Weltwirtschaft 2025 ahnlich stark wachsen wird wie 2024. Sinkende Zentralbankzinsen vor allem in Europa, niedrigere Inflationsraten als in den Vorjahren und weitere fiskalische Impulse in den USA und China durften die Konjunktur im Jahr 2025 stutzen und die Markte weiterhin auf ein freundliches Konjunkturumfeld setzen lassen", sagt Prof. Dr. Bernd Meyer, Chefanlagestratege und Leiter Multi Asset im Wealth und Asset Management von Berenberg. Politische Entwicklungen sind dabei jedoch nicht zu unterschatzen und konnten Markte und Anleger umstimmen. Das vierte Quartal 2024 stand im Zeichen positiver Konjunkturuberraschungen in den USA und China. Diese Entwicklungen fuhrten zu einer Revision der hohen Zinssenkungserwartungen und zu uberwiegend steigenden Anleiherenditen. Lediglich die hiesige Konjunkturflaute lie Anleiherenditen in der Eurozone mit Ausnahmen von Frankreich sinken. Gleichzeitig pragte der Wahlsieg von Donald Trump die Markte erheblich: Der US-Dollar und US-Aktien, insbesondere Nebenwerte, verzeichneten deutliche Zugewinne, wahrend besonders amerikanische Staatsanleihen unter Druck gerieten. Unternehmensanleihen, vor allem Hochzinsanleihen, sowie Rohstoffe und Industriemetalle zeigten sich weiterhin robust. "Das ganze Jahr uber rangen die Markte mit der Frage, ob die sanfte Landung der US-Wirtschaft gelingen wurde. Letztlich entwickelte sich die Konjunktur 2024 in vielen Regionen besser als noch vor einem Jahr erwartet, allen voran in den USA, und die Renditen 10-jahriger Staatsanleihen stiegen trotz Zinssenkungen der Zentralbanken", so Meyer. Insgesamt durfte 2025 von einem anspruchsvollen Marktumfeld gepragt sein. Die Renditechancen sind begrenzt, die Risiken vielfaltig. Anleger sollten ihre Strategien sorgfaltig anpassen, um von den Chancen zu profitieren, ohne dabei die potenziellen Belastungen aus dem Blick zu verlieren.USA: Dynamik der US-Wirtschaft Die US-Konjunktur zeigt sich weiterhin robust und verliert kaum an Schwung. Fur das kommende Jahr durfte neben der US-Politik die Entwicklung der Inflation und der US-Staatsverschuldung zu den wichtigsten Themen gehoren. Die Unsicherheit bleibt dabei hoch. "Der wiedergewahlte US-Prasident Donald Trump konnte im kommenden Jahr durch Steuersenkungen und Deregulierungen sogar weitere Wachstumsimpulse freisetzen. Sollte er allerdings hohe Zolle auf Einfuhren aus China und anderen Landern einfuhren, wurde dies die Preise in den USA in die Hohe treiben und die Inflation anheizen", so Dr. Holger Schmieding, Chefvolkswirt von Berenberg. Trumps Manahmen aus seiner ersten Amtszeit - Strafzolle, Steuersenkungen und Einwanderungsbeschrankungen - durften heute weniger wirken und groere Risiken bergen. Der weitere Zinspfad und die Fed-Politik sind daher mit hoher Unsicherheit behaftet. Dies durfte zu einer hoheren Volatilitat an den Finanzmarkten fuhren. Die Konsenserwartung ist, dass die US-Wirtschaft aufgrund der sich abkuhlenden Binnennachfrage und der Arbeitsmarktbedingungen an Dynamik verliert, wahrend Europa fur eine leichte Erholung positioniert ist. (...) BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, announced a new Multi-Modal Network Operations Large Language Model for Telcos, developed using the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software and AWS Cloud infrastructure. The model is based on Llama 3.1 8b instruct model and is heavily customized for telecom networks by training on large network datasets and applying the latest generative AI and agentic AI frameworks. It is designed to manage vast structured data (events, alarms, counters), unstructured data (logs, MOPs, SOPs, images, text, marketing), and all relevant network data, allowing proactive issue resolution and enhanced service quality. This model enables the transformation of traditional telecom networks into fully autonomous networks (L4 and above). While telcos have been implementing AI use cases with a transactional approach, achieving true operational efficiency requires a holistic embedding of AI capabilities within the network. Tech Mahindra, working with NVIDIA and AWS, is facilitating this transition and helping the telecom industry harness the full potential of AI for enhanced performance and operational excellence. This collaboration brings together Tech Mahindra's network automation platform, netOps.ai, Tech Mahindra Optimized Framework TENO that incorporates NVIDIA AI Enterprise software, including NVIDIA NeMo and NIM microservices, along with AWS's Amazon Elastic Container Registry (Amazon ECR), Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), and Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS). This model empowers telecom operators to transform their networks into intent-based networks, embodying the principles of Self-Driving Networks (Zero x and Self x). Manish Mangal, Chief Technology Officer, Telecom & Global Business Head, Network Services, Tech Mahindra, said, "The shift towards autonomous networks has become imperative within the telecom industry. Our collaboration with NVIDIA and AWS is pioneering a Multi-Modal Network Operations Large Model designed to enhance security, automate network management, and improve operational efficiency. Through this work, we will empower telcos to reduce operational costs and pave the way for a more agile and resilient network environment." In the initial phase of the development, the Multi-Modal Network Operations Large Model will prioritize improving operational efficiency through 'Intelligent Observability', introducing two critical AI-driven use cases. First, the Dynamic Network Insights Studio will provide a unified 360-degree AI-powered network observability solution, offering deep insights into network performance for AI teams, network operations, and C-suite executives. Complementing this, the second use case, Proactive Network Anomaly Resolution Hub, will be an advanced AI-powered auto-resolution system that will autonomously detect and resolve network anomalies such as alarms or events with zero human intervention. Chris Penrose, Vice President of Telco Business Development, NVIDIA, said, "The introduction of large telco models that understand the network language is a transformational moment for the telecom industry, helping to deliver AI-accelerated operations. Large telco models like Tech Mahindra's new Multi-Modal Network Operations Large Model - based on NVIDIA AI Enterprise - offer the foundation for creating multiple AI agents that will help enable fully autonomous networks." Additionally, the solution architecture will seamlessly integrate AI-driven intelligence into network operations, encompassing three key components including first efficient data ingestion from the network; second, data curation and model customization to enhance AI training; and third, automated action implementation for quick resolution and restoration of services. Global AI spending in telecom is running into multi-billion-dollar investments; this collaboration reinforces Tech Mahindra's commitment to driving AI innovation in telecom and redefining network operations through intelligent automation, deep learning, and multimodal AI models. Further to this collaboration, Tech Mahindra's long-term vision is leveraging the Multi-Modal Network Operations Large Model to impact other business use cases as well. For more information on how TechM can partner with you to meet your Scale at Speed imperatives, please visit https://www.techmahindra.com Our Social Media Channels: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube For more information on Tech Mahindra, please contact: media.relations@techmahindra.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2539364/Tech_Mahindra_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/tech-mahindra-to-transform-autonomous-network-operations-with-new-large-telco-model-based-on-nvidia-ai-enterprise-and-aws-cloud-infrastructure-302391076.html 80 Acres Farms is expanding its footprint with the acquisition of three indoor vertical farms and related IP previously owned by Kalera, Inc.?The farms are strategically located in Georgia, Texas, and Colorado. Basil Grows in an 80 Acres Farms Facility As the demand for fresh, local, pesticide-free produce continues to grow, 80 Acres Farms is leveraging more than a decade of industry learnings by acquiring and revitalizing existing vertical farming facilities. The company is turning these assets into productive farms through its Infinite Acres technology, proven operational expertise, and commercial relationships. "National retailers and foodservice distributors are seeking partners that can consistently supply high-quality product through a national network of local farms," said Mike Zelkind, CEO and co-founder of 80 Acres Farms. "At the same time, there has been significant capital invested in the controlled-environment agriculture sector over the last 10 years, creating an infrastructure of underutilized assets across the country. We are building a national network in a capital-efficient manner by combining our technology and operating strengths to revitalize these facilities." This acquisition relies on 80 Acres Farms' ability to retrofit existing farms with Infinite Acres' platform technology. Infinite Acres technology has been developed through collaboration with best-in-class partners such as Siemens, Signify, SICK, and TTA-ISO. The assimilation of acquired technologies and capabilities continues to strengthen the Infinite Acres platform. "Vertical farming has proven an ability to deliver fresh, high-quality produce in markets that cannot support year-round field-grown operations," said Tisha Livingston, co-founder of 80 Acres Farms and CEO of Infinite Acres. "As with our acquisitions of Mother Raw salad dressing and Plantae Biosciences, this acquisition reinforces 80 Acres Farms as a consolidator in the industry. We are excited to acquire strategic operations in the space and codify their best practices and key learnings into our proven technology platform, improving our already profitable farm unit economics." The newly acquired farms will extend the company's network of large-scale commercial facilities beyond Ohio and Kentucky. 80 Acres Farms grows greens (including spinach), microgreens, tomatoes, and herbs, and has recently expanded its Kentucky farm, which opened in 2023, nearly doubling its capacity. The two companies have complementary commercial relationships with retailers and food distributors that will strengthen 80 Acres Farms' go-to-market capability. Prior to the acquisition, the company served more than 1,500 retail locations, mostly in the Midwest. 80 Acres Farms also owns and operates centers of excellence including R&D facilities in Arkansas, advanced systems and design field lab in the Netherlands, and advanced plant genetics facilities in Israel. "I could not be more pleased to have found the perfect fit for Kalera in 80 Acres Farms," said Kalera CEO Jim Leighton. "I am extremely impressed with Mike, Tisha, and their entire leadership team. They not only have the technical knowledge to successfully operate vertical farms, but they also have extensive food and produce experience. That, in my opinion, is necessary to be successful in operating a vertical farming company or any food business." About 80 Acres Farms? 80 Acres Farms is a vertical farming leader based in Hamilton, Ohio. Founded by Mike Zelkind and Tisha Livingston in 2015, the company operates indoor farms built with world-class technology and analytics by its Dutch-Israeli-American subsidiary Infinite Acres. Using 100% renewable electricity and 95% less water per pound of produce, the company's farms deliver pesticide-free, longer-lasting harvests while reducing food waste. 80 Acres Farms' branded salads, salad kits, herbs, microgreens, and tomatoes are available at over 1,500 retailers and restaurants across the United States. SOURCE: 80 Acres Farms THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES South Star Battery Metals Corp. ("South Star" or the "Company") (TSXV:STS)(OTCQB:STSBF), is pleased to announce that it has completed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa ("UA") on behalf of its Alabama Mobility and Power Center ("AMP") to develop a binding Definitive Partnership Agreement ("Agreement") to support a battery anode materials program in the United States consisting of the following phases: R&D Development Pilot Demonstration Commercial Demonstration Commercial-Scale Manufacturing South Star would be the primary supplier of natural-flake graphite concentrate ("NFGC") in furtherance of the Agreements objectives, and AMP's internal/house reference natural-flake anode graphite ("AG") material. The MOU establishes the conceptual framework for the Agreement and allows for a 45-day schedule to negotiate the definitive, binding agreement. Richard Pearce, CEO of South Star commented, "We are excited to announce this important strategic initiative with our UA / AMP partners to advance a concrete, integrated solution to developing high-quality battery anode testing, development and manufacturing expertise in the United States with world-class expertise and facilities. UA / AMP and the State of Alabama are creating a unique critical materials ecosystem to support the rapid advancement of a resilient, more diversified technology and battery supply chain. South Star is honored to play a role with our partners in developing truly unique critical materials and technology platforms essential for growth and stability in the coming decades. South Star is committed to a partnering approach to developing these facilities with a proven, technically robust framework, a quick-to-market strategy, and a commercially robust business plan." Mr. Pearce continued, "Santa Cruz, the first new graphite production in the Americas since 1996, is ramping up commercial production in Brazil and is a fully licensed, scalable, world-class asset in a proven flake graphite-producing district. We believe that BamaStar is one of a very select handful of flake graphite assets in North America that is scalable, financeable, and permittable. It is a project that checks all the boxes with strong techno-economics (See Nov. 14, 2024 Press Release), U.S Department of Defense funding (See Nov. 29, 2023 Press Release), great support in the state, reliable power, nearby workforce, strong expansion potential, excellent infrastructure and logistics, as well as located near numerous potential clients in the heart of one of the most critical aerospace, defense, and automobile corridors in the contiguous United States. We look forward to working with UA / AMP on what we believe will be a transformational initiative essential for graphite materials and anode solutions for the industrial, defense, stationary storage and energy transition sectors." # # # About South Star Battery Metals Corp. South Star is a Canadian battery-metals project developer focused on the selective acquisition and development of near-term production projects in the Americas. South Star's Santa Cruz Graphite Project, located in Southern Bahia, Brazil is the first of a series of industrial- and battery-metals projects that will be put into production. Brazil is the second-largest graphite-producing region in the world with more than 80 years of continuous mining. Santa Cruz has at-surface mineralization in friable materials, and successful large-scale pilot-plant testing (> 30 tonnes) has been completed. The results of the testing show that approximately 65% of graphite concentrate is +80 mesh with good recoveries and 95%-99% graphitic carbon ("Cg"). With excellent infrastructure and logistics, South Star Phase 1 is ramping up commercial production in 2025. Santa Cruz Phase 1 commercial production has a nameplate capacity of 12,000 tpy and is the first new graphite production in the Americas since 1996. Phase 2 production (25,000 tpy) is partially funded and planned for 2026, while Phase 3 (50,000 tpy) is scheduled for 2028. South Star's second project in the development pipeline is strategically located in Alabama, U.S.A. in the center of a developing electric-vehicle, aerospace, and defense hub in the southeastern United States. The BamaStar Project includes a historic mine active during the First and Second World Wars. A NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment was filed on SEDAR+ in November 2024. Trenching, Phase 1 drilling, sampling, analysis, and preliminary metallurgical testing have been completed. The testing included a traditional crush/grind/flotation concentration circuit that achieved grades of approximately 94-99% Cg with approximately 90% recoveries. The vertically integrated production facilities include a mine and industrial concentrator in Coosa County, AL and a downstream value-add plant in Mobile, AL, which will be upgrading natural flake graphite concentrates from both Santa Cruz and BamaStar mines. South Star is executing on its plan to create a multi-asset, diversified battery-metals company with near-term operations in strategic jurisdictions. South Star trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol STS, and on the OTCQB under the symbol STSBF. South Star is committed to a corporate culture, project execution plan and safe operations that embrace the highest standards of ESG principles, based on transparency, stakeholder engagement, ongoing education, and stewardship. To learn more, please visit the Company website at http://www.southstarbatterymetals.com. About University of Alabama - Alabama Mobility and Power Center The Alabama Mobility and Power (AMP) Center is a public-private partnership between The University of Alabama, Alabama Power Company, and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. Focused on advancing battery technology, charging infrastructure, and power delivery, the AMP Center drives research, workforce development, and economic growth in sustainable mobility. By fostering collaboration between industry, academia, and government, the AMP Center is positioning Alabama as a leader in the EV ecosystem, supporting innovation and attracting companies across the battery supply chain. To learn more, please visit AMP's website at https://amp.ua.edu/. This news release has been reviewed and approved for South Star by Richard Pearce, P.E., a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 and President and CEO of South Star Battery Metals Corp. On behalf of the South Star Board of Directors, MR. RICHARD L. PEARCE, President & Chief Executive Officer For additional information, please contact: South Star Investor Relations Email: invest@southstarbatterymetals.com Phone: +1 (604) 706-0212 Website: www.southstarbatterymetals.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/southstarbm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southstarbatterymetals LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southstarbatterymetals/ YouTube: South Star Battery Metals - YouTube CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to statements regarding production and scaling of operations at Santa Cruz, as well as advancing the Alabama project, and the Company's plans and expectations. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. SOURCE: South Star Battery Metals Corp. Micreos Pharmaceuticals AG ("Micreos"), a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, specializing in developing Engineered Endolysin therapies to target harmful pathogens that cause disease aggravation, has entered into a strategic partnership with Northway Biotech ("NBT"), a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) to develop scalable cGMP production processes for Micreos' biologic therapeutic MEndoB, which is the first-in-class dual-active domain targeted medicine that will enter the clinic in the coming months as an investigational therapeutic to treat Atopic Dermatitis. Micreos is focused on developing best-in-class targeted therapeutics to precisely target harmful pathogens that cause disease flares to help address significant unmet medical needs in dermatology and oncology. As part of the partnership, Northway Biotech will apply its significant expertise in biologics manufacturing to develop a scalable GMP production process for Micreos' engineered endolysin technology. The collaboration will also include developing and validating robust analytical methods, cell bank manufacturing, technology scale-up for cGMP Drug Substance generation, and IND/IMPD supporting documentation preparation, to ensure that the production of Micreos' engineered endolysins complies with stringent regulatory standards for clinical trials. Matt Regan, CEO of Micreos, stated: "This partnership with Northway Biotech marks a significant milestone for Micreos as we advance our engineered endolysins into scalable therapeutics for clinical trials. By developing targeted medicines that address the underlying pathophysiology associated with disease aggravation in conditions such as atopic dermatitis and cutaneous T-Cell lymphoma, and by leveraging Northway's significant manufacturing expertise, we are poised to make a meaningful impact on patient care in areas of great unmet medical need." Prof. Vladas Algirdas Bumelis, CEO and Chairman of Northway Biotech, highlighted the mutual commitment to high-quality manufacturing: "We are honored to contribute to Micreos' innovative engineered endolysin therapies. With a dedicated and highly experienced team in recombinant protein process development and scale-up, we aim to accelerate Micreos' development by providing cGMP drug substance material available by the end of summer 2024." Andre Markmann, PhD, VP of Business Development at Northway Biotech, added: "Micreos' engineered endolysins address critical healthcare challenges. We are excited to support Micreos in advancing their breakthrough therapy into clinical trials at a rapid pace while ensuring the highest standards." About MEndoB Micreos' MEndoB is the first-in-class and potentially best-in-class dual-active domain, targeted medicine designed for optimum activity on human skin. It works through targeted enzymatic degradation of the targets cell wall, rapidly killing the harmful pathogen, but without triggering drug resistance or having any off target affects. Micreos' engineering expertise has enhanced drug stability and activity but has also been validated to effectively penetrate biofilms, eliminate dormant & hard to kill pathogenic cells, and potentially deliver synergies with other medications. With demonstrated preclinical efficacy, MEndoB holds significant promise for treating chronic and difficult-to-treat conditions in dermatology and oncology. About Micreos Micreos is a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing highly innovative, targeted therapies as a new way to treat chronic conditions in dermatology and oncology where there is a high unmet medical need. With its advanced engineering platform, Micreos is developing targeted medicines that selectively eliminate harmful pathogens while preserving the beneficial microbiome, paving the way for future indications in dermatology, oncology, and beyond. For more information, visit www.micreos.com. About Northway Biotech Northway Biotech is a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) supporting customers worldwide. Its highly experienced and professional team executes projects at every stage, from cell line construction and process development to cGMP manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products. The company's extensive expertise and vertically integrated service offering enables rapid execution of multiple projects from its state-of-the-art GMP facilities while ensuring full process and product compliance at all stages of research, development, and commercial manufacturing. Northway Biotech is a privately owned company founded in 2004 and operates locations in Vilnius, Lithuania; London, United Kingdom; and Waltham, MA, USA. For more information, please visit www.northwaybiotech.com. Micreos Contact: Matt Regan CEO and Board member, Micreos Pharmaceutical AG m.regan@micreos.com Northway Biotech Contact: Vladas Algirdas Bumelis CEO and Chairman of the Board vladas.bumelis@northwaybiotech.com SOURCE: Northway Biotech Grassroots deputy helps transform Shanghai's largest apartment complex 15:07, March 04, 2025 By Zhou Wenting ( China Daily Zhang Junping, a community official with 20 years of experience, took on her role at Shanghai Kangcheng, the largest apartment complex in Shanghai, 13 years ago. Through her unwavering dedication and the leadership team's efforts at the residential compound, the community, which accommodates 280 residential buildings and around 40,000 residents, has thrived as a place where inhabitants can quickly come together to work for a common goal. This compares to the fact that around a decade ago, the apartment complex troubled by illegal group housing rental, residential apartments renovated for commercial use, and other problems, was dubbed by local media as "the most chaotic neighborhood in town". In 2015 alone, 185 burglaries took place at the residential compound. "During my early days working here, I met a resident who drove to work. The middle-aged hid the community parking permit away immediately after leaving the gate of the residential compound. He said he'd feel embarrassed if others knew he lived in this community. I felt sad and was determined to make some changes," said Zhang, 48, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee for the third year, and deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China committee of the Kangcheng neighborhood. "Today, even my family and I would love to live here," she said, adding that residents' diverse needs, including shopping, medical care, and children's education, can be met without the need to leave the community. The quality of service has been improving to respond to people's constant pursuit of a better life. One of the reasons for the changes taking place at the community, which was established in around the year 2000, was that the community leadership team has been open-minded in listening to residents' requirements and advice on improving their daily lives, said Zhang. She said that the Party organization is at the grassroots level and never rejects residents' suggestions. For example, residents demanded charging facilities for their non-motor vehicles. The residential complex has nearly 10,000 such vehicles, and the insufficiency forced some residents to risk installing additional wires themselves, causing potential safety hazards. Last year, with resolute determination and full-scale actions, all 40 parking lots for non-motor vehicles underwent renovation, providing residents with enough parking space and safe and adequate charging facilities. Firefighting facilities were added as well. "While Shanghai's efforts to build a safe and resilient city are quickly gathering pace, at the community level, safety is the bottom line and foundation of our work. Also, we must respond to the needs of the residents and gradually build mutual trust with them," Zhang said. Another reason for the changes was that Zhang and her team tried to mobilize as many residents as possible to participate in various aspects of neighborhood governance, which is to put the concept of building urban governance community at the grassroots level, she said. "Community governance not only depends on the Party organization and residents who are Party members. We should invite more residents to join in. The more they participate, the more they will feel this is relevant to themselves," said Zhang, adding that daily situations, like differing opinions among neighbors regarding pet ownership, necessitate collective wisdom from more residents to devise improved solutions. In 2023, 108 middle-aged and young residents from diverse professional fields, including property management, construction and engineering project management, finance, and law, became the first batch of "partners to build a better community" at the residential compound. By integrating their expertise and good ideas for neighborhood development, the quality of residents' lives kept escalating, said Zhang. For example, in addition to the initial two bus routes linking the neighborhood to a nearby metro station, a new bus route has been introduced to connect Kangcheng to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. This improvement offers residents convenient transportation choices. The concept of a "15-minute living circle" that meets residents' basic needs for shopping and leisure was proposed in Shanghai in 2014. In the Kangcheng neighborhood, residents could also feel that life is becoming increasingly easier, so their living circle has constantly expanded. Currently, the residential compound includes two kindergartens, a nine-year school planned from the beginning, and a nursing home for the elderly. The health center has also been expanded to a 2,000-square-meter community health service center. "In this way, the facility not only meets our needs to replenish medications regularly, but also is equipped with departments of general medicine, dentistry, and traditional Chinese medicine. They are widely welcomed by residents," said Zheng Junwei, a 71-year-old resident in the neighborhood. Furthermore, the number of grocery stores, food markets, barber shops, and bank outlets within the residential compound has been growing, enhancing the convenience of residents' daily lives, he said. Zhang emphasized that her primary focus in the upcoming year will be implementing additional measures to alleviate residents' parking challenges and promoting service to meet the personalized needs of elderly care. "For a resident, if he or she drives home after work and fails to find a parking space, this may harm their sense of belonging to the community," Zhang said. "However, if we want to adjust the spatial layout of some parts of the compound to free up parking spaces, we need all the residents to find an optimal solution based on the mentality of seeking common ground and working toward a shared better life. This is a great test for us to build an exchange platform and find a good way for negotiations." Regarding elderly care, Zhang noted a growing awareness of the diverse needs of senior residents, including requirements for rehabilitation, physiotherapy, in-home night care, hospital escort services, and healthcare utilizing TCM practices. "Some also proposed needs for consultation regarding planning after retirement, and some others were interested in holding a birthday party while gathering their elderly friends together," she said. Zhang said she would work with relevant government departments to promote work in this area. Residents may be provided with a list of professional institutions and caregivers endorsed and supervised by the government to provide corresponding services based on personalized needs. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Radisson Mining Resources Inc. (TSXV: RDS) (OTCQB: RMRDF) ("Radisson" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has received UL 2723 ECOLOGO Certification for Mineral Exploration Companies (the "UL ECOLOGO Certification") recognising Radisson's commitment to best practices for responsible development in the mineral exploration industry. The certification and related audit were conducted by UL Solutions, which is a global science-based 3rd party testing, inspection and certification company. The criteria were developed in partnership with the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association (the "AEMQ") and UQAT (Universite du Quebec en Abitibi-Temiscamingue). The UL ECOLOGO Certification represents the first comprehensive certification for Canadian Mineral Exploration Companies and their service providers that features third-party certification of environmental, social and commercial practices. Matt Manson, President and CEO commented: "We are extremely proud that Radisson has obtained the UL ECOLOGO Certification for Mineral Exploration Companies. This certification is a testament to our commitment to responsible practices in all aspects of our business, and in particular with respect to our team, our service providers, neighbouring communities and the environment. I would like to extend my gratitude to the Radisson team for its diligent work in obtaining the UL ECOLOGO Certification, and to the AEMQ for its collaboration and support throughout this process." In 2012, the AEMQ, developed the concept of establishing a best practices certification process for the mineral exploration sector. This process aimed to assess and acknowledge responsible practices for industry participants and their service providers. To bring this vision to fruition, the AEMQ collaborated with the Universite du Quebec en Abitibi-Temiscamingue, which crafted the original normative standards. The UL ECOLOGO certification program for mineral exploration was officially launched in 2019 in partnership with UL Solutions. About UL Solutions As a global safety science leader, UL Solutions helps companies to demonstrate safety, enhance sustainability, strengthen security, deliver quality, manage risk and achieve regulatory compliance. About the AEMQ The Association was founded in 1975 to increase mining exploration in Quebec and support the development of mining entrepreneurship in Quebec. Today, AEMQ represents 1,100 individual members and 180 corporate members. The AEMQ has a mission to promote sustainable, responsible exploration for mineral resources in Quebec and their vital place in Quebec's economy. Radisson Mining Resources Inc. Radisson is a gold exploration company focused on its 100%-owned O'Brien Gold Project, located in the Bousquet-Cadillac mining camp along the world-renowned Larder-Lake-Cadillac Break in Abitibi, Quebec. The Bousquet-Cadillac mining camp has produced over 25 million ounces of gold over the last 100 years. The Project hosts the former O'Brien Mine, considered to have been Quebec's highest-grade gold producer during its production. Indicated Mineral Resources are estimated at 0.50 million ounces (1.52 million tonnes at 10.26 g/t Au), with additional Inferred Mineral Resources estimated at 0.45 million ounces (1.60 million tonnes at 8.66 g/t Au). Please see the NI 43-101 "Technical Report on the O'Brien Project, Northwestern Quebec, Canada" effective March 2, 2023, Radisson's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023 and other filings made with Canadian securities regulatory authorities available at www.sedar.com for further details and assumptions relating to the O'Brien Gold Project. For more information on Radisson, visit our website at www.radissonmining.com or contact: Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements including, but are not limited to, statements with respect to planned and ongoing drilling, the significance of drill results, the ability to continue drilling, the impact of drilling on the definition of any resource, the ability to incorporate new drilling in an updated technical report and resource modelling, the Company's ability to grow the O'Brien project and the ability to convert inferred mineral resources to indicated mineral resources. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", "management's view", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements Forward-looking information is based on estimates of management of the Company, at the time it was made, involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the companies to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the drill results at O'Brien; the significance of drill results; the ability of drill results to accurately predict mineralization; the ability of any material to be mined in a matter that is economic. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the parties cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. The Company believes that this forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. The Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/242848 SOURCE: Radisson Mining Resources Options Technology (Options), a global leader in capital markets infrastructure, has announced the expansion of its presence in Hong Kong with a new office at Queen's Road Central, in the heart of the city's financial district. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304723307/en/ Options Accelerates APAC Growth with New Hong Kong Office in Financial District (Photo: Business Wire) This expansion reflects Options' ongoing commitment to supporting clients and partners in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and reinforces its ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions tailored to the evolving needs of global financial markets. The new Hong Kong office provides closer proximity to market participants, strengthening Options' capacity to deliver innovative, real-time market solutions. It also coincides with the firm's recent acquisition of additional infrastructure within the Hong Kong Exchange colocation facility, including developing an ultra-low latency environment in response to increased client demand across Hong Kong and the wider APAC region. This growth follows a landmark year for Options, marked by the successful launch of its Atlas product suite, the deployment of the Tokyo Stock Exchange's arrowhead upgrade, and the opening of new offices in Sydney and Dubai, alongside a major expansion of its Torontolocation. Danny Moore, President and CEO at Options, commented: "Our expansion in Hong Kong is a testament to our deep commitment to providing localized, tailored support for our clients in the APAC region. Strengthening our presence here further empowers us to deliver world-class solutions while ensuring scalability, accessibility, and unmatched service for our clients, wherever they are. As demand continues to grow, this expansion underscores our position as a trusted leader in capital markets infrastructure, offering unparalleled expertise and innovation to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving financial landscape." Today's news comes as the latest in a series of major milestones at Options, including its achievement of SOC compliance for a 14th consecutive year, the deployment of Cboe Hanweck's European option analytics data feed, and the appointment of Michelle Kendell to VP and Managing Director of Hong Kong, strengthening the firm's leadership and commitment to growth in the APAC region. Options Technology: Options Technology (Options) is a financial technology company at the forefront of banking and trading infrastructure. We serve clients globally with offices in New York, London, Belfast, Cambridge, Chicago, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Paris, and Auckland. At Options, our services are woven into the hottest trends in global technology, including high-performance Networking, Cloud, Security, and AI (Artificial Intelligence). www.options-it.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304723307/en/ Contacts: For media inquiries, please contact Niall McAleer, niall.mcaleer@options-it.com BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- During MWC 2025 in Barcelona, China Unicom held a development workshop with the theme of 5G-A Empowering, AI Transforming, Digital Living. Jian Qin, General Manager (GM) of China Unicom and Yang Chaobin, Huawei Board Member and CEO of the ICT Business Group attended the press conference and delivered speeches. Several representatives from the industry, including GSMA, shared their ideas. The AI Unites All plan and its surrounding achievements were officially released at the conference, angled heavily on the integration of networks, services, and AI. According to Jian Qin in his speech, "China Unicom remains committed to technological innovation as our guiding principle, actively embracing the Al revolution, and contributing 'Unicom Intelligence' and 'Unicom Solutions' to global smart transformation. With forward-looking planning and sustained investment in Al, we prioritize integrated innovation across five pillars: computing infrastructure, network connectivity, data resources, model development, and application scenarios. Our goal is to lead and drive the convergence of Al technologies and industrial applications." Yang Chaobin mentioned in his speech that Huawei looks forward to working with China Unicom to support their AI Unites All strategy. "We will do this by facilitating a wide range of intelligent user applications with the latest AI technologies. This will allow China Unicom to create new AI service portals with a global impact and make intelligence more inclusive for all," he said. As a strategic partner of China Unicom, Huawei and China Unicom maintain close cooperation and work together on converged AI innovation to seize new business opportunities in the AI era. Both parties have built a cloud-based AI service platform for individual and home users, combining cloud, computing, networks, and devices for a unified AI service portal. For example, during the Asian Winter Games, China Unicom launched personalized and cloud-based AI phones with the AI assistant named Tone. The product uses mainstream foundation models and 5G-A networks to provide users with a consistent experience in all scenarios and secure and reliable AI services. Huawei and China Unicom have also been using AI to empower sectors like government, healthcare, and manufacturing, as well as cultural and creative industries, making network experience more secure, reliable, flexible, scalable, efficient, and collaborative. China Unicom has also been actively engaged in advancing synergy between AI and networks. For smart home services, China Unicom has been a leading player in whole-house fiber broadband. The carrier launched the industry's first HI-CON (Home Intelligent Collaborative Optical Network) communications system that features optical and Wi-Fi collaboration. This system is powered by an intelligent scheduling algorithm that greatly improves overall network experience for home users. At the conference, China Unicom launched its AI Unites All plan. Under the guidance of its Strategy for Convergence and Innovation, China Unicom will comprehensively advance the synergy of networks and AI to bring intelligent connection to all. It also looks to make AI accessible for use in a much wider range of technologies. By facilitating the integration of services and AI, China Unicom aims to enable various industries to go intelligent and benefit thousands of households. MWC Barcelona 2025 will be held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1. In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world. For more information, please visit: http://carrier-back.huawei.com/cn/events/mwc2025 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633161/Group_photo_AI_Unites_All_launch_ceremon.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/china-unicom-launches-ai-unites-all-plan-to-bridge-digital-divide-via-industry-intelligence-supported-by-huawei-302391402.html EQS Post-admission Duties announcement: Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd. / Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd.: Announcement on the Progress of Provision of Guarantees for Subsidiaries 04.03.2025 / 12:48 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Announcement on the Progress of Provision of Guarantees for Subsidiaries Qingdao / Shanghai / Frankfurt / Hongkong, 4 March 2025 - Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (the "Company" or "Haier Smart Home", D-share 690D.DE, A-share 600690.SH, H-share 06690.HK) today published an announcement in accordance with applicable trading rules of the Shanghai Stock Exchange and applicable PRC laws in relation to the Progress of Provision of Guarantees for Subsidiaries. The full announcement is available at: https://smart-home.haier.com/en/dggg/P020250304665412060831.pdf?appdesc=Announcement%20on%20the%20Progress%20of%20Provision%20of%20Guarantees%20for%20Subsidiaries IR Contact: Haier Smart Home Hong Kong T: +852 2169 0000 Email: ir@haier.hk Press Contact: CROSS ALLIANCE communication GmbH Sara Pinto pi@crossalliance.de T: +49 89 1250903 35 About Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd.: Haier is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household appliances with a focus on smart home solutions and customized production. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. develops, produces and distributes a wide range of household appliances. These include refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, water heaters, kitchen appliances as well as small household appliances and an extensive range of intelligent household appliances. The Company distributes its products through leading household brands such as Haier, Casarte, Leader, Candy, GE Appliances, AQUA and Fisher & Paykel. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. has launched Smart Home Experiential Cloud in the Chinese market, which connects homes, users, enterprises and ecosystem partners, and facilitates the integration of Haier's online, offline and micro-store businesses and supports user interaction to further optimize the user experience. 04.03.2025 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com Medable Inc., a leading provider of clinical development technology, announced that its eConsent and eCOA solutions have been approved for use in two clinical studies in eight countries outside of the European Union by France's Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertes (CNIL). This milestone makes Medable uniquely capable of operating as a data processor outside of the CNIL MR-001 Reference Methodology requirements for a France-based clinical trial sponsor. The achievement underscores Medable's commitment to expanding access and providing secure, compliant, and scalable digital solutions for global clinical research. Medable partnered closely with Servier one of the largest pharmaceutical sponsors in France over six months to obtain CNIL approval. The team compiled an extensive dossier with platform validation documents, provided demonstrations and videos addressing security questions, and remained flexible in updating workflows and training materials through multiple CNIL revisions. Cross-functional collaboration and persistence across both companies earned the hard-won approval, expanding the use of Medable's eConsent, eCOA, and other solutions. "This approval is a testament to the strength of our platform and industry collaborations," said Dr. Michelle Longmire, CEO and Co-Founder of Medable. "By combining regulatory expertise, compliance, innovation, and patient-centricity, we're reshaping the future of clinical trials." Medable has deployed its software-as-a-service platform in more than 300 decentralized and digital clinical trials in 70 countries, serving more than one million patients and research participants globally. Customers have achieved impressive results including 90% eCOA adherence and 50% cost reductions. A Tufts CSDD study also shows that, on average, decentralized trials can achieve net financial benefits from five to 13 times for Phase II and Phase III trials, equating to roughly $10 million ROI and $39 million ROI for an investment on average of $500K in Phase II and $1.5M in Phase III trials, respectively. Recently, the company launched Medable AI and Medable Studio to automatically convert outcomes assessments into fully digital eCOAs in seconds now accessible on Google Cloud Marketplace About Medable Medable is on a mission to get effective therapies to people faster. Its digital clinical trials platform enhances speed, scale, and patient access in clinical research, accelerating medicines for thousands of conditions without treatment or cure. Awarded Best Digital Health Solution by the Galien Foundation, Medable's platform has been deployed in nearly 400 trials in 70 countries and 120 languages, serving more than one million patients globally. Medable is a privately held, venture-backed company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and was listed for the second year in a row on the Inc. 5000 in 2024. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304139547/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Lisa Barbadora, Barbadora INK for Medable +1 (610) 420-3413 lbarbadora@barbadoraink.com media@medable.com Municipality Finance Plc Stock exchange release 4 March 2025 at 2:00 pm (EET) Municipality Finance Group's Annual Report for 2024 published Municipality Finance Group's Annual Report and Corporate Governance Statement for the year 2024 have been published in English and Finnish. MuniFin Group's Annual Report fulfills the reporting requirements of European Single Electronic Format (ESEF). In accordance with these requirements, Report of the Board of Directors and the Consolidated Financial Statements are published not only in the Annual Report file but additionally in a separate zip file in which Report of the Board and the Financial Statements are marked up with XBRL tags. These ESEF Financial Statements have been subject to an independent auditor's assurance. MuniFin Group has also published Pillar 3 Disclosure document in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and Directive 2013/36/EU. The document is available in English. The remuneration aspects of Pillar 3 reporting are also available separately in Finnish in MuniFin Group's Remuneration Report 2024. MuniFin Group has also published its Green Impact Report and Social Impact Report for 2024 in English. All of the above-mentioned reports are available on MuniFin's website at www.munifin.fi. MUNICIPALITY FINANCE PLC Further information: Esa Kallio President and CEO tel. +358 50 337 7953 MuniFin (Municipality Finance Plc) is one of Finland's largest credit institutions. The company is owned by Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the Republic of Finland. The Group's balance sheet totals over EUR 53 billion. MuniFin builds a better and more sustainable future with its customers. MuniFin's customers include municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties, corporate entities under their control, and non-profit organisations nominated by the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA). Lending is used for environmentally and socially responsible investment targets such as public transportation, sustainable buildings, hospitals and healthcare centres, schools and day care centres, and homes for people with special needs. MuniFin's customers are domestic, but the company operates in a completely global business environment. The company is an active Finnish bond issuer in international capital markets and the first Finnish green and social bond issuer. The funding is exclusively guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board. Read more: www.munifin.fi Important Information The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into any such country or jurisdiction or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, any securities or other financial instruments in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This communication does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Attachments Team delivers winning logical data management solution in support of improving life expectancy PALO ALTO, Calif., March 04, 2025, a leader in data management, announced that the winner of the latest Denodo University Challenge, Data for Social Change: Improve Life Expectancy , is the Data Shoe team from Dauphine University, in Paris, France, with members Dounia Bouloudene (captain), Nassim Fatmi, and Youcef Azouaoui (The page hyperlinked above includes a video, supplied by Data Shoe, that showcases the winning solution). Additionally, the Universidade da A Coruna, in Spain, was awarded a prize for contributing the most teams to this competition. The Denodo Academic Program prepares students through virtual, self-paced training modules, live workshops, and a free version of the Denodo Platform . The latest University Challenge, announced in September of last year, put teams of students through the paces as they raced to build the most effective solution for leveraging data and analytics to improve ESG practices and ultimately life expectancy. The Data for Social Change: Improve Life Expectancy challenge required students to integrate views of data sources, both supplied and student-identified, to correlate life expectancy with a variety of factors and draw conclusions. The challenge required students to analyze the data using reporting and/or visualization tools and build graphs and other representations to present their findings. The winning team, Data Shoe, demonstrated that improving healthcare access, reducing air pollution, and fostering political stability are critical to the improvement of life expectancy, and that advancing public policies in these areas can drive not only significant social progress, but also better quality of life, globally. To solve this Challenge, the Data Shoe team identified, accessed, and integrated publicly available data related to air pollution and political stability. The judges also determined that Data Shoe did an excellent job of explaining the metadata created in the Denodo Platform using the Denodo Design Studio and providing a clear narrative in their Microsoft Power BI report, along with easy-to-understand visuals. The team's conclusions were well supported by their analysis. Dounia spoke for the whole team when she said, "The Denodo University Challenge taught us how to think strategically about solving complex data integration problems by efficiently using the Denodo Platform, with the aim of retrieving relevant insights from raw data. Our biggest challenges were choosing the best way to optimize our approach and finding the most valuable data sources, but teamwork and perseverance allowed us to overcome them." "I was extremely proud of the level of professionalism that the Data Shoe team brought to this competition," said Alberto Pan, chief technology officer at Denodo. "Working together, they demonstrated the importance of good data, enhanced through a semantic layer, to answer questions about longevity in a clear, defensible way. The Denodo Platform's logical data management capabilities, such as support for low code/no code development, makes it easy for students and those without extensive data management experience to rapidly learn the platform and develop solutions. The Data Shoe team leveraged these capabilities to quickly build a robust, well-designed solution." The next Denodo University Challenge, focused on AI, is open for pre-registration starting today. Media Contacts pr@denodo.com About Denodo Denodo is a leader in data management. The award-winning Denodo Platform is the leading logical data management platform for delivering data in the language of business, at the speed of business, for all data-related initiatives across the organization. Realizing more than 400% ROI and millions of dollars in benefits, Denodo's customers across enterprises in 30+ industries all over the world have received payback in less than six months. For more information, visit denodo.com. Company to Roll Out Availability of IMKELDI (imatinib) for Patients with Certain Forms of Leukemia and Other Cancers Shorla Oncology ('Shorla'), a U.S.-Ireland specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced the launch of a dedicated sales force and market access teams and the commercial availability of IMKELDI, the first oral liquid form of imatinib to treat certain forms of leukemia and other cancers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304027981/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) "The launch of our sales force and market access teams is a pivotal moment for Shorla as we establish a direct presence in the U.S. oncology market where effective treatments continue to be important for many patients with cancer," said Sharon Cunningham, CEO of Shorla. Led by Shorla's National Sales Director, industry veteran Rob Rice, the company's new sales force, includes representatives from EVERSANA and Shorla. Supporting this expansion, Shorla has also built an internal market access team, spearheaded by oncology leader VP of Market Access, Jeremy Teasell, to ensure its treatments remain accessible and affordable for patients. "With the leadership of Rob and Jeremy and our strong field and account management teams, we are poised to bring IMKELDI to healthcare providers and patients who need a convenient formulation of Imatinib that allows for precise dosing," added Rayna Herman, CCO of Shorla. As part of its patient support efforts, Shorla has partnered with EVERSANA's specialty pharmacy to dispense IMKELDI free of charge to eligible uninsured patients through its Patient Assistance Program (PAP). IMKELDI, which received FDA approval in November 2024, is now available for order through specialty distribution partners in the U.S. IMKELDI's advanced liquid formulation of imatinib is designed to provide dosing accuracy and can help slow or prevent the growth of specific cancers, including chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome /myeloproliferative disease (MDS/MPD), and gastrointestinal tumors (GIST). "We're proud to support Shorla's next phase of growth," said Jim Lang, CEO, EVERSANA. "Our collaboration also ensures oncology professionals have the right resources to provide necessary treatment options to patients with cancer." In 2024, an estimated 9,280 people were diagnosed with CML1, over 10,000 with MDS/MPD2, and up to 6,000 with GIST3 in the U.S. Despite the proven clinical benefits of imatinib, patient adherence can be an issue,4,5 underscoring a critical unmet need for a more accessible, patient-friendly oral solution delivery system. About IMKELDI IMKELDI is an oral solution of imatinib mesylate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in certain forms of leukemia (such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia) and other cancers in adults and pediatric patients as young as one year old. Featuring a convenient, palatable strawberry flavor and a stable formulation that does not require refrigeration, IMKELDI offers a patient-friendly, precise treatment option designed to improve adherence and accessibility. About Shorla Oncology Shorla Oncology is a privately-held, U.S. and Ireland-based commercial stage specialty pharmaceutical company established by Sharon Cunningham and Orlaith Ryan. The company has an advanced pipeline of innovative oncology drugs for orphan and pediatric cancers. Shorla is focused on indications where existing treatments are limited, in shortage or the drug applications are inadequate for the target population. The company's growing portfolio brings accessible, affordable and life-saving treatments to patients, delivering a major contribution to patient care. Shorla currently markets two products, Nelarabine for the treatment of T-cell leukemia and JYLAMVO for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and other indications. For further information, please visit www.shorlaoncology.com. About EVERSANA EVERSANA is a leading independent provider of global services to the life sciences industry. The company's integrated solutions are rooted in the patient experience and span all stages of the product life cycle to deliver long-term, sustainable value for patients, prescribers, channel partners and payers. The company serves more than 650 organizations, including innovative start-ups and established pharmaceutical companies, to advance life sciences solutions for a healthier world. To learn more about EVERSANA, visit eversana.com or connect through LinkedIn and X. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION IMKELDI is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor indicated for the: Treatment of newly diagnosed adult and pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase. Treatment of patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in blast crisis (BC), accelerated phase (AP), or in chronic phase (CP) after failure of interferon-alpha therapy. Treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL). Treatment of pediatric patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) in combination with chemotherapy. Treatment of adult patients with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative diseases (MDS/MPD) associated with platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) gene re-arrangements. Treatment of adult patients with aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM) without the D816V c-Kit mutation or with c-Kit mutational status unknown. Treatment of adult patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) and/or chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL) who have the FIP1L1-PDGFRa fusion kinase (mutational analysis or fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH] demonstration of CHIC2 allele deletion) and for patients with HES and/or CEL who are FIP1L1-PDGFRa fusion kinase negative or unknown. Treatment of adult patients with unresectable, recurrent and/or metastatic dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP). Treatment of patients with Kit (CD117) positive unresectable and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Treatment of adjuvant treatment of adult patients following resection of Kit (CD117) positive GIST. CONTRAINDICATIONS None WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Fluid Retention and Edema: Imatinib can cause edema and occasionally serious fluid retention. Weigh and monitor patients regularly for signs and symptoms of fluid retention. Investigate unexpected rapid weight gain carefully and provide appropriate treatment. The probability of edema was increased with higher imatinib dose and age greater than 65 years in the CML studies. Severe superficial edema was reported in 1.5% of newly diagnosed CML patients taking imatinib, and in 2% to 6% of other adult CML patients taking imatinib. In addition, other severe fluid retention (e.g., pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, pulmonary edema, and ascites) reactions were reported in 1.3% of newly diagnosed CML patients taking imatinib, and in 2% to 6% of other adult CML patients taking imatinib. Severe fluid retention was reported in 9% to 13.1% of patients taking imatinib for GIST. In a randomized trial in patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in chronic phase comparing imatinib and nilotinib, severe (Grade 3 or 4) fluid retention occurred in 2.5% of patients receiving imatinib and in 3.9% of patients receiving nilotinib 300 mg twice daily. Effusions (including pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, ascites) or pulmonary edema were observed in 2.1% (none were Grade 3 or 4) of patients in the imatinib arm and 2.2% (0.7% Grade 3 or 4) of patients in the nilotinib 300 mg twice daily arm. Hematologic Toxicity: Treatment with imatinib can cause anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia. Perform complete blood counts weekly for the first month, biweekly for the second month, and periodically thereafter as clinically indicated (for example, every 2 to 3 months). In CML, the occurrence of these cytopenias is dependent on the stage of disease and is more frequent in patients with accelerated phase CML or blast crisis than in patients with chronic phase CML. In pediatric CML patients the most frequent toxicities observed were Grade 3 or 4 cytopenias, including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. These generally occur within the first several months of therapy. Congestive Heart Failure and Left Ventricular Dysfunction: Congestive heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction have been reported in patients taking imatinib. Cardiac adverse reactions were more frequent in patients with advanced age or co-morbidities, including previous medical history of cardiac disease. In an international randomized Phase 3 study in 1106 patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in chronic phase, severe cardiac failure and left ventricular dysfunction were observed in 0.7% of patients taking imatinib compared to 0.9% of patients taking IFN Ara-C. In another randomized trial with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML patients in chronic phase that compared imatinib and nilotinib, cardiac failure was observed in 1.1% of patients in the imatinib arm and 2.2% of patients in the nilotinib 300 mg twice daily arm and severe (Grade 3 or 4) cardiac failure occurred in 0.7% of patients in each group. Carefully monitor patients with cardiac disease or risk factors for cardiac or history of renal failure. Evaluate and treat any patient with signs or symptoms consistent with cardiac or renal failure. Hepatotoxicity: Hepatotoxicity, occasionally severe, may occur with IMKELDI. Cases of fatal liver failure and severe liver injury requiring liver transplants have been reported with both short-term and long-term use of imatinib. Monitor liver function (transaminases, bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase) before initiation of treatment and monthly, or as clinically indicated. Manage laboratory abnormalities with IMKELDI interruption and/or dose reduction. When imatinib is combined with chemotherapy, liver toxicity in the form of transaminase elevation and hyperbilirubinemia has been observed. Additionally, there have been reports of acute liver failure. Monitoring of hepatic function is recommended. Hemorrhage: In a trial of imatinib versus IFN+Ara-C in patients with the newly diagnosed CML, 1.8% of patients had Grade 3/4 hemorrhage. In the Phase 3 unresectable or metastatic GIST studies, 211 patients (12.9%) reported Grade 3/4 hemorrhage at any site. In the Phase 2 unresectable or metastatic GIST study, 7 patients (5%) had a total of 8 CTC Grade 3/4 hemorrhages; gastrointestinal (GI) (3 patients), intra-tumoral (3 patients) or both (1 patient). Gastrointestinal tumor sites may have been the source of GI hemorrhages. In a randomized trial in patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in chronic phase comparing imatinib and nilotinib, GI hemorrhage occurred in 1.4% of patients in the imatinib arm, and in 2.9% ofpatients in the nilotinib 300 mg twice daily arm. None of these events were Grade 3 or 4 in the imatinib arm; 0.7% were Grade 3 or 4 in the nilotinib 300 mg twice daily arm. In addition, gastric antral vascular ectasia has been reported in postmarketing experience. Gastrointestinal Disorders: Imatinib can cause GI irritation. IMKELDI should be taken with food and a large glass of water to minimize this problem. There have been rare reports, including fatalities, of GI perforation. Hypereosinophilic Cardiac Toxicity: In patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome with occult infiltration of HES cells within the myocardium, cases of cardiogenic shock/left ventricular dysfunction have been associated with HES cell degranulation upon the initiation of IMKELDI therapy. The condition was reported to be reversible with the administration of systemic steroids, circulatory support measures and temporarily withholding IMKELDI. Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease and systemic mastocytosis may be associated with high eosinophil levels. Consider performing an echocardiogram and determining serum troponin in patients with HES/CEL, and in patients with MDS/MPD or ASM associated with high eosinophil levels. If either is abnormal, consider prophylactic use of systemic steroids (1-2 mg/kg) for one to two weeks concomitantly with IMKELDI at the initiation of therapy. Dermatologic Toxicities: Bullous dermatologic reactions, including erythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson syndrome, have been reported with use of imatinib. In some cases of bullous dermatologic reactions, including erythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson syndrome reported during post-marketing surveillance, a recurrent dermatologic reaction was observed upon rechallenge. Several foreign post-marketing reports have described cases in which patients tolerated the reintroduction of imatinib therapy after resolution or improvement of the bullous reaction. In these instances, imatinib was resumed at a dose lower than that at which the reaction occurred and some patients also received concomitant treatment with corticosteroids or antihistamines. Hypothyroidism: Clinical cases of hypothyroidism have been reported in thyroidectomy patients undergoing levothyroxine replacement during treatment with imatinib. Monitor TSH levels in such patients. Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: IMKELDI can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Imatinib mesylate was teratogenic in rats when administered during organogenesis at doses approximately equal to the maximum human dose of 800 mg/day based on body surface area (BSA). Significant post-implantation loss was seen in female rats administered imatinib mesylate at doses approximately one-half the maximum human dose of 800 mg/day based on BSA. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception (methods that result in less than 1% pregnancy rates) when using IMKELDI and for 14 days after stopping IMKELDI. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Growth Retardation in Children and Adolescents: Growth retardation has been reported in children and pre-adolescents receiving imatinib. The long-term effects of prolonged treatment with IMKELDI on growth in children are unknown. Therefore, monitor growth in children under IMKELDI treatment. Tumor Lysis Syndrome: Cases of Tumor Lysis Syndrome (TLS), including fatal cases, have been reported in patients with CML, GIST, ALL, and eosinophilic leukemia receiving imatinib. The patients at risk of TLS are those with tumors having a high proliferative rate or high tumor burden prior to treatment. Monitor these patients closely and take appropriate precautions. Due to possible occurrence of TLS, correct clinically significant dehydration and treat high uric acid levels prior to initiation of IMKELDI. Impairments Related to Driving and Using Machinery: Motor vehicle accidents have been reported in patients receiving imatinib. Advise patients that they may experience side effects, such as dizziness, blurred vision, or somnolence during treatment with IMKELDI. Recommend caution when driving a car or operating machinery. Renal Toxicity: A decline in renal function may occur in patients receiving IMKELDI. Median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values in patients on imatinib 400 mg daily for newly-diagnosed CML (four randomized trials) and malignant GIST (one single-arm trial) declined from a baseline value of 85 mL/min/1.73 m2 (N 1190) to 75 mL/min/1.73 m2 at 12 months (N 1082) and 69 mL/min/1.73 m2 at 60 months (N 549). Evaluate renal function prior to initiating IMKELDI and monitor during therapy, with attention to risk factors for renal dysfunction, such as preexisting renal impairment, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. Measuring Device: Advise patients to measure IMKELDI with an accurate milliliter measuring device. Inform patients that a household teaspoon is not an accurate measuring device and could lead to overdosage, which can result in serious adverse reactions. Advise patients to ask their pharmacist to recommend an appropriate press-in bottle adapter and oral dispensing syringe and for instructions for measuring the correct dose. ADVERSE REACTIONS The most frequently reported drug-related adverse reactions were edema, nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, musculoskeletal pain, diarrhea and rash. Edema was most frequently periorbital or in lower limbs and was managed with diuretics, other supportive measures, or by reducing the dose of imatinib. The frequency of severe superficial edema was 1.5%-6%. A variety of adverse reactions represent local or general fluid retention, including pleural effusion, ascites, pulmonary edema, and rapid weight gain with or without superficial edema. These reactions appear to be dose related, were more common in the blast crisis and accelerated phase studies (where the dose was 600 mg/day) and are more common in the elderly. These reactions were usually managed by interrupting imatinib treatment and using diuretics or other appropriate supportive care measures. These reactions may be serious or life threatening. DRUG INTERACTIONS Agents Inducing CYP3A Metabolism: Consider alternative therapeutic agents with less enzyme induction potential in patients when rifampin or other strong CYP3A4 inducers are indicated for concomitant use with IMKELDI. The dosage of IMKELDI should be increased if concomitant use with a strong CYP3A4 inducer is required. Imatinib is a CYP3A substrate. Concomitant use with a strong CYP3A inducer decreases imatinib exposure, which may reduce imatinib efficacy. Agents Inhibiting CYP3A Metabolism: Caution is recommended when administering IMKELDI with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. Grapefruit juice should be avoided. Imatinib is a CYP3A substrate. Concomitant use with a strong CYP3A inhibitor increases imatinib exposure, which may increase the risk of IMKELDI adverse reactions. Interactions With Drugs Metabolized by CYP3A4: Use caution when administering IMKELDI with CYP3A4 substrates where minimal concentration changes may lead to serious adverse reactions. Because warfarin is metabolized by both CYP2C9 and CYP3A4, consider use of other anti-coagulants instead of warfarin in patients receiving IMKELDI who require anticoagulation. Imatinib is a CYP3A inhibitor. Imatinib increases exposure of CYP3A substrates, which may increase the risk of adverse reactions related to these substrates. Interactions With Drugs Metabolized by CYP2D6: Use caution when administering IMKELDI with CYP2D6 substrates where minimal concentration changes may lead to serious adverse reactions. Imatinib is a CYP2D6 inhibitor. Imatinib increases exposure of CYP2D6 substrates, which may increase the risk of adverse reactions related to these substrates. USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS Pregnancy: IMKELDI can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman based on human and animal data. There are no clinical studies regarding use of IMKELDI in pregnant women. There have been postmarket reports of spontaneous abortions and congenital anomalies from women who have been exposed to imatinib during pregnancy. Reproductive studies in rats have demonstrated that imatinib mesylate induced teratogenicity and increased incidence of congenital abnormalities following prenatal exposure to imatinib mesylate at doses equal to the highest recommended human dose of 800 mg/day based on BSA. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is not known; however, in the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects of clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and of miscarriage is 15% to 20%. Lactation: Imatinib and its active metabolite are excreted into human milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed children from IMKELDI, advise a lactating woman not to breastfeed during treatment and for 1 month after the last dose. Based on data from 3 breastfeeding women taking imatinib, the milk:plasma ratio is about 0.5 for imatinib and about 0.9 for the active metabolite. Considering the combined concentration of imatinib and active metabolite, a breastfed child could receive up to 10% of the maternal therapeutic dose based on body weight. Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Based on human postmarketing reports and animal studies, IMKELDI can cause fetal harm. Pregnancy Testing: Verify pregnancy status in females with reproductive potential prior to the initiation of treatment with IMKELDI. Contraception: Advise female patients of reproductive potential to use effective contraception (methods that result in less than 1% pregnancy rates) when using IMKELDI during treatment and for fourteen days after stopping treatment with IMKELDI. Infertility: The risk of infertility in females or males of reproductive potential has not been studied in humans. In a rat study, the fertility in males and females was not affected. Pediatric Use: The safety and effectiveness of IMKELDI have been established in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ chronic phase CML and Ph+ ALL. There are no data in pediatric patients under 1 year of age. The safety and efficacy of IMKELDI have not been established in pediatric patients for all other indications. Geriatric Use: In the CML clinical studies, approximately 20% of patients were older than 65 years. In the study of patients with newly diagnosed CML, 6% of patients were older than 65 years. The frequency of edema was higher in patients older than 65 years as compared to younger patients; no other difference in the safety profile was observed. The efficacy of imatinib was similar in older and younger patients. In the unresectable or metastatic GIST study, 16% of patients were older than 65 years. No obvious differences in the safety or efficacy profile were noted in patients older than 65 years as compared to younger patients, but the small number of patients does not allow a formal analysis. In the adjuvant GIST study, 221 patients (31%) were older than 65 years. No difference was observed in the safety profile in patients older than 65 years as compared to younger patients, with the exception of a higher frequency of edema. The efficacy of imatinib was similar in patients older than 65 years and younger patients. Hepatic Impairment: Reduce the dose by 25% for patients with severe hepatic impairment. Patients with mild hepatic impairment (total bilirubin upper limit of normal [ULN] and aspartate aminotransferase [AST] >ULN, or total bilirubin ?1 to 1.5 times ULN and any value for AST) and moderate hepatic impairment (total bilirubin 1.5 to 3 times ULN and any value for AST) do not require a dose adjustment. The effect of hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of both imatinib and its major metabolite, CGP74588, was assessed in 84 patients with cancer with varying degrees of hepatic impairment at imatinib doses ranging from 100 mg to 800 mg. Mild hepatic impairment (total bilirubin ULN and aspartate aminotransferase [AST] ULN, or total bilirubin ?1 to 1.5 times ULN and any value for AST) and moderate hepatic impairment (total bilirubin ?1.5 to 3 times ULN and any value for AST) do not influence exposure to imatinib and CGP74588. In patients with severe hepatic impairment, (total bilirubin 3 to 10 times ULN and any value for AST), the imatinib Cmax and area under curve (AUC) increased by 63% and 45% and the CGP74588 Cmax and AUC increased by 56% and 55%, relative to patients with normal hepatic function. Renal Impairment: Dose reductions are necessary for patients with moderate and severe renal impairment. The effect of renal impairment on the pharmacokinetics of imatinib was assessed in 59 patients with cancer and varying degrees of renal impairment at single and steady state imatinib doses ranging from 100 to 800 mg/day. The mean exposure to imatinib (dose normalized AUC) in patients with mild (CLcr 40-59 mL/min) and moderate renal impairment (CLcr 20-39 mL/min) increased 1.5- to 2-fold compared to patients with normal renal function. There are not sufficient data in patients with severe renal impairment (CLcr less than 20 mL/min). To report suspected adverse reactions, contact Shorla Oncology at 844-9-SHORLA (844-974-6752) or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. Please click here for full Prescribing Information. 1. Key Statistics for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. American Cancer Society. Updated January 31, 2024. Accessed November 7, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/chronic-myeloid-leukemia/about/statistics.html 2. Key Statistics for Myelodysplastic Syndromes. American Cancer Society. Updated January 31, 2018. Accessed November 7, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/myelodysplastic-syndrome/about/key-statistics.html 3. Key Statistics for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors American Cancer Society. Updated January 31, 2021. Accessed November 7, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/gastrointestinal-stromal-tumor/about/key-statistics.html 4. Yanamandra U, Malhotra P, Sahu KK, et al. Variation in Adherence Measures to Imatinib Therapy. J Glob Oncol. 2018;4:1-10. doi:10.1200/JGO.2016.007906 5. Al-Barrak J, Cheung WY. Adherence to imatinib therapy in gastrointestinal stromal tumors and chronic myeloid leukemia. Support Care Cancer. 2013;21(8):2351-2357. doi:10.1007/s00520-013-1831-6 SHORLA ONCOLOGY 2025. All Rights Reserved. PRO-IMK-1352-v1 02/25 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304027981/en/ Contacts: Media For Shorla Oncology Dawn Fallon New Dawn Communications LLC dfallon@newdawncomms.com Cell: 732-771-7808 For EVERSANA Matt Braun EVERSANA matt.braun@eversana.com Cell: 414-975-8831 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Nuvau Minerals Inc. (TSXV: NMC) (the "Company" or "Nuvau"), is pleased to share a highlight from its fall 2023 sonic drilling program at the Matagami Mining Camp that has delineated an exciting new gold target on the Company's large-scale property. Hole PD-23-030s delivered a gold grain anomaly with more than 2,000 gold grains per 10 kg of material, supported by a near-contiguous sample with 295 gold grains "This anomaly is of prime significance as potential evidence of an eroded gold occurrence, likely located within a kilometre north-east of the hole collar," said Peter van Alphen, President and CEO. "The Matagami camp has a long history of base metal mining, and yet the property's location in the Abitibi also makes it a prime location for gold mineralisation. At over 2,000 grains of gold per 10kg of material, this is an anomaly of regional significance, likely higher than any previous results known in the Abitibi. The Borden Gold Mine in Chapleau was discovered through the same means of mapping overburden till anomalies, and the highest concentration seen in that case was only about 800 grains per 10kg." About the 2023 Sonic Drill Program at the Matagami Property Following a successful proof-of-concept survey conducted in spring 2023, a first phase of a property scale overburden drilling program was conducted on the Matagami property, approximately 30 kilometres to the west of the Matagami Mill complex, in late 2023. The sonic drill program consisted of 24 holes totaling 726 metres of core and was conducted to evaluate the potential dispersion of gold and base metal minerals in glacial sediments buried underneath the Ojibway clay belt. Part of the survey was aimed at confirming a gold-in-till anomaly first detected by Newmont Mining in 1987. The Matagami Property is located in a part of the northern Abitibi greenstone belt that is host to numerous gold and base metal mines, however, very little effort was previously focused on the gold potential of this large property. Canada's largest producing gold mine, Agnico's Detour Mine, is located on-trend to the west (see figure 2). The Casa Berardi Mine is located to the southwest of the Matagami Property and was discovered through a combination of geological exploration techniques, including prospecting based on regional geological mapping, airborne geophysical surveys, and subsequent ground-based exploration including soil and till sampling. A total of 151 samples of glacial sediments were collected and submitted for gold grains and indicator mineral counting with the use of automated ARTGold technology by IOS Geosciences from Saguenay, QC, plus multi-element chemical analysis of the fine fraction (-170 um) of the sediments. A total of 9 samples are deemed anomalous, with gold grain counts in excess of 30 grains per 10kg of material. Hole PD-23-030s - Of these, one sample from hole PD-23-030s produced a notable gold grain anomaly. The anomaly was detected at depth between 29.26 to 29.87 metres in the overburden (sample 155320186), and featured more than 2,000 gold grains per 10 kg of material. In addition, a near-contiguous sample with 295 gold grains per 10 kg of material between 31.12 to 32.00 metres (sample 155320187) was also encountered. The interval between these two samples consisted of a large locally derived boulder. The bulk of these gold grains bear very delicate (pristine) form, with enshrined silicate minerals, suggestive of minimal glacial transport. No chemical anomalies and no abnormal abundance of indicator minerals were detected. Pebbles in these samples consist uniquely of andesitic basalts, along with a significant proportion of quartz veins fragments. This suggests the presence of an auriferous quartz vein system invading the meta-andesite, believed to possibly be within a kilometre to the north-east of the collar. This anomaly is located approximately 5 metres above the bedrock, meaning it has been displaced by glacial movement. Since no previous drilling or outcrop is available in the north-east up-ice direction, displacement cannot be accurately estimated. Additional analysis is still required to understand the follow-up action required, however; a second-order structure highlighted by a VTEM geophysical anomaly beside a high-gravity distinct anomaly is present 2 kilometres in this direction, which is tentatively suggested as potential source and is currently considered as a priority diamond drill target. Figure 1: Nuvau's Matagami property, General Location To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11236/243224_nuvauimg1.jpg Figure 2: Matagami Property Location relative to the gold producers of the region. Results from adjacent property(ies) are not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on Nuvau's property. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11236/243224_a80e63aa64427b4c_004full.jpg Figure 3: Location of hole PD-23-030s with airborne gravity map (color) and VTEM pick (black dots) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11236/243224_a80e63aa64427b4c_005full.jpg Figure 4: Mosaic of backscattered electron images of gold grain. Notice the delicate textures and silicate attachments. LEFT: Image of 230 gold grains found in sample 155320186, hole PD-23-030s, RIGHT: Image of 112 gold grains found in adjacent sample 155320187. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11236/243224_nuvauimg4.jpg Figure 5: (Left) Pebble composition of sample 155320186 showing 2,000 grains of gold per 10kg, and (right) section of Hole PD-23-030s indicating samples 155320186 and 155320187 (shown as 20186 and 20187 for brevity). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11236/243224_a80e63aa64427b4c_012full.jpg About Nuvau Minerals Inc. Nuvau is a Canadian mining company focused on the Abitibi Region of mine-friendly Quebec. Nuvau's principal asset is the Matagami Property that is host to significant existing processing infrastructure and multiple mineral deposits and is being acquired from Glencore. Qualified Person and Quality Assurance Gilles Roy, P. Geo. (Qc), Director of Exploration of Nuvau and a "qualified person" as is defined by National Instrument 43-101, has verified the scientific and technical data disclosed in this news release, and has otherwise reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. Core has been quicklogged on drilling site and shipped by truck to IOS facilities in Saguenay for detailed logging and sampling by a qualitifed quartenary geologist. Hole core from selected intervals has been bagged and queued for processing in the same facility, where samples were sifted and gold grain concentrated with a proprietary fluidized bed. Concentrates were then dry sifted at 50 m, the +50 m being examined under optical microscope while -50 m being scanned by automated electron microscope. Every suspected gold grain has been analysed by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometer (EDS) and high magnification back-scattered images have been acquired in order to classify morphology. Quality control is ensured via various mass balance calculations and EDS analysis of all grains of interest, prior to results being cross-examined by experienced geologists. In the course of sifting, an aliquot of the sample has been saved and shipped for analysis to Activation Laboratories in Ancaster, Ontario, for ICP-MS-QQQ ultra-trace analyses after aqua-regia digestion. Quality control has been conducted by a certified chemist and includes approximately 15% blanks, certified reference materials and internal reference materials. Cautionary Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends" "expects" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning drill results relating to the Matagami Property, the results of the PEA, the potential of the Matagami Property, the timing and commencement of any production, the restart of the Bracemac-McLeod Mine, the completion of the earn-in of the Matagami Property and the timing and completion of any technical studies, feasibility studies or economic analyses. Forward-Looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including expectations and assumptions concerning the Company and the Matagami Property. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as such information, although considered reasonable by the management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statement. Except as expressly required by securities law, neither the Company nor Nuvau undertakes any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243224 SOURCE: Nuvau Minerals Inc. KANAZAWA, Japan, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, observe the configuration of different dipeptides on graphite electrodes and the subsequent arrangement of catalytic hemin on them to get an idea of the factors affecting its catalytic activity. Self-assembled peptides have shown great promise for immobilizing and exploiting enzymes in catalytic applications. However, so far little has been known as to the structures of these self-assembled peptides and how this might affect the function of the enzyme immobilized. Now researchers led by Ayhan Yurtsever and Takeshi Fukuma at Kanazawa University, WPI-NanoLSI and Marie Sugiyama and Yuhei Hayamizu at Institute of Science Tokyo have compared the morphology and activity of hemin adsorbed on different dipeptide nanostructures using atomic force microscopy (AFM), cyclic voltammetry and H2O2 reduction reactions to see which offers the best performance and why (Figure 1). The researchers used frequency modulated atomic force microscopy to study the structures that self-assembled from droplets of (XH)4 peptide solution on a graphite electrode, where H is histidine and X is an amino acid - either Y, L or V. Their observations indicated that dipeptides self-assemble into repeating nanostructures resembling 2D crystals, with (YH)4 exhibiting the most ordered and stable configuration (Figure 2). They then replaced the droplet of peptide solution with a droplet of hemin solution and used AFM to observe the configuration of the hemin as it bound to the peptide structure. They found the hemin aggregated on the dipeptide structures, and further observations with high-speed AFM revealed that the hemin formed wires as well as aggregates, and that while the wires were stationary the aggregates seemed to hop along and between rows of the dipeptide (Figure 3). The researchers used cyclic voltammetry to measure how densely hemin bound to the dipeptide structures and found that it bound most densely to (YH)4. They attribute this to the tyrosine in (YH)4, which interacts with porphyrin through p-p interactions. However, adding just porphyrin to the dipeptide bound hemin structures had little effect, from which they deduced that "the Fe atom in hemin is critical for its interaction with peptides, and that the binding is not solely driven by p-p stacking interactions," as they report in ACS Nano. While the density of hemin binding to (LH)4 was close to that for (VH)4, they found it bound slightly more densely to (VH)4, which they attribute to the greater hydrophobicity. On applying a reduction current to the electrodes, the iron in hemin is reduced to the ferrous (+2) oxidation state. It can then reduce H2O2, thereby recovering its ferric oxidation state. Comparisons of how quickly the hemin bound structures reduce H2O2 revealed that hemin bound to (YH)4 had the highest catalytic activity, although this is unlikely due to the greater density of hemin at this surface since the densities for all three dipeptides were all within the same order of magnitude. Instead, the researchers suggest the greater reducing power of hemin bound to (YH)4 is on account of the more stable scaffold offered by that dipeptide (Figure 4). "This research highlights the potential of simple peptide designs to create artificial enzymes with robust and durable catalytic interfaces for electrochemical applications," conclude the researchers in their report. "Furthermore, the peptides' ability to self-assemble on two-dimensional materials makes them promising candidates for biosensing applications." Glossary Atomic force microscopy This imaging technique uses a nanosized tip at the end of a cantilever that is scanned over a sample. It can be used to determine the topography of a sample surface from the change in the strength of forces between the tip and the sample with distance, and the resulting deflection of the cantilever. It was first developed in the 1980s but a number of modifications have augmented the functionality of the technique since. It is better suited to imaging biological samples than the scanning tunnelling microscope developed that had been developed because it does not require a conducting sample. In the 2000s Toshio Ando at Kanazawa University was able to improve the scanning speed to such an extent that moving images could be captured. This allowed people to use the technique to visualize molecular processes for the first time. Catalysts Catalysts influence the rate of a reaction without actually being used up in the reaction themselves. They can speed up the rate of all kinds of reactions, including the redox chemistry in the reduction of H2O2, and are prized in industry for improving yield and the profitability of processes. Redox chemistry describes a host of reactions that involve the gaining (reduction) and losing (oxidation) of electrons by ions in the reaction. It sometimes manifests as the gaining of hydrogen (reduction) or oxygen (oxidation). The generation of water and oxygen from H2O2 is an example of a redox reaction where H2O2 is reduced to H2O and O2. Porphyrin Porphyrin is an organic compound made up of a ring of four substituted "pyrrole" ring molecules strung together with methine bridges (=CH-). Pyrrole is a cyclic molecule with the formula C4H4NH but in porphyrin other groups may be substituted in. An important porphyrin for living organisms is heme, which carries oxygen in the blood. Chlorophyl is also a porphyrin derivative Hemin Hemin is an iron-containing porphyrin found in the blood. It is the catalytic centre for many different proteins including cytochromes, peroxidases, myoglobins and hemoglobin. The iron in hemin is ferric, that is, it is in the +3 oxidation state (Fe3+). p-p interactions In aromatic molecules atoms are bound in the ring by p bonds, a type of covalent bond that takes its name from the shape of the electron orbital which forms lobes on either side of the atoms. p-p stacking describes the non-covalent interactions when these rings stack on each other. Reference Marie Sugiyama, Ayhan Yurtsever, Nina Uenodan, Yuta Nabae, Takeshi Fukuma, and Yuhei Hayamizu Hierarchical Assembly of Hemin-Peptide Catalytic Systems on Graphite Surfaces ACS NANO 2025. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c15373 URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsnano.4c15373 Funding acknowledgements Y.H. acknowledges support from the Precise Measurement Technology Promotion Foundation (PMTP-F), JSPS KAKENHI Grants 20H02564, 20H03593, 22H05408 and 24H01124, and JST CREST Grant Number JPMJCR24A4, Japan. T.F. acknowledges support from the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), MEXT, Japan, and JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 21H05251. Fig: https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/Eye-catching-image_ACS-Nano_2025.2.jpg CaptionPeptide self-assembly and subsequent hemin adsorption on graphite substrate. (A) High-resolution AFM image showing the molecular arrangement of (YH)4 peptides, forming 2D crystalline lattices on graphite in water. (B) Initial stage of hemin binding on self-assembled (YH)4 peptide nanostructures, revealing the formation of relatively unstable molecular rows along peptide lattices. (C) At later stages of adsorption, the hemin molecules form more stable and densely packed rows that ultimately cover the underlying peptide lattices completely. https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/Figure-1_ACS-Nano_2025.2.jpg Fig. 1 A schematic illustration depicting the catalytic reaction mechanism of the system. https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/Figure-2_ACS-Nano_2025.2.jpg Fig. 2: In situ FM-AFM images showing the unit cells of each peptide assemblies on graphite. https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/Figure-3_ACS-Nano_2025.2.jpg Fig 3: In situ AFM image showing the immobilization of hemin on self-assembled (YH)4 peptides, revealing the formation of hemin molecular rows along peptide lattices. https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/Figure-4_ACS-Nano_2025.2.jpg Fig. 4: Current density at -0.8 V as a function of H2O2 concentration for each peptide, with fitting curves shown as red solid lines. Imax represent the maximal current density. Copyright for all figures 2025 American Chemical Society Contact Kimie Nishimura (Ms) Project Planning and Outreach, NanoLSI Administration Office Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University Email: nanolsi-office@adm.kanazawa-u.ac.jp Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan About Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University Understanding nanoscale mechanisms of life phenomena by exploring "uncharted nano-realms". Cells are the basic units of almost all life forms. We are developing nanoprobe technologies that allow direct imaging, analysis, and manipulation of the behavior and dynamics of important macromolecules in living organisms, such as proteins and nucleic acids, at the surface and interior of cells. We aim at acquiring a fundamental understanding of the various life phenomena at the nanoscale. https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/ About the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI) The WPI program was launched in 2007 by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to foster globally visible research centers boasting the highest standards and outstanding research environments. Numbering more than a dozen and operating at institutions throughout the country, these centers are given a high degree of autonomy, allowing them to engage in innovative modes of management and research. The program is administered by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). See the latest research news from the centers at the WPI News Portal: https://www.eurekalert.org/newsportal/WPI Main WPI program site: www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-toplevel About Kanazawa University As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities. The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa - a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas. http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/ View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kanazawa-university-research-frequency-modulated-afm-sheds-light-on-how-dipeptides-help-organize-immobilize-and-catalyze-302391450.html Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW), a leader in space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, announced today that it has been awarded a study contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to conceptualize a spacecraft platform that could be delivered to Mars as a part of ESA LightShip initiative. Redwire's wholly-owned Belgian subsidiary, Redwire Space NV, has been awarded one of four independent parallel industry studies to define the parameters for this interplanetary spacecraft. The consortium seeks to evaluate viable smallsat platform solutions for future missions to Mars, which shall be carried as passengers on-board LightShip -an electric propulsive tug that can carry passenger spacecraft to the Red Planet and also offers navigation and comms services. Redwire's solution is built around an adapted version of its highly versatile small satellite platform, Hammerhead, and its proven avionics capabilities, which launched most recently on ESA's Hera mission. "We are very happy that ESA has trusted us again to lead a consortium. This project will help us unlock new possibilities for small, cost-effective Mars platforms, pushing the boundaries of smallsat innovation while maintaining a clear focus on advancing humanity's presence beyond Earth. Together, we are setting the stage for the next generation of space exploration," said Erik Masure, President of Redwire Space Europe. Redwire's European facility in Belgium has more than 40 years of spaceflight heritage developing spacecraft platforms and success delivering innovative technology for game-changing ESA programs. Redwire was the prime contractor for ESA's PROBA-1, PROBA-2, and PROBA-V missions, which have a combined flight time of 50 years without failure. Leveraging its legacy of innovation and excellence, Redwire continues to support other ESA programs, including Skimsat, a technology demonstrator for a small satellite platform designed to operate in very low Earth orbit; the International Berthing and Docking Mechanism for the lunar Gateway; the Hera mission to study the Didymos binary asteroid system; and the Proba-3 mission, the first precision formation flying mission that will investigate the sun corona. About Redwire Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) is a global space infrastructure and innovation company enabling civil, commercial, and national security programs. Redwire's proven and reliable capabilities include avionics, sensors, power solutions, critical structures, mechanisms, radio frequency systems, platforms, missions, and microgravity payloads. Redwire combines decades of flight heritage and proven experience with an agile and innovative culture. Redwire's approximately 750 employees working from 17 facilities located throughout the United States and Europe are committed to building a bold future in space for humanity, pushing the envelope of discovery and science while creating a better world on Earth. For more information, please visit redwirespace.com. Disclaimer: The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Space Agency. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304133594/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Tere Riley Tere.Riley@redwirespace.com +1 321-831-0134 Marta Lebron Marta.Lebron@redwirespace.eu +32 3 250 14 50 OR Investors: investorrelations@redwirespace.com +1 904-425-1431 ARway.ai ("ARway" or the "Company") (CSE:ARWY)(OTCQB:ARWYF)(FSE:E65), a leading innovator in augmented reality navigation (AR) and AI-powered event solutions, has Secured a New Customer win with MidSouth Media Group which was founded 26 years ago and is now managing seven events in 2025. Map Dynamics was established in 2010 and is the software behind over 800+ events annually. MapD , a wholly owned subsidiary of ARway.ai is proud to announce a new customer win with MidSouth Media Group, a pioneering force in Southern trade shows and community-driven events. MapD will enhance the MidSouth Market Show Events, creating seamless, interactive experiences for both vendors and attendees. For over two decades, MidSouth Media Group has been a beacon of innovation and tradition, connecting small businesses with thousands of shoppers across the South. Their annual Market Show Events draw between 7,000 and 15,000 attendees, showcasing an array of artisanal foods, bespoke home decor, and unique Southern gifts. This collaboration further strengthens MapD's position as a leader in AI-powered event solutions, empowering organizations to bridge the gap between physical and digital event experiences. For more information on MapD and how it is revolutionizing event navigation, visit MapDynamics About ARway ARway is a pioneering platform specializing in augmented reality (AR) and AI-driven solutions for event management, venue navigation, and attendee engagement. As a spinoff of Nextech3D.ai, ARway leverages cutting-edge technology to revolutionize the way events are managed and experienced, delivering seamless, interactive, and personalized solutions for attendees and organizers alike. About MapD MapD is an intuitive, self-serve event management platform offering a comprehensive suite of tools designed to streamline event planning and execution. With its easy-to-use interface, MapD enables clients to manage floor space sales, exhibitor services, speaker schedules, and attendee communications all in real time. By automating event logistics, simplifying the sales process, and providing opportunities for new revenue streams, MapD empowers event organizers to focus on delivering exceptional experiences. Additionally, MapD's future updates include a native mobile app that will incorporate AR wayfinding features for in-person events or serve as a virtual venue for remote events. For more information, please visit www.ARway.ai . For media inquiries: Contact: To learn more about Map D, please follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, or visit our website: https://mapdevents.com/ Sign up for Investor News - HERE To learn more about ARway, please follow on Social Media: Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, and visit our website: www.arway.ai Nextech 3D.ai On October 26, 2022, ARway.ai. was spun-out from its parent Company, Nextech3D.ai (OTCQX:NEXCF)(CSE:NTAR)(FSE:1SS). Nextech retained a control ownership in ARway.ai. with 13 million shares, or a 50% stake. Nextech3D.ai is a Generative AI powered 3D modeling Company and leading provider of augmented reality ("AR") experience technologies and 3D model services. Nextech's AI-powered 3D modeling platform, "ARitize3D" has contracts with; AMZN, KSS, CB2, Genuine Parts & many others. To learn more about Nextech3D.ai, visit www.nextechar.com For further information, please contact: Investor Relations Contact investor.relations@arway.ai ARway.ai Evan Gappelberg CEO and Director 866-ARITIZE (274-8493) Forward-looking Statements The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "will be" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the completion of the transaction are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. ARway.ai will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: ARway Corporation Sidney Resources Corporation: A Vision of Innovation, Strategy, and Market Transformation WARREN, ID / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Sidney Resources Corp. "The stock market is designed to transfer money from the Active to the Patient." - Warren Buffett "You should be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." - Jordan Peterson "The future belongs to those who innovate relentlessly, solve hard problems, and create value where none was recognized before." - Elon Musk __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Pre-2023: Geological & Historical Research Phase Sidney Resources conducted extensive geological research, historical survey reviews, and academic studies to assess the Warren Mining District's potential. Completed surface trenching project (2018 under Geologist Richard Morris - see technical reports by WF and reports from USGS and Goldstone - confirming vein length exceeds 9000 feet. Opened and rehabilitated Original Lucky Ben tunnel. Completed 6 hole core drill program confirming vein structure and visible gold at depth. Early-stage findings suggested the presence of high-value metals, prompting a strategic land acquisition plan. Completed approximately 1000 feet of drift work on lower tunnel and upper tunnel for first intercept and second intercept below first historically stope of the Lucky Ben Tunnel. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dear Sidney Resources Shareholders & Stakeholders, We stand at the threshold of a new era-an era where strategic foresight, relentless pursuit of innovation, and unwavering commitment to sustainable resource development define our trajectory. Sidney Resources Corporation (OTCPINK:SDRC) is no longer just an exploration company; we are building the foundation for a leader in critical mineral production. The Art of Seeing What Others Missed Visionaries in finance, philosophy, and technology understand that value is created long before the world recognizes it. When Sidney Resources set out to secure land and mineral rights in the Warren Mining District, we did so not based on speculation, but on scientific analysis, historical research, and the conviction that we were unlocking a resource of global significance. As third-party assays confirmed the presence of multi-ounce per ton gold, silver, our company acted. Later assays confirmed and magnified these results and evidenced platinum group metals, and iridium. Before large institutions took notice, before the market recognized the scale of our opportunity, we acted decisively. Our early decision-making has now positioned Sidney as the force in the Warren Mining District, controlling 95% of what may become one of the richest PGM & gold-bearing geological systems in North America. What follows is a timeline of our company's strategic actions and movements forward. Pre-2023: Geological & Historical Research Phase Sidney Resources conducted extensive geological research, historical survey reviews, and academic studies to assess the Warren Mining District's potential. Completed surface trenching project (2018 under Geologist Richard Morris - see technical reports by WF and reports from USGS and Goldstone - confirming vein length exceeds 9000 feet. Opened and rehabilitated Original Lucky Ben tunnel. Completed 6 hole core drill program confirming vein structure and visible gold at depth. Early-stage findings suggested the presence of high-value metals, prompting a strategic land acquisition plan. Completed approximately 1000 feet of drift work on lower tunnel and upper tunnel for first intercept and second intercept below first historically stope of the Lucky Ben Tunnel. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ June 2023 - Discovery of additional vein structures Discovered three additional vein structures between the Little Giant Vein and the Arlise Vein. Discovered two additional vein structures 300 feet north of the test mill building on the Lucky Ben Extension Patented Claim __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ August 2023 - Discovery & Initial Land Strategy Identified an estimated 25,000 tons of high-grade ore stockpiled at the Knott Mine, marking a major untapped resource. Recognized the potential of the Warren Mining District as a strategic, high-value acquisition target. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ September 2023 - Strategic Mineral Claims Acquisition Before Market Awareness Preemptively secured legal rights to valuable stockpiles and source vein systems by staking and filing six new lode mining claims and one placer claim with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Rationale: Realizing the potential value based on independent third-party analysis and assessments, Sidney Resources Corporation took action. Securing the land before assay results were public ensured favorable acquisition costs. Geochemical indicators suggested gold, and silver were clearly present, making early claims staking a strategic move. Demonstrates Sidney's early mover advantage and strategic foresight in locking in assets before their value was publicly known. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ October 2023 - Early Assay Confirmation (Gold & Silver) Florin Labs confirmed high-grade gold and silver concentrations in stockpiled ore. Estimated ore pile value at the time exceeded corporate value and expectations Even at this stage, Sidney's land acquisitions were already showing value. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ January 2024 - On-Site Processing & Infrastructure Investment Installed test mill infrastructure, including a crusher, ball mill, and gravity separation table. Began preliminary on-site processing, validating extraction methods. Early investment in milling operations provided the testing to discover the true value of the region. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ April 2024 - First Metallurgical Proof of High-Value Metals Produced the first metal buttons, demonstrating exceptional hardness of first dore buttons, resistance to Aqua Regia, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and being paramagnetic. - This demonstrated that we were likely working with an Iridium based alloy or tantalum. Initial analysis confirmed the presence of elemental iron, nickel, and chromium in concentrates. This was the first metallurgical validation that Sidney's ore contained high-value transition metals. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ May 2024 - Third-Party Lab Submissions Begin Submitted samples of metal buttons, concentrates, and table feed to PTOE for advanced analysis. Drilled test samples with diamond tools; results showed extreme durability. Historical reports and third-party assessments indicated high quantities of gold, and silver. Research at the time might be significantly underreported due to an unknown confounding variable. Sidney continued third-party verification, providing credibility for institutional and retail investors. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ June 2024 - Major Assay Breakthrough: High PGM Concentrations Dr. DeMenna 's laboratory validated multi-ounce per ton concentrations of gold, silver, and PGMs. Stockpile internal valuation based on 3rd party assay averages updated from exceeding corporate value and expectations to multiples of original value based on data. The regional potential of the Warren District estimated to be worth Billions and Billions based on known vein system data. Sidney's early land acquisitions now proved to be a wise decision. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ July 2024 - Process Optimization & New Strategic Partnerships Achieved yield consistency in milling operations, aligning results with lab assays. Rare Earth Element (REE) analysis confirmed minable levels of REEs. Initiated negotiations with Unity Mining Group for acquisition. Began discussions with the University of Alaska Fairbanks to investigate potential meteor impact site verification. Grind study confirms the ability to float platinum. Conversations with Geologists suggest the 23 veins in the system are from the same meteor impact site and have been folded via tectonic activity for hundreds of millions of years Sidney now had both high-value metals and continues to develop relationships with academic institutions. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ August 2024 - Attracting High-Profile Investors Hosted site visits by key stakeholders, including investment funds, international mining leaders. Notable quote from Dennis Cruz: "This is how we beat China," upon reviewing Sidney's data and progress. Signed NDA with University of Alaska - Fairbanks (UAF), enabling doctorate students to begin research on the region in 2025. Institutional interest reiterates the legitimacy of Sidney's assets. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ September 2024 - Expansion of Land Holdings & PGM Extraction Success Secured an additional 1900 acres, increasing Sidney's ownership of the Warren District to ~50%. Signed Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire Unity Mining Group, adding 1,645 acres of claims of which includes 168 acres of private patent claims. Precipitated palladium from solution - confirming extraction viability. Extracted gold, platinum, silver, and palladium in test lab. Sidney consolidated land ownership while proving its ability to extract high-value PGMs in a test setting. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ October 2024 - More High-Grade Assay Confirmations & Technology Expansion Recovered 2012 ALS lab data, revealing additional REE deposits. (ALS, discovered in due diligence and re-engaging for redundancy) Auris Noble confirmed assay results showing: The presence of Platinum Group Metals (PGM's) mineable confirmed at mineable levels, and, 12-14 oz/ton gold, and up to 35 oz/ton silver. Ordered a high-temperature smelter capable of reaching 2,100C for advanced metallurgical processing. Initiated moving lab from Warren Project site to Gem County Idaho - Recognizing the challenges of operating in the remote Warren District-lack of stable power, extreme winter conditions, and contamination risks from wood heat-we made the strategic decision to relocate our lab to Gem County, Idaho. This new facility provides stable electrical power, advanced ventilation systems, enhanced security, and a controlled environment necessary for high-quality scientific testing. While the move added costs, extensive review confirmed it as the best path to unlocking complex metallurgical processes for precious metal recovery and driving revenue. Proximity to Boise improves investor access, and despite early snowfall complicating the transition, this move strengthens our capabilities and long-term shareholder value. New assays further validated Sidney's resources, strengthening its investment case. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2024 - Institutional Investment Secured Raised $8.5 in new investment to fund expansion. Commence design of new access road that will support heavy truck and equipment access. Capital entering at this stage indicated confidence in Sidney's long-term potential. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ December 2024 - Major Land Acquisition & Clean Lab Expansion Signed a binding LOI for Unity Mining Group acquisition, securing 1477 acres of unpatented claims consolidates Sidney Resources' control of approximately 95% of the Warren Valley, strengthening its strategic foothold in the region. Private Land Benefits: The 168 acres of private patented claims streamline operations by reducing regulatory hurdles, accelerating project timelines, and granting operational flexibility. Identified 175,000-200000 tons of mine spoils with geology consistent with other claims. Began expansion of a clean laboratory facility in Emmett, Idaho, focused on maximizing extraction efficiency. By vertically integrating processing operations, Sidney Resources eliminates reliance on third-party refiners, ensuring greater control and profitability. This vertical integration is a strategic decision critical to maximizing shareholder value. Our ore is uniquely complex, containing eight precious metals, including osmium, making conventional off-take agreements challenging. Many refiners will not accept concentrates with osmium, and those that do often only pay for select metals, such as gold and silver, leaving significant value untapped. Additionally, accurate assays are essential for selling concentrates, but due to the specialized nature of our material, assay costs are approximately $2,800 per super sack-far exceeding the industry norm of $100. Unlocking efficient metallurgical recovery and precise assays is essential. Without it, selling concentrates could mean forfeiting tens of thousands of dollars per batch. By maintaining control over processing and working with specialized buyers, we ensure the highest possible returns, rather than rushing to generate immediate but undervalued revenue. This decision is mission-critical in demonstrating to shareholders why processing in-house is the best long-term strategy for profitability and growth. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ January 2025 - Pony Meadows Acquisition & Leadership Expansion Purchased Pony Meadows Property - 40 acres of private patented claims - Silver Monarch, revealing extensive surface-visible platinum vein systems. Expanding our ownership in the region. Formally onboarded a Chief Engineer, Chief Geologist, and Chief Mineralogist to strengthen leadership for the next development phase. Sidney is now fully staffed for full-scale development. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 2025 - Finalized Unity Mining Group Acquisition (95% Control of Warren Valley) Key Highlights of the Acquisition: Private Land Benefits: The 168 acres of private patented claims streamline operations by reducing regulatory hurdles, accelerating project timelines, and granting operational flexibility. Expansive Claims Portfolio: The 1,477 acres of unpatented claims consolidate Sidney's control of ~95% of the Warren Valley, strengthening its regional dominance. An important insight regarding the historical ore processing data. The original analysis categorized 37.6% of the material as "insoluble," meaning it did not dissolve using the chemical methods available at the time. However, based on our current understanding, we now know that this ore contains significant levels of platinum group metals (PGMs) and rare earth elements (REEs)-many of which are refractory and resistant to traditional extraction techniques. It is highly likely that a portion of these valuable elements, including platinum, palladium, osmium, iridium, ruthenium, rhodium, and rare earth oxides, ended up in the insoluble fraction because historical processing methods were not designed to recover them. As a result, much of this material was discarded into mine spoils piles, where it remained unrecognized for its economic potential. With current advancements in metallurgical processing, we now have the ability to reprocess these materials and recover high-value metals that were previously overlooked. Modern extraction technologies, including specialized leaching, flotation, and refining techniques, can efficiently separate and concentrate these elements-presenting a significant opportunity to unlock additional revenue streams from existing materials. Given the potential value of these historic mine spoils, conducting further testing-already in progress-and evaluating recovery feasibility is clearly worthwhile. Rich Mine Spoils Resource: Nearly 200,000 tons of surface material, with historical assays up to 14 oz/ton of gold and 35 oz/ton of silver. Operational Synergy: The contiguous Little Giant vein system optimizes exploration and production, ensuring seamless integration. Enhanced Infrastructure: Existing infrastructure from Unity Mining accelerates Sidney's development, minimizing startup costs. Regulatory Committee Formed via Board of Directors resolution to become compliant with SEC reporting requirements - Controller position hired to navigate process to uplist and oversee financial reporting and responsibilities. Expansion Committee formed via Board of Directors to guide expanded milling and processing facilities. Dual path 15,000 sq.ft. facility chosen with support from Advisor Andrew Prelea. Expansion of current mill facilities to support interim growth and expansion during construction. Crew housing and equipment selected for expansion. Sidney now holds over 4500 acres on what may be one of the world's richest PGM & gold mining districts. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Risk Management & Strategic Mitigation At Sidney Resources Corporation, we recognize that with great opportunity comes inherent risk. As we continue our transformation into a leader in critical mineral production, we remain vigilant in identifying, assessing, and mitigating the key risks that could impact our success. 1. Exploration & Geological Uncertainty While early assay results have confirmed the presence of high-value metals, the full extent and economic viability of these resources remain subject to further exploration and metallurgical testing. We mitigate this risk by employing experienced geologists, leveraging historical data, and continuously refining our extraction processes. 2. Market & Commodity Price Volatility Precious metals and PGMs are subject to fluctuations in global market prices, which can impact project economics. To navigate this, Sidney Resources is focused on vertical integration, reducing reliance on third-party refiners and capturing more value per ton processed. Additionally, we actively monitor market trends to position ourselves strategically for long-term profitability. 3. Regulatory & Permitting Challenges Operating in the resource sector requires compliance with environmental, safety, and mining regulations. Our team proactively works with regulatory agencies to ensure smooth permitting processes, while our strategic land acquisitions of private patented claims help minimize bureaucratic hurdles. 4. Capital & Financial Sustainability Exploration and project development require ongoing investment. While we have successfully secured $8.5M in new funding, we continue to evaluate strategic financing options, institutional partnerships, and non-dilutive funding opportunities to ensure long-term financial strength while maximizing shareholder value. 5. Metallurgical Complexity & Processing Risks Our ore body contains a diverse mix of precious metals, PGMs, and REEs, requiring specialized extraction methods. To address this, we have expanded our clean laboratory facility and are collaborating with industry experts and academic institutions to optimize recovery processes and maximize efficiency. By maintaining a proactive approach to risk management, Sidney Resources remains committed to building a sustainable, resilient, and high-value mining operation that delivers long-term shareholder returns. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About Sidney Resources Corporation Sidney Resources Corporation (OTC PINK:SDRC) is a mining and exploration company focused on developing high-grade resource projects. Operating in Idaho's historic mining districts, the company leverages innovative technologies and sustainable practices to extract value responsibly and efficiently. Why SDRC Matters Sidney Resources Corporation is more than a mining company. It's a beacon of innovation, balancing environmental stewardship with the urgent demands of modern economies. By harnessing these resources, SDRC aims to address the global need for critical materials while respecting the ecological and ethical principles of mining. Investor Opportunity With growing global demand for critical minerals, Sidney Resources is strategically positioned to contribute to North American supply chain security, reducing reliance on foreign sources. For those with the vision to see beyond today, Sidney Resources Corporation offers a chance to be part of a transformative journey. With the estimated valuation of this 25,000-ton ore stockpile, the future is not just promising; this reserve has the potential to be globally disruptive and will allow the United States of America to compete globally in the critical mineral space. Recent regional acquisitions have expanded Sidney's influence to over 4,500 acres, with mines spoils that were not mined for PGM's or REE's of approximately 1750,000 tons to 200,000 tons at the former Unity sites. About Sidney Resources Corporation Sidney Resources Corporation (OTC PINK:SDRC) is dedicated to the development and commercialization of new technologies that advance resource extraction, sustainability, and value creation. With operations rooted in the rich history of Idaho's mining districts, SDRC is forging a path toward a brighter, greener future. General Disclaimer Sidney Resources Corporation ("Sidney" or the "Company") has taken all reasonable care in producing and publishing information contained in this announcement. However, such information is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all matters and developments concerning the Company and the Company cannot guarantee the accuracy, currency or completeness of the information at all times. The information posted on the Company website and contained in this announcement are accurate at the time of posting but may be superseded by subsequent disclosures. Material in this announcement may still contain technical or other inaccuracies, omissions, or typographical errors, for which Sidney assumes no responsibility. Sidney does not warrant or make any representations regarding the use, validity, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any claims, statements or information. Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall Sidney be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. For further information, contact: Dan Hally COO, Sidney Resources Corporation Phone: 509-552-9858 Website: www.sidneyresources.com FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements relate to future events, including our ability to raise capital, or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause materially different results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, please see our filings with the OTC Markets Group Inc. Our public filings with the OTC Markets Group Inc are available from commercial document retrieval services and at the website maintained by the OTC Markets at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/SDRC/disclosure SOURCE: Sidney Resources Corporation BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- During the MWC Barcelona 2025, Bob Chen, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, proposed the evolution of optical networks towards AI Optical Network (AI ON) in the AI era. This transformation aims to provide 5A-quality connectivity, laying a robust foundation for AI growth and prosperity. The AI era is defined by three key characteristics: AI application is everywhere, AI computing power is everywhere, and AI native is everywhere. These trends demand networks that can sense service types, deliver differentiated connectivity, and ensure optimal service experiences. Additionally, networks must provide deterministic connectivity to support flexible and efficient computing power scheduling, while also integrating AI capabilities to enhance both service quality and network efficiency. Bob Chen emphasized that since the release of the target network for the AI era in 2024, Huawei has collaborated with global customers to drive continuous innovation. The next-generation evolution of optical networks, termed AI ON, is now clearer and is characterized by the following features: A wareness: In the past, optical networks did not sense service types. Future optical networks need to accurately identify service types based on traffic patterns and flow directions, ensuring that bandwidth, latency, and reliability requirements are met. This enables networks to better understand and adapt to service needs. wareness: In the past, optical networks did not sense service types. Future optical networks need to accurately identify service types based on traffic patterns and flow directions, ensuring that bandwidth, latency, and reliability requirements are met. This enables networks to better understand and adapt to service needs. A lways On Demand: Unlike the past, where networks offered undifferentiated connectivity, future optical networks need to provide real-time, differentiated connectivity tailored to specific service demands. For instance, a gaming user can be offered a three-hour 1 Gbps bandwidth package. lways On Demand: Unlike the past, where networks offered undifferentiated connectivity, future optical networks need to provide real-time, differentiated connectivity tailored to specific service demands. For instance, a gaming user can be offered a three-hour 1 Gbps bandwidth package. A ssurance: In the past, many factors such as network congestion, fault, and service increase may degrade the connectivity quality. In the future, optical networks need to guarantee high-quality connectivity regardless of network changes or service fluctuations, ensuring deterministic latency and zero packet loss for all services. ssurance: In the past, many factors such as network congestion, fault, and service increase may degrade the connectivity quality. In the future, optical networks need to guarantee high-quality connectivity regardless of network changes or service fluctuations, ensuring deterministic latency and zero packet loss for all services. A utonomous O&M: In the past, network O&M was reactively performed after a fault occurred. Moving beyond the traditional mode of reactive maintenance, future networks need to proactively identify and mitigate potential risks before they impact users, achieving self-healing and optimization. utonomous O&M: In the past, network O&M was reactively performed after a fault occurred. Moving beyond the traditional mode of reactive maintenance, future networks need to proactively identify and mitigate potential risks before they impact users, achieving self-healing and optimization. AI Native: Full-stack AI-native capabilities need to be embedded across network terminals, devices, and management systems, accelerating network intelligence. For example, AI computing power in ONTs/FTTRs will identify application types and enhance device performance using small models on terminals. In closing, Bob Chen remarked that the AI represents a transformative shift in human society, offering unprecedented opportunities for the ICT industry. Just as 5A signifies the highest service quality in industries like hospitality and tourism, premium connectivity will be essential to seize these opportunities. Huawei is committed to collaborating with the industry to advance optical networks towards AI ON, deliver 5A-quality connectivity, and drive new growth in the AI era. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633090/Bob_Chen_President_Huawei.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/huawei-towards-ai-on-for-new-growth-in-the-ai-era-302391500.html Growing Sales to US$14.6 Billion, Free Cash Flow Increased to US$1.6 Billion Global cordless power tool, outdoor power equipment and floorcare cleaning company Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. ("TTI" or the "Group") (stock code: HK:0669, ADR symbol: TTNDY) is pleased to announce the audited consolidated results of the Company and its subsidiaries for the year ended December 31, 2024. TTI delivered record sales of US$14.6 billion in 2024, growing 6.8% in local currency and 6.5% at reported rates. MILWAUKEE continued to extend its dominant market leadership position with sales growth of 11.6% in local currency and RYOBI also delivered tremendous results, growing 6.4% in local currency. TTI delivered outstanding financial results in 2024, growing sales 6.8% in local currency to US$14.6 billion and generating record Free Cash Flow of US$1.6 billion. In local currency, our Flagship MILWAUKEE business grew 11.6% and RYOBI grew 6.4%. TTI finished 2024 with total net debt of US$44 million and gearing of 0.7%. Financial Performance Highlights for 2024 2024* US$' million 2023 US$' million Changes Revenue 14,622 13,731 +6.5 % Gross profit margin 40.3% 39.5% +85 bps EBIT 1,270 1,135 +11.9% Profit attributable to Owners of the Company 1,122 976 +14.9% Basic earnings per share (US cents) 61.43 53.36 +15.1% Free Cash Flow 1,591 1,281 +310 m Dividend per share (approx. US cents) 29.09 24.84 + 17.1 % *For the year ended December 31, 2024 Gross margin improved 85 bps to 40.3% in 2024. This improvement is the result of a higher mix of MILWAUKEE branded business, aftermarket battery sales, and highly innovative margin accretive new products across our core verticals. EBIT grew 11.9% to US$1,270 million. Net profit improved 14.9% to US$1,122 million, reflecting a 31.9% reduction in net interest expenses from 2023. Earnings per share also improved 15.1% to US61.43 cents. TTI improved working capital 322 bps in 2024 to 14.4%. Based on its rigorous working capital controls and processes, the Group will be targeting a working capital range between 14% to 16% as a percentage of sales in the future. TTI delivered record sales of US$14.6 billion in 2024, growing 6.8% in local currency and 6.5% at reported rates. Our Flagship MILWAUKEE business continued to extend its dominant market leadership position with sales growth of 11.6% in local currency. RYOBI, the #1 consumer battery-powered tool and outdoor brand globally, also delivered tremendous results, growing 6.4% in local currency. The remaining businesses decreased sales by 14% compared to 2023 as we focused on plans to increase profitability in these areas. The Board is recommending a final dividend of HK118.00 cents (approximately US15.19 cents) per share. Together, with the interim dividend of HK108.00 cents (approximately US13.90 cents) per share, this will result in a full-year dividend of HK226.00 cents (approximately US29.09 cents) per share. Mr. Horst Pudwill, Chairman of TTI, said, "We are extremely proud of our financial performance in 2024, which would not have been possible without the efforts of our outstanding global team. With gearing of 0.7% at year end 2024, our balance sheet is extremely healthy. In 2025, we will continue our mission of cordless domination, bringing disruptive technology and innovative design to the market, while delivering outstanding financial results." Mr. Steven P. Richman, CEO of TTI, commented, "Our exceptional world-class team and culture is the reason for these tremendous financial results. Our talented people across the globe have worked together as one team, with incredible dedication to continue to grow TTI's financial results, partner with our outstanding customers, and develop our powerful brands. We look forward to our continued success in 2025 and beyond." Forward-Looking Statements This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements or uses certain forward-looking terminologies which are based on the current expectations, estimates, projections, beliefs and assumptions of TTI about the businesses and the markets in which the Group operates and reflect TTI's views as of the date of this announcement. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to market risk, uncertainties and factors beyond the control of TTI. Therefore, actual outcomes and returns may differ materially from the assumptions made and the statements contained in this announcement. About TTI Techtronic Industries Company Limited ("TTI" or the "Company"), founded in 1985 by German entrepreneur Horst Julius Pudwill, is a world leader in cordless technology. As a pioneer in Power Tools, Outdoor Power Equipment, Floorcare and Cleaning Products, TTI serves professional, industrial, Do It Yourself (DIY), and consumer markets worldwide. With more than 45,000 employees globally, the company's relentless focus on innovation and strategic growth has established its leading position in the industries it serves. MILWAUKEE is at the forefront of TTI's professional tool portfolio. With global research and development headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin, the historic MILWAUKEE brand is renowned for driving innovation, safety, and jobsite productivity worldwide. The RYOBI brand, headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, remains the top choice for DIYers and continues to set the standard in DIY tool innovation. TTI's diverse brand portfolio also includes trusted brands like AEG, EMPIRE, HOMELITE, and leading floorcare names HOOVER, ORECK, VAX, and DIRT DEVIL (based in Charlotte, North Carolina). TTI's international recognition and renowned brand portfolio are supported by a strong ownership structure that underscores the company's global reach and stability. The Pudwill family remains the company's largest shareholder, with the remaining ownership held largely by institutional investors at North American and European-owned firms. TTI is publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index, operating globally with a strong commitment to environmental, social, and corporate governance standards. For more information, visit www.ttigroup.com. All trademarks listed other than AEG and RYOBI are owned by the Group. AEG is a registered trademark of AB Electrolux (publ.) and is used under license. RYOBI is a registered trademark of Ryobi Limited and is used under license. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304740976/en/ Contacts: For Investor Relations enquiries: Main Contact TTI Investor Relations Tel: +1 (954) 541-9660 Email: ir@ttihq.com Asia/Pacific TTI Investor Relations Tel: +(852) 2402 6888 Email: ir@tti.com.hk The State of Oklahoma has unveiled groundbreaking results from the first year of its partnership with Celonis, the global leader in Process Mining and Process Intelligence. By leveraging the Celonis Process Intelligence platform, Oklahoma has unlocked more than $10 million in value, setting a benchmark for public sector innovation in the United States. As part of the state's collaboration with Celonis, Oklahoma has deployed an AI Copilot to simplify access to process insights for procurement specialists and leadership, focusing on flagged and exempt purchase orders. This has already resulted in direct financial savings and efficiency gains, enabling Oklahoma to reinvest resources into critical public services. "As the first U.S. state to implement Celonis in 2023, Oklahoma has taken bold steps to modernize its operations and strengthen its stewardship of taxpayer funds," said Rick Rose, state chief operating officer and director of the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES). "By harnessing the power of Process Intelligence and AI, the State has boosted efficiency, streamlined workflows, and realized significant financial and operational improvements across its agencies." OMES is using artificial intelligence to monitor how taxpayer dollars are being spent within the state's 118 agencies. By using advanced data analytics through Celonis, OMES and the state's agencies can examine how funds are spent. Key benefits include: Cost savings: Celonis has been critical in identifying $8.48 billion of statutory exempt purchases by agencies. In addition, the Celonis Process Intelligence platform enabled OMES to identify $190 million in flagged purchase card transactions and identified $5.63 million in transactions that exposed areas for agencies to implement better controls and education for future transactions. Celonis has been critical in identifying $8.48 billion of statutory exempt purchases by agencies. In addition, the Celonis Process Intelligence platform enabled OMES to identify $190 million in flagged purchase card transactions and identified $5.63 million in transactions that exposed areas for agencies to implement better controls and education for future transactions. Efficiency gains: The Celonis Process Intelligence platform reviews procurement data in minutes a task that previously took years empowering faster, more accurate decision-making. The Celonis Process Intelligence platform reviews procurement data in minutes a task that previously took years empowering faster, more accurate decision-making. Improved oversight: Over $3 billion in purchases lacked oversight. Celonis reviewed $29.4 billion worth of purchase order lines in record time, ensuring greater transparency and accountability. Transforming Public Sector Operations Following a legislative review of state purchases, the State of Oklahoma discovered that its agencies had procured over $3 billion worth of goods and services outside the supervision of OMES. To maintain compliance with state laws and regulations, the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency and the state governor tasked OMES with increasing oversight of state purchasing. To achieve this, they turned to Celonis. Using the Celonis Process Intelligence platform, Oklahoma has gained unparalleled visibility into its processes, including procurement, accounts payable, and citizen-facing services. In less than 12 weeks, the platform gave OMES 100% visibility in the more than 24,000 purchase orders (worth $4.68 billion) flowing through PeopleSoft, the state's enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. In addition, the state has: Optimized its procurement lifecycle by accelerating approval processes and reducing redundant expenses; by accelerating approval processes and reducing redundant expenses; Made improvements in accounts payable via streamlined invoice handling, minimizing overdue payments and errors; and via streamlined invoice handling, minimizing overdue payments and errors; and Enhanced its delivery of citizen services, cutting response times and increasing satisfaction levels. "Oklahoma's commitment to innovation has transformed how we deliver services to our citizens," Rose said. "With Celonis, we've turned insights into action, demonstrating that data-driven decision-making yields measurable results for both government employees and taxpayers." A Model for Government Modernization As public sector organizations face increasing pressure to maximize resources and deliver high-quality services, Oklahoma's success underscores the tremendous potential of innovative technology to drive transformation. By automating routine processes and enabling smarter workflows, Oklahoma is setting a new standard for operational excellence in the public sector. "Previously, processing this amount of data would be time-consuming and expensive, requiring us to contract more than 45 people," said Janet Morrow, director of OMES Risk, Assessment and Compliance. "Now we can do much more in a significantly shorter timeframe, saving thousands of hours in manual labor and tens of thousands of tax dollars in wages, allowing us to redirect our workforce to other areas where they're needed." "Oklahoma's approach sets a benchmark for what is possible when government organizations embrace process intelligence. We are proud to support the State of Oklahoma in its mission to modernize government operations and deliver greater value to its citizens," said Mark Jacobs, SVP of North America at Celonis. "By leveraging the power of Celonis, Oklahoma has not only boosted its efficiency but also transformed how its agencies operate. This success highlights how our platform empowers teams with the insights they need to identify improvement opportunities, make informed decisions, and ensure accountability to taxpayers, and we look forward to building on this momentum to help the state achieve even greater outcomes in the years ahead." Building on its initial success, Oklahoma plans to expand its use of Celonis to further streamline operations and ensure accountability in the use of taxpayer funds by continuing to leverage its market-leading platform to expand the state's modernization initiatives across additional agencies and functions. To learn more about how the State of Oklahoma works with Celonis, please read here. About OMES The Office of Management and Enterprise Services provides financial, property, purchasing, human resources and information technology services to all state agencies, and assists the Governor's Office on budgetary policy matters. Our mission: Provide excellent service, expert guidance and continuous improvement in support of our partners' goals. For more information, visit oklahoma.gov/omes. About Celonis Celonis makes processes work for people, companies and the planet. The Celonis Process Intelligence Platform uses industry-leading process mining and AI technology and augments it with business context to give customers a living digital twin of their business operation. It's system-agnostic and without bias, and provides everyone with a common language for understanding and improving businesses. Celonis enables its customers to continuously realize significant value across the top, bottom, and green line. Celonis is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and New York City, USA, with more than 20 offices worldwide. 2025 Celonis SE. All rights reserved. Celonis and the Celonis "droplet" logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Celonis SE in Germany and other jurisdictions. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304275357/en/ Contacts: Media Contact press@celonis.com CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mestag Therapeutics ("Mestag"), a biotech company harnessing fibroblast immunology for the benefit of patients with inflammatory disease and cancer, today announced that Matthew Sleeman, PhD, has been appointed Chief Scientific Officer. "Matt is an experienced and highly respected R&D leader in the immunology and cancer biology field with an outstanding track record in the advancement of multiple commercialized antibody therapies," said Susan Hill, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Mestag. "He joins us at an exciting time, as our pipeline of agonist antibody programs is poised to enter the clinic, we build our future portfolio of fibroblast immunology programs, and we explore novel targets through our proprietary RAFT platform and in partnership with MSD. His extensive expertise in the development of antibody-based therapeutics, combined with a deep insight into inflammatory disease and cancer biology is ideally suited to our fibroblast immunology focus. We are delighted to welcome him to Mestag." Dr. Sleeman has more than two decades of experience as an R&D leader and scientist in inflammatory disease and cancer. His career has encompassed the research and development of six FDA-approved monoclonal antibodies, in addition to over twenty monoclonal and bispecific antibodies that have entered clinical development. Dr. Sleeman joins Mestag from Regeneron, where he served as Vice President of Research, Head of Therapeutic Focus Area Immunology & Inflammation, leading a team of over one hundred scientists spearheading new research, as well as supporting the ongoing development and approvals of Dupixent, Kevzara and Libtayo. During his tenure at Regeneron, Dr. Sleeman's team delivered a new platform of costimulatory bispecific antibodies to enhance the activity of checkpoint inhibitors and CD3 bispecifics in cancer, and the combination strategy of the anti-allergy franchise. Earlier in his career, whilst Dr. Sleeman was the Cambridge site lead for the Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity Group at MedImmune, the department advanced six programs into the clinic, including mavrilimumab, Adbry and Faserna. At Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT), Dr. Sleeman led a team of biologists supporting the AstraZeneca alliance inflammation portfolio in rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and osteoarthritis, culminating in the acquisition of CAT by AstraZeneca in 2006 for $1.3 billion. Dr. Sleeman has a PhD from the University of Durham and a BSc (Hons) from the University of Dundee. Dr. Sleeman added, "Over the last two decades, I have dedicated my career to advancing impactful antibody therapeutics, led by new biological insights that deepen our understanding of disease pathogenesis. Mestag's compelling discoveries in fibroblast immunology, together with a unique portfolio of antibodies, offer an exciting opportunity to bring important new therapeutics to patients. I am energized to join the team and contribute to the development of a new class of therapeutics in inflammatory disease and cancer." About Mestag Therapeutics Mestag harnesses new insights into fibroblast immunology to develop impactful treatments for patients with cancer and inflammatory diseases. We are progressing a unique pipeline of novel antibodies designed to direct and drive the immune system using known and emerging fibroblast-immune biology for a distinctly differentiated class of therapeutics. Our pipeline includes the M300 program, a bispecific LTBR agonist antibody that leverages a new understanding of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) in solid tumors and their role in driving improved patient outcomes; the M402 program, an agonist antibody targeting a stromal inhibitory receptor to dampen down the activation of specific immune cell subsets in inflammatory disease; and earlier programs in discovery stage. Separately, we are also identifying novel targets for future therapies through the application of our proprietary RAFT Platform. In 2024, we entered into a license and research collaboration with MSD (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA) to identify novel targets for inflammatory diseases. Additionally in 2024, we licensed a novel target to Johnson & Johnson under a 2021 target discovery, option and license agreement with Janssen Biotech, Inc. Our founding investigators comprise global experts in inflammatory disease, cancer, computational biology and fibroblast biology from the University of Oxford, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Mestag was founded by SV Health Investors and is supported by leading life science investors Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC, Inc., Forbion, GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Northpond Ventures. Mestag is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, and in 2021 was recognized on the Fierce 15 list of innovative biotechnology companies. For further information, please visit our website www.mestagtherapeutics.com . For enquiries, please contact: The Book, By Sphera CEO Paul Marushka, Provides Key Insights to Help Businesses Lead with Purpose and Drive Long-Term Value as Strategies for Sustainability Continue to Evolve Chicago, IL, March 04, 2025and a recognized leader in the sustainability industry, today announced the upcoming release of his new book, Sustainable Success: How Businesses Win as a Force for Good. This must-read book for CEOs, business leaders and sustainability and risk professionals guides leaders through the complexities of sustainability and operational risk strategies while providing a roadmap for long term business outcomes. As regulations shift, political landscapes evolve and market dynamics fluctuate, businesses that approach sustainability with a balanced, thoughtful strategy are best positioned for long-term success. Rather than viewing sustainability as a compliance burden or fleeting trend, forward-thinking companies recognize that sustainability matters and plays a large role in driving operational efficiency and building resilience in any economic or regulatory environment. Sustainable Success: How Businesses Win as a Force for Good reinforces that sustainability is a strategic necessity that fuels growth, reduces risk and creates lasting value for all stakeholders. The book, featuring Paul's experiences and lessons learned from 20+ years in the sustainability and operational risk industry, also illustrates how the "Cycle of Good" concept enables businesses to become a Force for Good. It provides a clear roadmap for business leaders seeking to balance sustainability and profitability, demonstrating how organizations can enhance corporate reputation and drive long-term business performance by investing in sustainable strategies that go beyond reporting. "Companies exist at different stages in their sustainability journey. Some are just getting started, others are barely maintaining compliance, but true leaders treat sustainability as a strategic business driver," said Marushka. "A nuanced, balanced approach to sustainability innovation enables companies to prosper across regional lines, in any market or regulatory environment. In my time as a CEO, I've learned that companies that anticipate and respond to cultural and societal shifts position themselves as leaders, but those that lag behind risk obsolescence." "This book provides important insights into practical strategies - grounded in examples of success - for simultaneously benefiting businesses and advancing sustainability," said Hari Osofsky, Dean and Myra and James Bradwell Professor of Law at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. David Batchelor, former vice chairman at Marsh, describes the book as "An essential read for anyone wanting to learn more about sustainability and how to think about it in both a pragmatic and strategic way." The principles outlined in Sustainable Success: How Businesses Win as a Force for Good align with Sphera's mission to create a safer, more sustainable and productive world. By adopting a structured and balanced approach to sustainability, companies can drive innovation, attract talent and secure long-term stakeholder trust. Sustainable Success: How Businesses Win as a Force for Good is available for pre-orderon Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other leading booksellers. It will be available for purchase on April 22nd. About Paul Marushka Paul Marushka is the founder, president and CEO of Sphera, a leading provider of integrated sustainability and operational risk management software, data and consulting services focusing on Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S), Process Safety, Product Stewardship and Supply Chain Transparency. During his career, he has authored numerous articles in publications, including the United Nations Global Yearbook, regarding the use of analytics and technology in decision making. He has spoken in a variety of forums around the world and has been recognized by ELEMCON as an environmental leader, breaking new ground in creating solutions, programs, platforms and products to help companies achieve greater success in environmental management. He was also awarded an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Midwest Award for his dedication and leadership. About Sphera Sphera is the leading provider of integrated sustainability and operational risk management software, data and consulting services focusing on Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability. Follow Sphera on LinkedIn. Attachments Clean Air Metals Inc. ("Clean Air Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV:AIR)(FRA:CKU)(OTCQB:CLRMF) is pleased to announce the latest results from its ongoing winter drilling program at its 100%-owned Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals Project ("TBN"). The second set of assay results has confirmed that the near-surface, high-grade mineralization at the Current deposit is more extensive and significant than previously anticipated. Notably, one hole intersected 41.0 meters grading 13.2 g/t Pt.eq including 10.0 meters with 1.57% Cu and 22.39 g/t Pt.eq. The newly modeled shape of this high-grade area strongly resembles the "Ballroom" structures associated with the JM Reef in the Stillwater Complex in Montana. The high-grade zone intersected in hole CL25-005 and in several adjacent high-grade areas remains open laterally and at depth, significantly enhancing the exploration potential at the Current deposit.Assay results for the remaining seven holes are pending and will be released once received. Assay highlights: 41.0 m of 4.52 g/t Pt, 4.29 g/t Pd, 0.97% Cu and 0.52% Ni(13.20 g/t Pt.eq 1 ; 4.42% Cu.eq 2 ) from 110 m downhole in Hole CL25-005, including 5.75 g/t Pt, 5.37 g/t Pd, 1.18% Cu and 0.61% Ni (16.42 g/t Pt.eq 1 ; 5.50% Cu.eq 2 ) over 28.0m from 121.0 m, and 7.87 g/t Pt, 7.34 g/t Pd, 1.57% Cu and 0.90% Ni (22.39 g/t Pt.eq 1 ; 7.50% Cu.eq 2 ) over 10.0 m from 138.0 m 12.08 g/t Pt, 10.87 g/t Pd, 2.38% Cu and 1.05% Ni (33.30 g/t Pt.eq 1 ; 11.16% Cu.eq 2 ) over 2.0 m from 146.0 m Notes Platinum equivalent are calculated as follows: Pt.eq = (Pt grade/31.1035 x $976 + Pd grade x 31.1035 x 86.2% x $966 + Cu grade x 2204 x 95.9% x $4.25 + Ni grade x 2204 x 57% x 6.98 + Au grade/31.1035 x 85% x $2,939 + Ag grade/31.1035 x 65.2% x $32.89) / $976 x 31.1035 Copper equivalents are calculated as follows: Cu.eq= (Cu grade x 2204 x $4.25 + Pt grade x 31.1035 x 80.6% x $976 +Pd grade x 31.0135 x 86.2% x $966 + Ni grade x 2204 x 57% x $6.98 + Au grade/31.1035 x 85% x $2,9392 + Ag grade/31.1035 x 65.2% x $32.89) / $4.25 / 2204 Equivalents are based on the following recoveries Pt 80.6%, Pd 86.2%, Cu 95.9% Ni 57%, Au 85%, Ag 65.2%; and metal prices from February 20, 2025, US Spot; Pt $976, Pd $966, Cu $4.25, Ni $6.98, Au $2939, Ag $32.89 Mike Garbutt, CEO of Clean Air Metals, remarked, "These latest results have validated our belief that the Current deposit hosts more near-surface high-grade mineralization than previously estimated. The impressive grade and significant thickness encountered during the recent drilling programs provide additional support for establishing a more robust, high-grade production model. These results have also highlighted the critical importance of leveraging downhole geophysics to locate the highest-value mineralization targets at Current and Escape as we continue to advance the Thunder Bay North Project." Table 1. Assay results from reported holes Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Pt (g/t) Pd (g/t) Cu (%) Ni (%) Pt+Pd (g/t) Cu+Ni (%) Pteq1 (g/t) Cueq2 (%) CL25-004 117 136 19.0 1.11 1.00 0.25 0.21 2.11 0.46 3.51 1.17 Incl 128 134 6.0 2.32 2.06 0.54 0.31 4.38 0.85 7.00 2.35 Incl 128 132 4.0 2.73 2.43 0.61 0.34 5.16 0.95 8.13 2.72 CL25-005 110.0 151.0 41.0 4.52 4.29 0.97 0.52 8.81 1.49 13.20 4.42 incl. 121.0 149.0 28.0 5.75 5.37 1.18 0.61 11.12 1.79 16.42 5.50 incl. 138.0 148.0 10.0 7.87 7.34 1.57 0.90 15.20 2.47 22.39 7.50 Incl. 146.0 148.0 2.0 12.08 10.87 2.38 1.05 22.95 3.42 33.30 11.16 CL25-006 125.0 140.5 15.5 2.72 2.48 0.65 0.35 5.20 0.99 8.26 2.77 Incl 126.0 135.5 9.5 2.95 2.70 0.68 0.35 5.65 1.03 8.80 2.95 Incl 130.0 135.5 5.5 3.95 3.68 0.95 0.47 7.63 1.42 11.80 3.85 The Winter 2025 drilling program is strategically designed to increase the size, number, and grade of near-surface high-grade areas at the Current deposit, building on the strong results from the Summer 2024 program. The latest findings, in conjunction with earlier data, further validate the extension of mineralized zones beyond the scope of the most recent resource model (NI 43-101 technical report on the Thunder Bay North Project, Ontario, Canada, SLR Consulting Canada Ltd, June 19, 2023). Unlike previous drilling, this hole intersected a high-grade zone carved into the footwall of the deposit, indicating a more expansive distribution of mineralization than is presently modeled. This result significantly alters the interpretation of the Current deposit, as it suggests that areas previously considered outside the core mineralized body may also host high-grade mineralization much like the irregular, high-concentration zones seen in the "ballrooms" below the JM Reef of the Stillwater Complex in Montana. This discovery is pivotal for resource estimation, as it changes the parameters that will be used to estimate the sulfide-rich, high-grade zones. The new understanding of mineralization extending into the footwall and beyond the limits of previous models calls for a reassessment of the resource potential, particularly in terms of accurately capturing the extent of these higher-grade zones. Furthermore, the potential for additional high-grade subzones in the region is significant. With continued drilling and an increased density of borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) surveys, we expect to identify new areas where mineralization could mirror the high-grade characteristics observed in CL25-005. Increasing drill density and utilizing BHEM to guide future drill targets will be essential to fully unlocking the high-grade potential of the Current and Escape deposits and identifying similar subzones that may have been missed by earlier exploration. Figure 1. Plan view map showing drill hole locations for the ongoing 13-hole program at the Current deposit. Clean Air Metals' Vice President of Exploration, Lionnel Djon, commented, "The extension of high-grade mineralization into the footwall in hole CL25-005, combined with the fact that it remains open to the southwest, highlight the clear opportunity to increase the percentage of high-grade resource at Current. Drawing on the ballroom analogy, we will continue to target thick and high-grade mineralization in and below the existing mineralized shell. The use of BHEM surveys will be a critical tool in guiding our next phase of drilling, allowing us to identify new conductive targets and better define the full extent of the high-grade areas." Figure 2. 3D showing drill intersects and the location of the mineralized "Ballroom structure" within the ultramafic conduit in the Lower Current Zone. Table 2. Hole Coordinates Hole ID Easting- NAD83_16 (m) Northing NAD83_16 (m) Elevation (m) Azimuth (deg) Dip (deg) Hole length (m) CL25-004 357670 5402604 495 34.84 -84.59 165 CL25-005 357670 5402604 495 194.93 -84.43 165 CL25-006 357682 5402598 495 42.31 -84.05 165 Upcoming Investor Event Clean Air Metals invites shareholders and interested parties to meet with Management and the Technical team at the upcoming PDAC convention Core Shack (#3107B) on March 4 and 5, 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto. Figure 3. Cross section showing along hole CL25-005. High grade mineralization remains open to the southwest and likely beyond the current limits of the Current conduit. Qualified Person Dr. Lionnel Djon, Ph.D., P.Geo., a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and Vice President of Exploration for the Company, has reviewed and approved all technical information in this press release. Quality Assurance / Quality Control Clean Air Metals uses ALS Global ("ALS"), a well-established and recognized mineral assay and geochemical analytical services company. The Thunder Bay laboratory holds ISO-9000 accreditation; the Vancouver facility holds ISO-17025 registration. All NQ-sized drill cores are cut with a diamond-tipped saw blade, and half are submitted to ALS for sample preparation and analysis.?Sample preparation is completed at the ALS sample preparation facility in Thunder Bay, ON, and analysis is completed at the primary ALS assay laboratory in Vancouver, B.C. Clean Air Metals follows a quality control procedure for its core assay sampling program: inserting blind blanks and certified Palladium-Platinum and Copper-Nickel standards into the sample stream. The insertion procedure follows industry standards with control sample frequency depending on the length of the sampled interval. Gold, platinum, and palladium are analyzed using fire assay (FA) with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) finish. Samples with grades above the optimal ICP-MS detection limits are analyzed using optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Also, thirty-three (33) elements of each sample, including copper, nickel, silver, chromium, cobalt, and sulphur, are analyzed by a multi-element analytical method using the atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) technique following four-acid digestion of the sample. When samples have grades above the optimal detection limits for this analytical method, they are re-analyzed using a high-grade assay method with an ICP finish. About Clean Air Metals Clean Air Metals is a development and exploration company advancing its flagship, 100% owned Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals ("TBN") project, 40 km northeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The TBN project, accessible by road and next to established infrastructure, hosts two (2) deposits - the Current and Escape deposits, only 2.5 km apart. Together, the deposits host a?13.8 Mt?indicated mineral resource?containing 2.4M Pt eq. oz (Technical Report on the Thunder Bay North Project, Ontario Canada, NI43-101, SLR Consulting Canada Ltd, June 19, 2023) with significant potential for expansion down-plunge.? One of the rare primary platinum resources outside of South Africa, the TBN project is in a stable and mining-friendly jurisdiction and benefits from longstanding relationships with local First Nations. With its proven technical team, Clean Air Metals is committed to growing the resources at the TBN project and creating long-term value for shareholders. Social Engagement Clean Air Metals Inc. acknowledges that the Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals Project is located within the area encompassed by the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850 and includes the territories of the Fort William First Nation,?Red Rock Indian Band, Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishinabek and Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek. Clean Air Metals also acknowledges the contributions of the Metis Nation of Ontario, Region 2 and the Red Sky Metis Independent Nation to the rich history of our area.? The Company appreciates the opportunity to work in these territories and remains committed to the recognition and respect of those who have lived, travelled, and gathered on the lands since time immemorial. Clean Air Metals is committed to stewarding Indigenous heritage and remains committed to building, fostering and encouraging a respectful relationship with First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples based upon principles of mutual trust, respect, reciprocity and collaboration in the spirit of reconciliation. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Mike Garbutt" Mike Garbutt, CEO of Clean Air Metals Inc. Connect with us on X / Facebook / Instagram . Visit www.cleanairmetals.ca for more information or contact: Mia Boiridy Director of Communications and Investor Relations 250-575-3305 mboiridy@cleanairmetals.ca Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or, future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. SOURCE: Clean Air Metals, Inc. Boston, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - SinglePoint Inc (OTC Pink: SING) subsidiary Boston Solar is excited to partner with Active Surfaces to test its cutting-edge solar technology, conducting mock installations at its Woburn, MA warehouse. The primary objective of this collaboration is to assess installation efficiency and gather feedback from experienced solar installers to further enhance the product's durability and ease of installation. "As a fellow Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) alumnus, it's especially rewarding to support Active Surfaces in their groundbreaking innovations within the solar industry," said Mike Morlino, President of Boston Solar. "I believe this technology represents the next major advancement for the solar industry, and its potential to reduce costs for both installers and customers is truly exciting." Installers see improved margins through reduced labor costs. During the mock installation, the team installed 2 kW of capacity in a matter of minutes. At this pace, hundreds of kilowatts of rooftop solar could be deployed in under a week-cutting installation time significantly compared to traditional solar. Additionally, commercial installations often come with added expenses that are passed on to customers, such as the cost of renting cranes to lift pallets of solar panels and equipment onto rooftops. Active Surfaces' ultra-light panels can be carried up a ladder, eliminating costly equipment rentals like cranes, further driving down installation costs. "At Active Surfaces, we're not just innovating in the lab-we're putting our technology in the hands of real-world experts. Partnering with Boston Solar, a trusted local solar developer, gives us invaluable insights from an experienced team that understands what it takes to deploy solar at scale. Their expertise helps us refine our product to make installations faster, easier, and more cost-effective. This collaboration is a critical step in scaling next-gen flexible solar for widespread adoption." - Shiv Bhakta, CEO & Co-Founder, Active Surfaces Active Surfaces offers a thin, ultra-light, and flexible solar solution designed to be installed on virtually any surface. This innovation seamlessly integrates solar energy into everyday environments, unlocking new solar deployment opportunities in homes, schools, and commercial buildings. About Boston Solar Boston Solar is a subsidiary of SinglePoint Inc. (OTC Pink: SING). Since its founding in 2011, Boston Solar has installed more than 6,000 residential and commercial solar arrays, powering thousands of homes and businesses in New England, primarily in Massachusetts. The mission of Boston Solar is to provide superior clean energy products, exceptional customer service, and the highest-quality artistry in residential and commercial installations. Boston Solar has accumulated several distinctions of recognition of the company's outstanding triumphs: Honored with Guildmaster Award from GuildQuality, the award acknowledged how Boston Solar demonstrated exceptional customer service within the residential construction industry. Named a Top Solar Contractor by Solar Power World magazine for five consecutive years. Recognized by the Boston Business Journal's "Largest Clean Energy Companies in Massachusetts" list. Boston Solar is a Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE) member. The company is headquartered at 12 Gill St. Suite - 5650 Woburn, MA 01801. Learn more at: www.bostonsolar.us About SinglePoint Inc. SinglePoint Inc. is a renewable energy and sustainable lifestyle company focused on providing environmentally friendly energy efficiencies and healthy living solutions. SinglePoint is initially focused on building the largest network of renewable energy solutions and modernizing the traditional solar and energy storage model. The Company is also actively exploring future growth opportunities in air purification, electric vehicle charging, solar as a subscription service, and additional energy efficiencies that enhance sustainability and a healthier life. For more information, visit the Company's website (www.singlepoint.com). Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential plans and objectives of the Company, the use of proceeds, anticipated growth and future expansion, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243202 SOURCE: Hawk Point Media Group. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Tenet Fintech Group Inc. (CSE: PKK) (OTCQB: PKKFF) ("Tenet" or the "Company"), an innovative analytics service provider, owner and operator of the Cubeler Business Hub, today announced that it has launched its ie-Pulse macroeconomic data platform (https://tenoris3.com/ie-pulse) aimed at providing a sense of economic activity by leveraging small and medium sized enterprise (SME) financial and operational data gathered through the Company's Business Hub platform (https://www.cubeler.com/en-ca). "Today marks a very important milestone in Tenet's history," stated CEO Johnson Joseph. "This all started with the launch of the Business Hub as a lending platform in China several years ago to allow us to gather financial performance data on SMEs directly from their accounting software systems. It's been a long and rather complex technical journey, but I'm extremely proud of what we've been able to accomplish today. While the platform is only launched with a single index (the Canada Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Sales Index) and it's not yet providing macroeconomic data on the Chinese economy, the idea is to eventually be able to expand and leverage the Business Hub to give clients a sense of how economies around the world are performing on a daily basis. We believe this will be of great value to capital market professionals who often wait for the official release of monthly government macroeconomic data, such as retail sales data, to make important investment decisions (see example here). Getting data on a daily basis to feed our indexes is what we believe will eventually make ie-Pulse an indispensable platform for its clients. That's why we'll be working very hard over the next few weeks to ensure that the vast majority of current and future SMEs registered on the Business Hub use the Dext bookkeeping automation software to contribute data to ie-Pulse on a daily basis," concluded Mr. Joseph. With the development of the ie-Pulse platform completed and the initial index launched, Tenet plans to launch new indexes every month while systematically increasing the number of SMEs in each index to be gradually more representative of the industrial sectors covered by the indexes. To be considered for inclusion in an index, SMEs need to meet specific criteria, including keeping their books up to date and having at least a year of complete data in their accounting software systems. This allows Tenet to create historical values for the indexes, which can then be back-tested against official macroeconomic data previously released by the government and, thus, establish performance benchmarks for the indexes. The Company plans to work on ie-Pulse enhancements and improvements with capital market advisors, economists, government representatives and academics going forward to ensure that ie-Pulse continues to deliver value to its intended clientele, and ultimately, to Tenet shareholders. About Tenet Fintech Group Inc.: Tenet Fintech Group Inc. is the parent company of a group of innovative financial technology (Fintech) and artificial intelligence (AI) companies. All references to Tenet in this news release, unless explicitly specified, include Tenet and all its subsidiaries. Tenet's subsidiaries offer various analytics and AI-based products and services to businesses, capital markets professionals, government agencies and financial institutions either through or leveraging data gathered by the Cubeler Business Hub, a global ecosystem where analytics and AI are used to create opportunities and facilitate B2B transactions among its members. Please visit our website at: https://www.tenetfintech.com/. Follow Tenet Fintech Group Inc. on social media: X: @Tenet_Fintech Facebook: @Tenet LinkedIn: Tenet YouTube: Tenet Fintech Forward-Looking information Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-Looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tenet to be materially different from the outlook or any future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, holding company with significant operations in China; general economic and business conditions, including factors impacting the Company's business in China such as pandemics and COVID-19; legislative and/or regulatory developments; Global Financial conditions, repatriation of profits or transfer of funds from China to Canada, operations in foreign jurisdictions and possible exposure to corruption, bribery or civil unrest; actions by regulators; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; timing and completion of capital programs; liquidity and capital resources, negative operating cash flow and additional funding, dilution from further financing; financial performance and timing of capital; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by Tenet with securities regulators in Canada. Reference should also be made to Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) in Tenet's annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form, filed with Canadian securities regulators and available via the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) under Tenet's profile at www.sedarplus.ca, for a description of major risk factors relating to Tenet. Although Tenet has attempted to identify certain factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-Looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event the Company does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that the Company will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243232 SOURCE: Tenet Fintech Group Inc. RF Awareness leverages patented AI techniques to mitigate interference, optimize network utilization, and improve scalability and reliability for satellite services. After being in stealth mode, Digital Global Systems (DGS) today revealed how it leverages patented AI technology in its RF Awareness platform to help satellite operators and their partners to effectively manage increasing network complexity and create new revenue-generating opportunities in a changing space market. With the impending growth of direct-to-device satellite activity and increasing numbers of consumer, enterprise, and military devices and applications, the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite environment is rapidly becoming a more crowded one in which to operate. Advanced RF awareness and spectrum management are key to ensuring unimpeded scalability and reliability for all applications. The direct-to-device (D2D) satellite services market is expected to take off in 2025. As the air interface portion of the network becomes more filled with D2D users, satellite operators with DGS' RF Awareness technology will be able to leverage patented AI techniques to monitor and help mitigate interference, while striving toward more autonomous and self-optimized network operations. In addition, DGS has demonstrated that its AI techniques can be used to reduce the computational processing required to establish D2D links by 25% to 40%. This efficiency improvement translates to lower power consumption and related costs. The basis for these benefits lies in 107 patents, out of 305 total, that DGS holds on the use of autonomous machine-to-machine inference model reasoning and pattern recognition methods to streamline the overall training set for AI applications and directly enable these advantages. Also, as more service providers begin to look to AI for autonomous service creation and network operations, these patented capabilities can be the basis for creating new revenue-generating applications. "Satellite operators face enormous opportunities to create new services with the imminent growth of D2D, but as space becomes more congested, these operators must effectively manage the RF spectrum, as well as the increasing on-board computing requirements posed by establishing D2D links," said Fernando Murias, Chairman and CEO of DGS. "Using AI to analyze data on spectrum usage, signal quality, coverage, and capacity puts providers in the best position to support new services, achieve the highest levels of network reliability, and scale D2D communications to the maximum number of users." RF Awareness provides these benefits for satellite operators: Increased awareness of congested spectrum environments, along with detailed information on signal quality, coverage, and capacity as well as 52 other signal characteristics that satellite operators can use to mitigate interference. Higher reliability for user applications, including military and defense applications. The ability to fine-tune network parameters based on customer needs and to create a foundation for new, revenue-generating services for satellite operators. Improved on-board computing efficiency, derived from patented AI techniques, that significantly reduces the amount of processing required to establish a D2D link. Enhanced ability to scale D2D communications to support more users without compromising service quality. DGS has a history of supporting dynamic spectrum sharing for mobile operators, private wireless networks, IoT networks, and others through use of AI to autonomously analyze wireless spectrum usage and extract actionable data to improve service quality. Now, with its RF Awareness platform, DGS can provide real-time, AI-driven spectrum analysis and network optimization for the satellite market that other non-AI spectrum analysis platforms struggle to match. RF Awareness uses its AI techniques to intelligently provide a real-time view of shared spectrum, along with ongoing on-orbit RF analysis of the electromagnetic environment to help operators mitigate interference. These capabilities have positive implications not only for communications applications operating in increasingly congested spectrum, but also for satellite-based military applications. Effective RF analysis and optimization is key to maintaining and improving the situational awareness and communications for warfighters, particularly in the event of targeted interference by an opposing force. About DGS Headquartered in northern Virginia, DGS helps network operators, hyperscalers, infrastructure providers, private wireless customers, and other industry players address the global industry challenge of wireless spectrum scarcity. Since 2013, DGS has been issued more than 305 patents, with more than 100 patents pending, setting the standard for its leadership in advancing the detection, identification, classification, and geolocation of radio frequency (RF) signals. AI and machine learning allow industry stakeholders access, awareness, and real-time usage of crucial RF data to diminish interference and enable new wireless services. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304164523/en/ Contacts: Laura Borgstede, Calysto Communications +1-404-266-2060 x.11 or +1-404-386-0937 Lborgstede@calysto.com DUBAI, UAE, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Binance , the global blockchain ecosystem behind the largest crypto exchange by trading volume, announced the launch of the first episode of its docuseries, 'Building the Future: Inside Binance Blockchain Week' on its official YouTube channel. This docuseries offers an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the most significant crypto events of last year: Binance Blockchain Week 2024. Set against the vibrant city of Dubai, the docuseries captures the excitement and energy of Binance Blockchain Week, which took place in October last year. Dubai, known as an epicenter for crypto innovation, provided the perfect backdrop for this landmark event. Industry leaders, famous personalities, innovators, and enthusiasts gathered in the Coca-Cola Arena to shape the future of blockchain. The event also marked the return of Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) to the public spotlight, coinciding with the beginning of a market comeback, adding an extra layer of significance to the occasion. Rachel Conlan, Chief Marketing Officer of Binance, shared: "Binance Blockchain Week is about so much more than just Binance. It's a celebration of the entire crypto ecosystem and the incredible power of community. This event really shows how crypto is bringing people together from all over the world." "We're excited to be releasing this docuseries today, which captures the heart and soul of our shared vision for a decentralized future. Binance Blockchain Week has grown significantly since we first organized it back in 2019, and it is humbling to see the event grow alongside our community numbers. Through it all, our mission remains the same: to unite people and provide a welcoming platform for everyone to learn about crypto and blockchain technology," she added. The two-part docuseries captures the meticulous preparation and execution of the event, diving into the heart of what makes Binance Blockchain Week a cornerstone crypto event that attracts some of the biggest players in the blockchain industry. The premiere episode, now available on the official Binance YouTube channel, features exclusive interviews with key figures such as Binance's CEO Richard Teng, Co-Founder Yi He, Chief Marketing Officer Rachel Conlan, and more. Viewers can also expect candid behind-the-scenes moments, scenic shots of the iconic Dubai skylines, and the transformation of the Coca-Cola Arena into a crypto utopia. First-hand shots of brainstorming sessions, floor plans, and last-minute adjustments are also captured, including reactions to the surprise announcement of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao's appearance. Binance Blockchain Week has quickly grown to become a pivotal event in the blockchain and crypto industry. The long-term vision is to shape Binance Blockchain Week into becoming the 'Davos of Crypto.' The most recent event in Dubai was fully sold out, welcoming almost 5,000 attendees, featuring more than 200 speakers, with over 50 sponsors, and reaching millions more tuning in through Binance Live streams . The first part of 'Building the Future: Inside Binance Blockchain Week' docuseries is now available on the official Binance YouTube channel . Individuals with Amazon Prime, Amazon MX Player and Shahid membership can also enjoy immediate access to the complete two-part docuseries starting today. About Binance Binance is a leading global blockchain ecosystem behind the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and registered users. Binance is trusted by more than 260 million people in 100+ countries for its industry-leading trading engine speed, protections for investors, and unmatched portfolio of digital asset products and offerings from trading and finance to education, research, social good, payments, institutional services, and Web3 features. Binance is devoted to building an inclusive crypto ecosystem to increase the freedom of money and financial access for people around the world with crypto as the fundamental means. For more information, visit: https://www.binance.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633223/Binance.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1773650/Binance_Logo_Yellow_4x_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/exclusive-look-inside-binance-blockchain-week-new-docuseries-reveals-all-302391560.html Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - M3 Capital Corp. (TSXV: MCT.P) (the "Corporation" or "M3") announces that, further to its news release dated October 25, 2024, it has entered into an amending agreement to the non-binding letter of intent ("LOI") with Trevello World Holdings Inc. ("Trevello") dated March 3, 2025 (the "Amending Agreement") concerning its proposed non-arm's length qualifying transaction (the "Transaction") involving a business combination with Trevello, a private company incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act ("CBCA"). Pursuant to the Amending Agreement, the LOI now expires on March 21, 2025 if the formal agreement has not been executed, and the Corporation and Trevello have agreed not to solicit or enter into any agreements that would reasonably be expected to interfere with or prevent the Transaction, from the time of entering into the LOI until May 30, 2025. For additional information concerning the Transaction, please see the Corporation's news release dated October 25, 2024. On January 1, 2025 Trevello acquired Gifted Travel Network, Inc. ("GTN"), a host agency renowned for its dominance in the luxury travel sector. This partnership marks the first step in Trevello's strategic plan to expand beyond Canada and establish a foothold in the U.S. market. The acquisition is a pivotal moment for Trevello bringing its proven expertise and commitment to advisor success into the world's largest travel market. GTN has a sound reputation in the luxury sector and the team's dedication to fostering a collaborative, entrepreneurial community make them a perfect partner to help further accelerate Trevello's growth. The acquisition of GTN establishes Trevello's presence in the U.S. market, enabling the company to leverage its reputation for excellence and scale to compete in new sectors. GTN will continue to operate under its trusted brand as a subsidiary of Trevello, maintaining its focus on luxury travel while benefiting from Trevello's broader market expertise and supplier relations. The combined Trevello and GTN teams will build on the GTN foundation to further empower luxury travel advisors through professional development programs, entrepreneurial support, and a strong emphasis on community. Over time Trevello and GTN will expand their offerings to advisors in both countries. "We are committed to developing a sustainable and rewarding future for travel advisors. With the acquisition of GTN we are taking the first step forward in starting to reimagine what success looks like in this industry," said Morris Chia, Chief Executive Officer of Trevello. For further information, please contact: About Trevello World Holdings Inc. Founded by travel veteran Morris Chia, Trevello World Holdings Inc. is a global leader in travel services, empowering travel advisors and redefining the host agency model. With a reputation for innovation and operational excellence, Trevello World Holdings is the parent company of Trevello Canada, the country's leading host agency, and Gifted Travel Network, the premier US host agency for luxury travel advisors. Forward-Looking Information Cautionary Statement Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements include execution of the formal agreement. The use of any of the words "will", "expected", "view" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Corporation's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, statements pertaining to the terms and completion of the Transaction constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statement made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws. Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, execution of a formal agreement relating to the Transaction, completion of satisfactory due diligence, Exchange acceptance, receipt of requisite regulatory approvals, and if applicable pursuant to Exchange requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approvals, and any ancillary matters thereto, are obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243178 SOURCE: M3 Capital Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Canadian Nexus Team Ventures Corp., (CSE: TEAM) ("TEAM", "Canadian Nexus", or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its news release dated February 14, 2025, it has executed the Definitive Agreement with Ali Saheli ("AS") to acquire the assets of the GRID Platform. As this is a related party transaction, Mr. Saheli abstained from participating in this investment decision. Purchase Price & Consideration (revised from the Letter of Intent terms) The purchase price is to be CDN$725,000. The consideration is structured as an all-share purchase; set forth as follows: 2,900,000 shares of "TEAM" (based on Feb. 14/25 closing price of $0.25) A pooling agreement will include additional terms on top of any escrow provisions required by the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") and/or the British Columbia Securities Commission (the "BCSC"). The pooling agreement to be as follows: 50% of shares (or 1,450,000 shares) are to be released on the 6-month anniversary of the Definitive Agreement date; The remaining 50% of shares (or 1,450,000 shares) are to be released on the 12-month anniversary of the Definitive Agreement date. Scott Young, CEO, stated, "We look forward to working with Ali as President of TEAM and implementing his GRID Platform to enhance our investment opportunities in numerous energy sectors." Ali Saheli expressed his enthusiasm about joining Canadian Nexus as President, stating, "I am thrilled to join Canadian Nexus and work alongside an exceptional team. I look forward to driving innovation and growth while creating lasting value for our shareholders." The acquired property consists of the intellectual property and proprietary technology of the GRID decentralized energy platform. This includes, but is not limited to, its blockchain-based peer-to-peer architecture, virtual power plant (VPP) aggregation model, and artificial intelligence-driven optimization algorithms. Additionally, the acquisition encompasses all related software, data, user relationships, platform revenue streams, and proprietary methodologies that enable the coordination of distributed energy resources (DERs) for efficient grid participation and market operations. About Canadian Nexus Team Ventures Corp. Canadian Nexus Team Ventures Corp. (CSE: TEAM) is an investment issuer that actively invests in a diversified portfolio of early-stage to mid-level companies and projects with a focus on the Uranium and Artificial Intelligence sectors. Canadian Nexus leverages its network of operators and global thought leaders to provide investors with a unique multi-opportunity portfolio. The new TEAM website is www.CanadianNexus.com. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements about timing, future projects, management estimates and future revenues are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "will", "may", "should", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, statements as to the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, including the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to fund its business activities and plans, delays in obtaining regulatory approvals (including of the Canadian Securities Exchange), changes in laws, regulations, and policies affecting the Company's operations and the Company's limited operating history. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this presentation or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243203 SOURCE: Canadian Nexus Team Ventures Corp. 2024 was a milestone year marked by industry recognition, strategic advancements, and growing partner and customer portfolios. Stonebranch, a leading provider of service orchestration and automation solutions, has achieved another year of significant growth and innovation. Building on the success of 2023, the company expanded its offerings with major product advancements, new strategic partnerships, and a larger customer base, further solidifying its leadership in the IT automation industry. 2024 also marked a major milestone for Stonebranch its 25th anniversary. For a quarter of a century, Stonebranch has been at the forefront of IT automation, empowering organizations worldwide with cutting-edge orchestration solutions. This achievement underscores the company's longevity, stability, and continuous commitment to innovation. Industry Recognition, Investment, and Accolades Stonebranch's excellence in IT automation has been widely recognized in 2024. The company received a significant minority investment from EMH Partners, a leading growth equity firm, further validating its strong market position and fueling its continued expansion. Stonebranch was named a Leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Orchestration and Automation Platforms (SOAPs) and was also recognized in Gartner's Market Guides for DataOps Tools and Infrastructure Automation and Orchestration Tools, as well as in the Gartner Hype Cycle for Infrastructure and Operations. Additionally, Stonebranch was named a Leader in G2's Workload Automation Summer 2024 Reports, reflecting strong customer satisfaction and product excellence. Stonebranch CEO Giuseppe Damiani shared his thoughts on the company's achievements, stating, "Being recognized by Gartner and G2 as a leader in IT automation is a testament to the dedication of our team and the trust our customers place in us. Our continued innovation and investment in automation solutions drive our mission to empower businesses worldwide with seamless orchestration and operational excellence." Expanding Research and Product Innovations Stonebranch continues to set industry standards with the publication of the 2024 Global State of IT Automation Report, providing key insights into automation trends shaping the future of IT. On the product front, the company launched Universal Automation Center (UAC) version 7.7 and Universal Data Mover Gateway (UDMG) version 2.0, further expanding its capabilities in workload automation, hybrid IT orchestration, and secure file transfers. Additionally, Stonebranch achieved SAP Certification for RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, complementing its existing certification for SAP S/4HANA. Stonebranch CTO Peter Baljet commented on the company's advancements, stating, "With the release of UAC 7.7 and UDMG 2.0, we continue to push the boundaries of IT automation. As organizations rapidly evolve their approaches to system deployment, workload management, and data integration, UAC delivers a platform for orchestrating both current and future technologies. Our goal is to empower enterprises with greater flexibility, security, and efficiency in managing their hybrid and multi-cloud environments." Strengthening Customer and Partner Relationships In 2024, Stonebranch significantly grew its customer base, welcoming a diverse range of new clients from industries including finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology. The company also introduced the UserVerse 2024 World Tour, a global event series designed to connect automation professionals and foster innovation through thought leadership, peer networking, and hands-on training. The Stonebranch Partner Program continued to expand in 2024, fostering strong alliances with technology providers, system integrators, and managed service providers. By collaborating with industry leaders, Stonebranch delivers seamless automation solutions that integrate with a wide range of enterprise IT ecosystems. The program equips partners with training, certification, and go-to-market resources, enabling them to drive automation success for their customers. Reflecting on this momentum, Stonebranch CEO Giuseppe Damiani stated, "2024 has been a transformative year for Stonebranch. Our ability to attract and retain a diverse customer portfolio underscores the trust our users place in our solutions. As organizations work to modernize their IT infrastructure and streamline operations, we remain a trusted partner in their journeys. We're excited to continue shaping the future of IT automation." Looking Ahead As Stonebranch enters 2025, the company remains committed to pushing the boundaries of automation. With a strong foundation of innovation, strategic partnerships, and a customer-centric approach, Stonebranch is poised to drive the next wave of advancements in IT automation. To learn more about Stonebranch and its automation solutions, visit www.stonebranch.com. About Stonebranch Stonebranch builds IT orchestration and automation solutions that transform business IT environments from simple IT task automation into sophisticated, real-time business service automation. No matter the degree of automation, the Stonebranch platform is simple, modern, and secure. Using the Stonebranch Universal Automation Center, enterprises can seamlessly orchestrate workloads and data across technology ecosystems and silos. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with points of contact and support throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia, Stonebranch serves some of the world's largest financial, manufacturing, healthcare, travel, transportation, energy, and technology institutions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304440082/en/ Contacts: Scott Davis Chief Marketing Officer Stonebranch scott.davis@stonebranch.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Bayhorse Silver Inc, (TSXV: BHS) (OTCQB: BHSIF) (FSE: 7KXN) (the "Company" or "Bayhorse") reports that assay results have been received for the first 115 m (380 ft) of the silicified breccia zone encountered 90 m (300 ft) downhole in drill hole BH24-01 to test a VTEM anomaly at the Bayhorse Silver Mine. Anomalous values of continuous copper, (up to 125 ppm) and zinc (up to 695 ppm) and intermittent anomalous gold values (up to 0.023 ppm) were encountered in the first 115 m (380 ft) of the brecciation zone that now extends to the current bottom of the hole at 318 m (1050 ft). A further 112 m of samples of brecciation and rhyolite have been submitted for assay. The presence of chalcopyrite was noted at the bottom of the hole. Bayhorse CEO Graeme O'Neill comments, "we are very encouraged by the continuous copper/zinc mineralization in the upper 115 m (380 ft) part of the 227 m (750 ft) length breccia intersection that lies in close proximity to the IP chargeability and low-resistance zones that may indicate the presence of massive sulfides/copper porphyry." As well, the preliminary IP results by S.J. V Geophysics, that are overlaid on the geologic map, (figure 1) has identified both chargeability (green) and low resistance targets (blue) extending to depth within the VTEM geophysics signature within the rhyolite hosted copper and silver rich Bayhorse Silver Mine deposit. The IP geophysical survey will be extended onto the Pegasus project as soon as ground conditions permit. Drilling BH24-01 has confirmed that the Bayhorse Ag-Cu-Zn-Sb mineralization is epithermal in nature and is expected to extend to significant depths. In Hole BH24-01 there are areas of strong silica flooding, epithermal-style vuggy quartz veining, sporadic tetrahedrite mineralization and hydrothermal brecciation. This extends from 90m (300 ft) to the current bottom of the hole at 318 m (1050 ft). This alteration could mark the hole's proximity to a porphyry or related epithermal system. Figure 1. Plan view of rhyolite occurrences hosting silver/copper mineralization and geophysical anomalies. Geological mapping by Dr. Clay Conway, P.Geol. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5015/243247_ccebc9b2a4dd1923_001full.jpg In figure 1, the top of silver bearing rhyolite dyke 1 has been cut and offset by thrusting, and the overlying segment (dyke 2) has been displaced to the south. This displaced section, with an estimated vertical extent of 120 m (396 ft) is the area of the Company's planned mining based on the National Instrument 43-101 inferred resource of 6.3 m ounces of silver at a grade of 21.65 opt ((673 g/t) (Turner et al. 2018) . Figure 2. 3D representation of IP chargeability (green) and low-resistance (blue) targets To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5015/243247_ccebc9b2a4dd1923_002full.jpg The Company's senior consulting geologists have suggested the brecciated zone is a highly silicified hydrothermal polymictic breccia. It contains multiple rounded, "milled" clasts that probably resulted from high pressure fluids derived from a buried pluton streaming up through the breccia. (BHS2024-29) (Figure 3). Figure 3. Representation of mineralizing events around porphyry intrusion To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5015/243247_ccebc9b2a4dd1923_003full.jpg Bayhorse Silver CEO, Graeme O'Neill, further comments, "the 3D representation of our recently concluded surface and downhole IP program will better allow us to drill target the identified chargeability (green) and low resistance (blue) zones within the VTEM signature information low." The Bayhorse exploration model holds that the rhyolite hosted silver-copper-zinc-antimony rich mineralization at the Bayhorse Silver Mine could have its source in an underlying shallow pluton that may host porphyry copper mineralization. The rhyolite extends from the Pegasus Project and its VTEM anomaly that lies 1500m (5000 feet) east of the Bayhorse Mine workings in the State of Idaho, under the Snake River, to under the Bayhorse Mine. The final baseline study for the Bayhorse Mine Permitting is planned to be completed by the end of June 2025, at which time the final Operating Permit Application will be made. Once permitting is approved, silver/copper/antimony concentrate production can resume. Bayhorse CEO Graeme O'Neill comments, "with the gold price rising to US$2900 per ounce, (goldprice.org) the future price of silver is also expected to increase. The silver/copper concentrate that the Company has already produced also contains +/- 12% antimony, which is a critical mineral." The price of antimony surged 200% in 2024, and antimony ingots are currently priced at US$25,000/ton. (Shanghai Metal Market). Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") Measures, Chain of Custody Drill cores were cut in half using a diamond saw and placed in sealed bags for preparation and subsequent analysis by Paragon Geochemical's Sparks, Nevada facility using the PREP-PKG: Preparation Prep Package. A blank was inserted at the start of the sample submittal and a prepared standard was inserted every twenty samples. One duplicate was also inserted into the sample stream. The samples were stored in a locked container on the property then transported to the laboratory in a secure container in a pickup truck by the project geologist. Each prepared sample was assayed for gold using Paragon's Au-FA30: Au 30g fire assay, AQR/digest/AAS or OES finish, and a 35-element suite was analyzed with Paragon's 35 AR-OES, which is a thirty five element suite with 1ppm Hg; 0.5gAQR digestion/ICP-OES finish. A total of 81 samples were analyzed. There were no overlimit samples. Analysis certificates were examined, and no irregularities were found. This News Release has been prepared on behalf of the Bayhorse Silver Inc. Board of Directors, which accepts full responsibility for its content. Mark Abrams, AIPG, a Qualified Person, and a Director of the Company, has prepared, supervised the preparation of, or approved the technical content of this news release. About Bayhorse Silver Inc. Bayhorse Silver Inc. is an exploration and production company with a 100% interest in the historic Bayhorse Silver Mine located in Oregon, USA and the Pegasus Project, in Washington County, Idaho. The Bayhorse Silver Mine and the Pegasus Project lies 44 km southwest of Hercules Metals' porphyry copper discovery. The Bayhorse Mine includes a state-of-the-art Steinert Ore-Sorting technology reducing waste rock entering the processing stream by up to 85%. The Company has created a minimum environmental impact facility capable of mining 200 tons of mineralization per day and the ability to process and supply 3,600 tons per year of silver/copper concentrate ranging between 7,500 to 15,000 g/t using standard flotation processing at its milling facility in nearby Payette County, Idaho, USA, with an offtake agreement in place with Ocean Partners UK Limited. The Company also has an option to acquire an 80% interest in the Brandywine high grade silver/gold property located in B.C. Canada. The Company has an experienced management and technical team with extensive mining expertise in both exploration and building mines. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243247 SOURCE: Bayhorse Silver Inc. Board-Certified* Criminal Defense Attorney David Smith Embraces Innovative Legal Technology to Expand Access to Quality Legal Representation Respected criminal defense attorney David Smith of David Smith Law, PLLC , and former Brazoria County Prosecutor and Chief of the Misdemeanor Division, has joined forces with ReferU.AI to deliver more convenient access to effective legal counsel for Houstonians facing serious criminal charges. David Smith recently made headlines in the Associated Press for securing a rare in-trial dismissal for his client, who faced 180 days of confinement, by strategically suppressing unconstitutionally collected evidence and dismantling the prosecution's entire case. Additionally, David Smith's participation in ReferU.AI's exclusive event honoring Houston's Top Criminal Defense Attorneys was featured in Yahoo! Finance and MarketWatch / The Wall Street Journal. David Smith David Smith of David Smith Law Firm, PLLC "My experience as a Felony Prosecutor and Chief of the Misdemeanor Division in Brazoria County taught me how prosecutors work cases," says David Smith . "Now, as a Board-Certified Criminal Defense Attorney, I leverage that knowledge to protect my clients' rights. Partnering with ReferU.AI empowers others to find a comprehensive, strategic, experienced advocate at a time in their lives where the stakes are highest." David Smith is a seasoned trial lawyer-having brought over 100 cases before a jury-including serious offenses such as aggravated sexual assault and murder. Now, as a criminal defense attorney, David Smith's commitment to excellence is evident in his completion of the vigorous Board Certification in Criminal Law (2015) through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and completion of the NHTSA DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Test Course. David is also a member of the DUI Defense Lawyers Association, the National College for DUI Defense, Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, and the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Praise From ReferU.AI " ReferU.AI is honored to welcome David Smith to our network of esteemed attorneys," says Joel Geddis, Founder & CEO of ReferU.AI . "His remarkable record as a Felony Prosecutor turned Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist, and his dedication to client success and experience, make David Smith an exceptional partner for our users seeking an exceptional defense." About ReferU.AI ReferU.AI was founded in Houston, TX, by serial entrepreneur and tech leader, Joel Geddis. "Our mission is to deliver smarter results, better representation, and the best outcomes," says Joel. The company's groundbreaking approach to client acquisition has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, the Associated Press, MarketWatch / Wall Street Journal, and Morningstar. As a certified Delaware for Public Benefit C-Corporation, ReferU.AI pledges a portion of its profits to support victims of child abuse and neglect. About David Smith David Smith is *Board Certified, Criminal Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization who channeled his experience as a Felony Prosecutor and Chief of the Misdemeanor Division in Brazoria County to provide his clients a thorough and strategic defense. His office is conveniently located at 2019 Washington Ave. #300, Houston, TX 77007 and he can be reached at 713-769-5000. SOURCE: ReferU.AI, a Public Benefit Corporation 92% of respondents report improved experiences and career opportunities due to hybrid work; AI skill-building Ensono, a leading technology advisor, innovation partner, and managed service provider, released today the results of its fifth-annual Speak Up survey, revealing both progress and persistent challenges for women in the technology industry. While 92% of respondents report an improved workplace experience, inequities persist especially as they navigate return-to-office (RTO) mandates and explore career-accelerating technologies like generative AI. A resounding 75% of respondents reported their organizations strengthened DEI initiatives in the last year highlighting the technology sector's leadership when it comes to improving workplace experiences for women. Notably this commitment is highest in India, where 85% of respondents reported strong DEI efforts, compared to 73% in the U.K. and just 67% in the U.S. "While the experiences for many women in technology have improved, this should not distract tech leaders from understanding the inequities that impact the workplace and striving to meet all employees where they are," said Meredith Graham, Chief People Officer at Ensono. "Balancing equity across a diverse, distributed workforce is a complex mandate, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach to understanding organizational needs. To scale successfully, companies must foster consistent experiences and opportunities regardless of location or role." Beyond equity perception improvements, 89% of respondents identified new generative AI skills as career accelerators, with the percentage of respondents ranking their skills as "expert" doubling year-over-year. However, remote employees had vastly different perceptions, with many feeling they were being left behind on generative AI skill building. Only 6% of remote respondents ranked their generative AI skills and knowledge as "expert," compared to 31% of hybrid and 29% of in-person respondents. These challenges also bleed into career management and leadership ambitions. 76% of women surveyed aspire to be people managers, led by a staggering 90% of Gen Z and 93% of millennial respondents, compared to 74% of Gen Xers and 64% of baby boomers. While 85% of women in tech want to advance into an executive leadership position during their careers, 15% shy away because they're either happy with their current responsibilities or don't want the stress and work-life balance compromise that would accompany an executive elevation. Additional key findings from the 2025 Speak Up survey include: 1 in 4 women still feel unsafe due to microaggressions at work - only a 1% improvement from last year. women still feel unsafe due to - only a from last year. 82% of women faced return-to-office (RTO) mandates in 2024. 49% struggle to balance caregiving with in-office expectations a repeat of last year's top challenge. faced return-to-office (RTO) mandates in 2024. to balance caregiving with in-office expectations a repeat of last year's top challenge. 19% of women plan to leave their companies in 2025 in search of greater remote work flexibility, more inclusion in decision-making, and better work/life balance. in search of greater remote work flexibility, more inclusion in decision-making, and better work/life balance. For the second year, better pay and benefits dropped out of the top three reasons women seek new roles. To read the full report, please visit, "Speak Up 2025: How Women in Tech Weigh RTOs and AI Alongside Their Leadership Ambitions." About Ensono: Ensono is an expert technology advisor, innovation partner and managed service provider. As a relentless ally, we specialize in helping enterprise clients transform their organization, innovate new and disruptive technologies, and optimize their IT operations to achieve better business outcomes. Our dedicated team works across hybrid environments with services that span consulting, mainframe and application modernization, public cloud migration and cloud-native development. With certified experts in Azure and recognized as Microsoft Datacenter Transformation Partner of the Year, Ensono has over 3,500 associates globally and is headquartered in greater Chicago. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304667207/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Molly Leahy, PR Director; EnsonoPR@walkersands.com INDIANAPOLIS, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indianapolis Prize, the world's leading award for animal conservation, has named Mwezi "Badru" Mugerwa the Winner of the 2025 Indianapolis Prize Emerging Conservationist Award. This honor-only the second given to date-is presented to a conservationist under 40 who has made a significant impact on saving an animal species or group of species. Mugerwa will receive a $50,000 award. Mugerwa is a Ugandan conservationist and researcher and is the founder and director of Embaka, a grassroots community-based conservation organization focused on the preservation of the African golden cat. He established the first-ever community-based anti-poaching conservation project focused on the African golden cat at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda. Mugerwa also created the African Golden Cat Conservation Alliance (AGCCA), a network of African nationals implementing conservation activities for the African golden cat across the species range. Additionally, Mugerwa serves as the president of the Society for Conservation Biology's Africa Region and is the president-elect for the Society for Conservation Biology Global. "Mwezi's passion for involving the local community in conservation efforts is what makes him so worthy of receiving this award. It is a distinct honor to recognize him as the 2025 Indianapolis Prize Emerging Conservationist," said Dr. Rob Shumaker, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoological Society. Mugerwa began studying the African golden cat through research using camera traps, where he captured a black and white image of an unknown animal in the forest. At the time, the African golden cat was virtually unknown-an elusive species found only in the forests of equatorial Africa. Turning to the community, he came to understand how the wild cat's primary threat-poaching-was directly connected to the livelihood of local people, as it is often caught in bushmeat snares. Since its founding in 2015, Embaka has focused on involving the community in conservation efforts. Through four programs-offering everything from free oral health care and livestock, to helping with credit and savings for families in exchange for a pledge not to poach-more than 2,225 community members have registered to support the African golden cat. "Having a national park in your backyard is not a burden, it's an opportunity. That's the connection we've been trying to draw for the African golden cat in these communities," said Mugerwa. "Once you're in the communities and you understand the problem: 'I need money to pay my dentist bills.' Well, what if I brought you a dentist? Once you explain that, it connects really well. The communities hold the solutions, but if you don't talk to them, you won't know." Using artificial intelligence to analyze camera trap data, Mugerwa and others working with the AGCCA in 19 African countries are moving toward a standardized model of observation to better study the population of African golden cats across the continent. Mugerwa was chosen through a two-stage selection process and was named one of 10 Finalists in October 2024. The Emerging Conservationist award is made possible through a gift from the Kobe Foundation. In May, the Indianapolis Prize will also announce the 2025 Indianapolis Prize Winner, who will receive a $250,000 award for their work in animal species conservation. The Indianapolis Prize Winner and Indianapolis Prize Emerging Conservationist will be honored at the Indianapolis Prize Gala on Sept. 27, 2025, presented by Cummins Inc., in downtown Indianapolis. For additional media assets for the 2025 Indianapolis Prize Emerging Conservationist Award, click here. To learn more about the previous Indianapolis Prize Winners, visit IndianapolisPrize.org. About the Indianapolis Prize The Indianapolis Prize recognizes and rewards conservationists who have achieved major victories in advancing the sustainability of an animal species or group of species. The Emerging Conservationist Award, a newly established accolade in 2023, is given to a conservationist age 40 or younger. Since 2004, the Indianapolis Prize has awarded more than $7 million in unrestricted cash awards, advancing the work of conservation scientists through financial support and public awareness. The Indianapolis Prize is a conservation initiative of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc. Connect with the Prize on Facebook, X, Instagram and indianapolisprize.org. Media Contacts Alliy Moyer Conservation PR Specialist 317-630-3265 amoyer@indyzoo.com Camille Pipino VOX Global 614-588-6488 cpipino@voxglobal.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2608197/5189845/IndyPrizeLogo_SMLnotext_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/indianapolis-prize-names-ugandan-wild-cat-protector-winner-of-second-emerging-conservationist-award-302389189.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Equity Metals Corporation (TSXV: EQTY) (OTCQB: EQMEF) (FSE: EGSD) ("Equity" or the "Company") announces that the following incumbent directors were re-elected at the Company's annual general meeting held on February 27, 2025: Joseph A. Kizis, Jr., Lawrence Page, K.C., Killian Ruby, Courtney Shearer and John Kerr. In addition, the shareholders re-appointed Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Accountants, as auditor of Equity Metals and approved the Company's rolling incentive stock option plan pursuant to which a maximum of 10% of the issued shares will be reserved for issuance under the plan. The plan is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance. The following officers were re-appointed subsequent to the annual general meeting: Joseph A. Kizis, Jr. as President, Lawrence Page, K.C. as Chairman, Robert Macdonald as Vice President Exploration, Jay Oness as Vice President Corporate Development, Killian Ruby as Chief Financial Officer, and Arie Page as Corporate Secretary. Equity Metals has granted incentive stock options to directors, officers and consultants to purchase 5,150,000 common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.17 per share, exercisable for a period of five years. The stock options are subject to the terms and conditions of Equity Metals' stock option plan and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Equity Metals Corporation Equity Metals Corporation is a member of the Malaspina-Manex Group. The Company owns 100% interest, with no underlying royalty, in the Silver Queen project, located along the Skeena Arch in the Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia. The property hosts high-grade, precious- and base-metal veins related to a buried porphyry system, which has been only partially delineated. The Company also has a controlling JV interest (57.49%) in the Monument Diamond project, NWT, strategically located in the Lac De Gras district within 40 km of both the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines. As well, the Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Arlington Property, located within the Boundary District of south-central British Columbia. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Lawrence Page, K.C." Lawrence Page, K.C. Chairman, Director, Equity Metals Corporation Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Equity Metals Corporation does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243195 SOURCE: Equity Metals Corporation eDreams ODIGEO, the world's leading travel subscription company, today announced that its US travel brand eDreams.net has earned the coveted accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), achieving the highest possible rating of A+. This milestone makes eDreams ODIGEO the first major European travel technology company to achieve this distinguished recognition in the USA. The BBB Accreditation, a hallmark of trust in the US market, represents an organization's dedication to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency and service. By meeting the BBB's rigorous criteria and earning an A+ rating, eDreams.net reinforces its position as a trusted and customer-focused travel provider. According to BBB research, 7 in 10 consumers are more likely to engage with businesses that hold BBB Accreditation, underscoring the value of this recognition for eDreams.net's expanding customer base in the USA. At the core of the company's unique offering to American consumers is eDreams Prime, the first-ever travel subscription platform. Providing personalized travel plans, exclusive flexibility features, savings, and access to over 700 airlines and millions of accommodation options worldwide on a single platform, eDreams Prime combines exceptional value with 24/7 premium customer support. By leveraging its innovative subscription-based model and prioritising customer satisfaction, eDreams ODIGEO continues to redefine the travel experience. The BBB accreditation reinforces its position as the go-to platform for US travellers seeking personalization, choice, cost-effectiveness and convenience. Dana Dunne, CEO at eDreams ODIGEO, said: "We are honored to be recognised with BBB Accreditation and an A+ rating. This milestone underscores our mission to harness technology to deliver trusted, seamless, and customer-centric travel experiences. It reinforces our leadership as pioneers of subscription-based travel services in the US market, and we look forward to continuing to delight our eDreams Prime subscribers and broader customer base in the USA." Rod Davis, CEO at Better Business Bureau, said: "The US market requires dedication and a deep understanding of customer expectations. eDreams ODIGEO's accreditation is a testament to what businesses can achieve when they uphold the BBB's high standards of trust and integrity. Our goal is to help every business improve, and we will continue working alongside eDreams to foster trust and confidence in this vital industry." -ENDS- About eDreams.net eDreams is one of the world's leading online agencies; a true disruptor in the online travel booking sector since its foundation in 1999 in Silicon Valley. The business puts cutting-edge technology solutions to work on behalf of travellers worldwide. It offers the widest choice of flights from nearly 700 airlines as well as the greatest variety of hotels, flight dynamic hotel packages, car rentals and travel insurance products. Founder of eDreams Prime, the very first subscription programme ever created in travel, eDreams is revolutionising the way people search for, book and enjoy travel. eDreams is part of the eDreams ODIGEO Group, one of the world's largest online travel companies serving 21 million customers globally. About eDreams ODIGEO eDreams ODIGEO is the world's leading travel subscription platform and one of the largest e-commerce businesses in Europe. Under its four renowned online travel agency brands eDreams, GO Voyages, Opodo, Travellink, and the metasearch engine Liligo it serves more than 21 million customers per year across 44 markets. Listed on the Spanish Stock Market, eDreams ODIGEO works with nearly 700 airlines. The business launched Prime, the first subscription product in the travel sector which has topped over 6.5 million members since launching in 2017. The brand offers the best quality products in regular flights, low-cost airlines, hotels, dynamic packages, car rental and travel insurance to make travel easier, more accessible, and better value for consumers across the globe. About Better Business Bureau The Better Business Bureau is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering marketplace trust. Companies accredited by the BBB are recognised for adhering to ethical business practices, promoting transparency, and consistently delivering excellent customer service. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304197997/en/ Contacts: Press E: edreamspressoffice@instinctif.com T: +(44)07879086840 New investments will drive expansion of Graid Technology's industry-leading data protection solutions across OEM and Enterprise markets. Graid Technology, a leading innovator in GPU-based RAID for NVMe storage performance, today announced the successful closing of its $30 million Series B funding round. The round was led by HH-CTBC Partnership, a joint venture fund between Foxconn and CTBC, alongside Yuanta Ventures. The funding also includes participation from Delta Electronics Capital, Harbinger Venture Capital, and returning investors from Graid Technology's 2022 Series A round. Graid Technology Secures $30M Series B to Accelerate Growth in Data Storage & Protection Market New investments will drive expansion of Graid Technology's industry-leading data protection solutions across OEM and Enterprise markets. This investment will drive global expansion, product innovation, and strategic partnerships, strengthening Graid Technology's presence in enterprise and OEM markets while meeting growing demand for AI, machine learning (ML), and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. Graid Technology's SupremeRAID product line eliminates traditional RAID bottlenecks by offloading RAID operations to the GPU, maximizing NVMe SSD performance and scalability. With thousands of deployments worldwide, SupremeRAID is enabling data centers, AI research facilities, media production, and financial institutions to optimize storage infrastructure while ensuring data integrity, redundancy, and resilience. "This funding marks a significant milestone, not only in expanding our market reach but also in driving new innovations," said Leander Yu, Founder and CEO of Graid Technology. "The backing of HH-CTBC Partnership, Yuanta Ventures, and other strategic investors reflects confidence in our vision. With their support, we are well-positioned to scale our technology and expand into new markets." About Graid Technology Graid Technology is transforming enterprise storage with SupremeRAID, the world's first GPU-based RAID solution. By offloading RAID calculations to the GPU, SupremeRAID enables enterprises to maximize NVMe SSD performance, delivering unprecedented speed, efficiency, and scalability for AI, ML, media, and high-performance computing workloads. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, with an R&D center in Taipei, Taiwan, Graid Technology partners with leading OEMs and global technology providers to redefine NVMe storage performance. For more information, visit www.graidtech.com. Contact Information SOURCE: Graid Technology Inc. The Harris Poll Study Reveals Economic Uncertainty, Cost of Living, and Political Climate Fueling Americans' Desire to Relocate A new Harris Poll survey of over 6,300 Americans across three waves reveals a growing interest in moving abroad as economic challenges, rising costs, and shifting priorities reshape the American Dream. Four in ten Americans (42%) have considered or plan to relocate outside the U.S., believing it could improve their quality of life and financial stability. Interest is particularly strong among younger generations: 63% of Gen Z and 52% of Millennials have considered moving abroad, with nearly one in five in both groups seriously contemplating it. By comparison, 35% of Gen X and 26% of Boomers have considered relocating, with lower levels of serious consideration American Expats Survey The Harris Poll The American Dream Has Evolved to the Expat Dream For many Americans, the traditional markers of success-homeownership, financial stability, and upward mobility-feel increasingly out of reach. According to the survey, 68% of Americans feel like they are merely surviving instead of thriving, with this sentiment especially prevalent among Millennials, renters, and lower-income households. Additionally, 68% believe homeownership is no longer attainable for most American citizens, signaling a shift in long-held economic aspirations. "The American Dream is evolving into the Expat Dream," says Libby Rodney, Chief Strategy Officer at The Harris Poll. "As social media fills with stories of Americans building high-quality lives abroad, more people are getting curious. They're not just imagining greener pastures - they're actively exploring new countries, researching locations, and planning strategic relocations. These Americans are prioritizing quality of life and safety, looking beyond U.S. borders to find it." Financial Strain and Social Concerns Fuel Relocation Concerns The top reasons Americans are exploring life outside the U.S. include lower living expenses (49%), dissatisfaction with the current political leadership (48%, up +6% since November 2024), and a desire for a higher quality of life (43%). The interest in moving abroad is fueled by concerns over affordability, healthcare, and economic uncertainty. Notably, minority groups increasingly fear their rights may be at risk in the U.S., further motivating relocation. 67% of LGBTQIA+ Americans believe their rights are becoming more compromised in the U.S., with higher concerns among Gen Z (78%) and Black Americans (75%). 58% of American Women fear growing restrictions, particularly among Black (77%) and Millennial (64%) women. 57% of BIPOC Americans feel their rights are under threat, with concerns spanning across racial demographics (65% Black, 62% Millennials). These concerns highlight how social and political instability are accelerating interest in international relocation. A Tale of Two Americas: Political Divide Drives Exodus Plans The survey reveals stark political differences driving Americans' interest in leaving the country. Among Democrats, 49% cite dissatisfaction with the current political leadership as a major reason for considering relocation, while 37% of Republicans are motivated by concerns over shifting social policies and economic regulations. Independents, meanwhile, are more likely to point to financial strain and declining quality of life as primary factors influencing their decisions. "Following the election, Americans across the political spectrum are reevaluating their future in the U.S.," says Rodney. "Whether driven by concerns over personal rights or the search for financial opportunity, many are considering options beyond our borders." Top Expat Destinations Among those considering relocation, English first countries remain top choice such as; Canada, U.K., Australia, followed by the Instagram worthy lifestyles in France, Italy and Japan. Regions like Western Europe and Oceania are also gaining traction as desirable options for Americans seeking stability and economic opportunity. Here are the top 10 countries that Americans would most consider moving to: Canada United Kingdom Australia France Italy Japan Mexico Spain Germany New Zealand The New Safety Net: Second Passports and Global Options Dual citizenship is also becoming an aspirational goal, particularly for Millennials and Gen Z. Two-thirds of these generations (66%) express interest in obtaining dual nationality, primarily for expanded travel freedom, economic benefits, and cultural connections. The ability to work and retire abroad, along with better access to public services, are key factors driving this trend. "In an era of global uncertainty, securing a second passport is seen as a smart strategy for future-proofing financial and lifestyle decisions," Rodney adds. About the Survey This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll across three waves: Wave 1: August 15-17, 2024, among a nationally representative sample of 2,121 U.S. adults, including 347 Gen Z, 630 Millennials, 506 Gen X, and 638 Boomers. Wave 2: November 7-9, 2024, among a nationally representative sample of 2,106 U.S. adults, including 327 Gen Z, 579 Millennials, 612 Gen X, and 588 Boomers. Wave 3: February 13-15, 2025, among a nationally representative sample of 2,131 U.S. adults, including 304 Gen Z, 576 Millennials, 665 Gen X, and 586 Boomers. You can see the full findings here: https://theharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Americans-Expats-Feb-2025.pdf About Harris Poll Thought Leadership Practice Building on 60+ years of experience pulsing societal opinion, we design research that is credible, creative, and culturally relevant. Our practice drives thought leadership and uncovers trends for today's biggest brands, helping them stay ahead of what's next. To learn more, please visit https://theharrispoll.com/solutions/thought-leadership-practice About The Harris Poll The Harris Poll is one of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., tracking public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963. Now part of Harris Insights & Analytics, we provide market intelligence that helps businesses and policymakers make informed decisions. To learn more, visit https://theharrispoll.com Contact Information Tim Osiecki Director, Thought Leadership & Trends, The Harris Poll tim.osiecki@harrispoll.com SOURCE: The Harris Poll Global investigations firm Nardello Co. is pleased to announce the launch of its Financial Investigations Forensic Accounting practice with the arrival of a team of seasoned forensic accountants in New York, Los Angeles, and London. The establishment of the Financial Investigations Forensic Accounting practice, headed by Nardello Co. partner and Chief Legal Officer Warren Feldman complements and enhances the firm's established work on complex financial investigations, including its recent roles in the FTX and Purdue Pharma bankruptcies. The firm welcomes managing directors Jean Chow-Callamin Los Angeles, Paul Nashin London and Alberto Orozco in New York. Combined with financial and forensic investigators Peter Tutton and Ken Newlands in London and John Auerbach in New York, the new group, along with Nardello's industry-leading team of former federal prosecutors, international lawyers, law enforcement and intelligence operatives, and digital investigators, will provide a full suite of services for complex financial investigations and risk assessments, including: independent monitorships; pre and post-M&A financial risk due diligence; anti-bribery and corruption; asset tracing; and fraud matters. "Our decision to offer top tier forensic investigations and accounting services alongside our existing practices stems from our clients' requests and will enable us to meet their growing multidisciplinary needs," said Dan Nardello Nardello Co. Executive Chairman. Feldman, the head of the practice, added, "Financial issues are central to nearly every substantial legal dispute, in addition to high-stakes business situations such as bankruptcy and restructuring proceedings. The new team is ideally suited to meet clients' rising financial investigations needs by providing them with a one stop shop for support." BIOS Chow-Callam, a veteran Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), specializes in forensic accounting consulting services as well as financial statement-related matters and due diligence exercises involving auditing, compliance, and internal controls. She has been engaged by audit committees and companies under investigation for GAAP or SEC reporting violations and has testified on behalf of the SEC and before the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission and NAI (Netherlands Arbitration Institute). Her experience includes working at Big Four accounting firms and leading corporate investigations and advisory firms, and as a Controller, CFO and Chief Compliance Officer. She is also fluent in Mandarin. Nash, a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant with more than two decades of experience investigating financial fraud and corruption, advises corporations, law firms, international financial institutions, and global development agencies on sensitive matters, with a focus on matters relating to bribery and corruption. After beginning his career investigating matters in the UK and the Middle East with the British military services, he worked for the UK Government as a financial investigator, co-managing the formation of an anti-money laundering unit to investigate tax evasion cases. Nash arrives from a global professional services firm and previously worked for two Big Four accounting firms. Orozco, a recognized expert in forensic accounting, compliance, and business operations, joins from a Big Four accounting firm where he advised clients on strategies to navigate complex cross-border regulatory inquiries and develop governance, transparency, and integrity programs. His international work spans financial fraud, anti-bribery, asset misappropriation, and procurement/vendor fraud investigations, as well as due diligence and compliance reviews, in over 20 countries. He has particular expertise in Latin America business practices and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. "Nardello Co. has long been at the forefront of some of the world's most significant financial investigations tied to litigation, and this new practice fits perfectly with the firm's current offerings, enabling us to provide clients something unique and long overdue: financial investigations and forensic accounting expertise rooted in complex investigations expertise," Chow-Callum said. Nash added, "The firm's sophisticated multidisciplinary and independent approach is a global gold standard, and we are eager to help clients navigate the evolving regulatory and compliance climate." About Nardello Co. Ranked as the pre-eminent US investigative firm by Chambers Partners and named by Global Investigations Review as the 2024 Investigations Consultancy of the Year, Nardello Co's experienced professionals around the globe handle a broad range of issues including civil and white collar criminal litigation and arbitration support, due diligence, anti-corruption fraud investigations, asset tracing, activist defense, political risk and strategic intelligence, digital investigations and cyber defense, monitorships and independent investigations, and compliance consulting. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304760967/en/ Contacts: Elizabeth Anscombe Chief Business Development Marketing Officer eanscombe@nardelloandco.com DELRAY BEACH, Fla., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Cloud ERP Market will grow from USD 87.73 billion in 2024 to USD 172.74 billion by 2029 at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.5% during the forecast period, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Remote accessibility in Cloud ERP enables employees to securely access business applications, data, and workflows from any location with an internet connection. This is critical for organizations with remote working policies, dispersed teams, or international operations and for smooth collaboration between departments. Cloud ERP offers real-time data synchronization, allowing workers to make informed decisions at the right time, increasing efficiency in financial management, supply chain management, and customer service. Cloud-based dashboards and mobile-friendly UIs also support increased accessibility, with users being able to monitor key metrics and perform tasks remotely. This is especially valuable in the manufacturing, retail, and logistics sectors, where real-time insights into sales, inventory, and operations are critical. Furthermore, cloud ERP vendors employ stringent security protocols for secure remote access, such as encrypted connections and multi-factor authentication. As companies adopt hybrid work structures, the need for cloud-based ERP offerings with strong remote features continues to expand. Browse in-depth TOC on "Cloud ERP Market" 273 - Tables 55 - Figures 310 - Pages Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=190169866 Scope of the Report Report Metrics Details Market size available for years 2018-2029 Base year considered 2023 Forecast period 2024-2029 Forecast units USD (Billion) Segments covered Software, Application, Vertical and Region Geographies covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America Companies covered SAP (Germany), Oracle (US), Microsoft (US), Intuit (US), Infor (US), Epicor (US), Sage Group (US), IFS (Sweden), Plex (US) and Acumatica (US). Based on the software type, the entire suite segment is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period. The entire suite segment is expected to dominate the Cloud ERP Market during the forecast period due to its comprehensive functionality, enabling businesses to manage end-to-end operations within a unified platform. In contrast to standalone applications, full-suite cloud ERP bundles core business functions such as finance, human resources, supply chain, and customer relationship management (CRM) and has seamless data integration and real-time information. This combined approach improves operational efficiency, streamlines IT and decision-making, and is the option for large business houses and growing mid-market organizations. Request Sample Pages@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=190169866 Adoption is fostered by escalating demand for scalability, agility, and cost-effectiveness in cloud-enabled operations. Organizations are transitioning from conventional on-premise models to end-to-end cloud-based ERP solutions to improve flexibility and remote access. Key players, including SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft, are continuously changing their cloud ERP offerings with AI, automation, and analytics in support of business intelligence. In addition, sectors such as manufacturing, retail, and healthcare are going for full-suite ERP to simplify operations and boost compliance. As digital transformation is now a key concern for companies, the market will see increasing demand for combined cloud-based ERP solutions, thus fortifying the grip of the full-suite segment over the market. Based on the vertical type, the IT & ITES segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The IT & ITES segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR in the Cloud ERP Market because it is becoming more dependent on digital transformation, automation, and data-driven decision-making. IT and IT-enabled services (ITES) companies require scalable and flexible ERP solutions to manage complex workflows, optimize resource consumption, and enhance operational efficiency. Needs for immediate access to information, seamless collaboration, and integration with upcoming technologies such as AI, IoT, and analytics are driving the shift to cloud-based ERP. Cloud ERP also offers cost-effective deployment models, reducing up-front infrastructure costs and enabling IT & ITES organizations to scale up effectively. Growing adoption of remote working, globalization, and distributed teams also fuels cloud ERP expansion in the sector, ensuring seamless operations and greater security for data processing. Major cloud ERP vendors such as SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft are increasingly adapting their products to meet the needs of IT & ITES companies, embedding cutting-edge automation and AI-powered insights. Additionally, data security and compliance requirements necessitate organizations implementing cloud ERP solutions with strong governance features. With IT & ITES firms growing and evolving further, the need for cloud ERP solutions will continue to be a significant growth driver in the market. Inquire Before Buying@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=190169866 Based on the applications, the inventory & order management segment is expected to hold the second largest market share during the forecast period. The inventory & order management segment is expected to hold the second-largest market share in the Cloud ERP Market due to the rising need for real-time inventory tracking, automated stock management, and seamless order processing. Organizations from various industries, especially retail, e-commerce, and manufacturing, are adopting cloud ERP solutions to streamline supply chain operations, minimize stockouts, and enhance fulfillment efficiency. Using AI and analytics-based inventory forecasting further improves decision-making with the proper stock levels and reduced operational expenses. Additionally, the shift toward omnichannel retailing and direct-to-consumer (DTC) models drives demand for cloud-based inventory and order management solutions that offer centralized visibility across multiple sales channels. Integrating with e-commerce platforms, warehouse management systems, and logistics companies enables businesses to automate order fulfillment and improve customer satisfaction. Cloud ERP's scalability and flexibility allow organizations of all sizes to adopt advanced inventory management tools without incurring heavy initial capital outlay. Increasing demand for automation and real-time synchronizing procurement, warehousing, and sales processes makes this segment a pivotal part of cloud ERP adoption. With businesses continually focusing on efficiency and agility, this segment will witness continued growth throughout the forecast period. Top Key Companies in Cloud ERP Market: Some of the cloud ERP vendors are SAP (Germany), Oracle (US), Microsoft (US), Intuit (US), Infor (US), Epicor (US), Sage Group (US), IFS (Sweden), Plex (US) and Acumatica (US). Browse Adjacent Markets: Software and Services Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Digital Product Passport Market- Global Forecast to 2030 Knowledge Graph Market- Global Forecast to 2030 Web Content Management Market- Global Forecast to 2029 Application Modernization Services Market- Global Forecast to 2029 3D Digital Asset Market- Global Forecast to 2029 Get access to the latest updates onCloud ERP Companies andCloud ERP Industry About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts. In addition, MarketsandMarkets SalesIQ enables sales teams to identify high-priority accounts and uncover hidden opportunities, helping them build more pipeline and win more deals with precision. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook . Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cloud-erp-market-worth-172-74-billion-by-2029--exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-302391047.html Tiger Global leads $75 million funding into Mews to fuel growth in the United States NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mews, the leading hospitality technology platform, today announced it has raised $75 million, led by Tiger Global, a leading global investment firm, alongside existing investors Kinnevik, Battery Ventures and Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives. This funding strengthens Mews' leadership in hospitality, fueling its expansion in the U.S. and DACH, accelerating platform innovation with AI-powered revenue management capabilities, and driving strategic acquisitions. Mews experienced remarkable global growth during 2024. The company grew at over 50% year-on-year, processed over $10 billion in payments volume, and generated over $200 million in revenue. Mews signed marquee customers, including BWH Hotels, completed the acquisition of Atomize, and reached an impressive 20% market penetration in the DACH region. The latest funding marks a pivotal moment in Mews' expansion strategy, with a focus on accelerating its growth in the U.S. - one of the most dynamic hospitality markets. Mews continues to capture market share and expand its footprint across North America, and recent milestones include: 2x revenue in North America year-on-year 2x the number of hospitality brands using Mews and welcoming forward-thinking brands including Lark Hotels, BWH Hotels and Weekender More than doubled the number of rooms and spaces managed via Mews, fast outpacing some of the most established PMS players in the U.S. Additionally, the investment will accelerate Mews' R&D efforts, fuelling innovation that addresses the evolving needs of the modern hospitality landscape. By continuously investing in technology, Mews is shaping the future of hospitality management, offering unparalleled scalability, automation, and operational intelligence for some of the biggest hospitality brands in the world. "Tiger Global is a compelling partner for the next chapter of our journey," said Richard Valtr, Founder of Mews. "Their experience with high-growth technology companies and category winners in the U.S., including Toast, Procore and ServiceTitan, is invaluable as we continue to expand our footprint, accelerate innovation, and pursue strategic acquisitions. This investment reaffirms our dedication to the U.S. market, where we have established strong leadership and have invested over $50 million to expand our business in the last couple of years. We will continue to invest substantially in the market, reinforcing our long-term strategy of global growth and leadership." Matt Welle, CEO of Mews, added: "Our vision has always been to redefine hospitality with spaces that put people at the heart, and this investment propels us even closer to achieving that goal. There are so many opportunities for AI to enhance both the guest journey and operational efficiencies in an industry that is so data rich. With Tiger Global's backing, we're excited to build on the wave of innovation at the intersection of hospitality and AI, with Mews at the center of it." Sara Eadie, Tiger Global, commented: "Mews is redefining what it means to deliver exceptional guest experiences in the hospitality sector and beyond. Our partnership with the Mews team marks an exciting step as they continue to expand in North America and strengthen their global market leadership." For media inquiries, please contact Katie Halfhead: press@mews.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2053034/MEWS_logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mews-secures-major-investment-to-cement-industry-leadership-and-redefine-hospitality-management-302391658.html STOCKHOLM, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Metacon AB (publ) has been appointed supplier and awarded an add-on contract for the supply of a 20 MW pressurised alkaline electrolysis plant for hydrogen production to Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineries S.A., Greece ("Motor Oil"). The complete contract package is under development and expected to be finally signed in the near-term and have a value of EUR 10,6 million in total, equivalent to approximately SEK 117,8 million with current exchange rate and the compensation will be paid in instalments in accordance with a later established payment schedule. This order by Motor Oil will expand the hydrogen production plant in Corinth to 50 MW in total. Assembly of the plant takes place in Metacon's factory in Patras, Greece and and a majority of the add-on contract will be delivered in combination with the ongoing 30 MW project be combined with the ongoing 30 MW project. When operational, the plant will be one of the biggest electrolysis-based hydrogen production plants in Europe to date. Metacon continues to drive its transformation towards becoming a leading supplier to the industrial clean hydrogen sector. Metacon has intensified its efforts to build a competitive offering in large-scale electrolysis plants. As previously announced, this also includes the establishment of European manufacturing under the Metacon brand. The underlying driving force behind this initiative is the opportunity to be able to produce leading and proven hydrogen production systems at a competitive price within the framework of the close collaboration with our Chinese manufacturing partner PERIC, a partnership that has been established over several years. The contract with Motor Oil has marked the start of the implementation of Metacon's industrial strategy both in terms of sales and the gradual build-up of its own manufacturing in Europe. The Motor Oil Group's refinery, located in Ag. Theodoroi in Corinth is the largest private industrial complex in Greece and is considered one of the most modern refineries in Europe. Analogous with the previously announced 30 MW contract, the additional 20 MW electrolysis units will be partly assembled in Metacon's factory in Patras, Greece and Motor Oil will be responsible for on-site installation in Corinth, under the guidance and supervision of Metacon and PERIC. "I am very pleased to be able to announce this significant contract award with the refinery leader Motor Oil. Metacon and PERIC continue to transform the clean hydrogen market landscape in Europe, enabling large, cost-effective hydrogen production solutions for the industrial segment. The contract also adds nicely to Metacons financial targets for the year," commented Christer Wikner, CEO and President, Metacon. For further information, please contact Christer Wikner, on 0707-647389 or e-mail info@metacon.com This information is information that Metacon AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on 4 Mar 2025.15:28 CET. About Metacon AB (publ) Metacon AB (publ) develops and manufactures energy systems to produce fossil-free "green" hydrogen. In the Electrolysis business unit and in close partnership with world leader PERIC Hydrogen Technologies, Handan, China, Metacon offers complete electrolysis plants for large-scale production of hydrogen. Metacon also offers production-integrated hydrogen refueling stations, a globally growing area within clean transport. The products in the Reforming business unit are based, among other things, on Metacon's patented HIWAR technology that generates hydrogen through catalytic steam reforming of biogas or other hydrocarbons such as bioethanol. The development of Metacon's reforming products is carried out within the wholly owned subsidiary Metacon S.A. in Patras, Greece. The business is focused on catalytic process chemistry and advanced, compact reformers for high-efficiency hydrogen production. www.metacon.com About Motor Oil (Hellas) Motor Oil Group is a leader in the energy sector - in Greece and in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. It supports the economy with exports to over 75 countries, thousands of employees, and continuous new investments. Motor Oil Group has 92 individual companies and directly employs 3,000 permanent workers. More than 1,500 gas stations operate with the emblems of Motor Oil's subsidiary companies, in Greece, as well as in foreign countries. The Group has branches in 8 different countries. The company plays a leading role in the sectors of crude oil refining and marketing of petroleum products in Greece, as well as the greater eastern Mediterranean region, supplying its customers with a wide range of high-quality products. https://www.moh.gr/ For further information please see: www.metacon.com | X: @Metaconab | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/metaconab This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/metacon-ab/r/metacon-awarded-an-add-on-contract-for-an-additional-20-mw-electrolysis-plant-from-motor-oil-hellas,c4114254 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/17030/4114254/3300374.pdf PM Metacon MOH 2025-03-04 en View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/metacon-awarded-an-add-on-contract-for-an-additional-20-mw-electrolysis-plant-from-motor-oil-hellas-302391734.html U.S. Bank supports UCR's business innovation programs to help power the potential of Southern California entrepreneurs Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog In 2013, to avoid monitoring by his manager, a truck driver at a New Jersey engineering firm purchased an illegal $50 GPS jammer that plugged into his vehicle's cigarette lighter. The device inadvertently also jammed the satellite system navigation capabilities of the entire Newark airport every time he drove by. The signals emanating from the vehicle were blocking the reception of GPS frequencies used by the air traffic control system, and planes were unable to safely land or take off, forcing the airport to close. A 2023 Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) test demonstrated StarNav technology and its successful functionality. Shown in the picture is StarNav founder Dr. Joshua Morales and Air Force officers from the Test Pilot School at EAFB. "People don't realize how vulnerable GPS is," said Dr. Joshua Morales, owner and founder of StarNav , a startup tech company that provides hardware and software solutions enabling safe, reliable positioning and timing. "StarNav's products convert terrestrial and low-Earth orbit satellite signals into reliable positioning and timing information, working even when GPS fails. Because GPS is used in critical U.S. infrastructure, such as time keeping, currency, communication, navigation, and energy, having a secondary way for keeping the country synchronized is an imperative." Navigational guidance by the stars is an ancient concept, but Morales and his team are innovating navigation for the future, and this work-with-what-you-have ethos has shaped much of Morales' journey. As part of this he is determined to keep his company in the Inland Empire area of Southern California, in order to create a profitable career hub for brilliant scientific minds who graduate from the areas many universities, rather than feeding into the intellectual exodus to the Silicon Valley that Inland Empire scientists currently face. StarNav began at one such local institution, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) as part of their Entrepreneurship Center (EPIC) which specializes in providing training, mentorship and access to capital to innovative, technology intensive businesses. Over the past two years, U.S. Bank provided corporate contributions totaling $95,000 in support of UCR's Zero-to-Entrepreneur program, which is part of the SoCal OASIS regional economic development strategy focused on sustainability, innovation, social inclusion and workforce development in Inland Southern California and home to StarNav's early beginnings. Morales earned his Ph.D. from UC Irvine in 2020. After completing his doctorate, he returned to Riverside, which is where attended UCR for his B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He has been a part of the vibrant innovation hub on the campus since beginning StarNav, which is where he also met U.S. Bank Business Access Advisor , and fellow Inland Empire native, Heli Castaneda. "It has been a joy to support the business owners and students who participate in the programs at UCR," said Castaneda. As a native of the Inland Empire who is raising his children there, Castaneda shares Morales' desire to invest in his community. "This is where I have the privilege of being able to be of service to local businesses and students," Castaneda said. "My role at U.S. Bank is all about bringing information, resources, and building bridges. My services are offered for free, and entrepreneurs don't have to be a U.S. Bank customer to work with me, and I really enjoy that part of my job! I'm here to help everyone." The relationship between U.S. Bank and UCR began with the work of Inland Southern California community affairs manager Rossina Gallegos, who saw the vision to empower Inland Empire residents, particularly underserved individuals, to launch high-growth, sustainably focused technology startups that create quality jobs. The program's first year concluded in March 2024 and received glowing participant feedback, with many calling it "immensely valuable." In addition to the funding, in 2023 and 2024 small business specialists from U.S. Bank participated in the selection of the SoCal OASIS Pitch Competition to help select the award winners of the program. "At U.S. Bank, our whole mission is to invest our hearts and minds into powering human potential," Gallegos said. "We are happy to be able to support programs that serve brilliant students and innovative entrepreneurs who are equally invested in making our Inland Empire communities a better place to live and work." View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from US Bank on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: US Bank Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/us-bank Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: US Bank by Malcolm Murray The Paris AI Summit the other week might have been the end of a 10-year run for AI safety as Azeem Azhar, the creator of Exponential View, put it. The concept of AI safety, which can be said to have started in earnest with Nick Bostroms 2014 book Superintelligence, had a 10-year run, in which it grew in understanding and acceptance among the public and decisionmakers. Subsequent books, like Max Tegmarks Life 3.0 and Stuart Russells Human Compatible, further established the field. High-level AI safety principles were declared in Asilomar in 2017, at that time by all notable AI scientists and leaders. Further, this was already of course before AI was even actually any good at anything but very narrow tasks. When AI capabilities actually caught up with the hypothetical concerns, with GPT-3 in 2020 and came into the eye of the public in a broad way with ChatGPT in 2022, it led to AI senate hearings, the UK Bletchley Park summit, the Biden Executive Order, the voluntary commitments on the AI labs, the attempted bill SB-1047 in California and the addition of general-purpose models to the EU AI Act. That 10-year run now seems to be largely over, or at least severely weakened. We had already seen the Trump administration repealing Bidens Executive Order on AI, removing the ability for the US government to test AI developers models for safety. Then, at the Paris AI Action Summit, it became abundantly clear that the world has turned away from AI safety. The main summit had banners stating Science, not Science Fiction, the speech from J.D. Vance was very clear that the focus would be only on AI opportunities, Macron focused on investments the announcement of a new French data center not mentioning any downsides (plug, baby, plug). The voluntary AI developer commitments the Frontier Safety Frameworks that had been a focus of earlier UK and Korea summits were glossed over completely. Perhaps most significantly, the formidable State of the Science report led by Yoshua Bengio, the IPCC-style report which was commissioned at the earlier summits and completed for this one, was not mentioned at all in the main event. This report, which was meant to establish a common basis for discussion, was in fact relegated to a side event the week before, at a university two hours outside of Paris. This should perhaps not have come as a great surprise. With all major technological advances of the past, it is typically only after the public sees the dangers firsthand that safety becomes a concern and regulation is put into place. That pattern was repeated over and over, from automobiles to aviation to nuclear power. AI safety was perhaps an anomaly in the amount of interest it actually did raise already while only being a theoretical concern pre-ChatGPT. The societal hedonistic treadmill effect that seems to be at play, where the public has ever-shortening windows of amazement, doesnt help create any urgency. The arrival of TV created amazement for years. With smartphones, it took maybe a few years for people to cease to be amazed that all the worlds knowledge was in our pockets. But with AI, it seems all we get are a few tweets. This era of AI gave us the ability to create completely realistic artificial images in seconds that we cant tell apart from human-created ones, or write code that is better than all but a few hundred humans. But after a few tweets, it seems the public then goes thank you, Ill take that, what else you got? The exponential curve looks flat when youre standing on it. Technology is magic until it suddenly works and then quickly utterly mundane. We blew through the Turing test a while back and no one even noticed or cared. At the same time as the AI safety wave crested and fell, of course, the technological progress has continued unabated. When it seemed like progress was plateauing along the scaling law of training compute that powered the advances of the past years, a new scaling law quickly opened up in terms of inference compute, leading to continued exponential progress and saturation of benchmarks created only months earlier. On the fittingly-named Humanitys Last Exam, o3 scores are double that of o1 from a few months earlier, and more than double those of GPT-4. Google DeepMind just released an AI co-scientist. So where does that leave us now? If we think about the possible worlds awaiting us, the one I would ascribe the highest probability is one where AI will need to have a Chernobyl moment before any significant checks and balances are put into place. The hope in this world is that we do get early warning shots that are convincing to people and policymakers without actually being too harmful. A more optimistic world that could await us is one in which the EU AI Acts Code of Practice continues on its current path and does not get watered down too much. If it keeps striking the right balance between putting in place a few, size-appropriate compliance requirements, while still leaving plenty of room for innovation, as I think the current draft is doing, there is some probability that we could see a decent Brussels effect, as has been the case with other EU legislation such as GDPR. Koreas AI regulation in December was influenced by the EU AI Act and a bill in Brazil likewise. The UK will likely eventually introduce its AI bill also. If these could be coupled with progress in regulation on the state level in the US, we may potentially continue to make good progress on reining in AI excesses. Especially if we get some regulation that specifically addresses uncertainties around liability . Another quite high-probability world is one in which the current trajectory is locked in for a few years, at least until AGI (using the definition of the ability to complete any human-level cognitive task), without any meaningful regulation coming, but that we could then see controls being put in place for anything above AGI. There is huge build-up in compute, synthetic data seems to work well and new scaling laws get discovered, so there doesnt seem to be any part of the AI triad not holding. So over the next few years, we should likely take the labs on their word that AGI is in reach. However, anything beyond AGI, i.e. ASI, is of course in a different ballpark. One might therefore hope that the most powerful world leaders Trump, Xi, Putin recognize the enormous advantages that ASI would yield and decide to exert control, within and between their countries. Regardless of which of these three worlds or others we think are most likely, what is clear is that on the whole, it seems the proportion of worlds where things go well has shrunk remarkably in a short period of time, at least for now. *** Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - The St. Patrick's Parade Society of Toronto is pleased to announce Caroline Mulroney as this year's Honourary Grand Marshal. The Parade will kick off at noon on Sunday, March 16th at the corner of Bloor & St. George. Mulroney and other dignitaries will lead thousands of participants through downtown Toronto before crossing the finish line at Yonge & Dundas. Caroline Mulroney headshot - 2025 Grand Marshal of Toronto's St. Patrick's Parade To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8683/243252_caroline_mulroney_headshot_-_2025_grand_marshal_-_st__patricks_parade_of_toronto.jpg Caroline was first elected as the Member of Provincial Parliament for York-Simcoe in 2018. The Harvard University graduate is a member of the Progressive Conservative Party and currently serves as the President of the Treasury Board of Ontario and Minister of Francophone Affairs. Before entering politics, Caroline had a successful private sector career in business and law. She also ran a charity benefiting homeless and at-risk women. Caroline is the eldest child of Brian and Mila Mulroney. Her father often spoke of his Irish heritage during his time in office as the 18th Prime Minister of Canada. The PM hosted American President Ronald Reagan at The Shamrock Summit in 1985 where both leaders celebrated their Irish ancestry. Brian was an active member of Montreal's Irish community and served as the Grand Marshal of that city's St. Patrick's Parade in 1980. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHPwoSEDeuo The St. Patrick's Parade is the biggest celebration of Irish culture in Toronto and among the largest in the world. Canadians of Irish heritage and Irish immigrants are well represented alongside thousands more who enthusiastically become 'Irish for the day'. The Parade takes place during March Break which makes it an ideal time for both tourists and Torontonians to enjoy the festivities. Spectators pack sidewalks to enjoy floats, marching bands and street performers. It is free to attend and offers an entertaining mix of Celtic culture that isn't available anywhere else. Being inclusive and helping those in need are part of the Parade's core values. Toronto's diversity is on full display with dozens of groups marching in support of their connections to Ireland and Canada. The Toronto Professional Firefighters Association will once again be collecting cash and canned goods on the Parade route in support of the Daily Bread Food Bank. Parade Weekend will feature a series of ancillary events in various locations around the city. Traditional music and dance will be showcased along with contemporary Irish performers like Hermitage Green and Mundy. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243252 SOURCE: St Patrick's Parade Society of Toronto DELRAY BEACH, Fla., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global AI in Remote Patient Monitoring Market, valued at US$1551.8 million in 2023, is forecasted to grow at a robust CAGR of 27.5%, reaching US$1967.7 million in 2024 and an impressive US$8438.5 million by 2030. The growing number of elderly people and the growing need for affordable healthcare solutions are the main factors propelling the AI in remote patient monitoring market. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) predicts people aged 65 and older will grow from 10.3% worldwide population in 2024 to 20.7% by 2074. People aged 65+ will put a high strain on health services since healthcare budgets remain limited. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=82144961 Browse in-depth TOC on 'Artificial Intelligence in Remote Patient Monitoring Market' 290 - Tables 59 - Figures 323 - Pages By component, the artificial intelligence in remote patient monitoring market has been segmented into devices, software and services. In 2023, devices segment is estimated to hold the largest share of the market for AI in remote patient monitoring. AI-powered wearables like smartwatches and biosensors enable seamless, real-time health tracking, while portable and handheld devices such as AI-driven ECG monitors and glucose meters support remote diagnostics and chronic disease management. In the hospital environment, these stationary devices have helped increase the efficiency of Remote Patient Monitoring by functioning alongside enhanced AI analytics, cloud computing, and the Internet of Medical Things for optimum data transmission. As part of its continued commitment to telehealth and easily available, technologically enabled patient care, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) initiated several projects in 2025 to enhance remote patient monitoring (RPM). Among those were contracts to establish systems to allow tracking via telemetry for some 35 VA Medical Centers. By end-user, the global AI in remote patient monitoring market has seen significant growth at a very rapid pace. The patient segment is anticipated to be the biggest driver of growth in this sector. Factors such as the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, growing awareness of personalized healthcare, and increased patient engagement in self-monitoring are driving this growth. By enabling early disease detection, predictive analytics, and real-time monitoring of health, AI improves RPM, reduces hospital stays length, and recommends better patient outcomes. Real-time monitoring of health due to AI, predictive analytics, and early detection of diseases forms RPM to result in reduced hospital stay lengths and improved patient outcomes. AI-powered virtual assistants, digital health platforms, and remote diagnostics allow remote patient monitoring to become easier and more efficient, further boosting the growth of this market. An example is the KardiaRx App developed by AliveCor, Inc. that empowers patients and clinical trial participants to record ECGs at home. By geography, the artificial intelligence in remote patient monitoring market (RPM) is segmented into five major regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Asia Pacific is expected to register highest growth during the forecast period. Factors which are driving this growth include increased in disposable incomes. Access to healthcare has changed significantly in this region, which is home to two-thirds of the world's population. This is particularly true in nations like China, where 10 million more seniors are added each. The region's governments have started programs to increase gadget manufacturing. India has invested 1,057.47 crore rupees as of September 2024 to construct 50 new manufacturing plants, while construction is underway on another 50. This endeavor is crucial to boosting the nation's ability to produce cutting-edge medical devices and facilitate the use of AI in remote patient monitoring. In order to provide everyone with access to reasonably priced and high-quality RPM and telehealth services, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) also seeks to establish a digital health ecosystem. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=82144961 The AI in remote patient monitoring market is dominated by key players. The major players operating in this market are, Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherlands), Medtronic (Ireland), OMRON Helathcare, Inc. (Japan), GE HealthCare (US), Biobeat (Israel), Boston Scientific Corporation (US), Dexcom, Inc. (US), NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION (Japan), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Roche Diagnostics) (Switzerland), ResMed Inc. (US), AliveCor, Inc. (US), Biotronik (Germany), Beijing Choice Electronic Tech Co. Ltd. (China), TytoCare Ltd. (US), Gloooko, Inc. (US), Welldoc, Inc. (US), Zeto Inc. (US), Turtle Shell Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (Dozee) (India), Masimo (US), iRhythm Inc. (US). Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherlands): Koninklijke Philips N.V. is the parent company of the Philips Group. The company works in four areas: Personal Health, Diagnosis and Treatment, Connected Care and Others. Connected Care segments provide Al in Remote Patient Monitoring solutions. Philips has grown over time through collaborations with key partners in the marketplace. In July 2024, the organization partnered with Bon Secours Mercy Health on a short-term initiative that aimed to enhance patient monitoring within 49 hospitals. The objective was to raise care quality while maintaining costs under control. Some of its major subsidiaries are Philips Oral Healthcare, LLC (US), Philips GmbH (Germany), Philips Ultrasound, Inc. (US), and Philips Consumer Lifestyle B.V. (Netherlands). It spans operations across North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Medtronic (Ireland): Medtronic is a global healthcare technology company based in Dublin, Ireland. The company helps healthcare systems, doctors, clinicians, and patients in more than 150 countries worldwide. It operates through four main business areas: Cardiovascular, Neuroscience, Medical Surgical, and Diabetes. Medtronic offers AI-powered Remote Patient Monitoring solutions across all four of its business segments. Also, approvals and partnerships are being pursued for an expansion of its diabetes device portfolio. In August 2024, Medtronic announced a partnership with Abbott for the integration of continuous glucose monitoring technology to improve diabetes care for the patients. In August 2024, Medtronic introduced the Simplera Continuous CGM and announced the intent for FDA and PMDA approval. The system offers secure near real-time glucose monitoring that helps users to realize better blood sugar control. Boston Scientific Corporation (US): Boston Scientific Corporation is a global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of medical devices used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. The company operates primarily in two business segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. The MedSurg segment focuses on endoscopy, urology, and neuromodulation, offering minimally invasive solutions for various medical conditions. The Cardiovascular segment includes interventional cardiology, cardiac rhythm management, electrophysiology, and peripheral interventions, providing technologies for diagnosing and treating heart and vascular diseases. The company provides AI in remote patient monitoring through Cardiovascular segment. Boston Scientific operates in over 40 countries across six continents, with regional headquarters and offices in the North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa For more information, Inquire Now! Related Reports: Remote Patient Monitoring Market Telehealth & Telemedicine Market AI in Precision Medicine Market AI in Oncology Market AI in Medical Imaging Market Get access to the latest updates on AI in Remote Patient Monitoring Companies and AI in Remote Patient Monitoring Market Size About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts. In addition, MarketsandMarkets SalesIQ enables sales teams to identify high-priority accounts and uncover hidden opportunities, helping them build more pipeline and win more deals with precision. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook . Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ai-in-remote-patient-monitoring-rpm-market-worth-8-438-5-million-by-2030-with-27-5-cagr--marketsandmarkets-302391091.html Leidos (NYSE:LDOS) announced a contract to deliver a new meteorological and oceanographic (MetOc) service for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in support of the U.K.'s National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence. Under the seven-year contract, Leidos will work to deliver a scalable MetOc data and services capability - known as THOR - providing the MOD with enhanced environmental insights. Jo Etheridge, vice president and managing director for national security and defence at Leidos U.K. & Europe, said: "Weather is a critical component in military activity, be that delivering effects in challenging conditions at sea, conducting continuous air operations or safeguarding troops in climatic extremes. Leidos is delighted to be working with the Ministry of Defence on developing this new service, enhancing our substantial contribution to Defence Intelligence. "By leveraging our credentials in geospatial and mission software development from across the U.K., Australia and the U.S., and by collaborating with our specialist network of partners and subject matter experts, we will work to develop vital capabilities to collect and share information that is crucial for the U.K. and our allies' military operations across the globe. "Leidos has extensive experience in delivering innovative digital modernisation solutions that address some of the most complex challenges facing governments today, and we look forward to adding new value during our project with the MOD." Building upon the company's current work in modernising the underpinning service management within the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence, Leidos provides assured collection, processing and distribution of meteorological and oceanographic data and services. THOR's contribution to the U.K.'s Geospatial Intelligence capability will support a range of vital activities, from tactical military deployments to broader strategic planning, giving U.K. personnel the edge in understanding and harnessing the environment on operations. Under the contract, Leidos, in collaboration with the MOD's internal service provider community, will use agile methodologies to focus on modernising infrastructure, storage and user access. MOD Joint Operational Meteorology & Oceanography Centre (JOMOC) and IMAGE Delivery team said: "JOMOC are looking forward to working with Leidos in delivering this new vital meteorological and oceanographic capability to MOD. This comes at a point where demand for MetOc support in Defence is at a record high, and we are entering an unprecedented period of science and technological change in the next five to seven years, which THOR will form a critical part of this change. "This is a very exciting time for Defence Digital with the beginning of this project marking an important step in the development and delivery of this new meteorological and oceanographic capability. THOR aligns to the principles of re-using Defence cloud technologies and developing future U.K. Defence MetOc integration with NATO and other allies. We are looking forward to working with Leidos in the coming years on the successful delivery of this crucial military service for the MOD." Notes to Editors THOR will replace the current MetOc system that will be delivered and maintained by a service integrator as a managed service using Scaled Agile Framework. It will take information from providers including the Met Office and U.K. Hydrographic Office, which will be used to create MetOc information products for a range of end users through various channels. About Leidos Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 48,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $15.4 billion for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2023. For more information, visit www.leidos.com. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Leidos on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Leidos Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/leidos Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Leidos Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - The Canadian Financing and Leasing Association (CFLA) has released a new report, Canada's Economic Rocket Fuel: How a Switch in Canada's Financing Paradigm Could Help Solve its Productivity Problem, offering a practical strategy to revitalize Canada's flagging economy. This report highlights a critical, often-overlooked factor hampering growth: the inability of small businesses to access the financing they need to scale up and drive productivity. "Productivity is the backbone of economic growth, yet Canada lags behind its global peers," said Michael Rothe, CFLA's President and CEO. "The numbers don't lie-our country's GDP per hour worked is among the lowest in the OECD, and business investment has been in decline for over a decade. This is not a theoretical issue; it's a real-world challenge that is currently limiting job creation, innovation, and national competitiveness." The report argues that a fundamental dynamic behind the productivity challenge in Canada traces its roots to a long-standing gap in the Canadian financial market. The 2008 financial crisis led to the consolidation of major banks, shifting competition levels and market priorities, thus leaving many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) underserved. Without a reliable, affordable and adapted access to capital, many of these businesses-which employ over 64% of Canada's workforce-have had acute challenges in acquiring productivity-enhancing assets such as heavy farming machinery all the way to office supplies. Drawing lessons from international models, particularly the British Business Bank's ENABLE program, the report proposes multiple solutions that would help reshape and improve the finance sector's role in improving Canadian productivity. Key recommendations include: Expanding the Business Development Bank of Canada's (BDC) indirect lending portfolio to ensure more financing reaches SMEs. Introducing securitization programs that bundle SME loans to reduce risk and attract private investment. Strengthening partnerships between independent financing and leasing companies and major financial institutions to foster a more competitive, agile and innovative financial ecosystem. "Small businesses drive productivity, but they need the right financing tools to succeed," added M. Rothe. "These Canadian SMEs are seeking accessible and adapted financial support, and while Canada's independent financing and leasing companies are ideally positioned to fill this gap, they do need better support, recognition and integration into the financial system. This report provides a made-in-Canada roadmap to make that happen." The report is now officially accessible on the CLFA's website: Canada's Economic Rocket Fuel. -30- About CFLA: The Canadian Finance & Leasing Association is the only organization in Canada representing the asset-backed finance, vehicle, and equipment leasing industry's interests. The CFLA represents over 200 member companies and more than 3,000 persons working directly in the industry. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243249 SOURCE: Canadian Financing and Leasing Association Semiconductor Diamond Wafers Market is Segmented by Type (2 Inch Diamond Wafers, 4 Inch Diamond Wafers), by Application (RF Power, 5G & Satellites, Power Electronics, Cloud & AI Compute). BANGALORE, India, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Semiconductor Diamond Wafers Market was valued at USD 6 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 27 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 25.6% during the forecast period 2024-2030. Claim Your Free Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-20C17947/Global_Semiconductor_Diamond_Wafers_Market_Research_Report Major Factors Driving the Growth of Semiconductor Diamond Wafers Market: The semiconductor diamond wafers market is experiencing steady growth driven by technological innovations and expanding applications in high-power electronics and communications. Increased demand for superior thermal management and electrical performance is prompting manufacturers to invest in advanced wafer fabrication techniques. Competitive pricing, enhanced product quality, and strategic regional expansion are further fueling market development. As industry players collaborate and invest in research, continuous improvements in diamond wafer processing are expected to reduce production costs and boost efficiency. This dynamic market environment fosters innovation and drives global competitiveness. Looking ahead, sustained market growth is anticipated as emerging technologies and diversified applications create new opportunities, ensuring that the semiconductor diamond wafers market remains a critical component of modern electronic systems. Unlock Insights: View Full Report Now! https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-20C17947/global-semiconductor-diamond-wafers TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE SEMICONDUCTOR DIAMOND WAFERS MARKET: 4 Inch diamond wafers are instrumental in propelling the semiconductor diamond wafers market by offering superior performance and scalability for advanced electronic applications. Their larger surface area enables higher throughput in manufacturing processes and supports the development of high-performance power devices. These wafers deliver excellent thermal conductivity and robust structural integrity, which are critical for applications in power electronics and high-frequency devices. The use of 4 Inch diamond wafers drives innovation in semiconductor design and enables more efficient heat dissipation, enhancing overall device reliability. As demand for high-power and high-efficiency components increases, the adoption of 4 Inch diamond wafers continues to expand, bolstering market growth and technological progress in the semiconductor industry. Their reliability and efficiency ensure ongoing market success. 2 Inch diamond wafers significantly contribute to the semiconductor diamond wafers market by providing a balance between performance and cost-effectiveness. Their compact size allows for precision fabrication and integration into specialized devices. These wafers are prized for their uniformity and excellent electrical properties, which enhance device efficiency and reduce production variability. The smaller wafer size facilitates experimental designs and prototyping, enabling rapid iterations in semiconductor research and development. This flexibility supports the creation of niche applications where lower production costs are essential. As industries seek reliable and cost-efficient materials, 2 Inch diamond wafers play a pivotal role in advancing innovative semiconductor solutions and driving market growth through their versatile application potential. Their cost benefits and reliability boost market expansion significantly. Power electronics applications are a major factor driving the semiconductor diamond wafers market by leveraging the unique properties of diamond materials. These wafers exhibit exceptional thermal management and high breakdown voltage, making them ideal for high-power electronic devices. In power electronics, efficient heat dissipation and electrical performance are critical, and diamond wafers provide the necessary attributes to meet these demanding requirements. Their superior conductivity and durability support the development of advanced power converters, amplifiers, and signal processing devices. As industries prioritize energy efficiency and reliability, the integration of diamond wafers in power electronic systems continues to rise. This trend is bolstered by ongoing research and investment, solidifying the role of power electronics in market expansion. Driving further innovation and growth. A key factor driving the semiconductor diamond wafers market is the focus on cost efficiency in manufacturing and production processes. Companies strive to reduce operational expenses by optimizing raw material usage and streamlining fabrication techniques. Cost reductions result from improved yield rates and lower waste generation, making diamond wafers more economically viable for high-tech applications. This financial advantage is critical in a competitive market, where cost-effective production enables manufacturers to offer attractive pricing. By focusing on efficiency, businesses can achieve better margins while expanding market reach. Enhanced cost efficiency also encourages investment in research and development, fostering innovation in wafer processing and ultimately contributing to robust market growth in the semiconductor sector. Driving sustainable profitability across industries globally. Rapid customer adoption is fueling growth in the semiconductor diamond wafers market. End-users in electronics, telecommunications, and power systems are increasingly selecting diamond wafers for their superior performance and reliability. Customer feedback drives continuous product improvements and fosters innovation in wafer design and fabrication techniques. High adoption rates are driven by the wafers' ability to meet demanding application requirements, including exceptional thermal management and electrical performance. As more companies integrate diamond wafers into their products, the market benefits from enhanced reputation and broader acceptance. This strong customer adoption not only accelerates revenue growth but also reinforces market trends, prompting further investment in advanced manufacturing and quality assurance practices throughout the industry. Robust customer support drives continued market expansion. Claim Yours Now! https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-20C17947&lic=single-user SEMICONDUCTOR DIAMOND WAFERS MARKET SHARE: North America and Europe lead in adopting advanced wafer technologies, driven by mature electronics industries and high R&D investments. The Asia-Pacific region is rapidly emerging due to increased industrialization, expanding consumer electronics, and supportive government policies. Key Companies: RF Diamond Foundry Inc. Orbray (KENZAN Diamond) Diamond Materials AKHAN Semiconductor Diamfab Chongqing Origin Stone Element Science and Technology Development Applied Diamond Inc Element Six Compound Semiconductor (Xiamen) Technology Purchase Regional Data: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/QYRE-Auto-20C17947/Global_Semiconductor_Diamond_Wafers_Market SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. DISCOVER MORE INSIGHTS: EXPLORE SIMILAR REPORTS! - The global Semiconductor Diamond Substrates market was valued at USD 6 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 27 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 25.6% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global market for Diamond Materials for Semiconductor was estimated to be worth USD 70 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 365.3 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 26.3% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global GaN on Diamond Semiconductor Substrates market is projected to reach USD 217.8 Million by 2030 from an estimated USD 74 Million in 2024, at a CAGR of 19.7% during 2024 and 2030. - The global Diamond-based Semiconductors market is projected to grow from USD 61 Million in 2024 to USD 139.1 Million by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.6% during the forecast period. - Semiconductor Diamond Wire Saw market was valued at USD 359 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 536.1 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Semiconductor Wafer Dicing Blade Market - Silicon Wafer Tungsten Diamond Wire Market - CVD Diamond Heat Sinks for Semiconductor market was valued at USD 107 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 191.5 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Single-crystal Diamond (SCD) Substrates market was valued at USD 6 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 27 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 25.6% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Semiconductor Wafer Polishing Pad market was valued at USD 1017.7 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 1414.6 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - SiC & GaN Wafer Foundry market was valued at USD 246 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 907 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 20.8% during the forecast period 2024-2030. 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GET A FREE QUOTE Valuates Reports sales@valuates.com For U.S. Toll-Free Call 1-(315)-215-3225 WhatsApp: +91-9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Blog: https://valuatestrends.blogspot.com/ Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/valuatesreports/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/valuatesreports Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valuatesreports/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valuatesreports6753 https://www.facebook.com/valuateskorean https://www.facebook.com/valuatesspanish https://www.facebook.com/valuatesjapanese https://valuatesreportspanish.blogspot.com/ https://valuateskorean.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesgerman.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesreportjapanese.blogspot.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/semiconductor-diamond-wafers-market-to-reach-usd-27-million-by-2030--growing-at-a-cagr-of-25-6--valuates-reports-302391863.html Regulatory News: Oncodesign Precision Medicine (OPM) (ISIN: FR001400CM63; Mnemonic: ALOPM), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in precision medicine for the treatment of resistant and metastatic cancers, today announces the appointment of Christophe Thurieau, Executive Director Research at Servier, as a member of the Board of Directors. Christophe Thurieau, a healthcare executive with more than 35 years of experience in the field, is joining the OPM team as an independent member of the Board of Directors. His nomination for a four-year term will be submitted to a vote by shareholders at the General Meeting on June 25, 2025. Christophe Thurieau, Ph.D, holds a doctorate in biochemistry from the Pierre and Marie Curie University (Paris VI), and completed pre and postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA. He is currently Executive Director Research at Servier, where he manages the research centers in France, Denmark, Hungary and the USA. Before joining Servier in April 2017, Christophe Thurieau worked at Ipsen from 1996 to 2017. After holding various positions of increasing responsibility in Research and Development at Ipsen, in 2009 he became President of Ipsen Innovation and Senior Vice-President of Global Scientific Affairs. He is the author of more than 30 original research articles published in international scientific journals and holds 25 patents. Christophe Thurieau said: "I am very proud to put my expertise at the service of OPM's development as a member of the Board of Directors. OPM commitment to research and development, combined with the expertise of its teams, paves the way for major advances in the treatment of oncology patients and therapeutic resistance." Philippe GENNE, Chairman and CEO and co-founder of OPM, added:"I am happy and proud to welcome Christophe Thurieau to the company's board of directors. His expertise in pharmaceutical research and development will be very valuable to us at this precise moment in our history. After many years of working together, he knows the company well, its values and its projects, having shared several of them, and we are honored by his trust." About Oncodesign Precision Medicine (OPM Oncodesign Precision Medicine (OPM), founded in 2022, is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in precision medicine, dedicated to the discovery of treatments for resistant and metastatic cancers. OPM currently has two kinase inhibitors in clinical trials: OPM-101, for the treatment of chronic immuno-inflammatory digestive diseases and immuno-oncology, demonstrated high target engagement and absence of toxicity in its phase I trial in healthy volunteers. Phase Ib/IIa is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2025. OPM-201, initially licensed out to Servier for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, completed its Phase I trial in healthy volunteers in 2024 and returned to the OPM portfolio. These two molecules come from the Nanocyclix technology platform, which enables the design and selection of small macrocyclic kinase inhibitors that are highly effective and selective. Today, we have 12,000 molecules in our library and will be using AI to accelerate the discovery of drug candidates while reducing the cost of this phase. OPM's two other technology platforms are: (i) OncoSNIPER, for the selection of therapeutic targets using artificial intelligence, in partnership with Servier for the search of targets in pancreatic cancer, (ii) PROMETHE for the design and selection of radiolabeled biological molecules for systemic radiotherapy, for which we have signed a partnership agreement with Navigo and are currently discussing partnerships with other vectorization companies. OPM, co-founded by Philippe Genne, Jan Hoflack and Karine Lignel, is based in Dijon, in the heart of the university and hospital cluster, and has 14 employees. Further information: oncodesign.com Forward-looking statements This document contains forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, strategy, plans and future performance of the Company and the market in which it operates. Some of these statements, forecasts and estimates can be identified by the use of words such as, without limitation, "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "projects", "plans", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will" and "continue" and other similar expressions. They include all matters that are not historical facts. Such statements, forecasts and estimates are based on various assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were believed to be reasonable when they were made but which may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict and may depend on factors beyond the Company's control. Consequently, the actual results, financial conditions, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, may differ materially from future results, performance or achievements as expressed or implied by such statements, forecasts and estimates. Given these uncertainties, no representation is made as to the accuracy or fairness of such forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates speak only as of the date of publication of this document. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, forecasts or estimates to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto, or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which these statements, forecasts or estimates are based, except as required by French law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304511082/en/ Contacts: OPM Karine Lignel Deputy General Manager Tel.: +33 (0)310 451 820 investisseurs@oncodesign.com NewCap Investor Relations Mathilde Bohin Alban Dufumier Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 95 oncodesign@newcap.eu NewCap Media Relations Arthur Rouille Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 00 15 oncodesign@newcap.eu Global Business Leaders will discuss AI, crisis management and 2025 PR trends I Easy registration in a few clicks! DAVOS, Switzerland, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Davos Communications Summit & Awards 2025 , hosted by the World Communications Forum Association (WCFA), will bring together the world's foremost communication experts, C-level executives, government press officers, and representatives of global brands, including Paul Holmes (CEO, PRovoke Media), Catherine Blades (Former VP Corporate Communications, Aflac), Johna Burke (CEO, AMEC), representatives of PRCA, and more. Taking place in the heart of the Swiss Alps, this prestigious event invites all business professionals to join a two-day conference and gala dinner from April 9-11, 2025, in Davos, Switzerland. Tickets are available now at www.wcfasummit.com . For the first time, the Davos Communications Awards Ceremony will be held in person during the Gala Dinner on April 10, recognizing excellence in public relations, corporate communications, and industry innovation worldwide. All communication experts, agencies and in-house teams are invited to submit their work at www.davosawards.com . Set in the iconic Davos Congress Centre, this summit is all about high-impact connections and exclusive insights. Attendees will engage in high-level networking sessions, expert-led keynotes, and dynamic panels on AI, crisis management, emerging trends, regionality and successful practices in the sphere of public and corporate communications. Among the distinguished speakers, representing over 11 countries worldwide, set to take the stage are: Guntram Kaiser, Founder of KaiserCommunication GmbH (Germany); Johna Burke, AMEC CEO (US); Stuart Bruce, PR Futurist & Co-Founder at Purposeful Relations (UK); Catherine Hernandez-Blades, Independent Board Director (US); Kateryna Doroshevska, Founder & CEO, BECOME PR agency (Ukraine); Katja Fasink, CEO, key7 Communications (Slovenia); Mary Beth West, Senior Strategist (US); Mike Southon, Entrepreneur Mentor, The Beermat Entrepreneur (UK); Paul Holmes, Founder at PRovoke Media (US); Sanjiv Winayak, Senior Client Director/Head of AI at Milk & Honey (UK); Tatevik Simonian, Director Communications & International Relations, SPRING PR (Armenia); Thabisile Phumo, Executive Vice President Stakeholder Relations at Sibanye-Stillwater (South Africa); Viroslava Novosylna, CEO & Founder at SLOVA PR (Ukraine). This prestigious event invites communication enthusiasts, industry leaders, and innovators globally to build valuable connections, explore new business opportunities, elevate their global presence and learn the best new practices in communications. "Bringing together the brightest minds in communications in Davos is not just an event - it's an experience. And there is no better place to do that than Davos, where we've tracked lifelong professional connections and opportunities to be made. We are honoured to continue WCFA's legacy of hosting transformational events that have impacted professionals worldwide since 2010", said Maxim Behar , President of the World Communications Forum Association. The Davos Communications Summit & Awards 2025 is in cooperation with the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) and is proudly supported by The PREthics Community as the gold sponsor and Brain 4 Strategy as the silver sponsor. The official media partner is PR Newswire, part of Cision Group Ltd. About World Communications Forum: Founded in 2010 in Davos, Switzerland, the World Communications Forum Association is a premier global platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and industry development, focused on upgrading its members' expertise and to be an active voice in business, society and politics. WCFA's flagship event, the World Communications Forum, has been hosted in major cities worldwide, including Istanbul, Prague, Moscow, New York City, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Mexico City, Lusaka, Cape Town, and Geneva. In 2020, the association launched the Global Communications Summit on Zoom, bringing together over 450 global experts to establish the Tenets for Ethical Communications, endorsed by 135 industry leaders from 36 countries. For more information, contact: Maxim Behar, WCFA President mainoffice@wcfaglobal.com +359 888 50 31 13 www.wcfaglobal.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633363/WCFA_Davos_Summit_2025.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633362/WCFA_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/davos-communications-summit--awards--9-11-april-2025-takes-place-in-the-swiss-alps-302391887.html 2024 full-year revenue up +26% compared to fiscal year 2023 Continued strict control of operational costs throughout the period Regulatory News: IMPLANET (Euronext Growth: ALIMP, FR0013470168, eligible for PEA-PME), a medical technology company specialized in implants for orthopedic surgery and the distribution of advanced medical equipment, today announced its results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as approved by the Board of Directors on March 4, 2025. Ludovic Lastennet, IMPLANET's Chief Executive Officer, stated: "Throughout 2024, we successfully balanced the revitalization of our commercial activity with strict resource management. The benefits of this strategy are reflected in today's results, with strong full-year revenue growth combined with a significant reduction in our operating loss over the year. The investments and commercial launches we executed during the period, particularly in the United States, translated into highly satisfactory business growth, reinforcing our position as a key player in spine surgery. In 2025, we intend to continue accelerating our revenue growth by leveraging the synergies within our product portfolio and expanding the commercial development of our high-value-added solutions across our target regions." Simplified Income Statement (in thousands IFRS) 2024(1) 2023 Change Revenue 9,406 7,447 +26% Cost of goods sold -4,416 -3,215 37% Gross margin 4,990 4,233 18% Gross margin % 53.1% 56.8% -3.7 bp Operating costs -9,816 -10,295 -5% Recurring operating profit/loss -4,826 -6,063 -20%(2) Other non-recurring income and expenses -142 -325 -56%(2) Operating profit/loss -4,968 -6,388 -22%(2) Financial result -248 -288 -14%(2) Profit on disposal of discontinued operations 850 n.a Net result -4,366 -6,676 -35%(2) (1) Unaudited figures (2) Decrease in losses between 2023 and 2024 Revenue The Company recorded full-year revenue of 9.41 million in 2024, compared to 7.45 million in 2023. Spine Implants activity generated 7.03 million in 2024, compared to 7.07 million in 2023. Meanwhile, the medical equipment distribution activity delivered 2.35 million in 2024, representing a growth of +676% compared to 2023. Revenue in France grew by 17%, totaling 4.12 million. Revenue in the United States reached 2.57 million in 2024, up +86% from 1.38 million in 2023. Export activity in the rest of the world also increased by 6% to 2.72 million in 2024, compared to 2.56 million in 2023. Gross margin and operating loss The gross margin stood at 4.99 million for fiscal year 2024, compared to 4.23 million in 2023, representing an 18% increase. However, the gross margin rate declined by 3.7 percentage points, primarily due to the shift in product mix, with the expansion of the SMTP medical equipment activity leading to a lower margin rate, which decreased from 56.8% to 53.1%. At the same time, the Company's operating costs decreased from 10.30 million to 9.82 million. This 0.48 million reduction was primarily due to the 2023 impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets related to OSD, amounting to 1.75 million, partially offset by new commercial and marketing investments in the United States in 2024 to support the commercial launches of SMTP medical devices and the new JAZZ Spinal SystemTM hybrid fixation system. Excluding the impact of the 2023 goodwill impairment and the 2024 commercial and marketing investments, the Company maintained strict control over operational costs throughout the period, ensuring stability in other recurring operating costs. As a result, the recurring operating loss decreased by 20%, reaching -4.83 million in 2024, compared to -6.06 million in 2023. Other non-recurring expenses mainly correspond to restructuring costs and the renegotiation of financial debt. Taking into account these various items, non-recurring operating costs of 0.14 million, financial result of -0.25 million and profit from the disposal of discontinued operations of 0.85 million related to the sale of the MADINSONTM business, the net result improved to -4.37 million for fiscal year 2024, compared to -6.68 million in 2023. Cash Position As of December 31, 2024, the Company had a cash position of 1.60 million. As a reminder, the Company received 0.68 million related to the sale of the MADISONTM business, with the remaining balance of 0.17 million expected to be collected during the second half of 2025. Additionally, on December 5, 2024, IMPLANET announced the implementation of financing with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank ("SPD Bank"). This financing arrangement consists of a short-term working capital loan from SPD Bank totaling RMB 15.2 million, approximately 2 million, with a 12-month term, repayable in full at maturity, and without any direct guarantee by the Company. The loan is intended to cover supplier payments and other operational expenses, with repayment guaranteed by Sanyou Medical. Given this recent financing, the cash flow projections based on current activity assumptions and anticipated commercial developments for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 and the implementation of payment facilities with the Sanyou Medical group, the Company expects to be able to meet its operational financing needs for the next twelve months. Additionally, the Company continues to explore various financing options to accelerate the development of its activities and medium-term growth. 2024 Key Highlights and Post-Closing Events Successful completion of the capital increase announced on January 4, 2024, raising 5.5 million through the issuance of 83,924,897 new shares; Appointment of Max W. Painter as Vice President and General Manager of IMPLANET's US subsidiary; FDA clearance of the new JAZZ Spinal System TM hybrid posterior fixation range in the United States; hybrid posterior fixation range in the United States; Exclusive partnership signed for the distribution of the ultrasonic scalpel Olea for endoscopic spine surgery in the U.S. market; Financing of around 2 million with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank in December 2024. Strategy and Outlook for the coming 12 months Finalize the registration of existing products within the framework of the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR). Strengthen the Company's presence in the United States: Reinforce resources and commercial capabilities for the U.S. team; Expand the Company's direct approach by enlarging the scientific team of key opinion leaders; Deploy the new hybrid fixation system JAZZ Spinal System. Enhance market momentum and product offerings: Commercially launch the new European hybrid posterior fixation system JAZZ Spinal System; Initiate the distribution of the JAZZ platform in China, the world's largest spine market by volume, in partnership with Sanyou Medical; Distribute advanced medical technology equipment in Europe, including the ultrasonic surgical scalpel from SMTP Technology Co. Upcoming Financial Communications Q1 2025 Revenue April 9, 2025, after market close April 9, 2025, after market close Annual General Meeting April 11, 2025 About IMPLANET IMPLANET is a medical technology company that manufactures high-quality implants for orthopedic surgery and distributes advanced medical equipment. Its activities focus on an innovative solution to improve the treatment of spinal pathologies (JAZZ), complemented by the product range of thoraco-lumbar screws, cages, and cervical plates, acquired through Orthopaedic Spine Development (OSD) in May 2021. In 2022, the Company entered into a commercial, technological, and financial partnership with Sanyou Medical, China's second-largest medical device manufacturer. As part of this strategic agreement, IMPLANET developed in 2024 the Jazz Spinal System hybrid fixation system, a unique new range featuring a comprehensive pedicle screw solution, combined with the market's most advanced braided implant technology, JAZZ. IMPLANET's orthopedic platform is built on the traceability of its products. Protected by four families of international patents, JAZZ has received 510(k) regulatory clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CE marking in Europe, and ANVISA approval in Brazil. IMPLANET employs 46 people and generated 9.4 million in consolidated revenue in 2024. Based near Bordeaux, France, IMPLANET has operated a U.S. subsidiary in Boston since 2013. IMPLANET is listed on the Euronext Growth market in Paris. For more information, visit www.Implanet.com. Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements about Implanet and its activity. Implanet estimates that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. However, no assurance can be given that the forecasts expressed in these forward-looking statements will materialize, as they are subject to risks, including those described in Implanet's reference document filed with the Autorite des marches financiers (AMF) on April 16, 2018 under number D.18-0337, as well as in the annual financial report for December 31, 2022 and the half-year financial report for June 30, 2023, which are available on the Company's website (www.implanet-invest.com), and to changes in economic conditions, financial markets and the markets in which Implanet operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks unknown to Implanet or that Implanet does not currently consider material. The occurrence of some or all of these risks could cause Implanet's actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Implanet does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements, except as required by applicable law, in particular articles 223-1 et seq. of the general regulations of the Autorite des marches financiers. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304353998/en/ Contacts: IMPLANET Ludovic Lastennet, CEO David Dieumegard, CFO Tel.: +33 (0)5 57 99 55 55 investors@implanet.com NewCap Investor Relations Nicolas Fossiez Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 implanet@newcap.eu NewCap Media Relations Arthur Rouille Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 implanet@newcap.eu BREA, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual and EdTech solutions, proudly supported the 'Top Project' award-winning team at the MBAi+ MSAI Capstone Showcase at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. With ViewSonic's industry insights and technical expertise in AI textbook development, the team produced the AI Textbook Generato r - an AI-powered tool that dynamically generates curriculum-aligned content. This achievement highlights AI's growing role in education while reinforcing ViewSonic's leadership in advancing AI-driven learning solutions. The annual MBAi+MSAI Capstone Showcase at Kellogg challenges students from the MBAi (Master of Business Administration, Artificial Intelligence) and MSAI (Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence) programs to develop real-world, impactful solutions by integrating business strategy and AI technology. This joint degree program offered by Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management and McCormick School of Engineering, fosters collaboration between academia and industry, and equips students with the skills needed to drive innovation in the AI era. "We are proud to support these young innovators and be part of their journey as they leverage ViewSonic's technology to create impactful educational solutions," said Kevin Chu, Chief of Staff at ViewSonic. "This collaboration highlights AI's potential in education while reinforcing ViewSonic's leadership in advancing EdTech innovation. The competition results demonstrate how AI textbooks improve adaptability in the classroom, ensuring knowledge is delivered efficiently and in real-time to meet modern education demands." "Our goal is to provide students with hands-on opportunities to tackle AI-driven challenges and explore innovative applications," said Andrew Fano, Clinical Professor at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Director of the Kellogg-McCormick MBAi Program. "The AI Textbook project, developed by the ViewSonic-supported team, exemplifies how AI can revolutionize education by enhancing adaptability and personalization. Industry collaboration is crucial in bridging the gap between technology and real-world impact." AI Textbooks: Transforming Learning with Adaptive Content Through interviews with teachers and school district administrators, the winning team discovered that traditional textbooks present significant challenges, including outdated content, rigid structures and limited adaptability to evolving curricula. Recognizing these issues, they set out to develop a more flexible, AI-powered solution. Fergie Liang'24 MBAi, the lead product manager of the winning team, explained: "Many educators we interviewed were already exploring AI tools for lesson planning but lacked an integrated solution to streamline their workflow. With ViewSonic's guidance, we refined our approach and developed an 'AI Textbook Generator', a system that dynamically adjusts to classroom needs, improving lesson planning efficiency and enhancing learning outcomes." Guided by educator-defined subject matter, complexity and learning objectives, the system dynamically adapts materials in real time to enhance engagement. It personalizes learning by tailoring AI-generated content to each student's progress, while multi-source validation ensures accuracy, credibility and curriculum compliance. By reducing teacher workload and fostering a more engaging and personalized classroom, the system enhances both teaching and learning experiences. Advancing AI-Driven EdTech to Shape the Future of Learning ViewSonic's support of the winning team at the Northwestern Kellogg-McCormick MBAi+MSAI Capstone Showcase underscores its commitment to AI-driven education. This Top Project recognition not only highlights AI's growing influence in learning but also showcases the power of industry-academia collaboration in driving meaningful innovation. As education evolves, so do the demands of modern classrooms. By partnering with academic institutions like the PASVEX Robotics Competition , ViewSonic is transforming the future of education with innovative solutions - equipping educators with smarter teaching tools and enhancing classroom engagement through adaptive, personalized learning experiences. These advancements ensure that both educators and learners benefit from intelligent, tailored solutions that promote more effective teaching and deeper student engagement. About ViewSonic Founded in 1987 in California, ViewSonic is a leading global visual solutions provider with a presence in over 100 countries. The company leverages over 35 years of expertise in visual technology to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of hardware, software, content, and services. ViewSonic offers a wide range of products, with screen sizes spanning from 5 inches to a massive 760 inches. This includes interactive displays, large format displays, LED displays, pen displays, monitors, projectors, SaaS, AI services, interactive content, and more. This innovative ecosystem empowers education, workplaces, and individuals to foster creativity, collaboration, and seamless learning. ViewSonic focuses on designing products that deliver optimal performance and customer satisfaction while integrating sustainable production practices and upholding comprehensive environmental, social, and governance standards. The company's goal is to enable customers to "See the Difference". Learn more at www.viewsonic.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2632950/Image1_News_Photo.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1587181/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/viewsonic-backed-team-wins-top-honor-for-ai-textbook-innovation-at-northwestern-kellogg-mccormick-capstone-showcase-302391333.html BANGALORE, India, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Laser Market is Segmented by Type (CW Green Laser, QCW Green Laser, Nanosecond Green Laser, Picosecond Green Laser, Femtosecond Green Laser), by Application (Medical, Military, Industry, Biology, Print). The global market for Green Laser was valued at USD 292 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 982 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 19.2% during the forecast period. Claim Your Free Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-12A14835/Global_Green_Laser_Market Major Factors Driving the Growth of Green Laser Market: The green laser market continues to experience robust growth fueled by advancements in laser technologies and diversified industrial applications. Increasing demand from sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and environmental monitoring has spurred continuous investments in product innovation and capacity expansion. Competitive pricing, enhanced performance, and improved operational efficiencies contribute to the market's expanding footprint globally. As companies seek reliable and cost-effective laser solutions, the market adapts to emerging trends and evolving customer needs. Strategic partnerships and regional market penetration further accelerate growth, ensuring a dynamic competitive landscape. This sustained momentum indicates strong future prospects, positioning the green laser market as a key player in driving technological progress and industrial modernization worldwide. Unlock Insights: View Full Report Now! https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-12A14835/global-green-laser TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE GREEN LASER MARKET: Nanosecond green lasers are revolutionizing the green laser market by delivering superior precision and rapid modulation capabilities. Their ultrafast pulse generation enables applications requiring high temporal resolution, which attracts industries from scientific research to medical diagnostics and industrial processing. This laser technology provides enhanced energy efficiency and minimizes thermal damage, ensuring improved material interaction. Manufacturers are increasingly investing in nanosecond lasers as they offer better control over beam quality and consistency. The market benefits from reduced operational costs and increased throughput, thereby accelerating product development and customization. As demand grows in niche applications, nanosecond green lasers continue to drive market expansion, reinforcing their pivotal role in advancing innovative green laser solutions. This progress strengthens industry confidence and stimulates further investment. Continuous wave green lasers play a critical role in expanding the green laser market by providing stable, uninterrupted light output ideal for precision measurements and industrial applications. Their consistent beam quality ensures reliable performance in tasks such as material processing, imaging, and spectroscopy. The technology is favored for its simplicity and robustness, enabling seamless integration into existing systems. CW green lasers offer a cost-effective solution that minimizes maintenance and operational complexities. This reliability attracts both established industries and emerging players seeking dependable laser sources for quality control and product innovation. As demand for consistent output grows, continuous wave lasers secure a vital position in market growth by enhancing application versatility and performance reliability. Their efficiency continues to inspire industry progress. Industry adoption drives the expansion of the green laser market by integrating these lasers into diverse applications across sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, and environmental monitoring. Firms are leveraging green laser technology to enhance product quality, streamline production processes, and reduce energy consumption. The market experiences significant growth as companies invest in high-performance laser systems that offer precise control and improved operational efficiency. Collaborative efforts between industry leaders and research institutions are fueling innovative applications and customized solutions. This integration not only boosts productivity but also supports sustainable practices. As businesses increasingly prioritize efficiency and quality, the industrial sector remains a crucial force propelling the green laser market forward with robust demand. Industry confidence robustly fuels continuous market expansion globally. A primary factor driving the green laser market is the focus on cost efficiency. Manufacturers are continuously seeking solutions that reduce operational expenses while maintaining high performance. Green laser systems offer significant savings in energy consumption and lower maintenance requirements compared to traditional alternatives. This economic advantage encourages businesses to adopt these lasers across various applications, thereby reducing overall production costs. As firms prioritize investments with rapid return on investment, cost-efficient green lasers become a preferred choice. The ability to minimize waste and optimize resource utilization further supports their market growth. Companies are leveraging this benefit to enhance profitability and gain competitive advantage in both domestic and international markets. Operational cost savings drive aggressive market adoption across regions. Emphasizing energy conservation is another crucial factor bolstering the growth of the green laser market. Companies are increasingly attentive to reducing their environmental impact and optimizing power usage in their operations. Green lasers are engineered to provide high efficiency with minimal energy waste, thereby supporting cost reduction and sustainability goals. This attribute is particularly attractive for industries that demand continuous, high-intensity light sources without excessive power draw. The improved energy profile of green laser systems promotes adoption in both industrial and commercial settings. With growing global emphasis on sustainable practices, energy-efficient lasers gain prominence as a viable solution for reducing carbon footprints and aligning with eco-friendly regulations in various markets. Enhanced energy conservation fosters robust market growth globally. Expanding application range drives market growth as green lasers find versatile uses across diverse sectors. Industries are utilizing these lasers for precision cutting, measurement, and display technologies. The broad spectrum of applications, including environmental sensing, bio-imaging, and industrial marking, enhances market demand. Companies benefit from the adaptability of green lasers in meeting specialized requirements and integrating with existing systems. This versatility not only improves operational efficiencies but also opens new revenue streams for manufacturers. As end-users seek reliable and high-performance laser systems, the extensive application range becomes a key market driver. The ability to serve multiple sectors solidifies the market position, encouraging continuous investment and development in green laser technologies. Tailoring green laser systems to meet specific customer requirements is emerging as a vital factor in market growth. Companies are increasingly focusing on customization options that allow clients to select features that match their operational needs and performance criteria. This trend toward personalized solutions not only enhances user satisfaction but also opens new avenues for innovation and competitive differentiation. By offering adaptable configurations, manufacturers cater to diverse industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and research. The flexibility in design and functionality promotes broader application and fosters long-term customer relationships. Customization efforts drive repeat business and support market expansion by meeting the unique demands of various end-users effectively. Enhanced product customization significantly increases customer loyalty and market share, globally recognized. Claim Yours Now! https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-12A14835&lic=single-user GREEN LASER MARKET SHARE North America and Europe demonstrate strong market presence driven by stringent environmental regulations and high demand in healthcare and manufacturing. In contrast, Asia-Pacific experiences rapid expansion due to increased industrialization and rising investments in research and development. Key Companies: IPG Photonics Corporation Advalue Photonics Blue Sky Research MPB Communications Inc HUBNER Photonics Advanced Photonic Sciences(APS) FRANKFURT LASER COMPANY Keopsys NKT Photonics A/S RPMC Lasers Inc Lithium Lasers Srl Toptica Changchun New Industries Optoelectronics Tech. Co., Ltd. (CNI) Sacher Lasertechnik Photonics Industries International Inc Laser Peak Teem Photonics S. A. Edmund Optics Inc. Purchase Regional Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/QYRE-Auto-12A14835/Global_Green_Laser_Market SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. DISCOVER MORE INSIGHTS: EXPLORE SIMILAR REPORTS! - Femtosecond Green Laser Market - Green Solid-State Lasers Market - The global market for Green Laser Marking System was estimated to be worth USD 321.8 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 561.8 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global Green Laser Modules market was valued at USD 207.5 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 266.7 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 3.7% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global market for Green Laser Diode was estimated to be worth USD 758.6 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1351.5 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Green Laser Marking Machine Market - Green Laser Pointer Market - Industrial Green Lasers Market - The global market for Single-mode Lasers was estimated to be worth USD 2211.2 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 3217.8 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 5.5% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Laser Night Vision System Market - The global market for High-Power Laser Optics was valued at USD 55.3 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 88.2 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 7.0% during the forecast period. 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GET A FREE QUOTE Valuates Reports sales@valuates.com For U.S. Toll-Free Call 1-(315)-215-3225 WhatsApp: +91-9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Blog: https://valuatestrends.blogspot.com/ Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/valuatesreports/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/valuatesreports Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valuatesreports/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valuatesreports6753 https://www.facebook.com/valuateskorean https://www.facebook.com/valuatesspanish https://www.facebook.com/valuatesjapanese https://valuatesreportspanish.blogspot.com/ https://valuateskorean.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesgerman.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesreportjapanese.blogspot.com/ Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/5197963/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/green-laser-market-to-reach-usd-982-million-by-2031-driven-by-demand-in-healthcare-industry-and-military-applications--valuates-reports-302391917.html Regulatory News: Societe Fonciere Lyonnaise (SFL) (Paris:FLY) and Inmobiliaria Colonial have today signed a merger agreement for the proposed cross-border merger of SFL into Colonial which has been approved by unanimity by both Board of directors. As announced on February 18, 2025, the exchange ratio has been set at 13 Colonial shares for 1 SFL share representing a significant premium on NTA parity. The Board have also determined an exit price of 77.5 per SFL share coupon attached (pursuant to Article L.236-40 of the French Commercial Code). The exit price would be adjusted by the amount of SFL's dividend to be approved by SFL general meeting prior to the merger. The exchange ratio and the exit price have been determined on the basis of a multi-criteria analysis reflecting on commonly used valuation methods. About the merger Colonial and SFL explored various options to simplify the group's structure and strengthen a leading prime real estate platform in Europe. The choice of the merger enables the SFL shareholders to remain invested in the value creation potential of the group with a significantly enhanced liquidity in an economically efficient operation (including without the material adverse costs which would have been associated with a delisting), or to access full liquidity at a price corresponding to the multi-criteria valuation of SFL. This cross-border merger will allow the Group to accelerate its growth strategy based on a strong and profitable business model and relying on both teams' expertise and highly recognized brands. The report of the merger auditor, Mrs. Agnes Piniot (Ledouble), appointed by the President of the Commercial Court of Paris on November 12th, 2024, will be made available to shareholders of Colonial and SFL and posted on the companies' website, along with all relevant documents related to the proposed merger. The completion of the proposed merger is expected in the second half of 2025 and remains subject to the approval by Colonial and SFL shareholders at the general meetings and to corporate formalities necessary for a transaction of this kind. The completion of the merger would also be subject to the Autorite des marches financiers confirming that Colonial is not required pursuant to French law to file a delisting offer in respect of the SFL shares. This merger will be submitted to SFL annual general meeting of shareholder scheduled on April 23rd, 2025. About SFL A benchmark player in the prime segment of the Parisian commercial real estate market, Societe Fonciere Lyonnaise stands out for the quality of its property portfolio, which is valued at 7.6 billion and is focused on the Central Business District of Paris (cloud.paris, Edouard VII, Washington Plaza, etc.), and for the quality of its client portfolio, which is composed of prestigious companies. As France's oldest property company, SFL demonstrates year after year an unwavering commitment to its strategy focused on creating a high value in use for users and, ultimately, substantial appraisal values for its properties. With its sights firmly set on the future, SFL is committed to sustainable real estate with the aim of building the city of tomorrow and helping to reduce carbon emissions in its sector. Stock market: Euronext Paris Compartment A Euronext Paris ISIN FR0000033409 Bloomberg: FLY FP Reuters: FLYP PA S&P rating: BBB+ stable outlook About Inmobiliaria Colonial Inmobiliaria Colonial is the leading platform in the prime commercial real estate market in Europe, with a presence in the main business areas of Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris. It owns a unique portfolio of commercial properties totaling over 1 million m, with a market value exceeding 11.6 billion. The Group follows a dedicated long-term strategy focused on value creation through a high-quality client portfolio and asset appreciation. Looking ahead, the Colonial Group will continue to lead the urban transformation of city centers in the European market, recognized for its expertise and professionalism, financial strength, and profitability, while providing excellent sustainable real estate solutions tailored to its clients' needs. BME Madrid ISIN ES0139140174 Bloomberg: COL:SM Reuters: COL.MC S&P rating: BBB+ stable outlook View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304025135/en/ Contacts: SFL Thomas Fareng T +33 (0)1 42 97 27 00 t.fareng@fonciere-lyonnaise.com www.fonciere-lyonnaise.com LEUVEN, BELGIUM - March 4, 2025 - 07:00PM - Oxurion NV (Euronext Brussels: OXUR), a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Leuven, announces the signing of a third amendment to its convertible bond subscription agreement with Atlas Special Opportunities, LLC. As part of this amendment, the agreement has been assigned to Atlas Special Opportunities II, LLC. This amendment extends the issuance period under adjusted conditions and clarifies the maturity terms of all outstanding and future bonds. Key Amendments to the Financing Terms Program extension: Oxurion may continue issuing convertible bonds under lighter conditions until December 2025. The overall financing program remains in place until March 2, 2026. Bond maturity adjustment: The maturity date of all bonds, whether already issued or to be issued, is now set at 60 months from their respective issuance dates. This ensures a standardized maturity structure across all outstanding bonds. Market capitalization condition: A minimum EUR 500,000 over a rolling 30-day period is required for bond issuance. If the market capitalization temporarily drops to EUR 250,000, a partial drawdown of EUR 150,000 remains possible under specific conditions. Liquidity condition: A total trading value of at least EUR 1.2 million over 22 consecutive trading days is required, with a reduced threshold of EUR 600,000 for partial drawdowns. Monthly tranches: The base monthly issuance remains EUR 300,000, with potential increments of EUR 100,000, subject to subscriber approval. No cool down period is applicable. Summary Table Aspect Value Minimum market capitalization EUR 500,000 Threshold for partial drawdown EUR 250,000 Total trading volume over 22 days EUR 1.2 million Threshold for partial drawdown EUR 600,000 Monthly bond issuance EUR 300,000 Possible increments EUR 100,000 Issuance period under lighter conditions Until December 2025 Program extension Until March 2, 2026 Maturity of all bonds 60 months from issuance About Oxurion Oxurion (Euronext Brussels: OXUR) is a biotechnology company specialising in the development of next-generation standard ophthalmic therapies for the treatment of retinal diseases. Oxurion is headquartered in Leuven. Further information is available at www.oxurion.com Important information about forward-looking statements Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking". Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore, cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Company's Annual Report. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of Oxurion in any jurisdiction. No securities of Oxurion may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. state securities laws. For further information please contact: OXURION NV: Pascal Ghoson, CEO pascal.ghoson@oxurion.com ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: mJhuacVvapiZym9slZdub2lka2mTxGKXmmjJxWFoY5fHaZxinG+Ul5maZnJhl2tu - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-90268-en-release_-oxur_financement-_43-march-short-version_v2.pdf LONDON, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tetragon has published its 2024 Annual Report. Please click below to access the report. Tetragon Financial Group Limited 2024 Annual Report As a reminder, Tetragon will host a conference call for investors on Wednesday, 5 March 2025 at 15:30 GMT / 10:30 EST to discuss its annual report and to provide a company update. During the call, Tetragon's investment manager will also seek to address questions raised by investors, including questions e-mailed to ir@tetragoninv.com. Getting Access to the Call and Q&A: The call will be accompanied by a live presentation which can be viewed online by registering at the link below. In addition, questions can be submitted online while watching the presentation. We would encourage you to log in 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. Webcast - please use the following link to register and access the live event webcast: https://onlinexperiences.com/Launch/QReg/ShowUUID=BE8AB726-D9C7-4F63-B2F2-78D8F529C42E Audio conference - please use the following link to register for your personal audio conference call details if you cannot join the webcast: https://emportal.ink/4avv97a Presentation Replay: A replay of the call will be available for 30 days through the link provided above or by visiting http://www.tetragoninv.com/investors/calendar-and-events where a recording will posted. About Tetragon: Tetragon is a Guernsey closed-ended investment company. Its non-voting shares are listed on Euronext in Amsterdam, a regulated market of Euronext Amsterdam N.V., and also traded on the Specialist Fund Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. Our investment manager is Tetragon Financial Management LP. Find out more at www.tetragoninv.com. Tetragon's non-voting shares are subject to restrictions on ownership by U.S. persons and are not intended for European retail investors. Please see: https://www.tetragoninv.com/shareholders/additional-information. Tetragon Investor Relations: Yuko Thomas ir@tetragoninv.com Press Inquiries: Prosek Partners Pro-tetragon@prosek.com U.K. +44 203 890 9193 U.S. +1 212 279 3115 This release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation (2014/596/EU), or EU MAR, and of the UK version of EU MAR as it forms part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act (as amended). This release does not contain or constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. The securities of Tetragon have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons unless they are registered under applicable law or exempt from registration. Tetragon does not intend to register any portion of its securities in the United States or to conduct a public offer of securities in the United States. In addition, Tetragon has not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and investors will not be entitled to the benefits of such Act. Tetragon is registered in the public register of the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiele Markten) under Section 1:107 of the Dutch Financial Markets Supervision Act as an alternative investment fund from a designated state. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/tetragon-financial-group-limited-2024-annual-report-302392025.html NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a comprehensive report from The Insight Partners, "Mesotherapy Market share and Forecast (2022 - 2030), Global and Regional Share, Trend, and Growth Opportunity Analysis Report Coverage: By Product Type (Mesotherapy Solution Kits, Mesotherapy Devices, Mesotherapy Filler Kits, Mesotherapy Chemical Peels, and Anti-Aging Masks), Indication (Anti-Aging and Wrinkle Treatment, Facial Rejuvenation, Fat Loss, Hair Loss, Stretch Marks, and Acne and Scar Treatment), and End User (Dermatology Clinics, Cosmetic Clinics, Hospitals, and Others), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South & Central America, and Middle East & Africa", The market is projected to grow from US$ 561.20 million in 2022 to US$ 1,148.60 million by 2030; it is estimated to record a CAGR of 9.4% during 2022-2030. To explore the valuable insights in the Mesotherapy Market report, you can easily download a sample PDF of the report- https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00015280/ Global mesotherapy market is recording significant growth. Key factors driving growth of the market include the increasing adoption of mesotherapy for various therapeutic purposes and the surging use of the therapy in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. The report runs an in-depth analysis of market trends, key players, and future opportunities. Competitive Strategy and Development Key Players: Major companies operating in the mesotherapy market include Koru Pharma Co Ltd, Institute BCN Esthetics SL, Mesoskinline ApS, Colgate Palmolive Co, Skin Tech Pharma Group SL, HB Aesthetics Group SA, Toskani SL, Dr. Korman Laboratories Ltd, Revitacare SAS, Ostar Beauty Sci-Tech Co Ltd, Mesoestetic E-Commerce SL, Galderma SA, Derm Beauty International Sdn Bhd, and Mesotech Srl. Trending Topics: Mesotherapy solution kit, skin rejuvenation, cosmetic surgery, pain management, etc. Global Headlines on the Mesotherapy Market Kalbe Introduces Mesotherapy Products in Aesthetic Treatment Maypharm Launches Hyalmass Aqua-Exosome: A Hybrid Filler Combining Hydration and Regeneration For Detailed Mesotherapy Market Insights, Visit:https://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/mesotherapy-market Mesotherapy Market Overview of Report Findings Market Growth: The mesotherapy market was valued at US$ 613.95 million in 2023 and is projected to reach US$ 1,295.71 million by 2031; it is expected to register a CAGR of 9.4% during 2023-2031. owing to the increasing adoption of mesotherapy in pain management and cosmetic procedures such as antiaging treatment, skin rejuvenation and others. Additionally, increase in combination therapies for better results led to the combination of PRP therapy with mesotherapy to provide exceptional results in the field of cosmetology. Increasing adoption of mesotherapy: A few of the most common advantages associated with the use of mesotherapy include minimally invasive procedure, no-needle therapy, and non-complex process. Mesotherapy is widely used in skin and hair rejuvenation treatments for aesthetic and medical applications, as it addresses various skin concerns, brightens the skin tone and keeps it hydrated. Combining mesotherapy with treatments such as microneedling, laser, or radiofrequency helps target small areas for improved skin rejuvenation, fat reduction, and hair restoration, offering localized treatments, precise results, deeper ingredient absorption, and quick recovery. Mesotherapy involves the use of nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, and enzymes that are beneficial for the skin. The adoption of this therapy among geriatric population for skin rejuvenation and wrinkle treatments has increased owing to better results and cost effectiveness as compared to surgical alternatives. Furthermore, its noninvasive nature and low cost have propelled its demand in fat reduction procedures performed on obese populations; thus, it is widely adopted as an alternative to liposuction. The therapy is also used by athletes for better pain management. Increase in Strategic initiatives by market players: Various market players operating in the mesotherapy market are focused on the development of innovative products through strategic initiatives which include product launches, mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations. A few of the recent strategic initiatives in the market are mentioned below: -In January 2025, Maypharm, a South Korean manufacturer in medical and dermo-cosmetic products, launched Hyalmass Aqua-Exosome, which is a hybrid mesotherapy filler developed to meet the evolving demands for aesthetic medicine. -In October 2023, Wingderm's latest research on mesoskin for mesotherapy treatment captured the attention of experts, practitioners, and beauty seekers at Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (AMWC), which was held in Chengdu, Sichuan (China). -In July 2023, PT Kalbe Farma Tbk (Kalbe) launched mesotherapy products for aesthetic treatments in Indonesia through its Asterion division. The entry of Kalbe into the aesthetic treatment market is aimed at utilizing the opportunity propelled by lifestyle trends, younger customer base, and the rise of medical tourism in some regions. Therefore, increasing product launches and research in the field of mesotherapy is expected to create opportunities in the market. Geographical Insights: In 2023, North America led the market with a substantial revenue share, followed by Europe and APAC. Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Stay Updated on The Latest Mesotherapy Market Trends: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00015280/ Market Segmentation Based on product type, the mesotherapy market is segmented into mesotherapy filler kits, mesotherapy solution kits, mesotherapy chemical peels, anti-aging masks, and mesotherapy devices. The mesotherapy solution kits segment held the largest share of the market in 2023. By indication, the mesotherapy market is segmented into antiaging and wrinkle treatment, facial rejuvenation, stretch marks, acne and scar treatment, fat loss, and hair loss. The antiaging and wrinkle treatment segment held the largest market share in 2023. In terms of end user, the mesotherapy market is segmented into hospitals, dermatological clinics, cosmetic clinics, and others. The dermatology clinics segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2023. The mesotherapy market is segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America. Purchase Premium Copy of Global Mesotherapy Market Size and Growth Report (2023-2031) at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00015280/ Conclusion The mesotherapy market has seen considerable growth attributed to increasing demand for minimally invasive cosmetic procedures and an expanding range of applications, such as fat reduction, anti-aging, and hair restoration. Vitamins, enzymes, and other active ingredients are injected into the mesodermal layer of the skin in mesotherapy to treat several issues related to body aesthetics without opting for surgical intervention. This therapy has gained popularity among people looking for quick and effective, yet minimally invasive, alternatives to traditional procedures. Technological advancements such as sophisticated injection techniques and microneedling have further increased the safety and efficacy of these treatments. However, side effects and stringent regulatory policies may hamper the market growth. Nonetheless, developed regions such as North America and Europe, along with developing regions such as Asia Pacific, are expected to present tremendous growth potential in the market owing to the increasing demand of customized noninvasive solutions from customers for their aesthetic needs. Related Reports- Aesthetic Medicine Market Statistics, Trends, Size, Share, and Key Players by 2031 Dermatology Treatment Devices Market Forecast and Growth 2031 Anti-Aging Market Size and Forecasts (2021 - 2031), Global and Regional Share, Trends, and Growth Opportunity Analysis Injectable Dermal Fillers Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast by 2031 About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: Contact Person: Ankit Mathur E-mail: ankit.mathur@theinsightpartners.com Phone: +1-646-491-9876 Press Release- https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/mesotherapy-market Logo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2520492/The_Insight_Partners_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mesotherapy-market-size-expected-to-reach-us-1-148-60-million-by-2030--growing-at-a-9-4-cagr-according-to-the-insight-partners-302392036.html This month British Airways marks 65 years of flights between Toronto and London To celebrate, the airline is offering a flash sale on the route for one week only The sale includes $30 off World Traveller (economy), $65 off World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and $150 off Club World (business) fares* This summer, British Airways will operate up to 42 flights per week from Canada to London, making it one of the airline's busiest Canadian seasons yet. TORONTO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This March, British Airways is proudly celebrating 65 years of flights between Toronto and London. Since launching the route in 1960, the airline has played a vital role in connecting Canada's largest city with the UK capital, enabling tourism, business, and connecting loved ones across the Atlantic. To mark the anniversary, British Airways has launched a flash sale for customers booking flights between Toronto and London, as well as select European destinations. The sale includes $30 off World Traveller (economy) fares, $65 off World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and $150 off Club World (business) fares*. The limited time sale will run until Tuesday, March 11 on ba.com, for travel between March - May 2025. British Airways' Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, Neil Chernoff, said: "For 65 years, we have connected Toronto with London as one of our most important transatlantic routes, offering customers a gateway to the UK and beyond. "We hope our customers take advantage of our special sapphire anniversary discount, for visiting loved ones, travelling for work, or booking a sightseeing holiday to Europe. This milestone highlights our longstanding commitment to the region, and we look forward to serving our Canadian customers for many more years to come." In addition, Toronto Pearson International Airport will mark the occasion with a special British-themed menu at the Ice Bar for the month of March, bringing a taste of the UK to departing customers. British Airways customers will be offered a $5 coupon off their meal during the first week of March. "We are pleased to reach this monumental milestone with British Airways," said Kurush Minocher, Interim Chief Commercial Officer, Toronto Pearson. "For more than six decades, British Airways has been connecting passengers with direct flights between Toronto and the United Kingdom. We are proud to continue this partnership, serving nearly 400,000 travellers annually." VisitBritain's Executive Vice President, The Americas, Australia, & New Zealand, Paul Gauger, said: "Congratulations to British Airways as it achieves this milestone of celebrating 65 years of service between Canada and the UK. Canada is one of our most valuable inbound markets, with one million visits to Britain. We are excited to see strong growth continue in 2025. With our new Starring GREAT Britain campaign, we look forward to working with our partners to showcase film & TV inspired attractions and itineraries across Britain, inspiring Canadian travellers to discover the real-life magic behind the scenes." On March 1, 1960, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) first began serving Toronto, with a Comet 4 service from Heathrow. Later that year BOAC began operating a Boeing 707 twice weekly from Heathrow, via Prestwick and Montreal. Today, the Toronto-London route remains one of British Airways' most important transatlantic connections. The airline flies 14 direct flights a week between Toronto and London Heathrow Terminal 5, which this summer will be operated by its state-of-the-art Boeing 777 and Airbus 350 aircraft. Elsewhere in Canada, the airline is increasing its summer schedule from Vancouver to London Heathrow by up to seven flights per week, bringing the total to 14 flights per week during peak summer. Coupled with the airline's daily flight to London Gatwick, customers in Vancouver can choose from three flights per day to London from June to September. In total British Airways will operate up to 42 flights per week from Canada to London this summer, making it one of the airline's busiest Canadian seasons yet. Customers travelling from Canada can enjoy British Airways' renowned British service, including a choice of premium cabins, curated dining experiences, and access to the airline's extensive global network via London Heathrow. For more information and to book British Airways' special anniversary fares, visit ba.com. *Blackout dates apply. Visit ba.com for full dates, terms and conditions. Book by 11:59pm ET on March 11, 2025. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633617/British_Airways_Toronto.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/british-airways-celebrates-65-years-of-connecting-toronto-and-london-with-65-flash-discount-302392115.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - AnalytixInsight Inc. (TSXV: ALY) (OTC Pink: ATIXF) ("AnalytixInsight", or the "Company"), Polymath Research Inc. ("Polymath"), a private Canadian digital technology company, and 16737803 Canada Inc., a subsidiary of the Company ("Subco") are pleased to announce they have entered into an amalgamation agreement (the "Agreement") dated March 3, 2025, pursuant to which Polymath and Subco will amalgamate (such amalgamated entity to be referred to as "Amalco") which will result in a reverse takeover of the Company by Polymath (the "Transaction"). Following completion of the Transaction, AnalytixInsight and Polymath, as its new wholly-owned subsidiary (referred to on a consolidated basis as the "Resulting Issuer") will continue to carry on the business of both Polymath and AnalytixInsight. Closing of the Transaction is conditional on, among other things, the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") approving the listing of the common shares of the Resulting Issuer ("Resulting Issuer Shares"), completion of a private placement (the "Concurrent Financing"), initially anticipated to consist of an issuance of subscription receipts (the "Subscription Receipts") for minimum gross proceeds of $14.5 million, or any such amount mutually agreed upon between Polymath and Research Capital Corporation (the "Agent"), with additional terms to be determined pursuant to the Agency Agreement (defined below), subject to the approval of the TSXV, the Debt Settlement (defined below) and other customary conditions. The Resulting Issuer will change its name to "Polymath Network Inc." or a similar name, and the Resulting Issuer Shares will be listed for trading on the TSXV. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Transaction will be completed by way of a three cornered amalgamation whereby, among other things: (a) Subco will amalgamate with Polymath pursuant to the provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act to form Amalco; (b) all of the outstanding common shares of Polymath ("Polymath Shares") will be cancelled, and in consideration therefore, holders thereof will receive Resulting Issuer Shares on the basis of 4.292 Resulting Issuer Shares for every one Polymath Share (the "Exchange Ratio"); (c) each common share of the Company held by Polymath shall be cancelled for no additional consideration; (d) each option to purchase Polymath Shares ("Polymath Options") will be cancelled and replaced by an option ("Replacement Options") to purchase 4.292 Resulting Issuer Shares at an exercise price adjusted as appropriate by the Exchange Ratio, (e) Amalco shall issue to the Resulting Issuer one common share of Amalco for each Resulting Issuer Share issued by the Resulting Issuer to the holders of Polymath Shares; (f) Amalco will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Resulting Issuer; and (g) Resulting Issuer Shares shall be issued at the issue price set out in the Agreement to settle arms-length consultants of the Company in the aggregate amount of $294,381 (the "Debt Settlement"). Vince Kadar, the Chief Executive Officer of Polymath, stated, "As a publicly traded company, Polymath Network Inc. will enable asset transformation through security tokenization, unlocking opportunities for value creation and scaling technology to meet the growing demand for blockchain-powered financial solutions. This milestone positions us to accelerate innovation, drive sustained growth, and unlock value for our customers, investors, partners, and the broader market." Natalie Hirsch, interim Chief Executive Officer of AnalytixInsight, stated, "This transaction marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for AnalytixInsight. By combining our expertise in AI-driven financial analytics with Polymath's blockchain innovation, we are creating Polymath Network Inc.- to lead the next generation of capital markets technology. Together, we are well-positioned to drive innovation, enhance market efficiencies, and unlock opportunities in the digital asset space." General Information on AnalytixInsight and Polymath AnalytixInsight is a data analytics and enterprise software solutions provider. AnalytixInsight develops and markets cloud-based platforms providing financial content, company analysis and stock research solutions to the financial services industry. AnalytixInsight holds a 49% interest in MarketWall S.R.L. ("MarketWall"), a developer of fintech solutions for financial institutions in Italy. Polymath, a company incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act, has a rich history of building a robust capital markets ecosystem where stakeholders interact seamlessly and securely to create and manage digital securities. Polymath simplifies the process of creating, issuing, and managing security tokens on the blockchain. Through TokenStudio, a self-service dApp built on a layer-1 blockchain, over 200 security tokens have been issued, ranging from $2.5 billion in real estate facilitated by a U.S.-based investment platform to corporate loans, startup equity, revenue-sharing agreements, and more. Since 2022, and leveraging Polymath's deep knowledge of blockchain and capital markets, Polymath's focus has been on developing and delivering its flagship white-label product, Polymath Capital, a fully integrated security token platform for the capital markets industry. Designed for private markets, this end-to-end white-label solution enables asset issuers and companies to tokenize and fractionalize real-world assets efficiently. Polymath Capital builds on Polymath's legacy of technical innovation, offering unparalleled expertise in fintech and decentralized finance (DeFi). Polymath generates revenue through staking, professional services, and software licensing, with a primary focus on licensing its technology to the capital markets industry. Key products and services driving current and future growth include: Polymath Capital: A fully integrated security token platform for the capital markets industry. A fully integrated security token platform for the capital markets industry. Subsidizer : Eliminates the need for enterprise and institutional customers to acquire cryptocurrency on their balance sheet for blockchain transaction gas fees while at the same time utilizing and leveraging Polymath's treasury. : Eliminates the need for enterprise and institutional customers to acquire cryptocurrency on their balance sheet for blockchain transaction gas fees while at the same time utilizing and leveraging Polymath's treasury. Node-as-a-Service : Managing and operating blockchain nodes on behalf of institutions, simplifying blockchain network access and reducing technical barriers. : Managing and operating blockchain nodes on behalf of institutions, simplifying blockchain network access and reducing technical barriers. TokenStudio 2.0 : A self-service dApp built on the Polymesh layer-1 blockchain. : A self-service dApp built on the Polymesh layer-1 blockchain. Professional Services: Providing professional services to customers for the setup, maintenance, and support of Polymath platforms as well as development and employment services to the Polymesh Association. Providing professional services to customers for the setup, maintenance, and support of Polymath platforms as well as development and employment services to the Polymesh Association. Staking: Staking is not a service offering provided to third-parties, but is a revenue stream that monetizes treasury assets and offsets investments in core software products and service offerings. The Resulting Issuer will be focused on unlocking strategic product, asset, and market footprint value. The Resulting Issuer will explore expanding its products and offerings, such as: CapitalCube Investment and Integration: Expanding the capabilities of the AnalytixInsight product to include cryptocurrency datasets as well as expanding it's machine-learning and artificial-intelligence capabilities. Expanding the capabilities of the AnalytixInsight product to include cryptocurrency datasets as well as expanding it's machine-learning and artificial-intelligence capabilities. Regulated Token Issuance : Leverage AnalytixInsight's subsidiaries to provide a compliant framework for securities-related services, including security token issuance and trading. : Leverage AnalytixInsight's subsidiaries to provide a compliant framework for securities-related services, including security token issuance and trading. European Market Access : Utilize AnalytixInsight's subsidiaries dealer registration to expand client reach into the EU market. : Utilize AnalytixInsight's subsidiaries dealer registration to expand client reach into the EU market. Enhanced Strategic Position: Strengthen partnerships and reputation as a leader in compliant securities tokenization within Europe. With its proven expertise, innovative approach, and a focus on compliant, cutting-edge solutions, the Resulting Issuer is poised to lead the transformation of capital markets. By enabling businesses to harness the potential of blockchain and tokenization, the Resulting Issuer will drive a new era of efficiency, accessibility, and innovation in decentralized finance. Select Polymath financial highlights for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 (unaudited) are set out below: As at September 30, 2024(1) Current assets $ 14,134,019 Total Assets $ 52,089,529 Current liabilities $ 440,094 Total liabilities $ 440,094 Revenue $ 6,477,190 Net income (loss) $ 7,336,540 (1) Select financial information noted above is unaudited and subject to change. General Information Regarding the Agreement and Consolidation In connection with the Transaction, AnalytixInsight is proposing to consolidate (the "Consolidation") its common shares on the basis of twenty-five (25) issued pre-Consolidation common shares into one (1) new post-Consolidation common share. No fractional common shares will be issued and any fractional common shares will be rounded down to the nearest lower whole share. The Consolidation is subject to the approval of the shareholders of AnalytixInsight and the TSXV. After giving effect to the Consolidation, AnalytixInsight will have approximately 4.4 million common shares issued and outstanding (on the basis of a 25:1 Consolidation ratio). As part of the Transaction each issued and outstanding Polymath Share held by Polymath's shareholders will be acquired by AnalytixInsight, each Polymath shareholder will receive 4.292 Resulting Issuer Shares for each Polymath Share held, each outstanding Polymath Option shall be exchanged for 4.292 Replacement Options at an exercise price adjusted as appropriate by the Exchange Ratio, and each common share of the Company held by Polymath will be cancelled. Approximately 0.3 million Resulting Issuer Shares are expected to be issued in connection with the Debt Settlement. Upon completion of the Transaction, it is expected that the shareholders of AnalytixInsight will hold approximately 6.5%, the shareholders of Polymath will hold approximately 71.4%, participants in the Debt Settlement will hold approximately 0.4% and participants in the Concurrent Financing (described below) will hold approximately 21.6% of the total outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares. AnalytixInsight currently has approximately 121.4 million common shares issued and outstanding (prior to the Consolidation, as described below) and will cancel 12 million of its common shares under the Transaction. Polymath has approximately 10 million Polymath Shares issued and outstanding and expects to issue approximately 1.2 million Polymath Shares immediately prior to closing of the Transaction, subject to the cashless exercise of certain Polymath Options. The Transaction, as described above, constitutes an Arm's Length Transaction (as defined in the policies of the TSXV) and under applicable securities regulations. Other than as described below, no Promoter (as defined in applicable securities laws), officer, director, Insider (as defined in applicable securities laws) or control person of AnalytixInsight has any direct or indirect beneficial interest in Polymath. Polymath, Vincent Kadar and Natalie Hirsch are each Non-Arm's Length Parties (as defined in the policies of the TSXV) to AnalytixInsight. Mr. Kadar and Ms. Hirsch are Insiders of both AnalytixInsight and Polymath. Mr. Kadar is the Chairman of the board of directors of AnalytixInsight and is a director and Chief Executive Officer of Polymath, and as such AnalytixInsight created a special committee of the board to consider the Transaction. Ms. Hirsch is Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of AnalytixInsight and Chief Financial Officer of Polymath. Loan To AnalytixInsight Polymath has agreed to loan AnalytixInsight the sum of $380,000 (the "Loan") pursuant to a loan agreement entered into between Polymath and AnalytixInsight dated March 3, 2025 (the "Loan Agreement"). The Loan will be used by AnalytixInsight for costs associated with the Transaction (including legal, administrative and accounting costs), settling certain current liabilities and other general corporate purposes. The Loan Agreement bears interest at an annual rate equivalent to the Royal Bank of Canada's published prime rate plus one percent (1.00%) per annum. The Loan is repayable upon demand and can be cancelled and terminated by Polymath at any time and for any reason. The Loan shall be repaid in full on the earlier of (i) demand by Polymath; and (ii) March 3, 2026 (the "Maturity Date"). AnalytixInsight has the right to prepay the Loan prior to the Maturity Date without penalty. The Loan is secured by a general security agreement over all of the present and after acquired assets of AnalytixInsight. Concurrent Financing As part of the Transaction, Polymath has engaged the Agent as its financial advisor, lead agent and sole bookrunner, with the intention to organize and complete the Concurrent Financing, currently anticipated to consist of an issuance of Subscription Receipts for minimum gross proceeds of $14.5 million, or any such amount mutually agreed upon between Polymath and the Agent, provided such Concurrent Financing will represent at least 20% of the issued and outstanding Post-Consolidation ALY Shares upon completion of the Transaction and the Concurrent Financing, with additional terms to be determined pursuant to an agreement between Polymath and the Agent (the "Agency Agreement"), subject to the approval of the TSXV. The Subscription Receipts are currently anticipated to be issued by Polymath. Purchasers of the Subscription Receipts will ultimately, as a result of the Transaction, receive Resulting Issuer Shares, following the satisfaction of certain specified escrow release conditions attached to the Subscription Receipts. The final structure, issue price, and terms of the Concurrent Offering will be determined in the context of the market, subject to the mutual agreement of Polymath and the Agent, and subject to the approval of the TSXV. Upon completion of the Concurrent Financing, the Agent will receive a cash commission of 8.0% of the aggregate proceeds of the Concurrent Financing (such commission reduced to 3.0% of the gross proceeds from purchasers on a president's list of up to $5.0 million provided by Polymath (the "President's List")). Polymath will issue broker warrants of Polymath equal to 8.0% of the securities issued pursuant to the Concurrent Financing (such percentage reduced to 3.0% of the total number of securities issued under the President's List). In addition, Polymath will pay an advisory fee equal to $250,000, plus applicable sales taxes, payable upon completion of the Concurrent Financing by way of issuing securities of Polymath at a deemed price and structure equivalent to the terms of the Concurrent Financing, plus all applicable taxes thereon payable in cash. Subject to the completion of the Concurrent Financing, the Agent has right of first refusal to provide financial advisory services for a 15 month period following the closing of the Concurrent Financing. The proceeds of the Concurrent Financing, assuming the satisfaction of the escrow release conditions, will be used by the Resulting Issuer for (i) building a security token exchange platform, which will involve partnering with regulated and licensed entities to develop token exchange platforms for key markets; and (ii) growth through acquisitions, to target companies in the TradFi space to transition their solutions to a Web3 foundation and create an end-to-end unified platform. Additional details relating to the Concurrent Financing will be included in a subsequent news release. Share Capital of the Resulting Issuer Assuming completion of the Concurrent Financing as described above, 67 million Resulting Issuer Shares (which will consist of 47.9 million Resulting Issuer Shares issued to former holders of Polymath Shares, 4.4 million Resulting Issuer Shares held by AnalytixInsight shareholders, 14.5 million Resulting Issuer Shares issued pursuant to the Concurrent Financing assuming gross proceeds of $14.5 million, and 0.3 million Resulting Issuer Shares issued pursuant to the Debt Settlement) would be outstanding after giving effect to the Transaction, subject to the approval of the TSXV. Sponsorship Sponsorship of the Transaction may be required by the TSXV unless an exemption or waiver from this requirement can be obtained in accordance with the policies of the TSXV. AnalytixInsight intends to apply for a waiver of the sponsorship requirement. There is no assurance that a waiver from this requirement can or will be obtained. Halt of Trading of Common Shares of AnalytixInsight The common shares of AnalytixInsight are currently halted from trading and the trading of common shares of AnalytixInsight is expected to remain halted pending completion of the Transaction. Additional Information Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions including, but not limited to, closing conditions customary to transactions of the nature of the Transaction, approvals of all regulatory bodies having jurisdiction in connection with the Transaction, TSXV acceptance and, if applicable, disinterested shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approvals are obtained and there can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. The Transaction and related transactions are subject to the satisfaction or, where permitted, waiver of certain additional conditions precedent, including, but not limited to the completion of the Concurrent Financing. There is no guarantee that these conditions will be met at all or before the termination date of July 31, 2025. A management information circular is expected to be mailed to shareholders of AnalytixInsight in connection with its shareholder meetings to approve the Transaction and transactions contemplated in connection with the Transaction. Additional information regarding the details of the Transaction and such transactions will be included in such management information circular. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular prepared in connection with Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of AnalytixInsight should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The common shares of AnalytixInsight have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Resulting Issuer Board of Directors: It is anticipated that following the completion of the Transaction, the following will be the directors and executive officers of the Resulting Issuer: Vincent Kadar: Chief Executive Officer and Director Mr. Kadar has been the Chief Executive Officer of Polymath Research Inc., a security tokenization software company, since October 2021. Prior to his position at Polymath, Mr. Kadar spent 12 years as Chief Executive Officer of Telepin Software Systems Inc. (acquired by Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU) in 2017), a fintech software company providing digital wallet and payments platforms for developed and emerging markets globally. Mr. Kadar currently sits on the board of AnalytixInsight. David Hackett: Director Mr. Hackett brings more than 20 years of financial and management leadership. He has overseen the growth of a number of start-up companies, including dealing with operations, technology, regulatory reporting (in Canada and the United States of America), corporate governance, public financing (in Canada and the United States of America) and mergers and acquisitions activity. Mr. Hackett is a Certified Public Accountant and Charted Accountant, and holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the Western University. Mr. Hackett currently sits on the board of Ayurcann Holding Corp., a public company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. Deven Soni: Director Mr. Soni is a seasoned executive and investor with a background in private equity and technology investment currently serving as Chairman & CEO of Matador Technologies Inc. He worked at Goldman Sachs and Highland Capital Partners as a technology investor before moving into the blockchain space in 2016. He was the founding COO of Polymath a digital asset business and also served as the founding COO of Tokens.com, a publicly traded blockchain infrastructure business. Natalie Hirsch: Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary Ms. Hirsch is the interim President and Chief Executive Officer for AnalytixInsight, and was the former Chief Operating Officer. She also currently sits on the board of the Italian-based fintech company MarketWall of which AnalytixInsight owns 49%. Natalie was formerly Vice President of Operations for Coinsquare Ltd., one of Canada's largest crypto trading platforms. Ms. Hirsch is an experienced leader in operations management, cross-functional software implementation, broker dealer regulatory requirements, client onboarding, and crypto trading. A certified CPA and PMP. Natalie holds an MBA with honors from the Recanati School of Business in Tel Aviv and a Master of Management & Professional Accounting from the Rotman School of Management in Toronto. Other Insiders or Principals of the Resulting Issuer Mr. Trevor Koverko, a resident of Canada, through TDK Cashflow Ltd. ("TDK"), a company existing under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) and wholly-owned by Mr. Koverko, may each be considered to be a Promoter of the Resulting Issuer. As of the date hereof, Mr. Koverko owns, controls and directs through TDK 10 million Polymath Shares, and does not hold any additional Polymath Shares. Immediately prior to the Transaction, TDK has agreed to transfer 0.6 million shares via private agreements, and therefore TDK expects to own 84.5% of all outstanding Polymath Shares expected to be issued immediately prior to closing of the Transaction, and is expected to own, control or direct, directly or indirectly 40.5 million Resulting Issuer Shares constituting 60.3% of the total Resulting Issuer Shares upon completion of the Transaction. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) has in any way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and associated transactions and neither of the foregoing entities has in any way approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Notice on Forward-Looking Statements: This release includes forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, the 1933 Act, the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding AnalytixInsight, Polymath and their respective businesses, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the completion of the Transaction, the terms on which the Transaction is intended to be completed, the ability to obtain regulatory and shareholder approvals, expectations with respect to Polymath business plans, objectives and, product lines, the timeline for AnalytixInsight's common shares to resume trading, and statements regarding the Concurrent Financing, the Consolidation, the Loan Agreement (including but not limited to the use of proceeds thereof), the cashless exercise of Polymath Options, the transfer of TDK's Polymath Shares and the Debt Settlement. Often but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "expect", "intends", "anticipated", "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of the management of each entity, and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of AnalytixInsight and Polymath, and cannot be predicted or quantified, including risks related to: the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular; the ability to manage operating expenses, which may adversely affect the Company's financial condition; the ability to remain competitive as other better financed competitors; volatility in the trading price of the common shares of the Company; the demand and pricing of cryptocurrency assets held by the Company or Polymath; the Company's ability to successfully define, design and release new products in a timely manner that meet customers' needs; the ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel; competition in the industry; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Although the management of each entity believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, including completion of the Transaction, the Concurrent Financing (and the proposed terms upon which the Transaction, the Concurrent Financing are proposed to be completed), the Consolidation, the Loan Agreement, the cashless exercise of Polymath Options, the transfer of TDK's Polymath Shares, the Debt Settlement the ability to secure shareholder and regulatory approval, and the success of future product advancements, may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Company, including risks regarding market conditions, economic factors, management's ability to complete the Transaction and related matters as expected or at all, management's ability to manage and to operate the business of the Resulting Issuer, and the equity markets generally. Although AnalytixInsight and Polymath have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and neither AnalytixInsight nor Polymath undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Not for Distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for Dissemination in the United States To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243290 SOURCE: AnalytixInsight Inc. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR WOULD REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR OTHER MEASURES. HAMILTON, Bermuda, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement from Paratus Energy Services Ltd. (ticker "PLSV") ("Paratus" or the "Company") on 28 February 2025 regarding the offer to buy back own shares ("the Offer"). ABG Sundal Collier ASA (the "Manager") has been engaged to assist with the Offer. The bookbuilding period for the Offer closed today, 4 March 2025, at 16:30 hours (CET). Following the expiry of the bookbuilding period, the Company has resolved to buy 5.4 million shares at a price of NOK 41.5 per share, which gives an aggregate purchase price of NOK 224.1 million (corresponding to approximately USD 20 million). Notifications of allocation will be sent to shareholders who tendered and were allocated sale shares in the Offer on 5 March 2025. The trade date will be 5 March 2025, and the settlement date is expected to be on or about 7 March 2025. The settlement will be conducted on a normal delivery-versus-payment basis (DVP). As the Offer will settle prior to the ex-date for the USD 0.22 cash distribution (to be paid as return of capital) announced by the Company on 28 February 2025, shareholders participating in the Offer will not be entitled to receive the cash distribution on shares sold. Following settlement of the Offer, the Company will own 5.4 million shares in the Company. For further information, please contact: Robert Jensen, CEO robert.Jensen@paratus-energy.com +47 958 26 729 Baton Haxhimehmedi, CFO baton.Haxhimehmedi@paratus-energy.com +47 406 39 083 About Paratus Paratus Energy Services Ltd. (ticker: PLSV) is an investment holding company of a group of leading energy services companies. The Paratus Group is primarily comprised of its ownership of Fontis Energy and a 50/50 JV interest in Seagems. Fontis Energy is an offshore drilling company with a fleet of five high-specification jack-up rigs working under contracts in Mexico. Seagems is a leading subsea services company, with a fleet of six multi-purpose pipe-laying support vessels under contracts in Brazil. In addition, Paratus is the largest shareholder in Archer Ltd, a global oil services company, listed on the Euronext Oslo Brs. IMPORTANT NOTICE The Offer will be carried out in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and information pertaining to the Offer will be disclosed by way of stock exchange notices. The Offer and the distribution of this announcement and other information in connection with the Offer may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions (including, but not limited to, the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan). None of the Company or the Manger assume any responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions. This includes shareholders who have changed their domicile to such jurisdictions but which may access their VPS accounts. Persons into whose possession this announcement or relevant information should come are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/paratus-energy-services-ltd/r/paratus-energy-services-ltd--results-of-offer-to-buy-back-own-shares,c4114500 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/paratus-energy-services-ltd-results-of-offer-to-buy-back-own-shares-302392173.html gategroup, the leader in airline catering and hospitality, has published their annual ESG report. This report outlines the group's ambitions on sustainability in its business and describes the progress it achieved throughout 2024. Zurich/Switzerland. March 04, 2025. As a global leader in airline catering and hospitality, gategroup continues its commitment to responsible corporate stewardship and sustainable business practices. The company has released its third annual ESG report, reflecting on its progress in 2024 and marking a pivotal year in the integration of ESG principles into the fabric of the organization. 2024 marked a significant transition for gategroup, as the company fully embedded the fundamental principles and targets it set for itself into key areas of the business. ESG considerations were woven into strategic decision-making, hiring practices, employee well-being, health and safety, procurement, and more - strengthening the organization as a whole. Among other activities, by the end of the year, gategroup had achieved the following: Investment decisions: ESG considerations are now a core part of every major investment at gategroup, reinforcing the company's focus on long-term value creation while ensuring environmental and social responsibility. Sustainable innovation: gategroup launched gatehorizon, an expert working group dedicated to positioning the company at the forefront of the industry and maintaining its competitive advantage through innovation. Supply chain transparency: gategroup increased transparency in its supply chain by assessing the sustainability performance of nearly 3,000 Tier 1 suppliers. Through external screening tools, supplier self-assessments, and on-site audits, areas for improvement were identified and collaboration with suppliers helped enhance ESG compliance. Sustainability in menu offerings: In line with its commitment to responsible sourcing, gategroup expanded its portfolio of locally sourced ingredients and vegetarian and vegan meal options. We are also innovating special meals, snacks, and desserts - prioritizing fresh, delicious, nutritious, and environmentally friendly options. Circular systems: gategroup's gatesolutions vertical and its packaging brand deSter have been collaborating on sustainable innovations for food service customers. Through circular design principles, streamlined supply chains, and eco-friendly materials, they aim to set the industry benchmark. Investment in renewables: gategroup committed to a renewable energy purchasing program and carried out local infrastructure upgrades and vehicle fleet improvements to reduce its environmental footprint. International recognition: deSter achieved EcoVadis Platinum status for sustainability leadership, while gategroup maintained its EcoVadis Bronze rating. "We are proud to have made so much progress and have the necessary tools in place to drive our ESG strategy in all we do," said gategroup's CEO Christoph Schmitz. "The milestones we've achieved in 2024 reflect our ongoing commitment to sustainability and our drive to create long-term value for both our business and the communities we serve." gategroup's ESG Report 2024 can be found here. -ENDS- Media and investor inquiries IR@gategroup.com About gategroup gategroup is the global leader in airline catering, retail-on-board and hospitality products and services. gategroup provides passengers with superior culinary and retail experiences, leveraging innovation and advanced technology solutions. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, gategroup delivers operational excellence through the most extensive catering network in the aviation industry, serving passengers from over 200 operating units in over 60 countries/territories across all continents. For further information, please visit www.gategroup.com. Contact: mediacontact@gategroup.com Forward-Looking Statements This publication contains forward-looking statements and other statements that are not historical facts. The words "believe", "anticipate", "plan", "expect", "project", "estimate", "predict", "intend", "target", "assume", "may", "will" "could" and similar expression are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such statements are made on the basis of assumptions and expectations that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this publication but may prove to be erroneous and are subject to a variety of significant uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward looking statements. Among these factors are changes in overall economic conditions, changes in demand for our products, changes in the demand for, or price of, oil, risk of terrorism, war, geopolitical or other exogenous shocks to the airline sector, risks of increased competition, manufacturing and product development risks, loss of key customers, changes in government regulations, foreign and domestic political and legislative risks, risks associated with foreign operations and foreign currency exchange rates and controls, strikes, embargoes, weather-related risks and other risks and uncertainties. We therefore caution investors and prospective investors against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements or to update the reasons for which actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Industry-first, 'off-the-beaten-path' travel documentary series focused on junior mining, celebrating the spirit of ingenuity and resilience that drives the industry Episode 4 Live on YouTube - Subscribe & Watch NOW Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - EarthLabs Inc. (TSXV: SPOT) (OTCQX: SPOFF) (FSE: 8EK0) ("EarthLabs" or the "Company") proudly announces the release of Episode 4 of EarthLabs Expeditions, a bold reality documentary series revolutionizing how audiences experience the junior mining and exploration industry. This episode features Rua Gold Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) (WKN: A40QYC) ("Rua Gold"), offering an in-depth, unfiltered, and behind-the-scenes look at the history of mining in New Zealand and Rua Gold's role in the future of the industry. EarthLabs Expeditions is an industry-first, 'off-the-beaten-path' travel documentary meets junior mining, exploration video series. It's an epic journey into the unknown, where: Adventure has no script. Discovery has no limits. The truth is raw, real, and riveting. Episode 4 - Rua Gold Inc. The fourth episode of EarthLabs Expeditions features a visit to New Zealand and Rua Gold Inc., an exploration company, strategically focused on New Zealand. With decades of expertise, the Rua Gold team has successfully taken major discoveries into producing world-class mines across multiple continents. The team is now focused on maximizing the asset potential of Rua Gold's two highly prospective high-grade gold projects. Rua controls the Reefton Gold District as the dominant landholder in the Reefton Goldfield on New Zealand's South Island with over 120,000 hectares of tenements, in a district that historically produced over 2 Moz of gold grading between 9 and 50 g/t. WATCH THE EPISODE NOW Limited to just 10 Expeditions per year, EarthLabs Expeditions spotlights companies with significant discoveries, impactful projects, and compelling stories. Hosted by the charismatic and fearless Jonathan Brazeau, the show takes viewers on a journey that goes beyond boardrooms and polished presentations to explore the real, gritty work of the junior mining industry. Jonathan travels the world, getting his boots on the ground, meeting with industry leaders, workers, and the people who make up this dynamic sector. EarthLabs Expeditions highlights not just the challenges but also the pride and dedication of those whose work is essential yet often goes unnoticed. PAID ADVERTISEMENT The episode linked in this news release (the "video") is a paid advertisement for Rua Gold Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) ("Rua Gold") to enhance public awareness of Rua Gold, its products, its industry and as a potential investment opportunity. EarthLabs Media Inc., and their owners, managers, employees, and assigns were paid by Rua Gold to create, produce and distribute this advertisement. This compensation should be viewed as a major conflict with EarthLabs Media's ability to be unbiased. The video is not intended as, and should not be construed to be, an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Neither the video nor Rua Gold purport to provide a complete analysis of Rua Gold or its financial position. Rua Gold is not, and does not purport to be, a broker-dealer or registered investment adviser. The video is not, and should not be construed to be, personalized investment advice directed to or appropriate for any particular investor. Any investment should be made only after consulting a professional investment advisor and only after reviewing the financial statements and other pertinent corporate information about Rua Gold. Further, readers are advised to read and carefully consider the Risk Factors identified and discussed in Rua Gold's SEDAR+ and/or other government filings. Investing in securities is speculative and carries a high degree of risk. Join the Journey Interested in becoming a part of this groundbreaking series? Contact Jonathan Brazeau, Host of EarthLabs Expeditions, to learn more about how your company's story could be the next chapter in this exciting adventure. Follow Us and Stay Connected Don't miss out on any of the action! Make sure to follow and subscribe to our social media channels for the latest updates, exclusive content, and more exciting adventures. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EarthLabsExpeditions Twitter: https://x.com/EL_Expeditions CEO.CA: https://ceo.ca/@earthlabs.expeditions About EarthLabs EarthLabs Inc. (TSXV: SPOT) (OTCQX: SPOFF) (FSE: 8EK0) is a mining investment, technology, and media company that aims to provide strategic leverage to the metals and mining sector through investments, royalties and a full suite of data-driven media SaaS tools and services including CEO.CA, The Northern Miner, MINING.COM, Canadian Mining Journal and DigiGeoData. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"), OTC Best Market ("OTCQX") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Contained in this News Release Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, these forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "estimate", "estimates", "estimated", "potential", "open", "future", "assumed", "projected", "used", "detailed", "has been", "gain", "upgraded", "offset", "limited", "contained", "reflecting", "containing", "remaining", "to be", "periodically", or statements that events, "could" or "should" occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking Statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with securities regulators and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Disclaimer: The information in this video is provided "as is" without any warranty of any kind. EarthLabs Inc. and its affiliates are not liable for any damages arising from the use of this video. This video was produced by EarthLabs, which has a paid marketing agreement with the featured company. This is not financial advice. This video does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation to purchase securities of the company or any other issuer. All statements and/or opinions expressed by third parties are solely the opinions and the responsibility of the person or entity providing those materials. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Contained in Episode The video contains certain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" regarding Rua Gold. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Rua Gold's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this video include, among others, statements relating to expectations regarding the exploration and development of the Reefton Gold Project, the completion and release of a pre-feasibility study in respect of the Reefton Gold Project, the development of a mine and the size of the mine once developed, the positive impact the Reefton Gold Project will have on the region of Reefton, the economic success of Rua Gold and the Reefton Gold Project, and other statements that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: the foregoing exploration, development and economic goals of Rua Gold may not occur on the timetable anticipated or at all; a pre-feasibility study may not be completed on the timetable expected or at all; the development of a mine may not be completed on the timetable expected or at all; Rua Gold may not experience economic success through development of the Reefton Gold Project; Rua Gold may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions; risks related to compliance with extensive government regulation; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect Rua Gold's business and results of operations; and volatility in the stock markets that may adversely affect the price of Rua Gold's securities, regardless of its operating performance. The forward-looking information in this video is based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions. The forward-looking information contained in this video represents the expectations of Rua Gold as of the date of this video and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Viewers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. Rua Gold undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243294 SOURCE: EarthLabs Inc. Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Canadian Critical Minerals Inc. (TSXV: CCMI) (OTCQB: RIINF) ("CCMI" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a 10% increase in copper and a 15% increase in gold in a new Mineral Resource for the Bull River Mine, near Cranbrook, B.C. The Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") was independently prepared by Moose Mountain Technical Services ("MMTS") under the supervision of Sue Bird, P.Eng. The Mineral Resource includes mineralized material from the surface stockpile of run of mine material that was previously not included in the Mineral Resource estimate. Highlights: Total Indicated Mineral Resource of 2.9Mt grading 1.58% Cu, 0.389 g/t, and 13.3 g/t Ag. Total Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.6Mt grading 1.43% Cu, 0.388 g/t Au, and 12.1 g/t Ag. Inclusion of stockpile and increase in metal prices have resulted in the Indicated Resource to increase by 11% in the Cu metal and 17% in the gold metal content compared to the previous, 2021 MRE. The current surface Mineral Resource has an effective date of December 31, 2024. The surface stockpile Mineral Resource is not based on a Cutoff grade ("COG") because the material is already on surface and the entire stockpile is reported. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had trucked 6,737 tonnes of pre-concentrated high-grade mineralized material to New Afton under an Ore Purchase Agreement ("OPA"). Under the OPA, New Afton performed assay services on all trucked material as well as low grade mineralized material that was rejected from the ore sorting process. The December 31, 2024 stockpile resource is estimated at 173,263 tonnes of mineralized material grading 1.092% copper, 0.232 g/t gold and 9.1 g/t silver. As a result, there are 4,172,800 lbs of copper, 1,292 ounces of gold and 50,507 ounces of silver in the stockpile resource. Ian Berzins, President and CEO commented, "We are extremely pleased with the results of the up-dated Mineral Resource including underground and surface mineralized material. During the period November 2023 to August 2024, the Company crushed and screened 180,000 tonnes of mineralized run of mine material already on surface in a stockpile. Subsequently, the Company sorted coarse material through an ore sorter and both the high-grade material that was sent to New Afton plus the lower grade material that was rejected by the sorter and not trucked to New Afton were assayed for copper, gold and silver. As a result, 5,177,900 lbs of CuEq mineralized material were added to the current Mineral Resource at Bull River." Table 1: Summary of Bull River Underground Mineral Resource - Effective Date December 31, 2024 Class Cutoff Cu Eqv. (%) ROM Tonnage (tonnes) In situ Grades Metal Cu Eqv. (%) Cu (%) Au (gpt) Ag (gpt) NSR (CDN$/t) CuEq (000 lbs) Cu (000 lbs) Au (kOz) Ag (kOz) Indicated varies due to stockpile inclusion 2,864,266 1.921 1.575 0.389 13.3 183.98 121,286 99,487 35.8 1,225 Inferred 1,637,996 1.763 1.432 0.388 12.1 168.84 63,650 51,715 20.4 636 Mineral Resource Notes: The qualified person responsible for the mineral resource estimate is Sue Bird P.Eng of MMTS. The base case cut-off is 0.70% CuEq which more than covers the Processing costs of CDN$30/tonne and Underground Mining costs of CDN$35/tonne. A minimum mining width of 2.0m is assumed. Mineral resources are based on a US$2,200/oz gold price, US$4.15/lb copper price and US$26.5/oz silver price and the following smelter terms: 96.25% payable Cu, 97.5% payable Au and 95% payable Ag. Forex of 0.72 US$:CDN$ Treatment charges of US$5/tonne for Cu, Refining charges of US$0.005/lb Cu, US$8/oz for Au, US$0.5/oz Ag. Transportation charges of US$100/tonne Cu concentrate. Metallurgical recoveries have been estimated as 93% for Cu, 75% for Au, and 90% for Ag. The mineral resource has been confined by a "reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction" underground shape equating to an NSR cut-off of CDN$65/tonne with all material within this shape reported as the resource. The bulk density has been assigned values of 2.7 and 3.06 tonnes/m3 depending on mineralized domain. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in summation differences. Table 2: Summary of the Bull River Underground Mineral Resource - Effective Date December 31, 2024 Classification Cutoff CuEq (%) In situ In situ Grades Metal Tonnage (Ktonnes) CuEq (%) Cu (%) Au (gpt) Ag (gpt) NSR ($CDN) Cu (000 lbs) Au (kz) Ag (koz) Indicated 0.7 2,691 1.957 1.607 0.399 13.6 187.48 116,108 95,314 35 Inferred 0.7 1,638 1.763 1.432 0.388 12.1 168.84 63,650 51,715 20 Table 3: Summary of Bull River Surface Mineral Resource - Effective Date December 31, 2024 Tonnage (dmt) CuEq (%) Cu (%) Au (gpt) Ag (gpt) NSR (CDN$/ tonne) Metal Content CuEq (klbs) Cu (klbs) Au (oz) Ag (oz) Total Resource with Fines 173,263 1.356 1.092 0.232 9.067 125.21 5,177.9 4,172.8 1,291.7 50,507.2 The Bull River Mine is fully developed and dewatered with 21,000 metres of underground developments in terms of ramps, raises and drifting on mineralized structures on seven levels to a depth of 350 metres below surface. The surface infrastructure includes a 700 tonne per day conventional mill with adjoining crushing facilities as well as offices and mine maintenance facilities. The property is connected to grid power and there is year-round access to the site by paved and all-weather roads. Qualified Person The disclosure of technical or scientific nature in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Sue Bird, P.Eng. who serves as a Consultant to the Company and is a Qualified Person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101. A NI 43-101 Technical Report will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days of this press release. The disclosure herein, including relating to mineral resource estimates, has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Canadian securities laws, as set forth in NI 43-101, which references the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") classification system, the CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council. About Canadian Critical Minerals Inc. Canadian Critical Minerals Inc. is a mining company primarily focused on copper production assets in Canada. Its main asset is the 100% owned Bull River Mine project near Cranbrook, British Columbia which has a Mineral Resource containing copper, gold and silver. The Company also owns a 10% interest in XXIX Metal Corp., which holds a 100% interest in the Thierry copper project near Pickle Lake, Ontario and a 100% interest in the Opemiska copper project near Chapais-Chibougamau, Quebec. We seek Safe Harbor. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements about strategic plans, future work programs and objectives and expected results from such work programs. Forward-looking information necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; and other risks. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information and the risks identified in the Company's continuous disclosure record. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this news release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this new release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243285 SOURCE: Canadian Critical Minerals Inc. On February 14, 2025, Ono Pharmaceuticals secured FDA approval for vimseltinib, a therapy for tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT), which will be marketed as ROMVIMZA. This approval places Ono in direct competition with another Japanese pharmaceutical company, Daiichi Sankyo, in the TGCT market. LAS VEGAS, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tenosynovial giant cell tumor, also known as pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) or giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath (GCT-TS), is primarily treated through surgical resection. For localized TGCT, the typical approach involves direct removal of the tumor nodule. In contrast, diffused-type TGCT (DTGCT) tends to present as larger tumors affecting major joints, making treatment more complex. Management options for DTGCT often include total synovectomy, joint replacement, or, in extremely rare cases, amputation. Among the 7MM, the United States had the highest prevalence of tenosynovial giant cell tumor, accounting for approximately 45% of total cases. In 2023, localized TGCT in the U.S. was most commonly found in the digits, representing around 75% of cases. Depending on whether the tumor is localized or diffuse, giant cell tumors can also occur in the knee, ankle, hip, and other areas. According to DelveInsight analysts, diffuse TGCT was most frequently observed in the knee, with an estimated 30,000 cases in the US in 2023. The primary approach to treating TGCT is surgery, often supplemented by alternative options like Radiation Therapy, Radiosynovectomy, and Systemic Therapies, including CSF1 inhibitors and Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors. TURALIO (pexidartinib, previously known as PLX3397) is a targeted therapy developed by Daiichi Sankyo for adult patients with symptomatic tenosynovial giant cell tumor that leads to significant morbidity or functional limitations and cannot be effectively treated with surgery. This orally administered small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor acts on colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R), KIT proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase (KIT), and FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) with an internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutation. Overexpression of the CSF1R ligand contributes to excessive cell proliferation and accumulation in the synovium. The US FDA approved TURALIO in August 2019 for the treatment of TGCT in adults with severe symptoms and limited surgical options. Before this, in October 2015, pexidartinib received Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) from the FDA for TGCT treatment. TURALIO carries a risk of serious and potentially life-threatening liver toxicity and is available only through a restricted Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. Learn more about the FDA-approved TGCT drugs @ Drugs for Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors Treatment Recently, in February 2025, Ono Pharmaceuticals secured FDA approval for vimseltinib for the treatment of tenosynovial giant cell tumor. Marketed under the brand name ROMVIMZA, the drug places Ono in direct competition with fellow Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo in the TGCT space. Like TURALIO, which became the first FDA-approved TGCT treatment in 2019, ROMVIMZA is a colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor. As a kinase inhibitor, it blocks the CSF1 receptor to slow the growth of cells expressing this protein, potentially limiting tumor progression in TGCT. Ono Pharmaceuticals acquired ROMVIMZA through its $2.4 billion purchase of Deciphera Pharmaceuticals last year, making the U.S.-based firm a subsidiary. At the time, Ono's CEO, Gyo Sagara, described the acquisition as a strategic effort to expand the company's targeted oncology pipeline, strengthen its presence in the U.S. and European markets, and enhance its kinase drug discovery expertise. To compete with TURALIO's early market entry, Ono is positioning ROMVIMZA as a more convenient TGCT treatment. Unlike Daiichi Sankyo's drug, which requires twice-daily dosing, ROMVIMZA is administered only twice a week, with at least 72 hours between doses. Additionally, while TURALIO carries a boxed warning for hepatotoxicity due to the risk of severe liver damage, ROMVIMZA does not have this safety warning. To know more about TGCT treatment options, visit @ New Treatment for Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors TGCT that is not amenable to improvement from surgery. Several companies, such as SynOx Therapeutics (Emactuzumab), AmMax Bio (AMB-05X), Merck KGaA (pimicotinib), and others, are involved in developing therapies for TGCT. Discover which therapies are expected to grab major TGCT market share @ Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors Market Report Pimicotinib is an investigational, orally administered small-molecule inhibitor designed to selectively and effectively target the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor. Developed by Abbisko, it remains under clinical evaluation. In December 2023, Abbisko Therapeutics agreed with Merck, granting Merck exclusive rights to commercialize pimicotinib-based products for all indications in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, with the possibility of expanding to global markets, including the US. Pimicotinib has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) by both the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and the FDA, as well as Priority Medicine (PRIME) designation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of patients with TGCT who are not candidates for surgery. In November 2024, Merck reported that the Phase III MANEUVER trial, conducted by Abbisko Therapeutics, met its primary endpoint. The study showed a significant improvement in the objective response rate (ORR) for patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumor. By week 25, pimicotinib achieved an ORR of 54.0%, compared to 3.2% in the placebo group (p<0.0001). Emactuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that serves as a potent and selective inhibitor of CSF-1R. By interacting with two key cytokines, CSF-1 and IL-34, the CSF-1 receptor plays a crucial role in regulating macrophages and related cells across various biological processes and organ systems. This makes it a compelling target with wide-ranging therapeutic potential. SynOx Therapeutics is currently assessing emactuzumab in the Phase III TANGENT clinical trial. In April 2024, the company secured a $35 million loan facility from Hercules Capital, bolstering its financial position as it advances the trial. Additionally, SynOx successfully completed a $75 million Series B funding round. Earlier, in August 2022, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) granted orphan medicinal product designation to emactuzumab for both localized and diffuse TGCT. AMB-05X is a powerful monoclonal antibody targeting CSF1R, designed as a therapeutic platform for severe macrophage-driven inflammatory, fibrotic, and neovascular conditions. It has received Fast Track designation from the FDA and PRIME designation from the EMA for TGCT. Currently, it is being evaluated in a Phase II clinical trial to assess its safety, tolerability, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics when administered via intra-articular injection in TGCT patients. Discover more about drugs for TGCT in development @ Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors Clinical Trials The anticipated launch of these emerging therapies for TGCT are poised to transform the market landscape in the coming years. As these cutting-edge therapies continue to mature and gain regulatory approval, they are expected to reshape the TGCT market landscape, offering new standards of care and unlocking opportunities for medical innovation and economic growth. DelveInsight estimates that the market size for TGCT is expected to grow from USD 300 million in 2023, with a significant CAGR by 2034. This growth can be attributed to the approval of new therapies with improved safety and tolerability compared to pexidartinib, which will significantly impact the treatment landscape in the coming years. This will lead to increased adoption of these new therapies, with patients transitioning from off-label treatments to these newer options during the forecast period (2023?2034). DelveInsight's latest published market report, titled as Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors Market Insight, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast - 2034 will help you to discover which market leader is going to capture the largest market share. The report provides comprehensive insights into the TGCT country-specific treatment guidelines, patient pool analysis, and epidemiology forecast to help understand the key opportunities and assess the market's underlying potential. The TGCT market report proffers epidemiological analysis for the study period 2020-2034 in the 7MM segmented into: Prevalent Cases of TGCT Growth Pattern-specific Prevalent Cases of TGCT Gender-specific Prevalent Cases of Localized TGCT Gender-specific Prevalent Cases of Diffuse TGCT Tumor Location-specific of Localized TGCT Tumor Location-specific Cases of Diffuse TGCT Total Treated Cases of TGCT The report provides an edge while developing business strategies by understanding trends shaping and driving the 7MM TGCT market. Highlights include: 10-year Forecast 7MM Analysis Epidemiology-based Market Forecasting Historical and Forecasted Market Analysis upto 2034 Emerging Drug Market Uptake Peak Sales Analysis Key Cross Competition Analysis Industry Expert's Opinion Access and Reimbursement Download this TGCT market report to assess the epidemiology forecasts, understand the patient journeys, know KOLs' opinions about the upcoming treatment paradigms, and determine the factors contributing to the shift in the TGCT market. Also, stay abreast of the mitigating factors to improve your market position in the TGCT therapeutic space. Related Reports Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors Epidemiology Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors Epidemiology Forecast - 2034 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted TGCT epidemiology in the 7MM, i.e., the United States, EU4 (Germany, Spain, Italy, and France), the United Kingdom, and Japan. Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors Pipeline Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumors Pipeline Insight - 2025 report provides comprehensive insights about the pipeline landscape, pipeline drug profiles, including clinical and non-clinical stage products, and the key TGCT companies, including AmMax Bio, Inc., Deciphera Pharmaceuticals SynOx Therapeutics, Abbisko Therapeutics Co, Ltd., Hutchison Medipharma Limited, Elixiron Immunotherapeutics, among others. Rheumatoid Arthritis Market Rheumatoid Arthritis Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast - 2034 report deliver an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key rheumatoid arthritis companies, including Taisho Pharmaceuticals, R-Pharm, GlaxoSmithKline, Aclaris Therapeutics, Pfizer, Abivax, Bristol Myers Squibb, Oscotec, Genosco, Mesoblast, Pfizer Akros Pharma, Japan Tobacco, Abbvie, Horizon Therapeutics, Eli Lilly and Company, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Gilead Sciences, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Istesso, SynAct Pharma, Cyxone, among others. Rheumatoid Arthritis Pipeline Rheumatoid Arthritis Pipeline Insight - 2025 report provides comprehensive insights about the pipeline landscape, pipeline drug profiles, including clinical and non-clinical stage products, and the key rheumatoid arthritis companies, including Taisho Pharmaceutical, Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical, SinoMab, Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine, RemeGen, GlaxoSmithKline, Modern Biosciences, Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals, Akros Pharma, Hanlim Pharm, Galapagos NV, Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical, Bristol Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Aclaris Therapeutics, Abivax, AbbVie, Synact Pharma, Gilead sciences, Mesoblast, Rottapharm Biotech, Eli Lilly and Company, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Abcentra, Cyxone, Yungjin Pharm. Co., Ltd. Taiho Pharmaceutical, Oscotec Inc., Pfizer, Janssen Research & Development, Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc., KLUS Pharma Inc., Revolo Biotherapeutics, Lynk Pharmaceuticals, Beijing Baylx Biotech, Hope Biosciences, Kangstem Biotech, Celltex Therapeutics, I-Mab Biopharma Co. Ltd., Synermore Biologics Co., Ltd, Oryn Therapeutics, Arthrogen, Bayer, Amgen, Draconis Pharma, Biozeus, Landos Biopharma, Imcyse, Kymera Therapeutics, RedHill Biopharma, 4D Pharma, CV6 Therapeutics, VYNE Therapeutics, MyMD Pharmaceuticals, Brickell Biotech Inc, Worg Pharmaceuticals, Almirall, Standigm, Metrion Biosciences, Jnana Therapeutics, Silo Pharma, SFA Therapeutics, Neutrolis Therapeutics, Ahead Therapeutics, Fresenius Kabi, Kidswell Bio, BioXpress Therapeutics, CinnaGen, Alvotech, Hetero Biopharma, Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Innovent Biologics, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, mAbxience, Shanghai Junshi Biosciences, Enosi Therapeutics, among others. About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Get hassle-free access to all the healthcare and pharma market research reports through our subscription-based platform PharmDelve. Contact Us Shruti Thakur info@delveinsight.com +14699457679 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082265/DelveInsight_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/onos-romvimza-approval-shakes-up-tenosynovial-giant-cell-tumors-market-challenging-daiichi-sankyos-turalio-dominance--delveinsight-302390955.html US President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, his first such speech since taking office on January 20. The address comes as his administration works to restructure the federal government, tighten immigration laws, and redefine Americas role on the global stage. It will also serve as a prime-time opportunity to outline his agenda read more This will be his first such speech since taking office on January 20. Reuters/File Photo US President Donald Trump is set to address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. This will be his first such speech since taking office on January 20. His Republican Party holds a slim majority in the House and a stronger one in the Senate. ALSO READ | Will Trumps $5 million gold card help the US economy? During his remarks, the US president is expected to outline his agenda and priorities for the year. Advertisement Trumps previous address to a joint session, delivered in 2017 during his first term, focused on plans to reform healthcare and the tax system. His second such speech comes eight years later. The address comes as his administration moves to restructure the federal government, tighten immigration laws, and a heated public confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Notably, Trump halted military aid to Ukraine on Monday, intensifying pressure on Kyiv to engage in peace talks with Moscow. A White House official told AP that the US was pausing and reviewing its assistance to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. Trump loves grand spectacles, and few events surpass addressing a joint session of Congress. The House chamber will be filled with lawmakers, and his arrival will be announced in a booming voice by the sergeant-at-arms, leading to resounding applause. Although this speech is not technically a State of the Union address, that will come next year after he has been in office longer, viewers are unlikely to notice any distinction. Since returning to the White House, Trump has rolled out a wave of executive actions. Tuesdays address will serve as an opportunity to highlight his agenda during prime-time television. According to NPR, Trump is expected to discuss his administrations government restructuring effort, the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which he has placed under the leadership of billionaire Elon Musk. Advertisement Unlike in previous years, there does not appear to be a widespread Democratic boycott of Trumps speech. Instead of staying away, some Democrats have indicated they will attend to show their opposition, Politico reported. Almost every detail of these events is carefully planned. Heres what to watch and listen for: Where will Elon Musk sit? The most powerful figures in American government are typically seated on the dais during such events. As the president addresses the nation, the House speaker and the vice president, who also serves as the Senates ceremonial leader, sit behind him. However, they have largely been overshadowed by Elon Musk, the entrepreneur serving as a key adviser to Trump. Billionaire Elon Musk is heading the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). AP/File Photo There is no precedent for Musks role, which has deeply embedded itself within federal agencies, resulted in thousands of job cuts, and reshaped the workings of Washington. Special guests at presidential speeches usually sit in the gallery above the chamber. Will Musk, the worlds richest person, take a seat there - or somewhere else? Advertisement The Ukraine factor Its been only a few days since the most dramatic encounter in the Oval Office in recent memory. Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington. Reuters Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to solidify a partnership involving critical minerals, only for a deal to fall apart after Trump and Vice President JD Vance laced into Zelenskyy over a perceived lack of respect. Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticised Zelenskyy for what they saw as a lack of appreciation for the over $180 billion in military aid and other assistance that the US has provided to Kyiv since Russias invasion began on February 24, 2022. A few days later, Trump ordered a pause on US aid to Ukraine. This also means that all US military equipment not currently in Ukraine would be paused, including weapons in transit and at depots in Poland, Bloomberg reported. Advertisement Now the future of U.S. support for Ukraine, which has been fending off a Russian invasion for three years, is increasingly in doubt. You either make a deal or we are out, Trump told Zelenskyy. Will Russia try to press its advantage on the battlefield? Does Zelenskyy patch things up with Trump? Will fragile US relationships with European allies deteriorate further? There are no clear answers right now. But Tuesdays speech will be a high-profile opportunity for Trump, a Republican, to explain his vision for the war and his approach to foreign policy. ALSO READ | Why gold prices are soaring amid Donald Trumps tariff wars Advertisement How do lawmakers behave? Presidential speeches to Congress have become rowdier affairs. Rep. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, famously shouted You lie! at President Barack Obamas address to Congress in 2009, and decorum hasnt improved much since then. President Joe Biden got into his own back-and-forth with Republicans, and Trump is known for deviating from his script with attempts to stir outrage among his opponents. How will Democrats respond? Sometimes their protests have been quiet, such as when women wore white, the colour of the suffragette movement, to previous events. But at a time when Democratic voters have been eager for their representatives to be more aggressive, its possible that they become more vocal. Reaction from Republicans is more predictable. Expect them to try to outdo one another with their embrace of the president. Will Trump outline his agenda? Trump has demonstrated his desire to push the limits of presidential power during his second term in office, but there are some things that he still needs congressional help to accomplish. The president wants spending cuts, border security funding and tax cuts - a politically sensitive combination at a time when Republicans have only slim majorities in the House and the Senate. The party will need almost complete unanimity to move forward. So far, Trump has followed his typical approach of playing one side off against the other, sometimes endorsing the House plan for one massive piece of legislation and sometimes supporting the Senate strategy of breaking the proposals into multiple bills. Dont expect a lot of details from the president - thats not something that usually happens in speeches like this, regardless of who occupies the Oval Office. But Trump could reveal more about his goals or prod lawmakers to work faster. Given the power that Trump has over the party, any remark could reshape the debate. The president wants spending cuts, border security funding and tax cuts. Reuters/File Photo ALSO READ | How Donald Trump shook US and the world in his first month in office Which version of Trump shows up? The president is in his element when hes delivering freewheeling remarks, bouncing from topic to topic in what he likes to call the weave. But thats not usually how these kinds of speeches go. Theyre often carefully scripted, the kind of monologue that Trump might label BORING in a post on Truth Social if he were watching it on television. How long will Trump stick to the teleprompter this time? And how much does he veer off track? A hint could be Trumps speech at the Republican National Convention last summer, when he accepted the partys presidential nomination. He started off subdued, even sombre, as he shared the story of his assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. But the appeal for national unity eventually gave way to a flood of grievances more typical of Trumps stump speeches. With inputs from AP Donald Trumps long-threatened 25 per cent tariffs against Canada have come into effect. The neighbouring nation has been a regular target of the US presidents jibes. However, several of his claims on imports, trade deficit and migrants are inaccurate read more The new tariffs imposed on Canada by the United States have come into effect from today (March 4). President Donald Trump has called the tariffs on Canadian goods necessary to force action on the migrants and to curb drugs entering America through its northern border. Effective immediately, imports from Canada and Mexico will be subject to a 25 per cent tariff, with Canadian energy products incurring a 10 per cent tariff. Potus has also publicly labelled the substantial flow of billions of dollars in daily cross-border trade as a form of US subsidy and made the controversial claim that Canadas very existence as a country is contingent upon this trade. He has made inaccurate remarks about bilateral economic relations and the situation at the border. Advertisement Here is a fact-check of the US presidents statements on Canada. Canada gets 95 per cent of its product from the United States The US President has claimed that Canada gets 95 per cent of its product from across the border. But, according to Statistics Canada, this figure for Canadas imported goods is inaccurate. In 2024, 62.2 per cent of Canadas total imports came from the United States, the government agency said. University of Toronto economist Joseph Steinberg noted, a lot of what Canadian consumers buy is produced domestically, so Trumps 95 per cent claim can only be credibly scrutinised if it is assumed he was talking about imports. Statistics Canada reported a 75.9 per cent of the countrys exports went to the US last year. AFP If we focus on imports, does the US account for 95 per cent? Not quite, although it is a really high number, Steinberg said. Statistics Canada also reported a 75.9 per cent of the countrys exports went to the United States last year. The US has a $250 billion trade deficit with Canada During his appearance at the World Economic Forum in January, Trump asserted that the United States was facing a trade deficit with Canada amounting to either $200 billion or $250 billion. At the end of 2024, the United States Trade Representative and the US Census Bureau reported a trade deficit with Canada of $63.3 billion. In contrast, Statistics Canada indicated a surplus of C$102.3 billion (equivalent to $70.3 billion) with the United States. But trade deficits are not subsidies and the data does not affirm that the United States is propping up Canadas economy, Steinberg said. International trade is a mutually beneficial transaction, he said. The United States pays Canada for products, it wouldnt pay Canada for those products if it didnt feel that it was worth it in this case. US oil purchases from Canada are a main driver of the trade deficit, he added. Advertisement American banks not allowed in Canada The 78-year-old president took to social media last month and claimed, American banks are not allowed to do business in Canada. But, this is also a false claim because foreign banks, including American financial institutions, are regulated by Canadas federal Bank Act. There are 16 US-based bank subsidiaries and branches with around Can$113 billion in assets currently operating in Canada, the Canadian Bankers Association said in a February 3 statement on X. These include JP Morgan Chase, CitiBank and Bank of America, which have offices in most major Canadian cities. Undocumented migrants, drugs flowing across the border Trump has asserted that a significant number of undocumented migrants and the drug fentanyl are crossing the border. Kelly Sundberg, a criminologist at Mount Royal University in Calgary, refutes Trumps claims regarding fentanyl, pointing to data that demonstrates that less than one per cent of the deadly opioid found in the United States originates from Canada. Migrants rest in the desert along the border wall as they join hundreds of migrants gathering along the border in Lukeville, Ariz. File image/AP According to the United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agency, out of over 21,800 pounds (9,900 kilogrammes) of fentanyl intercepted by agents during the 2024 fiscal year, 43 pounds were seized near the northern border with Canada. Advertisement CBP data also reported US border patrol agents apprehended 23,721 people illegally crossing the Canadian border in fiscal year 2024. Nationally last year, CBP agents came into contact with more than 1.5 million undocumented migrants. Canada is under greater threat from the United States than the United States is from Canada for most things guns, drugs (and) illegal immigrants, Sundberg said. He said more relaxed drug laws in Canada could project an inflated sense of illicit substances entering the United States. With inputs from AFP External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is visiting the UK and Ireland from March 4-9, 2025, holding talks with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy on the India-UK Free Trade Agreement. He will reportedly inaugurate Indian consulates in Belfast and Manchester, address Chatham House and meet Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris. His visit coincides with Europes renewed Ukraine peace efforts read more Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar delivers remarks to the media after the Quad Ministerial Meeting at Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, Japan, July 29, 2024. File Image/Reuters External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar is on a six-day official visit to the United Kingdom and Ireland from March 4 to 9, 2025. Jaishankars visit to the UK comes at a crucial time and will see him engage in high-level discussions with British leaders, including Foreign Secretary David Lammy. A primary focus will be the ongoing negotiations for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which aims to boost economic relations between the two nations. Advertisement India and the UK share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, covering various sectors such as defence, security, economy, health, education, and people-to-people exchanges. Apart from diplomatic meetings, Jaishankar will reportedly inaugurate new Indian consulates in Belfast and Manchester, something which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil in November. These additions expand Indias diplomatic footprint in the UK, complementing existing missions in London, Birmingham, and Edinburgh, along with honorary consulates in Cardiff, Belfast, and Newcastle upon Tyne. Jaishankar is also scheduled to deliver an address at Chatham House, a leading London-based think tank, on March 5 at a session titled Indias rise and role in the world, which is expected to outline Indias growing influence in global affairs and its approach to international challenges. Why Jaishankars UK visit is important Jaishankars visit coincides with intensifying discussions in Europe over the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The meeting with David Lammy follows a recent high-profile diplomatic clash between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which has drawn global attention. Days after this confrontation, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a summit with European leaders in London, stressing the need for a unified peace plan to end the war in Ukraine. Starmer has pushed for Europe to take the lead in the peace process while ensuring US support. This is not a moment for more talk. Its time to act. Time to step up and lead and to unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace, Starmer said in a recent press conference. Advertisement India, meanwhile, has maintained a neutral stance on the war. New Delhi abstained from voting on two recent UN resolutions backed by Ukraine and the US. Additionally, India has adjusted its diplomatic language, shifting from referring to the wars key players as two parties to the conflict to parties concerned a broader term that includes the US, Ukraine, Russia, and Europe. This shift signals Indias careful diplomatic balancing act, avoiding explicit support for any side while highlighting the importance of dialogue and diplomacy. The visit will be closely watched to see whether Jaishankar and Lammy discuss Indias position on the Ukraine war and its potential role in peace efforts. However, given Indias strategic neutrality, it is unlikely that Jaishankar will align with any particular bloc in the conflict. Advertisement India-UK Free Trade Agreement One of the most anticipated aspects of Jaishankars visit is the resumption of discussions on the India-UK Free Trade Agreement. Negotiations on the trade deal, which aims to reduce tariffs and boost investment, have been ongoing for several years. Talks were recently revived when British Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds visited New Delhi in February 2025. The FTA is expected to cover key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, financial services, and technology, offering significant economic benefits to both nations. While there have been roadblocks, including disagreements over market access and tariff reductions, the renewed negotiations signal progress toward finalising the deal. Jaishankars agenda in Ireland From March 6 to 7, Jaishankar will travel to Ireland, where he will meet with his Irish counterpart, Simon Harris, along with other officials and members of the Indian diaspora. India and Ireland share a long-standing relationship built on shared democratic values, cultural ties, and increasing economic cooperation. A significant development expected during this visit is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a diplomat exchange programme, reported The Hindu. Additionally, the two nations are set to announce the establishment of the India-Ireland Joint Economic Commission, aimed at fostering deeper economic collaboration between the two countries. Advertisement This visit marks the highest-level diplomatic engagement between India and Ireland since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Dublin in 2015. It also highlights New Delhis interest in strengthening ties with smaller European nations beyond its primary partnerships with the UK, France, and Germany. Indias global balancing act Jaishankars UK and Ireland visit comes amid rapidly evolving geopolitical developments. As India continues to position itself as a major global player, it is carefully navigating complex diplomatic landscapes, including its ties with the US, Europe, Russia, and Ukraine. India has consistently advocated for peaceful negotiations to resolve conflicts, maintaining its stance that solutions should be found through dialogue rather than military action. Modi recently reaffirmed this position during talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, stating the need for a just and lasting peace based on international law and territorial sovereignty. Meanwhile, European leaders are pushing for new approaches to ending the Ukraine conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron and UK leaders have proposed a partial one-month truce, covering air, sea, and energy infrastructure attacks but excluding ground combat. Advertisement However, differences have emerged, with the UK distancing itself from Frances proposal and Kyiv expressing concerns over security guarantees before agreeing to a ceasefire. As Jaishankar meets with his counterparts in London and Dublin, he will have to navigate these geopolitical changes while focusing on strengthening Indias bilateral partnerships. With inputs from agencies An Indian-origin nurse Leelamma Lal was brutally attacked by a patient inside a US hospital. As per authorities, the 67-year-old was attacked so viciously that essentially all bones in her face broke. The suspect, who has been arrested, reportedly made racist comments about Lal saying, Indians are bad read more Following the assault, the 67-year-old Indian-nurse Leelamma Lal, was airlifted to the nearest trauma centre in St Marys Medical Centre and is now in the intensive care unit (ICU). Image courtesy: X In a heartbreaking crime that has shaken the medical community in the United States, a 67-year-old Indian-origin nurse Leelamma Lal was brutally attacked by a patient inside a Florida hospital, leaving her bloodied with deadly facial injuries. The suspect, 33-year-old Stephen Scantlebury, has been arrested and charged with attempted second-degree murder. Prosecutors have also added a hate crime enhancement, citing racist remarks he allegedly made about Lals Indian heritage during the vicious attack. Advertisement Heres what we know of the situation so far. What happened? The horrific attack took place when Lal, a long-time nurse at Palms West Hospital, entered Scantleburys room on the third floor to check on him. According to an arrest affidavit cited by local news outlet WPBF, Scantlebury was a psychiatric patient on a Baker Act hold, which essentially provides hospitalisation to individuals to assess their mental health and address any immediate crisis. Eyewitnesses say that as soon as Lal entered the room, Scantlebury suddenly leapt onto his bed and launched a violent attack, punching her repeatedly without warning. The assault was so brutal that essentially every bone in Lals face was broken, authorities said. Indian-Origin Nurse Left Disfigured After Brutal Attack by Patient in US Hospital 67-year-old Leelamma Lal was left with severe facial fractures. Stephen Scantlebury (33) has been arrested and is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder and hate crimes - he allegedly pic.twitter.com/prpg7OLWJb RT_India (@RT_India_news) March 3, 2025 Following the assault, the nurse was immediately airlifted to the nearest trauma centre in St Marys Medical Centre and is now in the intensive care unit (ICU). Authorities say the victim can permanently lose her eyesight. Lals daughter, Cindy Joseph, was shocked to see her mother in the state. I couldnt recognise her, she said. Both eyes were swollen, she was intubated, her whole face on the right side was swollen, multiple fractures throughout her face, bleeding in the brain. Joseph added that her mother will require surgery and weeks of hospitalisation to recover. Advertisement This is gonna forever change the rest of her future, and shes 67, she told CBS News. She has, with her health, a good at least 20 plus years left, and she shouldnt have to spend them the way shes gonna have to spend them." Indians are bad Following the attack, Palm Beach County Deputy Sergeant Beth Newcomb testified in court that she heard Stephen Scantlebury make a disturbing remark about Lal, Indians are bad and I just beat the sh** out of an Indian doctor. His statements led prosecutors to add a hate crime enhancement to his attempted second-degree murder charge. Explaining the significance of this charge, the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office stated, Hate crime enhancements, if proven, can result in harsher penalties upon conviction. They highlight the motive behind the defendants actions and their broader impact on the community. After the assault, Police say they caught Scantlebury fleeing as he ran along a nearby road. He was found shirtless, shoeless, and covered in EKG leads. Advertisement Stephen Scantlebury made a disturbing remark about Indian-origin nurse, Indians are bad and I just beat the sh** out of an Indian doctor. Image courtesy: X/ @Arya_Anvishkha His wife, Megan Scantlebury, testified in court last week that he had been acting paranoid in the days leading up to the incident. He thought there were people trying to harm him, Megan said in court. He thought that our house was bugged, that there was people listening. He thought I was involved. He thought the neighbours were involved. During the hearing, defence attorneys requested that the suspect be transferred to a mental health facility, however the judge denied the request, calling it premature. Also read: Ninth attack in 3 months: Why young Indian students are being targeted in America No specific laws to protect health care workers Since the brutal attack on Leelamma Lal, there has been an outpouring of support for her, along with growing demands for stricter security measures in hospitals. Advertisement A petition calling for harsher penalties for those who assault healthcare workers has gained traction, gathering over 9,500 signatures in just two days. The Hindu American Foundation also condemned the attack, posting on X: A patient in a Florida hospital is in custody after critically injuring nurse, Leela Lal, taunting that Indians are bad and I just beat the sh out of that Indian doctor. Escalating anti-India rhetoric is endangering lives. It must stop. The Indian Nurses Association of South Florida echoed similar concerns, pointing out that this is not just an isolated case but a wider safety issue for medical staff. The issue here is the risk to our healthcare workers because there are no specific laws to protect the staff, said Dr Manju Samuel, advisory board chair of the association. There is a deficiency, and that must be addressed by lawmakers. Advertisement Lals daughter, Cindy Joseph, expressed deep frustration over the situation, telling NewsNation that she was really disappointed in the system. My moms been working there for 20+ years; shes devoted her entire career to the hospital. The fact that this happened at a healthcare facility, which should have proper security, is beyond me, she said. Lal, who remains in intensive care, is now reportedly stable. Meanwhile, Scantlebury remains behind bars as legal proceedings move forward. With input from agencies US First Lady Melania Trump, in her first solo public appearance of Donald Trumps second term, attended a congressional roundtable and urged lawmakers to support the Take It Down bill. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas introduced the bill, which the Senate approved last month. This bill aims to classify revenge porn as a federal offence and provide protection against deepfake pornography read more Melania wanted to urge lawmakers at a roundtable discussion to support the Take It Down bill. AP US First Lady Melania Trump made her first solo public appearance on Capitol Hill on Monday. But what was the reason for her visit? Melania wanted to urge lawmakers at a roundtable discussion to support the Take It Down bill. ALSO READ | A part-time First Lady? Why was Melania Trump away from White House for 4 weeks? In her first major solo engagement of US President Donald Trumps second term, she attended a congressional committee hearing to express her backing for the bill. Advertisement The bill secured bipartisan support in the Senate during the previous congressional session and again in February, but it is still waiting to be passed in the House. What does this bill propose? What did Melania tell the lawmakers during the roundtable discussion? We will answer these questions. What is Take it Down Act? Simply put, this bill seeks to classify revenge porn as a federal offence and provide protection against deepfake pornography. It aims to strengthen protection for victims of non-consensual sharing of sexual images, including those created using artificial intelligence, known as deepfake pornography. Melania Trump, Elliston Berry, and US Senator Ted Cruz at the roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill in Washington. Reuters Under the bill, posting intimate images online, whether real or AI-generated, without consent would be illegal. It would also require technology companies to remove such content within 48 hours. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas introduced the bill, which received approval in the Senate last month. According to Cruzs office, the bill would criminalise the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including AI-generated NCII (or deepfake pornography), and require social media and similar websites to have in place procedures to remove such content upon notification from a victim. Over the past year, AI-generated, non-consensual pornographic images have targeted various individuals, from high-profile figures like Taylor Swift and Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to schoolgirls, including 15-year-old Elliston Berry from Texas, who joined the first lady on Capitol Hill. They superimposed her (Berrys) face into pornographic content without her consent, solely to humiliate her. And although Ellistons family contacted the social media companies for help, their efforts fell upon deaf ears. Ultimately, the fake images circulated worldwide, the first lady said. Advertisement The bill would establish a federal offence for knowingly publishing or threatening to publish intimate images online without consent, including identifiable, realistic, computer-generated images. Social media companies would be required to remove such images within 48 hours and take measures to prevent their reappearance after a victims request. Melania Trump, Ted Cruz, Elliston Berry and other officials attend the roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill in Washington. Reuters/File Photo During Donald Trumps first term, the first lady focused on online safety through her Be Best campaign, which promoted child welfare and digital responsibility. The Take It Down bill appears to align with Trumps efforts to continue that initiative. What is revenge pornography? WebMD describes revenge porn as a form of digital abuse where nude or sexually explicit photos and videos are shared without the consent of those depicted. Also known as non-consensual pornography, it is closely linked to sexual abuse. A current or former partner may distribute such images as an act of revenge or use them as a form of blackmail. Advertisement Where do these images come from? They may have been privately shared with a partner or taken under pressure, potentially as a means of control or humiliation. Meanwhile, deepfake revenge porn is becoming increasingly common. By using artificial intelligence, perpetrators can manipulate images to superimpose a persons face onto an explicit body, creating highly realistic yet damaging content. Carrie Goldberg, a lawyer specialising in digital harassment and sex crimes, told CNN, They look real. But I think, like, if we look closely enough at an image, we can see that, you know, there is a sixth finger on a hand or something like that. So theres ways to tell. But, you know, its almost like you cant unsee them. Advertisement ALSO READ | Why is Melania Trump defending abortion rights, a stance at odds with her husband? What did Melania Trump tell the conference? Melania described it as heartbreaking to witness the struggles teenagers, particularly girls, face after becoming victims of those who distribute such content. This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritise their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape, she said during the discussion. WATCH: First Lady Melania Trump is now hosting a roundtable with members of Congress to push the passage of the Take It Down Act, which will criminalize the publishing of nonconsensual sexual images & AI videos. "The widespread presence of abusive behavior in the digital domain pic.twitter.com/orb59diF9g George (@BehizyTweets) March 3, 2025 Advertisement Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm, she added. Senator Ted Cruz, who hosted the discussion in the Capitols Mansfield Room, told the first lady that her leadership is incredibly important and Im confident its going to play a critical role in accelerating the passage of this bill and getting it passed into law. He said that the move was inspired by Elliston Berry and her mother, who approached his office after Snapchat took nearly a year to remove an AI-generated non-consensual graphic image of the then 14-year-old. On Monday, Elliston and other victims shared their experiences. Notably, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has expressed support for the bill. Melania also criticised Democrats, saying she had expected more of them to participate in the discussion. California Representative Ro Khanna was the only Democrat present, The Hill reported. While not a co-lead on the House bill, he has previously supported the measure. I must admit, however, I expected to see more Democrat leaders with us here today to address this serious issue, she said. Surely as adults, we can prioritise Americas children ahead of partisan politics. Melania said that she hoped the roundtable would raise awareness of the harm caused by non-consensual image sharing and encourage the passage of the Take It Down Act in Congress. Cruz added that the bill would empower victims across the US and require major technology companies to implement a takedown process to ensure the swift removal of such content from the internet. With inputs from agencies Mixue Ice Cream and Tea is now the worlds largest fast food chain, closing last year with 45,000 stores across China and 11 other countries, more than doubling its locations in just three years. A key driver of its success is affordability, with ice cream and sugary drinks priced at under $1 (Rs 87.21) read more The chain ended last year with 45,000 stores, more than doubling its locations in just three years. Reuters/File Photo This bubble tea chain has more locations than McDonalds and Starbucks. The Chinese company operates across Asia and Australia. It has now surpassed McDonalds and Starbucks to become the worlds largest food and beverage chain by store count. ALSO READ | Sipping success: Meet Yunan Wang, bubble tea mogul who is Chinas latest billionaire As of last September, it had over 45,000 outlets across China and 11 other countries, including Thailand, Singapore, and Australia. Meanwhile, McDonalds has more than 43,000 restaurants in over 100 countries, while Starbucks operates around 40,000 stores worldwide. Advertisement Which company is it? And how did it grow to become the worlds largest food and beverage chain? The worlds largest food chain is Mixue Ice Cream and Tea. It is pronounced as ME-schway. According to research firm Technomic, the chain ended last year with 45,000 stores, more than doubling its locations in just three years. Mixue (pronounced MEschway) started as a store in 1997, selling shaved ice (Indian Gola). Raised $400m in its IPO on Monday. Surpassed McDonalds in terms of number of outlets. Its mind blowing that a lot of people in the world have hardly heard the brands name. pic.twitter.com/MJqHfbpAWS Bhupesh Pangti (@bpangti) March 4, 2025 This bubble tea and ice cream chain was founded in 1997 in Chinas Henan province and made its debut on Hong Kongs stock market on Monday. It offered nearly 17.1 million shares, raising 3.45 billion Hong Kong dollars. A key factor behind its success is affordability. Notably, Mixue sells ice cream and sugary drinks for less than $1. Advertisement Often regarded as Chinas largest chain for iced drinks, milk tea, and ice cream, Mixue operates differently from a typical beverage brand. Instead of focusing solely on retail, it functions more like a raw-material supplier. People walk past a Mixue Ice Cream & Tea store in Mongkok, Hong Kong. Reuters/File Photo Unlike Starbucks, which directly runs 53% of its stores, Mixue relies almost entirely on franchising, with more than 99% of its locations operated by franchisees. Mixues growth comes at a time when many in China are facing economic difficulties, including a property crisis and declining consumer and business confidence. How Mixue became worlds largest fast food chain Mixue is now the worlds largest fast-food chain by store count. Its affordability is its biggest draw, as customers in Singapore told Business Insider. The chain has around 20 outlets in Singapore, all operating as takeaway counters. Advertisement Founded in 1997 by Zhang Hongchao, Mixue began as a small shaved ice shop in Henan, a province in Chinas heartland. Its rapid expansion is attributed to the simplicity of its bright red stores, often found as small stalls alongside phone repair kiosks or dumpling shops. The menu is short and sweet, featuring its signature ice cream cone, various bubble tea options, and lemonade, making Mixue Chinas largest buyer of lemons. It also keeps franchising fees lower than competitors, generating most of its revenue by supplying ingredients to franchisees. Affordability remains a key factor in its success, especially as Chinas economy faces challenges. At a Mixue outlet in Hong Kongs Causeway Bay, 42-year-old retail worker Wang Li told CNN she loves its budget-friendly treats. Advertisement I dont even bother checking the price, she said. However, low prices alone do not explain Mixues cultural impact in China. The brands mascot, Snow King, and its catchy theme song have helped cement its place in popular culture. According to The Wall Street Journal, Snow King - a round, cartoon-like character, has become as recognisable in China as Ronald McDonald or Colonel Sanders. Mixues theme song, which plays in its stores, has an equally strong brand recall, with an English version that goes: I love you. You love me. Mixue Ice Cream and Tea. In its IPO filing, Mixue stated its intention to expand globally but did not mention plans to enter the U.S. Currently, about 90% of its stores are in China, with the remaining outlets spread across 10 other Asian countries and Australia. Advertisement Ernan Cui, a Beijing-based analyst at research firm Gavekal Dragonomics, told the newspaper, People are chasing more cost-efficient products. She added that Mixue is particularly popular in smaller cities, where it has focused its expansion. According to Business Insider, the cheapest item on the menu in Singapore is the Signature King Cone ice cream, priced at SGD 1.50 (approximately Rs 97.40). The most expensive is the cheese strawberry drink at SGD 4 (Rs 259.72), while most beverages range from SGD 2.50 to SGD 3.50 (Rs 162.33 to Rs 227.26). Eden Loke, 23, who works in communications, first heard of Mixue when a person dressed as Snow King went viral for prancing around a shopping complex in Singapore. The mascots antics, including a dance-off with another brands mascot, has gone viral on TikTok. The viral marketing, likeable branding, word of mouth from family, and unbeatable prices resonated with me, Loke told the media outlet. Her go-to order is the kiwi oolong tea, which costs SGD 3.50 (Rs 227.26). She said the low price was the biggest reason she chose Mixue over other brands. Mixue is now the worlds largest fast-food chain by store count. Reuters/File Photo The story behind Zhangs Mixue Founded in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province, Mixue started as a small shaved ice shop in 1997. However, success did not come immediately. Zhang Hongchao and his brothers came from a farming family, Caijing reported. As a college student struggling financially, Zhang built a shaved ice machine and started selling his creations under the name Coldsnap. That venture failed, leading him to shift to opening a restaurant called Mixue. In 2005, he set up a snack counter at the front of the restaurant, selling 1-yuan ice cream cones. ALSO READ | Bye bye Burberry: Why China is giving up luxury for dupes The affordable soft serve was an instant hit. Customers flocked to his shop, and he quickly expanded to 20 outlets. His pricing strategy helped Mixue attract students and lower-income consumers, particularly in Chinas smaller cities. As bubble tea gained popularity, Mixue added it to its menu. In 2017, Zhang launched a coffee brand called Lucky Cup. In 2007, Zhangs younger brother, Zhang Hongfu, joined Mixue as co-founder. He is now the companys CEO, while their older brother is no longer involved in day-to-day operations. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the companys IPO has given Hongchao and Hongfu a combined fortune of $8.1 billion. That makes them wealthier than former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, whose net worth is over $6 billion. With inputs from agencies A growing number of US citizens are now renting hens as egg prices skyrocket to record rates in the country. In times of shortage, companies such as Rent the Chicken are leasing the birds for six months to their egg-hungry customers for $600 (Rs 52,297) read more Compared to two years ago, prices of eggs have surged by a staggering 65.1 per cent, leaving consumers with no option but to rent chickens. File image/ Reuters Forget clipping coupons or hunting for supermarket dealsAmericans are taking a whole new approach to fighting rising egg prices. Instead of relying on grocery stores, many are opting for a more hands-on solutionrenting chickens. Yes, you read that right. A growing number of US citizens are leasing hens to guarantee a daily supply of fresh eggs, as prices have nearly doubled in the last year to reach almost $5 per dozen, with some selling for as high as $78. Advertisement But why are eggs so expensive in the first place? How does renting a chicken help? Heres everything you need to know. How does rent-the-chicken work? The idea behind Rent The Chicken is surprisingly simple. The New Hampshire-based company offers customers the chance to lease two or four hens, providing everything they needfeed, instructional guides, video tutorials, and even phone support. You just let them out and walk around and they go in at night on their own, they want to roost up, owner Brian Templeton told CBS News. Real low maintenance and people really enjoy it. For around $600, Templeton says customers can rent two hens for six months, which typically produce about a dozen eggs per week. Those who opt for four hens can expect roughly two dozen eggs weekly. For around $600, Rent the Chicken says customers can rent two hens for six months, which typically produce about a dozen eggs per week. Representational image. AFP By comparison, buying eggs from a grocery store can cost up to $300 (Rs 26,148) annually, with some cities seeing prices soar to $8 (Rs 697) or even $10 (Rs 871) per dozen. The company works with farmers across the US and Canada to bring chickens to peoples yards. And at the end of the rental period? Customers can choose to buy their chickens or, as Jenn Tompkins, who runs a similar business in Pennsylvania, told USA Today, they can chicken out and return them early if backyard farming isnt the right fit. Advertisement Very attached to their birds With egg shortages making headlines, the demand for Rent The Chicken has soared. The Templetons say their phone lines have been flooded with calls from eager customers looking for an alternative to store-bought eggs. And those who try it? Most love it. The majority of everybody who rents loves it, Templeton told CBS News. And a lot of the customers decide they want to have the same birds, they get very attached to their birds. When they come back, we tag them with a colored tag around the ankle, so they can get the same birds back next year. But while the service is growing in popularity, its not an overnight solution to the egg shortage, says Tompkins. So were not an instant fix, she told USA Today. Its trending, but we are steadfast. Weve been active a while and we want to help people. We are not coming against the high price of eggs. We are solving a problem of food insecurity; of not having eggs on the shelf. People can have eggs in their backyard. Advertisement The egg shortage Egg prices in the United States have skyrocketed in recent months, reaching record highs. Compared to two years ago, prices have surged by a staggering 65.1 per cent, leaving consumers scrambling for affordable options. Supermarkets across the US have also started limiting egg purchases as shortages intensify. AFP According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, a dozen Grade A eggs cost an average of $4.15 (Rs 362) in December 2024, up from $2.51 (Rs 219) just a year earlier. But the situation has only worsened, with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) data showing wholesale prices soaring past $7 (Rs 611) per dozen in multiple states. The spike has even forced major diner chains like Waffle House to add a 50-cent surcharge per egg at its 2,100 locations nationwide. Supermarkets such as Aldi, Trader Joes, and Harris Teeter have also begun limiting egg purchases as supply struggles to keep up with demand. Advertisement And if rising costs werent bad enough, the crisis has even sparked crime. Last month, in a bizarre turn of events, thieves in Pennsylvania stole 100,000 eggs from a distribution trailer belonging to Pete and Gerrys Organics LLC in Greencastle. Valued at around $40,000 (Rs 34 lakh), the missing eggs have led to a police investigation, as reported by USA Today. Why are egg prices so high in US? The biggest culprit behind the ongoing egg crisis is Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, which first appeared in Canada before spreading to the US in 2022. Since February 8, 2022, when the virus was first detected in a commercial flock, more than 147 million birdsincluding 108 million egg-laying chickenshave either died or been culled to prevent further outbreaks. Experts told PolitiFact that once a bird contracts the virus, entire flocks are culled to stop its spread. While this helps protect nearby farms, the poultry industry, and public health, it also wreaks havoc on egg supply. Advertisement After a brief lull, the virus made a comeback in 2024, forcing the culling of roughly 17 million egg-laying hens in November and December alonenearly half of all birds lost that year, according to the USDA. Based on the amount of birds that we have lost in the last few months, and the hen population, there just isnt enough production to support the amount of demand that we have, Karyn Rispoli told The Guardian. Were at a point now where were truly in a shortage. The crisis continued into 2025, with another 14 million birds lost in just the last week due to outbreaks in Arizona, California, North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, and Washington. When will the prices come down? Theres no clear answer to when egg prices will return to normal, but experts suggest it may not happen until after 2025, according to USA Today. A key factor in price recovery is how quickly farmers can replenish their flocks of healthy, egg-laying hens. However, with bird flu outbreaks still ongoing, that process remains uncertain. According to a USDA Food Price Outlook released on January 24, egg prices are expected to remain high throughout 2025. The report predicts an increase of 20.3 per cent in egg prices for the yearfar above the 2.2 per cent expected rise in overall food prices. In the meantime, having your own egg-laying chickens doesnt seem too bad. With input from agencies Tesla drivers are using bumper stickers to dissociate from Elon Musks antics and controversies. The so-called regret stickers range from I bought it before Elon went nuts, to Elon ate my cat and Anti-Elon club. Potential Tesla customers are also holding their plans to purchase the vehicle read more A Tesla with a sticker referring to the car's purchase is shown on Sunday, December 15, 2024, in Concord. AP A large number of Tesla customers were previously affluent, liberal, and environmentally conscious professionals. They were drawn to Elon Musks claims that his electric vehicles could prevent the planet from being destroyed by fossil fuels. But thats not the case anymore. The backlash against the company is growing. Tesla showrooms in the US have been besieged by protesters, its vehicles vandalised and bumper stickers appearing on its cars with sayings such as, I bought it before Elon went nuts," Elon ate my cat and Anti-Elon club. Advertisement The so-called regret stickers that have taken over the internet are reportedly a way for Tesla drivers to dissociate from the billionaires antics and controversies. @elonmusk Girl, we are distancing ourselves en masse from you. My other is 'Elon Musk ate my Cat,' referring to the fact that you are an American immigrant yourself! pic.twitter.com/2j1l8pb02h Amideus Mans (@AmideusMans) January 12, 2025 But why exactly are Tesla drivers buying such stickers? Lets take a closer look. Polarising views Elon Musks divisive opinions have drawn criticism ever since he took over Twitter, which was rebranded as X. The billionaire has made strong political statements in recent years, including arguing with former US President Joe Biden, criticising transgender people, and calling Democrats the party of division and hate. Because of this, several Tesla owners are now rethinking purchasing or even owning a Tesla product. According to a Bloomberg poll, many owners acknowledged feeling uneasy about Musks polarising views and public profile. Embracing politics Musks business was already in peril when he publicly supported Donald Trump and spent $270 million on his presidential campaign. He then doubled down, taking his political movement and fiery rhetoric overseas and pursuing a slash-and-burn approach as the head of Trumps government efficiency team, . According to a CNN report, many also decided not to buy a Tesla due to Musks political beliefs. I dont want Tesla cars to become the new MAGA hat, one driver, contemplating cancelling his order, told CNN. I dont want to be seen as a rich jerk, and I dont want to be seen as a political conservative, libertarian free speech warrior. Advertisement I dont even want to drive it. Hes destroying the brand with his politics, said Model 3 owner John Parnell, a Democrat from Ross, California, adding that he is also cancelling his order for the companys Cybertruck, losing a $100 deposit. Additionally, the carmakers latest annual report to investors details all the potential negative outcomes, ranging from expensive legal actions to uncontrollably large battery fires to war and another pandemic. However, Musks full-fledged foray into conservative politics, which some analysts claim is alienating potential clients who disagree with him, is hardly mentioned in the annual report, according to The Associated Press. Its marketing 101: Dont involve yourself in politics, said New York brand consultant Robert Passikoff. People will stop buying your products. His antics Several Tesla owners told Business Insider that Musks antics caused them to abandon the brand. He has supported Germanys far-right, anti-Muslim, pro-Russian party, referred to the British prime minister as an evil tyrant who governs a police state, and recently declared, about a significant Tesla market and neighbour of the United States, that Canada is not a real country. Advertisement Calibre, a market research firm, warned earlier this year that Musks personal beliefs were turning off potential Tesla buyers. However, since then, his political activity has only increased. In London, a bus stop billboard depicting Musk above the phrase swasticars blazed social media. A Polish government minister called for a boycott of Tesla. An effigy of Musk was hung in Milan, and a picture of him doing the straight-arm salute was projected on a Tesla factory outside of Berlin. I will not buy a Tesla again, AP quoted Jens Fischer, a 50-year-old microscope salesman in Witten, Germany, who thinks Musk is destabilising democracy and has slapped one of those Elon went nuts stickers on his Model 3. Id sell if I got a good offer. Advertisement Tesla sales plunge Its too late for the carmaker. Despite an increase in sales of electric vehicles globally, research firm Jato Dynamics reports that Tesla sales fell 45 per cent in Europe in January. There are too many other elements that could account for Teslas current problems, according to auto industry analysts, to determine with confidence how much harm Musk is causing to the company. Some also say potential Tesla consumers are delaying purchases at the moment because the companys best-selling car, the Model Y, will be getting a new model this year. However, a few other car analysts claim that the current situation only serves to highlight how irresponsible Musks political remarks are. Advertisement Musk thinks he can say anything he wants to and doesnt think Tesla will suffer any consequences, said Morningstar analyst Seth Goldstein, as per AP. Tesla was in the sweet spot. Now it has competition. Tesla investor Ross Gerber says Musk has somehow managed to marry the worlds best product with the worlds worst marketing. People want to buy stuff that makes them feel good, you dont want politics involved, said Gerber, a money manager whose portfolios hold nearly $60 million in Tesla stock. Its even worse when you have such divisive issues, whether its firing climate scientists or taking aid away from starving African children. However, if Teslas stock is any guide, the companys future is looking bleak. Musks involvement in the Trump administration isnt helping, either. As of Friday, it has lost $550 billion in investor wealth, or 37 per cent, since its Inauguration Day, as per AP. With inputs from agencies The White House has announced that Donald Trump has paused all US military aid to Ukraine days after the US president had a showdown with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office. This imperils Ukraines position in the war, as the country is hugely dependent on Washington for weapons and training read more US President Donald Trump talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, DC. Days after his spat, the White House has announced a pause on all military aid to Ukraine. File image/Reuters Donald Trump is unpredictable and his unpredictability came to the fore on Monday (March 3) when he hit pause on all US military aid to Ukraine, just days after his showdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. A White House official said, The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, the official added. Advertisement The extraordinary measure comes in the fourth year of the Russia-Ukraine war and a few days after the astonishing clash between the two at the Oval Office on Friday along with US Vice President JD Vance. Moreover, US President Donald Trump on Monday said he would not put up much longer with Zelenskyy, and said the Ukrainian leader should be more appreciative of US support. He added that Zelenskyy wont be around very long without a ceasefire deal with Moscow. Trumps move has taken everyone aback, with many asking if Ukraine can survive the war without Americas aid. We try to analyse and get you an answer. Is Trump punishing Zelenskyy? On Monday, President Trump temporarily suspended the delivery of all US military aid to Ukraine, with a senior White House official saying the order takes effect immediately. Another official said the pause will apply to all military equipment not yet inside Ukraine. According to a Bloomberg report, this means that all US military equipment not currently in Ukraine would be paused, including weapons in transit and at depots in Poland. An official also told CNN that the pause on aid is in response to what the US president views as Zelenskyys bad behaviour last week. The official added that the pause could be lifted if the Ukrainian president demonstrated a new commitment to negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Earlier on Monday, Trump slammed his Ukrainian counterpart when he suggested that the end of the war was still very, very far away. Zelenskyy had suggested it would take time to come to an agreement to end the war as he tried to offer a positive take on the US-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of last weeks White House meeting. Advertisement This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing, the president added. How has US, world reacted to pause on aid? Trumps pause on US aid to Ukraine has been met with astonishment and shock. The Democrats and even some Republicans have said that Trumps move is ill-advised. Republican Senator Susan Collins, representing Maine, slammed the pause, saying the US needed to back its ally. This is a critical time for Ukraine. And I managed the Ukraine supplemental last year that provided additional help to Ukraine, and I do not think we should be pausing our efforts. Its the Ukrainians who are shedding blood, the Maine Republican said. Unfortunately, weve seen this movie before, and I remain convinced that its not only in Ukraines interest but our interest to back Ukraine because Putin is not going to stop there, she said. Advertisement Democratic Representative Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, who is co-chair of the Congressional EU Caucus, said the decision is reckless, indefensible, and a direct threat to our national security. Meanwhile, Michael Carpenter, who was a former director of the US National Security Council under President Joe Biden, said the announcement was just astonishing. In this war, there is a very clear aggressor and a victim. And Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine is the victim and we are acting as if it were the reverse. So to be pausing assistance which is essentially defensive assistance to allow Ukrainians to defend their homeland from a blatant and brazen ugly brutal attack from Russia, its astonishing that the United States would be doing this, he told the BBC. Advertisement A view shows a carnival float by artist Jacques Tilly depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump on the day of the traditional Rosenmontag Rose Monday carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany. Reuters How much military aid has US given Ukraine? But just how much aid does US supply to Ukraine? Since the beginning of the war in February 2022, the US has provided, according to the Department of Defence, a whopping $182.8 billion. According to the DoD, this figure looks at all spending on Operation Atlantic Resolve a response to Russias invasion of Ukraine. This also covers US military training in Europe and the replenishment of US defence stocks. However, according to the Kiel Institute, which is a German-based think tank tracking support going into Ukraine, Washington has spent $119.7 billion on aid between January 2022 and December 2024. Further analysis of the aid shows that much of the aid has gone toward providing weapons systems, training, and intelligence that Ukrainian commanders need to defend against Russia, which has one of the worlds most powerful militaries. Ukrainian service members fire a shell from a M777 Howitzer at a front line, as Russias attack on Ukraine continues, in Kharkiv Region. File image/Reuters When it comes to weaponry, Ukraine is provided by the US with Javelin anti-armour systems, Stinger anti-aircraft systems, and ATACMS missiles that have a range of about 300 km. Washington has also sent the HIMARS system to Kyiv for the war. When it comes to aerial warfare, in August 2023, the US gave permission for F-16s to be sent to Ukraine. Since then, Western nations have been training Ukrainian pilots to fly them. Advertisement Besides the weaponry, the US also provided training and intelligence data to Ukraine until now. As the CSIS notes in one report that although such support cannot be counted in the same way that equipment can, it has been critical in building Ukraines military capabilities. Ukrainian F-16 fighting aircraft are seen in the air in an undisclosed location, Ukraine. File image/Reuters What would Trumps pause mean for Ukraine? Many believe, including Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, that US suspending aid would hurt them on the battlefield. Earlier in February, Zelenskyy had said, [W]e will have low chance low chance to survive without the support of the United States. Lieutenant-General Ihor Romanenko, former first deputy of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, also painted a bleak picture for Ukraine if it didnt receive US military aid. He was quoted as saying, Without American military aid, we will last six months. Europe cant possibly replace American aid. Nikolai Mitrokhin, a researcher at the University of Bremen (Germany), also quoted by Al Jazeera said that current US supplies if used sparingly, could not last beyond mid-summer or autumn. Other experts also agree with this assessment. As one US government official said, The bottom line is that no, Ukraine cannot survive without US support. He added that while Europeans have done a lot, certain US technologies such as NASAMs, Patriots, HIMARS, have been critical to the battle and Europe cant bridge that gap. Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a former deputy US national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia, told the Washington Post that a US abandonment of Ukraine would also have severe morale implications for both Ukrainians and Europeans. She fears that some European nations could cut support for Ukraine if the war looks like a lost cause without US support, and that Ukraine could see its manpower shortfall grow as fewer people sign up for what looks like a hopeless fight. A demonstrator uses a megaphone during a protest against the talks on Ukraine held in Saudi Arabia between the United States and Russia, in Spain. File image/Reuters Can Europe step up for Ukraine? The simple answer is yes, Europe can, but not to the extent Washington has. Europe has stepped up in the London Summit held on Sunday, UKs Keir Starmer pitched for the development of the coalition of the willing and even vowed more aid to Kyiv. However, experts note its not enough. Andriy Zolotarev, director of the Third Sector Analytical Center, a Kyiv-based think tank, told Voice of America that US military aid is uniquely important to Ukraines defence. In particular, the US has huge stockpiles of weapons, they are a supplier of critically important intelligence information, he said. All the European countries taken together do not have satellite groupings like the United States. In addition, the US has extremely important and truly irreplaceable types of weapons for Ukraine Patriot [missile defence] systems, ATACMS [long-range guided missiles], HIMARS [multiple launch rocket systems], as well as spare parts for armoured vehicles and artillery systems, and much more. This cannot be discounted in any way. He added that while Europe produces advanced weapons and other military equipment, the European Union together with Great Britain can only partially compensate for what Ukraine would lose if the US stopped providing assistance. Only time will tell if Zelenskyy can repair his ties with Trump and convince the US president to change his mind on military aid to Ukraine. If US Vice President JD Vance is to be believed then a rapprochement is possible. Speaking to Fox News, he said: Of course, the door is open. So long as Zelenskyy is willing to seriously talk peace. You cant come into the Oval Office or anywhere else and refuse to even discuss the details of a peace deal, said Vance, adding: When theyre willing to talk peace, I think President Trump will be the first person to pick up the phone. With inputs from agencies The UK has proposed a European rearmament bank, modelled on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, to bolster military investment with up to 100-200 billion in private capital, backed by 10-20 billion in government seed funding. The initiative has gained support from leaders like Friedrich Merz and Mark Rutte amid growing concerns over a potential US troop withdrawal from Europe read more Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Czech Republic's Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Romania's Interim President Ilie Bolojan, Turkey's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Finland's President Alexander Stubb, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte attend the European leaders' summit to discuss European security and Ukraine, at Lancaster House in London, Britain, March 2, 2025. File Image/Reuters The United Kingdom has proposed the establishment of a European rearmament bank to strengthen the continents defence capabilities and support Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The plan involves an initial investment of 10-20 billion from governments, leveraging up to 100-200 billion in private capital for military investments. This initiative, reported by UKs The Times, follows the model of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and aims to provide a large-scale financing mechanism without putting excessive strain on individual member states budgets. Advertisement The bank would allow participation from non-EU countries such as Britain, Norway, Japan, and the United States, while also giving neutral EU nations like Austria, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus the option to remain uninvolved. Structurally, the model relies on a capital subscription system where a fraction of the total capital (about 10 per cent) would be paid upfront, with the rest callable, enabling the bank to borrow on capital markets with a strong credit rating, reported The Times. Proponents argue that this financial structure would allow Europe to boost military spending without significantly affecting national borrowing capacities. At a UK-instigated meeting of European finance ministers on the sidelines of the G20 summit in South Africa, British Chancellor Rachel Reeves instructed Treasury officials to develop concrete proposals for the bank, aiming to provide a sustainable funding mechanism for European defence investments. European support grows as US support pauses The proposal has gained traction among key European leaders. Friedrich Merz, Germanys likely next chancellor, has signalled strong interest in the initiative, alongside Polands foreign minister and French President Emmanuel Macron. Both Merz and Macron are particularly receptive to the idea, viewing it as a crucial step in strengthening European security. Merz acknowledged that he had yet to make a final decision on the bomb bank plan but described Britains constructive engagement in European security as extraordinarily encouraging. He also noted that Brexit had done little to diminish the UKs role in shaping Europes defence policies, saying, In this respect, its very obvious that it barely matters that Britain is no longer in the European Union. Advertisement The initiative comes at a time when relations between Europe and the United States are under strain. The spectacle of US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has alarmed European capitals, reinforcing concerns that Washington may be moving towards disengagement from the conflict. Germanys outgoing foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, described the incident as marking the dawn of a new age of villainy. She warned that the US risked eroding its credibility if it continued to portray Ukraine as the aggressor while casting Russia as its victim. It would then be hard to find a country willing to rely on the word of the oldest democracy and the strongest military power in the world, Baerbock had stated ahead of a London summit. Advertisement Merz, a longtime advocate of strong transatlantic ties, admitted that he found it increasingly difficult to see shared values with the US under its current leadership. He also cautioned against a worst-case scenario where Europe would be forced to defend itself without American support, saying in an interview with German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Can we do that today? The answer is no. Do we want to achieve it soon, and do we have to? Clearly, yes. What it means for NATO the future of European defence These developments have reignited debates about European strategic autonomy, particularly regarding nuclear deterrence. Macron has reiterated his offer to extend Frances nuclear umbrella to cover European allies, arguing that reliance on the US nuclear deterrent is no longer viable. We have a shield, they dont, he stated in an interview with French newspapers. And they can no longer depend on the American nuclear deterrent. We need a strategic dialogue with those who dont have it, and that would make France stronger. Advertisement Macrons proposal, however, has faced resistance. Marine Le Pen, leader of Frances hard-right National Rally and a frontrunner to replace Macron in 2027, dismissed the idea as totally unacceptable. Despite this, the concept is gaining traction in Germany, where Merz has indicated that discussions on a shared European nuclear deterrent will be part of his coalition negotiations in Berlin. Manfred Weber, a Bavarian politician and leader of the powerful centre-right faction in the European Parliament, has suggested that a common nuclear deterrent could serve as a foundational step toward a unified European army, reported The Times. Meanwhile, European officials remain anxious about reports suggesting t he US may reduce its troop presence on the continent. Although Washington has yet to confirm any withdrawal plans, speculation has intensified following reports that up to 20,000 American troops initially deployed to NATOs eastern flank in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine could be recalled. Advertisement This would affect critical deployments, including a permanent US Army headquarters in Poznan, Poland, a 5,000-strong brigade combat team in Romania, and rotational rocket artillery units in the Baltic states. Polish leaders have expressed concern about these rumours, especially given recent diplomatic tensions. Polish President Andrzej Duda, a staunch US ally, was left waiting for an hour in front of live television cameras before being granted a brief meeting with Trump. The Polish press described the incident as a humiliation and a cold shower. Duda has insisted that no US official has given him any indication that American troops will be pulled from Poland, though speculation persists. Will Ukraine be taken care of? Despite these uncertainties, discussions on the rearmament bank continue, with European leaders exploring ways to increase defence spending while maintaining fiscal discipline. Starmer, who has been actively championing the initiative, announced a 1.6 billion deal allowing Ukraine to purchase 5,000 advanced air defence missiles from the UK. He also indicated that multiple European countries had joined a coalition of the willing to provide direct military support to Ukraine, though he left it to individual governments to disclose their commitments. However, divisions persist among European nations regarding the broader strategy. While France and Germany are leaning towards greater defence autonomy from the US, Poland and Italy continue to advocate for maintaining strong ties with Washington. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, meeting with Starmer in London, highlighted the need for transatlantic unity, stating, If we divide ourselves, that will make us all weaker. Similarly, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for the closest possible alliance with the US. Despite these competing visions, European officials remain hopeful that the so-called Weimar Plus group comprising Britain, France, Germany, Poland, and Italy can forge a coherent and robust response to the crisis. The proposed rearmament bank is set to play a central role in these efforts, ensuring that European nations have the financial resources to strengthen their defences and sustain Ukraines war effort in the long term. With inputs from agencies The Vantara program, the first of its type in India, was conceptualised and launched under the enthusiastic leadership of Anant Ambani, a director on the boards of RIL and the Reliance Foundation read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of 'Vantara', in Jamnagar, Gujarat. @NarendraModi on Youtube via PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to Gujarats Vantara, a sprawling wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation centre that houses over 1.5 lakh rescued, endangered, and threatened animals from over 2,000 species. He toured the facility and experienced its comprehensive wildlife care. PM Modis visit to Vantara demonstrated the centers dedication to duplicating natural environments, which was obvious in the wide enclosures. He encountered spectacular animals such as Golden Tigers, Snow Leopards, and four Snow Tiger brothers rescued from a circus. Advertisement He also spent time with rescued chimps, a playful orangutan, a submerged hippopotamus, and crocodiles, as well as patting an Okapi, going on a walk among zebras, feeding a giraffe, and nursing a rhino calf who had been orphaned when her mother died at the facility. He also witnessed a huge python, an uncommon two-headed snake, and a two-headed turtle. PM Modi also saw elephants enjoying hydrotherapy tubs for arthritis and foot ailments, demonstrating Vantaras commitment to animal care. He went to the worlds largest elephant hospital and saw as the rescued parrots were released. Vantara, an umbrella program focused on the rescue, treatment, care, and rehabilitation of wounded, neglected, and threatened animals in India and throughout the world, houses nearly 25,000 animals from 48 different species. The Vantara program, the first of its type in India, was conceptualised and launched under the enthusiastic leadership of Anant Ambani, a director on the boards of RIL and the Reliance Foundation. Vantara, which spans 3,000 acres within the Green Belt of Reliances Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, aspires to be one of the worlds foremost conservation organisations. With a team of over 2,100, Vantaras rescue and rehabilitation institute has rescued approximately 200 leopards from throughout India who were injured in traffic accidents or man-wild confrontations. It also saved almost 1,000 crocodiles from an overcrowded and congested facility in Tamil Nadu, as well as animals in African hunting lodges, animals facing euthanasia in Slovakia, and highly agitated animals from Mexican institutions. Advertisement The Centre has begun conservation breeding initiatives for around seven endangered species of Indian and foreign species with the goal of creating a sustainable reserve population to repopulate endangered species in their natural habitats and preserve them from extinction. The Centre includes a hospital and a medical research centre spanning 1 lakh square feet. The hospital and research facility are equipped with cutting-edge equipment, including an ICU, MRI, CT scan, X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, dental scalar, lithotripsy, dialysis, OR1 technology that allows for live videoconferences during surgeries, and a blood plasma separator. Vantara is rooted in Sanatan beliefs as every deity has an animal as a vahana, Anant Ambani had told News18 in an interview. In the Rigveda, too, Lord Krishna says all life is equal, be it human or a bee, or an ant. Here, we take care (of animals) from frogs to mice to everything." Advertisement Something that drives my cause is animal welfare. There are a lot of people working [for human welfare] but in animal welfare, there are few people working. I think I was the chosen one and am fortunate enough for Gods blessings that I could do Seva of animals," he had said. Over 200 elephants, 300 big felines such as leopards, tigers, lions, and jaguars, 300 herbivores such as deer, and over 1,200 reptiles like as crocodiles, snakes, and turtles now have a new lease on life and hope thanks to the Vantara ecosystem. In response to human rights chief Volker Turks remarks on Kashmir and Manipur, India asked the United Nations (UN) to take a long and hard look in the mirror read more Arindam Bagchi, the Permanent Representative of India to the UN and other International Organisations in Geneva, speaks in response to UN human rights chief Volker Turk's remarks on Kashmir and Manipur at the UN in Geneva on March 3, 2025. (Photo: PTI) India on Monday slammed the United Nations (UN) human rights chief over remarks on Kashmir and Manipur. Slamming Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for using loose terminology and cherry picking of situations, India asked him to take a long and hard look in the mirror. As India was mentioned by name, let me begin by emphasising that the worlds largest democracy continues to be a healthy, vibrant and pluralistic society. Unfounded and baseless comments in the update contrast jarringly with ground realities, said Arindam Bagchi, the Permanent Representative of India to the UN and other International Organisations in Geneva. Advertisement VIDEO | 58th regular session of the Human Rights Council: Here's what India's permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi said reacting to UN human rights chief Volker Turk's remarks on Kashmir, Manipur. "As India was mentioned by name, let me begin pic.twitter.com/xlnoJvxydb Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 3, 2025 In his global update to the 58th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Turk had mentioned Kashmir and Manipur. While Kashmir had long had a Pakistan-supported insurgency and separatist movement, Manipur has been in the grips of ethnic violence since 2023. Turk called for stepped-up efforts to handle violence and displacement in Manipur on the basis of dialogue, peacebuilding, and human rights. For Kashmir, he expressed concerns over the use of restrictive laws and harassment against human rights defenders and independent journalists resulting in arbitrary detention and a diminished civic space, including in Kashmir. In response, Bagchi said that Turks global update needs a genuine information at a larger level, we are concerned about the global updates oversimplifications of complex issues, sweeping and generalized remarks, usage of loose terminologies and apparent cherry picking of situations. Bagchi further said, The High Commissioner has sensed a pervasive unease, but we would submit that a key element to addressing this is a long and hard look in the mirror by the Office of the High Commissioner. Vantara, which focuses on wildlife conservation and rehabilitation, works to protect endangered species and reintroduce them into their natural habitats read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (March 2) visited Vantara in Jamnagar and inaugurated an animal rescue and rehabilitation centre there on his Gujarat tour. Vantara houses more than 2,000 species and over 150,000 rescued, endangered, and threatened animals. During his visit to the facility, PM Modi explored various facilities and interacted closely with several rehabilitated animals. He toured the wildlife hospital, which is equipped with MRI and CT scan facilities, intensive care units, and specialized departments, including wildlife anesthesia, cardiology, nephrology, endoscopy, dentistry, and internal medicine. Advertisement At the hospital, PM Modi observed an Asiatic lion undergoing an MRI and visited the operation theater, where veterinarians were performing a life-saving surgery on a leopard that had been hit by a vehicle. The prime minister also spent time with rescued and rehabilitated animals, including Asiatic lion cubs, a white lion cub, a rare clouded leopard cub, and a caracal cub. The white lion cub was born at the center after its mother was rescued and brought in for care. The caracal population, once abundant in India, has declined significantly, and Vantara runs a breeding program to reintroduce them into the wild. PM Shri @narendramodi inaugurates Vantara, the world's largest rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation center in Gujarat, highlighting India's dedication to wildlife protection, ecological balance, and sustainable development. pic.twitter.com/JZo90Bb0Ql BJP (@BJP4India) March 4, 2025 Modi also visited enclosures designed to replicate natural habitats and observed conservation efforts focused on species such as the Asiatic lion, snow leopard, and one-horned rhinoceros. Advertisement The prime minister had close encounters with a golden tiger, four snow tigers rescued from a circus, a white lion, and a snow leopard. He also interacted with a variety of other animals, including an okapi, chimpanzees, orangutans, hippos, crocodiles, zebras, giraffes, and a rhino calf that was orphaned after its mother died at the facility. He saw a large python, a two-headed snake, a two-headed turtle, a tapir, leopard cubs rescued from an agricultural field, a giant otter, a bongo (antelope), seals, and elephants using a jacuzzi. The hydrotherapy pools at the center help elephants recover from arthritis and foot-related ailments, improving their mobility. Modi also visited the worlds largest elephant hospital, which specializes in their care. Advertisement As part of his visit, Modi released rescued parrots back into the wild and met with veterinarians, support staff, and workers managing the center. Vantara, which focuses on wildlife conservation and rehabilitation, works to protect endangered species and reintroduce them into their natural habitats. Disclosure: Firstpost is a part of the Network18 Group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary. In a video, the Prime Minister was seen engaging and spending time with several species of animals that had been rehabilitated there read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of 'Vantara', in Jamnagar, Gujarat. @NarendraModi on Youtube via PTI On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited and inaugurated Anant Ambanis Vantara, an animal rescue, conservation, and rehabilitation institution, as part of his three-day tour in Gujarat. Vantara is home to approximately 2,000 types of animals, including 1.5 lakh rescued, endangered, and threatened. It is a cutting-edge animal rescue and rehabilitation facility that spans 3000 acres of the Reliance Jamnagar refinery site. In a video, the Prime Minister was seen engaging and spending time with several species of animals that had been rehabilitated there. Advertisement PM Shri @narendramodi inaugurates Vantara, the world's largest rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation center in Gujarat, highlighting India's dedication to wildlife protection, ecological balance, and sustainable development. pic.twitter.com/JZo90Bb0Ql BJP (@BJP4India) March 4, 2025 He was also spotted playing with and feeding animals such as orangutans, Asiatic Lion cubs, White Lion cubs, and Clouded Leopard cubs, all of which are rare and endangered species. Prime Minister Modi also explored various facilities at the centre in Vantara. Additionally, he visited the wildlife hospital at Vantara, where he observed the veterinary facilities, which are equipped with MRI, CT, and intensive care units, among other things, as well as other departments, including Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Nephrology, Endoscopy, Dentistry, and Wildlife Anaesthesia. Revered as the Father of the Nation and a central figure in Namibias fight for independence, Sam Nujoma was widely perceived as a key revolutionary leader, alongside other prominent figures such as Nelson Mandela, Samora Machel, Agostinho Neto, Robert Mugabe, Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyerere, Hastings Banda, and Seretse Khama read more On February 8, 2025, Nujoma passed away at a Windhoek hospital, where he had been admitted for the preceding three weeks. Image: REUTERS First president of Namibia, Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, was last seen in public at the funeral of President Hage Geingob in February 2024. A few months later, in July, he was admitted to a hospital in Windhoek due to illness. This hospitalisation followed an earlier one in June. On February 8, 2025, Nujoma passed away at a Windhoek hospital, where he had been admitted for the preceding three weeks. At the time of his passing, he was 95 years old. In response to his death, the Namibian government announced a period of national mourning beginning on February 9. His mortal remains were taken to several regions, including Omusati, Oshana, Erongo, Kavango East, Zambezi, Otjozondjupa, Khomas, and Karas, allowing Namibians to pay their respects. A memorial ceremony was held at Independence Stadium on February 28, 2025, followed by his interment at Heroes Acre on 1 March 2025. Advertisement Namibias President, Nangolo Mbumba, paid tribute to Nujoma, calling him a towering figure among leaders who bestowed upon Namibia the priceless gift of freedom. His passing signified the loss of one of the last remaining figures from Africas anti-colonial struggle. Sam Nujoma was widely perceived as a key revolutionary leader, alongside other prominent figures such as Nelson Mandela, Samora Machel, Agostinho Neto, Robert Mugabe, Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyerere, Hastings Banda, and Seretse Khama. Revered as the Father of the Nation and a central figure in Namibias fight for independence, Nujoma was known for his warm personality and connection with the people. Whether walking in his tracksuit at Windhoeks Independence Avenue or choosing to forgo elaborate motorcades, he maintained a humble and approachable demeanour. His contributions spanned over four decades, from leading the armed struggle against South Africas apartheid regime to steering Namibia toward independence and development. Born on 12 May 1929 in Ongandjera, Namibia, Nujoma started his career working for South African Railways as a railway employee, said proudly UIC, the International Union of Railways. He became politically enthused at an early age and, in 1959, co-founded the Ovamboland Peoples Organisation (OPO), an entity advocating Namibian self-governance. His leadership was evident in December 1958 when he played a crucial role in the Old Location resistance. Due to this, he was arrested and forcibly sent back to Ovamboland. In 1960, he took refuge in Tanzania, where he received support from Julius Nyerere. That same year, OPO evolved into the South West Africa Peoples Organisation (SWAPO), with Nujoma serving as its first president. SWAPO would eventually spearhead Namibias liberation movement. Due to his political activism, Nujoma spent years in exile, travelling extensively to rally international backing for Namibias independence. His diplomatic efforts gained widespread acknowledgement, securing alliances and support from numerous countries and global organisations. When Namibia held its first free elections in 1990, four years before the end of apartheid in South Africa, Nujoma was elected as the first president of Namibia. His tenure emphasised national cohesion, economic progress, and social development. Serving for three consecutive terms from 1990 to 2005, he played a crucial role in shaping the countrys post-independence era. Even after stepping down from the presidency, he remained an influential figure in Namibian politics and was widely respected across the African continent as a senior statesman. Advertisement Throughout his life, Nujoma championed the causes of education, healthcare, and infrastructure enhancement. In 2001, he published his autobiography, Where Others Wavered, chronicling his journey and contributions to Namibias struggle and governance. His efforts were widely recognised, earning him important awards such as the Lenin Peace Prize and the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize. The Namibian Parliament honoured him with the titles Founding President of the Republic of Namibia and Father of the Namibian Nation. In 2007, SWAPO acknowledged his legacy by designating him as the Leader of the Namibian Revolution. On February 21, the UN held a special commemorative event to pay tribute to Nujoma. The Indian Permanent Representative to the UN was a lead speaker. Advertisement India and Namibia have shared a profound and enduring relationship, with India being a steadfast ally during Namibias struggle for independence. India was among the first nations to raise the issue of Namibian independence at the United Nations and played a key role in supporting SWAPO diplomatically and materially. The first SWAPO embassy abroad was established in New Delhi in 1986, symbolising the strong ties between the two nations. India also provided military training and other forms of support to the Namibian leadership in exile. In recognition of his contributions, the Indian government awarded Nujoma the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development in 1990. He later visited India on a state visit in 2003, further strengthening diplomatic relations. During the visit, he met then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President APJ Abdul Kalam. Advertisement I had the privilege of meeting President Nujoma during my official visits to Namibia. In September 2011, shortly after the 9/11 attacks, our delegation, led by Vasundhara Raje, was honoured with the opportunity to call on the Founding President. Later, in 2010, I visited again with MoS External Affairs, Preneet Kaur, and we were once more given the chance to meet him. He was informal, chatty, and deeply appreciative of Indias role in Namibias struggle. He often expressed his admiration for Indias model of pluralistic democracy and development. My lasting memory of him is his personal hospitalitymaking us coffee himself, asking about our preferences for sugar and cream, and serving it in delicate cups with a warm smile. Advertisement Rest well, Comrade Nujoma. They dont make leaders like you often these days. The author is a former ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, ASEAN and the African Union. He tweets @AmbGurjitSingh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The exercise integrates combat operations across the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, validating the concept of joint warfare in modern conflict scenarios read more TROPEX 2025 includes a comprehensive deployment of more than 65 Navy vessels, nine submarines, and more than 80 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. Image: Southern Command on X The Indian Navy has once again commenced its flagship event, the Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise, or, in abbreviation, TROPEX, in the year 2025, and it is confident of displaying the desired level of military skill in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). This exercise, held from January to March 2025, takes place every alternate year. It showcases Indias naval prowess and scope while also highlighting the contextual relevance and significance of these military activities. Advertisement TROPEX 2025 The canvas of operations for TROPEX 2025 includes a comprehensive deployment of more than 65 Navy vessels, nine submarines, and more than 80 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. The primary goal of the exercise is to ensure core warfighting competencies readiness to respond to multiple threat forms, such as responsive, non-conventional, and hybrid ones. The exercise integrates combat operations across the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, validating the concept of joint warfare in modern conflict scenarios. It is carried out in multiple stages, including a Harbour Phase with planning, logistics, and briefings, followed by a Sea Phase where complicated maritime operations are performed. These operations incorporate combat rounds, cyber and electronic warfare (EW) exercises, live weapon firing, and an amphibious (seamless integration of land and sea forces) exercise dubbed AMPHEX. Historical Outlook TROPEX has a history with rich narratives since its establishment in 2005. While the exercise had modest comprehensiveness to begin with, it has gradually evolved and expanded in scope and magnitude. Past iterations illustrate: TROPEX 2005 was held by the Western Naval Command, and it dealt with the focus of combat readiness and tactics on the coastal waters of Goa. TROPEX 2006 managed to demonstrate amphibious warfare capabilities vis-a-vis the conducted exercise. Of note is the second phase, during which the Indian Army, backed by the Indian Navy, carried out a beach assault on the state of Goa, which saw a successful beachhead captured. This event not only illustrated training cooperation amongst the different branches of the Indian armed forces but also their capability to achieve battle purposes through the appropriation of joint resources from the sea to the land. Advertisement TROPEX 2007, on the other hand, was characterised by wide participation of all three services with an emphasis on live weapon firing and new forms of conducting operations. TROPEX 2009 concentrated on the amphibious operations on Madhavpur-Ghed Beach in the state of Gujarat, which also included substantial troop movements. TROPEX 2010 Live Firing: During this phase of TROPEX 2010, conducted on the eastern seaboard of India, the focus was on integrating various military units into live weapon engagements. Surface force mock engagement was performed by major surface combatants during the exercise, including the carrier INS Viraat, while the supporting units displayed the operating art of the Navy. Advertisement TROPEX 2014 Satellite Utilisation: During TROPEX 2014, the Indian Navy, for the first time, validated its network-centric warfare capabilities by leveraging the features of satellite GSAT-7, which had just been launched. This was a milestone towards proving Indias support in the naval operations space. TROPEX 2015 Two-Carrier Operations: Remembered most for the simultaneous deployment of dual aircraft carrier battle groups spearheaded by INS Vikramaditya and INS Viraat, TROPEX 2015 showcased an Indian operational capability of multi-carrier sea operations. This exercise served to enhance the Navys offensive capabilities in all areas of warfare, including net-centric warfare. TROPEX 2021 Weapon Workup Phase: In the Weapon Workup Phase of TROPEX 2021, some highlighted events included successful target-specific strikes such as missile, torpedo, and aerial rocket drops from frontline ships, aircraft, and subs. This phase was aimed at demonstrating deadly blows available to the Navy and long-range maritime patrol assault power in the Indo-Pacific. The exercise focused on combat readiness testing covering vast areas in the Indian Ocean Region to project assertively, protect, and/or destroy capabilities. Advertisement TROPEX 2025 Senior Leadership Participation: The most recent TROPEX 2025 edition saw senior military commanders, such as Vice Chiefs of the Navy and Air Force, boarding INS Vikrant for the joint phase of the exercise. In an instance of jointness in the Armed Forces, Air Marshal SP Dharkar flew aboard a MiG-29KUB trainer. Each edition of TROPEX has transitioned the Indian Navys operational preparedness towards new paradigms for emerging threats and incorporated new lessons from previous exercises. To achieve operational readiness, some exercises have included Sea Vigil (coastal defence) and amphibious operations AMPHEX (amphibious operations), which are pertinent to naval operations as a whole. Advertisement Strategic Implications TROPEX 2025 is relevant for Indias military not only from Indias defence perspective but also for its posture in the Indo-Pacific region: Power Projection: Arms India with the capability to project power within and beyond its borders. The projection of power in the expanded maritime domain is a quintessential pillar of its maritime strategy. Joint Operations: Facilitates various branches of the armed forces to work together, which is vital for contemporary wars. Defying Regional Challenges: While Chinas growing naval footprint in the region raises concerns, TROPEX demonstrates Indias ability and preparedness to keep the seas safe. The exercise offers a unique opportunity for the Indian Navy to experiment and validate its operational concepts in a hostile environment. This enables the navy to stay at the forefront of naval warfighting technology and strategy, ensuring it remains a formidable force. As TROPEX 2025 progresses, it not only showcases the prowess of the Indian Navy but also reflects Indias continued shift in its military strategy to remain in sync with the global and regional security environments. The exercise, built on a culture of readiness and learning, continues to be a vital part of Indias defence system, supporting a safe maritime environment in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond. Manan Bhatt is a veteran of the Indian Navy and an author. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Aravind Srinivas, Perplexitys co-founder and CEO, said, Perplexity is transitioning from just being an answer machine to an action machine read more DT will debut the gadget in the second half of this year and begin selling it in 2026 for less than $1,000. Image Credit: telekom.com/en Deutsche Telekom (DT) stated at this years Mobile World Congress(MWC) in Barcelona that it is developing an AI Phone, a low-cost device designed in close collaboration with Perplexity, Picsart, and others, as well as a new AI assistant software dubbed Magenta AI. DT will debut the gadget in the second half of this year and begin selling it in 2026 for less than $1,000. A representative told TechCrunch that it will first focus on the European market. Advertisement During a press conference on Monday, Claudia Nemat, a DT board member who oversees tech and innovation at the telecom, said, We are becoming an AI company. She also quickly added that while it is not building foundational large language models, but we do the AI agents. Notably, Perplexity, a Silicon Valley start-up currently valued at almost $9 billion, is credited with playing a crucial part in the phones creation. That demonstrates how the business, best known for its generative AI search engine, is working to develop more proactive offerings. At the event, Aravind Srinivas, Perplexitys co-founder and CEO, said, Perplexity is transitioning from just being an answer machine to an action machine. He also stated that it will begin to do things for you, rather than just answering questions. It will be able to book flights, make bookings, and send emails, texts, and make phone calls for you. Even though this seems to be Perplexitys first agreement with a carrier to create an AI smartphone interface, the company has some prior experience with assistants: Perplexity introduced an Android assistant in January, which appears to be a possible prototype for this new AI Phone. The announcement is the latest chapter in a long-running telecommunications tale. For years, carriers, both mobile and fixed, have sought methods to compete more effectively with technology businesses. Advertisement They have specifically targeted businesses such as Apple and Google, who have developed operating systems and phones that have largely eliminated telecom providers from the equation when it comes to collecting money from apps and owning the client connection. Moving quickly and breaking things are not part of the telecommunications wheelhouse. Perplexity and Deutsche Telekom have been collaborating since signing a partnership in April 2024. DT originally discussed a AI Phone during last years Mobile World Congress. Nemat did not go into much detail about the hardware, such device specs, nor did she share information on who is creating it and what operating system it will operate on. Advertisement Nemat did mention that the phone will have AI integrated in, with the experience created by Perplexity so that you can experience the full Monty, she added: AI on your lock screen. Other services on the phone will include AI from Google Cloud, ElevenLabs, and Picsart, according to DT. Magenta AI, an app-based version of DTs AI assistant, will be available to individuals who wish to install it on their own Android or iOS devices, as long as they are already one of DTs 300 million clients, according to Nemat. Leaning into the current penchant for all things AI an ubiquitous theme at MWC this year the AI Phone is DTs newest attempt to acquire a better foothold with customers around an anchoring piece of hardware, alongside the app for when they just cannot persuade people to purchase their own smartphone. Advertisement When it comes to developing new AI tools for customers, Perplexity competes with not just the well-funded OpenAI and Anthropic, but also huge tech corporations such as Google, which has integrated its Gemini AI into its basic search offerings. So, partnering with a telecom to provide action services provides it a little point of distinction, at least for the time being. It remains to be seen if DT and Perplexity will be able to break into the notoriously difficult smartphone industry, which is dominated by a limited number of businesses and has seen even behemoths like LG cash in and walk away in recent years. Advertisement It does, however, demonstrate how compelling AI is right now, how even legacy firms view it as a potential cure, and how even cutting-edge startups are seeking for safe bets in the face of strong competition. Calling the Chinese car market the homeland for innovation, the BYD VP urged foreign companies to invest in the country read more Chinas BYD Auto, the countrys leading electric car maker, on Tuesday announced that it will collaborate with its rival Tesla to manufacture more EVs and combat petrol cars. In an interview with the Financial Times, BYDs executive vice president Stella Li said, Our common enemy is the internal combustion engine car. We need to work together . . . to make the industry change. She also claimed that China is more open to foreign business than the West. Advertisement Despite her remarks, the two automakers are competing for the title of the worlds largest EV manufacturer. BYD is striving for rapid sales growth in Europe by expanding its lineup of advanced EVs, surpassing the offerings of its US rival. Meanwhile, Tesla has experienced a decline in European sales, partly due to Elon Musks growing political activism. Xi govt is more open Li said that the company wants to provide key resources and technologies to major EV players around the world despite Chinas simmering tensions with Brussels and Washington. She said, [The] Chinese government is more open so maybe there is a lot of wrong perception here. Calling the Chinese car market the homeland for innovation, the BYD VP urged foreign companies to invest in the country. The government will support you and theyll work with you to allow any technology to be realised, she added. BYD makes inroads with Europe The company has been rapidly expanding into European markets, with plans to establish local production at its plants in Hungary and Turkey to counter the EUs higher tariffs on Chinese-made EV imports. Additionally, BYD intends to raise up to $5.2 billion through a share sale in Hong Kong to support its global expansion, according to a source familiar with the deal. Li said that the Chinese government has been at the forefront of opening the doors of Chinese markets to foreign investors as well as pushing Chinese autos into foreign markets. For every investment we have overseas, the [Chinese] government is supporting [us] very much, she added. BYD will now offer European consumers alternatives to EVs, including the Seal U plug-in hybrid, as EV sales decline in key European markets. Since hybrids are not affected by the EUs anti-subsidy tariffs, they present a strategic option. Additionally, BYD plans to introduce its Denza premium brand later this year. Sheinbaum blasted the Trump administration for going ahead with the sweeping tariff measures that are set to hit Mexicos economy. Calling the tariffs offensive and defamatory, the Mexican president listed the achievements of her young administration against Mexicos powerful drug cartels read more Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum holds a press conference in which she said that the country has a Plan B, Plan C and Plan D to counter Trump's tariffs. Reuters Mexico on Tuesday announced retaliatory tariffs in response to US President Donald Trumps 25 per cent levy on Mexican goods. The countrys President Claudia Sheinbaum said that she would introduce the US products Mexico will target with tariffs on Sunday in a public event in Mexico Citys central plaza. Unlike China and Canada, Mexico decided to wait until Sunday, though the country has said since January that it had a plan ready for precisely this scenario. Advertisement Sheinbaum said Tuesday that there is no reason for penalties on some of the largest trading partners for the US. There is no motive or reason, nor justification that supports this decision that will affect our people and our nations, she added. Meanwhile, Ottawa has said that it will slap tariffs on American goods worth $100 billion over 21 days. The Trump-imposed tariffs that he declared in January came into effect on March 4, inviting retaliatory measures from countries that have been left affected by them. Starting just past midnight, imports from Canada and Mexico are now to be taxed at 25 per cent, with Canadian energy products subject to 10 per cent import duties. Offensive, defamatory Sheinbaum blasted the Trump administration for going ahead with the sweeping tariff measures that are set to hit Mexicos economy. Calling the tariffs offensive and defamatory, the Mexican president listed the achievements of her young administration against Mexicos powerful drug cartels, including seizing more than a ton of fentanyl and dismantling 329 methamphetamine labs. We collaborate to avoid illegal drug trafficking to the United States, but as we have said on multiple occasions, that countrys government must take responsibility too for the crisis of opioid consumption that has caused so many deaths in the United States, Sheinbaum said. Mexicos president added that the tariffs Mexico will respond with are not in any way or with the purpose of starting an economic or commercial confrontation that unfortunately and regrettably is the opposite of what we must be doing. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Senior US and Russian officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, met in Riyadh on February 18 to discuss Washingtons interest in Moscows involvement in addressing Iranian issues read more A worker rides a bicycle in front of the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, just outside the southern city of Bushehr, Iran, on October 26, 2010. AP File Russia on Tuesday said that it will help the Trump administration in communicating with Iran regarding its nuclear program and the Islamic Republics support towards anti-US proxies, a report by Bloomberg quoted sources as saying. The development comes after US President Donald Trump relayed the message to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on a phone call last month showing interest in Irans nuclear programme. Sources told the publication that officials from the US government discussed the matter with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia a few days after the Trump-Putin phone call. Advertisement Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Bloomberg, adding that Moscow is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Irans foreign ministry said it was only natural for countries to offer their assistance when asked whether Russia has offered to delegate between Tehran and Washington. Esmaeil Baghaei, Irans foreign ministry spokesman, said in a news conference, Given the significance of these matters, its possible that many parties will show good will and readiness to help with various problems. He added, From this perspective, its natural that countries will present an offer of help if its needed. Senior US and Russian officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, met in Riyadh on February 18 to discuss Washingtons interest in Moscows involvement in addressing Iranian issues. Since returning to the White House, Trump has sent mixed messages regarding Iran. He has pledged to revive the maximum pressure strategy from his first term, which included reimposing sanctions and targeting Iranian security forcessuch as the assassination of a top general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. At the same time, he has expressed a desire to immediately pursue a verified nuclear peace agreement with Iran. Advertisement On the other hand, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has said that Trump cannot be trusted and that Iran would not be bullied into negotiations. Trump triggered global outrage when he first floated his idea for the United States to take over the Gaza Strip and turn it into the Riviera of the Middle East, while forcing its Palestinian residents to relocate to Egypt and Jordan. read more Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas meeting with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Cairo on March 4, 2025, on the sidelines of an Arab League summit on Gaza. Image- AFP Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said during a closing statement that an Arab summit convened in Cairo on Tuesday adopted an Egyptian plan for the reconstruction of Gaza. The plan aims to counter President Donald Trumps proposals for a Middle East Riviera by presenting a scheme for rebuilding the devastated strip without displacing its population. Trump sparked widespread international criticism when he initially proposed the idea of the United States taking over the Gaza Strip and transforming it into the Riviera of the Middle East, while relocating its Palestinian population to Egypt and Jordan. Advertisement The Arab League summit comes amid renewed backing for Trumps plan from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described it as visionary and innovative. However, Palestinians, Arab nations, and many U.S. and Israeli allies have firmly rejected the proposal, opposing any attempts to displace Gazans from their homeland. With inputs from agencies Last month, Khaleda Zias Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) confirmed that Yunus plans to hold the next general elections in December 2025 read more The Chief Advisor of Bangladeshs interim government, Muhammad Yunus, on Tuesday said that the country would hold elections in December, 16 months after the Sheikh Hasina-led government was overthrown from power. Last month, Khaleda Zias Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) confirmed that Yunus plans to hold the next general elections in December 2025. The Chief Advisors comments on Bangladesh elections came as he met the European Union (EU) Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib. Advertisement In his address, delivered on the 53rd anniversary of Bangladesh winning independence from Pakistan following a nine-month war, Yunus said elections would only be possible after electoral reforms. If additional reforms are needed, and taking into account national consensus, it may take at least another six months, the 84-year-old added. Meanwhile, Bangladeshi students who were at the forefront of protests that ousted Hasina have launched a political party of their own to fight the upcoming elections. The launch of Jatiya Nagorik Party (National Citizens Party), opens a new chapter in the turbulent politics of the South Asian country, which was born in 1971 after separating from Pakistan. The Students Against Discrimination (SAD) group spearheaded protests that began as a movement against public sector job quotas, but the demonstrations quickly morphed into a broader, nationwide uprising that forced Hasina to flee to India in early August. After Hasina fled the country, student leader Nahid Islam was made an advisor in the interim government. Last week, he quit his position to lead the new party as its convenor. Islam told the gathering which included leaders from other political parties that the new party would present an alternative political choice for Bangladeshis. Advertisement We will keep Bangladesh and the interest of its citizens in mind and join hands to build a new nation, said Islam, a Bangladesh flag wrapped around his forehead. Trump upended U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia upon taking office in January, opening talks with Moscow. The reversal culminated in an explosive confrontation with Zelenskiy at the White House on Friday, in which Trump upbraided him for being insufficiently grateful for Washingtons backing. read more Ukrainian service members fire a shell from a M777 Howitzer at a front line, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine. File Image- Reuters Russia said on Tuesday that the decision of the US to suspend aid to Kyiv was the best contribution to ending the Russia-Ukraine war. If the United States stops (military supplies), this would probably be the best contribution to peace, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that it was a solution which could really push the Kyiv regime to a peace process. He added: We will see how the situation on the ground evolves, stressing that the US had been Ukraines main military supplier since Moscow launched its offensive in Ukraine in February 2023. Advertisement The statement came after US President Donald Trump paused military aid to Ukraine following last weeks clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, potentially hampering Ukraines efforts to fend off Russia as he pivots towards warmer relations with Moscow. The pause, announced on Monday, has gone into effect immediately and impacts hundreds of millions of dollars of weaponry in the process of being sent to Ukraine, The New York Times reported. France condemned Washingtons cut-off of aid, while Britain was more circumspect. Suspending arms to Ukraine made peace more distant, because it only strengthens the hand of the aggressor on the ground, which is Russia, said French junior minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad. A British government spokesperson said: We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. Ukrainians on the streets of Kyiv said they felt abandoned. Yes, it is betrayal, lets call it like it is, said lawyer Olena Bilova, 47. But lets hope that American civil society and the elites of the European Union will not leave us alone. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled proposals to boost spending on defence in the EU, which she said could mobilise up to 800 billion euros ($840 billion). The EU is holding an emergency summit on Thursday. On Monday, Trump again said Zelenskiy should be more appreciative of American support after earlier responding angrily to a report quoting Zelenskiy as saying the wars end was very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump wrote on Truth Social. With inputs from agencies Trudeau made the announcement just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump slapped 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. read more Canada announced 25% tariffs on $30 billion of goods went into effect early Tuesday, said Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, adding that he would expand tariffs to the remaining $125 billion of American products in 21 days time. He accused Trump who has spoken often of making Canada the 51st American state of wanting to see a collapse of the Canadian economy because that would make it easier to annex us. Advertisement Trudeau slammed the tariffs as a very dumb thing to do, and said Trump was seeking to collapse Canadas economy to make it easier for the United States to annex his country. There is absolutely no justification or need whatsoever for these tariffs today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, adding that Canada would challenge the U.S. measures at the World Trade Organization and through the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Canadians are reasonable. We are polite. We will not back down from a fight, he said, adding that Washington had launched a trade war. Trudeau made the announcement just hours after US President Donald Trump slapped 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. Donald Trumps trade war against Americas largest trading partners escalated Tuesday as huge US tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China kicked in, sparking angry retaliation from all three. Trump claimed his policies are aimed at safeguarding US jobs, boosting manufacturing and curbing illegal migration and drug trafficking. However, experts warn that these measures are likely to drive up costs for consumers both domestically and internationally. China said its tariffs against the United States will come into effect next week and will impact tens of billions of dollars in imports, from soybeans to chickens. Advertisement Beijing announced that all imports of US lumber have been suspended, and that soybean shipments from three American exporters have been halted, as the countrys foreign ministry vowed to fight the US trade war to the bitter end. While Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would be laying out her countrys response to the measures on Sunday. Global markets fell sharply in response to the escalating trade war, with the S&P 500 a major Wall Street index extending recent losses to erase all of its gains since Trumps US election victory in November. With inputs from agencies Beijings aggressive military expansion marked by the deployment of the high-altitude WZ-9 drone and the construction of a nuclear-powered supercarrier poses a direct challenge to US influence and stability in the Indo-Pacific region read more (File) Hongzehu, a Type 926 submarine rescue ship, sits at the port as the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy opens warships for public viewing to mark its upcoming 75th founding anniversary, in Qingdao, Shandong province, China on April 20, 2024. Reuters China continues to intensify arms race, particularly with the United States, in the Indo-Pacific region. Its rapid military buildup has raised concerns for the US and its allies in the region. Recent developments indicate that Beijing is aggressively expanding its naval and aerial capabilities, challenging the USs traditional influence in the region. Two key aspects of this expansion include the deployment of the high-altitude WZ-9 drone and the construction of a nuclear-powered supercarrier. These moves come amid Chinas growing assertion for control, particularly, in the South China Sea. Chinese ambitions undermine the existing balance of power. The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies has pointed out that China is working to develop a blue-water navy capable of projecting power far beyond its shores. Advertisement WZ-9 drone and the future of aerial surveillance Chinas deployment of the WZ-9 drone is a concerning development in its efforts to expand aerial surveillance and reconnaissance. This high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is equipped with sensors designed to detect stealth aircraft and track enemy movements. While the US has long relied on advanced drone technology for intelligence gathering, the introduction of the WZ-9 indicates that China is trying to reduce its technological gap. A report by The War Zone, cited by the South China Morning Post, states that the WZ-9 is expected to operate alongside the WZ-7, another high-altitude drone. Together, these UAVs strengthen Chinas surveillance network, which could be used to monitor US and allied aircraft, including stealth fighters like the F-22 and F-35. The Pentagon has acknowledged the growing risks posed by Chinas expanding surveillance system, which incorporates AI-driven analysis and electronic warfare to interfere with adversary operations. The presence of the WZ-9 in the South China Sea raises serious concerns for countries like Japan, Australia and the Philippines. These nations depend on US intelligence-sharing, but Chinas increasing drone fleet could complicate reconnaissance efforts in the region. The European Union is also concerned about Chinas growing military capabilities. Nato leaders have stressed the need to closely monitor Beijings actions. As China expands its navy, it could disrupt the global balance of power, prompting new alliances and security strategies to counter its influence. The Council on Foreign Relations has pointed out that Chinas military expansion is not just about regional control but also part of a broader effort to challenge Western leadership on the global stage. Advertisement Chinas nuclear-powered supercarrier? China is pushing ahead with major naval advancements, raising concerns for the US and its allies. According to a report by Matthew Bodner and Keir Simmons in NBC News, satellite images analysed by the US Naval Institute suggest that Beijing is working on a nuclear-powered supercarrier, tentatively named the Type 004. If completed, this warship would mark a significant expansion of Chinas naval reach. So far, Chinas aircraft carriers have been conventionally powered, which limits their operational range and endurance compared to US carriers. Unlike its previous carriers, the Type 004 is expected to have an electromagnetic catapult launch system, similar to the US Navys Gerald R Ford-class carriers. This system enables the quick launch of heavier aircraft, including stealth fighters and drones, which could strengthen Chinas combat and surveillance operations. The Center for a New American Security pointed out that switching to nuclear propulsion would allow Chinas navy to operate for longer periods in contested waters, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. Advertisement This development comes as the US and its allies step up their naval presence in response to Chinas growing maritime activities. The Pentagons annual report on Chinese military power has highlighted the rapid expansion of Chinas navy, warning that its long-term aim is to challenge US dominance in the Western Pacific. US aircraft carriers have long been key to American military power, but Chinas pursuit of nuclear-powered carriers indicates its intent to compete directly. Implications for US military strategy Chinas development of advanced drones and a nuclear-powered supercarrier poses a serious challenge for the US and its allies. In response, Washington has been strengthening military partnerships through initiatives like Aukus (Australia, the UK and the US) and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). The US has also accelerated the deployment of its own unmanned systems and next-generation stealth aircraft to stay ahead technologically. Advertisement A major concern for US military planners is Chinas attempt to combine its aerial and naval advancements into a single warfare strategy. The WZ-9 drone, when paired with the capabilities of the Type 004 supercarrier, could create a networked combat system. To counter this, Washington has increased military exercises in the Indo-Pacific, focussing on carrier strike group operations and intelligence-sharing with allies. The US Air Force and Navy are also investing in counter-drone technology and electromagnetic warfare to disrupt Chinese surveillance networks. Regional and global impact Chinas development of advanced surveillance drones and a nuclear-powered supercarrier signals its geopolitical ambition to dominate global military dynamics as it rivals with the US. For Washington, these developments require adjustments in military strategy, focussing on unmanned systems, stealth technology and electronic warfare. Advertisement As China continues modernising its military, tensions in the Indo-Pacific are likely to increase with both sides working to protect their strategic interests. Experts say the next decade may be crucial for the US to maintain its military edge as it faces growing competition at sea. Musk, a confidant of Trumps, agreed that Zelenskyy would lose power if the war ended and elections resumed in Ukraine. He had previously accused Zelenskyy of prolonging the war for political and financial gain read more Tech billionaire Elon Musk has suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should be offered amnesty in a neutral country as part of a transition to what he calls a return to democracy in Ukraine. The comment, posted on Musks X (formerly Twitter) account, have sparked controversy, coming amid President Donald Trumps significant shift in US policy toward Ukraine. In response to a post by conservative commentator DC Draino, Musk, a confidant of Trumps, agreed that Zelenskyy would lose power if the war ended and elections resumed in Ukraine. Advertisement Musk added that as distasteful as it is, Zelensky [sic] should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine. True. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine. https://t.co/ZpF6nLIDtw Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2025 In a separate post earlier, Musk had accused Zelenskyy of prolonging the war for political and financial gain, saying, Zelensky [sic] wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil. The remarks had come as US President Donald Trump criticised Zelenskyys recent statements on the ongoing conflict with Russia. Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of being unwilling to pursue peace, echoing Musks stance. Advertisement Zelensky wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil. https://t.co/FVaEkIm7Gq Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2025 Musks latest comments add to his history of controversial takes on the Ukraine war. In 2022, he proposed a peace plan that suggested Ukraine should recognize Crimea as part of Russia and allow referendums in occupied territories ideas then widely condemned in Kyiv and the West. Advertisement US pressure on Ukraine Musks remarks coincide with a dramatic shift in the US approach to Ukraine. Trump has temporarily suspended military aid to Kyiv, with a White House official confirming that all assistance is under review to ensure it contributes to a resolution rather than prolonging the conflict. During a recent White House meeting, Trump reportedly warned Zelenskyy that he wont be around very long if he does not engage in negotiations with Russia, further raising tensions between Washington and Kyiv. Zelenskyy, for his part, has maintained that Ukraine remains committed to achieving peace but insists that a genuine resolution cannot come at the cost of surrendering Ukrainian sovereignty. He has consistently rejected external pressure to negotiate with Russia on terms that could compromise Ukraines territorial integrity. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Yunus stated that connections between Bangladesh and India are historically, politically, and economically so deep that even after recent unfortunate events, they are in good shape and will remain good in the future read more On Monday, chief adviser Muhammad Yunus stated that relations between Bangladesh and India remain positive, with no deterioration in bilateral ties, despite some challenges caused by propaganda. Some conflicts had been seen mid-way. I would say, some clouds were seen. These clouds mostly came through propaganda. Others will judge the sources, he stated as Dhakas interim government approaches the end of its seven-month tenure. We are trying to overcome these misunderstandings. There is no problem in our basic relationship (with India), Yunus told BBC Bangla in an interview. Advertisement New Delhis response to his statement that bilateral ties are in good shape remains to be seen. Since the overthrow of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 last year, India has frequently highlighted targeted attacks on Hindus, their temples, and businesses in Bangladesh, which Yunus has refuted on several times. In Mondays interview, Yunus stated that connections between Bangladesh and India are historically, politically, and economically so deep that even after recent unfortunate events, they are in good shape and will remain good in the future. He continued: There is no alternative to maintaining good relations no scope of deviating from them. Yunus emphasised the huge interdependence between the two neighbours, stating that they had continuous communication. He also discussed law and order issues, reforms and elections, the emergence of a new student party, and political events in Bangladesh. As diplomatic tensions rise and global alliances fracture, the US-Ukraine standoff, Trumps unpredictable leadership and Chinas strategic moves are reshaping the balance of power on the world stage read more Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky argues with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House in Washington, on, February 28. Reuters As tensions in Ukraine continue to escalate, diplomatic efforts to manage the crisis seem to be struggling to keep pace with the speed at which things are deteriorating. While the high-decibel meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, in the Oval Office on Friday signalled a marked shift in Washingtons position, the White Houses decision to pause military aid to Ukraine on Tuesday is likely to further strain the already fragile relationship between the two countries, deepening the rift that has emerged between them. Advertisement The heat of battle in Ukraine is indeed matched by rising tensions in diplomatic circles, as world leaders scramble to ease them. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a four-point plan to work with Ukraine to end the war and strengthen its defence against Russia. He emphasised the role of a coalition of the willing, with the UK, France, and other allies stepping up efforts and trying to involve the US. This comes after Starmer hosted a summit of 18 leadersmostly from Europe, including Ukrainian President Zelenskyythree days earlier. Tensions escalated further after a fiery exchange between Zelenskyy and US President Trump at the White House, leading to the complete collapse of talks between Ukraine and the US. While heated discussions between world leaders are not uncommon, they are rarely seen unfolding in front of cameras. A historical parallel can be drawn from March 2021, when US and Chinese diplomats clashed at a meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, shortly after Joe Biden took office. As reported by Bloombergs Daniel Ten Kate, what was supposed to be a routine diplomatic exchange turned into a 71-minute verbal battle, with both sides publicly challenging each others stance on global affairs. Then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused China of economic coercion and criticised its actions in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Taiwan. Chinas top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, fired back, arguing that the US does not represent the world and that China follows a United Nations-centred international system. Fast forward to 2025, and Trump, now back in the White House, is shaking up global diplomacy once again. Trump, who has long championed an America First approach, has made controversial statements, threatened tariffs on both allies and rivals, and even floated ideas about acquiring Greenland and the Gaza Strip. He has also called Zelenskyy a dictator amid Ukraines ongoing attempt to push back Russian forces with the help of American aid in dollars and weapons before slightly backtracking his own statement. Defending his approach, Trump said, Its really peace through strength. Because without the strength, its going to be very hard to have peace. Advertisement Trumps views on governance have also raised eyebrows. He recently declared on social media, He who saves his country does not violate any law, a phrase often attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, suggesting his belief that leaders should not be bound by legal constraints if acting in the national interest. Unlike the closed-door US-China spat in 2021, the US-Ukraine confrontation unfolded before the world, amplifying its impact. Is China gaining from US-Europe divisions? According to Alina Hrytsenko in South China Morning Post, this years Munich Security Conference marked a turning point in transatlantic relations. The growing rift between the US and Europe is reshaping efforts to settle the Russia-Ukraine war. Meanwhile, the Trump administrations stance is influencing how other countries, including China, could engage in the peace process. Advertisement The White House has so far resisted involving additional players in negotiations, including European states. While Kyiv and Beijing have pushed for broader participation, last weeks breakdown in talks between Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and US President Trump has thrown the negotiation process into doubt. China has long eyed a role in resolving Russia-Ukraine conflict and offered to media multiple times, but Beijings offer to mediate has not been taken seriously by parties involved for it is accused of supplying weapons to invading Russian army. Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at Tsinghua Universitys Centre for International Security and Strategy, suggested at the Munich Security Conference that China could provide collective security guarantees, including deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine after hostilities end. But China has still remained outside the ambit of any meaningful mediation process. Advertisement Pro-China columnists have been advocating that Beijing could deploy peacekeepers in Ukraine, citing its contributions to such missions in the past. However, while the UK and other European countries have discussed the idea of deploying a peacekeeping force in Ukraine when a ceasefire is agreed between the two warring parties, there has been no suggestion for a China role in it. In Europe, China is still seen not just as an economic competitor but as a security threat. One major setback for China following Russias invasion of Ukraine has been the strengthened unity among Natos European allies. Despite their economic ties with Beijing, European countries have become more aligned in policies that are often less favourable to China. Advertisement With Trump testing diplomatic ties with European countries, leading to some visible frustrations among European Union members, China sees a role for itself, saying that it has advocated for a Europe that is independent of the US. Similar views have been expressed by some of the top European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, who envisages a vision of European sovereignty. As the Trump administration scales back decades of transatlantic cooperation, Beijing looks at the current US-Europe schism as an opening to build closer ties with Europe. Europe seems to be at a turning point. China, by reinforcing doubts about US reliability, may look to find an opportunity to support Europes push for strategic autonomy while subtly challenging Washingtons grip on the continent. According to Kawala Xie in the South China Morning Post, China appears to interpret the recent tensions between the US and Ukraine as part of a broader geopolitical shift with indications of growing divisions within Western alliances. Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa, a geopolitics expert on EU-Asia relations at the University of Hong Kong told the Hong Komg-based newspaper that China is unlikely to approach Ukraine negotiations as an impartial mediator. Instead, he indicated that Beijing may see the weakening of Western unity as an opportunity to reinforce its own vision of a global order less centred around American influence. Trillo-Figueroa reportedly described Chinas perspective as that of an eager observer, watching closely as the US seemingly undermines its own liberal order. Can India play a bigger role in resolving the Russia-Ukraine crisis? As Chinas potential involvement sparks debate, some are looking to India as a possible mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar suggested that India was open to considering a mediatory role if approached but maintained that New Delhi did not see itself initiating such efforts independently. In an interview with the German economic daily Handelsblatt, Jaishankar emphasised that just as India does not expect Europe to share its perspective on China, Europe should recognise that Indias stance on Russia cannot be identical to its own. He described Indias relationship with Russia as stable and very friendly, adding that Moscow had never acted against New Delhis interests. In contrast, he noted that India had faced far greater political and military challenges in its relationship with China. When asked whether this made India a suitable mediator, Jaishankar acknowledged the possibility in theory. He highlighted Indias previous contributions, such as supporting Turkeys efforts in negotiating the Black Sea grain corridor and backing the International Atomic Energy Agencys (IAEA) inspections of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. He clarified that India was always willing to assist when approached but reiterated that New Delhi did not believe in taking the initiative unilaterally. Trump vs Xi: A battle for global power According to Daniel Ten Kate, Xi Jinping uses every tool at his disposal to keep the Chinese Communist Partys power unchallenged, while Trump is using Americas economic and military strength to maintain US dominance over China. Trumps approach has unsettled the established global order for the time being, it may, however, shape a world that aligns more with Chinas interests. Europe may see China as a big supplier as well as a high-income market for its products. During Trumps first term, he tried to force Xi to change key Chinese laws on intellectual property and technology transfers. This angered Chinese nationalists, who even compared Xis trade negotiator to a Qing dynasty official who signed the humiliating Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895. Xi resisted Trumps demands, and the US eventually settled for a limited trade deal focused on China buying American farm products before the 2020 election. However, the Covid-19 pandemic further worsened US-China relations and hurt Trumps reelection bid. Now, in his second term, Trump is in a stronger position. He has announced 10% tariffs on all Chinese imports and threatened to increase them further. He also suggested he is open to a deal, demanding China approve a TikTok sale and help end Russias war in Ukraine. However, it remains unclear whether he will challenge Chinas red lines on sovereignty. Despite surrounding himself with China hawks, Trumps most trusted adviser appears to be Elon Musk, who has major business interests in China. Meanwhile, Xi is playing cautiously, having learned from the first trade war. He is willing to negotiate if the terms are acceptable but remains focused on making China strong enough to resist US pressure. From Chinas perspective, Trump is simply being more transparent than previous US leaders about Americas desire for global dominance. The US has often ignored international rules when they conflicted with its interests, justifying its actions by claiming to protect democracy, fight terrorism, or prevent wars. However, as Michael Schuman wrote in The Atlantic, Trumps policies are undermining Americas global influence. Columnists are arguing that Trumps admiration for autocrats and self-centred approach are weakening international security and Americas future. Despite having rivals like China and Russia on the defensive, Trump is stepping back. Trumps seemingly cosy relationship with Putin could divide the Atlantic alliance. This may suit China, which aspires for a greater role in Europe via Russia. At the Munich Security Conference, Vice President JD Vance criticised European leaders for sidelining far-right parties. This created an opening for Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi to present Xi Jinping as a stable alternative to Trump. The shifting global order With the US, China, and other key players redefining their strategies, global power dynamics are in flux. Trumps unpredictable diplomacy, Europes shifting alliances, and Chinas strategic manoeuvres are reshaping international relations. Whether this leads to a more multipolar world or deepens existing divisions remains to be seen, but of the many possibilities one is that Trump may induce enough frustration among European leaders that they start looking for an alternative partner in China. Fighting in Gaza has been halted since January 19 under a truce arranged with U.S. support and Qatari and Egyptian mediators, and Hamas has exchanged 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. read more Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Tuesday that Israel is prepared to move to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, provided Hamas agrees to release more of the 59 hostages it still holds. The ceasefire, brokered with US backing and mediated by Qatar and Egypt, has stopped fighting in Gaza since January 19. So far, Hamas has released 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Advertisement We are ready to continue to phase two, Saar told reporters in Jerusalem as Arab leaders prepared to meet in Cairo to discuss a plan for ending the war permanently. But in order to extend the time or the framework, we need an agreement to release more hostages. But the initial 42-day truce has expired and Hamas and Israel, which has blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza, remain far apart on broader issues including the postwar governance of Gaza and the future of Hamas itself. Hamas says it wants to move ahead to the second phase negotiations that could open the way to a permanent end to the war with the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the devastated Palestinian enclave and a return of the remaining 59 hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023. But Israel says its hostages must be handed over for the truce to be extended and backs a plan to extend the ceasefire during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began on Saturday, until after the Jewish Passover holiday in April. Arab leaders to meet to counter Trumps Gaza plan A summit of Arab leaders in Cairo is set to adopt Egypts counterproposal to U.S. President Donald Trumps call for the Gaza Strip to be depopulated and transformed into a beach destination. Advertisement The meeting comes amid deadlock between Hamas and Israel over next steps in a fragile January 19 ceasefire in Gaza. After the first phase of the truce ended over the weekend without agreement on how to continue, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office announced a halt to all entry of goods and supplies into the territory. Israels closure of the Gaza Strip crossings for the third consecutive day, and its prevention of the entry of aid and goods, represents a Zionist insistence on violating the ceasefire agreement, and a clear war crime, Hamas said in its statement. With inputs from agencies M23 fighters raided CBCA Ndosho Hospital and Heal Africa Hospital during the night of February 28, taking 116 and 15 patients respectively read more M23 rebels guard outside the South Kivu province administrative office, at the centre of east Congo's second-largest city, Bukavu. AP Rwanda-backed M23 rebels launching an offensive in east Congo abducted at least 130 sick and wounded men from two hospitals in the city of Goma last week, the United Nations said on Monday. M23 fighters raided CBCA Ndosho Hospital and Heal Africa Hospital during the night of February 28, taking 116 and 15 patients respectively, U.N. Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement. The abducted men were suspected of being Democratic Republic of Congo soldiers or members of a pro-government militia known as Wazalendo. Advertisement It is deeply distressing that M23 is snatching patients from hospital beds in coordinated raids and holding them incommunicado in undisclosed locations, Shamdasani said, calling for their immediate release. M23 spokespersons Willy Ngoma and Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Tutsi-led M23 marched into the city of Goma at the end of January and have since made an unprecedented advance into east Congo, seizing territory and gaining access to valuable minerals. Their ongoing advance, which started in late December, is already the gravest escalation a long-running conflict rooted in the spillover into Congo of Rwandas 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of Congos vast mineral resources. Congo, U.N. experts and Western powers accuse Rwanda of backing the group. Rwanda denies this and says it is defending itself against ethnic Hutu-led militias bent on slaughtering Tutsis in Congo and threatening Rwanda. About 7,000 people have been killed in east Congo since January and almost half a million people were left without shelter after 90 displacement camps were destroyed in the fighting, according to the government. International sanctions, renewed investigations by the International Criminal Court and Africa-led peace negotiations have failed to halt the advance by the rebels, who have captured east Congos two major cities, Goma and Bukavu. Advertisement Kim criticised the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinsons visit to South Korea on Sunday, saying the action was part of a policy of confrontation against North Korea read more North Koreas Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, criticised the U.S. Trump administration for stepping up provocations and said it justified the nuclear state increasing its nuclear deterrent, state media KCNA said on Tuesday. Kim criticised the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinsons visit to South Korea on Sunday, saying the action was part of a policy of confrontation against North Korea. As soon as its new administration appeared this year, the U.S. has stepped up the political and military provocations against the DPRK, carrying forward the former administrations hostile policy, Kim said. Advertisement DPRK is short for North Koreas official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Hostile policy toward the DPRK pursued by the U.S. at present is offering sufficient justification for the DPRK to indefinitely bolster its nuclear war deterrent, Kim added. South Koreas navy said on Sunday the U.S. aircraft carrier arrived at the southern port city of Busan in South Korea as a show of force against North Korea. Washington is reviewing all its multilateral agreements, including the UN Charter, but has shared little about Trumps vision for a peace-focused UN. Trump signed an executive order to announce the withdrawal of the country from certain UN organisations read more The Trump administration has said that the president wants the United Nations to shift its focus to its original purpose of maintaining international peace and security, although it remains unclear whether he means the body should alter its policy terms. The administration has highlighted that it does not appreciate the UNs quitting patterns or the fact that it is a frontrunner in multilateralism on important issues like health and human rights. Advertisement Washington is also reviewing all its multilateral agreements, including the UN Charter, but has shared little about Trumps vision for a peace-focused UN. Trump signed an executive order to announce the withdrawal of the country from certain UN organisations. Last week, Washington signalled that it views the UN as a platform for major power negotiations while downplaying the role of smaller states. As Ukraines European allies marked the third anniversary of the war at the UN General Assembly in the form of a resolution condemning Russias aggression, Washington backed Moscow. A shift of policy The US first opposed a European-backed resolution at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, which condemned Moscows actions and affirmed Ukraines territorial integrity. In doing so, it aligned its vote with Russia, North Korea, Belarus, and other nations. Later, the US introduced its resolution at the UN Security Council, calling for an end to the conflict. However, the proposal notably avoided any criticism of Russia. This shift was not only a break from how the Biden administration operated in the UN but also a separation from post-cold war UN politics, according to an analysis by Foreign Policy. France, the UK, and the US have often disagreed at the UN, notably over Iraq in 2003 and more recently over Gaza. However, they have typically remained aligned on key votes. Advertisement In trying to forge a compromise with Russia last week, the Trump administration arguably did pay homage to the founding logic of the U.N. system. For all its lip service to sovereign equality, the world organization is, by design, hierarchical: It invests a high level of institutional authority in a small clique of major powers, the article, written by Richard Gowan, the UN Director at the International Crisis Group, read. It added, At first glance, the Trump administrations gambit over Ukraine last week may look like an attempt to refresh the U.N. as a big-power de-escalation mechanism, but it wasnt that significant. The United States Security Council resolution was insubstantialjust 63 words longand essentially justified the Trump administrations preexisting bet on outreach to Russia. Advertisement UN members worried The broader UN membership has mixed reactions to the USs new stance. Reports suggest US officials used strong-arm tactics to pressure states against supporting Kyiv and the Europeans. However, some diplomats from the Global South see Washingtons shift as a positive change. Many non-Western officials in New York feel that the Biden administrations hardline approach to Russia at the UN hasnt helped end the war and has overshadowed other global priorities like development. With inputs from Foreign Policy Trending in China | Carved lacquer: a jewel in the crown of Chinese craftsmanship (People's Daily App) 15:53, March 04, 2025 Carved lacquer, known as "Tihong," is a remarkable example of traditional Chinese craftsmanship. This art form involves layering natural lacquer to achieve the desired thickness, followed by the meticulous cutting of intricate designs. In addition to cloisonne (Jingtai blue), ivory carving and jade carving, carved lacquer is celebrated as one of Beijing's Four Great Crafts. (Video source: Kuaishou, compiled by Di Chenjing) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) The Torkham crossing, one of two main trade corridors between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan, has been closed for 11 days after Islamabad objected to the construction of a new checkpoint on the Afghan side read more Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire overnight at the Torkham border crossing in the Khyber-Paktunkhwa province, officials said Monday (March 3), as tensions over a trade dispute escalated into violence. The latest clash left at least one Afghan security officer dead and another wounded. The firefight happened because of ongoing friction between the two neighbours over border management the Torkham crossing, a key passage, has been shut since late February. The dispute is hurting the Taliban regime where it hurts the wallet. Advertisement A money matter The Torkham crossing, one of two main trade corridors between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan, has been closed for 11 days after Islamabad objected to the construction of a new checkpoint on the Afghan side. The dispute has left thousands of trucks and travellers stranded on both sides amid harsh winter conditions. Shakirullah Safi, chief executive of the Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said the closure was costing Afghan traders nearly $500,000 per day. When this gate is open, 600 to 700 vehicles travel between us and Pakistan carrying exports and imports, Safi said. Now, 5,000 containers are stuck on both sides, bringing trade to a halt. The blockade has also affected thousands of Afghans who cross daily to seek medical care or work in Pakistans border towns. Pakistan, Taliban trade blame A Pakistani official said Taliban security forces fired unprovoked at Pakistans border post with automatic weapons, prompting Pakistani forces to return fire. Afghan officials rejected the claim. Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani accused Pakistani forces of initiating the violence, saying Afghan border police attempted to resolve the matter through dialogue before responding defensively. He claimed Pakistani personnel suffered casualties but did not provide figures. Pakistans security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have worsened in recent years a product of Islamabads dangerous regional gamble going wrong. Consequently, Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, has faced growing instability. The region, once a hub for militant groups supported by Pakistan to advance its geopolitical interests in Afghanistan and Kashmir, has become a stronghold for the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Better known as Pakistan Taliban, this militant groups stated aim is the overthrow of the elected government of Pakistan in order to establish an emirate based on its interpretation of Islamic law. Pakistan had hoped that the Talibans return to power in Afghanistan in 2021 would help curb the activities of TTP. Islamabad had been one of the first to voice support for the Taliban regime when it came to power in 2021. However, this move has backfired spectacularly. The TTP has grown stronger, with its attacks on Pakistani forces tripling since 2021, according to the Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor. Advertisement Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban to take action against TTP, but Afghan leaders have shown little willingness to intervene. In fact, after seizing Kabul, the Taliban released hundreds of TTP fighters from Afghan prisons, further emboldening the group. With inputs from AFP In a late update, the Vatican said the episodes were caused by a significant accumulation of mucus in his lungs and bronchial spasms read more The moon moves behind the cross on top of St Peter's Basilica ahead of the recitation of the Holy Rosary for Pope Francis' health in St Peter's Square at the Vatican. AP Pope Francis experienced two additional severe respiratory crises Monday and was placed back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican reported, in another setback in his struggle against pneumonia. During two bronchoscopies, doctors retrieved copious volumes of mucus from his lungs by inserting a camera-tipped tube into his airways and suctioning out fluid with a sucker on the tip. The Vatican stated that the mucus was his bodys reaction to the previous pneumonia infection, not a new infection, since laboratory examinations revealed no new microorganisms. Advertisement Francis stayed aware, focused, and collaborated with medical staff. The outlook remained guarded. Doctors did not indicate whether he was still in stable condition, but they referred to the crises in the past tense, implying they were finished. The crises were the latest setback in the 88-year-old popes fight to overcome a severe respiratory ailment, which has lasted more than two weeks. Dr. John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said the episodes were more concerning than the previous one on Friday, when Francis had a coughing fit, inhaled some vomit that needed to be extracted, and was put on noninvasive mechanical ventilation for a day before no longer needing it. The use of bronchoscopies reflects a worrying level of mucus and phlegm in the lungs, Coleman said. The fact that they had to go in there and remove it manually is concerning, because it means that he is not clearing the secretions on his own, he said. Hes taking little steps forward and then steps back, said Coleman, who is not involved in Francis care. In a late update, the Vatican said the episodes were caused by a significant accumulation of mucus in his lungs and bronchial spasms. Copious secretions, were extracted during the bronchoscopies and the pope was put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, a mask that covers his nose and mouth and pumps oxygen into the lungs, the Vatican said. Advertisement Francis, who is not physically active, uses a wheelchair and is overweight, had been undergoing respiratory physiotherapy to try to improve his lung function. But the accumulation of the secretions in his lungs was a sign that he doesnt have the muscle tone to cough vigorously enough to expel the fluid. The Vatican hasnt released any photos or videos of Francis since before he entered the hospital on Feb. 14 with a complex lung infection. This has become the longest absence of his 12-year papacy. The Vatican has defended Francis decision to recover in peace and out of the public eye. But on Monday one of Francis closest friends at the Vatican, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, urged him to let his voice be heard, saying the world needs to hear it. Advertisement We need men like him who are truly universal and not only one-sided, Paglia said, speaking after a press conference to launch the annual assembly of his Pontifical Academy for Life, the Vaticans bioethics academy, which has as this years theme The End of the World? Francis wrote a message to the assembly in which he lamented that international organizations are increasingly ineffective to combat the threats facing the world and are being undermined by short-sighted attitudes concerned with protecting particular and national interests. It was dated Feb. 26 and signed from Gemelli Polyclinic. Doctors often use noninvasive ventilation to stave off an intubation, or the use of invasive mechanical ventilation. Francis has not been intubated during this hospitalization. Its not clear if he has provided any advance directives about the limits of his care if he declines or loses consciousness. Advertisement Catholic teaching holds that life must be defended from conception until natural death. It insists that chronically ill patients, including those in vegetative states, must receive ordinary care such as hydration and nutrition, but extraordinary or disproportionate care can be suspended if it is no longer beneficial or is only prolonging a precarious and painful life. Francis articulated that to a meeting of Paglias bioethics body in 2017, saying there was no obligation to have recourse in all circumstances to every possible remedy. He added: It thus makes possible a decision that is morally qualified as withdrawal of overzealous treatment. Paglia, whose office helps articulate the Catholic Churchs position on end-of-life care, said Francis is like any other Catholic and would follow church teaching if it came to that. Advertisement Today the pope is giving us an extraordinary teaching on fragility, he added. Today the pope, not through words but with his body, is reminding all of us, we elderly people to begin with, that we are all fragile and therefore we need to take care of each other. Francis 17-night hospitalization is by no means reaching the papal record that was set during St. John Paul IIs numerous lengthy hospitalizations over a quarter century. The longest single hospitalization occurred in 1981, when John Paul spent 55 days in Gemelli for a minor operation and then a long infection that followed. Russias President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday hailed the growing relationship with ally Myanmar during talks with its military junta chief, and thanked him for gifting Moscow six elephants read more Myanmar's military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing presents a book to Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday. Reuters Russias President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday hailed the growing relationship with ally Myanmar during talks with its military junta chief, and thanked him for gifting Moscow six elephants. According to a Reuters report, analysts have labeled this gesture, coinciding with Russias delivery of six fighter jets to Myanmar, as part of elephant diplomacy between the two countries, which are viewed unfavourably in Western capitals. Myanmar has been in turmoil since 2021, when the military overthrew the government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, igniting a civil war. Advertisement This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the declaration on the foundations of friendship between our countries, Reuters quoted Putin as saying to Myanmars Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing at a meeting in the Kremlin. Relations between our countries are indeed developing steadily, he added, noting bilateral trade rose 40% last year. The two sides signed an agreement on construction of a small-scale nuclear plant in Myanmar. Rosatom, Russias state nuclear power corporation, said the plant would have a capacity of 100 megawatts with the possibility of trebling that capacity. Putin also announced that a military unit from Myanmar would take part in the military parade in Moscow on May 9 marking the 80th anniversary of the World War Two victory over Nazi Germany. He said Min Aung Hlaing would also attend. Like China, Russia backs Myanmars military and is developing cooperation, including between their air forces. And of course, I cannot but thank you for your very warm gift: you brought us six elephants last year, and they have already been given to the Moscow Zoo, Putin said. Min Aung Hlaing, 68, who rarely travels abroad, praised the quality of Russian military hardware his nation receives and said he supported Putin in the Ukraine war where he believed Moscow would soon be victorious. Allies The junta is struggling with internal conflict, an economy in tatters, widespread hunger and a third of the nations 55 million people in need of aid, according to the UN. Russia was one of the first countries to back the junta after the 2021 coup when it was being condemned around the world for using lethal force against opponents. Advertisement Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said he saw good prospects for expanding cooperation in areas including agriculture, nuclear energy, transport and infrastructure. Despite the illegitimate sanctions against Russia and Myanmar, our trade and economic cooperation is developing successfully, and mutual trade is growing, Mishustin said, according to the Interfax news agency. Russian companies plan to invest in Myanmars special economic zone in Dawei, Mishustin said, without naming firms. The long-delayed Dawei project on the Andaman Sea is intended to be a major hub for industry, technology and transport. Russia and Myanmar have long been talking about building a small nuclear power plant in Myanmar. Advertisement The junta plans an election this year, but critics deride that as a sham to keep the generals in power through proxies. With inputs from agencies Days after his Oval Office spat with Trump, Zelenskyy on Tuesday said that Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible and expressed his willingness to work under President Trumps strong leadership to achieve lasting peace read more US President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as US Vice President JD Vance reacts at the White House in Washington, DC, US, February 28, 2025. File Image/Reuters Days after his Oval Office spat with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said that Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible and expressed his willingness to work under President Trumps strong leadership to achieve lasting peace. Taking to X, in his first public comments since Trump halted US military aid to Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. Advertisement I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025 He outlined initial steps toward peace, including the release of prisoners and a truce in the sky and truce in the sea, if Russia will do the same. We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same, he said. He said Ukraine wants to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree on a strong final deal. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this, he added. Reflecting on a recent meeting at the White House, Zelenskyy expressed regret that the meeting did not proceed as planned It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive, said Zelenskyy. Regarding a potential minerals and security agreement, Zelenskyy affirmed that Ukraine is ready to sign at any convenient time, viewing the deal as a crucial step toward enhanced security and solid guarantees. Advertisement I truly hope it will work effectively, he added. A dramatic collapse in the Kyiv-Washington wartime alliance has played out publicly since an Oval Office clash between Zelenskyy and Trump last week, crescendoing with Ukraines top ally suspending crucial military aid. Trumps surprising decision on Monday to halt aid to Ukraine heightened fears in Kyiv and Europe that the US is shifting its focus from allies to Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed Trumps move, suggesting it could push Ukraine towards peace, saying, If the United States stops (military supplies), this would probably be the best contribution to peace. With the US and Russia negotiating a potential truce without Ukraine or the EU, European leaders are scrambling to reinforce support for Kyiv. Advertisement Tensions escalated last week during a clash between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, where Trump warned Zelenskyy he wont be around very long without a ceasefire. In response, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a plan to mobilise 800 billion ($840 billion) for defence, aiming to significantly bolster support for Ukraine with immediate military equipment. An emergency EU summit is scheduled for Thursday to solidify joint European backing for Ukraine. With inputs from agencies The European Commission on Tuesday proposed a new joint EU borrowing initiative of 150 billion ($157.76 billion) to provide loans to EU governments for defence, as part of a broader 800 billion effort to enhance Europes defense capabilities, according to a report read more European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday proposed a new initiative aimed at increasing military spending across the European Union. According to a Politico report, she recommended that EU countries be allowed to access up to 150 billion ( $157.76 billion) in loans as part of a comprehensive five-part strategy to enhance defence budgets. She unveiled the Rearm Europe plan, which aims to facilitate up to 800 billion in additional defence expenditures over the coming years, added the report. Advertisement She outlined these ideas in a letter to national governments on Tuesday morning. The announcement comes after US President Donald Trumps decision to halt all military aid to Ukraine after a contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office last Friday. The EUs 27 ambassadors are set to discuss von der Leyens proposals during a meeting on Tuesday, which will pave the way for a crucial summit of EU leaders on Thursday. Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending, both to respond to the short-term urgency to act and to support Ukraine, but also to address the long-term need to take on more responsibility for our own European security, Politico quoted von der Leyen as saying. EU governments are seeking ways to significantly boost defence spending as President Trump steps back from Ukraine and Europe. The Commission aims to facilitate increased defence budgets while staying within EU rules on national debt and deficits. To create more fiscal flexibility, von der Leyen plans to activate the EUs national escape clause, which exempts military spending from penalties for countries exceeding spending limits, reported Politico. This clause can be invoked during exceptional circumstances that severely impact a countrys public finances, according to revised EU rules. However, von der Leyen did not specify conditions to curb excessive spending by heavily indebted countries. EU finance ministers will discuss this in a planned meeting on Monday and Tuesday next week, reported Politico. As part of the plan, she also offered cheap loans for defense to EU countries in a further attempt to mobilise funding. Advertisement The new instrument will be worth 150 billion and finance EU-wide defence capabilities including artillery, missiles, ammunition, drones and anti drone systems. This money will also free up space for EU countries to send weapons for Ukraine. With this equipment, member States can massively step up their support to Ukraine, von der Leyen was quoted as saying. In her statement, von der Leyen, however, was tight-lipped on where this funding will come from. Officials suggested it could partly come from 93 billion in unclaimed loans from the EUs post-Covid recovery fund, aimed at green and digital investments. Commission officials believe this unused money can be redirected with a simple majority of EU countries, rather than unanimous consent. Advertisement Countries like France, Italy, and Spain prefer EU joint debt for defense, but this is contentious in Germany and Northern Europe. Von der Leyen also proposed repurposing regional funds for defense, unlocking private capital through an EU-wide investment framework, and adjusting European Investment Bank rules to allow more military spending. The draft conclusions for Thursdays summit emphasize the need to change the banks practices regarding core defense projects and increase available funding. With inputs from agencies The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said the defence ministry gathered forces with troop carriers and armed vehicles in the area in search of the gunmen who attacked an internal security forces patrol read more Syrian forces launched a security campaign in the coastal city of Latakia after militia remnants supporting ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad killed two personnel in an ambush, state media reported Tuesday. Groups of Assad militia remnants killed two members of the Syrian defence ministry in an armed ambush in Latakias Daatur district, the SANA news agency said, citing a security source. Latakia province is a former Assad government stronghold and the heartland of his familys Alawite minority. The internal security department launched a broad security campaign in the district and a number of surrounding areas to arrest the militia remnants and bring them to justice, the statement added. Advertisement The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said the defence ministry gathered forces with troop carriers and armed vehicles in the area in search of the gunmen who attacked an internal security forces patrol. Restoring and maintaining security across Syria remains one of the most pressing challenges for the new authorities after Assads December 8 overthrow. Syria has seen clashes and shootings in a number of areas, often blamed on Assad supporters, with the new authorities announcing campaigns targeting regime remnants and making arrests. Residents and rights groups have occasionally reported violations including home confiscations, extra-judicial executions and kidnappings, with the new authorities dismissing such incidents as isolated and vowing to hold those responsible to account. Latakia initially saw heightened security tensions and violence, including reprisals against people seen as linked to the former government, though such incidents have decreased somewhat despite occasional attacks on checkpoints, according to the Observatory. Trump at an event at the White House later on Monday referred to Zelenskyys reported comments, and asserted the Ukrainian leader better not be right about that read more US President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, DC. Reuters On Monday, President Donald Trump lambasted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for implying that the conclusion of Russias war against Ukraine is still very, very far away. The remarks come as prominent Trump allies increase pressure on Zelenskyy to drastically alter his attitude to the US president, who has made fast ending the conflict a primary goal, or step aside. The leaders long-troubled relationship has reached an all time low after a disastrous White House meeting in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance chastised Zelenskyy for failing to express gratitude for US support for Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the February 2022 invasion. Advertisement This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform about the comments Zelenskyy made late Sunday while speaking to reporters in London. Trump at an event at the White House later on Monday referred to Zelenskyys reported comments, and asserted the Ukrainian leader better not be right about that. If somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long, Trump added. That person will not be listened to very long. Trump took issue with Zelenskyy suggesting it would take time to come to an agreement to end the war. The Ukrainian leader also tried to offer a positive take on the U.S.-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of last weeks White House meeting. Asked by a reporter about the outlines of a new European initiative to end Russias war, Zelenskyy said: We are talking about the first steps today, and, therefore, until they are on paper, I would not like to talk about them in great detail. An agreement to end the war is still very, very far away, and no one has started all these steps yet, he added. Advertisement But Trump was only further irritated by Zelenskyys suggesting it will take time for the conflict to come to a close. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be Peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia, Trump added in his post. What are they thinking? Zelenskyy took to social media soon after Trumps latest criticism. He did not directly refer to Trumps comments, but underscored that it is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible. Advertisement We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns, Zelenskyy added. We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security. Trumps national security adviser said Zelenskyys posture during Fridays Oval Office talks put up in the air whether hes someone the U.S. administration will be able to deal with going forward. Is he ready, personally, politically, to move his country towards an end to the fighting? Mike Waltz said on Fox News Americas Newsroom earlier Monday. And can he and will he make the compromises necessary? Waltz added another layer of doubt about U.S. support as other high-profile Trump allies have suggested that the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy is becoming untenable. Advertisement House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that Zelenskyy needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country for Ukraine to continue pursuing a peace deal negotiated by the United States. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has been a vociferous supporter of Ukraine, said soon after the Oval Office meeting that Zelenskyy either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change. Angela Stent, a former national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council, said Putin is likely in no rush to end the war amid the fissures between Trump and Zelenskyy and Europe and the U.S. about the way ahead. Advertisement He is not interested in ending the war, said Stent, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. He thinks Russia is winning. And he thinks that as time goes on, the West will be more fractured. Trump administration and Ukrainian officials had been expected to sign off on a deal during Zelenskyys visit last week that would have given the U.S. access to Ukraines critical minerals in part to pay back more than $180 billion in aid the U.S. has sent Kyiv since the start of the war. The White House has also billed such a pact as a way to tighten U.S.-Ukrainian relations in the long term. The signing was scrapped after the leaders Oval Office talks went off the rails and White House officials asked Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation to leave. Trump on Monday, however, suggested he hasnt given up on the economic pact, calling it a great deal. He added that he expected to speak to the deal during his Tuesday address before a joint session of Congress. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican who co-chairs the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, spoke with Zelenskyys chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on Monday about getting the mineral rights deal back on track. Fitzpatrick after the lengthy call predicted the deal will be signed in short order. In 2024, the third year of the Russia-Ukraine war, EU imports of Russian fossil fuels totalled 21.9 billion euros. They sent 18.7 billion euros of financial aid to Kyiv that year read more US President Donald Trump has once again hit out at the member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato). In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, Europe has spent more money buying Russian Oil and Gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine BY FAR! The president has already criticised Nato allies for their low defence spending pushing them to increase their expenditure. Trumps latest hit out at Nato comes after a report published by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Advertisement The report, released late last month pointed out that despite a range of sanctions, In the third year of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, EU imports of Russian fossil fuels in particular remain largely unchanged, totalling EUR [Euro] 21.9 bn. The report also noted that EU imports of Russian fossil fuels in 2024 surpassed the 18.7 billion euros of financial aid they sent to Ukraine that year the fact that Trump pointed out in his post. G7+ countries a group of 20 nations imported 18 billion euros worth of oil products from six refineries in India and Turkey of which an estimated 9 billion euros was refined from Russian crude. Their imports of oil products made from Russian crude generated an estimated 4 billion euros in tax revenues for Russia. Trumps stand on Russian crude oil Recently, at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, during his first address to an international audience after he was re-elected president, Trump had mentioned Russian oil sales as the cause behind the continuation of the Russia-Ukraine war. If the price [of crude oil] came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately. Right now, the price is high enough that that war will continue. Youve got to bring down the oil priceyou could end that war, Trump had said back then. However, the Republican leaders apparent irritation with the purchase of Russian oil leaves scope for some confusion. This is because an ally of Putin, Matthias Warnig, is reportedly overseeing efforts to restart the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that can transport Russian oil to Western Europe. Warnig, an ex-Stasi officer, is backed by US investors. Several prominent figures within Trumps administration are aware of the initiative, viewing it as a strategic opportunity to rebuild relations with Moscow. Advertisement On Monday, Trump said Zelenskyy should be more grateful for American backing, after previously reacting angrily to an Associated Press article quoting Zelenskyy as stating the end of the battle is very, very far away read more Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky argues with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House in Washington, on, February 28. Reuters Following his confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, U.S. President Donald Trump has suspended all military assistance to Ukraine, a White House official stated on Monday. President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Advertisement Zelenskyys office did not reply to a Reuters request for comment after hours. The move comes after Trump reversed US policy on Ukraine and Russia after taking office in January, adopting a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow - and after an explosive confrontation with Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday in which Trump chastised him for being insufficiently grateful for Washingtons support in the war with Russia. On Monday, Trump said Zelenskyy should be more grateful for American backing, after previously reacting angrily to an Associated Press article quoting Zelenskyy as stating the end of the battle is very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump wrote on Truth Social, using an alternative spelling of the Ukrainian leaders name. But Trump also suggested on Monday that a deal to open up Ukraines minerals to U.S. investment could still be agreed despite his frustration with Kyiv, as European leaders floated proposals for a truce in Russias war with its neighbor. The Trump administration views a minerals deal as Americas way of earning back some of the tens of billions of dollars it has given to Ukraine in financial and military aid since Russia invaded three years ago. When asked on Monday if the deal was dead, Trump said at the White House: No, I dont think so. Advertisement Trump described it as a great deal for us and said he would give an update on the situation on Tuesday night when he addresses a joint session of Congress. Trumps statement came one day before 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods go into force and a 10% duty on Chinese imports is doubled read more President Donald Trump went to Truth Social on Monday to encourage Americas farmers, a group that may be hard-hit by trade wars, to prepare to sell many commodities in the United States. Trumps statement came one day before 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods go into force and a 10% duty on Chinese imports is doubled. To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun! Trump wrote on Truth Social amid escalating trade tensions. Advertisement It was unclear what he meant by April 2. However, that is the day on which he has stated that wide taxes on imports from other nations will go into force. Trump has referred to them as reciprocal trade tariffs required to match what other nations charge for American goods. Trump did not specify which items would be affected or whether there would be any exceptions. However, data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveal that relevant tariffs would affect fruits, vegetables, and nuts, which normally account for at least half of agricultural exports entering the nation. The presidents new declaration on agriculture tariffs comes as the United States prepares to levy 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico beginning Tuesday, March 4, dashing hopes for a last-minute agreement to prevent a trade war. Chinese imports are also expected to face an additional 10% duty from midnight, following a 10% charge imposed earlier this year. China would reportedly hit back with a series of both tariffs and non-tariff measures in response to the additional 10 per cent duties imposed by Trump. American agricultural and food products were expected to be caught in the crossfire read more The US and China seem to be rushing head-first into a trade war. Representational Image- FP A trade war between US and China seems closer than ever before. US President Donald Trump had threatened China with an extra 10 per cent levy last week. In a little less than two hours, those tariffs are expected to come into force, lifting average US levies on Chinese imports to around 33 percent, according to estimates by Nomura. The duties are a response to what the White House considers Chinese inaction over drug flows. These are an additional hike to preexisting levies on thousands of Chinese goods. Advertisement China vows to hit back China is not one to stay quiet about such a move. The Global Times, owned by a newspaper run by the governing Communist Party, had reported on Monday (March 3) that China would hit back with a series of both tariffs and non-tariff measures. American agricultural and food products were expected to be caught in the crossfire. The countrys Commerce Ministry on Tuesday (March 4) vowed to hit back against the fresh US import tariffs, reiterating its stance that the Trump administration was trying to shift the blame and bully Beijing over fentanyl flows. The US claims that China supplies chemicals for fentanyl production, while China denies any involvement. China has repeatedly asserted that the US unilateral tariffs breach World Trade Organisation rules and undermine the multilateral trade system, a statement from the Chinese Commerce Ministry said. Such measures will not solve (the US) problems but instead will harm China-US economic and trade cooperation and disrupt regular international trade, it added. China has demanded that the US immediately withdraw its unilateral tariff measures that are unreasonable and groundless, harmful to others, the ministry said. Chinese leaders are anxiously observing a potential trade war with the United States as Trump reenters the political scene, following the countrys struggles for a robust economic recovery post-pandemic. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Smotrich, an ultranationalist settler whose support is key to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus parliamentary majority, said he would meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as well as other US government officials read more Israels far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who supports the annexation of the occupied West Bank, said on Tuesday that he was travelling to the United States for a brief visit. The goal of this visit is to strengthen economic cooperation between Israel and the United States and deepen the strategic alliance between our two countries, Smotrich wrote on social media platform X. His trip comes with US President Donald Trump expected to announce whether to back the annexation of all or part of the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. Advertisement Smotrich, an ultranationalist settler whose support is key to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus parliamentary majority, said he would meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as well as other US government officials. He has said on several occasions since Hamass October 7, 2023 attack triggered war that Israel should push for Palestinians to leave Gaza and the West Bank, and that it should take control of them. In 2024, the International Court of Justice, the UNs top legal body, issued an advisory opinion saying that Israels prolonged presence in the West Bank was unlawful. The United Nations regularly condemns Israels settlement expansion in the territory as illegal under international law. The visit coincides with an Arab League summit on Tuesday in Cairo, where leaders are discussing a counterproposal to Trumps February 4 plan for US control of Gaza. Under that plan, Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip would be transferred to third countries, and the coastal territory would be turned into what Trump called the Riviera of the Middle East. He later appeared to soften the plan, saying he was only recommending the idea. Asked whether he backed Israeli annexation of the West Bank, Trump said he would probably make an announcement on the issue within four weeks. Advertisement In my meetings, I will emphasize Israels determined stance in the fight against terrorism and the need for clear American backing for the continuation of our security activities in the war, Smotrich wrote on X. The finance minister has been pushing for Israel to return to hostilities in Gaza, after the first phase of a ceasefire ended this weekend with no agreement on its extension. On Sunday, he called on the government to to open (the) gates (of hell) as quickly and lethally as possible on the cruel enemy, until absolute victory. TECNO at MWC Barcelona 2025 is showcasing how AI can transform daily life. With the theme Create the AI Future, the company is highlighting practical AI solutions for users, especially in emerging markets. TECNO says it aims to make AI simple and accessible for everyone. For the first time, TECNO is linking its AI across devices like smartphones, AI glasses, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, and earphones. At the event, the company is launching the CAMON 40 Series smartphone, its debut AI Glasses, the MEGABOOK S14 laptop, a new smartwatch, and earbuds. TECNO is also displaying concept devices, advanced materials, imaging technologies, an updated Universal Tone feature, and many popular products. AI Ecosystem on Display In the AI Room at TECNOs booth, visitors can explore devices like the CAMON 40 Series, MEGABOOK S14, and AI Glasses Series. These show how TECNO AI connects devices for personalized, all-scenario experiences. An interactive screen offers TECNO AI One-Click Old Photo Restoration, reviving old photos, enhancing low-res scenery shots, and turning static portraits into vibrant animations. CAMON 40 Series Smartphone The CAMON 40 Series, unveiled on March 4, 2025, at TECNOs launch event, is a flagship imaging phone. It features One-Tap FlashSnap for fast, clear shots of moving objects and TECNO AI tools for easier daily tasks. TECNO is also showcasing other smartphones, including the SPARK 30 Series TRANSFORMERS Edition, PHANTOM V2 Flip 5G, and PHANTOM V2 Fold 5G. Launched in 2024, these foldables blend style, usability, and powerful AI features. AI Glasses and MEGABOOK S14 On day two, TECNO will launch its first AI Glasses and the MEGABOOK S14 laptop. The AI Glasses bring smartphone-quality imaging to eyewear, with the Pro version featuring an AR display. The MEGABOOK S14, the worlds lightest 14-inch laptop with a 2.8K OLED screen, includes the Ella AI Voice Assistant for productivity and creativity on the go. TECNO also noted two new laptopsthe MEGABOOK K15S and T14 Airplus True 2 earbuds and the Watch GT 1, all with AI enhancements. Cutting-Edge Concepts TECNO is unveiling futuristic ideas like the SPARK Slim, an ultra-thin concept phone with a 5000mAh+ battery. The PHANTOM Ultimate 2, a tri-fold phone first revealed in August 2024, is now a physical prototype at MWC. The company also introduced Starry Optical Fiber, a tech using mini-LEDs and ultra-fine fibers for a starry effect on phone backs. This appears on the PHANTOM V Fold2 5G Space Expedition Version, the industrys first foldable with satellite communication and Moondust Fiber material. TECNOs imaging updates include Universal Tone with a 372-patch color card for accurate skin tones, plus EVS Dynamic Snapshot and Tap Any Zoom Dual Prism Telephoto, debuted in December 2024 at Future Lens. Other booth highlights include UltraLink for long-range wireless, Display Electronic Slurry Technology for video playback, Multi-colored Glass Fiber, Photochromic Cellulose Acetate Color, and a Coconut Coir back cover. Award-Winning Devices Visitors can try the TECNO Pocket Go, listed in TIMEs Best Inventions of 2024, combining AR glasses and a Windows gaming handheld. The MEGA Mini Gaming G1 PC and Dynamic 1 robotic dog, both award-winners, are also on display. TECNOs Vision At MWC 2025, held March 3-6 at booth 6B11, Hall 6, Fira Gran Via, the company is encouraging and inviting attendees to explore its latest AI-powered innovations and experience first-hand. At the event, Jack Guo, General Manager of TECNO, said, iFixit has examined Apples latest budget model, the iPhone 16e, uncovering repairability upgrades from the iPhone 16 lineup. This teardown reveals how the device blends new tech with repair challenges. Earlier teardown revealed a 4,005 mAh battery capacity, compared to 3,561 mAh battery in the iPhone 16. Battery Adhesive The iPhone 16e features electrically released adhesive under the battery, first seen in the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. Elizabeth Chamberlain said, It has the cool electrically released adhesive under the battery that we saw in the vanilla and Plus iPhone 16 models. She added, The new electrically released adhesive, on the other hand, is basically fool-proof: hook some alligator clips supplying 930V DC up to a special conductive tab and a screw post, and the adhesive disengages quickly and cleanly. With iFixits VoltClip at 12V, the battery is free in just 5 seconds, a leap over stretch-release adhesives that tend to break off or require prying. Batteries degrade over time, so easy swaps matter. Apple promises up to 26 hours of video playback, hinting at fewer charge cycles and a longer-lasting battery. Right to Repair Progress Thanks to Right to Repair laws in Oregon and Colorado, Apple has softened software restrictions. Chamberlain noted, We didnt see any parts pairing issues when we swapped logic boardsat least with OEM parts, where Repair Assistant worked as advertised. This marks a repair-friendly shift. No MagSafe The iPhone 16e skips MagSafe, sticking to 7.5W Qi wireless charging. Chamberlain explained, When they tested last year, they found that charging via MagSafe is 35%113.7% less efficient than wired charging. Inefficient chargers waste 17.54kWh per year, like leaving a 10W LED light on for 73 days straight. She added, Wireless charging also makes the battery run hotter, staying well above 30C, which Battery University says harms longevity. The slower speed might, however, ease degradation. Apples C1 Modem Unveiled The iPhone 16e debuts Apples C1 modem, replacing Qualcomms SDX71M. Chamberlain said, Over the weekend, we put the chip in our Lumafield Neptune CT scanner, showing a 4nm modem with DRAM on the RF boards underside and a 7nm transceiver on the reverse. She noted Apples decade-long chip journey, predicting the C1 in the iPhone 17 Air later this year. This move pressures Qualcomms modem dominance. USB-C Port and First Repair Manual Europes USB-C law brings this port to the iPhone 16e, and Apple now offers a repair procedure for the charging port. Chamberlain cautioned, That repair isnt for the faint of heart, requiring removal of the back glass, selfie camera, earpiece speaker, battery, Taptic Engine, bottom speaker, microphone, and SIM assembly before lifting the logic board. A clip now protects the flash cable, a tweak from the 16 Pro models. She hopes the whole lineup gets the easier-port-replacement treatment when the 17s come out later this year. Home Button Exits The iPhone 16e drops the SEs home button. Chamberlain said, We wont be crying any tears for the home button, a fragile, often damaged component tied to Touch ID limits. Its removal streamlines design and cuts repair hassles. Repairability: 7/10 Score The iPhone 16e scores a provisional 7 out of 10 for repairability, matching the iPhone 16 lineup, pending spare parts. Chamberlain praised the dual-entry design from the iPhone 14 and the C1s potential for battery life. Still, she noted, Theres not much worth writing home about here, especially with the increased price, suggesting refurbished buys over upgrades. Source Courtesy of MarillacHealth and Chamberlin Architects This artists rendering shows MarillacHealths new 27,000-square-foot health center at 512 29 Road. MarillacHealth recently launched a fundraising campaign $100K in 100 Days. If the campaign is successful, Marillac will have about 70% of its anticipated campaign expenses; or, nearly $15 million of its $21 million goal. Sat Saturday 95 /64 More sun than clouds. Highs in the mid 90s and lows in the mid 60s. Minister of National Defence left for the United States: we can only help Ukraine if we are strong and armed well Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2025-03-02 International cooperation | Minister's news | Security and defense policy Minister of National Defence Dovile Sakaliene is conducting a visit to the United States on March 2 through 7. "The situation is tense, therefore we have to work harder than ever. We can only support Ukraine effectively if we invest in proper defence of the whole Europe, develop our defence industry as a strategic sector and use the green corrido. If we really wish to help Ukraine, we need to get this homework done at an unprecedented pace. We will be particularly focused on bilateral meetings with the U.S. defence industry companies. We wish to attract constructions of advanced equipment factories in Lithuania. Our goal is not just to get ready for extended production but also to demonstrate to other countries that we mean business when we say we are going to manufacture in volume and quickly as we put defence industry among real-life priorities," said Minister of National Defence before departing for the U.S. D. Sakaliene is going to meet with representatives of the largest U.S. defence industry companies - RTX, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, AM General, etc. Lithuania has acquired weaponry worth of approx. EUR 2 billion from the United States over the past 3 years thus becoming the biggest buyer of U.S. defence goods among the Baltic states. Procurement from the U.S. makes up nearly 20% of all the Lithuanian acquisitions. Lithuania's purchases from the United States include the Javelin anti-tank missile systems, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, Black Hawk helicopters, HIMARS High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, AMRAAM missiles for the NASAMS mid-range air defence systems, Switchblade drones, etc. According to D. Sakaliene, we have to maintain strong transatlantic bond between Europe and the United States because we need each other. "The quality of our cooperation will in large part depend on the European countries' urgent investment in defence. Lithuania takes full responsibility: we have made an open declaration of our commitment and we are working with our regional partners. In the meanwhile, Europe has proven more than once it can handle even the biggest of crises. The EU has the financial capacity, all we need to do is mobilize fully. And the reasons are not far away either," said Minister. Minister will have meetings with Adjutant-General of Pennsylvania Major General John R. Pippy: the Pennsylvania National Guard has been supporting the Lithuanian Armed Forces for three decades. She will also bilaterally meet with Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro, Congressmen and Ryan D. McCarthy, former Secretary of the Army from the first administration of President D.Trump, as well as tale part in closed discussion a the Atlantic Council and the Hudson Institute. The United States has consistently backed our military capability development efforts and has been deploying heavy battalions for uninterrupted presence in Lithuania since 2019. The U.S. Battalion deployed since 2022 has been reinforced with an artillery unit. The U.S. force presence in Lithuania is a critical deterrent and security guarantee for the Baltic states. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Vietnam courts American businesses, pledges to cut surplus with US Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also promised to fast track a license for Elon Musk's Starlink. By Mike Firn for RFA 2025.03.02 BANGKOK -- Vietnam's prime minister met dozens of U.S. business leaders over the weekend, seeking to smooth any possible trade issues with the new administration of President Donald Trump. Pham Minh Chinh told about 40 representatives of U.S. companies that Vietnam was taking steps to cut its large trade surplus, considering imports of aircraft, arms, natural gas, pharmaceuticals and other goods, Vietnam's state-run Tuoi Tre news site reported. Vietnam wants to escape the fate of neighbor China, which faces 20% tariffs on its exports to the United States, imposed by the U.S. president in response to a trade imbalance and China's illegal exports of synthetic opioids. Vietnam's trade surplus with the U.S. rose to a record US$124 billion in 2024 and the U.S. remained its largest export market this year. Vietnam already faces U.S. tariffs on its sizable steel and aluminum exports. From March 12, the U.S. will raise the 10% tax on imports of the metals to 25%, after a February executive order from Trump. Vietnam is the fifth-largest exporter of steel to the U.S. and America is Vietnam's third biggest buyer. Licensing Musk's Starlink Prime Minister Chinh told Saturday's meeting in Hanoi that he wanted to fast track a license for Trump adviser and billionaire businessman Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service in Vietnam under a pilot scheme. "The PM has directed the Ministry of Science and Technology to quickly issue a license to Starlink internet on a trial basis," the government said on its website after the meeting. Starlink's parent company, SpaceX, repeatedly expressed its intention to invest in the market of 100 million people but hadn't succeeded because of rules forbidding foreign companies from owning more than 49% of shares in joint ventures. Last month, Vietnam's parliament approved a temporary scheme allowing internet companies operating in Vietnam to retain full control of their local subsidiaries, according to state media. Executives attending Saturday's meeting with the prime minister said they were hopeful Hanoi would relax investment rules for more business sectors. Separately, on Sunday, Chinh met European business leaders, asking them to invest more in Vietnam, VoVWorld reported. The prime minister suggested EU enterprises focus on growth areas such as the digital and green economies and healthcare. Vietnam's trade surplus with the 27 European Union members rose to US$35 billion last year with exports rising nearly 19% compared with 2023. A free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European bloc came into force in 2020 helping Vietnam to become the top Southeast Asian trading partner with the EU. Edited by Taejun Kang. Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Vietnam's legal system 'arbitrary,' ignores international agreements, UN group says The government has not responded to its report on the arrest and trial of an activist blogger. By RFA Vietnamese 2025.03.02 -- A United Nations group has accused Vietnam of unfairly arresting and trying a blogger and activist, who is serving a six-year prison term. The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said the trial took place under a state judicial practice that could amount to a violation of international law. Nguyen Lan Thang was jailed for six years in 2023 for "propaganda against the State" under Article 117 of Vietnam's criminal code. The U.N. group said in its report, Opinion No. 51/2024, which it released on Wednesday, that Article 117 is so loosely worded that it serves as a trap to catch government critics. "The language used is overly broad and fails to define key terms, which prevents individuals from regulating their behaviour and ensuring that it is in accordance with the law," the opinion letter said. "The Working Group has previously considered that article 117 of the Criminal Code is so vague that it is impossible to invoke a legal basis for detention thereunder and expressly noted that the provision does not meet the standards of the principle of legality due to its vague and overly broad language." The group submitted its report to Vietnam on Dec. 10 and said Vietnam had not responded. Thang, who was a Radio Free Asia blogger, reported on human rights issues since 2011. He was also active in protests over China's territorial clashes with Vietnam in the South China Sea. He was arrested on July 5, 2022, kept in solitary confinement for more than seven months and refused visits from his family and lawyer. In February 2023 he was finally allowed to meet his lawyer to prepare for a closed trial in July of that year. The working group's document said Thang's arrest was arbitrary because he was only peacefully exercising his fundamental rights as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Vietnam has agreed to follow. The group also said Thang's trial was unfair since he was denied legal advice for so long. The U.N. group, made up of five independent international experts, called on Vietnam to release and compensate Thang. It said Thang's case was one of many in Vietnam recently where activists had been locked up following arbitrary arrests that didn't meet international standards. Campaigners were detained for long periods before their trials with limited or no access to lawyers and often held in solitary confinement, the U.N. body added. The group said Vietnam prosecuted human rights defenders at show trials on vaguely worded criminal charges for peacefully exercising their human rights. Courts gave them disproportionately long prison sentences and prisons denied them access to the outside world. "This pattern indicates a systemic problem with arbitrary detention in Viet Nam," the group said, adding that if such cases continued, "this practice, which is embedded in the security and judicial culture of Viet Nam, might amount to a serious violation of international law." "The constant and systematic targeting of journalists, bloggers and human rights defenders, such as Mr. Nguyen in the present case, amounts to a crime against humanity. Mr. Nguyen has been the victim of serious crimes committed as part of a large-scale attack against bloggers, journalists and others in Viet Nam." Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to RFA's emails seeking a response to the group's statement. What do lawyers say? A lawyer who defended Thang at his trial, but who didn't want to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the subject, said Vietnam's judiciary and legal system are not fair or transparent. "Such substantive and procedural law-based adjudication has the effect of challenging the sustainability and core values of justice, which require strict detail and precision for all its application conditions," he told RFA on Friday. He said legal regulations should not "unduly restrict citizens' political rights, especially with regard to freedom of speech or assembly, and of the press." Another lawyer, Dang Dinh Manh, who has defended many political cases and was forced to flee to the United States, said that although Vietnam has been a member of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights since 1982, it still uses Article 117 "propaganda against the State" and Article 331 "abusing democratic freedoms" to silence dissidents. "It is unjust because the investigation process, prosecution and trial of those accused under Article 117 or Article 331 are full of violations of criminal procedures, as well as violations of the standard principles of criminal procedures that many civilized countries in the world are applying," he said, calling the U.N. groups comments completely legitimate. "The Vietnamese government needs to promptly and fully implement the contents of this document. At the same time, apply similar treatment to all other political prisoners who are being detained, whether they have been tried or not." Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Base Redesignation By U.S. Army Public Affairs March 3, 2025 Secretary of Defense Hegseth directed the Army to change the name of Fort Moore to Fort Benning in honor of Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) recipient, who heroically served in Machine-Gun Company, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in France during World War I. On October 9, 1918, the enemy killed Cpl. Benning's platoon commander and disabled two senior noncommissioned officers in action south of Exermont, France. The Army awarded Cpl. Benning the DSC for his heroic actions that day as he courageously led the remaining 20 men through heavy fire to their assigned objective in support of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. CPL Benning was the living embodiment of the Infantryman's Creed: He was "swift, determined and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Fort Benning, home of the Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence, trains thousands of Infantry, Armor, and Ranger warfighters to answer their nation's call. Secretary Hegseth's directive honors the warrior ethos and recognizes the heroes who have trained at the installation for decades. The Secretary of the Army will take immediate action to implement this decision. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by Ministers Joly, Hussen and Ng on Rwanda's involvement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo conflict Global Affairs Canada Statement March 3, 2025 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development; and the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, today issued the following statement: "Canada condemns in the strongest possible terms the March 23 Movement's (M23) seizure of territory in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including Goma and Bukavu. We also condemn the presence of the Rwanda Defence Force in the DRC and its support for the M23, which constitute flagrant violations of the DRC's territorial integrity and sovereignty and of the United Nations Charter. "Canada urges all parties to exercise restraint, engage in meaningful dialogue and commit to peaceful solutions to prevent further destabilization. "Canada denounces the widespread atrocities in eastern DRC, including allegations of unlawful attacks on civilians, internally displaced persons, humanitarian actors, and both UN and regional peacekeepers, as well as massacres and kidnappings. We are particularly concerned by reports of conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls. These acts are heinous and contrary to obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Canada continues to support the International Criminal Court and recognizes its importance in providing accountability and justice to victims, including in its eastern DRC investigation. "Canada welcomes the efforts of countries in the region, as well as the Southern African Development Community, the East African Community, and the African Union, to find a peaceful path forward. We urge all stakeholders to demonstrate political will to find peace, honour their commitments under the Luanda and Nairobi processes and collaborate to address humanitarian needs and the underlying causes of this conflict. "As a result of Rwanda's actions in the eastern DRC, the Government of Canada has made the decision to: suspend the issuance of permits for the export of controlled goods and technologies to Rwanda suspend new government-to-government business pursuits with Rwanda, as well as proactive support to private-sector business development activities, including trade missions review Government of Canada participation at international events hosted in Rwanda, as well as Rwandan proposals to host any future events "Today, Global Affairs Canada summoned the Rwandan High Commissioner in Canada to convey Canada's stance against Rwanda's clear violation of DRC's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to inform Rwanda of these measures. "The humanitarian situation in eastern DRC is critical and Canada remains committed to ensuring the most vulnerable are reached with lifesaving assistance. Canada is announcing $15 million for humanitarian assistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo to respond to needs of crisis-affected people." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 3 2025 By Matthew Olay, DOD News Hegseth Restores Fort Moore to Fort Benning in Honor of WWI Soldier Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum today directing Fort Moore, Georgia, to be renamed Fort Benning. The installation will now be renamed in honor of Army Cpl. Fred G. Benning, who "served with extraordinary heroism during World War I with the United States Army, and in recognition of the installation's storied history of service to the United States of America," the memo reads. Originally established and named Camp Benning in October 1918 after Civil War-era Confederate Gen. Henry L. Benning, the installation kept Benning's name until being renamed Fort Moore after Army Lt. Gen Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Compton Moore in May 2023. A native of Norfolk, Nebraska, Cpl. Benning enlisted in the Army in April 1917 at the age of 17. After completing basic training, Benning deployed to Europe and "served with distinction with the 16th Infantry Regiment," according to the memo. The Army awarded the Distinguished Service Cross to Benning for "extraordinary heroism in action" during events that took place Oct. 9, 1918, south of Exermont, France. (Benning received his award via U.S. mail, as he declined to have it presented to him with military honors. Officers at Benning's local recruiting office stated that such modesty was emblematic of the spirit of soldiers who have merited such awards, according to a local newspaper clipping from the time). "After the enemy killed his platoon commander and disabled two senior non-commissioned officers, Cpl. Benning took command of the surviving 20 men of his company and courageously led them through heavy fire to their assigned objective in support of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive," the memo reads, adding that Benning "continued his selfless service" after returning home from the war Sept. 3, 1919, and ultimately going on to serve as the mayor of Neligh, Nebraska. Benning died in May 1974. "Cpl. Benning was the living embodiment of the Infantryman's Creed, as he never failed his country's trust and fought to the objective to triumph for his unit and his country," the memo reads, adding that the directive to rename the installation after Benning both "recognizes the heroes who have trained for decades at the installation" and "honors the warfighter ethos." The Columbus, Georgia, Army installation supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, reserve component soldiers, family members, civilian employees and retirees. The installation is home to the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, the United States Army Armor School, the United States Army Infantry School, the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment and multiple other tenant units. This is the second military installation that Hegseth has directed to be restored to its previous surname, albeit honoring separate individuals. On Feb. 11, 2025, Hegseth directed Fort Liberty, North Carolina, to restore its name to Fort Bragg in honor of WWII Army Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, an airborne infantryman who received the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as well as a Purple Heart for wounds sustained during the Battle of the Bulge. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tsahkna: We imposed an entry ban on 55 additional Georgian individuals Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 03.03.2025 Today, on March 3rd, an order signed by Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna came into effect, under which Estonia has imposed an entry ban on 55 Georgian prosecutors, judges, police officers, members of parliament, and other individuals. "We added 55 additional Georgian individuals to the entry ban list," Foreign Minister Tsahkna said. "The list includes judges, prosecutors, police officials and police commissioners, platform creators and members of parliament, who are responsible for the prosecution of protesters by the judicial system and judiciary and law enforcement agencies. The listed Georgian individuals have either taken part in violence or threatened it," Tsahkna said. "The violence used in Georgia against protesters, journalists, and opposition leaders is unacceptable, criminal and in violation of human rights." Latvia and Lithuania joined Estonia in imposing bans. A ban on entering Estonia has been imposed for a total of 83 Georgian individuals. The list of individuals is available here: https://vm.ee/en/list-subjects-sanction-government-republic-ensure-following-human-rights NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement on attacks on the famine-affected Zamzam camp in Darfur Government of Norway News story | Date: 03/03/2025 Statement by Minister of International Development Asmund Aukrust on reports of attacks on the famine-affected Zamzam camp in Darfur. The attacks on the famine-affected Zamzam camp must stop I am extremely worried about the reports of intensified shelling and violent attacks on the Zamzam camp in Darfur, leading to civilian casualties and cuts in already extremely limited humanitarian assistance. Both MSF and the World Food Programme have been forced to pause their operations in Zamzam last week due to intensified fighting. This leaves the people in this internally displaced camp without any food or medical assistance. I am appalled to learn that the security situation is now so dire that some of the last remaining humanitarian workers have been forced to withdraw. Reports that civilians are impeded from fleeing the camp to seek security and assistance elsewhere are shocking and unacceptable. I must again remind the parties that there are rules in war, which apply always and everywhere. We welcome the recent decision by the Sudanese Armed Forces to maintain the important Adre border crossing open and reiterate the call to keep all cross-border and crossline routes open for humanitarian assistance. It is also imperative that the UN and other international humanitarian actors are allowed to establish permanent presence in the Darfurs and other parts of Sudan where the humanitarian needs are the direst. We call upon the Rapid Support Forces to guarantee unfettered and secure humanitarian passage to humanitarian convoys and personnel. We call upon the RSF to lift the siege on Al Fasher and Zamzam. Starvation as a method of warfare is illegal according to international humanitarian law. Excessive and lengthy inspections and restrictions on travel and work permits are severely hampering humanitarian assistance and must stop. The parties to the conflict bear a clear responsibility for the dire humanitarian situation in Zamzam and have the power to improve the lives of the civilian population trapped in the camp. The Zamzam camp for internally displaced people has provided shelter for more than half a million Sudanese civilians that had fled their homes due to the conflict. The humanitarian situation in the camp has long been a cause for concern, with famine conditions confirmed in August last year. It has proven consistently difficult to get food aid and other necessities into the Zamzam camp and surrounding areas in the quantities needed to avoid famine. In December, it was confirmed that famine persists in Zamzam and has spread to new areas. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas says Israel seeks to resume invasion of Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- A senior Hamas leader has said that the Israeli regime is violating the ceasefire agreement in a systematic way and is seeking to renew its invasion against the Gaza Strip. The Israeli cabinet has been seeking the defeat of the agreement, taking different measures in this regard, Osama Hamdan was cited as saying by Palestine's Shahab news agency on Monday. He referred to Israel's blocking of 50 fuel trucks into Gaza everyday and the entry of construction materials for reconstruction of hospitals which he said runs counter to the agreement. Hamdan said that only 15 prefabricated houses out of the 65,000 agreed ones have entered the enclave and 116 Palestinians were killed while the first phase of the ceasefire agreement was in place. He also referred to 210 cases of Israeli violation of Gaza's air space in recent days, criticizing the regime for preventing the return of Palestinian refugees to their hometowns. The Hamas official called for international pressure on Israel for entering into the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, noting that an immediate beginning of this phase is the only way for Israel to secure the release of its prisoners. The first phase of the agreement, which lasted for 42 days, came to an end on Saturday. While Israel has called for the extension of this phase, Hamas insists on switching to the second phase which would be the real end of the war. 9341**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey, Pakistan condemn Israel for blocking Gaza aid IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 Turkey and Pakistan have joined an international chorus of criticism of an Israeli decision to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, with both countries saying that the decision constitutes a "blatant violation of international law." Pakistan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Monday, condemning the Israeli decision "in the strongest possible terms." "This latest action is part of Israel's systematic campaign to deny much needed humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinians in dire need. This constitutes yet another blatant violation of international law by the occupying power, and could imperil the ceasefire agreement," said the statement released on the official website of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry. "We call on the international community to ensure unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, and to hold Israel accountable for imposition of collective punishment through denial of humanitarian aid to millions of civilians," the statement further said. In a statement also issued on Monday, Turkey's Foreign Ministry condemned Israel for denying the Palestinian people access to essential supplies, saying that the measure constitutes "a blatant violation of international law", Anadolu news agency reported. Tel Aviv's decision, intends to "collectively punish" the Palestinians, and also undermines efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the ministry further said in its statement. It called on the international community to take swift action to guarantee the "unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid" to Gaza and ensure that Israel fulfills its obligations, the statement added. Israel blocked the entry of goods and supplies to war-ravaged Gaza on Sunday, a day after the first phase of a ceasefire deal with Hamas expired. The regime said it did so because Hamas had refused to accept a U.S. proposal that called for the extension of the first phase and the release of the Israeli prisoners still held in Gaza, without talks being held on the second phase. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also rejected Hamas' proposal for a permanent ceasefire as "totally unacceptable" and threatened the resistance movement with additional measures if it continues to refuse the U.S. proposal. Hamas has said Israel's blocking aid into Gaza is "cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack on the ceasefire agreement." The movement has also said it wants the agreement to be implemented in all its stages. Several Arab countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kuwait also condemned Israel for suspending aid into Gaza which already faces a dire humanitarian situation because of the regime's genocidal war that was paused on January 19 when the ceasefire took effect. 4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Arab states rebuke Israeli regime for halting aid to Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 Several Arab governments in the West Asia region have categorically condemned the Israeli regime for blocking the entry of international humanitarian aid into the besieged territory. They say that this action is intended to pressure the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, into accepting a proposal made by the United States to extend the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which expired on Saturday. The Qatari Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that Doha rejects "using food as a weapon of war and the deliberate starvation of civilians." Qatar condemned the Israeli regime's decision to halt the entry of humanitarian aid, considering this move "a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement, international humanitarian law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and all religious principles." Jordan's Foreign Ministry said that Israel's actions violate the ceasefire agreement, "posing a serious risk of renewed escalation" in Gaza. Jordan also labeled the halt of aid as "a blatant violation of international law, humanitarian law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949." Egypt and Saudi Arabia similarly condemned Israel for cutting off the entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip following the expiration of the first phase of a ceasefire deal with Hamas. A statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry, cited by the official Saudi Press Agency, said that the Israeli decision "to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and its use as a tool of blackmail and collective punishment... is a flagrant violation of international law and a direct violation of the rules of international humanitarian law." Saudi Arabia also urged the international community to "stop these serious Israeli violations." Egypt's Foreign Ministry stressed that there is no justification for using the starvation of innocent civilians and the imposition of a siege as weapons against the Palestinian people, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. Kuwait's Foreign Ministry also said that the Israeli regime's decision represents a blatant violation of international law and is contrary to the principles of humanitarian law, reflecting a disregard for the consequences of the brutal war against Gaza, according to Al-Khaleej online. The Israeli regime's 15th war in Gaza resulted in the death of at least 48,388 Palestinians and left 111,803 others injured throughout more than 15 months of conflict. 4208**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas to Israel: No renegotiation, implement the ceasefire deal as signed IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has once again firmly rejected the idea of extending the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement with Israel instead of proceeding with the already agreed-upon phased deal. "We will not accept an extension of the first phase and insist on implementing the agreement in all its stages as it was signed," Senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mardawi said on Sunday, according to Resistance News Network. Mardawi asserted that the Israeli regime will only retrieve its prisoners through a prisoner exchange deal. He said Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is delusional if he thinks he can achieve through an "starvation war" what he failed to accomplish on the battlefield. On Sunday, Israel announced that it was halting the delivery of much-needed humanitarian supplies into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, after the first phase of the ceasefire came to an end a day earlier. Hamas slammed the move as a "cheap blackmail, a war crime and a coup" against the ceasefire agreement. Netanyahu's office said earlier that it had accepted a plan by U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, for extending the first phase of the truce for the Ramadan and Passover periods. Mardawi also insisted that there is no room for "renegotiation," urging the mediators to compel the Israeli regime to implement the agreement's terms as signed. Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for Hamas, said on Sunday night that the movement is in continuous contact with the mediating parties to ensure and implement the remaining stages of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas and Israel announced the three-phase ceasefire deal on January 15, following U.N.-endorsed indirect negotiations between the two sides. The ceasefire took effect four days later. The Palestinian resistance movement has repeatedly said that it remains committed to the negotiations for the second phase of the deal, asserting that Israel has "no choice" but to engage in the talks. 4354**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu rejects Hamas's proposal for permanent Gaza ceasefire IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Hamas' proposal for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, threatening the Palestinian resistance movement with additional measures if it refuses to release the remaining Israeli prisoners. In a recorded speech released by his office, Netanyahu rejected as "totally unacceptable" the permanent ceasefire in the besieged territory, Al Jazeera reported on Monday. "We will take further steps if Hamas continues to hold our hostages," he warned, adding that Israel had accepted a framework put forward by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, which would allow the release of Israeli prisoners and extend the temporary ceasefire for 50 days. "Again, Israel has accepted this plan. I accepted this plan. But so far, Hamas has rejected it," Netanyahu claimed. Israel accepted the plan instead of entering talks on the second phase of the ceasefire deal with Hamas, which took effect on January 19. On Sunday, the regime cut off the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza, a day after the first phase of the deal expired. Also in his recorded speech, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him "the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House." He particularly thanked Trump for supplying munitions held up by the previous administration, which Netanyahu said would help the regime "finish the mission" against the axis of resistance. Netanyahu also once again backed Trump's displacement plan for Gaza, an issue that sparked global condemnations. During the first phase of the ceasefire deal, Hamas handed over 33 prisoners alive and the bodies of 8 others, while Israel, in response, released more than 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has said that it would not accept the U.S. plan, and wants the ceasefire to be implemented in its all phases, which include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a complete halt to the war. The movement has also described Israel's move to block entry of supplies to Gaza as "a war crime." The Israeli premier has issued numerous threats in the past weeks, warning that his forces may resume war and that the "door of hell" will open again in Gaza. He also openly admitted the use of starvation as a tool against Hamas, saying: "I want to make one thing clear: There will be no free meals." 4399**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Baiba Braze in a meeting with the U.S. Air War College delegation: Latvia-U.S. military cooperation in the air, at sea and on the land is vital for Euro-Atlantic security Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 03.03.2025 On 3 March 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braze, met with a delegation from the United States Air War College. The meeting addressed cooperation with the U.S., the security situation in the region, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and the NATO presence in the Baltic region. Foreign Minister Baiba Braze welcomed the close bilateral relations between Latvia and the U.S. and the transatlantic partnership, stressing that the U.S. military presence in the region is important for deterrence and stability. "Latvia and the U.S. are reliable Allies, and an excellent in-depth cooperation has been established between our armed forces at all levels. Our armed forces take part in military operations side by side, participate regularly in joint exercises, sharing experience and knowledge. Military cooperation between Latvia and the U.S. in the air, at sea and on the ground is vital for Euro-Atlantic security," the Minister said. We are thankful for the U.S. contribution to the safety of the eastern flank, including the presence of U.S. troops, which is essential for effective deterrence and defence. In the conversation, the Foreign Minister stressed the need for transatlantic partners to join efforts to constrain Russia's aggression in Ukraine, including the prevention of circumvention of sanctions, and to continue active provision of military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine. The Minister also underlined that defence cooperation between Latvia and the U.S. covers not only joint military exercises and infrastructure development, but also cooperation in innovation, cyber security and air defence, which are essential elements of NATO collective security. Latvia support the US concept of "peace through strength" with regard to a possible peace agreement in order to stop Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Europe should assume greater responsibility for its security, with countries investing 3-3.5 per cent of GDP in defence since that would ensure both the capabilities of the NATO Alliance and the security of European countries themselves as well as ability to help Ukraine stand up to the Russian Federation. It is critical for every step we take in the EU-NATO format to send a clear message of unity, and for us all to share an understanding: Russia is our common enemy. We must do concrete homework together. We have signed a bilateral agreement with Ukraine on long-term support and security commitments, including a pledge of military support at 0.25% of GDP and EUR 15 million towards reconstruction over the next two years, as well as taking other initiatives - work in the Latvian-led Coalition of Drones, supply of military equipment and weapons, and training of soldiers. We worked with 40 countries to set up a Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. Along with all other NB8 countries, we are the second largest provider of military support to Ukraine. The Latvian government is already moving towards the target of investing 5% of GDP in security in the coming years. A delegation from the U.S. Air War College is doing a regional training trip in the Baltic States from February 28 to March 3 to gain deeper insights into security issues and strengthen cooperation with NATO allies. The Air War College (AWC) was established by the U.S. War Department in 1946 at Maxwell Field, Alabama - now Maxwell Air Force Base. The student body includes officers from all branches of the U.S. military, civilian employees of federal government agencies, and officers from international allies and partner nations. They acquire subject matters such as national security strategy and military strategy, global security and strategic leadership. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lithuania adds 74 more Georgian officials to national blacklist Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2025-03-03 Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have expanded the list of persons banned from entering their territory. Another 74 Georgian officials responsible for blatant and systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms and repression of the Georgian people are subject to a travel ban, which prevents them from entering Lithuania. The newly blacklisted officials include seven judges of the Constitutional Court of Georgia, as well as a large number of Georgian judges, prosecutors, and police officers, including those who testified falsely against journalist Mzia Amaglobeli and contributed to her illegal detention. Amaglobeli went on a 38-day hunger strike to protest against the misconduct of the authorities, and her life was in danger. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia express their strong support to the people of Georgia, who have been protesting for more than 100 days against the systemic actions of the ruling Georgian Dream party, which grossly violate the country's Constitution, civil and political rights, and international obligations. On 28 November 2024, representatives of the Georgian Dream announced the suspension of the country's EU integration and launched a wide-ranging crackdown on protesters, independent media, and civil society. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Secretary General attends London Security Summit NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 02 Mar. 2025 Last updated: 03 Mar. 2025 On Sunday (2 March 2025) NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte attended the Securing Our Future Summit in London, United Kingdom. Heading into the meeting, the Secretary General stressed the three key points: Support Ukraine today. All in Europe will need to give more. We all want a peace deal, and it has to last. Europe is really stepping up here. To keep NATO strong, Europe will increase defence spending. Following what he described as 'a very good meeting', the Secretary General pointed to announcements from Finland and the United Kingdom, as the latest examples of Europe stepping up. He recognised the importance of the initiative taken by the United Kingdom and France to support a lasting peace deal, with others wanting to help out. And he praised efforts in both Europe and Canada to increase investment in defence, as necessary for security, and as a move to strike a fair balance with the US in terms of defence spending. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DRC: M23 attacks on hospitals gravely concerning Press releases Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Comment by UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani after patients abducted from hospitals in DRC 03 March 2025 GENEVA - We are gravely concerned for the safety and wellbeing of at least 130 sick and wounded men the M23 rebels abducted last week from two hospitals in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Fighters of the Rwandan-backed group raided CBCA Ndosho Hospital and Heal Africa Hospital in the night of 28 February, taking 116 patients from CBCA Hospital and 15 others from Heal Africa, on allegations of being DRC army soldiers or members of the pro-Government Wazalendo militia. It is deeply distressing that M23 is snatching patients from hospital beds in coordinated raids and holding them incommunicado in undisclosed locations. It must immediately release them and return them to hospital so that they can continue their medical treatment, and take prompt and concrete steps to ensure an end to such arbitrary and abusive raids. Under international humanitarian law, which must be respected by all parties in the ongoing conflict, the wounded and sick must be able to receive the medical care and attention they need. Hospitals must be respected and protected in all circumstances, including by refraining from interference with their functioning. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Condemns Israeli Action to Block Humanitarian Aid from Entering Gaza Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Government of Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms Israeli decision to block critical humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, during the Holy month of Ramadan. This latest action is part of Israel's systematic campaign to deny much needed humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinians in dire need. This constitutes yet another blatant violation of international law by the occupying power, and could imperil the ceasefire agreement. We call on the international community to ensure unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, and to hold Israel accountable for imposition of collective punishment through denial of humanitarian aid to millions of civilians. We also reiterate our call for the full implementation of the agreement to secure a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza as well as the revival of a political process to achieve the two-state solution, with a viable, sovereign State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Islamabad 3 March 2025 73/2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Claim on Palawan as part of Chinese territory a propaganda -AFP spox Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno March 3, 2025, 5:13 pm MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday dismissed as "propaganda" Chinese social media reports claiming that Palawan province was once part of China. "It's very well known that they really come out with a lot of propaganda materials," AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in an interview with ANC. Posts emerged on Chinese social media platforms claiming that Palawan was Zheng He island, named after a Chinese explorer. Although the platforms are not official government channels, social media in China is controlled and closely monitored. Palawan lies outside the so-called nine-dash line that China used on its maps to claim a vast, resource-rich area in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines and China have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, including several features near Palawan. Padilla urged the public to help in safeguarding the country's territory by stopping the spread of fake news, misinformation and disinformation. "And help us to put the right narrative out there with the international ruling favoring the Philippines, there is a very great online presence of the Filipinos, and we can leverage on that to help each other out and spread the right narrative out there and for the whole world to know," she added. "With us, we know that for a fact, international laws are behind the Philippines," Padilla said, citing the arbitral ruling that invalidated China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China's claim of historic rights to resources within its so-called nine-dash line had no basis in law. Padilla said the AFP would continue to "uphold this and guard our sovereignty and our sovereign rights as well." (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PH, allies enhance defense capabilities in high-level meeting Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno March 3, 2025, 10:57 am MANILA -- The Philippine Army's officials met with representatives from Australia, Japan and the United States over the weekend to discuss reinforcing collective defense capabilities in the Indo-Pacific Region. In a statement Monday, Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said the high-level meeting at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on March 1 and 2 were attended Brig. Gen. Dean Thompson (G-3, Australian Army), Maj. Gen. Scott Winter (G-5, US Army Pacific), Col. Christopher Winn (G-5, US Marine Corps Forces in the Pacific), Maj. Gen. Norimichi Shirakawa (G-5, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force), Brig. Gen. Vicente Map Blanco III (Deputy Commandant, Philippine Marine Corps), and Philippine Army vice-commander Maj. Gen. Leodevic Guinid. Dema-ala said the meeting focused on enhancing interoperability and aligning military exercises among regional partners and allies. "Discussions emphasized the importance of information sharing and mutual trust, recognizing these as key pillars for effective multilateral cooperation," he added. The nations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional security and advancing operational synergy across their land forces. "As part of the ongoing commitment to regional security collaboration, the next CORE 4 engagement will take place in May 2025 in Hawaii during Land Forces Pacific," Dema-ala said. He added this forum would provide another opportunity for participating nations to advance strategic initiatives and further strengthen military partnerships in the region. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas: Second phase of Gaza ceasefire 'sole way' to free Israeli captives Iran Press TV Monday, 03 March 2025 6:41 PM A senior Hamas official has censured Israel for seeking to resume aggression against Gaza and evade the ceasefire deal, saying the only way to secure the release of Israeli captives is to start phase two of the truce agreement. "We affirm that the only way to release the prisoners of the occupation is to adhere to the agreement and to immediately enter negotiations to start the second phase, with the occupation committing to fulfilling its obligations," Osama Hamdan said on Monday. "The occupation is pushing to return matters to square one and to overturn the agreement, through alternatives it proposes such as extending the first phase, or creating an intermediate phase." Hamdan said Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his regime "bear full responsibility for obstructing the agreement." The official said there were "blatant attempts by the occupation to evade the agreement." "Despite the ceasefire deal, the Netanyahu occupying regime seeks to resume aggression against our people," he said. He condemned Israeli violations during phase one, which include 210 aerial breaches, preventing the displaced from returning, killing 116 Palestinians, delays in prisoner releases, and blocking trade and humanitarian aid. Israel blocked entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza after the first phase of the ceasefire deal ended with no agreement on a second phase. Dozens of trucks carrying aid for the Palestinians remain stranded at the Rafah border in Egypt after Israel blocked entry into Gaza. The Israeli regime has routinely and repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement, including through blocking the entry of tents, mobile homes and items of necessity. "The occupation violated the agreement by not allowing the entry of 50 fuel trucks per day," Hamdan said. "The occupying regime has only allowed the entry of 15 mobile homes out of the agreed 65,000." "The regime has blocked the entry of construction and finishing materials needed to rebuild hospitals." Hamdan reaffirmed Hamas' commitment to the implementation of the second phase. The Hamas official also said the unconditional support by the United States for the Israeli regime threatens regional peace and global security. "International security and stability are now threatened in light of the absolute American support for the occupying entity, and the international silence regarding the occupation's aggression, which threatens to resume its genocidal war against our people." Elsewhere in his remarks, Hamdan called on the international community to pressure Israel into allowing vital aid into Gaza. The initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire ended without progress, despite negotiations in Cairo. The ceasefire includes three six-week phases aimed at aiding humanitarian efforts, releasing captives, and withdrawal of Israeli troops. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Greater Jerusalem project': Palestine warns of Israel's annexation plot in occupied West Bank Iran Press TV Monday, 03 March 2025 10:39 AM The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has warned that the occupying Israeli regime is attempting to further advance its annexation plots in the West Bank, and expropriate vast swathes of land in the occupied territory. The ministry, in a statement released on Sunday evening, censured deliberations by Israel's so-called Ministerial Committee for Legislation concerning land grab in the West Bank under the so-called "Greater Jerusalem" project, and its intention to present the plan for approval to the Knesset (Israeli Parliament). The ministry described the move as a major crime aimed at advancing the Tel Aviv regime's policy of annexation, forced displacement of Palestinian residents, and destruction of the essential foundations of life in the occupied West Bank, thus undermining any prospects for the establishment of an independent sovereign Palestinian state. The ministry called for serious international action to prevent the implementation of this plan, warning of its devastating impact on any chances of resolving the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict through peaceful means. According to US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, citing an official in Washington, Israel will soon officially annex the West Bank, which was illegally occupied in 1967. This came after Israel's far-right hawkish minister Bezalel Smotrich recently called for the full annexation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Smotrich, who has a history of making outrage-inciting comments and provoking Palestinians, repeated his proposal of expanding Israeli settlements within the West Bank and other occupied territories. Mahmoud Mardawi, a senior official with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, has warned of Israel's plans to annex the West Bank and drive Palestinians out of their villages. Israel has ramped up its aggression against Palestinians across the West Bank since October 7 last year, when it launched a genocidal war against the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and thousands of others injured by Israeli settlers or troops across the occupied territory since the onset of the war. More than 700,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds. The international community views the settlements as illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions due to their construction on the occupied territories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel's large-scale onslaught on Tulkarm, its refugee camps rages as more Palestinians uprooted in West Bank Iran Press TV Monday, 03 March 2025 9:38 AM The Israeli military is pressing ahead with its intensified acts of aggression and destruction across the occupied West Bank, causing several injuries and forcing numerous Palestinians out of their homes. Reports coming out of the occupied Palestinian territory pointed to continuation of the indiscriminate assaults across many cities and towns, including the northern cities of Jenin and Tulkarm, and the central city of Salfit's vicinity. The reports came amid warnings by various Palestinian and international groups and personalities about the regime's intentions to annex the territory and turn it into another Gaza Strip, where more than 15 months of a genocidal Israeli war claimed the lives of over 48,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Reports said Israeli occupation troopers deployed after midnight additional military reinforcements to Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps. Troops fired live ammunition intensively, while explosions were heard in the Jabal al-Nasr area of Nur Shams camp. According to the official Palestinian Wafa news agency, the regime forces seized residential buildings, particularly those facing Tulkarm camp, converting them into military outposts while deploying military vehicles and bulldozers in the area. The Israeli siege on Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps remains in place, with Israeli forces enforcing a complete lockdown. The most recent bouts of Israeli aggression saw a three-month-old infant suffocate from tear gas fired by Israeli forces at the entrance of the Jenin refugee camp in the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that its medical teams had transported the victim to the hospital after she was exposed to the toxic materials. The Israeli regime has continued its military onslaught on Jenin and its refugee camp for the 41st consecutive day, resulting in the killing of 27 Palestinians, along with dozens of injuries and detentions. The ongoing aggression has also led to the forced displacement of residents and widespread destruction of infrastructure and homes, with around 120 houses completely destroyed and dozens more partially damaged. In the town of Biddya, west of the city of Salfit in the central West Bank, a 16-year-old Palestinian teenager was injured during an Israeli military raid. Israeli forces stormed the town, firing live ammunition and stun grenades, resulting in the teenager being shot in the hand. The occupation forces also fired live rounds indiscriminately at shops and passersby before detaining a young man whose identity has not yet been confirmed yet. Reports coming out of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarm, meanwhile, indicated escalation of Israeli military aggression. For over a month, the city and its adjacent refugee camps have been subjected to relentless Israeli military aggression and siege. The offensive has led to extensive destruction, forced displacement, and a severe humanitarian crisis. Israeli forces have deployed additional military reinforcements, patrolling streets and neighborhoods, while firing live ammunition at onlookers. Explosions have been reported in the Jabal al-Nasr area of the Nur Shams camp, which is located to the east of Tulkarm. Residential buildings, particularly those facing the Tulkarm camp in the city, have been seized and converted into military outposts. Military vehicles and bulldozers have restricted vehicle movement, subjecting passengers to searches, abuse, and detentions. The siege has resulted in a complete lockdown, with Israeli forces enforcing a total restriction on entry and exit. Infantry units have been positioned throughout the camps, conducting raids on homes, ransacking contents, and subjecting residents to interrogations. Entire families have been forcibly displaced as troops unleash live ammunition and stun grenades in, what has been denounced by human rights activists as, a calculated campaign of intimidation and terror. Israeli bulldozers have also continued demolishing homes at the Nur Shams camp, enforcing prior demolition notices against 11 houses under the pretext of constructing a new road out of the camp's square. The homes belong to several Palestinian families in the camp. According to the Popular Committee of the Nur Shams camp, approximately 9,000 residents out of the camp's 13,500-strong population have been displaced. Most of the evacuated neighborhoods and the camp's center are now largely empty, with displaced individuals seeking shelter in emergency centers, relatives' homes in the city, and surrounding villages. The Israeli occupation regime's measures have also caused widespread destruction of infrastructure, affecting electricity, water, sewage, and communication networks. The ongoing Israeli operations have led to a severe humanitarian crisis throughout the occupied territory, with tens of thousands of Palestinians displaced due to destruction of their homes, roads, and infrastructure. The United Nations estimates that around 37,000 Palestinians have been forced to flee, often seeking shelter in university dorms or makeshift accommodations, with limited aid available due to financial constraints faced by UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees. Observers have compared the situation to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the regime's heavily-Western-backed war of 1948 against regional territories, which led to the West Bank's and other huge swathes of regional lands' occupation. The developments have also been condemned as war crimes due to the forced population exodus. Earlier this week, the Gaza Strip-based resistance movement Hamas said the regime had once again committed war crimes with its demolition of homes of Palestinians on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan at the Nur Shams camp. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Arab countries condemn Israel's decision to block aid into Gaza amid humanitarian crisis Iran Press TV Monday, 03 March 2025 7:16 AM Arab states have strongly condemned Israel's decision to halt the entry of all humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement and international law. "The Kingdom condemns and denounces the decision by the Israeli occupation regime to halt humanitarian aid to Gaza, using it as a tool of blackmail and collective punishment," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. The statement emphasized that the decision constitutes a "flagrant violation of international law and a direct assault on the principles of international humanitarian law amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis faced by the Palestinian people." Egypt also censured Israel's blocking of the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza as a "flagrant violation" of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it "strongly condemns Israel's decision to block humanitarian aid and close crossings used for relief efforts." The ministry asserted that "these actions blatantly violate the ceasefire agreement, international humanitarian law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and all religious principles." The Fourth Geneva Convention, adopted in 1949 in the aftermath of World War II, is centered on affording protection to civilians, including in occupied territories. Egypt stressed that "there is no justification, condition, or rationale that permits the use of starvation and siege as a weapon against innocent civilians, particularly during [the Muslim fasting month of] Ramadan." Cairo urged the international community to "fulfill its responsibilities to end all unlawful and inhumane practices targeting civilians and to condemn attempts to use innocent lives for political leverage." Additionally, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry also issued a strong condemnation of Israel's decision to cut off aid into Gaza, terming it a "blatant breach of international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians during war." The ministry's spokesperson Sufyan Qudah said, "The Israeli regime's decision represents a grave violation of the ceasefire agreement and risks reigniting the conflict in Gaza." Qudah emphasized that "Israel must end its use of starvation as a weapon against Palestinians and innocent civilians, especially during the holy month of Ramadan." He urged the international community to "uphold its legal and moral responsibilities by compelling Israel to abide by the ceasefire agreement, implement all its phases, and reopen crossings to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid across Gaza, which is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis." The Qatari Foreign Ministry also reaffirmed its "categorical rejection of Israel's use of food as a weapon of war in Gaza and the starvation of civilians." Qatar called on the international community to pressure Israel into ensuring the safe, sustainable and unobstructed entry of aid into all parts of Gaza. Hamas, in response to the aid suspension, called the move "cheap blackmail, a war crime, and a blatant coup against the ceasefire agreement." The Palestinian resistance group urged mediators and the international community to "pressure the (Israeli) occupation and stop its punitive and immoral actions against more than 2 million people in Gaza." Israel's decision to halt the entry of aid shipments came hours after the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and captives-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel expired, and Israel's obstruction of negotiations for the second phase. Earlier, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that "as of this [Sunday] morning, the entry of all goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip will be halted." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen warns Israel, US: We are watching Gaza; enemies 'lined up in the crosshairs' Iran Press TV Monday, 03 March 2025 6:05 AM Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement has issued a stern warning against further United States-backed Israeli military aggression against the Gaza Strip, pledging the Arab Peninsula country's readiness to escalate actions against US interests in the region. Hazem al-Asad, a member of Ansarullah's Political Bureau, asserted that the movement was "prepared to engage in a comprehensive war targeting US interests in the region" if the aggression persisted. He cautioned the United States against supporting or protecting the regime in its assaults on Gaza or any aggression towards Yemen. Echoing the stance, Nasr al-Din Amir, another high-ranking Ansarullah official, has said, "Eyes are watching Gaza, and fingers are on the trigger." He emphasized that the Yemeni Armed Forces' missiles, drones, and all military units were in full readiness, asserting, "We have proven ourselves in previous tests." Amir was referring to unrelenting strikes by the forces against sensitive Israeli and American targets across the West Asia region as well as Israeli ships or the vessels taking supplies to the occupied Palestinian territories following the onset of the Israeli regime's war of genocide against Gaza in October 2023. Responding to the operations, the US, the UK, and the regime have brought Yemen, including its lifeline western port city of al-Hudaydah as well as its civilian and defensive infrastructure elsewhere, under deadly attacks. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has affirmed that his regime would continue to attack Yemen, citing the threat it poses to Tel Aviv's maritime supply sources. He has also emphasized cooperation with the United States, assuring that the regime would act with "strength, determination, and sophistication" against the already impoverished nation. Yemen, however, dialed down its strikes after conclusion of a ceasefire agreement expected to end the Israeli war, which took effect in January. The regime, though, has been routinely violating the deal, killing more Palestinians in addition to the over 48,000 ones that it has slain throughout the war, most of whom being women and children. Reacting to the contraventions, Ansarullah's leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi also recently warned that if the atrocities continued, "all occupied territories will come under fire," including the regime's economic hub of Tel Aviv. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thailand considers building a wall on its border with Cambodia A border barrier may help keep out scam center gangsters, a government spokesman said. By Pimuk Rakkanam 2025.03.03 BANGKOK -- Thailand is considering building a wall on part of its border with Cambodia to tackle illegal crossings, particularly by gangsters involved in online scam centers and drug smugglers, a government spokesman said on Monday. There was no immediate comment from Cambodia on the proposal but the neighbors have a long-standing and bitter dispute over part of their 817 kilometer (507 miles) land border, and another dispute over their maritime border that has stymied the exploitation of offshore gas reserves. "The prime minister directed the cabinet and relevant agencies to further study the idea of erecting a wall between Thailand and Cambodia to prevent illegal crossings and travels of call-center gangsters as well as the drugs and contraband trades," Thai government spokesman Jirayu Huangsab told reporters. Thailand, at China's urging, has been cracking down on call centers over its border in eastern Myanmar, which researchers say are responsible for extensive financial fraud around the world and for trafficking in people to work in the centers. Cambodia is also home to call-center operations, including in its western border town of Poipet and the southern seaside town of Sihanoukville. Jirayu mentioned the possibility of putting up a wall in the area opposite Poipet. He said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra floated the idea of a wall amid reports that scammers from Myanmar were migrating to Poipet, and Thailand planned to discuss the idea with Cambodian authorities. "The foreign ministry and the defense ministry shall coordinate with other relevant agencies and talk with Cambodia on how to make it, if we would, and what the result will be - will it solve problems?" Chinese pressure on its Southeast Asian neighbors to tackle the scam centers has also led to Cambodian action. Over the weekend, Cambodia repatriated 119 Thai nationals following raids in Poi Pet. Hun Sen, Cambodia's powerful former prime minister, complained that Cambodia was not getting the credit it deserved for its action against the scam centers. "Countries on the border with Thailand, including Cambodia, have also tried to suppress the same thing," Hun Sen said in a post on Facebook on Saturday. "Sadly, Thailand's success is considered by some journalists and politicians as a failure of neighboring Cambodia," he said. "The crime story is not over, it continues to be scandalous, which requires intergovernmental cooperation to be done effectively." Edited by Mike Firn Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Will The U.S. Leave NATO? Officials Push Back Against Rising Doubts By Rikard Jozwiak March 03, 2025 We've been here before -- declaring NATO dead or dying. Recently, U.S. Republican Senator Mike Lee posted on X, saying: "It's time to leave NATO and the UN." Elon Musk, the world's richest man and a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, responded simply: "I agree." While officials in Brussels and elsewhere note that Musk often shares political opinions on his platform, X, without necessarily shaping U.S. policy, some observers acknowledge his access to Trump and his informal influence in certain conservative circles in Washington, D.C. Still, NATO officials at their Brussels headquarters have remained surprisingly calm so far. Their answer to whether the alliance's demise is imminent is still a resounding "No" for two reasons: the gap between rhetoric and action; and the difference between NATO allies and NATO aspirants - notably Ukraine. U.S. Wants Greater Defense Spending Take the first reason. As recently as last week, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to NATO's mutual defense clause, Article 5, in remarks alongside U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. That stance was reiterated multiple times -- both publicly and privately -- by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels in February. While he firmly insisted that European allies must significantly increase their defense spending, everyone I spoke to described the discussions as constructive. "He never left the room, listened, asked questions, and took notes -- not the behavior of an ally about to quit," one NATO ambassador told me. And in that vein, NATO diplomats continue to navigate the constant speculation. "We need to decipher what it all means, said one senior official. "But we've also learned that we should ignore the noise and look at actions. It's a sort of 'strategic patience' we must practice." Ukraine's Uncertain NATO Path Ukraine, however, is a different matter. "The Ukraine track has changed, but not the NATO track. They've been pretty tough on Ukraine but remain committed to NATO," one alliance ambassador observed. The shift in tone toward Volodymyr Zelenskyy is one clear example, but Britain's new role in coordinating arms deliveries to Ukraine is another indicator. It's also evident that Ukraine won't be joining NATO anytime soon -- though, in truth, it was the Biden administration that blocked Kyiv's membership at recent NATO summits, much to the quiet relief of some Western European countries. The new U.S. administration is just more blunt about it. What countries on NATO's eastern flank are now asking is whether American troops will remain stationed there. For now, the answer is yes, though many acknowledge concerns about an impending review of U.S. troop levels in Europe. But if these countries are attacked by Russia, will U.S. forces come to their aid? The prevailing belief is that they will. but Article 5 of the NATO treaty depends on both allies and adversaries believing it will hold. As one Eastern European official put it: "It's like Schroedinger's cat -- it exists in both states, alive and dead, until the box is opened. In NATO's case, until Article 5 is actually tested, we won't really know." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/nato-future-us-commitment- brussels-ukraine-pushback/33334657.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 The Government of Spain calls for consolidation of ceasefire in Gaza Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs PRESS STATEMENT 024 March 3, 2025 The Government of Spain calls for the consolidation of the ceasefire in Gaza and progress towards a permanent ceasefire. The Government demands the immediate resumption of the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, which is an international obligation, and essential and urgent in view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation. The Government reiterates its strong condemnation of terrorism and demands the release of all Israeli hostages, reiterating its support for the mediation efforts. -NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Call with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson March 3, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi. They discussed the state of the region, including the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the need to secure the release of all hostages, efforts to sustain assistance flows into Gaza, Syria's political future, and the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon. The Secretary also discussed the importance of permanently ending unlawful Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways. The Secretary expressed his thanks for Oman's critical and timely facilitation of the release of the MV Galaxy Leader crew, whom the Houthis had illegally detained for more than a year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address This resolution retains a powerful package of sanctions to further degrade Al-Shabaab: UK statement at the UN Security Council Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, following the vote on the UN Security Council Resolution 2776 on Al-Shabaab Sanctions. 3 March 2025 Location: United Nations, New York Delivered on: 3 March 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) The unanimous adoption of this resolution today sends a clear message: the Council is united in its determination to support Somalia's efforts in the fight against Al-Shabaab. This resolution retains a powerful package of sanctions designed to further degrade Al-Shabaab, disrupt its finances, strengthen international collaboration and support Somalia in building its own capabilities. And it again demonstrates the Council's commitment to continue working with Somalia to ensure that these measures are adjusted progressively and appropriately in response to the evolving security context. This was also the first Council resolution on this regime that we have negotiated with Somalia as a fellow member of the Security Council. We welcome the constructive approach that all Council members took across this negotiation, which enabled us to arrive at this consensus outcome. And we look forward to continuing our close engagement with Somalia, with Council members and with the region across the many vital upcoming Council decisions on Somalia this year. Finally President, the resolution we have adopted today also recognises the particular concern posed by flows of weapons from Yemen to Somalia. Al-Shabaab's links to the Houthis are part of a wider pattern of Houthi destabilising activity beyond Yemen's borders. The 2713 and 2140 sanctions committees should coordinate closely to monitor and counter this trend. And we call on all Council members to work collectively to tackle these links, which represent a significant risk to the stability of Somalia and the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address With stoppage of humanitarian aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip, UNICEF warns of severe consequences for children and families in desperate need UNICEF Ceasefire "a critical lifeline" for children across Gaza 03 March 2025 NEW YORK / AMMAN, 3 March 2025 -- UNICEF is warning that the stoppage of aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip will quickly lead to devastating consequences for children and families across Gaza who are struggling to survive. "The aid restrictions announced yesterday will severely compromise lifesaving operations for civilians," said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. "It is imperative that the ceasefire - a critical lifeline for children - remains in place, and that aid is allowed to flow freely so we can continue to scale up the humanitarian response." During the first phase of the ceasefire, UNICEF and its partners were able to bring in more essential supplies and reach more children in need. Between 19 January and 28 February of this year, nearly 1,000 UNICEF trucks with lifesaving aid crossed into the territory, bringing clean water, medical supplies, vaccines, therapeutic food, and other materials - a more than three-fold increase in delivery of UNICEF supplies over the previous six-week period. Despite the increase in humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, conditions for children remain extremely dire. Seven newborn babies reportedly died from hypothermia over the past week because they lacked access to sufficiently warm clothes and blankets, shelter, or medical care. These preventable deaths are heartbreaking and serve as a stark reminder that more aid is desperately needed. Children and families across Gaza are struggling to survive without enough food, medicine, or shelter. And with 19 out of 35 hospitals only partially functioning, the health system has been stretched far beyond its limits. Since the start of the ceasefire, UNICEF and our partners have been working on the ground to scale up the humanitarian response. This includes: Providing warm clothing to 150,000 children and 245,000 tarpaulins for 70,000 families. Reaching over 25,000 people with essential medical care. Increasing water distribution for nearly 500,000 people daily in more remote areas, and repaired water infrastructure, including critical desalination plants. Treating more than 2,600 children suffering from acute malnutrition. Providing humanitarian cash assistance to over 195,000 people, including at least 100,000 children. In addition, UNICEF and partners concluded a polio vaccination campaign this past week, reaching more than 600,000 children. Similarly, at least 14,000 children have received routine vaccination, preventing the spread of deadly and contagious diseases. "While the ceasefire has allowed us to significantly expand lifesaving aid, the level of devastation in Gaza is beyond catastrophic," said Beigbeder. "The ceasefire must hold, and more aid must be allowed in to prevent further suffering and loss of life." UNICEF urgently calls on the parties to fully respect their obligations under international law - including by taking immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and to facilitate the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through multiple crossings, to release all hostages, and to ultimately reach a permanent ceasefire to allow for the reconstruction and the delivery of critical services to families and children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary-General's message on the launch of the Berlin Initiative: for a Diplomatic Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict United Nations Secretary-General Berlin, Germany 03 March 2025 I commend the launch of The Berlin Initiative and its commitment to a diplomatic resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since the horrific terror attacks by Hamas on October 7, the ensuing Israeli military operations have unleashed an unprecedented level of death and destruction in Gaza. Meanwhile, the deteriorating situation in the West Bank is fueling further instability and suffering. The ceasefire in Gaza must hold and be implemented in full. All hostages must be released immediately, unconditionally, and in a dignified manner. And humanitarian aid must be maintained, funded, protected, and reach people in dire need without restrictions. But beyond ending this terrible war, we must lay the foundations for lasting peace - one that ensures security for Israel, dignity and self-determination for the Palestinian people, and stability for the entire region. That requires a clear political framework for Gaza's recovery and reconstruction. It requires immediate and irreversible steps towards a two-State solution - with Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, unified under a legitimate Palestinian authority, accepted and supported by the Palestinian people. And it requires putting an end to occupation, settlement expansion and threats of annexation. Efforts like The Berlin Initiative help forge a diplomatic path. I urge everyone to seize this moment to build a future where Israel and Palestine live side by side, in peace and security, in line with international law and UN resolutions. It is the only way. *** NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Busan, Republic of Korea US Navy 03 March 2025 From Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan McLearnon BUSAN, Republic of Korea -- USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the flagship of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) One, arrived in the Republic of Korea (ROK) for a scheduled port visit, March 2. The visit to Busan exemplifies the U.S. commitment to the region, further enhancing relationships with ROK leaders and the local population. "An aircraft carrier port visit demonstrates our commitment to the alliance between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea," said Rear Adm. Michael Wosje, commander, CSG-1. "Our alliance remains the linchpin of peace and security in Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula, and we are dedicated to working with our ROK Navy counterparts to ensure stability in the region." For 250 years, the U.S. Navy has forged enduring alliances that are essential to its maritime warfighting capabilities. These partnerships have allowed us to project power, protect sea lanes, and safeguard global security. Additionally, the visit provides the opportunity for strike group Sailors and civilians to rest and recharge while being able to experience the city of Busan. During the port visit, Vinson is scheduled to host ship tours for several U.S. and ROK leaders, conduct multiple key leader engagements ashore, and participate in community relations and sporting events. "We are excited to pay another visit to the Republic of Korea, and we are grateful to the people of Busan for such a warm welcome," said Capt. Matthew Thomas, commanding officer of Vinson. "Our Sailors look forward to participating in professional engagements and community service projects while meeting and engaging with the local community of South Korea." Prior to their Busan port call, CSG-1 participated in Pacific Steller 2025, a multi-large deck event in the Philippine Sea. The exercise provided the strike group the opportunity to work and train alongside allies and partners to include the French Carrier Strike Group and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, fostering the alliance and maritime security in support of a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. CSG-1 consists of Vinson, embarked staffs of CSG-1 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) One, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59), and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110). CVW-2 is composed of nine squadrons flying the F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey and MH-60R/S Seahawks. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ROK, USFK, CNFK Embark USS Carl Vinson, Exploring Operations and Capabilities US Navy 03 March 2025 From Ensign Rachael Jones The Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), flag ship for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, hosted Republic of Korea (ROK), U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Korea (CNFK) for a day-long embark to explore aircraft carrier operations and power projection capabilities, March 1. Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, Commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, ROK Navy Rear Adm. Kim Jihoon, Deputy Commander of Republic of Korea Fleet, and other guests, met with Rear Adm. Michael Wosje, commander, CSG-1, spoke to subject matter experts about carrier operations on the bridge and observed flight operations from the flight deck. General Brunson emphasized the carrier strike group's capabilities and shared his thoughts on the critical role these forces play in maintaining regional security and a free and open Indo-Pacific. He also emphasized how they directly support USFK's mission in the region. "The Carl Vinson's carrier strike group operations demonstrate our commitment to bolster the defense of allies and partners and strengthen our ability to 'fight tonight and win.' This visit, especially when coupled with realistic all domain, joint and combined training, increases interoperability and ensures we build the readiness posture to deter aggression and maintain stability in the Republic of Korea and the region," Brunson said. "The Carl Vinson's presence here not only underscores the importance of both the maritime and air domains but also reaffirms our commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific by integrating these unique capabilities into our comprehensive all-domain approach." The group observed flight operations and discussed how to enhance capabilities of future combined operations between ROK and U.S. Navy. Rear Adm. Kim's visit aboard Carl Vinson highlighted the partnership and collaboration between the U.S. and ROK and demonstrated the U.S. commitment to security and stability in the region. "Deployment of the carrier strike group to the Korean peninsula is evidence that shows the determined willingness and executive ability for a robust combined defense posture of the Republic of Korea," said Rear Adm. Kim. USFK's mission is to deter aggression, and if necessary, defend the ROK to maintain stability in Northeast Asia. "Bringing senior U.S. and ROK leadership out to Vinson is an opportunity to showcase the strength, capability and lethality of a carrier strike group," said Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski, commander, CNFK. "This visit reinforces our ironclad commitment to the ROK-U.S. alliance, supporting stability and security in the region." CNFK is the U.S. Navy's representative in the ROK. It provides leadership and expertise in naval matters that support the mission of USFK. CNFK works closely with the ROK Navy to improve institutional and operational effectiveness and to strengthen collective security efforts in the Korean Theater. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group consists of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked staffs of Carrier Strike Group ONE and Destroyer Squadron ONE, Carrier Air Wing Two, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110). Carrier Air Wing Two is composed of nine squadrons flying the F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey and MH-60R/S Seahawks. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Undersea Warriors: NATO Demonstrates Deep Collaboration in Anti-Submarine Warfare During Exercise Dynamic Manta 25 US Navy 03 March 2025 From Allied Maritime Command CATANIA, Italy -- Six Allied submarines are planning to taking part in NATO's most advanced submarine warfare exercise off the coast of Italy between 28 February and 14 March 25. Exercise Dynamic Manta 25 brings surface ships, submarines, aircraft and thousands of personnel together in the Mediterranean Sea, where they will train, demonstrate and refine Allied capabilities in this particularly demanding type of warfare. Dynamic Manta builds on the success of previous iterations, incorporating new tactics, technologies and operational insights, ensuring NATO's forces remain at the forefront of undersea warfare. The exercise prepares NATO submarine crews to respond and adapt to any type of threat below the surface. Hosted by Italy, the exercise was planned by NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) based in Northwood, UK. Commander Submarines NATO, US Navy Rear Admiral Bret Grabbe, said this is the largest and most complex submarine exercise to take place in the Mediterranean Sea. "Exercises like Dynamic Manta help NATO maintain the edge when it comes to anti-submarine warfare," he said. "By practising coordinated operations against both conventional and advanced undersea threats, NATO continues to demonstrate its commitment to safeguarding the strategic waterways that connect member states." For only the third time since the exercise began in 2013, submarine assets will also work with Allied maritime Special Operations Forces (SOF), consolidating interoperability with this critical asset. The capability of Allied SOF teams to cooperate with Allied submarines from different nations represents a force multiplier for NATO. For this iteration of the exercise, a Greek SOF team will make a landing from an Italian submarine to conduct its mission. The aim of Dynamic Manta is to provide all participants with complex and challenging warfare training to enhance interoperability and proficiency in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare skills. Each participating unit will have the opportunity to conduct a variety of submarine warfare operations. The submarines will take turns hunting and being hunted, closely coordinating their efforts with the air and surface participants. The exercise plan to involve units, sailors and airmen from nine NATO nations. The submarines belong to the navies of France, Greece, Italy, Turkiye and the United States, with NATO Submarine Command (COMSUBNATO) exercising operational control on several, as required by the exercise scenario. Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) from Canada, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Turkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States are also planning to take part, alongside Maritime Patrol Helicopters (MPH) from France, Italy and the US, supported by surface ships from Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkiye and the US. Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) is taking part, commanded by Turkish Navy Rear Admiral H. Ilker Avci. As the host nation, Italy is providing support in Catania and Augusta Harbors, the naval helicopter base in Catania, Naval Air Station Sigonella, as well as support from Augusta Naval Base. Representing Italy during the exercise as the host nation guest is Rear Adm. Alberto Tarabotto, Commanding Officer, 4th Naval Division. There are two sister ASW training events as part of NATO's continuous submarine warfare training and cooperation. Exercise Dynamic Mongoose which takes place in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, and Playbook Merlin which takes place in the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea. Dynamic Manta is one of nearly a dozen MARCOM-led maritime exercises held each year in addition to numerous national exercises, which increase readiness in defense of the Alliance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Humanitarians fearful for Gaza as Israel halts aid deliveries By Margaret Besheer March 03, 2025 The U.N. children's agency warned Monday that Israel's decision to stop allowing the entry of all humanitarian aid except water into the Gaza Strip will quickly lead to "devastating consequences for children and families" who are struggling to survive. "The aid restrictions announced yesterday will severely compromise lifesaving operations for civilians," said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. "It is imperative that the ceasefire a critical lifeline for children remains in place, and that aid is allowed to flow freely so we can continue to scale up the humanitarian response." The first phase of the ceasefire expired Saturday, and Israel and U.S.-designated terror group Hamas have been at odds about what the second phase will look like. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said U.S. Middle East envoy Steven Witcoff had proposed extending the ceasefire until April 20 which would encompass both the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday. During that period, Hamas would release half the hostages on the first day and the rest once a deal is reach on a permanent ceasefire. "I accepted this plan. But so far, Hamas has rejected it," Netanyahu said in his video message. He then said his government would stop allowing goods and supplies into Gaza, accusing Hamas of stealing them and preventing Palestinians from accessing them. "It uses these supplies to finance its terror machine, which is aimed directly at Israel and our civilians and this we cannot accept," Netanyahu said in a video statement. "We will take further steps if Hamas continues to hold our hostages. And throughout this, Israel knows that America and President Trump have our back." U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in response to reporters' questions Monday that his colleagues on that ground have not reported such incidents. "What we have seen since the ceasefire is a much freer and more direct flow of aid, and we have not seen any of the looting that we had seen prior to the ceasefire," he said. Dujarric noted that since Sunday, three major crossing points for aid trucks into Gaza have been closed and already the price of flour and vegetables have increased more than a hundred-fold. Aid organizations have criticized Israel's decision to stop the aid. "Humanitarian aid is not a privilege it is a right," said Angelita Caredda, Norwegian Refugee Council's regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. "People in Gaza are already facing desperate conditions. With food supplies running out, hospitals unable to function, and families struggling to find clean water, any restrictions on aid will push the civilian population beyond collapse." "Israel's decision, to block aid to over two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as Ramadan begins, is a reckless act of collective punishment, explicitly prohibited under international humanitarian law," British charity Oxfam said in a statement. "The government of Israel, as [the] occupying power has the responsibility to ensure that humanitarian aid can reach the population in Gaza." The families of hostages held by Hamas have also expressed concern that the ceasefire is in jeopardy and their loved ones are running out of time. Ilay David, brother of hostage Evyatar David, thanked President Donald Trump for his role in getting dozens of hostages freed since taking office. "Your powerful demands for all hostages to be released gave us something we have been desperate for hope. Now, we need you to finish this," he said in a video statement Sunday. "President Trump, bring us a better deal, a safer deal. No stages, no phases. One deal to bring everyone home." Hamas is believed to be holding 59 hostages, of whom 35 are still believed to be alive. During the first phase of the expected three-phase ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that ran from January 19 until Saturday, Israel allowed humanitarians to scale up aid deliveries to Gaza. International hunger experts had warned that without urgent assistance parts of the enclave were on the verge of famine after more than a year of war. The United States, along with Qatar and Egypt, have been the mediators of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Cairo and Doha both protested Israel's decision to halt aid to Gaza, accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. On Tuesday, Arab League members will convene an emergency summit in Cairo to discuss the fragile ceasefire and the future of Gaza. Natasha Mozgovaya contributed to this story. Some information in this article came from The Associated Press. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Namibia lays founding president to rest By Vitalio Angula March 03, 2025 Thousands of Namibians gathered on the outskirts of the capital Windhoek on Saturday to bid farewell to the country's founding president, Sam Nujoma, who died last month in a private hospital at the age of 95. Heads of state from southern African countries joined Namibians at the funeral for Nujoma, who led the country to independence from apartheid-era South Africa. As early as six o'clock on Saturday morning, Namibians could be seen making their way, some on foot and others in their vehicles, to the National Shrine, the Heroes Acre, on the outskirts of Windhoek. They came pay their final respects to the man who is credited with bringing independence to the southern African country thirty-five years ago. Sam Nujoma died in a Windhoek hospital on February 8th after being hospitalized for three weeks. Namibia's current president, Nangolo Mbumba, described Nujoma as a giant who stood firm in the country's 24-year armed struggle for independence from South Africa. "Although our hearts are laden with grief, we take solace that President Sam Nujoma will now rest amongst his fellow illustrious heroes and heroines," he said. "[He] has completed his mission with distinction, fulfilling his destiny and leaving behind the most precious gift of freedom and independence for the people of Namibia." Among the VIPs in attendance Saturday were South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and Angola's President Joao Lourenco. Former presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique could also be seen in the crowds of mourners who came to pay their last respects to the elder statesman. Nujoma was the first leader of Namibia's independence movement, the South West Africa People's Organization, and later served three terms as Namibia's president. Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana is his niece and a former cabinet minister who served as Namibia's Attorney General. She is also vice-chairperson of the Sam Nujoma Foundation. "Nujoma united the people of Namibia who were divided according to the ethnic languages," she said. "During the war our people were made to fight against each other and at independence he introduced a policy of national reconciliation to forgive one another as brothers and sisters." Public servant Chrispin Kapalu was also among the mourners who sang and danced as they braved the burning hot Namibian sun to bid farewell to the leader, whose name is captured in revolutionary struggle songs like "Sema Uulipeni Elula Ee pandela, eelula epandela ola Namibia." The lyrics mean "Sam Nujoma where are you, raise the flag." "Growing up we knew about Nujoma, different interpretations but after independence as young people then we could see the reality why our forefathers have to sacrifice their lives," said Kapalu. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran deputy interior minister urges enhanced anti-drug campaign with Afghanistan Iran Press TV Monday, 03 March 2025 11:23 AM Iran's Deputy Interior Minister Ali Akbar Pour Jamshidian says Iran and Afghanistan should increase joint cooperation in the campaign against narcotics. Jamshidian made the remark in a meeting with an Afghan delegation headed by the Deputy Minister of Counter Narcotics, Lieutenant General Mullah Abdul Haq Akhund Hammar, in Tehran on Monday. "The ban on the cultivation, purchase and sale of narcotics in Afghanistan was a very good action that can lead to greater outcomes with the formulation of a comprehensive strategy by the Afghan government," Jamshidian said. Afghan authorities banned all cultivation of opium poppy and all narcotics under strict laws in April 2022. Back in September, the United Nations' Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) reported that Methamphetamine trafficking in and around Afghanistan has surged in recent years, despite the Taliban's pledge to contain the illicit drug trade. It added that Taliban's efforts to crack down on the drug trade in the country had little impact, both on the opium production and the burgeoning meth industry. Jamshidian noted that advancement, peace and development of the Iranian and Afghan governments and nations are intertwined with each other. He added that close cooperation between police forces of Iran, Afghanistan and subsequently Pakistan would be an appropriate way to combat drug trafficking. The Iranian official said the anti-drug combat currently requires scientific work, emphasizing that the Islamic Republic's police, equipped with modern equipment and training, can transfer experience to the Afghan police. Elsewhere in his remarks, Jamshidian said Iran has been hosting Afghan refugees for years, adding, "The government and people of Iran and Afghanistan have close relations." He noted that approximately 4.5 million legal and some two million illegal Afghan migrants are living in Iran, affirming Tehran's resolve to improve interaction with Kabul and solve bilateral issues. Akhund Hammar, for his part, said there has been no prohibition on the cultivation, purchase and sale of narcotics in Afghanistan over the past 45 years, but the issue has been largely addressed in recent years. He also thanked Iran for hosting the Afghan refugees over the past decades. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Aerospace Forces successfully launch Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome 03.03.2025 (08:00) On Monday, on 3 March 2025, at 01:22 (Moscow time) a Soyuz-2.1b medium-class carrier rocket with a spacecraft was successfully launched by the Russian Aerospace Forces from the Plesetsk State Cosmodrome of the Russian Defence Ministry. The launch of the carrier missile into the calculated orbit proceeded as planned. The ground-based automated control systems of the Titov Main Test and Space Systems Control Centre began monitoring the Soyuz-2.1b medium-class carrier missile after the launch. At the estimated time, the spacecraft was placed into the target orbit and taken into control by the ground facilities of the Russian Aerospace Forces. A stable telemetry link has been established and endorsed with the spacecraft, its on-board systems are functioning properly. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Growing space cooperation between Pakistan, China presents risks and opportunities, experts say By Sarah Zaman March 03, 2025 China is ramping up cooperation with Pakistan in space exploration, but experts say Islamabad must develop its own strengths if it aims to benefit from Beijing. Pakistan's Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, or SUPARCO, and China Manned Space Agency, or CMSA, announced Friday they will train Pakistan's first astronaut for a mission aboard Chinese space station Tiangong. The agreement comes just weeks after the two sides announced China's Chang'e-8 moon lander mission in 2028 will carry a Pakistani rover. Last year, China put Pakistan into the moon's orbit taking the first Pakistani lunar satellite ICUBE-Q, aboard its historic Chiang'e 6 mission, designed to retrieve samples from the little explored far side of the moon. Weeks later, Beijing put another Pakistani communication satellite into orbit. Picking Pakistan The latest agreement makes Pakistan the first country with an astronaut to work at Tiangong. Experts say picking Pakistan as the first guest for China's space station is not surprising as Islamabad hosts the flagship project of China's global Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. The multibillion-dollar program includes a plethora of investment projects aimed at extending Beijing's influence, especially in the developing world. "In this kind of increased polarization of interest in the world, China, both politically and also from the technological point of view, is trying to be the front-runner of, we can say, the Global South," said Carlo Iorio, director of the Center for Research and Engineering in Space Technology at the Free University of Brussels. "So, it's quite straightforward to think that one of the possible first candidates to be granted to use the Chinese Space Station could have been Pakistani astronauts or an astronaut," Iorio told VOA. Last October, China announced a 25-year plan outlining its ambitious vision for space exploration. It includes Beijing's goals of searching for extraterrestrial life, exploring Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, sending space crews to the moon and building an international lunar research station. "Pakistan's participation in the China Space Station program reflects the deep-rooted ties between the two countries," said Lin Xiqiang, director general of CMSA, according to the Pakistani statement. Lin was quoted as saying Pakistan's inclusion "will contribute to mutual knowledge-sharing and the broader vision of peaceful space exploration for the benefit of humanity." Equal footing Collaboration with China opens access to a treasure trove of technical knowledge and expertise for Pakistan as Beijing has managed the world's first soft landing and roving on the far side of the moon and landed a rover on Mars. "They have capabilities to indigenously design and develop satellites and launches for all types of applications," said Amer Gilani, secretary of the Pakistan Human Spaceflight Cooperation at SUPARCO about China's capabilities. "Pakistan wants to achieve self-reliance in design and development of satellites for remote sensing, communication, deep space exploration, lunar missions," Gilani told VOA in written comments. "With collaboration with China our space ambitions can progress much better." Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the latest space collaboration as "a defining moment in the nation's space journey," but experts say the nuclear-armed country will benefit from the collaboration only if it becomes an equal partner. "What I want to see is cooperation on equal footing," said Yarjan Abdul Samad, assistant professor of aerospace engineering at Khalifa University in UAE. Samad, who is also affiliated with the University of Cambridge, said that while Pakistan may not be able to contribute equally now, it should aim to do so in the near future. "If you go on these projects and you are just on the receiving end and you get services, what you asked for, then your technological development is very limited," Samad told VOA. Chinese edge The International Space Station, or ISS, and China's Tiangong are currently the only two space stations orbiting Earth. Managed by a partnership among 15 countries, the ISS is set to be retired in 2030. Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX and special advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, recently called for deorbiting the ISS soon in favor of missions to Mars. As the market for commercial space exploration expands, Iorio said, that leaves China's Tiangong as the only official government-based space station for further experiments and other activities for years to come. While this makes collaborating with China attractive for developing countries, Samad said Pakistan should consider more than national pride when putting an astronaut into space. Sending a Pakistani into space will only make sense, Samad said, if they will "assist in carrying out work which is not possible with unmanned vehicles and which is not possible in ground conditions and which is helping us in finding solutions to technological problems." SUPARCO has said the mission will involve "cutting-edge scientific experiments in various fields, including biological and medical sciences, aerospace, applied physics, fluid mechanics, space radiation, ecology, material sciences, microgravity studies, and astronomy." Despite receiving more than $25 billion in Chinese loans and investments for energy and infrastructure projects as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Pakistan is yet to turn its economy around. Experts largely blame governance issues. Iorio warned that Pakistan must strengthen its technology landscape or risk losing some of its brightest. "Without supporting research in the country, [it] will drain more talent towards foreign nations, including China," the Brussels-based expert said. For now, Pakistanis have an exciting opportunity ahead of them as SUPARCO searches for the country's first astronaut. The criteria? "Pakistan will select astronauts from Pakistani citizens with background suited for astronauts which could be flying, medical fitness, physical fitness, psychological fitness, research/analytical skills, and high qualifications etc.," Gilani told VOA. "Hopefully [we] will be able to get good candidates." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Canada-Brazil Defence Cooperation Agreement Enters into Force National Defence News release March 3, 2025 - Ottawa, ON - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces On February 28, the Canada-Brazil Defence Cooperation Agreement went into force, following the official ratification by both Governments. This agreement enhances the strong defence ties between Canada and Brazil and solidifies continued cooperation to support regional peace and security. With the implementation of this agreement, Canada and Brazil will advance defence cooperation through training and education; United Nations peacekeeping operations; science and technology; and shared regional and international priorities. Brazil is a key military partner in the hemisphere and demonstrates leadership in regional peace support operations. This agreement strengthens relations with Canada's largest trading partner in South America and promotes economic opportunities in defence procurement. This partnership will open new strategic opportunities for Canada's aerospace and defence industry to provide products and services to Brazilian defence programs, including air traffic control and maritime tracking satellites, telecommunications equipment for ground operations, aircraft maintenance and overhaul training, and new sea patrol ships. The Canada-Brazil Defence Cooperation Agreement serves as a testament to the strong relationship between Canada and Brazil and demonstrates Canada's reliability as a partner in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Quotes "Canada and Brazil have long benefitted from their close relationship and signing this agreement is a strong commitment to a future of defence cooperation. As global threats increase, partnerships become more important, and together we will enhance collaboration in industry, training, and humanitarian assistance." - The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence Quick facts Canada and Brazil enjoy a relationship that began in 1866, when Canada opened its first trade mission in that country. In 2024, Minister of National Defence Bill Blair met with his Brazilian counterpart Jose Mucio during a bilateral meeting on the margins of the 16th Conference of the Defence Ministers of the Americas in Mendoza, Argentina. Canada's Military Training and Cooperation Program (MTCP), which aims to build partner capacity and advance defence diplomacy by delivering training in the areas of language enhancement, professional development, and multinational operational cooperation, has 19 active member countries in the Americas and sponsors hundreds of students from the region each year. Since 1963, the MCTP has provided training to around 9,600 participants from Latin America and the Caribbean. Since January 2025, HMCS Margaret Brooke has been taking part in Operation PROJECTION 25-01 which included a port visit to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in early February 2025. It will also involve a scientific visit to Brazil's Antarctic base. Brazil is Canada's third largest trading partner in the Americas after the U.S. and Mexico. Merchandise trade between Canada and Brazil totaled $13.3 billion in 2023. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister Fisher announces contract award for the beginning of Phase 2 reconstruction of North Park Armoury National Defence News release March 3, 2025 - Halifax, Nova Scotia - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces Today, the Honourable Darren Fisher, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence announced, on behalf of the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, the recent award of a $60.6 million contract to Pomerleau of Bedford, N.S., for the first package of work in Phase 2 of the North Park Armoury rehabilitation and modernization project. This project will rehabilitate the structure of the Armoury, which was damaged during the Halifax Explosion of 1917. Interior renovations will lead to more efficient and modernized operational capabilities for Reserve units currently operating out of the Armoury. It is home to the Princess Louise Fusiliers, One Army Cadet Corps, and will be the future home of the Halifax Rifles (Royal Canadian Armoured Corps). Phase 2 is divided into two parts - part one will rehabilitate the armoury's remaining walls, roof, foundations and windows, and part two will upgrade the armoury's interior. Following the recent contract award, work is now underway on the armoury's exterior and is expected to be completed in 2028. This rehabilitation project is expected to create more than 300 jobs. Canada is investing in modern and functional defence infrastructure to support the evolving needs of our military. Quotes "The rehabilitation of the North Park Armoury provides our Reserve Force personnel with a modern and efficient facility and positions them to better perform their important work. Phase 2 of the project will bring economic opportunities to local businesses throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality and will sustain jobs throughout the process." The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence "The North Park Armoury stands as a historic cornerstone of our municipality, reflecting Halifax's proud military past and present. This project symbolizes more than just the rehabilitation of a military armoury, it is a commitment to preserving Canada's rich heritage and our local history. Preserving and modernizing the North Park Armoury will ensure that our Reserve Forces are well equipped to serve effectively for years to come, all while safeguarding an important piece of our shared legacy." The Honourable Darren Fisher, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Quick facts Originally built in 1899, the North Park Armoury is one of the largest and most prominent landmarks in the Halifax area, having sheltered residents in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion of 1917. The North Park Armoury is a federally designated heritage building and a National Historic Site of Canada. Rehabilitation work will protect and enhance its key heritage features and use original stones where possible. Irreparable stones will be replaced by stone from the same geological source used to build the armoury from 1895 to 1899 or comparable stone with the same characteristics. A contract valued at $9.1 million was awarded to Maxim Construction Inc. of Dartmouth, N.S., for the Phase 1 reconstruction of the historic west wall of the Armoury. Additionally, a design contract for the Phase 2 of the project worth $2.4 million was awarded to Eastpoint Engineering Ltd. in August 2018. Phase 2 design work was completed in January 2024. Upgrades to the armoury's interior will be designed to meet the 3 Green Globes standard and will incorporate energy efficiency measures to reduce its environmental footprint. Some green elements of the renovations include: exterior lighting that limits light pollution at night; energy-efficient heating and cooling systems; smart meters to verify and optimize building water and energy consumption; high-efficiency water fixtures to lower water use; high-efficiency LED lighting and controls; solar panels; geothermal heating and cooling; and thermal heating in the drill hall floor slab. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China exhibition highlights creative journey of animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" Xinhua) 16:09, March 04, 2025 CHENGDU, March 4 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition about the Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" opened on Monday afternoon in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, offering visitors an in-depth look at the film's creation process. The exhibition, themed "Break or Lose It," features original character sketches, iconic scenes and a milestone wall tracing the film's record-breaking success. Director Jiaozi's hand-drawn posters are also on display. After his visit on Tuesday morning, local resident Chen Jie, 28, praised the exhibition for revealing the dedication of the filmmaking team. "The care and passion behind every detail of the movie are truly inspiring," said Chen, an interior designer. "The movie is a source of pride for Chengdu and a testament to the potential of Chinese cinema." The exhibition also features immersive audiovisual experiences, allowing attendees to relive key moments from the film. Running until June 1, the exhibition is organized by Chengdu Coco Cartoon Co., Ltd., which co-produced the movie. Zheng He, a staff member involved in the exhibition, mentioned that the event has been warmly received by the public -- with all 1,000 daily visitor slots fully booked for Tuesday and the coming weekend. "Ne Zha 2" has become the first non-Hollywood film to exceed 2 billion U.S. dollars in global earnings, including presales, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on March 3, 2025 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: March 03, 2025 20:37 China News Service: The 62nd Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded in Hangzhou on March 1. We've learned that China shared its experience and practice in meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation at the session. Can you share the outcomes of the session? We've also noted that COP30 President Andre Correa do Lago said in a recent interview that "China has been able to give some fantastic answers to the fight against climate change." "They are doing their own thing, and their own thing is benefiting the rest of the world," he added. What is your response? Lin Jian: I noted the report. This is the first time that the Chinese government hosts the IPCC session. With the strong support and effort from China, the session adopted the outlines of the three Working Group contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report, which identified the key direction of the scientific assessment on climate change, and laid an important foundation for pooling the strength of the global science community and jointly improving climate governance. China is always a partner of Global South countries on the development path of green transition. China proactively responded to the U.N. initiative on meteorological early warning, shared observation data with 132 countries and regions worldwide, and jointly developed early warning system together with Pakistan, Ethiopia and other countries to share China's experience and solution. We actively shouldered international obligation commensurate with our national conditions and capabilities. China shared the results of green innovation with more than 100 developing countries to lower the cost of emission reduction and boost global green production capacity. Low-carbon demonstration zones, facilities of wind and solar power, and energy-efficient lighting projects are all over Asia, Africa and Latin America. Green energy has become a daily necessity, instead of a luxury. We will stay committed to building a fair and equitable global climate governance system for win-win cooperation, supporting developing countries' climate response capacity building and technological advancement, and help Global South countries jointly realize green and low-carbon revitalization. Reuters: Global Times reported today that China is formulating countermeasures to fresh U.S. tariffs expected to enter force tomorrow, including curbs on American agricultural products. Is the Foreign Ministry able to confirm this? Lin Jian: I made clear China's solemn position on the relevant question last week. The U.S. once again uses the fentanyl issue as a pretext to threaten China with tariff hikes on its imports. China opposes this move and will do what is necessary to firmly safeguard its legitimate interests. Associated Press of Pakistan: Last Friday, Pakistan and China signed a cooperation agreement on spaceflight of a Pakistani astronaut on Chinese space station. This is being considered another milestone in space cooperation between the two countries. What is your response please? Lin Jian: Exploring the universe is humanity's shared aspiration. We are glad to see the signing of a space cooperation agreement between China and Pakistan. We hope the Pakistani astronaut's entry into the Chinese space station will be a full success. Since the launch of the manned space engineering program, China has been following the principles of peaceful use, equality, mutual benefit and common development. We focus on sharing with all humanity the results of China's development and offer opportunities of cooperation in China's space station. We are willing to work with Pakistan to elevate our space cooperation to a new level, and give a stronger boost to the socioeconomic development of the two countries through space technologies. China also stands ready to conduct more international cooperation and exchange with other countries and regions that are committed to the peaceful use of outer space. Reuters: U.S. President Trump accused Ukrainian President Zelenskyy of being not ready for a peace deal with Russia. Does China's Foreign Ministry have any comment on the meeting? Lin Jian: We noted relevant reports. China will continue to play a constructive role for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and the realization of peace. Bloomberg: I want to follow up if China would send peacekeepers to Ukraine as some analysts have suggested? Lin Jian: China did not start the Ukraine crisis, nor is it a party to it. We support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis. China hopes that the relevant parties can find a sustainable and lasting solution that takes into account each other's concerns. Reuters: Is the Foreign Ministry able to confirm that the 40 Chinese nationals repatriated from Thailand last week are Chinese Uyghurs? The United Nations human rights experts said that they were at risk of harm if returned. Are you able to tell us what would happen to them next? Lin Jian: I made clear China's position last week. Let me stress once again that the repatriation is carried out in accordance with the laws of China and Thailand as well as international law and common practices. The lawful rights of people concerned are fully protected. Readouts were also released by competent authorities. China has all along been committed to protecting the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens. Those who were long detained abroad have been repatriated to China and returned to a normal life. Their lawful rights and interests have been fully protected in accordance with the law. This speaks to the consistent position and firm resolve of the Chinese government in respecting and protecting human rights. U.N. human rights experts need to perform their duties fairly and objectively, respect countries' sovereignty, respect objective facts, and refrain from interfering in countries' judicial sovereignty and normal law enforcement cooperation between countries. CCTV: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently blamed China on issues of Taiwan, economy and trade, COVID-19 and Indo-Pacific affairs at an interview by U.S. media outlet. What is China's comment? Lin Jian: Rubio's remarks are steeped in the Cold-War mentality and full of lies and false accusations. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this, and has lodged serious protests with the U.S. There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This is the real status quo of the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. has distorted the one-China principle, and insisted on using Taiwan to contain China, and the Taiwan authorities have sought "independence" under the support and connivance of the U.S. These are the most fundamental changes to the status quo of the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwan question is the most crucial, sensitive and explosive issue in the China-U.S. relations. If the U.S. does not hope to trigger confrontation, they must stop crossing or trampling on the red line of the Taiwan question. Trade and tariff wars have no winner. The U.S.'s attempts to politicize and weaponize trade and economic issues, levy tariff hikes on Chinese imports under the pretext of fentanyl, and create blocks to its normal trade, investment and economic cooperation with China will only harm its own economic interests and international credibility. China stands ready to work with the U.S. to address each other's concerns through dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality and mutual respect. In the meanwhile, we will take all measures necessary to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests. Origins-tracing of COVID-19 is a serious science issue. It is "extremely unlikely" that the pandemic was caused by a lab leakthis is the authoritative conclusion reached by the experts of the WHO-China joint mission following their field trips to the lab in Wuhan and in-depth communication with researchers. It is a conclusion based on science, which is widely recognized by the international community and the science community. More and more clues in the international science community point possible COVID origins to various parts of the world, and a global perspective is needed to carry out origins-tracing work in multiple countries and regions, in particular the U.S. The U.S. needs to immediately stop slinging mud on and scapegoating China. The Asia-Pacific is a pace-setter in cooperation and development, not a chess board for geopolitical rivalry. History and facts show time and again that treating other countries as a chess piece, pawn or even cannon fodder is the U.S.'s go-to tactic. The U.S. should not project its own hegemonic mentality onto China. Attempts to stoke bloc confrontation in the Asia-Pacific run counter to the trend of the times and go against the common aspiration of regional countries. These moves will win no support and be doomed to failure. Our message to the U.S.: a lie told a thousand times cannot be a fact, the world will not be fooled by such baseless vilification against China, and megaphone diplomacy does no good to China-U.S. relations. We will be committed to viewing and developing our relations with the U.S. on the basis of the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation put forward by President Xi Jinping. Meanwhile, we will firmly defend national sovereignty, security and development interests. Reuters: The U.S. is nudging Mexico and Canada to match tariffs on China. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment? Lin Jian: As we have said more than once, trade and tariff wars have no winners. Snuffing out others' candles does not bring light to oneself. WTO rules and principles of market economy should be observed by all. If there are any concerns, they should be solved through dialogue and consultation with equality and mutual respect. Countries need to come together to address to unilateralism and trade protectionism. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Xi warns of economic 'difficulties' ahead of National People's Congress China's growth figures are overblown and consumer confidence is at a low ebb, analysts say. By Xi Zian, Qian Lang and Lucie Lo for RFA Mandarin 2025.03.03 -- Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping has warned of "many difficulties and challenges" for China's economy ahead of the annual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing this week. In an article published in the ideological party journal Qiushi on Monday -- two days before the congress opens -- Xi warned of the "many risks and hidden dangers" facing China's economy, before alluding to the threats of further U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. "At present, the adverse effects of changes in the external environment have deepened, and our country's economy still faces many difficulties and challenges," Xi wrote in the piece. U.S. President Donald Trump last month imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports in retaliation for what he said was Beijing's refusal to stop the outflow of precursors for the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Beijing then introduced a 15% retaliatory tariff on certain U.S. energy exports to China. Last week, Trump warned he would ramp that rate up a further 10% on March 4. As a presidential candidate last year, Trump vowed tariffs of "more than" 60% on Chinese imports. Beijing is now "studying and formulating countermeasures" in the event that those tariffs go ahead, the party-backed Global Times newspaper cited an anonymous source as saying on Monday. "The countermeasures will likely include both tariffs and a series of non-tariff measures, and U.S. agricultural and food products will most likely be listed," the paper quoted the source as saying. China's economic troubles While they mull countermeasures, though, officials in Beijing have maintained they would prefer to forget about tariffs altogether. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing on Monday that there are "no winners" in a tariff war. "The U.S. attempt to politicize and weaponize trade and economic issues, levy tariff hikes on Chinese imports under the pretext of fentanyl and create blocks to its normal trade, investment and economic cooperation with China will only harm its own economic interests and international credibility," Lin said. China is ready to engage in "dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality and mutual respect," Lin added. "In the meanwhile, we will take all measures necessary to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests," he said. The pending trade war comes at a time of economic stress in China. Since the start of the U.S.-China trade war under the first Trump administration, Xi has appealed for restructuring to replace exports with domestic consumption as the main driver of growth. But three years of zero-COVID restrictions and a slew of U.S. tariffs and restrictions has prompted many manufacturers to relocate away from China and spooked foreign investors. Meanwhile, widespread unemployment and a burst real estate bubble has made life much harder for ordinary Chinese. Those concerns were reiterated in Xi's article, which pulled heavily from China's Central Economic Work Conference in December. "We must face up to difficulties, strengthen our confidence and strive to transform positive factors from all aspects into development results," Xi wrote, adding that expanded domestic demand isn't just a quick fix but "a strategic move." Growth figures questioned Struggling Chinese exporters told RFA Mandarin that the new tariffs proposed by Trump will further harm their businesses. The head of an electronics factory in Shenzhen who gave only the surname Ge for fear of reprisals said that the value of her company's exports to the United States has been slashed in half since last October, and that tariffs will make things worse. "Some taxes are paid by U.S. importers, which pushes up prices," she said. "U.S. importers usually pass on the costs of tariffs to consumers, making our goods more expensive." Ge has cut the number of employees from 17 to just seven, while the sales team has been slashed from 10 to four. "Chinese exports may lose market share to competitors in Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries as U.S. importers look for other suppliers," she said. Political commentator Willy Lam told RFA Mandarin there is still hope that Trump won't carry out his threat to impose tariffs above 60%. "The 10% increase in tariffs ... is still lower than the rates Trump mentioned in 2024 of 60% or more," Lam said. "In general, Trump's attitude towards Xi Jinping is milder than expected." Analysts expect growth to be set around the 5% mark during this week's congress, and there has also been speculation about the possibility of renewed economic stimulus packages. "The general public in China is short of money," Lam said. "Most importantly, they lack confidence in the government right now." U.S.-based economic commentator Qin Weiping cited falling marriage rates and birth rates as an indicator of low economic confidence, as young people increasingly struggle to make ends meet. "People have no confidence in the economy, or in the future," he said. "So demand for residential property is naturally weaker.... It will be hard to fix the real estate problem because this is a vicious cycle." The government should consider hiring more graduates as civil servants, Qin suggested, citing the 12.22 million who graduated in 2025 alone, swelling the ranks of the young unemployed. Xie Tian, a professor at the Aiken School of Business at the University of South Carolina, said China's growth figures were questionable in any case, alleging the numbers were fudged for political reasons. "No-one believes it -- whether they say it's 5% or 15% -- because that's basically impossible," Xie said. "If the economic growth rate was 5%, their unemployment rate wouldn't be that high." But others noted a growing conundrum in China's recent efforts to stimulate domestic growth without relying on traditional exports. Qin, the economic commentator, noted Chinese officials appeared increasingly focussed in their official documents on achieving growth through artificial intelligence, which necessitates fewer workers. Only further investment in labor-intensive industries would solve China's problem of dampened domestic demand, he said, by putting more spending money into the pockets of China's consumers. "Give them a level playing field and allow the economy to get on the right track ... which will gradually solve the problem of unemployment," he said. "People need to feel that business is good, money is easy to make, and that life is getting better and better." "It's that simple." Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Alex Willemyns. Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China studies countermeasures against US' threatened extra 10% tariff; US agricultural, food goods likely to be listed: source Global Times By Global Times Published: Mar 03, 2025 10:50 AM Updated: Mar 04, 2025 12:59 AM China is studying and formulating relevant countermeasures in response to the US' threat of imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese products under the pretext of fentanyl, the Global Times learned from a reliable source. The countermeasures will likely include both tariffs and a series of non-tariff measures, and US agricultural and food products will most likely be listed, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "If the US insists on imposing unilateral tariffs and formally announces relevant measures, China will definitely carry out strong, powerful countermeasures," the source stressed. In a social media post on Thursday, US President Donald Trump said that the US would impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting on March 4, and that "China will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date," according to the Associated Press. The US' threat of an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese products immediately drew firm opposition from multiple Chinese ministries. Asked to comment on the US' plan, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), said on Friday that China is one of the world's toughest countries on counternarcotics both in terms of policy and its implementation, and China conducts international cooperation with other countries including the US on counternarcotics. Deflecting the blame onto other countries will not help solve the US' own problem, but rather likely increase the burden on US businesses and consumers and harm global industrial chain stability, the spokesperson said. "China hopes the US will not repeat its mistakes and will promptly return to the right path of resolving differences through equitable dialogue. If the US insists on proceeding on its own course, China will take all necessary countermeasures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," the MOFCOM spokesperson said. Also commenting on the US' threat of additional tariffs on Friday, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that China firmly deplores and strongly opposes the move, and will take what is necessary to resolutely defend its legitimate interests. "If the US continues to use the fentanyl issue to pressure, blackmail, coerce and threaten China, it will only be counterproductive and deal a blow to the dialogue and cooperation between China and the US in the field of drug control," Lin told a regular press briefing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Hunts For Opportunities In Europe And Taiwan After Ukraine Diplomacy Goes Awry By Reid Standish March 04, 2025 After a week of runaway diplomacy around how to end the war in Ukraine that has widened rifts between the United States and other Western powers and raised new questions about the future of U.S. assistance for Ukraine, China is looking at how it can capitalize. For Beijing, the diplomatic fissures between the United States and its European allies -- the latest of which was opened up by an Oval Office clash between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy -- presents new opportunities to repair its own battered relations with Europe. The fallout could also ripple out to Asia, where countries aligned with Washington, such as Taiwan, are grappling with the implications of a more transactional United States and the opportunities that could create for China as it looks to ramp up pressure and assert itself more powerfully in the Pacific. "This has been pretty unequivocally good for China," Andrew Small, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin who previously advised the European Commission on China strategy, told RFE/RL. "Beijing sees the wider opportunities that this could bring, from Taiwan contingencies to more global cooperation with Russia to a weakened United States." How Can China Benefit from the U.S. Policy Shift? China had already been reaching out to Brussels and European capitals before the dustup in Washington that saw Zelenskyy leave the White House early without signing an important minerals deal after being berated by Trump and Vice President JD Vance. That ongoing outreach by Chinese diplomats has looked to exploit fears that U.S. efforts to reset the relationship with Russia and quickly end the war in Ukraine could leave European countries abandoned by their ally, three European Union officials told RFE/RL. Beijing, which has professed neutrality but has supported Russia amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is now looking to expand on its pitch and benefit from the transatlantic rift, including from Trump's plan to hit goods made in the EU with 25 percent tariffs, which Brussels said it would retaliate against with countermeasures of its own against the U.S. economy. Small says that this Chinese effort is still in an early "fact-finding phase" to "discover what kind of openings are available in this new context." "Whatever China puts forward will be met with skepticism," he said. "But Beijing thinks they will see some opportunities if they can navigate this first phase, especially if tariffs hit." Does China Want To Be A Peacemaker In Ukraine? China has largely been content to remain on the margins amid the flurry of diplomatic activity since Trump took office in January, but officials have been probing the European side. At the Munich Security Conference in February, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China believes all stakeholders should participate in peace talks, underscoring Europe's role in them ahead of U.S.-Russia talks in Riyadh that did not include Kyiv or European officials. "If I was Beijing, I'd be telling the Europeans what they want to hear and one thing they want to hear is that Europe and Kyiv should be at the table to discuss Ukraine's future," Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, an assistant professor at National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan and a former adviser to the European Parliament, told RFE/RL. On the sidelines of the conference, retired Chinese colonel Zhou Bo made headlines during an interview in which he floated the prospect of Chinese and Indian peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a settlement to end the war. That was followed by comments by Wang at the Group of 20 (G20) meeting of foreign ministers in South Africa where he said that the recent U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia were a "window of opportunity for peace" in Ukraine and that "China will continue playing a constructive role in the political settlement of the crisis." Ferenczy sees these comments as trial balloons as Beijing tests how receptive its outreach will be, but she cautions that years of trade spats between Brussels and Beijing, as well as strained ties from China's economic support of Russia throughout the war and the supply of dual-use goods for its war efforts, will be difficult to shake. Beijing will also need to overcome the perception that its diplomatic efforts are more about image building than actual peacemaking. Soon after the war began, Chinese leader Xi Jinping rushed to paint China as neutral and Chinese diplomats called for peace at international forums. In 2023, Beijing issued a 12-point peace plan for Ukraine that seemed designed to set the stage for a cease-fire and peace talks, but it provided no clear roadmap to end the war and was dismissed by Western officials as setting the stage for a peace on Russia's terms. In a similar vein, EU officials say that Beijing is yet to present any new offers to the 27-country bloc in its early rounds of outreach beyond rhetoric about an unreliable United States and the prospect of normalizing trade relations. "It's unavoidable that we will be affected by statements from Beijing that sound good to us," Ferenczy said. "But a less reliable United States doesn't make China more reliable all of the sudden." Will Tensions Over Ukraine Diplomacy Affect Asia? The Trump administration has said that its efforts are designed to push allies to pay a bigger share of their own defense needs, recalibrate trade relationships, and bring an end to the war in Ukraine. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also said that if the United States were to scale back military assistance for Ukraine, it would allow Washington to focus its resources on the Asia-Pacific region, where the administration has said countering China is a priority. But there are early signs that Washington's approach to ending the war in Ukraine will have ripple effects further east, particularly in Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing has vowed to annex Taiwan if it refuses to peacefully accept unification. Taiwan has long faced the possibility of a Chinese invasion, but pressure also looks to be growing. On February 28, China's Defense Ministry would not rule out the use of force against Taiwan, and its spokesman Wu Qian warned the United States that "playing sneaky tricks on Taiwan would only backfire." Those comments came after Taiwanese authorities said they had detained a cargo ship crewed by Chinese nationals, which they believe may have severed an undersea communications cable. Following that, the Chinese military held what Taipei said was unannounced "shooting training" off the island's southern coast. Taiwan's ability to deter a potential attack hinges on whether the United States stands ready to help, and the Taiwanese government has seen U.S. assistance for Ukraine as something of a bellwether for how Washington could react in the event of a crisis with China. Ryan Hass, a former director for China on the U.S. National Security Council, said that Trump's efforts to end the war in Ukraine and his recent spat with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office will no doubt cause anxiety in Taipei, but added that Taiwan's unique position as the manufacturer of 90 percent of the world's most-advanced semiconductors leave it in a unique position vis-a-visa the United States. Trump has called for Taipei to increase defense spending and said that he wants to move some of the island's semiconductor foundries, which manufacturers the chips largely for U.S. tech companies, to the United States. Any type of relocation, however, would be a costly and slow process. Hass says this makes Taiwan "indispensable to Trump's goals for an American industrial renaissance" as he looks to revamp manufacturing back home. "Taiwan needs the U.S., but the U.S. also needs Taiwan," Hass wrote on X. "Trump knows this fact. There is a complementary division of labor between US tech companies and Taiwan's chip foundries that cannot be replaced." The CEO of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) visited the White House on March 3 and afterward announced plans to make a fresh $100 billion investment in the United States. TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker and a leading supplier to major U.S. hardware manufacturers, said the plan involves building five facilities in the United States in coming years. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/china-russia-xi-putin- zelenskyy-trump-diplomacy/33334906.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 INTERVIEW: 'North Korea could have 300 nuclear warheads within 10 years' Ankit Panda, expert on North Korean nuclear capabilities, says Pyongyang could 'very probably' nuke a US city. By Jaewoo Park for RFA Korean 2025.03.03 Ankit Panda, an expert on North Korea's nuclear program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was interviewed by Radio Free Asia regarding Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and how its capabilities might be improved through North Korea's support of Russia in its war with Ukraine. Panda, a Stanton senior fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at Carnegie, also said that North Korean intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, very likely can be used to attack an American city, and that Pyongyang might have as many as 300 warheads within the next 10 years. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. RFA: If North Korea were to launch an ICBM at the U.S. right now, do you think the U.S. would be vulnerable? Ankit Panda: That's a good question. First of all, would North Korea launch an ICBM? Probably not -- it would be essentially suicidal. There's no reason for North Korea to attack the United States unprovoked. But the technical question that you asked, "Can North Korea essentially detonate a nuclear warhead over an American city?" -- the answer to that question in my view is very probably yes, and that's a carefully chosen phrase, "very probably yes." The North Koreans, the reliability that they have is probably a lot lower than what the United States has, but it's probably sufficient for the purposes that Kim Jong Un seeks which is to deter the United States. The only question that Kim has to ask himself is, "In a serious crisis or a war between the United States and North Korea, would an American president be worried that if the war got out of control, American cities could be vulnerable to nuclear attack?" And I think the answer there is absolutely. RFA: But can't the United States intercept North Korean ICBMs with its missile defense system? Panda: The U.S. has a very limited homeland missile defense capability. We have a total of 44 interceptors that are capable of destroying incoming ICBMs. These interceptors are actually deployed in Alaska. There's 40 of them in Alaska and four of them in California at Vandenberg Air Force Base. These are designed to deal with North Korean ICBM threats. But it gets a little complicated here because it's not that there's 44 interceptors, which means the U.S. can defend against 44 North Korean ICBMs. Probably the U.S. would look to use 3 to 4 interceptors against one incoming ICBM reentry vehicle. And so then if you're in North Korea, you have a solution to this problem, right? You build more ICBMs. And so that is where the North Koreans have gone. I would argue that that is a chance that would be very difficult for an American president to take -- this idea that the North Koreans could launch ICBMs and our interceptors might not actually work. RFA: How important are ICBMs to Kim Jong Un's overall deterrence strategy? What about other types of weapons systems we've been hearing about, like hypersonic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and fighter jets? Panda: So my assessment would be that, yes, he definitely needs ICBM warheads because that is the cornerstone of their deterrence strategy. The United States homeland needs to be held at risk for North Korea's deterrence to have the effects that that Kim Jong UN seeks. But simultaneously, I do think the new series of short range ballistic missiles, the Hwasong-11s in particular, the Hwasong-11A, (which is) what the US calls the KN-23 ... That is now, I think, a system that the North Koreans are emphasizing quite a bit. They've been using it in against Ukraine in the course of their support for Russia. And so they're receiving quite a bit of information about that system's performance. And it's also quite a bit of a challenging system for missile defense systems to deal with. So I do think that that will be one of the chosen platforms for for Kim to place nuclear warheads on. RFA: And those would be intended for targets in South Korea and Japan, within the same region, correct? Panda:That's right. U.S. bases, missile defense systems, ports, airfields, airfields with stealth fighters in South Korea, South Korean missile launch bases. All of those would be targets for those kinds of weapons. RFA: Let's talk more about the KN-23 and how it was used on the battlefield against Ukraine. Can we say what impact it might have on the Korean peninsula based on it's performance in support of Russia? Panda: So the use of the KN-23 against Ukraine marks the first ever use of North Korean ballistic missiles in war, so that that in itself is quite important because you can you can do all the testing you want in peacetime. You can do exercises on your own territory, but there's something quite different to the experience of operating a missile on a real battlefield. And the Russians, you know, we think the Russians were operating these missiles with the help of North Korean technical advisers, who were also collecting data on how these missiles are performing, feeding that back to the Academy of Defense Science and the Missile General Bureau in North Korea to improve these capabilities. So we know from Ukrainian intelligence that there has been change in the KN-23s. ... They used to be very inaccurate when they were first used. And it turns out there was a report in December 2024 that the precision has improved significantly, and that is a very, very important milestone for the North Koreans because -- especially if they do want to deploy tactical nuclear weapons -- precision of the missile system matters quite a bit because the yield of the weapon is a lot lower, the yield being the explosive power. And so if you're trying to leverage those types of tactical nuclear weapons for maximal military utility--let's say you want to hit an airfield in South Korea that has F-35s that you can't deal with once they take off, so you have to destroy them before they take off. You really need to make sure that the the yield of the weapon and the precision of the missile match essentially in terms of the mission that you're trying to accomplish. And so I really think that we shouldn't underrate the ways in which North Korea's missile transfers to Russia are very directly augmenting Kim Jong Un's nuclear ambitions and strategy. RFA: When we talk about North Korean involvement in Ukraine, experts and officials say that North Korea is getting from Russia food or other kinds of support, but regarding missile technology, what does Pyongyang need that Moscow can give? Panda: The area where I think the Russians can really help them is with guidance computers, cruise missile maneuvering, cruise missile control and potentially even countermeasures, other types of ways in which to just improve the reliability of North Korea's manufacturing standards for missile systems. So all of that, I think will will happen is probably happening in some form space launch technologies, too. I think the Russians will be very, very eager to to help the North Koreans out. That has been the most public facing component of technical cooperation. RFA: As North Korea and Russia grow closer, is there a possibility that Russia will recognize North Korea as an official nuclear state? Panda: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has pretty explicitly said that Russia no longer views North Korea as a nonproliferation concern. Essentially, you know, since the early 1990s, the major powers China, Russia, the United States and Japan, South Korea, the European Union, the whole world has seen North Korea as a nonproliferation problem. They're the only country to have signed the Nonproliferation Treaty, left that treaty and built nuclear weapons. So it matters how you deal with North Korea for that reason. But it also matters in a big way that the North Koreans are really presenting unacceptable nuclear risks, in my opinion, to the United States and its allies, and so that demands a focus on risk reduction. And so this this fact that Trump has called North Korea a nuclear power, I know that got quite a bit of a reaction in South Korea. I've made the argument that, first of all, it's it's sort of overrated. North Korea has very publicly said in the past that they actually don't care about the status question of whether or not they're acknowledged, and they will never be a nuclear weapons state under the NPT, right, which is the only legitimate form of nuclear possession that really exists in the international system. So I don't think Trump is seeking to legitimize North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons. He's simply saying something that even South Korea openly acknowledges, right? RFA: How do you see North Korea's nuclear development playing out over the next 10 years? Panda: I think about this quite a bit because I do think it's it's probably the likely outcome that Kim will continue to modernize and size up his nuclear forces. The North Korean objective with its nuclear modernization is to get to a point where what those of us in the nuclear strategy field call "the condition of mutual vulnerability" manifests between the United States and North Korea. That means that Kim Jong Un has to feel confident. And this is very subjective, right? I've never met Kim Jong Un. I don't know what's in his mind, but Kim has to feel confident that no matter the crisis, no matter the war, the conventional war, that the United States and South Korea will not be able to destroy all of his nuclear weapons. And that in turn, the president of the United States and the president of Republic of Korea will understand that they can't destroy all of Kim's nuclear weapons, which means that deterrence is stable.... So what does that mean for how many warheads they'll build? I don't know, probably a few hundred. I think by the mid 2030s we might be looking at a North Korea with 300-plus nuclear warheads. RFA: How many warheads would you estimate that North Korea has right now? Panda: So one of the challenges is that, since 2009, foreign inspectors have not been to North Korea. And so all of the evidence we have about fissile material production is really in the open source and from certain assessments the U.S. intelligence community has made. Without people going into the country over time, the uncertainties, the error bars essentially grow wider and wider. I say that because my estimate would be that the North Koreans have somewhere between 50 to 100 nuclear warheads today. That's a very broad range, right. And over time, that that range will continue to grow. It's quite possible that 10 years from now the North Koreans are the fourth largest nuclear force on Earth, after the U.S., Russia and China -- depending on the choices that France, India, Pakistan and the U.K. make. But none of those countries really seems to be heading towards a huge build-up in that way, whereas the North Koreans do have quite a few reasons to build up. Edited by Eugene Whong. Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press Statement of Kim Yo Jong, Vice Department Director of C.C., WPK Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Pyongyang, March 4 (KCNA) -- Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued the following press statement "Constant deployment of U.S. strategic assets highlights urgency of the DPRK to bolster up its self-defensive nuclear war deterrent" on Monday: The U.S. is frequently committing provocative acts of aggravating the situation in disregard of the security concern of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The U.S. Navy nuclear carrier Carl Vinson strike group entered the Pusan operation base in the ROK again on March 2 under the pretext of "demonstrating the ROK-U.S. alliance and increasing inter-operability". The Carl Vinson strike group took part in the war drills together with Japan and the ROK in the waters around the Korean peninsula in January last year. It is reported that the strike group consists of cruiser Princeton, Aegis destroyer Sterett and others. Entering this year, the deployment of the U.S. nuclear strategic means on the Korean peninsula is the second one in the wake of the nuclear submarine Alexandria, and the U.S. Navy carrier appeared eight months after the Theodore Roosevelt in June last year. If the actions of strategic bombers are put together, the U.S. is hurling strategic assets into the Korean peninsula at the constant deployment level. In fact, the U.S. spent the whole of 2024 with the largest anti-DPRK war exercises ever in history. As soon as its new administration appeared this year, the U.S. has stepped up the political and military provocations against the DPRK, "carrying forward" the former administration's hostile policy. It is necessary to read a diary of the confrontation hysteria of the U.S. and its stooges one by one. On January 10, just before the retirement of the former administration, the U.S. held the 4th U.S.-ROK "nuclear consultative group" meeting in Washington to discuss a nuclear war drill on the Korean peninsula and an increase in the visibility of deploying U.S. strategic assets. And it deployed B-1B strategic bombers in the sky near the Korean peninsula on Jan. 15 to conduct a U.S.-Japan-ROK joint air drill, as part of the clear action practice. Timed to coincide with this, the U.S., together with the ROK army, staged a large joint firing drill aimed at the long-range artillery fire system of the DPRK on Jan. 14-16, and a Ssangmae joint air drill on Jan. 21-24 under the pretext of increasing the capability for cooperation in air operations. The U.S. held a confab with the diplomatic authorities of Japan and the ROK on Feb. 15, with the international security conference held in Munich of Germany as an occasion, and cooked up and made public a "joint statement" with "strengthened offer of U.S. nuclear umbrella through U.S.-ROK and U.S.-Japan alliances" as the main point, viciously pulling up the DPRK over its sovereign rights. A few days later, it let its B-1B strategic bomber fly over the sky of the Korean peninsula again on February 20 to stage a joint air drill together with the Air Force of the ROK. The U.S. vicious moves for confrontation with the DPRK have been intensified in March with the appearance of Carl Vinson in the Korean peninsula. Such moves will reach the climax with the U.S.-Japan-ROK naval drill and the Freedom Shield joint military exercises, to be staged this month with Carl Vinson involved, as a momentum. ROK media claim that the entry of Carl Vinson is aimed "to substantially implement the U.S. government's reaffirmed commitment to permanent and iron-like extended deterrence" and to "display the strong joint defence posture of the ROK-U.S. alliance to cope with threat" from someone. With such practical action measures, the U.S. has clearly shown its most hostile and confrontational will to the DPRK. The root cause of escalating tension on the Korean peninsula clearly lies in the U.S. and its allies which are further intensifying military moves to implant NATO infrastructure in the region and improve the level of war preparations. The DPRK bitterly condemns the reckless visible actions and muscle-flexing of the U.S. and its vassal forces disregarding and violating a sovereign state's security concern and jeopardizing the peaceful environment in the whole region. As indicated by the regional military situation, the U.S. and its stooges' heinous ambition to threaten, pressurize and bring the DPRK to its knees by force of arms is developing into a more reckless phase with the passage of time. As for the DPRK's nuclear policy formulated as a main law of the DPRK, it was adopted in correct reflection of the concern for state's security by the present and future threats. And the present reality further highlights the justness, validity and necessity of the DPRK's line on bolstering up its nuclear forces. The action-accompanied hostile policy toward the DPRK pursued by the U.S. at present is offering sufficient justification for the DPRK to indefinitely bolster up its nuclear war deterrent. We will never confine ourselves to sitting still and commenting on the situation. If the U.S. continues to renew its records in the anti-DPRK military demonstration, the DPRK will be naturally compelled to renew its records in the exercise of strategic deterrence. The DPRK is also planning to carefully examine the option for increasing the actions threatening the security of the enemy at the strategic level to cope with the fact that the deployment of U.S. strategic assets in the Korean peninsula has become a vicious habit and adversely affects the security of the DPRK. The enemies should not test the will and ability of the DPRK to defend the sovereignty and security interests of the state by mobilizing all means in hand. It's a very dangerous thing. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address French company announces new US factory for night vision goggles component By VOA News March 03, 2025 A French company that makes a key component in night vision systems used by some NATO countries announced Monday it is building a new factory in the United States amid a push for NATO members to increase their defense spending. Exosens said the new factory in the northeastern state of Massachusetts is expected to begin operations in 2027, and is part of a $21 million overall investment that also includes expanded operations in Europe. "The return of high-density combat has underscored the critical importance of night operation abilities as a key tactical advantage," the company said in a statement. Last week, Exosens announced a contract with a maker of night vision goggles in NATO member Finland. Some information for this story was provided by Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IAEA chief calls for meeting Iranian officials IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 London, IRNA -- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi says that Iran has increased its high enrichment of uranium, voicing hope that he would meet with Iranian officials. Gross made the remark during a press conference at the opening of the IAEA Board of Governors quarterly meetingin Vienna on Monday. "My visit to Tehran last November, and meetings with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicate that there may be room for constructive compromises. I hope to see them again soon and pursue effective dialogue and tangible results," Grossi said. "Regarding the issue of Iran's nuclear program, you have before you my latest report on verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015)," the IAEA chief said addressing the Board of Governors meeting. "Following my last report, Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% U235 has increased to 275 kg, up from 182 kg in the past quarter," he said. "It has been four years since Iran stopped implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), including provisionally applying its Additional Protocol and therefore it is also four years since the Agency was able to conduct complementary access in Iran," he said. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IAEA Board of Governors to discuss Grossi's report on Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 London, IRNA -- The Board of Governors (BoG) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) kicked off its regular meeting in Vienna, Austria. The meeting will continue until Friday. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi's report on Iran's nuclear program is scheduled to be presented. Representatives from 35 member states of the BoG are set to discuss various issues, including nuclear safety, the implementation of the Safeguards Agreements, as well as research and scientific activities. A key item on the agenda is the review of Grossi's report on the supervision and verification of Iranian nuclear activities within the framework of the Safeguard Agreements and the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. In its previous meeting, the BoG approved a resolution proposed by Britain, Germany, France, and the United States regarding Iran's peaceful nuclear program. The resolution called on Tehran to take immediate and necessary measures to address outstanding issues related to the Safeguards Agreement without referencing Iran's cooperation with the IAEA. The resolution also urged the Islamic Republic to provide the UN nuclear watchdog with data and documents required for access to sites and materials identified by the organization's inspectors. Iran described the resolution as unconstructive and politicized, noting that the IAEA has verified the country's nuclear industry. Nevertheless, IAEA inspectors have, time and again, visited Iranian nuclear facilities and have found no evidence to suggest a diversion from Iran's peaceful program. Tehran underscored its cooperation with the organization in accordance with the Safeguards Agreement and believes that the remaining issues can be resolved through a technical and non-political approach. 4208**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran says Hezbollah is 'an inseparable part' of Lebanese government IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esma'eel Baqayi says Iran considers the Hezbollah resistance movement an inseparable part of the Lebanese government, while the Islamic Republic maintains good relations with the government in Beirut. Iran enjoys amity with the resistance in Lebanon, and sees the group as helpful to the Lebanese government, Baqayi said during a regular press briefing held on Monday. Tehran-Beirut ties have always been positive, with both sides open to addressing misunderstandings, he said, adding that this approach persists as "good meetings" were held during the recent trip of an Iranian government delegation to Beirut. The spokesman was referring to the meetings that the Iranian delegation held with top Lebanese officials in Beirut on February 23. That day, senior Iranian officials including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi visited the Lebanese capital to attend the funeral for late Hezbollah leaders Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, both assassinated by Israel last year. Baqayi said the funeral marked a significant regional event that drew large crowds of people from Lebanon and other countries. The relationship between Iran and Lebanon is historically rooted in mutual respect, and is based on internationally recognized principles as both are members of the United Nations, he emphasized. Countries' relations must be based on rule of law Iran has emphasized that security is not "an imported commodity", the spokesperson said. This, he added, serves as a reminder to evaluate whether international relations are reverting to the 19th century when power, intimidation, and pressure were the basis of interaction among countries. The first and second world wars taught the international community that conflict, coercion, and force must be contained, and that relations should be governed by the rule of law, he said. West Asia security is 'endogenous' Further in his remarks, the spokesman answered a question on a heated debate between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his American counterpart Donald Trump at the White House on Friday. Baqayi said that anyone can have their interpretation of the way the discussions raised at that meeting. However, he added, what is important for Iran and the West Asia region is that security should be an "endogenous" matter. Regional countries should act by relying on their national and regional forces to ensure stability and security in West Asia and the Persian Gulf, Baqayi said, emphasizing that "no third party" can be relied on in this regard. Iran-Turkey relations The spokesman also commented on recent remarks by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan about Iran's regional policy. Baqayi said that while Tehran and Ankara hold differing views on certain regional issues, they have successfully managed the differences through taking a rational approach in order to prevent damage to their bilateral ties. Iran attaches importance to the development of ties with Turkey, however, the recent remarks were unconstructive, necessitating a clear and decisive expression of the Islamic Republic's stance, Baqayi added. He said that the repercussions of regional actions, particularly those of the Israeli regime in Syria over the past few months, can easily be noticed. Turkey must consider how these developments impact its policies, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson further said. He added that Iran, Turkey, and other regional nations should focus on enhancing security in the region to make it free of conflict. Iran remains determined on that path, and believes that Turkey also understands the importance of maintaining and enhancing bilateral relations based on national interests, and makes efforts in that regard, Baqayi said, expressing hope that both sides will continue to collaborate on this path. West Bank, Gaza are part of historical Palestine Further in his presser, the spokesman commented on a last week move by the chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, who ordered staff to call the West Bank by its Hebrew name. Baqayi said that such moves do not change the realities on the ground that the West Bank and Gaza are part of historical Palestine, with both regions undoubtedly belonging to the Palestinian people. That attempt to change the name is in line with plots by some American politicians who seek to erase Palestinian culture and identity, said the Iranian official. IAEA director general must fulfill his responsibilities Regarding the recent remarks of Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on Iran's nuclear program, Baqayi said that applying an opinion based on speculation is neither within the framework of Grossi's duties nor does it help to solve problems. It has already been proved that Iran's nuclear program is within international frameworks and is in accordance with the Safeguards Agreement as well as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the spokesman noted. The IAEA has all the necessary facilities for monitoring Iran's nuclear activities, he said, adding that Grossi's report is unconstructive and politically motivated. Talks on Iran's nuclear issue When asked whether a proposal to mediate between Tehran and Washington was made during the recent visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Iran, Baqayi said many countries declare goodwill to help in this regard, because it is an important issue. On whether the United States and Russia have discussed Iran's nuclear deal, the spokesman said that the agreement is one of international issues, which is natural to be discussed by Washington and Moscow. But what is important is that whatever is related to Iran's nuclear issue will not be done without considering Iran's views, he added. As to the new round of talks between Iran and European sides, he expressed hope that progress is made in the talks, saying that as long as dialogue takes place, it means that the parties hope that such talks will bear fruits. The three European countries, namely Britain, France and Germany, view the negotiations as necessary, the spokesperson added. U.S. sanctions In response to new sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran, Baqayi stated that the measures fundamentally violate the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. The official also said the move is indicative of the United States' continuous hostility toward the Islamic Republic of Iran. Israeli atrocities The Israeli regime has exploited famine and hunger as tools to advance its objectives in the Gaza Strip, Baqayi said further in his presser. Over the past year, conditions in Gaza have not improved, and the genocide persists, he said. The situation in the occupied West Bank is equally dire, with severe actions taking place against Palestinians in the absence of media, said the official. On Lebanon, the spokesman said that Israel's repeated violations of the country's sovereignty show that the aggression is going on, emphasizing that Lebanon's sovereignty must be respected. In response to the Zionist regime's proposal to divide Syria and establish a non-Muslim state, regional countries must condemn any attempts to undermine Syrian national sovereignty and prevent the Israeli regime from exploiting recent developments to sow insecurity and destabilize the region, the spokesman said. 7129**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zarif says he has resigned to help 'relieve some of the pressure on Pezeshkian administration' IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Vice-President Javad Zarif says he has resigned on advice from the head of the Judiciary to help relieve pressure on the administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian. In a post on his X account early on Monday, Zarif wrote that he had visited Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei on an invitation by Mohseni Ejei on Saturday. During the meeting, the Judiciary chief had advised that, given "the conditions of the country, I return to [teaching at] the university to avoid more pressure on the administration." Zarif said he took the advice immediately because he had always wanted to be "of help and not a burden." He said he hoped that by leaving the administration, those hindering the realization of "the people's will and the success of the administration" would be stripped of excuses. "I continue to be proud of having supported the venerable Dr. Pezeshkian and wish him and other true servants of the people the best," he said. Late on Sunday, sources told IRNA that Zarif had tendered his resignation to the president, who is yet to make an official statement on the matter. Since he was tapped as vice-president, Zarif has been taking intense heat by a group of lawmakers in Parliament who have argued that his appointment to a sensitive post is illegal because at least one of his children holds U.S. nationality. According to Iranian law, individuals who hold foreign citizenship or whose immediate family members hold such citizenship cannot be assigned to sensitive posts in the Iranian government. The Pezeshkian administration has forwarded a bill to the Parliament to modify the law so that it accommodates the recruitment of individuals whose children did not acquire foreign nationality by choice, as in Zarif's case. The vice-president's children were born in the United States while he was a student before being posted to Iran's United Nations mission in New York. The dispute was yet to be resolved while modifying legislation remained in the works, and even as Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was said to be in favor of the reform of the law. 4482 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Grossi stresses IAEA pursues constructive relations with Iran Iran Press TV Monday, 03 March 2025 6:54 PM Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Iran and the agency need to engage in constructive and continued talks to resolve issues pertaining to Iran's nuclear program. Rafael Mariano Grossi made the remarks at a press conference in Vienna on Monday after the IAEA Board of Governors meeting. He said previous reports have indicated that many issues are interconnected and some can be deemed more important than others. It is impossible to solve all issues in a single action; rather, the sides need constructive and consistent efforts in all fields, he added. For example, the IAEA chief claimed, uranium particles discovered in certain facilities and specific places or the level of Iran's uranium enrichment activities show that there are various issues between the two sides. "What we need is answers and constructive relations. Enough talk, we must move forward and achieve results. We have always put ways before Iran for bilateral cooperation," he said. Grossi said his talks with Iranian authorities in Tehran in November showed that the country seeks to cooperate with the IAEA but unfortunately certain issues (anti-Iran resolutions) have prevented the sides from moving in this direction. Referring to the IAEA's contact with the new US administration, Grossi said the highest-level political officials in the United States are examining ways to interact with respect to Iran's nuclear program. The IAEA chief underscored the need for interaction between the US and Iran. Grossi said interaction, whether formal or informal, or through open and secret channels, is indispensable. In 2015, Iran agreed to curb its peaceful nuclear work as a confidence-building measure in exchange for the removal of Western sanctions. That deal was derailed in 2018, when the United States left and reinstated all the bans suspended under the accord. In 2019, Iran stopped implementing part of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in response to Washington's withdrawal and the failure of the European parties to compensate for this pullout. Iran later took certain more limiting measures in response to the Western-sponsored anti-Iran resolutions at the IAEA and the country's dissatisfaction with the agency's handling of the nuclear issue. Those measures included deactivating some surveillance devices used to monitor its nuclear program and barring certain inspectors amid fears of Western espionage targeting Iran's nuclear facilities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Army conducts over 160 special operations during Zolfaqar 1403 maneuvers: Cmdr. Iran Press TV Monday, 03 March 2025 3:53 PM A senior Iranian Army commander says the force has successfully carried out more than 160 specialized exercises during the Army's recent Zolfaqar 1403 joint military maneuvers in the country's south. Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, deputy chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination, said on Monday that the Armed Forces made great efforts to obtain the drills' major objectives. The Iranian Army held the Zolfaqar 1403 large-scale military exercise late in February in an area along the strategic Makran coastline in the southern part of the country, the Sea of Oman, and the northern tip of the Indian Ocean, extending up to the 10-degree latitude. Various infantry, armored and mechanized units, air defense systems, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), unmanned surface vessels (USVs) as well as air force strategic bombers for logistical support participated in the drills. Sayyari said the maneuvers were staged in a vast area in the presence of a large number of forces from various units with very high mobility and diverse equipment. He said not even a little incident occurred during the exercises despite all activities and the numerous launches on land, air, sea and underwater. "This reflects the high precision and skill of the personnel of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army in conducting combat operations," Sayyari said. He said Zolfaqar 1403 drills achieved its ultimate goal to enhance the defensive and deterrent power of Iran's Army to confront any current and future threat. The top commander said the successful drills have raised the Iranian people's morale and made them become aware of the Armed Forces' high level of preparedness in the face of any threat. Iran's Armed Forces with the support of people are always ready to defend the country's territorial integrity and the Islamic Revolution, he said, adding that such capabilities will certainly improve in the future. Iranian military forces hold routine exercises according to a detailed schedule in various parts of the country in order to test their weaponry and equipment and evaluate their combat preparedness. Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities and that Iran's defense capabilities will never be subject to negotiations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran: Zelensky's humiliation in US 'wake-up call' to return to 19th-century bullying era Iran Press TV Monday, 03 March 2025 11:14 AM Iran says US President Donald Trump's humiliating behavior towards his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, in the White House serves as a "wake-up call" to a return to the 19th-century era of bullying in international relations. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei made the remarks at his weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, three days after Trump shouted at Zelensky during a heated Oval Office meeting, telling him to make a deal with Russia or lose Washington's support. "Everyone saw this. Everyone can have their own interpretation of the dialogue and discussions," he said. "It is a wake-up call and we should answer the question: Is international politics going to return to the 19th century, when power was dominant in relations between governments? The two World Wars and their consequences led the international community to conclude that the use of force should be contained and relations should be based on law." During Friday's fiery exchange, Trump told Zelensky that he had no cards and was in no position to make requests of the United States, accusing the Ukrainian president of not being thankful enough for US military and political support during Ukraine's war with Russia. Baghaei underlined the importance of security as an endogenous matter. "The countries of the region must act on their own to ensure stability in the region and they cannot pin hope on any third party [in this regard]," he said. "This has always been Iran's principled policy and an important issue that everyone should remind themselves of." Alluding to the Trump-Zelensky clash on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said any country that outsources its security and development to others or trusts the arrogant powers is doomed to failure. He further described the 1979 Islamic Revolution as a rational uprising that saved Iran from dependence on the world's most unreliable powers. US complicit in genocide against Palestinians Meanwhile, the spokesman touched on the instructions by the US House Foreign Affairs Committee chair to staffers to refer to the occupied West Bank by its biblical name. "Changing the name cannot change the realities on the ground. What is clear is that the West Bank and Gaza are parts of historical Palestine and that they cannot be questioned or changed," he said. Such moves, he noted, show the US politicians' complicity in the genocide against the Palestinian nation. 'Iran attaches great value to Turkey ties despite old disagreements' Elsewhere in his remarks, Baghaei referred to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's recent "criticism" of Iran's foreign policy. He said Tehran attaches great value to its relations with Ankara despite old differences of opinion with the neighboring country. "The art of both sides has been to manage disagreements in a very rational manner without damaging their good bilateral ties. At the same time, we heard unconstructive statements that required Iran to announce its position very firmly," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi resistance leader dismisses dissolution of PMF IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 3, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Secretary-General of the Asa'ib Ahl Al-Haq Movement Qais Al-Khazali has rejected the dissolution of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). During the program "Under Two Lines" aired on Al-Iraqiya News TV on Sunday, Al-Khazali highlighted the significance of national interests for Iraq, according to the Iraqi News Agency. The weapons of the resistance groups in Iraq are under control, he said, noting that the groups defend the national sovereignty. Al-Khazali further emphasized that disarming resistance groups could weaken Iraq's defense capability. In one of their latest anti-terrorist operation in the western regions of Anbar province, the PMF has destroyed 11 secret tunnels used by ISIS elements. 7129**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 3, 2025 Release Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's Call With Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz today to discuss bilateral interests, regional developments and opportunities, and security assistance priorities. The Secretary reaffirmed that the United States remains 100 percent committed to Israel's security and emphasized the unbreakable bond that exists between the United States and Israel. Both leaders agreed that Iran remains a threat to regional security and agreed to work together on this challenge. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4091760/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU boosts humanitarian aid in Bangladesh, Myanmar and for the Rohingya refugee crisis European Commission Press release Mar 2, 2025 Brussels The Commission has allocated today 76 million in EU humanitarian to address the needs of people affected by the main crises in South and Southeast Asia. Out of this amount, 32.3 million will support Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh. A further 33 million will support the population affected by the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. The remaining 10.8 million will support refugees and host communities in nearby countries in the region, as well as to strengthen disaster preparedness. Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, is today in Bangladesh where she will visit Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, and meet with humanitarian partners and national authorities. In Bangladesh, the 32.3 million will support the over one million Rohingya refugees living in the country, mostly in Cox's Bazar, as well as the host communities. Funding will be used for: food assistance and nutrition; maintenance of the camps' shelters and other facilities; provision of essential services such as healthcare, emergency education, and access to water and sanitation. In Myanmar, the 33 million allocated this year will be used for: food assistance and emergency nutrition, given the high levels of food insecurity; shelter for the many people displaced; access to clean water and sanitation; other basic services such as healthcare and emergency education; mine risk education and assistance for victims of landmines; disaster preparedness in the country, as it is highly prone to cyclones and floods. Given the regional spillover of Myanmar's crisis, an additional allocation of 3.5 million will provide life-saving aid to refugees and host communities in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. 6 million will be allocated to the Philippines, for both disaster preparedness measures as well as for the protracted impact of conflict in the Mindanao region. Regional support of 1.3 million will also be provided for disaster preparedness across Southeast Asia. All EU humanitarian funding is channelled via partner organisations such as international NGOs and UN agencies. Background South and Southeast Asian countries continue to face a complex mix of conflict and environmental challenges. It has been over seven years since the major influx of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh. With the conflict in Myanmar being one of the most intense in the world, a safe return to their place of origin is not likely in the near future. Insecurity has increased in the camps, with forced recruitment and other threats by armed groups on the rise. Against this background, more and more refugees are risking dangerous journeys to reach Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and India. In Myanmar, humanitarian needs have risen dramatically since the military takeover four years ago. Some 20 million people are in need of assistance, with at least 3.5 million displaced within the country. Fighting affects most of the country, with the conflict rated as the third deadliest in the world. Meanwhile, in the Philippines communities in Mindanao continue to suffer the consequences of armed conflict, made worse by recurrent exposure to natural hazards. Last year the country was severely hit by multiple floods and tropical cyclones. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar's military junta chief flies to Russia for meeting with Putin The visit is junta chief Min Aung Hlaing's fourth to Russia since the military seized power in 2021. By RFA Burmese 2025.03.03 -- Myanmar's military junta chief arrived on Monday in Moscow, where he is expected to discuss security and economic cooperation -- including Russia's investment in a deep-sea port in southern Myanmar -- with President Vladimir Putin. Tuesday's scheduled meeting between Putin and Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing was announced by junta-controlled state media and the Russian Presidential Office last week. The head of the junta that seized power in February 2021 flew out of Naypyidaw along with junta Cabinet members and top military officials, according to state television MRTV. The visit is Min Aung Hlaing's fourth to Russia since the coup. Putin first met Min Aung Hlaing in 2022 in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine after the Myanmar junta defended Russia's actions. Both Myanmar and Russia have faced diplomatic isolation and economic sanctions. Over the last four years, the two sides have sought to spur trade, particularly with Russian military sales to Myanmar. Most of the weaponry and other arms-related equipment sent to the junta in the two years after the coup came from Russia, according to a 2023 report to the U.N.'s Human Rights Council from Tom Andrews, the U.N. Special Rapporteur for Myanmar. Radio Free Asia tried to contact junta's spokesperson Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun on Monday for more details about the trip, but he didn't immediately respond. Indian Ocean port This week's official visit was scheduled after the junta approved Russian investment in the Dawei port and industrial trade zone in Tanintharyi region, according to Thein Htun Oo, executive director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank formed by former military officers. The Dawei port project stalled in 2013 after it failed to attract enough investment. Russia's Ministry of Economic Development said on Feb. 23 that Russian investment in the revived project will go toward port construction, a coal-fired power plant and an oil refinery. "Both sides are expected to discuss economic cooperation and expansion between Myanmar and Russia," Thein Htun Oo told RFA. "Myanmar and Russia have already signed a strategic military partnership agreement, and that military cooperation will be enhanced in the next phase." Russia's involvement at Dawei would give it a presence on the Indian Ocean, political analyst Than Soe Naing said. "This is a significant opportunity for Russia," he said. "It marks its first step into the Bay of Bengal and opens more investment opportunities in Southeast Asia." However, an economic analyst who spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity for security reasons said investors from other countries are expected to have a greater role. "Russia is not considered a good economy in the world," he said. "There's doubt about its ability to follow through on investments. In reality, we are looking forward to greater international investment." Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement at the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner's Report on Myanmar UK Statement at the 58 Human Rights Council during the Interactive Dialogue on on the High Commissioner's Report on Myanmar. Delivered by UK Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders. 3 March 2025 Delivered on: 3 March 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) Thank you High Commissioner for your update. We are now in the fourth year since the coup and the crisis in Myanmar is only deepening. The military continues to intensify its violent and repressive onslaught. Schools and hospitals have been targeted. Indiscriminate airstrikes on civilians have increased. There is no justification for such abhorrent attacks on innocent civilians. The UK is alarmed by the escalating violence, human rights violations and gender-based violence. All actors, especially the Myanmar Military, must prioritise the protection of civilians. We call on the Military to stop the violence - especially the airstrikes - and release all those arbitrarily detained. The humanitarian situation is critical, with almost 20 million people in need of assistance. We call on all actors, especially the military, to allow safe and unimpeded humanitarian access. The UK is providing more than 66 million in assistance this year. Accountability is vital. We must break the cycle of impunity. This is why the UK supports the work of the International Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. And this is why we announced our nineteenth round of sanctions in November last year targeting the military regime's access to arms, aviation fuel and dual-use equipment. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Bangladesh, UNHCR's Grandi calls for sustained support and solutions for Rohingya refugees UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 3 March 2025 DHAKA -- The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, underscored UNHCR's unwavering commitment to supporting 1 million Rohingya refugees hosted in Bangladesh as he completed a four-day visit to the country on Sunday. In a meeting with the country's Chief Advisor, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Grandi commended the people of Bangladesh for their generosity in hosting the refugees for nearly eight years. "Bangladesh has been an extraordinary host since the onset of the crisis, with local communities having shared the few resources they had with refugees," said Grandi. "A dignified, voluntary, safe and sustainable return to Myanmar remains the primary solution to this crisis. Efforts to achieve this goal by helping create conditions for return to the areas of origin of the refugees, and the peaceful coexistence of communities living there, must be stepped up and supported." Visiting the Kutupalong refugee camps near Cox's Bazar, Grandi urged the international community to provide sustained financial support for the refugees, who live in highly challenging circumstances - vulnerable to natural disasters and almost entirely reliant on humanitarian aid for their basic needs. "With the passing of time and in the absence of a solution for Rohingya refugees for now, mobilizing resources remains both challenging and a priority," Grandi said, urging partners not to forget Rohingya refugees. "If international support decreases dramatically - which may happen - the huge work done by the Bangladesh government, aid agencies and refugees themselves will be seriously impacted, putting thousands at risk of hunger, disease and insecurity." In Cox's Bazar, the High Commissioner spoke to refugees who had recently arrived in the camps after fleeing the ongoing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State. Intense conflict there in recent times has worsened the plight of the Rohingya, leaving many with no choice but to risk the journey to safety in Bangladesh. Grandi also sat down with community-based groups like imams, female religious teachers, and a group of mothers concerned about the violence in the camps. With few prospects for meaningful self-development and self-reliance, violence, crime, and other security issues have risen in the community. "All shared with me their longing to return to their homes, when the conditions for return are safe and allow for voluntary sustainable repatriation," he said. "It is very important to support Bangladesh's efforts to maintain security in the camps. We must also continue programmes for the most vulnerable, particularly women who have survived violence, and help young people to gain skills and resilience." Speaking to young refugees at a skills training centre, the High Commissioner remarked on the need to strengthen livelihood and development opportunities inside the camps, where 52 per cent of the population are under 18. "They are trying to acquire skills, to get an education," Grandi said. "They are trying to utilize the talents that they have to serve their community. If international assistance dwindles, their horizon becomes further limited. We must do our best to keep their hopes alive." The camps in Cox's Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char are, like the communities that host them, highly susceptible to cyclones, flooding, landslides and other weather shocks, including the risk of fire. Having witnessed the devastating consequences of a major landslide on the refugees, Grandi highlighted the need for core support for disaster risk reduction during meetings with Government partners. This is the High Commissioner's sixth visit to the country. It comes as UNHCR, together with the Government of Bangladesh and other humanitarian partners, prepares to launch the 2025 Joint Response Plan detailing the humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees and their host communities. In recent years, funding has remained a critical challenge, with previous response plans being insufficiently funded. "Nowhere more than in the Cox's Bazar camps is the life-saving role of humanitarian aid clear," Grandi said in a post on X reflecting on his visit. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Female bomber's attack on military convoy in southwest Pakistan kills 1 By Ayaz Gul March 03, 2025 Police in Pakistan reported Monday that a female suicide bomber detonated herself near a military convoy in southwestern Balochistan province, killing at least one security personnel and injuring four others. The bombing in the insurgency-hit Kalat district reportedly targeted a commander of the Frontier Corps paramilitary force, but he was unharmed. A local police officer, Habibullah, confirmed the casualties, telling VOA by telephone that investigators had recovered body parts of the bomber and concluded that the perpetrator was female. No immediate claims of responsibility for the Kalat attack were made. However, previous similar acts of violence in natural resources-rich Balochistan, including those involving female bombers, had been claimed by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). In Pakistan, suicide bombings by women are rare. The last known female suicide attack happened in 2022 when a bomber targeted a van carrying Chinese teachers to the university campus in Karachi. The driver and three teachers were killed. BLA-led attacks against security forces and settlers from other Pakistani provinces, particularly Punjab, have lately increased in Balochistan, which sits on the country's border with Afghanistan and Iran. Series of attacks Last month, BLA insurgents ambushed a bus transporting paramilitary forces in Kalat and killed 18 of them. Just days later, a roadside bomb blast killed 11 coal miners in the city while BLA took credit for attacking a military vehicle securing a supply convoy for a mining company operated by China. Pakistani authorities reported that the convoy was passing through Kalat when it came under attack, resulting in injuries to eight security personnel. BLA has justified its attacks on infrastructure projects funded by China, claiming that Beijing is aiding Islamabad in exploiting local resources without sharing the benefits with the impoverished Baloch residents. Pakistan and China deny the allegations, asserting that BLA and other separatist organizations are actively engaged in campaigns aimed at hindering economic development in Balochistan. Monday's bombing occurred a day after an alliance of ethnic Baloch separatist groups, including BLA, resolved at a joint meeting to escalate their "war against Pakistan and China" by implementing a "blockade on all important highways of Balochistan to disrupt the logistical, economic, and military interests" of the Pakistani state. The insurgent alliance shared the information with reporters via email but did not disclose the location or timing of the meeting. BLA is believed to be the largest and most lethal group active in Balochistan, and it has also been designated as a global terrorist organization by the United States. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Tsahkna: The right place for Nord Stream 2 is at the bottom of the sea Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 03.03.2025 Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said reports of the relaunching of Nord Stream 2 are a step in the wrong direction for European energy security. "Russia has repeatedly used energy as a weapon against Europe, and it is using energy exports to finance its war in Ukraine. If reports about plans to relaunch Nord Stream 2 turn out to be true, it would be a step in a completely wrong direction as far as European energy security is concerned," Tsahkna said. He noted that following Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the European Union has made efforts to exit from Russian energy imports. Before February 2022, Russian gas made up 45% of the EU's gas imports, and it is currently at 13%. The EU has sanctioned Russian oil and oil products and coal imports. "In late March, the European Commission will present an action plan for phasing out Russian energy to implement the political agreement in the EU to end energy imports from Russia by 2027. The possible proposal to launch Nord Stream 2 does not align with this goal," Tsahkna said. "Launching Nord Stream 2 would require the US to lift its sanctions on the project, and now is definitely not the right time for this." Foreign Minister Tsahkna said that instead of discussions on Nord Stream 2 shipments, Estonia expects the USA to ramp up energy sanctions on Russia, for example, by lowering the price cap for oil in cooperation with the G7 and the EU, or listing the shadow fleet. He also stressed that the EU should aim for reducing its imports of LNG from Russia. "The right place for Nord Stream 2 is at the bottom of the sea, in pieces, not on the EU's energy market. Instead, we are welcoming gas supplies from the United States to the EU, not Russia," Tsahkna said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with Head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov Vladimir Putin received Head of the Republic of Tatarstan in the Kremlin. Rustam Minnikhanov informed the President about the region's economic development. March 3, 2025 13:40 The Kremlin, Moscow Rustam Minnikhanov began his report by discussing work concerning the special military operation. Most targets regarding the number of contract soldiers, support for service personnel and last year's performance have been over-fulfilled. This year's targets are currently being processed. Over 36 billion rubles have already been channelled to accomplish various objectives. Fifteen republican residents have received the title of Hero of Russia, including seven posthumously. In all, 1,829 service personnel have been awarded the Orders of Courage. Additionally, Tatarstan continues to render assistance to the cities of Lisichansk and Rubezhnoye in the Lugansk People's Republic. A total of 2.6 billion rubles have already been allocated for their reconstruction, and 4,389 tonnes of humanitarian aid have been delivered from Tatarstan. Over the last three years, the republic has been accommodating children from the new territories at its holiday centres. After touching upon the socio-political situation in the region, Rustam Minnikhanov noted that there were no inter-ethnic or religious conflicts. The President emphasised that republican authorities were working effectively with people and added that Tatarstan placed first in the number of religious organisations. According to Rustam Minnikhanov, as per the President's instructions, the authorities are working with the Islamic world and Russia's Islamic organisations. Everyone without exception, including Orthodox Christians, Old Believers and Jews, receive complete support in the republic. Islamic schools, including the Bulgarian Islamic Academy, the Theological Seminary in Kazan and the madrasah, are functioning in the republic. He also highlighted the importance of training the republican clergy. Earlier, representatives of the republic studied abroad, and, he believes, that was a mistake. He said that interreligious peace and accord guaranteed stability and development. Vladimir Putin and Rustam Minnikhanov also discussed socio-economic parameters. Tatarstan, a major industrial region, accounts for three percent of Russia's GDP. It produces 24 percent of the country's polyethylene, 41 percent of rubber, 61 percent of lorry tyres, 30 percent of lorries as well as seven percent of the country's crude oil. The construction industry has seen a 17 percent growth, with fixed capital investment soaring by 12 percent and reaching 1.435 trillion rubles. The processing industry has grown by ten percent since 2010. The republic refines 24.3 million tonnes of oil; and the oil-refining depth is 99.4-99.5 percent. TANECO and TAIF-NK are up-to-date modernised enterprises. Serious work is underway on the SIBUR Group consisting of Nizhnekamskneftekhim and Kazanorgsintez. The largest Ethylene 600 complex with a capacity of 600,000 tonnes of ethylene will start operating later this year. Orgsntez is implementing a serious modernisation project. Ammoni is planning to build new facilities and to expand production of mineral fertilisers by 100 percent. According to Rustam Minnikhanov, the growth rate in agriculture is 10 percent. Tatarstan ranks first in the country in terms of milk, in potato harvesting it holds the second position, in sugar beet - seventh, in eggs it is in the top 10. Tatarstan produces 341 billion roubles worth of agricultural products. As for the machine building industry, the head of the republic said that KAMAZ revenue totalled 323 billion roubles. The company managed to bypass the issues related to components, many projects have been implemented in Russia. All questions on the K5 model range, which used imported components, have been fully resolved. Active work is underway on electric buses and the Atom electric car. By the way, Minnikhanov noted that next year KAMAZ will celebrate 50 years of the launch of vehicle production. He also said that the company Sollers, which replaced Ford, is doing a good job. It has launched production of commercial vehicles, and 3.0-litre and 2.7-litre engines. The entire engine assembly is done in Yelabuga, where Aurus is also produced. According to Minnikhanov, a lot of work is being done at the Kazan Aviation Plant. A complex was built for 38 billion rubles, two more are under construction, a logistics centre and a machining centre are also in the pipeline. The Kazan Helicopter Plant has also carried out major modernisation of the machining and assembly centre and built an educational centre. The Ansat with the Russian VK-650 engine and the new Mi-38, which is bigger than the Mi-8 and has a speed of over 300 kilometres per hour, are being produced, as well as a very good Robinson-type Mi-34. The Chinese company Haier is also working well: it has already built six factories, and localisation is very high. The shipbuilding plant produces both military and civilian products; its sales stand at 56 billion. A lot of work is going on at defence enterprises. This includes drones and a gunpowder factory - very serious modernisation is underway. The energy complex is operating smoothly, producing about 31 billion kilowatt-hours. The electrical system is being upgraded. Active work is being done in the ICT sphere with 3,500 companies and about 42,000 people. The revenue of IT companies is already 225 billion rubles. The Innopolis project, which was also supported by the President, is developing very well. It includes a university, and special economic zones. The results are excellent. The head of the republic also noted the Alabuga special industrial and production economic zone with its revenue of 238 billion, highlighting that an educational centre was created there. Khimgrad has a revenue of 96 billion, and KIP Master [Kama Industrial Park] - 202 billion. Tatarstan is also helping to create sites in Uzbekistan at the request of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The Sviyazhsk multimodal logistics centre and a large logistics centre for work with China within the Belt and Road Initiative are operating in Nizhnekamsk. Work is also underway on the advanced socioeconomic development territories, according to Rustam Minnikhanov. Last year, social, cultural, and engineering infrastructure facilities with a total worth of 166 billion were built. This includes both national and republican projects. In addition, 3.45 million square metres of housing were built. Every year, up to a thousand apartment buildings are repaired. A total of 200 billion have been invested in road infrastructure: 108 billion from the republic, and 92 billion account for federal highways. There are serious Safe High-Quality Roads projects. Vladimir Putin noted that the GRP has almost tripled over the previous years. Tatarstan is an industrially developed region of Russia, and it is developing rapidly, but, according to the President, the load on the ecosystem is decreasing, which is an essential issue. Rustam Minnikhanov added that each project complied with all the global standards. All requirements of the green and circular economy are also complied with. The republic is seriously working to upgrade existing production facilities, which produce emissions into the air and water; and they have been significantly reduced. The head of the republic thanked the President for the relevant federal programmes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan's top diplomat says Haiti, Vatican ties need extra attention ROC Central News Agency 03/03/2025 07:48 PM Taipei, March 3 (CNA) While Taiwan's diplomatic relations with all its 12 official allies are relatively stable, "extra attention" needs to be paid to Haiti and the Vatican, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung () has said. During an interview with an online political talk show on Sunday, Lin said that Haiti has been rocked by gang violence and social unrest since former Haitian President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in July 2021. However, Lin said that Taiwan continued to stand with Haiti and was one of the last nations whose embassy remained open during the unrest. Lin added that the new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has placed a high importance on Latin America and the Caribbean since taking office. "So I believe Taiwan and the U.S. can work together in this regard," Lin said. Meanwhile, Lin said the Holy See has been pushing for closer exchanges with China under Pope Francis. The Holy See is the only European diplomatic ally of the Republic of China (ROC), the official name of Taiwan. Relations were established in 1942 when the ROC government was based in Chongqing. In 2018, Beijing and the Vatican struck a historic deal to work together on appointing Chinese bishops, which was extended for a third time in October 2024. However, Beijing has repeatedly contravened the agreement by unilaterally appointing bishops. In an interview with the monthly magazine America published on Feb. 28, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's secretary for relations with states, said the Holy See remains committed to dialogue with China on the appointment of bishops with China. "We believe that it is a process of continuing this dialogue, working on these questions of the appointment of bishops, trying to make this agreement work better, and slowly, hopefully, by doing so, building up a sense of trust and understanding between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China (PRC)," he said. In response to Gallagher's comments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) told CNA Monday that it continues to closely monitor the ongoing dialogue between the PRC and the Holy See. MOFA said it understands that the Vatican hopes to improve the plight of Chinese Catholics via dialogue with the PRC. MOFA added that Taiwan would continue to work with the Holy See and the Catholic Church to enhance humanitarian cooperation and jointly safeguard the core value of religious freedom and in so doing, enhance bilateral ties. (By Novia Huang and Joseph Yeh) Enditem/ASG NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan sees more opportunities than threats in Trump's China policy: FM ROC Central News Agency 03/03/2025 11:45 AM Taipei, March 3 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung () said the confrontational policy of the second Donald Trump presidency toward China is more of an opportunity for Taiwan than a threat. "The main focus of Trump's second term is in countering China," Lin said during an interview with an online media outlet aired on Sunday night. Although countering China does not necessarily mean supporting Taiwan, the Trump administration's stance gives Taiwan the opportunity to find common interests, Lin said. "Taiwan's foreign policy is not formulated on U.S. interests but is rather based on Taiwan's interests," Lin said. For Taiwan's national interests, the government is finding interests shared with Washington and focusing on pushing policies where the interests of both countries are aligned, he noted. Lin noted that during his presidential campaign, Trump made some controversial remarks about Taiwan, including accusing the nation of "stealing" the chip industry from the U.S. decades ago. He also repeatedly expressed frustration that Taipei does not pay the U.S. to fund its defense. Taiwan needs to take Trump's words "seriously but not literally," Lin said. In response to Trump's complaint, President Lai Ching-te () announced last month that his government aims to increase defense spending to 3 percent of Taiwan's gross domestic product this year, the minister said. Lin said he is optimistic about the Trump administration's foreign policy, as much of the ongoing Taiwan-U.S. cooperation in the Biden administration began in Trump's first term from 2016-2020, and many of Trump's senior members of national security team are Taiwan-friendly. "Trump 2.0 has so far showed more continuity in its policy than variability," the minister said, adding that Trump's second term is offering Taiwan "more opportunities than threats." Meanwhile, asked about U.S. State Department's recent decision to remove a line indicating Washington's long-held stance of not supporting Taiwan independence from a bilateral relations fact sheet, and whether that means stronger Washington support for Taipei, Lin said he does not believe Taiwan needs to "over interpret" the move. He said Taiwan needs to be more "practical" instead of overreacting to the fact sheet wording. However, he still sees it is a good sign showing one needs to move away from the U.S.-Taiwan-China trilateral relations framework established during the Cold War and view U.S.-China and U.S.-Taiwan relations separately so that China does not have a say in Taiwan-U.S. interactions. Lin made the comments during an interview with a local pundit for the latter's online talk show. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/AW 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 2025/03/03 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date: 6 a.m. Mar. 2(Sun.) to 6 a.m. Mar. 3(Mon.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities: 10 sorties of PLA aircraft, 6 PLAN ships and 4 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 9 out of 10 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 1140303_PLA activities 1140303_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Distinguished Observer Day of the Dacia-25 Exercise Republic of Turkiye Ministry of National Defence 03.03.2025 The Distinguished Observer Day of the Dacia-25 Exercise, started in Romania and was attended by the 66th Mechanised Infantry Brigade Reconnaissance Company Command, was conducted on February 26, 2025. After the exercise; Vuran TWAV, Acar Dual radar, Kargu UAV, MPT 76 infantry rifle and thermal weapon scope were exhibited. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Europe asserts its role in Ukraine crisis with partial truce proposal Global Times EU wants voice to be heard, but security framework hinges on how it addresses ties with Russia: experts By Wang Qi Published: Mar 03, 2025 10:10 PM European leaders are pushing for a partial one-month truce between Russia and Ukraine while intensifying efforts to form a "coalition of the willing" to bolster Kiev, following European leaders' summit in London on the Ukraine crisis. The moves came after a shouting match between US and Ukrainian presidents in the White House, which raised doubts about the continuation of American aid to Ukraine and prompted Europe to assert its role, expert said. Chinese experts noted that these steps highlight Europe's frustration with US' marginalization in resolving the Ukraine crisis, stressing that Europe, as a key stakeholder, demands its voice be heard. However, they cautioned that Europe must also confront an unavoidable reality: the future of Europe's security framework hinges on how it addresses its relationship with Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron told Le Figaro on Sunday that France and Britain propose a one-month truce excluding ground combat, Reuters reported Monday. The initial phase of a French-British alternative peace deal for Ukraine would involve a month-long "truce in the air, on the seas and energy infrastructures," according to Macron speaking to the French outlet. The second phase would involve troops on the ground, CNN reported. Macron also suggested that European countries should raise their defense spending to between 3.0 and 3.5 percent of GDP to respond to Washington's shifting priorities and Russia's militarization, AFP said. Simultaneously, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK, France and other countries will step up their efforts in a "coalition of the willing" and seek to involve the US in their support for Ukraine. At a London summit with 18 European leaders, including Zelensky, Starmer pledged 1.6 billion ($2 billion) in export financing for over 5,000 air defense missiles. Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Monday that "Europe seeks sway in both the Ukraine crisis and the continent's security landscape, signaling it's no bystander." He added that these efforts reflect Europe's discontent with Washington's sidelining of Europe in talks with Russia. Awkward position CNN framed Europe's moves as a way to "wrestle control of negotiations" over the Russia-Ukraine conflict away from the US and "present a united front" amid a meltdown in relations between Kiev and Washington. During the European leaders' talk in London on Sunday, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned that "We urgently have to rearm Europe ... And prepared for the worst," according to the Euro News. Citing sources, the New York Times reported that US President Donald Trump will discuss on Monday local time with his top national security aides on the possible suspension or complete cancellation of military aid to Ukraine, including weapons pledged by the Biden administration. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), in the event of a total cancellation of American military assistance to Ukraine, European nations would have to allocate an additional $100 billion to $350 billion to support Ukraine's military and enhance their own military-industrial capabilities. Despite Starmer saying that European leaders have reached a four-point plan with Ukraine to end the conflict, he said that the agreement "would need US backing and had to include Russia," emphasizing that "I do not accept that the US is an unreliable ally," per the BBC. Europe is currently in the awkward position - it wishes to show leadership in peace talks and even in the post-war security architecture, but on the other hand, Europe's own military capabilities, and the efficiency of coordination in defense, lag behind its own ambition and initiatives, especially with US' absence, Li said. Europe's plans have drawn criticism from Russia. In an interview with Russian newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda on Sunday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the European powers which have rallied around Kiev of seeking to prolong the conflict, according to the Guardian. Lavrov said that after Biden's administration, "people have come in who want to be guided by common sense. They say directly that they want to end all wars, they want peace. And who demands a 'continuation of the banquet' in the form of a war? Europe." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday accused President Zelensky of not wanting peace. "Someone should make him want peace. If the Europeans do it, all kudos to them," said Peskov, per AFP. "Europe's view of Russia as a significant threat dims short-term detente prospects. However, in the long run, the adjustment of Europe's security framework hinges on the question of how Europe manages its relationship with Russia," Feng Zhongping, director of the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday. At present, Europeans have yet to seriously grapple with this question, which is something they ought to reflect on, Feng said, noting that without a proper and timely resolution, Europe risks remaining a continent plagued by conflict and instability. Europe stands at a critical juncture, which will determine whether it can truly establish a sustainable and long-lasting security framework rooted in the principle of indivisible security, Li said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Again Blasts Zelenskyy As Europe Seeks 'Massive Surge In Defense' By Chris Rickleton March 03, 2025 The United States piled more pressure on Volodymyr Zelenskyy to fall into line with Washington's push for a deal to end fighting in Ukraine, while European leaders sought to carve out a stronger role after the Ukrainian president's disastrous visit to the White House late last week. U.S. President Donald Trump suggested his patience was running out, criticizing Zelenskyy's resistance to the prospect of a quick cease-fire in Russia's war against Ukraine without the kind of concrete security guarantees Kyiv has been seeking from the United States. "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote in a social media post that linked to an Associated Press story whose headline quoted Zelenskyy as saying the end of the war in his country is "very, very far away." "It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be Peace as long as he has America's backing," Trump wrote. The March 3 post on Trump's Truth Social platform suggested that mending ties with the White House, as European leaders have urged Zelenskyy to do, will be a difficult task following a vocal clash in the Oval Office in which Trump and Vivce President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy on February 28. Zelenskyy left the White House early after the heated argument in front of reporters. An agreement granting U.S. access to Ukraine's rare minerals and natural resources was left unsigned and Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy could "come back when he is ready for Peace." Since the debacle, which added to questions about the future of U.S. military and financial aid to Ukraine to support its defense against the Russian invasion, U.S. officials have urged Zelenskyy to apologize and echoed Trump's suggestion that he much show that he is ready for peace. "What we need to hear from President Zelenskyy is that he has regret for what happened, he's ready to sign this minerals deal and that he's ready to engage in peace talks," the White House national security adviser, Mike Waltz, told Fox News on March 3. Zelenskyy "should be more appreciative, because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin," Trump told reporters at the White House later in the day. Asked if the minerals deal was dead, Trump said, "No, I don't think so." Asked about reports that he was considering halting military aid to Ukraine, he said, ""I haven't even talked about that right now. I mean, right now, we'll see what happens. A lot of things are happening right now as we speak." The Oval Office altercation has reverberated across the globe and particularly in Europe, throwing the chances of securing a cease-fire or peace deal that would not leave Kyiv and the rest of the continent vulnerable to renewed Russian aggression deeper into doubt. Leaders across Europe moved to take more control of potential peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia and ensure security across the continent after the recent flurry of diplomacy appeared to collapse with the rupture of relations between Trump and Zelenskyy. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on March 3 that there were a "number of options on the table" for a cease-fire agreement to at least temporarily halt fighting sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than three years ago. The statement came after French President Emmanuel Macron told the newspaper Le Figaro that he thought a one-month truce on air, sea, and energy infrastructure would give allies time to assess Russian President Vladimir Putin's commitment to a full and lasting cease-fire. Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on March 3 that she would inform member states about a "rearm Europe plan" as European governments scramble to mitigate their growing differences with the United States over the war in Ukraine. "We need a massive surge in defense, without any question. We want lasting peace, but lasting peace can only be built on strength, and strength begins with strengthening ourselves," von der Leyen said. More than a dozen leaders from around Europe, Canada, Turkey and NATO met for a summit in London on March 2 to round off a busy diplomatic week that will forever be remembered... Absent from the conference was any representative of the United States, although Starmer said before the summit began that the United Kingdom, France, and Ukraine "and possibly one or two others" would be working on a peace plan they would discuss with Washington. The sight of Zelenskyy and Trump -- who said the Ukrainian leader was being "disrespectful" to the United States and putting everyone at risk of causing World War III -- arguing in front of live TV cameras over Russia's three-year full-scale invasion of the country has clearly shocked Europe's leaders. 'Manufactured Escalation,' Says Germany's Merz In some of the strongest European comments yet on the White House standoff, Germany's likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, referred to what he called "manufactured escalation" at the meeting, a thinly veiled criticism of Trump and his administration. "It was not a spontaneous reaction to interventions by Zelenskyy, but obviously a manufactured escalation in this meeting in the Oval Office," Merz told a news conference in Hamburg, on March 3, adding that Europe "must now show that we are in a position to act independently." Despite intense and ongoing discussions on boosting Europe's own defense capacities, and alarm over warming rhetoric between Moscow and Washington, European leaders say engaging the new U.S. administration is a priority as the United States -- a major contributor of military aid to Ukraine -- must be part of the negotiations. Merz said he would "advocate doing everything to keep the Americans in Europe." Both Starmer and Macron pleaded with Trump not to abandon Ukraine and to take a strong line on Russia during separate visits to the White House last week, while crediting the U.S. president's plans for a quick peace to end the war. Those meetings were before Zelenskyy's Washington debacle, which ended in him returning home early, without having signed a deal on critical minerals with the United States that Trump had billed as a cornerstone of future cooperation. Trump said after the failed talks that Zelenskyy "is not ready for Peace if America is involved" and that "he can come back when he is ready for Peace." Polish Cold War hero Lech Walesa and a group of former Polish political prisoners jumped in to defend Zelenskyy in a letter to Trump on March 3 that expressed "horror" at how the meeting devolved. "We watched your conversation with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy with horror and distaste," the letter said. "We consider your expectations regarding showing respect and gratitude for the material assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine in its fight with Russia to be offensive...Gratitude is due to the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed blood in defense of the values of the free world." Will European Aid Be Enough For Ukraine? Zelenskyy enjoyed a far warmer welcome in London at the weekend than in Washington, agreeing with Starmer a 2.26 billion pound ($2.84 billion) British loan for Ukraine that Zelenskyy said "will be repaid using revenues from frozen Russian assets." But can European assistance ever be enough to compensate for a potential financing shortfall from the United States -- the single biggest contributor of military aid to Ukraine -- now that relations between Washington and Kyiv are at their lowest point in the past decade? "You're either going to make a deal or we're out," Trump told Zelenskyy, during a testy exchange that appeared to leave Ukraine's ambassador to Washington, Oksana Markarova, visibly distressed. Zelenskyy, for his part, characterized Putin as "a killer" who could not be trusted to maintain a cease-fire without firm security guarantees from the United States, which Washington is yet to provide. Since then, the U.S. President and his team have doubled down on their portrayal of Zelenskyy as argumentative and ungrateful for American aid, with Trump's national-security adviser Mike Waltz saying pointedly on March 2: "We need a leader that can deal with us." Zelenskyy has said he still believes the bilateral relationship can be salvaged, despite the standoff appearing to scupper for the moment a framework deal between Kyiv and Washington for Ukraine's critical minerals and post-war reconstruction. "Of course, we understand the importance of America, and we are grateful for all the support we have received from the United States," the Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address on March 2. "There hasn't been a single day when we haven't felt grateful. Because this is gratitude for the preservation of our independence: Our resilience in Ukraine is built upon what our partners do for us and for their own security," he added. "There will be diplomacy for peace. And for the sake of all of us standing together - Ukraine, the whole of Europe, and most necessarily America." But it is still unclear what that will look like, and the rhetorical divide across what Trump calls "a big, beautiful ocean" is only serving to cloud the picture. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on March 3 that Paris viewed a one-month cease-fire "to determine whether Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith" as a potential starting point. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskyy-london- europe-russia-ukraine-trump-/33333516.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 PM statement to the House of Commons: 3 March 2025 The Prime Minister's statement to the House of Commons on Ukraine. 3 March 2025 Mr. Speaker... Less than a week since I called on this House to show the courage of our predecessors... We see clearly before us - the test of our times. A crossroads in our history. So with permission I will update the House on my efforts... To secure a strong, just and lasting peace... Following Russia's vile invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Speaker - it begins in this House... Where on Tuesday, I announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War. A recognition of the fact that once again, we live in an era... Where peace in Europe depends upon strength and deterrence. But also - a rediscovery of the old post-war argument... Long-held on these benches... That economic security is national security. Because Mr. Speaker, the demands we now have to make of Britain... Must come alongside a new foundation of security for working people. The tough choices we made last week... They are not done. We must use the process of getting to 3% of our national income spent on defence... To fundamentally rebuild British industry. Use our investment in military spending... To create new jobs and apprenticeships in every part of our country. And that's why, last night, I announced a deal that perfectly symbolises this new era. A partnership with Ukraine... That allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK Export Finance... To buy 5,000 air defence missiles, manufactured in Belfast. That means UK jobs... UK skills... UK finance... Pulling together for our national interest... Putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace... And protecting innocent civilians from the terror of Russian drones. Mr. Speaker, my efforts continued on Thursday... When I met President Trump in the White House... To strengthen our relationship with America. Now, what happened in his subsequent meeting with President Zelenskyy... Is something nobody in this House wants to see. But I do want to be crystal clear... We must strengthen our relationship with America... For our security, for our technology, for our trade and investment... They are and always will be - indispensable. And we will never choose between either side of the Atlantic. In fact, Mr. Speaker... If anything, the past week has shown that that idea to be totally unserious. Because while some people may enjoy the simplicity of taking a side... This week has shown with total clarity... That the US is vital in securing the peace we all want to see in Ukraine. So I welcome the opportunity for a new economic deal with the US... Confirmed by the President last week... Because it is an opportunity I am determined to pursue. I welcome the positive discussions we had on European security... Including his clear support for Article 5 of NATO. I welcome the understanding, from our dialogue... That our two nations will work together on security arrangements for a lasting peace in Ukraine. And I also welcome the President's continued commitment to that peace... Which nobody in this House should doubt for a second - is sincere. Mr. Speaker, I now turn to events this weekend... And the moving scenes that greeted President Zelenskyy as he arrived in London on Saturday. Mr. Speaker I saw for myself that he was taken aback when the crowd in Whitehall cheered at the top of their voices, and they were speaking for the whole of our country. A reminder - that this Government, this House and this nation... Stand in unwavering support behind him and the people of Ukraine. Mr. Speaker, we resolved together... To move forward the strong cause of just and lasting peace for Ukraine. And then on Sunday... I hosted European leaders from across our continent, equally committed to this cause... Including President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni... The leaders of NATO, the European Commission and Council... And the Prime Minister of Canada... A vital ally of this country, the Commonwealth and Ukraine... Responsible for training over 40,000 Ukrainian troops. I also had the privilege beforehand... Of speaking online to the leaders of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia... Each of whom, as close as they are to the frontline with Russia... Stressed the urgency of the moment. And Mr. Speaker, it was a productive summit. Together, we agreed a clear strategy. That the United Kingdom, France and our allies... Will work closely with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting... Which we will then discuss directly with the United States. It is a plan that has four clear principles, which I will now share in full with the House. First, that we must keep the military aid to Ukraine flowing... Keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia. And to that end, alongside our partnership on air defence... We are doubling-down on military aid. Already this year we have taken our support to record levels... But on Saturday we also agreed a new 2.2 billion loan for Ukraine... Backed, not by the British taxpayer... But by the profits from frozen Russian assets. Second, we agreed that any lasting peace must guarantee the sovereignty and security of Ukraine. And that Ukraine must be at the table when negotiating their future... That is absolutely vital. Third, we agreed that in the event of a peace deal... We will continue to boost Ukraine's defences and Ukraine's deterrence. And finally, fourth... We agreed to develop a "coalition of the willing" ready to defend a deal in Ukraine... And guarantee the peace. After all, the Ukrainian position is completely understandable. For them - the war did not begin three years ago... That was merely the latest and most brutal escalation. They have signed agreements with Putin, before. They have experienced the nature of his diplomacy... And the calibre of his word. We can't accept a weak deal like Minsk again... No, we must proceed with strength... And that does now require - urgently... A coalition of the willing. Mr. Speaker - we agreed on Sunday that those willing to play a role in this... Will intensify planning now. And as this House would expect... Britain will play a leading role. With, if necessary and together with others... Boots on the ground and planes in the air. Mr. Speaker, it is right that Europe do the heavy lifting... To support peace on our continent. But to succeed, this effort must also have strong US backing. I want to assure the House... I take none of this lightly. I visited British troops in Estonia. And no aspect of my role weighs more heavily... Than the deployment of British troops in the service of the defence and security in Europe. And yet I do feel very strongly... That the future of Ukraine is vital for our national security. Russia is a menace in our waters and skies... They have launched cyber-attacks on our NHS... Assassination attempts in our streets. In this House, we stand by Ukraine because it is the right thing to do... But we also stand by them because it is in our interest to do so. Because if we do not achieve a lasting peace... Then the instability and insecurity that has hit the living standards of working people in Britain... That will only get worse. And Putin's appetite for conflict and chaos... That will only grow. So a strong peace... A just peace... A lasting peace... That has now to be our goal. It is vital... It is in our interest... And its pursuit - Britain will lead from the front. For the security of our continent... The security of our country... And the security of the British people... We must now win the peace. And I commend this statement to the House. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address We Need Peace - Real, Fair Peace - Not Endless War; and We Need Security Guarantees - Address by the President President of Ukraine 3 March 2025 - 22:24 I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians! A few key updates for today. I held a Staff meeting where we analyzed support packages and some contracts secured over this time. There are good results on artillery contracts - Ukraine needs a solid foundation. Next - drones, an unwavering priority. Air defense - additional systems have now arrived in Ukraine from Lithuania. Thanks a lot, Mr. President. The Prime Minister of Ukraine reported today on finances for this year - we are securing all necessary funding and will get through 2025 financially. There were also some special issues concerning our national resilience on the Staff meeting agenda today - we are working on all possible scenarios to protect Ukraine. The baseline scenario is to hold positions and create conditions for proper diplomacy, for the soonest possible end to this war with a decent peace. We need peace - real, fair peace - not endless war. And we need security guarantees. It was precisely the lack of security guarantees for Ukraine 11 years ago that allowed Russia to start with the occupation of Crimea and the war in Donbas. Then, the absence of security guarantees allowed Russia to launch the full-scale invasion. And now, because there are still no defined security guarantees, it is Russia that is keeping this war going. The whole world sees this, the whole world acknowledges this. Today, we continued working with our European partners on a special diplomatic and security framework that can bring peace closer. In particular, this is what we discussed in London recently and what we had spoken about with many world leaders before that. Ukraine, all of Europe, and America - together, we can ensure decades of peace. And for this, we must stay constructive - work together, complement each other's proposals, and speed up diplomacy to end the war. I spoke today with the leaders of the Baltic states - Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. A good conversation. About the outcomes of the London summit. About opportunities and perspectives on all processes involving the United States. And about defense support that saves lives of our people. I am grateful to the Baltic states for standing so firmly with Ukraine - thank you once again for your support, friends! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy Had a Joint Phone Call with the Presidents of Lithuania and Latvia and the Prime Minister of Estonia President of Ukraine 3 March 2025 - 20:34 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone conversation with President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda, President of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics, and Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal. The Head of State informed them on the results of yesterday's summit in London. In particular, it concerned the preparation of a plan of measures for the nearest future that will bring us closer to real security guarantees. It is important that Ukraine, Europe and the United States work together on the way to establishing a just and lasting peace. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, there are concrete initiatives that will form the foundation for all upcoming efforts to end the war as soon as possible and ensure a reliable and lasting peace. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a shared European vision and coordinated steps to restore security for all our people. They also confirmed their readiness to continue military assistance to Ukraine and to prepare new defense aid packages. The President expressed gratitude for their support of Ukraine and all Ukrainians. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Europe unveils plan for Ukraine peace deal amid Transatlantic rifts People's Daily Online By Zheng Bofei, Jin Jing, Larry Neild (Xinhua) 08:14, March 04, 2025 LONDON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Following last week's Trump-Zelensky White House clash, more than a dozen Western leaders gathered here Sunday to revive efforts for a Ukraine peace deal and propose a settlement to Washington. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the summit as a "once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe." Although the meeting could push the region toward greater self-reliance in security, many observers fear the measures may be too little and too late. WAKE-UP CALL Europe now finds itself at a moment of truth in its security strategy. Before Friday's diplomatic debacle at the White House, Russia-U.S. talks on the Ukraine crisis took place in Riyadh on Feb. 18, with neither Europe nor Ukraine given a seat at the table. Just one week later, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a plan to impose a 25-percent tariff on all goods imported from the European Union (EU), and justified the move by claiming that the EU was formed to "screw" the United States. Europe was in a "moment of real fragility," Starmer told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. Asked about the White House clash involving the duo of Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told BBC before the summit that the breakdown was a "wake-up call" for European nations, stressing that they must adopt a cohesive strategy for the Ukraine crisis and post-conflict arrangements. Stubb expressed frustration over shifting transatlantic ties, saying the U.S.-Europe relationship "is evolving," and "we're witnessing a more transactional United States, where the Trump administration -- rightly or wrongly -- is pursuing an 'America First' policy." This has led European leaders to explore their own security solutions. At the Munich Security Conference last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed for an emergency clause that would allow governments to increase defense spending without being constrained by the EU's strict budget deficit rules. After Sunday's summit, she reiterated that Europe must "step up massively" and forge a common security approach. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Sunday that European countries should boost their defense spending to between 3 and 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). His proposal came a few days after Starmer's announcement that Britain would increase its defense spending to 2.5 percent of its GDP by 2027 and to 3 percent in the next parliamentary term, which would mean by 2034 at the latest. Following a bilateral meeting with Ukraine on Saturday, Britain also agreed to loan Ukraine 2.26 billion pounds (2.84 billion U.S. dollars) to bolster its defense capabilities. Shortly after the summit, Britain further committed 1.6 billion pounds (2 billion dollars) in export finance, allowing Ukraine to purchase over 5,000 air defense missiles. More than eight years after Britain voted to depart from the EU, it has positioned itself at the forefront of European security efforts, trying to play the role of a "bridge" between Europe and the United States to secure a peace deal for Ukraine. STRENGTHENED BOND After Sunday's summit, Starmer outlined a four-step plan to strengthen Ukraine and support peace: to maintain military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues and increase economic pressure on Russia; to ensure that any lasting peace guarantees Ukraine's sovereignty and security, with Ukraine at the table for any negotiations; to deter "any future invasion by Russia" in the event of a peace deal; and to establish a "coalition of the willing" to defend Ukraine and uphold peace in the country. The summit's outcome was welcomed by European leaders. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called it "a good meeting," saying "European countries are stepping up to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to fight for as long as necessary." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the importance of NATO and said on social media on Sunday: "In recent years, we have strengthened our alliance with new members and increased defense spending. This is the path we will continue to follow." However, doubts remain over whether Europe can fully safeguard a peace deal on its own. When asked how Britain plans to persuade more countries to join the "coalition of the willing," Starmer acknowledged that some countries may be reluctant to contribute militarily. "I strongly feel that unless some countries move forward, we will stay in the position we're in and not be able to move forward," he said, while admitting the goal to "stay in lockstep with the United States." TRANSATLANTIC DISAGREEMENTS The EU and the Trump administration have a range of disagreements on the settlement of the Ukraine crisis, while the U.S. provision of security guarantees for Ukraine is foremost among the discussions. Within a week before the London summit, both Macron and Starmer visited Washington to seek U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine or Europe, but failed to persuade Trump in this regard. Trump sidestepped the question of security guarantees, expressing confidence that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, would "keep his word" if an agreement is reached. He also ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine's NATO membership has been a focal issue in the crisis. Earlier on Sunday before the summit, Starmer announced that Britain, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States. He named three essential points to achieve "lasting peace" -- a strong Ukraine, a European element with security guarantees and a U.S. backstop, with the last one being the subject of "intense" discussion. After the announcement of the four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine at the summit, the participating leaders also agreed to meet again soon to sustain the momentum behind these efforts. "Europe must do the heavy lifting," Starmer said, emphasizing that the agreement needs U.S. backing. Iain Begg, a research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told Xinhua: "The real question is whether this will be enough to sway the White House. We've seen time and again that Washington can reverse its stance overnight." Also on Sunday, Macron told a French newspaper that he was "trying to make Washington understand that disengaging from Ukraine is not in America's interest." While the summit has pushed Europe toward greater security commitments, the region still faces divisions over whether to deploy troops to Ukraine under a peacekeeping framework. For now, some major European countries, including Germany, Spain and Poland, remain hesitant to commit troops to Ukraine, with Britain and France taking the lead in potentially sending military forces. Meanwhile, the EU is still in the early stages of developing a defense budget plan. Some experts noted that Europe's efforts to build its own defense capabilities may still have a long way to go. David Galbreath, a professor of international security at the University of Bath, pointed to the U.S. military's capabilities: "The U.S. provides far sharper military capabilities, such as long-range strikes, sophisticated anti-tank systems and advanced surface-to-air missiles, than anything coming from Europe." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Turns To Younger Recruits As Manpower Shortage Hampers Defense Against Russia By Farangis Najibullah and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service March 04, 2025 The Ukrainian military has begun recruiting 18- to 24-year-olds on a voluntary basis as the armed forces face a dire shortage of manpower to hold off the invading Russian troops. In its latest bid to replenish the ranks of its army -- depleted by three years of full-scale war -- Ukraine has introduced a new plan that paves the way for adults below the conscription age of 25 to join the military. What Benefits Are Offered for Joining the Ukrainian Army? Unveiled last month, the initiative -- called The Generation That Decides Now -- offers incentives that include a 1 million hryvnya ($24,000) bonus, subsidized mortgages, free university education, and the right to travel abroad after completing service. Under martial law, most men aged 18 to 60 are not allowed to leave the country. The military is also offering young volunteers intense training, the right to choose which military brigade they want to join, and the right to defer mobilization for a year -- when they reach 25. The duration of the service under such contracts is just one year, but it can be extended on a voluntary basis, according to the Defense Ministry. By comparison, the majority of other soldiers in Ukraine are expected to serve indefinitely, if they survive. Days after the initiative was announced, ministry spokesman Dmytro Lazutkin told RFE/RL that it has sparked "interest," with many young people contacting the hotlines of military recruitment centers and the Defense Ministry to seek information. Under full-scale attack by its much larger neighbor since February 2022, Ukraine has struggled with problems including manpower, shortages of weapons and ammunition, and military corruption. The manpower problem came up during a heated argument between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House on February 28. Trump told Zelenskyy his country is "running low on soldiers," while Vance said Ukrainian authorities "are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because [they] have manpower problems." The Biden administration, which provided tens of billions of dollars in support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, told Kyiv in November that Ukraine has the weaponry it needs and should significantly increase its troops levels. "We're also ready to ramp up our training capacity if they take appropriate steps to fill out their ranks," Sean Savett, the White House National Security Council spokesman, said at that time. Why Isn't Zelenskyy Mobilizing Ukraine's Youth? But Ukraine has resisted calls from the United States and other Western allies to lower the compulsory conscription age from 25 to 18. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government has argued that sending the youngest adult generation to war en masse will leave Ukraine facing a demographic crisis in the future and hamper its ability to rebuild the nation after the fighting is over. Last April, Ukraine reduced the draft age from 27 to 25, introduced tougher punishments for draft dodgers, and lowered physical requirements for military service, allowing men who had HIV and tuberculosis to enlist. Those measures have had a limited effect. The new initiative has already angered some Ukrainians. Oleg Simoroz, an activist and army veteran, called the plan "discrimination" against soldiers who are not eligible for the benefits. "We must not divide people in the army based on their age," Simoroz wrote on Facebook. "Affordable mortgages should be available to all servicemen. The same is with free university education. Why should a 55-year-old sergeant -- who doesn't have a university education and is discharged from the army after being wounded -- be worse-off than a 20-year-old?" Tens of thousands of Ukrainians, including those living abroad, had voluntarily joined the army to defend their country when Russia invaded it in February 2022. The enthusiasm has waned, however, as the war drags on. Has Ukraine Failed to Solve Its Manpower Problem? After Russia launched the invasion, "Ukraine had little difficulty finding troops to defend the country," Simon Schlegel, then the senior analyst for Ukraine at the International Crisis Group, wrote in December. However, he wrote, "The surge of volunteerism that followed Russia's occupation of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale invasion in 2022 has fizzled after three years of brutal warfare and in the absence of a clear path to victory for Ukraine." Ukrainian media reported more than 18,000 army desertion cases in January-September last year, while thousands more reportedly paid bribes to leave the country. But many Ukrainians say they will defend their country for as long as it takes. A serviceman, who only gave his first name, Vitaliy, told RFE/RL that he welcomes the government's plan to offer incentives to young people to join the army. Despite being 21 years old, Vitaliy is not eligible for the benefits because he enlisted before the project was announced. But he said he has no regrets as the money has not been his motivation to fight for his country. "I am not angry. I've already been on vacations, I have traveled to foreign countries," he said. "I am going to extend my military contact until we reach the logical conclusion of this war." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-recruitment-military- manpower-shortage/33334948.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 Trump Suspends Military Aid To Ukraine After Heated Clash With Zelenskyy By RFE/RL March 04, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump suspended all military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last week, pilling pressure on Kyiv to fall in line with U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal with Russia despite a lack of security guarantees for Ukraine. "We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," media outlets quoted a White House official as saying on condition of anonymity on March 3. "The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well." "This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," Fox News quoted a Trump administration official as saying. The pause will last until Trump determines that Ukraine's leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, according to Bloomberg and Fox News. But the pause amplifies already deafening questions about U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion at a time when Moscow's forces have been gaining ground for many months, albeit at a massive cost in casualties, and Ukraine struggles with manpower problems and other challenges in the biggest war in Europe since 1945. Any disruption in the flow of U.S. arms to the front line would rapidly weaken Ukraine's chance of beating back Russia's invasion. The suspension applies to applies to "all U.S. military equipment not currently in Ukraine, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland," Bloomberg reported. How Much Aid Is Affected? The precise amount of military aid affected is unclear, but the transfer of $3.85 billion worth of weapons authorized by Congress under Biden had not yet been allocated by the White House. No new military aid has been approved since Trump took office in January. The U.S. Congress has appropriated more than $180 billion in support for Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, about two-thirds of it military aid. "First of all, the suspension of U.S. aid could affect air defense missiles, HIMARS ammunition, and artillery," Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko wrote on Telegram. The United States is the only producers of HIMARS and ATACMS systems and if they run out, Ukraine's ability to strike far behind Russian lines and guard its rear positions will be compromised. "Europe can step in to meet a fair amount of Ukraine's need for artillery ammunition when combined with munitions already shipped by the U.S. early this year, Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told The Wall Street Journal. "The challenges will be more visilble as we get into summer." In the event of a complete cessation of military aid from the United States, Ukraine risks losing up to 30 percent of all weapons used by the armed forces today, Oleh Katkov, editor-in-chief of the military analysis site Defense Express, told the Ukrainian outlet Suspilne. Democrats in Congress immediately condemned the pause. "My Republican colleagues who have called Putin a war criminal and promised their continued support to Ukraine must join me in demanding President Trump immediately lift this disastrous and unlawful freeze," said Representative Gregory Meeks (Democrat-New York). The military aid pause came after Zelenskyy's disastrous visit to the White House on February 28, which had been expected to produce a deal on joint development of Ukrainian rare minerals and hydrocarbon resources that Trump has cast as a crucial step toward peace between Ukraine and Russia. Instead, a meeting before cameras in the Oval Office devolved into a vocal clash, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance saying that Zelenskyy should be more grateful for U.S. support and is no position to make demands. Signing of the minerals deal was scrapped, Zelenskyy left the White House early, and Trump said he could "come back when he is ready for peace." Senior U.S. officials blamed Zelenskyy for the blowup and called on him to apologize. On March 3, Trump suggested his patience was running out, criticizing Zelenskyy's resistance to the prospect of a quick cease-fire without the kind of concrete security guarantees Kyiv has been seeking from the United States. What Could End The Military Aid Pause? "What we need to hear from President Zelenskyy is that he has regret for what happened, he's ready to sign this minerals deal, and that he's ready to engage in peace talks," White House national-security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News earlier on March 3. After Zelenskyy was quoted as saying the end of the war is "very, very far away," Trump wrote in a social media post: "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Vance said in an interview broadcast on March 3 that the door remains open to the Ukrainians. "When they are willing to talk peace, I think President Trump will be the first person to pick up the phone," Vance told Fox News. If Zelenskyy called and said he was ready to "engage seriously on the details...then absolutely we want to talk to the Ukrainians," he added. With U.S. support deeper in doubt after the Oval Office clash, European leaders moved to take more control of potential peace negotiations and to step up military aid to Ukraine. Vance said in the Fox News interview that Europeans leaders must tell Zelenskyy that the war can't go on forever. He said they admit this in private but in public tend to "puff" Zelenskyy up. He also defended Trump's position that giving Washington an economic interest in the future of Ukraine will serve as a sound security guarantee. "If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine," Vance said in the interview. "That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years," he added. Trump said on March 3 that he does not believe the minerals deal is dead. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on March 3 that there were a "number of options on the table" for a cease-fire agreement to at least temporarily halt fighting sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than three years ago. The statement came after French President Emmanuel Macron told the newspaper Le Figaro that he thought a one-month truce on air, sea, and energy infrastructure would give allies time to assess Russian President Vladimir Putin's commitment to a full and lasting cease-fire. 'Manufactured Escalation,' Says Germany's Merz Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on March 3 that she would inform member states about a "rearm Europe plan" as European governments scramble to mitigate their growing differences with the United States over the war in Ukraine. "We need a massive surge in defense, without any question. We want lasting peace, but lasting peace can only be built on strength, and strength begins with strengthening ourselves," von der Leyen said. In some of the strongest European comments yet on the White House standoff, Germany's likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, referred to what he called "manufactured escalation" at the meeting, a thinly veiled criticism of Trump and his administration. "It was not a spontaneous reaction to interventions by Zelenskyy, but obviously a manufactured escalation in this meeting in the Oval Office," Merz told a news conference in Hamburg on March 3, adding that Europe "must now show that we are in a position to act independently." Despite intense and ongoing discussions on boosting Europe's own defense capacities and alarm over warming rhetoric between Moscow and Washington, European leaders say engaging the new U.S. administration is a priority. Merz said he would "advocate doing everything to keep the Americans in Europe." With reporting by AP, Bloomberg, Reuters, Fox News, and The Washington Post Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-aid- military-pause-trump-war-zelenskiy-zelenskyy/33335335.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 IAEA Board Briefed on Ukraine, Iran, Gender Parity, AI and More International Atomic Energy Agency 3 Mar 2025 The IAEA Director General reminded the Agency's Board of Governors today of the precarious nuclear safety situation in Ukraine, and discussed his trip to Fukushima, developments with Iran, reaching gender parity at the IAEA and more. Nuclear safety in Ukraine "There's no room for complacency here," Rafael Mariano Grossi told the IAEA Board in his opening statement this morning. Mr Grossi spoke of his 11th visit to Ukraine since the war began and of his meeting with President Zelenskyy, as well as ongoing consultations with Moscow to support nuclear safety and security at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. "You may have seen by the contents of our report there and the updates that we are producing regularly, how important it is to keep the international community well informed and also for us to provide any assistance that may be needed," the Director General said. "The Agency continues to carry out its activities in full compliance with the United Nations resolutions and the resolutions of this board, and we'll continue to do that," he added. Seawater sampling in Japan The Director General also raised another key recent trip, this time to Japan to conduct water sampling off the coast of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. "I did this together with scientists from China, Korea and Switzerland as part of additional measures to promote transparency and build trust in the region during the ongoing release of ALPS-treated water from the plant," he said in his full written statement. Speaking directly to the Board, Mr Grossi said: "And I also want to thank China, for the engagement with me, in trying to get to this constructive step that we have taken together." He added that this was "an important activity that shows how our expert, technical approach can overcome difficult situations." Safeguards in Iran Another important area of discussion was the status of the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear programme. "Since our last sessions, I was in Iran. I had important and constructive meetings there," Mr Grossi said. However, he added that "doubts continue. Clarifications continue to be needed... I hope that we are going to be able to make progress." Key nuclear reports Mr Grossi then directed the Board's attention towards the Nuclear Safety Review 2025 and the Nuclear Security Review 2025, which present an analytical overview, global trends and the IAEA's main activities in these areas. He also flagged the Nuclear Technology Review, which highlights key advancements in nuclear applications and identifies the top priorities for the years ahead. Stakeholder engagement The Director General highlighted two important conferences that will be held at the IAEA this year, the first of which is the IAEA International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes. In May, representatives from governments and industry will come to Vienna and meet with representatives of communities living close to nuclear power facilities to hear their experiences. "This is very important because at this moment of growth and regained interest in nuclear energy, we are giving a voice to those who ... have been for decades hosting nuclear facilities," said Mr Grossi. "People talk about nuclear energy and its impact, and I think the ones who know are the ones who are there, and who have been benefiting as communities from nuclear activities on every continent," he added. Artificial Intelligence and nuclear energy Mr Grossi also drew attention to the IAEA's International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Energy, coming at the end of 2025, noting that one of the major challenges facing AI growth is the substantial energy required to support its computational needs. He explained that the IAEA could help integrate AI and the nuclear sector, leading to clean energy solutions for AI and the rapid deployment of nuclear power. Small modular reactors The IAEA is continuing its work assisting countries progress towards the safe and secure deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) through the SMR Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI). In addition, the IAEA is also continuing work on Atomic Technology Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS), a new initiative to look at the uses of nuclear energy at sea. "I look forward to an increased interest and engagement with countries with ports and international maritime organizations," said Mr Grossi. IAEA flagship initiatives Mr Grossi then turned to the IAEA's flagship initiatives, starting with Atoms4Food, a joint FAO/IAEA initiative aimed at boosting global food security. He said about 27 countries had already requested help under the scheme. "I want to thank the countries that have already started manifesting their interest to provide financing for this important project," the Director General added. Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All is an IAEA initiative to bring life-saving cancer care to countries where there is little access to radiotherapy. Mr Grossi explained that 90 countries, mostly in the developing world, had requested assistance under the scheme. And around 100 countries have expressed interest in NUTEC Plastics, the IAEA initiative aimed at monitoring and reducing plastic pollution using nuclear techniques and applications. "So all of these are also confirmations of the very concrete, very tangible, not rhetorical ways in which all of us together and this organization help to solve problems around the world," the Director General said. Gender parity Women at the IAEA now make up half the staff in the professional and higher categories, up from around 30 per cent when Mr Grossi took office in 2019. Concluding his address, Mr Grossi said: "This is about giving men and women the exact same opportunities. And so we are an organization that reflects society as it is, and not an artificial bubble where only men work." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) between August 26, 2022 and November 19, 2024, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important April 1, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Target common stock 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 Target class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=6812 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 April 1, 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: According to the lawsuit, Target misled investors by making false and misleading statements about Targets Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mandates that led to widespread customer boycotts following Targets 2023 LGBT-Pride Campaign (the Campaign). The negative effects of the Campaign on Targets business, including a subsequent campaign in 2024 (the 2024 Campaign), led to a massive decline in Targets stock price. Specifically, the Campaign offended certain Target customers, provoking consumer backlash and boycotts that caused Targets sales to fall for the first time in six years. Unbeknownst to investors, and contrary to Targets public statements, its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Board of directors did not oversee or disclose the known risks of Targets 2023 or 2024 Campaigns. This deceit, through misleading statements in Targets public filings, caused Target investors to purchase Target stock at artificially inflated prices. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Target class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=6812 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. 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 Washington, D.C., March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) congratulates Secretary Linda McMahon on her confirmation to be the 13th United States Secretary of Education. During the previous Trump administration, TMCF worked very closely with the administration and members from both sides of the aisle to deliver unprecedented levels of support from the federal government for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), predominantly Black institutions (PBIs) and their students. We look forward to working closely with Secretary McMahon and her team to build upon that success in the future. Investing in education and Americas workforce is a bipartisan priority and we look forward to working with our allies on both sides of the aisle to advance opportunity for all by increasing investments in HBCUs, PBIs and their students. ABOUT THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nations largest organization exclusively representing the Black college community. TMCF member schools include the publicly supported historically Black colleges and universities, predominantly Black institutions and historically Black community colleges, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending Black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit: www.tmcf.org. Delray Beach, FL, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Bio-polypropylene Market was USD 32,480 thousand in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 1,16,028 Thousand by 2029, at a CAGR of 29.0% between 2024 and 2029, as per the recent study by MarketsandMarkets. During the forecast period, the global bio-polypropylene market is expected to grow significantly. The global bio-polypropylene market is predicted to expand due to the growing demand for green materials, improved understanding of environmental problems and upcoming advancements in manufacturing process. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=245671454 Browse in-depth TOC on Bio-polypropylene Market 200 - Market Data Tables 64 Figures 227 - Pages List of Key Players in Global Bio-polypropylene Market: Braskem (Brazil) Lyondellbasell Industries N.V. (Netherlands) Mitsui Chemicals, Inc (Japan) FKuR (Germany) CITRONIQ, LLC (US) Borealis AG. (Austria) SABIC (Saudi Arabia) TotalEnergies (France) Borouge (UAE) Beaulieu International group (Belgium) INEOS (United Kingdom) Orlen Group(Poland) Iwatani Corporation (Japan) Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation (Japan) Avient Corporation (US) Drivers, Opportunities and Challenges in Bio-polypropylene Market: Drivers: Increasing consumer preference for sustainable and eco-friendly products in the consumer goods Industry Restraint: Competition from alternative bioplastics Opportunity: Growing demand in packaging Industry Challenge: Slower development of production technologies for bio-polypropylene Get Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=245671454 Key Findings of the Study: Flims application segment is anticipated to be the largest segment in bio-polypropylene market during the forecasted period in terms of value. Starch source is expected to have highest CAGR during forecasting period in terms of value. Asia Pacific region is expected to register highest CAGR both in terms of value and volume during forecasted period Based on Source, Edible and non edible oil segment dominated the overall bio-polypropylene market in terms of both, volume and value. Commonly produced and highly available edible and non-edible oils such as palm oil, soybean oil, canola oil serve as a first-line supplier for manufacturers. Plant-derived oils generally make for good yields when they are converted into bio-polypropylene. The high efficiency of oil extraction processes enable the efficient conversion into propylene monomers, and hence these oils are economically feasible options to use compared to alternative biomass options. Due to the versatility of bio-polypropylene derived from these oils, its incorporation is possible in many different areas such as packaging, textiles, automotive, and consumer items. This broad applicability increases demand across multiple industries. Based on End-use Industry, the global bio-polypropylene market has been segmented into construction, automotive, consumer goods, packaging and other end-use Industries. In terms of value, packaging Industry dominated the market. Bio-polypropylene as a material using natural sources can be considered an alternative to conventional petroleum-derived plastics, hence it can be highly desirable for packaging uses. Stricter laws are being put into place by governments around the world to decrease plastic waste and utilize biodegradable options. This regulatory framework forces packaging manufacturers to use bio-based materials, such as bio-polypropylene, to meet environmental regulations and decrease carbon content. Mechanical properties of bio-polypropylene are equivalent to conventional polypropylene such as robustness, flexibility, and water resistance. These features, however, are relevant to a variety of packaging applications such as flexible films, rigid containers and food packaging, to make them practical for a packaging industry. Get Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=147696175 Based on application, bio-polypropylene market is segmented into Injection molding, textiles, films and other applications. The flims segment followed by Injection molding application segments dominated the global bio-polypropylene market in terms of value. Bio-polypropylene films have high mechanical characteristics such as high tensile strength, ductility and humidity resistance. Due to these properties, they are suited for a broad range of packaging applications especially in the food and beverage industry where robustness and resistance to environmental factors are very important. Additionally the mechanical properties of bio-polypropylene are similar with those of conventional polypropylene, including high impact strength, with high chemical resistance and good mechanical performance. The characteristics of these properties makes it a top choice for injection-molded products that need to be strong and dependable, thereby increasing its market position. Braskem (Brazil) Braskem is one of the companies from the Brazilian petrochemical sector, which performs a wide range of activities in the fields of polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC. The company has strong international presence and has industrial plants in Brazil, the US, Mexico, Europe and Asia and is actively engaged in the production process of bio-circular polypropylene with the aim of sustainability by the utilisation of source-material of renewable origin. The company emphasizes innovation and technology to improve product offerings and minimize its environmental impact. Braskem's bio-polypropylene is produced from sugarcane, thereby contributing to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as opposed to conventional polypropylene. This agrees with the increasing need for sustainable materials in different fields, such as packaging, automotive and consumer market. Lyondellbasell Industries N.V. (Netherlands) LyondellBasell Industries N.V. is one of the large chemical companies leading in plastics, petrochemicals, and basic chemicals production, polyethylene and polypropylene market. It operates in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, having a strong manufacturing base that supports the full range of market requirements. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. is also one of the main producers of fuel ethers with environmental quality advantage. Harmonizing with sustainable practice, the company is exploring bio-polypropylene production, which is currently based on renewable resources. This research is in accordance with LyondellBasell Industries N.V. vision of promoting the circular economy and the increasing demand of sustainable materials in different market areas such as packaging, automotive and consumer. Through innovation and investment in advanced technologies, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. aims to enhance its product offerings while promoting environmental responsibility. Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Japan) Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. is one of the major Japanese chemical producers with its businesses covering Life Healthcare Solutions, Mobility Solutions, ICT Solutions and Basic Green Materials. These portions include samples of specialty chemicals, elastomers, composite materials, semiconductor materials, and green chemicals to support multiple industries including health care and automobile industries. Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. has extensive international operations supported by regional headquarters in China, Germany, the US and Singapore. This worldwide network underpins its 20 country operations and employs almost 20,000 people worldwide. The company has multiple manufacturing sites in Japan such as Ichihara Works and Osaka Works, which allow it to produce at a large scale. Promoting sustainability in bio-polypropylene, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. is actively involved in materials development. The company is specialized in, and producing, bio-based polymers that allow for both lowering the environmental footprint and maintaining high performance. Browse Adjacent Markets Green Bio Chemicals Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grozeo, a retail technology company focused on simplifying e-commerce, participated in Spring Fair 2025, the UKs largest wholesale trade event held at NEC Birmingham. With over 38,000 visitors and 1,400 suppliers in attendance, the event provided a platform for industry leaders to discuss key retail trends, supply chain challenges, and the increasing role of digital transformation. As retailers seek more efficient ways to manage supply chains and adapt to digitalisation, innovative solutions have become essential. Grozeos presence at the event reinforced its commitment to supporting businesses through technology-driven retail solutions and fostering strong supplier-retailer relationships. Facilitating Retailer-Supplier Collaboration Industry discussions at Spring Fair 2025 highlighted the importance of streamlining procurement and fostering efficient supplier-retailer interactions. Businesses increasingly seek solutions that simplify sourcing, improve supply chain efficiency, and enhance operational effectiveness. According to Elvijs Plugis, Chief Revenue Officer at Grozeo , retailers require practical tools to connect with suppliers and optimise processes. Retailers need seamless solutions to manage supplier relationships and enhance efficiency, Plugis said. Spring Fair 2025 provided an excellent opportunity to engage with industry leaders and explore ways technology can support retail growth. Expanding Global Supply Networks Grozeo also engaged with international suppliers, particularly those from China, to explore new sourcing opportunities for UK retailers. Strengthening these relationships aims to provide businesses with access to a broader selection of high-quality products and improve competitiveness in an evolving retail market. David Ko, International Sourcing Manager at Grozeo, emphasised the importance of global supply networks. Retailers benefit from access to diverse suppliers, enabling them to offer a broader range of products, Ko said. Discussions at Spring Fair reinforced the role of international partnerships in improving supply chain accessibility for UK businesses. The Role of Technology in Retail Growth Discussions at the event also underscored the increasing adoption of AI-driven analytics and automated procurement tools. Retailers are leveraging technology to optimise inventory management, refine pricing strategies, and gain real-time insights into consumer trends. Maria Mesablishvili, Digital Marketing Manager at Grozeo, noted the growing role of digital tools in modern retail. Retailers are adopting data-driven strategies to stay competitive, Mesablishvili said. Spring Fair 2025 highlighted how businesses are prioritising technology to improve decision-making and operational efficiency. Spring Fair 2025 served as a valuable forum for retailers, suppliers, and industry professionals to exchange ideas and establish new business relationships. As the retail landscape continues to evolve, Grozeo remains focused on delivering solutions that support business growth and operational agility. William Tulloch, Head of Partnerships at Grozeo, highlighted the importance of continued collaboration. Spring Fair provided key insights into the future of retail, Tulloch said. Grozeo looks forward to further engaging with industry stakeholders to drive innovation and efficiency. About Grozeo Grozeo is a retail technology platform that enables retailers to establish online stores in just two minutes, with no coding or technical expertise required. The platform simplifies e-commerce by allowing retailers to add products seamlessly from a digital product gallery and collaborate with manufacturers, wholesalers, and peer retailers. Grozeo is dedicated to making online retail more accessible, efficient, and scalable for businesses of all sizes. For more information about Grozeo, visit www.grozeo.com . Media Contact: Name: Elvijs Plugis Designation: CRO Mobile number: +44 7549945392 Email: info@grozeo.co.uk Website: https://www.grozeo.com/ Disclaimer: This content is provided by the Grozeo. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information shared in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment, financial, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended that you conduct thorough research and consult with a professional financial advisor before making any investment or trading decisions. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/414d2604-b30a-4685-b18e-65c0c7810119 Dublin, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "India Building Management System Market Outlook | Share, Trends, Analysis, Forecast, Revenue, Companies, Industry, Growth, Value & Size: Market Forecast By Type, By Solution, By Services, By Application And Competitive Landscape" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. India Building Management System market revenue is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.6% during 2024-2030F. The Building Management System (BMS) market in India is experienced substantial growth, fueled by the country's vigorous digital transformation across various sectors. For instance, the commercial sector has seen over $400 million in investments from 2020 to 2023, alongside the addition of 12,000 new hotel rooms in 2023, projected to grow by 3.3% annually until 2025. This growth necessitates advanced building management solutions for enhanced energy efficiency and operational effectiveness. Furthermore, the influx of foreign direct investment (FDI) amounting to $22.07 billion in service and technology sectors underscores the pressing demand for effective BMS solutions amid accelerating urbanization. The Indian Building Management System (BMS) market is set for significant growth, driven by advancements across various sectors, including real estate, commercial, and manufacturing. In the commercial sector, the office space is expected to expand from 700 million square feet to 1.20 billion square feet by 2030, highlighting the need for sophisticated building management solutions to ensure efficient energy use and effective operational management. Additionally, the real estate market is experiencing a surge, with a shortage of 10 million urban housing units, with growing demand for luxury homes in tier 1 cities underscoring the necessity for BMS to enhance energy efficiency and streamline operations in residential sector. Additionally, India is targeting a 25% contribution to GDP from the manufacturing sector by 2025, evident in the increasing number of manufacturing facilities being established. For instance, PepsiCo India recently announced plans to set up a new manufacturing plant in Nalbari, Assam, with an investment of a,778 crore, scheduled to begin operations in 2025. This expansion underscores the growing demand for Building Management Systems (BMS) to optimize energy efficiency and enhance operational management in these new facilities. Market Segmentation By Types By type, the solution segment is expected to have the highest growth rate in the Singapore Building Management System (BMS) market due to the increasing demand for comprehensive and integrated systems that efficiently manage complex building operations. Factors such as rising energy costs, sustainability initiatives, regulatory compliance, and advancements in IoT and AI technologies further drive this growth. Market Segmentation By Solution By solution, facility management in India for BMS is expected to grow due to the increasing demand for streamlined operations and enhanced tenant experiences. The rise of smart buildings, coupled with an emphasis on safety and security, has prompted organizations to prioritize effective facility management, driving market expansion in the coming years. Market Segmentation By Services By services, professional services are projected to have the highest growth rate in the coming years due to the increasing demand for specialized expertise, strategic consulting, and implementation support, as organizations seek to enhance their building management systems and improve operational efficiency. Market Segmentation By Application By application, the residential sector is set to have the highest growth rate in the India BMS market due to rising urbanization, increasing disposable incomes, and a growing emphasis on energy efficiency. Additionally, the demand for smart home technologies and enhanced security features would further drive the adoption of BMS in residential properties. Key Highlights of the Report: India Building Management System Market Overview India Building Management System Market Outlook India Building Management System Market Forecast Historical Data and Forecast of India Building Management System Market Revenues, for the Period 2020-2030F Historical Data and Forecast of India Building Management System Market Revenues, By Type, for the Period 2020-2030F Historical Data and Forecast of India Building Management System Market Revenues, By Solution, for the Period 2020-2030F Historical Data and Forecast of India Building Management System Market Revenues, By Services, for the Period 2020-2030F Historical Data and Forecast of India Building Management System Market Revenues, By Application, for the Period 2020-2030F India Building Management System Market Revenue Share, By Companies India Building Management System Market Drivers and Restraints India Building Management System Market Porters Five Forces India Building Management System Market Opportunity Assessment Competitive Benchmarking Company Profiles Key Strategic Recommendations Key Attractiveness of the Report 10 Years Market Numbers. Historical Data Starting from 2020 to 2023. Base Year: 2023 Forecast Data until 2030. Key Performance Indicators Impacting the Market. Major Upcoming Developments and Projects. Company Profiles Honeywell International Inc. Schneider Electric SE Siemens AG ABB Ltd Johnson Controls International Azbil Corporation Delta Electronics Eneffen Technologies Pvt. Ltd 75F Inc. Trane Technologies plc By Type Solution Services By Solution Facility Management Security Management Emergency Management Energy Management Infrastructure Management By Services Managed Professional By Application Commercial Industrial Residential For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8lty8e About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CHANDLER, Ariz., March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saras Micro Devices (Saras), an emerging leader in cutting-edge system power performance solutions leveraging integrated packaging design, today announced its participation in two significant projects funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce CHIPS National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP). Each project was awarded $100 million in government funding. The first initiative is the Substrate-based Heterogeneous Integration Enabling Leadership Demonstration for the USA (SHIELD USA) project, led by Arizona State University (ASU) and Deca Technologies, Inc. The second is the Substrate and Materials Advanced Research and Technology (SMART) Packaging Program, led by Absolics, Inc. Saras will contribute its STILE product technology to both projects to enhance device package integration of advanced power delivery solutions for high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. "Saras STILE technology enhances our substrate efforts," said Jason Conrad, chief operating officer of ASUs Southwest Advanced Prototyping (SWAP) Hub and site lead for MacroTechnology Works. "It adds functionality that complements our core development goals, helping to further elevate the capabilities of the advanced packaging solutions were developing." Over the past year, Saras has secured seven foundational patents for its capacitor and STILE technologies from the United States Patent Trademark Office. This achievement underscores the companys commitment to innovating critical solutions in power delivery for next-generation AI and HPC devices. The power delivery challenges posed by AI require innovative solutions, said Ron Huemoeller, CEO of Saras. Our STILE technology addresses these challenges by enabling in-package power delivery close to the source, improving both efficiency and performance while opening up package real estate for higher levels of chiplet integration. By collaborating on the SHIELD USA and SMART projects, were able to contribute critical AI power delivery elements and, consequently, significantly advance U.S. semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. STILE introduces a multi-domain, integrated passive module that embeds directly into the substrate core of device packages. This approach reduces the need for multiple function-specific devices, maximizes packaging real estate by optimizing space, and supports higher levels of chiplet integrationessential for the demands of AI workloads. The technology aligns with the goals of the NAPMP projects and will extend the advanced substrate technology solutions that the SHIELD USA project and SMART Packaging Program are focused on delivering. This joint effort exemplifies how integrating complementary innovations can drive advancements in semiconductor packaging and address the performance demands of AI and HPC applications," stated Craig Bishop, CTO of Deca Technologies. "SHIELD is truly a collaborative effort, combining Saras embedded passive technology with Decas novel interconnects at ASU's research fab to demonstrate leap-ahead organic substrates." The collaborations under the NAPMP advanced substrate and material projects highlight the importance of innovative power delivery solutions in maintaining U.S. leadership in semiconductor technology. By developing and scaling advanced packaging processes, materials, and equipment, these initiatives aim to create a robust foundation for high-volume semiconductor packaging production in the United States, enhancing national security and economic resilience. About Saras Micro Devices Established in 2021, Saras Micro Devices is revolutionizing the way power is delivered to advanced semiconductor devices. The company is developing custom and standard integrated passive modules that will significantly improve power performance and efficiency, addressing the challenges faced by the high-performance computing devices serving the growing demand for AI, ML, AR/VR, 5G/6G, and more. Instituted by an impressive team of advanced packaging experts with a combined 150+ years of experience in the microelectronics industry, Saras introduces an innovative embedded, 3D-integrated, vertical power delivery solution that enables higher per-watt performance, minimized routing losses, and greater overall efficiency while reducing the power management impact on the package footprint. Saras Micro Devices has simplified a currently complex solution for managing and optimizing power delivery. Uncover and explore further insights at sarasmicro.com. Media Contact: Mindy Lok, Kiterocket Phone: 480.240.8874 Email: mlok@kiterocket.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/92979eb5-3ef8-458e-b3ac-501ec720a75b GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toobit, the award-winning cryptocurrency derivatives exchange, today launches two new USDC-M Perpetual Contracts. Created to build greater price stability and capital efficiency on the trading platform, the product launch will begin with the flagship pairs, BTC/USDC and ETH/USDC. As crypto markets mature, traders increasingly demand a more predictable margin system, said Mike Williams, Chief Communication Officer of Toobit, USDC perpetuals delivers on this need by minimizing exposure to potential fluctuations, making advanced trading strategies more accessible than ever. By reducing exposure to collateral volatility, traders can manage risk more effectively on Toobit, while still accessing leverage of up to 175x. The crypto exchange also adopts transparent real-time PnL calculations and institutional-grade matching engines platform features operating behind the scenes to ensure a seamless trading experience around the clock. USDC-M Perpetual Contracts, also known as USDC-M Perpetuals, are settled with USD Coin (USDC). Similar to USDT-M Perpetual Contracts, fees are typically settled between the long position holders and short position holders every 8 hours. To start trading, users simply need to transfer USDC to their derivatives account, navigate to the USDC Perpetual Contracts section, select their preferred leverage, and execute their positions. Fees can range from 0.02% for makers and 0.06% for takers. For more information on Perpetual Contracts, visit the Derivatives tab on http://www.toobit.com About Toobit Toobit is where the future of crypto trading unfoldsan award-winning cryptocurrency derivatives exchange built for those who thrive exploring new frontiers. With deep liquidity and cutting-edge technology, Toobit empowers traders worldwide to navigate the digital asset markets with confidence. We offer a fair, secure, seamless, and transparent trading experience, ensuring every trade is an opportunity to discover whats next. For more information about Toobit, visit: Website | X | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Instagram Contact: Davin C. Email: market@toobit.com Website: www.toobit.com Disclaimer: This content is provided by Toobit. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining and related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector--including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining--complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/99598cab-c5c8-4c8a-8eb5-7ff63152d8c5 Surfshark, the worlds leading provider of online security solutions, is proud to announce its inclusion in the prestigious Financial Times 1000: Europes Fastest Growing Companies list for the second year in a row. The company was ranked 43rd in the IT and Software category, highlighting its commitment to innovation and continuous growth. The FT 1000, compiled annually by the Financial Times in partnership with Statista, ranks Europes fastest-growing companies based on their highest annual revenue growth over the past four years. The ranking is created through extensive research, checking several criteria for inclusion: independence, headquarters in Europe, organic growth, and more. Being recognized in the Financial Times 1000: Europes Fastest Growing Companies 2025 ranking is an incredible honour to us, says Dovydas Godelis, Chief Operations Officer at Surfshark. This achievement reflects our commitment to deliver top-notch cybersecurity products, empowering everyone to protect their digital lives, regardless of their technical expertise. Founded in 2018 with a team of just 30, Surfshark quickly gained worldwide recognition with its VPN . Today, Surfshark offers a comprehensive suite of online security tools, including Surfshark Antivirus, Alternative ID an email and personal information masking tool, Surfshark Alert for data leak detection, and Incogni , a personal data removal service. Over the past year, weve introduced Alternative Number , a service that lets users mask their real phone numbers to reduce scam and spam calls. Weve also launched a VPN app for Apple TV and introduced Bypasser feature on iOS , which eliminates the need to manually disconnect the VPN to access IP-sensitive websites or services, says Dovydas Godelis. Recognitions like being featured in the FT 1000 list of fastest-growing companies inspire us to keep innovating and delivering top-quality security solutions. For more information on Surfshark's accomplishments in 2024, please visit: surfshark.com/media/Surfshark_Annual_Wrap-Up_2024.pdf ABOUT SURSHARK Surfshark is a cybersecurity company focused on developing humanized privacy and security solutions. The Surfshark One suite includes one of the very few VPNs audited by independent security experts, an officially certified antivirus, a private search tool, and a data leak alert system. Surfshark is recognized as the Tech Advisors Editors Choice for 2024. For a closer look at Surfshark in 2024, check our annual wrap-up . For more research projects, visit our research hub at: surfshark.com/research Attachment Dublin, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Egypt Data Center Market - Investment Analysis & Growth Opportunities 2025-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Egypt Data Center Market was valued at USD 278 million in 2024, and is projected to reach USD 694 million by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 16.47%. Egypt is one of the growing data center markets in Africa and has witnessed increasing investments over the last two to three years. The Egypt data center market expansion is driven by factors such as increased use of digitalization, AI and Big data, growing smart cities development, and government support. Furthermore, the country also has favorable conditions for renewable energy generation and government support for renewable energy. In September 2024, Egypt was set to attract around USD 40 billion in investment for green hydrogen and renewable energy technology and the country has signed agreements with seven international developers. In 2024, the Egypt data center market had new entrants such as Africa Data Centres, Gulf Data Hub, and Khazna Data Centers, which will further increase competitiveness in the market in the future and lead to increasing revenue generation for contractors and infrastructure vendors. The increase in the new entrants will further elevate the challenges for the market share of existing operators in terms of revenue generation. The Egypt data center market has the presence of several local and global data center operators, such as GPX Global Systems, Telecom Egypt, Raya Data Center, Orange Business Services, and others. In December 2024, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt and the Ministry of Investment (UAE) signed a MoU to collaborate and invest in Egypt's data center projects. The agreement includes 1 GW of planned data center capacity. Egypt's Vision 2030 for digitalization and technological advances will bring sustainable development to the country. A new administrative and commercial capital is also being built in Egypt, which will house government ministries and embassies. With the rising adoption of artificial intelligence in the Egypt data center market, we anticipate witnessing developments of AI-ready data centers in the future. In December 2024, Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology announced that the country will launch the second edition of its National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy in 2025. VENDOR LANDSCAPE The Egypt data center market has started witnessing growth in terms of data center investors with some of the major investors such as Gulf Data Hub, Africa Data Centres, and Khazna Data Centers making their entry into the market. In terms of support infrastructure vendors, the Egypt data center market has the presence of several global vendors such as ABB, Caterpillar, Legrand, Vertiv, and others due to which advanced infrastructure solutions are available in the market. In terms of general contractors, the Egypt data center market has the presence of a mix of local and global contractors such as Raya Network Services, REDCON Construction, Shaker Group, and Sterling & Wilson who have been offering their services to several data center projects in the market. For instance, Sterling & Wilson delivered a prefabricated data center solution for the Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt in Cairo in 2021 in partnership with RZ Products. WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH? Market size available in the investment, area, power capacity, and Egypt colocation market revenue. An assessment of the data center investment in Egypt by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators. Data center investments in the area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across cities in the country. A detailed study of the existing Egypt data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the Egypt data center market size during the forecast period. Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party data center facilities in Egypt Facilities Covered (Existing): 13 Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 07 Coverage: 4+ Cities Existing vs. Upcoming (Data Center Area) Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity) Data center colocation market in Egypt Colocation Market Revenue & Forecast (2021-2030) Retail Colocation Pricing The Egypt data center landscape market investments are classified into IT, power, cooling, and general construction services with sizing and forecast. A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, growth restraints, and prospects for the industry. Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the industry. A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspects of the industry. KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED How big is the Egypt data center market? How much MW of power capacity will be added across Egypt during 2025-2030? How many existing and upcoming data center facilities exist in Egypt? What factors are driving the Egypt data center market? What is the growth rate of the Egypt data center market? Who are the key investors in the Egypt data center market? Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 97 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $278 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $694 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 16.4% Regions Covered Egypt Investment Opportunities in the Egypt Microeconomic & Macroeconomic Factors for the Egypt Market Investment Opportunities in the Egypt Digital Data in Egypt Investment by Area Investment by Power Capacity IT Infrastructure Providers Arista Networks Broadcom Cisco Systems Dell Technologies Hewlett Packard Enterprise IBM Juniper Networks Data Center Construction Contractors & Sub-Contractors Orascom Construction Raya Network Services REDCON Construction Shaker Group Sterling & Wilson Summit Technology Solutions United For Technology Solutions Support Infrastructure Providers ABB Caterpillar Cummins Delta Electronics Eaton Johnson Controls Legrand Rittal Rolls-Royce Schneider Electric STULZ Vertiv Data Center Investors e& Egypt GPX Global Systems Orange Business Services Raya Data Center Telecom Egypt New Entrants Africa Data Centres Gulf Data Hub Khazna Data Centers The report includes the investment in the following areas: IT Infrastructure Servers Storage Systems Network Infrastructure Electrical Infrastructure UPS Systems Generators Transfer Switches & Switchgears PDUs Other Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems Rack Cabinets Other Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems CRAC & CRAH Units Chiller Units Cooling Towers, Condensers & Dry Coolers Other Cooling Units General Construction Core & Shell Development Installation & Commissioning Services Engineering & Building Design Fire Detection & Suppression Systems Physical Security Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) Tier Standard Tier I & Tier II Tier III Tier IV For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/y3c4ji About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (BVL: BCM) (Bear Creek or the Company) announces that it has entered into an agreement with BMO Capital Markets to act as sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the Underwriters), on a bought deal basis, for a private placement of 64,445,000 common shares of the Company (each, a Share), at a price of C$0.225 per Share (the Offering Price) to raise aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$14.5 million (the Offering). Pursuant to the Offering, the Company has granted the Underwriters an option to purchase an additional 9,666,750 Shares pursuant to the Offering for additional gross proceeds of approximately C$2.2 million (the Underwriters Option). The Company further announces the retirements of Mr. Andrew Swarthout and Ms. Sandra Daycock from the Board and is pleased to announce the appointments of Peter C. Mitchell and Ian Grundy to the Board. In addition, the Company intends to enter into certain amending agreements with each of Sandstorm Gold Ltd. (Sandstorm) and Equinox Gold Corp. (Equinox) to temporarily defer the payment of interest under certain outstanding debt arrangements, subject to negotiating and entering into such amending agreements and approval and acceptance of same by the TSX Venture Exchange. Furthermore, Sandstorm intends to extend up to US$6.5 million in additional credit to the Company for working capital purposes under the Sandstorm Promissory Note (as defined below). Brokered Private Placement The Company intends to complete a private placement of Shares on a bought deal basis at a price of C$0.225 per Share for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$16.7 million (assuming full exercise of the Underwriters Option). The Offering is expected to close on or about March 11, 2025 or such other date as the Company may determine (the Closing Date). Closing of the Offering is subject to receipt of conditional acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV). The Shares issued under the Offering will be subject to certain resale restrictions including a hold period of four months and a day from the Closing Date. It is intended that each of Sandstorm and Equinox will participate in the Offering, with each purchasing 32,222,500 Shares for gross proceeds of approximately C$7.3 million. Currently, Sandstorm and Equinox hold 45,492,399 and 25,397,160 Shares, respectively, which represent approximately 19.97% and 11.15%, respectively, of the total issued and outstanding Shares. Accordingly, each of Equinox and Sandstorm are a related party of the Company and the Offering will constitute a related party transaction (as each term is defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101)). The Company intends to rely on the specified markets exemption from the formal valuation requirement set forth in subsection 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 and the financial hardship exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirements set out in subsection 5.7(1)(c) of MI 61-101. The Company intends to use net proceeds of the Offering to support exploration and resource drilling at the Companys Mercedes mine in Mexico (Mercedes), to build a ventilation raise bore and secondary escape way at the Marianas deposit at Mercedes to ensure safe production and for general working capital purposes, the latter of which will include reducing Mercedes trade payables over the next quarter. The securities that will be offered in the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the U.S., nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. United States and U.S. person are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act. Retirement of Directors Mr. Andrew Swarthout and Ms. Sandra Daycock have notified the Company of their intention to retire from the Board effective on closing of the Offering, the Debt Amendments (as defined below) and the Credit Extension (as defined below). Mr. Swarthout co-founded Bear Creek Mining in 2003 and served as the Companys President and CEO until 2017. He was a critical and integral contributor to the acquisition, discovery and development of the Corani deposit and the backbone of the Companys technical and management teams. Mr. Swarthout retired from management of Bear Creek in 2017 but continued to provide his wealth of knowledge to the Company as a Director, including directly contributing to Bear Creeks understanding of the multiple high-quality exploration opportunities at the Mercedes property, and serving as the Companys Qualified Person (as defined in National Instrument 43-101). The Board sincerely thanks Mr. Swarthout for his vision, guidance and execution of the Companys goals throughout his 22-year tenure at Bear Creek. Ms. Daycock was appointed to the Company's Board in November 2023 and elected as a Director by shareholders in June 2024. Ms. Daycock served on the Companys Audit and Compensation Committees throughout her tenure on the Board, where her experience in corporate development, corporate finance, strategy, treasury management, accounting, financing, investor relations, and corporate restructuring were invaluable assets. The Board sincerely thanks Ms. Daycock for her service. Catherine McLeod-Seltzer, Chair of the Company stated: We deeply thank Andrew and Sandra for their involvement with, and thoughtful stewardship of, the Company. Their contributions have been innumerable. In particular, we recognize and salute Andrews central role as Founder of the Company. Appointment of Directors The Board is further pleased to announce the appointment of Peter C. Mitchell and Ian Grundy to the Board effective immediately. Peter C. Mitchell is a veteran financial executive with 25 years of senior-level experience in financial and operational management, executive leadership, Board of Directors experience, acquisitions and divestitures and tax and compliance for private equity sponsored and publicly held companies. Mr. Mitchell most recently served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Coeur Mining, Inc., a leading precious metals producer that owns and operates mines throughout North America. Having joined Coeur as CFO in 2013, Peter was responsible for investor relations, financial planning and analysis, financial reporting, information technology, tax and compliance. He was a key team member managing Coeurs acquisition and divestiture activities and led all capital markets activity in multiple equity and debt financings. Prior to Coeur, Peter held executive leadership positions in finance and operations with a variety of U.S. and Canadian public and private equity sponsored companies. He is currently a Director and the Audit Committee Chair of Stabilis Solutions, Inc., Northcliff Resources Ltd., and Taseko Mines Limited. Mr. Mitchell earned a BA in Economics from Western University, an MBA from the University of British Columbia, and is a Chartered Accountant (CPA-CA). Ian Grundy has more than a decade of experience in the mining and capital markets sectors. He is currently Executive Vice President, Corporate Development at Sandstorm. Prior to joining Sandstorm in 2018, Mr. Grundy worked for several Canadian equity research teams covering the gold, base metal, and basic materials industries. This included helping to grow Scotiabanks base metals franchise into Canadas top ranked research team, as recognized by Brendan Woods International. Mr. Grundy is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and a graduate of Queens University where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honours). He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder. Debt Amendments and Credit Extension On October 19, 2023, the Company issued a secured convertible promissory note (the Equinox Note) in the principal amount of approximately US$26 million to defer a US$25 million liability originally payable to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Equinox. Please see the Companys news releases on October 19, 2023, November 27, 2023 and December 1, 2023 for additional details regarding the Equinox Note. On January 22, 2024, as part of a restructuring transaction, the Company (i) entered into an amended and restated convertible debenture between the Company and Sandstorm in the principal amount of approximately US$22.5 million (the Sandstorm Convertible Debenture); and (ii) issued an amended and restated secured promissory note to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sandstorm with a principal amount equal to up to approximately US$21.6 million (the Sandstorm Promissory Note and together with the Sandstorm Convertible Debenture and the Equinox Note, the Debt Agreements). Please see the Companys news release on January 22, 2024 and August 21, 2024 for more details regarding the Sandstorm Convertible Debenture and the Sandstorm Promissory Note. The Company and each of Equinox and Sandstorm, respectively, intend to amend (collectively, the Debt Amendments) each of the Debt Agreements whereby monthly interest payments payable on the last day of each month from and including February 2025 to November 2025, shall be deferred until December 31, 2025 (the Deferred Interest) and interest on the Deferred Interest shall automatically accrue monthly at the rate of interest applicable to the principal owing under the respective Debt Agreements. In addition, the Company and Sandstorm intend to further amend the Sandstorm Promissory Note to increase the principal amount by up to US$6.5 million, with Sandstorm committing up to US$600,000 per month to the Company for working capital purposes, subject to the existing terms of the Sandstorm Promissory Note (the Credit Extension). It is expected that all other terms of the Debt Agreements will remain unchanged and in full force and effect. The Debt Amendments and the Credit Extension are expected to be closed on or about March 11, 2025 and will be subject to final approval of the TSXV. As each of Sandstorm and Equinox are a related party of the Company, entering into the Debt Amendments and the Credit Extension and the matters related thereto are considered to be related party transactions (as each term is defined in MI 61-101), requiring the Company, in the absence of certain exemptions, to obtain a formal valuation and minority shareholder approval, of the related party transactions. The Company intends to rely on the specified markets exemption from the formal valuation requirement set forth in subsection 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 and the financial hardship exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirements set out in subsection 5.7(1)(c) of MI 61-101. A material change report in connection with the Debt Amendments and the Credit Extension will be filed within 10 days of the date hereof which is less than 21 days before the date of closing of the Debt Amendments. The Company believes this shorter period is reasonable and necessary in the circumstances as the details of the Debt Amendments, the Credit Extension and the matters related thereto were not finalized until immediately prior to the date hereof and the Company wished to complete the Debt Amendments, the Credit Extension and the matters related thereto as soon as practicable for sound business reasons. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Eric Caba President and Chief Executive Officer For further information contact: Barbara Henderson - VP Corporate Communications Direct: 604-628-1111 E-mail: barb@bearcreekmining.com www.bearcreekmining.com Subscribe to Bear Creek Mining news Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Information and statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information can often be identified by forward-looking words such as believe, expect, intend, may and will or the negative of these terms or similar words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Examples of forward-looking information in this news release include, without limitation: the gross proceeds of the Offering; timing of completion of the Offering; each of Sandstorms and Equinoxs participation in the Offering; the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering; TSXV acceptance of the Offering; the entry into and the terms and timing of the Debt Amendments and the Credit Extension; the deferral of interest pursuant to the Debt Amendments subsequent to December 2025; receipt of final approval of the TSXV for the Debt Amendments and the Credit Extension; and the filing of a material change report within the required timeframe. These forward-looking statements are provided as of the date of this news release, and reflect predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events based on the Companys beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to assumptions related to the Companys operating results, business objectives, goals and capabilities. Although management considers the assumptions underlying its forward-looking statement to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and the risk exists that estimates, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions expressed above do not occur, but may include additional risks as described in the Companys latest Annual Information Form, and other disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR+. The foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law. In its last reported financial results as of September 30, 2024, the Company had a working capital (current assets minus current liabilities) deficiency of US$93.2 million. The Companys interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended September 30, 2024 were prepared following accounting principles applicable to a going concern, which assumes the Company will be able to continue operations for at least twelve months from September 30, 2024 and will be able to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the ordinary course of operations. As of September 30, 2024, the Company does not have sufficient funds to cover its working capital deficiency and fund ongoing obligations and therefore its ability to continue as a going concern is at risk. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX:BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) (Bear Creek or the Company) announces that its Board of Directors (the Board) has initiated a comprehensive and thorough strategic review process (the Strategic Review) to explore and evaluate, on an expeditious basis, the strategic and financial options available to the Company with the ultimate view of enhancing value. The Board has also established a special committee of independent directors (the Special Committee) to manage the process, with a goal to complete the Strategic Review on an expeditious basis. Mr. Milau will advise the Special Committee and Board as the Company carries out the Strategic Review. Strategic Review The strategic and financial options that may be considered under the Strategic Review include, but are not limited to, recapitalization, a sale of all or some of the Companys assets, a merger, joint-venture, business combination or any combination thereof. There is no deadline or definitive timetable for completion of the Strategic Review. It is the Companys current intention not to disclose developments with respect to the Strategic Review until the Board has approved a specific transaction or otherwise determines that disclosure is necessary or appropriate. The Company cautions that there are no assurances or guarantees that the Strategic Review will result in a transaction or, if a transaction is undertaken, the terms or timing of such a transaction. The Special Committee is expected to consist of Catherine McLeod-Seltzer, Peter Mitchell and Kevin Morano, as advised by Christian Milau. The Company has engaged BMO Capital Markets to act as financial advisor to the Company with respect to the Strategic Review and Sandstorm Gold Ltd. (Sandstorm) and Equinox Gold Corp. (Equinox), both significant shareholders of the Company, are supportive of the Strategic Review. Eric Caba, President and CEO of the Company, states: We are grateful to our major stakeholder partners, Sandstorm and Equinox, who share our opinion of the inherent potential within both Mercedes and Corani. With their support, our focus on unlocking the value of a fully permitted, world class silver deposit at Corani and an incredibly prospective land package at Mercedes continues with dedication and determination." Nolan Watson, President and CEO of Sandstorm, comments: We see deep value in Bear Creeks assets, which include one of the worlds largest, fully-permitted silver deposits, together with an operating gold-silver mine hosted within a large, highly-prospective land package. We look forward to the Strategic Review daylighting this value. Greg Smith, President and CEO of Equinox, adds, We believe the value of Bear Creeks assets is underappreciated by the markets and fully support the Strategic Review. Corani is a world-class silver deposit and Mercedes is a cash flow generator with substantial exploration potential. As shareholders of Bear Creek, we look forward to seeing this value unlocked. The Board is also pleased to announce that Mr. Christian Milau has been engaged as a strategic advisor to the Board and Special Committee to assist with oversight of the Strategic Review. Mr. Milau is a mining executive with over 25 years of expertise in finance, capital markets and mining including extensive experience leading growth-oriented exploration, development, and operating mining companies. Mr. Milau was the Chief Executive Officer of Equinox Gold Corp. from 2016 to 2022, leading the company through five mergers and acquisitions and growing from a single-asset developer to a multi-mine producer with eight operating mines. He originally commenced the Chief Executive Officer role at Luna Gold Corp. (the predecessor company to Equinox) after its only mine was put on care and maintenance and subsequently led the team in recapitalizing and reconstructing the original operating mine in Northern Brazil (Aurizona), which provided the foundation for what is now Equinox, a major gold producer in the Americas with a multi-billion dollar market value. Prior to Equinox, he was Chief Executive Officer of True Gold Mining Inc, which was sold to Endeavour Mining PLC for approximately C$225 million after a recapitalization, mine construction and turnaround process from 2015 to 2016. And Mr. Milau served as Chief Financial Officer of Endeavour Mining PLC from 2011 to 2015, during a period of significant growth through multiple mergers and acquisitions, financings and mine construction projects to create the foundation for what is now one of the largest global gold producers. Mr. Milau currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Discovery Company, a private exploration company, and is on the boards of New Gold Inc., Copper Standard Resources, Arras Minerals Corporation, and Northern Dynasty Minerals. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Eric Caba President and Chief Executive Officer For further information contact: Barbara Henderson - VP Corporate Communications Direct: 604-628-1111 E-mail: barb@bearcreekmining.com www.bearcreekmining.com Subscribe to Bear Creek Mining news Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Information and statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information can often be identified by forward-looking words such as believe, goal, intention, may and will or the negative of these terms or similar words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Examples of forward-looking information in this news release include, without limitation: the Strategic Review; potential strategic and financial options available to the Company; whether the Strategic Review will result in a transaction; the terms or timing of any transaction resulting from the Strategic Review; Equinox and Sandstorms continuing support of the Strategic Review; and the ability of the Strategic Review to unlock value. These forward-looking statements are provided as of the date of this news release, and reflect predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events based on the Company's beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to assumptions related to the Companys operating results, business objectives, goals and capabilities. There is no guarantee that the Strategic Review will result in a transaction that will enhance the value of the company. Although management considers the assumptions underlying its forward-looking statement to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and the risk exists that estimates, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions expressed above do not occur, but may include additional risks as described in the Companys latest Annual Information Form, and other disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR+. The foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law. In its last reported financial results as of September 30, 2024, the Company had a working capital (current assets minus current liabilities) deficiency of $93.2 million. The Companys interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended September 30, 2024 were prepared following accounting principles applicable to a going concern, which assumes the Company will be able to continue operations for at least twelve months from September 30, 2024 and will be able to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the ordinary course of operations. As of September 30, 2024, the Company does not have sufficient funds to cover its working capital deficiency and fund ongoing obligations and therefore its ability to continue as a going concern is at risk. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. MONTREAL, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cerro de Pasco Resources Inc. (CSE: CDPR) (OTCQB: GPPRF) (FRA: N8HP) (CDPR or the Corporation) is pleased to announce that it has received conditional approval from TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) for the listing of its common shares (the Shares) on the TSXV, subject to completion of requirements of the TSXV, including receipt of all required documentation. Once final approval is received, the Shares will commence trading on the TSXV and will be delisted from the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE). Upon listing on the TSXV, it is expected that the Shares will continue to trade under the ticker symbol CDPR. Guy Goulet, CEO of the Corporation commented, We are very pleased to reach this significant milestone in listing our shares on the TSX Venture Exchange. This achievement reflects our commitment to creating long-term value for our shareholders and delivering on our vision for exponential growth. We anticipate the listings positive contribution to the Corporations transparency and accessibility in the world markets. The Corporations common shares will continue to trade on the United States OTCQB under the symbol GPPRF, and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol N8HP. Changes to Board of Directors The Corporation is pleased to announce the appointment of Pyers Griffith as a Director. Mr. Griffith is a seasoned Equity Capital Markets and Corporate Finance Advisory professional with extensive experience in investment banking, private equity, and direct investment. Since 2021, he has served as Chief Strategy Officer for the Corporation. In the 1990s, he played a key role in pioneering equity research into Latin American bolsas, helping to drive renewed investment in the region. He has advised on several major privatization and concession processes in Peru and has led private equity and direct investment initiatives with a strong focus on resources, energy, and agriculture. As Managing Director of the Peru Privatization Fund, he sat on the boards of several leading Peruvian companies. His career includes senior at James Capel, Morgan Grenfell, Deutsche Bank, and HSBC, following his early formation in London at Kokusai Securities and Citicorp Scrimgeour Vickers and Merrill Lynch. The appointment follows the recent retirement of Eduardo Loret de Mola de Lavalle from the Board of Directors. Steven Zadka, Executive Chairman and Director commented: On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Mr. Loret de Mola de Lavalle for his numerous contributions and perspectives provided. About the El Metalurgista Concession & Technical Reconciliation(1) The El Metalurgista concession comprises an area of 95.74 hectares (ha), of which 57 ha cover part of the Quiulacocha Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), which contains the mineral processing tailings of the historic Cerro de Pasco mine that operated during the twentieth century. The Quiulacocha TSF occupies a total area of 114 ha and contains an estimated global 75 million tonnes (Mt) of tailings, discretized into two domains, one copper-silver (Cu-Ag) and the other zinc-lead-silver (Zn-Pb-Ag). The 2021 Technical Report(2) recommended that CDPR undertake a two-phased program designed to better understand the El Metalurgista projects potential, to increase the mineral resource base and improve its classification, develop a geo-metallurgical model, and undertake additional testwork to improve metallurgical recoveries. In August 2024, CDPR obtained the authorization to start the Phase 1 drilling program at the Quiulacocha TSF. This process was delayed a few years given a land access agreement obtained in 2024 with AMSAC, the peruvian government agency that is in charge of the Quiulacocha TSF as an old mining environmental liability. The drilling program was authorized by the DGM, a peruvian division of the Ministry of Mines, through the Resolucion Directoral N 0459-2024-MINEM/DGM (DGM, 2024). During September and October 2024, CDPR completed the 40-drillhole program for the Phase 1 on the Quiulacocha TSF. This program comprised drillholes spaced at 100 m, reaching depths of between 14 m and 49 m, resulting in 990 m drilled meters. As at the close of January 2025, CDPR has disclosed assay reports for 32 of the 40 drillholes with more analyses pending (Figure 1). It is expected that the geochemical assays and mineralogical analyses will be finalized in Q1 2025, while the metallurgical testwork is scheduled to be completed in Q2 2025. Figure 1: Phase 1 Drill Locations and Status of Assay Results To date, the basic assay statistics show average mean grades of 1.66 oz/t (51.7 ppm) silver, 1.46% zinc and 0.89% lead. Additionally, copper, gold, indium and iron illustrate by-product grades of 0.09%, 0.073 ppm, 19.5 ppm and 28.13%, respectively (Table 1). Gallium, a critical mineral used in high-performance microchips and in advanced military technologies, is also present with an average grade of 55 g/t, reaching a maximum of 263 g/t. Table 1: Summary Assay Statistics (updated January 31, 2025) Ag oz/t Ag ppm Zn% Pb% Cu% Au ppm Ga ppm In ppm Fe % Mean 1.66 51.7 1.46 0.89 0.09 0.073 55.0 19.5 28.13 Min 0.71 22.2 0.22 0.36 0.01 0.006 5.0 2.3 13.78 Max 4.72 146.7 4.81 3.41 0.53 0.567 263.0 55.5 39.29 Given the positive Phase 1 drilling results, CDPR has applied to undertake a Phase 2 drilling program for the area outside the El Metalurgista concession, which is state property, to consist of the following: Develop a drilling permit for the area outside the El Metalurgista concession. The time required for the development, review, and approval of this drilling permit is estimated to be approximately six months. CDPR expects that the Phase 2 drilling program would not deviate significantly from the technical requirements of Phase 1 and has costed it accordingly. Geological interpretation and a MRE will be completed in-house under the supervision of an independent QP. Phase 2 metallurgical testwork would depend on the outcomes of work completed in Phase 1, especially the geometallurgical study and the metallurgical testwork. At this stage, a work program has only been planned to support the evaluation of potential re-processing of the historical Quiulacocha tailings. Testwork will focus on reproducing Phase 1 results with Phase 2 drill samples and confirming process design. (1) Kirkham Geosystems (2025). Reconciliation Report: El Metalurgista Project dated February 19, 2025 with an effective date of December 31, 2024. (2) The technical report dated March 15, 2021, with an effective date of August 31, 2020, is titled "National Instrument 43-101 El Metalurgista Concession- Pasco, Peru." The techinal report was prepared for the Corporation and can be found under the Corporation's issuer profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Technical Information Mr. Alfonso Palacio Castilla, MIMMM/Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Project Superintendent for CDPR, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Palacio is a "Qualified Person" for the purposes of reporting in compliance with Regulation 43-101- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Cerro de Pasco Resources Inc. Cerro de Pasco Resources is focused on the development of its principal 100% owned asset, the El Metalurgista mining concession, comprising silver-rich mineral tailings and stockpiles extracted over a century of operation from the Cerro de Pasco open pit mine in Central Peru. The Companys approach at El Metalurgista entails the reprocessing and environmental remediation of mining waste and the creation of numerous opportunities in a circular economy. The asset is one of the worlds largest above-ground resources. Contact Information Cerro de Pasco Resources Inc. Guy Goulet, CEO Tel.: 579 476-7000 Email: ggoulet@pascoresources.com Forward-Looking Statements and Disclaimer Certain information contained herein may constitute forward-looking information under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, will be, expected or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results will occur. Forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the Corporations objectives, goals or future plans, exploration results, potential mineralization, estimation of mineral resource, cost estimates, timing of governmental authorizations, the expectations of the Corporations management regarding the timing of the commencement of trading of its shares on the TSXV and delisting from the CSE, are based on the Corporations estimates and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Corporation will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0d707e02-9491-4821-ae69-6061f7fd771d MONTREAL, Quebec, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fintech Cadence, Canadas leading fintech incubator and Visa, a global leader in digital payments, have announced an exciting collaboration to fuel fintech innovation across Canada. Through curated programming, events and education, Visa will support the development of Canadian fintech companies building products and services for the payment and remittance sector. In Canada, fintechs are transforming the payments ecosystem and are a vital driver of our economy. Globally, Visa works with more than 2,000 fintechs to solve the greatest challenges within payments and provide them with the expertise needed to navigate the complexities of digital commerce. We are excited about this new collaboration and the trust Visa have put in us, said Layial El-Hadi, Executive Director at Fintech Cadence. We have always been strong proponents of fostering collaboration and helping bridge the gap with founders who break the norm daily and provide innovative solutions for Canadian consumers and businesses. Thanks to this collaboration, we are continuing our mission of helping advance the financial system to serve Canadians for the better. Fintech Cadence has been a driving force of innovation within the Canadian fintech landscape for the past eight years. As the largest fintech incubator in the country, the organization has fostered a vibrant community. It focuses on raising awareness about the sector, supporting founders in their early stages and connecting fintechs with the financial industry to promote the sector's growth. "At Visa, we understand the journey of innovation all too well. Like many of these companies, we started with a vision to solve a consumer pain point and now, we are deeply committed to supporting the next generation of innovators, said Chris Ferron, Vice President of Enablers, Merchants and Fintechs at Visa. Our work with Fintech Cadence is a testament to this commitment and we are thrilled to collaborate to empower bold ideas and drive meaningful change in the payment space." As part of the overall collaboration, Visa is one of the Champion Sponsors of the 2025 Fintech Drinks Series with the first of 5 events kicking off in Montreal on March 26th, 2025 at Espace CDPQ. Subsequent events will be held in Halifax (May 25), Calgary (June 25), Toronto (Sept 25) and again in Montreal (Nov 25). Additional information and registration for the events can be found on Fintech Cadences website (www.fintechcadence.com/fintech-drinks/) and via their LinkedIn page. About Fintech Cadence Fintech Cadence is a non-profit organization established in 2017 dedicated to the Canadian fintech community by providing multiple initiatives from coast to coast. Their mission is to advance the financial system for the better through a three-tier mandate of educating fintech talent, supporting early-stage startups, and fostering collaboration amongst Canadas fintech ecosystem of financial institutions, VCs, incubators, accelerators and universities. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e9f7a86a-8830-46ee-98dc-cd660b7359b2 New Smyrna Beach, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New Smyrna Beach, Florida - Arborist Action Tree Service, New Smyrna's leading tree care provider for over 25 years, is pleased to announce a limited-time 15% discount on all tree services throughout their entire service area. This special offer comes as part of the company's commitment to helping homeowners maintain safe, beautiful properties throughout the spring season as Florida prepares for the upcoming storm months. "We understand that proper tree maintenance is essential for both safety and aesthetics, especially as we approach storm season," says Andy Pine, owner of Arborist Action Professional Tree Service. "Our goal with this discount is to make professional tree care accessible to more residents and encourage proactive property maintenance before summer weather patterns emerge. As a longtime resident of this area myself, I've seen firsthand how proper tree maintenance can prevent costly damage during our unpredictable Florida storm seasons." The 15% discount applies to the company's comprehensive range of services, including tree pruning and trimming, complete tree removal, stump grinding, emergency tree services, and storm damage cleanup. This offer is available to residents across their entire service area, which has expanded significantly since their founding in 1995. Arborist Action Tree Service now proudly serves Deltona, DeLand, Daytona Beach, Debary, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, South Daytona, Lake Helen, Holly Hill, Edgewater, and Orange City. This expanded coverage ensures that quality tree care is accessible throughout Volusia County and the surrounding communities. As a family-owned tree service business in New Smyrna Beach since 1995, Arborist Action Tree Service has built its reputation on exceptional workmanship, reliability, and customer satisfaction, as evidenced by their impressive 4.5-star rating across more than 230 customer reviews. "What sets us apart is not just our experience, but our commitment to treating every property with care and attention to detail," explains Andy Pine. "Over the past two and a half decades, I've personally trained our team of ISA Certified Tree Workers and Palm Specialists to bring specialized knowledge to every job, whether it's routine maintenance or emergency response. We're particularly proud that we can now offer this expertise to residents across Volusia County, Orange County, Clay County, St. Johns County, Nassau County, and Baker County." The company's fully licensed, bonded, and insured status provides customers with peace of mind, knowing that their property is protected throughout the service process. Arborist Action's 24-hour emergency services ensure that residents have access to professional assistance whenever urgent situations arise, particularly during severe weather events common to Florida's coastal communities. "Regular tree maintenance is an investment in your property's value and safety," adds Pine. "I've helped hundreds of customers avoid thousands in storm damage by identifying and addressing tree hazards before they become emergencies. Overgrown or damaged trees can pose significant risks during storms, while properly maintained trees enhance curb appeal and can even improve energy efficiency by providing strategic shade. This is true whether you're in New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach, or any of the other communities we serve." The timing of this discount is strategic, as spring is ideal for tree maintenance before the summer storm season. Professional pruning and removal of hazardous trees can now prevent costly emergency services later. This preventative approach is particularly valuable for residents in areas like Holly Hill, Edgewater, and Orange City that are prone to storm damage. Residents in Deltona, DeLand, Daytona Beach, Debary, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, South Daytona, Lake Helen, Holly Hill, Edgewater, Orange City, and New Smyrna Beach interested in taking advantage of the 15% discount can contact Arborist Action Tree Service at (386) 259-8182 or visit their website to request a free estimate. The company's team will assess each property's specific needs and provide detailed recommendations along with transparent pricing. For more information about Arborist Action Tree Service and its full range of offerings throughout Volusia County, please contact: Arborist Action Tree Service via Phone: (386) 259-8182 or Email: arboristaction@gmail.com. They are located at 3961 Langford Road, New Smyrna Beach, FL, 32168. About Arborist Action Tree Service Established in 1995, Arborist Action Tree Service is a family-owned and operated tree care company serving New Smyrna Beach and the surrounding areas. With over 25 years of experience, the company specializes in comprehensive tree maintenance, removal, and emergency services for both residential and commercial properties. Their team of certified professionals is committed to enhancing property safety and aesthetics through expert tree care. ### For more information about Arborist Action, contact the company here: Arborist Action Andy Pine 386-259-8182 arboristaction@gmail.com 3961 Langford Road New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MetAlert , Inc. (OTC: MLRT), renowned for its pioneering efforts in GPS wearable technology and its leadership in gun safety and asset tracking and recovery systems, announced today receiving its initial purchase order for GunAlerts from American Rounds , LLC, a Texas based ammo retail dispenser with built in technology for card scanning and facial recognition that ensures safe and responsible ammunition purchase. American Rounds will include for sale in all of their machines the GunAlert lock and recovery gun safety device and will dispense at no charge a gun safety and information kit provided by Walk the Talk America ( WTTA ). American Rounds currently operates in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Alabama with plans to expand to other states throughout 2025 with further expansion through 2026. With each machine capable of dispensing up to 55 SKUs from a variety of different brands and product lines ranging from ammunition, mag loaders, optics, firearm cleaning supplies and gun safety products and services such as GunAlert. We currently have a roadmap to rollout hundreds of machines this year with demand for several thousand and we believe that MetAlerts products and mission are in sync with American Rounds to bring technology, value and safety to all responsible law-abiding firearm owners. said, American Rounds CEO, Grant Magers Since signing our collaboration agreement, we have been working alongside American Rounds creating video marketing content, which will be displayed on every machine, and getting the right packaging in place in order to properly dispense. We are excited to partner with a company like American Rounds that fully aligns with our core values of utilizing technology to deliver security, innovation and convenience direct to the 2A community. Stated MetAlert CEO Patrick Bertagna. GunAlert created by stakeholders with a stated mission to help reduce firearm tragedies and ensure gun safety utilizing technology that supports responsible gun ownership. GunAlert combines a steel cable gun lock, sensitive motion detector, and a GPS/Cellular tracker into a small security theft notification and recovery device. The patented technology is sensitive enough to alert you as soon as your gun is moved, and through the GunAlert app (Android and iOS) you can securely view your guns exact location and monitor all unauthorized movements. GunAlert has strong support from the 2A community, Law Enforcement, and non-profits like The American Legion / Be the One and WTTA. Every two minutes a gun is stolen in the U.S. and approximately 132 people die every day from a firearm-related injury, so when seconds count, having information and technology easily accessible can mean the difference between life and tragedy. Patrick Bertagna, concluded with, "We are committed to providing practical and affordable solutions that saves lives, and by working with like-minded companies and organizations such as American Rounds and WTTA we know our collective strengths we will make a difference in reducing unnecessary gun related tragedies without infringing on anyones rights to carry but rather by promoting a message of responsibility and accessibility through technology. About MetAlert, Inc. MetAlert (OTC: MLRT) and its subsidiaries occupy a commanding position in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution, sales, and licensing of GPS wearable technology, asset recovery services, wandering assistive technology, and health data collection and monitoring. The Company delivers comprehensive global solutions encompassing logistics, hardware, software, and connectivity. Notable achievements include GunAlert the worlds first all in one firearm safety solution gun lock with patented motion sensor and GPS theft recovery. And the groundbreaking GPS SmartSole, a fusion of Dr. Scholl's comfort with LoJack's tracking prowess. It stands as the world's inaugural invisible wearable tracking device, designed for individuals susceptible to wandering due to Alzheimer's, dementia, autism, and traumatic brain injury. MetAlert's subscription-based model thrives on technology innovation fortified by intellectual property safeguards. The company boasts international distribution channels serving customers across 40 countries, alongside its role as a U.S. Military Government contractor. In addition to public health entities, MetAlert caters to municipalities, emergency and law enforcement agencies, private educational institutions, assisted living facilities, NGOs, senior care residences, consumers, and small enterprises. Connect with Us For all press or sales inquiries, please contact MetAlert at info@metalert.com Social Media: FB: https://www.facebook.com/metalertinc IG: https://www.instagram.com/metalert/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/metalertinc Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metalertinc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUlYP1WQoLdKkDzwhGkx40Q For general information, investor relations, wholesale licensing, and consumer purchase: MetAlert, Inc. Tel: 213.489.3019 Email: info@metalert.com or ir@metalert.com MetAlert United Kingdom, London Nelson Skip Riddle Tel: +44 7785 364100 Email: nsriddle@metalert.com Level 2 Security (Wholly owned subsidiary) www.mygunalert.com Email: contactus@level2sec.com About American Rounds American Rounds, LLC founded in 2023, is a pioneering Texas based company created to fill the growing void in the retail ammunition market. This has been accomplished by strategically partnering with technology partners to develop the Automated Ammo Retail Machine (AARM). Our Mission is to empower individuals with convenient access to ammunition, while prioritizing safety, security, and the second amendment. For more information, sales inquiries or learn about our franchise opportunities connect with American Rounds: Email: info@americanrounds.com IG: @americanrounds https://www.instagram.com/americanrounds/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-rounds About Walk the Talk America Walk the Talk America is a non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to bridging the gap between mental health and responsible gun ownership. Its mission is to enhance the perception of mental health among gun owners while elevating the standard of mental health care within this community. Walk the Talk America is uniquely positioned as an organization that integrates the wisdom of gun-owning mental health professionals, offering innovative solutions derived from real-world experiences. If this is your first time hearing about WTTA, here are some popular links to learn more: Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. The terms and phrases expects, would, will, believes, and similar terms and phrases are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by MetAlert considering its experience and perception of current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that MetAlert believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause MetAlerts actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Certain risk factors that may cause actual results to differ are outlined in MetAlerts Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (which may be obtained on the SEC Website). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not rely on MetAlerts forward-looking statements. MetAlert has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required. Disclaimer: MetAlert does not warrant or represent that the unauthorized use of materials drawn from this document's content will not infringe the rights of third parties who are not owned or affiliated by MetAlert. Further, MetAlert cannot be held responsible or liable for the unauthorized use of this documents content by third parties unknown to the company. Attachment KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Changelly , an instant cryptocurrency exchange platform, launches an exclusive campaign offering a US$50 welcome bonus to cover service fees for crypto swaps to all new mobile app users throughout March 2025. New users who download and install the Changelly mobile app between March 4 and March 31, 2025, will automatically receive a US$50 welcome bonus. They can apply this credit toward service fees across crypto-to-crypto swaps for 30 days after downloading the app. This allows users to take advantage of Changelly's comprehensive cryptocurrency exchange features with a significantly reduced barrier to entry. The initiative comes at a time of increasing global adoption and follows Changelly's recent enhancements designed to improve user experience and security. The instant cryptocurrency exchange platform recently redesigned its app and website to offer a more comprehensive interface, simplified the user experience while creating transactions, and improved navigation across over 1,000 coins available for swaps across 185 blockchain networks. How to Claim a $50 Welcome Bonus for Service Fees To get started swapping crypto with a US$50 welcome bonus, new users need to: Download the Changelly app via this link throughout March 2025 Launch the app and receive an exclusive in-app welcome bonus of US$50 valid for 30 days Proceed to the exchange tab and spend the credit on service fees swapping crypto "This welcome bonus campaign reflects our mission to democratize access to cryptocurrency exchange and ownership," said Zifa Mae, Head of Product at Changelly. "By eliminating initial fee concerns, we're empowering more individuals to participate in the digital economy with confidence and get access to Web3 services on the go with the Changelly mobile app." Users can learn more about this welcome bonus campaign and read the terms and conditions here . About Changelly Changelly is a global instant crypto exchange platform serving over 7 million users worldwide. Founded in 2015, Changelly offers safe and fast crypto-to-crypto and fiat-to-crypto exchanges of over 1,000 crypto coins across 185 blockchains with 24/7 live customer support. As a CeDeFi ecosystem, Changelly provides its 600+ partners with instant exchange and fiat on-/off-ramp APIs, a platform for listings, and a DEX aggregator for decentralized swaps. Changelly is available on the desktop ( website ), iOS ( App Store ), and Android ( Google Play ). Contact Head of Marketing & PR Ashley Vancouver Changelly pr@changelly.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d9c31242-7702-4543-888a-a2a770f2f543 Dublin, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Peptide Synthesis Market by Reagents (Resins, Amino Acid, Dyes), Instruments (Peptide Synthesizer, Chromatography, Lyophilizer), Technique (Solid-Phase, Solution-Phase, Hybrid), Services, Application (Therapeutics), End User - Global Forecast to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global peptide synthesis market is projected to surpass USD 1.41 billion in 2029 from USD 0.81 billion in 2024, with a significant CAGR of 11.7%. The peptide synthesis market is driven by several factors such as advancements in technology, increasing research in drug discovery, and the growing demand for personalized medicine. Additionally, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes is fueling demand for therapeutic peptides in targeted therapies further propelling the growth of the market. The report will help market leaders/new entrants by providing them with the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the peptide synthesis and its subsegments. It will also help stakeholders better understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to better position their business and make suitable go-to-market strategies. This report will enable stakeholders to understand the market's pulse and provide them with information on the key market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges. Bachem Holding AG (Switzerland), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (US), Merck KGaA (Germany), GenScript (China), and CEM Corporation (US) are some of the major players operating in the peptide synthesis market. Resins and Amino acids accounted for the dominant share in the reagents market Based on offerings (products & services), products (Consumables and Instruments), consumables (Reagents and Other Consumables), Reagents (Resins, Amino Acids, Coupling Reagents, Dyes and Fluorescent Labelling Reagents, Deprotection Reagents, Cleavage Reagents and Other Reagents), Instruments (Peptide Synthesizers (automated and manual), Chromatography Equipment, Lyophilizers and Others). Resins form the foundation of solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), serving as a stable platform for the stepwise construction of peptide chains. Advancements in resins such as preloaded resins and specialized linkers are likely to impact positively on the market. Peptide synthesis services dominate the market Peptide synthesis services dominated the market due to their ability to meet the increasing demand for custom and complex peptides required in drug discovery, therapeutic development, and research applications. Additionally, the rise of personalized medicine and peptide-based vaccines has increased the demand for custom synthesis driving the segmental growth. Therapeutics segment dominate the application segment Advancements in peptide synthesis technologies, such as solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and recombinant DNA methods, has enabled the efficient production of high-purity, cost-effective peptides for vaccine development. The growing focus on personalized immunotherapies and increased investment in peptide-based vaccine research further reinforce their leading position in the market. North America: The largest share of the peptide synthesis market North America dominated the peptide synthesis market and is estimated to continue dominance during the forecast period. US leads the North American market, driven by the strong presence of key players like Thermo Fisher Scientific and CEM Corporation, with substantial funding for biomedical research and innovation in peptide-based therapeutics. Europe holds a significant share of the market, with countries like Germany, and UK being major contributors. This dominance attributed to strong R&D activities, collaborations between academic institutions and industry, and a growing focus on personalized medicine and peptide-based drugs. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 564 Forecast Period 2024-2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $0.81 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $1.41 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 11.7% Regions Covered Global Market Dynamics Drivers Advancements in Peptide Therapeutics Innovations in Peptide Synthesis Instruments Growing Use of Peptides in Diagnostics and Research Restraints Regulatory Hurdles High Cost of Peptide Synthesis and Instruments Opportunities Adoption of Personalized Medicine Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships Challenges Immunogenicity Issues Environmental Concerns Additionally, gain insights into the following: Trends/Disruptions Impacting Customer Business Pricing Analysis Supply Chain Analysis Value Chain Analysis Ecosystem Analysis Investment and Funding Scenario Technology Analysis Patent Analysis Trade Analysis Key Conferences and Events, 2025-2026 Regulatory Landscape Key Stakeholders and Buying Criteria Impact of AI/Generative AI on Peptide Synthesis Market Companies Profiled in the Report Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Merck KGaA Agilent Technologies, Inc. Genscript Kaneka Corporation Bachem Syngene International Limited Mesa Labs, Inc. Biotage CEM Corporation Dalton Pharma Services Bio-Synthesis Inc. CSBio Proteogenix Innovagen AB Biosynth Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services Ltd. Cordenpharma JPT Peptide Technologies Purolite Biomatik CPC Scientific Inc. Advanced Chemtech, Inc. Ambiopharm Inc. Luxembourg Bio Technologies Aapptec Anygen Chempep Proteogenix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dh1zw7 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Ramsey, NJ, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) today announced CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Laura Blackmer to the prestigious 2025 CRN Channel Chiefs list, which recognizes the IT vendor and distribution executives who are driving strategy and setting the channel agenda for their companies. Our dealers inspire me every day by their willingness to take on new challenges to meet their goals through digital diversification, which will help them grow their businesses for years to come, said Laura Blackmer, President, Dealer Sales, Konica Minolta. I am extremely proud to receive this honor from CRN, and grateful to all our channel partners for their support of our business. Blackmer joined Konica Minoltas executive team in December 2017 as Senior Vice President, Dealer Sales, and in 2022 was promoted to President, Dealer Sales. She is responsible for the sales and management of the companys extensive dealer network that represents and sells its award-winning products and managed IT Services. Her notable experience includes various roles in both sales and executive leadership within the technology industry. This honor represents Blackmers fifth time as a CRN Channel Chief, and she is a six-time honoree of CRNs Women of the Channel list. We are always so pleased to see Laura recognized for her unwavering dedication to the success of our dealer channel, said Sam Errigo, President and CEO, Konica Minolta She is an extraordinary leader whose commitment to creating innovative programs that inspire dealers makes a tremendous impact. She listens to their needs in order to guide them in the right direction, providing the tools they need to drive sales growth. Congratulations to Laura for once again earning this industry accolade. The Channel Chiefs list, released annually by CRN, showcases the top leaders throughout the IT channel ecosystem who work tirelessly to ensure mutual success with their partners and customers. This years honorees exemplify dedication, innovation and leadership that supports solution provider success and fosters growth across the channel, said Jennifer Follett, Vice President, U.S. Content, and Executive Editor, CRN, at The Channel Company. Each of these exceptional leaders has made a lasting channel impact by championing partnerships and designing creative strategies that get results. Theyve set a high bar in the channel, and were thrilled to recognize their standout achievements. CRNs 2025 Channel Chiefs list can be viewed online at CRN.com. About Konica Minolta Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.'s (Konica Minolta) journey started more than 150 years ago, with a vision to see and do things differently. The company partners with clients to Give Shape to Ideas by supporting their digital transformation through its expansive Intelligent Connected Workplace portfolio. Its business technology offerings include IT Services, intelligent information management, video security solutions and managed print services, as well as office technology and industrial and commercial print solutions. 2025 marks Konica Minoltas 20th anniversary in production print, for which it celebrates "20 Years of Excellence, Innovation and Impact, and continues to lead the way in digital commercial printing. This year also commemorates 20 years of Konica Minoltas bizhub brand. Over the past two decades, the bizhub series has revolutionized office technology and redefined how businesses operate. It has continuously evolved to meet the needs of modern workplaces, fueled by advances in technology and a commitment to innovation. Konica Minolta is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2025 America's Best Large Employers list, included on CRNs MSP 500 list numerous times; recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for eighteen consecutive years and presented with Keypoint Intelligences BLI 2025 and 2021 A3 Line of The Year and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Awards for its bizhub One i-Series. For more information, please visit Konica Minolta online and follow it on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter. About The Channel Company The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the worlds top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers, and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit thechannelco.com. Attachment SCARBOROUGH, Maine, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hannaford Supermarkets today announced a $1.3 million investment in programs that positively impact child health and wellness across New England and New York. The funding is the latest chapter of Hannafords Eat Well, Be Well A Path to Better Health initiative, which paves the way for healthier futures by increasing access to nutritious foods. The funding will enhance programs that help children eat healthier and stay active with the goal of reducing risk for chronic disease. The donations will be distributed to Full Plates Full Potential and Lets Go! (Maine); New Hampshire Hunger Solutions and Regenerative Roots Association (New Hampshire); Cornell University (New York); and Community Servings and Project Bread (Massachusetts). Photos accompanying this announcement are available here. Nationally, almost 20% of children aged 2-19 are considered to have obesity. The statistic highlights a growing need to address the potential long-term impacts of obesity on the physical health of children, including an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. The funding from Hannaford will not only support greater access to healthy food but also improve nutrition education resources for children ultimately fostering a healthier future for the entire family. Its essential we provide children with the right tools to develop healthy habits at an early age, said Mike Vail, President at Hannaford Supermarkets. Were incredibly proud to support these meaningful programs, which will create positive, lasting impact on the lives of children in our communities. By investing in the next generation today, were establishing the foundation for thriving communities tomorrow. One of the organizations receiving funding through the program is Full Plates Full Potential, who will use the grant to help schools across Maine adhere to new federal guidelines by feeding kids fresh, made-from-scratch meals. This will ensure that kids are consuming more nutritious foods and fewer heavily processed ingredients every day. Hannafords support is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together to ensure Maine kids have access to healthy, nutritious foods," said Justin Strasburger, Executive Director of Full Plates Full Potential. "With this funding, we have the opportunity to help schools provide fresh, locally sourced meals to our student, and we're proud to work alongside Hannaford to end childhood food insecurity in Maine once and for all. Videos accompanying this announcement are available here. Another organization receiving funding through the most recent Eat Well, Be Well investment is Community Servings in Jamaica Plain, Mass. Community Servings will use the grant to expand its Food is Medicine Nutrition Program, providing scratch-made and medically tailored meals to children and families. Community Servings is thrilled to partner with Hannaford Supermarkets to support Child Health in Massachusetts, said David B. Waters, CEO of Community Servings. With Hannaford's support over the next two years, we will expand our Food is Medicine Nutrition Program, providing scratch-made and medically tailored meals to children and families. Together, we are advancing the health of children experiencing nutrition insecurity and critical illness. In addition to the $1.3 million investment, Hannaford will provide a total of $60,000 in gift cards to the community partners. The partners can use the gift cards to purchase healthy snacks, such as Hannaford Snack Pals, for children, further supporting their shared mission to enhance nutrition and well-being in the community. Hannaford established the Eat Well, Be Well A Path to Better Health initiative in September 2022 to help break down the barriers that challenge access to healthy, nutritious food and wellness resources. Over the past three years, Hannaford has provided more than $4 million in funding to community organizations under the Eat Well, Be Well banner. For more information about Hannafords community efforts and charitable giving initiatives, visit Hannaford.com/HannafordHelps. About Hannaford Supermarkets Hannaford Supermarkets operates 189 stores in the Northeast, most with full-service pharmacies. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. All are committed to offering great fresh food, convenient experiences and everyday low prices. Hannaford also is an active and committed community partnerfocusing on fighting hunger, supporting youth development, and helping people live healthier lives. Hannaford is an industry leader in sustainability with a strong commitment to reducing waste and protecting the environment. Hannaford diverts or donates all food at risk of going to wastesending no food to landfills. In 2023, Hannaford donated 26 million pounds of food to hunger relief organizations. Hannaford employs nearly 30,000 associates and is based in Scarborough, Maine. Additional information can be found at Hannaford.com. Media Contact Red Thread PR on behalf of Hannaford hannaford@redthreadpr.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f47d157-64d8-422b-a382-be48bed5df1c https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/93fe838c-1642-4489-a623-a2ad3044e917 Pune, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market Size & Growth Analysis: According to SNS Insider, The Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market Size was valued at USD 16.35 billion in 2023 and is expected to attain a valuation of USD 35.17 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 8.91% between 2024 to 2032. The Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market is witnessing substantial growth, fueled by the increasing prevalence of bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, and other rare coagulation disorders, alongside advancements in treatment options and supportive government initiatives. Get a Sample Report of Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market@ https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/4973 Market analysis The increasing diagnosis of bleeding disorders, better treatment options, and supportive government policies are driving the expansion. According to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH), over 1.1 million people worldwide suffer from hemophilia, with Hemophilia A being the most common type. Emerging treatment modalities, including the deployment of recombinant coagulation factor concentrates and gene therapies, which are changing treatment paradigms, producing durable solutions and better patient outcomes. Additionally, increasing healthcare expenditure and the establishment of specialized treatment centers are enhancing access to care, particularly in developing regions. Major Players Analysis Listed in this Report are: Biogen Inc. (Eloctate, Alprolix) (Eloctate, Alprolix) CSL Behring (Humate-P, Idelvion) (Humate-P, Idelvion) Pfizer Inc. (BeneFIX, Xyntha) (BeneFIX, Xyntha) Novo Nordisk A/S (Novoeight, Refixia) (Novoeight, Refixia) Grifols S.A. (Alphanate, Fanhdi) (Alphanate, Fanhdi) Bayer AG (Kogenate, Jivi) (Kogenate, Jivi) Octapharma AG (Wilate, Nuwiq) (Wilate, Nuwiq) Sanofi (Altuviiio, Obizur) (Altuviiio, Obizur) Roche (Hemlibra, ACE910) (Hemlibra, ACE910) Takeda Pharmaceutical (Advate, Feiba) (Advate, Feiba) Ferring Pharmaceuticals (Desmopressin, Stimate Nasal Spray) (Desmopressin, Stimate Nasal Spray) Baxter International (Obizur, Rixubis) (Obizur, Rixubis) Amgen Inc. (Investigational therapies) (Investigational therapies) Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (RNAi-based treatments) (RNAi-based treatments) Bristol-Myers Squibb (Clinical-stage therapies) (Clinical-stage therapies) Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Coagulopathy treatments) (Coagulopathy treatments) Zydus Lifesciences (Plasma-derived factor concentrates, Generic antifibrinolytics) (Plasma-derived factor concentrates, Generic antifibrinolytics) Sun Pharmaceuticals (Tranexamic acid, Desmopressin) (Tranexamic acid, Desmopressin) AbbVie Inc. ( Clotting factor stabilizers, Anticoagulant reversal agents) Clotting factor stabilizers, Anticoagulant reversal agents) Bausch & Lomb (Hemostatic products, Specialty bleeding management solutions) Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market Report Scope Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2023 US$ 16.35 billion Market Size by 2032 US$ 35.17 billion CAGR CAGR of 8.91% From 2024 to 2032 Base Year 2023 Forecast Period 2024-2032 Historical Data 2020-2022 Key Regional Coverage North America (US, Canada, Mexico), Europe (Eastern Europe [Poland, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Rest of Eastern Europe] Western Europe] Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Rest of Western Europe]), Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, Rest of Asia Pacific), Middle East & Africa (Middle East [UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Rest of Middle East]), Africa [Nigeria, South Africa, Rest of Africa], Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia Rest of Latin America) Segmentation Analysis By Type The Hemophilia A segment held the largest share of 55% of total revenue in 2023. Hemophilia A is caused by a deficiency of clotting factor VIII and is the most common type of hemophilia, accounting for approximately 80% of patients with hemophilia. This segment is increasingly being driven by the rising diagnosis rate and the increasing number of advanced treatment alternatives like recombinant factor VIII concentrates. Gene therapies, such as BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc's Roctavian, that target Hemophilia A are setting the stage to further revolutionize treatment by potentially offering cures. The growing focus on personalized medicine and the development of extended half-life products are also contributing to the segment's expansion. By Drug Class The Recombinant Coagulation Factor Concentrates segment held the highest market share of 40% in 2023. Recombinant factors are preferred because they have demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety data to plasma-derived products while dramatically reducing the risk for blood-borne infections. The development of extended half-life recombinant factors, such as Eloctate and Adynovate, has significantly improved patient convenience by reducing the frequency of infusions. The growth of the segment is being projected through these developments, combined with growing adoption in developed region. In addition, the increasing focus on the development of next-generation recombinant products with improved stability and prolonged action is projected to propel the growth of the market. By End-User The hospital segment held the largest market share, accounting for 50% of the total revenue earned in 2023. Hospitals remain the primary care centers for bleeding disorder patients due to the availability of advanced diagnostic tools, specialized healthcare professionals, and comprehensive treatment options. Growth in this segment is driven by the rising number of hospitalization for complex bleeding episodes and surgical procedures in hemophilia patients. Furthermore, the growing presence of hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs) inside hospitals, especially in North America and Europe, is improving patient access to specialized treatment. The growing trend of outpatient care and home-based treatment is also influencing the market, with hospitals increasingly offering training and support for home infusion therapies. Need any customization research on Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market, Enquire Now@ https://www.snsinsider.com/enquiry/4973 Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market Segments By Type Hemophilia A Hemophilia B Von Willebrand Disease (vWD) Others By Drug Class Plasma Derived Coagulation Factor Concentrates Recombinant Coagulation Factor Concentrate Desmopressin Antifibrinolytics Fibrin Sealants Other bleeding Disorders Treatment By End-Users Hospital Clinics Research Institutes Others Regional Insights In 2023, North America dominated the bleeding disorders treatment market, contributing about 40% of the total revenue. The growing market in this region is driven by high prevalence of hemophilia, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and strong government assistance to administer bleeding disorders. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of people in the U.S. with hemophilia is about 20,000. Additionally, extensive investments in research and development strengthen the market position of the region according to the presence of significant market players such as Pfizer Inc., Bayer AG, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. In the Asia-Pacific region, the market is anticipated to grow at the fastest pace due to improving healthcare infrastructure, increasing awareness, and rising government initiatives to tackle bleeding disorders. Countries like China, India, and Japan have made substantial investments in healthcare reform and giving people access to sophisticated therapies. For instance, the government of India national health mission (NHM) has initiated many programs to screen and treat rare diseases such as hemophilia. The region's large patient population and untapped market potential present significant growth opportunities. Recent Developments In January 2024, Pfizer Inc. announced a next-generation recombinant factor VIII concentrate with an extended half-life to be launched, providing better patient convenience and outcomes. In 2023, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. received EMA approval for its gene therapy, Roctavian, for the treatment of severe Hemophilia A, marking a significant milestone in the market. Buy a Single-User PDF of Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market Analysis & Outlook Report 2024-2032@ https://www.snsinsider.com/checkout/4973 Table of Contents Major Key Points 1. Introduction 2. Executive Summary 3. Research Methodology 4. Market Dynamics Impact Analysis 5. Statistical Insights and Trends Reporting 5.1 Market Share by Product Type 5.2 Patient Population Statistics 5.3 Treatment Adoption Rates 5.4 Prevalence and Incidence Rates 5.5 Cost of Treatment 5.6 Insurance Coverage and Access 6. Competitive Landscape 7. Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market by Type 8. Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market by Drug Class 9. Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market by End-Users 10. Regional Analysis 11. Company Profiles 12. Use Cases and Best Practices 13. Conclusion Access Complete Report Details of Bleeding Disorders Treatment Market Analysis & Outlook 2024-2032@ https://www.snsinsider.com/reports/bleeding-disorders-treatment-market-4973 About Us: SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world. AUSTIN, Texas, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is excited to announce its upcoming Physical Therapy Health Fair, taking place on Thursday, March 6, from 2 to 6 p.m. CT at its Austin, Texas campus. Attendees will be offered free health screenings that will provide the Austin community with important information regarding their level of overall physical wellness. Despite a strong demand for physical therapy services across communities, Texas is experiencing a shortage of 1,058 physical therapists, making it difficult for the workforce to keep up with the growing need. The Health Fair will play a role in bridging this gap by providing the Austin community with access to complimentary physical therapy screening services. The information that is provided at the USAHS Physical Therapy Health Fair may be used to assess general health and wellness and offer guidance on when it might be best for individuals to seek advice from a healthcare professional. Through a combination of academic excellence, practical clinical experience, and realistic learning opportunities, USAHS works to ensure its students are fully prepared to thrive in various healthcare and educational settings, said Michelle Sawtelle, PT, PhD and Board Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy. The Health Fair will support the key role that physical therapists play in shaping the future of patient care while providing the Austin community with access to quality healthcare. Health Fair Highlights and Benefits Health Fair attendees will have access to complementary health screenings, including assessments of blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, balance, posture, height and weight, strength, fall risk, and flexibility. All assessments will be made by a USAHS physical therapy student overseen by a licensed physical therapist. Liability waivers are required for participation, but pre-registration is not needed. This event highlights USAHS ongoing commitment to the advancement of healthcare professionals through its innovative, personalized, and high-quality education across classroom, clinical, and distance learning environments. For more information on the upcoming Physical Therapy Health Fair, please reach out to Michelle Sawtelle, PT, PhD Board Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy - msawtelle@usa.edu. About the University of St. Augustine Health Sciences The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is a graduate institution dedicated to educating, mentoring and inspiring the next generation of health sciences practitioners to be a force for good in their communities. The University has one of the top physical therapy and occupational therapy graduate programs in the country and offers additional graduate degrees in speech-language pathology, nursing, healthcare administration, and continuing education. Founded in 1979, USAHS has a network of five campuses that span three states California, Florida and Texas and is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501, (501) 748-9001, www.wascsenior.org . The University is transforming society by instructing tomorrows healthcare providers to be competent, confident and a force for good through its B Corp certification . Follow USAHS on Facebook , Instagram and LinkedIn . To learn more, visit: https://www.usa.edu/ . Media Contact: Caroline Hansen - chansen@wearecsg.com CALGARY, Alberta, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blueprint Digital Marketing, in collaboration with Trusted Experts, today unveiled key tips to help consumers safely choose home services and wellness providers. With scam reports on the rise in these industries, many homeowners and renters have fallen victim to fraudulent builders, unlicensed movers, and unqualified repair technicians. To address these concerns, industry experts from across North America have shared essential questions consumers should ask to ensure they hire reputable and trustworthy service providers. A photo that says people should ask an expert These practical tips from experienced professionals in home building, moving, appliance repair, and wellness services will help you spot potential scams before they happen. By knowing exactly which questions to askand recognizing when something doesn't seem rightyou can feel confident that you're choosing a legitimate service provider, whether you're moving across the country, repairing your appliances, buying a new home, or booking your next massage. Fifth Avenue Homes (Calgary, Alberta) Expert Tip: Always confirm a builders license and recent project references. Detailed Advice: "Homebuyers often believe that once a project starts, its automatically guaranteed to be completed, but unfortunately, this isn't always the case," says a representative from Fifth Avenue Homes . "To safeguard yourself, always verify that your builder holds proper licensing, request examples or tours of recent projects, and check their registration with organizations like the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) or Alberta's New Home Warranty Program. Speaking directly with past clients about their experiences is also strongly recommended." M&M Best Movers (Edmonton, Alberta) Expert Tip: Avoid paying large deposits up front. Legitimate movers typically ask for minimal deposits of 10% or less. Detailed Advice: "One common scam involves movers asking for 50% or more as a deposit," says M&M Movers . "A legitimate moving company won't ask for significant sums up front. Unfortunately, we've encountered situations where customers lost over $1,000 to fraudulent movers." Pro Tips to Avoid Scams: Insist on paying most of the bill upon job completion. Always obtain a written contract detailing costs, inventory, and delivery timelines. Walk away if the mover refuses to provide clear documentation. Household Refrigeration & Appliance Service (Calgary, Alberta) Expert Tip: Verify technician certifications and insist on a detailed work order before repairs start. Detailed Advice: "A credible technician always provides a clear work order outlining required parts and labor before beginning work," advises a representative from Household Refrigeration & Appliance Service . "Be cautious of technicians who offer quotes over the phone without inspecting the appliance in person. Scammers frequently insist on cash payments to avoid accountability." Pro Tips: Always request proof of industry-recognized credentials like Red Seal certification or provincial trade licenses. or provincial trade licenses. Be cautious of any technician insisting on cash-only payments or who refuses to offer a printed or emailed quote. All Appliance Tech & Repair (Ottawa, Ontario) Expert Tip: Always require an in-person inspection before agreeing to a repair quote. Detailed Advice: "Legitimate appliance repair companies won't provide a quote without inspecting the appliance firsthand," explains a representative from All Appliance Tech & Repair . "Avoid businesses that quote over the phone without seeing the issue. In-person inspections ensure accuracy and protect against hidden costs." Pro Tips: Insist on clear explanations using simple, understandable language about the repairs required. Request a written or emailed estimate detailing parts, labor, and costs before approving any repairs. Maggies Therapeutic Massage (Calgary, Alberta) Expert Tip: Always ask massage therapists to provide proof of Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) certification before booking appointments. Detailed Advice: "Not every massage therapist is a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT)," says Maggie's Therapeutic Massage . "Only certified RMTs are eligible for health insurance claims and adhere to professional quality standards." Pro Tips: Verify a therapists registration with regulatory bodies such as the Massage Therapy Association of Alberta (MTAA) . . Be cautious if a therapist can't or won't provide proper certification, as this can impact insurance coverage and quality of care. Stay Informed and Protected Knowledge is the most effective tool for avoiding scams. Awareness of common red flagssuch as excessive upfront payments, reluctance to provide licenses or certifications, refusal to offer detailed written estimates, or an unwillingness to explain their processcan protect you from significant losses and frustration. If you encounter businesses or technicians who raise these concerns, trust your instincts and continue your search for a reputable provider. With expert insights from Fifth Avenue Homes, M&M Best Movers, Household Refrigeration, All Appliance Tech & Repair, and Maggies Therapeutic Massage, homeowners, renters, and consumers can confidently make safe and informed decisions. About Blueprint Digital Marketing Blueprint Digital Marketing is a Calgary-based agency specializing in results-driven online growth strategies since 2012. With a flexible, no-contract model, the company adapts to evolving digital trends, helping businesses stay competitive and maximize opportunities in the local market. Media Contact: For media inquiries or interviews, please contact the experts directly: Fifth Avenue Homes Calgary, Alberta | fifthavehomes.com Calgary, Alberta | M&M Best Movers Edmonton, Alberta | mandmmoversedmonton.ca Edmonton, Alberta | Household Refrigeration & Appliance Service Calgary, Alberta | householdrefrigeration.com Calgary, Alberta | All Appliance Tech & Repair Ottawa, Ontario | allappliancetech.ca Ottawa, Ontario | Maggies Therapeutic Massage Calgary, Alberta | maggiestherapeuticmassage.com Homeowners working with an expert Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5251d020-ee62-47ea-88de-a8a32f3fe093 UNION, N.J., March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NanoNewron, LLC (NanoNewron or the Company), a pioneering biotechnology company developing innovative, humanized biologics that cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to treat Alzheimers and other central nervous system (CNS) neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that Marco Taglietti, M.D., has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1st, 2025. I am excited to have Marco joining NanoNewron, and to lead NanoNewron into the future, said Luciano DAdamio, M.D., PhD, NanoNewrons co-founder. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to advance the development of our lead compound for the treatment of Alzheimers Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Marco brings to the position an outstanding experience in drug development and a successful track record in leading pharma organizations. In his long career, he brought to the market more than 35 drugs and devices, including several CNS products. "NanoNewron is a company with an innovative technology, a very promising product and a great potential, said Marco Taglietti, M.D. I am honored and excited to be taking on the role of CEO. There is still a dire need for more effective treatments for Alzheimers Disease. Despite decades of research, the current treatments only offer temporary improvements in symptoms and just a modest slowdown of cognitive decline. Currently there is no treatment that blocks the underlying progression of cognitive deterioration in Alzheimers disease, let alone cure it. The product developed at NanoNewron, a powerful anti-TNF-alpha nanobody, promises to transform the treatment of Alzheimers in the same way that TNF-alpha inhibitors transformed the treatment of systemic inflammatory diseases such as Crohns Disease or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Marco Taglietti, M.D. has served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of SCYNEXIS, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering innovative medicines to overcome and prevent difficult-to-treat and drug resistant infections, from 2015 until his retirement at the end of 2022. Prior to joining SCYNEXIS, Dr. Taglietti held various executive positions with Forest Laboratories (now AbbVie) from 2007 until 2014, including President, Forest Research Institute, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Corporate Vice President, Research & Development. Dr. Taglietti was also the Senior Vice President, Head of Global Research and Development for Stiefel Laboratories, Inc. (now a GlaxoSmithKline company) from 2004 until 2007 and served in a number of executive positions from 1992 to 2004 with Schering-Plough Research Institute, including Vice President, Clinical Research of Anti-Infectives, CNS, Oncology, Dermatology and Endocrinology. He received his medical degree and his Board Certification in Infectious Diseases from the University of Pavia in Italy. At NanoNewron, we believe that TNF- plays a key pathogenic role in Alzheimers, said Luciano DAdamio, PhD, MD. We developed a potent TNF-alpha inhibitor antibody to be used to treat Alzheimers and, since this antibody cannot cross the blood-brain barrier by itself, we combined it with our NewroBus technology, a nanoantibody able to cross the blood-brain barrier by leveraging the transcytosis activity of Transferrin Receptor one (TfR1). This combined product, NN-841, has shown very promising results in animal models when administered subcutaneously, with high inhibition of TNF-alpha activity inside the brain and excellent tolerability. The initial work of NanoNewron has been conducted at Rutgers University, with the funding from a Phase I NIH STTR grant. The next steps for NanoNewron include discussions with the FDA to get approval to use NN-841 in humans and additional preclinical activities to advance the development of NN-841. About NanoNewron NanoNewron (https://www.nanonewron.com/) is a pioneering biotechnology company dedicated to developing innovative, humanized biologics that cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to treat central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Founded by Dr. Luciano DAdamio, a professor at Rutgers University and holder of the Herbert C. and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Endowed Chair since 2017, NanoNewron leverages cutting-edge nanobody technologies to target neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease and other CNS neurodegenerative pathologies. NanoNewron is led by Dr. Marco Taglietti, MD, as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Taglietti was most recently CEO of SCYNEXIS and a veteran in drug development, fund raising and commercialization, who brought to the market more than 35 products in different therapeutic areas. About NewroBus NewroBus is NanoNewrons innovative humanized nanobody designed to target the transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) for efficient transcytosis across the BBB. This breakthrough technology dramatically enhances the delivery of biologic therapeutic agents to the CNS, significantly increasing their bioavailability and therapeutic potential inside the brain. About NN-841 NN-841 is NanoNewrons flagship therapeutic product comprising bi-functional humanized nanobodies that combine robust TNF-alpha inhibitory activity with blood-brain barrier permeability. Built using a proprietary TNF-alpha inhibitor and NewroBus, NN-841 targets neuroinflammatory pathways after efficiently crossing the blood-brain barrier, making it a game-changing treatment for Alzheimers disease and other CNS neurodegenerative conditions characterized by elevated TNF levels. NN-841 is currently advancing through preclinical evaluation in humanized models with IND-enabling studies planned. Forward-Looking Statement. This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding NanoNewron LLC, its technologies, and future business plans, including anticipated product development timelines, preclinical and clinical milestones, and market opportunities. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, regulatory requirements, clinical trial results, manufacturing challenges, market dynamics, risks associated with intellectual property rights and infringement claims relating to our products. NanoNewron assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or outlook or guidance after the date of this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. For more information, visit https://www.nanonewron.com/ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/284c3aed-62c9-4353-9bf9-2b64b98473dc CEDAR PARK, Texas, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Firefly Aerospace , the leader in end-to-end responsive space services, today announced the company was awarded a fixed-price NASAs Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contract for a dedicated Alpha launch of the agencys Investigation of Convective Updrafts (INCUS) mission from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. As part of NASAs Earth System Science Pathfinder program, INCUS is a NASA Earth Venture-Mission with three satellites that will study why, when, and where tropical storms form to help advance climate change models. Firefly offers our customers responsive operations and mission flexibility with launch sites on the East and West Coast of the United States and internationally, said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly aerospace. We strategically built our one metric ton Alpha rocket to support dedicated missions like INCUS. This allows our customers to place their satellites in the exact orbit they need and use their mission-critical resources to immediately begin conducting research and making advancements in science. Once deployed, three INCUS satellites will fly in tight coordination to study the behavior of tropical storms and thunderstorms, including how storm systems form, evolve, and dissipate. According to NASA, each satellite will have a high frequency precipitation radar that observes rapid changes in convective cloud depth and intensities. One of the three satellites also will carry a microwave radiometer to provide the spatial content of the larger scale weather observed by the radars. By flying so closely together, the satellites will use the slight differences in when they make observations to apply a novel time-differencing approach to estimate the vertical transport of convective mass. The INCUS mission will launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASAs Wallops Flight Facility that supports both Alpha and Fireflys Medium Launch Vehicle. INCUS will be Fireflys third Alpha launch for NASA the first launched successfully last summer and the second is scheduled from Vandenberg Space Force Base for NASA QuickSounder in 2026. Fireflys Alpha rocket is the only commercially operational launch vehicle dedicated to serving the one-metric ton satellite market. The flight-proven vehicle provides responsive, reliable, and cost-competitive launch services directly to customers preferred orbits. About Firefly Aerospace Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end space transportation company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners (AEI) focused on delivering responsive, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Fireflys small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com. Media Contact press@fireflyspace.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/24aebe81-229e-4bd9-bf3f-a15c7a454d16 West Long Branch, NJ, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Brookdale Community College Foundation will host its 2025 Scholarship Bash on Thursday, April 4, at Branches in West Long Branch. This signature fundraising event will honor two distinguished partners, Parker Family Health Center and Ray Catena Auto Group, for their unwavering support and contributions to Brookdale students and the broader community. Tracey Abby-White, Candy Langan-Sattenspiel, and Carol Stillwell will co-chair the event. Tickets are available at Brookdale Foundation Scholarship Bash. Now celebrating its 25th year, Parker Family Health Center has been a beacon of hope, providing free healthcare services to uninsured residents throughout Monmouth County. Under the leadership of Executive Director Suzanne Dyer, Parker Family Health Center has built a reputation for delivering comprehensive, wrap-around medical care through an innovative model that connects patients to prescriptions and other essential services seamlessly. Brookdale students without health insurance have benefited greatly from Parkers services. The organization not only provides free medical care but also ensures transportation from campus to its Red Bank clinic. Parker has expedited student intake and emergency medical visits, often securing same-day appointments. The clinic also partners with Ritesh Charitable Pharmacy to offer students free prescription medications, streamlining the process through integrated patient intake forms. The partnership between Parker Family Health Center and Brookdale has been truly impactful for our students, said Summer Deaver, Director of the Caroline Huber Holistic Wellness Center at Brookdale. Their compassionate and responsive care has removed critical barriers to healthcare access for uninsured students, allowing them to focus on their education and well-being. The impact of Parker Family Health Center is vast. In 2023, Parker recorded over 18,000 patient visits. Staffed by 21 part-time and full-time employees and supported by 152 medical and non-medical volunteers, Parker offers a wide range of services, including primary care, womens wellness, pediatrics, cardiology, oncology, physical therapy, and more. Parker also collaborates with partners like RWJBarnabas Health Monmouth Medical Center and CPC Behavioral Health to offer mental health therapy, nutrition counseling, and cancer screenings. Recently, Parker announced a groundbreaking initiative in collaboration with Brookdale Community College and the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners, establishing a free dental clinic for uninsured residents. Slated to open on Brookdales campus in 2026, this clinic will be the first of its kind in New Jersey. Ray Catena Auto Group has partnered with Brookdales Automotive Technology Program, creating life-changing career pathways for students. With 23 luxury auto dealerships across New Jersey, including brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, and Lexus, Ray Catena Auto Group is one of the nations largest privately owned dealership groups. Through their partnership, Ray Catena offers students paid internships, hands-on training, and up to $16,000 in tuition and tool reimbursements. Graduates who complete their studies and internships and are hired by the company may also receive up to $12,000 in longevity bonuses. Currently, 21 Brookdale Auto Tech graduates work in Ray Catenas southern New Jersey locations, including three women. Our partnership with Ray Catena exemplifies the power of collaboration between education and industry, said Brookdale President David M. Stout, Ph.D. We are grateful for the opportunities offered to our students, equipping them with the skills and experience needed to thrive in their careers while fulfilling our mission to serve the community. The auto group plans to offer two internships per year at each dealership, allowing students to work alongside master technicians and gain invaluable industry experience. Christopher Gioffre, Service Director for Ray Catenas southern New Jersey dealerships, emphasized the companys commitment to developing young talent: I consider these young people my kids. We want to ensure they have the guidance and support to build a lasting career. The Scholarship Bash is a cornerstone event for the Brookdale Foundation, raising critical funds to support scholarships and financial aid for students. The Foundations work helps alleviate financial burdens and opens doors for students to achieve their educational and professional goals. For tickets, sponsorships, and more information, email Rebecca Hartman or visit Brookdale Foundation Scholarship Bash . Attachments VANCOUVER, March 03, 2025 - A.I.S. Resources Ltd. (TSXV: AIS, OTC- PINK: AISSF) ("AIS" or the "Company") is pleased to announce appointment of Marc Enright-Morin to its Board of Directors. The Company announced the appointment of Marc Enright-Morin as the President and CEO of the Company on February 24, 2025. The Company also announces that it is changing its fiscal year-end from December 31 to March 31. The Company is changing its financial year-end to better align the Company's financial statement and continuous disclosure requirements with those of its affiliates to streamline reporting its reporting obligations. As a result, the Company expects to file its annual disclosures in late July 2025 for the fifteen months ended March 31, 2025, including audited financial statements in accordance with National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations ("NI 51-102"). Further details regarding the change in fiscal year-end, including the Company's interim reporting procedures, are available in the Company's Notice of Change of Financial Year-End, prepared in accordance with section 4.8 of NI 51-102, which is filed on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. Marc Enright-Morin Marc Enright-Morin is a seasoned entrepreneur and capital markets professional based in Vancouver. He began his career with a boutique merchant bank, where he played a key role in raising over $300 million for various public and private companies through global financial institutions, with a focus on Europe, Asia, and the United States. With over 20 years of experience in both public and private markets, Mr. Enright-Morin has built an extensive network of investment banking contacts, which has been instrumental in the growth and development of start-ups and junior companies. He has served as CEO, president, and director of multiple publicly traded companies in the resource sector. AIS' Key Gold Projects in Australia: With the recent rise in gold prices, AIS has renewed its focus on advancing its exploration efforts. 1. Fosterville-Toolleen Gold Project AIS holds a 100% interest in the 28 km Fosterville-Toolleen Exploration License (EL6001), located just 10 km east of Agnico Eagle's renowned Fosterville gold mine. Promising drill targets have been identified at Toolleen, with geological characteristics similar to the high-grade Fosterville mine. 2. Bright Gold Project AIS has a 60% stake in the 58 km Bright Exploration License (EL6194), with the option to acquire full ownership. The Company is currently reviewing results from its 2023 drill program and is preparing to define additional high-potential drill targets. 3. Kingston Gold Project AIS holds a 100% interest in the 167 km Kingston Exploration License (EL6318), which includes a small-scale mine with a 50-meter vertical shaft. AIS will receive 15% of the revenue from gold sales generated from the Vendor's mining activities outside of their prospecting license. These three properties, totaling over 250 km, are located in the highly prospective Lachlan Fold Belt in Central Victoria, often referred to as the "Golden Triangle." According to the Geological Survey of Victoria, up to 75 million ounces of gold may still be undiscovered in the region. About A.I.S. Resources Limited A.I.S. Resources Limited is a publicly traded company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company focuses on natural resource opportunities, aiming to unlock value by acquiring early-stage projects and providing the necessary technical and financial support to develop them. AIS is guided by a seasoned team of engineers, geologists, and finance professionals with a proven track record of success in capital markets. On Behalf of A.I.S. Resources Limited Martyn Element Chairman Corporate Contact For further information, please contact: Martyn Element, Chairman of the Board T: +1-604-220-6266 E: melement@aisresources.com Website: www.aisresources.com ADVISORY: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Vancouver, March 3, 2025 - First Andes Silver Ltd. (TSXV: FAS) (OTC Pink: MSLVF) (FSE: 9TZ) (the "Company" or "First Andes") today announced that it has closed its oversubscribed private placement financing, previously announced on February 10, 2025, by issuing a total of 21,300,000 common shares at a price of $0.05 per share for gross proceeds of $1,065,000 (the "Offering"). The securities issued under the Offering will be subject to restrictions on resale for a period of four months from the date of issue. The Company paid finders a cash fee of $38,500 and issued 770,000 non-transferable warrants exercisable at $0.05 per share for a period of two years from the date of issue. The proceeds of the Offering will be used for a follow-up drill program at the high-grade Santas Gloria silver property and general working capital purposes. Ian Stalker, the Company's Executive Chairman and a director, subscribed for 2,000,000 Shares, contributing $100,000 to the Offering. This participation constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). However, the Company expects to be exempt from formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements under Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a) of MI 61-101, as his participation does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. About First Andes Silver Ltd. First Andes Silver Ltd. is a British Columbia company that holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Santas Gloria silver property, located in a major mining district 100 km east of Lima, Peru. Santas Gloria has excellent established road access, and is situated within a well-known intermediate sulphidation belt, and hosts over 12 km of multiphase veins mapped at surface which had never been historically drilled or explored by modern techniques before 2024. First Andes' maiden diamond drill program last year reported high-grade silver grades on all drilled vein systems confirming silver endowment and warranting high priority follow-up drilling in 2025. Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Company's limited operating history, ability to obtain sufficient financing to carry out its exploration programs and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243158 Vancouver, March 3, 2025 - Wildsky Resources Inc. (TSXV: WSK) (the "Company") hereby announces that it has granted 2,100,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to certain officers, directors and consultants of the Company. Each Option permits an optionee to acquire one common share (an "Option Share") in the capital of the Company at any time at a price of $0.10 per Option Share up to the end of business on the fifth anniversary of the date of the grant. Each Option is subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day. About Wildsky Resources Inc. Wildsky Resources Inc. is a Canadian based exploration and development company with an office located in Vancouver, B.C. The Company's goal is to create value for shareholders through continuously exploring and developing its current properties in Nigeria, and at the same time looking for new properties to acquire through its international connections. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS signed by "Wenhong Jin" Wenhong Jin President and CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243164 Vancouver, March 3, 2025 - Dale Reimer CFO, EnGold Mines Ltd., (TSXV: EGM) ("EnGold" or the "Company") reports that EnGold director Mr. David Brett is no longer CEO of the Company. Mr. John Brown, Chairman of the Board and long time EnGold Director, will assume the duties of the CEO on an interim basis. Mr. Brett will remain on the Board of Directors, and the Company thanks him for the service he has provided over the years. About EnGold EnGold is a Vancouver-based copper, gold, silver, and magnetite exploration company focused solely on its 100% owned Lac La Hache property in the Cariboo region of BC which hosts the Spout Copper Deposit, the Aurizon Gold Deposit, and the G1 Copper Deposit and other targets within a large porphyry mineralizing system. With world-class infrastructure at its doorstep, Lac La Hache is a great location to be exploring. EnGold Mines Ltd. Dale Reimer CFO To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243206 SODANKYLA, March 4, 2025 / FireFox Gold Corp. (TSXV:FFOX) (OTCQB:FFOXF) ("FireFox" or the "Company") is pleased to share a progress report and the latest results from its Kolho Property, located in northern Finland. The Kolho Property exploration campaign is operated by a subsidiary of Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (TSX: AEM) (NYSE: AEM) ("Agnico") pursuant to an earn-in Agreement announced on December 20, 2023 (the "Earn-In Agreement"). Exploration expenditures by Agnico on the property totalled approximately US$765,000 during 2024. FireFox CEO, Carl Lofberg, commented on the update on the Kolho Property, "We are pleased with the steady ongoing work at Kolho. The tenement package is large and highly prospective, so it is important to see the application of large-scale systematic exploration on the ground. Even though this was the first year of activity on the first permit, it is encouraging to see gold and pathfinder element anomalies from the base-of-till sampling, and the geophysics is confirming our general interpretation of the structural setting and prospectivity. It is also not surprising to see further evidence for ultramafic rocks on the property with potential for Cu-Ni-PGE deposits. We look forward to seeing the pace of work increase in 2025 with the addition of a second base-of-till sampling rig and ongoing gravity surveys moving to the recently approved exploration permits." The 2024 exploration activities were focused at the Nuttio permit, which was the first of the six exploration permit areas within the Kolho Property to have a fully approved exploration permit allowing for mechanized work. The 2024 activities included a detailed ground gravity survey covering the entire Nuttio permit (approximately 31 km2) and the initiation of a systematic base-of-till ("BoT") sampling campaign By the end of 2024, a total of 1,619 BoT samples were collected, with assay results for 1,325 of the samples reported. The results to date are encouraging: several gold-anomalous zones have been identified, accompanied by elevated levels of arsenic (As), bismuth (Bi), tellurium (Te) and copper (Cu), which are regarded as pathfinder elements commonly associated with orogenic gold systems in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt (Figure 1). The highest gold value reported from the BoT samples was 0.116 grams per tonne of Au, accompanied by an anomalous copper value of 0.27% Cu. The 2024 activities also included a ground gravity survey covering the Nuttio permit area. A total of 1,892 survey stations were measured with 125-metre spacing. The interpretation of the gravity data reveals the folding of the lithological units in the southwestern part of the project area as well as the large contact zones and NW-SW trending thrust zones seen throughout the whole project area (Figure 1). In the northern part of the permit area, these thrust zones appear to control the accumulation of significant ultramafic volcanic rocks as demonstrated by anomalous levels of elements such as chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and magnesium (Mg) in the BoT sample data. The elevated chromium values, with a maximum value of 1,482 parts per million, form a cluster more than 1.1 km in length and 500m in width (Figure 2), which is believed to represent the peridotitic komatiites of the Sattasvaara formation of the Proterozoic aged Savukoski Group. According to the Bedrock of Finland Geological Database (1:200,000 scale) (Geological Survey of Finland, 2024), these ultramafic rocks are associated with most of the gold occurrences along the Sirkka Line, as well as at the Ikkari and Pahtavaara deposits owned by Rupert Resources Ltd. In addition to the encouraging gold and pathfinder element anomalies, the BoT sampling results indicate the potential for copper-nickel sulphide deposits within the Nuttio permit area, which can also be enriched in platinum group elements. Figure 1. Gravity and Gold in BoT Sampling through 2024 at the Nuttio Exploration Permit. During 2024, the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (TUKES) granted two additional exploration permits within the Kolho Property, southeast of Nuttio: Rova and Hilla. Together, these newly approved permits cover approximately 51 km2 along the major thrusted contact zone (Figure 3). Three additional applications for exploration permits, to the north of Nuttio, remain in progress at Kolho. Exploration Plans for 2025 A detailed gravity survey was initiated on the Hilla and Rova permit areas. The systematic BoT sampling campaign will continue in the Nuttio area and is expected to move to the Hilla area during Q1 of 2025. The BoT sampling rate is expected to increase through the addition of a heavier drill rig with the capacity for combining top-of-bedrock (chip) and base-of-till drilling. Figure 2. Airborne Magnetics and Chromium in BoT Sampling through 2024 at the Nuttio Exploration Permit. About the Kolho Property The +120 km2 Kolho Property is a group of three exploration permit applications and three exploration permits (Figure 3) that occupies a prospective structural corridor northeast of Rupert Resources Ltd.'s Ikkari discovery and FireFox's Sarvi property. Pursuant to the terms of the Earn-in Agreement, FireFox granted Agnico an exclusive right to earn a 51% interest in the Kolho Property by incurring exploration expenditures totalling US$5,000,000 before the fifth anniversary of entering into the Earn-in Agreement (the "Earn-in Grant Date"), of which US$2,000,000 will be a committed amount required to be spent on or prior to the third anniversary of the date that certain permits are granted in respect of the Kolho Property. For additional details with respect to the Earn-In Agreement see the Company's news release dated December 20, 2023. Figure 3. The Kolho Property. Methodology & Quality Assurance The technical information in this news release has been verified by detailed monthly reports and online meetings amongst FireFox Gold management and Agnico representatives. All BoT samples referred to in this news release were prepared at the independent laboratory facilities of CRS Laboratories Oy in Kemple, Finland, which operates as a subcontractor for Canadian MSALABS, which is a global provider of geochemical laboratory services for the mineral prospecting and mining industry. The BoT samples have been dried and sieved to a fine fraction at CRS Laboratories. The fine fraction of the BoT samples is tested for gold and 50 other elements with the IMS-131 method (20g true aqua regia, ICP-MS finish "ultratrace") at MSALABS, in Langley, BC, Canada. Patrick Highsmith, Certified Professional Geologist (AIPG CPG # 11702) and director of the Company, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Highsmith has helped prepare, reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. About FireFox Gold Corp. FireFox Gold Corp is listed on the TSX Venture Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FFOX. FireFox also trades on the OTCQB Venture Market Exchange in the US under the ticker symbol FFOXF. The Company has been exploring for gold in Finland since 2017 where it holds a large portfolio of prospective ground. Finland is one of the top mining investment jurisdictions in the world as indicated by its multiple top-10 rankings in recent Fraser Institute Surveys of Mining Companies. Having a strong mining law and long mining tradition, Finland remains underexplored for gold. Recent exploration results in the country have highlighted its prospectivity, and FireFox is proud to have a Finland based CEO and technical team. For more information, please refer to the Company's website and profile on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Carl Lofberg" Chief Executive Officer CONTACT: FireFox Gold Corp. Email: info@firefoxgold.com Telephone: +1-778-938-1994 Forward-Looking Statements The information in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, the extent of work stoppage and economic impacts that may result from illness, extreme weather, changes in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry. Forward-looking statements in this news release may include statements regarding: the intent to conduct additional exploration; the belief as to the location of the most prospective gold targets; the location of targets for future exploration programs; and the current and future work program, including the extent and nature of exploration to be conducted in 2025. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, results may vary. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the expectations of FireFox as of the date of dissemination and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking statements and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. FireFox does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release. SOURCE: FireFox Gold Corp Vancouver, March 4, 2025 - Equity Metals Corp. (TSXV: EQTY) (OTCQB: EQMEF) (FSE: EGSD) ("Equity" or the "Company") announces that the following incumbent directors were re-elected at the Company's annual general meeting held on February 27, 2025: Joseph A. Kizis, Jr., Lawrence Page, K.C., Killian Ruby, Courtney Shearer and John Kerr. In addition, the shareholders re-appointed Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Accountants, as auditor of Equity Metals and approved the Company's rolling incentive stock option plan pursuant to which a maximum of 10% of the issued shares will be reserved for issuance under the plan. The plan is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance. The following officers were re-appointed subsequent to the annual general meeting: Joseph A. Kizis, Jr. as President, Lawrence Page, K.C. as Chairman, Robert Macdonald as Vice President Exploration, Jay Oness as Vice President Corporate Development, Killian Ruby as Chief Financial Officer, and Arie Page as Corporate Secretary. Equity Metals has granted incentive stock options to directors, officers and consultants to purchase 5,150,000 common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.17 per share, exercisable for a period of five years. The stock options are subject to the terms and conditions of Equity Metals' stock option plan and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Equity Metals Corporation Equity Metals Corporation is a member of the Malaspina-Manex Group. The Company owns 100% interest, with no underlying royalty, in the Silver Queen project, located along the Skeena Arch in the Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia. The property hosts high-grade, precious- and base-metal veins related to a buried porphyry system, which has been only partially delineated. The Company also has a controlling JV interest (57.49%) in the Monument Diamond project, NWT, strategically located in the Lac De Gras district within 40 km of both the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines. As well, the Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Arlington Property, located within the Boundary District of south-central British Columbia. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Lawrence Page, K.C." Lawrence Page, K.C. Chairman, Director, Equity Metals Corporation Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Equity Metals Corporation does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243195 Mineros S.A. (TSX:MSA, MINEROS:CB) ("Mineros" or the "Company") announces that Sun Valley Investments A.G. ("Sun Valley") has amended its public tender offer to acquire issued and subscribed ordinary shares of Mineros ("Mineros Shares") through the facilities of the Colombia Stock Exchange ("BVC"). Sun Valley has increased its offer price to Colombian Peso $5,500 per share, equivalent to approximately CAD$1.92, payable in cash in Colombian pesos or U.S. dollars (the "Amended Sun Valley Offer"). Pursuant to the Amended Sun Valley Offer, Sun Valley may acquire between 0.00000033% and 26% of the Mineros Shares, an increase of the maximum number of Mineros Shares that Sun Valley may acquire equal to 17% of the issued and subscribed Mineros Shares as compared with its previous public tender offer. The acceptance period for the Amended Sun Valley Offer is expected to commence on March 5, 2025, and conclude on March 18, 2025. Sun Valley currently owns 92,477,823 Mineros Shares representing 30.85% of the Mineros Shares. As a result, and in the event the Amended Sun Valley Offer is successful, Sun Valley reports that they expect to own and exercise control over a minimum of 92,477,824 Common Shares and a maximum of 170,409,548 Mineros Shares following the Amended Sun Valley Offer, respectively representing approximately 30.85% and 56.85% of the Mineros Shares. Trading in Mineros Shares on the BVC resumed March 3, 2025. In accordance with Colombian regulations, trading was halted on February 24, 2025, when the SFC issued notice that it had received an application from Negocios y Representaciones S.A.S. to make a competing public tender offer. Because the Amended Sun Valley Offer is a tender offer that competes with the preceding outstanding tender offer of Negocios y Representaciones S.A.S., any acceptances of the preceding competing offer are automatically considered as acceptances of the Amended Sun Valley Offer. Trading in Mineros Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange was not halted in connection with the prior public tender offers, and is expected to continue unaffected. ABOUT MINEROS S.A. Mineros is a gold mining company headquartered in Medellin, Colombia. The Company has a diversified asset base, with relatively low-cost mines in Colombia and Nicaragua and a pipeline of development and exploration projects throughout the region. The board of directors and management of Mineros have extensive experience in mining, corporate development, finance and sustainability. Mineros has a long track record of maximizing shareholder value and delivering solid annual dividends. For almost 50 years Mineros has operated with a focus on safety and sustainability at all its operations. The Mineros Shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MSA", and on the Colombia Stock Exchange under the symbol "MINEROS". FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward looking information includes statements that use forward looking terminology such as "may", "could", "would", "will", "should", "intend", "target", "plan", "expect", "budget", "estimate", "forecast", "schedule", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "potential", "view" or the negative or grammatical variation thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Such forward looking information includes, without limitation, statements with respect to the Amended Sun Valley Offer, including its terms, timing, regulatory approval, and acceptance period; halting and resumption of trading of Mineros Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange and BVC; the Company's planned exploration, development and production activities; and any other statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future plans, intentions, levels of activity, results, performance or achievements. Forward looking information is based upon estimates and assumptions of management considering management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, as of the date of this news release. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, the assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, social, economic, political, regulatory, competitive and other risks and uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that could cause actual actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking information. Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. For further information of these and other risk factors, please see the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's annual information form dated March 25, 2024, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. The Company cautions that the foregoing lists of important assumptions and factors are not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking information contained herein. There can be no assurance that forward looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as and to the extent required by applicable securities laws. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250303350447/en/ Contact For further information, please contact: Ann Wilkinson Vice President, Investor Relations +1 416-357-5511 relacion.inversionistas@mineros.com.co Investor.relations@mineros.com.co North Vancouver, March 4, 2025 - Lion One Metals Ltd. (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) ("Lion One" or the "Company") is pleased to announce record mine operating income of C$6,302,540 from the Company's 100% owned Tuvatu Gold Mine in Fiji for Q4 CY2024. The Company is also pleased to announce that the Company's internal assay laboratory has achieved ISO 17025 accreditation - an internationally recognized standard for laboratory quality, reliability, and impartiality. Summary of Quarterly Financial Results: Record mine operating income of C$6,302,540 Record gold revenue of C$17,988,932 Record gold sales of 4,741 oz Lowered cost of sales of C$2,465 per oz of gold Summary of Quarterly Operational Results: 31,044 tonnes of high-grade mineralized material mined 17,370 tonnes (56%) of high-grade material mined from outside the Mineral Resource Estimate 29,525 tonnes of mineralized material processed Average head grade of 5.5 g/t gold Overall gold recovery of 82.5% Quarterly Results Lion One Metals achieved record mine operating income of C$6,302,540 for the quarter ending December 31, 2024 - a 312% increase compared to the previous quarter. The Company is ramping up production at the Tuvatu gold mine in Fiji and this dramatic increase in mine operating income is primarily due to an increase in gold production. The Company has achieved consistent quarter-over-quarter improvements in gold grades and gold recoveries since the Tuvatu processing plant was commissioned in early 2024, culminating in the record gold revenue reported for Q4 CY2024. The Company has also implemented an aggressive cost-cutting program during the 6 months ending December 2024, resulting in a 13% reduction in cost of sales per ounce of gold for Q4 CY2024 compared to the previous quarter. Additional cost reductions are expected to be realized in the coming months as a result of this cost-cutting program. Of note is that 56% of the high-grade mineralized material mined at Tuvatu during the quarter was mined outside the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). This follows similar results observed during the previous quarter. In total, 52% of the high-grade mineralized material mined at Tuvatu from July to December 2024 was mined outside the current MRE. This material was added to the resource based on infill and grade control drilling completed after the MRE cutoff date of March 25, 2024, and is indicative of the potential for resource expansion at Tuvatu. Table 1. Quarterly Financial Results Summary Q4 CY2024 Q3 CY2024 QoQ Change Gold sold oz 4,741 3,129 52% Average gold selling price C$/oz 3,794 3,332 14% Average cost of gold sales C$/oz 2,465 2,843 -13% Gold revenue C$ 17,993,020 10,470,518 72% Cost of sales C$ (11,686,392) (8,894,530) 31% Mine operating income C$ 6,302,540 1,529,978 312% Figure 1. Tuvatu Quarterly Revenue and Gold Sales, 2024. Quarterly revenue and gold sales have consistently increased quarter-over-quarter at Tuvatu since pilot plant commissioning was complete in Q1 CY2024. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2178/243256_bfba4f81a4631ac9_001full.jpg The Company is currently operating at the 300 TPD pilot plant level with expansion to the 600-700 TPD phase of operations anticipated in 2026. In advance of expansion the Company is completing critical mine infrastructure projects such as the raise bore and mine ventilation project, which is expected to be complete in March 2025. Once complete this will provide sufficient ventilation requirements for underground development to proceed all the way to the high-grade Zone 500 feeder zone. A primary focus of the Company is to advance to the 500 Zone as quickly as is safely possible and to accelerate that process the Company recently procured C$2M of additional mining equipment, including one twin boom jumbo, three air operated Long Tom drill jumbos, two remote ready scoops trams, and additional airleg/jackleg drills, which are expected to arrive at the mine site during April to May 2025. As part of the 600-700 TPD expansion the Company will be adding a flotation plant with a concentrate regrind mill which is anticipated to increase gold recoveries to more than 90% based on metallurgical testing. The Company is fully funded to start construction on the flotation circuit, which will be the first component of the plant expansion to be complete later in 2025. Lab Accreditation Lion One Metals operates its own geochemical and metallurgical laboratory in Fiji. The lab is a major asset for the company as it significantly reduces costs and wait times associated with sample analysis. Drill assay results can be received within two days of being drilled, thereby enabling the Company to react quickly to high-grade drill intercepts, often while the drill is still in place. Similarly, mill assay results are returned within 24 hours to inform operation and control of the mill. The assay lab can process over 10,000 samples a month and can conduct fire assay, ICP (26-34 elements), metallurgical, environmental, and mill sample analyses. The Lion One assay lab has been accredited under the IANZ ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Standard, which is the international standard for testing and calibration of laboratories. This standard sets out the requirements for competence, impartiality, confidentiality and consistent operation of laboratories, thereby ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the lab's testing and calibration results. The accreditation process is a rigorous process that evaluates the lab's structural, resource, process, and management systems. This includes the installation of a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) software which enables the lab to automate workflows, integrate instruments, and manage samples and associated information efficiently. The Lion One assay lab is the only mining accredited lab in Fiji and as an accredited lab it can assay samples from other operations thereby generating a potential secondary revenue stream for the Company. Assay lab accreditation is a significant achievement and is a rare accomplishment for a company in the junior mining industry, making Lion One one of a few junior mining companies in the world to own and operate their own accredited lab facility. Qualified Persons Statement In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101"), William J. Witte, P.Eng., Principal Advisor to the Company, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has reviewed and is responsible for the technical and scientific content of this news release. Lion One Laboratories / QAQC Lion One adheres to rigorous QAQC procedures above and beyond basic regulatory guidelines in conducting its drilling, sampling, testing, and analyses. The Company operates its own geochemical assay laboratory and its own fleet of diamond drill rigs using PQ, HQ and NQ sized drill rods. Diamond drill core samples are logged by Lion One personnel on site. Exploration diamond drill core is split by Lion One personnel on site, with half core samples sent for analysis and the other half core remaining on site. Grade control diamond drill core is whole core assayed. Core samples are delivered to the Lion One Laboratory for preparation and analysis. All samples are pulverized at the Lion One lab to 85% passing through 75 microns and gold analysis is carried out using fire assay with an AA finish. Samples that return grades greater than 10.00 g/t Au are re-analyzed by gravimetric method, which is considered more accurate for very high-grade samples. Duplicates of 5% of samples with grades above 0.5 g/t Au are delivered to ALS Global Laboratories in Australia for check assay determinations using the same methods (Au-AA26 and Au-GRA22 where applicable). ALS also analyses 33 pathfinder elements by HF-HNO3-HClO4 acid digestion, HCl leach and ICP-AES (method ME-ICP61). The Lion One lab can test a range of up to 71 elements through Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), but currently focuses on a suite of 26 important pathfinder elements with an aqua regia digest and ICP-OES finish. About Lion One Metals Limited Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, and the Assay Lab. The Company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Walter Berukoff, President, Chairman of the Board Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility or the adequacy or accuracy of this release This press release may contain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Lion One Metals Limited's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Lion One Metals Limited and on assumptions Lion One Metals Limited believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the actual results of exploration projects being equivalent to or better than estimated results in technical reports, assessment reports, and other geological reports or prior exploration results. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Lion One Metals Limited or its subsidiaries to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the stage development of Lion One Metals Limited, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current research and development or operational activities; competition; uncertainty as to patent applications and intellectual property rights; product liability and lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting mining, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; not realizing on the potential benefits of technology; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. Although Lion One Metals Limited has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lion One Metals Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243256 Akwaaba Festival rolls out again from March 6 Graphic Showbiz Showbiz News Mar - 04 - 2025 , 22:48 2 minutes read Culture enthusiasts in the nations capital are keenly looking forward to this years edition of the Akwaaba Festival scheduled to happen from March 6 to March 8 at the National Theatre. Started in 2022, the festival founded and directed by Joe Osae has gradually become a trusted platform for showcasing Ghanas rich and diverse cultural elements. The three-day event will embrace exhibitions and sale of Ghanaian art and craft, traditional textiles and fashion accessories, local beverages, a food bazaar and a lot of fun from 10.00am each day at the forecourt of the National Theatre. There will free live musical performances by courtesy of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) on March 6 and March 7 to spice up the atmosphere during the exhibitions and sales. The two-day musical bash is being co-ordinated by MUSIGAs Greater Accra Secretary, Bright Appiah Quaye, also known as Joe Wizzy. According to him, the musicians have been in adequate preparation for Akwaaba Fest25 and are ready to fly high. Acts scheduled to perform include Bongofari, Friction of VIP, KayBlez of Chochomucho fame, Abochi, Aklerh, King Soldier, Riq Garna, Edith Avor, Beatrice Quaye, Albee, Lady Pat, PJ, Nyornuzaze, Black Mezziah, Abooza and 2 Black 2 Strong Dancers. We are looking forward to a great celebration Ghanaian culture in its numerous expressions, says Joe Osae. Our prime aim is to promote and share our wonderful heritage with everyone. We see the Akwaaba Festival as a must-visit cultural destination for both local and visiting folks. The finale of Akwaaba Fest25 will be from 7.00pm on March 8 with the specially-packaged Akwaaba Night function in the main auditorium of the National Theatre. Well-known musician, Bessa Simons and his Bessa Band, will be on hand to perform. Bessa Simons and his band will perform at Akwaaba Fest'2025 Other activities billed into the Akwaaba Night programme include a Wear Ghana Fashion Show where professional models and celebrities will take to the runway and show off well-cut clothing put together by experienced fashion designers. There will also be the Black Star Awards component where special honours will be conferred on some individuals for their noteworthy contributions to the general advancement of Ghanas tourism and culture. Akwaaba Fest25 is under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts; Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration; Ministry of Trade & Industry; Ghana Tourism Authority; National Commission on Culture and the National Theatre Executive Board. Attorney-General confirms he ordered arrest of former PPA Board Chairman GraphicOnline Mar - 04 - 2025 , 07:00 2 minutes read The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has confirmed that he authorised the arrest of former Board Chairman of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Prof. Christopher Ekumfi Ameyaw. Prof. Ameyaw was apprehended by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) on the morning of Sunday, March 2, 2025, in connection with an ongoing investigation into financial transactions during his tenure as Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF). However, he was released later that evening. Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb TV, Dr. Ayine revealed that the former chairman was questioned regarding payments made under his leadership. He further disclosed that Prof. Ameyaw admitted that a sum of two million dollars was paid for certain works, yet no work was actually done. We are still investigating the circumstances of the payment and those who were involved, the Attorney-General stated. Meanwhile, lawyers for Prof. Christopher Ekumfi Ameyaw have strongly defended their client, asserting his innocence following the arrest. "We the lawyers absolutely are confident that Professor Ameyaw Ekumfi is innocent of whatever they raised against him," Kenneth Korankye, one of Prof. Ameyaw's lawyers, said. The lawyer added, "Let them bring all the facts that they have, once they bring all the facts we shall answer them as counsels of Professor Ameyaw Ekumfi." He further emphasised, "I believe that our client is absolutely innocent of any charges, that's what I can say, let them do their homework, let them do it well and then when they come we shall also have our side of the story." Galamsey: 73 illegal miners arrested in Tilli Forest Gilbert Mawuli Agbey Mar - 04 - 2025 , 14:24 2 minutes read Seventy-three illegal miners, popularly referred to as galamseyers, have been arrested in the Tilli Forest, which spans the Bawku West and Nabdam districts in the Upper East Region. The miners, who had been hiding in the forest while engaging in illegal mining, were also operating in the Red Volta River, which passes through the area. Among those arrested are two Burkinabe nationals, 27 Togolese, and 41 Ghanaians, including three children. The arrest, carried out on the morning of March 4, 2025, by the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), was in response to a recent appeal by the Paramount Chief of the Sakote Traditional Area, Naba Sigiri Bewong. The operation, led by a team of personnel from the police, military, and immigration service, resulted in the retrieval of air compressors, drilling machines, motorbikes, and gold processing equipment. Courtesy call During a courtesy call on February 20, 2025, by the Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, after assuming office, Naba Bewong raised concerns about illegal mining activities in the forest and urged the minister to take decisive action. He emphasized that, as a forest reserve, urgent measures were needed to prevent further destruction, warning that unchecked mining activities could have dire consequences for communities within the forests catchment area. Governments response Speaking to the media, Mr. Atanga indicated that REGSEC had thoroughly discussed the issue following the chiefs concerns and decided to visit the scene to assess the situation firsthand. Upon reaching there, we saw many people, including children, actively mining in both the forest reserve and the Red Volta River and its banks, he said. Following the raid, some illegal miners have been arrested for interrogation. He further announced that REGSEC would extend similar operations to other forest reserves in the region to rid them of illegal mining activities. As REGSEC, we will do everything possible to clamp down on illegal mining, he added. Call for public support Mr. Atanga urged chiefs and community members to freely provide information about illegal mining activities to help the government address the problem effectively. Gradually, the colour of the Red Volta River is changing, and it is important that illegal mining activities in the river are halted to prevent further destruction, the regional minister stated. He warned that if action was not taken, the polluted water would eventually flow into the main Volta River, a major source of drinking water for many communities along its course. 2025 Ghana Heritage Month to strengthen national cohesion Beatrice Laryea Mar - 04 - 2025 , 09:57 4 minutes read The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Maame Efua Houadjeto, has encouraged Ghanaians to seize the opportunity of the 2025 Ghana Heritage Month to explore tourist destinations across the country, reconnect with nature and enjoy leisure experiences. She highlighted that each of the 16 regions could offer unique attractions, food, music, dance, customs and traditions that were worth discovering to promote national unity. The GTA CEO gave the charge at a media launch of the 2025 Ghana Heritage Month in Accra yesterday. She also urged Ghanaians to wear traditional clothing throughout the month to support the local textile industry. Event The Ghana Heritage Month is an initiative of the GTA geared towards encouraging patronage of prominent festivals, food, clothes, music, arts and crafts, events, tourist sites and attractions across the country. The event brought together dignitaries such as the Deputy CEO of the GTA, Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey Santana; the Presidential Adviser on Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko; the Director of Blackstar Experience, Rex Omar; the Deputy Chief Executive Officer in Charge of Operations, GTA, Eko Sampson, and the Deputy Chief Executive, General Services, GTA, Ben Anane Nsiah. Also in attendance were the President of the Tour Operators Union, Alisa Osai Asamoah; the President of the Ghana Hotels Association, Dr Edward Akanyamike Jnr; the President of the Chefs Association of Ghana, Michael Quainoo; the National Trustee, Ghana Hotels Association, Kwame Appiah Dankwah, and the Greater Accra Regional Chairperson, Ghana Hotels Association, Claire Banoeng-Yakubu. Showcasing cultural diversity Mrs Houadjeto also urged tourism businesses, including hotels, restaurants and guest houses, to showcase local food and drinks as part of their offerings, particularly during the celebration of Heritage Month. "This celebration truly underscores the importance of embracing the diversity of our cultures, customs and traditions as we reclaim our pride and dignity as Ghanaians. "We urge Ghanaians to explore unique places of interest, connect with nature, enjoy leisure, and benefit from the associated health advantages. Its essential to remember that each of Ghanas 16 regions boasts distinct attractions, food, music, dance, customs, traditions, and more. "I encourage tourism enterprises such as hotels, restaurants, pubs, guest houses and nightclubs to prominently feature our local food and drinks in their menus or as snacks, showcasing their variety during the celebration of Heritage Month," she stated. Black Star Experience The GTA CEO further explained that the government's flagship tourism initiative, the Black Star Experience, was to position Ghana as the gateway to Africa for the diaspora, through curated cultural and creative arts experiences, as well as collaborations with the private sector and diplomatic missions. The Black Star Experience, Mrs Houadjeto added, would feature street carnivals, film weeks, a fashion festival, food fairs, theatrical performances, concert party competitions, and monthly domestic tourism promotions. "The Black Star Experience will be our unique Ghanaian tourism brand, which will include the Pan-African month. We will also strategically promote meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) to promote our tourism," she added. Activities Presenting an overview of the activities planned for the month-long celebration, the Deputy CEO of GTA, Mr Aggrey Santana, stated that Heritage Month, together with the Ghana Music Month, which was underway, would help shine a spotlight on and promote Ghanaian music. He also mentioned the Heritage Caravan, an eight-day road trip organised by CITI FM / Channel One TV, in partnership with the GTA, as part of the schedule. "The food fair, an initiative of the Ghana Tourism Authority, will showcase 68 traditional and contemporary Ghanaian dishes, highlighting the countrys rich agricultural produce and create business opportunities for food entrepreneurs," he said. "Also, the Gob3 Festival seeks to bring together vendors and lovers of the favourite Gari and Beans to showcase their food with breathtaking experiences. We don't want to leave out the GenZs out so at the University of Ghana, Legon City Mall, all the students will come to appreciate the nutritional value, the cultural elements and why they should eat Gob3," he said. Mr Santana outlined other key activities marking the celebration, including the Ghana Culture Week, the Gob3 Festival, the Made in Ghana Rave at Kwaadaso, the Akwaaba Festival at the National Theatre, and the Food Fair. Ghana Publishing launches 24-hour service Justice Agbenorsi Mar - 04 - 2025 , 06:57 3 minutes read The Ghana Publishing Company Ltd has switched its services to full gear with the operationalisation of a 24-hour policy to increase production and enhance service delivery to the public. The launch of the policy by the company that prints and publishes critical national documents such as Acts of Parliament, Constitutional Instruments and Legislative documents, among others, aligns with the governments vision of boosting productivity around the clock. Staff of the company are expected to run a three-shift system. In addition to the launch, the company has announced plans to fully operationalise the use of its Electronic-Gazette system to improve accessibility to government publications. It is also expected to open an Electronic-Shop system, which will allow customers to place orders for printing and publishing services online The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who launched the 24-hour service yesterday, commended the leadership of the company for taking the lead in implementing the 24-hour policy before government officially launches the initiative. He observed that in many instances, State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) lagged behind private companies in competitive environments. With the launch of the 24-hour service, coupled with its decade of operations, Mr Ofosu challenged the company to leverage the initiative to enhance its position in the Ghanaian market by encouraging innovation and effective management. I see no reason why state-owned enterprises, with all the support they can get and the entire government machinery behind the roof, cannot do better than private entities. It is my belief that with the launch of this 24-hour service by the GPCL, you will lift your colleagues in the sector and position yourself as the go-to place for printing and publishing within the Ghanaian economy and this is something that you should be able to achieve, the minister stated. Support Mr Ofosu further pledged his support to advocate that the government gives more printing contracts to the GPCL. He, however, emphasised the need for the company to demonstrate capacity and competitiveness, warning against complacency just because the company was an SOE. The mere ownership of the business by government does not mean that business principles should be undermined or compromised. We cannot also say that simply because you are owned by government, everything should be given to you on a silver platter, you must show the capacity to deliver, he added. Again, the minister urged the company not to only rely on government contracts but also to attract business from private organisations. Testament The acting Managing Director of the GPCL, Nana Kwasi Boatey, explained that the introduction of the 24-hour service was a testament to the companys commitment to innovation, growth and excellence while positioning the GPCL as the leading force in printing and publishing in the country and beyond. The MD said that despite the companys long history and the critical role in the country, GPCL was saddled with serious challenges, particularly high taxation on imported paper and other printing materials leading to high cost of production. As a result, he appealed to the sector minister to consider removing import taxes on paper and other essential materials used in the printing industry. By removing these taxes, the government will not only strengthen Ghana Publishing Company but also make it more affordable for local businesses, schools and government institutions to print locally, ultimately keeping revenue within the country, he said. He further called on the government to issue a directive mandating all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to prioritise Ghana Publishing Company for all their printing and publishing needs. Gifty Oware-Mensah ready to face NIB over alleged NSA payroll scandal GraphicOnline Mar - 04 - 2025 , 21:15 2 minutes read Former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Gifty Oware-Mensah, is set to appear before the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) over allegations of adding over 80,000 ghost names to the Authoritys payroll. This was confirmed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who stated that Madam Oware-Mensah had returned to Ghana and was prepared to cooperate with investigators. Speaking to the media, Mr Afenyo-Markin, who is also a private legal practitioner, revealed that the former NSA deputy director would soon meet with the NIB, accompanied by her legal representatives. I am aware that Gifty arrived this afternoon. I have been in touch with her; shes here in Ghana. Her lawyers are in contact with the National Investigation Bureau, and I am sure she is going to make herself available. Whatever the state investigation authorities have, they would proceed within due process, he said. The NIB has already commenced investigations into the matter, with Mr Ohene Gyan, a former Deputy Director of Operations at the NSA, already questioned. During his State of the Nation Address on February 27, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama urged security agencies to place individuals accused of corruption-related offences on a wanted list. While acknowledging the governments right to investigate past officials, Mr Afenyo-Markin stressed that the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) supports accountability, provided it follows due legal processes. My view is that the NPP is not against accountability, me inclusive. We have been in public service, we are out of it, so obviously if the new government needs former officials to explain certain matters in one way or the other, it is in their right to do so, he remarked. Meanwhile, the NPP Deputy General Secretary, Haruna Mohammed, has refuted claims that Madam Oware-Mensah fled the country to evade investigation. In an interview with Joy News, Mr Mohammed clarified that she had been on official duty abroad, which accounted for her absence. He also urged the public to exercise caution in passing judgment, emphasising that the accusations remain unproven. I would like to state the fact that the allegation of fraud remains an allegation. This is an established fact that has been publicly said at the National Service Authority. This is an allegation which has not been proven, he stated. Next article: Ghanas fiscal problems are the real challenge, but we are going to fix it Seth Terkper backs Mahamas economic recovery plan Inefficiencies at ECG costing the nation heavily - Finance Minister Beatrice Laryea Mar - 04 - 2025 , 11:28 2 minutes read Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has highlighted the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as a central figure in the countrys financial crisis, draining billions from the national budget due to inefficiencies and significant revenue losses. Speaking on the 2025 National Economic Dialogue, Dr Forson described ECG's operations as unsustainable and warned that without urgent reforms, the nations energy sector could collapse under mounting debts. Dr Forson revealed that ECG only collects 62 per cent of the total electricity it distributes, leaving nearly 40 per cent of the power supplied either lost or unpaid for. He further noted that this revenue gap has forced the government to repeatedly bail out the company, with budget transfers amounting to $2.1 billion over the past two years. The inefficiencies at ECG are costing the nation dearly. Government transfers to support the energy sector have reached unsustainable levels, yet the company continues to struggle with revenue collection and operational inefficiencies, he said. He warned that by 2026, the cumulative shortfall in the energy sector is projected to exceed $9 billion, positioning it as one of the biggest threats to Ghana's economic stability. Dr Forson outlined key challenges, including high distribution losses, non-payment of bills, and poor cash management. The power sector should be a key driver of industrial growth, but instead, it has become a financial black hole, dragging down the entire economy, he stated. He also expressed concern over electricity tariff pricing, noting that while current tariffs do not reflect the true cost of electricity, simply raising prices is not the solution. Consumers cannot be forced to pay higher tariffs to cover ECGs inefficiencies. Instead, we must address the root causesinefficient billing, high system losses, and poor financial management, Dr Forson added. Next article: Gifty Oware-Mensah ready to face NIB over alleged NSA payroll scandal National Economic Dialogue calls for urgent reforms to revitalise Ghanas economy GraphicOnline Mar - 04 - 2025 , 21:36 6 minutes read The National Economic Dialogue (NED) has concluded with a strong call for bold economic reforms to stabilise Ghanas fragile economy and drive sustainable growth. The two-day forum, held from March 3-4, 2025 at the Accra International Conference Centre, was attended by key stakeholders, including government officials, private sector representatives, civil society organisations, traditional leaders, and academics. The high-level discussions were held under the patronage of President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang. Participants acknowledged that the Ghanaian economy is in crisis, with multiple risks and vulnerabilities. They noted that state-owned enterprises (SOEs), particularly in the energy and cocoa sectors, continue to undermine fiscal and debt sustainability, while long-standing structural deficiencies threaten macroeconomic stability. The Dialogue was guided by the theme: Resetting Ghana Building the Economy We Want Together, underscoring the need for inclusive reforms to restore investor confidence and promote economic resilience. Below is the entire communique; COMMUNIQUE OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC DIALOGUE HELD FROM 3RD 4TH MARCH, 2025 AT THE ACCRA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE The Government of Ghana and its partners, including the Private Sector, Civil Society Organisations, Traditional Authorities, and Academia convened for the National Economic Dialogue (NED), under the distinguished patronage of H.E. John Dramani Mahama and H.E. Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang from 3rd to 4th March, 2025 at Accra International Conference Centre: 1. Profoundly appreciate the presence and active participation of the high-level panel discussants, Chairpersons, Presenters of Technical Issue Papers, as well as well-meaning Ghanaians from industry, academia, think tanks and policy makers during the Dialogue. 2. Note and commend the spirited nature of the discussions that characterised the NED and urge continued engagement to underpin constructive economic policy and implementation of home-grown progressive and responsive policies in Ghana. 3. Acknowledge that the Ghanaian economy is in crises and continues to face multiple risks and vulnerabilities. We recognise that the macroeconomy remains fragile with significant risks from State-Owned Enterprises, particularly the energy and cocoa sectors that continue to undermine fiscal and debt sustainability. Additionally, we note the impact of long-standing structural deficiencies and challenging financial conditions that threaten macroeconomic stability. 4. Consistent with the theme Resetting Ghana Building the Economy we want together we reiterate the conviction that Ghana can build resilience for economic growth and transformation for this and future generations by pursuing a path of inclusive dialogues and implementing targeted home-grown measures. 5. Strongly support Governments commitment to inclusive development and call for the timely, effective and full implementation of the proposed interventions from this Dialogue to enable Ghana to revive and revitalize the economy. Underscore, based on the six (6) thematic sessions as well as the plenary events at the National Economic Dialogue, the need for comprehensive and durable public sector reforms to improve productivity as well as increased private sector participation and investment in the economy. 7. We the participants, recognising that the Comprehensive Report on the NED will be submitted to H.E The President for consideration and implementation, wish to call on Government to: i) Prioritise efforts to restore macroeconomic stability and regain confidence in the economy by: a. Enhancing coordination between fiscal and monetary policy operations and achieve alignment; b. Reviewing the foreign exchange retention regime to support economic stability; c. Implementing major tax reforms that expand the tax net, including property taxes, revise VAT rate and address revenue leakages; d. Overhauling the PFM system, ensuring compliance with the PFM Act, 2016 (Act 921) and reforming the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018 (982); e. Reforming SOEs and enforcing transparent financial reporting and good corporate governance practices; f. Strengthening expenditure controls in public agencies and resource Internal Audit regime to be effective; and g. Establishing a credible medium term expenditure framework that ensures adequate provision of funding for projects before commencement. ii) Aggressively pursue inclusive and sustainable growth for economic transformation. Accordingly, we encourage Government to: a. Establish new agricultural institutes and enhance existing ones to foster expertise, drive innovation, and stimulate interest in industrialized agricultural production; b. Review and introduce a streamlined tax system for agricultural inputs and outputs to promote efficiency, reduce burdens, and support sector growth; and c. Develop policies that proactively addresses skill gaps by aligning current and projected developmental priorities; iii) Promote private Sector-led Growth to unlock the full potential of businesses. We emphasise the need to: i. Structure and institutionalise a platform for sustained Government-Private Sector engagements; ii. Enhance AfCFTA awareness and provide hands-on support to businesses to maximize trade opportunities; iii. Direct a portion of Banks Cash Reserve requirements toward credit creation and provide tailored financing; and iv. Fast-track company registration and licensing, with strict adherence to service-level agreements to ensure timely approvals. iv) Innovatively address the Infrastructure deficit to advance economic transformation. Key amongst the efforts must be to: a. Introduce a range of investable asset classes in infrastructure through the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) and the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF); b. Revise Pension Fund investment regulations to align with infrastructure projects, ensuring sustainable development and long-term economic growth. c. Establish a performance management system for road construction and maintenance; and d. Ensure that the Road Fund is used exclusively for road maintenance and operational improvements. v) Implement Structural and Policy Reforms, especially in key sectors for Growth. This must focus on: a. Ensuring the effective execution of the Energy Sector Review Policy to improve efficiency, sustainability, and service delivery in the sector. a. Conducting a comprehensive review of ECGs operations and implement necessary reforms to position it for potential private sector involvement; b. Strengthening ECGs billing and collection systems while enforcing cost-cutting measures to improve operational efficiency and service delivery; c. Finalizing the review of IPP contracts and renegotiate terms to lower power purchase costs and enhance financial sustainability; d. Eliminating illegal mining (galamsey) while resolving inefficiencies in the cocoa value chain to boost production and sustainability. e. Returning COCOBOD to its role as an agency under the Ministry of Finance, ensuring it focuses on its core mandate of ensuring the efficiency of the sector and protecting the interest of farmers; and f. implementing a strategy to promote land reclamation, afforestation, and increased cocoa production. vi) Promote Good Governance, Accountability and relentlessly eliminate Corruption. The Dialogue urges Government to: a. Accelerate the proposed Constitutional reform programme; b. Link public sector remuneration to productivity, accountability and efficiency; c. Enhance the capacity of Parliament to effectively oversee public spending by providing targeted training and resources; d. Develop a comprehensive regulatory framework for political party financing, including mandatory audits and oversight mechanisms to promote transparency and accountability; and e. Strengthen independent, governance institutions to complement economic governance. 8. We note with sincere appreciation the unity of purpose demonstrated during this Dialogue. We encourage all stakeholders to continue to work together towards ensuring that actions are taken to reset the economy and build the Ghana we want. Zanetor Rawlings: Parliament launches formal investigation into Daughter of a Murderer comment GraphicOnline Politics Mar - 04 - 2025 , 18:22 2 minutes read Parliament has formally launched an investigation to identify the Member of Parliament (MP) responsible for the offensive remark made against Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the MP for Klottey Korle, during a parliamentary sitting on 4th February 2025. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, announced the investigation while issuing an apology to Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, her family, and the chiefs and people of Anlo State over the "daughter of a murderer" comment, which was made by an unidentified MP during a heated debate. Speaker apologises for offensive remark Speaking in Parliament on March 4, one month after the incident, Speaker Bagbin expressed deep regret over the derogatory remark aimed at Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, the daughter of Ghanas late former President Jerry John Rawlings. In light of this incident, I extend my deepest apologies to Hon. Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, Her Excellency Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, former First Lady of Ghana and widow of our late industrious President, the family, the chiefs, and all the good people of Anlo Dukor and Anlo land, he stated. The Speaker described the situation as regrettable, noting: It is a sad situation when one serving their country must endure such indignity. Background to the controversy The offensive comment was made during a parliamentary session on February 4, amid heated discussions on the 60th anniversary of the death of Joseph Boakye Danquah. During the debate, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin was addressing the House when an unidentified MP interrupted, shouting: Daughter of a murderer, sit down! The incident sparked outrage, with several MPs condemning the remark. Speaker Bagbin has since described the outburst as "dishonourable and unbefitting of a sitting MP. Call for accountability and investigation Beyond the apology, Speaker Bagbin announced that a formal investigation had been launched to identify the MP responsible for the comment. He warned that if the culprit does not voluntarily come forward within a week, harsher sanctions will be imposed once they are identified. It is regrettable that an Hon. Member was subjected to an unwarranted, unjustified, and deeply offensive reckless remark. I apologise for repeating it. Such conduct is dishonourable, and I strongly condemn it as a behaviour unbefitting of a sitting MP, the Speaker stated. He reaffirmed Parliaments commitment to maintaining decorum and dignity, stressing that those responsible for violating parliamentary ethics will face consequences. As the investigation progresses, the identity of the MP behind the offensive comment remains unknown, but the Speaker has vowed to ensure that justice is served to uphold the integrity of Parliament. Neighbors have been waiting since 2022 for this sight. Photo: Grub Street Over the past couple of years, one of the questions Ive been asked most frequently and urgently by friends is: Do you know when the hell Tashkent is opening downtown? My phone has seen a slow trickle of messages about the promised Manhattan location of the Uzbek grocery chain with stores in Brighton Beach and elsewhere in Brooklyn and Queens. Just last week, one friend asked, Can you investigate whether the Tashkent supermarket on West Fourth will ever actually open? I decided some reporting was in order, but just as I was readying to get on the horn with my sources, my friend Charlie a fellow plov enthusiast texted me a photo of the stores interior. Dude, Tashkent is finally opening, he wrote. I am happy to confirm that the rumors are true: A representative for the store says that the downtown Tashkent is opening tomorrow. (Cross your fingers?) When I told one friend, he responded, oh my God, no way. Another wrote back to express a similar feeling of disbelief: no fucking way! This reaction is understandable. For nearly three years, the owners of the very popular Uzbek grocery chainlet have said the downtown location would open imminently. For nearly as long, the windows of the space at 378 Sixth Avenue have been papered over with enticing images of kebabs, the words Coming Soon, and a big Help Wanted ad. My friends werent the only ones wondering: On Reddit, theres a whole thread of people asking when its actually opening. (Im low-key getting pissed now Ive been waiting so long, is a common sentiment.) One enthusiast even developed a conspiracy that the other local merchants were afraid of just how powerful Tashkent would be, because theyre about to be destroyed by the high-quality, affordable produce. Along with fresh produce and other staples, the Brighton Beach location of Tashkent is known for its extensive hot bar of Central Asian and Soviet food (plus a few western dishes, like authentic Italian cannolis). There are several varieties of samsa, the savory pastry found across Central Asia, as well as other stuffed breads like a very tasty chebureki with spinach. Youll find lyulya kebabs and other grilled meats; salads such as herring under a fur coat; juicy manti; soups like laghman and borscht; plus blini and syrniki. Theres also a separate section for plov, the rice pilaf that is Uzbekistans national dish, in both the Samarkand and Tashkent style. One Tashkent superfan I know joked that the owners are finally opening because Anoras showing at the Oscars put Brighton Beach in the national conversation. Im not sure if this theory holds weight, but it hardly matters: The store really is opening. The paper is off the windows, the lights are on, and, around 5 p.m. yesterday, employees were busy inside the store. Cases of soda and other goods were waiting to be unpacked. Excitingly, a large portion of the space seems to be taken up by the hot bar. Devotees, like my friend Charlie, have high hopes: This could be its welcome to the league moment, he told me. This could change it all. Uzbek has been popping off in the outer boroughs; it was just a matter of time before it came to the city and took over. Eat like the experts. Sign up for the Grub Street newsletter. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Samsung will release the next Tab FE slates later this year we still dont know the exact date, but now we have a better idea of what they will look like. The new models will be largely similar to the Tab S9 FE and Tab S9 FE+, though with several key differences, the first of which is visible in the images. Here are renders of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and the larger Tab S10 FE+ created by YTECHB. Notice that the plus model has only a single camera on the back the Tab S9 FE+ also included an ultra-wide module. Other than that, they look similar enough, down to the thick antenna lines. Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE (speculative renders) Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ (speculative renders) According to Roland Quandt, the small FE will stick with a 10.9 LCD, while the plus model will go larger at 13.1 (up from 12.4 on the previous generation). Several color options will be available for each, including Gray, Silver and Blue (as seen in the renders). The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+ will be powered by the Exynos 1580, which made its debut just a couple of days ago at the MWC where we managed to run some benchmarks. Keep in mind that this was with an early version of the software. About screens: Galaxy Tab S10 FE Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ The Exynos chip will be paired with 8GB or 12GB of RAM, which is an upgrade for the vanilla model, which had a 6GB base and 8GB was the maximum capacity. The storage will start at 128GB and there will be a 256GB option (plus a microSD slot). The Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+ were certified by the FCC. There will be both Wi-Fi-only (Wi-Fi 6E/ax) and 5G variants. The FE (SM-X526B) will support these bands: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78. The FE+ (SM-X528U) will support the following bands: 2, 5, 25, 29, 30, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77. These seem to be for different regions, though (U is for the US, B is usually the global version). 5G band support: Galaxy Tab S10 FE Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ Both tablets will have S Pen support and will charge at up to 45W. We dont know the battery capacities yet, but we expect the small model to have the same battery as its predecessor, while the plus model should get an upgrade, given its larger screen. The 5G band info comes from the FCC in the US, but Indias BIS also certified the Tab S10 FE series, which suggests a local launch is coming. The question of when? remains. Source 1 | Source 2 An $8 million National Dislocated Worker Grant in the wake of Typhoon Mawar helped nearly 400 people find jobs over the past two years, the Guam Department of Labor said. The program is set to conclude on May 1, with the final day of employment for the participants on April 30, according to Guam Labor, which secured the grant in 2023. In a release, Guam Labor said the federally funded initiative provided hundreds of individuals with temporary employment and training to regain stability and contribute to the islands recovery efforts over the past two years. NDWG was a very successful operation that contributed to significant recovery efforts for our island. I want to thank every participant of this program. Ive heard many success stories come out of NDWG and I am pleased that many people have found lasting careers because of this program, Labor Director David DellIsola said in a statement. DellIsola said this is what the department strives forassisting people get into jobs or training that will turn into meaningful careers. Participants worked with the Mayors Council of Guam and all 19 village mayors offices, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense, and Department of Public Works. Of the nearly 400 participants who have enrolled in NDWG, about half were able to complete the program or find unsubsidized employment. Most of the participants were made up of long-term unemployed workers, Guam Labor said. GDOL continues to operate a Dislocated Worker Program that is separate from NDWG. To learn more about the Dislocated Worker Program or other services the American Job Center offers, contact (671) 475-7000/1 or ajc.training@dol.guam.gov or visit dol.guam.gov. Attorney General Douglas Moylan says government officials may be subject to criminal prosecution and vendors could see money clawed back if any funding is put towards the illegal project of constructing a hospital in Mangilao. Moylan said government officials who could certify the spending of any funds on the hospital project and any vendors have been put on notice that the Office of the Attorney General considers the project illegal. They will assume the consequences of the law if in fact they are breaking them, Moylan said. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has obligated some $104.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan money to install infrastructure for the new hospital and medical campus. Both the Office of the Governor and the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority have moved to dismiss Moylans federal court lawsuit alleging illegalities in the transfer of federal funds and condemnation of land for a new hospital in Mangilao. Adelup has called Moylan simply wrong on the matter, called his legal analysis underbaked and unsound, and asserted all laws were followed in acquiring land for the hospital. The AG has already promised not to approve any contract for the construction of the new hospital. Now, Moylan says his office believes any use of funds towards the project will itself be illegal. Last week, the Consolidated Commission on Utilities gave the green light for the Guam Power Authority to accept $35.4 million in ARP money to install a substation and underground power lines at the site of the Mangilao hospital. Any mention of a medical campus was struck from the resolution authorizing GPA to accept grant money from the Guam Economic Development Authority, with commissioners and GPA arguing the project will benefit the entire community of Mangilao. The grant-funded project will not require approval from the AG, and is not expected to warrant any legal challenge of merit, GPA legal counsel Marianne Woloschuk advised the commission. Likewise, the Guam Waterworks Authority has been authorized to take $750,000 in ARP money to start planning and surveying for water and sewer infrastructure at the hospital site. When any certifying officer receives a notice from an attorney general thats empowered and elected by the people of Guam that an act is illegal, they better look twice, Moylan said, when asked about the projects. He pointed to the two legal opinions his office has prepared finding illegalities on the condemnation of the hospital land, and violations of the Open Government Law when GHURA accepted $12.5 million from the Office of the Governor for the project. Moylan said the utilities advice from their own attorneys does not obviate them from the importance and significance of an attorney general opinion saying its illegal. If they continue to proceed, and the people of Guam are hurt with the loss of money, millions of dollars. Theyre not just going to walk away from this, Moylan said. That was especially true if the District Court of Guam found that the hospital and medical campus project was, in fact, illegal, the AG said. Attorneys for the government have accused Moylan in court filings of being politically motivated in his opposition to the new hospital. It is clear from AG Moylans inconsistent actions that he does not actually have a legal objection to the governors use of ARPA funds without legislative approval, he has a political objection to her specific decision to direct ARPA funds to a particular project: the Mangilao Medical Campus Project, attorneys wrote in motions to dismiss filed in January. Moylan said any future action on the hospital project spending will be decided at the discretion of prosecutors and the Government Corruption Division at his office. Vendors that might bid on any hospital work should think twice, he said. To the vendors...if they are engaging in these bids and stuff, they may be gone after to return the money, Moylan added. Bank of Guam provided a $3,000 sponsorship to the Majol Canoe Paddling Club in the Marshall Islands, marking a historic moment for the club as it acquires its first ever varua vaa canoe, the bank said in a release. The canoe is cosponsored together with Pacific International Inc. For decades, Bank of Guam has remained deeply connected to the neighboring islands, standing alongside communities in ways that celebrate culture, strengthen ties, and support dreams and aspirations. This sponsorship to the Majol Canoe Paddling Club is a reflection of this enduring commitment to the Marshall Islands, honoring the trust and relationships built over years, Bank of Guam said. Bank of Guam president and chief executive officer Joaquin Cook said the bank has been a part of the community in the Marshall Islands for years, standing alongside organizations like the Majol Canoe Paddling Club, as they grow and create lasting impact. Were excited to see the canoe in action, as the team continues to inspire the next generation of paddlers. As The Peoples Bank, we remain committed to lifting up our people and organizations that make the Marshall Islands stronger, Cook said in a statement. Isabel Kramer Espiritu, president of Majol Canoe Paddling Club, said this canoe symbolizes more than just a sport its a vessel that connects us closer to our culture, the ocean, and our community. Thank you to Bank of Guam for believing in our vision and supporting our efforts to inspire and uplift our people, Espiritu said. Were excited to practice, train harder, and make history together. The Tahitian outrigger canoe represents a significant milestone for the Majol Canoe Paddling Club, along with the Marshall Islands Canoe Paddling Federation as they continue their mission of connecting community, culture, and ocean preservation through the sport of paddling, the bank said. The 10-men and 10-women team made its competitive debut at the 24th annual Micronesia Cup on Saipan last year, joining over 300 delegates throughout the region. The Micronesia Cup is a regional vaa outrigger race hosted alternatively by Guam, Palau, and the CNMI. With only a few months of training, the team debuted at the competition, earning a silver medal in the V6 Open Mens 500m finals and a bronze medal in the V6 Open Mixed long-distance 8-mile course. Former Sen. Regine Biscoe Lee confirmed that she accepted the formal offer to lead the Guam Visitors Bureau as its new general manager. Biscoe Lee said on Tuesday that she accepted the offer the day before. As part of her employment agreement, Biscoe Lee will start on March 11, 2025, earn an annual salary of $146,400, and be subject to a biannual performance review by the board. Biscoe Lee was a senator in the 35th Legislature. She also served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Guam from 2017 to 2019. She represents Mantid Intl., a subcontractor for PKF Hospitality, which was hired by the Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans in 2023 for what is now a $1.16 million multi-phased project to make recommendations on the tourism industry recovery. District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood vacated the March 18 trial date in a massive drug case against a trio of brothers and their alleged drug supplier. During what was to be the final pre-trial conference in the case of USA vs. Cruz on Tuesday, the judge learned that there had been more than 4,000 pages of discovery that the defendants had not received until Tuesday morning. Tydingco-Gatewood said she would issue a new trial date, but said she would keep the March 18 date to learn about the progress in the case. Jonovan, Jeremy and Eric Cruz, as well as a fourth suspect, Jose Quevedo Salazar, are accused of running a huge methamphetamine distribution network that involved sending packages of drugs to Guam for most of 2023. Jonovan Cruz died on Jan. 28 during his pretrial confinement. An investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding his death. No other details have been made public, other than a medic responded to the Hagatna Detention Facility at around 3:30 p.m. that day and Jonovan Cruz was transported to Naval Hospital Guam where he was pronounced dead. The criminal case continues, with Jeremy Cruz represented by William Gavras, Eric Cruz represented by Heather Quitugua and Salazar by Louie Yanza. U.S. Assistant Attorney Benjamin Petersburg is prosecuting the case for the government. The four face one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 or more grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, two counts of attempted possession of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine, 39 counts of engaging in monetary transactions with proceeds of unlawful activity, and one count of conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions with proceeds of unlawful funds. The group allegedly used tools such as Western Union and Cash App to send thousands of dollars to the U.S. mainland and then receive meth in the mail. Following their arrest in March 2024, federal agents seized almost $30,000 and confiscated two Toyota Tacoma 4x4 trucks, a Suzuki 750 motorcycle and two Lexus sedans, as well as a .30 caliber rifle. The condemnation of 42 acres of private land in Mangilao the government wants for a new hospital should proceed, even as the attorney general sues to halt the hospital project in federal court, attorneys for the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority argue. Guam Memorial Hospital is in dire need of a replacement and halting condemnation could harm the community, GHURA counsel wrote in opposition to a motion to stay the case in the Superior Court of Guam. Veterinarian Dr. Joel Joseph, one of two landowners facing condemnation, asked the court in January to pause the condemnation pending the outcome of a federal lawsuit filed by Attorney General Douglas Moylan. Moylan has alleged various illegalities in the condemnation proceedings and in a $12.5 million loan of federal American Rescue Plan funds GHURA used to acquire Mangilao properties for the hospital. He filed a civil suit asking the District Court of Guam to halt use of about $104.5 million in federal money for the hospital, and to invalidate the loan GHURA got from Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero. But the condemnation case, filed last December, came before the AGs challenge, GHURA legal counsel Eliseo Florig Jr. wrote in a motion before Superior Court Judge Elyze Iriarte dated Feb. 14. And with the governor and GHURA moving to dismiss the federal lawsuit, judges in the District Court may not even address the condemnation proceedings, Florigs motion stated. GHURAs legal counsel argued that district court judges are likely to defer to the local court, which would have special knowledge of local eminent domain laws. A decision on the motion to dismiss the federal court case is still pending before District Court Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood. According to Florig, landowner Joseph would suffer no irreparable injury if the case is not paused, as the veterinarian already has adequate legal counsel. On the other hand, GHURA will suffer substantial injury if a stay is granted, Florig stated. ARP funds slated for land acquisition and construction of the new hospital must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026, GHURAs motion stated. Delaying the case for an unknown period would impact the governments use of the money, and, ultimately, harm our community, Florig stated. Attorney Mitch Thompson, for Joseph, wrote that it would be an unwise use of scarce judicial resources for parties to fight the condemnation case in federal and local court at the same time. GHURA filed its condemnation case two days before the AG sued the agency in federal court, Thompson stated in response. Thompson pointed to the two legal opinions produced by the AG, which found GHURA had failed to follow the law in taking a loan for the acquisition of lands, and then in proceeding with condemning his clients lands. Instead of addressing issues raised by the AG, GHURAs response was that it could just do as it pleases, the response stated. Such is not the law, Thompson wrote. GHURAs move to condemn the hospital land has been called rushed by both Joseph and the other landowner facing condemnation, construction company Hong Yi Tian Inc. Joseph has filed sworn declarations in court stating he has spent a total of $373,000 in materials, surveys, and other work to develop his property. Both parties asked the agency for more time to negotiate a payment last November, but the GHURA board, facing a Dec. 31, 2024 deadline to obligate federal ARP money for the project, voted to condemn the property, anyways. GHURA has asserted that the process was done in line with local law. GHURA Deputy Director Fernando Esteves told lawmakers last month that there was zero worry from GHURA, and said if they lost in federal court, Ill resign. The Judiciary of Guam on Tuesday announced that nominations are now open for the 2025 Hostisia Award, which recognizes a person or organization that has made a significant contribution to improving the administration of justice and good government. Every year, as part of its Law Month celebration, the Judiciary honors those whove gone above and beyond to advance the cause of justice, Chief Justice Robert J. Torres said in a statement. These individuals demonstrate a deep and abiding commitment to the rule and role of law, and our island is a better place because of their service. The selection committee will consider nominees under the following criteria: Fostered building public support for the judiciary. Promoted respect for the law and understanding of the judicial system. Encouraged civic responsibility and service. Volunteered time and talents to the court in serving the people of Guam. Past Hostisia Award recipients include Joaquin Cruz Perez, Guams first presiding judge of the Superior Court of Guam and chief justice of the first Supreme Court of Guam (posthumous) (2024); Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (2023); retired Judge Elizabeth Barret-Anderson (2022); retired Magistrate Judge Joaquin V.E. Manibusan Jr. (2021); retired Chief Justice Peter C. Siguenza (posthumous) (2020); Guam Chamber of Commerce (2019); Ericas House, Soroptimist International of Guam and Soroptimist International of the Marianas (2018); InafaMaolek (2017); Public Defender Service Corporation (2016); former Sen. Pilar Cruz Lujan (2015); Attorney Joaquin C. Arriola Sr. (2014); Vice Speaker Benjamin J.F. Cruz (2013); Judge Richard H. Benson (2012); retired District Court of Guam Judge Cristobal C. Duenas (posthumous) (2011); retired Supreme Court of Guam Justice Janet Healy Weeks (2010), Alee Shelter Program Director Sister Bridget Perez, RSM (2009); and the Armed Forces of the United States (2008). Nominations should include a statement about the nominee limit to 250 words. The deadline to submit nominations is on Friday, April 4, to Sarah Elmore-Hernandez, director of Policy Planning and Community Relations, via email at sehernandez@guamcourts.gov. The Guam Memorial Hospital Authority paid $78.6 million to doctors and other health professionals who were hired for contract work between fiscal years 2020 and 2023, and gave about $6.9 million in extra contract work payment to physicians that GMH already employed, according to the Office of Public Accountability. OPA, in an audit released on Tuesday, said GMH had no policies controlling the contracting, hiring, and document processing of physicians. Several doctors analyzed in the report had contracts lacking proper signatures, or possibly no contracts at all, OPA said. Some that were paid directly by the hospital did not appear in the GMH staffing pattern at all. The hospital faces potential risks due to the absence of well-defined internal policies, regulations and guidelines, the audit found. GMH Administrator Lillian Perez-Posadas, in an audit response letter, questioned several findings from auditors, stating they misinterpreted GMH policies and statements. She said it appears OPA pre-judged the outcome of the audit. Auditors combed over payments made to 168 physicians between fiscal 2020 and 2023, according to the audit, which totaled about $105.9 million. According to audit data, that includes: 136 contract physicians paid $78.6 million 14 physicians paid as employees through government GG-1 forms, paid $15.1 million 18 physicians paid as employees and for contract work, totaling $19.2 million, including $6.9 million for contract work, and $12.3 million under a government GG-1 Hospital oversight chairwoman Sen. Sabrina Salas Matanane on Tuesday criticized the double payments made to the 18 physicians who got both regular checks and contract work. It is outrageous that GMH is paying doctors both as hospital employees and as contracted physicians, essentially giving them two paychecks, Salas Matanane said in a statement. As senators considered funding support for the hospital, tough decisions must be made, she said. Whether we like it or not, the hospital cannot continue to operate this way, the freshman senator added. Nearly $3M for 1 doctor alone Salas Matanane highlighted one GMH staff physician who received $772,940 as a GMH staff physician, associate hospital administrator, and assistant associate administrator of medical services, on top of receiving $2 million as a contracted physician. According to the audit, the second-highest-paid physician who got both contract work and a regular salary from GMH was paid $1.8 million over the four fiscal years analyzed. The physician was paid $486,130 in salary from the hospital, and then another $1.3 million for contract work. According to the OPA audit, GMHA is not aware of having ever gone out on a formal competitive bid for hiring of physicians, despite the large amount paid to contracted physicians. The hospital has historically hired without formal procurement procedures, auditors stated in the report. GMHA is also routinely permitted under the Budget Act to hire and expend funds to pay unclassified doctors, nurses, and licensed health professionals. GMHA physician hiring is not subject to the Guam Procurement Law and Regulations as it is governed by its own related regulations, the audit found. During the years analyzed, contracted physicians routinely brought in more money than what the highest-paid physicians employed by the hospital make, based on an analysis of audit figures and the latest GMH staffing patterns done by the Pacific Daily News. For example, the highest-paid GMH doctor in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, radiologist Dr. Jeffrey Shay, is paid $700,000 a year, and made that amount through previous years, according to staffing records. But an unnamed contract physician, a general and plastic surgeon, who earned the most in fiscal 2020 through 2023, raked in between $1.15 million and $1.25 million a year, OPA audit figures show. The second highest-paid contract physician, also specializing in radiology, made less than Shay in fiscal 2020 through 2022, but then pulled down $1.7 million in fiscal 2023, OPA data shows. Here are the top 10 highest paid physicians employed by GMH, according to staffing records: Dr. Jeffrey Shay, physician, radiology, $700,000 Dr. Aaron Johansen, physician, emergency room, $436,800 Dr. Johnny Kim, hospital staff physician, EMS $436,800 Dr. Frankie Mendiola, physician, emergency room, $436,800 Sangwook Kang, chief, CRNA, physician, $400,000 Dr. Jennifer Linden, physician, OB/GYN, $374,400 Dr. Florencio Lizama, hospital staff physician, $364,000 Dr. Daniel Medina, hospital staff physician, $361,108 Dr. Joleen Aguon, hospital staff physician, $312,000 Dr. Edward Blounts, hospitalist, internal medicine, $291,200 Heres what the top 10 highest-paid contract physicians made, based on the OPA audit: Vendor 391 surgery, plastic surgery, general surgery Total compensation: $4.8 million-plus Fiscal 2020: $1,200,003 Fiscal 2021: $1,200,000 Fiscal 2022: $1,246,158 Fiscal 2023: $1,153,850 Vendor 292 radiology Total compensation: Nearly $3.56 million Fiscal 2020: $675,625 Fiscal 2021: $578,220 Fiscal 2022: $624,680 Fiscal 2023: $1,720,170 Vendor 5146 internal medicine, hospitalist Total compensation: $3.2 million-plus Fiscal 2021: $143,472 Fiscal 2022: $1,178,831 Fiscal 2023: $1,898,513 Vendor 284 pulmonary, critical care, internal medicine Total compensation: $2 million-plus Fiscal 2020: $300,001 Fiscal 2021: $496,153 Fiscal 2022: $669,615 Fiscal 2023: $613,462 Vendor 295 anesthesiology Total compensation: $1.96 million-plus Fiscal 2020: $424,526 Fiscal 2021: $434,694 Fiscal 2022: $498,871 Fiscal 2023: $607,189 Vendor 217 anesthesiology Total compensation: $1.96 million Fiscal 2020: $423,949 Fiscal 2021: $436,092 Fiscal 2022: $482,964 Fiscal 2023: $617,392 Vendor 291 anesthesiology Total compensation: $1.9 million-plus Fiscal 2020: $422,297 Fiscal 2021: $425,457 Fiscal 2022: $497,073 Fiscal 2023: $583,709 Vendor 302 emergency medicine Total compensation: $1.8 million-plus Fiscal 2020: $481,493 Fiscal 2021: $521,043 Fiscal 2022: $473,855 Fiscal 2023: $372,850 Vendor 287 anesthesiology Total compensation: $1.79 million Fiscal 2020: $453,023 Fiscal 2021: $462,933 Fiscal 2022: $494,900 Fiscal 2023: $382,777 Vendor 314 medicine, cardiology Total compensation: $1.6 million-plus Fiscal 2020: $389,083 Fiscal 2021: $412,649 Fiscal 2022: $420,675 Fiscal 2023: $467,450 No approvals GMHA did not get approval from the governor nor other offices for about 20 physician contracts, according to the OPA audit, in violation of the hospitals own policy for employment contracts. Amounts paid to those physicians amounted to $12.8 million in the four fiscal years auditors looked at, according to the report. The hospitals policy is that all employment agreements and contracts must be reviewed by the GMH boards human resources subcommittee, and then get approved by the board, the audit stated. After the board, the Bureau of Budget and Management Research, the Office of the Attorney General, and the governor must review and sign off on the plans. The 20 physician contracts analyzed had none of those signatures, and the governors signature is required for the contract to be valid and enforceable, the audit stated. However, GMHs Perez-Posadas stated in a response to the audit that the policy cited by the OPA did not apply to the Medical Staff Office. The OPA only brought the alleged applicability of this policy to GMHAs attention when sending the final draft report, she stated, and failed to bring it up during several rounds of questions and responses. Neither governor nor the AG is an appointing authority for the hospital, Perez-Posadas stated, and the hospital was not subject to allotment controls by BBMR. Several physicians paid directly by the hospital did not appear in the GMH staffing pattern at all, OPA found. Three physicians paid as GG-1 employees did not appear in the GMHA staffing pattern for certain FYs they were paid. These physicians did not execute UEAs or other employment agreements/contracts. Therefore, the basis for compensation for these physicians, who were paid a total of $248 thousand (K), cannot be validated, auditors found. No fees GMH policy also calls for a fee schedule to be created to define how much physicians and other health care providers can charge for their services. That list of fees was never provided to OPA, according to the audit report. These 32 physicians were compensated for a total of $27.3 million over the four fiscal years as unclassified GG-1 physicians, and 18 of the 32 physicians were also paid a total of $6.9 million as contracted physicians. No policy According to the OPA audit, GMH enters into three different types of agreements: professional services agreements for independent contractors unclassified employee agreements for physicians employed with a GG-1 a memorandum of agreement for physicians hired locum tenens or temporarily filling in The OPA report stated auditors could not find any policy governing which employment agreement was supposed to be used. It also quoted GMHs Perez-Posadas as stating, We dont have a specific policy, but we are crafting right now. Were going by how its practiced. But the hospital administrator in a response to audit findings, wrote that GMH has maximum flexibility under the law for hiring physicians The hospital has consistently said that a single policy does not govern all types of physician recruitment and hiring. The diversity of medical services necessary to fill GMHAs needs for physicians cannot be governed by a single policy. OPA staff never came to GMHA to meet with our Medical Staff Office and walk through the day-to-day functions and procedures, Perez-Posadas wrote. Independence questioned The hospital administrator also questioned the independence of OPA in audit findings, pointing to several statements made by Public Auditor Benjamin Cruz made to local media when the audit began in 2024, noting it was an election year for Cruz. Cruz raised concerns about numerous whistleblower tips, which Perez-Posadas stated were never brought to the hospital. To any outside objective observer, it would appear that the OPA pre-judged the outcome of this audit, she wrote, and any findings suffer from a confirmation bias from the prior judgements. The auditor in charge of the audit likewise has a first-degree of relations, mother to son, to a member of the GMH accounting department, she stated. According to a reply from OPA, the auditors mother was hired during fiscal 2023 as a GMHA Accounting Department staff, and was basically not involved in the audit. The audit will also be subject to a quality assurance review by the OPAs certified public accountant, who is not a part of the audit staff, according to OPA. Armed police officers are now assigned to six public high schools to boost campus safety, under the Guam Police Departments $1.5 million School Resource Officer program. The police officers are assigned to George Washington High School in Mangilao, John F. Kennedy High School in Tamuning, Simon A. Sanchez High School also at JFK, Southern High School in Santa Rita-Sumai, Tiyan High School in Barrigada, and Okkodo High School in Dededo. Our mission is clear: deploy trained law enforcement officers to six public schools, Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio said on Tuesday during a press conference at Adelup. The school resource officers will play a vital role in preventing criminal activity, educating students and faculty on safety measures, and ensuring overall security. The SROs undergo specialized training with the National Association of School Resource Officers to ensure their success. Each officer will collaborate closely with their assigned schools principal to create a direct line of communication that enhances safety, Ignacio said. This partnership extends not just to school leadership but also to the students themselves. Students will feel safer GPD launched the $1.5 million SRO program on Tuesday to boost safety at six public high schools, in partnership with the Guam Department of Education. The program aims to not only improve security but also foster long-term positive relationships within school communities. Students will feel safer, educators will have the support they need, and parents will have greater peace of mind, knowing that their children are in a secure learning environment, Ignacio said. The chief of police said when GPD had a part-time presence at the schools last year, after all the reported riots and incidents, the presence was felt, and the incidents decreased significantly. Now that we have a full-time presence, were confident it will help deter disturbances and make schools a safer place, he said. Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio praised the collaboration between GPD and GDOE, saying it is essential to maintaining school safety. I know that the school principals have been looking forward to having law enforcement resources in the schools so that we can keep the school safe and make them a place where learning is the top priority, he said. He said he also hopes the program would inspire students to consider careers in law enforcement. Tenorio also recognized the efforts of Education Superintendent Erik Swanson and subject matter expert Chris Anderson for their roles in creating the program. Swanson emphasized the importance of relationship-building on school campuses. Relationship and community building that occurs on every campus is critical to the success of students as they learn, he said. He drew from his experience with similar programs, noting that having law enforcement officers on campus fosters trust. When we know that we have an officer present, just like when you look in your rearview mirror, its like, Oh, I better check my speed, Swanson said, referencing how officers presence can influence student behavior. Swanson also emphasized the need for sustained funding. I certainly encourage the Legislature to keep the funding level at where it is so that we can continue this process, he said. Getting started was the hard part; now we need to sustain the effort. The $1.5 million funding came from the fiscal 2025 supplemental appropriations budget measure, which will cover officer salaries. Ignacio said GPD is working with the Bureau of Budget and Management Research to secure additional funds for vehicles, computers, and body-worn cameras, among other things.Miguel Castigador, a school resource officer assigned to George Washington High School, said he and other SROs are excited to be at the schools. On our first day, we started by talking to staff and teachers and just being present where students are, Castigador said. I tell them that were here as law enforcement officers, educators, and mentors. Castigador said SROs would like to see the program grow even more. The SRO program also addresses ongoing concerns about school break-ins. The University of Guam will be rolling out 57th Charter Day festivities from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, to commemorate another year of the universitys founding. The main event at the UOG center courtyard will feature over 50 vendors, including small businesses, food trucks, performances and a hut-building competition that cultural student organizations participate in every year. This years Charter Day theme is From island wisdom to global impact, which, according to UOG 63rd Student Government Association president Nicole Guerrero, is an evolution of last years theme, Tulos Mona or Propelling Forward in Unison. Last years theme was to signify this new era of the University of Guam and reframe the university to make sure that it is one cohesive function and that we are all moving to the future in unison, Guerrero said. This years theme, she said, reflects on the universitys roots in island tradition and impact on the world. A lot of our students go on to have exceptional careers outside of Guam, contributing to other places but they will always have their roots back to Guam and the university, she added. Attendees can also expect to see different schools and student organizations hold their own activities for community members to join in. SGA vice president Keana Ardiente said one of the most exciting aspects of Charter Day is giving attendees the opportunity to appreciate the universitys cultural diversity. At UOG, we have these many different and beautiful cultures and that is what makes UOG unique, Ardiente said. A massive break-in at Harry S. Truman Elementary School in Santa Rita-Sumai forced the school to close on Tuesday for extensive cleanup and repairs, according to Guam Police Department Chief Stephen Ignacio. Classes will resume on Wednesday, according to the Guam Department of Education. What happened today with Harry Truman is very disruptive to the kids. Kids cant learn today, and to the criminals that did this, the effect is not just on the school, its on the whole of the community, Ignacio said on Tuesday. Parents have to take off from work. Kids dont get to go to school. The chief of police said nearly all classrooms, the main office, and the cafeteria were broken into, with extensive vandalism requiring immediate cleanup. If theres an opportunity for us to catch these criminals, we will hold them accountable, he said. Education Superintendent Erik Swanson confirmed that the GPD Crime Scene Investigation, CSI, team assessed the damage, while maintenance and cleaning crews are working to restore the facilities. We should be able to secure the facility by evening, and then have school tomorrow with all the facilities in operation, Swanson said on Tuesday. Ignacio said the school closure impacts students beyond education. For some of those kids, you know, they rely on the meal at the school, and they dont get to have a meal today, right? Because they really come from backgrounds where theyre not able to. They look forward to whats being served at the school, the chief of police said. GPD spokesperson Officer Berlyn Savella said the investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not yet identified any suspects. Any assistance from the community in providing information as to what took place or if you may have seen or heard something, contacting GPD is encouraged, she said. The break-in at Harry S. Truman Elementary came amid just weeks after parents, students, and teachers celebrated the Guam Education Boards decision to keep the school open. The potential closure had been proposed as part of cost-saving measures due to a significant budget shortfall. GDOE is grappling with a $47 million deficit this fiscal year. Despite the ongoing financial struggles, Swanson remains committed to reopening the school on Wednesday as soon as the cleanup is complete. Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, as President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington, during an angry three-way exchange that ended in Zelensky being told to leave the White House without any agreements being signed. (AP Photo / Mystyslav Chernov) (AP Photo / Mystyslav Chernov) President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov) AP WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump on Monday directed a pause to U.S. assistance to Ukraine after a disastrous Oval Office meeting as he seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in peace talks with Russia. A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal to end the more than three-year war sparked by Russias all-out invasion of Ukraine, and wants Zelenskyy committed to that goal. The official added that the U.S. was pausing and reviewing its aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. The moment comes some five years after Trump held up congressionally authorized assistance to Ukraine in 2019 as he sought to pressure Zelenskyy to launch investigations into Joe Biden, then a Democratic presidential candidate. The moment led to Trumps first impeachment. Trump in the leadup to his 2024 election win vowed to quickly end the war in Ukraine. Hes expressed increasing frustration with Zelenskyy over the war, while simultaneously expressing confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin can be trusted to keep the peace if a truce in the conflict is reached. Trump earlier on Monday slammed Zelenskyy for suggesting that the end of Russias war against Ukraine likely is still very, very far away. The comments come as prominent Trump allies escalate pressure on Zelenskyy to dramatically change his approach to the U.S. president, who has made quickly ending the war a top priority, or step aside. The long complicated relationship between the leaders has reached a nadir following the disastrous White House meeting in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance excoriated Zelenskyy for not being sufficiently thankful for U.S. support for Ukraine since Putin ordered the February 2022 invasion. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform about the comments Zelenskyy made late Sunday while speaking to reporters in London. Trump at an event at the White House later on Monday referred to Zelenskyys reported comments, and asserted the Ukrainian leader better not be right about that. If somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long, Trump added. That person will not be listened to very long. Trump took issue with Zelenskyy suggesting it would take time to come to an agreement to end the war. The Ukrainian leader also tried to offer a positive take on the U.S.-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of last weeks White House meeting. Asked by a reporter about the outlines of a new European initiative to end Russias war, Zelenskyy said: We are talking about the first steps today, and, therefore, until they are on paper, I would not like to talk about them in great detail. An agreement to end the war is still very, very far away, and no one has started all these steps yet, he added. But Trump was only further irritated by Zelenskyys suggesting it will take time for the conflict to come to a close. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be Peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia, Trump added in his post. What are they thinking? Zelenskyy took to social media soon after Trumps latest criticism. He did not directly refer to Trumps comments, but underscored that it is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible. We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns, Zelenskyy added. We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security. Trumps national security adviser said Zelenskyys posture during Fridays Oval Office talks put up in the air whether hes someone the U.S. administration will be able to deal with going forward. Is he ready, personally, politically, to move his country towards an end to the fighting? Mike Waltz said on Fox News' Americas Newsroom earlier Monday. And can he and will he make the compromises necessary? Waltz added another layer of doubt about U.S. support as other high-profile Trump allies have suggested that the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy is becoming untenable. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that Zelenskyy needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country for Ukraine to continue pursuing a peace deal negotiated by the United States. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has been a vociferous supporter of Ukraine, said soon after the Oval Office meeting that Zelenskyy either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change. Angela Stent, a former national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council, said Putin is likely in no rush to end the war amid the fissures between Trump and Zelenskyy and Europe and the U.S. about the way ahead. He is not interested in ending the war, said Stent, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. He thinks Russia is winning. ... And he thinks that as time goes on, the West will be more fractured. Trump administration and Ukrainian officials had been expected to sign off on a deal during Zelenskyys visit last week that would have given the U.S. access to Ukraines critical minerals in part to pay back more than $180 billion in aid the U.S. has sent Kyiv since the start of the war. The White House has also billed such a pact as a way to tighten U.S.-Ukrainian relations in the long term. The signing was scrapped after the leaders' Oval Office talks went off the rails and White House officials asked Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation to leave. Trump on Monday, however, suggested he hasnt given up on the economic pact, calling it a great deal. He added that he expected to speak to the deal during his Tuesday address before a joint session of Congress. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican who co-chairs the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, spoke with Zelenskyys chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on Monday about getting the mineral rights deal back on track. Fitzpatrick after the lengthy call predicted the deal will be signed in short order. By Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller Associated Press AP journalist Tracy Brown contributed reporting. Haiti - FLASH : Pope Francis suffers two acute respiratory attacks While on Sunday March 2nd, 2025 the health bulletin of the Holy See reported "[...] Pope Francis "did not need non-invasive mechanical ventilation, but only high-flow oxygen therapy, he has no fever [...] The isolated attack of bronchospasm on February 28 had no direct consequences" https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44400-haiti-news-zapping.html , the bulletin of the Holy See of Monday March 3 announced that Pope Francis was the victim of two acute respiratory attacks in the afternoon. "Today, the Holy Father presented two episodes of acute respiratory failure, caused by a significant accumulation of mucus leading to bronchospasm [...] Two bronchoscopies were therefore performed with the need to aspirate abundant secretions. In the afternoon, non-invasive mechanical ventilation was resumed [...] During the treatments, Pope Francis remained vigilant." The bulletin states that the values of the blood tests carried out on the Holy Father are unchanged and reveal the absence of leukocytosis (increase in the number of white blood cells), a positive result which shows that there is no new infection, but that the accumulation of mucus is the consequence of pneumonia. The two attacks on Monday were caused by the reaction of the bronchi trying to expel the accumulated mucus to eliminate the bacteria. The clinical picture of the Holy Father therefore remains complex with a situation open to attacks like those that occurred on Monday afternoon. If "the prognosis remains reserved", the bulletin assures that "the Holy Father remained alert, oriented and cooperative at all times". The health bulletin published this Tuesday morning, March 4th, states "the Pope slept all night and is now resting". See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44400-haiti-news-zapping.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Colombia : President Petro claims that cocaine finances violence in Haiti On Monday, March 3rd, 2025, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said that cocaine trafficked by armed groups and mafias in Catatumbo, a troubled region in the northeast of the country on the border with Venezuela, "is financing the violence in Haiti." President Petro said during a televised cabinet meeting that the drug produced in this area "goes in a direct line to the upper Guajira (Colombian peninsula in the Caribbean Sea) and in a few hours arrives in Haiti, finances the Haitian violence and from there, continues its route to Miami." Petro issued this warning as he presented a plan by his government to eradicate at least half of the illegal coca crops in Catatumbo, a mountainous territory in the northern department of Santander, where 50,000 hectares of coca leaves are clandestinely cultivated under the control of mafias and subversive groups. "Thats the route," Petro added. "Catatumbo is financing armed violence in Haiti, so were talking about a geopolitical strategy, on one side theres Venezuela, Haiti to the north and our own Colombian territory." S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Economy : The bipartisan bill HELP Extension Act is being considered again in Congress On Monday, March 3rd, 2025, Republican Congressman Greg Murphy introduced the bipartisan HELP Extension Act, which would extend the Haitian Hemisphere Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and Haitian Economic Lift Program (HELP) trade programs for Haiti for 10 years, strengthening supply chains close to the United States and promoting stability in the Caribbean. Let's recall that the HOPE Act allows the United States to import duty-free a quota of clothing from Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-10134-haiti-economy-new-limit-for-apparel-exports-from-haiti.html and expires in September 2025 The bill comes after the Trump administration announced this weekend that it would eliminate more than 90% of foreign aid contracts and reduce funding by approximately $60 billion Murphy recalls that "The HOPE and HELP programs have been a source of mutual benefit for the United States and Haiti [...] Shifting our supply chains from China to neighboring countries provides stability to American consumers and businesses. In return, a strong trade relationship with Haiti provides this conflict-torn nation with much-needed economic opportunities, paving the way for possible peace and stability. I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort to expand these critical programs and our successful relationship." Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman Maria Elvira Salazar stressed the importance of continued economic support for Haiti. "It is critical that businesses remain in Haiti to support jobs, economic growth, and stability." "Supporting Haitis economic development is critical to U.S. strategy. Congress must act to ensure these initiatives continue," Salazar concluded. SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Corruption : The ULCC will evaluate Saint Kitts and Nevis Me Hans Jacques Ludwig Joseph, Director General of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC), informs that Haiti has been designated by the Secretariat of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) as an examiner country to evaluate Saint Kitts and Nevis this year. This review process will focus on the compliance of the mechanisms for preventing and combating corruption put in place by Saint Kitts and Nevis, with regard to the application of Chapters II (Preventive Measures) and V (Asset Recovery) of the UNCAC. It will allow the team of Haitian experts led by Me Joseph, in collaboration with the anti-corruption authorities of Saint Kitts and Nevis, to analyze the effectiveness of the institutional and legal measures adopted to prevent corruption and facilitate the recovery of ill-gotten assets, to assess their compliance with the provisions of the UNCAC and to assess the progress made. This review will also involve on-site visits for consultations with the Kittitian and Nevician authorities and civil society, in order to formulate appropriate recommendations within the framework of the Country Report. The review of Saint Kitts and Nevis illustrates Haitis firm and constant commitment to the fight against corruption, a scourge that weakens democracies, erodes citizens trust in institutions and deprives States of resources essential to their development. It will be conducted under the auspices of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and in accordance with the guidelines established for this purpose. It should be noted that as a State party to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) since May 14, 2007, Haiti actively participates in the monitoring mechanism for its application. The country has already evaluated South Korea (in 2022) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37875-haiti-justice-haiti-selected-as-evaluating-country-of-corruption-in-south-korea.html and Brazil and Haiti has been evaluated by Indonesia. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Arson attack at the ONA Central Office Armed bandits set fire to part of the central office of the National Old Age Insurance Office (ONA), located in Delmas 17, confirmed Mr. Djohnson Absolus, Deputy Director General of the central office, indicating that the social service and the inspection service were reduced to ashes. According to ONA officials, the loss of important documents is causing serious concern among insured persons (pensions and old-age insurance) Uganda ready to send troops Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Commander of the Ugandan army, announced on his Account X that Uganda is ready to deploy its troops to Haiti as part of the fight against insecurity. The Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) is ready to deploy to Haiti and is awaiting the green light from the UN or the United States... Kenscoff : Over 4,000 people displaced Armed attacks in Kenscoff have displaced over 4,000 people, forcing farming families to take refuge in temporary shelters without access to essential goods. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Directorate of Civil Protection, is continuously assessing conditions and needs in order to identify priorities for providing life-saving assistance. Meeting on Airport security On Monday, March 3rd, 2025, Reginald Guignard, Director General of the National Office of Civil Aviation (OFNAC), met with Hantz Celestin, Director of Air Navigation, Hantz Celestin and the United States Ambassador to Haiti, Dennis B. Hankins accompanied by Defense Attache Anne Grabins. It was a meeting on the security aspect of the airport perimeter of Toussaint Louverture International Airport. RNDDH criticizes the CPT In 3 consecutive months, armed bandits have committed 3 massacres killing at least 269 people including 56 elderly people, 7 children and 13 others with disabilities, reveals the investigation report of the National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) published on February 28, 2025. The RNDDH criticizes "[...] the indifference of the transitional authorities who, despite their intelligence cells, have done nothing to prevent the armed bandits from killing these people [....]". Download the RNDDH report (PDF 25 pages in French) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/2-Rap-Wharf-Jeremie-Kenscoff-Chateaublond-28Fev2025.pdf Gang leader "Izo" slightly injured: Law enforcement conducted an operation this Sunday, March 2nd, 2025, in the stronghold of the gang leader named "Izo", in the Village de Dieu neighborhood. According to initial information, several members of this armed gang were killed. Johnson Andre alias "Izo" was reportedly very slightly injured by several lead pellets according to a video circulating on social media, a shot of undetermined origin... HL/ HaitiLibre We're a family of eight living in Georgia where Andrew's a professor at GSU and Nancy is a PhD student at UGA. You can read more about us here The European Union (EU) boasts a larger economy and population than Russia, yet in international politics, we find ourselves relegated to the sidelines as nuclear-armed nations divide Europe. The peaceful integration of EU countries has deep historical roots, with significant strides beginning with the Treaty on European Union in 1993. Over time, the number of member states has grown to the current 27. In many respects, Europe has made considerable progress toward unity. We are now comparable to the USA, Russia, and China in several areas. For instance, EU member states have harmonized legislation and border controls, adopted a common currency, and empowered individual nations to manage local affairs. However, one critical step remains: the integration of member states' armed forces under a single, democratically elected government. The power of the USA, Russia, and China in international politics is largely founded on their credible military capabilities and nuclear deterrents. Historically, small German states frequently clashed with one another, but Germany's unification brought an end to such internal conflicts. Similarly, England, Scotland, and Wales ceased their hostilities only after the formation of the United Kingdom. In North America, hostilities ended when the states of the United States placed their military under a central, democratically elected leadership. In short, member states or countries cannot go to war with one another - if they do not maintain their own armed forces. The European Commission is responsible for proposing new EU legislation and ensuring its implementation by member states. Comprising one commissioner from each member state serving five-year terms, the Commission operates somewhat like the U.S. Senate, which includes two senators from each state. The European Parliament typically collaborates with the Council of Ministers to legislate on EU matters. Parliament has similar type of functions than the US House of Representatives. The most logical way to lead the EU's common army is to give a stronger mandate to the EU Commission, especially in foreign and security policy. For years, the EU has relied on U.S. support for its security needs and has underinvested in developing a credible defense. If we aim to govern our own affairs democratically, we must urgently enhance our investment in defense capabilities. Of course, investing in weapons is clearly irrational if we recognize that we are all brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, today too few political decision-makers understand this. However, it is worth noting that almost all the money invested in building, for example, a single warship ultimately ends up in the builders' salaries, groceries, clothes, holidays, housing, cars and taxes. In other words, military investments stimulate economic activity within society. To ensure the EU's credibility, we must abandon the requirement for unanimity in foreign and security policy. Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty does not provide any safeguards if one member state can veto all important decisions. The EU integration process can be completed simply by excluding the member states that oppose integration from the new EU version 2 treaty. In the current EU, these countries have already milked our common funds sufficiently. Antti Roine, Ulvila, 2 March 2025 Academics are suffering palpitations from being told to not use certain words by the US government. They have signed a petition opposing the Trump administration. Clearly censorship is bad for democracy, lack of transparency is bad for democracy. Yet for decades, insidious outside interference, ideological dogmatism and a lack of transparency have infected the HE landscape, especially when it comes to funding. Until now Finnish academia has been silent. Does anyone remember Finlandisation and Finns recoiling in horror at the use of the term? For years Finnish academics had been proclaiming the attributes of military non-alignment and many of them received funding to sanctify this Finnish foreign policy. Some even received funds from the Eastern neighbour and when they got burnt it was all a misunderstanding. Timo Kivimaki was one such Finnish academic. He was my first doctoral supervisor at Helsinki University, and he was one of the few professional professors I have come across. But when he got caught taking brown envelopes in Denmark from Russian operatives, he was rewarded by being re-appointed by Helsinki University. But the intrigues of the intelligence services on University campuses have been known for a long time. The UK has been and still is the playground for security dalliances. The Cambridge five have gone down in infamy. Do Finns really believe they have been immune from such pressures? You might want to check out the role of the Stasi in recruiting Finnish student Kontaktpersons during the Cold War. 2022 comes around and within a few months, the metamorphosis of Finland into a minor player in NATO was laid bare. At the forefront of propelling this transformation were the academic experts and descendants of an academic tradition that had previously been bestowing the attributes of neutrality. But somehow, they got a case of amnesia when they started espousing the virtues of military alignment when the Russians invaded Ukraine. If you were an academic or basically anyone, who questioned NATO or Finlands headlong rush into military armageddon at the time, you were persona non grata. Conversely, the funding streams opened if you had become a hawk and everything that was American was bathed in sunlight. I did not see the academic approbation then against the military-industrial complex and the use of American funds. But reports in Uusi Suomi last month highlighted the lack of transparency when it came to funding research, especially USAID received by a Finnish academic researching security policy. Helsinki University reports two per cent of funding comes from the US Federal Government. The DOGE audits are just starting, and the Department of Defence is around the corner - follow the money. Corruption has been endemic in the HE academic sector as the U4 Anti-Corruption Centre in Norway highlights. Publish or perish has been the epitaph on many careers. Link this to the funding streams available and the need to satisfy the demands of the sponsoring organisations becomes very powerful. But this has been going on for a very long time and certainly pre-dates the emergence of Trump. For too long, academics have been cancelled because they question the religion of Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI)/Sustainability. If you do not comply with the Orwellian newspeak of DEI /Sustainability the likelihood of getting funding has been zero. You can even get cancelled if you raise questions and the pathway of critical thinking is littered with academics who have dared to question the ideology now infecting University campuses. So much for inclusion and diversity of thinking. But I do not seem to remember Finnish Universities decrying the intoxication of academia by these ideologies which have compromised so called academic freedoms. Herein lies the crux of the matter. The US governments attempts at censorship are clumsy and reflect an ideological determinism. But the lack of transparency, the questionable use and allocation of funds, the infection of academia by ideology, the interference by third parties and the academic censorship culture have been around for a very long time, certainly before Trump. Why has Finnish academia been relatively silent on these issues? Why is it suddenly imbued with a conscience? Has funding satiated the craving of activist academics wanting to impose their world views on others? Now, when they are faced with a different zeitgeist they recoil in indignation. Why are the University hierarchies invoking theoretical freedoms when they have presided over the very same censorship culture that they now accuse the Trump administration of? Talk about double standards. Finland is ranked high using Transparency Internationals index. What is disconcerting is that Finns actually believe the international indices are a reflection of reality. This might indicate indoctrination has replaced education. So when Heikki Holopainen Executive Director of the Council of Rectors of Finnish Universities (Unifi) stated in a recent Yle article: any attempt to restrict the freedom of research or the autonomy of universities will not be accepted, clearly he has forgotten that Finnish academia has only had these freedoms in theory. For too long academics have been an extension of American foreign policy. Three words stand out Gain of Function which highlights how America uses funding. But they are no different from any other country. As I stated back in 2022 in a series of articles questioning Finlands push for NATO membership, it was clear the country was going to enter a completely new game. Finland morphed from being the elite in non-alignment to a bit player in alliance politics. The Americans are asking how their money is used and until now, many Universities have been silent about the source of funds, no questions asked, no ethics, only compliance and willing acceptance. What does this say about academia. But not to worry, programmes like BARI set up between the US Dept of Defence and Finnish Universities show the future trajectory of funding and academia, that is if the Americans stay in NATO. Finnish researchers will continue to be mercenaries of fortune either for the foreign policy of another country, the servants of opaque ideologically oriented NGOs or the promotion of Finnish vested interests, especially in security. The difference now is that it might be in the service of the military-industrial complex, this is what happens when you join a military alliance follow the money. By Graham Wood Graham Wood has been a lecturer at the University of Helsinki for over thirty years. He gained his Executive MBA from Aalto and his PhD from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Helsinki University where he researched conflict and collective violence. He is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK. Soon to be pensioner This is a "Viewpoint" opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or position of The Helsinki Times. This column is not fact checked and HT is not be responsible for any possible inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article. HT Finland needs a structured and long-term immigration policy to tackle demographic challenges and workforce shortages, according to a new report by Osmo Soininvaara and Jussi Pyykkonen , commissioned by the Finland Chamber of Commerce and Akava Works. The report proposes an "immigration agreement" built on a points-based residence permit system, a job-seeker visa, and reforms to humanitarian immigration and integration incentives. "Finland is facing serious structural problems due to an ageing population and labour shortages. Managed and substantial immigration is a natural solution. The issue has been a source of political conflict, but as immigration shapes society significantly, we need a long-term, predictable policy that looks far into the future," Soininvaara said. The report suggests Finland introduce a points-based system for residence permits, assessing applicants on language skills, education, work experience, career potential, and employment opportunities in Finland. "Finland cannot afford to stand by as global competition for skilled labour intensifies. We need a clear and consistent system that attracts individuals with strong employment prospects in Finland," Pyykkonen said. Applicants with lower scores could apply for a job-seeker visa, which would allow them to seek employment or start a business in Finland on a temporary basis. "Those arriving on a job-seeker visa would not be eligible for social benefits. Once employment criteria are met, the visa could be converted into a residence permit," Soininvaara explained. The report also calls for a shift in humanitarian immigration policy, advocating for fewer asylum seekers and an increase in quota refugees. Additionally, it stresses the need for better incentives for integration. "Immigrants must have quick and effective access to the labour market. This requires a more employment-oriented social security system, measures to prevent segregation, and a reform of employment services," Pyykkonen said. The report urges the next government to establish a single, comprehensive immigration policy that balances economic growth with social stability. "Immigration is part of Finlands future, whether we want it or not. The key question is whether we manage it properly or let it develop without control," the report states. Miika Sahamies, a senior expert at Akava, highlighted the recent decline in immigration of highly skilled professionals to Finland. "The trend should be moving in the opposite direction," Sahamies said. Suvi Pulkkinen, a senior expert at the Finland Chamber of Commerce, emphasised that a smooth, skills-based immigration system that supports employment and family integration is crucial for Finlands economic competitiveness and business growth. "The report provides the tools to achieve this," Pulkkinen said. HT The disagreement centres on performance-based incentives and a supplementary pension. Malinen's total compensation package could reach 320% of his base salary, exceeding the governments preferred limit of 200% unless company targets are exceeded significantly. Additionally, Malinen is entitled to a supplementary pension, which the state generally opposes for executives in companies it owns. Malinens base salary is 100,020 per month, or 1.2 million annually. On top of this, he is eligible for a short-term bonus of up to 120% of his salary and a long-term incentive of up to 200%, based on performance and share price. He will also receive a one-time stock bonus worth 1.25 million. The governments opposition comes at a time of financial difficulties for Neste. The company reported a loss of 110 million in the last quarter of 2024 and has announced plans to cut 600 jobs. Its share price has fallen by over 65% in the past year and by more than 85% over the last four years, after some ill advised investement in the iGaming sector. Despite this, Nestes board argues that competitive compensation was necessary to attract a high-calibre leader. In a statement, Matti Kahkonen, chair of Nestes board, defended the decision, citing Malinens experience in managing turnaround situations. HT The total number of new referrals to NAS was 371, marking a 27% decrease from the previous year. Of the new victims receiving assistance, 61% were women and girls. The number of human trafficking victims in Finland remained stable in 2024, with 207 new victims receiving assistance from the National Assistance System for Victims of Human Trafficking (NAS). Forced labour and forced marriage were the most frequently reported forms of exploitation. Forced labour accounted for 45% of all human trafficking cases, making it the most common form of exploitation. Victims were often found in industries such as construction, forestry, cleaning, and the restaurant sector. Forced marriage was the second most common form, affecting 32% of victims. While its proportion has grown, the total number of cases has remained consistent. Sexual exploitation accounted for 20% of cases, a significantly lower share than in many other countries, where it typically exceeds 50%. Among those exploited in Finland, 60% were victims of forced labour, while 23% were forced into marriage. Another 13% were subjected to sexual exploitation, and a smaller group was forced into criminal activities. Gender differences were evident: 94% of male victims in Finland were trafficked for labour, while 49% of female victims were forced into marriage. While the overall number of victims has returned to previous levels, the figures remain high, said Katri Lyijynen, Deputy Director of NAS. Men are more often victims of forced labour, whereas women are typically forced into marriage. The recent clarification of Finlands human trafficking laws has made the criminalisation of forced marriage clearer. By the end of 2024, NAS had 1,610 active clients, including 1,331 identified victims and 279 of their minor children. Among the victims, 10 were minors. HT A Florida woman was arrested after allegedly stealing electricity, releasing her dogs to attack utility workers and injuring a deputy during her arrest. The incident unfolded just before 11 a.m. February 25 in Lake Wales, Florida, when Duke Energy employees arrived at the home of 28-year-old Tiffany Perkins to investigate a possible theft of utilities. After previously cutting off her power, the company suspected Perkins had illegally reconnected her electricity, Fox 13 reported. When the workers attempted to address the issue, she allegedly set her dogs on them, prompting law enforcement intervention. A deputy responding to the call attempted to arrest Perkins, but she resisted. As the deputy approached her, one of her Great Danes attacked, causing injuries to his arm and eye. Additional officers from the Polk County Sheriff's Office arrived and used a Taser to subdue her before taking her into custody. Authorities later confirmed she had been reportedly stealing electricity and found a second Great Dane on her property in severely poor health. Both animals were removed by Animal Control. Perkins was charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated assault, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, theft of utility services and animal cruelty. Perkins is currently being held at the Polk County Jail on a $48,500 bond. Authorities also cited her for additional violations related to property conditions, including an open septic system and illegal waste disposal. Originally published on Latin Times President Donald Trump has suspended all military aid to Ukraine, intensifying pressure on Kyiv to engage in peace negotiations with Russia. This decision follows a contentious meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, during which Trump accused Zelensky of "gambling with world war three," leading to an abrupt end to the talks. The suspension includes halting the delivery of military equipment currently stationed in Poland, as the U.S. administration seeks assurances of Ukraine's commitment to peace efforts. European leaders have expressed alarm over this development, emphasizing the need for continued support to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. In response to the aid freeze, European allies have rallied behind Zelensky, underscoring their steadfast support for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have both emphasized the importance of maintaining assistance to Kyiv to counter Russian advances. The suspension of aid has raised concerns about Ukraine's defense capabilities and the potential prolongation of the conflict. The U.S. administration has indicated that the pause is temporary and subject to review, contingent upon Ukraine's demonstrated commitment to pursuing peace negotiations with Russia. This policy shift has also sparked debates within the U.S., with some officials advocating for a reevaluation of foreign aid strategies. The administration is considering reallocating resources to strengthen alliances in other regions, such as Latin America, reflecting a potential pivot in U.S. foreign policy priorities. As the situation develops, the international community remains watchful of the implications of the U.S. aid suspension on the broader geopolitical landscape and the ongoing efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Frederic Arnault, son of French billionaire Bernard Arnault, has recently been linked to BLACKPINK's Lisa, one of the biggest stars in K-pop. While Lisa has kept her personal life private, the pair has been spotted together on multiple occasions, sparking rumors about their relationship. Here's what we know about Frederic Arnault and his connection to the global music sensation. Frederic Arnault is the son of Bernard Arnault, the CEO of LVMH, a luxury goods conglomerate, and one of the wealthiest people in the world. His father's fortune is valued at over $180 billion, and LVMH includes prestigious brands like Louis Vuitton and TAG Heuer. Frederic, along with his siblings, has followed in his father's footsteps and taken on roles within the family business. Frederic earned his degree in computational and applied mathematics from Ecole Polytechnique in 2018. Shortly after, he began working at TAG Heuer, a watch company owned by LVMH, where he quickly rose through the ranks. By July 2020, he was appointed CEO of the company. In 2024, he took on a new leadership role as CEO of LVMH Watches & Jewelry, People said While Frederic is known for his business success, he also has a deep love for music. His mother, Helene Mercier, is a classical pianist, and Frederic himself is an accomplished pianist. He once performed with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra but has found it challenging to dedicate time to music due to his busy career in business. Frederic described music as "meditation," noting that it helps him focus and relax. LISAs bf Frederick Arnault is payingfor his fvck doll business deals! Lisa wasnt invited personally at ParisSaintGermain,her bf has power over the club,as he owns 55% of its shares! He also has ties to Formula&RedBull,the promotional drink for FormulaOne where Lisa attended! pic.twitter.com/D7S2ClESmO . (@KPOP_FLOP_) January 16, 2025 Frederic Arnault's Growing Connection with Lisa Sparks Speculation The first public sign of Frederic and Lisa's relationship came in November 2022 when Frederic attended a BLACKPINK concert in Los Angeles. He shared a photo with the group on social media, expressing his enjoyment of the show and hinting that he would see them again in Paris. Since then, the pair has been spotted together at several events, including the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith Launch Celebration in Miami in May 2024. Though neither Frederic nor Lisa has publicly confirmed a romantic relationship, their continued appearances together have fueled speculation. In February 2025, Frederic was seen at the premiere of The White Lotus season 3 in Bangkok, though he did not join Lisa on the red carpet. In addition to her successful music career, Lisa has ventured into acting. She recently released her debut solo album, Alter Ego, which features the track "Moonlit Floor." Some fans speculated that the song, with lyrics about a "green-eyed French boy," might be a reference to Frederic. However, Lisa downplayed the connection in a recent interview, stating, "Well, I didn't write that [song]." According to PinkVanilla, Lisa has not only achieved massive success with BLACKPINK but also made history as the first K-pop artist to perform at the 97th Academy Awards. Her performance of "Live and Let Die" was widely praised, though some controversy arose over whether she sang live or lip-synced. Originally published on Music Times Hilton (NYSE: HLT) has announced the signing of its first Signia by Hilton hotel in Asia Pacific, set to open in Jaipur, India. This signing underscores Hilton's continued focus on strengthening its luxury portfolio in India, alongside global luxury brands including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts. Signia by Hilton's debut in India follows the recent opening of Signia by Hilton Amman, the first Signia by Hilton hotel outside of the United States, as the brand aims to grow its portfolio with highly anticipated properties in key gateway locations. Developed in partnership with Sandeep Bakshi and Family LLP, the 216-bedroom hotel in Jaipur is set to open in 2028. Hilton currently operates two hotels in Rajasthan which include Hilton Jaipur and DoubleTree by Hilton Jaipur Amer. This signing solidifies Hilton's footprint in the state, building on previous agreements including the signing of Waldorf Astoria Jaipur, India's third Conrad Hotels & Resorts property in Jaipur, and its first Hilton Hotels & Resorts property in Udaipur in 2024. Alan Watts, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton, said, "This signing marks the exciting debut of our Signia by Hilton brand in Asia Pacific, as we further deploy Hilton's award-winning luxury portfolio to expand our premium offerings in key gateway destinations. Jaipur's rich cultural heritage, vibrant tourism sector and growing significance as a thriving business hub makes it the perfect backdrop for Signia by Hilton, as we continue to diversify and accelerate our presence in India." Located 28 kilometers from Jaipur International Airport, with seamless access to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (NE-4), the new property is just a three-hour drive from Gurugram, making it ideally positioned to attract travelers from Delhi NCR, a major domestic source market. Sandeep Bakshi, managing partner, Sandeep Bakshi and Family LLP, said, "Jaipur has long been synonymous with luxury, heritage and world-class hospitality. As Rajasthan continues to attract discerning luxury travelers and high-profile business guests, the arrival of Signia by Hilton marks a pivotal moment in elevating the city's hospitality stature. We're excited to collaborate with Hilton to bring this brand to the city which is beaming with growing demand from luxury guests and business travelers." Akansha Bakshi, chief operating officer (COO), Sandeep Bakshi and Family LLP, added, "Our vision is to bring a world-class luxury experience to Jaipur, blending contemporary elegance with the city's rich cultural heritage. Signia by Hilton will offer an elevated experience tailored to discerning travelers and event planners looking for world-class services. With this property, we are poised to meet the needs of business leaders, global travelers, and those seeking opulent celebrations and event experiences." Designed to meet the growing demand for world-class meetings and events coupled with an exceptional stay, the property will include more than 2,250 square meters of event space, including a 9,700 square foot grand ballroom. Guests can choose from stylish standard rooms, executive suites and private pool villas. Highlights include the exclusive Club Signia lounge, a striking artificial lagoon, and diverse dining options with four outlets. Additional amenities, including a spa, fitness center, pools, and a kids' club, make it a premier destination for both business and leisure travelers. Clarence Tan, senior vice president, Development, Asia Pacific, said, "The signing of Signia by Hilton Jaipur puts us on track to more than double our luxury estate in India following the signings of Waldorf Astoria Jaipur and Conrad Jaipur, which highlights our commitment to serving sophisticated luxury customers seeking vibrant offerings that meet both business and leisure needs." Signia by Hilton participates in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton's 24 distinct hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can't be found anywhere else and free standard Wi-Fi. Members also enjoy popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using a Digital Key. Hilton's portfolio of trading and pipeline hotels in South Asia now stands at 64, reflecting the company's strong growth trajectory and underscoring its commitment to establishing a formidable presence in the region. Robin Ostrov has joined HVS Executive Search as Vice President, based in New York. With more than 20 years of expertise in retained executive search and corporate talent acquisition within the hospitality industry, she specializes in placing senior executives in both private and publicly traded organizations across sectors including restaurants, food service, hotels, private equity, and real estate. Kempinski Hotels announces the appointment of Karin Raguin as the new Chief Human Resources Officer for Europe's oldest luxury hotel group. Karin will join the new executive leadership team tasked with developing and repositioning the iconic 127-year-old brand, under the stewardship of Barbara Muckermann, Kempinski's Group Chief Executive Officer. "We are delighted to welcome Karin Raguin to our leadership team. Karin's extensive experience in fostering innovative talent strategies and commitment to building a positive, inclusive culture aligns perfectly with our values. Karin will be instrumental in furthering our mission of empowering our people and driving sustainable growth. With a dedicated team of over 19,000 employees around the world, people are at the heart of everything we do. Recognising that our human capital is our greatest asset, we understand that enhancing the effectiveness of our team is critical to our future success. We could not ask for a better ambassador than Karin, and we look forward to the incredible impact she will have on our organisation and the ongoing success of our team," says Barbara Muckermann, Group Chief Executive Officer. In her role as Chief Human Resources Officer for Kempinski Hotels, Karin will oversee all aspects of human resource management including talent management and acquisition, performance management, compensation and benefits, succession planning, compliance, learning and development and social impact, thus ensuring Kempinski is a global leader and first choice for top-tier talent. "I am thrilled to join Kempinski, a brand where the commitment to excellence and craftsmanship is at the forefront of our mission. People are at the heart of our industry, and I look forward to fostering a culture that empowers talent, nurtures creativity and upholds the values that make this company exceptional. Together, we will continue to attract, develop and inspire the best in the hospitality industry while shaping the future of luxury hospitality," says Karin Raguin, Chief Human Resources Officer. With a career spanning over 20 years in Human Resources in the luxury goods and fashion industry, Karin previously held the esteemed position of Senior Vice President of Human Resources for LVMH in China. Based in Shanghai since 2022, Karin led a robust team of over 35 department heads across the Human Resources vertical. Additionally, Karin was a member of the LVMH Global Tech Board, a project team focused on leveraging data and systems to transform Human Resources. Previously, Karin held other prestigious roles within LVMH including Vice President, Talent Management and Corporate Social Responsibility at LVMH North America in New York City and Global Head of Career Management for LVMH, based in Paris. Karin also served as VP, Global Talent for Christian Dior Couture, based in Paris. Karin holds a Master of Human Resources from ISC Paris and is a Member of the International Strategic Committee at ISC Paris. Karin's appointment as Kempinski's new Chief Human Resources Officer follows the recent appointments of Gordon Drake as Chief Financial Officer and Rasha Lababidi as Chief Product Officer, heralding a new beginning for Kempinski Hotels. BERLIN, Germany Cendyn, a global integrated hotel technology company, has advanced its business intelligence solutions with AI-enabled analysis to deliver hotels smarter data with practical commercial insights. Reinforcing its commitment to empowering hotels globally to excel through world-class technology, Cendyn has integrated AI into its CRM and Knowland platform. Hotel sales and marketing teams now have quickly accessible actionable insights, reducing manual management of spreadsheets and complex reports. Through the launch of CRM Analytics, Cendyn is revolutionizing data and insights available for hotel customer relationship management. AI-generated insights and analysis allow hotels to quickly leverage real-time guest behavior data to optimize marketing campaigns and uncover key business drivers with precision. Smart narratives that concisely and succinctly summarize data, simplify and identify trends from complex datasets for hotels to take immediate action. Following the acquisition of Knowland in October 2024, Cendyn launched a new AI search capability within the platform to further assist hotels in accessing business intelligence. This new AI search capability aligns with the latest consumer search trends, enabling hoteliers to input long-form queries as they do with traditional search engines. With a smarter, more user-friendly entry point to Knowland data, hoteliers retrieve insights faster and more intuitively to identify future business prospects and maximize market competitiveness. This news comes alongside the official expansion of Knowland beyond the United States, Middle East, and APAC back into Europe. With London as the first market, hotels and venues will soon be able to leverage the platform to drive total account revenue with data-backed insights, capitalizing on growing opportunities in the MICE sector. We strongly believe that leveraging tools like AI across our suite of solutions will enable our customers to do their jobs more effectively and provide significant time savings, said Chris Egan, Chief Product Officer, Cendyn. AI analysis is giving visibility to aspects of our customers performance that may otherwise be overlooked. By using long-form text for search queries and pulling tangible insights out of complex data charts, hoteliers can quickly get the precise information they need. This will help the industry move beyond static reports to dynamic, real-time intelligence that results in more direct bookings and increased revenue. As an integrated solutions provider, we are in the process of bringing together data from different sources and leveraging AI to provide even greater business optimization in a manner that hasnt been done before. The integration of AI for advanced data functionality across the Cendyn portfolio provides the hotel industry with a powerful collection of integrated solutions, enabling hoteliers to find new guests, book more direct, and grow revenue. About Cendyn Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to drive revenue, maximize profitability, and create deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions. Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn drives commercial success for hotels through its Find, Book, Grow promise: find the right guests, drive them to book direct, and grow loyalty and revenue across the spectrum of digital guest interactions. Cendyn has over 35,000 customers worldwide in more than 150 countries generating more than $20 billion in annual hotel revenue. The company supports its growing customer base from locations across the globe, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangkok, and India. To find out more, visit cendyn.com Ryan Haynes View source FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - HomeToGo, the marketplace with the worlds largest selection of vacation rentals, revealed the most in-demand yet value-packed St. Patricks Day destinations across the U.S., using exclusive search and price data. For travelers who want to experience superb celebrations without packing their passport, HomeToGo has identified the pot of gold for festive trips, featuring 15 U.S. locations ranked by affordability and popularity. At HomeToGo, weve observed a notable increase in U.S. travelers searching for stays in Ireland around St. Patricks Day, with Galway, Cork, and Kinsale experiencing year-on-year uplifts of +176%, +174% and +122%, respectively indicating a wide-spread desire to join in on the festivities. For American travelers prioritizing keeping costs low and spirits high, weve ranked the top destinations for celebrating closer to home, without making or paying for the transatlantic trek. From epic parades to time-honored traditions, this guide gives U.S. residents a map of the top spots in which to join in on value-packed St. Patricks Day fun. Eleanor Moody, Travel Expert and Spokesperson at HomeToGo From the largest St. Patricks Day parade in New York City to the Worlds Shortest St. Patricks Day Parade in Hot Springs, Arkansas, HomeToGos curated guide aims to assist travelers in finding the perfect blend of a holiday hotspot and budget-friendly stay. Heres a look at the most affordable and popular U.S. destinations for St. Patricks Day: Source: HomeToGo Heres a glimpse of what travelers can expect in the top five destinations: Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Home to one of the oldest parades in the country, Milwaukees St. Patricks Day Parade dates back to 1843. Visitors to this lakeside Midwest city for the shamrock-studded holiday can expect a high-energy spectacle with over 100 entertainers, including Irish dancers, pipe and drum corps, and even Irish wolfhounds. New York City, New York : One of the largest and most iconic celebrations for St. Patricks Day in the U.S. is found in New York City, where Fifth Avenue transforms into a sea of green with 150,000 marchers and a crowd of two million spectators cheering them on. Green-clad travelers can be part of an electric atmosphere amid epic skyline views at every turn. Hot Springs, Arkansas: Hot Springs offers an unexpected surprise in its green-themed festivities, offering the opposite of a large spectacle claiming the Worlds Shortest St. Patricks Day Parade. At just 98 feet long, this celebration packs in more fun per square foot than any other with wildly decorated floats, celebrity guests, and an atmosphere thats anything but small. St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis hosts a cardio-filled pre-game to its festivities, beginning with a St. Patricks Day Parade Run before rolling into the citys main parade. The weekend event wraps up with an after-party at Ballpark Village, but the festivities dont stop thereon Monday, March 17, the celebrations move to Dogtown, a traditionally Irish neighborhood of St. Louis. Scranton, Pennsylvania : An unexpected yet bustling destination for St. Patricks Day celebrations, Scranton hosts a parade with over 12,000 participants, attracting 150,000 spectators. Offering something for all ages, families can take part in St. Patrick's Day storytime at the library, while those looking to toast to the occasion in a more traditional way can try Jigs & Swigs, an Irish dance class in a brewery. The full list of the top 15 destinations, destination descriptions, and an interactive map can be found at www.hometogo.com/ireland/#st-patricks-day-destinations-2025. Methodology: For the full methodology and more information as to how this guide was created, please visit www.hometogo.com/ireland/#st-patricks-day-destinations-2025-methodology. About HomeToGo HomeToGo is the SaaS-enabled marketplace with the world's largest selection of vacation rentals, listing millions of offers from thousands of trusted partners, including Booking.com, Vrbo and TripAdvisor. From vacation homes, cabins, beach houses, apartments, condos, house boats, castles, farm stays and everything in between, HomeToGo combines price, destination, dates and amenities to find the perfect accommodation for any trip worldwide. Founded in 2014, HomeToGo operates localized apps & websites in more than 30 countries across Europe, North America, South America, Australia and Asia-Pacific. HomeToGo also operates brands such as Agriturismo.it, AMIVAC, Casamundo, CaseVacanza.it, e-domizil, EscapadaRural, Kurzurlaub, Kurz Mal Weg, Tripping.com and Wimdu. To learn more, visit www.hometogo.com or download the HomeToGo app. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 4 March 2025. The Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia, taking place in Riyadh, 11-13 May, will host the regions first NextGen Investment Forum to address the challenges and opportunities surrounding education, training and talent retention in KSAs growing hospitality sectors. Investing in the next generation of leaders in hospitality is fundamental to delivering KSAs Vision 2030 goals, according to industry experts, who will come together at FHS to explore and discuss issues such as bridging skill gaps, creating new pathways to career growth, empowering Saudi nationals and encouraging more women to take up a career in hospitality. The event takes place on the first day of FHS Saudi Arabia, Sunday 11 May, from 3:00pm, with more than 30 speakers set to take part. Through a series of curated roundtable discussions, the forum will bring together key industry stakeholders to address the most pressing challenges in hospitality education and retention with a focus on solution-oriented conversations and actionable outcomes to help shape the future of hospitality education and workforce development. Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of FHS organiser The Bench, said: By 2030, KSAs hospitality and tourism transformation will create more than a million new jobs, deliver 320,000 new hotel rooms, and inject around US$46 billion into the countrys economy. And with Saudi Arabia set to welcome 150 million annual tourists in the next five years, it goes without saying that the right investment today is key to creating the hospitality leaders of tomorrow. We are proud to launch this first-of-its-kind initiative at FHS Saudi Arabia and look to drawing inspiration from highly respected industry experts during an afternoon of collaboration, insight and actionable solutions to shape the future of KSAs hospitality industry. The NextGen Investment Forum aims to help develop a knowledgeable, capable workforce through partnerships with government entities, giga projects, universities, international education industry leaders and innovative tech companies, in turn creating a comprehensive ecosystem that supports education and career development. The initiative will also facilitate public-private partnerships to drive innovation and investment in education. Discussions will focus on four main themes: investing in people for a future-ready hospitality industry; bridging the gap between academia and industry needs; exploring funding and investment opportunities in hospitality education; and enhancing the industrys appeal to retain talent. AI, remote working, the design of student housing and boosting the number of women in the industry currently only 8% of the total workforce are also on the agenda. First confirmed speakers for the NextGen Investment Forum include Dr. Abeer A. Alamri, Strategic Planning and Monitoring Deputyship, Ministry of Tourism; Dr. Fabien Fresnel, Chief Executive Officer, Riyadh School of Tourism and Hospitality; A.J Singh, Founding Director, Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Lameese Damiri, Head of Education, UNTO. FHS Saudi Arabia is at Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh, 11-13 May 2025, with the overarching theme of Where Vision Shapes Opportunity. More than 1,400 delegates are expected to attend. For full details and to register, visit https://www.futurehospitality.com/sa About FHS Africa For over a decade, the Future Hospitality Summit Africa (FHS Africa) has been the launchpad for hospitality investment in Africa, driving growth, connecting visionaries, and transforming the continent's tourism and hospitality landscape. As a beacon of opportunity, FHS Africa brings together global investors, developers, operators, and industry leaders committed to turning potential into reality. About The Bench The Bench has a legacy of delivering world-leading investment forums and conferences in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The key principle behind these events has remained "dealmaking'. Transforming the way businesses connect; Bench has developed a reputation for creating innovative and high-impact meetings for the industry. For over two decades, government leaders, tourism ministries, global travel & tourism associations, the world's most influential hospitality brands, hotel owners & investors, renowned restaurant groups, airlines & aviation authorities, destination developers, asset managers, financial groups, and consultants have been participating in The Bench's events. These include FHS Africa, FHS World, FHS Saudi Arabia and AviaDev, where industry players showcase their brands, position themselves as thought leaders or innovators, and connect with the right individuals, opportunities and knowledge. Anne Bleeker In2 Consulting +971 56 603 0886 The Bench New York - Mews , the leading hospitality technology platform, today announced it has raised $75 million, led by Tiger Global, a renowned global investment firm, alongside existing investors, Kinnevik, Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives and Battery Ventures. This funding strengthens Mews leadership in hospitality, fueling its expansion in the U.S. and DACH, accelerating platform innovation with AI-powered revenue management capabilities, and driving strategic acquisitions. Mews experienced remarkable global growth during 2024. The company grew at over 50% year-on-year, processed over $10 billion in payments volume, and generated over $200 million in revenue. Mews signed marquee customers, including BWH Hotels, completed the acquisition of Atomize, and reached an impressive 20% market penetration in the DACH region. The latest funding marks a pivotal moment in Mews expansion strategy, with a focus on accelerating its growth in the U.S. - one of the most dynamic hospitality markets. Mews continues to capture market share and expand its footprint across North America, and recent milestones include: 2x revenue in North America year-on-year 2x the number of hospitality brands using Mews and welcoming forward-thinking brands including Lark Hotels, BWH Hotels and Weekender More than doubled the number of rooms and spaces managed via Mews, fast outpacing some of the most established PMS players in the U.S. Additionally, the investment will accelerate Mews R&D efforts, fuelling innovation that addresses the evolving needs of the modern hospitality landscape. By continuously investing in technology, Mews is shaping the future of hospitality management, offering unparalleled scalability, automation, and operational intelligence for some of the biggest hospitality brands in the world. It was clear to us that Tiger Global is a compelling partner for the next chapter of our journey. Their experience with high-growth technology companies and category winners in the U.S., including Toast, Procore and ServiceTitan, is invaluable as we continue to expand our footprint, accelerate innovation, and pursue strategic acquisitions. This investment reaffirms our dedication to the U.S. market, where we have established strong leadership and have invested over $50 million to expand our business in the last couple of years. We will continue to invest substantially in the market, reinforcing our long-term strategy of global growth and leadership. Richard Valtr, Founder of Mews Our vision has always been to redefine hospitality with spaces that put people at the heart, and this investment propels us even closer to achieving that goal. There are so many opportunities for AI to enhance both the guest journey and operational efficiencies in an industry that is so data rich. With Tiger Globals backing, were excited to build on the wave of innovation at the intersection of hospitality and AI, with Mews at the center of it. Matt Welle, CEO of Mews Mews is redefining what it means to deliver exceptional guest experiences in the hospitality sector and beyond. Our partnership with the Mews team marks an exciting step as they continue to expand in North America and strengthen their global market leadership. Sara Eadie, Tiger Global About Tiger Global Founded in 2001, Tiger Global is a New York-based investment firm pursuing a long-term approach to investing in leading, global public and private companies that leverage technological innovation. Tiger Globals public equity business includes fundamentally oriented long/short, long focused and crossover strategies, targeting investments in high-quality, public growth companies. The private equity business invests in early through late-stage companies that pursue innovative approaches to new and existing industries, building on over 20 years of experience investing in hundreds of businesses in more than 30 countries with more than 90 portfolio company IPOs. With a strong track record investing across sectors and stages, Tiger Global aims to be a thought partner to companies and their management teams across their lifecycle in public and private markets. The Firms mission is to generate world-class returns for its investors and to do so in a way that makes its employees, partners and portfolio companies proud. About Mews Mews is the leading platform for the new era of hospitality. Powering over 12,500 customers across more than 85 countries, Mews Hospitality Cloud is designed to streamline operations for modern hoteliers, transform the guest experience and create more profitable businesses. Customers include BWH Hotels, Strawberry, The Social Hub and Airelles Collection. Mews was named Best PMS (2024, 2025) and listed among the Best Places to Work in Hotel Tech (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025) by Hotel Tech Report. Mews has raised $410 million from investors including Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Kinnevik and Tiger Global to transform hospitality. www.mews.com Katie Kershaw at Kershaw and Company Communications Manager 07539 437 238 These openings will drive a 20% growth in Hyatts brand presence in the relevant destinations, adding nearly 4,000 new rooms by 2028. Destinations include Spain, Greece, Italy, Croatia, and Portugal. The company has also announced that more than 1,000 Mr & Mrs Smith hotels are now part of the World of Hyatt loyalty program. Among the latest 400 additions, over 170 properties are located in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Portugal and Morocco. CHICAGO Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) has announced today its expansion plans in some of the most popular holiday destinations among British travelers[1]. Since 2017, the company has quadrupled its portfolio in European and African destinations renowned for their climate, beaches, landscapes, and cultural richness. These include Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt, and Morocco. Looking ahead, Hyatt plans to add 20 new hotels in these and other destinations, such as Albania and Croatia. This expansion represents 20% growth in Hyatts brand presence in these destinations, adding over 4,000 new rooms for the dream vacations of millions of British holidaymakers. Among these 20 new openings are first-time entries into destinations such as the Greek island of Paros, Portugals Algarve, Seville in Spain, Zadar in Croatia, and Palase on the Albanian Riviera. In addition to our strong position in the corporate and urban spaces, where we are particularly focused on expanding in the lifestyle and luxury segments, Hyatt is experiencing rapid growth in leisure, said Manuel Melenchon, Managing Director South for Hyatt in EAME. Today, we not only have over 50 resorts in Spains Canary and Balearic Islands, Greece and Bulgaria, but we also have a strong brand presence in other top European holiday destinations, from France and Italy to Malta, Montenegro, Egypt and Turkiye. The announcement of 20 new openings over the next three years in these and other destinations confirms that our momentum has never been stronger. We continue to diversify our footprint, allowing more travelers than ever to experience what Hyatt has to offer. Key openings to reinforce Hyatts strong market position in top vacation destinations in Europe include: Sarena de Muro, Destination by Hyatt , a Mediterranean paradise featuring exquisite dining and classic architecture at Playa de Muro, opening in Mallorca in 2025. , a Mediterranean paradise featuring exquisite dining and classic architecture at Playa de Muro, opening in Mallorca in 2025. Alua Soul Sunny Beach Resort , located in Burgas, Bulgaria, one of the countrys most popular seaside spots, known for its long sandy beaches, also opening in 2025. , located in Burgas, Bulgaria, one of the countrys most popular seaside spots, known for its long sandy beaches, also opening in 2025. Kampos Hotel, Destination by Hyatt, offering guests an authentic, culturally immersive experience on the Greek island of Paros, opening in 2026. Hyatts expansion will also include openings such as Hyatt Regency Zadar in Croatia, Hyatt Centric Reims in France, Hyatt Regency Rome Central in Italy, Andaz Lisbon in Portugal, Thompson Seville in Spain and Hyatt Regency Palase Resort & Spa in Albania. Even More Options for British Holidaymakers with Mr & Mrs Smith Another way Hyatt continues to expand its offerings for travelers seeking unforgettable vacations is through Mr & Mrs Smith, acquired in 2023. This platform provides direct booking access to a carefully curated collection of boutique and luxury properties. In April 2024, Hyatt announced that World of Hyatt members could earn and redeem points at more than 700 Mr & Mrs Smith hotels. The company has now surpassed 1,000 properties in the Mr & Mrs Smith portfolio where its 54 million loyalty program members can earn and redeem points when booking through Hyatt channels. Over the past two years, the participating Mr & Mrs Smith properties have added dozens of sought-after countries to World of Hyatt. That includes highly popular vacation destinations among European travelers such as Cyprus, Croatia, Mauritius and the Virgin Islands. Additionally, the partnership has significantly expanded the offerings available through Hyatts booking channels in key holiday hotspots for European travelers. Among the latest 400 Mr & Mrs Smith hotels to join Hyatts loyalty program, more than 170 properties are located across Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Portugal and Morocco. The integration of more than 1,000 Mr & Mrs Smith hotels into the World of Hyatt program offers members not only a wider range of destinations but also a broader selection of experiences where they can earn or redeem points. This is especially true in some of the most popular vacation spots among European holidaymakers, where Hyatt holds a strong position in the all-inclusive segment. Combined with Mr & Mrs Smiths thoughtful curation standards, this allows for everything from a worry-free luxury resort stay to a one-of-a-kind experience at a boutique hotel with unparalleled design and ambiance, said Aimee Hodgkin, Hotel and Villa Partnerships Director at Mr & Mrs Smith. The term Hyatt is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates. About Hyatt Hotels Corporation Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose to care for people so they can be their best. As of June 30, 2024, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,350 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 78 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Timeless Collection, including Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt, Hyatt Vacation Club, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Studios, and UrCove; the Boundless Collection, including Miraval, Alila, Andaz, Thompson Hotels, Dream Hotels, Hyatt Centric, and Caption by Hyatt; the Independent Collection, including The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Destination by Hyatt, and JdV by Hyatt; and the Inclusive Collection, including Impression by Secrets, Hyatt Ziva, Hyatt Zilara, Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas, Dreams Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Alua Hotels & Resorts, and Sunscape Resorts & Spas. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt loyalty program, ALG Vacations, Mr & Mrs Smith, Unlimited Vacation Club, Amstar DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com. Forward-Looking Statements Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable when made, are inherently uncertain, and are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside of Kiraku, Inc. or Hyatt's control, which could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements made in this press release are made only as of the date of their initial publication and neither party undertakes an obligation to publicly update any of these forward-looking statements as actual events unfold, except to the extent required by applicable law. If one or more forward-looking statements is updated, no inference should be drawn that any additional updates will be made with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Malmo, Sweden / March 2025 - Bookboost, the industry-leading hospitality CRM platform, has successfully secured 3.6M EUR in its latest funding round led by Vendep Capital. Vendeps investment accelerates Bookboosts vision to redefine hospitality engagement. Unlike traditional CRMs, Bookboosts advanced Customer Data Platform (CDP) and Multi-Channel CRM dont just store and manage guest data, they activate & monetize it. By leveraging AI-driven automation and hyper-personalized communication at scale across Email, SMS, WhatsApp, and OTAs, Bookboost empowers hotel groups and brands to increase direct revenue and guest loyalty. As the hospitality industry shifts towards data-driven engagement, Bookboosts CDP and Multi-Channel CRM empower hotels to centralise guest data, personalise communication, and drive customer lifetime value (CLTV). With this funding, Bookboost will continue to advance its platform, ensuring that hotels can seamlessly connect and engage with guests across Email, SMS, Whatsapp and OTA messaging - all from a unified ecosystem. This investment is a game-changer. Hotels that own their guest relationships outperform the restthis funding allows us to double down on our mission to help hotels unlock the full potential of their guest data, creating personalised and meaningful guest journeys at scale. said Willem Rabsztyn, CEO of Bookboost. With a stronger CDP and CRM, were giving hotels the tools to own their data, personalise every interaction, and drive more direct revenue than ever before. Weve been engaging with Bookboost for a long time, witnessing its impressive growth, ability to attract top talent, and expand its product and go-to-market strategy. Over time, we knew we wanted to be part of this journey, said Sami Ahvenniemi, General Partner at Vendep Capital. Bookboost empowers hotels with a 360-degree view of their guests, enhancing communication and streamlining the entire guest experience. Were excited to support the team as they drive further growth, international expansion, and innovation. With a rising demand for guest-centric and automated communication solutions, Bookboost will accelerate its product development, strengthen AI-driven automation, and support more hotel brands in delivering highly tailored guest experiences. The company will also expand its team, strengthening its expertise to serve hoteliers better worldwide. This investment solidifies Bookboosts position as the go-to CRM and guest communication platform for hospitality brands looking to scale their digital strategies and enhance customer engagement. About Bookboost Bookboost is the leading hospitality CRM platform that consolidates and optimises guest data from all sources to communicate with customers effortlessly throughout the guest journey. Bookboost offers a modern CRM, best-in-class Unified Inbox, and advanced Customer Data Platform (CDP) to streamline operations, personalise guest experiences, and boost hotel revenue. View source In an era where artificial intelligence is rapidly redefining business landscapes, one fundamental truth remains unchanged: brand is everything. Even the most advanced AI cannot fully replicate the depth of human emotion, trust, and connection that a strong brand cultivates. Technology is transforming the way we engage audiences, but the essence of brand-buildingstorytelling, credibility, and emotional resonanceremains an inherently human endeavor. Today, digital platforms such as LinkedIn have become the new trade show floor, where industry leaders, decision-makers, and potential buyers converge. The competitive battleground for attention has shifted from physical events to content feeds. Yet, many executives and brands remain silent, failing to establish their presence and credibility in this digital-first world. If your brand and leadership team are not actively contributing to the conversation, does your audience even know you exist? Over Reliance on AI is Out. As economic uncertainty looms, the pressure to prove ROI intensifiesespecially in areas like content marketing, where impact can be challenging to quantify. When budgets tighten, the departments that cannot clearly demonstrate their value are often the first to be cut. This is where automation becomes an indispensable asset. Marketing teams are expected to do more with less, and automation is the knight in shining armor. Whether streamlining email campaigns, content distribution, or data analysis, automation enhances efficiency, saves time, and allows teams to focus on strategic creativity rather than repetitive tasks. However, against the surge of readily available AI models, overreliance on AI will soon be a thing of the past. AI-generated content, while efficient, often lacks the nuance, originality, and emotional depth that human marketers bring to the table. The future of marketing isnt about replacing human creativity with AI but leveraging AI as an ally for automationnot for creation. The takeaway? AI should enhance, not replace, the human touch. Marketing leaders must resist the temptation to delegate high-value, creative work entirely to AI models. Instead, they should use automation to handle repetitive tasks, freeing up human expertise to develop distinctive, engaging content that truly connects with audiences. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently published The Intelligence Age, an essay that envisions a future where AI augments human potential in ways previously unimaginable. He draws parallels between todays transformations and historical shifts that rendered entire professions obsoletereminding us that innovation is not to be feared but embraced. This prompts a critical question: What aspects of marketing will soon be rendered obsolete by AI? The potential of AI agents to analyze unstructured data, interpret business goals, and autonomously execute strategies at an advanced level suggests that significant disruption lies ahead. Many traditional marketing functionsprocess-heavy, executional taskswill be redefined or replaced. However, brand remains irreplaceable. The Five Core Pillars of Brand If AI streamlines the mechanics of marketing, what remains indispensable? Brandthe emotional, strategic, and human foundation of every successful company. The brands that thrive in the Intelligence Age will focus on five key pillars: Brand Strategy: A well-defined brand is more than a logo or a tagline; it is a strategic narrative that articulates a companys purpose, differentiates it in the market, and resonates deeply with its audience. The most effective brands build their marketing strategies around an authentic, emotionally compelling storyone that is not just told but lived by employees, customers, and stakeholders. Audience Marketing: The future of content lies in independent media. Forward-thinking companies are evolving into media platforms, creating value-driven content ecosystems that engage audiences through video, podcasts, live experiences, and thought leadership. They position both internal executives and external industry voices as authorities in their space, building trust and credibility at scale. Purpose-Driven Marketing: Todays customers crave realnessthey want brands that speak their language, share their values, and resonate with their experiences. In a socially connected world, customers gravitate toward brands that authentically reflect their principles and contribute positively to society. What's out? Self-promotion. Simply focusing on product features and benefits is no longer enough. Customers want to know what a brand stands for and how it makes a meaningful impact. CEO Personal Branding: In an era where professional and personal communication are increasingly intertwined, executives who cultivate a strong personal brand are better positioned to lead, influence, and drive business growth. A well-developed CEO brand enhances organizational trust, increases stakeholder engagement, and shapes how a company is perceived in the market. CEOs who share their insights, and stay visible dont just enhance their own influencethey strengthen their companys brand, attract top talent, and build lasting trust with customers and stakeholders. Messaging Is Strategy: Messaging is not just about wordsit is a strategic function that defines a companys vision, shapes its reputation, and drives its long-term success. A well-crafted message must be intentional, consistent, and aligned with the companys core values. Messaging is not an afterthoughtit is a core leadership responsibility. Leaders who master it will not only enhance their companys brand but also drive stronger engagement, loyalty, and long-term success. The Rising Power of Brand in an AI-Powered World AI is fundamentally reshaping marketingaccelerating execution, automating workflows, and making personalization more scalable than ever. But in the race toward efficiency, one truth remains unchanged: brand is the anchor that keeps it all grounded in authenticity and emotional intelligence. Having worked with some of the most innovative companies in travel, hospitality, and technology, Ive seen firsthand that the most successful brands arent just those that embrace AItheyre the ones that use it strategically, without losing the human element. The real challenge? Striking the right balance. AI is a powerful tool for automation, but it cant replace originality, intuition, or trust. The best marketing organizations will harness AI to amplify their reach, while doubling down on creativity, strategic thinking, and human connectionthe intangibles that set great brands apart. The brands that thrive in the Intelligence Age will be those that evolve, not erase, the human elementleveraging AI for what it does best, while ensuring their messaging, storytelling, and customer relationships remain deeply personal and real. About Puzzle Partner Puzzle Partner is a leading marketing consulting firm specializing in the hospitality and travel technology sector. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, the company serves as a trusted advisor to innovative change-makers in the global hospitality and travel technology landscape. With exceptional domain expertise, an influential industry network, and decades of collective experience, Puzzle Partner delivers customized marketing solutions that amplify brand visibility and drive sustainable growth. The firm's team of experts possesses unparalleled understanding of the interplay between travel, hospitality, and wellness technology branding. Over the past decade, Puzzle Partner has established a proven track record of helping clients outperform competitors, achieve profitable exits, expand into the Americas, and realize extraordinary business outcomes. The company maintains the highest level of client advocacy in the industry while transforming visionary companies into unforgettable brands through strategic storytelling, brand positioning, and innovative content marketing. To learn more, visit puzzlepartner.co. Lauren Ramesbottom VP of Strategic Storytelling and Content Puzzle Partner Ltd. U.K. Hospitality Sector Faces Employment Crisis Amid April Cost Increases A survey by UK hospitality trade associations predicts that 70% of businesses in the sector may have to cut jobs due to increasing employment costs and reduced rates relief starting in April. A recent joint survey conducted by leading hospitality trade associations, including UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping, and Hospitality Ulster, revealed that the sector is deeply concerned about the potential impact of new employment costs and a reduction in rates relief scheduled to start in April. The figures from the survey indicate that 70% of hospitality businesses fear they will need to reduce their employment levels, posing a significant risk of job losses and lost income for workers. Additionally, 60% of businesses surveyed said they would have to cancel planned investment, 29% would reduce trading hours, 25% reported having no cash reserves left (an increase of six percentage points since October 2024), and 15% believe they may have to close at least one site. These trade associations, representing a sector that was one of the top contributors to GDP growth in November and December 2024, highlight the potential negative impact of these changes on a sector critical to the UK's economic growth. They suggest that delaying changes to the employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) threshold could help mitigate the immediate impact on jobs and investment revealed in the survey. When asked how the government could support the sector, businesses primarily cited two measures: a reversal of employer National Insurance Contribution changes, and a lower rate of VAT for hospitality. In a joint statement, the trade associations warned of the potential impact of these changes: "These figures should serve as a clear warning that pubs, brewers, and hospitality venues will be forced to make painful decisions to weather these new costs. This will have damaging impacts on businesses, jobs, and communities. We want to work with the government so we can continue to vitally boost the economy. We urge them to delay the changes to the employer NICs threshold. This would help save jobs and allow the sector to continue growing." The survey, conducted by CGA by NIQ in January 2025, included responses from businesses representing 8,300 sites. The findings underscore the potential economic impact and challenges the hospitality sector faces amid these new costs and changes. The call for government action reflects the sector's collective concern about maintaining growth and employment levels under the impending financial strains. Cendyn Goes Bold With AI Across Hotel Analytics Platforms - Image Credit Cendyn Cendyn lights up more business intelligence capabilities with launch of CRM Analytics platform and Knowlands return to Europe, supported by AI-driven insights Cendyn, a global integrated hotel technology company, has advanced its business intelligence solutions with AI-enabled analysis to deliver hotels smarter data with practical commercial insights. Reinforcing its commitment to empowering hotels globally to excel through world-class technology, Cendyn has integrated AI into its CRM and Knowland platform. Hotel sales and marketing teams now have quickly accessible actionable insights reducing manual management of spreadsheets and complex reports. Through the launch of CRM Analytics, Cendyn is revolutionizing data and insights available for hotel customer relationship management. AI-generated insights and analysis allow hotels to quickly leverage real-time guest behavior data to optimize marketing campaigns and uncover key business drivers with precision. Smart narratives that concisely and succinctly summarize data simplify and identify trends from complex datasets for hotels to take immediate action. Following the acquisition of Knowland in October 2024, Cendyn has launched a new AI search capability within the platform to further assist hotels in accessing business intelligence. This new AI search capability aligns with the latest consumer search trends, enabling hoteliers to input long-form queries, as they do with traditional search engines. With a smarter, more user-friendly entry point to Knowland data, hoteliers retrieve insights faster and more intuitively to identify future business prospects and maximize market competitiveness. This news comes alongside the official expansion of Knowland beyond the US, Middle East, and APAC back into Europe. With London as the first market, hotels and venues will soon be able to leverage the platform to drive total account revenue with data-backed insights capitalizing on growing opportunities in the MICE sector. We strongly believe that leveraging tools like AI across our suite of solutions will enable our customers to do their jobs more effectively and provide significant time savings, said Chris Egan, Chief Product Officer, Cendyn. AI analysis is giving visibility to aspects of our customers performance that may otherwise be overlooked. By using long-form text for search queries and pulling tangible insights out of complex data charts, hoteliers can quickly get the precise information they need. This will help the industry move beyond static reports to dynamic, real-time intelligence that results in more direct bookings and increased revenue. As an integrated solutions provider, we are in the process of bringing together data from different sources and leveraging AI to provide even greater business optimization in a manner that hasnt been done before. The integration of AI for advanced data functionality across the Cendyn portfolio provides the hotel industry with a powerful collection of integrated solutions, enabling hoteliers to find new guests, book more direct, and grow revenue. Cendyn will be exhibiting at ITB 2025, Hall 8.1, Stand 111, for more information, discover Cendyns range of products and services at cendyn.com About Cendyn Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to drive revenue, maximize profitability, and create deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions. Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn drives commercial success for hotels through its Find, Book, Grow promise: find the right guests; drive them to book direct, and grow loyalty and revenue across the spectrum of digital guest interactions. Cendyn has over 32,000 customers worldwide in more than 150 countries including brands such as Outrigger Hospitality, Hyatt, IHG, Aman Resorts & Hotels, Relais & Chateaux, Highgate, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Coraltree Hospitality, and Onyx Hospitality Group generating more than $20 billion in annual hotel revenue. The company supports its growing customer base from locations across the globe, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangkok, and India. On the occasion of the ITB Berlin opening press conference, DRV President Norbert Fiebig provides insights into the German travel market. - Image Credit ITB Berlin Despite slight trip reductions in 2023/24, bookings rose by six percent, contributing to an overall turnover of over 83 billion euros, a 20 percent increase pre-pandemic. DRV President Norbert Fiebig anticipates sustained growth in the German travel market. Early bookings are becoming the new trend and demand for package holidays and cruises is markedly increasing. DRV President Norbert Fiebig, in his address at the opening press conference of ITB Berlin, provided insights into the evolving preferences of German travelers. He highlighted that despite economic and geopolitical uncertainties, Germans prioritize travel to escape everyday life and gain new experiences. Fiebig noted that the travel season of 2023/24 saw a minor decline in trips. However, this was offset by a six percent increase in bookings, leading to a turnover exceeding 83 billion euros, marking a 20 percent rise compared to pre-pandemic years. The market for organized travel, such as package tours and travel services offered by tour operators, enjoyed substantial growth, generating nearly 40 billion euros, a seven percent increase. Looking towards 2025, Fiebig was optimistic. Surveys suggest that almost a quarter of Germans plan to spend more on holidays, with early bookings emerging as the new trend. Summer holiday bookings saw an 11 percent increase compared to the previous year, driven by 'early birds'. Fiebig also highlighted the surge in demand for package holidays, with a six percent rise in travelers opting for organized trips. Approximately 62 percent of bookings were made through travel agencies or websites, indicating the enduring appeal of traditional package holidays. The cruise sector also reported an 18 percent increase in bookings, spurred by a price decrease. Spain, Turkey, and Greece remain the preferred destinations for German travelers in 2025. However, countries like Egypt and Albania are seeing increased demand due to their competitive pricing. Fiebig emphasized the significance of sustainability in tourism and called for international cooperation to provide sustainable fuels for air and sea transport. Despite the global economic challenges, he believed the German travel market could expect growth of around six percent in 2025, provided a stable policy framework is in place to boost consumer confidence and promote sustainable growth. Finally, Fiebig highlighted that travel is more than an economic factor. It represents a symbol of cultural exchange, diversity, hospitality, and tolerance. The German travel industry, he proclaimed, is committed to upholding these principles and promoting global dialogue. Female leadership was the focus of the panel discussion - Image Credit ITB Berlin A Travel Industry Club panel at ITB Berlin underscored the importance of diverse teams in the tourism industry, particularly highlighting the need for increased female leadership. The Travel Industry Club has initiated a mentoring program to encourage women in their leadership journeys. The program emphasizes clear communication of ambitions and continuous professional development. In a recent panel discussion at ITB Berlin, experts from the tourism industry discussed the integral role of female leadership. The discussion, held on the Lighthouse Stage, emphasized the importance of diversity in teams, the communication prowess of female leaders, and offered guidance for prospective women managers, often hindered by self-doubt and a desire to please everyone. Christina Verhaelen of DERTOUR, reflecting on her own journey to leadership, stressed the need for female mentorship. Verhaelen, who is the vice president of the Travel Industry Club and heads a team of 35, has helped launch a mentoring program within the club. The program aims to encourage women to communicate their ambitions clearly and promote a culture of continuous learning through training courses and seminars. Anne Rosener, a team and organizational developer, advised women to scrutinize the interpersonal dynamics at potential workplaces. She encouraged them to focus on issues that can aid their progress and leverage their strengths. She added that having a clear vision of their future role within the company is also crucial. Highlighting the merits of diversity, Steffen Butzkow, an event organizer, praised his female colleagues' communication skills and collaborative management style. Uwe Sieblist, an HR consultant, agreed, noting that mixed-gender teams demonstrated superior performance. Despite this, Sieblist observed that women often had to outperform their male counterparts to attain recognition. He emphasized the importance of team fit for any potential applicant. In conclusion, the panel urged the tourism industry to embrace female leadership, underscoring its potential to drive the sector forward. Award-Winning Writer to Visit MCLA as Spring 2025 Visiting Writer NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) English & Philosophy Department will host acclaimed author Kelly Link as the Spring 2025 Visiting Writer. Link will present "An Evening with Kelly Link" on Thursday, March 13, at 6 p.m. in the Center for Science & Innovation Atrium. This event is free and open to the public. According to a press release: A MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Link is the author of numerous short fiction collections, including "Stranger Things Happen,""Magic for Beginners," "Pretty Monsters," "Get in Trouble," and "White Cat, Black Dog." Her debut novel, "The Book of Love," was published last year to critical acclaim. In addition to her writing, Link is a distinguished editor of multiple anthologies, including The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror series, as well as the young adult collections Steampunk! and Monstrous Affections. She is the co-founder of Small Beer Press, co-editor of the occasional zine Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, and owner of Book Moon, an independent bookshop in Easthampton, Mass. This event is sponsored by the MCLA English & Philosophy Department. lunedi 3 marzo 2025, 18:21 - Last updated: 4 marzo, 11:33 Scottish painter Jack Vettriano, 73, was found dead on Saturday in his apartment in Nice, France. The death, which was reported today, is believed to be due to natural causes, according to his agent. Just a few days ago, Palazzo Pallavicini in Bologna opened an exhibition of his work - the first in Italy - which now becomes a tribute to his memory: inaugurated on February 26 and scheduled until July 20, the exhibition delves into the figure of one of the most sold and reproduced artists of all time through a journey featuring over seventy works including oils, limited edition graphics, and shots in Vettriano's studio taken by Francesco Guidicini, the official portraitist of the Sunday Times. 'With great sadness, we share the news of Jack's passing over the weekend. He was not only an extraordinary artist,' writes the management of Palazzo Pallavicini on Facebook, 'but also a deeply private and humble man who was infinitely grateful for the support and admiration of those who loved his work. His paintings, capturing moments of intrigue, romance, and nostalgia, have touched the hearts of so many around the world, and his legacy will continue to live through them. We want to remember you this way: approachable, ironic, and kind.' Born in a small town in Scotland to a family of Italian origin, Jack Vettriano began working at a young age to contribute to the family finances, and only at 21 did he start painting as a self-taught artist after receiving a gift of brushes and watercolors. Almost fifteen years later, he managed to exhibit in a professional artistic environment, and during his debut exhibition, on the first day of the exhibition, both of his presented paintings were sold, marking the beginning of his career. The paintings recall the noir genre, often with romantic themes and nudes in the foreground, and with a peculiar style that evokes sensual atmospheres and scenic dimensions. Vettriano has been able to captivate the public since his first exhibition in 1988 at the Royal Scottish Academy: interest in his work has steadily increased, and in 2004 Queen Elizabeth awarded him the OBE for services to visual arts. lunedi 3 marzo 2025, 19:16 - Last updated: 4 marzo, 11:33 American foreign policy no longer solely relies on seasoned diplomats and secretaries of state. The secret weapon is Maye Musk. Former model, women's empowerment guru, and mother, among others, of Elon, the most talked-about billionaire of Silicon Valley, Maye is proving to be an unexpected key figure in international relations. China, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates: in the past six months, her passport has collected more stamps than that of a foreign minister. It seems some countries want to approach President Donald Trump's administration by bypassing the narrow paths of bureaucracy and diplomacy and taking the highway of the Musk family. The ride? Obviously in a Tesla. THE RUMORS According to the Guardian, Kazakhstan hopes, for example, to ease trade restrictions imposed by Washington, while the United Arab Emirates are seeking to secure a substantial package of American weaponry. China, for its part, looks with suspicion at the new tariffs imposed by Trump and hopes to turn Musk into a strategic ally. The Tesla and SpaceX boss has many interests in the Asian giant, and it seems Beijing is convinced that the best way to win over the son is to start with the mother. Maye Musk is already a superstar in China, with over 1.2 million social media followers and a packed schedule of public events. Invitations as a keynote speaker, participation in conferences, glamorous appearances: in no time, she has become a sort of first lady of innovation. Her fame has also been consolidated thanks to an advertisement in which, dressed in her usual impeccable style, she encourages disobedient children to express themselves, reminding them that "no prominent figure of our time grew up following the rules." A message that, read in a political key, takes on much more strategic tones. In Shanghai, three days after the American elections, Maye Musk openly discussed the role her son could have in the new administration, with a statement that sounds almost like an informal briefing: "He will work on efficiency, but what he likes are rockets and cars." Translated: don't bother him with politics as long as business is going well. But if this is the message Maye intends to convey, it may not be enough to quell growing concerns about a possible conflict of interest. Because if Mama Musk travels, shakes hands, and attends events with world leaders interested in her son's affairs, the line between private and public figure could become blurred. And this is the concern of some American analysts. THE CAREER On the other hand, Maye Musk is not just "Elon's mother." With her memoir, in which she recounts her experience as a single mother and survivor of domestic violence, she has won over a large audience of Chinese women. A success that mixes empowerment and image, making her a model of independence and resilience. Elon Musk, already at the center of controversy for drastic cuts to his Department of Efficiency, now also faces suspicion of an overly intrusive family influence in relations between Washington and the countries courting his mother. GCash, the Philippines leading finance app and largest cashless ecosystem, has recently forged an alliance with Viamericas, a leading licensed money transmitter in the United States, allowing overseas Filipinos in North America to remit straight to the GCash accounts of their loved ones in the Philippines in real-time. (L-R) GCash International general manager Paul Albano, Viamericas PH country head and head of perations of non-latam Raquel Aquino and GCash International head of product and EMEA Jules Abalos GCash International general manager Paul Albano explained that the partnership with Viamericas was established to provide fast and secure financial services to Filipinos based in North American countries and their families in the Philippines. The partnership between Viamericas and GCash empowers OFWs in these locations to send secure and fast remittances to their loved ones back home. This collaboration enhances financial control for OFWs and strengthens connections with their families, making the remittance process easier than ever. Joseph Argilagos, Viamericas co-founder and executive chairman, sees this collaboration as a way to expand its capabilities in the Philippines by integrating its services with GCash, This partnership perfectly aligns with our mission to empower communities by providing accessible, affordable, and reliable financial services. he noted. Viamericas has multiple locations across North America, which enables ease of sending for Filipinos, wherever they are in the region. With the capabilities of GCash and Viamericas, OFWs sending money to their families is now easier and hassle free. Currently, about 81 percent of Filipinos own a GCash account which gives them access to a host of financial services and products. It has over 5.2 million partners for QR merchants and social sellers, over 339,000 Cash-In, Cash Out (CICO) outlets, and over 520 GLife partner merchants. For more information, please visit www.gcash.com. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Womens Prize for Fiction 2025 longlist has been announced, featuring works by My Name is Lucy Barton author Elizabeth Strout, Half of a Yellow Sun author and 2007 Womens Prize winner Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and 2010 longlisted writer Laila Lalami (Secret Son). Awarded for excellence, originality and accessibility in womens writing, the Womens Prize for Fiction 2025 longlist also includes nine debut writers: Aria Aber, Kaliane Bradley, Saraidde Silva, Sanam Mahloudji, Roisin ODonnell, Rosanna Pike, Lucy Steeds, Yaelvan der Wouden and Nussaibah Younis. The panel of five judges Kitde Waal, Diana Evans, Bryony Gordon, Deborah Joseph and Amelia Warner will now whittle the lineup down to a shortlist of six, which will be announced on Wednesday 2 April. The winner will then be announced on Thursday, 12 June. Many novels among the 16 chosen for the 2025 longlist explore the ramifications of global events, from the shadows of imperialism and 20th century conflict to the continuing impact of immigration and exile, and the future effect of the rise of big tech across the world. As with the recently announced Womens Prize for Non-Fiction longlist, British writers are well represented, with six of the 16 authors chosen from the UK. For the first time, three small independent presses have books included: Holland House Books, Scotland Street Press and Weatherglass Books. The Womens Prize for Fiction 2025 longlist is as follows: Aria Aber, Good Girl Kaliane Bradley, The Ministry of Time Jenni Daiches, Somewhere Else Saraid de Silva, Amma Karen Jennings, Crooked Seeds Miranda July, All Fours Laila Lalami, The Dream Hotel Sanam Mahloudji, The Persians Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dream Count Roisin ODonnell, Nesting Rosanna Pike, A Little Trickery Rose Ruana, Birding Lucy Steeds, The Artist Elizabeth Strout, Tell Me Everything Yale van der Wouden, The Safekeep Nussaibah Younis, Fundamentally open image in gallery Deborah Joseph, Amelia Warner, Kitde Waal, Diana Evans and Bryony Gorden have selected the Womens Prize for Fiction 2025 longlist ( Women's Prize ) Several of the novels on this years longlist cross continents with sweeping stories of generations caught in the crosswinds of global events. Jenni Daichess Somewhere Else follows a refugee through two World Wars, the foundation of Israel and the fall of the Berlin Wall, whilst Saraid de Silvas Amma describes the plight of three generations of women from Singapore to Sri Lanka to New Zealand and London. Escape is a prominent theme in the list. In Roisin ODonnells Nesting, a woman flees with her children from domestic abuse only to face the uncertainty of a housing system about to collapse. Meanwhile, Aria Abers Good Girl describes a young womans attempt to leave behind the legacy of her immigrant parents by reinventing herself within Berlins artistic community. Stories of women challenging societys expectations around age, motherhood and sexuality also feature strongly on the list. Miranda Julys viral hit All Fours is an artists quest for a new kind of freedom in her mid-forties. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies Dream Count unravels the relationships, ambitions and trials faced by four African women living in the US and Nigeria. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Strouts Tell Me Everything weaves together stories of interlinked characters in a small New England town. open image in gallery The 16 longlisted novels will be whittled down to a shortlist of six over the next month ( Women's Prize ) Speaking to The Independent, chair of judges Kit de Waal, said: These are voices that are so modern. Its not just powerful writing. These are powerful women. She added: Its such a tribute to the women of today: Strong, powerful, know what we want to say, know who we are. If I could use the word unapologetic that would sum it up. Its such a fantastic list. Of her panels task of cutting down the list from 16 to six titles, Waal admitted: I dont know where to startTheres something in every single book, in terms of genre and subject matter, for everyone. Its a real tribute to womens thinking, womens voices, and womens view of the world. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A classic scene from the 1986 John Hughes comedy Ferris Buellers Day Off has resurfaced on social media as users link it to Donald Trumps newly introduced tariffs on Mexico and China. In the famous sequence, an economics teacher played by Ben Stein attempts to teach a listless class of students about how the introduction of tariffs exacerbated the Great Depression. Addressing the class and receiving no response to his many attempts to prompt his students, Steins teacher says: In 1930, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, in an effort to alleviate the effects of the... Anyone? Anyone? Great Depression. Passed the... anyone? anyone? The tariff bill. The Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act. Which... anyone? Raised or lowered? Raised tariffs in an effort to collect more revenue for the federal government. Did it work? Anyone?... Anyone know the effects?... It did not work, and the United States sank deeper into the Great Depression. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was introduced following the 1929 stock market crash by Republican politicians Senator Reed Smoot and Representative Willis Hawley. Ben Stein as an economics teacher in Ferris Buellers Day Off ( Paramount/YouTube ) President Herbert Hoover signed the tariff increases into law in 1930, and modern-day economists and historians now say the steep increases worsened the effects of the Great Depression. In 1932, Hoover was defeated in his bid for re-election by the Democratic candidate Franklin D Roosevelt, who introduced sweeping reforms and public work projects known as the New Deal. Both Smoot and Hawley lost their seats. On X/Twitter, one economics professor shared the clip with the caption: Ferris Bueller is strikingly more instructive than 99.99% of political commentators on tariffs. Another user added: Apparently it is once again time to bring back the lesson on tariffs from Ferris Bueller... Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Since Trumps tariffs came into effect earlier today, the stock markets have already tumbled as Wall Street braces for the impact on the USs largest trading partners. The president has introduced 25 percent trade tariffs on Mexico and Canada and also added an extra 10 percent levy on China on top of the 10 percent he imposed last month. Despite the prospect of its negative effects on the market, Trump said at the White House yesterday that there was no room left for Mexico or for Canada. He added: The tariffs, theyre all set; they go into effect tomorrow. The president has previously stressed that the tariffs are the result of the influx of drugs, namely fentanyl, coming into the U.S. from its neighbors. Just so you understand, vast amounts of fentanyl have poured into our country from Mexico, and as you know also from China ... it comes in from Canada, and it comes in from Mexico, and that's a very important thing to say, Trump claimed. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein has spoken out after Adrien Brody referenced his children in his Oscar acceptance speech. The Peaky Blinders star, 51, who has been dating the convicted rapists ex-wife Georgina Chapman, 48, since 2019, scooped the Best Actor gong for his performance in The Brutalist at the awards on Sunday (3 March). In his lengthy world record-breaking acceptance speech, Brody thanked Chapman and her two children, India and Dash, who she welcomed with Weinstein in 2010 and 2013. After throwing his used gum to Chapman as he walked to the stage, the actor said: 'I share this with my amazing partner Georgina, who has not only reinvigorated my own self-worth but my sense of value and my values and her beautiful children, Dash and India. Revealing the nickname Weinsteins children have for him, Brody continued: It's been a rollercoaster, but thank you for accepting me into your life, and Popsy's coming home a winner. Weinsteins spokesperson Juda Engelmayer told the Daily Mail: Harvey is happy for Georgina and grateful that his kids are being loved and cared for as they deserve to be. The former film producer, who suffers from chronic myeloid leukemia, diabetes and heart problems, is currently detained in Rikers Island, awaiting retrial, while also serving a 2022 conviction for raping an actress in 2013. open image in gallery Harvey Weinstein has addressed Adrien Brody mentioning his ex-wife and children in his Oscars acceptance speech ( Getty ) Last April, an appeals court overturned his 2020 rape conviction, arguing the court had made egregious errors by allowing prosecutors to call witnesses whose allegations were not related to the charges at hand. He has denied that he raped or sexually assaulted anyone. Actor and fashion designer Chapman filed to divorce Weinstein in October 2017 after the allegations against her husband came to light. The pair had been married for 10 years. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. open image in gallery Brody has been dating Weinstein's ex-wife Georgia Chapman since 2019 ( Getty Images ) Brody was seen kissing Halle Berry in a red carpet prank ahead of the awards ceremony on Sunday night in a recreation of a moment during the 2003 ceremony, during which Brody who was awarded Best Actor for The Pianist kissed Berry on the lips on stage. Posting footage of the 2025 kiss on social media, Berry said: Had to get some payback. Chapman later revealed that despite appearing shocked when the kiss took place, Berry had actually spoken to her beforehand about the prank. I mean how can you deny a man a kiss with Halle Berry? Chapman told Extra. He was more than fine [with it]. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jeremy Strongs stony-faced response to losing out to Succession co-star Kieran Culkin at the Oscars on Sunday (2 March) has prompted sympathy online. Both Strong and A Real Pain star Culkin , who played Kendall and Roman Roy in the hit HBO show, received nominations at this years Academy Awards. In a funny case of life imitating art, the actors, who vied for their fathers job in Succession, went head-to-head for the Best Supporting Actor trophy. Their onscreen father, Cox, refused to take sides. Strong was nominated for his performance as political fixer Roy Cohn in Donald Trump film The Apprentice, while Culkin was nominated in the same category for his role as Benji Kaplan in A Real Pain. Culkin won the award, with his Oscar coming after a Bafta and Golden Globe win for the same performance. He called out Strong in his acceptance speech as he said: Jeremy, you're amazing in The Apprentice. I love your work, it's f***ing... I'm not supposed to single anyone out its favouritism, but you were great. The actor appeared sullen and unmoved in response. open image in gallery Star appeared unimpressed ( Clip Courtesy of A.M.P.A.S. ) However, upon closer inspection, fans noticed that the night was a huge one for Strong, who had remained emotional throughout the ceremony. ABC presenters interviewed Strong on the red carpet, showing him a picture of himself as a child in 1993, waiting in the bleachers at the Awards. What a full circle moment they remarked. Thank you, that makes me emotional, he said. I was a kid, just like these kids here in the bleachers, so this is incredible to be here, its a dream. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Strong also received a shout out from Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr who also commented on the stars rise to fame, leaving him visibly moved. open image in gallery Star first attended the ceremony in 1993 ( ABC/Getty ) Hes also like a brother to me, said Downey Jr as he presented the award for Best Supporting Actor. I watched him come from sleeping in the bleachers outside the Oscars, the night I was nominated for Chaplin, through his blistering portrayal of Roy Cohn in The Apprentice, which was a masterclass. I dont think Ive ever been as an endeared by an actor as I am with Jeremy Strong, wrote one person on X/Twitter. It's actually kind of beautiful to see someone so completely genuine and earnest amongst all the fakeness of Hollywood, wrote another. Jeremy Strong, I love your love for your craft so dearly. Culkin and Strong were seen embracing after the awards, ending speculation of a rift between the pair. Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Dolly Parton has paid tribute to her husband, Carl Dean, following his death aged 82. The country music legend met her first and only husband, a businessman who owned a Nashville asphalt company, when she was 18, on the day she moved to the Tennessee capital. They were married two years later on 30 May 1966. I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me), Parton wrote of their encounter outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat. He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about. In a statement, Parton, 79, said Dean died on Monday 3 March. A cause of death was not disclosed. Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words cant do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy, she said. Through the years, Dean inspired much of Partons work, most famously Jolene, one of her biggest hits, when he became the subject of a flirtatious bank tellers attention. She regaled her audience at Glastonbury with the story behind the song in 2014, when she performed in the legends slot on the Pyramid Stage. Now, some of you may or may not know that this song was loosely based on a little bit of truth, she told her fans. I wrote that years ago when my husband [was] spending a little more time with Jolene than I thought he should be. As the crowd booed, she continued: I got rid of that redhead woman in a hurry. I want you folks to know, though, that something good can come from anything. Had it not been for that woman I would never have written Jolene, and I wouldnt have made all that money, so thank you, Jolene. Fifty years after the song was first released, Parton reflected on how it had affected her relationship with Dean during an appearance on the BBCs The One Show. He was a little embarrassed when I wrote the song Jolene because, actually, it wasnt as serious [as it seems], she explained. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. I was just jealous cause she was a beautiful woman and he was just flirting. open image in gallery Dolly Parton performing at Glastonbury Festival ( PA ) A number of other artists have covered Jolene over the years, including Partons goddaughter Miley Cyrus, who has also duetted on the song with her on several occasions. More recently, pop megastar Beyonce featured her take on the song on her Grammy-winning 2024 album, Cowboy Carter. Parton praised Beyonces lyrical changes, commenting: Beyonce is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it. In an interview with The Independent, Parton said that Dean also inspired her 2023 album Rockstar, as many of the songs she chose to cover were his favourites. open image in gallery Dolly Parton on the cover of her 2023 album, Rockstar ( Butterfly Records via AP ) Parton and Dean kept their relationship strictly private, prompting her to tell the Associated Press in 1984 that people often doubted her husbands existence. A lot of people say theres no Carl Dean, that hes just somebody I made up to keep other people off me, she said, joking that he had only seen her perform once. She added that he was a romantic who would occasionally write poems for her. Were really very proud of our marriage. Its the first for both of us. And the last, Parton wrote in 2011. Dean is survived by Parton and by his two living siblings, Sandra and Donnie. Partons statement this week said that Dean will be laid to rest in a private ceremony, with immediate family attending. Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jay-Z has filed a lawsuit against lawyer Tony Buzbee, his colleague David Fortney and their Jane Doe client over their previously dropped suit alleging that he and Sean Diddy Combs sexually assaulted her when she was 13. The music mogul, real name Shawn Carter, filed the suit on Monday 3 March, in which he argues that the woman made false and defamatory statements about him for financial gain. In the lawsuit filed in Alabama where the woman reportedly lives and seen by US media, Jay-Z also said that both the woman and her lawyers, Buzbee and Fortney, were soullessly motivated by greed, in abject disregard of the truth and the most fundamental precepts of human decency. The Jane Doe withdrew her lawsuit in February without prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. She added Jay-Z as a defendant in December, two months after first filing the suit against Combs in New York. In the lawsuit, the woman alleged that she had been offered a ride to a party at a private residence by a limo driver for Combs, following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000. Once there, she claimed, she was raped by Jay-Z and Combs. Both men vehemently denied the allegations. open image in gallery Jay-Z is suing lawyer Tony Buzbee (right) and the woman who accused him of rape ( Getty ) Jay-Z alleged in his new lawsuit that the October filing was founded on false information from the Jane Doe and her lawyers, and that they launched to extort him through a menacing private demand letter. The filing claimed that the woman voluntarily admitted to Jay-Zs representative that he did not assault her and that Buzbee pushed her to go forward with the false narrative of the assault by Mr Carter in order to leverage a maximum payday. In a statement to People on 3 March, Buzbee said: This new case alleges the same claims as the other one they pieced together and filed in Los Angeles. Like the one in LA, this new case in Alabama also has no legal merit she stands by her claims. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. The statement continued: After speaking with Jane Doe today, it appears that the quotes attributed to her in the lawsuit are completely made up, or they spoke to someone who isnt Jane Doe. This is just another attempt to intimidate and bully this poor woman that we will deal with in due course. We wont be bullied or intimidated by frivolous cases. Jay-Z called the woman's decision to withdraw the lawsuit a victory and said the fictional tale she and her lawyers created was laughable. open image in gallery Jay-Z called the lawsuit a fictional tale created by the woman and her lawyers ( Getty Images ) The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed, he said in a statement posted on social media. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions. The system has failed. The court must protect victims, OF COURSE, while with the same ethical responsibility, the courts must protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence. May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally. Combs remains in prison in New York awaiting a criminal trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Matt Lucas has issued an apology to Millie Bobby Brown after comparing her to one of his Little Britain characters. The Stranger Things star, 21, recently responded to online criticism of her appearance, condemning posts and articles commenting on her face, hair, and body as bullying. Lucas, 50, re-shared images of Brown wearing a pink tracksuit and silver hoop earrings with her blonde hair in a messy bun on social media alongside Vicky Pollards signature catchphrase: No but yeah but. Following Browns statement on the backlash against her new look, Lucas wrote on Instagram on Tuesday (4 March): Dear Millie, I just saw your post and wanted to respond, and provide some context. He continued: Nearly 25 years ago I co-wrote and appeared in a sketch show called Little Britain. There was a character in it called Vicky Pollard, who had blonde hair and always wore a pink top, and in the photo you had blonde hair and wore a pink top so I pointed out the similarity by posting one of her catchphrases. Lucas added that he thought Brown looked terrific and was mortified when news outlets reported that he had slammed her. First, because thats not my style and secondly because I think youre brilliant, he said. I would not have posted it if I had thought it would have upset you but I realise it has and for that I apologise, the comedian concluded. Hours earlier, Brown shared a video to her Instagram calling out journalists who had written stories that included criticism of her appearance. I started in this industry when I was 10 years old, she said. I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people cant seem to grow with me. Instead, they act like Im supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Thingsseason one. And because I dont, Im now a target. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. open image in gallery Millie Bobby Brown issued a statement after comments about her appearance went viral online ( Getty Images for Netflix ) Brown then went on to read out the headlines of some of the sexist coverage of her aging so badly, as well as the names of the authors she says are so desperate to tear young women down. This isn't journalism. This is bullying, the Enola Holmes star continued. The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices is disturbing. And the fact that some of these articles are written by women makes it even worse. We always talk about supporting and uplifting young but when it comes down to it, it seems a lot easier to just tear them down for clicks. open image in gallery Paul Reiser and Millie Bobby Brown on Netflixs Stranger Things' ( Netflix ) Disillusioned people can't handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not their own. I refuse to apologise for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who cant handle seeing a girl become a woman. I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK, continues to inspire a morbid fascination in the public imagination. This week, ITV will premiere a new dramatisation of Elliss life, crime, and eventual execution. Lucy Boynton will play the central role in A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story. The four-part drama also stars Toby Jones, Toby Stephens, Juliet Stevenson, and Laurie Davidson as Elliss partner, David Blakely. For those unfamiliar with the case, Ellis was a Welsh waitress and nude model-turned-Knightsbridge nightclub hostess. On 10 April 1955, she fatally shot Blakely, 25, outside of a Hampstead pub after suspecting him of being unfaithful. Ellis was arrested and found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey before being jailed at HM Prison Holloway. By 13 July, she had been hanged to death. Despite her shocking demise, Ellis had already lived a tragic life. Her sexually abusive father, Arthur, had impregnated his eldest daughter, Muriel, when she was only 14. Arthur began targeting Ruth when she turned 11, but she was protected by her older sister. After dropping out of school, Ellis fell into a string of abusive relationships with unreliable men, two of whom got her pregnant. She was only 17 when she gave birth to her first child, a boy she named Andy. open image in gallery ( ITV ) As a single mother living in post-war London and struggling to make a living, Ellis began nude modelling, which led her to become a nightclub hostess at The Court Club in Hampstead. By 1953, she was the manager of The Little Club in Knightsbridge, where she had become a well-known figure, and had a number of celebrity friends. Around this time, she became infatuated with the abusive Blakely, whom she met through Formula One driver Mike Hawthorn. Blakey was a louche public schoolboy and keen amateur racing driver, who was prone to bouts of drinking and depression. Within weeks of meeting each other, Blakely had moved into Elliss flat above the nightclub, despite being engaged to another woman. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. That being said, their relationship wasnt exclusive and they still saw other people, including Desmond Cussen, a former RAF pilot who Ellis had moved in with. Blakelys actions towards Ellis, perhaps out of jealousy, became increasingly violent during this period, culminating in a miscarriage after he punched her in the stomach in January 1955. open image in gallery Ruth Ellis pictured in 1954 ( Getty Images ) On 10 April 1955, outside the Magdala pub in Hampstead, Ellis shot Blakely five times with a revolver. Ellis tried to fire a sixth shot, but the bullet ricocheted off the ground and hit a bystander, Gladys Yule, who lost the use of her right thumb because of the wound. She would later reveal that Cussen gave her the gun and taught her how to use it. Ellis was said to have made no attempt to flee the crime scene and was promptly arrested. Ellis reportedly asked Blakelys friend Clive Gunnell, who was with Blakely at the time, to call the police, saying: "I am guilty, Im rather confused." Upon arrest, Ellis was taken to Hampstead police station but showed no signs of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Upon further medical examination, Ellis showed no signs of any mental illnesses. Ellis was trialled at the Number One Court at the Old Bailey on 20 June 1955. Prosecutor Christmas Humphreys asked her just one question: When you fired the revolver at close range into the body of David Blakely, what did you intend to do? open image in gallery David Blakely in 1955 ( Getty Images ) She replied: It's obvious when I shot him I intended to kill him. This confession was enough for the jury, who only spent 20 minutes deliberating, to find Ellis guilty and sentenced her to execution, which was the mandatory punishment for murder at the time. Ellis was executed at 9:01am on 13 July 1955 by the famed hangman Albert Pierrepoint. As was customary with British executions, Ellis was buried in an unmarked grave in Holloway Prison. She was 28. Her execution caused public outrage and contributed to growing support for the abolition of the death penalty, which was eventually suspended in 1965. A petition signed by 50,000 people called for Elliss pardon on the grounds she could have been tried for manslaughter, and was submitted to the Home Office. It was ultimately rejected. Further calls for her pardon, taking into account the abuse she had suffered, were brought forward in 2003 and 2007, but both failed to pass. Although it took a decade, the Ellis case did much to advance the abolition of the death penalty in Britain, which finally came to pass in 1965. Elliss legacy has been cemented in the world of film, television and theatre. Most famously, Miranda Richardson portrayed Ruth Ellis in Mike Newells moving Dance with a Stranger (1985). Richardson brilliantly captured Elliss brassy vitality and almost masochistic devotion to Blakely (Rupert Everett), a playboy who took everything for granted while she fought for every scrap. open image in gallery Lucy Boynton and Laurie Davidson in 'A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story' ( ITV ) Whether the new dramatisation, based on Carol Ann Lees 2012 book A Fine Day for a Hanging, will shed any new light on Elliss life or her case remains to be seen. Regardless, the cruelty and sad conclusion to her life leave Ellis with an inauspicious place in British history. A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story begins on ITV1 and ITVX on 5 March. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Chinese company was pulled up by officials after backlash to a notice that required unmarried employees to be married by the end of September or face potential termination. The Shuntian Chemical Group, located in east Chinas Shandong province, issued a notice last week that stated that the company believed in the values of diligence, kindness, loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness, according to The Global Times. Further, it said that employees should live by these values in their own lives, and that marriage and children were the road to doing so. Not responding to the governments call to improve the marriage rate is disloyal. Not listening to your parents is not filial. Letting yourself be single is not benevolent. Failing your colleagues expectations is unjust, the notice read, according to a translation by the South China Morning Post. To do so, the notice instructed all single and divorced employees aged 28-58 to get married and settle down by 30 September 2025. Those who were unable to do so by the end of March would be required to write a self-criticism letter. By the end of June, the company would conduct an evaluation of the still-unmarried employees, and those still single at the end of September would be fired. Local media reported that the press were told it was an internal decision taken by senior management. However, a company spokesperson clarified later that the policy was intended to urge older unmarried employees to get married, according to The Global Times. A company spokesperson clarified that the policy was intended to urge older unmarried employees to get married ( Getty Images ) The local human resources and social security bureau reportedly met with company officials on 13 February, pointing out that its notice was a violation of certain provisions of the countrys labour laws. The company withdrew its notice the following day. Chinas birthrate has been steadily declining since the late 1980s after it introduced a strict one child policy to control the rapidly growing population. Total population fell for the third consecutive year in 2024. It was still the worlds most populous country until India took the lead in April 2023. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Chinas population declined by 1.39 million in 2024, reaching 1.408 billion, as deaths continued to surpass births. The country officially ended its one-child policy in 2016, but it resulted in a skewed population due to a cultural preference for male children. Despite government initiatives to encourage young couples to marry and have children, the number of registered marriages plummeted to just over 6.1 million in 2025, a significant drop from 7.68 million in 2021. The high cost of childcare, education, job uncertainty, and a slowing economy have discouraged many young Chinese from marrying and starting families, demographers believe. They also point to gender discrimination and traditional expectations for women to manage the household as contributing factors to the declining birthrate. The Independent has reached out to Shuntian Chemical Group for comment. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A High Court in Taiwan on Tuesday sentenced a man to eight years in prison for stabbing his "bully" flatmate to death. The 26-year-old defendant surnamed Yang was accused of brutally stabbing his 52-year-old flatmate surnamed Wang in their rented apartment in Sanchong District, New Taipei City. Yang, who had allegedly been enduring the bullying and physical attacks from his flatmate, stabbed the elder man on 10 October 2023 following a scuffle between them. The altercation broke out when the defendant, who worked at a karaoke bar, failed to thank his flatmate for opening the door for him. Wang reportedly asked Yang why he did not say "thank you", to which the defendant responded: "I'm sorry, thank you!" But Wang, unsatisfied with the response, chased after Yang and punched him, reported Taiwan news channel TVBS. Yang suffered a bruise on his left cheek and retaliated by stabbing Wang three times in the chest and once in the abdomen with a 20-cm-long military knife. Wang was found in a pool of blood and subsequently rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, China Times reported. Upon realising his actions, Yang stood by the body, awaiting the arrival of the police. In custody, Yang claimed he was assaulted by the other person because he didn't say thank you, which led him to retaliate. He reportedly told police that he deeply regretted his behaviour. The New Taipei District Court's National Judges Division had initially sentenced Yang to eight years in prison for murder, which the prosecution appealed arguing that Yang had failed to reach a settlement with the victim's family and that the sentence was too light. However, the Taiwan High Court on Tuesday held that the appeal was groundless, upholding the initial sentencing. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened the Donald Trump administration with retaliatory action for stepping up political and military provocations with the deployment of the USS Carl Vinson in South Korea. Kim Yo Jong, a senior member of the ruling Workers Party of Korea, said her country was planning a retaliatory action by bolstering its nuclear deterrence and increasing the actions threatening the security of the enemy at the strategic level. The strongly worded statement came as the American aircraft carrier and its strike group arrived in the Busan port on Sunday. The nuclear-powered Carl Vinson was the first US aircraft carrier to dock in the Korean peninsula since Mr Trump took office for a second term in January. North Korea bitterly condemns the reckless visible actions and muscle-flexing of the US and its vassal forces disregarding and violating a sovereign state's security concern and jeopardizing the peaceful environment in the whole region, Ms Kim said, according to state media KCNA. She said the Trump administration was carrying forward" the Joe Biden administrations hostile policy towards North Korea with stepped-up political and military provocations. This was sufficient justification for Pyongyang to strengthen its nuclear deterrence indefinitely, she added. Listing the alleged provocations by the Trump administration, Ms Kim noted that the US deployed strategic B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula during joint drills with South Korea and Japan between 15 January and 20 February. She also criticised a pledge made by the three allies at a security conference in Munich in February that called for the denuclearisation of the North. The enemies should not test the will and ability of the DPRK to defend the sovereignty and security interests of the state by mobilising all means in hand, she said, referring to North Korea by its official name of Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The renewed tension dampened hopes that Mr Trumps return could improve US relations with North Korea, which deteriorated under the Biden administration. In his first term from 2016 to 2020, Mr Trump held summits with Mr Kim to thaw relations and promised during his campaign to reach out again, touting their personal rapport. South Korea reacted to Ms Kims statement saying it was merely deception and "sophistry" to justify the Norths nuclear and missile development. "North Korea's nuclear weapons are never acceptable, and the only way for North Korea to survive is to abandon its obsession and delusion about nuclear weapons," the defence ministry in Seoul said in a statement on Tuesday. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A British man who has spent seven years in jail in India on terror charges that could carry the death penalty has been acquitted in one of the nine cases against him. Jagtar Singh Johal, a 37-year-old Dumbarton-based campaigner for Sikh rights, was detained in Indias Punjab state in 2017 over accusations of involvement with the banned Sikh separatist Khalistani Liberation Force. Mr Johal has denied any wrongdoing, and a UN panel ruled that he had been arbitrarily detained in May 2022. His family claim Mr Johal has been subjected to torture, including the administering of electric shocks, during his time in prison. A district court in Moga, Punjab, on Tuesday acquitted him after prosecutors failed to produce credible evidence linking him to a terrorist organisation. This is the first time any of the allegations against Mr Johal have been brought to trial. In this case, he was accused of travelling to Paris in 2013 to hand over 3,000 to a co-conspirator, with prosecutors alleging that the money was to be used for funding attacks against Hindu nationalists. open image in gallery Jagtar Singh Johal has been detained in India since 2017 (Family handout/PA) ( PA Media ) Jagtar has been acquitted of all charges in this case. This case was brought in to cover up the police and narco mafia in the state, Johals lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur told The Independent from the court. Just the way Jagar was acquitted in this case due to lack of evidence, we are hopeful that he would be similarly acquitted in the remaining eight cases. Mr Johals family and supporters say the other eight cases are linked to this first, and have applied for them to be dropped in the wake of Tuesdays verdict. Mr Johal appeared before the court via video call from a jail in central Delhi, and his lawyer said he looked frail. His health is alright but he is under tremendous mental harassment, Mr Manjhpur said. open image in gallery Members of the Free Jaggi Now Campaign hand a petition in to 10 Downing Street in 2022 marking the five years Johal had spent in detention ( PA Archive ) Gurpreet Singh Johal, Mr Johals brother, has called on Sir Keir Starmers administration to press the Indian government for his release. Weve always said the allegations against Jagtar are baseless, and now the court in Punjab has agreed, the whole case against him has been exposed as a fabrication, Gurpreet Singh Johal said in a statement. Jagtar has not been able to hug his wife for seven years. All this time, hes been locked up in an Indian jail for something he didnt do. I will only believe this nightmare is over when hes here with us at home, but today feels like a significant moment, he said. Mr Johal was initially arrested in connection with an arms recovery case but later named in seven targeted attack cases, five of them murder charges related to the separatist movement. He has reportedly been held in solitary confinement since 2019. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A tattoo artist in Indias eastern city of Bhubaneswar has been arrested after a woman had a local deitys likeness inked on her thigh. The tattoo sparked outrage from Hindu groups and devotees. A case was filed against the tattoo parlour owner in the wake of the protests for allegedly outraging religious sentiments. The parlour owner, Rocky Ranjan Bisoi, 33, told police that one of his artists, Ashwini Kumar Pradhan, 25, had tattooed the Italian womans thigh at her request. Mr Bisoi had posted a picture of the woman and her tattoo as his WhatsApp status. The image went viral on social media, sparking outrage and prompting him to delete the post. Subrat Kumar Mohanty, self-described social activist, filed a police complaint against Mr Bisoi after finding a photo of a foreign woman on the social media account of Rocky Tattooz where Lord Jagannaths tattoo was seen on her thigh, an objectionable placement. Jagannath is the presiding deity of the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, one of the most revered Hindu shrines and pilgrimage centres in India. The tattoo has hurt our religious sentiments, Mr Mohanty said in his complaint, and we demand a public apology at Puri. A Hindu priest removes an idol of Lord Jagannath from a seafront temple to a safer place while strong winds batter Balasore district in Odisha state on May 26, 2021 as Cyclone Yaas barrels towards India's eastern coast in the Bay of Bengal ( AFP via Getty Images ) The woman, reportedly an Italian NGO worker in Odishas Kandhamal region, apologised saying she was a devotee and did not intend disrespect. A local police official, Biswa Ranjan Senapati, told The Times of india that police would definitely question her and issue her a warning since she seems to be unaware of our religious sentiments. During the investigation, we found that the foreign lady had visited the tattoo shop on March 1. Under the instruction of the tattoo shop owner Rocky Ranjan Bisoi, Aswini Kumar Pradhan drew the tattoo on the thigh of the woman, he was quoted as saying by PTI news agency. In his complaint, Mr Mohanty argued that the parlour owner should have prevented the foreigner from getting the deitys image tattooed on an unsuitable body location. Mr Bisoi even took a photo of the foreigner with the tattoo and posted it on social media, he added. Amid the outrage, Mr Bisoi and the foreign woman issued separate video apologies on social media. I sincerely apologise as the tattoo was inked in our studio. I also seek forgiveness on behalf of the artist who created it. The woman, an Italian national, visited our shop on Saturday, expressing her deep devotion to Lord Jagannath and requesting the tattoo, he said. She specifically asked for it to be placed on her thigh as she works in an NGO where tattoos in visible areas of the body are not permitted. The woman promised to remove the tattoo once it had healed. She said in a video message on her social media: I did not want to be disrespectful. Im a true devotee of Lord Jagannath. I go to the temple every day. I made a mistake and for this, Im very sorry. I just asked the artist to ink the tattoo in a hidden place. I didnt want to create any situation. Im very sorry for this. As soon as the tattoo area heals, I will have it removed. Forgive me for my mistake. The parlour owner claimed the woman decided to have the tattoo on her thigh despite him advising against it. The name and age of the woman was not publicly disclosed. There have been several incidents over the years of foreigners being accused of hurting the religious sentiments, intentionally or unintentionally, of the local people in Asian nations. In 2023, a Russian man was deported from Indonesia after a viral photo showed him stripping atop Balis sacred Mount Agung. Despite apologising, he was reportedly banned from returning to the country for at least six months. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Prince Hisahito, the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to Japans throne, held his first news conference on Monday, vowing to take his royal duties seriously. At the press conference, held at the Akasaka Estate in Tokyo to mark his coming of age, the 18-year-old shared his perspective on the emperors symbolic role, echoing the views of his grandfather, former Emperor Akihito, and his uncle. It is important (for the Imperial family) to pay attention to people's lives and the state of society, he said. As a young member of the Imperial Family, I am determined to fulfil my role, Prince Hisahito said. Japans postwar constitution defines the emperor as the symbol of the state and the unity of the people of Japan. Prince Hisahito officially became an adult last September, marking the first time in nearly 39 years that a male member of the Imperial family has reached adulthood since his father, Crown Prince Fumihito, in November 1985. Prince Hisahito is also the first member of the Imperial family to come of age under Japan's revised Civil Code, which lowered the legal adulthood age from 20 to 18 in April 2022. He is the only heir of his generation in the Japanese Imperial family, as the Imperial House Law permits only males with direct male-line descent from emperors to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne. The Imperial House Law is a legal framework that regulates the Japanese imperial family, covering imperial succession, family membership, and official responsibilities. The other successors are his 59-year-old father, Crown Prince Fumihito, and the emperors 89-year-old uncle, Prince Hitachi. Currently in his third year at Tokyo's Senior High School at Otsuka, University of Tsukuba, the prince will begin studying biology at the universitys School of Life and Environmental Sciences in April. I have long been fascinated by insects, particularly dragonflies, and I hope to study them more broadly. I want to fully commit to my studies while also engaging in extracurricular activities, he said. During the press conference, he also said that he had not yet given much thought to the ideal timing or partner regarding marriage, according to Japans Kyodo News. File. Japan will host a coming-of-age palace ceremony for Prince Hisahito on his 19th birthday on 6 September ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) He also said that the issue of climate change was of interest to him. I am concerned that it causes many natural disasters and affects people's lives. He is also concerned about the impact (of climate change) on peoples lives. Japan will host a coming-of-age palace ceremony for Prince Hisahito on his 19th birthday on 6 September. Japans Imperial family is shrinking as female members, including Prince Hisahitos sister, former Princess Mako, lose their imperial status if they marry a commoner. Of the 16 current members, 11 are women, including his sister Princess Kako and Princess Aiko, Emperor Naruhitos daughter. Concerns over the familys future have sparked debate on revising succession laws, but a government panel deferred a decision in 2021 on allowing women or matrilineal descendants to inherit the throne. Stabilising the number of members of the Imperial family is a particularly urgent issue, prime minister Shigeru Ishiba said in October. In the same month, a UN committee said that Japan should guarantee the equality of women and men in the succession to the throne in line with good practices in other monarchies. Japan rejected the committees recommendation, arguing that succession is unrelated to human rights or gender discrimination. In January, it cut funding to a UN womens rights committee and suspended a members visit in response. The Imperial succession crisis has been a longstanding issue in Japan, where opinion polls consistently show strong public support for allowing a female monarch. A recent survey found that nearly 90 per cent of Japanese people favour the idea of an empress. Since Japanese royals must remain apolitical, they often pursue studies in fields like biology, literature, and the arts, CNN reported. Emperor Naruhito specialises in water transport, while his father, Emperor Emeritus Akihito (who abdicated in 2019), researches fish. Prince Hisahitos father, Crown Prince Akishino, is an expert on chickens. Additional reporting by agencies. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Philippine Air Force fighter jet went missing during a night-time tactical operation on Tuesday, losing communication just before reaching its target. The countrys military has launched a major search operation, but it was unclear if the personal locator beacons of the two pilots were still emitting signals. An unnamed Philippine military official told the Associated Press that the jet went missing during an anti-insurgency operation against communist guerrillas in a southern province. The aircraft lost communication with the rest of the flight involved in the mission minutes before reaching the target area. The other aircraft repeatedly attempted to re-establish contact with the missing aircraft until its return to Mactan, Cebu, air force spokesperson Colonel Maria Consuelo Castillo in a statement. The air force was conducting extensive and thorough search operations to locate the missing jet fighter aircraft, she said. Our primary concern right now is the safe return of our aircrew. Were hopeful of locating them and the aircraft soon and ask you to join us in prayer during this critical time, Ms Castillo added. The incident marked the first major mishap involving the air forces fleet of FA-50s, which were acquired under former president Benigno Aquino III. Authorities did not disclose any details about the fighter jets mission but confirmed that it was supporting ongoing military operations. Ms Castillo said the jet was deployed as part of the air forces regular support to the ongoing operations of our unified commands. We are hopeful that we will still be able to recover, she said. We are more concerned about the safety of the aircrew right now, and we are still very optimistic that they are safe. The disappearance of the aircraft coincided with airstrikes in the Pantaron mountain range in the region of Northern Mindanao, where government forces engaged around 70 New Peoples Army rebels, according to Rappler. The New Peoples Army was formed in 1969. The military reportedly requested air support to weaken the rebels near Cabanglasan, with airstrikes conducted between 1 and 2am on 4 March, the outlet reported. The Philippine authorities did not confirm if FA-50 jets were involved in the strikes. Residents in Cabanglasan shared videos on social media capturing the loud sounds of jets flying overhead during the airstrikes. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Vietnam is relaxing its two-child policy to tackle the sharp decline in birth rate amid concerns for the ageing population. The health ministry is reportedly considering allowing couples to decide the number and timing of their children after the country's birth rate plunged into one of the lowest in Southeast Asia. Vietnam's birth rate hit a record low in 2024 with the total fertility rate dropping to just 1.91 children per woman, according to the government data. Experts claim the birth rate was below the level needed to keep the population stable to avoid potential labour shortages and socio-economic challenges due to the ageing population. The country has also been struggling with disparities in birth rates, with some areas reporting lower numbers than others. Ho Chi Minh City recorded the lowest rate in Vietnam at 1.39 children per woman, whereas the northern Ha Giang province had the highest numbers at 2.69. Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, the deputy health minister, emphasised that the government must act fast to prevent a population decline. "We need to encourage larger families by reducing penalties for having more than two children and offering financial support," she said, according to Vietnamnet Global. Vietnam's birth rate remained stable from 1999 to 2022 at around 2.1, but declined in 2023 and the subsequent year. The birth rate is projected to continue declining, which would mark the end of its golden population period by 2039, according to reports. The two-child policy was initially imposed in the 1960s to manage the baby boom in the poor and rural population. The rule was scrapped in 2003, before being reimposed in 2008. Vietnam is among several Asian countries to have reported a steady decline in birth rate due to rising cost of living, economic uncertainty and a cultural shift towards prioritising quality of life. In countries like South Korea, which has one of the lowest birth rates in Asia, women have cited the heavy emotional and physical burden of raising a child mostly by themselves, financial crisis and lost career opportunities as reasons to set a trend of not giving birth. Japan last year recorded its lowest number of births in 125 years, falling ninth straight year despite the governments efforts to reverse the decline. Japan recorded 720,988 births in 2024, five per cent down from the previous year, the health ministry announced in February. Similarly, China witnessed a record 20 per cent plunge in marriages last year, marking the steepest decline ever recorded despite government initiatives to encourage couples to marry and have children. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Vodafone have launched their new satellite mobile programme as they look to eliminate zones of no coverage. The link up with AST SpaceMobile, a Texas-based company, has a target of reaching 100 per cent coverage across the entirety of Europe and will be challenging the likes of Starlink, part of Elon Musk-owned company SpaceX, the Amazon-owned Space Kuiper and OneWeb, which is part of the French organisation Eutelsat. Vodafone completed what they called the worlds first space-based mobile video call from an area with zero mobile coverage in January, and now under the new venture - called SatCo - plan to commercially offer their technology to other mobile operators across the continent. In practice, its intended that this means mobile phone users will be able to switch from their 4G or 5G networks, through to satellite coverage on the same device. Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle has previously noted how that differentiates the service from Starlink and others, saying that that people associated it with requiring special devices, dishes and the like, rather than simply using their current mobile phones. Ms Della Valle has been restructuring Vodafone since taking over as chief executive in April 2023, including selling off divisions in Italy and Spain since then and overseeing the 15bn merger with Three in the UK, which is expected to go through later this year. While the Vodafone share price has fallen 50 per cent over the past five years, it has largely stabilised since July 2023, trading a relatively narrow price band of around 80 pence to 65 pence per share since then. It currently sits at 70p, up 2.6 per cent in 2025. The company sits in 30th spot in the FTSE 100 table by its market capitalisation of 17.7bn. While the UK operations have been improving, sales in its biggest market, Germany, fell in its most recent trading quarter, partly due to domestic law changes around TV package bundling. In order to complete the Three merger, Vodafone agreed to invest billions in the combined 5G network in the UK, while now this space race endeavour will see them invest further in eliminating service not-spots, as theyve been dubbed, potentially growing future revenues across Europe as a result. open image in gallery ( AFP via Getty Images ) Vodafones space-based mobile broadband will mean our customers can stay connected, wherever they are, Ms Della Valle said. Our new satellite company will be able to offer this pioneering technology to other European mobile operators through a turnkey service that combines Vodafones leading network and engineering with AST SpaceMobiles antennas in the sky. Other UK operators have trialled Starlink technology to do the same, but Vodafone believe their approach the superior one due to no additional hardware being required. The Telegraph reported in February that ministers may scale back a 1bn project to bring coverage to the most rural areas, in a bid to save on costs. En route to the airport at 8 oclock on a weekday morning, a young woman made a surprising pit stop: Madison Avenue Furs, where she declared: Im leaving here with a fur. This store, on a nondescript street in midtown Manhattan, is apparently TikToks latest viral discovery. Ever since a string of 20-something influencers shopped there and posted about it, there has been a steady stream (and occasional swarm) of Gen Z shoppers, according to owner Larry Cowitt. I've never in 42 years seen so many young women coming in and wanting to have something, anything, in fur, Cowitt tells me as I sit across from him in his office, a few feet away from the early morning customer. He adds: Theyre from all over the world, too. I got 20-year-olds coming in from Columbia (University), New York University, and out of the country. For decades, real fur has been taboo to the point of being banned across much of the fashion industry. Anti-fur groups coordinated international campaigns featuring graphic imagery, protesters hurled red paint at wearers and stormed catwalks, PETA ran a decades-long celebrity-backed movement in the 1990s and 2000s featuring nude models and actresses photographed under the slogan Id rather go naked than wear fur, and luxury fashion houses such as Gucci, Prada, Versace and Marc Jacobs outlawed it. But now, the culture seems to be shifting. Influencers are posting photos and videos of themselves in real fur, and younger consumers are being, well, influenced and theyre dropping hundreds of dollars on vintage upcycled furs. So, is the stigma of real fur over? open image in gallery Model Anna Nicole Smith poses on Rodeo Drive next to her poster promoting a new "Gentlemen Prefer Fur-Free Blondes" PETA ad in 2004 ( Getty ) Gen Zs craving for vintage fur and the viral mob wife aesthetic Gen Z is on the hunt for real, vintage fur. Theyre digging through their grandmothers closets, lining up around the block for cut-price sales and trawling resale sites like eBay and The Real Real. But why? Neri Sillaman, an NYU adjunct professor and fashion historian, says fur became a marker of wealth in the 1950s when it became a status symbol. Several old money TikTok trends have recently emerged with anti-progressive undertones and conservative views of femininity like MAGA makeup and the trad wife influencers. The Mob Wife craze a satirical style model for the fictional, self-assured partners of tough men (think Carmela Soprano) in stilettos and mammoth fur coats has been one key in the resurgence of animal hide garments. In the Oscar-nominated 2024 film Anora, actor Mikey Madison plays a 23-year-old Brooklyn stripper who marries the 21-year-old son of a Russian oligarch. The first thing she demands with her new money (after her 5-carat diamond ring) is a black Russian sable fur coat. Eloise Dufka, a beauty and style influencer with more than 612,000 followers, cited the mob wife trend as part of her style inspiration. She bought a $1,600 full-length vintage coyote coat and posted a video on January 23 that added to Madison Avenue Furs popularity. Eloise, 25, told The Independent: I remember the Mob Wife. T here was just this level of confidence and appeal that came with owning a fur. Now, stepping into being more confident, independent, I was like, this really just fits with the energy that I want to portray and also feel inside. open image in gallery Influencer Eloise Dufka, 25, on the subway in her $1,600 vintage coyote coat from Madison Avenue Furs, said: There was just this level of confidence and appeal that came with owning a fur. ( Eloise Dufka ) open image in gallery Madison Avenue Furs has been selling brand new, second-hand, and vintage fur garments and accessories for 42 years ( Eloise Dufka ) I spoke with 22-year-old Sophia Rofe, who went shopping at Madison Avenue Furs on her lunch break. Her visit was inspired by the luxury style influencer Audrey Peters, who has more than a million social media followers. After Peters (whose word on style, Sophia says, is Bible) posted about the store on her Instagram story, Sophia and her two friends made the pilgrimage to midtown Manhattan. Within an hour, they had each bought a coat. Sophia bought a $980 marble mink and posted about it on TikTok while her friends spent between $600 and $700 on theirs. Sophia has since been back and spent $850 on another mink coat and a rabbit fur coat. One of my best friends is getting married soon, and I was like, You need a fur, Sophia told me. When I got there, it was game over for me. I feel like fur adds that air of wanting to look expensive. Mob definitely brought this all back, but I think it took a second for it to translate into (fur) coats for people. At first, it was makeup. open image in gallery Sophia Rofe and her two friends at Madison Avenue Furs, Gen Zs viral discovery in midtown Manhattan ( Sophia Rofe ) 22-year-old Sophia Rofe shops at TikTok's viral store Madison Avenue Furs Madison Avenue Furss owners, brothers Steve and Larry Cowitt, have adjusted their stock to accommodate Gen Zs demand for pre-owned and vintage items. Larry said: They're coming in for oversized, long hair, usually mink. They're buying foxes, they're buying raccoons, they're buying anything that's in-your-face or out there. Theyre not caring as long as it is upcycled, he continues, referring to used garments thatve been repurposed and updated. We do sell new furs, but I feel that the younger people coming in are looking for more upcycled and more pre-owned. open image in gallery Madison Avenue Furs owners Steve (left) and Larry (right) Cowitt ( Kaleigh Werner/The Independent ) Celebrity influencers and Instagram dressing Instagram this winter has been a catalogue for fur. Picture influencers in Aspen gliding through the snow in heels and an enormous fur coat. Kendall Jenner has become the poster girl for this opulent, cold-weather style aesthetic after she was recently seen strolling through the ski town in a 2011 Balenciaga fox fur coat. Many young girls, with a penchant for instantaneous purchasing, are following their algorithm like its a winter wardrobe builder that shows theyre in the know (cue the fashion girlies will understand captions). Professor Sillaman explained that fur is still viewed as a marker of social standing. She said: It (fur) represents you as cool and as trendy now, as fashionable as the influencers. It's quite ironic, though, because fashion is about being individual and having your own voice and your own individuality expressed. But almost everyone looks the same because social media tells you if you wear this coat, you will look cool. Walking through downtown Manhattan, you can see the Instagram dressing in action, with Gen Z women pairing their furs with Adidas Samba sneakers and balaclavas to make it more streetwear. A fur is just so nice, Sophia said. You could just cover up everything you're wearing, and you could be in sweatpants and still look so chic. I wear mine everywhere. I wear mine to the gym. I have one that I wear specifically to Barry's Bootcamp because if I'm a little sweaty, then I don't want to wear the more expensive ones. open image in gallery Sophia Rofe, 22, snaps a picture of herself in her mink fur coat from Madison Avenue Furs ( Sophia Rofe ) Ashley Byrne from PETA thinks Gen Zs habit of replicating styles they see online is why it seems like theres more of a fur resurgence than there actually is that and the fact that the fur industry has been pushing this narrative, too. I think the amount is exaggerated, Byrne said. The fur industry is kind of always trotting out the same tired PR saying that fur is back and sending out press releases, saying that it's back. It's a little more visible right now because of TikTok, because of social media, but it's not more prevalent. Byrne said the fur industry has been plummeting through the floor. If you look at the numbers, production dropped by 60 percent from 2022 to 2023, according to recent reports. Even in China, which really is probably the biggest for a producer, the decline has been extreme, she said. According to Statista, global fur production sank to 15 million in 2023, down from 81 million in 2012. While Byrne admitted she wasnt too concerned about the future implications of Gen Zs taking to real vintage fur, Mark Glover, the director of Respect for Animals, believes its bothersome considering the garments are still animal hides. Even if it is so-called 'vintage' fur, it is still skin that was once a part of the body of a living animal and perpetuates the idea that real fur is acceptable in fashion. Vintage fur is bad news for animals: the cruelty and suffering doesn't diminish with time, he said. Influencer styles outfit based on the Mob Wife fashion trend The origins of fur Fur coats and wraps were a necessity before they became the pageantry garments of today. Humans started wearing animal hides to keep warm when they began migrating out of Africa over 180,000 years ago. By 1327, King Edward III had declared fur the fashion of royalty. Anyone who was not a diplomat, head of state, or blood relative, was prohibited from wearing stoat skin specifically. Fast forward to the Golden Age of Hollywood (the 1920s to the 1950s), consumers continued to view fur as a token of prosperity, worn by icons Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe, and Audrey Hepburn. After World War II ended, luxury fashion maisons Christian Dior and Givenchy amped up the use of fur in their haute couture collections, further extolling it as a marker of wealth. Things changed during the 1980s. PETA worked in tandem with other animal activist groups to question the ethics of fur manufacturing. Sillaman described this period to The Independent: We see fur being made a little bit more controversial here. People werent aware of the amount of animals being harmed and killed. The start of the 21st century was a wake-up call for many in the industry. Vogue published countless stories on the social concerns behind the material, and Kering, the parent company to Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Yves Saint Laurent, banned all its brands from producing fur in 2022. But the inevitable pendulum swing has gone the other way, with a radical shift around morals and individualism in fashion that seems to align with wider politics. In the Cruel Kids Table, New York Magazines cover story about the rise of a young MAGA elite the week of the inauguration, real fur appears throughout. Earlier this month, Tim Calkins, a clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern, spoke to The Wall Street Journal about the return of bikini models to Carls Jr ads: Clearly with the new administration what is acceptable conduct is changing. The same could be said about fur. However, there are some Gen Z-ers who never saw an issue with wearing fur. I feel like my perception of wearing fur hasn't changed because it wasn't a big deal to me, Eloise said. Now when I see people with fur, I love it. I'm like, this is so cool. I think it's also so fun that every piece is so unique. It's like a snowflake. The politics of fur also extends to climate change. Gen Zs interest in vintage isnt much of a surprise considering they are a generation seeing the real-time impact of climate change on their daily lives. Because of this, were seeing an overall rise in sustainable second-hand shopping. A 2021 survey of 2,000 Gen Z Depop users, a second-hand clothing resell website, found 70 percent of respondents said they buy second-hand to reduce consumption and help the planet. I think that people are finally realizing that having Shein, Zara, and Mango making things for them is worse for the planet than just repurposing things that are already on the planet, Sophia said. In reality, faux alternatives are being purchased, with people grabbing cheaper alternatives from the likes of Zara, H&M, and Shein, and higher-end options from luxury brands like Burberry. This fashion season alone saw many designers such as Gucci, Prada, and Simone Rocha ushering in more faux fur in the form of trench coats and jacket collars, noticing a rising demand in the industry. Faux fur keeps getting better, Byrne noted. Not just more luxurious and indistinguishable visually from the real thing, but it also keeps getting more eco-friendly. But many Gen Z women do want the real stuff particularly if its vintage, meaning 30 years or older. Eloise decided to invest in her vintage $1,600 coyote coat from Madison Avenue Furs because it was unlike anything else she had. I don't have a coat like this, she explained. It's a statement piece, it's not like I'm going to be wearing it every day. Certain things in my mind, I reserve solely for buying secondhand, she continued. I also love the idea of it being an heirloom of sorts. I like that they've been worn in and they come from someone. Back at the store, next to a $1,295 white fox fur long collar coat, I hear Larry ask what the woman from earlier ended up buying. A blue fox, his associate says. For how much? Larry questions. $975, and she wore it on her way out. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice At the Oscars after-parties, some celebrities bought into the idea that less is more with their choice of gown. The naked fashion trend was seen on display at the Vanity Fair party carpet, where some bared more than their emotions on Hollywoods biggest night. Among them: actor-director Olivia Wilde, who wore a sheer, embroidered lace negligee by Chloe. While Wilde's outfit had a demure bohemian charm, actor Julia Fox leaned much further toward naked, arriving in a see-through wrap dress where the only adornment seemed to be strategically placed hair extensions. Doja Cat sang Diamonds Are Forever on the telecast during a James Bond tribute segment in what looked like only diamonds, with little fabric in between. Julia Fox at the Vanity Fair after party on Sunday night ( Getty Images ) Then she showed up at the Vanity Fair party in a custom Balmain strapless gown with fringes, which the designer said was crafted by 39 artisans over the course of 3,450 hours. The inspiration: an Oscar statue reflecting the female form and that form was celebrated, beneath all the hand-threaded glass beads in nine different shades of gold. Kendall Jenner drew attention at the Vanity Fair fete with a vintage 1992 Mugler number in black lace that was actually made of rubber. White Lotus actor Leslie Bibb decided to go with the popular nude-sparkle look. Although the trend may feel somewhat new as evidenced by the chatter around the recent Grammys carpet appearance by Bianca Censori and Ye naked fashion has been in vogue for a number of years, noted Madeline Hirsch, features director at InStyle Fashion. Though it originated on the runway, the naked dress trend is fed largely by celebrity red carpet moments stars and their stylists cant seem to get enough, Hirsch said in an email. She added that in 2025, sheer lace is the most prominent expression of the trend not a surprise since bohemian style is resurgent. Though many Oscar attendees, of course, opt for much more traditional looks both before and after the ceremonies, it tends to be at the after-parties where the naked look pops up the most, Hirsch said. Its the time when attendees can let down their hair after hours, and generally speaking, its a lower stakes red carpet and less formal event than the ceremony itself, Hirsch said. Next-to-naked dressing matches that energy. Meghan Markle, the woman who has inspired many a social media debate (usually involving avocado toast or Soho House candles and self-actualisation), is at it again. Ahead of the launch of her new Netflix show With Love, Meghan, shes shared with People magazine her tip for making a takeaway feel a little more special: Even when I get a takeout, I will try to plate it beautifully. The Duchess, naturally, is not tucking into hers straight from a plastic tub while sat on the sofa in her jammies. Instead, shes treating a Friday night chow mein as an exercise in mindfulness. I like being able to do a hybrid, she explains, encouraging people to strive for balance, not perfection in their lives, and, it seems, in their sweet and sour pork. Its easy to roll your eyes. The idea that most of us have time to curate a takeaway when all we really want is to inhale it is, at best, optimistic. But then again, shes not entirely wrong. The hybrid takeaway part shop-bought, part homemade is not a new concept and it might just be the best way to enjoy restaurant-quality food without leaving the house (or wrecking the budget). The takeaway revolution: why hybrid dining is already a thing Meghan might be the latest to suggest that food is as much about aesthetics as it is about taste, but shes hardly the first. The idea of elevating a meal at home has been growing for years. When restaurants were forced to close during the pandemic, meal kits from top establishments became a lifeline allowing people to recreate fine dining in their own kitchens with pre-portioned ingredients and detailed instructions. Big names like Hawksmoor, Dishoom and Gymkhana led the charge, offering restaurant-quality meals without the restaurant setting. But rather than disappearing once restrictions lifted, this trend has evolved. Many of those meal kits remain, now joined by a new wave of high-end takeaway collaborations. Michelin-starred chefs and celebrity cooks from Tom Kerridge to Brooklyn Beckham (yes, really) have since partnered with Uber Eats and Deliveroo, making gourmet meals more accessible. What started as a lockdown workaround has become a legitimate, enduring part of the food industry, proving that people like the idea of eating restaurant-quality food in their pyjamas. Social media, too, has made plating up a priority. The girl dinner trend a concept that loosely translates to assembling a selection of snacks on a plate and calling it a meal encouraged the idea that eating should be an experience, not just a necessity. Because if it isnt Instagrammable, did you even eat it? People now post their takeaway spreads like theyre works of art, all careful composition and colour coordination. And why not? A meal feels more satisfying when it looks the part. Then theres the cost of living crisis. With restaurant prices soaring, eating out is increasingly a luxury, with many opting for high-quality takeaways instead. According to a 2024 survey by Lumina Intelligence, UK households are cutting back on dining out but spending more on takeaways, with the market set to grow by 5.3 per cent this year. With a restaurant curry and rice now costing upwards of 20 per person, making half the meal at home cuts that bill in half without sacrificing flavour. How to hybrid your takeaway like a pro If Meghan Markle has inspired you to rethink how you eat your egg-fried rice, heres how to do it properly. 1. Order smart, cook smarter open image in gallery Celebrity chefs and, er, even Brooklyn Beckham have launched their own at-home meal kits since the pandemic ( Uber Eats ) The hybrid takeaway is about balance. Order the star of the show whether thats a fragrant Thai curry, a crispy Peking duck or a rich, buttery chicken tikka masala but make the rest yourself. A side of rice? Cheaper and healthier when cooked at home. Steamed greens? Easy to do while waiting for your food to be delivered. Not only does this cut costs, but it also makes the meal feel fresher and a little less, well, oily. 2. Make it a multi-course meal Restaurants dont serve everything at once in a single, towering heap, so why should you? Start with prawn crackers or a light soup before moving on to your main. Serve your rice and curry separately and maybe even finish with a dessert. Suddenly, youre in a high-end dining experience without the 12.5 per cent service charge. 3. Ditch the boxes, set the scene Food tastes better when its not eaten out of a sad, greased-up container. Plate it properly, use chopsticks for Asian food, steak knives for steak. Set the table, placemats, napkins, et al. Light a candle if youre feeling fancy. The key here is theatre make it feel like an event, even if youre eating in front of Netflix. 4. The right drink makes all the difference Pairing a good drink with your takeaway can elevate the entire experience. Chinese food, with its balance of sweetness and spice, pairs beautifully with a crisp riesling or gewurztraminer, while a cold Tsingtao beer keeps things refreshing. If you prefer cocktails, a lychee martini or a yuzu gin fizz adds a sophisticated touch. For Indian curries, a bold red like shiraz brings out the warmth of spices, while a malty stout complements heavier dishes. A mango margarita or a rum-based lassi offers a playful yet effective alternative. With Italian food, a classic chianti is an obvious choice for tomato-based dishes, while a negroni cuts through the richness of a pizza. A canned spritz, meanwhile, is a low-effort but effective upgrade. open image in gallery Food tastes better when its not eaten out of a sad, greased-up container ( Getty/iStock ) Spicy Thai food works best with a dry rose, a citrusy wheat beer or something tropical like a pina colada, which balances heat with sweetness. Takeaway hacks: how to make it taste even better Sometimes, even the best takeaways need a little tweaking. If your chips or tempura arrive soggy, a few minutes in an air fryer will bring them back to life, while dumplings crisp up beautifully in a pan. Fried chicken benefits from a quick blast in a hot oven about five minutes at 180C should restore that crunch. Flavour tweaks can make a world of difference, too. A squeeze of lemon cuts through greasy food, a splash of sesame oil enhances noodles and a drizzle of honey can round out overly sharp sauces. For those who like a bit of heat, a spoonful of chilli crisp can instantly elevate a dish. And then theres the question of leftovers. Some meals are scientifically (or at least spiritually) designed to taste better on day two. Lasagne, after a night in the fridge, is richer and more flavourful. Cold pizza remains a divisive topic, but if you prefer it hot, the best way to revive it is in a skillet over low heat with a lid on the base crisps up while the cheese melts perfectly. Even Chinese takeaway tastes fresher when quickly refried the next day, bringing back the crunch that often gets lost overnight. Hybrid takeaways arent just easier on the wallet; theyre also better for you. Restaurant food is loaded with salt, sugar and fats to amp up the flavour. By making your own rice or adding steamed veg, you can control at least some of whats going into your meal. And lets not forget portion control plating it properly stops you from mindlessly shovelling it in straight from the tub. So, is plating up a takeaway the key to happiness? Maybe not, but it doesnt hurt to try. Hybrid dining is smart, stylish and makes even the most casual Friday night feel a little more special. And if Meghan Markle cant convince people to do it? Well, at least shes finally gone viral for something that tastes good. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Arab leaders meeting in Cairo on Tuesday are set to endorse a counterproposal to U.S. President Donald Trumps call for the Gaza Strip to be depopulated and transformed into a beach destination, even as the continuation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is uncertain. The summit hosted by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi included the emir of Qatar, the vice president of the United Arab Emirates and the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia countries whose support is crucial for any postwar plan. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also attended. Israel has embraced what it says is an alternative U.S. proposal for the ceasefire itself and the release of hostages taken in Hamas' attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the war. It has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza to try to get Hamas to accept the new proposal and has warned of additional consequences, raising fears of a return to fighting. The suspension of aid drew widespread criticism, with human rights groups saying that it violated Israel's obligations as an occupying power under international law. The new plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages the militant groups main bargaining chip in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners a key component of the first phase. Egypt's postwar plan Egypt published a 112-page draft of the $53 billion plan for rebuilding Gaza by 2030 without removing its population. The first phase calls for starting the removal of unexploded ordnance and clearing the more than 50 million tons of rubble left by Israels bombardment and military offensives. Hundreds of thousands of temporary housing units would be set up where Gazas population could live while reconstruction takes place. The rubble would be recycled, and some of it would be used as infill to create expanded lands on Gazas Mediterranean coast. In the following years, the plan envisages completely reshaping the strip, building sustainable, green and walkable housing and urban areas, with renewable energy. It renovates agricultural lands and creates industrial zones and large park areas. It also calls for the opening of an airport, a fishing port and a commercial port. The Oslo peace accords in the 1990s called for the opening of an airport and a commercial port in Gaza, but the projects withered as the peace process collapsed. Under the plan, Hamas would cede power to an interim administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Western-backed authority and an opponent of Hamas, was attending the summit. Israel has ruled out any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and, along with the United States, has demanded Hamas disarmament. Hamas, which doesn't accept Israel's existence, has said it's willing to cede power in Gaza to other Palestinians, but won't give up its arms until there is a Palestinian state. An early draft of the statement endorsing the plan called for a permanent and just solution for the Palestinian cause, and for the U.N. Security Council to deploy international peacekeepers in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The mention of peacekeepers was dropped from a later draft. Israel has vowed to maintain open-ended security control over both territories, which it captured in the 1967 Mideast war and which Palestinians want for their future state. Israels government and most of its political class are opposed to Palestinian statehood. Trump shocked the region last month when he suggested that Gazas roughly 2 million Palestinians be resettled in other countries. He said that the United States would take ownership of the territory and redevelop it into a Middle Eastern Riviera. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embraced the proposal, which was roundly rejected by Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights experts, who said it would likely violate international law. Children from Gaza head to Jordan for treatment Trump has suggested that Egypt and Jordan, two close American allies, could take in large numbers of Palestinian refugees from Gaza. Both countries have adamantly rejected any such plan. Meeting with Trump at the White House last month, King Abdullah II of Jordan offered to take in around 2,000 children for medical treatment. The first batch of around 30 children left Gaza for Jordan on Tuesday, according to Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. The children are being accompanied by up to two family members. Jordan said that the children are amputees and will return to Gaza when their treatment is complete. The kingdom has also set up field hospitals in Gaza and delivered aid by air and land. The war began with Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people hostage. Hamas-led militants are still holding 59 hostages, 35 of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements. Israel has rescued eight living hostages and recovered the remains of dozens more. Israel's 15-month offensive killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It doesn't say how many were fighters, but the ministry says women and children made up more than half the dead. Israel says it killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The offensive destroyed large areas of Gaza, including much of its health system and other infrastructure. At its height, the war displaced abou 90% of the population, mostly within the territory, where hundreds of thousands packed into squalid tent camps and schools repurposed as shelters. ___ Jahjouh reported from Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A 16-year-old boy has died after being shot in Clapham, south London, on Tuesday afternoon, the Metropolitan Police said. Police were called at around 2.30pm to reports of a shooting in Paradise Road. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics from London Ambulance Service and Londons Air Ambulance. A Met Police statement said officers were working to identify the teenager and contact his next of kin. A murder investigation has been opened and no arrests have yet been made in connection with the shooting, which took place near Stockwell Tube station. The teenage boy was pronounced dead at the scene ( James Manning/PA Wire ) Superintendent Gabriel Cameron, leading the local policing response, said: This is an enormously shocking incident which I imagine will cause huge distress to the local community. Our thoughts are with the young boys family at this devastating time. Local officers are on the scene gathering CCTV and speaking to witnesses to piece together what has happened. They will be supported by specialist homicide investigators shortly. Please rest assured we will work around the clock to identify and find those responsible. A crime scene and cordons remain in place while emergency services carry out inquiries. Police asked that anyone who was a witness or has information call the police on 101 with the reference 4116/4MAR. People can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to remain anonymous. Labour Co-op MP for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green, Florence Eshalomi, shared her condolences on social media She said: Im very sad to hear of the fatal shooting of a 16 yr old boy earlier this afternoon near Stockwell. A life wasted. Ms Eshalomi added that she had spoken to the police about the incident and encouraged anyone with information to get in touch with the police. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A father whose mental health has crumbled after serving 13 years in prison for stealing a mobile phone has suffered a crisis which left him smashing his own face on the floor. Thomas White, who is languishing under an abolished indefinite jail term described as psychological torture by the UN, was last week moved to a prison hospital wing after he suffered the shocking episode in front of other inmates. The father has been repeatedly denied a transfer to a secure hospital despite suffering psychosis, religious delusions and last year setting himself alight in desperation as he lost hope of being freed from his imprisonment for public protection (IPP) jail term. His family and lawyer are calling for him to finally be moved for in-patient mental health treatment ahead of a meeting about his future after last weeks rapid deterioration which left him with a suspected broken nose and severe facial bruising. Thomas went into a serious psychotic episode and repeatedly smashed his face off the floor and then tried to break his own legs, his sister Clara White told The Independent. He has now been placed on the in-patient hospital wing at HMP Manchester. Im just tired of my brothers horror stories. He doesnt remember it. Hes very bruised, broken nose, very shaken up. open image in gallery Clara White turned to David Blunkett, the architect of the IPP sentence, to help Thomas White ( White family ) She has described his treatment as psychiatric abuse as he has increasingly turned to synthetic drugs and cut off contact with his loved ones. Ms White, who has led a four-year campaign for him to be moved to a secure hospital, added: I am extremely worried for the welfare of my brothers mental health. It should never have been allowed to go as far as it has. I dont want him to succeed in killing himself. The Ministry of Justice could move Thomas tomorrow. I feel like I push and they push back harder. They have to put him in hospital now. A total of three psychiatrists have now called for White to be moved to hospital to treat his mental health conditions, with the latest on 13 February concluding he was struggling in the prison environment and it is likely he is deeply frustrated and angry as a result of his predicament. It comes after two medical reports last year laid bare the toll of the devastating IPP jail term on the 42-year-old, warning that Whites lengthy incarceration was creating impermeable barriers to his recovery. open image in gallery HMP Manchester, also known as Strangeways, has been put in emergency measures ( Getty ) Dean Kingham, Whites lawyer, said it is inhumane to keep a man who needs hospital treatment incarcerated inside HMP Manchester, where inspectors last year raised the alarm over widespread drug use, rising violence, poor living conditions and six self-inflicted deaths in 12 months. A crunch meeting on whether he will finally be transferred to hospital is expected to take place in mid-March. The British Psychological Society has recognised the psychological harm caused by the IPP sentence, Mr Kingham, of Reece Thomas Watson told The Independent. Here we have a man whose condition has deteriorated day by day, year by year, being held in a prison thats failing where the inspector in October 2024 issued an urgent notification. Somewhere he can more easily access drugs than in the community. For me, here we have a potential Article 3 breach of his human rights. Last month, The Independent revealed that four in 10 inmates who took their own lives between 2020 and 2023 were denied adequate healthcare in prison. Ex-drug-dealer turned bishop Mick Fleming, who has written about Ms Whites battle for her brother in his new book Walk In My Shoes, said the lack of mental healthcare being provided to White is an absolute travesty. Its heartbreaking, he said. The lack of rehabilitation in the prison system and the lack of quality mental healthcare is an absolute travesty. For me, the system itself is complicit in the torture of this man. His rights are being infringed. We hope that this can be an end to it. open image in gallery The UNs torture tsar Alice Jill Edwards says IPP jail terms amount to psychological torture ( UN Human Rights Council ) IPP jail terms, which saw offenders handed a minimum term but no maximum, were introduced by New Labour in 2005 in a bid to be tough on crime. They were abolished following a damning ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in 2012, but not retrospectively, leaving thousands languishing in prison for years until they can prove to the Parole Board that they are safe for release, even for some minor crimes. At least 90 IPP prisoners have taken their own lives in prison as they lost hope of ever getting out. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: It is right that IPP sentences were abolished. With public protection as the number one priority, the lord chancellor is working with organisations and campaign groups to ensure appropriate action is taken to support those still serving these sentences, such as improved access to mental health support and rehabilitation programmes. 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 For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A former prison officer who boasted of performing a sex act on an inmate has been jailed for 21 months. Katie Evans, 26, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court after being described by the judge as "manipulated by an experienced criminal". Evans, a mother of one, wept in the dock as Judge Jeremy Richardson KC detailed how she was "corrupted" shortly after beginning her career at Doncaster Prison in South Yorkshire at the age of 21. The court heard how Evans developed an intimate relationship with prisoner Daniel Brownley, engaging in over 140 phone calls with him, transferring money between bank accounts on his behalf, and providing him with confidential prison information. Last week, Evans admitted to an "intimate" relationship with Brownley, although prosecutors noted it remained unclear whether she acknowledged the sexual nature of the relationship. Judge Richardson sentenced Evans to 21 months imprisonment. The judge heard she had boasted to an ex-prison officer that she had performed oral sex on the inmate and the defendant referred to herself as your queen when talking to Brownley. On Tuesday, Judge Richardson told Evans: It appears you indulged in some form of sexual activity in the prison. It has been described that on one occasion you had oral sex with him. It is truly a terrible situation for a judge to be passing sentence on a former prison officer who has been branded a corrupt prison officer. open image in gallery Former prison officer Katie Evans who has been jailed for 21 months at Sheffield Crown Court after having an intimate relationship with prisoner, Daniel Brownley, at Doncaster Prison in South Yorkshire ( South Yorkshire Police/PA Wire ) Judge Richardson told Evans he corrupted you and not the reverse, adding: Im entirely satisfied you were manipulated by an experienced criminal to assist him. But he said: Your misconduct materially affected the good order and discipline of the prison. The judge said Evans was young and immature at the time of the offending in 2020 and that she was regrettably susceptible to manipulation. You were inexperienced and immature but that is, however, no excuse for what you did, he told her. He said he accepted she was genuinely remorseful and posed no danger to the public in the future. Judge Richardson said the sentence of 21 months should have been longer but, purely as an act of mercy, he reduced it to take into account the effect it will have on Evans relationship with her young daughter and the difficulties she will have in prison as a former officer. The judge also outlined the issues prisons are currently having with accommodating inmates serving short sentences. But he said the offending was so serious that only an immediate sentence of imprisonment is appropriate in this case. Evans, of Hatfield, Doncaster, admitted misconduct in a public office at a previous hearing. Still crying, she waved at family members in the public gallery as she was led from the dock. The court heard that Brownley had been jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2016 for attempted robbery, burglary and handling stolen goods. He had been released but was back in prison in 2020 after he was recalled for breaching his licence conditions. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Americans are applying for UK citizenship in record numbers, according to fresh Home Office data released in the wake of Donald Trumps re-election to the White House. The government figures show more than 6,100 US citizens applied to call Britain home in 2024, more than double the number of applications submitted in 2004, which is as far back as public records show. The last three months of 2024 were also a record of any quarter in the past 20 years, with 1,708 applications submitted between October and December, the period covering Trumps 4 November re-election. The release of the data comes amid a period of fractious relations between the Trump administration, Ukraine and Europe over the Ukraine war as the US dramatically on security and trade. University of Glasgow professor Sergi Pardos-Prado, also a member of the Migration Advisory Committee consulting the government on key issues, said the political situation in the US seems to be the most likely explanation for the record levels of applications in 2024. open image in gallery More than 1700 applications were submitted between October and December, the period covering Trumps 4 November re-election ( REUTERS ) We know that the situation of the country of origin is an important determinant of naturalisation decisions in the destination country. The perception of uncertainty of the political situation by American workers, and their perception of Trumps rhetoric and election is the most likely explanation for this surge, he said. Citizenship is a low-cost insurance for US workers for whatever the political situation in the US may bring. Madeleine Sumption, director of Oxford Universitys Migration Observatory, said the data showed a longer-term uptick with a slightly larger increase than usual in 2024. Some immigration lawyers say the increase was in part fuelled by Trumps presidential campaign and victory last year, with Elena Hinchin, partner at law firm Farrer & Co, telling the Mail Online: 'We've definitely seen more interest in citizenship from the US since the lead-up to the election campaign. However Ms Sumption said the longer-term increase was likely driven by the fact that there are more Americans in the UK who are eligible to naturalise after having lived in the country for several years. So we should also expect some increase in the number of citizenship applications regardless, and we do, she said. The fact that the increase in citizenship applications is steeper in 2024 suggests that Americans may have become particularly keen to naturalise in 2024, although the data themselves do not tell us why, and whether this has anything to do with current US politics. She said the data did not reflect people voting with their feet but rather people who entered the UK on visas choosing to stay for longer. open image in gallery A record number of Americans applied for UK citizenship last year ( Getty Images ) There is currently no evidence of an increase in US citizens getting visas to come to the UK, in these or other visa types, she said. While it is too early to say what will happen next year, I wouldnt necessarily expect a massive impact on the migration of Americans themselves. For people moving from safe countries, politics tends to be a third or fourth order factor, not a key reason for moving on its own. Earlier this year it was reported some Democrat voters in the United States were looking to leave the country for the UK since Donald Trumps re-election. Michelle Call, 53, from Littleborough, Rochdale who has been living in the US since 1998, said in January she hoped to return home to the UK with her family due to concerns about the political climate under Mr Trump. Mrs Call, who has a transgender child, said that following the Republican presidents two sexes policy, she felt the US was not a safe place for her family. We lived through a Trump presidency before, and we fought and we protested, Mrs Call told the PA news agency from her home in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The majority of Europeans living 5,000 years ago, including those who built Stonehenge, may have had dark skin, a new study suggests. It was already believed that Britains early inhabitants, such as Cheddar Man, who lived 10,000 years ago, had dark skin and blue eyes before paler skin tones then emerged as a dominant trait years later. But now researchers the University of Ferrara in Italy say this change did not happen until centuries later than previously thought. Scientists analysed data from 348 genomes the entire set of DNA instructions from human remains of individuals who lived between 45,00 and 1,700 years ago. It was calculated that the vast majority (92 per cent) of those living in Europe in the Paleolithic period of the Stone Age, between 13,000 and 35,000 years ago, had dark skin and 8 per cent had intermediate skin tones. However, the study suggests none had pale skin. open image in gallery Scientists believe that Stonehenge inhabitants and the majority of those living between 13,000 and 35,000 years ago in Europe had dark skin ( Andrew Matthews/PA Wire ) This remained the norm for thousands of years, with DNA from the Iron Age, between 1,700 and 3,000 years ago, still showing 55 per cent of people had dark skin and 27 per cent had intermediate skin. They also found just 18 per cent had pale skin. There are about 26 genes associated with the production of melanin, which produces darker skin, and two specific types, eumelanin and pheomelanin, determine skin colour, hair and eye colour. Because skin and hair are not preserved in fossils, experts used the genetic code from human remains and compared it to data from modern Europeans, to predict the skin, hair and eye colour of ancient people. Scientists know that modern humans migrated from Africa to Europe and Asia about 60,000 to 70,000 years ago. As humans migrated into regions with lower ultraviolet (UV) radiation light, pigmentation became more common. open image in gallery For decades, scientists assumed humans developed lighter skin tones (pictured) after migrating from Africa, but this happened thousands of years later than previously thought ( Getty Images ) As a result, these humans evolved to become lighter-skinned to adapt to allow more UV light to penetrate their skin, helping their bodies to produce vitamin D which is vital for maintaining healthy bones and muscle. In comparison, darker skin contains more brown and black pigments than pale skin is better at protecting against UV damage from sunlight. However, for decades scientists assumed humans rapidly developed lighter skin tones after migrating from Africa, but this latest research suggests it far more gradual and Britons who built Stonehenge were likely to have had dark features, Silvia Ghirotto, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Ferrara in Italy explained. The study notes: By a probabilistic approach, we showed that eye, hair and skin colour changed substantially through time in Eurasia. It was reasonable to imagine that the first hunting-gathering settlers, who came from warmer climates, had mostly dark pigmentation. What was less expected was the long persistence of their phenotypes. It added: Things changed afterwards, but very slowly, so that only in the Iron Age did the frequency of light skins equal that of dark skins; during much of prehistory, most Europeans were dark-skinned. The study has been published on the pre-print server bioRxiv, meaning it's yet to be peer-reviewed. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Elon Musk will remain a fellow of the Royal Society following an open letter that alleged the billionaire had broken the code of conduct by promoting unfounded conspiracy theories. Fellows at the society met on Monday night after 2,400 members signed an open letter suggesting the X owner had broken the Royal Societys code of conduct by spreading misinformation. The billionaire is a fellow of the oldest scientific academy that counts many of the worlds most eminent scientists in its ranks. He was elected in 2018 for his work in the space and electric vehicle industries. A statement released by the Royal Society on Monday said fellows will meet to discuss the principles around public pronouncements and behaviours of fellows. Emeritus Professor Stephen Curry, professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, wrote the open letter and said that Mr Musk is widely reported to be one of the most active disseminators of misinformation on Twitter (X). Nobel prize winners were among more than 2,400 people who signed the letter, which stressed that scientific integrity, as well as adherence and respect for evidence and truth, are central to the code of conduct. In the open letter published a fortnight ago, Professor Curry said he is writing to express my dismay at the continued silence and apparent inaction from the Royal Society over the fellowship awarded in 2018 to Elon Musk. He wrote that concerns regarding Mr Musk potentially breaching the code were raised more than six months ago. Professor Curry also mentioned the tech entrepreneurs X post in which he attacked safeguarding minister Jess Phillips over the issue of historical grooming gangs in the UK. open image in gallery Jess Phillips MP was attacked by Elon Musk on X ( PA Wire ) The letter was sent to Sir Adrian Smith, president of the Royal Society. Two eminent scientists have resigned their fellowships in protest against the lack of action by the Royal Society, and Nobel laureate and AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton a fellow at the society posted on X that he supported Mr Musks removal. Mr Musk responded to the post, saying: Only craven, insecure fools care about awards and memberships. History is the actual judge, always and forever. Your comments above are carelessly ignorant, cruel and false. That said, what specific actions require correction? I will make mistakes, but endeavour to fix them. Scientists have also raised concerns over Mr Musks role within Donald Trumps administration, where he heads the US Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE. The cost-cutting operation has threatened the funding of scientific and medical communities, among other areas. In a statement, the Royal Society said: At a meeting this evening [Monday] of the Royal Society, Fellows agreed on the need to stand up for science and for scientists around the world in the face of the growing challenges science faces. Concern was expressed, in particular, about the fate of colleagues in the US who are reportedly facing the prospect of losing their jobs amid threats of radical cutbacks in research funding. Fellows, over 150 of whom attended tonights meeting, were united in the need for the Society to step up its efforts to advocate for science and scientists at a time when these are under threat as never before and yet at the same time have never been more necessary for humanity at large. The Society agreed to look at potential further actions that might help make the case for science and scientific research and counter the misinformation and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists. Mr Musks specific fellowship was not mentioned. A spokesperson for the Royal Society said all fellows are listed on its website. The Tesla owner remains listed as a fellow on the website. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A parish councillor who accused the village clerk of secretly giving him "the finger" during a council meeting has been handed a 20,000 libel bill after being sued at the High Court. Councillor Andrew Peake, 60, was sued by Dr James Miller, the clerk of his rural Norfolk council, after a campaign of online abuse in which he branded Dr Miller a "dishonest, scheming, devious and threatening liar." The pair were both stalwarts of the parish council in Fleggburgh, a picturesque village of only around 1,000 population, close to Great Yarmouth in the Norfolk countryside. Mr Peake insisted claims he made on his "Fleggburgh Eye" Facebook page about Dr Miller - a Cambridge-educated academic - were truthful, accusing him among other things of secretly giving him "the finger" during a council meeting. But he has now been ordered to pay 20,000 in libel damages to Dr Miller, 60, after Judge Richard Parkes KC found he had not proved any of his defamatory online statements were true. On the surreptitious "finger," the judge said it was about "interpretation of his hand movements," with Dr Miller's elbow on the table and his finger projecting upwards next to his face. open image in gallery Councillor Andrew Peake ( Supplied by Champion News ) The judge went on to say he could not find on the balance of probabilities that an "offensive gesture" was made. Giving judgment following a High Court trial, Judge Parkes said the village strife had been "stoked by the ill-advised use of social media." Cambridge-educated economist Dr Miller, who lives in nearby Freethorpe, was clerk to the council from February 2019 to September 2021, with engineer Mr Peake a councillor until he resigned in April 2021. Fleggburgh resident Mr Peake had been elected in 2017, with a mission to end what he saw as the obvious secret decision making at the council and to make it more open and accountable. He also ran a Facebook page, initially named 'Andrew Peake of Fleggburgh' but later becoming 'Fleggburgh Eye', where much of the strife was made public. "The posts complained of repeated very similar allegations over a nine-month period," said the judge. "They generally repeated the same allegations that Dr Miller, as clerk to Fleggburgh Parish Council, was dishonest, incompetent and threatening." He found that the campaign of posts were to the effect that Dr Miller was a "fraudulent, dishonest and incompetent clerk" who had taken money for work he did not in fact carry out. Dr Miller was accused of repeatedly lying about having written the council's social media policy and of generally being a "threatening, scheming, dishonest, devious liar," he said. open image in gallery Fleggburgh close to Great Yarmouth in the Norfolk countryside. ( Supplied by Champion News ) When sued for defamation, Mr Peake responded, claiming the defence of "truth" in relation to his online postings, describing Dr Miller as "dishonest and deceitful." He said Dr Miller had acted in a "threatening" manner towards him during council meetings, pointing out one incident in which the clerk allegedly "gave him the finger." A map of Fleggburgh: Ruling on the case, Judge Peake said: "I have seen a photograph of the alleged gesture, which shows Dr Miller with his left elbow on a table and his left hand by his face, with the second finger projecting slightly forwards. "I do not know where Mr Peake was in relation to Dr Miller. Dr Miller denies having intended any offensive gesture, which he said would have been highly unprofessional, not to mention unwise, giving that Mr Peake was filming him. "My conclusion is that no offensive gesture was made, or at least not intentionally, even if Mr Peake believed it to have been." He said Mr Peake was "plainly consumed with a very strong personal dislike of Dr Miller, which is evident in his posts." "I had the impression also that Dr Millers intellectual self-confidence, which some might regard as a little abrasive, may have grated a little on Mr Peake," he said. open image in gallery Dr James Miller ( Supplied by Champion News ) Due to his "aversion" for Dr Miller, Mr Peake had found it difficult to allow the clerk "any margin of error," he continued. "To him any false statement by Dr Miller was a lie; any statement capable of being regarded as a threat made him a threatening person; any error showed rank incompetence. "As Mr Peake told me, he is on the autistic spectrum, and he tends to see issues in polarised terms of black and white. "In my judgment, that difficulty has led him to make accusations which are not justified by the evidence which he regards as proving them. "In short, the plea of truth fails." Continuing, he said allegations of "incompetence" had not been proven by Mr Peake. "What Mr Peake has done is to put forward a number of individual mistakes by Dr Miller, none of great seriousness, and to ask the court to infer from his making mistakes that he was an incompetent clerk. "All of us make mistakes, whether of judgment or otherwise: humanum est errare. "Even judges do so. That does not make them incompetent. "Incompetence entails an inability to perform a job or a role to a reasonably acceptable standard. There is no evidence that comes close to establishing such a failure on Dr Millers part." "I accept Dr Millers evidence that he worked many more hours than he was paid to do, that he never took money for work that he had not properly carried out, and that he gave up much of his final holiday to leave the councils affairs in reasonable order." open image in gallery Fleggburgh village Hall ( Supplied by Champion News ) Awarding Dr Miller 20,000 in damages, he said he would take into account the "distress" which the former clerk had suffered from the posts. "He said in his witness statement...that he was shocked and alarmed by the posts and very worried about how his friends, family, council members and individuals in the community generally would perceive him," he continued. "He felt and still feels that his reputation has been badly harmed, and took his role as parish clerk very seriously. He found it truly awful that people were reading (the) posts and believing them. "He was blocked by some people on Facebook, and asked by others what was going on, which meant that he had to explain to them what had been going on. "He has tried to avoid going anywhere where he fears that Mr Peake might be. "He regards himself as a stoical person, but has been caused great stress and anxiety not only by his ordeal, but also by the stress which has been placed on his wife and children. "I accept his evidence. The allegations, particularly those of dishonesty, were extremely serious, and I do not doubt that they were widely known in the area where Dr Miller lives and works. "Equally, of course, Dr Millers vindication is likely to become well known in that area. Much of the publication took place largely in a fairly contained part of the Norfolk countryside, where in my experience of rural matters news spreads quickly. "It appears to me likely that Dr Millers vindication will become widely known in short time in the area where he lives and works, the country bush telegraph being what it is." Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A London nanny successfully sued a couple for unpaid wages after quitting just three hours into the job. Ley Tsang won 39 after an employment tribunal ruled in her favour, despite never actually having looked after the couple's daughter. The tribunal heard that Ms Tsang connected with the parents through Koru Kids, a childcare website. Following an initial meeting in April 2024, an agreement was reached for Ms Tsang to care for the girl three times a week, in three-hour shifts, starting the following month. However, after a three-hour introductory session with the parents described as being "shown the ropes" Ms Tsang decided against taking the position. Despite not performing any actual childcare duties, Ms Tsang argued that the induction session constituted work and therefore merited payment. The parents refused, leading to the employment tribunal. The tribunal ultimately sided with Ms Tsang, awarding her the 39 claim. That first day was to be an induction day, when the mother and her partner showed Ms Tsang their daughters school and the route to their house, gave her keys to their house, and showed her what was expected of her, the tribunal was told. Ms Tsang also spent some time with their daughter. The mother and her partner were present in the house for the duration. open image in gallery The tribunal ultimately sided with Ms Tsang, awarding her the 39 claim ( PA Archive ) The following day, the nanny changed her mind about the 13-an-hour role, and handed in her notice, the tribunal heard. But arguing that she had not actually undertaken any childcare, the girls parents refused to pay, the tribunal was told. Ms Tsang told the tribunal she had experienced stress as a result of the case. Ruling in favour of Ms Tsangs claim, an employment judge concluded she was entitled to be paid for attending the induction session. The nanny had been instructed to start on Friday, the judge said, the day she was shown the ropes by the couple. The parents were ordered to pay Ms Tsang the 39 she is owed. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice While the United States is withdrawing its military support for Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that he is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a peace deal for the war-torn country at a defence summit with world leaders in London on Sunday. The prime minister announced last week that UK defence spending will rise to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, with an aim to hit 3 per cent by the end of the next term; saying that "tyrants" like Russian president Vladimir Putin "only respond to strength". US president Donald Trump has indicated that he wants to force a deal to end Russias war in Ukraine, warning that if [Ukraine] didnt have our weapons, this war would be over in two weeks. But a fiery exchange between Mr Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday has left peace talks hanging in the balance. And today, the Trump administration suspended delivery of all US military aid to Ukraine, worth billions of dollars. Following the explosive meeting, Sir Keir and European leaders have doubled down on commitments, with the UK, France and others saying they would commit troops to support a peacekeeping plan. In response to the potential mobilisation of Nato troops in Ukraine, Sergei Lavrov, Russias minister of foreign affairs, said: This is unacceptable to us. Relations with Russia are at their worst since the Cold War period, and military experts believe that European countries need to be prepared for conflict. But is the UK ready to put boots on the ground; and how do Britains armed forces compare now to 40 years ago, in 1984, when the UK was engaged in a stand-off with Russia? The state of affairs The Ministry of Defence has just released its latest figures on military equipment, accurate as of April 2024. The army increased its number of Challenger II Main Battle Tanks from 213 to 219 in the past year to April,. Ministry of Defence figures show that the army also has some 128 Ajax armoured fighting vehicles, though reports suggest delivery of the vehicles only begun in January this year, after eight years of delay. The UK also added four new F-35 fighter jets, also known as Lightning, bringing the total to 35 according to latest figures. The number of Typhoon jets (137), submarines (10), destroyers (6), and frigates (12) remained the same as the previous year. open image in gallery UK military capacity compared to the Cold War in ships, submarines, tanks, and war planes. ( IISS/ Ministry of Defence / The Independent ) In terms of personnel and ships, the UKs capacity is substantially lower than in 1984, primarily because the UK is in peacetime and equipment needs have evolved. Technology has evolved significantly since the 1980s, in particular when it comes to air defence and tanks. This means that some equipment will be fewer in number but of a much higher quality. While jet fighters of the 1980s were technologically advanced for their time, the newest aircraft are more akin to flying supercomputers. Submarines are designed to evade ever more complicated detection equipment and warships have to tackle missiles which travel several times the speed of sound. Yet the numbers can matter when engaged in direct combat, experts explain, since losses are all but certain. Some equipment is not in service, is on loan, or is due for repairs, said defence acquisition expert Stuart Young, a former engineer officer in the Royal Navy and visiting fellow at Cranfield University. The Challenger main battle tank is currently in service, and thats being upgraded. But the challenge is, as those go in to be upgraded, the number of main battle tanks is going to go down until they come back out of that upgrade cycle. Many of these supplies have not been updated in decades, meaning in some cases the UK is still relying on the same equipment built in the Cold War. In fact, the majority of the armys armoured fighting vehicles are from before the 1990s, and some come from as far back as the Sixties, according to a defence committee report in 2021 which called the lack of new acquisitions deplorable. The navy faces similar challenges. The oldest type-23 frigates are well over 30 years old now, and the replacement was due originally in around 2010. Those ships were designed for an 18 to 21-year life, Mr Young said. If Britain enters into war, it is not clear that the country will be able to get stockpiles and numbers to the levels needed in a timely manner. The UK has met and exceeded its Nato minimum defence spend of 2 per cent of total economic output, or GDP, with levels currently estimated at 2.3 per cent; and set to rise to 2.5 per cent. But James Black, assistant director at security research group Rand, said 2 per cent of GDP was a politically derived number that was common in a post-Cold War setting. In the Cold War, countries were spending routinely a lot more than 2 per cent, spending three, four or five, he said. So we shouldnt think that 2 per cent is a magic number at which you are automatically spending enough money that you are well defended against all threats. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (Carl Court/PA) ( PA Wire ) A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the governments first budget including an increase in defence speaking to almost 3bn, clearly illustrating our commitment to national security and ensuring we have a military force fit for the future. National security is a foundation of this governments Plan for Change, which is why we will set out a pathway to spending 2.5 per cent on defence in the spring. But several military experts worry that this is not enough, arguing that 3 per cent of GDP a 0.7 per cent increase of some 16.4bn a year is necessary to replenish stockpiles and prepare the UK for a possible allied conflict against aggressors such as Russia; while Trump has called for 5 per cent spending in Europe. With the impact of Ukraine and the general tightening of government spending, were in a catch-up situation. I think spending has to go up to 3 per cent or more, to actually give you the increase in capability needed to meet the increasing threat that we have at the moment, Mr Young said. Sir Keir has now confirmed that defence spending will meet 2.5 per cent in the next two years (by 2027), yet his target of 3 per cent has a longer timeframe of nearly a decade. But Mr Young said he believed that matching the 2.5 per cent promise wouldnt represent any material improvements for UK defence. open image in gallery Type 23 frigates like HMS Lancaster are coming to the end of their lives (PA) ( PA ) Instead, Mr Young estimates that this figure will be just enough to play catch-up with stockpiles and demand. We havent invested in stockpiling missiles and ammunition and things like that, Mr Young said. In July, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence acknowledged that the armed forces have faced resource cuts in the past few years. We know we face serious challenges after years of hollowing out of our armed forces and our Strategic Defence Review will assess the threats we face and the capabilities needed to address them in order to secure our nations defences. The war in Ukraine has also hit the UKs military budget and supplies, along with other Nato members. The UK has pledged 7.8bn in military assistance to Ukraine since February 2022 and, like other allied countries, has even donated equipment directly from UK defence stockpiles including tanks and missiles. This means that equipment numbers could be even lower than shown in the official statistics, last updated in September 2023. As a result, if Britains defence forces receive an influx in capital, it could take four or five years to replenish supplies of equipment and weaponry, Mr Young suggested. The new armed forces minister [Luke Pollard] said we want to buy as much defence equipment from the UK as possible. Well, the UK doesnt have that capacity any more. Dwindling troop numbers Britains armed forces also have a big recruitment problem, exacerbated by budget cuts; which may present a challenge if forces are deployed. We need to increase recruitment, especially if we are looking at peacekeeping activities in Ukraine, which needs boots on the ground. The problems we had six months ago have just been exacerbated further by recent events, Mr Young said. The number of people in the armed forces is 45 per cent lower than it was in 1984, at approximately 180,000 personnel, according to the MoD at January 1 of this year. Within this, only 127,000 are full-time trained personnel, while approximately 53,000 are untrained or reserves. Training takes time, money and, most importantly, retaining personnel, Mr Young said. In the current job market, army pay is no longer competitive before even considering how many young people are willing to commit to the hours, lifestyle, and risk of military service. But Mr Young warned that the biggest problem may be the loss of expertise, as higher trained officials are abandoning the military for private sector jobs. In particular, the quality of accommodation and other resources for military families has been in decline, which he points to as a reason for older personnel with dependents leaving the military. Mr Young said the UK couldnt afford to lose these highly trained groups in the armed forces, especially as equipment becomes more and more technically complex. Weve got people leaving the armed forces because of the living and working conditions, so then youre losing expertise and talent as well, he says. So, switching on the tap today in terms of recruitment doesnt give you an instant solution. Its going to be another three or four or five years or more before you get the fully trained people that you need, and then youve got to retain them. Theyve now got skills which are attractive to civilian employees. Lessons from Ukraine: the long haul Rands Mr Black said Britain and other Nato members needed to be taking lessons from the war in Ukraine to improve longevity capabilities in combat. The war in Ukraine has exposed that a lot of Western militaries have been assuming that any high-end war against someone like Russia would be very lethal, but would also probably be very quick. A kind of short, sharp, horrible flurry of violence. And then the situation would be resolved. open image in gallery The Uk relies heavily on its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons, build by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. ( Getty Images ) However, the ongoing war in Ukraine now three years long has shown that this assumption is flawed. And if Britain were to engage in a longer period of war, the armed forces are not prepared to last more than a few months, according to a defence committee report in February. Former committee chair Sir Jeremy Quin told MPs that the military was unable to devote sufficient training and resources to high-intensity warfighting. Mr Black warns that the existing focus on higher quality, complex machinery does not necessarily work for long combat, with challenges such as refuelling, rapid replacement and stockpiling. How do I replenish my stockpiles when Ive fired all my missiles or dropped all my bombs? And that is partly a military question but also an industrial question. Do we have the industrial base to rebuild in the first place? Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A former minister and key ally of Kim Leadbeaters bid to introduce assisted dying into the UK has attempted to gag criticism of the bill committee dealing with the controversial legislation. Tory MP Kit Malthouse, who has been a cheerleader for the bill and sits on the committee, made a dramatic point of order after a majority voted down an amendment to protect people with Down Syndrome by 13 to 8. The amendments defeat added to growing concerns from campaign groups that vulnerable and disabled people or people with long term conditions will not be protected by the legislation into being coerced to end their lives early. open image in gallery Labour MP Kim Leadbeater (PA) ( PA Wire ) The amendment had been drawn up and supported by 50 groups including Downs Syndrome UK, Downs Syndrome Scotland, and the National Downs Syndrome Policy Group. But after similar amendments on diabetes and mental health were rejected, Mr Malthouse appeared to believe they were being weaponised to attack the committee which has a majority of pro-assisted dying MPs on it. In an apparent bid to silence criticism, he made a point of order asking if action could be taken against those who misrepresent the committee. Mr Malthouse said: If anybody, if any Member or indeed anybody externally, were for example, to attempt to misrepresent part of the debate on those amendments. What possibly could we do? So, for example, somebody could in regards to the amendment in to regard to people with Down Syndrome, imply, or state on social media that the committee has refused to look at accommodations for people with Down Syndrome and therefore would be disregarding welfare under the bill. That you will be aware would be a serious misrepresentation of both the debate and the intention and if anybody did that, either a member of the House generally or somebody externally. What measures could we take to correct that? He was told it was not a matter for the chair and would need to ask the House authorities. But the issue arose less than a week after Keir Starmer and JD Vance publicly clashed over free speech in the UK with the US vice president claiming that there were too many clampdowns on social media. Lynn Murray, spokesperson for Dont Screen Us Out, whose 25-year-old daughter Rachel has Down Syndrome, said: Im very disappointed that the amendment aimed at protecting people with Down Syndrome was voted down today. Multiple organisations representing people with Downs syndrome made clear explicit protection in the Bill for people with Downs syndrome is necessary to ensure safeguards from the negative impact this Bill would have on our community. She also accused Mr Malthouse of trying to threaten campaigners. She said: The behaviour of Kit Malthouse in the committee was disturbing. He appeared to be threatening organisations representing people with Down Syndrome simply for criticising the committees decision. We will not be silenced in our desire to protect the vulnerable. Nicola Enoch chief executive of Down Syndrome UK (DSUK): Sadly, we know that in so many ways across society, the lives of those with Down Syndrome are too often misunderstood and devalued. This makes people with Down Syndrome especially vulnerable to coercion and pressure under assisted suicide laws. Rachael Ross of the National Down Syndrome Policy Group (NDSPG) added: Many people with Down syndrome and other disabilities are now outliving their parents or guardians. The consequence of this is that they can be highly dependent upon the state and healthcare organisations. Getting this Bill right to ensure that those with Down Syndrome are properly protected could not be more important. As it stands, the Leadbeater Bill does not adequately protect those with Down syndrome. Theyre particularly at risk. However, Ms Leadbeater has constantly argued that the rules in her bill around who would be able to end their life early are tight and do not need a list of conditions attached. She told The Independent: Look at clause two, the definition of terminal illness, the really important terms are, it has to be inevitably progressive and it cannot be reversed by treatment. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Tim Davie has not ruled out reairing the controversial documentary about Gaza which was pulled from iPlayer after it emerged it featured the son of a Hamas official. Addressing the House of Commons culture, media and sport committee on Tuesday, the BBC director general said the broadcaster would conduct a forensic investigation into the programme, admitting that transparency was lacking in the making of the film. Mr Davies appearance in front of the committee follows the BBCs apology last week for serious flaws in the making of the programme Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone after it emerged that the child narrator is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamass deputy minister of agriculture. open image in gallery BBC director general Tim Davie ( PA ) The BBC previously said it had no plans to broadcast the programme again in its current form or return it to iPlayer and that it would make a further assessment once the review is complete. On Tuesday, Mr Davie told MPs on the committee that he is not ruling anything out. As editor-in-chief, I have to be secure, not only editorially where the films at, but the making of that film. And at that point, quite quickly, I lost trust in that film. Therefore, I have taken the decision, took the decision quite quickly, to take it off iPlayer while we do this deep dive, he said. Questioned whether it could return to iPlayer, the BBC boss said he is not ruling anything out but he wants forensic analysis to be carried out on the programme in various areas including its budget. Mr Davie added that he is aware of a small payment being made to the sister of the son of the Hamas official who featured in the documentary for his part in recording the narration. Asked why they pulled the documentary from the streaming service in the first place, Mr Davie said it was because, as editor-in-chief, he couldnt trust the programme. It isnt to do with one side or the other. We try and navigate a course sensibly, rationally, based on balanced and fair journalism. What we did, and I did and it was a very tough decision was to say, at the moment, looking people in the eye, can we trust this film? In terms of how it was made, the information weve got and thats how we made the decision. Its a simple decision in that regard, he said. He admitted that there is a lot of frustration and disappointment that the BBC Gaza documentary affected public trust in the corporation, apologising to the audience. Firstly, Id say nothings more important than were trusted and we have actually built trust so you can imagine that theres a lot of frustration and disappointment. Its not about the BBC and people like myself, but were very sorry to the audience, because we dont want to be in a position where we have flaws in the programme-making. And overall, I am proud of the way were covering some of these polarised, fiendishly difficult events where many of our journalists, as you know, are under enormous pressure, ferocious lobbying, and its been extremely difficult. But in this case, there are flaws. Mr Davie also revealed that the BBC has had around 500 complaints about the film being biased against Israel, and around 1,800 who wanted the film put back on iPlayer. The broadcasters chair Samir Shah said there were serious failings by both the independent production company and the BBC. Its not so much that the processes were at fault, as people werent doing their job, he admitted. In a letter to the BBC on Monday, Ofcom chair Michael Grade said the regulator could step in if an internal inquiry into the making of the documentary is not satisfactory. Lord Grade said Ofcom has ongoing concerns about the nature and gravity of these failings and the negative impact they have on the trust audiences place in the BBCs journalism. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Jeremy Corbyn has called for a Chilcot-style inquiry into Britains role in Israels war in Gaza. The former Labour leader has written to Sir Keir Starmer demanding an independent inquiry into the conflict in the Middle East that was started in response to the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel. History is repeating itself, Mr Corbyn warned, drawing parallels between the war in Gaza and the Iraq war, into which Sir John Chilcot published a damning report in 2016 that said the UKs decision to invade was based on flawed intelligence. open image in gallery Jeremy Corbyn is a long-standing pro-Palestinian campaigner ( PA Wire ) Britain has played a highly influential role in Israels military operations, the now independent former Labour MP said. He cited objections from campaigners to the sale of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel and concerns about the UKs refusal to describe Israels actions in Gaza as genocide. Mr Corbyn said he had repeatedly questioned officials on the continued sale of components for F-35s to Israel and the legal definition of genocide, but was met with "evasion, obstruction and silence". Transparency and accountability are cornerstones of democracy. Therefore, I will be working with colleagues in pursuing all avenues to establish an independent, public inquiry into the UKs involvement in Israels military assault in Gaza, Mr Corbyn said in a letter posted on X. Britains arms exports to Israel in 2023 were valued at 18 million, a figure House of Commons library researchers have described as low. The primary source of Israels arms are the US and Germany, with the UK making up less than 1 per cent of its defence imports. But last September foreign secretary David Lammy suspended around 30 arms exports licences to Israel, including components for F-16 fighter aircraft and parts for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones), naval systems and targeting equipment. open image in gallery Jeremy Corbyn demanded Sir Keir Starmer set up an inquiry into Britains role in the conflict ( Ben Whitley/PA Wire ) Mr Lammy cited a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. In his letter to the PM, Mr Corbyn said an inquiry should establish exactly what decisions have been taken, how they have been made and what consequences they have had. And he said the inquiry would require the full involvement of ministers dating back to the October 2023 attacks. Many people believe the government has taken decisions that have implicated officials in the gravest breaches of international law, these charges will not go away until there is a comprehensive inquiry with the legal power to establish the truth, Mr Corbyn said. The Chilcot inquiry was set up by Gordon Brown in 2009 to learn the lessons of the Iraq war, with public hearings taking place until February 2011. But the much-delayed report was not published until 2016, laying the main culpability for Britains role in the war on Sir Tony Blair, then foreign secretary Jack Straw and former head of the Cabinet Offices Joint Intelligence Committee John Scarlett. open image in gallery The Chilcot report was damning of Tony Blairs role in Britains decision to join George W Bush in the Iraq War ( PA Wire ) It is now clear that policy on Iraq was made on the basis of flawed intelligence and assessments. They were not challenged, and they should have been, the report concluded. Mr Corbyn said the Chilcot report found serious failings within the British government, which ignored the warnings of millions of ordinary people over its disastrous decision to go to war. And, citing the death toll in Gaza exceeding 61,000, he said: History is repeating itself. I am writing to demand an independent inquiry into the UKs involvement in the war on Gaza. A government spokesperson said: Our priority since day one has been a sustainable ceasefire, and a lasting peace that will ensure the long-term peace and security of both Palestinians and Israelis. We must build confidence on all sides that helps sustain the ceasefire and move it from phase one through to phase three, and into a lasting peace and an end to the suffering on all sides. International business leaders and observers have widely praised China's leadership in sustainable development, highlighting its transformative impact on green growth and its role as a model for a sustainable future. #GLOBALink Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice JD Vance has been condemned for disrespecting British veterans after he appeared to describe the UK as some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. The US vice president has been accused of erasing the experiences of Britons who served in Iraq and Afghanistan after his latest tirade against Americas European allies. Some 636 British troops died fighting alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, and an ex-soldier MP who served in Iraq said Mr Vance had made a sinister attempt to deny that reality. Keir Starmer hit back that he was full of admiration for the courage and bravery of British troops who had fought alongside the US, many of whom had been killed in action. Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Helen Maguire, a former captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, said: JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didnt return home from Iraq. open image in gallery JD Vance referred to a proposed peacekeeping force in Ukraine as 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 to 40 years ( FOX NEWS ) Ms Maguire called on Lord Mandelson, Britains ambassador to the US, to force an apology from the vice president. In an interview with Fox News, Mr Vance warned Volodymyr Zelensky that if he wanted real security guarantees to deter future attacks by Vladimir Putin, he would have to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. open image in gallery Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire, who served in Iraq and is pictured speaking with Queen Camilla, said JD Vance had erased from history the hundreds of troops who gave their lives ( Aaron Chown/PA Wire ) That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years, Mr Vance added. Britain and France have said they are prepared to put troops on the ground as part of a peacekeeping force in the event of a deal to end the war in Ukraine. Australian PM Anthony Albanese also said this week he would be open to consideration of a similar proposal. Canadian premier Justin Trudeau meanwhile has said everything is on the table, including sending troops to keep the peace in Ukraine as part of a coalition of the willing brought together by Sir Keir. Australia committed troops to operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan, while 159 Canadians were killed during the War in Afghanistan. But the US vice president said on Tuesday it was absurdly dishonest to suggest he was referring to the UK or France. Both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond, he wrote on X. He did not clarify which nations he was referring to specifically, but added: But lets be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful. Kemi Badenoch sought to play down Mr Vances comments, claiming they were taken out of context. I dont think he actually said that, a lot of people are getting carried away lets keep cool heads, the Tory leader said, despite her own shadow defence secretary having criticised the vice presidents remarks. But, piling in to condemn Mr Vance, Tory former veterans minister Johnny Mercer, who served three tours in Afghanistan, called the vice president a clown who needs to check his privilege. He added: I read JD Vances book, making the mistake of finding him quite interesting. By his own admission he spent his time in the Marines writing articles and taking pictures. open image in gallery Ex-veterans minister Johnny Mercer called JD Vance a clown ( Getty Images ) Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own countrys crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice. Tory shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: Nato Article 5 has been invoked once - on 12/9/01 by the USA, after 9/11. Britain and France came to their aid deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including numerous parliamentary colleagues, past and present. Its deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice. And Labour MP David Taylor added: This great nation has proudly fought shoulder to shoulder with our US allies, with 457 service men and women killed defending freedom in Afghanistan alone. These shameful remarks will never undo their sacrifice or the gratitude this nation has for their defence of British values. Princes William and Harry served in the British Army, and while the Prince of Wales never saw combat, the Duke of Sussex was an officer and completed two tours of Afghanistan. Former Republican US president George W Bush has also previously praised Britains role in the Iraq War. He is deeply grateful for the service and sacrifice of American and coalition forces in the war on terror. And there was no stronger ally than the United Kingdom under the leadership of prime minister Tony Blair, Mr Bushs spokesman Freddy Ford said after the publication of the damning Chilcot report into the conflict. It is only the most recent instance of Mr Vance sparking fury with comments about Americas European partners, after he used a speech at the Munich Security Conference to attack leaders over immigration and free speech. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Kosovos Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Tuesday again refused to report to the Special Prosecutors Office that had summoned him as a witness in an alleged corruption case of state reserves. Kurti, who was first summoned in December and refused, instead has said they can take his testimony at his office. He is not accused in the case but other officials are. Few details have been made publicly available. The prime minister has said he considers the prosecutors request to be politically driven. It is using and abusing its freedom to fight the government, not crime and corruption. I have always been ready to testify, Kurti told journalists. The prosecutors governing body and chief prosecutor supported the request to summon Kurti and denounced his allegations of taking political sides, adding that his words seriously damage the functioning of the democratic institutions. His Self-Determination Movement Party won the most seats in the Feb. 9 election but was left without a majority in parliament, forcing it to look for a partner to form the new government. The incident comes as Kosovos ties with its norther neighbor, Serbia, remain tense. Normalization talks with Serbia, which the European Union has facilitated since 2011, have stalled, though they are key for the countries potential membership in the bloc. Kosovo was a former Serbian province until a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended a war between Serbian government forces and ethnic Albanian separatists there. That left about 11,400 dead, mainly ethnic Albanians, and pushed Serbian forces out. Serbia does not recognize Kosovos independence, proclaimed in 2008. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Angela Rayner has insisted Britains approach to the war in Ukraine has not changed, despite Donald Trumps decision to suspend military aid to the country. With mounting calls for a radical rethink of the UK and Europes role in the conflict, the deputy prime minister claimed Sir Keir Starmer wont be derailed by the US presidents announcement. He will continue that dialogue with our oldest and strongest ally, the US, and with European partners and Ukraine, Ms Rayner said. She was challenged over Sir Keirs insistence on Monday that Mr Trump was not planning to scrap military aid to Ukraine, after his White House clash with president Volodymyr Zelensky last week. But Ms Rayner told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I can remind you of what the prime minister said yesterday, and it has not changed from yesterday to today. He is laser focused on getting peace. open image in gallery A defiant Angela Rayner insisted nothing has changed in Britains approach to the war despite Donald Trumps bombshell announcement ( PA Wire ) He will not be derailed by announcements. But it is clear Downing Street was blindsided by the decision, with Sir Keir saying on Monday: I haven't seen reports of the US withdrawing support for Ukraine. As I understand it, that is not their position. And the deputy PM also refused to say whether Sir Keir would pick up the phone to Washington in the wake of the announcement, which will put on hold more than $1 billion (800m) in arms and ammunition for Ukraine thats been ordered or is in the production process. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the US president had humiliated those who treated him as an ally hoping for peace - an apparent barb at Sir Keir. open image in gallery Keir Starmer on Monday insisted the US was not planning to suspend military aid to Ukraine ( PRU/AFP via Getty Images ) By suspending all military aid to Ukraine, Donald Trump has humiliated the people who pretended he was a reliable ally only in search of peace, Sir Ed said. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Mr Trumps suspension of military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. It is clear that Britain and Europe must re-arm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. We must work to keep America in, and Russia out, she added. Mr Trumps decision came hours after he fired off a fresh tirade against Mr Zelensky for claiming a peace deal is still very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer! This guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing, Mr Trump said. open image in gallery Donald Trumps decision came after a fresh attack on Volodymyr Zelensky ( PA Wire ) In a sideswipe at Sir Keir and other European leaders, he added: In the meeting they had with Zelensky, [they] stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking? Ms Rayner on Tuesday repeatedly refused to condemn Mr Trump over the move, describing it as a matter for the US. We are focused on support for Ukraine, bringing the US around the table alongside our European partners in Ukraine, she said. Ms Rayner added: We have put our money where our mouth is, and stepped up our support for Ukraine through air defence, through military capabilities and through the military aid we give year upon year. open image in gallery Donald Trump condemned the Ukrainian president for claiming a peace deal is still very, very far away ( EPA ) Asked whether Britain would regret inviting Mr Trump for a second state visit after his clash with Mr Zelensky and his decision to turn on Ukraine overnight, she said the US is Britains oldest ally, and the incredibly important relationship will endure, despite who may be in office at the time. In a stark contrast with Ms Rayner, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday morning responded to Mr Trumps decision with the announcement of an 800 billion ReArm Europe plan. We are living in dangerous times, Europes security is threatened in a very real way, Ms von der Leyen warned. She said the plan will free up hundreds of billions of euros to invest in defence capabilities by mobilising private funds and loosening constraints around spending. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice On the flight over to Washington DC last week it was obvious that Sir Keir Starmer and his team had a clear strategy for the prime ministers meeting with Donald Trump. They rightly calculated that Trump is possibly the biggest political egotist on the planet, so they decided to do everything they could to massage his ego. The flourish with the letter from the King offering a historic, unprecedented second state visit; the supine deference; thanking him for changing the conversation on Ukraine; all of it was part of an attempt to schmooze Trump into doing what was necessary on Ukraine, as well as not imposing tariffs. As an emotionally exhausted PM and his team flew away from Andrews military airbase in DC on Thursday night they had genuine cause for optimism that it had all worked and Starmer had pulled off a masterstroke. open image in gallery Trump has cancelled aid to Ukraine ( EPA/Getty Images ) But there were three major flaws in the plan. First, Trump is utterly unpredictable; second, there were other egos at play in this diplo-drama; third, and most importantly, they refused to even consider the idea that Trump would be utterly unacceptable. On this last point, a senior UK diplomat gave British journalists accompanying the prime minister a briefing ahead of Starmers White House meeting. It was clear from that briefing that there was no scenario in which the UK was planning for where Trump and Zelensky did not sign the minerals deal 24 hours later. It was all a game changing week with the minerals deal and then everything would be largely in place with the London conference hosted by the PM on Sunday. We all know now how that went. After the awful Oval Office scenes which saw Zelensky leave the White House in a hurry and no deal signed Starmer and others had to go into emergency planning. open image in gallery Starmer warmly welcomed Zelensky But even by Sunday Starmer was optimistic that he could bring Zelensky and Trump back to the table in his press conference after his summit. By Monday MPs from both sides of the House (with the exception of Nigel Farage) were congratulating the prime minister on being an international leader and all-round brilliant diplomat. But once again Starmer was caught out. He had called Trump and was telling the House that the US was still a reliable partner, ready to engage in the peace deal and was completely dismissive of claims made that Trump would pull military aid to Ukraine. But even before he had sat down from his Commons statement Trump was posting on Truth Social, attacking on Zelensky and making a contemptuous sideswipe at Starmer and other European leaders. Then overnight he actually did cancel the military aid to Ukraine as had been widely predicted everywhere except apparently Downing Street. Starmer cannot be blamed for the volatility of the US president or his hard-headed vice president JD Vance. But nevertheless as things stand, his diplomatic strategy on Ukraine has been left in tatters by the White House and he has the added problem that his ambassador in the US Lord Mandelson appears to be freelancing on TV in support of Trump more than UK policy. Until Starmer and his foreign policy operation begin to factor in assumptions that Trump will do the completely unreasonable, however awful, then they cannot begin to hope to deal with a White House that seems to be bent on the destruction of the Western alliance. This is true of Ukraine but will be equally true on the issue of tariffs and a UK/US trade deal the negotiation of which is in the hands of Vance, a man who wants to punish Britain for attempting to tackle the worst excesses of social media. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Disney star apologized after she was slammed online for touching several rare Honu turtles in Hawaii while on vacation with her family. The Descendants actress, China McClain, 26, was on vacation with her father, who also acts as her manager, Michael, and sister, Sierra, who filmed her touching resting sea turtles on a beach in Paia, Maui, at the weekend. However, the supposedly heartfelt moment sparked widespread outrage, ultimately forcing McClain to delete the post from her feed, where she boasts 7.4 million followers. At the time it was deleted, there were around half a million views. Two actresses and their father/manager contacted the DLNR this afternoon, to apologize for creating a social media outburst by posting one of the women touching a sea turtle, while the other videotaped, an official statement from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources read Monday. McClain told the DLNR: I was not fully aware of the situation until today, and I certainly wasnt aware of the laws. The video was from two years ago when we visited Hawaii and I came across it in my phone and decided to post it. Most of the comments pleaded for McCain to remove the video and apologize for any cultural insensitivity caused. open image in gallery Disney star China McClain, 26, (pictured) had been attacked by fans online after she was filmed touching protected sea turtles on a Hawaii beach ( Instagram/@chinamcclain ) The fallout even saw Hawaiis Governor Josh Green, M.D. weighing in: Aloha China, I urge you to educate yourself on Hawaiis laws and the importance of protecting our marine life before visiting our islands. Interacting with sea turtles is not only illegal but also poses a serious threat to these protected species. Green also reminded followers that anyone visiting the islands had a moral obligation to respect the wildlife a notion that she and her family breached. Please delete this video, and do better, he added. Despite the post now being deleted, Instagram users have continued to jibe at her across her older posts on the platform. One user viciously wrote: You are NOT welcome in Hawaii in any capacity, visitor or resident. While another said: You managed to **** off an entire state bro. Stay ** home forever. Pls. The DLNR statement said that both China and Sierra were sincerely apologetic to the people of the island, particularly for any hurt and cultural disrespect that had been caused. Authorities were first made aware of the post Monday, which prompted the DLNR to make several phone calls and emails to the sisters, their managers, publicists, record labels and production companies, begging them to take the post down. Their father-manager, Michael McClain, said: We want people to know that China was not aware of the laws, and we appreciate that people and the agencies reached out. All our family loves and respects Hawaii and we apologize for inadvertently causing this pain, he added. The stars apologetic response has induced a mixed reaction with one user commenting on an old post Tuesday, by writing: No apology needed, never welcome in Hawaii ever again. A more understanding fan wrote: Thank you for apologizing. I urge you to follow up with some action. It doesnt have to be monetary but consider bringing awareness to the importance of being good stewards of the land God allows us to dwell on. Originally the viral post was captioned with a statement that read: Just found this Turtle gem captured on our Hawaii trip [...] found so many other pics from this beautiful, healing place that I might share. Dont be shocked if I pack up & move to Maui one of these days! The DLNR confirmed that while their actions did not break state law, they actively ignored wildlife viewing guidelines developed by NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the DLNR a set of established stipulations. Those stipulations include standing at least 10 feet away from sea turtles, not touching, chasing, feeding, or interfering with adults and hatchlings, and allowing them to have access to and from the ocean. Yet as this was not directly witnessed or reported, the DLNR stated it was challenging for law enforcement to establish intent. It is unclear whether the family will face a penalty for their actions. Brian Neilson, DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources administrator added: Although we understand it was probably not intentional, this is not a pono way to interact with Hawaiian wildlife. We encourage the sharing of positive behaviors on social media to inspire others to appreciate and protect our beautiful surroundings. The Independent contacted the DLNR for comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Mass layoffs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration could come with potentially devastating impacts to U.S. forecasting abilities, including data and modeling thats used for life-saving communications during severe weather events. On Monday, reports citing former agency officials said the White House was preparing to cancel leases for key forecasting offices, including the NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction and a radar development lab in Oklahoma. The center provides seasonal outlooks and forecasting, producing information for the National Weather Service, the U.S. Navy, the Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration, according to The Verge. Its Environmental Modeling Center ensures that accurate weather data is used in the models that run day-to-day forecasting, Axios noted. A request for confirmation and comment from the White House, NOAA, and the National Weather Service was not immediately returned. open image in gallery The White House is reportedly preparing to cancel leases for important forecasting offices. The loss of those offices could put the ability to forecast in jeopardy, according to meteorologists ( Getty Images ) Meteorologists and climate scientists say the centers loss which comes as Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency take a slash-and-burn approach to the federal government would be major. I don't really know how to shout this from the rooftops any louder: If this actually happens, it would spell the end of U.S. numerical weather prediction the scientific models, run on supercomputers, used to create virtually all weather forecasts, UCLA climate scientist Dr. Daniel Swain said in a post on social media. This is horrible news for numerical weather prediction in this country. The data that comes from these key parts of our weather enterprise saves lives, wrote meteorologist Jim Cantore. Friends, if this happens, our ability to forecast the weather is LITERALLY in jeopardy. Not an exaggeration, said 4029 News meteorologist Darby Bybee. Who needs high quality weather forecasts? The Trump regime apparently thinks they are dispensable. Maybe the word 'climate' in NOAA's Center for Weather and Climate Prediction is the problem? asked Dr. Stefan Rahmstorf, a professor of physics of the oceans and head of earth system analysis at Germanys Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Several people pointed out that the timing of such a move would be ironic, considering the fire and tornadoes expected across the country this week. Just came here to make sure the that irony of severe weather occurring in OK the night its being reported that Trumps DOGE is canceling the lease for the NOAA center in Norman, after laying off weather experts at NWS, isnt lost on anyone, wrote Oklahoma Rep. Forrest Bennet. open image in gallery The Maryland Park NOAA NWS Weather Prediction Center produces producing information for the National Weather Service and the military. It also monitors models ( NOAA NWS Weather Prediction Center/Facebook ) With just a few months before hurricane season, KPRC 2 meteorologist Justin Stapleton said that the reported lease cancellations are not a smart decision. While some have wondered if the private sector could replicate some of the work done by NOAA, the scale of its operation is hard to match. These are big expenditures that I think would be very, very difficult to duplicate in the private sector, James Franklin, the former head of the Hurricane Forest Unit in Miami, previously told NPR. And if the private sector were doing that, are we going to see the data for free? If it's a weather forecast, an app, TV weather graphic, Doppler radar stream, or weather model map, the raw data is coming from NOAA, said meteorologist Paul Douglas. At the end of last week, more than 1,000 NOAA employees of various skill levels were fired across multiple fields, leading to widespread outrage and weekend protests. Those impacted by the firings as well as politicians said they would hurt the American public. Fired workers have said that their jobs were focused on specific systems that obtained critical data. Without experts with their skillsets, the agency could be stretched too thin. open image in gallery Mass layoffs at the agency impacted tenured employees. Many said that the decisions would have direct impacts to Americans safety going forward ( Getty Images ) When you dont have people and bodies to verify how accurate the model depictions are, youre not going to be successful, Evan Belkin, who was hired at the National Weather Service in 2023, told NBC News. The University of Albany doctoral student was part of a program that allows people still finishing degrees to work at the agency. Without people and bodies, this flood inundation mapping project is going to go down the s----er. When theres any large displacement in the Earths crust or water, we get notified and have to determine if theres an earthquake large enough to create a tsunami or if a tsunami has been generated by other means, Kayla Besong, a physical scientist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, explained. Ive been developing these skills for over 10 years. Im an excellent programmer. Their systems are very niche, and they require people who know how to program. Previously, the Trump administration has reversed course on its decisions, and the National Science Foundation is reinstating dozens of employees terminated last month. Well see how bad this upcoming severe weather season is and the hurricane season. And, like, yeah well see if they have to call back and rehire some forecasters, Tom DiLiberto, a climate scientist who worked at NOAA since 2010, told The Independent last week. The government is here to help people. Its not here to make things worse. But, what theyre trying to do is make things worse, across the board, he said. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The leader of Ontario threatened to cut off Canadas energy supply from the United States, remove all U.S. alcohol from store shelves and cancel any partnership with Starlink in retaliation for President Donald Trump imposing sweeping 25 percent tariffs on the U.S.s northern neighbor and 10 percent tariff on Canadian energy. Premier Doug Ford said Monday that he plans to fight back against Trumps tariffs in whatever way he can to show the president it is a bad decision to add the tax to the U.S.s closest neighbor and ally. If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything including cut off their energy, with a smile on my face, Ford said. Canada is the largest source of energy imports for the U.S., with crude oil and other petroleum products topping the list of imports. But hydropower, natural gas and electricity are also among the imports. Imposing the 10 percent tariff on will likely spike domestic energy prices, especially in states in the U.S. Midwest, according to the Atlantic Council. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he would retaliate against Trumps tariffs by cutting off energy supply ( AP ) Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analytics at GasBuddy and expert in gas prices, said people living in New England will likely feel the impact on gas used for transportation first. Gas prices, diesel prices, jet fuel and much more, prices could start going up by a total of $.20 to $.40 per gallon in the next seven to 10 days, De Haan warned. That is because that area of the U.S. heavily relies on oil refineries in New Brunswick, Canada. People living in the Great Lakes, Midwest and Rocky Mountain areas can also expect to see price increases because they rely on crude oil from Canada, which is delivered via a pipeline that only travels southbound from Canada to the U.S. Those in the Great Lakes should prepare for a price increase of $.10 to $.25 cents per gallon for both gasoline and diesel, De Haan said. Those living in the Midwest could see gas and diesel prices rise $.05 to $.20 per gallon within the next few weeks. Meanwhile people in the Rockies can expect fuel prices to increase by $.10 to $.20 per gallon once refiners have worked through their pre-tariff oil supplies. The tariffs will also likely hurt the Canadian economy more than already being felt, which is why many Canadian leaders are furious at the president for imposing them. They rely on our energy; they need to feel the pain, Ford said while encouraging all other provinces, such as Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia, to do the same. Ford said he also plans to remove every bit of U.S. alcohol from Ontario shelves and threatened to pull Ontarios Starlink contract too. Hes underestimating the Canadian people, the resilience of the Canadian people, and the strength of the Canadian people, Ford said. Premier of Quebec Francois Legault said in February that he agreed with Ford about implementing retaliatory energy measures on the U.S. if Trump were to impose tariffs. He reiterated that point on Monday, saying he would respond in retaliation with Hydro-Quebec, the largest supplier of hydropower in Canada, which also exports power to the northeast U.S. Legault said there would be more details on Tuesday about retaliatory efforts. Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. I cant, for the life of me, figure out why this guys attacking his closest neighbors, allies and friend. A tariff on Canada is a tax on Americans, Ford said of the president. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Forever 21, a trendy, fast-fashion retailer that has long been a mainstay in American malls, is laying off approximately 700 workers as it closes several locations and shutters its headquarters. The retailer had to file WARN notices in Pennsylvania and California where the company's soon-to-be closed headquarters is located ahead of the mass terminations. According to KTLA, Forever 21 locations in Orange, Riverside, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Montclair, Santa Ana, Lakewood, and Cerritos, California, are all closing. The company's headquarters is located in Los Angeles. Approximately 350 people work at the headquarters, according to Retail Dive. Layoffs are expected to begin on April 21, according to a WARN notice dated to February 14. The terminations cover positions ranging from store managers to designers to upper level executives like the company's chief financial and merchandising officers. Forever 21 is laying off more than 300 workers and closing its headquarters in Los Angeles ( Reuters ) Anyone still working with the company will have to work remote due to the closure of the company's headquarters. Catalyst Brands, the parent company of Forever 21, said the retailer would continue to "explore strategic options while also looking at ways to reduce costs across our operations and optimize our store footprint." "This decision was not made lightly," a Forever 21 spokesperson told USA TODAY. "And we remain committed to transparency and fair treatment of our employees during this period of transition. At the height of its operations, Forever 21 operated at least 800 stores worldwide. Now, the chain operates approximately 350. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Forever 21 was exploring the possibility of selling the chain and was considering bankruptcy. The retailer already filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy once five years ago. At that time, mall owners Simon Property Group and Brookfield Corporation joined forces with Authentic Brands Groups a brand development corporation to buy the trendy clothing outlet out of bankruptcy. Jamie Salter, the CEO of Authentic Brands, said in 2023 that he believed that buying Forever 21 was "probably the biggest mistake I made." Forever 21 is one of many U.S. brick-and-mortar businesses struggling to keep afloat amidst rising operating costs and competition from online retailers. Last month, Joann Fabrics announced it planned to close all of its locations. That announcement comes just a month after the brand filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This was a very difficult decision to make, given the major impact we know it will have on our Team Members, our customers and all of the communities we serve, a spokesperson for Joann said in a statement to the Associated Press. A careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the Company determined which stores should remain operating as usual at this time. When Tom* got his first glimpse of Hannah in real life, he thought she was the most gorgeous woman hed ever seen. Hed already checked out her photoshoots, of course and hed already perused her OnlyFans page. But when he came across her at a prominent Los Angeles nightclub, he was bowled over by how beautiful she was in the flesh. And he had something specific he wanted to ask her. There was an item I thought she might sell, he says, like a specific bra she had worn. I was like: Oh, thatd be cool to have. Because it was for a shoot she did shes not in the porn industry, shes a model model, like an actual model. So he struck up a conversation with her. I was like, Oh, that was a really sexy bra, do you still have it? I would pay to have it as a thing in my collection. Although Tom concedes that the request sounds weird in hindsight, he adds that hed already purchased a lot of content from Hannahs OnlyFans page, as well a handful of other models pages, and in Hannahs case, Ive already bought videos and photos and whatever. Like at a certain point it gets to be: what else is left to buy? Hannah was open to the suggestion she said she still had the bra, and was fine with the idea of selling it but quickly directed Tom back to her chatbox on OnlyFans. They could discuss things further on there, she said. Tom agreed, and snapped a picture with her before they both got on with their night. Things took a turn when Tom followed her instructions, however. Back behind a screen, Hannah seemed to have no memory at all of their interaction. What are you talking about? he says she responded when he reminded her of their conversation. I dont meet people outside of OnlyFans. She didnt know if she even had the bra, she added. Shed have to go back through all her stuff from previous photoshoots, and there were no guarantees. open image in gallery Hannah and Tom ( Courtesy of Tom ) Tom was taken aback. When Hannah denied meeting him, he sent her the picture hed taken of them together, sipping cocktails in the nightclub just days before. And then the chatbox went silent. Hours later, he got a response: Hannah did remember him after all, and she was sorry, she just responded like that because she has to be safe in her line of work. Tom said he understood, but his suspicion was piqued. The next time he saw Hannah and Kayley, another OnlyFans model whom he followed and had purchased a lot of content from in one of the LA clubs, he watched what they were doing before sending a suggestive message via the OnlyFans chat. In both cases, he got an instant reply. But Hannah and Kayley were busy, ordering cocktails and chatting with friends. They certainly werent on their phones, offering up supposedly personalized OnlyFans content within minutes. So who was? The answer to that question forms the crux of a class action lawsuit filed in July 2024 by the legal firm Hagens Berman, which details how OnlyFans openly allows the use of chatters who impersonate models and who are trained to extract as much money as possible from those models customers. Usually young men with proficient English who live in places like Venezuela and the Philippines, they are badly paid by U.S. standards but well-paid by the standards of their own countries and they can earn lucrative bonuses by selling supposedly tailored content through the chatbox, all the while hooking a customer in by making them believe theyre in a personal relationship with the model. These chatters operate in plain sight entire chatter agencies, like Convo Bunny and Ghost Chatters (Do you think CEOs sit replying to customer enquiries for hours a day? No, they hire people. Why treat your OnlyFans differently?) have websites and testimonials. Job descriptions are posted on the r/OnlyFansChatter subreddit which has 12,000 members, putting it in the top 7% of all subreddits by population size promising $2.50$3.50/hr + commissions (Avg. $1,000$1,200/month No OF experience needed!) or, for elite chatters, $10/hr (~$4,500$5,000/month) + High-Performance Bonuses (Minimum 2 years of chatter experience required!). Considering that OnlyFans takes a 20 percent cut of everything a model sells on their website and is, according to its most recent publicly filed records, making over $2 billion per year, presumably almost exclusively through that avenue, it is strongly disincentivized to stop the practice. Customers dont pay to chat to the models, but having a personal relationship with a girl-next-door type model as opposed to, say, watching anonymous porn is central to OnlyFans allure. And inside chats, models can ask for tips or send extra content for money. Because of this, Hagens Bermans class action lawsuit filed on behalf of five plaintiffs, who seek triple damages and full coverage of their legal costs accuses OnlyFans of falsely promising authentic connections, rather than openly stating that chatters may operate on their platform; of knowing that chatters operate in violation of their own terms and allowing them to do so anyway; and of a failure to enforce its own policies that goes beyond mere negligence and supports an inference that OnlyFans is acting intentionally to facilitate the chatter scams; and of therefore taking mens money under false pretenses. It also claims that the use of chatters has caused emotional harm to the plaintiffs, because many of them shared intimate images of themselves that they believed to be private between them and a model, and because some of them believed they were in personal relationships with models when they were actually being manipulated by trained chatters. The lawsuit is filed against the parent company of OnlyFans and a handful of agencies that are alleged to provide chatters to the platform. OnlyFans was contacted by The Independent for comment and did not respond. Robert Carey, one of the two attorneys who filed the legal complaint, says that his team has now spoken to hundreds of men who were duped by chatters and that the money lost by each individual has ranged anywhere from, Oh, Ive spent a total of $5,000 to, I spent $70,000. Meanwhile, the models who can afford to hire the agencies mostly those who are in the top 1 percent of OnlyFans earners are regularly pulling in hundreds of thousands of dollars per week by Hagens Bermans estimates, some over a million. A lot of these men especially our class reps they fully believe that they were in these relationships with these women, says Gloria*, a paralegal at Hagens Berman who preferred to stay anonymous because there are strong feelings about the case online, and women who are connected with OnlyFans in any manner often become the target of online harassment. Some even went as far as buying plane tickets because they believed they were going to meet with these women in certain places going there and then getting ghosted. So theyre fully invested. Theyre fully invested, and they fully believe the fantasy. And a lot of them will say: That might make me stupid, but they thought they were special. And of course, they wouldnt have spent that much money if they had known that it was a ruse. Whats so insidious, Gloria adds, is that the chatters are trained specifically in how to overcome doubt if the men talking to them become suspicious: Theyll be like: No, baby. Why dont you believe me? So theyll always guilt-trip it back to him not trusting her. I thought you loved me theyll use that a lot. Basically what they do is they make them feel bad for even asking, to the point where they stop asking. But what about the ones who ask for some form of proof? They can do that, says Gloria. Indeed, men will often notice discrepancies in how the model is talking especially if they forget key details, like a dogs name or a major life event, because the person whos typing is actually one of a rotating list of chatters provided by the agency and ask for videos or photos that can prove the model is speaking in real time. Usually, the chatter agency will already have basic images or videos ready to hand for such scenarios, such as images of the model holding up one, two, three, four or five fingers so the chatter can offer that as evidence and then quickly send it. But sometimes the requests will get more demanding. They ask for videos, like: I want you to say my name, says Gloria. Thats when the agency will reach out to the model and ask her to film the video, alleges the lawsuit which can mean a long delay in replying. The model adds the request to her long to-do list, because shes likely to be highly in demand. Gloria explains thats the moment when some men realize theyve been duped, because its like: Why does it take you four or five days to do this? Most of the men who realize theyve been exploited by OnlyFans chatters are too embarrassed to speak publicly about what they went through, says Robert Carey. Thats unsurprising, considering one of the most common uses of the OnlyFans chatbox is dick ratings, which is exactly what it sounds like.Men will send graphic photos of their genitals for in-the-moment ratings by models, and this sensitive material is clearly presumed to be viewed privately by the model in question. But when agencies with rotating chatters gain the logins of the models, those images can be viewed by one, or multiple, other people few of whom resemble the model they think theyre communicating with, according to the lawsuit and chatter agencies. Its not just those men who would rather not be identified. The legal complaint also includes a number of men who believed they were in long-running, committed relationships with a model they met through the website, and are humiliated when they find out theyve simply been sending money to a group of disinterested young men in the gig economy. The one thing that struck me is you see these guys that are just ordinary, hard-working people, says Carey, and they drop so much coin on this, youre just like: Whoa. One of the reasons that Hagens Bermans lawsuit hasnt progressed since July is because OnlyFans is insisting the class representatives should have their names publicly revealed, Carey says. The legal complaint was filed using just the mens initials, though their full names are available privately to OnlyFans and their legal team. OnlyFans pushing to have those initials changed to full names is, in Careys opinion, an intimidation tactic aimed at trying to embarrass them into dropping the lawsuit. Not every man is reticent about talking about their experiences, however. Some want the world to know exactly what they went through. Thats how it was for Tom, and how it is for OnlyFans customer-turned-supersleuth James*. James, who works in IT and is based in Texas, says he realized quite early on in his OnlyFans membership that the top models werent always who they seemed. Like a few of the men who spoke to Robert Carey and Gloria, he became suspicious when he noticed tonal inconsistencies in the way a model would write to him. This model, who the chatbox claimed was based less than two miles away from him, offered to give him proof in the form of holding up a numbers of fingers, so I said: OK, hold up three fingers. She holds up three fingers. Im like: OK, do two. She did two. Im like: OK, this is way too fast for that [and] it doesnt look like that was taken today. And then what I would do is I would take the raw image and scrape the metadata off of it to see when it was taken and what kind of camera it was taken on. And it was about six months beforehand, or a year beforehand. So these pictures are about a year old. James didnt stop there: What I did with one of her pictures was Id seen a sign in the background and I zoomed in and it was in German she was in some tanning salon, I think. So I was able to pinpoint where that tanning salon was in Berlin. The model wasnt based anywhere near his home in Austin, he realized. She didnt even live in the country. It wasnt long before another chatter messed up, big-time. James had suspected for a while that he was sometimes receiving messages which had been coded and automatically pushed to multiple customers accounts, with supposedly personalized videos to unlock for cash. There was one that I talked to where they had messed up and when they had tried to refer back to me by my pseudonym that I used on there, he says. So I told them: Well, my name is such-and-such. And when they typed back to me, it said {Name}, not my name. Itd be in brackets, like as if you were programming it. What happened next was eye-opening. I said: OK, gig is up. I know youre a chatter. Tell me where youre from. And they told me that they were a man from the Philippines and they were getting paid about eight dollars and fifty cents an hour to do this. open image in gallery The message that confirmed Jamess suspicions James wasnt exactly surprised by the admission, but he was surprised by some of the facts: They said that it provides pretty well for their family. They really dont have to do that much. You know, just talk dirty or whatever, send videos. And the more that they harvest it basically out of somebody, the more that they got from the model, cause they would pay him bonuses. Once hed spoken to one chatter, James decided to directly address others in top models chatboxes. And he was surprised how many would just flat-out admit it, like: Im doing this for money to support my family. He noticed how international the chatters were, too: Ive met a Romanian chatter, Ive met a Filipino chatter, Ive met them from all over the world almost some in Nigeria. Some of the men were ashamed to do it, he says, because they cant find other employment, but they have to do it to survive. And James understood that the job must take its toll: constantly roleplaying as a horny 21-year-old American woman when youre a middle-aged Romanian man just trying to put food on the table for your family has got to be, at the very least, psychologically weird. Thats without even thinking about the amount of graphic photos they inevitably must have to see per shift. And it seems clear from multiple posts on the r/OnlyFansChatter subreddit that models frequently fail to pay their chatters, even after the agencies have had them working for weeks. Others, however, were despicable people, according to James, or people who had long forgotten about the human cost of their interactions and had turned it into a game-like strategy. One of them that I talked to, he would do three different models at the same time He would triple-dip so he could [maximize profits] and he had a script of what to say if somebody asked a certain thing or how to behave. If someone asks for something very time-sensitive, like someone said, I want you to hold up six fingers and hold up todays newspaper, then he has to get a hold of the model fast, otherwise, you know, the covers blown. James even managed to speak to enough models that he came up with his own heuristic for whether or not one might be employing chatters: Typically, if they were smaller, they would be a one-woman show. But if they had over 500 to 1,000 people following them, then thats when they start hiring the chatters. This fact alone is why their class action lawsuit shouldnt just concern men who have been duped out of their time and money, says Robert Carey: Ill tell you who the victims are really. It would be the girls who do not hire agencies, because whats happening is theres a finite pool of dollars that go into this, in the aggregate, and theyre taking the lions share of it for that small 1% or 2%. And if they had to do it manually, they could only take so many people, which would push more money back down to the other people who are doing it honestly. In Careys opinion, that amounts to those bigger, more well-known models with chatter agencies using unfair trade practices to get an outsized portion of the revenue, to the detriment of the people who arent doing that. And they are competitors, right? So its a competition fraud in some sense thats ripping off all the girls who would get some of that overflow business if the other people were doing it legitimately. As for Tom who deactivated his OnlyFans account over a year ago he says he understands that logistically, dealing with hundreds of thousands of inbound chats is impossible. But he wishes that OnlyFans as a company had been upfront about the fact that they cant guarantee youre actually talking with the models in the chatbox. He keeps in touch, in a way, with Hannah and Kayley. Hannah left LA last year and moved back to Arizona, to start a local business and be closer to her family. Tom went down to a store where she was promoting her business recently because hes always happy to support her. They had a quick chat and she knew who I was, he says. Kayley was at AVN otherwise known as the worlds biggest porn convention in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, which Tom traveled to attend. But he felt awkward about joining the lawsuit and talking about it publicly when he saw Kayley posing with fans. Even though he keeps himself anonymous, he still believes Kayley knows that hes outed her. Specific details that hes chosen to share would probably tip her off, he says such as the fact that he once bought her an expensive pair of boots off her personal wish list for her birthday, back when he was still spending a lot of time and money on OnlyFans. After buying the boots, he asked her in person if shed make a personalized video wearing the boots and she agreed, but told him to follow up with her about it on the site. There, a chatter told him that they had no recollection of the purchase. That was another moment that made him realize hed never been conversing with the real Kayley online. I tried to keep a distance at the convention in January, he says, but then there was one point where she did see me and she actually gave me a really evil look. Its a shame, he says, because he still thinks Kayley is smart and interesting and understands why she does what she does. This is their livelihood, he says. This is how they make money. I respect women who work in this field. I dont look, everyone needs to make money and make a living. For me, it wasnt about women using [chatters], because again, they need to make the most money they can, and Im all for that. Where my problem stood was with OnlyFans, the site itself. Dont tell us we are chatting with the actual women and lie about it. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Chappy, a beloved gray seal pup found wandering the streets of New Haven in February, has died due to gastrointestinal issues, according to Connecticuts Mystic Aquarium. On February 16, the seal was found stranded on Chapel Street, after which police kept him secure until Mystic Aquarium workers took him to a safer environment. Workers at the aquarium believe Chappy was acting on instinct and trying to get away from larger, dangerous seals in the waters near New Haven when he wandered inland and found his way to Chapel Street, where he was picked up about a mile from Yale University's campus, and several blocks from the nearest coastline, according to NPR. Chappy, who was only a few weeks old when he was discovered, was taken for treatment at Mystic Aquarium's Animal Rescue Clinic. There, aquarium workers discovered that Chappy was ill, presenting signs of mild pneumonia, dehydration, and malnutrition. There appeared to be some hope for his recovery as he initially responded well to his treatments and was even learning to eat on his own. Despite his apparent improvement, his gastrointestinal issues continued to plague him, and his condition began to worsen. He was suffering from digestive issues and had trouble eating whole fish. He eventually died from his illness. "It's with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of Chappy, the gray seal pup we had been treating in our Animal Rescue Clinic," the clinic said on social media. After a necropsy was conducted by aquarium staff, they found that he had died from complications associated with mesenteric torsion, meaning his intestines were twisted in a way that cut off blood supply to much of his gastrointestinal tract. open image in gallery Chappy, a gray seal cub who was found stranded on the streets of New Haven, Connecticut in February, has died from gastrointestinal issues ( Mystic Aquarium ) "Unfortunately, despite all the efforts, his gastrointestinal issues were too severe to treat, and he succumbed to his disease," the clinic said. Small pieces of plastic were also found inside his stomach. Aquarium workers do not believe they contributed to his death, but pointed out the discovery as a reminder of the damage human pollution can do to marine life. "In addition, while unrelated to Chappy's immediate cause of death, small pieces of plastic were found in his stomach highlighting the threat that marine debris, especially plastics, poses to marine animals," the clinic reported. While Chappy was only with the aquarium for a short time, the staff said in a statement that they were proud to have treated him and noted that he was surrounded by loving staff while he was in their care. "The reality of working with stranded animals can be tough sometimes, but Chappy was surrounded by love until the very end," the clinic wrote. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A publishing house has pulled a forthcoming series by romance novelist Sophie Lark after social media users took issue with snippets from the first upcoming book that praise Elon Musk and perpetuate racist stereotypes. Sparrow and Vine, published by Bloom Books, was set to be released in April, but the book as well as the series its a part of have been withdrawn in the wake of the backlash, the publisher confirmed to The Independent Tuesday. Social media users have focused on two specific lines from the book that were spoken by the main character, who the author said was supposed to be flawed. Although her publisher recommended removing those lines, she kept them in, she said in an apology. I was inspired by Elon Musk. I use his five step design process, reads one book snippet circulating online. Musk, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency boss, has become a polarizing figure as he cozies up to Trump and his cost-cutting arm has effectively upended the federal government through mass layoffs and slashed contracts. open image in gallery Author Sophie Lark apologized after online criticism to her forthcoming book, Sparrow and Vine, which included offensive lines about immigrants and praise for Elon Musk ( Supplied ) In another controversial line, screenshotted by social media users, Lark wrote: I dont want to sound ignorantBut shouldnt there be a crew of people with questionable work visas picking these grapes for us? One TikTok user said: Sophie Larks new book seems to be MAGA coded. A Reddit user also remarked: I'm sorry but with the current political climate, these types of comments aren't clever or cute and has no place in romance books. Another TikToker similarly wrote: Harmful racist stereotypes in this time and age is wilddd. Lark was offered no respite on Goodreads. You know what we dont stand for in 2025? Casual racism." The book is part of an arranged marriage series about a woman who has to marry a man from a rival family in order for them to secure their portion of an inheritance, Bloom Books said on its website. open image in gallery Sophie Larks upcoming book was pulled weeks before it was set to be released in April after social media users took issue with two specific lines from it ( Bloom Books ) In an apology posted to Instagram Monday, Lark wrote that it was brought to her attention that certain lines in her new book were hurtful. Reading your messages and hearing your perspectives over the past 24 hours has been humbling, and I want to acknowledge the pain my words have caused. I am truly sorry. My intention was to craft and demonstrate a flawed main character, but instead, I wrote dialogue that read as attacking to a community that I care about very much. She underscored that the book underwent a regimented process, including being looked over by sensitivity readers. During the editing process, Bloom recommended removing these lines, and I made the wrong choice in keeping them. I now understand that impact matters more than intent, and I regret that my words caused harm. Please dont blame Bloom for my mistakes, she added. Lark wrote the book in the summer of 2024 a lot has changed in the world since then, particularly in regard to the fate of immigrants worldwide and certain public figures. She said she was pausing the book for re-writes to ensure that my work doesnt contribute to harm and vowed start listening more closely to sensitivity readers and to take steps to educate herself on responsible storytelling. She concluded: To those I have hurt, Im very sorry. I hope I can your trust back in the future. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade butted heads with his MAGA-backing colleagues on Tuesday over the Trump administrations handling of the Ukraine war, repeatedly reminding them that Vladimir Putin is the bad guy and not Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky. Though a longtime and loyal supporter of Donald Trump, Kilmeade has also been a harsh and vocal critic of Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, placing the entirety of blame for the three-year war on the Kremlin. Even as many within the right-wing media ecosphere have expressed sympathy for Putin while demanding that the United States stop aiding Ukraine in its fight, Kilmeade has remained steadfast in his pro-Ukrainian stance. In recent days, the Fox & Friends star has made it abundantly clear that he is breaking from Trump on Ukraine. Following the explosive White House clash that saw Trump and Vice President JD Vance raging against Zelensky, the president decided to suspend all military aid to Ukraine because he wanted Zelensky committed to a goal of peace with Russia. In response to that Monday evening move, which Ukrainian officials said could impact the frontlines within days and gives the appearance that America is siding with Russia, Kilmeade took to social media to take a veiled shot at the president. Can we all remember [Putin] is the bad guythey invadedthey kidnap kids, Kilmeade tweeted. Whatever happensUkraine can not loseeastern Europe will be next. open image in gallery ( Fox News ) During Tuesdays broadcast of Trumps favorite morning cable news show, Kilmeade continued to hammer that point home while also taking issue with his co-hosts unequivocally backing the presidents pivot towards Russia in the war. Specifically, he was put off by the suggestion that the United States could further punish Ukraine if Zelensky doesnt apologize to Trump over the White House clash. Mr. Zelenskyy is probably thinking, if I dont apologize, whats in it for me? One of the things that is being overlooked that a close advisor to the president could actually impact is the Starlink internet, co-host Steve Doocy said. Thats Elon Musk. If Elon Musk wants to send a message, all hes got to do is say, Im gonna pull the plug on that. Because theyve got tens of thousands of terminals over there right now. Kilmeade, who was broadcasting remotely while the rest of the crew was in the studio, accused his colleagues of siding with Putin over Ukraine. Keep in mind what you guys are saying, he declared. You are saying Zelenskyy is worse than Putin. After Doocy and the other hosts denied that was the case, Kilmeade continued to heap criticism on them for suggesting that the U.S. could further threaten Zelensky to force him to agree to terms with Russia. Youre saying we should starve Starlink, Kilmeade exclaimed. Youd have to take Starlink from our allies in order to get them to do an economic deal or get them to the table? He went on to assert that Europe is concerned about Ukraine falling to Russia because they believe all of Eastern Europe will soon become infiltrated, resulting in the reformation of the Soviet Union. While he credited Trump with forcing European leaders to step up and further commit to supporting Ukraine following the presidents blowup with Zelensky, he reiterated that there is only one true antagonist in the war. And Vladimir Putin is the bad guy. Zelensky might not be leader of choice, but he is Ukrainians' leader of choice, he flatly stated, prompting co-host Lawrence Jones to fire back. Brian, everybody knows Putin is the bad guy. We dont need to virtue signal every single day and say Putin is the bad guy, Jones huffed before referencing the scuttled mineral rights deal with Ukraine. But just saying hes the bad guy doesnt end the war. What ends the war is Zelensky partnering with the United States from an economic standpoint, that is his security guarantee. And he wont do this! He wont even let us get to Putin! Seemingly parroting Trump talking points, co-host Ainsley Earhardt further groused that Zelensky used to be so grateful but has become disrespectful to the US even though we have given three times more than Europe. This false claim has been repeated by Trump countless times, despite the fact that European countries have committed over twice as much aid to Ukraine as the United States and allocated more already to the war-torn country. Saying he didnt think that Zelensky forgets all the assistance America has given Ukraine, Kilmeade added that the off-the-rails White House exchange likely wasnt a bad moment for Trump and it will probably play in a loop everyday in the Trump presidential library. Still, he wanted his colleagues to think about the larger implications of the ideas they were floating. In the big picture, realize if you deny Starlink to your ally, then you are not only not providing weapons, you are letting maybe Kyiv fall, he concluded. That is not what anybody wants. Meanwhile, Earhardt insisted that nobody wants World War III and that Trump would step in to prevent that if that was a possibility. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Cold War hero Lech Waesa has condemned the Trump administrations increasingly hostile stance toward Ukraine. In a message posted to Facebook, Waesa, a leader in the 1980s Solidarity campaign that helped usher out his countrys communist government, said he watched last weeks chaotic White House meeting between Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky with horror and disgust. During the talks, Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful, while Trump taunted the Ukrainian leader, telling him: You dont have the cards right now with us. open image in gallery Polish leader joined a group of former Communist prisoners in condemning the Trump administration stance on Ukraine ( AP ) In the message, signed by several other activists, Waesa said the meeting reminded him of hostile encounters with Soviet-backed forces in Poland, where prosecutors and judges, commissioned by the all-powerful communist political police, also explained to us that they held all the cards and we had none. Gratitude is due to the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed their blood in defense of the values of the free world, he said. The Polish activists also pointed to the long history of the U.S. opposing totalitarian forces in Europe during WWI, WWII, and the Cold War. open image in gallery Donald Trumps meeting with Zelensky in the White House was met with widespread condemnation ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) We do not understand how the leader of a country that is a symbol of the free world cannot see this, the group wrote. The message to Trump was posted before the most dramatic U.S. break with Ukraine yet, however. Later Monday, the administration suspended all military aid to Ukraine. And in an interview with Fox News, Vance called on Zelensky to sign a deal for U.S. interests to access rare minerals in Ukraine and show he had a serious proposal for how he was going to engage in the process. Vance continued to chastise the Ukrainian leader, saying: You're not going to do that if you come to the Oval Office, insult the president and refuse to follow his plan for peace. He added: There are details that really matter, that we're already working on with the Russians. Continental allies of Ukraine have suggested Europe could increase defense support to Ukraine, and place a European peacekeeping force in the country to prevent further Russian aggression. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the Trump administration should do just about anything to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table to reach a deal on the Ukraine War even though Putin has reportedly already been talking to Donald Trump for weeks without Ukraine. Now the Trump administration has halted military aid to Ukraine, and Rubio has called for an apology from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after a heated While House clash Friday during which Zelensky was berated by Trump. Just over a decade ago Rubio spoke passionately about Americas moral imperative to defend Ukraine against aggression after the nation gave up up its nuclear stockpile following the fall of the Soviet Union. At the time of Ukraines independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine had the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world. The nation surrendered its nuclear warheads as the U.S., Britain and Russia agreed in the Budapest Memorandum to protect the country against aggression, which Russian President Vladimir Putin clearly violated when he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. But Russia also violated the memo in early 2014 when it invaded the Crimean Peninsula, which was part of Ukraine, and annexed it. The Western failure that time to defend a country that had voluntarily given up it nuclear arsenal triggered an incensed Rubio, whose angry comments are captured in the video below What kind of lesson do you think this instance sends to the people of Ukraine? asked a frustrated Rubio. I think the message being sent to many nations around the world is perhaps we can no longer count on the security promises of the free world. On Sunday Rubio was angry again as he defended the Trump administrations cooperation with ... Russia. The only thing that matters is getting Putin to negotiate, a testy Rubio told host George Stephanopoulos Sunday on ABCs This Week. The only way it ends is if Vladimir Putin comes to a negotiating table. And right now President Trump is the only person on Earth who has any chance whatsoever of bringing him to a table to see what it is he would be willing to end the war on, said Rubio. On Monday Trump halted military aid to Ukraine and Vice President JD Vance said that only the U.S. and Russia are now in peace talks, which do not involve the nation Russia invaded. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice First Lady Melania Trump was surprised and frustrated that Democratic lawmakers ignored a roundtable meeting on Capitol Hill on Monday discussing a bill making its way through Congress that would criminalize the sharing of intimate photos online without the subject's consent. The bill, called the "Take It Down Act," would criminalize the sharing of intimate photos on the internet without the subject's consent, which is colloquially known as "revenge porn." Victims of revenge porn have experienced having their nude or otherwise private photos shared widely online. It's unclear if the Take It Down Act would have stopped Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene one of the most vocal cheerleaders for Donald Trump from sharing nudes of Hunter Biden in front of Congress without his consent. Rather than calling out a member of Congress for engaging in the very actions she's advocating to criminalize, the First Lady instead expressed her disappointment that more Democrats didn't attend the roundtable. According to a report by The Hill, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna was the only member of his party in attendance. Melania Trump walks to a meeting to urge passage of the Take It Down Act by the US Senate. The act would seek to protect victims of real and deepfake "revenge pornography" by criminalizing their publication ( AFP via Getty Images ) "I was heartened to learn that Senator [Ted] Cruz and Senator [Amy] Klobuchar unified to prioritize this fundamental matter, but I must admit, however, I expected to see more Democrat leaders here today to address this serious issue. Surely, as adults we can prioritize America's children ahead of partisan politics," the first lady said on Monday. Klobuchar, a Democratic senator who co-led the Senate version of the bill, was not in attendance, according to The Hill. We must provide victims of online abuse with legal protections when intimate images are shared without their consent, especially now that deepfakes are creating horrifying new opportunities for abuse, Klobuchar told the outlet, adding that she "thanked the first lady for shining a light on this important issue." Cruz, who was in attendance, said that the bill was inspired by a visit to his office by Elliston Berry and her mother. Berry reportedly had to fight for a year to have an AI-generated nonconsensual graphic image of her removed from Snapchat. In addition to criminalizing the nonconsensual sharing of intimate images, the bill also contains language criminalizing nonconsensual creation and sharing of AI-created intimate images, commonly referred to as "deep fakes." We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape, the first lady said. Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themselves freely without the looming threat of exploitation or harm. On Monday, the first lady wrote on X that she was headed to Capitol Hill to "urge Congress to pass this important legislation to safeguard our youth." The bill has already passed the Senate with a 100-0 vote. "This crucial legislation will protect ALL Americans, especially teenagers and young women. We need to get this done!" Cruz wrote on social media. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has again reversed a US military base renaming, declaring that Fort Moore in Georgia will revert to its former name, Fort Benning. This marks the second such reversal, reflecting the Pentagon's ongoing effort to overturn the Biden administration's 2023 decision to remove Confederate leaders' names from nine Army bases. The move necessitates finding alternative namesakes, often with shared surnames. Fort Benning was originally named for Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning, a Confederate officer and staunch opponent of abolition. Now, it will honour Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a World War I Distinguished Service Cross recipient. The Pentagon cites Benning's heroism in October 1918, leading troops through intense enemy fire after his platoon leader was killed. These reversals are sparking controversy, effectively undermining the 2023 renaming process that sought to honour figures like Lt. Gen. Harold Gregory Moore Jr. and his wife, Julia. The decision to replace their names with those of individuals sharing surnames with Confederate figures adds another layer of complexity to the debate.. Moore is a revered military leader who earned the Distinguished Service Cross for valor and fought in the Battle of Ia Drang in the Vietnam War. And Julia Moore was key to the creation of teams that do in-person notifications of military casualties. Hegseth last month signed an order restoring the name of a North Carolina base back to Fort Bragg, and warned that more changes were coming. The North Carolina base had been renamed Fort Liberty in 2023. Its original namesake, Gen. Braxton Bragg, was a Confederate general from Warrenton, North Carolina, who was known for owning slaves and losing key Civil War battles, contributing to the Confederacys downfall. open image in gallery President Donald Trump listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listen. (Pool via AP) ( AP ) Now, Bragg is named to honor Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, who the Army said was a World War II hero who earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart for exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge. It's not clear how much the renaming will cost, but the expense comes as the Trump administration is trying to find savings through Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency. The Naming Commission in its August 2022 report estimated it would cost $4.9 million to rename Fort Benning as Fort Moore, but said there could be additional costs. It put the cost to rename Bragg at around $8 million. Updated costs were not available. open image in gallery ( AFP via Getty Images ) Hegseth said the original Bragg name is a legacy for troops who lived and served there and that it was a shame to change it. And he said he deliberately referred to Bragg and Fort Benning by those names as he entered the Pentagon on his first day in office. Theres a reason I said Bragg and Benning when I walked into the Pentagon on day one. But its not just Bragg and Benning," he said. "There are a lot of other service members that have connections. And were going to do our best to restore it. The lower ranks of the new namesakes indicate the exhaustive research being done by Army and defense leaders to find service members with the same names who have also earned some type of award for their military action and bravery. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice In the hours before President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance ganged up on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker met with Zelensky. Wicker is an ardent supporter of Ukraine and regularly wears a lapel pin with both the American and Ukrainian flag on it. But as Punchbowl News reported, shortly after the row, Wicker deleted his tweet about the Ukrainian president. On Monday the Mississippi Republican remained mum. He and other Republican supporters of Zelensky in the Senate, however, appeared to remain steadfast in their concern and support for Ukraine. But that was shortly before the latest dire development by Trump, who suddenly paused military aide to Ukraine open image in gallery President Donald Trumps clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left Republican defenders of Ukraine scrambling. ( AFP via Getty Images ) Ive decided not to do interviews today, Wicker tersely told The Independent. The Senate has long been a bastion for support for Ukraine even before Russian Vladimir Putins invasion three years ago. After the United States voted against a United Nations resolution to condemn the invasion, Wicker told The Independent that he wished the United States had voted for it and Senate Majority Leader John Thune said: I'm pretty clear about who I think started the war. But the Trump administrations tack toward being actively hostile toward Ukraine and Zelensky has put supporters of Ukraine in a tight spot. open image in gallery Sen. Roger Wicker, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stayed silent the Monday after the blow-up. ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina told The Independent that the United States and Ukraine could get back on the same page. I'm hoping that we can lower the temperature and get back to an agreement that's good for Ukraine, good for the US, and frankly, not that good for Russia, he said. But Tillis said he was not bothered by Trumps refusal to say that Ukraine started the war. In fact, Trump has blamed Zelensky for the war and called him a dictator. All I'm focused on is exactly what we need to do, to do right by Ukraine and actually address the risk for the American people, [and] our allies in Europe, he said. Tillis words come as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom Tillis voted to confirm, paused offensive cyberoperations against Russia by U.S. Cyber Command. Trump also assailed European leaders strongly backing Ukraine, including British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. In addition he insisted that Zelensky doesnt want peace. Trump has focused heavily on ending the war in Ukraine and has been loath to criticize Putin both during his first term in office and ever since. Maine Senator Susan Collins said that the exchange was unfortunate. There is no doubt that Putin is the aggressor in Ukraine and launched a brutal and unprovoked attack, Collins told a gaggle of reporters. I do hope we can come up with a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, but we cant forget who started this war, she said. As chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Collins controls the spending in Congress, including whether to set aside more money to Ukraine. Another potential issue is whether Trump and Zelensky could come to an agreement about the future of Ukraines rare earth minerals. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he thinks that Trump and Zelensky can also get back to working together in the future. I think so, he told The Independent. In order to have peace, we need to have that minerals deal done. I think everybody wants to see it move forward. We want peace, but we also want Ukraine to be protected. But the Senate GOPs hope for the impasse to end might be a long time coming, particularly now that Trump has paused military aid to the war-torn country. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The White House has unveiled the guest list for Donald Trumps joint address to Congress this evening. The administration said the guests were everyday Americans and that Trump would tell their stories during his remarks in the House. You will see exceptional Americans with great stories, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Tuesday. The invitees highlight key areas for the Trump administration including immigration, manufacturing, and culture war issues. They include Allyson and Lauren Phillips of Woodstock, Georgia, the mother and sister of Laken Riley, a nursing student whose killing by an unauthorized immigrant. Her death prompted conservatives to pass the Laken Riley Act in January, a stepped-up immigration enforcement bill targeting migrants with lower-level arrests for detention. Alexis Nungaray of Houston, the mother of a 12-year-old killed by an illegal immigrant, and Border Patrol agent Robert Ortiz, also from Texas, round out the list. Trump heads to Congress amid major shifts on Ukraine policy and U.S. tariffs ( EPA ) Keeping with the safety focus, Stephanie Diller of Long Island, New York, will also be in the audience. Her husband, NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, was killed during a 2024 traffic stop by an individual with a past criminal record. The family of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter who was killed during the 2024 assassination attempt against Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, will watch the speech, too. The guest list also reflects the Trump administrations focus on LGBTQ+ issues, which has involved denying government recognition to trans people and cutting off federal spending on gender-affirming care. The administration has invited January Littlejohn of Tallahassee, a parent who sued a Florida school district for allegedly withholding information about her childs gender identity transition, and a woman named Payton McNabb of Murphy, North Carolina, who the White House says suffered a brain injury while competing with a transgender woman in a high school volleyball game. Trump says Zelensky should be 'more appreciative' of US support to Ukraine Other guests reflect some of First Lady Melania Trumps policy initiatives around stopping bullying and supporting children, including Haley Ferguson, a former foster child and Tennessee university student on a scholarship from Trumps Be Best organization, and 15-year-old Elliston Berry of Alredo, Texas, a victim of deepfake cyberbullying. The White House has also invited Jeff Denard, an Alabama steel worker, and Marc Fogel, an American teacher who was freed from Russia last month, to attend. DOGE mastermind Elon Musk is expected to take in Trumps speech live as well. During the remarks, Trump is expected to hit on hot button world issues in addition to his domestic priorities, including the recent pause of military aid to Ukraine and the 25 percent tariffs against Mexico and Canada that took effect today. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trump is expected to brag about his administrations dismantling of the federal government and his aggressive stance on Ukraine at Tuesdays first joint Congressional address. Trump - who is expected to speak around 9 p.m. tonight inside a packed House chamber - is poised to boast about the tough approach he has taken with world leaders during a whirlwind 43 days in office following last weeks Oval Office showdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The fallout has culminated in Trumps decision to temporarily pause aid to the war-torn nation. Hes going to talk about the great things hes done: The borders secure, the waste hes finding with DOGE, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan and chairman of the Judiciary Committee told the New York Times. Hes going to keep laying out his vision, where he wants the country to go, GOPs Jordan, who speaks regularly with the president, told the newspaper. DOGE lead Elon Musk is expected to be in attendance tonight to watch Trump likely boast about the billionaires gutting of federal agencies. This is despite growing backlash over relentless job cuts and emails from the mogul demanding workers respond detailing their accomplishments for the week or face termination. open image in gallery President Donald Trump, pictured at his State of the Union address in February 2020, is set to outline the 'renewal of the American Dream' ( Getty Images ) Trump hinted Monday that Ukraine would come up in tonights speech. When asked by a reporter whether the minerals deal was still possible, the president said: Ill let you know, before he added: Were making a speech, you probably heard. The presidents speech comes against the backdrop of his trade tariffs on Mexico and Canada, which went into effect Tuesday. Fired civil servants, small business owners and Medicaid recipients who risk losing their healthcare have been invited to an assembly room by Democrats in an attempt to challenge Trumps narrative of a historic transformation of the federal government. The White House said Monday that the theme of Trumps address which is not technically considered a State of the Union message will promise the renewal of the American Dream. Tomorrow night will be big, blared Trumps Truth Social on Monday in block capitals. I will tell it like it is. Previous presidents have typically used these speeches to list their accomplishments and lay out future plans. open image in gallery Trump, pictured in the White House on March 3, 2025, is set to give the first joint Congressional address of his second term ( EPA ) Trump is expected to focus on four areas: his second term's achievements domestically and internationally, the economy, a push for Congress to pass border funding and his plans for peace around the globe, reports Fox News. The president will likely continue pushing congressional Republicans who hold a narrow margin to turn his America First agenda into law. The president will also focus on immigration and new tariffs, a senior administration official told NBC News last week. He will also discuss his administrations efforts to release hostages from Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, a White House official told the network. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt touted the speech as must-see TV. President Trump has accomplished more in one month than any president in four years, and the renewal of the American Dream is well underway, she added. Trumps Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told reporters Monday that the joint session of Congress is an opportunity for President Trump, as only he can, to lay out the last month of record-setting, record-breaking unprecedented achievements and accomplishments that have made this the most successful opening to any presidency. Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin will deliver the Democrats' reaction to Trump's remarks an almost 60-year-old tradition, normally done after the formal State of the Union. She will lay out the fight to tackle the deep challenges we face and chart a path forward, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump has warned U.S. farmers to start upping their production from April 2, after announcing that he will soon be imposing tariffs on external agricultural products. To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun! the president wrote on Truth Social on Monday. However, he did not specify what products would be subject to the tariffs or if there would be any exceptions. In recent years, the U.S. has imported more agricultural products than it has exported. According to the USDA, in 2023, around $178 billion in products was exported a $17 billion decrease from 2022. Meanwhile, the value of imports has grown, resulting in Americas agriculture trade deficit rising to a record $49 billion this year, according to last weeks forecast by the USDA. open image in gallery Donald Trump has warned U.S. farmers to prepare to start upping their production from April 2 ( @realDonaldTrump/ Truth Social ) At least half of the value in U.S. agricultural imports are in horticultural products a broad category that includes fruits, vegetables, spirits, wine, essential oils, tree nuts and more. Sugar, coffee, cocoa, and other tropical products account for around 15 percent of imports. Since taking office, the president has been determined to crack down on the U.S.s reliance on imports through tariffs, specifically targeting Canada and Mexico two of Americas largest trade partners. The president said on Monday that the sweeping 25 percent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports would begin on Tuesday. Though they were initially postponed in February, Trump said there was no room left for negotiations with the countries. open image in gallery Since taking office, the president has been determined to crack down on the U.S.s reliance on foreign imports through tariffs, specifically targeting Canada and Mexico two of Americas largest trade partners ( AFP via Getty Images ) Mexico shipped $45.4 billion of agricultural products to the US in 2023, accounting for about 23 percent of imports and making the country the USs largest supplier, according to the USDA. Canada and the European Union sent a combined $73 billion in crops to the US, Bloomberg reported. Trumps announcement of tariffs on external agricultural products comes shortly after the administration unveiled plans to invest $1 billion in a new strategy to mitigate the impacts of bird flu, which has raised egg prices and slowed milk production across the U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins previously defended Trumps plans to use tariffs to protect U.S. farm interests. His idea of using tariffs in his tool kit has proven very successful the first time. I have no doubt it will be successful again, Rollins told reporters last week. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Trump administration has reportedly paused all military aid to Ukraine. The decision, reported by Bloomberg News, comes after a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday descended into chaos amid a larger fraying of the U.S.-Ukraine alliance. The president is reportedly reviewing whether Zelensky is willing to engage in good-faith efforts at making peace with Russia, a Defense Department official told the outlet. "This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," a Trump administration official told Fox News. The decision will pause more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition for Ukraine thats been ordered or is in the production process, The New York Times reports. It will also halt hundreds of millions of dollars of arms tied to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, in which Ukraine uses U.S. funds to buy gear from American defense firms, per the paper. Trump administration has been pushing Ukraine to adopt a friendlier tone towards Russia, while Ukraine has sought security guarantees to keep Vladimir Putin from annexing further parts of the country ( AFP via Getty Images ) President Trump is the only leader in the world right now who even has a chance at bringing an enduring and lasting end to the war in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement on Monday evening, though he didnt directly address the aid pause. Any major, long-term change in the flow of U.S. military support to Ukraine could have disastrous impacts on the countrys defense, given that officials have said Ukraine only has supplies to keep fighting Russia at current levels until the summer. A Trump official told The Associated Press they want to see that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is committed to reaching a peace deal with Russia, and fast. The official added that the dramatic move is meant to ensure continued support is contributing to a solution. Just days ago, the U.S. and Ukraine looked set to ink a rare minerals deal that would give America access to Ukrainian resources, which both sides hoped would deepen ties between the countries as part of the larger peace process to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Absurd to claim Republicans support Putin, says Speaker Mike Johnson after Trump Zelensky clash However, the tide quickly turned during the televised Friday meeting, with the Republican administration accusing Zelensky of overstepping and being ungrateful when he began discussing the need for deeper security guarantees to deter further aggression from Russia. The Ukrainians were then asked to leave the White House, and Trump allies soon began calling for Zelenskys resignation. Things got even worse at the beginning of this week, after Zelensky expressed his view that a peace deal was very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump wrote on Truth Social this morning. Ukraines European allies have suggested making up for waning U.S. support and installing a peacekeeping force inside of Ukraine backed by some form of U.S. guarantees. The aid pause is something of a flashback to the first Trump administration, in which the Republican attempted to withhold military aid to Zelensky to pressure the country into announcing an investigation into Trumps 2020 election opponent, 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 Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice House Democrats are discussing a way to "productively" disrupt President Donald Trumps speech to Congress but they havent come to a consensus on the best protest tactic, according to a report. Democrats are considering a range of plans to protest against Trumps joint Congressional address Tuesday evening, Axios reported. Others are weighing other tactics, such as boycotting the speech, but they are aligned in trying to find a way to convey outrage at how the presidents first two months in office have gone. The part that we all agree on is that this is not business as usual and we would like to find a way productively to express our outrage," one House Democrat told the outlet. Congress members may even hold up noisemakers or other props to demonstrate their frustration. Some of these ideas include displaying eggs or empty egg cartons to comment on the all-time high prices. Another is pocket constitutions to comment on his alleged Constitutional violations and anti-Trump and Department of Government Efficiency signs, the outlet reported. Lawmakers were explicitly urged against using props at recent meetings, two Democratic lawmakers told the outlet. open image in gallery President Donald Trump is set to give a speech to Congress Tuesday evening and House Democrats are figuring out a way to disrupt it. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously ripped up Trumps speech behind him at the 2020 State of the Union ( AP ) Other House Democrats are contemplating walking out if he crosses a line when mentioning certain stances, such as criticism of transgender children, one lawmaker told the outlet. Not everyone is convinced a protest is the right move. There are definitely a lot of constituents that really want Democrats to disrupt and there are ... constituents who feel like that just plays into his hands," a House Democrat told Axios. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote a letter Monday to House Democrats that he understands if they choose to ditch the speech, but encouraged a "strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber." He and other party leaders plan to attend the speech in order "make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance, he wrote. Others still are planning to convey their disapproval through their wardrobes. The Democratic Women's Caucus is encouraging all of its members to wear pink, Congresswomen from the Congressional Black Caucus are discussing sporting black, and the Ukraine Caucus co-chair, Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur, is planning on doling out blue and yellow scarves the colors of Ukraines flag to show support for Volodymyr Zelensky after last weeks disastrous Oval Office meeting. "Whether we are wearing pink, or black, or yellow and blue, we are all conveying our displeasure with this administration," Virgin Islands Rep. Stacey Plaskett told Axios. "What's more important is our work together and the pressure for three Republicans to do the right thing for everyone. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson last week insisted Republicans show decorum during the presidents Tuesday speech. open image in gallery Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wears a Laken Riley shirt as she arrives before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in March 2024 ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) But this type of decorum during presidential addresses seems to have gone out the window in recent years. During former President Joe Bidens state of the union, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene handed out Laken Riley pins and shouted at him to say her name during his address. Four years earlier, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi showed dissent during Trumps last state of the union address of his first term when she ripped up a copy of his speech. She later explained the move to reporters: It was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternative. Former South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson famously yelled, You lie! during Obamas 2009 State of the Union. He was later reprimanded by the House for the outburst. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a frank message on Tuesday for his counterpart Donald Trump, telling him that the administrations 25 percent tariffs on its North American neighbors were a dumb course of action. Its not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you are a very smart guy, this a very dumb thing to do, Trudeau said during a press conference in Ottawa, the day Trumps 25 percent tariffs on Canada took effect. We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see." The comment was a reference to an editorial on Monday from the financial paper, accusing Trump of taking the Dumbest Tariff Plunge. The conservative-leaning editorial board called the tariffs the dumbest in history, and added that, We may have understated the point. Trudeau also attempted to remind Trump of their past collaboration on matters like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade pact, the replacement to NAFTA Trump ushered in during his firm term. We should be working together to ensure even great prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world, Trudeau added. Canada plans to tariff $155 billion in U.S. goods if Trump doesnt call off trade war ( AP ) Financial markets had a similarly dour message for Trump, with major U.S. indices slumping throughout this week on the tariff news. Individual industries like auto production are expecting major disruptions and price increases for consumers, who ultimately pay for tariffs, despite Trumps incorrect insistence foreign companies and businesses do. You have engines and car seats and other things that cross the border multiple times before going into a finished vehicle, Scott Lincicome, a trade analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, told The Associated Press. You have American parts going to Mexico to be put into vehicles that are then shipped back to the United States. You throw 25 percent tariffs into all that, and its just a grenade. The countries impacted by Trumps tariff regime are all planning retaliatory measures. Canada is imposing up a 25 percent tariffs on up to $155 billion in U.S. goods over the course of this month, while individual provinces have suggested their own measures, including a threat from Ontario to cut off energy supplies to the U.S. and remove U.S. products from Canadian shelves. Mexico also plans to hit the U.S. back. There is no motive or reason, nor justification that supports this decision that will affect our people and our nations, Mexicos President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday. Despite these warnings, the administration has remained upbeat and announced further tariff plans. I know people worry about short-term, but we are going to bring jobs. You are never going to see the amount of production...that Donald Trumps going to bring back to America, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday on CNBCs Squawk Box. Trump has said new tariffs will hit agricultural imports early next month, calling on U.S. farmers to ramp up production in anticipation. To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun! the president wrote on Truth Social on Monday. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended an olive branch to President Donald Trump and said he regrets last weeks showdown in the Oval Office. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way, Zelensky said in a post on X Tuesday. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Zelensky said he was ready to work under Trumps strong leadership to get a peace deal in the social media post. We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same, Zelensky wrote. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. open image in gallery The Oval Office meeting between U.S. President Trump, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance erupted into a public shouting match. But, now Zelensky said he is ready to work with Trump to find peace and end the war with Russia ( AP ) The meeting at the White House between Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and the Ukrainian leader escalated into a shouting match in front of the press. The meeting appeared to turn contentious when Vance suggested Trump had been engaging in diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a comment Zelensky took issue with, noting the years-long history of peace deals that Russia violated. He then pressed the vice president: What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you talking about. What do you mean? Vance then accused the Ukrainian president of being disrespectful for coming to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. Thats when Zelensky asked if the vice president had ever been to Ukraine, insisted he visit. Vance didnt directly say hes never set foot the war-torn country, but instead replied: I've actually watched and seen the stories and I know what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President. Trump later suggested: You're right now, not in a very good position. You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now with us. Zelensky pushed back: Im not playing cards right now, Im very serious Mr. President. I am a wartime president. The now-infamous meeting took place three years after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. open image in gallery The meeting appeared to turn contentious when Vance suggested Trump had been engaging in diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a comment Zelensky took issue with ( AFP via Getty Images ) Following the contentious meeting, the scheduled joint press conference was canceled and the minerals deal was called off, with Trump writing on Truth Social that Zelensky is not ready for Peace...He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace. Hours later, appearing on Fox News, the Ukrainian president underscored he believed his relationship with Trump could still be salvaged. Its more than two presidents. The historical relations, strong relations, between our people. This is the most importantand of course [were] thankful to the president and to Congressbut first of all to your people, Zelensky continued. Your people helped to save our people. Days later, Trump escalated the situation further when he announced Monday that the U.S. would temporarily pause more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition for Ukraine that has been ordered or is in the production process. The president hit out at the Ukrainian leader after he told reporters in London over the weekend that a deal to end the war is still very, very far away. But Trump did not agree, writing on Truth Social that Zelenskys words represent the worst statement that could have been made by the Ukrainian leader. He also said that Zelensky should be more appreciative because America has stuck with them through thick and thin. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice While Democrats were condemning Donald Trumps decision Monday to pause military aide to Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was being peppered with hostile messages on Elon Musk's X. White House officials told various media outlets that the U.S. would temporarily freeze more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition that is already ordered or in production for Ukraine, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidized purchases from American arms makers. The decision comes after a diplomatic press conference exploded into on-camera rancor on Friday, prompting fury from Trump and an outpouring of support for Zelenskyfrom European leaders. On Musk's right-leaning social media site X, formerly Twitter, the reaction to Monday night's news was very different. "You are leading your people to the slaughter!" said one. "Good riddance!" said another. Many repeated Trump's false claims about Zelensky being a dictator, or offered conspiracy theories about the nature of the war. Trump accuses 'disrespectful' Zelensky of gambling with WW3 Democratic politicians condemned Trump's decision, while Republicans offered mixed views. "First, Donald Trump blamed Zelensky for Putins invasion of Ukraine. Then, he says he trusts Putin. Now, he has frozen bipartisan military aid," Massachusetts senator and former presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren wrote on X. "Its clear that Donald Trump is putting his fragile ego before our national security siding with Putin over US allies in Europe." Philadelphia representative Brendan Boyle called it "reckless, indefensible, and a direct threat to our national security," noting that military aid was approved by both parties in Congress. New York representative called it an attempt at "extortion. Republican senator Susan Collins denounced the pause, saying Ukrainians are "shedding blood" in defense of their country, while her colleague Markwayne Mullin said that the war has "no end in sight," and that American taxpayers had no obligation to keep funding it. News of the decision broke in the middle of the European night, so EU leaders largely had not commented as of late Monday evening. However, an anonymous European official told CNN the freeze was "petty and wrong, arguing it would lead to unnecessary civilian casualties due to a lack of air defense missiles The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Firefighters battled over 170 blazes across North and South Carolina over the weekend as dry conditions and strong winds fueled fast-moving wildfires, prompting evacuations and sending residents indoors. In South Carolina, more than 175 fires have torn across the state, forcing Governor Henry McMaster to declare a state of emergency on Sunday. The order aimed to bolster wildfire response efforts and ensure adequate resources for firefighters. A statewide burning ban also remained in effect on Tuesday. Careless behaviors, such as burning on the wrong day, leaving a fire unattended, not staying with a fire until it is fully extinguished, can result in a fire escaping and becoming a dangerous wildfire that quickly threatens lives and property, North Carolina Forest Service Assistant Commissioner and State Forester Greg Hicks warned on Monday. Follow our live coverage of wildfires. One of the largest fires erupted in the Carolina Forest area, just west of Myrtle Beach. The Horry County blaze, which started Saturday, rapidly expanded to 1,600 acres, doubling in size overnight. By Tuesday morning, it had spread across 2,059 acres and was 30 percent contained, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. While the fire had forced evacuations, many residents have been able to return home. No injuries or structural losses have been reported. However, fire danger was expected to continue through Tuesday afternoon, bringing gusts between 20 and 25mph. open image in gallery A weekend map shows all the fires reported in North Carolina, with blazes marked by red still active. There were fewer on Tuesday as crews made progress ( Screengrab/North Carolina Forest Fire ) In North Carolina, the U.S. Forest Service reported multiple wildfires burning across four national forests. The largest, in Uwharrie National Forest, located about 50 miles (80km) east of Charlotte, had burned approximately more than 400 acres (162 hectares) by Monday. Further west, in Polk County, a brush fire near the town of Tryon threatened communities in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The fire had consumed 593 acres and was 63 percent contained, as crews made tremendous progress. There is a storm front approaching and there will be high winds before and after the rain. It does look like there will be a lot of rain so the burn ban for Polk County will remain in place, until there is a significant amount of rain, said Polk County Emergency Management. The North Carolina Forest Service has deployed aircraft for water drops and back-burning operations. Officials warn that residents near affected areas should expect heavy smoke as containment efforts continue. And, wildfire smoke was impacting visibility in South Carolina, making driving tricky. Due to the nearby wildfire incident, heavy smoke is expected in the Carolina Forest area through at least midday Tuesday, the county police said. open image in gallery A helicopter drops water to help contain a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of the coastal resort city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 2025, where residents were ordered to evacuate several neighborhoods ( AP ) The National Weather Service has cited critically dry vegetation and low humidity as key factors fueling the blazes. While the Horry County fire is believed to be human-caused, the investigation into the matter has not been completed. It remains unclear what caused the other fires. To watch some of our neighbors houses catch on fire is something Ive never experienced before, Polk County resident Phillip Smith told WBTV on Monday. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Tropical Cyclone Alfred is closing in on southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, with authorities warning residents to prepare now for the extremely rare event. Millions of people in Queensland and northern New South Wales (NSW) are under warnings to hunker down or evacuate with flights, trains, buses and schools suspended. Meteorologists warn the cyclone will bring destructive winds of up to 120kmph, life-threatening flash flooding, and 8-metre waves. Follow our live coverage of Cyclone Alfred The governments across the board are taking this seriously, and Queenslanders as well as those on the north coast of New South Wales need to do so as well, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said. On Thursday, the storm slowed down as it moved towards the eastern coast of Australia. It is now expected to make landfall late on Friday night or early Saturday morning, between Maroochydore and Coolangatta. The cyclone, which charted an unusual path in the Pacific, is the first to directly impact areas near Brisbane since Nancy in 1990. open image in gallery Map shows position, path and arrival time of Cyclone Alfred ( Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) ) On Thursday, Alfred was 245km east of Brisbane, 230km east-northeast of the Gold Coast, moving west-northwest at just 7kmph, according to an update from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) at 5pm local time. The cyclone is maintaining Category 2 strength with gusts up to 130kmph. But its slow movement means Alfred will have more time to intensify, feeding off warm ocean waters and low vertical wind shear, potentially making it stronger before it reaches the coast. Meteorologist Thomas Hinterdorfer said that this could result in prolonged extreme weather, with some areas experiencing heavy rain, destructive winds, and storm surges for up to 12 to 14 hours. "Its going to have more time in the lower vertical shear. Its going to have more time with the warm ocean waters, and all that fuel is gonna help it intensify, Mr Hinterdorfer told The Courier Mail. "Its not a good scenario to have it, you know, being a bit slower, wed much prefer it to come through faster. Authorities say the cyclones impact will extend far beyond the landfall zone, with destructive winds, extreme rainfall, and dangerous storm surges from Double Island Point (QLD) to Ballina (NSW). BoM warns that storm surges could cause major flooding in low-lying coastal areas, particularly if Alfreds landfall coincides with high tide early Friday. Major warnings by region: Gold Coast & Tweed Coast : Extreme beach erosion, storm surges, and inundation in low-lying areas : Extreme beach erosion, storm surges, and inundation in low-lying areas Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Byron Bay & Ballina : Risk of coastal flooding and dangerous tides : Risk of coastal flooding and dangerous tides Sunshine Coast to Cape Byron: Tides expected to rise well above the highest astronomical tide "Tides are likely to rise significantly above the highest high tide mark with damaging waves and dangerous inundation of coastal low-lying areas," BoM said. A 78-year-old woman was hospitalised with head injuries after being swept up by a large wave at Currumbin Beach on Wednesday evening. open image in gallery Map shows rainfall forecast ahead of Cyclone Alfred ( Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) ) Major flood warnings are also in place, with up to 600mm of rain forecast in some areas. Brisbane & Moreton Ba y: 300-500mm y: 300-500mm Gold Coast & Sunshine Coast : 400-600mm : 400-600mm Northern NSW (Byron, Ballina, Lismore, Tweed): 250-400mm The Bellinger River and Tweed River catchments are now under major flood watches after NSW issued its first flood warning on Wednesday for Cyclone Alfred. open image in gallery Forecast for BoM shows Storm Alfred bringing 8 metre tall waves ( Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) ) Queensland premier David Crisafulli urged residents to prepare for power outages lasting days, as emergency crews brace for widespread impacts. We have 1,000 Energex crew ready to restore power, but people should prepare for outages lasting days, he said. He also warned people to act before its too late as he called Cyclone Alfred an "extremely rare event". There is a chance this cyclone will cross in the middle of the night with a high tide. That is not the time to be making your evacuation plan, now is the time, Mr Crisafulli warned. open image in gallery ( Getty Images ) With southeast Queensland residents already losing power, authorities say some areas could be left without electricity for up to three days. It is essential that we get power connected as quickly as we can after an event like this, the premier said. Mr Crisafulli reassured Queenslanders that the response and recovery efforts are already being coordinated. There will be no daylight between the response and the recovery. The best way to guarantee a good recovery is to do the little things now to keep yourself out of harms way, he said. open image in gallery Police set up traffic control at a Newmarket sandbag depot in Brisbane, Australia ( Getty Images ) Several airports have shut down and public transport in Brisbane and nearby areas has been halted until further notice. Gold Coast Airport was shutting services from 4PM local time on Wednesday until further notice while all flights to and from Ballina were cancelled on Wednesday and Thursday. Coffs Harbour Airport also suspended flights from midnight Wednesday Airlines like Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar are offering free flight changes; Jetstar offering travel vouchers. Gold Coasts acting mayor Donna Gates warned residents to stay indoors from 6PM tonight, saying conditions will be worse than anything the city has seen in decades. "This looks like the most significant event in our city in terms of destructive winds and heavy rain since 1954, she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australian Defence Force is formally engaged, sending 250,000 additional sandbags to Queensland on Wednesday, after 125,000 sandbags were already delivered and 80,000 previously distributed. Its rare for cyclones to go further south along Australias eastern coast. Alfred, churning the warmer than usual waters of Pacific Ocean, took an unusual path and took a sudden turn westwards on Tuesday, intensifiying to Category 2. open image in gallery otted line shows Cyclone Alfred's movement from 22 February to 5 March as it nears landfall ( Zoom Earth ) Cyclone Alfred is predicted to impact northern NSW, which is generally not an area at risk. The last cyclone warning here was more than 50 years ago. This could indicate that, due to global warming, the reach of tropical cyclones is extending further than the tropics. Dr Tom Mortlock from Aon notes that warmer ocean temperatures are fueling storms further south, with sea surface temperatures warm enough to sustain cyclones down to Sydney. Residents in southeast Queensland and northern NSW are being urged to secure properties, prepare emergency kits, and follow evacuation advice as conditions deteriorate. Authorities warn that once the cyclone hits, emergency services may not be able to reach people in danger, making early action crucial. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice James Harrison, who helped save more than two million babies by donating blood over 1,100 times across six decades, has died at 88. According to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Harrison, also known as the man with the golden arm, had the precious antibody in his blood that was used to make a lifesaving medication called Anti-D, given to mothers whose blood is at risk of attacking their unborn babies. Harrison died in his sleep at Peninsula Village Nursing Home on the NSW Central Coast on 17 February. He began donating in 1954 at 18 and continued regularly until his retirement in 2018 at 81. According to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, he has helped save the lives of more than 2.4 million Australian babies. open image in gallery James Harrison began donating in 1954 at 18 and continued regularly until his retirement in 2018 at 81 ( Australian Red Cross LifeBlood ) Harrisons daughter, Tracey Mellowship, fondly remembered him as a generous soul with a wonderful sense of humour. James was a humanitarian at heart, but also very funny, Ms Mellowship said. In his last years, he was immensely proud to become a great grandfather to two beautiful grandchildren, Trey and Addison. As an Anti-D recipient myself, he has left behind a family that may not have existed without his precious donations. She added: He was also very proud to have saved so many lives, without any cost or pain. It made him happy to hear about the many families like ours, who existed because of his kindness. He always said it does not hurt, and the life you save could be your own. Harrisons rare antibodies were crucial in developing Anti-D, the treatment that has protected millions of newborns from Rhesus disease (or Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn) a condition in which a pregnant womans blood attacks her unborn babys red blood cells, potentially leading to brain damage or even death. open image in gallery File. James Harrison, aged 20. In 1999 Harrison was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia one of the countrys most prestigious honours for his extraordinary dedication to the Lifeblood and Anti-D program ( Australian Red Cross Lifeblood ) It occurs when a mother has RhD-negative blood, while her baby inherits RhD-positive blood from the father. If the mother has been sensitised to RhD-positive blood often during a previous pregnancy her immune system may produce antibodies that attack the babys blood as a foreign threat. James was a pioneer of our Anti-D programme. More than 3 million doses of Anti-D containing James blood have been issued to Aussie mothers with a negative blood type since 1967, Lifeblood said in a statement on their website. He has changed my world and Im sure hes done that for many other families, making him a very incredible human, said Rebecca Ind, a recipient of Harrisons blood donations during and after her pregnancy 12 years ago. In 1999 Harrison was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia one of the countrys most prestigious honours for his extraordinary dedication to the Lifeblood and Anti-D programme. His kindness leaves a remarkable legacy, and he has put the challenge out to the Australian community to beat it, Lifeblood said in the statement. open image in gallery At 14, Harrison needed life-saving blood donations after major chest surgery. At 18, despite his fear of needles, he kept his promise to give back ( Australian Red Cross Lifeblood ) I hope its a record that somebody breaks, because it will mean they are dedicated to the cause, Harrison said of his last donation at the age of 81. It becomes quite humbling when they say, oh youve done this or youve done that or youre a hero, Harrison said at the time. Its something I can do. Its one of my talents, probably my only talent, is that I can be a blood donor. At 14, Harrison underwent major chest surgery and relied on the generosity of blood donors to survive. Determined to give back, he vowed to donate as soon as he was eligible and at 18, he kept his promise, despite a fear of needles. More than a decade later, doctors discovered that his blood contained a rare antibody essential for producing Anti-D injections. Committed to helping others, Harrison willingly switched to plasma donation, ensuring his contributions could save as many lives as possible. James was a remarkable, stoically kind, and generous person who was committed to a lifetime of giving and he captured the hearts of many people around the world, Lifeblood chief executive officer Stephen Cornelissen was quoted as saying by Australias Nine News. It was James belief that his donations were no more important than any other donors, and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was. James extended his arm to help others and babies he would never know a remarkable 1173 times and expected nothing in return. Robyn Barlow, coordinator of Australias Rh Program designed to prevent Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn (HDFN) said she had been friends with Harrison for nearly 60 years after first recruiting him as a donor. He made my job very easy because he was so keen to donate all the time, Barlow told 7NEWS.com.au. I never had to worry about him I never had to call and say: when youre coming, nothing like that, he was there standing in front of me. In an interview with NPR in 2015, Harrison said: I was always looking forward to donating, right from the operation, because I dont know how many people it took to save my life. Several reports pointed out that doctors were not entirely sure why and how Harrison developed this rare blood antibody, though they suspect it may be linked to the transfusions he received at 14 after his surgery. Every batch of Anti-D that has ever been made in Australia has come from James blood, Jemma Falkenmire, of the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood (then known as Australian Red Cross Blood Service), told CNN in 2015. And more than 17 per cent of women in Australia are at risk, so James has helped save a lot of lives. Fewer than 200 people in Australia donate Anti-D, yet their contributions help an estimated 45,000 mothers and babies each year, according to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. Scientists from WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) in Melbourne, in collaboration with Lifeblood, are working on a project called James in a Jar to grow the Anti-D antibody in the lab. Using blood and immune cells from Harrison and other donors, the team has successfully recreated and cultivated the antibody, according to Lifeblood. This breakthrough could one day help prevent Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn, benefiting pregnant women not just in Australia but worldwide, the statement said. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Speaker of New Zealand's Parliament has declared he will not entertain further objections to the use of Aotearoa, the Maori name for the country, within parliamentary proceedings. Speaker Gerry Brownlee made the ruling after a lawmaker attempted to ban the term. Mr Brownlee said: "Aotearoa is regularly used as a name of New Zealand. It appears on our passports and it appears on our currency." The dispute arose in February when Winston Peters, the deputy prime minister, foreign minister, and leader of the populist New Zealand First party, objected to Ricardo Menendez March of the Green Party using "Aotearoa" during a question to a government minister. Aotearoa, meaning "land of the long white cloud" in te reo Maori (the Maori language), has become increasingly prominent in New Zealand. The conflict highlights the tensions that have arisen amid the growing enthusiasm for the indigenous language, and reflects the ongoing "culture war"-style friction between the countrys political parties. Why is someone who applied to come to this country in 2006 allowed to ask a question of this parliament that changes this countrys name without the referendum and sanction of the New Zealand people? Mr Peters asked Mr Brownlee. Mr Menendez March, who was born in Mexico, is a New Zealand citizen, which is a requirement for all lawmakers. open image in gallery Gerry Brownlee is the Speaker of New Zealands Parliament Mr Peters asked Mr Brownlee to ban the use of the term Aotearoa in Parliament. On Tuesday, Mr Brownlee said lawmakers were already permitted to address Parliament in any of New Zealands three official languages English, te reo Maori and New Zealand Sign Language. That really is the end of the matter, he said. Mr Brownlee had earlier asked Mr Menendez March to consider using the phrase Aotearoa New Zealand to refer to the country, to assist anyone who might not understand the term, but said he would not require it. If other members do not like certain words, they dont have to use them, Mr Brownlee said. But its not a matter of order and I dont expect to have further points of order raised about it. Mr Peters told reporters that Mr Brownlee was wrong and that he would not answer questions in which New Zealand was referred to as Aotearoa. Mr Menendez March did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Other lawmakers refer to New Zealand by its Maori name. But this is not the first time that Mr Peters and his party have focussed on Mr Menendez March. In January, the Green Party complained to the Prime Minister and Mr Brownlee after Mr Peters deputy, Shane Jones, heckled him during a Parliamentary debate with a remark about Mexicans. Meanwhile, Mr Peters told two other Green lawmakers who immigrated to New Zealand that they should show some gratitude to the country. Mr Menendez March denounced the comments as outwardly racist and xenophobic. open image in gallery Flags representing the Maori right to self-determination fly outside New Zealands Parliament ( AP ) Mr Peters, New Zealand's longest-serving current lawmaker, has sparked controversy with his populist policies and remarks regarding Asian immigration. He is Maori himself, but has voiced opposition to initiatives designed to promote Maori language and culture. Former lawmaker Peter Dunne suggested in February that Mr Peters's stance was more about reinforcing his populist image than genuine concern for the language itself. After decades of advocacy by Maori leaders, the Maori language is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Once discouraged after British colonisation, it had been predicted to disappear entirely by the 21st century. Today, words like "Aotearoa" are integrated into daily conversation, even among non-Maori speakers. Some advocate for officially changing the country's name, which was originally given by a Dutch cartographer. Critics argue that Maori did not have a collective name for all of New Zealand before colonisation, with "Aotearoa" initially referring only to the North Island. The official name of the country can only be changed by law. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ukrainians expressed alarm and apprehension Tuesday at a U.S. decision to pause military aid that is critical to their fighting Russias invasion, as a rift deepens between Kyiv and Washington. Days after an explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the assistance halted in a bid to pressure Kyiv to engage in peace talks with Russia. Officials in Kyiv said they were grateful for vital U.S. help in the war and want to keep working with Washington. The country's prime minister, though, said Ukraine still wants security guarantees to be part of any peace deal and wont recognize Russian occupation of any Ukrainian land. Ukraine and its allies are concerned Trump is pushing for a quick ceasefire that will favor Russia, which Kyiv says cannot be trusted to honor truces. A White House official said the U.S. was pausing and reviewing its aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The order will remain in effect until Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. Ukraine needs help to fight Russia Ukraine, which depends heavily on foreign help to hold back Russia's full-scale invasion that began on Feb. 24, 2022, has feared that aid could be stopped since Trump took office. U.S.-made Patriot air defense missile systems, for example, are a pivotal part of protecting Ukraine. Just as vital is U.S. intelligence assistance, which has allowed Ukraine to track Russian troop movements and select targets. I feel betrayed, but this feeling is not really deep for some reason. I was expecting something like that from Trump's side, said a Ukrainian soldier fighting in Russia's Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a daring military incursion in August 2024 to improve its hand in negotiations. The soldier spoke by phone to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. On the front line, where Ukraine is struggling to fend off the much larger and better-equipped Russian army, another soldier said the U.S. decision would allow further battlefield gains for Moscow. War is very pragmatic, he told AP, speaking on condition of anonymity in compliance with military regulations. If we have weapons, enough ammunition, infantry, armored vehicles and aviation great. If not, then were done, he said. He recalled a seven-month delay in U.S. aid that ended in April 2024 but opened a door for the Russian capture of the strategically important city of Avdiivka. The pause in U.S. aid isnt expected to have an immediate impact on the battlefield. Ukrainian forces have slowed Russian advances along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, especially in the fiercely contested Donetsk region some 700 kilometers (400 miles) east of Kyiv. The Russian onslaught has been costly in troops and armor but hasnt brought a strategically significant breakthrough for the Kremlin. Olena Fedorova, 46, a resident of the southern port city of Odesa, said she hoped Trumps decision would be temporary because we really need help. U.S. support is vital because Europe cannot fully provide what Ukraine needs in air defense systems, said lawmaker Yehor Chernov. As a result, this will lead to an increase in the number of casualties among civilians, he said. The U.S.-Ukraine relationship has taken a downturn since Trump took office and his team launched bilateral talks with Russia. Trump says he wants to get traction for peace negotiations. He vowed during his campaign to settle the war in 24 hours, but later changed that time frame and voiced hope that peace could be negotiated in six months. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said U.S. help is vital and has saved perhaps tens of thousands of civilian and military lives. But he emphasized at a Kyiv news conference that any peace agreement must be on Ukraines terms, as the victim country. Ukraine wants concrete security guarantees from Washington, European countries and Group of Seven leading industrialized nations, he said. Giving up territory to Russia, which occupies nearly 20% of Ukraine, is not possible under the U.N. Charter, he said. He repeated Zelenskyys position that Ukraine is still ready to sign a lucrative minerals deal with Trump that could be the first step toward a ceasefire. European allies stress support for Kyiv Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Washington's decision could act as a spur to a peace agreement. The U.S. has been the chief supplier in this war so far, Peskov said. If the U.S. suspends these supplies, it will make the best contribution to peace. Polands Foreign Ministry said the U.S. had not consulted with or informed NATO countries before announcing the pause. Russia will likely try to use the halt in supplies to extend its territorial gains and strengthen its position in prospective peace talks. Russias state RIA Novosti news agency quoted Andrei Kartapolov, a retired general who chairs the defense committee in the lower house of parliament, as saying Ukraine would exhaust its current ammunition reserves within months. We need to keep up the pressure and continue to target their bases and depots with long-range precision weapons to destroy the stockpiles, he said. Ukraine's European allies, meanwhile, reaffirmed their commitment to Kyiv. The chief of the European Unions executive proposed an 800 billion euro ($841 billion) plan to bolster defenses of EU nations and provide Ukraine with military muscle. The British government, which has been leading European efforts to keep Trump from pushing to end the war on terms that could favor Moscow, said in a statement that it remains absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director-general of the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based defense think tank, said Washingtons move could encourage Russia to ask for more Ukrainian concessions, including demilitarization and neutrality. This decision is not about economics. It is driven fundamentally by Trumps view that Russia is willing to do a peace deal, and only Ukraine is the obstacle, Chalmers said. But there is no evidence that Russia would be prepared to accept a deal, and what that would be. Trump said Monday he is still interested in signing a deal that would hand over a share of Ukraines rare-earth minerals to the U.S., an agreement that Zelenskyy has also said he is ready to sign. By abruptly halting military assistance to Ukraine, President Trump is hanging Ukrainians out to dry and giving Russia the green light to continue marching west, said Razom for Ukraine, a Ukrainian advocacy group. It urged the White House "to immediately reverse course, resume military aid and pressure Putin to end his horrific invasion. ___ Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv, Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, and Aamer Madhani, Zeke Miller and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Gran Canarias main airport has been forced to shut after torrential rainfall battered popular British hotspots Gran Canaria and Tenerife for days, turning streets in the Canary Islands to rivers. Rising floodwaters saw cars swept downstream as reservoirs burst their banks and covered entire neighbourhoods in sludge and debris. Seven beaches in Telde, Gran Canaria have been shut off to the public after the island was stuck by flooding which saw one car being swept out to sea. Gran Canaria Airport was rendered inoperative by deluge in the region, with all flights cancelled from tourist hotspot, according to airport operator AENA (Aeropuertos Espanoles y Navegacion Aerea). They said work is underway to make them operational as soon as possible. At least 80 people were trapped in a supermarket in Tenerife as rising waters shut off access to the car park, local media reported. open image in gallery A car that was swept away by the rain, in the Las Bachilleras ravine, in Telde, on the island of Gran Canaria ( Telde City Council ) open image in gallery The same vehicle after the flooding subsided ( REUTERS ) Authorities remain on high alert and have urged locals and holidaymakers to avoid travel or parking near ravines as more heavy rain is forecast in the region. Juan Antonio Pena, The Mayor of Telde, was seen helping rescue efforts sweeping water out of the streets as he tried to make the town safe for tourists again. Thank you for so much understanding, help and support, he said. I am proud to be from Telde. Let us continue to show that we are prudent. This Tuesday we will remain on alert. Let us avoid travelling and parking in areas close to the ravines. Thank you. open image in gallery Residents have been left clearing up after the damage caused by the floods ( REUTERS ) A Telde City Council spokesman said: Telde closes access to its beaches due to danger risk after heavy rains. La Garita, Hoya del Pozo, Playa del Hombre, El Barranquillo, Melenara, Salinetas and Eyes of Heron are affected by the restriction, until further notice. After the passing of the storm, the beaches are not in a condition to receive users, so it is being worked tirelessly both from the Beach Council and Road Cleaning and Citizen Safety, with the security forces and municipal workers, to leave them in their best state in the shortest possible space of time. We ask for patience to the users and thank you for your willingness to collaborate. open image in gallery A car is dragged into the sea of Salinetas beach ( LILY ASH via REUTERS ) The bursting of a reservoir with 700 thousand litres of water for irrigation closed one road in Telde in Gran Canaria. AEMET, Spains meteorological agency, issued a special warning for heavy rains until Wednesday on parts of the island network popular with British holidaymakers. open image in gallery A car that was swept away by the rain, lies amid vegetation ( REUTERS ) Flooding has become more common in Spain, a country still reeling from the 217 killed and thousands displaced in Valencia in November. An AEMET spokesman warned of heavy rains to come, saying: The largest accumulations are expected in the interior of Malaga, as well as in the Valencian Community and south of Tarragona, where rainfall may be locally strong, or very strong, and persistent, with accumulations exceeding 100 mm in 12 hours. Also strong or very strong showers are expected in western Andalusia, locally accompanied by storms and frequent hail. Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Prosecutors want a French police officer to stand trial for murder after the death of a teenager that led to violent protests nationwide. In a statement on Tuesday, Nanterre prosecutors said they had concluded an investigation into the fatal shooting of Nahel Merzouk, a 17-year-old of North African descent. A police officer fired at Nahel in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on June 27, 2023 after the teen failed to comply with an order to stop his car. Nahel subsequently died from his wounds. Two officers were investigated over the shooting. Prosecutors are now requesting that one of the officers faces a court trial. It is now up to a judge to decide whether such a trial will take place. Charges of murder complicity against the second police officer have been dropped. Neither the lawyer for Nahel's family nor the police officers lawyer were immediately available for comment. Protesters riot in Nanterre, west of Paris, on June 28, 2023, a day after Nahel was killed ( AFP via Getty Images ) A video shared on social media, verified by Reuters, showed two police officers beside Nahels car, a Mercedes AMG, with one firing his weapon as the driver pulled away. Nahel's death and the video were shared on social media, drawing widespread anger and provoking several nights of unrest in Nanterre and other cities across France. At the heart of the unrest were long-standing accusations by rights group of systemic racism in the police. There were hundreds of arrests during the protests, with tens of thousands of police officers deployed to quell further clashes. Night-time curfews were put in place in some areas and public transport services halted. Protesters burned cars, garbage and buildings and threw stones and fireworks at police as the riots stretched across multiple nights. The unrest was not unprecedented. Back in 2005, the electrocutions of Zyed Benna, 17, and Bouna Traore, 15, after they hid from police in a power substation in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois sparked three weeks of rioting throughout France. The nationwide riots raged through housing projects in troubled neighborhoods with large minority populations. Although they stemmed from the teens deaths, they were fueled by deeper problems of discrimination, unemployment and a sense of alienation from French society. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A former North Korean sergeant has said Pyongyang troops fighting in Ukraine were told their families would be executed if they are captured alive. "If the soldiers are captured and tell information to the enemy, their families will be punished, go to a political prison camp, or worse, they will be executed in front of the people," North Korean defector and researcher, Pak Yusung, told ABC News. Ryu Seong-hyeon, who defected to South Korea in 2019, said few North Korean soldiers had been captured as a result. Click here for the latest updates on the war "Most soldiers will kill themselves before they're killed by the enemy, it's the biggest shame to be captured," Mr Seong-hyeon told ABC News. South Korean intelligence echoed this, claiming that North Korea ordered troops to kill themselves to avoid being captured alive. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent more than 11,000 soldiers to join Russian troops in November last year as Moscows casualties continue to mount. open image in gallery North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia to fight Vladimir Putins war ( Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service ) In early February Ukrainian and American officials said North Korean troops were pulled from the frontline due to losses, but just days later South Koreas spy agency claimed additional troops were sent to Russias Kursk region. Ukrainian forces captured the first two North Korean soldiers to be taken alive by Ukraine, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in January. According to South Korean intelligence, the pair were part of North Koreas intelligence bureau. One of the soldiers reportedly said he wanted to stay in Ukraine when asked if he wanted to go home in a roughly three-minute video released by Kyiv after the capture. The Korean translator also asked: "Did you know you were fighting in a war against Ukraine?", to which the soldier shook his head. open image in gallery Ukrainian forces capturing two North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Russias Kursk border region More than 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been injured or killed in Russia by early January 2025, according to Kyiv. South Korean intelligence analysis of a combat video attributes these casualties to their lack of modern warfare and useless shooting of long-range drones. The Ukraine-Russia war is now in its fourth year, but tentative hopes of peace talks have faltered after an explosive meeting between US president Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. Then on Monday night Mr Trump announced he would pause military aid to Kyiv in a major blow to Ukraines hopes of combating Mr Putins bloody invasion. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Pope Francis suffered two new acute breathing crises on Monday and has been put back on ventilation, the Vatican said showing the 88-year-olds struggle with pneumonia is far from over. The pontiff also underwent two lung scans and is suffering from congestion in his chest. Since he entered hospital on 14 February with a complex lung infection, no photos or videos have been released of him, in what is now the longest absence of his 12-year papacy. Francis had inhaled copious amounts of mucus in another setback in what has become a more than two-week battle to overcome a complex respiratory infection and pneumonia. In a late update on Monday, the Vatican said the episodes were caused by a significant accumulation of mucus in his lungs and bronchial spasms. Two bronchoscopies were performed with the need for aspiration of copious secretions, the Vatican said. open image in gallery The Vatican said that he had inhaled copious amounts of mucus ( AFP via Getty ) The pope remains alert and has spoken and cooperated with his doctors and nursing staff. Earlier on Monday, Francis issued a new message from the hospital as Vatican officials begged him to let his voice be heard after disappearing from public view as he recovers. He denounced the progressive irrelevance of international organisations to combat war as he remained at Romes Gemelli hospital. A statement said that he was in a stable condition, was up, had breakfast and was receiving therapies after sleeping well all night long, the Vatican said. Since entering hospital, the Vatican has provided brief, twice-daily medical updates on his condition and he has begun to sign off on documents with From Gemelli Polyclinic, in a sign that he is still working. open image in gallery Catholics attend a nightly rosary prayer for the health of Pope Francis ( AP ) While he is recuperating out of public view, there have been growing calls for him to use his voice during a tumultuous period of global uncertainty, with one of his closest friends, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia stressing: We need men like him who are truly universal, and not only one sided. Francis wrote a message to the Vaticans annual bioethics academy, dated 26 February, in which he lamented that international organisations are increasingly ineffective and undermined by short-sighted attitudes concerned with protecting particular and national interests. The pope has also repeatedly called for peace between Russia and Ukraine while trying to maintain the Vaticans traditional diplomatic neutrality and has tried to achieve a similar balancing act for Israels war with Hamas in Gaza. Archbishop Georg Ganswein, the Vatican ambassador to the Baltics, said the faithful needed to hear his voice at a time when war is raging in Europe. Pope Franciss voice is of vital importance for all the world because hes the only authority who speaks of peace, who condemns war, all the wars underway starting with Ukraine, la Repubblica quoted Archbishop Ganswein as saying. The Catholic leader is susceptible to lung infections due to pleurisy he developed as a young adult, which resulted in the removal of part of one lung. Double pneumonia, a severe infection affecting both lungs, can cause inflammation and scarring, leading to breathing difficulties. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Chaos erupted in Serbia's parliament on Tuesday as smoke bombs and flares were thrown during a heated session, injuring at least three politicians. The disruption occurred amid a vote on a bill to increase university funding, further highlighting the deep political divisions gripping the Balkan nation. Opposition parties boycotted the vote, claiming the session was illegitimate and demanding the parliament first formally acknowledge the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and his government. This latest incident underscores the ongoing political crisis in Serbia, which has been roiled by months of anti-corruption protests targeting the populist government. Mr Vucevic resigned in January following widespread public outcry over the tragic collapse of a concrete canopy in northern Serbia in November, which resulted in 15 deaths. The incident fueled existing public anger over alleged government corruption and mismanagement. It follows a January strike by hundreds of students, who marched from the capital, Belgrade, to the northern city of Novi Sad to blockade three River Danube bridges. Along the way to Novi Sad, the students were greeted by cheering citizens, honking their car horns or coming out of their homes with offers of refreshments and food. Here are the reasons behind the turmoil and what led to this point. open image in gallery Students march trough the fields in northern Serbia in January as they protest over the collapse of a concrete canopy ( AP ) What is happening in Serbia? What started months ago as a protest against suspected corruption in construction contracts has developed into the most serious challenge in years to the countrys powerful populist leader, President Aleksandar Vucic. Hours after Mr Vucevic stepped away from his role leading the countrys government in January, thousands of protesters poured into the streets of Serbias second-largest city, Novi Sad, to resume their calls for political change that have seriously shaken Mr Vucics decade-long populist rule for the first time. The daily protests began after the massive concrete canopy hanging over the entrance to Novi Sads newly renovated central railway station collapsed on November 1, killing 15 people. They have become increasingly raucous, serving as way for people to vent their unhappiness with Mr Vucics authoritarian rule and reflecting their growing demands for transparency while the country increasingly undertakes large infrastructure projects, mostly with Chinese state companies. Critics allege that corruption, poor oversight and substandard construction caused the tragedy. But state officials have offered few details about the projects finances or provided conflicting information, including whether any work was done on the stations roof and overhang. After the prime ministers resignation failed to quiet the protesters, Mr Vucic sharpened his rhetoric, issuing veiled warnings against them and suggesting his and his supporters patience was running out. Why is Serbia protesting? The protests started as vigils for the victims, but grief quickly gave way to anger at demonstrations in Novi Sad and elsewhere. Professors, doctors, actors and farmers joined the university students in staging several huge rallies, including one in front of the Serbian state TV in Belgrade. Protesters have been holding daily 15-minute traffic blockades throughout the country. They honour the 15 people who died, including two children, and begin at 11:52 a.m., the time the overhang collapsed. open image in gallery Students sit around a fire as they try to warm up during a protest ( AP ) Chants such as corruption kills also marked the protests that demanded the dissolution of the entire government over the tragedy. Protesters left symbolic handprints in red paint on government buildings, accusing authorities of having blood on their hands. Several incidents marred the demonstrations, including drivers twice ramming into crowds and injuring two women. A young woman was also attacked by supporters of Mr Vucic with bats, suffering a broken jaw. The students are demanding full transparency about what caused the collapse and for anyone found responsible to face justice. Although students have refrained from naming specific targets of an investigation, Mr Vucics political opponents have suggested that anyone who might have had a hand in the renovation deal, if it was corrupt, should stand trial, singling out Mr Vucevic, who led Novi Sads local government before becoming prime minister. Initially, authorities said the outer roof was not renovated during the work on the station, but they gave no explanation as for why. Experts later denied that, and images emerged suggesting that at least some work had been done on the roof. Officials have conceded little to the protesters, declassifying some documents related to the collapse. Vucic claims all renovation documents have been made public, but protesters and legal experts say thats not true. The disaster happened soon after the station was renovated by a Chinese-led consortium, which has reportedly refused to hand over any documents pertaining to the project. Thirteen people have been charged in the collapse, but some of them remain free, including the former construction minister, fueling doubts over the investigations independence. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Greenlanders have been pushed into the global spotlight in the weeks since U.S. President Donald Trump said America could take over their Arctic homeland. Most say they dont want to be American. Many are worried and overwhelmed by the comments and the attention. But also hopeful. They say Trumps comments have ignited unprecedented interest in full independence from Denmark a key issue in a parliamentary election on March 11. Heres a look at various elements of Greenlands remarkable circumstances: Why the keen interest in Greenland? Greenland is vital to the world, though much of the world may not realize it. The U.S and other global powers covet its strategic location in the Arctic; its valuable rare earth minerals trapped under the ice needed for telecommunications; its billions of barrels of untapped oil. Theres also potential for shipping and trade routes as the ice that covers most of Greenland keeps retreating because of climate change. If that ice melts, it would reshape coastlines across the globe and potentially shift weather patterns. Greenland is massive about one-fifth the size of the United States or three times the size of Texas. Its land mass is part of North America, and its capital city is closer to New York than to Copenhagen. Who lives on the worlds largest island? Most of the 57,000 Greenlanders are Indigenous Inuit. They take pride in a culture and traditions that have helped them survive for centuries in some of the most rugged conditions. In their close link to nature. In belonging to one of the most beautiful, remote, untouched places on Earth. Many in this semi-autonomous territory are offended by Trumps threats to seize control of their homeland, even by force, because he says the U.S. needs it for national security. Why is Denmark involved? Denmark colonized Greenland 300 years ago and still exercises control over foreign and defense policy, though Greenland won self-rule in 1979 and runs itself through its parliament. Trumps comments about Greenland set off a political crisis in Denmark. The prime minister went on a tour of European capitals to garner support, saying the continent faced a more uncertain reality, while her country moved to strengthen its military presence around Greenland. Greenlands economy depends on fisheries and other industries as well as on an annual grant of about $600 million from Denmark. Aka Hansen, an Inuk filmmaker and writer, is suspicious of Trumps intentions but still thanks him for turning the worlds attention to her homeland. Like many other Greenlanders, she wants her homeland and people to be respected and she doesnt want to be ruled by another colonial power. But she feels Trumps rhetoric has increased the momentum for independence from Denmark. Denmark has been accused of committing abuses against Greenlands Inuit people, including removing children from their families in the 1950s with the excuse of integrating them into Danish society and fitting women with intrauterine contraceptive devices in the 1960s and 1970s allegedly to limit population growth in Greenland. Has Trump visited Greenland? No, but his son, Donald Trump Jr. did landing in Nuuk, the capital city, in January in a TRUMP-emblazoned plane. And journalists from all corners have descended on Nuuk, asking locals what they think of Trumps words. Pro-Trump media influencers known as the NelkBoys arrived handing out MAGA hats and $100 bills to children in Nuuks streets. In his first term as president, Trump began to talk about acquiring Greenland from Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally. Back in 2019, most dismissed it. But it had a ripple effect and he revived the topic soon after starting his second term in January. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice US president Donald Trump has paused all military aid to Ukraine following a fiery clash with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky last week, deepening the fissure that has opened between the two allies. It was a Ukrainian concern that has been simmering for months but one Kyiv hoped it could allay with diplomacy. As Mr Trump and his vice-president JD Vance berated Mr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday night for not saying thank you for the past three years of support, that concern suddenly became a serious possibility. In the aftermath of the unprecedented spat in front of the cameras, an official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said: "President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. open image in gallery Donald Trump had a very public row with Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office ( AFP via Getty Images ) The order will remain in effect until Mr Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia, a White House official also told the Associated Press. The halting of military aid comes some five years after Mr Trump held up congressionally authorised assistance to Ukraine as he sought to pressure Mr Zelensky to launch an investigation into Joe Biden, then a Democratic presidential candidate. The moment led to Mr Trump's first impeachment. A Trump administration official had earlier said they were considering cancelling all help, including the final shipments of ammunition and equipment authorised and paid for during Mr Bidens tenure. Mr Trump earlier on Monday slammed Mr Zelensky for suggesting that the end of the war likely "is still very, very far away". Mr Zelensky had suggested it would take time to come to an agreement to end the war as he tried to offer a positive take on the US-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of last week's White House meeting. Below, we look at just how consequential that could be and what weapons the US has been sending to Ukraine. What are the figures? Almost half of the 103bn in military support sent to Ukraine by its allies has come from the US, according to estimates by the Kiel Institute. That figure is a little over 51bn. The second and third largest military supporters are Germany and the UK, who have sent 10bn and 8bn respectively. If you calculate total military spending as a percentage of each countrys GDP, however, the US is much lower down the list of Ukraines backers. Its total support amounts to 0.296 per cent of its GDP, making it the 17th most significant military backer proportionate to GDP. Denmark is Ukraines most significant military supporter measured against its GDP. It has sent around 2.038 per cent. The next four, in order, are Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Finland. These four countries all share a border with mainland Russia or its exclave Kaliningrad. But if Ukraine lost the material heft of US support, it could prove devastating. This is why Mr Zelensky has been adamant that US security guarantees as part of a peace deal are the only means of preventing future Russian aggression. Europes support alone, he maintains, would not be sufficient. In an interview last month, Mr Zelensky told NBCs Meet the Press that they would have a low chance of survival without US support. He reiterated that message on Saturday as he flew for talks with Sir Keir Starmer at Downing Street, saying: Its crucial for us to have President Trumps support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. Demonstrations of how consequential a lack of US support can be are readily available. When the Republican members of the House of Representatives, under Mr Trumps instruction, blocked for roughly eight months a military aid package for Ukraine proposed by Mr Biden, Russia made frontline advances with a significant advantage in artillery. Some soldiers put it at 10 to one. It led to the fall of the city of Avdiivka in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, which the Russians have since used as a springboard to advance around 30 miles further to the outskirts of the city of Pokrovsk, a linchpin of the wider areas defence. Total US support, including financial and humanitarian aid, is in the range of 95bn, according to Kiel. The US Department of Defence, however, suggests the figure is as high as 145bn, which it says are funds appropriated for Ukraine. That covers US military training in Europe and replenishment of US defence stocks. Compared with the rest of the world, the US share of total support for Ukraine is lower. The majority of support comes from Europe, with 49.5 per cent, while the US has supplied 42.7 per cent. This leaves 7.8 per cent from other countries. There is no evidence to substantiate Mr Trumps claims that the US has sent $350bn to Ukraine, nor has he attempted to prove it. What weapons have the US sent to Ukraine? open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky stands next to a US Patriot air defence system ( DPA ) US military support for Ukraine is vital not only because of its sheer volume but also because Washington has acted as a diplomatic umbrella for European countries to send weapons of their own. When Ukraines allies debated whether it would be too provocative to send tanks to Ukraine, for example, it was the US finally agreeing to send some of their Abrams battle tanks, despite the logistical problems involved in training troops in how to use them, that opened the door for Germany to send their much more readily available Leopard tanks. The list of total American weaponry sent to Ukraine is extensive. If you want to read the full list, click here. open image in gallery The US is one of the biggest contributors of aid and weaponry to Ukraine ( EPA ) The most significant pieces of equipment include: The announcement that the United States is to suspend all military aid to Ukraine has turned support for Kyiv from an urgent problem for Europe into an immediate one. Its a vital test for the continents decision-makers, and the cost of failing it could be catastrophic. There have been signs that Europes leaders have, belatedly, grasped the urgency. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen chose the moment to present a long-overdue Rearm Europe plan. But that comes on top of efforts already underway to find an end to the conflict and preserve Ukraine as a viable state. Sundays summit of Western countries backing Kyiv made all the right noises about stepping in to make a peace settlement work. But the four-point plan announced by Keir Starmer leaves a lot of questions unanswered not least, how it is going to work without cooperation from Russia or the United States. Unlike Trumps administration, European leaders are taking a reality-based approach to any possible ceasefire: that past performance indicates Russia will breach it at the first opportunity. Thats what makes it so clear that the description of any foreign military presence in Ukraine as peacekeepers is dangerously misleading. Far from the popular idea of peacekeepers as a lightly armed police mission, if European forces are to be deployed to Ukraine, they need to be fully capable of defending themselves when Russia restarts the war. But thats also why Starmer has repeatedly stated that no peace plan will work without the US underwriting it. He has done so despite the US repeatedly stating that it is not willing to do so. Its not yet clear how that gap is supposed to be bridged. Theres also a clear logical issue when it comes to discussing whether Russia might agree to a plan including foreign forces in Ukraine. The foreign forces will be there with the aim of preventing Russia from restarting the war. Thats not an outcome Russia wants to see. So, the suggestion that Russia might agree to a peace enforcement force plan involving European forces is baffling. We can expect a full-blown Russian campaign of bluster and nuclear flouncing if any such plan were to get any way close to being implemented in real life. And, given the consistent track record of the Trump clique in endorsing and attempting to enforce Putins preferred outcomes to the war, Russian objections to a European plan would be very likely to be supported by the US. So its an open question for now exactly how European leaders hope to push through a plan that appears to depend on preconditions that simply arent on the table. And all of this is supposed to happen at the same time as European powers are implementing promised increases in equipment supplies to Ukraine and defence spending at home. Air defence is likely to be one of the most immediate vital gaps to fill now the US has withdrawn its support. New long-term production arrangements both to boost Ukraine and to protect European countries are vital, but so is whatever can be deployed to Ukraine immediately. And for Europe as a whole, any plan that considers war with Russia as a future problem, not one of today, is already dangerously out of date. open image in gallery Trump and Putin pictured at a meeting in Helsinki in 2018 ( AP ) Its important to remember that for all the talk of peace negotiations, these have not actually started which hasnt stopped the United States from pre-emptively indicating that it will acquiesce to many of Russias demands. Repeated confirmation that the US administration has fully embraced Russias fantasy version of the war means the Kremlin must be running out of champagne by now. The question for Moscow will be what to push for next, while treading carefully in order to keep Trump and those around him tame and on side. On the grounds that you shouldnt interrupt your enemy when hes making a mistake, Putin should be careful not to send things off track by disrupting Trumps peace initiative. Russia will want to pocket its wins and formalise the concessions the United States have already offered unprompted. Its after that that the Kremlin will demand more. We should expect a refresh of Russias December 2021 treaty proposals formalising a US withdrawal from Europe, and reordering the continent to leave Russia the dominant player in its east. For the time being, Trump and vice-president JD Vance are doing all the hard work for Russia. Trumps scuppering of his own mineral deal after taking offence at Zelensky injecting reality into the conversation now allows him to endorse the Russian claim that it is Zelensky who does not want peace. But theres a world of difference between a brief, symbolic ceasefire that Trump can claim as a victory and the lasting peace settlement that European leaders and Zelensky himself have set as their goal. open image in gallery A residential area in Sumy, Ukraine, hit by a Russian drone strike last month ( Reuters ) Starmer says the USs centrality to European security makes discussion of doing without it totally unserious. But he will know as well as any other Nato leader that Trump could make the prospect deadly serious at any moment. Both the EU and Nato may at present be holding their breath avoiding taking decisive action while waiting to see if Trump will pull the rug from under them as well as Ukraine. But Europe and Canada need both to work to keep Trump on side and to prepare urgently for the fallout if these efforts are unsuccessful. Military equipment specialists and logisticians will be busily working out not only how capable Ukrainian forces will be of operating without US support, but also any other armed force across Europe that has been organised and equipped on the perfectly reasonable assumption that the United States would be on the same side. For all the efforts to maintain US cooperation, all of these forces must now be making contingency plans to go with what theyve got with or without US support because the option may not be there. All of this assumes that an agreed plan for Europe to ensure peace for Ukraine and for Europe will eventually take shape. The UKs reference to various options on the table on Monday made it clear there was no firm agreement on the next steps. The coalition of the least unwilling may have come together. The real test will come when it starts to act rather than talk. Keir Giles is the author of Who Will Defend Europe?: An Awakened Russia and a Sleeping Continent On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Experts say Volodymyr Zelensky has few options but to repair his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump after last weeks disastrous Oval Office row. On Monday, Trump directed a pause to U.S. assistance to Ukraine - just days after he berated the wartime leader for what he perceived as insufficient gratitude for the more than $180 billion in military aid the U.S. has sent to Kyiv since Russia invaded three years ago. The heated conversation that played out live on television will almost certainly stick with Zelensky for the rest of his presidency, if not his life. A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia and wants Zelensky committed to that goal. Now Ukraine's future could depend on whether the president can repair this relationship. American officials have said that they want an apology from Zelensky, who has maintained his cool in public appearances since the episode and leaned into European support while also rebuffing calls from U.S. officials to resign. He has even expressed optimism about continued U.S. support. As European partners rally around Zelensky, Western officials in Kyiv acknowledge that the durability of any peace plan will depend on U.S. military backing. Zelensky has said he is still ready to sign a lucrative minerals deal with Trump that could be the first step toward a ceasefire. Since Friday's confrontation, there has been communication between Ukraine and the administration but not between the two presidents. open image in gallery Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the Securing our Future Summit on Ukraine and European security Meanwhile, Trump is scheduled to address Congress on Tuesday with a speech that will offer him an opportunity to outline his vision for ending the war. Im sure that this situation will pass, and there are more important things ahead. And if we all continue to be constructive, then, I think, we will have a positive result, Zelensky told reporters Sunday after a meeting of European leaders in London. Positive if my understanding here is correct positive is when we are bringing peace for Ukraine closer, all of us. Signing the deal with the Trump administration for a portion of Ukraines natural resources would have paved the way for more agreements on the future of American military aid and the terms of an armistice with Russia. Now all of that is uncertain. Saving the U.S.-Ukraine relationship Oleksandr Kraiev, an analyst at the Kyiv-based Ukrainian Prism foreign policy think tank, said the first step to salvaging U.S-Ukraine relations is to re-establish personal contacts with Trumps people and with Trump himself, even though it will be hard psychologically." Yes, the situation is quite dire. We see a lot of bad prognosis, he said. Its not an apocalyptic scenario for us. The relations can be reestablished, not because Ukrainian diplomacy is far superior or because Zelensky is a great communicator, but because there is still an economic interest for Trump here in Ukraine. As for saving the relationship, Zelensky told reporters over the weekend: I think our relationship (with the U.S.) will continue because its more than a relationship of one moment or another. We have to be open. Ukraine is ready to continue the dialogue," he said. We want to count on new aid. U.S. officials have called for Zelensky to express gratitude for U.S. support, something the Ukrainian president has regularly done since the full-scale invasion began early in 2022. America is a democracy. The president is not the only power. Congress matters. Voters matter. Mass media and public opinion. We should work with them, Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko said. Leaning into Europe Europe has stepped into the gap left by the deepening Ukraine-U.S. rift. But a ceasefire plan crafted by European powers will still require U.S. support to be effective. All is not lost. There is a chance that a deal could still be done, but its much less likely than it was, said Ben Barry, a military expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. A French-British plan to deploy European contingents in Ukraine should include the presence of the United States of America in one way or another Zelensky said, adding that the U.S. could contribute air, ground or intelligence support. open image in gallery Prime Minister Keir Starmer, center, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, and France's President Emmanuel Macron meet to discuss Ukraine ( AFP or Licensors ) Boosting support to Ukraine in the event that the U.S. withdraws aid would come at a great cost to the continent, Barry said. Europe could provide arms and ammunition directly to Ukraine and could put the European defense and industry on a war footing, he said. That would cost Europe a lot of money. Whether its got the political resolution to do that, we would see. Calls for Zelensky to resign Zelensky has rebuffed resignation calls from some U.S. officials, saying only the Ukrainian people can decide who leads them. Amid the criticism, there are no signs in Ukraine of public discussion about Zelensky stepping down. If Zelensky had behaved differently or if there had been an interpreter, of course, it would have been a slightly different story, said Oleksandr Khara, director of the Center for Defense Strategies. But David Novak, a 23-year-old Ukrainian cook, said what most Ukrainians were thinking. He said he was shocked by the Oval Office exchange and said he understood that Zelensky "is doing his best, and that he is holding on. In Ukraine, the White House blowup sparked yet another surge of unity, as many in the country interpreted the remarks from Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance as a personal affront while Zelensky expressed an opinion widely shared among Ukrainians that Russia cannot be trusted to keep ceasefire promises. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a selection of photos on Instagram of Ukrainians wearing military fatigues, blood-soaked medical scrubs and firefighting gear all symbols of the war with the slogan Ukrainians have their suits. The campaign is in response to a question posed to Zelensky in the Oval Office about why he was not wearing a suit. In response to U.S. Sen. Lindsay Grahams call that he resign, Zelensky told reporters: I can give (Lindsay Graham) citizenship in Ukraine and he will become a citizen of our country. And then his voice will start to gain weight, and I will hear him as a citizen of Ukraine on the topic of who must be the president. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Volodymyr Zelensky has bowed to intense pressure from Donald Trump after the US suspended military aid to Kyiv, meaning Ukraine will run out of vital long-range defence missiles within days. He called the pairs explosive White House meeting regrettable and pledged to enter peace talks as he desperately tried to salvage the perilous situation facing his armed forces. Mr Zelensky also proposed a possible peace plan to end the war, including the release of prisoners and a ban on missiles and drones, and said he would sign a deal giving the US access to Ukraines mineral wealth. The move came just hours after the US announced it was pausing and reviewing military aid to the country, with sources telling The Independent that Ukraines supplies of US Patriot missiles could leave it unable to defend itself in a matter of days. Mr Trumps decision to pause aid came after he strongly criticised Mr Zelensky for suggesting peace was still very, very, far away. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer, said Mr Zelensky in his message on X on Tuesday. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. He offered options for a truce while committing to signing the minerals deals wanted by the US in exchange for aid. open image in gallery Zelensky has described last weeks meeting with Trump as regrettable ( AP ) We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. Mr Zelensky added: Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Mr Zelensky on Tuesday and welcomed his steadfast commitment to securing peace. Also reacting, foreign secretary David Lammy wrote on X: Ukraines security is Europes security. We will step up and we are stepping up together. The attempt at reconciliation came just hours before Mr Trump was to deliver his speech to Congress. The Ukrainian presidents move came as the scale of the danger in which the country finds itself became increasingly apparent, with multiple sources telling The Independent that US Patriot missile supplies to defend air attacks from Russian drones and long-range ballistic missiles could run out within days. The missiles are stockpiled outside of the country and only brought in a few days before being used. Mr Trumps decision to stop all military aid means those in transit to Ukraine could be blocked. open image in gallery Patriot air defence missile squadrons being moved from Germany to Poland in January 2023 ( DPA ) Lieutenant General Sir Nick Borton, former commander of Natos rapid reaction force, told The Independent: Key elements are air defence, long-range strike, and ammunition. Europe is doing more especially with ammunition but the stocks will start to run low very quickly under current levels of intensity. Mass drone attacks will soak up current missile supplies, Sir Nick said, adding it would also embolden Russia to continue on the offensive. General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, former head of the British army, told The Independent that Mr Trumps suspension of aid will reveal how reliant Ukraine is on American military support and how inadequate European stocks are. Sir Mark, who also commanded the Special Air Service on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, went on to warn that Europe inherits more of the problem [in Ukraine] but has significant problems of its own; large capability gaps to fill, insufficient time and inadequate resources. Oleksandr Merezhko who chairs the Ukrainian parliaments foreign affairs committee, said the impact could have an effect on the battlefield within days. I dont know for how long supplies will last ... My main concern is the lack of missiles for air defences to protect Ukrainian cities," he told The Independent. The Russians will use this opportunity to intensify attacks. This is why Trumps decision is so dangerous. Putin might also try to intensify offensives on the front line. That is why it is so dangerous. The chances are it will happen. open image in gallery A Ukrainian soldier looks to the skies searching for Russian FPV drones ( AP ) At the moment, Russia fires about 100-200 missiles and drones at Ukraine every day. According to Vadym Skibitskyi, the deputy head of Ukraines intelligence agency, that number is expected to surge to 500 a day. Volumes like that simply overload our defence systems, he told the Ukrainian media. Russia has bombarded Ukraine with massive storms of Shahed drones, long-range ballistic and some hypersonic missiles several times a week for more than two years. Ukraines defence against these swarms ranges from soldiers in pickup trucks mounted with 50mm Browning machine guns to the long-range Patriot missiles. Ukraine has six American Patriot batteries and a few from Germany. Last April, Mr Zelensky said that a scarcity of Patriot missiles which was attributed to holdups in the US led to successful Russian attacks on Ukraines energy sector. There were 11 missiles flying. We destroyed the first seven, and four [remaining] destroyed Trypillia [thermal electricity plant]. Why? Because there were zero missiles. We ran out of missiles to defend Trypillia, he said in the interview with US network PBS. Mr Zelensky has said previously that 25 Patriot missile systems would enable Ukraine to hold Russia back indefinitely. The cancellation of aid also means a pause in the delivery of Himars artillery and ATACM long-range rockets which Ukraine has used to target Russian command and control hubs, airfields and logistics bases. open image in gallery A Ukrainian serviceman at the front line near Donetsk, Ukraine, Monday, 3 March This will affect Ukraines ability to fight Russians with its newly procured F16 aircraft and the Anglo-French Storm Shadow missiles which have been devastating to Russia especially in Crimea. Storm Shadow is launched from aircraft if the airfields are bombed by Russia, the planes cannot take off. On the front lines in Ukraine, senior officers told The Independent that conventional systems of this kind were proving less effective. Russia is getting good at avoiding our long-range missile attacks. We are seeing less armour in action and less artillery, said a battalion commander near Dnipro. European allies have supplied medium-range anti-defence systems and the UK has announced plans to build another 5,000 missiles for Ukraine in Belfast but these have a range of about 8km. The Patriots can reach up to 160km. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Europes armies are not equipped to handle a new war of drones, machines, and robots, a senior Ukrainian official has said, warning that Russia has skyrocketed to space with advancements in military technology and ammunition production. The stark warning came as Donald Trump paused all military aid to Ukraine following a fiery public altercation with the countrys president Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington. The US president said he wants Mr Zelensky to show greater commitment to a peace deal. His dramatic intervention threw Sir Keir Starmers diplomatic efforts into chaos after the prime minister gathered 18 mostly European leaders at a London summit on Sunday to shore up their borders and back Ukraine. Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of Ukraines frontline region of Kherson Oblast, said: We truly appreciate and are very grateful to our American partners for the support Ukraine receives in its fight against Russia. If it does stop, I think it will get much harder for us. Still, we have no choice but to keep fighting for our country and independence no matter how many countries support us. I believe that the American people will continue to help Ukraine. We share the same values: freedom and democracy. We are fighting for these values. He warned that any deal with Russia would only be a temporary pause for Moscow to regroup and that Europes armies were not physically prepared for a Russian assault that would surely come after. Speaking to The Independent from London, Mr Prokudin said just as the Second World War heralded the advent of an entirely new form of artillery attrition warfare, so Russias invasion of Ukraine has ushered in an era of weaponised robots, advanced fibre-optic drones, and even battlefield lasers. The beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, [Nato and its allies] were ready for what was coming then. But during the last three years, Russia has skyrocketed up to space with its technology, innovation, and ammunition production. They are not ready for what Russia has. Every army in Europe has to prepare for the new war. It might sound arrogant, but no military in Europe or the United Kingdom is prepared for what is coming, for that kind of war. Its a war between robots, machines, drones. It is not what people are used to. Russia, meanwhile, has had years to develop its military technology and ammunition that is bigger in number and better in efficiency than anywhere in the world. Ukraine is a training ground for Russia, he added grimly. open image in gallery A Ukrainian serviceman prepares to launch long-range AN-196 Liutyi drones ( AP ) The experience and expertise that our military has acquired during this time especially the young soldiers is very insightful for Europe and other countries. Military experts have long said that the war in Ukraine has propelled the battlefield into a new and terrifying 21st-century reality with drone warfare at the forefront. At the sharp edge of that sword is Kherson in the south. Swathes of the oblast were quickly swallowed into Russian control at the start of Russian president Vladimir Putins invasion on 24 February 2022. While Ukraine was able to liberate the regional capital later in 2022, the front line has remained frozen with rival forces on either side of the Dnipro River which splits the region in half. Kherson city now only has a fifth of its pre-war population because the bombardment is so heavy, coming under 2,000 drone attacks a week, according to Mr Prokudin. Kherson as a whole remains 70 per cent occupied by Russian forces land which the governor admits would likely be left to Russia in any US-brokered peace deal, and which Russian soldiers can easily fortify, ready for the next push. Already, Ukrainian-held Kherson has been shelled more than 500,000 times by Russian forces in the last two years. This has meant the region is at the forefront of efforts to fight Russias technology advances, Mr Prokudin continued. He said that soldiers in Kherson have to contend with Russian drones, which now communicate via 15km of fibre-optic fishing line, making them completely jam-proof. They have learnt to take them down with lasers or physically hook them to other drones to collect them like a net. The fight above Ukraine's frontline | On The Ground We are also remotely mining areas with drones. We are evacuating wounded soldiers with land drones, which they can hook themselves to. We are taking out ships with underwater drones, he continued. Meanwhile, they are also building a massive radio-electrical wall to jam any incoming drones technology he hopes Europe could use to protect its own borders. If Lithuania was targeted right now, do you think Nato would come and save them? They cant even protect their own countries let alone us. The reason is because they are physically not able to. Over the weekend, Sir Keir urged his 18 fellow leaders to do the heavy lifting for their own security just two days after US backing of Ukraine appeared in jeopardy when President Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. In extraordinary scenes live on television, he accused his one-time ally of not being grateful enough for Americas support. Sir Keir has used the summit as the opportunity to bridge a widening gap between Europe and the US under Mr Trump and also salvage what had seemed like the start of a peace process before Fridays spat. open image in gallery A Magura V5 a lethal advanced sea drone, developed and deployed by Ukraine in its war with Russia ( Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine ) The prime minister said he had worked with France and Ukraine on a plan to end the war and that the group of leaders had agreed on several points. Governor Prokudin said that in the interim, the Ukrainian army will not stop preparing even if there is a deal. We understand any [deal] is just a pause and we have to be as prepared for what is coming next, he said. This is what I believe: if Europe does not wake up and start preparing, the war zone is going to be much closer to them. A completely different war. And none of the armies are prepared. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ukrainian soldiers have called Donald Trump's decision to suspend military aid crucial to them fighting Vladimir Putin's forces as a "betrayal" that they couldn't have foreseen even in their worst dreams. One officer, a colonel who uses the call sign "Roman" and is close to Ukraines military general staff with special responsibility for weapons procurement said: Nobody predicted that Trump would do something like this. We thought that there would be understanding from his administration about Ukraines situation and a comprehension of who was the aggressor and who was the victim. I couldnt imagine this happening even in a nightmare. "I think that most Ukrainians take this as a betrayal - it would be difficult to describe it in other terms. But they blame Trump and his administration rather than America as a whole," Colonel Roman added. He said that among among priority items that will need replacement are missiles and equipment for Ukraines air-defence systems, most urgently American-supplied Patriots. This view is backed by other troops. A senior sergeant with the call sign Bora who has spent time with Ukraines special forces, including a mission to occupied Crimea, spoke to The Independent from near the frontlines in the eastern Donetsk region. He said: I was shocked that Trump, president of a country that has been Ukraines friend and whom we regarded as a close ally and an inspiration of freedom, could abandon us this way. I want to believe this is a temporary thing and that most Americans still support Ukraine. Three years of war in Ukraine have meant three years of pain, losses and resilience," Sergeant Bora said. These three years have shown that evil does not stop by itself. It cant be stilled by compromises or negotiations. One can only defeat it. open image in gallery Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, as President Donald Trump, centre, listens in the Oval Office at the White House ( AP ) A soldier-doctor with the rank of lieutenant and the call sign Volvo, who supervises the evacuation of wounded soldiers from the frontlines around the city of Kupiansk in the northeastern Kharkiv region, admitted the suspension of American supplies had come as a nasty shock. Lieutenant Volvo said: Of course, this is a bad development and were disappointed. But were not throwing up our hands and giving up." Were putting our faith in our own strength and the support of our European allies because its not only America thats been backing us but a significant number of Europes leading and most progressive nations. He said his fellow soldiers are not blaming the entire American nation "for the actions of one person called Trump as the noise of exploding Russian shells provide a constant backdrop to his words. Lieutenant Volvo was certain that Ukrainian forces have sufficient stockpiles of ammunition and other supplies to ensure there would not be an imminent Russian breakthrough around Kupiansk, which has been one of the fiercest and most prolonged battles since Russias invasion in February 2022. But the soldiers spoke about fears around air defences, logistics and intelligence particularly that gathered by satellite areas Washington have particularly taken the lead on in supplying Ukraine. open image in gallery US-supplied weaponry in Ukraine ( AFP via Getty Images ) Colonel Roman said: If they deny us intelligence help that would be a very serous blow. Because this importantly plays into the planning and the conduct of military operations. The loss of such intelligence might not be disastrous but itll certainly hurt. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Volvo said he was worried if Ukraines access to Starlink was switched off. For me, as a commander of medical facilities and evacuation of the wounded, communications is vital. Weve heard about the possibility that as part of the pressure on Zelensky to fall in line with Trumps plans, Starlink might be switched off. Thats very concerning. All soldiers reiterated that continued support from European allies such as the UK was vital. Colonel Roman did not foresee a collapse in morale to a disastrous extent as long as our European allies continue to stand beside us and boost the quantity of their military aid. But he lamented: It is a very sad story when the country which has been the model for freedom and democracy is not going to support a country which has subscribed to Western-European and American values and has been spilling its blood and losing many of its people to defend those values. Sergeant Bora added: The question today isnt whether its worth stopping Russia, its how many more deaths, destroyed cities and ruined futures must there be before the world understands this is a war of civilisation against barbarity? We either defeat Russia or they will continue to destroy everything around them. A Ukrainian marines captain with the call sign Trybun said that he was confident that Ukraines other allies in Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia and elsewhere would not abandon Ukraine. Ukraine had no choice, he said, but to carry on fighting because Putin wants to wipe us off the world map completely. To eliminate out identity, our culture, our language - everything that speaks of Ukraine," the soldier said. Therefore, we will fight with what we have. Simple and that's it. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice For the first time in history, an American has been elected as Pope. The idea of an American pope has often been dismissed, even by theologians in the United States in the run-up to this weeks conclave. So few expected Robert Prevost to walk out onto the balcony at the Vatican as the new head of the Catholic Church. And yet, on Thursday the Chicago-born cardinal-bishop, known by friends as Bob, made history after becoming the 267th pope the first time in the Churchs 2,000-year history that an American has been appointed to lead it. Prevost who has joint Peruvian citizenship and spent years living and working in the South American country has chosen to be known as Leo XIV. As Bishop of Chicago, the 69-year-old pontiff once oversaw the largest Archdiocese in North America. open image in gallery Robert Prevost, from Chicago, Illinois, has become the 267th pope, the first time in 2,000 years that an American has been appointed to lead the Catholic Church ( Reuters ) Prior to his election, many observers had questioned him as a candidate, due to his relatively young age and inexperience. Some speculated that cardinals would also wish to select a European, following 12 years of tenure by Pope Francis an Argentinian and considered it unlikely a pontiff would emerge from the U.S. The Reverend James Bretzke, a theology professor at John Carroll University in Ohio, told USA Today this week that a diplomat was required to replace Pope Francis, adding: Americas image in the world simply is too powerful and to be blunt, ugly. Vatican insiders had described Prevost as a dark horse candidate who quietly rose to prominence in the days just before the conclave, having been made a cardinal-bishop in February this year. In terms of leading the Catholic Church, he has been described as a dignified middle of the road leader, compared with Francis, who was considered a progressive pontiff, and more conservative alternatives. Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. open image in gallery Prior to his election, many observers had questioned him as a candidate, due to his relatively young age and inexperience. Some speculated that cardinals would also wish to select a European, following 12 years of tenure by Pope Francis an Argentinian ( AP ) In early 2025, Francis again demonstrated his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals. He has championed the importance of on-the-ground work. In a 2023 interview with Vatican News, he said: One must not give in to the temptation to live isolated, separated in a palace, satisfied with a certain social level or a certain level within the church. He added: The authority we have is to serve, to accompany priests, to be pastors and teachers. However, Prevost has also expressed less progressive stances, including more negative views of the LGBT community. According to The New York Times, in an address to bishops in 2012, Prevost bemoaned the fact that western media fostered sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel, pointing to the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children. While in South America, he told local media that the promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that dont exist. He has also been criticized by survivors of child abuse. open image in gallery Prevost, who holds both American and Peruvian citizenship, previously served as prefect of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, which handles various administrative and pastoral responsibilities of the Holy See, including the vetting nominations for bishops around the world ( AP ) In 1999, Prevost was elected provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinians. A year into the role, he allowed Father James Ray, a priest then accused of abusing minors whose ministry had been restricted since 1991, to reside at the Augustinians' St. John Stone Friary in Chicago in 2000, despite its proximity to a Catholic elementary school. When Prevost was Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, three victims reported to civil authorities in 2022 after there was no movement on their canonical case filed through the diocese, according to the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). Victims have since claimed Prevost failed to open an investigation, sent inadequate information to Rome, and that the diocese allowed the priest to continue saying mass, attaching photos of the priest saying mass after their complaint to their letter. SNAP filed a complaint against Prevost on March 25, 2025. Prior to his ascension to Holy Father, Prevost served as prefect of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, which handles various administrative and pastoral responsibilities of the Holy See, including vetting nominations for bishops around the world. Prevost was initially appointed a member of the Dicastery in 2020 before later becoming its head. He also served as the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where nearly 40 percent of the world's Catholics reside. Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1955, Prevost grew up in the citys south suburbs, where he lived in Dolton with his parents and two brothers. Reports claimed he was a fan of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. The record, however, was set straight on Thursday at least by his brother, who confirmed he had always been a White Sox fan. open image in gallery Onlookers wave American flags following the announcement that Chicago-born Prevost had been elected as the new pope ( REUTERS ) Growing up, a steady stream of priests passed through his family home, and the youngster reportedly had a positive experience of parish life, serving as an altar boy and attending school in the St. Mary of the Assumption parish on the far South Side. Former classmates shared how, even as a boy, he was destined to become pope. It was pretty apparent back then that was going to be his route, former classmate John Doughney told the Chicago Sun-Times, speaking before Prevost was elected. For him, I think it was a true calling, Doughney said. And, even as a young teenager, he knew what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go. Others recalled a sense of humor in class. He was kind of a little trickster, too, Joseph Merigold, who used to sit near Prevost in class, said. Used to poke me in the back of the head with a pencil all the time because I was a kidder. So he definitely had a sense of humor that a lot of people wouldnt know because he wasnt really that outgoing. Merigold added that Prevost was the smartest person in the class and was in the No.1 seat, indicating his classroom performance. Prevost was remembered as a good singer from the choir who cared about people and looked for the good in things, according to Marianne Angarola, who also grew up in Dolton and went to school with him. He was the pride and joy of every priest and nun in that school, Angarola told The Chicago Tribune. Everybody knew he was special. open image in gallery Prevost leads the recitation of the Holy Rosary for Pope Francis' health in St Peter's Square prior to the last Popes death ( AP ) Prevost was sent to study canon law at the Angelicum in Rome and was ordained as a priest in the city in 1982. After completing his studies, he was invited to work in the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas, in northwestern Peru, which held strong connections with the U.S. Augustinians. In 1999, he was elected provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinians, and two years later, in 2001, he was elected prior general of the worldwide Augustinian order, a post he held for two six-year terms. In 2014, he returned to northwestern Peru, after Francis named him apostolic administrator of the Chiclayo diocese. The Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil, the communications director for the diocese in Chiclayo, recalled how the Prevost used to rise each day and have breakfast with his fellow priests after saying his prayers. No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humor and joy, Purisaca said in an email to The Associated Press, following Prevosts appointment. After arriving in Rome, Prevost kept a low public profile, but was well known to the men who count. Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals. open image in gallery In 2014, Provost returned to northwestern Peru, after Francis named him apostolic administrator of the Chiclayo diocese. He was appointed a member of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2020, and later became its head ( AP ) Prevost is an expert in canon law, a system that functions like a constitution and legal system specifically for the Catholic Church, affording him appeal to the more traditional wings of the Vatican. However, it remains to be seen how he will respond to the actions of U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted his congratulations on his social media platform Truth Social after the announcement that Prevost was Pope. Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country, Trump wrote. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment! open image in gallery It remains to be seen how he will respond to the actions of President Donald Trump, who posted his congratulations on his social media platform Truth Social after the announcement that Prevost was Pope ( AFP/Getty ) Earlier this year, Prevost publicly voiced opposition to remarks by Vice President JD Vance on the theological concept of ordo amoris. JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others, Prevost wrote on X. Prevosts latest post on X was a repost of an account criticizing the Trump administrations policy on immigrant deportations. Additional reporting by Rhian Lubin On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Ukrainian government is raffling off 100 T-shirts printed with a quote from president Volodymyr Zelensky following his disastrous meeting with US president Donald Trump. United24, an official fundraising platform run by the Ukrainian government, has released merchandise bearing Mr Zelenskys historic words Ill wear the costume when this war is over asking its patrons to help finish the war. The T-shirts will be sent to a selection of people who donate $24 (18.8) or more towards armoured medical evacuation vehicles for Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the war frontline. Theyre emphasising the words of our president a reminder that there is a time and place for everything. There will be a time when we can all wear suits. Right now, it is time to help Ukraine finish this war, according to the United24s official page raffling off the T-shirt. It has called for donations to help Ukraine finish the Russian war and win something to wear instead of a suit. The release of the T-shirt in Ukraines fundraising campaign was announced just a day after Volodymyr Zelensky was involved in a public spat with US president Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance on Friday. Mr Zelenskys dark fatigues were first mentioned by Mr Trump when the Ukrainian president stepped out of his car at the White House on Friday. Youre all dressed up today, Mr Trump remarked, referring to Mr Zelenskys military-style sweatshirt and trousers, adorned with the Ukrainian trident, which he wears as a show of solidarity with soldiers fighting on the frontlines. Zelensky and Trump openly clashed in the White House at a meeting where they were due to sign a deal on sharing Ukraine's mineral riches and discuss a peace deal with Russia ( AFP/Getty Images ) The Ukrainian war-time president has refused to don formal suits during all his domestic and international outreaches in solidarity with thousands of Ukraines troops fighting on the war frontlines. Mr Zelensky has said he wears military fatigues as a symbol of the Russian war his soldiers are fighting back home. On Friday, while Mr Vance berated Mr Zelensky over his conduct during the Ukraine war and questioned him for apparent lack of gratitude for American donations during a televised conference. A news reporter with conservative cable network Real Americas Voice asked Mr Zelensky why he doesn't wear suits despite the topic being reported in public already. "Why don't you wear a suit?" the reporter asked the Ukrainian leader. "You're at the highest level in this country's office, and you refuse to wear a suit. Do you own a suit?" he continued. "A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the dignity of this office," he claimed. Mr Zelensky responded: "I will wear costume after this war will finish. The word costume is used as a translated term for suit in Ukrainian language. The row has sparked protests across the US with several pro-Ukraine demonstrators slamming Mr Trumps remarks. Placards reading Peace doesnt need a suit, Will Russia stop killing us if we all wear suits?, I am wearing a suit. Will it stop Russia? and Heroes dont need a suit were seen in protests in Chicago and Washington DC outside the White House. Mr Zelensky is not the first leader during wartime or conflict to send such a message with his clothes. During the Second World War, Winston Churchill was famously photographed in his black Homburg hat, puffing a cigar, as if to say carry on as normal even as bombs fell on London and German forces marched across Europe. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An Indian woman sentenced to death in Abu Dhabi in the murder of a four-month-old child was executed on 15 February, weeks before her family and the Indian embassy was officially informed, the Delhi High Court was told on Monday. Shahzadi Khan, 33, had been in custody since 10 February 2023 before being convicted and sentenced to death on 31 July that year. She was held at Al Wathba prison, where she was executed last month. The revelation about her execution came during a court hearing on Monday following a plea filed by Khans father, Shabbir Khan, who had sought information about her legal status and well-being. It is over. She was executed on 15 February. Her last rites will be held on 5 March, additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma informed the court. Justice Sachin Datta described the development as very unfortunate. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the Indian embassy had provided legal support, including submitting mercy petitions and pardon requests to the UAE government. However, the countrys highest court, the Court of Cassation, upheld the death sentence, and UAE authorities officially notified the Indian embassy of the execution on 28 February. Mr Khan, a resident of Banda district in Uttar Pradesh, said he had struggled for clarity on his daughters fate, as he lashed out at the Indian government for not taking enough initiative. In his plea before the court, he stated: "The petitioner, with considerable effort, submitted an application dated February 21, 2025 to the Ministry of External Affairs, seeking to ascertain the current legal status of his daughter and confirm whether she remains alive or has been executed. I tried a lot with the Indian government [to help reverse the judgment]. I had been running around since last year, Mr Khan told the Press Trust of India. We did not have the money to go there [Abu Dhabi]. The lawyers were expensive and the government did not support us. They hanged her on 15 February and there was no news from MEA. I had a number on which I called and the woman who spoke to me told me my daughter was no more, he said. He has now requested the government to arrange his travel to Abu Dhabi to attend his daughters last rites. Earlier on 14 February, Mr Khan said, he received a phone call from my beloved daughter who while crying on phone told me she has been informed about her execution. A captain visited me today, and Ive been isolated. He told me I have no time left, she said. Khan was allegedly deceived by a fraudster and trafficked to Abu Dhabi in December 2021 before being implicated in the death of an infant, a crime she vehemently denied committing. The child, Mr Khan claims, died on 7 December 2022, hours after receiving routine vaccinations. Her legal team argued that she had been pressured into a confession and was inadequately represented during her trial, as Khans family maintained her innocence. According to Abu Dhabi court submissions seen by The Independent, Khan asphyxiated the infant on the spur of the moment. She was angry with her employers over mistreatment and nondelivery of salaries, the court was told during the trial, and she took out her frustration on their child. Earlier, her father told The Independent, he had written president Droupadi Murmu and prime minister Narendra Modi to intervene and secure clemency for his daughter. Her lawyer, Ali Mohammad, criticised the judicial process, alleging that Khans execution amounted to an extrajudicial killing under the guise of legal proceedings. He said efforts to appeal the sentence were unsuccessful, with a final rejection in February 2024 despite extensive documentation challenging the conviction. "We wrote to the Indian Embassy, the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of External Affairs, urging them to take the matter forward. But what happened in the end, we cannot say," he told India Today. We approached the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of External Affairs again on February 21, but no information was provided. After two to three days, we filed a writ petition in court, and today, we received official confirmation that she has been executed. Her last rites will be performed in Abu Dhabi on 5 March," he said. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Israel is reportedly preparing a hell plan to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages without needing to withdraw its troops from Gaza as envisaged under the second phase of the ceasefire. The delicate truce between Israel and Hamas hangs in the balance after the six-week first phase ended on Sunday and the Benjamin Netanyahu government reimposed a siege on the Palestinian territory, stopping all aid supplies. There is now a serious risk of Israel resuming the war. In the immediate term, the Israeli government is planning to further tighten restrictions on Gaza after stopping all food, fuel, medicine and other critical supplies into the war-wrecked territory, home to nearly 2 million people, over the weekend, the Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported, citing sources close to Mr Netanyahu. The government was referring to the programme of measures as the hell plan that called for the mass expulsion of Palestinians to southern Gaza and shutting off power and water to the devastated community, Kan reported. It will come into effect if mediators fail to persuade Hamas to release more prisoners without requiring Israel to withdraw its troops from the territory, paving the way for the Netanyahu government to resume the war. If that happens, the Israeli military will reportedly deploy the American bombs recently provided by the Donald Trump administration. In a statement to Israels parliament on Monday, Mr Netanyahu warned of unimaginable consequences for Hamas if the Palestinian group did not release more hostages. I tell Hamas: if you do not release our hostages, there will be consequences that you cannot imagine, the prime minister told lawmakers. His defence minister, Israel Katz, warned that the gates of hell will open and the gates of Gaza will close. We will return to fighting and they will face the army with forces and methods they have never encountered until a decisive victory, he said in a statement. The news site Walla reported that Mr Katz had instructed the Israeli military to prepare to return to combat. The military will be led, starting Wednesday, by a new chief of staff, Maj Gen Eyal Zamir, who has called for using more force in Gaza to achieve a quick and decisive victory over Hamas. Hamas and fellow Palestinian armed groups are also reportedly getting ready for the resumption of fighting. They are going back to a state of combat readiness, with those keeping Israeli hostages implementing stricter security measures, according to a report by Qatars Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. The ceasefire deal reached in January, after more than a year of negotiation mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, laid out a three-phase plan to return the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during its October 2023 attack. In the first phase, Hamas freed 25 hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The six-week phase further saw Israeli forces withdraw from most of Gaza and allow an influx of desperately needed humanitarian aid into the territory. Although both sides accused each other of violations, the deal held. The second phase was always going to be more difficult because it would require the Israeli military to pull out entirely from Gaza. Instead of starting the second phase of the ceasefire, Israel is asking to extend the first phase through the ongoing Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday ending on 20 April. Palestinian groups still hold 59 Israeli hostages, but it is believed that at least 34 are dead. Israel claims that extending the first phase of the ceasefire and reimposing the siege on Gaza was proposed by Mr Trump's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, and calls it the "Witkoff proposal. The White House is yet to confirm this but says it supports whatever action Israel takes. Hamas has rejected the plan and accused Israel of trying to sabotage the existing agreement under which the second phase was set to be set in motion this week. The group is asking for the exchange of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the remaining hostages as initially envisaged, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire. But no substantive negotiations have been held yet. Additional reporting by agencies. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Five people have been hospitalised after violent turbulence forced a flight to make an emergency landing in Waco, Texas. The plane, a SkyWest 5690 flight, departed at 16:50 from Springfield, Missouri, on Sunday and was due to arrive in Houston, Texas, later that evening. But the aircraft was forced to land in Waco Regional Airport after experiencing turbulence, said SkyWest Airlines. Severe thunderstorms in Forth Worth, Texas were believed to have impacted the flights path, the National Weather Service reported. Five of the 32 people on board including 29 passengers and three crew members were injured and taken to the local hospital. The victims are said to have suffered non-life-threatening injuries, McLennan County Offices emergency management coordinator Ryan Dirker told The Independent. Dirker confirmed passengers on board the aircraft were left stranded in Waco and were still in the airport waiting for a replacement flight at 10 p.m. on Sunday night. He did not disclose whether those injured were passengers or crew. The rest of the folks, a great majority of them, are still at the airport trying to figure out next steps, he told local news outlet, the Springfield News-Leader. SkyWest flight 5690, operating as United Express from Springfield, MO to Houston, landed safely at Waco Regional Airport after experiencing turbulence, a spokesperson told KXXV. Medical personnel met and evaluated passengers, and five passengers were transported to the hospital. SkyWest and United are making sure the injured customers get the care they need and are working to line up new transportation options for everyone on this flight." Interim director of aviation Michael A. Reisman said the plane would remain in Waco for a day or so to allow for mechanics to inspect it. Two other American Airlines flights were forced to divert to Waco because of the extreme weather conditions, said Reisman. The aircraft landed at the Waco Regional Airport shortly before 6:30 p.m., according to data from the flight tracking website FlightAware. It was in the air for 1 hour and 40 minutes. For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast Marjorie Taylor Greene's boyfriend says he has received death threats after mocking Volodymyr Zelensky for not wearing a suit during the Ukrainian leader's explosive meeting with Donald Trump that ended in chaos at the White House on Friday, 28 February. Real Americas Voice host Brian Glenn, who is dating the MAGA congresswoman, asked why Mr Zelensky who wore a black sweater with the Ukrainian trident was not wearing something more formal in the Oval Office. Doubling down on his decision to poke fun at Mr Zelesnsky's outfit, Mr Glenn told Newsnight: "My intention was just to see if he understood the level of respect people have when they go into the Oval Office." Justin Trudeau hit out at Donald Trumps "dumb" tariffs on Canada as he announced his own retaliatory tariffs in response on Tuesday, 4 March. At a press conference in Ottawa, the Canadian prime minister announced 25 percent tariffs on American goods and urged the US president not to persist with his trade war. In a direct message to Mr Trump, Mr Trudeau said: It's not in my habit to agree with The Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though youre a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do. We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see." Ursula von der Leyen has proposed an 800bn ($841 billion) plan to boost defences of EU nations to counter possible US disengagement following Donald Trump's decision to suspend all military aid to Ukraine. The chief of the European Union's executive on Tuesday (4 March) said the massive REARM Europe package will be put to 27 EU leaders in Brussels this week during their emergency meeting after Volodymyr Zelensky's clash with the US president and JD Vance. A Trump administration official said the US president was focused on reaching a peace deal to end the war, and wanted Mr Zelensky "committed" to that goal. The US was pausing and reviewing its aid, the official added, to "ensure that it is contributing to a solution. Anyone who thought the Oval Office spat was just a Trump tantrum, and that the US president would calm down over the weekend, will have woken today to the rustle of the US security rug being pulled from under the European allies and Ukraine. Donald Trump gave them three days to try to rustle up a reaction to his row with Volodymyr Zelensky. When the coalition of the willing summit in London revealed differences about what exactly the members would do, and how to pay for it and after Trump was enraged by the Ukrainian president saying the end of the war was very, very far away, he moved to pour salt into the wounds. America will not put up with it for much longer, he declared in a post on Truth Social. But this is more than another Trumpian war of words. The new 25 per cent tariffs on Canada not only show his displeasure with the terms of trade with his northern neighbour, it is also a reminder to Washingtons European allies that if they step out of line like Justin Trudeau has done over Ukraine there will be an economic price. Everyone in Europe has been making promises to raise defence spending quickly in response to Trumps threats to abandon Ukraine to its fate, and maybe East Europeans like the Baltics to their tough neighbourhood. The problem is that reviving defence production in Europe, and here, will take years. Tariffs would hit our economies much more quickly. The Kremlin can sit back and enjoy the war of words between Washington, Brussels and London. The morale of Russian troops fighting in Ukraine can only be boosted if high-tech American weapons and munitions stop flowing to their enemies. Trumps military aid cut is an unequivocal indication of Washingtons direction of travel a clear message that will only embolden Putin. The Kremlin has been quick to welcome the US pause in military aid to its rival, calling it probably the best contribution to the cause of peace as, so its thinking goes, it will edge Kyiv closer to the negotiating table. The suggestion that the US is also entertaining possible sanctions relief for Russia will only offer succour to Putin. Europe, even if it carries on with its own supplies to Ukraine, cannot hope to fill the munitions gap. Donald Trump exaggerates the monetary value of the aid donated by his country to Ukraine. But much of the weaponry and ammunition donated by European allies and the Canadian military is imported from the US. If Washington wanted to get really rough with Ukraine, it could ban the supply of Dutch or Canadian F-16s, or limit the supply of vital spare parts. Insecurity about its supply chain means that Kyiv cant continue to put the same number of Western weapons into the field just because (as optimists insist) it has around six months supply in stock. If Trump persists in his pause over several months, the Ukrainian military will face a battlefield crunch in the summer. The impact of pulling the rug from under Ukraine is not just on the supply chain but, worse still, on Ukrainian morale. It is one thing for Ukrainians to have fought bravely for three years to thwart Russias massive attack, knowing the West was united behind them with money and weapons. Fighting against the odds when your principal backer seems to be shifting not just to a neutral position but giving credit to your enemys propaganda can only be demoralising. The Ukrainian internet echoes with defiance against Trumps pressure on them to concede the mineral deal, Putins demands for territory and, in effect, regime change in Kyiv. What the trenches think is less clear. When Donald Trump gives his joint session address to the US Congress, world leaders will be hanging on his words. Despite his personal landslide in last Novembers elections, the Republicans House majority is wafer thin, at its narrowest in Congress history. There is a chance that Trumps overturning of three years of US backing for Ukraine, coupled with his overtures to Putin, could inspire an act of resistance. And yet the speed with which former vocal Ukraine-backers such as Senator Lindsey Graham turned on Volodymyr Zelensky last Friday suggests that the presidents base may have fallen in with Trumps geopolitical somersaulting. Everything now depends on whether Trumps pressure on his allies and Kyiv can be eased up before Ukrainian resolve cracks. Mark Almond is director of the Crisis Research Institute, Oxford The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Puce with rage, he leaned over and wagged his finger as he told the leader of a nation under assault from Russia: Youre playing cards, youre gambling with the lives of millions of people. But when Donald Trump got furious with Volodymyr Zelensky, it wasnt just business, it was personal. As in all mafia tales, the relationship between the two leaders has been poisoned by business specifically the business of Russia. But it would be dangerous to believe Trumps support for Russia is just fuelled by his animus to Zelensky. Its much worse than that. Trump likes Putin, with whom he says he shared the experience of the scam of allegations that Russia interfered in his 2016 election as president. And Trump hates Zelensky for not helping him campaign against Joe Biden when he lost his second term run. Let me tell ya, Putin went through a hell of a lot with me we went through a phony witch hunt when they used him and Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia, Trump ranted, as he got increasingly incoherent during the White House attack on Zelensky he launched with JD Vance, vice-president, last week. That was a phony Hunter Biden, Joe Biden scam. Hillary Clinton, shifty Adam Schiff, it was a Democrat scam. And [Putin] had to go through that. And he did go through it. We didnt end up in a war. And he went through it. He was accused of all that stuff. He had nothing to do with it. It came out of Hunter Bidens bathroom. It came out of Hunter Bidens bedroom. It was disgusting. Translated Trump says he goes way back with Putin to the days when the Kremlin was accused of getting their man, him, into the White House in 2016. Zelensky, however, is seen by Trump as the disloyal recipient of Americas largesse for failing to open an investigation into Hunter Bidens business deals in Ukraine in July 2019. Joe Biden was the likely Democrat candidate in the election of 2020. When Donald Trump got furious with Volodymyr Zelensky it wasnt just business, it was personal ( AFP ) Back then, Trump was impeached by congress over his alleged threat to withhold $400m in US military aid to Ukraine unless Zelensky helped with the Biden campaign and other anti-Democrat operations. Trump was cleared by the senate but the damage had been done. So with Zelensky, it is personal. But Trumps campaigning against Ukraine has a longer history. In 2018, before Zelensky was elected, Trump told G7 leaders that he supported Russias illegal invasion of Crimea because everyone there speaks Russian. He went on to campaign for Russian readmission to the G7/G8 after it was subsequently expelled. He has recently adopted almost every one of the Russian negotiating principles for peace in Ukraine, before his diplomats even met any Russians. Trump has ruled out a return of all captured Ukrainian territory, Nato support in a peacekeeping force, a Ukrainian presence in talks and future Nato membership for Ukraine. Who knows, the US president shrugged, maybe Ukraine will be Russian one day. He has endorsed Putins desire to renew warm diplomatic relations and is openly talking about restarting business with the heavily sanctioned dictatorship in Moscow. Trump has further suggested that he would not automatically come to the aid of Nato nations under Russian attack. And Vance has deliberately and repeatedly gone to some lengths to undermine relations with Europe and the UK with his bizarre claims that Europeans are campaigning against free speech. Trumps supporters have suggested that perhaps this is all part of a long-term effort to get Europe to pay more for its own defence. And above all to prise Russia away from its more natural alliance with China. They argue this would not be a dangerous pivot, that it would be good for the West in the long run perhaps and serve as a balance to Chinas dominant economic power. The trouble is: thats not what is happening. It is more likely that, for reasons that remain opaque, Trump is either consciously or unconsciously doing what the Kremlin thinks is best. And driving a wedge between the US and Europe. Putin wants to see an enfeebled West and a fractured Nato. He wants to prise America away. He has already been delighted by Brexit, which has weakened the European Union, and by the anti-EU policies of Hungary and Slovakia, both EU members. Now European leaders are dealing with the once unthinkable notion that America is no longer a reliable ally and that its leader sees Putins Russia as a model for how he would like to rule. They look at what is happening inside America and they see a country thats under attack from its own newly elected president. If Putin wanted to enfeeble America itself he would probably want to remove incumbent heads of the intelligence services, as Trump has, and eviscerate the military leadership, as Trump has. Elon Musk, Trumps enforcer and another apologist for Putin who supports far-right anti-European Union groups in the UK and on the continent has launched a purge of the federal bureaucracy. He has also smashed Americas soft-power opportunities to spread Western values by shutting down USAID. Musks people have burrowed into the most sensitive financial details of millions of federal employees. Democracies rely on a social contract with national administrations. When thats hollowed out, they collapse. Thats something else Putin would like to see. Peter Mandelson has been rightly criticised for stepping out of the UK government line, as a diplomat, by saying that Zelensky needs to repair his relationship with Trump. He has also missed the point of what happened in the White House. It may have appeared to be a clash between two men. It was not. It was a clash of civilisations a shift of the US into the Russian sphere. It wasnt just personal, it was strategic. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A polar vortex collapse is expected over the next two weeks, causing extreme winter weather and travel disruption across North America. The weather phenomenon is expected to develop in mid-March, bringing severe cold temperatures across parts of Canada and the United States. It may also impact the UK and Europe. A polar vortex collapse occurs when the layer between 10 and 50km above Earths surface warms up to 50 degrees in just two days - known as sudden stratospheric warming (SSW). This warming can weaken the polar vortex, causing cold Arctic air to move southwards and can lead to extreme weather conditions. open image in gallery The science behind the polar vortex ( NOAA ) The polar vortex collapse will be the second in 2025, after a collapse last month caused deep freezes and travel havoc in North America. Snow, storms, and sub-zero temperatures impacted millions of Americans and the majority of the country in February. If the upcoming vortex disruption weakens the jet stream, it may release cold air from polar regions into North America or Eurasia. We are predicting a displacement of the polar vortex on the Europe and eastern Canada side of the polar, AccuWeathers Lead Meteorologist Paul Pastelok told The Independent. When the Polar Vortex is disrupted - whether stretched, displaced, or split - it can, but does not always, impact this polar jet stream. The timing is uncertain for North America but could see a change in the pattern for late March into early April. open image in gallery The collapse of a polar vortex could bring another major cold spell for North America ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) A polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air which rotates around the North and South poles of the Earth and corresponds with the narrow bands of wind 8 to 11 kilometres above Earths surface, known as the jet stream. When the vortex is weakened, the jet stream can become less stable and lets cold polar air spill southward leading to extreme and unpredictable weather. Mr Pastelok explained that there is a small chance of a complete split in the jet stream pattern, which could last four to seven weeks. But a displacement or a change in the pattern is more likely. Such a change would last less time and would affect Europe and central and eastern North America, Mr Pastelok added. The weather event may also impact the UK, with forecasters warning that temperatures could drop again after a temporary reprieve this week. SSWs dont always impact our weather but if they do it can take a few weeks before impacts might be felt on the earth surface, the UK Met Office told the Independent, adding that the warming is so high up that we dont feel it directly. If this happens this would act as a factor in favouring blocked/slowly evolving patterns for the remainder of March and could bring colder weather to the UK. He made his call and then it was up to me to make my call and I did Joey OBrien on decision to take over from Damien Duff and nervy win over Cork PTSB, the countrys third biggest lender, said it factored in an anticipated hit from tariffs of 10pc to 15pc on exports to the US when it plotted potential impairments to its loan book for this year. The banks new chief financial officer, Barry DArcy, had been its head of risk until last month. He said the tariff threat was factored into the banks projections for the year ahead, when it expects the Irish economy to continue to grow. Macaulay Culkin attends a ceremony honouring him with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday (Jordan Strauss/AP) Macaulay Culkin revealed that watching brother Kierans first Oscar win made him quite emotional. Speaking to host Tan France on the red carpet of the annual Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty in Los Angeles, the actor said that he only watched one category and cried when the Succession actor won. Asked if he had watched the entire show, Macaulay replied: Just the best supporting actor. Thats the only thing I watched. True story, true story. France asked if Macaulay had reached out to Kieran after the win. I cried, he replied. And I was like, Im gonna see you later. Asked if they expected Kieran to win, Macaulays partner Brenda Song said: Of course. Lets be real. Were allowed to say that. Yeah, absolutely, Macaulay replied. He was front row, aisle, closest to the stairs. There was no way he was not going to win. Kieran Culkin and host Conan O'Brien embrace during the Oscars show at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 2, 2025. Richard Harbaugh/AMPAS/Handout via REUTERS Kieran, 42, won the award for his role as Benki Kaplan in A Real Pain, opposite Jesse Eisenberg. They play two cousins on a Jewish heritage tour in honour of their late grandmother. Kieran was the favourite to win after sweeping the awards season with best supporting actor wins at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, BAFTAs, and SAG. He had been nominated alongside Guy Pearce for The Brutalist, Yuriy Borisov for Anora, Edward Norton for A Complete Unknown, and Succession co-star Jeremy Strong for playing Roy Cohn in the Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice. Taking his award from Robert Downey Jr, Kieran started by praising Strong. Jeremy, you're amazing in The Apprentice, he said. I love your work, it's f***ing...I'm not supposed to single anyone out, its favouritism, but you were great. He went on to thank his manager, his mother, Eisenberg, and his wife Jazz Charton, reminding her of a deal the couple had made. About a year ago, I was on the stage like this, and I very stupidly, publicly, said that I want a third kid from her because she said if I won the award, she would give me the kid," he said, recalling his speech from the Emmys last January. After the show, She goes, oh, God, I did say that. I guess I owe you a third kid. And I turned to her and I said, really? I want four. She said, I will give you four when you win an Oscar, said Kieran. Jazz, love of my life. Ye of little faith. No pressure, I love you. A Real Pain, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, opened to generally good reviews. This years Oscars competition was the closest in years, a three-horse race between Sean Bakers critics darling Anora, Brady Corbets sweeping epic The Brutalist and Pope drama Conclave. In the event, Anora became the evenings big winner, taking home five trophies, including best picture. Hannah Quinn-Mulligan: Im a committed feminist but I hate the phrase toxic masculinity heres why As International Womens Day approaches, its important for us women to tell men most of you are great! It seems many men feel that masculinity or what makes them a man is under attack by a wider society that wants to neuter them in some sense. Photo: Don Moloney Hannah Quinn-Mulligan Tue 4 Mar 2025 at 03:30 People will know me for being a staunch feminist, yet for all the horror stories Ive heard over the years of women being the victim of male violence or greed, an equal share say they wouldnt be where they are without the support of a man in their lives, whether thats a colleague, friend, partner or relative. There has been a drop in school engagement and well-being since before the pandemic, with higher rates of non-attendance in disadvantaged areas, an ESRI report has found. The studys findings point to the scale of socio-economic disadvantage evident in Deis schools, often compounded by additional challenges around parental mental health, addiction and gang feuds, with insufficient staff to provide support. Emer Smyth, one of the ESRI reports authors, said: Parental addiction, socio-economic issues and mental health are all factors. Drug feuds and local gangs were spilling into four in six areas. Some children are living in trauma. She said solutions should include increased funding to Deis schools and families to help lift parents and children out of poverty. The report comes as schools in areas where children are at the highest risk of disadvantage will benefit from enhanced funding and staffing supports under a new Deis-Plus programme, announced by Education Minister Helen McEntee yesterday. Education Minister Helen McEntee. Photo: Collins Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 4th The 180m Deis scheme currently supports about 240,000 students. While the exact details of the new Deis Plus programme are still being finalised, the minister is understood to be considering enhanced funding, staffing and priority access to well-being supports for both primary and post-primary schools. The new ESRI research, published today, focuses on the role of the School Completion Programme (SCP) in supporting student attendance and engagement and highlights staffing and funding challenges in Deis schools. The programme was set up to provide support for children and young people at risk of early school leaving,and is part of the Deis scheme. The study examined 121 projects covering 783 primary and secondary schools mostly Deis across Ireland. It noted that while funding for the programme has increased since 2016, it doesnt yet match the funding levels in place before the 2008 recession. Prof Smyth said the Deis Plus model was an appropriate response. However, she believes a wider societal fix, in tandem with Deis Plus, is also vital. Schools can provide support but they cant do everything, Prof Smyth said. A second tier of income support for families and a second tier of Child Benefit, could lift families out of poverty. But wider support may be necessary, for children with higher levels of anxiety and for parents. We need tiered financial support and wider mental health support. The ESRI report said the programmes key strength lies in the skills of SCP staff in developing strong and supportive relationships with children and young people, thus enhancing their school engagement. More than half of co-ordinators are not satisfied with current staffing levels. The study findings point to greater needs among the student population, with worse school engagement and well-being than before the Covid pandemic. This has led to higher rates of non-attendance and more school avoidance. Recent figures show that 42pc of children attending Deis primary schools missed 20 days or more in 2022/23, while 30pc of secondary school students missed 20 days or above. Prof Smyth said: The scale and complexity of disadvantage in some areas indicates the need for school-based supports like SCP to be underpinned by adequate income support for families with children and locally-based interventions to support disadvantaged communities. Dr Merike Darmody, another author, said: SCP staff frequently work with young people with mental health or other complex challenges. However, because of long waiting lists, it is difficult to access referral pathways to mental health and therapeutic provision for children and young people who need support. Aine OKeeffe, director at Tusla Education Support Services (TESS), said: This research builds on the previous review of the School Completion Programme carried out in 2015 by the ESRI. I welcome the new report, which highlights the value of the programme to vulnerable children and young people, as well as the positive regard in which the programme is held by education stakeholders. TESS acknowledges that there are aspects of the programme that can be improved as set out in the report, and together with the Department of Education, will work to address and further enhance the programme over the coming years. Ms McEntee told the Dail last Thursday that the rate of absenteeism has increased significantly since Covid. In Deis areas, in particular, there has been an increase, the minister added. Almost one in two children is missing more than 20 days. We need to address that. Ms McEntee added there was a five-year action plan to improve school attendance. We are two years into it now, the minister said. Dublin Bus passengers are set to face more disruption tomorrow due to industrial action by maintenance workers. There were further delays to services and some passengers complained of cancellations on social media this morning due to a work-to-rule that began on Sunday night. Sources claimed up to 80 buses at Donnybrook garage were not fuelled or cleaned on time this morning, which led to long delays. The maintenance engineering operatives refuel and clean the buses. A Dublin Bus spokesperson said there was no update when asked about the routes affected. On Monday, the commercial semi-state operator apologised for any delays caused due to the dispute. Dublin Bus. Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 4th A meeting between Dublin Bus and unions including Siptu is due to take place on Thursday. Almost 200 maintenance engineering operatives want to maintain a pay link with a higher paid grade of workers known as traffic operatives. This would increase their pay by over 14pc. Dublin Bus apologises for any delays caused to some customers due to the ongoing work-to-rule industrial action taken by engineering operatives since Sunday, March 2, said a spokesperson. He noted that the Labour Court had issued a recommendation to end the dispute in November last year, which was rejected by the engineering operatives. The company has asked unions to suspend the industrial action and engage in talks. The court rejected the workers claim on the basis that a previous agreement meant pay rises should be funded by productivity measures. It recommended further talks on a 4.5pc pay rise that was based on productivity. Having regard to all of the circumstances of pay bargaining in the employment, and the detailed submissions of the parties, including the detail of the agreement on self-funding reached in March 2024, the court does not recommend concession of the trade union claim for what is, in effect, a 14.5pc pay increase without any concession of productivity or related measures, chairman Kevin Foley. It said talks on the productivity-based pay rise of 4.5pc should conclude no later than eight weeks from its recommendation on November 12. The court said any outstanding matters should be referred to the Workplace Relations Commission and the court. Warning from fiscal and climate advisers, with Ireland worst-performing EU country in terms of emissions overshoots per head of population Government failures on climate targets could cost taxpayers 26bn, economics and climate advisers have said. The bill, which is at the upper end of estimates, would be levied for failing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with EU obligations. The economics and climate advisers are warning that the Government has not begun to budget for the penalties which will be incurred in just five years time. Nor, they say, is the Government taking sufficient climate action to minimise the potential cost. They say the ultimate compliance cost could be less than 26bn and in a best-case scenario 3bn, but realistically, the lowest Ireland seems likely to get away with is 10-12bn. The range is very broad but one thing about the range, it doesnt include zero, it doesnt include negative figures. The range is all in one direction, said Seamus Coffey, chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC). IFAC published the analysis jointly with the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) after IFACs last estimates, published last December with 20bn as the upper figure, were greeted with government scepticism. The collaboration arose as both institutions saw an urgent need for realistic estimates of the costs faced if Ireland fails to meet its climate commitments, the two bodies said. CCAC chair, Marie Donnelly, added: You can argue is it this many billions or that many billions but the bottom line is, its billions. You cannot walk away from that. The councils suggest alternative uses of the 12bn that is most likely to end up being paid out. An additional 7bn invested in upgrading the countrys national electricity grid would enable every kilowatt of renewable energy produced to be used. Currently, wind turbines have to be periodically switched off to avoid overloading local networks. A 4bn pot of grants would reduce the cost of 700,000 new electric vehicles to under 15,000, helping one in three households to move away from petrol and diesel cars. One alternative use of the 12bn that is most likely to be paid out is a grant to make electric cars cheaper to buy. Photo: Getty Supports to greatly increase the planting of forestry and rewetting of peatlands to capture carbon emissions would cost 1bn. Those measures would cut emissions by about 7.5 million tonnes around 16pc of the emissions liable for compliance costs and lay the foundation for further cuts. Failing to take those steps would be a colossal missed opportunity, the councils said. There are choices there. Its pay now or pay in the future, Mr Coffey said. We could wait until these compliance costs arise in the 2030s or we could incur expenditure now that would get us closer to the targets. Ms Donnelly said commentary positing that the EU would shy away from demanding payment was not realistic. Ireland has already had to pay 195m in costs, has a bill for at least 50m due this year and will have another similar or larger bill in 2027, she said. The country has also lost out on 500m in revenue from emissions allowances, or carbon credits allocated by the EU for 2021-2024 that we were able to cash in on carbon credit trading markets because they were needed to make up for emissions cuts not achieved. By 2030, the revenue forgone from other allowances due will have risen to 1.4bn. The question will arise, will they [the EU] let us off? Will they give us a pass? The reality is, they wont. Its in legislation so they have no choice but to enforce it, Ms Donnelly said. The amount that will have to be paid will depend on how far off target Ireland is by 2030 and the price of buying emissions credits from other EU countries that have over-performed. Currently, more countries are off-course than on-course to meet their targets, but Ms Donnelly said Ireland was a stand-out laggard. The country is fifth from the bottom in terms of performance nationally, but is the worst performer in terms of emissions overshoots per head of population. The potential costs would also make up a far greater proportion of the national finances that they would in other countries likely to be non-compliant such as Germany and France, which have much larger economies. If there are insufficient carbon credits to buy, the EU is expected to impose a system of infringement penalties that would mirror the prices in the market. Mr Coffey said the uncertainties around how Ireland will perform by 2030 and the costs that await should not detract from the urgency of addressing them. He said the analysis was presented in an effort to inform the new Government and push the issue further up the political agenda. No funding has been set aside for these potential costs. It is referenced in budget documents but no steps taken beyond that, he said. From a fiscal council perspective, all of this presents a significant risk and we already have enough risks to our public finances. A small village in Co Limerick is celebrating as a local store has sold a 2.6 million Lotto Jackpot ticket. Gala in Pallaskenry has been revealed as the shop that sold Saturday's winning ticket worth 2,655,366. This win marks the Limerick player as the sixth National Lottery millionaire of 2025. The player picked up their winning Quick Pick ticket from Gala in Pallaskenry on Wednesday, February 26. The winning numbers were: 2, 6, 7, 10, 28, 32 and the bonus was 19. Store owner Chen Xiyuan expressed his joy after receiving the news that his shop sold the winning ticket. "Ive been running the shop here for over four years, and this is by far the most exciting Lotto moment we've ever had," he said. "Pallaskenry may be a small village, but were a close-knit community, and our team of three works hard to serve everyone here. "This incredible news has brought a wonderful buzz to the village, and we couldnt be happier for the winner. "We wish them all the best as they embark on this life-changing journey," he added. Stock image Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 4th National Lottery spokesperson, Emma Monaghan, said the Lottery is "delighted to welcome another jackpot winner". She also confirmed that the winner has been in contact with the Lottery and arrangements have been made for them to collect their prize. "With such an amazing start to the year, its been a joy to see so many lives transformed," she said. "So far this year, we have double the amount of jackpot winners compared to last. We can officially confirm that the winner has been in contact, and arrangements are underway for them to collect their prize. "We look forward to celebrating with them at Lottery HQ, she added. This latest jackpot marks the fourth Lotto win of 2025, joining other recent winners from Dublin, Louth and Kerry, as more than 12.5 million in Lotto Jackpots has been awarded this year. A new mobile screening initiative aimed at early detection of lung cancer in high-risk patients from north Dublin and the north east has been launched. The Lung Health Check clinical trial which is being piloted is the first of its kind and will invite 30,000 individuals aged 55 to 74 registered with Centric Health GP practices in both regions who will undergo a questionnaire over the phone before selecting 2,183 deemed most suitable to participate. The pilot is a partnership between the Irish Cancer Society, which is investing 4.9m, and Beaumont Hospital. Prof Jarushka Naidoo, a consultant oncologist in Beaumont Hospital said it will involve a full MOT of the lungs. This will include a breathing test as well as a CT scan. It is screening but also a bit more comprehensive than that, she added. Doing a CT scan on its own has the potential to pick up 3pc of cancers. The results will be sent to the persons GP and they will be referred on for more tests and specialist care depending on the outcome. Each person will also be invited back after a year for a second scan, said Prof Naidoo. Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. Photo: Frank McGrath Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 4th Around six in 10 people diagnosed with lung cancer are detected at a later stage, when treatment options are more limited. However, introducing lung health checks for high-risk individuals using low dose CT scans has been shown to reduce lung cancer mortality by at least 20pc. The sessions, based in local GAA clubs, including Croke Park, will take around twenty minutes for each participant. Speaking at the launch in Croke Park Averil Power, chief executive of the Irish Cancer Society, said: "Lung cancer is Irelands biggest cancer killer, mainly because it is diagnosed later when it is difficult to treat. "This historic investment by the Irish Cancer Society marks a turning point for lung cancer in Ireland. It is the largest single investment in lung cancer in Ireland's history and is only possible thanks to the incredible generosity of the Irish public through their support of days like Daffodil Day on March 28. "We are confident this pilot programme will save lives by detecting cancer early, and we are hopeful that it will lead to a free National Lung Health check programme for everyone in Ireland at high risk of lung cancer. The first invitations will be sent by the select GP practices in the coming months with the first participants expected to undergo screening by early summer. Northern Irelands First Minister Michelle ONeill said she found an order for a factory in Belfast to supply 5,000 air-defence missiles to Ukraine incredulous at the time of public service cuts, winter fuel payment cuts, national insurance hikes and inheritance tax changes for farmers. Speaking yesterday, she said: I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services. Ms ONeill also said she felt the focus of the international community should always be to work towards negotiation and peace settlements. Our own example here will tell us that, she added. UK prime minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that the lightweight-multirole missiles (LMM) will be made at the Thales plant in Belfast, creating 200 jobs. This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now and strengthen Ukraine in securing the peace when it comes, he said. The missiles, which are capable of flying at 1.5 times the speed of sound and striking targets more than 6km away, can be used to attack enemy vehicles, boats and drones. DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the Thales contract is hugely significant. It builds on not only the work that has been done to encourage defence contributions and spend in Northern Ireland, but it also recognises the significant contribution Thales has made to the ongoing efforts in Ukraine, he said. This order of 5,000 units in an overall package of 1.6bn is hugely significant for the Belfast workforce. It is a recognition of their skill and what they do in our city. He said political parties who are boycotting events to mark St Patricks Day in Washington, but who say the White House visit of Taoiseach Micheal Martin should go ahead, cant have it both ways. Mr Robinson said he is not travelling to the US for St Patricks Day events, but his party colleague, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, will be making the trip. Ms ONeill of Sinn Fein will not be travelling as part of her partys protest at Donald Trumps remarks on the Gaza Strip. So while we will have people in Northern Ireland today criticising the Deputy First Minister for going with not a word of criticism for a First Minister while on the other side of their mouth they will say that it is right that the Taoiseach goes and it is right that the prime minister goes, Mr Robinson said. They cant have it both ways. The widows and widowers contributory pension is set to be extended to partners who have cohabited under a new bill due to come before the Cabinet today. The Bereaved Partners Pension Bill 2025 will extend the eligibility of the pension to qualified cohabitants and is expected to cost an additional 50m a year. Those who qualify will have to either be in an intimate and committed relationship for two years where there is a child or children from the relationship, or five years if there are no children. It is expected there will be about 500 new cohabitant recipients annually during the initial years of the policy being implemented. Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary will seek approval from the Cabinet today to publish and present the bill to the Dail. In line with the changes, the name of the scheme will be changed to the Bereaved Partners Contributory Pension. Contributory Pension payments will be backdated to the date of the Supreme Court judgment on January 22, 2024. In January last year, the court ruled in the case of John OMeara who had appealed the refusal to grant him a Widowers Contributory Pension. The court ruled that Mr O'Meara, whose long term partner died in 2021, was entitled to the pension. There will be no time restrictions on when the bereavement happened as long as the eligibility is met. Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary. Photo: PA Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 4th Provisions will also be included in the bill so that anyone currently in receipt of a payment, including divorcees, will retain their payment. The eligibility criteria for this scheme will also be introduced to other schemes, including the non-contributory version of the pension, and the Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant. Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris will also bring draft legislation to the Cabinet today to amend the triple lock, to remove the requirement for UN approval to deploy Irish soldiers for peacekeeping missions. The Tanaiste will also seek approval to provide 100m in non-lethal military aid to Ukraine and provide an update for ministers on the four Irish aid trucks caught in the blockade preventing the delivery of supplies to Gaza. Mr Harris will also ask the Cabinet to approve the appointment by the President of a new chief of staff of the Defence Forces. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan will update the Cabinet today on the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. This week, the minister will sign a commencement order to launch the new authority, which will be effective from tomorrow. The authority will be responsible for licensing and regulating all gambling firms, but not the National Lottery and certain other lotteries. This article was amended on March 4, 2025 to clarify that Contributory Pension payments will be backdated to the date of the Supreme Court judgment on January 22, 2024, instead of January 24, as previously stated. Tanaiste Simon Harris says he has secured cabinet approval to scrap the triple lock, which would remove a UN veto on Irelands deployment of troops to peacekeeping missions. Mr Harris, as well as Taoiseach Micheal Martin, outlined the pitfalls of powerful nations being able to use a veto at the UN Security Council. Under proposals, a new double lock would mean that only cabinet and the Dail would need to approve the deployment of troops. The proposals will be introduced to the wider chamber. Mr Harris said the changes will reinforce Irelands ability to pursue an independent foreign policy by removing the power of UN Security Council permanent members to veto our national sovereign decisions. Under the draft proposals, the number of Defence Forces personnel that can be deployed for peacekeeping duties will rise from 12 to 50. The Taoiseach, responding to questions from Labour leader Ivana Bacik, said Russia could not be allowed any control over Irish affairs. We dont want countries like Russia, in particular, vetoing or having the ultimate decision as to whether Ireland should send its military on a peacekeeping mission, Mr Martin said. Given the behaviour of Russia over a decade, but particularly in the last three years, I think its incomprehensible that we would allow Russia to have a veto. A bill to enact the changes will be sent for pre-legislative scrutiny as soon as a dedicated Dail committee on security and defence is formed. This is currently blocked as a consequence of the Dails ongoing row over speaking rights. The bill also includes draft proposals to amend provisions for the deployment of troops in evacuation operations. Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 4th This is particularly important in terms of supporting Irish citizens, while contributing to the protection of our embassies and close protection duties overseas, an official said. Only 12 members of the Army Ranger Wing could be deployed to Afghanistan to assist with the evacuating of people, including Irish citizens, as Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021. Mr Harris said: The Irish people are rightly proud of the role that members of the Defence Forces have played in peacekeeping missions right across the world. Its a record that dates back to 1958. But under our current triple-lock system, countries like Russia have the power to veto Irelands participation in missions via their role as permanent members of the UN Security Council. We dont believe that Putin or other leaders should have a veto on whether our troops can be deployed. Thats why Im pleased to secure government approval to reform the triple lock. He insisted there was no doubt about Irelands continued neutral stance as a result of the decision to ditch the triple lock. However, Sinn Fein finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty said the development could be a step towards Ireland abandoning its neutrality. It opens the door for future governments having absolute discretion to deploy Irish troops to all kinds of missions whether major international conflicts, legally questionable peacekeeping missions or dangerous misadventures, he said. Tanaiste Simon Harris has spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. The two men discussed Russias invasion of Ukraine -- but no detail was given on these exchanges. Asked about the phone call with Secretary Rubio, Mr Harris told RTEs Six One News the pair spoke about the economic bilateral relationship between Ireland and the US and also discussed Ukraine and Gaza. They also spoke about the exchange between Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. Mr Harris confirmed he will hold an in-person meeting with Secretary Rubio in the future. I described it, as I think the Irish people would expect me to, as deeply upsetting and unsettling. But what Secretary Rubio did give me was a very clear indication that, of course, President Trump wants to see peace, he said. We welcome that, we all want to see peace. No one wants to see peace more than the people of Ukraine. But I would have made the point constructively that how we bring about peace matters, and Europe is willing to do more. Indeed, at our own Government meeting today, we allocated 100 million more for Ukraine. European leaders this week will look at the whole issue of how they can support Ukraine further. But I did make the point to Secretary Rubio that even in a context where Europe is doing more, we will still require the United States to stand with Ukraine. Mr Harris said Mr Rubio has a very clear appreciation that Ukraine and Europe must be in the room for any peace talks. Though the US Secretary of State doesnt have responsibility for trade, Mr Harris said he was struck by Secretary Rubios familiarity with the economic relationship between Ireland and the US. Of course, it's perfectly appropriate for any new government to want to examine its economic policies, but we do need to do that in a way that protects the transatlantic trade relationship, which is really important, and I felt the Secretary of State had an appreciation of that. They also covered a wide range of issues, including the two countries bilateral relationship, and global crises, such as ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. Both Ukraine and Gaza were said to have been "discussed in detail." But specifics were short, with the Department of Foreign Affairs reluctant to give readouts on bilateral relations. The Secretary -- who Trump dubbed "Little Marco" when both were chasing the Republican Presidential nomination in 2016 -- was seen meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, recently at the start of the Trump administration's Ukraine peace initiative. The Tanaiste congratulated the Secretary of State on his appointment, and underlined the "mutually beneficial" nature of the Irish-US economic relationship as tariffs loom against EU exports. The Tanaiste also thanked the Secretary of State for the sustained and bipartisan engagement of the US in support of peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. Mr Harris said he also briefed Mr Rubio on plans to mark St Patricks Day in the US, including the Taoiseachs meeting with President Trump in Washington DC, and his own visit to New York and Philadelphia. Other ministerial trips include an one to Secretary of State Rubios home State of Florida, Mr Harris said. "This was an opportune time for an exchange of views with the Secretary of State on a range of priority issues," he added. The two men agreed to meet in person shortly. Taoiseach describes warnings that Ireland will miss its 2030 emissions targets as "highly speculative" The Taoiseach has described warnings that Ireland will miss its 2030 emissions targets and face huge fines in consequence as "highly speculative". Micheal Martin was reacting to predictions by both the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IAC) and the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC), who warned we are currently above trajectory to reach the required milestone. They said subsequent fines, in terms of a requirement to buy carbon credits or offsets, could range between 8 billion and 26 billion. Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik raised the issue in the Dail today, saying that climate change messages had disappeared off the Gov.ie website. The Taoiseach said in reply that he noted Ms Bacik had deliberately used the upper figure in the range 26 billion. "It is highly speculative, by the way, and highly uncertain," Mr Martin said, adding that he had listened to the authors of the latest warning. Taxpayers could face 26bn bill for Government failures on climate targets "It is highly uncertain, highly speculative in terms of what will transpire here. And suffice to say that the Government is committed to achieving our targets," he said. But Mr Martin admitted it would be very challenging, "because as soon as we move on any one of them, different elements of the opposition will oppose some of them." Mr Martin there had been measures already taken that would produce results. "There's a huge retrofitting programme under way, and we have public transport usage that is up 25pc. "We are fully committed to all of the public transport initiatives that we had committed to in the previous government. The issue is when those get realised, when they get through the various plannings and so on -- be it Metro or light rail in various cities. "But they're all progressing and will progress, he added. Environment Minister Darragh OBrien also played down warnings that Ireland could face penalties of up to 26 billion for failing to meet EU agreed climate targets. Mr OBrien said he listened with interest to the warnings issued by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) and the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC). However, on the scale of the potential costs, he would not be drawn on the highest figure the councils said they might reach. Theres a very broad range thats given within that [report], he told RTE News. The councils joint report shows a best-case, though unlikely, scenario where penalties could be kept to 3bn but said they could also hit 26.4bn, with 10-12bn probably the least the country would get away with given current performance on greenhouse gas emissions cuts. Mr OBrien said he agreed with the advisors calls to invest in reducing emissions to meet the 2030 targets now rather than paying for non-compliance later. I completely agree with that, he said. The Government is absolutely committed to our climate targets. However, he added: The range [of estimated costs in the analysis] was quite vast. The estimated costs will be incurred when Ireland has to buy carbon credits from other EU countries and/or pay infringement penalties for failing to cut greenhouse gas emissions by the agreed amount. Although they will not be finalised by the EU until 2030-2032, they have sparked alarm elsewhere, with the Social Democrats saying the Government was setting Ireland up for a major financial fall. The irony is that we have the money now to make a real difference, said Jennifer Whitmore, the partys climate spokesperson. But instead of fast-tracking climate action by investing in things like green public transport, renewable energy, retrofitting, and more charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, the government seems resigned to failure and would prefer to save the money towards paying billions in punitive fines. Friends of the Earth said the message from the councils report was clear and simple. Our new Government can invest at home right now to accelerate climate action or it can dally and delay and waste billions of euros of taxpayers money buying carbon credits overseas in a few years time, said chief executive Oisin Coghlan. Does any minister or Government TD think it would make sense to give that money to Spain, Greece or Portugal to buy carbon credits rather than take action now at home? The Labour Party said it looked like Government policy would be to buy Irelands way out of taking climate action. It is also deeply concerning that the Minister has not yet even published a draft Climate Action Plan for 2025, said party climate spokesperson, Ciaran Ahern. The Minister has not yet told us when the 2025 Climate Action Plan will be published and this makes it more difficult for us to hold the Government to account. The Department has said the Climate Action Plan, usually published in November or December each year, would be published in the near future. Dublin City Council to remove key boxes left in public realm from April 14 Key boxes are being locked to bike racks and lamp-posts by short-term landlords Lock boxes, or key boxes, chained to or presented in the citys public realm, will be banned across Dublin within weeks. Councillors agreed last night that Dublin City Council will remove and destroy lock boxes, which are increasingly being attached to poles and bike stands across the city, from April 14. Key boxes are secure containers which can only be opened with a code. They are often attached to walls outside premises used for short-term letting so the owner does not have to meet the guests in person. However, these boxes are increasingly being secured to bike stands and street signs around the city. Restrictions on short-term holiday lets require hosts to apply for planning permission if they exceed 90 days a year in rent pressure zones. However, it is believed this regulation is being widely flouted, contributing to a shortage of long-term accommodation in the capital. The council provided a report to councillors which said that these lock boxes have become very popular, as they allow guests to obtain the key to the property at a time that suits them. The placement of these units in the public realm is not authorised by Dublin City Council, and under the Roads Act, the council has the power to remove these units from the street. This will be enforced by the councils waste management services, as the boxes pose a trip hazard, represent a public health issue, and there is no authorisation for their use in the public realm. From April 14, six weeks after the agreement, the lock boxes will be removed if found in the public realm. Photo of 7 lock boxes attached to a street sign on Licoln Lane Independent councillor Mannix Flynn welcomed the report and said it has been a long-term issue on the city streets. Im very pleased that the city council is going to remove these boxes, but Im disappointed there is a stay of execution for six weeks, giving those who have put them there a chance to remove them, he said. Cllr Flynn said it would be best if there was no notice period and the boxes were removed immediately. Fine Gael councillor Declan Flanagan said Dublin is following in the footsteps of other cities, such as Paris, Marseille, Nice, and others. I welcome the report, as I know they can be classified as trip hazards, and there is no authorisation for these boxes to be in place, he said. Green Party councillor Janet Horner, who called for the council to stop the use of key boxes back in September 2023, said she thought it was a really positive step forward for multiple reasons. I was down in Smithfield last week, and people were reiterating how keen they are to see these boxes removed because they regard them as a daily reminder of the abuse of the city infrastructure, she said. I hope we will have a very proactive approach when this is implemented and see our waste management crews out with the clippers or angle grinders to remove them. Dublin City Councils Head of Technical Services, Brendan OBrien, emphasised that the ban and removal of lock boxes only applies to the boxes placed in the councils public realm and does not impact those used on private property. The Irish Hotels Federation claims there are no grounds for a tourist tax for staying in the capital, a move being considered by Dublin City Council to increase revenue. This accommodation levy would be placed on hotels and short-term lettings and is being opposed by those in the tourism industry. In January of last year, the previous Dublin City Council finance committee proposed a 1pc hotel tax. The tax, which could potentially raise up to 12m for the local authority, was never introduced. However, the idea of an accommodation levy has been raised again, after a briefing note prepared by officials for the Minister for Enterprise and Tourism, Peter Burke, outlined plans to introduce the charge. The note said the incoming Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill would be of particular assistance in planning, introducing and collecting an accommodation levy. Tourist taxes are in operation in a number of other major cities, including Amsterdam, Venice, Manchester, Barcelona and Lisbon, for persons who stay in the city and do not live there. The tax does not apply to refugees. The tax was introduced in Amsterdam in 2012 on the basis that visitors, just like residents and local businesses, should contribute to the maintenance and upkeep of facilities they use such as road and cycle networks, parks, cultural institutions, events and water. However, those in the tourism industry in Ireland are against the idea, saying that there are no grounds for introducing an additional tourist tax on consumers and overseas visitors. A spokesperson for the Irish Hotels Federation said: Hotels are already making an enormous contribution in terms of taxes, both towards central exchequer finances and supporting local authority services. In Dublin, hotels pay approximately 1,000 per bedroom to Dublin City Council (DCC) in commercial rates and levies to fund local authority services, which equates to over 25m for DCC per annum. In addition to this, Dublin city centre hotels and businesses pay a further 5pc levy toward enhancing the city experience for visitors, residents and workers. It should be noted that economic activity from tourism businesses, including hotels, is already making a substantial contribution to the exchequer, generating taxes equivalent to 29 cents for every 1 spent by tourists. Thats equivalent to over 3bn in taxes generated by tourism businesses for the Government each year. Annually, tourism contributes 10bn to the exchequer and placing the burden of additional taxes on international or domestic tourists, particularly at a time when we are trying to make Ireland stand out as an attractive destination for visitors, makes no sense at all, they added. A spokesperson for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment said there are currently no plans to introduce an accommodation levy. An accommodation levy was proposed in the Commission on Taxation and Welfare in September 2022, and more recently in the Dublin City Taskforce Report, they said. [This] is now being considered by an interdepartmental group. The introduction of such a levy would need careful consideration given the importance of inbound tourism to Irelands economy and paid visitor accommodation sector. I was so desperate to see the girls, Id have sat in the jump seat all the way Irish parents on their trips to see adult children who have emigrated Eilis OHanlon: Why the Irish neutrality debate feels like a throwback to a 1980s students union It is better for Ireland to have the freedom to make wrong decisions than not have it at all Irish troops serving in Lebanon and, inset, Defence Minister Simon Harris. Photos: PA and Reuters Eilis O'Hanlon Sun 2 Mar 2025 at 03:30 As the row over speaking rights in the Dail rumbles on, one cant help but wonder if it is the opposition itself which is wasting its own precious time to hold the Government to account. Why are Chinese online shopping apps taking off in Ireland? Will Apples age assurance system work? And what can be done to stop children encountering harmful content online? Producer, JJ Clarke, joined Adrian on this weeks episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss the latest tech news. Apple is introducing a new declared age range function which will enable developers to see age information volunteered by parents during the account setup for a child on the Apple app store. Under the new system, parents will be able to change the age associated with a childs account, while a new set-up process is also being introduced to make it easier for parents to control their childs access levels to apps on iPhones and iPads. Apple is also setting additional abilities for app developers to restrict kids from downloading apps from Apples App Store based on their age. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. Elective procedures have been canceled at Letterkenny University Hospital due to overcrowding. The Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) is extremely busy with high numbers of people attending the department who need to be admitted to hospital for ongoing treatment. On Sunday, March 2, 124 people attended at Emergency Department and the hospital is seeing a similar number today. Follow Independent Donegal on Facebook There are currently 74 patients in the Emergency Department with 10 patients waiting to be admitted. The hospital is advising that patients who attend ED for routine and non-urgent treatment will experience very long waiting times. Due to the pressures on the site and the lack of bed capacity, the hospital is postponing some elective procedures. Urgent, time-sensitive cases are being prioritised. Patients are being contacted directly if their procedure is being postponed. All available beds in the hospital are in use. Patients are facing long waiting times to be admitted from the Emergency Department to a bed on a ward. A spokesperson for the HSE said, Every effort is being made to discharge patients who are ready to go home so that beds will become available for patients who need to be admitted, at the earliest opportunity. As always, people who do require emergency care are encouraged to attend EDs where they will be prioritised. The hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause. The hospital is committed to treating everyone who presents at the Emergency Department; people who are seriously injured or ill are assessed and treated as a priority and those who do not require urgent care may be waiting longer. We continue to request that people only attend the Emergency Department at the hospital if it is an emergency situation. We ask that people attend their GP or out-of-hours service in the first instance if at all possible. All visitors to the hospital will be required to practice good hand hygiene and use hand gel regularly, face masks are available for use throughout the hospital. People should check the HSE website for useful advice on common illnesses such as colds, coughs, flu, earache and sore throats and keeping well. Gardai at the scene of the crash in Co Donegal. A Donegal secondary school has paid tribute to two former pupils following their tragic deaths in a car crash. Gardai and emergency services attended the scene of a single vehicle fatal road traffic collision in the townland of Baltoney, Gortahork on the night of Friday, February 28. Teenager Shaun Martin McClafferty (17) and his friend Jamie Diver (20s) both died when their vehicle collided with the gable wall of a house in the townland of Baltoney, Gortahork, at around 9.30pm on Friday night. Both men were from Baltoney, just outside Gortahork. Mr Diver will be laid to rest on Wednesday while Mr McClafferty will be laid to rest on Thursday following Requiem Mass in Christ the King Church, Gortahork. The male front seat passenger, aged in his 20s and the male rear seat passenger, aged in his teens were removed from the scene to Letterkenny University Hospital. Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola Falcarragh has paid tribute to the young men and said the school community is deeply saddened by the passing of their former pupils at the weekend. Their loss will be felt among our school community in shared moments and in our special memories of both young men. "They both will be remembered for their strong friendships, gentle kindness and zest for life. Their young lives filled with hope, talent and dreams for the future have been taken too soon. May their gentle souls rest in peace. "Our school community will continue to pray for the recovery of two other past pupils, Josh Montgomery Scanlon and Darragh Lynch who were injured in this accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the families at this time. Follow Independent Donegal on Facebook Gardai have renewed their appeal for information and are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them. A spokesperson said, Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the townland of Baltoney between 9pm and 9.30pm on Friday night are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai. Anyone with information is asked to contact Milford Garda Station on 074 9153060, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Dublin councillors have unanimously passed motions to reinstate the Tenant-in-Situ Scheme and allocate additional resources to tackle vacancy and dereliction across the city. The Tenant-in-Situ Scheme allows local authorities to purchase properties where tenants are facing eviction due to their landlord selling the property. Sinn Feins Daithi Doolan proposed the motion to reinstate the Tenant-in-Situ Scheme at last nights monthly council meeting. Last year, the scheme provided an essential tool in the toolbox of this city council in preventing hundreds of families from slipping into the deeply traumatic journey of homelessness, he said. Many of those who are homeless are children, with 3,500 children currently homeless in Dublin tonight. Many more would be homeless were it not for us being able to use that essential tool, the Tenant-in-Situ Scheme. This year, we have waited and waited for the Minister for Housing to release the funding and figures to allow us to buy homes and prevent families from entering homelessness. When a child experiences homelessness, it increases their chances of being homeless as an adult by 60pc. We are simply asking the Minister to release the figures and funds and let us go out and buy the homes of families who are facing no-fault evictions, he added. Cllr Doolan said that Dublin was at the epicentre of the housing crisis and claimed Minister for Housing James Browne was oblivious to the fact that 70pc of the people who are homeless in the state are in Dublin. He appealed to the minister not to introduce further bureaucracy to the scheme and to release the funds to help families who meet the criteria for the Tenant-in-Situ Scheme. He also asked the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, to write to the Minister personally and urge him to act on the motion. The manager responded that the Lord Mayor would write to the Minister, but at present, they do not have the authority to progress any Tenant-in-Situ schemes. Green Party councillor Feljin Jose also proposed a motion, which was passed, calling on the council to allocate additional resources to tackle vacancy and dereliction in the city. The motion also demanded the council urgently pursue all unpaid derelict sites levies and vacant sites levies owed to it by the owners of the relevant properties. The total amount of outstanding levies at the end of 2024, according to the council, was nearly 9.5m. He highlighted there are currently over 14,000 vacant properties in Dublin, with over a fifth of those vacant for more than four years. I think wed all agree that a significant portion of those properties are derelict or at serious risk of dereliction, he said. The derelict sites levy is the main tool we have to tackle the scourge of dereliction in the city, and the vacant sites levy applies to vacant brownfield sites. Many clothes banks have been the source of repeated littering Dublin City Council has announced it will soon be seeking a new company to provide services for collecting textiles from clothes banks. The council plans to publish details about this opportunity later this month and expects to have an agreement in place by the second quarter of this year, following the end of its contract with the previous company, Clothes Pod. Clothes Pod paid the council for each tonne of materials it collected. However, this financial model is no longer viable, and in the future, the city will likely need to pay service providers for collection. Within the Dublin City Council area, 69 locations have glass banks, 57 have textile banks, and 40 of these locations provide both. Many clothes and bottle banks have experienced high levels of illegal dumping, with some local representatives claiming they were being blatantly abused. This led to the collection of textiles being suspended in some areas earlier this year. As the council is currently out of contract, Dublin City Council cleansing personnel have had to continue removing illegally dumped items from bring bank sites as part of their daily duties. Fianna Fail councillor Keith Connolly asked the Chief Executive for an update on the November 2024 meeting regarding the company Clothes Pod. He inquired whether the contract had ended with the company, whether it had continued collecting clothes from the banks over the past three months, whether a new framework had been established, and when the tender would be issued. He also asked what the council planned to do to manage the illegal dumping at clothes bank locations and how much remuneration Dublin City Council had received from Clothes Pod in 2023 and 2024. In response, the Chief Executive said the collection of textiles is currently out of contract and that a request to tender for a new contract would be published this month. They added that the reintroduction of CCTV cameras at selected bring banks was progressing in line with legislation introduced in the Climate Action and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022. The Chief Executive also mentioned that Phase 2 of the new CCTV scheme, which includes bring bank sites, will be submitted to the oversight board in the coming weeks. There was no response regarding the remuneration the council received from Clothes Pod in 2023 and 2024, as this information was deemed commercially sensitive. Local councillor pays tribute to the nurses who helped look after his brother From l-r: Eugene O'Sullivan, Eleanor Doherty, Katherine O'Shea, Norma Talbot and Katherina Breen of Irish Cancer Society pictured at the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. From l-r: Hassan Shaikh, Helena Foley, Sheila Morris, Mary Morris and Sheila Breen pictured at the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Eleanor O'Doherty and Ann McCarthy enjoying the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Angela and Brendan Lynch pictured the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Pauline Lyne pictured with Kathrina Breen and Katherine O'Shea of Cancer Society Breen pictured at the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Bridget O'Sullivan, Alice Shea, Rena O'Connor and Katherine O'Shea pictured at the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Pauline O'Halloran and Noreen O'Mahony enjoying the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Rita Kelleher and Vivienne Buckley enjoying the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Rita Kelleher and Vivienne Buckley enjoying the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Pauline O'Halloran and Noreen O'Mahony enjoying the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Sarah Dineen was a guest speeker at the Killarney/South Kerry Daffodil Day 2025 Coffee Morning in aid of Irish Cancer Society at the Killarney Towers Hotel on Friday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Killarney councillor Niall Botty OCallaghan knows first-hand just important the care the Irish Cancer Societys nurses provide to families having lost his own brother to cancer last year. With his loss to the forefront of his mind he spoke at a local coffee day fundraiser last week to support fundraising for a charity close to his heart. The Killarney-South Kerry branch of the Irish Cancer Society held their annual coffee morning last Friday ahead of the national organisations annual daffodil day, which takes place on Friday, 28 March. Councillor OCallaghan said there are no words to thank the nurses for all they did to look after his brother Dermot who passed away last November. Not only did they make Dermots last days more comfortable but they made the journey so much easier for the family. "We would have been lost without what they did for us. I just dont know how they do it. We cant thank them enough, he said adding that every single nurse went above and beyond to help Dermot. Sarah Dineen from Knocknagree also gave her support to the event and shared her own personal story. Daffodil Day helps the Irish Cancer Society provide care to cancer patients across Ireland and thanks to fundraising in Kerry the organisation provided 430 nights of free night nursing care to allow cancer patients in the county to die at home surrounded by loved ones. Their nurses also had 500 conversations with people living in Kerry on our Support Line and in our Daffodil Centres. With fundraising efforts underway in the county again this year continued support will be provided to all those who need it and the Killarney coffee morning will go towards providing this care. Kathrina Breen, who is secretary of the local branch, said the coffee morning was a huge success and she thanked the Towers Hotel for their continued support of this event. They provided a host of wonderful treats and the coffee morning raised over 2,200. With the coffee morning now over the local branch is putting the final touches to what is set to be one of the biggest nights in Kerry this year when Strictly Goes Country opens in the INEC this week. Some 22 dancers from across the county and even across the county bounds are in their final weeks of rehearsals for the show this Saturday, March 8. Tickets are on sale for the night from local committee members. The vehicle is described as a 201D blue BMW 7 series, which was later recovered in Charleville area A garda investigation is underway into a car theft after burglars forced entry into a residence in Limetree Avenue, Adare, by breaking and snapping the barrel of the lock on the front door. The homeowners woke this Tuesday morning to find their home had been broken into. They noted their keys and vehicle had been taken during the course of the break-in. The vehicle is described as a 201D blue BMW 7 series, which was later recovered in Charleville area. Sergeant Michelle OHalloran said: The investigation is currently being lead at Newcastle West garda station, with an appeal to any witnesses who may have been in area in Adare area or indeed in the Charleville area where the vehicle was located, and may have observed the vehicle or the occupants or anything at all suspicious to contact gardai on 06920650 or Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. Five men have appeared in court in connection with the discovery of an alleged illegal cigarette factory in Louth. Four Ukranian nationals and one Irish man were arrested during the operation on Monday, March 3 and appeared before Judge Nicola Andrews at Dundalk District Court on Tuesday. Kevin Donnelly (27) of Dublin Road, Newry, Maskym Kozachuk (40), Maksym Kovbasenko (37), Sergiy Avramov (42) and Yurii Popko (51) all of Richardstown, Ardee were each charged with processing illicit tobacco products and being concerned with the processing of illicit tobacco products at Richardstown, Ardee on March 3. During bail application hearings it emerged that the four Ukranian men all entered the state within the last two months and have been living in a caravan at the site of the tobacco haul in Richardstown in Ardee. Gardai objected to bail in the case of the four Ukranian nationals, on the basis that they are a flight risk and have no ties to the state, having arrived in the country in January. Judge Andrews set bail at 3,000 for Mr Kovbasenko, Mr Avramov and Mr Popko and remanded them to appear before Ardee District Court on April 11. She instructed them to provide gardai with a mobile phone number and an address at which they will reside within 72 hours, and remain contactable at all times thereafter. They must surrender their passports and sign on at Ardee Garda Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Gardai did not object to bail in the case of Mr Donnelly. He was remanded to Ardee District Court on April 11 in his own bond of 200 and an independent surety of 2,000. He must surrender his passport and sign on at Dundalk Garda Station each Wednesday and Saturday between 9am and 9pm. After hearing evidence that Mr Kozachuk has family in Berlin and is keen to return there, Judge Andrews remanded the 40-year-old in custody with consent to bail of 3,000 lodged. He will appear before Drogheda District Court via video link next Monday and if bail is taken up, he will be subject to the same conditions as Mr Kovbasenko, Mr Avramov and Mr Popko. A young Leitrim mother and lymphoma survivor whose cancer symptoms were first attributed to an allergic reaction to her lip fillers is calling on the public to go all in against cancer for the Irish Cancer Societys Daffodil Day. In early 2023, 27-year-old mother of two Letitia McFarlane from Kinlough, Co Leitrim, was diagnosed with Primary Mediastinal Large B Cell Lymphoma a type of blood cancer. She had become unwell while on a family holiday in Spain the previous November. Her face swelled and this was attributed to an allergic reaction to lip fillers. Following her persistence, her cancer was detected and underwent a number of rounds of chemotherapy, followed by immunotherapy and then finally Car-T cell therapy in St. Jamess Hospital in Dublin. In May 2024, she finally got the news she was in remission. Follow Independent Leitrim on Facebook Reflecting on her cancer experience, Letitia McFarlane said her life was turned upside down by her cancer diagnosis, but so was everybody elses around her. They all had to jump in and help with the children and support me through my treatment. "Its a been a whole of family effort to get through this and I cant thank them enough for everything they have done, said Letitia. Letitia said cancer was so far off the radar of what she thought could be wrong with her but she knew there was something wrong and continued to push for answers. She believes young people need to be more cancer aware. "I think young people need to be more empowered and aware to ask questions and push for tests if we dont feel right. "My face was severely swollen and as soon as my doctors heard about the lip fillers, they just attributed what was going on with me to that. "Thankfully, I kept pushing and asking more questions, said Letitia. Letitia is calling on Leitrim and the northwest to go yellow this Daffodil Day. She said every euro raised on Daffodil Day is crucial and makes a real lasting difference to patients like her. "The money raised fuels life changing cancer research and vital support services. "I would encourage everyone across Leitrim and the north-west to please get out there on Daffodil Day, March 28, and show your support for those affected by cancer in your local community. The Irish Cancer Society is there to ensure that every person affected by cancer has a place to turn to, the support they need and the hope that there will come a day when no one in Ireland dies from cancer. Thanks to the amazing generosity of the Irish public, the Irish Cancer Society invests in ground-breaking cancer research and delivers crucial free support services for people affected by cancer, throughout Leitrim. In 2024, generous support has provided over 100 free lifts to bring Leitrim-based cancer patients to their treatment, 290 free counselling sessions to people living in Leitrim and over 70 nights of free Night Nursing care to allow cancer patients in Leitrim to die at home surrounded by loved ones. Cancer Nurses also had over 65 conversations with people living in Leitrim on our Support Line and in our Daffodil Centres. Irish Cancer Society CEO Averil Power has encouraged the public to donate to the cause this year. One in two of us will hear the words Youve got cancer in our lifetimes. There isnt a family in Ireland that hasnt felt the impact of a cancer diagnosis. "Right now, a child is hearing the words Its cancer. "A parent is holding on to hope for a treatment that hasnt been discovered yet. "And a researcher has an idea that could turn that hope into reality. "Your support on Daffodil Day fuels life changing cancer research and vital free services and supports. "We really need this years Daffodil Day to be the biggest yet to ensure we can be there for those who need us most in 2025. And we cannot do this without you, said Ms Power. For more information about Daffodil Day visit cancer.ie/daffodilday The Sligo Champion has been reporting on local news since 1836. Mediahuis Ireland has launched a new recruitment drive to expand its local news coverage in the Irish Independent and across its regional publications. Mediahuis is offering journalists the chance to join an award-winning local news team and report on courts and local democracy matters in their own area. A total of 17 roles are being made available, with the 12-month contracts funded by a journalism scheme from independent media regulator, Coimisiun na Mean. Coimisiun na Mean is directly supporting public-interest journalism through its Court Reporting Scheme and Local Democracy Reporting Scheme (LDRS), with a total of 5m allocated to publishers. An additional 700,000 was made available for ancillary projects. Mediahuis Ireland publishes 11 regional titles such as the Wexford People, Kerryman, Wicklow People, Drogheda Independent and The Sligo Champion, as well as national titles the Irish Independent and Sunday Independent. Around 100 new or enhanced journalist roles are being created under the schemes, with funding allocated across most of Irelands regional and local press. An Coimisiun has stated that the aim of the LDRS is to ensure that local media contains quality reporting on public institutions and authorities. It added: The key objective of this (Court Reporting) Scheme is to support and enhance the vital role of media service providers in reporting by skilled journalists on court proceedings at a local and regional level. The schemes followed the Future of Media Commission report which had recommended funding to ensure the sustainability of local journalism. The objectives of the schemes to enhance public engagement with, and awareness of, our local courts and councils - are broadly admirable. Mediahuis reports 1.2bn turnover as switch to digital offsets print decline Mediahuis has maintained throughout that editorial independence is critical and its journalists will continue to report without fear or favour. The new roles will extend and enhance its on-going investment in local journalism through its INMA Global Media Award-winning local news initiative, Project Leap. That investment and expansion of local journalism on the Irish Independent is vital to communities around the country and will continue. Speaking about the Courts and Local Democracy Reporting Schemes, Edward McCann, Director of Publishing Operations at Mediahuis Ireland, said: We have invested a lot as a company in our local journalism in recent years and it is good to see that the Government is also allocating funding to the sector. While we have some reservations about the funding schemes, as set out in our response to the public consultation, we nonetheless believe the schemes are an important step forward in safeguarding the future of local journalism. It is critical that court reporting and local democracy are covered throughout the country - this ensures that justice is not just done, but seen to be done, and councils are held accountable in the public domain. We are also delighted that the Irish Independents Seachtain, the longest-running and best Irish language supplement in a national newspaper, has been allocated funding for an Irish language project covering areas of public interest at a local government level. Jim Hayes, Regional Group Editor, added: The schemes are very much in line with our vision for sustainable, trusted and reliable local journalism. For us, its another step in our mission to protect and develop local journalism through 11 local newspapers and our Project Leap initiative, telling the local stories that matter in every county on the Irish Independents digital platforms. The Sligo Champion Editor Paul Deering said the funding would enhance the offering such a trusted brand gives to the local community not only on a weekly basis with a printed edition but daily through its ever increasing digital platforms. Deputy Frank Feighan said: Our local media organisations play such an important role in keeping local people up to date with whats going on in our community and we need to ensure government supports them to. I very much welcome the funding that The Sligo Champion is to receive and have no doubt it will be fully utilised to ensure quality, reliable and accurate news reporting continues produced. As we look to the future, I would encourage our local media organisations to engage with me and with our Minister, as I expect that later this year two further schemes will also open for applications, along with a second version of the Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes. Local news is one of the cornerstones of a functional democracy, and these schemes will ensure that people across Sligo and the Northwest receive the news stories that matter to them. Two students from Ursuline College in County Sligo are taking part in the BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp, taking place until Thursday at Nova UCD. Fourth year students Aoife Fadian and Jessica OConnor, who won the Taighde Eireann, Research Ireland Award at this years BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, were selected to take part in the bootcamp. Now in its 16th year, the Bootcamp was set up by BT Ireland, under its custodianship of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (YSTE) in 2010, to support BTYSTE finalists with developing their project ideas into commercial enterprises under the guidance of BTYSTE alumni, BT Ireland mentors and expert judges. This year, BT Ireland celebrated 25 years as organiser of the YSTE and first introduced the bootcamp as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance and evolve the exhibition under its custodianship. In the last sixteen years, the Bootcamp has provided almost 500 students with skills to turn their project ideas into commercial enterprises. This year, thirty students representing 12 counties from across the island of Ireland are participating in the Bootcamp. The students will take part in a four-day programme that will include workshops on business development, marketing and commercialisation, as well as meet BTYSTE alumni who themselves have launched successful enterprises. On the final day, the students will pitch their project to an expert panel of judges. Judges this year include Shay Walsh, Managing Director of BT Ireland, Dr Tony Scott, co-founder of the BTYSTE, Anne-Marie Turley, Head of Fintech, Finance & Cybersecurity at Enterprise Ireland, and Brian ODonovan, Work and Technology Correspondent at RTE. Looking for something to do in Wicklow this week? From celebrating nature and women's achievements to cultural performances and new community activities, there's something for everyone across the county. 1. Tree Festival 2025 A Celebration of Spring The beautiful surroundings of Belmont Demesne is the venue for Tree Festival 2025 A Celebration of Spring, on Sunday, March 9, where, among other events, some 3,000 native trees will be donated to support local biodiversity and rewilding. There will also be nature talks, archery, bird of prey shows, music and family-friendly activities as you welcome the arrival of spring. Entry is free but parking for the day is 3. Runs from 10am-4pm. 2. Womens Day in Greystones Temple Carrig School will host a special free Womens Day Round Table Discussion, on Friday, March 7, at 2pm, where a panel of women leaders will gather to inspire and empower students, parents, and the wider school community. The discussion will be informal yet impactful, offering insights from accomplished professionals across diverse fields. 3. HISTORY TALK West Wicklow Historical Society will host a roundtable discussion on Stratford on Slaney -Exploring its history on Tuesday, March 11 at 8 p.m. in Stratford Community Room. The WWHS will talk through the published research on the village, and historical images and photographs. Everyone is invited to bring any photographs or artifacts or stories they have, and to take part and share insights and information about the history of Stratford. Everyone is welcome and the event is free of charge. 4. NEW TAEKWON-DO CLUB The new Ashford Taekwon-Do Club opens to the public on Wednesday, March 5, at Scoil na Coroine Mhuire, Ashford, Co. Wicklow (A67X257). Classes take place Wednesday and Friday nights. Dedicated classes for ages 7 12 years from 6.30 pm to 7.15pm followed by a teens and adult class from 7.15 pm 8.15 pm. Sport Ireland accredited instructors will be on hand to welcome you. Beginner friendly and all are welcome. The first class is for free. For further information check out Ashford Taekwon-Do on Facebook or email ashfordtkd@gmail.com. 5. Exhibition and quartet in Tinahely The Tinahely Courthouse Arts Centre is set to host two cultural events this week that are sure to pique public interest. Launching on March 6 at 2 pm, artist Declan Byrnes new exhibition Psychological, which will showcase his unique style developed over many years. The exhibition runs until March 22. On March 9, from 5 pm to 7 pm, the Ora Quartet featuring Siun Milne, Molly OShea, Ali Comerford and Yseult Cooper-Stockdale will celebrate International Womens Day with a highly anticipated concert. 6. Coldplay by Candlelight The Arklow Bay Hotel will host a Coldplay by Candlelight concert with Frank McNamara on Friday, March 7 at 8.15 pm. This intimate evening promises to blend world-class artistry, whether youre a passionate Coldplay fan, a lover of live music, or simply seeking a night of magic and sophistication. 7. Timebomb in Blessington Modern-day three-piece Rockabilly band Timebomb will perform a show at the West Wicklow House in Blessington on Saturday, March 8. The Dublin-based band is dedicated to bringing the timeless energy of rockabilly music to contemporary audiences, blending the classic rockabilly sound with contemporary vibes to create an unforgettable musical experience. The committee behind St Patricks Day festivities in Newtownmountkennedy are now accepting applications from anyone wishing to get involved in this years parade. A recently held public meeting saw a number of volunteers step up to the plate to help organise the parade, and a new committee will be elected later this year in preparation for next years parade. Any trucks or floats entering the parade meet at Hanelys for 11am, while walkers involved in the parade will meet at Newcastle Hospital. The parade itself gets underway at 11.30am. Ann Duffy, who has headed organising the parade for over 35 years, has stepped back from organising this years event, but has been chosen as the grand marshal who will lead the parade on March 17. New committee member Aoife Yates said: A few of us have come forward to make sure this years parade goes ahead. We have insurance and the route all sorted. Ann Duffy has been instrumental in the success of successive St Patricks Day parades in Newtown, going back for over 35 years. She runs a flower shop in Newtown and is an extremely popular choice as grand marshal. She is stepping away from the committee this year, but is still helping us out behind the scenes. The theme for this years parade is all things Irish, and we are open for entries for anyone who wants to participate. Submission forms are available on the Newtown open forum Facebook page, and you can also collect hard copies from Eugenes Food Store, which can then be returned to them, once filled out. The deadline is March 8. We also have the function room in the Parkview Hotel booked out for the whole of St Patricks Day, which will feature face painting, balloons and other activities for kids and the whole family. We also hope to have some Irish dancing, music and poetry, in keeping with our all things Irish theme. Actor Khalid Abdalla has been ordered to attend a police interview following a pro-Palestine protest earlier this year. Abdalla, who played Dodi Fayed in the hit Netflix series The Crown, told his social media followers that he had received a letter from the Metropolitan Police to attend a formal interview in relation to Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest held in January, adding it remains to be seen if this will result in charges. The 44-year-old, who rose to fame after starring in the award-winning film United 93, claimed the right to protest is under attack in this country. In a statement on his Instagram page, he wrote: Ive expressed my feelings on the experience of that day on previous posts available online. The right to protest is under attack in this country and it requires us all to defend it. Abdalla, who also starred in The Kite Runner and The Day of the Jackal, is one of Hollywoods most outspoken actors on the Gaza-Israel war. He has publicly called for a permanent ceasefire and has attended several pro-Palestine rallies since the conflict began on October 7, 2023. This includes the one on January 18 he will be interviewed about. Abdalla also signed the Artists for Palestine UK open letter to the BBC in February criticising the broadcasters decision to pull a documentary about childrens lives in Gaza after it discovered its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. He is not the first public figure to be interviewed by police over a pro-Palestine demonstration. MPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have already been questioned by police officers. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said at the time: "Two men aged 75 and 73 who attended voluntary interviews following the protest have been released pending further investigations." A static rally involving several thousand people took place in Whitehall after police blocked plans for the march to be held from Portland Place, near the BBC headquarters. Police said those involved had been made aware that the protest should remain around the area of Whitehall. But despite this, police said a large group made its way from Whitehall into Trafalgar Square and in some cases attempted to go further. Police said that a number of people in that group had been arrested on suspicion of breaching the conditions and that so far, 21 had been charged. The Palestine Coalition said what is claimed by police as justification for this massive overreach of their powers is a complete misrepresentation of what took place, not just on the day but beforehand. They said in a statement: We demand that the Metropolitan Police halt any prosecutions or proceedings against those involved in this entirely peaceful protest. Letters have also been issued to Stop the War Coalition officers Lindsey German, Alex Kenny and Andrew Murray, CND General Secretary Sophie Bolt and Friends of Al-Aqsa Chair, Ismail Patel, according to the group. Demi Moore arrives at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Pic: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Timothee Chalamet arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Cynthia Erivo arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Joe Alwyn arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Hollywood actor Joe Alwyn has been making the lists of best dressed men at the Oscars after wearing a custom suit made by Magherafelt-born designer JW Anderson. Alwyn was a presenter during the ceremony, presenting the award for Best Cinematography to Lol Crawley for his work on The Brutalist Alwyn was also a member of the cast of the award-winning film. Cynthia Erivo arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) As always the film industrys biggest night is the most important red carpet of the awards season for the A-list actors putting their most stylish foot forward on the red carpet. Timothee Chalamet arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Leading the pack of those dressed to impress were nominated Wicked duo Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo who went big with their gowns from Schiaparelli and Louis Vuitton, respectively. Demi Moore, up for best actress for her leading role in The Substance, stunned with all the Hollywood glamour you could wish for, opting for a deep v-neck, silver embellished custom Armani Prive outfit the same label she wore to win at the Golden Globes in January. Mikey Madison with her Best Actress award for Anora. Pic: Arturo Holmes/WireImage She lost out, however, to Anoras breakout star Mikey Madison, who kept her look classic with a strapless, black and rose-pink Christian Dior gown. Bringing a shock of yellow to the ceremony was one Timothee Chalamet, who opted for a lurid, Givenchy suit. Ariana Grande arrives at the Oscars. Pic: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP Joining him on the dapper gent front was Joe Alwyn in custom JW Anderson, Omar Apollo in Valentino, and Jeremy Strong in a soil-shade Loro Piana suit. Andrew Garfield also opted for brown, but a deeper, chocolate Gucci version, while Jeff Goldblum wore a Prada look with a floral, printed shirt and a loud boutonniere. And while she swerved the red carpet, it was Chalamets girlfriend Kylie Jenner who got heads turning inside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Demi Moore arrives at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Pic: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP The reality TV star and beauty mogul certainly made a splash with her front cut-out, black satin and crystal encrusted bralette dress from Miu Miu. Of course, the most popular accessory on the red carpet this year was a heavy dose of one appetite-suppressing drug or another. As a result, it was figure-squeezing gowns and binding corsets that were de rigueur and will set the 2025 awards apart as the year Hollywood went super slim. An Israeli military vehicle drives on the street during a raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank. Photo: Reuters Israeli troops demolished houses and cleared a wide roadway through the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, in a weeks-long operation against militant groups that has forced tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. The operation, during a fragile ceasefire in Gaza that has halted fighting there for the past six weeks, has emptied some of the biggest refugee camps in the northern West Bank in what some Palestinians see as a trial run for wider clearances later. KUWAIT CITY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC) on Monday signed two major contracts worth a total of 557 million U.S. dollars with Kuwait's Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW). The contracts cover the construction and maintenance of road networks, infrastructure, irrigation reservoirs, and substations in South Saad Al-Abdullah New City, located about 25 kilometers southwest of the capital Kuwait City. According to the CGGC, the two projects are valued at 77.25 million Kuwaiti dinars (around 250 million dollars) and 94.88 million Kuwaiti dinars (around 307 million dollars), respectively. Addressing the signing ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Zhang Jianwei described the contracts as a fruitful outcome of China-Kuwait cooperation. He expressed his gratitude to the Kuwaiti side for its strong support, highlighting that the project would enhance the quality of life for Kuwaiti citizens. Meanwhile, Zhang reaffirmed China's commitment to continuing bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations, and encouraged more Chinese companies to explore opportunities in Kuwait, especially in the housing sector. Kuwait's Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdul Latif Al-Mishari described the contracts as "highly significant," calling them "a major achievement and among PAHW's largest contracts." He also expressed confidence in CGGC's ability to deliver the project on schedule. Liu Huailiang, chairman of China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co., Ltd., noted that the new contracts with the PAHW would further strengthen economic and trade ties between China and Kuwait, and contribute to the realization of Kuwait Vision 2035. Spanning approximately 64 square kilometers, the South Saad Al-Abdullah New City project is one of the key projects under Kuwait Vision 2035. It includes the construction of over 20,000 residential units and service facilities, aiming to accommodate around 150,000 residents upon completion. LIVE | US and Ukraine to sign minerals deal on Tuesday; Justin Trudeau accuses Donald Trump of trying to ruin Canadian economy Trump pauses all military aid to Ukraine, days after explosive clash with Zelensky in the Oval OfficeUkrainian PM says military has tools to maintain frontlineSimon Harris expresses 'concern at latest move from Washington Taoiseach says US pause of aid is a 'serious setback' Today, Trumps long-threatened tariffs against Canada and Mexico also come into effectFollow our live blog of the days events below Trump hits 'pause' on US aid to Ukraine after Oval Office confrontation Amy Blaney and Eoghan Moloney Tue 4 Mar 2025 at 22:36 Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community! Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region. Emerging Role of Tier 2 and 3 Cities in Indias Warehousing and Logistics Growth Indias logistics and warehousing sector continues to expand in 2025, driven by infrastructure advancements, government-led initiatives, and the rapid growth of e-commerce. While major metropolitan areas have historically dominated the industry, tier 2 and tier 3 cities in the country are emerging as crucial logistics hubs, reshaping Indias supply chain landscape. Indias logistics and warehousing sector is expected to play a vital role in Indias economic development in the coming years. On March 2, 2025, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, highlighted that the domestic warehousing market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 percent, reaching an estimated US$35 billion by 2027. This growth trajectory is fueled by increasing demand for warehousing facilities across the country, improved infrastructure, and strategic promotion in the tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Decentralization and strengthening regional supply chains Several industry leaders and media reports suggest the emergence of tier 2 and tier 3 cities as the countrys preferred logistics hubs, thereby reducing dependence on Indias major metropolitan centers, enhancing supply chain resilience, and lowering transportation expenses. Strengthening regional supply chains is also fostering job creation and industrial development in smaller urban areas. A key driver of this shift is the expanding online consumer base in non-metropolitan cities. With rising digital adoption and improved last-mile connectivity, there is a growing need for efficient logistics and warehousing facilities in these regions. Additionally, central government policies such as the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF), which allocates INR 100 billion (US$1.14 billion) annually for infrastructure enhancement in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, are playing a crucial role in supporting this transformation. Technological advancements influencing Indias warehouse preference Beyond infrastructure development, technological innovations are advancing the countrys logistics sector. Industry experts believe that adoption of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in supply chain management has improved efficiency and reduced operational costs. AI-driven analytics are optimizing inventory management, while automated sorting and packaging systems are streamlining warehouse processes. Indias goals towards sustainability are also steering sectoral growth, with the industry increasingly integrating green warehousing practices. Industry is adopting energy-efficient storage solutions, the use of renewable energy sources, and eco-friendly packaging materials to minimize the environmental impact of logistics operations. Indias total warehouse space is projected to reach approximately 1.2 billion square feet by 2027, encompassing Grade A, B, and C warehouses. A report by JLL, published on October 16, 2024, namely Future of logistics: warehousing market India, highlights a notable shift towards high-quality infrastructure, with Grade A warehousing stock expected to increase from 290 million square feet in 2023 to 400 million square feet by 2027. A key factor in this growth is the domestic logistic sectors increasing preference for Grade A warehousing facilities. Grade A warehouse facilities are constructed using high-quality materials, incorporate advanced automation, and are strategically located to optimize transportation and distribution. In contrast, Class B and C warehouses require substantial upgrades to align with contemporary logistics standards. Class B warehouses may require modifications such as the installation of high-capacity freight elevators and enhanced shelving systems to improve operational efficiency. Meanwhile, Class C warehouses, which have fewer dock-type gates, pose challenges for large-scale logistics operations and are less effective in meeting the demands of high-speed supply chains. The report further states that India is poised to become one of the top six users of warehouse automation systems globally by 2026, with the market value expected to reach US$2 billion annually. Indias quick-commerce industry boosts warehouse demand Rapid expansion of the quick-commerce sector in the country is a major contributor to the increasing demand for warehousing space. Domestic companies, such as Zepto and Blinkit, are aggressively expanding their regional warehousing networks to assist with faster delivery services. It is worth noting that a surge in warehousing demand continues to be dominated by Indias top eight cities: Mumbai, Pune, the National Capital Region (NCR), Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad. An industry observation made by Knight Frank India, a global property consultancy, notes approximately 37.5 million square feet of warehousing space was leased between January and September 2024, marking a 4 percent year-on-year increase. In the third quarter of FY2024-25, lease transactions reached 14.6 million square feet, reflecting a 20 percent rise compared to the earlier period. Future outlook As the demand for warehousing space continues to grow, investments in logistics parks are also increasing in the country. Both public and private sector stakeholders are recognizing the potential of Indias logistics sector, leading to establishments of advanced storage facilities, improved transportation infrastructure, and wider digital integration. With ongoing modernization efforts, Indias tier 2 and tier 3 cities are evolving from emerging markets into critical components of the countrys next phase of economic growth. (US$1 = INR 87.37) Dupahiya OTT release date: Dupahiya, the web show, is about to release on streaming services. With the fictitious village of Dhadakpur as its setting, Dupahiya is a comedy-drama that expertly brings together chaos, humor, and small-town charm. Renuka Shahane and Gajraj Rao play important parts in the drama Dupahiya. Heres everything you need to know about it before it releases. Dupahiya OTT release date Dupahiya will be released on Prime Video on 7th March 2025. Plot The comic web series takes place in the Bihar village of Dhadakpur, which commemorates 25 years of crime-free living. A valuable motorcycle vanishes out of thin air. A frenzied quest is launched to locate it in time, with a wedding, a jubilee trophy, and local pride at risk. Cast and crew Dupahiya stars Gajraj Rao, Renuka Shahane, Bhuvan Arora, Sparsh Shrivastava, Shivani Raghuvanshi and Yashpal Sharma. The show, which is directed by Sonam Nair and written and produced by Avinash Dwivedi and Chirag Garg, was created and executive produced by Salona Bains Joshi and Shubh Shivdasani under the Bombay Film Cartel brand. Gajraj Rao talks about Dupahiya The actor who plays the bride's father, Banwari Jha, Gajraj Rao, said he was excited about the series. He revealed that he is genuinely excited to be involved with the Dupahiya initiative. He described Banwari Jha's position as a math instructor who, when it comes to his daughter's pleasure, puts aside numbers and does what he feels is right. Playing this role was a great experience, according to Rao. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Haikyuu!! vs The Little Giant anime: Haikyu!! Fans rejoice! It's movie time. New details on the second installment of the two-part anime film series were unveiled during a special Haikyu!! event in Tokyo and it has left anime enthusiasts excited! The most recent film, Haikyu!! vs. Chiisana Kyojin, is the follow-up to Haikyu!! The Battle of the Dumpster. Production I.G. is set to rehire Susumu Mitsunaka as director for the upcoming film. Is Haikyu!! vs. Chiisana Kyojin release date announced? There is no release date specified for Haikyu!! vs. Chiisana Kyojin so far and only new updates will let us know when the movie will be released. What is Haikyu!! vs. Chiisana Kyojin about? After the match against Nekoma High School is over, the movie picks up with Shoyo Hinata and his Karasuno High School team making it to the quarterfinals to play Kamomedai High School, whose star player, Korai Hoshiumi, has the same nickname as a player he used to admire: "The Little Giant." The special episode: Furthermore, it was revealed that Japanese TV would air a special episode called Haikyu!! Bakemonotachi no Iku Tokoro, or "The Place Where Monsters Go." Additionally, a teaser trailer for the TV special was released. In the special, Kotaro Bokuto and Wakatsu Kiryu, the star players of Fukurodani Academy and Mujinazaka High School, respectively, compete against one another. All you need to know about Haikyu Haikyu!! is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate. The narrative centers on Shoyo Hinata, a young man who, in spite of his little size, is driven to excel as a volleyball player. You can stream Haikyu on Crunchyroll and Netflix. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. On International Women's Day 2025, we honour the accomplishments, challenges, and persistence of women everywhere. Watching impactful documentaries that highlight inspirational tales of women shattering stereotypes and more are a great way to celebrate the day. These five must-watch films that are available on OTT platforms provide an engaging and thought-provoking experience. Take a look: International Womens Day 2025: 5 must-watch documentaries about women on OTT Anuja - Netflix For the future of herself and her sister, a bright nine-year-old who works in a sweatshop must make a tough decision when she is given the opportunity to go to school. Adam J. Graves, who is now a filmmaker and philosopher, wrote and directed the short film. Nagesh Bhonsle, Ananya Shanbhag, and Sajda Pathan are its main actors. All We Imagine as Light - Prime Video When a surprise gift from her estranged husband arrives, Nurse Prabha's routine in Mumbai takes an unexpected turn. As she tries to forget her husband who has been away for years, life presents itself with problems. The cast includes Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam and Hridhu Haroon. The Last of the Sea Women - AppleTV A tough group of South Korean divers battle against impending dangers to preserve their dying culture on the coast of Jeju Island. The movie won the NETPAC Prize at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, where it made its debut. Period. End of Sentence - Netflix Rayka Zehtabchi's 2018 documentary short film Period. End of Sentence tells the story of Indian women who are spearheading a silent revolution in menstrual health. Arunachalam Muruganantham, Shabana Khan, Gouri Choudari, Ajeya, and Anita are the film's main actors. Ladies First - Netflix The 2017 Indian documentary Ladies First chronicles Archer Deepika Kumari's life. It follows her journey from living in poverty in Jharkhand to enrolling in the Tata Archery Academy and representing India at various international competitions. It was directed by Uraaz and Shaana Levy Bahl. On March 8, 2018, the eve of International Women's Day, Ladies First was made available on Netflix. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins OTT Release Date: The acting powerhouses Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat are all set to headline a thrilling saga, a direct-to-digital release. Announced during the Next on Netflix 2025 event, Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins is ready to stream starting April 25, 2025. Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins plot premise The film revolves around a jewel thief who a powerful crime boss hires to steal the worlds rarest diamond, the African Red Sun. But things go horribly wrong when his well-thought-out plan starts falling apart. What follows is a rollercoaster of chaos, surprising twists, and new alliances, turning the whole thing into a dangerous game of lies and betrayal. Siddharth Anand is all set to make his streaming debut with Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins as a producer alongside Mamta Anand (Marfix). In a media statement, the duo shared, "This film has been a labor of love, combining action, suspense, and intrigue to craft an edge-of-the-seat cinematic experience. Its a project that pushes creative boundaries with high-octane sequences, gripping storytelling, and breathtaking visuals. Jaideep, while speaking to Deccan Chronicle, said, "Jewel Thief is unlike anything I have done before. The character has a lot of shades and elements of mystery to him. The look is different from any of my other characters, too, and it was fun to get into the shoes of this role. The teaser has already sparked curiosity, and I cant wait for the audience to experience the full ride. PR Handover Do you think Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins will be worth watching? Drop your thoughts @indiatimes and stay tuned for more information about this film. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Brandon Gill, a Republican politician and US Congressman, has hit out at an NRI man who celebrated his caste group organising a volleyball tournament in Dallas. Gill, a Trump loyalist and first-term US Congressman from Texas, termed immigration without assimilation as 'national and cultural suicide'. Patel Community's volleyball tournament in US He was responding to Dylan Patel, the founder of SemiAnalysis, who posted on X about his caste (Leuva Patidar Samaj) volleyball tournament in Dallas, Texas. "Everyone from a part of Gujarat and same way of life in the US. Literally everyone here owns a motel or gas station in rural America," Patel said. My caste (Leuva Patidar Samaj) volleyball tournament in Dallas is unreal 8,000 people here out of ~40,000 people in the US Everyone from a part of Gujarat and same way of life in the US Literally everyone here owns a motel or gas station in rural America pic.twitter.com/Asm44Q8Y10 Dylan Patel (@dylan522p) March 1, 2025 The Patel community, which traces its roots to Gujarat, has a significant presence in the US and is most notable for its dominance in the motel sector there. 'Immigration without assimilation' Responding to Patel, Gill said, America is the land of opportunity precisely because we DONT have a caste system. "We cannot sustain Americas prosperity and liberty by importing foreign class allegiances. Immigration without assimilation is national and cultural suicide," he added. America is the land of opportunity precisely because we DONT have a caste system. We cannot sustain Americas prosperity and liberty by importing foreign class allegiances. Immigration without assimilation is national and cultural suicide. https://t.co/ZfLYjweigw Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) March 2, 2025 MAGA camp spews hate on Indians Gill's post on X soon went viral with fellow MAGA supporters, who are already opposed to the immigration of non-whites to the US, including Indian nationals on H-1B visas. "Only immigrants who accumulate should be let in," said one person, while another said all of them should be sent back. "They all need to go back. Every single legal means of entry needs to be halted for the next 100 years," he said. "Assimilation of non-European people isnt possible. We will always be at odds with one another," yet another X user said. Gill's wife is Indian As the debate continued, an X user pointed out that Gill's wife is of Indian origin. CREDIT: TWITTER Gill is married to Danielle D'Souza, the daughter of Dinesh D'Souza, who was born in India and moved to the US, where he became a citizen in 1991. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Pope Francis' net worth & salary: Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88 after being ill for a long time, the Vatican said on Monday. He was the first Latin American to lead the Roman Catholic Church and became pope in 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI stepped down. During his 12 years as pope, he had many health problems. Recently, he had recovered from a serious case of double pneumonia. "Dear brothers and sisters, it is with great sadness that I share the news of our Holy Father Franciss death," said Cardinal Kevin Farrell on the Vaticans TV channel. "At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, went back to the Fathers home." The process of choosing a new pope, called the conclave, usually begins 15 to 20 days after a pope dies. How Much is Pope Francis's Salary? Unlike many religious leaders, Pope Francis does not receive a salary, even though he was entitled to one. Traditionally, popes are allocated a monthly wage, estimated to be around $32,000. However, since taking office in 2013, Pope Francis has refused to accept this salary. Instead, he chooses to donate the amount to charitable causes, allocate it to the church, or place it in trust. Pope Franciss Net Worth and Assets Despite not accepting a salary, Pope Franciss net worth was estimated to be around $16 million, as reported in ET. This wealth is largely derived from the assets provided to him as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Some of these assets include: Five cars at his disposal Various properties associated with the papacy Other benefits linked to his position While Pope Francis has access to these resources, he continues to live a modest lifestyle, aligning with his values as a Jesuit priest. Pope Francis's Early Life and Path to Priesthood Pope Francis's early life began in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he was born on December 17, 1936, to Mario Jose Bergoglio and Regina Maria Sivori. His birth name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio. It wasn't until he was 22 years old that he felt a calling to serve the church. During a visit to a local church for confession, he was inspired by a priest and decided to join the religious path. He began his studies at Inmaculada Concepcion Seminary in Buenos Aires and later joined the Society of Jesus as a novice on March 11, 1958. Over the next few years, he faced the challenges of balancing human desires with religious commitment. As a Jesuit novice, he studied humanities in Santiago, Chile, officially taking his vows as a Jesuit on March 12, 1960. This marked the beginning of his lifelong dedication to the principles of poverty, chastity, and obedience. In 1967, he pursued theology at Facultades de Filosofia y Teologia de San Miguel and was ordained as a priest in December 1969. His final stage of spiritual training took place in Spain, where he took his final Jesuit vows on April 22, 1973. Pope Francis's Rise to the Papacy From 1973 to 1979, Bergoglio served as the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina. His leadership skills saw him rise quickly within the church hierarchy. In 1998, he became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and in 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed him as a cardinal. During his tenure as a cardinal, he played a significant role in Argentina's religious and political landscape, particularly during the December 2001 riots. His advocacy for the poor and his modest lifestyle made him a respected figure worldwide. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013, Bergoglio was elected as his successor on March 13, 2013. He chose the name Francis in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi, symbolising humility and service. The First Pope from the Americas Pope Francis is the first head of the Catholic Church from outside Europe since Pope Gregory III, a Syrian pope from the 8th century. He is also the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Southern Hemisphere. Pope Francis's Current Health Condition The Pope was taken to the hospital for bronchitis treatment on 14 February. In the days after, the Vatican said he was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs and was in a serious condition. They also said he was starting to show early and mild signs of kidney problems. On 23 March, he appeared in public for the first time in over a month, waving and giving a thumbs-up from a hospital balcony to the people outside. He later returned to the Vatican to begin two months of rest and recovery as advised by doctors. On 20 April, the Pope greeted the crowd at the Easter Sunday service, just a day after meeting US Vice President JD Vance. FAQs: Does Pope Francis have a wife or children? No, Pope Francis does not have a wife or children. As a priest, he took a vow of celibacy, meaning he promised not to marry or have children so he could fully dedicate his life to the Church and its followers. Pope Francis has often spoken about his commitment to serving the Church and its people. How old is Pope Francis? Pope Francis is 88 years old. Why is Pope Francis so famous? Pope Francis is known for being friendly, humble, and easy to relate to. He is also the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit pope. Who was the oldest pope to live? Pope Leo XIII was the oldest pope, passing away at 93 in 1903. Who was the youngest pope? Pope Benedict IX was the youngest pope ever elected. He became pope at just 12 years oldan age when most children are still in school. Is there an age limit to becoming a pope? No, there is no age limit to becoming pope. However, since the early 15th century, no pope has been younger than 44. John XII is believed to be the youngest pope in history. For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used a traditional iftar dinner in Ankara to address the state of Greek-Turkish relations, emphasizing Turkey's desire for stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean. The dinner, attended by foreign ambassadors and held to mark the breaking of the fast during the holy month of Ramadan, provided a platform for Mr. Erdogan to emphasize Turkeys desire for stability in the region. We wish to maintain stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean, Mr. Erdogan stated. We are in favor of preserving the positive atmosphere we have created through mutual steps in our relations with our neighbor Greece. The remarks come amid ongoing efforts to ease long-standing tensions between the two nations, which have historically clashed over issues such as maritime boundaries, energy exploration rights, and territorial disputes in the region. Mr. Erdogans comments signal a continued push for diplomatic engagement, reflecting a broader strategy to foster cooperation despite lingering disagreements. The iftar dinner, a significant event during Ramadan, served as a symbolic setting for Mr. Erdogan to reiterate Turkeys commitment to regional stability. His emphasis on maintaining a positive climate underscores the importance of dialogue and confidence-building measures in addressing complex geopolitical challenges. The statement follows a series of diplomatic exchanges between Greece and Turkey in recent months, aimed at reducing friction and exploring areas of mutual interest. While challenges remain, Mr. Erdogans remarks highlight a cautious optimism for progress in bilateral relations, even as both nations navigate competing interests in the strategically vital Eastern Mediterranean. iefimerida.gr The main opposition are making an obvious attempt to utilize a national tragedy like the Tempi train collision for its own purposes, Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis said during a parliamentary plenary debate on Tuesday. Speaking during the debate on a PASOK-Movement for Change (KINAL) proposal for a preliminary investigative committee on the responsibilities of then minister Christos Triantopoulos, the justice minister said he was confident he had contributed through his position to the acceleration of the judicial process. The massive public demonstrations on the two-year anniversary of the accident, which claimed the lives of 57 people, were "spontaneous rallies entirely unrelated to parties." Floridis added, "The government received the messages in a clear and eloquent way. It understood there is a request and demand for truth to shine, there is a request that justice be served through the punishment of those who are guilty, and there is a request that can be summarized in the phrase 'Never again'. In other words, that there must be a radical intervention to resolve the chronic problems of the state. There was also a very clear message to the political system, that you should not try to take advantage of this great participation of the public in these events for party purposes." Floridis also criticized PASOK and SYRIZA for their "permanent and constant overall doubts on the institution of justice" and PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis in particular for citing a report by the National Organization for Investigating Air and Rail Accidents and Transport Safety (EODASAAM) to deliver a motion of censure to the government. "But this report, which Mr Androulakis has seen as sacred, includes an explicit statement saying that there has never been any political order or intervention, any political directive, any political suggestion at all, for intervention at the site." The proposal debated on Tuesday on a preliminary committee "is the greatest political opportunity to expose your hypocrisy. And it will be passed in voting," the justice minister said. "You can be sure that in a case including the participation of 250 lawyers, who have signed up to speak, the plenary of bar association presidents, in a massive case file, nothing can be hidden, and nothing will be hidden. Truth will show up, justice will be served, and the state's chronic ills will be defeated," Floridis said. iefimerida.gr Former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N700 billion fraud. Emmanuel, who served as governor from 2015 to 2023, was invited to the EFCCs corporate headquarters in Abuja, where he was taken into custody The arrest is linked to allegations of money laundering, diversion of funds, and stealing during Emmanuels tenure as governor. Advertisement A petition filed by the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Initiative (NACAT) accused Emmanuel of misappropriating state funds, totaling N1.5 trillion, with N700 billion allegedly looted. NACATs petition detailed various allegations, including the awarding of contracts to companies owned by Emmanuels allies, diversion of state funds through security votes, and the acquisition of properties by Emmanuel and his family members. The group also claimed that Emmanuel used his wife to purchase a property worth $580,000 in the US. A source close to the matter, who spoke to Punch.ng in Abuja on Tuesday on the condition of anonymity, revealed, We have arrested the former governor of Akwa Ibom over an alleged N700 billion fraud. A civil society organisation called the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking petitioned the EFCC, prompting our investigation, the source said The petitioner alleged that Emmanuel received N3 trillion from the Federation Account over eight years but left behind a debt profile of N500 billion and unpaid ongoing projects worth N300 billion. He was also alleged to be unable to account for N700 billion. Over investigations have uncovered the withdrawal of N31bn in cash in one single account. The name of the account is Office of the Governor. The money was withdrawn in cash progressively between 2019 and 2023 The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has freed a kidnapped police officer from his captors. Modestus Ojiebe, Chief Superintendent of Police, was kidnapped along the Abuja-Kaduna Motorway in Abuja. The senior officer, serving with the Kwara State Police Command, was ambushed while trying to repair his broken-down vehicle near the Dei-Dei Police Barracks in Abuja. Advertisement In a statement on Monday, FCT Police Command spokesperson Josephine Adeh stated that the Divisional Police Officer of Dawaki led his patrol team to the scene after receiving a distress call. READ MORE: Ogun Police Arrest Suspect Over Alleged Defilement Of Three-Year-Old Adeh further stated that the police officer had been successfully rescued and was reunited with his family. She said, Upon receiving the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer of Dawaki acted swiftly by leading his patrol team while also alerting all police checkpoints and key entry and exit points into the Federal Capital Territory. This decisive response enabled the successful rescue of the officer and his reunion with his family on the same night. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the suspects, who abandoned the victim and fled into the bush in Garaku, Nasarawa State. The Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, urges all residents of the FCT to remain vigilant and report any suspicious individuals or activities immediately by calling the police emergency line at 08032003913. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, a Nigerian federal lawmaker, has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will present only one presidential candidate in the 2027 elections. Speaking on the issue, Kalu emphasized the need for an Igbo president but clarified that such a shift would not occur in 2027. He insisted that President Bola Tinubu, the current APC leader, must complete his constitutionally allowed two-term tenure of eight years in office. Kalus statement highlights the APCs internal dynamics and the delicate balance of power within the party. It also reflects the ongoing national debate about power rotation and regional representation in Nigerias presidency. Advertisement While advocating for the Southeasts political aspirations, Kalus remarks align with the partys current support for Tinubus leadership, signaling a unified front ahead of the 2027 polls. Speaking on the Monday edition of Channels Televisions Politics Today, The former Governor had this to say : I am not going to discuss anything about the Igbo presidency. But I still tell you there is a need for it. The Igbo must present an acceptable candidate to all Nigerians. No one zone can make a president. President Tinubu was not elected by the Yoruba. He was elected by all Nigerians. Well, in our party we have only one presidential candidate now. And Tinubu has to do eight years. You can see the repairs he has done to the economy and things are starting to pick up again. This president is not even doing politics. He has never told anybody he wants to run for election or not. But as a party, we have mandated him to run and given him a vote of confidence. The NEC has given him a vote of confidence, through a motion proposed by the Governor of Imo State and announced by Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who is the National Chairman of the party. Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of the now-defunct music group P-Square, has been remanded in prison following his arraignment on new charges of fraud involving $1,019,763.87 and 34,537.59. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a new four-count allegation against Okoye on Monday, claiming that he dishonestly converted money that he received from three companies as music proceeds for his own use. The charges state that Okoyes actions were aimed at permanently depriving his brother, Peter Mr. P Okoye, of his rightful share of the payment. Advertisement READ MORE: EFCC Slaps Jude Okoye With Four New Theft Charges, Set For Arraignment On Tuesday The allegations, filed January 27, 2025, specified that Okoye and his company Northside Music Limited converted the following amounts: $767,544.15 paid by Lex Records Limited as payment for music digital distribution/publishing royalties. 34,537.59 paid by Lex Records Limited as payment for music digital distribution/publishing royalties, it reads in part. $133,566.49 paid by Kobalt Music Services Limited as payment for music digital distribution/publishing royalties. $118,652.23 paid by Mech Limited as payment for music digital distribution/publishing royalties. The EFCC alleged that Okoyes actions violated sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Okoye appeared before Ramon Oshodi, a justice of the Ikeja High Court, on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the accusations. The defence counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor, informed the court that Okoye is currently facing a similar matter in Ikoyi and has been granted bail. He maintained that his client is a well-known entertainer who would not post bail and that the conflict is between Okoye and his Psquare siblings. The lawyer requested that the court grant bail to Okoye pending the commencement of his trial. However, the prosecution counsel, MK Bashiru, contested the request, noting that he has yet to respond to the bail application. In his ruling, Oshodi stated that he could not hastily grant the bail application as he needed to review the filing thoroughly first. The judge instructed the prosecuting counsel to file a response to the bail application before the hearing on March 6. The trial dates have been set for May 16 and 23. Okoyes latest predicament comes just a day after he was granted bail of N100 million in connection with alleged fraud charges. Last week, the EFCC arraigned him on charges of laundering N1.38 billion, $1 million, and 34,537.59. Alexander Owoeye, a federal high court judge in Ikoyi, Lagos, remanded him in the Ikoyi detention facility after he pleaded not guilty to the accusations against him. Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has announced that he will reveal his preferred successor in January 2026, as his second term in office gradually winds down. During the 11th Omituntun Ramadan lecture held at the Government House Arcade in Ibadan on Monday, Governor Seyi Makinde addressed the people, highlighting the pivotal role the Muslim community has played in the success of his administration. He expressed gratitude for their unwavering support and emphasized how their contributions have been instrumental in driving the states development agenda. Advertisement The Governor also provided a glimpse into the next steps for the state, assuring residents of his commitment to sustaining progress and delivering on his promises. In his remarks, Governor Makinde hinted at his plans for the future of Oyo State, particularly regarding the transition of power. He revealed that he would likely announce his preferred successor in January 2026, as his second term in office gradually comes to an end. The Governor was quoted saying, In January 2026, we know that political activities will start. I will tell you the picture of the person that will be installed there. First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has urged the National Assembly to pass the bill proposing the creation of special seats for women in both the Senate and House of Representatives. The bill, which seeks to establish 74 additional seats exclusively for women, has successfully passed the second reading in the House of Representatives. The proposed legislation aims to address gender imbalance in Nigerias political space, ensuring increased female representation in decision-making. Advertisement If passed, it will allocate one special seat per state and the Federal Capital Territory in the House of Representatives, alongside additional seats in the Senate. Supporters argue that the bill will enhance womens participation in governance and promote inclusive democracy. However, some critics question the feasibility of increasing the number of lawmakers. Speaking on Monday at the art for governance exhibition organised by the office of the deputy speaker in partnership with ElectHER, an advocacy group for womens empowerment, the First Lady had this to say: Women constitute a vital part of the nations progress, yet are underrepresented in governance. In the context of governance and inclusion, it offers a unique and compelling way to spotlight the urgent need for greater female representation in leadership and decision-making processes The artworks being displayed today serve not only for a Nigeria where political leadership is truly inclusive and reflective of its people. The emphasis on affirmative action bills is essential to amplifying the message of inclusion contained in this exhibition. Ensuring that women have a stronger voice in shaping policies, making decisions and driving national development is not just a matter of justice, it is a necessity for stable growth. Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has reacted to the defection of 2023 governorship candidate in Lagos State, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, aka Jandor. Chief George, in a statement on Monday, said that Jandors decision to leave the opposition party is insignificant. Recall that the 2023 governorship candidate under the umbrella of PDP announced his resignation from the party, citing persistent anti-party activities and internal sabotage, which he claimed were orchestrated by some party leaders, including George. Advertisement Reacting to the allegations, Chief George said that those who brought Mr. Jandor to the party should be ashamed, saying he is a good riddance to bad rubbish. READ MORE: Crisis Deepens In PDP As 2023 Lagos Governorship Candidate, Jandor, Dumps Party He said: He is an infra dignitatem, I would not give any reply to him. The boy and my children are not his age mates. He came to the party, he didnt come to the party, that is his problem. He is the one who knows the lies he has been telling about, I am not a member of any Disciplinary Committee, he is just lying about it. It is those who brought him that should cover their faces in shame, what he painted him to be is not exactly what he is. He is a good riddance to bad rubbish. I dont want to reply him, but just to say he is an infra dignitatem. I wish him the best of luck, wherever he takes himself to. He should continue to tell his lies about. The Vatican has disclosed that Pope Francis suffered two new breathing difficulties on Monday, requiring two separate bronchoscopies, as the 88-year-old pontiff struggles to recover from pneumonia. Today, the Holy Father experienced two episodes of acute respiratory failure, caused by a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm, it said in a statement on Franciss 18th day in hospital, the longest of his papacy. On February 14, the Argentine pope was admitted to Romes Gemelli hospital with bronchitis, which later developed into pneumonia in both lungs, causing concern worldwide. Advertisement READ MORE: Pastor Ighodalo Responds To Remarriage Rumours With Kate Henshaw, Suggests Fake News Spreader Should Pay Tithe The Vatican disclosed in its nightly medical bulletin on Monday that two bronchoscopies were carried out on the pope to aspirate abundant secretions. It stated the pope had resumed non-invasive mechanical ventilation in the afternoon the use of an oxygen mask noting that he was alert, focused and cooperative. Since the popes hospitalisation, the Vatican has stated that Franciss prognosis remains reserved, meaning doctors are unable to predict the likely outcome of his condition. On Sunday evening, the Vatican stated that the popes condition was stable after he experienced a breathing crisis on Friday. The leader of nearly 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide had needed an oxygen mask on Friday and Saturday, but not on Sunday, when he took part in mass and spent the day alternating between rest and prayer. On Sunday, Francis also received Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vaticans secretary of state, and Edgar Pena Parra, a Venezuelan archbishop and senior Vatican official. The Jesuit, who has served as pope since March 2013, is receiving treatment in a special suite for pontiffs on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital. Francis, whose birth name is Jorge Bergoglio, skipped his usual Angelus prayer for the third Sunday in a row, with the Vatican releasing a written message in place of it. In it, the pope thanked well-wishers for their prayers, saying: I feel all your affection and closeness and, at this particular time, I feel as if I am carried and supported by all Gods people. Thank you all. AFP Ishaku Monday, a 19-year-old machine operator, tragically lost his life due to electrocution at Xinfeng Plastics Limited, located in the Sagamu area along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State. Chief Superintendent of Police Omolola Odutola, the Public Relations Officer for the Ogun State Police Command, confirmed this to PUNCH Metro on Monday. Odutola explained that the teenager was working with a palletising machine inside the factory at approximately 7:30 pm on Sunday when he was fatally electrocuted. Advertisement READ MORE: EFCC Arrests 11 Suspects In Niger Over Alleged Internet Fraud Activities The victim was reportedly taken to a medical centre, where the doctor on duty confirmed him dead. Odutola stated, The Nigerian manager of the company, Francis Felix, reported the incident to the Sagamu Division of the Ogun State Police Command on Monday around 7am. The 19-year-old employee was electrocuted while operating a palletising machine assigned to him. The victim was rushed to Idera Medical Centre in Sagamu, where the attending doctor confirmed his death while he was receiving treatment. His corpse was deposited at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital mortuary by the companys staff. Upon receiving the report, a team of detectives visited the scene and took photographs for investigation. However, the command stated that the victims family expressed no interest in an investigation and requested the release of the body for immediate burial. Microsofts TypeScript 5.8, the latest version of the companys strongly typed superset of JavaScript, has reached general availability (GA). However, one new feature introduced at the beta stage, a limited form of checking against conditional types in return statements, was dropped from the GA release. General availability was announced February 28. Since the beta release, which arrived January 29, TypeScripts builders pulled back some work on how functions with conditional return types are checked. The plan now is to iterate on the feature and release it in TypeScript 5.9. Will Scharf, White House staff secretary, stands beside the Resolute Desk as President Donald Trump signs executive orders on Jan. 20. Read more Since taking office in late January, President Donald Trump has issued more than 70 executive orders (EOs) But which will have the most impact on American small businesses? Three stand out, and its important for business owners to understand the implications. Federal spending and DOGE Using an EO, Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, with the stated intent of rooting out waste and fraud in federal spending. Another EO has temporarily frozen all government spending while programs are being evaluated, although this order is being contested in the courts. Advertisement These orders have created a significant amount of disruption, particularly for businesses and organizations that rely on federal funding. Emily Dowdall, president of policy solutions at the Reinvestment Fund in Philadelphia, warns that because the federal government has long been one of Philadelphias largest employers, there will absolutely be ripple effects from job losses. Fired federal workers will have less money to spend in their communities. Philadelphia had roughly 25,000 federal workers before Trump took office. READ MORE: How Philadelphias probationary federal employees are coping with mass government layoffs Della Clark, the president and CEO of the Enterprise Center in Philadelphia, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to minority-owned businesses and communities, also said federal spending cuts could cause businesses to lose revenues, cut back employees, and raise prices in an already competitive environment. She encourages CEOs to evaluate their customer lists and do a risk analysis of how much potential revenue they could lose. For example, a food service vendor who contracts with university customers could be negatively impacted if their customers are no longer able to access federal funds and are forced to decrease vendor spend, she said. Business owners who work with large institutions should pursue contracts that are not as dependent on federal dollars. Clark is strongly encouraging her small-business clients who are heavily reliant on federal contract dollars to diversify their revenue streams if they havent already. Even if a small-business owner isnt directly contracting with the federal government, they should be monitoring how eliminating these agencies will affect the economy in their business sector as a whole, she said. There is the potential that these cuts could result in lower taxes, Clark said, which businesses and consumers could recirculate back into the economy. But that prospect is less certain than the almost immediate local, regional, and national impacts of decreased federal funding, she said. Immigration The president has also issued EOs on immigration. These have called for advanced vetting of applicants, an end to birthright citizenship (a federal judge quickly blocked this), the use of armed forces to keep undocumented immigrants from crossing the southern U.S. border, and authorizing state and local law enforcement officials to act as immigration officers. The loss of these undocumented workers in an already tight labor market could make it harder for businesses to find and retain good employees, Dowdall said. She noted that many small businesses in Philadelphia are operated by immigrants or employ immigrants. READ MORE: Neighbors angry as ICE arrests owners of popular Jersey Kebab restaurant in South Jersey Regardless of the actual immigration status of any individual business owner or employee, targeting immigrants as a group has the potential to put a real chill on economic activity, Dowdall said. People are understandably concerned about being caught up in broad sweeps or simply facing heightened discrimination and violent rhetoric associated with these executive orders. Art Gimenez, director of lending and programs at the Impact Loan Fund, which provides financing for neighborhood revitalization in Philadelphia, said many of the businesses he serves are in Kensington and are owned by immigrants. A lot of clients arent aware of the laws and their rights so theyre just flat-out hiding, Gimenez said. Theyre very afraid. Tariffs The president has issued a number of EOs proposing tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China and other countries that would impact the cost of goods from lumber to avocados. The actual implementation of these tariffs has been announced, and delayed, multiple times, creating uncertainty about how they will affect costs. Clark, of the Enterprise Center, said tariffs present both a challenge and opportunity to small businesses. Domestic producers who are currently not competitive on price due to cheaper imports have the potential to grow their customer bases and revenue, she said, explaining that tariffs will change the cost-benefit equation of importing vs. buying local. READ MORE: How to delay, or even avoid, tariffs on a small business CEOs of companies that are importing directly will have to evaluate how much of that cost their customers can absorb in the form of increased prices, she said. They would be wise to scenario plan how tariffs might impact the costs of goods and supplies moving forward as well as potentially evaluate the feasibility of switching to domestic alternatives. Now is the time for business owners to examine their messaging and marketing materials, Clark added, to communicate unique selling advantages such as offering higher quality goods, faster production times, and local customer service availability, she said. Spectators interact with people in Poland after the official opening of the relocated NYC Portal to LOVE Park in Philadelphia on Oct. 22, 2024. Read more Philadelphia police are searching for a group of vandals who they say cut and removed a section of copper wire from the Portal installation in LOVE Park last month. The incident occurred about 5:40 a.m. on Feb. 1, when surveillance cameras caught a person cutting a wire from the video art installation, police said. The vandal then left the area with three other people, and the wire that was removed from the Portal was placed in a large green-and-yellow trash can. Advertisement The suspects were also captured on footage from subway surveillance cameras, which police released via their YouTube channel. Police did not indicate whether the alleged theft of the wire caused downtime for the Portal, or if repairs were required. A representative for the Portals Organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Portal, however, has been offline in recent days. Last week, the Portals Organization said that the installation was down for routine maintenance and upgrades and that it would be operational again early this month. Were thrilled to be able to continue bringing people together across the globe through the Portal, Portals Organization director Joseph Callahan said in a statement last week. Callahan added that the group planned to hold a number of St. Patricks Day celebrations in conjunction with the attractions return. It is unclear when that work began, but the Portal was down and wrapped in a blue tarp ahead of the Super Bowl, a little more than a week after the alleged wire theft. The Portal arrived in Philadelphia in late October and went online with a crack in its screen that it had incurred amid its travel to the city from New York, The Inquirer reported at the time. The massive screen connects Philly to other screens in Dublin, Ireland; Vilnius, Lithuania; and Lublin, Poland. At the opening of the Philly portal, Lithuanian artist and Portals project creator Benediktas Gylys called it an honor to have his work represented in the city. We hope a Portal will find a permanent home in the birthplace of America, he said. Police asked that anyone with information regarding the wire theft contact the Central Detective Division at 215-686-3093/3094 or submit a tip anonymously online. Radnor High School removed three library books "Gender Queer," "Fun Home," and "Blankets" after deciding they were age-inappropriate, district officials said. Read more Radnor High School has removed three books from its library, including Gender Queer and another LGBTQ-themed book, after a parent alleged they contained child pornography. An ad hoc committee convened by Radnors superintendent reviewed three books, which also included Fun Home and Blankets, and determined by a 5-1 vote that the challenged books are not age-appropriate for our students, said Radnor spokesperson Theji Brennan. The books all autobiographical graphic novels were removed Friday, she said. Advertisement Brennan did not name the members of the committee, but said they were an administrator, a principal, a librarian, a school board member, a classroom teacher in the subject area, and a parent, as specified by Radnors library policy. The committee members were asked to sign confidentiality agreements to safeguard their anonymity, ensuring they could speak openly and candidly about the challenged books without fear of retribution or external criticism, Brennan said, adding that members may share their participation on the committee if they so choose. The removals have drawn backlash from some community members, who say they were not aware books were being challenged and accused the district of a lack of transparency in the review process. No one is being told this is even happening, which allows for the spread of misinformation, said Sherry Luce, a Radnor parent and state director of Red Wine and Blue, a political organization focused on suburban moms that advocates for progressive causes. Luce said she learned about the removals from chatter that local Moms for Liberty members were celebrating them as a victory rather than hearing the news from the district. Luce addressed the school board on Feb. 25, demanding an emergency review of the districts library policy, a public vote by the school board on any book removals, and the establishment of an appeals process for removal decisions. What theyve done is absolve the board of any accountability at all in the book-banning process by leaving it so vague, Luce said, adding that board members are good people, but this is a case where bad policy has created a bad situation. Luce said that Superintendent Ken Batchelor met with teachers at the high school Thursday to discuss the decisions. Gender Queer, a coming-of-age memoir, has topped national lists of most-banned books for several years and has been the subject of school board battles locally. The book depicts author Maia Kobabes experience as a young person grappling with gender identity, and includes illustrations depicting oral sex. Under the former Republican-led school board, the Central Bucks School District banned it in 2022; the next year a political action committee featured images from the book in campaign mailers targeting Central Bucks Democrats, accusing them of trying to sexualize young children. In Radnor, the school board is controlled by Democrats. Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel, has also come under fire; it focuses on Bechdels coming-out story and explores her relationship with her closeted gay father. The book also includes sexual illustrations. In Blankets, author Craig Thompson depicts his childhood in an evangelical Christian household, including sexual abuse by a male babysitter. Illustrations from the book included in the challenge form submitted to Radnor appear to allude to the abuse. Brennan said the challenges were submitted by a parent, whom she did not name. In each of the challenges, the parent whose name was redacted by the district said there was perhaps something of value in the material. However, child pornography disqualifies the entire book, the person wrote. Rachel Skrlac Lo, a professor of education at Villanova University and a Radnor parent, called the removals a really sad moment in our communities, when we know LGBTQ students are in such a precarious position. Were valuing potential harm to students whose families dont want them to read a particular book over real harm that is done when stories about LGBTQ people are excluded, further marginalizing vulnerable students, Skrlac Lo said. As Moms for Liberty and other conservative groups have pushed to restrict access to the books nationally, Skrlac Lo said, the Radnor book challenges did not feel like an authentic engagement with what does our current population need, but more like a political action to crumble our confidence in public education. Thats really problematic. In 2022, Radnor also considered a challenge to Gender Queer. In that case, a committee of reviewers was split, and Batchelor cast the tie vote to keep it, according to the Delaware Valley Journal, which said a group of parents at the time filed a police report over the books presence in Radnors library. Asked how that decision differed from this years, Brennan declined to comment on the former committees composition. Whats relevant is the board policy was followed exactly as it was followed three years ago, she said. The library policy was adopted in 2008. In addition to finding the books age-inappropriate, Brennan said, the committee noted that Gender Queer had been in the library for six years and had never been checked out by a student, except for the time it was checked out to be challenged. Blankets, meanwhile, has not been checked out by a student since 2022, Brennan said. She did not say whether Fun Home had been checked out. Niko Ferrantello, 23, of Downingtown, a disabled veteran and junior majoring in history, (center), stands with fellow students during a rally at West Chester University in West Chester, on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Schools around the city plan actions to draw attention to the effect of proposed federal cuts on program for vulnerable kids. Read more Shortly after her confirmation by the U.S. Senate this week, new Education Secretary Linda McMahon outlined a charge to her employees in an email: a final mission for the department amid President Donald Trumps call to shutter it. Against that backdrop, educators, students, and their supporters gathered across Pennsylvania and the U.S. Tuesday to draw attention to the impact of potential federal funding cuts on students and other vulnerable groups. Pennsylvania public schools receive $752 million for Title I schools, which educate kids living in economically disadvantaged homes. The federal government pays Pennsylvania $560 million in special education aid, $71.6 million for career and technical education, $68 billion in student loans, and $850 million in Pell grants. Advertisement In Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers coordinated actions at 120 schools, from distributing leaflets before and after school to a news conference at Widener Memorial School, the states only public school for children with disabilities. This is not a drill, said LeShawna Coleman, PFT chief of staff. READ MORE: Philly is starting on a process that will likely lead to school closures, new buildings. Heres what you should know. Federal money makes up more than $500 million of the Philadelphia School Districts $4.5 billion annual budget. Title I funding for schools in impoverished areas pays for the salaries of 1,450 school system teachers alone. Philadelphia schools, already underfunded by millions according to a 2023 landmark Commonwealth Court decision, cannot afford to lose any more funding, said City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, chair of Councils Education Committee. Were in a crisis with public education, Thomas said. Our facilities deficit is so high that it is now bigger than the entire budget for the entire city of Philadelphia. The damage to our schools costs more than it costs for the entire city of Philadelphia to operate for a year. Councilmember Kendra Brooks, who was a public school advocate before she was a politician, said it was time to organize. We have these two billionaires, Elon Musk and Donald Trump. These men do not want public schools to exist. Theyre determined to undermine the years of work that we put in, Brooks said. The attacks felt personal, said Paul Breen, a third-generation Philadelphia teacher who works at Widener Memorial. His students cheered when Breen stepped to the microphone in Wideners auditorium. Government funding allows our Widener students to thrive, Breen said. It allows for small classes for special education students, modified curriculum, and related services such as speech and language, occupational, and physical therapies. Because every Widener student receives special education services, the schools budget relies heavily on federal funds; any cuts to such funds would be devastating for the vulnerable population, officials said. Taisha Cruz, an 11th grader, has attended Widener since she was a kindergartner. The school gives her so much, she said not just academics, but also physical therapy, occupational therapy, and a sense of belonging. It gives us a sense of freedom, Cruz said. Hearing theres a possibility that might be taken down is sad. I dont want that. Elsewhere in the state, faculty at the universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education also participated in a day of rallying against Trumps executive orders, with one of the largest gatherings at West Chester University. Citing a big attack all around on higher education, Kenneth Mash, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State Colleges and Universities, the statewide faculty union, said: Its very serious. Mash, who appeared at West Chesters rally, said faculty are concerned about the executive orders against diversity, equity, and inclusion and research funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health. At West Chester, in addition to the rally on the quad, faculty also held teach-ins during the day, addressing Trumps executive orders and their impact on colleges. Spark Therapeutics offices in University City are shown in February 2019, before Roche bought the company for $4.8 billion later that year. Read more Philadelphias Spark Therapeutics is going through a fundamental reorganization by its owner, Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche, which has written off the regional biotech leader as a financial loss following the termination of its work on a once-promising treatment for hemophilia. A Spark gene therapy candidate for hemophilia A was the financial and clinical centerpiece of Roches $4.8 billion Spark acquisition in 2019. Roche ended the development work on the prospect designated as SPK-8011 as part of a rethinking of its approach to the blood disease, Endpoints News reported in December, though it continues to work on a different gene therapy approach to the disease. Advertisement Then, in a January financial report, Roche announced a fundamental reorganization of Spark. Already last year, Roche incurred $180 million in restructuring costs at Spark. This year, those efforts are expected to cost more than $300 million. Roche has written off as a loss most of what it paid for Spark, which was based on research at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. The changes at Spark are happening at a difficult time for the gene therapy sector, as sales for the expensive treatments fail to meet Wall Street and company expectations. Massachusetts-based Bluebird Bio, a one-time leader in the sector, sold itself for just $29 million last month, a sliver of the $10 billion it was worth in 2018, according to Fierce Pharma, an online trade publication. Sparks breakthrough Luxturna cost $450,000 per eye when it was approved. It was the first gene therapy approved by the FDA for a disease caused by mutations in a specific gene, a milestone that played a key part in establishing Philadelphia as a biotech hub. But its sales history fits the industry pattern of disappointing revenue. Roche wrote down the balance-sheet value of Luxturna for three straight years through 2022, when sales were just shy of $50 million. Whats next for Spark? Roche said that some of Sparks operations will be consolidated into the companys overall pharmaceuticals division and some will stay in Philadelphia. The integration process has just been initiated and we are working to determine how to best preserve and deploy the unique capabilities we have in Spark in Philadelphia, and how we can more fully leverage the Roche network to support these efforts. Its still too early to determine the overall impact, Spark spokesperson Denise Bradley said in an email. Spark had an unspecified number of layoffs last summer after discontinuing work on several early-stage products, Endpoints News reported. The company now employs more than 600, Bradley said. Thats down from 800 in 2021, when Spark announced plans to spend $575 million on a 500,000-square-foot Gene Therapy Innovation Center at 30th and Chestnut Streets in University City. Construction is underway, and the laboratory and manufacturing facility is expected to open next year. Sparks then-CEO Jeff Marrazzo predicted at the time that Spark would double its employee count by then. Instead, Spark employs fewer people than it did then. Roche typically allows companies it acquires to maintain their own identities, said Steven Altschuler, who was CHOPs CEO when Spark was founded and was chairman of Sparks board when it was sold. He is no longer associated with the company. Thats still the case, for example, with Genentech, based in South San Francisco, Calif., which Roche acquired for $46.8 billion in 2009, he said. Spark may be absorbed completely within Roche and not have its own separate identity, said Altschuler, who left CHOP in 2015 and now works in biotechnology investing. But Roche will use this huge manufacturing plant to support activities for Roche in general. Thats the way I see it moving ahead. Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify Sparks approach to gene therapy for hemophilia A. Cherry Hill School District director of facilities Steve Nicolella (from left); Joseph D. Sharp Elementary School principal Ric Miscioscia; and district assistant director of operations and facilities Dave Nuzzie visit the construction site of a new all-purpose room and gym at Sharp in Cherry Hill last week. The project is funded by a bond approved by voters in 2022 that will pay for upgrades at each of Cherry Hill's schools. Read more Cherry Hill voters made history in October 2022 when they overwhelmingly approved a $363 million school bond referendum, one of the largest ever in New Jersey. The referendum was touted as a game-changer to fund much needed facilities improvements in one of the largest districts in South Jersey. Voters had last approved a referendum in 1999 for $52 million. Advertisement It was the largest single school bond referendum in New Jersey in at least a decade. It added about $400 in new annual property taxes on a home assessed at the township average of $226,400. Then-Superintendent Joseph Meloche called the referendum a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change the landscape in Cherry Hill when it was approved. The district enrolls about 11,000 students in 19 schools all of which are getting improvements. READ MORE: Cherry Hill schools chief talks about moving on after 20 years in district: Its been an honor Slated to take several years to complete, the projects include building additions, repairing leaky roofs, upgrading plumbing and electrical equipment, building security vestibules, and replacing windows, doors, and HVAC systems. There are signs of construction around the sprawling Camden County community of 70,000 as the projects are being completed in phases. Were spreading the projects around so every building is seeing some improvements, said Lynn Shugars, the districts business administrator. There are a lot of moving parts. Heres a look at the bond referendum projects, what has been completed, and what is ahead. What has happened since the bond referendum was approved? Work began in the summer of 2023 with roofing projects at 10 schools, Shugars said. Cherry Hill High School East also got improvements, and a stadium and playgrounds were replaced at Harte and Paine Elementary Schools, she said. Carpeting and locker room projects were completed at Rosa International Middle School, which is also getting a new security vestibule. Shugars said the first round of HVAC projects was completed, with a second slated for this year. Getting the HVAC equipment has been difficult, and there is concern that President Donald Trumps tariff plan may affect the availability and cost of equipment, she said. Last summer, a four-year project began at John A. Carusi Middle School, which will include asbestos removal this summer when the building is empty, Shugars said. This fall at Carusi, the district will work on installing an all-purpose room and temporary classrooms to relocate students during some of the work, Shugars said. Later phases call for renovating the music and cafeteria suites, the media center, and adjacent rooms. The work is expected to run through the spring of 2028. What additions are elementary schools getting? At Sharp Elementary, where crews were busy last week working on an all-purpose room addition, principal Ric Miscioscia smiled broadly when he got his first look inside. It is twice the size of the current facility and will include a full-size gym, and an elaborate theatrical stage with house lighting, an automated screen, and a projector. Its huge, the principal said. He envisions hosting productions and sporting events in the all-purpose room. A separate entrance will allow for community use, too. It is slated for completion by late spring or early summer. READ MORE: Cherry Hill is asking parents to help fill substitute teacher vacancies Miscioscia said the construction has fascinated students watching the building progress. Crews had to install a road to access the site, digging up soil and bringing in heavy equipment. To them it looks like a big Lego project, he said. The Sharp all-purpose room is one of six under construction. The other elementary schools also getting the additions are Barton, Mann, Johnson, Knight, and Kingston. To keep costs down, the district is building the all-purpose rooms using the same specifications and materials, from ceiling tiles to door knobs, said Steve Nicolella, facilities director. That will make it easier to maintain the facilities and stock replacement parts, he said. Everything is the same, Nicolella said. The gym floors will be color-coded for each school, with its logo in center court. Whats next for the projects? Permits have been submitted for additions and renovations at Rosa. Design work is underway for Beck Middle School, including renovations to the front entrance. At Cherry Hill High School West, work is set to begin on ADA accessibility and lighting work at the stadium. Next on the list are a front parking lot and playground at Cooper Elementary, a parking lot at Beck Middle School, an auditorium at East high school in 2026, and in 2027 a wing at East and an auditorium at West. Beck is also getting a new security vestibule. How long will the work take to complete? Shugars said it will likely take seven years to finish the work. Supply-chain delays have affected some projects, she said. And inclement weather has slowed down work at times, said Dave Nuzzie, assistant director of facilities and operations. Nicolella said the construction team meets at least weekly to get updates. Crews are currently working on 12 projects simultaneously. Some work is done during a second shift when students and staff are not present, he said. We have 19 buildings, and they all need a lot of work, Shugars said. What is the fiscal impact? The bond will be paid off over 20 years, with the state contributing $113 million, about 40% of the total authorized. That means that homeowners would pay the $400 average annual tax increase to cover the bond through 2043, as well as any additional increases sought by the district. Shugars said the district has sold $300 million of the $363 million authorized by the bond. A bond referendum allows districts to pay for projects that cannot readily be funded through their annual operating budgets. It is absolutely an investment, Shugars said. The SEC office is located in One Penn Center at 16th Street and JFK Boulevard. Read more The Trump administration plans to terminate the lease for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission office in Philadelphia as part of an ongoing campaign to downsize the federal government, according to federal records and news reports. Reuters first reported an internal memo sent to SEC employees on Monday, which stated that the regional office building in Center City will be shuttered this year alongside the commissions regional office in Los Angeles. Advertisement A spokesperson for the SEC declined to comment Tuesday on what the news bodes for the commissions roughly 150 employees in the Philadelphia region. According to the memo, the lease cancellations would not coincide with layoffs. The news comes amid a federal downsizing effort led by Trump adviser Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. DOGE last month launched what it described a reformist campaign to cut costs across the federal government. The Musk-led office has been updating an online Wall of Receipts that identifies thousands of federal contracts, grants, and ground leases that have been terminated in recent weeks. The list flagged two dozen federal building leases for cancellation in Pennsylvania and 14 in New Jersey. Six of those are in Philadelphia, including the SECs 44,765-square-foot regional office in One Penn Center. A lease database from General Services Administration shows the SEC has rented an office of that size at 1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd. for over $1 million annually. The current lease dates to 2014. It is not unusual for commercial tenants to sign 10-year contracts in Philadelphia office buildings. Thousands of federal jobs have been eliminated as a result of Musks recommendations. Impacted employees in Philadelphia so far include Internal Revenue Service workers at the agencys Market Street office. The commission expects to vacate its Philadelphia office building by August, according to the memo, and the agency would work with the General Services Administration to identity new office space. The commission intends to seek remote work for employees in the event that the commission does not find another office by that time. The loss of federal office contracts could deal another blow to Center Citys struggling commercial real estate market, where new tenants are rare and some high-rises still contend with staggering vacancy levels as tenants seek to downsize their office footprint in the hybrid work era. The building management company for One Penn Center, located above Suburban Station, did not respond to a request for comment. U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, whose district includes the building in question, said his office sought answers but noted that DOGE has not responded to Democratic congressional inquiries. Sitting in his Washington office on Tuesday, the Philadelphia Democrat called the DOGE cuts arbitrary and questioned Musks decision-making process. Last time I checked, hes just a volunteer, too, Evans added. People want someone whos open and transparent, and I dont think hes been open and transparent. U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Democrat whose Philadelphia district borders the Center City office, said he was deeply concerned about news of the lease termination. Once again, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are attacking Philadelphia jobs and our local economy, he said in a statement. Im deeply concerned that this reckless move will cost good-paying local jobs jobs that protect our communities from fraudulent actors and the greed of big banks. Among the other Philadelphia leases flagged by DOGE for cancellation are a 42,995-square-foot office space leased by the U.S. Department of Education. Records show that office is in the Wanamaker Building, which is largely vacant and in foreclosure. Staff data reporter Chris Williams contributed reporting. Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, seen here in City Council chambers, has been shifting deputies' responsibilities after the courts in December gave her a 90-day deadline to secure the city courthouses. She had initially downplayed the severity of the crisis. Read more At a probation hearing last Friday at Philadelphias Criminal Justice Center, Common Pleas Court Judge Roxanne Covington ordered a defendant to report to the citys probation offices at Seventh and Market this week for a drug screening. That, a probation officer responded, would not be possible. Advertisement We wont have any sheriffs, the officer, John Masterson, told the judge. Covington was perplexed. Youre saying probation doesnt have any security? she asked. Masterson confirmed that was the case, at least for the next week. The reason: The Adult Probation and Parole Department, which also houses the Sheriffs Offices warrant unit, had been secured for years by deputies, who essentially did double duty. But the Sheriffs Office on Friday abruptly moved the unit and its officers to Family Court at 15th and Arch Streets to help safeguard its courtrooms. As a result, probation officers have been forced to indefinitely replace in-person visits with virtual ones. And drug tests that took place inside the Market Street building have also been temporarily suspended. The sudden redeployment comes as Sheriff Rochelle Bilal addresses major security lapses inside city courthouses by shuffling deputies from one unit to another. The Inquirer reported in September that security-related incidents at the CJC and four other court buildings had skyrocketed under Bilal, who took office in 2020. The deputy shortage had left some courtrooms unsecured and caused delays in criminal trials and hearings as prisoners waited for deputies to escort them from jail cells to court. Last year, the incidents which include violent acts, vandalism, and threats were occurring at a rate of six every month, or a roughly threefold increase from 2019, under the previous sheriff, Jewell Williams. In December, a panel of judges that oversees Philadelphia court operations filed a court order demanding that Bilal staff up the citys main courthouses within 90 days. That deadline is next week, which one courthouse official said prompted the sudden shift of deputies out of the probation department to add more security to Family Court. Security has improved in recent months, judges say, now that more deputies are being sent to the citys main courthouses. But critics warn that could also lead to shortfalls elsewhere in the sheriffs office, which has struggled to perform some of its core functions, like holding tax sales. Bilal and her spokespeople did not respond to a request for comment for this article, and have not responded to any questions from The Inquirer since last summer. Tens of thousands impacted Last Thursday, the First Judicial District informed probation and court officials that effective the following day access to the main probation office on Market Street would be restricted to employees only, due to the reassignment of the sheriffs security detail there to Family Court. As an interim and temporary security measure, access to 714 Market St. will be limited only to [Adult Probation and Parole Department] and Pretrial employees, the memo reads. As a result, all client contact with APPD and Pretrial that was previously conducted in-person at 714 Market will be conducted remotely or in the field. In the meantime, probationers will be expected to report to their probation officers by video call. If they dont have video access, they can use booths at a Neighborhood Resource Center, a satellite facility that offers services to formerly incarcerated men and women. Defendants with ankle monitors will have them removed at their homes, rather than at the Market Street office. The move, which will affect tens of thousands of people under court-ordered supervision, follows a recent violent incident at the Family Court building that saw at least one deputy injured, according to two court officials. The officials declined to be named in order to discuss matters of security frankly. Last year, in the same building, a video shared online by a Fox29 reporter showed an unconscious man lying facedown in the hallway while two other men continued to fight and a lone sheriffs deputy struggled to break it up. Bilal has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the security crisis, describing The Inquirers September report as akin to yelling fire in a non-burning building. This pattern of fearmongering not only distorts the truth but also jeopardizes the safety and well-being of the citizens we are sworn to protect, her office said in a statement at the time. Judges, however, had described the deputy shortage as a disaster waiting to happen and an emergency situation, while prosecutors and defense attorneys complained about cases being delayed because deputies were not available to transport jailed defendants to courtrooms from the basement of the CJC. In December, the Administrative Governing Board of the First Judicial District filed a court order stating that the sheriffs offices systemic failures to properly staff court buildings pose an imminent threat to the safety and health of all persons present in the courthouses. The panel of judges wrote that it had repeatedly tried to resolve the crisis with Bilal and her staff to no avail. After the order, courthouse security appears to have improved, judges say at least in the citys main criminal courthouse. Still a serious shortage Richard T. McSorley, a court administrator for the citys First Judicial District, acknowledged last week that the sheriff had promptly responded to the court order, submitting a draft plan to the courts to address the shortcomings of their duties. He said in a statement that a reallocation of resources within the Sheriffs Office had led to more deputies being present at CJC. [T]he Sheriff has made progress in providing timely prisoner transportation and increased security in our courtrooms, McSorely said. But Bilal has been forced to resort to reshuffling deputies from other buildings to achieve these gains because of ongoing issues with recruitment. McSorely acknowledged that only minor increases had been made to Bilals complement of deputies. While the FJD appreciates the progress made, both sides are well aware that there is still a serious shortage of Sheriff Deputies, he wrote. The Sheriff Department has provided increased security in our main courthouses, but security in other FJD or Court facilities must still be addressed. Benjamin Lerner, a retired Common Pleas judge, questioned whether shifting deputies around would weaken the citys probation system. He said the overnight change to probation operations appeared to be rushed. Subbing in-person probation officer meetings with virtual meetings is definitely not going to increase the effectiveness of probation supervision, Lerner said. You had all this time, and this is all you could come up with? Its a last-minute solution. Some court officials acknowledged that aspects of Bilals plan had come together haphazardly as judges ratcheted up the pressure to get more deputies into courtrooms. Were building the plane as were flying it, said one court source with knowledge of the changes but not authorized to speak publicly. But the plane will be flying. Its not going to crash and burn. Struggling to perform Court administrators declined to comment in detail on Bilals other staffing changes, but court sources and observations by Inquirer reporters confirmed that deputies from other sheriffs office units have been increasingly visible in court, apparently to beef up security. About one fifth of the sheriffs 274 deputies are assigned to specialized details, like internal affairs, civil-enforcement, and warrant service, which pursues criminal fugitives and enforces protection-from-abuse orders. On a recent weekday morning, members of some of those units were instead visible performing guard duties at city courthouses. Some departments were already struggling to perform their duties. The sheriffs warrant unit, for example, has lagged behind on enforcement of protection-from-abuse orders. A 2023 Inquirer report found that only 13% of PFA orders filed between 2020 and 2023 were marked as complete and that firearm relinquishment occurred in 16% of cases. The sheriffs civil-enforcement unit has also seen a major increase in its workload, following the implosion of Philadelphias landlord-tenant officer system. A private attorney who had been charged by the courts with enforcing most evictions bowed out last summer amid a string of high-profile shooting incidents, and those functions defaulted to Bilals civil-enforcement unit. While some judges have welcomed the increased deputy presence in courthouses, those changes are only a short-term fix. Recruiting new sheriff deputies has been difficult in recent years, as the Philadelphia police department and other law enforcement agencies boost their own hiring efforts following officer shortages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and social-justice protests of 2020. In addition to increased competition for new recruits, Bilal has blamed the deputy shortage on a small annual hiring window and a lengthy training process that requires recruits to stay overnight at a facility near State College, Pa., hours from the city. Considering these challenges, we are in the process of making it a more seamless process which will be announced, Bilals office said in September. Bilal did not respond to questions about whether any such changes have been made. An exterior of the Veterans Village building in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. Read more The troubles at a 47-unit affordable-housing complex serving veterans began with a nuisance tenant and peaked in late December when two women broke into the complex and one of them set a small trash can full of clothes on fire in front of his unit. As the suspects fled, sprinklers went off throughout the Frankford building. The fire was quickly contained but not before gallons of water poured through the building, causing extensive damage. Advertisement Months later, residents continue to live with the fallout of the traumatic arson incident as the nonprofit behind the building navigates the slow insurance process and seeks philanthropic help to make repairs. The hallways are still in a renovation state where theres some rugs torn up, said U.S. Navy veteran Rubin Rios, 68. Every floor has repair needs. Veterans Village is a $6.5 million complex that opened in 2023. It serves veterans who have experienced housing insecurity, need affordable housing, and live with PTSD or other health issues. On rare occasion, a tenant will struggle to adjust to the community the target of the arson incident was evicted in February after a yearlong legal battle. Still, much of the appeal of Veterans Village lies in the camaraderie among residents, said Rios, who was quick to host one of his neighbors for a night as loud dehumidifiers ran in his apartment after it was drenched in water that December afternoon. Building management said the sprinkler system worked as designed by going off across the building. But by the time firefighters shut off the system, which only they can do, approximately 23 units of the building, common areas, and hallways sustained water damage. Dana Spain, founder of the nonprofit behind Veterans Village, said water-remediation workers had to act quickly to prevent mold. Workers had to cut out baseboards and flooring, and some tenants have big square pieces missing from their drywall. So people are living in, unfortunately, in sort of a quasi-demolition zone, Spain said. READ MORE: Veterans Village offers affordable apartments and a sense of community to military families in Philly Spain is eager to begin renovations and is asking for support from philanthropists and volunteers. The Veterans Villages nonprofit has been working with insurers to assess the extent of the damage. Spain said the two bids submitted by general contractors exceeded the cost estimate provided by insurers. She expects that the nonprofit will be on the hook for at least $25,000. Spain hopes that Good Samaritans can help close the gap by donating either money or materials. All of our paint is Sherwin-Williams, Spain said. So if somebody said, We own a Sherwin-Williams franchise, well give you $1,000 worth of paint and supplies, whatever that might be, that would be helpful. Spain said though residents arent uncomfortable, the trauma of the incident itself and delays in repairs prompted at least three veterans to move out and prospective residents to withdraw their applications. The Philadelphia Housing Authority wont give the green light to the now-available units until the holes in the drywall are fixed, Spain said. Rios said the immediate weeks after the fire were the most taxing for residents. He took in, overnight, one of his neighbors who returned to soaked floors and a closet full of wet clothes. In the days after, residents had to run dehumidifiers in their apartments and Rios said they were surprised to see how much energy they had used when electric bills came many residents are low-income and had to seek financial assistance. Then there was the resentment that tenants felt toward the neighbor who was the target of the arson incident and whom the nonprofit had been trying to evict for close to a year for violating his lease. But Rios said it feels like the building is on the other side of the stress. The targeted tenant was finally evicted and banned from the building in February. Veterans Villages the nonprofits name is plural, though the complexs name is singular added full-time security guards. The suspect who set the fire in a trash can remains in custody at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center. She faces charges including criminal trespassing, arson, and making terroristic threats. Meanwhile, Veterans Villages plans to begin repairs once it can choose from three competitive bids. Though Rios laments having to go through the stress of the fire evacuation and dealing with the subsequent damage, he hopes the tenants can come out better for it. Most of us are single folks, a couple of ladies veterans as well, looking for a place to be safe and comfortable, he said. We obviously want a place where we could be OK with fellow comrades. Unfortunately, sometimes you need a purge to get things a little better. George E. Norcross III is flanked by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (left) and former Gov. Chris Christie (right) at Cooper University Hospital in Camden in January. Read more Democrats have good reason to be terrified President Donald Trump will twist the law out of shape to attack his enemies and help his friends. Already, principled prosecutors are resigning in protest, and Trump is only getting started. But what if a Democratic prosecutor is guided by the same low motives? Will Democrats protest that, as well? Advertisement Thats the question raised by the smashing victory of George E. Norcross III, the indicted South Jersey political boss who was just cleared of criminal wrongdoing, spending what he estimates was $5 million on his defense, not to mention the countless hours of preparation and a massive dose of stress since he was indicted last June. Norcross and his team charge that Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin is the Trump of this story, abusing his office to promote his political career by trying to burn Norcross at the stake. Norcross is a conservative Democrat who made common cause with former Gov. Chris Christie and has never been forgiven by the progressive wing of the party, where Platkin lives. Hes ruled over his fiefdom in South Jersey with an iron fist for more than two decades, flipping the south from red to blue in 2001, and securing a Democratic majority in the Legislature thats lasted a generation. Still, hes despised not just by progressives, but by many Democrats outside his region who resent his bullying and arrogance, and say his political power has enabled him to enrich himself and his friends. So, yes, if Platkin were the man to finally dethrone Norcross, that could be a giant political score. He thinks progressives will hoist him on his shoulders and bring him to public office somewhere, and hes dreaming, Norcross told me in a phone interview after the dismissal. Platkin is appealing the loss. He denies any political motive, though he wont rule out a run for office. This is not about political ambition, he told me. Sometimes people do things because they feel its the right thing to do. We cant peer into Platkins heart to know for sure. But the deeper you look into this case, the more suspicious it looks. Platkin didnt just lose; he got spanked. His prosecution was so far out of line that the judge dismissed the indictment before a jury could even consider it. Thats rare, as even Platkin concedes. Even if you assume every fact presented in the indictment is true, Judge Peter Warshaw ruled, Platkin would still lose because nothing the indictment describes amounts to a crime. What Platkin called extortion, the judge found, was just tough bargaining between two hard-nosed businessmen. And even if a crime took place, the judge ruled, it all happened so long ago that the statute of limitations has run out. Platkin didnt just lose; he got spanked. In other words, this was not even close. Federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania and New Jersey had investigated Norcross during this same period and never filed charges. It seems they agreed with the judge that no crime took place. If Trumps prosecutors filed a flawed case like this against a political enemy, Democrats would squeal like stuck pigs. But so far, weve heard almost none of that. Former Senate President Steve Sweeney, a Norcross ally who is running for governor, described the indictment as a political prosecution, and Republican leaders called for Platkins impeachment, citing this case and a few other high-profile, failed prosecutions by Platkins corruption unit. But most Democrats were silent, or supportive. Sen. Andy Kim, a hero to progressives after bringing down the machine candidate, first lady Tammy Murphy, in last years Senate primary, said Platkin was trying to change our broken politics and taking on the hard fights that many shy away from. And one leading progressive, Antoinette Miles of the Working Families Party, slammed the judge for dismissing the case, decrying it as a mockery of the justice system. Trump makes no secret of his political designs. When his team lifted charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, they explicitly said the decision was political, based on Adams willingness to help Trump on immigration enforcement, and that it was not about the merits of the case against him. Prosecutorial misconduct is usually more subtle. But its always intolerable, from the left or right. Tom Moran is a columnist for Advance Media and former editorial page editor at the Star-Ledger in Newark. James M. Olson (left), a former chief of counterintelligence for the Central Intelligence Agency, with Christopher Annas, founder and president of Meridian Bank. Annas' bank hosted Olson for a talk Feb. 27 on strategic and economic issues facing the second Trump administration with the bank's investors, business clients, and other guests, in Villanova. Read more James M. Olson, former CIA chief of counterintelligence who later set up intelligence studies at Texas A&Ms Bush School of Government and Public Service, stopped by the Inn at Villanova to talk to friends and customers of Christopher Annas Meridian Bank on Feb. 27. The bank gave out copies of Olsons 2021 book To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence. Before the event, Olson, 83, agreed to talk to The Inquirer about economic and strategic issues amid what he calls radical changes by the new Trump administration. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. President Donald Trump talks about bringing back U.S. steel mills, shipyards, and other heavy industry despite the lack of interest from U.S. investors and workers. Why is Trump pushing in this direction? We need our industries back. President Trump feels that way, and he has a whole toolbox of incentives. I think we will see some progress here. Redirecting the military acquisition process is smart. Our Navy aircraft carriers are done. They are too vulnerable. Too much expense, too many people in one target. Advertisement We are going to mobile, faster, smaller task forces, using seaborne missiles. Drones are a big part of the future in intelligence as well as the military. Our satellite fleet is aging. A drone can get better pictures, more safely, at lower cost. The EU ambassador said recently in Philadelphia that Europe is united in support of Ukraine and the existential threat of Russia led by Vladimir Putin. Why is the Trump administration aligning more with Putin? This is not business as usual. There has been a radical transformation of U.S. security policy. Any resemblance with Bidens foreign policy is coincidental. Trump is very money-conscious. By stepping back from Europe, Trump sees big savings. Some of our actions are forcing more unity. They may have to unite and go without the support they had from the United States in the past. NATO is in jeopardy. I regret that. We cant turn our back on Europe. They are very apprehensive. Ukraine has reinforced the whole concept that there is a threat from the East. The Europeans have to work together to stay strong and be realistic about the threat. Its time for European countries to step up. [After the Feb. 28 confrontation between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Olson gave this update: I was appalled. I think it was bullying. I felt sorry for Zelensky. His country has suffered so much. He deserved better. ... I dont quibble with Trumps position that we need more security guarantees, maybe in collaboration with the Europeans, some peacekeepers on the ground. But Zelensky deserved respect. I hope we can salvage this.] Can there be a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine? We have to do business while holding our nose. We cannot have an agreement without having a dialogue between Trump and Putin. I believe the elements of a negotiated peace settlement are there. Both sides want to stop the killing. The Russians lost far more people in three years in Ukraine than in 10 years in Afghanistan. And there is resistance [in Russia] to Putin. He cant ignore that. They need to rejoin the community of nations. Zelensky also has a real stake in ending the slaughter of his people and rebuilding the country. I can see a package in which Russia will keep some of the Russian-speaking territory in eastern Ukraine. Putin has to save face. He cannot be that long in the war and end with nothing. And he gets Crimea. Zelensky gets a guarantee to see the country rebuilt. NATO is off the table Zelensky will resist that, but we can give him security guarantees. Is the Trump administration backing out of Europe to focus on threats from China? There is no doubt in my mind or in the minds of people in intelligence that China is the number-one threat. If I were starting my career today, I would learn Mandarin. The action is in China. Do you see signs that tighter Communist control is hurting the Chinese economy? I dont see any slowing in their espionage. I dont see any retraction in their overriding view of supplanting American leadership: economic, digital, political, military. What I see as a counterintelligence officer is a massive assault. The Russians were a subversion threat, an espionage threat. The Chinese are several magnitudes above that. They are coming at us from every direction. We are not prepared enough. We disbanded the China initiative at the FBI because we were ethnically profiling Chinese. But we cannot ignore that the Chinese intelligence services are targeting ethnic Chinese Americans. Thats not our doing. You were CIA station chief in Mexico. How can the U.S. fight drug cartels there? I believe we have enough economic and trade levers over Mexico that we can twist to get more cooperation. I think the signs are good that we can work together more closely. We need Mexico to help us with immigration on their side of the border and to do a better job going after traffickers. The cartels are running wild. Palantir CEO Alexander C. Karp, a Philly native, in The Technological Republic complains that young Americans dont want to serve the government or military. Is he right? There had been a turn-away from the government for young people. The desire to serve our country in the Cold War was like a crusade. We felt we were doing something noble in fighting this existential threat of communism. Thats why I joined up. It was a difficult career. I lost a lot of classmates [in Afghanistan and the Middle East]. We have too many stars on our Wall of Honor. But now we are getting a lot of really high-quality young men and women who come to us. They want to be spies. I think there has been a shift toward a little more patriotism on the part of the young. Weve got more applicants than we can handle. The chamber of the House of Representatives, where President Donald Trump will address Congress and the nation Tuesday night. Read more President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress Tuesday, his first major address since having clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House Friday. Its unclear how much the president will mention Ukraine in his speech. On Monday, Trump ordered a pause on military assistance to Ukraine the U.S. had been providing since Russias invasion in 2022, the Associated Press reported. Trump has pushed for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, but has repeatedly criticized Zelensky and increasingly aligned himself with the Kremlin and Russian president Vladimir Putin. Advertisement The speech also comes as a government shutdown looms in Washington, D.C. Republicans control the House and Senate, but dont appear close to a deal ahead of a March 14 deadline. Trump has complicated negotiations by freezing spending previously approved by Congress. Just one example is in Montgomery County, where officials say they have yet to receive millions of dollars in assistance to keep residents in their homes and off the streets. Its likely Trump will tout his moves to dramatically overhaul the size of the federal government, having turned to billionaire Elon Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency to layoff tens of thousands of federal workers many of whom work in Philadelphia. In some cases, Musk and his team have been too aggressive in cutting jobs the Tesla and SpaceX CEO admitted accidentally ending Ebola protection, had to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers, and called for retired air traffic controllers to return to the Federal Aviation Administration. Theres also the question of Trumps tariffs, which are taxes on imported goods. Tariffs on Mexico and Canada were set to go into effect Tuesday, and Trump announced Monday plans to impose new tariffs on agricultural imports beginning April 2. The address will air on all major broadcast networks and cable news channels to an expected audience of 30 million to 35 million viewers. It will also be streamed live online. Heres what you need to know: What time does Trumps address to a joint session of Congress start and end? Trump is expected to begin his address live from the Capitol shortly after 9 p.m. It will air live on all broadcast networks and cable news channels, and is available to stream here on Inquirer.com, courtesy of PBS: Over the past 20 years, State of the Union-style speeches have averaged about one hour and three minutes, but Trumps speeches during his first term ran longer, averaging about an hour and 15 minutes. Using both as benchmarks, expect Trumps address to end sometime around 10:10 p.m. Eastern. Why Trumps speech isnt a State of the Union address Trumps speech will have blanket television coverage and all the pomp and circumstance of previous speeches, but it isnt technically a State of the Union address. The president delivers remarks at the invitation of the speaker of the House. Speaker of the House Mike Johnsons invitation welcomed Trump to deliver an address, a recognition the president needs to be in office a full year before giving an official State of the Union. Every president since Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953 has addressed a joint session of Congress shortly after their inauguration. That includes Trump, whose first speech took place on Feb. 28, 2017. As for the annual speech itself, the Constitution states the president shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. George Washington, in 1790, was the first to deliver a regular address to Congress. The address has transformed over the years, shifting from a speech to a written statement, and back to a speech with the advent of radio and later television. Since 1947, it has officially been known as the State of the Union. Who is delivering the Democratic response? Following Trumps address, Democrats will offer their own message about the direction of the country in a rebuttal delivered by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D., Mich.). Slotkin was elected to Michigans open Senate seat during the 2024 election, despite Trump winning the state. She is a former CIA analyst and Department of Defense official who served during the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The public expects leaders to level with them on whats actually happening in our country, Slotkin said in a statement. From our economic security to our national security, weve got to chart a way forward that actually improves peoples lives in the country we all love, and Im looking forward to laying that out. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D., N.Y.) will deliver the Spanish-language response just three days after Trump signed an executive order making English the official language of the United States, a first in the nations 248-year history. U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D., Calif.) of the progressive Working Families Party will deliver a separate rebuttal to Trumps speech. How are the networks covering the speech? ABC Start time: 9 p.m. Anchor: World News Tonight anchor David Muir Streaming: Live coverage on ABC News Live and ABCNews.com Local affiliate: 6abc (Channel 6) CBS Start time: 9 p.m. Anchors: CBS Evening News co-anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois and Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan Streaming: Live coverage on CBS News 24/7 and CBSNews.com Local affiliate: CBS3 (Channel 3) Fox Start time: 9 p.m. Anchor: Fox News Sunday anchor Shannon Bream Streaming: Live coverage on Fox29.com at 9 p.m. Local affiliate: FOX 29 (Channel 29) NBC Start time: 9 p.m. Anchor: NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt and TODAY coanchor Savannah Guthrie Streaming: Live coverage NBC News NOW at 8 p.m. and NBCNews.com at 9 p.m. Local affiliate: NBC10 (Channel 10) PBS Start time: 9 p.m. Anchor: PBS News co-anchors Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett Streaming: Live coverage on PBS YouTube account Local affiliate: WHYY-TV (Channel 12) How are the cable networks covering the speech? C-SPAN Start time: 8 p.m. Anchor: C-SPAN host Peter Slen Streaming: Live coverage on C-SPAN.org CNN Start time: 8 p.m. Anchors: The Lead anchor Jake Tapper and OutFront anchor Erin Burnett Streaming: Live coverage on CNN.com and across mobile devices through the CNN app Fox News Start time: 9 p.m. Anchors: Special Report anchor Bret Baier and The Story anchor Martha MacCallum Streaming: Live coverage on FoxNews.com and Fox Nation at 9 p.m. MSNBC Start time: 8 p.m. Anchor: The Rachel Maddow Show host Rachel Maddow Streaming: Live coverage on MSNBC.com NewsNation "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the autism spectrum are among the most disadvantaged and marginalised communities, and we are committed to ensuring they receive the support they need to achieve their learning potential," said Brid Corrigan, Aspect education learning and leadership national manager. Cyclonic wind gusts of up to 125 km/h are also possible near the systems core, with a broader area facing damaging winds between 90 and 125 km/h. These conditions could bring down trees and power lines, cause structural damage, and lead to crop losses. Meanwhile, waves of up to eight metres are expected along the coastline, with potential coastal erosion and storm surge impacts, particularly during high tide. Alongside this research effort, Zurich has begun implementing initiatives based on feedback from roundtable participants. The company is rolling out mental health and vicarious trauma training for its claims team and working with the University of Technology Sydney to explore how artificial intelligence could be used to better understand the causes of mental ill-health. CPS 230 at Steadfasts FY24 results presentation At Steadfast Groups FY24 results presentation last year, an analyst asked that firms leaders about merger and acquisition (M&A) opportunities that could present themselves as CPS 230 plays out. The analyst asked if Steadfast has had any discussions yet with smaller agencies that may struggle under the regulation once it comes into force? Before her tenure at Munich Re, Gigleux spent over six years at New Reinsurance Company Ltd. (NewRe), where she held various positions within the casualty underwriting team. She joined NewRe in 2016 as an assistant casualty underwriter, focusing on UK liability and Greece and Cyprus. She was later promoted to casualty associate underwriter and subsequently casualty underwriter, responsible for France, Benelux, Greece, and Cyprus. In 2021, she advanced to senior casualty underwriter, taking responsibility for non-motor liability accounts placed in the London Market. AM Best reported that one of the most significant revisions would allow captives to underwrite any line of insurance or reinsurance, as long as it is deemed appropriate by the states insurance commissioner. This would eliminate the current rule that limits captives to specific lines of business. The future of home insurance in disaster-prone states State regulators are beginning to acknowledge the unsustainable trajectory of their insurance markets. California recently introduced new rules allowing insurers to use forward-looking risk models and pass along reinsurance costs to policyholders. But these reforms come with a catch: insurers must offer coverage in high-risk areas, which may not be enough to lure them back. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Laras delay in approving a long-sought rate hike for State Farm may be the final straw for the insurer, which has already stopped writing new policies in the state. Despite strenuous efforts to control rising insurance costs, most Citizens Property Insurance policyholders will see their premiums increase in 2025. The state-backed insurer is raising rates by an average of 8.6%, despite claims from Governor Ron DeSantis suggesting a statewide reduction. Only 20% of Citizens customers will receive lower rates this year, while the majority will experience rate hikes, with non-primary residences and mobile homes facing the highest increases. Concerns over Citizens' financial stability continue to mount, with DeSantis recently stating that the insurer is not solvent and could face serious challenges if a major hurricane strikes the state. For USAA and the broader insurance industry, the ruling reinforces the importance of thorough claim investigations and the ability to challenge fraudulent or unsupported claims. Insurers will likely point to this case as an example of how policyholders must engage in good faith negotiations rather than obstructing legal proceedings. During mediation of the case, a dispute arose over who had the right to consent to a settlement under the policy. The trustees claimed that since Levine had declared bankruptcy, the right to settle under the policy had transferred to the bankruptcy estate. The insurer, however, maintained that the policy required Levines consent, not the trustees'. To resolve this dispute, the trustees sued Philadelphia Indemnity, seeking a court declaration that they controlled the right to settle. Legal experts believe this decision will limit the use of the Rycroft defense in cases where an employer is aware of a workers past injuries but allows them to continue working. This shift reinforces the core principle of workers' compensation law: that employees injured on the job should receive benefits regardless of prior medical history unless there is clear and immediate employer reliance on false information at the time of hiring. According to Zurich, Greens medical records showed that she had been treated by over 45 doctors or facilities, many of whom dismissed her as a patient due to her behavior or failure to follow medical instructions. The insurance company also cited incidents such as Green demanding the premature removal of her surgical cast, which allegedly led to an infection, and evidence suggesting that she may have tampered with her wound. The Louisiana Department of Insurance will hold a public hearing on March 28 to discuss the rule's implementation. The meeting will address clarifications, including the inclusion of mobile homes in the three-year rule, how the department will define a concentration of non-renewals, and data submission requirements for carriers. The rule was signed into law in May 2024. The role of technology With the increasing number of secondary perils in places historically unfamiliar with them, initial structures may not be equipped to withstand them. Not only do these events impact at the time, but they have significant aftershocks as well, beyond the clean up. For example, California now has a burn scar from the fires that wont allow as much water from the next flood, mudslide, or landslide to absorb into the ground as it usually would, and there arent as many natural barriers to protect structures either. As we continue to grow and evolve, it is critical that our brand reflects the strength of our people, our expertise, and our commitment to helping clients move faster and go further, said Dave Obenauer, chief executive officer of CRC Group. This transition will enable us to present a clearer, more unified message while reinforcing our leadership in the marketplace. Delaware has begun a program that promises to reduce premiums for 2025 crop insurance plans for producers who had an eligible plan in 2024. The reduction is equal to 30% of the 2024 total premium with a maximum of $10 per covered acre for multi-peril crop insurance, Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP), or livestock insurance premium. The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) has officially launched the Delaware Agricultural Production Insurance Assistance Program in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agricultures Risk Management Agency (RMA). The state has authorized $2 million for the program. Delaware farmers who signed up for a crop insurance policy in 2024 will automatically receive a reduced premium for 2025 plans. Through an agreement between Delaware and RMA, the premium reduction will be applied to all eligible 2025 plans. Crop insurance protects farmers from weather, environmental, and economic conditions that can result in low crop yields and insufficient income. Delaware farmers obtained 2,440 crop insurance policies in 2024, insuring 309,873 acres. For the 2024 crop year, Delaware producers received nearly $9.14 million in indemnities. This type of crop insurance program is unique in that it was a bipartisan effort that originated in Delaware to help protect Delaware producers and our agriculture industry, said Secretary of Agriculture Don Clifton. This program is based upon a farmers choices in their risk management strategy and helping them select the right insurance plan for protecting their revenue. Delaware is encouraging producers to contact their crop insurance agent for more information. Producers who did not have an eligible plan in 2024 are encouraged to sign up for 2025 coverage now to receive this benefit on their 2026 premium. Catastrophic risk protection policies are not eligible for this program, but Delaware said it anticipates that producers will use the cost savings to enhance their coverage. The Delaware Agricultural Production Insurance Assistance Program was established through HB 87 and signed into law in 2024. Topics Agribusiness Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of New Zealand-based RMA General Ltd. (RMA) and its associated insurance broking businesses. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. RMA provides commercial and personal insurance products as well as tailored life and health solutions to clients throughout New Zealand. Josh Adams and his team will operate under the direction of Carl OShea, head of Gallaghers New Zealand retail brokerage operations. RMA has a client-focused culture like our own and will expand our brokerage capabilities in New Zealand, said J. Patrick Gallagher Jr., chairman and CEO. I am delighted to welcome Josh and his associates to our growing, global team. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., the Rolling Meadows, Illinois-headquartered insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, provides these services in approximately 130 countries around the world through its owned operations and a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. Source: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions A.J. Gallagher Brookfield Wealth Solutions is entering the UK pension insurance market, it said on Monday, as the Canadian financial giant looks to tap into strong demand from companies to offload their pension scheme risks to insurers. The move subject to final regulatory approvals would mark the arrival of a rare newly authorized entrant into the UK pension insurance market, and one armed with Brookfields sizeable financial firepower. Brookfield Wealth Solutions, which was spun out of the sprawling Brookfield Corporation in 2021, expects to begin operations later this quarter under the Blumont Annuity UK brand, it said in a statement. Bulk annuities are a form of insurance whereby a companys pension plan offloads liabilities to an insurer. Reuters reported in 2023 that Brookfield was considering entering the UK market and scanning the sector for potential deals to access bulk annuities. British pension insurance deals totaled 45 billion pounds ($57.1 billion) in 2024, with 40 billion to 50 billion pounds in deals expected this year along with new entrants into the sector, adviser LCP said in a report last month. LCP said on Monday that Brookfield would be the first new bulk annuity issuer to be authorized since Rothesay in 2007. It is the fourth entrant to the market in 18 months, after M&G, Royal London and Utmost, which were already authorized. We expect Blumont to have deep capacity, building on their track record in the U.S. and Canadian markets, with significant capital to deploy, said Charlie Finch, partner at LCP. Life insurers such as Aviva, Legal & General and Phoenix have expanded in recent years into the profitable but competitive market with companies eager to offload pension scheme risk from their balance sheets. With more than $140 billion in total assets, we look forward to serving the retirement needs of UK pensioners for the long term, said Sachin Shah, CEO of Brookfield Wealth Solutions. ($1 = 0.7885 pounds) (Reporting by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes; editing by Iain Withers and Jan Harvey) This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Argenta Syndicate Management and Specialty MGA UK. A summary of these new hires follows here. Wilson Named Deputy Chair of Argenta Syndicate Mgmt as Whiter Steps Down Argenta Holdings Ltd., the London-based subsidiary of Hannover Re, announced the appointment of Paul Wilson as deputy chair of Argenta Syndicate Management Ltd (ASML) and as a non-executive director of Argenta Holdings Ltd. (AHL), subject to regulatory approval. John Whiter will step down as chair of ASML on July 1, 2025, following 16 years of leadership. As part of this transition, Wilson will succeed Whiter as chair of ASML, subject to regulatory approval. Wilson brings over 35 years of experience in financial and professional services, including leadership roles at Bain & Co. in London, where he led the Financial Services Practice and contributed to the restructuring of the Lloyds market. He has served as a non-executive director for AXA XL UK, AXA XL Dublin, RJ Kiln, Brewin Dolphin, and Unigestion. Wilsons expertise includes governance, strategic leadership, and driving growth in global organizations. In addition, he chairs the Board of Trustees for Action Against Hunger, an international charity committed to fighting child malnutrition in 55 countries worldwide. Under Whiters stewardship, ASML has significantly expanded its underwriting capabilities, with Syndicate 2121 and SPA 6134 now managing 800 million and 133 million in underwriting capacity, respectively, the company said. Whiter also played a pivotal role in Argentas 2017 acquisition by Hannover Re, securing the companys long-term position within one of the worlds largest reinsurers. Pauls appointment reflects our commitment to building a strong leadership team as we continue to drive Argentas strategic goals forward. With his extensive experience in financial services and a proven track record in governance, strategy, and growth, Paul is well-equipped to lead ASML through its next phase of development, according to Nick Moore, CEO of Argenta Group. On behalf of the entire organisation, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to John Whiter for his outstanding leadership and dedication. His contributions have been instrumental in shaping Argentas success, and we are deeply appreciative of his lasting impact. About Argenta Argenta Holdings Ltd. is the parent company of Argenta Syndicate Management Ltd. (ASML) and of Argenta Private Capital Ltd. (APCL), which provides investor capacity to the Lloyds market of 5.1 billion for 2025. ASML is a Lloyds managing agency, housing the Argenta Groups underwriting operations, Argenta Syndicate 2121 and SPA 6134. Syndicate 2121 has total underwriting capacity for 2025 of 800 million split between: property both direct (including power/utilities) and treaty; energy and marine; terrorism; casualty (including financial lines) and political risks. Hannover Re supports 100% of the 133 million underwriting capacity of SPA 6134 which provides quota share reinsurance to Syndicate 2121 as the host syndicate. *** Specialty MGA UK Hires Hussain as Head of Political, Credit Risk in New Business Launch Specialty MGA UK has hired Amir Hussain as head of Political and Credit Risk, as it opens a new business line and looks to become a key player in the political risk market. Hussain has worked as a credit analyst at Barclays, as well as underwriting for Lloyds syndicates including Brit and Hamilton. He specializes in political risk, contract frustration and credit risk, and has experience of building from scratch and managing a global book of business. Initially, he will be focused on reaching out to the market and underwriting a sound book of business. However, over time Hussain and Specialty MGA UK will look to grow the team and increase the capacity they bring to the market. Amirs background of rapidly developing business in international political risk means he is a fantastic addition to the team. Now is the right time for us to enter the market, given that there are global opportunities as demand for cover continues to rise, commented MNK Group Chairman Manoj Kumar. Topics Trends Excess Surplus Insurance Wholesale Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird last week announced lawsuits against Bitcoin Depot and CoinFlip, Iowas two largest cryptocurrency ATM operators, over their failures that allowed Iowans to transfer millions of dollars to scammers through their kiosks. In October 2023, the Iowa Attorney Generals office launched a first-of-its-kind investigation into cryptocurrency ATM companies. The office subpoenaed 14 total crypto ATM companies for a list of Iowans who had sent money through their kiosks. The office then contacted those Iowans by phone and email. It also investigated complaints, police reports, and self-reported scams. The investigation revealed that hundreds of Iowans sent more than $20 million through Bitcoin Depot and CoinFlip ATMs in a less than 3-year period. The majority of scam victims were over the age of 60. Con artists are evil and will stop at nothing to steal everything you have, said Attorney General Bird. We already know that they target older Iowans, but now it seems that they even hunt through obituaries to target widows. They convince these older women that they need help, and then send their victims to crypto ATMs. And the crypto ATM companies take a cut of the profits. Its not just wrong, its illegal. Im fighting to get Iowans their money back and force the crypto ATM companies to make big changes. No Iowan should get ripped off like this. The investigation also exposed how cryptocurrency ATMs profit off of Iowans getting scammed. Bitcoin Depot takes a 23% cut of the money Iowans send through the machines, and CoinFlip claims 21%. The lawsuits allege that both Bitcoin Depot and CoinFlip profit directly from Iowa scam victims by imposing excessive, and often hidden, transaction fees. It also alleges that Bitcoin Depot deceives Iowans about its refund policy. Attorney General Bird is suing both companies for violating the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act. The investigation into crypto ATM companies is ongoing. Source: Iowa Attorney Generals Office Topics Lawsuits Iowa Kraken said the US Securities and Exchange Commission has agreed in principle to drop its lawsuit against the cryptocurrency exchange, the latest in a series of dismissals of legal actions against crypto companies by the market regulator. There will be no admission of wrongdoing, no penalties paid and no changes to the business, Kraken said in a blog post Monday. A spokesperson for the SEC declined to comment. In the last month alone, the securities watchdog has dismissed or paused at least nine cases against crypto companies, including those that targeted some of the sectors most prominent faces. The running tally includes high-profile lawsuits against crypto exchanges Coinbase Global Inc and Binance Holdings Ltd. who were sued within one day of each other in mid-2023 as well as threats of legal action against Robinhood Markets Inc., Uniswap Labs and OpenSea. Related: SECs Demolition of Crypto Enforcement Met With Cheers as Well as Jeers In November 2023, the agency sued San Francisco-based Kraken for operating as an unregistered securities exchange, broker, dealer and clearing agency. Earlier that year, Kraken reached a settlement after the agency alleged that the firms cryptoasset staking service was an illegal sale of securities. Kraken agreed then to immediately cease offering staking services in the US and to pay $30 million in penalties. The company has since restarted the US staking business. A slew of enforcement actions were taken during the Biden administration after the collapse of the crypto exchange FTX in 2022. The SECs about-face came swiftly after the departure of former chair Gary Gensler, who stepped away in late January. He is expected to be replaced by former SEC commissioner Paul Atkins, with Mark Uyeda acting in the role while Atkins awaits confirmation. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump pledged to fire Gensler on his first day in office due to his unpopularity in crypto circles one of many promises made to the industry that bankrolled the Republican Partys return to majority power. His support buoyed Bitcoin, cryptos most valuable asset, to an all-time high on his inauguration day, though subsequent policy decisions on tariffs sent it down as much as 28% off the peak. Kraken co-founder Jesse Powell was a large contributor to Trumps campaign. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits As public perception and the legality of cannabis and other novel psychoactive substances continue to evolve, what emerging risks and litigation should insurance professionals keep an eye on? Last week, Verisk Analytics hosted a webinar to answer those questions and highlight trends associated with recreational marijuana, hemp-derived cannabis products and other substances. Subject matter experts also touched on psychedelic drugs and therapies. Cannabis Landscape Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis. Medical cannabis is legal in 40 states. To drive home a point of continued cannabis industry enthusiasm among advocates and a growing base of opposition, Laura Panesso, associate vice president of governmental relations at Verisk, shared that 16 states proposed legislation to legalize and regulate adult-use marijuana use last year. Interestingly enough, none of those passed, Panesso said. Voters also rang in on five ballot measures in 2024; only one, a medical cannabis measure in Nebraska, was approved. Seven states have proposed cannabis-related bills in 2025. On the federal level, President Donald Trump issued a statement before the election largely aligning himself with the Biden administration, where he affirmed that he supports legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, Panesso said. The president also voiced support for focusing on research to unlock the medical uses of marijuana to a Schedule 3 drug in a September post on Truth Social. The SAFER Banking Act is expected to be filed as a bill again this session but that introduction does not really appear to be imminent, as some reports have suggested, Panesso said. The act would provide a federal safe harbor protection to financial institutions, lenders, insurers and others serving the cannabis industry. Connection Between Marijuana Potency and Litigation Some of the growing litigation emerging in the cannabis market are starting to feature potency, according to Greg Scoblete, a principal on Verisks emerging issues team. The perception that marijuana is an essentially harmless substance may be a perception based on a marijuana product that may not really exist anymore, he explained. Marijuana studied by health researchers appears to be a significantly more potent product, he added, pointing to possible links between marijuana consumption and a range of potential mental health harms. The increasing number of lawsuits reportedly targeting entities within the cannabis market now includes allegations of personal injury tied to cannabis products. Now, its a small percentage of the overall legal activity thats been reported in the cannabis market, but given this health research Ive highlighted here, it is possible, at least in principle, that it may grow if more individuals experience adverse health impacts from cannabis consumption, Scoblete said of the personal injury allegations. Multiple product liability cases filed against one major cannabis brand allege that teenagers among others who consumed its products suffered from acute mental health problems, Scoblete shared. Meanwhile, a class action lawsuit alleges several cannabis firms mislabeled products to downplay potency and conform to the states legal limits. And in Minnesota, plaintiffs allege that dispensaries sold products that contained as much as 20 times the legal amount of THC. Interestingly, plaintiffs have also taken the other side, alleging the products they consumed were not potent enough, Scoblete explained. All of this sort of rolls into what appears to be a persistent issue within these legal marijuana markets: product testing, label accuracy, enforcement of testing and accuracy requirements, Scoblete said. This still appears to be a significant challenge. Hemp-Derived Cannabis Products Overview The 2018 Farm Bill, among other things, created a market for hemp products containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC, the molecule in marijuana responsible for creating a high. But legal hemp contains many psychoactive molecules in small quantities, Scoblete explained, and entities have mined them to create marijuana-like products that arent technically marijuana, creating an expanded universe of intoxicating hemp. Though not nearly as large on a market value basis as the market for marijuana products, they have grown rapidly into a multi-billion-dollar industry since 2018. Analysts have noted that these products appear to sell well in states that havent legalized recreational marijuana. Some of these are reportedly extremely potent, Scoblete said, noting that the synthesized THC-O has been likened to a hallucinogenic, such as LSD. At the same time, it appears that businesses are synthesizing the tiny amount of delta-9 in legal hemp and creating fully synthetic marijuana products, Scoblete said. The current Farm Bill runs to Sept. 30 and would need reauthorization to continue. A number of states have also regulated or restricted delta-8, which is already banned in 13 states, Panesso said. A challenge surrounding hemp-derived products is the lack of research regarding their health impacts. The FDAs voluntary adverse event reporting system is one source of data, though, and it shows about 15 delta-8 reports per quarter. There have been lawsuits filed over personal injury tied to cannabis products, but none of the delta-8 litigation Verisk has found to date involves claims of health harms; the allegations generally revolve around purity or product labeling. Late last year, a class action lawsuit was filed against a manufacturer alleging that its vapes contained delta-9 THC exceeding the federally allowable limit of 0.3% despite being marketed as delta-8, Verisk reported on the Emerging Issues section of its website. A similar lawsuit was filed against another delta-8 pen and cartridge manufacturer by the same class action plaintiff in the same month, Verisk said. A Look at Other Emerging Substances Kratom-related deaths appear to be generating litigation against entities within the kratom supply chain, Scoblete said. One award last year totaled $11.6 million, and Verisk has identified another case in which plaintiffs are seeking more than $10 million in damages in wrongful death litigation. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, kratom is an herbal substance that can produce opioid- and stimulant-like effects. Growing interest in microdosing psychedelic drugs has coincided with changing legal and policy attitudes in parts of the US. Policymakers in Oregon have established a regulated framework for psilocybin (the active chemical of magic mushrooms) services in the state, and psychedelics have been decriminalized in Oregon and Colorado, as well as in cities such as Detroit, Seattle and San Francisco. More than three dozen psychedelic-related bills have been introduced across more than a dozen states since the start of this legislative session. Last year, the FDA declined to approve the use of MDMA for the treatment of PTSD, and last fall, communities across Oregon voted to scale back access to psilocybin. Topics Trends Training Development The federal weather and oceans agency touches peoples daily lives in unnoticed ways, so massive firings there will likely cause needless deaths and a big hit to Americas economy, according to the people who ran it. The first round of firings started Thursday at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a government agency that monitors the oceans, the atmosphere where storms roam and space, and puts out hundreds of products daily. Those products generally save lives and money, experts say. NOAAs 301 billion weather forecasts every year reach 96% of American households. The firings are going to affect safety of flight, safety of shipping, safety of everyday Americans, Admiral Tim Gallaudet told The Associated Press Friday. President Donald Trump appointed Gallaudet as acting NOAA chief during his last administration. Lives are at risk for sure. Former NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad agreed. Were getting into prime tornado time. Were getting into planting season for the agricultural season for the bread belt, Spinrad said. Its going to affect safety. Its going to affect the economy. Thats because NOAA sort of gets forgotten, until its very important, said private meteorologist Ryan Maue, a conservative and a NOAA chief scientist under Trump. This throws sand in the gears of an agency that is understaffed but doing a Herculean job, Maue said. Elon Musk has repeatedly defended federal workforce cuts by his Department of Government Efficiency as common sense. The people voted for major government reform, and thats what the people are going to get, Musk said from the Oval Office this month. Thats what democracy is all about. What does NOAA do? The agency creates daily weather forecasts from 122 local offices, issuing warnings for deadly tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, wildfires and floods. Disaster and local officials use those to advise the public on how to avoid danger. Farmers use seasonal outlooks for crop advice. Pilots use aviation forecasts. Forecasts from private weather apps on phones, on television and elsewhere are based on NOAA satellites, data and forecasts. Thats an amazing undertaking to monitor that. You cant count on TV meteorologists to fill this gap and you cant count on private meteorology, Maue said. You cant count on your weather app to call you up and alert you to tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and floods in your area. What is the potential impact of the dismissals? In the west, dozens of NOAA meteorologists provide firefighting crews with up-to-the-minute forecasts on wind and other shifting conditions that affect fires and could mean life or death, said Elbert Joe Friday, a former director of NOAAs National Weather Service. They also are key in avalanche warnings. In the water, ships use the agencys weather forecasts and mapping of water channels for safety, while NOAA manages fisheries worth hundreds of billions of dollars and stunning ocean sanctuaries. Gallaudet, who was a Navy rear admiral, said NOAA guidance on weather and shipping channels will be so hurt by the firings that America could see more accidents like when a massive container ship ran into Baltimores Francis Scott Key Bridge in 2024. It was NOAAs quick work that enabled the reopening of Baltimores economically critical port after a only a couple months, Spinrad said. In Alaska, the city of Nome wants to create a deep water port, but it needs NOAA to do a channel survey first, he said. NOAA provides the science expertise in the response to major oil spills in coastal areas, including 2010s BP Deepwater Horizon, Spinrad said. In space, NOAA forecasts help prevent satellites including those belonging to Musks SpaceX from colliding. The agency also watches for solar flares that can knock out parts of the electrical grid and hurt air traffic communications, officials said. NOAA owns or operates 18 satellites in orbit. Three years ago, SpaceX lost 40 satellites due to their ignorance of space weather implications and upper atmosphere density impacts. They immediately came to NOAA and said, hey, help us out, Spinrad said, calling it an object lesson there for Elon Musk himself on the agencys value. The National Weather Service is worth $102 billion a year to the U.S. economy, according to a 2022 study by the American Meteorological Society and economist Jeffrey Lazo. Before the current Trump administration, NOAA had a $6.7 billion budget, including nearly $1.4 billion for the National Weather Service, one of six sub-agencies. How many NOAA workers were dismissed? NOAA officials would not reveal how many people were fired Thursday or are being let go, citing privacy. Current and past NOAA leaders and employees have given various estimates on job cuts, ranging from 580 to 1,200. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, said the latest figure he has is 650 terminations. Jane Lubchenco, another former NOAA chief, said the firings are a national disaster and a colossal waste of money. These are not high-paying jobs, but its work being done by people who love it, so cutting NOAA is like going after coins in the couch, Maue said. These are people who just live and breathe this work. These are the kind of people who come in on a day off because theres a big weather event and they want to help out, said College of the Holy Cross environmental sciences professor Keith Seitter, the former director of the American Meteorological Society. People dont go into meteorology because they want to get rich. Seitter said there will be things that fall through the cracks where they shouldnt, because of the dismissals, warning those things lead to situations that could be deadly Gallaudet, appointed by Trump, called the cuts self-defeating, saying I could personally never work for Trump again. I did support some of the conservative policies. I still do, but he personally as a leader, hes despicable. Becky Bohrer contributed from Juneau, Alaska, and Brittany Peterson contributed from Denver. Top Photo: This GOES-East GeoColor satellite image taken at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, and provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), shows the eye of Hurricane Ian approaching the southwest coast of Florida. Hurricane Ians most damaging winds began hitting Floridas southwest coast Wednesday, lashing the state with heavy rain and pushing a devastating storm surge after strengthening to the threshold of the most dangerous Category 5 status. (NOAA via AP) Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Aerospace Insurance brokerage Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Woodruff Sawyer for $1.2 billion. Andy Barrengos, chairman and CEO of San Francisco-based Woodruff Sawyer, will operate under the direction of Peter Doyle, head of Gallaghers U.S. retail property/casualty brokerage operations. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, follows Gallaghers much larger late 2024 agreement to acquire AssuredPartners for $13.45 billion for its middle-market reach. Woodruff Sawyer is another middle-market play, but also has larger clients. The brokage offers commercial property/casualty products, employee benefits solutions, and risk management services from 14 U.S. offices and one U.K. office. In 2018, Woodruff Sawyer firm celebrated 100 years in business. The firm started out in life insurance as E.L. Woodruff & Sons in 1918. J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., chairman and CEO of Gallagher said the firm has long admired [Woodruff Sawyers] niche expertise and client-focused culture. I look forward to welcoming Andy and the more than 600 Woodruff Sawyer colleagues to our growing Gallagher family of professionals, he added, in a statement. Employee-owned Woodruff Sawyer ranked 24th in Insurance Journals 2024 Top 100 Independent Property/Casualty Agencies, with P/C revenue of about $214.7 million. AssuredPartners ranked fifth on Insurance Journals list. Gallagher said Woodruff Sawyers reported pro forma revenues and EBITDAC (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization, and Coronavirus), with expected synergies, for the trailing 12 months ended December 31, 2024 were $268 million and $88 million respectively. Rolling Meadows, Illinois-based Gallagher said integration costs and expected non-cash management retention costs are expected to total $150 million over the next three years. The deal continues a trend of recent broker M&A from the three largest global insurance brokers. In November 2024, Marsh McLennan completed the purchase of McGriff Insurance Services for $7.75 billion. Aon completed a $13 billion acquisition of middle-market P/C broker NFP last April. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions A.J. Gallagher Florida insurance regulators have asked companies to hand over extensive amounts of data on peoples pharmacy claims, including personal information and prescription drug usage, an unusual move for a state regulator thats raising privacy concerns. An eight-page request went out in recent weeks to pharmacy benefit managers seeking detailed information on pharmacy contracts, claims and payments, according to copies of the request viewed by Bloomberg News. Pharmacy benefit managers operate the prescription drug benefits part of insurance plans, including workers compensation insurance, in most states. The state asked for files that contained peoples names, dates of birth, the drug that was dispensed, the provider who prescribed the medication and the pharmacy that dispensed it, among many other data fields. The request sought data on Florida residents as well as people from other states who filled prescriptions in Florida anytime during 2024. The states Office of Insurance Regulation asked for the information by Feb. 21. Its not clear how many companies have provided data. The breadth of the ask and the personal information requested raised alarms for some in the industry. The notion that big government is going to be in anybodys medicine box is not something that I think is reflective of where most Americans are at, said Joe Shields, managing director of Transparency-Rx. The trade group represents smaller pharmacy benefit managers that bill themselves as more transparent than the large companies that dominate the industry. When asked about the privacy issues the data request raises, the Office of Insurance Regulation said in an emailed statement that such concerns are coming from those who do not want to be regulated or have any oversight in their industry. Any concerns about privacy implications should be addressed to the actual health-care insurance companies that have had countless data breaches exposing millions of Americans sensitive information, a spokesperson said, noting OIR will continue to request data in the best interest of consumers. Florida enacted a new law to regulate drug benefits middlemen in 2023. The companies run prescription drug plans on behalf of employers, unions and insurers. The industry has come under scrutiny for whether their arrangements with drugmakers and pharmacies drive up costs for patients and employers. The agencys request risks exposing sensitive data about patients mental health treatments or reproductive care, Shields said. Florida has one of the nations strictest abortion bans, barring the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy. The statute says medication for abortion must be dispensed in-person by a physician and cant be sent by mail, which is more restrictive than other parts of the country. Theres no indication that Floridas regulators are asking for the information to enforce abortion bans or other policies beyond oversight of pharmacy benefits managers. But the data sought is significantly more extensive than what insurance regulators typically ask for when doing market oversight. Reviews of insurance companies conduct usually start with a sample of data scrubbed of identifying information. You want to know the actual individuals name? said Lee Hertz, a director at Quest Analytics Group, which consults for employers on pharmacy benefits. Thats spooky. One PBM raised privacy concerns with the state in a phone call with regulators, but they were dismissed, according to someone at the company who asked not to be named discussing its dealings with the state. There are exceptions to federal health privacy laws that permit personal information to be disclosed, but the state hasnt justified why it is asking for the data, this person said. Photo: Photographer: George Frey/Getty Images Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Florida Defending workers compensation claims from employees who have not disclosed previous injuries may have just become a little more complicated for employers and insurance carriers in Georgia. The Georgia Court of Appeals last week found that a long-standing defense against paying an injury claim does not always apply if the employer learns of a previous injury and does nothing about it before the worker is injured again. In the fraudulent-inducement-to-contract context, a partys failure to rescind or repudiate the agreement after learning of the fraudulent representation acts as a waiver of that defense, a three-judge panel of the court wrote last week in McKay vs. Inalfa Roof Systems. Inalfas willingness to retain Sharron McKay in the assembly operator position, after learning of her prior back injury and false representation about it, waives its right to use the Rycroft defense to deny McKay workers compensation benefits for the subsequent injury she suffered. The Georgia Board of Workers Compensation, an administrative law judge and a trial court had erred in relying on the Rycroft defense to uphold the roofing manufacturers denial of a late 2021 injury claim by McKay, the appeals court said. Its the first time a Georgia appellate court has addressed the unusual circumstances. We have found no Georgia authority on this issue, nor have we been persuaded by the authorities from other jurisdictions cited by the parties, none of which are exactly on point, the appeals court noted. For more than 35 years, employers in Georgia have utilized the Rycroft defense, so-called after a 1989 state Supreme Court decision. Some other states allow similar defenses, with different caveats. In Georgia, the Rycroft doctrine has allowed businesses to defend themselves against workers compensation claims if it can be shown that the employee, before getting hired, willfully failed to mention previous injuries. The employer must show three factors: The employee must have knowingly and willfully made a false representation about his or her physical condition The employer must have relied upon the false representation and this reliance must have been a substantial factor in the hiring There must have been a causal connection between the false representation and the injury, the court explained. McKay did not tell Inalfa Roof Systems, which makes vehicle sunroof and other systems, about a 2012 four-wheeler accident that left her with fractured ribs, a broken wrist, a dislocated shoulder, a strained cervical ligament, and an acute compression fracture in her spinal cord. By 2020, when she applied for a job at Inalfas plant outside of Atlanta, she had no lingering problems from the crash, one of her attorneys, Elliot Bourne, noted. In a questionnaire that asked about pre-existing injuries McKay answered no. She also underwent a physical examination by a doctor. The assembly operator job required McKay to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and stand for up to 12 hours. In June 2021, she said she injured her back on the assembly line, and was taken to a hospital in an ambulance. A treating physician found that the woman had aggravated a previous injury. McKay was out of work for more than three months, recuperating. Shortly after she returned in September 2021, she was injured again. This time, she acknowledged that she may have aggravated the issues caused by the 2012 four-wheeler accident. Still, she filed compensation claims for both 2021 injuries. Inalfa denied both claims. Crucially, McKays lawyers appealed only the Sept. 14 injury claim denial. They were smart to drop the first claim from the appeal, said Thomas Holder, a Georgia workers compensation claimants attorney who was not involved in the case. The appellate court noted that the June injury squarely falls within the Rycroft defense, since McKay had misled the employer about her previous back injuries. But her attorneys successfully argued that the rationales identified by the Rycroft decision do not support applying the defense to the Sept. 14 injury, because by the time that injury occurred, Inalfa had learned about her pre-employment injury and her false representation about it and, despite that knowledge, had retained McKay in her position as an assembly operator. The court ruling is important to workers because, otherwise, a previously injured employee would never be able to confess, after hiring, about an old injury, without facing termination, Holder and Bourne explained. Fessing up could at least encourage the employer to put the worker in another position requiring less physical strain. Otherwise, the worker would never be allowed another workers comp claim at that employer, ever again, Bourne said. But the decision could complicate hiring for some employers, or could prompt action if a company later discovers information about a previous injury. The federal law, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, bars employers from discriminating against workers with disabilities and forbids asking questions about previous injuries until after the initial hiring process. A more thorough vetting process designed to catch previous conditions may be disallowed. Georgia, like most states, more than two decades ago dropped its workers compensation subsequent injury fund, which encouraged employers to hire veterans and other workers with previous injuries that could be re-aggravated on the job. One of the insurance attorneys in the Inalfa case did not respond to questions by late Monday. Topics Georgia South Carolinas governor declared a state of emergency this week as dozens of wildfires burned across parts of North and South Carolina, causing evacuations, minor property losses and unhealthy air quality. State, local and national news sites reported that more than 1,600 acres near Myrtle Beach in northeast South Carolina were on fire Monday, and visibility was poor. Related: Firings at NOAA Risk Lives, Economy, Former Agency Heads Say Crews made progress containing a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of Myrtle Beach, where residents had been ordered to evacuate several neighborhoods, according to Horry County Fire Rescue, the Associated Press reported. Video showed some people running down the street as smoke filled the sky. But by late Sunday afternoon, the fire department announced that Carolina Forest evacuees could return home. The South Carolina Forestry Commission estimated Sunday evening that the blaze had burned 2.5 square miles (6.5 square kilometers) with 30 percent of it contained. Few structures had succumbed to the blaze and no injuries had been reported as of Sunday morning, officials said. In North Carolina, a fire broke out in the mountains in the western part of the state, an area still recovering from Hurricane Helenes widespread flooding. State officials and insurance interest groups warned in January that downed trees and brush left by the floodwaters were likely to become fuel for wildfires. The National Weather Service also had said much of the area and much of the Southeast was at high risk of wildfire, due to dry conditions. Those harbingers came true Sunday and Monday south of Asheville, as fires, one likely caused by a downed power line, spread in the area, news outlets reported. The North Carolina fires were partially contained by fire crews Monday. A larger fire, about 400 acres, was at Uwharrie National Forest, an hours drive east of Charlotte. The U.S. Forest Service said the blaze was about 33% contained, the Associated Press reported. The small southwestern town of Tryon in Polk County, North Carolina, urged some residents to evacuate Saturday as a fire spread rapidly there. The evacuations remained in effect Sunday. A decision on whether to lift them was expected to be made Monday after intentional burns are set to try to stop the fire from spreading. That fire had burned about 500 acres (202 hectares) as of late Sunday, with zero percent containment, according to the Polk County Emergency Management/Fire Marshals office. The North Carolina Forest Service was conducting water drops and back-burning operations on the ground, and area residents should expect a lot of smoke during those operations, officials said. Dozens of fires also scorched parts of Georgia, but conditions had improved slightly by Monday, the Georgia Forestry Commission reported on social media. Top photo: Crews work to contain a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of the coastal resort city of Myrtle Beach, on Sunday, where residents were ordered to evacuate several neighborhoods. (WMBF-TV via AP) Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire South Carolina A fertilizer manufacturer has been fined $394,200 for the death of a worker killed by toxic gasses at a work site. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries fined Two Rivers Terminal LLC for safety violations following the death of Viktor Voloshin, 56, at its Pasco facility. On June 7, 2024, surveillance footage showed Voloshin entering a tanker truck to clean it, where toxic hydrogen sulfide gas from fertilizer residue killed him. Voloshin, who worked for the company for 11 years, was also a father of 12. L&I cited the company for multiple willful and repeat serious violations, including failing to provide air monitoring, ventilation or protective equipment. Two Rivers Terminal, which has a reported history of safety infractions, is still appealing pervious fines totaling $672,320. The company is appealing the latest penalties. Fines go toward the workers compensation supplemental pension fund. Topics Washington Manufacturing Authorities in Arizona are investigating a crash that killed four people and left two in critical condition after several tractor-trailers collided with nearby cars on a highway. Firefighters hosed down charred cars as billowy smoke covered the roadway after seven vehicles caught fire from crashing on an Arizona interstate Saturday afternoon. The wreck caused hourslong road closures. Six more people were injured and transported to hospitals, five of whom were treated and released, according to a statement from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The fatal crash occurred near Tonopah, about 50 miles west of Phoenix. At least two tractor-trailers were strewn off to the shoulder of the highway and multiple cars sat clumped together in the middle of lanes covered in soot and ash. Authorities were investigating whether an initial collision caused by poor visibility from blowing dust led to a series of secondary crashes. More than 20 units from three different fire departments responded to the crash around noon Saturday, according to Arizona Fire and Medical Authority spokesperson Matt Licardi. The collision involved multiple tractor-trailers, cars and an RV. Eight people were taken to the hospital by ambulance and one person was airlifted by helicopter, Licardi said. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Sabrina Carpenter, 3Arena, Dublin, Before Sabrina Carpenter launches into one of her more suggestive songs of the night in Dublin, a warning flashes up on the screen: Parental discretion is advised. Bed Chem - rumoured to be about Dublins own Barry Keoghan - got its television premiere earlier this week at the BRIT awards and left some so outraged they were threatening to contact the broadcast regulator. For parents of small kids attending the second of two sold-out gigs on Tuesday, all we can say is, youve been warned. With her bouffant curls and thigh-high stockings, Carpenter evokes a Hollywood star of a bygone era, complete with a 1970s-style stage set-up that feels like her very own Barbie dreamhouse. But the US star's full embrace of her sexual wants, needs and desires is firmly that of the 21st-century popstar. On Monday night, the Polly Pocket-sized star zipped through makeshift bedrooms and bathrooms in a range of outfits from an emerald green bodysuit to a lace catsuit, with the cheekiest of her often explicit lyrics prompting giggles and blushes as a crowd of mostly girls and women decked out in their own lingerie and bows sang along to every word. Sabrina Carpenter on stage at the 3Arena Dublin on Monday. Part of a Disney cohort that includes fellow Gen Z superstar Olivia Rodrigo, her latest album - Grammy award-winning Short n Sweet - is actually her sixth studio release. Having brought in producer Jack Antonoff, known as Taylor Swifts right-hand man and a choice producer of Lana Del Rey and Lorde, the albums singles Espresso and Please Please Please were completely unavoidable this summer. The question, of course, was whether 25-year-old Carpenter could live up to the hype live. On Monday, she proved there was no need to doubt. Carpenter is a stand-out vocalist, as comfortable slotting into choreography with her dancers as she is delivering soprano runs. But her piece de resistance? Her sense of humour. Where she isn't lurid and explicit (on Juno she simply states "I am so fucking horny"), every other lyric seems to be an innuendo delivered with a wink. And in Dublin, ex-boyfriend Keoghan's hometown, we are all waiting to see if there'd be any cheeky reference to the Saltburn star. As the starting notes of Please Please Please begin, widely presumed to be about Keoghan, she delivers. "This one's for you Dublin," she says, winking. Sabrina Carpenter on stage at 3Arena, Dublin. The first night back on tour after the American leg ended last year, the setlist has been updated with some of the recently-released new tracks for the deluxe edition of Short n Sweet.On 15 Minutes, where she promises 'I can do a lot with fifteen minutes / only gonna take two to make you finish' the lyrics flash up on screen karaoke-style just in case you haven't learned them yet. No need, the audience sang along as passionately to that one as every other from her discography. For the younger audience in attendance, it's safe to say there's nothing subtle about a show that puts horniness on a pedestal. Asked about her titillating stage presence, Carpenter has said, People think I'm just obnoxiously horny when in reality, writing [sexual lyrics] comes from the ability to not be fearful of your sexuality." Perhaps what is most unique about Carpenter is despite how obviously she is performing, it doesn't feel performative. It feels like a woman who is just owning the hedonistic side of being young and horny. And how fun is that? Legendary Cork band The Sultans of Ping are set to take the stage at Cork City Hall this October, marking the bands anticipated return to the venue for the first time since 1993. The band promises a night of punk-fuelled nostalgia and high-energy chaos during the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival weekend on Saturday, October 25. Ireland faces a bill as high as 26bn for missing its EU climate targets, standing out as the worst in Europe per capita on its pledge to reduce emissions by 2030. That figure, more the State's entire annual health budget, comes in a major report from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) and the Climate Change Advisory Council. The councils say Ireland risks paying colossal costs in the years ahead, having already foregone 500m of potential revenue it could have had if it was meeting its targets. The report says it isnt too late to act now to limit the damage with significant investment in the likes of the energy grid and in electric vehicles. Yes, it will cost money, the Climate Change Advisory Council chair, Marie Donnelly, said. But the key issue is that we need to spend the money now, rather than postponing it into the future at some time when maybe a leprechaun will find a pot of gold. The estimates for how much Ireland will have to pay if it fails to meet climate targets are broken down in several ways in the report. CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB Firstly, it analyses the cost if Ireland went business as usual from now on and didnt take further action. It also looks at the impact of additional measures that have been promised. It then breaks down how much Ireland would have to pay by purchasing carbon credits off other countries who have met their targets to offset the fact weve not met them ourselves. It also examines how much Ireland would have to invest in its own infrastructure here to meet targets. 'Pay now or in the future' If Ireland doesnt step up to climate action swiftly, it could end up with a bill of 8bn to 26bn to its EU partners. Even if it was to put into effect the measures from its own climate action plan by 2030, it could still amount to a bill of between 3bn and 12bn. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council chair, Seamus Coffey, said there is a good deal of uncertainty which is reflected in the range of these estimates, but pointed out the cost is substantial under every scenario it examined. Were looking at pretty significant sums regardless, he said. There are choices here. Its pay now or in the future. Pushed for a best estimate, Mr Coffey said there isnt any hard or fast way to accurately predict the cost but it will certainly reach into the billions in the future. In terms of solutions, the report recommends a major investment in Irelands energy grid, speeding up the roll out of electric vehicles, and supporting changes in farming practices. Ms Donnelly said the Government needs to roll out targeted measures for electric vehicles (EV), particularly in rural areas without ready access to public transport, which could help implement a shift in transport emissions in this country. EV sales did collapse last year, although they seem to be picking up again this year I think part of the issue is that the financial opportunity that is there has not been correctly sold to people," she said. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has done analysis and found that 1km in an EV costs 3c. In a petrol car, it costs 10c. Ms Donnelly said that modern EVs are more affordable than they have been and can achieve ranges up to 400km, but that the Government needs to make these and other improvements in the charging infrastructure more visible to encourage more take up. She said the Government needs to take leadership in explaining to communities the benefits of actions it can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Political ownership of big infrastructure projects is absolutely fundamental to getting the job done, she said. She said that Ireland cannot have a situation where the Government comes out with a target that looks great on paper, but you have objections to it from the same political party at a local level. "Strong, aligned political determination is key," she said. Calls are being made for an urgent overhaul of the civil legal aid scheme amid a shortage of active members within the family law solicitors panel. Just under 34,000 legal aid cases were referred to private solicitors under the scheme over the last five years. However, concerns have been raised that the system is failing due to barriers for those seeking access to legal representation in family law cases. It is understood that between 6,000 and 8,000 legal aid cases in the District Court are referred annually to the panel. However, a number of panel members are said to be turning down civil legal aid work due to the poor fees the State pays for the work. The standard fee for family law solicitors for the majority of cases is currently 339 exclusive of Vat. The only exceptions include categories described as maintenance and custody and/or access and/or guardianship cases, which are set at 423 exclusive of Vat. Fees for domestic violence and maintenance cases are also set at 423. Domestic violence and custody and/or access and/or guardianship cases incorporate the same fee. Meanwhile, solicitors are entitled to a fee of 508 exclusive of Vat for maintenance and domestic violence and custody and/or access and/or guardianship cases. Search for representation The District Court family law solicitors panel currently has 375 members scattered across various parts of the country. Some 70 solicitors from the panel are located in Cork with 130 based in Dublin and 35 in Kerry. There are currently 21 family law solicitors accepting civil legal aid cases in Clare and 35 in Limerick. Family Law solicitor Carmel Best, who is based in Cork City, described how she is being contacted by people from as far away as Waterford who are unable to find legal representation despite receiving legal aid certificates. She explained that the fee can be a disincentive for solicitors trying to earn a decent living. Domestic violence cases are through the roof," Ms Best told the Irish Examiner.I can see this with the people who are coming to me. If the legal aid board need to farm these cases out to people like myself, thats fine. But there wont be enough of us here, because its just not paying Ms Best, who has been on the family law solicitors panel for a number of years, said that civil legal aid cases often require a lot of time. Ive been to court with some clients seven times. Ive read the reports coming in from social services about their children. I might have four meetings with the client and correspondence with them, but its still the same fee. Ms Best, who has been on the family law solicitors panel for a number of years, said that civil legal aid cases often require a lot of time. She said that people are finding it extremely challenging to find solicitors willing to take on civil legal aid cases. One woman called me from Waterford, because she couldnt find anyone closer. Theres a desperation out there which is definitely reflected in what Im seeing. Ms Best said that the cases she deals with are often time consuming and distressing. There are some heartbreaking and very emotional cases. Sometimes there is extreme violence involved "A lot of these people are very vulnerable. They are relying heavily on you to get it right for them and to do a good job. "They want you to fight their case for them, but youre not going to be doing that without getting in-depth instructions from your clients and getting all the facts. Theres a bit of ground work to be done and, in certain circumstances, correspondence reports. "The standard of the service has to be the same. You wouldnt take a legal aid cert and say 'Ill give that 10 minutes'. It doesnt work like that. "I have no problem taking a share of these, but its hard to turn people away knowing theres a chance that they might not be able to find someone else. 'National scandal' Dublin-based family lawyer Keith Walsh SC, who is on the family law solicitors panel, described the civil legal aid fees as a national scandal. "The fee hasnt gone up, despite being reduced in 2000 after the [economic] crash, he said. Everything else has increased. The criminal legal aid fees have gone up and have been restored to what they were, but the civil legal aid ones haven't. "Its a national scandal that is resulting in less solicitors wanting to do the work. This makes it much more difficult for people entitled to legal aid who need to find solicitors There's a lot of people who are saints, in my view, for doing this work He explained that the preparation and consultation process that comes with civil legal aid cases is often taxing. I was in the District Court in Bray three weeks ago with a domestic violence case. My client and I had to wait around for the whole day, and we didnt finish up till 6.45pm. "This is not a criticism of the judge, who was working overtime that day to get through as many cases as possible. However, the fees are very little if youre on legal aid. "It might seem a lot for one day, but you are also spending hours preparing the case. When you consider the preparation and consultation with your client, you are probably looking at 11 hours. This is a lot of time when youre running an office. 'When you consider the preparation and consultation with your client, you are probably looking at 11 hours,' says Keith Walsh SC. Cork South Central Fine Gael councillor Shane OCallaghan has prepared a motion to submit to Cork City Council outlining the need for increased legal aid fees for family law solicitors. The motion calls for the council to write to the minister for public expenditure, Jack Chambers, and justice minister Jim OCallaghan to increase the legal aid fees payable to solicitors on the District Court family law solicitors panel. It makes reference to a backlog in family law applications in the District Court for people accessing everything from domestic violence orders to disputes regarding custody and access to children and maintenance applications. At the moment, we are in a situation where solicitors simply cant make a living out of the fees that are payable under the family law scheme. "It is for this reason that theyre voting with their feet and prioritising other areas of their practice such as private family law. "Its hard to blame them because the fees make it difficult to make a living. The people who are granted legal aid are in dire need financially and cannot afford to pay for legal representative privately. "They are among the most vulnerable in our society and the system is letting them down. A spokesperson for the Legal Aid Board said: Civil legal aid and advice are provided by the Legal Aid Board primarily through a network of 32 law centres by solicitors directly employed by the board. The Legal Aid Board also engages private solicitors and barristers through panels to provide services on its behalf. Solicitors must apply to join these panels and adhere to the terms and conditions, including set fees. "Each panel has different fees, and the fee structure has been approved by the minister for justice and the minister for public expenditure. "The Legal Aid Board has no power to vary the terms and conditions, including the fee structure, without the consent of the ministers concerned. A solicitor for a 21-year-old Cork man on Tuesday described his client's 21 and homeless note which he left behind at a recent burglary as a cry for help. Christhian Bajoras, who has amassed a large number of convictions since he started offending in July, left this note at the scene of a burglary at The Cube office building on Monahan Road in Cork declaring, 21 and homeless. He burgled the same premises twice - on January 27 and again the following night - entering as a trespasser through the underground carpark, gaining access to the building and taking a PC monitor each time. Eddie Burke, solicitor, said this young man had no previous convictions before July 2024 but had amassed a lot since then, culminating in the two burglaries at the Cube premises. Judge Mary Dorgan imposed an overall sentence of 10 months with the last two months suspended at Cork District Court. Further offences Sergeant John Dineen said that also on January 27 Mr Bajoras entered Sano Pizza on Parnell Place and asked if there was any leftover food. When the manager said they had none he stole a 33 bottle of wine from the bar counter. Sergeant Dineen described a violent incident involving the accused on July 13, 2024, at Bishop Street, Cork, where he ran at a taxi car, jumped up on the bonnet and kicked and punched the windscreen, smashing it. When gardai approached him he shouted: I will kill ye c***s, f*** off, Ill kill ye, where members of the public were present and he violently resisted arrest. Similarly, on July 25, 2024, gardai observed two men fighting and swinging punches at each other on Cornmarket Street. Christhian Bajoras of no fixed address was one of them and he then tried to punch a second man. He was generally aggressive with several members of the public and punched Garda Shane Hayes in the face. Around this time in July on Model Farm Road he was asleep on a footpath and when roused by gardai he called them c***s and bastards. Also in July 2024 he stole three bottles of Bacardi from Tesco, Paul Street, and stole seven bottles of vodka from Supervalu, Togher, across three different thefts in that month. On October 27, 2024, at Lower Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork, pepper spray had to be used to restrain and arrest him during a disturbance. On November 18 he stole a jacket at JD Sports on St. Patricks Street. Two days later at Merchants Quay he tried to strike Garda Michael Fehilly during a drunken disturbance. Probation report After reading a probation report on the accused, Judge Mary Dorgan said: He did his Leaving Cert. A lot of difficulties stem from his addiction. It is absolutely essential he addresses it. Otherwise it will continue unabated and no one wants that for him. "Probation report makes very sad reading. It is up to him to deal with his addictions in prison. Childhood adversity has translated into his adulthood. But the judge expressed concern about the violent nature of the defendants outbursts and added: I understand he had childhood adversity. But imagine a taxi man starting his day and this man jumping up on his car and smashing his windscreen and putting it out of commission. A president just disrespected America in the Oval Office. It wasnt Zelenskyy. That was the verdict of the editorial team at the Kyiv Independent, one of Ukraines leading media outlets, on the remarkable spat in the Oval Office that played out on February 28. The online newspaper European Pravda characterized the quarrel at the highest level as a diplomatic failure, but added that it was not yet a catastrophe. Some Ukrainians I have spoken to since the fractious encounter, during which Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy was repeatedly hectored by US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have indeed characterized it as disastrous for the country. But for others, the incident has been calmly accepted as the new reality in US-Ukraine relations. There have been some questions directed at Zelenskyy did he allow himself to be baited into an an argument that could have real consequences? Should he have remained silent? But for the most part, the treatment of Ukraines president by Trump and Vance has produced a presumably unintended consequence: It has unified a war-weary Ukrainian people. As one friend who has been displaced by war from the now occupied city of Nova Kakhovka told me, there has not been this level of mobilization and patriotism in three years. 'The country needs unity' This unity is seen in the response across Ukraines political divide. Petro Poroshenko, an often outspoken opponent of Zelenskyy and leader of the opposition party European Solidarity, said on March 1 that, to the surprise of many, he will not criticize Zelenskyys performance at the White House. The country does not need criticism, the country needs unity, he said in the video posted on X. Anecdotally, even those Ukrainians who did not vote for Zelenskyy have told me that events in the Oval Office made them feel more supportive of him. However, a sense of realism is sinking in over the shifting stance of the US administration. Trumps stated trust in Vladimir Putin and his conciliatory comments over Russian aggression including a refusal to acknowledge Russian war crimes have, for many Ukrainians, set low expectations that the White House can help achieve a quick and lasting peace. Yet, as Inna Sovsun of the opposition party Holos noted: It was difficult to watch a president whos been a victim of Russian aggression being attacked by the leader of the free world. Setting the record straight Last Friday's meeting between the US and Ukrainian leaders followed weeks of increasingly harsh Trump rhetoric toward Zelenskyy. Since being inaugurated on January 20, Trump has called the Ukrainian leader a dictator without elections, claiming incorrectly that Zelenksyy had 4% approval ratings. He also indicated that the invasion by Russian troops in February 2022 was Ukraines fault. Such comments had already made Ukrainians rally around Zelenskyy, who has a healthy 63% approval rating, according to the latest polls. The ugly scenes in the Oval Office could see a further rallying around Zelenskyy, especially if he can successfully characterize his role in the dispute as that of defender of his people. Doing so would tap into growing popular resentment over the new US administrations apparent unwillingness to acknowledge Russian war crimes. In the days leading up to the Zelenskyy-Trump meeting, the US voted with Russia against a United Nations resolution condemning Russian aggression and opposed the wording of a draft G7 statement marking the third anniversary of the war, which depicted Russia as the aggressor. Letting Putin off the hook The angry exchanges in the Oval Office seemed to have been sparked by Zelenskyys objection to Trumps assertion that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a man of his word. That refusal to call out Putin who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court angers Ukrainians who have suffered Russian aggression for three years. To hammer that point home, Zelenskyy showed Trump and others in the Oval Office photos of Ukrainian prisoners of war who return from Russian captivity tortured and abused. As Ukrainian human rights lawyer and Nobel Prize winner Oleksandra Matviichuk noted in a speech on February 17, 65% of Ukrainians polled early in the conflict said their main disappointment in ending the war would be impunity for Russian crimes. Three years of conflict will have only hardened that sentiment yet the US, under Trumps leadership, looks increasingly willing to let Putin off the hook. Defender of the nation - and truth A large section of Ukrainian media both traditionally pro- and anti-Zelenskyy alike have since last week's White House events portrayed the president in the role of a defender of both his nation and the truth. He was, this framing has it, forced into the difficult position of having to set the record straight and challenge untrue statements in real time, and in front of the seemingly antagonistic leader of the worlds largest economy, whose support has been crucial in Ukraines attempt to repel the invading Russian army. To some, keeping silent would have been tantamount to capitulation, but others have questioned Zelenskyys approach. While still maintaining that Zelenskyys key message was correct, some Ukrainians have suggested that his emotional tone in the Oval Office was not constructive. Opposition lawmaker Oleskiy Goncharenko suggested in an interview on CNN that Zelenskyy should have been more diplomatic and more calm given that the stakes were so high. Meanwhile, there were also those who questioned the decision to hold such an important conversation in front of the press, especially without the use of professional translators who potentially could have tamped down the rhetoric and slowed the pace of the exchange. Thus, as Tymofiy Mylovanov, the adviser to the office of the president and head of the Kyiv School of Economics put it, some things could have been lost in translation. 'Zelenskyy is our democratic leader' In the aftermath of the dispute, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham who has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine suggested that Zelenskyy should resign, the implications being that his relationship with Trump was so broken that his presence is now counterproductive for Ukraines priorities. It is a line that hasnt gone down well in Ukraine. Kira Rudyk, the leader of opposition party Holos, retorted that it was up to the Ukrainian people alone to decide on their leadership and future. Moreover, to many Ukrainians the barrier to harmonious Ukraine-US relations is not Zelenskyy, but Trump. Mustafa Nayyem, who served in Zelesnkyys government, summed up the view of many Ukrainians by claiming in a social media post that the Trump administration does not just dislike Ukraine. They despise us. The contempt is deeper than indifference, and more dangerous than outright hostility, he added. Intentional provocation Serhii Sternenko, a Ukrainian activist lawyer and blogger, described the Oval Office spat as an intentional provocation on behalf of Trump to discredit Ukraine as an unreliable partner in the peace negotiations. Sternenko is not alone in his assessment. Journalist and blogger Vitaly Portnikov argued that the spat was the result of Trumps unrealistic promise of ending the war quickly being confronted with the reality that perhaps Russia does not want to make any concessions. The thinking here is Putin has shown no indication that he will bend on his war goals, so for Trump, framing Zelenskyy as not ready for peace allows the US president to walk away from his campaign promise without accepting defeat. A new reality Beyond the headlines and initial reactions from Ukrainian politicians, journalists and civilians, there is also another sentiment that is emerging: resignation to the new reality. Most Ukrainians want an end to war, but in a way that preserves their sovereignty and guarantees future security. Until recently, that was shared by the occupants of the White House. It is becoming increasingly clear to many Ukrainians that, with regard to the war in Ukraine, the US will play a different role under Trump meaning Ukraine will increasingly look to European leaders as primary partners. Perhaps Goncharenko, the opposition member of Ukraines Parliament, best summed up the consequences of the Oval Office spat: It was not Ukraine, it was not the United States who won it was Putin. Read More Europe plans 800bn military investment amid US withdrawal of Ukraine support US president Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, a White House official said, deepening the fissure that has opened between the two one-time allies. The move comes after Trump upended US policy on Ukraine and Russia upon taking office in January, adopting a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow - and after an explosive confrontation with Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday in which Trump criticized him for being insufficiently grateful for Washington's backing in the war with Russia. "President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," said the official on Monday, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Rescue workers put out a fire from a house hit by a Russian drone strike on a residential neighborhood in Zaporizhzhia. Picture: AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko The White House had no immediate comment on the scope and amount of aid affected or how long the pause would last. The Pentagon could not provide further details. Zelenskyy's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment nor did the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington. Democrats in the US Congress denounced the move. By freezing military aid to Ukraine, President Trump has kicked the door wide open for Putin to escalate his violent aggression against innocent Ukrainians. The repercussions will undoubtedly be devastating, said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Ukrainian servicemen of the Defence Intelligence prepare to launch long-range drones An-196 Liutyi in undisclosed location in Ukraine. Picture: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka On Monday, Trump again said Zelenskyy should be more appreciative of American support after earlier responding angrily to an Associated Press report quoting Zelenskyy as saying the end of the war is "very, very far away." "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. Minerals deal not dead, Trump says Since Russia's invasion three years ago, the US Congress has approved $17bn total assistance for Ukraine, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The Trump administration inherited $3.85bn worth of Congressionally-approved authority to dip into U.S. arms stocks for Ukraine, but given the growing row between Washington and Kyiv, it was already unlikely for that assistance to be used. Monday's move goes beyond the no-new aid stance Trump had taken since assuming office - and appears to halt deliveries of military equipment approved by Biden including munitions, missiles and other systems. But Trump also suggested on Monday that a deal to open up Ukraine's minerals to U.S. investment could still be agreed despite his frustration with Kyiv, as European leaders floated proposals for a truce in Russia's war with its neighbor. Security guarantees In an interview on Fox News, US vice president JD Vance called on Zelensky to accept the minerals deal. "If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine," Vance said. United States Vice-President JD Vance. File Picture: AP Photo/Matthias Schrader Zelenskyy has made clear that a ceasefire must carry explicit security guarantees from the West to ensure that Russia, which holds about 20% of its land, does not attack again. Trump has refused to give any such guarantees. Beyond the military portion, U.S. assistance to Ukraine also includes budgetary assistance, largely delivered through a World Bank trust fund, and other funds that had been delivered through the US Agency for International Development, which has been throttled by the Trump White House. The US decision left many questions unanswered, including whether munitions for the already delivered weapons systems can now be supplied or if the US would still share intelligence with Ukraine on target identification and missile launches. Key members of congressional oversight committees were not notified of the decision, including those on the Senate Armed Services Committee, a person with knowledge told Reuters. Razom for Ukraine, a Ukrainian advocacy group, condemned the White House's decision on aid. "By abruptly halting military assistance to Ukraine, President Trump is hanging Ukrainians out to dry and giving Russia the green light to keep marching west," the group said in a statement. Europe seeks peace plan Prior to the White House's decision to halt its aid, European nations were rallying around Zelenskyy and trying to hatch a peace plan. Privately, and sometimes publicly, officials are fuming at what they see as a betrayal of Ukraine, which had enjoyed staunch support from Washington since Russia's invasion. France, Britain and potentially other European countries have offered to send troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire - something Moscow has already rejected - but say they would want support from the US, or a "backstop." However, the Hungarian government, a vocal critic of EU sanctions against Moscow and the bloc's financial and military support for Ukraine, said of Trump's pause in military aid: "The US President and the Hungarian government share the same stance: instead of continuing weapons shipments and the war, a ceasefire and peace talks are needed as soon as possible." - Reuters Arab leaders meeting in Egypt are set to approve a counterproposal to US President Donald Trumps call for the Gaza Strip to be depopulated and transformed into a beach destination. The summit on Tuesday hosted by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is expected to include the leaders of regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whose support is seen as crucial for any post-war plan. Egypt has developed an alternative plan in which Palestinians would be relocated to safe areas inside Gaza equipped with mobile homes and shelters while its cities are rebuilt. Hamas would cede power to an interim administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control. US President Donald Trump said the United States could take ownership of war-ravaged Gaza and redevelop it (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) A draft statement endorsing the plan called for a permanent and just solution for the Palestinian cause and for the United Nations Security Council to deploy international peacekeepers in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel has vowed to maintain open-ended security control over both territories, which it captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which Palestinians want for their future state. Its government and most of its political class are opposed to Palestinian statehood. Israel has meanwhile embraced what it says is an alternative US proposal for the ceasefire itself and the release of hostages taken in Hamass October 7 2023, attack that triggered the war. It has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza to try to get Hamas to accept the new proposal and has warned of additional consequences, raising fears of a return to war. The suspension of aid drew widespread criticism, with human rights groups saying it violated Israels obligations as an occupying power under international law. Israels preferred plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages the militant groups main bargaining chip in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners, a key component of the first phase. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, an opponent of Hamas, was attending the summit. A tent camp for displaced Palestinians in the west of Al-Shati camp, west of Gaza City (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) Israel has ruled out any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and along with the United States has demanded Hamass disarmament. The fragile ceasefire that took hold in January is meanwhile in limbo and the war could resume. Mr Trump shocked the region last month when he suggested Gazas roughly two million residents be resettled in other countries. He said the United States would take ownership of the war-ravaged territory and redevelop it into a Middle Eastern Riviera. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embraced the proposal, which was roundly rejected by Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights experts, who said it would likely violate international law. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday his clash with Donald Trump last week was "regrettable", that he was ready to work under the US president's leadership to bring lasting peace, and that it was "time to make things right". The statement came after Washington paused military aid to Kyiv in a stunning move overnight, days after Zelenskyy's talks with Trump descended into acrimony, prompting the US secretary of state to call on the Ukrainian leader to apologise. I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025 "Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right," Zelenskyy posted on X. "My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," he said. His statement made no mention of the US suspension of military assistance, the latest move by Trump's administration that has upended US policy on the war in Ukraine and adopted a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow. Vice president JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Picture: Mystyslav Chernov/AP The Ukrainian leader said that Kyiv was interested in future cooperation and communication with the United States. "We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence," he said. "None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians," he said. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said that Arab leaders have endorsed Egypts post-war plan for the Gaza Strip that would allow its two million Palestinians to remain in the territory. Meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, the leaders endorsed a counter-proposal to President Donald Trumps plan to depopulate the territory and redevelop it as a beach destination. Tuesday, Mar 4th, 2025 (10:09 am) - Score 3,120 Telecoms giant BT migrated 300,000 UK business customers away from legacy phone lines and on to digital broadband and phone solutions in 2024. But the provider claims that 22% of small businesses still see themselves as analogue, relying on tools like traditional landlines, paper contracts and fax machines, which must change before the old service is switched-off. In case anybody has forgotten, the big switch-off was recently delayed to 31st January 2027 in order to give broadband ISPs, phone providers, telecare providers, councils and consumers more time to adapt (details). But the main focus of this delay was the 1.8 million people who use vital home telecare systems in the UK (e.g. elderly, disabled, and vulnerable people), which often arent compatible with the replacement VoIP / IP-based digital phone services (i.e. for everybody else the deadline is still technically Dec 2025). NOTE: Openreach are withdrawing their old Wholesale Line Rental (WLR) products as part of this change, while BT are retiring their related Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). However, its not only consumers that will be impacted by this, with businesses also needing to make the switch. A national survey of small businesses, which was commission by BT and conducted via Censuswide with over 1,500 senior decision-makers, claims to have found that 22% still define themselves as analogue, primarily using traditional processes such as physical filing systems, paper contracts, and older technology such as fax machines. By contrast, 80% that have invested in new technology say it has given them a competitive advantage, with 79% saying it had helped them to find new customers. Advertisement The UK is estimated to be home to 5.5 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), thus there are still likely to be quite a few organisations that are behind in their preparations for the change. BT warns that businesses failing to migrate sooner than the cut-off date will also be at risk of increased outages as the ageing network becomes more fragile. Ofcoms recent Connected Nations report highlights that the number of incidents on the legacy PSTN increased by 45% in 2024. Kerry Small, Chief Operating Officer for Business at BT, said: The UKs analogue copper telephone network has a proud history, but its no longer up to the task for businesses. Its simply too risky to build the economy on a shaky foundation, and were calling on all businesses to move before the end of 2025 well ahead of the switch-off. Analogue companies making the move now can benefit from rock-solid digital connectivity to help keep them in business for years to come. Were supporting customers small and large through the move, so no business is left behind. Whether youre a tech start-up or a family firm passed down through generations, when it comes to going digital BTs got your back. Any technology still relying on the PSTN will stop working when the network is retired. At 14:35 on March 3rd, as the G2556 train slowly pulled into Beijingnan Station, the National People's Congress (NPC) deputies from Anhui province attending the third session of the 14th NPC arrived in Beijing smoothly. Over the past year, the deputies have immersed themselves in grassroots communities, conducted thorough investigations and research, and extensively gathered opinions from various sectors of society. They have made meticulous preparations to submit high-quality proposals and suggestions. Source: anhuinews.com remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. They mentioned that there were no clear champions this year, lacking any cinematic giants like Oppenheimer to steal the spotlight. They were accurate. Indeed, Kieran Culkin was highly favored for best supporting actor in A Real Pain, and his win was celebrated (although it might not have been the ideal time to recall the wager he made with his wife regarding having more children if he won an Oscar!). However, when Mikey Madison took home the Oscar for best actress in Anora, there was a noticeable gasp in the press room very few had anticipated this outcome. The surprise was palpable. The competition was largely seen as a duel between her and Demi Moore in The Substance, with many expecting Moore to take the prize, but that was not to be. Mikey Madison and Sean Baker won Best Actress and Best Director for Anora Sean Baker, the creative driving force behind the film, clinched three awards directing, editing, and original screenplay, highlighting the cottage industry nature of this project. But is it a good film? My cameraman is quite disheartened. As a film school graduate (not hesitant about art house cinema), he was cheering for the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. Now hes expressing that he is too upset to work tonight. I have some news for him Quentin Tarantino presented the best director award to Baker, passionately advocating for audiences to patronize cinemas and for filmmakers to continue crafting movies for the big screen. He also took a moment to wish his mother a happy birthday (she introduced him to cinema at just five years old). Baker utilized his acceptance speech to express gratitude to sex workers for their insights, which aided him in writing the lead role for Mikey Madison, who also connected with sex workers as part of her research. Baker also secured the Oscar for best film editing. I had hoped for Nick Emerson to win for Conclave, a meticulously staged ensemble piece that the quality of editing greatly enhances. He mentioned a few days ago that he did some editing work for RTE News in Belfast during his early career, working alongside our late, great Northern Editor Tommie Gorman. This would have established the most tenuous link possible between RTE and an Oscar, but I would have embraced it gladly. Nevertheless, Nick now proudly carries the title of Academy Award nominee Nick Emerson for eternity. And with over 200 eligible films, only five were nominated in this category. So well done, Nick. Conan OBrien on stage with LA first responders Kudos to Tailored Films of Dublin for achieving the same recognition. Amidst all the films that could have received nominations for their leading and supporting actors, very few were selected, and The Apprentice made the cut: Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong can now don the Academy Award Nominee title always advantageous in this fiercely competitive industry. Another notable victor was Conan OBrien, who hosted the event. Its a challenging role where falling flat on jokes or offending Hollywoods elite could be disastrous. This is a high-budget, high-profile production, so the humor should ideally land every time. Indeed, comedy is one of the toughest genres to write. However, Conan performed admirably and will likely return for future shows. He even delegated some of the joke-telling to a group of LA firefighters as a tribute to the Fire Departments relentless efforts against natures challenges. The standout gag? A fire captain extending sympathies to those who lost their homes the producers of Joker 2. Another jab was at Timothee Chalamet (star of the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown), where it was said he learned to sing for the role and was so good at singing that he nearly lost the part (Conan had instructed the audience to laugh). Late in the show, Conan remarked: If you are still enjoying the show, you have something called Stockholm Syndrome. He then welcomed Cillian Murphy to present the leading actor award, which went to Adrien Brody, star of The Brutalist, a film about a Hungarian architect who survives the Holocaust and achieves great success in America. Cillian Murphy presented the award for Actor in a Leading Role Brody expressed that acting is an inherently precarious profession, although it can occasionally be glamorous. However, it can also vanish in an instant. What makes this night special is the awareness of that, he stated. The Brutalist is a lengthy film, running three-and-a-half hours one of the reasons its not showcased in many multiplexes. Earlier, Conan had shared how much he relished watching the film: I didnt want it to end and it didnt! Brody, unfazed by the music playing to signal him off the stage the audio equivalent of a push to return to brevity insisted, Cut the music; Ive done this before. He then spoke of not allowing hatred to prevail, advocating against racism and anti-Semitism. Read more: Dark fairytale Anora the big winner at the Oscars Despite moments of overt politics, the overall tone of the event was more measured. A Palestinian Israeli documentary about the destruction of a West Bank village titled No Other Land won in the feature documentary category. The collective behind the film comprising both Israelis and Palestinians clearly had much to express but opted for restraint. When introduced in the press room, many of us leaned forward, anticipating significant political discourse. Instead, the special effects team from Dune: Part Two stepped up, reminding a press member who was gearing up for a Middle Eastern question that they were present to discuss visual effects. In the end, Americas premier movie awards revolved around a narrative centered on the relationship between a Russian oligarch and a sex worker. No politics involved there. US President Donald Trump has halted military aid to Ukraine following his recent confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a White House official has confirmed, further widening the rift that has developed between these former allies. This development comes after Mr. Trump altered US policy towards Ukraine and Russia since taking office in January, taking a more conciliatory approach toward Moscow. It follows a heated exchange with President Zelensky in the White House on Friday, where Mr. Trump admonished him for not showing enough gratitude for the US support in the conflict with Russia. President Trump has made it clear that his focus is on achieving peace. We require our partners to share this commitment as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure it is driving us toward a solution, stated the official, who requested anonymity. Democrats in the US Congress condemned this decision. By suspending military aid to Ukraine, President Trump has opened the door wide for Putin to escalate his violent aggression against innocent Ukrainians. The consequences will certainly be catastrophic, remarked Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The USs decision regarding Ukrainian aid bolsters Russias standing and complicates the path to peace, French junior minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, expressed this morning. Halting arms shipments to Ukraine makes peace more distant, as it only empowers the aggressor on the ground, which is Russia, Mr. Haddad stated on France 2. Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliaments foreign affairs committee, remarked that Mr. Trumps pause in military aid appears to suggest that the US president is pressuring Ukraine to concede. On the surface, this seems quite negative. It appears as if he is nudging us toward capitulation, which means accepting Russias demands, he commented. A meeting involving Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump, and JD Vance turned confrontational last Friday. Yesterday, Mr. Trump reiterated that Mr. Zelensky should exhibit more appreciation for US support after reacting strongly to an Associated Press report where Mr. Zelensky mentioned that the end of the war was very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not tolerate it for much longer! Mr. Trump expressed on Truth Social, using an alternative spelling of the Ukrainian leaders name. Trump: Zelensky should be more appreciative of US We need your consent to load this comcast-player content. We utilize comcast-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data regarding your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences Since Russias invasion three years ago, the US Congress has approved a total of $175 billion in assistance for Ukraine, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The Trump administration took over with $3.85 billion in Congressionally approved authority to access US arms stocks for Ukraine, but the escalating conflict between the US and Ukraine makes it seem unlikely that this assistance will be utilized. Yesterdays decision also seemed to stop the delivery of military equipment previously approved by former president Joe Biden, including munitions, missiles, and other systems. However, Mr. Trump indicated that an agreement regarding Ukraines minerals for US investment could still be possible, as European leaders proposed ideas for a truce in Russias ongoing war with its neighbor. The Trump administration viewed a minerals agreement as a way for the US to recuperate some of the tens of billions of dollars it has provided to Ukraine in financial and military aid since the Russian invasion three years ago. When asked if the deal was off the table, Mr. Trump replied at the White House: No, I dont believe so. He characterized it as a great deal for us and stated that he would provide an update during his address to a joint session of Congress tonight. Excavators extract rare earth minerals from the soil in Ukraines Zhytomyr region. In a Fox News interview, Vice President JD Vance urged Mr. Zelensky to accept the minerals agreement. If you seek genuine security guarantees and want to ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the best security assurance is to provide Americans with economic opportunities concerning Ukraines future, Mr. Vance articulated. Mr. Zelensky has made it clear that any ceasefire must include explicit security guarantees from the West to preclude future Russian attacks, which currently occupy about 20% of Ukrainian territory. Mr. Trump has declined to offer such guarantees. The USs choice raised numerous questions, including whether munitions for the weapons systems already provided can still be delivered or if the US would continue to share intelligence with Ukraine on target identification and missile launches. Latest Ukraine stories Key members of congressional oversight committees were not informed of this decision, including those in the Senate Armed Services Committee, according to a source familiar with the situation. Razom for Ukraine, a Ukrainian advocacy organization, criticized the White Houses decision on military aid. By abruptly halting military assistance to Ukraine, President Trump is abandoning Ukrainians and allowing Russia the green light to proceed further west, the organization stated in a release. It remains unclear whether munitions for the already delivered weapons systems can now be supplied. Before the White Houses decision to pause aid, European nations were gathering in support of Mr. Zelensky and endeavoring to formulate a peace plan. Privately, and at times publicly, officials are expressing anger at what they perceive as a betrayal of Ukraine, which has enjoyed strong backing from the US since Russias invasion. At a summit in London, several world leaders agreed to develop a peace proposal to present to the US. France, Britain, and possibly other European nations have offered to send troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefiresomething Moscow has dismissedbut they have stated that they would require support from the US as a backstop. However, the Hungarian government, a vocal critic of EU sanctions against Moscow and the blocs financial and military assistance for Ukraine, remarked on Mr. Trumps military aid suspension: The US president and the Hungarian government have a shared perspective: rather than continuing weapons shipments and prolonging the war, a ceasefire and peace negotiations need to take place as soon as possible. U.S. Military Support to Ukraine: Tanks, Rockets, Radar, and Drones Since 2022 The United States has supplied $65.9 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russias invasion in February 2022; however, additional contributions are uncertain following US President Donald Trumps directive to pause aid to Kyiv. This stance shifted dramatically with Mr. Trumps unexpected change in strategy regarding the conflict. Below is an overview of the key military aid deliveries to Ukraine, based on a list shared by the State Department on January 20. In response to the ongoing assaults from Russian forces, Washington supplied Kyiv with increasingly advanced air defense systems, including three Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries. European allies also contributed similar systems to Ukraine. Additional defense systems listed included 12 NASAMS, HAWK systems, munitions, and over 3,000 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. To enhance their operational effectiveness, 21 air surveillance radars were provided, along with equipment that integrated Western launchers and missiles into Ukraines defense systems. Since the conflict began in 2022, the US has dispatched missiles, mortars, and rocket launchers. Missiles, Mortars Washington supplied over 200 155mm howitzers along with three million artillery rounds, 72 105mm howitzers with a million rounds, and more than 700,000 mortars. In total, more than 40 HIMARS rocket launchers, mounted on light armored vehicles, were sent, complete with the necessary ammunition. Furthermore, Washington provided Ukraine with over 10,000 Javelins, anti-tank missiles that emerged as symbols of Ukrainian resilience during the initial stages of the invasion. Additionally, over 120,000 other anti-vehicle weapons and 10,000 TOW anti-tank missiles were delivered. For smaller-scale armaments, more than 500 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades were supplied to Ukrainian forces. Tanks, Helicopters Among the package were 20 Soviet-designed Mi-17 military helicopters (file photo). Although the Pentagon has thus far declined to send its combat aircraft directly to Kyiv, the Biden administration did authorize the delivery of 20 Soviet-designed Mi-17 military helicopters, as well as various models of drones. Finally, after considerable delays from the Biden administration, Washington began delivering a total of 31 Abrams tanks, the most advanced US heavy tanks, starting in January 2023. Alongside these, approximately 45 Soviet-designed T-72B tanks were also sent. The State Departments list further included 300 Bradley fighting vehicles, 1,300 armored personnel carriers, more than 5,000 Humvee military vehicles, and 300 armored ambulances. Washington also supplied over 100 patrol boats, coastal defense systems, Claymore mines, satellite communication systems, night vision goggles, and more than 100,000 sets of body armor. After January 20 The figures mentioned above are from January 20, during the last hours of the Biden administration. Since Mr. Trump assumed office later that day, Washington has continued to deliver what a US defense official described as essential munitions approved by the prior administration, including anti-tank weapons and artillery rounds. ( The Times of Israel ) You are orderedlike in the Oscar-nominated documentary No Other Landto demolish the homes, schools, and wells of Palestinian families in Masafer Yatta, a community in the West Bank that has existed since the early 1900s. The official reason: to clear the land for a live-fire military training zone. But when you arrive, something shifts. You see the faces of children whose classrooms are about to be erased, parents clinging to the walls of homes passed down through generations, elders who have known no other land. You feel the weight of the injustice, the unbearable cruelty of the state-sponsored mission. So you refuse. You turn back. Later, the Israeli government official overseeing the operation asks you to describe what happened. If you lieand say you carried out the ordersyou will have saved these peoples homes, their schools, their community. If you tell the truth, the bulldozers will return, and the destruction will be inevitable. According to Jewish law, what should you do? Woman sitting on the ruins of her house destroyed by Israel in Masafer Yatta, January 2023. Author . Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Via Wikimedia Commons. You are definitely allowed to lie to save the homes and classrooms from destruction, since it is permitted to lie to save yourself or others from serious harm. The only dilemma the Talmud discusses (Yevamot 65b) is whether you are required to lie in this type of situation. As usual, we find two opinions: 1.Its permitted to say a falsehood to prevent harm to others. ( ) 2.Its a mitzvah to say a falsehood to prevent harm to others. ( ) When the Rambam codified this principle, he used language that permits lying, specifically in situations where it helps avoid embarrassment for oneself or others (Hilchot Gezeilah Vaaveidah 14:13). However, in this case, the issue at hand is not merely about embarrassment. An entire community, along with its institutions and means of livelihood, is at risk. The Rambams broader rulings on saving lives and treating strangers with fairness lead to the conclusion that lying is not just permissible, but an obligationa mitzvah! Reprinted with the authors permission from The Times of Israel Oakland, Ca. (Special to Informed Comment; feature) The title of the Oscar-winning documentary, No Other Land, reflects the sad reality that these people have no place else to go. The residents are mostly goat and sheep herders, and endure snow-blanketed winters and oppressive summer heat. An aging woman whose home has just been bulldozed says sadly, We have no other land, thats why we suffer for it. Later in the film, her son Harun abu Amar is shot and paralyzed from the shoulders down trying to wrestle back his familys generator from Israeli soldiers. Basel Adra, began filming the Israeli occupation of Masafer Yatta on his phone at age of 15, to visually tell the story. Hes lived his entire life at Masafer Yatta, posts episodes of the abuse as an online journalist, and holds a law degree. Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, his creative partner, freely comes and goes between his free world and the increasingly severe restrictions of his friend, setting a stark contrast. When he learns on social media that the Israeli military forces are about to go in to Masafer Yatta, he goes to document the coming atrocity, and support the villagers. His Israeli citizenship and journalism credentials lend a veil of cover to carry on the task. Hamdan Ballal, a Masafer Yatta farmer, was the cinematographer for most of the footage, and the editor is Israeli Rachel Szor. The film depicts the slow drip of terror and destruction from 2019 to October 2023. Masafer Yatta is known for its ancient caves, and thats where the residents retreat when their homes are destroyed. One of the early scenes from 2019 shows Basel speculating that the US might intervene to stop the expulsions. That drew cynical chuckles from the audience at a progressive Oakland synagogue where I watched the documentary. The film carefully documents a series of increasingly violent, painful and brutal acts of intimidation to create an undeniable record of evidence. The viewer sees bulldozers destroying family homes as the adults loudly shame the occupiers, and their children cry. Bulldozers and backhoes destroy hygiene facilities, chicken coops and anything of functional value. Cement is poured into a village well, while the residents wail, protest and cry. Another early scene depicts a mother instructing her children and friends to move the bedding deep into the cave, moments after her home has been destroyed, as if its a practiced drill thats occurred before. The sight of a flat screen TV on a cave wall is incongruous. When the Israeli army comes to bulldoze the childrens playground, the mothers wail at the soldiers, and children cry. Footage depicts bulldozers wrecking homes and infrastructure, sometimes before the occupants have time to clear out belongings, among other heartbreaking scenes. Roughly three times a week, the Israeli army would stage in the woods nearby, and then muster in, verbally and forcefully moving people away from their homes before they were bulldozed. Painful arguments are the soundtrack. Sometimes they bulldoze family vehicles, leaving them no way to get around. Yuval Abraham is not immediately accepted as a friendly among some villagers, but eventually earns enough trust to collaborate on telling their story. There are also tense moments between Yuval and Basel, who resents his friends freedom of movement, while he is confined to the villages. The presence of a young girl named Doha illuminates the cruelty and deprivation toward Palestinian children. Doha is seen doing a couple of cartwheels among the wreckage of their homes, acting like a normal kid. In a civilized world she would be in ballet and/or gymnastics classes. She also loved her school before it was destroyed. Destruction of the school, is one of the most disturbing scenes of all. The kids LOVED their school, as depicted when Basals niece stands in the family van, telling her dad to take her to school. Aside from the terror inflicted by the Israeli army, marauding settlers pile on and bring fresh atrocities on their own. When Yuval or Basel calls the police to report this, the Israeli army stands by and lets the settlers rampage, beating people up, destroying property and at times shooting people dead. This story is a microcosm of 100s of similar events throughout the West Bank territories of Palestine. These atrocities have been overshadowed by the horrors of the genocide in Gaza. The footage throughout is a collection of family home videos, steady hand-held cinematography, and vertigo-inducing shots from when Basel is being beaten, like the body cam footage of the Capitol Police on J6,. One cant find fault in any technicality, given the hardship under which this was made. The resourcefulness is tragically brilliant. Like the villagers of Masafer Yatta, who rebuild in the dark as soon as their homes are bulldozed. The sparseness of the music throughout brings a surprise when some form of resolution with strings and horns appears near the end. Al-Mafkara, Masafer Yatta, December 2021. Author . Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Via Wikimedia Commons. This film forces the viewer to participate in the anguishing scenes of calculated cruelty. It creates an undeniable record that cant be ignored. There is a Michael Moore (Oscar for Bowling for Columbine) parallel here. The evil Ilan, who issues the Demolition Orders is the same character depicted in Michael Moores Roger and Me, in the person of the Genesee County Sheriff, who loves serving Eviction Notices even on Christmas Eve. Both are heartless and robotic with a sense of perverse enjoyment from the power trip. Ilan and Yuval are on a first name basis, and argue like schoolmates who hate each other. Theyd love to slug it out (at least Yuval would), but professional boundaries prevent that. Yuval is an Israeli journalist, whom Ilan cant touch, unlike the villagers he torments. The Demolition Orders arise because the Palestinian applications for building permits are uniformly denied, but they build homes and wells anyway. As with Roger and Me, there is compelling storytelling with some very dark humor, and without a happy ending. Justice and fairness are absent in both films. But thankfully, there is a measure of justice among Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters, because No Other Land won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. That No Other Land, could not get a distributor in the US is troubling on many levels. University of Tennessee Professor Drew Paul illuminates some of the factors fueling the hands off approach to this film including avoidance of controversy, the stateless plight of Palestinian people, and lack of desire among theatre owners to have their property become a protest venue. Most of the US availability comes through Michael Tuckman Media, which manages theatrical releases bookings out of NYC. They facilitated the placements of the film at independent theatres, progressive synagogues and Islamic Community Centers in some major markets. I saw the film at Kehilla Community Synagogue in Piedmont, CA. (An older town surrounded by the City of Oakland.) Its most astonishing that a film of such high acclaim is unable to gain traction with US distribution, after receiving dozens of prestigious awards from critics associations, journals, film societies, global and local US film festivals. The broad spectrum of honors includes venerable and prominent film festivals in Amsterdam, Berlin, London, LA, Athens, Toronto and Vancouver, with reach into smaller markets including North Dakota, Nashville, Austin and Hot Springs, ARK. The story of Masafer Yatta is exemplary of many others, in the Israeli military campaign to violently intimidate the residents of centuries-old villages to quit. And if the Israeli army doesnt get the job done, the lawless, sadistic settlers will. There is pensive dialogue between Yuval Abraham and Basal Arad. Maybe this is the most intense buddy movie of all time.. An intense exchange near the end reveals the depth of intimacy that developed between the two men North Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) ("Lion One" or the "Company") is pleased to announce record mine operating income of C$6,302,540 from the Company's 100% owned Tuvatu Gold Mine in Fiji for Q4 CY2024. The Company is also pleased to announce that the Company's internal assay laboratory has achieved ISO 17025 accreditation - an internationally recognized standard for laboratory quality, reliability, and impartiality. Summary of Quarterly Financial Results: Record mine operating income of C$6,302,540 Record gold revenue of C$17,988,932 Record gold sales of 4,741 oz Lowered cost of sales of C$2,465 per oz of gold Summary of Quarterly Operational Results: 31,044 tonnes of high-grade mineralized material mined 17,370 tonnes (56%) of high-grade material mined from outside the Mineral Resource Estimate 29,525 tonnes of mineralized material processed Average head grade of 5.5 g/t gold Overall gold recovery of 82.5% Quarterly Results Lion One Metals achieved record mine operating income of C$6,302,540 for the quarter ending December 31, 2024 - a 312% increase compared to the previous quarter. The Company is ramping up production at the Tuvatu gold mine in Fiji and this dramatic increase in mine operating income is primarily due to an increase in gold production. The Company has achieved consistent quarter-over-quarter improvements in gold grades and gold recoveries since the Tuvatu processing plant was commissioned in early 2024, culminating in the record gold revenue reported for Q4 CY2024. The Company has also implemented an aggressive cost-cutting program during the 6 months ending December 2024, resulting in a 13% reduction in cost of sales per ounce of gold for Q4 CY2024 compared to the previous quarter. Additional cost reductions are expected to be realized in the coming months as a result of this cost-cutting program. Of note is that 56% of the high-grade mineralized material mined at Tuvatu during the quarter was mined outside the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). This follows similar results observed during the previous quarter. In total, 52% of the high-grade mineralized material mined at Tuvatu from July to December 2024 was mined outside the current MRE. This material was added to the resource based on infill and grade control drilling completed after the MRE cutoff date of March 25, 2024, and is indicative of the potential for resource expansion at Tuvatu. Table 1. Quarterly Financial Results Summary Q4 CY2024 Q3 CY2024 QoQ Change Gold sold oz 4,741 3,129 52% Average gold selling price C$/oz 3,794 3,332 14% Average cost of gold sales C$/oz 2,465 2,843 -13% Gold revenue C$ 17,993,020 10,470,518 72% Cost of sales C$ (11,686,392) (8,894,530) 31% Mine operating income C$ 6,302,540 1,529,978 312% Figure 1. Tuvatu Quarterly Revenue and Gold Sales, 2024. Quarterly revenue and gold sales have consistently increased quarter-over-quarter at Tuvatu since pilot plant commissioning was complete in Q1 CY2024. The Company is currently operating at the 300 TPD pilot plant level with expansion to the 600-700 TPD phase of operations anticipated in 2026. In advance of expansion the Company is completing critical mine infrastructure projects such as the raise bore and mine ventilation project, which is expected to be complete in March 2025. Once complete this will provide sufficient ventilation requirements for underground development to proceed all the way to the high-grade Zone 500 feeder zone. A primary focus of the Company is to advance to the 500 Zone as quickly as is safely possible and to accelerate that process the Company recently procured C$2M of additional mining equipment, including one twin boom jumbo, three air operated Long Tom drill jumbos, two remote ready scoops trams, and additional airleg/jackleg drills, which are expected to arrive at the mine site during April to May 2025. As part of the 600-700 TPD expansion the Company will be adding a flotation plant with a concentrate regrind mill which is anticipated to increase gold recoveries to more than 90% based on metallurgical testing. The Company is fully funded to start construction on the flotation circuit, which will be the first component of the plant expansion to be complete later in 2025. Lab Accreditation Lion One Metals operates its own geochemical and metallurgical laboratory in Fiji. The lab is a major asset for the company as it significantly reduces costs and wait times associated with sample analysis. Drill assay results can be received within two days of being drilled, thereby enabling the Company to react quickly to high-grade drill intercepts, often while the drill is still in place. Similarly, mill assay results are returned within 24 hours to inform operation and control of the mill. The assay lab can process over 10,000 samples a month and can conduct fire assay, ICP (26-34 elements), metallurgical, environmental, and mill sample analyses. The Lion One assay lab has been accredited under the IANZ ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Standard, which is the international standard for testing and calibration of laboratories. This standard sets out the requirements for competence, impartiality, confidentiality and consistent operation of laboratories, thereby ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the lab's testing and calibration results. The accreditation process is a rigorous process that evaluates the lab's structural, resource, process, and management systems. This includes the installation of a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) software which enables the lab to automate workflows, integrate instruments, and manage samples and associated information efficiently. The Lion One assay lab is the only mining accredited lab in Fiji and as an accredited lab it can assay samples from other operations thereby generating a potential secondary revenue stream for the Company. Assay lab accreditation is a significant achievement and is a rare accomplishment for a company in the junior mining industry, making Lion One one of a few junior mining companies in the world to own and operate their own accredited lab facility. Qualified Persons Statement In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101"), William J. Witte, P.Eng., Principal Advisor to the Company, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has reviewed and is responsible for the technical and scientific content of this news release. Lion One Laboratories / QAQC Lion One adheres to rigorous QAQC procedures above and beyond basic regulatory guidelines in conducting its drilling, sampling, testing, and analyses. The Company operates its own geochemical assay laboratory and its own fleet of diamond drill rigs using PQ, HQ and NQ sized drill rods. Diamond drill core samples are logged by Lion One personnel on site. Exploration diamond drill core is split by Lion One personnel on site, with half core samples sent for analysis and the other half core remaining on site. Grade control diamond drill core is whole core assayed. Core samples are delivered to the Lion One Laboratory for preparation and analysis. All samples are pulverized at the Lion One lab to 85% passing through 75 microns and gold analysis is carried out using fire assay with an AA finish. Samples that return grades greater than 10.00 g/t Au are re-analyzed by gravimetric method, which is considered more accurate for very high-grade samples. Duplicates of 5% of samples with grades above 0.5 g/t Au are delivered to ALS Global Laboratories in Australia for check assay determinations using the same methods (Au-AA26 and Au-GRA22 where applicable). ALS also analyses 33 pathfinder elements by HF-HNO3-HClO4 acid digestion, HCl leach and ICP-AES (method ME-ICP61). The Lion One lab can test a range of up to 71 elements through Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), but currently focuses on a suite of 26 important pathfinder elements with an aqua regia digest and ICP-OES finish. About Lion One Metals Limited Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, and the Assay Lab. The Company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Walter Berukoff, President, Chairman of the Board Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility or the adequacy or accuracy of this release This press release may contain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Lion One Metals Limited's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Lion One Metals Limited and on assumptions Lion One Metals Limited believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the actual results of exploration projects being equivalent to or better than estimated results in technical reports, assessment reports, and other geological reports or prior exploration results. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Lion One Metals Limited or its subsidiaries to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the stage development of Lion One Metals Limited, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current research and development or operational activities; competition; uncertainty as to patent applications and intellectual property rights; product liability and lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting mining, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; not realizing on the potential benefits of technology; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. Although Lion One Metals Limited has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lion One Metals Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. First test of large (2km x 1.5km) gravity anomaly, 1km east of La Romana copper-tin-silver discovery New IP survey identifies chargeability and resistivity anomalies coincident with the Bravo target Eight Bravo drillholes planned to test for VMS mineralization Bravo is one of several high priority targets included in current multi-target 7,000m Escacena drill program VANCOUVER, BC, March 4, 2025 /CNW/ - Pan Global Resources Inc. ("Pan Global" or the "Company") (TSXV: PGZ) (OTCQX: PGZFF) (FRA: 2EU) is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced at the Bravo target at the Company's 100%-owned copper, tin, gold, silver Escacena Project ("Escacena"), in southern Spain. Bravo is located 1km east and on-trend from the Company's La Romana copper-tin-silver discovery, and 3.5km southwest of Grupo Mexico's (Minera Los Frailes) Aznalcollar-Los Frailes mining project. The first phase of drilling is expected to be completed by mid-year. "The geophysics at Bravo shows many of the signatures associated with the Company's nearby La Romana copper-tin-silver discovery, enhancing the potential for mineralization. Based on its size and location, Bravo is a high-priority target amongst several previously untested targets in this highly prospective area for significant volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") associated mineralization. After several months of diligent fieldwork, we are excited that drilling has now commenced," said Tim Moody, Pan Global's President and CEO. The recently completed 18.2-line-km IP geophysics survey identified chargeability and resistivity anomalies coincident with the Bravo gravity anomaly. These results indicate potential extensions or repetitions of the geology trend hosting the La Romana mineralization 1km to the west of Bravo. The IP survey results have been integrated with modelling of the Company's detailed gravity, soil geochemistry, and helicopter electromagnetics survey data to prioritize drill targets. The first phase of drilling at Bravo will include up to eight wide-spaced drillholes to test for VMS mineralization associated with geophysics and geochemistry anomalies. The drilling will also test a very strong IP-chargeability anomaly 500m south of the main Bravo gravity anomaly on the interpreted continuation of the La Romana mineralization trend. Results from the first phase drill program will be released as they become available. Subject to results, the current planned 7,000m multi-target drill program at the Escacena Project may be expanded. About the Escacena Project The Escacena Project comprises a large, contiguous, 5,760-hectare land package controlled 100% by Pan Global in the east of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Escacena is located near the operating mine at Riotinto and is immediately adjacent to the former Aznalcollar and Los Frailes mines where Minera Los Frailes/Grupo Mexico is in the final permitting stage to allow new mine construction to commence. The Escacena Project hosts Pan Global's La Romana copper-tin-silver and Canada Honda copper-gold discoveries, and a number of other prospective targets, including, Bravo, Barbacena, La Pantoja, El Pozo, Romana Norte, San Pablo, Zarcita, Hornitos, La Jarosa, Romana Deep, and Cortijo. A longer-term goal is to define 100 million tonnes of copper resources from a cluster of deposits in the Project area, comparable to other mine operations in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. About Pan Global Resources Pan Global Resources Inc. is actively targeting copper-rich mineral deposits, given copper's compelling supply-demand fundamentals and outlook for strong long-term prices as a critical metal for global electrification and energy transition. The Company's flagship Escacena Project is located in the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt in southern Spain, where a favourable permitting track record, excellent infrastructure, mining and professional expertise, and support for copper as a Strategic Raw Material by the European Commission collectively define a tier-one low-risk jurisdiction for mining investment. The Pan Global team comprises proven talent in exploration, discovery, development, and mine operations - all of which are committed to operating safely and with utmost respect for the environment and our partnered communities. The Company is a member, and operates under the principles, of the United Nations Global Compact. Qualified Persons Alvaro Merino, Vice President Exploration for Pan Global Resources and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information for this media release. Mr. Merino is not independent of the Company. www.panglobalresources.com Forward-looking statements Statements which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information included in this media release are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental, environmental, and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products, and prices. Readers should refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis of its audited financial statements filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission. The forward-looking information contained in this media release is based on information available to the Company as of the date of this media release. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) ("Hercules" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its U.S. subsidiary, Anglo-Bomarc, U.S., Inc. (the "Lessee") has entered into a twenty year mineral lease agreement with the Idaho Department of Lands ("IDL" or the "Lessor") to explore, develop and mine metallic minerals on approximately 7,669 acres of state-owned land adjacent to its Hercules Property in western Idaho ("Hercules" or the "Property") and 640 acres adjacent to its nearby Mineral property (collectively the "Lease Area"). This new addition increases the Company's land position in the district by over 46%, to a total of 24,276 acres at the Leviathan porphyry discovery and 2,243 acres at the Mineral property (Figures 1-5). Chris Paul, CEO and Director of the Company, noted: "This lease is consistent with our strategy of consolidating scale in the Hercules Porphyry Belt. As we advance the Leviathan discovery, our expanded land position provides us the ability to continue to explore, develop and mine, which aligns with Idaho's new Strategic Permitting, Efficiency, and Economic Development (SPEED) Act1, aimed at fast-tracking permitting and unlocking value in the states largely untapped mineral endowment." The last cycle of exploration in the Hercules district lasted from 1965 through to 1984, consisting of shallow drilling below historical silver mines on the Hercules and Mineral properties. However, historical exploration never tested below areas with post-mineral cover due to the technological limitations of the time. As a result, the Lease Area, which is entirely covered with post-mineral basalt, went completely unexplored. The Company's 2023 discovery of the Leviathan porphyry has revealed significant potential throughout the surrounding area. Follow-up drilling and surface mapping have since highlighted porphyry emplacement along a NW-SE trend which specifically increases the potential of the Lease Area. To test this, and fully appreciate the scope of the now consolidated target, the Company plans on activating powerful new geophysical technologies, aimed at unlocking the potential of these previously unexplored high-priority targets. In addition to the copper porphyry discovered below the silver system in 2023, a recent wildcat hole drilled in the new Southern Flats Zone, HER-24-16, discovered an extension of the silver system immediately below post-mineral basalt. Since the epithermal silver system overlaps with and enriches the upper part of the porphyry, strong potential is indicated for the continuation of both systems below thin cover in the Southern Flats Zone. The post-mineral basalt was revealed to be just 40 meters thick in HER-24-16. Figure 1: New state mineral leases adjacent to Hercules property, showing porphyry targets and post-mineral cover. Mineral Property A section (640 acres) of state land adjacent to the southern boundary of the Company's Mineral property is included in the lease agreement (Figures 2-5). For additional information on the Mineral property, see news release dated October 2, 2023. Figure 2: New state mineral lease adjacent to the Company's Mineral property, overlain with an airborne potassium (K) radiometrics survey. Warm colours indicate potassium enrichment, which at the Hercules property, is associated with the epithermal alteration and correlates strongly with silver. The linear highs may indicate important structural controls. Figure 3: Copper in soil and select rock grab samples2 taken during a property evaluation by Newmont Corporation in 20133. Figure 4: Gold in soil and select rock grab samples2 taken during a property evaluation by Newmont Corporation in 20133. Figure 5: Molybdenum in soil and select rock grab samples2 taken during a property evaluation by Newmont Corporation in 20133. About the Idaho Department of Lands The Idaho Department of Lands manages over 3.4 million acres of state endowment trust land, with a mandate to maximize revenue for the benefit of public schools and other institutions. Mineral leasing is a key component of this mission, contributing to Idaho's economic development and educational funding. Commitment to Responsible Development The Company is committed to adhering to all regulatory requirements and implementing best practices to ensure environmental stewardship and community engagement throughout the project. Terms of the Lease The lease has a primary term of 20 years, commencing on March 1, 2025, and expiring on February 28, 2045, with the potential to extend the lease beyond its initial term, subject to Idaho law and a negotiated extension agreement with the Lessor. Under the terms of the lease, the Lessee will pay an annual rental fee of US$24,927, which will increase by 3% each year over the 20-year lease term. The Lessee will remit a 5% Net Smelter Return (NSR) royalty on any minerals produced from the leased area. To incentivize production, minimum annual royalty amounts are due each year, regardless of if the lease has reached production, starting at US$20,000 per year for the first five years of the agreement, increasing to US$30,000 in years 6-10, US$70,000 in years 11-15, and US$100,000 in years 16-20. If production occurs, the production royalty payments can be credited against the minimum annual royalty for that year. These financial commitments underscore the Company's long-term investment in the project and its contribution to Idaho's critical minerals development. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved for disclosure by Iain Campbell, P.Geo. Iain Campbell is an independent "Qualified Person" for Hercules Metals within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Hercules Metals Corp. Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) is an exploration Company focused on developing Idaho's newest copper and silver district. The 100% owned Hercules Project located northwest of Cambridge, hosts the newly discovered Leviathan porphyry copper system, one of the most important discoveries in the region to date. The Company is well positioned for growth through continued drilling, supported by extensive historical and current exploration and a strategic investment by Barrick Gold. With the potential for significant scale, the Company's management and board of directors aims to build on its proven track record which includes the discovery and development of numerous precious metals projects worldwide. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. Any securities referred to herein have not and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws of an exemption from such registration is available. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This news release contains certain information that may be deemed "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may include, without limitation, the expected execution of future exploration programs on the Property; assay results of future drill holes; results of operations, and the expected financial performance of the Company. Although the Company believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by its nature, forward-looking information involves assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; the Covid-19 pandemic; adverse industry events; the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the timing of such approvals; that the Company maintains good relationships with the communities in which it operates or proposes to operate, future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; the risk that any of the assumptions prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as other assumptions risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company, including as set forth in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF HERCULES METALS AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE HERCULES METALS MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. 1 https://gov.idaho.gov/pressrelease/gov-little-signs-speed-act-to-further-streamline-state-permitting/ 2 The reader is cautioned that rock grab samples are selective by nature and may not represent the true grade or style of mineralization across the Property. 3 Reid, D., 2014. Mineral Mining District, Idaho. Presentation, March 2014. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Zeus North America Mining Corp. (CSE:ZEUS) (OTCQB:ZUUZF) (FRANKFURT:O92) (the "Company" or "Zeus") welcomes Mr. Simon Clarke to the Company's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Clarke brings 25 years experience in building companies and implementing successful capital markets and growth strategies focused in mining, energy, and energy technology. Mr. Clarke brings significant experience and knowledge of the Critical Minerals space and his roles with American Lithium, M2 Cobalt and Jervois Mining included managing government and stakeholder initiatives relating to the supply of battery metals in a number of jurisdictions. In particular, he has first-hand experience of the critical mineral initiatives in the United States and the urgent need to develop domestic sources of supply of critical minerals, including battery grade lithium, cobalt and copper. Mr. Clarke is currently CEO, President & Director of American Critical Minerals Corp. (a potash and lithium exploration / development company), recently re-branded from American Potash Corp.. He is also Chair and a Director of Myriad Uranium. Previously Mr. Clarke was CEO & Director of American Lithium Corp. Beyond its development stage lithium projects, American Lithium is also developing the Macusani Uranium Project, the largest uranium asset in South America and one of the largest development stage uranium projects globally. Mr. Clarke was with American Lithium for four years, during which time its Market Valuation reached $1.2 Billion at the height of the last lithium cycle, Mr. Clarke was also a co-founder, CEO, and Director of M2 Cobalt Corp., focused on cobalt and copper in East Africa. M2 Cobalt was acquired by Jervois Global in June 2019 and as part of the transaction terms, Mr. Clarke joined Jervois as a Director and then as part of Senior Management for a 12-month term. Mr. Clarke was a co-founder of Osum Oil Sands Corp. valued in excess of US$1 billion at its peak and which produced in excess of 20,000 barrels of oil per day when it was acquired by Waterous Energy Fund for approx. $400 million in April, 2021. Mr Clarke holds an LLB and Diploma in Legal Practice from Aberdeen University, Scotland. Mr. Clarke commented "I am delighted to be joining Zeus at this exciting stage in its evolution. Recent global events and recent developments in the copper sector position the Company to benefit strongly from a renewed focus on the need for quality domestic critical mineral projects. The need for copper in so many applications across numerous industries is pushing the drive to include it in the US Critical Minerals List a process that already passed Congress Late last Fall. It is critical we develop quality domestic sources as quickly as possible. " Dean Besserer, CEO of Zeus North American Mining Corp. stated "We see this as a pivotal time both for Zeus and critical mineral projects across the United States of America. We Welcome Simon's global and high-level experience to the board. His experience with high profile companies in the mining and energy sectors should prove to be invaluable to Zeus as we take Cuddy Mountain to the next level." About the Cuddy Mountain Copper Property (Idaho, USA) The Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metals Corp. recently discovered Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery ($167M MC).* The discovery resulted in Barrick injecting $23M in equity. The Cuddy Mountain Property consists of 101 lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 2020 acres (see Figure). The Property is in Washington County, Idaho just 2.5 hours Northwest of Boise and readily accessible by road. Historical Drilling at Cuddy Mountain consisted of 7 shallow drill holes in 1977 intersecting anomalous lead and silver. Drill hole Mun 8 contained 90 feet of 2.02 oz/t Ag (Taylor, 1977). Further historical exploration on Zeus's Cuddy Mountain Project occurred at the Edna May Mine: Mineralized vein with chip samples containing 750 ppm ppm Pb, 7.7% Zn and 252 grams per tonne Silver over 4 feet. Underground drilling in 1979 intersected 1.38 oz/t Ag over 7 feet in a breccia zone (Burmeister, 1980). Additional exploration (By Taylor, 1977) at the Rockslide area encountered Malachite-stained outcrops with a grab sample containing 760 ppm Pb, 0.67 % Zn and 36 grams per tonne Silver (Taylor, 1977). *Adjacent Property (www.herculesmetals.com) *All information is derived solely from management of Zeus Mining and otherwise publicly available third-party information which are believed to be reliable, but which have not been independently verified by the Company and as a result are not guaranteed as to accuracy and completeness. Zeus's management cautions that past results or discoveries on properties in proximity to Zeus may not necessarily be indicative of the presence of mineralization on the Company's properties. Mr. James McCrea, a director, has resigned effective immediately to pursue other endeavours. The board wishes to thank James for his contributions over the last year. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dean Besserer, P.Geo., the President & CEO for the company and Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. On behalf of the board of directors. "Dean Besserer" President and CEO For more information, please contact the Company at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. FOR INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT: Kin Communications Inc. Ph: 604-684-6730 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. About Zeus North America Mining Corp. The Company is in the business of mineral exploration. The Company is focused on its exploration properties in the state of Idaho known as the: Cuddy Mountain; Selway; and Great Western properties, respectively. The Idaho properties consist of 101 (Cuddy Mountain), 57 (Selway) and 38 (Great Western) lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 4,200 acres. The Company's flagship Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metal Corp's Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery. Forward Looking Statements When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; and general development, market and industry conditions. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Johannesburg, South Africa--(Newsfile Corp. - March 4, 2025) - Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN) (OTCQX: IVPAF) Executive Co-Chair Robert Friedland announced today that Mr. Jinghe Chen, Chairman of Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd., has stepped down from Ivanhoe's the board of directors and has been replaced with the appointment of Dr. Chun (James) Wang, Vice President of Overseas Operations for Zijin Mining. Mr. Chen has served on Ivanhoe Mines' board of directors since 2019, following the strategic investment by Zijin Mining into Ivanhoe Mines and the forming of the Kamoa Copper joint venture in 2015. Dr. Wang replaces Mr. Chen on the board of directors, effective March 1, 2025. Ivanhoe Mines Executive Co-Chair, Robert Friedland commented: "I would like to thank Chairman Chen for his wisdom, support and unwavering dedication in shaping the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex and building Ivanhoe Mines into the world-class mining company it is today. "With a true geologist's instinct, Chairman Chen and I shared in 2015 a recognition of the scale, quality and scarcity of the Kamoa orebody as well as the potential to make a seismic copper discovery at Kakula over the years that followed. What has transpired since has surpassed all expectations. Together we have successfully delivered, ahead of schedule, the 3 Phases of Kamoa-Kakula making it the fastest growing, highest-grade, lowest carbon-emitting major copper producer on our planet. "Mr. Chen's legacy is etched into the foundations of our success, and we wish him health, happiness and success as he continues to drive Zijin forwards as one of the world's largest mining companies. "We welcome Dr. James Wang onto our board of directors and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the same spirit of cooperation and shared vision for our bright future together." Mr. Chen's industry expertise and unwavering dedication has been constant throughout his tenure on Ivanhoe Mines' board of directors. Mr. Chen played a vital role in several milestone achievements, including the successful completion of Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex. His contribution was particularly significant in the completion of Africa's largest and greenest copper smelter at Kamoa-Kakula. His strategic vision and commitment to operational excellence have significantly enhanced shareholder value and strengthened Ivanhoe's global role as a major metals producer. Ivanhoe Mines extends our sincere appreciation to Mr. Chen for his service and wish him continued success in his future pursuits. As Chairman of Zijin Mining, Mr. Chen will dedicate his attention to continuing to guide Zijin Mining's strategic vision and the ongoing growth of its portfolio. Dr. Wang will succeed Mr. Chen on the board of directors, effective March 1, 2025. Dr. Wang brings extensive operational and leadership expertise in international mining operations to this position. Dr. Wang earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, following a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Central South University. In his current role as Vice President of Zijin Mining, Dr. Wang leads the company's international business initiatives and serves as a key member of the Project Committee at Kamoa Holding Limited. His exceptional operational track record includes serving as General Manager at Gold Mountains HK International Mining Co Ltd., where he cross-managed overseas assets and oversaw acquisitions, financial investments, and legal compliance activities for Zijin Mining Group's Hong Kong-listed operations. Additionally, Dr. Wang demonstrated his leadership capabilities as Chief Executive Officer of Continental Gold Colombia Branch, Zijin Mining Group, from October 2019 to March 2022. Dr. Wang has established himself as a distinguished leader in the mining sector. His extensive experience in global mining operations and his strategic approach to international ventures make him well-suited to help guide Ivanhoe Mines' ongoing future growth. About Ivanhoe Mines Ivanhoe Mines is a Canadian mining company focused on advancing its three principal projects in Southern Africa; the expansion of the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the DRC, the ramp-up of the ultra-high-grade Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine, also in the DRC; and, the phased development of the tier-one Platreef palladium-nickel-platinum-rhodium-copper-gold project in South Africa. Ivanhoe Mines is also exploring across its highly prospective, 60-100% owned exploration licences in the Western Forelands, covering an area over 5 times larger than the adjacent Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex. Ivanhoe is exploring for new sedimentary copper discoveries, as well as expanding and further defining its high-grade Makoko, Kiala, and Kitoko copper discoveries as the company's next major development projects. Follow Robert Friedland (@robert_ivanhoe) and Ivanhoe Mines (@IvanhoeMines_) on X. Highlights: Courvan Trend (Bussiere Deposit) infill drilling results intersected near-surface gold zones with significant grades up to 14.8 g/t Au over 4.0 metres (cut*) ( 18.9 g/t Au over 4.0 metres uncut), including 66.3 g/t Au over 1.0 metres and thick gold zones, including an intersection of 0.8 g/t Au over 33.3 metres . (Bussiere Deposit) infill drilling results intersected near-surface gold zones with 18.9 g/t Au over 4.0 metres uncut), including 66.3 g/t Au over 1.0 metres and . Courvan Trend (BM-17A Zone) infill drilling results intersected near-surface gold zones grading 4.5 g/t Au over 7.7 metres , including 28.5 g/t Au over 1.0 metres. (BM-17A Zone) infill drilling results intersected near-surface gold zones grading , including Monique Deposit (G2, A & B1 Zones) infill drilling yielded up to 4.4 g/t Au over 7.0 metres, including 17.1 g/t Au over 1.1 metres, 10.7 g/t Au over 4.0 metres, including 32.9 g/t Au over 1.0 metres , 2.8 g/t Au over 17.0 metres, including 34.6 g/t Au over 1.0 metres (G2, A & B1 Zones) infill drilling yielded up to including including 32.9 g/t Au over 1.0 metres including 34.6 g/t Au over 1.0 metres Monique Deposit (M & I Zones), infill drilling yielded up to 9.9 g/t Au over 4.1 metres, including 20.2 g/t Au over 1.6 metres, 4.4 g/t Au over 20.0 metres, including 23.8 g/t Au over 3.0 metres, and 4.7 g/t Au over 11.0 metres, including 15.2 g/t Au over 3.0 metres. TORONTO, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Probe Gold Inc. (TSX: PRB) (OTCQB: PROBF) (Probe or the Company), is pleased to provide the latest results from the Novador in-fill drill program on its 100%-owned Novador property (the Property) located near Val-dOr, Quebec. The 50,000-metre winter infill drill program, initiated during the fall of 2024, will support the 2025 pre-feasibility study. Results from thirty-one (31) infill drill holes, totaling 9,083 metres, have returned significant gold intercepts from near-surface to approximately 120 metres vertical depth in the Bussiere deposit sector and significant thick gold intercepts at Monique from deeper infill drilling. (see figure 1, figure 2 and table of selected drill results below). David Palmer, President and CEO of Probe, states, Novadors infill drilling program continues to confirm the continuity and grade of near-surface mineralization at the Bussiere deposit, as well as deeper gold zones at Monique. These results are successfully supporting the ongoing resource conversion for the upcoming Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS), which marks a crucial milestone in advancing the Novador project toward development. Probes primary focus is to continue advancing Novador, positioning it as a leading development project capable of thriving in any gold price environment. We are making great progress in permitting, resource growth, and mine plan optimization, and our confidence in the projects potential continues to strengthen as we see a clear path forward to development. These latest in-fill drilling results will continue to enhance our 3D models. Both Zones remain open for significant expansion along strike and at depth. Selected infill drill results from the Bussiere deposit and the Monique deposit drilling program are as follows: Hole Number From (m) To (m) Length (m) Gold (g/t) Zone CO-24-435 (Cut) 96.6 97.6 1.0 50.0 BM-04 CO-24-435 (Uncut) 96.6 97.6 1.0 67.1 BM-04 CO-25-440 27.5 99.5 72.0 0.6 Bussiere 002& BM-10 including 58.0 61.0 3.0 5.5 Bussiere 002 including 98.5 99.5 1.0 12.7 BM-10 CO-25-441 (Cut) 45.0 49.0 4.0 14.8 Bussiere 002 CO-25-441 (Uncut) 45.0 49.0 4.0 18.9 Bussiere 002 Including 47.0 48.0 1.0 66.3 Bussiere 002 CO-25-442 91.7 113.3 21.6 0.7 BM-03 CO-25-445 56.0 63.7 7.7 4.5 BM-17A including 60.7 61.7 1.0 28.5 BM-17A CO-25-448 89.0 107.0 18.0 1.0 BM-09 including 93.0 96.0 3.0 4.9 BM-09 CO-25-448 139.7 140.7 1.0 11.6 BM-10A CO-25-449 108.2 141.5 33.3 0.8 BM-10 including 137.7 140.5 2.8 4.7 BM-10A MO-24-731 104.0 113.0 9.0 1.7 K5 MO-24-731 431.0 438.0 7.0 2.0 E4 MO-24-731 447.0 454.0 7.0 4.4 G2 including 452.9 454.0 1.1 17.1 G2 MO-24-731W2 424.5 441.5 17.0 0.6 E4 MO-24-732W1 429.5 451.1 21.6 0.7 G2 MO-24-732W1 545.0 549.0 4.0 10.7 A including 545.0 546.0 1.0 32.9 A MO-24-732W1 658.0 675.0 17.0 2.8 B1 including 660.0 661.0 1.0 34.6 B1 MO-24-732W2 630.0 647.0 17.0 2.0 B1 including 637.0 644.0 7.0 4.4 B1 MO-24-732W2 739.0 746.0 7.0 2.5 M including 740.0 741.0 1.0 12.5 M MO-25-733 483.0 506.1 23.1 1.1 I including 484.2 488.0 3.8 3.0 I including 493.8 497.8 4.0 2.9 I MO-25-734 516.0 531.0 15.0 1.0 I including 526.0 531.0 5.0 2.7 I MO-25-736 79.0 149.5 70.5 0.7 B & I including 142.9 149.5 6.6 4.1 I MO-25-736 234.9 239.0 4.1 9.9 M including 234.9 236.5 1.6 20.2 M MO-25-737W1 459.0 479.0 20.0 4.4 I including 465.0 468.0 3.0 23.8 I MO-25-738 428.0 439.0 11.0 4.7 I including 433.0 436.0 3.0 15.2 I (1) All the new analytical results reported in this release and in this table, are presented in core length and cut to 50 g/t Au when needed. True width is estimated between 65 to 95 % of core length. Only grade times thickness above 10.0 g/t Au * m is reported. Figure 1: Courvan Area Surface Map Courvan Gold Trend new drilling results Figure 2: Monique Area Surface Map Monique Gold Trend new drilling results Mineralization along the Courvan trend, including Bussiere Mine sector, is characterized by a series of shallow-dipping East-West gold-bearing veins spatially associated with shear zones that intersect the Bourlamaque granodiorite batholith. The veins encountered containing gold are primarily composed of sulphide-bearing quartz-carbonate-tourmaline, and gold is typically associated with centimetre-scale pyrite masses within the veins. Gold mineralization intersected in the volcanics is associated with a shear zone and sulphide-bearing quartz-carbonate-tourmaline veins. The Bussiere deposit remains open laterally and at depth. Mineralization intersected at Monique is mainly associated with deformation zones that cross the deposit at an orientation of 280 300 and a 75- 80 dip to the north. The gold mineralization is defined by a network of quartz/carbonate/albite/tourmaline veins and veinlets, along with disseminated pyrite hosted in altered and sheared volcanic rocks and altered diorite dykes. Mineralized zones have been defined from surface to a depth of 700 metres and vary in width from several metres to up to 100 metres. Mineralized structures modelled extend laterally up to 2,500 metres. The Monique Gold Trend zones remain open along strike and at depth. Qualified Person The scientific and technical content of this press release has been prepared, reviewed, and approved by Mr. Marc Ducharme, P.Geo, Vice President Exploration, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Quality Control During the last drilling program, assay samples were taken from the NQ core by sawing the drill core in half, with one-half sent to a certified commercial laboratory and the other half retained for future reference. A strict QA/QC program was applied to all samples, which includes insertion of mineralized standards and blank samples for each batch of 20 samples. The gold analyses were completed by fire-assayed with an atomic absorption finish on 50 grams of materials. Repeats were carried out by fire-assay followed by gravimetric testing on each sample containing 3.0 g/t gold or more. Total gold analyses (Metallic Sieve) were carried out on the samples which presented a great variation of their gold contents or the presence of visible gold. About Probes Novador Project Since 2016, Probe Gold has been consolidating its land position in the highly prospective Val dOr East area in the province of Quebec with a district-scale land package of 835 square kilometres that represents one of the largest land holdings in the Val-dOr mining camp. The Novador project represents one property block of 202 square kilometres that hosts four past producing mines (Beliveau Mine, Bussiere Mine, Monique Mine and Beaufor Mine) and contains 80% of the Companys gold resources in Val-dOr East. Novador is situated in a politically stable and low-cost mining environment that hosts numerous active producers and mills. About Probe Gold Probe Gold Inc. is a leading Canadian company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of highly prospective gold properties. The Company is well-funded and dedicated to exploring and developing high-quality gold projects. Notably, it owns 100% of its flagship asset, the multimillion-ounce Novador Gold Project in Quebec, as well as an early-stage Detour Gold Quebec project. Probe controls a large land package of approximately 1835-square-kilometres of exploration ground within some of the most prolific gold belts in Quebec. The Companys recent Novador updated Preliminary Economic Assessment outlines a robust mining plan with an average annual gold production of 255,000 ounces over a 12.6-year mine life. Val-dOr properties include gold resources totaling 6,728,600 ounces in the Measured and Indicated category and 3,277,100 ounces in the Inferred category along all trends and deposits. On behalf of Probe Gold Inc., Dr. David Palmer, President & Chief Executive Officer For further information: Please visit our website at www.probegold.com or contact: Seema Sindwani Vice-President of Investor Relations This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +1.416.777.9467 Forward-Looking Statements Neither TSX Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as believes, anticipates, expects, estimates, may, could, would, will, or plan. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet managements expectations. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Companys objectives, goals or future plans, statements, exploration results, potential mineralization, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to failure to identify mineral resources, failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves, the inability to complete a feasibility study which recommends a production decision, the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political risks, inability to fulfill the duty to accommodate First Nations and other indigenous peoples, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains, and those risks set out in the Companys public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Children as young as one have been raped by armed men during the conflict in Sudan, the UN said on Tuesday, condemning it as a horror that should "shock anyone to their core". UNICEF said the scale of child rape in war-ravaged Sudan was far more widespread than just the documented cases and urged all sides to end sexual violence as a war tactic. Gender-based violence (GBV) service providers in Sudan recorded some 221 cases of child rape since the beginning of 2024. Of those cases, 66 percent of the survivors were girls and 33 percent were boys. There were 16 survivors under the age of five -- including four who were as young as one. The UN children's agency recorded an additional 77 reported cases of sexual assault against children -- primarily attempted rape. "Painstakingly verified by the United Nations, these figures provide only a partial picture of the true magnitude of violence inflicted against children," UNICEF said. It said survivors and their families were often unwilling or unable to come forward, fearing stigma, rejection from their family or community, retribution from armed groups, confidentiality breaches, or being accused of being a collaborator. - Life-long consequences - "Children as young as one being raped by armed men should shock anyone to their core and compel immediate action," said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell. "Millions of children in Sudan are at risk of rape and other forms of sexual violence, which is being used as a tactic of war. This is an abhorrent violation of international law and could constitute a war crime. It must stop." Sudan's regular army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in a battle for power since April 2023. The fighting has plunged Sudan into what the UN calls the world's largest humanitarian catastrophe. In its report entitled "Sudan's child rape and sexual violence crisis", UNICEF said attacks included armed men storming homes and demanding families surrender their girls; and raping girls in front of their loved ones. The report did not single out either the SAF or the RSF as being behind particular crimes. Victims were left with serious physical injury, including wounds, fractures, abscesses, and other complications. "No person, no child, should have to endure these horrors," the report said. It said sexual violence could have life-long consequences and leave survivors facing "impossible choices" such as handling a resultant pregnancy, and whether to speak out or seek health support. - 'Crying and screaming' - UNICEF released clips from interviews with victims, maintaining their anonymity. "They forced me into a big car... They took me to a place next to a railway, and three people raped me," said one 16-year-old girl. "They were beating me and raping me and threw me next to the railway, and a woman came and helped me go home... and when I arrived, I was in a terrible condition." The girl is now nine months pregnant. An adult woman was held by armed men for 19 days in a room with other women and girls. "After nine at night, someone opens the door, carrying a whip, selects one of the girls, and takes her to another room. I could hear the little girl crying and screaming. They were raping her," she said. "Every time they raped her, this girl would come back covered in blood... They only release these girls at dawn, and they return almost unconscious." UNICEF urged the Sudanese government and all parties to the conflict to respect their obligations to protect civilians, especially children, while those providing services to survivors must be protected. "In decision-making on funding, GBV programmes must be treated by donors as lifesaving," the agency said. Venezuelas spiraling repression presents a unique opportunity for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prove it can deliver real impact on the ground. By pressing forward with its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity, the ICC Prosecutors Office has a chance to weaken the Maduro regimes machinery of repression, offer long-overdue justice to victims and their families, and help pave the way for a democratic transition. Venezuela currently has two potential cases before the ICC. Venezuela I stems from a 2018 state referral by Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru, and refers to brutal repression during the 2014 and 2017 protests. Security forces engaged in arbitrary arrests, torture and other widespread abuses. In 2020, the ICC prosecutor found reasonable grounds to believe crimes against humanity including political persecution, torture, rape, and unlawful imprisonment had been committed. Venezuela II, a request by Venezuelan authorities to investigate the impact of U.S. sanctions, lacks legal merit under international criminal law. In 2021, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan formally opened the Venezuela I investigation, and signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Nicolas Maduro, allowing his office to provide technical assistance on justice matters. Both efforts were intended to move in parallel under the principle of positive complementarity, which seeks to strengthen national justice mechanisms and keep the ICC as a last resort. However, in June 2023, after Venezuelan authorities sought to halt the ICCs probe in favor of their own proceedings, the ICC ruled the investigation should continue. It found Venezuelas efforts insufficient, as they shielded high-ranking officials while prosecuting only low-level perpetrators and failed to address crimes driven by discrimination and sexual violence. From positive complementarity to inaction Many perceive that the ICC Prosecutor has prioritized positive complementarity efforts over independent investigations, slowing progress on the Venezuela I case. Victims and their families, the Venezuelan democratic opposition, the ICCs Office of Public Counsel for the Victims (OPCV) which on November 22 urged Khan to expedite the case and human rights organizations have all called for concrete action. More than three years after the investigation began, they demand tangible results. The emphasis on complementarity is even more problematic given the surge in repression following the July 28, 2024 elections, where opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez was widely recognized as winner despite a blatantly rigged process to declare Maduro president of Venezuela. As reported by the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela (FFM), the government escalated its most violent repressive tactics systematically dismantling opposition forces, suppressing independent media, and silencing dissent through intimidation, arbitrary detentions, torture, and sexual violence. (Previous FFM reports had already found evidence of crimes against humanity and judicial complicity in these abuses.) According to the latest data from NGO Foro Penal, there were 2,062 political detainees between election day and the end of the year a stark reminder of the stakes in Venezuela and the need for urgent action. Venezuela remains one of the few ICC cases without arrest warrants. Of the Courts 12 ongoing and five concluded investigations, 14 have had warrants requested by the Prosecutor. Only Venezuela, Burundi and the Philippines have not had any. The ICC has not explained this inaction, but several factors could be at play. Why Venezuela is different than Colombia Historically, ICC prosecutors have pursued not just prosecutions but also the broader goal of fostering domestic accountability. While this approach has often faced criticism, it aims to expand the Courts influence beyond the cases it directly prosecutes. The idea is that when national authorities demonstrate a willingness to investigate and prosecute crimes, the ICCs involvement can help push domestic justice efforts forward. Striking this balance requires the ICC to give national authorities space to act while also advancing its own independent analysis and, when necessary, launching formal investigations. A prime example of this approach was the ICCs preliminary examination in Colombia (2004-2021), which helped drive progress within its national justice system. Applying this approach to Venezuela is particularly challenging. Genuine accountability is impossible with the countrys current judicial system, which lacks independence. Since 2004, when then-President Hugo Chavez and his allies in the National Assembly politically took over the Supreme Court, the judiciary has functioned as an extension of the executive branch. Instead of investigating serious abuses and corruption, Venezuelas courts have become a pillar of the regimes repressive machinery, shielding perpetrators and punishing dissent. Another factor behind the ICCs inaction may be financial constraints. The Court faces chronic underfunding, creating unrealistic expectations for it to fulfill an ever-expanding mandate. As its caseload grows, State Parties have failed to provide proportional financial support. Moreover, new U.S. sanctions against the ICC, according to UN experts, could lead to financial restrictions, threatening to undermine the ICC and its investigations. Against this backdrop, on December 2, 2024, Khan issued a stark warning at the Assembly of States Parties. He cautioned the Venezuelan government, judges, and prosecutors that the window for domestic justice to address crimes against humanity is running out. Sticks and carrots Khans statement should mark the beginning of stronger action on the Venezuela case. While restoring judicial independence is critical, and Venezuelas judiciary needs to be overhauled, it will not happen under a dictatorship. Raising the cost of repression is essential. If key figures in the regime believe that continued abuses could lead to international prosecution whether through the ICC or cases under universal jurisdiction, like the one currently being pursued in Argentina they may begin to explore alternatives to holding onto power brutally. This is neither an easy nor guaranteed outcome, but without the real threat of imprisonment, it simply wont happen. International law is clear: perpetrators of the most serious human rights violations including crimes against humanity cannot be granted immunity from prosecution. This applies especially to those at the highest levels of power, though is not limited to them. While numerous individuals across the government, security forces, and judiciary played a role in state repression particularly during the crackdowns of 2014 and 2017 and the post-election period after July 28, 2024 the legal threshold for proving international crimes and holding individuals accountable is high. Those currently facing or at risk of criminal investigations before the ICC and other tribunals for their alleged responsibility in the most serious international crimes will not be able to receive assurances of lasting impunity. The threat of prosecution and possibility of being held accountable will haunt them permanently . However, power in Venezuela is not monolithic. Many individuals across high, mid, and lower levels of the regimes structure have not yet been blacklisted and still have a choice. Security forces, judicial officials, and electoral authorities, for example, may see a future for themselves in a democratic Venezuela. International law provides for alternative measures for those implicated in human rights violations that do not amount to international crimes. Options such as amnesty, pardons, reduced sentences, or non-custodial measures could be possible, but only in exchange of substantial cooperation with the judiciary, acknowledgment of responsibility, and guarantees of non-repetition. While such agreements would need to be negotiated privately, they must also involve consultation with victims and their families. This path may be morally uncomfortable for many, but if it is aligned with international law it could help pave the way for accountability and a democratic transition. This process stands a far greater chance of success if it is reinforced by threat of prosecution for additional crimes committed by Venezuela authorities including corruption, money laundering, and drug-trafficking where prosecutors have broader discretion to offer legal incentives in exchange for cooperation. However, for this strategy to be viable, those violently clinging to power today must come to see that repression and outright disregard for the will of the people carry real consequences. Right now, given the shifting political reality in the region and the United States, there is no clearly coordinated international response from democratic leaders in support of Venezuelas democracy. In this vacuum, the ICC has a crucial role to play one that demands urgent, decisive action. This is not about politicizing the ICC. It is about recognizing the power of the law and its ability to bring accountability where domestic justice has failed. Korean actor Lee Jong Suk is at it again with the little but oh-so-swoon-worthy way he shows his support for his girlfriend, K-Pop idol IU. Dispatch, as per Koreaboo, recently featured the couple, whose four-month relationship included outings for Christmas in Japan. Also among the items was a recently released hat by designer brand Beyond Closet that was seen on model/actor Lee Jong Suk, who wore one emblazoned with "The Golden Hour." Sharp-eyed fans were the first to notice this, as they remembered it being the same hat IU sported on her 2022 concert tour. Lee Jong Suk at the IU concert too?? pic.twitter.com/6lOoOa7P1F (@chatshirelore) September 18, 2022 On social media, one fan wrote, "So sweet of him to hold support for her like this. To be able to do that, they really care for each other." His appearance in support was a clear affirmation following the confirmation that the couple was dating. This relationship seemed to be solidified when Lee attended IU's concert in Seoul last year. The couple also celebrated little moments that showcased their bond, and fans followed along. Read more: IU and Lee Jong Suk Thrill Fans with Exciting Updates After 2 Years of Dating The actor's choice to wear the hat appears to express his affection for IU. In an industry where public displays of affection can often lead to negative comments, it is reasonable for the public to interpret this gesture as confirmation of their feelings for one another. When you're both a fanboy & boyfriend.. Lee Jong Suk wearing The Golden Hour merch of GIRLFRIEND IU!! pic.twitter.com/PkwxBfIiCM kdrama diary (@kdramasdiary) February 5, 2023 crying and throwing up as i speak pic.twitter.com/kkuqjsVcUP lee jong suk files | slow uds (@leejongsukfiles) February 4, 2023 #LeeJongSuk in Beyond Closet Instagram Update. He is wearing an IU merchandise!? pic.twitter.com/FnO8jdvTMY WithJS (@LeeJongSukWorld) February 4, 2023 Read more : IU's Ring Stirs Breakup Rumors With Lee Jong Suk on Chinese Internet Following the death of the late actress Barbie Hsu disputes over child custody and asset division have surfaced. Hsu's mother, Huang Chunmei, did not stop venting at her former son-in-law Wang Xiaofei. Speaking in an interview with Taiwanese news outlets, Huang said she was heartbroken over the loss of her daughter, saying, "It doesn't matter as long as the kids are taken care of. I am aged, and my strength has quite gone. It hurts me too because my daughter's passing has caused me heartbreak."She continued, "So, do not ask groundless questions or increase my grief." As for Wang and the continuing squabble over custody and property, Huang said: "Whatever he wants, it's up to him to take. I only want my daughter. Please don't let me wake up crying every day." On the same day, Wang posted a note on her social media account that cryptically seemed to be addressing Wang, saying, "He is a liar, and I am a fool." Barbie Hsu died suddenly on February 3. Hsu was said to have become ill while on vacation in Japan with her husband, Koo Jun-yeop, battling influenza, which then progressed into acute pneumonia complications. "My angel returned to heaven," Koo said in a statement. "As for those who mourned Hee-won's passing, thank you so very much." He promised that he will always "do everything possible" to keep Barbie's treasured memory alive for their family. He said Huang would receive all of Hsu's property. However, there have been problems with Hsu's estate, which is reportedly worth 600 million yuan ($82 million). As per KbiZoom, because they have two children, Wang Xiaofei is the legal guardian of the two, so it is reported that Wang Xiaofei has the right to handle most of Hsu's inheritance. Koo promised to take legal action to reduce the risk of the press encroaching on the rights of the children and to secure their future until the age of 18. According to the Taiwanese news outlet Sanli News Network, Koo will have all of Barbie's properties transferred to her and her family, but Wang will remain the legal representative and those who will handle the children's properties until their 18th birthday. Monday, March 3, 2025 The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has summoned Nairobi Chief Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria for interrogation over the illegal dumping of waste at Kenya Power offices in Nairobi. DCI Director Amin Mohammed, appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, stated that Mosiria, alongside other senior officials such as John Malawi (Director of Environment), Tiras Njoroge, Charles Kerich, Maurine Njeri, and Nahashon Muguna, has been invited to record statements regarding the incident. County officials, including William Kangongo (Head of Enforcement) Eva Wariuki (Chief Officer of Security and Compliance), James Sankale (Head of Debt Collection Unit), John Antoiti (Revenue Collection Director), Steve Ogesa (Director of Parking), and Fredrick Omolo (Starehe Rural Enforcement), have also been summoned. The investigation, which has already led to the arrest of three County employees Augustine Otieno Osore (driver), Moses Gitari, and Alice Okari (machine operator) seeks to establish responsibility for charges such as sabotage, robbery with violence, illegal dumping and traffic obstruction. Mosiria had reportedly faked sickness after he found out that detectives were hunting him down. Governor Sakaja reportedly used Mosiria to dump the illegal waste at Stima Plaza following a stand-off with KPLC over unpaid power bills and later abandoned him when the issue got out of hand. Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - The latest video of President William Rutos chief economist, David Ndii, has left netizens questioning about the state of his health. The video was taken during a recent official function at Konza city, where Ndii was addressing the media. Hawk-eyed netizens noticed that his left hand appeared paralyzed, sparking debate on X. Hand paralysis is a common result of a stroke, especially on one side of the body. About 80% of stroke survivors experience weakness or paralysis on one side of the body. Did the countrys chief economist survive a stroke? Watch the video Whenever my fickle and feeble mind tries to question God, He always subtly shows- "Girl, chillax. My ways are not carnal" David Ndii has spent most of his time since he joined KK, Insulting, mocking Kenyans as his wife steals through SHA Check this video, look at his hand pic.twitter.com/y8ebhq5eTq Maverick Aoko (@AokoOtieno_) March 4, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - A vocal Wiper Democratic Movement Senator has claimed that he was offered a Ksh 4 million bribe to vote in favor of impeaching former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Speaking on Citizen TV, Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo alleged that "state agents" attempted to manipulate the Senate vote, warning that those opposing the impeachment faced severe threats. At least in the Gachagua matter, there was such an approach, and it didnt work. It had conditions - an offer of Ksh.4 million if you vote YES. But if you take it and vote NO, you wouldnt get home, Maanzo revealed. He further alleged that individuals lobbying for Gachaguas removal sought unanimous Senate support, including MPs and figures linked to State House. The Senator condemned rampant bribery in Parliament, asserting that punitive laws are being passed under coercion, deepening Kenyas governance crisis. He particularly blamed the bribery culture for crippling the health sector, citing the troubled Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), which has faced widespread public outcry over systemic failures and denied Kenyans medical services. This comes as President William Ruto recently acknowledged the challenges facing his administrations health reforms, promising that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) will succeed despite initial setbacks. It is the biggest programme we have. It may take time to align, but believe me, it will work, he assured during a service in Roysambu, Nairobi, on March 2, 2025. The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - Disgraced city car dealer, Khalif Kairo, is once again the talk of the town after shocking allegations emerged about his betrayal of former boss Clement Kinuthia. Netizens are up in arms after leaked screenshots revealed Kairo texted Clements wife, spilling details of an alleged affair. Kairo claimed that Clement was supposedly cheating with one of Kairos baby mamas! In a tell-all interview on the Iko Nini podcast, Clement - who once ran the elite IBK Motors - exposed how he took Kairo under his wing, introduced him to the lucrative car business, and even funded his lavish lifestyle. From exotic trips abroad to a posh apartment in an upscale neighborhood, Clement spared no expense in grooming Kairo for success. But in a shocking twist, Kairo repaid him with betrayal. Not only did Kairo blackmail his mentor, but he also allegedly siphoned Ksh 50 million from the business, leading to its downfall - and the collapse of Clements marriage. Talk about a double betrayal! But karma seems to have caught up with Kairo. His once-thriving dealership has crumbled, and hes now battling multiple fraud cases in court. Social media is ablaze, with some calling him a traitor, while others pity Clement for trusting the wrong protege. See the reactions below. Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - National Assembly Minority Whip, Millie Odhiambo, has added her voice to the ongoing debate on whether Raila Odingas ODM should merge with President William Rutos UDA ahead of the 2027 elections. Speaking on Spice FM, the Suba North MP said the former Prime Minister is in a difficult position following his loss in the African Union Commission (AUC) election. She noted that Raila is walking a tightrope, with two key options, either collaborating with Ruto or rejecting the alliance and facing him head-on. "If there is one politician I give marks to, it is Raila Amollo Odinga. It is very difficult to be him. If he supports the government, he is blamed; if he doesnt, he is also blamed," she stated. Odhiambo emphasized that Raila is consulting widely before making his next move and that ODM will remain strategic in its political decisions. She clarified that, legally, there is no broad-based Government yet, but negotiations are ongoing for a structured political arrangement. She also acknowledged the Kenya Kwanza administration's struggles in restoring public trust. "There are problems in the government that must be addressed. We must be honest as a country about how we handle emerging issues," she said. Her remarks come amid speculation that Raila could secure a powerful role in Government, though some ODM supporters have warned against aligning with Ruto, citing the government's dwindling popularity. The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - Political activist Nuru Okanga has launched a scathing attack on Bishop Edward Mwai of Jesus Winner Ministry for accepting a Ksh 20 million donation from President William Ruto. Ruto made the contribution while attending a church service in Roysambu, where he also pledged to raise an additional Ksh 100 million for the construction of a new mega church. During the service, the President announced that the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) had dropped their claim to a disputed 20-acre parcel of land in Roysambu, where Bishop Mwai plans to build the church. "Since I am the Commander-in-Chief, I told KDF that this land is a holy place, and the church will be built there. I will personally join hands with you to make it happen," Ruto declared. The move has sparked outrage among Kenyans, with critics accusing the President of prioritizing hefty church donations over service delivery, particularly as the healthcare sector struggles under the weight of the failing Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). In a viral video, Okanga blasted Bishop Mwai for accepting the funds and called on Gen Z activists to "occupy" the church in protest. The backlash adds to growing concerns over Rutos continued financial contributions to religious institutions amid pressing national challenges. The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - Homa Bay MP, George Kaluma, has stirred controversy by urging Kenyans to abandon circumcision, calling it a form of male genital mutilation. Circumcision is deeply rooted in Kenyan culture, particularly among communities that view it as a rite of passage for young men. In some traditions, it is mandatory, performed during adolescence, while others conduct the procedure on infants as young as nine days old. Taking to his X account, Kaluma questioned the practice, stating, End circumcision now. Its nothing but male genital mutilation. Even donkeys dont do it. No animals do, except a small group of humans misled into believing they are descendants of Abrahama man who lived in a desert without water! His remarks have ignited a heated debate, with some supporting his views and others defending circumcision as a cultural and health-based tradition. The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - President William Ruto and his allies are reportedly in panic following a secret meeting between ODM leader, Raila Odinga, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and Jubilee Vice Chairman, David Murathe, at Mawe Mazuri Resort in Watamu. Kilifi Governor Gideon Mungaro was also in attendance. The high-level meeting has sent shockwaves across the political divide, as it comes amid speculation that Raila had already struck a deal to support Rutos re-election in 2027. The former Prime Minister has been touring the country, holding consultation forums with ODM members on the partys future, fueling speculation about his political direction. ODM currently holds a stake in Rutos administration, with four of its former senior members serving in the Cabinet. However, Raila has faced internal resistance, with some members warning against working with Ruto. The Watamu meeting with Uhuru, whose Jubilee Party has endorsed Fred Matiangi as their 2027 presidential candidate, has raised eyebrows, sparking fresh uncertainty over Railas next political move.Top of Form Bottom of Form See the photos below. The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - A whistleblower has accused Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika of running the County Government like a kiosk, denying the residents essential services. Reports indicate that the first-time Governor, who has disappeared from the public limelight for quite some time, has handed over all responsibilities to the County Secretary, Dr. Samuel Mwaura. The Governor is also allegedly involved in a romantic relationship with Dr. Mwaura, with reports emerging that her marriage with prominent businessman Sam Mburu hit a snag. Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has handed over all responsibilities to Dr. Samuel Mwaura, the current County Secretary. Additionally, there are rumors circulating that the two may have a romantic relationship. Is this legally permissible? The county appears to be in total chaos, the whistleblower wrote to blogger Cyprian Nyakundi. Last month, Susan Kihika was forced to break her silence after social media erupted about her whereabouts. Her absence from administrative duties sparked anger among residents of Nakuru, who went to social media asking questions about how she was running the County remotely. Kihika claimed she was on maternity leave. Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - The Chinese firm that built the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is reportedly building a palatial home for President William Ruto behind State House. Renowned blogger, Aoko Otieno, shared photos of the construction project on her X account and claimed that the Chinese contractor has demolished some parts behind State House to add more space. The state-of-the art private home is reportedly bigger than the entire state house. Ruto already has palatial homes in other parts of the country. Ruto, who is reportedly swimming in billions through shady deals, has also demolished his Karen home and is rebuilding it to fit his status as one of the richest men in Africa. He is also building another home in Kabarak. See Aokos tweet. The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - A viral video of a Kikuyu woman promoting counterfeit smartphones has stirred debate online. In the footage, she markets a phone branded as "So What S21 Ultra," falsely claiming it boasts premium features, including 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. She also praises the phones camera but fails to provide specifications - a common tactic used by fraudsters to deceive unsuspecting buyers. These phones, often cheap imitations of brands like Samsung and iPhone, target tech-illiterate consumers. The video has raised concerns over how substandard mobile devices infiltrate the Kenyan market, with many questioning the effectiveness of regulatory bodies in protecting citizens from such scams. Watch the video below and reactions. The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - Blogger Aoko Otieno has delved into the private life of Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and revealed why she was reportedly dumped by her wealthy husband, Sam Mburu, a prominent businessman and tenderpreneur, barely 5 years after their colourful traditional wedding. According to Aoko, Susan Kihikas marriage crumbled after Sam found her sending steamy messages to Ruto. He got mad and dumped her, ending their hyped marriage that was the talk in Kenyas political circles. Aoko also alleged that Susan lied to Kenyans when she explained her absence from the public limelight, claiming that she was on maternity leave. She is reportedly battling ill-health and was admitted at John Hopkins University in the U.S. Kihika has not fully recovered, and currently, the county is being run by the County Secretary, Dr. Samuel Mwaura. She reportedly handed over all responsibilities to Dr. Samuel Mwaura, who she is alleged to be involved in a romantic relationship with. The Kenyan DAILY POST How brave! said a judge sarcastically to a man who had to be held back by a female cousin while drunkenly abusing gardai on the streets of Athy. Judge Desmond Zaidan was talking to Aaron Walsh (24), Townspark, Athy in the district court, where Mr Walsh was appearing for sentencing after pleading guilty to public drunkenness and threatening and abusive behaviour on Leinster Street on 3 February. Do you remember this? asked the judge. No, said Mr Walsh. Im not surprised, sighed Judge Zaidan. Sergeant Dave Hanrahan for the state assisted the court with some detail. On the night in question, gardai were on patrol on Leinster Street and Mr Walsh called him a prick, said the sergeant. And you were held back by a female cousin? How brave! scoffed the judge. The court heard how Mr Walsh has two previous convictions for intoxication in public. Ive known Aaron for years, said Jackie McManus in his defence. Why arent you working? Theres full employment in Ireland. Youre wasting your money on alcohol, said the judge. Then, in a curious volte face, he turned to Sgt Hanrahan and said: Would I be right, or would I be right, sergeant, but Kildare gardai will be the last to receive body cams? Since September these devices has been rolled out in four garda divisions in a pilot scheme. If they had them, Id be playing this back to you and you could see yourself making a fool of yourself. You wouldnt like someone to call you a prick, but you did that to a garda in uniform, said the judge, before fining the defendant 500. By Rebecca Black, PA Derry and Coleraine are both set to receive a share of a 1.5 billion (1.8 billion) funding pot for neighbourhoods. The city and town in Co Derry are among 75 communities to benefit from the Plan for Neighbourhoods. Each of the selected areas are to received up to 20 million of funding and support over the next decade through the plan. The find aims to help transform areas that may have been left behind, and unleash their full potential by investing in delivering improved vital community services from education, health and employment, to tackling local issues like crime. Neighbourhood boards, made up of residents, local businesses, and grassroots campaigners, are set to implement a local vision for the plan. Northern Secretary Hilary Benn. Photo: Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye/PA Options range from repairs to pavements and high streets, to setting up low-cost community grocers providing low-cost alternatives when shopping for essentials, as well as co-operatives or even neighbourhood watches. British deputy prime minister Angela Rayner said the plan puts local people in the driving seat. For years, too many neighbourhoods have been starved of investment, despite their potential to thrive and grow, she said. Communities across the UK have so much to offer, rich cultural capital, unique heritage but most of all, an understanding of their own neighbourhood. We will do things differently, our fully funded Plan for Neighbourhoods puts local people in the driving seat of their potential. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn added: I am delighted that the UK governments Plan for Neighbourhoods will deliver 20m worth of investment each for Coleraine and Derry-Londonderry, providing a hugely welcome boost for those communities. This government is committed to supporting growth and public service transformation in Northern Ireland, and through the budget we are delivering the largest real-terms funding settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution. Ellen O'Donoghue An extra 6,000 parking spaces will be available at Dublin Aiport from next week. The old QuickPark car park, which closed in 2020, near Dublin Airport in Santry, is to reopen next Monday, March 10th. The 6,000 space car park is reopening under the Park2Travel brand, just six minutes from Dublin Airport. An ongoing squeeze on parking space at the countrys biggest airport had angered travellers as travel resumed after Covid lockdowns. A 24/7 shuttle bus service with quick transfers every 12 minutes during peak times will be on offer, on the monitored and patrolled facility with enhanced security. There will also be dedicated on-site assistance available at all times for customer support, alongside 24/7 accessibility. The car park will also feature charging stations for electric vehicles. The facility will be managed by APCOA, Europe's largest parking company. APCOA Ireland's managing director Neil Cunningham said that they "look forward to welcoming customers and giving them a convenient, secure and sustainable airport parking experience. The former Quickpark site, owned by property developer Gerry Gannon, has been closed since 2020. Competition regulators blocked a bid to buy it by airport operator DAA earlier in 2024. Various bidders vied for the site in 2023 amid a public row over the shortage of parking space. A Kildare man and woman have been jailed for five months for animal cruelty offences which led to a horse being euthanised. At Naas District Court on Monday 3 March, the Kilcullen woman and Monasterevin man both aged in their 20s pleaded guilty to three offences each under sections 11 and 12 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. The court heard evidence from ISPCA Inspector James McCormack who described responding to a report regarding a horse in a field near the Curragh in Kildare in January 2023. He told how he found a Chestnut gelding that was visibly underweight with its ribs, hips and spinal bones protruding. The horse was very unsteady on its feet and standing with its legs splayed. Its stomach was making noises, and it defecated a spray of faeces that covered part of its tail and legs. Inspector McCormack organised for a vet to examine the horse in situ and the vet confirmed that the animal was unwell and needed immediate veterinary attention. It was recommended that it be moved to a local equine veterinary hospital for further assessment. Inspector McCormack described how, as arrangements were being made for the removal of the gelding, he was approached by the female defendant who introduced herself as the the owner of the horse. She said that she had the horse since the previous November, and that its condition had been deteriorating over the previous number of weeks. She admitted under caution that the horse had not received veterinary attention saying that she didnt have money for a vet. It was so underweight that the vet assigned a body condition score of 0 out of 5 The horse was seized and transported to a veterinary hospital, where the examining vet found that it was extremely emaciated with no fat evident anywhere. It was so underweight that the vet assigned a body condition score of 0 out of 5. It was diagnosed with chronic colitis and was later euthanised to prevent any further suffering. The vet was of the view that it had suffered greatly. Inspector McCormack described how he later called to the womans home to conduct an interview under caution and there met the co-accused who claimed that he was the owner of the horse. The Kilcullen woman again admitted that the gelding had not received veterinary care but said that she had bought it a new rug and wormed it. The Monasterevin man was interviewed on a later date and claimed that the horses condition had declined rapidly in the days prior to its seizure. He too admitted that veterinary attention was not sought. Viewing photographs which he described as depressing, Judge Desmond Zaidan said that the horse must have been in hell and suffered a lot of pain that could have been prevented with early intervention. He said that he could not get his head around the fact that both defendants worked in the equine sector and had knowledge, saying that they let the horse down badly. Judge Zaidan imposed five-month custodial sentences for each of the three charges on both of the accused, with the sentences to run concurrently. He also ordered that they pay 1,028.59 to cover vet fees incurred by the ISPCA. The judge commented that horses feel the same pain as humans, but they do not express it orally, and that this horse had no one to speak on its behalf. Speaking after the case, Inspector McCormack said: "This was a very sad case to see a beautiful horse in obvious pain and suffering that went on over a period of weeks, and it led to the horse having to be euthanised to prevent further suffering. It is not okay to allow an animal to suffer such pain and it is every animal owners responsibility to provide a level of care and kindness to all animals in their care. We continue to work on behalf of all neglected animals and we will continue to bring these cases before the courts. The ISPCA urges the public to report any suspicions of animal cruelty, neglect or abuse to its confidential National Animal Cruelty Helpline by calling 0818 515 515, reporting online here: https://ispca.ie/report-cruelty/ or by emailing helpline@ispca.ie. Together, we can continue to protect Irelands most vulnerable animals and bringing those who harm them to justice. A mother who allowed her child to leave full-time education after primary school will have to return to court in October for sentencing on the matter pending a progress report in the meantime. This case of habitual truancy was brought against the mother by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, which had an education welfare officer (EWO) in court at Athy District Court last week. Out of the last 65 days of term, she has missed 15 (at a named school in Kildare), said the EWO. The child never transferred to post-primary after finishing and wasnt in education for two years, she added. How did they fly under the radar? asked Judge Desmond Zaidan. We got our first referral on 16 June 2022 when they finished primary, but unfortunately was on our waiting list before getting an EWO, said the Tusla rep. I can understand why they didnt want to go back to school when she returned, theyd have been utterly lost. Its a damning indictment on the state, said the judge. There were also attendance issues at primary, the EWO informed the court. Its not your problem, its the states, because the future of Ireland is in its children, said the judge. By not educating your children, thats tantamount to child abuse, said the judge to the mother. Mom, did you not put any pressure on the state? asked the judge. Im from the Travelling community, and when they finished primary school they didnt want to go; it wasnt my choice, it was theirs, she said. There have been great improvements, honestly, said the mothers solicitor Brian Larkin. The only slip-up was a two-day absence at a family wedding, he revealed. Why a couple of days? asked the judge. Oh, we make an event of it! Two or three days! she smiled. The mother then told the judge she herself was just 11 when she left education and cannot read or write but all my kids can. The EWO reminded the court that a child can legally decide to leave full-time education at 16, or after the junior cert. I think this should be 18. Seriously, a lot of kids are falling by the wayside. Encourage them to stay in, or get into training. Get something hairdressing, engineer, maybe even a judge. Transition year is a good year with lots of work experience, Id encourage them to do that, said the judge, before adjourning the case for sentencing to 14 October. Eimear Dodd A man and a woman have been jailed for their roles in a savage and unprovoked attack on a man sleeping in a tent in Dublin city centre last year. Vasile Manole (46) slashed the tent on Tara Street where the victim was sleeping on April 29th, 2024, after his partner, Daniella Voroneanu (42), pointed it out. The victim woke up to a burning sensation on his back, and saw a man slashing at him. He sustained stab wounds to his back, arms, chest, neck and face. The victim was taken to hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. He received 190 stitches and sustained permanent scarring to his face and back. He lost the sight in his left eye and the eye may have to be removed shortly if muscles near it swell, the court was told. The court heard that Voroneanu had been assaulted and robbed by two women earlier that day, and later told Manole about this. While this incident was not reported to gardai, the court was told Voroneanu told staff at the hostel where they were then living about it. The victim is utterly innocent, the court heard, and continues to suffer the effects of the assault. Manole with an address in Loretto Hall, St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm. He has several previous convictions in Ireland, Sweden, Romania and Germany, including for violent offences. The court heard he was convicted of rape in Sweden in 2016. "Motivated by vengeance" Imposing sentence on Tuesday, Judge Martin Nolan noted that Manole caused devastating injuries to the victim in this extremely savage assault. Judge Nolan said the court accepted the defence's submission that Manole thought he was attacking the parties who had assaulted his partner. But he said Manole was motivated by vengeance and his actions were reprehensible, causing severe consequences for the victim. He said Manole's previous convictions were an aggravating factor and handed him a sentence of eight years. Daniella Voroneanu of Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. She initially faced a charge of assault causing serious harm, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge after discussions between her defence and the prosecution. She has previous convictions for road traffic and public order offences. Judge Nolan noted Voroneanu told Manole about the assault and robbery and that she wanted him to do something, but the court accepted that she probably did not expect the viciousness of what happened. He imposed a sentence of three years. Garda Chloe Rochford told Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, that the victim met some friends in the Tara Street area, then went back to an emergency accommodation tent where he fell asleep. When gardai arrived after the attack, they obtained CCTV footage which showed a man and woman approach the tents. The woman then pointed at a tent and the man started to slash at a tent. Gda Rochford said the man then slashed at another tent, which gardai believe was to clean the knife after use. The man and woman then left the scene and returned to a hostel. They were arrested on May 1st last, wearing the same distinctive clothes in the CCTV footage from the attack. Manole and Voroneanu were both intoxicated when they were arrested, and their periods of detention were suspended for six hours due to their level of intoxication. When interviewed, Manole said he had been drinking before he returned to the hostel. He told gardai she told him she had been assaulted by two women earlier that day. He said he could not remember if he left the hotel that night, but added that if the assault was on CCTV, he was prepared to accept the consequences. He identified himself on CCTV and said Voroneanu was not involved. Earlier robbery and assault Voroneanu told gardai she had been robbed of cigarettes and assaulted by two women earlier that day. She said Manole returned to the hostel around 11pm after he'd been drinking and she told him what happened. Voroneanu said they went for a walk in the city centre before returning to the hotel. She identified herself on CCTV, and told gardai she had indicated to Manole the women were in the tent, but did not know what he was going to do. She said she did not want revenge, but wanted him to make the women apologise. She said she wasn't expecting him to attack the tent and accepted it was a mistake to tell Manole what had happened while he was drunk. Gda Rochford told the court that the victim is still receiving treatment for his injuries and that the attack had a major effect on him, leaving him feeling isolated. He is also struggling with addiction issues. A victim impact statement was provided to the court, but not read aloud. The victim's mother and his daughter were in the court during the sentence hearing. Gda Rochford agreed with John Berry SC, defending Manole, that his client told gardai about his movements prior to the assault and that he had been drinking. It was further accepted that Manole came to Ireland in 2018, has some work history here and has severe alcohol issues. The witness also accepted that Manole indicated early that he would take responsibility for his actions and plead guilty. Counsel for both Manole and Voroneanu asked the court to take into account their personal circumstances and all available mitigation. Mr Berry said this was an extraordinarily savage attack which had life-changing consequences for the victim, who was an utterly innocent party. Counsel suggested Manole's actions or desire to seek revenge cannot be condoned, but should be understood in light of his personal circumstances at the time. Mr Fitzgerald asked the court to consider his client's role in this very serious assault. He said his client has a long work history here, but became homeless after her landlord sold the building in 2022. She struggled to find stable accommodation after this and that affected her ability to work. The judge directed that the sentences should be backdated to the date when Manole and Voroneanu went into custody. A range of stories make it to the front pages of Tuesday's newspapers. The Irish Times, Irish Examiner and Irish Independent report that the potential cost of missing emissions targets could reach a staggering 27 billion. The Irish Daily Mail leads with US president Donald Trump's latest "insult" to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Gardai are sending almost 100 newly graduated officers on to the frontline in Dublin for St Patrick's Day, the Irish Daily Mirror reports. The Irish Daily Star reveals that gardai hacked into the phone of a man accused of stabbing his wife to death and discovered video and audio footage of the murder. Three-quarters of school principals in the North have been threatened by parents, according to the Belfast Telegraph. The Echo reveals the homelessness in Cork city has risen 13 per cent over the past year to reach a record high. Escalating international tensions amid the search for a Ukrainian peace deal continue to dominate the British headlines on Tuesday. The Guardian, the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph lead on the deepening rift between US president Donald Trump and Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Mr Trump suggested Mr Zelenskiy wont be around very long and condemned earlier comments from the Ukrainian leader who suggested a deal with Russia seemed very far away. Mr Trump also lambasted European leaders for their weakness in relying on US backing for any potential peace deal, according to The Times. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports European leaders are backing efforts to seize more than 200 billion of frozen Russian assets held in the EU if Russia were to violate any future ceasefire deal. Back on British soil, prime minister Keir Starmer says the UK must lead from the front when it comes to stopping the Russian menace, the Daily Express reports. And the Daily Mirror says Mr Starmer enjoys a United Kingdom with MPs on both sides of the political aisle backing his staunch support for Ukraine. The i writes Britain is approaching Middle East countries including Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to join peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine. In other news, Metro reports Tiktok is being investigated for how it uses childrens data. Lastly, the Daily Star claims scumbag chatbots will be doing so many menial jobs humans will be paid to do nothing. There is currently 765,475.32 outstanding in district court fines in Kilkenny, according to MEP for Ireland South, Cynthia Ni Mhurchu. Ni Mhurchu, a former barrister, has described the extraordinary amount of unpaid district court fines in Ireland as a slap in the face to the victims of their crimes. Her comments come as the Irish Courts Service released figures (under the freedom of information act) which show that almost 45 million in unpaid district court fines are outstanding across Irelands district court system since 2020. READ NEXT: I dont believe a word of it - Kilkenny judge tells uninsured driver What does this say to the victims who have been impacted by crimes such as drink driving, assault, theft, and shop lifting, she said. We are imposing fines that a percentage of criminals are choosing to ignore and it seems there is little we are doing about it. 45 million would fund a lot of domestic violence refuges, road safety campaigns and extra gardai on our streets. It is time for a get tough approach to those criminals who feel they are above the law. Our road deaths have been rising in Ireland for consecutive years. How can we expect any improvement in that scenario when those fined for traffic offences may choose not to pay the fine. Ni Mhurchu argues that the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, which came into force in January 2016 is clearly not working when it comes to the recovery of most outstanding fines. The act provides for alternative orders to imprisonment in the event that a court imposed fine is not paid. The act allowed those convicted to pay fines in instalments, and introduced measures including attachment of earnings for unpaid fines, community service and the appointment of receivers to recover fines. Ni Mhurchu feels it is time to implement the measures set out in the 2014 act aggressively. The act allows measures up to and including taking someones social welfare or salary to pay the fines due, she explained. Is this being done? The courts service will say it takes time to collect fines but over 2.2m is still owing from 2020 and over 5.5m is still owing from 2021! Ni Mhurchus figures show that 133,851 fines across the State have yet to be paid in full in our district court system. FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE Local chef Gerard Dunne, is bringing his delicious dishes to your kitchen with his easy to re-create recipe for Pancake Tuesday. These yummy pancakes will no doubt go down a treat! Red velvet pancakes PREP: 10 MINS COOK: 20 MINS SERVES: 4 New York style chocolate pancakes meet indulgent red velvet cake in this ingenious brunch dish, stacked up with high banks orchard apple syrup, cream cheese frosting, chocolate chips and fresh blueberries. Ingredients 180g self-rising flour 2 tbsp cocoa powder 1 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp caster sugar tsp vanilla extract 200ml full fat milk 3 large eggs 25g unsalted butter, melted plus extra for frying red gel food coloring For the toppings 100g cream cheese 4 tbsp high banks orchard apple syrup 100g chocolate chips icing sugar, for dusting handful of blueberries Method Mix all the pancake ingredients (except the food coloring) together in a large bowl, whisk thoroughly until smooth. Now add a small amount of red food coloring and mix again. Add more coloring until the batter is a rich reddish brown. Rest batter in fridge for an hour before cooking. Put a small knob of butter in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat and cook until melted and foaming. Pour 2 tbsp of the mixture into the pan and use the back of the spoon to shape it into a 8-9cm round disc. Depending on the size of your pan you may be able to get 2 or 3 pancakes to cook at the same time. Cook for 2-3 mins on the first side, then flip over and cook for another 1 min on the other. Heat oven to its lowest setting and stack up the cooked pancakes on a baking tray to keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest. In a small bowl mix together, the cream cheese and syrup then set aside until needed. To serve, stack the pancakes with the cream cheese mixture and chocolate chips in between them then finish with a final dollop of the cream cheese, a dusting of icing sugar and a few fresh blueberries if you like. Controversial plans to develop a wind farm in north west Kilkenny have been dealt a major blow by Kilkenny County Council. In their reasoning for refusing permission, the local authority stated that having regard to the size and scale of the proposed development, the Planning Authority considers that the proposed seven (7) number of turbines with 185 metre tip height will, due to the cumulative effects of visual intrusion, combined with noise, flicker and disturbance of access, on a significant number of nearby dwellings in and around the settlements of Tullaroan, Kilmanagh, and Ballycallan, give rise to excessive levels of adverse effects on residential amenity in the area. The Planning Authority, in its assessments of the applicants specialist chapters of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) found a number of significant deficiencies in the quality and quantum of data provided, particularly in the areas of landscape and visual effects, material assets, noise, ecology and hydrology. READ NEXT: Historic executions to be re-enacted in Kilkenny The local authority also noted a significant lack of supporting information for certain ecological receptors (such as birds) in both the Stage 1 Screening and Stage 2 Natura impact Statement, and certain elements of the mitigation measures. The decision to the refuse planning permission was met with relief by local group KBT (Kilmanagh, Ballycallan, Tullaroan) Responsible Energy. This ruling lifts a significant burden of stress and anxiety that has weighed heavily on residents since the proposal was first announced, they stated. The 199 personal submissions to Kilkenny County Council and the 547 signatures attached to the community submission demonstrated the depth of our collective concerns. We also acknowledge the efforts of those who researched, compiled evidence, and engaged with the planning process to ensure that our voices were heard. While we strongly support renewable energy, it must be implemented in a way that respects local communities and the environment. The applicant, Briskalagh Ltd, still retain the ability to appeal the decision of Kilkenny County Council to An Bord Pleanala, if they deem it necessary. FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE For a twist on your next vacation, swap an ordinary hotel room for a rustic cottage along the banks of a secluded river, a tree house nestled at the summit of a volcano or an open-air villa on a private beach. Websites offering short-term rentals put homes all over the world up for grabs, meaning you can access creature comforts while in unfamiliar territory, experience life as a local or spend a few nights enjoying luxurious amenities such as an infinity pool overlooking the ocean that would normally appear out of reach. Because home rentals are scattered throughout residential areas, the sites can also be your only source of accommodations if you want to stay in the suburbs, sleep in a quiet neighborhood away from tourist zones or test-drive a retirement location. Subscribe to Kiplingers Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. Save up to 74% Sign up for Kiplingers Free E-Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail. Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail. Sign up The two big names in short-term rentals are Airbnb, which lists more than 7.7 million properties worldwide, and Vrbo, which offers more than 2 million. Airbnb tends to pop up more often in urban areas and gives the option of bunking down in a private guest room (or even a shared room) while sharing common areas with the host. Vrbo is more popular in rural or traditional vacation rental spots. But search both sites to cover your bases, as well as a number of other alternative accommodations websites for the full array of options. Pattie Haubner and her husband, Jim, who live near Stratton Mountain, Vt., started traveling for long periods after he retired four years ago, choosing Airbnb and Booking.com rentals for trips to Australia, Malta, Sardinia and more. There is nothing nicer than having your own apartment in Paris around the corner from a market, Pattie says. She has devised her own criteria when searching for rentals for example, easy access to the main train station in a large city or a restored historic home with beautiful views in a small town. And despite a few snafus, she says, most of the time, I am really pleased. (Image credit: Getty Images) But not everyone is as satisfied with their rentals as the Haubners. Ask travelers who often use home sharing services and youll likely turn up a few horror stories, such as last-minute cancellations by the host or filthy homes sprouting black mold, despite glowing reviews from other guests. Whether you are gearing up to give a home rental a shot or you want to improve your stay, weve found ways to get the most out of your rental, from search tricks to troubleshooting a poor experience. Our advice is geared toward Airbnb and Vrbo users, but the strategies apply to many other short-term rental sites. Hosts set their own cancellation policies, so if your plans could change, choose a rental with a flexible policy or stick with a hotel. Unless you lock in a prepaid rate, hotels typically have more flexible cancellation policies than rentals. And if a host cancels on you, the rental company will sometimes help you rebook, but pickings can be slim if you need a certain neighborhood and home size or if youre traveling at a popular time of year. In general, short-term rental services place the onus on you to try to resolve the issue with the homeowner before turning to them for help. Finding a Home Rental Start your search with a destination. It can be as specific or broad as you like. You can search Airbnb and Vrbo by neighborhood, landmark, city, state and even by country. Although you can browse listings without plugging in dates, your results will only show an average or lowest nightly rate that could easily climb higher on weekends or holidays. Keep an eye on the map next to your search results while you browse, and zoom in on any properties that interest you to make sure they are located in the neighborhood and even the city that you want. The search radius will automatically expand to pull in listings from nearby areas, especially if there is not much available in the location or on the dates you choose, says Abigail Long, public relations manager of AirDNA, which analyzes short-term rental data. If youre not careful, you could land on a property that is many miles from where you actually want to stay. The initial set of results can be overwhelming, so the next step is playing around with the sites filters. You can narrow your results by price, accessibility, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the ability to reserve a home instantly rather than wait for the owners approval, and suitability for business or family trips. With Airbnb, be sure to check off entire place if you dont want results that fold in private rooms (or shared rooms) with common spaces. You can also tailor your results on Airbnb or Vrbo by filtering for unique property types such as cabins, farmhouses, islands, tree houses or yachts as well as amenities such as air conditioning, a king-size bed, kitchen, Wi-Fi, pool or hot tub. If you are coming up short on available rentals, clear your dates to see if more properties pop up. Some hosts forget to update their calendars or may experience a last-minute cancellation, so reach out to ask if its available, says Schlichter, of SmarterTravel. Many properties are listed on both Airbnb and Vrbo, especially rentals run by professional property managers, says Long. Compare the cancellation policy, fees and damage deposit in case booking on one site ends up being a better value than another. Scrutinize photos and reviews. Property owners may take liberties with the definition of certain features or amenities, so compare their listing write up with photos and reviews. For example, a property may advertise that it sleeps six, but two of those people might be expected to sleep on an air mattress or a futon. If you dont see photos of the promised number of beds or other important amenities, ask the owner about the discrepancy. Only travelers who booked and stayed at a property can write reviews on Airbnb or Vrbo's website, but dont take praise at face value. Reviews are often extremely positive, says Daniel Guttentag, assistant professor of hospitality and tourism management at the College of Charleston. Its partly psychological. When youve shaken a hosts hand or slept in his or her bed, it feels weird to critique the hosts home in a harsh way. Guests may save their criticisms for a private message to the host instead. Skip the star ratings and read between the lines of reviews. Negative comments might be sandwiched between effusive compliments, or several people might allude to the same problem, such as highway noise. Be wary of properties with brief, generic reviews that are not overly complimentary, says Guttentag. On Airbnb, look for automated postings in the review section that signal a host canceled on a guest. Haubner, 58, also examines the headshots of reviewers, looking for travelers similar in age to her. Older travelers will comment on the beds, stairs, cleanliness and neighborhood safety, she says. She also looks for coded words or phrases that give her pause, such as student neighborhood or not the cleanest. If a property is new and has no reviews yet, you might get a better deal as the owner tries to drum up business, but its a risk. See if the host mentions other properties he or she owns. Those might be reviewed online, and the reviews can provide insight on how the rentals are maintained. The photos will usually show the property in its best possible light. Beware of fish-eye wide angle photos or skewed perspectives because they may be used to disguise a rooms small size, says Schlichter. If the photo album shows a spectacular coastline or forest, dont assume the surroundings in the photographs are right outside the front door, she says. You can ask the host how far you would need to walk to get to the scenic sights. Or research the location independently. Erin Clarkson, a frequent user of Airbnb from Savannah, Ga., scopes out homes via Google Street View after noting the approximate location on the rental sites map view. You can tell a lot about a listing by viewing its surroundings, she says. Its also a great way to see how close the rental is to restaurants, grocery stores and interesting shops. Haubner has her own trick for identifying clean, modern home rentals: Look for white bedding and new Ikea furniture in the photos. It sounds silly, but Ive found it works, she says. You cant have dirty white bedsheets or stained white towels. (Image credit: Getty Images) Vet your host. Although instant booking is convenient, messaging homeowners with questions first is a good idea, if only to test their responsiveness. Sometimes Ill make up a question, says Schlichter. If they take five days to respond, what will they do if I lose my key and need instant help? Communicate through the booking platforms messaging service rather than e-mail or phone so you and the company have a direct record of your interactions. The safest bet is sticking to a Superhost on Airbnb or Premier Host on Vrbo. To earn these titles, homeowners must be active hosts who are responsive, get good reviews, and rarely or never cancel. Beware of cancellation policies. Homeowners on Airbnb and Vrbo can set their own cancellation policies, which can range from flexible or relaxed (a full refund within a certain window) to strict (no refund or a partial refund in limited circumstances). If the host cancels on you, you may or may not get help from the rental company to make alternative plans. Airbnb will offer a refund or a credit toward a new reservation. Vrbo will help you rebook if the reservation is canceled less than 30 days from your stay and you cant find a back-up option, but youll need to find your own replacement if the reservation is canceled further out than that. If a host notifies you that your dates no longer work, make sure that they initiate the cancellation rather than you so that youre entitled to a refund or credit. Know the total price before you book. Cleaning fees, service fees and local taxes can substantially increase the cost of your reservation, and they can make a big difference between two rentals with similar nightly rates. Guest service fees can be as much as 20% of the nightly rate on Airbnb and generally range between 6% and 12% on Vrbo. On both sites, youll typically pay a lower percentage on more expensive reservations. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to make apples-to-apples comparisons. On Vrbo, you need to click on each listing to see the total price, inclusive of taxes and fees. Airbnb shows both the nightly rate and, in smaller type, the total price, including fees on your initial list of search results. But you still need to click on each listing to see the total price with taxes. Always pay your host through the rental company. If you take the transaction offline, you wont be eligible for protections against fraud, rebooking assistance and other safeguards. Use a credit card for extra protection. Troubleshooting Your Stay If you run into a snag after you arrive at the rental maybe you cant get into the building, the place is a mess, or your bedroom is located in a garage contact the homeowner immediately. S hort-term rental companies expect you to work with the host first before coming to them for help. Keep as much communication as possible on the sites messaging service so you and the company have a record. If you want to call the host, send a message before or after summarizing the conversation. Include photos or videos of the problem as evidence. If the host is not responsive, loop in customer service for guidance on what to do next. And if you want a refund, you cant stay the entire time or rebook yourself without notifying customer service. Home-rental services will issue a refund or help you rebook under limited circumstances. Airbnb covers situations in which you cant enter the home, you discover that your rental was misrepresented, or your rental is unclean, unsafe or contains a pet that wasnt disclosed in advance. You must contact Airbnb within 24 hours of check-in (unless the issue crops up later). Sometimes you can do everything right and still run into problems. Haubner and her husband booked a rental on the Greek island of Paros after reading positive reviews and checking out the location on the map. When they arrived, they realized the home was on a highway and not on a beach, as it appeared to be in photos, and the front yard was filled with junk. I told the owner that I wasnt going to stay for five days, and that I would write a review and tell people what this is, says Haubner. She sent photos to Airbnb to back up her complaint and eventually negotiated a refund of all nights but one. You could also shoot a quick walk-through video on your phone when you arrive and before you leave as a precaution against disputes that may crop up later over the condition you left the rental, says Clarkson, who does that every time she rents a place. Even though she has never had a problem, Youll have proof if the owner claims you broke something that was already damaged upon your arrival, she says. After your stay, both you and the homeowner can write reviews about each other, but youll have limited time to post or edit your review. On Airbnb, you cannot delete a hosts review of you if you feel it was unfair, but you can post a public response. And if a user clicks on the profile photo next to your review, he or she can find reviews about you posted by hosts. (Image credit: Getty Images) Houseboats, Tents and Yurts If youre looking for a specific type of short-term home rental, such as a kid-friendly property, or you simply want more options in different price ranges, it pays to look beyond Airbnb and Vrbo. Booking.com is known as a hotel-booking site. But with 7.9 million alternative accommodations (including privately owned homes, chalets, farm stays and even igloos), it claims to have more than any other short-term rental service. GlampingHub.com features more than 35,000 unique accommodations, including floating homes, safari tents and yurts. For additional listings, consider Kid & Coe for family-friendly homes, Misterb&b for LGBTQ-friendly hosts and Noirbnb for travelers of color. Final thoughts on home sharing Home- sharing platforms have transformed the way travelers find accommodations, offering everything from budget friendly stays to luxury retreats. Whether you choose Airbnb, Vrbo, or a boutique rental service, each platform has its own advantages and trade-offs. Factors like cancellation policies, service fees and host reliability can really impact your experience, so it's essential to do your research before booking. No matter which platform you choose, reading reviews, confirming amenities and understanding the fine print can help ensure a smooth and enjoyable stay. related content Europe unveils plan for Ukraine peace deal amid Transatlantic rifts 08:14, March 04, 2025 By Zheng Bofei, Jin Jing, Larry Neild ( Xinhua LONDON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Following last week's Trump-Zelensky White House clash, more than a dozen Western leaders gathered here Sunday to revive efforts for a Ukraine peace deal and propose a settlement to Washington. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the summit as a "once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe." Although the meeting could push the region toward greater self-reliance in security, many observers fear the measures may be too little and too late. WAKE-UP CALL Europe now finds itself at a moment of truth in its security strategy. Before Friday's diplomatic debacle at the White House, Russia-U.S. talks on the Ukraine crisis took place in Riyadh on Feb. 18, with neither Europe nor Ukraine given a seat at the table. Just one week later, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a plan to impose a 25-percent tariff on all goods imported from the European Union (EU), and justified the move by claiming that the EU was formed to "screw" the United States. Europe was in a "moment of real fragility," Starmer told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. Asked about the White House clash involving the duo of Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told BBC before the summit that the breakdown was a "wake-up call" for European nations, stressing that they must adopt a cohesive strategy for the Ukraine crisis and post-conflict arrangements. Stubb expressed frustration over shifting transatlantic ties, saying the U.S.-Europe relationship "is evolving," and "we're witnessing a more transactional United States, where the Trump administration -- rightly or wrongly -- is pursuing an 'America First' policy." This has led European leaders to explore their own security solutions. At the Munich Security Conference last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed for an emergency clause that would allow governments to increase defense spending without being constrained by the EU's strict budget deficit rules. After Sunday's summit, she reiterated that Europe must "step up massively" and forge a common security approach. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Sunday that European countries should boost their defense spending to between 3 and 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). His proposal came a few days after Starmer's announcement that Britain would increase its defense spending to 2.5 percent of its GDP by 2027 and to 3 percent in the next parliamentary term, which would mean by 2034 at the latest. Following a bilateral meeting with Ukraine on Saturday, Britain also agreed to loan Ukraine 2.26 billion pounds (2.84 billion U.S. dollars) to bolster its defense capabilities. Shortly after the summit, Britain further committed 1.6 billion pounds (2 billion dollars) in export finance, allowing Ukraine to purchase over 5,000 air defense missiles. More than eight years after Britain voted to depart from the EU, it has positioned itself at the forefront of European security efforts, trying to play the role of a "bridge" between Europe and the United States to secure a peace deal for Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (2nd R) at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) STRENGTHENED BOND After Sunday's summit, Starmer outlined a four-step plan to strengthen Ukraine and support peace: to maintain military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues and increase economic pressure on Russia; to ensure that any lasting peace guarantees Ukraine's sovereignty and security, with Ukraine at the table for any negotiations; to deter "any future invasion by Russia" in the event of a peace deal; and to establish a "coalition of the willing" to defend Ukraine and uphold peace in the country. The summit's outcome was welcomed by European leaders. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called it "a good meeting," saying "European countries are stepping up to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to fight for as long as necessary." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the importance of NATO and said on social media on Sunday: "In recent years, we have strengthened our alliance with new members and increased defense spending. This is the path we will continue to follow." However, doubts remain over whether Europe can fully safeguard a peace deal on its own. When asked how Britain plans to persuade more countries to join the "coalition of the willing," Starmer acknowledged that some countries may be reluctant to contribute militarily. "I strongly feel that unless some countries move forward, we will stay in the position we're in and not be able to move forward," he said, while admitting the goal to "stay in lockstep with the United States." Flags of European Union (EU) and Ukraine are seen at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) TRANSATLANTIC DISAGREEMENTS The EU and the Trump administration have a range of disagreements on the settlement of the Ukraine crisis, while the U.S. provision of security guarantees for Ukraine is foremost among the discussions. Within a week before the London summit, both Macron and Starmer visited Washington to seek U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine or Europe, but failed to persuade Trump in this regard. Trump sidestepped the question of security guarantees, expressing confidence that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, would "keep his word" if an agreement is reached. He also ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine's NATO membership has been a focal issue in the crisis. Earlier on Sunday before the summit, Starmer announced that Britain, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States. He named three essential points to achieve "lasting peace" -- a strong Ukraine, a European element with security guarantees and a U.S. backstop, with the last one being the subject of "intense" discussion. After the announcement of the four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine at the summit, the participating leaders also agreed to meet again soon to sustain the momentum behind these efforts. "Europe must do the heavy lifting," Starmer said, emphasizing that the agreement needs U.S. backing. Iain Begg, a research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told Xinhua: "The real question is whether this will be enough to sway the White House. We've seen time and again that Washington can reverse its stance overnight." Also on Sunday, Macron told a French newspaper that he was "trying to make Washington understand that disengaging from Ukraine is not in America's interest." While the summit has pushed Europe toward greater security commitments, the region still faces divisions over whether to deploy troops to Ukraine under a peacekeeping framework. For now, some major European countries, including Germany, Spain and Poland, remain hesitant to commit troops to Ukraine, with Britain and France taking the lead in potentially sending military forces. Meanwhile, the EU is still in the early stages of developing a defense budget plan. Some experts noted that Europe's efforts to build its own defense capabilities may still have a long way to go. David Galbreath, a professor of international security at the University of Bath, pointed to the U.S. military's capabilities: "The U.S. provides far sharper military capabilities, such as long-range strikes, sophisticated anti-tank systems and advanced surface-to-air missiles, than anything coming from Europe." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Recent years have witnessed record-breaking heatwaves worldwide, making it clear that global warming is not merely a distant warning but a harsh reality. Meanwhile, China, with its steadfast commitment and remarkable progress in green development, has emerged as a champion in the global transition to renewable energy, serving as a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change. What has China achieved so far? What does it mean to the world? Here is what to know. A GREENER CHINA China has been making concrete steps toward its commitment to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP decreased by 50.9 percent in 2021 compared to 2005, the base year for the country's climate contributions, according to recent reports submitted by China to the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The country has been growing literally greener. China's forest coverage rate reached 25 percent by 2023, with forest stock exceeding 20 billion cubic meters. The annual carbon-sink capacity of China's forests and grassland has exceeded 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, ranking first in the world. Meanwhile, renewable energy expansion in China continues to set new records, with over 200 million kilowatts of newly installed capacity for renewable energy power generation in the first three quarters of 2024, accounting for more than 80 percent of total new installed capacity. In 2023, China accounted for 60 percent of the new renewable capacity added worldwide, according to World Energy Outlook 2024. Electricity generated from clean energy accounted for 39.7 percent of the country's total power generation in 2023, up by around 15 percentage points from 2013, according to a white paper titled China's Energy Transition issued in 2024. China is also a top player in reducing energy intensity, with 26 percent down since 2012. Its production and sales of new energy vehicles have topped the world for 10 consecutive years. China's achievements in green development reflect its strong commitment to balancing economic development with environmental sustainability, said Naing Swe Oo, a senior advisory board member of Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies. "Through the ambitious carbon neutrality goals, energy structure adjustments and industrial decarbonization efforts, China has made significant progress in the transition to a more sustainable economy," he said. THE GREEN GROWTH Bearing fruitful achievements domestically, China has been assisting other countries in achieving green growth and strengthening their adaptation capacity for climate change. For years, China has aided the construction of clean energy and environmental protection projects in developing countries. For instance, under the China-Ethiopia-Sri Lanka Renewable Energy Technology Transfer Project, 11 green energy solutions have been installed covering 12 small and medium-sized demonstration sites and benefiting more than 50,000 people across five provinces in Sri Lanka and four regions in Ethiopia. They are expected to generate at least 70,000 kWh of energy -- saving approximately 157,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Moreover, clean energy stations with Chinese investments have taken off in both Kazakhstan and Mali. The Zhanatas Wind Farm in Kazakhstan generates 350 million kWh of clean electricity annually, equivalent to saving 109,500 tons of standard coal and cutting carbon emissions by 289,000 tons every year. The Gouina Hydropower Station in Mali has transformed West Africa's energy landscape since its 2022 launch. Generating 687 million kWh annually, the hydropower plant provides enough power for 1 million residents across Mali, Senegal and Mauritania, replacing 240,000 tons of coal and reducing carbon emissions by 630,000 tons yearly. Kenya economist James Shikwati noted that China's experience in green and sustainable development provides valuable inspirations for Kenya and other African countries. "If China can produce more green products within Africa, it would be a significant benefit for the continent," he said. Boasting the world's largest and most complete new-energy industrial chain, China is home to 70 percent of the photovoltaic components and 60 percent of wind power equipment worldwide. In 2023 alone, the country's export of wind and photovoltaic products helped reduce carbon emissions by 810 million tons in recipient countries. "Solving China's problems also helps solve problems for many other countries," said Hoe Ee Khor, chief economist of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office. "If a country has effective and low-cost green technologies, is committed to a global ecological civilization, practices free trade, and is willing to share its green technologies, then it can play a key role in shaping a postmodern, ecological global civilization," said Philip Clayton, president of the U.S. Institute for Ecological Civilization. "China can play and is playing this crucial role." A GREEN FUTURE No matter how the international landscape evolves, China's determination and action for proactive climate response never changes. It is one of the initial parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and among the first signatories and ratifiers of the Paris Agreement on climate change. From 2016 to 2023, China supported other developing countries with roughly 24.5 billion U.S. dollars in total climate-related funding. Over the years, China has been active in promoting a fair and more equitable global climate governance system. Within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UN Environment Programme on building a green Belt and Road for 2017-2022, launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development together with 31 countries, and formed the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition with more than 150 partners from more than 40 countries. "Through such initiatives as the BRI, China is helping other developing countries deploy green technologies, such as solar farms and wind power infrastructure. This not only promotes China's influence, but also accelerates the global green transformation," said Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank. By October 2024, China, an active participant in South-South cooperation, had signed 53 MoUs on South-South cooperation addressing climate change with 42 developing countries, and had implemented nearly 100 projects focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Additionally, China had rolled out over 300 capacity-building programs in climate-related fields and provided training opportunities for over 10,000 participants from more than 120 developing countries. With climate change and green development listed among its eight key areas, the Global Development Initiative proposed by China has won the support of an increasing number of countries and regions around the world. It has established more than 30 cooperation platforms, with over 1,100 projects launched, covering all 17 of the United Nations' sustainable development goals. "There's no doubt that China's commitment to green development has positioned itself as a leader in the global fight against climate change, which is critical to global decarbonization efforts," said Malindog-Uy. "China's continued leadership in this field is likely to shape the future of the global energy markets and climate policy." Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. President Donald Trump, right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 28. US suspends offensive cyber operations against Russia, senior US official says 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. BEST-SELLING crime fiction author Andrea Carter from Ballyfin will hold a book-signing event in Portlaoise Library for the release of her latest novel *** There Came A-Tapping***. The story is mainly set in the Slieve Bloom Mountains in her home county of Laois. Andreas seventh novel hits bookshops in Ireland and the UK on Thursday 27 March. On Wednesday 2 April at 7pm, the renowned author will read from her new book in Portlaoise Library. There will also be an interview with local freelance journalist Claire OBrien, a question and answer session with the audience and a book signing. Andrea has parked her ***Inishowen Mysteries*** series, which are currently in development for television. They feature solicitor-cum-sleuth Ben OKeefe and Sergeant Tom Molloy along with lovable characters and rogues. However, Andrea said that her latest novel is a little darker. Speaking to the ***Laois Nationalist*** recently, the former barrister said: ***There Came A-Tapping*** is my first standalone book. The six ***Inishowen Mysteries*** are golden age Agatha Christie traditional-style mysteries where theres a body in the beginning, a limited number of suspects, an amateur sleuth and a solution at the end. My new book is not part of the series and moves into darker territories. It has a slightly ghostly element to it, so it is different. It has two stories, one in the present day and one in the late 1800s, traveling side-by-side and told in an odd way. The present-day story is of a woman called Alison, whose husband has gone missing and the historical story from the 1800s centres on Eliza, who lived in the property where Alison currently resides, but back in that time. The book is a departure from the ***Inishowen Mysteries*** in that sense because theres also a historical narrative and there are echoes of the past in the present. It is also different because its my first book that isnt set in Donegal. Ive come back to my roots and set ***There Came A-Tapping*** partly in Dublin but mostly in a fictitious village called Rath in the Slieve Blooms. Certain placenames are real. For example, theres a scene in the new library in Portlaoise with two fictitious librarians and certain real places in the Slieve Blooms are mentioned, too. Andrea will attend quite a few book festivals this year, but said that she is very happy to have been invited to hold an event in Laois, especially in Portlaoise Library, where one of the books scenes is set. Branch manager of Portlaoise Library Aoife Moore said: Staff are delighted to welcome Andrea Carter back to the library. Andrea has done several events for us over the years and we are very excited that she has chosen the library to hold this event for her new book. Everyone is welcome to attend the free event. The in-conversation with Claire OBrien will be exciting and everyone can meet the author and have their books signed, too. People can bring their own copies to the event and Andreas books will be available to purchase from All Books on the night also. ***There Came A-Tapping*** can be ordered online and in all book shops. Booking for the event is advised. Portlaoise Library can be contacted on 057 8622333 or email portlaoiselibrary@laoiscoco.ie. Art Critic Dear Peter Zumthor, We havent met, but I have been following your work on a design for a new building at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art ever since word leaked (13 years ago) that you had been tapped for the project. Following along hasnt always been easy. Transparency about the building plan is not the museums long suit. The other day, though, you gave an interview about LACMA to your local newspaper in Zurich, Switzerland, and it made me blanch. Like the museums director, Michael Govan, you have had no experience with encyclopedic art museums prior to your LACMA involvement and it shows. You said a couple of things about the museum that betrayed profound misunderstanding. Since they go to the core of an institution I know fairly well, they seem worth clarifying. Advertisement Three statements are particularly troubling. Ill start with the knottiest one. You are quoted describing an encyclopedic art museum as an asylum for homeless objects displaced, apparently, because the diverse global cultures that produced most of these paintings, sculptures, textiles and the rest are either long gone, if the objects are historical, or far away, if the art is contemporary. These objects have lost their context, you explain. You plan to give these homeless objects a home. But encyclopedic art collections are distinctive. They are a powerful invention of the European Enlightenment, which arose from a crucial understanding: Art objects get authentic context from other works of art. Advertisement A displaced art object gets its primary illumination not from a grand new building, nor from wall labels or chattering people (including critics). With all due respect, your contextual analysis is wrong. That means your proposed solution is wrong too. In any case, your work as an architect is widely celebrated for very different kinds of structures thermal baths in an Alpine village, a Norwegian victims memorial, a small Swiss contemporary art center. Your plan harnesses those same architectural gifts for LACMAs art. But architecture cannot compensate for lost context. Beautiful light wont do it, nor rooms with atmosphere. Detailed craftsmanship wont either. Advertisement Architecture cannot compensate for lost context. These are the elements for which your work is known. But theyre irrelevant to counteracting the rupture of a vanished world that, a thousand years ago in China, brought about a stoneware ewer in the shape of a parrot. Or a relief of carved ivory showing a serene Buddha Shakyamuni in 18th century Sri Lanka. Or Diego Riveras altar to the endurance of indigenous Mexico, painted in the wake of a modern revolution. Light, space, atmosphere these and other architectural dimensions might turn out to be very beautiful. Given your venerable track record the Pritzker Prize isnt handed out to architects of dubious skill! I have every reason to believe that the museums objects could look very handsome in their new setting. But context? It will still be lost. Architecture cannot repair it or substitute for the loss. A therapeutic design approach works for a spa, but it will fail for the art museum. Therme Vals, pictured here in 2008, designed by Peter Zumthor in the Swiss village of Vals. (Susan Spano / Los Angeles Times) DEAR L.A. COUNTY: Reject the LACMA redesign plan In fact, the museums building design is ultimately irrelevant, except for the ways it serves the curatorial program. Believing otherwise betrays your inexperience with this museums form. Advertisement The key attribute of an encyclopedic museum proximity in the depth and diversity of other art compensates for the lost context. Art is an eloquent conversation among artists, past and present, which smart museum curators know how to host. I know you pretty much waved off meeting with LACMAs talented curatorial staff during your lengthy design process, but that was a serious mistake. No painting, sculpture, costume or ritual object is an island, entire of itself if I might repurpose the poet John Donne. Every artwork is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. Objects perceptively chosen and shrewdly installed so that they can speak freely with one another, teasing out meanings one might not otherwise see, are what begin to discover or build an expressive context. History is about the past and the present simultaneously, not one at the expense of the other. Encyclopedic art collections understand that. Thats why I was saddened and, I confess, a bit upset by another contentious comment in your Neue Zurcher Zeitung interview. You were explaining the plan to simply dismantle the encyclopedia as traditionally conceived, in favor of a constant rearrangement of LACMAs collection to make perpetually changing thematic exhibitions. It is an encyclopedic museum, with 135,000 objects that came together by accident: furniture, clothes, stone sculptures. Peter Zumthor Advertisement The museum director Michael Govan and I have long agreed on this new order, you told a reporter. It is an encyclopedic museum, with 135,000 objects that came together by accident: furniture, clothes, stone sculptures. One could say: It is completely disparate, what is gathered here. By accident? Thats just wrong. Yes, serendipity was involved, as it is in building any art museums vast collection especially one as varied (or disparate) as an encyclopedia. But accident? That might describe a freeway crackup, but it insults the insightful, considered labor over more than five decades of scores of LACMA professionals, benefactors and volunteers, men and women whose work has tried to make sense of global artistic plenitude. They started putting their shoulders to the wheel long before you or the director arrived on the scene neither one with a days work experience at an encyclopedic art museum. It insults the Ahmanson Foundation, in LACMAs history the single largest donor of money to buy art more than $160 million without which the museum would be gravely lacking in homeless objects. I could continue with a very long list of such names half a century of growth is not nothing but one more example should suffice. The unparalleled array of three dozen 17th century Dutch masterpieces collected by the late Edward and Hannah Carter is the exact opposite of an accident. Acquired by LACMA during the tenure of emeritus curator J. Patrice Marandel, it includes only first-rate still lifes, landscapes, seascapes, city views and church interiors from a specific time and place. Art objects get authentic context from other works of art. Advertisement The pristine Hendrick Avercamp skating scene alone is the envy of the museum world. But, together with the other brilliantly chosen Carter works, plus others in LACMAs 17th century rooms, context begins to come into pretty sharp focus. There are plenty of other examples. Speaking of which, where is the Carter collection, now that the museum has been packed up for the impending tear-down of existing buildings? Storage? Will it be hidden away until your new building is opened five years from now, then occasionally brought out piecemeal in temporary shows? What a waste of an incomparable resource, already contextualized. And how will that affect the terms of a bequest that says if the matchless paintings are not on permanent view as they should be the gift is rescinded, and the collection transferred to the National Gallery of Art? Talk about lost context. Presumably you didnt mean to insult these folks, who represent a core museum constituency. Every art museum serves two publics an art public and a general public. After the affront, your interview puts a thumb on the scale for the latter. Of plans for the museums gallery layout you say, I deliberately create spatial networking in such a way that personal, free and intuitive passages through the collection are possible and provoked. We still havent seen any gallery floor plans, but you are describing a stroll through the whole museum. Who does that? Think of any other encyclopedic museum in the world. If anyone tries to see all of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in one bite, its only tourists. Your thinking is apparently shaped by tourism which leaves out the people of L.A., plus aficionados who visit often. What about them the LACMA community? Advertisement Or maybe your notion is shaped by small, single-subject art museums like the two youve designed in Europe. One concerns artifacts from a local Catholic diocese, the other shows contemporary art. They can easily be seen in a brief visit. LACMA, the Incredible Shrinking Museum: A critics lament One writer Tyler Green, historian and producer of the Modern Art Notes podcast calls your LACMA design the Coffeetable Kunsthalle. The coffee table part is a funny jape about the designs similarity to a piece of midcentury furniture, an undulating shape raised on legs; but the kunsthalle part is more telling. A kunsthalle art hall is an exhibition-only venue without a permanent collection, never mind an encyclopedic one. Granted, I read your interview in translation. (My command of German text disappeared shortly after I completed graduate school exams more years ago than I care to remember.) If I misunderstood, I apologize. But, given your misplaced faith that your building can repair arts contextual issues, I doubt it. It pains me to have to say this, but the designs critique of the encyclopedic form is shallow, the revisionism uninformed. LACMAs encyclopedic collection is not an accident, and no architecture can compensate for lost context. And you have to get this building right. When its done, your work is what people will know for LACMAs next 50 years. Few remember the two museum directors present at the 1965 birth of the original buildings, but everyone now speaks of their architect. Like you, many speak of William Pereiras three-pavilion design with disdain. It badly cramped the LACMA mission.Thats why his buildings are being torn down. Advertisement Sincerely yours, 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 Only two IDA site visits took place in Laois last year, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke has revealed. In a parliamentary question on Wednesday, February 26, Fine Gael TD Willie Aird had asked Minister Burke the number of IDA site visits to County Laois made in the past twelve months; the specific locations of these visits; the results to date of any such visits, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. The IDA is the State agency tasked with attracting foreign direct investment to locations throughout Ireland. Minister Burke revealed that there were two IDA facilitated site visits to Laois in 2024, down from five in 2023. There are 52 IDA client companies in the Midlands Region, comprised of counties Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford, employing 8,045 people, Minister Burke said. In Laois, there are five IDA-supported companies employing 145 people. Over recent years, the IDA supported three significant FDI investments in the county. In July 2021 NWare Technologies, a Canadian software firm, announced the opening of its new sales and services centre in Mountrath, with the creation of 25 jobs. In July 2020, Greenfield Global officially opened its new 30m EU manufacturing headquarters in Portlaoise, to be supported by 75 employees. In 2018, Barracuda, a U.S. cybersecurity firm based on the IDA Business Park in Portlaoise announced the creation of 30 jobs, he said. Minister Burke highlighted the importance of having suitable sites and property available when attracting new investment. IDA has made considerable investments in land, buildings and infrastructure across the Midlands Region and in 2022 IDA acquired c.18.46 hectares of land adjacent to the Business and Technology Park in Portlaoise and an additional c.4.25 hectares in 2024 with a total of c.29.66 hectares now available for promotion at the Business Park, he said. READ ALSO: 1 million secured to develop former Avon factory site IDA Irelands intent over the coming years is to build on the strengths and competencies of the region with a particular focus on high value manufacturing, services, and research and development opportunities and IDA continues to work with clients to market County Laois as an investment location, said Minister Burke. It was beneficial for people struggling with their mental health in urgent need of a shoulder to lean on. SOSAD Laois wish to remind the public that they are still accessible via free phone lines and in-person counselling sessions. Pictured: The 2022 opening of the SOSAD Laois office Volunteers Irina Volia and Helena Kavani with Carol Murphy, general manager SOSAD Ireland and Grace Ennis, Laois SOSAD co-ordinator. "It is with great regret that we announce the closure of our message service due to ongoing challenges with securing sustainable funding," SOSAD Laois coordinated Shirley McKay told the Leinster Express / Laois Live. "While this is a difficult decision, we want to reassure the community that SOSAD Laois remains dedicated to supporting individuals in Laois and the surrounding areas. "We encourage everyone to make use of our free and confidential counselling service by calling our office at 083 0291706. Additionally, we offer a free phone listening service at 1800 901 909, where trained volunteers are available to offer support and a compassionate ear," Ms McKay said. "Our Drop-In Centre also remains open to all, providing a space to enjoy a cup of tea, have a chat, gather your thoughts, or speak with one of our trained staff members. We are here to help, listen, and support those in need. "SOSAD Laois continues to be an active and vital resource in the community. Though our message service is closing, our other services are still available to ensure that no one faces their challenges alone. We are here to support you," Ms McKay finished. Childrens Books Ireland and An Post are reminding children and families in Kildare to claim their free World Book Day titles, from Irish authors and illustrators including Paddy Donnelly, Aine Ni Ghlinn and Andrew Whitson AKA Mr. Ando, in time for this years World Book Day Ireland on Thursday, March 6. Sponsored by National Book Tokens and delivered by An Post in partnership with Childrens Books Ireland, World Book Day Ireland is making books and reading more accessible than ever. Families and children in Kildare are encouraged to use their 1.50 World Book Day tokens, available now through schools, online, and in bookshops, to claim one of 14 specially curated titles before March 23. READ NEXT: Kildare Gardai issue serious warning after 14 drivers arrested Speaking about World Book Day Ireland, Elaina Ryan, CEO of Childrens Books Ireland said: Read Your Way is the main message of this years World Book Day Ireland and that means encouraging children and young people to enjoy the pleasure that comes from reading...whether thats a graphic novel, audiobook, Irish language publication, or one of the 14 brilliant World Book Day titles available for readers aged from 0teen. We also encourage families in Kildare to take part in the events being planned to celebrate the day and as always, to visit their local library to discover more great books. Schools, libraries and bookshops across the country will mark the day with celebrations including storytelling sessions, and costume challenges where pupils to dress up as their favourite character from a book. Debbie Byrne, MD of An Post Retail said: An Post are tremendously proud to be the official delivery partner of World Book Day in Ireland. We will be delivering over 924,000 book tokens to every school nationwide in addition to donating and delivering 40,000 free books to children who are most in need. Cassie Chadderton, World Book Day CEO added: At the heart of World Book Day is the belief - backed by evidence - that children are more likely to read if they enjoy it and have a choice in what and how to read. Graphic novels, comics, or one of our amazing 1/1.50 books free in exchange for a World Book Day book token can help unlock the power of reading. Were excited to be working with so many partners to reach even more children and families, and to invite everyone to join the party and Read Their Way this World Book Day. Sean O Coinn, CEO, Foras na Gaeilge said: We are delighted to be supporting World Book Day Ireland with the inclusion of an Irish-language book for the fourth year in a row. The demand from bookshops for the Irish-language book for World Book Day is increasing year on year. We are thrilled that this year, with the support of Childrens Books Ireland and An Post that over 10,000 copies of Ag Buzzail sa Ghairdin by Aine Ni Ghlinn, published by An tSnathaid Mhor will be available to children and families all over the island of Ireland. Irish-language books and resources are supported by Foras na Gaeilge and accessible copies are provided by Vision Ireland and ChildVision. World Book Day 2025 will take place on Thursday, March 6 2025. Discover the full range of 1.50/1 World Book Day 2025 titles here: https://www.worldbookday.com/books-and-tokens/books/ Use your World Book Day 1/1.50 token to get one of these brilliant reads for free between February 13 and March 23 2025. Available at participating retailers. The water infrastructure in Kildare North is buckling and residents cannot use their water in the way they need to, according to a Fine Gael TD. Deputy Joe Neville raised a question in the Dail recently, asking the Tanaiste, Deputy Simon Harris if the government would push Uisce Eireann to invest quickly and more effectively in Kildare North. Deputy Neville referenced consistent bursting of water pipes in Kildare North, affecting householders in Leixlip, Celbridge, Maynooth and even Naas. He said: This is a daily struggle for people living all around Kildare North. The population has exploded but the water infrastructure is buckling. We see it every day. There were even outages on Christmas Day. READ NEXT: Children in Kildare reminded to pick up a free book for World Book Day Ireland These issues were not common in my childhood and even up to ten years ago. In the past five years especially, we have had difficulties. The pipe serving half of Celbridge, from Hazelhatch to Newcastle, was put down in 1945, making it 80 years old. It stretches for 6 km and bursts consistently. Indeed, Uisce Eireann has had to reduce the water pressure so much that residents in housing estates like Primrose Gate and Hazelhatch Park cannot even use their water in the way they need to. The pipes between Leixlip and Maynooth are also consistently bursting, leaving areas such as Confey, especially, open to risk. These are basic services. Will the Government push Uisce Eireann to invest quickly and more effectively in Kildare North? Thanking Deputy Neville for raising the issue, the Tanaiste said he was aware of operational challenges in Celbridge, including at Hazelhatch, and that the water network is under pressure. However, the Tanaiste continued, the good news was that Uisce Eireann has water main rehabilitation works approved for design and construction in 2025, involving 5.3km of new water mains. Site investigation works are planned in the coming weeks and construction is due to commence in the second quarter of this year, the Tanaiste said. He concluded: I am assured that these works will help with the water network challenges. A Newbridge, Co Kildare native who lives in Naas - Brigadier General Rossa Mulcahy - has been appointed as Chief of Staff designate of the Defence Forces. The Government this morning accepted the recommendation of the Tanaiste and Minister for Defence, Mr. Simon Harris TD, to nominate Brigadier General Mulcahy for appointment by the President as Chief of Staff designate of the Defence Forces. Brigadier Mulcahy is currently serving as Assistant Chief of Staff. He will succeed the current Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Sean Clancy, who will leave his post to take up a new appointment as Chair of the European Union Military Committee on 1st June 2025. The Tanaiste said I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Brigadier General Mulcahy on his appointment and I look forward to working closely with him in the future. My priorities are to continue the transformation of the Defence Forces to ensure that it is a fit-for-purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges we face now and into the future. In July 2024, the Government approved the preparation of the necessary legislation to provide for the reform of high-level Command and Control of the Defence Forces. This will include the creation of a new position of Chief of Defence with the appropriate military command and control authority of the Defence Forces. At that stage, the position of Chief of Staff will no longer exist. Brigadier General Mulcahys appointment as Chief of Staff is for a minimum period of two years, pending the introduction of the forthcoming Command and Control legislation, and not exceeding five years. On its establishment, he will be eligible to apply for the new position of Chief of Defence. The reform of high-level Command and Control of the Defence Forces will have no impact on the Constitutional role of the President of Ireland as Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence Forces. The principle of control of the military by a civilian, elected Executive, which has served the State well, will be reinforced in the new structures, with the Minister for Defence retaining the right to command the Defence Forces on behalf of the Government. The Secretary General of the Department of Defence will remain as Accounting Officer. READ NEXT: Gardai issue warning after 14 drivers arrested. Military Experience Brigadier General Rossa Mulcahy is a professional communications officer with over 39 years' experience in a variety of roles across the Defence Forces as well as deployments with the United Nations and NATO. His overseas experience includes: Three deployments to Lebanon with UNIFIL Two years on deployment to Syria and Lebanon with UNTSO Deployment as Irish National Senior and Deputy KLE Branch at NATO's Resolute Support mission, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Brigadier General Mulcahy took up his appointment as Assistant Chief of Staff in Oct 2021 and has responsibility for a range of organisational level issues. He has previously served as Director of Strategic Planning Branch from Feb 2020, where he was responsible for Strategy Development, Defence Policy Programme Implementation, Defence Forces' Annual Plans, and International Security and Defence Policy coordination. From 2019 he was the Director of Communications and Information Services, with cyber being one of his areas of responsibility. Brigadier General Mulcahy has served in all of the CIS Units within the Army; he has held appointments in the Joint Command and Staff School and the Defence Forces' Management Information Framework Section as a Lieutenant Colonel. Brigadier General Mulcahys educational qualifications include a B. COMM from NUIG, a Higher Diploma in Information Technology from NUIM, a B.Sc. in Management Information Systems from UCD, an MA in Leadership Management and Defence Studies from NUIM and most recently a Professional Diploma in Strategy Development and Innovation from the Smurfit Business School, UCD. He is a graduate of the Defence Forces' Senior Command & Staff Course (2008) and the US Army Command and General Staff College (2011). Brigadier General Mulcahy is married to Lorna and they have two daughters, Caoimhe and Laoise. A potential suspect has been identified in the search for Jon Jonsson, an Icelandic poker player who disappeared on February 9, 2019 in Dublin, after flying in for a Poker Festival. It is a case that has bewildered both An Garda Siochana and Icelandic police forces as Jon, who attended the event with his partner Kristiana Gujonsdottir, was last seen leaving the Bonnington Hotel and walking down the Swords Road past the entrance to Highfield Hospital at roughly 11am. There has been no sight of him since. However, new information has come to light following the release of RTE's and Icelandic broadcasters' RUV's six-part podcast series, 'Where is Jon?' Co-producer of the series, Liam O'Brien, spoke on RTE's Morning Ireland on Monday, March 3, about the case and what the team have learned after 18 months of investigating. He said, "Jon disappeared within a three minute window from that main Swords Road. So, he was last seen on CCTV about 11:12am, that Saturday morning, and then three minutes later, a bus captured some CCTV coming down that road. Jon was not in that so that narrows the window." After much research into the case, the producers believe they could have potentially found out what has happened to the Icelandic poker player. Speaking on this, Liam continued, "There are only four possibilities (of what happened to Jon). He took his own life. He deliberately disappeared. He was in an accident where his remains are hidden somewhere, and then that somebody did harm to Jon and it's really in that last option that some harm came to Jon, that's where all the information and all the clues have pointed to." In the time since his disappearance, Jon's family have been contacted by anonymous sources claiming to know happened to the man. Liam confirmed that gardai were too victims of this, saying, "There was a search that took place in Santry Demesne in February 2024, just after the fifth anniversary of Jon's disappearance and that took place because two anonymous notes were given to Gardai, one in August 2022 and another handed into a Priest's house in Ballymun in August 2023. Both suggest that, well, both stated that Jon was buried near trees, near water in Santry Demesne. So last February, a search took place." Unfortunately, no discoveries or new information were found through this search. READ MORE: RIP: Tributes paid to mother-of-two who died after being struck by SUV while out running In fact, it was only in recent weeks that Jon's family have come to understand exactly what was and wasn't searched in the area and quite an extensive part of the park has yet to be delved into. Playing a clip from Jon's brother, David commented on this. He said, "It doesn't make any sense. We were under the impression that they searched the whole park with dogs. I believe they did not. We were under the impression that divers went into the lake. I believe they did not. So in my opinion, and I believe most of us feel the same way, we want and we need the park searched thoroughly, so we will definitely be very thorough and very strict on that happening when we visit Dublin in a few weeks." The family of Jon Jonsson will visit Dublin to meet with the garda investigative team this week. On the discoveries made in the series, Liam spoke on the theory that he has come to believe is fact, stating, "We have identified a specific person of interest. The Gardai are aware of that individual. He appears to have a violent background. "We have received information from listeners, and also Jon's family members have received information that what happened Jon was actually a case of mistaken identity in Dublin, that another Icelander who came to Dublin for the Dublin Poker Festival was supposed to have harm visited upon him, but instead, and unfortunately for Jon, he was the victim of that," he concluded. The investigation is now being treated more like a criminal investigation rather than a missing person inquiry, with the Jonsson family pleading to upgrade the case to either a murder or criminal investigation to free up funding, manpower and resources in order to move the case forward. The family of Jon Jonsson will appear on RTEs Late Late Show on Friday, March 7, at 9:35pm on RTE One. If you have any knowledge or information on the disappearance of Jon Jonsson, please contact any garda station and RTE in confidence via documentaries@rte.ie. The Industrial Development Authority (IDA) has been criticised after making only one site visit to Leitrim last year. The county was among the lowest in the country for visits, alongside Mayo, Meath, Wicklow and Monaghan. In total, the IDA last year hosted 466 site visits by would-be foreign direct investors (FDIs), with Dublin accounting for 46.5 percent of visits. Despite receiving just one visit, Leitrim has over 1,100 IDA supported jobs - outperforming several counties including Laois, Kilkenny, and Monaghan. However, it still lags behind Donegal and Sligo which have 5,036 jobs and 2,929 jobs from IDA companies respectively. Leitrim has shown that rural areas can attract foreign direct investment, and there is significant potential for growth with continued investment. Ballinamore area councillor Enda McGloin acknowledged the lack of IDA visits but pointed out that job creation is also coming from other sources, and certain issues need to be addressed before focusing on attracting more IDA attention. I would prefer if there was much more direct engagement but we've had a good interaction with Enterprise Ireland and Carrick-on-Shannon has seen a number of job announcements in the last year, he said. He also noted that the Government had facilitated the purchase of the former MBNA building, which has the potential for job creation in Carrick-on-Shannon. Leitrim County Council is also keen to secure an IDA advance factory in Carrick-on-Shannon, with Deputy Frank Feighan discussing the matter with Minister Peter Burke. Theres a site ready to go on Castlecara road and that is something that if we were able to achieve, it would help, he added. A lack of housing and infrastructure is also hindering investment in the county. If the IDA were to come with a potential of 200 jobs for Carrick-on-Shannon, and if people had to be drawn from different parts of the country, wed be under pressure because we dont have the houses, he explained. We need to build more affordable houses to create a more attractive region for the IDA. Infrastructure challenges, particularly water shortages, are another major concern. There is a severe shortage of water in Leitrim, and the difference between supply and demand is on a knife edge, he said. Minister Peter Burke cautioned that IDA site visits are only one measure of a companys interest in a particular location and may not necessarily be a true measure of the overall level of foreign direct investment activity in a region or county. READ MORE: Leitrim cancer survivor calls for support on Daffodil Day In early 2023, Letita McFarlane was told she had cancer, which she says completely turned her life upside down. The 27-year-old mother of two from Kinlough was on a family holiday in Spain the previous November when her face began to swell up. It was initially attributed to an allergic reaction from lip fillers, but after persistent medical questioning, doctors detected the cancer, and she was diagnosed with Primary Mediastinal Large B-cell lymphoma, a form of blood cancer. My life was turned upside down by my cancer diagnosis, but so was everybody elses around me. They all had to jump in and help with the children and support me through my treatment. Its been a whole family effort to get through this, and I cant thank them enough for everything theyve done. She began a rigorous treatment journey, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and eventually Car-T cell therapy at St. Jamess Hospital in Dublin and in May 2024, she received the life-changing news that she was in remission. Now, Letita is calling on the people of north Leitrim to support the Irish Cancer Societys Daffodil Day, which takes place on Friday the 28 of March and encouraging young people to be more proactive about their health. Cancer was just so far off the radar of what I thought could be wrong with me, she explained. I think young people need to be more empowered and aware to ask questions and push for tests if we dont feel right. My face was severely swollen, and as soon as my doctors heard about the lip fillers, they attributed it to that. Thankfully, I kept pushing and asking more questions. She is urging the people of Leitrim and the wider northwest to participate in Daffodil Day. Every euro raised on Daffodil Day is crucial and makes a real, lasting difference to patients like me, fuelling life-changing cancer research and vital support services, Letitia said. The Irish Cancer Society provides essential services to those impacted by cancer, including free transport for patients to their treatments, free counselling, and end-of-life care. In 2024, generous donations enabled the Irish Cancer Society to provide over 100 free lifts for Leitrim-based cancer patients, 290 counselling sessions, and 70 nights of free Night Nursing care, allowing patients to die at home surrounded by loved ones. One in two of us will hear the words Youve got cancer in our lifetimes, said Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society. There isnt a family in Ireland that hasnt felt the impact of a cancer diagnosis. Right now, a child is hearing the words Its cancer. A parent is holding on to hope for a treatment that hasnt been discovered yet. Your support on Daffodil Day fuels life-changing cancer research and vital free services. Ms Power also highlighted how every contribution helps with 30 providing transport for a patient to their chemotherapy treatment, while 50 can provide vital equipment for an Irish Cancer Society Night Nurse. 60 will fund a counselling session, and 455 can cover the cost of one night of Night Nursing, providing end-of-life care to a patient in their home. For more information about Daffodil Day and how to contribute, visit https://www.cancer.ie/daffodilday. READ MORE: Last-minute drama as Leitirm and Longford finish level in League clash The potential cost of missing Irelands emissions targets could reach a staggering 27 billion euros, according to a new report. The alarming figure comes under a worst-case projection under which Ireland does not implement any further measures to reduce emissions and the price of purchasing credits from other EU member states. On the other hand, the Government could reduce this risk and potential costs to between three and 12 billion euros if it follows through on measures from its own plans that have yet to be enacted. Ireland is bound by targets for renewable energy consumption and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions under multiple EU schemes, which come with significant potential costs for non-compliance. A joint report by the Fiscal Advisory Council and Climate Change Advisory Council says that Ireland needs to act on the climate targets now to avoid incurring colossal costs. Most countries in the EU are off track to meet reduction targets under the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR), but Ireland is among the worst-performing countries for exceeding its targets of million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2 eq). On a per head of population basis, Ireland is the worst performing country under the ESR targets, which covers non-aviation domestic transport, buildings, small industry, waste and agriculture emissions. Maire Donnelly, chairwoman of the Climate Change Advisory Council, described Ireland as a standout laggard in this regard. If Ireland fails to comply with its EU requirements, the scale of the potential bill depends on how close it gets to meeting each of its targets and the price of compliance. The price also depends on broader progress across the EU in achieving the same targets. The report finds that if the Government follows through on its Climate Action Plan, this would reduce potential costs by more than half. However, the councils warn that the plan is not being delivered at the scale or the speed required. Asked about the large gap between the lowest and highest cost estimates, Fiscal Advisory Council chairman Seamus Coffey said: The range is very broad but it doesnt include zero, it doesnt include negative numbers. A range that broad that doesnt get over zero suggests what side of the line were going to be on. Pressed on where he expected the final bill to line, he said there was still a lot of uncertainty but said it could be between 10 and 12 billion euros depending on what action the Government takes. The report presents the Government with a choice between spending now and reaping the benefits of ramping up efforts, or transferring massive amounts to EU neighbours for Irelands non-compliance and falling into deepening emissions targets. The authors argue that it makes the most sense to spend money now and avoid a colossal missed opportunity. Recent events have highlighted how climate action can benefit people. Irelands reliance on imported fossil fuels left it exposed to geopolitical disruptions and price rises during the cost-of-living crisis. More recently, Storm Eowyn showed the need for more secure and stable energy infrastructure. Acting now can help reduce these vulnerabilities and avoid large transfers to neighbouring countries. Ultimately, these are funds that could instead be used to improve peoples wellbeing. The report states that failure to meet targets has already cost Ireland significant amounts of money. In the past four years, Ireland has lost out on 500 million euros of potential revenue from carbon credits it could have sold but is instead holding on to the bridge the gap to the overall target. The authors add: Swifter action would do more than just avoid hefty payments and meet Irelands agreed commitments. It would transform Irelands society, making it healthier, more sustainable, and more energy secure. The prices that will apply under the ESR are highly uncertain and will ultimately depend on the extent to which other EU member states achieve their targets. The price of emissions allocations from countries that have overperformed on their reductions will be agreed by the two states involved. As many countries are due to miss their targets, there will probably be a shortage of allocations to go around, and therefore, market prices are hard to predict. With a shortage of allocations, some countries could face infringement proceedings, which may be set at the level of the last allocation purchased. However, Ms Donnelly said there is hope and that a few measures could make a big difference. As examples, she said seven billion euros could be spent on upgrading Irelands electricity grid, four billion euros could be spent on reducing the price of 700,000 electric cars to below 15,000 euros and ramping up charging infrastructure, one billion euros could be spent on supports for forestry and peatlands This amounts to 12 billion euros one-tenth of the capital spending planned out to 2030. There has been a drop in school engagement and wellbeing since before the Covid-19 pandemic, with higher rates of non-attendance and more school avoidance, a report into the School Complete Programme (SCP) has found. It also found that half of the SCP co-ordinators are not satisfied with current staffing levels as part of the programme. While funding for the programme has increased since 2016, it does not yet match the funding levels in place before the 2008 recession. The new ESRI research shows the role of the SCP in supporting student attendance and engagement but highlights it also faces staffing and funding challenges. The programme was set up to provide support for children and young people at risk of early school leaving and is part of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme. An ESRI report, funded by Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) finds that the SCP helps make attending school a more positive experience for children and young people. The report states that the programmes key strength lies in the skills of SCP staff in developing strong and supportive relationships with children and young people, thus enhancing their school engagement. However, around half of co-ordinators are dissatisfied with staffing and funding. This ESRI study draws on a survey of SCP co-ordinators as well as case-study interviews and a consultation event with SCP co-ordinators, project workers, principals, home school community liaison co-ordinators and educational welfare officers. Each of the 121 projects covers a number of primary and post-primary, mostly DEIS, schools, a total of 783 schools nationally. All projects provide in-school support on a one-to-one, group or whole-class basis. One-to-one interventions are viewed by SCP and school staff as particularly effective in flexibly responding to the needs of vulnerable students. Larger projects report greater challenges, with a higher student-staff ratio, less frequent contact between co-ordinators and key school personnel, and more time spent on administration. More than half of co-ordinators are not satisfied with current staffing levels, with greater dissatisfaction among those in the medium and large projects. The study findings point to greater needs among the student population, with worse school engagement and wellbeing than before the pandemic. This has led to higher rates of non-attendance and more school avoidance. SCP and school staff point to the scale of socio-economic disadvantage evident in the project schools, often compounded by additional challenges around parental mental health, addiction and disorder in the local area. Many report challenges in reaching enough students given the level of local need. The studys findings indicate strong collaborative relationships between SCP staff, principals, home school community liaison co-ordinators and educational welfare officers. The findings of the study highlight the value of the programme as a vital support for vulnerable children and young people. Significant changes have taken place in the programme in recent years but the study findings point to some aspects of the programme that could be further enhanced. These include the need for clear and consistent employment structures across all projects, improved contact between projects to share good practice, a review of project boundaries to address the challenges found among large projects, and a restructured funding allocation model reflecting project size and need among the school communities. Prof Emer Smyth, one of the reports authors, said: The scale and complexity of disadvantage in some areas indicates the need for school-based supports like SCP to be underpinned by adequate income support for families with children and locally-based interventions to support disadvantaged communities. Dr Merike Darmody, another author, said: SCP staff frequently work with young people with mental health or other complex challenges. However, because of long waiting lists, it is difficult to access referral pathways to mental health and therapeutic provision for children and young people who need support. Aine OKeeffe, director at Tusla Education Support Services, said: This research builds on the previous review of the School Completion Programme carried out in 2015 by the ESRI. I welcome the new report which highlights the value of the programme to vulnerable children and young people, as well as the positive regard in which the programme is held by education stakeholders. TESS acknowledges that there are aspects of the programme that can be improved as set out in the report, and together with the Department of Education, will work to address and further enhance the programme over the coming years. A suspected 6.5 million drugs haul has been seized following a cross-border operation. Cannabis, cocaine and ketamine are believed to have been discovered concealed within food packaging following the search of premises in the Mallusk area of Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, on Monday. It came as detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Garda Siochana worked together as part of the Joint Agency Task Force. A 28-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of supplying class A and class B controlled drugs. Organised Crime Unit detectives, working in collaboration with the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau, as part of the Joint Agency Task Force, seized suspected drugs with an estimated street value of 6.5 million. Read more here: https://t.co/lqI9it6RRM#OpDealbreaker pic.twitter.com/TPnVb2KWIs Police Antrim and Newtownabbey (@PSNIANDistrict) March 3, 2025 Detective Inspector Conor Sweeney said he is delighted the drugs have been removed from circulation. We believe the drugs on this seizure were intended to supply various markets across the UK, he said. The Joint Agency Task Force was established with the aim of bringing a concerted and enhanced effort to tackle cross-jurisdictional organised crime. All partners within the task force are totally committed to working together to reduce the misery caused by drug smuggling and to dismantle the organised groups profiting from this type of criminality. It is not difficult to imagine the harm that would have been caused by this volume of drugs being dealt on street corners within our communities to vulnerable people, children and those with addictions issues. Nor is it difficult to imagine the mayhem that the organised criminals behind this would have wreaked with the millions of pounds of profit they potentially stood to make. I am delighted the drugs have been removed from circulation and that this income stream has been denied to the criminal network. However he added: We recognise there is still much work to be done to tackle such serious and organised criminality. We rely on the help of the community to do so and would appeal to anyone with information or concerns to contact us on 101. (From left) Group Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu and President of Gabon, Brice Oligui Nguema, during the visit of Elumelu to the President at Seaside Palace, the official residence of the President in Libreville, Gabon, recently. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Clockwise from left: Albert Peters, Gifty Lama, Barten Nyeswua and George Fahnbutu were mysteriously killed within 10 days of each other. All four were connected to auditing functionaries of the government. PLANNERS have cleared the way for a redevelopment at the Analog Devices campus in Raheen. The semi-conductor manufacturing company plans to invest 630m in a research facility. The move will lead to the addition of hundreds of new jobs at the company, which is already one of Limericks biggest employers with 1,300 staff members. Analog had secured permission to regenerate its building and carry out some extra works from Limerick City and County Council back in October 2023. READ MORE: Limerick award winning authors take part in UL Creative Writing Festival However, a number of landowners around the site appealed against this decision to An Bord Pleanala. The national planning appeals body ruled in favour of the Massachusetts based firm last month. In communication with An Bord Pleanala, Analog Devices management stated the extension is to allow office space on its campus in Raheen. This will support innovation and research in the technical sector. The company stated that around 470 staff will be accommodated in the new building, half of whom will be new hires. There were two appeals against the decision from Limerick Council to green-light the development, although only one of these was deemed valid by An Bord Pleanala. Among other things, the valid appeal raised concerns over foul water discharging through the storm water system into the neighbouring Loughmore Canal, due to a misconnection in the drainage network, An Bord Pleanalas report stated. For its part, Analog stated its proposed development will not exacerbate flooding in Loughmore. This position was backed by An Bord Pleanalas inspector, who recommended the project go ahead. The board agreed with this. LIMERICK Youth Service (LYS) has hosted a showcase of International Youth Work Programmes at the Northside Youth Space, Ballynanty, with Mayor of Limerick John Moran among the many guests. The evening was an opportunity for the young people to share their experience of taking part in Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges with the youth service and highlight the positive impact of these programmes. Youth exchanges are a partnership between youth organisations, where young people from one nation host their peers from another with a return leg. READ MORE: The Last Word from outgoing Limerick IFA chairperson In the past two years LYS has visited Finland, Greece, Hungary and Romania with young people and staff from these four countries visiting Limerick. Mayor Moran presented the young people with their EU Youthpass, a valuable accreditation that promotes the skills associated with international youth work. Maurice Walsh, LYS Youth Work manager said: International youth work gives young people an incredible opportunity to experience a different culture and broaden their horizons. We are already looking to the future with youth exchanges to France and a historic trip to North Macedonia on the horizon in 2025, added Mr Walsh. TARBERT should be back on the table after Government approval to develop a State-led liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal this Tuesday, believes Minister of State Niall Collins. Mr Collins said the Shannon Estuary location is well suited for the terminal critical to Irelands energy needs The Government approved a memo from the Minister for Transport, Environment, Climate and Energy, Darragh O'Brien, on the LNG terminal on Tuesday. Mr Collins said: Recent world events have shown that we are now living in a completely changed international context. We are a small island on the edge of Europe that is reliant on imports to meet our energy requirements, as seen by the effects of the energy crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We need to stand on our own two feet as a nation in terms of our energy supply, said the Minister of State at the Department of Justice. This terminal will provide a temporary gas reserve that will be critical to our energy security, particularly helping us to guard against any interruption to gas supplied by subsea interconnections. Mr Collins also highlighted the benefits of the Shannon Estuary as a location for the terminal. In an encouraging development, last year the High Court reversed a ruling by An Bord Pleanala to refuse permission for the construction of an LNG terminal on the Shannon Estuary. The proposed site on the Tarbert-Ballylongford landbank would bring benefits to the local community as well as the wider Mid-West region. It is my understanding that this LNG facility project is to be State-led, and that Gas Networks Ireland will be tasked with leading on it, but commercial partners may have a role in the operation and replenishment of the LNG facility. I look forward to continuing to support this strategic facility and advocating for any role the Mid-West can play in its development, said Mr Collins. READ MORE: Grants of over 3m for vacant properties issued in Limerick The emergency reserve will be in the form of a Floating Storage and Regassification Unit (FSRU), to be owned on behalf of the State by the system operator, Gas Networks Ireland (GNI). This is a similar approach to that used for oil security by the National Oil Reserves Agency. In identifying this as the optimal approach, the Department of Environment has built upon the extensive review of security of Irelands gas and electricity systems which was approved by Government in the Energy Security in Ireland to 2030 plan in November 2023. The plan sets out Irelands ambition to transform our energy system and support our climate objectives. The plan includes 28 actions, under the pillars of sustainability, affordability and security. Under Action 17 of that plan, GNI was tasked with reviewing and recommending the optimal approach to deliver the strategic gas emergency reserve. The development of a state-led reserve in the form of an FSRU is consistent with Irelands climate law. It is a transitional measure reducing the risk of stranded fossil fuel assets, for emergency use only, and does not support increased gas demand, said a Department of Environment spokesperson. READ MORE: Limerick shop that sold 2.6m winning Lotto ticket revealed Minister Darragh OBrien said the approval of this approach represents the culmination of extensive research, analysis and engagement in relation to Irelands energy security needs. As a small island nation reliant on interconnection, our exposure to potential disruption to gas supplies presents a significant risk to our energy security, and the continuity of supply to businesses and households across Ireland. This emergency reserve will provide an alternative source of gas at an appropriate scale if Ireland was to experience such an interruption. Our view remains that long-term energy security is best achieved through substantial growth in indigenous clean, renewable energy; improvements in energy efficiency; electrification of heat and transport; and increased electrical interconnection with our European neighbours. This will minimise the imports of fossil energy in the long-term. In the meantime, the development of a state-led, strategic reserve will ensure the continuity of gas supply as an essential transitional energy security measure, said Mr OBrien. A NEW eating disorders team has been confirmed for Limerick by Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler. The new Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) eating disorder team will cover Limerick city, county and county Clare. The new facility is part of the nationwide rollout of the HSEs National Clinical Programme on eating disorders, and is supported by an additional investment of 1.2 million this year. Minister Butler said she was really pleased to confirm the new eating disorder team for the Mid-West. These multidisciplinary teams will support children and adults with eating disorders, working to assess peoples needs, diagnose eating disorders, and commence person-centred treatment based on a variety of evidence-based interventions. READ MORE: Top award for Hospital pharmacy employee Eating disorder teams have greatly enhanced screening and early recognition of eating disorders in Ireland, and are providing swifter access to specialist services. Minister Butler also welcomed 2024 data for the National Clinical Programme showing increases in activity across referrals, assessments, diagnoses and access to treatment. There was a 33% increase in referrals versus 2023, with a 25% increase in assessments completed. Access times for services also improved, with 62% of referrals assessed within four weeks, and 90% of people commencing treatment within four weeks of their assessment. The minister added: Improving access to quality services is an absolute priority for me, and I know there is more to be done as we work to complete the rollout of the National Clinical Programme. I will continue efforts to ensure additional investment in eating disorder supports to make sure that care is delivered where and when needed, including both community based and inpatient care. I am determined to build on the progress made with the programme to date to deliver quality eating disorders services to those who need it. GARDAI have confirmed they attended a public order incident in Limerick during college Charity Week, better known as RAG Week. Videos circulating on social media of a crowded house party in the College Court area of Castletroy last week have attracted much attention online, prompting the University of Limerick (UL) to issue a statement in relation to "off-campus behaviour". It is understood hundreds of students attended one particular house party which had an outdoor DJ and saw students dancing on rooftops in the estate close to UL. In reply to a query from Limerick Live, a statement from An Garda Siochana confirmed: "Gardai received a report of a public order incident that occurred on Thursday, February 27 in the Castletroy area, Limerick at approximately 8:30pm. "No offences have been disclosed at this time," they said. READ ALSO: Pedestrian crossing could return to Limerick's O'Connell Street "The University of Limerick strongly promotes responsible community engagement and is aware that there have been instances of off-campus behaviour that have caused concern among our neighbours and the wider community," said a statement from UL. "UL has a community liaison framework in place designed specifically to facilitate dialogue between residents, the off-campus student body, landlords and relevant stakeholders. "This includes a community liaison officer whose role is to respond directly to complaints and incidents arising in the local community with the assistance of gardai where necessary. In addition, the Community Liaison Committee facilitates regular and open dialogue with local community representatives and relevant stakeholders. "There are mechanisms within the university student code of conduct for breaches of the code to be dealt with and complaints made to the university about individuals are taken very seriously." UL said that students have been "urged to be mindful of their actions and the impact they have on the community around them". "Anti-social behaviour not only affects the immediate community but also reflects on the entire student body," the statement said. The UL statement outlined how they helped facilitate extra garda patrols during Charity Week, while also working with Student Life and residents associations to promote respect, responsibility and positive engagement. The statememt concludined that UL will continue to work with educational colleagues in TUS and MIC, An Garda Siochana and Limerick City and County Council to ensure that the community remains a welcoming and enjoyable place for all its residents. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has said she will resist a concerted effort to push for the introduction of domestic water charges in Northern Ireland. The Sinn Fein minister has insisted the charges will not be happening, stating she did not want to add additional pressure on people struggling with the cost of living. Northern Ireland Water, which is funded by the Department for Infrastructure, provides water and sewerage services. It has previously warned that uncertainty of financial support and historic underfunding are having a serious impact on wastewater services, which is impacting on the construction sector. An Audit Office report last year called for a comprehensive review of the current funding arrangements for NI Water. While non-domestic water charges already apply in Northern Ireland, there has been strong political opposition to introducing domestic water charges. In her first appearance at ministerial question time since taking on the infrastructure portfolio, Ms Kimmins was asked for her assessment of the funding model of NI Water. She said: My department has reviewed water utility company structures across Britain and Ireland for best practice, including mutualisation. However, the privatisation and mutualisation models favoured in England and Wales require charges to be paid by domestic water customers, so they are essentially water charges by the back door. Furthermore recent evidence has demonstrated that these governance models do not necessarily provide the better levels of services people expect and can lead to higher levels of debt and increasing costs. I am keen to see the delivery of improvements to wastewater infrastructure to facilitate housing growth and economic development as well as helping improve water quality. Alliance Party MLA Andrew McMurray said that mutualisation is community-ownership, pointing out this was different from privatisation. The minister responded: Mutualisation essentially will result in the Executive oversight being relinquished and that is concerning given that we have seen examples where this hasnt worked well. To achieve mutualisation, this would require charges to be paid by domestic water customers, there is no ambiguity around that. NI Water would also be required to secure debt and financing at quite a significant scale. In order to do that they will be required to borrow large amounts of money which would have to be financed in some way. For me I feel it is just another way of dressing up the introduction of water charges for domestic customers and I am committed to ensuring that we dont add an additional pressure to people here who are already struggling with the cost of living. TUV MLA Timothy Gaston pointed out that Communities Minister Gordon Lyons had announced 100,000 new houses would be built by 2039 and the Executives new Programme for Government had committed to more than 5,000 new social houses being started by 2027. He said: The current wastewater infrastructure doesnt support these developments. Ms Kimmins said: The reality is that the overall Executive budget would still not be enough to deliver the wastewater upgrade that is required. That does not mean we do nothing and I will continue to work to the best of my ability with all of my Executive colleagues to ensure we can do as much as we can to ensure the homes we have committed to build are built at the earliest possible stage. Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen asked the minister when her department would accept that the current funding model for NI Water is not working. She said: I dont believe that the model isnt working. I think the problem is we dont have enough funding. I think there is a concerted effort to push us in the direction to implement water charges. That will not be happening and I am committed not to doing that. New Delhi: Last month, Apple announced that starting April, its iPhones will support 10 Indian languages. Thanks to the expertise of its Indian teams working with global ones, support for local languages will not just help Apple catch up with what Googles Android has offered in India for yearsit will also help it capture more first-time phone buyers from non-metropolitan markets across the country, experts said. From next month, iPhones eligible to receive Apples iOS 18.4 update will support Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. These languages would be applicable across every nook and cranny of the iPhones software interface, just the way it already supports languages such as French, Latin or Mandarin Chinese. Apples Indian teams A person with direct knowledge of the matter told Mint that the introduction of the new languages involved crucial contributions from Apples India teams, which work cross-functionally across various aspects of the companys software development, with their global counterparts". The language support is integrated closely into the Apple interface, and is not just a translation layer. This ensures consistency and the use of colloquial local language terms for various words, such as phrases used in the alarm clock app, or the weather app," said another person familiar with Apple's plans for India. All third-party developers will also be able to integrate the system language support to make sure that the experience is uniform across all apps," this person added. This has required key contributions from the Indian engineering and design teams for various areas of expertise, but the development process, as with everything, has remained global." Both of them declined to be identified. Also read | With AI in Indian iPhones, can Apple rival Googles appeal for coders? iPhone India market Apple, whose India presence was incorporated almost three decades ago in 1996, only started selling its products in the country through third-party retail partners in 2008, with its second-generation iPhone. But, India has always been a traditionally value-conscious market, and Apples phones, laptops, tablets, watches and audio products have always been priced at a significant premium above the average selling price of any device in the country. This, for the longest time, kept Apple a bit-part player in Indias technology ecosystem. But, since 2019, the companys India sales have been on a steady rise, driven by wider availability, rising disposable incomes, and easier financing options helping more people to use its devices. Case in point: in 2019, prior to the pandemic, Apple sold 1.5 million iPhones in Indiawith a 0.9% market share by volume. In 2024, the company was estimated to have sold nearly 12.5 million iPhones in India, as per Counterpoint India and IDC Indiawith a net market share of around 8%. This year, Apples sales of its iPhone, the companys best-selling gadget in India accounting for at least two-thirds of its revenue in the country, are expected to grow a further 20% over 2024. Experts believe that local language support will only make its growth pitch even stronger, and maintain pace for more years to come. Also read | Mint Primer | Will Apples UK move spell doom for privacy? Introducing loacl languages Introducing native support for languages definitely makes a case for Apples buyers to consider the brand, when it is compared with another brand on the retail shop floor. Android and Windows have had support for Indic languages for a while now, but Apple did not. So, when a buyer now goes to a store and finds this too, it is an added incentive for them to consider Apples devicesafter all, the iPhone is still the phone that Indians want to buy, despite it being expensive," said Navkendar Singh, associate vice-president at market researcher International Data Corp (IDC) India. Apple did not respond to Mints queries on how many Indian employees were involved in the process, or the time it took to integrate local languages into its software platforms. Googles Android, which powers over 95% of all active smartphones in India, has supported Indic languages natively for over five years now. Last year, Google used its India engineering presence to roll out support for its Gemini AI platform in nine local languages. In comparison, Apples launch of AI next month will only include support for the English languageleaving Google with the upper hand in its efforts to appeal to Indian users. Also read | Mint Explainer: The great significance of Apples first-ever custom modem chip This shouldnt hurt Apple, thoughits target is always the smaller subset of users in comparison with other brands and platforms. But even in that, we still expect it to maintain its double-digit annual growth pace for at least another three years. Local language support will only make its positioning stronger, and help tap the tier-II markets and beyond since that would be a new market for Apple to enter into," IDCs Singh said. A senior analyst at another market research firm said that even for top-tier users, the addition of the new languages would make a big difference. Non-resident Indians are big users of Apples native apps such as iMessage and FaceTime, as opposed to WhatsApp. Many such users have parents and relatives in India who are not comfortable in English, and for them, the native language support will be a big reason to finally switch to an iPhone, instead of sticking to an Android device," the analyst said, declining not to be identified. IPO-bound online investment platform Groww has issued compulsorily convertible preference shares as bonus to existing investors, including Peak XV and Ribbit, according to a Competition Commission of Indias notice. According to the notice issued on 3 March, the transaction will also result in collapse of the differential voting rights (DVR) held by Harsh Jain, Lalit Keshre, Neeraj Singh and Ishan Bansal, the founders of Groww. This comes at a time when the company has enlisted investment banks for its upcoming $1-billion-plus initial public offering, according to news reports. The notice, however, did not mention the amount of bonus shares issued to each investor. Groww and existing investors Peak XV and Ribbit Capital did not respond to Mints queries at the time of publishing. Restructuring for IPO The proposed transaction comprises of: (i) the proposed collapse of the differential voting rights (DVRs") held by the founders of Groww (proposed DVR collapse"); and (ii) the bonus compulsorily convertible preference shares (bonus CCPS) proposed to be issued to all existing equity shareholders of Groww (proposed bonus CCPS issuance")," said the notice. DVR shares give holders lower or higher voting rights compared to ordinary shares. A collapse of differential voting rights means that the difference in voting rights between DVR and ordinary shares ceases to exist. In a bonus share issuance, a company gives extra shares to existing shareholders at no additional cost. Siddharth Pai, founding partner at 3One4 Capital, told Mint that the company appears to be issuing bonus shares in an attempt to lower the issue price for their IPO later. Also Read: Coursera sees India as the largest opportunity for enterprise business growth "By capitalizing reserves, particularly the securities premium, the company can reduce the final IPO issue price. This is a standard bonus issue that almost every startup does before they IPO. Most recently-listed companies followed the same approach." He also noted that issuing bonus shares as CCPS (compulsorily convertible preference shares) instead of equity could be a strategic safeguard. Bonus shares in the form of CCPS, or preference shares instead of equity, may ensure that if the IPO doesnt go through for any reason, they can reinstate all investor rights." A source close to the company said that the bonus issue of shares does not include a new fundraise in the company and does not have major implications on the shareholding structure. The competitive dynamics remain unchanged prior to and post the proposed transaction as the major investors and founders already exercise joint control in Groww which remains unchanged prior to and post the proposed transaction," said the CCI notice. Industry executives Mint spoke to said that the exercise seems like a restructuring effort to comply with public market standards leading up to its IPO. The company relocated its parent entity, Groww Inc, from Delaware, US, to Bengaluru, effectively making Groww's primary Indian company, Billionbrains Garage Ventures, the parent firm. Groww was founded in 2016, and the process to move its base from Delaware began two years ago. In October 2021, Groww announced a $251 million series E round at a $3 billion valuation. The company has raised a total of $393.3 million in funding so far. As Indias hospitality industry enters a high-growth phase, Sarovar Hotels is charting its next expansion with premium business hubs, leisure destinations, and the rapidly growing spiritual tourism segment. The company, which operates 136 hotels across India, including 75 under its flagship Sarovar Portico brand, plans to add 16-20 more properties this year. A subsidiary of Paris-based Groupe Du Louvre, Sarovar is also eyeing international expansion while ensuring its profitable streakeven through the pandemicremains intact. The company has been growing at around 15% CAGR since before the pandemic and, in 2024, its hotels and corporate hospitality services collectively grossed 3,000 crore. "There are a lot of opportunities to sign brands up, but we now want to be more choosy about the types of hotels we work with," said Ajay K. Bakaya, chairman, Sarovar Hotels & director of Louvre Hotels India. Bakaya spoke to Mint in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the recently concluded hospitality & travel summit, HVS Anarock Hope 2025 in Goa. Hospitality's golden era In the calendar year 2025 too, the company is planning to project double-digit growth for the three decade old company. The company currently manages properties in the 3-, 4- and 5-star categories under its four brands -- Sarovar Premiere and Portico, Golden Tulip and 3-star brand Hometel. The business recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12% in 2024, with 9% growth on a same-store or like-for-like basis. Same-store basis measures revenue growth from existing locations, excluding new or recently closed ones. Revenue, too, is up 15% compared to pre-pandemic levels, driven by rising demand across key markets. Sarovars hotels in India crossed 2,000 crore in revenue last year, with 1,000 crore coming from its institutional catering business, which serves major clients like IIMs, ISB campuses, and Hindustan Unilever complexes. Also read: American hospitality giant Wyndham sees big opportunity in Indias new hoteliers Demand is quite strong and for the first time, Indian hotel companies are charging hotel rates that correspond with the product that they're offering, at least in the metro cities and some major travel hubs," said Bakaya. View Full Image Ajay K. Bakaya is the chairman of Sarovar Hotels and the director of Louvre Hotels in India. "We've been a profitable business since the first year when we opened. In fact, we were also in the green during the pandemic," he added. In January the company opened its newest hotel in Pilibhit, UP, giving the city its first branded hotel. It also opened in locations like Deogarh, Jharkhand, Amritsar, Punjab and Goa at the end of 2024. Growth like never before Bakaya sees the next four years as a strong period for the Indian hotel industry, with double-digit growth expected until the next election cycle. Sarovars average daily rate (ADR) across its brands is 5,500, with occupancy rising to 70%up from 66-67% before the pandemic. Spiritual tourism destinations are also a growing focus for Sarovar. The company operates the only branded hotel in Ayodhya at present, where ADRs hover around 9,000, and 10% of its business now comes from religious destinations. This makes sense, as a recent report by Horwath HTL said the entire leisure sector room inventory has about 61,000 rooms in India which is 30% of total supply. This figure has grown five times in size since 2008 and is expected to add another 45,000 rooms by the end of 2029. Also read: After a strong Q3, top hotels see room for further growth "Among leisure destinations are also destinations for spiritual tourism several that are primarily focused on the religious aspect and some others that have a mix of religious and leisure purpose to their travel. Such inventory is about 12,000 rooms. We see this growing, at least in absolute numbers, as the upper tier society does want to travel to these destinations and needs," said India Hotel Market Review 2024 by hotel consultancy Horwath HTL. Closer to home, Sarovar is repositioning its other four-star hotel brand Golden Tulipcomprising 15 hotelswith plans to expand the portfolio and potentially introduce the upscale Royal Tulip brand to India. We have the potential to bring this brand (Royal Tulip) to India in addition to our Sarovar and four-star Sarovar Portico brands. We are repositioning it to be an international brand," said Bakaya. "The company would also consider franchising the Golden Tulip brand if the right opportunity presents itself," he said. While the company franchises about 10 properties, Bakaya ruled out franchising its core Sarovar brand, citing concerns over maintaining quality standards. It plans to add 15 new properties in 2025. In the first quarter, the brand has opened hotels across brands in Bhopal, Sindhudurg, Ajmer and Srinagar. The upcoming hotel locations include Sriperumbadur, Alwar, Gurugram, Mathura, Jim Corbett, Pathankot, Kota, Chitwan Nepal, Hargeisa in Somaliland. Investment challenges For the company, business travel has also rebounded in key metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru, though Bakaya said foreign business travel remains below pre-pandemic levels. Its ambitions also extend beyond India. The company operates one hotel in Nepal with eight more in the pipeline, and it plans to open in Kampala, Uganda, this year. It also manages a property in Somaliland and is exploring opportunities in the Middle East. Also read: On tourism, govt's heart is in the right place. Where's the money though? Despite the growth, Bakaya believes the industry needs more government support to drive hotel investments. "We need some incentive from the government for there to be more investments in hotels. Even today, the return on investments in the sector don't make sense as the cost of capital and land is quite high and it can take up to 20 years for returns to start coming in for investors. There is a lot of hope for the sector as this is an area which is dying to get to its potential," Bakaya added. Zoho Corp plans to make two artificial intelligence-based internal foundational models public by the end of the year, group chief executive officer Shailesh Davey said in an interview with Mint. The cloud software startup is also working on foundational models to support Indian languages, though it does not have a timeline on when they will be launched, Davey said. The two foundational models will be based on 7 billion and 13 billion parameters, respectively, Davey, who took over as Zoho Corp group CEO in January after the firms longstanding co-founder and CEO Sridhar Vembu stepped down to work as chief scientist on the firms AI projects, said. These are the foundational models we are working on, which we are incorporating in our products, and we will put it out for the public later this year, maybe over the next two quarters," Davey told Mint on Monday. The foundational model is more about a technology demonstrator, and putting it out there is a sign of confidence," he added. For companies, one of the challenges for building foundational models has been the higher demand for computational power as well as training it with better quality data. Zoho has been working on right sizing" foundational models so that the power consumption for these models is more efficient. Unlike B2C foundational models, B2B models work in a constrained manner specific to the business requirements and use cases of a particular sector. Therefore, these models may not require large amount of parameters. For context, ChatGPT-4 had 175 billion parameters, while ChatGPT-5 is expected to have 1.5 trillion parameters, according to media reports. Chinese foundational model DeepSeek R-1 had 671 billion parameters when it was released in January, but it also released a smaller version with 1.5 billion to 70 billion parameters, according to a Tech Crunch report. Currently, Zoho offers customers access to various models, including DeepSeek and OpenAI, up to 32 billion parameters through its Zoho platform. Here, customers pose a query to the platform which taps the appropriate model for a response. Later this year, two foundational models that Zoho is working on will also become available to its customers through the Zoho platform, the company said. The advantage of running a smaller model is that you don't need so much GPU (graphics processing unit). You make the model smaller and if it does not impact the accuracy for the customer, you can run it in the CPU itself," Davey said at the media roundtable on Monday. GPUs are used to perform high-level machine learning tasks and are more powerful than a CPU (central processing unit). GPUs also draw more power than a CPU. Expanding AI solutions Zoho is also launching a set of Agentic AI product suites for its information technology clients through its enterprise division ManageEngine, which specifically caters to the IT divisions within enterprises. ManageEngine is expected to earn the firm a billion dollars in revenues by 2025 or 2026, Rajesh Ganesan, CEO, ManageEngine, which is a division of Zoho Corp, said. ManageEngine brings in around 55-60% of the revenues for Zoho Corp, Davey added. Zoho crossed $1 billion in annual revenues in November 2022, according to an announcement made by co-founder Vembu at the time. For enterprise clients, one of the big focus areas is security, and this is Zohos fastest-growing segment within ManageEngine, Davey said. Security for enterprises comprises managing data on phones, laptops, mobile devices, the servers and other access pathways. Currently, security comprises around 40% of ManageEngines revenues and is expected to rise further as it is growing at an annual 60%, Davey said. With tariffs poised to take effect on Tuesday on products from Canada and Mexico, plus threats of levies on imports from the European Union, one thing is clear: President Donald Trump likes the number 25. All of those tariffs are set at 25%, assuming no last-minute deal to lower them. Trump said on Monday that theres no room left for Mexico or for Canada" to make a deal before midnight. Dont read too much into that number, however. Theres nothing magical, useful, or relevant about the number 25%," University of Michigan professor of public policy and economics Justin Wolfers tells Barrons. It doesnt come from a model, from careful evaluation of the consequences of a tariff, or from history. It doesnt solve a specific problem." Michael Klein, a professor at Tufts Universitys Fletcher School and former Treasury Department official, agreed and said the administrations arguments defending the proposed tariffs are nonsensical." The selection of 25%, otherwise known as one-quarter of 100, seems to be simply because its a big beautiful" number, to borrow the phrase Trump used to describe the Houses budget bill. Something that is easy to understand, even for the math-challenged. Barrons asked the White House to comment on the tariff levels. Thierry Wizman, a global strategist at Macquarie, also sees a bit of game theory at play. If the bar is set too low, theres no imperative to negotiate, but it cant be so high as to be infeasible. And if Trump only achieves some of his goals, he at least creates some flexibility. Ambiguity is a feature, not a bug," Wizman said. Its intended to be an advantage." Trump has already raised tariffs on imports from China by another 10% on top of the up to 25% tariffs he imposed during his first term. He says he will impose another 10% levy on top of that. As for steel, Trump said in February he was reinstating full 25% tariffs and increasing the levy on aluminum to 25%. Those take effect next week. Later, Trump pledged reciprocal tariffs on any country that imposes levies on U.S. goods. Economists tell Barrons they arent necessarily opposed to tariffs, but they wouldnt go about it this way. Tariffs are usually applied to specific products or specific industries under specific circumstances, not the type of broad levies contemplated here. There is no real rhyme or reason to these numbers. There is no calculation behind them," said Dartmouth professor and author of Clashing Over Commerce: A History of U.S. Trade Policy Douglas A. Irwin. When the Nixon administration imposed an across-the-board import surcharge in 1971, it was 10%, Irwin said. Generally, economists say tariffs raise prices for American consumers and companies and often have unintended consequences. Klein at Tufts created the website EconoFact in 2017. In 2020, the website published a paper examining Trumps 25% tariffs on steel in 2018 and found they led to a U.S. manufacturing disadvantage to foreign competition. Trumps reasons for imposing the broad levies vary, including the desire to halt the shipment of the deadly drug fentanyl into the U.S., to bolster border security, reduce trade deficits and/or unfair competition, emphasize the importance of American-based manufacturing, and even to raise tax revenue, or at the very least make a fortune" for the U.S. Last week, Trump threatened the EU tariffs, citing the value-added tax on goods sold inside member countries that raises the price of American imports there. He also mentioned the EUs regulatory crackdown on American tech companies like Google. And there was his general complaint: We dont like the way theyre treating our people," Trump said. We dont like the way theyre treating our companies." Perhaps there is another reason Trump gravitates to 25%. He has heaped praise on turn-of-the-20th-century tariff policy, saying the era was a time when the U.S. was at its richest. Tariffs were high then, but that isnt necessarily when the U.S. was at its richest. University of California Davis professor and research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research Christopher Meissner tells Barrons that the U.S. was at its greatest in terms of industrial capacity and global share of output in the post-World War II period, a half-century later. In that period, tariffs were falling, Meissner says. By the 1990s, the average U.S. tariff was less than 5% on most products and for most partners and almost zero for our main trading partners." Nothing major has changed between Trumps first and second terms, economists note. Foreign unfair trade practices arent more unfair, Dartmouths Irwin says, for example. What has changed is, of course, that Trump is back and didnt use tariffs enough during his first term," Irwin says. Economists agree that a more targeted approach would be better, but nothing in Trumps rhetoric lately suggests hes about to shift his stance. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, the senior associate dean for leadership studies at Yale School of Management, tells Barrons: The objectives are sensible and strategic, but the targeting is imprecise and dysfunctional. Hes his own worst enemy." Write to Liz Moyer at liz.moyer@barrons.com Mumbai: In an era where media consumption is more fragmented than ever, Nielsen, a company that has long been synonymous with audience measurement, finds itself in a race to keep up. Karthik Rao, chief executive of Nielsen, acknowledges the reality check: The revelation was not about the media landscapeit was about what we need to do to keep pace and get ahead. The velocity to keep up is probably the single biggest challenge. Despite growing competition and big tech firms consolidating audience data, Nielsen still holds relevance, according to Rao. "We provide the best measure of what audiences are doing in terms of consuming content and ads. We provide the best metadata to create discovery experiences. Those things endure. However, with the amount of fragmentation in experiences, the need for us to keep up is very high." Also Read | JioHotstar partners with Nielsen for third-party ad measurement starting IPL The rise of the creator economy is a prime example of how audience consumption has shifted. Even three to five years ago, we werent talking about the creator economy at scale. But today, independent creatorsone-man studios, one-woman studiosare hugely influential. If you think about the US elections, you see how powerful this model is, across video and audio. We need to measure all forms of media that people spend time with. Thats where we are evolving, Rao told Mint. Rao, who operates out of the company's New York headquarters, is in India to inaugurate new offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru. From measurement to technology: A cultural shift Rao acknowledges that Nielsen has historically been perceived as a measurement company but is now actively shifting its identity. "We used to be called the measurement company. Hopefully, in the future, well be known as a tech company. Thats the journey were on. Our investments in AI, machine learning, and proprietary data technology are at the core of our evolution." He also admits that the company has been slow to evolve in the past, but emphasizes that significant progress has been made. "There is an element of truth to that. We have been slower to evolve, but the progress weve made in the last 18 months has been significant. The kinds of partners we now work with and the pace at which we are developing new capabilities have dramatically changed. Were not where we need to be yet, but we are laying the right foundation." Big Tech and the relevance of third-party measurement With platforms like JioHotstar, Google, and Amazon amassing vast troves of first-party data, does Nielsen still hold its ground? Rao believes so. "Why would JioStar in India, Google, Amazon, or even TikTok in the US want to work with us? Because an independent third party creates trust in the marketplace. The real question for us was how to evolve our product to bring together the best of our proprietary data and first-party data while maintaining independence." Nielsens approach has been to marry its deterministic data with first-party and third-party inputs. We cant be constrained by fragmentation. Instead, we are turning it into an advantage by auditing, accrediting, and standardising data. This allows advertisers and media owners to make informed decisions, Rao said. The Broken Promise of cross-media measurement A long-standing industry challenge has been the promise of cross-media measurementan elusive goal in India. "A currency is defined by the buyer and seller. In the US and other markets, our solutionNielsen Oneis already in place. It offers deduplicated reach and frequency across platforms. In India, however, the focus right now is digital and streaming. The market needs measurement solutions for digital-first consumption before moving to a comprehensive cross-media model." BARC India, the joint industry body in India, continues to be the dominant measurement system for television. "We have a joint venture with Kantar called TAM, which has been around for a long time and does innovative analytics. But we believe that digital and streaming measurement are the bigger challenges to solve right now," he said. India as a tech and iInvestment hub Nielsen is betting big on Indianot just as a market but as a technology hub. "In Maharashtra alone, we have invested over 450 crore. Across India, were talking thousands of jobs. But its not just about numbers; its about the quality of talent. We are hiring the best of data engineering, AI, and product development minds." Nielsens India operations are now critical to its global innovation roadmap. If you can build for India, you can scale anywhere. The complexity of Indias media market is second to none. Even print here is on a better trajectory compared to other global markets, he added. Measurement crisis: Can we trust the data? Indias last census was conducted in 2011. Given how much has changed, data gaps are a major concern. "Everything in measurement is an estimation process. The real challenge is ensuring accuracy with the inputs we have. Do we have the right audience segmentation? Are panels representative? Do we have enough proprietary data?" Nielsen relies on AI and machine learning to fill these gaps but emphasizes the importance of Explainable AI. Trust cannot be built on black-box models. Advertisers spend billions on content and adsthey need transparency. Thats why our process remains rigorous, ensuring our data meets global privacy and accreditation standards, he said. Interestingly, with the shift towards big data and programmatic advertising, panel-based measurement has been under scrutiny. But Rao defends its continued relevance. "Panels still hold tremendous value. They help us understand true cross-media behaviour, co-viewing, and household dynamics that raw digital data alone cannot capture." India vs the World: What can we learn? Compared to developed markets like the US and the UK, where structured data ecosystems provide a more stable foundation for measurement, India presents unique challenges. The more complex the environment, the more you need human-observed data as a foundational input. Thats why panel data remains critical in markets like India, China, and Brazil, where raw data sources are less uniform, he said. India is now on the brink of its first digital census. Rao sees this as a turning point. "A digital census will significantly improve measurement. And in the future, I hope we can even help improve the census using our data." The role of AI in Nielsens future Anil Goel, Nielsens global chief technology officer, highlighted how AI and machine learning are becoming central to the companys transformation. Historically, data science has played a big role in ensuring our panels are representative and eliminating biases in first-party and third-party data. Now, with large language models (LLMs), we are investing heavily in surfacing deeper insights for both media partners and advertisers, Goel said. He added that Nielsens proprietary data gives it an edge. We have the biggest assetmillions of households proprietary data. Were using AI for predictive analytics, refining content recommendations, and helping advertisers optimize their ad mix. While some companies talk about AI as a buzzword, for us, its ingrained in every aspect of what we do. Despite the challenges, Rao remains optimistic about Nielsens role in the future of media measurement. "We are not where we need to be yet, but we are making rapid progress. The industry is changing fast, and we are evolving with it." Kolkata: As the sun set on Marquis Street in Kolkata, Mohammad Mazurul Islam, 75, and his wife Rashida Begum, 56, strolled around to check if they had missed out on buying any item from the list that they had made to take back home. They make two annual visits to the city for health checkups, and shop for themselves and their families. The duo were set to return to Gazipur, Bangladesh, the next day. It is not like we can return to India any time soon. At least, I cannot," said Begum, whose visa is expiring soon; her husbands tourist visa remains valid for four more years. We have bought a substantial amount of whole spices, which we usually pack during our visits here. We have also bought shawls, cakes, and chocolates for our children and grandchildren," added Begum. In the week that the couple spent in Kolkata, she also paid a quick visit to a private hospital to address a neurological problem. Through the decades that they have visited Kolkata, they have always stayed in and around this area. This time, the hotel rates had gone down from the earlier 1,200 to 800, which was a surprise," said Islam. Actually, there is nothing surprising in the lower rates. With tourist footfalls plunging in the wake of the crisis in Bangladesh, hotels in the area have been running empty. The slowdown began last July, when an anti-quota stir rocked Indias eastern neighbour. The government fell on 5 August, and Sheikh Hasina, then Bangladesh's Prime Minister, fled the country to take refuge in India. And with that, relations between the two countries went into a tailspin. View Full Image Mohammad Mazurul Islam and his wife Rashida Begum, tourists from Bangladesh. Tensions between the two countries escalated when the Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested in a sedition case. Protests and clashes broke out in Bangladesh and India called on the country to protect all minorities. Recently, the interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, said it would seek the extradition of Hasina and would call for a global intervention if necessary. The aftershocks of the earthquake in Dhaka are being felt the most in Kolkata. In central Kolkata, Marquis Street, Free School Street, Sudder Street, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, and Kyd Street have come to be known as Mini Bangladesh thanks to a steady influx of tourists from that country in the past few decades. But these markets now wear a sombre look. Amid Bangladeshs political turmoil and Indias ongoing tension with its neighbour, the air has been sucked out of these commercial hotspots, with tourist footfalls down to a trickle. Traders in the area are struggling to keep their businesses going. Things have come to this pass in just a few months. Figures released by the ministry of tourism show that between January and June 2024, India received the highest number of tourists from Bangladesh (21.6% of all tourist arrivals, or 1,032,129 tourists), followed by the US (17.6%). In June 2024 alone, Bangladesh accounted for 28% of all foreign tourists. But by December 2024 that number had plunged to 6%, with the Indian government curtailing visas to Bangladeshi nationals. The Indian government has been issuing only emergency visas and those for medical purposes to Bangladeshi citizens. An advisory on the website of Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC), Bangladesh, says, In view of the current situation, IVAC is currently processing only a limited number of visas of emergency and humanitarian nature. For other pending applications, we are returning the passports keeping in view that many applicants may need their passport back for other needs. You may wish to apply afresh once the IVAC returns to normal operations after the normalization of the security situation." A report by credit rating agency CareEdge Ratings showed that Bangladesh accounted for around 50-60% of Indias medical tourism flow till about 2023. Traders hit hard Zahoor Ahmad is one of those whose fortunes have taken a hit from the unrest in Bangladesh. Ahmad, who owns a Kashmiri shawl and apparel showroom in central Kolkata, has been trying to come up with new ways to keep his old business afloat. For the first time in 21 years, he even set up stalls at two fairs: Poush mela in Shantiniketan and Gangasagar mela on Sagar island. In the almost two decades that I have had a shop here, I have never considered putting up stalls elsewhere. It is a flop show nowWe have to find ways to survive this," said Ahmad. The Srinagar native has made Marquis Street his home for almost two decades now. How do we cope with a loss of this scale? The electricity for my showroom of two floors comes up to 30,000 a month, and maintenance is in addition to that. My accounts show that this season, I have achieved only 20% of the total sales I had achieved in other years," he added. View Full Image An empty Kashmiri shawl and apparel showroom in central Kolkata, owned by Zahoor Ahmad. (Ritwika Mitra) It may be extremely difficult for traders to reorient themselves to serve tourists from other parts of the world, said Fuad Halim, who is affiliated with the political party CPI(M), and also a council member of the Iran Society. The society is a forum for those interested in Irans heritage and culture. With West Bengal sharing a 2,200-km-long border with Bangladesh and a shared culture and history, it has always attracted Bangladeshi tourists. Wherever there is a border crossing in the state, infrastructure has come up to cater to people who are coming in from Bangladesh. Things are no different in Kolkata, far from the border. When it comes to Marquis Street and Free School Street, for example, there is an entire micro environment that has developed to cater to Bangladeshi tourists," said Halim. According to an internal assessment conducted by traders associations in the area, there are around 15,000 families dependent on business from Bangladeshi tourists. Many businesses have either gone under or are on the verge of shutting shop. Talking about how the markets have evolved over the decades, Iftekhar Ahsan, founder of Calcutta Walks, a Kolkata-based sightseeing tour operator, said, These areas in central Kolkata have always been popular with backpackers. It had a very different vibe back then." But over the past 30 years, the area has changed. Airconditioned rooms and Bengali food eateries started coming up in the area. It is usually a busy zone, one that has evolved over the decades to cater to the needs and demands of Bangladeshi tourists. Whenever they do not come to these streets, they wear a forlorn look," said Ahsan. According to an internal assessment conducted by traders associations in the area, there are around 15,000 families dependent on business from Bangladeshi tourists. Services by Shyamoli Yatri Paribahan, which runs air-conditioned buses between Kolkata and Dhaka, are almost non-existent, with just one bus making the journey once in two weeks with five-six customers. Earlier, we had three 40-seater bus services scheduled to run thrice a week. These buses have international permits, which means we cannot run them elsewhere. We have run into a complete loss. We have so many people dependent on us for employmentit is a big responsibility," said a representative of the company. Kamruddin Mallick, owner of a hotel and clothing showroom, observed that the primary purchasing power lies with tourists. When people come for treatment, they are already stressed due to the medical condition. The purchasing power remains with people typically on tourist visas," he explained. With tourist visas suspended, traders doubt if their situation will improve anytime soon. Even if the political situation changes, businesses are still likely to suffer severe setbacks, he added. I had already stocked up for winter. But we did not receive any tourists, and sales were almost nil. In the winters, we only keep woollen items," said Mallick. If the model of clothes change next year, then we will suffer another bout of lossesan item priced at 1,000 will be sold for 200 if the style changes the coming year." Home away from home Arup Majumder, a Kolkata-based social-cultural anthropologist, told Mint that people initially started staying around the New Market area because their relatives would reside there. The mosques, and eateries would be in close proximity. It was easier for people to come in and adjust to the culture," he said. When people come now, they find it familiar. They know where to access local SIM cards, bus tickets, and other essentials." While relationships between the two countries remain strained, traders have done their best to make the tourists feel at home. Hyder Ali, general secretary of the Free School Street Traders Association, said that trust was the key foundation of the longstanding relationship between traders in the area and tourists coming in there for decades. When we speak to tourists here, they tell us they feel so comfortableit is a second home to them. There are so many anecdotes where tourists have told us they just enjoy a cup of tea in earthen cups here or feel safe to hang around till midnight strolling in the area," said Ali. With time, traders from other parts of India have adaptedyou will see they speak in Bengali to make tourists feel at home," said Ali. But some tourists feel they would want to wait out the situation before they return, even if they have valid visas. One of them, who came to join his wife who was undergoing in vitro-fertilization (IVF) treatment at a facility in the area, said there were more questions than usual at the border. My wifes IVF round has been successful. We will return to Bangladesh with all the required medicines. We will be in touch with doctors through video consultations," said the man, who did not want to be identified. He was joined by his sister and the duo picked up Kashmiri shawls. We are picking up a few things for ourselves. We plan to wrap up the Kolkata visit and do not plan to return till things settle down," she said. There is a lot of news going aroundthere is tension between the two countries. We do not know what to believe and what not to at this point." Waiting to exhale S. Rahman, who owns a bookstore his father originally set up, expresses mild irritation as a tourist repeatedly bargains with him over the price of a postcard. Why are you bargaining? One postcard costs 20 and not 10," he emphasized before returning to the conversation on how the area is reliant on Bangladeshi tourists. View Full Image S. Rahman at his bookstore in Mirza Ghalib Street. (Ritwika Mitra) The market will come alive when Bangladeshi tourists return to the area. It is almost dead now. They shop a lot and keep this area alive," said Rahman. Jayati Ghosh, development economist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, pointed out that India has huge potential with its South Asian neighbours when it comes to protecting trade and livelihood opportunities. South Asia has a huge potential for trade and employment generation. We produce goods that are in demand across the region and vice versa," said Ghosh. Unfortunately, the geopolitics is such that there is a trust deficit among our neighbours." There is a need to understand that not having good relations with neighbours does not just have political implications; it also has massive economic implications," Ghosh added. We need to protect existing livelihoods, and informal trade and employment generation in a country where employment is already in crisis." With the political stalemate, several businesses in the area are either delaying staff salaries or laying them off. Mohammad Intezar, who owns a forex agency, travel agency, hotel, and restaurant in Marquis Street, said he has already been forced to lay off 25% of his staff across businesses. From next month, this will go up to 50%. This is a crisis point for us." Ajay Gupta, who has owned a restaurant, Best of Guptas, at Free School Street for the past 40 years, said there was a delay in paying employee salaries. In addition to tourists, who were primary customers, there was also a secondary business: traders and workers in the area, who would eat at these joints. They have no income now, and hence no spending power. We have run into delays with salaries of our staff but managed somehow," said Gupta. In addition to the regular menu, the restaurant also caters to the specific needs of the medical tourists from Bangladesh and offers bland food for patients. Earlier, this area was thrivingthere was traffic movement. Look at the situation nowyou can figure out where we are headed," said Gupta. On every street, traders are eagerly waiting for relations between India and Bangladesh to normalize, and for the markets to get back to business as usual. The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has moved the Supreme Court seeking affirmation that its internal structure complies with the law after a Delhi High Court order last month quashed notices sent to auditors of two IL&FS group entitiesDeloitte Haskins & Sells LLP and SRBC & Co. LLPsaying there is no separation between the regulators audit quality review and adjudication functions, two persons familiar with the development said. The apex court will finally settle the dispute over whether NFRAs structure is as per law and whether there is adequate separation of the functions of audit quality review and disciplinary proceedings, said one of the persons quoted above. Also Read: NFRA weighs options after Delhi HC junks notices to auditors in IL&FS audit case Mint reported on 9 February that the regulator was weighing its options after the Delhi High Court on 7 February quashed the notices issued to the audit firms and some individuals on account of the technical issue of the division of functions while disposing of several other challenges to NFRAs authority, in the regulators favour. That included NFRAs retrospective powers to review audits before the regulators creation in 2018. A special leave petition has been filed before the Supreme Court to clarify NFRAs interpretation of the division of its functions is correct. The apex court has given time in April for further hearing and is expected to pass an order on this matter," said the person, who spoke on condition of not being named. The Supreme Court heard the matter on 17 February and said the matter would be heard next in the last week of April, showed a court document seen by Mint. The apex court also noted that NFRA could continue proceedings in other audit quality review cases, but the final regulatory order will have to wait until the matter is settled. Prosecutor and judge The auditors allege that NFRA prepared the audit quality review report, based on which disciplinary action was initiatedthat is, NFRA donned the role of the prosecutor and the judge, showed the Delhi High Court order. Also Read: NFRA inches ahead of ICAI in regulatory turf Queries emailed to NFRA, Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP, and SRBC & Co. LLP on Friday seeking comments for the story remained unanswered at the time of publishing. The audit watchdogs case rests on an order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), which on 1 December 2023 ruled that NFRAs divisions are as specified in law. This order came after four branch auditors of Dewan Housing Finance Ltd unsuccessfully challenged NFRAs penalty orders. The order clarified that the structure of NFRA did not violate principles of natural justice. Two persons had appealed against this NCLAT decision in the apex court, which upheld the NCLAT view that the audit watchdogs structure is correct. But the Delhi High Court took a different view last month, and the Supreme Court is now set to clarify on this on NFRAs special leave petition," said the first person quoted above. NFRAs disciplinary orders try to ensure that auditors follow the audit standards and the quality and ethics norms of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). Given that one audit firm will audit several businesses, enhancing the quality of the audit is expected to benefit the corporate governance in multiple businesses. NFRA oversees auditors of listed companies, large unlisted companies, insurers, banks and power utilities. IL&FS group entities and their auditors became the first to face NFRAs audit quality review after the government replaced the board of directors of the non-bank lender in 2018 following payment defaults. So far, the audit watchdog has conducted six audit quality review reports, four financial reporting quality reviews and nine inspection reports. It also issued penalty orders on 99 auditors, debarring some of them for up to 10 years. Actively managed foreign funds have sold more Indian stocks than passive funds in the ongoing correction, according to a Mint analysis. Moreover, sovereign wealth funds and government-owned entities are among overseas investors that have likely purchased domestic stocks, shows the analysis of the data from the National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL). To be sure, the FPI selling was believed to be driven by passive fundsexchange traded funds or index fundsselling Indian stocks and buying China or Taiwan equities. Assets under custody (AUC) of foreign portfolio investors have fallen almost 13% from 78 trillion at the end of September 2024 to 68 trillion as of January 2025, the data shows. However, the total market cap of companies listed on the National Stock Exchange fell 10.5% from 470.65 trillion to 421.22 trillion during the period, according to exchange data. The decline in FPI assets exceeds the erosion of NSE market capitalization by 2.5 percentage points, suggesting that actual sale by certain FPIs have also contributed to the decline in the value of their assets, apart from a fall in stock prices. Read more: Manufacturing PMI: Q4 is a litmus test, but no fireworks so far "Even though large-cap valuations have fallen below their historic average, the aggressive FPI selling seen on Friday, when MSCI undertook the quarterly rebalancing of its indices, indicates that outflows could continue, prompted by higher bond yields and tax cuts in the US and rising global tariff tensions," said Nilesh Shah, managing director at Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Co. Ltd. Investment managers and advisors, corporations, pension funds, insurance funds and appropriately regulated funds are among the active foreign portfolio investor (FPI) sub-categories that have sold substantially in this correction, shows the analysis of NSDL data. An entity is called appropriately regulated if it is regulated in its home jurisdiction. The FPI selling was led by appropriately regulated investment manager as the assets under custody for the category plunged 37% from 1.07 trillion to 67,623 crore between September-end to January-end, the analysis shows. This drop is way more than the 10.5% erosion in m-cap of stocks listed on the NSE. This is followed by appropriately regulated investment advisors, whose assets have plunged 31.7% from 61,817 crore to 42,215 crore over the same period. Appropriately regulated entities such as banks, asset management companies, investment managers and investment advisors and portfolio managers are Category 1 FPIs. All insurance entities and funds from FATF members also fall under Category I FPIs. FATF or Financial Action Task Force is the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. Besides India, its 40 members include the US, the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The Russian Federation was suspended as a member on 24 February. Funds from non-FATF member countries are classified as Category II FPIs. Corporate bodies, defined as Category II FPIs, have also seen assets fall by almost 19% from 54,696 crore to 44,434 crore. Assets of exchange-traded or passive funds, which fall under the appropriately regulated fund category, have comparatively fallen a lesser 13%. A higher drop compared with a 10.5% decline in NSE market-cap shows that active funds have been selling more than passive funds. The likely buyers FPIs whose assets have fallen lesser than the decline in NSE total m-cap include sovereign wealth funds, whose assets have fallen 8.6% from 5.3 trillion to 4.87 trillion; and government-owned entities that have seen their assets drop 7.5% from 5.3 trillion as of end-September to 4.9 trillion as of January-end. Another category of active buyers includes university-related endowments, whose AUC have fallen 7.6%, and appropriately regulated bank that have witnessed 5.5% fall in assets. Short-term bounce ahead? Despite global index provider MSCI rebalancing its India index, leading to estimated inflows of $1 billion by passive funds, overall FPI outflows on the day stood at a net 12,026.05 crore, indicating that gross selloff by overseas investors stood at over 20,000 crore. Indias benchmark indices ended marginally lower on Monday, with Nifty 50 closing at 22,119.30. Read more: Anxious about investing? These five debt-free stocks could bring peace of mind. Domestic investors would defend the election day result closing low of 21,884.5 vigorously, which could result in a bounce, for now, despite persisting FPI outflows, said UR Bhat, co-founder of Alphaniti Fintech. However, weekly data of Nifty options shows a bearish bias with the put-call ratio at 0.7. This means for every 100 calls sold, traders were selling only 70 puts out of fear of heavy losses if markets decline further. Nifty is likely to get strong support at 22,000 followed by 21,900 and face stiff resistance at 22,400 in the current week, according to analysts. However, any increase in global trade tensions or correction in developed markets could hurt Indian markets more. The Bombay high court on Tuesday stayed a lower court order that directed the registration of a police report against Madhabi Puri Buch, former chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, and others in a case of alleged fraudulent listing of a company on BSE three decades ago. Apart from Buch, who recently stepped down as Sebi's chair, the others named in the case were former BSE chairman Pramod Agarwal; current BSE managing director and chief executive Sundararaman Ramamurthy; and three current Sebi whole-time membersAshwani Bhatia, Ananth Narayan G., and Kamlesh Varshney. Mint breaks down the details of the case. What is the case? The case revolves around the allegations of stock market fraud and regulatory violations in the listing of Cals Refineries Ltd by complainant Sapan Shrivastava, a Dombivli resident who claims to be a journalist. Shrivastava's complaint states that Shrivastava and his family had invested in Cals Refineries, a company listed on BSE Ltd, since 13 December 1994. He claims the company was listed without proper regulatory approvals. In his complaint, he said an RTI response from Sebi showed that Cals did not meet the listing requirements and did not obtain the necessary no-objection certificate from the regulator or exchange, making its listing illegal. Shrivastava also claimed that the regulator failed to take action against the company or the exchange officials, leading to financial losses for investors like him. He also alleged that the officials received illegal benefits and failed to protect investors. Shrivastava said he was forced to approach the court as the police and regulatory authorities did not act on his complaint. What does Cals Refineries do? Cals Refineries is registered in Delhi and claims to be involved in the refineries and marketing industry. The BSE website shows that trading in Cals shares stands suspended due to penal reasons. The companys latest annual report filed with BSE, for FY17, clarified that the trading of its shares was suspended on 8 August 2017 after the ministry of corporate affairs identified it as a shell company. BSE placed the company under stage VI graded surveillance, in which trading is limited to once a month without upward price movement. Why did the court order the registration of an FIR? The special court for the Mumbai anti-corruption bureau (ACB) found that the allegations disclosed an offence that necessitated an investigation. Special judge S.E. Bangar directed the Mumbai ACB to register an FIR against the six accused and submit a status report on the investigation within 30 days of the order. There is prima facie evidence of regulatory lapses and collusion, requiring a fair and impartial probe. The inaction by law enforcement and Sebi necessitates judicial intervention," the court said on 1 March. What do the officials' petitions say? Aggrieved by the court order, the accused official filed petitions in the high court on 4 March, seeking to have it quashed. They argued that the special court failed to consider critical aspects of the case. Their petition said no liability could be placed on the six accused for the 1994 listing as they were neither members of Sebi board at the time of the alleged offence. They also said the judge failed to follow the mandatory requirement of obtaining prior approval from the central government under the Prevention of Corruption Act before initiating an investigation against public servants. Additionally, the allegation that Cals was illegally listed on BSE without regulatory compliance is unfounded and unsupported by evidence, they said. The judge ought to have noted that the information (as sought in an RTI query) regarding compliance with Sebi and obtaining an NoC was not available with them (in response to the RTI query). The same does not establish that Cals had not met the requisite compliance," the petition said. "At the relevant point in time, there was no requirement to obtain a NoC from Sebi to list any shares on BSE," it added. The petition claimed Shrivastava suppressed Sebis action against Cals in 2013 over market manipulation allegations related to the issuance of global depository receipts (GDR). The company was fined 10 crore by Sebi and restrained from issuing securities for 10 years in 2013. Finally, the six accused also raised concerns about procedural fairness, claiming they were not given the opportunity to present their side before the order was passed. The petition also pointed out that Shrivastava was a habitual complainant who has filed several vexatious proceedings which have come to be reprimanded by the courts with costs". It also included orders from the Bombay High Court that not only imposed penalties but also directed the registry not to entertain any future petitions by Shrivastava unless proof of payment of these fines was submitted. What did the Mumbai high court say? Justice S.G. Dige found the order to have been passed mechanically and put a stay on it till the next date. After hearing all parties and going through the order, it appears that the judge has passed the order mechanically without going into the details and attributing specific roles to applicants. Order stayed till next date," said Dige's oral order. The court also granted Shrivastava four weeks to file his reply to the petition, as he requested. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta appeared for the current whole-time members, and senior counsel Amit Desai for the BSE official. Once a niche telecom equipment player, Tejas Networks is now at the heart of Indias 5G revolution . Backed by the Tata Group and expanding globally, the company has big ambitions. Specializing in optical networking, wireless products, and broadband solutions, Tejas is betting on these key areas to drive its next phase of growth. Strengthening its position, it recently inked a 5.3 billion technology collaboration with NEC Corp. to develop advanced 5G and wireless solutions. This partnership gives Tejas access to NECs proven 4G/5G core technology, enhancing its competitiveness in next-gen telecom innovations. Read this | Indus Towers Achilles heel to get less sore with Vodafone Plcs stake sale Yet, despite these growth prospects, the stock tells a different story. Tejas Networks' share price has tumbled over 40% in the past six months, trading near its 52-week low of 651. While broader market trends have played a role, weak quarterly results have been a key factor behind the decline. Tejas Networks Q3FY25 performance Tejas reported Q3 FY25 revenue of 26 billion, marking a 4.7% year-on-year increase. However, profitability hasn't kept pace. Despite returning to profitability this quarter after a loss in the same period last year, operating profit declined over 30% sequentially, and net profit fell more than 40%. This reflects ongoing margin pressures. The company is also facing a working capital crunch, with trade receivables surging to 47 billion and inventory levels rising to 31.2 billion due to delayed collections and stock buildup from ongoing project execution. While Tejas holds a strong order book of 26.8 billion, effective financial management will be critical for sustained profitability. Margins have fluctuated due to shifts in Tejas' product mix, with different configurations shipped each quarter. The company acknowledged that margins from its first wireless project with BSNL were lower than its traditional wireline business. However, as international deals gain momentum and the order book diversifies, margins are expected to recover. R&D and future growth With a workforce exceeding 2,350 employeesover 60% in R&DTejas is doubling down on innovation. The company remains committed to its 6 billion R&D budget, even if revenue growth slows in FY26 due to delayed orders. This highlights Tejas' long-term strategy to build differentiated telecom solutions despite short-term profitability pressures. In the near term, Tejas expects to complete BSNLs first one-lakh site order this financial year. Beyond that, further 4G expansion, 5G upgrades, and standalone 5G builds in the n78 (3.5 GHz) band are on the horizon. Execution will be critical as the company positions itself for the next phase of growth. Outlook for FY26 Tejas remains confident about stronger revenue conversion in Q4FY25 and FY26, driven by anticipated BSNL 5G orders, Vodafone Ideas network expansion, and international deals spanning the US, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. The company is also investing in private 5G solutions, high-speed fibre upgrades, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven networkingstrategic bets aimed at long-term growth. To accelerate global traction, Tejas has expanded its leadership team, bringing in former Nokia India head Sanjay Malik and strengthening its sales force. While profitability challenges persist due to high receivables, delays in large government and enterprise deals, and product mix shifts, management sees these as short-term hurdles rather than structural issues. Projects and growth Despite short-term profitability pressures, Tejas Networks is betting on major 5G, fibre expansion, and network modernization projects to improve financial performance. The management is focused on expanding sales, strengthening leadership, and diversifying its product mixmoves that signal a long-term growth strategy. A successful scale-up of projects like BSNLs 5G rollout, BharatNet Phase 3, and private 5G enterprise deployments over the next two quarters could provide much-needed revenue momentum. However, execution risks remain, and effective cash flow management will be critical to translating these opportunities into sustained profitability. Tejas is also eyeing fibre upgrades for power and railway networks, which are shifting from 100G to 400G+ technologies, presenting another growth avenue. Meanwhile, Tejas is conducting proof-of-concept (PoC) trials with Indian telecom operators, which could lead to larger deals. Its successful execution of BSNLs 4G contract has already boosted its credibility, attracting interest from global players. The company is in discussions with tier-1 international operators, but these deals require custom R&D and spectrum-specific adaptations, extending sales cycles. On the government incentives front, Tejas has booked over 5 billion in PLI incentives over the past year. It received the FY23 incentives in FY24 and expects the FY24 incentives in the current financial year. The management is actively engaging with government agencies to expedite approvals, ensuring timely access to these benefits. Global expansion Tejas is expanding in key international markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Middle East, North America, and Latin America. To strengthen its foothold, the company is leveraging local partnerships for in-country presence, language support, and customer relationshipscritical for network deployment and sales. In North America and Latin America, regulatory challenges appear minimal. The key requirement is certifying equipment for performance, safety, and radiation compliance through agencies such as TUV and UL. While potential tariffs remain uncertain, Tejas is prepared to navigate any changes. Sales cycles in these regions are typically long, involving multiple stages of lab testing, field trials, and commercial negotiations, but once a vendor is selected, contracts often extend over multiple years. Tejas is actively pursuing major US government programmes, including the BEAD (Broadband Expansion in Rural America) and Rip and Replace (Network Modernization Initiative), a multi-billion-dollar project. Collaborating with local partners, the company is aiming for a share of these contracts while positioning itself as a leader in circuit emulation over packet networksa crucial technology for modernizing legacy telecom infrastructure in North America. Financials and valuations Over the last five years, Tejas sales have grown more than fivefold. After five consecutive years of losses, the company turned profitable in 2024, and this momentum has continued into 2025. View Full Image (Source: Equitymaster) For the first nine months of FY25, Tejas reported revenue of 70 billion and a net profit of 51 billion, reflecting strong business execution. However, high working capital requirements, margin pressures from the BSNL 4G/5G project, rising depreciation, and heavy R&D investments have weighed on returns. Execution delays have also added strain, but better order fulfillment and higher-margin global deals could improve profitability. Tejas stock has dropped about 42% in the last six months. Its price-to-book (PB) ratio stands at 3.6, slightly above its historical median of 3.5, suggesting the market is reasonably valuing the companys assets. However, its EV/Ebitda has fallen to 10.9, significantly lower than the historical median of 21.4reflecting investor concerns over short-term profitability and execution risks. Conclusion Tejas Networks has made significant strides, with strong revenue growth and a solid order book. But the real test lies in execution. Over the next three years, success will depend on how well the company converts orders into revenue, manages cash flow, and sustains profitability. If the BSNL 5G rollout, private sector 5G expansion, and global deals play out as expected, Tejas could see a significant re-rating. Also read | Adani mulls surrender of 5G spectrum after more than 2 years of purchase However, working capital pressures, execution delays, and prolonged margin strain remain risks. The opportunity is big, but so are the challenges. Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com At times, the Berlinale assumes the form of a tinderbox waiting to explode. Last year, when No Other Land , the documentary made by Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham won the Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary Film and the Berlinale Documentary Film Award, it flew in the face of a festival that refused to contend with the genocide in any true and thoughtful sense. When Germanys minister of state for culture insisted she only clapped for the Israeli and not the Palestinian filmmaker, the faultline was made evident of a culture that refuses to distinguish anti-Semitism from anti-Zionism. This year, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), the largest Palestinian coalition leading the global Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, called for the boycott of the Berlinale for its complicit(y) in the German governments partnership in Israels genocide in Gazafail(ing) to protect filmmakers standing in solidarity with Palestinians." With the Berlinale (13-23 February) commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II this year, screening the 9-hour, 23-minute documentary epic, Shoah (1985), and a documentary made from its discarded footage, Je navais que le neant (All I had was Nothingness)Shoah par Lanzmann, the presence of Palestine was scratched at the edges. When Masha Gessen, writing about the politics of memory in The New Yorker in 2023, wondered about (t)he fight over one rightful claim to victimhood", Berlinales curation answered with a clean knockout. Tilda Swinton, awarded a honorary Golden Bear, in her speech spotlighted the inhumane (that) is being perpetrated on our watch. Im here to name it without hesitation or doubt in my mind and to lend my unwavering solidarity to all those who recognise the unacceptable complacency of our greed-addicted governments who make nice with planet-wreckers and war criminals, wherever they come from." She does not name Gaza. Instead, she rails against the state-perpetrated and internationally enabled mass murder". Words have a way of saying things without really saying things. In a press conference later, she clarified, Im a great admirer of and have a great deal of respect for BDS and I think about it a lot." As winner of the Honorary Golden Bear, Swinton got to pick a film from her filmography to play at the festival, and she chose Peter Wollens Friendships Death (1987) where she plays an extraterrestrial robot who lands in Jordan during the events of Black September in 1970, a film which ended with her character joining the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). What we needed was a clear statement of defiance. What we get instead are gestures and context. Statements wont end a war, but that does not mean we begin to mistake these gestures, this context for clear-eyed statements, either. Subtlety or subterfuge is not a virtue when an entire nation is being erased. On the other hand, there is Israeli director Tom Shovals A Letter to David, screened at the Berlinale, that attempts to be a statement afraid of contexta clean stab that cannot be misread or overread. Shoval made Youth in 2013 with David Cunio and Eitan Cunio brothers, not just in reel but in real life, too, who are so close that when one inhales a cigarette, the other exhales the smoke. In the 7 October Hamas attack, David is kidnapped. Shoval goes back to the archives of Youth, and pulls up footage of the making of the film, interviewing his parents, Eitan, his wifewho was also kidnapped, but set free later on in a hostage swap. Letters to David is the lousy, heartfelt culmination of sifting through this archive, attempting to explore what it means to lose someonenot permanently, with a thick hope that they will return. At the Berlinale itself, artistic director Tricia Tuttle along with artists and filmmakers held vigils for the release of David. The line of storytelling is simple. The Nir Oz kibbutz where David and Eitan live is called a utopia", where there is fresh fruit and acres of agriculture, but then, the film also notes, a few scenes later, that the kibbutz is at the foot of the volcano". Can a utopia survive at the edge of a volcano? If you are building houses with safety rooms" made of metal walls, do you not see the life being lived has been made possible over the razed lives and lifestyles of other people? Davids parents, now displaced from the kibbutz to the city, long for their home, and the film lingers on their alienation among tall concrete buildings. You know who else longs for their home after being forcefully displaced? It is the next logical step the film misses by not even attempting it. In Youth, the characters the brothers play kidnap a girl to demand ransom that will pull their family out of debt. Shoval notes that he wanted to make a film about the path of good intentions paved with bad deeds. He could be talking about Israel, but the film does not have that breadth of vision to take in more than the personal, the sentimental, the immediate hole in their lives. Curiously, we are quickly introduced to people in camcorder images, blurred and ominous, and the text appears on screen, that they were killed on 7 October. The length of reel between their introduction and demise is thumb-thin. Is the film not interested in us mourning them? Or does it assume that the mere statement of their death is enough for us to mourn themthe assumption here is that their humanity need not be proven in order to feel grief. It is only Palestinians who are called to prove their humanity, in order to grieve their absence. This is precisely what writers like Isabella Hammad have been pointing our attention to. Who is being forcefully humanised and whose humanity is assumed easily? To see A Letter to David, then, is to see a film thoroughly, purposefully decontextualised. Because the moment you bring in context, the power of your story is diluted by the systemic oppression, apartheid, and genocide that has been carried to keep the kibbutz at the edge and not the centre of the volcano. But can you hold the explosion of a volcano against it? Coverage of the Berlinale is made possible by the support of @goethemumbai. Prathyush Parasuraman is a Mumbai-based journalist and author. Apples newest member of the family, the iPhone 16e, arrives at a most peculiar time for the world. You know, aside from the fact that we have countries waging wars and stock markets plummeting, tech brands across the board are pushing out AI-toting incremental upgrades to their flagship smartphones that cost a lakh upwards, and none of us are batting an eyelid anymore. Stands to reason, now would be a good time to launch an affordable" iPhone, one that has Apple cherry-picking from the buffet of components to put together a solid core iPhone experience, albeit without some of the nice-to-have features from the base iPhone 16 and the pricier Pros. At Rs. 59,900 and upwards, its significantly pricier than the erstwhile lower-priced entry-level iPhone SE launched three years ago, so are the tradeoffs (and savings over the iPhone 16) worth it? Picking up the iPhone 16e, its an instantly familiar feeling, although not one thats terribly exciting or novel unless youre someone using an iPhone SE or an iPhone X or earlier. The design, a safe blend of iPhones past, most closely resembles the iPhone 14, both in dimensions and the inclusion of the notch atop the display. Gone are the ancient home button and the thick top and bottom bezels, replaced by Face ID and a 6.1-inch OLED display that (finally!) brings Apples entry-level phone into the modern, all-screen age. Also read: The sleep revolution: How Indian companies are helping customers find sweet rest On the rear, theres a single camera set on the matte glass back, and while I bemoan the lack of colors, both the white and the black units are classier looking than past monochromatic iPhones. The aluminum frame feels sturdy in the hand and you get IP68 dust and water protection, although the Ceramic Shield display protection is one generation older than the current iPhone 16. Just like the iPhone 16 though, you get the customizable Action Button which can be used to invoke the camera, change focus modes or launch Visual Intelligence (coming via a software update soon). The 16e also gets USB-C charging, bringing it line with Apples latest models, a welcome change for anyone tired of juggling different cables. Bear in mind, with its 6.1-inch display, the 16e is essentially the same size as the current iPhone 16, and with the SE discontinued, the days of truly small iPhones are over. View Full Image Image Playground allows users to create fun and unique images As understated and almost business-like as the design gets, there is nothing subdued about the iPhone 16e when it comes to performance. The iPhone 16e has the same A18 chip and 128GB of storage as the iPhone 16 (both go up to 512GB), albeit with four graphics cores instead of five, and you really cant tell the difference in everyday tasks, during heavy multitasking or even while firing up Resident Evil 4 or a game of your choosing. That choice of a single camera on the rear has allowed Apple to fit in a bigger battery on the 16e which, when combined with Apples homegrown C1 cellular chip making its debut here, delivers excellent battery life, historically a bugbear for Apples smaller 6.1-inch display phones. With above average use, the 16e sailed into nearly two-day territory, and never did I end a day with any degree of battery anxiety. The C1 chip, for its part, didnt experience any issues with cellular connectivity on Airtels 5G network but as with any debutant chip, we will have to see how it performs in the hands of average consumers across different networks and erratic signal strengths. And while I dont quite believe that people are buying new phones purely for new AI features, the iPhone 16e will be getting the full set of Apple Intelligence tools when it rolls out via software update in April launching with the latest chipset does unlock these benefits for the 16e, as it does the same generous software and security updates that the rest of the iPhone 16 family enjoys. While genmojis and text summarization are cool features, Im way more looking forward to the upcoming system-wide support for 10 Indic languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Bangla, Punjabi and Marathi. This isnt limited to being able to just type in these languages, but everything, from settings to calendars to even sorting menus by native alphabetical order, will be faithfully reproduced. Now, it isnt surprising Apple had to dial back a few features to hit the lower price point, but not including a second camera was a bit unexpected. In fact, Apple calls the 16es 48-megapixel camera a 2-in-1 camera system", alluding to its ability to take 24-megapixel or 48-megapixel wide photos, or 12-megapixel 2x in-sensor-crop zoom" photos, which makes it rather clear Apple knows that consumers like the flexibility and versatility of shooting with two sensors. I took the 16e to shoot at a family day at one of the prettiest campuses in the country, and the sharp, vibrant photos did not disappoint. Back home in the evening, night shots were respectable, though low-light portraits didnt fare so well. Sans the telephoto camera, you can use the 2x digital cropped, optical quality zoom to good effect for portraits, but youll have to physically take a few steps back to make up for the lack of the ultra-wide. In all fairness, better a single good camera than several bad ones, but at its price point, thats not the case with the competition. Two other omissions that of MagSafe compatibility and the ultra-wideband chip that allows precise spatial tracking of AirTags may affect you more if youre already invested into the ecosystem, but for the sheer convenience both features deliver, their exclusion is perplexing. You do get slower 7.5W wireless charging but including MagSafe would have been a great way for people upgrading from say an iPhone X to appreciate a modern Apple ecosystem. If youre holding on to an iPhone thats five years or older, or considering a switch from Android, the 16e represents the best entry point into the Apple ecosystem in years, offering the best core features of the 16 at a lower price without feeling too stripped down. That said, that entry point just got a lot higher, and sixty grand is not nearly as affordable as the Rs. 43,900 SE it replaces, not to mention what the Android side has to offer at the same price. Begs the question would you get this, the cheaper iPhone 16" or wait for the iPhone 16 to drop to within sniffing distance on online sales and go the whole nine yards? Also read: Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 could be the one-stop gadget for your workout Its called Bad Boy Martini. The cocktail at the restobar For The Record (FTR) in Goa was born last year when its founder and chef, Buland Shukla, had paan cravings and sought to create a Betel Leaf Margarita. Shukla took betel leaves, cardamom, fennel, and rose petals and, in the spirit of adventure, mixed in some prawns. He blended them together and let them ferment for half a year to create a garum, a fermented fish sauce that was eventually used in a Martini. The first sip feels light on the palate, but the umami burst quickly takes over, balanced with vermouth that leaves faint traces of the sea as the drink washes down your throat. Across Goa, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, a select few bars are experimenting with cocktails using non-vegetarian ingredients that are sure to make you sit up and take notice. While bartenders use seafood in their recipes to stand out during cocktail competitions or for occasional takeovers, these experimental drinks have gradually entered bar menus. At Bumipura in Mumbai, founder Ming Yang Chai offers options like crab in a drink called Gloves and Bibs, chicken in another cocktail named Old Hen and a mutton libation Fat in Between. Bumipuras concept is to bring Malaysian and Singaporean flavors to India, and Chai wanted to introduce a taste of Malaysias Nasi Lemak, Singapores Chilli Crab, and Chicken Rice in a glass. Across the sea link in Bandra, Sixteen33 has a compact cocktail menu of six signature drinks dedicated to the suburbs original villages. To represent the neighborhood of Chimbai, head mixologist Denzil Franklin uses a shrimp liqueur in a vodka-based drink named after the neighbourhood. It as an ode to the fish that are dried in the sun along the coast in the locality. Bengalurus newest Siren-Cocktail Bar features the drink Peking Duck, which aims to translate the popular dishs savory notes with duck fat-washed whisky and hoisin sauce, among other ingredients. In Kolkata, Siennas brand-new bar menu features both a seafood and a chicken drink. Bars and restaurants need to push the palate of consumers. You just need to be brave enough to do it. For us, the bar is an extension of our kitchen. We use prawn heads, a by-product from our kitchen, in our Prawn Cocktail, and we have a Chicken Stew because we enjoy Tangra-style chicken and wanted to put chicken in a drink too. The cocktails, both vodka based, are named after the dishes Prawn Cocktail and Chicken Stew," shares Avinandan Kundu, head chef at Sienna. Most bars using non-vegetarian ingredients say their aim is to experiment and encourage their guests to try new flavors. For instance, Shukla of FTR aimed to make a simple Margarita with paan flavors before the idea evolved into a prawn garum Martini reminiscent of the sea. I wanted to use a fermentation style where the digestive enzymes of the prawns guts would break down the prawns into simpler proteins. I also feel using condiments such as fish sauce or even Worcestershire sauce that sometimes have anchovies in cocktails can be used to push flavor boundaries. We have reached a stage where we want to explore every available resource to us as mixologists. The driving force here is not customers looking for non-vegetarian cocktails, but the availability of a new channel for bartenders to explore flavors just that it happens to be meat," explains Shukla. View Full Image Buland Shukla's prawn and paan garum for the drink Bad Boy Martini. Storytelling is the primary factor when it comes to curating non-vegetarian cocktails, be it Sixteen33s story about featuring Bandras villages or Bumipuras focus on highlighting Malay and Singaporean flavors. Curious customers are always looking for something new, and if you get the story of your offbeat drinks right, you can get them to try your experimental cocktails," believes Chai. It is also more challenging to create non-vegetarian cocktails for several reasons. Chai says that the biggest problem he faced was the lack of online resources to help him curate his non-vegetarian cocktails, since these are not mainstream drinks. He also had to figure out the right size of the crabhow big and fresh it needed to be, and whether it had to be broken into several pieces or used whole. He created a crab distillate for the drink that took several iterations before being added to the menu. These experimental cocktails are not the showstoppers on any bar menu. Franklin says the Chimbai sells about 60 units compared to around 200 of their bestselling drinks, like Pali made with rum and Sherly made with millet-infused whisky. Siren has sold about 500 units of Peking Duck in the five months it has been operational. Chai also says neither of his three non-vegetarian drinks are the bestsellers on the menu, prompting his decision to add more palatable and mainstream cocktails when the menu is refreshed. Although non-vegetarian cocktails are slowly appearing on menus, nearly every bartender shared they are a fair bit away from growing into a full-blown trend. They also said bigger cities with a well-traveled population would be the first cohort to adopt them. Kundu highlights, No ones first choice of drinks is non-vegetarian cocktails. It will take the collective effort of restaurants to create a sense of intrigue so discerning patrons can say this is interesting, and maybe I can try one." Priyanko Sarkar is a Mumbai-based writer covering the F&B industry. Also read: Where to go for a bar crawl in Sri Lanka right now The pursuit of rest has become an industry in itself today, with solutions ranging from meditation apps to high-tech sleep trackers. But beneath the buzz about eight-hour nights and circadian rhythms lies a quieter, transformative revolution: the reinvention of mattresses, beds, and sleep accessories. This shift isnt merely about comfortits about redefining sleep as the cornerstone of physical, mental, and emotional health. And consumers, increasingly aware of sleeps role in longevity and productivity, are spending more on their beds than ever before. Ikeas most recent Global Sleep report, that surveyed 55,000 people across 57 countries, has some interesting data on what Indians like to spend on. Bedroom essentials, as per the report, are a must for the majority. To quote the report, 23% Indians swear by special mattresses and pillows for the perfect snooze, 16% counted on blackout curtains or blinds to keep things pitch dark". The real eye opener, however, was discovering that 68% believe that an organised, tidy space is the key to better Zzzzs". I never thought spending on a mattress was logical," admits Priyam Desai, a 34-year-old software engineer in Delhi, who recently switched to a hybrid latex model. After dealing with back pain and learning about how sleep affects overall health, it felt like a necessity." Keeping up with customer demands, mattress companies who were relegated to the utilitarian bracket, are now at the intersection of innovation, sustainability and science. So, gone are the days when mattresses were slabs of spring-filled foam. Today, theyre designed to align spines, regulate temperature, and even soothe anxiety. From cooling materials to ergonomic designs, these advancements aim to enhance sleep quality, a factor increasingly prioritized by consumers," Anand Nichani, managing director, Magniflex India, explains. Memory foam and gel-infused materials, according to Nichani, have evolved to include temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking properties that can offer restful sleep even during warmer months. Eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, latex, and recycled fibers have also gained traction, appealing to environmentally-conscious customers," he notes. Innovative sleep accessories are also rising in popularity. Weighted blankets, for instance, are now crafted with breathable fabrics and customizable weights to deliver calming pressure without overheating. Pillows, too, are now designed to address specific sleep positions and preferences, with options that range from orthopaedic support to temperature-controlled fillings," adds Nichani before pointing out that certifications like OEKO-TEX and GRS further assure customers of the safety and eco-friendliness of the materials used. FROM SPACECRAFTS TO MATTRESSES Memory foam has surged in popularity in recent years, though its origins trace back to NASAs efforts in the 1960s to enhance the safety of aircraft cushions. Today, it has evolved far beyond its aerospace beginnings, becoming a staple in the quest for better sleep. Memory foam is designed for better pressure distribution. It helps prevent neck strain, which is a common issue with conventional pillows. Innovation today, however, is not just about materials but also about thoughtful design that addresses specific needs like pain relief," tells Ganesh Sharad Sonawane, founder and CEO of Frido, a Pune-based company that creates ergonomic body support products like wedge cushions, neck pillows, laptop cushions and more. In markets like the US or Europe, theres a growing understanding that mattresses sag over time, sometimes within just a year or two. When this happens, people replace them to maintain proper spinal alignment and avoid back pain. In India, people often continue using old, sagging mattresses, which exacerbates back problems. We recently introduced mattress toppers, which are proving to be incredibly popular. A topper can transform even an aging mattress into one that feels high-end. Its an affordable solutionour toppers start at just 4,000 for a single size, says Sonawane. Revealing that Frido has recently developed a material called Quick Response Foam (QR Foam), a hybrid of memory foam and high-resilience foam, Sonawane shares, This design ensures better pressure distribution, which is critical for comfort and health." REDEFINING A GOOD BED We spend nearly a third of our lives in bed, making a quality mattress not just a purchase but an investment in health. One common misconception is that a hard mattress is best for back pain," says Dr. Mayuri Varshney, a Noida-based physiotherapist. In reality, a mattress thats too firm creates pressure points around the hips, shoulders, and lumbar spine, leading to restless sleep and fatigue." Varshney recommends a medium-firm mattress that balances comfort and support. A good mattress should maintain the spines natural curve, evenly distribute body weight, and relieve pressure points," she advises. For those uncertain about what firmness might work best, Harvard Health Publishing in a 2021 article titled, What Type of Mattress is Best for People with Low Back Pain?, suggests a practical test. Place a plywood board under your mattress to reduce spring movement," the experts advise. Or try sleeping with your mattress directly on the floor to simulate a firmer surface." But even the best mattress may feel different once its brought home. To gauge long-term comfort, the researchers recommend testing the mattress in various settings such as at a hotel, a friends home, or during extended naps. SPOILT BY CHOICE? 48% Indians claim stress to be a major barrier for good sleep, as per the Ikea report. Could that explain this new consumer behaviour of investing in products that can assure a good nights rest? 47-year-old businessman Rajiv Khare credits his switch to a cervical pillow with improving both his sleep and his mornings. Its not just about relieving pain; its about how refreshed you feel when you wake up," he says. Yet navigating the burgeoning market isnt without challenges. Many consumers are overwhelmed by the variety of options and high prices," notes Pankaj Meena, a salesman at a Sleepwell mattress outlet in south Delhi. For middle-class buyers, finding a high-quality product at an affordable price is still a struggle. With so many marketing gimmicks, its essential to focus on scientifically engineered products, Sonawane advises. About what lies ahead in terms of innovation, the Indian Sleep Products Federation (ISPF) predicts a future filled with 3D and 5D mattress technology, IoT-enabled smart beds, and eco-friendly materials like breathable latex. Some smart mattresses already track sleep patterns, monitor heart rates, and even reduce snoring through advanced contouring layers its what cozy dreams are made of. GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT Dr. Vikas Mittal, a sleep specialist, expands on the essentials of a good mattress. Spinal Alignment: A mattress that supports your spine in a neutral position (where your spine is neither arched nor compressed) is crucial for avoiding back pain. Pressure Relief: A mattress should relieve pressure from key points like your shoulders, hips, and knees, particularly for side sleepers, to prevent pain and discomfort. Temperature Regulation: Proper temperature control is key to avoiding disrupted sleep. Consider materials like cooling memory foam or breathable latex. Motion Isolation: For couples, a mattress with good motion isolation, such as memory foam or a hybrid with pocketed coils, can prevent disturbances from a partners movements. Firmness: The right level of firmness is essential for both comfort and support. Generally speaking, back sleepers need medium to firm mattresses, side sleepers benefit from softer, pressure-relieving mattresses, and stomach sleepers need firmer surfaces to prevent neck and back strain. Durability: An older, worn-out mattress can exacerbate discomfort and health issues. Investing in a durable mattress made from high-quality materials ensures youll get long-term health benefits. Tanisha Saxena is a Delhi-based independent journalist. She writes stories that are on the intersection of art, culture and lifestyle. For millions of investors whove lost track of old mutual fund investments, India's markets regulator is offering a new mitra or friend to help. The Mutual Fund Investment Tracing and Retrieval Assistant (Mitra), launched by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), is designed to track down inactive and unclaimed mutual fund folios, helping investors reclaim money they may have forgotten. These days, accessing mutual fund investments is as simple as logging into an online portal with a permanent account number (PAN). But before 2006, investors could open mutual fund accounts without one. Many of those older folios have since gone dormant, making it difficult to retrieve holdings. Read this | How can you save tax on mutual funds by forming a Hindu Undivided Family unit? Sebi defines an inactive folio as one where no investor-initiated transactionsfinancial or otherwisehave occurred in the past 10 years, yet a balance remains. With millions of such accounts left unclaimed, Mitra aims to bridge the gap and help investors recover their lost investments. How Mitra works To build and operate Mitra, Sebi has enlisted KFin Technologies and CAMS, two of the largest qualified registrar and transfer agents (QRTAs) in India. The platform allows investors to search for old mutual fund folios using multiple identifiersnot just PAN. "The platform will search for inactive folios using a combination of the investors name and at least one primary parameterPAN, registered phone number, email, or bank account number," explains Vigneshkumaran, digital product head at KFin Tech Ltd. Additional details like address, PIN code, city, or nominee name will further refine the search and help verify ownership. With over 7.5 million inactive folios across the industrymany created before PAN became mandatory in 2006Mitras multi-parameter approach is crucial. For retrieving this data, PAN is not the only primary key," says Vigneshkumaran. The platform will use other identifiers to help investors recover their lost investments." By expanding the search criteria, Mitra ensures that even investors without PAN-linked folios have a way to reclaim their moneya significant relief for those who might otherwise struggle to access their forgotten holdings. View Full Image (Graphics: Paras Jain/Mint) How to track lost mutual fund units using Mitra Investors can track their inactive or unclaimed mutual fund folios through Sebis Mitra platform on MFcentral.com. Read this | Managing finances across borders? Finding the right collaborators is crucial. The process begins by visiting MFcentral.com and entering a PAN number. An OTP is sent to the registered mobile number or email for verification. Once verified, investors can refine their search by providing additional details such as email, phone number, address, date of birth, nominee details, bank account number, city, or PIN code. These filters help locate folios, especially those created before PAN became mandatory. After entering the necessary information, clicking Proceed" initiates a search for inactive or unclaimed folios linked to the provided details. If a match is found, investors can follow the platforms instructions to update their KYC and reclaim their investments. Mitra allows up to 25 search attempts per user, ensuring ample opportunities to track down missing holdings. Availability and challenges Sebi officially launched Mitra on 21 February 2025, but the platform will roll out in phases. Initially, a two-month beta version will be available, allowing investors to test its features and provide feedback. Abhishek Kumar, a Sebi-registered investment advisor and founder of SahajMoney, sees Mitra as a much-needed solution for investors struggling to track their inactive or unclaimed mutual fund folios. A lot of these old physical folios were created before the days of online investing, making it cumbersome for people to keep track of them," he says. Many investors have lost touch with small investments made years ago, and since PAN wasnt mandatory back then, reclaiming these holdings could be tricky. Despite this challenge, Kumar believes Mitra is a crucial step forward. The idea is to consolidate all the data from different AMCs (asset management companies) into a central portal where people can check if they have any unclaimed folios in their name." Another challenge is ensuring that the right person claims these old investments. Amol Joshi, a mutual fund distributor and founder of PlanRupee Investment, points out that verification could be difficult for investors who opened accounts before PAN was mandatory. Tracking investments is especially difficult for those without a PAN or with outdated email IDs and phone numbers, Joshi says. Mitras use of multiple identifiers will help improve accuracy. Just using a name and date of birth isnt always enough since those can be common. There should be more parameters, like a PIN code or something else unique, to help narrow down the search and accurately match people to their lost folios," Joshi adds. Also read | How a Lucknow-based jeweller streamlined his cluttered portfolio of 27 mutual funds and 9 insurance policies The Mitra platform aligns with Sebis broader efforts to safeguard investor interests and modernize Indias financial ecosystem. Its similar to how banks track unclaimed deposits, Joshi notes. "I think this new Sebi initiative will be a valuable tool for mutual fund investors." For those who suspect they might have unclaimed mutual fund investments, Mitra may finally provide a way to reconnect with their money. Clouds over vast swathes of North India have caused abrupt dips in solar power production, raising worries about the stability of the power grid that serves millions of Indians. The national grid operator asked all electricity companies in February to be on alert mode and supply power to preserve the grid's stability, two people aware of the matter said. "There have been instances of a dip in power generation, which puts the grid under strain. In mid-February, it went below the requisite range and hit 49.5 Hz, raising a concern. A balance needs to be made in terms of renewable energy and other sources power, mostly coal," one of the people mentioned above said on the condition of anonymity. Also read | New solar projects to have 2-hour energy storage capacity to ensure stable grid Queries sent to the Grid Controller of India and the Union power ministry remained unanswered till press time. Key Takeaways Cloud cover in North India is causing sudden drops in solar power production, impacting grid stability. The national grid operator has issued alerts due to grid frequency falling below safe levels (49.5 Hz) in February. Solar and wind power are "infirm" sources, meaning their production is unpredictable and affects grid stability. A balance between renewable energy and other sources, like coal, is crucial for grid stability. The government is working with stakeholders like IIT Bombay and IMD to improve weather forecasting for renewable energy generation. Grid frequency is a key indicator of the network's stability, and must remain within a tight band of 49.9-50.2 Hz to ensure that the grid functions smoothly. Sudden changes in power production or demand can disturb the frequency and potentially destabilize the grid, and in extreme cases, spark outages across vast areas. Grid frequency fell below safe levels several times in February, the two people said. Infirm sources Solar and wind power are considered infirm sources of power since production depends on unpredictable sunshine and wind. When production from such sources fall, coal- and gas-based power plants amp up supply to maintain frequency and stabilize the grid. Clouds and fog common in winters cut off sunshine and curb solar power generation, especially in northern states like Rajasthan which have large solar capacity. When accurate weather forecasts are available early, authorities can crank up production from other sources, the second person added. "There may be instances when due to some reason, the generation may surge, and it may surpass the upper limit of 50.05 Hz. Then, efforts need to be made to bring the frequency levels back to the required range. Similarly, in winters, there would be an impact on solar generation due to clouds and fog. The requirement here is for better and accurate forecast of these weather phenomena," the second person said. Also read | India's green energy push spawns a unique resale market "Grid India is working with several stakeholders to improve the weather forecast required for renewable power generation, including IIT Bombay, India Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Centre for Research Methodologies for better forecast technologies," the second person said. Some of northern India's top solar power producers include ReNew, Adani Green Energy Ltd, Avaada Group and Hero Future Energies. Queries sent to these companies remained unanswered. "Although generation in winters usually sees a decline in states like Rajasthan in the northern region, overall solar generation last month was by and large as per expectations," an executive with a major solar power producer said on the condition of anonymity. "However, there have been instances of sudden dip due to cloud cover and fog in the northern states, which may be concerning for grid stability. In such instances, there is nothing much a solar power generator can do. But, in instances where generation increases suddenly, and frequency levels go above the requisite range, power generators can reduce supplies through power plant controllers (PPC)," the executive added. Shadow over solar power In the past few years, fog and cloud cover in northern India have cast a shadow over solar power, which now accounts for over 20% of India's overall installed power generation capacity. In February last year, Mint reported that amid dense fog across north India in the winter season, solar power generation in the country witnessed an over 3% dip in January 2024. According to the 2024 annual irradiation report by Solargis, an online platform for solar design, data analytics, and forecasting software, the Indian subcontinent has seen a steady decline in sunshine below the Long-Term Average (LTA) in recent years. These fluctuations can adversely affect the efficiency of solar power projects. Fluctuations in sunshine creates oscillations in frequency, which is not good for power electronics or the quality of power, said Victor Bhattacharya, lead, operations & maintenance and asset management (utilities) at Ampin Energy Transition. Also read | Gujarat promises seamless grid connectivity to green energy firms "In case a power producer anticipates a lower than scheduled power supply, it informs the grid controller than the irradiation is low due to which it cannot inject the required amount of power. In case of over injection of power as per schedule, generators can use power plant controllers to normalize the feed. Many of the large-scale RE plants even face breakdowns in such situations," Bhattacharya said. Even though satellite technologies based on historical data and machine learning are used in weather prediction, even these may not be useful at times of global warming and climatic shifts, Bhattacharya added. Given the intermittency in renewable power generation, the government has been focusing on installing storage systems such as batteries and pump storage projects. Last month, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) asked state power utilities and renewable energy implementation agencies to incorporate two-hour energy storage systems, equivalent to 10% of the installed solar project capacity, in future solar tenders, in a bid to ensure round-the-clock power and grid stability. Fresh push for coal-based power Further, there has been a fresh push towards coal-based power in the past couple of years. This can be attributed to both the immediate requirement of power to meet rising demand, and the instances of grid instability in the recent past. Battery energy storage systems and pumped storage projects are expected to be the backbone of India's renewable energy capacity in years ahead. The Centre has already outlined plans to install an additional 80 GW of coal-based power plants by 2032, which continues to be mainstay. The Economic Survey for 2024 released ahead of the Union budget this year has also emphasized on a strategic and pragmatic approach towards energy transition rather, with an eye on economic cost and also geopolitical scenario. Also read | Power Grid may benefit from higher investments in renewable energy Vikram V., vice-president & co-group head, corporate ratings, ICRA Ltd said: "It is because of the concerns of grid stability amid growing renewable capacity that states are now coming with storage tenders and renewable power tenders with integrated storage capacity. Further, although coal-based capacity is the base load, ramping up and ramping down of thermal power generation is not easy. Therefore, initiatives are now being taken up to make these plants more flexible, so that whenever there is need to increase generation or decrease, it can be down with greater acceleration." Last year, India also witnessed instances of high frequency raising concerns over the grid stability. According to a report by Grid Controller of India, for three days in August 2024, the frequency was above the ceiling of 50.05 Hz. Grid frequency fluctuations were witnessed in December 2022, when the frequency dropped below 49.90 Hz. US President Donald Trump and his vice-president, J.D. Vance, are spinning Fridays Oval Office clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a show of American strength towards an ungrateful supplicant. However, their joint dressing down of Zelensky will go down in history and live in infamy as a shameful moment of American betrayal. Trump and Vance berated the leader of a nation thats been fighting for its existence for three years. Have you said thank you once?" Vance asked Zelensky. In fact, Zelensky has thanked the US, as well as Trump, several times since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war of aggression against Ukraine, and he did so again after the meeting. Its just that Zelensky always adds that he needs even more support for his country to survive, and more security guarantees in any future peace negotiations to deter Putin. As Zelensky pointed out during the meeting, Putin has broken previous ceasefires. That caveat was too much for Trump. Its going to be very hard to do business like this," he told Zelensky. Youve got to be more thankful," Trump continued. Because let me tell you, you dont have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us you dont have any cards." That observation is manifestly true: Without US support, Ukraine really is desperate, even as other Western allies such as France and Britain (whose leaders also visited the Oval Office last week) increase their aid to Kyiv. That just makes Trumps threat to withdraw support all the more inexcusable. Trumps humiliation of Zelensky didnt just start today. It began two weeks ago, when Trump arranged for bilateral talks between the US and Russia aimed at a general reset between Washington and Moscow. Putins genocidal war against Ukraine is just one element of this. Trump has excluded Americas European allies and Ukraine from peace talks in a volte-face of US policy since 2022. Trump continued his diplomatic rampage with a press conference and social-media posts in which he repeated long-standing Kremlin propaganda: that Zelensky (rather than Putin) lacks democratic legitimacy and is a dictator"; and that Ukraine (rather than Russia) started the war and stands in the way of peace. Trump also repeated the lie that the US has given more aid to Ukraine than Europe (in fact, Europeans have sent more). At the United Nations last week, the US joined Russia, Belarus, Sudan and a few other autocracies in refusing to condemn the Russian invasion of February 2022. Worse yet, both Trump and his defense secretary pre-emptively removed their best bargaining chips from any future negotiating table. The US, they said, will not let Ukraine join Natoan option that Washington has kept open since 2008nor will it put boots on the ground" in Ukraine. Nobody in Ukraine, or any other country formerly under Moscows boot, believes that Putin will honour the terms of a cease-fire without credible guarantees backed by US military might. Thats what Zelensky and the French and British leaderswere trying to convey to Trump last week in the Oval Office. But the US president wasnt hearing it. Im not worried about security," he said. Im worried about getting the deal done." As ever, Trump is all about making a deal, and who knows, by the time you read this, he may well have changed his tune about Zelensky to get one. The deal that Trump wants right now includes an arrangement in which Ukraine would give the US access to much of its mineral wealth and rare earths. The details were to be announced at a joint press conference after Fridays Oval Office meeting. That was called off, obviously. The winner of that clash, and in all of Trumps catastrophic missteps of the last month, is Putin. If the West had stayed united in backing Kyiv, Russia would not have been in a strong position when peace negotiations began. Its economy is in dire straits and victory on the battlefield remains elusive. But with Trump essentially defecting from the West and siding with Moscow, Putin has an opening. Gone is any notion that America still stands for the sovereignty of nations like Ukraine, for international rules and norms, for the right of victims of aggression to defend themselves. Youre either going to make a deal or were out," Trump told Zelensky with the cameras rolling and Putin undoubtedly watching. And if were out, youll fight it out. I dont think it is going to be pretty." No, it wont beand not just for Ukraine. The blow-up was remarkable not because it was great television," as Trump called it, but because it recorded for the public and posterity one of Americas worst betrayals ever of a friendly nation. Bloomberg China hit back at the U.S. with a slate of retaliatory measures in response to the Trump administrations latest tariff increase, escalating a trade war between the worlds two largest economies. The coordinated action across government bodiesincluding a series of new tariffs on American products as well as controls on U.S. companieswas announced just as the White Houses additional 10% levy on all Chinese products came into effect. Chinas finance ministry said the country is imposing an additional 15% tariff on U.S. chicken, wheat, corn and cotton products, and an additional 10% tariff on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, seafood, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. The new tariffs from China are set to go into effect on March 10. The countrys commerce ministry said it added 15 American companies to an export control list. They include drone maker Skydio, as well as Andreessen Horowitz-backed artificial-intelligence startup Shield AI, which makes AI-powered systems for drones. Inclusion on the list would prohibit Chinese export of dual-use items, which can be used for both civilian and military applications, to those companies. The commerce ministry also added 10 American companies to Chinas unreliable entity" list. These firms are prohibited from exporting or importing in China or from making new investments in the country, according to the ministry. The ministry said it would prohibit U.S. biotech company Illumina from exporting gene sequencers to China after Beijing added the company to the unreliable entity" list in retaliation for President Trumps first round of tariffs in February. The Trump administrations additional 10% tariff on imports from China comes on top of an extra 10% levy it placed on Chinese products last month. The White House has said it is imposing tariffs on China due to its role in the fentanyl trade. It also put 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada early Tuesday morning after a one-month delay. In February, China responded to the previous tariff increase with levies on select U.S. products, export controls on key minerals and an antitrust probe into Google. Write to Hannah Miao at hannah.miao@wsj.com and Liza Lin at liza.lin@wsj.com By Shayne Heffernan, Knightsbridge March 4, 2025 Lets assume the unthinkable: the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the deep states financial engine, a shadowy vault funding an unelected networks grip on global power. If this is true, USAIDs $27 billion annual budgetmy estimate for 2025, based on State Department figuresisnt just about poverty relief or democracy-building but a covert pipeline for operations that shape the world in secret. The question isnt whether this is happeningits whos doing the heavy lifting. The CIA, FBI, Pentagon, NATO, and UN emerge as the likely operational arms, wielding intelligence, law enforcement, military might, and international influence to execute the deep states agenda. Ive dug into the evidence, connecting the dots through public records, investigative reports, and my own sharp-eyed analysis, to reveal how these bodies link back to USAIDs shadowy role. USAID as the Deep States Bank USAID, launched in 1961 under President Kennedy, wears the mask of a humanitarian agency, but if we accept it as the deep states bank, its true purpose is clear: to bankroll a global power grab disguised as aid. With operations in over 100 countries, its $27 billion yearly war chestdrawn from U.S. taxpayersflows through grants, NGOs, and partnerships, funding operations that destabilize governments, prop up proxies, and silence dissent. Ive seen the evidence in alternative reports, like The Corbett Report, which claims USAIDs Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) and NGO networks act as Trojan horses, orchestrating regime changes in places like Brazil (ousting Bolsonaro) and Kyrgyzstan (where it faced backlash in 2015). This isnt charityits a financial lifeline for the deep state, channeling billions to maintain control through chaos. The Operational Arms: CIA, FBI, Pentagon, NATO, UN If USAID is the bank, these bodies are its enforcers, carrying out the deep states will with precision and secrecy. Heres how each connects to USAIDs alleged role, based on the patterns Ive uncovered. CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) The CIA, with its knack for covert ops and foreign intrigue, is the deep states sharpest blade. If USAID is bankrolling the network, the CIA is its primary executor, using those funds for psychological warfare, regime change, and intelligence-gathering. Ive pored over declassified files, like the Church Committee reports from the 1970s, showing the CIA funneled USAID money into anti-communist campaigns in Vietnam and Latin America, often through front organizations. Today, USAIDs OTIarmed with a $200 million annual budgetoperates in hotspots like Ukraine and Syria, where CIA agents, hidden under diplomatic cover, align perfectly with its goals. The CIA leans on USAIDs global footprint to deploy agents, run black ops, and manipulate populations, making it the deep states eyes and ears abroad. FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) The FBI might seem an odd fit, focused as it is on U.S. soil, but if USAID is the deep states bank, the FBI plays a crucial domestic roleguarding the home front. Its counterintelligence and counterterrorism units monitor any dissent or blowback from USAIDs overseas moves, ensuring the networks secrets stay buried. Ive seen claims in outlets like Revolver News suggesting the FBI has tracked NGOs funded by USAIDgroups like Black Lives Matter or Antifaas potential threats, though the evidence is murky. Still, if USAIDs operations spark domestic unrest, the FBI steps in to suppress it, acting as the deep states shield within Americas borders, even if its role is less flashy than the CIAs. Pentagon (Department of Defense) The Pentagon, with its global military might, is the deep states muscle, and USAIDs funds grease its war machine. If USAID is the bank, the Pentagon uses that money to build bases, arm proxies, and secure U.S. dominance under the guise of development. Ive reviewed USAIDs Office of Civilian-Military Cooperation, detailed on their website from December 2024, which embeds senior staff in U.S. combatant commandslike Africa Command or Central Commandwhile hosting military liaisons from the Navy and Army Corps of Engineers. Their joint projects in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Ukraine, where USAID rebuilt infrastructure while the Pentagon held the line, show a seamless partnership. That $1 billion USAID poured into Ukraine in 2023? Its not just aidits a Pentagon-backed operation to entrench U.S. power, all funded through USAIDs deep state coffers. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) NATO, the Wests military alliance, is the deep states global enforcer, and if USAID is its bank, NATO uses those funds to wage proxy wars and counter rivals like Russia. Ive traced USAIDs democracy programs in NATOs eastern flankpouring $500 million into Eastern Europe in 2024to align with NATOs security goals, stabilizing regions like Ukraine against Moscows influence. Reuters reported in December 2024 that NATO took over military aid coordination for Ukraine, but USAIDs humanitarian mask hides its deeper role: funding NATOs soft power moves to expand its reach. Theres no direct funding line, but the overlap is deliberate, with USAIDs money propping up NATOs strategic aims under the deep states command. UN (United Nations) The UN, with its peacekeeping and development mandate, might seem above the fray, but if USAID is the deep states bank, its a willing partner, using those funds for political manipulation. Ive seen USAID allocate $3 billion to UN programs in 2023, supporting projects in Afghanistan and Sudanzones ripe for control. Officially, its aid, but the deep state theory holds that this money backs UN soft power operations, like regime change or population management, often in tandem with U.S. interests. The UN isnt running guns or spies, but its coordination with USAID in politically charged areas, like Venezuela in 2019, shows its a tool for the network, amplifying USAIDs reach under the guise of global goodwill. Drawing the Links Assuming USAID is the deep states bank, these arms form a tight-knit machine. The CIA runs the covert ops, the FBI guards the home front, the Pentagon wields the military might, NATO projects power abroad, and the UN spreads influence worldwideall fueled by USAIDs billions. Historical ties, like the CIAs Cold War use of USAID, and current overlaps in conflict zones like Ukraine, cement this network. The FBIs domestic role, though quieter, ensures the deep states secrecy stays intact. Together, they execute a global agenda, with USAIDs money as the lifeblood, flowing through NGOs, military projects, and UN initiatives to maintain control without a trace. Critical Analysis I know the mainstream will balk at thisUSAID as a humanitarian giant, these bodies as upright institutionsbut the patterns are too stark to ignore. Alternative voices, like The Corbett Report and Revolver News, have been sounding the alarm, pointing to USAIDs history of regime change and its cozy ties in war zones. Theres no smoking gun, but the dots connect: Cold War precedents, current conflicts, and billions in untraceable funds. In 2025, with distrust of big government at a fever pitch, this deep state theory isnt just plausibleits compelling. The risks are realsanctions, legal exposure, public outragebut the networks secrecy keeps it humming, hidden in plain sight. Conclusion If USAID is the deep states bank, the CIA, FBI, Pentagon, NATO, and UN are its operational arms, linked by a shared mission to dominate globally, all bankrolled by USAIDs covert cash. At Knightsbridge, Ive watched these dynamics closely, understanding the dark interplay of aid, intelligence, and military strategy. For investors, policymakers, or anyone paying attention, this isnt just theoryits a call to dig deeper, demand answers, and expose the truth behind the mask. Shayne Heffernan is a financial strategist at Knightsbridge, specializing in emerging markets and geopolitical risk. Views expressed are his own. Under the current rules, firefighters and police officers are allowed to live anywhere within Tennessee but not in neighboring states. Tennessee continues to rank among the lowest states in voter turnout, placing last in the nation for the 2022 elections. The situation is even more concerning at the local level, where voter participation remains stagnant. While Chattanoogas population continues to grow, voter turnout for city elections has done the opposite. Nearly 9,000 residents either voted early or mailed in their ballots for the 2025 elections, which is a significant drop from the March 2021 city elections, when more than 12,000 voters cast ballots early or by mail. Chattanooga Fire Department fighting for residency change Under Chattanooga's current city charter, firefighters can live anywhere in Tennessee but not outside the state. So, voter turnout, its been a little low, frankly, Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly said. Weve had some weather that would affect that, but we would encourage everybody to get out and vote tomorrow. Mayor Kellys office noted that turnout is especially low among Chattanoogas Black community, a trend that community advocate Cameron C-Grimey Williams attributes to historical and systemic issues. The oppression that the Black community has felt, they kind of feel left out of the process, Williams said. Williams pointed to various factors contributing to the decline, including historical voter suppression, misinformation, and voter fatigue. Even when our elders were about the vote and we saw a polar opposite of the numbers going out to vote, there was still organization by different communities against our community to make sure that we didnt succeed, he said. A report from Organize Tennessee, a voting rights advocacy group, and the nonprofit public policy organization Demos found that Tennessee ranks worst in the nation for voting access, particularly for people of color. Weve seen, again with the gerrymandering of redistricting, traditional polling places are no more, Williams said. Theyve downsized and kind of consolidated polling places. Transportation can be an issue, scheduling. Williams emphasized the need to educate younger voters about the democratic process and the importance of representation in government. Young people dont feel represented. They dont feel like their interests are represented. They dont feel like candidates and elected officials represent their backgrounds and their communities, he said. With Election Day coming up on March 4, local leaders like Mayor Kelly and advocates like Williams are encouraging residents to take action. We can control what happens locally, and again, good roads, good jobs, good parks, good schools, public safety, all that stuff is local, Mayor Kelly said. Get out and vote. This is your chance to have your say. Williams echoed the Mayor's message, emphasizing the power of collective action. The people have the power, never forget, he said. The people have the power. Weve seen it all through history. When people united to a common goal for peace, truth, and justice, we win. Chris Long, Mayor Kellys opponent in the upcoming election, was contacted for comment on voter turnout but has not responded. Stay with Local 3 News for continuing coverage of Decision 2025. UPDATE: A former Hamilton Co. Schools teacher has changed his plea agreement to a guilty plea on federal child sex crimes charges. Kenya White, a teacher at Chattanooga Preparatory School and East Lake Academy, pleaded guilty to federal charges related to messaging his underage students inappropriately. Court documents show two victims were involved, one student at East Lake Academy and one student at Chattanooga Preparatory School. White will face sentencing on October 22 for his federal charges. He still faces state charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and solicitation of a minor. White was arrested while employed at Chatt Prep in February. He was hired while under DCS investigation. PREVIOUS STORY: The case involving Kenya White, a former Hamilton County teacher facing numerous child sex crimes charges, was back in a Hamilton County courtroom on May 8. The former teacher at Chattanooga Preparatory School and East Lake Academy recently pleaded guilty to federal charges related to messaging underage students inappropriately. He still faces state charges, including sexual exploitation of a minor and solicitation of a minor. White's attorney and the judge discussed the next steps in his case. "He'll have to enter a change of plea, and then there will be a sentencing date," said Judge Dunn. White's next court date is July 16th. PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory School has made a statement following a former teacher's plea deal on child sex crimes that detailed his relations with two victims, one being a Chatt Prep student. Troy Kemp, CEO of Prep Public Schools, says a student at Chatt Prep reported Kenya White's inappropriate actions to a faculty member only after hearing of his arrest on February 12, 2025. Kemp says the school followed protocol and state law by informing the Department of Children's Services and the Chattanooga Police Department. Kemp also explained why the school never chose to share that White was accused of committing the same crime at Chatt Prep that he did at East Lake Academy: "Out of an abundance of concern for the student's anonymity, because there was no threat to other students, and because DCS and CPD were only beginning their investigations, Prep Public Schools did not share news of this secondary allegation. School leaders and counselors have been in contact with the student and his parents throughout this situation and ask for the media to respect the privacy of the student as well." White pleaded guilty to federal charges of enticement of a minor. The mandatory minimum prison sentence is 10 years. Court documents show two victims were involved, one student at East Lake Academy and one student at Chattanooga Preparatory School. White was employed at Chatt Prep at the time of his arrest in February. He was hired while under DCS investigation, stemming from his misconduct at East Lake Academy. White was one of several teachers at the school at the time without a valid teaching license. PREVIOUS STORY: The former Chattanooga Preparatory Schools teacher arrested in February for several child sex crimes has pleaded guilty to his federal charges. Court documents show Kenya White has pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor. The mandatory minimum prison sentence is 10 years, with a possible fine up to $250,000. It also includes at least five years of supervised release. Court documents show two victims were involved, one student at East Lake Academy and one student at Chattanooga Preparatory School. On February 16, 2023, a Chattanooga police dept. investigator responded to East Lake Academy on reports of White having inappropriate contact with a 12-year-old student at the school. At the time, White was 30 years old. The officer located texts over a three day period, starting on Feb. 13, where White tried to persuade the victim to take explicit images to send to White. "The defendant used an iPhone to commit the offense - an iPhone is a facility of interstate commerce," says the plea agreement. Two years later in February of 2025, a second victim, a student at Chatt Prep, reported to a school counselor that he had received inappropriate messages from White, a teacher at the school. White began communicating with the 14-year-old student on Snapchat in May of 2024. White's messages continually asked the second victim to "create sexually explicit images of himself and send them" to White. White also asked if the victim would allow him to "perform a sexual act on him." The court documents say "The defendant is pleading guilty because the defendant is in fact guilty." The plea agreement was signed on May 1 and 2 of 2025. PREVIOUS STORY: Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Robertson no longer recommends for the charter to be revoked for Chattanooga Preparatory School after finding nearly half of the teachers were unlicensed in March. The school caught attention in February when an unlicensed teacher was arrested on several child sex crimes charges. That teacher, Kenya White, has since been arrested a second time on federal charges. He was under a Dept. of Children Services investigation when he was hired at Chatt Prep, which began when he was working at East Lake Academy. The joint statement released on April 16 stated: "Instead, the schools charter will be placed in probationary status while the district and the school continue to work together to ensure the school is aligned with all compliance expectations. A probationary charter does not affect the schools operations or accreditation." The statement says the following corrective actions must be implemented: Provide Course Verification for students in grades 6-11 and provide additional evidence that all standards within the course have been taught and assessed for all current students. Provide Proof of Insurance Coverage to ensure no gap in coverage will occur. Update PowerSchool to accurately reflect the Teacher of Record. If an administrator is listed as the Teacher of Record, provide an explanation of how the administrator is teaching the course while also serving in the administrator role. The following corrective actions have already been completed: Verification and updating of teacher licensures and certifications A thorough audit of students transcripts to ensure timely graduation or promotion for all students who were believed to be on track Revision of HR procedures to ensure proper hiring, evaluation, and documentation practices Ongoing collaboration with Chattanooga Prep, HCS, and legal and education consultants. One of the main concerns previously written in the letter to recommend the charter to be revoked was the graduating senior class possibly not gathering valid credits because of unlicensed teachers. Chatt Prep has since hired new leadership at the school. Kenya White is still in federal custody. PREVIOUS STORY: A newly unsealed indictment for Kenya White, a former Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher facing several child sex crimes charges, says he coerced a minor to engage in sexual activity and the production of child porn. The indictment says the federal charges stem from incidents between Feb. 13 to 15 of 2023, when White was a teacher at East Lake Academy. Chattanooga Prep parents frustrated over unanswered questions at school meeting A video sent to Local 3 News by a concerned parent captured the emotional gathering in the school's gymnasium, where hundreds of parents sought clarity on the school's potential charter revocation. However, many left feeling the meeting was more of a formality than a forum for transparency. White was arrested exactly two years later, on Feb. 13, 2025, on the following charges while he was a teacher at Chatt Prep: Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12 Solicitation of a minor Kidnapping Indictment documents say in Feb. of 2023, White drove a child across state lines to "persuade, induce, entice, and coerce" a minor in sexual activity: the production of child porn, exploitation, especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, and soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means. Two days later, White was informed by Hamilton County Schools that he was suspended without pay regarding a Dept. of Children's Services investigation. Documents from the hiring process of Kenya White at Chatt Prep show he did not tell the school why he was previously removed as a teacher from East Lake Academy. Chatt Prep was not set up through DCS to provide background checks, but they knew there was a disciplinary hold on White's file. He continued to work as a teacher at Chatt Prep until his arrest, two years after the incident. White was also unlicensed during his time teaching at Chatt Prep, as were nearly half of the school's staff, says Hamilton County Schools. In a letter to Chatt Prep, Hamilton Co. Schools says they will recommend the revocation of the school's charter on April 17. Chatt Prep has since hired new leadership at the school. Former Chatt Prep coach begins 30-day jail sentence for aggravated assault In July of 2024 he was indicted on charges of domestic assault, aggravated assault, child abuse and neglect, and evading arrest. PREVIOUS STORY: A judge has set the federal trial date for Kenya White, the former Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher who faces several charges. White was first arrested on various child sex crimes charges in February, stemming from a two-year Dept. of Children's Services investigation. White was then arrested again in March on federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor. The trial is set to begin on May 19. Internal emails at Chatt Prep show the school knew White was under DCS investigation at the time they hired him. Hamilton Co. Schools soon after found that White was one of several teachers unlicensed at the charter school. In a letter to Chatt Prep, Hamilton Co. Schools says they will recommend the revocation of the school's charter on April 17. PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory Schools says "a new era began" on Tuesday, March 25, as the school announced new leadership at Prep Public Schools. Troy Kemp has been named Chief Executive Officer and Chad Everett as Vice President of Schools. "Both Kemp and Everett have passed all necessary background checks without issue," says Austin Cantrell in a release from the school. The scrutiny of Chatt Prep began in February when an unlicenced teacher, Kenya White, was arrested on various charges of child sex crimes. Hamilton County Schools began investigating other teachers at the school and found almost half of the teachers were unlicensed as well. They recommended the charter be revoked. Kemp comes to Chatt Prep with 27 years of experience at the McCallie School, as well as Director of Strategic Initiatives at Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta. I am thrilled to lead the efforts of Prep Public Schools because this is an opportunity to rewrite the narrative, increase the expectations, and improve the outcomes for Black and brown boys in Chattanooga and Knoxville, said Troy Kemp, incoming CEO of PREP Public Schools. Challenges in the past may have pushed us back on our heels, but we are shifting our stance and playing from our toes. Everett currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of IOTA Community Schools, a charter network serving 2,100 students. I am excited for the opportunity to cultivate the environment I wanted as a scholar and that every scholar deserves an environment where every scholar has the freedom to discover curricular truths, as well as truths about themselves; an environment where excellence is the expectation and the brilliance of scholars and teachers is embraced bell-to-bell, every class, every day, said Chad Everett, VP of Schools of PREP Public Schools. PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory Schools is set to introduce the school's new leadership after an unlicensed teacher's arrest led Hamilton Co. Schools to recommend the school's charter be revoked. Hamilton Co. Schools says they found almost half of the teachers at Chatt Prep were not licensed. The investigation began when an unlicensed teacher under a Dept. of Children's Services investigation was hired at the school in 2024. Former Chatt Prep teacher, Kenya White, was arrested in February on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. He was then arrested again in March on federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor. PREVIOUS STORY: Hamilton County Schools says they are currently verifying senior credits to ensure Chattanooga Preparatory School's senior class will graduate on time. HCS released the following statement: "Our top priority is supporting the students at Chattanooga Prep and safeguarding their academic progress. We are currently verifying senior credits and taking any necessary corrective actions to ensure that the Senior Class will graduate on-time. We are hopeful that all 50 seniors will graduate on time, but more collaboration is needed before we can state this definitively. Hamilton County Schools and Chattanooga Prep continue to work together to address the recent concerns regarding teacher licensure and ensure compliance with state requirements. Through our collaborative efforts, we have identified a few of Chatt Prep's 50 teachers are not eligible for a teaching license, permit, or waiver. We are actively taking steps to secure the appropriate certifications, waivers, or permits for the remaining teachers to ensure all instructional staff meet state guidelines. As we move forward, we are committed to strengthening procedures for verifying teacher eligibility to prevent future issues. Through ongoing collaboration and accountability, we are confident in our ability to resolve this matter so that Chattanooga Prep can continue providing a high-quality education to its scholars for years to come." Hamilton County Schools recommended for Chatt Prep's charter to be revoked after finding almost half of teachers were not licensed. The investigation began when an unlicensed teacher under a Dept. of Children's Services investigation was hired at the school in 2024. Former Chatt Prep teacher, Kenya White, was arrested in February on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. He was then arrested again in March on federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor. PREVIOUS STORY: The latest TCAP scores for the 2023-24 school year show Chattanooga Preparatory Schools is below the state average in every subject. Hamilton County Schools is recommending the school's charter to be revoked after learning that 21 of 45 teachers at the school were unlicensed. The achievement rate at Chatt prep is 26.1%, while the state average is 39.6%. Biology I State average: 45.2% Chatt Prep average: 29.5% ELA State average: 33.1% Chatt Prep average: 21.5% HS English State average: 42.8% Chatt Prep average: 35.8% HS Math State average: 28.5% Chatt Prep average: 13.8% Math State average: 37.6% Chatt Prep average: 28.1% Science State average: 43.9% Chatt Prep average: 29.7% Social Studies State average: 45.5% Chatt Prep average: 37.8% PREVIOUS STORY: The Tennessee Charter School Center has released a statement pertaining to Chattanooga Preparatory School students potentially impacted by unlicensed teachers: There is no law that would specifically prevent these students from graduating or invalidate their credits based solely on the licensure status of the teacher in the classroom. The state does not issue credits or diplomas and therefore would not be in a position to reject these credits or prevent a student from graduating. Issuing credits is a local issue. Chattanooga Prep makes awards credits and diplomas. We hope Hamilton County will not pursue any action that would negatively impact any student. A letter from Hamilton County Schools recommending the revocation of Chattanooga Prep's charter status said that it's "likely" the entire graduating class was not accumulating valid credits after they found 21 of 45 teachers at the school to be unlicensed. Spring 2025 will be Chatt Prep's first graduating class, and the school says students have accumulated $638,000 in scholarships already. The investigation into Chatt Prep began when an unlicensed teacher was hired while under DCS investigation, then arrested for several charges of solicitation of a minor. Kenya White was recently arrested a second time for federal charges. Several leaders at the school have resigned or been put on leave since. Hamilton County School and Chattanooga Preparatory School say they are both committed to working together to "ensure that Prep meets or exceeds its high standards for hiring personnel." PREVIOUS STORY: Hamilton County Schools says 21 of 45 teachers at Chattanooga Preparatory Schools are unlicensed, not having permits or waivers for classes they teach. This means high school students are not accumulating valid credits towards graduation. "Likely, Chattanooga Prep's entire senior class is impacted by this licensure issue." Spring 2025 was expected to be the school's first graduating class. The school posted on facebook that each senior has a post-high school plan, and the class has together secured $638,000 in scholarships. Hamilton County Schools say they were not aware that almost half of Chatt Prep's teachers were teaching without a license, waiver, or permit "until recently." In a letter to Chatt Prep, Hamilton Co. Schools says they will recommend the revocation of the school's charter on April 17. The revocation will be effective at the end of the school year. The letter from Hamilton County Schools states: "Chattanooga Prep have willfully violated Tennessee laws governing the licensure of teachers. I also believe that the governing body and management have deliberately misrepresented who were the teachers of record in classes actually taught by these unlicensed personnel in order to avoid scrutiny from TDOE." HCS states in the letter that all teachers in a public charter school must hold a valid Tennessee educator license. The following teachers listed on the Chatt Prep website either did not have permits or waivers at all, or did not have an active license through the TN Dept. of Education license look-up: Ethan Reyes - 12th Grade AP Calculus Justin D. Shull - 12th Grade AP Government and Economics Brandie Morgan - Exceptional Education Assistant Davarius Joseph Harris - Geometry Erikka Nichole Benning - Computer Science Jaylin Davon Rogers - Physical Education Theanthony Demonta Haymon - Behavior Interventionist Ivan Andres Lobo - 9th Grade Guided Math Joshua Carroll Grossi - 9th Grade Guided Reading Khalil Marjon Watts - 8th Grade ELA Peyton Anderson Whitley - 7th Grade History Cheryl Hines - 7th Grade Math Kenya White has been removed from the schools website, but was unlicensed at the time of his arrest. The investigation into Chatt Prep began when an unlicensed teacher was hired while under DCS investigation, then arrested for several charges of solicitation of a minor. White was recently arrested a second time for federal charges. PREVIOUS STORY: Hamilton County Schools has started the process to revoke Chattanooga Preparatory Schools charter after an unlicensed teacher was arrested for child sex crimes. Chatt Prep stated in a letter to families that while they believe it is "Unnecessary," they will work with HCS to find a solution that benefits the district and the school. Chatt Prep says the primary concern of Hamilton County Schools is teacher licensure. "Prep has accepted HCS's offer to send HR staff to work alongside our employment attorneywho is currently auditing our HR processesto review employment practices and recommend any necessary changes." Chatt Prep said there will be no disruption to school operations for the time being. The school also promised parents that they are committed to addressing concerns while they work closely with HCS. The school also told parents to attend and share their opinions at the upcoming School Board meeting, contact members of the Hamilton County School Board, and post on social media about how the school has benefited their children. A former Chatt Prep teacher was arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor in February, then arrested a second time on federal charges early March. Internal emails obtained by Local 3 show that Kenya White was hired at Chatt Prep while he had a disciplinary hold on his file for being under a Dept. of Children's Services investigation. PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory School says they will have an answer about where they conduct teacher background checks by the end of the week, after hiring a teacher under Dept. of Children's Services investigation for sexual exploitation of a minor. Chatt Prep's Interim CEO, Micah Bess stated: "Our third-party legal team, which we have hired to audit our hiring processes (including our use of the DCS portal), believes they will be able to answer this question by this Friday. We will provide you with that answer as soon as it is available." DCS told Local 3 News that the charter school was not set up in their system to do background checks for any teachers, despite the school saying they were. It's state law for all public and charter schools to perform background checks for teachers through DCS. Kenya White, a former Chatt Prep teacher, faces several charges including federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor. He was hired at Chatt Prep while under a DCS investigation that began while he was employed at a city school. Local 3 reached out to learn if Knox Prep, Chatt Prep's sister school in Knoxville, uses the same hiring process. Bess told Knoxville NBC affiliate, WBIR, that the Knoxville campus will learn from Chatt Prep's mistakes, but did not specify their background check process: "All personnel being considered for employment at Knox Prep are required to undergo several levels of background checks to ensure every one of our scholars is safe while learning. Chattanooga Prep is working to hire an outside firm that specializes in HR practices to review the school's past and current processes to ensure the school's process for conducting these checks is performed without exception. Lessons learned from that review will be applied to Knox Prep if necessary. Neither Chattanooga Prep nor Knoxville Prep will allow this situation to distract from our mission to prepare the next generation of young men for success in our communities." Local 3 has reached out to Chattanooga Preparatory Schools with more questions on staff impacted. PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory School has declined the former principal's request to be paid severance after quitting during an investigation into a former teacher hired while under Dept. of Children's Services investigation. Former principal Diamond Kelley's letter of resignation to the school says she had been "hurt." Kelley also asks for an "exchange" to waive any legal claims against the school: "I am also offering to waive any legal claims I have against Chattanooga Preparatory School. In exchange, I am requesting: 1. Severance pay in an amount equal to the remainder of my contract. 2. A letter confirming that background checks were the responsibility of HR. Let me be clear: my reputation is not for sale. My integrity is not up for negotiation. I have carried myself with dignity, and I will not allow my name to be tarnished." She goes on to say, "Only God knows I did what I was supposed to do. I leave with my head held high, I do not leave in surrender. I stand on my character, my values, and my unwavering commitment to these young men." Chatt Prep's interim CEO Micah Bess responded to Kelley's resignation email saying, "it seems we must agree to disagree about your record while at Chattanooga Prep." The email goes on to state: "I politely decline the opportunity to respond to every aspect of your resignation message, except to say this: you have not been slandered by Chattanooga Prep. Your personnel file, which was requested by several local media outlets due to your involvement in the situation regarding Mr. White, speaks for itself. Chattanooga Prep was compelled by law to respond to these FOIA requests, and we had no choice but to share your record, along with a great deal of other information legally requested by local media. I also politely decline your request to be paid a severance. The circumstances surrounding your resignation, do not lend themselves to such an outcome." Read the full resignation below: PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory School Principal Diamond Kelley, originally placed on leave after the arrest of a former teacher, has now resigned. Kelley was placed on administrative leave on Feb. 18. The letter from Chatt Prep's interim CEO says the leave was while law enforcement continued to "review the Kenya White situation." She then resigned on March 6. Kenya White, a former Chatt Prep teacher, was first arrested on Feb. 13 on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means, solicitation of a minor, and kidnapping. On March 7, White was arrested a second time on federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor. Internal emails from Chatt Prep show the school saw a disciplinary hold on his file while he was under a Dept. of Children's Services investigation, but decided to hire him anyway. Local 3 also learned that Chatt Prep was not set up to background check teachers through DCS, which is required by law. PREVIOUS STORY: Kenya White, a former Chattanooga Preparatory Schools teacher, faces federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor after his second arrest on Friday morning. These are in addition to his previous charges he was indicted on: Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12 Solicitation of a minor Kidnapping While those charges stem from a Chattanooga police and Dept. of Children Services investigation that began in 2023 while he taught at East Lake Academy, it's not clear what situation led to the recent federal charges. Documents show White did not tell the school why he was previously removed as a teacher from East Lake Academy. The Chatt Prep screening says Kenya White told the school he left for his own reasons: "White reports he was employed with HCDE- East Lake Academy and left in March 2023, due to unhappiness at the school. For six years, he taught Theatre, 6th, 7th, 8th. White was a participant in HCDE's Grow Your Own program and program ended after his voluntary resignation; therefore, no teaching license." However, White's personnel file at Hamilton County Schools says he was suspended without pay because of a Dept. of Children's Services investigation linked to inappropriate communication with a student: Chatt Prep was not set up through DCS to provide a background check after their screening. DCS says the school is not set up in their system to provide background checks for any teachers, and Hamilton County Schools say they did not perform a background check on White through their services. One of the references given to Chatt Prep by an East Lake Academy teacher says his weaknesses were "setting boundaries with the students. Students see him as a big brother, rather than a teacher." Despite that statement, Chatt Prep stated on White's screening that White has "appropriate communication with parents and students." Chattanooga police are still looking for potential victims of White during their investigation. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004. PREVIOUS STORY: McCracken Poston, attorney for Kenya White, the former Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher who now faces federal charges after his second arrest, states: "Our constitution provides that every person is to be considered innocent until they are found guilty by plea or trial. Its unfortunate that this matter is now being used as a political issue to attack others, and even the entire concept of charter schools. My focus must and will remain on ensuring that Mr. White gets the fairness guaranteed to every citizen in our courts." White was first arrested on several charges in February of 2025: Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12 Solicitation of a minor Kidnapping Local 3 News has reached out to Chattanooga police to ask if they are still searching for potential victims. PREVIOUS STORY: The former Chattanooga Preparatory Schools teacher previously arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor is now behind bars again on federal charges. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office says Kenya White was arrested in Rossville, GA and brought into the Hamilton Co. Jail around 1:00am on Friday, March 7, by federal law enforcement officials. He has now left their facility. Chattanooga police first arrested White on Feb. 13 after an investigation that began two years prior with the Dept. of Children's Services. At the time of White's first arrest, police said they were actively investigating if there could be more victims. Since White's arrest, Local 3 discovered that Chatt Prep hired White knowing he was under a disciplinary hold stemming from the 2-year-long investigation. Internal emails show the school decided to hire him anyway. On March 5, Tennessee Representative John Ray Clemmons requested the state to investigate Chattanooga Preparatory School. On March 6, DCS told Local 3 that the school wasn't set up to background checks in their system, which is law for Charter Schools in Tennessee. Since White's arrest, Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review, and Human Resources Coordinator, Dr. Angelnetta Ulmer, took an early retirement. PREVIOUS STORY: A Hamilton County charter school facing scrutiny for hiring a teacher under investigation by the Dept. of Children's Services has given Local 3 News conflicting reports of where they perform background checks for teachers. Chattanooga Preparatory School's interim CEO, Micah Bess, stated: "Chattanooga Prep uses the DCS portal to retrieve background checks for all prospective employees as part of our schools hiring process." The Department of Children's Services states the opposite: "Chattanooga Preparatory School is not set up through the TN Dept. of Childrens Services portal to perform DCS background checks. It is the responsibility of each school system to identify a select number of personnel to be granted access to the portal for the purpose of conducting background checks." Hamilton County Schools tells Local 3 News that the school did not perform a DCS background check through their system either: "Chattanooga Prep does not obtain background checks through HCS." Tenn. Code Ann. 49-5-413 states that all local boards of education, charter schools, or child care programs are required to perform a DCS background check on any applicants for teaching positions. Chatt Prep teacher Kenya White was arrested in February of 2025 on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. The DCS investigation began when White was a teacher at East Lake Academy in 2023. White was suspended from East Lake Academy and put on a disciplinary hold, which showed up in his file during the hiring process at Chatt Prep in 2024. Internal emails show Chatt Prep knew of the disciplinary hold, but decided to hire him anyway. Since the arrest, Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review, and Human Resources Coordinator, Dr. Angelnetta Ulmer, took an early retirement. Tennessee Representative John Ray Clemmons has officially requested the state to investigate the school. PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory Schools confirms to Local 3 News that Human Resources Coordinator, Dr. Angelnetta Ulmer, is stepping down earlier than expected. Ulmer initially planned to retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year, but school officials say she chose to accelerate her departure due to several factors including the ongoing situation with Kenya White, a former Chatt Prep teacher indicted on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. Internal emails within Chatt Prep reveal the school knew of a disciplinary hold on White but decided to hire him anyway - even though he was under investigation by the Dept. of Children Services. Emails show Chattanooga Prep knew about teachers troubled past before hiring Tennessee Rep. John Clemmons is urging the state to investigate how White was allowed to teach at Chattanooga Prep despite his documented past. Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has also been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review after White was arrested. Chattanooga police are still looking for potential victims of White during their investigation. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004. PREVIOUS STORY: Tennessee Representative John Ray Clemmons has officially requested the state to investigate Chattanooga Preparatory School after the school hired a teacher on a disciplinary hold, who was later arrested for sexual exploitation of a minor. The letter to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti states: "One would expect a school, even a charter school that operates with little to no oversight, to make best efforts to protect students by requesting pertinent information from a previous employer and performing a background check." Rep. Clemmons goes on to say a state investigation into Chatt Prep would "shed much-needed light on how something as seriously disturbing as this could happen." Read the full letter here: PREVIOUS STORY: Internal emails show Chattanooga Preparatory School knew about a teacher let go from a different school in Hamilton County because of a Dept. of Children Services investigation before he was hired again at Chatt Prep. The DCS investigation into Kenya White first started while he was an Education Assistant at East Lake Academy. He put on leave in 2023 pending a law enforcement investigation. In January of 2024, White was then hired as an 8th grade english teacher at Chattanooga Preparatory School. Internal emails obtained by Local 3 News show that Chatt Prep saw the disciplinary hold on White, but hired him anyway. One email sent within the school said, "we cannot hire him while he's under review," and "we will need to terminate Mr. White this week." Parents concerned about Chatt Prep's oversight after hiring teacher under DCS investigation Local 3 News is working with DCS to confirm if Chatt Prep requested background checks through DCS for White and current employees. However, instead of terminating White, an employee at the school replied, "let's discuss this before he is terminated." The Chatt Prep website listed him as a Guided Reading teacher for the 2024-2025 school year on their website. Almost exactly one year since those emails were sent, White was arrested on several charges in February of 2025: Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12 Solicitation of a minor Kidnapping Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review after White was arrested. Chattanooga police are still looking for potential victims of White during their investigation. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004. Hamilton Co. School Board discusses charter school application process after teacher's indictment Questions about the application process for charter schools come after a now former teacher of Chattanooga Preparatory was hired amid an investigation. PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review. In February, Chatt Prep teacher Kenya White was arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means. White's personnel file shows White was suspended from his previous employment in 2023 at East Lake Academy pending a Dept. of Children's Services investigation. Tenn. Code Ann. 49-5-413 states that all local boards of education, charter schools, or child care programs are required to perform a DCS background check on any applicants for teaching positions. Local 3 News is working with DCS to confirm if Chatt Prep requested background checks through DCS for White and current employees. Micah Reed Bess, Interim CEO of PREP Public Schools stated: The greatest responsibility of every school is to ensure the safety of the children it has the privilege to educate. Chattanooga Prep believes this is one of our most fundamental responsibilities to the community we serve, which is why the school has been taking sweeping actions since learning that one of its former employees was arrested on charges that have nothing to do with Chattanooga Prep. The extraordinary actions we have taken since learning of Mr. Whites arrest include firing the employee, placing on leave senior school staff, making counseling services available to members of our school community, and hiring an independent employment firm to investigate what internal HR processes require changes to ensure this situation never happens again. Chattanooga Prep is determined not to allow this situation to distract from our mission to prepare the next generation of young men for success in Chattanooga. Former teacher employed for years by Hamilton Co. Schools before child sex crimes indictment Kenya White's personnel file from Hamilton County Schools shows he was originally hired as a part-time tutor at East Lake in 2018. PREVIOUS STORY: Now-former Chattanooga Prep School teacher Kenya White was arraigned in court Friday, Feb. 21 after he was charged with 12 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means, solicitation of a minor and kidnapping. No testimony or video was shown. White is due back in court on May 8. PREVIOUS STORY: A spokesperson for Hamilton County Schools says they did not receive any reference checks on Kenya White, the Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher arrested on charges of sexual exploitation. Dr. Zac Brown, Chief of Talent with Hamilton County Schools, says, "As far as I know, [Hamilton County Schools] did not receive any reference checks on Mr. White. Children's Advocacy Center gives tips to parents after local teacher arrested for child sex crimes A local expert said parents should look for these signs to keep their kids from becoming a victim of sexual misconduct by an educator. White was employed at East Lake Academy for the 2022-2023 school year when the initial investigation began, but was working at Chatt Prep at the time of his arrest. PREVIOUS STORY: The Chattanooga Preparatory School has confirmed a teacher arrested for sexual exploitation is no longer employed at the school. Chatt Prep declined to answer multiple requests about Kenya White's employment status since his arrest on Feb. 13. On Feb. 19, the school said: "Chattanooga Preparatory School is deeply troubled by the recent arrest of a former employee. The safety and well-being of our scholars remain our top priority, and we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness. We are cooperating with law enforcement and conducting a thorough internal review. As this is an open investigation, we cannot provide further comment at this time." White was arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means, solicitation of a minor, and kidnapping. While Hamilton County Schools says he was employed at East Lake Academy for the 2022-2023 school year when the investigation began, Chatt Prep has not said if they were aware of the investigation when hiring White. A student of Chatt Prep says he was a teacher at the school since 2023, but the school has not confirmed this. Former teacher employed for years by Hamilton Co. Schools before child sex crimes indictment Kenya White's personnel file from Hamilton County Schools shows he was originally hired as a part-time tutor at East Lake in 2018. PREVIOUS STORY: Hamilton County Schools confirms to Local 3 News that Kenya White, the Chattanooga Preparatory teacher arrested for sexual exploitation, was employed at East Lake Academy for the 2022-2023 school year. Chattanooga police say they first responded to East Lake Academy in February 2023 to investigate Kenya White. The school system declined to answer if parents at East Lake were notified of the investigation or if White had a valid teaching license at the time. Kenya White was arrested on the following charges: Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means- 12 counts Solicitation of a minor Kidnapping Police are actively seeking to find if there are more victims. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004. Chattanooga Preparatory School has still declined to answer if White is still employed at the school or not. PREVIOUS STORY: Tennessee Department of Education records show that Kenya White, the Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher arrested for sexual exploitation of a minor, does not have a teaching license in the state currently. It is not clear if White's license was suspended or revoked, or if he ever had a valid teaching license in the state. Chatt Prep has still declined to comment on White's employment status. The Chattanooga Police Department says they are actively investigating if there could be more victims of White, after he worked as a teacher for two years before the investigation lead to an indictment. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004. PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga police say the investigation into a Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher arrested for multiple counts of solicitation of a minor began two years ago. The Chattanooga Police Dept. says they first responded to East Lake Academy in February of 2023, when the Special Victims Unit and Dept. of Children's Services joined the investigation. Multiple teams worked together to obtain digital forensic evidence to successfully lead to an indictment of Kenya White in February of 2025. Kenya White was arrested on the following charges: Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12 Solicitation of a minor Kidnapping The Chattanooga Police Dept. says they are actively investigating if there could be more victims. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004. Chatt Prep has still declined to comment on if White is still an employee at the school at this time. PREVIOUS STORY: A Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher has been ordered to not have contact with minors after being indicted on 14 counts related to sexual exploitation. Kenya White's charges all stem from a February 2023 incident. White faces a $10,000 bond for each count. He was indicted on February 10, 2025 on the following charges: Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12 Solicitation of a minor Kidnapping The sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means indictment indicate White exposed a child younger than 13 years old to sexual material through electronic communication. The solicitation of a minor charge involved a child younger than 18 years old in sexual activity. The kidnapping charge does not detail the age of the victim. The school still declines to comment on if White is still employed. PREVIOUS STORY: A Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher has been arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. Chattanooga Preparatory School lists Kenya White as a Guided Reading 6th Grade teacher on its website. While the Hamilton County Courts System doesn't have documents on his arrest yet, the following charges are listed: Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12 Solicitation of a minor Kidnapping Chattanooga Preparatory School posted on Facebook in 2024 that White was recognized as teacher of the month in March. When asked if White was still employed by the school, Chattanooga Prep responded: "Chattanooga Prep cannot speak to the facts surrounding the criminal charges. Please refer all questions to the Chattanooga Police Department or the Hamilton County district attorney's office." When asked a second time if White was still employed by the school, they declined to answer the question again. Law enforcement officials talk outside the home of actor Gene Hackman on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa and their wife were found dead in the home a day earlier. The Construction Industry Federation is urging women in Longford to consider a career in construction ahead of its annual International Womens Day Summit. This years event will take place on Friday, 7th March 2025, at The Johnstown Estate, Enfield, county Meath with over 600 women from across the country attending. This years summit, themed Accelerate Action, will hear from leading experts on key topics such as, building Irelands infrastructure, health and safety on sites, financial well-being and careers in construction. READ NEXT: PICTURES | Rally enthusiasts throng Longford for top class festival of motorsport The summit will also welcome forty young women from the STEM Passport for Inclusion initiative founded by Dr Katriona OSullivan, academic and author of Poor, to encourage girls from DEIS schools to pursue careers in STEM. Justin Molloy, Director of the Midland Branch of the Construction Industry Federation said the latest Labour Force Survey shows that just 9% of the construction workforce is female, a statistic that has remained unchanged for some years. READ NEXT: Longford audience set to experience Night Dances at Backstage "The Construction Industry Federations International Womens Day Summit is a platform to celebrate, inspire, and encourage women to pursue careers in the industry. "By showcasing female leaders who are driving change, we aim to highlight the wide range of opportunities available to women in construction," he added. While the event is sold out, people from Longford can join in by registering for a livestream. Justin Molloy said: Whether youre drawn to engineering, electrical work, human resources, or project management, the industry offers diverse career paths to suit every skill set. "We encourage women and students from Longford to explore these opportunities and to consider building a rewarding future in construction. Industry-wide efforts to attract women and girls are gaining momentum, alongside an expanding range of career opportunities. "The Construction Industry Federation is committed to fostering gender diversity through initiatives such as the Constructing Careers schools programme, with construction companies visiting schools to show what a career in construction means. "We are also planning a national Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion survey to regularly benchmark diversity in the industry. This sold-out event, attended by over 650 industry professionals, will highlight the diverse career opportunities available to women in construction, from trades to leadership. Tune in and join us to celebrate International Womens Day. To find out more visit cif.ie or register for the livestream. TD for Longford-Westmeath, Sorca Clarke, says Eating Disorders need to be taken more seriously in Ireland and calls on government to take immediate action. Speaking today Teachta Clarke said, While the recent announcement of two additional eating disorder teams is a step in the right direction, it is far from enough to meet the urgent needs of people living with eating disorders. Early intervention is critical, yet it is still not available in the majority of cases, causing prolonged suffering and relapse to the person with an eating disorder and their loved ones. Also Read: Lovely gesture: Longford girl cuts her beautiful hair to raise funds for two charities There are still 15 counties across the country without CAMHS or YAMHS eating disorder services, leaving many individuals without adequate support. Despite demand, there is a clear shortage of trained staff with the necessary expertise to provide the specialised care that people with eating disorders require. People with eating disorders should not have to leave the country to get the care they deserve. This is absolutely shameful and must change. Also Read: Longford audience set to experience Night Dances at Backstage People with eating disorders are not untreatable, it is the system that is failing them. It is essential that mental health is treated with the same urgency and care as physical health. I call on government to take immediate action. Also Read: PICTURES | Rally enthusiasts throng Longford for top class festival of motorsport Childrens Books Ireland and An Post are reminding children and families in Longford to claim their free World Book Day titles, from Irish authors and illustrators including Paddy Donnelly, Aine Ni Ghlinn and Andrew Whitson AKA Mr. Ando, in time for this years World Book Day Ireland on Thursday, 6th March. Sponsored by National Book Tokens and delivered by An Post in partnership with Childrens Books Ireland, World Book Day Ireland makes books and reading more accessible than ever. Families and children in Longford are encouraged to use their 1.50 World Book Day tokens, available now through schools, online, and in bookshops, to claim one of 14 specially curated titles before 23rd March. Speaking about World Book Day Ireland, Elaina Ryan, CEO of Childrens Books Ireland said,Read Your Way is the main message of this years World Book Day Ireland and that means encouraging children and young people to enjoy the pleasure that comes from reading...whether thats a graphic novel, audiobook, Irish language publication, or one of the 14 brilliant World Book Day titles available for readers aged from 0teen. Also Read: Longford students bidding for success at Junk Kouture Regional Final We also encourage families in Longford to take part in the events being planned to celebrate the day and as always, to visit their local library to discover more great books. Schools, libraries and bookshops across the country will mark the day with celebrations including storytelling sessions, and costume challenges where pupils to dress up as their favourite character from a book. Debbie Byrne, MD of An Post Retail said, An Post are tremendously proud to be the official delivery partner of World Book Day in Ireland. We will be delivering over 924,000 book tokens to every school nationwide in addition to donating and delivering 40,000 free books to children who are most in need. At the heart of World Book Day is the belief - backed by evidence - that children are more likely to read if they enjoy it and have a choice in what and how to read, said Cassie Chadderton, World Book Day CEO. Also Read: Property market in Longford continues to show steady growth Graphic novels, comics, or one of our amazing 1/1.50 books free in exchange for a World Book Day book token can help unlock the power of reading. Were excited to be working with so many partners to reach even more children and families, and to invite everyone to join the party and Read Their Way this World Book Day. Sean O Coinn, CEO, Foras na Gaeilge expressed his excitement for the upcoming event, We are delighted to be supporting World Book Day Ireland with the inclusion of an Irish-language book for the fourth year in a row. The demand from bookshops for the Irish-language book for World Book Day is increasing year on year. We are thrilled that this year, with the support of Childrens Books Ireland and An Post that over 10,000 copies of Ag Buzzail sa Ghairdin by Aine Ni Ghlinn, published by An tSnathaid Mhor will be available to children and families all over the island of Ireland. Irish-language books and resources are supported by Foras na Gaeilge and accessible copies are provided by Vision Ireland and ChildVision. World Book Day 2025 will take place on Thursday, 6th March 2025. Discover the full range of 1.50/1 World Book Day 2025 titles here. Also Read: Liquor licence granted for new Lidl store in county Longford It is unacceptable that trucks carrying Irish aid for Gaza are being prevented from entering the region by Israel, the Tanaiste has said. Four trucks carrying Irish-funded supplies are among those which Israel have halted from travelling to Gaza from Jordan. Speaking before a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Simon Harris said he would be updating his Government colleagues on the matter. He said he was tracking very closely developments in relation to humanitarian aid in Gaza. It is not an acceptable situation that humanitarian aid cannot now access Gaza when theres such a massive humanitarian catastrophe under way there, he added. There are four trucks funded by Ireland waiting in Jordan to get into Gaza with crucial supplies, including food and its absolutely vital that that aid is allowed to flow. Were continuing to work at every level possible to ensure that the ceasefire holds and that the aid can flow, and of course, that the hostages can be released. Local News By Chris Boyle Published: March 03 2025 The incident took place at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Sunrise Highway near North Delaware Avenue, officials say. Reports indicate that a horrific school crash involving a bus from the Lindenhurst Union Free School District took place in North Lindenhurst on Monday, March 3 that left eight individuals injured. The incident took place at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Sunrise Highway near North Delaware Avenue, officials say. First responders transported eight people to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip. Currently, the age, extent of the injuries suffered by the victims, and number of vehicles involved are not known, although representatives of the Lindenhurst Fire Department have referred to the crash as a "mass casualty incident." The incident caused authorities to close Sunrise Highway in both directions; as of press time (6:22 p.m.), this is still the case. Ahmad Massoud, founder and leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan. (Hamid Mohammadi via Wikimedia under CC BY-SA 4.0) On February 18, 2025, various factions of the anti-Taliban resistance wrapped up the fifth Vienna Process Conference for a Democratic Afghanistan, calling for international assistance in forming a transitional government. Former leaders of the Afghan government, civil society representatives, and anti-Taliban resistance leaders participated in the event hosted by the Austrian Institute for International Affairs. The fifth round of the Vienna Process brought together over 90 participants, making it the largest gathering on Afghanistan since 2021, Ali Nazary, head of foreign relations for the National Resistance Front, an alliance of former Northern Alliance members and additional anti-Taliban fighters, told FDDs Long War Journal. The conference emphasized the adoption of the Vienna Process Roadmap, which seeks to foster democracy and restore the rule of law in Afghanistan. This roadmap, developed through extensive discussions during the first four conferences, aims to end political violence, enhance international relations with the Afghan diaspora, promote the rights of marginalized Afghans, and establish a framework for a stronger economy. We call on the international community to support Afghanistans fight for democracy and justice, said Nazary. In a statement after the event, leaders condemned the Talibans regime as illegitimate. Furthermore, they criticized the group for implementing a gender apartheid regime, endorsing terrorism, and hurting millions of displaced Afghans. The Taliban do not represent the true rulers of Afghanistan, General Yasin Zia, leader of the Afghanistan Freedom Front and former deputy defense minister of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, told Long War Journal. The people of Afghanistan would never select the Taliban. They are terrorists, not allies in counterterrorism. Additionally, the conference established a National Commission of 19 members representing all groups participating in the process. The commissions tasks will include finalizing governing documents, developing a shared vision, formulating future anti-Taliban strategies, and designing a new governing structure for Afghanistan. We call on the Taliban to end their gender apartheid regime, Lieutenant General Haibitullah Alizai, the last chief of staff of the Afghan National Army, told LWJ. The Taliban and its various allies maintain a firm hold on Afghanistan. However, anti-Taliban resistance groups, including the National Resistance Front and the Afghanistan Freedom Front, two of the leading organizations attending the conference, have undertaken kinetic operations in the country. They have conducted attacks against static outposts and Kabul International Airport, where the Taliban stores its air force. Notably absent from the conference was Lieutenant General Sami Sadats Afghanistan United Front. The Vienna Conference was a great opportunity to strengthen unity among opposition parties and build a unified umbrella that could be recognized as the primary anti-Taliban coalition, General Ajmal Omar Shinwari, a former spokesperson for the Afghan military, told LWJ. All political and diplomatic gatherings that are focused on uniting the people of Afghanistan around human rights and democratic principles are a good idea, Major (Ret) Jason Howk, Director of Global Friends of Afghanistan, a non-profit working to achieve diplomatic victories in Afghanistan, told LWJ. Will Selber is a retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel and Middle East foreign area officer/intelligence officer with 20 years of experience in the intelligence community and over four years in Iraq and Afghanistan. He's a Department of Defense Level III Subject Matter Expert in South Asia. Will is also the co-founder of Grumpy Combat Veteran + Friends Media, the president of the Afghan-American Veterans Alliance, and a contributor at The Bulwark. The logo of the Islamic Resistance Front in SyriaGreat Might. An armed organization calling itself The Islamic Resistance Front in SyriaGreat Might (formerly known as The Front for the Liberation of the South) has issued statements warning the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to withdraw from southern Syria and the demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights. The group has also claimed responsibility for several attacks against the IDF in south Syria. On December 8, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the IDF had temporarily seized control of the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights. The 235-square-kilometer zone was created under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Israel and Syria that ended the Yom Kippur War. Following the fall of Syrias Bashar al Assad regime to Hayat Tahrir al Sham and allied jihadist groups in December, Israel considered the agreement void. Since the fall of the Assad regime, Israel has carried out airstrikes against the former governments military assets and made limited ground advances into southern Syria to secure the border. Israel further indicated its policy toward the new Syrian government led by Ahmad al Sharaa on February 25, when Netanyahu called for south Syria to be demilitarized due to the threat from Syrian government forces and terrorist organizations. However, Israeli moves to secure the borders from the Sharaa-led government and its jihadist allies have led to another potential security challenge. Previously unknown groups appear to have formed in opposition to the presence of IDF troops in the buffer zone and south Syria. Establishment of The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria On January 7, the Front for the Liberation of the South announced its formation as a resistance movement, emphasizing that it comprises various segments of the Syrian population and has no allegiances to any political organizations. The group issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Israel demanding the IDF withdraw from southern Syria; otherwise, it threatened to confront Israel militarily using equipment seized from the Assad regime. Four days later, the group changed its name to Awli al Bas (Great Might)The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria. The group claims the name change was due to other groups with the same previous name existing in the same area. The logo adopted by the organization is an adaptation of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) logo with a long arm holding an AK-47, signaling some affiliation with the other so-called muqawama (resistance) groups that have chosen similar logos. Awli al Bas is derived from the Quranic verse, So when the time for the first of the two came, We roused against you slaves of Ours of great might who ravaged (your) country, and it was a threat performed. Awli al Bas is also the name Hezbollah adopted for its campaign against Israel after Israel invaded southern Lebanon in 2024. The Islamic Resistance Front in Syrias statements have primarily revolved around publicizing reconnaissance missions against Israeli troops in southern Syria. However, on January 21, the group claimed that one of the battalions under its command successfully downed an Israeli drone near Al Telal al Homr in the Quneitra countryside. The claim is unsubstantiated. On January 31, the group claimed it targeted Israeli troops in Tarnaja in the Quneitra countryside with appropriate weapons. The IDF later reported that shots were heard and identified in the area in which IDF troops are operating in Syrian territory. The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria announced it is part of the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance and is the religious extension of the battle of the promise of the Hereafter, a reference to a Quranic verse that has been interpreted as the final battle to liberate Palestine. On February 28, two days after Israeli airstrikes in southern Syria, the group announced that other unidentified military factions had joined it to prepare for the battle of The Promise of the Hereafter against Israel. The establishment of The Islamic Resistance Front in SyriaGreat Might is still in its infancy, and its unclear how the group is structured, what other armed organizations have joined its cause, and if it is a legitimate threat to Israeli troops operating on the Syrian border. Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the Levant. Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle East. Luxembourg Citys municipal council has approved 67 security cameras to be installed in the Bonnevoie neighbourhood with more CCTV cameras potentially on the way in the district near the Gare. The cameras aim to respond to security concerns in Bonnevoie in the area bordering the capitals train station. A police impact study, which was carried out from 2020 to 2023, showed that prevention measures need to be strengthened, with 84 drug offences, 92 burglaries and 184 thefts were recorded in the area studied in 2023. I dont need to emphasise that we advise taking a positive stance. But of course everyone is free to express their opinion, said Luxembourg City Mayor Lydie Polfer (DP) ahead of the vote. The DP-CSV majority in the council voted in favour, while dei Lenks David Wagner voted against the CCTV cameras. The LSAP and dei Greng abstained. The budget for the project, estimated at 2.25 million, was also approved. In order for cameras to be installed in a neighbourhood, a police impact study, an opinion by the public prosecutor and an advisory commission are needed in addition to the council vote. The final authorisation is given by Home Affairs Minister Leon Gloden (CSV). Video surveillance is something that liberals would rather not have. But unfortunately you have to resort to it in a modern city today, said councillor Claude Radoux of the DP despite supporting the proposal. A few cameras wont eliminate crime and wont make people behave better, Radoux said, but they could act as a deterrent. Balancing act between security and privacy The balance between security and privacy must be right, said Bob Biver from the CSV. Even before one of the 67 cameras is installed in Bonnevoie, discussions about extending video surveillance to the northern part of the neighbourhood are already ongoing. This would mean that the area around Stade Achille Hammerel, Boulevard de la Fraternite and Verlorenkost would also be monitored by CCTV. However, a report studying the need for this extension is not yet available. There already are around 300 CCTV cameras in the capital, with the network known as Visupol. The discussion about the expansion of video surveillance in the capital was a topic of discussion in the city council on Monday. Photo credit: Anouk Antony/LW-Archiv We are not taking a targeted approach. Everyone is being recorded, said Francois Benoy of the Greens. A law on security cameras in the public space is to be revised by the CSV-DP government to simplify the authorisation process and make it easier to add new zones. The update also aims to look at the use of artificial intelligence. That sets off alarm bells for me, said Benoy. Former Green interior security minister Francois Bausch in 2019 had said he would not approve the use of facial recognition. Also read: Police carry out drug and immigration checks in Gare area Shifting the problems Camera surveillance has already been extended around the central railway station. Has the sense of security improved there? Is there less crime there? The answer is quite clearly no, said Benoy. CCTV is window-dressing, conveys a false sense of security and only leads to a displacement of the problems, he added. Gabriel Boisante (LSAP) also expressed concerns about the expansion of video surveillance, commenting that the way it is proposed now, we cannot agree with the measure. We have to be careful not to trivialise this. Perhaps it is more of a bogus solution and the citizens are actually being monitored more than the criminals, said dei Lenks Wagner. Fifteen years ago, Wagner said, former mayor Xavier Bettel had ruled out increasing surveillance but this is now happening. The ADRs Tom Weidig insisted that measures must be taken to combat crime while saying that there should not be a surveillance state. (This article was first published on the Luxemburger Wort. Translation and editing by Tracy Heindrichs.) A man in his 80s died Monday on a transatlantic flight to Boston, authorities confirmed Tuesday. The crew of a British Airways flight reported the mans unattended death while en route from Londons Heathrow Airport to Boston Logan International Airport, Timothy McGuirk, a Massachusetts State Police spokesperson, said. State troopers stationed at Logan Airport responded to Terminal E, the international terminal, when the flight landed around 7:30 p.m. The troopers determined the death was not suspicious and do not suspect foul play, McGuirk said. There was no additional information available, he said. British Airways did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. A 13-car crash on Interstate 195 near the state line between Rhode Island and Massachusetts left 13 people hurt, and one driver charged in connection with the crash, NBC 10 Boston reported Tuesday. Rhode Island State Police learned of the crash near Exit 2 at around 9 a.m., State Police told NBC. A tractor-trailer heading west crashed into about 12 other vehicles after it failed to stop for traffic. The tractor-trailers driver, Jon Main, 64, of Cranston, Rhode Island, was charged with driving to endanger, resulting in physical injury, according to NBC. Main and 12 other people were hospitalized following the crash, the news station reported. While most of the people had minor injuries, one driver was seriously hurt. She is expected to survive. Main will be arraigned after he is released from the hospital, NBC stated. The crash prompted a closure of the highways westbound side at Exit 1 in Seekonk, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said in a post on X. The left shoulder in the left lane was blocked on the east side of I-195 after Exit 2C in East Providence, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation wrote on X at 9:53 a.m. By 12:45 p.m., MassDOT said on X that all lanes were reopened and the scene was cleared. MassLive has reached out to Rhode Island State Police for information about the morning crash. People walk between buildings, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) AP Higher education institutions in Massachusetts once made up half of the failing universities on the Anti-Defamation Leagues (ADL) campus antisemitism report card. But in the most recent report card, there was significant improvement with none receiving an F this time. Harvard University and Tufts University, which both previously received F grades, improved by two letter grades something that only 12% of schools nationally did, according to the ADL. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Wellesley College improved by a letter grade. Other Massachusetts institutions remained at their previous grade with the exception of Boston University which declined from a C grade to a D grade. This was due to campus conduct and climate concerns. While MIT and the University of Massachusetts Amherst improved from a F to a D, the institutions are of continued concern to the ADL for similar reasons. I think one of the areas that remains a concern is campus conduct and climate. And that really relates to the kinds of incidences that we continue to see where students are subjected to antisemitic or anti-zionist protest, rhetoric, actions in their classrooms, etc., said Samantha Joseph, the ADLs New England Regional Director. Campus conduct and climate concerns were informed by the ADLs Center on Extremism which uses reports from students and campus partners. The ADL included 135 colleges and universities in its report card this year, 50 more than last year. They were selected based on Jewish student population, national rankings and submissions from ADLs regional offices, according to the organization. Fifteen were in New England with no new institutions added to the list, Joseph said. Ten of the 15 were in Massachusetts. Each institution was evaluated on three main criteria: Jewish life on campus, publicly disclosed administrative actions and campus conduct and climate concerns. Key to the improvements have been strong Jewish life on the college campuses and administrative action around their code of conduct, Joseph said. For instance, institutions have enacted major policy changes in response to campus antisemitism, revising demonstration policies, mandating antisemitism education and improving bias reporting. Some organizations have criticized the ADL following its seeming defense of Elon Musk appearing to make a Nazi salute at an inauguration rally for President Donald Trump. In a tweet following the event, the ADL described Musks raised right arm as an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute. The ADL is being crystal clear about where it stands, Beth Miller, political director at Jewish Voice for Peace, told Al-Jazeera. They have made it as clear as possible that they are not a reputable source of information when it comes to anti-Semitism. They are not actually prioritizing the protection of Jewish communities at all. Days later, ADLs CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said on X that it is inappropriate and offensive to make light of the Holocaust, in response to Musks Holocaust jokes on X. Joseph said that hasnt impacted any of the organizations relationships with New England institutions. Read more: Harvard among 10 colleges federal task force on antisemitism will visit Nationwide, 36% of institutions were given an A or B in the report card increasing from 23.5% in 2024. Twenty-one percent of schools received a D and nearly 10% received an F. Forty-five percent of graded schools improved nationally while nine percent declined. Of note, Brandeis University has remained with an A grade something only eight institutions received this year. The campus antisemitism report card has been shining light on some of those opportunities for improvement and was a helpful driver for improving scores, according to Joseph. Eric McPhail is brought in to Boston Municipal Court for an arraignment on a murder charge in connection with the death of Shantel Gillespie, the mother of his three children. (Jonathan Wiggs/Pool Photo) Jonathan Wiggs/Pool Photo A Boston man accused of killing the mother of his three children in a South End apartment in December was indicted by a grand jury Tuesday. Eric McPhail, 37, was indicted on a homicide charge by a Suffolk County grand jury, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said. Prosecutors claim that McPhail strangled and beat 30-year-old Shantel Gillespie, ultimately killing her at 390 Harrison Ave. on Dec. 12. Gillespie lived with her three kids ages 1, 3 and 6 on the fifth floor of the apartment building called The Harris. McPhail was ordered held without bail on a single murder charge during his arraignment at Boston Municipal Court on Jan. 29. McPhail went into 390 Harrison Ave. moments before Gillespie did on Dec. 11, according to prosecutors. Their kids were inside the apartment throughout the night. McPhail left the apartment building on Dec. 12 at 12:01 a.m. He then returned at 12:08 a.m. using a key fob to enter the apartment, according to prosecutors. He and the kids left the building hours later when McPhail dropped them off at school. He went back to the apartment around 9 a.m. and left at 10:35 a.m., according to prosecutors. He didnt return. McPhail dropped the kids off at a Dorchester home later that night, according to prosecutors. He told one witness that he was, going away for a long time and another witness that, This is probably the last time you are going to hear from me. He then abandoned Gillespies car and debit card in a garage on Francis Street, prosecutors said. The card and debit card were later found by police. The same person who McPhail dropped his kids off with called police saying they feared the Boston man might have killed Gillespie, prosecutors said. McPhail also has a history of abusiveness toward Gillespie, according to prosecutors. This includes past domestic violence charges and two prior restraining orders, one of which was from February 2021 and the other on July 2022. A registered sex offender from Brockton was charged in connection with taking photos of a woman while she was using a shower at a YMCA, the East Bridgewater Police Department said. Abidan Rivera, 42, was charged with photographing, videotaping or electronically surveilling someone nude/partially nude or sexual intimate parts. At his Tuesday arraignment, Riveras bail was set at $10,000 and he was ordered to wear GPS monitoring if released, police said in a statement. Rivera was also ordered to stay away from he YMCA and the victim. On Sunday, East Bridgewater police went to the YMCA at 635 Plymouth St. about a report of someone taking photos and/or video of a woman showering there, the department said. Police identified Rivera after reviewing video surveillance and speaking with an eyewitness, the statement read. Rivera is a registered Level 2 sex offender. After obtaining an arrest warrant, Rivera was arrested at his workplace in Middleborough on Monday, police said. Investigators seized several kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, along with a number of guns, after a search of a "stash location" in Lawrence. (U.S. Attorney's Office) U.S. Attorney's Office A Dominican national living in Lawrence who prosecutors say is linked to a drug-trafficking organization on the North Shore is facing several criminal charges after investigators found more than a dozen kilograms of counterfeit pills in a stash house. Leury Then Rosario, 33, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine. He was arrested on Feb. 25, U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foleys office said in a statement. He is being held pending a hearing set for March 7. Immediately after Rosarios arrest, investigators searched his primary residence and what prosecutors described as a stash location in Lawrence. The stash location appeared to be a multiservice business with an empty retail counter in the front room. In the back room, investigators found two large casino-style poker tables and video poker-type machines, Foleys office said. The location also had surveillance cameras inside and out. In the basement, investigators found two large, locked storage boxes with respirators, gloves, drug packaging materials, scales and other tools associated with drug processing or manufacturing, according to the statement. They also found a small remote control with an extendable antenna. When operated, the remote triggered an alarm and revealed a trap wall within the storage area. Inside the wall was a closet containing dozens of kilograms of counterfeit pills, a kilogram of cocaine, two kilograms of fentanyl pressed into 10-gram units, two kilograms of fentanyl power in large bags and more than 25 pounds of loose powders believed to include cutting agents, Foleys office said. Investigators also uncovered a commercial pill press, 50 pill die casts with designs to imitate Percocet, Xanax, Adderall and others, multiple kilogram presses and branded stamps used to imprint logos onto drugs. They also found a number of guns inside the closet, including an AR-15 and a pair of ghost guns, according to Foleys office. Investigators found several kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, along with a number of guns, in a hidden closet in a "stash location" in Lawrence. (U.S. Attorney's Office) U.S. Attorney's Office An investigation into the drug trafficking organization, which received fentanyl and methamphetamine from the Sinaloa cartel, began in January 2023. It was during that investigation that investigators identified Rosario. The discovery of drugs and guns inside the closet lays bare the dangerous reality of drug trafficking today: fentanyl and methamphetamine are flooding our communities, protected by deadly firepower, said Foley. Drug traffickers are adapting, but so are we, she said. This office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to dismantle these criminal networks piece by piece, ensuring those who peddle poison in our communities face the full force of justice. Two Cape Cod police academy leaders have been suspended pending an investigation into inappropriate conduct between staff and student officers, according to a letter from the Massachusetts Police Training Committee (MPTC). The letter states the East Falmouth Police Academy director and academy coordinator were suspended pending further investigation. The academys website identified the director as Christopher Donelan and academy coordinator as Edward Dunne. The suspensions come after the MPTC was made aware of concerns of inappropriate conduct from academy staff on Feb. 26, MPTC Executive Director Rick Rathbun wrote in a letter Monday. The MPTC notified police chiefs about concerns raised by agencies with student officers attending the East Falmouth Academy Recruit Office Course on Feb. 27, the letter said. The MPTC then started to collect and review necessary documents for its investigation. Rathbun also addressed recruits on Feb. 27 and asked if the chiefs or an agency representative speak to student officers to see if they knew anything about this incident. That same day the MPTC temporarily removed all staff instructors from their positions at the academy, the letter said. All instructors were replaced with people from another MPTC academy to minimize any disruption to the student officers schedule. The safety, well-being and ethical development of our recruits is our top priority, the letter read. We are reinforcing our policies, training and oversight to ensure that the highest standards of professional and accountability are upheld. The investigation is still ongoing. A Fairhaven man killed in a crash on the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge on Feb. 20 was remembered for his love of fishing and brought joy to his friends and family, his obituary stated. Mason Evich, 28, died after two vehicles, a GMC Sierra and a Tesla, were damaged in the eastbound lanes of the bridge, which is part of Route 6 and connects New Bedford and Fairhaven on the South Coast. The only person in the Tesla, Mason Evich was pulled out of the car by mechanical means, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn IIIs office said. He was pronounced dead at the crash site. Mason Evich was a devoted son, brother, and loyal friend, his family wrote in his obituary. He was everything wonderful. If you were lucky enough to know Mason, you LOVED him. A beacon of kindness, with a gentle soul that touched everyone he met, the pain we feel in losing him is indescribable. He was born in Seattle, Washington, to Dagne Evich and the late Adam Evich. After moving to Fairhaven, he graduated from Fairhaven High School to attend the Northeast Maritime Institute, where he earned an associates degree and a captains license. The Fairhaven mans love of fishing came from his father, who was a longtime commercial fisherman. Mason Evich would join his father in Bristol Bay, Alaska, where they salmon-fished together on the familys fishing vessel, his family wrote. After college, Mason Evich worked as a mate on commercial fishing vessels out of New Bedford and Cape May, New Jersey, his family wrote. Mason Evich lives with the love and light of his life, Lexy Paim, and their two beloved fur babies, Abel and Indy, his obituary read. We take some comfort in knowing that the last few years of Masons life with Lexy brought him immense happiness and fulfillment. Though his time with us was far too short, the joy Mason brought into our lives will always be cherished, his family said. His infectious smile, kind spirit, and unwavering dedication to his family and friends will remain his legacy. Services were held on March 1 at the Country Club of New Bedford. Mason Evich is survived by his mother, his younger brother Turner Evich, his maternal grandmother Sonja Sovik, his paternal grandfather Peter Evich, and several aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family and friends in both Seattle and Massachusetts, his obituary read. We will carry you in our hearts forever, Mason, his family wrote. A federal investigation involving the death of Karen Reads boyfriend, John OKeefe, has concluded, a Norfolk County prosecutor said on Tuesday. Specially appointed Assistant District Attorney Hank Brennan said the U.S. Attorneys Office of Massachusetts notified the Norfolk County District Attorneys Office about the federal investigation ending. No charges or arrests were ever announced. Brennan said during a hearing for Reads criminal case that the investigation into OKeefes death or any related matters is closed. He said the district attorneys office received the notice on Feb. 19 a day after Reads lawyers argued to gain access to unredacted copies of the investigation into the death of Sandra Birchmore, a separate investigation led by the Norfolk district attorneys office. They (the federal government) made clear that I could inform the court, there is no longer any federal investigation, Brennan said on Tuesday. It is closed. It is over. Canton Police Chief Helena Rafferty released a statement Tuesday confirming that she was informed about the federal investigation ending. I recently spoke to and was informed by the US Attorneys office, that ALL ASPECTS of the federal investigation, initiated by her predecessor and related to the death of John OKeefe, have been completed, Rafferty wrote. The investigation is no longer active and will be closed. Due to ethical limitations, I cannot comment further. The U.S. Attorneys Office for Massachusetts never publicly acknowledged the investigations existence, but court filings in the months leading up to Reads first trial last year revealed many witnesses were brought before a federal grand jury in 2023. The federal case loomed large over the first trial, with materials turned over from the federal government often taking center stage, although jurors could not know it existed. Court filings last year showed that Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey personally requested that the federal governments investigation be transferred out of the Massachusetts office. In the letters written by Morrissey, he described a weaponization of the U.S. Attorneys Office to conduct an unprecedented intervention into an open state murder case. The existence of the federal case fueled speculation about law-enforcement wrongdoing in the Read investigation, particularly because her defense has claimed she is being framed for OKeefes murder. Prosecutors say Read, 45, intentionally backed her SUV into OKeefe after dropping him off outside the Canton home of a fellow Boston police officer following a night of drinking on Jan. 29, 2022. Reads defense has claimed she is being framed and that OKeefe was instead fatally beaten inside the home. Reads second trial is set to begin on April 1. A Florida woman was sentenced Monday in Boston federal court for defrauding a Massachusetts housing agency where she worked in 2022 and the U.S. Small Business Administration in connection with the pandemic Paycheck Protection Program, federal authorities said. Alihea Jones, 51, of Brandon, Florida, was sentenced to 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said. Jones was also ordered to pay $222,074 in restitution and to forfeit $222,074, Foley said. She pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud in September. For six months, Jones worked remotely for the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, Foley said. She worked with the Residential Aid to Families in Transition program also known as RAFT. The program provides money to help low-income Massachusetts residents facing eviction and other housing issues. After she got fired, Jones, who was still logged into the RAFT database, got into the files of four of the programs participants and authorized electronic payments to their landlords in the amounts of $7,500, $8,800, $6,925 and $10,000, Foley said. Jones changed the routing and bank account numbers from the landlords' accounts to four unauthorized accounts in Georgia, Foley said. She did this without knowledge or permission from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development. One account was in the name of Joness business, Beauty Concepts by Alihea LLC, and another was Joness personal account, Foley said. She also sent money to the accounts of people called Friend A and Friend B in the charging documents, Foley said. After the transfers went through, Friend A and Friend B each paid Jones a $2,000 kickback, Foley said. Jones also fraudulently obtained a $187,000 loan from the Paycheck Protection Program from a Massachusetts lender in 2021, Foley said. The SBA later forgave that loan. Jones spent most of the money on personal items, including clothing and restaurants. Under the PPP, authorized lenders issued SBA-guaranteed loans to small businesses during the COVID pandemic to help keep workers employed, Foley said. If a business spent the money on payroll and other permissible business expenses, the SBA forgave the loan. Jones submitted a PPP loan application to a Massachusetts lender falsely stating that Beauty Concepts had 17 workers and an average monthly payroll expense of about $75,000, Foley said. In reality, the company didnt employ anyone. Because it didnt know that Jones information was false, the SBA agreed to guarantee a $187,000 loan to Beauty Concepts, Foley said. The lender passed on the loan proceeds to the Beauty Concepts account in Georgia, Foley said. Jones later applied to have her loan forgiven. Again, she included false employee count and payroll information, Foley said. Unaware that Joness representations were false, the SBA forgave the loan principal and accrued interest. Jones caused a loss of $222,074, with $33,225 payable to the DHCD and $188,849 payable to the SBA, Foley said. Two Mastiff-type dogs are in "good condition" after they were found tethered to a tree near the American Rescue League's Dedham campus on Feb. 12. American Rescue League Its no secret that Massachusetts' housing crisis has made life difficult for residents across the state. But Greater Boston animal shelters say one group of victims is often overlooked: pets. Pets are also losing their homes due to high housing costs and a lack of pet-friendly and affordable homes, according to the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL Boston) and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA). In 2023, ARL Boston took in nearly 340 pets surrendered for housing-related reasons, the organization said in a Monday press release. Last year, that number more than doubled to over 700. ARL-Boston has also seen a number of incidents recently where pet owners in crisis left animals outside of shelters or veterinary offices out of desperation, the non-profit said. Last week, two four-month-old puppies were tied to a tree outside its Dedham location. These are pet owners who simply dont know what to do, dont know what resources are available to them and likely believe they are acting in the best interest of the animal, ARL Boston wrote in the release. Why pets are being abandoned Three housing-related situations are often cited by pet owners surrendering an animal, ARL Boston said. For one, property owners or managers sometimes add no-pet or restrictive pet policies to a lease with little or no notice to tenants. Additionally, renters may move to a less expensive home that doesnt allow pets or simply experience sudden housing instability or homelessness, ARL Boston said. Tenants have little recourse and are being forced to make the incredibly difficult decision to surrender their pets, the non-profit wrote in the release. Pet-friendly housing can be hard to find in Massachusetts. Just under 40% of rental units in the state allow some kind of pet, and only 7% have no breed or weight restrictions, according to MSPCA research. Finding housing is already a challenge, and having a pet particularly a dog makes finding housing that much more difficult, MSPCA Advocacy Director Kara Holmquist said in a Monday statement to MassLive. Additionally, as housing costs have skyrocketed in recent years, so too have the costs of pet ownership. The annual average cost to own a dog was $1,400 in 2024, compared to $875 in 2010, according to the ASPCA. For cats, the annual average cost is now $1,200, compared to $670 in 2010. This may be particularly true in Boston, which was rated the least pet-friendly city in the U.S. by personal finance website WalletHub last year, largely due to high local veterinary costs. When people struggle financially, pets also struggle, ARL Boston wrote. What is being done Two bills currently going through the Massachusetts Legislature would help address these issues. One bill, SD. 817, would allow pets to stay with their families during states of emergency by limiting evictions due to presence of a pet. It would also bar landlords from refusing to allow dogs based on breed, size, weight or appearance and make it illegal for pet insurance companies to cancel or refuse coverage or charge more based on a dogs breed. The other bill, HD.1307, would reestablish and expand pet ownership programs in state-aided housing authorities in Massachusetts. It would also prohibit housing authorities from limiting what types of dogs tenants can own based on breed, size, weight and appearance. Local shelters are also taking action on this issue. The MSPCA, for instance, said it has added a housing policy specialist position to help craft legislation and local policies in ways that help families and pets stay together. Additionally, ARL Boston is in the process of rebuilding its Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center to increase its shelter and veterinary hospital capacity and add a central support services hub to help keep pets and people together, the non-profit said. This will allow the center to provide more low-cost veterinary care and pet supplies the demand for which has more than doubled in the last five years and have more space to take in homeless animals. The New England Aquarium (NEAQ) has found that sea turtles it rehabilitated years ago are continuing to survive in the wild, filling a critical data gap thanks, in large part, to new research derived from acoustic tagging technology implanted in the reptiles. Back in 2021, NEAQ scientists and veterinarians were granted a federal permit to surgically implant acoustic transmitters specifically into loggerhead sea turtles, the organization said in a news release. These loggerhead sea turtles, like many NEAQ has rescued and rehabilitated over the past three decades, were stranded on the shores of Massachusetts. NEAQ operates a Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy which has helped thousands of sea turtles return to their natural habitats at sea, according to the aquarium. Read More: New England Aquarium unveils 20 new names for North Atlantic right whales in 2024 For these turtles first acoustically tagged in 2021 and 2022, the aquarium saw that the turtles not only remained alive thanks to the tracking of their movements, but some returned each year to feeding habitats along the East Coast, including to the Bay State. NEAQ explained that satellite tags attached to turtles externally have been used in the past to track them after their recoveries and releases, but that this type of tag typically only lasts anywhere from six months to a year. Some of these external tags may also only last for a few days or weeks, NEAQ added. The key difference with the implanted acoustic tags, NEAQ said, is that they can last for far longer anywhere between three to seven years and cant be shed, providing the aquarium with valuable long-term information on where the turtles swim, feed, and travel. Dr. Kara Dodge, a research scientist in NEAQs Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, said in a statement that data gives us confidence in the turtles' abilities to reintegrate into nature following their releases. Were also finding that some turtles are returning to New England waters in the summer and fall, which was surprising and tells us this area may be more important for loggerheads than we previously thought, Dodge added. The tags help to indicate the movements of the turtles up and down the East Coast. They elicit pings into the surrounding water which are picked up by listening stations. The aquarium compared the reception of the turtles' tags to an E-ZPass system on the highway when an animal passes by an acoustic receiver. Monthly loggerhead sea turtle detections from August 2021 to July 2024. Data was derived from New England Aquarium acoustic receiver arrays and institutions participating in data sharing networks from Massachusetts to Florida. Image credit: New England Aquarium. New England Aquarium Dr. Charles Innis, a senior scientist and veterinarian at NEAQ who pioneered the internal acoustic tagging procedure for turtles, said in a statement, Its a little like Christmas morning every time we receive a new set of data. Acoustic receivers from Massachusetts to Florida have detected tagged-released turtles almost 6,000 times to date, according to the aquarium. The latest data showed that many of the acoustic tagged loggerheads are returning to New England waters Cape Cod in particular one year and even two years later," the aquarium noted. Dodge and Innis are now interested in applying the technology to other turtle species, such as Kemps ridley sea turtles and green sea turtles, to see if they, too, are returning to New England regularly. The data collected on sea turtle habitats has been historically sought after by state and federal regulators to determine proactive ocean planning and management around human activities at sea, NEAQ said. Were helping build a knowledge base about sea turtles off the New England coast, which ultimately can help establish conservation policies, Dodge said. The aquarium added that its researchers expect to receive data from some of the acoustic tags through 2032 thanks to their increased longevity. NEAQ said its scientists are seeking permission to use acoustic tagging technology on other sea turtle species, noting that the work could provide important information on these aquatic species that are rarely seen and poorly understood. Karen Read returns to Norfolk County Superior Court on Tuesday for a motion hearing as the case heads to trial in April. There are at least three hearings scheduled for Read this week, with a second motion hearing scheduled for Wednesday and a final pre-trial conference hearing set for Friday. Read will also appear in federal court on Wednesday as part of an appeal to the U.S. District Court to get two charges dropped. Last week, lawyers for Read filed a motion to dismiss the case and argued that prosecutors intentionally withheld exculpatory evidence and violated her right to a fair trial. Prosecutors disagreed and in a separate motion described Reads legal team as engaging in repeated and baseless allegations of evidence tampering. The defense highlighted the failure by prosecutors to turn over all of the surveillance footage from the Canton police station recorded when Reads SUV was towed to the stations sallyport. Prosecutors say Read, 45, intentionally backed her SUV into her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John OKeefe, after dropping him off outside the Canton home of a fellow Boston police officer following a night of drinking on Jan. 29, 2022. She faces three counts: second-degree murder, second-degree murder and leaving of a collision resulting in death. Her first trial ended with a hung jury. In their motion to dismiss, Reads lawyers argued that prosecutors withheld footage from the Canton police sallyport for three years and that they received videos during the middle of the first trial and as recently as earlier this year. Reads SUV was towed to the stations sallyport, and her defense says surveillance videos from the station omit the critical 42-minute period after which it arrived. They say those videos could be exculpatory because they may show the condition of Reads taillight when it arrived there. Prosecutors agreed that the evidence was turned over in an untimely fashion, but they argued the videos were not exculpatory for Read. The defendant cannot show irremediable harm to her right to a fair trial as it relates to the Canton Police Department surveillance video, the filing reads. The hearing begins at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Gov. Maura Healey will be a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers Wednesday night. The NBC late night show announced the Massachusetts governors upcoming appearance Monday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. See you Wednesday! Healey wrote in a separate post on X. Actress Mindy Kaling will also be on the late night show Wednesday, according to the post on X. The announcement comes shortly after Healeys interview with the New York Times. In the interview with writer Lulu Garcia-Navarro, host of The Interview, Healey talks about several issues, including immigration and leading Massachusetts under a second Trump administration. Healey joins a long list of Democratic politicians whove been featured guests on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Some of them include Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former U.S. President Joe Biden and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District. Editors note: This article contains a description of an alleged sexual assault. A medical assistant who worked at Massachusetts General Hospital Back Bay Health Center was found guilty of indecent assault, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Haydens office said. Damien Knighton, 41, of East Boston, was found guilty of six counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, Haydens office said in a statement released Monday. On Jan. 18, 2023, at 3:40 p.m. Boston police responded to a call of a sexual assault that occurred inside the MGH Back Bay Health Center facility, according to officials. The victim reportedly told police that he was visiting MGH to see his doctor for a follow-up appointment for his shoulder and leg injuries. While in an examination room, the victim told police he was approached by a medical assistant later identified as, Knighton who said the doctor requested an additional medical test. Before the examination, Knighton asked the victim to remove his clothes and told the victim he would be examining his penis and testicles. Knighton then proceeded to move the victims penis side to side, touched his testicles, and asked if blood was rushing to his penis, officials stated. Knighton then went on to insert his finger into the victims rectum. He then asked him to turn around and then repeated the insertion for a second time. The victim then got dressed and asked other hospital staff about the examination, he concluded he was sexually assaulted and notified Boston police. These incidents were egregious personal and ethical violations in a place of treatment and trust, and I thank the jury for recognizing them for what they were, Hayden said in the statement. I am grateful for the victims who bravely recounted Damien Knightons actions, and I thank the prosecutor, victim witness advocate and police investigators for their diligent work in bringing this defendant to justice. Knighton is expected to be sentenced at 10 a.m. on March 14. Advance Auto Parts plans to close more than 700 locations across the country by mid-2025, according to the companys earnings report released in November 2024. The auto parts retailer known for its do-it-yourself approach will close 523 corporate stores, 204 independent franchises and four distribution centers. Currently, there are 87 Advance Auto Parts stores in Massachusetts and more than 200 locations throughout New England. As of Oct. 5, 2024, there are a reported 4,781 Advance Auto Parts stores operating in the United States, the companys website states . Advance Auto Parts has not stated when the closures will happen or which stores are slated to shutter. The closures are part of the companys plan to improve its retail stores and speed up the opening of new ones. We are charting a clear path forward and introducing a new three-year financial plan, with a focus on executing core retail fundamentals to improve the productivity of all our assets and to create shareholder value, Advance Auto Parts President and CEO Shane OKelly wrote in the earnings report. A federal grand jury indicted a Newton man for repeated sexual contact with a 17-year-old girl seated in front of him on a JetBlue flight from Puerto Rico to Boston, United States Attorney Leah Foleys office said. Jonathan Alan Lefman, 46, was indicted on one count of abusive sexual contact while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Following a criminal complaint, Lefman was arrested on Feb. 7 and released on conditions. On Aug. 30, 2024, Lefman was on a flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Boston with his wife and their four children, Foleys office said in a statement. During the flight and when on the ground in Boston, Lefman worked his hand between and through the area between the back and bottom of the seat in front of him, where the girl sat, Foleys office said. He reached his hands through and touched her buttocks without her permission. Through a reflection, the girl saw him leaning between the seats in the seatback monitor in front of her, the statement read. "On the last occasion when he allegedly touched or attempted to touch her buttocks, the minor victim was able to use her cell phone camera to take a video of Lefmans fingers protruding between the back and bottom of the minor victims seat" Foleys statement read. After the girl left the plane, she took a video of Lefman as he also got off the plane, Foleys office said. One of the girls family members reported Lefmans conduct to a JetBlue supervisor and confronted him, showing the video of his fingers between the seat. The charge of abusive sexual contact while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, five years to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called out Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on social media Tuesday afternoon for the citys policy of not cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The post came less than 24 hours before Wu was scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in Washington D.C. Wednesday morning about the Trust Act, the 2014 law prohibiting Boston Police Department from aiding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in civil immigration matters. Id like to extend my condolences to the good people of Boston. Mayor Wus actions are callous and an insult to law enforcement across America, Bondi wrote in the post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. As a result of the Mayors decision to side with public safety threats over law-abiding citizens, DOJ will have no choice but to increase efforts in the city of Boston. Criminals will be prosecuted, illegal aliens will be arrested, and justice will be served. Id like to extend my condolences to the good people of Boston. Mayor Wus actions are callous and an insult to law enforcement across America. As a result of the Mayor's decision to side with public safety threats over law-abiding citizens, DOJ will have no choice but to Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) March 4, 2025 Wu is one of four Democratic mayors of major cities with similar sanctuary city policies expected to testify during the hearing Wednesday. The Trump administration has threatened legal action and funding cuts if the city does not cooperate with federal immigration authorities, with border czar Tom Homan saying late last month that he was coming to Boston and Im bringing hell with me. During a press conference with members of Massachusetts' Congressional delegation Tuesday afternoon, Wu said she was ready to defend Boston. We are a city that throws open the doors of opportunity for all of our residents at a time when this administration in the White House is slamming them shut, she said. We are the city where people come to do good in the world at a time when this administration seems dead set on the opposite. Were a city that opens our arms and offers a hand when this administration is more interested in turning its back. The City of Worcester announced Tuesday its 311 customer service center has added access to Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) services via the use of a new self-serving kiosk. By using the kiosk at the service center, located at 799 Main St., residents can apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and Emergency Aid to Elders, Disabled, and Children (EAEDC) benefits, according to a press release from the city. Residents must have a valid email address to apply for these benefits. This is the next phase of our continued rollout of services for the Worcester 311 Customer Service Center, said City Manager Eric D. Batista in the press release. These new services help us bring critical resources to residents where they are. I want to thank the Worcester 311 team for its dedication and commitment to bringing municipal government directly to residents in creative and practical ways that truly improve residents quality of life. We look forward to continuing to grow services even further. The DTA provides programs for individuals and families to help them meet basic needs, according to the DTAs website. DTA offers cash-assistance programs, food and nutrition programs and programs to help individuals train and apply for jobs. The DTA self-service kiosk is available to residents Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday from 11 a.m.to 7 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the city. Residents who are unable to visit the customer service center can download a mobile app to a smartphone or tablet at https://dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.gov. 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Mary, aged 75, has been diagnosed with cancer three times, in 1983, 1991 and 2024. All three of her diagnoses were for breast cancer, however, her third diagnosis also included skin cancer. The grandmother-of-five and great-grandmother-of-two has said she is doing well following her most recent diagnosis. Since her first diagnosis in the early 80s, Mary has been a dedicated Daffodil Day volunteer and is encouraging everyone in Ballina and surrounding areas like Killala, Belmullet and Ballycastle, to get involved. READ MORE: Mayo photographers successful in press photographer awards ceremony Mary said: Im feeling good now. Im not 100% energy-wise, but Im good and Im looking forward to Daffodil Day. Ive been involved with it locally since my first diagnosis in the 80s, I love it and really enjoy it. The Irish Cancer Society has so many support services that people can avail of, which is great. The Irish Cancer Society has so many different programmes that help so many people in different ways, like their Volunteer Driver service, the Support Line, Daffodil Centres, Night Nursing and free counselling for people affected by cancer. She added: Every euro raised on Daffodil Day is crucial and makes a real lasting difference, fuelling life-changing cancer research and vital support services. I would encourage everyone to please get out there and donate on Daffodil Day, March 28, and show your support for those affected by cancer in your local community. The Irish Cancer Society aims to ensure that every person affected by cancer has a place to turn to, the support they need and the hope that there will come a day when no one in Ireland dies from cancer. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Irish public the Irish Cancer Society invests in ground-breaking cancer research and delivers crucial free support services for people affected by cancer, throughout Mayo. In 2024, the public's generous support provided 340 free lifts to bring Mayo-based cancer patients to their treatment and almost 320 free counselling sessions to people living in Mayo. Fundraising efforts have also made it possible to provide over 300 nights of free night nursing care to allow cancer patients in Mayo to die at home surrounded by loved ones. A business owner has attacked what he alleges is misinformation, untruths and falsehoods from councillors, TDs, the media and misinformed local business interests regarding his hotel in Ballinrobe. In recent weeks, local representatives expressed anger over the use of the Railway Inn as homeless accommodation following several disturbances near the premises. Mayo County Council, who had been using the facility for emergency accommodation for homeless people, has ended its dealings with the property owner. The residents were moved on to other locations. It was then reported that Roscommon County Council were to use the Railway Inn shortly after Mayo County Council ceased its association with the property. The owner of the 25-bedroom hotel, Ray Prendergast, has since denied having any contract with any local authority. Roscommon County Council did not respond to requests for comment on the matter. In a statement issued yesterday (Monday), March 3, Mr Prendergast said that no contract, past or present, exists between my business and any County Council and that it will continue to offer accommodation on a short term and long term basis to the public. The statement said that the property also remains available for local organisations and support groups to hold their meetings there if and when required. BEO letter In a letter seen by The Mayo News on Friday last, February 28, Ballinrobe Enterprise Organisation said recent disturbances at the hotel had left local residents living in fear. According to the Mayo County Council website, Ballinrobe Enterprise Organisation (BEO) promotes the economic development of the Ballinrobe area in Co Mayo, by the development and provision of suitable workspace, the provision of advice, the promotion and development of small enterprises, agriculture and forestry and the support of employment-creating project. It has 150 members. In the letter, which was sent to every Dail TD and to several local groups through Ballinrobe Community Development Council, the organisation accused Mr Prendergast of not implementing any effective actions to reduce disturbances at the hotel. Gardai, already overstretched, are frequently called to the property. Recent incidents include residents under the influence causing disturbances, traffic chaos, and repeated incidents for theft, vandalism and violent behaviour, the letter said. The BEO said local businesses have had to hire security due to the resulting spike in anti-social behaviour. In its letter, the organisation called for a constant security presence at the hotel and appropriate living standards for the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable residents and the broader community. Failure to address these concerns will further endanger both the residents of the Railway/Lakeland Hotel, which at times include children, and the local community. The level of fear and anger is very palpable in the area, there is a feeling that the Government has abandoned its duty of care to the vulnerable residents it places in the Railway and the local residents that have to deal with the fallout, it said. In a joint statement issued on February 24, local councillors Damien Ryan and Cllr Burke encouraged people to take their anger out on the property owner, whom they accused of having no regard for people in our town. Disheartening IN his statement, Mr Prendergast said it was so disappointing and disheartening to witness Council officials, elected representatives and a small number of local business individuals, pursuing short-term media attention and exposure through dramatic headlines and misleading information to serve unknown agendas, whilst vulnerable local residents are used as pawns. The Ballyglass native explained that the Railway Inn had been accommodating referrals from Mayo County Council before he acquired the property. Mr Prendergast said that the facility operates on a day-to-day basis, available to the general public, local workers, Mayo Council Council and other County Councils as required. He also refuted claims made about the upkeep of the property, insisting that the building has a valid Fire Certificate. He said that Mayo County Council officials inspected the property last year and commended both the quality of the premises and the service provided and are regularly in and out of the premises on an ongoing basis. Mr Prendergast said the hotel implemented as requested additional security measures last summer following meetings between councillors and Mayo County Council officials and a select minority of local business individuals. Despite my compliance, I have never been invited to participate in any meeting pertaining to my premises or its operation, he said. Based on the ongoing campaign of misinformation, Mayo County Council were forced to displace vulnerable local residents from Ballinrobe to other Mayo towns, including Knock, Foxford and Charlestown. Furthermore, other residents were relocated outside the county an ironic outcome given the purported intentions behind these actions. Troubling Mr Prendergast also refuted Ballinrobe Enterprise Organisations suggestion that there had been a marked increase in anti-social behaviour linked to some residents since Mr Prendergast acquired the hotel. He has requested a meeting with Ballinrobe Enterprise Organisation and the Ballinrobe Community Development Council to discuss the matter further. Mr Prendergast said he had the option to let the property to people seeking International Protection but decided to continue with the provision of service for the local homeless, the very individuals who are suffering now with no certainty based on a protracted period of misinformation, untruths and falsehood by various interests. Ballinrobe is currently accommodating International Protection Applicants in JJ Gannons Hotel, where 50 people took up residence following public demonstrations last January. Other properties in the town are understood to be accommodating people for the same purpose. In relation to linking me as responsible for the increase in anti-social behaviour and crime over the last 18 months, I would suggest that all refer to the latest crime figures released today by the CSO. Furthermore we can only control what happens within and around our property, said Mr Prendergast. He said that the local authority vets all residents but that hotel management is not informed of any potential issues related to the individual. It is deeply troubling to see the misrepresentation of our business and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals for political, local vested business interest or media gain, added Mr Prendergast. We remain committed to providing a high-quality service to all guests and will continue to uphold the standards of care and compliance that define our business. We continue and will continue to offer accommodation on a short-term and long-term basis to members of the public, some of whom work in the town but cannot afford to avail of accommodation because of the housing crisis. A journey towards a more inclusive and welcoming Westport has begun with the official launch of Westport Autism Friendly Town. A large crowd, which included local representatives, TDs and members of other Autism Friendly Town committees in Mayo, attended the launch, which took place at Westport Town Hall last Friday. The event also marked the launch of Westport Autism Friendly Towns official website and their draft town plan, which includes several measures to make Westport a more attractive place for autistic people to live in and visit. As part of the plan, Westport Autism Friendly Town will engage with 30 local organisations; ten businesses, ten public services and ten voluntary organisations, who will become Autism Friendly Champions. At least three employers will be engaged to provide work experience or employment opportunities to autistic people, who are more likely to be unemployed than the general population. The Autism Friendly Town framework was created by AsIAM, Irelands autism charity, to establish realistic, tangible, achievable measures for communities seeking to become more autism-friendly. To achieve Autism Friendly Town status, a community must prepare and implement a three-year plan. Westport Autism Friendly Town aims to ensure that each champion undergoes training, visual supports and sensory accommodations in place for autistic people by the end of Year 3 of the plan. Sensitivity to light and sound can make going out in public a stressful experience for autistic people - it is estimated that one in 27 people in Ireland are autistic. Therefore, Westport Autism Friendly Town aims to promote the development of community events, camps and festivals with reduced noise levels, controlled lighting and clearly marked quiet spaces. The town will also mark Autism Awareness Day (April 2) with annual events and will promote neurodiverse artists and performers. Westport Autism Friendly Town will also continue to support ongoing local initiatives to make the town more welcoming to people with autism. These include the sensory-friendly shopping experience offered by Kavanaghs Supervalu, which sees the store turn off the music every Tuesday evening. Keira Keogh TD, Maria Walsh MEP, Rose Conway-Walsh TD and Alan Dillon TD among the crowd at the launch of Westport Autism Friendly Town at Westport Town Hall Other local organisations, including the W Cinema, Westport GAA and Westport United, have run similar initiatives tailored towards the needs of autistic people in recent times. Annmarie Campion, a member of Westport Autism Friendly Towns committee, said the launch marked the start of a journey towards a more inclusive and welcoming town which embraces all individuals, including those with neurodiversity. It is about creating a space where every individual can feel safe, valued and understood, she said. Maura Kiely, Chairperson of Westport Autism Friendly Town, said that autistic people often find it hard to feel included in every day life due to their unique needs. The anxiety of wondering if we will feel welcomed or understood or even tolerated is a reality that we deal with every day, thats why tonight is so significant, said Maura, whose five-year-old son, Darragh, is autistic. Its not an exaggeration to say that Westports commitment to becoming an Autism Friendly Town is a step towards a brighter future, not just for Darragh, but for every person in Westport, regardless of their ability or their age. Tonight marks the beginning of a new chapter for our town, a chapter where we ensure that no one is left behind. The event was also addressed by Lauren Burns, a member of Westport Autism Friendly Towns committee. Prior to her autism diagnosis, the Westport woman encountered difficulties in both primary and secondary school. In her second week of secondary school, she began to faint and began to have seizure-like activity. This resulted in her being diagnosed with non-epileptic attack disorder. My brains way of processing internal and external stress was overwhelmed. Being a non-diagnosed autistic individual did not help with these attacks. Ms Burns said she felt relieved and understood after being diagnosed with autism following a private assessment. I could finally understand myself and how my brain works. I finally stopped putting so much pressure on myself to be like others, she said. Adam Harris, founder of AsIAM, praised Westport Autism Friendly Town for having a draft town plan completed in time for their official launch. Westport Autism Friendly Town recently received the New Community Recognition Award at the AsIAm Autism Friendly Towns Awards, a point noted by Mr Harris. When we talk about inclusion, we talk about mainstreaming, and we think its somebody elses job, but if we want everybody to be included in every single aspect of Westport life, every single person will do something, Mr Harris added. To find out more about Westport, Autism Friendly Town, visit www.waft.ie or visit Westport Autism Friendly Towns Facebook or Instagram pages. Rain the Growth Agency has upped Kyle Eckhart to Chief Operating Officer. Most recently, he served as senior vice president, growth, he has been with the agency for nearly 20 years, beginning as a media account coordinator. During his tenure, he has worked with the agency's major clients, including Humana, Vonage, SimpliSafe and Microsoft. Eckhart has handled the agency's responsible use of AI and upping business revenue. Recent agency wins include Dr. Squatch, Shutterfly, Babbel and Shopify. Jane Crisan, CEO at Rain the Growth, said Eckhart's "process-oriented approach and commitment to challenging the status quo make him the ideal leader to guide Rain the Growth Agency toward increased operational excellence." He is expected to refine operational strategies that enhance the agency's long-term goals and client expectations. The Portland, Oregon, 27-year-old female-led ad agency is known for its transactional brand building approach. Clients include Humana, 1-800 Flowers, Lume, and Bissell. In November 2024, the agency expanded its leadership, naming Rachel Baker as senior vice president, head of video investment and partnerships with a focus on linear and connected TV. She oversees a team of media buyers. by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, March 4, 2025 Saucony is looking to catch up with the fast-moving running shoe market, introducing a new Run As One campaign that aims to connect with runners about their collective experience. Inspired by the brands successful collaboration with Collision Run Club to create Cafe Vestiaire during January 2025s Paris Fashion Week, the Wolverine Worldwide-owned brand is introducing a series of coffee shop residencies. The activations are starting in New York City, then expanding to Boston, London, Grand Rapids, and other major cities. CMO Joy Allen-Altimare tells Marketing Dailyabout the new campaign, created in-house. Interview has been edited for length and clarity. Marketing Daily: Ads focusing on group running have become a trend, favored by On Running, Brooks and Hoka, to name a few. What makes Run As One different? advertisement advertisement Joy Allen-Altimare: Saucony has been around for a long time. Running in community has been in our DNA for 126 years. The idea is part of our heritage. We want to position ourselves at this unique intersection between running and culture. Over the last couple of years, weve been extending that passion rooted in running to other ways we know consumers like to connect with others: music, food and travel. This was time for Saucony to elevate what weve already been doing for so many years. Marketing Daily: What kind of research led to this? Allen-Altimare: Weve been doing great work with our consumer insight and marketing intelligence teams, homing in on this intersection between running and culture. We found some unique data about Gen Z. They're looking for community, yes, but they're looking for more, too. Coming out of the pandemic and this sense of loneliness, they dont want just surface-based relationships. Its not just about the run crew. They want to live and explore and discover their passions, and they want to do so in a community. That gives them a connection with others and a mental and physical reprieve. And they understand that those connections help with mental health challenges. Thats the message of this campaign. Whether you live in a suburb or a city, there is this universal need to exist in a community, and were trying to do that in a way that resonates. What makes us different from those other ad campaigns is that we come at it from a product perspective. Whether its about running or break dancing, we are trying to communicate in an authentic, ownable and relevant way. And thats true for both performance and lifestyle products. We know we're a tool they rely on because of our expertise and innovation. Marketing Daily: Beyond the in-person activations in these cities, what is the broader media plan for the campaign? Allen-Altimare: These events are engaging, immersive activations. The campaign plays off that ethos in both above and below-the-line advertising. Were starting in key markets and expanding globally over the next few months. Were using out-of-home, CTV, and digital. As the weather gets warmer and we move into spring and summer season, youll see us at different events and activities. And were working closely with our retail partners. by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, March 3, 2025 Designer, fashion consultant, and personal stylist are all ways I would describe Google Live's latest video capabilities that allow users to ask questions, share their screens for advice and opinions on a variety of subjects. The demonstration, presented at Mobile World Congress, demonstrated how the Gemini mobile app "Share screen with Live" button works. This feature allows the user to have a conversation with artificial intelligence (AI). For example, a user taps the button, calls on Gemini, and asks what would pair well with the jeans displayed on their screen, and Gemini provides the user with some clothing suggestions. During the video, Gemini shows the user two options. The user responds with "I like the turtleneck, but what jacket should I wear? The legs are super baggy." Gemini responds: "Since the jeans are already kind of baggy, a denim jacket or a bomber jacket would be cool and casual." advertisement advertisement The word choices used by Gemini are interesting, and I'm wondering whether the AI technology would use specific words to describe the items regardless of the consumer's age. Google did not discuss this in its announcement. Another question, how should a SEO expert optimize the content on the brand's website, so Gemini Live pulls up its products as an option? In another video demo, Google shows how Google Live with Video works. In this feature, the user taps the Live button voice mode on the Gemini app's home page, which leads to an interface with a camera button. The user shows Gemini Live several vases and asks: Which would be best for a "mid-century modern look?" Gemini Live replies to the query by saying: "Based on the colors in the photo, I'd say the olive green or the muted blue tiles would fit that mid-century modern vibe best." To complicate the decision more, the user asks which would better go with the pieces that are already glazed. Gemini responds: "between the olive green and muted blue, I think the olive green, the first one on the left in the second row, would be the better choice." Tapping the Live button leads the user to Gemini apps interface with a camera button. Through the camera the user can share their view with Gemini and ask questions about, as if they were on a live video call with another person. by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, March 3, 2025 Reports that Coca-Cola has reported some immigrant employees to ICE have sparked a Latino boycott. As brands face backlash for being too "woke" or not "woke" enough, some Latino consumers are taking action. Many are backing whats being called a Latino Freeze, targeting companies perceived as anti-Hispanic. Ana Valdez, president and CEO of the Latino Donor Collaborative, explains why this movement is gaining traction and what brands still dont understand about the growing economic power of Latinos. Interview has been edited for length and clarity. Marketing Daily: Many groups -- especially Black and LGBTQ consumers -- are boycotting brands over diversity rollbacks. Is the Latino Freeze coming from the same concerns? advertisement advertisement Ana Valdez: Its a little bit different for Latinos. Were not only affected by DEI, but also by deportation. Even people who are entirely legal, some who have been here for years, are worried. If you look Latino or you're speaking Spanish on the street, you're a target. Thats a violation of human rights, and in our minds, our community is being targeted. We are more affected by this DEI backlash, but theres more to it. Marketing Daily: What dont marketers quite understand? Valdez: We're not a race. Were more of a segment and come in all colors and shapes. And were growing so fast, with so much economic power. Im not diminishing the fact that DEI is an important cause, and sadly, so many businesses are being pushed to make these anti-DEI stands that I suspect many dont agree with. But from a business point of view, I dont think companies will stop focusing on and engaging Latinos. Economically, were really big. In two of the most important states -- Texas and California -- we are a majority and bigger than the Anglo community. Connecting with Hispanics is no longer a philanthropic issue or a DEI issue. The most important leverage point is that the Hispanic market will eventually become 30% of the U.S. If youre in business, you better have a successful strategy. Marketing Daily: Whats the biggest misconception brands have? Valdez: For one thing, many think the market is all about Mexico, but thats not so. Since 2008, Mexican immigration has diminished severely. It's negative today. And they use these counterproductive immigrant narratives. Hispanics are increasingly American-born: 94% of Latinos under 18 were born here, compared to 46% of those age 35 or older. Outdated immigrant narratives are inaccurate and counterproductive. Marketing Daily: One of the most surprising demographic shifts in the last election was Latino support for Trump. He didnt win this segment, but did get 43% of the Latino vote, an eight-point increase from 2020. Why? Valdez: To understand the Latino community, you need to be almost surgical in any analysis. Remember that many Hispanic people came from countries that suffered under a tyrannical left, including Cuba and Venezuela. They tend to be conservative as a reaction to that experience. And many of them came to the U.S. in a documented way. They were given residency and opportunities. They dont believe theyll suffer under deportation policies. And Republicans catered to those groups, while I think Democrats didnt invest enough. The Hispanic community feels taken for granted. If it's true that Latinos may have given the Republican Party the election, I hope both parties learn from that. This is not a community to take for granted. Marketing Daily: Regarding activism, your research shows younger Hispanics are very different from their parents. Why? Valdez: Yes, they see themselves as activists and culture drivers. They want to be influencers. And 68% of young Latinos (12-34) feel brands fail to represent them. That compares to 57% of non-Latinos. Marketing Daily: Do you think the Latino Freezeor any of the boycottswill have an impact? Valdez: The media hasnt talked much about these boycottspeople are finding out about them on social media. Those who are aware will show up, but the most important part is this is just the beginning. We are talking about a generational shift. We did some research with Kantar last year, working with brands like LOreal, Capital One, and Colgate, and weve found that the younger generation is infinitely more active than their parents. Theyre still devoted to their parents. But they want to be represented. Theyre raising their voices, supporting Pepsi and calling out Coca-Cola. Theyre doing their research, right down to the makeup of corporate boards. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 3, 2025 The Department of Justice and state attorneys general are asking a federal judge to reject Anthropic's request to offer evidence in an antitrust proceeding that could result in an order requiring Google to sell its stake in the artificial intelligence company. Anthropic, which develops the large language model Claude, recently sought to submit written testimony from its CEO, Tom Brown, and also file a friend-of-the-court brief at an upcoming hearing addressing remedies for Google's monopolization of search. Prosecutors say in papers filed Friday with U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta that they don't object to Anthropic's request to present a friend-of-the-court brief, but argue that the request to submit an affidavit from Brown is untimely, given that the possibility of a forced split with Google was raised in October. The dispute over Anthropic's role in the upcoming hearing comes in a battle dating to 2020, when federal and state prosecutors charged Google with unlawfully monopolizing search. advertisement advertisement Mehta conducted a trial and, in August, ruled that Google violated antitrust law by arranging to serve as the default search engine on browsers operated by Apple and Mozilla, as well as on Android devices. Mehta plans to hold a hearing next month on potential remedies. Last October, prosecutors propsed numerous potential restrictions on Google, including one that could force the company to stop investing in other companies' artificial intelligence products. Two weeks ago, Anthropic filed a motion asking to participate in the remedies hearing. The company says that restrictions on investments would have serious consequences for its ability to compete, and give an unjustified windfall to larger competitors, including OpenAI, Meta and Google's Gemini. The Claude developer also argues it was surprised by prosecutors' proposal because the Google's investments in Anthropic and artificial intelligence generally were never part of this case. But the prosecutors say Anthropic was put on notice last October that a hearing on remedies could lead to a separation from Google. The prosecutors also argue that granting Anthropic's request now would prejudice them, arguing that there likely isn't enough time to question Brown at a deposition, or obtain additional documents from Anthropic, before the start of the remedies hearing in April. To properly respond to Anthropics witness declarations, plaintiffs would need both a deposition and additional document discovery. Neither are practically available, the prosecutors write. Anthropic made its request shortly after Apple launched a similar bid to intervene in the upcoming hearing by presenting testimony and cross-examining witnesses. Mehta denied Apple's request, but said the company could present affidavits from witnesses and file a written argument. Apple has appealed that ruling to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is considering the matter. by Tanya Gazdik , March 3, 2025 Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen, 64, has resigned following a board investigation of his personal conduct that was unrelated to the business but inconsistent with Kroger's policy on business ethics. The company said McMullens conduct isnt related to Kroger's financial performance, operations or reporting, and it did not involve any Kroger associates. The Kroger board learned about certain personal conduct of McMullens on Feb. 21 and immediately sought outside counsel to lead an investigation. McMullen joined Kroger as a part-time stock clerk at a store in Kentucky in 1978, according to Chain Store Age. He worked his way up and has held several leadership positions, including CFO. He was elected to the companys board in 2003 and appointed CEO in 2014. advertisement advertisement The Kroger board has appointed lead director Ronald Sargent, who is also the former chairman and CEO of Staples, to serve as chairman and interim CEO, effective immediately. McMullens ouster follows Krogers failed $20 billion takeover of smaller rival Albertsons, which aimed to unite the two largest pure-play supermarket operators in the biggest grocery deal ever. The deal was blocked by a federal judge in Oregon in December, notes The Wall Street Journal. McMullens ouster comes days before Kroger is scheduled to announce its fourth-quarter results. The company said it expects two key measuresidentical sales without fuel and adjusted per-share earningsto be at the high end of its prior outlook. None of the many reports about his resignation included any further details about what behavior was under scrutiny. McMullen's decision to leave was not without financial consequences. With his exit, McMullen will not receive his 2024 bonus and is forfeiting any unvested equity awards, company filings show, according to The Washington Post. In 2023, his compensation package came to $15.7 million, which included stock and option awards, dividend payments, and other benefits. Kroger is the nations largest grocery chain, with more than 2,700 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia under more than a dozen banners, including Ralphs, King Soopers, Harris Teeter and Fred Meyer. It posted $150 billion in revenue in fiscal 2023. The last few months have been a tumultuous time for Kroger, according to The New York Times. After federal and state regulators blocked Krogers $25 billion bid for Albertsons in December, Albertsons sued Kroger. The deal would have been the biggest grocery store merger in U.S. history and would have created a $200 billion company with 5,000 supermarkets across the country. Kroger shares fell nearly 3% Monday. Also Monday, Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons said its CEO Vivek Sankaran plans to retire May 1, according to The Associated Press. Susan Morris, Albertsons executive vice president and chief operations officer, will replace Sankaran, the company said. by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, March 4, 2025 Stagwell marketing agency Gale has promoted Andrew Noel to Global CEO and Sophia Zhang to CEO North America. The promotions follow last months internal announcement that Founding CEO Brad Simms is retiring, the agency said. advertisement advertisement Noel, also one of the agencys founders, was previously managing director. Zhang joined the agency in 2016 as an account director and was named a managing partner in 2020. When a group of friends and I co-founded Gale back in 2014, we knew we were building something unique, Noel, wrote on LinkedIn. Our way of working was intentionally shaped to push boundaries, always staying ahead of the industrys next big thing. Our first decade has truly been something special, and I couldnt be more excited to step into the Global CEO role, with the exceptional Sophia Zhang as our new CEO of North America, as we look ahead to the next ten. Separately Noel credited Simms with being integral to Gales success and we wish him well in this next chapter. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 4, 2025 The Supreme Court has asked Meta Platforms to respond to a petition filed by the anti-vaccine nonprofit Children's Health Defense -- an organization formerly led by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. -- which is seeking to revive claims over the suppression of its posts and fundraising efforts on Facebook. The move suggests that at least one justice is interested in the battle between Meta and Children's Health Defense, but doesn't mean the court will agree to hear the case. The dispute dates to August 2020, when the Children's Health Defense alleged in a lawsuit that a fund-raising tool it used on Facebook was deactivated by the company. The group also alleged that some of its posts were labeled as false, and that some of its content was demoted or banned. Children's Health Defense claimed those moves violated the First Amendment, arguing that Facebook was a state actor -- meaning equivalent to the government -- when it took steps to prevent the spread of the group's posts. advertisement advertisement Children's Health Defense proposed several theories to support its argument, including that Facebook and the government worked together to censor speech, and that Facebook allegedly changed its vaccine-related policies due to coercion by lawmakers. U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston in the Northern District of California dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that even if the group's allegations were proven true, they wouldn't show that the government coerced Facebook. The organization then appealed to the 9th Circuit, which ruled 2-1 for Meta. Meta has a First Amendment right to use its platform to promote views it finds congenial and to refrain from promoting views it finds distasteful, 9th Circuit Court Judge Eric Miller, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, wrote last year in an opinion joined by U.S. District Court Judge Edward Korman. Circuit Judge Daniel Collins, also a Trump appointee, dissented, writing that he would have allowed the Children's Health Defense to pursue a request for an injunction against Meta. The Children's Health Defense had argued that federal officials unduly pressured Meta in several ways, including by criticizing the company for spreading anti-vaccine propaganda. The group called attention to a letter sent in 2019 by former Representative and current Senator Adam Schiff (D-California), which accused Facebook and Instagram of surfacing and recommending messages that discourage parents from vaccinating their children. Soon after Schiff sent the letter, Facebook announced new policies aimed at cracking down on anti-vaxxers -- including removing access to fundraising tools for groups that spread false news about vaccinations. Children's Health Defense was among the groups affected by the change in policy. (The group denies being anti-vaccine and describes itself as advocating for informed patient consent based on full disclosure of all relevant medical information.) The 9th Circuit majority found that even if those allegations were proven true, they wouldn't show that the government coerced Meta into reversing its policies. Meta evidently believes that vaccines are safe and effective and that their use should be encouraged. It does not lose the right to promote those views simply because they happen to be shared by the government, Miller wrote. He added that Schiff's letter did not require Meta to take any particular action and did not threaten penalties for noncompliance. The Children's Health Defense is now asking the Supreme Court to hear an appeal of that ruling. The group noted in papers filed three weeks ago that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently told podcaster Joe Rogan that the company faced massive institutional pressure to basically start censoring content on ideological grounds. Meta initially waived its right to respond to the Children's Health Defense's petition, but late last week the Supreme Court said it wanted to hear from the platform by no later than March 31. The Supreme Court rejects most petitions seeking review, but asking for a response slightly increases the likelihood it will hear the case, according to a 2018 Bloomberg Law report. Black immigrants in the U.S. face significant health insurance access gaps due to systemic barriers. Policy reforms are essential for equitable healthcare solutions. Trusted Source When The Color Line Meets The Borderline: Health Insurance Coverage Among Black Immigrant Adults In The US Go to source Trusted Source Did you know? African #immigrants have increased the Black immigrant population in the U.S. by 246% since 2000. #US #blackpeople #medindia African #immigrants have increased the Black immigrant population in the U.S. by 246% since 2000. #US #blackpeople #medindia Advertisement Barriers to Health Insurance for Black Immigrants Advertisement Rising Population of Black Immigrants Health Insurance Gaps for Black Immigrants Policy Reforms for Immigrant Healthcare Equity When The Color Line Meets The Borderline: Health Insurance Coverage Among Black Immigrant Adults In The US - (https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.00672) Black immigrant adults in the United States are more likely not to get their health insurance benefits than U.S.-born non-Black immigrants even with the highest employment rates ().The research was conducted by the Equity Research Institute (ERI) at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and published in. the study highlights critical healthcare access gaps for this rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population, suggesting possible links to wage penalties and systemic barriers based on race and immigration status.Our results suggest that Black immigrants may be concentrated in jobs that dont offer health insurance benefits, potentially due to lower wages or limited access to employer-sponsored benefits, said Ezinne Nwankwo, ERIs National Equity Atlas Postdoctoral Scholar and the studys lead and corresponding author.Factors such as fears related to immigration status, complexities in navigating coverage within mixed-status families, policy restrictions, language barriers, and employment in sectors that do not provide health insurance may contribute to these disparities, she said.Black immigrants make up a substantial and rapidly expanding segment of the Black population in the United States. 4.6 million, or 1 in 10, Black people living in the United States are immigrants, a number that has tripled since 1980 and is projected to more than double again by 2060.The majority of Black immigrants in the United States come from the Caribbean and Africa, which together made up 88% of the Black foreign-born population in 2019. The Caribbean is the most common region of birth for Black immigrants (46%), with Jamaica and Haiti as the leading countries of origin. However, African immigrants have been the main driver of recent growth in the Black immigrant population, increasing 246% since 2000. They now make up 42% of Black immigrants in the United States, primarily from Nigeria and Ethiopia, according to the Pew Research Center.To understand health insurance coverage across racial and immigrant groups, the researchers used data from the U.S. Census Bureaus five-year American Community Survey (ACS) from 2017-2021 and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Because the ACS does not collect data on immigration status, ERI developed a dataset that distinguishes between undocumented individuals, naturalized citizens, and those with different visa types (e.g., student, H-1B).The researchers analysis considered factors like employment, state Medicaid coverage, and language barriers that could influence access to healthcare coverage. They then compared Black immigrants with their U.S.-born Black and U.S.- and foreign-born white, Latino Asian American, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) counterparts.They found that Black immigrants have a 9% higher likelihood of being uninsured compared to U.S.-born white adults. This disparity occurs despite Black immigrants having a 70.2% employment rate, higher than the 60.5% rate for U.S.-born Black individuals, according to U.S. Census data.In contrast, there were no significant differences in insurance coverage between U.S.-born Black and white individuals. The study also found significant disparities among Latino populations. U.S.-born Latinos were 31% more likely to be uninsured than U.S.-born white individuals, while Latino immigrants faced more than twice the odds of lacking coverage. Both Black immigrants and Latino populations whether U.S.-born or immigrant were less likely to receive employer-sponsored or union-backed health insurance compared to U.S.-born white individuals.Addressing these systemic issues requires comprehensive policy reforms that consider the unique challenges faced by immigrants, said Manuel Pastor, director of ERI and co-author of the study. Ensuring equitable access to health care is not only a matter of social justice but also essential for the well-being of our communities, said Pastor, a Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies and Ethnicity and Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change at USC Dornsife.Female respondents across all groups were significantly less likely to be uninsured than their male counterparts. Previous research indicates higher U.S. naturalization rates among immigrant women, suggesting they may play an important role in helping their families and communities navigate the United States complex healthcare system.As primary caregivers and community connectors, immigrant women are uniquely positioned to expand outreach and ensure their families access the benefits they are entitled to, Nwankwo said. Training them could be an effective strategy for increasing coverage, particularly among underserved groups, including men, she added.Our findings underscore the deep-rooted inequities in health care access that persist despite employment and economic contributions from immigrant populations, Pastor said. Tackling these issues with policy reforms and community-driven solutions could ensure more equitable access to health care, particularly for those most at risk of being left out.Source-USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Higher doses of commonly prescribed antidepressants may accelerate cognitive decline in dementia patients, highlighting the need for careful monitoring of antidepressant use. Highlights: Higher doses of SSRIs like escitalopram may speed up cognitive decline in dementia patients Mirtazapine had less negative impact on brain function compared to SSRIs Careful monitoring of antidepressant use is crucial due to the potential risks of higher doses in dementia patients Trusted Source Antidepressant use and cognitive decline in patients with dementia: a national cohort study Go to source Trusted Source Did You Know? Antidepressants arent addictive and dont get you "high." 4 out of 10 people feel better with the first one they try! #medindia #depression #antidepressants Antidepressants arent addictive and dont get you "high." 4 out of 10 people feel better with the first one they try! #medindia #depression #antidepressants Advertisement Dose-Dependent Cognitive Decline in Dementia Patients Advertisement Impact of Different Antidepressants on Brain Function Antidepressant Use in Dementia: Prescription Trends Antidepressant use and cognitive decline in patients with dementia: a national cohort study - (https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-025-03851-3) Antidepressants are often prescribed to individuals with dementia to help manage symptoms such as anxiety, depression, aggression, and insomnia.A recent Swedish study suggests that a specific class of antidepressants,(SSRIs), could potentiallyin some dementia patients ().Researchers reported in a study published inthat higher doses of certain SSRIs are linked to an increased risk of severe dementia . Taking more than the typical prescribed dose of these drugs was associated with an additional decline of 0.42 points per year on a dementia scale ranging from 0 to 30.The SSRI drugwas linked to the fastest cognitive decline, followed byand. In contrast,, which works differently, had aon brain function, researchers found."Depressive symptoms can worsen cognitive decline and impact quality of life, so it's crucial to treat them, our results can help doctors and healthcare professionals select antidepressants that are better suited for patients with dementia," said a senior investigator.For the study, researchers monitored the brain health of overfrom the Swedish Registry for Cognitive/Dementia Disorders between May 2007 and October 2018. The average age of the patients was 78.During an average follow-up of over four years, about 23% of patients were prescribed a new antidepressant, according to researchers. SSRIs were the most commonly prescribed, accounting for 65% of all prescriptions in the study."Higher doses of SSRIs were linked to an increased risk of severe dementia, fractures, and all-cause mortality," the researchers concluded. "These findings emphasize the need for careful and regular monitoring to evaluate the risks and benefits of antidepressant use in patients with dementia."The study also found thatexperienced faster rates of brain decline while taking antidepressants compared to women.However, outside experts caution that these results should be interpreted carefully. "There are some important limitations that should be considered," said an expert from the University of Bath in the U.K., in a news release.According to a reviewer, One major issue is that the severity of depression in dementia patients wasnt fully accounted for, which could bias the results.The study suggests SSRIs like citalopram and sertraline might also accelerate cognitive decline.In conclusion, while SSRIs are commonly prescribed to dementia patients, higher doses may speed up cognitive decline, especially with drugs like escitalopram. Its important for doctors to carefully monitor treatment, but experts also caution that the study has some limitations. More research is needed to better understand how these medications impact brain health.Source-Medindia Sandeep Reddy Vanga recently entered a beef with ex-IAS officer and educator Vikash Divyakirti after he called Animala regressive movie. In one of the interviews with Neelesh Misra, Vikas had said, A film like Animal takes our society back by 10 years. A film like this should not be made. You earned money. You showed that your hero behaves like an animal. There should be some social value, or are people working only for financial value? T-Series To this, Sandeep Reddy Vanga said, There is this IAS officer. In a very serious interview, he said, 'Movies like Animal shouldn't be made.' The way he sounded, the way he was saying, it was literally, mujhe laga ki kuch criminal kaam kiya maine (I felt as if I had committed a crime). On one hand, films like 12th Fail are made and on the other, films like Animal jo samaajh ko peeche leke jarraha hai (which is pulling the society backwards). Sandeep added, I'm very honest in saying this ki koi unnecessary attack karega na toh 100% gusssa ayegaa (If anyone attacks unnecessarily, there will be anger). I feel that, he is an IAS officer, he studied to become one. What I think is, go to Delhi, get enrolled in an institute, give 2-3 years of your life, you can crack IAS. There will be a limited amount of books, right? You will study 1500 books...you can crack IAS. I'll give you in writing. There is no course, there is no teacher that can make you a filmmaker and a writer. Instagram/Sandeep Reddy Vanga Sandeep Reddy Vanga is known for aggressively defending his films, which is completely justified. When someone invests immense effort and time into a project, they have every right to defend it, especially in a democratic country like India. But comparing apples and oranges is not justified in any universe. The logic Filmmaking and cracking the UPSC exam are entirely different pursuits, each with its own unique challenges. It is surprising that a successful commercial filmmaker like Vanga would draw comparisons between the two, as their processes and struggles are fundamentally distinct. When a filmmaker makes a film and exhibits it on the big screens, it is open for reactions and critique from the public, but preparing for an exam is very exclusive. Colruyt's Collect&Go is continueing its automation journey with Exotec Belgian online grocery shopping and home delivery service to implement Exotecs Next Generation of Skypod system in Londerzeel warehouse Exotec, the global warehouse robotics specialist, has been selected by Collect&Go, Colruyt Groups online grocery service, to further automate one of its warehouses in Londerzeel, Belgium. The installation of Exotecs Next Generation of Skypod system will aid the Belgian food retail market leader with the ongoing optimisation of its online grocery picking process. Collect&Go has more than 200 collection points throughout Belgium, reaching more than half of the countrys households and ensuring all Belgians have access to the pickup and home delivery service. The Collect&Go service has been operating for 25 years, experiencing tremendous growth in that time. Tom Malfroid, Supply Chain Manager at Collect&Go, said At Colruyt Group, we are constantly focusing on innovation, and it goes without saying that were always looking to optimise our processes. Colruyt currently picks in two different ways both in our low-price stores and in our two e-commerce distribution centres in Londerzeel and Erpe-Mere. "Today, were proud to announce the installation of Exotecs Next Generation Skypod system in Londerzeel to further automate our picking process. Soon, dozens of Skypods will be operating in the Londerzeel distribution centre; warehouse robots working in hand-in-hand to support employees in picking groceries, added Malfroid. When we adopt an innovation like this, we believe its important that humans and machines are working collaboratively. "We want to ease the workload of our employees to ensure that they can focus on the tasks that make a difference. "With the adoption of Exotecs Next Generation of Skypod system, this combination will come together beautifully. With the introduction of the Next Generation of Skypod, Colruyt expects productivity to increase by 35%, and we specifically chose Exotec because of their reputation for reliability, innovative technology, and scalability. Wim Vermeir, Senior Sales Executive at Exotec, added We are proud to contribute to Collect&Gos automation journey. "Our Next Generation of Skypod system is designed to address the challenges of retailers like Colruyt Group in an efficient and scalable way. Three soldiers and four horses were injured during a training exercise Monday afternoon at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia, the Army confirmed to Military.com. At around 2 p.m. Monday, the caisson detachment -- a ceremonial unit responsible for transporting the remains of service members and veterans to their final resting places at Arlington National Cemetery -- was conducting a "desensitization ride" when three horses unseated their riders. No horses escaped the installation, an Army spokesperson, Lt. Col. Patrick Husted, told Military.com via an emailed statement Tuesday. The horses were secured by instructors and other personnel after the equids had "continued briefly along the training route until coming to a stop," he added. Read Next: Hill Air Force Base Prepares to Scale Back Child Care Services Amid Mass Federal Firings, Resignations "Three soldiers received non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at a local hospital; one underwent surgery and remained overnight while the other two were treated and released," Husted said. "Four horses received minor, non-life-threatening injuries and were treated by onsite veterinarians and remain at JBM-HH under observation. No horses required evacuation for higher-level care." The caisson unit belongs to the 3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as "The Old Guard." The regiment is part of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/U.S. Army Military District of Washington. Husted is the spokesperson for the unit. When asked what caused the incident, Husted said that it was under investigation. The unit appointed an investigating officer to determine the root cause of the incident, he said. A desensitization ride aims to familiarize horses with their surroundings. "Horses can be very sensitive to things they are unfamiliar with," Husted said. "These rides help to build trust between the animals and the riders." A spokesperson for the Arlington County Police Department, Ashley Savage, told Military.com that, at 2 p.m., law enforcement officers were dispatched to check the area around Arlington Boulevard and North Pershing Drive -- an intersection near where the horses are stabled -- but "the call was subsequently canceled as there were no horses currently loose." ARLnow.com first reported the incident Monday and said that firefighters and medics were sent to the base to assess injuries after the police were called off. In 2022, CNN reported that two horses died within days of each other, prompting public and congressional scrutiny into the substandard living conditions and neglect that was afflicting the unit. Two more horses died later that year and, by April 2023, the Army suspended caisson operations as it worked to improve training for its soldiers and conditions for its stable. The unit remains sidelined from official Arlington funerals, and Army officials have not identified an exact date when the program will resume. The unit transported the remains of President Jimmy Carter in January following his death at the age of 100. Husted told Military.com that the unit does not anticipate any disruptions to the caisson detachment or its training stemming from the incident. When asked whether The Old Guard or joint task force foresaw any changes that needed to be made to the caisson detachment as a result of the incident, Husted said "it is too early to determine if any changes need to be made because of the incident. Once the investigation is complete, we will take all factors into consideration and make determinations at that point." Related: Troubled Caisson Unit Makes Appearance at Carter Funeral as Horse-Drawn Services Remain Suspended The U.S. military wants to keep training at Pohakuloa, so it's ready to quickly send troops to Asia and the Pacific. AURORA, Colorado -- More young Americans have been signing up for the Air Force's delayed-entry program in recent months, a promising trend in recruiting following a yearslong effort by the service to amend policy and turn around a pandemic-era slump. Brig. Gen. Christopher Amrhein, commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service -- which also oversees the Space Force -- told reporters at the Air and Space Forces Associations Warfare Symposium in Colorado on Tuesday that the organization has been adding record numbers of recruits to its delayed-entry program, or DEP, a waiting area where recruits prepare to ship out to boot camp. That means that the services will always be able to meet their weekly goals for shipping airmen and Guardians to basic training. Also, the delayed pool has been refilling faster than the services are using it up, especially during the winter months when they often have to dip more into that group. Read Next: Hill Air Force Base Prepares to Scale Back Child Care Services Amid Mass Federal Firings, Resignations "In December, January and February, we have added to our delayed-entry program or DEP at a rate not seen in over 15 years," Amrhein said. "Another encouraging sign of success is that our DEP is at a 10-year high, with more than 13,800 future airmen and Guardians awaiting shipment to basic military training." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly implied the historic trends were due to the new administration. "Americans are excited to serve their country again!" Hegseth posted Tuesday on Elon Musk's social media platform X. "The next generation of the American warfighter will be joining the greatest fighting force the world has ever known!" Hegseth made a similar claim about recent upticks in Army recruiting. But a military recruiting expert told Military.com that the high recruiting numbers now seen by the services follow years of effort. The Air Force, which in fiscal 2023 missed its recruiting goal for the first time since 1999, turned the tide last year by tweaking policies, such as adjusting body fat composition standards and allowing certain tattoos. "The incoming administration is claiming all of these upticks are a result of the election swing and people now thinking they want to go into the military after the policy changes," Taren Sylvester, a researcher at the nonprofit Center for a New American Security, told Military.com on Monday. "Whether or not that holds out, we won't see for another six, 12, 18 months," Sylvester added. "The shifts that we're seeing now are reflective of the work that's been done over the past two to five years." The Air Force ended up recruiting 27,139 enlisted, active-duty airmen at the end of fiscal 2024. It also had 11,000 recruits in the DEP, a significant uptick from the roughly 8,000 the service had the year prior. This year, to date, there are currently more than 13,800 airmen waiting in the DEP. Amrhein wouldn't say whether he believed the new records were tied to a change in political administration, but said he does think the numbers will grow. "I won't speak to that aspect of it, but I will tell you that there is a deliberate presence and I would not be surprised if the trend continues," Amrhein said. "We do a weekly production update every single week, and we had 3,000 appointments last week alone. We normally have 1,600, so this continuing trend is evolving." He added that internal Air Force data shows the propensity to serve has grown from 8% in 2023 to 10%. After hitting its fiscal 2024 goals, the Air Force upped the ante for 2025, aiming to bring in 33,100 active-duty airmen, according to a list of goals provided by the Air Force Accessions Center. As Hegseth and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin continue to underscore messaging about readiness, warfighting and standards, it's unclear whether any of the policy tweaks that led the service solid footing last year will remain. Notably, the 2023 change that allows applicants to have a greater percentage of body fat, in accordance with the Department of Defense standard, had the greatest effect -- bringing in 5,196 across the Air Force, Space Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. Amrhein said he's not aware of any upcoming policy changes to body fat composition. "I have not seen policy changes to come down on that," Amrhein said. "If policy changes come down, we'll execute them." Related: Air Force Hits Recruiting Goals with Help from Tweaks to Body Fat Standards, Tattoo Policy This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Earlier this year, the Air Force revealed that the general who oversaw its lobbying before Congress had inappropriate romantic relationships with five women, including three who worked on Capitol Hill. Maj. Gen. Christopher Finertys colleagues told investigators the relationships were highly inappropriate as they could give the Air Force undue influence in Congress. I honestly felt sick to my stomach, one said, according to a report about the investigation, because it just felt so sleazy. The Air Force inspector generals report redacted the names of the women who worked on the Hill. But one of the women whose relationship with Finerty was scrutinized by the inspector general was Sen. Joni Ernst, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation. The Iowa Republican and combat veteran is one of the most influential voices on the Hill about the military, and she sits on the Senates Armed Services Committee, which oversees the Pentagon and plays a crucial role in setting its annual budget. Three other sources told ProPublica that around 2019 Ernst had a previous romantic relationship with a legislative affairs official for a different branch of the military, the Navy. Ernst and the officials were not married at the time and Senate rules do not bar lawmakers from entering into romantic relationships with lobbyists or other legislative advocates. But ethics experts say such relationships can create a conflict of interest, and other lawmakers have been criticized for such behavior in the past. A former legislative affairs official for the military told ProPublica that people in that role arent officially lobbyists but for all intent and purposes thats their job. ... From an ethics standpoint, its severely problematic. A former Air Force officer who worked for Finerty said the perception in the office was that his relationship with Ernst absolutely gave the Air Force undue influence. Six sources who worked for the Air Force or in Congress told ProPublica that they had heard about a relationship between Ernst and Finerty and there had been concerns about it for years. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they did not have permission to speak publicly or feared for their jobs. One source said that they were told about the relationship by one of the two participants. Two sources said they heard from witnesses interviewed by the inspector general that Ernst was a focus of the investigation. A spokesperson for Ernst would not address whether the senator had any relationships with military legislative liaisons but said the lawmaker maintained her independence: The fake news media is clearly too busy gossiping to report the real news that Senator Ernst is focused on cutting waste at the Pentagon. Her votes and work in the Senate are guided by the voices of Iowans who elected her and her constitutional duty alone. Any insinuation otherwise by tabloid journalism is a slanderous lie full stop. Finertys lawyer also declined to say whether the general had a romantic relationship with Ernst while he was advocating for the Air Force in Congress. The IG report found no evidence suggesting anything remotely approaching either conflict of interest or undue influence involving General Finerty and anyone on Capitol Hill. Further, the IG report found no law, rule, policy or guidance prohibited any of General Finertys relationships. Any suggestion to the contrary would be defamatory. (The inspector general report said Finerty wrongfully engaged in inappropriate relationships with multiple individuals in violation of the code of military justice.) In his interview with the inspector general, according to the report, Finerty defended relationships between people in his office and members on the Hill a term used to describe members of Congress. The 41-page report documenting the inspector generals investigation of Finerty was completed in September 2023 but was shared with Congress, and then the public, earlier this year in response to records requests. (The investigation summary, posted on the Air Forces website, was reported first by Politico, without any mention of Ernsts involvement.) At the time of the reports release to Congress in early January, Ernsts influence over the Pentagon was on full display, as she sat at the center of one of the Trump administrations most contentious confirmation battles. Ernst had made statements suggesting she had reservations about President Donald Trumps nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and though she had later made encouraging statements, she had refused to formally back him. Serving in the Iowa Army National Guard during the Iraq War, Ernst is the Senates first female combat veteran and has pushed to reform the militarys handling of sexual assault cases. Hegseth faced scrutiny over past allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault, which he denied, as well as criticism for comments he made against allowing women in combat. Then in mid-January, Ernst reversed course under pressure from Trump allies and formally endorsed Hegseth. Her backing was considered pivotal in reviving what had appeared to be a flailing nomination. The report about Finerty is heavily redacted but provided the following details about the inspector generals findings. Two of the five women worked for the Pentagon. They include a civilian employee who was married to another officer and an Air Force enlisted member significantly lower down the chain of command than Finerty. Finerty interacted with the three other women on Capitol Hill as part of his legislative affairs work, mixing his professional and personal roles, thus creating the perception of a conflict of interest. Finerty sexted two of those women in 2021. He sexted and had an intimate relationship with the third, though the report does not say exactly when. The nature of his relationship with the women varied, from suggestive messages to graphic sexting and photos to physical sex, according to the report. Sources told ProPublica that the inspector general asked witnesses about Ernst, but because of the redactions in the report, its unclear which sections, if any, refer to the senator. The report includes a stark example of Finertys legislative advocacy overlapping with his romantic relationship with one of the women on Capitol Hill. In June 2021, Finerty texted the woman I was distracted by you being distracted. Then he sent her a list of top 5 things to protect if possible, including a particular fighter jet, radar technology and a system to improve interoperability across the militarys branches. What distraction? the woman texted back. If I was [redacted] would it be distracting? She followed up with a series of what the inspector general report described as pornographic pictures. Finerty told investigators that his romantic relationships with the women on Capitol Hill were proper because all participants were unmarried. Those werent Chris Finertys personal interest items. Those were the five things that were in the Presidents Budget that were charged to go up there and ensure that we get across the finish line, he said, according to the report. I wasnt saying hey, do me a personal favor and protect these five things. It was, these are the five things that the Air Force has in the Presidents Budget that were trying to do that we need your help with. Many of Finertys colleagues who were also working in military legislative affairs took a more negative view. In interviews with investigators, they expressed concerns about the relationships leading to undue influence, other military branches perceiving the Air Force as getting preferential treatment, and other congressional offices worrying they were less likely to receive sensitive information. The inspector generals investigation found several exchanges between Maj Gen Finerty and the women regarding legislative matters but no evidence of favors or exchanging of sensitive information by either party. Regarding one of the Hill relationships, a colleague of Finertys told investigators, Was there a perception in my office that it was unethical? Yes. The colleague reported it affected morale and people were talking about it all the time. Another military legislative affairs official was more blunt, calling the relationships totally unprofessional because I think it compromises the integrity of the entire Department of the Air Force. The inspector general concluded Finerty had violated the code of military justice, including conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman for his inappropriate relationships with all five women. As a result, Finerty was demoted to brigadier general. He retired from the Air Force in November. Around the time Finerty was heading the legislative affairs office, from April 2019 to March 2023, Ernst publicly pushed for more money and championed projects for the Air Force on multiple occasions, including in at least one instance on a specific matter that Finerty was advocating for on the Hill. In June 2021, she pushed for more Air Force funding from the Senate floor: While the Biden budget promises a bureaucratic buildup at the IRS, his proposal is far less generous to our armed forces. The Air Force would suffer a substantial cut in its number of aircraft. In April 2022, she attacked then-President Joe Biden for a proposed budget that shrinks the size of our Air Force. With Putin and his cronies invading Ukraine, China testing hypersonic missiles and threatening Taiwan, Iran enriching uranium, and the Taliban back in control of Afghanistan, its as critical as ever that we provide for a strong national defense, Ernst said in a statement. Two months later, she pushed legislation to improve the Pentagons access to critical minerals, warning the Air Forces premier fighter jet, the F-22, is made with layers of titanium alloy, much of which is sourced from Russia and China. In November 2023, several months after Finerty left his post, she introduced a bill to allow the Pentagon to connect weapons and technology across the various branches of the government, a concept known as Joint All Domain Command and Control which was on the list of top priorities he texted to one of the women on the Hill he was romantically involved with. According to three sources, Ernst had an earlier romantic relationship around 2019 with an official from the Navys legislative affairs office. Ernst was on the armed services committee then as well. One source with knowledge of the situation said the relationships end created tension between Ernsts office and the Navy legislative affairs office. Two sources said the Navy liaison was moved out of his post early. One of them said he was forced to depart his post earlier than expected because he had another romantic relationship with a Hill staffer and that Ernst was not cited by his boss when he was transferred. But the second source said senior officials were aware of the relationship with Ernst and that it played a role. A Navy spokesperson declined to comment. Ernst has once before been accused of being involved in a relationship that may have violated military rules. In a highly contentious divorce in 2019, her ex-husband alleged she admitted to an affair with one of her soldiers when she served as a company commander during the Iraq War. Ernst denied having an affair. Other elected officials have drawn scrutiny for their relationships with lobbyists and others who advocate for their employers before Congress. Former Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt married a lobbyist for tobacco giant Altria Group, but he pledged to recuse himself from any matters affecting the company. Former Pennsylvania Rep. Bill Shuster was criticized for dating an airline lobbyist while he chaired the Houses transportation committee, a relationship he said was proper because she was not lobbying his office. In 2018, the married state Senate majority leader in Iowa, which Ernst represents, resigned abruptly after video surfaced of him kissing a lobbyist for the Iowa League of Cities. Virginia Canter, a former government ethics lawyer who served in administrations of both parties, said of the relationships with officials advocating before Ernsts committee: It kind of takes your breath away. The relationships, Canter said, make Ernst vulnerable to being extorted if people learned of them and could give someone undue influence over her. It draws into question every position shes taken that would affect his office, Canter said. Youre expecting her to represent her constituents interests every time she supports a policy or votes. Once she has engaged in that kind of relationship, you have to call into question her impartiality. The military is particularly strict about romantic relationships, with rules against adultery, liaisons between employees of different rank, and various other types of relationships that could create ethical pitfalls. One former high-ranking Pentagon official said he thought some of the rules may be antiquated and overly strict, but that a relationship between an officer handling legislative affairs and a senator created too severe a conflict. That seems way beyond inappropriate to me, somebody whos there representing the U.S. military within the military chain of command with a U.S. senator on Armed Services, that makes it really bad. Justin Elliott and Andy Kroll contributed reporting. Alex Mierjeski contributed research. The dismissal of Gen. Charles Q. Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was startling, if not unexpected, at the beginning of President Donald Trumps second term. Trump had appointed Brown to lead the Air Force in 2020, and in 2023, former President Joe Biden elevated him to the chairmanship. Both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had signaled that Browns ouster was a key part of their overhaul of the Department of Defense, one of several firings of senior officials associated with the Biden administration. To replace Brown, Trump has nominated Dan Caine, a retired Air Force general. The abrupt firing of a respected incumbent in favor of a replacement within Trumps orbit has triggered concerns about politicizing the military. The controversy has brought attention to the vital, yet not widely understood, role of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. What exactly does the chairman do? What powers does he or she have? How has the job changed over time? And what makes someone effective in the role? The presidents principal military adviser The chairman is the United States highest-ranking military officer. A four-star general or admiral who reports directly to the president, the chairman presides over the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a council comprised of senior members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and the National Guard. The chairmans job is to distill the collective wisdom of the council and then advise the president on the best use of the nations military force. While outranking all other military personnel, the chairman possesses no command authority. An adviser rather than a decision-maker, the chairman helps the president understand the armed forces options and capabilities during military crises. Operating outside the chain of command, which runs from the president to the defense secretary to combatant commanders, the chairmans power stems not from leading troops in battle, but from having the ear of the leader of the free world. Created in 1949, the chairman position was designed to solve a quintessentially American problem. In a nation where civilian control over the military is a first principle, what is the best way for presidents to receive the considered wisdom of the military forces they command? Since George Washingtons time, this problem has vexed Congress, the branch of government the Constitution designates to make rules for land and naval forces. If military officials have too much sway in the White House, the president can veer toward authoritarianism, seeing troops and tanks as the answer to matters better solved politically. But if the officer corps voice is too weak, complex battlefield operations and the strategic planning that precedes it are likely to be botched, as happened in Vietnam. In this Sept. 25, 1991, file photo, Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gestures on Capitol Hill in Washington, at a House Armed Services subcommittee. (AP Photo/Marcy Nighswander, File) Tension with the service secretaries In its original form, the chairman position was little more than a first among equals. Devoid of a staff, the positions day-to-day power was outstripped by the civilian secretaries heading each military branch, more firmly entrenched leaders who were heavily invested in the existing divisions. From what had become a centuries-old bureaucratic turf war, the Army and Navy secretaries knew how to divvy things up, as a 1985 Senate report put it. Relentless infighting undermined the chairmans ability to get all the players on the same page and could lead to a disaster like the the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut by militants. In an interview about the failures in the aftermath of the Beirut attack, Adm. William Crowe, the chairman at the time, said: I could only operate through the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine component commanders, who stood between me and the forces in the field. Component commanders reported to their own service chiefs and could use this channel to outflank the unified commander. The Goldwater-Nichols Act, passed in 1986, strengthened the chairmans position significantly. The law said it aimed to improve the military advice provided to the President and more efficiently use military resources. The chairman received the coveted responsibility of personally advising the president and defense secretary on military matters. In practical terms, the chairman became the third-most important military figure, behind only the two officials he advised. For their part, the service secretaries were relegated to the less prestigious role of training and equipping their respective troops. Their determination to preserve an antiquated model of military administration made them less relevant in an era of jointness and unified commands. The qualities of an effective chairman Immense in scale and scope, the chairman position by law must be held by a four-star officer with a significant amount of prior seasoning, including experience in one or more of the senior-most positions of the military. This requirement can be waived when it is in the national interest to do so, a provision Trump invoked when nominating Caine. Broad experience helps chairmen identify counterproductive gamesmanship. In the buildup to the Gulf War, the Air Force chief of staff publicly bragged about the superior effectiveness of air power. Army Gen. Colin Powell, the chairman at the time, responded by advising Defense Secretary Dick Cheney to immediately fire the Air Force chief. Keen to such maneuvers, Powell wanted to send a message that the days of inter-service rivalries and airing of grievances were over: Only a unified mindset would be tolerated. Frank, apolitical guidance is also important. The chairmans four-year term is intentionally staggered against the presidents term so that a single chairman advises two presidents. Adm. Mike Mullen was appointed by President George W. Bush and then worked under President Barack Obama for nearly three years. Gen. Joseph Dunford, an Obama appointee, counseled Trump at the start of his first term. Trump broke from this tradition by dismissing Brown less than two years into the term to which President Joe Biden appointed him. He selected Caine, a general whom Trump said told him the Islamic State group could be totally finished in one week. The new chairmans challenge will be to balance his independent judgment against telling the president what he wants to hear. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Three weeks after President Donald Trumps extraordinary purge of inspectors general across the federal government, a document arrived in Navy Lt. Cmdr. Shannon Bencs email inbox. It was the day before Valentines Day, but what was detailed in the 64-page report under the official seal of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense was a relationship gone sideways: WHISTLEBLOWER REPRISAL INVESTIGATION, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER SHANNON BENCS, U.S. NAVY, NAVAL SUPPLY FLEET LOGISTICS CENTER, PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII. Bencs had been waiting for nearly four years for the report since filing complaints against her commanders, claiming they had retaliated against her for exposing significant issues before a devastating fuel leak at the Navys largest storage facility in 2021 contaminated drinking water for tens of thousands of service members and their families. But when she scoured the preliminary findings, her heart sank. The DoD inspector general found no link between her whistleblowing and her negative performance reviews. It was like a kick in the gut, Bencs told The War Horse. I had a feeling that they would protect the Navy. While Congress empowered inspectors general with independent oversight to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, critics say what happened to Bencs is typical of a system that is overseen by the agencies that are under the spotlight themselves. Now, some advocates for greater independence and accountability are asking: Could IG reform really come under Trump? Retired Lt. Col. Ryan Sweazey, a T-38 Talon pilot, served as an inspector general during his time in the Air Force and now heads a group calling for reforms. (Delaney Gonzales/U.S. Air Force) 97.6% Told No, Youre Liars Trump raised alarm with his unprecedented sacking of more than a dozen heads of inspector general offices during his first week back in the White House, including at the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs. A month later, he turned his ax on Pentagon military leaders, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Critics say the housecleaning is simply part of a larger consolidation of powernot a pretext for reformand that the dramatic downsizing of federal workers under Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency is fostering an even deeper fear of speaking out. But the leaders of the veteran-run Walk the Talk Foundation are still hoping the president will make good on a campaign promise to make every inspector generals office independent and physically separated from the departments they overseea change they say is critical to creating a system whistleblowers can trust. Walk the Talk founder Ryan Sweazey is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who served as an inspector general for an air wing from 2013 to 2016. He says he later found himself subjected to professional reprisal after reporting workplace hostility and discrimination in the Defense Intelligence Agency. Sweazey points to a Congressional Research Service report in 2020 on how infrequently whistleblower reprisal complaints are substantiated: just 2.4% of cases. So 97.6% of cases are told, No, youre liars or youre wrong, go suck it, right? Sweazey told The War Horse. Its an extremely high-risk, low probability of quote-unquote success system. Officers named in Bencs reprisal report were faulted in the Navys separate findings about the handling of the Red Hill fuel leak that sickened thousands in Hawaii. The draft IG report found her commanding officer at the time had motive to retaliate against her, having known about multiple reports she made regarding fuel leaks into Pearl Harbor and a new fire suppression system that had been taken offline. But the report found actions her senior officers took, including unfavorable fitness reports, and a decision at one point to put Bencs on travel orders, did not adversely affect her career, or were linked to her job performance and not her reporting. The Defense Department's Office of Inspector General did not respond to an interview request, and The War Horse tried to contact Bencs' supervisors but did not hear back. Bencs was formally fired from her position in May 2021, just days after a pressure surge would eventually cause 19,000 gallons of fuel to seep into the ground near the storage facility. She says the IGs interviews with her felt adversarial, seeming to probe for inconsistencies in her story. Its like every time I [talked] to them, theyre just trying to find a way to disprove what I was saying, thinking I didnt have evidence to support it, she said. 72 Hours of Training The Walk the Talk Foundation has created a draft executive order and legislative proposal outlining changes that would make IGs less beholden to the organizations they report on. These include creating an independent inspector general for DoD that does not depend on military command-appointed investigators; more and better training for IG staff; mandatory timelines for completing investigations; and a fast-track process for Freedom of Information Act document requests related to IG investigations. When I was an inspector general, I received three business days of training, and then suddenly I was an IG, Sweazey said. I think thats absurd, especially when I was overseeing investigations that have real, serious ramifications and you could get dismissed from the military via the administrative processthats a big deal. For that, you need somebody with more than 72 hours of training, in my humble opinion. Sweazey noted that inspectors general are political appointees and often treated politicallyTrump replaced a number of inspectors general from the previous administration during his first term in 2020, and President Barack Obama removed AmeriCorps IG Gerald Walpin in 2009. But any indicator that Trump will make good on his promise of IG independence has yet to come. I have guarded optimism, I guess is the best phrase, that the removal of the head of the agency is a step in that direction, Sweazey said. But true reform has not yet materialized. Dont expect it, says Joe Spielberger at the Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog organization that reports on government waste, corruption, and accountability. He worries that the system, flawed as it is, could become less accountable, more politicized and beholden to the demands of senior leadership in the new administration. When we see these very clear and blatant moves, like with these recent firings, that really paints a picture that these decisions are being made for partisan political reasons, and not because of the need for increased accountability in the federal government, said Spielberger, the senior policy counsel at POGOs Effective and Accountable Government team. It really also plays a huge role in creating that wider chilling effect. It can just really cause much more confusion and chaos and lack of clarity about whether these individuals in these [inspector general] offices really are serving in the best interests of the people. Positive Signs at VA Before Firings Well-known veteran whistleblowers say change has been slow in coming at the Department of Veterans Affairs, an organization historically so beset by reports of whistleblower reprisal that in 2017 Congress established a separate Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection to remedy the problem. But they point to recent signs of positive changebefore Trumps firings. Shea Wilkes, an Army veteran who played a key role in exposing the VAs infamous waitlist scandal while working at the Shreveport, Louisiana, VA Medical Center in 2014, has testified before Congress about being placed under criminal investigation and effectively suspended from his work after blowing the whistle. Wilkes still has issues with the VA OIGhes bothered that it has no biteno enforcement authority over the VA with its recommendationsand contends that investigations can often be a box-checking exercise. Shea Wilkes, pictured here during a 2008 deployment to Afghanistan, was suspended after speaking out about a waitlist scandal when he worked at a VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. (Photo courtesy of Shea Wilkes) But Wilkes said he was impressed by his interactions with Michael Missal, the VA inspector general who had led the office for eight years before being fired by Trump in January. Despite Wilkes reputation for calling out leaders, which has caused some to keep their distance, Missal engaged right away, he said. I communicated with him via email directly a few times, and he would actually respond to me, Wilkes said, adding that he believed investigations under Missal were more aggressive and direct. I thought he did better, and I thought [the VA OIG investigations under Missal] would actually call out the VA, Wilkes said. Missal, who joined seven other fired inspectors general last month in filing a lawsuit alleging that their terminations without notice were illegal, told The War Horse that hed taken pains to stay objective and distinct from the VA in his job. Once, he said, he turned down an invitation to join an office birthday party for the VA secretary. I said, The last thing I want is for me to be seen celebrating the secretarys birthday, Missal recalled. Its things like thatto me, youre giving the appearance youre not independent. And I never went to staff meetings of the VA; I never went to any event in which we didnt have sort of an official role. While Missal acknowledges the OIG still has no enforcement authority over the VA, he said he worked to improve accountability within the office, launching a data group that would request information ranging from dialysis recipients to prosthetics purchases to improve data analytics and locate waste and malfeasance. What Comes Next Missal has little optimism for what will come next for IGs in the current administration, fearing that the watchdog agencies could be dismantled, or that fired inspectors general will be replaced with leaders less concerned about accountability than with pleasing the White House. Either way ... veterans are going to suffer, because we did so many things that helped VA improve, which benefited veterans, he told The War Horse. Navy fuels director Shannon Bencs walks a portion of the seven miles of tunnels of the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility in 2020. (Daniel Mayberry/U.S. Navy) As for Bencs, shes not giving upshe plans to submit a response to the DoD IG report with statements from witnesses she says will back her up. Her role as a whistleblower in the catastrophic leak has been highlighted in the local media and championed by local groups like Oahu Water Protectors. If I had just gone on and [said] everything was hunky dory ... I dont think I would have learned what I learned, she said. Like the Walk the Talk Foundation, Bencs wants to see the IG fully removed from the purview of the Defense Department, and hopes the current upheaval will force a move in that direction. I think this is a good catalyst to force change with my case and with others, she said. Its got to stop. We Want to Hear From You At The War Horse, we want to truly understand and share the unique challenges service members, veterans, and their families are facing. Are you a veteran or military spouse who recently lost your job due to federal agency cuts? Are you experiencing any interruptions, cancelations or delays to your medical care or benefits? How is all this affecting your family? You can contact The War Horse at contactus@thewarhorse.org or via encrypted Protonmail at thewarhorsenews@proton.me. This War Horse story was reported by Hope Hodge Seck, edited by Mike Frankel, fact-checked by Jess Rohan, and copy-edited by Mitchell Hansen-Dewar. Hrisanthi Pickett wrote the headlines. Editors Note: This article first appeared on The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service. Subscribe to their newsletter. Editor's note: The headline and story were updated to reflect that Robert Howard is the only soldier nominated three times for the Medal of Honor. Marine Dan Daly and Gen. Douglas MacArthur also were nominated three times. Barely more than two years after Green Beret Robert Howards heroic attempt to retrieve a severely injured lieutenant from enemy-controlled territory during the Vietnam War, he stood before President Richard Nixon at the White House. As Howard was about to receive the Medal of Honor on March 2, 1971, he felt nervous and weak-kneed. He looked pale, prompting a concerned Nixon to ask whether he was OK. I said, Sir, I dont know if Im going to faint or not, but I apologize for my looks, Howard recounted in an interview with the Congressional Medal of Honor Societys Living History project. I think my heart stopped beating. That moment of levity aside, Howard remained upright long enough for Nixon to place the prized medal around his neck. As of March 2025, Howard is the only soldier among the 3,547 Medal of Honor recipients to be nominated for the United States top military honor on three separate occasions. Born in Alabama in 1939, Howard left home shortly after receiving his high school diploma. Intent on following a path that his father and four of his uncles -- all of whom became Army paratroopers -- forged, Howard enlisted in the military in 1956. Nearly a decade later, he deployed with the 101st Airborne Division, his fathers old unit, during the Vietnam War, but the course of his military career changed forever after he switched to the Special Forces, earning his Ranger tab and eventually becoming a Green Beret. The new role suited Howard extremely well, and it wasnt long before he showed he could meet the Special Forces rigorous standards. During a 13-month period in the late 1960s, Howards actions resulted in three Medal of Honor recommendations; the first two were downgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star, respectively, but the third resulted in a different outcome. On Dec. 30, 1968, Howard -- then part of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces -- was on a reconnaissance mission at Kon Tum in south-central Vietnam when his unit learned that the North Vietnamese had captured Allied prisoners of war. As Howards platoon landed in hostile territory, a large enemy force attacked, killing three soldiers near him and shooting down a helicopter, he told the CMOHS. Medal of Honor recipient Robert Howard (left) served 5 deployments in Vietnam. (U.S. Army photo) As Howard, then a sergeant first class, scrambled to inform his lieutenant that they were completely surrounded, another ambush broke out. During the skirmish, a grenade obliterated Howards weapon, wounding him as blood obscured his vision. I can remember seeing red and saying a prayer, hoping I wasnt blind, Howard, who was wounded 14 times during five deployments to Vietnam, told the Living History project. I couldnt see. I knew I was in a lot of pain, and my hands were hurting. I couldnt get up, and I really didnt want to get up anyway because I couldnt see. The Special Forces soldiers predicament got worse. Armed with a flamethrower, an enemy fighter aimed the incendiary device at the ambushed troops and held down the trigger, but despite looking directly at Howard, he somehow spared the Green Berets life. Amid a blistering hail of gunfire, Howard took advantage of that unexpected reprieve to crawl to 1st Lt. James Jerson. Despite hurting and bleeding hands that compromised his grip, Howard began to drag his 6-foot-4, 200-pound platoon leader to safety as quickly as he could. In the midst of that perilous, pain-filled journey, a bullet pierced one of Howards ammunition pouches, causing several magazines to explode. The blast blew the Green Beret several feet away, temporarily disorienting him. Once Howard regained his bearings, he and another sergeant managed to drag Jerson back to what was left of their scattered platoon. In an undated photo, then-Sgt. 1st Class Robert L. Howard carries a North Vietnamese Army prisoner of war. (U.S. Army photo) When told Jerson was unlikely to make it, Howard adamantly refused to accept that outcome. Make him make it, Howard bellowed, according to his CMOHS interview. You keep that lieutenant alive. Howard immediately organized a perimeter, commanding all who were able that they were going to fight or die right where they were. He ordered the installation of strobe lights to identify their position and radioed for air support. The next 3 hours were a testament to Howards uncommon bravery and fortitude as he painstakingly crawled to assist wounded soldiers before the lights started to lose their power. Before they could be rescued, though, the North Vietnamese attacked again. Howard then made possibly the riskiest call of his 36-year military career, ordering the next airstrike to attack his own platoons position. I remember the fire landing right between my feet and ricochets hitting me in the face, Howard said. Thats how intense it was. Then I could hear the helicopters coming in. Im still communicating with the sergeant, and I said, You know we might get out of here alive yet. Howard did make it out alive, and true to his selfless nature, he evacuated himself only after the rest of the platoon, either dead or alive, were loaded onto helicopters. With only six of the 37 platoon members surviving the attacks, the scene was somber. Jerson was among the dead, wounding Howard deeper than any of his physical injuries. That hurt me worse than being shot up, seeing that lieutenant die, Howard told the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Army leaders unveil a plaque dedicating the Special Operations Command Korea campus in honor of Army Col. Robert L. Howard at a ceremony outside the SOCKOR headquarters building on Camp Humphreys, South Korea, April 16, 2021. (Master Sgt. Anthony A. Enomoto/U.S. Air Force photo) A loss that heartfelt never truly goes away, and Howard undoubtedly carried it with him as President Nixon hung the Medal of Honor around his neck. After Nixon told the retired colonel that this great country appreciates you, Howard recalled why he joined the military in the first place. It was so important because my father and all of my uncles died as a result of their service during the Second World War, said Howard, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2009 at the age of 70. And so when I received that honor, I felt that I was sharing it with members of my family that had sacrificed their lives. I hold it very dear to my heart. Want to Know More About the Military? Be sure to get the latest news about the U.S. military, as well as critical info about how to join and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox. With the calendar now flipped to March, the overwhelming majority of the leagues top free agents have already signed. There are still a handful of stragglers remaining on the market, however, and one of the most notable among those is veteran closer David Robertson. With his 40th birthday just around the corner, Robertson is still searching for a landing spot ahead of what would be his 17th season in the majors. After a ten-year stretch as a quality late-inning arm for the Yankees and White Sox from 2009 to 2018 where he posted a 2.76 ERA (152 ERA+) with a nearly matching 2.77 FIP, Robertson faded from the spotlight for a few years due to injuries, leading him to pitch in just 19 games total between 2019 and 2021. While many veterans who miss the majority of three consecutive seasons due to injury in their mid-30s either retire or fail to re-establish themselves in the majors, Robertson picked right back up where he left off after signing with the Cubs in 2022. Since then, Robertsons played for five different teams across three seasons and found plenty of success. The righty has pitched to a 2.82 ERA (147 ERA+) with a 3.24 FIP in 201 innings of work with a 31.1% strikeout rate. With 40 saves in that time, Robertson is a capable ninth-inning pitcher whos shown hes also comfortable handling a setup role. That role flexibility is somewhat rare for elite veteran arms, and could make Robertson a viable option even for teams with a set closer in the ninth inning. Robertsons overall profile would suggest that hes likely to land a deal in line with other quality late-inning veterans like Kenley Jansen, Andrew Kittredge, and Jose Leclerc. With that being said, given the late point in the calendar and Robertsons age, it wouldnt necessarily be a shock if clubs had some concerns about his ability to get fully up to speed in time for Opening Day on March 27. In terms of potential suitors, perhaps the most on-paper fit for Robertsons services is the Diamondbacks. Arizona made no bones about their desire to add a late-inning arm with closing experience throughout the winter, but theyve been unsuccessful in that pursuit to this point and instead have added middle relief veterans like Kendall Graveman and Shelby Miller as they look to add experienced arms to their relief corps. Robertson would be an immediate and substantial upgrade, but its difficult to see a financial fit between the sides given that Robertson is likely in line for a healthy one-year guarantee while the Diamondbacks are already at a franchise record level of spending after an offseason that saw them add star right-hander Corbin Burnes to the rotation. That could lead the club to focus instead on its internal options, a possibility MLBTRs Steve Adams explored last week. Plenty of other teams have been connected to Robertson throughout the winter aside from Arizona, though they all come with question marks of their own. The incumbent Rangers added plenty of talent to their bullpen this winter, but lack a proper closer after watching Robertson, Leclerc, and Kirby Yates all depart in free agency this winter. Thats enough to make Robertson a logical fit for the club on paper, but much like Arizona, the club appears to be at or near its budget capacity for the 2025 campaign, which would make adding Robertson to the fold a difficult task. The Cubs and Tigers were both connected to Robertson at various points throughout the winter, and a return to Chicago in particularly was frequently bandied about in the rumor mill throughout the offseason. Those rumors persisted even after the Cubs added Ryan Pressly to handle the ninth inning, but their subsequent trade with the Dodgers to acquire Ryan Brasier may have put an end to their pursuit of Robertson. Meanwhile, the Tigers have not been connected to Robertson in earnest since signing right-hander Tommy Kahnle, although its worth noting that Kahnle has just eight career saves and that the Tigers were reported to be interested in specifically adding an arm with closing experience to their late-inning mix. While those are the only teams that have been explicitly connected to Robertson this winter, theres plenty of other potential suitors for his services. The Red Sox are known to have been in the market earlier this winter for a right-handed reliever who could join Liam Hendriks and Aroldis Chapman in their late-inning mix. The Cardinals are known to covet a veteran right-handed relief arm to replace Kittredge in their bullpen, and the Phillies lost both Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez this winter while only adding Jordan Romano. If a rebuilding club like the Marlins or White Sox was willing to invest some money into the big league roster, either one could reunite with Robertson in the first half before shopping him at the trade deadline for future talent. Where do MLBTR readers think Robertson will ultimately land? Have your say in the poll below: A horse-drawn carriage leaves the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Mich. on Friday, May 17, 2024. Joel Bissell | MLive.com Two popular Michigan vacation destinations are in the running to be named the Best Historic Small Town. The winner will be determined by public voting. Ludington is the defending champion for this USA Today 10Best award. Mackinac Island wasnt nominated last year. With 26 days left to vote, Ludington is sitting at No. 4 and Mackinac Island at No. 7, among 20 nominees. RELATED: Northern Michigan beach town wins USA Todays 10Best Best Historic Small Town The Ludington North Breakwater Light as seen from on board the S.S. Badger. Photo by Cory Morse | MLive Nestled along the shore of Lake Michigan, Ludington celebrated its sesquicentennial 150-year anniversary in 2023. A former lumber town, it has museums, historic homes, a historic car ferry and more. USA Today 10Best describes Ludington as follows: Ludington, Michigan, built its economy on the lumber industry and has continued to thrive as a shipping port, both by water and by train. Today, visitors come to explore Ludingtons small-town charm, enjoy its waterfront location, and shop at its many specialty shops and art galleries. Explore the towns past at Historic White Pine Village and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. In 2024, Ludington won Best Historic Small Town and Best New Years Eve Ball Drop. It also came in second place for Best Beach in Michigan. RELATED: Up North town wins best New Years Eve ball drop, beating Times Square Vote for Ludington here. Vote up to once per day. Polls close at noon on March 31. The front porch area of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island with a horse and buggy taxi. Photo by Edward Pevos | MLive Mackinac Island is Michigans most-visited island. Its known for its timeless charm, exquisite fudge, and ban on automobiles, relying on horse-drawn carriages and bicycles for transportation. Its home to Fort Mackinac, museums, historic places to stay, and more. USA Today 10Best describes the island as follows: Mackinac Islands history is filled with change. The French arrived in the territory encompassing the island, which had long been the home of the Anishinaabek People, back in the 1600s. By the 1700s, the British had taken over, and Americans claimed it shortly thereafter. Now a scenic, car-free northern Michigan vacation spot, Mackinacs history is still on display via numerous museums and original structures. Fort Mackinac is one of Michigans oldest buildings, now within a state park including 13 other buildings from the 1700s. Find the Biddle House, Native American Museum, Benjamin Blacksmith Shop, and Mill Creek history comes alive all over this must-see enclave. In 2023 and 2024, Mackinac Island was named Best Summer Travel Destination. It also came in second place in 2024 for Best Fall Travel Destination. RELATED: Mackinac Island voted Best Summer Travel Destination in US second year in a row Vote for Mackinac Island here. Vote up to once per day. Polls close at noon on March 31. Heres the full list of nominees: Albien, Kan. Astoria, Ore. Bisbee, Ariz. Castine, Maine Cody, Wyo. Eureka Spring, Ark. Georgetown, Colo. Gettysburg, Penn. Granbury, Texas Harpers Ferry, W. Va. Ludington, Mich. Mackinac Island, Mich. Mount Dora, Fla. Newport, Ky. Newport, R.I. Ruston, La. Shipshewana, Ind. St. Michaels, Md. Taos, N.M. Worthington, Ohio Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts and then narrowed to 20 finalists by the 10Best editors. Vote here. The winner will be announced on April 9. Holland artist Carolyn Stich is drawing homes lost in the Los Angeles wildfires. Stich is working with a California-based artist to sort through 1,500 requests from displaced residents of the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhood. (Photo Courtesy of Carolyn Stich) Carolyn Stich HOLLAND, MI -- Watching the news coverage of the Los Angeles wildfires ravage neighborhoods hit Holland artist Carolyn Stich right in the heart. Another natural disaster was upending lives miles away while she sat along the shore of Lake Michigan. We dont have fears [here in Michigan] that all these other people have, she said. It makes me grateful to be here but how can I help? Being an artist I cant always help financially, but I thought, what else can I do? RELATED: Climate havens like Michigan should start prep now for future natural disaster migrants Stich started her art career as an architectural illustrator for Summit Properties doing pen and ink drawings of listed homes. She wanted to donate her time and talent to recreate the estimated 16,000 homes and businesses that were destroyed, but didnt have any connections to Los Angeles. Then one day a local news stations good news segment caught her eye. An LA-based artist, Asher Bingham, was drawing homes that had been destroyed in her neighborhood. Stich reached out over social media and immediately clicked with Bingham. The two artists, separated by 2,000 miles, bonded over the mission. I enjoy drawing and its good for my soul to just be doing something, Stich said. This is a crazy world right now. Bingham created a system to sort through the growing number of requests coming in through her social media and email. Bingham inputs addresses and Stich looks up homes on the MLS real estate data base. The two artists are tackling around 1,500 requests currently. Stich said shes consumed with drawing these lost homes and finds herself wandering back to the wildfire project in the midst of other work. She jokes that she needs to duct tape herself to the chair to get anything else done. Holland artist Carolyn Stich is drawing homes lost in the Los Angeles wildfires. Stich is working with a California-based artist to sort through 1,500 requests from displaced residents of the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhood. (Photo Courtesy of Carolyn Stich) Carolyn Stich At the two-month mark, Stich completed her 40th drawing. Some of the homeowners have responded, which puts a face to it and makes it very real. Its been emotional to see the humanity in these home sketches, she said, knowing the families who occupied these houses no longer have any tangible things that represent their home. This project brought the national news to her kitchen table. Its humbling to me, she said. The chance to do my part makes me feel better. Stich and Bingham are still accepting requests through this Google Form. All commissions are free. RELATED: Michigan is a climate haven in a warming world. Will everyone move here? The Offspring are kicking off a 2025 North American tour with dates in Cincinnati, Chicago, Denver, and more, including a show at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Metro Detroit. Find tickets on SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, StubHub, and Ticketmaster. The Offspring SUPERCHARGED Worldwide in '25 Tour with Jimmy Eat World and New Found Glory to play Pine Knob in Clarkston, Michigan July 27, 2025 / Courtesy of Vivid Seats Courtesy of Vivid Seats The Offsprings SUPERCHARGED Worldwide in 25 Tour opens Friday, July 11 at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida. Alongside special guests Jimmy Eat World and New Found Glory, the Self Esteem punk band is also slated to perform at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio; Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston; the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, Illinois; the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California; and more by the closing show at Denvers Ball Arena on Sunday, September 7. The band is also set to perform at When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas this October. Tickets to the Live Nation-produced tour go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 7 at 10 a.m. local time, with presales running throughout the week. Tickets: Sun, Jul 27 at Pine Knob SeatGeek | Vivid Seats | StubHub | Ticketmaster All dates SeatGeek | Vivid Seats | StubHub | Ticketmaster Tour schedule: Fri, Jul 11 iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre; West Palm Beach, FL Sat, Jul 12 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fair Grounds; Tampa, FL Tue, Jul 15 Ameris Bank Amphitheatre; Alpharetta, GA Wed, Jul 16 Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek; Raleigh, NC Fri, Jul 18 Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach; Virginia Beach, VA Sat, Jul 19 Jiffy Lube Live; Bristow, VA Sun, Jul 20 The Pavilion at Montage Mountain; Scranton, PA Tue, Jul 22 Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview; Syracuse, NY Wed, Jul 23 Budweiser Stage; Toronto, ON Fri, Jul 25 Riverbend Music Center; Cincinnati, OH Sat, Jul 26 Ruoff Music Center; Noblesville, IN Sun, Jul 27 Pine Knob Music Theatre; Clarkston, MI Tue, Jul 29 Freedom Mortgage Pavilion; Camden, NJ Wed, Jul 30 Xfinity Center; Mansfield, MA Fri, Aug 1 Bethel Woods Center For The Arts; Bethel, NY Sat, Aug 2 PNC Bank Arts Center; Holmdel, NJ Sun, Aug 3 Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater; Wantagh, NY Wed, Aug 13 Blossom Music Center; Cuyahoga Falls, OH Fri, Aug 15 Target Center; Minneapolis, MN Sat, Aug 16 Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre; Tinley Park, IL Sun, Aug 17 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre; Maryland Heights, MO Wed, Aug 20 Thunder Ridge Nature Arena; Ridgedale, MO Fri, Aug 22 Dos Equis Pavilion; Dallas, TX Sat, Aug 23 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion; The Woodlands, TX Sun, Aug 24 Germania Insurance Amphitheater; Austin, TX Tue, Aug 26 Isleta Amphitheater; Albuquerque, NM Wed, Aug 27 Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre; Phoenix, AZ Fri, Aug 29 Kia Forum; Inglewood, CA Sat, Aug 30 Shoreline Amphitheatre; Mountain View, CA Sun, Aug 31 Toyota Amphitheatre; Wheatland, CA Wed, Sep 3 White River Amphitheatre; Auburn, WA Thu, Sep 4 Cascades Amphitheater; Ridgefield, WA Sat, Sep 6 Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre; Salt Lake City, UT Sun, Sep 7 Ball Arena; Denver, CO Sat, Oct 18 When We Were Young Festival at Las Vegas Festival Grounds; Las Vegas, NV ALGER COUNTY, MI One person is dead after a snowmobile crash in the Upper Peninsula. According to the Alger County Sheriffs Office, the crash occurred on Trail No. 8 near Camp Au Train Road in Au Train Township at 3:20 p.m. on Monday. Deputies say the driver, a 61-year-old man from Edwardsburg, failed to navigate a curve in the trail. He was ejected from the snowmobile into several trees and was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said. RELATED: Michigan has had 10 fatal snowmobile crashes so far this winter Excessive speed was the main factor in the crash, deputies said, while it was determined alcohol was not a factor. The victims name has not been released. An investigation is ongoing. Deputies were assisted at the scene by Alger County EMS, Alger County Rescue 21 and the Michigan State Police. A Detroit man was sentenced to at least three years in prison for shooting a Chipotle employee after a dispute over guacamole. (MLive file photo) SOUTHFIELD, MI A Detroit man was sentenced to at least three years in prison for shooting a Chipotle employee after a dispute over guacamole. Aaron Michael Brown, 33, was sentenced to 1-10 years for assault and two years for a felony firearm charge in Oakland County Circuit Court on March 3, according to a news release from the Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney. EATON COUNTY, MI A Michigan man has been charged following an investigation into pay pipe thefts at a state forest campground. Justyn Mark Spitzley, 36, of Sunfield was arrested on a 13-count warrant and arraigned in Luce County on Feb. 14. He is charged with felony larceny of $1,000 to $20,000, 11 felony counts of breaking and entering a coin-operated device and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended or revoked license. Over the past two camping seasons, Michigan state parks personnel discovered that several of the remote Luce County state forest campgrounds were coming up way short on campsite fees, totaling several thousands of dollars, said Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Cole VanOosten. District 2 (Eastern Upper Peninsula) conservation officers, along with DNR Special Investigative Unit detectives, initiated surveillance techniques to identify and apprehend the suspect. The investigation into Spitzley began in October 2024 when Spitzley allegedly broke into several state forest campground pay pipes. When he was arrested, he was found to be in possession of a large amount of stolen cash, a burglary tool and other evidence of the crimes, the DNR said. Spitzley confessed to the pay pipe theft crimes, according to the Department of Natural Resources. He was lodged in the Luce County Jail in Newberry on unrelated outstanding felony warrants for non-payment of child support in Ionia County and shoplifting in Eaton County, the DNR said. Bond was set at $10,000 and a pretrial hearing is on March 17. Michigan State Police troopers, Sault Ste. Marie Police and the Mackinac Bridge Authority assisted in surveillance efforts that led to his arrest. With millions of Americans preparing for spring break in the coming weeks, those heading to Mexico are encouraged to use caution and avoid some areas altogether. A travel advisory issued in September by State Department says several areas of the country are unsafe and are off-limits to U.S. government workers because of safety concerns. Six different Mexican states are listed as do not travel destinations, as part of the advisory due to crime and possible kidnapping. Seven more states are labeled as reconsider travel areas for the same concerns. While crime is an issue throughout Mexico, the warning specifically mentions the Tamaulipas state. The advisory says public and private passenger buses, along with private automobiles have been targeted by criminal organizations. Passengers are often taken and held for ransom, according to the State Department. Organized crime activity including gun battles, murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, forced disappearances, extortion, and sexual assault is common along the northern border and in Ciudad Victoria," reads a portion of the advisory. While that might be the most extreme situation, the advisory suggests that those who do visit any part of Mexico should follow guidelines set for U.S. government employees. U.S. government employees may not travel between cities after dark, may not hail taxis on the street, and must rely on dispatched vehicles, including app-based services like Uber, and regulated taxi stands, the advisory says. U.S. government employees should avoid traveling alone, especially in remote areas. For more information on traveling in Mexico and steps you can take to protect yourself, visit the State Department advisory website. Do Not Travel To: Colima state due to crime and kidnapping. Guerrero state due to crime. Michoacan state due to crime. Sinaloa state due to crime. Tamaulipas state due to crime and kidnapping. Zacatecas state due to crime and kidnapping. Reconsider Travel To: Baja California state due to crime and kidnapping. Chiapas state due to crime. Chihuahua state due to crime and kidnapping. Guanajuato state due to crime. Jalisco state due to crime and kidnapping. Morelos state due to crime and kidnapping. Sonora state due to crime and kidnapping. Exercise Increased Caution When Traveling To: Aguascalientes state due to crime. Baja California Sur state due to crime. Coahuila state due to crime. Durango state due to crime. Hidalgo state due to crime. Mexico City due to crime. Mexico State due to crime and kidnapping. Nayarit state due to crime. Nuevo Leon state due to crime. Oaxaca state due to crime. Puebla state due to crime and kidnapping. Queretaro state due to crime. Quintana Roo state due to crime. San Luis Potosi state due to crime and kidnapping. Tabasco state due to crime. Tlaxcala state due to crime. Veracruz state due to crime. Exercise Normal Precautions When Traveling To: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, is greeted by President Donald Trump, center, as he arrives at the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) AP By AAMER MADHANI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump on Monday directed a pause to U.S. assistance to Ukraine after a disastrous Oval Office meeting as Trump seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in peace talks with Russia. A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal to end the more than three-year war sparked by Russias all-out invasion of Ukraine, and wants Zelenskyy committed to that goal. The official added that the U.S. was pausing and reviewing its aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. APs earlier story follows below. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday for suggesting that the end of Russias war against Ukraine likely is still very, very far away. The comments come as prominent Trump allies escalate pressure on Zelenskyy to dramatically change his approach to the U.S. president, who has made quickly ending the war a top priority, or step aside. The long complicated relationship between the leaders has reached a nadir following a disastrous White House meeting in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance excoriated Zelenskyy for not being sufficiently thankful for U.S. support for Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the February 2022 invasion. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform about the comments Zelenskyy made late Sunday while speaking to reporters in London. Trump at an event at the White House later on Monday referred to Zelenskyys reported comments, and asserted the Ukrainian leader better not be right about that. If somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long, Trump added. That person will not be listened to very long. Trump took issue with Zelenskyy suggesting it would take time to come to an agreement to end the war. The Ukrainian leader also tried to offer a positive take on the U.S.-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of last weeks White House meeting. Asked by a reporter about the outlines of a new European initiative to end Russias war, Zelenskyy said: We are talking about the first steps today, and, therefore, until they are on paper, I would not like to talk about them in great detail. An agreement to end the war is still very, very far away, and no one has started all these steps yet, he added. But Trump was only further irritated by Zelenskyys suggesting it will take time for the conflict to come to a close. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be Peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia, Trump added in his post. What are they thinking? Zelenskyy took to social media soon after Trumps latest criticism. He did not directly refer to Trumps comments, but underscored that it is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible. We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns, Zelenskyy added. We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security. Trumps national security adviser said Zelenskyys posture during Fridays Oval Office talks put up in the air whether hes someone the U.S. administration will be able to deal with going forward. Is he ready, personally, politically, to move his country towards an end to the fighting? Mike Waltz said on Fox News' Americas Newsroom earlier Monday. And can he and will he make the compromises necessary? Waltz added another layer of doubt about U.S. support as other high-profile Trump allies have suggested that the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy is becoming untenable. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that Zelenskyy needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country for Ukraine to continue pursuing a peace deal negotiated by the United States. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has been a vociferous supporter of Ukraine, said soon after the Oval Office meeting that Zelenskyy either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change. Angela Stent, a former national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council, said Putin is likely in no rush to end the war amid the fissures between Trump and Zelenskyy and Europe and the U.S. about the way ahead. He is not interested in ending the war, said Stent, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. He thinks Russia is winning. ... And he thinks that as time goes on, the West will be more fractured. Trump administration and Ukrainian officials had been expected to sign off on a deal during Zelenskyys visit last week that would have given the U.S. access to Ukraines critical minerals in part to pay back more than $180 billion in aid the U.S. has sent Kyiv since the start of the war. The White House has also billed such a pact as a way to tighten U.S.-Ukrainian relations in the long term. The signing was scrapped after the leaders' Oval Office talks went off the rails and White House officials asked Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation to leave. Trump on Monday, however, suggested he hasnt given up on the economic pact, calling it a great deal. He added that he expected to speak to the deal during his Tuesday address before a joint session of Congress. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican who co-chairs the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, spoke with Zelenskyys chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on Monday about getting the mineral rights deal back on track. Fitzpatrick after the lengthy call predicted the deal will be signed in short order. AP journalist Tracy Brown contributed reporting. As the cost of groceries continues to climb, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon says customer spending habits indicate the rising costs are significantly hurting shoppers. In particular, those at the lower end of the income scale appear to be having the biggest issue toward the end of the month. During an event held by the Economic Club of Chicago, McMillon said his company is seeing stress behaviors among budget-conscious customers, according to Bloomberg. You can see that the money runs out before the month is gone, you can see that people are buying smaller pack sizes at the end of the month," McMillon said. McMillon went on to say the habits of customers have remained steady over the last year, regardless of income. In general, shoppers are focusing on getting the best value they can, McMillon said. Although non-food items have returned to pre-pandemic levels of pricing according to McMillon, food costs are still way up. Related story: Despite Trumps campaign promises, feds say cost of groceries will increase in 2025 While the skyrocketing price of eggs has gained most of the attention surrounding rising prices, beef, pork, fruits, and other items have also steadily risen in recent years. McMillon said the stress of the situation on shoppers is clear and admits its something the company is worried about. There are lots of income levels in this country if youre at the lower end of that scale, you are feeling more frustration and pain because of higher food prices, McMillon said. Theyve persisted for years now, and youre just tired of it. And you want it to get better. Elissa Slotkin, candidate for U.S. Senate, delivers a speech at the end of the night at a Michigan Democrats watch party at Motor City Casino in Detroit on Wendesday, Nov. 6 2024. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com ANN ARBOR, MI A veteran recently fired from the Ann Arbor VA will attend President Donald Trumps joint congressional address as a Michigan Senators guest. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, will deliver the Democratic rebuttal to Trumps address, set for 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 4 at the U.S. Capitol. The freshman senator announced on social media she has invited Andrew Lennox. Lennox was among employees terminated from the Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center in Ann Arbor during a purge of federal employees by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency. I am thrilled to announce Andrew Lennox as my guest for the Presidents speech. Andrew is a Michigan veteran employed by the VA in Ann Arbor who was recently fired by DOGE and Elon Musk, Slotkin said on social media. Service is in Andrews blood, and after serving our nation as a U.S. Marine infantryman overseas and a recruiter stateside, he wanted to continue serving at the VA, Slotkin continued. Elon Musk knows nothing about the VA, and its shameful Andrew got a pink slip as part of these arbitrary firings, she said. Two mass VA firings on Feb. 13 and Feb. 24 impacted VA medical centers based in Ann Arbor and Detroit. The terminations of probationary employees left impacted VA employees confused and scrambling. RELATED: Ann Arbor VA firings leave former employees confused, scrambling RELATED: Ann Arbor congresswoman demands answers about VA firings in Michigan Andrew Lennox, a 10-year Marine veteran, was part of a new supervisor training program at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Associated Press reported. He told the AP he received an email out of the blue the evening of Thursday, Feb. 13, informing him that he was being terminated. In order to help veterans, you just fired a veteran, said Lennox, 35, a former USMC infantryman who was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, praised Slotkin as nothing short of a rising star in our party when announcing her selection on Thursday, as reported by the Associated Press. The more than 1,000 VA terminations announced on Feb. 13 will save the department more than $98 million a year and be redirected back toward health care, benefits and services for VA beneficiaries, VA officials said. On Feb. 24, VA officials announced more than 1,400 additional terminations, saying the latest round of terminations will save the department more than $83 million a year. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. Turkeys peck the dirt under a yellow tree at For-Mar Nature Preserve, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at For Mar Nature Preserve, 2142 N. Genesee Road, Burton. (Nico Mendoza | MLive.com) BURTON, MI - Genesee County Parks and Recreation has announced plans for an upcoming prescribed burn on two prairie habitats at For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum this spring, with the aim of improving native ecosystems and manage invasive species. The controlled burn will be scheduled between March 23 and April 20, depending on weather conditions, at the Genesee County park located at 2142 N. Genesee Road in Burton. Prescribed burns play a crucial role in ecosystem restoration by improving soil nutrients, controlling shrub density, and fostering the growth of native plant species, according to a Monday, March 3, Genesee County Parks news release. The prescribed burns also help eliminate invasive plants that are intolerant to fire, promoting biodiversity within the prairie habitats. For-Mars upcoming burn has been planned in collaboration with the Burton Fire Department, University of Michigan-Flint, Genesee Conservation District, and Pheasants Forever. The operation will be led by professional prescribed burn contractor David Borneman, who has extensive experience in ecological fire management. To address community questions and any concerns, a public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, March 7, at the For-Mar Visitor Center. Local residents are encouraged to attend and learn more about the process and benefits of prescribed burns. Seven Kum & Go gas stations in the Grand Rapids area will undergo a rebrand after the company was purchased by Maverik. Pictured is the Kum & Go gas station located at 3325 Plainfield Ave. NE Grand Rapids. (MLive file photo) Mallory Burt GRAND RAPIDS, MI A national gas station and convenience store chain is preparing to undergo a major rebrand at its seven Grand Rapids-area locations. Kum & Go, an Iowa-based chain of stores with over 400 locations throughout the Midwest and West, was purchased in 2023 by Maverik, a chain of convenience stores in the western U.S., and is now rebranding under the new name. The company is in the process of rebranding its seven Kum & Go stores in Michigan under the Maverik name, spokesperson Megan Valentine told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. She did not provide a timeline for the rebranding but said more information would be announced as it becomes available. Maverik currently operates seven Kum & Go stores in Michigan, all in the greater Grand Rapids area, Valentine said. The stores are spread across Grand Rapids, Walker, Wyoming, Kentwood and Grandville. The company is also currently building an eighth location in Wyoming, in a heavy commercial area on 54th Street. RELATED: Whats being built near commercial hot spot off U.S. 131? It will have grab-and-go food Maverik is an adventure-themed convenience store chain that says its the largest independent fuel marketer in the Intermountain West. There are Maverik stores located throughout the western U.S., including in Colorado, Idaho, California and Arizona, according to its website. The company is known for its BonFire line of food, which includes burritos, salads, wraps, pizzas and more, according to its website. Maverik President Chuck Maggelet said he has long admired the Kum & Go brand for its commitment to quality and convenience and was eager to bring it under the Maverik brand. Together, well offer our customers an adventurous and differentiated convenience store experience across fuel, foodservice, and inside-store offerings, Maggelet said in a statement announcing the 2023 acquisition. We look forward to using our combined resources to grow our business and further elevate our product offerings to provide the best service to our customers. Established in Hampton, Iowa in 1959, Kum & Go is a fourth-generation, family-owned convenience store chain, according to the news release. In a webpage dedicated to the national rebrand, Maverik officials said Kum & Gos rewards system wont roll over after the rebrand, so existing customers must use all their points before their store closes. Customers were encouraged to join Maveriks rewards program, the Adventure Club. More information about Maverik can be found at its website, maverik.com. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. Tap handles at Saugatuck Brewing Company in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan on Monday, April 10, 2023. The brewery has 13 beers on their tap list. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) Joel Bissell | MLive.com GRAND RAPIDS, MI Saugatuck Brewing Company has permanently closed its taprooms in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. The company, which also has a taproom near Saugatuck in Douglass, said in a statement that the closures come amid a challenging time for the craft beer industry, and that its shifting its focus toward distribution. Weve always believed in brewing great beer, and in todays evolving industry, were making the difficult choice to shift our focus toward growing our presence through distribution, said John Miller, CEO of Saugatuck Brewing Company. This decision was not made lightly, as our Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo taprooms have been an integral part of our story. A spokesperson for Saugatuck Brewing Company said Miller was not taking interviews Monday afternoon, and that questions sent by email would not be answered. Saugatucks announcement did not say how many employees were losing jobs because of the closure. Nor did it provide further information on specific challenges facing the brewery. Saugatuck Brewing Company opened in 2005, and describes itself as an independently-owned craft brewery with a footprint encompassing 13 states and seven countries. The company entered the Grand Rapids brick-and-mortar market in 2021 when it purchased Creston Brewery, 1504 Plainfield Ave. NE. The original Creston Brewery opened in 2016 by brewmaster Scott Schultz and Chief Financial Officer Vincent Lambert. However, the brewery closed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and never reopened. Saugatuck Brewing Company purchased the brewery in April 2021 and later reopened the space with the Creston name and branding still in place. Saugatucks Kalamazoo taproom at 200 E. Michigan Ave. in Kalamazoo opened in April 2023. The space previously housed the Olde Peninsula Brewpub and Restaurant. However, the location has been closed since a fire in August, and Saugatuck Brewing Company will not be reopening the space, the companys announcement said. We are incredibly grateful to have been a part of both of these communities, Miller said. The memories made, the friendships formed, and the unwavering support from our patrons have been invaluable. Saugatuck Brewing Companys Douglas location, 2948 Blue Star Highway, will remain open. In a statement, the company thanked its employees. Our team has poured so much love and care into creating memorable experiences for our guests, Miller said. We cant thank them enough for all theyve done. We are committed to supporting them through this transition, as theyve always supported us. Mondays announcement was the latest in a string of bar and restaurant closures in Grand Rapids since the start of the year. That includes GRNoir Wine & Jazz Bar, Rockwell Republic, Beacon Corner Bar and more. An 18-year-old is charged with involuntary manslaughter in a fatal shooting of a passenger in a pickup truck. (MLive File Photo) OTTAWA COUNTY, MI An 18-year-old drove his passenger to the hospital after shooting him while they were driving around in a pickup truck, an Ottawa County sheriffs captain said. The passenger, Hector Enriquez-Rangel, 18, later died at a Grand Rapids hospital. Related: Police identify man, 18, killed by gunfire in Ottawa County The driver, Alan Lopez, was arraigned Monday, March 3, in Hudsonville District Court on charges of involuntary manslaughter, carrying a concealed weapon and felony firearm. The most serious charge, manslaughter, carries a potential penalty of 15 years in prison upon conviction. The shooting happened between 6:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Saturday inside a pickup truck the teens were driving in the area of Arthur Street and 24th Avenue in Ottawa Countys Wright Township. Sheriffs detectives continue to investigate the circumstances of the shooting and asked anyone with information to contact the Sheriffs Department at 616-738-4000 or Silent Observer 877-887-4536 or online at mosotips.com. Police believe that the suspect shot the victim as they were driving around in a maroon Chevrolet Silverado pickup, Capt. Jake Sparks said. The suspect then drove the victim to the hospital, he said. The two teens lived in Wright Township and were described by police as acquaintances. Lopez is held in Ottawa County Jail on $100,000 bond. A wall at the cafeteria at the Middle School of Parkside as seen on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (J. Scott Park | MLive.com) J. Scott Park | jpark4@mlive.com JACKSON, MI - With just over three months until Jackson Public Schools approves its budget for the upcoming school year, uncertainty remains on how to handle a projected shortfall. Current district projections through December 2024 place total general fund revenues for 2024-25 around $73.9 million and expenditures at roughly $78 million, putting the district in the red by more than $4 million. Superintendent Jeff Beal said staffing cuts are likely as JPS works to balance the budget as much as possible before the summer. Here is what we know about the situation so far. Q: How did we get here? A: District administrators predicted a potential deficit of about $4,119,000 when the 2024-25 budget was adopted last June. Beal attributed the shortfall in part to the loss of federal COVID-19 relief funding coupled with rising costs of health insurance and employee salaries. Related: Jackson schools prepare for first year without COVID-19 funding by dipping into reserves The 2024-25 term marks the districts first without COVID relief funds in about five years, including the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program. Federal revenues received by the district fell by more than $10 million from 2023 to 2024, according to the budget presented in December. Last years $4,284,354 in federal revenue was a steep decline from $14,639,204 in 2023. JPS administrators were optimistic in June that they could manage finances in a way that would bring the deficit down into the $3-3.5 million range by the time the budget was amended again in December, Beal said during a budget discussion with the Jackson Public School Board Feb. 18. At the time, the door was still open for potential raises in enrollment and state per-student funding. Michigans 2025 school aid budget was passed in July, and did not include a per-pupil foundation allowance increase as school officials had hoped. JPS' per-pupil funding stayed at the same $9,608 rate as the year before. We had all three branches of government saying, We want to give you extra dollars. We felt pretty confident we were going to get a few extra dollars, Beal said. Well, we didnt. In July, (the state) passed a budget with no foundational allowance increase, and that immediately said our budget from June is not quite where were going to be. Q: How will this affect Jackson Public Schools? A: To right-size the budget before June, Beal said he would work with the school board each month to bring things to a balance. As about 85% of the district budget goes to staffing, JPS could be forced to cut dozens of positions. In a ballpark estimate given at the February board meeting, Beal said the district could be forced to cut up to 35 teaching positions. JPS could also about six administration positions, up to four secretarial positions and about 10-15 paraprofessionals. Related: Jackson Public Schools could cut 35 teaching positions amid budget shortfall Beal said these projections are on the high end of possible cuts, and he hopes a more optimistic estimate is available when the budget is amended again in March. The actual number of cuts could be in the range of 10-15 positions, he said. The district also would need to quickly hire new teachers with specific certifications, such as English language and special education, to replace some of the cut positions. Board members in February approved a motion allowing Beal to offer voluntary severance packages for both teachers and administrators starting around $15,000. Q: What happens next? JPS amends its budget multiple times each year before it is finalized in June. Marcus Leon, assistant superintendent of finance and operations, is expected to give another update on the budget at the boards next meeting March 18. Though JPS has about $20 million in its rainy day fund balance, Beal said the district might be in the same position next year if it doesnt react properly now. Beal said JPS has seen promising growth in online student counts and shared time educational programs that allow nonpublic students to take classes at a public school. However, the amount of on-campus full-time students at the district has fallen steadily over the past decade. Despite declining enrollment, Beal said JPS is still staffed like it was in 2020. Its not that were broke, its not that theres a financial crisis, Beal said. This is me pushing an urgency button that says if we dont do this today, its going to be harder tomorrow. Nobody wants to talk about budget cuts, nobody wants to talk the fact that were going to lose folks, but thats a fact of life thats coming. 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. MOUNT PLEASANT, MI A Coleman man has been charged with a whopping 30 charges for allegedly shooting his 12-year-old niece and engaging in a shootout with police. Nathan N. Parnell on Tuesday, March 4, appeared before Isabella County Magistrate Aaron W. Miller for arraignment on the following charges: FRANKENMUTH, MI Four people have been hospitalized following a noxious chemical incident at Zehnders Splash Village in Frankenmuth. About 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday, March 4, Frankenmuth firefighters responded to the incident at the resort and waterpark at 1365 S. Main St. They arrived to find a pool chemical feeding system seemingly malfunctioned, resulting in a larger concentration of chemicals flowing into the main water park. Ten guests and one employee complained of symptoms related to upper respiratory issues, such as coughing and shortness of breath, said Fire Chief Phil Kerns. Three Mobile Medical Response ambulances were on scene to provide immediate treatment for potential exposure. Of the 11 affected people, five were were taken to a Saginaw hospital for additional evaluation and treatment. The remaining six declined treatment, Kerns said. Facility personnel began naturally ventilating the 30,000-square-foot area. The pool also had to be flushed and needs to be refilled, Kerns said. The Saginaw County Hazardous Materials Team is assessing the facilitys air quality. Firefighters from Birch Run and Bridgeport Township provided mutual aid. 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. Saurav Pandey is the Deputy Manager of Content at Moneycontrol, specialising in content strategy, execution and performance analysis. He integrates advanced SEO techniques to deliver high-impact, data-driven content formats. His expertise spans various beats, including education, career, science and others, where he adopts a technical approach to optimise visibility, improve search rankings, and drive organic traffic growth. He can be reached out at Saurav.Pandey@nw18.com. 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I Accept Coca-Cola to sell bottling plant in North Gujarat to Kandhari Global Beverages for Rs 2,000 crore 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 Meghna Mittal Deputy News Editor at Moneycontrol. Meghna has experience across television, print, online and wire media. She has been covering the Indian economy, monetary and fiscal policies, Finance and Trade ministries. She tweets at @Meghnamittal23 Contact: meghna.mittal@nw18.com Meghna Mittal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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I Accept Paras Bisht USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Debaroti Adhikary 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 India News Live: BJD protests Odisha BJP government's decision to change Panchayati Raj Day date The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged a protest against the Odisha BJP government's decision to change the date of Panchayati Raj Day from March 5 to April 24. BJD Vice-President and former Odisha Minister Debi Prasad Mishra questioned the change, highlighting that the government calendar for 2025 clearly listed March 5 as Panchayati Raj Day. Mishra says, "Biju Babu is not a man belonging to BJD only. He is a rare leader who participated in the freedom movement of the country... National Panchayat Raj Divas was observed for the last 10 years during Manmohan Singh Singh's government. But Odisha used to do it in the last three decades. Not only the Janata Party government, but the Congress government, the BJD and the BJP coalition observed it. What made them do it? It is a clear-cut, sinister design to oust Biju Babu's name. It is a severe attack on the pride of Odisha. So, Mohan Charan Majhi should respond..." A 27-year-old plan for a new international airport in Chennai is struggling to take off Swati Das is an independent journalist covering Tamil Nadu politics, and is based in Chennai. 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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I Accept KSRTC employees to receive salaries on 1st of every month: Kerala Minister 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. 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The man Mayawati trusts to revive BSP Priyanjali Ghose 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 With its back to the wall, Congress looks for ways to fight back Namrata Agarwal 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 Asteroid alert: This 42-foot space rock is about to come very close to Earth today, NASA reports Sheetal Kumari is a skilled sub-editor and content creator with expertise in digital news, multimedia storytelling, and social media content. With a strong grasp of topics like science, politics, and many more, she crafts compelling narratives, transforming complex topics and trending stories into engaging, accessible reads across various media platforms. Sheetal Kumari 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. 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I Accept China picks Pakistani astronaut as the first foreign guest for the Tiangong Space Station mission MC Science Desk Read the latest and trending science newsstay updated on NASA, ISRO, space missions, planets, asteroids, black holes, AI, quantum physics, galaxy discoveries, and more exciting breakthroughs. Sheetal Kumari USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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I Accept At least nine dead in suicide attack on cantonment in NW Pakistan, six terrorists nuetralised 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 Armaan Bhatnagar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Sandeep Shrivastwa 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 Days after ugly spat with Zelenskyy, Trump halts all US military aid to Ukraine 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 Vance says US-Ukraine minerals deal better deterrent of Putin than 'troops from some random country' Smriti Mishra 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 The ecologists flew over 12,000km in search of the missing western quolls. Source: Cassandra Harvey/Australian Wildlife Conservancy When eight of Australias rarest predators went missing in a 70,000-hectare wilderness, ecologists were faced with a daunting challenge. The small population of Western quolls were one of 10 locally extinct species reintroduced to the outback sanctuary last year. Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) had planned to monitor the cat-sized marsupials using VHF tracking collars, and while that method helped them track down 11, eight others were nowhere to be found. We searched as high and low as we could using the drone, driving and walking across the property, but the quolls were nowhere to be found, wildlife ecologist Louis ONeill said. Determining the fate of the quolls was a highly valuable piece of information to ONeill and the team, because if a large number had perished it could indicate that there were problems with the reintroduction program. The species is federally listed as vulnerable to extinction, and while it was once believed to have occurred throughout arid and semi-arid Australia, other than reintroduced populations, its now restricted to southwest Western Australia. ADVERTISEMENT Related: Incredible image of rare 'cryptic' predator provides vision of ancient Australia Quolls have been monitored following their release using trail cameras and radio collars. Source: AWC Amazing discovery after two quolls found dead The quolls were released at Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in Western Australia's Wheatbelt, 350km northeast of Perth. Within its borders, AWC works to control predators like feral cats that have contributed to the quolls decline across the state. But ecologists feared the newly released population could have strayed outside its borders and into trouble. We figured they had travelled well beyond the sanctuarys boundaries and our only option was to charter a plane and take the search well above ground, ONeill explained. Over two days, the team flew across 1,266km of remote country, surveying 450,000 hectares in search of the missing quolls. Unfortunately, two of the quolls were found to have died. DNA testing found no trace of cat or fox saliva so its believed they may have died of natural circumstances. ADVERTISEMENT More fascinating quoll stories A trail camera shows one of the two quolls after it was returned to the Mt Gibson release site. Source: AWC But in an amazing stroke of luck, the ecologists discovered two others at the remote southern edges of the property in good health. O'Neill was surprised by how far they had travelled, One individual managed to move 50km southwest of the sanctuary," he said. The two survivors were returned to the original release site so they could continue to be monitored. Was the quoll reintroduction a success? As well as tracking the quolls using VHF radio collars, fixed trail cameras have also regularly picked up their movements around the property, confirming that at least six young have been born at the Mt Gibson property since the reintroduction. ADVERTISEMENT These regular detections of so many different individuals indicate that the translocation is going well so far, AWC said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Swimmers had to relocate in a bid to avoid 'extremely painful' stings. Sydney man Greg Tannos was recently stung by a bluebottle as thousands washed up on Marboubra Beach. Source: Facebook/Marboubra SLSC and FindMyAustralia A popular Aussie beach has been covered in blue after thousands of bluebottles washed onto the sand over the weekend, forcing many hopeful swimmers to stay dry and forcing others to swim elsewhere. Onshore winds blew the stingers onto Maroubra Beach in Sydney on Sunday and it looked like the sand was covered in clusters of shiny blue plastic from the pictures taken by beachgoers. Nippers competing at the beach had to relocate due to the risk of stings, however, in true Aussie fashion, some swimmers still chose to hit the waves. "Randwick Council Lifeguards do not close beaches when bluebottles are sighted, but instead erect signs in and around the flags to warn beachgoers," a council spokesperson told Yahoo News about the recent influx of blueblottles. Sydney man Greg Tannos told Yahoo News there were "masses of them" and it appeared the winds blew "just one big colony" onto the sand. He was recently stung by one too. Bluebottles were littered across Maroubra Beach over the weekend. Source: Reddit/traindriverbob ADVERTISEMENT Bluebottles float on top of the water and are at mercy of the wind thanks to their bubble-like gas filled sack. They are an unwelcome summertime visitor to many parts of the east coast and are easily recognisable from their colour and painful sting. What to do if you are stung by a bluebottle? It feels like an Aussie rite of passage to get stung by a bluebottle, and due to the "extremely painful sting", the experience often stays with swimmers long after the reddened marks disappear from their skin. Tannos explained the stings feel like you're "going into an electric shock in the water and then it keeps getting worse". Up to 30,000 bluebottle stings are reported annually, however no deaths have been recorded from the stingers. "While bluebottle stings are very painful, they are generally not dangerous to humans," the council spokesperson said. How to treat a bluebottle sting (according to Randwick Council): It is important not to rub the sting area. Carefully remove the blue tentacles with your fingers. Rinse the area with sea water. Ice the area. If hot water is available, place the affected area under the hottest water you can comfortably tolerate. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Curator at Van Gogh Museum Nienke Bakker and LEGO Product Designer Stijn Oom talk in front of a LEGO brick version of Van Gogh's Sunflowers painting next to the original version of the painting displayed at the Dutch Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Feb. 28, 2025. REUTERS Robert Lang vows to always take one thing with him when setting off on a quick walk in the bush these days. Robert Lang found himself submerged in a creek near his home unable to feel his legs. Source: Supplied An experienced hiker is warning Aussies to take one key thing when venturing into the bush after a leisurely Sunday morning stroll ended with him submerged in water and unable to feel his legs, questioning whether he would be able to walk again. Robert Lang told Yahoo News he likes to escape the busyness of Sydney life by going for a walk near his North Shore home, often opting for the Lover's Jump trail walk in Turramurra. It's a pathway that snakes behind residential homes, and it's one he's taken many, many times before. However a weekly ritual turned to disaster after he strayed from the path recently. "I walk this trail every Sunday morning... there had been a lot of rain this day, and I could hear the rush of water below as I was walking above the creek... I sort of pushed through the bushes to see it, and as I was going down the slope, I guess because of the fresh rain, the ground gave way," he recalled. "I ended up sliding and rolling down the hill and fell into the creek fully submerged. My hip took most of the brunt, but I couldn't feel my legs." ADVERTISEMENT Panicked, the volunteer medic was able to pull himself out of the water with his arms and used his Apple watch to first notify his wife and then emergency services. Rescuers unable to find injured hiker for almost a hour Lang lay on the ground injured and alone for almost an hour as emergency services desperately tried to locate him. Despite his wife knowing the exact trail he always walks, and being a stone's throw away from houses, he was well hidden in the bush, and the location of his Apple watch was not being picked up. Out of pure luck, he wore his yellow waterproof jacket that day and it was this that helped the rescue helicopter to finally locate him. "Then I could hear someone shouting, and so I shouted back. Within a minute or two suddenly someone was grabbing my hand and telling me that they had me and I was safe," Lang said. "It's indescribable to have someone say, 'Don't worry, I've got you'. Just the sheer humanity of it makes me choke up now." ADVERTISEMENT As rescuers began to pull him away from the rushing water, Lang regained faint sensation in his leg and was overcome with relief. Doctors later told him the impact of the fall likely caused shock to his nerve, causing it to go limp. Thankfully, he now has full function of his legs and has fully recovered. Hiker urges Aussies to learn from his mistake Despite the bushwalk being somewhere Lang has visited countless times, he wishes he'd done a few things differently to increase his chances of being found quicker. "Think about how you're going to be located if there is an incident," he warned. "Take a personal locator beacon (PLB)... I would have taken one if I had one." Lang wishes he had taken a personal locator beacon with him, such as the GME one pictured. Source: Supplied He recommended staying on the trail, not going on a walk alone, letting somewhere know where you're going and wearing something bright. "Making sure you have a way to make yourself visible." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares View Photo Sacramento, CA Sen. Suzette Valladares introduced Senate Bill 612 on Monday, aiming to expand career technical education opportunities for California high school students by making CTE coursework a graduation requirement. The bill was announced in conjunction with National Career and Technical Education Month. We must do more to prepare Californias students for our changing economy, which includes exposing them to more career options and expanding educational opportunities for all, Valladares said in a statement. By expanding access to CTE courses, we are preparing students for careers that are not only in high demand but also offer well-paying, rewarding opportunities. If passed, SB 612 would require all public and charter high school students to complete one semester of stand-alone CTE coursework beginning in the 2031-32 school year. The courses would provide hands-on experience in fields such as information technology, health care, engineering and skilled trades. Supporters of the bill argue that CTE programs increase graduation rates and job readiness, particularly for students who may not be pursuing a four-year college degree. Research has shown that students enrolled in CTE programs are more likely to graduate, attend college and secure stable, high-quality jobs. The bill will now move to a committee for further discussion and potential amendments. The Reserve Bank of Australia has admitted there are still many uncertainties in its fight against inflation, meaning it is unlikely mortgage holders will get back-to-back rate cuts. In welcome news for mortgage holders, the RBA cut rates for the first time since the Covid pandemic in February, dropping the official cash rate from 4.35 per cent to 4.10 per cent. The big banks quickly followed suit and announced they would all cut their home loan rates by 0.25 per cent. The minutes show the central bank cut rates despite the trimmed mean inflation rate, which the RBA uses to track the countrys cost of living, still above the banks target range. However, the RBA said inflation was falling faster than forecast and it did not want to be too slow in cutting interest rates. Turning to considerations for the monetary policy decision, members noted that inflation had declined, and by more than had been expected, while wages growth had slowed, The RBA said in its minutes. Output growth had remained subdued, reflecting weak growth in private demand over the prior year amid restrictive financial conditions. At the same time, underlying inflation remained above the midpoint of the 23 per cent range. While the Reserve Bank of Australias board voted unanimously to cut interest rates for the first time in four years, the minutes show the central bank is not thinking about back-to-back rate cuts. They emphasised that the decision at this meeting acknowledged the progress that had been made in reducing inflation while not committing the Board to ease policy further, the minutes said. Members also agreed that future decisions would be guided by the incoming data and evolving assessment of risks. Returning inflation to target remains the Boards highest priority and it will do what is necessary to achieve that outcome. The RBA next meets on March 31-April 1 but is predicted to wait until the May 19-20 meeting before cutting interest rates by a further 25 basis points. - NCA NewsWire Sacramento, CA California state government employees will be expected to be in the office at least four days a week under an executive directive signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. The change takes effect on July 1, 2025. It comes in response to the rise in teleworking that spiked during the COVID pandemic. It notes, The order establishes a four-day-per-week in-office expectation, with further telework flexibilities granted on a case-by-case basis in light of individual circumstances, consistent with the executive order and existing family-friendly employment policies and legal obligations. Newsom states, In-person work makes us all stronger period. When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases. That means better service, better solutions, and better results for Californians, while still allowing flexibility. California has an estimated 224,000 state employees. Dont be misled by the title of Annie DiRussos new album Super Pedestrian. There is nothing pedestrian about the rising indie rockers exciting full-length debut, which hits stores and streaming platforms Friday. The title comes from DiRussos primary mode of transportation her feet. Playing Thursday, March 6, at The Blue Room at Third Man Records Super Pedestrian out Friday, March 7 I knew the name pretty soon into creating the album, DiRusso tells the Scene by phone from her home in East Nashville. I dont have a license, so I walk everywhere. I was without a license in Nashville, a drivable city, for so many years, so I was, like, walking to the grocery store and kind of making it a walkable city for me. DiRusso also considered the album finale, Its Good to Be Hot in the Summer, for the title of the record. I think Super Pedestrian is a little bit more descriptive of me, and Its Good to Be Hot in the Summer is a bit more descriptive of the songs, she says. And for a debut record, I think I wanted to introduce myself a little bit. Super Pedestrian features 11 songs that build on the blend of distortion and melody DiRusso has explored on the dozen singles she released between 2017 and 2022 and her acclaimed 2023 EP God, I Hate This Place. All of those recordings were made with producer Jason Cummings, while the new release was helmed by Caleb Wright (Hippo Campus, Raffaella, Samia), whom DiRusso met after a show in Minneapolis in 2023. I loved working with Jason so much, and we had such a long-standing relationship and way of working, but I knew I wanted to try something different for this full-length record, just to see how I could expand my sound, DiRusso explains. I was talking to all these different producers, and I kept coming back to the idea of Caleb that he was who I wanted to bring the songs to. The album was recorded in February and March 2024 at Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, N.C., where DiRusso had previously done some sessions. On the Super Pedestrian dates, she sang and played guitars, while multi-instrumentalist Eden Joel played all the other instruments, including bass, keyboards, drums and additional guitars. The album also features guest backing vocals by co-writers Samia (Back in Town) and Ruston Kelly (Wearing Pants Again). +2 Annie DiRusso Says What You Would Never Say Out Loud Talking with the rocker about her recent EP God, I Hate This Place before her show at The Basement East On God, I Hate This Place, DiRusso addressed the pain she experienced from unfulfilling, sometimes even psychologically abusive relationships, which left her doubting herself. While she continues to explore those themes on Super Pedestrian, she does so from a more positive and settled place. I was 23 at the time the last tour ended, she recalls. I loved that tour, but I was playing songs every night that I wrote when I was 18 or 19 or 20, and I was wearing the outfit I would have been wearing at that age. I think being off the road made me have to face myself, like, OK, who am I at 23, which was really, really beautiful. So I do think the album comes from a bit of a more grounded place and a little bit more inside my body looking out, where maybe the EP was a little bit more outside my body looking in. Sonically, God, I Hate This Place was darker and more dissonant than her new record, which shows DiRusso integrating some of her pop influences. Those influences are most apparent on cuts like Back in Town, Legs, Wet and Good Ass Movie. I love pop music, and I feel like my melodies are very inspired by my love of pop, she says. While her pop influences inform Super Pedestrian, make no mistake, its a rock record. The most raucous track on the album is also the shortest Derek Jeter, a dense, noisy tribute to the legendary New York Yankees shortstop complete with hooky power chords and vocal chants of his name by DiRusso, Joel and Samia. It clocks in at 1:46 and includes a brief spoken-word bit about Jeter written and voiced by DiRussos father, a lifelong Yankees fan. The song first came together during a demo session at Joels Nashville studio. He and DiRusso had hit a wall on another song they were recording and needed to take a break with something less serious. We kind of just made the song as a joke, she says. It was a palate-cleanser and ended up being one of my favorite things. Derek Jeter provides a lighthearted break in a record that is largely about heavier concerns. No track is heavier either lyrically or musically than I Am the Deer, whose chorus features the repeating couplet, I am the deer / I am the driver. Its a song in which DiRusso confronts the enemy within, and in doing so demonstrates her growth as a person and an artist. Its about self-sabotage, she says. I am the deer, Im also the driver. Im constantly hitting myself with a car. Im not letting myself get to where I want to be or do the things I want to do. But now that Ive said this, and I know that, I can move forward. Property assessor Vivian Wilhoite will answer questions and explain Davidson Countys reappraisal process in a series of public briefings around Nashville. The tour follows a familiar four-year cycle that determines reappraisals for every property in Nashville based on inspections, market research and sales data. Taken together, residential and commercial property taxes provide the backbone of the citys revenue. The convoluted process of assessing, adjusting and possibly appealing property values determines an owners actual property tax bill. For residential owners, these bills worked out to around $800 per $100,000 of assessed value in 2024. This is where Wilhoite, the Davidson County assessor of property, comes in. Every four years, her office is tasked with updating these property assessments, which form the base of the property tax calculation. Residents have a chance to ask Wilhoite about the process at 10 meetings around the county. Wilhoite started the tour at the Metro Nashville Police Departments East Precinct on East Trinity Lane on Monday, March 3. Other dates include March 6 in Hermitage, March 12 in Madison and March 18 at MNPDs West Precinct. A full list can be found via nashville.gov. It is our goal for property owners to leave our presentation fully informed about the reappraisal process, says Wilhoite in a press release. It is critically important that property owners be well aware of their rights to file an appeal. The Metro Council sets the second major variable in the tax equation: the tax rate. This has held steady for the past few years after a dramatic decrease in 2017 under then-Mayor Megan Barry and a bump in 2020 under then-Mayor John Cooper. Metro insiders may remember the ensuing No Tax 4 Nash campaign against Cooper and subsequent legal settlement against its cantankerous organizers. Elected officials must adjust this tax rate if they hope to convert the citys real estate boom into increased tax revenue. State law requires aggregate property tax revenue to remain neutral neither rising nor falling between years unless the city changes its tax rate. This means individual property tax bills are assessed based on their proportion of the property tax total, rising or falling relative to each other rather than their value change year to year. Mansions in Belle Meade, for example, may see property tax decreases after a reappraisal as their relative value is offset by dramatic property value increases in gentrifying areas like Woodbine, Madison or Charlotte Park. Individual councilmembers tell the Scene they are unaware of plans to increase the tax rate this year, a decision that would pass with this years budget in June. The median Nashville home price has increased about 35 percent since the last reappraisal in 2021 according to Zillow data even a minor tax rate increase would substantially juice city income. We evaluate the tax rate each year, so its too early to determine, Councilmember At-Large Delishia Porterfield, chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, tells the Scene. In late February, Mayor Freddie OConnell acknowledged that the city was still early in the reappraisal process. He did not discuss a tax rate change. The mayor typically proposes his version of the city budget in late April or early May. Right now we know the assessors office has announced a series of community meetings across the city and county this is standard for them as we are in an appraisal year, OConnell recently told media. They go out, come back with the data and share it with our Metro Finance Department so we know what our property values are. We combine that with our revenue forecast and understanding of departmental priorities, community priorities, and our priorities to forge a budget around that. Commercial real estate is taxed a bit higher than residential property, just as properties in the Urban Services District are taxed higher than those in the General Services District. Certain nonprofits, like private schools and churches, enjoy property tax exemptions. This is a major public subsidy for urban landowners like Vanderbilt University, for example, whose theoretical annual tax bill would cost tens of millions of dollars. This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and the Nashville Scene. The Nashville Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news. Visit nashvillebanner.com for more information. The Tennessee Supreme Court has ordered four men to be executed before the end of this year, setting up the return of the states death penalty after five years without an execution. With four orders released on Monday, the court reset execution dates for four men who received reprieves in 2022 after Gov. Bill Lee ordered an independent review of the states lethal injection protocols. The men now scheduled to be killed in the death chamber at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville are: Oscar Smith, May 22 Byron Black, Aug. 5 Donald Middlebrooks, Sept. 24 Harold Nichols, Dec. 11 Tennessee now joins seven other states planning to execute death row prisoners this year. Governor Grants 'Temporary Reprieve' for Death Row Inmate Oscar Smith 'Due to an oversight in preparation for lethal injection,' Thursday's planned execution will not move forward as planned Smith was a little more than an hour away from being executed on April 21, 2022, when the process was abruptly stopped after errors related to the lethal injection process were revealed. The subsequent review of the process found state officials had repeatedly failed to follow their own processes and had conducted executions without properly testing drugs. In December, the Tennessee Department of Correction announced that it had finalized a new one-drug protocol using the barbiturate pentobarbital. In a statement, supervising assistant federal public defender Kelley Henry decries the process that led to the new execution dates. Oscar Smith was 30 minutes from execution and in the process of receiving holy communion when his execution was called off due to the discovery that members of TDOC and the supplier of its lethal injection drug had regularly and consistently misled the courts, the public, and our clients as to their willful non-compliance with the execution protocol, Henry says via email. Since that time, the state has worked in secret to adopt a new protocol. The new protocol is shocking in its lack of transparency and detail. Tennessee Finalizes New Lethal Injection Protocol The state will resume executing people on death row using the single drug pentobarbital The men who have received new dates have all been on death row since the 1980s. All four will have a choice between lethal injection or the electric chair, since they were convicted before the state adopted lethal injection as its official execution method. Smith was sentenced to death by a Nashville jury for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife, Judy Smith, and her two sons, Chad and Jason Burnett. He has maintained his innocence. In a 2019 court filing, his attorneys argued, among other things, that his conviction was based on an impossible prosecution theory that conflicts with the physical evidence. Black was sentenced to death in Nashville in 1989 for the murders of Angela Clay and her two daughters, Latoya and Lakeisha. His attorneys have argued that he was convicted after a sham trial and that Black is mentally incompetent to be executed. They have written that he has an IQ of 67, suffers from brain damage and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. They also wrote that Black has various medical ailments, including congestive heart failure and a degenerative joint disease in his hip that has left him almost unable to walk. Middlebrooks was sentenced to death in Nashville for the 1987 torture and murder of Kerrick Majors. His attorneys have argued that he is also mentally incompetent to be executed and cited the severe physical and sexual abuse he suffered as a child, including being raped by his mother. In a 2019 court filing, they wrote that Middlebrooks suffers from a well-documented constellation of serious, debilitating psychiatric and medical diseases. Nichols was sentenced to death in Chattanooga for the 1988 rape and murder of 21-year-old Karen Pulley. After his arrest, he also confessed to several other area rapes. Nichols suffered physical and sexual abuse as a child, according to court documents. In 2018, Chattanoogas district attorney agreed to a settlement that would have seen Nichols resentenced to life in prison, but a judge rejected the agreement. This article first appeared on Nashville Banner and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Bidens $20 billion green slush fund under FBI probe: A scandal of waste, corruption and political cronyism The Biden administrations $20 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) is under FBI scrutiny for potential fraud, abuse and cronyism, with allegations of rushed funding decisions and lack of oversight. A secretly recorded video revealed a Biden EPA official describing the frantic distribution of funds as throwing gold bars off the Titanic, highlighting reckless haste and reduced oversight in allocating taxpayer dollars. Nearly $14 billion in GGRF funds were awarded to organizations with close ties to Biden allies and Democratic insiders, raising concerns about favoritism and misuse of public funds. The FBI probe faces pushback from career prosecutors and judges due to insufficient evidence, while the Trump administration seeks to recover the funds, emphasizing the need for accountability. The GGRF scandal underscores systemic issues of government waste, corruption and eroded public trust, serving as a cautionary tale against unchecked spending and political cronyism in federal programs. The Biden administrations $20 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), a cornerstone of its climate agenda, is now at the center of a sprawling FBI investigation into potential fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. The probe, which has escalated in recent weeks, has exposed a web of political connections, rushed funding decisions and allegations of cronyism that have left conservatives and watchdog groups outraged. The GGRF, established under President Bidens 2022 climate law, was designed to finance green energy projects and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the program has been marred by accusations of favoritism, lack of oversight and a blatant disregard for fiscal responsibility. Now, with the FBI interviewing EPA employees and the Trump administration working to claw back the funds, the scandal has become a symbol of government waste and corruption at its worst. A rush to obligate funds: Throwing gold bars off the Titanic One of the most damning revelations in the investigation comes from a secretly recorded video by Project Veritas, a conservative activist group. In the footage, a Biden EPA official, Brent Efron, is heard describing the administrations frantic efforts to distribute funds before the Trump administration took office. It truly feels like were on the Titanic, and were throwing, like, gold bars off the edge, Efron said in the video. This shocking admission underscores the Biden EPAs reckless haste in obligating $20 billion in taxpayer funds. According to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, the Biden administration parked the money at Citibank in a last-minute maneuver to make it harder for the incoming Trump administration to recover the funds. Roughly twenty billion of your tax dollars were parked at an outside financial institution by the Biden EPA, Zeldin said in a statement. This scheme was the first of its kind in EPA history and was purposefully designed to obligate all of the money in a rush job with reduced oversight. The rushed process has raised serious concerns about the vetting of grant recipients. Acting EPA Inspector General Nicole Murley testified before Congress that the agencys push to meet statutory deadlines may have compromised the screening process for potential awardees. Cronyism and political connections: Billions for Biden allies The GGRFs awardees have drawn sharp criticism for their close ties to the Biden administration and Democratic Party insiders. Among the recipients are Climate United, the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) and Power Forward Communities, which collectively received nearly $14 billion. The CGC, in particular, has come under scrutiny for its board members political connections. David Hayes, a former Biden White House climate adviser, sits on the CGCs board. Hayes left the White House in 2022 and returned to the CGC, which later secured $5 billion from the GGRF. This greendoggle is precisely the type of situation that has helped destroy the publics trust in its government, said Michael Chamberlain, executive director of Protect the Publics Trust, a government watchdog group. Hayess own description of his work at the White House sounds like he helped create the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program. And by some combination of incredible coincidence and amazingly good fortune, the organization he left to serve on the board of somehow ends up getting $5 billion from that program. It just doesnt pass the smell test. Other CGC board members include Cecilia Martinez, a former Biden White House official, and Julie Greene Collier, a former Democratic National Committee employee. These connections have fueled allegations that the GGRF was less about environmental justice and more about funneling taxpayer dollars to political allies. FBI investigation and legal pushback The FBIs involvement in the probe has added a new layer of complexity to the scandal. Agents have reportedly questioned EPA employees about the GGRF, focusing on potential violations of federal wire fraud and conspiracy statutes. However, the investigation has faced pushback from career prosecutors and judges who have questioned the evidence. In one instance, a senior prosecutor in the U.S. attorneys office in Washington, D.C., resigned rather than carry out the Trump administrations demand to freeze the funds. Denise Cheung, the former head of the criminal division, wrote in her resignation letter that the investigation lacked sufficient evidence of a crime. To seize bank accounts without probable cause would be illegal, said Stefan D. Cassella, a former federal prosecutor and asset forfeiture expert. Thats why prosecutors in D.C. responsibly refused to do it. Despite the legal hurdles, the Trump EPA remains committed to recovering the $20 billion. Zeldin has vowed to review every penny of the GGRF funds and has referred the matter to the EPA Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Justice. A legacy of waste and corruption The GGRF scandal is not just a story of one mismanaged program; it is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked government spending and political cronyism. The Biden administrations rush to distribute funds, coupled with the lack of oversight and transparency, has left taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars with little to show for it. Historically, such scandals have eroded public trust in government institutions. From the Solyndra debacle during the Obama administration to the GGRF under Biden, these episodes highlight a troubling pattern of using taxpayer dollars to reward political allies rather than serve the public interest. As the FBI investigation unfolds and the Trump administration works to recover the funds, one thing is clear: the GGRF is a glaring example of government waste and corruption that must not be repeated. Conservatives and fiscal watchdogs will continue to demand accountability, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and transparently. The days of shoveling cash to far-left activist groups in the name of environmental justice are over. Its time to restore integrity to government spending and put an end to the cronyism that has plagued Washington for far too long. Sources include: WattsUpWithThat.com TheDailyCaller.com TheDailyCaller.com TheWashingtonPost.com Canada spent $216M digging up Christian schools looking for secret indigenous child graves0 found This will likely be the most typical left-wing insanity stories youll read all day. Its about the indigenous child grave hoax Canadian lefties have been pushing. In a nutshell, Canada pushed a fake story that hundreds of secret indigenous child graves were buried beneath schools run by Christian Churches. And they spent a whopping 216 million dollars to locate these graves and after a rather feverish and costly search, they found exactly zero graves. (Article republished from Revolver.news) Fraser Institue: On May 27, 2021, Rosanne Casimir, Chief of the Tkemlups te Secwepemc (Kamloops Indian Band), announced that ground-penetrating radar (GPR) had located the remains of 215 missing children in an apple orchard on the site of a former residential school. Politicians and media seized on the announcement, and stories of mass unmarked graves and burials of missing children ricocheted around Canada and indeed much of the world. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set the tone of the public response by ordering Canadian flags to be flown at half-mast on all federal buildings to honour the 215 children whose lives were taken at the Kamloops residential school, thus elevating the possible burials to the status of victims of foul play and making Canada sound like a charnel house of murdered children. According to Canadian newspaper editors, the discovery of the so-called unmarked graves was the news story of the year. And the World Press Photo of the Year award went to a haunting image of red dresses hung on crosses along a roadside, with a rainbow in the background, commemorating children who died at a residential school created to assimilate Indigenous children in Canada. These events created a narrative about the genocidal nature of residential schools, which were established in the 19th and 20th centuries by churches and the government to educate Indigenous children and assimilate them into Canadian society. That narrative went unchallenged at first. Yet substantial pushback gradually developed among a group of retired judges, lawyers, professors, journalists and others who have had careers in researching and evaluating evidence. Its no accident that most are retired, because that gives them some protection against attempts to silence them as deniers. In the words of Janis Joplin, Freedoms just another word for nothin left to lose. I published a book, which has been an Amazon Canada bestseller, proving Canadians desire for accurate information on this topic. However, as we told you, this whole story appears to be nothing more than a shameful hate hoaxcarefully crafted to fuel more anti-Christian hatred. The Fraser Institute piece goes on: Where excavations have taken place, no burials related to residential schools have been found. In other words, there are no missing children. The fate of some children may have been forgotten with the passage of generationsforgotten by their own families, that is. But forgotten is not the same as missing. The myth of missing students arose from a failure of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions researchers to cross-reference the vast number of historical documents about residential schools and the children who attended them. The documentation exists, but the commissioners did not avail themselves of it. Media stories about Indian residential schools are almost always accompanied by the frightening claim that 150,000 students were forced to attend these schools, but that claim is misleading at best. Children were not legally required to attend residential school unless no reserve day school was available; and even then, the law was only sporadically enforced. For students who did attend residential schools, an application form signed by a parent or other guardian was required. The simple truth is that many Indian parents saw residential schools as the best option available for their children. In one of the most shameless propaganda stunts yet, Justin Trudeau is seen clutching a teddy bear, ready to place it on a grave thatspoiler alertdoesnt actually exist. Canada spent $216M to find the graves of indigenous kids hidden at churches. The excavations are over. 0 bodies. pic.twitter.com/dtHrnVxjP4 End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 25, 2025 This hoax wasnt just a massive waste of moneysadly, it was far more dangerous than that. Think about the countless Christian churches that were vandalized, even burned to the ground, all because of this anti-Christian, left-wing lie. Dozens of churches were torched and those responsible for perpetuating this hoax must be held accountable. These churches deserve justice. Life News: At least ten Catholic Churches in Canada have either been vandalized or burnt to the ground amid ongoing discoveries of mass graves of indigenous children attending compulsory residential schools between 1863 and 1996. Though no direct link has been established between the church burnings and the discovery of the graves, the fires have taken place mostly on tribal land, Catholic news outlet the Pillar reported. The publication noted that the fires also are occurring as First Nations people grieve over more discoveries of the graves of children and that local authorities are treating the crimes as both suspicious and potentially hate crimes. Calgary Police announced Thursday that ten churches were vandalized across the city overnight in a statement that referenced the very dark part of Canadian history that destroyed the lives of countless Indigenous families, communities and people. The statement referred to the recent discovery of the hundreds of unmarked graves of children on the grounds of former schools in both British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Given the harm this chapter of our history has caused to Indigenous people in our community, it is understandable that emotions and tensions are running high, the statement said, adding that we must never forget that residential schools are part of our legacy as a country and we need to continue seeking the truth about what happened. To fully grasp the scope of this hoax, look no further than headlines like this that flooded the internet for eons: The truth is, many of these stories came from radical native groups who claimed to have discovered unidentified, unverified soil disturbanceswithout any actual evidence of human remains and right on cue, the media ran with it. The same media who claims the internet should be regulated for pushing disinformation. This entire debacle should go down as the true shame of Canadanot the fabricated graves the media and so-called experts peddled, but the outright fraud that fueled this hoax. Think about it, hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars were funneled into a lie, churches were burned to the ground and even the Pope was dragged into a forced apology tour. This shameful tweet is from 2021: BREAKING: The Catholic Church apologized to Canada's Indigenous peoples for abuses at its forced assimilation schools, after over 1,200 graves were found at them this year. Up to 10,000 Indigenous children are believed to have died from abuse and "cultural genocide." pic.twitter.com/unz8e6U9LS AJ+ (@ajplus) September 24, 2021 Propaganda All that wasted money, manufactured hate and shameless liesfor nothing. The bodies never existed. And now that the truth is out? Silence. No retractions, no accountabilityjust another left-wing/media hoax quietly swept under the rug, waiting for the next one to take its place. Rinse. Repeat. Read more at: Revolver.news Clean House: Tom Fittons explosive expose on the U.S. governments SECRETS and LIES In 2009, President Barack Obama promised the most transparent administration in U.S. history, but according to Tom Fitton's book, the Obama administration became synonymous with secrecy, obstruction and political manipulation. Through thousands of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Judicial Watch, led by Fitton, uncovered numerous scandals that undermined public trust in government accountability. These included the Benghazi attack cover-up and the Hillary Clinton email server scandal. Judicial Watch's investigations revealed an email from Ben Rhodes, instructing officials to misrepresent the Benghazi attack as a spontaneous protest. The group also forced the release of emails related to Clinton's use of a private server, leading to an FBI investigation. The book details other scandals, such as Operation Fast and Furious and the IRS targeting of conservative groups, revealing attempts by the Obama administration to cover up its involvement and shield officials from accountability. Fitton's work highlights the importance of citizen activism and a free press in ensuring government accountability, emphasizing the need for transparency and integrity in government operations. In 2009, President Barack Obama promised the most transparent administration in U.S. history. Yet, according to Tom Fitton's "Clean House: Exposing Our Government's Secrets and Lies," the reality was starkly different. Fitton, president of the government watchdog group Judicial Watch, meticulously documents how the Obama administration became synonymous with secrecy, stonewalling, and political manipulation. Through thousands of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Judicial Watch uncovered a pattern of obstruction, revealing scandals that shook public trust in government accountability. When Obama took office, his pledge for openness was met with optimism. However, Fitton's book reveals that the administration's actions often contradicted its rhetoric. Judicial Watch filed over 3,000 FOIA requests during Obama's tenure, many of which were ignored or met with resistance. "The Obama administration's approach to transparency was more about optics than action," Fitton writes. "They talked a good game, but when it came to delivering, they fell short." This lack of transparency extended to critical issues, including the 2012 Benghazi attack, where four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, were killed. Judicial Watch's relentless pursuit of the truth uncovered a "smoking gun" email from then-White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes. The email instructed officials to portray the attack as a spontaneous protest rather than a premeditated terrorist act. One of the book's most damning sections focuses on Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while serving as Secretary of State. Judicial Watch's investigations revealed that Clinton conducted official business on an unsecured server, potentially exposing classified information. The administration delayed disclosing the server's existence until the 2016 presidential campaign was well underway. "The Obama administration went to great lengths to shield Clinton from scrutiny," Fitton writes. "They withheld key emails and dragged their feet on document production, all while claiming transparency." Judicial Watch's lawsuits forced the release of thousands of emails, leading to an FBI investigation and the specter of criminal charges. Fitton argues that the scandal underscores the dangers of unchecked government power. Another scandal detailed in "Clean House" is Operation Fast and Furious, a botched Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) operation that allowed guns to flow into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. The operation resulted in the deaths of hundreds, including U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Fitton reveals how the Obama administration attempted to cover up its involvement, even invoking executive privilege to withhold documents from Congress. The book also delves into the IRS targeting scandal, where conservative groups were singled out for scrutiny. Judicial Watch's investigations uncovered evidence of political bias within the agency, with officials like Lois Lerner, head of the Exempt Organizations Division, orchestrating the targeting. "The IRS was weaponized to silence dissent," Fitton writes. "This wasn't just a bureaucratic blunder; it was a deliberate attack on free speech." Despite the evidence, the Obama administration downplayed the scandal and avoided holding anyone accountable. "The lack of accountability was staggering," Fitton notes. "It sent a clear message: if you're part of the political establishment, you're above the law." Fitton also examines the Obama administration's approach to immigration, highlighting its reluctance to enforce border security and its efforts to provide administrative amnesty to undocumented immigrants. Judicial Watch's investigations revealed a pattern of prioritizing political expediency over national security. "The administration's policies put Americans at risk," Fitton writes. "They ignored the dangers posed by criminal elements and potential terrorists crossing the border." The book underscores the need for a secure and comprehensive border policy, free from political interference. "Immigration is a complex issue, but it must be addressed with honesty and integrity," Fitton argues. "Anything less is a betrayal of the public trust." Judicial Watch emerges as a tireless advocate for transparency and accountability. Fitton's work is a testament to the power of citizen activism and the importance of a free press. "Government accountability isn't a given," he writes. "It's something we have to fight for every day." "Clean House" is more than a book; it's a rallying cry for a government that serves its people, not its own interests. For anyone concerned about the state of democracy, Fitton's revelations are both a warning and a roadmap for change. Learn more about the government secrecy and transparency by watching the video below. This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com Conflicts of interest in climate science: A systemic blind spot The field of climate science has long been presented as an objective, data-driven discipline, immune to the biases and financial conflicts that plague other scientific domains. However, a recent preprint study by Jessica Weinkle et al, Conflicts of Interest, Funding Support, and Author Affiliation in Peer-Reviewed Research on the Relationship between Climate Change and Geophysical Characteristics of Hurricanes challenges this assumption, shedding light on an alarming lack of conflict of interest (COI) disclosures in climate research, particularly in studies linking hurricanes to climate change?. She also has an excellent write up of the study on her Substack, Conflicted. (Article by Charles Rotter republished from WtatsUpWithThat.com) The studys findings reveal a disturbing trend: not a single one of the 331 authors analyzed disclosed any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest?. Moreover, the research found that funding from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) was a significant predictor of studies reporting a positive association between climate change and hurricane behavior?. This revelation should prompt serious scrutiny of the integrity of climate science, particularly in areas with high policy relevance. Given the influence of climate research on regulatory frameworks, financial markets, insurance policies, and public perception, it is imperative that the same rigorous COI disclosure standards applied in other scientific fields be enforced here. The Study: A Long-Overdue Investigation Weinkle and colleagues analyzed 82 peer-reviewed studies on the relationship between climate change and hurricanes published between 1994 and 2023. Their objective was to determine whether author affiliations, research funding, and COI disclosures were associated with study outcomes or policy recommendations?. Their key findings include: NGO funding was a significant predictor of studies reporting a positive association between climate change and hurricanes (odds ratio = 8.72, p-value = 0.03). (odds ratio = 8.72, p-value = 0.03). Studies published in 2016 or later were more likely to report a climate change-hurricane link (odds ratio = 9.19, p-value = 0.002). (odds ratio = 9.19, p-value = 0.002). Not a single author out of 331 disclosed a COI , a stark contrast to biomedical research, where COI disclosure rates range from 17% to 33%?. , a stark contrast to biomedical research, where COI disclosure rates range from 17% to 33%?. First authors with government affiliations were more likely to make policy recommendations (odds ratio = 9.6, p-value = 0.01). These findings suggest a profound bias in climate change research, one that aligns suspiciously well with the interests of NGOs and policymakers rather than an objective pursuit of scientific truth. The Role of NGO Funding: A Clear Bias One of the studys most critical findings is that NGO funding was a strong predictor of studies concluding that climate change influences hurricanes?. This should raise immediate red flags, considering that NGOs often have clear political and financial incentives to promote catastrophic climate narratives. Environmental NGOs and progressive philanthropic organizations have become major players in climate policy and research funding. Unlike industry funding, which is typically scrutinized for bias, NGO funding operates under an assumption of moral superiority. Yet, as Weinkle et al. demonstrate, this funding significantly correlates with specific research outcomes suggesting a funding effect similar to the well-documented bias introduced by pharmaceutical industry sponsorship in biomedical research?. In other words, just as pharmaceutical companies fund studies likely to support their drugs, climate-focused NGOs appear to fund research that supports their policy agendas. The absence of scrutiny here is a glaring double standard. The Stunning Absence of COI Disclosures Perhaps the most shocking finding of the study is that none of the 331 authors disclosed any conflicts of interest?. This is practically unheard of in other fields where COI disclosures are mandatory. For comparison: In biomedical research, approximately 22.9% of articles disclose COIs?. of articles disclose COIs?. In public health, COI disclosure rates range from 17% to 33% ?. ?. In contrast, climate science appears to exist in a COI-free utopia, despite clear financial and political entanglements. Weinkle et al. found multiple instances of undeclared COIs, including: Authors holding relevant patents and advising climate risk analytics and financial firms. and advising climate risk analytics and financial firms. Authors serving as advisors for climate litigation . . Authors affiliated with insurance industry associations . . Authors collaborating with advocacy organizations to develop research for climate litigation?. These are classic COIs that should have been disclosed under any reasonable scientific ethics standard. Policy Implications: Manipulating the Narrative Beyond individual researcher biases, the study highlights a broader institutional issue: government-affiliated authors were far more likely to make policy recommendations?. This finding challenges the perception that government-funded science is inherently neutral. Climate research heavily influences public policy, and recommendations based on biased or financially motivated research can have immense societal costs. Policies driven by flawed or selective research include: Carbon taxes and energy restrictions based on exaggerated climate risk projections. and based on exaggerated climate risk projections. Legal frameworks that enable lawsuits against energy companies. that enable lawsuits against energy companies. Increased insurance premiums based on inflated hurricane risk models. If climate research is influenced by undisclosed COIs, as this study suggests, then many of these policies are based on potentially compromised data. The Urgent Need for Reform The Weinkle study highlights an urgent need for climate science to adopt rigorous COI disclosure policies comparable to those in biomedical research. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides a solid template for financial and non-financial COI disclosures, which climate journals should implement immediately?. Further recommendations include: Mandatory COI disclosures: Climate science journals must require authors to disclose all financial and non-financial COIs, with clear definitions of what constitutes a conflict. Independent COI audits: An independent entity should oversee COI compliance in climate research to ensure transparency. Centralized COI database: Similar to the U.S. governments Open Payments database for physicians, a centralized system should track COIs in climate science. Balanced funding sources: Governments and private entities should ensure diverse funding sources to prevent any single ideological influence. If climate scientists genuinely care about maintaining public trust, they should welcome these changes. Time to Clean House The Weinkle et al. study is a wake-up call for anyone who still believes climate science is an objective, bias-free discipline. The overwhelming correlation between NGO funding and climate change-hurricane research outcomes, coupled with the complete absence of COI disclosures, exposes a deeply entrenched problem?. The fact that not a single author among 331 disclosed a conflict of interest should be viewed as a scientific scandal. If such a pattern were observed in pharmaceutical or medical research, there would be widespread public outcry and immediate reforms. Yet, in climate science, this level of opacity is toleratedperhaps because it serves the interests of powerful political and financial actors. At the very least, this study proves that climate science is not above bias. The question is: Will the scientific community acknowledge and correct these issues, or will it continue to operate under a veil of selective transparency? Read more at: WtatsUpWithThat.com The digital control grid is taking shape under the Trump Administration In just five weeks since taking control of the U.S. Executive Branch, the Trump Administration has accelerated aspects of a global digital control grid, a system designed to monitor, manipulate, and exploit populations through advanced surveillance , financial control, and behavioral engineering . This high-speed rollout, cloaked in chaos and confusion, is a puzzle piece in the globalist's plan to centralize power, dismantle constitutional freedoms, and usher in a new era of totalitarian governance. From digital IDs and biometric tracking to mRNA injections (Project Stargate) and social credit systems, the pieces of this dystopian puzzle are falling into place at an alarming rate. The power that government obtains under the Trump Administration, while seemingly necessary to fix certain issues, will inevitably be used for nefarious purposes by future administrations and criminal conspiracies. The stakes could not be higher. As the world watches, the foundations of individual sovereignty and freedom are being systematically dismantled, replaced by a digital prison that promises to control every aspect of human life. Digital IDs and biometrics: the foundation of control The push for digital IDs, particularly through the REAL ID program, is a cornerstone of the emerging control grid. These IDs, combined with biometric data such as fingerprints and facial recognition, create a system of total surveillance. The Trump Administration is aggressively supporting this initiative, with immigration policies further enabling the integration of biometric tracking. This is not merely about identification; it is about control. Digital IDs linked to biometric data allow governments and corporations to monitor every movement, transaction, and interaction. This is the first step toward a social credit system, where your ability to participate in society is determined by your compliance with the system. The Stargate initiative: data centers and mRNA injections The Stargate initiative represents the technological backbone of the control grid. Massive data centers are being constructed to support an all-digital monetary system and the Internet of Bodies, a network that connects human biology to the digital world. Central to this plan is the rollout of personalized mRNA injections, marketed as "vaccines" for cancer and other diseases. These injections, however, are not just medical treatments. They are tools for surveillance and control, designed to integrate human biology into the digital grid. One of the most alarming aspects of the control grid is the land grab strategy. Using Bitcoin as a tool, the plan is to swap digital currency for real assetsland, minerals, and resources. As Howard Lutnick, a key figure in this scheme, explained, "This is about making billionaires trillionaires while shutting down federal cash flows to average people." Weather warfare is another tool in the plunderers arsenal. By manipulating weather patterns, the elite can justify land grabs and suppress dissent. The Gaza takeover, announced by Trump in the first weeks of taking office, is an illegal occupation and calls for the displacement of populations for the benefit of the US and the Israeli governments. This act represents a broader pattern of consolidating control over people's lives. The Republicans' recent takeover of TikTok is part of a strategy of silencing dissent against Israel, allowing for greater control over media narratives and public perception. All these issues are not just about a power grab; it is a coup against freedom itself. The Trump Administration, backed by global central bankers and Silicon Valley oligarchs, is dismantling the Constitution in ways he doesn't even understand, while ushering in a new era of digital dictatorship. Protecting analog systems, cash, and checks is essential to resisting this digital takeover. As the control grid tightens its grip, with "mRNA breakthroughs for detecting cancer" and the digitization of the currency, the fight for freedom becomes more urgent than ever. Sources include: Substack.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai DOGE reveals USAID as biggest CIA FRONT GROUP ever, providing trillions of dollars for embezzlement and propagating terror AGAINST AMERICA USAID is accused of being a tool for regime change and manipulating elections to serve communist agendas and the New World Order, funded by U.S. taxpayers. It is alleged to function as a covert, mafia-like organization that controls governments, steals resources, and funds terrorist groups, contributing to drug trafficking and the opioid epidemic in the U.S. USAID is claimed to undermine democracy by funding fake political parties, rigging elections, and promoting the spread of weapons, child trafficking, and drug cartels, with some top U.S. politicians admitting involvement in planning coups worldwide. USAID is clearly about bringing about regime change in many countries, including America. Using secret bank accounts and shell companies to embezzle billions and trillions of dollars, much of which is U.S. taxpayer money. Many insiders are calling USAID the New CIA. USAID is used to meddle in elections and fix their outcomes to benefit communist agendas and the New World Order. USAID is an infrastructure with complex processes used to destroy nations in order to take control of the populace thats left, the resources, the land, the weaponry, everything. USAID is a plot against our own people in America USAID is a plot against our own people and its being uncovered daily by DOGE and our President Donald J. Trump. Under the pretense of humanitarian aid, USAID functions like the mafia, controlling governments and people around the world, intimidating them, dominating them, stealing from them, and destroying their livelihood. Its a GESTAPO-style dark government, like the Deep State, that functions all around the world, including right here on U.S. soil. Top U.S. politicians have already admitted in interviews that they help plan coup d-etat around the world with this dark money. This dark money terror scheme is run by the CIA and the U.S. state department that sets up the policy vision. USAID literally funds terrorist organizations, just like billionaire George Soros has done for decades, to create upheaval in countries that helps this shadow government profit even more from destruction and mayhem they fund and propagate. This includes trafficking humans, running guns, plus importing and exporting deadly drugs like heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. USAID funds ISIS, the Taliban, and other terror cells to keep the drugs flowing for distribution to the USA. Wonder why we have this opioid epidemic? Wonder why there are so many American teens overdosing on fentanyl at parties? Look no further than USAID. USAID is the polar opposite of humanitarian aid. USAID represents the destruction of democracy. This is the real threat to democracy, not Donald Trump or the patriots who voted for him, as the psychotic Liberals of America would have everyone believe. USAID fueled the COVID plandemic with money and propaganda and deadly vaccines. USAID is used to create fraudulent political parties around the globe and rig elections, like they did in Guatemala. This allows them to install CIA-controlled politicians who then run the weapons of mass destruction, child trafficking networks, and drug cartels. In fact, Guatemala is ground zero for the child trafficking network that the Biden-Obama Regime runs. This must be shut down. Anyone and everyone screaming about the investigation of this is most likely part of the fraud and demented propaganda. Follow the bouncing ball and watch this informative exposing video below: If You Havent Seen This Video You Should! It Will Shake You Up!!! This has been going on behind our backs for 80+ years!!! These people need to be found arrested or tried for TREASON! .@realDonaldTrump if this doesnt get fixed were screwed! Please do something! pic.twitter.com/tUL180wkiL ??????RoseDC11 (@RoseDC11) March 1, 2025 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, including backlash from DOGE investigating all the DEM fraud. Sources for this article include: Censored.news NaturalNews.com There is excitement that this advancement in mice could lead to a much greater achievement. Recreating a woolly mammoth calf by 2028 is the extraordinary promise US-based genetic engineering company Colossal Biosciences is striving towards. As the clock ticks down, its scientists have teased us with a new animal creation thats on a much smaller scale. Its a woolly mouse. Pictures supplied to Yahoo News show two of the fluffy creatures huddled together on the companys shiny black logo. The duo, named Chip and Dale, have high precision genetic edits that give them seven mammoth-like adaptions for cold climate, including metabolism and hair length, thickness and texture. Before you start imagining what great pets theyd make for kids, Colossal confirmed the newly engineered mice arent for sale. Its founder Ben Lamm told Yahoo News they may be ridiculously cute but the company has no intention of ever selling any animals it creates. Were mammoth genes added to woolly mice? Colossals chief science officer Dr Beth Shapiro explained the experiment is confirmation that their gene editing pipeline works. Her team began by identifying genes in mammoths that would likely make them woolly, and then turned their attention to making similar changes in 38 laboratory mice. ADVERTISEMENT Of course we didnt put mammoth genes in the mice, because theres 200 million years of evolution between them, she said. The changes were created using multiplex gene editing, which enables engineers to quickly make natural modifications to DNA that would otherwise occur over a much slower period. Whats exciting for Colossal founder Ben Lamm is that his scientists were able to engineer the precise outcomes in seven genes, using eight edits. They were made with 100 per cent efficiency. They were exactly targeted and we got exactly what we wanted, he told Yahoo. Related: Extinction of giant species rethought after very rare find on Aussie cattle station Mammoths were driven to extinction 4,000 years ago. Source: Getty Why is gene editing a woolly mouse important? Colossal is also working to bring back the Tasmanian tiger and the dodo, but Shapiro is equally concerned about using genetic engineering to help animals that are not yet extinct. ADVERTISEMENT Last year, the company announced a US$3 million investment in Melbourne Universitys scientists who are working to create super-species of frogs that can withstand the effects of chytrid fungus. Globally, the disease has led to 90 extinctions, but its also responsible for the decline of over 500 other amphibian species, and Colossal wants to stop it in its tracks by creating resistant frogs. Shapiro believes the work on the mice will have the most direct impact on the companys work to help stop Australias native quolls being killed by introduced cane toads. Theres a single change that you can make in the animals that will make them resistant to the toxins produced by cane toads. If we could drive that edit into our Australian endemic fauna, we could make them be able to not only live with cane toads, but actually kill them, she said. How have other scientists reacted? Professor Andrew Pask, who heads the chytrid fungus team, called the creation of the woolly mice groundbreaking and a milestone moving us closer to the ultimate goal of de-extinction. ADVERTISEMENT Beyond de-extinction, this research enhances our understanding of evolutionary biology, genetic adaptation, and conservation genetics. The ability to reintroduce lost traits could aid in biodiversity restoration and even climate resilience efforts, he said. Pask isnt alone in thinking Colossals advancements in technology could potentially rescue living species from the threat of extinction. Associate Professor Damien Fordham, the deputy director of Adelaide Universitys Environment Institute, said one use could be establishing long-lost heat tolerant traits in dwindling populations threatened by climate change. But as the weather rapidly heats around the world, he doesnt think the future will be any better for woolly mammoths than it was 4,000 years ago when humans and climate change wiped them out. ADVERTISEMENT The threats that caused the demise of the woolly mammoth have only worsened in recent years. Therefore, it is somewhat fanciful to believe that one day we will again have self-sustaining populations of mammoths roaming Siberia, he said. 'Need to change thousands of genes' Professor Merlin Crossley, a molecular genetics expert at the University of NSW, predicted the de-extinction of mammoths was decades away. Its not a matter of changing seven genes, you would have to change thousands, and you have to do the reproductive biology too. Overall, it would be like stacking up ladders to get to the moon, he said. But he congratulated Colossals gifted scientists for continuing to remind the community about the "power" of genetic modifications. There is power in this technology and if used wisely well see progress in conventional medicine and agriculture, he said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Experts warn Zelensky may have to resign after disastrous meeting with Trump Ukrainian President Zelenskys leadership is in jeopardy after a tense White House meeting with President Trump, which ended abruptly without a press conference. The meeting, intended to finalize a U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal, devolved into accusations, with Trump criticizing Zelenskys handling of the war and U.S. aid. Analysts argue Zelenskys combative approach alienated Western allies, with U.S. Republicans and Russian experts questioning his ability to lead. Zelenskys refusal to negotiate peace and his perceived missteps during the meeting have further isolated him, risking U.S. military aid. Despite European support, Zelensky faces growing pressure to step aside or change course as Ukraines war effort falters. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys political future is now in question following a heated and public altercation with President Trump during a high-stakes meeting at the White House last week. The encounter, which ended abruptly with the cancellation of a planned press conference, has left experts and officials questioning whether Zelenskys leadership can survive the fallout. The meeting was intended to finalize a critical mineral deal between the U.S. and Ukraine, but it quickly devolved into a tense exchange of accusations. Trump, known for his blunt negotiating style, accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for U.S. aid and unwilling to pursue peace. Youre gambling with millions of people Youre gambling with World War Three, Trump told Zelensky in front of reporters. The Ukrainian leader, visibly frustrated, pushed back, insisting on Ukraines right to defend itself against Russian aggression. A diplomatic disaster The fallout from the meeting has been swift and severe. Russian experts and U.S. Republican officials alike are now speculating that Zelenskys days as Ukraines leader may be numbered. Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, noted that Zelensky underestimated the scale of the shift that occurred in American politics after Donald Trumps arrival. Lukyanov argued that Zelenskys combative approach during the meeting alienated even his staunchest supporters in the West. Trump views the war as an annoying nuisance, a mess in which all participants are to blame, especially his predecessort Lukyanov said. Zelensky and his supporters reject it, counting on a clear victory. But that is unattainable. Republican leaders in the U.S. have echoed this sentiment. House Speaker Mike Johnson told NBC News that Zelensky needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country. Johnson added that Trumps goal of ending the war was undermined by Zelenskys refusal to negotiate. Zelenskys missteps Analysts point to several critical errors by Zelensky during the meeting. Maksim Suchkov, director of the Institute of International Studies at MGIMO University, noted that Zelensky pressed all the buttons that should never be pressed in negotiations with Trump. Among these was Zelenskys comment about Americas geographic advantage, which Trump reportedly interpreted as a slight. Saying this to the president and his ambitious vice president, who ran their campaign on the theme of Americas strength, in the Oval Office, in front of the media, meant pushing the impulsive Trump into a reputational risk he simply could not afford, Suchkov said. Zelenskys insistence on prolonging the war, despite Ukraines dwindling resources and manpower, has also drawn criticism. Dmitry Suslov, deputy director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at HSE University, argued that Zelenskys refusal to accept a negotiated settlement has made him an obstacle to peace. Trumps logic is clear: Ukraine is losing the war, and without U.S. support, it will lose it even faster and more disastrously, Suslov said. What's next for Zelensky? The White House clash has left Zelensky in a precarious position. While European leaders have rallied behind him, their support may not be enough to offset the loss of U.S. backing. Trump has signaled that he is prepared to halt military aid to Ukraine, a move that could accelerate the countrys defeat on the battlefield. Zelensky, for his part, has vowed to continue fighting for Ukraines sovereignty. We want our partners to remember who the aggressor is in this war, he said during a recent press conference. However, his defiant stance may only deepen the rift with Washington. As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, the stakes are rising. Zelenskys refusal to align with Trumps vision for peace has left him isolated and vulnerable, with even his allies questioning his ability to lead. As the war drags on, the pressure on Zelensky to step aside or change course will only intensify. For now, the countdown to the end of his regime has begun. Sources for this article include: RT.com DailyMail.co.uk France24.com Federal workers panic as DOGE audits expose culture of waste and incompetence The federal government has long operated with minimal accountability, fostering a culture where inefficiency and waste are rampant. Performance reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with over 99% of employees rated as "fully successful" or higher, highlighting a system that rewards mediocrity over merit. Elon Musks DOGE has exposed billions in wasteful spending by demanding federal employees justify their work. This unprecedented accountability has sparked outrage and panic among workers unaccustomed to such scrutiny. Federal employees, shielded by job security and conflict-avoidance practices, are resisting DOGEs efforts. Many view basic accountability measures as harassment, revealing a workforce deeply resistant to change and merit-based evaluation. Democrats, while acknowledging government waste, criticize DOGEs methods as overly disruptive. Their opposition underscores a reluctance to challenge the status quo, which prioritizes employee protection over taxpayer-funded efficiency. With the federal workforce costing taxpayers $270 billion annually, DOGEs audits signal a long-overdue reckoning. The panic among federal employees reflects a shift toward private-sector accountability, aiming to create a more efficient and transparent government. For decades, the American taxpayer has footed the bill for a bloated federal bureaucracy that operates with little accountability and even less efficiency. Now, thanks to Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the curtain is being pulled back on the staggering waste and fraud that have long defined federal employment. The response from federal workers? Outrage, panic and a refusal to justify their existence. The DOGE audits, which have exposed billions in wasteful spending, have sent shockwaves through the federal workforce. For the first time, federal employees are being asked to answer a simple question: What did you accomplish last week? The reaction to this basic request has been nothing short of hysterical. The culture of conflict avoidance Federal employment has long been synonymous with job security, regardless of performance. As the source text reveals, federal supervisors are incentivized to give glowing performance reviews to avoid backlash from employees and unions. The result? A system where incompetence is rewarded and meritocracy is nonexistent. In 2013, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed performance management systems across 24 CFO Act agencies and found that more than 99% of non-Senior Executive Service employees received a rating of "fully successful" or higher. This statistic is not just laughable its a damning indictment of a system that prioritizes conflict avoidance over accountability. The Washington Post noted in 2016 that only 0.1% of federal employees ever receive a negative performance review. In what world does this reflect reality? It doesnt. It reflects a culture where mediocrity is celebrated, and excellence is irrelevant. DOGEs meritocracy shock Enter Elon Musk and DOGE. The billionaire entrepreneur, known for slashing 80% of Twitters workforce and improving the platforms functionality, has turned his attention to the federal government. His approach is simple: ask federal employees to justify their work. The response has been telling. Federal workers, many of whom have never faced real accountability, are treating DOGEs emails as an act of harassment and a distraction. One National Institutes of Health employee, granted anonymity for fear of retaliation, described the experience as one long funeral. But lets be clear: the emails are not harassment. They are a litmus test. As the source text explains, the emails are not necessarily meant to act as performance indicators but rather to identify who is willing to engage in basic accountability. Those who refuse to respond are outing themselves as part of the problem. Democrats hypocrisy on waste While Democrats claim to oppose government waste, their vocal opposition to DOGEs efforts reveals their true priorities. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told Fox News Digital, Of course theres some wasteful spending, but you dont use a meat ax and cut everything. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) went further, accusing DOGE of turning the country over to the billionaires. Yet, when pressed, Murphy admitted, Theres plenty of money to be cut. So why the outrage? Because DOGEs approach threatens the status quoa system where federal employees are insulated from accountability and taxpayers are left holding the bag. Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) acknowledged that theres certainly waste and efficiencies that we can get better at, but criticized DOGEs methods as causing way too much chaos. What Kim and his colleagues fail to grasp is that chaos is often the necessary precursor to meaningful reform. A long overdue reckoning The federal workforce has ballooned to over 3 million employees, costing taxpayers $270 billion annually in salaries and benefits. For too long, these workers have operated under the assumption that they are untouchable. DOGEs audits have shattered that illusion. The panic among federal employees is not just about losing their jobs its about losing their sense of entitlement. For the first time, they are being held to the same standards as private-sector workers, and they dont like it. As President Donald Trump noted, Youve got a lot of people who have not responded. So were trying to figure out, do they exist, who are they, and its possible that a lot of people will be actually fired. This is not tyranny. This is accountability. And its long overdue. Meritocracy vs. entitlement The DOGE audits have exposed a federal workforce that is allergic to meritocracy. Federal employees, accustomed to a culture of conflict avoidance and participation trophies, are now facing a reality check. Elon Musks approach may be disruptive, but disruption is exactly what the federal government needs. The American people deserve a government that operates efficiently and transparently. They deserve a government where employees are held accountable for their work. The panic among federal workers is a sign that DOGE is on the right track. Its time to drain the swampagain. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Politico.com FoxNews.com Hospitals accused of covertly administering COVID-19 jabs to sedated patients, bypassing consent in shocking violation of medical ethics Patients in U.S. hospitals were given COVID-19 vaccines without their knowledge or consent while under sedation. Legal teams claim health care workers have confirmed the practice, calling it an "abominable covert act." A mother in the UK fights to stop a hospital from vaccinating her Down syndrome child under sedation against her will. Medical journals propose administering vaccines during perioperative periods to boost compliance, raising ethical concerns. Hospitals discarding medical ethics to increase vaccine uptake In a stunning revelation that has sent shockwaves through the medical and legal communities, hospitals across the United States are being accused of covertly administering COVID-19 vaccines to patients while they are under sedation. According to attorneys representing victims, this egregious practice bypasses informed consent and violates fundamental medical ethics. The allegations, brought forward by the Freedom Counsel, a legal group defending those affected by vaccine mandates, suggest that patients undergoing routine medical procedures were injected with experimental mRNA vaccines without their knowledgea practice one lawyer described as an "abominable covert act." Warner Mendenhall, founder of the Freedom Counsel, stated on social media platform X that his team has verified multiple accounts of patients being vaccinated while under anesthesia. "Were you or a family member COVID vaxxed while under sedation? We are hearing stories of this abominable covert act," Mendenhall wrote. He added that many patients would have no way of knowing they were jabbed, as the injections were likely not documented in their medical charts. This disturbing trend is not isolated to the U.S. In the UK, a mother is battling the National Health Service (NHS) to prevent her Down syndrome child from being vaccinated against COVID-19 while under sedation. The mother described the hospital's plan as "tantamount to assault" and a blatant violation of human rights. How hospitals exploit consent forms One of the most alarming aspects of this scandal is the alleged use of hospital consent forms to justify these covert injections. Patients signing waivers for medical procedures often unknowingly agree to "preventative care," which hospitals interpret as a blanket authorization to administer vaccines, including COVID-19 jabs. One patient recounted their experience: "I had a hip surgery, found out later they gave me a flu shot. All in the IV and never said a word." This practice raises serious questions about the erosion of patient autonomy and the lengths to which medical institutions will go to enforce compliance with the global vaccine agenda. Critics argue that such actions are not only unethical but also potentially criminal, with some calling the covert injections "attempted murder" given the well-documented risks associated with COVID-19 vaccines. Medical journals advocate for perioperative vaccinations Adding fuel to the fire, medical journals have begun advocating for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines during the perioperative periodthe time surrounding surgery when patients are under the influence of anesthesia or sedatives. A November 2021 article published by Celeste Day and Edward Bittner suggests that the preoperative period is an "excellent opportunity" to improve vaccination rates, particularly among those who have avoided the jab due to needle phobia, distrust of the medical system, or other concerns. The authors argue that patients may be more "receptive" to vaccination while under the influence of drugs, a claim that has drawn widespread condemnation from medical ethicists and patient advocates. "Vaccination administration during anesthetic care may be an effective way to improve vaccination compliance," the article states, ignoring the glaring ethical implications of administering medical treatments to individuals who cannot provide informed consent. A chilling precedent: coercion and control The implications of these revelations are chilling. If hospitals are willing to inject patients with experimental vaccines without their knowledge or consent, what other medical interventions might they justify under the guise of "preventative care"? The erosion of patient rights in the name of public health sets a dangerous precedent, one that could pave the way for further abuses of power by medical institutions. As legal teams prepare to challenge these practices in court, the public is left to grapple with a disturbing reality: the medical system, once a trusted guardian of health, has become a tool of coercion and control. The fight for medical freedom and informed consent has never been more urgent. Sources include: Infowars.com X.com X.com Telegraph.co.uk APSF.org Soros shadow looms over Wisconsin: How billionaire cash threatens Trumps agenda and American democracy The April 1 election for Wisconsins Supreme Court is a critical battleground, with the outcome determining whether liberals maintain a 4-3 majority. Key issues like abortion, union rights, election law, and redistricting are at stake, potentially reshaping Wisconsins political map and impacting national congressional balance. Billionaire George Soros is heavily funding progressive efforts in the race, aiming to secure a liberal majority that could redraw congressional districts to favor Democrats, undermining Republican priorities and President Trumps agenda. Figures like former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Elon Musk are warning about Soros influence, with Musk supporting GOP-backed candidate Brad Schimel. Schimel has criticized Soros funding of progressive causes, such as defunding police and undermining election integrity. Soros-linked groups like MoveOn and Indivisible are organizing astroturf protestsfake grassroots movementsto pressure Republican lawmakers and disrupt conservative agendas. These tactics have been deployed nationwide, including in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin race is a microcosm of the broader ideological struggle in America. A Soros-backed victory could lead to gerrymandering, weakened election laws, and a rollback of conservative policies, with far-reaching consequences for the nations political future. Conservatives are urged to act to preserve principles of limited government, law and order, and fair elections. The battle for the soul of America is being waged in Wisconsin, where the upcoming state Supreme Court race has become a flashpoint for the nations ideological divide. At the center of this storm is George Soros, the Hungarian-born billionaire whose deep pockets and progressive agenda are threatening to derail President Donald Trumps plans and reshape the political landscape. With Elon Musk sounding the alarm, conservatives are waking up to the existential threat posed by Soros-funded operatives and their relentless push to undermine Republican priorities. The Wisconsin Supreme Court: A battleground for Americas future The April 1 election for Wisconsins Supreme Court is no ordinary judicial race. Its a high-stakes showdown that will determine whether liberals maintain their 4-3 majority on the court, with major cases on abortion, union rights, election law, and congressional redistricting hanging in the balance. The outcome could reshape Wisconsins political map, potentially squeezing out two Republican congressional seats and handing Democrats a critical advantage in Congress. Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, a stalwart conservative, has been vocal about the stakes. Do the math. The vote on Tuesday night was 217-215. George Soros is pulling millions into the WI Supreme Court race because a 4-3 liberal majority will redraw Congressional districts to squeeze out 2 GOP seats, Walker wrote on X. This is how he blocks the Trump agenda. We cant let that happen. Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and head of the Department of Government Efficiency, echoed Walkers concerns, stating that derailing Trumps agenda is exactly [Soros] goal. Musks involvement in the race, supporting Republican-backed candidate Brad Schimel, has drawn fierce criticism from Soros-backed Democrats, who accuse him of pushing an extreme agenda. But the real extremism lies in Soros decades-long campaign to fund progressive causes that undermine law enforcement, erode election integrity, and advance radical policies. Soros dangerous influence: A history of subversion George Soros is no stranger to controversy. Through his Open Society Foundations, he has funneled billions of dollars into progressive initiatives worldwide, often destabilizing governments and undermining conservative values. In the United States, Soros has bankrolled district attorney campaigns to elect soft-on-crime prosecutors, funded efforts to defund the police, and supported organizations like MoveOn and Indivisible, which have orchestrated protests against Trump and his allies. Schimel, the GOP-backed candidate, has been outspoken about the dangers of Soros influence. I dont think these two things compare, Schimel said, referring to Musks support versus Soros donations. I dont think they equate at all. He added that Soros has very dangerous ideas for America, citing his support for groups working to reduce funding for police. Meanwhile, Soros-backed candidate Susan Crawford has dismissed concerns about her donors influence, claiming she has never made any promises to her contributors. But her campaigns reliance on Soros money$1 million of which was funneled through the state Democratic Partyraises serious questions about her independence. Astroturf protests and the Soros playbook The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is just one front in Soros broader war against conservative governance. Recent revelations have exposed how Soros-linked organizations like MoveOn and Indivisible are orchestrating astroturf protestsfake grassroots movements designed to pressure Republican lawmakers and disrupt Trumps agenda. In February 2025, MoveOn launched a nationwide Congress Works for Us, Not Musk campaign, targeting GOP lawmakers in key districts. The groups press release boasted of rallies and town hall actions designed to fight back against the Trump-Musk agenda. Indivisible, another Soros-funded group, has urged its members to use Town Halls & Empty Chair Town Halls to pressure vulnerable Republicans. Musk has been quick to call out these tactics. Pushing fake outrage will backfire on them, he warned on social media. But the damage is already being done. In Wisconsin, Indivisible organized a protest during a town hall hosted by Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), where 100 activists brandished anti-Trump signs. Similar protests have erupted across the country, with Soros-backed groups targeting GOP lawmakers in Arizona, California, and Georgia. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has also condemned the protests, telling CNNs Kaitlan Collins that many of the town hall disruptions were orchestrated by paid protesters. Documents from Indivisible confirm that the group reimburses members up to $200 for expenses related to their Musk Or Us actions. The stakes for America The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is more than a local electionits a microcosm of the broader struggle for Americas future. If Soros succeeds in flipping the court, it could pave the way for gerrymandered congressional districts, weakened election laws, and a rollback of conservative policies. The consequences would reverberate far beyond Wisconsin, emboldening progressive activists and undermining Trumps agenda on a national scale. Conservatives must recognize the gravity of this moment. The fight against Soros influence is not just about Wisconsinits about preserving the principles of limited government, law and order, and free and fair elections. As Musk and Walker have warned, the stakes could not be higher. Sources include: RT.com WashingtonExaminer.com APNews.com Israel blocks aid to Gaza, accused of using starvation as leverage in ceasefire talks Israel halts all humanitarian aid to Gaza, pressuring Hamas to extend a fragile ceasefire and sparking widespread condemnation. Hamas rejected a U.S.-backed proposal to prolong the truce, leading to the aid suspension and stalled negotiations. The first ceasefire phase saw a prisoner exchange, but 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with 35 feared dead. International organizations accuse Israel of violating humanitarian law, warning of famine and despair in Gaza. Families of hostages urge Israel to prioritize their release, as the wars toll surpasses 48,000 Palestinian deaths. Israel has halted all humanitarian aid to Gaza, intensifying pressure on Hamas to extend a fragile ceasefire agreement in a move that has drawn widespread condemnation. The decision, announced Sunday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office, comes after Hamas rejected a U.S.-backed proposal to prolong the truce through the upcoming Ramadan and Passover holidays. The first phase of the ceasefire, which included a prisoner exchange and a surge in aid deliveries, expired Saturday, leaving negotiations for the second phase in limbo. Critics argue that Israels blockade of food and supplies amounts to collective punishment and risks plunging Gazas 2.3 million residents back into famine and despair. Aid cutoff sparks outcry Netanyahus office justified the aid suspension as a response to Hamass refusal to accept the Witkoff framework, a proposal by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to extend the ceasefire. Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages, the statement read, warning of additional consequences if Hamas continues to reject the deal. However, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem accused Israel of cheap blackmail and attempting to derail the ceasefire, calling the aid cutoff a war crime and a blatant attack on the agreement. The first phase of the ceasefire, brokered by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, saw Hamas release 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Fifty-nine hostages remain in Gaza, with Israeli officials estimating that at least 35 are dead. The second phase, which has yet to be negotiated, would involve a long-term cessation of hostilities, the release of remaining captives, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Humanitarian crisis deepens The aid suspension has drawn sharp criticism from international organizations and mediators. Egypt and Qatar have accused Israel of violating humanitarian law by using starvation as a weapon. U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called the decision alarming, emphasizing that international law requires unimpeded aid access. The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that unraveling the ceasefire risks plunging Gaza back into despair. During the six-week ceasefire, about 600 aid trucks entered Gaza daily, alleviating fears of famine. However, residents reported skyrocketing prices as news of the closure spread. Fayza Nassar, a resident of the heavily damaged Jabaliya refugee camp, warned of famine and chaos if aid remains blocked. Accusations of genocide mount Israels decision to halt aid has reignited accusations of genocide and war crimes. The International Criminal Court previously cited starvation as a method of warfare in its arrest warrant for Netanyahu last year. South Africas case against Israel at the International Court of Justice also centers on allegations of genocide. Kenneth Roth, former head of Human Rights Watch, condemned the aid cutoff as a resumption of the war-crime starvation strategy. Israel denies the accusations, blaming aid shortages on the U.N.s distribution challenges and accusing Hamas of siphoning off supplies. However, critics argue that as the occupying power, Israel has an absolute duty to facilitate humanitarian aid under the Geneva Conventions. Meanwhile, families of the remaining hostages are pressing Israels government to prioritize their release. Postponing the negotiation on the deal for everyones [release] cant happen, said Lishay Miran-Lavi, wife of hostage Omri Miran. Hostages dont have time to wait for an ideal deal. The war, which began with Hamass October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas Health Ministry. Israeli bombardment has displaced 90% of Gazas population and reduced much of the enclave to rubble. As the ceasefire teeters on the brink of collapse, Israels decision to block aid has escalated tensions and drawn global condemnation. While Netanyahu frames the move as leverage to secure the release of hostages, much of the world views it as a cynical and inhumane tactic that exacerbates Gazas humanitarian crisis. With negotiations for the second phase stalled, the path to peace remains uncertain, leaving millions of Palestinians and the families of hostages in agonizing limbo. Sources for this article include: RT.com APNews.com FoxNews.com U.S. backs Israels indefinite military presence in Lebanon, sparking regional tensions The U.S. has reportedly approved Israels indefinite military presence in southern Lebanon, sparking criticism from Lebanon and international observers. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed Israeli forces will remain in a "buffer zone" with surveillance posts, citing security concerns. Lebanon opposes the move, calling it an illegal occupation, while Hezbollah rejects Israels justifications and Israel rejects Frances proposal to replace Israeli troops. Hidden surveillance devices discovered in southern Lebanon have heightened suspicions of Israels broader surveillance operations. Critics argue the U.S. decision undermines regional stability, especially amid the Gaza conflict and fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. In a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Lebanon and raised eyebrows internationally, the United States has reportedly given Israel a "green light" to maintain its military presence in southern Lebanon indefinitely. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the development, stating that Israeli forces will remain in a "buffer zone" with five surveillance posts on strategic hilltops, regardless of previous ceasefire agreements. The decision comes amid ongoing tensions in the region, including the devastating conflict in Gaza, and has left Lebanon calling for intervention from the U.S. and France. The U.S. endorsement of Israels extended presence marks a significant shift from earlier promises. Under a November 2023 ceasefire brokered by Washington and Paris, Israeli troops were initially granted 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon, with a deadline set for January 26. That deadline was later extended to February 18, but Israeli forces have remained in place, citing security concerns. Katzs recent comments suggest that the U.S. has now tacitly approved Israels indefinite occupation, framing it as "situation-dependent, not time-dependent." Lebanon pushes back against occupation Lebanon has vehemently opposed Israels continued presence, labeling it an illegal occupation. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly called for the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops, while Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, has rejected Israels justifications for staying. France proposed sending its own troops to replace Israeli forces, but Israel dismissed the idea. Adding to Lebanons concerns, the Lebanese Army has discovered hidden surveillance devices, including cameras and sensors, in southern Lebanon since Israeli troops withdrew from populated areas. These findings have fueled suspicions that Israels surveillance operations extend far beyond its visible military presence. Criticism mounts over U.S. and Israeli actions The U.S. decision to back Israels indefinite stay has drawn criticism from those who argue that it undermines international efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region. Critics point to Israels history of swift military interventions and the U.S.s unwavering support, even as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens. The ongoing conflict in Gaza, which many have labeled a genocide, has further complicated the situation, raising questions about the broader implications of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Israels insistence on maintaining its surveillance posts has also been met with skepticism. While Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, have described the hilltop positions as "strategic high points" necessary for security, Katzs comments suggest a more permanent arrangement. "We are staying indefinitely," Katz declared, signaling that Israel has no immediate plans to leave. The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended more than a year of hostilities, remains fragile. While the agreement called for Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River and dismantle its military infrastructure, Israels continued presence in southern Lebanon has cast doubt on the long-term viability of the truce. The United Nations has expressed concern over the delay in implementing the ceasefire terms, warning that further violations could destabilize the region. As Israel digs in and Lebanon pushes back, the U.S. finds itself at the center of a growing diplomatic storm. By endorsing Israels indefinite military presence, Washington risks alienating key allies and exacerbating tensions in an already volatile region. For now, the hilltop surveillance posts stand as a reminder of the unresolved conflicts that continue to plague the Middle East. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com France24.com Reuters.com Liberals are arguing that deported illegal immigrants might have CURED CANCER or become an ASTRONAUT, so then what about aborted babies? Liberal logic regarding immigration policy is seen as flawed, focusing on the potential rare benefits of illegal immigration while ignoring serious concerns like crime, drug trafficking, and economic strain. Prominent liberals like Michael Moore argue against deportations by emphasizing the potential for illegal immigrants to make significant positive contributions, often disregarding the risks associated with unchecked immigration. Democrats and Liberals are criticized for failing to distinguish between legal and illegal immigration, suggesting a fundamental misunderstanding of immigration principles and national security concerns. The logic of Liberals is completely null and void, especially when it comes to their whining and complaints about the current government system. The Liberals loved open borders and ALL immigrants, legal or illegal, and anyone who opposed open borders was deemed a racist, bigot, immigrant hater, even if Conservatives were talking about illegal alien criminals, human traffickers, drug traffickers, gang members, rapists and murderers. It didnt matter. Say anything bad about any immigrant and you were spewing hate and should be banned from all social media. Period. Now, Michael Moore, the liberal extremist movie maker guy whos suffering from extreme TDS, says that its horrible to be deporting illegal immigrants because any one of them could have cured cancer or become an astronaut who reaches out of a spaceship and stops an asteroid from destroying Earth in 2032. So, if an illegal immigrant might have saved the world with some magnificent invention, what about all the ABORTED BABIES that the Liberals support? Any one of those Planned Parenthood abortions could have turned into an incredible human being who could have invented something amazing, right? Cured a disease! So why aren't all the Liberals and Democrats fighting to ban abortions nationwide, if they all want to ban the deportation of illegal immigrants? It just doesn't make sense, just like most of their other arguments and rants. Go figure. Michael Moore, along with millions of other extreme Liberals, believe that supporting deportation of illegal immigrants means you are a racist, bigoted hater of all foreigners According to Liberals, we should let America be invaded by several billion illegal immigrants from around the world because a few of them might invent something useful one day, or not. Who cares about the U.S. economy, jobs, fair elections, criminals all over the streets with no ID, fentanyl everywhere, and human traffickers stealing children for sex slave networks, right? Its all worth it, according to Liberals, if even just one illegal alien becomes the next Steve Jobs and invents some better kind of smart device. So, whos REALLY being removed by ICE today, Michael Moore and the Libtard cult is wondering? Michael Moore has declared, For every time I have heard a negative word or blatant hatred spewed toward those who came from afar, I have felt that I should pause, get down on one knee, and thank all of those who gave up their lives elsewhere to come here and be with us. That wasnt all. Moore continued to rant on social media posts, suggesting, If you have amongst your family and friends a few uninformed Trumpsters who still scream about building a wall or deporting anyone who cant prove they belong here, maybe you could show them the following list of immigrants who somehow got here and then contributed amazing things for the rest of us to benefit from. Perhaps they will see that the reason this is a great country is because these great people made it what it is today. Still, not a single Democrat or Liberal in America understands the difference between legal immigration and illegal immigration, that everyone else learned about in 3rd grade social studies class. The Dems and Libs must have been all thinking about which gender they wanted to switch to instead of paying attention to the Bill of Rights lesson. So while ICE agents all across America are banging down doors to remove child rapists, fentanyl drug dealers, and mass murderers the Democrat politicians let out of prison again, one illegal immigrant might just be that guy who tomorrow helps rebuild a childrens playground across town (according to Michael Moore) and then kidnaps the kids playing there and sells them into slavery on the black market for some fast food money and a bus ticket to New York City. Tune your internet dial to Gender.news for updates on extreme liberals with hidden agendas trying to turn normal kids into gender-confused freaks. Sources for this article include: NYpost.com NaturalNews.com Italian PM Meloni slams Frances Macron for pitching idea of sending troops to Ukraine Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed outrage against a plan to send troops to Ukraine, which is backed by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Meloni interrupted Macron during an emergency video call, accusing him of speaking on her behalf without a mandate, and other European Union member nations such as Germany, Poland and Spain have also raised objections to the plan. Germany has reiterated that it won't send troops to Ukraine unless the United States deploys soldiers first, and Poland has explicitly stated that it won't send its soldiers to the territory of Ukraine. Critics argue that sending troops to Ukraine could derail peace efforts and prolong the war with Russia, while Russian officials have warned that foreign military units without UN backing would be treated as "legitimate targets." The dispute between Macron and Meloni highlights broader divisions within Europe regarding the appropriate response to the war in Ukraine, with some leaders favoring military intervention and others expressing skepticism about its feasibility and wisdom. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed outrage against a plan to send troops to Ukraine, which has the backing of French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Meloni's denouncement of the plan happened during an emergency video call between Western European leaders on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Macron outlined his plan to deploy French and British military "reassurance forces" to Ukraine to "deter Russia from future attacks." But according to The Telegraph, the Italian leader interrupted her French counterpart and accused him of speaking on her behalf without a mandate. Macron then refuted her claims, reiterating that any decision to deploy European forces in Ukraine would be national decisions. Meloni isn't alone in her sentiments, however, as other European Union member nations such as Germany, Poland and Spain have raised objections to the deployment of armed forces in Ukraine. According to reports, Berlin won't send troops to Ukraine unless the United States deploys soldiers first. "We will not participate in scenarios in which European and American security diverges, for example if European soldiers are deployed without full U.S. involvement," a German government official told AFP. (Related: Germany and Poland rule out troop deployment to Ukraine.) Similarly, Warsaw has expressed disagreement over the idea of troops being deployed to Kyiv. "We do not plan to send Polish soldiers to the territory of Ukraine," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Feb. 17. He emphasized that Poland's support for Kyiv would remain limited to humanitarian and military aid. Macron and Starmer's troop deployment plan: A recipe for prolonging the war? The opposition by the three countries contrasts with the position of Macron and Starmer, who have signaled their willingness to send troops as part of a post-war security arrangement. According to critics, such a decision could derail peace efforts and prolong the war with Russia. Starmer announced through an article published Feb. 16 in The Telegraph that Downing Street is ready and willing to put British boots on the ground in Kyiv. But critics also warn that such actions risk escalating tensions with Moscow. Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenziya earlier warned that any foreign military units without UN backing would be treated as "legitimate targets." During the Wednesday emergency call, Macron reportedly criticized U.S. President Donald Trumps approach to Ukraine as "more about business" than strategy. He referenced Trump's proposal to secure a share of Ukraine's rare earth minerals in exchange for past military support. The dispute between Macron and Meloni during the call highlights broader divisions within Europe as leaders scramble to respond to Trump's efforts to broker a peace deal with Russia. As the war in Ukraine nears a potential resolution, the divergent approaches of European leaders threaten to undermine efforts to achieve lasting peace. While Meloni and other leaders have expressed skepticism about the feasibility and wisdom of deploying troops, Macron and Starmer's push for military intervention risks prolonging the conflict and further straining relations with Russia. Check out WWIII.news for more similar stories. Watch this Fox News report that touches on the question of whether North Atlantic Treaty Organization peacekeepers will be deployed in Ukraine or not. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: NATO allies "inching closer" to deploying soldiers to Ukraine. Russia claims France is readying deployment of 2,000 troops to Ukraine. Any U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine would immediately face devastation, warns former Army officer. Sources include: InfoWars.com IndependentSentinel.com RT.com Brighteon.com DEAD VAX CONTRACT: RFK Jr. killed a $240 MILLION contract former fake-POTUS Biden signed for an ORAL COVID VAX The halted Covid oral vax project, involving biotech company Vaxart, Inc., was scheduled to begin clinical trials with 10,000 participants, but RFK Jr.'s actions have prevented this, questioning the safety and efficacy of the proposed vaccine. The Children's Health Defense (CHD), a non-profit founded by RFK Jr., aims to prevent future public health disasters by fighting corruption, advocating for health freedom, and ensuring open discourse in public and scientific communities. RFK Jr.'s actions signal a shift towards questioning government spending on pandemic-related initiatives, focusing instead on regulatory reform and ensuring transparency in public health policies. More waste and fraud is being uncovered daily regarding millions, billions and trillions of dollars the Biden regime allocated and spent to bring down America, eliminate the middle class, and install communism forever. The fulcrum of it all was the clot shots for COVID, making tens of millions of Americans deathly ill so Big Pharma could rake in the bucks. Its all coming to a screeching halt now, with Trump, Musk and DOGE clawing back funds and stopping the bleeding (pun intended) from dirty medicine, like the new oral COVID-19 vaccines that Biden contracted for with a quarter-billion-dollar deal. Department of HHS Secretary RFK Jr. has halted a $240 million contract Biden signed for developing a deadly oral China Flu vax Biotech company Vaxart, Inc. was all set to create a deadly oral Covid vaccine to further destroy the American population of vaccine fanatics, who are all still members of the vaccine cult, even though most of them are still suffering from adverse events from their other clot shot injections from 2020 2024. RFK Jr., who is smart enough to question these deadly stabs and their safety and efficacy, has frozen the projects funds just before 10,000 brainwashed people were scheduled to be guinea pigs for the clinical trials that would have begun already by now. The pandemic is well over, so any fake news arising about any need for more vaccines or more cases spreading around is just more propaganda to manufacture and sell more deadly jabs to injure and kill more Americans. Period. The new oral clot shot was part of the Biden admins $4,700,000,000 project NextGen initiative, another way to embezzle billions of dollars while pretending to solve a biological warfare attack his regime helped create with gain-of-function research, fake PCR tests, and scamdemic fear-mongering propaganda across every fake news outlet on TV, radio and the internet. The new Strategic Preparedness Response should be to question every dollar spent on fake pandemics, dirty vaccines and USAID funding of perverse organizations. Vaxart should NEVER receive a single dollar of the $460 million obligated to them from BARDA. Hasnt anyone learned anything from the deathly Pfizer nanoparticle clot shots and the Moderna weapons of mass destruction gene-mutation mRNA stabs? Kennedy non-profit Childrens Health Defense (CHD) has a mission is to end childhood health epidemics by working aggressively to eliminate harmful exposures, hold those responsible accountable, and establish safeguards to prevent future harm. We fight corruption, mass surveillance and censorship that put profits before people as well as advocate for worldwide rights to health freedom and bodily autonomy. CHDF provides legal assistance for fighting mandatory vaccination in schools and the workplace and Kennedy promised during his campaign that he would prosecute any official who engaged in criminal wrongdoing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hopefully he sticks to his guns, now that hes head of HHS. RFK Jr. is on the record saying, It is dawning on mainstream figures like Anthony Fauci that their Covid policies were a public health disaster, and Lots of us are angry about the mandates, the lockdowns, the censorship, the insanity. But we need to avoid the toxic quagmire of retribution and blame and focus on ensuring this never happens again. Clean up the regulatory agencies, get corporate money out of public health, and guarantee free, open, uncensored public and scientific discourse. Bookmark Plague.info to your favorite independent websites for updates on new gain-of-function viruses the CDC and WHO release into the wild with deadly jabs to match. Sources for this article include: TheGatewayPundit.comv NaturalNews.com Mike Adams calls for RFK Jr. to disavow pro-vaccine article amid MAHA movement crisis Mike Adams urges RFK Jr. to retract his pro-vaccine article, claiming it undermines the MAHA movement's health freedom agenda and questioning the article's authenticity. RFK Jr.'s article, advocating for the MMR vaccine to protect against measles, was published in Fox News, emphasizing individual and community immunity benefits. The MAHA movement, skeptical of vaccine safety and emphasizing individual choice, is in crisis, demanding RFK Jr. address the controversy his article has sparked. Adams speculates on various reasons for the article's publication, including RFK Jr. being under pressure, and warns of a small window to correct the situation and retain credibility. The future of the MAHA movement and RFK Jr.'s role are at a crossroads, as a lack of clarification could fracture the movement and damage trust built over years. In a passionate and pointed response to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recent pro-vaccine article, Mike Adams, better known as the Health Ranger, is urging RFK Jr. to retract his statements and clarify his stance. Adams, a long-time supporter of RFK Jr., argues that the article, which supports mandatory MMR vaccinations, deeply undermines the MAHA movement's anti-vaccination and health freedom agenda. The MAHA movement, which is already on high alert, is now calling for a swift and decisive response from RFK Jr. The article that sparked controversy The article, titled "Measles Outbreak is a Call to Action for All of Us: MMR Vaccine is Crucial to Avoiding Potentially Deadly Disease," was published in Fox News on March 2, 2025. In the piece, RFK Jr., now the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), advocates for the importance of the MMR vaccine in protecting against measles. The article states that vaccines not only protect individual children from measles but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons. However, Adams argues that the article contains " statements that are highly disturbing, that are blatantly false, and that are pro-forma, pro-vaccine, pro-CDC, pro-FDA." He questions the authenticity of the article, wondering if RFK Jr. truly signed off on it or if it was a product of his staff without his knowledge. Adams emphasizes that if RFK Jr. did indeed write or approve the article, it would "prove the critics, such as Jane Ruby and Stu Peters, to be absolutely correct." The MAHA movement's reaction The MAHA movement, which stands for Medical Accountability, Health, and Autonomy, is currently in a state of crisis. Members of the movement, many of whom are parents of children with autism and are deeply skeptical of vaccine safety, are demanding that RFK Jr. address the controversy. They argue that his support for mandatory MMR vaccinations contradicts the principles of the movement, which emphasizes individual choice, holistic health, and skepticism of pharmaceutical industry motives. Adams, who has given RFK Jr. the benefit of the doubt in the past, is now calling for a retraction and clarification. He states, "If this is what RFK Jr. believes, and if this is what he is insisting on doing, then this would prove my faith to be misplaced. It's a little early, I'm not going to start kicking myself just yet, although that is a possibility." The urgency for a response Adams outlines several possibilities for the source of the article, including the possibility that RFK Jr.'s staff went around him and published it without his approval. He also speculates that RFK Jr. might be under pressure from forces within the government or pharmaceutical industry, forcing him to abandon his previously held beliefs. Regardless of the cause, Adams and other MAHA movement leaders believe that RFK Jr. has a narrow window of time to address the situation. Adams tweeted, "RFK Junior has a narrow window of time to get this right, sort of like Bondi at DOJ with the Epstein Fiasco. Very hard to gain credibility with the American voters and very easy to lose it almost instantly." Conclusion: The road ahead The MAHA movement is under immense pressure, and the future of the organization hangs in the balance. If RFK Jr. does not clarify his stance and disavow the pro-vaccine article, the movement may fracture, and the trust built over years could be irreparably damaged. Adams and others in the movement are urging RFK Jr. to stand firm against what they see as the propaganda of big pharma and to prioritize the health and autonomy of the American people. As the crisis unfolds, the eyes of the MAHA movement and its supporters are fixed on RFK Jr., awaiting a response that could either reaffirm trust or signal a betrayal of the principles they have fought for. The next few days will be crucial in determining the future direction of the movement and the role of RFK Jr. within it. Watch this March 03 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about MAHA in crisis as RFK Jr. pens article advocating mass MMR vaccine. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: MEASLES PLANDEMIC UNDERWAY: Fake news across America warning unvaccinated children hospitalized and dying from measles outbreak in Texas Physician group acknowledges the TRUTH: There is NO PROOF the MMR vaccine is safer than contracting the actual diseases CDC whistleblower exposes hidden data: The MMR vaccine-autism link they didnt want you to know Sources include: Brighteon.com AlJazeera.com Victorians could soon see 30km/h zones rolled out right across the state if the government accepts fresh recommendations from Infrastructure Victoria. Victorians could soon see 30km/h speed zones rolled out across suburban areas if the recommendations of a new report are adopted by the government. Source: The City of Yarra Council/Bicycle Network Speed limits could be slashed to just 30 kilometres an hour in areas commonly visited by children before being more broadly rolled out to a majority of suburban streets, under a new proposition aimed at increasing safety for both drivers and pedestrians for millions of Aussies. Infrastructure Victoria the independent advisory body that provides advice and guidance on infrastructure planning, strategy, and investment in the state will on Tuesday hand down its 50 priorities for the government to meet housing, transport and health needs for its rising population. Among them, it has suggested speed limits in areas frequently attended by kids should be reduced to 30 km/h, citing the fact that seven children die on Victorian roads each year, in addition to the approximately 300 that are seriously injured mostly on local streets with 50km/h speed limits. Infrastructure Victoria chief executive Dr Jonathan Spear cited the fact that a pedestrian struck by a car traveling at 50km/h has an 85 per cent chance of dying. However, at 30km/h, the risk drops to 10 per cent, he said. ADVERTISEMENT Under the proposal, the reduction would first take place at school zones before being more widely rolled out, also turning suburban streets into 30km/h zones. It's a push that road safety experts have also called for in many other parts of the country, particularly on regional roads where default limits remain comparatively, significantly higher than in other parts of the world. In many local government areas around Australia, including in Victoria, councils have already adopted reduced speed limits to protect residents. Infrastructure Victoria has encouraged the government to lower limits. Source: The City of Yarra Council Advisory body pushes for lowered speed limits across Victoria In Melbourne, the City of Yarra, for example, rolled out a trial of 30km/h zones across local streets excluding major arterial roads in Fitzroy and Collingwood last year. Local government areas in other major cities including Sydney, Adelaide and the Gold Coast have also introduced similar limits, with more dabbling in the idea or actively in consultation phases. ADVERTISEMENT Dr Spear argued that reducing speeds from 50 to 30km/h on local streets has a minimal impact on travel time but can "significantly" reduce fatalities and serious injuries. According to Transport Accident Commission data, 48 pedestrians and 12 cyclists lost their lives in road accidents in the state last year. Older Victorians face a higher risk of fatal traffic accidents a statistic mirrored around the country while road trauma remains a leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 14. Infrastructure Victoria's draft strategy states that work on 43 recommendations should commence within five years. It also outlines seven longer-term "future options". RELATED: Older drivers 'exposed' on Aussie roads amid major shift Infrastructure Victoria recommended the government collaborate with councils to implement the change on all streets with speed limits of 50km/h or lower. It called for a start first in areas near schools, playgrounds, childcare centres, and kindergartens, which Spear said are often close to residential areas. ADVERTISEMENT Infrastructure Victoria estimated the cost of reducing speed limits would be between $35 and $45 million. This would involve installing new signage, while the government could further enhance the benefits by improving footpaths and adding crossings, the advisory body suggested. Expert backs speed limit change, calls Australia 'way behind' Dr Lauren Pearson, from the Sustainable Mobility and Safety Research Group at Melbourne's Monash University has already backed the push, dubbing it "the most cost-effective interventions we can use to enhance the safety and liveability of local streets". She pointed to cities overseas that had big success by doing the same thing. ADVERTISEMENT "We have seen the effect of these speed zones in places such as Wales, Canada, Scotland, Colombia and across Europe," she said. "In Toronto, Canada, there was a 67 per cent reduction in serious injuries following implementation of 30 km/h speed zones. Similarly in London, fatal and serious injuries dropped by 46 per cent in areas with 30 km/h speeds, with a further 8 per cent reduction in adjacent areas. "Yet, here in Australia, were well behind." Australia's death toll on roads on an upward trajectory Governments are facing mounting pressure to take bold action to reduce road fatalities in Australia, as new data reveals the death toll has been rising in recent years at a pace not seen since 1966. Research conducted by the the federal Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) showed 1,300 people died on Australian roads in 2024 up from 1,258 in 2023. It's reflective of a four-year period of surging deaths our roads, which has not occurred since before seatbelts were made mandatory in the '60s. A total of 359 people died in the three months to the end of December last year. This grim statistic made 2024 the deadliest year on Australian roads since 2012, which also recorded 1,300 fatalities. The data further revealed that last years road toll was 18.5 per cent higher than in 2021, the year a 10-year plan to halve road deaths was launched. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Trump administration tackles illegal immigration: Sheriff Richard Mack calls for constitutional enforcement Sheriff Richard Mack lauds Trump for combating illegal immigration, highlighting sheriffs' roles in collaborating with ICE to deport criminal aliens, marking a shift from the Biden era's lack of federal support. Mack clarifies that while illegal immigrants have due process rights, they do not have the right to remain in the country, emphasizing the constitutional limits of their rights. He critiques sheriffs who resist ICE cooperation, asserting it is their constitutional duty to identify and remove illegal aliens, especially those with criminal records, affirming the local law enforcement's role. Mack praises Sheriff Mark Lambs investigation into Alejandro Mayorkas, calling for accountability at the federal level for facilitating illegal immigration and associated crimes. Mack encourages public support for constitutional sheriffs, emphasizing that the people are responsible for ensuring sheriffs uphold the Constitution and protect communities, reinforcing the importance of civic engagement. In a candid conversation on Brighteon.com, Sheriff Richard Mack, a distinguished figure in American law enforcement and a constitutional advocate, praised the Trump administration for its renewed efforts to combat illegal immigration. Speaking with Mike Adams, Mack emphasized the critical role of local sheriffs in the process, underscoring their constitutional duty to collaborate with ICE in identifying and deporting illegal aliens, particularly those with criminal records. A new era of enforcement Mack highlighted the significant shift in immigration policy since the change in administration. Under Biden, local sheriffs and law enforcement agencies were often frustrated by the lack of support and cooperation from federal authorities. Now, with the Trump administration's proactive stance, sheriffs are beginning to empty their jails of criminal illegal aliens and turning them over to ICE for deportation. "Trump has shown a commitment to enforcing the law and protecting our communities," Mack stated. "This is a welcome change, and its essential for the safety and well-being of our citizens." Constitutional responsibilities and due process Mack addressed concerns about due process, clarifying that while illegal immigrants have certain rights, they do not enjoy the same constitutional protections as citizens or legal residents. "The Constitution applies to everyone in terms of due process, but that does not mean they have the same rights as citizens," he explained. "They have the right to a fair hearing, but they do not have the right to remain in the country if they are here illegally." He also critiqued sheriffs who refuse to cooperate with ICE based on misconceptions about constitutional rights. "Turning over illegal aliens to ICE is entirely constitutional," Mack asserted. "If a sheriff has any illegal aliens in their jail, especially those with criminal charges, they should inform ICE immediately." The role of local law enforcement Mack emphasized that local sheriffs play a crucial role in enforcing immigration laws. "The Constitution gives sheriffs the authority to protect their communities, and that includes working with federal agencies to identify and remove illegal aliens who pose a threat," he said. "This is not a political issue; it's a constitutional duty." Investigating Federal Authorities The discussion also touched on the need for accountability at the federal level. Mack praised the actions of Sheriff Mark Lamb, who conducted a criminal investigation into Alejandro Mayorkas, the former Secretary of Homeland Security, and turned it over to the county attorney for prosecution. "Mayorkas and others in the Biden administration facilitated illegal immigration and aided in crimes like human trafficking and drug smuggling," Mack said. "They need to be held accountable, and all sheriffs should follow Sheriff Lambs example." A call to action Mack concluded by encouraging the American public to support constitutional sheriffs and get involved in the process. "We, the people, are the only bosses of the sheriffs," he reminded the audience. "Its our responsibility to ensure they uphold the Constitution and protect our communities." Conclusion The Trump administration's focus on illegal immigration has been met with widespread support from law enforcement, particularly from sheriffs like Richard Mack who see it as a constitutional imperative. As the country grapples with the complexities of immigration policy, the collaboration between local and federal authorities is seen as a crucial step in ensuring national security and upholding the rule of law. Watch this full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Sheriff Richard Mack as they talk about Trump's declaration of foreign Terrorist organizations and law enforcement actions. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump administration to launch registry for illegal immigrants: Fines and arrests for noncompliance Trump Administration ramps up ICE arrests, setting daily quotas to combat illegal immigration and crime Trump administration directs federal agencies to prepare for major downsizing by March 13 Sources include: Brighteon.com CSPOA.org Tensions flare as Zelensky ejected from White House after heated exchange with Trump and Vance Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was escorted out of the White House after a tense meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. The discussion, intended to address the Ukraine-Russia conflict, turned confrontational, with Trump accusing Zelensky of ingratitude and reluctance to negotiate peace. Trump emphasized his belief in personal diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticizing Zelensky's hostility toward Putin. Vance questioned Ukraine's ability to sustain its fight without U.S. support, blaming past U.S. administrations for ineffective policies. Zelensky pushed back, highlighting Russia's aggression, including the annexation of Crimea and violations of past ceasefire agreements. He defended Ukraine's sacrifices and resilience, challenging the effectiveness of diplomatic efforts that failed to stop Putin. Trump and Vance pressed Zelensky to express gratitude for U.S. military and financial support, with Trump claiming Ukraine would have lost the war without American aid. Zelensky countered by thanking the American people but emphasized Ukraine's independence and sacrifices. The meeting ended with Zelensky being escorted out, symbolizing the strained alliance. The confrontation revealed stark differences in approaches to the conflict, raising questions about the future of U.S. support for Ukraine as the war enters its third year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was escorted out of the White House on Friday, Feb. 28, following a heated exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. The meeting, intended to address the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, devolved into a public spectacle as Trump accused Zelensky of ingratitude and an unwillingness to negotiate peace, while Vance criticized Ukraine's leadership for what he called a lack of diplomacy. The clash, which unfolded in front of American media, underscored the deepening tensions between the U.S. and its embattled ally as the war in Ukraine enters its third year. The confrontation also revealed stark differences in how the Trump administration views the conflict compared to its predecessors, with Trump emphasizing his belief in personal diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vance questioning Ukraine's ability to sustain its fight without U.S. support. The meeting began with Trump expressing frustration over Zelensky's perceived hostility toward Putin. Vance echoed Trump's sentiments, criticizing the Biden administration's handling of the conflict. "For four years, we had a president who stood up at press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin. And then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country," Vance said. He argued that the path to peace lay in diplomacy rather than military posturing, a stance that Zelensky vehemently challenged. Zelensky, visibly frustrated, pushed back against Vance's characterization of Ukraine's efforts. "He [Putin] occupied our parts, big parts of Ukraine, part of East and Crimea," Zelensky said, referencing Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. "During a lot of years nobody stopped him. He killed people." The Ukrainian leader defended his country's sacrifices and questioned the effectiveness of past diplomatic efforts, including a 2019 ceasefire agreement that he said Putin violated. Vance to Zelensky: "Have you said thank you once?" The exchange grew increasingly personal as Trump and Vance pressed Zelensky to express gratitude for U.S. support. "Have you said thank you once?" Vance asked, interrupting Zelensky's responses. "You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October. Offer some words of appreciation for the U.S. and the president, who is trying to save your country." Zelensky bristled at the suggestion that he was ungrateful. "I said a lot of times thank you to the American people," he replied. But Trump interjected, saying Zelensky "gambled with the lives of millions of people" and risking World War III. "You are not winning," Trump said bluntly. "You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us." The Ukrainian leader countered by emphasizing Ukraine's resilience and the sacrifices of its people. "From the very beginning of the war, we have been alone and we are thankful," Zelensky said. But Trump dismissed the claim, pointing to the billions of dollars in military aid the U.S. has provided. "We gave you through this stupid president [Biden] $350 billion," Trump said. "If you did not have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks." The confrontation highlighted the high-stakes nature of U.S.-Ukraine relations as the war drags on. Trump's insistence on a ceasefire and his belief in his ability to negotiate with Putin stood in stark contrast to Zelensky's demand for security guarantees and a lasting peace. "Ask our people about ceasefire, what they think," Zelensky said. "It does not matter for you what they say?" The meeting ended with Zelensky being escorted out of the White House, a rare and symbolic moment that underscored the fracturing of the U.S.-Ukraine alliance. The confrontation not only revealed the deep divisions between the two leaders but also raised questions about the future of U.S. support for Ukraine. (Related: Zelensky's explosive outburst at Trump official signals growing tensions over Ukraine aid.) Watch the video below where Zelensky defies Trump, even before the White House fiasco, saying Ukraine does not owe the U.S. anything. This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump says US will get back $350 Billion from Ukraine, as Zelensky is prepared to sign mineral rights agreement. Ukraine strikes mineral deal with U.S. after tense negotiations. Trump exposes Zelensky's dictatorial grip on Ukraine, demands his immediate removal. Sources include: RT.com X.com Brighteon.com Zelenskys reign nears its END as Trump clash exposes Ukrainian leaders motives as impediment to peace Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskys refusal to negotiate peace with Russia during a heated White House meeting with Donald Trump has exposed his role as a destabilizing force in the region. Former CIA analyst John Kiriakou declares Zelensky done, predicting his removal from power within months. Trump accuses Zelensky of overplaying his hand and prioritizing endless conflict over peace, signaling a potential end to U.S. support for Ukraine. Zelenskys refusal to negotiate exposes his true agenda The political career of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky appears to be hanging by a thread after a disastrous meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday. The encounter, which ended abruptly without a signed agreement or joint press conference, revealed Zelenskys unwillingness to negotiate peace with Russia, further isolating him on the global stage. Former CIA analyst John Kiriakou, speaking to RT, declared Zelensky an impediment to peace and suggested his removal is imminent. The meeting, held at the White House, quickly devolved into a verbal sparring match as Trump pressed Zelensky to commit to peace talks with Russia. Zelenskys resistance to the proposal led Trump to accuse him of ingratitude and a reckless desire to prolong the conflict. The Ukrainian leaders refusal to sign an agreement granting the U.S. access to Ukraines natural resources further soured the relationship, leaving Zelensky to exit the White House prematurely. Zelenskys refusal to engage in peace talks with Russia has drawn sharp criticism from both sides of the political aisle. Kiriakou, a seasoned intelligence analyst, noted that Zelenskys reliance on martial law to avoid elections and consolidate power has made him a liability in the eyes of the international community. For all intents and purposes, Zelensky is done, Kiriakou stated. I wouldnt be surprised if in three months Zelensky is living in London or some such place. The former CIA analyst also highlighted the Ukrainian constitutions provision allowing the suspension of elections during martial law, a loophole Zelensky has exploited to maintain his grip on power. Maybe its time to take a second look at that, get him out, and elect somebody who can negotiate in good faith with the Russian government, Kiriakou suggested. Zelenskys arrogant stance has not only alienated Trump but also cost him the support of key U.S. allies, including Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch advocate for Ukraine. Grahams call for Zelensky to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with highlights the growing frustration with the Ukrainian leaders intransigence. Trumps ultimatum: Peace or no U.S. support In a blunt post-meeting statement, Trump made it clear that the U.S. will no longer tolerate Zelenskys refusal to pursue peace. Were looking for peace, Trump told reporters. Were not looking for somebody thats going to sign up a strong power and then not make peace because they feel emboldened Hes looking to go on and fight, fight, fight. Were looking to end the deaths. Trumps remarks reflect a broader shift in U.S. policy, one that prioritizes de-escalation over endless military entanglements. The president argued that continued U.S. support would only embolden Zelensky to prolong the conflict, a scenario he is unwilling to entertain. Were not looking to go into a 10-year war, Trump said. The U.S. president also contrasted Zelenskys belligerence with Russian President Vladimir Putins apparent willingness to negotiate. Unlike Zelensky, Putin seems willing to make peace, Trump noted, signaling a potential pivot in U.S. foreign policy. Zelenskys political downfall appears inevitable as he loses the support of his most powerful backers. Kiriakous assessment that the conflict is over underscores the gravity of the situation. He cant rely on NATO if the U.S. pulls out. And it looks very much that the U.S. is in the process now of pulling out, Kiriakou said. The Ukrainian leaders refusal to step down, despite mounting pressure, has only deepened the crisis. In a recent interview with Fox News, Zelensky dismissed calls for his resignation, stating he would only leave office if asked by the Ukrainian people. However, with the U.S. and its allies withdrawing their support, Zelenskys days in power are numbered. The days of Zelensky's celebrity status are coming to end. It's time to put an end to Zelensky's grifting and his exploitation of the US Treasury. The US is on the right track, re-establishing diplomacy with Russia, ending the baseless threats against Russia, and refusing to prop up a dictator in Ukraine who is hellbent on pushing NATO to Russia's border to start WW3. Sources include: RT.com RT.com RT.com Legalize naturopathy: A call to end Floridas outdated ban on holistic healing Florida is one of three U.S. states that prohibit naturopathy. The ban limits access to holistic healthcare, making Florida an outlier compared to 23 states and three jurisdictions that license naturopathic doctors (NDs). The Florida Naturopathic Physicians Association is pushing for the legalization of naturopathy through bills HB 533 and SB 470, aiming to address the chronic disease epidemic. The Florida Medical Association opposes the bills, raising concerns about ND qualifications and safety, while advocates highlight the rigorous training and proven track record of NDs. Organizations such as Children's Health Defense and others support the bills, emphasizing the role of naturopathy in chronic disease management and the need to expand healthcare provider options in Florida. For over six decades, Florida has held the dubious distinction of being one of only three states in the U.S. where practicing naturopathy is prohibited. Naturopathy is also considered illegal in the states of South Carolina and Tennessee. But as chronic diseases rise and Floridians seek alternatives to pharmaceutical-based medicine, the time has come to legalize naturopathy and restore medical freedom to the Sunshine State. This harsh stance, rooted in a 1958 decision to sunset the licensing of Naturopathic Doctors (NDs), has left countless practitioners and patients in the shadows, stifling access to holistic, natural healthcare options. The Florida Medical Association (FMA) has maintained a stranglehold on the issue since the 1950s, effectively blocking efforts to reintroduce naturopathy as a licensed practice. In 1958, the state legislature stopped issuing new ND licenses, leaving only a handful of grandfathered practitioners. The last licensed ND in Florida, Dr. Robert Geldner, passed away in 2010 marking the end of an era. Since then, anyone using the term "naturopathy" or practicing it in any form has risked felony charges creating a climate of fear and hostility for practitioners and patients alike. This outdated law has left Florida as an outlier in the nation. Currently, 23 states and three U.S. jurisdictions acknowledge licensed NDs, recognizing their role in addressing the root causes of disease through lifestyle changes, nutrition and natural therapies. Yet, in Florida, even traditional naturopaths who practice freely in every other state are barred from offering their services. This not only denies Floridians access to alternative healthcare, but also perpetuates a system that prioritizes pharmaceutical interventions over holistic healing. The Florida Naturopathic Physicians Association (FNPA) has been working tirelessly to change this. Over the past year, the FNPA has collaborated with over a dozen state, national and international organizations to introduce two bills HB 533 and SB 470 aimed at legalizing naturopathy and reinstating ND licensure in Florida. These bills represent a critical step toward addressing the state's growing chronic disease epidemic. Why legalizing naturopathy is a win for patients Opponents, including the FMA, argue that licensing NDs would allow "unqualified persons" to practice medicine. A January 2007 position paper by the association cites concerns about inadequate training and the potential for harm. However, this argument overlooks the rigorous education and accreditation standards required of NDs. Accredited naturopathic medical programs involve four years of graduate-level training, including clinical rotations, and graduates must pass rigorous board exams to practice. The fear-mongering surrounding naturopathy ignores the fact that NDs are already licensed and trusted in nearly half the country, providing safe and effective care to millions. Children's Health Defense, a prominent advocate for medical freedom, has thrown its support behind HB 533 and SB 470, emphasizing the need for Floridians to have access to naturopathic care. "Too many Floridians are facing the burden of our growing chronic disease epidemic," the organization's Florida chapter stated in a Feb. 14 statement. "Traditional naturopaths and NDs are critical to addressing this epidemic as naturopathy focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease through lifestyle changes." (Related: Would Americans be healthier if all doctors were required to learn about nutrition?) Florida's provider gap further underscores the need for change. Many trained and licensed NDs currently living in Florida are unable to practice, despite being qualified to help address the state's healthcare challenges. Legalizing naturopathy would bring these practitioners out of the shadows, allowing them to contribute to the health and well-being of their communities. The time has come for Florida to join the majority of states that recognize the value of naturopathy. By passing HB 533 and SB 470, the Florida Legislature can turn the page on a decades-old chapter of fear and restriction, embracing a future of medical freedom, choice and holistic healing. Floridians deserve access to the full spectrum of healthcare options naturopathy included. Watch this clip from Bastyr University that explains what is naturopathy. This video is from the Corruption Exposure channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: How three naturopathic doctors cured cancer. YouTube goes to war with natural medicine as tech giant starts BANNING video channels for talking about herbal remedies. Naturopathic doctor forced to shut her clinic after wave of death threats and government regulator pressure medical freedom is DEAD. Sources include: LegalizeNaturopathy.com CDN.CenterForInquiry.org [PDF] FL.ChildrensHealthDefense.org Brighteon.com Europes reckless push for war in Ukraine: A betrayal of Trumps peace efforts and a dangerous escalation toward global conflict European leaders, led by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, unveiled a rival "peace plan" for Ukraine, including the shocking proposal to deploy "boots on the ground and planes in the air." The plan directly contradicts President Trumps efforts to broker a peace deal with Russia, escalating tensions and risking global conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, emboldened by European support, continues to reject negotiations, committing Ukraine to a forever war. Trumps strategic mineral deal with Ukraine aims to protect the nation without dragging the U.S. into war, but Europes war-mongering threatens to derail this diplomatic masterstroke. Are European nations breaking with the US and NATO to form a new, hostile military alliance that threatens WW3 with Russia? How might aggressive European alliances and military objectives on Russias borders justify Putins demilitarization and denazification efforts in Ukraine in the first place while emboldening his mission to defend Russian speaking provinces and defend newly acquired territories? Europes dangerous gamble: Boots on the ground and planes in the air In a stunning display of arrogance and recklessness, European leaders have unveiled a so-called "peace plan" for Ukraine that includes the deployment of NATO troops and military aircrafta move that not only undermines President Trumps diplomatic efforts but also risks plunging the world into a catastrophic conflict. At a security summit hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, 18 leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, agreed to a four-point plan that prioritizes military escalation over peace negotiations. This brazen attempt to sideline Trumps peace strategy and provoke Russia is a dangerous betrayal of the United States, NATOs most powerful ally. The most alarming aspect of Starmers plan is the explicit willingness to deploy Western troops and aircraft to Ukraine. "The UK are prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air," Starmer declared, signaling a dramatic escalation in the conflict. This reckless proposal comes at a time when President Trump is actively working to broker a peace deal with Russia, a strategy that would end the bloodshed without dragging the U.S. into another endless war. Starmers rationale for this escalation is as flawed as it is dangerous. "We have to learn from the mistakes of the past, we cannot accept a weak deal... which Russia can breach with ease, instead any deal must be backed by strength," he said. But what Starmer and his European allies fail to grasp is that true strength lies in diplomacy, not in saber-rattling and provocation. By pushing for military intervention, Europe is not only undermining Trumps efforts but also playing directly into the hands of those who profit from perpetual war. Zelenskys forever war: A rejection of peace and a betrayal of his people Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, fresh from a disastrous meeting with Trump at the White House, has doubled down on his commitment to a forever war. Despite Trumps offer of a strategic mineral deal that would protect Ukraine without requiring U.S. military involvement, Zelensky has refused to negotiate with Russia. Instead, he has embraced Europes war-mongering agenda, further isolating himself from the possibility of a peaceful resolution. Trumps mineral deal is a stroke of genius, ensuring that American companies have a stake in Ukraines mining industry. This not only protects Ukraine from Russian aggression but also prevents the U.S. from being dragged into another costly conflict. As Gartner analyst Michael McCune noted, "Trump played both sides like a master chess player. In the end, Zelenskyy will have no choice but to concede, because without U.S. support, Ukraine cannot win a prolonged war against Russia." Europes betrayal of the United States: A historic pattern of weakness and division Europes latest gambit is not just a betrayal of Trumps peace efforts; it is a betrayal of the United States, NATOs most powerful and reliable ally. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni acknowledged the growing fractures within the transatlantic alliance, warning that "fractures in the traditional transatlantic alliance will leave us all weaker." Yet, instead of working to bridge these divides, European leaders are actively undermining U.S. leadership and pushing for a dangerous escalation in Ukraine. The Kremlin, meanwhile, has made it clear that it prefers to deal directly with Trump, recognizing that Europes posturing is little more than empty rhetoric. Historically, Europe has relied on the U.S. to shoulder the bulk of NATOs defense costs and provide the military hardware needed to deter aggression. Now, by pushing for war in Ukraine, Europe is not only disrespecting its most important ally but also risking the very stability it claims to protect. Sources include: Zerohedge.com X.com X.com Expect a NATO false flag attack to drag America into a global world war If Europe wants world war III against Russia, let them be the ones to pay for it and fight it Europe acts like it needs a never-ending war, which is why they are throwing such a hissy fit over U.S. President Donald Trump's blow up with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the "President" installed in Ukraine after the U.S. helped oust the former democratically elected Ukraine President in 2014, under Barack Obama. (Article by Susan Duclos republished from AllNewsPipeline.com) Liberal pundits, along with warhawk RINOs (Republicans In Name Only), and European leaders all clutched their pearls and got out the fainting couches after President Trump told Zelenskyy he was risking "World War III," yet the war between Russia and Ukraine has already involved multiple countries, whether they put boots on the ground or not. Many liken the war in Ukraine to the one being waged in Israel, but the differences are like night and day, because only one of those two have the potential to ignite a literal world war, which makes comparisons like comparing apples to oranges, making it a false equivalent. When the Biden regime allowed Ukraine to use U.S. manufactured missiles to hit inside of Russia, the U.S. became a direct participant in the Russia-Ukraine war, against a nation, Russia, who has the capabilities to directly attack America and/or American interests, or military bases throughout Europe. Europe on the other hand has been preparing for war with Russia, not out of fear that Russia would attack them when finished with Ukraine, as they claim, but rather because war is money, and European nations are facing failing economies. We have argued here at ANP that the world is already seeing the beginning of WWIII, because unlike WWII or WWI, the technology exists to become active participants in a war without having military boots on the ground. We see President Trump taking the stance that Ukraine be willing to talk about a cease-fire and peace talks, or withdrawing U.S. support, to which the majority of Americans think we have spent far too much on Ukraine while Americans are suffering high prices from Biden's four years, massive credit card debt, and food prices that are making it hard to feed their families. Now, parts of Europe are saying they are prepared to put their military on the ground in Ukraine to fight against Russia, which would escalate a war that would have been over years ago had nations like the U.S., and other NATO state members, simply minded their own business. Welcome to World War III. WITHDRAWING FROM NATO........ One way to to prevent Europe from basically forcing America's hand on getting directly involved in the world war they seem determined to drag the U.S. into, would be to withdraw from NATO. In fact, Elon Musk, a close ally and backer of President Trump, showed support for the idea on his X platform, formerly known as Twitter. President Donald Trump's close confidant and billionaire backer Elon Musk has supported a call for the U.S. to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations (UN). In a post on Saturday night, Musk endorsed a suggestion from user @GuntherEagleman, who wrote: "It's time to leave NATO and the UN." The problem with that is congressional power plays. Two specific paragraphs from a January 2025 Business Insider piece, gives a succinct breakdown on the legal showdown that would take place between congress and President Trump. Congress thought otherwise. It added a special provision in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which sets funding for the US military. Section 1250A specifies that the president cannot unilaterally withdraw America from NATO without an act of Congress, or unless two-thirds of the Senate concur. Trump may not need to formally withdraw from NATO to damage it. For example, a wargame run by British experts last year found that Trump could sabotage the alliance simply by having America do less. This could include minimizing US participation in NATO exercises or restricting American officers serving as NATO commanders. The effects of a US pullback would be global and hard to predict. With that said, now that Republicans control both houses of congress, in theory, they could make the change, but there are still enough RINO's left in congress that could gum up the works. Or Trump could withdraw anyway, then let the courts fight it out until it reaches the U.S. Supreme Court, which could take anywhere from months to years, and in that time, the U.S. would not be paying into NATO, which would do the damage anyway to the meddlesome group. EITHER WAY WORLD WAR III IS COMING.... From an obvious liberal The i piece published at MSN, we see how Europe is planning to continue to drag the world into war. Tobias Ellwood, an ex-chair of the Commons Defence Select Committee, said that if necessary European nations should help Ukraine to win the war against Russia alone without American help rather than accept a Donald Trump-brokered deal that allows Putin to claim victory. This cannot be 1938 again, he said. This is Europes moment to step up, unite, and continue to fight for Ukraine. As stated at the beginning of this article, it seems that Europe needs a never-ending war to fight due to their failing collective economies, and they seem determined to escalate the Russia-Ukraine war in order to do so. No matter how you cut it, the U.S. will feel the effects of a world war, whether we are active participants or not, whether from once-again rising prices, to a lack of European imports, to which "The United States of America imported US$589.9 billion worth of products from suppliers located in the European Union during 2023." This includes cars, X-ray equipment, computers, motors, heavy equipment, footwear, electrical machinery, and a long list of other products. Once Europe is engulfed in a world war, much of those imports will no longer be available for importing, because those nations will be spending their money on war, rather than imports and exports. Involved or not, the U.S. will feel the effects of any world war Europe continues to instigate. Not saying they will, but we wouldn't put it past NATO to indirectly involve the U.S. in the war, via a False Flag, whether cyber attacks, blaming Russia of course, or trade, or even in just attempting to isolate the U.S. as they have been trying to do to Russia for decades. BOTTOM LINE - EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD BE PREPARED...... No matter what countries are or are not involved in a world war, citizens from every country suffer, and should be prepared for the fall out of a years-long world war. 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Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com Federal employees whine over DOGEs new directive requiring them to do a 5-point summary of weekly accomplishments DOGE, led by Elon Musk, has mandated federal employees to submit a weekly email listing five bullet points summarizing their accomplishments. This directive has caused widespread backlash, with some agencies refusing to comply and others providing unclear guidance. Observers say it reflects a broader resistance to accountability within the federal workforce. Musk framed the directive as a pulse check to ensure productivity and identify inefficiencies, joking that some employees might be dead due to their lack of response. He highlighted the federal workforces lack of oversight, with over 3 million employees and minimal measurable output, as a key issue needing reform. The backlash underscores a long-standing culture of entitlement and mediocrity in federal employment. Studies show that nearly all federal employees receive positive performance reviews, regardless of actual performance, creating a system that rewards mediocrity and discourages accountability. The resistance to DOGEs directive has significant financial implications, with estimates suggesting it could cost taxpayers $17.5 million weekly in lost productivity. However, this pales in comparison to the billions wasted annually due to inefficiency and redundancy in the federal government, highlighting the need for reform. The controversy reflects a broader need for meritocracy in the federal workforce, where employees enjoy job security and benefits without the accountability seen in the private sector. The directive is seen as a necessary step toward creating a more transparent and effective government that serves taxpayers. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the leadership of Elon Musk, has ignited a firestorm of outrage and whining among federal employees with its latest directive: a weekly email requiring workers to list five bullet points summarizing their accomplishments from the previous week. The subject line, What did you do last week? Part II, has become a lightning rod for criticism, with some agencies outright refusing to comply and others offering vague guidance. But behind the bureaucratic hand-wringing lies a deeper truth: Federal workers resistance to basic accountability reveals a culture of entitlement that has long plagued the government. The DOGE directive: A simple, logical request The directive, sent via the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), instructs employees to reply with approx. 5 bullets describing what you accomplished last week and cc your manager. The email also makes clear that this will now be a recurring task, due every Monday by 11:59 p.m. ET. While the request seems straightforward, it has sparked a turf war among federal agencies, with some, like the State Department and the Energy Department, advising employees not to respond. Elon Musk, who has positioned himself as the architect of DOGEs mission to streamline the federal government, has framed the emails as a pulse check to ensure employees are alive and productive. We think there are a number of people on the government payroll who are dead, which is probably why they cant respond, Musk quipped during a recent cabinet meeting. While his comments were met with laughter, they underscore a serious problem: The federal workforce has ballooned to over 3 million employees, many of whom operate with little oversight or measurable output. Critics argue that DOGEs directive is an overreach, with some agency heads bristling at the idea of an outside entity issuing commands to their employees. But this resistance raises an important question: Why are federal workers so afraid of justifying their work? The culture of mediocrity in federal employment The backlash to DOGEs emails is emblematic of a broader issue within the federal workforce: a culture of mediocrity and entitlement. For decades, federal employees have enjoyed near-total job security, regardless of performance. According to a 2016 report by The Washington Post, only 0.1% of federal employees receive a negative performance review. A 2013 Government Accountability Office (GAO) study found that more than 99% of non-Senior Executive Service employees were rated as fully successful or higher. These statistics are not a testament to excellence but rather evidence of a system that rewards mediocrity and punishes accountability. Federal supervisors are incentivized to give glowing reviews to avoid conflict with employees and unions, creating a culture where merit is secondary to maintaining the status quo. This has led to a workforce that views even the most basic requests for accountability as an affront. As one NIH employee lamented, Its been like one long funeral and it never lets up. Such melodramatic reactions to a simple email reveal just how unaccustomed federal workers are to scrutiny. The cost of resistance: Taxpayers foot the bill The resistance to DOGEs directive is not just a matter of bureaucratic pride; it has real financial consequences. One federal employee estimated that if 2 million workers each spend 15 minutes responding to the emails, at an average hourly wage of 35, the weekly cost would amount to 500,000 hours and 17.5 million. Thats a conservative estimate, the employee told The Washington Post. Most of us spent way more than 15 minutes between trying to figure out what it meant, meetings about whether to respond or not, and actually writing the email. While this cost is significant, it pales in comparison to the billions wasted annually on inefficiency and redundancy within the federal government. DOGEs mission to identify and eliminate waste is long overdue, and the resistance from federal workers only underscores the need for reform. A call for meritocracy in government The outrage over DOGEs emails is not just about a weekly task; its about a fundamental shift in how the federal government operates. For too long, federal employees have enjoyed the perks of government work generous salaries, benefits and near-total job security without being held to the same standards as their private-sector counterparts. The concept of meritocracy, so central to the success of private industry, has been all but absent in the federal workforce. Elon Musks approach to DOGE mirrors his strategy at Twitter, where he eliminated 80% of the staff and saw the company function more efficiently. While the federal government is far more complex than a social media platform, the principle remains the same: accountability and results matter. Federal workers resistance to DOGEs emails is not just an inconvenience; its a symptom of a broken system. The American people deserve a government that operates efficiently and transparently, and that starts with holding federal employees accountable for their work. If a simple email asking what did you do last week? is enough to send bureaucrats into a tailspin, perhaps its time to ask whether theyre doing anything at all. The DOGE directive may be controversial, but its a necessary step toward restoring meritocracy in government. Federal workers who fear accountability should remember: they work for the taxpayers, not the other way around. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Politco.com NYPost.com ZeroHedge.com Government waste exposed: Hegseth supports Musks demand for accountability from federal workers Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has mandated that all DoD civilian employees submit weekly productivity reports, detailing their accomplishments in a five-point summary. This initiative, supported by Elon Musks DOGE, aims to combat inefficiency and ensure accountability in the federal workforce. The directive has sparked controversy, with critics labeling it as micromanagement, while supporters argue it is essential for identifying waste, eliminating ghost employees, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively. The initiative aligns with President Trumps broader efforts to reduce government bloat and increase transparency. Musk has framed the directive as a common-sense accountability measure to verify the legitimacy and productivity of federal employees. Some federal employees have resisted the directive, viewing it as intrusive. However, the move addresses long-standing issues of inefficiency, such as duplicative programs and ghost employees, highlighted in past reports like the 2013 GAO findings. This directive is part of a larger campaign to streamline the federal workforce, with thousands of employees already terminated. Musks involvement brings a data-driven approach, emphasizing innovation and efficiency to restore public trust in government institutions. In a bold move to combat government waste and inefficiency, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered all civilian employees of the Department of Defense (DoD) to comply with a new directive requiring them to submit weekly productivity reports. This initiative, spearheaded by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to streamline the federal workforce and ensure taxpayer dollars are being used effectively. The directive, which mandates that DoD civilians submit a five-point summary of their weekly accomplishments, has sparked both praise and outrage. While critics decry it as micromanagement, supporters argue it is a necessary step to root out inefficiencies and hold federal workers accountable. A pulse check for the federal workforce In a video statement posted on X, Hegseth described the requirement as a simple task and a pulse check on federal employees. All DoD civilians will receive an email outlining next steps that they need to take in order to comply with this initiative, Hegseth said. The directive follows an initial pause last week, during which Pentagon officials reviewed the initiative. Now, full compliance is being enforced. The move aligns with President Trumps long-standing commitment to reducing government bloat. During his first Cabinet meeting of his second term, Trump endorsed the initiative, emphasizing the need for transparency and efficiency in the federal workforce. Elon Musk, who heads DOGE, has framed the initiative as a common-sense accountability measure. What we are trying to get to the bottom of is we think there are a number of people on the government payroll who are dead, which is probably why they cant respond, and some people who are not real people, like theyre literally fictional individuals that somebody is collecting paychecks on a fictional individual, Musk said during the Cabinet meeting. So, were just literally trying to figure out are these people real, are they alive and can they write an email, which I think is a reasonable expectation for someone in the public sector. Resistance and reform Unsurprisingly, the directive has been met with resistance from some federal employees, who view it as excessive and intrusive. However, such resistance is absurd when considering the staggering levels of waste and corruption that have plagued the federal government for decades. Historically, the federal workforce has been criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability. Stories of ghost employees and redundant positions have been a recurring theme in discussions about government inefficiency. For example, a 2013 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the federal government had spent billions on duplicative programs. This new initiative by Musk, supported by Hegseth, is a logical step toward addressing these issues. As Hegseth noted in his memorandum, Submissions must exclude classified or sensitive information and will be incorporated into weekly situation reports by supervisors. Non-compliance may lead to further review. Employees who are currently on leave or unable to access email must comply within 48 hours of regaining access. A broader effort to streamline government This directive is part of a larger campaign by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce and eliminate waste. Thousands of federal employees have already been terminated as part of this effort. Musks involvement adds a data-driven approach to the initiative, leveraging his expertise in efficiency and innovation. Musk praised Hegseths directive on X, writing, Much appreciated @SecDef Hegseth! alongside a saluting emoji and an American flag emoji. The billionaire entrepreneur has been a vocal advocate for government reform, often criticizing the inefficiencies of bureaucratic systems. While some may view this initiative as harsh, it is a necessary step toward restoring trust in government institutions. Federal workers who resist accountability are only perpetuating the very problems that have eroded public confidence in the government. A step toward restoring trust The Hegseth-Musk directive is a bold and necessary move to address the rampant waste and inefficiency in the federal workforce. By demanding transparency and accountability, this initiative sends a clear message: taxpayer dollars must be used responsibly, and government employees must contribute meaningfully to their respective agencies. As the directive goes into full effect, it is crucial for federal workers to embrace this opportunity to demonstrate their value and commitment to public service. Resistance is not only futile but counterproductive. The American people deserve a government that works for them, not one that squanders their hard-earned money. In the words of Elon Musk, The bar is very low. Its time for the federal workforce to rise to the occasion. Sources include: YourNews.com DefenseScoop.com FoxNews.com Cancer Decoded on BrightU: How chlorine dioxide is revolutionizing cancer treatments Episode 7 of "Cancer Decoded" highlighted chlorine dioxide, an alternative treatment for cancer, which challenges the profit-driven pharmaceutical industry and has shown promise in treating various diseases. In Guadalajara, Mexico, cancer patients treated with chlorine dioxide have experienced remission rates of 60-70 percent, significantly higher than conventional treatments. Research suggests chlorine dioxide disrupts pathogens by breaking down cell membranes, inducing oxidative stress and preventing viral binding, with reported benefits for AIDS, diabetes and late-stage cancer. Tanya Carmona-Daniels, a proponent and patient, shared her recovery from a pulmonary embolism using chlorine dioxide, while doctors reported similar recoveries in patients with chronic illnesses. Despite promising results, chlorine dioxide faces bans and criticism from health agencies like the FDA and CDC, with advocates arguing its safety profile is comparable to chamomile tea. Bolivia is one of the few countries exploring its medical use. Episode 7 of "Cancer Decoded," aired Feb. 28, shined a light on chlorine dioxide a controversial yet promising treatment for cancer. "Modern medicine has always frowned upon alternative treatments," Jonathan Otto said. "These cost-effective and readily available solutions challenge the profit-driven model of the pharmaceutical industry." Chlorine dioxide first gained attention as a potential remedy for COVID-19, with proponents claiming it could neutralize viral infections. As research expanded, its applications extended beyond the pandemic. In Guadalajara, Mexico, cancer patients treated with chlorine dioxide have seen remission rates of 60-70 percent, a staggering success compared to conventional methods. Studies such as "Anti-Microbial Efficacy of Chlorine Dioxide and its Potential Use as an Anti-SARS COVID-2 Agent" have highlighted how the compound disrupts pathogens by breaking down their cell membranes, inducing oxidative stress and preventing viral binding. But its potential doesn't stop there. Reports suggest that chlorine dioxide has helped patients overcome conditions such as AIDS, diabetes and even late-stage cancer. Success stories were overwhelming Tanya Carmona-Daniels, a professional interpreter who became deeply involved with the World Health and Life Coalition (Commusav) during the pandemic, witnessed its transformative effects firsthand. Doctors were reporting that their patients no longer had AIDS, cancer or other chronic illnesses," she shared. "The success stories were overwhelming." Carmona-Daniels herself experienced a remarkable recovery after a post-surgical pulmonary embolism. My D-dimer levels were dangerously high, she recalled. "With a strict chlorine dioxide protocol, I felt immediate relief and recovered in weeks. My doctor was shocked when follow-up scans showed no blood clots. Despite mounting anecdotal and scientific support, chlorine dioxide has faced fierce opposition from global health agencies such as the FDA, CDC and NIH. Social media platforms have banned discussions, and critics label it as "toxic bleach." However, advocates argue that its safety profile is far more benign than commonly accepted pharmaceuticals. If you compare the toxicity of chlorine dioxide to other substances, it's about as harmful as chamomile tea, Carmona-Daniels said. "You'd have to consume massive amounts to experience any toxic effects." Bolivia is one of the few countries to legalize its use against COVID-19, with military-backed research exploring its broader medical applications. Yet, in most nations, the mere mention of chlorine dioxide as a therapeutic agent is met with censorship and professional risk. As research continues and public awareness grows, chlorine dioxide may yet secure its place in modern medicine. Until then, those who have experienced its benefits firsthand will continue to advocate for its acceptance, armed with science, testimonials and a determination to challenge the status quo. This is your opportunity to get unfiltered, life-saving information before it's too late. Purchase the Cancer Decoded Gold Premium Package to get your own copy and watch it at your convenience, without the need to wait for a live stream. Buy it now to benefit from an amazing over 90 percent discount along with exclusive bonus items. What will you get upon purchase? You'll receive both physical and digital copies of the livestream videos, bonus videos, full-length interviews with the experts, an autoimmune health assessment, a 10-day health restoration challenge, additional Masterclasses, eBooks and more! You may also purchase the Cancer Decoded Silver Premium Package (Digital + Physical) and Silver Package (Digital Only). Sources include: BrightU.com BrighteonUniversity.com 1 BrighteonUniversity.com 2 BrighteonUniversity.com 3 NEVER FORGET: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for aggressive crackdown on Anti-Vaxxers As World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is cut off from U.S. funding and goes on to play the victim in world affairs, we should NEVER FORGET: not long ago, he called for a more aggressive stance against so-called "anti-vaxxers ," labeling them a "serious challenge" to global vaccination efforts. Speaking at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2024, Ghebreyesus urged governments and health organizations to "push back" on vaccine skeptics, accusing them of creating "havoc" during the COVID-19 pandemic. This alarming rhetoric came as the WHO, heavily funded and influenced by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, continued to push a global vaccine agenda that prioritized control over genuine public health. Key Points: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus demanded a more aggressive approach to silencing vaccine skeptics, framing them as a threat to global health. The WHO, with significant financial backing from the Gates Foundation, promoted a global vaccine agenda, including annual boosters, under the guise of public health. The health freedom movement pushed back against WHO's blatant disregard for medical ethics, scientific integrity, and human rights. WHO prioritized vaccine compliance over individual freedoms and pushed harmful interventions instead of establishing a true basis for healthy immune function. The US broke from WHO in January of 2025, leaving the beleaguered multinational organization predominantly funded and controlled by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This so-called philanthropic foundation was behind WHOs push to put a needle in every man, woman, and child in 2021 and beyond. This global vaccine agenda, perpetuated through the WHO, would go on to include annual boosters for population control and reduction, as Bill Gates sordid depopulation agenda was put into motion in real time. This is why the Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, forfeited any shred of medical ethics or scientific integrity to maximize vaccine uptake, going as far as censoring public discourse online and challenging basic human rights in the process of coercing world populations to take depopulation jabs. The WHOs troubling ties to the Gates Foundation The WHOs funding structure revealed a concerning reliance on private interests, particularly the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Assessed contributions from member states accounted for less than 20% of the WHOs budget, while voluntary contributionsprimarily from NGOs and private entitiesmade up the remaining 80%. The Gates Foundation, as the second-largest voluntary funder, wielded significant influence over the WHOs policies and initiatives. This financial dependency allowed the Gates Foundation to shape the WHOs global health agenda, including its aggressive push for universal vaccination. During the COVID-19 scandal, the WHO championed vaccine mandates, annual boosters, and coercive measures to ensure compliance, often dismissing concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy. Health freedom advocates pushed back against this global agenda, which is aligned with Bill Gates controversial vision of population control, which he had previously linked to vaccines and healthcare. The war on Anti-Vaxxers During his speech at the 77th World Health Assembly, Ghebreyesus accused vaccine skeptics of exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to spread "havoc." He stated, I think its time to be more aggressive in pushing back on anti-vaxxers. I think they used COVID as an opportunity, and you know all the havoc they are creating. This rhetoric was part of a broader campaign by the WHO to demonize and silence critics of its vaccine agenda. The organization had previously smeared vaccine skeptics as a "major killing force" and attempted to link them to far-right extremism. These tactics ignored growing evidence highlighting the dangers of COVID-19 vaccines, including millions of reported injuries and deaths. Ghebreyesus also praised the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), a Gates-funded organization, for its role in expanding vaccine access worldwide. He called for increased donations to GAVIs "replenishment letter" program, further entrenching the financial ties between the WHO, GAVI, and the Gates Foundation. A history of coercion and control The WHOs actions were not an isolated incident but the culmination of decades of influence by global elites. The Gates Foundation had long been a driving force behind the WHOs vaccine initiatives, including the controversial COVAX program, which aimed to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries. Critics argued that these programs prioritized profit and control over genuine public health, with little regard for individual safety or autonomy. The WHOs push for universal vaccination also raised serious ethical concerns. By advocating for coercive measures, such as vaccine mandates and aggressive crackdowns on dissent, the organization undermined basic human rights and medical ethics. This approach reflected a broader trend of authoritarianism in global health governance, where individual freedoms were sacrificed in the name of collective security. The WHOs call for a more aggressive stance against vaccine skeptics served as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked power in global health governance. Under the influence of the Gates Foundation, the WHO appeared to abandon its mandate to protect public health, instead prioritizing a coercive and authoritarian agenda. As the world grappled with the fallout from the biological warfare and propaganda of the COVID-19 scandal, it became more important than ever to question the motives and methods of those claiming to act in the name of public health. The WHOs war on "anti-vaxxers" was not just an attack on dissent; it was an assault on the principles of freedom, autonomy, and scientific inquiry. If left unchecked, this dangerous path could lead to a future where individual rights are sacrificed on the altar of globalist control, and the needle becomes a tool of oppression rather than some savior it was advertised to be. Sources include: Expose-News.com Lifesitenews.com Youtube.com The post comes as work continues to determine how widespread a significant rickettsia bacterial disease is among the state's salmon farms. Senator Jonno Duniam, the Liberal Senator for Tasmania and shadow minister for the environment, poses with Tasmanian salmon. Source: Facebook/Getty An Aussie senator has been met with a barrage of criticism after declaring he will "proudly continue to buy" Tasmanian salmon, insisting it remains "healthy," even as authorities scramble to assess the full extent of a disease outbreak that has recently led to mass fish deaths and rotting carcasses washing up on beaches in the state. Tasmania's Liberal senator Jonno Duniam, also the shadow minister for the environment, posted on social media from the car park of a supermarket on Monday, saying he "won't be emotionally blackmailed into stopping." "[I] will proudly continue to buy it from Hill Street and every other shop that will sell it. Its healthy. Its Tasmanian," he wrote. The salmon product he is holding in the photo is currently not available online at either Coles or Woolworths. ADVERTISEMENT The post drew a wave of backlash, however, particularly from locals demanding greater transparency in the self-regulated industry. Critics claimed that farmed salmon are fed harmful antibiotics, contaminating waterways and posing potential risks to human health. "No ones blackmailing anyone. By their own admission the fish have a new bacteria that even the farms dont know what it is OR what the impact will be," one constituent fired responded. "If you honestly believe it's healthy Jonno, please eat it to your heart's content ... I'd rather see you pollies eat this toxic crap that you are promoting, than feed it to my family," another fired back. "You're supporting a toxic system that is not even locally owned anymore. Enjoy your dinner," commented a third. Drone footage showed salmon rotting inside farms at both Huon Aquaculture and Tassal sites in Tasmania. Source: Bob Brown Foundation Calls for greater transparency in Tasmanian salmon sector The debacle comes weeks after Tasmania's salmon industry first revealed it was grappling with a significant outbreak of a rickettsia bacterial disease, leading to elevated mortality rates across multiple fish farms in the region. ADVERTISEMENT The Environmental Protection Agency and the Tasmanian Government are investigating the issue, though the exact scale of the die-off remains uncertain as mandatory mortality reporting requirements are not yet in effect. Independent federal Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, accused the Tasmanian government of taking a "hands-off" approach with regard to the salmon industry, worth an estimated $1 billion. "The EPA only does what it's allowed to do and resourced to do by the Tasmanian government, so this, in essence, goes back to the state government's responsibility and [it] doesn't seem to care about all these unknowns," Wilkie told the ABC. "It was very worrying [the EPA] didn't know how many fish had died, didn't know which kind of rickettsia had affected them, didn't know the effect of the big spike in antibiotic use both on the natural environment as well as human consumption. "The problem here is both Labor and Liberal governments for many, many years have been beholden to the salmon industry and have accepted that the industry will largely self-regulate and self-report." Masses of dead rotting fish were photographed in salmon pens in the Huon Channel. Source: Bob Brown Foundation Images shared by the Bob Brown Foundation show rotting salmon carcasses in pens and along shores of state's beaches such as Verona Sands and Bruny Island. ADVERTISEMENT Alistair Allan, the group's Antarctic and Marine Campaigner, said Australian consumers "are now seeing the disgusting truth" about the industry. "We are hearing that local tips cant manage all the rotting fish and its being dumped on farmland," he said last week. Yahoo News has contacted major farmers Huon and Tassal for comment. Yahoo has also contacted Senator Duniam's office. 'Foul' fish chunks wash ashore Last month, shocked Tasmanian residents of a small coastal town discovered mysterious "foul-smelling chunks" scattered along the shoreline at their local beach, thought to come from salmon farms. ADVERTISEMENT "The smell was terrible, and locals are not happy," community group Neighbours of Fishfarming said alongside photos of the stinky substance. "Its no secret that the salmon farms are having huge mortality events ... and we are concerned that this foul pollution is a direct result of mishandling of the fatty diseased salmon carcasses." The strange chunks were initially thought to be rotting salmon. Source: Huon/Facebook/Polly Venning Verona Sands beach lies on the Huon River in southern Tasmania, near salmon farms operated by Huon Aquaculture. The chunks were spotted by locals who said there was "tonnes and tonnes and tonnes" of the fishy material on the sand, with speculation it was possibly fish feed. Huon Aquaculture later said confirmed chunks were not rotting pieces of fish, but believed to be "fish oil", creating "chunks of oily sand on the beach". Tasmania has the largest marine salmon farming industry in the country and is responsible for more than 90 per cent of Australian Atlantic salmon production, according to the state government, with an annual value of over $1 billion. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Oklahoma City Bombing: The Suppressed Truth questions the official narrative of the incident and revisits the facts of the case Nearly 30 years after the Oklahoma City bombing, Jon Rappoport's book "Oklahoma City Bombing: The Suppressed Truth" challenges the widely accepted account of Timothy McVeigh as a lone gunman, raising questions about potential cover-ups and inconsistencies in the FBI's investigation. Witnesses reported seeing McVeigh with an Iraqi soldier before the bombing, and experts like Brig. Gen. Benton Partin disputed the claim that a single truck bomb caused the destruction, citing unusual damage patterns that suggest multiple charges. Journalists who questioned the official narrative faced pressure to conform, with some retracting reports on unusual damage patterns after editorial intervention, highlighting the media's influence in reinforcing the lone gunman theory. The bombing led to the passage of the 1996 Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, which expanded government surveillance and curtailed civil liberties, while also demonizing the Patriot movement as violent radicals, oversimplifying its diverse ideologies. Rappoport's book reignites debates about the FBI's investigation and the federal government's handling of the bombing, prompting reflection on transparency, accountability and the shaping of truth by power, media and memory in a polarized society. Nearly 30 years after the devastating Oklahoma City bombing, questions about the official narrative surrounding the attack persist. Author Jon Rappoport lays out why in his book "Oklahoma City Bombing: The Suppressed Truth." Rappoport revisits the events and challenges the widely accepted account of Timothy McVeigh as a lone gunman. The book raises intriguing questions about a potential cover-up and the broader implications of the bombing for American society. On the morning of April 19, 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was destroyed by a massive explosion, killing 168 people, including 19 children, and injuring hundreds more. The Federal Bureau of Investigation quickly identified a Ryder truck as the source of the blast, linking it to a rental under the fake name "Bob Kling." Hours later, sketches of two men who rented the truck were released. One was identified as Timothy McVeigh, who was arrested within 90 minutes of the bombing for driving without a license plate and carrying a concealed weapon. McVeigh was later convicted and executed for the bombing. But according to Rappoport's book, the case is far from closed. The author argues that the FBI's investigation was riddled with inconsistencies and that key evidence suggesting a more complex scenario was ignored. For instance, witnesses described seeing McVeigh with an Iraqi soldier in the days before the bombing, a lead the FBI pursued briefly before dismissing it. Additionally, experts, such as retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Benton Partin, have disputed the government's claim that a single truck bomb caused the destruction. Partin pointed out unusual damage patterns in the building, suggesting the possibility of multiple charges planted inside. The book also highlights the role of the media in shaping public perception. Journalists who questioned the official narrative faced pressure to conform, and some were discouraged from pursuing leads that contradicted the lone gunman theory. For example, a reporter from the Daily Oklahoman initially reported on unusual damage patterns but later retracted the claims after editorial intervention. Historically, the Oklahoma City bombing marked a turning point in American counterterrorism policy. The attack was used as a pretext for the passage of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which expanded government surveillance powers and curtailed certain civil liberties. The bombing also fueled the demonization of the Patriot movement, casting its members as violent radicals. However, Rappoport's book suggests that this narrative oversimplifies the complexity of the movement, which includes individuals advocating for nonviolent, legal resistance to federal overreach. The book's release has reignited debates about the integrity of the FBI's investigation and the federal government's handling of the bombing. Some argue that the official account was promoted to consolidate power and silence dissent, rather than to uncover the full truth. Others caution that revisiting the case risks reopening old wounds for victims' families, many of whom have long accepted McVeigh's guilt. The Oklahoma City bombing was a defining moment in American history, one that reshaped laws, policies and public perception. As the nation reflects on the coming 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, Rappoport's book serves as a reminder of the enduring questions surrounding this tragic event. It challenges readers to consider not only what happened but also how the truth is shaped by power, media and memory. In a time of increasing political polarization and mistrust in institutions, the bombing's legacy continues to resonate, prompting questions about transparency, accountability and the enduring strength of democracy. Watch this video discussing the facts surrounding the deadly event through the lens of author Jon Rappoport's book "Oklahoma City Bombing: The Suppressed Truth." This video is from the Bright Learn channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com The billion-dollar blunder: How overplanting GMO corn is costing farmers and fueling pest resistance A study in Science reveals that U.S. farmers, particularly in the eastern Corn Belt, have overplanted genetically modified (GM) Bt corn, designed to repel pests like the corn rootworm. This overuse has caused significant economic losses estimated at $1 billion and accelerated pest resistance, undermining the technology's effectiveness. Overplanting Bt corn has driven pests to evolve resistance, creating a cycle where farmers increasingly rely on more chemicals or new genetic modifications. Corn rootworm resistance to Bt corn has been documented in at least six U.S. states, with 29 cases of resistance reported globally across 11 pest species. Seed companies often bundle multiple genetic traits into single seeds, making it difficult for farmers to assess costs and necessity. Industry consolidation has reduced farmers' choices, forcing them to adopt seeds with unnecessary traits and driving up costs. The study advocates for clearer labeling of seed traits, government incentives for diverse seed options and practices like crop rotation and planting non-GM "refuges" to slow pest resistance. These measures aim to promote a more sustainable and balanced agricultural system. The issues with Bt corn extend beyond the U.S., as seen in Mexicos efforts to protect native maize from GMO contamination. Mexicos government has moved to phase out GMO corn imports and glyphosate, highlighting the cultural, ecological and food security risks posed by GM crops. In the heart of Americas Corn Belt, a quiet crisis is unfolding. A new study published in Science reveals that U.S. farmers have overplanted genetically modified (GM) corn, leading to staggering economic losses and a troubling rise in pest resistance. The findings underscore the unintended consequences of relying too heavily on a single agricultural technology and the urgent need for a more diversified approach to farming. The rise and fall of Bt corn Genetically modified Bt corn, engineered to produce toxins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, was once hailed as a revolutionary solution to pest problems. First introduced in the 1990s, Bt corn was designed to repel pests like the corn rootworm, reducing the need for chemical insecticides. By 2025, more than 85% of U.S. corn crops were Bt varieties, a testament to their initial success. But nature has a way of adapting. Over time, pests like the corn rootworm have developed resistance to the toxins in Bt corn, rendering the technology less effective. The new study, which analyzed data from 10 states between 2005 and 2016, found that farmers in the eastern Corn Belt particularly in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan planted far more Bt corn than necessary. In some cases, farmers planted 50% of their fields with Bt corn, despite evidence suggesting that 18% or less would have been optimal. This study is the first to show that short-term economic gains for individual farmers are associated with planting less Bt corn targeting rootworms, said Bruce Tabashnik, a University of Arizona professor not involved in the research. The financial toll is staggering. If farmers in these states had adhered to the optimal planting levels, they could have saved 99 million annually between 2014 and 2016. Instead, overplanting has contributed to an estimated 1 billion in losses across the Corn Belt. The pesticide treadmill: A vicious cycle The overuse of Bt corn has not only hurt farmers wallets but also accelerated the evolution of resistant pests. When you plant more Bt corn than necessary, you move the pest toward the evolution of resistance, said Christian Krupke, a Purdue University entomologist and the studys corresponding author. This phenomenon, often referred to as the pesticide treadmill, occurs when pests develop resistance to a technology, forcing farmers to rely on even more chemicals or new genetic modifications. The study warns that the current trajectory could lead to a biotechnology version of the pesticide treadmill, where innovations become obsolete at an alarming rate. Already, corn rootworm resistance to Bt corn has been documented in at least six U.S. states, and 29 cases of resistance to Bt crops have been reported globally across 11 pest species in seven countries. As resistance grows, farmers are increasingly turning back to synthetic insecticides ironically, the very chemicals Bt corn was meant to replace. A call for transparency and diversification The studys authors argue that the solution lies in greater transparency and diversification. Seed companies often stack multiple genetic traits such as pest resistance and herbicide tolerance into a single seed, making it difficult for farmers to assess the cost and necessity of each trait. This lack of clarity, combined with the consolidation of the seed industry, leaves farmers with fewer choices and higher costs. Seed companies driven by profit maximization tend to strategically combine traits and genetics, the study states. As seed industry consolidation continues, U.S. farmers face a narrowing list of seed vendors and may be compelled to adopt varieties with unnecessary traits. To address these challenges, the authors propose clearer labeling of seed traits and government incentives to encourage seed companies to offer more diverse and tailored options. They also emphasize the importance of practices like crop rotation and planting refuges of non-GM corn to slow the evolution of pest resistance. A global perspective: Mexicos fight against GMO contamination The issues surrounding Bt corn are not confined to the U.S. In Mexico, the birthplace of maize, the spread of GM corn has sparked a fierce debate over food sovereignty and cultural heritage. Corn is central to Mexican agriculture, cuisine and identity, and the government has taken bold steps to protect native varieties from GMO contamination. In 2020, then-president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced plans to phase out GMO corn imports and the herbicide glyphosate. While the policy has faced pushback from the U.S., Mexicos current administration remains committed to restricting GMO corn in human food products. Corn is one of the most important crops in the world, and Mexico is its center of origin, said a spokesperson for the Non-GMO Project. GMO contamination is a severe threat to biodiversity, food security and cultural heritage. Looking ahead: A sustainable path forward The story of Bt corn serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of over-reliance on a single technology. While GM crops have undoubtedly brought benefits, their misuse has led to significant economic and environmental costs. As the studys authors conclude, protecting the future of agriculture will require a more balanced approach one that prioritizes transparency, diversity and sustainability. For farmers, policymakers and consumers alike, the message is clear: Nature always finds a way, so natural approaches are better. Its time to rethink our relationship with GM crops and embrace solutions that work with nature, not against it. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org Science.org NonGMOProject.org Securing the border: Pentagon deploys Stryker Brigade and Aviation Battalion to reinforce southern frontier The Pentagon has deployed a Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) and a General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) to the U.S.-Mexico border, totaling approximately 5,050 troops. This move, ordered by President Donald Trump, aims to enhance border security, combat illegal immigration, drug trafficking and other transnational threats. The SBCT brings eight-wheeled armored vehicles, offering mobility, protection and firepower for the borders challenging terrain. The GSAB provides UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks, improving command, medical evacuation and heavy-lift capabilities. This deployment is part of a series of military reinforcements under the Trump administration, including earlier deployments of Marines, soldiers and reservists. It reflects a strategic shift toward a multi-layered defense approach to address modern challenges like human trafficking and drug smuggling. The SBCTs rapid deployment capability, versatility and adaptability make it ideal for border operations. Its lighter weight and robust armor suit the varied terrain, while the GSAB ensures logistical and operational support. The deployment underscores the Trump administrations focus on border security as a cornerstone of homeland defense. It signals a renewed determination to address long-standing challenges and protect U.S. sovereignty, emphasizing decisive leadership and commitment to national security. In a decisive move to fortify the United States southern border, the Pentagon has announced the deployment of a Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) and a General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) to bolster border security operations. This deployment, ordered by President Donald Trump and executed under the leadership of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, underscores the administrations unwavering commitment to securing the U.S.-Mexico border and combating illegal immigration, drug trafficking and other transnational threats. The deployment of approximately 4,400 soldiers from the SBCT, alongside 650 troops from the GSAB, marks a significant escalation in the administrations efforts to seal the border and protect the nations sovereignty. The Stryker Brigade, equipped with eight-wheeled armored vehicles, brings a unique combination of mobility, protection and firepower to the borders vast and challenging terrain. Complementing this ground force, the GSAB will deploy UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks, enhancing command, medical evacuation and heavy-lift capabilities. These forces will arrive in the coming weeks, and their deployment underscores the departments unwavering dedication to working alongside the Department of Homeland Security to secure our southern border and maintain the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the United States under President Trumps leadership, said Pentagon Press Secretary Sean Parnell in a statement. A historic commitment to border security This deployment is the latest in a series of military reinforcements sent to the border since President Trumps inauguration in January 2025. Earlier this year, 1,600 Marines and soldiers were deployed, joining 2,500 reservists already stationed at the border. The decision to deploy mechanized infantry and aviation units reflects the administrations recognition of the borders strategic importance and the need for a robust, multi-layered defense. Historically, the U.S. has relied on a combination of Border Patrol agents, physical barriers and technology to secure its southern frontier. However, the scale and complexity of modern challengesranging from human trafficking to the smuggling of fentanyl and other illicit drugsdemand a more comprehensive approach. The deployment of the Stryker Brigade and GSAB represents a significant step toward achieving that goal. The Stryker advantage: Mobility and versatility The Stryker Brigades deployment is particularly noteworthy given its unique capabilities. Built around the Stryker vehicle, the brigade is designed for rapid deployment and versatility. Capable of being transported via C-130 Hercules aircraft within 96 hours, the Stryker excels in operations requiring swift response and adaptability. Its lighter weight compared to tanks makes it ideal for the borders varied terrain, while its robust armor ensures protection for troops in potentially hostile environments. The addition of the GSAB further enhances operational effectiveness. With UH-60 Black Hawks providing command and medical evacuation support, and CH-47 Chinooks enabling heavy-lift operations, the aviation battalion ensures seamless coordination and logistical support across the border region. A broader context: Why this matters today The deployment of military assets to the border is not merely a response to immediate threats but a reflection of broader national security priorities. The southern border has long been a flashpoint for debates over immigration, drug enforcement and national sovereignty. Under President Trumps leadership, the administration has made border security a cornerstone of its homeland defense strategy. This latest deployment also serves as a reminder of the importance of following through on commitments to secure the border. For decades, successive administrations have grappled with the challenges of illegal immigration and drug trafficking, often with mixed results. The Trump administrations decision to deploy mechanized infantry and aviation units signals a renewed determination to address these challenges head-on. As Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized on his first official day in office, Whatever is needed at the border will be provided. This statement reflects a clear-eyed recognition of the stakes involved and a willingness to take bold action to protect the nations interests. Conclusion The deployment of the Stryker Brigade Combat Team and General Support Aviation Battalion to the U.S.-Mexico border represents a significant milestone in the Trump administrations efforts to secure the southern frontier. By combining ground and air capabilities, the Pentagon is sending a clear message: the United States is committed to defending its borders and safeguarding its sovereignty. In an era of unprecedented challenges, this deployment serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of decisive leadership and unwavering commitment to national security. As the Stryker Brigade and GSAB prepare to deploy in the coming weeks, their presence will not only enhance border security but also reaffirm the United States resolve to protect its citizens and uphold the rule of law. The stakes are high, and the time for action is now. The Trump administrations bold steps to secure the border are a testament to the enduring importance of this missionone that must remain a priority for generations to come. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Defense.gov Bloomberg.com Pizza chain kicks out Republicans & Trump supporters, then realizes meaning of FAFO deeply sorry Word started to spread over the weekend that another restaurant had gone political, choosing whether or not to serve potential customers based on their political stance. (Article by J0shua C. republished from WLTReport.com) The establishment in this case happens to be a pizzeria in Minneapolis, MN. From what I can gather, the staff at Davannis readily took the order and the money of a group of patrons who had reserved one of the restaurants party rooms, like the one seen here: Minnetonka's construction is coming along - check out the party room! There's still more to come soon.... pic.twitter.com/c1MGIEWN9m Davanni's Pizza (@davannis) October 7, 2016 But at some point during the meal, at least one staff member chose to confront the group. In fact, the manager of that particular location approached the group of diners and claimed they had broken the rules set by the Corporate Office. You see, the group included a bunch of Republicans having a meal together and they apparently forgot to take off their MAGA hats, with more than one person even forgetting to hide their American flag paraphernalia. How dare they show patriotism or exercise free speech openly! Whatever is this country coming to And so, touting compliance with company policy, the manager kicked the group out according to a short mention in the Independent Sentinel: A Minnesota pizzeria manager wouldnt let local Republicans eat in Davannis Pizzeria in Edina. Minnesota. She said they dont hold political events. However, they werent holding a political event. They just wanted some pizza. When asked why they were told to leave, saying they were there only to eat, she responded, Im going to refer you to our corporate office. They were wearing Maga hats and she kicked them out. The manager reportedly claimed that political events were not allowed at the restaurant. The group was then kicked out even though there was no POLITICAL EVENT; only a meal by a group of Trump-supporting Republicans who happened to be wearing hats and shirts that identified them as such. They were just eating, but it didn't matter to Davanni's Davanni's Pizza manager Catherine/Katherine at the Edina MN location confirmed that GOP Patrons were asked to leave stating "we don't allow political events in our party room" Find another Pizzeriahttps://t.co/LV3eOCUyVx Christopher DuBrino (@Chris_DuBrino) March 3, 2025 To be fair, Davannis does indeed have a rule regarding political events listed on their website. Its even on the page specifying the rules for the Party Room reservations. But the rule has nothing to do with a persons political leanings. In fact, it doesnt REALLY even have to do with political events overall, if you want to get right down to it. The rule is obviously written to denote a CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISING EVENT. Heres the full list of rules on the Davannis Party Room webpage: RULES AND GUIDELINES No room fee is charged but the groups attendance number must meet or exceed the rooms posted minimum as shown on our Party Room Booking Request inquiry form, and the expected minimum spent on food and beverage is $7 per person. We reserve the right to relocate you to another space or open the room to other guests if your number attending is fewer than what you said was expected/promised. Note that we allow 30 minutes in between reservation times to clean and reset the room. Direct adult supervision is required for groups of young people less than 16 years old. If youre running late, please call the shop immediately. Failure to notify us of a late arrival may result in the release of your room. Please notify us of any cancellation. Orders placed separately will be served separately. We strongly recommend you place your order in advance. We can help with buffet planning. No sales, multi-level marketing, for-profit, or political fundraising use is allowed. No confetti, tape, glue, staples, paint, or permanent markers. No outside food or drinks are allowed. A cake is the only exception. We offer several desserts.(Emphasis Added.) Nevertheless, the group was kicked out specifically for political reasons. Thats when word started to spread online and the restaurant started feeling the pain of discriminating against a large percentage of their potential customers. This was sent to me..... perhaps a boycott and calls to the owner. After the SD50 convention, a group of us went there for pizzaa and beer. We were asked to leave because a few were wearing US flag, and MN for Trump hats. pic.twitter.com/htDFF6QMsw John Nagel (@JohnNagel46A) March 1, 2025 And what is more, a fairly high-profile Republican Congressional hopeful was part of the group. Dalia al-Aqidi, the Republican who is challenging Ilhan Omar for her seat in the U.S. House representing Minnesotas 5th Congressional District, was part of the group, in fact. And she is corroborating the story going around, confirming that the group was kicked out specifically because of their political stance. I WAS THERE. @davannis 5124 Gus Young Ln, Minneapolis, MN 55436 They had no hesitation in taking our money. If someone wearing a Biden or Harris hat is asked to leave, I will be the first to stand up for them. You cant bully us out of our neighborhoods. https://t.co/8y2L9KWKvt Dalia al-Aqidi (@Dalia4Congress) March 1, 2025 And thats when word really started to spread. Davannis Coorporate Office ultimately put out a statement claiming the mishap was a simple mistake on the part of its staff who misinterpreted the rules regarding political fundraising events. I get the sense it wasnt exactly as innocuous as all that. It certainly seems to me that the group was knowingly targeted by an individual in the employ of the restaurant chain who likely knew she was doing so with no valid company backing and simply didnt care. At any rate, thats when the pushback really picked up steam. A Minnesota pizza shop reportedly kicked out a group of Republicans who were wearing Trump hats. The store is now saying it was a misunderstanding. How come these misunderstandings and mistakes always go one way? pic.twitter.com/l4LxBWdrFD Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 2, 2025 The calls to boycott the pizzeria chain are ongoing, and the company is eager to smooth things over in the aftermath of the controversy. Members of the group have started to speak out, indicating that the group had just left a district Republican convention before heading out to eat at the pizzeria. They were clearly targeted for their political stance according to at least one of diners who was kicked out, as reported by the local Fox News affiliate, KMSP: A person, who was a part of the group of about 20 people, said they were coming from a Senate District 50 Republicans convention nearby and went to Davannis in Edina to eat Saturday afternoon. Thats when he said an employee approached them about their motive for being at the restaurant. AK Kamara, who was a part of the group, said they had finished eating, for the most part, service was fine, and they had paid the bill, including tip. He said that is when the group felt confronted by an employee, who was not serving the table during the meal. Kamara said the worker questioned why they were wearing a political button. He said the button had SD 50 Republicans written on it. He said the employee also asked whether the group was holding a political meeting and mentioned if they were, it was against restaurant policy. When the group responded and said they were just there to eat, Kamara said the employee challenged their response. She pushed back, is she specifically trying to target us. So, the way it made me feel was we were being discriminated against on the basis of who we support politically, said AK Kamara, Minnesota Republican National Committeeman. Clearly, Im wearing this American flag hat. We had other members in our group that were wearing Make America Great Again hats. I mean, were a bunch of Republicans, so Im assuming maybe that had something to do. A meeting has been set for Tuesday, during which the group and representatives of the restaurant chain are planning to meet and talk about the situation. Dalia al-Aqidi, while clearly indicating the group was kicked out for political reasons, is striking a conciliatory tone online pointing to the likelihood that the local staff acted independently. Until Tuesday Before making any judgments, I acknowledge that this individual may have acted independently and may not reflect the policies of the establishment @davannis . I have always been a strong supporter of local businesses and would never wish harm upon anyone, https://t.co/OErChu5oPh Dalia al-Aqidi (@Dalia4Congress) March 3, 2025 Heres the full text of Dalias text: Until Tuesday Before making any judgments, I acknowledge that this individual may have acted independently and may not reflect the policies of the establishment @davannis I have always been a strong supporter of local businesses and would never wish harm upon anyone, including this person. My hope is that this serves as a lesson in tolerance and respect. I do not wish for her to lose her job, as she may be supporting a family, but it is important to recognize that actions have consequences. We will not be bullied. It seems as though these occurrences are continuing to happen, even after the election. But there is a difference to how they tend to end, now that the progressive democrats have been put on notice that theyre unmitigated attacks against Trump supporters, MAGA, and Republicans in general isnt going to go unanswered, particularly when a corporation is involved. As a general rule, these incidents have largely gone on without any recompense by the company involved. Now, the shift in the social dynamic as a result of President Trumps re-election seems to be evident. Companies no longer feel free to allow activist-employees to carry out their targeted political attacks without worry of being called out. The #TrumpEffect definitely seems to be REAL and EFFECTIVE, even in the wider societal shift showing up in the aftermath of these instances, and in the way companies are treating them when they do happen. While it remains to be seen exactly what concrete action, if any, the Davannis Coorporate leadership will take to ensure political targeting like this doesnt happen in the future (as opposed to simply pretending it was an innocent mistake) The simple fact that it is being addressed at all is a welcome shift from what weve seen over the last four years. Read more at: WLTReport.com Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine, demands commitment to peace after tense White House meeting President Trump pauses U.S. military aid to Ukraine, citing frustration with Ukraine's lack of commitment to peace negotiations. The decision follows a tense Oval Office meeting where Trump found Ukrainian President Zelensky's conduct disrespectful and overreaching. The pause affects all military equipment not yet in Ukraine, with aid resumption contingent on Ukraine engaging in good-faith peace talks. Critics argue the move emboldens Russia, while Trump supporters see it as a necessary recalibration of U.S. foreign policy priorities. Trump emphasizes that U.S. support is not unconditional and calls on Europe to take greater responsibility for the conflict. President Trump has ordered a temporary pause on all U.S. military aid to Ukraine just days after a heated Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during which Trump found Zelenskys conduct disrespectful and ungrateful. The pause will remain in effect until Ukrainian leaders demonstrate a genuine commitment to peace negotiations, a senior Defense Department official confirmed. The abrupt halt in aid marks a significant shift in U.S. policy toward Ukraine, which has received over $119 billion in American support since Russias invasion in February 2022, including $64 billion in military aid. Trumps decision reflects his growing frustration with Ukraines reliance on U.S. resources while seeming unwilling to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. Aid pause follows White House blowup The tension between Trump and Zelensky reached a boiling point last Friday during a meeting in the Oval Office. According to sources, Zelensky attempted to push for additional security guarantees beyond a planned mineral rights deal, which Trump viewed as overreaching and disrespectful. Vice President JD Vance, who was also present, echoed Trumps sentiments, calling Zelenskys behavior disrespectful and counterproductive to peace efforts. The meeting ended with Zelensky and his delegation being asked to leave the White House, and the mineral rights deal went unsigned. Zelensky later refused to apologize for the incident, telling Fox News anchor Bret Baier, Im not sure that we did something bad. Trump, however, saw the exchange as evidence that Zelensky is more interested in prolonging the war than seeking peace. This guy doesnt want there to be Peace as long as he has Americas backing, Trump wrote on Truth Social. U.S. aid under review The pause affects all U.S. military equipment not already in Ukraine, including weapons in transit through Poland and other European countries. A senior Trump administration official emphasized that the halt is not permanent but contingent on Ukraines willingness to engage in good-faith peace talks. This is not a permanent termination of aid, its a pause, the official told Fox News. The orders are going out right now. The decision has sparked mixed reactions, with European allies expressing concern and some Democrats accusing Trump of emboldening Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Trumps supporters argue that the move is a necessary recalibration of U.S. foreign policy, shifting focus away from endless conflicts in Europe and toward building stronger alliances in the Western Hemisphere. A losing battle? Critics of continued U.S. aid to Ukraine point to the staggering costs and the lack of progress on the battlefield. Despite billions in military support, Ukraine has struggled to gain significant ground against Russia. Trump has repeatedly questioned the wisdom of pouring resources into what he sees as a losing battle, especially when Ukraine appears unwilling to pursue a diplomatic solution. Weve given them more than anyone else, and what do we get in return? Trump asked during a recent rally. Its time for Europe to step up and take responsibility for their own backyard. President Trumps decision to pause military aid to Ukraine is a clear message to Kiev that American support is not unconditional. By demanding a commitment to peace, Trump is holding Ukraine accountable and ensuring that U.S. resources are used wisely. Although the move has drawn criticism from some quarters, it reflects a broader shift in U.S. foreign policy under Trumps leadership one that prioritizes American interests and demands reciprocity from allies. As the situation unfolds, the ball is now in Ukraines court. Will Zelensky demonstrate a genuine commitment to peace, or will he continue to rely on American generosity while prolonging a costly and seemingly unwinnable war? Sources for this article include: Revolver.news NYPost.com Reuters.com U.S. approves new Russian ambassador as diplomatic thaw continues Washington approves Aleksandr Darchiev as Russias new ambassador, signaling a potential reset in U.S.-Russia relations. Darchiev, a seasoned diplomat, fills a role vacant since October 2023, following high-level talks in Riyadh and Istanbul. The U.S. and Russia discussed restoring direct commercial flights and resolving embassy staffing disputes during recent negotiations. European allies express concern as U.S.-Russia talks sideline Ukraine, with reports of potential halts to U.S. military aid to Kyiv. Darchievs appointment could reshape U.S.-Russia relations, impacting Ukraines war and global geopolitical dynamics. Washington, D.C. has approved Aleksandr Darchiev as Russias new ambassador to the United States in a significant shift signaling a potential reset in U.S.-Russia relations. The move, confirmed by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday, comes after two rounds of high-level talks between the two nations in Riyadh and Istanbul over the past two weeks. Darchiev, a seasoned diplomat with more than 30 years of experience, is expected to take up his post in Washington soon, filling a role left vacant since October 2023. This development marks a notable departure from the frosty diplomatic climate that has defined U.S.-Russia relations since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. A seasoned diplomat takes the helm Darchiev, 64, currently heads the Russian Foreign Ministrys North America Department and previously served as Russias ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2021. His appointment is seen as a key step toward restoring full diplomatic engagement between the two nations. The U.S. approval of Darchievs nomination follows recent discussions aimed at resolving disputes over embassy staffing and operations, which have been strained by years of tit-for-tat expulsions. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the U.S. had formally agreed to Darchievs appointment during talks in Istanbul, where both sides also discussed restoring direct commercial flights between the two countries a proposal that aligns with President Donald Trumps push for economic cooperation with Moscow. His departure for his place of service in Washington is expected in the near future, the ministry said in a statement. A shift in U.S.-Russia relations The approval of Darchievs appointment is widely viewed as part of broader efforts to mend ties between Washington and Moscow. President Vladimir Putin has welcomed the thaw, praising the Trump administration for its pragmatism and realistic worldview. In a recent meeting with Russian intelligence officials, Putin noted that the renewed dialogue between the two nations inspires a certain degree of hope for resolving long-standing strategic and security issues. However, the warming relations have raised concerns among European allies, particularly as Ukraines military struggles on the front lines continue. Reports suggest that the Trump administration is considering halting military aid to Ukraine in response to President Volodymyr Zelenskys unwillingness to negotiate. Military supplies could be halted in response to remarks by Zelensky at a meeting with Trump and his perceived intransigence in the peace process, Russian news agency TASS reported. Europe and Ukraine sidelined European leaders have been notably absent from recent U.S.-Russia discussions, as the focus shifts to direct engagement between Washington and Moscow. The Kremlin appears to be leveraging growing anti-Zelensky sentiment in Washington to sideline Ukraine from key negotiations. Meanwhile, Russia has proposed offering the U.S. access to its mineral reserves, a move that aligns with Trumps calls for reducing Americas reliance on Chinese resources. As diplomatic relations between the two nations continue to improve, the trajectory of the Ukraine war and the future of U.S. foreign policy in the region may be undergoing a dramatic shift. With Darchievs appointment, the stage is set for a new chapter in U.S.-Russia relations, one that could reshape the geopolitical landscape in ways not seen in decades. The approval of Aleksandr Darchiev as Russias new ambassador to the U.S. marks a pivotal moment in the evolving relationship between the two nations. While the move signals a potential thaw in diplomatic tensions, it also raises questions about the future of U.S. support for Ukraine and the role of European allies in shaping the regions security architecture. As Washington and Moscow navigate this new chapter, the world will be watching closely to see whether this diplomatic reset leads to lasting peace or further geopolitical uncertainty. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com NDTV.com Reuters.com TheGuardian.com The Auburn Police Department is continuing to handle more drug investigations and animal complaints, according to a review of its annual data by The Citizen. Those increases come as overall call volume, including domestic violence, burglaries and other emergencies, continued to decrease in 2024. The Citizen's review is based on the department's annual reports going back to 2018, the earliest year data is available on the city's website. Here are some key findings: Drug, animal complaint investigations up One of the bigger recent increases in the department's 2024 stats is drug investigations. There were 231 in 2024, the most for the department since a high of 305 in 2019. While speaking to The Citizen about the department's statistics, new Auburn Police Chief Matthew Androsko cautioned against reading too closely into year-to-year differences in its number of drug investigations simply because some take more time and resources than others. For example, the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force arrested 16 people and seized more than 175,000 blue fentanyl pills in August 2022. But the investigation, which involved a drug ring stretching as far as California, began in April 2021. Androsko, who led the task force during that investigation, said it may have counted as one but it led to more arrests than lower-level busts, which count as more investigations. "When you're doing one of those and it's at a local agency like our size, that is your investigation and that's going to eat up months and months and months of work," he said. "However, it's very fruitful in the end, because you normally end up with a large (drug) seizure." Androsko had no explanation for another increase in 2024: animal complaint investigations. There were 222 that year, the highest number in the data available. Animal complaints been rising steadily since 2020, when there were 130. Domestic violence, burglary investigations down While the department's statistics continued trending upward in select areas in 2024, several others are going in the opposite direction. Domestic violence investigations have steadily gone from a recent high of 1,474 in 2021 to 920 last year. Burglary investigations plummeted to 35 last year after years of drops from a high of 133 in 2019. Similarly, robbery investigations reached a new recent low of seven in 2024 and larceny investigations dropped to 374, almost half of the 710 that took place in 2020. Androsko said he's glad those numbers have been dropping, but he doesn't necessarily feel the department has dealt with fewer of those investigations. "Seeing it on paper is one thing, but feeling it on the street is a different thing," he said. When it comes to some of those crimes, the police chief continued, the department often deals with serial offenders. But until they're sentenced and incarcerated, they may commit more crimes in the interim. As a result, it can take up to a couple years for their absence to be felt in the department's statistics. Androsko also credited his officers for their work on those crimes. "We're still being diligent in our efforts to obviously reduce them more," he said. Auburn crime statistic trends in 2023: DUIs, animal complaints up; total calls down Last year saw the lowest amount of emergency calls to the Auburn Police Department in over a decade, according to the agency's annual crime st Overall calls for service continue going down The year 2023 saw the fewest calls for service to Auburn police in more than a decade, and that number dropped further last year. There were 28,928 emergency calls in 2024, the fewest since 23,151 were logged in 2012. In the years between, the number hovered closer to 35,000. Androsko said the drop could be connected to the city's officer shortage, which has been ongoing for years. Many calls are "self-initiated" by officers experiencing issues in the community, the police chief explained, such as traffic stops, warrant and property checks, and more. So more officers would mean more of those proactive calls while others respond to ones from the community. The department typically has at least five patrol officers per shift in the winter, Androsko said, and six in the summer. His department is currently seven patrol officers short, and some retirements are anticipated over the next year. Noting that some recruits are currently in training, he said he hopes to fill all the vacancies within the next year or two. The police chief stressed that officers are still handling all the calls they receive daily. "Our officers have been doing what they've always done and giving citizens the quality of work that we've always done to protect them over the years," he said. "It's not like that has changed." Still, Androsko is glad to see the drops in total calls and select crimes. "Obviously the work that these officers are putting in is showing, and hopefully we can continue to do that," he said. "When we get back up to full staff, which I'm fully confident we will at some point, hopefully we'll continue to decrease calls because we'll be more proactive, so hopefully there will also be a decrease in the violent ones." Suicide attempt, overdose investigations down Another area of decline in 2024 was mental health and related investigations. Suicide attempt investigations have gone from 221 in 2018 to 152 in 2024, and overdose investigations from 136 in 2019 to 99 in 2024. Mental health investigations reached a new recent low last year, at 291. Androsko praised the department's crisis intervention work with agencies like the Liberty Resources Mobile Crisis Team and the Cayuga County Community Mental Health Center. Beijing (Gasgoo)- On March 3, Chery Auto celebrated a historic milestone as its Tiggo 5x series surpassed 1 million units in cumulative global exports, cementing its status as a cornerstone of the automaker's overseas success. A grand ceremony marking the 1 millionth export unit was held in Dalian city, making the Tiggo 5x the second model in Chery's Tiggo lineupafter the Tiggo 7to reach the one-million-unit exports mark. Photo credit: Chery The Tiggo 5x has reached over 80 markets worldwide, performing well in Europe, South America, and the Middle East. The spotlight of the event fell on the Tiggo 5x Excellence Edition, the latest iteration of the SUV series, which debuts comprehensive upgrades in powertrain technology and chassis tuning. Photo credit: Chery Powered by a new-generation 1.5L engine paired with a 9-speed CVT, the Tiggo 5x Excellence Edition achieves a leading 40% thermal efficiency. Its chassis, fine-tuned by master engineers, ensures smooth handling across diverse terrains, while an EPS electric power steering system enhances stability and maneuverability. Safety remains a standout, as the Tiggo 5x Excellence Edition is the only model in its segment to earn a 5-star ANCAP safety rating in Australia, said Chery. It comes standard with ABS+EBD, EPB+AUTOHOLD, Bosch ESP, TPMS, and HDC hill descent control, delivering top-tier passive and active protection. Inside, the cabin blends minimalist design with comfort, featuring a unified central control panel and ergonomic leather seats. A 10.33-inch HD infotainment screen and an 8-inch climate control touchscreen offer intuitive connectivity and crisp visuals, elevating the tech-driven driving experience. Due to scheduled maintenance from Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 PM to Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 AM, there may be interruptions for our News Gazette Digital subscribers. During this time frame, please click on any News Gazette website content without logging into your News Gazette Digital subscription account. Thank you for your patience during this scheduled maintenance. With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. FAW-Volkswagen integrates DeepSeek large model for full-cycle automotive innovation FAW-Volkswagen recently announced it has integrated advanced AI models such as DeepSeek across the entire vehicle lifecycle, from R&D and production to supply, sales, and service. This comprehensive application enhances multiple aspects of the business. Changan NEVO's cumulative deliveries so far surpass 200,000 units Changan Automobile's new energy vehicle range NEVO saw its cumulative vehicle deliveries exceed 200,000 units so far, according to the company's announcement on Tuesday. Among these, 7,931 units were delivered in February this year. Geely Galaxy Xingyao 8 EM makes debut On March 3, Geely Galaxy unveiled the Galaxy Xingyao 8 EM, its first B+ segment flagship plug-in hybrid electric sedan, at the Geely AI intelligent technology conference. Built on a dedicated hybrid architecture, the model exceeds 5 meters in length, boasts a CLTC fuel consumption as low as 3.67L/100km, and comes standard with Geely's G-Pilot advanced intelligent driving system. Photo credit: Geely Caocao Mobility launches autonomous driving platform, begins Robotaxi trials On February 28, Geely-backed ride-hailing platform Caocao Mobility held a launch ceremony for its Caocao Autonomous Driving platform. The company also began Robotaxi trial operations in Suzhou and Hangzhou, deploying vehicles equipped with Geely's latest intelligent driving system. Chery's Tiggo 5x hits 1-million-unit global export milestone On March 3, Chery Auto celebrated a historic milestone as its Tiggo 5x series surpassed 1 million units in cumulative global exports, cementing its status as a cornerstone of the automaker's overseas success. A grand ceremony marking the 1 millionth export unit was held in Dalian city, making the Tiggo 5x the second model in Chery's Tiggo lineupafter the Tiggo 7to reach the one-million-unit exports mark. Chinese NEV electric drive solution provider LEADRIVE closes Series E funding On February 28, Chinese automotive supplier Leadrive Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. ("LEADRIVE") announced the completion of its Series E funding round, led by CMG-SDIC Capital, with additional investment from Liuzhou 125 Industry Fund and Chongqing Liangjiang Fund. All-new Geely Galaxy E8 goes on sale On March 3, Geely Auto's Galaxy brand officially put the all-new Galaxy E8 model onto the market, introducing four variants with prices ranging from 153,800 yuan to 202,800 yuan. For a limited time, early buyers can enjoy a discounted price range of 149,800 yuan to 198,800 yuan. Li Auto's first all-electric SUV Li i8 to go on sale in July 2025 On March 3, Li Auto announced that its first all-electric SUV, the Li i8, will officially hit the market in July 2025. EHang completes Europe's first unmanned eVTOL flight in urban setting EHang, a global leader in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology, announced on March 1 via its WeChat account that it has successfully completed the flight of its EH216-S unmanned electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Benidorm, Spain. This marks Europe's first unmanned eVTOL flight in an urban environment, representing a major milestone in the region's UAM development. Reach Auto, Infineon sign MoU to deepen collaboration On March 3, Neusoft's automotive arm Reach Auto and Infineon officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further strengthen their collaboration. The two companies will enhance cooperation in product development, ecosystem building, and market integration to deliver competitive integrated hardware-software solutions for the automotive industry, accelerating the sector's intelligent transformation. Geely launches unified intelligent driving solution suite 'G-Pilot' On March 3, Geely officially launched its unified intelligent driving solution, G-Pilot ("Qianli Haohan" in Chinese), which comes standard with highway Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) and Automatic Parking Assist (APA). GAC AION's AION UT BEV model hits market, starting at 69,800 yuan On February 28, GAC AION officially put the AION UT, a compact two-door pure electric hatchback, onto the market, introducing five variants priced between 69,800 yuan and 101,800 yuan. BYD launches new energy commercial vehicle models in UAE On February 26, BYD, in collaboration with its partner Al-Futtaim, officially introduced its new energy commercial vehicle lineup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking a significant step in supporting the country's transition toward green commercial transportation. CATL, Jinmao Smart Transportation collaborate in EV charging, battery swapping fields Jinmao Smart Transportation Technology Co., Ltd. ("Jinmao Smart Transportation") and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. ("CATL") recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Ningde, Fujian, forging their partnership in power batteries, electric vehicle (EV) charging, battery swapping technologies, and battery bank solutions, according to a press release CATL issued on March 4 via its WeChat account. "Instead of crawling under our bed covers, we chose to organize. Thus, CURE the Champaign-Urbana Resistance Effort was born. We are determined to resist any effort by the president or his people to undermine the Constitution. We are calling on everyone in our community to join in this peaceful endeavor," Joseph Pavia writes. Can a drug that's used to treat malaria be repurposed to fight cancer? Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have secured a patent for the anti-malarial drug pyronaridine to do just that. Pyronaridine has been used to treat the mosquito-borne infectious disease for over 30 years. The discovery is the result of a serendipitous encounter at UTEP. Renato Aguilera, Ph.D., a UTEP professor of biological sciences, attended a University seminar about the drug in 2017. As a longtime cancer researcher, Aguilera realized that the molecular structure of pyronaridine could be useful in fighting cancer cells. Louis Pasteur said 'Chance favors the prepared mind.' When I looked closely at the structure of the drug, I saw that it could be used to attack cancer cells. Several year later, the granting of the patent is getting us closer to actually using this drug for patient care." Renato Aguilera, Ph.D., UTEP professor of biological sciences Along with then doctoral student Paulina Villanueva, Ph.D., Aguilera conducted extensive lab research to identify how pyronaridine interacts with cancer cells. In 2018, they published a research paper in the journal PLOS One outlining their findings that, in test tubes, the drug slows the replication of cancer and induces "cellular suicide" in leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, multiple myeloma, lung, ovarian and breast cancer cells. Cancer cells multiply much faster than normal cells in the body, Aguilera explained, which leads to the cancer spreading and a worsening prognosis for the patient. In their research, Aguilera and Villanueva found that pyronaridine interfered with the activity of an enzyme called topoisomerase II, which helps cancer cells replicate, thus slowing the progression of the cancer growth. Along with slowing them down, it also spurred the cancer cells into "programmed cell death," a process by which cells effectively commit suicide. Moreover, the drug did not affect normal cells that were not rapidly dividing, leaving healthy cells intact while killing the cancer cells, Aguilera said. "With pyronaridine, we have the trifecta: slowed growth of cells, programmed cell death, and minimal impact to healthy cells," Aguilera said. "In the future, this drug could potentially be used in combination with immunotherapy to speed up the process of killing cancer cells." Pyronaridine has been successfully tested in some animals, Aguilera said, and a pilot study on terminally ill patients with late-stage breast, lung and liver cancers by pharmaceutical firm Armaceutica showed increased longevity. But Aguilera cautioned that before pyronaridine can be used to treat cancer in the general public, it must undergo clinical trials, a yearslong process that tests drugs to ensure their safety and efficacy in humans. Villanueva is now a postdoctoral research scholar at the NanoScience Technology Center at the University of Central Florida. During her doctoral program at UTEP, Villanueva conducted much of the research that led to the discovery of pyronaridine as an anti-cancer drug. "It's incredible to witness the hard work invested in this research come to fruition," Villanueva said. "Research opens the door to countless possibilities, and although personalized medicine isn't one-size-fits-all, the drug pyronaridine could be a breakthrough for some. The journey isn't over yet - there's still much to be done - but securing the drug's patent is a significant milestone that will drive future progress." The drug was patented this spring in partnership with Armaceutica, which works to develop treatments for cancer. The patent, which is granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, recognizes Aguilera as the inventor and intellectual property owner when it comes to the use of pyronaridine for cancer. Tulane University researchers have developed a CRISPR-based test that diagnoses Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) - a life-threatening fungal infection primarily affecting children and immunocompromised patients - more quickly and less invasively, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The highly accurate test detects RNA from live fungi in blood samples and throat swabs, eliminating the need for invasive bronchoscopy procedures currently used for diagnosis. Current diagnostic methods haven't evolved in decades, leaving many patients without timely or definitive answers. Having a non-invasive throat swab test or a blood test really allows us to get a faster, but also more specific, diagnostic than we're able to get right now." Dr. Jay Kolls, study co-author, the John W. Deming Endowed Chair in Internal Medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine Kolls and study co-author Tony Hu, PhD, the Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Biotechnology Innovation and director of the Tulane Center for Cellular & Molecular Diagnostics, led a multidisciplinary team to develop the new tool, combining engineering innovation with clinical and biomedical expertise. The fungus that causes PCP rarely harms healthy people but can trigger dangerous lung infections in those with compromised immune systems, including cancer patients, transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS and patients on immune-suppressing drugs. Traditional diagnostic methods for PJP rely on a bronchoscopy in which a tube is inserted into the patient's airways to collect samples, an expensive and invasive procedure. "It can take until the next day, sometimes two days, to receive bronchoscopy results," Hu said. "With the CRISPR-based assay, we can go from samples to results in 45 minutes." PCR swab tests, like those used for rapid COVID testing, often fail to detect active P. jirovecii infections. Using the CRISPR-based detection tool alongside PCR testing significantly boosted diagnostic accuracy, correctly identifying 96% of infected infants (compared to 66% with PCR alone) and 93% of infected adults (compared to just 26% with PCR alone). CRISPR, an acronym for "clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats," is a gene editing technology that allows scientists to precisely modify DNA. For the PJP diagnostic test, CRISPR is used to detect RNA of the fungus causing PJP. "That's novel," Kolls said. "And we have data that shows PJP may be more prevalent than thought. Better diagnosis can help us prove that." In addition to diagnosing patients, the test can be used on throat swabs already gathered in clinics to improve epidemiology and mapping of pneumocystis in the United States. This study also shows the growing use of CRISPR as a way to streamline disease detection. Looking ahead, the research team sees potential for the CRISPR diagnostic platform to detect other respiratory infections. "This tool is an example of the collaborative spirit at Tulane University, where cutting edge engineering can work alongside extensive clinical practice to address a very critical issue," Hu said. "Hopefully we can soon deploy this as a clinical test and improve outcomes for patients." The tool developed at Tulane was tested in collaboration with samples from University Health Network/University of Toronto, the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) study, and the International Mycoses Prevention, Research, Implementation, Networks and Training (IMPRINT) consortium at the University of Cape Town. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Gates Foundation, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. A Yale-led research team has uncovered how a naturally occurring biological mechanism found in mammals is able to prevent sperm cells from interacting with an egg, preventing fertilization. The discovery, identified in rodent models, offers a new path for scientific research to help people grappling with infertility issues, while also opening a new line of study for developing contraceptive therapies. The findings appear in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This will have direct implications for infertility and contraception research, especially immuno-infertility and immuno-contraception." Steven Tang, assistant professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences and corresponding author of the study In the United States, 9% of men and 11% of women of reproductive age experience fertility problems. Some of these problems stem from failures in the proper recognition, adhesion, and fusion of sperm and an egg. A key part of the fertility process involves IZUMO1, a protein on the surface of sperm cells, and JUNO, a receptor on the egg: the IZUMO1-JUNO connection enables sperm and egg recognition and fusion. One way that the connection can be thwarted is via a sperm antibody called OBF13. This naturally occurring antibody - which was discovered 40 years ago at Osaka University in Japan - can recognize IZUMO1 and disrupt fertilization. But until now, the specifics of this mechanism were unknown. For the new study, the researchers analyzed the X-ray crystal structure of IZUMO1 as it came in contact with OBF13. The researchers found that OBF13 attaches itself to sperm in such a way that it reconfigures the way sperm come into contact with an egg. The analysis also identified a high-affinity (tightly bonding) variant of OBF13 that potently blocks egg-sperm fertilization. In addition, the researchers identified key amino acid sites on JUNO that define its ability to bind with IZUMO1. When accessed, these sites are able to bind sperm and egg for fertilization despite interference from OBF13 or its variant. "In this work, we are reporting the first anti-sperm antibody-antigen complex structure," Tang said. "We provide high-resolution information that will open avenues for discovering IZUMO1 regulators, guide antibody and small-molecule inhibitor design, and support drug screening for contraceptive development." The study's first author is Yonggang Lu of Osaka University. Masahito Ikawa, also from Osaka University, is the study's co-author. The work was supported, in part, by the National Institutes of Health, a David Sokal Innovation Award of Male Contraception Initiative, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and a grant from the Takeda Science Foundation. The researchers also made use of facilities at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California, which is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. Breastfeeding can be a challenge for many new moms, regardless of where they live. However, a new study from the University of Missouri highlights a unique struggle faced by mothers in rural America: a lack of access to support systems and information. As a result, rural moms are more likely to stop breastfeeding within the first few days or weeks compared to their urban and suburban counterparts. Like all new mothers, women in rural areas want to ensure their babies are getting enough nourishment - but without proper guidance on breastfeeding best practices, it can be difficult to gauge. Growing up in rural Missouri and working in maternal child health myself, I wanted to understand how rural moms in Missouri made their decisions about breastfeeding and how their rural environment impacted those decisions. I found that many of the rural moms I spoke with were highly motivated to breastfeed at first and were aware of the many health benefits breastfeeding provides for both them and their babies - they just ended up not sticking with it after a few days or weeks." Karry Weston, study's lead author and postdoctoral fellow in Mizzou's Sinclair School of Nursing During her research, Weston discovered several factors that led rural moms to discontinue breastfeeding after a short period of time. Those factors include a lack of practical knowledge on what to expect, feeling overwhelmed, a lack of access to lactation consultants in rural areas and a lack of community support. For her study, Weston interviewed first-time moms throughout rural Missouri about their experiences feeding their newborn babies. She found that many were unsure whether their babies were getting enough milk or if they were producing sufficient supplies. Some rural moms Weston spoke with had questions regarding pumping or latching techniques. Others found formula to be more convenient given their busy schedules with work and school. Some rural moms reported being hours away from the nearest lactation consultant. Others came from families and communities where formula feeding is considered the norm. Weston hopes this research can help improve the information, resources and support given to new moms. Telehealth and home visiting nurse programs with lactation-certified nurses can be potential touchpoints for rural moms looking for breastfeeding guidance. Weston's interest in this research stemmed from her experience at Hannibal Regional Hospital, Missouri's first hospital to be designated "baby-friendly" for its efforts to increase breastfeeding rates. Working as both a labor and delivery nurse and a childbirth educator, Weston recognized the need to find ways to better support new moms immediately after they give birth. "For example, we give them pumps, but we could also give them more information about how to use them or what to expect when pumping," Weston said. "Some moms may think they are not producing enough milk when in reality, they are. We can help moms feel more confident." Weston added that giving new moms more practical tips on balancing breastfeeding with a busy lifestyle can be beneficial. Local support systems can also offer valuable assistance. "For new moms, seeing someone in their family or community successfully breastfeeding can be very inspiring and lead to a domino effect," Weston said. "When rural moms who choose to breastfeed have the support of family, friends, neighbors or co-workers who also chose to breastfeed, the support system is very encouraging to rural moms by reducing the stigma." Mizzou's emphasis on supporting rural communities, particularly with MU Extension programs, motivates Weston to continue her research. "Hopefully I can help rural moms access more support and feel more confident in whatever decisions they choose," Weston said. "Whether it is hearing new moms say they used a new resource or learned about a new program that improved their experience, I feel motivated to support rural moms." Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved TNKase (tenecteplase), a thrombolytic or clot-dissolving agent, for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in adults. This approval of TNKase marks Genentechs second approval for stroke, reinforcing the company's long-standing dedication to advancing stroke care as the developer of the only two FDA-approved medicines for AIS, TNKase and Activase (alteplase). TNKase is delivered as a single five-second intravenous (IV) bolus, a faster and simpler administration compared to the standard-of-care, Activase, which is administered as an IV bolus followed by a 60-minute infusion. Genentech will also be introducing a new 25 mg vial configuration in the coming months to support the approval of TNKase for AIS. Todays approval is a significant step forward and underscores our commitment to advancing stroke treatment options for patients." Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development, Genentech "TNKase provides a faster and simpler administration, which can be critical for anyone who is dealing with an acute stroke." Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death, and the leading cause of long-term disability in the United States, affecting more than 795,000 people each year. During an AIS, brain damage occurs and progresses rapidly, meaning every moment without intervention leads to irreversible loss of nervous tissue, making immediate medical care crucial. The approval is based on a large multi-center non-inferiority study demonstrating that TNKase is comparable to Activase in AIS patients in terms of safety and efficacy. The AcT (Alteplase compared to Tenecteplase) trial compared TNKase to Activase in treating patients with acute ischemic stroke that presented with a disabling neurological deficit. This investigator-initiated study was conducted by the University of Calgary, was funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, and enrolled patients across 22 stroke centers in Canada. TNKase is also FDA approved for the treatment of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in adults. One-third of Canadian adults aged 55 or older are nutritionally at risk, potentially leading to increased hospital stays, more emergency visits and physician consultations for possible infections, a new study found. The University of Waterloo researchers assessed data from more than 22,000 community-dwelling adults aged 55 and over from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. After an initial evaluation, they followed up with participants up to three years later to track their health-service use over the previous year. Researchers used the SCREEN-8 tool (Seniors in the Community Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition) to measure an individual's nutrition risk. They found that those with higher SCREEN-8 scores at the initial screening indicating better nutrition had significantly lower odds of reporting an overnight hospital stay, visiting a hospital emergency room, or seeing a doctor for an infection when followed up three years later. "While these results make sense intuitively, they highlight how a straightforward and inexpensive tool can easily be used to potentially make a vast difference in improving health-care outcomes and costs," said Dr. Heather Keller, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences and Schlegel Research Chair in Nutrition and Aging. "SCREEN-8 should be a routine part of primary care practice, although it can be self-administered at home." Nutrition risk among older adults is a significant concern, especially among community-dwelling individuals, as it precedes malnutrition. The eight questions on SCREEN-8 gather information about weight change, appetite, eating challenges such as choking or difficulty swallowing meal preparation behaviours and fruit, vegetable and fluid intake. The study sample included an equal number of males and females, with a mean age of about 66 years. Most participants were living with a partner and two-thirds of people surveyed had post-secondary degrees. One of the study's limitations was that the people sampled were predominately highly educated and white, meaning that it is not fully representative of Canadians. Knowing who's at risk nutritionally allows individuals the possibility of modifying behaviours to avert negative health outcomes. Further research can help determine how health-care practitioners can best triage and provide education, programming and services to offset high risk." Dr. Heather Keller, Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences and Schlegel Research Chair in Nutrition and Aging The study, Baseline nutrition risk as measured by SCREEN-8 predicts self-reported 12-month healthcare service use of older adults 3 years later, was published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism and is co-authored by Vanessa Trinca, a research associate in Kinesiology and Health Sciences at Waterloo. Thought Leaders Prof. Inge Herrmann Professor of Medical Technology Innovation University of Zurich For International Women's Day NewsMedical speaks with Prof. Dr. Inge Herrmann about her groundbreaking work at the intersection of engineering, material science, and healthcare innovation. She shares insights into her journey, the urgent need for advancements in womens health, and how her team is pioneering biomedical solutionsincluding a reversible hydrogel implant that could revolutionize gynecological treatments. Prof. Dr. Herrmann, before we dive into your groundbreaking research, could you introduce yourself and share a bit about your career journey? What led you to the intersection of engineering, material science, and healthcare innovation? I have always been drawn to challengesthe things people said were too difficult, too unconventional, or not meant for someone like me. From a young age, I knew I didnt want to follow the well-trodden path; I wanted to explore the edges of what was possible. Science and engineering appealed to me because they are about solving problems in ways that havent been done before. But I also saw how certain fieldsespecially those impacting womens healthwere overlooked or dismissed as less of a priority. That only made me more determined. That only made me more determined to bring focus and innovation to areas that had long been underrepresented. I was never interested in simply fitting into existing frameworksI wanted to challenge them, evolve them, and push innovation in directions others hadnt considered. This is what led me to the intersection of chemistry, engineering, and medical innovation. My work focuses on developing cutting-edge biomedical solutions, from advanced surgical adhesives to nanotechnology-enabled therapies and womens health innovations. For me, science should be both bold and strategicdriving breakthroughs that directly impact those who need them most. The W-HEALTH programs reversible hydrogel implant is a groundbreaking advancement in womens reproductive health. What inspired you to develop this technology, and how do you see it changing the future of gynecological treatments? The inspiration for this technology came from a bold and unconventional decisionI hired a gynecologist to join my lab. This decision reflects my belief that interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to solving real-world challenges. Instead of developing technologies in isolation, we started by listening to the actual problems surgeons and patients faced. Through this collaboration, we identified a major gap: a need for a reversible, non-hormonal method for contraceptionone that could also serve as a minimally invasive treatment for conditions like endometriosis. Existing options either involve hormonal interventions with side effects or permanent surgical procedures, leaving many women with few choices that fit their needs. Thats how we developed the reversible hydrogel implanta trigger-responsive material that can temporarily occlude the fallopian tubes without causing permanent damage. It offers a safe, adaptable, and patient-centered solution that reflects our broader goal: developing innovations that align with the real needs of women and healthcare providers. This technology has the potential to redefine gynecological treatments by providing an alternative to hormonal birth control, reducing the need for invasive surgeries, and offering a novel approach to managing endometriosis by limiting retrograde menstruation, which is believed to contribute to the diseases progression. By prioritizing both effectiveness and quality of life, this approach can empower women with more control over their reproductive health. Image Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock.com Your research brings together material science and medicine to develop novel biomedical solutions. Can you walk us through the science behind the reversible hydrogel implant and how it works to control blood flow in the fallopian tubes? This hydrogel implant is designed to temporarily and reversibly occlude the fallopian tubes without causing permanent damage. It works by leveraging trigger-responsive materials that can be deployed through a minimally invasive procedure, forming a temporary physical barrier. The hydrogel is engineered to degrade and be safely removed when no longer needed, restoring fertility. Unlike traditional contraceptive methods that rely on hormones or permanent sterilization, this approach offers a non-hormonal, mechanical solution that meets the needs of a diverse patient population. Traditionally, medical research has underrepresented female-specific conditions. The W-HEALTH program challenges this disparity by focusing on diseases such as endometriosis and gynecological cancers. How do you hope your research will bridge these critical gaps in womens health? For far too long, womens health has been underfunded and deprioritized in medical innovation. Conditions like endometriosis and gynecological cancers affect millions, yet they have historically received less attention than other health priorities. This gap has led to delayed diagnoses, limited treatment options, and a need for greater scientific understanding. The W-HEALTH program is about changing that narrative. By bringing together engineers, clinicians, and materials scientists, we are developing high-impact biomedical solutions that directly address these unmet needs. By integrating cutting-edge material science with real-world clinical needs, we can move beyond incremental improvements and create transformative solutions. This isnt just about scientific progressits about ensuring that womens health receives the attention, funding, and urgency it deserves. Image Credit: illustrissima/Shutterstock.com As a leader in engineering and medical research, what advice do you have for young women aspiring to enter STEM fields, particularly in disciplines traditionally dominated by men? Get comfortable with challenging assumptions and pushing beyond societal expectations. If you want to thrive in STEMespecially in traditionally male-dominated fieldsyou have to be willing to think differently, question norms, and persist in the face of doubt. People will have expectations of yousometimes limiting ones. But what truly defines your career is how you choose to challenge those assumptions. The most important breakthroughs dont come from playing it safethey come from pushing past what others think is possible. Your research spans disciplines, bridging engineering, material science, and medicine. How important is interdisciplinary collaboration in driving breakthroughs in healthcare, and how can we create more inclusive research environments? Interdisciplinary collaboration isnt just importantits essential. The biggest breakthroughs in healthcare dont happen in isolation; they emerge when engineers, material scientists, and clinicians come together, bringing different perspectives to the table. No single discipline has all the answers, but when we combine expertise and challenge each others thinking, we can develop truly transformative solutions. Creating more inclusive research environments starts with respectvaluing different ways of thinking and being open to perspectives outside your own field. It means fostering a culture where questions are encouraged, expertise is shared, and innovation isnt limited by traditional boundaries. Science advances when we listen, collaborate, and build on each others strengths. Thats where real impact happens. Congratulations on receiving the Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year 2024 Womens Impact Award! What does this recognition mean to you, and how do you hope it will inspire further advancements in womens healthcare? Thank you! Receiving the Falling Walls Women Breakthrough Award in partnership with the Elsevier and Volkswagen Foundations is an incredible honor. More than a personal recognition, I see it as a powerful statement that womens health innovation deserves to be at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs. For too long, female-specific conditions like endometriosis, gynecological cancers, and reproductive health have been underfunded, understudied, and underestimated. This award highlights the urgency of changing that. I hope it sends a clear message that investing in womens health isnt just about equityits about scientific progress and improving healthcare for half the population. I also hope this recognition inspires more scientists, engineers, and clinicians to push boundaries in this space, to ask bold questions, and to develop technologies that truly address the unmet needs in womens healthcare. Most importantly, I hope it encourages young researchersespecially womento step into leadership roles, challenge the status quo, and drive the change we still need. Your research is breaking multiple barriersfrom advancing female-specific healthcare solutions to ensuring accessibility in low-resource settings. If you had to define the biggest wall your work is breaking, what would it be and why? The biggest "wall" we are breaking is the historical neglect of female-specific health conditions in medical innovation. Womens health has often been treated as a niche area rather than a central focus in biomedical research. Our work is changing this by developing technology-driven solutions that address urgent unmet needs. This also extends to ensuring equitable access to healthcare innovations, particularly in low-resource settings where reproductive healthcare remains a challenge. International Womens Day is a moment to celebrate achievements, raise awareness, and push for action. In your view, what are the most urgent steps society must take to truly #AccelerateAction toward gender equality in science and healthcare? Stop assuming. Too many times, people have decided for mewhat I could achieve, what was realistic, what was too ambitious. They were wrong. If we truly want to #AccelerateAction toward gender equality in science and healthcare, we dont need special treatment or extra help. We just need equal opportunities, the same level of trust, and the freedom to pursue bold ideas without being second-guessed. There is hope - Elseviers gender report found that women now constitute 41% of active researchers globally, up from 28% 20 years ago. Grants for women are growing steadily although these gains are not strong enough to keep pace with the rise in the proportion of women active researchers. Fund ideas based on merit, not bias. Women-led projects are often met with more skepticism. If we judge ideas by their true potential rather than outdated assumptions, breakthroughs will follow. Ensure leadership is based on talent, not outdated norms. Women are just as capable of leading in STEM and healthcareyet we still see gaps at the top. Fixing this isnt about favoring women; its about stopping the systemic biases that push them out. Prioritize women's health research. Its not a niche topicits half the population. Equal funding and attention in biomedical innovation should be the standard, not the exception. We dont need extra help. We just need the barriers removed and the same playing field as everyone else. If you could envision the ideal future for women in science and healthcare, what would it look like? And what message would you like to share with the next generation of women changemakers on this International Womens Day? The ideal future for women in science and healthcare is one where gender is no longer a factor in opportunity, recognition, or leadership. A future where women arent seen as the exception in the room but as scientists, engineers, and innovatorsfirst and foremost. My best collaborators dont think of me as a woman in engineeringthey think of me as an engineer. Thats the future we should strive for: where competence speaks louder than assumptions, where ideas matter more than stereotypes, and where talent is judged without bias. To the next generation of women changemakers: Be relentless. Dont waste energy fighting to fit into outdated moldsbreak them. If someone tells you your idea is impossible, take it as a challenge. Surround yourself with people who see your skills, not your gender. Science needs bold thinkers, not rule-followers. The future wont change on its ownwe have to build it, disrupt it, and own it. Further Reading About Professor Inge Herrmann Inge Herrmann, an ETH Zurich engineer, is a Professor of Medical Technology Innovation at the University of Zurich, Balgrist University Hospital, and Swiss Federal Labs. Her lab focuses on developing the tools and technologies shaping the future of medicine. These innovations advance diagnostics and therapy, translating into clinical applications and successful ventures. Her achievements include the Eccellenza Professorial Award, Latsis Prize, and Largiader Award. Bitcoin Falls 10%, Solana Crashes 20%: Why Is Crypto Market Down Today? Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 13:18 IST Analysts say Bitcoin and other cryptos have come under pressure due to scepticism over the implementation and regulatory approval of the US Crypto Strategic Reserves and on Trump Tariffs that have intensified economic uncertainty. The crypto market experienced extreme volatility following former President Donald Trumps announcement of a US Crypto Strategic Reserve. A day after the cryptocurrencies skyrocketed following US President Donald Trump revealed the US Crypto Strategic Reserves, Bitcoin plummeted on Tuesday by nearly 10 per cent and other cryptos fell by up to 20 per cent. Analysts said the cryptos have come under pressure due to scepticism over the implementation and regulatory approval of the US Crypto Strategic Reserves and on Trump Tariffs that have intensified economic uncertainty. The price of Bitcoin stood at $84,119.28 with a current market cap of $1,668.25 billion, as of 12:41 pm. The 24-hour trading volume was $76.75 billion. Bitcoin is -9.47 per cent in the last 24 hours with a circulating supply of 19.83 million. Recommended Stories Avinash Shekhar, co-founder and CEO, Pi42, said, The crypto market experienced extreme volatility following former President Donald Trumps announcement of a US Crypto Strategic Reserve, initially driving Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other major tokens higher. However, gains were short-lived as scepticism over implementation and regulatory approval led to sharp corrections. Adding to the turbulence, Trumps proposed tariffs against China intensified economic uncertainty, triggering a broader market sell-off." Bitcoin fell over 9%, Ethereum plunged more than 15%, and Solana lost nearly 20% amid fears of escalating trade tensions, he added. Ongoing crypto fund outflows as another factor weighing on prices, reflecting cautious investor sentiment. While the idea of a government-backed crypto reserve stirred optimism, market reactions highlighted the sectors sensitivity to policy shifts and the need for clearer regulatory frameworks," Shekhar said. According to CoinSwitch Markets Desk, all the gains BTC and crypto made one day before was washed out entirely as BTC struggled to find support even at $82,000, a straight fall from last days high i.e. $95,000, causing more than $1 billion worth of liquidations as ETH and other crypto are falling sharply as well. However, this is not the only market which is acting brutal towards its investors with Trump confirming tariffs on China and Mexico to be started by March 4th caused S&P 500 to crash by more than 2% in point in the day," it added. On the other hand, SEC continues to drop its lawsuits against crypto players with Kraken and Yuga Labs being recently added to the list, said CoinSwitch Markets Desk. Trump Tariffs US President Donald Trump on Tuesday imposed new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20%. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In response, China has announced that it will impose additional tariffs of 10%-15% on certain US imports from March 10, raising concerns over global trade war. Bitcoin recently fell below $80,000 amid Trump Tariffs after hitting its all-time high of $109,350 in January. However, after Trumps announcement on Sunday on the crypto reserve boosted the worlds biggest crypto with Bitcoin crossing above $94,000. About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 13:10 IST Beijing (Gasgoo)- On February 28, Geely-backed ride-hailing platform Caocao Mobility held a launch ceremony for its Caocao Autonomous Driving platform. The company also began Robotaxi trial operations in Suzhou and Hangzhou, deploying vehicles equipped with Geely's latest intelligent driving system. Photo credit: Caocao Mobility Since its founding in 2015, Caocao Mobility has expanded its ride-hailing services to over 100 cities across China, operating 33,000 customized new energy vehicles in 29 key cities. The company's exploration of Robotaxi technology began in 2020, leveraging the technological ecosystem of Geely Holding Group. At the event, the company also announced the successful establishment of its fully self-developed "F-Cube" intelligent driving ecosystem. The "F-Cube" ecosystem integrates intelligent manufacturing, intelligent driving, and intelligent operations into a closed-loop system, creating a seamless connection between customized vehicles, autonomous driving technology, and mobility services. During the trial, Caocao Mobility introduced the first batch of factory-customized Robotaxi vehicles, based on the highly flexible and intelligent Lynk & Co Z10, built on Geely's SEA platform. The company plans to launch a fully customized Robotaxi model by 2026, balancing cost efficiency and user experience while significantly reducing per-unit production costs compared to industry standards. Additionally, Caocao Mobility is developing an automated operations system to manage order processing, route planning, resource allocation, and vehicle maintenance, enabling fully automated fleet management. Indian Startups Raise $1.65 Billion In February; Median Valuation At $83.2 Million Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 13:43 IST This brings the total funding in FY25 (April-February) to $25.4 billion spread across 2,200 rounds, according to data from Tracxn. The February fundraising marks a 19.5 per cent uptick from $1.38 billion in total funding in January 2025. Indian startups raised a total of $1.65 billion (about Rs 14,418 crore) in funding at a median valuation of $83.2 million in February 2025, according to data from Tracxn. This brings the total funding in FY25 (April-February) to $25.4 billion spread across 2,200 rounds, the data showed. The February figure marks a 19.5 per cent uptick from $1.38 billion in total funding in January 2025. Recommended Stories On a year-on-year basis, the total amount of fundraise was down from $2.06 billion secured in February 2024. Entrepreneurs in the countrys startup capital, Bengaluru, secured funding worth $353 million, with a median round size of $2 million. Those in Mumbai grabbed total funding of $102 million but with a higher median round size of $5 million. Fintech firm Oxyzo led the February funding pack, having raised Rs 100 crore in conventional debt. It was followed by online B2B platform udaan, which closed a Series G equity funding round of $75 million, led by M&G Plc. Other major fundraises included those of SpotDraft, Cashfree Payments, Zeta, and Geniemode, among others. The median round size in February 2025 was $1.92 million, according to Tracxn. The second month of 2025 saw some notable business acquisitions. Head Digital Works acquired Adda52 parent Deltatech Gaming for Rs 491 crore. Bengaluru-based SaaS (software-as-a-service) firm Perfios acquired fraud detection platform Clari5, while Motilal Oswal Alternate Investment Advisors (MO Alts) acquired a majority stake in Megafine Pharma for Rs 460 crore. As per Tracxn data, a total of 16 IPOs were listed during the month under review, with a $26.5 million median IPO market capitalisation. Some notable listings included Hexaware, AJAX, Ken India, Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, and Royal Arc. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Sharks Ritesh Agarwal, Anupam Mittal, Aman Gupta, and Peyush Bansal led the investor chart. Among VC firms Blume Ventures, Eximius Ventures, Unicorn India Ventures, Peak XV, Accel, and Nexus Venture Partners led the fundraises. Indian startups raised a total of $30.4 billion in funding throughout 2024, a 6.5 per cent decline from the $32.5 billion secured in 2023. First Published: March 04, 2025, 13:43 IST Kotak Mahindra AMC MD Nilesh Shah Urges Investors To Buy Amid Market Slowdown; Here's Why Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:57 IST Nilesh Shah, MD of Kotak Mahindra AMC, advises long-term investors to buy quality stocks amid the market slowdown, focusing on earnings growth and governance over tax reduction Nilesh Shah cautioned that the outlook for the coming months is not completely clear. (PTI File) The Indian stock markets have experienced a downward trend in recent months, causing uncertainty among investors. However, Nilesh Shah, Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company, suggests that the recent sell-off presents a buying opportunity for discerning long-term investors. He advises against forming market perspectives based solely on the returns of the past six months and instead encourages focusing on acquiring select quality stocks. Speaking to CNBC-TV18 on March 4, Shah said, The Nifty index is currently trading slightly below its historical average valuation, suggesting a market that is fairly valued. The excesses of the recent past have been corrected, potentially presenting a favourable entry point for long-term investors to consider accumulating shares." Recommended Stories Shah cautioned that the outlook for the coming months is not completely clear. If FPIs continue to sell aggressively, buyers will likely demand lower prices, potentially delaying market stabilisation." Never stand in front of a moving train This is your chance to accumulate, not to buy everything today," he cautioned. Shah outlined potential reasons behind FPIs becoming sellers. Disappointment stemming from the GDP growth data released in September and December 2024, is one possible factor, he said. Additionally, corporate earnings for the second and third quarters fell short of expectations, challenging valuation justifications. The US Presidents Make America Great Again talk has pulled money from all emerging markets. Every emerging market is facing outflows. China has not published data since October 2024. So, we do not know whether they are inflowing or outflowing. But if no one is publishing the data, your speculations may be as correct as mine," Shah said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all When asked if modifying the capital gains tax would be a prudent measure to curb the sell-off, Nilesh Shah stated, An investor invests, whether domestic or global, and we should treat them equally." Concurrently, there are calls to reduce taxes for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), who also anticipate stability in taxation. Tax reduction does not guarantee returns. Instead, we should prioritise earnings growth and governance. India has outperformed all other emerging markets, including China, Brazil, Russia, and South Africa. While the last seven months have been challenging, investors in India have realised profits and fulfilled their tax obligations. Therefore, a simplistic approach to tax reduction is not a comprehensive solution," Shah said. First Published: March 04, 2025, 18:57 IST Stocks To Watch: Paytm, RBL Bank, IRCTC, IRFC, Tata Steel, Wipro, ITC, And Others Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 07:56 IST Stocks to watch: Shares of firms like Paytm, RBL Bank, IRCTC, IRFC, Tata Steel, Wipro, ITC, and others will be in focus on Monday's trade Stocks to Watch Today. Stocks to Watch on March 4: Indian markets began the week with volatility but ended nearly flat, reflecting mixed cues. In todays trade, stocks such as Paytm, RBL Bank, REC, ASK Automotive, and Intellect Design will be in focus due to various key developments. IRCTC & IRFC: Recommended Stories The Centre has upgraded IRCTC and IRFC from Miniratna I to Navratna status. Announced by the Department of Public Enterprises on X (formerly Twitter), this promotion brings the total number of Navratna CPSEs to 26. Power Finance Corporation & Adani Green Energy: Indias Power Finance Corporation has refinanced a $1.06 billion (9,261 crore) construction-linked loan for Adani Green Energy, marking a potential milestone in the renewables sector. The fixed-rate loan, committed for 19 years, highlights the offshore fundraising challenges facing the Adani Group amid a US Department of Justice investigation. Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs): Sebi has granted all NBFCs, including housing finance companies, permission to invest in security receipts issued by Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs). This move aims to increase liquidity in the distressed asset market by broadening participation in acquiring security receipts. Tata Steel: Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran emphasized that the demand for steel will continue to grow despite global geopolitical challenges. At the 186th birth anniversary celebration of Tata Steels founder J.N. Tata, he highlighted the importance of efficiency, cost management, and productivity. Wipro: IT services firm Wipro is expected to see a revenue growth of approximately 4.5% in FY26, driven by positive sector trends and a recovery in discretionary customer spending, according to Fitch. The agency maintained Wipros Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at A- with a stable outlook. Metropolis Healthcare: Metropolis Healthcare is set to acquire Agra-based Scientific Pathology in an all-cash deal ranging between 55-83 crore, depending on revenue and EBITDA milestones. This acquisition strengthens Metropolis presence in western Uttar Pradesh, following its earlier acquisition of Core Diagnostics for 246.8 crore. Larsen & Toubro (L&T): L&Ts Power Transmission & Distribution (PT&D) vertical has secured multiple significant contracts for infrastructure projects in both India and international markets. In India, L&T will build 765kV and 400kV transmission lines linked to a Renewable Energy Zone in Uttar Pradesh. Internationally, it has received an order for a 380kV Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) in Saudi Arabia and a new 220/33kV grid station in Abu Dhabi. East India Hotels (EIHL): EIHL, the parent company of the Oberoi Group, announced the development of two new resorts in Rishikesh in partnership with the Ladhani Group. The first will be an 80-key luxury Oberoi resort, and the second will be a 120-key five-star hotel under the Trident brand. Construction is slated to begin in early 2026 and be completed by 2029. AGS Transact Technologies: AGS Transact Technologies faces the initiation of insolvency proceedings by creditor Maxwel Aircon India Private Limited, which has accused the company of defaulting on repayments. The creditor seeks to initiate corporate insolvency proceedings with the National Company Law Tribunal. RBL Bank: RBL Bank has announced key leadership changes, with Narendra Agrawal being appointed president and head of branch banking and retail liabilities as part of the banks transformation strategy. UCO Bank: Sourav Kumar Dutta has resigned as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of UCO Bank, effective March 3, 2025. REC: REC will review its market borrowing program for FY25 in a meeting on March 7. Paytm: The Enforcement Directorate has issued a notice to Paytms parent company, its Managing Director, and linked entities for alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), involving 611 crore. ASK Automotive: ASK Automotive has entered into a technical assistance and licensing agreement with Kyushu Yanagawa Seiki for cast wheel production. ITC: top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Financial services firm Wells Fargo has sold shares of ITC worth 106 crore through an open market transaction. Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The views and investment tips by experts in this News18.com report are their own and not those of the website or its management. Users are advised to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. About the Author Aparna Deb Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Stay updated with all the latest news on the Stock Market, including market trends, Sensex and Nifty updates, top gainers and losers, and expert analysis. Get real-time insights, financial reports, and investment strategiesonly on News18. First Published: March 04, 2025, 07:56 IST Need To Develop New Modes Of Credit Delivery For Low-Cost, Timely Credit To MSMEs: PM Modi Published By : PTI Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 13:59 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said there is a need to develop new modes of credit delivery to ensure access of timely and lowcost funds to over six crore MSMEs across the country. PM Modi addresses post budget webinar on MSMEs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said there is a need to develop new modes of credit delivery to ensure access of timely and low-cost funds to over six crore MSMEs across the country. Addressing a post-Budget webinar for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the Prime Minister said five lakh first-time women, SC & ST entrepreneurs will be provided loans of up to Rs 2 crore. Recommended Stories We need to develop new modes for credit delivery, ensuring MSMEs have access to low-cost and timely credit. 5 lakh first-time women, SC, and ST entrepreneurs will be provided loans of up to Rs 2 crore," said the Prime Minister. He stressed that the MSMEs need not only credit, but also guidance and suggested that industries should establish mentorship programs to support them. Today the world is passing through an uncertain political environment and the entire world is looking at India as a growth centre", said the Prime Minister. He said that the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme introduced for 14 sectors led to investment of over Rs 1.5 lakh crore and total production worth over Rs 13 lakh crore. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all We have done away with over 40,000 compliances at the centre and state level, leading to improved ease of doing business," said PM Modi, highlighting the need to open new avenues of manufacturing and exports for the country. Today every country wants to strengthen its economic partnership with India. Our manufacturing sector must take advantage of this opportunity," said the Prime Minister. About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 13:57 IST CBSE Board Exam: From Question Banks To Secret Printing, How Long Does It Take To Set One Paper? Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 11:14 IST To prevent CBSE board paper leaks and ensure transparency, a strict, months-long, confidential process is followed to create fair, high-quality, and syllabus-relevant examination papers Before the CBSE board examination begins, the papers are delivered to the schools in sealed envelopes. (Representative/PTI File) The CBSE Board exams for the 10th and 12th grades began on February 15, 2025. Early analysis of the exam papers suggests that the Physics paper for the 12th grade has been the most difficult so far. Conducting an exam for any CBSE board subject is a meticulous process that takes several months. To maintain confidentiality, multiple versions of each subjects exam are created. To avert incidents like CBSE board paper leaks and uphold transparency, the board employs a stringent process involving a team of specialists for each subject. The process of preparing CBSE examination papers is systematic and confidential, comprising several stages to ensure the quality, fairness, and syllabus relevance of each paper. Recommended Stories The process can be understood as follows: Syllabus Analysis: The CBSE board exam process commences with a meticulous syllabus analysis. The comprehensive nature of the CBSE syllabus is given particular attention during paper preparation. CBSE experts meticulously review the syllabus, determining the topics from which questions will be drawn and their corresponding mark allocation. Question Banks Are Prepared: After analysing the CBSE board syllabus, a team of subject experts (such as teachers, professors) prepares questions from different topics. This team consists of 4-5 people. These questions are of easy, medium, and difficult levels. This helps in evaluating all types of students. Selection Of Questions: A moderation committee, tasked with reviewing the question bank compiled by CBSE subject experts, plays a crucial role in ensuring the integrity of exam papers. This committee meticulously examines each question for clarity, accuracy, and syllabus alignment. During this rigorous process, questions may be subject to removal or modification, reflecting the complexity of ensuring a fair and balanced assessment. Setting The Paper: The questions selected by the moderation committee are arranged in the paper based on a format, that is, a blueprint. This blueprint ensures a balance of objective, short-answer, and long-answer questions. This pattern can be understood from the CBSE sample paper. Confidentiality In Printing: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) prioritises confidentiality during the examination paper printing process. After a paper is finalised, it is securely transferred to a designated printing facility. These facilities operate under strict protocols to prevent leaks and maintain the integrity of the examination materials. Access to these locations is restricted, with only a select group of board members privy to the printing location. Once the papers are printed, the role of the subject experts concludes. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all How The Papers Reach The Examination Centre The subject experts neither know where the papers have been sent for printing nor which questions will be asked in which set. Before the CBSE board examination begins, the papers are delivered to the schools in sealed envelopes. They are opened only on the day of the examination. First Published: March 04, 2025, 11:01 IST Delhi University Drops Proposal To Include Manusmriti, Baburnama In History Syllabus Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 17:00 IST Delhi University has dropped the proposal to include Manusmriti and Baburnama in its syllabus, stating that such content holds no relevance in modern education. Delhi University drops plan to include Manusmriti and Baburnama in the syllabus. (File Photo) Delhi University (DU) has withdrawn the proposal to include texts like Manusmriti and Baburnama in its undergraduate history syllabus following strong opposition from faculty members. Confirming the decision, DU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh said that there are no plans to introduce such material into the universitys curriculum, now or in the future. There is no consideration of including subjects like Manusmriti or Baburnama in DU. We reject such ideas entirely," the Vice Chancellor said. He added that Baburnama, the autobiography of Mughal ruler Babur, holds no relevance in todays time. Baburnama is the account of a tyrant. There is no need to teach such content. It does not contribute to the present or future of our country," Prof. Singh stated. Recommended Stories He argued that Manusmriti promotes caste-based discrimination and oppression, making its inclusion contrary to the Constitution of Bharat and the progressive values of our society." Kumar also criticised Baburnama, the memoir of Mughal emperor Babur, stating that it glorifies an invader responsible for widespread destruction in India. He referred to historical and religious texts highlighting the brutality of Baburs invasion. Addressing the universitys academic vision, the Vice Chancellor explained that under the New Education Policy (NEP 2020), DU aims to design courses that reflect Indian knowledge systems and traditions, focusing on the development of the nation. ALSO READ: Dont Push Hindi: South India Slams CBSEs Three-Language Formula, Experts Say Focus On Children top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all We are working towards the goal of Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047. DU is creating study materials that not only preserve our heritage but also help strengthen the economy and benefit society," he said. While some faculty members opposed the inclusion, others defended it as an opportunity to study history through primary sources. They argued that such texts should be examined in their historical context, rather than viewed as endorsements of their ideas. This is not the first time Manusmriti has faced resistance at DU a similar proposal to introduce it in the law syllabus last year was also withdrawn following protests. About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 16:29 IST Dont Push Hindi: South India Slams CBSEs Three-Language Formula, Experts Say 'Focus On Children' Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 12:28 IST Following strong opposition, the CBSE reinstated regional languages and issued an addendum clarifying that all existing subjects and languages would continue to be offered. Education expert Dr V Niranjanaradhya VP called this mischief that should never have happened in the first place. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had also reiterated that the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 does not impose Hindi on any state, dismissing Tamil Nadus opposition to the policy as politically motivated. (Image: Shutterstock) The recent controversy over CBSEs draft policy, which initially omitted several regional languages from its framework, has reignited concerns over the alleged push for Hindi in education policies. Education expert Dr V Niranjanaradhya VP, who is also a frontline activist in the campaign for a universal and common education system, has criticised the move, arguing that any policy statement or circular issued by CBSE or the central government must respect all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Recommended Stories Look at any circular, and youll see a clear agenda of pushing Hindi either through the three-language formula or otherwise," he said, pointing out that this has been the trend since the first official policy in 1968. In South India, states have largely followed the three-language formula, including Hindi as a third language. But in North India, where they were supposed to learn a South Indian language alongside Hindi and English, the formula was never properly implemented, and it turned out to be a failure. Thats why there is so much resistance to it today from the south." The latest CBSE draft, which proposed dual board exams for Class 10 from 2026, originally listed five main subjects: English (Language 1), Hindi (Language 2), Science, Mathematics, and Social Science. Regional languages like Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Punjabi were not in the draft list. Following strong opposition, the CBSE reinstated these languages and issued an addendum clarifying that all existing subjects and languages would continue to be offered. Niranjanaradhya called this mischief" that should never have happened in the first place. The CBSE board first removes these languages, then when there is a backlash on social media, it quietly brings them back. This is unfair," he said. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had also reiterated that the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 does not impose Hindi on any state, dismissing Tamil Nadus opposition to the policy as politically motivated. Speaking to journalists, Pradhan asserted that the NEP promotes education in the mother tongue, not just Hindi. We have never said in NEP 2020 that Hindi alone will be there. Education will be in the native language. In Tamil Nadu, it will be Tamil," he said. His remarks come amid continued resistance from the Tamil Nadu government, which remains opposed to the NEPs three-language formula, citing concerns over its impact on regional languages. Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) issued an addendum to its draft policy for conducting two board exams in Class 10, clarifying that all languages will continue to be offered in the 2025-26 academic session. The list of subjects and languages in the draft date sheet is only indicative. All subjects and languages currently offered will continue to be available in 2025-26 as well," the CBSE statement read. After the draft policy was published on the CBSE website on February 25, various stakeholders expressed strong opposition on X over the exclusion of Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi, and other languages from the list of regional languages. Waking up to the lapse, the CBSE issued a separate order on February 26 to continue Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi, and other languages in the regional language list. This is not just mischief, it has been done with intent," alleged the educationist. A Systematic Neglect of Regional Languages According to Niranjanaradhya, the push for Hindi is not new and has been systematically reinforced by national education policies over decades. The way our policies are framed and implemented is based on the hegemony of one language. This is completely wrong. The world is moving towards multilingualism, but here, we are still imposing a single language," he said. In Karnataka, for instance, the Kannada Learning Act, 2015 mandates that all CBSE-affiliated schools must teach Kannada as a second language. Education is on the Concurrent List, and this law has been in force for nearly a decade. But CBSE schools in Karnataka have simply refused to implement it," he pointed out, adding, Ironically, these schools cannot even operate without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the state government. So why is the law not being enforced?" He questioned the selective implementation of policies, arguing that the NEP 2020 itself is ambiguous about language learning. The policy mentions home language and local language without clearly defining mother tongue, which creates space for manipulation," he said. Keep Children at the Centre of Policy He also criticised Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhans claim that the NEP does not push Hindi. Look at Paragraph 4.1 of the NEP 2020it is vague. It mentions mother tongue only at the end. Instead, it talks about home language and local language, leaving room for different interpretations," he explained. He pointed out another contradiction in the NEPs implementation. The policy states that the medium of education should be in the mother tongue at least until Class 5, and preferably until Class 8. This applies to all schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, CBSE, and ICSE institutions. If thats the case, why hasnt this provision been implemented in the last five years?" he asked. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The problem is that policies are being made based on political interests rather than what is best for students. Children are the primary stakeholders, yet they are never consulted in these debates," he said. Instead of prioritising political agendas, the focus should be on what is best for the childs learning," he added. As the March 9 deadline for feedback on CBSEs draft approaches, the debate over language policy in education is expected to intensify, especially in South Indian states that have long resisted what they see as an imposition of Hindi. About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 12:28 IST Google Jobs: How To Get A High-Paying Job At The Tech Giant Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:54 IST To secure a job at Google, master relevant skills, understand the recruitment process, and prepare thoroughly. Googles hiring process is known for being one of the toughest in the world. (File Photo: AFP) Securing a job at Google is a dream for lakhs of aspiring professionals. Known for its exceptional salary packages, dynamic work culture, and unparalleled career growth opportunities, Google remains one of the most sought-after employers globally. However, getting hired by the tech giant requires the right skills, preparation, and a deep understanding of the recruitment process. With the right approach, one can secure a job at Googles offices and potentially earn in crores. How to Get a Job at Google? Recommended Stories At Google, skills often hold more value than degrees. In addition to having expertise in your domain, you must pass Googles rigorous selection process. Heres a step-by-step guide to improving your chances of getting hired. 1. Identify the Right Skills and Prepare Accordingly For Technical Roles (Software Engineer, Data Scientist, Product Manager, etc.): Programming Languages: Master languages such as Python, Java, C++, and JavaScript. Master languages such as Python, Java, C++, and JavaScript. Data Structures & Algorithms: These are essential for Googles technical interviews. These are essential for Googles technical interviews. Problem-Solving Ability: Regularly practice on coding platforms like LeetCode and HackerRank. For Non-Technical Roles (Sales, Marketing, HR, etc.): Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication is crucial. Strong verbal and written communication is crucial. Business Acumen: An understanding of management and business strategies (an MBA can be beneficial). An understanding of management and business strategies (an MBA can be beneficial). General Skills: Fluency in English, logical thinking, and teamwork are essential. 2. Google Jobs Eligibility Criteria Educational Qualifications: Technical Roles: Degrees like B.Tech, MCA, or M.Tech. Degrees like B.Tech, MCA, or M.Tech. Non-Technical Roles: Qualifications like BA, BBA, MBA, or equivalent degrees. Google values skills more than degrees. Even without formal education, skilled candidates can land jobs at Google. Certifications: Completing Google Career Certificates or courses from Coursera and Udemy in areas like Cloud Computing and Data Analytics can enhance your profile. 3. How to Search for a Job at Google? Visit Googles official career page: careers.google.com Search for roles matching your skills and interests (e.g., Software Engineer). Choose the preferred location (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad). Connect with Google employees on LinkedIn to learn about job openings. Referrals from existing employees significantly increase the chances of selection. 4. How to Apply for a Google Job? Resume: Keep it concise (preferably one page). Highlight skills, achievements, and projects (e.g., Boosted app performance by 50%"). Use relevant keywords from the job description. Keep it concise (preferably one page). Highlight skills, achievements, and projects (e.g., Boosted app performance by 50%"). Use relevant keywords from the job description. Cover Letter: Clearly explain why you want to work at Google and how your vision aligns with the companys mission. Clearly explain why you want to work at Google and how your vision aligns with the companys mission. Portfolio: If youre a designer or developer, showcase your work on platforms like GitHub or Behance. 5. The Google Interview Process Googles hiring process is known for being one of the toughest in the world. It includes multiple rounds: Round 1 Screening: Basic questions about skills and experience (via phone or video call). Screening: Basic questions about skills and experience (via phone or video call). Round 2 Technical Test: Coding challenges focusing on algorithms and data structures. Technical Test: Coding challenges focusing on algorithms and data structures. Round 3-5 Onsite Interview Onsite Interview Live Coding Test: Solve coding problems on a whiteboard. Solve coding problems on a whiteboard. Behavioral Questions: Assessing teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving abilities. Assessing teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving abilities. System Design Round: For senior-level roles. Pro Tip: Stay confident and approach every question with structured reasoning. 6. Salary Expectations at Google Freshers: Rs 15-40 lakh per annum (interns can earn Rs 50,000-1 lakh per month). Rs 15-40 lakh per annum (interns can earn Rs 50,000-1 lakh per month). Experienced Professionals: Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore+ depending on role and location. 7. Google Offices Cities with Google Offices: Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Gurugram, Mumbai. Global Offices: Headquarters in California, and offices in London, Singapore, and more. 8. How to Get a Google Internship? Google offers internships annually, such as the Google Summer Internship program. Performing well during an internship increases the likelihood of securing a full-time job. Bonus Tips for Landing a Job at Google Networking: Attend Google-hosted events and tech conferences. Attend Google-hosted events and tech conferences. Coding Competitions: Participate in Google Code Jam and Kick Start; excelling in these contests can lead to job offers. Participate in Google Code Jam and Kick Start; excelling in these contests can lead to job offers. Patience: The hiring process can take 2-6 months, so remain persistent. The Roadmap to a Google Job: top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Learn relevant skills Search for open roles Prepare an impressive resume Apply for the job Ace the interview Secure your dream job at Google! With the right preparation and determination, you can turn your dream of working at Google into a reality. First Published: March 04, 2025, 18:54 IST ICAI CA Inter, Foundation January 2025 Result To Be Declared Today, Know When & Where To Check Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 07:17 IST ICAI CA Result 2025: Candidates can check Inter and Foundation results for January 2025 session using their registration numbers. ICAI will declare the CA Inter and Foundation January 2025 results on icai.nic.in. (Representative image/File) ICAI CA Inter, Foundation Results 2025: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will declare the CA Inter and Foundation January 2025 result today, March 4, 2025. According to the official notice, candidates can access their ICAI CA Result 2025 for Intermediate and Foundation courses for the January session exams on the official website icai.nic.in. However, the time of the announcement of the result is not confirmed by the ICAI yet. To check their ICAI CA January 2025 Results candidates will be required to enter their registration number and roll number. Along with the results, ICAI will also release the list of toppers and pass percentages. Recommended Stories The results of the Chartered Accountants Intermediate and Foundation Examinations held in January 2025 are likely to be declared on Tuesday, the 4th March 2025 and the same can be accessed by candidates on the website icai.nic.in It may be noted that for accessing the result at the above mentioned website, the candidate shall have to enter his/her Registration Number along with his/her Roll Number," reads the official notification. The January 2025 CA Foundation exams were conducted on January 12, 14, 16, and 18, while the CA Inter exams took place from January 11 to 21. Group 1 exams were held on January 11, 13, and 15, while Group 2 exams were conducted on January 17, 19, and 21. How To Check ICAI CA January 2025 Results? Once the results are released, candidates can follow these steps to access their ICAI CA scorecards- Step 1: Visit the official website at icai.nic.in. Step 2: Click on the link for ICAI CA January 2025 Results on the homepage. Step 3: Enter your Registration Number and Roll Number to log in. Step 4: Submit the details, and your CA January 2025 results will be displayed on the screen. Step 5: Download and print the result for future reference. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all CA Foundation Exam Details & Passing Criteria: The CA Foundation exams were held on January 12, 16, 18, and 20, 2025. Paper I and Paper II took place from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, while Paper III and Paper IV were conducted from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on all exam days. To pass the CA Foundation exam, candidates must secure at least 40 marks in each subject and achieve a minimum overall aggregate of 50%. Candidates with an overall aggregate score of 70% or more will receive a Pass with Distinction" status. In the previous cycle, ICAI announced the CA Foundation exam results for the December 2023/January 2024 exams on February 7, 2024. Candidates are encouraged to regularly check the official ICAI website for updates regarding the result announcements and further instructions. First Published: March 04, 2025, 07:16 IST 'National Security Clearance' Mandatory For New Private Universities Before Opening In Assam Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 23:52 IST Himanta Biswa Sarma said the decision has been taken in the backdrop of recent developments related to the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma | File Image/PTI The Assam government on Tuesday decided that any private university planning to start operations in the state will have to first mandatorily obtain a national security clearance", Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting here, Sarma said the decision has been taken in the backdrop of recent developments related to the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), located in the neighbouring state. Recommended Stories For setting up a private university in Assam, a national security clearance will be required from the Home and Political Department. Only after getting the mandatory nod, one will be allowed to set up a private varsity," he said. Stating that the decision was taken in the backdrop of recent developments at USTM, Sarma said that the private university will also have to conform to two more conditions it has to be secular and should not indulge in any activity related to conversion". We have decided to tighten the norms to set up private universities. Accordingly, the cabinet has approved an amendment of the Assam Private Universities Act 2007," he added. Last month, USTM owner and chancellor Mahbubul Hoque was arrested by Assam Police on charges of promising students to allow unfair means in exams to score high marks through his ERD Foundation, which runs various educational institutions, including a school at Patharkandi in Sribhumi district of Assam. Sarma had in August last year held USTM and Hoque responsible for flood jihad" against Guwahati, claiming that the water flowing down from the varsity campus, which is located on a hill adjacent to the city, had led to repeated massive flooding. The cabinet, meanwhile, approved proposals to establish two private universities EdTech Skills University, Assam in Tinsukia and Maa Kamakhya National University, Assam in Sipajhar. As a mark of recognition of the role and contribution of Late Ratan Tata and the Tata Group towards the states development, the Assam cabinet decided to name the entire area covering the semiconductor plant, logistic park, township and OSAT centre at Jagiroad as Ratan Tata Electronic City, Jagiroad. The government also decided to set up a non-profit Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the PanIIT Alumni Reach for setting up 10 skill centres in the state. These will be established at a cost of Rs 90 crore, of which Rs 10 crore will be given by the state government and the rest will be funded by the alumni association," Sarma said. To promote the usage of bamboo in the construction industry, the cabinet approved the inclusion of engineered bamboo composite materials in PWD projects. The PWD has been directed to include at least 5 per cent of bamboo-based material in the construction of new public buildings," Sarma said. He also said that to encourage Assams unemployed engineering graduates, diploma-holder youths and startups to be active participants in the construction sector, the cabinet approved relaxation in pre-qualification criteria of PWDs standard bidding norms. The cabinet also approved two policies for ease of doing business. These are Assam Electronics System Design & Manufacturing Policy, 2025 and Assam Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Policy 2025," the CM said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Besides, the cabinet sanctioned 46 projects for flood and erosion management, entailing an expenditure of Rs 338 crore. The cabinet has passed a resolution expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his guidance and support to Assam in successfully organising the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit," Sarma said. Location : Guwahati [Gauhati], India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 23:49 IST Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On March 3, Li Auto announced that its first all-electric SUV, the Li i8, will officially hit the market in July 2025. Li Auto's CEO Mr. Li Xiang acknowledged the competitive market landscape but expressed strong confidence in the Li i8's appeal as a six-seater electric SUV. "There will be several new models launched around the same time, and of course, we feel the pressure," he said. "However, in terms of product competitiveness, we have full confidence in the Li i8. Families with two children or multi-generational households looking for a spacious electric SUV should wait for the Li i8its performance and Li Auto's extensive supercharging network will not disappoint." Photo credit: Li Auto According to first teaser video Li Auto released, the Li i8's exterior blends design elements from the MEGA and L-Series models. The front profile is sleek and aerodynamic, resembling a bullet train, while the rear features a full-width LED taillight design similar to the Li L9 and a dual-layer rear spoiler. The vehicle is also expected to come with a two-tone body and a panoramic glass roof. The video also confirms that the Li i8 will be equipped with LiDAR device, aligning with earlier reports that Li Auto will include LiDAR sensors as a standard feature across all its new models in 2025, spanning both REEVs (range-extended electric vehicle) and BEVs (battery electric vehicles). According to Li Autos product roadmap, the company plans to launch five REEV models, one ultra-flagship model (MEGA), and five BEV models by 2025. In addition to the Li i8, upcoming BEV models including the Li i6, i7, and i9 are set to debut in the near future. Protests Continue At Jadavpur University As Students Demand Minister Bratya Basus Resignation Over Campus Clash Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:56 IST Protests at Jadavpur University continued for a second day as students demanded the resignation of Education Minister Bratya Basu over a campus clash. Students protest demanding resignation of West Bengal education minister. Protests at Jadavpur University entered their second day on Tuesday, as students continued to demand the resignation of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu and the withdrawal of police complaints against them following an alleged assault on campus. In a conciliatory move, Minister Basu personally contacted the family of injured student Indranuj Roy, expressing regret over the incident. Recommended Stories The education minister called me and conveyed his remorse. He wished Indranuj a speedy recovery and said he and his wife are deeply distressed. He told me Indranuj is like his son," said Amit Roy, the students father. The protests began after violence on March 1, when two students, including Indranuj, were injured after a car in Basus convoy allegedly brushed past them amid a scuffle. Left-leaning students had been attempting to block the minister from leaving campus, seeking discussions over long-pending student union elections. Basu sustained injuries as well, after protesters allegedly damaged his cars windshield. After a General Body meeting on Monday night, students issued a 24-hour deadline for Vice-Chancellor Bhaskar Gupta to return to campus and address their demands, warning of intensified protests if he failed to comply. Among the key demands are full medical coverage for the injured students and the filing of a police complaint against the minister. The vice-chancellor, however, has not yet returned, with sources citing health concerns, including fluctuating blood pressure. Gupta had visited the injured students at the hospital on Saturday but faced protests, during which his shirt was reportedly torn, worsening his condition. Despite the turmoil, semester examinations continued in several departments, while some others suspended classes. Multiple student organisations joined the agitation. Ultra-left groups, including the Democratic Students Federation (DSF), staged protests on both Tuesday and Wednesday. The Students Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), held separate demonstrations after leading a statewide student strike on Monday. Tensions escalated further as clashes broke out between SFI activists and members of the BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at the campus gates, following allegations that ABVP members tore down posters supporting the strike. A security guard was injured in the altercation, and five people were detained by police. ALSO READ: Delhi University Drops Proposal To Include Manusmriti, Baburnama In History Syllabus Meanwhile, the West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUPA), aligned with the TMC, alleged the attack on Minister Basu was pre-planned. While the SFI continues to press for Basus resignation, accusing the Trinamool Congresss student wing (TMCP) and ABVP of fuelling the violence, Amit Roy welcomed Basus apology and ruled out demanding his resignation. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all We appreciated the ministers gesture. Elders should show tolerance when youngsters make mistakes," Roy said. (With inputs from PTI) About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, latest in ... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 18:42 IST TANCET, CEETA PG 2025 Admit Card Release Date Revised, Check When & Where To Download Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 09:24 IST TANCET 2025: Anna University will release admit cards on March 7 at the official website - tancet.annauniv.edu. The TANCET 2025 exams will be held on March 22, 2025. (Representative image/File) TANCET 2025 Hall Ticket: Anna University has updated the admit card release date for the Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET 2025) and Common Engineering Entrance Test & Admissions (CEETA-PG 2025). According to the revised schedule, the TANCET 2025 admit card will be available for download starting March 7. Candidates who have successfully registered can access their admit cards on the official website- tancet.annauniv.edu using their using their registration number and date of birth. The TANCET 2025 exams will be held on March 22, 2025. The MCA exam will be from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and the MBA exam will be conducted from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM. CEETA PG 2025 Exam will be conducted on March 23 in a single shift from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Recommended Stories How To Download TANCET 2025 Admit Card? Once released, candidates can download their TANCET 2025 Admit Cards from the official website -tancet.annauniv.edu Step 1: Visit the official website- tancet.annauniv.edu Step 2: Click on the form correction link. Step 3: Log in using your email address and password. Step 4: The TANCET 2025 admit card will appear on your screen, download it. Step 5: Check the admit card carefully and take a printout for exam day. TANCET 2025: Exam Pattern The TANCET 2025 exam will be conducted in offline mode and will consist of 5 sections: Business Situations, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Data Sufficiency, and English Usage. Each section will contain 20 questions. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The total number of questions in the TANCET 2025 exam will be 100. The exam will be conducted in English. Candidates will receive 1 mark for each correct answer, with a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer. Anna University conducts the Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET) each year for admissions to MBA or MCA programmes. Common Engineering Entrance Test (CEETA-PG) is conducted for Candidates interested in pursuing an M.E./M.Tech./M.Arch./M.Plan degree programmes. First Published: March 04, 2025, 09:24 IST Amidst SP Leader Abu Azmis Claim, How History Suggests Aurangzeb Was A Tyrant | Explained Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 13:11 IST Aurangzeb has been called an ultimate villain, an oppressive fundamentalist who led a genocidal campaign against Hindus Maharashtra Samajwadi Party chief Abu Asim Azmi addresses a press conference amidst his controversial remark on Aurangzeb, in Mumbai, on February 18, 2025. (PTI Photo) Maharashtra Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi has stoked a controversy by praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, and said he should not be seen as a cruel ruler but as an administrator". Azmi further said the battles between Shivaji and Aurangzeb were more about struggle for power than communal rivalry". His remarks have gained traction amid the release of Hindi film Chhaava, which portrays the valour and sacrifices of Sambhaji Maharaj the Maratha ruler and son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Recommended Stories The Maharashtra Police has charged Azmi under sections 299, 302, 356(1), and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has called them unacceptable". Shinde said Azmi deserves to be charged for treason" on Monday. His statement is wrong and should be condemned. Aurangzeb tortured Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj for 40 days; calling such a person good is the biggest sin. Hence, Abu Azmi should apologise. Our CM has taken this matter seriously. He should be charged with treason," Shinde said. Supporters of Shindes Shiv Sena faction have intensified their protests, filing two complaints against Azmi in Mumbai and Thane. What Did Abu Azmi Exactly Say? Azmi had praised Aurangzeb at a Maharashtra assembly session, claiming that during his rule, Indias borders extended to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and the country was referred to as the golden sparrow" with a GDP contributing 24% to the global economy. He further claimed that all the wrong history is being shown" in reference to the recently released film Chhaava, and said Aurangzeb built many temples". The kings back then used to have struggle for power and property, but it was nothing religious. He (Aurangzeb) ruled for 52 years, and if he was really converting Hindus into Muslims imagine the number of Hindus that would have converted If Aurangzeb had destroyed temples, he also destroyed mosques had he been against Hindus, 34% of Hindus would not have been with him, and his advisors would not have been Hindus There is no need to give Hindu-Muslim angles to it. This country will run by the Constitution, and I havent said a word against Hindu brothers," he said. The uproar over the issue led to House being adjourned twice. Who Was Aurangzeb? Aurangzeb was the son of Shah Jahan and the sixth and last of the great Mughal emperors. He was a devout Muslim and a strict ruler who enforced the Sharia law and re-imposed the jizya tax on non-Muslims. He also banned music, dancing, and painting in his court. He fought many wars to expand his empire, which became the largest in Indias history, covering almost the entire subcontinent. However, he also faced fierce resistance from the Marathas, the Sikhs, and the Rajputs, who challenged his authority and drained his resources. He died in 1707, leaving behind a vast but unstable empire that soon collapsed under the pressure of internal and external forces. What Was The Criticism Against Aurangzeb? Some South Asian Muslims have praised him for being an exemplary orthodox ruler, whose conquests brought Indo-Islamic power to its territorial height. Others called him a religious fanatic whose intolerance instigated the communal violence that plagued South Asia. To Hindu nationalists, he was an ultimate villain, an oppressive fundamentalist who led a genocidal campaign against Hindus. Many say that Aurangzeb tried to convert all Hindus to Islam, and when that project failed he reportedly slaughtered millions of Hindus. People claim that Aurangzeb systematically destroyed Hindu cultural institutions thousands of Hindu temples. Some have even said the reason why north India lacks the tall, elaborate temples that one finds in south India is because Aurangzeb destroyed them, as per Aeon an Australia-based digital magazine. Western Orientalist scholars painted Aurangzeb as a despot and blamed him for weakening the Mughal state and thus opening the door to British colonisation, as per an article in Origins. As a ruler, Aurangzeb was accused of being puritanical. He was personally devout but continued to offer legal protections to and employ large numbers of Hindus and members of other religious groups. In fact, the Mughal nobility during Aurangzebs reign had a higher percentage of Hindus (just over 30%) than under any of his predecessors. Many historians say Aurangzeb would ally with Hindu rulers against Muslims when it suited his military goals. When he did target Hindu or Sikh religious leaders, it was in response to political threats rather than religious intolerance. While much attention was paid to his reinstatement of the jizya tax on non-Muslims, Aurangzebs main focus was always on military expansion. He relentlessly pursued the conquest of the central and southern India but the success came at an incredible cost. While he did expand the empire to its greatest territorial height, his conquests were unsustainable. His successors were weak and could not maintain the vast territory that Aurangzeb managed to conquer throughout the eighteenth century. Thus, Mughal power incrementally diminished until its end in 1857 when the British took over India. Death Of Aurangzeb In 1705 when he was 86 years old, Aurangzeb finally wound up his last military campaign when he was engaged in a siege in conquering an insignificant fortress near Bijapur. Exhausted, he felt like returning to imperial Delhi, the seat of the Mughal capital. During the march, when Aurangzeb reached Devapur on the Krishna River in Bijapur province, he fell violently ill and the journey had to be stopped. He had to rest there for six months till October 1705. Thereafter the emperor was carried in a palanquin. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On January 20, 1706, the entourage reached Ahmednagar. Aurangzeb had to spend his last miserable year there due to his illness. He was alone during his ill health as Akbar had died in Persia in 1704, his daughter had passed away two years earlier, his sister also died in 1706. His only companion was his spinster daughter and his last wife Udipuri Mahal. Aurangzeb died on February 21, 1707, on Friday the Muslim Sabbath as he always wanted. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 13:08 IST How Much Has US Spent On Military Aid To Ukraine? What Will Happen After Trump Halts Supply? Explained Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 08:01 IST DoD said $182.8bn has been appropriated for Ukraine that covers US military training in Europe, replenishment of US defence stocks. A German-based think tank calculated US spent $119.7bn on aid from 2022 to 2024 Several officials said Donald Trump is seeking an acknowledgement from Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the form of a public apology before closing a deal on Ukraines minerals. (Reuters Photo) Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyys dust-up at the Oval Office, watched by many around the world, has led to a pause on the US military aid from Washington to Kyiv, a White House official has told media. Trump held a series of meetings with top national security officials at the White House before taking such a decision. The halt on aid shipments to Ukraine will remain in place until Zelenskyy has made a commitment to seeking peace talks, CNN quoted one official as saying. Recommended Stories Since the onset of the war in February 2022, Ukraine has become the top recipient of US foreign aid. It is for the first time that a European country has held the spot since the Harry S Truman government directed a large amount of money for rebuilding the continent through the Marshal Plan after World War II. How Much Money Has The US Spent On Ukraine? The Kiel Institute, a German-based think tank tracking aid for Ukraine, calculated that the United States spent $119.7 billion on aid between January 2022 and December 2024. The US Department of Defense has provided a figure looking at all spending on Operation Atlantic Resolve a response to Russias invasion of Ukraine. It says $182.8 billion has been appropriated" a figure that covers US military training in Europe and replenishment of US defence stocks. As per US Bureau of Political-Military Affairs fact-sheet, published on January 20, 2025, the government has provided $65.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and around $69.2 billion in military aid since Russias initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014. The emergency Presidential Drawdown Authority on 55 occasions since August 2021 provided Ukraine with military assistance totalling approximately $27.688 billion from DoD stockpiles. It should be noted that the historic sums are helping a broad set of Ukrainian people and institutions, including refugees, law enforcement, and independent radio broadcasters, though most of the aid has been military-related. Its important to note that of the $175 billion total, only $106 billion directly aids the government of Ukraine. Most of the remainder is funding various US activities associated with the war in Ukraine, and a small portion supports other affected countries in the region, as per the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). The CFR report also highlighted that a large share of the money in the aid bills is spent in the US to pay American workers to produce weapons that are either shipped to Ukraine or that replenish the US weapons stocks the Pentagon has drawn on during the war. An analysis by the American Enterprise Institute found that Ukraine aid is funding defence manufacturing in more than 70 US cities. What Weapons And Equipment Has US Sent To Ukraine In the summer of 2023, the US agreed to allow its European allies to provide Ukraine with US-made F-16s. The first transfer of these fighters occurred in late Julymore than 60 have collectively been pledged to Ukraine by Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway. The Joe Biden government had provided or agreed to provide Ukraine with defense capabilities, including Abrams battle tanks, anti-aircraft missiles, artillery shells, cluster munitions, coastal defense ships, and advanced surveillance and radar systems. In early 2024, the Biden administration reportedly started supplying Ukraine with long-range precision missiles, known as ATACMS, that can strike targets nearly 322 km away. However, the US has restricted Ukraine from using these and other longer-range US weapons on Russia over concerns that that such strikes would be escalatory. In September, Biden said he would provide Ukraine with Joint Standoff Weapons, a long-range munition sometimes referred to as a glide bomb". How Much Is Europes Aid To Ukraine Against The US? The Kiel Institute highlighted that the US is, by some margin, the largest single donor to Ukraine. But Europe combined has spent more money than the US. It said between January 24, 2022 and the end of 2024, Europe as a whole spent $138.7 billion on Ukraine. In the same period, the US spent $119.7bn, according to their figures. The European figures include military, financial and humanitarian aid directly from the European Union. NATO secretary general Mark Rutte said in February 2025, as quoted by the BBC, In 2024, NATO Allies provided over 50 billion euros in security assistance to Ukraine nearly 60% of this coming from Europe and Canada." As per CFR, many European governments, especially the Scandinavian and East European countries, are making larger financial contributions to Ukraine relative to the size of their economies. Some of the major arms suppliers from Europe to Ukraine include Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Poland. Why Did The US Provide Aid To Ukraine? Most Western analysts say the military aid provided by the US and other allies played a pivotal role in Ukraines defence and counter-offensive against Russia. But some have also blamed the US and other donor countries for delays in critical arms supply to Ukraine, which has hampered its ability to fight against Russia. What Will Happen Once US Stops Aid To Ukraine? Once the last of the US-funded purchases of arms end, the main source of military assistance for Kyiv will be the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a collection of roughly 50 nations founded in April 2022 by former Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III. On February 6, the Pentagon said it was passing leadership of the group to Britain. The Pentagon referred questions about continuing support to Ukraine to the British ministry of defence, The New York Times reported. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CNN that he estimates that Ukraine would feel the impact of the pause in aid within two or three months. But he warned that the Trump administration could cancel intelligence sharing and training of Ukrainian forces in the coming days. Several officials said that Trump is seeking an acknowledgement from Zelenskyy potentially in the form of a public apology before closing a deal on Ukraines rare earth minerals. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 10:27 IST Why Has Trump Made English The Official Language Of US, What Will Change? Explained Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 09:57 IST The executive order rescinds a 2000 mandate from the Bill Clinton era that required agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers Donald Trump's executive order rescinds a 2000 mandate from the Bill Clinton that required agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers. (Photo: Reuters) Donald Trump has signed an executive order that will make English the official language of the United States. More than 30 states have already designated English as their official language. Establishing English as the official language will not only streamline communication but also reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society," according to the order signed by Trump on Saturday. Recommended Stories In welcoming new Americans, a policy of encouraging the learning and adoption of our national language will make the United States a shared home and empower new citizens to achieve the American dream. Speaking English not only opens doors economically but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society," the order stated. So, What Changes In The United States? The executive order did not require any changes to federal programmes and appeared to be largely symbolic. But the pronouncement looks like the biggest victory for the countrys English-only movement, which has long been tied to efforts to restrict bilingual education and immigration to the US. The executive order rescinds a 2000 mandate from the Bill Clinton that required agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers, but allows agencies to keep current policies and provide documents and services in other languages. This raises questions about language services, especially in states like New York, where there are over three 3 foreign-born residents who speak more than 200 languages. More than three-quarters of Americans speak only English at home, while 42 million are Spanish speakers and 3 million are Chinese speakers in the country. What Was The Reason Behind The Order? Trump has previously mentioned making English the nations language, including in 2024 when he campaigned against the Joe Biden administrations immigration policies. We have languages coming into our country. We dont have one instructor in our entire nation that can speak that language," Trump said while speaking before the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2024. These are languagesits the craziest thingthey have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. Its a very horrible thing." In 2015, Trump mocked his rival, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, for speaking Spanish while election campaigning. He should really set an example by speaking English in the United States," he said during the 2016 campaign trail. This is a country where we speak English, not Spanish," Trump asserted. Why English Was Not The Official Language Of The US? For nearly 250 years since its founding, the US has never had an official language. Scholars note that when the country was established, English was widely spoken and the framers of the Constitution saw no need to formalise it as the official language. More importantly, they wanted to avoid alienating citizens who spoke other languages, recognising the linguistic diversity that had existed even before the birth of the republic. Today, that diversity remains a defining feature of American society. According to the US Census Bureau, around 68 million people roughly one-fifth of the countrys 340 million population speak a language other than English at home. The US is home to more than 350 spoken languages, including over 160 Native American tongues. While English remains the dominant language, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic are among the most widely spoken languages in the country. What Has Been The Reaction To Trumps Order? Trumps intention to declare English as the official language of the US has received mixed reactions. This is HUGE," Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist, wrote on social media. In an era of mass immigration, asserting that the English language as the American language, is a message of national UNITY." Vanessa Cardenas, executive director of Americas Voice, an advocacy group for immigration reform, told Associated Press, This isnt just an offensive gesture that sticks a thumb in the eye of millions of US citizens who speak other languages, but also will directly harm those who have previously relied on language assistance for vital information." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Democratic Representative Adriano Espaillat, who will deliver the Spanish-language response to Trumps joint address to the US Congress on Tuesday, said the order could reduce the countrys global competitiveness. Of course, we would like to see the details of the executive action, but its mind-boggling if the intent is to suppress the ability of our young people to be proficient in other languages. I think that doesnt make us competitive as a country," Espaillat was quoted as saying by The Washington Post. Pablo Jose Hernandez Rivera, the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico and a non-voting member of the House, told The New York Times, The presidents order declaring English as the only official language of the United States reflects a vision of American identity that conflicts with our Puerto Rican identity. There will be no statehood without assimilation, and Puerto Ricans will never surrender our identity." About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 08:30 IST Why Malta Is Becoming Popular Among High-Net-Worth Indians For Citizenship | Explained Curated By : News18.com Edited By: News Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 14:33 IST Maltas Citizenship by Investment programme provides a legal route to acquire EU citizenship. It allows high-net-worth individuals gain citizenship by making a significant contribution to Maltas economy Maltas booming tourism sector and start-up ecosystem make it an ideal destination for business investments. (AP File Photo) Malta has become a popular travel destination for many over time. But reports suggest that Bollywood celebrities are seeking European residency and citizenship either for professional reasons or tax benefits. High-net-worth individuals and Bollywoods elite are increasingly considering Malta Citizenship by Investment as a golden opportunity. Recommended Stories Let us find out what Malta is famous for, what are citizenship programmes, and the perks the country offers to travellers. Why Has Malta Become A Popular Travel Destination? Malta is famous for its golden-hued, sea-flanked, and seriously storied capital city, Valletta. Founded in 1566 by the Knights of St. John, Valletta was always destined to be an impressive and culture-stacked Renaissance city. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, Valletta offers palatial complexes or 16th-century constructions. Two of Maltas three UNESCO World Heritage Site listings are focused on the prehistoric. The first, the Megalithic Temples of Malta, are a grouping of seven sacred complexes, Bronze Age structures, and almost unbelievable constructions. Malta boasts more than 300 days of sunshine annually and its climate makes it one of the best beach destinations in Europe. One of Maltas most famous filming locations is Popeye Village. Constructed as a film set for the 1980s musical motion picture, the original location has since expanded and become one of the islands most famed attractions. What Is Maltas Golden Citizenship Programme? Maltas Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, officially known as the Maltese Exceptional Investor Naturalization (MEIN) scheme, provides a legal route to acquire EU citizenship. The scheme allows high-net-worth individuals, including celebrities, gain citizenship by making a significant contribution to Maltas economy. The programme offers: Access to the European Union (EU): With Maltese citizenship, celebrities can live, work, or study anywhere in the EU. Fast-track processing: Citizenship can be obtained in as little as 12-36 months. No residency requirement: Unlike many other programmes, Malta does not require investors to live permanently in the country. Strong passport ranking: The Maltese passport provides visa-free access to over 180 countries. With a Maltese passport, celebrities can enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 180 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, and the entire European Schengen Zone. Real Estate, Business Benefits In Malta Under Maltas CBI programme, applicants must either make a government contribution or invest in real estate, which has proven to be a profitable option. Popular areas like Valletta, Sliema, and St. Julians house luxury properties, and many Bollywood stars seem to be keen to invest in these prime locations. Additionally, Maltas booming tourism sector and start-up ecosystem make it an ideal destination for business investments, allowing Indian investors to expand and diversify their wealth. Malta Offers Tax Benefits Malta offers a favourable tax system and other significant financial advantages, making it an even more attractive place to apply for citizenship. No wealth, inheritance, or gift tax: This is a major advantage for high-net-worth individuals. Attractive corporate tax structure: Those who own businesses or production houses, Malta offers competitive tax rates. No tax on foreign income: Income earned outside Malta is not taxable unless it is remitted to the country. Facts About Tourism In Malta With its strategic position in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is a travel hotspot. Travel and tourism contributed 2.6 billion euros to the gross domestic product of Malta. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The total contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Malta exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with industries generating nearly 56,000 jobs in the country in 2023, as per Statista. In 2023, the number of international tourists in Malta reached around 3 million. Most of the travellers were from the United Kingdom, Italy, France, and Germany. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 14:33 IST 44 Crore Indians May Be Obese By 2050, India Second After China In Facing Obesity Crisis: The Lancet Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 14:33 IST Last month, PM Modi in his radio show Mann ki Baat had highlighted the urgent need to combat rising obesity rates Globally, a substantial (121 per cent) rise in obesity among young people is projected, with the total number of children and adolescents with obesity predicted to reach 36 crore by 2050. (Pixabay) India had the highest number of overweight and obese individuals in the 15-24 age group in 2021, with 1.68 crore males and 1.3 crore females, surpassing China, a comprehensive global analysis on obesity by The Lancet reveals. The analysis found that the obesity epidemic is set to escalate, projecting that by 2050, 21.8 crore men and 23.1 crore women in India will be overweight or obese. Totalling 44.9 crore people, it predicts that nearly one-third of the countrys estimated population will be obese. Recommended Stories The report The Lancets Global Burden of Disease Study BMI Collaborators analyses that overall, 18 crore Indians were overweight or obese in 2021, making India the second-largest globally after China, where the figure stood at 40.2 crore. It says that by 2050, this number in India will increase by 150 per cent, reaching 45 crore. Globally, a substantial (121 per cent) rise in obesity among young people is projected, with the total number of children and adolescents with obesity predicted to reach 36 crore by 2050 (an additional 18.6 crore from 2021). ALSO READ | How Severe Is Obesity Crisis In India, How To Overcome It | Explained The study also highlights that India ranked second in the number of overweight and obese children and adolescents aged 5-14, with 1.3 crore males and 1.24 crore females. The unprecedented global epidemic of overweight and obesity is a profound tragedy and a monumental societal failure," said lead author Professor Emmanuela Gakidou from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, USA. Governments and the public health community can use our country-specific estimates on the stage, timing, and speed of current and forecasted transitions in weight to identify priority populations experiencing the greatest burdens of obesity who require immediate intervention and treatment, and those that remain predominantly overweight and should be primarily targeted with prevention strategies." Epidemic Of obesity The study used body mass index (BMI) for adults, which is widely used to track current global trends. For individuals older than 18, overweight was defined as having a BMI of 25 to less than 30 and obesity was defined as a BMI of 30 or higher. For individuals younger than 18 years, definitions were based on International Obesity Task Force criteria. Among those aged 25 and above, overweight and obese women in India (9.84 crore) outnumbered men (8.5 crore). The substantial increases in obesity forecast between 2022 and 2030 underscore the urgent need for action. The study points out that the increasing prevalence of obesity in low and middle-income countries combined with persistent childhood malnutrition and pervasive infectious diseases can severely impact healthcare systems with an added burden of disease. The analysis says that undernutrition during childhood also leads to accumulation of energy in fat tissues leading to obesity in adulthood. All these processes increase the risk of early onset of multiple lifestyle disorders such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and certain kinds of cancers. Findings In Sync With Union Govt Warnings The report is in sync with the Union governments concern over the increasing incidence of obesity in India. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his radio show Mann ki Baat highlighted the urgent need to combat rising obesity rates and nominated prominent individuals to champion the cause of reducing edible oil consumption. This call for collective action highlights the importance of tackling obesity at both individual and community levels, reinforcing the need for a fitter and healthier India. The government of India has launched several initiatives, including the Fit India Movement, POSHAN Abhiyaan, Eat Right India, and Khelo India, to promote healthier lifestyles, better nutrition, and physical activity. These programmes aim to encourage long-term behavioural change, ensuring a healthier future for all," according to a note by the Press Information Bureau. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Centres strategy involves a whole of government and whole-of-society approach to tackle obesity through policy reforms, community engagement, and regulatory measures. Strengthening public health systems, promoting sustainable food habits, and increasing awareness are key to reversing this trend and safeguarding future generations from obesity-related health risks," the note said. As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21), overall, 24 per cent Indian women and 23 per cent Indian men are overweight or obese. Indian survey, NFHS-5, (2019-2021) highlights that in the category of ages 15-49 years, 6.4 per cent of women and 4.0 per cent of men, are obese. There has also been an increase in the percentage of children under five years who are overweight from 2.1 per cent in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 3.4 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019-21) at all-India levels. About the Author Himani Chandna Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass... Read More Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 14:30 IST Abu Azmi Retracts Statement On Aurangzeb Amid Backlash: 'Want Matter To Be Rested' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 15:01 IST Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Azmi withdrew his statement on Aurangazeb amid massive backlash, stating that he wants the issue to be laid to rest. SP MLA Abu Azmi | File Image Aurangzeb Remarks Row: After stoking a massive controversy by calling Mughal ruler Aurangzeb a good administrator", Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Azmi withdrew his statement on Monday, stating that he wants the issue to be laid to rest. Azmi, SPs Maharashtra president, drew massive criticism after praising Aurangzeb. While commenting on historical portrayals in the Bollywood film Chhava, Azmi claimed that history distorted Aurangzebs legacy and that he was not a cruel ruler. Recommended Stories If my statement has hurt people, I take back my statement. I have never spoken badly against big people. It would be injustice to the Maharashtra people to stop the Assembly proceedings over this issue, I take back my statement, I want the matter to be rested," the SP legislator said. VIDEO | Maharashtra: Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi has taken back his statement of calling Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb a great administrator and has called for resumption of Assembly proceedings.Abu Azmi says, When I came out of the Assembly yesterday, the press asked me pic.twitter.com/6VJofHFFVl Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 4, 2025 Further clarifying his remark, Azmi said, When I came out of the Assembly yesterday, the press asked me about a statement of Assam CM comparing Rahul Gandhi to Aurangzeb. I dont know how he was, I only know what many historians said. Many historians have hailed him. There has been no ban on their books. I just repeated what they said." I could never imagine insulting words against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Dr BR Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Rajshri Shahuji Maharaj, but Prashant Koratkar, Rahul Solapurkar have spoken against, they have security, why this furore against my statement?" he added. The members of the ruling Mahayuti on Tuesday demanded the suspension of SP MLA Azmi from the Maharashtra assembly. The uproar over the issue led to the House being adjourned twice. Abu Azmis Remark On Aurangzeb SP MLA Azmi said that he doesnt view 17th-century Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb as a cruel, tyrannical, or intolerant ruler, drawing massive criticism from BJP leaders. Wrong things are being said about Aurangzeb. He constructed a lot of temples for Hindus. He even got one of his soldiers trampled by elephants when he wanted to marry a Hindu priests daughter. As a mark of their gratitude, they constructed a mosque for Muslims. History has been distorted," Abu Azmi said on Monday. Azmi further said that during Aurangzebs reign, Indias border reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar). Our GDP accounted for 24 per cent (of the world GDP)) and India was called a golden sparrow (during his regime)," he claimed. Reacting strongly to the statement, Shiv Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken this matter seriously, and demanded that Azmi should be tried for treason. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Police lodged a case against Azmi under several sections of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) over his remarks on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. The case has been filed at Wagle Estate Police Station under BNS sections 299, 302, 356(1), and 356(2) following the complaint from Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske, who also asserted that Abu Azmi has no right to stay in India." About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Location : Maharashtra, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 14:21 IST Allahabad High Court Terms Sambhal Mosque 'Disputed Structure', Hindu Side Says 'Even Babri Masjid Was...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 17:18 IST Sambhal Mosque Dispute: The Allahabad High Court said that 'disputed structure' will be written on the wall of the Sambhal Jama Masjid- as demanded by the Hindu side. Sambhal Mosque Dispute: Security personnel keep vigil at the Jama Masjid after the Allahabad High Court. The Allahabad High Court allowed the mention of disputed structure on the wall of Jama Masjid in Sambhal after the Muslim committee raised objections on the whitewashing of the mosque. The High Court said that disputed structure will be written on the wall of the Sambhal Jama Masjid- as demanded by the Hindu side. Advocate Hari Shankar Jain said, This is a legal process, when there is a case on a disputed structure, it cannot be called a mosque or anything else until the court gives a decision." Recommended Stories He added, Even the Ram Mandir- Babri Masjid was referred to as a disputed structure for 70 years till the case was going on." The matter will next be heard on March 10. What ASI Said During The Sambhal Jama Masjid Hearing? The ASI said that it was being pressured by the Muslim side regarding the painting of the mosque walls. During the hearing, the ASI team submitted a report on the cleanliness of the mosque, previously requested by the court. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all What Is The Dispute Over Sambhal Jama Masjid? The dispute arose on claims that the Shahi Jama Masjid was constructed after the demolition of the historic Harihar Temple, which many believe was located at the same site. A court-ordered survey of the mosque was done on November 24 last year. Location : Allahabad, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 17:18 IST Beed Sarpanch Murder: Maharashtra Minister Quits After Close Aide Named As Accused Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 11:38 IST Beed Sarpanch Murder Case: Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde resigned after one of his close aides was named as accused in the murder of a sarpanch in Beed. Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde | File Image Beed Sarpanch Murder Case: Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde on Tuesday resigned after one of his close aides was named as accused in connection with the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district in December. It comes after Munde, who held the portfolios of food and civil supplies, was asked to step down from his ministerial position by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after the formers aide Walmik Karad was arrested for his alleged role in the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village. Recommended Stories Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde has tendered his resignation today. I have accepted the resignation and sent it to the Governor for further course of action," said Fadnavis while confirming the development. #WATCH | Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde has tendered his resignation today. I have accepted the resignation and sent it to the Governor for further course of action." https://t.co/S8YYzZxr7D pic.twitter.com/DpxcIUWsrZ ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2025 Sources told CNN-News18 that Fadnavis instruction was followed by his meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday night, where the two Mahayuti leaders discussed the repercussions of the CIDs chargesheet in the Deshmukh murder case, along with two related cases in which Karad has been named as the mastermind. In view of Karads close ties with Munde, Fadnavis asked the Maharashtra minister and NCP leader to step down from the government post, they added. Deshmukh, 45, a three-time Sarpanch of Massajog village in the Parli tehsil, was kidnapped, tortured and murdered on December 9, 2024. He was reportedly resisting an extortion bid before the incident. The police have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against Karad and the other accused. Further, the State-CID has filed a 1,200-page chargesheet in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case and two related cases in a court in Beed. Dhananjay Mundes First Reaction Munde reiterated his stand in the row around the Beed Sarpanch murder case, stating that he demanded the strictest punishment for the accused since the first day. It has been my firm demand since day one that the accused in the brutal murder of the late Santosh Deshmukh of Massajog in Beed district should be given the strictest punishment. Seeing the photos that surfaced yesterday, I was deeply saddened," he said in an X post. Munde informed that his health has not been good for the past few days and the doctor has advised him to undergo treatment. Therefore, also for medical reasons, I have submitted my resignation from the cabinet to the Honble Chief Minister," he added. . , . . . , Dhananjay Munde (@dhananjay_munde) March 4, 2025 Dhananjay Munde, 49, is an MLA from Ajit Pawars NCP, representing the Parli seat in Beed. He is the nephew of the late BJP veteran Gopinath Munde and the cousin of Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde. Munde joined the NCP in 2013 and aligned himself with Ajit Pawar when the party split in 2023. He has previously served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council and as a state minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all First Published: March 04, 2025, 10:51 IST Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On March 3, Geely Auto's Galaxy brand officially put the all-new Galaxy E8 model onto the market, introducing four variants with prices ranging from 153,800 yuan to 202,800 yuan. For a limited time, early buyers can enjoy a discounted price range of 149,800 yuan to 198,800 yuan. Photo credit: Geely Galaxy The refreshed Galaxy E8 continues Geely's "Ripple Aesthetic" design philosophy, featuring a seamlessly illuminated front fascia. Its closed-off grille integrates a matrix-style lighting element, complemented by sharp, split-style headlights for a striking visual impact. The lower grille is finished in black, while slim, illuminated light strips on both sides of the front bumper enhance its futuristic appeal. A key highlight of the new vehicle is the inclusion of LiDAR device across all variants, paired with Geely's G-Pilot advanced intelligent driving system. This setup enables highway and elevated road NOA (Navigate on Autopilot), hands-free lane changes via stalk or voice commands, and automated parking assistance. Photo credit: Geely Galaxy The side profile is sleek, adopting a fastback-style silhouette with flush door handles, large multi-spoke wheels, and newly added red brake calipers, emphasizing its sporty character. At the rear, the elongated LED taillight bar features a prominent "GEELY" badge, while the layered rear bumper design adds depth and a distinctive identity. Photo credit: Geely Galaxy Inside, the all-new Galaxy E8 embraces a minimalist approach, highlighted by an ultra-wide 45-inch 8K "Boundless Smart Screen". The active display area measures 1,130mm x 138mm, powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8295 flagship chipset and an advanced infotainment system. The vehicle supports Meizu's Flyme OS, three-finger task transfer, address synchronization from phone to car, and two-way satellite communication. In terms of performance, the all-new Galaxy E8 is available in both rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations. The RWD version is built on a 400V architecture, delivering 250 kW of power and accelerating from 0-100 km/h in 5.49 seconds. It offers two range options: 575 km and 700 km, with fast charging from 30% to 80% of its battery capacity in just 8 minutes at a maximum 5.5C charging rate. The AWD variant, based on an 800V platform, produces 475 kW and achieves 0-100 km/h in 3.49 seconds, with a range of 620 km. BJPs Malka Komaraiah Wins Teachers' MLC Seat In Telangana Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 11:04 IST In a significant win, the BJP-backed candidate, Malka Komaraiah, secured the Medak-Nizsaamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar teachers' constituency seat in the Telodhana Legislative Council election. BJPs Malka Komaraiah Wins Teachers' MLC Seat in Telangana. (@MalkaKomaraiah) A candidate backed by BJP gained victory from a teachers constituency of Telangana Legislative Council and an independent candidate emerged victorious in another teachers seat. Malka Komaraiah, supported by BJP, bagged the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Teachers constituency and the independent candidate Sripal Reddy Pingili won the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Teachers constituency. Recommended Stories The counting of votes for the two Teachers constituencies and the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduates constituency was taken up on Monday. Polling for these three MLC seats was held on February 27 in a preferential voting system using ballot papers. While the results of the two Teachers constituencies were declared late on Monday, the counting for the Graduates constituency was still underway. Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar hailed Komaraiahs victory as historic and said that it shows teachers trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership. The vote counting is a time-consuming process as it involves the segregation of valid and invalid votes, followed by preferential counting. As many as 2,50,328 voters (over 70 per cent) exercised their franchise in the Graduates constituency election. 56 candidates were in the fray for the Graduates seat. The BJP fielded candidates for all three seats, while the ruling Congress contested only the Graduates constituency. The BRS stayed away from the election. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar and other BJP leaders campaigned extensively in the election. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, state Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud and other senior party leaders canvassed in support of their party candidate. Location : Telangana, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 11:04 IST BSF Guns Down Pak Intruder Along Punjab Border Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 07:22 IST The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday shot dead a Pakistani intruder along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab, the second such incident in the state in less than a week. BSF Guns Down Pak Intruder Along Punjab Border. (PRO, Punjab Frontier, BSF) The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday shot dead a Pakistani intruder along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab, the second such incident in the state in less than a week. The intruder surreptitiously" crossed the IB in the morning hours and started approaching towards the border fence taking advantage of undulating ground and wheat crops in the area near Kotrazda village in Amritsar district, as per a BSF spokesperson. Recommended Stories BSF personnel challenged the intruder but he did not stop and started running towards the border fence. Noticing his aggressive gesture, the troops on duty fired upon the advancing intruder in self-defence and neutralised him on the spot, the spokesperson said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In a similar incident, a Pakistani intruder was shot dead by the BSF on February 26 along the border at Pathankot in Punjab. The BSF is tasked to guard the 2,289-km India-Pakistan IB that runs across Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat along the western flank of the country. Location : Punjab, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 07:22 IST Calling Someone 'Miyan-Tiyan', 'Pakistani' In Poor Taste, But Not An Offence: Supreme Court Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 12:34 IST The observation was made by the Supreme Court while closing a case against a man accused of calling a government servant 'Pakistani'. The Supreme Court of India. (File Image/PTI) The Supreme Court ruled that calling someone Miyan-Tiyan or Pakistani may be in poor taste but it does not amount to an offence of hurting religious sentiments. The observation was made by a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma while closing a case against a man accused of calling a government servant Pakistani. The Supreme Court said, The appellant is accused of hurting the religious feelings of the informant by calling him Miyan-Tiyan and Pakistani. Undoubtedly, the statements made are in poor taste. However, it does not amount to hurting the religious sentiments of the informant." Recommended Stories The complaint was filed by an Urdu translator and an acting clerk in Jharkhand as per which when the person visited the accused to furnish information about a Right To Information (RTI) application, the latter abused him by referring to his religion and insulting him. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all There was no act on the accuseds part that could have provoked a breach of peace, the Supreme Court said. Evidently, there was no assault or use of force by the appellant to attract Section 353 IPC (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty)," it said. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 12:34 IST SP MLA Abu Azmi's Son Booked For Road Rage In Goa, Allegedly Brandished Gun During Scuffle Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 17:54 IST During the altercation, Farhan Azmi reportedly told the other group that he was carrying a licensed firearm, Calangute police said The incident took place on Monday night at around 11:12 pm at a supermarket in North Goa's Candolim. The Goa police on Tuesday filed a case against Maharashtra SP MLA Abu Azmis son, Abu Farhan Azmi, and others for causing a disturbance in a public place and disturbing the peace. Abu Farhan Azmi, a restaurateur and entrepreneur, is the husband of Bollywood actress Ayesha Takia. His father, Abu Azmi, is the president of the Samajwadi Partys Maharashtra unit. Recommended Stories The incident that led to the FIR took place on Monday night at around 11:12 pm at a supermarket in North Goas Candolim. A heated argument broke out between Farhan Azmi and locals over how his vehicle was being driven. During the altercation, Farhan Azmi reportedly told the other group that he was carrying a licensed firearm, Calangute police inspector Paresh Naik told the media. The fight led to people calling the police. When officers arrived at the scene, they were informed that two groups, including Farhan Azmis, had been involved in a scuffle over a minor issue. Both parties were brought to Calangute police station, where they were given the opportunity to file complaints, but both declined, according to the police statement. Abu Farhan Azmi produced a valid arms licence, issued by the appropriate authorities, along with a permit to carry it in Goa, the statement added. A case was registered against Abu Farhan Azmi, Zeon Fernandes, Joseph Fernandes, Sham, and others under section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. ALSO READ: Ayesha Takia REACTS After Goa Cops Book Farhan Azmi For Allegedly Creating Ruckus: It Was A Night Of Horror The development comes at a time when Farhan Azmis father, Abu Asim Azmi, is facing controversy over his comments praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. Abu Asims remarks about the 17th-century emperor have sparked widespread controversy. Abu Asim had claimed that during Aurangzebs reign, Indias territorial borders extended to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and the country was a global economic powerhouse. Our GDP accounted for 24 per cent (of the world GDP)) and India was called a golden sparrow (during his regime)," he had said. An FIR was filed on Monday against Abu Asim in neighbouring Thane, following a complaint by Lok Sabha member Naresh Mhaske, accusing him of attempting to hurt religious sentiments. On Tuesday, the Mumbai Police initiated an investigation into the case. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ: Amidst SP Leader Abu Azmis Claim, How History Suggests Aurangzeb Was A Tyrant | Explained (With inputs from PTI) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Panaji (Panjim, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 17:18 IST BMW Driver Goes 'Fast & Furious' On Mumbais Coastal Road, Crashes Into Barrier | Watch Curated By : Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:43 IST Mumbai BMW Crash: In the video, the car is seen traveling at high speed as it overtakes another vehicle. Mumbai BMW Crash: The impact caused significant damage to the BMW. A 24-year-old driver from Juhu crashed his speeding BMW into the side rails on Mumbais Coastal Road near Worli. The accident, caught on camera, was widely shared on social media. While there were no injuries, the Worli police filed a case against the driver, Rishabh Aneja. He faces charges under various sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 and the Motor Vehicles Act, including rash driving and endangering public safety. Recommended Stories In the video, the car is seen traveling at high speed as it overtakes another vehicle. ???????????????????????? | A high-speed BMW car crashed on Mumbais Coastal Road, with a live video of the incident surfacing. The Worli police have filed an FIR in the matter. Rishabh Aneja (24) was driving the car at the time of the accident, which occurred on March 2 at 11 am. Reports pic.twitter.com/ci23XsGJhB ???????? ???????????????? (@Rajmajiofficial) March 4, 2025 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The BMW then abruptly changes lanes and collides with the railing along a coastal road. The impact caused significant damage to the BMW. First Published: March 04, 2025, 18:28 IST Days After New Delhi Railway Station Stampede, DRM Sukhwinder Singh Replaced With Pushpesh Tripathi Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 20:00 IST The joining date for the 1995 batch officer, Pushpesh Tripathi, has not been announced so far. No posting has been given to Sukhwinder Singh. Speaking to News18, a railway ministry official said the replacement has nothing to do with the incident and the inquiry is underway New Delhi railway station stampede led to 18 deaths. (PTI File) Within 20 days of the stampede at the New Delhi railway station that killed 18, the railway ministry has transferred the Delhi Divisional Railway Manager (DRM). The stampede took place at the New Delhi Railway Station on the night of February 15. In an order issued on March 4, the railways replaced Sukhwinder Singh and posted Pushpesh Tripathi from the North Central Railway. Recommended Stories The joining date for the 1995 batch officer, Tripathi, has not been announced so far. Also, no posting has been given to Singh. Tripathi was posted in Prayagraj and is from the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers. Speaking to News18, a railway ministry official said the replacement has nothing to do with the incident and the inquiry is underway. The report on the incident is still pending. Singh was posted as Delhi DRM in July 2021. It has been close to two years. The officer posted before Singh (Dimpy Garg) was also replaced after serving the post for almost the equal time," the official said, demanding anonymity. However, the official did not deny the possibility of punishment to the officials, if the report finds them guilty. The DRM is the head of a Railway Division and is responsible for the overall operation and maintenance of that division. They report to the General Manager (GM) of their zone. On February 15, there was a sudden rush of passengers at the New Delhi railway station. Between 9.30 pm and 10 pm, a stampede took place that killed 18 people. A two-member high-level committee was formed by the Northern Railway to investigate the incident. The railways claimed that in a two-hour window, between 6 pm and 8 pm, 2,600 additional passengers had booked their ticket at New Delhi. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The rush was for the Maha Kumbh Mela, which concluded last month. It is being said that an announcement about a change in the departure platform of a special train to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh led to the movement of people that resulted in the deadly situation. After the Balasore train incident took place which claimed over 290 lives and injured more than 1,000 people in June 2022, a number of officials were moved, including the Kharagpur DRM. About the Author Nivedita Singh Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived... Read More Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 19:38 IST Delhi HC Grants Bail To AgustaWestland Chopper Scam Accused Christian Michel Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:44 IST The Supreme Court previously granted bail to the British national in a related CBI case on February 18. Christian Michel spent six years in custody in yhe Rs 3,600 crore Agusta Westland case. (PTI/File) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to alleged middleman Christian Michel James in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma granted the reprieve to James after the order on his bail plea was reserved on February 28. Recommended Stories Details of the order are awaited. The Supreme Court previously granted bail to the British national in a related CBI case on February 18. Probe agencies reported irregularities in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from Italian manufacturing company AgustaWestland. The EDs counsel opposed Michels plea, saying the British national did not meet the "twin tests" for grant of bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and was a flight risk. Michels lawyer sought the relief on grounds that he had already spent a substantial amount of time in custody. He earlier submitted while the anti-money laundering law has a maximum punishment of seven years, he spent over six years in jail. James was extradited from Dubai in December 2018 and was subsequently arrested by the CBI and the ED. He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case and the other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The CBI, in its chargesheet, claimed an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010, for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros. The ED chargesheet fileld against James in June 2016 alleged he received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. First Published: March 04, 2025, 18:44 IST Gujarati Man Poses As Pakistani To Sneak Into US, Here's What Happened Next Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 20:15 IST AC Patel from Gujarat obtained the passport of one Mohammad Najir Hussain from Pakistan in his bid to enter the US, but his ruse was discovered and he was deported back to India. The man was deported back to India after authorities saw through his ruse. (Reuters/Representative Image) A Gujarati man attempted to cross into the United States with a stolen Pakistani passport, but authorities saw through his deception, and he was deported back to India. AC Patel from Gujarat became Mohammad Najir Hussain of Pakistan in his bid to enter the US, as per his passport, for which he allegedly relied on human traffickers, according to a report by the Times of India. Recommended Stories It is important to mention that this brazen attempt to cross into the US came at a time when Donald Trumps administration had intensified its crackdown on illegal Indian immigrants. In the last month, more than 300 illegal immigrants have been deported, including 74 from Gujarat. Patel was caught at the US Airport and was promptly deported back to India, arriving at the Delhi Airport on February 12. His troubles widened further as he was arrested by Delhi Police soon after arrival. Authorities were stunned after discovering a Pakistani passport. After interrogation, Patel revealed that he paid an agent in Dubai to forge his Gujarati identity for a Pakistani one, just to secure a spot on a US flight. His actual passport had expired in 2016 and instead of renewing it, Patel had reportedly relied on human traffickers who provided him fraudulent documents and an illegal journey via Dubai. Human smugglers pick passports that are strong for getting a US visa or randomly assign some UAE citizens passport to sneak into the US," a source told ToI. Patel is facing multiple charges, including cheating by impersonation and misuse of passport. In a similar case last month, a Gujarati national was arrested for using fake credentials to obtain Portuguese citizenship, as per a local news outlet. Karan Jayanti Tandel was arrested after authorities at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) flagged inconsistencies in his visa application. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Karan had allegedly obtained an Indian passport under the false identity of Ramesh Tandel, listing a Mumbai address. It was later revealed later that he had applied for a Portuguese passport citing different details. The accused admitted to using forged documents, including an Aadhaar card and a driving licence, to obtain an Indian passport before applying for Portuguese citizenship. Authorities suspect that Tandels fraudulent activities were aimed at securing dual benefits from both nations. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 20:15 IST Indian Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Seek Help From MEA As Netherlands Suspends Licences Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 19:14 IST The engineers are worried that they will lose their current jobs, along with all the type-ratings they have earned after SOJT, essentially stripping them of their engineer status The Structural On the Job Training (SOJT) certification that these engineers obtained from an institution in Estonia was deemed as not matching up to the criteria of the regulator, despite the fact that many of them finished their SOJT nearly a decade ago. (AP File) Dozens of aircraft maintenance engineers from India are distraught as the Netherlands Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) suspended their licences overnight . The Structural On the Job Training (SOJT) certification that these engineers obtained from an institution in Estonia was deemed as not matching up to the criteria of the regulator, despite the fact that many of them finished their SOJT nearly a decade ago. Recommended Stories An Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) is a licensed personnel who certifies the airworthiness of aircraft. To become certified, they must undergo training and pass 16 to 18 modules, which takes years of effort to complete. As a result, candidates seeking certification often join institutions that provide these training certifications and then take a licence from any of the European countries accepting this certification. Many of these affected engineers completed their SOJT from Magnetic MRO in Estonia and are presently working in India, Dubai and various countries. The certification that cost several lakhs has now been reduced to nothing. Neither the ILT nor European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has responded to the plight of the engineers. The aircraft maintenance engineers have now approached the Indian government seeking its intervention to protect their rights. The engineers are worried that they will lose their current jobs, along with all the type-ratings they have earned after SOJT, essentially stripping them of their engineer status. ENGINEERSPEAK Biju (name changed) is one of the affected engineers who has been left distraught after his licence was suspended, this will mean he will be demoted in the job hierarchy and years of hard work will go to waste. In 2017, EASA introduced a relaxation, allowing candidates to complete the Structural On Job Training (SOJT) program, other than the one that issued their licence, provided the SOJT program is approved by the civil aviation authority of that country. The Netherlands authority permitted candidates to complete their SOJT at Magnetic MRO in Estonia," he said. Biju says that in 2013, EASA introduced a new law stating that even if one holds a basic licence, they must complete the type rating and on-the-job training (OJT) to be fully certified". ISSUE CREATED BY THE NETHERLANDS A relaxation was provided in 2017 and candidates who completed their SOJT based on this relaxation have been hit hard. The relaxation allowed candidates to undergo SOJT from countries other than licence-issuing authorities; this was intended to ease the licensing process. These engineers argue that despite receiving prior approval from the Netherlands for SOJT in Estonia, these licences have now been suspended, affecting most of the engineers who have toiled for years to be certified. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The problem arose in July 2024, when the Netherlands authority assessed ILT and found lapses in procedural training based on their performance and licensing criteria. The suspension primarily affected engineers from the 2018 batch onwards. However, this is the case only with the Netherlands. While there are 36 member states in the European Union, only a few including the Netherlands, France, Greece, Germany, and Belgium accept non-European applicants for AME licensing. Only the Netherlands has created this issue, while its not a problem with other nations who invited non-European candidates. One reason is the collaboration conflict between ILT and KIWA. As per EASA, a basic five years of AME experience is required for certification with more than 13-14 of technical experience. Despite imparting years of training and experience, writing 16 module exams through EASA, we are left uncertified and demoted from our positions, leaving us abandoned and in the middle of nowhere," said Pradeep (name changed), another affected engineer, told News18. About the Author Harish Upadhya Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi... Read More Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 19:04 IST Jaipur Nursing Officer Thrashed By Female Staff Over Indecent Proposals: Mere Ghar Par Chalo Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 13:59 IST The now-viral video shows female staff dragging a senior nursing officer from his cabin over alleged misconduct, while other female staffers forcibly push him out. Jaipur: Female staffers pushing out a senior nursing officer from his cabin over alleged indecent proposals. (Image: X/@ReporterSahab) A video of female staff dragging a senior nursing officer from his cabin at a state-run cancer institute and demanding that he confess to alleged misconduct has surfaced online. The officer, however, repeatedly denied the accusations. The undated clip, which has been widely shared on social media, has been drawing strong reactions from people. Female employees of the State Cancer Institute in Jaipur thrashed Senior Nursing Officer Mahesh Gupta thoroughly. The women allege that the nursing officer would ask female employees to meet him sometimes at a hotel and sometimes at a flat," reads the caption to the video, when translated from Hindi to English. Recommended Stories What does the video show? The video opens to show a female security personnel dragging Gupta by his collar out of his cabin while other staff members push him. As the video progresses, one woman can be heard saying, Har kisi se badtameezi karte ho [You misbehave with everyone]." Gupta, visibly distressed, pleads, Choro mujhe yaar [Leave me]." Despite his resistance, the female staffers forcibly push him out of the cabin. One woman suggests, Auto kar, thane le chal [Book an auto and take him to the police station]." Another woman claims that Gupta has crossed all limits, alleging that he has been making inappropriate advances toward multiple female employees. Towards the end of the video, the female security personnel asks others to record him and expose his alleged indecent proposals to women. The female staff says, agar iski bhook koi nahi mitata hai, to ye kehta hai room par chalo nahi to naukri se hata dega [If no one satisfies his hunger, he says, Come to the room, or else Ill fire you from the job.]" The female security personnel then slaps him, prompting Gupta to protest, saying, Dont raise your hand on me," and swearing on his children that he has done nothing wrong. While responding to the incident, one individual said, There should be CCTV with Audio in every office. It should always be functional. Everything needs to be recorded." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Police should take action," another added. A third commented, is this the way to complain? why did she not go directly to the police instead of displaying strength and dragging him?" About the Author Arfa Javaid Arfa Javaid, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, keeps her finger on the social media pulse, covering all things trending and viral. She also covers human interest stories. A Delhi University alumna, Arfa also hol... Read More Arfa Javaid, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, keeps her finger on the social media pulse, covering all things trending and viral. She also covers human interest stories. A Delhi University alumna, Arfa also hol... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 13:37 IST Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On February 28, Chinese automotive supplier Leadrive Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. ("LEADRIVE") announced the completion of its Series E funding round, led by CMG-SDIC Capital, with additional investment from Liuzhou 125 Industry Fund and Chongqing Liangjiang Fund. Photo credit: LEADRIVE The newly raised funds will primarily be used to accelerate the mass production of the company's next-generation power modules, power bricks, and electric control products, support the delivery of overseas customer projects, and further enhance its domestic presence and global expansion efforts. Zhai Jun, head of CMG-SDIC Capital's automotive investment team, emphasized the critical role of electric drive systems in shaping the power performance, energy efficiency, and functional safety of new energy vehicles (NEVs). He noted that LEADRIVE's integrated innovations in electric control systems and power modules provide a differentiated advantage, supporting leading domestic and international automakers in their transition to electrification. CMG-SDIC Capital highly recognizes LEADRIVE's innovation capabilities, R&D strength, and industry position, and following this investment, it plans to leverage its extensive ecosystem in NEVs and smart automotive technologies to jointly drive high-quality development in China's automotive industry. Since its founding seven years ago, LEADRIVE has been continuously pushing innovation in the NEV-related electric drive sector. The company has forged deep partnerships with major Chinese automakers, including SAIC-GM-Wuling, Chery, SERES, and Changan Automobile, securing mass-production orders for SiC and IGBT power modules across dozens of vehicle models. Beyond the automotive sector, LEADRIVE is also actively exploring electric aviation and other emerging applications, paving the way for diversified growth opportunities. Jaishankar Discusses India-UK Efforts On Extremism With His British Counterpart Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 21:15 IST Jaishankar arrived in London to begin his six-day visit to strengthen bilateral cooperation with the UK and Ireland. He is slated to hold wide-ranging talks with his counterparts. EAM S Jaishankar with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in London. (S Jaishankar/X) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who began his two-nation visit to the United Kingdom and Ireland on Tuesday, held talks with his British counterpart Yvette Cooper in London today. The two ministers discussed the flow of talent and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries as well as joint India-UK efforts to tackle human trafficking and extremism. Recommended Stories A good meeting with Home Secretary @YvetteCooperMP today in London. We discussed the flow of talent, people-to-people exchanges, and joint efforts in tackling trafficking and extremism," he said on X. A good meeting with Home Secretary @YvetteCooperMP today in London.We discussed the flow of talent, people to people exchanges, and joint efforts in tackling trafficking and extremism. pic.twitter.com/AQmo5w8iA0 Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 4, 2025 Jaishankar arrived in London to begin his six-day visit to strengthen bilateral cooperation with the UK and Ireland. India and the UK share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has strengthened across diverse areas including defence and security, trade and economy, health, education, people-to-people ties, as per a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. The EAM will also hold high-level talks with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, several other dignitaries, and members of the Indian community in Britain. Jaishankar and Lammy met in Rome last November, ahead of the Outreach session of the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting hosted by Italy. India-UK FTA On Agenda The focus of Jaishankars closed-door discussions in London will be around the recently re-launched India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, wider foreign policy and security issues amid the UKs attempt at taking a diplomatic lead on finding a lasting peace" in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. India has long worked towards establishing FTAs with the UK and the European Union. India is looking for greater access for its students and workers in the UK, social security agreement besides zero customs duty for several goods. ALSO READ: What Is Free Trade Agreement? How FTA With UK Will Benefit India, Whats At Stake? Explained In FY24, Indias merchandise exports to the UK were valued at $12.9 billion. According to GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava, the FTA is expected to have a limited impact on increasing these exports, as over half of Indian goods already enter the UK with low or no tariffs. The UKs average tariff on Indian imports is 4.2%. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all After the UK, Jaishankar will go to Ireland on Wednesday, where he is expected to meet his Irish counterpart Simon Harris and Indian community members. He will return to the UK on Friday to inaugurate a new Consulate General of India in Belfast, Northern Ireland, before making his way to Manchester to open another Indian Consulate in the northern England city on Saturday. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 21:15 IST Kerala Lottery Results LIVE: Sthree Sakthi SS-457 Winners For March 4, 2025 Soon; First Prize Rs 75 Lakh! Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 09:05 IST Kerala Lottery Result Guessing Numbers: Check the Live Updates and full list of winning numbers for Sthree Sakthi SS-457 lucky draw for Tuesday, March 4, 2025 here from 3 pm. Kerala Lottery Sthree Sakthi SS-457 Results: The first prize winner of Sthree Sakthi SS-457 will get Rs 75 lakh. (Image: Shutterstock) KERALA LOTTERY STHREE SAKTHI SS-457 RESULT ON TUESDAY, 4.3.2025, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department will release the Sthree Sakthi SS-457 Lottery results on Tuesday, March 4. The lottery draw in Thiruvananthapuram is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Gorky Bhavan, which is near the bakery junction. The winner of the first award would receive Rs 75 lakh. The runners-up and third-place finishers would receive Rs 10 lakh and Rs 5,000, respectively. To ensure fairness, the entire lottery procedure will be supervised by an unbiased panel of judges. Check the Live Updates and Full List of Winning Numbers here from 3 pm. KERALA LOTTERY STHREE SAKTHI SS-457 GUESSING NUMBERS Recommended Stories 1205 1250 1025 1052 1520 1502 2105 2150 2015 2051 2510 2501 0125 0152 0215 0251 0512 0521 5120 5102 5210 5201 5012 5021 KERALA LOTTERY RESULT: STHREE SAKTHI SS-457 PRIZE STRUCTURE 1st Prize: Rs 75 lakh 2nd Prize: Rs. 10 lakh 3rd Prize: Rs. 5,000 4th Prize: Rs. 2,000 5th Prize: Rs. 1,000 6th Prize: Rs. 500 7th Prize: Rs. 200 8th Prize: Rs. 100 Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000 FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR STHREE SAKTHI SS-457 LOTTERY WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 75 LAKH IS: Result at 3 pm WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 10 LAKH IS: To be announced WINNING NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE: To be announced WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE: To be announced WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 2,000 ARE: To be announced WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE: To be announced WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE: To be announced WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 200 ARE: To be announced WINNING NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE: To be announced HOW TO VERIFY KERALA STHREE SAKTHI SS-457 LOTTERY RESULTS? Participants can use these two techniques to confirm the winning numbers from the Sthree Sakthi SS-457 lottery results. They can go to the lottery office or go to www.keralalottery.info, the official website of the Kerala Lottery Department. HOW TO COLLECT YOUR PRIZE MONEY? People can verify the validity of their lottery ticket by comparing it to the winning numbers published in the Kerala Government Gazette. If the two numbers match, the individual is eligible for a reward. The Kerala lottery headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram is where winners must personally pick up their prize money within 30 days of the results being announced. For verification, the winning ticket needs to be presented with a legitimate identity. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY? A copy of the winning ticket with self-attestation on both sides. The signature of a Gazette official on passport-sized photos. A signed copy of the PAN card belonging to the participant. Fill out the online award money receipt form and submit it with a revenue stamp attached. Identity-proving documents, such as PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and ration cards. HOW TO DOWNLOAD A PDF WITH A FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS? Go to www.keralalotteries.info or keralalotteryresult.net, the official websites of the Kerala Lottery Department. Select the link to the Sthree Sakthi SS 457 Result. Each winning number should now be displayed in the result. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Visit the website to locate the download link. Choose the SS 457 lottery results in PDF format. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 09:00 IST Manipur Governor Chairs Security Meeting, Reviews Law And Order Situation Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 16:33 IST Chief Secretary PK Singh, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, DGP Rajiv Singh along with senior officials from the Army, Assam Rifles, BSF, Manipur Police and CRPF attended the meeting Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla. (File photo via X/@RajBhavManipur) Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla reviewed the law and order situation of the state on Tuesday, the Raj Bhavan said in a statement. Chief Secretary PK Singh, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, DGP Rajiv Singh along with senior officials from the Army, Assam Rifles, BSF, Manipur Police and CRPF attended the meeting, it said. Recommended Stories This was a follow-up meeting after the security situation of Manipur was reviewed at a meeting held in New Delhi recently, under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah," it added. Location : Imphal, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 16:33 IST Mumbai Heatwave Alert: IMD Warns Of Severe Summer, Below-Normal Snowfall In J&K Among Factors Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 08:07 IST IMD warns of extreme heat in India from March to May, with Mumbai facing unique challenges. Rising temperatures are linked to climate change. Public is advised to take precautions against heatstroke IMD advises limiting sun exposure, staying well-hydrated and wearing loose cotton clothing to mitigate the effects of the intense heat. (News18) The weather across India is highly unpredictable, with some regions experiencing rainfall while others are enduring extreme heat. This erratic weather pattern serves as a warning sign. Though recent rainfall in Delhi-NCR brought some relief, many areas are still grappling with soaring temperatures. Meteorologists are concerned about the potential effects in the upcoming months of May and June. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts above-average temperatures from March to May. Mumbai, in particular, is facing its own set of challenges. Recommended Stories The IMD has observed unusually high temperatures in Mumbai, even during the winter months. January was recorded as the third hottest month, with a heatwave expected in February. These temperature shifts are attributed to climate change and prevailing conditions. As a result, the IMD has urged people to prepare their air conditioners and coolers for the upcoming months, which are expected to be especially intense with the possibility of extreme heat. Rising Temperatures In Mumbai IMD Mumbai Director Sunil Kamble explained, Everyone has noticed a rise in temperature by one or two degrees due to climate change. These changing climatic conditions also impact our region. Mumbai is likely to see temperatures one or two degrees higher than usual this summer." Additionally, the lack of snowfall in the Jammu and Kashmir region has led to an absence of western winds, which normally help cool the area in winter. As a result, the minimum temperature in Mumbai has not dropped, leading to a rise in the mercury. Heatstroke Precautions top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The IMD is warning of severe heat in Mumbai this year and has issued a heatstroke advisory to the public. Health precautions, especially for senior citizens and children, are strongly recommended. The IMD advises limiting sun exposure, staying well-hydrated with water and fluids, and wearing loose cotton clothing to mitigate the effects of the intense heat. First Published: March 04, 2025, 08:07 IST News18 Evening Digest: Allahabad High Court Calls Sambhal Mosque A 'Disputed Structure' & Other Top Stories Published By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:24 IST We are also covering: India Vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 Semifinal Live Score; SP MLA Abu Azmi's Son Booked For Road Rage In Goa, among others Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal (PTI Image) In todays evening digest, News18 brings you the latest updates on the India vs Australia Champions Trophy, the Allahabad High Courts ruling on the Sambhal Mosque, and other top stories. Allahabad High Court Terms Sambhal Mosque Disputed Structure, Hindu Side Says Even Babri Masjid Was Recommended Stories The Allahabad High Court allowed the mention of disputed structure on the wall of Jama Masjid in Sambhal after the Muslim committee raised objections on the whitewashing of the mosque. The High Court said that disputed structure will be written on the wall of the Sambhal Jama Masjid- as demanded by the Hindu side. READ MORE India Vs Australia Champions Trophy 2025 Semifinal Live Score: All-Round IND Bowls AUS Out For 264 Mohammed Shami got India off to a good start by getting Cooper Connoly out for a 9-ball duck. Travis Head struggled a bit too but then smacked a 33-ball 39. He was making India relive some bad memories when Varun Chakaravarthy got him out on his second ball. READ LIVE UPDATES SP MLA Abu Azmis Son Booked For Road Rage In Goa, Allegedly Brandished Gun During Scuffle The Goa police on Tuesday filed a case against Maharashtra SP MLA Abu Azmis son, Abu Farhan Azmi, and others for causing a disturbance in a public place and disturbing the peace. READ MORE Indian-Origin Nurse Brutally Assaulted In Florida May Lose Eyesight Permanently: Report A 67-year-old Indian-origin nurse, who was brutally beaten by a patient in the Palms West Hospital in Florida, US, may end up permanently lose her eyesight due to the severity of her injuries. READ MORE Violent Brawl Breaks Out Between Guards, Families Of Oct 7 Victims In Israeli Parliament | Video A violent brawl broke out in Israels Knesset on Monday between bereaved families of the hostages and victims of the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023 and the guards of the Israeli Parliament, shortly before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus speech. READ MORE top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Aishwarya Rai And Abhishek Bachchan Attend Ashutosh Gowarikers Sons Wedding, Photos Go Viral Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan recently made a joint appearance at Ashutosh Gowarikers son Konark Gowariker and Niyati Kanakias wedding reception in Mumbai. Their pictures from the wedding reception have now surfaced on social media, and fans were delighted to see the couple together. READ MORE About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 18:24 IST PM Modi Inaugurates Wildlife Rescue And Rehabilitation Centre In Vantara During Gujarat Visit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:13 IST The prime ministers visit included heartwarming interactions with the centre's resident animals such as Asiatic Lion cubs, a rare Clouded Leopard cub, and a White Lion cub that was born at Vantara after its mothers rescue PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vantara Wildlife Rescue And Rehabilitation Centre In Jamnagar in the presence of the Ambani family. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Gujarats Vantara a sprawling wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation centre housing over 1.5 lakh rescued, endangered, and threatened animals from more than 2,000 species touring the facility and experiencing its comprehensive approach to wildlife care. At the state-of-the-art wildlife hospital, equipped with MRI, CT scan, and ICU facilities, PM Modi observed the advanced veterinary care provided, including specialised departments for wildlife anaesthesia, cardiology, nephrology, endoscopy, dentistry, and internal medicine. He also witnessed an Asiatic Lion undergoing an MRI and a leopard receiving life-saving surgery after a highway accident. Recommended Stories The prime ministers visit included heartwarming interactions with the centres resident animals. He played with and fed Asiatic Lion cubs, a rare Clouded Leopard cub, and a White Lion cub that was born at Vantara after its mothers rescue. He also learned about the centres Caracal breeding program, crucial for the preservation of this increasingly rare species. PM Modis journey through Vantara showcased the centres commitment to replicating natural habitats, evident in the spacious enclosures. He interacted with majestic creatures like Golden Tigers, Snow Leopards, and four Snow Tiger brothers rescued from a circus. He also shared moments with rescued chimpanzees, a playful Orangutan, and observed a submerged Hippopotamus and crocodiles apart from patting an Okapi, undertaking a walk among zebras, feeding a giraffe and a rhino calf that was orphaned as her mother died at the facility. He also saw a large python, a unique two-headed snake and a two-headed turtle. PM Shri @narendramodi inaugurates Vantara, the world's largest rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation center in Gujarat, highlighting India's dedication to wildlife protection, ecological balance, and sustainable development. pic.twitter.com/JZo90Bb0Ql BJP (@BJP4India) March 4, 2025 The prime ministers tour also included observing elephants enjoying hydrotherapy pools for arthritis and foot problems, a testament to Vantaras focus on animal welfare. He visited the elephant hospital, the worlds largest, and witnessed the release of rescued parrots. Nurturing & conserving our wildlife.PM @narendramodi inaugurated the wildlife rescue, rehabilitation & conservation centre in Vantara in Gujarat. Vantara provides a safe home to over 2,000 species & over 1.5 lakh rescued, endangered and threatened animals. Here are some https://t.co/2WGhE4dt0z Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) March 4, 2025 PM Modis visit concluded with interactions with the dedicated doctors, staff, and workers managing Vantara. His visit highlighted Vantaras crucial role in wildlife conservation, demonstrating Indias commitment to protecting its natural heritage. Randhir Jaiswal, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, wrote on X: Nurturing & conserving our wildlife. PM @narendramodi inaugurated the wildlife rescue, rehabilitation & conservation centre in Vantara in Gujarat. Vantara provides a safe home to over 2,000 species & over 1.5 lakh rescued, endangered and threatened animals. Here are some glimpses of PM Modis visit to Vantara." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Hon PM Narendra Modi Jis dedication towards wildlife conservation takes a monumental step with the inauguration of Anant Ambanis creation Vantara a sanctuary of animal care, rescue, and sustainability, setting new benchmarks in conservation and ecological balance! https://t.co/L71c6abDbJ Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) March 4, 2025 Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis posted on X: Hon PM Narendra Modi Jis dedication towards wildlife conservation takes a monumental step with the inauguration of Anant Ambanis creation Vantara a sanctuary of animal care, rescue, and sustainability, setting new benchmarks in conservation and ecological balance! " About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Jamnagar, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 10:55 IST PM Narendra Modi Commends Anant Ambani For Vantara, Calls It 'Safe Haven For Animals' Published By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 16:29 IST In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "Inaugurated Vantara, a unique wildlife conservation, rescue and rehabilitation initiative, which provides a safe haven for animals while promoting ecological sustainability and wildlife welfare. I commend Anant Ambani and his entire team for this very compassionate effort." PM Narendra Modi posted a picture from his Vantara visit. (X) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recently visited Anant Ambanis Vantara in Jamnagar, said an effort like Vantara was truly commendable". Modi inaugurated Vantaras Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre. In a post on X, the PM wrote: An effort like Vantara is truly commendable, a vibrant example of our centuries old ethos of protecting those we share our planet with. Here are some glimpses" Recommended Stories An effort like Vantara is truly commendable, a vibrant example of our centuries old ethos of protecting those we share our planet with. Here are some glimpses pic.twitter.com/eiq74CSiWx Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 4, 2025 In another post, he wrote, Inaugurated Vantara, a unique wildlife conservation, rescue and rehabilitation initiative, which provides a safe haven for animals while promoting ecological sustainability and wildlife welfare. I commend Anant Ambani and his entire team for this very compassionate effort." Inaugurated Vantara, a unique wildlife conservation, rescue and rehabilitation initiative, which provides a safe haven for animals while promoting ecological sustainability and wildlife welfare. I commend Anant Ambani and his entire team for this very compassionate effort. pic.twitter.com/NeNjy5LnkO Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 4, 2025 Vantara is an ambitious wildlife preservation project founded by Anant Ambani and supported by Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation. Situated within the Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, Vantara spans 3,000 acres and serves as a sanctuary for abused, injured and endangered animals. Vantara is a comprehensive rehabilitation centre dedicated to providing a natural and nurturing environment for its inhabitants. The Vantara initiative, the first of its kind in India, has been conceptualised and birthed under the leadership of Anant Ambani, Director on the boards of RIL and Reliance Foundation. Vantara has been awarded the Prani Mitra National Award, Indias highest honour in animal welfare by the Government of India, in the Corporate category. During the launch, Anant Ambani had spoken extensively about how his parents Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani, and mother Nita Ambani, founder and chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, had instilled and supported his belief of giving back to society. My father is one of the biggest wildlife buffs. For example, when we were young, I think till the age of 18, Ive not gone to any other family holiday, except Africa, Ranthambore and the jungles of Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Kaziranga. My father would only take us to jungle holidays. So I think they inspired me to do this. And to be honest, for domestic animals, there are many people who are doing a lot of good work across the country," Anant Ambani had said. My mother, mostly rescued Gauri, our first elephant. And my mother, as you know, is my biggest inspiration. I think Gauri is our favourite among the family. And my brothers son, Prithvi, his only vacation is Jamnagar. So whenever he gets up, my whole familys vacation point is Jamnagar. We dont go anywhere else," he added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In our Sanatan, every deity has an animal which is close to her or his heart. Every deity has a vahana. Vahana is that animal. And in our Rig Veda, Krishna says that all life is equal, be it a human or a bee, or an ant. Everything is equal. Here we take care [of animals] from frogs to mice to everything," he had said. Something that drives my cause is animal welfare. There are a lot of people working [for human welfare] but in animal welfare, there are few people working. I think I was the chosen one and I was fortunate enough to have Gods blessings that I could do seva of animals. For me, in todays life, you cant see God, but I see God within every animal. They say in our dharm that a cow has 64 crore devtas inside her. But for me, not only in a cow, I see God in every animal. Its my way of giving back to society." About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 16:19 IST Pune Woman Forced To Get Intimate With Cousin On Camera At Knifepoint, Raped, Robbed Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 08:40 IST Pune rape-robbery: Police said the 19-year-old survivor and her cousin were threatened with a sharp knife by the accused The accused also snatched the woman's gold pendant worth Rs 10,000. Pune rape-robbery: Two people have been arrested in Pune for forcing a 19-year-old woman to get intimate with her cousin on camera, raping and robbing her of her gold locket worth Rs 10,000, police said. According to an ANI report, a Pune court has remanded two accused to police custody until March 7. Recommended Stories Police said the accused, identified as Amol Pote (25) and Kishore Kale (29), allegedly raped and robbed a woman in Shirur taluka of Pune district on Saturday night. Police Inspector Mahadev Waghmode of Ranjangaon Police Station on Monday said the victim and her cousin were threatened with a sharp knife by the accused, who arrived on a scooter while they were talking at a secluded place. The accused forced the woman and her cousin to engage in a obscene act, recorded the act on video, and subsequently raped her. Before leaving, they took her gold locket worth Rs 10,000, Waghmode said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The victim and her cousin informed their family, who alerted the police. The police registered an FIR and arrested the accused within a few hours in the early hours of Sunday. The mobile phone and locket were recovered, and the accused were charged with gang rape and robbery," Waghmode added. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Pune (Poona) [Poona], India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 08:39 IST Station Master Dies As Car Rolls Down 30-Feet Drain In Greater Noida Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 10, 2025, 13:21 IST Locals report frequent accidents due to the road ending in an open drain. Authorities allegedly took no precautions. They installed barricades only after the police arrived The authorities, with the assistance of a crane, later retrieved the car from the drain. (Local18) In a horrific accident in Greater Noida, a station master died when he drove his car down a 30-feet-deep drain near P-4 sector. According to reports, the police, upon arriving at the scene, extracted the station master from the drain. He was immediately transported to the hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries. The authorities, with the assistance of a crane, later retrieved the car from the drain. Recommended Stories The deceased, Bharat Bhati, was a resident of Mandawali, Delhi, and was stationed at Manesar. According to his brother, Dilip Bhati, Bharat had called to say he was going to a wedding in Girdharpur, Greater Noida, but was having trouble with the directions. He had entered the location into a navigation app and was following the route guidance. At the time of the incident, a delivery agent Saurav, who was present at the scene, reported that the accident occurred near the P-4 sector close to Kendriya Vihar 2 Society. He stated that he was standing nearby at approximately 2.30 pm when a car suddenly approached and drove directly into the drain. Google Maps shows a straight path here, whereas vehicles coming from the opposite direction have to make a U-turn. Because of this, oncoming vehicles cannot see what is ahead, and accidents happen here every day. If barricades had been erected, this accident could have been avoided. Previously, a motorcyclist also fell into the drain," Saurav said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Bharat Bhatis brother, Dilip Bhati, has blamed the authorities for the death. He said, We are in trouble right now, but later we will demand action against the authority. Because there is no signboard here. Also, no barricading has been done." Local residents report heightened danger in the area, citing daily accidents. The road, abruptly terminating, leads directly into an open drain. Authorities had allegedly made no prior safety provisions. The police arrived at the scene after the accident. Subsequently, they have erected barricades around the place. Location : Greater Noida, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 13:07 IST Ranveer Singh Ventures Into Spirits, Teams Up with ABD To Launch ABD Maestro Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:27 IST Ranveer Singh has joined ABD Maestro as a creative and business partner The new brand will house super-premium and luxury brands. On the work front, the actor was last seen in Singham Again. Allied Blenders and Distillers Ltd. (ABD) embarks on a new chapter in its premiumization journey with the formation of its subsidiary ABD Maestro Pvt. Ltd. (ABD Maestro), a strategic business venture in collaboration with actor Ranveer Singh, aimed at redefining Indias super-premium and luxury spirits markets. Bikram Basu, who has been the driving force behind launching and building several market-leading and defining brands in the country, will be the Managing Director of ABD Maestro. The portfolio showcases a distinguished selection of premium spirits. The portfolio will have a mix of owned, licensed and distributed brands, enabling a business construct which can toggle to achieve multi-layered objectives. Recommended Stories Arthaus Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a curated blend of the best single malts from Highlands and Speyside and contrasts with Woodburns Indian Malt Whisky to work an interesting route to consumers. Zoya Special Batch Gin and the recently acquired Pumori Small Batch Gin will lead the flavour, and the global Russian Standard Vodka will build the white spirits and cocktail strategy. Segredo Aldeia, Goas unique cafe and white rum, will deepen consumer engagement through a refreshed approach. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Talking about this new venture, Ranveer Singh said, The Spirits industry is ripe for disruption, and thats exactly what were here to do. With ABD Maestro, we are not just creating premium drinks we are bottling imagination, adventure, and the essence of contemporary India. Every bottle will narrate a story, every sip an experience. This is about creating a culture of celebration that speaks to the young Indian and also travels globally." Alok Gupta, Managing Director, ABD, said, This unique business venture marks a new era, something truly different and iconic. At ABD, we believe in crafting new stories, and ABD Maestro is a major initiative to lead us to the journey for premiumization, growth and higher margin business. Ranveer Singh is a Bollywood icon and a powerhouse in himself who embodies a spirit that is bold and vibrant and is constantly pushing boundaries with his entrepreneurial acumen. With Bikram Basu helming the ABD Maestro business, we are here to set trends." About the Author Lifestyle Desk Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi... Read More Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi... Read More fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 18:27 IST 59-Year-Old Fashion Influencer, Gina Drewalowski, Shares Tips For Toned Legs Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 14:40 IST Fashion influencer Gina Drewalowski is challenging ageism and redefining beauty standards, revealing the secret to her toned legs. The influencer revealed that regular exercise, self-care, and lifestyle choices are key to toned legs. Fashion influencer Gina Drewalowski is reshaping conventional beauty standards at the age of 59, bravely challenging ageism with each Instagram post she shares. In one of her recent posts, the German influencer opened up about the secret behind her toned, sculpted legs. Gina credits her impressive physique to a well-rounded combination of regular exercise, diligent self-care, and mindful lifestyle choices. She revealed the importance of consistency in her routine and also shared valuable tips with her followers, motivating them to adopt her holistic approach to achieving strong, toned legs and boosting overall well-being. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gina Drewalowski (@ginadrewalowski) Recommended Stories In the recent video, Gina Drewalowski proudly showcased her energetic and lively lifestyle, confidently strolling through the city and defying the typical stereotypes for women in their late 50s. The post, titled I am 59 and these are my legs," highlighted Ginas youthful vibrancy, reflecting a zest for life that matches the energy of someone much younger. Along with this joyful display, Gina opened up about how she maintains her toned and smooth legs. In her caption, Gina explained that the beauty of her legs wasnt just a result of good genes but rather a consistent routine of care and attention. She shared that her legs appearance is the product of the thoughtful self-care practices shes developed over the years. Encouraging her followers, she emphasized that everyoneno matter their agedeserves to give their legs the same level of care they give the rest of their body. She advocated investing in proper self-care routines to maintain beautiful, healthy legs at any stage in life. She also provided five key tips for maintaining legs as flawless as hers: Hydration: Gina emphasised the importance of moisturising her legs daily, recommending rich body creams with hyaluronic acid or shea butter for soft and smooth skin. Exfoliation: She advised exfoliating 1-2 times a week with gentle scrubs to boost circulation and give the skin a glowing look. Sun Protection: Gina stressed the importance of applying SPF on her legs to prevent discolouration and maintain youthful skin. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Movement: She shared that daily walks and light exercises help keep her legs toned and improve circulation. Style Tip: Gina recommended wearing a midi dress with a side slit or tailored shorts with strappy sandals to elegantly highlight the legs. About the Author Nishad Thaivalappil Nishad Thaivalappil is a Lifestyle and Entertainment Journalist with almost a decade-long odyssey in the realms of movies, music, culture, food, and travel. He leads the Lifestyle desk at News18.com. Besides ha... Read More Nishad Thaivalappil is a Lifestyle and Entertainment Journalist with almost a decade-long odyssey in the realms of movies, music, culture, food, and travel. He leads the Lifestyle desk at News18.com. Besides ha... Read More fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 14:40 IST Shilpa Shetty Channels Her Inner Apsara In A Pristine White Floral Saree At An Award Show In Mumbai Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 12:48 IST Shilpa Shetty recently attended an award show in Mumbai. For her appearance, she opted for a sheer white floral saree. Shilpa Shetty paired the white saree with a halter neck blouse. While Shilpa Shetty is known for creating major fashion moments with her trendy gowns, no one can pull off a saree moment on the red carpet like her. The actor recently attended an award show in Mumbai. For her appearance at the star-studded affair, Shilpa opted for a classic white saree adorned with floral motifs. The actor looked like an ethereal vision in a white saree that she had paired with a matching blouse. She walked on the red carpet with grace in her steps. At the HT Indias Most Stylish Awards 2025 in Mumbai last night, Shilpa Shetty also walked down the ramp with confidence and elan. She took to her social media to share pictures of her look from the evening. Recommended Stories Take a closer look at Shilpas stunning outfit here. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all For the award show, Shilpa opted for a sheer white saree. The saree was adorned with white floral motifs all over the length of the saree. The actor draped the saree neatly and let the pallu fall gracefully from her shoulders. The pallu showed the beautiful floral design in its full glory. She paired the saree with a matching white blouse. The blouse came with a halter neckline and a backless detail. She opted for a pair of white open toe heels to complement her saree. She added a layered pearl necklace to her look and gave her overall OOTD a classic and royal touch. Apart from the necklace, Shilpa ditched the other accessories and only opted for a pair of earrings. Coming to the glam, she kept it simple and stylish. She went with a flawless base and added a soft brown shade to her eyelids. She added drama by adding mascara to her eyelashes and eyeliner. She added just a hint of blush to add some colour to her face. She added a matte mauve shade to her lips and finished her look by leaving her sleek, straight hair open. fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 12:48 IST Aishwarya Rai And Abhishek Bachchan Attend Ashutosh Gowarikers Sons Wedding, Photos Go Viral Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 16:36 IST Fans were delighted to see pictures of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan together at Ashutosh Gowarikers son Konark Gowarikers wedding. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan at Ashutosh Gowariker's son's wedding Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan recently made a joint appearance at Ashutosh Gowarikers son Konark Gowariker and Niyati Kanakias wedding reception in Mumbai. Their pictures from the wedding reception have now surfaced on social media, and fans were delighted to see the couple together. They met ISKCONs Harinam Das at the venue, and were seen happily greeting and interacting with him. The photos show Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan meeting ISKCONs Harinam Das at Konark Gowariker and Niyati Kanakias wedding reception. Abhishek was seen warmly greeting him with folded hands, while Aishwarya, who stood next to her hubby, was also seen happily interacting. The couple was all smiles in the photos that have been shared by Harinam Das. Aishwarya and Abhishek twinned in elegant ivory outfits that exuded sophistication and grace. Aishwarya looked stunning in an ivory ethnic suit with golden embroidery, and carried a matching potli bag. She left her hair open, and opted for bold red lips. Meanwhile, Abhishek Bachchan donned an ivory bandhgala set for the event. Recommended Stories Meanwhile other pictures that have surfaced on social media show Aishwarya and Abhishek interacting with filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker. In another group photo, Aishwarya and Abhishek are seen posing with the newlyweds Konark Gowariker and Niyati Kanakia. The picture also features Pooja Hegde, and others. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aishwarya Rai Team (@aishwarya_raifan) One of Aishwarya Rais fan clubs posted the photos, and wrote, After what felt like forever, we finally get a glimpse of our queen! @aishwaryaraibachchan_arb was spotted at Gowariker Wedding Reception with Abhishek, and her timeless charm reminds us why we fell in love with her in the first place." Another fan commented on the post and wrote, Finally after long time," while another one commented, Oh mine, I missed her." The divorce rumours surrounding Aishwarya and Abhishek have been making rounds for months, sparking concern among fans of the power couple. However, the couple has made several appearances together, thus quashing the rumours. In December, they were spotted together at a star-studded wedding reception. They also reunited to celebrate their daughter Aaradhyas birthday. Meanwhile, during Aaradhyas performance at her schools annual day, proud parents Abhishek and Aishwarya were seen happily cheering for their daughter. First Published: March 04, 2025, 15:26 IST Ayesha Takia REACTS After Goa Cops Book Farhan Azmi For Allegedly Creating Ruckus: It Was A Night Of Horror Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 17:23 IST The Goa Police booked Farhan Azmi and two Goa residents for allegedly creating a ruckus in Goas Candolim area over rash driving on Monday. Ayesha Takia has now responded to the incident. Ayesha Takia Breaks Silence After Goa Cops Book Farhan Azmi For Allegedly Creating Ruckus Wanted actress Ayesha Takias husband Farhan Azmi has been booked by the Goa police for allegedly creating a ruckus in north Goas Candolim area over rash driving on Monday evening. Ayesha Takia has now broken her silence over this incident involving her husband, and claimed that Farhan and their son were brutally bullied by a group of Goa locals. She said that they were tormented for hours, and the locals repeatedly cursed them for being from Maharashtra and having a big car. She further shared that Farhan was the one who called the police for help, but the police ended up filing a complaint against him instead. As per a report in Hindustan Times, Goa cops booked businessman Farhan Azmi, and two Goa residents on Monday evening. They were booked after Farhan, who was driving a luxury SUV, was stopped by some locals in the Candolim area who accused him of driving rashly. Farhan called the police, and reportedly told the locals to back off, warning that he had a licensed firearm for protection. Now, in her Instagram stories, Ayesha Takia reacted to this matter, and wrote, It was a night of horror for our family up until this morning Just saw this post and need to share. I will share more in due time My husband and son were brutally bullied and scared for their life as local goan goons mobbed, threatened and tormented them for hours They even badly roughed up the police who were called by my husband to protect our son and him." Recommended Stories She further added, The hatred for Maharashtra has reached unbelievable heights in goaas they repeatedly cursed Farhan and my son for being from Maharashtra and having a big car. The police in turn, have filed a complaint against Farhan when he was the one in fact who dialed 100 for help against the large crowd of almost 150 people." In another story, she said that they have video evidence, including CCTV footage, which they will share with the authorities. We have video proof and evidence, including cctv footage, which will be shared with competent authorities in due course of time. We are cooperating with the law enforcement agencies, and we believe in justice of the system and our Indian courts," she wrote. North Goa Superintendent of Police Akshat Kaushal told Hindustan Times that when the police arrived, the locals refused to allow them to take the driver to the police station. Finally, both parties involved in the altercation were brought to Calangute police station. They were given the opportunity to file complaints but both parties refused to do so," he said. He added that since the individuals involved were fighting in a public place, and were disturbing public peace, a state-initiated complaint was filed by police sub inspector Paresh Sinari of Calangute Police Station. Farhan Azmi is a businessman and the son of politician Abu Azmi. Ayesha tied the knot with Farhan in 2009, and they welcomed their son Mikhail in 2013. First Published: March 04, 2025, 17:19 IST Elnaaz Norouzi Claims Bollywood Prioritises Connections Over Talent, Calls Hollywood More 'Fair' Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 16:23 IST Sacred Games star Elnaaz Norouzi said that in Hollywood, a good audition is enough for an actor to be recognised but she doesn't always feel that same fairness in India. Elnaaz Norouzi is set to appear in her second Hollywood project, Hotel Tehran. (Photo Credits: Instagram) Elnaaz Norouzi, who rose to fame with her role in Sacred Games, is preparing for her first leading role in the Hollywood film Hotel Tehran, alongside Zachary Levi and Liam Neeson. While she got her start in Bollywood, the actress feels that the Indian film industry is not always very accepting of outsiders." Comparing her experience in Hollywood, she said that in the West, a good audition is enough for an actor to be recognised and the process feels fair, but she doesnt always have the same experience in India. According to her, casting decisions arent always based on talent or auditions in Bollywood. In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Elnaaz said, Here you have an industry thats not always very accepting of outsiders. Getting into that is another challenge and so is learning the language and dance. Hindi is my sixth or seventh language and I started acting in a language that was not my first. So that was my biggest challenge and still is. Over there, when you give a good audition, they see you as a great actor. It doesnt work like that here, and people dont select you based only on auditions. There you have this thing that its fair, you give the audition and whoever fits the role right, they will be chosen." Recommended Stories Elnaaz Norouzi feels that in Bollywood, the focus isnt always on the actors talent or their audition. Instead, there are other things that influence casting decisions. She pointed out that in Hollywood, actors have a better chance if they perform well in an audition and good performances matter more. She claimed that newcomers from outside Bollywood arent welcomed with open arms. Priyanka Chopra has been a big inspiration for Elnaaz to enter Hollywood. She recently met the actress at her brothers wedding and admired Priyanka for her courage for succeeding in both Bollywood and Hollywood. She believes that the Quantico star is handling her career and personal life very well. Elnaaz Norouzi will be seen in her second Hollywood film, Hotel Tehran, after making her debut in Kandahar alongside Gerard Butler in 2023. As of now, not much is known about the project and the movie is set to release in 2026. About the Author Kashvi Raj Singh Kashvi Raj Singh is a News Trainee at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in lon... Read More Kashvi Raj Singh is a News Trainee at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in lon... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 16:23 IST Kanye West's Wife Bianca Censori Goes Fully Naked Again After Grammys Controversy; Fans Shocked Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 22:37 IST While Bianca Censori has never shied away from bold fashion, she has become even more daring in recent months. Kanye West and Bianca Censori. Bianca Censori isnt letting Kanye Wests ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, steal the spotlight without making her own mark. The model-turned-actress returned to social media on Monday, March 4, nearly two weeks after teasing a preview of her debut film. This time, she posted another barely-safe-for-work snapshot, wearing nothing but high heels. The photo appears to be from the same shoot as her previous one, where she lay naked in the dark to promote her first feature film shot in Japan directed by Vanessa Beecroft, produced by [Kanye West]," as West described it. Recommended Stories In the latest image, Censori sits in a well-lit room with sheer white curtains covering full-length windows behind her. She positions her leg at an angle, using her upper arm and thigh to maintain modesty while adjusting her heel. Her blonde hair obscures her face, but the Polaroid-style image and aesthetic align with her husbands signature visuals. Fans flooded the comments with admiration. Are we in heaven?" one wrote. Another called her a DIVA." However, some were shocked to see her posing nude again, especially after the backlash from her Grammys red carpet appearance. While Censori has never shied away from bold fashion, she has become even more daring in recent months. Her nearly nude look at the 2025 Grammys drew widespread controversy, yet she continues to embrace her risque aesthetic. Meanwhile, rumors of trouble in her marriage to Kanye West have been circulating. Reports claimed the couple was headed for divorce just days after her Grammys appearance. However, their longtime rep has shut down the speculation. Ye and Bianca are in Los Angeles, about to enjoy Valentines Day together. Announcements about their private life will come from them directly, not unsourced rumour in the tabloid press," their rep, Milo Yiannopoulos, told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday. He further dismissed the claims, adding, Is this the fifth or the sixth time the press has wrongly reported that Ye and Bianca are separating? Ive lost track." For now, it seems Censori and West are very much togetherdespite the internet frenzy surrounding them. About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Location : Los Angeles, United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 22:37 IST Sanam Teri Kasam 2: Mawra Hocane Confirms Producers Offer For Sequel With Harshvardhan Rane Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2025, 16:31 IST Sanam Teri Kasam has made a grand comeback to theaters, rekindling the love of fans nine years after its original release. With its renewed success, producer Deepak Mukut has confirmed that a sequel is in the works for 2026. Sanam Teri Kasam 2 is officially happening! Producer Deepak Mukut confirms the sequels 2026 release, with Harshvardhan Rane returning. Mawra Hocane reveals she has been approached but is yet to decide. The beloved romantic drama Sanam Teri Kasam, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane, has made a remarkable comeback to theaters, nine years after its initial release. Despite competition from newer films, the movie once again managed to captivate audiences. Riding on this renewed success, producer Deepak Mukut has officially confirmed that a sequel is in the works, slated for release in 2026. While Harshvardhan Rane is confirmed to return, Mawra Hocanes participation remains uncertain. However, the actress has now revealed that she has been approached for the sequel. In a conversation with Mid-Day, Mawra shared her thoughts on Sanam Teri Kasam 2, stating, The producer reached out to me for the second part. Ive not read the script yet; its in my inbox." While she expressed uncertainty about her involvement, she wished the team success, regardless of her participation. Recommended Stories Previously, in an interview with Connect Cine, Mawra had shown enthusiasm for the sequel and mentioned her willingness to reprise her role. However, she also emphasized that she would be happy even if another actress stepped into the role, highlighting her gratitude for the films enduring success. She credited producer Deepak Mukut for the films growing popularity and acknowledged his dedication to the project. Wishing him and the team the best, she expressed hope that the sequel would exceed expectations, whether or not she is a part of it. Meanwhile, filmmakers Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru revealed in a conversation with India Forums that Sanam Teri Kasam was always envisioned as a two-part story. They explained that the emotional climax of the first filmwhere Inder walks toward the tree as Sarus voice echoeswas deliberately crafted to hint at what was to come. With the script now finalized and most songs completed, the overwhelming response to the films theatrical re-release on Valentines Day has further reinforced their commitment to bringing Sanam Teri Kasam 2 to audiences by Valentines Day 2026. As anticipation grows, fans are eager to see if Mawra Hocane will reunite with Harshvardhan Rane for another heartfelt journey. With the sequel officially announced and promises of another emotionally charged story, Sanam Teri Kasam 2 is set to reignite the magic of its predecessor. About the Author Yatamanyu Narain Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he's breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, hes always on the hun... Read More Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he's breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, hes always on the hun... Read More First Published: March 03, 2025, 16:31 IST Dharma Files | Colonialism and Karma: Analysing Grooming Gang Scandal in Britain Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 02, 2025, 18:17 IST Although Muslims constitute only 6.7 per cent of the total population of Britain, they are able to influence the electoral outcome out of all proportion to their numbers British PM Keir Starmer. (Reuters) The United Kingdom is in the midst of a major scandal around grooming gangs mainly involving Pakistani men. The charge is that groups of men, mostly hailing from Pakistan, have been targeting vulnerable British girls between the ages of 10-18. They do so by luring them into a circle of acquaintances with gifts and attention, which ultimately ends in their sexual exploitation. The scandal apparently broke after Elon Musk highlighted it on Twitter (X). This led to demands for a public inquiry into the matter but the resolution demanding such an inquiry was defeated in parliament, when the government decided to vote against it. Recommended Stories Why would a government not support a move to conduct an inquiry into such a serious matter which has clearly gained much popular media attention, and which obviously concerns the wellbeing of Britishers. The government claims to have voted against the resolution because it considered it Islamophobic. Critics pointed out, however, that the real reason why the government opposed the motion was that the Labour party depends, for its electoral success, on the Muslim votes. It was claimed that in almost 130 constituencies which elect members to the British parliament, the Muslims constitute a swing vote. In this way, although the Muslims constitute only 6.7 per cent of the total population of Britain, they are able to influence the electoral outcome out of all proportion to their numbers. The Labour government was afraid of alienating this swing constituency. The point to note here is the significance of the swing vote, which allows a group of people to exert political influence well beyond their numbers because the way they act decides the outcome of a political contest. Let us now go back in history, by about 300 years, when the foundation of British rule was being laid in India. The East India Company consisted of a handful of traders. Then how could it acquire the territory of India? They acquired it by being the swing vote. This is how it happened. The Mughal Empire went into rapid decline after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. With the break-up of the Mughal Empire, the country became dotted with different kingdoms vying for supremacy. The European trading companies, of which the East India Company was one, started using armed guards to secure their goods in this state of anarchy. As Europe marched ahead of the world in military technique and organisation, the security guards became members of a militia which was superior in training and skill to the many native armies at the disposal of the various kingdoms which were contending for supremacy. Many of these were Muslim kingdoms. At this point the Europeans got the bright idea they could secure better terms of trade from a particular kingdom if they offered to support it with their militia against its rivals. In this way, although the East India Company was only a trading company, it became, with its better equipped and trained troops, the swing factor in deciding the political fate of the native rulers. Gradually with the passage of time, the Company was able to dominate and replace the forces of the native rulers and began acquiring territories itself. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Karma is a bitch. The author, formerly of the IAS, is the Birks Professor of Comparative Religion at McGill University in Montreal Canada, where he has taught for over thirty years. He has also taught in Australia and the United States and at Nalanda University in India. He has published extensively in the fields of Indian religions and world religions. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: March 02, 2025, 18:17 IST Opinion | Did Zelenskyy Engineer A Deliberate Disaster? Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2025, 13:10 IST With Europe even half-heartedly agreeing to continue Ukraines weapons supplies, only Trumps Lakshman Rekha can actually end the war. The face-off between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House caught the attention of the world leaders. (AFP Photo) Volodymyr Zelenskyys powwow with Sir Keir Starmer in London the day after his Washington DC debacle and meeting King Charles III (whose blue blood apparently has traction with Trump) all indicate he has belatedly realised the fallout of his off-script spat. The hurriedly convened meet of European leaders in London on Sunday underscores Zelenskyys mistake: they did not expect him to do what he did and are now scrambling for damage control. Indeed, Zelenskyy actually said on Fox News later in the day what he should have mentioned first thing in the Oval Office on Friday morning: Thank you." Every serious world leader goes to the White House now with a succinct brief: stoke Trumps ego and get what you want out of him. Emmanuel Macron did that. Starmer did that. Even Narendra Modi did precisely that. But for some bizarre reason Zelenskyy did just the opposite. And then all hell broke loose. Recommended Stories Was Zelenskyy wrongly briefed? Was he not briefed at all on how to get what he wanted from Trump? Or did he disregard advice and decide to wing it? After that disastrous off-script blowout in the Oval Office, his delegation must have told him that he would now have to walk it back. Hence the belated thank yous to one and all on Trumps favourite channel, a long post on X which struck a very different tone than in the White Houseand the London meeting. Contrary to what the US media said, Trump did not demand an apologythe Fox News anchor floated that possibility. Trump simply wanted an acknowledgement of USs and his role in the war effort and now the peace settlement. Instead, Zelenskyy said Ukraine stood alone" from the start, forgetting the billions of dollars of arms that the US has poured in, including the Javelin anti-armour missiles that Trump himself sent in 2017! No wonder Trump saw red. As Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar pointed out, Ukraine is Europes war. It is not Americas war either. And now, thanks to Zelenskyys blunder in Washington DC, America no longer has Europes back on this conflict. But if European leaders agree with Zelenskyy that Vladimir Putin will not respect this ceasefire any more than he did the earlier ones nor agree to a permanent peace settlement, Starmers coalition of the willing" has to coopt US. Wooing Trump back to their side is now top of the agenda no matter how many photos the European leaders take together without him. Starmer did not reveal which countries are willing" but whether it is French President Emmanuel Macron or Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, European leaders have to figure out a workable and saleable plan like in an episode of The Apprentice. That will certainly be another new experience for many of the leaders. Media reports confirm Macron and Starmer had war-gamed" their approaches to Trump beforehand and therefore returned partly satisfied from Washington DC although neither got him to agree to the US becoming a backstop for Ukraines security. That is the cornerstone of any viable peace plan as Putin is clearly not intimidated by Europe. What Zelenskyy will have to do to mollify Trump is unclear but the necessity of doing so has been made abundantly clear. In the immediate aftermath of the Oval Office debacle, leaders and commentators rushed to portray Zelenskyy as a hero and Trump and Vance as bullies. But the cold light of dawn has changed the picture somewhat. Hopefully some of the brainstorming leaders in London also addressed the issue of NATO trying to corner Russia by bringing more of eastern Europe, including Ukraine and Georgia, into its pact. That certainly did contribute to Putins actions. When in December 2021, Russia demanded the US and NATO sign an agreement desisting from coopting those two and put 100,000 troops on its border with Ukraine, why didnt the penny drop? Why did Russia invade Ukraine, at that particular time? Not because Putin was bored or wanted to test his munitions. There is no single reason for the invasion, nor is Putin Dr Evil from an Austin Powers movie but a good look at the North Atlantic Treaty is educative. Article 5 of the treaty states that if one member country is attacked, all other member countries will provide military support. Trump reportedly also affirmed his support for Article 5 when he met Starmer at the White House. So Zelenskyy is indeed gambling on World War III by pushing for NATO membership for Ukraine, because nothing in Russias historypre- or post-Sovietindicates that it would meekly accept inroads into what it deems its sphere of influence. Russia would not allow itself to be encircled and intimidated by certain nations and entities without consequences. And it will only listen to those whom it considers its equal. Namby-pamby nations of the European Union do not qualify. A muscular US does. That is why Trump kept asserting that Putin would not cross him. But Zelenskyy inexplicably kept reiterating the Russian leader cant be trusted", insinuating that Trump was making an empty assertion. Was that clever to rile a man known to be a mercurial egotist? It is only clever if Zelenskyys real agenda at the Oval Office was not to expedite an end to the war, which would also mean the end of the arms-and-accolades gravy train, and possibly a loss in any ensuing general elections too. Did he deliberately take an antagonistic stance to scuttle Trumps peace-via-business plan, thereby forcing Europe to loosen its purse strings instead and keep the war going? Zelenskyy has actually partially succeeded in London with what he set in motion in Washington DC: Britain has stepped into the breach to commit billions of pounds worth of munitions and possibly even troops and others are likely to follow. The reason Starmer has offered for this new funding of arms is that Ukraine has to negotiate a peace settlement with Russia from a position of strength and hence needs to bolster its flagging military infrastructure. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all But keeping Article 5 in mind, Trump has also firmly drawn a Lakshman Rekha for NATO, and Ukraine and Georgia are beyond it. Zelenskyy also appeared to accept that before his Oval Office performance. The CoW (Coalition of the Willing) will hopefully also stick to that line when presenting a plan to Trump to actually end the war. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy needs to think about the importance of sticking to a script, in case he has to return to his former profession. The author is a freelance writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: March 03, 2025, 13:10 IST Opinion | Mamata Banerjee Scores Self-Goal By Stirring Up Voters List Issue Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2025, 17:55 IST If there is indeed brutal scrutiny of the West Bengal voters list, it may weed out a large chunk of her devoted voters West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. (File pic/PTI) Nearly a year before West Bengal goes to elections, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has brought up the issue of electoral malpractice. Only this time, it is not the EVMs but the voters list. Blaming EVMs or the electoral process is usually the bellwether to predict who is losing. Before his historic defeat in the Delhi elections in February, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had lodged official complaints with the Election Commission (EC) over EVMs, voters list, and even the inking process. Recommended Stories AAP drowned in a near-landslide against the BJP. Which is why Mamata Banerjees sudden and shrill attack against the BJP and the EC raises questions. Is the TMC anxious about the 2026 elections despite winning big in the last three assembly polls? Is it trying to cover up for the voter list contamination that it could have done all these years? And has Mamata Banerjee just made a blunder that will come back to haunt her? With its emphatic win in Delhi, the BJP has breached one of the impossible" states"others being Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kashmir, and Punjab whose demography or voting history makes it very difficult for the saffron force to break in. However, now that Delhi has fallen, the next most likely state for the BJP to wrest is West Bengal, where it is already the main opposition in spite of wanton violence against its cadre and a massive Muslim population. That may be making the TMC nervous. What if Bengal falls next, with people fed up with gnawing corruption, collapsing law and order, and brazen minority appeasement? First, the TMCs allegations about many voters sharing the same Electors Photo Identification Card (EPIC) number do not hold water. The EC swiftly clarified that the duplication did not imply there were fake voters. Different states had used the same alphanumeric series. So, while the EPIC numbers of some of the electors may be identical, the other details, including demographics, assembly constituency, and polling booth, are different. Irrespective of the EPIC number, an elector can cast a vote only at the designated polling station, constituency, and state/UT where they are enrolled in the electoral roll. Also, Mamata Banerjees nephew Abhishek, the all-powerful heir to the TMC throne, had dismissed Congress and Uddhav Senas charges that the voters list in the Maharashtra election were fudged. The BJP has long been complaining about the TMC contaminating the voters list with illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants. In 2019, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari had flagged 17 lakh fake voters before the general election. The difference between BJP and TMC votes in that election was coincidentally 17 lakh. Now, Adhikari claims there are 72 lakh fake voters pumped in by the TMC. The BJPs allegations cannot be simply brushed aside. The TMC disproportionately gains from West Bengals demographic shift and Islamisation. Its leaders have openly serenaded the illegals in their speeches, statements, and action. The biggest irony was the Kolkata mayor and state urban affairs minister Firhad Bobby Hakim going door-to-door in his municipal ward in Kolkatas Chetla area apparently to list genuine voters" right after Mamatas call for sanitising the voter list. In 2016, the same Bobby Hakim told Maleeha Hamid Sidiqqui of Pakistani newspaper Dawn: Let me take you to mini-Pakistan in Kolkata." In 2024, Hakim had said, With Allahs blessing, we [Muslims] will soon be the majority in India." In 2024, three months before the general elections, TMC leader from Barasat Ratna Biswas publicly assured illegal Bangladeshis that her party would offer them all help to get on the voter list. But above all, the party supremo herself leads the welcome party for illegals from across the border. Mamata Banerjee said in 2020: Bangladeshis who have come here are already Indian citizens. You dont have to apply for citizenship again. You have voted to elect the PM and the CM. Now, they are saying you are not citizens. Dont believe them." All this makes it very hard to believe that TMC will be honest about the voters list. Mamata Banerjee may have scored a self-goal by kicking the hornets nest on the voters list. If there is indeed brutal scrutiny of the West Bengal voters list, it may weed out a large chunk of her devoted voters. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The rot in West Bengal from infiltration is so extensive that not just the cleaning of the voters list but an entire NRC exercise is needed as a corrective surgery. 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: March 03, 2025, 17:55 IST Opinion | Parthenium Of The Colonised Mind: USAID, India And Americas Dark Secrets Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 03, 2025, 23:19 IST Over the past 77 years, seemingly benign aid has been used to undermine unity, deepen fault lines, and mould economic activity in India with a view to further the national interests of the funding countries If it is proven that the USAID, which is on its way to becoming defunct, allocated and spent $21 million (an amount equal to around Rs 182 crore) for the ostensible objective of increasing voter turnout, it should be taken seriously and a detailed investigation carried out. (Representational image: AFP) The recent revelation by the newly constituted Department of Government Efficiency in Trump 2.0 about the funding of covert subversive operations through the USAID (United States Agency for International Development) reaffirms what has widely been considered in recent years as a matter of concern. Over the past 77 years, seemingly benign aid" has been used to undermine unity, deepen fault lines, and mould economic activity in India with a view to further the national interests of the funding countries. The historical acceptance of aid as a net good" in recipient countries, including India, reflects a submission to a political agenda in the guise of humanitarian and developmental aid. A greater awareness in India about the dangers of such funding in recent years has resulted in greater compliance requirements and stronger enforcement of instruments such as the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010. However, there is an ever-present need to examine the political and national security implications of such aid: even in the most recently concluded financial year, aid from the United States alone totalled $750 million. Recommended Stories If it is proven that the USAID, which is on its way to becoming defunct, allocated and spent $21 million (an amount equal to around Rs 182 crore) for the ostensible objective of increasing voter turnout, it should be taken seriously and a detailed investigation carried out. The injection of foreign funds even for ostensibly neutral ends confers influence and power to entities controlled by foreign entities. The activities undertaken may even appear to have a connection with the stated objective but are never neutral exercises. The selection of persons placed in charge of running the programme, the narratives promoted by such persons, and the themes chosen all bear the imprint of the foreign countrys interests and values. When such activity affects the democratic process and impacts the electoral choice of Indians, there is great cause for concern and must never be allowed. Similar interventions since Independence may be found in other sectors of governmental activity. A glaring example is the USAIDs decades-long association with the National Family Health Survey, terminated only recently, which allowed a foreign government not only free access to troves of medical data but allowed it unaccountable influence over a core facet of policymaking. To be sure, USAID is not alone in carrying out such insidious activities. In many cases, such foreign entities have no obvious link to a government but are amorphous bodies of non-state actors whose ultimate ownership is concealed through different devices. The utility of the signature reduction" tactics that were pioneered by the US government in its use of the private sector has received wider recognition. Some of these non-governmental organisations have assumed great power and influence by releasing rankings of different countries on unscientific metrics such as democracy, press freedom, and human rights. The groups working under the aegis of the Open Society Foundations funded by George Soros are prime examples of the category of transnational private sector bodies that are essentially rooted in Western interests and concepts but have played active roles in Indian policymaking. For example, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, which has ties with Soros foundation, was allowed to advise the Election Commission of India under an MoU signed in 2012. As is typical with the working of such groups, the terms of the MoU restricted the ECI from allowing the public to access data gathered in the process of collaboration or to scrutinise the collaboration. History of the politics of aid in India The use of aid" as a tool to further the interests of Western governments within India is nothing new. In 1954, in an ostensibly noble gesture, the US under President Eisenhower proposed Public Law 480, or the calculatingly named Food for Peace Act" to sell at relatively affordable prices huge stocks of surplus wheat produced by American farmers under generous support price incentives, to India, amongst other countries. The wheat exported to India under PL 480 introduced the deadly allergy-causing weed Parthenium, which most ordinary Indians remember by the name of Gajri or Congress ghas. Over time, Parthenium was officially recognised as a vigorous invasive species that grew in nearly all the different climates and soil conditions found in India. Parthenium delayed but could not defeat Indias quest for agricultural self-sufficiency. The humiliating terms of PL 480, which placed constraints on Indias foreign and trade policy, pushed India to launch the Green Revolution under PM Lal Bahadur Shastri. Another indirect consequence of PL 480, however, continues to afflict Indian societyWestern cultural and academic hegemony still weighs on the psyche of a sovereign nation, and the capacity to think independently still eludes critical segments of society. At the time of Independence, India had a sizeable middle class with proficiency in English and the skills that made them highly employable in any country in the world. In 1958, the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI) was formed under a 38-year agreement between the US and India. Around the same time, hundreds of crores were paid annually by India in discharge of the rupee-denominated debt incurred for imported wheat. The US government offered to accept repayment in rupees based on the understanding that it would be allowed to spend these amounts to promote their desired values and ideologies. Thus, in 1958, USEFI organised a conference of influential university teachers at the Deccan College, Pune. Most participants, with the notable exception of Prof Mata Prasad from the Himachal area of Punjab, accepted invitations to undergo pedagogical training in the US. At the same time, shiploads of American publications and books flooded libraries in India. The purchases under PL 480 and the establishment of the USEFI marked a watershed point in the exodus of bright young minds and laid the groundwork for inducting generations of indentured academicians into the American fold. A marked feature of this new colonising approach towards Indian society was its continuity across different presidential administrations and its control by a growing cadre of unelected policymakersthe deep state" of recent years. In the decades following 1958, USEFI exponentially multiplied fellowships and grants to study in American Universities. US-trained academicians with American degrees imitated the American curricula and imposed American jargon in the Indian milieu. Theories propounded by American academicians constituted the frameworks used to comprehend Indian reality, as seen with an elite American lens. If reality did not fit in this mould, it had to be invented. Academicians were given handsome financial incentives to be translators and adapters instead of original thinkers. Sham conferences and seminars were periodically organised, with little or no notice paid by the Indian government. These co-opted, indentured Indian academicians thus became totally alienated from Indian philosophy, the rich Indian tradition of learning, and Indian knowledge systems. For instance, Tapas and freedom from want is the ultimate goal in the Indian way of life, which contrasts starkly with Western consumerism. In this schizophrenic worldview, a faux socialist ideology designed to sustain a capitalistic system was born. The victory of the West in the Cold War and the disappearance of the communist danger, coupled with the exigencies of coalition governments in India, created an all-pervasive left academic ecosystem. In the 1990s and 2000s, JNU, the Mecca of civil services, was dominated by leftist professors. Leftist learning and ideas were rewarded in selections of hallowed elite services like the IAS, with these professors setting and evaluating public service examination papers. This cultural suzerainty, acquired by the West through a strategic use of its agencies and seemingly non-state bodies, far outweighed the economic and military hegemony. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A concerted campaign to counter such modes of thinking and the complex pattern of funding and ideological tutoring undergirding it should thus be carried through. The author is an ex-DGP of Jharkhand. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: March 03, 2025, 23:19 IST Opinion | The Delimitation Debate: Why Stalins Argument Falls Flat Written By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 14:49 IST What Stalin is advocating is not healthy competition but a reckless game of one-upmanship, driven by an agenda to incite division, create instability, and ultimately challenge the Union itself For the DMK and Stalin to now suggest that using population is a flawed yardstick is unacceptable and demonstrates utter disregard for established constitutional precedents. As the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, I bring to everyones attention that the Lok Sabha delimitation exercise based on the 2026 Census is extremely dangerous. Southern States like Tamil Nadu have done a great job in controlling population growth. But if that is the reason why our strength in Parliament will decrease, if it can suppress our voice, how can it be justified?" Tamil Nadus Chief Minister, MK Stalin, wrote in a post on X recently. Such a post from Stalin is hardly surprising, as the DMKs entire politics over the years has centred on regionalism and whipping up passions by deviously raking up the North-South divide at every available opportunity. Recommended Stories In sharp contrast, this is what the Union Home Minister, the highly erudite Amit Shah, said: I want to reassure the people of South India that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kept your interest in mind and will make sure that not even one seat is reduced. And whatever increase is there, the Southern states will get a fair share, there is no reason to doubt this." These reassuring words by Amit Shah, spoken at the inauguration of the BJP office in Coimbatore, Tiruvannamalai, last week, completely debunk the rabid lies spread by Stalin and the DMK. Why is Stalin always propagating the North-South divide? Well, it is to polarise the narrative and appease his Dravidian vote bank. The question that arises, therefore, iswhat exactly is delimitation? Delimitation is simply the process of redrawing the boundaries of parliamentary and state assembly constituencies to reflect changes in population. It is conducted to ensure fair political representation based on demographic shifts and also determines how many seats will be reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), both in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. By questioning delimitation, Stalin is, in effect, questioning fair representation and the progressive idea of balancing population growth with parliamentary strength. Delimitation is completely legitimate and constitutionally sanctioned vide Articles 82 and 170 of the Indian Constitution, wherein the number of seats and their boundaries are adjusted after each Census. This task is carried out on the basis of the latest Census data, by the Delimitation Commission, which is set up through a law passed by the Parliament. Constitutional requirements aside, delimitation aligns with the democratic principle of one citizen, one vote, one value" and hence, DMKs fear-mongering on this count is absolutely unacceptable. A pan-India, full-fledged delimitation exercise was carried out three times, namely in 1952, 1963, and 1973, after the 1951, 1961, and 1971 Census exercises, respectively, with another delimitation occurring in 2002. Over the years, as Indias population grew, so did the number of Lok Sabha seats. For example, as per the 1951 Census, the Lok Sabha had 494 seats based on Indias overall population at that time, which stood at 36.1 crore (7.3 lakh people per seat). After the 1961 Census, the Lok Sabha seat tally rose to 522, with an overall population of 43.9 crore (8.4 lakh people per seat). Similarly, after the 1971 Census, the Lok Sabha tally increased to 543 seats, with an overall population of 54.8 crore (10.1 lakh people per seat). However, the number of Lok Sabha seats has remained frozen since the 1971 Census. Today, the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is still based on the 1971 Census figures543 and 250 seats, respectively, in the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament. Delimitation is, therefore, long overdue. Moreover, while the number of parliamentary seats remained unchanged, constituency boundaries and SC/ST reservations were adjusted after the 2001 Census and are set to be reviewed again after 2026. Under normal circumstances, the 2021 Census would have dictated the next delimitation process, determining seat distribution, constituency boundaries, and SC/ST reservations. However, with the 2021 Census delayed due to the Covid pandemic and 2026 approaching, this is indeed the perfect time to have the delimitation debate. It must be noted that the delimitation exercise can increase, decrease, or alter constituencies without changing the total number of parliamentary seats. That said, since the last delimitation took place decades ago, this time the process will almost certainly lead to an increase in the number of parliamentary seats, among other adjustments. By 2026, Indias population is expected to reach 1.41 billion, a key factor in redrawing constituency boundaries. The Womens Reservation Act must also be taken into consideration. If the patterns of 1951, 1961, and 1971 are followed, the number of Lok Sabha seats is likely to increase from 543 to 753, based on the projected population. Currently, the southern states together hold 129 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats, with Telangana at 17 seats, Andhra Pradesh at 25, Kerala at 20, Tamil Nadu at 39, and Karnataka at 28. In the Lower House, 129 out of 543 seats equates to roughly 24 per cent representation for the southern states. Now, post-delimitation, the scenario will possibly look like thisthe overall number of Lok Sabha seats will rise from 543 to 753. For the southern states, based solely on a population ratio of 20 lakh per constituency, the number of seats will be: Telangana at 20, Andhra Pradesh at 28, Kerala at 19, Tamil Nadu at 41, and Karnataka at 36. Effectively, the tally for the southern states in absolute terms will rise from 129 to 144an 11.63 per cent increase, not a decrease, as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin alleges. Tamil Nadus own seat share will rise from 39 to 41, a 5.12 per cent increase. Yes, 144 seats out of 753 equates to 19 per cent representation, whereas the current 129 out of 543 is 24 per cent. But why is Stalin complaining? Tamil Nadus seat share in absolute terms is not decreasingit is, in fact, rising by 5.12 per cent. Stalins misgovernance has pushed the vibrant state of Tamil Nadu into financial ruin, with the overall debt reaching a massive Rs 8.3 lakh crore. Assuming the states GSDP stands at Rs 27 lakh crore, the debt-to-GSDP ratio works out to 30.74 per cent prima facie. However, if one digs deeper and includes the liabilities of loss-making entities such as TANGEDCO, Tamil Nadus spiralling debt appears even worselike a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. It is precisely with the mala fide intent of hoodwinking the electorate and deflecting attention from its miserable track record that Stalins DMK continues to prop up this imaginary North-South divide. The 2002 Delimitation Act mandated that delimitation should be based primarily on population and demographic composition, after extensive deliberations, with many constitutional experts weighing in on the matter. There is no need to fix something that is not broken. Population has always been the most relevant metric in past delimitation exercises in Indiaand for good reason. For the DMK and Stalin to now suggest that using population is a flawed yardstick is unacceptable and demonstrates utter disregard for established constitutional precedents. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party, a close ally of the DMK, have been shouting from every available rooftop about proportional representation under the slogan Jitni Aabadi, Utna Haq", which essentially calls for representation based on population. Congress launched this slogan as part of its appeasement-based politics, with an eye on minority votes, especially Muslim votes. Now, consider the sheer hypocrisy of the DMKit has not once spoken out against the Jitni Aabadi" sloganeering of the Congress but has the audacity to question population-based delimitation. The DMK has no objection to population being the basis for deciding reservations, as advocated by its ally, the Congress Party. Then, by the same logic, why does the DMK object to population being the yardstick for delimitation? You cannot have your cake and eat it too! Also, do not forget that Dalits (Scheduled Castes) have historically accounted for anywhere between 21 and 26 per cent of Tamil Nadus population. Delimitation will provide proper representation to Dalits, who have long been sidelined by the DMK. For instance, the DMK alone holds 133 out of 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, and with its allies included, the tally rises to 159 seats. The grim reality, however, is that Dalits are inadequately represented within this grand tally of 159. Stalins cabinet has 35 ministers, of whom only four are Dalitsmeaning just 11.42 per cent of the cabinet comprises Dalits, despite their proportion in Tamil Nadus population being well above 21 per cent. Why is Stalin opposing delimitation? Is he afraid that post-delimitation, SCs will finally receive fair representation because the number of SC-reserved seats will rise? Does he fear the empowerment of Dalits? If so, why? If not, why oppose delimitation in the first place? This also brings to the fore another contention regarding economic contribution and returns. Stalin has consistently complained that the Modi government has been unfair to Tamil Naduan utterly baseless claim. From popularising the works of Thiruvalluvar at every given opportunity to hosting the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi every year since 2022, with the sole aim of promoting Tamil arts, crafts, history, and literature, no Prime Minister in post-independence India has done as much to celebrate Tamil Nadus rich heritage as Modi. Coming back to contributions, Maharashtra plays a significant role in both direct and indirect tax revenues. India comprises 28 States and 8 Union Territories, yet Maharashtra alone accounts for over 20 per cent of Indias industrial output, 16 per cent of total GST revenues, and a staggering 38.9 per cent of the countrys overall direct tax collections. By virtue of these impressive numbers, should Maharashtra then receive the lions share of representation in the Lok Sabha? The answer is no. The reason is simplerepresentation in the Lok Sabha cannot be based solely on financial contributions. A States contribution to the national GDP or the overall tax kitty cannot serve as a benchmark to determine how many parliamentary seats it should hold. There is a well-established, time-tested formula that has been in place for decades and has worked seamlessly. Beyond financial contributions, numerous other factors come into play and must be recognised. There is no need to dismantle a fully functional system simply because Stalin feels the need for it. By making the absurd argument that Tamil Nadu should be allocated Lok Sabha seats in proportion to its contribution to the Central governments tax revenues, Stalin is simply stoking the embers of discord and resentment to deliberately provoke a larger North-South polarisation. Maharashtra currently holds only 48 out of 543 seats in the Lok Sabhajust 8.83 per cent of the totaldespite its substantial contribution to Indias GDP and tax revenues. If one were to follow Stalins flawed reasoning, Maharashtra should perhaps have 20 per cent or even 30 per cent of the 543 seats, and by his illogical argument, smaller States with minimal contributions would have no representation at all. However, in reality, governance operates within the framework of Constitutional checks and balances, making Stalins preposterous assertionthat Parliamentary representation should be based on Tamil Nadus contribution to Indias GDPnot only flawed but also dangerously warped. Competitive federalism is healthy, but confrontationist federalism is not. What Stalin is advocating is not healthy competition but a reckless game of one-upmanship, driven by an agenda to incite division, create instability, and ultimately challenge the Union itself. Last but not least, the DMKs and Stalins claim that they have successfully curbed population growth in Tamil Nadu and should therefore not be penalised" by the delimitation process is completely baseless. Tamil Nadus population stood at 4.11 crore in 1971, increased to 7.21 crore in 2011, and further rose to 8.47 crore by 2024. Now consider Madhya Pradesh, which has followed a nearly identical growth trajectory. Its population was 4.16 crore in 1971, rose to 7.27 crore in 2011, and has now reached 8.86 crore in 2024. Despite this similar trend, Madhya Pradesh sends only 29 MPs to the Lok Sabha, whereas Tamil Nadu sends 39significantly more. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all If anyone has been penalised," to borrow Stalins terminology, it is Madhya Pradesh, which, despite nearly identical population growth, has far fewer Lok Sabha seats than Tamil Nadu. It is precisely these historical distortions that the long-overdue delimitation process seeks to correct. Stalin should stop crying wolf, and if the DMK truly believes in Constitutional proprietybeyond mere rhetoric and lip serviceit should welcome delimitation, not oppose it. Sanju Verma is an Economist, National Spokesperson of the BJP and the Bestselling Author of The Modi Gambit. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: March 04, 2025, 14:39 IST BJP Leader Navneet Rana Demands Demolition Of Aurangzeb's Grave After SP MLA Praises Mughal Ruler Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 16:34 IST In a recorded video, Rana reminded the SP leader that the state he represents was once ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj BJP leader Navneet Rana. (PTI file photo) BJP leader Navneet Rana on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Asim Azmi, demanding the demolition of Mughal emperor Aurangzebs grave in response to Azmis praise for the ruler. In a recorded video, Rana reminded the SP leader that the state he represents was once ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Recommended Stories The state in which you are elected to sit in the Assembly for 5 years was ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj People like you should watch Chhava movie to see what Aurangzeb did with our king," Rana said in the video, criticising the SP leader. She further urged the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government to take action, drawing parallels between the renaming of Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and the need to remove Aurangzebs grave. #WATCH | Mumbai | On Samajwadi Party leader and Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmis remarks about Aurangzeb, BJP leader Navneet Rana says, The state in which you are elected to sit in the Assembly for 5 years was ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji pic.twitter.com/oKcZPTRL8P ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2025 I want to request Maharashtra government that the way Aurangabads name was changed and kept after our God Sambhaji Maharaj, Aurangzebs grave should also be demolished," the BJP leader asserted. Aurangzebs grave is located in Khuldabad, in Maharashtras Aurangabad district. ALSO READ: Abu Azmi Retracts Statement On Aurangzeb Amid Backlash: Want Matter To Be Rested The controversy erupted after Azmi, who is also the president of the Samajwadi Partys Maharashtra unit, had said that he does not view 17th-century Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb as a cruel, tyrannical, or intolerant ruler. He had also claimed that during Aurangzebs reign, Indias territorial borders stretched to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and the country was a global economic powerhouse. These remarks drew widespread criticism, especially from the BJP, who strongly condemned his views and called for action against him. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In an attempt to calm the situation, Azmi later issued a public apology, stating that he regretted his remarks if they had offended anyone. He clarified that he never intended to insult prominent figures such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. I could never imagine insulting words against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Dr BR Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Rajshri Shahuji Maharaj, but Prashant Koratkar, Rahul Solapurkar have spoken against, they have security, why this furore against my statement?" Azmi added. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Maharashtra, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 16:15 IST Bloodlines Over Ballots: Decoding The Dynasty Dilemma Of Mayawati & Ilk Written By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 10:19 IST Instead of having an ideologically driven and carefully nurtured cadre base of emerging leaders, regional parties like SP, BSP, Trinamool Congress, RJD, JD(U) and DMK seem to heavily rely on familial ties, giving weightage to lineage than performance Mayawati first removed her nephew Akash Anand (in pic) from his position and then expelled him, accusing him of being influenced by his father-in-law and indulging in anti-party activities. (PTI) In December 2023, when she named her nephew Akash Anand to succeed her, there was immediate backlash from party cadres and critics. There have been several reversals since then. While her decision casts a shadow of uncertainty on her partys future, it also exposes a critical flaw in regional political parties the absence of a robust, merit-based grooming process. Recommended Stories Instead of having an ideologically driven and carefully nurtured cadre base of emerging leaders, regional parties like SP, BSP, Trinamool Congress, RJD, JD(U) and DMK seem to heavily rely on familial ties, which only reinforces the notion that political survival depends more on lineage than on performance. It also justifies BJPs allegation of running dynasty politics. When Politics Runs In The Blood Mayawatis case is neither unique nor exclusive. A similar pattern unfolds in other regional parties in other states. For instance, Mamata Banerjees Trinamool Congress is witnessing a similar situation where Didi is using push-and-pull tactics to keep her ambitious nephew Abhishek in check. Known for her larger-than-life persona and populist appeal, Mamata has often signalled an intention to pass on her mantle to Abhishek, who has already emerged as the heir apparent to her brand of politics. Yet, like Mayawatis experiment, this transfer of power has been largely symbolic even in the case of Mamata Banerjees Trinamool. There have been reports of continuous friction over power-sharing which, in turn, gave birth to factions or parallel power centres inside the party. In other instances, Lalu Prasad Yadav handed over the reins of his party RJD to his younger son Tejashwi Yadav which, for a brief period, led to a conflict inside the family, primarily between his two sons Tej Pratap and Tejashwi. Similarly, Nitish Kumars JD(U) is still struggling with its almost-absent succession plan, while a section of seniors is pushing for Nitish Kumars son to take the position. The story of southern states parties, including DMK, is also not different. The mantle has been passed on across generations, from Karunanidhi to his son Stalin and now to his son Udhayanidhi. Without a systematic process for leadership development, such succession plans risk turning vibrant, issue-based politics into mere family affairs, potentially undermining the partys ability to adapt to changing political realities or offer a level playing ground to loyal workers and leaders. Fuel For BJP: Dynasty In Play Together, all these instances reflect a broader truth in Indias political landscape, especially in the locally powerful regional parties. While dynastic politics may provide short-term continuity, they rarely foster the kind of institutional resilience needed for long-term governance and, in most cases, the successors failed to live up to the status of the mass leaders who made those parties. BJP, however, accommodates their blood-lines in a more practical way. There are ministers and leaders who have their sons and daughters in politics. They have been made MPs or MLAs, in some cases ministers as well, but rarely are any of their family relations given any supreme or chief position. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In fact, while selecting the chief minister face for Delhi, RSS functionaries were learnt to have objected to the idea of elevating Parvesh Verma to the chair. Despite Verma earning the title of giant slayer for defeating ex-chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the RSS stuck to its point of not promoting Vanshvaad (dynasty politics). Vermas father Sahib Singh Verma was chief minister of Delhi for two years in the 90s. The instances of mass leaders not ceding space to next-generation leaders in order to maintain control point to lack of vision and an aversion to mentorship. About the Author Madhuparna Das Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa... Read More Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 10:19 IST Can RSS Samanvaya Baithak In Bengal Reap Benefits For BJP In 2026? Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 14:12 IST Mohan Bhagwat's recent 11-day stay in Bengal has fuelled speculation about RSS' increased involvement in the state RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat emphasised the importance of engaging with RSS rather than criticising it the outside. (PTI) The RSS recently held a Sangh Samanvaya Baithak a rare meeting not frequently held over two days in West Bengal, involving members from three regions of the state, with notable attendees including prominent BJP leaders such as Sukanto Majumdar, Suvendu Adhikari, and Dilip Ghosh. The two-day event fostered a sense of unity, with participants living and praying together. BJP sources believe the meeting will yield multiple benefits for the party. The event, however, has raised certain questions: Is RSS strengthening its presence in Bengal? Will their societal influence based on their ideology benefit BJP in 2026? Recommended Stories Mohan Bhagwats recent 11-day stay in Bengal has fuelled speculation about RSS increased involvement in the state. Bhagwat emphasised the importance of engaging with RSS rather than criticising it the outside. With RSSs centenary year approaching, significant activities are anticipated nationwide, potentially impacting BJPs prospects in Bengal. An RSS pracharak, speaking to News18, highlighted the significance of such meetings for achieving specific targets, citing a similar instance in 2019. Whenever we have a special target or a special occasion, such meetings take place. Our motto is to change society on the basis of ideology. BJP leaders represent one of the organisations that participate in this meeting." Unity Factor Factionalism has been a major weakness within Bengal BJP. However, this two-day meeting saw leaders like Sukanto Majumdar and Dilip Ghosh sharing moments of camaraderie over tea and samosas. This shared experience aims to foster unity within the party. Locket Chatterjee, in conversation with News18, expressed the positive sentiment of togetherness experienced during the meeting. The emphasis on RSS and BJP as unified families highlights the effort to strengthen bonds. Leaders reportedly addressed internal issues, suggesting a positive impact on BJP unity. Hindutva Factor top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all RSSs emphasis on Hindutva unification was a key discussion point. Leaders from various regions brainstormed strategies, considering the situation in Bangladesh and demographic shifts as relevant factors. These discussions contribute to their ideological campaign. Reports from Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi highlight RSSs significant role in those regions. Some Bengal BJP leaders believe RSS will play a crucial role in the state. About the Author Kamalika Sengupta Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar... Read More Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 14:12 IST Congress Accuses EC Of Manipulating Voter Lists To Benefit BJP, Poll Body Responds Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 12:24 IST The party, along with the Trinamool Congress, also alleged that multiple voters were found registered under the same voter ID number within the same constituency and even across different states EC officials said Delhi, which saw both AAP and BJP up the ante on fake voters and voter list manipulation, saw zero Form 7 objections. (PTI) The Congress has accused the Election Commission Of India (EC) of manipulating voter lists to aid the BJP, reiterating that during the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, EC registered an astonishing 40 lakh new voters within just five monthsfar exceeding the 32 lakh new voter registrations recorded over the entire previous five-year period (2019-2024)". The charge came after a meeting of the Partys Empowered Action Group of Leaders and Experts (EAGLE) on Monday. Recommended Stories EC Rejects Allegations Top EC officials, however, rejected the charges as baseless. Speaking to CNN-News18, officials claimed that for the Maharashtra elections, only one complaint was raised about registration of a new voter. Any political party, candidate, or party worker can fill up Form 7 to object to inclusion of any name in the voter list. The BLO is obliged to act on your complaint and provide redressal. Provisions exist at multiple levels for appeal and counter appeal. Yet, in Maharashtra, where the charge is addition of lakhs of doubtful voters, we received only one objection," an official said. EC officials said as per RP Act 1950, Registration of Electors Rules 1960, and Manual on Electoral Rolls, the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), District Election Officers (DEOs), and Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) concerned in any state/UT work for the updation of electoral rolls with active participation of booth-level agents appointed by political parties. Any specific claim or objections are to be made first before the BLOs, AEROs and EROs concerned. EC officials said Delhi, which saw both AAP and BJP up the ante on fake voters and voter list manipulation, saw zero Form 7 objections. In December last year, then CEC Rajiv Kumar had rejected Congresss charge that 50,000 voters were added on an average in 50 assembly constituencies between July and November 2024 in Maharashtra. It was claimed that the BJP-led Mahayuti won 47 of these seats. Kumar had clarified that the increase was just in six assembly seats. He also said complete data related to voters of every assembly seat in Maharashtra and Form 20 (polling booth wise result) is available on the website of the Maharashtra Election Commission and can be downloaded. Congress, however, kept up the attack, with LoP Rahul Gandhi alleging in Lok Sabha that numbers equalling the voting population of Himachal Pradesh were added to Maharashtra assembly election voter list. The Congress had set up an eight-member team EAGLE last month to keep a birds eye view" on elections in the country and monitor the conduct of free and fair elections by the Election Commission". The panel includes Congress leaders Ajay Maken, Digvijaya Singh, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Praveen Chakravarty, Pawan Khera, Gurdeep Singh Sappal, Nitin Raut, and Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy. Same Voter ID number EAGLE also alleged that multiple voters were found registered under the same voter ID number within the same constituency and even across different states. The party called this an unprecedented violation of electoral integrity". The statement from the grouping said: Unique voter ID for every Indian voter is the fundamental requirement and premise of a clean voter list. Multiple voters having the same voter ID number is as bizarre as multiple vehicles bearing the same registration number." Earlier the EC had clarified that duplication in EPIC number does not imply duplicate/fake voters. Election Commission has taken cognizance of certain social media posts and media reports flagging the issue of electors of two different states having identical EPIC numbers. In this regard, it is clarified that while EPIC numbers of some of the electors may be identical, the other details including demographic details, Assembly Constituency and polling booth are different for the electors with the same EPIC number. Irrespective of the EPIC number, any elector can cast a vote only at their designated polling station in their respective constituency in their State/UT where they are enrolled in the electoral roll and nowhere else. The allotment of identical EPIC number/series to some electors from different States/UTs was due to a decentralised and manual mechanism being followed prior to shifting of the electoral roll database of all States/UTs to the ERONET platform. This resulted in certain State/UT CEO offices using the same EPIC alphanumeric series and leaving a scope for the possibility of duplicate EPIC numbers being allotted to electors in different Assembly Constituencies in different States/UTs." The EC spokesperson said to allay any apprehensions, the commission has decided to ensure allotment of unique EPIC number to registered electors. Any case of duplicate EPIC number will be rectified by allotting a unique EPIC number. The ERONET 2.0 platform will be updated to aid and assist in this process". Congress, however, rejected the clarification, saying that it has now been revealed that there are cases of the same ID number used by several voters within the same state and even the same constituency. The party said it will pursue legal, political, and legislative remedies on these concerns. TMC Joins In The Grand Old Party is not alone in its allegations. The Trinamool Congress has also dismissed the Election Commissions clarifications on duplicate voter ID numbers as a cover-up" and cited the poll panels own guidelines to assert that two cards cannot have the same number. The TMC alleged a scam" in issuing duplicate voter ID card numbers and gave the poll panel a 24-hour deadline to accept its mistake". Party Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale shared on X excerpts from the Handbook For Electoral Registration Officers to counter the poll panels clarifications on the issue, which was first raised by party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Yesterday, All India Trinamool Congress had given Election Commission of India 24 hours to admit and accept their blunder on the duplicate voter ID fraud issue. Clearly, the ECI, which has been exposed, wants to brazen it out," Gokhale said. The clarification given by ECI (on Sunday) in response to CM Mamata Banerjee is actually a cover-up. They have admitted theres something wrong but are refusing to accept it. The false clarification given by the ECI contradicts their own rules and guidelines," he said. About the Author Arunima Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from ground zero ... Read More Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from ground zero ... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 12:24 IST I Made Your Father Lalu Yadav: Nitish Kumar Spars With Tejashwi In Bihar Assembly Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:57 IST The Bihar assembly witnessed a heated exchange on Tuesday between the leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav and members of the ruling NDA, over functioning of the Nitish Kumar government. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and LoP Tejashwi Yadav (ANI) Bihar Assembly on Tuesday witnessed a fiery verbal exchange between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday where the former asserted that he is responsible for the political stature of Tejashwis father, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. Kumar further invoked the past records of the RJD tenure from 1994 to 2005. Recommended Stories While taking a dig at Yadav in his speech, the Chief Minister said, What was there in Bihar earlier? It was me who made your father what he became. Even the people from your caste were asking me why I was doing this, but I still supported him." #WATCH | During a verbal exchange with RJD MLA Tejashwi Yadav in the House, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar says, What was there in Bihar earlier? It was me who made your (Tejashwi Yadav) father what he became. Even the people from your caste were asking me why I was doing this, but I pic.twitter.com/Tgl2i7hO8a ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2025 We came here on November 24, 2005. I want to say what kind of situation was there at that time. Nobody would go out in the evening. No road was there. I was a minister in the Centre, we had to go to places on foot. There used to be many confrontations in society," he added. What Tejashwi Yadav Said? Earlier today, Yadav, the Leader of Opposition, had hit out at Nitish Kumar, questioning his narrative of Bihars history before 2005. He made a scathing attack on the state government. "Sarkar khatara, system khatara, mukhyamantri thaka hara, aadmi ghoom raha mara mara (the government is like a rickety old car, the system is defunct, the CM is a spent force and the people are distraught," Yadav said while addressing the house. He further took a dig at Nitishs constant criticism of the RJD and said that " the world was created after 2005." It was said that there was something before 2005. The world was created after 2005. We should delve a bit into the details and history. It was very necessary to remind them again that all these members were present, and it seemed that the BJP members were present too," Tejashwi said. Taking potshots at leaders of both BJP and CM Kumars JD(U), he reminded Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary of their roots in what is now called the INDIA bloc. , , , ! ! ! pic.twitter.com/BIPcRT23w1 Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) March 4, 2025 Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, who is a senior JD(U) leader, rose to say, "I admit having been in the Congress. But the leader of the opposition has said a lot about efforts made by his father (RJD president Lalu Prasad) to set right the wrongs committed by the past governments. In effect, he has attacked the Congress, his own alliance partner". An unfazed Yadav further trained his guns at Samrat Choudhary, a BJP leader whom the former had preceded as the deputy chief minister. You are a counterfeit BJP man. It is your fellow Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha who is the real deal. How many years have it been since you joined the party? Have you ever visited Nagpur (headquarters of the RSS)?" asked Yadav. A visibly irritated Choudhary shot back, saying "you speak about what bad things your father used to say about all those with whom he joined hands at a later stage". And dont try to remind me of too many things. I also do remember having been sent to jail by your father," said Choudhary without elaborating. The RJD and the JDU have intensified their attacks against each other ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Kumar, who was in alliance with the RJD and the Congress till January 2024, had broken away from the Mahagathbandhan to rejoin the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Bihar assembly elections are scheduled to happen later this year. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 18:53 IST Karnataka MLAs Seek Pay Hike, Rs 20 Crore For Legislators Club As State Grapples With Cash Crunch Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 12:29 IST Sources indicate that some MLAs are pushing for a 30-40 per cent salary increase and the state government has reportedly acknowledged the demand and pledged to examine it Karnataka's law minister confirmed that chief minister Siddaramaiah was considering sanctioning Rs 20 crore for building the Legislators' Club in Bengaluru. (PTI) Karnataka legislators are considering a substantial pay increase for themselves in a move that could spark controversy amid the states current financial challenges, according to exclusive information obtained by CNN-News18. The potential hike, discussed during Mondays Business Advisory Committee meeting, comes as another Congress MLA called for significant funding for the Legislators Club in Bengaluru. Recommended Stories Sources indicate that some MLAs are pushing for a 30-40 per cent salary increase. The state government has reportedly acknowledged the demand and pledged to examine it. However, plans to establish an independent committee to determine MLA salary revisions have been dismissed. Karnataka Law Minister HK Patil confirmed that the government was introducing a bill to revise the salaries of the chief minister, Speaker, Leader of Opposition and all MLAs. We will bring in a legislation soon for salary revisions to legislators. Percentage is to be decided. We will bring a legislation for salary revision," he said. The minister confirmed that the chief minister was considering sanctioning Rs 20 crore for building the Legislators Club. There were complaints about no facilities at the guest house. This issue was mentioned. The Speaker has spoken to the CM, who said that he would consider this proposal," said Patil. Adding to the fiscal concerns, Congress MLA Ashok Pattan has reportedly requested substantial funds for the Legislators Club. Some members have even urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to allocate Rs 20 crore to the facility. A club for legislators has been a long-pending demand and the government has zeroed in on the heritage Balbrooie Guest House to set up the club. The move to increase salaries follows a substantial salary revision in 2022, which saw significant increases for MLAs, MLCs, ministers, the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and the Leader of Opposition. At that time, monthly salaries for MLAs and MLCs rose from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000, while pension for legislators completing a single term increased from Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Furthermore, travel allowances increased from Rs 25 to Rs 35 per kilometer, regardless of the mode of transport. Daily allowances for meetings within Karnataka rose from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500, and those outside the state increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000. Local transport allowances outside Karnataka doubled from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. The monthly constituency allowance also saw a significant jump, from Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000. The potential new pay hike and funding demands have raised questions about fiscal responsibility during a period when the state has struggled to clear the bills of contractors and is reeling under abysmal allocation to backward regions of Kalyana Karnataka. About the Author Harish Upadhya Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi... Read More Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 12:29 IST Next BJP President To Be From South? JP Nadda's Successor To Be Named After Holi, Before Key RSS Meet Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 10:31 IST With a major southern focus in the years to come for the BJP, there is a possibility of the next BJP president coming from the south, with names like G Kishan Reddy and Daggubati Purandeshwari doing the rounds. It is widely perceived that the BJP will get its new national president before the meeting of the RSS's highest decision-making body ABPS, to be held in Bangalore from March 21 to 23. (Image: PTI) The Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to get its next National President any time after Holi (March 14) and before March 21. It is widely perceived that the BJP will get its new national president before the meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghs (RSS) highest decision-making body Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, to be held in Bangalore from March 21 to 23. After the Delhi Assembly election victory, the BJP has become active afresh regarding organisation elections in 50 per cent of the states as mandated by the party constitution for the election of the National President. The selected states have been instructed to conduct the organisation elections by March 14. Recommended Stories Till now, the party has been able to conduct organisational elections only in 12 out of the 18 states required to meet the 50 per cent criterion. If a BJP source is to be believed, over the next few days, the party will run against time to ensure the remaining six states have their organisational elections completed. A highly placed source in the BJP told News18 that he is confident that the whole process will be over within a week", citing the work on war footing". This time, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha will assume even more significance, given that the focal point of discussion will be RSSs 100th year celebration strategy. At least one highly placed source in the BJP told News18 on conditions of anonymity, Given the importance of this years ABPS, the BJP would want its new President to take part in it for better coordination between the Sangh and the party." So far, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Assam, Chandigarh, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Meghalaya and Lakshadweep have witnessed the BJP organisational overhaul. Then there are states like West Bengal, which started late due to the RG Kar protest, and now there is no unanimity on the next state president given the current Bengal BJP president, Sukanta Majumdar, has been elevated to being a union minister. Much delay has also been caused by the Delhi election, the campaigning for which started in December last year and peaked in January. Additionally, Mahakumbh started on January 13 and went on till February 26 in Prayagraj. The BJP leadership was either busy visiting Kumbh or countering oppositions narratives spun around Kumbh, leaving very little time to concentrate on the organisation election. But now that the D-day is around, the obvious question seems to be who will fill Naddas shoes and become the 12th President of the BJP? Unlike Nadda, who was first appointed as the BJPs acting National President in 2019 before being formally elected as the National President in 2020, the 12th BJP president will straightaway be a full-time president. Who Will Be The Next BJP President? With a major southern focus in the years to come for the BJP, there is a possibility of the next BJP president coming from the south of the Vindhyas. The name of Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy, who was also the BJP president of Andhra Pradesh, is doing the rounds. Incidentally, he comes from the state that produced Bangaru Laxman, who went ahead and became BJPs national President. Another name that is doing the rounds from the south also happens to be from Andhra Pradesh Daggubati Purandeshwari, presently the BJP chief in the NDA ruled state. Though she is a woman and has the legacy of NT Rama Rao, what may go against her is being a relative of TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu to avoid a conflict of interest. Vanathi Srinivasan, national president of the BJP Mahila Morcha and MLA from Coimbatore, is also being talked about. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all However, from the beginning of last year, the names of Dharmendra Pradhan, Vinod Tawde, and Bhupendra Yadav have continuously figured in the probables for their organisational capability and teamwork mindset. When asked about the next probable BJP president, the BJP source laughed and said, We know as much as you do about the next BJP president. In fact, we check TV or websites to learn about new names." About the Author Anindya Banerjee Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in ... Read More Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in ... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 10:31 IST Obsessed With Aurangzeb: BJP Sharpens Attack On SP Neta Abu Azmi For Praising Mughal Ruler Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 13:03 IST Aurangzeb Remarks Row: The members of the ruling Mahayuti on Tuesday demanded the suspension of SP MLA Azmi from the Maharashtra assembly. SP MLA Abu Azmi | File Image/PTI Aurangzeb Remarks Row: Amid the controversy around Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmis controversial remarks on a Mughal ruler, the BJP on Tuesday accused the Samajwadi Partys (SP) leadership of being obsessed with Aurangzeb" and called the remarks unacceptable." Azmi, SPs Maharashtra president, found himself at the centre of a political row after his praise for Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. While commenting on historical portrayals in the Bollywood film Chhava, Azmi claimed that history distorted Aurangzebs legacy and that he was not a cruel ruler. Recommended Stories Asserting that the country would not tolerate any insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya demanded strict against Azmi. All leaders of the Samajwadi Party are obsessed with Aurangzeb. Such statements are unacceptable. The country cannot accept the insult of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Akhilesh Yadav should take immediate action against Abu Azmi," Maurya said. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Police lodged a case against Azmi under several sections of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) over his remarks on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. The case has been filed at Wagle Estate Police Station under BNS sections 299, 302, 356(1), and 356(2) following the complaint from Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske, who also asserted that Abu Azmi has no right to stay in India." Abu Azmis controversial remark came weeks after the release of Chhava, a film starring Vicky Kaushal, depicting the life of 17th-century Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, who was tortured and killed by Mughal forces. Abu Azmi: The Outrage SP MLA Azmi said that he doesnt view 17th-century Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb as a cruel, tyrannical, or intolerant ruler, drawing massive criticism from BJP leaders. Wrong things are being said about Aurangzeb. He constructed a lot of temples for Hindus. He even got one of his soldiers trampled by elephants when he wanted to marry a Hindu priests daughter. As a mark of their gratitude, they constructed a mosque for Muslims. History has been distorted," Abu Azmi said on Monday. When a reporter asked if he thought Aurangzeb was cruel, the SP MLA from Maharashtras Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency replied, No. I dont think so. Absolutely not". Azmi further said that during Aurangzebs reign, Indias border reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar). Our GDP accounted for 24 per cent (of the world GDP)) and India was called a golden sparrow (during his regime)," he claimed. Reacting strongly to the statement, Shiv Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken this matter seriously, and demanded that Azmi should be tried for treason. Eulogising the same Aurangzeb that tortured Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj for 40 days, plucked his nails, gouged out his eyes, skinned him, cut off his tongue is a massive sin. Abu Azmi should apologise for this," a visibly angry Shinde said. Meanwhile, members of the ruling Mahayuti on Tuesday demanded the suspension of SP MLA Azmi from the Maharashtra assembly. The uproar over the issue led to the House being adjourned twice. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Location : Maharashtra, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 12:59 IST 'Police Raj': Congress Slams Assam Govt Over Data Showing 72 Killed In Police Actions Since 2021 Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 19:48 IST Another set of documents showed that a total of 136 people were killed across Assam in police action since 2016, when the BJP came to power for the first time Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (PTI Photo) The opposition Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP government in Assam of running a police raj" after official data tabled in the assembly revealed that 72 accused persons were gunned down and 220 injured in police actions since Himanta Biswa Sarma became the chief minister in May 2021. The Congress also stated that the Supreme Court should take suo motu cognisance of the data while issuing a verdict in an ongoing case on alleged fake encounters in the state. Recommended Stories Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, tabled a set of official papers in the assembly on Monday, revealing that 256 police actions have been taken between May 10, 2021 and February 23 this year. Magisterial inquiries were conducted in 175 cases but not in 81 others. The government, however, registered police cases in each incident under relevant laws and as per guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Reacting to the data, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress said that the apex court, which is already hearing a case on 171 alleged fake encounters in Assam, should take cognisance of the latest data and go for further suo motu hearing before pronouncing the verdict. The SC should take cognisance of these latest facts and open the case instead of reserving the verdict. This news should be taken into consideration suo motu," Saikia told PTI. He alleged that the figures show that there is a total police raj" in the state without any regard for the rule of law. We strongly condemn such a situation. We have been trying to raise the matter in the assembly so many times, but answers had always been evasive. Such killings of accused persons are happening because the ruling party is using the police for political gains," Saikia said. The documents tabled in the House showed that 38 people were killed while they were in police remand. Additionally, 34 more lost their lives in police action while they were in custody but before being sent to police remand. Similarly, 181 people received bullet injuries in these incidents while they were in police remand and 40 more were injured before being sent to police remand. It was not known exactly how many of these incidents were unilateral action by the police and how many were encounters, when both sides were engaged in gunfights. A year-wise breakup shows that the highest number of people were killed in 2021, the year when Sarma became the CM of Assam. That year, a total of 31 people lost their lives in 83 cases of police action, both in remand and before remand. Also, 67 people were injured, including 54 in police remand and 13 before remand. In 2021, magisterial inquiry was conducted in 52 cases, while no such probe was ordered in 31 incidents. The next year, 18 accused were gunned down, including three before their police remand. A total of 79 others were injured in 95 incidents, out of which magisterial probes were conducted in 66. In 2023, the documents showed that 13 accused were gunned down, including nine before remand. Additionally, 35 people were injured in 44 incidents, out of which magisterial probes were ordered in 35 cases. In 2024, 10 people lost their lives, including three before police remand. A total of 35 people were injured in 28 cases, out of which magisterial probes were ordered in 21 incidents. In the current year till February 23, no death has been reported but five people have been injured during police remand in six different instances. Out of these, magisterial probes have been ordered in only one case. Another set of documents showed that a total of 136 people were killed across Assam in police action since 2016, when the BJP came to power for the first time in the state. Earlier, the high number of shoot-outs whipped up a political furore with the opposition alleging that the Assam Police have turned trigger happy" and were indulging in open killings" under the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led regime. The Supreme Court was on February 25 informed by the Assam government that the 2014 guidelines for investigating police encounters were duly followed in the state and unnecessary targeting of security forces was demoralising. Following the submission, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh reserved the verdict on a plea seeking an independent investigation over 171 alleged fake police encounters in Assam between May, 2021 and August, 2022, in which 56 people died, including four in custody, and 145 were injured. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The petitioner, Arif Md Yeasin Jwadder, had challenged a January 2023 order of the Gauhati High Court, which dismissed his PIL over the encounters by Assam Police. In October last year, the SC had termed the situation very serious" and sought details, including on the probe conducted in these matters. Location : Assam, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 19:47 IST Public Accounts Committee For CAG Reports To Start Functioning From April: Delhi Assembly Speaker Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 22:10 IST Delhi assembly speaker Vijender Gupta said the public accounts committee to study the CAG reports on the health and excise departments will be formed during the budget session from March 24 to 26 After completion of the first session of the Delhi assembly, Speaker Vijender Gupta said two reports from the CAG have been presented in the House. (Image: PTI/File) The public accounts committee, which will decide the fate of AAP leaders over potential criminal charges based on CAG reports, will be formed in the upcoming budget session of the Delhi assembly. It will start functioning from April, said speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday. Addressing the media after completion of the first assembly session on Monday (March 3), Gupta said two reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) have been presented in the Delhi assembly one on health and another on excise departments. Recommended Stories The PAC (public accounts committee) shall examine these reports," he said. The panel will be formed during the budget session from March 24 to 26, and will start functioning from April. The PAC reviews the governments finances and is responsible for ensuring financial accountability. News18 had reported that the observations from the PAC are expected towards the end of May or the beginning of June. A BJP leader said if there is any need for criminal action against the previous government, it will be taken based on the committees report. ALSO READ | Will AAP Leaders Face Criminal Cases Based On CAG Reports? PAC To Decide In 3 Months The CAGs Performance Audit Report on Regulation and Supply of Liquor in Delhi was tabled in the House on February 25 while on February 28, the CAG report on public health infrastructure and management of health services was tabled. The speaker, for both the reports, has directed that the PAC should submit its report within three months while the concerned departments excise and health have been directed to send their action-taken note within a month. The first session of the eighth assembly started on February 24 and was adjourned sine die on March 3. Speaking about his role as the speaker, Gupta said he intends to run the assembly in a fair and impartial manner and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure. We shall do away with all the wrong practices followed during the past 10 years. Now all the sessions shall be duly prorogued. The practice of holding sessions in part for the whole year will not be followed. Special sessions will be called only in emergent and important situations. The sessions of the assembly are very important," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Gupta also said the assembly will hold question hour in the budget session a practice which had been almost done away by the previous government", he said. Sharing his vision, he said he will consult experts to develop the Old Secretariat as a national monument and major tourist attraction. The eVidhan project to make the assembly paperless is pending for nearly 10 years. I intend to take immediate steps to implement it and make the Delhi assembly fully computerised," he added. About the Author Nivedita Singh Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived... Read More Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived... Read More First Published: March 04, 2025, 22:10 IST Delhi Man Orders Phone Online, Pays Cash On Delivery, Opens Box To Find This Instead Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 14:39 IST A college employee in New Delhi's Sheikh Sarai ordered a phone online for Rs 16,680 but received soap and biscuits instead. After a second delivery attempt, he filed a police complaint. Investigation is ongoing To prevent online shopping fraud, take certain precautions like opting for reputable websites and checking for customer reviews and ratings before making a purchase. (News18) Online shopping has greatly simplified our lives, but this convenience can sometimes be accompanied by the risk of fraud. A recent incident in Sheikh Sarai, within the Malviya Nagar police station jurisdiction of New Delhi, sheds light on this concern, where a college employee fell victim to an online scam. The victim ordered a mobile phone through cash on delivery (COD) from an online shopping website. Upon receiving the parcel and making the online payment, he was shocked to discover packets of soap and biscuits instead of his phone. Adding to the peculiarity, a second delivery person arrived with a mobile phone parcel, demanding payment. The bewildered victim filed a police complaint. Recommended Stories Police Statement According to the police, the victims complaint states that he placed the COD phone order on February 11. On February 12, he received a call from an individual claiming to be the delivery person, informing him that the parcel would arrive the next day. A Rude Awakening On February 13, the delivery person arrived with the parcel, and the victim paid Rs 16,680 via UPI. Upon opening the parcel, he found soap and biscuit packets instead of his phone. When he contacted the delivery person, he was advised to contact the shopping website. Seeking Resolution The delivery persons phone subsequently became unreachable, and the website remained unresponsive to emails. Later that day, a second delivery person arrived with a mobile phone parcel, demanding Rs 16,680. Refusing to accept the parcel, the victim filed a complaint with the Malviya Nagar police station. The police are currently investigating the matter. Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Fraud top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all To avoid falling victim to such online shopping frauds, consider these precautions: Opt for reputable websites like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, TataCliq. Before engaging with unfamiliar or new e-commerce platforms, check its authenticity through customer reviews and ratings. Authenticate website URLs by ensuring they begin with https://". Verify the delivery agents identity before making payments. Refrain from sharing personal details over the phone. Insist on the delivery person opening the parcel before making payment. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 14:39 IST Engineer Weds Professor: If This Wedding Can Take Place With Zero Dowry, So Can Yours | Watch Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 16:31 IST A Gujjar man from Zamrudpur in Delhi set an example by rejecting dowry at his son's wedding and conducting the marriage without any extravagant spending The grooms family accepted only Rs 101 from the bride's family for the wedding rituals, and no dowry or goods were taken in any form. (News18) In Indian culture, marriage is not just a union between two individuals but a bond between two families, with society playing a key role in this tradition. Over time, the practice of dowry replaced the gifts and essentials traditionally given to couples starting a new life together, and this harmful practice became deeply entrenched in weddings. However, occasionally, certain incidents come to light that allow society to reflect and learn. Recommended Stories One such example occurred at a wedding where a man made a powerful statement about dowry. This incident involved a man from the Gujjar community in the village of Zamrudpur, South Delhi, who set a remarkable example at his sons wedding. In a video, he stands before the gathering and addresses the attendees about dowry. Namaste, Ram-Ram, and Namaskar to all the respected families, relatives, and elders present at the wedding of Siddharth and Shruti today. Dear elders, brothers, and sisters, this marriage is happening between two well-educated individuals. Siddharth is an engineer by profession, and Shruti is an associate professor. She has cleared the NET and JRF and is currently pursuing a PhD," says the grooms father as the people present applaud. I would like to inform everyone that this marriage is taking place completely without any dowry, without any extravagance. All the ceremonies have been conducted without any show-off. Through this, we aim to send a message to society that the practice of dowry, which has become so prevalent, needs to end. We hope this will inspire others in society," he adds. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gujjar Boys Page (@gurjar_boys_page__) This video was shared on the Instagram page called gurjar_boys_page. It features the wedding of Siddharth, the son of Shri Balwant Dayama, a resident of Delhi and Zamrudpur village, and Shruti, the daughter of the late Shri Vedpal Nagar from Badalpur. The couple was married on February 23. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The caption accompanying the video mentions that the grooms family accepted only Rs 101 for all the wedding rituals, including the Chitthi, Lagan, and Kanyadan. No dowry or goods were taken in any form. The deeply rooted practice of dowry in society today makes this marriage a noteworthy example, showcasing that change is possible. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: March 04, 2025, 16:30 IST 'She Covered Baby Bump With Lehenga': UP Grooms Sister Reacts As Bride Delivers Baby Two Days After Marriage Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 15:36 IST The sister of the groom, whose wife gave birth two days after marriage, claimed that the bride wore her lehenga in a way that concealed her baby bump, making it impossible for them to notice. UP: The couple got married on February 24 and the woman gave birth on February 26. (Screengrab) A groom from Uttar Pradesh was in for a shock after his wife of two days went into labour and he rushed her to the hospital. The grooms family has now alleged that the bride strategically wore her lehenga in a way that hid her baby bump, making it impossible for them to notice. The family is now demanding answers, insisting that the woman reveal the identity of the childs father. She was wearing a lehenga from her waist up. So tell me, if she wears a lehenga so high, how would anyone understand? We thought maybe she was feeling cold, so she wore it that way. How were we supposed to know what she was hiding?" the grooms sister can be heard saying in the video. Recommended Stories She went on to say, The stage was far away, and we were standing below. The cameraman was telling us not to stand up." Read| UP Bride Suddenly Gives Birth 2 Days After Wedding Night; Groom Cries Foul, Says Baby Not His The cameraman then asks, The wedding procession leaves on the 24th, and the bride departs with the groom on the 25th. So, are you saying that even on the 25th, your brother didnt find out?" To this she responds, No," and explains that she told her brother to stay away from her. Dont talk. They slept separately, not together. Brother told me that nothing has happened between them. They did not engage in any sexual activities." Now, whoever the childs father is, the woman should reveal his name," she further says. Marriage on 24thNo touch on first night on 25thShe delivers a baby on the 26thMen being conned into marriages like this has no data or statistic in India. This is absolutely criminalpic.twitter.com/pak52I5EWJ Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) March 3, 2025 The incident took place in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, where a wedding that began with grand celebrations took an unexpected turn when the bride gave birth just two days after the ceremony. The couple got married on February 24, and the bride moved to her in-laws house the next day, where the traditional Muh Dikhai ceremony took place. On the morning of February 26, the bride served tea to the family in the morning. However, by evening, she started experiencing intense stomach pain and was rushed to the hospital. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Upon examination, doctors confirmed that she was pregnant and in labour. The in-laws, who were in shock, were asked to sign medical consent forms. Two hours after she was rushed to the hospital, she gave birth. When questioned, the brides parents claimed that she and the groom had been in contact before marriage, as the wedding had been arranged in May the previous year. The groom denied this, stating that the marriage was only finalised in October. He rejected the bride and demanded an investigation, declaring, I will not accept this girl now." About the Author Arfa Javaid Arfa Javaid, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, keeps her finger on the social media pulse, covering all things trending and viral. She also covers human interest stories. A Delhi University alumna, Arfa also hol... Read More Arfa Javaid, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, keeps her finger on the social media pulse, covering all things trending and viral. She also covers human interest stories. A Delhi University alumna, Arfa also hol... Read More News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: March 04, 2025, 15:36 IST US Porn Star Visits Afghanistan Amid Crackdown On Women's Freedoms, Taliban Tight-Lipped Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 17:14 IST US porn star Whitney Wright has been traveling in Afghanistan, sharing Instagram photos. Her visit defies Taliban's strict rules on women. Whitney Wright has also travelled to Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon in recent years. (Instagram Photo) US porn actor Whitney Wright has reportedly been travelling freely across Afghanistan, despite the country being under Taliban rule. Her trip was, however, unacknowledged by the Taliban, who have restricted the rights of women and girls and imposed strict morality laws since seizing power in 2021. Wright had also caused an uproar with her visit to Iran last year as authorities there cracked down on women. Recommended Stories She also posted images of her Aghanistan trip on her official Instagram account. The pictures from show a plane from national carrier Ariana on a runway, a tiled ceiling from the Western city of Herat, supermarket items and vehicles, reported Associated Press. Wright, however, was not seen in the images. She also did not respond to messages from The Associated Press. Nobody from the Taliban was also available for comment. As a US citizen born in Oklahoma City, Wright would need a visa to enter Afghanistan but there are no operational Afghan embassies or consulates in the US. The Taliban have control of some 40 diplomatic missions around the world. The State Department says US citizens should not travel to Afghanistan for any reason due to civil unrest, crime, terrorism, kidnapping and limited health facilities. It also says there is a risk of wrongful detention of US nationals. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Taliban, however, are keen to attract tourists and promote a different side of the country. Foreigners are visiting, encouraged by the drop in violence. Wright has also travelled to Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon in recent years. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Kabul, Afghanistan First Published: March 04, 2025, 17:14 IST Why Did Police Raid IIT Baba's Hotel Room? Not To Confiscate Ganja... Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 12:26 IST Abhay Singh, 'IIT Baba', was detained by Jaipur Police under the NDPS Act for possessing cannabis but released on bail due to the small quantity IIT Baba refuted the allegations against him, stating that if arrests were made for such acts, many more people would also face legal action. (News18 File) Abhay Singh, who gained recognition as IIT Baba during the Maha Kumbh, was detained by Jaipur Police on Monday under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Authorities detained Singh after discovering cannabis in his possession. He was later released on bail as the quantity of cannabis found was below the limit stipulated by the NDPS Act. Jaipur Police arrested IIT Baba from the Hotel Park Prime but later released him on bail. While authorities claim they responded to a suicide attempt by a young man at the hotel based on information from the control room, some reports suggest the raid on Singhs hotel room may have been prompted by other motives. The identity of the source who informed the police about IIT Baba remains unclear. Recommended Stories Police presonnel from Jaipurs Shiprapath Police Station briefly detained IIT Baba from the hotel. Police said they received information from the control room that a young man, Abhay Singh, was attempting suicide at the Riddhi Siddhi Park Classic Hotel. Upon reaching the location, police found IIT Baba, Abhay Singh, who admitted to being under the influence of cannabis. Speaking to IANS, IPS officer Aditya Kakre of Mansarovar Police Station said that the suicide report is yet to be confirmed, and it is too early to comment on it. He confirmed that cannabis was recovered from Abhay Singh, but since the quantity was minimal, he was later released. Kakre also stated that police received information from a doctor regarding IIT Babas presence at the hotel. A search subsequently revealed two grams of cannabis in IIT Babas possession. He was taken to the police station and later released on bail due to the small quantity of cannabis recovered. Surprisingly, while leaving the hotel, IIT Baba wished a police personnel on his birthday. He claimed to be unaware of why they had come to his room. IIT Baba refuted the allegations against him, stating that if arrests were made for such acts, many more people would also face legal action. Speaking to News18 India, IIT Baba said, I smoke cannabis, but Im not the only one many sadhus consume it. If the police consider it a crime, so be it". Addressing the viral spread of fake news about him he said, There are three-four fake news: one is of suicide, second is of my detention. The only truth is that bail was granted then and there." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all IIT Baba, recently made headlines after alleging an assault during a news debate show. The incident reportedly occurred at a private news channel in Noida on Friday. The IIT Baba filed a police complaint stating that individuals dressed in saffron attire entered the newsroom and attacked him with sticks. Following the alleged assault, he staged a protest outside the Sector 126 police outpost but later ended it after police intervention and assurances. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: March 04, 2025, 12:26 IST All Set: Trump Says 'No Room Left' For Canada, Mexico To Avert US Tariffs Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 07:43 IST US Tariffs On Canada, Mexico: Trump confirmed that "tariffs are all set and are going to effect" on March 4 as planned While English is by far the majority language in the country, more than 40 million people in America are estimated to speak Spanish at home. (Image: Reuters file) US Tariffs On Canada, Mexico: United States President Donald Trump has said there was no room left" for Canada or Mexico to avert US tariffs that will go into effect on Tuesday (March 4). When asked about the possibility of a deal, Trump confirmed that tariffs are all set and are going to effect" on March 4 as planned. Recommended Stories No room left for Mexico or for Canada. No, the tariffs, you know, theyre all set. They go into effect tomorrow," he said during his investment announcement on Monday (local time). #WATCH | Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump says, There is no room left for Mexico or Canada. The tariffs are all set and are going to effect tomorrow"(Source: US Network Pool via Reuters) pic.twitter.com/AifaoOGMYU ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2025 Earlier in the first week of February, Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, along with an additional 10 percent tariff on goods from China. However, on February 4, he delayed the tariffs on Canada and Mexico for 30 days, citing new commitments from both countries to enhance border security. The delay followed conversations Trump had with the leaders of Mexico and Canada. Trump also shared a message on Truth Social, urging American farmers to prepare to increase domestic agricultural production, stating, To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on the external product on April 2nd. Have fun!" In a recent statement, Trump criticised the flow of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, allegedly coming from the borders of Canada and Mexico. He announced that the tariffs on both countries would proceed starting March 4, and reciprocal tariffs would continue with full force on April 2. Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels. A large percentage of these drugs, many of them in the form of fentanyl, are produced and supplied by China. More than 100,000 people died last year due to the distribution of these dangerous and highly addictive POISONS," Trump wrote on Truth Social last February. Highlighting the drug smuggling issue, Trump vowed to take action to halt or significantly reduce the flow of these substances, especially fentanyl. Millions of people have died over the last two decades. The families of the victims are devastated and, in many instances, virtually destroyed. We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA. Therefore, until it stops or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled," his post stated. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Additionally, China will face an extra 10 percent tariff starting March 4. China will likewise be charged an additional 10 percent Tariff on that date. The April Second Reciprocal Tariff date will remain in full force and effect. Thank you for your attention to this matter. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" Trump added. (With ANI inputs) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 07:43 IST Pakistan: 6 Killed In Twin Suicide Bombings After Iftar At Army Base In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 22:36 IST Sources said two suicide bombers attacked the Bannu cantonment, detonating explosives after breaching the perimeter wall after sunset when people would have been breaking their fast during the month of Ramadan The military did not immediately confirm any casualties, but Bannu District Hospital said at least nine people were dead. (Image: AP/File) Soon after iftar on Tuesday, six security personnel were killed in twin suicide bombings at a military base in northwestern Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The attack was carried out inside an army cantonment in the Bannu area. Sources told CNN-News18 that two suicide bombers attacked the Bannu cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, detonating explosives after breaching the perimeter wall. The blasts happened after sunset, when people would have been breaking their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Recommended Stories They further said five to six terrorists attempted to infiltrate the base and were met with heavy gunfire. Two bomb blasts were later confirmed in the area, they added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to The Associated Press, a group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban militant group claimed responsibility for the attack and said dozens of Pakistani security forces were killed. A police officer told the news agency that plumes of gray smoke rose into the air and gunshots continued after the two explosions. Militants have targeted Bannu several times. Last November, a suicide car bomb killed 12 troops and wounded several others at a security post. In July, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden vehicle and other militants opened fire near the outer wall of the military facility. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Location : Peshawar, Pakistan First Published: March 04, 2025, 22:00 IST 'Baseless, Cherry Picking': India Slams UN Human Rights Chief's Remarks On J&K And Manipur Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 07:24 IST Indias strong reaction came after UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, in his global update at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, mentioned India and referred to the situation in Manipur and Kashmir. India slammed the unfounded and baseless comments made by the UNs human rights chief. India on Monday gave a befitting reply to the comments made by the UNs human rights chief, who mentioned Kashmir and Manipur in his global update, and slammed his statement as unfounded and baseless". Delhi further voiced concern over the generalised remark and cherry picking" of situations. As India was mentioned by name, let me begin by emphasising that the worlds largest democracy continues to be a healthy, vibrant and pluralistic society. Unfounded and baseless comments in the update contrast jarringly with ground realities," Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva Ambassador Arindam Bagchi said. Recommended Stories Indias strong reaction came after UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, in his global update to the 58th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, mentioned India and referred to the situation in Manipur and Kashmir. In his reply, Bagchi said the people of India have repeatedly proven wrong such misplaced concerns about us" and urged for a better understanding of India. Bagchi said, nothing illustrates this divergence more than the passing reference to Jammu and Kashmir, which Turk erroneously referred to as Kashmir in the global update". The Indian envoy further highlighted the regions improving peace and inclusive progress, be it the large turnout in provincial elections, the booming tourism or the rapid development pace. Asserting that the global update needs a genuine update", Bagchi said at a larger level, we are concerned about the global updates oversimplifications of complex issues, sweeping and generalized remarks, usage of loose terminologies and apparent cherry picking of situations. The High Commissioner has sensed a pervasive unease, but we would submit that a key element to addressing this is a long and hard look in the mirror by the Office of the High Commissioner," Bagchi said. What Did UN Human Rights Chief Say? In his global update, the United Nations human rights chief called for stepped-up" efforts to address violence and displacement in Manipur, stating, I also call for stepped-up efforts to address violence and displacement in Manipur, based on dialogue, peacebuilding and human rights." He further said that he is concerned by the use of restrictive laws and harassment against human rights defenders and independent journalists resulting in arbitrary detention and a diminished civic space, including in Kashmir." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Indias democracy and institutions have been its greatest strength, underpinning its diversity and development. Democracy requires constant nurturing of participation and inclusion at all levels of society," Turk said. (With agency inputs) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : Switzerland First Published: March 04, 2025, 07:18 IST The prosecution rested Monday in the trial of a Billings man accused of killing a 4-year-old boy, beating the boys brother and trying to hide evidence. Kristopher Michael Harasymczuk has consistently denied the allegations, which date back to October 2021, with first responders transporting an unconscious Jaxsynn Gatlin to a local hospital, where he soon died. With his trial extending into its sixth day, Harasymczuks defense attorneys started calling their own witnesses and experts to testify in Yellowstone County District Court. My client is a blue-collar man, said Attorney Lyndon Scheveck, who along with Penelope Strong represent Harasymczuk. He works 40 hours a week to provide for six children. The state wants to rip that away. On Oct. 22, 2021, an ambulance crew and officers with the Billings Police Department responded to a report of a drowning at a trailer home on Woodgrain Drive. One of the ambulance crew members testified that Jaxsynn was lying on the floor of the bathroom beside the tub. His body was mostly dry, and abnormally warm to the touch. Harasymzcuk was living in the house with Jaxsynn and the boys mother. Crews brought Jaxsynn to St. Vincent Regional Hospital. An emergency physician told jurors last week that he and other hospital staff spent roughly an hour trying to keep Jaxsynn alive. That same physician also testified that Jaxsynns body didnt show the typical signs of a drowning victim. His lungs were clear, while his body temperature was over 100 degrees at the time of his death. The doctor then pointed out a bruise just above Jaxsynns right eye. Harasymczuk agreed to give a statement to police and allowed officers to search the Woodgrain Drive home. A day after Jaxsynns death, officers with the Billings Police Department met with the father of one of Jaxsynns brothers. The boy had spent the night at his dads home, and the next morning he saw that sons buttocks was bruised. Investigators spoke with two of Jaxsynns brothers, both of whom said Harasymczuk had physically abused all three of them, frequently using a metal spatula to spank them. A forensic medical examiner, who also testified in court last week, ruled Jaxsynns death a homicide. While the examiner couldnt establish an exact cause of death, court documents said, he reported the boys body showed signs of trauma and hed had a 102-degree fever the day he died. Despite being unable to note with certainty what exactly killed Jaxsynn, the medical examiners findings mostly aligned with hyperthermia: his body had overheated. For their first witness, Harasymczuks defense called Dr. Stephen Roderick Guertin. Guertin, a pediatrician who previously served on a child death investigatory panel in Michigan, reviewed Jaxsynns autopsy report and some of his medical records that date back to when he was a baby. Guertin determined that Jaxsynn could have possibly died from an asthma attack. Jaxsynn, Guertin said, had a history of being treated for asthma that started when he was only 18 months old. In the weeks leading up to his death, Jaxsynns medical records showed he hadnt been taking his medication used to control his asthma attacks. An acute asthma attack could have blocked his airways while the boy was in the tub, Guertin said, causing him to collapse and his mouth and nose to be submerged in water. Jaxsynns autopsy report also showed that he had three respiratory viruses in his system, Guertin testified, which could have left him vulnerable to a sudden, fatal asthma attack. During a cross examination from Deputy County Attorney Amanda Tiernan, Guertin acknowledged that there was evidence of possible abuse on Jaxsynns body, which included bruises on the boys head and buttocks. Guertin said lateral marks on his chin could be an indication that hed been slapped. The injuries on Jaxsynns body were such that, had Guertin seen the boy as one of his patients, he would have documented his injuries and reported them to law enforcement. There was absolutely evidence that Jaxysnn may have been abused, Guertin said, the problem was there was no way to determine when those injuries occurred. It was confirmed, however, that Jaxsynn had three respiratory viruses the day he died, along with asthma and he was running a fever. In initial interviews with police, Harasymczuk and Jaxsynn's mom said they put the boy in the bath, only to eventually find him unresponsive. In one of her interviews played in court, Jaxsynn's mother said she was in the middle of doing laundry when she noticed her son had gone silent. She ran into the bathroom, pulled Jaxsynn out of the tub and started giving him CPR. Harasymczuk then came into the bathroom and told her to call an ambulance. In a second interview played in court, Jaxsynns mother told BPD detectives the Harasymczuk had previously abused her and Jaxsynn. She didnt tell police in her first statement, she said, because she was too scared. The day Jaxsynn died, she said, Harasymczuk was in the bathroom with Jaxsynn when she heard her son call for help. Harasymczuk came out of the bathroom and told her the boy was fine. Moments later, she said she passed the bathroom and saw Jaxsynn lying on his side. His head was underwater, so she pulled him from the tub and started giving him CPR. For their final witness, prosecutors called BPD Det. David Raschkow, the lead investigator in the case of Jaxsynns death. Raschkow documented locks being placed on bedroom doors, cabinets and refrigerator inside the Woodgrain Drive home. Those locks were in place, according to Harasymczuk and Jaxsynns mother, to keep one of Jaxsynns brothers from getting up during the night and grabbing something to drink. Raschkow also pulled a series of messages from social media between Harasymczuk and Jaxsynns mom. In those messages, Harasymczuk berated her for speaking with people he didnt approve of and demanded to get her credit card information to pay for a bill. In one exchange, Harasymczuk told her to make sure Jaxsynn was wearing a hat when she took him to a doctor in order to cover up his ouchie. Monday ended with testimony from Harasymczuks nephew and his mother, both of whom testified they never saw him abuse any of the children while they were at the Woodgrain Drive home. To discipline the children, they said Harasymczuk usually gave them a time out. Harasymczuk has been charged with deliberate homicide, assault a minor and tampering with evidence. Coinciding with the three felonies he is facing, Harasymczuk has been charged with an alternative count of negligent homicide. Canada Cancels $100M Starlink Deal, Threatens To Cut Electricity To US Over Tariffs: They Need To Feel Pain Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 05, 2025, 01:45 IST The tariffs impose a 25% tax on Canadian goods and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy exports, a move that has sparked outrage among Canadian leaders. US President Donald Trump and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has taken a strong stance against U.S. President Donald Trumps sweeping tariffs on Canada, vowing to retaliate by cutting energy exports, banning U.S. alcohol and cancelling a $100 million Starlink deal. The tariffs impose a 25% tax on Canadian goods and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy exports, a move that has sparked outrage among Canadian leaders. Ford made it clear that Ontario will not sit back and accept the financial blow. Recommended Stories If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything including cut off their energy, with a smile on my face," Ford declared during a press briefing. Canada is the largest energy supplier to the U.S., exporting crude oil, petroleum products, hydropower, natural gas, and electricity. The new tariffs are expected to drive up energy costs, particularly in Midwest states. Ford believes the only way to make the U.S. reconsider is by making them feel the consequences. They rely on our energy; they need to feel the pain," he said, calling on other provinces like Quebec, Manitoba, and British Columbia to follow suit. A major casualty of Fords retaliatory measures is Ontarios contract with Starlink, Elon Musks SpaceX-operated satellite internet service. Were ripping up Ontarios contract with Starlink. Its done. Its gone," Ford announced. The deal, initially set to provide internet to 15,000 homes and businesses, has now been scrapped. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In another bold move, Ford also plans to remove all U.S. alcohol from Ontarios store shelves. Hes underestimating the Canadian people, the resilience of the Canadian people, and the strength of the Canadian people," Ford said. The Premier criticised Trumps decision, questioning why the US President would impose tariffs on a long-standing ally. I cant, for the life of me, figure out why this guys attacking his closest neighbors, allies, and friends. A tariff on Canada is a tax on Americans," he said. About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 05, 2025, 01:45 IST Canada Hits Back At US With Retaliatory Tariffs, Mexico Prepares Plan B As Trump Walks The Talk Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 10:17 IST Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that the tariffs will remain in place until the US trade action is withdrawn. Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau had been at loggerheads for some time, with both sides imposing tariffs. (Reuters/File Image) As the high tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on goods from Mexico and Canada is set to take effect from Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory tariffs on US goods. Canada has announced that it will impose retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth $107 billion (155 billion Canadian dollars) from Tuesday. Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in an attempt to avert the high tariffs of the United States, said that the country would impose 25 per cent tariffs on US goods worth 30 billion Canadian dollars from Tuesday if the Trump administration goes through with its plan, reported news agency Reuters. Recommended Stories The retaliatory tariffs on the remaining C$125 billion will be enforced after 21 days, according to Trudeaus statement. Today, after a 30-day pause, the United States administration has decided to proceed with imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports and 10 per cent tariffs on Canadian energy. Let me be unequivocally clear there is no justification for these actions," Trudeau added. The Canadian Prime Minister further stated that the tariffs will remain in place until the US trade action is withdrawn. Trump Locks In Canada, Mexico Tariffs Giving a green signal for the start of the regional tariff war, Trump said 25 percent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada will take effect from Tuesday. The tariffs are scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on Tuesday, the Trump administration confirmed in Federal Register notices. In view of the ongoing tariff war dampened by US President Donald Trumps decision, Indian stock markets also saw a dip on Tuesday. The imposition of tariffs also triggered a sell-off in global stocks and pushed bond yields lower on Monday. Notably, Trumps Monday comments triggered a fall in the Mexican peso and Canadian dollar. Mexico To Go Ahead With Backup Plan Mexico has also braced itself ahead of the imposition of the tariffs announced by the United States, stating that it has back-up plans. Without giving much details, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday said that the country was prepared" in case the US slaps tariffs on it on Tuesday. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all We have a plan B, C, D," Sheinbaum as saying by Reuters. About the Author Mahima Joshi Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a... Read More Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a... Read More Location : Canada First Published: March 04, 2025, 10:12 IST China Hits Back, Imposes 15% Tariff On Key US Imports Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 12:08 IST This comes after US President Donald Trumps new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada took effect along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20%. A spokesperson for Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office said on Monday that the change "sends seriously wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and will only damage peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait". China will impose additional tariffs of 10%-15% on certain US imports from March 10, the Chinese finance ministry said in a statement. This comes after US President Donald Trumps new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada took effect along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20%. Which US Products Will Face Tariffs? Recommended Stories Among the US products which will face 10% retaliatory tariffs in China are soybeans, sorghum, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. The Chinese finance ministry said that 15% tariffs will be imposed on chicken, wheat, corn and cotton. Read more: Trumps Steep Tariffs On Canadian, Mexican Goods Snap Into Effect Amid Retaliation Threat Additionally, China also imposed export and investment restrictions on 25 US firms, news agency Reuters reported. Donald Trumps Tariffs Come Into Effect Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Chinese goods from 10% to 20% along with a new 25% duty on imports on Canada and Mexico. Following this, Canada also announced tariffs on US goods worth $107 billion. Canadas outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the county will levy 25 per cent tariffs on US goods worth 30 billion Canadian dollars- in case the Donald Trump administration goes through with its plan. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Justin Trudeau said that Canada will also impose tariffs- within 21 days- on the rest of the US goods worth 125 billion Canadian dollars. Mexico said that it was prepared with backup plans in case the US goes ahead with its heavy tax imposition. The countrys President Claudia Sheinbaum said, We have a plan B, C, D." Location : China First Published: March 04, 2025, 11:20 IST Dalai Lama Under Threat: Australian Citizen Of Tibetan Origin Calls For Spiritual Leader's Assassination Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 14:33 IST Top intelligence sources reveal that the government considers this threat to Dalai Lama with utmost seriousness due to its international implications. Following these threats, the Dalai Lama's security has been upgraded to Z plus. There is concern that harm to the Dalai Lama would not only devastate the Tibetan community but also severely damage India's global reputation. (Image: PTI) The Dalai Lama is under threat from an Australian citizen of Tibetan origin named Singe. Singe has issued threats on social media, specifically Facebook, calling for the assassination of the Dalai Lama, comparing the act to the assassination of Libyas Muammar Gaddafi. These threats, translated from Tibetan, are considered serious and incite violence. Following these threats, the Dalai Lamas security has been upgraded to Z plus. Singe is now subject to prohibition orders under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), and CNN-News18 has accessed the order against him. The district administration has cited various violations by Singe, including waging war against India and acts causing public nuisance and community disturbance. Singe has booked under various sections of the BNS. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Recommended Stories Top intelligence sources reveal that the government considers this threat with utmost seriousness due to its international implications. There is concern that harm to the Dalai Lama would not only devastate the Tibetan community but also severely damage Indias global reputation. This incident follows a pattern of China allegedly using individuals of Tibetan origin to sow discord within the exile community, sources said. There are fears that Singes threats could incite large-scale protests and confrontations in India, reflecting the deep anxiety within the Tibetan community. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: March 04, 2025, 14:33 IST Elon Musk Suggests Zelenskyy Should Be Offered Amnesty To Bring Ukraine 'Back To Democracy' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 23:43 IST Musk made the remark on the social media platform X, which he owns, while agreeing with a users post that criticised Zelenskyy as a "dictator" Billionaire Elon Musk and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (Photos: Getty Images via AFP) Tech billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday took a swipe at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggesting he should be offered amnesty to bring Ukraine back to democracy". Musk made the remark on the social media platform X, which he owns, while agreeing with a users post that criticised Zelenskyy as a dictator." The post accused the Ukrainian president of holding onto power at the expense of his people. Recommended Stories As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine," Musk wrote while replying to the post. True.As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine. https://t.co/ZpF6nLIDtw Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2025 The user whose post caught the attention of the Tesla and SpaceX owner claimed that Zelenskyy would lose power if the war ended. The post further accused Zelenskyy of sending innocent Ukrainians to die in his meat grinder" to maintain his grip on power. Zelensky knows if the war ends, his power ends. Elections will resume and hell lose. Then his adversary will investigate his money laundering and hell be sent to prison. Zelensky is sending innocent Ukrainians to die in his meat grinder so he can stay in power. Dictator," the users post read. Musks comments appear to echo those of US President Donald Trump, who recently called Zelenskyy a dictator" and claimed that Zelenskyy refused to have elections" in Ukraine. Trump made these remarks last month, just before his tense Oval Office meeting with the Ukrainian leader last Friday, which grabbed global attention. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Zelenskyys five-year term was due to end in May 2024, however, elections in Ukraine have been postponed due to the ongoing war with Russia, following the countrys declaration of martial law after Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022. ALSO READ: Zelenskyy Calls Spat With Trump Regrettable, Proposes Ukraine Truce Terms: Time To Make Things Right About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 23:13 IST Fact Check: Did Trump Criticise Zelenskyys Outfit During White House Meeting? Reported By : Edited By: News18 Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 11:01 IST A viral video claiming Trump criticised Zelenskyy's attire is false. PTI Fact Check Desk found it originated from an AI Parody account and doesn't feature Trump's real voice In its investigation, PTI Fact Check Desk found that the video originated from an AI Parody account, which uses AI to create the voiceovers. The footage was falsely shared as real. (PTI News) After US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys meeting at the Oval Office, several questions were raised about Zelenskyys attire. Multiple social media users shared a video claiming that Trump had criticised Zelenskyys outfit during the visit. However, the PTI Fact Check Desk investigated and found the claim to be false. The viral video originated from an AI Parody" account that creates AI-generated voiceovers. Recommended Stories During the meeting, a reporter interrupted Trump and asked Zelenskyy why he wasnt wearing a suit. The question left Trump and Vice President JD Vance in splits, but Trump responded positively, saying, I do like your clothing." Claim On March 1, an X (formerly Twitter) user shared a video, purportedly showing US President Donald Trump criticising Ukraine President Zelenskyys outfit that he wore during his visit to the White House. In the 00:56 second video Trump can be heard saying: President Zelenskyy showed up to the White House wearing an outfit from Temu and I found that very disrespectful. I have to be honest, I will start calling him Temu Zelenskyy from now on. Someone get this guy a suit for gods sake. Sleepy Joe (Biden) gave him 500 billion dollars, but he cant even afford a 1000-dollar suit. What a cheap guy he was. He spent all that money from US taxpayers on the Temu app. He should use Amazon so taxpayers money does not go to China. Temu has awful qualityEither way, you cannot show up like that to the White House" Here is the link and archive link to the post, and below is a screenshot. Investigation The Desk ran the viral video through the InVid tool and extracted multiple keyframes. Upon running one of the keyframes through Google Lens, the Desk found several other users had shared the same video with similar claims. One such post can be found here, and their archived versions can be viewed here. Initially, the Desk carefully watched the viral video and found a Dangerous AI remark on the video with a link to YouTube. We then searched the YouTube handle, which mentioned AI Parody Content in the About section. Everything said in my videos is the original script I wrote; its not real quotes or opinions of those people in the videos. I use AI to create the voiceovers in my videos. They are not the real voices of the video characters," read the Disclaimer. It makes it clear that the viral video does not feature Donald Trumps real voice. Below is a screenshot highlighting this. Further, the Desk found the video uploaded on March 1. In the top left corner of the video, Altered or synthetic content was mentioned. Here is the link to the video, and below is a screenshot. In the subsequent part of the investigation, to verify whether the visuals of Trump in the viral video had been digitally altered, the Desk ran keyframes through Google Lens. It found the original footage in the AI parody video was shared by News 9 Live on February 27. The original event was a press conference by Trump. The title of the report read: President Donald Trumps Remarks During Cabinet Meeting I USA I DOGE I Elon Musk | News9" Here is the link to the report. The Desk noticed that the viral video was a mirror image of the original video. Below is a combination image highlighting this. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Subsequently, the Desk concluded the viral video originated from an AI Parody account, which uses AI to create the voiceovers. The footage was falsely shared as real. This story was originally published by PTI News as part of the Shakti Collective. Except for the headline/excerpt/opening introduction para, this story has not been edited by News18 staff. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 11:01 IST Indian-Origin Nurse Brutally Assaulted In Florida May Lose Eyesight Permanently: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 18:00 IST Leelamma Lal, 67, was brutally assaulted by a patient in a Florida hospital as the latter repeatedly hit her with his fists and fractured every bone in her face. Leelamma Lal, 67, was brutally assaulted by a patient in a Florida hospital. (Photo: X) A 67-year-old Indian-origin nurse, who was brutally beaten by a patient in the Palms West Hospital in Florida, US, may end up permanently lose her eyesight due to the severity of her injuries. Leelamma Lal, 67, was brutally attacked by a psychiatric patient in the hospital and was admitted to intensive care. The accused, 33-year-old Stephen Scantlebury, has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and faces a hate crime enhancement. He remains in police custody without bail. Recommended Stories According to a statement by the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office, a team was dispatched to the scene, following which they determined that the male patient committed aggravated battery" against the nurse, leaving her critically injured with broken bones in her face. As per reports, witnesses told deputies that Scantlebury was in a hospital bed on the third floor when he suddenly jumped up on the bed and jumped on Lal, hitting her repeatedly with his fists and fracturing every bone in her face. ALSO READ: Florida Patient Assaults Indian-Origin Nurse, Breaks Essentially Every Bone In Her Face Nurse In Stable Condition, Suffers Brain Bleed Lal was admitted to St. Marys Medical Center in West Palm Beach with a brain bleed and was reported to be in a stable condition. However, she may suffer from permanent blindness, reports indicate. Stephen Scantlebury, born on April 30, 1991, fled from the hospital after the incident but was later arrested and charged with attempted murder and hate crime enhancement. Sheriffs Sergeant Beth Newcomb revealed the accused confessing: Indians are bad. I just beat the s*** out of an Indian doctor," as per The Palm Beach Post. The accused was presented in court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty. Hate crime enhancements, if proven, can result in harsher penalties upon conviction. They highlight the motive behind the defendants actions and their broader impact on the community, according to the Sheriffs Office. Really Disappointed In The System Cindy Joseph, Lals daughter, said her mother will need surgery to repair her facial injuries and faces weeks of hospitalisation. This is gonna forever change the rest of her future and shes 67. She has, with her health, a good at least 20 plus years left and she shouldnt have to spend them the way shes gonna have to spend them," she was quoted as saying by CBS News. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all She further said that Lal was speaking but woke up worried about being fired from work. I thought she might have remembered what happened, but I dont think she recalls it clearly. She thought she was at Palms West that day, she thought she was off, and she thought she was there for a doctors appointment," she added. Joseph later told NewsNation that she was really disappointed in the system" and said the incident was preventable. My moms been working there for 20+ years; shes devoted her entire career to the hospital. The fact that this happened at a health care facility which should have proper security is beyond me," she added. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 17:58 IST Israel Eliminates Hezbollah Military Commander In South Lebanon Airstrike Published By : AFP Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 23:55 IST The Israeli air force "struck and eliminated" Khodr Said Hashem, a naval unit commander for the Lebanese armed group, near the town of Qana, said a military statement. A picture of Hezbollah naval commander Khodar Said Hashem. (Photo: X) Israels military said it killed a Hezbollah navy commander in an air strike on Tuesday in south Lebanon, accusing the slain militant of actions in violation of a November ceasefire. The Israeli air force struck and eliminated" Khodr Said Hashem, a naval unit commander for the Lebanese armed group, near the town of Qana, said a military statement. Recommended Stories It accused Hashem of activities (that) posed a threat to the State of Israel and its citizens and constituted a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon". The military said that he was a member of Hezbollahs elite Radwan Force and played a role in maritime smuggling operations". A November 27 truce agreement largely halted more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, though Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory since it took effect. The hostilities, initiated by Hezbollah in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas and including two months of all-out war, killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, according to authorities. In Israel, 78 people were killed, as well as 56 troops killed inside Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Lebanon, according to the UN, and 60,000 in Israel. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel was due to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by February 18 after missing a January deadline, but it has kept troops at five locations it deems strategic". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The ceasefire also required Hezbollah to pull back north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border, and to dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. Last week, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain indefinitely in what he called a buffer zone" in south Lebanon. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Location : Jerusalem, Israel First Published: March 04, 2025, 23:55 IST Russia Lauds Trump's Freeze On Ukraine Aid, Calls It 'Best Contribution' To Peace Published By : Reuters Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 16:18 IST Trump paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, a White House official said, upending Washington's policy towards its long-time ally. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clashed with US President Donald Trump last week | Reuters Image The Kremlin said on Tuesday that pausing US military aid to Ukraine would be the best contribution to the cause of peace, but cautioned that Russia needed to clarify the details of the move by US President Donald Trump. Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, a White House official said, deepening the fissure that has opened between the one-time allies. Recommended Stories Trump, who spoke to Putin on February 12 and says he wants to be remembered as a peace maker", has upended US policy on the war in Ukraine which he says risks igniting World War Three. Trump also says Kyiv has no cards left to play. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was cautious on reports of a pause in US aid and said the details needed to be seen. If this is true, then this is a decision that can really encourage the Kyiv regime to (come to) the peace process," Peskov said. It is obvious that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far. If the United States stops being (an arms supplier) or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace." Peskov said that Russia welcomed Trumps statements about his wish for peace in Ukraine. We hear his statement about his desire to bring peace to Ukraine, and this is welcome. We see certain things and receive certain information about the proposed actions in this direction. This is also welcome. But we will continue to see how the situation develops in reality," Peskov said. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022, triggering the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the depths of the Cold War. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in 2014 after a pro-Russian president was toppled in Ukraines Maidan Revolution and Russia annexed Crimea, with Russian-backed separatist forces fighting Ukraines armed forces. Russia currently controls just under a fifth of Ukraine, or about 113,000 square km of Ukraine while Ukraine controls about 450 square km of Russia, according to open source maps of the war and Russian estimates. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Location : Moscow, Russia First Published: March 04, 2025, 16:18 IST Spent More On Russian Oil Than Aid To Ukraine: Trump Calls Out European Leaders In Another Blowup Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 07:53 IST The European nations pledged strong support for Kyiv over the weekend after the widely publicised Oval Office shouting match between Zelenskyy and Trump last Friday. US President Donald Trump (AP) US President Donald Trump called out the European leaders for spending more on Russian oil and gas than to defend Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia. The European nations pledged strong support for Kyiv over the weekend after the widely publicised Oval Office shouting match between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump last Friday. Recommended Stories Despite their social media posts and lofty rhetoric, Trump suggested that the leaders actions have been ineffective and insincere. Europe has spent more money buying Russian Oil and Gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine BY FAR!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trumps statement came as European nations expressed strong support for Zelenskyy following his fallout with the US over the minerals deal, which he hoped would lead to peace with Russia. Setting the example, the UK signed an agreement with Ukraine for a 2.26 billion loan handout, which will be paid back using the extraordinary profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets held in the EU. EU Spent More On Russian Oil: Report A recent study by the Finland-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed that European Union countries spent approximately 21.9 billion ($23 billion) on Russian fossil fuels last year. This represents only a 1% decrease from the previous year and is slightly higher than the 18.7 billion ($19.6 billion) Europe provided in aid to Ukraine in 2024, according to data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Russias total revenue from petroleum and other fossil fuels reached 242 billion ($253.8 billion) last year, and around 847 billion ($888.5 billion) since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. For setting up the context, Russias gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at around $2.2 trillion last year, according to the International Monetary Fund, based on Kremlin data. The largest buyers of Russian fossil fuels were China ($81.8 billion), India ($51.5 billion), and Turkey ($35.6 billion), the latter of which is a NATO member but has faced difficulties in its EU accession efforts. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The CREA study also highlighted that Indias imports of Russian fossil fuels increased by 8%, while Turkeys purchases grew by 6% last year compared to 2023. About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 07:41 IST Taliban Claims To Capture Vital Border Crossing Amid Clashes With Pakistan | Exclusive Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 15:15 IST Afghan forces have reportedly built new structures like border posts and bunkers, a move that Pakistan labelled a violation of previous agreements, given that it considers the area its own territory The dispute had escalated over Afghanistans construction of a new border post. (PTI) Taliban has claimed to capture the Torkham border, forcing the Pakistani army to flee due to heavy fire and casualties. Top Taliban sources told CNN-News18 that tensions at Torkham have escalated recently due to Pakistan and two days ago, firing started between Pakistani and Afghan forces at the crossing that was closed for over a week due to a dispute over Afghanistans construction of a new border post. Recommended Stories Afghan forces have reportedly built new structures like border posts and bunkers, a move that Pakistan labelled a violation of previous agreements, given that it considers the area its own territory. Irate Pakistani forces closed the crossing, disrupting trade and daily life. Due to the standoff, trade activities at the Torkham border have been suspended, with export vehicles stationed at Zero Point being sent back. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Pakistan is wrongly accusing us of sending terrorists. The economic impact of the border closure is more painful for Pakistan and they are losing huge money on a daily basis," the sources said. Pakistan and Afghanistan forces regularly exchange fire, often sparked by disagreements over construction near the Durand line, a 2,400-kilometre (1,500-mile) frontier drawn by the British in 1896 and disputed by Kabul. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Location : Afghanistan First Published: March 04, 2025, 15:15 IST Trump Draws Up Plan For Easing Russia Sanctions To Restore Ties, End Ukraine War: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 09:15 IST The sanctions offices are now drawing up a proposal for lifting sanctions on select entities and individuals, including some Russian oligarchs, according to the sources. US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin | File Image/AFP The United States is seeking a plan to potentially ease sanctions against Russia as President Donald Trump looks to restore ties with Moscow and stop the war in Ukraine, according to reports. It comes amid constantly deteriorating relations between the US and Ukraine, especially after the publicised clash between Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, who has accused the Ukrainian leader of not willing to pursue peace with Russia. Recommended Stories Echoing the same voice, US Vice President JD Vance also criticised the Ukrainian leader and European countries, who pledged strong support for Kyiv following the shouting match at the White House. He stated that only Trump has the strategy to bring peace to Ukraine. The White House has asked the State and Treasury departments to draft a list of sanctions that could be eased for US officials to discuss with Russian representatives in the coming days as part of the administrations broad talks with Moscow on improving diplomatic and economic relations, the sources added. The sanctions offices are now drawing up a proposal for lifting sanctions on select entities and individuals, including some Russian oligarchs, according to the sources. So-called options papers are often drafted by officials working on sanctions, but the White Houses specific request for one in recent days underscores Trump and his advisers willingness to ease Russian sanctions as part of a potential deal with Moscow. It was not immediately clear what Washington could specifically seek in return for any sanctions relief. Russia is one of the worlds biggest oil producers and if US sanctions on its energy system were eased, it could help prevent fuel prices from rising if Trump cracks down on oil exports from OPEC member Iran. The Kremlin last year described relations as below zero" under the administration of Joe Biden, a Democrat who backed Ukraine with aid and weapons and imposed tough sanctions on Russia to punish it for its invasion in 2022. But Trump, who has promised a quick end to the war, has upended US policy swiftly to open talks with Moscow, beginning with a phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12 that was followed by meetings between US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. US sanctions on Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine have included measures aimed at limiting revenues from the countrys huge oil and gas industry and weakening its ability to fund the war. Western governments led by Washington imposed a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russias oil exports. Biden also hit Moscow with designations on Russian energy companies and vessels that shipped its oil, including Washingtons toughest-yet measures on Jan. 10 shortly before leaving office. Trump in January threatened to ramp up sanctions on Russia if Putin was unwilling to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. But more recently, Trump administration officials have openly acknowledged the possibility of easing sanctions on Moscow. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during a Feb. 20 interview with Bloomberg Television that Russia could win economic relief, depending on how it approached negotiations in the coming weeks. Trump told reporters on Feb. 26 that Russian sanctions could be eased at some point." ECONOMIC COOPERATION The White House asked State and Treasury officials to devise a possible sanctions relief plan before Trump last week extended a state of emergency over the situation in Ukraine, the U.S. sources said. The state of emergency sanctions certain assets and people involved in Russias war. Those measures, imposed by then-President Barack Obamas administration, have been in place since March 2014, when Russia annexed Ukraines Crimea. It is unclear which Russian sanctions the Trump administration would consider lifting first. Trump could issue an executive order that would allow the administration to begin the process of easing some Russian sanctions, but he would also need to seek congressional approval to lift measures on certain entities, said John Smith, a partner at Morrison Foerster law firm and the former head of the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control. Since 2022, Russia has been able to build a wartime economy with increased military spending and industrial production. But experts say the countrys economy is vulnerable and in desperate need of Western sanctions relief. Russia says it is open for economic cooperation. The Kremlin said last week that Russia had lots of rare earth metal deposits and was open to doing deals to develop them after Putin held out the possibility of such collaboration with the U.S. Any formal economic deal with Moscow would likely require the U.S. to ease sanctions. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Trump has been seeking a minerals deal with Ukraine home to a trove of lithium deposits and rare earth minerals as pay back for billions of dollars in U.S. aid. However, no deal was signed after an explosive Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday. (With agency inputs) Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 08:25 IST Trump Suggests Ukraine's Zelenskyy 'Won't Be Listened To Very Long': 'If Somebody Doesnt Want A Deal...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 08:47 IST Hinting that the Ukrainian President is not interested in making a peace deal with Russia, Trump stated that Zelenskyy won't be around for a long time. Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy's meeting with Donald Trump at the White House. (Reuters) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday again attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for stating that the end of the Russia- Ukraine war is still very, very far away". Hinting that the Ukrainian President is not interested in making a peace deal with Russia, Trump stated that Zelenskyy wont be around for a long time as certain people in Ukraine want this war to end. Everybody has to get into a room to speak, and we have to make a deal. It should not be that hard a deal to make. Maybe somebody doesnt want to make a deal and if somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very longBecause I believe that Russia wants to make a deal," Trump said. Recommended Stories Trump further expressed his willingness to end the war, saying that a lot of people have already been killed, and it has now become important to make a deal. Trump Says We Have To Make A Deal Further bringing in the comparison between him and the past US Presidents, Trump said that it was under is rule that Russia got nothing but grief. Under President Bush, Russia got Georgia. Under President Obama, they got a nice big submarine base. Under President Trump, they got nothing, and under President Biden, they tried to get the whole thing." He further said that it was because of him that Russia was not able to take over Ukraine. If I didnt get in here, they would have gotten the whole thing. I gave Russia nothing except grief," he said, adding, We have to make a deal because there are a lot of people being killed." Zelenskyy Faces Trumps Heat US President Donald Trump on Monday condemned the Ukraine presidents remark in which the latter said a deal to end the Ukraine-Russia war is still very, very far away". Calling it the worst statement, Trump said, America will not put up with it for much longer, apparently hinting at withdrawing crucial support of US for Ukraine." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In a post on Truth Social, the US president said that Zelenskyy doesnt want peace as long as he has the backing of America and Europe. However, following Trumps rebuttal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russia-Ukraine war should stop as soon as possible and that peace is needed. About the Author Mahima Joshi Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a... Read More Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 08:43 IST School Bans Mirrors In Toilets. Reason: Students Look Into Them Too Much Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 16:15 IST This incident follows a controversial move in 2023 by Christopher Whitehead Language College in Worcester, where mirrors in girls' toilets were replaced with posters criticizing makeup. Parents have expressed mixed reactions, with some calling the ban "strange" and "extreme." (Image: Representational) A Lincolnshire school has removed mirrors from its bathrooms to address concerns about students spending excessive time there and congregating. Headteacher Grant Edgar explained that the use of mirror was causing tardiness and discomfort for some students. While students with medical needs can request a mirror, parents have expressed mixed reactions, with some calling the ban strange" and extreme", the BBC reported. This incident follows a controversial move in 2023 by Christopher Whitehead Language College in Worcester, where mirrors in girls toilets were replaced with posters criticizing makeup as a harmful drug." At the time, parents criticized this approach, with some arguing that equating lipstick to hard drugs was inappropriate after which headmaster Neil Morris eventually conceded his mistake. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Recommended Stories The debate over student access to mirrors and mobile phones in schools continues to make headlines. Katharine Birbalsingh, headteacher of Michaela Community School in Wembley, known for her strict policies, banned prayer rituals during school hours and advocates for a nationwide ban on smartphones in schools. Currently, 11 percent of secondary schools in Britain have implemented some form of smartphone restrictions. Eton College recently adopted a policy providing Year 9 students with basic phones limited to calls and texts, usable only outside school hours. Similarly, Ormiston Academies Trust, managing over 35,000 pupils, banned phones in classrooms, citing concerns about excessive smartphone use and its link to poor mental health among young people. Location : London, United Kingdom (UK) First Published: March 04, 2025, 16:11 IST Trump Vs Zelenskyy Vs Putin Vs Europe: Everybody Wants Ukraine Peace, But No One Knows How To Get There Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 11:49 IST Tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy have complicated Ukraine's peace efforts, with US military aid now axed. Meanwhile, Europe is also working on a peace plan, but what's the road ahead? Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Donald Trump (L)/Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) (Photos: Reuters) With the Russia-Ukraine peace plan on the agenda, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, days after the Oval Office row with US President Donald Trump, now has a few options left. The heated conversation between him and Trump, played out live on television, has somewhat shifted the focus to the ties between the two countries. Many now believe that Ukraines peace plan could also largely depend on the countrys ties with the United States. Recommended Stories Though Zelenskyy expressed optimism about continued US support, and maintained his cool in public appearances since the episode unfolded, officials in America have expressed they want an apology from the Ukrainian President. In all, Trump, Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Europe, all are harping for a peace deal, but whats the roadmap? TRUMPs PROMISES ON PEACE DEAL, AND THE WORK DONE While he campaigned for the US elections, Trump, in 2024, repeatedly pledged to end the (then nearly) three-year-old Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of his January 20 inauguration. However, Putin had shown no readiness to drop his conditions for a truce and talks. Questions over Trumps connections to Putin followed him into his first presidency and hung over him for most of his term, spurring investigations by the Justice Department and Congress and the appointment of a special counsel who brought criminal charges against multiple Trump allies. While running for office, Trump cast doubt on the idea that Russian government hackers had stolen the emails of Democrats, including his 2016 rival Hillary Clinton, and orchestrated their public release in an effort to boost his candidacy and harm hers. Then, as President, he broke with his own intelligence communitys firm finding that Russia and Russia alone was to blame for the hack. If Trumps history with Russia appears to have contributed to his worldview of the current conflict, so too has his past with Ukraine. He held a call in 2019 with Zelenskyy and pushed him to investigate corruption allegations against Democratic rival Joe Biden and Bidens son Hunter ahead of the 2020 election, which Joe Biden went on to win. Now, after an unprecedented showdown with Zelenskyy, Trump has suspended the delivery of all American military aid to Ukraine. According to a report with The New York Times, a senior administrative official said the decision could affect more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition in the pipeline and on order". The official also said the order would be in effect unless Trump determined that Ukraine had demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia. According to the US State Department, Washington has to date provided USD 65.9 billion in military assistance since Russia launched its premeditated, unprovoked, and brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and approximately USD 69.2 billion in military assistance since Russias initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014. ZELENSKYY WANTS UKRAINE PEACE THE MOST After the heated exchange, Zelensky drove off in his motorcade shortly after having been asked to leave, without holding a planned joint press conference. The resources deal was left unsigned, the White House said. Despite the fallout, Zelenskyy has expressed an urgency to end the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible. He also said his country is working with the United States and European partners and hopes for the USs support for peace. However, he rejected calls for an immediate ceasefire, stating that it would be a failure for everyone" if hostilities ended without clear security guarantees in place. Later, he told the Associated Press that the end of the Russia-Ukraine war could still be far, far away, a remark which drew criticism from Trump. In a post on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns, Trump said it was the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" ALSO READ | Hours Before Oval Office Spat, US Senator Warned Zelenskyy Not To Take The Bait EUROPE COMES INTO THE PICTURE On Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said European leaders had agreed to draw up a Ukraine peace plan to present to the United States, a vital step for Washington to be able to offer security guarantees that Kyiv says are essential to deter Russia. At a summit in London just two days after Zelenskyy clashed with Trump and cut short a visit to Washington, European leaders offered a strong show of support to the Ukrainian President and promised to do more to help his nation. Later, it was announced that Britain and France would work on a peace deal with Ukraine and present it to Donald Trump, while Starmer described it as a step in the right direction. The coalition that Starmer announced appears to have as its first task the formation of a plan to end the war in Ukraine that offers security guarantees to Kyiv but is palatable to Trump who has made it clear that the US or NATO will not offer any such security umbrella. However, it remains unclear whether Starmer also meant that the coalition would take charge of implementing future security guarantees or whether member states would put boots on the ground in Ukraine for this. It should be noted that in 1999, an Australia-led International Force East Timor (INTERFET) under a United Nations mandate, the UK and New Zealand landed in East Timor. This marked the first time the UN greenlit a peace mission by a coalition of the willing. Later, in 2003, 30 countries in some capacity provided support to former US President George W Bushs invasion of Iraq, which did not have a UN mandate. These countries contributed to the invasion forces, which totalled about 160,000 soldiers. The UK contributed 45,000, and Australia sent about 2,000. The number of countries in the coalition grew to 38 after the invasion. While the coalition can come up with a peace plan, both Zelenskyy and Starmer have acknowledged that they need US backing for the execution of a potential peace plan. ALSO READ | Fractures In Europe Over UK-France Ukraine Peace Plan Amid US Rift PUTIN INDICATES HE WANTS WAR TO END, BUT IS THERE A ROADWAY? As Trump pushes for a deal" to end the war in Ukraine, he said, he was convinced, after a call, that Putin wants to end the war. I think he wants to stop fighting. I see that. We spoke long and hard," Trump said. Despite the casualties in Ukraine, as reported by several media reports, Russia has consistently denied targeting civilian infrastructure. Several Ukrainian civilians were even killed on Friday, as Trump and Zelenskyy prepared for and held their disastrous meeting at the White House. Earlier this month, Trump sent a delegation of American diplomats to meet their Russian counterparts for peace talks in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine was not invited to the summit. The meeting lasted more than four hours and was described by a member of Moscows negotiating team as positive". And while Trump seemed to suggest Putin is ready to negotiate, the Russian leader has been busy reiterating demands that have long been unacceptable to Kyiv. According to a report with CNN, Putin has repeatedly made his goals clear He wants to gain control over the entirety of Ukraines eastern Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as hold onto the southern Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014. Meanwhile, Trump and his officials have said that it is unlikely Ukraine will be able to get back much of its pre-war territory, with the President even going as far as suggesting that Ukraine may be Russian someday". OTHER NATIONS ALSO WANT AN END TO THE UKRAINE WAR Amid the peace negotiations, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will embark on a six-day visit to the UK and Ireland beginning Tuesday. Though his meeting will primarily focus on ways to further boost bilateral cooperation, his discussions are likely to include a range of regional and global issues. It would be interesting to see whether Jaishankar and his British counterpart David Lammy discuss the Ukraine conflict as their meeting comes against the backdrop of the heated exchanges between Trump and Zelenskyy. Last month, in a strong message on the Russia-Ukraine war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India stands with peace, thus appreciating Trumps efforts to bring an end to the war. His message came during a meeting with the US President at the White House, while the former was on a visit to the United States. India is not neutral. India is siding with peace. I have already said to President Putin that this is not the era of war. I support the efforts taken by President Trump," Prime Minister Modi said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Just a day before, Trump had held separate phone calls with Putin and Zelenskyy. Since the Ukraine conflict began in February 2022, PM Modi has also spoken to Putin as well as Zelenskyy a number of times. About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: March 04, 2025, 11:49 IST After Trump's Rebuke Over 'End Far Away' Remark, Zelenskyy Backs 'Soonest Possible' Ukraine Breakthrough Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 07:51 IST Zelenskyy reiterated the urgent need for peace, emphasising Ukraine's diplomatic efforts with the US and European partners. He stressed that the war must end as soon as possible. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: Reuters) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that the Russia-Ukraine war should stop as soon as possible and that peace is needed. He also said his country is working with the United States and European partners and hopes for the USs support for peace. We continue our work with partners. We have already had talks and other steps to come soon," Zelenskyy wrote in an X post late on Monday. Recommended Stories It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible," he added. We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns. We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security." We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on US support on the path to peace. Peace is needed as soon as possible," his post read. We continue our work with partners. We have already had talks and other steps to come soon.It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible. We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 3, 2025 This came hours after US President Donald Trump slammed Zelenskyy for suggesting that the end of Russias war against Ukraine likely is still very, very far away." This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform about the comments Zelenskyy made late Sunday while speaking to reporters in London. Zelenskyy publicly was upbeat despite the recent heated Oval Office blow up with Trump and Vice President JD Vance during which they accused him of being disrespectful" and said he should show more gratitude for Americas help. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The turn of events is unwelcome for Ukraine, whose understrength army is having a hard time keeping bigger Russian forces at bay. The Ukrainian leader was in London to attend UK Prime Minister Keir Starmers effort to rally his European counterparts around continuing and likely much increased support for Ukraine from the continent amid political uncertainty in the US and Trumps overtures toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks. First Published: March 04, 2025, 07:21 IST US Accounts For 49% Of 130 Billion Euros In Military Aid To Ukraine; EU And UK Follow Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 23:00 IST The 64 billion euros ($69 billion) Washington has spent so far, according to the Kiel Institute, is a far cry from the $350 billion President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed Ukrainian soldier prepares to fire a howitzer towards Russian positions on the front line near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region. (AP file photo) Most of the around 130 billion euros of military aid Ukraine has received between the Russian invasion of February 2022 and the end of 2024, has come from the United States, the European Union and Britain. Although Ukraines allies have pledged 170 billion euros ($180 billion) of military aid, only 130 billion euros has actually been delivered or earmarked for weapons or equipment, according to data from The Kiel Institute, a German economic research body. Recommended Stories The gap can be explained by the fact that some allies, including the European Union, make commitments over several years. US biggest contributor The United States is the biggest national contributor, accounting for nearly half (49.4 percent) of the military aid to Ukraine. The 64 billion euros ($69 billion) Washington has spent so far, according to the Kiel Institute, is a far cry from the $350 billion President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed. The US military aid, approved under the former administration of Joe Biden, has mostly been shelled out. But there are still equipment and weapons whose delivery was suspended by Trump on Monday. The European Union and its member states have pledged more military aid to Ukraine than the United States, for a total of 71 billion euros, according to the institute. But the bloc lags behind when it comes to aid actually delivered or allocated. As of end-December, the EU had disbursed 50 billon euros of the pledged amount. The United Kingdom has delivered or earmarked half of the promised amount the equivalent of 20 billion euros. Canada has forked out 2.6 billion euros of the 3.1 billion promised, and Norway 1.8 billion of its 8.5 billion. In terms of contributions compares to the size of their economies, Denmark and the Baltic states make the biggest contributions. In Denmarks case, it was equal to two percent of GDP in 2021. For the Baltic states, it ranges between 1.3 and two percent. On this metric, Germany paid 0.32 percent of its GDP. And the United States 0.30 percent. Frances contribution-against-GDP was 0.13 percent, according to the Kiel Institute. Who is giving what? In terms of quantity, Poland is by far the biggest provider of assault tanks (354) to Ukraine, but they are mainly old Soviet-built armoured vehicles. Since early 2023, Kyiv has received a smaller number of heavy US-made Abrams modern tanks, along with British Challenger 2 and German Leopard 2 tanks. The main donors of the tanks are Australia (49), the United States (31), Spain (29), Germany (18), Poland and the UK (14 each). The United States is the biggest provider of 155 mm howitzers, having provided 200, followed by the UK (94). top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The United States is also the biggest donor of multiple rocket launchers, having given around 40 HIMARS. When it comes to anti-air defences, Germany and the United States have each provided three US-made Patriot systems, to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian missile attacks on its infrastructure and cities. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 22:30 IST US Pauses All Military Aid To Ukraine Days After Trump-Zelenskyy Oval Office Spat Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: March 04, 2025, 08:11 IST President Donald Trump suspended all military aid to Ukraine, according to reports, sharply increasing pressure on Kyiv to give its nod to peace negotiations with Russia. US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. (AFP Photo) President Donald Trump paused all military aid to Ukraine, according to reports, sharply increasing pressure on Kyiv to give its nod to peace negotiations with Russia. The development comes just days after Trumps stunning public clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. Recommended Stories The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well," a White House official said, as reported AFP. Sources told CNN that the pause is expected to be in place until Trump feels that the countrys leaders have shown a good-faith commitment to peace. This is not permanent termination of aid, its a pause," a Trump administration official said. Notably, Trump recently emphasised on Russia-Ukraine peace deal, suggesting that those who are unwilling to negotiate wont last long. He also expressed that Russia is willing to reach an agreement. It should not be that hard a deal to make. It could be made very fast. Maybe somebody doesnt want to make a deal and if somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very longBecause I believe that Russia wants to make a deal," Trump said in his recent media interaction. Time and again, Trump has accused Zelenskyy of not wanting peace as long as he continues to receive support from America and Europe." Zelenskyy Faces Trumps Scorn Notably, Zelenskyy recently said that a deal to end the war between Ukraine and Russia is still very, very far away," facing sharp criticism from Trump. Zelenskyy also expressed that Ukraines long-term partnership with the United States is so strong that American support would continue despite his tense relations with Trump. In response, Trump called it the worst statement Zelenskyy could have made, adding that America would not tolerate it much longer, seemingly hinting at the potential withdrawal of crucial US support for Ukraine. In a post on Truth Social, the US president said Zelenskyy doesnt want peace as long as he has the backing of America and Europe. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be Peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?" Trump wrote. Trump-Zelenskyy Public Clash Zelenskyy, who arrived at the White House on Friday with prospects to meet and sign a minerals deal with his US counterpart, faced an unprecedented dressing down in front of the global media. The aftermath of the fiery spat was so intense that no deal was signed, no joint statement was released, and Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House in a clear dismissal. While Vice-President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful, President Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart that he was gambling with World War Three". The entire heated episode began when Vance said that Ukraine could achieve peace with Russia through diplomacy. Zelenskyy pointed out that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had consistently violated previous agreements. Replying to Vances diplomacy for peace" remark, Zelenskyy pointed to Russias aggression in the years leading up to its full-scale invasion three years ago, including a failed ceasefire in 2019. Nobody stopped him," he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He (Putin) killed our people, and he didnt exchange prisoners," Zelenskyy said. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean?" The exchange quickly became visibly tense, with Vance responding, The kind that will end the destruction of your country." He then accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful and litigating" the situation in front of the American media. Vance continued to push back Zelenskyy, claiming that Ukraine is forcing conscripts to the frontlines because it has manpower problems". Reacting to it, Zelensky replied: During the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have a nice ocean and dont feel it now, but you will feel it in the future." That comment irked Trump and drew him into the clash, which had until then been confined to Zelenskyy and the vice president. You dont know that, dont tell us what we are going to feel. We are trying to solve a problem. You are in no position to dictate that You have allowed yourself to be in a very bad position. You dont have the cards right now, with us you start having cards. You are gambling with the lives of millions of people. You are gambling with World War Three. And what you are doing is very disrespectful to this country," Trump said. The Trump administration was to negotiate an agreement with Ukraine that would grant the US access to Ukraines minerals in exchange for the support it has provided since the war began in 2022, as part of the peace deal. After the meeting, Trump told reporters, That was not a man (Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky) that wanted to make peace, and I am only interested if he (Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky) wants to end the bloodshed." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: March 04, 2025, 06:39 IST A total of 267 patients, including 76 children under the age of 18, have benefited from air ambulance services provided by Helidrive Zimbabwe since the facility was launched by the Government seven months ago. The air ambulance service offers free emergency air transfers for critically ill patients to major health centres across the country. It provides high-quality intensive care on board, significantly improving access to life-saving medical interventions, particularly in emergencies such as road accidents and critical illnesses. In the southern region, patients from Plumtree, Tsholotsho, and Nkayi have been among those airlifted to receive urgent medical attention. In Bulawayo, Helidrive Zimbabwes medical teams have airlifted 30 patients, comprising 20 adults and 10 children, six of whom were under the age of one. In January alone, we recorded 14 cases in Bulawayo comprising five males and nine females while in February, we had 16 cases. For Harare, we have had 75 cases this year, comprising 60 adults and 15 children, eight of whom were under the age of one, said Helidrive Zimbabwes chief medical doctor, Dr Evgenii Kibakin. HeliDrive Zimbabwe air Ambulance technicians airlift a patient to Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare from United Bulawayo Hospitals recently Two cases from United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) required airlifting to the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare. One case involved a five-year-old boy diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, while the other was a nine-month-old male infant suffering from bilateral retinoblastoma. Seven months ago, with the support of President Mnangagwa, our air ambulance service made its first flight. To date, 267 people, including 76 children under 18, 21 of whom are infants aged from a few hours to one month, have been evacuated, said Dr Kibakin. Three helicopters operate daily in Harare and Bulawayo, ensuring swift medical interventions. At any moment, Russian doctors, together with their Zimbabwean colleagues, doctors, and nurses are ready to provide emergency assistance, said Dr Kibakin Dr Kibakin said air ambulance evacuation is a crucial link in the emergency medical services chain for both adults and children. He said Helidrive Zimbabwe, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, is assessing existing challenges in emergency healthcare services. Presently, the most pressing issue is the accessibility of intensive care beds for children and adults in hospitals in Harare and Bulawayo, said Dr Kibakin. Recently, health ministers from Russia and Zimbabwe signed an inter-governmental agreement on comprehensive cooperation in the field of healthcare. Within the framework of this agreement, we plan to continue our joint efforts in organising all links of emergency medical care for the population, including the establishment of specialised emergency medical departments in hospitals, said Dr Kibakin. The Second Republic under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa is modernising the health sector as part of deliberate efforts to create a modern, prosperous, and highly industrialised country by 2030. In June last year, the President was in Russia where he scouted for investors to help set up the air ambulances. Russian Helidrive Air Ambulance swiftly responded, bringing in expertise to set up a highly efficient emergency medical service. The operation is staffed by skilled medical doctors, nurses, engineers, dispatchers, and pilots. The air ambulance service boasts a fleet of over 100 medical helicopters, which have been saving lives across Russia for the past nine years. Local capacity building has been a key component of the initiative. Helidrive Zimbabwe has recruited and trained 40 local pilots, 50 doctors, 100 nurses, 100 dispatchers, and 10 engineers to operate and manage the service. Air ambulances play a vital role in transporting patients requiring higher levels of medical care or those unable to travel commercially due to medical conditions. These aircraft are specifically designed to navigate geographical barriers while offering intensive care comparable to that available in hospital settings. Equipped with cutting-edge medical technology and staffed by highly trained personnel, air ambulances are an essential component of emergency medical response systems worldwide. The launch of Helidrive Zimbabwes air ambulance service in August last year coincided with the 44th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government Summit, marking a major milestone in the countrys healthcare advancements. Chronicle House Speaker Mike Johnson and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov both liked what they saw in the Oval Office on Friday, but they disagreed on what that means for US-Russia relations. The Trump administration "is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations," Peskov said Sunday in a Telegram video, per Politico Europe . "This largely coincides with our vision." Asked Monday about that assessment of President Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Johnson told CNN , "We're not aligned with Russia, and I don't believe any Russian propaganda." The Republican added: "We have to bring an end to the war. What the president is doing is trying to set the table for that peace agreement to be made, and I'm very grateful that he's doing it." On Sunday, Johnson offered an appraisal of Russian President Vladimir Putin that differed from Trump's. "He's not to be trusted and he is dangerous," Johnson said on CNN, per the Hill. Trump said last week that Putin will "keep his word" and honor any peace deal. "The way I view this," Johnson said, "is that China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are engaged in a new axisaxis powers, and they are not on America's side." Federal employees face a midnight deadline to comply with Elon Musk's second demand for reports on their recent accomplishments, a request that has become a flashpoint within the government workforce. The email was sent out Friday evening. Musk and President Trump have suggested that employees who don't comply could be fired. They've also described the requirementa list of five things that each person did last weekas an unobjectionable way to increase accountability within a sprawling bureaucracy. But for many workers, the request has been a source of anxiety and confusion as the new administration tightens its grip on the federal government, the AP reports. Some agencies are still telling their workforces not to respond or to limit what they say in response, just as they did after Musk's first request last month. Others, including the Department of Health and Human Services, have reversed their positions and now say workers are required to respond, reports Reuters. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has, for the second time, reversed the renaming of a US military base, saying that Fort Moore in Georgia should revert back to being called Fort Benning, the AP reports. The move reflects an ongoing effort by the Pentagon to overturn the Biden administration's 2023 decision to remove names that honored Confederate leaders, including for nine Army bases. But the drive to revert to the former names means finding service members with the same name as the Confederate leaders. Previously, Fort Benning was named for Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning, a Confederate officer during the American Civil War who stridently opposed the abolition of slavery. Now, Hegseth said, Fort Benning will be named in honor of Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross who served in France during World War I. Federal authorities have arrested two alleged leaders of a smuggling organization in Los Angeles. Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, also known as "Turko," and his lieutenant, Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, are accused of smuggling around 20,000 people from Guatemala to the US. They charged $15,000 to $18,000 per person, authorities say. A federal judge has ordered them jailed without bond until their April trial. The organization has allegedly operated for over a decade and is accused of causing seven deaths, including a child, in a November 2023 Oklahoma crash. Britain's King Charles III met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday. This meeting came as Charles faced criticism for not addressing US President Trump's suggestion that the US annex Canada. Trudeau has recently emphasized the importance of Canadian sovereignty, saying, "Nothing seems more important to Canadians right now than standing up for our sovereignty and our independence as a nation." Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney suggested that Canada should ask King Charles to underscore Canadian sovereignty. The monarchy's role requires political neutrality, presenting a difficult balance for Charles, the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the group of former British colonies and territories known as the Commonwealth. Trudeau's visit to London also included attending a defense summit on Ukraine. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who hosted the summit, assured Trudeau of the UK's strong support for Canada. Starmer also warned lawmakers about weakening US-UK ties amidst global security concerns. Starmer delivered an invitation to Trump for a state visit, noting it as an "unprecedented" honor since Trump had received royal treatment in his first term. story continues below King Charles also recently met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to show solidarity amid tensions with Russia, after Trump's critical encounter with Zelensky. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) Pope Francis suffered two new acute respiratory crises Monday and was put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, in another setback to his battle to fight pneumonia, the Vatican said. Doctors extracted "copious" amounts of mucus from his lungs during two bronchoscopies, in which a camera-tipped tube was sent down into his airways with a sucker at the tip to suction out fluid. The Vatican said the mucus was his body's reaction to the original pneumonia infection and not a new infection, given laboratory tests don't indicate any new bacteria, the AP reports. Francis remained alert, oriented, and cooperated with medical personnel. The prognosis remained guarded. Doctors didn't say if he remained in stable condition, though they referred to the crises in the past tense, suggesting they were over. The Vatican hasn't released any photos or videos of the 88-year-old pope since before he entered the hospital on Feb. 14. This has become the longest absence of his 12-year papacy. Dr. John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said the episodes were more concerning than the last one on Friday, in which Francis had a coughing fit, inhaled some vomit that needed to be extracted, and was put on the noninvasive mechanical ventilation for a day and then didn't need it anymore. The use of bronchoscopies reflects a worrying level of mucus and phlegm in the lungs, said Coleman, who is not involved in Francis' care. "The fact that they had to go in there and remove it manually is concerning, because it means that he is not clearing the secretions on his own," he said. story continues below The Vatican on Sunday had distributed a message written by the pope from the hospital in which he thanked his doctors for their care and well-wishers for their prayers, and prayed again for peace in Ukraine and elsewhere. "From here, war appears even more absurd," Francis said in the message, which he drafted in recent days. Francis said he was living his hospitalization as an experience of profound solidarity with people who are sick and suffering everywhere. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is in the hot seat again, almost two months after the deadly Palisades Fire ripped through the City of Angels. Per a city Ethics Commission filing cited by the Los Angeles Times , detractors of Bass, who was slammed for traveling overseas as the wildfire raged in January, have set up a fundraising committee to support a recall campaign against her. The move gives Bass' foes the green light to start collecting money to get a recall on the ballot. To trigger a recall election, Bass' foes would need to gather signatures from 15% of the city's registered voters (around 330,000 of them) within four months of filing. Per FOX 11, a Change.org petition started circulating in January calling for Bass to resign, citing her "gross mismanagement and failure to effectively respond to the devastating 2025 fires in and around the city of Los Angeles." That complaint had more than 176,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning. Bass' team is already pushing back, with one of her political strategists noting in a statement that the recall move is "nothing more than another extreme right-wing political stunt designed to divide Los Angeles when we need to move forward," per the Times. There's been just one successful recall ever of an LA mayorin 1938, when Frank Shaw was booted. What could dampen a recall in Bass' case is the fact that multiple people who are pushing for her ouster appear to be Republicans, "a fact that could limit its appeal in a heavily Democratic city," notes the Times. Politico has more on California's history with political recalls, including the 2003 ouster of Democrat Gray Davis that welcomed the GOP's Arnold Schwarzenegger to the governor's mansion. Democrats will look to turn the spotlight away from President Trump as he gives the first speech of his second term to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, but will it be with noisemakers, eggs, coordinated outfits, or a staged walkout? Democrats are reportedly divided on how they should protest the actions of the Trump administration, including widespread job cuts and funding freezes. Some are considering bringing hand-clappers and other noisemakers, anti-Trump and anti-DOGE signs, and eggs or empty egg cartons to highlight inflation, Axios reports, though it adds Democrats were discouraged from using props during closed-door meetings on Monday night. During Trump's last State of the Union, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously ripped up his speech right behind him. But Democrats are likely to "take a less pugilistic stance" this time around, per Politico. "Just let him stew in his own juice," Pelosi herself tells the Washington Post. Though polling suggests three in four Democratic voters believe the caucus needs to do more to oppose Trump, Democratic leaders want lawmakers to keep protests civil and present a united front that won't overshadow their efforts to portray Trump's actions as hurting people and failing to lower costs, per CNN and Fox News. With her official rebuttal, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin will "communicate that Democrats are fighting to lower the cost of living and protect Social Security and Medicaid while Republicans cut taxes for their billionaire donors and Elon Musk," says House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries. But that's not enough for some. Sen. Chris Murphy is among Democrats planning to boycott Trump's speech. "Every Democrat needs to make up their own mind," but the goal should be to "fight," he tells CNN. Members of the Democratic Women's Caucus will do that through their choice of clothing, Politico reports, and female members of the Congressional Black Caucus may do the same, per Axios. The outlet adds a walkout could come in response to Trump criticizing transgender children. At least three lawmakers were injured Tuesday, one seriously, after chaotic scenes in Serbia's parliament, during which smoke bombs and flares were thrown, further fueling political tensions in the Balkan country. As the AP reports, opposition parties wanted to confirm the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and his government. Chaos erupted, with opposition lawmakers blowing whistles and holding up a banner reading, "Serbia has risen so the regime would fall!" Hundreds of opposition supporters rallied outside parliament. Video footage from the assembly hall showed clashes between lawmakers and flares and smoke bombs being thrown. Serbian media said eggs and water bottles also were thrown. Things continue to move quickly in regard to the Russia-Ukraine war. One day after President Trump paused US military aid to Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has put forward what the Washington Post calls the "framework for a partial ceasefire" with Russia. The Ukrainian president also called his White House clash with President Trump "regrettable" and said it's "time to make things right," per Reuters. First steps: Zelensky said the first stages in ending the war "could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky," meaning an end to long-range attacks via missile and drone. "Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree [on] a strong final deal," he wrote in a lengthy post on the X platform. | Trudeau to Trump: This Is a 'Very Dumb Thing to Do' Canadian leader says Americans will feel the pain of a new trade war | 'We Want to Inflict as Much Pain as We Possibly Can' Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatens to cut off electricity to the US in response to Trump tariffs TDT | Manama Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), hosted ambassadors, diplomats, lawmakers, and senior officials at his Majlis to exchange Ramadan greetings. He also welcomed citizens and residents. The Commander-in-Chief extended his best wishes for blessings, security, and prosperity in Bahrain under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, with the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Prime Minister. TDT | Manama Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com without his share. Two courts dismissed his claim, but the Supreme Sharia Court has overturned the rulings, finding that the fathers transactions took place while he was gravely ill and could be invalid. The case was brought by the mans lawyer, Dr Salem Ghumaid, who argued that his client had been unfairly cut out. The father had been unwell for some time before he died, yet during his final illness, he withdrew BD664,546 and distributed it among his children except for the claimant. Deliberate move This, the lawyer contended, was a deliberate move to deprive him of his inheritance. The man learned of this in October 2023, months after his fathers death. The money had already been transferred, and his siblings admitted in a police report that they had received the funds through bank transfers based on inheritance rules. The man went to court, seeking to overturn the transactions and claim his rightful portion. His case was dismissed by the Court of First Instance. He took it to appeal, but the ruling was upheld. Running out of options, he turned to the Supreme Sharia Court. His lawyer argued that the lower courts had misapplied the law, ignored key evidence, and failed to give proper reasoning. He stressed that the father had been hospitalised about a month before his death and was in no state to be making such financial decisions. Banking records He also pressed for banking records from the Central Bank of Bahrain to trace the withdrawals and transfers made in the final months of the fathers life. However, the court brushed aside these requests and backed the earlier rulings. The Supreme Sharia Court saw things differently. It ruled that a key defence had been ignored, which could have changed the outcome. A ruling that overlooks crucial evidence is flawed, the court found, and a proper review was needed to determine whether the transactions were lawful. Financial transfers The court also ruled that financial transfers made during a final illness with the intent of donating assets are legally treated as inheritance matters. If a person is seriously ill, aware that they are near the end, and later dies from that illness, any financial dealings they make could be considered posthumous and subject to inheritance laws. TDT | Manama Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has intensified its efforts to regulate the labour market, conducting 1,769 inspection campaigns and visits from February 23 to March 1. These operations resulted in the detention of 22 violating and irregular workers, while 87 individuals were deported due to violations of labour and residency regulations. The LMRA reported that the inspection visits and campaigns identified numerous breaches of Bahrains labour and residency laws. Legal measures were promptly taken against all observed violations. During the week-long operation, authorities conducted 1,755 inspection visits to various commercial establishments across all governorates. Additionally, 14 joint inspection campaigns were conducted, including seven in the Capital Governorate, two in the Muharraq Governorate, one in the Northern Governorate, and four in the Southern Governorate. These campaigns were conducted with multiple government entities, including the Ministry of Interior, represented by the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA), respective Police Directorates, the Coast Guard Headquarters, and Community Police Services. Other key participants included the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Supreme Council for Environment, and the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, represented by the Maritime Control Department and the Marine Fishing Ports Directorate. The LMRA reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with government agencies to intensify inspection campaigns and address violations that could impact the stability and competitiveness of the labour market. The authority emphasized that such actions are crucial in safeguarding Bahrains economic and social security. The LMRA has urged the public to support the governments efforts in combating illegal labour practices. Violations can be reported through the electronic form available on the LMRA website (www.lmra.gov.bh), via the call center at 17506055, or through the governments Suggestions and Complaints System (Tawasul). TDT | Manama Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com Dr. Jaleela bint Sayed Jawad Hassan, Minister of Health, received Mrs. Aishath Ibrahim Shareef, the Head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission to Bahrain, today. During the meeting, the Minister emphasized Bahrain's commitment, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to supporting efforts in combating human trafficking at all levels. Dr. Hassan praised Bahrain's efforts in providing comprehensive healthcare services to residents, highlighting the advanced healthcare system that includes regular medical check-ups, health awareness programs, preventive vaccinations, and treatment services. These initiatives contribute to improving public health and preventing both communicable and non-communicable diseases. The meeting also discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations between the two parties, explored avenues for joint collaboration, and reviewed regional and international issues of mutual interest. For her part, Mrs. Shareef commended Bahrain's significant efforts in promoting public health for all, stressing the importance of continuing the shared cooperation to develop health initiatives that align with the common objectives of both parties. TDT | Manama Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com Bahrains only quarry has shut, leaving MPs pressing for answers as the countrys supply of building materials runs 60 per cent short of demand. Housing projects and major infrastructure works are at risk, and prices for tenders are creeping up. The government says it has a plan, but MPs are not convinced the problem is being tackled at its root. In Parliament Tuesday, MP Hassan Ebrahim said Bahrain needs between 9 and 11 million tonnes of imported materials each year, yet supplies are falling short. He warned that recent shipments would barely last a month. The problem is far from solved and requires fundamental solutions, he said. Industry and Commerce Minister Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro responded, insisting the government had moved quickly to keep the market steady. The government has taken alternative steps to ensure the availability of construction materials and keep prices in check, he said, pointing to agreements with private firms, including ASRY, to allow their ports to be used for imports. This measure has already made an impact, Fakhro said. Over 100,000 tonnes of materials arrived in the past fortnight, and prices had begun to drop. But MPs were not persuaded. Temporary measures, they argued, would not address the wider issue: Bahrains reliance on external suppliers and a supply chain that was already under strain. Ebrahim highlighted another problemBahraini companies had leased their transport barges to firms abroad, taking advantage of better offers overseas. There are only four or five companies in Bahrain that own barges, and the crisis started when they rented them out, he said. He compared Bahrains position with the UAE, which had 35 barges and $30 billion worth of projects, yet had managed to keep its own supply chain running. The effects on government projects are already being felt. Ministries rely on private contractors, and the lack of materials is inflating tender prices, doubling project costs, Ebrahim said. He pressed the government to act, warning that ASRYs only working berth could accommodate just 28,000 tonnes at a time, while an older berth lacked the depth for large shipments. Housing and Urban Planning Minister Amna Al Rumaihi stepped in to reassure MPs that higher prices would not be passed on to ordinary Bahrainis. Any increase in construction material prices will not affect the housing services provided to citizens, she said, adding that the ministry was taking all necessary measures to ensure that no cost increases are passed on to beneficiaries. She confirmed that all housing projects were on schedule and within budget, and that contracts issued through the Tender Board contained clauses to account for price shifts. The government, in coordination with contractors, absorbs these cost variationswhether increases or decreasesso that citizens are not burdened with additional expenses, she said. She also addressed concerns over housing loans, pointing out that the last review of Tasheel and other funding schemes had taken place in 2022, leading to an increase in financing limits. She assured MPs that agreements with developers required them to keep sale prices fixed, regardless of project delays or cost hikes. Ebrahim remained unconvinced. Beneficiaries of alternative housing services like the Land and Loan scheme, as well as those under the Mazaya programme, need prices to remain affordable, he said. First Deputy Speaker Abdulnabi Salman went further, warning that the problem extended beyond housing. This goes beyond construction. This will affect trade, business, and the cost of living, he said. He pressed the government to set out a clear long-term strategy instead of dealing with the situation as it unfolds. The quarry has already shut, and neighbouring countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait are focused on their own development projects. They cant be blamed for keeping their resources for domestic use, he said. He recalled Bahrains past troubles with sand shortages, saying this crisis had been coming for some time. These are the same old problems, and they always hit housing, works, and infrastructure projects the hardest. The government must be proactive, not reactive, he said. He warned that rising costs would put extra strain on major projects under the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Works. Citizens are waiting for housing programmes like Mazaya, but if construction costs rise, so will their financial burden. What is the Ministry of Housings plan if prices continue to climb? he asked. He also raised concerns over the pressure on Bahraini contractors, saying the cost of materials would force them to bid higher, pushing up overall project costs. The government isnt responsible for the price hikes, but it must act before the problem grows. We cant afford to sit back and wait, he said. Salman also noted that Bahraini companies were shifting focus abroad. Some of the countrys biggest producers were putting money into operations in neighbouring GCC countries rather than keeping supply chains running at home. They have every right to do soits a business decision. But the challenges they face in Bahrain are pushing them to invest elsewhere, he said. He pointed to the lack of a dedicated port for construction materials as a key reason why supply had slowed. We dont have the infrastructure to handle the scale of imports we need. That means delays, disruptions, and higher costs, he said. However, Bader Al Mahmoud, Undersecretary for Ports and Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, sought to reassure MPs, pointing to rising import volumes. In just two months of 2025, Bahrain has imported 850,000 tonnes of construction materials, including clinker, limestone, gabbro, and aggregate, a 36 per cent jump from the same period last year, he said. He insisted that Bahrains ports were not the issue, noting that there were 23 working berths across Sitra, Khalifa Bin Salman Port, and Salman Industrial City, covering 3,700 metres and equipped for heavy shipments. There is no issue of infrastructurethere are sufficient berths to process construction material shipments, he said. Al Mahmoud confirmed that Saudi Arabia had agreed to provide a new quarry along its eastern coast as an alternative source of raw materials once Bahrains own quarry closed at the end of 2025. We are in advanced talks with our Saudi counterparts to establish a dedicated transport route for construction materials to Bahrain, he said. Negotiations were also underway to secure more berths for handling shipments. He also revealed that Bahrain was setting up a joint Bahraini-Saudi company for construction materials, as agreed during the Bahrain-Saudi Business Council meetings. This company, managed through the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will ensure a steady supply of materials, he said. On concerns over shipping capacity, he confirmed that over 100 marine vessels in Bahrain were registered for construction material transport but admitted that many were committed to projects abroad. We recognised the shortfall and expanded the capacity of existing berths to handle deeper vessels, he said, adding that ASRY could now take ships carrying over 28,000 tonnes per shipment and that a similar agreement was being negotiated with Bahrain Steel. To secure long-term imports, he disclosed that the ministry had signed a Letter of Intent with APM Terminals to explore expanding Khalifa Bin Salman Port for construction materials. We are working towards a dedicated berth for construction materials, with the private sector leading its development and operations, he said. Despite government reassurances, MPs remained unconvinced. Neighbouring countries have major projects of their own and are no longer exporting as much as beforewe must find a permanent solution, Salman said. TDT | Manama Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, current President of the Arab Summit, alongside His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, chaired the extraordinary session of the Arab League Council at the summit levelthe "Palestine Summit"held today in Egypts New Administrative Capital. The summit was attended by Their Majesties, Excellencies, and Highnesses, the Kings, Emirs, and Presidents of Arab states. During the summit, His Majesty King Hamad delivered a keynote speech, in which he extended his greetings to all leaders on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, praying for unity, peace, and prosperity for the Arab and Islamic nations. His Majesty also expressed his sincere gratitude to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for hosting the emergency summit and for his warm hospitality. He further welcomed His Excellency Ahmad Shara, President of the Syrian Arab Republic, and His Excellency General Joseph Aoun, President of the Republic of Lebanon, wishing them success in their efforts to advance the prosperity of their respective nations. Reaffirming Bahrains stance from the recent Bahrain Summit, His Majesty emphasized the importance of adhering to the path of a comprehensive and lasting peace as the only viable framework for ensuring the Palestinian people's legitimate historical rights, including self-determination and the establishment of an independent state based on the two-state solution. He reiterated support for the Arab Peace Initiative and all relevant international resolutions while rejecting any attempts at forced displacement or settlement expansion. King Hamad also praised Egypts initiative regarding the Gaza Strip, urging collective Arab support for the plan. He highlighted the significance of strengthening brotherly ties, safeguarding regional security, and enhancing collective capabilities to address shared challenges, all while preserving developmental achievements and progress across the Arab world. The summit discussions centered on finding solutions to the ongoing crisis in Palestine, reinforcing Arab unity, and ensuring that decisions taken serve the interests of the Palestinian people and the region as a whole. VANCOUVER, BC, March 4, 2025 /CNW/ - 123Dentist, a leader in the Canadian dental industry, is expanding its adoption of AI in its clinical operations by implementing VideaHealth's AI solution across its network. This initiative enhances diagnostic accuracy, empowers clinicians, and improves patient engagement through cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI). VideaHealth (CNW Group/123Dentist) "AI in dentistry is designed to enhance, not replace, doctor expertise. It's a clinical tool that will help our doctors support their clinical diagnosis and discussions with patients, said Dr. Naveen Verma, Senior Vice President of Clinical Growth at 123Dentist. "VideaAI by VideaHealth supports our clinical teams by fostering patient trust through case presentation." Empowering Dental Professionals Through AI 123Dentist's approach to AI integration focuses on enhancing both clinical excellence and patient trust. Rather than automating care, the company is investing in human-AI collaboration, where AI serves as a support system for dental professionals. By integrating VideaAI, 123Dentist provides: Enhanced clinical confidence: AI-assisted diagnostics help dentists refine their diagnoses and treatment plans, reducing uncertainty and ensuring precision. AI-assisted diagnostics help dentists refine their diagnoses and treatment plans, reducing uncertainty and ensuring precision. Seamless workflow support: AI-driven insights allow clinicians to streamline case reviews, ensuring efficient and patient-focused care. AI-driven insights allow clinicians to streamline case reviews, ensuring efficient and patient-focused care. A second set of eyes: VideaHealth AI acts as an extra layer of diagnostic assurance, reinforcing decision-making while allowing clinicians to focus on patient relationships. Transforming the Patient Experience Beyond enhancing clinical efficiency, VideaAI is reshaping patient interactions, fostering greater engagement and trust in dental care. By providing real-time insights directly on X-rays, AI empowers patients to take a more active role in their oral health. Visual clarity for patients: AI-powered feedback highlights areas of concern in an easy-to-understand format, improving patient comprehension and reducing skepticism. AI-powered feedback highlights areas of concern in an easy-to-understand format, improving patient comprehension and reducing skepticism. Strengthened patient trust: The transparency of AI-assisted diagnostics fosters more collaborative discussions between patients and their providers. The transparency of AI-assisted diagnostics fosters more collaborative discussions between patients and their providers. Informed decision-making: With AI-supported explanations, patients feel more confident about treatment plans, leading to higher case acceptance and long-term oral health benefits. "AI is a powerful tool, but it's the human connection that drives exceptional care," said Dr. Verma. " VideaHealth stood out as our AI partner of choice for its ability to drive technology adoption in doctor-led organizations and provide real results that improve patient satisfaction. By integrating VideaAI into our practices, we're ensuring that technology enhancesnot replacesthe clinician-patient relationship." Strategic Collaboration with VideaHealth 123Dentist has partnered with VideaHealth to integrate AI into its workflow, ensuring that clinicians remain in control of decision-making while leveraging AI to enhance diagnostic accuracy and streamline patient communication. "123Dentist is setting new standards for AI-assisted dentistry," said Florian Hillen, Founder and CEO of VideaHealth. "Our mission is to transform dental care through AI, empowering dentists to advance diagnostics and enhance the patient experience. We're proud to support 123Dentist's commitment to innovation and patient-first care." About 123Dentist 123Dentist is one of Canada's largest dental support organizations, providing operational and administrative support to a network of 400+ clinics nationwide. Committed to patient-first care, clinical innovation, and empowering dental professionals, 123Dentist continues to integrate leading-edge solutions to elevate the standard of care. SOURCE 123Dentist For media inquiries: [email protected] | www.123dentist.com TORONTO, March 4, 2025 /CNW/ - The Trump administration's 25% across-the-board tariffs are a massive broadside to the Canadian economy and come at a time of great political and economic uncertainty. Governments across Canada need to move into action mode. The majority of small business owners support retaliatory tariffs but recognize that they will hit an even broader swath of our economy than the U.S. tariffs themselves. Many small businesses have already experienced higher costs, cancelled contracts/orders, and lower demand due to the ongoing threats. Now that they've been imposed, we expect to see these challenges rapidly escalate. Sadly, this is not the end of it. We may see additional tariffs on steel and aluminum on March 12 and on another round of products on April 2. Last week, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston followed through on a long-standing CFIB recommendation to break down internal trade barriers by mutually recognizing the rules of other provinces. Ontario Premier Doug Ford signalled he would do the same. Other provinces and territories need to step up now and match these actions to allow for true free trade within Canada. There is no time to waste. The federal government should recall Parliament immediately to ensure that Canadian businesses have the support they need and that every dollar Canada collects in tariffs is returned to affected businesses as quickly as possible. The federal government can also send a clear message that Canada is open for business and investment by providing carbon tax clarity and stopping the April 1 increase, passing legislation to make sure carbon tax rebates are tax free and passing proposed legislation to increase the lifetime capital gains exemption threshold to $1.25M and putting the promised Canadian Entrepreneurs' Incentive stays in place. Political and policy uncertainty is the last thing the country needs at this moment. As we mark five years since the start of the pandemic, Canadian businesses have faced two massive economic threats the pandemic and an emerging trade war with our largest economic partner. All of us need to come together and do all we can to support local, independent Canadian businesses. - Dan Kelly, President, CFIB For more information on the impact of tariffs on small businesses, visit cfib.ca/tariffs. About CFIB The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada's largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners' chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca. SOURCE Canadian Federation of Independent Business For media enquiries or interviews, please contact: Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB, 647-464-2814, [email protected] Episode 2 of Digital Disruption, a video podcast from global research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group, features AI strategist and former OpenAI Head of Go-to-Market Zack Kass. In the new episode, titled "How AI Will Change Society Forever," Kass shares with host Geoff Neilson his expert insights on the transformative power of AI, its implications for business and society, and the evolving role of leadership in the age of artificial intelligence. TORONTO, March 3, 2025 /CNW/ - As AI's rapid evolution continues to challenge and transform businesses across the globe, the second episode of Digital Disruption, Info-Tech Research Group's podcast series, features Zack Kass, a seasoned AI leader and former head of go-to-market at OpenAI. In the episode, Kass shares his perspective on how organizations can successfully embrace artificial intelligence to drive meaningful change. Episode 2 of Digital Disruption, a video podcast from Info-Tech Research Group, features AI strategist and former OpenAI Head of Go-to-Market Zack Kass and explores how organizations can successfully embrace AI to drive meaningful change. (CNW Group/Info-Tech Research Group) With over 15 years of experience in AI commercialization, Kass has been instrumental in helping enterprises integrate AI-driven strategies. He has worked closely with Fortune 1000 companies, including Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Amgen, guiding them through the complexities of AI adoption. Now, as an advisor to top executives and an executive-in-residence at the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce, Kass provides insights into the broader implications of AI for businesses and decision-makers. "Zack has been in the room where the generative AI tools of the future are being built and deployed," says Geoff Nielson, senior vice president of brand at Info-Tech Research Group and host of Digital Disruption. "His perspective on what this technology can do and where it is going will be invaluable to anyone looking to navigate the fast-changing digital landscape." Digital Disruption, Episode 2: "How AI Will Change Society Forever" The latest episode of Digital Disruption with guest Zack Kass will explore: The evolving impact of AI on industries and leadership roles. How businesses can balance innovation with ethical considerations. The strategic decisions leaders need to make today to stay competitive in an AI-driven future. "The AI revolution is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, and organizations that proactively adapt will gain a significant advantage," explains Nielson. "This conversation goes beyond the technical aspects of AI it's about equipping leaders with the knowledge and strategies needed to navigate the digital future effectively." The episode of Digital Disruption featuring Zack Kass is now available on YouTube, Apple Music, and Spotify. IT and business professionals are encouraged to subscribe for insights from top industry experts shaping the future of digital transformation. For more details, visit the Digital Disruption podcast page and follow Info-Tech Research Group on LinkedIn and X for updates. To learn more about guest opportunities and participation in upcoming episodes, please contact [email protected]. About Info-Tech Research Group Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT and HR professionals. The company produces unbiased, highly relevant research and provides advisory services to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations. To learn more about Info-Tech's divisions, visit McLean & Company for HR research and advisory services and SoftwareReviews for software buying insights. Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected]. SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group Media Contact: Sufyan Al-Hassan, Senior PR Manager, Info-Tech Research Group, [email protected] | +1 (888) 670-8889 x2418 TORONTO, March 4, 2025 /CNW/ - Calling all daredevils! Mary Brown's Chicken is turning up the heat with the launch of its new Hot Honey Sandwich to celebrate the release of Marvel Television's Daredevil: Born Again, now streaming exclusively on Disney+. To align with the series' two-episode premiere, this bold new creation is designed for those who crave intense, delicious flavours with a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. New Mary Brown's Chicken Hot Honey Sandwich (CNW Group/Mary Brown's Chicken) The Hot Honey Sandwich features a 100% Canadian boneless chicken breast fillet, generously smothered in Mary Brown's Chicken's signature Hot Honey sauce. This unique sauce combines the natural sweetness of honey with an intense chili pepper kick, delivering a bold, fiery flavour that will excite the taste buds. The sandwich is fully loaded with crispy jalapeno bits, spicy mayo, pickles and tangy Monterey Jack cheese, all piled on a soft, buttery brioche bun for the ultimate flavour-packed experience. As part of the Hot Honey Sandwich launch, Mary Brown's Chicken is excited to team up with Marvel Television to celebrate the release of Daredevil: Born Again, which is now streaming on Disney+. This highly anticipated new series features bold action and heart-pounding excitement the perfect pairing for the Hot Honey Sandwich with its bold, intense flavour. "We wanted to create a sandwich that truly ignites your tastebuds," says Jeff Barlow, Chief Marketing Officer at Mary Brown's Chicken. "The Hot Honey Sandwich is for those who love intense, bold flavours that pack a punch. And it's not for the faint of heart, either. It's a sandwich for the adventurous who crave that next-level kick, and the perfect way to fight hunger while watching Daredevil: Born Again. So be sure to try the Hot Honey Sandwich. We dare you!" In addition to the Hot Honey Sandwich, Mary Brown's Chicken is also offering fans the opportunity to turn up the heat on their other menu items with the Hot Honey sauce available as a topping for Mary Brown's Pop-ins, Tenders, and Wings. Whether tossed on crispy wings or served alongside tender chicken pieces, the Hot Honey sauce is the perfect way to add heat to any dish. For a limited time, fans can enjoy the Hot Honey Sandwich as part of a combo for just $11.99. This special price will be available for the first three weeks of the launch, making it the perfect time to try the bold new flavour at a great value. Plus, Mary Brown's Chicken fans will get an exclusive chance to unlock the Hot Honey Sandwich through the brand's secret menu on the MBC app. Mary Brown's Chicken is proud to bring this exciting new menu item to its fans, continuing its long-standing tradition of offering exciting and bold flavours. The brand has taken a 360-degree marketing approach with this launch in collaboration with Marvel Television's Daredevil: Born Again to ensure the Hot Honey Sandwich is front and center in the minds of thrill-seekers across Canada. About Mary Brown's Chicken: Mary Brown's Chicken has over 280 locations across Canada and is growing. The brand is 100 per cent Canadian-owned, being first established in St. John's Newfoundland in 1969. The brand started out with only three stores but as its reputation grew for quality, mouth-watering food, so did the franchise. Mary Brown's is renowned for its Big Mary, named Canada's Best Chicken Sandwich, and made-fresh methodology including hand cutting and hand breading its Signature Chicken and Taters from farm-fresh Canadian ingredients. Mary Brown's is proudly the Official Chicken Restaurant of the Toronto Blue Jays. Mary Brown's boasts 18 years of consecutive same-store sales growth and has been awarded the Canadian Franchise Association's Franchisees' Choice Designation for 13 consecutive years. Connect with Mary Brown's Chicken on social YouTube: @marybrownsofficial Instagram: @marybrownsofficial Facebook: @marybrowns TikTok: @marybrownschicken For further information: Annette Zuk, [email protected] About Marvel Television's Daredevil: Born Again In "Daredevil: Born Again," Murdock, a blind lawyer with heightened abilities, is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course. The series also stars Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Wilson Bethel, Zabryna Guevara, Nikki M. James, Genneya Walton, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Michael Gandolfini, with Ayelet Zurer and Jon Bernthal. Dario Scardapane is showrunner. Episodes are directed by Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Michael Cuesta, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, and David Boyd; and executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Sana Amanat, Chris Gary, Dario Scardapane, Matt Corman & Chris Ord, and Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead. Stream Marvel Television's all-new series "Daredevil: Born Again" now only on Disney+. Walt Disney Studios Canada Publicity Peter Pitino [email protected] SOURCE Mary Brown's Chicken United in fighting U.S. tariffs, Canadian business leaders evaluate mitigation strategies while urging governments to take bold action TORONTO, March 4, 2025 /CNW/ - Canadian business leaders remain steadfastly united in fighting U.S. tariffs with two-thirds (67 per cent) saying they can weather a trade war that lasts more than a year, finds a new survey by KPMG in Canada taken last week. Over eight in 10 (86 per cent) continue to support retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. the same sentiment held a month ago when KPMG first surveyed corporate Canada on their tariff response. The uncertainty around U.S. trade policy has had Canadian companies rushing to find ways to mitigate their risk and tariff-proof their organization. While it varies by company and industry, mitigation strategies include identifying areas to optimize and streamline operations, forming partnerships to open up new markets, diversifying supply chains, divesting non-core activities, exploring foreign-exchange hedging opportunities, incorporating tariff and transfer pricing plans, seeking exemptions, and securing subsidies or taking advantage of tax incentives. "The business community remains unwavering in its commitment to stand up for Canada," says Timothy Prince, the Canadian Managing Partner for Clients and Markets, KPMG in Canada. "The size of the tariffs and the length of time tariffs remain in place will impact their ability to weather the coming storm. Already the uncertainty is prompting companies to examine every facet of their business to understand their options, with three-quarters already undertaking a strategic review of their operations." "While they will do what they must to ride this out, they expect governments to take bold action to eliminate interprovincial barriers, build a national energy-agnostic corridor, reduce red tape, and revamp the tax system to improve their ability to compete. As many as 86 per cent say it's time to diversify energy export markets with increased pipelines and infrastructure in Western and Eastern Canada, and reduce our reliance on having to move oil and gas to Eastern Canada through the U.S." Nearly nine in 10 (88 per cent) want "strong and determined" political will at all levels of government to finally open up trade within Canada. As many as 84 per cent say the elimination of interprovincial barriers will be "extremely or very important" to the survival of their business in a trade war with the U.S. and want the barriers removed as quickly as possible. Almost a third (31 per cent) say they could redirect 11-to-25 per cent of their sales to markets in Canada. As many as 96 per cent of Canadians in a separate KPMG consumer poll want interprovincial barriers removed and 91 per cent say the trade war has convinced them that Canada needs to maintain its dairy, eggs, and poultry "supply management" system. This is KPMG's second survey of business leaders in a month. Completed last week, the survey captures the opinions of 602 business leaders from primarily mid-sized and large companies across Canada and industry sectors. Just over half (51 per cent) run companies in two industries that are expected to be hit the hardest by U.S. import duties: industrial manufacturing, and energy and natural resources. Key Survey Findings: 67 per cent of 602 Canadian business leaders say they can withstand a tariff war that lasts more than one year of 602 Canadian business leaders say they can withstand a tariff war that lasts more than one year 86 per cent believe Canada should fight U.S. tariffs with retaliatory tariffs This is a consistent view across the country, 89 per cent in Ontario , 85 per cent in Quebec , 80 per cent in B.C., and 83 per cent in Alberta believe should fight U.S. tariffs with retaliatory tariffs 83 per cent want Canada's countermeasures to be a targeted, dollar-for-dollar retaliatory response want countermeasures to be a targeted, dollar-for-dollar retaliatory response 86 per cent say it's time for increased pipelines and infrastructure from oil and gas-producing regions in the West and East coasts for export to non-U.S. markets to diversify energy export markets say it's time for increased pipelines and infrastructure from oil and gas-producing regions in the West and East coasts for export to non-U.S. markets to diversify energy export markets 86 per cent want Canada to move an increased volume of oil and gas (West to East pipelines) to reduce reliance on moving oil and gas from the U.S. to Eastern Canada want to move an increased volume of oil and gas (West to East pipelines) to reduce reliance on moving oil and gas from the U.S. to 88 per cent want "strong and determined" political will at all levels of government to finally open up trade within Canada want "strong and determined" political will at all levels of government to finally open up trade within 84 per cent say the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers will be "extremely or very" important to the survival of their business in a trade war with the U.S. say the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers will be "extremely or very" important to the survival of their business in a trade war with the U.S. 85 per cent want interprovincial trade barriers eliminated as quickly as possible want interprovincial trade barriers eliminated as quickly as possible 76 per cent are undertaking a strategic review of their operations due to the trade uncertainty 80 per cent of industrial manufacturing companies, including 87 per cent in the food processing sector and 82 per cent in the automotive industry are undertaking a strategic review of their operations due to the trade uncertainty 31 per cent say they could redirect 11-to-25 per cent of their sales to markets in Canada Outlasting tariffs Tariffs during the first Trump administration on Canadian steel and aluminum lasted almost a year. While two-thirds (67 per cent) of business leaders say their company can withstand a tariff war that lasts more than one year, 30 per cent say their company will face "significant profit losses" if a tariff war lasts more than one year, and the remaining 3 per cent say their companies will go out of business if it lasts beyond one year. Half say they are already reducing production and/or laying off employees in anticipation of tariffs, and more than a quarter (28 per cent) will start reducing headcount and production four-to-six months into a tariff war. By this time next year, half (50 per cent) expect their headcount to decrease in Canada, highlighting the need for businesses to accelerate mitigation efforts and governments to move quickly to lift economic growth, says Mr. Prince. "It's imperative that companies future-proof their operations, take a hard look at their supply chains to find key concentration risks and vulnerabilities, evaluate how tariffs will impact their costs, cash flow, and liquidity and how much they're able to absorb or pass on to their customers," says Tammy Brown, National Industry Leader for Industrial Markets, KPMG in Canada. "We are working with our clients to develop scenario plans to map potential trade policy changes and impacts on their organizations. This will help build resiliency and flexibility in their supply chains to react quickly and effectively as the landscape changes. And while many were already focused on optimizing their operations, this trade uncertainty has created a new sense of urgency." With most already undertaking a strategic review of their operations, 77 per cent will identify potential acquisition or divestiture opportunities as part of their mitigation strategy and 78 per cent admit they need to build resiliency into their supply chains, the survey shows. The weak Canadian dollar against its U.S. counterpart will partially or fully offset the negative impact of tariffs for two-thirds (67 per cent) of respondents, the survey finds. Another 10 per cent say the low Canadian dollar will put them in a net positive position, that is, they will make more money than they will lose from tariffs. Heading south or finding alternative markets More than six in 10 (62 per cent) would consider shifting some of their production activities to the U.S. as a mitigation tactic if tariffs are imposed. In a KPMG survey a month ago, 48 per cent said they "plan to shift investments or production to the U.S." "While shifting operations to the U.S. is one way to mitigate tariffs, the economics must be carefully examined," says Lachlan Wolfers, National Leader of KPMG Law in Canada and KPMG's Global Head of Indirect Tax. "There are many factors to consider, including navigating employment and environment regulations, building new supplier and customer relationships, and managing U.S. and Canadian tax complexities. Relocation tends to be the much less common, ultimate response right now, but these decisions should always be made with a longer-term investment horizon." Business leaders are also looking abroad for new markets. About half (46 per cent) say they have three to five alternative markets for their products other than the U.S. and 27 per cent have one or two alternative markets. But half (52 per cent) say it will be challenging for them to shift business to another jurisdiction in the short- and medium-term. Other Survey Highlights: 67 per cent say a weak Canadian dollar will partially or fully offset the negative impact of tariffs, 10 per cent say it will put them in a net positive position, 17 per cent say it would not help them, and 6 per cent are unsure say a weak Canadian dollar will partially or fully offset the negative impact of tariffs, say it will put them in a net positive position, say it would not help them, and are unsure Half ( 50 per cent ) are already reducing production and/or laying off employees in anticipation of tariffs ) are already reducing production and/or laying off employees in anticipation of tariffs 28 per cent will start reducing headcount and production four-to-six months into a tariff war will start reducing headcount and production four-to-six months into a tariff war 50 per cent expect their headcount to decrease in Canada over the next year, 21 per cent expect it will remain the same, and 28 per cent expect to grow their workforce expect their headcount to decrease in over the next year, expect it will remain the same, and expect to grow their workforce 77 per cent will undertake a strategic review to identify acquisition or divestiture opportunities will undertake a strategic review to identify acquisition or divestiture opportunities 78 per cent say they need to build resiliency into their supply chains (e.g., alternative sources, implementing technology to predict disruptions, optimize logistics, etc.) say they need to build resiliency into their supply chains (e.g., alternative sources, implementing technology to predict disruptions, optimize logistics, etc.) 62 per cent would consider shifting production to the U.S. as a mitigation tactic if tariffs are imposed would consider shifting production to the U.S. as a mitigation tactic if tariffs are imposed 46 per cent say they have three to five alternative markets for their products other than the U.S., 27 per cent have one or two alternative markets say they have three to five alternative markets for their products other than the U.S., have one or two alternative markets 52 per cent say it would be challenging for them to shift business to another jurisdiction in the short- and medium-term say it would be challenging for them to shift business to another jurisdiction in the short- and medium-term Half ( 51 per cent ) have cancelled business travel to the U.S. ) have cancelled business travel to the U.S. 96 per cent are concerned about how tariffs are paid, collected, and how to get goods physically across the border are concerned about how tariffs are paid, collected, and how to get goods physically across the border 98 per cent are concerned about managing prices and margins with customers are concerned about managing prices and margins with customers 95 per cent are concerned about their supply chain (both upstream and downstream risks and higher input costs) are concerned about their supply chain (both upstream and downstream risks and higher input costs) 74 per cent say if tariffs are imposed, it will limit their ability to reinvest in growth About the KPMG in Canada Tariffs Survey KPMG in Canada surveyed 602 Canadian business leaders between February 13 and February 28 on Sago's premier business panel, using Methodify's online research platform. Eighty-nine per cent export to the U.S. and 80 per cent said they will be impacted by U.S. tariffs. Annual revenue breakdown: 26 per cent, between $500 million and $1 billion, 26 per cent, between $100 million and $500 million, 19 per cent, between $50 million and $100 million, 16 per cent, between $10 million and $50 million, and 13 per cent, more than $1 billion. No companies under $10 million in annual revenue were surveyed. About KPMG in Canada KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs more than 10,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada, serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country. The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG's global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. For more information, see kpmg.com/ca. For media inquiries: Caroline Van Hasselt National Communications and Media Relations KPMG in Canada (416) 777-3288 [email protected] Nancy White National Communications and Media Relations KPMG in Canada (416) 876-1400 [email protected] SOURCE KPMG LLP Weather Alert Take action to protect yourself and others extreme heat can affect everyones health. Determine if you or others around you are at greater risk of heat illness. Check on older adults, those living alone and other at-risk people in-person or on the phone multiple times a day. Watch for the early signs of heat exhaustion in yourself and others. Signs may include headache, nausea, dizziness, thirst, dark urine and intense fatigue. Stop your activity and drink water. Heat stroke is a medical emergency! Call 9-1-1 or your emergency health provider if you, or someone around you, is showing signs of heat stroke which can include red and hot skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion and change in consciousness. While you wait for medical attention, try to cool the person by moving them to a cool place, removing extra clothing, applying cold water or ice packs around the body. Drink water often and before you feel thirsty to replace fluids. Close blinds, or shades and open windows if outside is cooler than inside. Turn on air conditioning, use a fan, or move to a cooler area of your living space. If your living space is hot, move to a cool public space such as a cooling centre, community centre, library or shaded park. Follow the advice of your regions public health authority. Plan and schedule outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day. Limit direct exposure to the sun and heat. Wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. Never leave people, especially children, or pets inside a parked vehicle. Check the vehicle before locking to make sure no one is left behind. Humidex values reaching 40 are expected. A heat event is expected this weekend. What: Daytime highs of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius and a humidex of 40. Overnight lows of 21 to 25 degrees Celsius, providing little relief from the heat. When: Today to Sunday, coming to an end Sunday night. Additional information: Hot and humid air can also bring deteriorating air quality and result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high risk category. ### For more information: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/climate-change-health/extreme-heat/how-protect-yourself.html https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/climate-change-health/extreme-heat/who-is-at-risk.html Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca or post reports on X using #ONStorm. A longtime employee of the Carlstadt Department of Public Works has filed a lawsuit alleging retaliation, a politically motivated suspension, and workplace harassment after he was punched in the face by a coworker after a meeting. Jason Dechert, 45, who has worked for the borough since 2007, claims in court filings that officials conspired to push him out of his job after he fell out of political favor. The borough unlawfully suspended Dechert without pay or benefits for six months, alleges the suit, filed Feb. 12 in Superior Court of Bergen County. It is about to be a busy time in Western New York health care labor negotiations. That is because bargaining started Monday between the Communications Workers of America and Catholic Health System. Then, on Tuesday, talks kicked off between two unions CWA Local 1168 and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and Kaleida Health. All told, about 10,000 local union health care workers will see their wages, benefits and working conditions determined by what unfolds at the bargaining table over the next several months. The membership is looking for a robust wage-and-benefit package to attract and retain experienced health care professionals who deliver quality care to our patients, said Cori Gambini, president of CWA Local 1168. Moreover, our members are firmly opposed to any concessions from management. Staffing will again loom large in negotiations. In fact, CWA last week submitted complaints to the state detailing more than 16,500 staffing violations at Western New York hospitals. Unions submit 16,500 staffing violations at WNY hospitals to state Health Department The submitted complaints, which detail violations of hospitals' clinical staffing plans, came nearly four years after the passage of the state's clinical staffing committee law. Finances also will play a big role. While Kaleida and Catholic Health report improved finances from their Covid-19 pandemic lows, the infusions of federal disaster relief funding are near an end. Further, worries surround potential cuts to Medicaid by federal lawmakers. Medicaid, a federal and state program that provides health insurance for low-income Americans, is a significant payer for hospital and nursing home care in Western New York. Adding another element of intrigue: With contracts being negotiated at the same time at Kaleida and Catholic Health, the two rival health systems will compete in real time to get the best deal possible for their organizations. But the agreement also will need to be attractive to workers, since both systems aim to stand out in the battle to recruit employees. The three-year agreement at Kaleida that covers at least 7,100 workers expires May 31. Meanwhile, the four-year deal at Catholic Health that covers nearly 2,700 employees expires June 30. Improving finances, but ... Catholic Health, which posted a $190 million loss in 2022, is seeing continued financial improvement, with increased patient volume and a reduction in the use of temporary staffing agency workers. Catholic Health posted operating income in 2024 of $104.6 million. That, however, included about $111 million in relief funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA provided reimbursements for health systems responses to the pandemic as well as $7 million from the state Vital Access Provider program. Strip away those one-time infusions, and Catholic Health would have posted an operating loss last year of $13.6 million. Catholic Health President and CEO Joyce Markiewicz said the system is not anticipating additional significant grants in the next year or two, which means Catholic Health has to continue improving day-to-day operations. We really have to make sure that we are operationally sound, she said. Kaleida said it ended 2024 with a positive $10 million operating margin, but that figure included $48 million of FEMA reimbursement. Without that funding, the system would have recorded a $38 million operating loss last year. Beyond that, Kaleida described potential cuts to Medicaid and Medicare as devastating. Analysis: The GOP budget doesn't actually cut Medicaid but it may well do so eventually The Republican House passed a bare-bones budget plan last week, and Democrats and health care leaders are up in arms about it, saying it will lead to cuts in Medicaid. And it might if the plan survives the congressional approval process. The budget resolution that the Republican House passed last week calls for $2 trillion in slashed federal spending. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid, among other federal programs, is tasked with coming up with $880 billion of those savings. To achieve that, many experts have predicted cuts from either Medicaid or Medicare. That unknown threatens to cast a cloud over Western New York health care including at the bargaining table. Kaleida and Catholic Health, like every other health system, were all in the same boat, Markiewicz said. Staffing will be key Jena Mattina Chmiel said she loves being a registered nurse, from providing life-saving interventions to simply holding the hand of a patient at a difficult moment. But staffing levels can make the job difficult, especially when making split-second decisions, noted Chmiel, a CWA member who works at Buffalo General Medical Center. Were fighting for a fair and just contract, one that ensures we have the staffing, the resources, the safety measures and the respect we deserve, because without that, nurses like me arent going to want to stay, and when nurses leave, its the patient care that suffers, she said. Staffing levels were a big deal during the prior round of negotiations in 2021 at Catholic Health and in 2022 at Kaleida and will be again this year. The complaints submitted last week to the Health Department detailed violations of the states clinical staffing committee law, legislation that tasks each hospital with creating an annual staffing plan that dictates the number of patients that can be assigned to registered nurses and ancillary staff for each unit and shift. Kaleida said it has taken proactive steps to achieve staffing ratios outlined by clinical staffing committees, and has prioritized roles for recruitment consistent with staffing commitments in the bargaining agreement. We knew that achieving these results would take three years, and we are currently in our third year, Kaleida said, noting it has recruited and retained 912 full-time-equivalent staff in prioritized job titles between 2023 and 2024. Catholic Health also has hired hundreds of registered nurses and has a retention rate that exceeds the national average, Markiewicz noted. The system also has launched several programs for staff to grow and advance in their careers at Catholic Health, she added. All sides are, no doubt, hoping negotiations are easier this year than in the previous round of bargaining. In 2022, Kaleida and the two unions reached a deal only after union members voted to authorize a walkout at Kaleida facilities, if necessary. The bargaining committee was able to reach a deal with Kaleida before it needed to issue a 10-day notice of strike. Kaleida said it is committed to reaching a contract that recognizes our workforces contributions, allows operational excellence, promotes a culture of dignity and respect, and ensures the long-term sustainability of our organization. Meanwhile, in fall 2021, a more than monthlong strike hit Mercy Hospital of Buffalo before a tentative agreement could be reached. It took a toll on so many, and I hope we never have to go through that again, Markiewicz said. And I dont think we need to. An Essex County school district that cut 93 jobs amid funding challenges this year is set to receive its largest state aid increase in nearly 20 years. The state Department of Education released its 2025-26 state aid figures Thursday, showing that more than 68% of districts will see an increase in funding. East Orange School District is projected to receive $184.6 million in state aid a 5.3% increase from last year and the largest increase the district has received in more than 17 years, according to Superintendent Christopher Irving. MORE: Most N.J. schools will get a funding boost in new budget plan. See your districts numbers. Irving said the funding will be used for school investments and to settle bargaining contracts for employees. This funding increase will allow us to make critical investments in our schools, the superintendent said in a statement Thursday. We are working diligently to settle several collective bargaining contracts and address much-needed capital improvements across the district. Gov. Phil Murphy proposed spending $12.1 billion on funding for K-12 school districts in the 2026 fiscal year state budget. The budget This year, Murphys administration made proposed state aid increases and cuts more predictable for school districts by capping increases at 6% and limiting cuts to 3% or less in major funding categories. It is unclear how the budget plan may change before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. The budget must be approved by the state Legislature and signed by Murphy before it becomes law. There are more than 9,000 students across 20 schools in the East Orange School District. In October, the district announced a half-day schedule for schools on short notice. The decision came the morning after a contentious board of education meeting where officials revealed that 93 teaching and coaching positions had been cut. The cuts affected substitute teachers, social workers, literacy coaches and math coaches. At the time, a $25 million budget shortfall, along with rising school operating costs, was expected to impact the districts ability to make payroll in May and June, officials said. District officials did not specify whether the proposed state funding increase would directly address payroll issues or staffing. However, East Orange officials said the cmoney could be used to better support their priorities. Todays announcement is a testament to their unwavering resolve and a significant step forward in our mission to provide every student with the quality education they deserve, East Orange Mayor Ted Green said in a statement last week. Together, we will build a brighter future for our children and our community. Staff writer Brianna Kudisch contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Dolly Parton with Carl Dean, her husband of more than 58 years. Dolly Parton via DollyParton.com Carl Dean, Dolly Partons husband and love of more than 60 years, has died. Parton made the announcement with a statement on her website and social media Monday. Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82, the statement said. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. Carl and I spent many wonderful years together, Parton said. Words cant do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy. The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time. Parton, 79, and Dean met in 1964 in Nashville, when she was 18 and he was 21, per her website. Their first exchange was outside the Wishy Washy laundromat. Carl Dean and Dolly Parton married in 1966. He was 23 and she was 20. Dolly Parton via DollyParton.com I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me), Parton said. He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about. She married Dean, a native of Nashville, on Memorial Day 1966 in Ringgold, Georgia when she was 20 and he was 23. It was a small affair. The only people in attendance were Partons mother, Avie Lee Parton, and the preacher and his wife. Parton expressed her love for Dean in the song From Here to the Moon and Back: From here to the moon and back / Who else in the world will love you like that? she sings. Love everlasting, I promise you that / From here to the moon and back. Parton recorded the song with Kris Kristofferson and Jeremy Jordan for the soundtrack to the movie Joyful Noise (2012) and with Willie Nelson (listen below) for her 2014 album Blue Smoke. As Partons star rose in country music, Dean shied away from public life and preferred to maintain his privacy. They say that opposites attract, and its true, Parton told People magazine in 2015. Were completely opposite, but thats what makes it fun. I never know what hes gonna say or do. Hes always surprising me. My husband is a good man, first of all. Hes a deep person, but he has a great and warped sense of humor. He makes me laugh and entertains me. Hes very secure within himself. Dean may not have been a regular on red carpets and public events, but they enjoyed their private time together the simple life, Parton said. We like to get out in our little RV and just be simple, she said in the same interview. I love to read, I love to cook, I love to be with my husband. I put on my little comfy clothes I call them my baby clothes and we just relax ... He wants to be mostly around the house. He knows Im just the opposite. I cant go enough places. I cant do enough things. He loves that. Hes independent. He doesnt need me in his face, and its the same with me." Dean is survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie, Parton said. Thank you for reading. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads. While the Titanic sank more than a century ago, one of New Jerseys top museums in is once again helping bring parts of the infamous ship back to life. Last month, Liberty Science Center in Jersey City unveiled the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, an updated version of a previous exhibit revamped with for a more immersive experience. New details have emerged surrounding the death of former My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar. Hayley Madden | Redferns New details have emerged surrounding the death of Bob Bryar, ex-drummer for New Jersey rock icons My Chemical Romance. Bryar, 44, was found dead at his Tennessee home in November. New details reveal he was discovered with three large canisters of nitrous oxide next to his body, according to an autopsy report obtained by TMZ. The Bedford County Medical Examiner said the nitrous oxide containers had attached tubing indicating that they were prepared to be used. Antidepressant medication was also present at the home. The examiner pointed to the possibility of an intentional or accidental overdose but said the official cause of death was best classified as undetermined because Bryars body was badly decomposed upon being found, according to TMZ. An autopsy described the former drummers body to have suffered animal scavenging activity. Two dogs were found in Bryars home. Bryar, a Chicago native, joined My Chemical Romance in 2004 as a replacement for original drummer Matt Pelissier and was with the band until 2010. 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.comon Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Authorities in Gloucester County called for area residents in Newfield to shelter in place Monday afternoon after a man barricaded himself inside a structure, police said. We are currently on scene of an active situation in the 100 block of Woodlawn Avenue in Newfield borough, Franklin Township police wrote in a social media post at 2:27 p.m. Monday. About 45 minutes later, police posted another announcement, asking residents in the area of Woodlawn Avenue and Catawba Avenue to shelter in place. Franklin Township Police Chief Matthew DeCesari said Monday afternoon that a man was barricaded and wanted in a neighboring jurisdiction. The incident remained ongoing at about 4:30 p.m. Monday. It was unclear if the man was armed, and why he was wanted in another town. Officials with the Gloucester County Prosecutors Office said the county SWAT team was deployed to assist with the incident. No additional details were immediately released by authorities. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X Bingo the Fox has been seen around the Washington Township Police Station in Gloucester County and the local senior center. Photo Courtesy of the Washington Township Police Department Attempts to rescue an injured fox in Gloucester County were unsuccessful Monday, and police are now asking for the publics help to find the animal so it can receive needed care. Bingo the Fox has been seen around the Washington Township Police Station and the local senior center, according to a Facebook post from the police department. Bing has a piece of flexible plastic vent that has been stuck around her neck, with one leg trapped in it since September 2024, authorities said. She is also suffering from mange and may be pregnant, and this has police concerned for her safety, the department said. Mangy Fox Rescue, a local non-profit organization, has been helping foxes afflicted with mange in South Jersey, has been aiding police in trying to catch Bingo. The group and police urged locals to not feed Bingo, because that will make it more difficult to trap her. She continually visits our traps but is not desperate enough to go in yet for the food, the group said on their Facebook page. The group is also urging residents not to leave food outside their homes for feral cats. Anyone who sees Bingo is asked to text her location to 609-491-3511. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Questions about a measles vaccine booster are being raised amid a worldwide surge in measles activity including a small measles outbreak in New Jersey. Experts say the disease presents the biggest threat to unvaccinated people. The majority of reported cases are among unvaccinated people, including the first U.S. measles death in 10 years and the three New Jersey patients. Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccination, also known as the MMR vaccine, remains the best defense against infection and has helped to eliminate measles (at least from the public consciousness) in the U.S., according to the CDC. The CDC recommends children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 to 6 years old. If there is ongoing community-wide transmission affecting young infants, health departments may recommend an early dose for infants 6 to 11 months of age. The MMR vaccine can also be given to teens and even adults who have yet to receive it. As of right now, there are no recommendations to receive a third dose of MMR vaccine during measles outbreaks, according to the CDC. What if Ive only had one shot? Adults born before 1957 are assumed to have natural immunity because they were likely exposed to measles before the vaccine was created. Adults born and vaccinated between 1957 and 1989 likely only received one dose of MMR vaccine, which the CDC said is enough to be protected. However, since 1989 two doses have been recommended by the U.S. health agencies. People in settings that pose a high risk for measles transmission, such as college campuses and healthcare facilities, should make sure they have had two doses. Additionally, those born between 1963 and 1967 may have received a vaccine that was not as effective, according to the CDC. People vaccinated with that product or those who do not know their vaccination history should consult a healthcare provider. What if Im traveling outside the U.S.? Since measles is still common in many countries around the world, any person age 6 months or older planning to travel outside the U.S. is at high risk for transmission and should plan for adequate vaccination before the trip. The CDC recommends one dose of MMR vaccine for children age 6 through 11 months and 2 doses of an age-appropriate MMR vaccine for children age 12 months and older and adults traveling outside the U.S. Who should not receive the vaccine? As with other vaccines, the MMR vaccine may be unsafe for a small group of individuals. The vaccine is not recommended for people who are severely immunocompromised, such as chemotherapy patients or those on suppressing drugs, as well as pregnant people. All family and other close contacts of immunocompromised people should receive two doses of MMR vaccine, the CDC says. How do I know if Ive been properly vaccinated? New Jersey residents can verify their immunization records using the Docket App, which provides access to information stored in the New Jersey Immunization Information System. Vaccination records may also be available through healthcare providers, former schools, colleges, employers, the military, or obstetricians' offices. If you dont have written documentation of MMR vaccination, the CDC advises you get vaccinated immediately. There is no harm in getting another dose of MMR vaccine if you may already be immune to measles. What about herd immunity? Before the introduction of vaccines in 1963, the CDC estimates about 50,000 people were hospitalized for measles each year and 500 people died annually from the disease, most of them children. Even small declines in measles vaccine coverage can lead to outbreaks, said Dr. Suraj Saggar, chief of infectious diseases at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck. As of 2023, 93% of kindergartners in the state have received two or more doses of MMR vaccine, which is slightly above the national average of 92.7%, but still a decline from the states 2022-23 vaccination rate of 94.3%, according to the CDC. The thing thats critical to understand about measles is because its so contagious, even slight declines can still lead to large outbreaks, said Saggar. Public health experts say that measles control depends on herd immunity of 95% vaccination coverage and that rate has been declining in the U.S. and in New Jersey, while the number of people going unvaccinated climbs. New Jersey has nowhere near the lowest MMR vaccine coverage in the U.S. that distinction belongs to Idaho at 79.6%. However, vaccination coverage in the state has decreased and more kids are going unvaccinated, according to state immunization reports. The majority of recent reported measles cases are among unvaccinated people or those with an unknown vaccine status. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said in an op-ed for Fox Digital that healthcare providers, community leaders, and policymakers have a shared responsibility to protect public health. This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated. We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them, wrote Kennedy, who has previously questioned the safety and efficacy of vaccines but doesnt describe himself as a vaccine opponent. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. More and more New Jersey kids are going unvaccinated on religious grounds amid what experts call an unprecedented acceleration in measles spread throughout the United States. Over the last ten years the percentage of New Jersey children skipping vaccines through religious exemptions has more than doubled to 4.1%, according to state immunization reports. Vaccine choice advocates argue that religious exemption is a key tenet of parent rights and medical freedom. But public health experts say decreasing vaccination coverage and increasing exemptions put the most vulnerable in our community at risk. In just the past two months, the CDC has been notified of 164 cases of measles in the U.S. half the amount of cases the country saw in all of last year. The country also reported its first death in the past decade when a school-aged Texas child died last month from measles. Three cases have been reported in New Jersey, originating from a Bergen County resident who recently traveled internationally. All three cases associated with the situation are unvaccinated, state officials said. Those who are particularly susceptible to measles right now are unvaccinated children, said Dr. Perry Halkitis, Dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health. READ MORE: Do I need a measles booster? Although more than 93% of New Jersey kindergarteners had received the MMR vaccine for the 2023-24 school year, according to the CDC, thats down from the previous year. Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, Ocean, and Sussex counties currently have the highest proportion of children who have not received any vaccinations due to religious exemption. If the chart below is not showing, you can see it here. In the 2013-14 school year, 1.7% of more than 500,000 pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, first grade, sixth grade, and transfer students received religious exemptions from mandatory immunization, compared to 4.5% in 2023-24, according to New Jersey Annual Immunization Status Reports. Its higher than the national average. Exemptions among kindergarten students across the U.S. increased to 3.3% for the 2023-24 school year, up from 3% in 202223 and 2.6% in the 202122 school year, according to CDCs Oct. 17, 2024 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report . The increase in students receiving religious exemptions has caused some alarm among public health experts concerned about whether the law is being abused by people who distrust drug companies or government in general. We do know that in recent years there has been confusion about what vaccines do and do not cause, oftentimes hearsay through social media or other non-scientific outlets, Dr. Suraj Saggar, chief of infectious diseases at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck. Thats why its so important to know where youre getting your medical information from, so you can make the most informed decision for your family, said Saggar. In 2020, there was a bill ( S2173 ) introduced that would have eliminated religion as a recognized reason for parents to avoid getting their children the vaccinations required to attend day care and schools in New Jersey. It would also have given the state Health Department the authority to define what would qualify as a medical exemption. Opponents, such as the National Vaccine Information program and the nonpartisan New Jersey Coalition for Vaccine Choice, argued that vaccination is a personal choice and only a small number of residents seek exemptions. The bill was ultimately defeated. New Jersey is not the only state that allows such an exemption. The National Conference of State Legislatures reports 45 states and the District of Columbia allow parents and guardians to use religion as a legitimate reason to avoid the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and other life-saving vaccines. 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. A Mercer County pharmacy owner and accounting professor who was convicted of tax evasion last year was sentenced Monday to two years in prison, officials said. Gordian A. Ndubizu, of the Princeton Junction section of West Windsor, was convicted on Aug. 15 of four counts of tax evasion and four counts of filing false tax returns in tax years 2014 through 2017, according to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey. During those tax years he was employed as a professor at Drexel University and was the co-owner of the Healthcare Pharmacy in Trenton, investigators said. The pharmacy was organized as an S corporation and the business income flowed through to Ndubizu and his wife and was to be reported on their personal income tax returns, federal prosecutors said. His wife, Florence Ndubizu, 64, of Princeton Junction, was found guilty earlier this year of participating in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of prescription pills that were eventually sold on the street. Gordian prepared fraudulent books and records by inflating Healthcare Pharmacys costs of goods sold to reduce and underreport the pharmacys actual profits, the office said. In the books and records, he identified certain wire transfers as payments to purchase goods sold by the pharmacy, authorities said. These wire transfers were allegedly made to bank accounts under his control and to bank accounts in Nigeria associated with an automotive company under his control. Each of his tax returns over the four-year period underreported his income, officials said. They also allege the returns incorrectly reported that he had no financial interest in or signature authority over any foreign bank accounts. In total, he failed to report $3.28 million in income from the pharmacy, resulting in the evasion of approximately $1.25 million, the office said. A spokesperson for Drexel University previously told NJ Advance Media that Gordian has been on administrative leave since 2022. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. A high school student was arrested Tuesday after bringing a knife to school and threatening two classmates, police said. The 17-year-old student, whose name was not made public, is charged with unlawful possession of weapon, possession of weapon for unlawful purpose and terroristic threats, the South Brunswick Police Department said in a news statement. Two students reported the threat at South Brunswick High School shortly after 2 p.m. The school was placed on lockdown while police conducted a search, officials said. A description of the student was provided to the school resource officer, Detective Scott Bucca, who immediately identified a the student. Bucca and several other officers then found the student in a classroom. Following a search that recovered a folding knife, the student was taken into custody, authorities said. Police Chief Raymond Hayducka praised Bucca and the other officers for acting so quickly. That situation was evolving rapidly and everyone took action to ensure it did not escalate, Hayducka said. The lockdown was lifted at 2:50 p.m. The school will have an increased police presence for the next few days. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. A 32-year-old man from Morris County was caught in a sting operation last week after he was allegedly using a social media app to try to meet children for sex, authorities said. Ryan Hendershot, of Rockaway Borough, was arrested Friday on charges of attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, obscenity, attempted criminal sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, the Morris County Prosecutors Office said. Hendershot is accused of having sexually explicit conversations over Snapchat with an undercover law enforcement officer from Polk County, Minnesota, who he believed was a 14-year-old girl, officials said. Detectives with the Morris County Prosecutors Office took over the investigation when it was determined that the Snapchat user was a Morris County resident, later identified as Hendershot, authorities said. He then engaged in sexual conversations with an undercover officer from Morris County, who was posing a 13-year-old and 11-year-old girl, prosecutors alleged. During his conversations with who he believed was the 13-year-old, Hendershot sent an explicit video of himself and arranged an in-person meetup, officials said. Hendershot is in custody at the Morris County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. Hey there New Jersey! Heres your audio update highlighting the latest in a long series of brewery closings, a fire that damaged a Jersey Shore church, and a pastor accused of sexually assaulting a teenager. Youll also hear about beach badge prices that have been announced by many Shore towns for the upcoming summer season. Listen by clicking the play button above. This audio presentation is an editorially-curated selection of stories, selected by an editor, and then summarized and read aloud by artificial intelligence. Some variations in pronunciation, tone or diction may result. We want to know what you think! All feedback is valuable. After youve listened, take our 3-question survey here to let us know what you think. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. A wildfire that burned for several days near a New Jersey state park was deemed suspicious on Tuesday, and investigators are searching for its exact cause. The fire in the Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, a federally protected 2,800-acre nature reserve, burned across 377 acres, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The refuge is near the Fort Mott State Park in Pennsville Township, the site of a post-Civil War military base along the Delaware River. The blaze was one of three wildfires that spread while strong winds whirled across the region. State fire officials said Tuesday the blaze was deemed suspicious. Its being investigated by the state firefighters and Pennsville Township police, who said they are reviewing tips provided to them. Any suspicious activity near the fire scene is being followed up on, including reports of vehicles in the area of the fire at the time of the incident, Pennsville Township Police Lt. Bowen told NJ Advance Media Tuesday. It is unclear if the large fire near Fort Mott State Park is connected to any other fires. It is also unclear if the fire was deliberately set." In Mercer County, far north of Fort Mott, a wildfire burning in Hopewell Township was caused by a downed power line, state officials said. Firefighters fully contained the blaze, which began burning off Poor Farm Road, as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, officials said. The blaze threatened 30 residences and four commercial structures, but no evacuations were ordered. The fire reached 293 acres before being contained, officials said. In Gloucester Township, about 100 firefighters and first responders from across worked together to contain a blaze that burned at the site of a former landfill. Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins did not immediately return a request for an update Tuesday on any investigation into the cause of the fire. Police said the landfill, off Erial Road, was not compromised by the fire, and dozens of solar panels installed on the former dump were not damaged. At least two homeowners evacuated their properties but returned overnight Saturday. Winds as high as 45 miles per hour helped the fires spread. Fire officials and the National Weather Service warned New Jerseyans against outdoor burning Sunday, with gusts of 25 mph in the forecast. Most of New Jersey remains under elevated drought conditions, leaving the states wilderness and forests vulnerable to massive blazes, state fire officials said. Last month, state leaders, including Gov. Phil Murphy, announced an initiative to raise awareness of the increase in risk of wildfires. Wildfires, New Jersey State Fire Chief William Donnelly said, are becoming increasingly common. State firefighters routinely conduct prescribed burns, which eliminate grassy areas capable of helping fires spread; this helps thwart large amounts of acres from catching ablaze. Were three times ahead of the amount of fires we had last year, and the acreage is probably sometimes in the area of six times the amount of acreage weve burned this year so far, Donnelly told reporters Monday. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com. Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, as President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington, during an angry three-way exchange that ended in Zelensky being told to leave the White House without any agreements being signed. (AP Photo / Mystyslav Chernov) (AP Photo / Mystyslav Chernov) The contentious meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy resulted in no clear winner, U.S. voters said in a new poll. The new Emerson College poll found that 46% of U.S. voters think neither the United States nor Ukraine came away from the tense Oval Office meeting last week as a winner. Thirty-five percent said the U.S. was the winner of the meeting, 15% said Ukraine was and 4% said both countries were winners. Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated the Ukrainian leader for being disrespectful and for not saying thank you during their meeting on Friday. The shocking behavior from the U.S. leaders sparked backlash across the world, with many critics saying it was embarrassing. Trump repeatedly vowed during his campaign that he would end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours once he was sworn into office. In recent weeks, he has suggested working out a deal with Russian leader Vladimir Putinwho he praised as a genius for invading Ukraine about three years agoto end the war without the input of Zelenskyy. And just days after the heated meeting, Trump ordered a pause to U.S. assistance to Ukraine to pressure the country into agreeing to peace talks with Russia. The poll found 44% of voters disapprove of Trumps handling of the Russia-Ukraine war, while 41% approve and 15% are neutral. Perception of Trumps handling of the Russia-Ukraine war reveals a stark partisan divide: 73% of Republicans approve of the Presidents handling of the war, while 76% of Democrats disapprove, Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a press release. Independents are more divided, with 46% disapproving and 35% approving. NATIONAL POLL Approval of the way Donald Trump is handling the war between Russia and Ukraine: 41% approve 44% disapprove 15% neutral Rating of job Trump is doing at handling foreign policy: 26% excellent 18% good 15% fair 41% poorhttps://t.co/5rrqJopOXB Emerson College Polling (@EmersonPolling) March 3, 2025 When asked about the potential outcome of the war, 55% said it was likely that Ukraine will give up some land to Russia but stay an independent country, 29% said it will keep its borders and remain an independent country and 17% said Ukraine will become a part of Russia. The poll also found that 55% of voters think it is very likely or somewhat likely that a world war breaks out in the next four years under Trumps term. Forty-five percent said it is very unlikely or not likely at all. The poll was conducted March 2-3 among 1,000 registered voters. It has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Jon Stewart is at it again. The host of The Daily Show on Monday again called worlds richest man Elon Musks bluff after the top adviser to President Donald Trump floated appearing on the show. Last week, The Daily Show goaded Musk to sit down for an interview after the billionaire said hed make an appearance under one circumstance: I will do it if the show airs unedited. .@elonmusk wed be delighted!" replied The Daily Show on its X account. But Musk quickly backpedaled. He then said, after saying hed like to come on, Jon Stewart cannot be trusted, and that I am a propagandist and that I am not bipartisan, Stewart said on Monday nights show. And that I am not bipartisan? Again, the guy who custom-made his own Dark-MAGA hat that he wears to opine in the Oval Office with the president who he spent $270 million to elect thinks Im just too partisan," Stewart joked. Im really not sure what he thinks bipartisan means, he said. But its generally not I support Donald Trump. And also Germanys AfD party. That is not bipartisan. That is just the same sh-t. An interview with Elon Musk? Jon Stewart would be delighted! pic.twitter.com/0Ougl2Hv5E The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) March 4, 2025 He added: So I guess what I would say is this. Look, Elon, I do have some criticism about DOGE. I support in general the idea of efficiency and delivering better services to the American public in cheaper and more efficient ways. And if you want to come on and talk about it on the show, great. If you dont want to, sure. But can we just drop the pretense that you wont do it because I dont measure up to the standards of neutral discourse that you demand and display at all times? Because, quite frankly, thats bullsh-t. The back and forth comes after Stewart railed against DOGE last week for its haphazard and controversial attempts to cut waste in government on Monday nights show. Im starting to think that we as a country dont understand where the real waste, fraud, and abuse in our system really is, he said during his monologue. How about we just take $3 billion in subsidies we give to oil and gas companies that already turn billions in profits? He continued: Oh, wait! How about we just close down the carried interest loophole on hedge funds? Thats $1.3 billion a year. How about we stop the $2 trillion weve given to defense contractors to build a fighter jet that blows? And then came a bloody turn of events. Literally. Stewart went off over how pharmaceutical companies get everything from our government, explaining, Tax breaks, research grants, patent extensions worth billions of dollars. And what do we the people get for it? The highest drug prices in the western hemisphere. After showing a clip of former President Joe Biden hailing cuts to the costs of 10 drugs that his administration was able to get, Stewart quipped, Oh, can it be? The companies we subsidize with billions of dollars are allowing us the privilege to negotiate the price of 10 of their drugs? And 10 is all of them, right? It would be embarrassing if it was a small drop in the bucket and that the American people didnt expect that we should negotiate for all their f---ing drugs because weve already paid for it with our subsidies! He smashed a coffee mug on his desk, yelling, Come on! It shattered and the host soon realized his hand was bleeding. Ill be going to the hospital soon, he joked. This is the sign on a Best Buy store in Cranberry, Pa., Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) AP Best Buy became the latest U.S. retailer to sound the alarm on President Donald Trumps tariffs. Best Buy CEO Corie Barry warned that it is highly likely that prices for U.S. consumers will increase as a result of Trumps tariffs on China and Mexico that went into effect on Tuesday, according to a CNBC report. CNBC reported that Barry explained during an earnings call that China and Mexico are the companys top two supply-chain sources. Trade is critically important to our business and industry. The consumer electronic supply chain is highly global, technical and complex, Barry said on Tuesday. We expect our vendors across our entire assortment will pass along some level of tariff costs to retailers, making price increases for American consumers highly likely. Experts and economists have warned for months that tariffs will likely increase costs for Americans. Best Buy is a major U.S. retailer of electronics, including televisions, cell phones, computers and must-have appliances like ovens, washing machines and refrigerators. Higher tariffs could result in higher costs for U.S. consumers looking to buy basic these basic electronics. CNBC reported that Barry said Best Buy only imports 2% to 3% of its products and is currently evaluating its supply-chain strategy. The giant wild card here, obviously, is how the consumers are going to react to the price increases, in light of a lot of price increases potentially throughout the year and a general consumer confidence that is showing a little signs of weakness at the moment, Best Buy CFO Matt Bilunas said during the call, according to CNBC. Barrys comments come just as the U.S. economy responds to the new tariffs on Tuesday and just after Target also warned that its profits may drop as a result of Trumps policies. Starting just past midnight, imports from Canada and Mexico are now to be taxed at 25%, with Canadian energy products subject to 10% import duties. The 10% tariff that Trump placed on Chinese imports in February was doubled to 20%, and Beijing retaliated Tuesday with tariffs of up to 15% on a wide array of U.S. farm exports. It also expanded the number of U.S. companies subject to export controls and other restrictions by about two dozen. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country would slap tariffs on more than $100 billion of American goods over the course of 21 days. Mexico didnt immediately detail any retaliatory measures. Following Canada and China, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday that Mexico will respond to 25% tariffs imposed by the United States with its own retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Donald Trump will give his first joint address to Congress in his second term on Tuesday. Its not officially called the State of the Union, a title reserved for a presidents annual address to Congress during other years of an administration. But it is an opportunity for Trump to lay out his priorities for the year. What time? Trumps remarks to Congress are slated to begin Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. How to watch? A number of networks have said they plan to air the Republican presidents address across their broadcast and streaming platforms, with special programming before and afterward. The Associated Press will air a livestream of the address online at apnews.com and on its YouTube channel. Will there be a Democratic response? As there is a post-State of the Union address, the opposing party in this case, the Democrats will offer a message in response to the joint congressional address. This year, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who previously served in the House, will give the Democrats response, which is also televised. Democratic leaders have said that in her message, Slotkin will likely focus on economic issues. The party has also tapped Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York, chair of the Hispanic Caucus, to give a Spanish-language response. On Saturday, Trump signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States, a measure that allows government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Donald Trump departs after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) AP Many Americans are expecting a world war to break out during the next four years as President Donald Trump continues to reshape U.S. foreign policy. The new Emerson College poll found that 55% of voters think it is very likely or somewhat likely that a world war will start in the next four yearsthe length of Trumps second term in office. Another 45% said it is very unlikely or not likely at all. The poll comes after Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being disrespectful and for not saying thank you during their meeting on Friday. At one point during the meeting, Trump told Zelenskyy that Ukraine was gambling with World War III. Youre gambling with World War III, and what youre doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country thats backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have, Trump told Zelenskyy. The stunning behavior from the U.S. leaders sparked backlash across the world, with many critics saying it was embarrassing. The poll also found that 46% of U.S. voters think neither the United States nor Ukraine came away from the tense Oval Office meeting last week as a winner. Thirty-five percent said the U.S. was the winner of the meeting, 15% said Ukraine was and 4% said both countries were winners. Just days after the heated meeting, Trump ordered a pause to U.S. assistance to Ukraine to pressure the country into agreeing to peace talks with Russia. The poll found 44% of voters disapprove of Trumps handling of the Russia-Ukraine war, while 41% approve and 15% are neutral. The poll also found that a plurality of voters48%oppose the U.S. leaving the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). NATO has garnered global attention in recent days as Trumps advisers have voiced opposition to Ukraine joining the alliance. NATO was formed in the aftermath of World War II, with member countries pledging to help defend one another if one was attacked under Article 5 of the agreement. The only time NATO invoked Article 5 was in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The poll was conducted March 2-3 among 1,000 registered voters. It has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3 percentage points. As unelected billionaire Elon Musk hacks his way through the federal government, adding tens of thousands to the nations unemployed, and President Donald Trump slaps painful tariffs on the United States' three biggest trade partners, tanking the stock market and sparking fear in American businesses, betting markets are taking wagers on whether the nation will dive into a recession this year. Polymarket, one the leading predictors, says there is a 37% chance America will slip into a recession in 2025. Kalshi, another leading predictor, says theres a 42% chance. Both numbers have rise sharply in the past week. Trump launched a trade war Tuesday, drawing immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sending financial markets into a tailspin. Less than 24 hours after sparking the economic firestorm, Trump will stand before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday to give an accounting of his turbulent first weeks in office as a divided nation struggles to keep pace, with some Americans fearing for the countrys future while others are cheering him on. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, told reporters at the Capitol that Trump was incapable of being straight with the American people about the mess hes created in his short time in office. Democrats are spotlighting the people whove been affected by the way the Trump administration has tried to dismantle parts of the federal government in the weeks since Trump took office. Theyre also slamming Trump for the economic effects of his tariff plans. Democrats had struggled to coalesce around a plan to counter Trump in the early days of his chaotic second term. But as the impact of his actions becomes clear, congressional Democrats have become enlivened in their responses. I get that people wanted change, said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. I get that they wanted someone to shake things up, to work on bringing health care costs down and doing something about housing, but they didnt want this. The tariffs are prompting warnings from retailers, including Target and Best Buy, as they report their latest financial results. Target fell 2.4% despite beating Wall Streets earnings forecasts, saying there will be meaningful pressure on its profits to start the year because of tariffs and other costs. Best Buy plunged 12.1% for the biggest drop among S&P 500 stocks after giving investors a weaker-than-expected earnings forecast and warning about tariff impacts. International trade is critically important to our business and industry, said Best Buy CEO Corie Barry. Barry said China and Mexico are the top two sources for products that Best Buy sells, and it also expects vendors to pass along tariff costs, which would make price increases for American consumers likely. The AP contributed to this report. Kevin Collins Jr., 21, of Bridgeton, was reported missing Feb. 27 after he walked away from a hospital in Salem County. (New Jersey State Police) Kevin Collins Jr.s family has a message for the man who disappeared after walking out of Salem County hospital five days ago. We love him more than words can express and we will never stop searching for him, his worried mother, Tinisha Hall, said Tuesday afternoon. New Jersey State Police previously reported that Collins, 21, was missing and endangered after he left Inspira Medical Center in Mannington Township around 4 p.m. last Thursday. He was wearing a hospital gown, which was later found discarded near the hospital. Collins was taken to the hospital by ambulance after calling police for assistance as he drove his car in nearby Alloway Township on Thursday, his mother said. The Bridgeton man apparently pulled over while experiencing a mental health crisis and called for help, Hall said. Collins was evaluated at the scene and taken to the hospital, officials told her. She was told her son wasnt aggressive during his time at the hospital and even appeared jovial. He was exhibiting some paranoia, feeling like somebody was after him, Hall said she was told by hospital staff. He left via a back exit from the facility, Hall was told, leaving behind his phone, keys and shoes. The last confirmed sighting of Collins was at 4:57 p.m. Thursday when he was spotted on a surveillance camera walking unclothed in a wooded area near Griscom Lane in Mannington. That spot is close to the hospital. Massive search efforts in the surrounding area have turned up no leads, the family indicated, and police said they have no new information to share. A Saturday search in the Mannington area included 75 search and rescue personnel, K-9s, drones and a dive team, Hall said. The effort, which covered farmland, barns, sheds and wetlands, continued through the afternoon and ended around 9 p.m. We are doing everything we can to stay hopeful, Hall said. Shes been putting up posters around the area where Collins was last seen and is trying to spread the word about her son to anyone who will listen. Hall described her son as a pleasant and popular person. When you come in contact with him, hes like a breath of fresh air, she said. Collins older sister, Keyoni, called him a selfless young man who always tries to help others. I hope hes safe, she said. I love him and Im praying for a safe return. Collins is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 115 pounds. State Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 856-769-0775 or the police missing persons unit at 609-882-2000, Ext. 2554. Hall can be reached at 856-200-0279. Shes been sharing her phone number on flyers and daily social media posts about her son. She tries to remain positive while speaking about her son, but the strain is evident. I just hope that hes as resourceful as I know he can be, Hall said, emotion rising in her voice. I need him to come home. I need him here. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney+ on Tuesday, March 4, and a second season of the superhero series is already in the works. Filming for season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again began in New York City in early March. Showrunner Dario Scardapane told Collider in an interview published in February that season 2 will have eight episodes, while season 1 has nine. When I came in and put together the overview of what the first season was going to be, the second season was implied. They are the absolute flip side to each other, which youll see, Scardapane said. Without giving too much away, at the very end of the last episode of this season, you essentially see a lot of cards being put out on a table, and season 2 is those cards going into play vigorously and perhaps viciously. Daredevil: Born Again stars Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. Cox previously played the Marvel superhero in the Netflix television series Daredevil, which aired from 2015 to 2018. A 2003 film of the same name starred Ben Affleck in the titular role. In addition to Cox, Daredevil: Born Again stars Vincent DOnofrio (Wilson Fisk/Kingpin), Margarita Levieva (Heather Glenn), Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Wilson Bethel (Benjamin Dex Poindexter/Bullseye), Genneya Walton (BB Urich), and Jon Bernthal (Frank Castle/Punisher). Matthew Lillard will join the cast for season 2, although his role has not yet been revealed. Charlie Cox in "Daredevil: Born Again." Disney+/YouTube The new Disney+ series picks up several years after the events of Netflixs Daredevil and a year after Murdock, a blind New York City lawyer, gave up his double life as a crime-fighting vigilante. READ MORE: When will Captain America: Brave New World be streaming on Disney+? While some fans have wondered whether Daredevil: Born Again will be sanitized due to its home on Disney+, Scardapane told Collider he was shocked with the amount of creative freedom they had. Getting a chance to work with [second unit director] Phil Silvera who Im a huge fanboy for building these action sequences, making them eye-popping, making them real, making them gritty, making them hurt, Disney+ and Marvel never said, Pull back, he said. Producer Sana Amanat chimed in to say that they were told, Go for it. The bloodier, the better, 100 percent. Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney+ on Tuesday, Mach 4. All seasons of Daredevil are now available to stream on Disney+. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/. A New Jersey State Police sergeant who fatally struck a bicyclist with his police SUV in Warren County last year will not be criminally charged, a state grand jury ruled last month. The incident occurred in Hackettstown shortly after 6 a.m. on Feb. 5, 2024, when New Jersey State Police Sgt. Kesene Griers unmarked vehicle collided with Raul L. Diaz, 59, of Long Valley, according to a statement from the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office. The collision happened before sunrise at the intersection of Willow Grove Street and Brook Hollow Drive, the office said. Grier was driving west on Brook Hollow Drive and stopped at a stop sign and turned left onto Willow Grove Street, investigators said. Diaz was riding north on Willow Grove Street when he abruptly applied the brakes to his electric bike with heavy front brake application, the office said in its release. This caused the rear of the e-bike to become elevated, and the vehicle overturned. The left side and undercarriage of Griers SUV struck Diaz and his e-bike, authorities said. Grier remained on scene, contacted dispatch to report the incident, and attended to Diaz while awaiting the arrival of additional officers and EMS, the office said. Diaz was taken to Hackettstown Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:17 a.m., officials said. The office previously released surveillance camera footage and a radio transmission related to the crash. The footage is taken from a building across the street and its difficult to the see the actual collision. State law requires the Attorney Generals Office to investigate the death of a person dies during an encounter with police. The actions of the officer are then reviewed and include interviews of witnesses, collection of forensic evidence, review of video footage, and autopsy results from the medical examiner. The findings of the investigation are then presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved. In this case, the jury decided that Grier should not be criminally charged, the office said. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. 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. Jennifer Springer has already felt the nerves that administrators across New York will likely experience in September. The principal of Lackawanna High School has a six-month head start in enforcing a bell-to-bell ban on student cellphone use implemented by the district. Gov. Kathy Hochuls executive budget in April could make that policy mandatory for all New York districts. I would lay awake at night and think, How can I possibly do this? Springer said at a New York State United Teachers forum in mid-February. Because (cellphones) had become such a part of the culture in high school, it gave me such anxiety. Springer was joined at the forums panel by more than 10 administrators, teachers, politicians and School Board members who agreed on a central premise: that students should not have access to cellphones for the entire school day, including in the hallways, in study halls and at lunch, in order to eliminate a chief distraction from learning and to reduce the harmful effects of social media and group chats. Political leaders and panelists State Sen. Sean Ryan and Assembly Member William Conrad both said they expect Hochuls cellphone policy to pass. But not everyone is on board with a blanket ban. The New York Civil Liberties Union is among the most outspoken, arguing for greater nuance and an emphasis on digital literacy, and worrying about infringement on freedoms. Cellphones in school: 'After Covid, we realized that we had a cellphone problem' Parents and educators worry about the mental health of children caught up in addictive apps on their cellphones that distract them from learning and interpersonal relationships. We should teach students to be good, smart digital citizens, but were saying, Your phone is too dangerous to have, said Johanna Miller, education policy center director for the NYCLU. Its a conflicting message. We should normalize the type of behavior we want to see online that includes digital hygiene, such as privacy and how to protect yourself. Most schools dont have the capacity to teach it. In Lackawanna classrooms, students vehemently opposed the policy at first, Springer said, and some have found workarounds such as using special magnets to open the cellphone pouches to evade authorities. Its unbelievable the lengths that theyve gone to, Springer said. But there have been glimmers of positive change. We see them paying attention to directions, which has not been a thing for a while, said Michelle Yaro, a teacher at the school. I dont have to repeat myself as many times, which is great. The policy When students enter school each day at Lackawanna High School, they place their empty storage pouch by a magnetic base to open it near the entrance, then place their cellphone inside, then close it and place the locked pouch in their backpacks. The front door, the first contact, is so important, Springer said. If a student has lost or forgotten their Yondr pouch, an administrator takes their phone for the day. A replacement pouch is $30. Students with disabilities or those who need to electronically monitor medical conditions have greater access they place their phones in pouches with Velcro seals. Springer said she has monitored this process for much of the first half of this year, with help from guidance counselors and school social workers. The districts policy applies to any personal device that can connect to the internet, including laptops and smartwatches. Hochuls plan, which grew out of her listening tour last year and parallels her legislation protecting students from addictive social media feeds, is not flexible in its purpose, but it offers freedom in execution. Schools must have some way for parents to be in contact with their children, and vice versa, but how districts do that is up to them. In Lackawanna, students can visit the main office and request their pouch be unlocked in order to call their parents or check their work schedule. The governors plan has no requirement to use Yondr pouches, but she has set aside $13.5 million toward pouches, cubbies or other storage devices to help districts safeguard phones. Springer said the pouches were a huge monetary investment for Lackawanna, and Ryan, the state senator, urged districts to calculate their cost estimates early this spring in case local representatives need to request more funding. Early returns in Lackawanna have been promising, although it is hard to tell how much can be attributed to the new cellphone policy. Springer said after the first quarter of the school year, 17% more students were passing classes over the previous year. While disciplinary issues involving cellphones temporarily increased when the policy was first implemented, thats improving, too. We felt overwhelmed, Springer said, but we stayed the course, stayed the course. Responsibility Enforcing the new policy was a challenge for Lackawanna and poses a concern for districts across the state, many of which likely have established an approach that will need to be tweaked if Hochuls plan passes. One big question: Who is going to make it happen? Lackawanna made an effort to have the responsibility fall on building administrators and support staff. We didnt want it to become something that teachers were having a huge role in, because we wanted them to be able to focus on instruction, Springer explained. Yaro, the government teacher, said wrangling electronics from students is one fewer classroom disruption. Weve been talking about how great it is to see faces and not having that power struggle: Can you please put your phone away? Can you please pay attention? she said. But the ban, at least in its first year, has occupied a lot of Springers time and thats a major ask for building leaders across the state if they choose administrative enforcement. I realized I was managing 700 phones and 700 pouches, the principal said, later adding: I wasnt in classrooms the way I wanted to be, the way I was in previous years. Some effects of the policy have made Springer sympathize with students, especially in specific social settings. I know seniors have been very upset because they have pictures from school with their friends from ninth, 10th, 11th grade, but they hit 12th grade and wont have those memories, she said. A dissenting voice 'A big need': Community advocates decry continued suspension policy in Buffalo Schools Representatives from numerous organizations discussed where they believe Buffalo Public Schools is falling short in its punitive discipline model and urged further growth in restorative practices. The NYCLU does not contest that cellphones are a distraction in classrooms, but the civil rights advocacy organization cautions against a one-size-fits-all approach, and says such an emphasis on technology is missing a larger point. Its a bit naive to think that taking away the phone will take care of an incredibly complex and urgent need: more support for teenagers and their mental health, Miller said. She added that the state funding earmarked for phone storage could be better served hiring more guidance counselors, school social workers and psychologists, or developing a curriculum to teach students how to use technology responsibly. Miller also believes enforcing the policy will likely affect marginalized populations. Shes worried about large, diverse city districts such as Buffalo, which she and several parent groups have said already suspend students at disparate rates. As AG investigates Buffalo school suspensions, a call for change: 'What we're doing isn't working' While suspensions have gone down slightly since 2015, according to BPS data, there still are a disproportionate number of Black, multiracial and Native American students suspended, compared to white students. The system in Buffalo is so different, school to school, she said. Theres already a drastic unfairness: Add a new rule in a code of conduct where principals already overcharge, youre heaping more on kids who are already targeted. The director is also concerned about Fourth Amendment violations for illegal search and seizure. In other words, administrators holding students phones creates a temptation to search them for disciplinary reasons. Students cellphones are illegally searched, constantly, Miller said. There are principals and police looking through cellphones when theres no legal basis to do that. Whats ahead Banning cellphones during the school day should make a difference in the classroom and in encouraging more social situations, instead of isolated distraction. But it is likely not a cure-all. We want our reading literacy, we want the creativity, we want the bullying to go down, Conrad said at the forum. We want all these things to improve. And there is no silver bullet. Im not saying, by removing (phones), its just going to disappear. But it could help. It could help tremendously. Springer is open to tailoring Lackawannas approach. She thinks Yondr pouches should be an intervention if students first show they cannot responsibly keep their phones in their lockers. Ultimately, though, shes glad that leaders at the local and state levels are taking action against a real problem. I absolutely knew it had to be done, but it felt so insurmountable because its become part of the culture of the youth, she said. Theyre literally addicted at many points. Torridge District Council has announced that from Tuesday 4 March, buying a property in the district will be quicker and simpler following the transfer of its local land charges (LLC) service to a national digital register. The council has worked with HM Land Registry to move its LLC service online, allowing users to search property information instantly and make decisions earlier in the conveyancing process. According to the council, most local land charges are restrictions or conditions on land and property, such as planning permissions or listed building status. A search of the national register will reveal whether a property is subject to a charge, helping buyers make informed decisions. Councillor Simon Newton, lead member for legal and democratic support at Torridge District Council, said: Supporting the delivery of a national register that is fit for the digital age has been a key objective for us. We are pleased that as from today our residents will have access to a resilient, reliable service that will make it simpler and quicker for everyone involved in the land registry process to make informed decisions about their projects. The council says the move is part of its wider digital transformation, supporting government priorities to make property transactions quicker, simpler, and cheaper. The search service is available to the public via GOV.UK, while business customers can access it through the HM Land Registry portal or Business Gateway. Once all local authorities in England and Wales transfer their LLC data, the national register will contain more than 25 million charges. The council states that this will make property searches easier while also supporting economic growth by allowing businesses to develop new solutions based on the data. Torridge District Council says it is among the early adopters of the new register, which it believes will provide a more transparent and user-friendly service for residents and businesses. An alliance of rail groups and specialists will meet in Barnstaple on Friday, March 7, to devise a masterplan for the North Devon line, also known as the Tarka Line. The Northern Devon Railway Development Alliances second annual convention will focus on modernising the line and extending it to Bideford. Roger Blake, from Railfuture, who convened the event, said: The line is so popular that it's usually standing room only, including on weekends. We must find ways to increase capacity so that everyone can get a seat. The convention, sponsored by Railfuture, will bring together representatives from around 36 partner and stakeholder organisations. Discussions will cover efforts to improve journey times, secure twice-hourly services, and lay the groundwork for extending the line to Bideford. The event will also see the launch of a new campaign banner. The drive to modernise the line began with the ACE Rail campaign, which started four years ago. It gained momentum after the reopening of the Dartmoor Line and the return of the historic locomotive to Bideford in 2021. This years event will be opened by Barnstaples Mayor, Janet Coates, and feature a welcome video from Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of Great Western Railway. Additionally, representatives will discuss the importance of incorporating the proposals for modernisation and extension into Devons Local Transport Plan 2025-40. Some members of the Alliance will also be attending a Department for Transport event in Falmouth, where they will advocate for investment in the North Devon line, one of the fastest-growing rail routes in Britain. Ian Brown CBE, Vice-President of Railfuture, highlighted the ongoing progress: "I attended last years event in Bideford where the Alliance was set up against the background of much enthusiasm for the project. Much work is in progress as a result to turn this potential into a live project meeting transport, economic, environmental and social needs in Devon, including education and work access, in addition to sustainable tourism. This years event in Barnstaple represents the opportunity for everybody involved to get together, share experiences and establish a firm base on which to take the project forward. Really looking forward to witnessing the output from the days event as an exemplar in mounting strong business case arguments for reopening and developing key strategic rail routes. The Alliance includes 24 partner organisations, such as Great Western Railway, Network Rail, and local councils, as well as businesses like Navantia UK (Harland & Wolff, Appledore), which play a key role in the regions economy. Following Mondays seasonably chilly high of 35, Tuesdays high in the low-to-mid 50s will feel positively springlike. A day or 2 of this warmth without rainfall could likely be absorbed by the thick ice now packing streams and creeks with few, if any, complications. The problems come in with the significant rainfall that will arrive overnight into Wednesday. The resulting runoff, combining with meltwaters from the warmth, will pose the threat of loosening the ice packs and causing ice jams to develop in many of the usual trouble spots. With that in mind, the Buffalo National Weather Service has issued a flood watch (not yet a warning) for Western New York from Tuesday afternoon into Thursday afternoon. The ice jam flood risk will be greatest from later Tuesday night through Wednesday, when combined rates of melting and rain runoff will have the greatest potential to mechanically break up the ice. The rain will begin to arrive in earnest in the Wednesday predawn hours, after spotty lighter showers reach our region later tonight. During Wednesday, a brisk downslope southerly breeze will boost highs to the upper 50s, not far from 60. Showers and a few thunderstorms will become intermittent. In fact, the Storm Prediction Center has much of Western New York under a marginal/5% risk of a few severe storms with damaging gusts and large hail. More numerous rain showers will return by evening, in advance of a strong cold front accompanied by gusty winds. Temperatures will be heading back to the low 30s by Thursday morning, slowing the rate of runoff. Modeled rainfall totals ahead of the Great Lakes low pressure storm system will range from .5 inches to 1 inch. At the higher end of that range, ice jams would appear to be more likely. People who live in flood-prone neighborhoods should take precautions to protect property and basements, in particular. Don Paul: 'Early spring' groundhogs got it wrong Following a midweek seasonably cold and uneventful period, a messy area of low pressure may bring some slippery problems by the Thursday morning commute. On Thursday morning, well be in mostly snow showers, with a cold wind producing a nasty wind chill. So much for spring may be the catchphrase of the day, although were not heading quite all the way back to the deep freeze we experienced over the weekend. Still, Thursday readings will fall into the 20s, with the wind chill approaching single digits. Snowfall totals will range only from 1-2 inches, but some slick spots will be forming on untreated surfaces before the afternoon commute. Some improvement returns for a partly sunny and breezy Friday, with highs recovering to the upper 30s. The weekend looks chilly, with dry periods interspersed with spotty, occasional snow showers under a partly to mostly cloudy sky and a brisk breeze, keeping temperatures in the low-to-mid 30s feeling colder. By Monday and Tuesday, our region will benefit from a return to a southwesterly flow, sending temperatures back above average. NWS Weather Prediction Center projected highs look quite promising by Tuesday. Youll note the absence of any arctic air in the lower 48, with the exception of northern Maine. The NWS Climate Prediction Center exhibits growing confidence in above average temperatures in our region during the 6-10 and 8-14 day outlooks. I concur with CPCs thinking into next week, with upper and mid level pattern ensembles favoring some real warming in the anomalies. However, these same ensembles depict at least a quick shot of wintry temperatures returning toward March 16-17. It appears the warmup for much of next week lacks permanence, which is to be expected in mid-March. And one respected long range forecast group is even more pessimistic on the cold, projecting one final southward disruption of the polar vortex at that time, with details in this article. Its an excellent, slightly technical primer on what makes the PV do what it does, and what it may be up to around mid-March. NOAA and its NWS face cuts The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its National Weather Service were long-rumored to be heading into workforce and possible facilities reductions. The workforce reductions by the hundreds are already confirmed, with hundreds of mostly probationary employees already terminated. The professional society of atmospheric and climate scientists, the American Meteorological Society, released this statement Monday. But this AMS statement was published before more news developed late Monday. The Trump administrations DOGE has informed NOAA it is considering canceling the lease on its central facility, located in College Park, Md. The National Centers for Environmental Prediction and the aforementioned Weather Prediction Center, housed in this facility, are the forecasting and modeling nerve centers of the American weather enterprise. This is where the supercomputers, forecasters and modelers are headquartered, producing the output NWS, military, and private sector meteorologists depend on for the data and predictive tools that protect lives and property. Axios also reports lease cancellation is being strongly considered at NWS Radar Operation Center in Norman, Okla., where continual improvements are made and training is offered on the nations Doppler radar systems (in addition to meteorologists' professional access to the products produced by these radars). Every weather radar app the public sees is fed from NWS Dopplers, such as that located at the Buffalo Weather Forecast Office. These cancellations, while likely, have not yet been officially finalized, unlike the staff firings. Stay on the edge of your seat with a live performance of Agatha Christies legendary murder mystery, The Mousetrap. Discover our states historic natural disasters with author William Sullivan and engage in activities that explore the impact of Rosie the Riveter. Families can explore the cosmos in an inflatable planetarium or attend a yoga workshop. All of this is on tap at Deschutes Public Library in March as the community seeks to Know Chaos. Some programs require registration. Family Planetarium Exploration: Join the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory for a tour of the solar system in their inflatable planetarium. Intended for children ages 6 and up; all children must be accompanied by a caregiver. First-come, first-served. Friday, March 7, 1:45 and 2:30 p.m., Sisters Library. Saturday, March 15, 2 and 2:45 p.m., Redmond Library, 827 SW Deschutes Ave. Wilderness Kit: An Updated Approach to the 10 Essentials: Discover a contemporary take on the classic 10 Essentials concept for outdoor preparedness. Learn tips for maximizing personal safety, responding effectively in survival situations, and providing assistance to others in need. Wednesday, March 12, 6 p.m., Downtown Bend Library. Chaos with the Childrens Museum of Central Oregon: Explore a chaotic collection of museum exhibits through hands-on, open-ended exploration and play. Intended for children ages 011; all children must be accompanied by a caregiver. Friday, March 14, 9:30 to 11 a.m., Redmond Library. Calm the Chaos: Family Yoga Workshop: Connect with your child through songs, sign language, movement, and breath. Bring a yoga mat, blanket, or something soft to play on. Intended for children ages 05; all children must be accompanied by a caregiver. Monday, March 17, 9:30 a.m. East Bend Library; Wednesday, March 19, 10:15 a.m. Downtown Bend Library Floods, Fires, and Volcanoes: Oregons Great Natural Disasters Oregon author William L. Sullivan presents an armchair lecture about the floods, earthquakes, forest fires, eruptions, and tsunamis that have hit Oregon during the past 13,000 years. Tuesday, March 18, 6:00 p.m., Downtown Bend Library; Wednesday, March 19, 1 p.m. Redmond Library. Rosie the Riveter: Empowered by Chaos: Celebrate National Rosie the Riveter Day as we engage in activities that explore the impact of WWII women. Have a little fun and come dressed as Rosie wear your red and white polka dot bandana. Friday, March 21, 1 p.m., Redmond Library. Calm the Chaos: Adult Yoga: Calm the chaos of life through mindful movement. We will breathe, stretch and flow together, seeking to ease the mental chatter in our minds and sooth our bodies through movement. Registration required. Friday, March 21, 3 p.m., Redmond Library. Guided Forest Bath: Deeply connect to the natural world and feed your soul. Join a series of guided forest bathing invitations led by a local Certified Forest Therapy Guide at beautiful Shevlin Park. Registration required. Monday, March 24, 2 p.m., Shevlin Park. Registered participants will receive meet-up instructions. The Mousetrap Preview Night: After a local woman is murdered, the guests and staff at Monkswell Manor find themselves stranded during a snowstorm. First-come, first-served. Thursday, March 27, 7:30 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m. Cascades Theatrical Company, 148 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend. For more information about these programs, visit the library website at http://www.deschuteslibrary.org. Sisters Middle School hosted their third annual Lip Sync Competition at the SMS gym on Friday, February 28. The event involved the whole school, teachers and students alike, and prioritized student engagement and collaboration. Students are organized into four different houses named after Oregon rivers, the McKenzie, Metolius, Deschutes, and Whychus. Each house combines middle school students of different ages and grades. Photo by Olivia Nieto The houses hold varying contests throughout the year, from academic olympics to regular olympics, all with the goal of increasing school spirit. "The older students in the houses help a lot with the mentorship of younger students but the guidance of teachers brings it all together," said Sisters Middle School Principal Tim Roth. This year's Lip Sync was filled with students ready to show what they had been working on and excited to see other performances. All teams performed a group cheer before displaying a choreographed lip-sync dance to the judges, each about three minutes long and to a wide range of different songs but each instilled with all-around enthusiasm from the students and teachers who performed. Whychus House was voted to have the Best House Cheer and Best Lip Sync at the end of the event and all the students celebrated the work they put in and the fun they had along the way. The tradition will continue and no doubt keep engaging students and increasing school spirit. A small but highly engaged audience gathered Sunday at the Sisters Library to take part in a one-hour presentation by Ed Weiser who considers himself a professional volunteer, and serves as a Wilderness EMT with Deschutes County Search And Rescue. Hes a small business mentor and leader with SCORE, an Interpretive Ranger with the Forest Service and a local Meetup hiking group leader. He shared several interesting accounts of his work in search and rescue and his own personal experiences of having to evacuate twice from his home. While wildfire was the most anticipated portion of his offering, he covered a range of emergency possibilities in Sisters Country including earthquakes, flooding, volcanic eruptions, and even tsunamis, knowing how many residents of Central Oregon vacation or visit the Oregon coast. The sessions design is to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to prepare for wildfires, earthquakes, and unforeseen chaos. Much of the focus was learning how to create effective emergency plans, assemble essential gear, establish reliable communication contingencies, and provide meaningful assistance to others in times of crisis. City Councilor Cheryl Pellerin was in attendance. Preparedness is a topic of interest to her individually and in her elected role. Weiser was peppered with questions which he deftly answered. The lecture was part of the Deschutes Public Library systems free monthly programs for the community. The March theme is Chaos for which Weisers presentation was on point. Of interest was Weisers suggestion that while Sisters itself may not be the center of an emergency it could nonetheless be an assembly point for disaster refugees from the coast or the Willamette Valley, which could tax resources. Weiser urged attendees who seemed knowledgeable about wildfire evacuation Level 1, 2, 3 Ready/Set/Go to share their know how with neighbors. A printable version can be downloaded at https://udrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ReadySetGo.pdf. Sisters is getting good publicity and the town remains a safe community. That was the message received by Sisters City Council at their February 25 meeting, which included workshop general meetings and Urban Renewal Agency (URA) goal setting. All council members were present for the 4-1/2 hours of meetings. Executive Director Scott Humpert of Explore Sisters (ES) presented progress in branding, marketing, advertising, and activities in the Visitors Center in the Sisters Makers building. ES is a Destination Management Organization (DMO) which focuses on bringing tourists to Sisters. The ES Board has oversight of the DMO and has nine-members representing; local businesses, residents, a city staff and a councilor. Humpert, now entering a third year, said all of ESs work is statistically showing successes. Humpert noted that the bull named Party Bus, which jumped the fence during Sisters Rodeo 2024, generated positive free advertising nationally and internationally. ES is funded annually from Sisters Transit Lodging Tax (TLT) at either $350,000 or 30 percent of TLTs, whichever is larger. The remainder of TLTs go to Sisters General fund. Councilors voiced appreciation of Humperts work and efficient use of the funds. Sisters remains a safe city. Deschutes County Sheriffs Office Lt. Chad Davis presented the second annual report. Comparing 2023 to 2024, Sisters criminal cases declined slightly in: theft, burglary, driving under the influence, and traffic crimes. There were also reductions in written warnings, traffic and violation citations, case reports, and arrests. Any incident increases were primarily deputies administrative or community engagement tasks. Sisters DCSO added a patrol pick-up vehicle, making two in the fleet, and replaced an old with a new Dodge Durango. Council thanked Lt. Davis and his three officers for their community outreach and keeping Sisters safe. Sisters Trails Alliance Director, Stephanie Presley and Sisters High School student Tegan Welsh requested letters of support from Council to secure funding to create nature paths in nearby areas of the schools to enable greater outdoor accessibility and study of flora and fauna. Near the end of the general meeting, council gave a nod of support and asked Presley to provide specifics to City staff. Ed Owens, and later Marvin Inman, expressed concerns over the dramatic changes planned at Sisters Senior Living (see story, page 1). Each noted examples of adverse impacts to elderly residents, their families, and staff layoffs. Owens was asking council to look into it. Council noted later that as Sisters Senior Living is privately owned with the land use and zoning allowing the implemented changes, the Council and City has no recourse. Each councilor, however, voiced dismay over changes. Progress on past meeting public concerns were reported by City Manager Jordan Wheeler: Urban Growth Boundary (UGB): The City fielded several public comments wanting the project to not be delayed by the McKenzie Meadows propertys rezoning request. Staff responded that the planned approach by UGB Steering Committee assures progress regardless of any rezoning efforts. Wildfire Risk Maps: Local public concerns are being appealed by Deschutes County and the City will soon submit letters to Oregon Department of Forestry and to Senator Jeff Golden. Meanwhile the legislature is also appealing, and Governor Tina Kotek froze actions based on the risk maps. Pedestrian safety: Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will include rapid flashing traffic lights on a proposed crosswalk on Highway 20, as part of Woodlands Phase II. The work will be a test case for possible similar work by ODOT elsewhere on Cascade Avenue. Also, ODOT will handle the re-painting of the faded crosswalks on Cascade. How can it be that a developer such as McKenzie Meadows Village LLC can submit an application for an amendment that involves changing the zone of 58 acres of healthy trees and habitat from Forest Use 2? Others have pointed out that the proposed area of urban housing is surrounded on three sides by forest and would be difficult for firefighters to defend from wildfire, compared to defending the existing neighborhoods. Building in a forest area is extremely dangerous given our current climate of extreme weather and fires. Statewide goals for climate change mitigation includes limiting growth of wildland urban interface due to difficulty in protecting these communities from wildfire. Wildlife is already dealing with loss from wildfires, drought, and dense urban areas. Deer and elk are struggling to survive the loss of habitat. The property has historically been a safe birthing area for does/fawns in the spring. How can it be that an open forest of tall ponderosa pines, where many mammals and birds live and find food, be replaced by closely-built houses? Ecologists agree that changing the zoning would fragment the adjacent forest areas that deer and elk migrate through between summer and winter grounds. Expansion of the McKenzie Meadows Village would create more barriers and further stress on an already fragile situation. The subject property provides critical habitat for many birds, including White-headed woodpeckers (a listed sensitive species), flammulated owl (a rare species), pinyon jay, western and mountain bluebirds, three species of nuthatches, mountain chickadees, and northern flickers. How can it be that a property be considered for development when it has a stream on it? Trout Creek runs directly through the property, and although ephemeral, it can flood annually. The stream sometimes floods areas downstream as far as Highway 20. Its channels should be protected. The City of Sisters requires that properties considered for development be free from natural features such as streams, wetlands, outcroppings and critical wildlife habitat. The rounded cobblestones and gravel found in the soil samples are a result of the property having a floodplain. Ponderosas are thriving there with 100-year-old trees, but a flood plain is not suitable for urban development. How can it be that the developer wants to build on a property that has a unique biological feature that could disappear by the impact of buildings? Trout Creek is a key habitat for Pecks penstemon, a rare, ecologically sensitive plant that grows only in a small part of Central Oregon, including the subject property. Pecks penstemon should be protected from extinction. The Trout Creek Conservation Area is used for biological research by students in the Sisters School District. I have mentored students as they do their ecological studies, involving identification and data collection. My late husband was a forest ecologist in the Chicago area and he would be amazed and delighted that students could have such an outdoor classroom. Trout Creek Conservation Area is preserved through an agreement with the Deschutes Land Trust. Staff there are likely very concerned about increased development near TCCA and the pressure it puts on wildlife and forest habitat. Currently the people living nearby walk the land every day. Building more houses will cause increased use. How can it be that the applicant is requesting a change to zoning of a forest property so new homes can be built? Others have commented that it could build homes on lands already impacted by development northeast and east of Sisters where the city is looking to extend the Urban Growth Boundary, and new buildings would not infringe on undeveloped forest land. The subject property should remain zoned Forest-2, not be changed to Urban Reserve/Multi-Use Agricultural. Imagine how it could be to have land where Deschutes County, the City of Sisters and the Forest Service could collaborate to establish permanent open space with an ephemeral creek, a rare penstemon, wildlife habitat and trails where people can enjoy walking, too. Think about and explore more compatible and inspiring visions! This months noteworthy Netflix departures in the United States include a chilling indie, a South Korean classic, two honest-to-goodness great popcorn flicks and a very funny skewering of Englands most famous family. (Dates reflect the first day titles are unavailable and are subject to change.) The Autopsy of Jane Doe (March 15) Stream it here. The Norwegian director Andre Ovredal (Trollhunter) makes his solo English-language debut with this modest, muted yet endlessly chilling postmortem thriller. Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch star as a father-son team of small-town coroners whose seemingly straightforward autopsy of a young murder victim becomes something far more complicated and sinister. Ovredal builds dread with genuine skill (and without resorting to cheap thrills), and the performances are top-notch, with the Succession favorite Cox doing particularly stellar work as an old pro who thinks hes seen it all and is quickly proven wrong. A Walk Among the Tombstones (March 16) Stream it here. The pedigree for this 2014 neo-noir thriller is mighty impressive: It is based on a novel by the respected and prolific crime novelist Lawrence Block and adapted and directed by Scott Frank (Out of Sight, Minority Report, The Queens Gambit). But because the star is Liam Neeson, and because the picture was released just as viewers were beginning to sour on his Taken sequels and re-treads, it was dismissed by the adult audience that might appreciate it most. Neeson stars as Blocks most durable hero, the former cop-turned-private investigator (and recovering alcoholic) Matthew Scudder, here investigating a brutal murder that opens up a complicated series of kidnappings, slayings and secrets. Moody and melancholy, it is possibly the best film of the Neeson-aissance. Oldboy (March 24) Stream it here. Perhaps the most popular (at least on these shores) and most influential film of the New Korean Cinema movement of the 1990s and 2000s, this artful and aching revenge thriller from the director Park Chan-wook (The Handmaiden) concerns a seemingly straight-arrow businessman, Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), who wakes up from a drunken blackout locked in some kind of private prison. He is kept there for 15 years, never allowed to know who put him there or why, so when he is unceremoniously released, he decides to get those answers himself. In the post-Pulp Fiction film landscape, Chan-wooks action set pieces and unflinching violence made him a hero of young cinephiles around the world. But what makes Oldboy special, and what makes it stick, is its poignancy; Oldboy wonders genuinely what it would be like to lose so much of ones life, and what kind of madness might follow suit. The Trump administration plans to drop a federal lawsuit against a chemical manufacturer accused of releasing high levels of a likely carcinogen from its Louisiana plant, according to two people familiar with the plans. The government filed the lawsuit during the Biden administration after regulators determined that chloroprene emissions from the Denka Performance Elastomer plant were contributing to health concerns in an area with the highest cancer risk of any place in the United States. The 2023 lawsuit was among several enforcement actions taken by the Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of poor and minority communities that have disproportionately borne the brunt of toxic pollution. The Denka plant is located in the predominantly Black community of LaPlace, La., in a region so dense with industrial facilities that it is known as Cancer Alley. Chloroprene is used to produce neoprene, a synthetic rubber that is found in automotive parts, hoses, beer cozies, orthopedic braces and electric cables. Nobody knows exactly how long ago a marbled and tender boneless short-loin steak came to be known across the United States as a New York strip. Everybody agrees, though, that the nomenclature wasnt the least bit controversial until last Friday, when Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of Texas proposed a new name: the Texas strip. Noting that Texas leads the nation in heads of cattle, Mr. Patrick announced in a post on X that he was working with the State Senate on a resolution that would officially rebrand the cut. Mr. Patrick was clear in his post that he hoped the Texas-centric name would give a boost to his states cattle ranchers. At the same time, the way he framed the issue carried more than a whiff of red-meat politics. The top agent at the F.B.I.s New York field office said in an email Monday that he had been forced out of his job, following clashes with Justice Department officials over Trump administration directives. The veteran agent, James E. Dennehy, was told Friday to retire from his role leading the F.B.I.s largest field office, delivering another blow to the senior ranks of the bureau. Mr. Dennehy, who had been running the office since September, had angered Trump administration officials by supporting bureau leaders who resisted turning over the names of those who investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Mr. Dennehy had also angered Attorney General Pam Bondi by what she claimed was the New York offices failure to turn over all the investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier charged with sex trafficking who killed himself in prison. Ms. Bondi provided no evidence to back up her assertion. Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did, Mr. Dennehy wrote Monday in an email to colleagues. I was not given a reason for this decision. Regardless, I apologize to all of you for not being able to fulfill my commitment to you. Carl Dean, an asphalt paver who met his future wife, Dolly Parton, outside a Nashville laundromat more than six decades ago and quietly championed her as she rose to superstardom, died on Monday. He was 82. Ms. Parton announced his death in a statement on social media. The statement did not say where he died or cite a cause. While his wife was a world-famous star, Mr. Dean was a private man who kept a low profile. In a 2020 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Ms. Parton said her husband had never wanted to be in the spotlight. Its just not who he is, she said. Hes like, a quiet, reserved person and he figured if he ever got out there in that, hed never get a minutes peace, and hes right about that. Lech Walesa, the leader of Polands Solidarity movement, which helped end Moscows grip on Eastern Europe at the end of the Cold War, joined with former Polish political prisoners on Monday to send an impassioned letter to President Trump voicing horror and disgust at his scolding of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine last week, saying it reminded them of their encounters with bullying Communist-era officials. They wrote in Polish that they were terrified by the fact that the atmosphere in the Oval Office during this conversation reminded us of the one we remember well from interrogations by the Security Service and from courtrooms in Communist courts. Prosecutors and judges, commissioned by the all-powerful communist political police, also explained to us that they held all the cards and we had none, the letter said, a reference to President Trumps Oval Office rebuke to Mr. Zelensky that you dont have the cards. Communist functionaries, the letter continued, demanded that we stop our activities, arguing that thousands of innocent people were suffering because of us. When President Zelensky insisted in the Oval Office on Friday that security guarantees were needed to make any peace deal with Russia last, Mr. Trump slapped him down, saying, Youre gambling with the lives of millions of people. The Senate voted along party lines on Monday to confirm Linda McMahon as the nations next education secretary, putting the former pro-wrestling executive in charge of an agency that the Trump administration wants to eliminate. A wealthy Republican donor who served in the first Trump administration, Ms. McMahon has little experience in education. That lack of firsthand knowledge has been framed as an asset by a White House looking to abolish the department she now leads and as a glaring deficiency by her critics. Ms. McMahon, 76, told lawmakers during her confirmation process that she wholeheartedly agreed with President Trumps mission to eliminate the Education Department. During her hearing last month, she argued that most Americans did, too, and that she was ready to make it happen. But there appears to be significant public opposition to getting rid of the department. Nearly two-thirds of Americans said last week that they opposed eliminating the agency, according to the NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. In North Carolina, one of seven battleground states that Mr. Trump swept in November, a similar share, 63 percent, also said they opposed abolishing the agency, according to a Meredith College poll last month. During his first term, the president delivered an annual speech to Congress that included a mix of exaggerations and grievance-filled attacks on his enemies. He is poised to do the same again on Tuesday night, using one of the largest platforms that any modern president gets during his time in the Oval Office. Mr. Trump hinted on Monday that he might use the speech to extend his public feud with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine after the Oval Office blowup between the two leaders last week. Asked by a reporter whether a deal to share rare-earth minerals was still possible after the shouting, Mr. Trump said that Ill let you know, adding: Were making a speech, you probably heard. Later he said of Mr. Zelensky: I just think he should be more appreciative. Mr. Trump is facing a litany of lawsuits over his sweeping executive actions, cuts to the federal government and layoffs of federal workers, which have been spearheaded by Elon Musk, the worlds richest man and a top adviser to the president. The resistance to Mr. Musks aggressive efforts, especially by courts around the country, has frustrated the president and those around him. During his first term, Mr. Trump often lashed out at judges when they stood in the way of his agenda. The presidents critics are bracing for more of the same on Tuesday as they struggle to slow down the pace of firings and spending cuts at federal agencies. President Trump on Monday temporarily suspended the delivery of all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, senior administration and military officials said, just days after Mr. Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine had an explosive confrontation at the White House. The order affects more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition in the pipeline and on order. It resulted from a series of meetings at the White House on Monday between Mr. Trump and his senior national security aides, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The officials said the directive would be in effect until Mr. Trump determined that Ukraine had demonstrated a good-faith commitment to peace negotiations with Russia. Mr. Trumps decision dramatically escalates the breach between Washington and Kyiv, at a critical moment in the conflict. The most immediate beneficiary of the move is President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. If the suspension is lengthy, he can use the time to press for further territorial gains. And he may well decide to hold back from any negotiations at all, figuring that any prolonged dispute between Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky will only strengthen his position, either on the battlefield or when cease-fire talks ever take place. Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, has been quietly pushing to present evidence against Senator Charles Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, to a federal grand jury over comments he made about Supreme Court justices in 2020, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Justice Department officials have thus far rebuffed the unusual request by Mr. Martin, a partisan ally of President Trump with no previous prosecutorial experience, one of those people said. Mr. Martin has made clear his hopes of investigating whether the remarks made five years ago by Mr. Schumer amounted to threats against Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Neil M. Gorsuch. Bringing such a case is highly unusual and winning a conviction would be difficult, according to current and former prosecutors. Last month, Mr. Martin signaled his intention to take an aggressive approach, writing Mr. Schumer a letter demanding information and clarification of remarks he made at a rally on March 4, 2020. It sounds like something out of the Wild West. In recent months, well-organized bandits have jumped on trains rolling through the Mojave Desert in Arizona and stolen their cargo. But these robbers were not stealing gold bullion and pocket watches. They were taking Nike Air Jordans, wireless gaming headsets and other modern-day loot, according to federal prosecutors. In many cases, the robbers used electric saws, bolt-cutters and other tools to break open the locks on containers holding pricey merchandise. Then they cut the air hoses on the brakes, which caused the trains to come to a sudden stop and put them at risk of derailing, prosecutors said. Trains in the region often travel at 70 m.p.h. Once the trains were stopped, the robbers took cases of Air Jordans, electronics and other goods off the trains and hid them in fields and brush by the side of the tracks. Then they contacted associates who came to pick up the goods and hauled them away in box trucks, prosecutors said. Eventually, some of the merchandise ended up for sale from third-party vendors on Amazon and eBay. The train heists, previously reported by The Los Angeles Times, have increased in frequency over the past two years, as more transnational gangs have been targeting high-value shipments, prosecutors said. At 17, Liu Jiakun was sent to labor in the countryside as part of Chinas re-education efforts during the Cultural Revolution. I didnt see a clear future for me a lot of things were quite meaningless, Liu said through a translator (his son, Martin) in a recent phone interview from his office in Chengdu, China. I thought at the time that life was inconsequential. Eventually, Liu, now 68, found meaning in architecture, a pursuit that has earned him the professions highest honor: the Pritzker Prize. Having founded his own practice, Jiakun Architects, in his native Chengdu in 1999, Liu has built more than 30 projects in China including academic buildings, cultural institutions and civic spaces. He also designed the inaugural Serpentine Pavilion Beijing in 2018 and has been featured in Venice Biennales. One modern and contemporary gallerist who is a TEFAF regular is the French dealer Kamel Mennour. He first exhibited at TEFAF Maastricht in 2019. Its the only fair in the world with such an exhaustive offering, he said, adding that he enjoyed having his stand positioned across from an exhibitor of antique statuary, or of Japanese porcelain. TEFAF collectors spend not just one afternoon, but three or four days at the fair, and have a much wider spectrum, he said. They stroll around and dig into very, very different things. He noted that Mennours sales at TEFAF had crescendoed over the years and that the 2023 booth a face-off between artists Daniel Buren and Anish Kapoor did very well. This year at TEFAF, Mennour is showing a small bronze Giacometti figurine, a gouache on paper by the American painter Joan Mitchell, and a sculpture by the Kosovar contemporary artist Petrit Halilaj. The question is whether TEFAFs identity as the only major international fair dedicated to antiquities, old masters and period furniture is being eroded by its embrace of the contemporary. Mennour said the transition to newer art was necessary for the health and survival of the fair, because otherwise, it would have become much too niche. Alexander Dorey Flint, a director at the White Cube gallery, concurred. I dont think that one damages the other, said Dorey Flint, who is overseeing White Cubes booth at TEFAF Maastricht for the second year in a row. This article is part of our Design special section about the reverence for handmade objects. It took nearly five years for Kyre Chenven and Ivano Atzori to buy a cluster of ruined houses in southern Sardinia. The single-story buildings, or rather, the skeletons that remained, once made up a furriadroxu, a type of agrarian community common in the southwest region of the Italian island. The farmstead, likely constructed in the 19th century, was home to a sprawling family that long ago abandoned it for village life. Since 2022, however, the property has taken on a new identity: as Luxi Bia, a revitalized rural haven where curious visitors can immerse themselves in local culture and the natural environment. I think there were 14 people present when we signed the deal, said Ms. Chenven, a 46-year-old woman with a short crop of blond hair and a shock of red lip stain. She was following Mr. Atzori, 48 whose long gray hair was tied up in a pair of French braids that rested on his shoulders through their grove of olive trees while explaining that Sardinias complicated hereditary tradition meant that houses were often divided between heirs by room. It took the couple an entire year and much cajoling to gather all the family members and convince them to sell. The Indian drama Dabba Cartel, on Netflix (in Hindi, with subtitles, or dubbed), is a lively spin on the regular people do crimes and like it? genre. It incorporates sudsy twists, vicious domestic subplots, corporate malfeasance and social critiques, and its foot stays on the gas. In the course of its seven episodes, characters go from being not totally sure how one consumes marijuana to synthesizing a new street drug and rubbing shoulders with big-time baddies. Raji (Shalini Pandey) runs a lunch delivery service, and she has been sneaking in herbal Viagra for some of her customers. Her colleague Mala (Nimisha Sajayan) has a dirtbag boyfriend who coerces her into expanding the drug distribution to include the far more lucrative MDMA. These are real drugs! Raji worries. Madam, all drugs are real, the dirtbag says. Raji is trying to save money so she and her husband, who works in big pharma, can move to Germany. Beyond the food service, Mala works as a domestic laborer to support herself and her daughter, so every little bit helps. The delivery business also includes Shahida (Anjali Anand), a real estate agent who dreams of more. The three know theyre in over their heads, but their fear and desperation turn to shock and later industriousness when Rajis mother-in-law, Sheila (Shabana Azmi), turns out to be a retired queenpin. Luckily, she has a plan. Unluckily, that plan is that they all become mega drug dealers together. Alongside our budding Walter Whites, Dabba follows a government investigator (Gajraj Rao) who is trying to prevent opioids from flooding the Indian market. Theyre illegal in India, but some pharmaceutical companies manufacture the drugs for American distribution, and he is convinced that Fentanyl and its ilk are making their way to the people. No one takes his concerns seriously, and he is paired with a quirky female police officer (Sai Tamhankar) who is herself often overlooked. But she thinks hes onto something. Canada and China retaliate against Trumps tariffs Canada and China yesterday condemned the sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and said they would retaliate against U.S. exports. President Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, and 10 percent on imports from China on top of a previous 10 percent. President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico said that if the U.S. tariffs were still in place on Sunday, she, too, would announce countermeasures. Youre a very smart guy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, addressing Trump. But this is a very dumb thing to do. Trudeau said Canada would, in response, put 25 percent tariffs on $20.5 billion worth of unspecified U.S. goods. China announced levies on U.S. food imports and halted the sale of Chinese goods to 15 American companies. In Mexico, there were calls for boycotts of U.S. companies and products. A pause on U.S. military aid to Ukraine President Trump suspended the delivery of military aid to Ukraine yesterday, according to senior U.S. officials, who said the pause would stay in effect until Trump determined that Ukraine had demonstrated a good-faith commitment to peace talks with Russia. The order was to take effect immediately, affecting more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition in the pipeline and on order. Earlier in the day, President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to Ukraine after a whirlwind diplomatic mission that included both humiliation, by Trump in a confrontational Oval Office meeting, and a warm embrace, from European leaders. Zelensky vowed to use all diplomatic avenues to pursue an end to the war, but he said there was a long way to go. Russia has given no indication that it will accept any terms but Ukrainian capitulation and permanent conquest of a large swath of Ukraine and Trump appears set on standing with Moscow. Ukrainians say they will not lay down their arms unless they receive security guarantees, supported by the U.S., that would prevent another Russian attack. Sweeping tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China went into effect just after midnight on Tuesday, raising U.S. tariffs to levels not seen in decades and rattling foreign governments and businesses that depend on international trade. As of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, the Trump administration added a 25 percent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico. The administration also added another 10 percent tariff on all imports from China. That comes on top of a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods put into effect just one month ago and a variety of older levies, including those that remain from the China trade war in Mr. Trumps first term. The tariffs will make good on President Trumps campaign promise to rework Americas trade relations, and they are likely to encourage some manufacturers who want to sell to American customers to set up factories in the United States, instead of other countries. But by altering the terms of trade between the United States and its largest economic partners, the tariffs will also probably rattle supply chains, strain some of the countrys most important diplomatic relationships and add significant costs for American consumers and manufacturers. When China started to buy more soybeans from Brazil during Mr. Trumps first term, Mr. Legans income significantly decreased, he said. His pork exports to China also fell. This time, hes again worried about the fallout especially since Mexico is poised to retaliate, too. We are fighting an uphill battle against the tariffs, to get both soybeans and pork into those markets, Mr. Legan said. In agriculture, we deal with uncertainty all the time, whether its the weather or the health of our animals. But this adds another level of uncertainty that were trying to deal with the best we can. Industry lobbying groups were quick to criticize the tariffs. Blanket tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada risk inviting retaliation that could harm the very farmers they aim to protect, said Shannon Douglass, president of the California Farm Bureau. Gregg Doud, chief executive of the National Milk Producers Federation, said in a statement on Monday, ahead of the new tariffs, that the group was pushing against trade barriers that are arising as countries invent new policies that threaten to disrupt our dairy sales. Although the Canadian government did not specify which products would be subject to its retaliatory tariffs, a plan outlined last month singled out hundreds of U.S. products that could be targeted, including food products like orange juice and peanut butter. Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, said on Tuesday that he had ordered the removal of all U.S.-made liquor from the province-controlled alcohol distributor. Agricultural producers of all sizes, from part-time farmers and small family farms to large ones, could take a hit as prices fall and some costs go up. Soybeans accounted for about half of U.S. agricultural exports to China last year, according to the Agriculture Department, but American soybean exporters to China compete with companies from Brazil. U.S. soybean futures fell about 1 percent on Tuesday. Futures on U.S. corn and wheat also fell. After the invasion, the United States, Europe and other allies quickly took advantage of their dominance of the global financial system and froze Russian assets held by their financial institutions. Later, the industrialized democracies that make up the Group of 7 pledged to hold on to the funds until Russia pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine. The latest estimate to repair that damage is $524 billion over 10 years, according to an update released last week by the World Bank. Whether to turn over the Kremlins money to Ukraine instead of just barring Russias access to it, though, has remained contentious. Legal experts and government officials including some who worked for President Joseph R. Biden Jr. warned that confiscating the money could violate international law and undermine confidence in Western financial institutions. And there was concern that American and European assets held in other countries might be more at risk in the future if a dispute arose. France, Belgium and Germany have resisted the idea in the past. When President Emmanuel Macron of France visited the White House last month, he reiterated that Russias assets are not our belongings, so they are frozen. And Belgium, which is holding the biggest single chunk of Russian money, for instance, is worried about the potentially damaging legal and financial fallout of transferring the funds to Ukraine. Europe was not directly targeted in the wave of U.S. tariffs that took effect on Tuesday, but the effects are being felt here. Keyu Jin, a professor at the London School of Economics, said tit-for-tat tariffs would lead not necessarily to less global trade but to a fragmentation and regionalism that forged new blocs aiming to be nonaligned in the intensifying trade war between the United States, its neighbors and China. She was speaking on a panel Tuesday in Barcelona, Spain, at one of the worlds biggest tech trade shows, which runs this week. The annual event, known as Mobile World Congress, attracts more than 100,000 people for product pitches, fund-raising appeals and debates about the future of technology. The fresh U.S. tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico the three largest U.S. trading partners and crucial cogs in many supply chains were a common topic of conversation around the expo center. European companies are heavily represented at the event, and some executives tried to frame the rising trade tensions as an opportunity for Europe, whose sizable economy has often been held back by slow growth and a lack of competitiveness. Adam Lewis, a co-founder and the president of Clearit, a customs broker, said that it would not be hard to tweak software to collect the new tariffs, but that a crucial part of the tariffs payment system might need significant adjustments. Importers must buy a customs bond, a type of insurance that guarantees the duties will be paid. Mr. Lewis said some customers might have to increase the size of their bonds to cover the extra tariff payments. Many of their products were coming in duty-free, and all of a sudden theres going to be a 25 percent increase, he said. Its quite large. In addition, policing importers for tariff evasion will now become a much bigger task for Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Justice. Some importers may try to avoid tariffs by understating the cost of goods in customs declarations or by falsely claiming they were imported from countries not subject to tariffs. The greater the breadth and severity of these new tariffs, the greater the likelihood that at least some potential importers may want to misrepresent the value or the origin of their goods, said Kirti Vaidya Reddy, a former federal prosecutor who is now a partner at the law firm Quarles. If the government finds that an importer has not paid duties, customs officials are likely to demand that the importer pay what is owed and a penalty that can double or even triple the amount due. Whats the air quality in New Delhi, Jakarta or Buenos Aires? Until Tuesday, the United States Embassy in those cities could have told you. But the Trump administration has effectively shut down a global air quality monitoring program, ending more than a decade of public data-collection and reporting from 80 embassies and consulates worldwide. The information has supported research, helped thousands of foreign service officers working abroad to decide if it was safe to let their children play outdoors, and has directly led to air quality improvements in countries like China. The State Department said in an email that the program was being suspended due to budget constraints. Refugee, prisoner, wine merchant, spy: Peter Sichel was many things in his long, colorful life, but he was probably most often identified as the man who made Blue Nun one of the most popular wines in the world in the 1970s and 80s. At its peak, in 1985, 30 million bottles of this slightly sweet German white wine its label featuring smiling nuns holding baskets of grapes in a vineyard were sold. By the time Mr. Sichel (pronounced sea-SHELL) took charge of his familys wine business in 1960, he had lived a long, clandestine life. For 17 years, first in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, and then in the Central Intelligence Agency from its formation in 1947 until he resigned in 1959 he played a crucial role in gathering intelligence for the United States. He died on Feb. 24 at his home in Manhattan, his daughter Bettina Sichel said. He was 102. As a 19-year-old German emigre to the United States who volunteered for the U.S. Army the day after Pearl Harbor, Mr. Sichel was recruited to join the O.S.S. as part of an effort to build an American intelligence-gathering force where none existed. He served in Algiers in 1942 and 43, and then as head of the O.S.S. unit attached to Gen. George S. Pattons Third Army as it drove from Southern France toward Alsace in late 1944. Among his jobs were interrogating German prisoners of war and recruiting volunteers to infiltrate the German lines and report back to him. Mickey 17 is the first feature that Bong has made with a Hollywood studio, and his most expensive one yet, with a budget just under $120 million. On this last score, though, he was ambivalent. I prefer small productions, and I dislike big productions, he said. Id heard chatter that when Warner Bros. greenlighted Mickey 17, the studio hoped it might spawn a new franchise, centered on a hero conveniently defined by his own potential for infinite undead sequelization. But Bongs sensibility has proved consistently idiosyncratic in ways that fly against the logic of the multiplex. Most of his endings are depressing, and his English-language features, all of them science fiction, can feel especially strange, with heightened performances and a tonal volatility that has become his signature a switchback energy, as Tilda Swinton, who has acted in two of his films, put it to me. This energy is an effect not of wild abandon on Bongs part, however, but of an extreme degree of control. He creates highly detailed storyboards for all his films, and these serve as unbudging blueprints during production. The cinematographer Darius Khondji, who worked with Bong on Mickey 17 and Okja, and who has shot films for David Fincher, Alejandro Inarritu and the Safdie Brothers, said that Bong functions on a different wavelength I never felt with anyone before. He compared the storyboards to a musical score. Everything is written, and you can change the rhythm and the way you play the notes, but if you try to pull out a note, or a group of notes, hell say, That doesnt make sense. Mark Ruffalo described this as a productive constraint. Its the most auteur-centric filmmaking style Ive worked in, Ruffalo said. Every shot, every angle, every gesture is storyboarded, and he shoots the storyboard frame for frame. But thats not to say hes controlling. The exciting thing as an actor is that youre free, in that frame, to reinvent the performance. For some actors, that feeling of freedom arrives only after a period of intense disorientation. Normally you shoot a whole scene, Pattinson explained, but with Bongs approach, he knows exactly which shot he wants for exactly which line, so sometimes were just shooting one line at a time. You show up on the first day and they say, Were gonna shoot the seventh line of this scene. You go: What do you mean? I dont know how Im going to say the first line. Usually, Id have to do the whole scene to get the line right. So, everyone has a nervous breakdown for a week, Pattinson went on. But then you say, Oh, this is great. If youre shooting an entire scene, theres a more legato rhythm, a crest and a fall, some gradation. But you dont really need it for the style of performance Bong wants, and that frees you up to do these very discordant turns: If youre just doing one line, you can do maximum intensity out of nowhere. It has this feel of anime it can go from completely placid to enraged in a split second. Pattinson told me that Bong seems very pleasantly amused by everything. They talked a lot about the movie in the months preceding the shoot, but when it came to filming, Pattinson said, the director gave him license to explore: It got to the point where I was just trying to make him laugh, trying things in playful ways. And hed say, Yeah, do whatever you want. City transportation officials credit hidden sensors, essentially electronic scales under the pavement. The sensors can spot trucks that weigh more than regulations allow. The city says that the number of overweight vehicles dropped 60 percent after the Department of Transportation began sending out violation notices based on readings from the sensors, along with $650 fines. The results speak for themselves, said Ydanis Rodriguez, the transportation commissioner. In the report, he wrote that the incredible effectiveness of the sensors showed how they could be expanded to protect and extend the life span of other transportation infrastructure. But the life span of the state law that authorized the sensors is short. Like a separate law that lets the city use traffic cameras to enforce speed limits, the sensor law is set to expire before the end of the year. So Rodriguez is going to Albany today to press legislators to renew it. He also wants permission to put sensors in other places with heavy truck traffic like the Washington Bridge not the George Washington Bridge, but a shorter, older span that connects Manhattan and the Bronx. The city also has expansion plans on the B.Q.E., where the sensors currently track trucks in only one direction, going toward Queens. Sensors will be activated in the Staten Island-bound lanes later this year. In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul pitched a $200 million effort to help small business owners with marijuana convictions open New Yorks first licensed cannabis dispensaries. State lawmakers approved $50 million to help the program, known as the Cannabis Social Equity Investment Fund, begin leasing and renovating stores that were supposed to open the following year. Just 22 of the 150 planned stores have opened under the program, and some owners now say the state lured them into a debt trap. New York has since allowed about 300 more dispensaries to open without the assistance, and they have helped to push total sales to over $1 billion. But the deal to set up the fund also contained a catch that largely went unnoticed until now. Once cannabis licensing fees and sales taxes began generating enough revenue, the state would claw back its investment. Only after it was repaid would the money trickle down to programs that were intended to deliver the promised benefits of legalization, including by investing in communities battered in the decades-long war on drugs. The provision has come to light as the governors budget proposal indicates that she plans to recoup the states funds. Lawmakers and activists who pushed for legalization say the plan goes against the states intention to uplift low-income Black and Latino neighborhoods where the vast majority of marijuana arrests have occurred. Shouts of surprise, joy and excitement accompanied a large crowd of supporters of women's heart health at the Go Red for Women event at Prime 10 Steakhouse and Venue Feb. 27, the venue's maiden voyage into entertaining and hosting. Go Red for Women, a fundraiser banquet for women's heart health awareness and recognition for those who contribute to the cause, brought in 50 tables of attendees. A heart attack survivor and Platte County's first Woman of Impact, Terri Hirschbrunner, spoke as a guest of honor. "My association with the American Heart Association actually began as a child," Hirschbrunner said. "My mother was always the block person for every charity and I would beg her if I could go door-to-door for her and I would feel like I accomplished something special. That journey became very real about five years ago when I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure." Hirschbrunner relayed her personal story of surviving said heart failure, adding that, during a visit to a gynecologist, she felt a hand on her shoulder urging her to ask about her mammogram, which started her on a road of asking questions about her health and eventually learning the chemotherapy drugs she had taken years ago were taken off the market for causing heart disease. That tap on her shoulder, Hirschbrunner said, gave her more years of life and time with her family. "Tonight, I want to be that tap on your shoulder," Hirschbrunner said. "I'm dedicating myself to raising awareness for better health and supporting research that can lead to breakthroughs. ... We have the opportunity to make a real difference." Jamie Scott, the event chair for this year's Go Red for Women in Columbus, kicked off the event by briefly explaining just why it happens every year. "It's no secret that women are underrepresented, undertreated, undercounted, and while many of us have been unseen or abandoned by the system, there's one force of support you can always count on, and that's each other," Scott said. Dr. Sabu George, cardiologist at the Columbus Cardiology Clinic, spoke briefly about heart health and the concerns patients bring to him every day. "They come to me and they say, 'I need a guarantee I'm not going to have a heart attack,' and there is no such guarantee," George said. "If you come across anyone who says they can give you that kind of guarantee, they're wrong. What you can do is address your risk factors." George relayed stories of patients who made changes to their lifestyles, monitored their health, stopped smoking and things in that vein, and their health improved slightly. A significant factor, he added, is stress. "A lot of patients we see have symptoms induced by stress," George said. "And you ask, well, you know, how are they stressed? Just look at your phone. Everybody is on their phone and looking at news and young people looking at social media, and it causes a lot of distress, and we see a lot of those patients in the clinic." Hirschbrunner and a team of volunteers raised funds for research prior to and at the event, but her campaign still has some time until it closes April 10. The next step, Hirschbrunner said, is the upcoming "Little Ladies' Night Out" on March 21 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Elks Country Club in Columbus. The night out will include dancing, snacks, activities and a visit from Miss Nebraska Raechel Warren. It's open to all girls from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade, who are expected to bring a "date" like their father or grandfather or any relative age 16 or older. Tickets are $30 per couple and $10 for each additional girl. Those interested can reach Hirschbrunner at 402-212-7180 For more information on Hirschbrunner's story and campaign, visit bit.ly/4hrcLiG A federal judge overseeing the Rikers Island jail complex in New York City is weighing two distinct proposals on how to fix the citys troubled and violent lockups. For nearly a decade, the judge, Laura Taylor Swain, has been monitoring the citys jails to keep them in compliance with a court order to overhaul Rikers. But conditions at the complex which now houses about 6,600 people have continued to deteriorate. Since 2022, at least 35 people have died either while being held at city jails or shortly after being released from custody, according to city data. In November, Judge Swain found the city in contempt for failing to stem violence and excessive force at Rikers. She said she was leaning toward stripping control of the citys jails from Mayor Eric Adams and handing it to an outside authority, known as a receiver. That remedy, the judge said, would make the management of the use of force and safety aspects of the Rikers Island jails ultimately answerable directly to the court. Last month, Mr. Bove, a former criminal defense lawyer for President Trump, ordered Manhattan prosecutors to abandon their case against Mr. Adams. The order caused upheaval within the Department of Justice, leading to the resignation of at least eight prosecutors, including the acting U.S. attorney in Manhattan, Danielle R. Sassoon. Before her resignation, Ms. Sassoon sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, accusing Mr. Adamss defense team of arranging a quid pro quo at a meeting with department officials. She said that the defense lawyers had effectively signaled that the mayor would cooperate with Mr. Trumps immigration enforcement agenda in exchange for the dismissal of the five charges against him. She also said that Mr. Bove had scolded a member of her team who took notes on the meeting, and had asked that the notes be collected once the meeting ended. Mr. Bove has denied that any quid pro quo was arranged, as has a lawyer for Mr. Adams, Alex Spiro. Mr. Adams has said, under oath, that every part of his agreement with department officials has been disclosed. In his own letter, Mr. Bove accepted Ms. Sassoons resignation, writing, Your oath to uphold the Constitution does not permit you to substitute your policy judgment for that of the president. Eventually, he signed his own name to a motion requesting that a judge dismiss the case. The judge, Dale E. Ho, has yet to make a decision. The first reactions from chief executives to the second Trump administration were as varied as the companies they run. Some liked the promises of federal spending cuts, deregulation and a revamped trade agenda. Others worried about the direct costs of tariffs on their industries and signs of falling consumer confidence. More than a month in, questions are mounting, and theyre getting sharp. American companies spent decades developing multinational operations relying on a web of economic trade agreements that fortified postwar America as the envy of the world. Much of that system is in doubt as the administration goes after allies more ferociously than enemies, including most recently the explosive Oval Office exchange between President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. And with Mr. Trump backing off his vows of deregulation, and pushing for direct political control of regulators, the self-interest of American business has been awakened. Given Mr. Trumps threats to punish companies that cross him, chief executives are unsure how to respond. Theyve mostly been quiet. Company chiefs are not politicians, and shaping global treaties is not their day job. But the cost of inaction may be catastrophic. Erratic policy and questionable diplomacy will lead to an unfriendly business environment, a lackluster economy and shattered global trust, enhancing the appeal of China as a more stable partner. Collective action whether quiet or vocal must be the answer. Alexis de Tocqueville, the French parliamentarian who studied American democracy in the early 1830s, saw such civic voices as sources of public confidence in our system, a kind of social capital as valuable as financial capital. Mr. Trump, who never ran a major company, desperately seems to want their approval. With Donald Trump back in the White House, each new week produces an onslaught of radical policy initiatives. In an essay posted on Substack, Stephen I. Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown, described a sequence running from Feb. 21 to Feb. 27 of what are, in effect, warnings designed to intimidate and even silence the nations legal community. There is Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths Friday night sacking of the senior military lawyers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force lawyers who, by law, are required to provide independent legal advice to the Pentagons civilian and military leaders. There is President Trumps revocation of security clearances for all of the lawyers at Covington & Burling who were in any way involved in pro bono representation of special counsel Jack Smith once he left government service (and Trumps ominous suggestion, captured in the video in which he signed the revocations, that youre going to do this with more firms, right?). There is the threat by interim D.C. U.S. attorney Ed Martin that Covington faces a criminal investigation for its representation of Smith. Vladeck explained the significance of these developments: What the Trump administration is doing is not just about specific lawyers representing unpopular clients, but is rather far more ominous: The administration is acting in ways that will necessarily chill a growing number of lawyers from participating in any litigation against the federal government, regardless of who the client is. That, in turn, will make it harder for many clients adverse to the Trump administration to find lawyers to represent them such that at least some cases either wont be brought at all or wont be brought by the lawyers best situated to bring them. In addition to revoking the security clearances, Trump wrote in a Feb. 25 memorandum, I also direct the attorney general and heads of agencies to take such actions as are necessary to terminate any engagement of Covington & Burling L.L.P. by any agency to the maximum extent permitted by law and consistent with the memorandum that shall be issued by the director of the Office of Management and Budget. The effects of the Trump administrations initiatives soon become apparent. On Feb. 26 the Bloomberg reporters Ben Penn and Tatyana Monnay described some of the reverberations of the Trump edict in Covington Revenge Deepens Worries of Defending Trump Targets. Some firm leaders, they wrote, citing corporate clients threatening to walk if they get crosswise with Trump, have rejected outright or put up roadblocks to partners seeking approval to represent D.O.J. lawyers, F.B.I. agents and other civil servants whove faced various forms of attack. A revival of Fiddler on the Roof, the much-loved 1964 musical, received the most nominations on Tuesday for this years Olivier Awards, Britains equivalent of the Tonys. The show got 13 nods seven more than any other musical or play including best musical revival, where it is up against a production of Hello, Dolly! starring Imelda Staunton, which ran at the London Palladium, as well as ongoing revivals of Oliver! at the Gielgud Theater and Starlight Express at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theater. Directed by Jordan Fein, Fiddler on the Roof is a stripped-back version of the tale of a Jewish milkman in Czarist Russia who is marrying off his daughters against a backdrop of antisemitic pogroms. It received rave reviews when it opened last August at the Regents Park Open Air Theater. (It transfers to the Barbican Center on May 24). Marianka Swain, writing in The Daily Telegraph, called the production a masterclass in balancing innovation with tradition. Fein resisted the temptation to draw out the musicals parallels to contemporary events like Russias invasion of Ukraine or surging antisemitism, Swain wrote. No need when they come through so powerfully anyway, the reviewer added. China signaled on Tuesday that it is willing to go further than before in its trade tit-for-tat with President Trump by hitting a top American biotechnology company. Chinas Ministry of Commerce said it would ban Illumina, a San Diego company, from importing its gene-mapping products in China. Illumina is the worlds leading producer of gene-sequencing machines and counts on China for 7 percent of its sales. Beijing also said it took action against dozens of other companies from the United States as part of a volley of action against Washington in retaliation for another of tariffs. Chinese officials singled out 15 companies, including the drone maker Skydio, for punitive trade measures to safeguard national security and interests. It also said it added another 10 American companies to what it calls an unreliable entities list preventing them from doing any business in China. President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico kept her silence overnight. But on Tuesday morning, she kicked off her daily news conference with a sharply-worded statement in which she said her government rejected President Donald Trumps characterization of Mexico, and she roundly criticized the 25 percent tariffs that he imposed on it hours earlier. Ms. Sheinbaum said Mexican officials had a call with Mr. Trump scheduled for Thursday, and that if the tariffs remained in effect, Mexico would announce countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs, on Sunday. We dont want to enter into a trade war, she said. That only affects the people. After ticking off a list of Mexicos recent successes in cracking down on drug trafficking and more as Mr. Trump asked Mexicos government to do to avert tariffs Ms. Sheinbaum rejected what she called the fentanyl argument invoked by Mr. Trump to justify the imposition of the tariffs. For humanitarian reasons," her statement said, we cooperate to prevent the illegal trafficking of drugs into the United States. However, as we have stated on many occasions, the government of that country must also take responsibility for the opioid crisis that has caused so many deaths in the United States. Senator Elissa Slotkin, a first-term Democrat from Michigan, will deliver her partys response to President Trumps address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, stepping in at a moment when Democrats are struggling to find an effective messenger and message for pushing back on a president unbound. In Ms. Slotkin, 48, Democrats have chosen a relatively young woman who is fresh off a victory in a competitive race in a critical presidential state. She is a center-leaning Democrat with a strong national security background (she worked as a C.I.A. analyst and in national security posts in the White Houses of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama). And her entire political career has been defined by Mr. Trump. Ms. Slotkin first won her House seat in 2018 as part of a tight-knit group of Democratic women with backgrounds in the military or intelligence who were recruited to run as a counterweight to the president. Ms. Slotkin has said she wants to use her brief moment to lay out whats actually happening in our country in terms of economic and national security. Its a big and fraught moment for Ms. Slotkin, who will have about 10 minutes on the national stage to fill a void for a party whose voters are desperate for someone to outline a cohesive strategy to rebuild, resist Mr. Trump and persuade voters that the party is worth supporting. She will be responding to a speech that is likely to last well over an hour, delivered to a raucous chamber that will be more than half full of Republicans eager to show off their support for their party leader. Democrat activists who dont live in the district, very often, will show up for these town hall events and theyll go in an hour early and theyll fill all the seats, Mr. Johnson said. Now Im not saying everyone in these town halls that youve seen on television were not from the local area, but look, there are people who do this as a profession. Theyre professional protesters. So why would we give them a forum to do that right now? At recent town hall events, some of the most strident complaints have come from participants who identified themselves as Democrats. But a number of questions pressing lawmakers have also come from Republicans. During a telephone town hall with Representative Stephanie Bice, Republican of Oklahoma, a man who identified himself as a Republican and retired U.S. Army officer voiced frustration over potential cuts to veterans benefits. How can you tell me that DOGE with some college whiz kids from a computer terminal in Washington, D.C., without even getting into the field, after about a week or maybe two, have determined that its OK to cut veterans benefits? the man asked, referring to the Elon Musk-led effort known as the Department of Government Efficiency. Similar scenes played out in 2017, when protesters swarmed Republican town halls across the country and urged their lawmakers not to vote to replace the Affordable Care Act. Since then, a number of members of Congress have scaled back their participation in public town halls events, leery both of security concerns, and the optics of being subjected to testy confrontations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is rushing to reshape the military, in part by shifting money and making cuts. He has banned efforts in the Defense Department to promote diversity, and strongly backed President Trumps decision to fire Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the second Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has welcomed Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency to review Pentagon programs for what he calls fraud, waste and abuse. Mr. Hegseth has also ordered senior military and Defense Department officials to draw up proposals to reallocate $50 billion in this years budget, or about 8 percent. The Pentagon would go through this process annually for the next five years. Vice President JD Vance has sparked a storm of criticism in Britain after declaring that an American economic deal in Ukraine was a better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Britain, which along with France has pledged troops to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, fought with the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan, while French troops fought in Afghanistan. No other countries have said they would send troops to Ukraine. Mr. Vance later insisted that his comments, in an interview on Monday night with the Fox News host Sean Hannity, did not refer to Britain or France, though he did not name any alternative countries. A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from firing Cathy Harris, the chair of an independent board that protects government workers from political discrimination and unfair labor practices, including wrongful termination. The order was the second time a judge had sided with a government watchdog who sued to prevent their own removal. Lawsuits challenging President Trumps ability to reshape entire agencies and traditionally independent panels have advanced all the way to the Supreme Court, providing an early test of courts willingness to check the presidents ambitions. Judge Rudolph Contreras, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said that Ms. Harris should retain her position, citing a raft of Supreme Court cases as precedent. The boards mission and purpose require independence, he wrote, adding that such independence would evaporate if the president could terminate its members without cause, even if a court could later order them reinstated. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a staunchly anti-communist Florida Republican who helped enshrine into law the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba and who defended immigrants rights during his nearly two decades in Congress, died on Monday at his home in Key Biscayne, Fla. He was 70. His death was announced in a statement by his two younger brothers, Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, a Florida Republican, and the television anchor Jose Diaz-Balart of MSNBC and NBC News. The cause was cancer, according to Representative Diaz-Balarts office. The scion of a political family in Cuba, Lincoln Diaz-Balart forged his own political career on the other side of the Florida Straits, becoming a fiery orator and a persuasive behind-the-scenes legislator in the House of Representatives at a time when Cuban Americans exerted their peak influence on U.S. policies and elections. In the heavily Cuban American, Miami-area district he represented for 18 years, Mr. Diaz-Balarts name became synonymous with the cause of a free Cuba so much so that he would sometimes be asked if he hoped to someday seek office in Havana. The plans had been set for months: Dr. Roquell E. Wyche would finally take her son, Jaxon, to New Orleans, joining nearly 40 members of her husbands family for their annual celebration of Mardi Gras. Then, early on New Years Day, a terrorist rammed his pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the citys French Quarter, killing 14 people. Weeks later, a helicopter collided with a plane that was about to land in Washington, near her home, killing everyone on board. All of it gave Dr. Wyche pause. But she and Jaxon, 11, came anyway. Its been the best time of our lives, she said on Sunday, watching as her son raced to catch a string of beads and her relatives joked with each other along a parade route. Just to be able to leave and be free for a second. Trump keeps insisting on this point, and Sheinbaum has done absolutely nothing on those links, said Eduardo Guerrero, a security analyst based in Mexico City. Still, there was little more to go on than theories at this stage. And regardless of what Mr. Trumps actual motivations might be, his decisions have resulted in a state of confusion and frustration on both sides of the border. Two Mexican officials said that they had reached a limit on what they were able to offer in an effort to avoid the tariffs, and that it was unclear what more Mexico could have done on security. They cautioned, though, that they still had very little understanding of what else Mr. Trump might want. Mr. Trumps moves have also bewildered some American officials who have worked for years on issues related to drug cartels. They expressed concern that without a clear path forward, the tariffs could jeopardize any future security cooperation with Mexico, according to two people familiar with the matter. Even some within the Trump administration recognized that the imposition of the tariffs may have finally exhausted the Mexican governments willingness to work with the United States and that the country may have little additional capacity to deliver further wins. The Supreme Court sided with San Francisco on Tuesday in a challenge to water quality regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency in a ruling that could have sweeping implications for the agencys ability to limit offshore pollution. The 5-to-4 decision dealt another blow to the agency, which has recently sustained several losses before the court over its efforts to protect the environment. The case was notable because it created unusual alliances. Liberal San Francisco found itself on the same side as mining and petroleum trade groups like the National Mining Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, and American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers in opposing the E.P.A. The dispute fundamentally focused on human waste and how San Francisco disposes of it. The question before the court was whether the Clean Water Act of 1972 allowed the E.P.A. to impose prohibitions on wastewater released into the Pacific Ocean and to penalize the city for violating them. Seven Tesla charging stations were intentionally set on fire on Monday at a shopping center outside Boston, the police said, the latest in a series of attacks against the electric vehicle company since its chief executive, Elon Musk, built a deep partnership with President Trump. The charging stations were set on fire around 1:10 a.m. at a shopping center in Littleton, Mass., about 30 miles outside of Boston, according to a news release from the Littleton Police Department. The police said they told the Littleton Electric Light & Water Department to shut down the power to the charging stations as heavy, dark smoke engulfed several of them. Before the electric company could respond, another charging station caught fire. There were 12 charging stations at the site, according to a Tesla map. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Now Mr. Trump has imposed tariffs 25 percent on most imports from Canada and Mexico and two rounds of 10 percent levies on imports from China which he has said are punishment for their failure to stem the flow of drugs into the United States. The moves have quickly sparked a trade war: China and Canada retaliated immediately, imposing their own tariffs on U.S. goods on Tuesday. Mexico said it would announce its countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs, on Sunday. The list of countries targeted by Mr. Trump has continued to grow. He has mocked Canada as the 51st state and called its prime minister, Justin Trudeau, a governor. (As a result, Mr. Trudeaus low approval risings got a noticeable rise after Mr. Trump targeted the country.) He has threatened to seize the Panama Canal and annex Greenland from Denmark. He has frozen military aid for Ukraine as the country attempts to fight off a Russian invasion. He has cut off foreign aid that benefits countries throughout Africa, South America and Asia. Now he has imposed tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico. Some of his many threats may just be that threats or negotiating tactics but Mr. Trump has shown a willingness to follow through particularly when it comes to tariffs and withholding foreign aid. Many voters singled out the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, Mr. Musks cost-cutting effort, as a major driver of their open-mindedness toward the Trump administration at least, to a point. Maureen Wielgus, 69, said that she had voted for Mr. Trump in each of the last two elections and that she was pleased with his performance so far, though she added that he needed to soften his approach a bit sometimes. Ms. Wielgus had similarly qualified praise for Mr. Musks initiative, which has fired thousands of workers and boasted of tremendous government savings, often only to backtrack and delete its mistakes. Theyre going in like a bulldozer, a little firm, she said. But theyre finding the corruption and the fraud. Around the state, Arizonans seemed to be split on Mr. Trump. Recent polling there has found that roughly half of the states residents at least somewhat approve of his handling of the job. Rich Thau, the president of the nonpartisan research firm Engagious, said that, in a recent focus group of a dozen Arizona residents who voted for Joseph R. Biden Jr. in 2020 before switching their support to Mr. Trump last year, all of the people gave Mr. Trump high marks for his performance. Here are four questions to consider before Mr. Trump takes the rostrum at 9 p.m. What will Trump say about Putin and Zelensky? Mr. Trump on Monday temporarily suspended the delivery of all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, days after an explosive Oval Office meeting with the countrys president, Volodymyr Zelensky. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump will have the opportunity to explain the decision and address what the United States support for the war-torn country will look in the future. The president is no fan of Mr. Zelensky and has made clear he wants a drastically different approach from the Biden administration, which sent billions of dollars in aid and weapons to counter Russias full-scale invasion three years ago. Mr. Trump has been pressing Ukraine to agree to a cease-fire with Russia on terms the United States negotiates. Mr. Zelensky has balked because those discussions have not included the Ukrainians or American security guarantees to prevent future Russian incursions. The outburst in the Oval Office started in part because Mr. Zelensky reminded Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance that Russia has broken cease-fires with Ukraine before. I just think he should be more appreciative, Mr. Trump said of Mr. Zelensky on Monday. Mr. Trump has said he wants to position himself as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, and in doing so he has softened the United States posture toward Russia and its president, Vladimir V. Putin. But after Mr. Zelensky left Washington without signing a deal for the United States to have access to Ukraines revenue for rare earth minerals, the next steps to ending the war remained unclear. What does Trump say about Elon Musk and his team? Mr. Musk, who is expected to be in attendance on Tuesday, has had a singular influence in the Trump administration. He has overseen the Department of Government Efficiencys efforts to reduce government spending, a process that has sown confusion as it cuts jobs and funding across the federal bureaucracy and that has led to a number of lawsuits. In the weeks since President Trump signed an executive order dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, Andrea Minaj Casablancas phone has been inundated with desperate pleas for help. A counselor who works with nonprofits catering to members of Ugandas embattled L.G.B.T.Q. population, she has fielded urgent requests from people seeking H.I.V. medications, therapy sessions and shelter in the wake of Mr. Trumps executive order. Ms. Casablanca responded to these calls while grappling with her own crisis: being fired from a job that was funded by U.S.A.I.D. Our whole world has been turned upside down, Ms. Casablanca, a 25-year-old transgender woman, said on a recent afternoon in Kampala, the capital. Everyone is in fear of the future. L.G.B.T.Q. people in Uganda have in recent years endured an intensifying crackdown in this conservative East African nation. President Yoweri Museveni signed a law in 2023 that calls for life imprisonment for anyone who engages in same-sex relations in Uganda and up to a decade in prison for anyone who tries to. Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, stood underneath a giant Mexican flag and before troops at a military installation in Mexico City. It was Flag Day last month and she used her speech as an opportunity to, figuratively and literally, rally around it. Mexico must be respected, she said, adding later: Its people are brave. We know that when our people unite around their history, their country and their flag, there is no force in the world that can break their spirit. Times had changed, she said: Mexico would not bow down to foreign governments. Given the circumstances President Trumps steep tariffs against Mexico went into effect in the first minutes of Tuesday Ms. Sheinbaums optics were fitting. As Mr. Trump once again targeted Mexico, using the hammer of tariffs as a negotiating tool, a sense of Mexican nationalism has been strengthened. The Mexican government and businesses have rekindled a Made in Mexico campaign. Some Mexicans have called for boycotts of U.S. companies and products, while others have put together lists of Mexican stores and brands to support instead of American ones. Sweeping tariffs imposed by President Trump threatened economic upheaval for consumers and businesses in the United States on Tuesday as the countrys biggest trading partners struck back, raising fears of a burgeoning trade war. Canada and China swiftly condemned the U.S. tariffs and announced retaliatory tariffs against American exports. President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico said that if the U.S. tariffs were still in place on Sunday, she, too, would announce countermeasures. This is a time to hit back hard and to demonstrate that a fight with Canada will have no winners, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada said in a stern and, at times, biting address on Tuesday. The U.S. tariffs were a stark turnabout from the free-trade evangelism that has marked much of postwar American foreign policy. The measures amounted to 25 percent tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10 percent tariff on all imports from China. They came on top of a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods put into effect one month ago and a variety of older levies, including those that remain from the China trade war during Mr. Trumps first term. Arab countries countered President Trumps proposal to expel Palestinians from Gaza and transform it into a beachfront destination with their own vision on Tuesday, endorsing a plan to keep the population there, rebuild the territory and turn it into part of a future Palestinian state, without Hamas in government. The contours of the counterproposal emerged from an emergency summit in Cairo, where Arab countries approved an Egyptian plan to spend $53 billion to rebuild Gaza but not, as Mr. Trump has suggested, moving Palestinians out of the enclave. Leaders across the Middle East have come under significant pressure to come up with a workable blueprint for reconstructing, securing and governing Gaza at a time when the Israel-Hamas cease-fire is teetering and Israel, buoyed by Mr. Trumps backing, increasingly appears to hold the upper hand in negotiations. The Arab plan sets a path for a new security and political context in Gaza, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Arab League secretary general, said at a news conference. He emphasized the importance of finalizing the Gaza cease-fire agreement. Israel has conducted new airstrikes on Syrias coast and ground raids in the countrys south, part of a recent wave of attacks that Israel says are necessary for its security and that have raised tensions with Syrias new government. The strikes appeared to be the latest attempt to keep weapons from the deposed Assad regime out of the hands of groups that may be hostile to Israel. The Israeli military said on Monday evening that it had targeted a weapons storage facility in Qardaha, former President Bashar al-Assads hometown. The town is a few miles from a major Russian air base, by the coastal city of Latakia. There were no immediate reports of casualties, according to Syrias state news agency, SANA. Hours later, the Israeli military conducted ground raids into two towns in southern Syria, cutting off roads and searching military barracks before blowing up warehouses and withdrawing, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitoring group based in Britain. The Israeli military said on Tuesday that its forces had killed a Hamas military commander in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank as it expanded on a series of raids that have displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians. Israeli soldiers killed Aysar al-Saadi, the head of a local group of Hamas militants, in a shootout, the Israeli military said in a statement. The raid took place as Israeli forces expanded the counterterrorism operation" in the northern West Bank to additional areas in Jenin, the military said. Hamas mourned Mr. al-Saadis death, calling him a commander in its armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. It was unclear how far his killing would go to subdue the militants: The Israeli military said late last year that its forces had killed one of his predecessors, Waseem Hazem, only to see the groups persist. In late January, Israel launched a major operation targeting Palestinian militants, storming neighborhoods in cities like Jenin and Tulkarm. About 40,000 Palestinians have fled their homes, according to the United Nations, often to nearby towns and villages where they have been sheltering for weeks, in the largest wave of displacement in the territory in decades. The Problem With Car Tariffs: Whats an Import? Chevrolet Blazer Toyota RAV4 Nissan Rogue Imported from Mexico Imported from Canada Assembled in the United States Origin country of parts Origin country of parts Origin country of parts U.S./Canada Other Japan Japan Other U.S./Canada Mexico Other U.S./Canada 70% 15 15 45% 30 25 35% 34 31 Chevrolet Blazer Nissan Rogue Imported from Mexico Assembled in the United States Origin country of parts Origin country of parts Mexico Other U.S./Canada Japan Other U.S./Canada 35% 34 31 45% 30 25 Toyota RAV4 Imported from Canada Origin country of parts U.S./Canada Other Japan 70% 15 15 Imported from Mexico Chevrolet Blazer Mexico Other U.S./Can. 35% 34 31 Origin country of parts Toyota RAV4 Imported from Canada U.S./Canada Other 70% 30 Assembled in the United States Nissan Rogue Japan Other U.S./Can. 45% 30 25 Source: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The New York Times The flurry of new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration could be felt particularly acutely by American automakers and car buyers. President Trump on Wednesday announced new tariffs on cars that are not built in the United States, adding to other levies he imposed on goods coming from Mexico, Canada and elsewhere. But because of how complex supply chains have become in the auto industry, it is increasingly hard to say which vehicles are American-made and which are imported. Over the past three decades, since the North American free trade zone was created in 1994, automakers have built supply chains that cross borders. Manufacturers achieve economies of scale by building engine and transmission plants that are large enough to supply a number of vehicle factories in North America. Similar thinking works for other parts, too seats, instrument panels, electronics, axles. That harnesses the strength of each country, to the betterment of the companies and to the consumer, said Sam Fiorani, a vice president at AutoForecast Solutions, a research firm. Vehicles would be less affordable if all the parts had to be made in one country. Trade value of U.S. car imports by country since 1989 $200 bil. NAFTA took effect Canada 150 Japan Mexico Germany South Korea Other Britain 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 $200 bil. Canada NAFTA took effect 150 Japan Mexico Germany South Korea Other Britain 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 $200 bil. NAFTA took effect Canada 150 bil. Japan Mexico Germany South Korea Other Britain 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Source: United States International Trade Commission Note: The dollar value is adjusted for inflation based on January 2023 levels. By The New York Times Ultimately a vehicle is considered an import when it is shipped to the United States after undergoing final assembly in another country. But many vehicles including those assembled in America are composites of parts that come from all over the world. The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, a popular sport utility vehicle made by General Motors, is assembled in a plant in Mexico using engines and transmissions that are produced in the United States. Nissan makes its Altima sedan in Tennessee and Mississippi; the turbocharged version of the car has a two-liter engine that comes from Japan, and a transmission made in a factory in Canada. Then theres the Toyota RAV4. Most RAV4s sold in the United States are made in Canada. The Canadian-made models use engines and transmissions that are built in the United States and shipped north before the completed vehicles are transported into the United States for sale. The Trump administration has not yet elaborated on how tariffs would be applied to components like engines that were shipped across the border and then returned to the United States as part of completed vehicles. While the RAV4 is technically imported from Canada, about 70 percent of the vehicles components as measured by their value are made in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which tracks the place or origin of parts that go into vehicles sold here. The Nissan Rogue S.U.V. goes the other way. It qualifies as a domestically produced vehicle because it is assembled at Nissans plant in Smyrna, Tenn. But only 25 percent of its content originates in the United States. The 2024 versions engine comes from Japan and its transmission from Mexico, according to data from the traffic safety agency. Where America imported cars from in 2023 Mexico 1.98 mil. cars Japan 1.47 mil. South Korea 1.27 mil. Canada 1.24 mil. Germany 394,930 China 387,560 Other 287,700 Slovakia 99,460 Italy 85,950 Sweden 85,530 Britain 77,090 Mexico 1.98 mil. cars Japan 1.47 mil. South Korea 1.27 mil. Canada 1.24 mil. Germany 394,930 China 387,560 Other 287,700 Slovakia 99,460 Italy 85,950 Sweden 85,530 Britain 77,090 Source: The Observatory of Economic Complexity By The New York Times The threat of tariffs has had automakers fretting. Tariffs, notably ones involving goods coming from Canada and Mexico, would blow a hole in the U.S. industry that weve never seen, Ford Motors chief executive, Jim Farley, said at an investor conference in February. The chairman of Stellantis, John Elkann, said recently that his company supported Mr. Trumps desire to promote American manufacturing, but added that the company whose brands include Chrysler and Jeep felt that trade with Mexico and Canada should remain tariff free. Number of cars produced in America Recession 12 mil. 8 4 0 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 12 mil. Recession 8 4 0 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Source: International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Note: Data includes cars produced by any brand. By The New York Times Over the past 20 years, the number of imported vehicles sold in the United States has remained relatively constant, with dips caused by the financial crisis of 2008-9 and the coronavirus pandemic. The largest source is Mexico, followed closely by Japan, South Korea and Canada. During that time, the number of cars produced in the United States has fluctuated. Domestic production exceeded 12 million vehicles in 1999, but this figure plummeted during the recession. Since then, the industry showed a strong rebound as fuel prices stabilized and consumer confidence returned, though the production volumes never fully regained the numbers seen in the early 2000s. For many consumers, where their car comes from isnt much of a concern. Frank Krieber, a retired tech executive from Charlotte, N.C., bought a Chevrolet Tahoe a few months ago. He assumed it was an American vehicle and indeed, it is assembled in Arlington, Texas. But slightly more than a third of its parts are made in the United States, and about the same amount come from Mexico, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. I dont mind the Mexican content, Mr. Krieber said. If it was made in Mexico instead of Texas, I still would have bought it. How Americans Feel About Tariffs Trump loves tariffs. Do Americans? It depends how pollsters ask the question. 25% of respondents in favor of tariffs 35 45 55 In these two polls, just 29% expressed support for tariffs ... ... while in another poll, 56% did 30% of respondents in favor of tariffs 40 50 In these two polls, just 29% expressed support for tariffs ... ... while in another poll, 56% did Americans express very different views on tariffs depending upon how the question is asked, a challenge for pollsters trying to measure public support for a complex and poorly understood issue. Share of Americans in favor of tariffs 25% 50% Support for tariffs can be as high as 56% ... Average: 41% ... or as low as 29% 25% 50% Support for tariffs can be as high as 56% ... Average: 41% ... or as low as 29% Share of Americans in favor of tariffs 25% 50% Generic question about tariffs: 48% Question that mentions taxes: 43% 25% 50% Generic question about tariffs Question that mentions taxes Share of Americans in favor of tariffs 25% 50% Poll mentions China Mentions other places Canada, Mexico, Europe 25% 50% Poll mentions China Mentions other places Canada, Mexico, Europe Share of Americans in favor of tariffs 25% 50% ... to bring back American jobs: 49% ... even if prices increase: 30% 25% 50% ... to bring back American jobs: 49% ... even if prices increase: 30% A series of bar charts showing the share of Americans who expressed support for tariffs in polls conducted this year. The percentage ranges from 29 percent to 56 percent. Each bar in this chart represents a poll finding about how many Americans support tariffs, from a sampling of this years surveys. When a survey question defines tariffs as taxes on imports, for example, fewer people say they support them. When a survey question calls out specific countries, more are in favor of tariffs on China than on other countries. Citing the potential upsides or downsides of tariffs in the question can also dramatically alter support. How you define a complicated subject can sway the results. Tariffs are a wonky subject, the details of which are unfamiliar to many, maybe even most, Americans. As evidence: In the days after Mr. Trump took office, there were more Google searches for tariffs than searches for Taylor Swift. Some pollsters try to increase comprehension by describing tariffs in the question wording, typically by defining tariffs as a tax on imports. That may not seem controversial tariffs are a tax on imports, after all but putting the word tax in the question may lead fewer people to say they support them. That means the results of the poll may not accurately reflect Americans opinions, since some respondents may be making up their minds in real time during the poll. That can be counter to the goal of a poll, which is to measure an existing attitude, not shape a new one. When polls mention potential upsides or parrot Mr. Trumps talking points about tariffs, more Americans say they are in favor of them. A survey by co/efficient, a right-leaning firm, found that nearly half of Americans approved when asked about President Trumps plan to impose tariffs to bring back American jobs and ensure fair international trade. The inverse is true when respondents are prompted with the downsides. A YouGov survey from late January asked respondents who had said that tariffs should be increased whether they would support increasing them even if that leads to higher prices for American consumers. Nearly half of those who previously had said they supported increasing tariffs said that they either wouldnt support increasing tariffs or were not sure. Even those who favor tariffs feel they could be harmful. When asked if they think tariffs will help or hurt the economy, Americans are more likely to say they expect tariffs to hurt the economy. This finding is consistent across multiple surveys. This is true even of Americans who support tariffs. In a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, 37 percent of those who support tariffs said they thought tariffs would be good for them personally. Nearly a third said tariffs would not help them personally, even though they supported the measures; another 33 percent were not sure. Including an unsure option dramatically alters support. Sometimes public opinion on an issue can be relatively stable. On the issue of abortion, for example, attitudes are generally unchanged by small differences in question wording. About 60 percent of Americans support abortion being at least mostly legal, for example, and the results dont differ much between different ways of asking. But on more complex issues, like tariffs, public opinion is not as settled. As a result, small differences in how the question is asked can lead to large differences in the results. In addition, when polls allow people to say they are unsure, fewer respondents will express a position on tariffs. This is true any time pollsters offer respondents an explicit option to say they are unsure, but it is particularly pronounced on sensitive or complex questions. Most polls reviewed by The Times offered only two answers variations on favor or oppose or the option to skip the question entirely (which only a small percentage did). Do you favor or oppose tariffs? Each bar represents a survey finding Favor Oppose 50% Did not respond Favor Oppose 50% Did not respond A few surveys, however, explicitly gave respondents the option to answer with unsure or neither favor nor oppose. On average, over a quarter of respondents chose that option yet another factor that lowers support. Including unsure or neither as an option lowers both support and opposition. Favor Oppose 50% Including unsure or neither as an option lowers both support and opposition. Favor Oppose 50% There are also a number of elements beyond the question wording that make measuring support for tariffs difficult. As Mr. Trump continues to change his plans for tariffs, it is hard for the public to keep up. So depending on when the questions were asked, the public may have a fundamentally different understanding of what is happening. How the survey was conducted can also come into play. Some surveys are of all Americans, while some are just of registered voters, two groups that have slightly different political leanings. And surveys taken over the phone with an interviewer compared with surveys taken on the web may also yield slightly different results. Public opinion may become clearer over time, as policy becomes more settled and people begin to see real-world impact. But for the time being, tariffs are an issue on which true public opinion is difficult to truly know. The Big Government Contracts DOGE Hasnt Touched By not targeting major sources of spending like defense, the group has had a minimal impact on the federal budget so far but a big effect on many small companies. Elon Musk and his team of budget cutters have claimed credit for billions of dollars in canceled government contracts. But their initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency, has so far barely touched the biggest sources of contract spending in the federal budget. 2024 spending on federal contracts: $754 bil. Heres where the government spends money on contracts, by agency. Heres where the government spends money on contracts, by agency. The DOGE cuts have primarily targeted agencies that spend less. The DOGE cuts have primarily targeted agencies that spend less. And those cuts represent a sliver of all federal contract spending. And those cuts represent a sliver of all federal contract spending. If you look at just the cuts, a majority have affected foreign aid. There are barely any to defense. If you look at just the cuts, a majority have affected foreign aid. There are barely any to defense. Source: USA Spending, DOGE Based on obligated spending in the 2024 fiscal year. This narrow focus has meant DOGEs impact on the federal budget has been narrow, too. In a New York Times analysis of public federal spending data, the total of the groups claimed cuts represents a tiny slice of more than $750 billion in contracts across the government in 2024. Those cuts fall disproportionately on smaller businesses owned by women and by people in minority groups. These smaller firms may lack the muscle to negotiate with the government or to compete for new work in the onerous federal contracting world. By contrast, the 10 largest government contractors together collect more than a quarter of all federal contract spending, or over $200 billion in the 2024 fiscal year, according to the Times analysis of nearly six million contracts. The cuts DOGE has published include few contracts with these firms, and none at all with Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing and Northrop Grumman four of the biggest defense contractors. Spending on the largest government contractors Among all contracts Those listed by DOGE Lockheed Martin 7% 0% RTX 4% 0% General Dynamics 3% <1% Boeing 3% 0% UnitedHealth 3% 0% Northrop Grumman 2% 0% Leidos 2% 7% Huntington Ingalls 1% 0% L3Harris 1% 0% Booz Allen Hamilton 1% 2% Total 28% 9% Source: USA Spending, DOGE Based on obligated spending in the 2024 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024). Highlights show the larger share. The groups cuts have had big effects for small companies and nonprofits that work with the government. They have gone to really the equivalent of the mom-and-pop shops, said Danielle Brian, the executive director of the Project on Government Oversight, a group that investigates corruption and waste in government. They are so on the margin of savings when it comes to the federal budget but have extraordinary impacts on the companies because they are small companies. These cuts, in turn, are also trickling down to the small businesses that subcontract with companies working with the government. I thought at first when things were happening that they would do something to protect small businesses, said Anne Hayes, whose small business, Inclusive Development Partners, got about 90 percent of its income subcontracting on projects for the U.S. Agency for International Development. It never happened. Her company worked to ensure that U.S.A.I.D. educational programs in impoverished parts of the world were accessible to children with disabilities. Now she has not paid her staff of 22, many of whom have disabilities themselves, since Jan. 24. Im grieving, Ms. Hayes said. I loved the business, I loved the people I worked with its unfathomable that its disappearing. Share of spending among Small businesses All contracts 23% Contracts on DOGE site 29% Minority-owned businesses All contracts 10% Contracts on DOGE site 19% Businesses owned by women All contracts 5% Contracts on DOGE site 11% Nonprofits All contracts 5% Contracts on DOGE site 11% Source: USA Spending, DOGE Based on obligated spending in the 2024 fiscal year for all federal contracts and those on DOGEs list. Mr. Musks team has undertaken other efforts to trim and transform federal spending, including by firing federal workers and canceling leases and grants. According to its own error-filled accounting, the group has claimed it has reduced government spending by $105 billion, a number that couldnt be verified with the information DOGE has publicly posted. Of that sum, the website says that contract savings total only around $8 billion. But contracting is one of the few areas where the office has shown its work and where detailed analyses are possible. The focus on smaller agencies largely reflects White House policy priorities, including a disdain for foreign aid, the Education Department and programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. A recent executive order signed by President Trump suggests that far larger sources of spending are unlikely to face similar scrutiny, for now. In the order, which promised a transformation in federal spending, the White House outlined steps for agencies to work with DOGE on future contract cancellations. Excluded from such cuts: all expenditures related to the military, immigration enforcement, law enforcement, public safety and the intelligence community. The three cabinet-level agencies that primarily oversee those roles, the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security, were responsible for two-thirds of all of the governments contract spending in the 2024 fiscal year. U.S.A.I.D., by contrast, was responsible for 1 percent. These agencies have the largest share of federal spending on contracts Among all contracts Those listed by DOGE Defense 60% <1% Veterans Affairs 9% 1% Energy 6% <1% Health and Human Services 5% 22% Homeland Security 3% <1% Source: USA Spending, DOGE and these agencies have the largest share of spending on contracts cut by DOGE Among all contracts Those listed by DOGE U.S.A.I.D. 1% 56% Health and Human Services 5% 22% Social Security <1% 7% Education <1% 4% Treasury 1% 1% Source: USA Spending, DOGE To assess DOGEs choices, The Times compared all federal contract spending in the 2024 fiscal year with spending that year on contracts that the group lists as canceled on its website. Many contracts cited by the group actually ended long ago, were misidentified or claimed unrealistic savings. For that reason, we used the actual money spent in 2024 to estimate the effects of the groups claimed cancellations. Two-thirds of all the spending in 2024 on these contracts was for providing professional support services in some form. By contrast, the largest sources of spending for the full federal government include prescription drugs, government-funded health insurance, and military planes and ships. Just 2 percent of the spending on contracts listed by DOGE went to businesses that produce goods, our analysis found. Across the government, that share was 28 percent. The Defense Department, in particular, has a handful of extremely large contracts with companies that build the biggest and most complex equipment used in wars, like jets and aircraft carriers. The estimated cost of a single B-21 bomber, part of a contract with Northrop Grumman, is more than $500 million. The government has ordered around 100 of them. Defense contractors may not be spared from the contract-cutting spree forever. The executive order discourages Mr. Musks operation from cutting their contracts immediately. But Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, has asked the military branches to identify areas for spending cuts, part of a plan to reallocate resources to favored projects, such as border enforcement. (The White House did not respond to questions about how it intends to approach larger sources of federal contract spending in the future, or about the composition of cuts DOGE has pursued so far.) I dont think the large defense contractors will be immune from cuts and contract terminations for long, said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, who noted that the sensitive nature of some defense contract details may require a different approach to cuts. The defense industry is bracing for budget cuts. Large consulting firms are also preparing for scrutiny. The General Services Administration has asked the 10 largest such companies to come in to defend their contracts, as The Wall Street Journal first reported. Those companies will be able to discuss and defend their spending before any cuts are made, a senior G.S.A. official confirmed. We welcome them working with us to decrease our excessive government spending while continuing to provide the essential services the government needs, Will Powell, the G.S.A.s acting press secretary, said in a statement. No such opportunity was offered to smaller vendors. In other ways, DOGE has pushed cuts that cause broad disruption with only small savings payoffs. The executive order last week also froze for 30 days credit cards used by federal offices to make micro purchases for things like lab supplies and plumbing services. Those expenditures average about $440 per transaction. About a third of this small-scale government spending goes to small businesses around the country a local hardware store, or a self-employed landscaper. Such targets, and the absence so far of bigger ones like defense contractors, add to the sense among critics that the group isnt molding a leaner, more efficient government so much as it is pursuing ideological foes and social media ovation. Elon Musk has actually undermined the cause of deficit reduction by convincing people that simply cutting waste, fraud and abuse; D.E.I. contracts; foreign aid; and federal bureaucrats is all it takes to balance the budget, said Jessica Riedl, a senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute who has worked for two decades on efforts to rein in the federal budget. This is making it even harder for those of us trying to convince the public that real sacrifice is necessary to fix the budget. A Russian man has allegedly been trying to force his neighbors into selling their share of a communal apartment by playing the national anthem and other patriotic songs from early morning until late at night. Several tenants and apartment owners in an apartment building in Volgograd, Russia, have been complaining of insufferable loud music playing on repeat in a communal apartment there, but so far, no one has been able to do anything about it. It all started on February 5, when Maxim (pseudonym), the owner of a room in a communal apartment in building No. 2A on Volgograds Engels Boulevard, installed a pair of powerful speakers and started playing the Russian national anthem, other patriotic songs like I Am Russian, and the sound of dogs barking. The entire building has been subjected to this musical torture every day since, and despite contacting the police, no one has been able to stop it. Photo: danielolialm/Pixabay 46-year-old Svetlana Kuchmina, whose family owns two-thirds of the communal apartment, told V1 News that Maxim bought one of the rooms a few years ago, but they all lived in peace until last year when the man came to tell them that he wanted the entire place for himself and demanded that they sell their share to him. Kuchmina, who had just suffered a stroke, refused, explaining that she had nowhere else to go. At the beginning of last month, he contacted the woman again, insisting that she sell him her share of the apartment, and when she refused, he promised to make life hell for her. He said he would turn my life into hell, move in Tajiks, and so on. On February 5, he brought a speaker into the room and our torment began, Svetlana said. The Russian anthem, the song I am Russian and the barking of dogs play throughout the entire apartment from morning until night. He controls the playlist remotely. We called the local police officer, wrote statements, but there is still no result. Our neighbors also have to listen to all this all day long. They also called the police and wrote statements. The whole building is suffering because of him. At first, Maxim had his sound system plugged into a power outlet, so Svetlana could just turn off the electricity to the apartment when they wanted to enjoy some peace and quiet, but their neighbor caught on fast and installed a solar-powered battery. He locked the door to his room with padlocks and warned the woman and her son that he would call the police if they trespassed on his property. So now the music just plays continuously from 7 in the morning until 10 at night. Contacted by Russian media, Maxim claimed that the loud music was a way to get back at Svetlana, who has dogs on her side of the apartment who bark and prevent him from accessing his room. They have dogs at home, which is why I have not been able to get into the apartment for four years, Maxim complained. It is hard to breathe there, it is a terrible mess. I cannot live there because of this. This is my protest. If they want, let them sue. They only listen to music for a couple of days, and I have not been able to get into the apartment for more than three years. Svetlana insists that the insufferable music is Maxims way of getting them to sell him their part of the communal apartment. He allegedly gave them the choice of buying his share for 1.5 million rubles ($16,700), but they cant afford to, so is hell-bent on driving them out of the shared property. Although the police were summoned several times, they did not break the padlocked door to Maxims room to stop the music, and they have yet to provide any solution to the bizarre conflict. Dave Fondiller Marsh McLennan brings on Dave Fondiller, former Boston Consulting Group director of North America PR & communications, as global internal communications leader. Fondiller comes to Marsh McLennan from DSF Communications, where he served as chief communications officer. Before that, he was director of communications and employer brand at Harvard Business Publishing and VP of Americas marketing and communications at Capgemini Engineering. At Marsh McLennan, Fondiller will serve as global head of internal comms for the Marsh unit and a member of its corporate internal communications center of excellence leadership team, with specific responsibility for international. Joey Delashoussaye FNK IR appoints Joey Delahoussaye as VP. Delahoussaye was previously a senior equity analyst at institutional buy-side firms Driehaus Capital Management and Mindshare Capital Management. He has also founded and managed a family office focused on healthcare and technology investing, and spent six years as an account manager at two investor relations agencies, providing strategic counsel, account management, and advisory support to a diverse group of microcap and smallcap companies. We're building an ensemble team of capital markets professionals to support FNK IR's growth. Joey brings a sharp buyside background and hands-on agency IR experience and will be a great addition to our growing team, said FNK IR managing partner Rob Fink. Berit Morse Ingredient, a Minneapolis-based food marketing agency, hires Berit Morse as VP of business development. Morse joins Ingredient from Pinnacle Performance Group, where she was a senior consultant, overseeing management strategies for Fortune 500 companies. Before that, she was with General Mills for over 18 years, holding a range of position including senior manager, brand building services, incentives & operations. At Ingredient, she will lead growth initiatives for such CPG clients as Betty Crocker and Pillsbury, and grocery retailers including Gelson's, Lunds & Byerlys. Berit's ability to connect people to brands and drive meaningful change makes her an invaluable addition to our new business development efforts," said Ingredient partner and president Brian Brown. Lindsay Sanchez Pricefx, which provides AI-powered pricing software, hires Lindsay Sanchez as CMO. Sanchez was most recently CMO at community management software company Khoros. She has also served as VP, Americas marketing at cloud software Citrix and CMO at Kore.ai. At Pricefx, Sanchez will work to elevate Pricefxs global marketing strategy, increasing brand awareness,and scaling marketing efforts with the companys growth objectives. Her depth of experience in go-to-market strategy, digital sales, and customer engagement will be instrumental in propelling Pricefxs growth and achieving our goals, said Pricefx CEO Ronak Sheth. Pricefx has also brought on Gary Sher as CFO. Not a Subscriber? Join O'Dwyer's & Get RFP Access Stop wasting time tracking down RFPs. O'Dwyer's connects you with organizations looking for PR firms & services. Get new business with O'Dwyer's! Join O'Dwyer's (L-R) Claire Doan, Jake Yanulis Claire Doan and Jake Yanulis have joined Burson Buchanan as managing directors in San Francisco and New York, respectively. She was managing director and head of litigation at H/Advisors Abernathy, handling high-stakes communications issues for clients in the education, healthcare and technology sectors. Earlier, Doan was executive director for strategic communications at the University of Californias Office of the President, advising on litigation, cybersecurity, COVID-19 policies, student protests, labor disputes and the Varsity Blues admissions scandal. Yanulis spent nearly ten years at H/Advisors Abernathy, rising to the managing director position. He worked on corporate transactions, shareholder activism defense and crisis communications matters. Matt Reid, who headed H/Advisors Abernathy's Los Angeles office before taking the US helm of Burson Buchanan last December, said he's seen firsthand the expertise and dedication that Doan and Yanulis bring to client assignments. They have advised clients though most consequential, bet the company opportunities and threats that businesses face, he added. Buffer acres around Camp Tuckahoe on South Mountain could become part of the Michaux State Forest district under an agreement in the works between a land trust and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. That was the word last week from Cameron Weiser, a land protection specialist with the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, the current holder of 906 acres purchased last November from the Boy Scouts of America New Birth of Freedom Council. The sale was completed, Weiser said Friday. Now plans are in the works to transfer the land from the conservancy to the Bureau of Forestry of DCNR. I am not sure how long it will take. We are still just trying to get it kicked off. Weve been working with the bureau to mark off the boundaries, he said. To make sure that is clear what we acquired and what we are transferring. Once they take control of it, they will be reassessing the trails and making sure it is safe to use. The plan is to keep the land undeveloped as passive recreation, Weiser said. The council sold the land as part of a series of steps to consolidate operations and replenish its financial reserves after making a $2.7 million contribution toward a victims trust fund in the wake of a bankruptcy settlement. The acres in question were not used for camping or scouting programs but served as natural wilderness areas and a buffer against encroaching development. On Sept. 8, 2022, Reuters reported that the Boy Scouts of America secured approval of a $2.46 billion reorganization plan from a bankruptcy judge. That plan allowed the organization to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and settle decades of claims by more than 80,000 men who say they were abused as children by troop leaders, according to the news service. In its coverage, Reuters reported that money for the $2.46 billion settlement comes from the Boy Scouts, local councils, insurers and organizations that have chartered Scouting units and activities, including churches. In late February, Ron Gardner, chief executive officer of the council, posted an update on the plan to consolidate operations into a single service center to reduce overhead and rebuild reserves after making the contribution to help resolve the bankruptcy. The Council has agreed to sell the Mechanicsburg Service Center to the Pennsylvania School Board Association Trust for $1.7 million, Gardner posted. PSBA is our neighbor on Bent Creek Boulevard, and acquiring our current headquarters will provide PSBA with additional space in a campus setting. The sale is expected to close by June 3. In May 2024, the council sold the York Service Center for $1.2 million before preserving the 906 acres through a $2.265 million sale to the conservancy, Gardner said. Meanwhile, work is underway to convert the dining hall at Camp Tuckahoe into the new headquarters and shop to serve about 5,500 scouts in Cumberland, Perry, Dauphin, Franklin, York and Adams counties. While the initial stages involved a lot of demolition, framing up walls, and roughing in wiring, drain lines and plumbing, were now at a point where things begin to take shape, Gardner said. The spray foam insulation has been applied on the office level of the building. With that nearly done, drywall installation is moving along quickly, and you can begin to see what the building will look like in finished form. The lower level of the building has been opened up to reveal a large open space, he said. This space will house the Tuckahoe Scout Shop, which Scouting America Outfitters (National) will operate. While it is exciting to see all this progress, much must be done before the building is ready for us to take occupancy in late spring. The old dining hall dates from 1948 when Camp Tuckahoe was established. The facility straddles Cumberland and York counties and includes campsites, cabins, a swimming pool and a modern dining hall large enough to seat about 500 people. We secured more than $1.5 million in state grants for the new service center renovations and paid off the $1.5 million loan we took out to contribute to resolving the bankruptcy, Gardner said. On Feb. 8, the Boy Scouts rebranded itself to Scouting America. In recent years, girls have become active in the organization. Work is underway to raise money to modify the shower and changing facility at the pool to handle boys and girls and men and women, Gardner said. We hope to do that within the next year. OpEd News One-Time Security Check This Is NOT An Error Message Your site IP address* (145.224.119.253) is listed on one or more Internet blacklists. We get visited by hundreds of these spambots daily. To prevent these from taking resources away from legitimate users, we show this page. Please use the CAPTCHA below which proves you are human, not a spam bot. It's a one-time action** for your IP. After that, you will be able to access OpEd News easily. Thank you for your patience. * Here's more info about IP addresses. ** If your IP address is fixed, you'll be able to use this website from now on. However, if your Internet Service Provider (such as Verizon or T-Mobile) assigns you a different IP address every time you use your device, AND these IP addresses are NOT on an Internet blaclist, then all is good. If, for some strange reason, your ISP assigns you an IP that is blacklisted, then you'll have to go through this process again. (Unless you keep yourself logged in. We only check for spambots on non-logged in visitors.) Shoving realpolitik down the throats of allies has been for a while the order of the day in the Trump White House. First buddy Steve Witkoff has been dispatched to deliver the message. Skipping Zelenskyy, Trump met directly with Vladimir Putin for a framework for Ukraine. One can see an abashed Zelenskyy watching morosely as Trump and Putin jointly appeared at a press conference. Since then, Trump has admonished Zelenskyy saying, "You should never have started it." The Nobel Prize-winning Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez once noted with his usual acuity, "It is easier to start a war than end it." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was a little bitter about Europe in a recent statement following his meeting with the Emir of Qatar when he charged Danish PM Mette Frederiksen who is reputed to have said that Ukraine was better off with war than with peace under present circumstances -- Russia holds the Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine. Lavrov accused Europeans of goading Ukraine into war. We will have to wait and see if Trump's initiative excluding Europeans yields better results. The Russians of course are unlikely to give up the eastern Russian-speaking areas under their control as they would probably consider it a betrayal of the people living there. Ukraine has a centuries-old history of being melded with Russia and was once considered Russia's granary. The Middle East situation particularly with respect to Gaza is the other major problem at present. Trump's sympathy with Israel is long lasting but he appears to differ from Israeli prime minister Netanyahu on the best course for Israel. If ever there was an intractable problem, this is it. There are approximately 9.5 million Israelis and 5.1 million Palestinians (West Bank & Gaza). Several billions are now required to rebuild Gaza. Netanyahu intended to force the evacuation of Gaza but where can the Palestinians go? Trump had Jordan's king over but he offered to accept 30 to 40 thousand -- a drop in the bucket. Since the Israelis cannot get rid of the Palestinians -- and the latter cannot get rid of the Israelis, logic dictates a simple solution: they have to live side-by-side and learn to co-exist. Israel is similar to other countries in the West. It runs a democracy begun by European Jews who fled persecution in Europe but later arrivals came from North Africa and other Middle East countries. Thus within itself it is divided along those lines and the non-Europeans are often discriminated against. In fact, the North Africans and other Middle East Jews are likely to have more cultural similarities (food and customs) with Arabs than with their European coreligionists. That they suffer discrimination as a result is well known. Whatever the end for this agglomeration, one thing is perfectly clear: the different groups must learn to live together. Lord Balfour may have thought he had found a home for British and other Jews in Palestine. He, too, failed to realize: It is easier to start something than to end it. . Arthur Firstenberg (Image by Arthur Firstenberg / public domain) Details DMCA For nearly 50 years, Arthur Firstenberg lived with awareness of technology's harms. May he rest in peace. Arthur Firstenberg, author, environmentalist and activist, died in his home after months of an undiagnosed illness, surrounded by family and friends. Arthur was born in Brooklyn, New York,i ? ? i ? ? to survivors of the Holocaust. His childhood summers in upstate New York, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, and on an island near Newfoundland fostered his love of nature. At Cornell University, he devoted half of his time to hiking, canoeing and rock climbing-- and half to physics, mathematics, ancient civilizations and foreign languages. After graduating in 1971, he lived with small farmers in Norway and among Guatemala's traditional Maya. From 1978 to 1982, Arthur attended medical school at the University of California, Irvine. He left before graduating after more than 40 dental x-rays led to his experiencing microwave sickness. He became a vegetarian and a Feldenkrais practitioner. In 1986, Arthur participated in the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament. While walking across the U.S., he witnessed modern society's destruction of the Earth and its creatures. In 1989, in search of a simple life, he traveled to northernmost Canada but found heart-wrenching destruction there, too. In 1996, to expedite the roll-out of cellular phone service, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act. Its Section 704 prohibits municipalities from denying permits to install cellular antennas based on their environmental effects. Arthur founded the Cellular Phone Task Force and began providing a clearinghouse for information about wireless technologies' injurious effects and a global support network for people disabled by electromagnetic fields. He began tracking the permit requests that corporations made to municipalities to install cellular antennas, smart meters and other radiation-emitting technologies-- and rallied others to try to stop such efforts. In 1997, based on the rights of states, nature and disabled people, the Cellular Phone Task Force joined other groups to challenge the Federal Communications Commission's radio-frequency radiation exposure limits. Their efforts were unsuccessful. In 2002, the U.S. Access Board recognized that under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), electromagnetic sensitivities may be considered disabilities. Arthur moved to Santa Fe, NM in 2005. Introducing himself to a packed audience at the Women's Club, he named some of the effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation-- nausea, nosebleeds, diarhea, headaches, insomnia, fatigue, irregular hair loss and nerve pain. Many people were moved to tears as they realized wireless technologies' effects on their families, pets and themselves. Each time a corporation proposed a new cell tower or the city proposed installing new WiFi, or a utility proposed transmitting "smart" meters, Arthur notified his mailing list and encouraged people to attend public hearings and speak out. The City Council chambers often overflowed. Arthur became known for his intolerance of wireless devices, his passionate public comments, his unwillingness to compromise on ecological or public health, and for suing a neighbor whose Wi-Fi disturbed him. The NY Times and other media repeatedly ridiculed Arthur for that lawsuit. The attention did not faze him. In 2021, through the Santa Fe Alliance for Public Health and Safety, he petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on 1)whether the Telecom Act's Section 704 violates the First Amendment right of access to courts and 2)whether "environmental effects" also encompasses "health effects." Many organizations joined this suit, but the Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Arthur tracked the dates of his experience of new or intensified symptoms-- and found that they correlated with the dates on which satellites, 5G and other technologies turned on. In The Invisible Rainbow, he correlated electrification's rise with the increase of previously unknown diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's. He considered radiation emitted by cordless phones, cellular antennas, mobile phones, laptops, fluorescent lights, satellites, smart utility meters, newer cars and other transmitting devices a violation of nature. 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 Anton Williams Holding Company of Kalamazoo MI is announcing a series of new medical technology programs to help operations at hospitals, urgent care, clinics and other medical facilities. These medical devices range in size and function from syringes to patient monitoring equipment. Additionally, some programs have already been introduced with the objective to use refined oil that is being set apart for the production of plastics to form medical After a successful debut, IoT Sparks is back for its second edition on October 7, 2025, in Valencia. The event will bring together industry leaders, innovators, and businesses looking to embrace IoT as a driver of digital transformation. This year's program expands with a new cross-vertical track on Digital Transformation & Innovation, alongside deep dives into key sectors such as Industry & Energy, Smart Cities, Logistics, and Sustainability. Valencia, Spain Journalists and other members of the public face long wait times to obtain public documents from Gov. Tina Kotek's office. Under Oregon law, governments are supposed to release public records within 15 business days in most cases. Bethany Barnes, staff Eviation's all-electric airplane called Alice, designed and built in Arlington, Washington, takes off on its first flight in Moses Lake on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times/TNS A Washington state startup that designed and test-flew a nine-passenger, zero-emissions electric airplane has collapsed amid a tense internal standoff among shareholders. In mid-January, Eviations deep-pocketed, Singapore-based financial backer sent a letter to shareholders that outlined a deep rift with the two Israeli co-founders and delivered a potent threat. A representative of Clermont Group, the investment company of billionaire Richard Chandler that owns 70% of Arlington-based Eviation, wrote that Clermont would withhold further funding for 2025 unless the co-founders ceded control. When the co-founders declined to step aside, Chandler abruptly pulled the plug. He stopped the monthly payments that kept Eviation running, prompting its collapse. The board and management, led by CEO Andre Stein, had no option but to lay off most of the staff and pause all operations indefinitely. The first and only flight at Moses Lake in Central Washington of Eviations 9-passenger electric airplane, which it called Alice, generated excitement in 2022. The companys implosion is a blow to the states ambition to be a center for innovative, emissions-free green aviation technology. Aviv Tzidon, the Eviation co-founder and first chairman, who owns just less than 10% of the company, said in an interview Chandlers ultimatum amounted to if you dont agree, nobody will have it. He is willing to risk losing all the value developed in Eviation since its inception in 2015, Tzidon said. I do not understand it. In an emailed statement, Clermont spokesperson Michael Kearns wrote that the investment group still believes electric airplanes that take off and land conventionally have a bright future and that Eviation management will continue to seek strategic, long-term partnerships to carry the programme forward. Despite being minority shareholders, the co-founders have broad veto power on Eviations strategy. The Clermont letter told shareholders this raised serious governance issues that, left unaddressed, make the company unmanageable and uninvestable. However, Eviations second co-founder and first CEO, Omer Bar-Yohay, calls this a manufactured crisis. In early February, he wrote to fellow shareholders that the alleged governance problems seem merely a convenient excuse to shut the company down. Regarding Clermont seeking partnerships to revive Eviation, Bar-Yohay declared himself open to discussing any avenue that would salvage the company or its assets but wrote that Im still waiting for a real plan to fix this self-inflicted mess. Tzidon and Bar-Yohay say they wont simply give up the veto rights granted them in 2019 when Chandler first invested, giving them the power to block the strategic changes demanded by Clermont. Eviation CEO Stein and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Hurford, both brought in as new leaders just over a year ago, did not respond to requests for an interview. However, text messages that Tzidon shared with The Seattle Times show that, with the opposing shareholders deadlocked, management is not sure how to continue. As time passes, with the engineers who were designing the electric airplane gone, the slim prospects for saving the project may dwindle to zero. A house divided Ironically, the shareholder letter, which was shared with The Seattle Times, began by noting Eviations progress in 2024. Clermont Assistant General Counsel Leroy Langeveld wrote that during the year the company had stabilized the rate of cash burn and completed the conceptual design review of a new version of the Alice aircraft. But the letter quickly moved on to Clermonts problem with the two co-founders, citing the maxim that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Tzidon and Bar-Yohay started Eviation 10 years ago in Israel and drew in Chandler as the major investor in early 2019. The companys U.S. design and production facility in Arlington remains a subsidiary of Eviation Aircraft Ltd. based in Israel, a detail that has become a key point of contention between the owners. Chandlers 70% ownership stake is in that Israeli parent company. In bringing Chandler in, the two Israeli co-founders insisted on retaining some control by holding veto power over major changes to Eviations mission or the proposed aircrafts development. They also have a say in nomination of board members and the board chair. According to Clermont, this has resulted in being unable to confirm supplier selection the board not supporting management decisions and delayed decision making. The lack of cohesion and cooperation among board members has become a significant impediment to our operations, Langeveld wrote. He then laid out Clermonts demands: Eviations parent company must relocate from Israel to the U.S. The chairman of the board must be appointed by a majority vote. The board must support management recommendations on suppliers. Amend the constitution to remove the founder veto. These demands were declared essential, with future funding at stake without a positive response by the time of the next board meeting, just a week later. An impasse with the founders Tzidon said hes unwilling to simply cede his rights and blames Clermont for the lack of progress since that 2022 first flight. We have a flying aircraft, and its not flying. We talk to investors, and nobody invests. We talk to partners, and we dont have any partner. And now we dont have this team that brought this aircraft to the air, he said. Value has been destroyed. Bar-Yohay told fellow shareholders in his letter that Clermont, as the majority shareholder, controlled every decision. He wrote that he never once exercised his veto right. It is Clermonts leadership that brought us here. Clermonts mention of opposition to supplier decisions is a reference to another company in the Clermont Group: Everett-based electric motor company MagniX. Clermont from the onset in 2019 wanted Alice powered by motors from MagniX, which started in Australia before Clermont moved its headquarters to the U.S., first to Redmond and then to Everett, led then by Roei Ganzarski, a former Boeing executive. Tzidon said the insistence on using the motors from the Clermont sister company were to the benefit of MagniX, not Eviation. The MagniX motors that powered the first flight of Alice were heavier than alternatives, Tzidon said, and required changes to the airframe design that he considered negative. If Eviation could have been sovereign to do what it wants, it will not buy motors from MagniX, he said. Tzidon expressed other differences with Clermonts running of Eviation. He opposed appointing a chairman he saw as a bean counter, but otherwise he said he did not exercise his veto. For the U.S. operation, he had preferred a site Eviation had already established in Prescott, Ariz., near the western campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. But he said he didnt block Clermont instead setting up in Arlington. However he sees potential legal barriers to Clermonts demand to move the parent company from Israel. He said much of Eviations original intellectual property was subsidized and supported by funds from the taxpayer in Israel and cannot be simply moved. Everything is owned by the Israeli entity, he said. You create a daughter company and you close the mother company, you cant do it. This is illegal. Can Eviation be revived? Eviations Alice uses regular airports and, to be certified, must meet existing aviation regulations. Though a new technology, it has a more direct path to market than say the many vertical takeoff and landing air taxis under development. In its emailed statement, Clermont said we believe Eviation has played an important role in advancing electric aviation and demonstrating the commercial market and that it is still seeking a way forward. The company has a design that can fly and at least loose order agreements with a variety of small commuter airlines including New England-based Cape Air and flyVbird of Germany that Eviation claims are worth $5 billion if they can be converted into aircraft deliveries. But certifying the airplanes design, bringing it into production, and entering passenger service, previously planned for 2027, will require more heavy investment. And the once-hot venture capital interest in green aviation has cooled. A person familiar with how Clermont views the situation, who asked not to be identified to speak freely, said the investment group still believes in green aviation. Clermont is still funding MagniX, which is developing motors, powertrains and batteries for electric aircraft. For Eviation, it acknowledges the project will take more time and is focused on seeking new investment, the person said. Bar-Yohay is pessimistic. He said that while Eviation has moved the needle on whats possible for electric aviation, it will be difficult to raise the level of additional capital needed to revive the company. Tzidon is more sanguine. In a letter to the other shareholders this week he wrote Our top priority is to ensure that Alice has the best possible trajectory, which involves identifying and engaging with potential partners. For now though, the shareholders remain deeply split, dimming the prospect of any resurrection. -- Dominic Gates, The Seattle Times 2025 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Police towed both cars after arresting the drivers for allegedly racing on North Marine Drive. Oregonian file photo Officers arrested two people after swooping down on an alleged street-racing event in North Portland on Friday, police said. Kaleb Moore, 20, of Sandy, and a 17-year-old girl were taken into custody after separately fleeing attempted traffic stops by police. Moore faces likely charges that include reckless driving, unlawful street takeover, attempt to elude by vehicle and possession of a loaded firearm in public, according to the Portland Police Bureau. The 17-year-old girl, whose name hasnt been released, could face street-takeover, reckless-driving and attempt-to-elude charges. Officers arrived near North Marine Drive and Leadbetter Street at around 8:15 p.m. Friday and saw two cars, a Mustang and a Pontiac, racing each other and skidding in circles, the Police Bureau said. Police tried to pull over the cars, but the drivers fled at a high rate of speed, according to a police statement. Officers found the Mustang, driven by the 17-year-old girl, in a parking in an industrial area, police said. Moore, driving the Pontiac, drove over spike strips put down by police, and he eventually crashed the car near North Williams Avenue and Cook Street. Moore and the girl were separately arrested, and their cars were towed. Their passengers were identified and released, police said. The long, flat Marine Drive, which runs alongside the Columbia River on the citys north side, is a popular road for street racing, and Portland police and county prosecutors are trying to change that. Last week, a Multnomah County jury convicted a St. Helens man of reckless driving and assault in a 2023 street-racing crash on Marine Drive that seriously injured another man. Said the cases prosecutor, Branden Meadows, after the conviction: If you get caught (street racing) on Marine Drive, this office takes it seriously, and well prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Illegal street racing has become increasingly popular in the Portland area, especially since the onset of the pandemic. In 2023, a new state law increased penalties for street racers, including giving law enforcement the ability to confiscate cars used in street racing. -- The Oregonian/OregonLive Ed Sablans Hafa Adai Hands and Life of Pie Pizza partner to create Special Hafa Adai Pie for Chamorro Heritage Month. Photo courtesy of Marie Sablan / Ed Sablans Hafa Adai Hands. Hafa Adai Hands A new pizza hitting Portland menus this March will celebrate Chamorro Heritage Month while raising funds for the Marianas Festival, an annual celebration of Chamorro and Carolinian culture. Chef Ed Sablan, known for bringing Chamorro cuisine to Portland through his former food cart PDX671, has partnered with Life of Pie Pizza to create the Hafa Adai Pie a pizza featuring a creamy coconut milk-based red sauce, Chamorro sausage, green onions and pickled papaya. A portion of proceeds from every Hafa Adai Pie sold at Life of Pies two Portland locations will support the Marianas Festival, which returns in August. The festival celebrates Chamorros and Carolinians, the Indigenous peoples of the Mariana Islands, a Pacific archipelago that includes Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Originally from Guam, Sablan has long worked to share his heritage through food, introducing Portland diners to flavors from his homeland. A portion of proceeds from every Hafa Adai Pie sold at Life of Pies two Portland locations will support the Marianas Festival, which returns in August. The Marianas Festival is a vital part of our community, showcasing the best of Chamorro and Carolinian arts, music, dance, and food, Sablan said in a news release. Every pizza makes a difference. The Marianas Festival, first held in 2024, brings together the Pacific Northwests Chamorro and Carolinian communities to celebrate their heritage through cultural performances, traditional foods and community resources. The Hafa Adai Pie is available now through the end of March at both Life of Pie Pizza shops. Life of Pie Pizza: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily; 3632 N. Williams Ave. and 1765 N.W. 23rd Ave.; 503-820-0083; lifeofpiepizza.com Chiara Profenna covers religion, faith and cultural connections. Reach her at 503-221-4327; cprofenna@oregonian.com or @chiaraprofenna. The Oregonian/OregonLive receives support from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to bring readers stories on religion, faith and cultural connections in Oregon. The Oregonian/OregonLive is solely responsible for all content. Rashelle Chase-Miller and Herman Greene are both running to represent North and Northeast Portland on the Portland Public Schools board. Greene is the incumbent, but Chase-Miller has support from two of his board colleagues, Chair Eddie Wang and Vice Chair Michelle DePass. Courtesy Rashelle Chase-Miller/Mark Graves A contested race to represent a wide swath of North and Northeast neighborhoods on the Portland school board is laying bare a long-simmering fissure among board members charged with overseeing the states largest school district. Outspoken board member Herman Greene, the pastor at Abundant Life Church in the Kenton neighborhood whose four children all went to Roosevelt High School, is running for reelection in his Zone 4 district in May. Hes facing a challenge from Rashelle Chase-Miller, a literacy advocate with children at Woodlawn Elementary and Harriet Tubman Middle School who was a prominent parent voice supporting the Portland Association of Teachers during the three-week strike in 2023 and throughout the pandemics building closures. Chase-Miller, who announced her candidacy Monday, said she has already received endorsements from two of Greenes school board colleagues: Chair Eddie Wang and Vice-Chair Michelle DePass, whose district sprawls from inner Southeast Portland to North Portland. Wang, who represents portions of Southeast Portland, and Greene ran against each other for school board chair in July. Wang won on a divided 4-3 vote with support from DePass and westsiders Patte Sullivan and Andrew Scott, who has since stepped down from the board. The split was quickly papered over, with board members insisting that they were all focused on improving student outcomes. But a dispute has continued to percolate over how directive the board should be in day-to-day district operations. Wang and DePass have both said their goal is for the board to set vision and policy, then provide feedback to and independent oversight of Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong and her staff. Greene and fellow board members Gary Hollands and Julia Brim-Edwards, both of whom supported his bid to become chair, want the board to provide more intensive management of the daily nitty-gritty of district operations. The split has become increasingly evident in recent months as board members bickered over the size and shape of the general obligation bond set to go before voters in May. I believe that as a board, we are supposed to govern the district, not the other way around, said Greene, who said he has been endorsed by Gov. Tina Kotek. He said Monday that he wasnt aware of his colleagues support for Chase, but that he was unsurprised by it. They [Wang and DePass] are of the mindset that we need to let the experts do what they do, but I think they cant go unchecked. I dont need to be a rubber stamp. I am going to ask questions. You dont have to like what I say, but you have to give me an answer. For her part, Chase-Miller said she brought the skills, background and knowledge to find solutions to be a collaborative leader. It feels too often like folks on the board are disconnected with whats actually happening in our schools, the experiences our kids are actually having, what it feels like on the parent end of things and I think it is important to have that representation. She is a former preschool teacher and early childhood center director who now works as the statewide program director for SMART Reading, a nonprofit that sends books and volunteer tutors to schools. Chase-Miller also has a child with special needs, which she said gave her valuable insight into an often overlooked and vulnerable slice of the student body. DePass, who said she recruited Chase for over a year to run, said she saw a board members role as that of a thought partner to Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong and her staff, not as an operations manager who hovers or second guesses. Along with Greene, Hollands is also running for reelection in May. He has drawn one announced challenger so far, McDaniel High School senior Jorge Sanchez-Bautista, who was a key student leader aligned with the Portland Association of Teachers during the 2023 strike. Brim-Edwards, who also serves as a Multnomah County Commissioner, has made no formal announcements, though she is not expected to run again for the school board. Board member Christy Splitt, who was appointed to the board after Scott stepped down in January, is running to serve out the remainder of his term and has so far drawn no challengers. Chase-Miller and Greene have some common priorities, Chase-Miller said during an interview on Friday with The Oregonian/OregonLive, including an urgent focus on boosting lagging literacy rates for Black, Latino and Indigenous children. And Chase-Miller said she agreed with Greenes push for an independent audit of construction budgets to find savings in costly high school modernization projects in order to free up funds for long-awaited elementary and middle school repairs. Neither candidate said they wanted to close any of the districts under-enrolled elementary schools, but both say that enrollment boundaries will need to be examined in coming years, especially after a modernized Jefferson High School is complete. Chase-Miller favors a soft neighborhood model, she said, which assigns students to one of several schools near their home, to help balance enrollment, while Greene said the board and district should focus on making sure that all schools have equitable programming, so that students wont feel they are losing out by attending schools in their boundary area. But they have clear differences too. Greene has expressed concerns about the perennial drive by statewide teachers unions to make class sizes a mandatory topic of bargaining, saying he thinks such a move would bankrupt the district without a big infusion of money from the state and impact Portlands ability to channel extra funding to high-needs schools like many of those in his zone. Chase-Miller, who is a graduate of Emerge Oregon, the well-connected nonprofit that runs a boot camp for Democratic women interested in running for office, says she is in favor of such a change. You really want to meet the needs of every kid in your class and those needs are all different, she said. Your ability to support each kid and meet them where they are at is compounded by how many kids are in that class. Chase-Miller also said she would have voted against a move to allow high schools to start Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps programs, an initiative Greene spearheaded last year. And she called the protracted negotiations to end the teachers strike, in which Greene was enmeshed, really adversarial. It felt a lot like the narrative was that the things teachers were asking for were not reasonable or necessary. And I dont think that helps bring us together. Julia Silverman covers K-12 education for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach her via email at jsilverman@oregonian.com Parents and advocates from Clark County Pride, an organization that aims to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth in Southwest Washington, attend a La Center School District board meeting on April 25, 2023 after the superintendent banned teachers from asking students their pronouns. Photo courtesy of Clark County Pride A Southwest Washington school district violated state policies by prohibiting teachers from asking students for their pronouns, a state agency ruled last week. The Washington Office of Public Instruction told the La Center district last Wednesday that its 2022 policy is discriminatory and rooted in negative, or even hostile, perceptions of gender-expansive identities. The agency also determined that several other district policies dont comply with state laws including a requirement to notify parents of any students name or pronoun change and a ban on teaching any materials that could lead children to question their gender identity. The districts policies differ from the model required under state law and fail to address the unique challenges and needs faced by transgender students in public schools in a nondiscriminatory manner, the agency said. In a social media post responding to the states investigation, La Center School District Superintendent Peter Rosenkranz called the states findings baseless and said they were an insult to our district, our educators, and the parents who support policies that prioritize both student well-being and parental rights. The ruling is the latest development in the ongoing controversy surrounding the anti-discriminatory policies at La Center School District, which serves about 1,800 students in Clark County. Rosenkranz first told teachers in late 2022 they could not ask students for their pronouns and directed them to assume the pronouns of all students. Although asking students for their pronouns was often well-intentioned, Rosenkranz said, the practice had prompted angry responses from some parents, which contributed to the policy change. In response, more than 30 district staff and faculty submitted a complaint to the districts civil rights coordinator, stating that the policy potentially violated district and state policies. They also said the rule creates a systemic barrier towards full inclusivity of LGBTQ students. The controversy in the rural community mirrors the national divide regarding educators asking students about their pronouns. Opponents argue doing so pressures students to question their identities, while proponents say the practice creates more inclusive classrooms and improves students wellbeing. In February 2023, after an outside investigator hired by the district found that the policy did not violate any policies, students and teachers appealed the ruling to the state agency, which opened its investigation in April that year. The states decision also requires the district to update its anti-discriminatory policies and no longer require notifying parents of any students requested name or pronouns changes, among other changes. The school district has the option to appeal the states ruling. The district must also identify and eliminate any bias in its process for selecting educational materials and require all district administrators and teachers to undergo bias awareness training. In his statement, Rosenkranz said the school district is exploring a potential legal challenge to the states findings. We have repeatedly attempted to engage (the agency) in revising their flawed and overreaching policy, but they refused to collaborate, he said. We will not stand by while (the state) erodes parental authority and forces schools to act against families' best interests. Carlos Fuentes covers state politics and government. Reach him at 503-221-5386 or cfuentes@oregonian.com. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com. This colorized electron microscope image released by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on March 26, 2024, shows avian influenza A H5N1 virus particles (yellow), grown in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells (blue). CDC/NIAID via AP, File As the highly contagious bird flu virus continues to sweep through Oregons poultry flocks and dairy herds, scientists and public health officials are racing to monitor its rapid spread and potential risks. Enter wastewater surveillance a tool public health officials used during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to monitor the virus' spread. But new research led by Oregon State University shows that testing wastewater wont be as helpful for tracking the spread of the H5N1 bird flu. Turns out, wild birds not infected poultry, cattle or people are likely behind many detections of the virus in the states sewage, the study found. Researchers from Oregon State, the Oregon Health Authority, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture analyzed nearly three years of wastewater samples from 20 communities. Their findings, which were published in the Centers for Disease Controls Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report last week, suggest that wastewater detections of the H5N1 virus dont necessarily signal outbreaks at farms or among humans. Researchers found that wild bird droppings, which can carry the virus, also end up in wastewater, which can signal bird flu flare-ups even in populated areas where humans or livestock arent infected. This means that wastewater detections of the virus may not always indicate an outbreak in humans, poultry, or cattle, but could simply reflect the presence of migratory wild birds, researchers found. During the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater sampling helped predict infection spikes and gauge how widely the virus was circulating in communities. But researchers say interpreting bird flu in wastewater isnt as straightforward. Unlike COVID-19 or seasonal influenza which when found in wastewater indicates human infections positive samples of bird flu could be from a variety of sources. Thats because the method used to sample for bird flu in wastewater doesnt differentiate between animal and human sources, according to researchers. Rebecca Falender, a wastewater epidemiologist at Oregon State University and the studys lead author, said wastewater surveillance is a great tool, but nuance matters in interpreting the results. Falender said public health officials need to work with state agriculture departments when using wastewater data to monitor bird flu. The bird flu has been spreading in wild birds in the U.S. since early 2022 and has since spread through poultry farms and, more recently, dairy cattle. By the end of 2024, the virus had infected more than 112 million poultry in 49 states, along with hundreds of dairy herds across the country, according to researchers. In Oregon, the virus has not yet been detected in dairy cattle. However, 48 commercial or backyard poultry flocks have been infected, accounting for nearly a million birds. The virus has also recently been found in several domestic cats. And one Oregonian has so far tested positive for H5N1, according to CDC data. -- Kristine de Leon covers consumer health, retail, small business and data enterprise stories. Reach her at kdeleon@oregonian.com. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today. President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov) AP President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night to highlight changes he has made since taking office six weeks ago. One of the areas he may cover are negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Some of the Republican presidents recent statements on this topic have been false and misleading. Heres a look at some of the statements and the facts regarding the Russia-Ukraine war Trump, speaking at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Feb. 18, suggested Ukraine started the war. THE FACTS: Did Ukraine start the war? No. Russias army crossed the border on Feb. 24, 2022, in an all-out invasion that Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to justify by falsely saying it was needed to protect Russian-speaking civilians in eastern Ukraine and prevent the country from joining NATO. The move followed Putins 2014 illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and armed aggression in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas that grew into a long-running conflict that left thousands of people dead. That conflict simmered until 2022, when Putin ordered what he called military exercises along Ukraines borders. He told the world that the roughly 150,000 soldiers he had amassed would not be used to invade Ukraine. But in the early hours of Feb. 24, 2022, Russia launched widespread airstrikes and soldiers began pouring over the border. Trump berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an Oval Office meeting on Friday for being disrespectful. Vice President JD Vance suggested that Zelenskyy has not said thank you to the U.S. for its support. THE FACTS: Has the Ukrainian president thanked the United States? Yes. Zelenskyy has publicly thanked the U.S. numerous times since 2022. Vances statement in the Oval Office is false. After Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of doing otherwise at their meeting Friday, the Ukrainian president posted on X: Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Zelenskyy also recently thanked Trump in a Feb. 12 video, saying that he is grateful to the president for his genuine interest in our shared opportunities. -Associated Press writers Justin Spike in Budapest and Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this story. Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck. It is sad and frightening that I feel much less safe here in my own state, and in my own country, than I do in most other counties, due to our ridiculous lack of gun control laws. The 30 shots fired in broad daylight in a Northeast residential neighborhood is a direct manifestation of this problem, (Gun battle erupts in NE Portland residential neighborhood; more than 30 shots fired in street, Feb. 25). There were more than 800 shootings in Portland last year. In many of these shootings, rapid fire activators - devices that are attached to semi-automatic guns to allow them to operate like automatic guns - were used to enable a deadly flow of bullets. Oregon needs to ban these devices, which have nothing to do with Second Amendment rights, and everything to do with crime, increased violence and homicides. Senate Bill 696 would ban these devices, making our communities safer. Law enforcement needs to be able to take action when those doing crimes are found with rapid fire devices. Many other states have already banned these devices. Oregon for too long has allowed lax gun laws with leaders afraid to speak up to the gun lobby, and we are losing community members and hurting our citys viability because of these lax laws. I urge Oregon lawmakers to support SB 696 and do everything possible to address both the illegal flow of guns in our communities, and to make sure rapid fire devices dont show up in more gun battles. Weve had enough of this lack of common sense! Susan Landa, Portland To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion. Volunteers helped look for Dane Paulsen, 2, who went missing from his home near Siletz Saturday, March 1, 2025. Fedor Zarkhin SILETZ The search continued Monday for a toddler who went missing from his Siletz home Saturday, with teams of volunteers scouring the brambles and woods while the sheriffs office staged its professional operation nearby. But the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office appeared no closer to finding Dane Paulsen, 2, despite searching through more than 680 acres with the help of 88 certified search and rescue members, four boats, 13 divers, four drones, six K9s, 40 investigators and more than 140 community volunteers. Our team and the community are working to bring Dane home, the sheriffs office said in a statement Monday. The search for the boy centered on the Siletz River and a swath of forested land near his parents house, just north of Siletz. The sheriffs office staged its operation just south of the river, while Elks Lodge members managed and deployed dozens of volunteers who came to the Elks Toketee Illahee campground on the other side of the river. As many as three dozen vehicles were parked on the multi-acre plot abutting the south bank of the Siletz River where Dane was last seen. Throughout the day, at least one sheriffs deputy stood at the entrance to the gravel driveway on the property as law enforcement came and went. Smoke rose from a chimney in the familys house. When Dane disappeared Saturday afternoon, he had been playing in the front yard of the familys home, the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office previously said. The property comes right up to the fast-flowing river, separated by brush and trees. The sheriffs office has not released any theories as to what might have happened to the boy an early lead about a vehicle of interest turned out to be an investigative dead end. The agency did note in a statement that the boy is friendly and fearless, and is comfortable around strangers and water, but cannot swim. Exact overnight conditions through the weekend were unclear. The weather station for nearby Newport recorded temperatures in the mid-40s overnight Saturday and Sunday, with periods of rain and drizzle. Around 9:30 a.m. across the river from the sheriffs offices staging area, Elks Lodge member Jeff Lawrence, 68, was giving a group of 13 volunteers instructions before sending them to a patch of dense forest that had already been searched before just in case. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is asking for public help finding Dane Paulsen, 2, who went missing from his home in Siletz on Saturday afternoon. Courtesy of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office The volunteers were to stay close together, he said, and they should look for small things that could help in the search, including prints and signs of animals. If they find something, they should take a picture of it next to something like a shoe or a dollar bill, for scale. If you do find Dane out there, treat it as a crime scene, Lawrence said, explaining that volunteers should be careful not to touch anything. Put a jacket or a blanket over and send somebody right away. Dane Paulsen, 2, went missing Saturday just north of Siletz. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and a slew of community volunteers continued to search for him Monday. Fedor Zarkhin Chris Neal, a Newport man who grew up in the Siletz area, took charge of the group of volunteers as it headed down the road under an intermittent drizzle, then clambered up an embankment and into the brambles. The group included a woman from the Seattle area who happened to be visiting the coast, a group of men from Otis who work for an excavation company, and a woman from the Tillamook area and a man who came to visit her from Maine. The volunteers broke off into several groups crawling and scooting their way between the trees and over and under brambles and quickly split up into groups. The vegetation made it impossible to search systematically, though Neal said it was unlikely, if not impossible, that the child would have wandered far through the brambles. Dane Paulsen, 2, went missing Saturday just north of Siletz. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and a slew of community volunteers continued to search for him Monday. Fedor Zarkhin Crouching periodically to look at animal prints and scat, Neals primary occupation was keeping tabs on all the members of the team. The group eventually came back together near the road and discussed options. Head back, regroup, refuel and try again? Neal said. As the volunteers walked back to the lodge, they passed another group of volunteers headed in the opposite direction and four Lincoln County Sheriffs deputies standing at the entrance to the sheriffs office staging area and then over a bridge across the Siletz River. Dane Paulsen, 2, went missing Saturday just north of Siletz. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and a slew of community volunteers continued to search for him Monday. Fedor Zarkhin Back at the lodge, snacks and beverages were spread on several tables. Lawrence was already gathering a new crew of volunteers to head out into the woods. Some volunteers were outside on the lodges balcony with a view of the river, including Mike Lambert, who came down from Otis with the two men who work for his company to help in the search. Most of us have kids, he said quietly. Kind of gut-wrenching. Dane has a sister and his parents own a restaurant in Depoe Bay, according to a 2022 Newport News Times article about the couple. The restaurant was closed Monday, with five flyers for the missing boy taped to the windows. A GoFundMe page for the family has already raised more than $8,000. Fedor Zarkhin is a breaking news and enterprise reporter. Do you have a story? Reach him by phone or text at 971-373-2905 or by email at fzarkhin@oregonian.com. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com Two people hold an intersex-inclusionary pride flag during a Transgender Day of Visibility demonstration at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on March 31, 2023. Ben Orner | MLive.com The public library in Republic, Washington, missed out on a funding opportunity after a group of residents complained about a pride flag and the library board declined to remove it. State Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, said she pulled her support for a state appropriations request for a new library building until the controversy is resolved. The intersex-inclusive progress pride flag, which includes a purple circle representing intersex people, hangs vertically over a corner door in the Republic Public Librarys young adult section. The flag is left over from a Pride Month display last June. While the library building is owned by the city of Republic, it is managed by North Central Washington Libraries, which oversees 30 branches across five mostly rural counties. Republic is a remote mountain town with about 1,000 people about an hour south of the Canadian border. Our responsibility as a library district is to make sure all community members feel represented and included, Walters said. Other NCW libraries have pride flags, but it has only been controversial in Republic, she said. The board received more comments supporting the flag than against it. A group of residents calling themselves the Republic Library Changemakers asked the board to write a flag policy to only allow the U.S. and Washington state flags to be displayed at the library. Members of the group could not be reached or declined to comment for this article. At previous board meetings, members of the group said the pride flag is a political statement and it makes them feel unsafe and unwelcome. Because the library district doesnt own its buildings and by extension their flagpoles, the board on Feb. 20 approved a general display policy rather than a flag policy, Walters said. Republic Public Library does not have a flagpole, but an American flag prominently hangs from a wall mount on the librarys front porch. The new policy gives library staff discretion to curate displays that represent the diversity of their communities and recognize marginalized voices. It was informed by the American Library Associations Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read and Freedom to View statements. Displays are designed to promote intellectual freedom, reflect diverse viewpoints, and foster lifelong learning, the policy says. After the board approved the policy, Short announced that she would not support the $772,500 state funding request for the design phase of the librarys expansion project. With great reluctance, I have decided not to pursue a capital budget appropriation for the Republic Library for the 2025 legislative session, Short said in a statement. I have long been a supporter of strong libraries in our communities. However, a local controversy regarding the year-round display of a Gay Pride flag has proven extremely divisive, and until this is resolved, action on our part in Olympia to expand this facility would only deepen local frustration with library management. Short said there might have been a way forward if the flag had come down at the end of Pride Month and called the library district to develop a better process for the public to request policy changes. She said she believes the library can find a way to serve marginalized communities without making a political statement that many patrons find offensive, and she hopes to reconsider the proposal next year. The dream to build a new library began with a land donation to the Friends of the Republic Library a few years ago. Since then, the group has spearheaded an ambitious plan to build not only a new library, but also a community center and day care in the same building. If fully realized, it would cost about $18 million, said Friends member and building committee co-chair Emily Burt. The library alone would be about $6 million. The project has raised about $1 million so far through public and private sources. For the last couple of years the Friends were successful in landing funding through state Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber, a Republic resident. With Maycumbers leaving the House early this year, the Friends made a new request to Short. Burt said Short was initially supportive until she heard complaints about the flag. Burt said it was disappointing because the Friends have nothing to do with NCW Libraries policy. Members of the Friends have diverse views about the pride flag, but are united in their goal to build the new facility. They are still committed to moving forward. The current library has everything crammed into one room. A new library would provide more space for expanding the librarys collections, adding staff rooms, and separating the childrens story time area, maker space and computer lab. Burt said there is no licensed child care facility in the county or within an hours drive of Republic. The lack of child care limits an already limited local workforce, she said. The town also lacks a large community meeting space, so the meeting room could be used for many purposes. We want to provide for this community what most of America has already, Burt said. Republic Mayor Gabe Becklin said the city is neutral about the flag issue, but is fully supportive of the new building project. I hope the hubbub doesnt hold up the new library progress, he said. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell visited the library in August and has requested $2.8 million in rural development appropriations from Congress for fiscal year 2025. Members of the Ferry County Gay-Straight Alliance traveled to the NCW Libraries board meeting in Wenatchee last Thursday to speak in support of the Republic library. The gay-straight alliance had nothing to do with adding the flag to the library, but the group was formed in direct response to the Changemakers' hateful comments against the gay community, Strong said. From our perspective it is not just about the flag, it is about human rights and visibility in our community, Strong said. The library is one of the few safe spaces for everyone, she said. Strong has lived in Republic with her wife for 20 years. It is generally a welcoming community with a focus on tourism, she said. James Hanlons reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. 2025 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.). Visit www.spokesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Durkee wildfire burns on a hillside adjacent to I-84 near Weatherby, OR. Oregon had a record wildfire season in 2024 which burned more than 1.9 million acres. Dave Killen / The Oregonian A bill that would establish minimum wildfire prevention standards for electric utilities in exchange for an annual certificate from the Oregon Public Utility Commission could give them immunity from being held accountable in lawsuits, lawyers say. If passed, House Bill 3666 would give utilities a state-sanctioned defense against lawsuits when their equipment starts fires, leaving customers holding the bag for damages caused by multi-billion dollar companies that provide electricity to nearly 75% of Oregonians, lawyers and survivors warn. Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, filed the bill Tuesday to create standards for wildfire prevention work undertaken by utilities. That would result in safer communities and help the utilities stay insured by avoiding costly lawsuits, she said. But critics of the bill, including members of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association who participated in workgroup meetings on the bill convened by Marsh, said it would be used as a get-out-of-jail-free card for the utilities. Each year, the large investor-owned electric utilities are required to submit wildfire prevention plans to the Oregon Public Utility Commission. Under House Bill 3666, the commission would review the plans and issue a wildfire safety certification for 12 months if the plan meets new, state-established standards. A wildfire safety certification establishes that an applicant is acting reasonably with regard to wildfire safety practices and materially consistent with the applicants wildfire protection plan or wildfire mitigation plan, the bill states. The PUC would also be given the authority and resources to monitor that the utilities do the work promised in their wildfire prevention plans. But Cody Berne, a governor at large for the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and an attorney at Portland-based law firm Stoll Berne, which is representing survivors of the historic 2020 Labor Day fires, said utilities could use the certification to their advantage in court. They could argue they had acted reasonably even if they were responsible for starting catastrophic fires like those in 2020 that killed 11 people and destroyed 4,000 homes. If passed, Berkshire Hathaway will argue that this bill is a get-out-of-jail-free card, no matter how recklessly they act, if their power company starts more catastrophic fires, Berne said. The Legislature shouldnt give massive corporations a bailout over keeping communities safe. Berkshire Hathaway, a multinational conglomerate, is owner of PacificCorp, and recently reported year-over-year revenues up 71% from 2023 to a record $14.5 billion, and operating profits of $47 billion, up 27% from 2023. In 2023, a Multnomah County jury found PacificCorp guilty of being reckless and negligent in a class action lawsuit over the 2020 Labor Day fires and awarded plaintiffs hundreds of millions of dollars. To date, according to the companys website, its agreed or been ordered to pay more than $1 billion to residents and companies affected by the fires. Representatives of the Trial Lawyers Association said they shared their legal concerns about the bill with Marsh several times. Marsh claimed no one expressed concerns that this bill could provide utilities absolute immunity from lawsuits. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee. We spent a lot of time talking about whether there should be additional legal protections associated with this, and we did not attach any of that, Marsh told the Capital Chronicle. The bill does not have, you know, specific statements about what a safety certification implies, from a legal protection point of view; we didnt put those on. Marsh is among the lawmakers that utilities have courted through donations. Since 2018, shes received $10,500 from Portland General Electric, about $1,500 a year. In its latest donation Jan. 8, PGE gave her $1,000. Shes also received $5,500 from PacifiCorp since 2018, including $1,000 from the company in October 2024. Shes received about the same amount $5,500 during the last seven years from Idaho Power, an investor-owned utility serving about 20,000 customers in eastern Oregon. State Rep. Jason Kropf, D-Bend, is co-sponsoring the bill, along with state Rep. Kevin Mannix, a Republican from Salem. Industry workgroup In workgroup sessions, Oregons big monopoly utilities PacifiCorps Pacific Power and Portland General Electric, or PGE advocated for the wildfire safety regulations in the bill and certification from the Public Utility Commission. Kristen Sheeran, a PGE vice president and lobbyist, said the bill doesnt give utilities absolute immunity but she said the companies need to zero out the risk to prevent insurance loss and skyrocketing premiums, which have tripled for the company in recent years, she said. What if the utility has done absolutely everything to reduce the risk of wildfire related to equipment, and then 100-mile an hour wind blows an ember from 5 miles away? Or a squirrel literally climbs into a transformer and creates a spark? she said. PacifiCorp representatives were also in the workgroup. A company spokesperson, Simon Gutierrez, did not address questions of whether the bill could be used by the company to shield itself from wildfire liability. In an email he said the bill is a meaningful and holistic solution to address the foundational issues posed by wildfire risk, seeking to strike a balance between accountability and criticality. Ted Case, executive director of the Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association, which represents 18 electric cooperatives in the state, also participated in the workgroup. He said the group supports the legislation. And Bob Jenks, director of the consumer watchdog Citizens Utility Board, who attended meetings as well, said the board hasnt endorsed or opposed the bill while waiting for a review from the boards lawyer. But he said having enforceable wildfire prevention standards could be helpful. Right now utilities submit wildfire mitigation plans, right? Those plans are accepted, and thats the end of it, he said. What I pushed for is: there needs to be an auditing function for the commission to go and check to see if theyre doing those plans, Jenks said. California parallels Californias wildfire safety certificate program served as a precedent for House Bill 3666, Marsh said. But California laws on wildfire liability are far more robust than those in Oregon. In California, big electric utilities are, by law, strictly liable for any damages caused by their activity or equipment, regardless of fault or foreseeability. Because the private investor-owned utilities in California, as in Oregon, are considered state-sanctioned monopolies, California law dictates they be held accountable under the same damages laws applicable to state agencies or individuals. California also has a multi-billion fund to pay wildfire survivors, and utilities are required to pay into it. Oregon has no such fund to aid victims in the aftermath of a utility-caused wildfire. Awestruck Sam Drevo, a survivor of the 2020 Labor Day fires in the Santiam Canyon, is among those waiting for PacifiCorp to pay damages. Drevo said he was awestruck that Oregon legislators would propose offering PacifiCorp any relief while he and many others are waiting for damages to be paid. He and hundreds of other survivors have been forced to each sue PacifiCorp, submit to psychological evaluations, handover medical and financial records and in trial, show that they were not negligent. Despite the jury verdict and settlements with hundreds of victims, PacifiCorp has never accepted its responsibility for starting the 2020 Labor Day fires and the Oregon Public Utility Commission has never investigated, both sore points for survivors. Do you think the Legislature should be taking care of PacifiCorp while Oregonians who were burned up in 2020 and 2022 are still suffering, not able to rebuild and move on with their lives? Drevo said. How it could even be brought to the Legislature in this moment is, to me, I mean are they even representing Oregonians? The lone bill in the current session to pressure PacifiCorp to resolve the pending lawsuits with Oregonians is House Bill 3161, proposed by Rep. Jamie Cate, R-Lebanon. It would prevent utilities from raising rates while they are still facing years-long lawsuits over wildfire culpability and costs. The bill, in the the House Judiciary Committee, has bipartisan support but has yet to have a hearing. On House Bill 3666, Cate said she can see some rationale for limiting the liability of utility companies who do good work keeping communities safe, but called it a slap in the face to victims if a company like Pacific Power could qualify for that protection. Cate said her bill has been sidelined by some supporters of Marshs bill. I also think its unfortunate that the push by proponents of absolving utilities from any liability has proven effective in killing a bill that could have helped hold Pacific Power accountable for their undeniable negligence. But doing so would have undermined the argument of why they need immunity from wrongdoing to begin with. -- Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, the nations largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. Oganes Doganyans lawyers have petitioned a federal judge for his release from the Northwest ICE Processing Center so he could get treatment for a rare disorder. Grace Deng/Washington State Standard Attorneys for a former Armenian refugee held in the federal immigrant detention center in Tacoma say he has been unable to get medical treatment for months, leaving his family worried he could soon die. Oganes Doganyans lawyers have petitioned a federal judge for his release from the Northwest ICE Processing Center so he could get treatment for a rare disorder that has caused excessive bleeding. This is the latest in a monthslong effort to get care for Doganyan, 52. This is an individual who is going to die, said his attorney Greg Russell. Its only a matter of time. Allegations about lack of access to medical care have been rampant in the private detention center for years. And the centers critics have worried about worsening conditions as the Trump administration ramps up deportations nationwide. The Tacoma facility is one of the biggest in the country, with 1,575 beds. The facility houses both detained locals as well as people taken into custody in other states before deportation, like Doganyan. Immediately after President Donald Trump took office, weekly flights through Boeing Field to the detention center spiked in size, carrying 90 or 100 detainees each week. Last week, just two people got off the plane for detention, according to the advocacy group La Resistencia which monitors the flights. Last Tuesday, no one was flown into the facility, a possible signal of the population constraints at the for-profit center operated by The Geo Group. GEO last week announced a roughly $1 billion, 15-year contract with the federal government to provide additional space for detained immigrants at a 1,000-bed facility in New Jersey. Before 2020, the Tacoma facility was often near capacity, but that plummeted to just a few hundred people during the pandemic. In recent years, the number of people held at the site has stabilized but was still far below 1,000. As of last week, over 1,350 people were detained there, said Matt Adams, the legal director for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. It is clear that they will be going back to filling up the beds in their effort to make a statement, Adams said in an email. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in recent weeks have publicized several strings of arrests in Washington. Yearslong concerns about conditions at the detention center have resulted in calls for state inspections and increased regulation, leading to legal back-and-forths still playing out in court. In March 2024, Charles Leo Daniel, 61, died there after years in solitary confinement. The Pierce County Medical Examiner later said Daniel died of natural causes. Still, the incident led to calls for a federal audit of health care services at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. In October, Jose Manuel Sanchez-Castro, was experiencing fentanyl withdrawal when he died in the detention center. Maru Mora Villalpando, the founder of La Resistencia, said a pregnant woman in the detention center also hasnt been getting medical care recently. Doganyans medical concerns, meanwhile, trace back to before Trump took office last month. Race against time Doganyan has been held in the detention center since August, his lawyers said. Hes been in the country since arriving as an 18-year-old refugee from the former Soviet Union with his family in 1990. For years, he lived in southern California as a lawful permanent resident. He got in trouble with the law in 2018 over allegations of health care fraud, threatening his green card. He is set for a hearing to decide on deportation in early April, according to his lawyers. They worry he wont be alive by then. Thats in gods hands, said one of Doganyans other lawyers, Judy Wood. Because Doganyan was born in the former Soviet Union, he isnt an Armenian citizen, leaving him stateless. Doganyan has several medical issues, including Type 2 diabetes and a rare blood clotting disorder called Factor II deficiency, which is caused by a lack of protein in the blood. Because of the disorder, medical staff at the detention center said they couldnt obtain bloodwork or treat him out of fear it would cause excessive bleeding, according to his habeas corpus petition filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle. An ICE spokesperson declined to comment, citing a private health matter and the ongoing litigation. In late November, Doganyans lawyers filed a request for humanitarian parole with the federal Department of Homeland Security. The department hasnt responded to that request, Russell said. My perspective is theyre not going to listen to any legal arguments, Russell said. Theyre not going to listen to due process and the constitutional issues. Theyre just going to do what they want to do. Doganyan is now asking to be either transferred or released with supervision via ankle monitor so he can get medical care. But Russell cautioned it could be months before a judge takes up his petition. Doganyans mother, wife and children are U.S. citizens. The family asked me, What happens if he dies? Russell said. All you can do is maybe sue them, but thats not going to bring him back. Medical care standards ICEs standards for medical care state a detainee who requires close, chronic or convalescent medical supervision shall be treated in accordance with a written treatment plan conforming to accepted medical practices for the condition in question, approved by a licensed physician. They also allow for transfers to other facilities if the detention center doesnt have the resources to care for someone. Doganyans lawyers say ICE is clearly not following these standards in the Tacoma detention center. Their petition argues his continued detention is not constitutional because it constitutes unfair and inhumane treatment as well as cruel and unusual punishment. Doganyan calls his lawyers often. Hes been depressed and frustrated that the country where hes lived for over 30 years isnt caring for him. As Americans, we come to expect that the government will treat us with basic decency, Russell said. Thats not being done here. -- Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, the nations largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. Oregon allows terminally ill patients who've been told they have less than six months to live to seek medically assisted suicide as a possible option. (Rob Finch/file photo) LC- A bill that would remove some of the hurdles for terminally ill people to die under Oregons 1997 Death with Dignity Act faced significant opposition during a legislative hearing Monday, with some people who testified saying it would further promote a culture of death over life and allow death on demand within 48 hours. The bill would loosen Oregons first-in-the-nation law by reducing the standard waiting period after patients ask for lethal doses of medication from 15 days to two days. Among other provisions, it would eliminate the need for two doctors to sign off on medically assisted suicide and instead allow two physician assistants or nurse practitioners to do so. No individual lawmakers have signed on as sponsors of Senate Bill 1003, which was filed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Only two people spoke in favor of the bill Monday. Eight people spoke in opposition, along with 150 Oregonians who submitted written testimony objecting to the bill. Dr. Paul Kaplan, who said he was speaking for a group of about 30 mostly retired doctors whove focused on end-of-life care, told the committee that the bill would help reduce inequities in rural Oregon where most residents use physician assistants or nurse practitioners for their medical care. There are very large areas of Oregon where there is not a doctor available for hundreds of miles, Kaplan said. And so this service is literally not available to patients who live in those areas. Laurel Hines, a Salem resident, told the committee that sometimes waiting 15 days is too long. Hines said her sister deteriorated within a few days of going into hospice and would not have been able to self-administer a lethal dose as required by Oregon law. Though Hines sister died in Illinois, where there is no medically assisted suicide law, Hines used her sisters death as an example of what can happen to terminally ill patients. I now have traumatic memories of my sister dying the way she did and being in the condition that she was and pain that morphine didnt control, Hines said. In 2019, lawmakers approved a bill that allows a doctor to waive the 15-day window if the doctor determines the patient wouldnt live that long. Its unclear how often that provision has been used. The bills opponents argued two days is not enough time to do an adequate investigation into whether someone should be allowed access to medically assisted suicide and such a decision should be made by doctors, not physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Gresham resident Sherolyn Smith, who testified on behalf of the advocacy organization Oregon Right to Life, said one of her family members has been disabled for 20 years, has struggled with whether he wants to continue to live and recently was diagnosed with a terminal condition. This bill makes it even easier for a broken health care system to suggest death as an answer, Smith said. She said her relative worries he is a burden. The right to die has become a duty to die, Smith said. Rep. E. Werner Reschke, R-Malin, told the committee he believes the bill promotes a culture of death over life. He said a few years ago his mom died of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, a degenerative and fatal condition that causes loss of muscle control. She went from twisting an ankle, to relying on a wheelchair to being bed-ridden. Eventually she couldnt speak but her mind was clear as day, Reschke said. And every day my dad sat at her bed and cared for her and loved her until the last day she couldnt breathe anymore. Colleagues, thats dignity. Oregon voters passed the Death with Dignity Act in 1994, with a 51% to 49% vote. After surviving a legal challenge and a 1997 repeal effort that resulted in 60% of voters choosing to keep the act, it took effect in October 1997. As of 2024, 10 states allow medically assisted suicide, according to The Associated Press. Oregon and Vermont are the only two that allow terminally ill non-residents to travel to their states to use the law. One person testifying against Senate Bill 1003 on Monday worried the bill could exacerbate suicide tourism. In Oregon, patients must be at least 18 years old and have been given a diagnosis of less than six months to live to access medically assisted suicide. An Oregon report found that 367 people died under the law in 2023. From the bills inception through 2023, a total of 2,847 people have died by medically assisted suicide, which was 67% of those who received prescriptions. In 2023, about eight out of 10 were 65 years or older. The most common diagnosis was cancer, affecting 66% of people who died by suicide that year. Aimee Green is covering the Oregon Legislature this session. Reach her at 503-294-5119, agreen@oregonian.com or on Bluesky. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com. From left to right in lower left corner: Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, Rep. Courtney Neron, D-Wilsonville, and Rep. Willy Chotzen, D-Portland, testify before the House Rules Committee on Monday, March 3, 2025 on a bill to lower the voting age. Oregon Legislature screenshot A bill to allow 16- and 17-year-old Oregonians to vote in school board elections drew passionate testimony Monday, with supporters saying teens younger than 18 are eager to have a say in issues directly affecting their education and opponents arguing theyre just too immature to vote. House Bill 3012 has gained tremendous support from students, teachers and even school board members. The supporters include the 38,000-member educators union, the Oregon Education Association, and Common Cause, which advocates for accountability in government. But similar bills also have been proposed in past years and flopped including a broader 2019 proposal to ask voters to make Oregon the first state in the nation to lower the voting age to 16 for all elections and similar efforts in 2023. Rep. Courtney Neron, a Wilsonville Democrat who is the chief sponsor of this years bill, said the proposal would encourage teens under 18 to become engaged in real-world civics education by voting. Sixteen is not too young to make educated decisions, and no one knows the needs of a school better than those directly involved educators, parents and students, Neron told the House Rules Committee on Monday. ...Healthy habits formed early are likely to last a lifetime. But Rep. Dwayne Yunker, R-Grants Pass, told the committee the bill was nonsense, and he worried teens younger than 18 would bend to peer pressure in casting their votes. Yunker said he is the father of four adults and someone who knows something about 16-year-old children. He said his opinion was influenced by the many stories hes heard from his son, who now works as a high school counselor. Lets just say this: There are good reasons we still consider them children, Yunker told the committee. Sixteen-year-olds do not have the emotional maturity or life experience to make informed decisions on complex issues. Added Rep. E. Werner Reschke, R-Malin: No disrespect to 16- and 17-year-olds. Im a former member of that clan. And I remember what its like to be there. But this is about treating adults like adults and minors like minors. Along with the lawmakers, several other adults offered in-person testimony against the bill and about 70 people submitted written comments in opposition. But most of the more than 20 people who testified before the committee Monday support the bill. More than 50 people both minors and adults sent in written testimony in support as well. Nilani Maheswaran, a Portland high school student and co-founder of the student movement Vote 16 Oregon, told the committee that many of the 60 students at a youth summit hosted by the Beaverton Mayors Youth Advisory Board shared feeling powerless about major decisions affecting their education. Those included determinations about redistricting, program cuts, large class sizes and understaffed counseling offices. I, myself, drive, work, pay taxes, Maheswaran said. Im in this room today, and Im 17. If students can take on these responsibilities, we can be entrusted with the right to vote, too. The Oregon School Boards Association, which represents 197 school districts statewide, isnt taking a side on the bill, but knows it will cost money to add 16- and 17-year-olds to the voter rolls for school board elections. The associations government relations counsel, Adrienne Anderson, said the association would like to know the costs, which have yet to be determined. Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, said she has the same question. Whos paying for this? Drazan asked. How do we afford this? According to the National Youth Rights Association, youth advocates are working on proposals to lower the voting age to 16 for local or state elections in multiple states. Advocates say a dozen jurisdictions have done so already. Those include Oakland and Berkeley, which last fall became the first communities in California to allow 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in school board elections, according to EdSource. Oregons bill wouldnt take effect until 2027 or 2029, depending on which version of the bill potentially passes. As the bill is worded now its unclear if it would only empower the younger teens to vote for school board members or if it also would grant them rights to vote on money measures to pay for construction or staff as well. Backers say they plan to amend the bill to make it clear itd only apply to the election of school board members. Aimee Green is covering the Oregon Legislature this session. Reach her at 503-294-5119 or agreen@oregonian.com or on Bluesky. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com. Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would require employers include wage information in job postings. Michelle Brence/Staff LC- Oregon lawmakers are again considering a bill that would require employers to include wage information in job postings after shelving similar legislation two years ago. Employers who dont provide the information would be subject to escalating penalties. The Oregon Department of Forestry has released a map of wildfire hazard zones. Oregon Department of Forestry The Deschutes County Commission voted 2-1 Monday to file an appeal of the states wildfire hazard map on behalf of all 21,258 properties in the highest designation, a move intended to send a message to state lawmakers as calls to repeal the controversial map continue. The mass appeal wont change anything for private property owners who want to officially contest the states designation of their land, for which the deadline is March 10. Because the county doesnt know whether state rules allow governments to appeal on behalf of property owners, the commission is still encouraging private property owners to file individual appeals by the deadline, said Kim Katchur, a spokesperson for the county. The gesture comes as county commissioners face pressure from property owners mostly in rural areas to advocate against the states map. Commissioners heard a succession of public testimony from upset landowners during a Feb. 12 meeting, but until Monday had not taken an official stance against the map. Republican Commissioners Tony DeBone and Patti Adair were both in favor of filing the bulk appeal on Monday. DeBone, who earlier this month did not support a letter asking for a full repeal of the maps, said state lawmakers had suggested the county conduct a mass appeal to oppose the map. Adair said she feels the mass appeal is the best way for Deschutes County to oppose the map. We need to do something, she said. Adair has been the most outspoken in opposition of the map, echoing landowners concerns that the map hurts property values, infringes on private property rights and places an undue burden on landowners to deal with wildfire risk. In Deschutes County, 20% of properties are in both the high hazard and wildland-urban-interface designations. The map ranks each property in Oregon as either low, medium or high hazard. Its purpose is to educate landowners about their wildfire hazard, assist with prioritizing firefighting resources and identify where new wildfire codes will apply. Properties that are prescribed with the high hazard designation and within the wildland-urban interface will be subject to defensible space codes and home-hardening codes on new construction and significant renovations. The codes are still undergoing rulemaking at the state level. Republican lawmakers have said the map, which is based on computer modeling from Oregon State University and the Oregon Department of Forestry, is riddled with inaccuracies and called for the Legislature to repeal the entirety of Senate Bill 762, the 2021 wildfire recovery bill that included creation of the map. Legislation has been introduced to repeal the map and other parts of the bill. Some Democrats including Sen. Anthony Broadman, D-Bend have also said the state should repeal or at least retool the map. The rigidity of the wildfire maps is not working in communities like mine, and they are distracting from the work we are doing to get ready for the climate and wildfire catastrophe coming this summer and in the future, Broadman said on the Senate floor Feb. 20. A previous version of the map was published in 2022 and repealed a few months later after public backlash. I think a lot of the smart money is these maps are probably going to get withdrawn anyway at the state level, and so a lot of this might just be posturing and not really have any practical impact, David Doyle, the countys lawyer said at the meeting. Commissioner Phil Chang voted against the countys appeal, and while not defending the maps themselves, he said he believes requirements to increase the number of wildfire-prepared homes in Oregon are necessary. My interest is actually doing something for the people of Deschutes County so that their house doesnt burn to the ground, he said. This appeal and all this focus on the maps is not helping. Deschutes is not the only county seeking to appeal the hazard map at the county level, said Derek Gasperini, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Forestry, the agency in charge of the map. Similar discussions have taken place in Jackson, Josephine and Coos counties, he said. Deschutes County is among the top five counties in the state for the number of properties that might be subject to new state codes, Gasperini said. Three-quarters of properties with the high hazard designation are located in Deschutes, Klamath, Josephine, Jackson and Wasco counties. Local governments are allowed to appeal designations for land owned by the public agency, but not for private landowners, Gasperini said. He said 846 property owners across the state have filed appeals. The data hasnt yet been separated by county, he said. The forestry department on Monday issued further guidance for the appeal process after Gov. Tina Kotek suspended agency action on all appeals Feb. 17. The department said property owners wishing to file appeals should do so by the deadline, but the state wont send them to a hearings officer until after the legislative session concludes in June. No research or preparation needs to happen prior to filing an appeal, according to the department. Clayton Franke covers growth, development and transportation for The Bulletin. A graduate of the University of Oregons School of Journalism and Communication, Clayton joined The Bulletin in 2024. He was born and raised in Missoula, Montana. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici speaks at a 2023 event around pedestrian safety. Bonamici is among a handful of Congressional Democrats bringing federal workers to the president's joint address to Congress on Tuesday. Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian Several Oregon Democrats are bringing fired federal workers with them to President Donald Trumps address to Congress on Tuesday, in apparent protest of the cuts Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency has sought to make to the federal workforce. They are among Democrats across the country who have announced they are bringing fired federal workers to the address in protest of the mass firings from the Trump administration. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley announced Monday that his guest for the Trump address will be Isabella Isaksen, who Merkley said was illegally removed from her job as a public affairs officer for the Ochoco National Forest. Isaksen is also a pentathlete who competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. Lets be clear: workers like Isabella arent fraud, government waste, or numbers on a spreadsheet, Merkley said in a news release. Theyre real people performing essential everyday duties in our communities. U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, a first-term representative from Oregons 5th Congressional District, which stretches from the edge of Portland to Bend, is bringing Liz Crandall, a Bend Forest Service Ranger who was among more than a dozen fired from the Deschutes National Forest, she said in a news release. And U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, who represents the coastal 1st Congressional District, will bring Arielle Kane, who was fired from her job at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Bonamicis press team announced. Kane grew up in Oregon, Bonamicis office said, and in her federal job focused on how Medicaid could improve health outcomes for pregnant mothers. Im not here to say everything is perfect in the U.S. health care system, but when you fire the people working on making it better, you arent going to fix anything, Kane said in a news release from Bonamicis office. Maternal health outcomes in the U.S. are the worst among high-income countries and gutting the team thats working to improve outcomes at lower costs wont make them any better. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden is skipping the presidents address. Wyden will instead host a virtual town hall Tuesday at 6 p.m. Sami Edge covers higher education and politics for The Oregonian. You can reach her at sedge@oregonian.com or (503) 260-3430. President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, March 3, 2025. (Pool via AP) AP President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night to highlight changes he has made since taking office six weeks ago. Among the areas he may cover are the cutbacks to the U.S. Agency for International Development. Some of Trumps recent statements on this topic, among others, have been false or misleading, including that the USAID spent millions of dollars for condoms in Gaza. Heres a look at the facts: Trump, during a bill signing ceremony Jan. 29, claimed that his administration had identified and stopped $50 million being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas. THE FACTS: Was USAID money used to buy condoms for Gaza? No. Trump appeared to be referring to a grant or grants that USAID awarded to the International Medical Corps to provide medical and trauma services in Gaza. But according to the IMC, No US government funding was used to procure or distribute condoms. The IMC said that it has received $68,078,508 from USAID to support its operations in Gaza since October 7, 2023. It said the resources were used to operate two large field hospitals currently located in central Gaza one in Deir Al Balah and one in Al Zawaida offering a combined capacity of more than 250 beds, including 20 in the emergency room and 170 in the surgical department. These facilities have provided around-the-clock medical care to about 33,000 civilians per month. USAIDs financial year 2023 report on contraceptive and condom shipments, the most recent data available, notes that only one Middle Eastern country, Jordan, received a small shipment of injectables and oral contraceptives valued at $45,680 for government programs only. This was USAIDs first shipment to the Middle East since financial year 2019. USAID reports from the first three-quarters of 2024 show the only family planning programs funded by the agency in the Middle East were in Jordan and Yemen. Associated Press writers Justin Spike in Budapest and Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this story. Fact Check 2025 What did Donald Trump say about Ukraine? Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck. Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden is skipping President Donald Trumps joint congressional address Tuesday to host a town hall with his constituents. He said in a press release that the town hall would give Oregonians a chance to ask questions and share their ideas during Trumps speech. In this unprecedented time in American history, my top priority is making sure Oregonians from every corner of our state can keep weighing in directly with me, said Wyden, who is well-known for hosting a town hall in each of Oregons 36 counties annually. The virtual town hall will begin at 6 p.m. PT. It can be streamed in the video player above or on Facebook. Oregonians who want to ask questions during the town hall can submit them in advance online by clicking here. Town halls hosted by members of Oregons congressional delegation have drawn big crowds in recent weeks amid moves from Trump to reduce the federal workforce and cut grants and federal programs. Other Democratic members of Oregons congressional delegation announced Monday that they would attend Trumps address, but planned to bring fired federal workers as their guests. Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley will also hold a virtual town hall Tuesday following Trumps address. That event can be streamed live on Merkleys Facebook and YouTube pages. Those interested in asking questions during the event can submit them online here. Jamie Goldberg oversees The Oregonian/OregonLives politics, education and homelessness coverage. She can be reached at jgoldberg@oregonian.com or 503-221-8228. You can find her on X at @jamiebgoldberg or Bluesky at @jamiebgoldberg.bsky.social. Hundreds of protesters descended on Portland City Hall around noon Tuesday to decry the Trump administration on the day the president is set to address Congress. Demonstrators then marched across the Hawthorne Bridge before looping back downtown, at times peacefully blocking traffic on their way to Pioneer Courthouse Square. As the crowd walked, it also seemed to grow, reaching an estimate of 1,000 people. The demonstration and march was organized by 50501 PDX, a local chapter of a loosely nationwide movement that has held protests across the country to stand against President Donald Trump and the tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has spearheaded wide-ranging cuts to the federal government. A Presidents Day protest last month drew more than 1,000 people downtown. Protests were also scheduled to take place Tuesday in Oregon cities such as Corvallis, Eugene and Medford. A protest in Salem had drawn about 300 people by around noon. In Portland, a mostly older crowd stood outside City Hall holding signs that spoke to the issues they cared about, including immigrant rights, rights for transgender people and climate change. Several had Ukraine flags draped on their shoulders in response to Trumps volatile exchange with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. Also in the crowd was 14-year-old Mawerdi Detorres of Sandy, who criticized Trump directly. I dont really feel like he should be running our country, the teen said. Organizers wrote in a news release that elected representatives are standing pat while Trump and Musk decimate the system of checks and balances which prohibits the executive branch from devolving into dictatorial rule. Last month, attorneys general from 14 states, including Oregon, challenged Musks authority and his Department of Government Efficiency in a lawsuit, asking a court to rule that his actions have no legal effect. Attorney General Day Rayfield had said in a statement that Elon Musks attempt to demolish key government systems has thrown everything into chaos. Oregons congressional lawmakers have held several town halls in the Portland area, fielding questions about how Trumps and Musks actions will affect Oregonians. The cuts to federal employment, grants and social welfare programs have also been a subject of frustration in rural Oregon, where federal dollars tend to have an outsized impact. Several Oregon Democrats say theyre bringing fired federal workers to Trumps address to Congress in Washington, D.C. We cannot continue to sleepwalk while 80 years of diplomacy, at the cost of 35 million lives, is undone, organizers wrote in a news release. The time to stand up is now, Portland. Zaeem Shaikh covers the Portland Police Bureau and criminal justice issues for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-221- 4323, zshaikh@oregonian.com or on X @zaeemshake Oregonian photojournalist Beth Nakamura contributed reporting. A meteorologist at Portland's National Weather Service office monitors weather conditions in the Portland metro area in 2024. Austin De Dios/The Oregonian/OregonLive The mass firing of employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration could have major consequences for Oregon. Oregon now has fewer federal employees studying the ocean, atmosphere, climate and weather, which could hamper research, hurt the economy and lead to, among other things, more dangerous fire seasons, according to several people with first-hand knowledge of the cuts. Four southern Oregon archeologists adept at unearthing the smallest of artifacts concealed for centuries have accepted a daunting task: To enter Los Angeles neighborhoods destroyed in the January wildfires and, carefully, compassionately, recover cremation urns that once rested inside homes that no longer exist. The team from Southern Oregon Universitys Laboratory of Anthropology in Ashland will use their scientific methods, skills and tools, and work with detection dogs Friday to Sunday to search for human ashes among layers of toxic ash. Surprisingly, their past efforts with the nonprofit Alta Heritage Foundation, founded in Santa Rosa after the 2017 Tubbs fire, have been successful. New technology, specialized training and pewter cremation identification tags have helped in recovery efforts. Still, the Oregon team will be facing physical challenges and whats called an injurious environment. Theres dust and chemicals in the fire ash, and twisted steel and unstable structural elements at the burned homesites. Unlike typical assignments, the archeologists will be performing a delicate mission while meeting with impacted families. The scientists are not trained social workers or therapists, but they will need to ask people to describe where the cremains were last seen. And they will need fire survivors to revisit the worst day of their lives. The work, called disaster archeology, is rewarding to the volunteers who said they feel they are providing a sense of hope in a bleak world. Its a surreal experience, said Keoni Diacamos, a field archaeologist with Southern Oregon University who has conducted the intricate recovery work. But the emotional cost for me is worth it when people are reunited with the cremains. Until then, they felt they had lost their loved one all over again. Diacamos will be riding in a van for 12 hours Wednesday to Los Angeles with Chelsea Rose, the university lab director, and staff field experts Finn Brake and Tyler Davis. Diacamos volunteered to recover cremains in the 2020 Almeda fire that roared through the Rogue Valley cities of Ashland, Talent and Phoenix. His latest mission is closer to home: His relatives lost their residence in the Eaton Fire in Altadena east of the Palisades fire. He said finding ashes among ashes is a little known but powerful act. Friends of fire victims might not understand the pain. But unless recovered, the ashes will be scooped up with debris and carried by trucks to a toxic waste dump. And the promise to a loved one that their ashes would be scattered someplace sentimental and scenic is broken. One person Diacamos helped who lost a home in the Almeda fire painted do not remove, human remains on the front of a storage unit to prevent the burned-out shell from being cleared. The person was given a citation for vandalism. Losing cremains is tragic and traumatizing, Diacamos said. On top of everything else people are mourning, they are haunted that they didnt think to take the ashes as they were fleeing. Consoling, digging, decontaminating On Monday, Rose and others from the Southern Oregon team were in her university office, strategizing about what they will need to be safe in Los Angeles while carefully sifting through fire ash with shovels, trowels and buckets. They will pack Tyvek protective clothing, safety respirators and other personal equipment. Also going into the van: Methods to decontaminate boots and tools exposed to asbestos and lithium at the fire sites. They dont want to track toxins into a vehicle or a home. Rose was also waiting Monday to see the map of where the team will work, based on family requests to the Alta Heritage Foundation and approval from local authorities. Nikki Hart-Brinkley of Green Top Planning, Development, Research in Ashland is providing a detailed Geographic Information Systems map to homesites without a visible address. The team also knows the clock is ticking. They had to wait for the land to be safe, no longer flammable, but they need to complete their job before the final clean up and the rebuilding process begins. The university lab and archeological firms are accustomed to working ahead of construction crews. They are called in when ground is broken to ensure cultural resources, Native American sites and historic land are documented. For five years, university lab staffers have also been volunteering with the Alta Heritage Foundation, founded to fill the previously unrecognized need to find cremated remains, collect research information and train archaeologists in the exacting, taxing work. The foundation estimates 10% of homes lost in a fire contained cremains. Rose has worked on homesites where there were several lost urns. Since 2017, the Alta Heritage Foundation said it has mobilized more than 250 volunteer archaeologists and specially trained canine teams from across the Western United States to assist with recovery efforts in the aftermath of 18 wildfire disasters in California and Oregon. With the increase of wildfire frequency, scale and severity, the foundation needs more help. Rose said people can make tax-deductible donations of funds or supplies to the Alta Heritage Foundation. Another important way to help: Share information about the free service with communities affected by wildfires. Rose said she was once skeptical about finding ashes within ashes. But her experience as an archeologist and a volunteer has informed how she protects her grandmothers cremains. She has seen keepsake containers burn and metal vessels liquify the contents. What survives, she said, from ancient times to today are ceramics. Her grandmothers ashes rest at Roses home in a ceramic urn. Janet Eastman covers design and trends. Reach her at 503-294-4072, jeastman@oregonian.com and follow her on X @janeteastman. With all 100 seats in the House of Delegates and three statewide offices on the ballot this year, Virginia Republicans are navigating internal disagreements that could shape the partys strategy heading into a pivotal election cycle. Tensions between the 5th Congressional District leadership and the Republican Party of Virginia have resurfaced, highlighting broader divisions within the state GOP. The latest salvo in the intra-party battle came in the form of an open letter, signed by six Republican officials from the hardline conservative 5th District including Chairman Rick Buchanan and five members of the State Central Committee. The letter, sent to the committee last month, takes aim at the 80-member bodys Executive Committee, which, during a Dec. 8 meeting, attempted to penalize four local GOP officials by banning them from leadership roles for two years. The officials were ousted in September for refusing to sign a renewed locality pledge of loyalty to former state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland, the partys congressional nominee, who went on to win the Nov. 5 election. As we step into a new year, it is vital to reflect on past actions, recognize missteps, and consider how we can position our party for success, the letter reads. Leadership requires not only vision but also wisdom the ability to guide, not punish, and to inspire, not alienate. One recent decision by party leadership warrants serious discussion. At issue is a requirement for party officials to reaffirm their support for McGuire following his victory over U.S. Rep. Bob Good, R-Farmville, in last years bruising primary. The demand, framed as a reaffirmation statement, sparked outrage among some 5th District Republicans, who viewed it as an unprecedented and punitive measure. Has there ever been such a demand in the history of our party? the letter continues. Have party members, after vigorously supporting a candidate in a primary, ever been forced to sign a statement of loyalty? The conflict first flared up in June, when 25 GOP officials from the district signed a letter urging then-presidential nominee Donald Trump to reconsider his endorsement of McGuire and instead back Good, the then-chairman of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and a staunch Trump ally who had fallen out of Trumps good graces after endorsing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary. That act of defiance by some of the districts Republican leadership set off months of tension that culminated in September when each of the 25 officials was asked to sign the renewed pledge. Five refused, arguing they had previously pledged their support for the Republican nominee ahead of the June 18 primary election. As a result, four were stripped off their titles while one submitted his resignation. Rich Anderson, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, defended the initial reaffirmation requirement but acknowledged that the State Central Committee ultimately determined that banning the four officials from leadership roles for two years was excessive. However, for Buchanan and his allies, the issue remains far from resolved. Their letter criticizes what they see as an attempt to humiliate, ostracize, and ultimately expel certain members from leadership for political retribution. They argue that internal divisions, if left unchecked, could weaken the party heading into a critical election year. We must ask ourselves: Did these actions help us elect more Republicans? the letter reads. Did they energize our base? Did they serve to strengthen our party? The answer is a resounding no. Such divisive tactics do not build a winning coalition; they discourage participation, suppress enthusiasm, and fracture the unity we so desperately need. Buchanan clarified with the Virginia Mercury later that the purpose of the letter was not to further divide, but unite the party in order to replicate the 2021 victory of Republican gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin, who flipped Virginia red by increasing turnout in the deeply Republican districts in Southside and Southwest Virginia. They are attacking the red counties via us, and yet theyve got the governor telling them thats where we need to win elections, that we need to get more people in the red counties out to vote, Buchanan said, referring to the partys state leadership. If Republicans want to win back the majorities in the state legislature and ensure a victory for Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the partys presumptive gubernatorial nominee, they need to come up with a message and reach into the homes of the folks that are my neighbors, Buchanan said. Thats the only way, thats what Youngkin did, and he did it very well. He pushed it, he had a bus tour in Southside and Southwest Virginia, and he came to see us, which is almost unheard of. Youre not going to turn those Democrats, but you can get the people out around here that dont normally vote except in presidential elections. [But] they are attacking us for something that nobody has ever heard of, they are running people away from the party, they are splitting the party, and Im very concerned about that. A threat to Earle-Sears campaign John Massoud, chairman of the 6th District GOP Committee, also weighed in on the controversy, taking issue with the State Central Committees disciplinary measures. As a person intimately familiar with what happened in the 5th Congressional District, I vehemently disagreed with the RPVs insistence that people who did not sign a second loyalty oath be removed, he said. My opinion is once you sign the loyalty oath, unless you have broken it, theres no need to sign a second. Massoud emphasized that in his district, where U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, R-Botetourt, faced no primary challenge last year, such disputes did not arise. RPV respects us and we respect RPV, we work well together, and sometimes we agree to disagree, and I think a disagreement is not a bad thing, he said. While Massoud said he believes free speech and open debate strengthen the party, he remains firm in his opposition to how the committee handled the 5th District situation. I vehemently disagree with how RPV handled whatever happened in that district with those few people who didnt sign a second loyalty oath. It wasnt needed, and RPV knows my opinion on this. Ongoing Republican divisions even if not a widespread issue could threaten Earle-Sears path to the governors mansion, warned David Richards, a political science professor at the University of Lynchburg. She now faces two challengers in this June's primary: former Del. Dave LaRock and former state Sen. Amanda Chase. In 2021, Youngkin unified the party by focusing on broad conservative issues like parental school choice, appealing to both moderates and the far right. At the time, the MAGA wing was still recovering from Trumps loss, and election denialism had not yet become a party loyalty test. That unity boosted GOP turnout in rural areas, helping Youngkin offset Democratic strength in Northern Virginia, Richards said. The 2025 election presents a different challenge, Richards added. With the GOP in control of the federal government, Democrats will be more motivated to vote, making party unity even more critical for Republicans. If the far right sits out, either due to frustration with Virginias GOP leadership or opposition to Earle-Sears, her path to victory narrows significantly. Earle-Sears will need a united party behind her to counter what is sure to be a very united Democratic Party, Richards said. Clashes in Suffolk And the 5th District isnt the only place where local Republicans are clashing over party control and loyalty tests. In Suffolk, GOP infighting reached a boiling point in 2023 when the 2nd Congressional District GOP Committee took the extraordinary step of dissolving the citys entire Republican committee, erasing a 156-member organization that had been growing its conservative base. The controversy began during the Republican nomination fight for Senate District 17, when then-Suffolk GOP Chair Dawn Jones filed a lawsuit against the Virginia Department of Elections and the State Board of Elections. Jones alleged that the state agencies improperly changed the nomination contest from a party-run convention to a primary election, a move she claimed was designed to benefit then-Del. Emily Jordan, R-Suffolk, who was backed by Youngkin, over former NASCAR driver Hermie Sadler. A court eventually ruled in favor of a state-run primary, and Jordan went on to win the GOP nomination and the general election that year. Jones believes the lawsuit put a target on the Suffolk Republican Committee, particularly as it had allowed Sadler to speak at its meetings a move she argues was simply in line with party rules, since Jordan was also given the opportunity but chose not to attend. She was the chosen one, Jones told the Virginia Mercury. Shortly after the lawsuit, tensions escalated when the Suffolk committee debated censuring then-House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, for his refusal to introduce legislation the committee wanted. Instead of removing Jones, the 2nd District GOP Committee took the unprecedented step of dissolving the entire Suffolk Republican Committee. The panel later appointed a former committee chair to lead a reconstituted Suffolk GOP. Jones and her allies appealed the decision to the State Central Committee, which upheld it by a majority vote. She claims the move was a calculated purge of strong conservative voices, particularly those seen as too independent of Richmonds GOP leadership. I have come to realize that their objective isnt to win, its to control, Jones said. And thats really the way that I view this. Jones argued that Virginia GOP leadership is handpicking candidates behind the scenes, manipulating the process to ensure their preferred individuals secure nominations. According to her, party insiders create an environment where members feel pressured to fall in line, and those who refuse to endorse the chosen candidates face retaliation. She also claimed that party operatives disrupt local GOP meetings, stirring division and chaos to weaken independent-minded committees. They have what we call disruptors present inside of our meetings, and they will continue to create havoc, Jones said, adding that she believes this strategy is designed to fracture committees from within, turning members against leadership to justify removals. In the case of the Suffolk GOP Committee, Jones alleged that party leaders fabricated rule violations to justify its dissolution, specifically because the committee was seen as too independent. They try to separate the unit, she said. They try to create so much chaos within your local unit that they either are going to try to get people to go against you as a chairman or, in our case, because we had a very strong unit, they fabricated rules that we may have supposedly broken to basically get rid of us as a unit. She also said that before its removal, the Suffolk GOP had been an effective, growing force within the party. We were 156 people strong. We were making strides. We had moved the needle to the conservative way here in Suffolk by five percent. Thats significant. Since weve been dissolved, and they put this other group back in charge, they have lost all those gains, she said. As a consequence, many conservative voters in Suffolk now feel alienated from the political process, believing that GOP leadership is rigging the system to favor establishment-backed candidates, Jones said. Ive run into people who dont want to show up because they feel the process has been rigged and that its already set. They dont like the candidates that have been picked, and theyre not going to show up to vote for them. However, Anderson, the RPV chair, pushed back against the allegations and defended the decision to dissolve the Suffolk committee, arguing that the panel was dysfunctional and had become a roadblock to GOP success. Our job is to elect Republicans, not punish Republicans, Anderson said, referencing the Suffolk committees potential plan to reprimand Gilbert over legislative decisions. He emphasized that lawmakers answer to all voters in their jurisdiction, not just local party activists. Anderson also said multiple GOP candidates had complained that the Suffolk committee was not working cooperatively with campaigns and was instead undermining party efforts. He also strongly denied claims that state party leadership manipulates nomination processes or favors certain candidates over others. He insisted that the state GOP remains neutral in contested primaries and does not engage in efforts to anoint preferred candidates. The Republican Party of Virginia does not push any candidates, we dont run any candidates, he said. Candidates step forward on their own and seek the nomination on their own. We dont sponsor candidates, nor do I or other leaders at the Republican Party of Virginia endorse or even privately indicate who we think the nominees should be in a given nomination contest. Instead, Anderson emphasized that the partys role is to act as a neutral arbiter, ensuring that nomination contests are fair and conducted according to party rules. Our job is to remain as the honest broker, enforce party rule and ensure a level playing field so everyone gets an equal crack, he said. While Jones and other conservatives believe Youngkins endorsements influenced nomination battles, Anderson defended the governors involvement, arguing that it is separate from the partys official role. He is the leader of our party, Anderson said of Youngkin. Hes elected to make tough decisions. Hes in a position where I think he can assess the electability of a given candidate, but one of the things he does not do is enforce party rules. Anderson maintained that accusations of backroom maneuvering and forced candidate selection were unfounded, portraying the Suffolk GOPs removal as a necessary step to restore party order in a unit that was working against Republican interests rather than for them. The necessity to take an extreme action of this sort is rare, Anderson said. In fact, the Suffolk reconstitution is the only time that theres been a reconstitution in the five years that Ive been the state party chairman. This story was originally published in the Virginia Mercury. The OU Latin Dance Club offers weekly classes for dancers of all levels with the goal to connect and teach the community. The club provides classes with an intimate community that curates a comfortable environment to learn a Latin dance. Classes move fast enough to be challenging but have frequent check-ins from the instructor. The class teaches both dance moves and terms. The instructor leads the class in learning the steps before turning on music to practice the moves, and the executive team attends each class and offers encouragement. The Latin Dance Club was founded fall 2008. The club has grown since, having more members and classes. In 2020, the club began teaching classes online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name When major news breaks + a few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing... America Gaviria, Latin Dance Club president, said she is determined to keep the passion of the club alive. Gaviria is a doctoral candidate for the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability and a graduate research assistant at the Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis. She found the Latin Dance Club when she came to OU to get her masters and started attending the classes. Gaviria is also working to expand the OU Latin Dance Club community. Just trying to make ourselves known within, not only the Norman community, but within the OU campus as well, Gaviria said. Gaviria is from Puerto Rico, so Latin Dance Club classes make her feel like she has a connection to home and a way to decompress. According to Gaviria, the classes are rewarding despite challenges. (There is) kind of a gratification of seeing students actually learning and enjoying the learning process, Gaviria said. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the club hosted the Latin Ball Fiesta. The event typically included free food, live music and a dance lesson and was open to the Norman community. In the coming years, Gaviria hopes to bring it back. As the clubs president, Gaviria works closely with dance instructors. Our instructors have a lot of years of training and experience in teaching Latin dance, Gaviria said. Gaviria's advice for newcomers: Don't be afraid. It's definitely a completely safe environment, there's no judging. Everyone is super helpful amongst each other, and you don't need any experience to do it, Gaviria said. NO PAYWALL, NONPARTISAN Students pay about $14 in fees that support the Daily. If you're not a student, please join those invested in OU and Norman who have given more than $110,000 to support our trustworthy, independent journalism. SUPPORT OUR LOCAL JOURNALISM Gaviria was the only executive officer for a year before Wyatt Pauli joined her. Pauli, the clubs vice president, is a psychology senior attending OU to earn his masters in social work. When he was a junior, he began looking for extracurricular activities. After enjoying a ballroom dance workshop as a Camp Crimson small group leader, Pauli joined the Latin Dance Club. I was so passionate about the experience that I had that I wanted other people to get to continue that experience as well, and I was afraid that wasnt gonna happen if I didnt step in, Pauli said. Though he initially found the classes difficult, Pauli continued to practice. Dancing is more like one of those hobbies thats like delayed gratification, rather than something that youre gonna instantly probably enjoy, Pauli said. Since joining the organization, Pauli has worked to support the goals of Latin Dance Club. I would say the hardest part has been trying to find something thats sustainable financially for us, said Pauli. Pauli hopes the club becomes a nationwide organization with chapters at different colleges. The Latin Dance Club is open to both OU students and the general public. The club's goal is to share Latin culture and dance with the community. Its open to just any background of person, Pauli said. Its not exclusive to any specific culture or anything. Its a very welcoming environment. Its really catered to anybody interested in the culture and dancing. Ruth Sanchez, the clubs social media executive, is a health and exercise science junior, and she had experience with Latin dance before joining the club. She and Pauli met at a ballroom dance class and decided to attend a Latin Dance Club class. Through social media and advertising, Sanchez shows the community she has found in the Latin Dance Club. The friends, you know, the connections we make. I feel like it feels like a Latin dance family, Sanchez said. The Latin Dance Clubs classes are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in Cross D Studio. Classes are open to the community and no experience or partner is needed. Beginner classes are free to OU students with an OU ID. Membership prices for OU students and others vary for each class. More information can be found on the club's Instagram and Facebook. This story was edited by Madisson Cameron. Gretchen Schultz and Grace Rhodes copy edited this story. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) wrote he is in contact with the Trump administration about the value of the National Weather Center Tuesday afternoon. In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Cole wrote, as a resident of Moore, he understands firsthand the importance of the National Weather Center in Norman. The center saves lives by alerting the American people when a tornado, hurricane, or any other severe storm is coming their way, Cole wrote. Therefore, my staff and I are in contact with the Administration to ensure that they understand how valuable and vital the National Weather Center is especially with storm season right around the corner. NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name When major news breaks + a few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing... Cole wrote he is confident that once all the facts are known, the National Weather Center will remain operational in Oklahoma. On Thursday, an unspecified number of employees and OU meteorology students with roles at the National Weather Center were laid off as part of a nationwide mass layoff strategy by DOGE. An anonymous source who works for NOAAs Norman location told OU Daily they estimated roughly 15 to 20 employees were laid off in Norman. NO PAYWALL, NONPARTISAN Students pay about $14 in fees that support the Daily. If you're not a student, please join those invested in OU and Norman who have given more than $110,000 to support our trustworthy, independent journalism. SUPPORT OUR LOCAL JOURNALISM On Monday, the lease for the Radar Operations Center in Norman, one of two weather forecasting centers, was canceled. The Radar Operations Center is a centralized hub for technicians and researchers to work on improving and repairing weather radar. OU Daily reached out to NOAA Thursday for a statement regarding the layoffs and if the cuts would impact the issuance of severe weather alerts. A spokesperson for NOAA wrote in an email that, according to long-standing practice, the agency does not discuss internal personnel and management matters. NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nations environmental and economic resilience, the spokesperson wrote. We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission. This story was edited by Peggy Dodd. Like many a few weeks ago, Travis Pettit was taking advantage of the three-day weekend because of Presidents Day at his home in Stanley. Then the call came around noon. It was a federal holiday. I was running some errands, and my supervisor called my personal cellphone, said Pettit. She said, Hey, you know, Im calling to give you an informal heads-up that we received a list of probationary employees who are being terminated and your name is on them. Pettit said his supervisor at the Federal Emergency Management Agency was very upset about the situation. She informed me that they did not have input into this decision. It came from senior FEMA leadership, he said. And she was just basically exacerbated, just angry at the situation, because she knew that my performance evaluations were outstanding and they did not want to lose me, but they had no say in the matter. Pettit was told to expect an email with his formal termination that night, along with all of his separation paperwork. The next day, Pettit would have to send his company laptop and phone back to FEMA, who provided a shipping label for the process. Pettit was one of the many probationary employees at FEMA who got fired on Presidents Day. The agency dismissed about 200 employees, according to National Public Radio and, ironically, just last year, the agency reported staffing shortages. The layoffs, led by billionaire tech tycoon Elon Musk under the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, have primarily targeted probationary employees those with a year or less on the job according to States Newsrooms D.C. Bureau. University of Virginia School of Law professor Rip Verkerke has a few thoughts on the massive firings happening throughout the federal government. The Trump administrations strategy, guided by Elon Musks DOGE team, strikes me as chaotic, cruel, and counter-productive, Verkerke said in an email. As many people have observed, we are seeing many echoes of Musks indiscriminate termination of employees at Twitter after he purchased the company. He currently faces a number of lawsuits challenging some of those terminations and particularly alleging that his company failed to pay promised severance benefits. Civil servants are typically granted statutory protections against termination, depending on their job classification and tenure, Verkerke said. So far, it appears that the administration has principally targeted probationary employees for mass terminations, he said. These workers are comparatively vulnerable because they dont receive full civil service job protection until they have served for at least one year. The fact that they are being mandated by White House officials who have no meaningful contact with the agency workers, and the patently false statements contained in at least some of the termination notices may provide some legal grounds for these employees to challenge their firing. Pettit was an instructional systems specialist at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, which operates under FEMA. He developed specialized training courses for firefighters. I was still in my probationary period, he said. I was hired in March of 2024, so I was about three weeks shy of being out of that probationary period when I was terminated. Probation periods vary by position and agency but typically last at least a year. Employees are expected to transition to either a career or career-conditional appointment based on performance. Since his termination, Pettit has been considering his next steps, including the possibility of contesting FEMAs decision. It basically said something to the effect of Because youre a probationary employee, you have not demonstrated that your performance warrants further employment or is in the publics interest, and youre being separated as of tomorrow, he said. After researching his options, Pettit came across a sample response letter online. I had found a sample letter on Reddit which told me they couldnt possibly be actually assessing our performance individually if Im a high performer, and Im getting this form letter that everybody else is getting, he said. So I typed up my response, which said, Hey, youre making these unfounded claims about me. I would like documentation. If you can provide notices that I allegedly received regarding my performance or performance improvement plans, but I want an explanation for this. He never received a reply. Pettit filed a claim with the Office of Special Counsel, the federal agency that investigates terminations of civil servants. The office has agreed to take on his case. Meanwhile, multiple lawsuits challenging the Trump administrations mass firings of federal employees have emerged, according to the Public Broadcasting Service. Pettit has also started the process of applying for unemployment benefits. I did go ahead and file basically the next day after I found out I was getting laid off just because I didnt know how long any of these processes were gonna take, he said. I am in the process of searching for work and submitting everything I need to the unemployment office. Its been a difficult week. Unemployment benefit claims in Virginia More than 144,000 federal civil workers live in Virginia, according to a 2024 report put out by the Congressional Research Service. However, for those federal employees who have been terminated and are thinking about possibly applying for unemployment benefits, they need to understand which state to fill out the forms in, according to Mitch Melis, commissioner of the Virginia Employment Commission, or VEC. The only individuals that are going to file in Virginia are people that worked in Virginia, Melis said. So if you worked in D.C. and thats where your duty station was, youre filing in D.C. If your duty station was in Maryland, youre filing in Maryland. The federal government determines an employees duty station, Melis added. Despite the thousands of Virginia-based federal employees, the number of filed claims has not shot up, said Melis. When the Virginia Mercury interviewed Melis last week, Virginias unemployment rate for the last week of January remained unchanged. He noted that the VEC does not track claims by job type. We dont report on a person by person. The unemployment numbers are kind of consolidated and then theyre broken down, Melis said. So we dont currently have a breakout specific for federal employees. However, he added, The majority of these jobs that were seeing thus far seem to be based in D.C. Nationally, unemployment claims did rise, according to figures released by the Department of Labor on Feb. 27. The DOL reported that in the week ending Feb. 22 was 242,000, an increase of 22,000 from the previous weeks revised level. The previous weeks report, for the week of Feb. 22 from the DOL showed an increase of 5,000 from the previous weeks revised level thats a jump of 17,000 claims. Claims from federal workers also rose, from 613 to 614. Last year at this time, the number was 337. Melis said his office typically sees seasonal spikes in unemployment during this time of year. We are not seeing a correlation at the moment between the federal workforce transitions and changes that are happening and the unemployment rate, he said. We typically see a seasonal spike right at this time of year every single year. And thats typically a result of post-holiday layoffs, winter slowdowns. The latest report for Virginia, released Feb. 27, even showed a slight decline in claims: 2,473 unemployment insurance weekly initial claims were filed during the week ending February 22, 2025, which is 14.7% lower than last weeks 2,899 claims and 23.9% higher than the comparable week of last year (1,996). Melis said the VEC is monitoring the numbers weekly and emphasized that claim fluctuations depend on when and if people file. If unemployment claims rise, the agency is prepared. I do want to reiterate that in no way are we taking it lightly, he said. We certainly understand the impact it has, which is why we have quickly made some adjustments to our website. Virginia currently has a very large number of jobs available 290,000 jobs available currently for individuals to be able to transition to. The VEC is also creating instructional videos to guide federal employees through the application process, outlining required documentation and eligibility criteria. Our focus at the moment is truly preparing for those that may be impacted. And we are prepared to provide as much support as we can for anyone thats impacted, Melis said. We certainly understand its a time that theyre going through, but our job is to be prepared with the state resources that we have. And thats what were in a position to do and well be continuing to do. Youngkins response Amid the initial wave of DOGE-led firings, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin defended Trumps actions while expressing concern for those feeling anxious about the job cuts. At the same time, he said that his administration was developing a plan to assist federal workers. That plan was unveiled last month as an online job hub. The initiative promises an estimated 250,000 new jobs across Virginias public and private sectors. For those employees who may be thinking about other options, Verkerke said there may be some hope. He said the way DOGE is operating will turn out to be illegal. Federal employees who object to those actions or who report those actions to appropriate authorities may be able to raise whistleblowing claims against the agency that fires them, said Verkerke. Specific statutory protections vary, but it would be no surprise to find that some Trump appointees have retaliated against federal employees for protected activity. Although Verkeke said the current situation is so fluid that its difficult to predict what claims may succeed. However, one fact is undeniable. The Trump administrations actions are utterly without prior precedent, he said. This story was originally published in the Virginia Mercury. AF&PA Says Tariffs Could Disrupt Paper Industry's Complex, Cross-Border Supply Chains "...AF&PA remains concerned that today's new North American tariffs have potential to seriously disrupt our industry's complex, cross-border supply chains." Heidi Brock, President and CEO of AF&PA. "...AF&PA remains concerned that today's new North American tariffs have potential to seriously disrupt our industry's complex, cross-border supply chains." Heidi Brock, President and CEO of AF&PA. March 4, 2025 - The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump's announcement of 25% tariffs on all products from Canada and Mexico and related retaliatory measures: "While we recognize the Administration's goals of securing our borders, AF&PA remains concerned that today's new North American tariffs have potential to seriously disrupt our industry's complex, cross-border supply chains. These manufacturing processes have been built and refined with the customer in mind around existing mill infrastructure for decades. "Pulp and paper mills are strategically located across the United States to efficiently and sustainably create essential products for everyday use. From turning wood chips into pulp, pulp into base stock, and then transforming that raw material into a product that is then packaged for distribution, our industry's manufacturing process involves many stages that can each happen at different facilities on both sides of the border. "Additionally, certain raw material inputs must be sourced from Canada due to specific fiber quality demands and transportation efficiencies. "The U.S. forest products industry employs more than 925,000 people, largely in rural communities across the country. We rely on Canada and Mexico as key trading partners and strongly encourage them to continue addressing concerns raised by the U.S. government. We look forward to continued conversations with the Administration to highlight our industry's contributions to the American economy and workforce in an effort to avoid longer term disruption to U.S. pulp, paper and packaging manufacturing operations." About AF&PA The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance U.S. paper and wood products manufacturers through fact-based public policy and marketplace advocacy. The forest products industry is circular by nature. AF&PA member companies make essential products from renewable and recycle resources, generate renewable bioenergy and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry's sustainability initiative Better Practices, Better Planet 2030: Sustainable Products for a Sustainable Future. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 5% of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures about $350 billion in products annually and employs about 925,000 people. The industry meets a payroll of about $65 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 43 states. SOURCE: AF&PA Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed a new executive order on Monday that strengthens paid parental leave for state employees. The order grants six additional weeks of paid leave for "childbirth recovery" or eight weeks for employees who gave birth via a cesarean section, which benefits new mothers. Braun's signing of the executive order signals his openness to taking future actions in the private sector. Increased Paid Parental Leave During the signing of the new executive order, the Indiana governor said that under the previous provisions, new mothers struggled to get time off to recover from the physical toll of childbirth. They typically did this by combining maternity leave with six sick days and reducing their salary while on medical leave. The new policy applies to full-time and part-time employees as well as staff who lose a child in utero at 20 weeks or more. Braun added that the unexpected loss of a baby is a difficult thing to endure and process for a mother, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle. Braun noted that he is using the executive order to help new mothers because he wants the state of Indiana to give them time off to recover. The governor also scheduled the executive order signing for Saturday, International Women's Day. The latest development also expands Indiana's current paid parental leave of four weeks for new parents who have been employed for at least six months. Braun removed the six-month requirement, but newer employees get less time off and "must" agree to work for one full year following their return. Benefits of Having More Time Off The benefits of paid parental leave are not only to give families more time to spend together but also to have other benefits. Experts have observed that mothers who are on paid leave show fewer cases of postpartum depression and quicker recovery times, WNDU reported. Dr. Michelle Migliore from the St. Joseph County Department of Health said that paid maternity leave gives mothers a sense of peace of mind, allowing them to relax a bit more. This means they do not have to worry about whether they will pay their bills on time or how they will take care of their child. Braun said in a statement that strong families are the cornerstone of strong communities, which means that they must have quality time for their newest members. He added that employers should do everything they can to accommodate their employees' needs when they become new parents, as per Fox59. Tomorrow Tuesday Im slated to spend a significant amount of the day interviewing Ron Esplin on camera. He currently serves as a general editor of The Joseph Smith Papers and as director of the Brigham Young Center. Ill be interviewing him for the docudrama portion of the overall Six Days in August project, a series of short features that were calling Becoming Brigham. So yesterday, in preparation for the interview, I reread Ronald K. Esplin, Authority, Keys, and the Measures of Joseph: A Detailed Exploration of 1844 Succession, in Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, ed., Joseph Smith: A Life Lived in Crescendo (Orem: The Interpreter Foundation and Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2024), 745-882. It builds upon his important earlier article, Ronald K. Esplin, Joseph, Brigham and the Twelve: A Succession of Continuity, BYU Studies 21/3 (1981): 301-341, and it is an extremely significant piece. Something that has saddened me greatly over the past few years has been hearing certain members of the Church active Latter-day Saints! badmouthing Brigham Young and even rejecting him and the Twelve as legitimate successors to the leadership of the Saints following the murders of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Their attitudes astonish me. Some persons have gone so far as to allege that John Taylor and Willard Richards were the actual killers of the Prophet and the Patriarch, on Brigham Youngs orders! Happily, Ron Esplins article offers a powerful corrective to such misguided views. Among other things, he demonstrates on the basis of abundant documentation how faithful and loyal Brigham and the Twelve were to Joseph Smith. I will share here a few more of the many passages from the article that I marked as I was going through it. During remarks given at a special conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 8 September 1844, Brigham Young addressed an audience of approximately 7,000 Saints. Recent events, he said, reminded him of Pauls lament that some were for Paul, some for Apollos, some for Cephus, and some for Christ. He thought that, among those present that day, some were for Lyman Wight, some for James Emmett, some for Sidney Rigdon, and I suppose some for the Twelve. He wanted all to speak their minds: The business of the day will result in this thing: all those who are for Joseph and Hyrum [who had been martyred about a month and a half before], the Book of Mormon, book of Doctrine and Covenants, the Temple and Josephs measures, and for the Twelve; they being one party; will be called upon to manifest their principles openly and boldly. (813) As Ron Esplin summarizes Brighams remarks, He intended to know those who wish to tarry and build up the city and build the Temple, and carry out the measures and revelations of our martyred prophet but opposite parties shall enjoy the same liberty. Those who believe Sidney Rigdon is the man to be the first president and the leader of this people should show their principles as boldly, and be as decided as they are in their secret meetings and private councils. (813) In Brighams view, the stakes were extremely high, and he knew on which side he would stand: If there are not more than ten men who hang on to the truth, and to Joseph and the Temple, and are willing to do right in all things, let me be one of that number. If there should be but ten left, and their lives should be threatened; threatened with destruction by mobs, the Temple not be built, &c., because they are determined to do right, let me be one that is martyred for the truth. (813-814) At the October 1844 general conference of the Church the first to be held after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith and, thus, the first to be conducted under the leadership of Brigham Young and the Twelve, Brigham announced it as a test of our fellowship to believe and confess that Joseph lived and died a prophet of God in good standing. None should fellowship the Twelve, he insisted, who says that Joseph is fallen. . . . On the second day, before conducting business . . . the Saints sustained the motion of Heber Kimball that we as a church endeavor to carry out the principles and measures . . . laid down by Joseph Smith . . . praying Almighty God to help us to do it. Brigham Young then explained that this vote signified that we receive and acknowledge Joseph Smith as a Prophet of God; being called of God and maintaining his integrity and acceptance [with God] until death. (831) On this same theme, I call your attention to the remarks that Gerrit Dirkmaat presented at the Interpreter Foundations eleventh birthday party back in August 2023, under the title Sweeter than Honey: Brigham Youngs Devotion to Joseph Smiths Teachings After the Martyrdom. The video runs about forty-nine minutes: Gerrit Dirkmaat Remarks at Interpreter Foundations Eleventh Birthday We are scheduled to record an interview with Professor Dirkmaat on Wednesday. Up just today on the website of the static and never-changing but plainly declining Interpreter Foundation: Interpreter Radio Show February 23, 2025, including Doctrine and Covenants in Context: D&C 23-26 For the 23 February 2025 episode of the Interpreter Radio Show, the hosts were Steve Densley, John Thompson, and Kris Frederickson, with special guest Blake Ostler. They discussed Blakes recent article in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship and Come, Follow Me Doctrine & Covenants lesson 12. Their conversation was recorded, edited to remove commercial interruptions, and archived, and is now made available to you at your convenience, for no charge. The Interpreter Radio Show can be heard each and every week on Sunday evenings from 7 to 9 PM (MDT), on K-TALK, AM 1640, or you can listen live on the Internet at ktalkmedia.com. Im very surprised, but (contrary to my expectations) the 2021 Interpreter Foundation theatrical film Witnesses seems to be still available for free streaming. I expect that its availability will end very soon but, just between you and me, Im not at all unhappy that someone appears, thus far at least, to have neglected to put a stop to it. I hope that youll take the opportunity to see the film. Even if, as some of my critics did, youve already negatively reviewed it. Speed and availability One of the main reasons for backing up important data is that it can be readily recovered in the event of an outage, data breach, ransomware, or loss. However, while cloud backups are convenient for day-to-day stuff like individual files or folders, theyre dreadfully slow when it comes to restoring large swaths of data after a catastrophic loss. Downloading several terabytes of data from a cloud provider can take hours or even days, depending on the speed of your connection. A local drive, on the other hand, can transfer data way faster and gives you more options on how to actually access that data over your network, with a USB cable, or even installing directly into your PC. Think about it. Why do cloud backup companies like BackBlaze offer restore-by-mail programs, where they ship out a hard drive or flash drive with your data on it, which you can then return for a refund? Its just plain faster and more secure than going over the internet. Backblaze Local storage also means your data is always available. Even if you have an ultra-fast internet connection, theres nothing you can do if you experience an internet outage, nor can you do anything if your cloud provider goes down for any reason. Services may promise 99.9 percent uptime, but that 0.1 percent is always there and according to Murphys law, itll go down when you most need it. In July 2024, the infamous CrowdStrike disaster took down Windows computers across the world, rendering many sites and services inoperable for extended periods. Similarly, outages at AWS, Azure, Cloudflare, Google, et al. have killed entire chunks of the internet until issues could be addressed. And lets not forget that cloud services can go down permanently and you could lose all your data overnight. Is it likely? Maybe not, especially with giants like Google and Microsoft. Theyll probably give you some kind of heads up but even so, scrambling to clone all your data before some arbitrary deadline could be a pain. Not so if you maintain local backups, at least of your most important files and folders. Cloud backups are here to stay, Im not arguing that. Cloud backups are good to have as one of several options. Local backups are still important because you never know when cloud backups wont be there for you. The only way to guarantee your data is available when you need it? Store it locally on premises. How fast is too fast for a monitor? If you ask Samsung, then 500 refreshes every second still isnt too fast for PC gaming. Thats the speed of the latest OLED monitor panel the company is showing off in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress 2025. The 27-inch 1440p display is aimed right at the sweet spot for PC gamers. Meanwhile, Samsung is also showing off 240Hz OLEDs for laptops. Samsungs Display division is demonstrating these new OLED panels independently of Samsungs mobile hardware at the show, which is interesting since MWC is generally an event laser-focused on smartphones and other small devices. Among many other OLED panels, the most compelling offering for PC gamers is definitely the worlds first 500Hz QD-OLED monitor. Thats only a hair faster than the current 480Hz record for OLEDs, while still lagging behind the fastest LCDs on the market. OLED is turning more heads for monitor upgrades at the moment, thanks to its vibrant colors and perfect contrast. Samsung is also showing off a 15.6-inch 240Hz OLED for laptops, pushing the tech into a faster format for gaming machines, which still mainly rely on LCD panels for their higher refresh rates. Yet while OLEDs look great, faster OLED panels could complicate matters for a laptop that needs to mind its power efficiency. Note that these announcements come from Samsung Display, the division that provides OEM hardware to other companies. While it seems almost inevitable that these OLED panels will appear in some Samsung products later this year or in early 2026 its also likely youll see these Samsung panels in monitors and laptops from other companies, too. Samsungs biggest rival, fellow South Korean megacorp LG, is probably paying attention as it also supplies OLED panels to many other companies, including monitor and laptop manufacturers. Authorities in western Pennsylvania are searching for a man who was accidentally released from the Washington County Jail in December. Samuel Valle, 20, of Monessen, who has been charged with attempted homicide and other offenses, failed to show up for a court hearing last week, according to WPXI and WTAE. It was only during that hearing that the Washington County District Attorney said they learned Valle had been released from custody on Dec. 4 of last year. Police said Valle shot at a man in September 2023, after a house party and gunfight at a home in Charleroi. He has criminal records in Washington and Westmoreland counties, including burglary, WPXI reported. It is not clear why Valle was released. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. He is considered armed and dangerous. A gunman was killed and others shot at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, Pa. February 22, 2025. Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com OSHA has launched an investigation at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County after a hostage situation last month in which staff members were shot and a police officer killed. Police said Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, took UPMC nurses hostage on Feb. 22 in a second-floor Intensive Care Unit. Armed with a handgun, Archangel-Ortiz forced nurses to zip-tie one another and held them as human shields from police, the nurses said. Drummer Bob Bryar of My Chemical Romance is pictured in a 2007 file photo by George Henze/WireImage via Getty Images. WireImage The rock world was saddened to hear of the death of former My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar back in November, and it doesnt get any better now that the autopsy report is out. TMZ first obtained the report and wrote about it Monday, and it contains some pretty disturbing details. Perhaps the most disturbing was that the 44-year-olds body was so badly decomposed that the medical examiner determined that the cause of his death was best classified as undetermined. TMZ reported that the medical examiner said that three large canisters of nitrous oxide were found next to his body, and that he also had antidepressants in his home. While the medical examiner did not rule on a cause of death because of the state of his body, the did write that intentional or accidental overdose was suspected. Bryar was reportedly found dead in his home in Tennessee on Nov. 27. TMZ previously reported he was last seen alive on Nov. 4. Bryar joined My Chemical Romance in 2004, replacing original drummer Matt Pelissier, and played into 2010. He also reportedly played in their 2013 album, Conventional Weapons. He retired from music in 2014 and became a real estate agent. Billboard called Bryar a key member of My Chemical Romance during their rise to fame, contributing to the bands second album, The Black Parade. That album, per the site, reached second on the Billboard 200 in 2006. My Chemical Romance originated in New Jersey. The band first formed in 2001 and rose to fame through the early 2000s. The MMR vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles, but very high rates of community vaccination are required to prevent the spread of the disease. (Antonio Perez/ Chicago Tribune/TNS, file) TNS Measles, a highly contagious disease that was at one point believed to be largely eradicated in the United States, has seen an increase in cases over the past year. Among the most recently diagnosed cases of measles are several instances in New Jersey in mid-February and a confirmed case in Montgomery County over the weekend, marking the first instance of a measles infection in Pennsylvania for 2025. Thus far, all of the cases in New Jersey and Pennsylvania have been linked to international travel. A statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Health reads that there is no immediate risk to the general public at this time, as 94% of Commonwealth residents are vaccinated against the measles virus. According to the CDC, two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97 percent effective against measles, the statement says. The extremely high rates of vaccinations are particularly important against measles, according to Dr. Jessica Ericson, a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases at Penn State Health in Hershey. Thats because of how easily it can spread among those who arent vaccinated. Measles is really the most contagious illness that we know of, Ericson said. Its more contagious than Ebola. Its certainly more contagious than the flu. The elimination of measles was an amazing point for our national health, Ericson said Monday. And I think that were in grave danger of that not being the case, and that measles is really going to come back and be an illness that parents have to worry about for their young children. Ericson added that measles is much less of a discriminating virus than something like influenza, where its just the really young and the really old who get sick. School-age children can be badly stricken by the measles, she said, and potentially lead to infections in organs like the brain and lungs. All of those problems can lead to death in healthy children, Ericson said. But the other thing that measles does is it causes what we call immune paralysis. So for the month or two after a child has had measles, their immune system doesnt work very well, so theyre almost like a cancer patient. This leaves a measles patient open to infections such as pneumonia or meningitis, she said, which can also have potentially deadly complications. While most Americans are vaccinated against measles, and that vaccine is highly effective, infection with measles can potentially be fatal. Recent outbreaks include a case in which an unvaccinated child in rural West Texas died from the disease. That case is part of the largest outbreak of measles in Texas in 30 years, with 158 cases spread across nine counties. When enough of a population is vaccinated, the chances of a disease spreading drops significantly. But as measles is so highly contagious, Ericson said that vaccination rates need to be around 95% of a communitys population for them to be safe. And while the average statewide is close to that number, she said, that means some communities across the state will be higher, and some will be lower leaving them even more vulnerable. Were going to have pockets where groups of families, groups of friends, or there may be communities that are quite a bit less than that 95%, Ericson said. Should they end up having one person from that community run into the measles virus, that community would be at increased risk. Fortunately, if youve been vaccinated against measles, the odds are very good that you will be fine and have no need for booster shots. Its really just if youve had a bone marrow transplant, or if you got your measles vaccine during the 60s, Ericson said. Theres really just this little window of folks who who might benefit from from getting another vaccine. Most people whove had the vaccine dont need to worry about getting any more. Warning signs of measles are similar to several other respiratory viruses, including cough, runny nose and fever. Sores in the mouth and a reddish rash are more telltale signs. If you or someone near you is concerned that they may have the measles, Ericson said to call a doctor before just going in to visit. Measles can be spread by airborne particles hours after an infected person was in a room, meaning that a single infected patient could make an entire waiting room unusable for an entire day as a safety precaution. For more information on measles and tracking cases in Pennsylvania, check the Department of Healths updates here. The species is indigenous to the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range in Mexico, pictured here. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images) De Agostini via Getty Images Heres some more good news from nature. A species that went missing (so to speak) more than a century ago has recently been spotted in the wild again. According to The Cool Down, the Omiltemi cottontail rabbit was lost to the forests of Mexico about 120 years ago. This, of course, led researchers to believe that the species had gone extinct. However, the same Cool Down article reports how to the extreme delight of the countrys scientists locals around the animals home of Sierra Madre del Sur have claimed for years that theyve regularly hunted the species. So, a team led by ecologist Jose Alberto Almazan-Catalan set up numerous cameras in the region in the hopes of finding one. And after five years, it finally happened: A member of the species was at long last captured on video. I was completely amazed and very happy to have had the opportunity to see one, Almazan-Catalan informs the publication. Found only in the conifer forests of Mexicos Sierra Madre del Sur mountains, these little rabbits have smaller ears and short black tails, much different from other cottontails, whose tails are fluffy and wait, explains a Re:wild Instagram post of the video. The post adds: Scientists hope to continue to work with local communities to protect Omiltemi Cottontail Rabbits and ensure this species is never lost to science again! The Travel states how the Omiltemi is just the latest in a series of recently rediscovered species: A separate Travel article notes how a mammal not seen since 1914 was spotted in South Americas Atlantic Forest. Heart will open the 2025 Great Allentown Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 27. Criss Cain Legendary rock band, Heart, has returned to the road on its Royal Flush Tour this year after it was postponed last year because of Ann Wilsons cancer diagnosis and treatment. One of the shows on that tour is right here in Pennsylvania. With Wilson recovered, Heart will open the 2025 Great Allentown Fair with a performance on Wednesday, Aug. 27. In addition to Ann Wilson, lead vocals and flute, Heart also includes Nancy Wilson, rhythm, lead and acoustic guitar and vocals; Ryan Wariner, lead and rhythm guitar; Ryan Waters, guitars; Paul Moak, guitars, keyboards and backing vocals; Tony Lucido, bass and backing vocals; and Sean T. Lane, drums and bike. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band have sold more than 35 million albums worldwide with 20 Top 40 singles. Hearts hits have included Magic Man, Barracuda, Crazy on You and These Dreams. Tickets are $99 and $119. They will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 7. Previously announced shows at the fair are country star Kane Brown on Friday, Aug. 29, and Gabriel Fluffy Iglesias on Sunday, Aug. 31. The fair is Aug. 28 through Sept. 2. President Donald Trump, right, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday, and it didn't go well. (Mystyslav Chernov | The Associated Press, file) Mystyslav Chernov | The Associated Press By SAMYA KULLAB and HANNA ARHIROVA, The Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukrainians grappled Tuesday with the ramifications of a U.S. decision to pause military aid that is critical to their fight against Russias invasion, as a rift between Kyiv and Washington deepens. Days after an explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the assistance halted in a bid to pressure Kyiv to engage in peace talks with Russia. A White House official said the U.S. was pausing and reviewing its aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The order will remain in effect until Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. Ukraine needs help to fight Russia Ukraine, which depends heavily on foreign help to hold back the Russian invasion that began on Feb. 24 2022, has feared that aid could be stopped since Trump took office. U.S.-made Patriot air defense missile systems, for example, are a pivotal part of Ukraines air defenses. Just as vital is U.S. intelligence assistance, which has allowed Ukraine to track Russian troop movements and select targets. Ukraines European allies couldnt make up for a U.S. withdrawal of that asset if it proves to be part of the pause. I feel betrayed, but this feeling is not really deep for some reason. I was expecting something like that from Trumps side, said a Ukrainian soldier fighting in Russias Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a daring military incursion in August 2024 to improve its hand in negotiations. The soldier spoke by phone to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to speak freely about his thoughts as he was not authorized to speak to the press. On the frontline, where Ukraine is struggling to fend off the much larger and better-equipped Russian army, another soldier said the U.S. decision would enable Russia to make further battlefield gains. War is very pragmatic, he told the AP on condition of anonymity in compliance with military regulations. If we have weapons, enough ammunition, infantry, armored vehicles and aviation great. If not, then were done, he said. He recalled a seven-month delay in U.S. aid that ended in April 2024 but in the meantime opened a door for the Russian capture of the strategically important city of Avdiivka. Others said the move has left even greater confusion about Trumps intentions. The problem is that its unclear what Trump wants and what the purpose of his actions is, said Oleksandr Merezhko, Ukrainian lawmaker and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. As of today, it appears that he is increasingly siding with Russia and trying to pressure Ukraine into accepting Russias demands. This looks terrible forcing the weaker side to accept the terms of the stronger aggressor, he told AP. Olena Fedorova, a 46-year-old resident of the southern port city of Odesa, said she hoped Trumps decision would be a temporary measure because we really need help. The U.S.-Ukraine relationship has taken a downturn in recent weeks as Trumps team launched bilateral talks with Russia and Trumps demeanor toward Zelenskyy has become increasingly dismissive. Trump says he wants to get traction for peace negotiations. He vowed during his campaign to settle the war in 24 hours, but in January changed that time frame and voiced hope that peace could be negotiated in six months. Russian government backs aid pause Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Washingtons decision could act as a spur to a peace agreement. The U.S. has been the chief supplier in this war so far, Peskov said. If the U.S. suspends these supplies it will make the best contribution to peace. Russia will likely try to use the halt in supplies to extend its territorial gains and strengthen its position in prospective peace talks. Meanwhile, Ukraines European allies reaffirmed their commitment to Kyiv. The chief of the European Unions executive proposed an 800 billion euro ($841 billion) plan to beef up defenses of EU nations to lessen the impact of potential U.S. disengagement and provide Ukraine with military muscle. The British government, which has been leading European efforts to keep Trump from pushing to end the war on terms that could favor Moscow, said in a statement that it remains absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. FILE - Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents after an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) AP Joe Rogan had Elon Musk back on his podcast heading into the weekend, and after the two got through talking, the conspiracy theorists were fired up about the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Pa. And CNN well, it cant be appreciating the unwarranted heat directed at it. Rogan and Musk also discussed the billionaires controversial hand gesture at President Donald Trumps inauguration that many believed resembled a Nazi salute, and Rogan said he thought it was strange that people that people would think that way. Then Musk threw out a few Nazi puns, telling Rogan I did not see it coming, while discussing folks calling him a Nazi on X after the incident. People will Goebbels anything down, he added. The two found that pretty, darned funny, and had some laughs, but that wasnt the issue for CNN. That came when Rogan wondered openly about the assassination attempt on Trump at his rally in Butler last year. After first wondering if BlackRock was involved, Rogan pivoted. I highly doubt it would be a corporation that chooses to do something like this, he said. I think more likely its individuals involved that recognize that its beneficial to them if he gets assassinated. And so, a small group of people carry something out, and with this kid, we dont know anything, and everyone stopped asking question and there was never a formal report. There was never press conferences when they detailed all the information that we know currently and where the investigation stands at the moment. What we know is we have a very young kid, who was filmed, they knew he was there with a rangefinder a half an hour before the event. The next part is what had folks targeting CNN. You also know that CNN streamed it live, which I do not believe they did for any other rally, and certainly not for a rally in the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania, Rogan said. Like, theres a lot of weird shit. That led many of the conspiracy theorists to believe that Rogan was suggesting that CNN might have known about the attempt in advance. Of course, Rogan is a big enough name that he could have reached out to CNN to ask about that, and all of this could have been avoided. But he didnt and so folks took it and ran with it. What are the chances @CNN was tipped off to stream the Butler rally? billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman wrote on Twitter. Why isnt this worthy of an investigation? It shouldnt be too hard to figure out who orders the coverage and why. CNN, of course, did have an answer and it does make sense. If anyone cares. CNN provided live coverage of President Trumps Butler, PA, rally in anticipation of news about his pick of Vice President, the network said while responding to several accounts on X. Any suggestion contrary to that fact is completely false. U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick said he will bring the Blair County sheriff to President Donald Trump's address to Congress tonight. January 11, 2025. Zach Gleiter | Special to PennLive Zach Gleiter | Special To PennLive With President Donald Trumps address to Congress slated for Tuesday night, lawmakers from Pennsylvania are unveiling their guests for the event. As it turns out, it will be an assorted mix, including a TV host, county sheriff and laid-off federal workers. From left: Lt. Gov. Austin Davis (Commonwealth Media Services); Gail Stallworth (courtesy of Cornelius Harp); then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro at a Board of Pardons meeting (via YouTube). Emily Scherer / For Spotlight PA Story by Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. As President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk continue slashing federal agencies in the name of government efficiency, local office leases for these agencies are on the chopping block. Worksites across Oregon are listed for termination, among them the U.S. Geological Survey office in Corvallis and the U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration field office in Albany. Implications for the federal workforces in these locations arent entirely clear, but contract cancellations and threats continue to sow stress and uncertainty for these employees. 'A wrecking ball' Back in January, an email from the General Services Administration headquarters in Washington, D.C. instructed regional managers to start terminating leases for approximately 7,500 federal offices across the country. GSA regional managers were later told the goal was to terminate as many as 300 leases per day, according to the Associated Press. The GSA is an independent agency that acts as the federal governments real estate broker, managing federal property for a plethora of agencies. On Friday, Feb. 28, the Natural Resources Committee Democrats, made up of U.S. representatives, issued a news release, utilizing information from a GSA whistleblower to unpack the impacts of these lease terminations. It focused on the Department of the Interior offices specifically, of which the GSA allegedly intends to shutter 2 million square feet worth of office space across the country. Of 164 DOI offices slated for closure, 34 are U.S. Geological Survey locations. Many USGS locations need to be field-based to do important monitoring for things like earthquake and volcano activity, the release reads. They also operate stream gauges that provide critical flood warnings for cities and towns near rivers. One of the USGS locations listed for termination is in the Cannery Mall Building on Northwest Ninth Street in Corvallis, with a planned termination date of Aug. 31. This building houses the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, or FRESC, and the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center. According to its website, the FRESC encompasses research, protocol and tool development, mapping, remote sensing, geographic information systems, information technology and outreach. The NW Climate Adaption Science Center produces science on climate change impacts and adaptation actions for natural and cultural resource managers and policy-makers in the Northwest. According to a USGS employee who asked to remain anonymous due to concerns about their job safety, the building contract has been canceled, though FRESC is currently trying to justify the use of the building. If that fails, some employees may be able to move into the Environmental Protection Agency building in Corvallis. Its worrisome and stressful to find out about these sorts of things and to not really know exactly how folks are going to respond or the larger implications, the employee said in a voicemail to Mid-Valley Media. U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat representing the North Coast in California, echoed similar sentiments in a statement. The federal government exists to serve the people not abandon them. But Trump and Musk are taking a wrecking ball to our country slashing staff, cutting vital funding, and creating widespread chaos and economic devastation, he said. Shuttering these physical locations goes hand in glove with DOGEs (Department of Government Efficiency's) destroy-the-government approach, and it will make their illegal cuts even more challenging to reverse. The economic fallout will ripple across America, hitting small towns and cities where federal offices are many communities only lifelines. This is nothing short of a direct attack on working people and the communities they serve. In many places around the country, the federal government keeps local businesses afloat and ensures families have stable jobs. This decision defies all logic. While the Trump administration demands a return-to-office, GSA is shutting those offices down eliminating jobs, destabilizing local economies, and gutting essential services. One of many Other Department of Interior offices with planned terminations in Oregon, according to the Natural Resources Committee Democrats, are the Geological Survey in Klamath Falls, the Bureau of Land Management in Baker City and the Bureau of Reclamation in Bend. DOGE, spearheaded by Musk, also lists these offices on its website, with the exception of the BLM in Baker City, under a section titled Real Estate," which displays 748 lease terminations, allegedly totaling more than 9.5 million square feet and approximately $660 million in lease savings. The other listed lease cancellations in Oregon are: In Portland: The Agricultural Marketing Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service In Salem: The Internal Revenue Service National Office Federal Highway Administration Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration In Bend: The IRS International Office In Medford: The IRS National Office In Albany: The U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration According to DOGE, the annual lease for the Mine Safety & Health Administration Albany field office is $128,123, and the lease for the U.S. Geological Survey office in Corvallis is $202,142. According to its website, Mine Safety & Health Administration works to prevent death, illness and injury from mining and promote safe and healthful workplaces for U.S. miners. The Albany field office is currently open and operating, and the employee who answered Mid-Valley Medias call had not heard about lease termination. When Mid-Valley Media reached out to MSHA to inquire further, it received this response from a GSA spokesperson: "Acting Administrator (Stephen) Ehikians vision for GSA includes reducing our deferred maintenance liabilities, supporting the return to office of federal employees, and taking advantage of a stronger private/government partnership in managing the workforce of the future. "GSA is reviewing all options to optimize our footprint and building utilization. A component of our space consolidation plan will be the termination of many soft term leases. To the extent these terminations affect public facing facilities and/or existing tenants, we are working with our agency partners to secure suitable alternative space. In many cases this will allow us to increase space utilization and obtain improved terms." Related stories: Filatov Flips the Script; Wins First Triton Title in $25k WPT Global Slam Will Shillibier Managing Editor Copy link Played four and bricked four. That was Anatoly Filatov's record last time he played in a Triton Super High Roller festival. That was in Cyprus almost two years ago. But he's back in Jeju and back with a bang after defeating a 389-player field in the $25,000 WPT Global Slam to win $1,882,000. "It feels amazing," said Filatov, who has Korean heritage through his mother's side. "I'm here [in Jeju] and this win is really great. I'm very thankful for that." He defeated Calvin Lee heads-up to win $1,882,000, while Lee also took home a seven-figure score. The pair both secured the largest cashes of their career, with Filatov securing a maiden Triton title, moving him up to fifth on the Russian all-time money list. Triton Jeju Event #6: $25,000 WPT Global Slam Final Table Results Rank Player Country Payout (USD) 1 Anatoly Filatov Russia $1,882,000 2 Calvin Lee United States $1,185,000 3 Igor Yaroshevskyy Ukraine $850,000 4 Justin Saliba United States $675,000 5 Fedor Holz Germany $529,000 6 David Coleman United States $416,000 7 Pascal Lefrancois Canada $312,000 8 Orpen Kisacikoglu Turkey $221,000 9 Jon Ander Vallinas Spain $176,000 The three-day event saw 80 players return for Day 2 with 63 places paid. Notables who finished in the money included Ebony Kenney (54th - $44,500), Stephen Chidwick (48th - $44,500), Adrian Mateos (40th - $44,500), Kristen Foxen (20th - $90,500) and Paul Phua (16th - $100,500). Final Table Recap After the elimination of Tom Fuchs in tenth place ($146,000), the final table was confirmed with Lee leading from Justin Saliba. And Lee would put on a show, eliminating the first three players of the day. Jon Ander Vallinas was first to go, as the start-of-day short stack failed to win a flip with ace-queen against the pocket tens of Lee. Then, the hands were reversed as Orpen Kisacikoglu, who started the day third in chips, picked up tens only for Lee to spike a queen on the turn. There was an eye-catching double for Igor Yaroshevskyy through Fedor Holz, as the Ukrainian went the long way round to crack ace-king with pocket queens. "The ladies love me," he said as he doubled up. Pascal Lefrancois had managed a couple of ladders but finally succumbed to Lee, who sat with almost half the chips in play six-handed as players behind him battled to stay in touch. Yaroshevskyy then added more chips after eliminating David Coleman in sixth place before Filatov sent Holz to the rail and eliminated Justin Saliba in brutal fashion. Blind on blind, Saliba called a bet from Filatov with QJ on a 954 flop. Filatov flopped a pair with Q5, but Saliba improved with the J on the turn. This time Filatov check-jammed, only to get a snap-call from Saliba for his last 12 big blinds. However, the river was the 5, improving Filatov to a set and sending Saliba to the rail. This moved Filatov into the lead three-handed, but it was tight at the top as the blinds increased. The gap increased as Filatov outkicked Yaroshevskyy in a pivotal hand to extend his chip lead, only for Lee to come right back with the elimination of Yaroshevskyy on the next hand. The final two players were now into seven-figure cash territory, and both had secured the largest cash of their careers. Heads-up play lasted just over half an hour as Filatov pressed ahead. Kings, a full house, and trips in quick succession knocked the legs out from underneath Lee, who had nowhere to go. And when he tried to push back, like when he bricked an open-ended straight draw and bet on a scary-looking river, Filatov wasn't afraid to call with just ace-high to move within touching distance. The final hand saw Filatov call Lee's shove for his last 13 big blinds, with Lee's ace-four bested by the king-queen of the Russian, spiking a king on the flop to secure the win, $1,882,000 and his first Triton title. Pictures courtesy of Drew Amato/Triton Poker Share this article Brad Booth Reemerges in Exclusive PokerNews Interview; Vows to Make Amends Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Connor Richards Senior Editor U.S. Copy link PokerNews' Connor Richards grabbed an exclusive interview with embattled poker pro Brad Booth, who said on the Life Outside Poker podcast that he's going to do his best going forward to pay back outstanding years-old debts, including the $21,000 he still owes Doug Polk. The once prominent high-stakes poker pro has owed Polk $28,000 for more than a decade, a debt that has been trimmed down by about one-third thanks to sporadic payments over time. Booth had gone eight years without making any payments until he began sending some small payments every couple of weeks starting in January, according to a spreadsheet Polk shared with PokerNews. Polk isn't the only poker player Booth still owes. But he said on the Life Outside Poker podcast, which dropped on Tuesday on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify, that he's ready to make amends and do what he can to pay off the outstanding debts. Poker Pro Vows to Change His Ways Brad Booth is back in poker but not at the same stakes. Booth infamously went from being "up a Ferrari, down a Ferrari" on a daily basis at Bellagio to broke, and in 2020, missing for months before being located. The Canadian poker pro who once bluffed Phil Ivey in one of the most memorable High Stakes Poker hands ever is now grinding low-stakes cash games in Oregon, and he gave PokerNews permission to ask any and all questions related to his poker background, outstanding debts and fall from high-stakes grace. "I got caught up in all of it and all I can try and do is make right now," he told PokerNews of paying back his debts. But he acknowledged paying off thousands worth of debts won't happen overnight, especially not in the $1/$3 and $5/$5 games he's playing. "When you're trying to start off from ground zero again, it just makes it a lot tougher. So all I have to do now with the people who I owe, because Doug's not the only one, is try my best to stay in communication," Booth said. Booth, nicknamed "Yukon Brad," went so far as to provide an email address ([email protected]) so that anyone he owes money to can reach out to him. He Once Lived a Glamorous Lifestyle Brad Booth was living large at the height of the Poker Boom. Booth's obsession with poker began at a young age thanks to his grandfather who worked as a barber. "When he had no clients, (he) would give me the deck of cards and chips and sort of play 5-card draw ... by myself. So I had to envision that there (were) other people there. So I kind of fell in love with cards at a really young age." As a teenager, Booth would hitchhike an hour to play in the closest Canadian card rooms. "And then if I had a little score I would take a bus back." Fast forward a few years and Booth had progressed from $1/$2 to $10/$20 and then to the biggest games in Las Vegas $300/$600 and $500/$100 no-limit inside the fabled Bobby's Room at Bellagio against poker legends like Doyle Brunson and Chip Reese. Brad Booth (second from right) Brad Booth In one of the "proudest moments," Booth claims to have started the first low-stakes no-limit poker game in all of Las Vegas in 1998, a $1/$2 cash game at The Mirage with a maximum and minimum buy-in of $100. "I took Seat 1 and played for three days straight." At the height of the Poker Boom, Booth was spending so much time at Bellagio that he moved in. He lived in a suite for 18 months, paying around $25,000 a month in various expenses and hardly ever stepping foot out of the poker room. "I think there was one stretch where I went outside just a few times in like three, four months," Booth said. "I was just happy that I could (go from) playing in a blue-chip-red-chip game ... to playing in Bobby's Room and stuff." Watch the Full Interview Brad Booth w/ Antonio Esfandiari, Shannon Elizabeth, Michael Phelps & Steve Aoki Brad Booth w/ Patrik Antonius, Daniel Negreanu & John Juanda "You Get One Life" Things took a turn for Booth in the late 2000s as he began losing millions in online poker. It didn't help that he was being cheated on Ultimate Bet in a scandal that took years to unravel. Not knowing whether he was being cheated or running bad sent him in a downward spiral. By 2012, he had a full-fledged gambling problem exacerbated by alcohol and owed debts to several poker players. He continued playing high stakes in Bobby's Room and Ivey's Room at Aria and made a "little bit of headway" on his debts but "that didn't work out too well." "I think somewhere along the line I just ended up being kind of a sicko degenerate again," he said. Brad Booth during the Poker Boom Booth left Vegas and moved to Arizona and then California, spending the better part of the next decade "just trying to play catch-up" as he dropped stakes. "It was very humbling and very tricky to go from flags and cranberries and all those type of things down to a blue-chip-red-chip-green-chip-occasional-black-chip kind of game." But Booth's gambling "sickness" caught up with him once again in 2020, when he was reported missing before turning up safe months later. Booth had taken his roommate's truck and told him he was going camping before dropping contact and spending weeks in the woods. "All roads led up to that," he said. "Sometimes in life you just have to take a timeout." Booth said he "certainly tried to make amends" with the roommate but that "due to my past behaviors it may have come across just as another bullshit lie." "I had a whole lot of time in the woods to re-evaluate my past behaviors," he said. "And a lot of them derived from a sickness." Eventually, Booth decided he wanted to conquer his demons for good. "You've got to wake up. You get one life." Booth's now living in the Pacific Northwest alongside the Columbia River a 10-hour drive from the Calgary games he came up in playing in low-stakes cash games around Oregon and "making good faith payments," however small, to those he owes. "It's not like I'm playing in the big games anymore, so shipping somebody $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000 is just not a thing. Now it's got to be a lot smaller ... double-digit or three-digit kind of numbers just as a token of respect while I kind of get shit together." Brad Booth Though he's never been much of a tournament player, he may try his luck at the upcoming World Poker Tour (WPT) Thunder Valley stop or this summer's World Series of Poker (WSOP). Does Booth aspire to play in Bobby's Room (now the Legends Room) again one day? "I would love to get back into the high stakes again," he said. "Whether that happens or not I'm not too sure. It's not my main drive like it was in the past. My main drive is to make people whole who helped me throughout those years." He will be a different player should he make it back to the Bellagio high-stakes room. "I'd like to try poker again without my past degeneracies. I'd like to try poker again as an adult." *Photos courtesy Brad Booth WATCH: Embattled Poker Pro Brad Booth Vows to Make Amends Share this article Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Follow on "Tchelo Shelby" Keeps the Sunday Million Title in Brazil for Another Week Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link On February 23, Brazilian Dalton "Daltonhb" Hobold wrote himself into PokerStars' history books after becoming the inaugural champion of the Sunday Million Phased event, part of the Sunday Million Season. Fast forward to last weekend and "Tchelo Shelby" captured the latest Sunday Million title, keeping it in Brazil for the next week. "Tchelo Shelby" came out on top of a 9,954-strong crowd, firing a singular $109 bullet and turning that into $85,320, including bounty payments. It was a Sunday Million to forget for several Team PokerStars members, who entered by the mix but couldn't get a foothold. Lasse Jagd "Wistern" Lauritsen, Fintan "easywithaces" Hand, and Sebastian "peace&loove" Huber busted empty-handed. Poker power couple Marle "MarlzTV" Spragg and husband Benjamin "Spraggy" Spragg did navigate to the money place. However, Marle Spragg crashed out shortly after the bubble burst, and Spraggy could only muster a 992nd place finish. Episode 04: $109 Sunday Million PKO Final Table Results Rank Player Country Bounties Prize Total Prize 1 Tchelo Shelby Brazil $32,514 $52,806 $85,320 2 BurlacuC95 Romania $13,875 $52,798 $66,674 3 Ipedrov Brazil $4,679 $39,329 $44,009 4 Zero-Outer Finland $1,240 $26,966 $31,206 5 Pedroadota Brazil $3,994 $18,939 $22,934 6 ChrisFreeFlow Ukraine $527 $12,928 $13,456 7 ThugWaffle Brazil $2,069 $9,109 $11,178 8 hownorez Austria $2,631 $6,464 $9,097 9 it5tricky United Kingdom $2,083 $4,601 $6,684 "Tchelo Shelby" was the second-largest stack at the start of the final table, trailing only "BurlacuC95." Those two grinders eventually found themselves heads-up for the title, the glory, and the largest slice of the $1 million pie. British player "it5tricky" crashed out in ninth when their king-jack failed to connect with the board, ultimately losing to the ace-ten of clubs in the hands of "Tchelo Shelby." Austrian "hownorez" found themselves without chips after committing their short-stack with ace-eight and losing to "BurlacuC95"'s king-jack of spades. A jack on the flop, and the nine-handed final table was suddenly down to seven players. Seven became six with the elimination of "ThugWaffle." The action folded to Brazil's "ThugWaffle" on the button, and they committed their last five big blinds with ace-trey. Unfortunately for them, "Tchelo Shelby" woke up in the small blind with ace-queen, three-bet, and caught an unnecessary queen on the river to claim "ThugWaffle"'s short stack. Want to Play in the $109 Sunday Million For Free? PokerNews Has You Covered Win your seat After losing three players within the first 20 minutes, it took another 20 to lose another player. "BurlacuC95" min-raised on the button with ace-four, "ChrisFreeFlow" pushed their last 1.45 big blinds over the betting line from the small blind with jack-ten, and "Zero-Outer" came along for the ride in the big blind with a pair of sixes in the hole. "Zero-Outer" check-called a third-pot-sized bet on a trey-ten-trey flop showing two diamonds, leading to an offsuit ace appearing on turn. "Zero-Outer" check-folded to "BurlacuC95"'s chunkier turn bet. A brick on the river saw "ChrisFreeFlow" head for the rail in sixth. Another player busted as the three-hour mark of Day 2 approached. "Ipedrov" open-shoved for a shade over 5.6 big blinds from the cutoff with ace-six of clubs, putting the action on "Pedroadota" on the button. They looked down at pocket queens and called. "BurlacuC95" was in the small blind with ace-jack, and they jammed all-in. "Pedroadota" snap-called all-in for 29.5 big blinds in total. An ace on the turn and river handed the larger side pot to "BurlacuC95" but "Ipedrov" won the main pot because they'd improved to a full house. Finland's "Zero-Outer" was hung out to dry a couple of hands later. "Zero-Outer" three-bet 9.5 big blinds after "BurlacuC95" had min-raised under the gun, leaving 5.3 big blinds behind. "BurlacuC95" four-bet enough to set their sole opponent all-in, and they obliged with a call. "Zero-Outer" showed ace-four of spades, which was in a world of trouble against the big stack's dominating ace-king of diamonds. Two spades on the flop gave the at-risk player some hope, but blanks on the turn and river ended their participation in this event. Latest PokerStars Sunday Million Season Culminates With $6M Gtd 19th Anniversary Event The Sunday Million progressed to heads-up after "Ipedrov" bowed out in third after a valiant fight during three-handed play. The Brazilian couldn't find a fold on the river after their ace-nine had turned a nine-high straight. They called "BurlacuC95"'s river shove only to discover that final bet wasn't a bluff; they held ten-nine for a better straight. "BurlacuC95" held a substantial 80.3 to 19.3 big blind advantage over "Tchelo Shelby" at the start of heads-up play, and must have felt like they had one hand on the title. However, poker is a funny old game, and it only takes one hand to flip a tournament on its head. "Tchelo Shelby" doubled-up early into the heads-up battle after flopping trip sixes in a hand where "BurlacuC95" had flopped a nine. The chip lead changed hands a couple of times before "Tchelo Shelby" started forging a wedge between themselves and their final opponent. The final hand essentially played itself. "BurlacuC95" moved all-in for around 15 big blinds with ace-trey, and "Tchelo Shelby" instantly called with the superior ace-queen. A three on the flop gifted "BurlacuC95" an unlikely lead, but a queen on the turn left them needing a two-outer. The king of clubs on the river was not one of those, and "BurlacuC95" bowed out in second place for $66,674, leaving "Tchelo Shelby" to collect an $85,320 top prize and the title of Sunday Million PKO champion. Sunday Million Season Results So Far Check out the table below to see all of the Sunday Million season results so far. Shoutout to "dukacgl," who won the $55 Red Spade Open, outlasting 8,672 opponents and scooping a $48,677 payout. Event Entrants Prize Pool Champion Prize #00-L: $11 Prologue 3,297 $40,000 cosminvasit0 $4,700 #00-M: $55 Prologue 1,547 $100,000 The.Architect $14,935 #00-H: $320 Prologue 373 $111,900 HardiZ1 $20,402 #01: $109 Sunday Million Phased 12,858 $1,285,800 Dalton "daltonhb" Hobold $93,042 #02-L: $3.30 Season Kick-Off PKO 5,900 $20,000 PokerMate33 $2,041 #02-M: $33 Season Kick-Off PKO 3,118 $125,000 ocoringAK $12,350 #02-H: $215 Season Kick-Off PKO 1,118 $223,600 heroinelf2 $33,093 #03-L: $11 Monday Mystery 6,733 $70,000 AirPoker AA $4,393 #03-M: $82 Monday Mystery 1,710 $150,000 Marianex.BJ $12,007 #03-H: $215 Monday Mystery 760 $175,000 joao bauer $37,421 #04: $109 Sunday Million PKO 9,954 $1,000,000 Tchelo Shelby $85,320 #05: $55 Red Spade Open 8,673 $500,000 dukacgl $48,677 #07-M: $82 Monday Mystery 2,102 $157,650 SSchranck $11,924 #07-H: $215 Monday Mystery 843 $175,000 Succeeed $22,190 #08-L: peace&loove's Event PKO 5,523 $27,062 SeveroGoneCrazy $2,483 #08-M: peace&loove's Event PKO 2,030 $101,500 j.gulitich $12,280 *prizes include bounty payments where applicable The Sunday Million Season continues until April 8. This weekend, a trio of Super Sunday events are the highlights. On March 9, an $11 buy-in ($125,000 guaranteed), $109 buy-in ($1,000,000 guaranteed), and $1,050 buy-in ($300,000 guaranteed) Super Sunday event will see players from far and wide hit the PokerStars tables in an attempt to become a Sunday Million Season champion. Dont forget that a massive $6 million guaranteed Sunday Million 19th Anniversary edition is only weeks away, with cards in the air on April 6. As always, a myriad of satellites are available for this and other Sunday Million Season events. Share this article Aiken Standard reporter Dede Biles is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. She covers Aiken County government, business and horse industry. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers Aiken Standard reporter Matthew Christian is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. He covers the Savannah River Site, city of Aiken, politics and public safety and courts. Matthew previously covered government and politics for the Morning News in Florence. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the University of Charleston in West Virginia. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers Charleston, SC (29403) Today Tropical storm conditions possible. Rain diminishing to a few showers this afternoon. High around 85F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Tropical storm conditions possible. Rain showers early with scattered thunderstorms arriving overnight. Low 74F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Summerville, SC (29483) Today Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High near 85F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 74F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today A mix of clouds and sun this morning followed by mostly cloudy skies and a few showers this afternoon. High 84F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Showers this evening then thundershowers developing overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Tropical storm conditions possible. Occasional rain tapering to a few showers late. High 84F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Tropical storm conditions possible. Rain showers early with scattered thunderstorms arriving overnight. Low 74F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Myrtle Beach, SC (29577) Today Tropical storm conditions possible. Overcast with rain showers at times. High near 80F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Tropical storm conditions possible. Rain early...then remaining cloudy with thundershowers developing overnight. Low around 75F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has reportedly given approval to 13 foreign companies to enter the telecoms sector to offer value added services in Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan and Shenzhen. According to a report from the official Xinhua News Agency issued Friday, the companies are allowed to offer services such as internet access and information services. The approvals were issued under a pilot programme launched by MIIT in October 2024 to open up value-added telecom services in designated areas in those four cities. The policy allows foreign investors to operate wholly-owned businesses such as internet data centres, and engage in online data processing and transaction processing within the designated areas. They can also access China's cloud computing and computing power services. The report only named a few of the 13 companies, including T-Systems P.R. China Ltd., which is affiliated with Deutsche Telekom in China, and Siemens Digital Technology (Shenzhen). The approvals also include Airbus China, which operates a digital platform for analysing global aircraft performance data. The Xinhua report quotes Airbus China CEO Xu Gang as saying the new MIIT approvals will enable it to launch more sophisticated digital solutions for fleet management and operational efficiency. According to past reports, Tesla and HSBC Fintech Services (Shanghai) were also planning to apply to participate in the pilot. The MIIT has given the greenlight to over 2,400 foreign-invested telecom enterprises as of the end of February 2025, up 30% year on year, the report said. Apart from touting the benefits of added competition within the Chinese VAS sector, Beijing has also positioned the policy as an inclusive, investor-friendly alternative for overseas players amidst simmering global trade tensions and a global surge in protectionism, the Xinhua report said. The Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission unveiled a plan last month to stabilize foreign investment in 2025. Among other things, the plan includes open the telecoms VAS market further, and introduce similar pilots for foreign investors in biotechnology and hospitals, the report said. Chinas appeal to foreign investors comes in the midst of an ongoing trade war with the US that escalated on Tuesday after the Trump administration enacted a 10% tariff hike on Chinese imports, including mobile phones and computers, along with 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. According to Reuters, China responded with tariff increases of 10-15% on various US agricultural imports, and has placed 25 US firms under export and investment restrictions. PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 16:27:24 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 824 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ATKR Investors with Losses Encouraged to Contact the FirmSAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / A class action lawsuit has been filed against Atkore Inc. (NYSE:ATKR),a prominent manufacturer of electrical products, which include metal electrical conduit and fittings, plastic pipe conduit and fittings, electrical cable and flexible conduit, and international cable management systems. The suit, captioned Westchester Putnam Counties Heavy & Highway Laborers Local 60 Benefits Fund v. Atkore Inc., et al., No. 1:25-cv-01851 (N.D. Ill.), represents investors who purchased or acquired Atkore common stock between February 1, 2024 and February 3, 2025.Hagens Berman is investigating the alleged claims and urges investors who purchased Atkore shares and suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.Class Period: Feb. 1, 2024 - Feb. 3, 2025Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Apr. 23, 2025Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/atkr Contact the Firm Now:ATKR@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Atkore Inc. (ATKR) Securities Class Action:In the recent past, Atkore has said that "[t]he principle markets that we serve are highly competitive[]" and that its internal control over financial reporting has been sufficient to "provide reasonable assurance regarding the preparation of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles[.]"The company has recently downplayed accusations of having engaged in anticompetitive misconduct related to its PVC water pipe and PVC conduit pricing since approximately 2021, related to pricing of PVC pipes sold in the United States and, more specifically, downplayed that "PVC pipe manufacturers improperly shared otherwise confidential information through their contribution of information through their contribution of information to; and readership of, a weekly report called PVC & Pipe Weekly' published by [] Oil Pipe Information Service, LLP (OPIS')." While the company has maintained that "there are defenses, both factual and legal" the complaint in the suit alleges otherwise.The complaint alleges that Atkore made false and misleading statements, while failing to disclose crucial information. Specifically, the suit contends that Atkore: (1) engaged in an anticompetitive price-fixing scheme that artificially inflated the price of its PVC pipes; (2) reaped significant, unsustainable financial benefits from its anticompetitive conduct; (3) as the price-fixing scheme was exposed, it and its co-conspirators were no longer able to artificially inflate the price of PVC pipes, resulting in a substantial decrease in the price of PVC pipes; and (4) its business and operations were negatively impacted.Investors began to learn the truth on July 24, 2024, when the short seller firm ManBear published a report accusing Atkore and three other PVC pipe manufacturers of using the commodity pricing service OPIS to coordinate pricing actions, thereby fixing PVC pipe prices and "result[ing] in massively inflated" PVC pipe prices that "defy economic logic." In response, CEO William E. Waltz said shortly afterward that "I'm going to claim that report is unsubstantiated from the conclusions it tries to make." Then, on February 4, 2025, Atkore announced dismal Q1 2025 financial results, including net sales that missed analysts' estimates by a wide margin, and slashed its adjusted EPS and EBITDA guidance for the remainder of 2025. The company blamed the poor performance and guidance reduction on the poor performance by its PVC business. Following the company's announcement, analysts factored in their models that the company was and would continue to have to reduce PVC pipe prices to be competitive after COVID-related supply chain pressures eased.The market reacted swiftly that day, sending the price of Atkore shares down $15.59 (-20%) and wiping out almost $525 million of shareholder value."We are concerned that Atkore may have misled investors about how it and its potential co-conspirators may have rigged their PVC pipe market and, thereby, artificially inflated their revenues during the class period" said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman Partner leading the firm's probe.If you invested in Atkore and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Atkore case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Atkore should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email ATKR@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact: Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 18:31:15 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 435 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / AultCare Corporation recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted to AultCare.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On September 25, 2024, AultCare became aware of a security incident involving its email and SharePoint systems. Upon detection, AultCare launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation determined that an unauthorized third party gained access to an employee's email account and SharePoint instance. AultCare conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal information may have been compromised as a result of the data breach:name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number. On February 10, 2025, AultCare filed a notice with the Attorney General of Massachusetts and started sending out notice letters to the impacted individuals.Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY AM I ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION?Data breaches are serious matters that can cause long-term damage. Hackers may use stolen information to commit identity theft, financial fraud, or other crimes. Companies that fail to secure your personal data may be held liable for the resulting harm.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?If you received a data breach notification letter from AultCare, you are likely affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected individuals are entitled to compensation. If you have received a notice about the data breach, you may be entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. The firm is a 100% contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid! Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 10:00:10 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 516 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Bioz, Inc. , an industry leader in AI-driven citation management, is proud to announce the renewal of its partnership withBiotium , a globally recognized provider of fluorescent reagents and dyes. With 1,000Bioz Badgesnow embedded across its product webpages, Biotium is maximizing the power of AI-driven citation insights to increase user engagement, strengthen product credibility, and drive higher sales conversion. The badges, which are interactive website-based digital widgets, not only enhance product visibility and search engine performance but also provide researchers with seamless access to real-world application data, peer-reviewed citations, and direct links to scientific articles, helping them make more informed purchasing decisions. Biotium Prime Badge Biotium Prime Badge on the Biotium WebsiteThese interactive widgets dynamically showcase how Biotium's innovative products are being used in various applications, including molecular biology, immunology, and cell imaging. A key advantage of Biotium's Bioz integration has been the Vendor Stats Dashboard, which provides real-time insights into researcher behavior and citation trends.Eric Torres , Director of Marketing at Biotium, highlighted the impact of this data. "It's fascinating to see which scientific articles are being read and clicked on the most by our users. The engagement data from Bioz aligns well with our best-selling products, reinforcing the value that researchers place on our reagents and dyes." Additionally, Biotium has seen strong engagement with the "Read Article" functionality of Bioz Badges, allowing users to seamlessly access scientific papers citing their products. This feature has become a critical tool for researchers, increasing time spent on Biotium's website while fostering deeper interactions with its product catalog.Dr. Karin Lachmi , Chief Revenue Officer and co-founder of Bioz, expressed, "Biotium is an exceptional partner that fully embraces AI-powered citation insights to strengthen their market presence. Our strong partnership highlights the value of Bioz technology in driving engagement, increasing visibility, and helping researchers make data-driven purchasing decisions." Biotium's continued collaboration with Bioz reflects a shared commitment to innovation and scientific advancement. By embracing AI-driven solutions, Biotium is not only enhancing the researcher experience but is also setting a new standard for data transparency and product credibility in the industry.About BiozBioz is the world's most advanced AI search engine for scientific research, offering evidence-based product ratings and recommendations to guide scientists toward the most validated products for their discoveries. Bioz's solutions for suppliers include Bioz Badges and Content Hubs, web-based widgets that enhance user engagement and increase sales conversion.About BiotiumBiotium is a leading life science reagent manufacturer and supplier devoted to providing high-quality and innovative fluorescent tools that fuel scientific discovery. Its collaborative team of experienced chemists and biologists, who are at the forefront of fluorescent dye design, apply chemistry-based principles toward producing solutions for unmet challenges in life science and medical research. Since its founding in 2001, Biotium has developed over 30 patented technologies that have been licensed out to leading life science technology companies worldwide.Helpful LinksBiozBioz BadgesBioz StarsBiotiumFor more information on Bioz solutions for suppliers, please reach out toinfo@ bioz.com Contact InformationDaniel LevittCEOpr@ bioz.com SOURCE: Bioz, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 23:31:19 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 725 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ATLANTA, GA / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 /Citrus America successfully highlighted CITROCASA, the global leader in high-quality commercial citrus juicing equipment, at the 2025 NAFEM Show in Atlanta, Georgia, held from February 26-28.The premier foodservice industry event attracted more than 20,000 professionals eager to explore the latest innovations in foodservice equipment and supplies, including the latest technological advancements in cutting, prepping, cooking, cooling, washing, vacuum sealing, and many other types of technology and equipment required to run food retail and food service operations.For over 15 years, Citrus America has exclusively partnered with CITROCASA, due to the brand's unmatched durability, sleek designs, innovative cutting-edge technology, and outstanding technical support. CITROCASA's machines deliver the best-tasting juice while ensuring maximum efficiency and profitability for foodservice businesses and grocery retailers.The team presented the all-new CITROCASA xPro juicer, which launched last year in Europe and will be rolled out across North America in the coming months. The all-new xPro is a prime example of taking the best equipment available and improving upon it.The xPro has set several industry firsts, such as reliable large fruit capability, screwless assembly for reduced parts, and a large motion-sensitive video screen to help drive in-store sales activation. The team juiced large grapefruit on Friday to show off the latest capabilities of its xPro juicer. In addition to grapefruit, and many other citrus varieties, the xPro can also juice pomegranates, a significant advantage and differentiator of its equipment in the marketplace.In addition to making fresh orange juice and grapefruit juice, the team blended up the freshest lemon- and lime-aide creations to show the versatility of the equipment in supporting both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage strategies. "People want fresh," said Jacob Framson, who sold a number of units right off the show floor. Citrus America's dedicated sales team was on-site at NAFEM to showcase why CITROCASA's equipment stands above all existing competitors. Said Jay Gardner, VP of National Sales, "People don't just buy equipment. People buy from people and they count on us for successful juicing programs." Led by Gardner, with over 20 years of expertise in the foodservice industry, the team also featured Jacob Framson, Outside Sales Representative, and Sandy Bosch, as well as Citrus America's founder and President Brian Framson. The team's hands-on approach and deep industry knowledge ensured that attendees fully grasped the superior performance and reliability of CITROCASA's juicing equipment."Our mission at Citrus America has always been to provide foodservice and grocery industry professionals with the most reliable, efficient, and highest-performing juicing solutions on the market, and CITROCASA embodies that standard," remarked Brian Framson.In addition to the equipment in their booth, the team had a commercial citrus squeezer located at The Walk-In Talk's booth, which was linked to the U.S. Culinary Open competition. Citrus America sponsors The Walk-In Talk podcast as a way to connect with some of America's leading chefs and mixologists.Part of the team also just returned from The NGA Show, where Citrus America's Vice President of Operations, Miriam Framson, joined a WGA (Women Grocers of America) panel discussion alongside Coca-Cola executives on the future of the grocery industry in light of demographic shifts and generational trends. The company continues to solidify its role as a key player in driving innovation and healthy profitability for those in the food service and grocery industries.With growing demand for high-quality, fresh juice, CITROCASA remains the preferred choice for businesses looking to boost operational efficiency while delivering exceptional products to customers. The Citrus America team looks forward to continuing its mission of providing premium juicing solutions that set new industry standards.For more information about CITROCASA, visit www.citrocasausa.com . To learn more about Citrus America and its offerings, visit www.citrusamerica.com About Citrus America Citrus America specializes in high-performance commercial juicing equipment designed to help grocery stores, foodservice operations, and retailers differentiate their offerings with fresh, high-quality products. With a focus on safety, efficiency, and innovation, Citrus America empowers businesses to create signature fresh programs that drive revenue, increase customer engagement, and enhance brand value.###The Citrus America team from L-R: Stephen Farinhas, Brian Framson, Miriam Framson, Jay Gardner, Sandy Bosch, Jacob Framson. Equipment shown: CITROCASA xPro with large pressing kit juicing fresh pink grapefruit juice.Note: https://usculinaryopen.com/partners/Contact:Steven Le VineGrapevine PR & Consulting+1-323-229-1888SOURCE: Citrus America PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 01:30:34 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 462 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2025 / If you suffered a loss on your Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE:VG) investment and want to learn about a potential recovery under the federal securities laws, follow the link below for more information:or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com or call (212) 363-7500 to speak to our team of experienced shareholder advocates.THE LAWSUIT: This lawsuit is on behalf of all shareholders that purchased stock pursuant and/or traceable to Venture's registration statement for the initial public offering held on or about January 24, 2025.CASE DETAILS: According to the complaint, Venture completed its initial public offering on January 27, 2025, selling 70 million shares at $24.00 per share. On February 5, 2025, TotalEnergies, an energy company that was a target customer of Venture, rejected opportunities to become a long-term customer of Venture, citing lack of trust. In particular, TotalEnergies CEO, stated that he was approached by Venture to see if the company would be interested in a long-term supply contract for liquefied natural gas from the Calcasieu Pass terminal in Louisiana, but he rejected the offer "because of what they are doing." Venture is currently facing legal challenges from existing large clients, such as BP and Shell, due to delays in supply contracts as Venture commissions its projects. Given the fact that defendants ability to deliver liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the world and to continue development of Venture's five natural gas liquefication and export projects depends on customer contracts, defendants' failure to account for and address these issues caused statements in Venture's registration statement to be false and/or materially misleading at the time of the initial public offering.WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Venture stock during the relevant time frame - even if you still hold your shares - go to https://zlk.com/pslra-1/venture-global-inc-lawsuit-submission-form?prid=133730&wire=1 to learn about your rights to seek a recovery. There is no cost or obligation to participate.WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 17:15:20 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 699 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 With the March 17, 2025 deadline approaching for S-Corporations and Partnerships to file their business tax returns, businesses and tax professionals can use Form 7004 to request an extension, with ExpressExtension offering a secure, efficient e-filing solution to ensure timely submissions.ROCK HILL, SC / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / With the filing deadlines for Form 1099-NEC and W-2 firmly in the past and deadlines for ACA reporting, other 1099 forms currently underway, businesses and tax professionals must now prepare for another critical deadline-March 17, 2025.S-Corporations, Partnerships, and other business entities required to file their business tax returns by this deadline can request additional time byfiling Form 7004.Upcoming Form 7004 DeadlineForm 7004 is used by businesses, trusts, and other entities to extend their tax filing deadline. S-Corporations filing Form 1120-S and Partnerships filing Form 1065 must submit their returns by March 17, 2025. If they need additional time, they can fileForm 7004to request more time. To ensure approval,Business Tax ExtensionForm 7004 must be filed with accurate information on or before the original deadline of the respective tax return.Upon submission, businesses can receive their automatic 6-month extension without providing a reason to the IRS. However, while Form 7004 extends the filing deadline, it does not extend the deadline for tax payments. The IRS requires businesses to pay any taxes owed by the original due date to avoid penalties and interest. Failing to make timely payments may result in potential penalties and fines.ExpressExtension - A Trusted E-Filing Solution for Tax Professionals and BusinessesAs an IRS-authorized e-file provider, ExpressExtension simplifies the extension filing process with a secure, efficient, and user-friendly platform ahead of the March 17thForm 7004 deadline . Businesses and tax professionals can submit tax extensions within minutes, leveraging advanced features designed for accuracy and compliance.ExpressGuarantee: Provides Everything Needed for IRS ApprovalExpressExtension offers ExpressGuarantee, an exclusive feature designed to provide peace of mind for filers. Under this guarantee, if the IRS rejects Form 7004 due to a duplication error, ExpressExtension will issue a full refund of the filing fee.Additionally, ExpressExtension ensures that every filing is securely transmitted to the IRS, reducing the risk of errors and delays. If the IRS rejects the return for any errors, businesses can fix the incorrect information and retransmit it to the IRS at no extra cost.A Comprehensive E-filing Platform Built with Time-Saving FeaturesFederal Tax Extensions: The platform supports thee-filing of Forms 7004 , 4868, 8868, and 8809, allowing businesses to manage all federal tax extensions in one place.State Tax Extensions: In addition to federal tax extensions, ExpressExtension also supports many state tax extensions for business and personal income tax returns.Fast and Accurate Filing: The streamlined process enables businesses to submit extensions efficiently while meeting IRS deadlines.Copying of Prior Returns: Previously filed returns can be imported to minimize manual data entry and improve efficiency.Built-in Compliance Checks: An internal audit check helps identify potential errors before submission.World-Class Customer Support: Dedicated team of experts is available via live chat, phone, and email to resolve any queries instantly.Smart AI Assistance: ExpressExtension offers real-time assistance every step of the way with an AI-powered chatbot.Exclusive PRO Features for Tax Professionals and Other High Volume FilersBulk Filing Capabilities: Large volumes of extensions can be filed simultaneously, making the process more efficient fortax professionalsand accounting firms.Flexible Data Import Options: Customizable Excel/CSV templates are available to facilitate accurate tax data uploads.Centralized Client Management Dashboard: A dedicated dashboard allows tax professionals to manage an unlimited number of clients in an organized manner.With the March 17 deadline approaching, businesses and tax professionals can rely on ExpressExtension for a secure, accurate, and efficient Form 7004 e-filing experience.For more information, businesses are encouraged to visitExpressExtension.com About ExpressExtensionExpressExtension is the one-stop solution for IRS Tax Extensions. As an IRS-authorized, SOC 2 Certified e-file provider, ExpressExtension has been helping businesses, individuals, and non-profit organizations obtain IRS extensions for over a decade. Supported forms include Form 7004, 4868, 8868, and 8809.About SPAN EnterprisesHeadquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina, SPAN has been developing industry-leading software tools for e-filing and business management tools for over a decade.The SPAN Enterprises Portfolio of products includes TaxBandits, ACAwise, ExpressExtension, 123PayStubs, and TruckLogics.Please direct all media inquiries to Caleb Flachman, Marketing Manager, at caleb@ spanenterprises.com SOURCE: ExpressExtension Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison says it has formed a partnership with Cisco via its enterprise arm Lintasarta to enhance cybersecurity for enterprises in Indonesia. Under the partnership announced on Friday, Lintasarta and Cisco have developed a joint go-to-market initiative that leverages Ciscos expertise in networking and security with Indosats local market knowledge to deliver tailored cybersecurity solutions to enterprises. While cybersecurity is a challenge everywhere, Indosat said its becoming more challenging every day in Indonesia as companies make the shift to hybrid, multi-cloud, application-first environments, and thats before you factor AI into the equation. More to the point, according to Ciscos 2024 Cybersecurity Readiness Index, only 12% of Indonesian organizations possess a "mature" level of readiness against cyber threats. "As digital adoption accelerates, cybersecurity becomes essential in building a trusted and resilient digital ecosystem, said Indosats president director and CEO Vikram Sinha in a statement. Our partnership with Cisco will enhance security resilience for Indonesian businesses, empowering them to operate securely and confidently in the digital landscape. Indosat and Cisco said they will also provide digital and cybersecurity skills training via Ciscos Networking Academy to empower Indonesias workforce and close the widening skills gap in the country. The Cybersecurity Readiness Index also found that 97% of Indonesian companies cite critical talent shortages as a barrier to improving cybersecurity. According to the index, 59% of companies saying they had more than 10 roles related to cybersecurity unfilled in their organization at the time of the survey. PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 18:15:30 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 450 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Now accepting applications for Media Accreditation through May 28, 2025DALLAS, TX / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / FAN EXPO Dallas , the largest and most anticipated pop culture convention in Texas, is now accepting media accreditation applications for its highly anticipated 2025 event. FAN EXPO Dallas returns to the Lone Star State from May 30 to June 1, 2025, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. The massive event will welcome an incredible lineup of celebrity guests, artists, cosplayers, and industry insiders for an unforgettable weekend of fandom.Accredited media members will receive access to press opportunities, interviews, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the event, including panels, celebrity Q&As, and exhibitor showcases. FAN EXPO Dallas invites journalists, bloggers, photographers, and content creators to apply for credentials and cover the excitement firsthand.How to ApplyMedia professionals interested in attending must complete the online application form at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpodallas/media-inquiries/ . Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and approved media will be notified via email. The deadline to apply is May 28, 2025.Media accreditation is available for:Print, broadcast, and digital journalistsPhotographers and videographersSocial media influencers with significant engagement in pop culture contentWhy Cover FAN EXPO Dallas 2025?FAN EXPO Dallas continues to be the premier destination for fans of comics, sci-fi, anime, gaming, and more. With an exciting schedule of celebrity appearances, interactive experiences, and exclusive merchandise, the event offers unparalleled opportunities for media coverage.Don't miss your chance to be part of the action! Apply today to secure your press credentials at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpodallas/media-inquiries/ WHEN: FAN EXPO Dallas runs Friday, May 30 through Sunday, June 1, 2025Friday, May 30, from 4:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.Saturday, May 31, from 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.Sunday, June 1, from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.WHERE:Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center located at 650 S. Griffin St., Dallas, TX 75202COST:Advanced price tickets (until May 15) start at $32, and children 5 and under are free. Full-price tickets start at $37.Full-price 3-day passes start at $115. VIP Packages start at $519.Hours and information are available at fanexpodallas.com ABOUT: With over a million fans and counting, FAN EXPO HQ attracts pop culture enthusiasts, locally and internationally, to come together to celebrate all things fandom. Collectively, it hosts nearly one million fans annually at FAN EXPO Dallas, MEGACON Orlando, FAN EXPO Canada, FAN EXPO Boston, FAN EXPO Denver, FAN EXPO San Francisco, CALGARY EXPO, FAN EXPO Chicago, FAN EXPO Philadelphia, FAN EXPO Portland, FAN EXPO New Orleans, FAN EXPO Cleveland, FAN EXPO Vancouver, Toronto Comicon, Dallas FAN FESTIVAL, VidCon Anaheim, and EDMONTON EXPO. The latest schedule of events is available here on their website, along with up-to-date ticket information.Media Contact:Dana CobbThe Vokol Group dana@ thevokolgroup.com 972.955.9747SOURCE: FAN EXPO Dallas PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 15:01:28 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 508 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 No degree? No problem! In as little as two weeks, gain a reliable source of income and a flexible schedule with a career in real estateDENVER, COLORADO / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / As of last September, New Hampshire's housing market has seen a 7% increase in average home values, reaching approximately $483,940. Homes are selling rapidly, typically pending in just 9 days, according toNorada Real Estate Investments . With such high demand and limited inventory, qualified real estate professionals are more crucial than ever to guide buyers and sellers through this fast-moving market.With New Hampshire's booming real estate market, there hasnever been a better time to become a real estate agent . Whether individuals are looking for a career change or a way to break into a high-earning industry,The CE Shopprovides all the education needed to start strong in New Hampshire's competitive real estate sector.How to Get Licensed in New Hampshire:Complete40 Hours of Approved Pre-Licensing EducationPass the Course Final ExamSubmit a Criminal Record ReportPass the New Hampshire State Licensing ExamSelect a Sponsoring BrokerComplete and Submit Your ApplicationFor more detailed information about how to get licensed,review the steps in detail here .The CE Shop's comprehensive curriculum covers New Hampshire real estate law, contracts, property ownership, finance, valuation, closing procedures, real estate math, and much more to ensure aspiring agents are fully prepared.The CE Shop offers state-approved, mobile-friendly courses with unlimited practice exams to help students gain confidence before their licensing test. Course options include:Course Only40 hours of New Hampshire pre-licensing educationEbooks, career resources, and digital flashcardsStudy schedule and real estate glossaryStandard PackageEverything above, plus:Exam Prep Edge (National & NH-specific)Pass GuaranteeValue PackageAll of the above, plus:Kickstarter Professional Development Program (3 courses)Premium PackageAll of the above, plus:20-Hour NH Continuing Education PackageReal Estate Basics & Beyond eTextbookReal estate is a career whereincome potentialis directly tied to effort. In a high-demand market like New Hampshire's, new agents can start earning quickly, and with the right strategy, increase their income significantly over time. The average salary in 2025 for aNew Hampshire real estate agent is $93,512 , according to Indeed.Why Choose The CE Shop?Highest pass rates in the nation100% online, self-paced coursesCustomer support offered 7 days/weekComprehensive career resources and continuing educationLearn more about The CE Shop'sNew Hampshire real estate education offerings , take a free trial, and access career resources by visiting TheCEShop.com About The CE Shop The CE Shop is the leading provider of professional real estate education with online mortgage, real estate, home inspection, and appraisal courses available throughout the United States. The CE Shop produces quality education for professionals across the nation, whether they're veterans in their industry or are looking to launch a new career. We believe that the right education can truly make a difference. VisitTheCEShop.comto learn more.Media Contact:The CE Shop PressPress@ TheCEShop.com720.822.5314 Contact InformationLiz MeitusSVP, Corporate Communicationspress@ theceshop.com 720-822-5314Buse KayarMedia and Content Managerbusek@ accessnewswire.com SOURCE: The CE Shop LLC PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 07:00:24 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 551 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 The World's largest gathering of international leaders, law enforcement, and industry experts aims to reshape the fight against global scamsLONDON, GB / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / In a landmark event, the United Kingdom will host the Global Anti-Scam Summit (GASS) London 2025, bringing together an unprecedented number of policymakers, industry leaders, and cybersecurity experts. This summit, organized by the UK Home Office, Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), Cifas, and Euroconsumers, is set to be the most significant anti-scam event to date, with a focus on forging global partnerships to address the rampant rise of online scams, which last year cost the global economy nearly US$1.03 trillion.Unveiling Global Strategies Against ScamsThe summit will kick off with keynote speeches from top international figures, including The Rt Hon Lord Hanson of Flint, who will outline the UK's initiatives and the collaborative efforts needed to combat this global menace. Discussions will focus on enhancing international cooperation, harmonizing scam prevention efforts, and leveraging technology to protect consumers worldwide.Panel discussions on the first day will explore the urgent need for coordinated global action. Sessions will dive into the human cost of scams, share international lessons in scam prevention, and highlight the role of public-private partnerships in advancing fraud legislation and industry best practices. The main focus of the event is to foster cross-border and -sector collaborations.Industry Leaders to Drive Technological InnovationsThe summit will also feature contributions from tech giants and financial institutions, focusing on how cutting-edge technologies like AI can be utilized to thwart scammers effectively. Industry leaders will discuss the creation of the Global Signal Exchange, an innovative platform aimed at enhancing data sharing across borders to better track and prevent scams.Day two of GASS London 2025 will be dedicated to solutions-focused workshops and breakout sessions. Experts will present the latest advancements in scam detection and prevention, from deepfake recognition to strategies for securing digital identities. Interactive discussions will enable participants to share insights and develop actionable strategies for protecting consumers globally, such as the GASA recommendation that every country should have a dedicated national anti-scam centre.The event agenda and attendance tickets are available here: https://www.gasa.org/gass-2025-london The summit will look to solidify commitments from attending public and private organizations and set a roadmap for international cooperation through 2026 and beyond.GASS London 2025 is a call to action for every stakeholder in the fight against online fraud. It offers a unique opportunity to join forces with global leaders and take a stand against the cyber threats that impact millions of lives each year.Selected speakers include:Aad Lensen, Jeroen Niessen, and Ruben van Well, Dutch PoliceAndrei Skorobogatov, Home OfficeAngelique Miet, European CommissionBen Donaldson, UK FinanceDr Elizabeth Carter, Kingston University LondonEls Bruggeman, EuroconsumersHedwige Nuyens, International Banking Federation (IBFed)Henriette Bongers, FraudeHelpdesk.nl Jayde Richmond, Australian National Anti-Scam CentreJean-Jacques Sahel, GoogleJorij Abraham, GASAKate Griffin, Aspen InstituteKitboga, YouTube ScambaiterLaura Kankaala, F-SecureLucia Harris, Match GroupLuke Reynolds, MastercardLynette Owens, Trend MicroMike Haley, CifasNatalie Black, OFCOMNathaniel Gleicher, MetaThe event agenda and attendance tickets are available here: https://www.gasa.org/gass-2025-london Contact InformationSam RogersMarketing Director, Global Anti-Scam Alliancesam.rogers@gasa.org +31 (0) 645 130 670Hayley PatersonPress & PR Manager, Cifashayley.paterson@cifas.org.uk Related VideoSOURCE: Global Anti-Scam Alliance PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 20:10:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 565 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 4, 2025 / Iguana Control, the largestiguana removal company in South Floridafor residential and commercial properties, is pleased to officially announce its expansion into the realm of fishing chum with Iguana Chum.Iguana Chumwas first supplied to charter captains to test the waters and see how well it could draw fish. The results were beyond expectations, proving it to be an excellent source of chum that brought fish in to feed. After discovering how well this chum worked, steps were taken to officially invest in Iguana Chum through warehousing, equipment, and payroll to bring it to the market at large.Distributed throughout South Florida, there has been a growing demand for the limited supply. South Florida has long been an area revered for its fishing. It has also been under siege by invasive iguanas, which is how Iguana Control was created. Iguana Control rose to the occasion to protect people, pets, and property from the threat of iguanas, growing into the largest iguana remediation company in South Florida.Iguana Control came to the rescue for theFlorida iguana problem , reducing the existing population of these lizards. Founder Tom Portuallo, concerned about the waste created from eliminating the iguanas, had the innovative idea to use these iguanas as chum. Out of his inquisitive mind, he created sister company Iguana Chum, which processes euthanized iguanas from Iguana Control into fishing chum.Setting a new industry standard for sustainability and quality, Iguana Chum takes a unique approach by turning this invasive species into a useful product. Only freshly caught iguanas euthanized on the same day are provided solely by Iguana Control and are used to create this safe, quality fishing chum that upholds environmental standards.Devoted fishermen and hobbyists have found iguana chum to be an excellent option for attracting their catches. Portuallo explained, "It is used to initiate a feeding frenzy so fish are attracted to the area." This new chum is now in high demand in the local area.Portuallo is proud to have found a way to make a huge difference in the lives of residential and commercial property owners as well as provide a way to make use of the iguanas after they have been euthanized."No other company is in the iguana remediation industry as long as we have been. No other company serves 8 counties on both the East and West coast of Florida with 30 trappers. That alone sets us apart from any other in the industry. Add to that, the Iguana Chum product, and we are entirely unique," Portuallo stated. Those interested in chumming up a feeding frenzy of their own should visit iguanachum.com to order.Iguana Control has provided iguana removal services to residential and commercial properties throughout South Florida for over 15 years. The company was featured on Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe. Since iguanas have the potential to cause extensive damage to roofs, foundations, docks, and other structures and decimate native plants and animals, professional removal is encouraged.Caution should be used when encountering iguanas as they can attack when approached. Contact Iguana Control at 954-588-3188 or visit iguanacontrol.com to get a free estimate for their services.Media Contact:Company Name: Iguana ChumContact Person: Tom PortualloPhone: (866) 878-0933Address: 1440 Coral Ridge Drive, Ste. 460City: Coral SpringsState: FloridaPostal Code: 33071Country: United StatesWebsite: https://iguanachum.com/ Link to High Resolution Photos: Iguana ChumSOURCE: Iguana Chum PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 18:15:43 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 471 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Included Health, Inc. recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal and protected health data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal and protected health information entrusted to Included Health.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On February 13, 2025, Included Health became aware of a security incident affecting its confidential systems. Upon detection, Included Health launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation determined that an unauthorized third party gained access to sensitive data. Included Health conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal and protected health information may have been compromised: name, Social Security number, and medical record information. On February 13, 2025, Included Health filed a notice with the Attorney General of Massachusetts and began sending out notification letters to the impacted individuals. However, Included Health's filing with the Attorney General of Massachusetts provides limited details on what led to the breach. The Included Health data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY AM I ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION?Data breaches are serious matters that can cause long-term damage. Hackers may use stolen information to commit identity theft, financial fraud, or other crimes. Companies that fail to secure your personal data may be held liable for the resulting harm.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?If you received a data breach notification letter from Included Health,you are likely affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected individuals are entitled to compensation. If you have received a notice about the data breach, you may be entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. The firm is a 100% contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid! Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 18:15:43 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 466 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Xactus LLC recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted toXactus.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On July 15, 2024, Xactus detected suspicious activity within its email system. Upon detection, Xactus launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation determined that an unauthorized third party gained access to an email account between June 26, 2024, and July 15, 2024, and acquired confidential information from the affected email account. In response, Xactus conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted files to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals. This review process was completed on November 25, 2024. Xactus identified persons whose sensitive data was included in the impacted data and completed efforts to locate contact information for affected individuals by January 15, 2025.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal information may have been compromised: name, Social Security number, financial account information, and driver's license. On February 14, 2025, Xactus filed a notice with the Attorney General of Massachusetts and began sending out data breach notification letters to all impacted individuals. Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY AM I ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION?Data breaches are serious matters that can cause long-term damage. Hackers may use stolen information to commit identity theft, financial fraud, or other crimes. Companies that fail to secure your personal data may be held liable for the resulting harm.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?If you received a data breach notification letter from Xactus, you are likely affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected individuals are entitled to compensation. If you have received a notice about the data breach, you may be entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. The firm is a 100% contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid! Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 18:15:48 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 465 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Kelsey-Seybold Medical Group, PLLC recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal and protected health data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal and protected health information entrusted to Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On February 14, 2025, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic became aware of a security incident involving its confidential consumer information. Upon detection, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation determined that an unauthorized third party gained access to sensitive data. Kelsey-Seybold Clinic conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals. The investigation is still ongoing, and it's not clear if the breach happened directly in Kelsey-Seybold Clinic's systems or through one of their third-party vendors.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal and protected health information may have been compromised: names, addresses, Social Security numbers, medical information, health insurance information, and dates of birth. On February 14, 2025, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic filed a notice with the Attorney General of Texas and began sending notice letters to impacted individuals. Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY AM I ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION?Data breaches are serious matters that can cause long-term damage. Hackers may use stolen information to commit identity theft, financial fraud, or other crimes. Companies that fail to secure your personal data may be held liable for the resulting harm.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?If you received a data breach notification letter from Kelsey-Seybold Clinic,you are likely affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected individuals are entitled to compensation. If you have received a notice about the data breach, you may be entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. The firm is a 100% contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid! Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 16:00:55 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 551 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 The National Children's Cancer Society is honored to have Kevin Bouse bring his heart, passion, and leadership to its Board of Directors. With his unwavering dedication, the organization is able to reach even more families, ensuring that no child fights cancer alone.BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / The National Children's Cancer Society (NCCS) proudly welcomes Kevin Bouse to its Board of Directors. A devoted family man and a pillar of the Belleville, IL, community, Mr. Bouse's journey with NCCS began over 15 years ago-rooted in friendship, compassion, and a deep desire to give back. Kevin Bouse Kevin Bouse HeadshotIt all started when a new employee, who quickly became a close friend, shared the heartbreaking story of his fiance's young daughter bravely fighting leukemia. Moved by their struggle, Mr. Bouse turned to a trusted insurance agent, Carol Stolze, co-founder of the NCCS, who helped provide financial assistance for the family. From that moment on, Kevin Bouse was inspired to do more, and a lifelong mission to support children and families battling childhood cancer was born.Over the years, Mr. Bouse attended NCCS fundraisers, forming an enduring friendship with NCCS CEO Mark Stolze. Witnessing firsthand the unwavering dedication of the organization, he knew his role in the fight against childhood cancer wasn't just a possibility-it was a calling. When Mr. Stolze extended an invitation to join the NCCS Board of Directors, it was a natural next step in his journey of service."My vision for the NCCS is to expand awareness of its mission beyond the St. Louis region and to further strengthen its resources for life after the cure,'" said Mr. Bouse. "The NCCS is prepared to help families deal with each challenge along the way, from diagnosis to adapting to life after treatments." What makes the NCCS so unique is its commitment to bridging the gaps left by insurance. Many families experience a loss of income due to a parent becoming a full-time caregiver while also facing increased transportation and lodging expenses. The NCCS provides critical financial and emotional support-including one-on-one support for parents and mentorship programs for survivors-helping ease these burdens so families can focus on what matters most: their child's healing.Beyond his commitment to the NCCS, Mr. Bouse is deeply woven into the fabric of the Belleville community. A dedicated husband and father, he believes in leading by example and using his blessings to lift others. His philanthropic spirit, paired with his unwavering dedication to family and community, makes him an invaluable addition to the NCCS Board.As he steps into this new role, Mr. Bouse calls on others to join him in the fight. "We are always looking for new board members and advocates for the NCCS. The board and staff have a passion to continue to do more and extend their outreach. The organization is extremely efficient and transparent with the resources it can allocate to those battling cancer." The National Children's Cancer Society is honored to have Kevin Bouse bring his heart, passion, and leadership to its Board of Directors. With his unwavering dedication, the organization is able to reach even more families, ensuring that no child fights cancer alone.Contact Information Elizabeth PayneDirector of Marketingepayne@ thenccs.org 314-446-5247SOURCE: The National Children's Cancer Society (NCCS) PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 04:38:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 353 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2025 / MYFX Markets , a leading platform for Forex trading insights, has announced the publication of its latest article, "How to Save Tax for Overseas Forex Users", on its internet media platform,MYFX Media . This guide is specifically designed to address the needs of Japanese traders living abroad, providing essential information on navigating complex tax regulations and strategies to minimize tax liabilities.Key Highlights of the ArticleTax compliance can be a significant concern for Japanese traders using overseas Forex brokers due to differences in tax regulations compared to domestic brokers. The article offers:Clear explanations of tax filing requirements for income earned through overseas Forex trading.Actionable strategies to reduce tax burdens while ensuring compliance with Japanese tax laws.Comprehensive comparisons of tax rates for overseas and Japanese Forex brokers.To read the full article, visit: https://myfxmarkets.com/media/kaigaifx-tax/ About MYFX MediaMYFX Media is a trusted resource for Japanese Forex traders, delivering in-depth and reliable information about overseas Forex brokers. The platform focuses on supporting Japanese expatriates and international traders with tailored content, including:Recommended Forex Brokers Rankings : A curated list of trusted brokers.Comparison of Account Opening Bonuses : Detailed analysis of the best bonus offers.Latest Data on Deposit Bonuses : Timely updates on available promotions.By conducting rigorous research and leveraging real-world data, MYFX Media ensures that its content meets the practical needs of its audience, empowering them to make informed decisions in their trading journeys.Why This Guide MattersThis article is based on insights gathered through a survey of active Forex traders, ensuring its relevance and accuracy. MYFX Media aims to demystify the tax complexities faced by Japanese overseas traders, offering them actionable solutions backed by real-world expertise.Publishers ProfileMYFX Media is a comprehensive Overseas FX information media operated by Axis Inc., the operating company of MYFX Markets.Address: First Floor, First St Vincent Bank Ltd Building James Street, Kingstown ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINESContact InformationFor further information or media inquiries, please contact:Kazuya YoshiiEmail:info@ myfxmarkets-media.comWebsite: SOURCE: MYFX Media PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 15:10:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 494 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / National plaintiffs law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP encourages investors in Novo Nordisk A/S. ("Novo" or the "Company") (NYSE:NVO) who purchased or otherwise acquired Novo securities between November 2, 2022, and December 19, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period") to contact us immediately regarding a pending securities class action against Novo. The deadline to apply to be lead plaintiff is March 25, 2025.Class Period: November 2, 2022 - December 19, 2024Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: March 25, 2025Case information: https://lieffcabraser.com/securities/novo-nordisk/ Contact us: Email or text investorinfo@ lchb.com or call 1-800-541-7358Novo, a Danish company with its U.S. headquarters in Plainsboro, New Jersey, is a healthcare company focused on the research, development, manufacturing, and distribution of pharmaceutical productions to address diabetes, obesity and rare diseases.The action alleges that, during the Class Period, Novo and certain of its senior executives made materially false and misleading statements and failed to disclose: (1) that Defendants created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to Novo's projected successful outcome of the REDEFINE-1 study of its new experimental weight loss drug, CagriSema, while avoiding discussions centered around dosage tolerability as it related to the CagriSema; (2) that Novo's claims that CagriSema would achieve at least 25% weight loss in the REDEFINE-1 study was not based on facts; and (3) that the REDFINE-1 study utilized a "flexible protocol" that limited the study's ability to effectively provide weight loss data on the dosage tested, suggesting either that tolerability was significantly worse than expected, resulting in patients titrating down their dosages to avoid complications, or that the patient selection process was rushed and led to the onboarding of patients who did not seek to achieve the study's 25% weight loss target.On December 20, 2024, before the market opened, Novo announced disappointing results for the REDEFINE-1 trial, noting that CagriSema had achieved only a weight loss average of 22.7% after 68 weeks. In addition, Novo revealed, for the first time, that the study used a "flexible protocol, allowing patients to modify their dosing throughout the trial" and which resulted in only 57.3% of patients reaching the full dose of CagriSema. On this news, the price of Novo's American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") fell 17.83% from its closing price on December 19, 2024, to close at $85.00 per share on December 20, 2024.About Lieff CabraserLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, with over 125 attorneys in offices in San Francisco, New York, Nashville, and Munich, Germany, is an internationally-recognized law firm committed to advancing the rights of investors and promoting corporate responsibility. Repeatedly recognized as a "Plaintiffs' Powerhouse" by Law360, Lieff Cabraser has litigated some of the most important civil cases in the United States, and has assisted clients in recovering over $129 billion in verdicts and settlements. For over 50 years, Lieff Cabraser has remained committed to ensuring access to justice for all.Source/ContactSharon LeeLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP415 956-1000 slee@ lchb.com SOURCE: Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein Axiatas telecoms infrastructure company Edotco announced on Tuesday it has signed a strategic agreement with Malaysian infrastructure firm Kejuruteraan Rasshin (KRSB) to expand digital infrastructure in Sarawak. The collaboration deal, signed at the Sarawak Pavilion at Mobile World Congress 2025, aims to leverage KRSBs local expertise and Edotcos technological capabilities to deliver 4G and 5G-ready infrastructure in Sarawak that will support local ecosystems such as smart city development, digital education, e-commerce, and government digitalisation efforts. Edotco said the initial phase of implementation will focus on expanding network coverage to priority commercial, industrial and rural areas to provide key economic zones with reliable, high-speed connectivity. Over time, the partnership with KRSB will support emerging digital applications, enterprise connectivity solutions, and integrated smart infrastructure. The eventual result, says Edotco, will be a future-proof telecommunications ecosystem that will enable Sarawak to unlock new opportunities in digital services, smart industries, and high-value investments, strengthening its position as a leading hub for digital transformation in Malaysia. Edotco also said the KRSB partnership complements the Sarawak Rural Broadband Network (MySRBN) and the states investment in smart towers, as well as the Sarawak governments MYR2.25 billion (US$503.6 million) investment in telecoms infrastructure and its Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030 to bridge the digital divide. This partnership is a crucial step toward ensuring that every community in Sarawak, regardless of location, has access to reliable, high-speed connectivity, said Gayan Koralage, Edotcos director of Malaysia Business, in a statement. By joining forces, we are helping MNOs expand their network reach faster and more efficiently across the state. This collaboration aims to improve connectivity and empower local communities and businesses by integrating them into the state's evolving digital ecosystem, added Managing Director of KRSB, Mohammed Ariffin Adenan. PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 15:00:41 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 347 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Brown brings over 25 years of experience in commercial leadership rolesMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Pace Analytical Services, the preferred provider of regulatory testing and analytical laboratory services, and a Division of Pace, a Science and Technology Company, today announced that Michael J. Brown has been named Chief Commercial Officer. Pace People Advancing Science Pace logo with People Advancing SciencePace Analytical Services, the company's largest Division, provides laboratory testing and analytical services for a variety of industries, businesses, government agencies, and more to ensure that our air, water sources, soil, and products are safe for our communities and lives. Brown will be responsible for building upon the strong reputation of Pace to further grow and expand the business."I am confident that under Mr. Brown's leadership, our commercial efforts will reach new heights," noted Greg Whitman, Pace Analytical Services President. "We will lean on his extensive experience in developing commercial teams to scale for growth while ensuring Pace clients receive the most dependable and responsive service in the business." Brown comes to Pace with a strong history of commercial leadership experience and success in transforming sales operations and improving client experiences. Most notably, he served Thermo Fisher Scientific for over 25 years in successive leadership roles.Pace is a portfolio company of Leonard Green & Partners and Los Angeles-based Aurora Capital Partners.ABOUT PACEPace makes the world a safer, healthier place. Pace people are committed to advancing the science of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in our Life sciences laboratories and supporting businesses, industries, consulting firms, government agencies, and more in our Analytical Services Laboratories. Pace offers local-level service backed by a national laboratory network. For customers with in-house labs, Pace provides a range of professional services to keep their operations moving forward. Pace people work in partnership with customers by providing the service, science and data they need to make critical decisions that benefit us all. More at pacelabs.com Contact InformationPam BednarMarketing Directorpam.bednar@pacelabs.com 612-297-0651Brooke SchwartzelBrand & Communications Managerbrooke.schwartzel@pacelabs.com 612-656-2241SOURCE: Pace Analytical PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 15:02:04 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 884 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 2025 Begins with Strong Momentum on Key InitiativesCARSON CITY, NV / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 /Rightscorp, Inc. (A Nevada Corporation) (OTC PINK:RIHT)Rightscorp, Inc., a leader in digital copyright enforcement and data intelligence, is pleased to provide a comprehensive corporate update following its successful shareholder meeting. This update outlines the company's ongoing legal achievements, strategic growth initiatives, and the preview of its transformative Rightscan Data Aggregator platform.Commitment to ShareholdersRightscorp extends its sincere appreciation to all shareholders who participated in the recent shareholder meeting and exercised their voting rights on proxy materials. We are pleased to announce that all resolutions were approved, demonstrating strong investor confidence in the company's strategic direction. This support underscores a shared commitment to expanding Rightscorp's technological and legal capabilities to maximize long-term valuation.Establishing Legal Precedent: Rightscorp's Pivotal Role in Copyright EnforcementRightscorp has consistently played a defining role in shaping legal precedent in copyright enforcement, delivering tangible results for rights holders. Over the years, the company has been instrumental in major litigation efforts that have established significant legal standards in the fight against digital piracy. Key legal milestones include:BMG Rights Management v. Cox Communications (2015) - A landmark case reaffirming ISPs' obligations under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) resulted in a $25 million jury award and $8.3 million in attorney's fees for copyright holders, ultimately settling for an undisclosed amount. This set a pivotal precedent regarding the responsibilities of ISPs in mitigating piracy on their networks.UMG Recordings, Inc. et al. v. Grande Communications Networks, LLC (2022) - A federal jury found Grande Communications liable for willful contributory copyright infringement, initially awarding $46.7 million in damages. The ruling reaffirmed that ISPs cannot claim safe harbor protection while failing to address widespread copyright violations on their networks.BMG Rights Management v. Altice USA, Inc. (2022-2024) - A rapid and decisive legal action against Altice USA, one of the largest ISPs in the U.S. The case, built on overwhelming evidence provided by Rightscorp, resulted in a confidential settlement in record time, reinforcing the company's effectiveness in securing enforcement outcomes.These cases underscore Rightscorp's ability to leverage sophisticated copyright data intelligence to support rights holders in enforcing their intellectual property rights through decisive legal action.Legal Victory in American Films v. Rightscorp, Inc.Rightscorp is pleased to report a significant legal victory in the case of American Films, LLC v. Rightscorp, Inc. The case, which stemmed from meritless claims against Rightscorp, was ultimately dismissed with prejudice, affirming the company's legal standing. Furthermore, the court ruled in favor of Rightscorp's entitlement to recover attorneys' fees and litigation costs. This outcome reflects the company's steadfast commitment to defending itself against unfounded legal challenges and reinforces the legitimacy of its operations.Expanding Legal Initiatives Through Strategic Litigation PartnershipsTo further strengthen its enforcement capabilities, Rightscorp is actively engaging with industry-leading litigation funders to scale its legal initiatives. These strategic partnerships will enable the company to pursue larger and more impactful copyright enforcement actions with increased efficiency. Additionally, Rightscorp's long-standing legal counsel-instrumental in previous landmark copyright litigation-remains actively involved and highly optimistic about the evolving legal landscape. With expanded funding and legal expertise, Rightscorp is positioned to drive enforcement actions on a scale never seen before, benefiting copyright owners across the industry.Rightscan Data Aggregator: A Paradigm Shift in Copyright Intelligence (Coming Q2-Q3 2025)Rightscorp is proud to introduce Rightscan, a cutting-edge AI-powered platform designed to transform the landscape of copyright enforcement and data monetization. Unlike conventional enforcement tools that rely on self-reported infringement data, Rightscan autonomously aggregates and analyzes vast datasets, offering unparalleled insight into copyright compliance, piracy trends, and enforcement opportunities.To learn more about Rightscan and its capabilities, visit www.rightscan.co Key Capabilities of Rightscan:DMCA Compliance Monitoring - AI-driven tracking of ISP compliance, ensuring persistent enforcement regardless of corporate restructuring or name changes.Comprehensive Copyright Registration Intelligence - Analyzes official copyright filings to identify works and highlight acquisition opportunities for investors.Piracy Leakage Analysis - Provides API-driven insights to royalty collection firms and content owners, quantifying lost revenue linked to digital piracy.Advanced Data Monetization - Leverages proprietary data analytics to provide actionable intelligence for private equity firms, digital rights managers, and ad-tech platforms.IP-Based Audience Insights - Uses torrent-related data to offer alternative audience targeting solutions, bridging the gap between piracy monitoring and digital marketing optimization.Continued Market Demand for Rightscorp's Legal Copyright Enforcement PlatformWhile Rightscan marks a significant leap in copyright intelligence, Rightscorp's legal enforcement platform remains integral to the company's core operations. The demand for traditional copyright enforcement remains strong among major record labels, private equity firms, and other entities that own extensive copyright portfolios.The growing availability of litigation funding, combined with renewed interest from existing and prospective clients, is driving expansion discussions. The company is actively working with litigation funders, legal experts, and copyright owners to scale enforcement initiatives faster and more effectively than ever before.Looking Forward: A Future Defined by Innovation and EnforcementAs Rightscorp continues to lead in copyright enforcement and data intelligence, our focus remains on technological advancement, strategic industry partnerships, and further legal precedents. By harnessing AI-driven copyright analytics, securing litigation funding, and reinforcing its market leadership, Rightscorp is setting the stage for sustained growth and enhanced value for its shareholders.AboutRightscorp (OTC PINK:RIHT) monetizes copyrighted Intellectual Property (IP). PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 21:30:32 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 342 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces it is investigating potential breaches of fiduciary duties by the directors and officers of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) in connection with a report of an investigation by the United States Department of Justice into UnitedHealth's billing practices.If you currently own shares of UnitedHealth stock, please visit the firm's website at https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=25195for more information. You may also contact Phillip Kim of Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via email at case@ rosenlegal.com 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/ Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 09:25:24 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1030 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Appointment of a new CEO and Independent Chairman, Re-Setting the Company Strategy and Governance, including Formation of ExploreCo and Technical CommitteeLONDON, GB / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / SolGold plc (LSE:SOLG)(TSX:SOLG) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Vujcic as Chief Executive Officer and Paul Smith as Non-Executive Chairman of the Company. Scott Caldwell will transition to a Non-Executive Director. The Board is very appreciative of Mr Caldwell for his service as CEO and looks forward to his continued contribution on the Board.Board and Management ChangesDan Vujcic has extensive experience in the resource industry holding senior executive positions across the industry and in investment banking including Jefferies, Morgan Stanley and Citi advising companies on mergers and acquisitions and public fundraises for the development of large mining projects. He was instrumental in raising several billion dollars for the development of a large porphyry copper gold project. Dan most recently was the Chief Development Officer of MAC Copper Limited ("MAC") (stepping in as Interim Chief Financial Officer for the company's ASX IPO), from its inception as a Special Purpose Acquisition Company ("SPAC") vehicle through to its acquisition of CSA Copper Mine near Cobar in Central New South Wales Australia for in excess of US$1.1bn from Glencore. MAC, over the space of 24 months, raised in excess of US$1bn of capital from a number of capital sources including equity, debt, mezzanine debt, and stream.Mr Vujcic, commented, "Cascabel is a Tier 1 development project with Tier 1 financiers in Franco Nevada and Osisko Gold Royalties. The opportunity is immense for all stakeholders, especially the country of Ecuador, which has already seen mining success with the Lundin Gold's Fruta del Norte Project and ECSA's Mirador project. I am excited to be tasked with moving SolGold forward into the development phase, to start unlocking the significant value in its current portfolio and to explore the merits of listing on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), a natural home for a copper and gold portfolio of this quality. Opportunities like this are scarce, demand for our commodities is robust, and I look forward to engaging regularly with all our shareholders and stakeholders as we undertake this growth." Paul Smith is a highly experienced resources sector executive, adviser and investor. His career has included investment banking, fund management and corporate executive roles. Mr Smith was previously the Head of Strategy at Glencore plc. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of Seadrill Limited (NYSE:SDRL), Bunker Hill Mining Corporation (TSXV:BNKR), and Echion Technologies Limited.Paul Smith commented, "I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, and am looking forward to working with the board, the company advisors and its stakeholders. With the strong fundamentals of this project, current copper prices and the business environment in Ecuador, I strongly believe we can help SolGold create significant shareholder value." SolGold is in the process of conducting a search for an in-country Ecuador based COO to manage the Company's extensive base and relationships in Ecuador and will add a highly regarded block caving expert/consultant in the near term.Re-Setting Strategy and Formation of ExploreCoThe appointment of Dan Vujcic as the new CEO coincides with a re-setting of the group strategy in order to accelerate the flagship Cascabel project into the development phase alongside the formation of a Technical Committee and establishment of ExploreCo.Formation of Cascabel Technical CommitteeA Technical Committee will be formed to oversee the Cascabel development project. The purpose of the Committee is to ensure progress on the current permitting and on the Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") timetable and to investigate programs to potentially enhance and accelerate aspects of the project (to take advantage of the early works permit the Company has in place at Cascabel), including but not limited to other deposits within the Company's licences that could allow access to cash flow ahead of first production at Cascabel.Key programs to be undertaken include, but are not limited to:Operational plant location and design,Optimisation of tailings storage strategy,Key opportunities to be investigated, but are not limited to;Early commencement of access tunnelling to the Alpala ore body (for which the Company has an early works permit),Definition of reserves at Tandayama beside the Alpala ore body with a view to early open cut development and early copper gold production,Metallurgical investigations to determine copper and gold recovery Tandayama and to improve recoveries at Alpala, andRefinement of the opportunity for Hydro power supply at Cascabel to reduce modelled operating costs.The Company is unique as it benefits from having a number of experienced industry shareholders and partners. The Company will have open dialogue and in some cases invite active participation in assisting with fast tracking the above initiatives.Formation of ExploreCoIn addition to Cascabel, the Company has a considerable exploration portfolio of 89 licences covering over 3000km2 of highly prospective copper gold exploration targets. The portfolio covers eighteen exploration targets of which twelve are high priority. The intellectual property built by SolGold's exploration team underscores the importance of the exploration portfolio in SolGold's growth plans and the opportunity to unlock significant shareholder value.SolGold intends to establish a distinct exploration subsidiary to hold these tenements. This company will be structured in a manner which allows SolGold to most efficiently unlock further value for shareholders.Importantly, the assets will include Porvenir, in southern Ecuador, which will be assessed at scoping study level internally to assess best value add strategies (the project currently has a resource of 493.7Mt @ 0.43% CuEq). Similarly, Blanca, which lies 8 kms north of Cascabel and shows an alteration footprint of similar size to Cascabel. This project is surrounded by a halo zone of intermittent high gold grade veins previously hosting artisanal mining activities and exhibits geochemical and geophysical characteristics suggestive of a large copper gold porphyry system.A definitive plan for the vehicle will be announced in Q2 2025.This announcement was approved for release by Dan Vujcic - CEO.Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information.CONTACTSDan VujcicChiefExecutive Officer dvujcic@ solgold.com.au Tel: +44 (0) 20 3807 6996Tavistock (Media)Jos Simson/Gareth TredwayTel: +44 (0) 20 792 PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 15:01:30 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 516 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Classic London Dry Gin Comprising Five Styles Joins Strong Portfolio of Ultra-Premium Rum, Cognac, & LiqueursWAKEFIELD-PEACEDALE, RHODE ISLAND / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Spiribam Americaproudly addsGin Lane 1751 , a range of Victorian-style gins made in London, England, to its already strong spirits portfolio. It joins the most recent addition,Mezcal Trascendente , along withRhum Clement&Rhum J.Mfrom Martinique,Admiral Rodney Rum ,Bounty Rum ,Chairman's Reserve Rum , andMarigot Bay Rum Creamsfrom Saint Lucia, liqueuristeJoseph Cartronfrom Burgundy, andHardy Cognac . Spiribam America Announces Partnership with Gin Lane 1751 Classic London Dry Gin Comprising Five StylesJoins Strong Portfolio of Ultra-Premium Rum, Cognac, & LiqueursLaunched in 2017, Gin Lane 1751 celebrates the Victorian gin-making era, with bold yet balanced flavors of juniper, star anise, and Mediterranean citrus. A small batch gin, Gin Lane 1751 comprises five styles:London Dry Gin($29.99/40% ABV);London Dry "Royal Strength" Gin($34.99/47% ABV); Victoria' Pink Gin($34.99/40% ABV);Old Tom Gin($34.99/40% ABV); and two seasonal styles:Cucumber Watermelon Mint Gin($34.99/40% ABV) andViolet Gin($34.99/40% ABV).Gin Lane 1751 was created in partnership between 10th generation gin distiller, Charles Maxwell of Thames Distillers in London, and the Bloomsbury Club, led by industry veteran Geoff Curley. "I'm thrilled to join Spiribam's portfolio of award-winning brands," says Geoff. "I've been a big fan of their U.S. approach, and know that we can achieve great success." The partnership is a natural one: Spiribam's U.S. Managing Director Ben Jones and Geoff entered the beverage alcohol industry around the same time, maintaining a connection. "I've admired Geoff's talent for over twenty years as I watched him pilot the success of one of the fastest growing brands of this century," says Ben.With Spiribam's deep understanding of premium beverage markets, Gin Lane 1751 is poised to become an even more recognizable name. "Super-premium gins, led by brands with value and purpose, have also sustained growth in the shadows of Tequila," says Ben. "Gin Lane 1751 symbolizes our portfolio's ethos of craft and legacy." About Gin Lane 1751Produced in London, Gin Lane 1751 embodies a classic, Victorian-era style gin. They are handcrafted by 10th-generation distiller Charles Maxwell of Thames Distillers, one of the world's oldest families of distillers. Made in traditional, John Dore pot stills in the classic "steep and boil" method, the quality has won the brand numerous awards. Each bottle is batch-numbered with a premium look and feel. Visit Gin Lane 1751 at https://ginlane1751.com/and follow at@ginlane1751 .ABOUT SPIRIBAMSpiribam's mission to bring the finest Caribbean rum to America dates back to 2005 when Rhum Clement was introduced in the United States. The company's role evolved into an educational one focused on the advancement of Rhum Agricole from Martinique, and soon Spiribam welcomed Rhum J.M. St. Lucia Distillers was next, beginning with the re-launch of Chairman's Reserve followed by Bounty Rum and Admiral Rodney. The first acquisition outside of rum came with Joseph Cartron Liqueurs from Burgundy, and then Hardy Cognac and Mezcal Trascendente. Visit Spiribam at https://www.spiribam.com/and follow at@spiribam .Contact InformationJen NeugeborenPublicist, Neugeboren PRjen@ neugeborenpr.com 917-572-5761SOURCE: SPIRIBAM PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 18:30:59 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 381 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating potential claims on behalf of individuals who subscribed to Whisky Advocate website at https://whiskyadvocate.com/ (the "Website")and watched pre-recorded video content through the Whisky Advocate Website. Levi & Korsinsky, LLP's investigation indicates that legally protected data may have been unlawfully intercepted during visits to the Whisky Advocate Website, particularly affecting customers who subscribed and watched pre-recorded video content on the Whisky Advocate Website.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?If you subscribed to the Whisky AdvocateWebsite, through an email newsletter, digital, or paid subscription, and watched videos on the platform, your legally protected data may have been intercepted without your knowledge. If your data was compromised, you may be entitled to compensation.AM I ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION?If your data was compromised, you may be entitled to compensation.Unauthorized data interceptionis a serious issue that could lead to privacy violations, potentially leading to significant breaches of your personal information. If the company entrusted with securing your datahas failed in this duty, they may be held accountable for any exposure of your information,potentially exposing you to risks such as misuse or unauthorized use of your data.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?If you subscribed to Whisky Advocate Website and subsequently watched pre-recorded video materials, your data may have been intercepted. Follow the link below to find out if you have a claim.Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected customers are entitled to compensation. There is no cost to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. We work on a contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid!Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-04 16:02:30 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 560 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 OAKLAND, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / TheChurch of Ambrosia , the world's largest psychedelic church with over 120,000 members, proudly announces the launch of the Church of Ambrosia Podcast-a transformative new series exploring psychedelics, spirituality, and the nature of the soul.This revolutionary podcast, hosted by Pastor Dave Hodges, delves deeply into the science, history, and sacred traditions of entheogenic plants, featuring renowned spiritual leaders, researchers, and advocates at the forefront of the psychedelic movement.Unveiling the Truth: Psychedelics, Consciousness, and the Soul"The Church of Ambrosia Podcast is not just another conversation about psychedelics-it's an exploration of why we are here, what our soul truly is, and how we can access deeper truths beyond this world," said Pastor Dave Hodges, who founded the Church of Ambrosia in 2019.The inaugural episode features Baba Moudou Baqui, a globally respected spiritual leader and key organizer behind Detroit's entheogen decriminalization movement. With over 25 years of experience studying sacred plant medicine in Africa, Baba Moudou shares profound insights into the spiritual, healing, and cultural significance of entheogens, including his journey in opening his own psychedelic church, Per An (House of Life), in Detroit.Podcast HighlightsSacred Plant Medicine & Consciousness - Exploring the history, science, and spiritual applications of DMT, psilocybin, and cannabis as tools for enlightenment.Personal Transformations & Healing - Firsthand testimonials from individuals who have overcome trauma, addiction, and existential crises through deep psychedelic work.Religion & Spiritual Growth - Insights from church leaders, mystics, and scholars on how psychedelics can deepen our connection to the divine and expand our understanding of the soul.Expert Guests & Visionaries - Engaging with leaders in psychedelics, mental health, and public policy, including scientists, spiritual teachers, and activists shaping the future of entheogenic medicine."Psychedelics have been used for millennia as a way to connect with the divine, heal from trauma, and access higher states of consciousness," said Pastor Hodges. "This podcast exists to honor these sacred traditions, demystify the science, and share real stories of transformation that have been hidden for too long." A Movement Beyond the Podcast: Spirituality & Beyond 5 ConferenceThe Church of Ambrosia Podcast launches just ahead of the5th Annual Spirituality & Beyond Conference , a historic two-day gathering, April 19-20, 2025, at the Henry Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, in collaboration with the Oakland Psychedelic Conference.This year's event holds historic significance, aligning with Bicycle Day (4-19), and Easter Sunday (4-20)-three deeply symbolic occasions that converge in a rare alignment of psychedelic history, spiritual awakening, and ancient traditions.About the Church of AmbrosiaFounded in Oakland, California, the Church of Ambrosia is a nondenominational, interfaith religious organization dedicated to helping members explore their spirituality through entheogenic sacraments such as magic mushrooms, DMT, and cannabis. The church provides a sacred space for deep psychedelic work, helping members uncover the answers to life's most profound questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What is my soul's purpose?Join the Movement & Tune InThe Church of Ambrosia Podcast is now streaming on all major platforms.For more information about the podcast and the Church's mission, visitwww.ambrosia.church IG: https://www.instagram.com/churchofambrosiaBlueSky: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563833445406Twitter/X: https://x.com/AmbrosiaChurch/status/1869416635897090147TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@churchofambrosia Press Inquiries: Loretta Kalb (916) 835-4043Loretta_Kalb@ prxdigital.com SOURCE: Church of Ambrosia Jude Okoye, the former manager of the defunct music duo P-Square, was arraigned on Tuesday before Justice Rahman Oshodi at the Lagos State Special Offences Court. The case, filed as ID/25362C/2025Federal Government vs Jude Chidozie Okoye, involves allegations of money laundering in the amount of N1.38 billion, $1 million, and 34,537.59, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mohammed Bashir represented the EFCC as the prosecution counsel during the hearing, while Clement Onwuenwunor appeared for the defence. The prosecution referenced a document detailing the allegations dated January 25, 2025. Justice Oshodi inquired whether the defendant had been served, to which the prosecution confirmed affirmative service. Mr Okoye pleaded not guilty to all charges, including those tied to Northside Music and Mtech and the alleged 34,537.59 transaction. His counsel stated that the defence had 29 witnesses ready to testify, though none were present at this hearing. In his argument for bail, Onwuenwunor stressed that Mr Okoye was not a flight risk, citing his compliance with administrative bail conditions over the past two years. For all of the two years, he has been on administrative bail and never absconded, Mr Onwuenwunor stated. 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 However, after receiving the bail application that morning, the prosecution requested additional time to correct fundamental errors and review gaps in the documents. Justice Oshodi initially proposed a bail hearing on Monday, but the defence requested an earlier date, prompting the court to schedule it for Thursday at 2:00 p.m. Meanwhile, the prosecution pushed for Mr Okoyes continued remand in EFCC custody until the hearing. The judge, however, ruled that Mr Okoye remain in the Ikoyi Correctional Facility, as he had not yet perfected his bail conditions. The trial has been adjourned to 16 and 23 May. Until then, the former manager remains in detention, with correctional officers escorting him back to custody following the court proceedings. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print M23, a Congolese Tutsi-led paramilitary rebel group believed to be backed by Rwanda, has abducted 130 patients from two hospitals in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a statement by the United Nations (UN). Tutsi is one of the ethnic groups in Rwanda, where Hutu natives constitute the majority of the population. The minority Tutsis became targets of a 100-day genocide that killed more than a million people, mostly the Tutsi and moderate Hutus considered to be traitors. In a statement dated 3 March, the UN said it is gravely concerned for the safety and wellbeing of at least 130 sick and wounded men the M23 rebels abducted on 28 February. The men (patients) suspected to be DRC army soldiers or members of the pro-Government Wazalendo militia were abducted from two hospitals in Goma, one of the major cities taken over by M23 rebels where nearly 3,000 people were killed in January. According to the UN statement, 116 patients were abducted from CBCA Hospital, while the remaining 15 were taken from Heal Africa. It is deeply distressing that M23 is snatching patients from hospital beds in coordinated raids and holding them incommunicado in undisclosed locations, the UN stated, saying M23 must immediately release the patients and return them to the hospitals to continue their treatments. 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 Under international humanitarian law, which must be respected by all parties in the ongoing conflict, the wounded and sick must be able to receive the medical care and attention they need. Hospitals must be respected and protected in all circumstances, including by refraining from interference with their functioning, the statement added. Inherited fight: How DRC found itself in Rwanda ethnic war The Rwada genocide began after former president Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was killed alongside his Burundi counterpart in an attack on a plane carrying them on 6 April 1994. According to research, tension existed between the Hutu-led Rwandan government and the Tutsis before the unresolved assassination. The Tutsis were the favourites of the Belgian colonialists, who ruled the landlocked East African country through their Tutsi proxies. When the independence crusade hit Africa around the late 1950s, the Hutus rebelled against the Belgian colonialists and the Tutsi elites. This forced the colonial masters and their proxies to flee the country, paving the way for the Hutu government to take over power in 1962. This, however, led to the displacement of Tutsis. Several groups, including the Uganda-based Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), violently struggled to seize power back from the Hutus to return the refugees home. With support from the Ugandan government of Yoweri Museveni, the RPF, mainly led by Tutsi commanders, including Rwandas current president, Paul Kagame, went to war with the Rwandan government in the late 1990s. That war was further worsened by the 6 April 1994 incident, and by June of that year, the RPF claimed victory. After the war, many Hutus, including government officials, soldiers and militias who participated in the genocide, fled to DRC, from where the soldiers re-strategised and began to launch attacks into Rwanda. This last event, according to a UN document reviewed by this newspaper, led to a war between DRC and Rwanda in 1966. Since that time, several other conflicts ensued as leaders armed various rebel groups, fueling the war to its current stage where three major militia groups M23, Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the Cooperative for Development of the Congo (CODECO) continue to wreak havoc from their minerals-riched enclaves such as North Kivu. Resurgence of violence in DRC In less than a month, M23 rebels took over two major cities Goma and Bukavu in Eastern DRC. The fighting, which began late January, has killed 7,000 people, according to DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa. Ms Suminwa said about 3,000 deaths were reported in Goma alone. She added that about 450,0000 people were suffering a devastating humanitarian crisis, following the destruction of 90 displacement camps. Unlike 2012, when it took over Goma and withdrew 10 days later after international pressure, the M23 rebels, this time around, continue to stage violence despite calls for a ceasefire, suspension of aid to Rwanda and renewed investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC). According to findings, the group takes its name from the failed March 23 Agreement of 2009 between a Tutsi-led rebel group, the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) and the Congolese government to end the revolt led by the Tutsi people in eastern DRC. READ ALSO: Trump halts aid to Ukraine Barely three years later, some CNDP fighters broke away from the army, citing poor treatment. They subsequently formed the M23, branding themselves as fighters for the oppressed Tutsis in DRC. Following their 2012 take-over of Goma, the M23 fighters retreated to hillsides of Eastern DRC, bordering Rwanda. They regrouped in 2022 and seized at least four towns Katale, Masisi, Minova and Sake in North Kivu. However, they briefly withdrew from these towns in 2023 as per the Nairobi Peace Process, which facilitated a ceasefire until October of that year. Fighting resurfaced at the beginning of 2024, with deadly attacks recorded since January. With more than 8,000 fighters in the North Kivu stronghold, according to a UN estimate, the M23 is one of more than 100 armed groups disrupting peace in DRC. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print DOHS Cares Foundation, a group focused on women and children matters has launched the #NoDeyKpaiWoman campaign to create awareness and take action against rising incidences of femicide. With the hashtag, the group seeks to address the issue of femicide and calls for an end to it. The hashtag, written in Pidgin English, a widely spoken language in Nigeria, roughly translates to stop killing woman. Femicide is the killing of women or girls particularly by men on account of their gender. It is the most brutal and extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls, according to UN Women. Ololade Ajayi, the convener told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday that #NoDeyKpaiWoman campaign is about localising femicide awareness. Ms Ajayi said that the campaign is about presenting evidence-based data on femicide cases in Nigeria, awareness creation and also to advocate for policy reformation and legislation on femicide. 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 So that people in rural communities recognise femicide for what it is, and can identify red flags and possibly prevent potential perpetrators from carrying out the act, she said. She further said the campaign will serve as a tool to determine knowledge about femicide. Speaking about the trend of femicide in Nigeria, Ms Ajayi noted that from January to February alone, 29 women were reported to have been killed. We track cases across the internet and social media and also as first responders to SGBV, we are alerted to some cases by community members, she noted. We are focused on femicide prevention and thereby instituted the femicide prevention hub to create awareness, measure states response, measure impacts on victims families and the nation, economy. Measure justice, review and analyse cases, and also develop an app that will respond to prevent potential cases of femicide. Why it matters Ms Ajayi said that the campaign is to address the impunity with which the death occurs. Its to show that we will speak up. We will not tolerate femicide. And we want women and girls to be able to recognise the red flag and report potential cases of femicide. we want the government to take action, she said. The group had made calls to the Lagos State House of Assembly to legislate femicide, however, it has not yielded significant result. On 4 August 2024, the civil society group marched to the Lagos State Assembly to present a draft bill for consideration to criminalise the deliberate killing of women. A follow-up visit was made on 30 August of same year following the response of Omolara Olumegbo, a lawmaker representing the Lagos Island 1 Constituency and chairperson, of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Poverty and Job Creation. The lawmaker in a letter said there are existing laws that address their concerns. However, the group said the laws of the state do not explicitly mention femicide. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print On March 3, as the global communications and technology community converged in Barcelona, Spain, for MWC Barcelona 2025, Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company (YOFC) took center stage with its visionary theme, Leading a New Future With Fibre. During the exhibition, YOFC showcased innovative products and solutions across five core scenarios: 5G Advanced Connectivity, AI Intelligent Computing Center, Internet of Energy, Intelligent Traffic, and Enjoy Digital Life. This comprehensive display highlighted the companys pioneering advances in the AI era, demonstrating its expertise in shaping the digital society. 5G Advanced Connectivity Lays an Optical Framework for a Connected Future Targeting the evolving demands of 5G-A and 6G, YOFC highlighted key innovations, including the G.654.E optical fibre, known for its ultra-high-speed, capacity, and long-distance transmission capabilities. Other featured exhibits included the versatile GenBand optical fibre, designed to support backbone, metropolitan area, and access networks across multiple applications, and high-end multi-mode optical fibres that boost data center efficiency. Additionally, YOFC presented a variety of specialized optical fibres tailored to meet diverse market requirements. These innovations are set to lay a strong foundation for the AI era, paving the way for a seamlessly connected future. The G.654.E fibre stands out in the industry for its combination of a large effective area and low attenuation coefficient, which enable it to support large bandwidth, low latency, and long-span transmissions. This makes it the industrys preferred choice for current 400G and 800G, as well as future Tbit/s ultra-high-speed transmission technologies. For over a decade, YOFC has been at the forefront of developing G.654.E fibre technology. Leveraging its technological expertise and lineup of competitive products, YOFC has successfully deployed its fibres on a large scale in network infrastructure projects for the three major Chinese carriers, the State Grid, and for key telecom operators in multiple countries, including the Philippines and Brazil. To further advance optical communication technology towards higher speeds and greater adaptability, YOFC unveiled two groundbreaking products at MWC Barcelona 2025: EasyBand Plus-Mini 173m Fibre: This innovative fibre combines a smaller outer diameter with bending insensitivity, effectively reducing the size and weight of fibre optic cables. It significantly enhances pipeline resource utilization, making it an ideal choice for upgrading urban pipeline networks. MaxBand OM4 Pro Fibre: Specifically designed for single-channel 100G transceivers, this fibre overcomes signal degradation caused by central wavelength shifts in optical modules. It ensures the seamless transition of data center multimode connectivity solutions to 400G, 800G, and higher, offering reliable connectivity to support the increasing demands for computing power as a result of the widespread integration of AI across all industries. Cutting-Edge Optical Fibre Enables Lightning-Fast Data Channels for AI-driven Smart Computing Centers Focusing on AI data center scenarios, YOFC has introduced the Smart Computing Solution, which integrates advanced optical fibres, including hollow core and multi-core variants, and top quality multimode fibres alongside 400G/800G optical modules and eco-friendly cabling. These technologies enhance computational power while emphasizing sustainability, guiding the industry towards a greener, sustainable future. Hollow core fibre, often cited as the disruptive technology for next-generation optical communication, reduces transmission delay by some 34% compared to traditional solid fibres. It offers a new high-performance channel for intelligent computing networks and distributed large models. Leveraging years of experience and technical expertise in large-scale fibre and cable production, YOFC stands at the forefront of the industry in the mass manufacturing of extended-length, ultra-low-loss (<0.1dB/km) hollow core fibres. The company is fully equipped to deliver premium products for extensive commercial applications. Marine Communication Solutions Empower a Greener, Sustainable Future Amid the sweeping digital transformation across industries, YOFC highlighted its marine communication and power cable solutions at MWC Barcelona 2025. Against the backdrop of the deep integration between the energy revolution and digital technology, the company is dedicated to delivering its fibre-enabled energy solutions to customers worldwide. During the exhibition, YOFC showcased a comprehensive range of unrepeatered and repeatered submarine fibre optic cables, along with our proprietary lineup of submarine repeaters that come equipped with connector boxes, alongside our other wet-end products. The YOFC series of submarine fibre optic cables are designed to overcome the challenges in dealing with all types of underwater environments, with a maximum laying depth of up to 8,000 meters. Notably, this lineup has obtained the full series of UJ/UQJ certifications. YOFC also displayed 220KV AC, 500KV AC, and 330KV DC submarine photoelectric composite cables, designed for high-power transmission between the mainland and islands, between islands, and between land and offshore wind farms, facilitating clean energy transmission. Furthermore, YOFC owns several cable-laying ships, crane vessels, and wind turbine installation vessels, enabling the company to provide flexible solutions and offer customers comprehensive professional services. All-Optical Intelligent Vehicles Redefine the Smart Travel Experience To explore the limitless possibilities of future travel, YOFC has leveraged its strengths to develop vehicle-rail-optical smart travel solutions. With the pioneering concept of the all-optical intelligent vehicle, YOFCs intelligent vehicle solution enhances vehicle electrification and intelligence, boosts safety and reliability, and reduces both energy consumption and maintenance costs. These advances are achieved through the integration of five new technologies: in-vehicle fibre-optic communication, glass-side light-emitting optical fibre, erbium and ytterbium co-doped fibre for LiDAR amplifiers, fibre monitoring of in-vehicle batteries, and silicon carbide. In addition, YOFC unveiled its latest urban rail transportation communication solutions, designed to address the challenges of wireless coverage across independent communication systems operating within one rail networks or between collaborating rail networks. These solutions aim to provide zero blind spot communication security for urban rail transportation. The company also exhibited its innovative intelligent sunlight introduction system, which filters and channels natural light into indoor spaces to meet the lighting demands of city transportation hubs and other public venues. This system aligns with the concepts of intelligent travel and low-carbon living and has already been successfully implemented in several transportation hubs, including Shanghai Hongqiao and Xiamen North railway stations. FTTx Solution Enhances Optical Connectivity for a Better Life In the Smart Life Innovation Zone, YOFC showcased its FTTx solution and smart audio-visual series products, demonstrating how fibre optic technology enhances the quality of digital life experiences by establishing a comprehensive optical foundation for smart homes in the digital era. YOFCs FTTx solution offers a comprehensive end-to-end package that includes optical fibre, equipment, connectors, and a full suite of services to assist customers in rapidly deploying fibre access networks. The next-generation FTTR (Fibre to the Room) all-optical networking solution extends 10 Gbps bandwidth seamlessly to every corner using invisible fibre optic cabling. This solution supports the concurrent access of multiple types of terminals, making it ideally suited for scenarios such as 8K Ultra HD videos, cloud gaming, and whole-house intelligence. Simultaneously, YOFCs high-quality connectivity products and solutions, including HDMI, DP, USB, and audio cables, have achieved a remarkable technological leap, transitioning from fibre to the home to fibre to the screen. This advance ensures that every connection, whether for engineering-grade or home audio-visual applications, surpasses expectations, delivering a seamless and boundless experience. From Pipeline to Ecosystem: Redefining the Value of Optical Communication In the AI era, optical fibre transcends its role as an information channel to become the nerve center of an intelligent ecosystem, explained Zhuang Dan, YOFCs Executive Director and President. Our participation in MWC underscores YOFCs ongoing commitment to leveraging fibre optic technology to drive network upgrades, enhance computational efficiency, and foster sustainable growth through collaboration with global partners. AI is the huge gamechanger of the moment. As a leader in the global optical communication sector, YOFC has consistently positioned itself at the forefront, committed to transforming fibre optic technology from a simple information transmission pipeline into an AI ecosystem enabler. True to the corporate mission of Smart Link Better Life, YOFC maintains a customer-centric and innovation-driven approach. The company continues to push the boundaries of value in optical communication, striving to realize the limitless potential of an intelligent world. On 23 October 2024, Nigeria dropped criminal charges against Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive arrested in February 2024 and prosecuted, alongside his company, for money laundering, tax evasion and currency speculation. In asking the judge, Emeka Nwite, to discontinue Mr Gambaryans trial that day, R.U. Adaba, a prosecutor from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), hinted that the charges against the American were being withdrawn for some critical international and diplomatic reasons. The lawyer did not provide details. However, she cited Mr Gambaryans worsening health in custody as the main reason for dropping the charges. On being freed from the Kuje Correctional Centre that same day, American officials in Nigeria immediately arranged an emergency flight, which hurriedly flew the Binance official to the US. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the 23 October court hearing leading to the Binance officials freedom followed months of intense, behind-the-scenes diplomatic negotiations between Nigerian and US government officials. Some high-level and reliable sources confided in some of our reporters that in the weeks leading up to the hearing, some top American officials, including then-President Joe Biden, intensely campaigned for the release of Mr Gambaryan, engaging relevant Nigerian authorities through letters, frantic telephone calls, and a flurry of online meetings. A deal was then hammered out. When we initially received that information, details were sketchy. Officials contacted on both sides insisted the talks and agreements reached were confidential. But following months of interviews with sources familiar with the matter and a review of documents, PREMIUM TIMES can now report with more clarity the back-channel diplomatic pressures that pushed Nigeria into suddenly freeing Mr Gambaryan, a highly-prized suspect whose bail application it fiercely opposed for months. Mr Gambaryan, Binance Holdings Limiteds head of financial crime compliance, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, the crypto exchange platforms Africa regional manager, were detained on 26 February 2024 for failing to cooperate with law enforcement agencies investigating how crypto exchange firms, including Binance, were sabotaging the Nigerian economy and causing the West African nation substantial financial loss. 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 Nigeria said Binance conducted $21.6 billion worth of transactions within its territory in 2023 alone. In a briefing document seen by this newspaper, it said that despite this, the company disregarded Nigerian law by failing to comply with a court order mandating it to release critical data to authorities. By refusing to cooperate with Nigerian authorities, the platform has not only evaded its tax obligations but has also raised significant concerns about its potential in facilitating illicit financial activities, the document said. The implications of such activities directly threaten Nigerias financial integrity and national security. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) then filed two separate cases against the executives and their company. Authorities described the action as crucial for local regulatory compliance and key to Nigerias broader efforts to combat financial crimes, safeguard its economic interests, and prevent the misuse of digital platforms for terrorism financing and money laundering. But no sooner had Nigeria commenced the prosecution of the suspects than the US government began to pile pressure on Nigerian authorities to release Mr Gambaryan, described as a former agent with the American secret service. That pressure was initially spearheaded by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., who sent a note to the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanding expedited release of Mr Gambaryan from detention on humanitarian grounds. The ambassador also repeatedly engaged the Office of the Nigerian National Security Adviser (NSA), officials at the Ministry of Finance and the presidency. It didnt matter to the ambassador that Gambaryan and his employers were being tried for several crimes, including tax evasion and money laundering, an official familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES. They just wanted us to let him go just because he is an American citizen. They showed no regard for our countrys legal processes. With Nigeria standing its ground and insisting the Binance official must complete his trial, the US Embassy in Nigeria escalated the matter to Washington, DC. Several US officials then became involved. At a meeting in the American capital in May 2024, the then US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, raised the matter with his Nigerian counterpart, Yusuf Tuggar. In late April, the Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campell tabled the matter in a meeting with Nigerias National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. Other US officials who reportedly engaged Mr Ribadu on Mr Gambaryans detention were his US counterpart, Jake Sullivan; Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Molly Phee; and Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Christopher Wray, who travelled to Nigeria 12-14 June 2024 to discuss the matter. Mr Wray also met Nigerian President Bola Tinubu during his visit but PREMIUM TIMES could not determine if he discussed the Binance officials case with the President. As officials in the executive arm of the US government badgered Nigeria to free Mr Gambaryan, so were the countrys lawmakers. On 4 June 2024, a group of US lawmakers wrote President Joe Biden, Mr Blinken, and Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger D. Carstens, asking them to work for Mr Gambaryans freedom. In the well-publicised letter, the members of Congress urged US authorities to treat Mr Gambaryans case as a hostage situation and bring him back home without delay. Seven days later, on 21 June, two federal lawmakers, French Hill and Chrissy Houlahan, travelled to Nigeria to discuss with officials and visit Mr Gambaryan in detention. On 10 July, members of Congress Richard McCormick and French Hill tabled a resolution in plenary asking Nigeria to immediately release the Binance official and urging the American government to utilise all resources available to secure Mr Gambaryans release. Still, Nigeria did not bulge. In communication with their American counterparts, Nigerian officials demanded respect for Nigeria as a sovereign country with its own laws. They also rejected the suggestion by US lawmakers and executive branch officials that Mr Gambaryan was being held or treated as a hostage. He (Mr Gambaryan) and his company offered financial services without the necessary licences, conducted operations without the required permits, failed or refused to comply with the Money Laundering Act and provided speculative services without any proper authorisation, an official wrote in one exchange seen by PREMIUM TIMES. It is worthy of observation that Gambaryan is being legally held in the country, not as a hostage but for various crimes committed by him and his company. To underscore its seriousness to see Mr Gambaryans trial to a logical conclusion, Nigeria instructed its prosecutor to oppose the Binance officials second bid for bail forcefully. The judge, Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, had denied the American bail in May 2024, judging him as a flight risk. Mr Gambaryans challenge of that ruling was still pending at the Court of Appeal when he, on 11 October, tabled a fresh bail application. The prosecution opposed the application, and the court dismissed it because it constituted an abuse of court process. The judge said Mr Gambaryans request could not be granted while still challenging the earlier bail ruling at the Court of Appeal. Justice Nwite also added that the American failed to convince the court that the Nigerian Correctional Service did not have adequate facilities for his healthcare. The court then adjourned the matter till 18 October, 22 November and 25 November for the continuation of the trial. That was not the outcome America expected from that 11 October hearing, which signalled Nigerias determination to enforce its laws rather than buckle under pressure. What happened in court that day showed Nigeria meant business. America then decided to put its foot forward and negotiate in a more conciliatory manner. The second part of this report will cover what happened next and how both countries struck the deal that culminated in the dropping of charges against the Binance official. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Four days after a heated exchange at the Oval Office in Washington between US President Donald Trump, his deputy J.D. Vance, and Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Trump has stopped all US military aid to Ukraine. Multiple US media outlets, citing unnamed officials from Trumps team, reported on Monday that he plans to suspend US aids to Ukraine should the country fail demonstrates genuine commitment to peace negotiations on his terms. The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well, the unnamed White House official was quoted as saying. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The suspension of military aid to the country comes days after the US accused Ukraine of not being grateful for the support it receives. During the meeting at the Oval Office, President Trump told the Ukrainian leader that he has no card to negotiate and was only playing the tough guy because of US support. 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 meeting, set to finalise a critical mineral deal with the US and address the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, was cut short when President Zelenskyy demanded a security guarantee. However, President Trump threatened to withdraw US support entirely if Mr Zelenskyy refused to comply. Youre either going to make a deal or were out, and if were out, youll fight it out. I dont think its going to be pretty, Trump said, berating Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in front of gathered reporters. In an earlier post on Truth Social, his social media platform, President Trump accused Mr Zelenskyy of not wanting peace as long as he has Americas backing. EU increases funding Meanwhile, unsettled by last weeks fractious exchange between the two leaders, European officials on Sunday convened in London for an emergency summit aimed at bolstering support for Ukraine. The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said the emergency meeting was organised to garner support for Ukraine and ensure the countrys security. After the meeting, the UK announced that it has signed a 2.2 billion loan, obtained from profits of frozen Russian assets, to provide more military aid to Ukraine. The UK also made a deal to allow Ukraine to use 1.6 billion of UK export finance to buy more than 5,000 air defence missiles. He said, We have to learn from the mistakes of the past. We cannot accept a weak deal like this, which Russia can breach with ease. PREMIUM TIMES also reported that the European Union President, Ursula von der Leyen, said Europe needs to scale up its military strength. We urgently have to rearm Europe. For this, I plan to present a comprehensive plan at the next European summit in Brussels, she said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian government has approved N2.5 billion to procure satellite surveillance gadgets to combat illegal mining activities in the country. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the project is expected to take off within a maximum timeline of one month. Speaking to State House correspondents after Mondays Federal Executive Council meeting, the minister revealed that the projects benefits are numerous, including combating unregulated mining activities, unlicensed mining operators, and underreporting of production at mining sites. We are procuring satellite equipment, satellite gadgets that will be installed in strategic places all over the country that would enable us to have a visual effect, real-time of the operations that are ongoing in sites all over the country. There will be a centre like a screen in the operation centre, the mines martial centre, and in my office as well. At a glance, at the click of a button, you can surf any mine site and see the operations there; the volume of the mineral extracted, the number of trucks going out, and, of course, the security situation in the environment, the Minister 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 Loss of revenue Mr Alake estimated that the country has lost trillions of Naira to illegal mining activities , but assured that the satellite project is also expected to generate significant revenue for the government. The minister noted that the revenue lost to illegal gold mining is humongous adding that illegal miners take advantage of Nigerias vast territory, which is almost impossible to control in its entirety. He said the solution is to introduce technological gadgets that can enable us to see whats going on, even in the remotest parts of the country. In addition to the satellite project, Mr Alake said the government is also setting up the Nigerian Mining Corporation, which will be substantially controlled by the private sector. The corporations equity structure will be divided into 50% for the private sector, 25% for the government, and 25% for individuals. The President has also graciously approved the appointment of the CEO of that company. And his name is Martins Imoniti. He was headhunted from Australia. Australia is one of the biggest mining countries in the world, and from Western Australia, particularly, he has been in the finance sector of mining in Australia. So all the big players in the region and the mining in the world are at his tips, and we had to headhunt him to come and take off the Nigerian minerals corporation. So its going on very, very well. In fact, the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MORFI) is going to midwife it, he said. State government interference Mr Alake also addressed the issue of state interference in mining activities. He said the federal government has the exclusive authority to regulate mining activities, however, the government is willing to accommodate the states and has encouraged them to form special purpose vehicles to apply for mining licenses. Ive had a meeting with the governors at their Secretariat here, organised by the chairman of the governors forum, the governor of Kwara. 32 of them were present there, and I had a very robust exchange with them. READ ALSO: Lagos government moves to ease overcrowding on Oshodi pedestrian bridge We want to accommodate everybody. So i announced to the governors that. Look, you have this land, you have the minerals situated in your various states. Now, what stops you as a state from forming an SPV, a special purpose vehicle, like a company, to apply for a mining license of a site in your own state, and I will approve to get them involved, give them a sense of belonging, he said. Mr Alake said the government has also taken steps to address illegal mining activities. He said both local and foreign illegal miners have been arrested and prosecuted. The mine marshals had in the last couple of months apprehended over 320 illegal operators. Out of this, about 150 are undergoing prosecution as we speak and about nine have been convicted fully, while about four foreigners have also been convicted fully. So the work is going on pari passu with the technology that we want to introduce, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) Complex is a vast wildlife sanctuary spanning the intersecting borders of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. With one of the most diverse ecosystems in West Africas savanna belt, it is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation World Heritage Site and shelters threatened species such as cheetahs, giraffes, wild dogs, elephants, lions and leopards. But the WAPs million hectares of remote landscape is also a hub for organised transnational crimes, including the trafficking of weapons, drugs and people. Weapons smuggling is the most prolific illegal activity in the WAP, says Juliana Appiah from the University of Ghanas Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy. Carried out mainly by armed groups who exploit the parks rugged terrain and porous borders, the flow of weapons and ammunition facilitates terrorism, poaching, banditry and communal violence. Arms trafficking is also intertwined with Sahelian conflicts. These are driven by ethnic tensions, jihadist insurgencies and criminality, says Institute for Security Studies Sahel Programme Senior Researcher Hassane Kone. Five extremist groups are largely responsible for arms trafficking in the region, says Mr Kone. They include Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, Ansaroul Islam, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Islamic State Sahel Province. Trafficked weapons include assault rifles, light machine guns and pistols, with AK-47s favoured for their firepower and portability. Fidel Owusu, an analyst at the Conflict Research Consortium for Africa, told ISS Today that local criminal networks supplied arms to the highest bidder, using motorbikes and animals to move large quantities of weapons along paths through the bush. Using their knowledge of the regions rough terrain, current and former militants, professional transporters and corrupted security force members buy, sell and transport firearms. 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 Weapons enter the WAP through various channels. Ms Appiah says that most are diverted from government stores and poorly guarded stockpiles. Benin is both a destination and transit country, while Niger serves as a transit zone for arms from Libya en route to Mali. Regional governments are committed to stopping the weapons flow, though Owusu believes efforts to manage stockpiles, enforce laws and control arms transfers remain inadequate. Government responses to arms smuggling in the region have been mainly militarised. In 2014, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and African Union reactivated the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) comprising Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria to address trans-border crimes and create a safe environment in terror-affected areas. Niger withdrew from the MNJTF after the countrys July 2023 coup, which Owusu says has led to more weapons flowing through the WAP into the Sahel. While the MNJTF remains active at a low level, international support shifted to another option. In February 2017, France, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger launched the G5 Sahel Force with ECOWAS support. The force aimed to combat insurgencies and arms trafficking in the Sahel, including the WAP. However, accusations of French dominance led to the suspension of the G5 Sahel Force after Mali withdrew in May 2022, followed by Niger and Burkina Faso in December 2023. Chad and Mauritania announced the forces termination on 6 December 2023. In April 2023, with renewed political support from ECOWAS, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) enhanced its engagements in the WAP area to counter the rising threat of violent extremism. Although this intensified operational phase which also involved the French-led Task Force Takuba marked a shift in dynamics, security in the WAP and Sahel did not improve. The United States support for the MNJTF and G5 Sahel was also withdrawn, with anti-West protests and the regions intractable conflicts forcing Western countries to pull back from the Sahel. Mali then turned to Russias Wagner Group to help combat extremists and tackle insecurity. But this hasnt stopped arms flowing through the WAP, says Edmund Foley, head of Public Law at Ghanas Institute of Management and Public Administration. In September 2023, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formed the Alliance of Sahel States partly to fill the vacuum left by the G5 Sahel Force, and also in response to a potential ECOWAS intervention after Nigers July 2023 coup. By January 2024, all three states had indicated they would withdraw from ECOWAS. In 2017 the Accra Initiative was launched by Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote dIvoire, Ghana and Togo to prevent terrorism from spreading from the Sahel to coastal countries in the region. In 2019, Mali and Niger were admitted as observers. Member countries conduct joint military operations and training and share intelligence. In March 2024, an Accra Initiative delegation visited Maiduguri in northern Nigeria an area that has been on the front line of violent extremism to study the Borno Model, a post-conflict reconciliation programme that offers amnesty to Boko Haram militants who surrender to the military. However, Mr Foley says there are concerns over its applicability in the highly profitable trafficking environment of the WAP. Initiatives targeting arms trafficking specifically remain limited in the WAP Complex, despite clear links between arms traffickers, organised criminals, jihadist groups and insurgents. Regional and international actors have focused on security-centric responses with little success. There is no doubt that strengthening regional cooperation, intelligence sharing, border patrols and targeted search missions would reduce the illicit arms flow in the WAP. But security responses should form part of a broader intervention targeting both supply and demand drivers of illicit arms. It is crucial that social and economic vulnerabilities are addressed, and community mediation is supported. The Sahel Resilience Project offers a pathway forward. This ambitious initiative aims to tackle interconnected challenges in the region, including youth unemployment, food insecurity and the impacts of climate change, all of which contribute to the conditions that fuel insecurity. However, the project faces significant challenges, including slow disbursement of funds, coordination issues between implementing partners and ongoing security threats. Overcoming these hurdles will ensure the projects success in building resilience and contributing to long-term peace and stability in the WAP region. Feyi Ogunade, West Africa Organised Crime Observatory Coordinator, ENACT, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), West Africa ENACT is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Institute for Security Studies in partnership with INTERPOL and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print 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 police in Enugu State, South-east Nigeria, say they have arrested seven suspected armed robbers in the state. The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. Mr Ndukwe, a superintendent of police, said police detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department arrested the suspects. The spokesperson identified the suspects as Chetachukwu Okolo, 32, Ogwuche Chukwuemeka, 22, Ifeanyi Okoye, 29, and Sopuruchukwu Odenigbo, 28. Others are Onyebuchi Ukwu, 20, Chukwuebuka Chukwu, 25, and Mmaduabuchi Ukeh, 25. He did not, however, mention when and where the suspects were arrested. 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 Ndukwe said the suspects were arrested after information was received at the Unity Divisional Police Headquarters Division in Ibagwa-Nike in the Enugu East Council Area. He said the information indicated that some armed robbers invaded and robbed some residents of their valuables in the community on 3 and 6 February. Upon the transfer of the case, the departments detectives attached to the Anti-Robbery (D9) Section immediately launched an intelligence-guided investigation, leading to the arrest of the seven male suspects, he said. The arrests led to the recovery of firearms, ammunition, machetes, and alleged stolen items. The spokesperson said some SIM cards, identity cards, clothes and food supplements were among the items recovered from the suspects. Also recovered are one pump-action gun, two locally made pistols, two live cartridges, and two machetes, he said. Mr Ndukwe said the suspects confessed to the crime and will be arraigned in court as soon as investigations were concluded. He said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has reiterated that the police in the state require residents continuous support to fight criminalities. Mr Uzuegbu urged the residents to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and steadfast in supporting the police. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, on Tuesday said that the upper chamber had been passing diverse laws aimed at positioning Nigeria for a $1 trillion economy by 2030. Mr Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, said this at a meeting with a delegation of the United Kingdom Parliament, held at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja. He said that many of the legislative initiatives were already making a difference in the daily lives of the citizens and the collective prosperity of the country. The senate leader said that the National Assembly would continue to play pivotal roles in building a resilient economy and functional political system which would guarantee citizens security. Since the birth of the 10th Senate about two years ago, I have been discharging the duties of my office with modest records of accomplishments. One of such accomplishments is the timely passage of key legislations, particularly in the areas of fiscal reform and national security. 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 By engaging my colleagues across all political divides, we have successfully passed laws aimed at creating an environment for economic competitiveness and positioning Nigeria for a $1 trillion economy by 2030. I am proud to say that many of these legislative initiatives are already making a difference in the daily lives of our citizens. As we look towards the future, we remain deeply committed to strengthening Nigerias democratic institutions. We are also ensuring that the National Assembly continues to play its pivotal role in building a resilient economy and a functional political system that guarantees the security of all, he said. Mr Bamidele said that the nations parliament was building synergy with different parliamentary associations and institutions across the world to address the dearth of institutional capacity. On the issue of gender sensitivity, he promised the delegation that the 10th Senate would give the issue attention. In her presentation, Leader of the delegation, Kate Osamor, solicited for inclusion of more women in the National Assembly to address the existing gender gap in the nations elective offices. We have to make sure that more women are in the parliament. Every society is a reflection of elected representatives. Ms Osamor said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU) has refuted reports that the institution was involved in a contract scandal. NAU, known as UNIZIK, is a federal university in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria. An online newspaper, on Sunday, reported that UNIZIK allegedly awarded a contract for the construction of the universitys perimeter fencing twice to different companies in violation of the procurement laws. The newspaper claimed the institution awarded the contract first to Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Limited in 2024 for N180,031,437.50 and later to Dukonni Nigeria Limited in February 2025 for N370,738,367.05 without officially revoking the initial agreement. The two contracts totalled over N550 million. The newspaper attached a letter of award of the contract by the university and a letter of acceptance from Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Limited. 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 Also attached to the story was a letter the companys lawyers wrote to the UNIZIK Acting Vice-Chancellor, Joseph Ikechebelu, a professor. In the letter dated 19th February 2025, the company accused the university of breaching the contract terms and illegally terminating the contract. Its false and malicious, UNIZIK speaks However, reacting in a statement on Monday, the UNIZIK spokesperson, Louis Njelita, denied the allegations and described them as false and malicious. Mr Njelita said contrary to the allegations, the university did not enter into any contract with Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Ltd for the Remodelling and Construction of the Southern Boundary (Frontage Perimeter Fence, Lot 1). The spokesperson explained that the university had offered the contract to the company in a letter dated 25 October 2024 with a condition in the letter that the offer must be accepted within seven days from the offer date. For reasons best known to Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Ltd., they failed, neglected and disregarded to accept the offer within the stipulated seven days the offer was open. And for the failure and refusal on the part of Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Ltd. to accept the offer, the offer lapsed, he said. Meanwhile, a letter of acceptance purportedly written by the company and dated 25 October 2024 has been circulating on social media. The letter, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, was not acknowledged by the university. Mr Njelita, in defence, said the university management never received the letter. A glance at the said letter of Acceptance of Award will reveal that same was never received by the Nnamdi Azikiwe University as there is no such acknowledgment of receipt stamp on the letter. Besides, the record of the Procurement Unit of the university, particularly the register of mail, shows that Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Ltd. collected/received the letter of offer of Award of Contract on 30 October 2024, five clear days after the purported acceptance. In effect, Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Ltd. accepted the offer five days before they even received the offer. What a wonder! he said. The UNIZIK spokesperson faulted the claim by the company that they mobilised to the site and had requested the university for the release of 30 per cent of the total contract sum, amounting to N54 million, as mobilisation funds to facilitate efficient commencement of work. The company claimed it made the request to the university in a letter dated 28th October 2024 but got no response. For the avoidance of any doubt, Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Ltd. never mobilised to any site, nor did they carry out any such site clearing and proceeded with procurement of materials, labour deployment and other preparatory measures to ensure the successful execution of the project. The necessary formalities for handing over the site to Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Ltd. was not fulfilled, because the offer of the award was never accepted and no agreement was entered into for the contract as indicated in the offer letter, the UNIZIK spokesperson responded. Continuing, he said: What is more is that, just like in the case of the letter of acceptance which predates the date of receipt of the letter of offer, the purported letter of Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Ltd. requesting for mobilisation is dated 28th October 2024, which is two days before they received the offer of award of contract. All these transpired while the university was enmeshed in a leadership crisis. Abdullahi Hawawo Construction Co. Ltd. will need to explain how they accepted an offer and requested for mobilisation before the offer of award was received. Go to court if your contract was breached Mr Njelita explained that a number of factors compelled the university to cancel the planned remodelling of the university fence. The spokesperson listed some of the factors to include failure of the company to accept the contract and the near total demolition of the fence by scavengers. The planned remodelling consequently became unfeasible and the Nnamdi Azikiwe University had to consider a whole new contract of a completely new perimeter fence, he said. The new contract of building completely new perimeter fence was then awarded to the Dukonni Nigeria Limited by the university management. He asked the company to seek legal redress if it believes the contract it had with the university was breached or that the institution failed in any contractual obligation. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Despite the directive from the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, the Admiralty University, Ibuzor, Delta State, has issued a letter of appointment to Christopher Ogbogbo, a professor of African History, as the vice-chancellor of the university. In a memo dated 3 March and signed by the Deputy Registrar, Establishment, Gideon Orhewere, the university upheld Mr Ogbogbos appointment. It directed the Deputy Vice-Chancellor to stand in pending Mr Ogbogbos assumption of office. The Governing Council, at its 2nd Extra Ordinary meeting held on 26 and 28 February 2025 considered the report of the Joint Selection Board and appointed Christopher Ogbogbo, a professor, as the substantive vice chancellor of the university, the statement reads in part. It is to be noted that the appointment of Dili Ofuokwu as acting vice chancellor automatically terminates upon the appointment of a substantive vice-chancellor. Consequent upon the above, the deputy vice-chancellor (DVC) is standing in for the vice chancellor pending when the newly appointed Vice Chancellor will assume duty. Ignored Ministerial Directive Meanwhile, Education Minister, Mr Alausa had reversed Mr Ogbogbos appointment and approved the appointment of Lucian Chukwu, also a professor, who emerged first in the recruitment process as the substantive vice-chancellor. In a statement by the ministrys spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, Mr Alausa stated that Mr Chukwus appointment effective 28 February was in line with the principle of merit. 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 Chukwu had emerged as the top candidate after the selection process that involved KPMG, a global human resource advisory company, and an interview session by the university councils joint selection board. He emerged first with 83.41 points ahead of Mr Ogbogbo who came second place with 72.5 points in the selection process held by the university councils Joint Selection Board, according to the report reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES. According to the report, the top five candidates were interviewed between 24 Monday and Wednesday, 26 February and ranked based on their performances. However, some members of the university council held a meeting without the pro-chancellor, Dele Ezeoba, a retired vice-admiral and Nigerias former Chief of Naval Staff, to appoint and announce Mr Ogbogbo as the vice-chancellor. Mr Ezeoba described the meeting as a kangaroo and filed a report with the education ministry, leading to the appointment of the candidate who emerged first in the selection process. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has warned that Fridays Supreme Court judgment on the Rivers State crisis can lead to widespread instability in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. In a statement on Monday, INC President Benjamin Okaba warned that any attempt to undermine Governor Siminalayi Fubara would have dire consequences for national peace and economic stability. Mr Okaba was reacting to the court judgment that voided last years local government election in Rivers and restored the pro-Wike lawmakers as legitimate members of the Rivers House of Assembly. The 27 lawmakers have been antagonistic towards Mr Fubara after the governor fell out with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the FCT minister. Mr Fubara had presented the 2025 budget to a three-member assembly loyal to him, but the Supreme Court ordered the governor to present the budget to the pro-Wike lawmakers. In their plenary on Monday, the first after the court judgment, the pro-Wike lawmakers gave Mr Fubara a 48-hour ultimatum to present the budget to them. 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 Perceiving a renewed confrontation between the pro-Wike lawmakers and Governor Fubara, whom the Mr Wike allies attempted to impeach in 2023, the INC defended the governor. Mr Fubara hails from Opobo Nkoro, one of the Ijaw local government areas. The group said that the Ijaw people will defend Governor Fubara with every pint of blood in their veins, stressing that they would not stand by and allow their long-awaited tenure to be truncated. Dont treat Rivers crisis as ordinary politicking, INC tells Tinubu The group said the Rivers crisis is expected to escalate. It urged President Bola Tinubu not to treat the crisis as ordinary politicking, adding that it would not tolerate attempts to undermine their place in Nigerian politics. Mr Okaba said that INC enjoins Governor Fubara to, in the spirit of sportsmanship, work with all duly constituted arms of government in the state but warned that if Governor Fubaras tenure is truncated by the Amaewhule-led Assembly or anybody else, the INC cannot guarantee the sustenance of the current peace in the Niger Delta, nor the continued rise in oil production. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Malaysias national 5G network operator Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) has deployed Ericssons Enterprise Virtual Cellular Network (EVCN) at its Kuala Lumpur headquarters, making the organisation the first in the world to create a 5G-first office environment. Ericsson says that, equipped with 5G-enabled laptops managed through EVCN and integrated with Microsoft Intune, Entra ID, and DNBs 5G network, DNB employees will be able to enjoy secure and seamless mobile work connectivity. As part of its broader national digitalisation efforts, DNB is committed to replacing traditional Wi-Fi with 5G as the primary service to enhance security, efficiency and scalability. DNB plans to collaborate with mobile network operators to extend EVCN as a service for enterprises and government agencies across Malaysia. By integrating Ericssons EVCN with DNBs nationwide 5G network as well as services offered by mobile network operators, enterprises can now use 5G as their own secure, cost-effective and low-maintenance network with private and programmable access. This transformation, says Ericsson, brings several key benefits, including mobility and improved user experience; enhanced security and IT control; operational efficiency and cost savings; and seamless cloud integration. Ericsson says DNBs adoption of EVCN highlights its potential to reshape enterprise IT. As the solution evolves, together with the service providers, DNB is looking to expand into business and government sectors, supporting Malaysias digital transformation goals. Therefore, by consolidating IT infrastructure within a 5G-based model, DNB is priming to strengthen its market position, offering enterprises a future-ready, cloud-native IT solution. President Donald Trumps blanket tariffs on goods imported from Mexico, Canada, and China took effect on Tuesday, triggering a trade war as the affected countries have begun imposing retaliatory tariffs. China, responding swiftly, announced 15 per cent tariffs on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton imports from the US shortly after Mr Trumps tariff took effect. According to a statement issued by the Beijing State Council Tariff Commission on Tuesday, an additional 10 per cent tariff has also been imposed on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products from the US. China has also added 15 American companies, including drone maker Skydio, to its export control list. This would bar Chinese companies from exporting dual-use equipment to them. Chinas retaliatory tariffs are seen as a strategic move aimed at targeting industries vital to the Trump administrations key supporters. 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 Similarly, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the country intends to respond with tariffs on $30 billion of US goods. In a statement issued shortly before the tariffs took effect, the Prime Minister said Canada would impose an additional $125 billion tariff on American goods by March 25. Canada will not let this unjustified decision go unanswered, Trudeau said in a statement. Also the premier of Ontario, Canadas largest province, Doug Ford, declared that the country is ready to cut off energy supply to the US in response to President Trumps tariffs. If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything, including cut off their energy, with a smile on my face. And Im encouraging every other province to do the same, Mr Ford told reporters on Monday according to CNN. US tariff on China, Canada and Mexico Hours after his inauguration on January 20, President Trump issued an executive order which imposed a 25 per cent tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada. It imposed a 10 per cent tariff on goods from China and later increased the tariff to 20 per cent. According to President Trump, the new tariff imposed on its long-time trading partners was necessitated by the growing health crisis in the US caused by the uncontrolled import of illegal drugs into the country. President Trump said he wanted to pressure those countries into exerting stricter controls on the flow of fentanyl into the US. The US believes that several China-based entities supply precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl in labs operated by drug cartels in the US and Mexico. However, experts have said the tariff is likely to drive up prices for American consumers on a wide range of imported goods from the three nations. In 2024 alone, China, Canada, and Mexico collectively exported $1.4 trillion in goods to the US. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nineteenth senators have been denied landing permit at the Kashimbilla Airport in Taraba State. Taraba South senator, David Jimkuta, disclosed this at his Senatorial Empowerment Programme in Wukari, where he donated assorted items to the constituents. He explained that the 19 senators who he did not name, were selected by the Senate to accompany him and to witness his empowerment programme. The senator lamented that he got the report that the Kashimbila airport was temporary shut down, after he had completed every procedure required to fly into the airport. Mr Jimkuta, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils, said that the visit would have allowed them know the needs of the state to be of support He said the situation had prevented the senators from gracing the occasion. 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 advised the beneficiaries of the empowerment programme not to sell their equipment. Mr Jimkuta also promised to support security with logistics to enhance security of lives and properties in the district. He advised the beneficiaries of the empowerment programme not to sell their items but use them to better their lots. Earlier, Chairman of the event, David Kente, thanked the senator for the massive distribution of items to his constituents. Mr Kente, a philanthropist and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), described the empowerment as unpresidented in the history of the district. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that items distributed include cars, motorcycles, tricycles, sewing machines, deep freezers, vulcanising machines among others. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has reaffirmed the federal governments commitment to implementing continuous reforms to improve business operations in Nigeria. Mr Tunji-Ojo made this assurance while addressing journalists on Tuesday in Lagos after a closed-door interactive session with representatives from the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and other stakeholders from the private sector. He emphasised the private sectors vital role in economic development and reiterated the ministrys determination to foster an environment conducive to business growth. The minister noted that the interactive session provided an opportunity for the government and private sector leaders to engage on key policy issues. This was a family meeting because the private sector is a strategic partner to the Ministry of Interior, he said. We understand the critical role they play in the socio-economic development of our country. Key reforms area Mr Tunji-Ojo highlighted ongoing reforms in several key areas, including the expatriate quota system, business permits, and border control. 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 said: Reforms have to continue and it is a work in progress. A lot was done today with regard to the expatriate quota, our business permit and our work flow how it affects border control, the Nigeria Immigration Control (NIS) and the private sector issue. The most important thing is we have to take decisions that will protect the interest of Nigeria and we have to come up with creative strategies, and I think thats what we have been able to do. As regards border control, the minister recently disclosed that an e-border solution has been deployed in 40 per cent of the countrys borders as part of efforts to improve the security of lives and property of those living in Nigeria. He explained that the ministry is working towards streamlining bureaucratic processes to make it easier for both local and foreign businesses to operate in Nigeria. Citing passport reforms as an example, he stressed that similar improvements would be applied to business-related policies. Stakeholders engagement Mr Tunji-Ojo also announced that a special committee comprising representatives from the ministry and the organised private sector would be established to fine-tune discussions and recommendations made during the interactive session. He said the committee is expected to begin work within a week and propose reforms that address the concerns of businesses operating in Nigeria. READ ALSO: Group launches initiative to raise awareness about femicide We have agreed that this should not be a one-off meeting, he added. At least twice a year, we will reconvene to assess progress, listen to the private sectors concerns, and adjust our policies accordingly. The minister assured that the government would uphold agreements reached with stakeholders and continue engaging with the private sector to ensure smooth policy implementation. During the press briefing, NECAs Director General, Adewale Oyerinde, noted that open communication between the government and businesses would enhance compliance and accelerate economic growth. Mr Oyerinde commended the ministers willingness to listen and take decisive action. We are all stakeholders in the Nigeria project. I want to commend the current government for opening up the channels of engagement. We are coming up with wonderful reforms, specifically, private sector-driven reforms, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Lagos State has launched a digital malaria eradication programme as part of efforts to combat the disease, which continues to affect hundreds of thousands of residents annually. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu unveiled the initiative, known as the Pathway to Malaria Pre-Elimination and Digitisation Programme on Tuesday in Lagos. The programme, supported by the World Bank, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Maisha Meds, and other multilateral partners, aims to enhance malaria diagnosis, treatment, and tracking through digital innovations. Despite recording significant progress in reducing malaria prevalence, the state still reports approximately 900,000 cases each year, according to the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi. Speaking at the launch of the digital initiative, Mr Abayomi emphasised that the programme is a crucial step towards reducing malaria prevalence to below one per cent marking a significant leap towards disease eradication in Lagos. Malaria threat In his remarks, Mr Sanwo-Olu described malaria as a socio-economic burden that drains household incomes, affects productivity, and impacts education outcomes. 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 noted that while Lagos had the lowest malaria burden in Nigeria, the disease still posed a significant public health challenge. For many households with modest incomes in Lagos, malaria treatment can consume up to three per cent of monthly earnings, he said This financial strain often forces families to make heartbreaking choices between healthcare and other basic needs like food or education. He added that the economic impact extends beyond households, with businesses suffering absenteeism, schools recording lower attendance and our healthcare system bearing the weight of preventable cases. The governor explained that the digital malaria eradication programme would introduce real-time tracking of malaria cases, improve access to treatment through health insurance schemes, and strengthen public-private partnerships in tackling the disease. Lagos progress in malaria control According to Mr Abayomi, Lagos has made significant strides in reducing malaria prevalence over the last 15 years, due to improved diagnosis, immunisation and effective treatments. He revealed that the states malaria prevalence rate had declined from 15 per cent in 2010 to 2.6 per cent in 2025, placing Lagos in the low transmission category. Despite this, malaria remains a major public health issue in Lagos with around 900,000 cases recorded per annum. Over 50 per cent of outpatient visits in public health facilities are due to febrile illnesses presumed to be malaria, he stated. Federal governments assurance In his comments, the Minister of State for Health, Isiak Salako, observed that Lagos had the most comprehensive implementation strategy to roll back malaria, noting that the State had shown the tendency to achieve total elimination. Mr Salako assured that the recent changes in US global health funding would not negatively impact Nigerias progress in malaria eradication. He also reaffirmed the federal governments support for states working to reduce malaria transmission. More on initiative According to a statement to PREMIUM TIMES, signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Gboyega Akosile, Lagos became the first state to transition to the digitised system of malaria prevention. Mr Akosile noted that the initiative comes as the World Bank-funded Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) project, which has supported malaria prevention efforts in Lagos and 27 other states, concludes in December 2025. To sustain the progress achieved, the state government is expanding partnerships with private sector stakeholders, donor agencies, and healthcare providers. Mr Sanwo-Olu in his comments further emphasised the need for collective action in eliminating malaria, urging residents to adopt preventive measures such as using insecticide-treated nets, improving environmental sanitation, and seeking early medical attention for malaria symptoms. This vision is ambitious but achievable. It requires all stakeholders to work together with unwavering resolve. Success will not come overnight, but with sustained effort and collective action, we will prevail. This effort reaffirms our commitment to safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of every Lagosian, Mr Sanwo-Olu said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, rejected a request to release the passport of Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC). The judge, Musa Liman, supported the Nigerian police to reject Mr Sowores request to travel to the United States of America to meet with his wife and two children and keep a medical appointment with his doctor. Mr Sowore, who is being prosecuted by the police on cybercrime charges, stood in the dock on Tuesday for a ruling over his request for the release of his passport for the United States trip. The activist, who is on bail, faces 16 amended counts of cybercrime filed against him by the Nigerian police. The charges stemmed from Mr Sowores social media posts referring to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, as an illegal IGP for remaining in office beyond statutory retirement age. During Tuesdays ruling, Mr Liman, who walked into the courtroom from his chamber at about 12:15 p.m., began reading the ruling as soon as lawyers announced their appearances. 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 judge ruled that Mr Sowore failed to convince the court with the affidavits attached to the application filed by his lawyer Abubakar Marshal of Falana and Falana chambers. The judge said the activist omitted the names of his wife and children in the application. He added that the defendant/applicants home address in the United States of America and the school where he teaches were not mentioned in the application. He also argued that the message from Mr Sowores doctor in the US seemed to have emanated from an SMS message rather than an email exchange, further casting doubt on the justification for releasing the activists passport for travel to the United States. The judge also faulted the e-ticket for Mr Sowores flight to the US which was attached as an affidavit to his application. Although, Mr Liman declared that Mr Sowore was legally entitled to his freedom of movement, especially since trial had not commenced, he declared application is hereby dismissed. Meanwhile, Deji Adeyanju, who also represented Mr Sowore in court, told journalists that another application would be filed for the release of the activists passport. It is Omoyele Sowores fundamental human right to move freely and travel wherever he likes. This is not the end, well file another application for the release of his passport, Mr Adeyanju said on Tuesday. Mondays hearing Earlier on Monday, while addressing concerns he personally raised against the application, Mr Liman had firmly rejected the arguments presented by Mr Sowore, and threatened to jail the defendant for requesting permission to speak in court to clarify details regarding the e-ticket and email message. Police lead counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed, had claimed that he asked a friend at Abuja airport about the ticket and was told it was for a trip to Uganda, not the US. However, when Mr Sowore and his lawyers clarified to the judge that the e-ticket was indeed for a US. trip, Mr Liman shifted his focus, insisting that Mr Sowore must provide a comprehensive medical history and a letter from his doctor in the US. to justify his request. In response, Mr Sowores lawyer, Abubakar Marshal of Falana and Falana Chambers, argued that a medical report was unnecessary since Mr Sowore was not sick and was not seeking medical treatment. He explained that what had been submitted as evidence was a text message from Sowores primary care team at Columbia University, requesting him to schedule a routine medical visit upon his arrival in the US. At that point, Mr Sowore asked Mr Liman for further clarification on the matter, but the judge refused, stating that he could not speak for himself. They had long targeted my passport Sowore Reacting to Tuesdays ruling, Mr Sowore said that he was not surprised by the judges actions, alleging that there was a scheme by the government to withhold his passport for long. We predicted this outcome, and the judge has done his worst denying me the passport they had targeted all along. There is nothing surprising about todays decision. We knew from the beginning that they were working together to deny me my right to freedom of movement and prevent me from exercising my fundamental rights as a Nigerian citizen, Mr Sowore said, adding that this is something they have done since my university days when I was expelled twice by the military. The persecution has never stopped. Before his arraignment, Mr Sowore was invited by the Force Criminal Investigation Department over a tweet the police deemed offensive. The court granted him bail on 30 January under stringent conditions, including a N10 million bond and the surrendering of his passport. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print this is a clear case of my Godfather is bigger than yours. What those 36 lawmakers in Lagos State did was to embarrass Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the godfather of Lagos politics, and the president of Nigeria. For a whole month, they portrayed Lagos State as a wild part of Western Nigeria. Very bad optics. All of a sudden, the president looked as if he had lost control of his own state. Have you been following the developments at the Lagos State House of Assembly? High wire politics. Power Game. Man pass man. Man pass woman. Two Speakers in 50 days. Perfect material for a Nollywood film. Omo as in ! But I think the state lost the opportunity of having a female Speaker of the House for the first time in history. That has already been established. History has been mad., It is now on record that Mrs Mojisola Meranda once served, no matter how briefly, as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. She has broken the jinx. But the whole drama is not about gender balancing, or gender equity, it is about following due process and respecting the power calculus in the state. The Constitution is very clear. It says in Section 92 (2) that the members of the House shall choose their own Speaker and Deputy Speaker from among themselves. Which also means that they have the right to appoint and remove whoever they put in those two positions. The Speaker, in particular, is only first among equals, not the Babangida of the Assembly. 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 I think we have to leave the Constitution out of this. This is about power and influence. Speaker Mudashiru Obasa has just shown that he is not anybodys mate in that House. What kind of talk is that? They are all colleagues. Even Obasa himself says the people who removed him as Speaker behind his back are his brothers and sisters. And you believe that? Did you not see all the drama? Brothers and sisters who voted against him, held press conferences to condemn him and openly humiliated him at every turn. Is that how a brother treats another brother? It is part of the price anybody in a leadership position has to pay. Obasa has been speaker for 10 years. I think the whole drama should be a wake-up call for him. He must have learnt some lessons about his environment and more lessons about politics. I understand now that he has been reinstated, he is also expected to resign in the days to come and another person from Lagos West will be chosen as Speaker. I dont think so. Nobody wins a battle and gives away the spoils of victory. I see him sitting firmly on that seat till 2027. He may even return as Speaker after the next House of Assembly elections. The people who have lost out are the people who opposed him. How? They are properly elected representatives of the people. They owe their constituencies a responsibility to make laws for the good governance of the state. You are very sure they were elected by the people? Yes, of course. In this Lagos state? Elections were held. People trooped out to vote in the various constituencies. Other parties took part in the elections. I hear you. But go and write it down, most of those lawmakers who opposed Obasa and refused to listen to the directives of the Godfather, they and their Baba Sope sponsors, will be pushed out before the 2027 general elections. This is a democracy. They have the right to express themselves. Yes. Freedom of speech. But that will not guarantee their re-election. I imagine they will be on all fours now, begging, pleading for mercy. Mercy from whom? I thought you said the Speaker of the House is only first among equals. Yes. But this is a clear case of my Godfather is bigger than yours. What those 36 lawmakers in Lagos State did was to embarrass Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the godfather of Lagos politics, and the president of Nigeria. For a whole month, they portrayed Lagos State as a wild part of Western Nigeria. Very bad optics. All of a sudden, the president looked as if he had lost control of his own state. This is a man who has been called upon to look into the crisis in Rivers and Osun states. With his own political family, the APC in Lagos, engaged in street fighting, what moral right does he have to provide leadership in the political crisis in other states? It is democracy, though. It is not part of democracy for you to expose your leader, and the president of Nigeria to ridicule and not expect consequences. Okay. Okay. Obasa is back. Mojisola Meranda has also been returned to her former position as deputy speaker. The status quo ante bellum has been restored. Now, going forward, what the people of Lagos State need is peace, not in-fighting by their lawmakers. Obasa must find a way of working with other members of the House, particularly Deputy Speaker Meranda. He is a leader. He cannot afford to isolate himself. He has proved his point and his value. I understand he is the political leader of the Alimosho political constituency. Nobody can become governor of Lagos State without winning that constituency. It is the largest political constituency in Lagos State, Nigeria and the whole of Africa! Fine. But have you asked yourself why all of this will happen and the governor of Lagos State did not nip the crisis in the bud? He allowed the crisis to fester. No, I disagree. What do you expect him to do? When it is convenient, we talk about separation of powers. When politics and expediency merge, we abandon principles and blame others. You do me, I do you, God no go vex. When Obasa publicly humiliated Governor Jide Sanwoolu, kept the man waiting for five hours when he went to present the budget for 2025, and humiliated him further by saying he too could be governor, that kind of behaviour has consequences too. So, this is all about ego then? Tinubu gets thoroughly embarrassed because of the ego of his own boys? I hope Sanwoolu knows that allowing Tinubu to be embarrassed under his watch could have consequences too. We may just not have seen the end of the tragi-comedy in Lagos state. What annoys me, to tell the truth, is that the fight is not about principles. I have read stories indicating that the Lagos lawmakers turned against Obasa because he was not giving them enough money. One of them even said the Speaker refused to pay his hospital bills when he took ill. Well, that is some useful information for the voters in Lagos. Their lawmakers just want to share money. It is about their personal pockets, not democracy. It is shameful. No. It is not shameful. It is worse than shameful. I said ego. You talk about money. In Igbo language, money is actually EGO. You see, we are actually saying the same thing. I just think that President Tinubu should watch it. There is trouble in Lagos State. There is tension in Osun State. Two states in the South-West, his own region of the country. In both places, the presidents party, APC, is the problem. APC again? Yes. APC. In July 2022, then Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Tinubus cousin, had conducted elections into local councils without giving the mandatory one-year notice required by the Electoral Law of the state. He gave a 40-day notice. Adeleke, not yet elected governor, went to court. The APC too. The Federal High Court, Akure declared the local council elections null and void. The elections held and, of course, the APC won every single seat. Adeleke, now governor, refused to recognise that election. The APC local council chairmen who had been elected fought the matter all the way to the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure. The Court of Appeal recently ruled on two grounds: (a) notice of election and (b) the time of filing the suit by the PDP, and dismissed all other prayers as academic. The Court gave no consequential orders, no reinstatement order, and did not upturn the judgment of the Federal High Court. I am listening. It was a 53-page judgment. On the basis of this, the Adeleke administration organised fresh local council elections on the order of a court. The APC council men claim they are the legitimate council officials. Local council officials are on strike in the state. Tension everywhere. I get it. I get it. The APC officials are misinterpreting the court ruling because they have a Godfather in Abuja. I have not said it is Tinubu pulling the strings in Osun oh. No. I get it. I read stories showing that the Attorney General of the Federation gave instructions to the Osun State governor to recognise the APC agitators. The Inspector General of Police also supported the AGFs directive. AGF plus IGP on one matter equal to Tinubu when you do your calculations. Simple logic. I just know that peace should be allowed to reign in Osun. The APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, once boasted after the Ondo State governorship election in 2024, that the APC will take over Oyo and Osun states in the next elections. I hope this is not the sign that we are beginning to see: the grand plan by the APC to create a political homogeneity in the South West. Court rulings must be respected. The rule of law must prevail. I believe you will say the same about Rivers State where the Supreme Court has upheld the defection of the pro-Wike, anti-Fubara 27-man Amaewhule faction in the Rivers State House of Assembly from the PDP to the APC, and has also ruled that the state can no longer get Federal allocations until Governor Simi Fubara re-presents the states 2025 budget to the Martins Amaewhule faction. The court also nullified the local government election conducted last year by Fubara. I see Governor Fubara has been putting up a bold face, commissioning one project after the other. The truth is that he has been thoroughly humiliated. Minister Nyesom Wike has won. I am more concerned about the people of Rivers State. It looks like it is the people of Rivers State who have lost out. But I really cannot comment on the judgment of their Lordships until I see the Certified True Copy (CTC) of their submissions. I am confused. What are they saying, for example, about the precedent in Abegunde v Ondo State House of Assembly, which they decided in 2015, and what the Constitution says in Sections 68(2) and 109(1)(g) on the illegality of cross-carpeting? Those are the core issues. Hmm. The jungle has finally matured. Fubara is about to be taught a lesson for standing up to his Godfather. It is the same thing. Do you think he will now be impeached? It depends on how he plays his game. He may just have to respect the unfavourable Supreme Court judgment and find a way to go and beg Wike in Abuja. He has already directed his own local council chairmen to hand over to the heads of administration in their councils, effective 3 March. The former pro-Wike local council chairmen whose tenure was extended by six months are on their way back to office. But I hear members of the South-South Elders Forum are advising Fubara not to beg anybody, because they will not. I think those elders should just go and sit down somewhere. They are the same elders who pushed Fubara to this point of humiliation. Not a fair comment. The elders are saying that Wike is no longer governor of Rivers State and he cannot continue to run riot over the state from Abuja. After the Supreme Court judgment, Wike held a thanksgiving session in his house. Please how can one man constitute himself into such a nuisance? He is a threat to democracy in Rivers. He has a big Godfather. It is President Tinubu who is indulging him. He knows he has the president behind him. The president himself praised him on live television. We all know that. Wike might as well do what he likes with Rivers State. Is that democracy? Godfathers everywhere. Even in the National Assembly. I have not seen the hands of any Godfather in the National Assembly, at least not in the recent salacious case of cuckoldry allegations by Senator Natasha Akpoti. Thats another material for Nollywood. Except that it is not funny. We cannot afford to have a National Assembly that spends its time again and again having to deal with a House of Representatives member who beats up a woman at a sex toy shop, a Senate president who gets accused by Joy Nunieh, and now a married female senator, alleging that the chairman of the National Assembly, the same Senator Godswill Akpabio, was making sexual overtures to her and harassing her. I agree with the former Senate president, Senator Bukola Saraki in the matter. We should be more worried about the integrity of the institution. We must rescue that institution. Our National Assembly must not become a comedy house of errors. The matter should be referred to the Ethics Committee of the Senate and both parties must submit themselves to the authority of that Committee. Senator Natasha Akpoti says she has evidence. She who alleges must prove. Simple. Nothing will come out of it. You want to bet? This is the point. Senator Akpabio has a Godfather that is bigger. Who is that? Who else? And as for Senator Akpoti, except she brings out that concrete evidence she claims she has, she should begin to prepare for worse humiliation in that Senate. I hear the other senators are actually making jest of her. They are saying even if a mosquito, the male anopheles, hovers too closely around Senator Akpoti, she will scream that the mosquito is sexually harassing her, and go to court. She alone, Governor Yahaya Bello, then Reno Omokri, and now the Senate President. Next time she uses that trope, nobody will pay attention to her. You are taking sides. No. Just thinking aloudI also heard that the male lawmakers in the National Assembly have all resolved that if Senator Akpoti smiles at them, they will never smile back! Ha Ha. You kept making this point about Godfathers. It is not only in Nigeria though. Look at the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. He went to the United States, looking for the Godfathers support against Russia. For merely expressing an opinion about Putin, he was openly humiliated by President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. I have never seen a thing like that. The president of a sovereign nation tongue-lashed like that? Even his dressing was questioned and he was ordered to leave the White House. Godfathers are not always nice. When you stand up to them. They crush you. I thought that was a diplomatic blunder by the way. Why conduct public policy and diplomacy on live television? I pitied Zelensky. He and his country were made to look small. And America first. He was humiliated. He learnt his lesson. Beware of the Godfather. Reuben Abati, a former presidential spokesperson, writes from Lagos. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Let it be established that the matter before us as Nigerians, is not that of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan versus Akpabio. If there is anything like that, it is Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan versus the Senate, because while Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan acted on personal grounds, Akpabio acted as a presiding officer. Lets say the truth. Whatever personal relationship exists between the two senators must not be taken to the floor of the Senate. The sanctity of the Nigerian Senate has again been called to question. Power-play has replaced serious legislative business. For an institution that was created to serve as a constitutional shrine for the high priests of legislative politicking, the demystification of the Senate is a worrisome development. Since the constitutional reconstitution of the Senate in 1999, following the return of democracy, it has been one scandal after the other. From the orchestrated humongous amount demanded for furniture by the lawmakers in 1999, to the rumoured payments for anticipated contract awards, the Nigerian Senate has been turned into a theatre of political absurdity. Some of us knew it would come to this the moment we noticed that two classes of people were being elected to the hallowed chamber following the 1999 experiment. First, we noticed the election of underaged representatives. For the avoidance of doubt, the Senate, by tradition, is the parliamentary council of elders, created to conduct serious business of state an assignment that extends from law-making to the stabilisation of the polity. The Senate was never dreamt of as childrens playground. It was conceived to be a revered institution inhabited by celebrated adults people who have traversed life, gained wisdom, exhausted their ambitious instincts and are looking for a controlled environment where they can impart intellectual and experiential services for the benefit of mankind. This informed the historic statement by Alexis de Tocqueville in 1831, that the United States Senate contains within a small space, a large proportion of the celebrated men of America. Scarcely an individual is to be seen in it who has not had an active and illustrious career. The Senate is composed of eloquent advocates, distinguished generals, wise magistrates and statesmen of note 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 These were the people that the Senate was created for, not people with uncontrollable emotional outbursts children spoilt by wealth and poor upbringing. The legislature, from the revered Roman Senate to the American presidential construct of 1787, was meant for serious-minded people whose juvenile frenzy had been tamed and were ready for cultivation. That brings me to the second reason the Nigerian Senate has been in turmoil since 2003. Someone may ask why I am referring to 2003 when this dispensation actually started in 1999. The truth is that the 1999 Senate had mature, committed and widely experienced individuals; although it was an experiment, because the real thing started after the first four years of democracy. The moment moneybags started invading the Senate in 2007, as though it were another luxurious business centre called a oil well, things changed from bad to worse. In a jiffy, these bankrollers started either buying their ways into the revered assembly of distinguished elders, or procuring its seats for their spouses and children. Getting elected into the Senate was no longer a matter of qualification, but that of affordability. America experienced this scenario more than two centuries ago. So, there is nothing new about that, except that Nigeria is setting an unequalled record. As soon as this happened, the deified platform, which is the legislative equivalent of the Supreme Court, got soaked in scandals. Some of the members hardly occupy seats allotted to them up to twice a month. They are always on business and holiday trips. When they show up on the floor, they want to be treated as celebrities. As someone who witnessed Senate politics from the first Senate in this dispensation, as a reporter and observer, I do wonder most times whether the Nigerian Senate would ever accomplish the dreams of its founding fathers, bringing to memory the words of Prime Minister William Gladstone, that the Senate is the most remarkable of all the inventions of modern politics. Lets come back home. A few days ago, another drama was staged in the Nigerian Senate. It was actually not supposed to be a big deal, because one of the high points of any law-making institution is argument upon arguments, as long as such arguments do not breach the Standing Rules. The Senate floor is meant for the exchange of ideas, even if the exchanges are sometimes conducted in ungentlemanly manners. I am not likely to have the full detail of what happened. However, we were informed that sitting arrangements had to be adjusted in the Senate because of the exit of people from opposition political parties to the ruling party. Arising from this, certain senators were moved from their initial seats to new seats, to separate opposition party members from the ruling party members. A few hours after this was done, hell released some heat that melted the peace of the Senate. It happened when one of the female senators, Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Kogi Central, walked into the hallowed chamber, headed towards her traditional seat the one she occupied since her election to the Senate, only to realise that there had been some adjustment in the sitting arrangement. Her seat then carried another persons name tag. She halted, to be sure she was not making a mistake. I suspect that she must have asked any of her colleagues about what happened. What she did next was to lower her senatorial self into a seat that was not assigned to her the same seat she sat on the previous sitting day, but which was now carrying a different name tag. It is either the new occupant of the seat raised an objection, or someone must have drawn the attention of the Senate President to the development. Such details are not available to me. By the way, the Senate President is mandated by the Senate Standing Orders 2023, as Amended, to assign seats to every member of the Senate. Chapter 3, Order 6(1) of the Senate Standing Rules states that, The President of the Senate shall allocate a seat to each senator. The next provision states that, A senator may only speak from the seat allocated to him, provided that the President of the Senate may change the allocation from time to time. Two things are clear from the two citations above. First, is the fact that only the Senate President can determine where a senator sits in the chamber. As is usual in administrative procedure, he can delegate that function to someone under his command. The second point is that the same Senate President can unquestionably choose to change the sitting arrangement without consulting any senator. That is his prerogative. Well, as it is already known, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan did not like the idea of being assigned a new seat, irrespective of what the Standing Orders say, and no matter the justification on the part of the Senate President for doing so. She refused to move to her new seat. Lets be clear here: no matter how we interpret Senator Akpoti-Uduaghans action, it was in total breach of the Senate Standing Rules and a huge snub of the Chair. It does not matter her opinion of the Senate President. Thats personal. It was at this point that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, intervened. He asked Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to move to her seat. She refused, and instead talked back at the Senate President. While Akpabio was acting in line with Orders 65 and 66 of the Senate Standing Orders, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan acted on personal conviction, which was in violation of the Senate code of conduct. There is no question about that. In the days of the late Chuba Okadigbo, the invocation of Order 66(2) would have been carried out with such speed and authority that would have shocked everyone. Okadigbo had no stomach for anyone who attempted to grandstand in the Senate. People said he was intellectually arrogant. The truth, however, was that Okadigbo had great respect for the institution of the Senate. Order 66(2) states that after any senator, who acts in violation of the Order, and has been cautioned, if such a senator refuses to resume his or her seat, the President of the Senate, or the Chairman shall order such a senator whose conduct is grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from the Senate during the remainder of that days sitting; and the Sergeant-at-Arms shall act on such orders he may receive from the Chair in pursuance of this Order. Let it be established that the matter before us as Nigerians, is not that of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan versus Akpabio. If there is anything like that, it is Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan versus the Senate, because while Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan acted on personal grounds, Akpabio acted as a presiding officer. Lets say the truth. Whatever personal relationship exists between the two senators must not be taken to the floor of the Senate. My humble advice is this, we have had enough of the drama. The Senate leadership should convene a closed session, sit down and settle this matter. Whoever is found to have goofed should apologise to the Senate in the open. The issue of sexual harassment is a moral issue. It is hardly accompanied with evidence. This media war should end and the orchestrated court cases should be withdrawn. We are already sufficiently embarrassed! Sam Akpe writes from Abuja. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Truth be told, Obasa did not help his own case because of his alleged highhandedness, arrogance and overbearing nature. As Speaker, some insiders alleged, Obasa had become too powerful and disrespected some of his political associates. A case in point was when the Lagos State 2025 budget was scheduled for presentation. Obasa kept Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State and members of GAC, waiting for longer than necessary. The Lagos State House of Assembly has resolved what initially looked like an intractable political crisis. When the plenary resumed on Monday, what played out what a reshuffling of cards, followed by a game of musical chairs. But its all good as peace returned to the house. Mojisola Meranda, who was speaker for 49 days, resigned her position, while the erstwhile speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, who was impeached from that position on 13 January, was reinstated as speaker. Credit must be given to the political leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their political sagacity and wisdom. How they were able to get the lawmakers back together under the same roof was a masterstroke in conflict resolution. I congratulate them for a job well done. But heres a backstory of the events which can be summarised as a fight among the lawmakers for relevance and leverage. What we witnessed since 13 January was the usual power dynamics displayed by our politicians. No one was amused, except that, this time, Lagos State a highly prized jewel and the centre of excellence became the latest victim of the show of shame by politicians that Nigerians put up with on a regular basis. From the National Assembly to the State Houses of Assembly, what can we really point to as a higher sense of purpose that drives the conversations and engagements among our lawmakers? After the shenanigans that we witnessed in Rivers State, in what turned out to be a long-running soap opera before the Supreme Court judgments, it never occurred to me that Lagos State would be the next perfidious playground. Without doubt, Lagos is the richest state in Nigeria, with a GDP of about $34 billion, followed by Rivers State with $21 billion, according to available data. These two states can stand on their own without federal allocations from Abuja. It is understandable that theres so much at stake in Lagos State, but did we need the political chicanery that occurred? The bizarre behaviour of a majority of our political elite leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Politicians can align to protect their interests, which is okay, but it should not be at the expense of Nigerians, when our wellbeing should be their number one priority. What Nigerians want at all levels from the local councils to the subnational governments and federal government is exemplary leadership, and I do not think we are asking for too much. 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 According to John Maxwell, a world renowned leadership expert, Being a great leader is all about having a genuine willingness and true commitment to lead others to achieve a common vision and goals through positive influence. Maxwell also says, A leader knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Great leaders craft a vision for progress and prosperity, and foster a buy-in culture from their followers. Lagos State not only has the highest urban population in Nigeria, it is arguably the sixth largest economy in Africa, arising mainly from its commercial and industrial activities. It explains why the internally generated revenue (IGR) reached a historic N1 trillion milestone last year. The 40 members in the Lagos State House of Assembly have always worked together in peace and harmony over the years, based on a leadership structure for Lagos that is superintended by the Governance Advisory Council (GAC). An unexpected turn of events led to the impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the House of Assembly, who staged a dramatic comeback last Thursday and presided over a plenary of only four members. Although Obasa declared that he had returned as speaker, the purported plenary was a joke taken too far. Meanwhile, Obasa had instituted a legal challenge to what transpired on 13 January while he was away in the United States on vacation. At that time, the House of Assembly was on recess. Politicians say that when they have a problem, they will find a political solution. But when they dont, you will see them washing their dirty linen in the public, and they usually end up in court, keeping their Lordships busy and working overtime. Never have a dog in their fight. When Obasa, who had been speaker of the house for 10 years, was impeached, 36 members voted in favour of the resolution, but Obasa faulted the process because the House Rules, according to him, requires the majority leader to inform the clerk to notify the members to resume. But the clerk must obtain the prior approval of the speaker before the notice of resumption from recess can be circulated. Obasa said this process was breached, because, as it turned out, the plan to remove him was an urgent matter that had been hatched and consecrated by his political adversaries. Truth be told, Obasa did not help his own case because of his alleged highhandedness, arrogance and overbearing nature. As Speaker, some insiders alleged, Obasa had become too powerful and disrespected some of his political associates. A case in point was when the Lagos State 2025 budget was scheduled for presentation. Obasa kept Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State and members of GAC, waiting for longer than necessary. Previously, some commissioner-nominees from the governor were rejected by the Obasa-led House of Assembly. The impeachment process produced Mojisola Meranda as the new speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, with 35 members of the house rooting for her. Their aim was to effect a change in the power calculus in the house and reduce the influence of Obasa. But this was just the beginning of the crisi,s which received multiple interventions by some elders like Chief Segun Osoba, a media titan and former governor of Ogun State, and Chief Bisi Akande, former governor of Osun State two influential stalwarts of APC. These elders mediated and called for truce from the warring parties, which required a multifaceted approach, but politicians are good chess players and the end will always justify the means. Although the presidency was fingered as backing Obasa to instigate the crisis, it was not entirely true. The facts of the matter did not support the allegation. Insiders said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was unaware of the plot to remove Obasa, one of his foot soldiers and die-hard loyalist, which many saw as an affront to the presidency. There was no way Obasa was going to be humiliated out of office; he had to summon enough courage to push back in order to reverse the impeachment. It was indeed a night of long knives for him and his supporters. It became imperative for a compromise solution to be worked out by the political leaders of the party, where the speaker, Meranda, would resign, and Obasa reinstated as speaker a necessary soft-landing for Obasa as part of the healing process. It became a case of no victor, no vanquished. The House adjourned sitting indefinitely after the new positions were announced on Monday. Insiders said that when plenary resumes, Obasa, who is representing Agege 1 Constituency in the Lagos West Senatorial District, would also step down as speaker, but his replacement will come from his Senatorial District. It is being speculated that the likely beneficiary of the position of Speaker would be David Setonji, a civil engineer who is now the deputy chief whip of the House of Assembly, representing Badagry constituency. Both Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor, and Meranda are from the Lagos Central Senatorial District. This scenario is likely to pave the way for Obasa, all things being equal, to head to the Senate in 2027, in a game of political engineering and brinkmanship. The rally by Obasa and his supporters after he returned from his vacation was stage-managed to test his popularity and make the point that he would not go down without a fight. Obasa took the additional step of convening the plenary last Thursday, not to pre-empt the court hearing which was to hold the next day, but to escalate the matter based on the script which he held very close to his chest. Clearly, Obasa did not act alone while the drama lasted. The situation in Rivers State and Lagos State are similar, but they are not exactly from the same playbook. That was why I was hopeful that the efforts of peacemakers Osoba and Akande the bridge between Abuja and Lagos during the crisis would yield the desired results within the shortest possible time. Their efforts paid off to the satisfaction of the members of the house and other stakeholders. Obasas legal challenge has now been overtaken by events; it means the case would be withdrawn. When you are speaker of the Lagos house of assembly for 10 years, it should count for something. It would have been difficult for Babajide Sanwo-Olu to function effectively with a divided house. How did he cope since 13 January? That period must have been an awkward one for him. By the way, the governor was accused in certain quarters of being responsible for the crisis because he wanted to checkmate Obasa and teach him a political lesson. Could this have been true? Let us situate it to where it belongs: the realm of speculation. Politicians would always have their differences, but context matters. State governors wield a lot of powers, and it perhaps explains the story of our democratic culture and political evolution since 1999 which manifests in power play in high places for their selfish interests It is gratifying to note that peace has finally returned to the Lagos State House of Assembly. Prior to Marandas formal resignation, her colleagues praised and extolled her leadership qualities as they spoke, acknowledging the fact that she would be remembered as the first female speaker of the house. The lawmakers, in the same convivial atmosphere that prevailed during the plenary, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his mentorship, kindness, leadership and goodwill including his fountain of knowledge and wisdom which they drink from. Lagosians can now heave a sigh of relief with the resolution of the political crisis. Make Lagos good for all of us o! Ehi Braimah is a public relations consultant and marketing strategist. He is also the publisher/editor-in-chief of Naija Times and Lagos Post, and he can be reached at [email protected]. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print This story teaches us the importance of kindness, compassion, and going the extra mile to help those in need. Abubakars actions reflect the true spirit of Islam and the beautiful character of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his companions. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation. May Allah extol the Messenger in the highest company of Angels and grant him peace; and likewise, his family, his Companions and all those who truly and sincerely follow him until the Day of Resurrection. Dear brothers and sisters! Once upon a time in the city of Makkah, there lived a man named Abubakar. He was a close companion and a dear friend of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Abubakar was known for his kindness, generosity, and compassion. One day, Abubakar was walking through the busy market when he saw a poor old woman struggling to carry a heavy load of groceries. Her face was tired, and her hands trembled under the weight of the bags. Without hesitation, Abubakar rushed to her aid. He greeted her with a warm smile and said, Peace be upon you, dear sister. Let me help you with these heavy bags. Abubakar took some of the bags from her hands and carried them with a cheerful heart. 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 they walked together, Abubakar learnt that the old woman was a widow who lived alone. She had no family to support her, and life had become difficult for her. Abubakar felt a deep sense of empathy and compassion for her. Instead of just helping her with the groceries, Abubakar decided to make a positive change in her life. He asked her about her needs and discovered that her house was in need of repair. The roof leaked, and the walls were crumbling. Abubakar, with his big heart, immediately took the responsibility to fix her house. He gathered a group of skilled workers and provided all the necessary materials. They worked tirelessly until the old womans house was transformed into a comfortable and secure home. When the old woman saw the changes, tears of gratitude filled her eyes. She thanked Abubakar and prayed for his well-being. Abubakar, in his humility, attributed the kindness to the teachings of Islam and the compassionate example set by Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). This story teaches us the importance of kindness, compassion, and going the extra mile to help those in need. Abubakars actions reflect the true spirit of Islam and the beautiful character of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his companions. Ya Allah, on this day, strengthen us in carrying out your commands; let us taste the sweetness of your remembrance, grant us, through your graciousness, that we give thanks to you. Protect us, with your protection and cover, O the most discerning of those who see. All perfect praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers. Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of: Nagazi-Uvete Jumuah Mosque; and Late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene Mosque, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: [email protected]; or +2348038289761. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias history is one of resilience, one also of a history shaped by competing interests of political elites, multinational corporations, and global powers in the form of what Professor Badejo aptly refers to as external dynamics. These interests have determined policies, economic priorities, and even the fates of people. But the world at large cannot continue on this path. We must urgently engineer a new architecture for global and national governance, based on justice, equity, and equal responsibility. How much I would have loved to be in Nigeria again? I and President Goodluck Jonathan built instant mutual liking and respect. I first met President Goodluck Jonathan at an African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa in January 2013, before I started my assignment as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Guinea-Bissau (January 2013-June 2014). UNSG Ban Ki-Moon (BKM) had requested that I joined him in Addis Ababa for an African Union Summit, where I acquainted myself with experienced UN field leaders, including the foremost and widely respected economist, Carlos Lopes, who was then Head of the UN Economic Commission for Africa. Well before the appointed time for Ban Ki-Moon and I to meet President Goodluck Jonathan, I had arrived at the presidents guest house. BKM was delayed at a meeting with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, I was told. A senior adviser to President Jonathan recognised me and immediately informed the president, and I was taken to him. We had at least a half-hour warm and substantive conversation before BKM joined us. Todays celebrant, Professor Femi Badejo, was my Chief of Staff in Guinea-Bissau. He was all smiles as he met me at the airport in Bissau, even as he knew that I might replace him with another person as my Chef de Cabinet. This did not happen, and I quickly realised that I needed an experienced West African and one with easy access to leaders in the region. So began a working relationship that evolved into a friendship lasting till today. He facilitated meetings with Heads of State in the West African sub-region. We worked hard together to restore constitutional order, return the military to the barracks, and hold free and transparent elections in Guinea-Bissau. I have to say, my country, Timor-Leste, contributed with at least $8 million for the 2014 elections in Guinea-Bissau, much more than any single West African country, and more than the EU. I am very pleased to join you today in celebrating the life and achievements of a distinguished scholar, friend, and colleague in global affairs, Professor Babafemi Adesina Badejo. His contributions to political thought and governance have enriched Nigerias intellectual society and offered insights into the complex interplay of interests that shape politics. The theme of this symposium, Politics is Interests could not be timelier. We live in an era where special interests dictate the direction of global affairs, often at the expense of justice, equity, and the collective good. The challenge before us is to interrogate these interests and work towards governance frameworks that prioritise the well-being of the people. 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 For its side, Nigeria must harness its wealth intellectual capital, human resources, and abundant natural endowments to serve its people first. Just like Donald Trump has been reiterating America First, Nigerian governments and its people should increasingly insist on Nigeria First. This projection of Nigeria First must be done in a manner that boosts production and productivity and promotes healthy competition in the lookout for the best interests of its people. Our world today is set in an unfair and exploitative manner of power relations. The very institutions designed to uphold justice, peace, security, and stability are failing us before our very eyes. As I have stated before in some of my commentaries, we have repeatedly failed to anticipate crises and prevent conflicts. The UN Security Council is paralysed, obsolete, and unrepresentative of the world today. This failure has allowed wars to rage unchecked in Ukraine, Gaza, DRC (Congo), Myanmar leaving destruction in their wake and countless lives lost. Nigeria, a continental force, is not immune to these global dynamics. Like many other nations, it faces the burden of navigating both domestic and external interests. The question before us is: How can Nigeria position its national interest within a world order that prioritises the powerful over the weak? The Politics of Interests in Nigerias Development Nigerias history is one of resilience, one also of a history shaped by competing interests of political elites, multinational corporations, and global powers in the form of what Professor Badejo aptly refers to as external dynamics. These interests have determined policies, economic priorities, and even the fates of people. But the world at large cannot continue on this path. We must urgently engineer a new architecture for global and national governance, based on justice, equity, and equal responsibility. For its side, Nigeria must harness its wealth intellectual capital, human resources, and abundant natural endowments to serve its people first. Just like Donald Trump has been reiterating America First, Nigerian governments and its people should increasingly insist on Nigeria First. This projection of Nigeria First must be done in a manner that boosts production and productivity and promotes healthy competition in the lookout for the best interests of its people. Ideally, America or Nigeria first does not equate to crushing down on other countries. Our lives are so interconnected across the globe that economic illnesses starting in a major economy quickly reverberate and sink other economies across its borders and beyond. And instability and conflicts in mineral rich countries of the South fuelled by external interests always have a boomerang effect. This leads me into my next line of thought. A Changing Global Interests Structure We are witnessing evolution in global alignments from the rise of BRICS to the questioning of the relevance of Bretton Woods institutions. The emergence of China as an economic powerhouse has also caused deep anxieties in Western capitals. I have repeatedly stated: China is NOT a threat to the US or to any other country. China is a tough, smart competitor, but it is not an enemy. We need a world where competition is healthy; competition that forces us all to think outside the box, to understand that our youth is our future, and we invest more in our own youth to be innovative, to design and create, a competition that does not escalate into conflict and hostilities. The US, Europe, and China must find pathways of cooperation that benefit all, rather than fuelling divisions that serve only the interests of a select few. The role of leadership in all of this is critical. Professor Babafemi Badejo has been blunt on the matter of leadership deficit, corruption, and mismanagement of resources. He has spent his career impacting knowledge for building governance structures in post-conflict situations. During my mission in Guinea-Bissau, we designed a strategic development plan that was meant to help Guinea-Bissau along the lines of development. However, time was too short to handle the crucial problem of leadership deficit in that country Similarly, Africa and Nigeria in particular must assert itself in this evolving world order. Rather than being a pawn in global rivalries, Nigeria should leverage its position to shape international trade, technology, and diplomatic partnerships that align with its developmental goals. Nigeria must define its interests, not have them dictated by others. A huge country, with the human and natural resources that Nigeria has, should not have anything to do with competing for paltry international aid that only builds dependency. The role of leadership in all of this is critical. Professor Babafemi Badejo has been blunt on the matter of leadership deficit, corruption, and mismanagement of resources. He has spent his career impacting knowledge for building governance structures in post-conflict situations. During my mission in Guinea-Bissau, we designed a strategic development plan that was meant to help Guinea-Bissau along the lines of development. However, time was too short to handle the crucial problem of leadership deficit in that country to genuinely advance the course of the popular realisation of my friends pet expression: utmost freedom. I love this term because, as Femi idealises, it is the summation of the welding together of two key United Nations documents: the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. Badejos works challenge us to rethink the very nature and utility of political power. Leaders must rise beyond the immediate gratification of elite interests and work towards a politics of collective progress as popular needs are reasonably met. As the celebrant has resoundingly admonished, we must prioritise the pursuit of utmost freedom a state in which development, human rights, peace/security, humanitarianism, and governance align is not only desirable but necessary. This vision must guide authentic leadership grounded in the people as it navigates domestic and global interests. Conclusion As we honour Professor Babafemi Badejo today, let us draw from his ideas, thoughts, and impacts in scholarship and his dedication to good governance and development. Let us commit to re-examining power, rethinking governance, and reimagining a world where power serves the greater interests of a population, rather than a privileged few. May God bless us all. Jose Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Laureate, is the president of Timor-Leste. This is the text of his speech at the 70th birthday ceremony in honour of Professor Femi Badejo held at the University of Lagos today. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Philippines operator Globe Telecom and Orex SAI, Japanese operator Docomo's open RAN service brand, developed in collaboration with multiple global vendors, have announced a partnership to collaborate in the Philippines to launch a demonstration experiment for open RAN. Orex SAI has partnered with Globe to conduct an open RAN demonstration experiment as part of the preparation for an upcoming field trial. Japan is among the countries vigorously supporting the rollout of open RAN, an open radio access network designed to allow interconnection between equipment and systems from multiple vendors. Open RAN, say the partners, offers new possibilities by enabling diverse suppliers to contribute to the network's innovation and optimisation. This flexibility can potentially enhance and foster more dynamic, scalable, and cost-efficient network environments. Through the demonstration experiment, Globe says it will assess the feasibility and performance of open RAN solutions and understand the integration process within the current network infrastructure. This exploration will allow Globe to gain valuable insights into how open RAN could potentially play a role in its future network development. Joel Agustin, Globes Head of Service Planning and Engineering, says Globes participation in this project is focused on gaining deeper insights and evaluating how open RAN technology aligns with Globe's future needs. Through the demonstration, Globe aims to contribute to the global conversation about open RAN, learning from the trial outcomes to inform future decisions on network evolution and infrastructure planning. The Nostalgia of Ten Books and the Ghosts of Educational Identity When we were young, the description of someone who read ten books (O kawe mewaa) depicted those who successfully completed their secondary education. Why ten, one may wish to ask when it took us eleven years to complete secondary education then? This colloquialism, rooted in Nigerias pre-independence era, reflects a time when education was not merely a ladder to certification but a symbolic rite of passage. The ten books metaphor likely originated from the colonial-era curriculum, where mastery of core subjects arithmetic, English, geography, and history was measured in tangible, countable units. Yet, this simplicity masked a deeper truth: education was already drifting from its functional African roots, where learning was inseparable from communal survival. In pre-colonial Yorubaland, the Ile-Ife bronze-casting guilds trained apprentices for decades, embedding artistry with spiritual and economic value, as much as the drumming guilds, where the offspring learned the trade through functional education. Similarly, the Igbo-Ukwu blacksmiths perfected metallurgy without formal classrooms. These systems prioritised doing over certifying starkly contrasting todays obsession with paper qualifications. The colonial classroom prioritised producing clerks and interpreters to serve the colonial machine, planting the seeds of todays certification obsession. By the 1970s, this disconnect had widened: a graduates value was measured by their certificates prestige, not their ability to solve local problems. A 2023 study by the African Heritage Foundation revealed that 89 per cent of Nigerian parents associate success solely with white-collar jobs, perpetuating a cycle where vocational skills are deemed inferior. This mindset, a relic of colonial hierarchies, continues to sabotage functional education. 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 6-3-3 Experiment: A Bridge Half-Built The introduction of the 6-3-3 system in 1982 promised a revolution. Six years of primary education, three in junior secondary and three in senior secondary, aimed to bifurcate students into academic and vocational streams. On paper, it was visionary: students disinclined toward academics could enter technical schools, graduate with employable skills, and progress to polytechnics for diplomas. After industrial training, they might even earn higher diplomas equivalent to university degrees. Yet, the systems failure was multifaceted: Societal Stigma: Technical schools became synonymous with academic failure. A 2019 Nigerian Educational Research Institute study found that 78 per cent of parents preferred their children to pursue university degrees over vocational certifications, fearing social ridicule. Curriculum Decay: Technical schools relied on obsolete equipment. A visit to Government Technical College, Ikorodu, in 2022 revealed welding workshops using manuals from the 1980s, with no functional generators to power practical sessions. Industry Disconnect: Polytechnics produce graduates with theoretical knowledge but no hands-on experience. The result? A 2020 survey by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) showed that only 14 per cent of technical graduates meet industry standards. The 6-3-3 system collapsed not because of poor design but because of a cultural aversion to manual labour and systemic neglect. Case Study: The Rise and Fall of Technical Schools in Enugu In the 1990s, Enugus Government Technical College was a hub for training auto mechanics and electricians. Today, its workshops are dilapidated, and enrolment has dropped by 70 per cent. Former principal Mrs. Ngozi Okoro attributes this to zero funding and parental pressure to avoid the shame of technical school. Meanwhile, Enugus thriving Nnewi auto industry imports technicians from Ghana a stark indictment of systemic failure. Specialized Universities: Mission Drift and the Irony of Expansion The establishment of specialised universities Agriculture in Makurdi and Technology in Akure (among many others)was meant to anchor education to national development. These institutions were designed to produce agronomists to revolutionize farming or engineers to drive industrialisation. Yet, within a decade, mission creep set in. The University of Technology began offering accounting and business administration degrees, while the University of Agriculture launched mass communication departments. This dilution was no accident. Underfunding forced these institutions to chase student enrollment for survival. Courses in management and social sciences became cash cows, cheaper to run and more popular among students. The result? A glut of graduates in oversubscribed fields and a dearth of experts in the sectors these universities were created to serve. For example, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), established in 1988 to advance food security, has more students in its Management Sciences department than in Crop Production. Meanwhile, Nigeria spends $1.5 billion annually on rice imports a sector its agricultural universities were meant to dominate. The Irony of Specialisation The University of Port Harcourts Institute of Petroleum Studies, initially designed to train oil sector engineers, now offers MBAs in Petroleum Management. Yet, according to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Nigeria still relies on expatriates for 65 per cent of its oilfield technical work. This underscores a tragic irony: institutions created to foster self-reliance now cater to corporate bureaucracy. Functional vs. Non-Functional Education: A Colonial Hangover During my time at the College of Education, a lecturer posed a haunting question: If all certificates vanished tomorrow, what tangible skills would our graduates possess? The silence in the room was telling. Our disdain for indigenous education is ironic. Pre-colonial systems prioritised functionality: The Igbo apprenticeship model (Igba Boy) produced entrepreneurs who built thriving trading empires across West Africa. The Hausa traditional leatherworks (Kano tannery) sustained regional economies for centuries. Yet, Western-style schooling became the gold standard, emphasising rote learning and detachment from community needs. We traded blacksmiths for bureaucrats, and now, we have neither. Reviving Indigenous Models: The Igba Boy Success Story In Onitsha, the Igba Boy system thrives informally. Young apprentices spend five to seven years learning the trade under mentors, after which they receive seed capital to start businesses. A 2021 UNDP report found that 60 per cent of Onitshas millionaire traders are products of this system. Contrast this with Nigerias formal sector, where 54 per cent of university graduates under 25 are unemployed (NBS, 2023). The 12-4 Policy: Compulsion Without Clarity The new 12-4 policy twelve years of compulsory basic education followed by four years of tertiary education aims to universalise access. But access to what? By merging academic and vocational tracks into a single basic education framework, the policy risks producing a generation of jacks of all trades and masters of none. Case in Point In 2023, Lagos State piloted a unified curriculum for senior secondary schools. Students in technical fields reported spending 80 per cent of their time on general subjects like Civic Education and Computer Science, with minimal workshop exposure. We learn about engines in class but never touch one, lamented a student at Igbobi College. Without clear pathways, students may graduate with neither employable skills nor the critical thinking needed for higher education. The Funding Mirage The policy assumes state financing, but Nigerias education budget has never exceeded 7 per cent of GDP far below UNESCOs 1520 per cent recommendation. In 2022, 63 per cent of UBEC funds were unaccessed due to bureaucratic bottlenecks. Without addressing these realities, the 12-4 policy risks becoming another paper tiger. Education as Societal Mirror: Aligning Policy with Reality For education to speak to societys needs, it must first diagnose them. Nigerias unemployment rate (33 per cent) and 35 million small businesses starved of skilled labour demand an education system that prioritises technical proficiency. Global Lessons Germanys Dual System combines classroom learning with apprenticeships, keeping youth unemployment below 6 per cent. Companies like Siemens train students directly, ensuring job readiness. Rwandas Akazi Kanoze focuses on agriculture and construction, sectors critical to its post-genocide rebuilding. Graduates receive startup kits to launch micro-enterprises. Nigerias policymakers could adapt these models. Imagine a 12-4 system where senior secondary students split time between classrooms and local industries: aspiring engineers interning at Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing and future agripreneurs learning at Dangote Rice Farms. The Kerala Model: A Subnational Blueprint In Kerala, India, vocational education is integrated into mainstream schooling. In grades 1112, students choose between academic streams and skill-based tracks (e.g., tourism, IT). By 2022, Keralas youth unemployment rate was 12 per cent, compared to Nigerias 53 per cent. Adopting such flexibility could make the 12-4 policy more responsive. A Call for Radical Reimagining The 12-4 policy need not be a death knell for functional education. To salvage it, we propose: Stream Reinstatement: Retain vocational tracks within basic education, with certifications tied to competency (e.g., National Vocational Qualifications or the former Trade Test Certificate). Industry Partnerships: Mandate corporations to fund technical schools in exchange for tax rebates. For instance, MTN could sponsor ICT academies, while Guinness Nig. Plc (and similar industrial giants) funds engineering workshops. Cultural Revival: Integrate indigenous knowledge into STEM curricula. The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) could collaborate with traditional guilds to certify apprentices in herbal medicine or renewable energy. Teacher Revolution: Train educators in vocational pedagogy and incentivise professionals (e.g., retired engineers) to teach part-time. The Role of Technology Digital platforms like uLesson and Pass.ng have revolutionised exam prep. Similarly, virtual apprenticeships could connect students with global experts. A Lagos-based startup, SkillNG, already offers online coding boot camps with job guarantees a model vocational schools could replicate. Community-Led Skill Hubs In Kano, the Gidan Makera (Blacksmiths Quarter) has been training youths in metalwork for centuries. Partnering with such hubs could formalise apprenticeships, blending tradition with modern quality standards. In the same way, Itoku in Abeokuta, with its Adire textile hub, could form a veritable tool for knowledge transmission and performance. For example, the Kano State Vocational Training Authority recently piloted a program where master blacksmiths co-teach with engineers, merging ancestral techniques with CAD design. Conclusion: Beyond Certification to Creation Education must transcend the vanity of certificates and confront the urgency of survival. A mechanic who can diagnose engine faults without a diploma contributes more to society than a degree holder who cannot change a lightbulb. The 12-4 policy will only succeed if it resurrects the functional ethos of our ancestors where learning was not a race to paper qualifications but a lifelong problem-solving journey. However, this resurrection cannot happen without research-driven policymaking. Nigerias educational reforms have been crafted in the echo chambers of political expediency, divorced from empirical realities for too long. The collapse of the 6-3-3 system, the drift of specialised universities, and the looming uncertainty of the 12-4 policy all share a common root: the absence of rigorous, localised research to inform design and implementation. Consider the 6-3-3 systems vocational track. Had policymakers conducted baseline studies in the 1980s to map regional industry needs textile hubs in Kaduna, auto workshops in Nnewi they could have tailored technical curricula to match those demands. Instead, a generic national syllabus was imposed, producing graduates irrelevant to local economies. Similarly, the 12-4 policy risks repeating this error. Without data on state-specific labour gaps (e.g., Sokotos irrigation farming needs versus Rivers maritime logistics demands), compulsion becomes a hollow gesture. Research-driven policymaking demands three pillars: Localised Data Collection: Establish state-level Education Data Councils to track labour market trends, skill shortages, and student outcomes. For instance, Lagos booming tech sector requires coders, while Kanos leather industry needs designers. Stakeholder Collaboration: Involve communities, industries, and traditional guilds in curriculum design. The Igba Boy apprenticeship model succeeded because it evolved organically with trader input a lesson formal education ignores. Iterative Evaluation: Treat policies as experiments. Pilot the 12-4 framework in three states, measure outcomes (e.g., employability rates), and refine before the nationwide rollout. Singapores success in vocational education offers a blueprint. In the 1990s, its Institute of Technical Education (ITE) rebranded vocational training by partnering with 10,000 companies to align courses with industry needs. By 2020, 86 per cent of ITE graduates secured jobs within six months a feat achieved through relentless data collection and employer feedback loops. Nigerias National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) could spearhead such efforts, but it remains underfunded and sidelined. Revitalising NIEPA with mandates to publish annual Education-Industry Alignment Reports would ground policymaking in evidence, not guesswork. Finally, research must confront uncomfortable truths. A 2022 study by Rethinking Education in Nigeria revealed that 72 per cent of secondary school graduates cannot name three industries in their state. This alarming disconnect underscores why policies fail: schools operate in a vacuum, unaware of their communities needs. Research bridges this gap, transforming classrooms into incubators for local problem-solvers. As the Yoruba say, Imo to ba le se nnkan, iyen ni imo to se koko (Knowledge that can do something is the knowledge that matters). Let our schools teach our children not just to read but to repair, rebuild, and reimagine. But first, let us rebuild our policymaking process rooted in research, responsive to reality, and resilient against the tides of political whimsy. Let us build an education system where a graduate of the 12-4 policy can proudly say, I may not have read ten books, but I can feed ten families. Bolutife Oluwadele is an author, chartered accountant, certified fraud examiner and public policy Scholar based in Canada. Email: [email protected] Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print OPPO today launched its latest series of AI phones, the OPPO Reno13 Series,featuring the Reno13 5G, and Reno13 F 5G,in market,bringing flagship-like AI features and all-around performanceto a broader audience.Equipped with AI Livephoto, AI Editor, and underwater photography supported byIP66 / IP68 / IP69 Water and Dust Resistance, the Reno13 Series combines powerful hardware and intuitive software with sleek, durable design to meet the needs of creators, gamers, and everyday users, setting a new standard for smartphones with no compromises in performance andAI capabilities. Premium AI Features Made Accessible The Reno13 F 5G delivering advanced AI capabilities previously reserved for flagship smartphones, serving not only as an AI imaging expert but also as a productivity tool tailored to the daily needs of professionals. Refined Craftmanship and Durable Design 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 Drawing inspiration from the majestic wings of butterflies, the Reno13 Series features a bold new design representing a harmonious fusion of technology and fashion. On theReno13 5G, a seamless One-piece Sculpted Glass back cover gives the phones an elegant, refined curvature with enhanced durability, while an Aerospace-grade Aluminum Frame provides 200% greater yield strengththan a plastic frame, as well as 20% improved resistance to bending and 36% improved drop resistance. Through these enhancements and more, both models offer an optimal balance in lightweight construction and strength. The Reno13 5G weighs 181g with a thickness of 7.24mm for Plume White and 7.29mm for Luminous Blue, the series distinct design is further enhanced across a range of premium colorways. The Reno13 F 5G comes in four vibrant colors, each featuring the same Urban Avant-Garde Aesthetic of the Reno13 series in an even slimmer profile, the Reno13 5G IS in Plume White and Luminous Blue, and the Reno13 F 5G inPlume Purple,Graphite Gray, Skyline Blue, and Luminous Blue. The Reno13 5Gfeature a 1.5K OLED display with support for a 120Hz refresh rate and a 93.8% and 93.4% screen-to-body ratio respectively. Both displays are also certified for HDR10+, Amazon HD&HDR, and Netflix HD&HDR. Get Creative with Underwater Photography on the Worlds First Caseless Underwater Phone With an IP66 / IP68 / IP69 Water and Dust Resistance rating across all models, the Reno13 Seriesoffers exceptional protection against water and dust. Not only are the phonesshielded against splashes of water up to 80C , they can also remain submerged in water up to 2 meters deep for 30 minutes , unlocking all-new ways for users to explore and create in the world around them. Backed by industry-leading water resistance capabilities,Reno13 Series phones support underwater photo and video recording without the need for external waterproof casings or accessories.All models feature a dedicated Underwater Mode with independent color tuning for distortion-free, lifelike shots, and physical button control for effortless underwater operation. Additionally, an advanced one-tap drainage mechanism expels water from the device within seconds to maintain optimal performance. Together, the powerful design and features enable users to explore underwater photography with unprecedented ease and reliability, setting a new standard for durability and creativity on mobile phones. ElevatingPhotography Experiences with AI Innovations OPPO takes mobile photography to new heights on the Reno13 Series with a collection of powerful AI features designed tohelp users capture every lively moment in vibrant detail. AI Live photo redefines dynamic photography with ultra-clear, high-definition images combinedwith an incomparablysmooth and stability shooting experience.Using EIS stabilization and dynamic frame expansion technology, the feature minimizes frame drops while enhancing image sharpness tocreate one of the smoothest and most reliable Live photo experiences yet. A full suite of AI-enabled post-editing and creative enhancements tools, including make-up effects and filters, together with Pro XDR technology provide further freedom to personalize memories effortlessly. The Reno13 Series also takes a big step in removing compatibility barriers between different smartphone ecosystems. Through the all-new Tap-to-Share feature, the phones are among the first Android devices to support direct sharing of Live photos with iOS devices (with NFC capability) , while support for AI Live photo sharing across popular social media platforms, includingTikTok7, Instagram , and WhatsApp, makes it easier than ever to share content between friends, family, and followers. Another brand-new feature on the Reno13 Series is AI Motion, which leverages advanced generative AI technology to transform stillimagesinto vibrant three-secondvideos with near-2K quality.By adding lively micro-motion effects or time-lapse animations to still photos like starry skies or bustling streets, AI Motion can rejuvenate any photo into a dynamic Live photo without any professional editing skills needed. Alongside these features,the Reno13 Series AI Editor introduces a suite of tools that transform ordinary shots into professional-grade images. AI Clarity Enhancer sharpens distant scenery to make even far-off objects like landscapes or architectural details appear crystal clear. AI Unblur brings clarity to previously blurry photos, ensuring every moment is captured with lifelike precision. AI Reflection Remover eliminates glass reflections, allowing users to capture scenery through windows with minimal interference. The Reno13 5G, both the front and rear cameras support 4K Ultra Clear video recording, capturing video thats four-times as clearas standard 1080P video and filled with richer details. The 3.5 Telephoto Camera onReno13 Pro 5G Enhanced AI for Productivity and Efficiency Alongside AI-driven enhancements in photo and video, the Reno13 Series also taps into the power of AI to boost efficiency in everyday life and work. The series offers innovative AI features likeDocumentsa standalone app for professionals to summarize, edit text or even extract charts for editing directly on the document with the help of AI. Meanwhile, the AI Assistant for Notes offers AI-driven tools for formatting, editing, content expansion, and style variations. These capabilities are complemented by the upgraded AI Toolbox 2.0, which is included via the sidebar to offer real-time spell checks, translations, text rewriting, and suggestions in multiple languages based on intelligent understanding of the users current task. The Ultimate Gaming Experience with Superior Performance Equipped with a custom MediaTek Dimensity 8350 mobile platform optimized in partnership with MediaTek,theReno13 5G set a new standard in mobile performance. Built on a cutting-edge 4nm process, the Dimensity8350 features an 8-core CPU configuration with a main frequency of up to 3.35GHz, offering a 20% boost in performance while reducing peak power consumption by 30%. This enables exceptional performance with high power efficiency, delivering a smoother, more agile gaming experience, high-definition photography, and robust support for advanced AI features. Gaming sessions are further enhanced by an AI Multi-Cooling System featuringan expanded Vapor Chamber (VC). Even during resource-intensivesessions, gameplay on the Reno13 series remains smooth and lag-free thanks to the upgraded AI Hyper Boost gaming engine, which intelligently allocates resources and stabilizes frame rates, ensuring smooth gameplay. The Reno13 series also takes gaming to the next level with OPPOs self-developed Adaptive Frame Booster. The cutting-edge technology leverages GPU-driven intermediate frame generation to elevate frame rates in games like Mobile Legends and PUBG Mobile from 60 FPS to 120 FPSwhile consuming significantly less power compared to native 120 FPS settings, delivering smoother visuals while preserving battery life. Unlike other solutions that rely on external chips, OPPOs integrated GPU solution minimizes latency to provide a fluid and responsive gaming experience at ultra-high frame rates. The Reno13 series also introduces AI LinkBoost 2.0, OPPOs latest connectivity solution, featuring eleven strategically placed antennas in a 360 configuration to enhance signal reception. Theintelligent system dynamically adjusts network priority to keep users connected even in busy and crowded environments. Compared to the previous generation, video sharing speed in stadiums is 25% faster and video buffering in busy shopping malls is down 24%. Powered by OPPOs custom SignalBoost X1 chip, AI LinkBoost 2.0 also enhances wallpenetration and eliminates dead zones, boosting coverage by 42.2% to 145-meters and upload speeds by 143.1% 20.55 Mbps. On top of this, the updated AI LinkBoost includes a Wi-Fi Positioning feature that guides users on how to place their phone in the optimal position to secure a strong connection even in difficult spots. Together, these new and improved technologies enable smoother online gaming, streaming, and file sharing without disruption in even more environments. In recognition of their faster gaming and network performance, the Reno13 5G has been awarded an S Rating in the TUV SUD Lag-Free Mobile Gaming Rating, while the entire Reno13 Series has received the TUV Rheinland High Network-Performance Certificate. For battery and charging, the Reno13 5Gis equipped with 5,600mAh battery plus it supports for OPPOs 80W SUPERVOOCTM Flash Charge technology. The high endurance batteries is designed to offer extended lifespans without compromising performance by maintaining at least 80% of itsoriginal capacity after five years of use6. Market Availability The OPPO Reno13 Series is available from 4th of March 2025, visit OPPO Social media page for more information and purchase. The performance of Wi-Fi SignalBoost will vary due to regional laws, devices and surroundings. Data and descriptions are based on testing performed under laboratory conditions. Actual results may vary. Data is based on testing performed by OPPO under laboratory conditions. Results may vary due to different testing environments. 100% refers to 100% battery level shown on the screen. Actual charging time may vary due to differences in the environment or individual device (such as temperature changes and battery age). 6 The five-year battery lifespan is based theoretical calculations based on testing performed by OPPO under laboratory conditions. It assumes that the user charges the phone once a day and that the phone battery capacity remains above 80% of its original capacity after five years of continuous use at room temperature. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Katsina State Government has addressed concerns surrounding schools closure during the holy month of Ramadan. The state government said the decision is borne out of the need to prioritise both religious observance and educational continuity. In a response to the ongoing discussions about school operations, the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education said it has put in place a strategy to minimise total academic disruption. The Ministry said it recognised the scorching weather conditions that characterised northern Nigeria, which Katsina State is not left out. Also, the government is not unaware of unique challenges faced by students and teachers during this sacred month and has developed a responsive framework to support the academic and spiritual needs of those in the final year session, Sani Danjuma Suleiman, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, clarified in a statement on Tuesday. Explaining the state governments position, he stated, Our directive is to ensure that students, particularly those preparing for critical examinations, continue their academic preparations. The Ministry has specifically designed extra lessons for Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) candidates in public, private and community schools, Mr Suleiman explained. He also reminded parents and the public of the existing State Law which direct closure of schools during the sacred month of Ramadan. 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 recognition of the concerns raised by various stakeholders, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Ministry wishes to inform the public that the extra lessons, commencing on 3rd March, 2025, will be structured to accommodate the unique circumstances of teachers and students observing Ramadan and the environmental conditions. The administration of Governor Dikko Umaru Radda remains committed to creating an educational environment that respects religious diversity while also maintaining high academic standards. The Government urges all educational institutions to implement these guidelines with sensitivity and ensure students of all faith feel supported and valued, the statement pointed out. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission has issued a notice for a fresh local council election hours after the state assembly notified Governor Siminalayi Fubara that it would amend the law establishing the commission. The Supreme Court, on Friday, sacked the 23 council chairpersons in the state after voiding last years local election for non-compliance with the Electoral Act. Governor Fubara, in a statewide broadcast on Sunday, ordered the council chairpersons to hand over to the heads of local government administration in their respective domains, with assurance that a fresh election would be conducted. Citing the Supreme Court judgement, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, in a letter dated 3 March, notified Governor Fubara that the House would soon commence the process of amending the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 2 of 2018 so that they can be in tandem with Electoral Act and pave way for the commencement of plans for fresh election in the state. The House had also, in the letter, drawn the governors attention to the Supreme Court judgment in 2023, which prohibits the running of local governments by officials outside those elected to serve. However, hours after the House notified Mr Fubara of the planned amendments, the commission issued a notice of a fresh election in a move that may again set the pro-Wike lawmakers on a fresh collision course with the governor. 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 commission chairperson, Adolphus Enebeli, in a letter dated 4 March, invites stakeholders, including leaders of all registered political parties, traditional rulers, religious organisations, the media, civil society groups, and electorates to a meeting on Wednesday. The highlight of the meeting will be the unveiling of the time-table and guidelines for the 2025 local government election in the state, Mr Enebeli, a retired judge, said. Background The oil-rich Rivers has been enmeshed in political crisis since late 2023 after Governor Fubara fell out with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister. READ ALSO: Tinubu appoints substantive Accountant General of the Federation Messrs Fubara and Wike are battling each other over the control of political structure in the state, particularly at the grassroots level, ahead of the 2027 general elections. Governor Fubara had recorded significant advantage at the grassroots after last years local election in which his loyalists emerged as chairpersons and councillors across the 23 local governments in the state. However, the Supreme Court invalidated the election and, therefore set the grounds for a fresh political fight between the governor and his predecessor. It is not clear how Mr Wike-backed lawmakers would respond to the election notice from the Rivers election commission. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Police Command in Edo State has launched a search for the suspected herders who allegedly abducted a Catholic priest and a seminarian from St. Peter Catholic Church, Ivukwa community, in Etsako East Local Government of the state. In a statement in Benin on Tuesday, the commands spokesperson, Moses Yamu, said the incident occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on Monday when armed men stormed the church and kidnapped reverend father, Philip Ekeli and the seminarian, Peter Andrew. According to him, a swift response by the police, in collaboration with vigilantes and hunters under Operation Rescue, led to a shootout with the attackers. One of the suspects, whose identity remains unknown, was neutralised during the operation, and his corpse has been deposited at the General Hospital, Agenebode, Mr Yamu, a chief superintendent of police, stated. Mr Yamu disclosed that items recovered from the suspect included a Tecno button phone with two SIM cards, a power bank, a dagger jacket, a bag containing biscuits and Nescafe beverage, and N168,850. The police spokesperson said four suspects were arrested during the operation. 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 said the Commissioner of Police in Edo, Betty Otimenyin, has ordered reinforcements from the anti-kidnapping unit and Police Mobile Force, working alongside the military, to secure the victims unconditional release and capture the remaining abductors. Mr Yamu urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to aid ongoing rescue efforts. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom, over an alleged N700 billion fraud. Mr Udom, who served as governor between 2015 and 2023, arrived at the EFCCs corporate headquarters in Abuja around 12:20 p.m. on Tuesday following an invitation from the anti-graft agency, PREMIUM TIMES learned. He was arrested and detained after honouring the EFCCs invitation to answer allegations of money laundering, diversion of funds, and stealing, a source privy to the development told our correspondent. This newspaper gathered that the former governors arrest followed a petition by a civil society organisation, the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking. The group alleged that Mr Udom received N3 trillion from the Federation Account for over eight years but left behind a debt profile of N500 billion and unpaid N300 billion for ongoing projects. He was also accused of being unable to account for N700 billion, an EFCC source 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 It was further revealed that investigations uncovered the withdrawal of N31 billion in cash from a single account named Office of the Governor. The transactions were said to have taken place between 2019 and 2023. Dele Oyewale, EFCCs Head of Media and Publicity, could not be reached for comments as calls to his line indicated that it was switched off at the time of filing this report. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Mojisola Meranda has resigned as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. She announced her resignation at Mondays plenary. Her resignation comes 49 days after she was elected into office by 36 lawmakers. I made history as the first speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Ms Meranda said. I am not a quitter, but I took the decision to save this institution from further embarrassment, she added, as she resigned from her position. After her resignation speech, the lawmakers who had backed her speakership despite intense pressure from party leaders, gave her a thunderous round of applause, showing their appreciation for her courage and dedication. A lawmaker, Rauf Olawale, representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency 2, nominated Ms Meranda as Deputy Speaker. The motion was seconded by another lawmaker, Abiodun Orekoya. 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 She was thereafter sworn in as Deputy Speaker. Ms Merandas resignation as Speaker and her appointment as Deputy Speaker, turned the tide of the turmoil that had engulfed the Lagos assembly for weeks. Her resignation paved the way for the reinstatement of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Backed by over 30 lawmakers, Ms Meranda had stood firm, defying intense political pressure to relinquish her position as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. She said her decision to resign is to save this legislative institution from further unnecessary conflict and embarrassment. READ FULL SPEECH Good afternoon once again, my distinguished colleagues, staffers of this great house, our great party, and everybody sitted here this afternoon in this chamber. My dear and gallant honorable colleagues, this is a notice of resignation as Speaker of the Joint Assembly. Once again, history beckons on me to make personal sacrifice towards resolving the crisis rocking this Assembly of Patriots. I come from the illustrious lawal Lakaku family of Lagos. My family has played and shall continue to play defining roles in entrenching democracy, good governance, and the development of our people. I will never depart from the well-established path of honor, dignity, integrity, and service as personified by my late father, Chief Taurid Akoni Lawal Lakaku Adejiyan II, the past Ajora of Lagos. Please permit me, dear colleagues, to restate the position I previously expressed in a leaked publication wherein I stated as follows. One, It is with every sense of responsibility that I hereby give you notice of my decision to resign as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly in the month of March 3rd, 2025. I did not arrive at this decision lightly.Indeed, I took it with careful consideration all the primary and integral circumstances that accumulated in my election as Speaker on the 13th of January, 2025. On the one hand, and the recent political turmoil which is threatening the cohesion of this Honorable House, on the other hand, we are the representative of the good people of Lagos. With the mandate to protect our democracy and ensure good governance. I am a good student of political history, and in this regard, I know that this is the point at which, as your leader, I have to make this selfless sacrifice to resign in order to protect this institution. With your unflinching support, I made history as the first female Speaker of Lagos state House of Assembly, and I value and cherish the solidarity freely given to me. My esteemed Honorable Members, I do not leave out the management and staff of this Assembly.I am sincerely grateful to each of you for your support and collaboration during my short but very interesting tenure. I leave this position as the right Honorable Speaker of this House, and I shall continue to serve my good people of Apapa Constituency 1 in particular, and our teaming in Lagos in general. Thank you for finding me worthy to lead this distinguished and honorable Assembly. I am not a quitter. However, I took the above decision in order to save this legislative institution from further unnecessary conflict and embarrassment. Accordingly, and in deference of our esteemed political leaders, I have agreed to yet again make a personal sacrifice by stepping down as the Speaker of this great Assembly. Dear distinguished and gallant Honorable Members of this 10th Assembly, Occasionally we are confronted with esteemed overwhelming challenges in conflict management, but as a responsible leader, we will not bring down the legislative house. We collectively build a pursuit of justice and fairness. For those who have been unfairly vilified for standing on the side of fair play, kindly take note that there will always be opportunity to right any wrong.I am entrenched by the dialogue of personal messages, phone calls, public shows of support, and groundswell of solidarity from a broad spectrum of our society. Indeed, our nation is blessed with great men and women of honor. It is my fervent hope that the leadership of our great party will continue to provide guidance and support for the aspiration of our people.I sincerely thank you all for your understanding and support. Just like we know that the party decision is supreme. At this point, I take a bow as your Speaker and I step down as your Speaker of this great House. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The 2024 Microsoft Worldwide Security Partner of the Year winner chooses Cork for EU expansion and attracting local talent CORK CITY, Ireland, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BlueVoyant, the cyber security company that offers a comprehensive, cloud-native cyber defence platform, today announced the opening of its new Security Operations Centre (SOC) in Cork, Ireland. The new SOC will provide 24x7 monitoring of Irish and EU clients' networks and digital ecosystems, enabling threats to be mitigated as soon as they arise. The new centre is part of BlueVoyant's multi-million-Euro investment in EMEA since 2017. The opening highlights the company's continued investment and expansion in the region with local revenue growing 70% in 2024. Councillor Dan Boyle, the Lord Mayor of Cork, cuts the ribbon on a plaque to BlueVoyant's Security Operations Centre (SOC) in Cork. From left to right, Michael Conley, BlueVoyant chief revenue officer, Holly Steele, BlueVoyant senior vice president United Kingdom and EMEA, Robert Hannigan, BlueVoyant head of international business, Councillor Dan Boyle, the Lord Mayor of Cork, and Ger Kirby, BlueVoyant SOC manager, Ireland and EMEA. With cyber security teams grappling with the enforcement of new EU regulations such as NIS 2 and DORA in addition to new cyber threat vectors, clients now require a holistic, next-generation managed security service to quickly find and mitigate the most critical threats across all attack surfaces. The opening of BlueVoyant's Cork SOC furthers that mission and marks the company's first permanent office in Ireland, after having local employees operating since 2024. Cork is the fastest growing city in Ireland, according to the National Planning Framework (NPF), and has emerged as a popular choice for multinational technology companies to beachhead in the European Union, with BlueVoyant joining international business giants. BlueVoyant chose the city for the wealth of tech talent and collaboration opportunities. BlueVoyant currently has nine employees based in Cork, and plans to grow that headcount to at least 15. The company currently employing more than 120 cyber security experts across Ireland and other EU member states including at its UK-based SOC and Customer Experience Centre in Leeds. Key for BlueVoyant in choosing Cork is the pipeline of budding graduates studying cyber security at local universities. BlueVoyant is working with university leaders and local cyber security organisations to foster the pipeline of promising talent, with plans to host local internships at the new facility. "We made the strategic choice to locate our new EU Security Operations Centre in Cork due to its status as a leading technology hub for multinational and startup organisations alike," said Robert Hannigan, head of international business at BlueVoyant, and former director of GCHQ. "Cork offers talented technology students from excellent universities and colleges in the region. We are excited to add skilful employees to the BlueVoyant team. The EU remains a strategic priority for BlueVoyant and we excited to expand our EMEA footprint and continue our record growth." BlueVoyant's Cork hub is managed by Ger Kirby, SOC manager for Ireland and EMEA. In a career spanning nearly 25 years, Kirby spent more than two decades with the Irish Defence Forces latterly specialising in IT and cyber security before moving into the private sector. "As a Cork native, I am honoured by the opportunity to have local talent provide industry-leading cyber defence for organisations across Ireland and the world," said Kirby. "With new EU cyber security and privacy regulations, it's more crucial than ever for enterprises to ensure they are quickly finding and mitigating the latest threats." The official opening took place on 27th February with the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Dan Boyle, at the event, cutting the ribbon. Also in attendance were representatives from local universities and cyber security organisations, and BlueVoyant partners. In a sign of its commitment to developing local talent and the Irish cyber security industry, BlueVoyant will be attending the Cybersecurity Career Fair, co-organised by Cyber Futures, Cyber Ireland, and Road2Cyber at Munster Technological University on 5th March. BlueVoyant serves over 1,000 customers in more than 45 countries. The company introduced its award-winning BlueVoyant Cyber Defence Platform in 2024, providing advanced security operations for internal, external, and supply chain protection. Microsoft named BlueVoyant the prestigious 2024 Worldwide Security Partner of the Year, demonstrating its market-leading position at the forefront of cyber security, cloud security, and machine learning. BlueVoyant opened a UK SOC and Customer Experience Centre in Leeds in 2024. About BlueVoyant BlueVoyant delivers a comprehensive cloud-native security operations platform that provides real-time threat monitoring for networks, endpoints, and supply chains, extending to the clear, deep, and dark web. The platform integrates advanced AI technology with expert human insight to offer extensive protection and swift threat mitigation, ensuring enterprise cyber security. Trusted by more than 1,000 clients globally, and the 2024 Microsoft Worldwide Security Partner of the Year, BlueVoyant sets the standard for modern cyber defence solutions. BlueVoyant Press Contact: Jennifer Schlesinger jenny.schlesinger@bluevoyant.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2632694/bluevoyant_cork_soc_Ribbon_Cutting.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2632717/BlueVoyant_Logo.jpg CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The MIT Sloan CIO Symposium , the nation's premier CIO conference, will bring CIOs and digital business executives together to learn, engage and network around the theme CIO Leadership in an AI-Driven World. The 22nd annual Symposium takes place on May 19-20, 2025 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Registration is now open at https://mitcio.info/register . The full Symposium agenda is available at https://mitcio.info/agenda . Highlights include: Morning Sessions AI's Impact on Cybersecurityand Vice Versa! Managing Data in the Age of Data-Driven AI: New Challenges and Opportunities Educating Today's Leaders for the AI Era A New Dawn for the Tech Officer Turning AI's Potential into Reality: Strategies for Corporate Transformation Afternoon Sessions Leading in the AI Age: Lessons from our MIT Sloan CIO Leadership Award Finalists Getting Your Board Onboard: How Tech Leaders can Win in the Boardroom AI Culture Revolution: Machine Learning Meets Leadership Transformation The Impact of AI on Jobs and Skills Closing Sessions Executive's Guide to Developing Secure AI Systems From Pilots to Impact: Scaling AI Across the Enterprise The Long-Term Evolution of AI Economics 2024 Nobel Laureate and Institute Professor of Economics at MIT Daron Acemoglu will deliver a highly-anticipated closing keynote address. Acemoglu will share his expertise and insights on "The Long Term Evolution of AI Economics," exploring the evolving economic impact of artificial intelligence. Drawing from his extensive research, he will discuss the potential impact of AI on productivity, jobs, wages and inequality, and why they are all hard to predict. Acemoglu will also discuss the critical role of policy in ensuring AI contributes to shared prosperity, The Symposium will feature interactive panel discussions led by CIOs, technology executives, and MIT thought leaders. CIOs, CDOs, senior IT executives, technology innovators, practicing peers, IT partners and MIT academic thought leaders in attendance from around the globe will have the opportunity to network and engage in interactive learning and thought-provoking discourse, while exploring topics such as leadership collaboration, cybersecurity, innovation, digital enterprise, AI and more. CIOs will gain an understanding of how to leverage these technologies and topics to shape the future of business. May 19, the day before the CIO Symposium, will be packed with additional opportunities to engage with the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium community. For $249, a limited number of tickets will be available for this half-day of special events exclusively for sponsors, presenters, organizers and Innovator Plan subscribers. Innovator Plan membership is $75 annually and includes discounted tickets for the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, access to tickets for the VIP only pre-event, and access to exclusive online events. Visit https://mitcio.info/welcome to learn more. The afternoon agenda on May 19, 2025 begins with lunch and includes an inspirational talk, short presentations or case-studies, each one followed by a roundtable discussion on unresolved technology topics. That evening will include a reception with the Innovation Showcase finalists, highlighting 10 outstanding early-stage companies with cutting-edge solutions that combine both value and innovation to Enterprise IT. The CIO Leadership Award dinner will round out the day's activities, honoring executives who lead their organizations to deliver exemplary levels of business value through innovative use of IT. About the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium The MIT Sloan CIO Symposium is the premier global conference for CIOs and digital business executives. CIOs, CDOs and senior IT executives explore enterprise technology innovations, business practices and receive actionable information that enables them to meet the challenges of today and the future. The Symposium offers a unique learning environment by bringing together the academic thought leadership of MIT with the in-the-trenches experience of leading global CIOs and industry experts. The MIT Sloan CIO Symposium is organized and developed by the MIT Sloan Boston Alumni Association. For more information and to register for this year's Symposium, visit https://mitcio.com/ , and engage with the Symposium on LinkedIn and X . Editor's Note: Journalists interested in a press credential should contact Kim Schaefer, ( [email protected] ), Warner Communications. SOURCE MIT Sloan CIO Symposium Hytera Communications, a provider of professional communications technologies and solutions, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cable & Wireless Seychelles (CWS), the countrys pioneering quad-play telecommunications operator at MWC. This strategic cooperation aims to drive digital transformation across Seychelles enterprises and government sectors. The MoU establishes a framework to advance Seychelles' digital transformation through a series of key initiatives. A major focus of the collaboration is the joint development of a resilient Seychelles emergency communications redundant network, designed to ensure uninterrupted communications during critical scenarios such as natural disasters. Additionally, the partnership will deliver tailored communication solutions for key sectors, including public safety, energy, transportation and tourism. Hytera will provide push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) devices, mission-critical services (MCX) core networks, and cloud-based platforms, seamlessly integrating with CWSs existing 4G/5G public networks while supporting the future expansion of private networks. The MoU was signed by Mr Naadir Hassan, Chief Executive Officer at CWS, Mr Oliver Fock-Tave, Associate Director Products & Services and Information Systems at CWS, and Mr Tony Wang, Business Development Director of Hytera, at MWC 2025 in Barcelona, where Hytera showcased its mission-critical portfolio across multiple protocols such as 4G/5G, MCX, and PoC, as well as body-worn camera (BWC) and digital evidence management (DEM). Naadir Hassan remarked at the MoU signing ceremony: As a trailblazer in Seychelles telecommunications sector, we are dedicated to introducing the world's leading technologies to our nation. Our cooperation with Hytera will not only enhance our service offerings, but also strengthen digital infrastructure, unlocking new opportunities for local businesses and communities in the Seychelles. Tony Wang added: At Hytera, we bring over 30 years of experience in delivering innovative professional and private communication solutions that support seamless connectivity and enhance operational efficiency. We are confident that this partnership will help Cable & Wireless Seychelles advance its digital transformation goals while ensuring a resilient and future-ready communication infrastructure. We look forward to contributing to the growth and success of Seychelles' digital economy. Autumn and Aurora Debut Children's Book, The Three Heroes, About COINTELPRO's Impact on Civil Rights, with Exclusive Signing Event Marking the 54th Anniversary of Its Exposure. MARIETTA, Ga., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A Better Today Books & Boutique, a sanctuary for the mind, body, and soul, is proud to highlight two remarkable teenage authors, Autumn (15) and Aurora (16), as part of its commitment to celebrating literature during Women's History Month. Teen authors, Autumn and Aurora Dr. Viola Lanier, owner of A Better Today Books & Boutique On March 8, 2025, the bookstore will host a private Author Signing Celebration for Autumn and Aurora, who have launched their book titled, The Three Heroes. This novel explores the lives and struggles of Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Fred Hampton, as well as the covert FBI program COINTELPRO, which sought to dismantle civil rights movements. March 8th is a particularly significant date, marking the 54th anniversary of COINTELPRO's exposure by the Citizens Commission to Investigate the FBI in 1971. The Three Heroes emerged from the 3E Program for Social Justice and Change , a youth initiative dedicated to empowering students through Black history education and social justice advocacy. Autumn and Aurora's work is a testament to the impact of young voices in shaping historical awareness and discourse. The exclusive signing event for The Three Heroes will include a discussion with the authors, a reading from the book, and a signing session. Although the event is private, the bookstore encourages awareness and support for these young authors and their impactful work. Copies of The Three Heroes will be available for purchase in-store and online . About A Better Today Books & Boutique A Better Today Books & Boutique, located in Marietta, Georgia, is more than just a bookstoreit is an experience designed to foster wellness, self-care, and community connection. The store's serene and whimsical atmosphere encourages more reading moments for well-being, offering a curated selection of books that support emotional, mental, spiritual, and cultural growth. Founded by Dr. Viola Lanier, the bookstore is driven by two core messages: "Create more reading moments for yourself" and "Read for well-being." Dr. Lanier envisions A Better Today Books & Boutique becoming a staple in the Metro Atlanta area, empowering individuals to cultivate better days through literature. For more information about A Better Today Books & Boutique, visit www.abettertodaybook.store . Contact: A Better Today Books & Boutique Website: www.abettertodaybook.store Email: [email protected] 347.829.9262 SOURCE A Better Today Books & Boutique The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP) is pleased to announce the achievement of Joint Accreditation with Commendation provider status for our continuing education program. NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians ( ABQAURP ) has been granted six years as a Jointly Accredited Provider with Commendation for its continuing education program. In support of improving patient care, ABQAURP is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. ABQAURP is awarded Joint Accreditation with Commendation provider status. Joint Accreditation with Commendation is awarded to providers demonstrating compliance in all joint accreditation criteria, as well as additional criteria to reach commendation status. Joint Accreditation with Commendation validates ABQAURP as a learning organization and change agent for the interprofessional healthcare teams served. It additionally signifies engagement with the environment in support of interprofessional learning and team change that is a part of a system for quality improvement. As such, ABQAURP is jointly accredited to provide continuing education for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care professionals. As part of this accreditation, ABQAURP also jointly provides accredited continuing education activities for eligible organizations. Applications are welcome for the joint providership of single profession (providing AMA PRA credit Category 1 CreditTM, ANCC credit, and/or ACPE credit) and interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) activities. ABQAURP is committed to providing continuing education to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of health care delivered to patients, improving the overall clinical outcome. ABQAURP is one of only four providers earning Accreditation with Commendation status in the Fall cohort; only 19% of national Joint Accreditation providers hold this status. As a previous ACCME Accreditation with Commendation provider, joint accreditation expands ABQAURP's continuing education program while indicating continued exceptional quality in educational activities. Accredited continuing medical education plays an invaluable role in helping health care professionals improve patient care. ABQAURP accredits a variety of live events, enduring materials, and welcomes applications for the joint providership of your educational activities. As an accredited provider, ABQAURP offers one-on-one assistance throughout the development of each educational activity. For more information, contact the ABQAURP Education Department at: [email protected] or (800) 998-6030. About ABQAURP Established in 1977, the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. (ABQAURP) is an international membership association comprised of interdisciplinary health care professionals. Through its ultimate goal to improve the quality of health care, ABQAURP is dedicated to promoting health care quality through education and certification for physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team. Learn more at: www.abqaurp.org. SOURCE American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians TSX.V: DME U.S. OTC: DMEHF Frankfurt: QM01 VANCOUVER, BC, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY CORP. (the "Company") (TSXV: DME), (U.S. OTC: DMEHF), (Frankfurt: QM01) from the President of the Company. Desert Mountain Energy Corp. is pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, issued a 12-page opinion in which it found that the City of Flagstaff's claims against Desert Mountain Energy Corp were null and void. The Court instructed the Trial Court to enter summary judgment in favour of DME. Robert Rohlfing, Executive Chairman of the Board and CEO of Desert Mountain Energy Corp, commented, "This has been a long, tedious four years. We are thankful for the wise counsel our attorneys have provided us, and we acknowledge the Court of Appeals' careful consideration of our requests." The company will issue further updates on these matters when deemed appropriate. ABOUT DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY Desert Mountain Energy Corp. is a publicly traded resource company primarily focused on the exploration, development and production of helium, hydrogen and natural gas. The Company is focused on helium extraction from different raw gas sources in an environmental and economic manner, supplying elements deemed critical to the renewable energy and high technology industries. We seek safe harbor "Robert Rohlfing" Robert Rohlfing Exec Chairman & CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in polices of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The statements made in this press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ from the Company's expectations. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward looking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding the Company's anticipated performance in the future the planned exploration activities, receipt of positive results from drilling, the completion of further drilling and exploration work, and the timing and results of various activities. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and the United States; financial risks due to helium prices, operating or technical difficulties in exploration and development activities; risks and hazards and the speculative nature of resource exploration and related development; risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Company's title to properties. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the continued operation of the Company's exploration operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not intend to, and nor does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. SOURCE Desert Mountain Energy Corp. ATLANTA, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Artivion, Inc. (NYSE: AORT), a leading cardiac and vascular surgery company focused on aortic disease, today announced that it will participate virtually at the upcoming Oppenheimer 35th Annual Healthcare MedTech & Services Conference. The Company's virtual fireside chat is scheduled to begin at 10:40 a.m. ET on March 18, 2025. A live webcast of the virtual fireside chat will be accessible through Artivion's website, www.artivion.com, on the Investors page. An archived copy of the webcast will be available for 90 days on the same website. About Artivion, Inc. Headquartered in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, Artivion, Inc. is a medical device company focused on developing simple, elegant solutions that address cardiac and vascular surgeons' most difficult challenges in treating patients with aortic diseases. Artivion's four major groups of products include: aortic stent grafts, surgical sealants, On-X mechanical heart valves, and implantable cardiac and vascular human tissues. Artivion markets and sells products in more than 100 countries worldwide. For additional information about Artivion, visit our website, www.Artivion.com. Contacts: Artivion Gilmartin Group LLC Lance A. Berry Brian Johnston / Laine Morgan Executive Vice President & Phone: 332-895-3222 Chief Financial Officer [email protected] Phone: 770-419-3355 SOURCE Artivion GRONO, Switzerland, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The group strengthens its presence in structural engineering with the acquisition of the renowned Spanish company Carlos Fernandez Casado S.L. (CFC). Headquartered in Madrid, CFC operates globally with branches in the USA, China, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Panama. Santullano footbridge. Oviedo. Spain. 2024 As part of its strategy to focus on core markets in Europe and North America while expanding into specialized engineering sectors, ARX has entered the Spanish market, joining forces with Carlos Fernandez Casado S.L. (CFC). This family-owned company has long been a global icon in complex structural engineering. Since its foundation in 1964, CFC has been a benchmark in Spanish and global structural engineering, contributing to landmark projects in over 30 countries and earning prestigious awards across decades. Its expertise in bridge engineering will be a key asset for ARX, reinforcing its technical capabilities and commitment to engineering excellence on a global scale. "By integrating CFC into our group, we enhance our ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions in complex infrastructure projects, while also strengthening our regional expertise and market positioning in line with our glocal approach. This acquisition underscores ARX's commitment to innovation and engineering excellence, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of the industry by continuing the activity of esteemed family-owned enterprises that form the excellent foundation of the global industry," said Andrea Galli, CEO of ARX. "Joining the global network of ARX allows us to preserve our identity and independence while enhancing our ability to deliver high-level, tailored solutions. This move strengthens our management and resources, ensuring excellence in every project. With a focus on innovation, structural efficiency, and sustainability, we continue designing and overseeing iconic structures on a global scale, supported by more than 1,500 colleagues.", so Antonio Martinez Cutillas and Javier Munoz-Rojas Fernandez, Lucia Fernandez Muno, Directors at CFC. About CFC Carlos Fernandez Casado S.L. (CFC) is a structural engineering consultancy based in Madrid, operating globally with branches in USA, China, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Panama, specializing in the research, design, and supervision of structural projects. Offering highly specialized servicesfrom feasibility studies to detailed design, independent checks, and construction oversightCFC has led major high-tech projects worldwide, particularly record-breaking bridges. Over the decades, and among many other works, it is worth mentioning the "Carlos Fernandez Casado Bridge" (1983, Spain; Absolute World Record in cable-stayed bridges at the time), the "Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge" (2020, Ireland; winner of the most prestigious awards such as those granted by IABSE, Fib PTI, ASBI and ACI), the "Cebu-Cordova Bridge" (2022, Philippines, winner of the IABSE Award for Innovation in Construction)", the New Harbor Bridge (Corpus Christi, Texas USA) under construction or the "Gordie Howe International Bridge (2025, USA-Canada), World Record for composite bridges with its 853 m main span. About ARX ARX, formerly Pini Group, is a global leader in engineering and infrastructure, with a presence in 25 countries and a team of over 1,500 experts. The company is renowned for delivering innovative solutions in infrastructure, city, energy, and industry. Contact: Luca Cereghetti Head of Marketing & Communication ARX c/o Pini Group SA Via Cantonale 109 6537 Grono Switzerland [email protected] +41 78 715 26 28 Links www.arx.ing www.cfcsl.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2631671/ARX_Santullano_footbridge.jpg SOURCE ARX (Pini Group) TAIPEI, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading the Satellite-Terrestrial Convergence with First-of-Its-Kind Technologies As the global race toward 6G and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) intensifies, Auden Techno Corp. (3138-TW) is stepping up with breakthrough advancements in O-RAN high-power radio units (RU), next-generation satellite terminals, and cutting-edge NTN solutions. At MWC 2025, the company will showcase industry-first technologies designed to reshape satellite and terrestrial communication. Attendees can experience these innovations at Hall 5, 5L31MR (Meeting Room) and 5A61 (Taiwan Pavilion). Satellite Communication Is No Longer a Future VisionIt's Happening Now The shift from 5G to 6G is accelerating as 3GPP's Release 17 and 18 bring satellite connectivity into mainstream telecom standards. The industry is moving toward: Direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communication, eliminating the need for bulky ground stations Software-defined satellites (SDS), unlocking real-time reconfiguration and flexibility Next-generation flat-panel antennas, seamlessly bridging LEO, MEO, and GEO networks With four decades of RF and antenna expertise, Auden is at the forefront of this transformation, pioneering compact, high-efficiency User Terminal (UT) solutions that reduce cost, size, and power consumption. Leveraging Taiwan's semiconductor and ICT leadership, Auden is accelerating the adoption of ESA (Electronically Steered Antennas) for global-scale satellite connectivity. What's New at MWC 2025? Industry-First Innovations That Matter Auden's latest developments are designed for real-world impact, addressing key industry challenges in power efficiency, integration, and performance: Polaris ORU Series The world's first wideband (3.33.8 GHz) high-power ORU, built with a single PA IC per chain, delivering unmatched linearity and energy efficiency. Polaris Lite A compact OTIC-compliant 1W ORU powered by an advanced SoC. Polaris Pro A high-power ORU/ISC, utilizing Xilinx technology for superior signal processing. Polaris Lite A compact OTIC-compliant 1W ORU powered by an advanced SoC. Polaris Pro A high-power ORU/ISC, utilizing Xilinx technology for superior signal processing. FR2-to-FR3 Array Modules The next evolution in spectrum agility, featuring integrated UDC and MCU to enable dynamic spectrum sensing for next-gen frequency applications. World's First 4T4R Dual-Polarization Rack-Mount UDC Covering 8 GHz to 15 GHz, this high-performance unit simplifies complex test environments, providing greater flexibility for next-gen wireless and satellite communication development. Small-Form-Factor RIS ECHO, featuring an app-adjustable intake and outtake angle to extend FR2 and FR3 signals while mitigating obstacles for seamless connectivity. ECHO also supports ISAC (Integrated Sensing and Communication), enabling smarter and more adaptive 6G networks. World's Smallest & Lightest VSAT IoT Flat-Panel UT Built for efficiency, this ESA-powered UT is optimized with BFIC and independent PA/LNA architecture, reducing IC count and solving SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) challenges. Auray Automatic RIC Testing A groundbreaking platform that streamlines xAPP and rAPP validation, accelerating O-RAN RIC development and deployment. Meet the Future at MWC 2025 The convergence of satellite and terrestrial networks is no longer a theoretical conceptit's happening now. Auden Techno Corp. is leading the charge, creating a seamless, high-performance ecosystem for the 6G era. E xperience Auden's industry-first solutions at MWC 2025: H all 5, 5L31MR (Meeting Room) and 5A61 (Taiwan Pavilion) For more information, visit: https://www.auden.com.tw/en/contact-us/ SOURCE Auden Techno. Corp Highlights: Avecho and Sandoz sign an exclusive ten-year development and license agreement ("Agreement") for Avecho's pharmaceutical cannabidiol capsule for insomnia in Australia Avecho to receive upfront, milestone and royalty payments: US$3M ( ~A$4.8M [1]) in upfront payment US$16M in development milestones prior to commercial sales Tiered royalties ranging from 14% to 19% on net sales Sandoz to purchase the product from Avecho for commercial sale Avecho retains the rights to commercialise the product in all other territories, with Sandoz granted a right of first refusal to exceed any commercial offers Avecho receives Market for over-the-counter cannabidiol registered in Australia forecast to grow to > US$125M per annum[2] forecast to grow to > per annum[2] CEO Dr Paul Gavin will discuss this announcement further during an investor webinar to be held at 11.00am (AEDT) on Tuesday 4 March 2025 click here to register MELBOURNE, Australia, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Avecho Biotechnology Limited (ASX: AVE) ("Avecho" or the "Company") today announced it has signed an exclusive ten-year development and licensing agreement with Sandoz Group AG ("Sandoz") for the commercial rights to Avecho's Phase III cannabidiol ("CBD") capsule for insomnia in Australia. Avecho retains the rights to commercialise the product in all other territories, with Sandoz granted a first right of refusal for these markets. Avecho's CBD capsule aims to be the first pharmaceutical CBD product registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration ("TGA") as an over-the-counter medicine, which market forecasts predict could generate sales surpassing US$125M per annum in Australia[2]. Sandoz has agreed to an upfront licensing fee of US$3M (approx. A$4.8M[1]) for the exclusive commercial rights to the CBD product for insomnia in Australia. Avecho will continue to fund and oversee the ongoing Phase III clinical trial. Upon successful completion, Avecho and Sandoz will collaborate to secure TGA regulatory approval. Sandoz will purchase finished product from Avecho and assume responsibility for the product's commercialisation, including marketing and distribution in Australia. Avecho is eligible for development milestone payments totalling US$16M prior to commercialisation and will receive tiered royalties ranging from 14% to 19% on net sales once on market. Avecho CEO, Dr Paul Gavin, said: "We are excited to announce this partnership with Sandoz, which underscores the commercial potential of Avecho's drug delivery platform and our shared commitment to deliver innovative insomnia treatments. Nearly 9.5 million Australians experience symptoms of insomnia with approximately 3.6 million of those considered chronic[3]. Sandoz's extensive reach and expertise in the Australian market will ensures our products are widely accessible to insomnia patients across Australia. This partnership provides Avecho with a strong commercial foundation for success." The Agreement as an initial term of 10 years, with automatic extensions for two further renewal terms of two years each, unless terminated by agreement between both parties. The Company also confirms that the Agreement is otherwise subject to standard terms and conditions typical of a contract of this nature. Investor webinar Avecho will hold an investor webinar for shareholders and all other interested parties to provide more detail on this major milestone for the company. CEO, Dr Paul Gavin, will present at 11.00am (AEDT) on Tuesday 4 March 2025. Register to attend the presentation at the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_t4VmfT8RTX-0FexBBLJ_6Q A recording will be available at the above link shortly after the conclusion of the live session, and the replay will also be available via the Company's website and social media channels. Questions can be submitted on the day or sent in advance to [email protected]. This announcement has been authorised by the Board of Directors of Avecho Biotechnology Limited. See more here - avecho.com.au LOCKPORT, Ill., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Beary Landscaping ("Beary"), a portfolio company of Silver Oak Services Partners LLC ("Silver Oak"), announced today the acquisition of MJS Landscaping Services ("MJS" or the "Company"). This strategic acquisition further strengthens Beary's ability to deliver exceptional recurring landscaping services throughout the Midwest. Founded in 1997 and headquartered near Milwaukee, WI, MJS is a provider of landscape management, snow removal and premium landscape design and build services throughout Southern Wisconsin. The Company serves a diverse set of commercial customers, including corporate campuses, utilities and municipalities, and shares Beary's deep commitment to customer service, culture and taking care of employees. Beary is proud to retain all of MJS' existing staff and valued brand as part of the acquisition. "Joining forces with MJS aligns perfectly with our strategy to partner with like-minded operators," said Brian Beary, CEO and Founder of Beary. "This acquisition expands our geographic reach in Wisconsin and reinforces our commitment to delivering the highest-quality landscaping solutions for our clients." Michael Steiner, President of MJS, commented, "It was important to me to find a partner that values our employees and customers the same way I have for over 25 years, while also providing high-quality service. After a thorough process, I knew that Beary and MJS would be a perfect fit. The combination of our expertise and shared values will enable us to provide even greater value to our customers." Beary Landscaping is looking for additional acquisition opportunities. To learn more, please visit bearylandscaping.com. About Beary Landscaping Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Lockport, IL, Beary is a provider of recurring landscaping and snow removal services to commercial end markets, including utilities, multi-family living communities, office buildings, municipalities and others. Beary currently serves over 1,300 customers across Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Learn more at bearylandscaping.com. Contact: Chris Tofalli Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC 914-834-4334 SOURCE Silver Oak Services Partners VANCOUVER, BC, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV) (FRA: 5LB) (OTCQB: BVAXF) ("BioVaxys" or "Company") announces that, further to its news release dated February 13, 2025, its principal regulator, the British Columbia Securities Commission (the "BCSC"), has accepted the Company's application for, and has granted, a management cease trade order (the "MCTO") under National Policy 12-203 Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203"). As previously announced, the Company applied for the MCTO as it anticipated a short-term delay in the filing of its audited annual financial statements for the year ended October 31, 2024, the related management's discussion and analysis, and its Form 52-109FV1 CEO and CFO certifications of annual filings (collectively the "Required Filings"). Under National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations, the Required Filings were required to be made not later than February 28, 2025. While every effort is being made to make the Required Filings as soon as possible, one of the factors contributing to the delay is the recent acquisition of all intellectual property, immunotherapeutics platform Technology, and clinical stage assets of the former IMV Inc. completed on February 16, 2024. The purchase involved the acquisition of 120 patents, and it is taking longer than expected for the auditor to complete its review and valuation of the patents. The Company expects that its auditor, Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton LaBonte LLP, will be in a position to complete the audit by March 30, 2025, with the Required Filings to be completed as soon as possible thereafter. While the MCTO is in effect, the general investing public will continue to be able to trade freely the Company's listed common shares. However, the MCTO will prohibit the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer from trading securities of the Company for so long as the Required Filings are not filed. Additionally, the Company will be prohibited from directly or indirectly issuing or acquiring securities from insiders or employees of the Company until such time as the Required Filings have been made and all continuous disclosure requirements have been met by the Company, and the MCTO has been revoked. The Company confirms that it will comply with the alternative information guidelines set out under NP 12-203 by issuing bi-weekly default status reports, in the form of news releases, until such time as the Required Filings have been made and all continuous disclosure requirements have been met by the Company, and the MCTO has been revoked. The Company also confirms as of the date of this news release that there is no insolvency proceeding against it and there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed. About BioVaxys Technology Corp. BioVaxys Technology Corp. (www.biovaxys.com), a biopharmaceuticals company registered in British Columbia, Canada, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving patient lives with novel immunotherapies based on the DPX immune-educating technology platform and it's HapTenix 'neoantigen' tumor cell construct platform, for treating cancers, infectious disease, antigen desensitization, and other immunological fields. The Company's clinical stage pipeline includes maveropepimut-S which is in Phase II clinical development for advanced Relapsed-Refractory Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) and platinum resistant ovarian cancer, and BVX-0918, a personalized immunotherapeutic vaccine using it proprietary HapTenix 'neoantigen' tumor cell construct platform which is soon to enter Phase I in Spain for treating refractive late-stage ovarian cancer. The Company is also capitalizing on its tumor immunology know-how and creation of a unique library of T-lymphocytes & other datasets post-vaccination with its personalized immunotherapeutic vaccines to utilize predictive algorithms and other technologies to identify new targetable tumor antigens. BioVaxys common shares are listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the stock symbol "BIOV" and trade on the Frankfurt Bourse (FRA: 5LB) and in the U.S. on the OTC Markets (OTCQB marketplace). For more information, visit www.biovaxys.com and connect with us on X and LinkedIn. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Signed "James Passin" James Passin, Chief Executive Officer Phone: +1 740 358 0555 Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating to the filing of the Required Filings by March 30, 2025 and the Company's ability to comply with the provision of the alternative information guidelines described by NP 12-203, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates, primarily the assumption that BioVaxys will be successful in developing and testing vaccines, that, while considered reasonable by BioVaxys, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the risk that the Company may not be able to file the Required Filings by March 30, 2025. BioVaxys does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by applicable securities laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2415135/5196269/BioVaxys_Technology_Corp_Logo.jpg SOURCE BioVaxys Technology Corp. WASHINGTON, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BriefCatch, the leading legal writing assistant, announced today the preview release of BriefCatch 4. The new version of the beloved editing tool introduces the industry's first AI-powered system for compliance with the Bluebook citation system, along with a suite of enhancements that push legal writing forward. Trusted by 45 AmLaw 200 firms along with 100+ agencies and courts, BriefCatch 4 delivers precision editing tools to help legal professionals write quickly, confidently, and persuasively. "We worked for a year to harness AI to solve the pain point of citation compliance, marking a major step forward in how we can help our users," said Ross Guberman, Founder and CEO of BriefCatch. "This release cements BriefCatch as a must-have for every important document that your firm creates." What's New in BriefCatch 4? AI-Powered Citation Compliance : Ensure every citation is accurate, properly formatted, and complianteliminating manual citation errors. : Ensure every citation is accurate, properly formatted, and complianteliminating manual citation errors. BriefChat: BC4 includes the first real-time legal-editing chat advisor, BriefChat, which has been trained exclusively on the teachings and writings of Founder Ross Guberman . BC4 includes the first real-time legal-editing chat advisor, BriefChat, which has been trained exclusively on the teachings and writings of Founder . Streamlined Interface : The user interface has been redesigned for faster and more intuitive editing, allowing legal professionals to navigate and apply suggestions with ease. : The user interface has been redesigned for faster and more intuitive editing, allowing legal professionals to navigate and apply suggestions with ease. Personalization : BriefCatch 4 can customize its feedback based on the document's contextbe it objective analysis, persuasive arguments, or opinionsensuring that suggestions are relevant and effective. : BriefCatch 4 can customize its feedback based on the document's contextbe it objective analysis, persuasive arguments, or opinionsensuring that suggestions are relevant and effective. Express Editing : Users can now apply all suggestions instantly, with changes tracked for easy review, streamlining the editing process and maintaining document integrity. : Users can now apply all suggestions instantly, with changes tracked for easy review, streamlining the editing process and maintaining document integrity. Thousands of New Editing Suggestions: Leveraging scientific evaluations of exemplary legal writing, BriefCatch 4 provides a vast array of new editing suggestions to refine documents with precision. Designed for Security "BriefCatch 4 also reflects our deliberate and careful approach to AI," Guberman continued. "Our enterprise customers must opt in to our AI features before they are made available, and individual users may activate AI separately for each document. All AI processing is in a private environment on Microsoft Azure; documents are never stored during or after processing; and document content is never used to train AI models." The BriefCatch 4 Preview is available exclusively to BriefCatch subscribers. For a glimpse at BriefCatch's editing capabilities, visit express.briefcatch.com. About BriefCatch Founded by legal writing expert and bestselling author Ross Guberman, BriefCatch provides advanced editing tools designed to enhance the clarity, precision, and effectiveness of legal documents. Trusted by thousands of law firms, courts, and legal professionals, BriefCatch integrates seamlessly into Microsoft Word and Outlook, offering real-time insights and suggestions to help your legal writing meet your clients' needs. Media Contact: Kemahl Franklyn, Marketing Director [email protected] www.briefcatch.com The Bluebook is a registered trademark of the Columbia, Harvard, Pennsylvania and Yale law review organizations. SOURCE BriefCatch PORTLAND, Ore., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dyrt, the only camping app with all of the public and private campgrounds, RV parks, and free camping locations in the United States, has found that farm camping is increasingly popular with campers. About one in seven campers (14.1%) reported camping on a farm in 2024, which is three times higher than the rate from just five years ago. Herd it Here Farm, South Carolina / The Dyrt camper Connie R. These statistics are from the newly released 2025 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks, the most comprehensive look at the latest trends, topics and figures for the U.S. camping industry. The latest version of The Dyrt's annual report is compiled from the results of surveys conducted with three groups thousands of members of The Dyrt camper community, a representative sample of U.S. residents, and camping property managers across all 50 states. "The steady increase in the popularity of camping on farms fits with overall trends in the camping industry," says The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long. "There are more campers out there looking for varied experiences, and farmers often offer unique settings with animals and agriculture. Plus, hosting campers is a great additional revenue stream for farmers, often with very little overhead." The percentage of campers who stayed at least one night on a farm has steadily risen each year since 2019, when the number was at 4.2%. That rate increased to 5% in 2020, 7% in 2021, 8.5% in 2022 and 11.1% in 2023. "Being able to set up camp outside of traditional campgrounds affords us more privacy so we can enjoy the peace and quiet we love," says The Dyrt camper Robert Q. of New Jersey. "We've camped at multiple horse farms in the past it's a bonus to be around horses. We tend to mix it up; we've stayed at plenty of parks and private campgrounds. But all things being equal we prefer to 'crash camp' or stay on private property." Spacious farms are ideal for both primitive campsites and for accommodating camping vehicles. More than half of farm campers (51.4%) prefer RVs and trailers, compared to 45.1% for all campers, and 13.6% of farm campers prefer camper vans compared to 8.3% overall. The farm camping contingent is also very active in the winter, with 42.4% of farm campers braving the coldest months compared to just 28.5% for all campers. The percentage of farm campers who camp alone (36%) is also higher than the average (30.6%). "It was a small farm, just a few feisty goats and several happy chickens whose delicious eggs I enjoyed the entire time I spent on the land," says The Dyrt camper Genesis L. of Texas. "There were also working dogs to keep coyotes away, free roaming cattle and curious horses that stopped by my camp to investigate my presence. It was a new experience for me, but quite enjoyable. I had my dog with me and she became quick friends with the working dogs." Says The Dyrt camper Connie B. of North Carolina: "There are so many things to enjoy about camping on a farm. My favorite is being able to purchase fresh farm food from preserves to organic veggies, eggs and beef. Learning new skills is also a plus. At one farm I learned how to grow mushrooms, and the role chickens played in keeping the bugs down around the different types of mushrooms. Then I made fresh mushroom risotto for dinner." About The Dyrt The Dyrt is the only camping app with all of the public and private campgrounds, RV parks, and free camping locations in the United States, along with millions of user-generated campground reviews. With The Dyrt PRO, campers get comprehensive free camping tools, reservations at sold-out campgrounds, advanced route planning and maps, as well as discounts on camping. The Dyrt's 2025 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks and informed by the largest online camping community is the leading source of information for the camping industry. www.thedyrt.com Media Contact: Mike Wollschlager 860-526-1555 [email protected] SOURCE The Dyrt Cendyn lights up more business intelligence capabilities with launch of CRM Analytics platform and Knowland's return to Europe, supported by AI-driven insights BERLIN, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cendyn , a global integrated hotel technology company, has advanced its business intelligence solutions with AI-enabled analysis to deliver hotels smarter data with practical commercial insights. Reinforcing its commitment to empowering hotels globally to excel through world-class technology, Cendyn has integrated AI into its CRM and Knowland platform. Hotel sales and marketing teams now have quickly accessible actionable insights reducing manual management of spreadsheets and complex reports. Through the launch of CRM Analytics, Cendyn is revolutionizing data and insights available for hotel customer relationship management. AI-generated insights and analysis allow hotels to quickly leverage real-time guest behavior data to optimize marketing campaigns and uncover key business drivers with precision. Smart narratives - that concisely and succinctly summarize data - simplify and identify trends from complex datasets for hotels to take immediate action. Following the acquisition of Knowland in October 2024, Cendyn has launched a new AI search capability within the platform to further assist hotels in accessing business intelligence. This new AI search capability aligns with the latest consumer search trends, enabling hoteliers to input long-form queries, as they do with traditional search engines. With a smarter, more user-friendly entry point to Knowland data, hoteliers retrieve insights faster and more intuitively to identify future business prospects and maximize market competitiveness. This news comes alongside the official expansion of Knowland beyond the US, Middle East, and APAC back into Europe. With London as the first market, hotels and venues will soon be able to leverage the platform to drive total account revenue with data-backed insights capitalizing on growing opportunities in the MICE sector. "We strongly believe that leveraging tools like AI across our suite of solutions will enable our customers to do their jobs more effectively and provide significant time savings," said Chris Egan, Chief Product Officer, Cendyn. "AI analysis is giving visibility to aspects of our customer's performance that may otherwise be overlooked." "By using long-form text for search queries and pulling tangible insights out of complex data charts, hoteliers can quickly get the precise information they need. This will help the industry move beyond static reports to dynamic, real-time intelligence that results in more direct bookings and increased revenue. As an integrated solutions provider, we are in the process of bringing together data from different sources and leveraging AI to provide even greater business optimization in a manner that hasn't been done before." The integration of AI for advanced data functionality across the Cendyn portfolio provides the hotel industry with a powerful collection of integrated solutions, enabling hoteliers to find new guests, book more direct, and grow revenue. Cendyn will be exhibiting at ITB 2025, Hall 8.1, Stand 111, for more information discover Cendyn's range of products and services at cendyn.com For requests and further information contact: Ryan Haynes [email protected], +44 (0)7919 510051 Katy Reilly [email protected] About Cendyn Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to drive revenue, maximize profitability, and create deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions. Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn drives commercial success for hotels through its Find, Book, Grow promise: find the right guests; drive them to book direct, and grow loyalty and revenue across the spectrum of digital guest interactions. Cendyn has over 32,000 customers worldwide in more than 150 countries, generating more than $20 billion in annual hotel revenue. The company supports its growing customer base from locations across the globe, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangkok, and India. To find out more, visit cendyn.com SOURCE Cendyn CGTN published an article showing how China's top political advisory body plays its role in the whole process of people's democracy and highlighting how it facilitates Chinese modernization. BEIJING, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As a political advisor, Zhou Hanmin is no stranger to proposals on how China could further improve its high-level opening-up initiatives. Zhou, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), submitted proposals last year on topics such as free trade zones, cross-border data flows, and promoting China's economic cooperation with least developed economies. This year, Zhou, president of the Shanghai Public Diplomacy Association, said he will present proposals related to attracting foreign investment. "In the context of growing global economic uncertainty, only by steadfastly advancing high-level opening up can we secure the future. Therefore, what we must do is leverage stable institutional advantages to navigate an uncertain global landscape," he said. Helping Chinese policymakers with formulating national policies to promote high-level opening up is one of the highlights the CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, has achieved over the past year, according to Wang Huning, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee. Wang delivered a work report at the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, which commenced at 3 p.m. at the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday. With the session's opening, China officially began its annual Two Sessions. The other session, of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, is set to open on Wednesday. 99.9% proposals handled Bringing together various political parties in the country, prominent individuals without party affiliation, people's organizations, and individuals from all ethnic groups and sectors of society, the CPPCC is a specialist consultative body in China's whole-process people's democracy. By raising comments and suggestions after thorough research and consultations, these national political advisors help with formulating national policies. Their comments and suggestions, when formally documented and submitted, are officially referred to as proposals. Each proposal, whether adopted or not, must receive a reply. Speaking at Tuesday's meeting, Wang, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, said a total of 6,019 proposals have been submitted since the 2024 session, and of the 5,091 ones filed, 99.9 percent have been handled. Members of the CPPCC National Committee have advised on major national policies and key issues, from high-quality population development and private sector support to a better business environment and pilot free trade zones, according to Wang. The third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee will conclude on Monday. During the session, national political advisors will hear and deliberate the report on the work of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and a report on the handling of proposals. They will also sit in on the third session of the 14th NPC as non-voting participants to hear and discuss key documents, including the highly anticipated government work report. This year marks another critical year for the advancement of Chinese modernization, as the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) approaches its conclusion and recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will be formulated. Wang said that in 2025, the CPPCC will prioritize how it can contribute to Chinese modernization and organize in-depth research to provide sound advice and effective strategies when the central authorities make recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan. He called for efforts to forge unity, foster consensus, pool wisdom and gather strength for Chinese modernization. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-03-04/How-CPPCC-proposals-work-in-consultative-democracy-1BtfF4l60N2/p.html SOURCE CGTN LEIDEN, The Netherlands, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ChannelEngine, a leading marketplace integration and management platform, is further strengthening its leadership team with the appointment of Bart Verschoor as Chief Operating Officer (COO). With this addition, ChannelEngine continues to expand its global impact and enhance operational efficiency for brands and retailers worldwide. Bart Verschoor, COO of ChannelEngine ChannelEngine connects brands and retailers to over 950 marketplaces, offering a single platform to manage product data, inventory, orders, and pricing across all online channels. Through advanced automation and expert guidance, businesses can maximize profitability and scale efficiently in the fast-moving ecommerce landscape. As COO, Bart Verschoor will focus on refining commercial and operational processes and ensuring the company remains at the forefront of marketplace connectivity and ecommerce innovation. With extensive experience in scaling high-performing organizations, Bart brings a strong background in business optimization, cross-border trade, and global operations. Before joining ChannelEngine, Bart was the global head of a strategic business unit at Flexport, driving technology-powered solutions to optimize international trade. His leadership was instrumental in driving significant revenue growth while maintaining profitability. Earlier in his career, Bart founded VincuVentas, an AI-powered recruitment technology company in Latin America, revolutionizing the job search market. He also held leadership roles at Polymath Ventures and McKinsey & Company, specializing in strategy and operational transformation across global markets. "ChannelEngine continues to lead the way in enabling seamless marketplace connectivity," says Jorrit Steinz, founder and CEO of ChannelEngine. "Bart's impressive track record in scaling businesses and driving strategic execution makes him a valuable addition to our leadership team. We are thrilled to welcome him aboard." "I am excited to join ChannelEngine at a time when the company is achieving significant global impact," says Bart Verschoor. "ChannelEngine's ability to simplify and optimize marketplace selling is unmatched, and I look forward to contributing to its continued success and expansion." About ChannelEngine ChannelEngine connects brands and retailers to over 950 marketplaces worldwide, offering a single platform to manage product data, inventory, orders, and pricing across all online channels. With smart automation and seamless integration, we enable businesses to expand their reach, optimize sales, and maintain full control over their operations. Our reliable and scalable platform ensures long-term success in the fast-moving ecommerce landscape. Headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands, with global offices in New York, Berlin, Paris, and Singapore, we support leading brands like Unilever, Bugaboo, Petrol Industries, and Sonos in achieving their marketplace growth ambitions. MEDIA CONTACT US: Courtney Samok, [email protected] Ronjini Joshua, [email protected], (949) 295-9779 Europe: Dana Connor, [email protected], +31 6 2521 9011 SOURCE ChannelEngine DELRAY BEACH, Fla., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global charging as a service market is projected to grow from USD 165.9 million in 2025 to USD 2,135.0 million in 2035, at a CAGR of 29.1%, over the forecast period, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The Charging as a Service (CaaS) market is influenced by factors like EV adoption, government policies, infrastructure investment, energy costs, urbanization, and technology advancements. Government rules, such as subsidies, emission targets, and mandatory charging stations, drive market growth. Private companies and public-private partnerships help develop charging networks. Further, energy prices and grid capacity affect the cost and operation of charging services. Cities with limited parking rely more on public and workplace charging. Businesses in logistics, ride-hailing, and corporate fleets need fast and scalable charging solutions. Consumer preferences, payment options like pay-per-use and subscriptions, and improvements in battery and charging technology also shape the market. Download an Illustrative overview: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=73556797 Browse in-depth TOC on "Charging as a Service Market" 110 - Tables 80 - Figures 260 - Pages Auto-dealerships and OEM operated charging spaces to hold the significant share in semi-public charging setup segment. OEM partnerships with Charge Point Operators (CPOs) and EV charging strategies for auto dealerships are driving the expansion of EV infrastructure. From 2021 to 2023, major OEMs formed key collaborations to enhance charging access. In July 2023, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Stellantis, and GM announced a joint venture to build a high-power charging network in North America. Around the same time, Hyundai, Volvo, Polestar, GM, and Ford secured access to Tesla's NACS Supercharger network, enabling their EVs to use Tesla's charging infrastructure. Earlier in the year, Mercedes-Benz launched a charging network in collaboration with ChargePoint. In 2022, Hyundai expanded its Ionity partnership in Europe, GM integrated multiple CPOs into its Ultium Charge 360 network, and Rivian developed its Adventure Network alongside Electrify America. In December 2024, ChargePoint and General Motors announced plans to install up to 500 ultra-fast EV charging ports across the U.S. under the GM Energy brand. The network is expected to be operational by the end of 2025. Also, these chargers will feature ChargePoint's Omni Port system, allowing vehicles with CCS or NACS connectors to charge without an adapter. The deployment will also include ChargePoint's Express Plus platform, offering charging speeds up to 500kW. "North America is expected to be the significant Charging as a Service market by 2035." Charging as a Service in North America is expanding due to investments in infrastructure, technology, and partnerships. The expansion of Charging as a Service in North America has improved EV accessibility, reduced charging downtime, and supported grid stability. OEMs and charging providers are adding high-power charging networks. For instance, in February 2024, Ionna, a joint venture by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, General Motors, Stellantis, Honda, Hyundai, and Kia, planned to install 30,000 high-power chargers in the region. Tesla is expanding its Supercharger network and has started opening it to non-Tesla EVs. ChargePoint and Electrify America continue to expand Level 2 and DC fast-charging stations. The launch of Ionna and the expansion of Tesla's Supercharger network have increased the availability of high-power chargers, reducing range anxiety for EV owners. The decision to open Tesla Superchargers to non-Tesla vehicles has also improved interoperability, benefiting a wider range of EV users. CPOs such as ChargeScape are backed by OEMs like Ford, Honda, BMW, and Nissan, to utilize the energy and supply power to the grid. Many CPOs are improving infrastructure through software and partnerships. For instance, Monta, a Danish software company, entered the U.S. market in 2024 to manage one million charging points. Further, Flo, a Canadian CPO, is expanding its North American presence with fleet, commercial, and residential charging solutions. Software-driven infrastructure management by Monta and Flo has optimized network reliability, ensuring better uptime for public and private charging stations. Also, Volta Charging, now owned by Shell, offers ad-supported public charging in high-traffic locations. Volta Charging's ad-supported model has made public charging more cost-effective, encouraging EV adoption in urban areas. Key Market Charging as a Service Industry: Prominent players in the Charging as a Service Companies include as ChargePoint, Inc. (US), Tesla (US), ENGIE (France), TGOOD Global Ltd. (China), and State Grid Corporation of China (China). Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=73556797 This report provides insights on: The report will help market leaders/new entrants with information on the closest approximations of revenue and volume numbers for the overall charging as a service market and its subsegments. This report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to position their businesses better and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report also helps stakeholders understand the market pulse and provides information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. The report also helps stakeholders understand the current and future pricing trends of charging as a service. Related Reports: EV Charging Station Market Wireless Charging Market Electric Vehicle Market Get access to the latest updates on Charging as a Service Companies and Charging as a Service Industry Growth About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts. In addition, MarketsandMarkets SalesIQ enables sales teams to identify high-priority accounts and uncover hidden opportunities, helping them build more pipeline and win more deals with precision. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook . Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- During MWC 2025 in Barcelona, China Unicom held a development workshop with the theme of 5G-A Empowering, AI Transforming, Digital Living. Jian Qin, General Manager (GM) of China Unicom and Yang Chaobin, Huawei Board Member and CEO of the ICT Business Group attended the press conference and delivered speeches. Several representatives from the industry, including GSMA, shared their ideas. The AI Unites All plan and its surrounding achievements were officially released at the conference, angled heavily on the integration of networks, services, and AI. Group photo taken at the AI Unites All launch ceremony According to Jian Qin in his speech, "China Unicom remains committed to technological innovation as our guiding principle, actively embracing the Al revolution, and contributing 'Unicom Intelligence' and 'Unicom Solutions' to global smart transformation. With forward-looking planning and sustained investment in Al, we prioritize integrated innovation across five pillars: computing infrastructure, network connectivity, data resources, model development, and application scenarios. Our goal is to lead and drive the convergence of Al technologies and industrial applications." Yang Chaobin mentioned in his speech that Huawei looks forward to working with China Unicom to support their AI Unites All strategy. "We will do this by facilitating a wide range of intelligent user applications with the latest AI technologies. This will allow China Unicom to create new AI service portals with a global impact and make intelligence more inclusive for all," he said. As a strategic partner of China Unicom, Huawei and China Unicom maintain close cooperation and work together on converged AI innovation to seize new business opportunities in the AI era. Both parties have built a cloud-based AI service platform for individual and home users, combining cloud, computing, networks, and devices for a unified AI service portal. For example, during the Asian Winter Games, China Unicom launched personalized and cloud-based AI phones with the AI assistant named Tone. The product uses mainstream foundation models and 5G-A networks to provide users with a consistent experience in all scenarios and secure and reliable AI services. Huawei and China Unicom have also been using AI to empower sectors like government, healthcare, and manufacturing, as well as cultural and creative industries, making network experience more secure, reliable, flexible, scalable, efficient, and collaborative. China Unicom has also been actively engaged in advancing synergy between AI and networks. For smart home services, China Unicom has been a leading player in whole-house fiber broadband. The carrier launched the industry's first HI-CON (Home Intelligent Collaborative Optical Network) communications system that features optical and Wi-Fi collaboration. This system is powered by an intelligent scheduling algorithm that greatly improves overall network experience for home users. At the conference, China Unicom launched its AI Unites All plan. Under the guidance of its Strategy for Convergence and Innovation, China Unicom will comprehensively advance the synergy of networks and AI to bring intelligent connection to all. It also looks to make AI accessible for use in a much wider range of technologies. By facilitating the integration of services and AI, China Unicom aims to enable various industries to go intelligent and benefit thousands of households. MWC Barcelona 2025 will be held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1. In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world. For more information, please visit: http://carrier-back.huawei.com/cn/events/mwc2025 SOURCE Huawei WINDER, Ga., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- C&K Paving Contractors, Inc., a nationwide commercial paving company, licensed throughout the U.S., successfully hosted its annual Project Management Summit on January 24, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. This event brought together project managers and related administrative personnel to align with customer expectations, ensuring seamless communication and service delivery for the upcoming year. Since 1999, C&K Paving has built its reputation on delivering exceptional paving services tailored to the unique needs of its clients across the United States. The company specializes in the construction, repair and maintenance of paved assets for commercial properties , including: retail, education, municipal, industrial, warehouses and multi-family residential. The Project Management summit serves as an essential platform to clarify client expectations, address updates and provide training for project management and support staff. By aligning internal teams with customer goals, C&K Paving reinforces its commitment to delivering top-tier paving services. Asphalt Milling Asphalt Paving Concrete Repair and Maintenance Seal Coating Crack Sealing and Mastic Pavement Striping Parking Lot Accessories and Asset Protection The focus of the 2025 summit was enhancing the company's collaboration with major, big-box retail clients, ensuring that C&K Paving project managers remain in sync with the specific needs of each client and their properties across the U.S. This proactive approach benefits all stakeholders by improving communication, refining service quality and exceeding customer expectations. "We build on the culture of our internal operations while improving our overall on-the-job quality and communication. This summit is an opportunity to set and exceed expectations for all of our customers." - Don Koch, President, C&K Paving Contractors, Inc. Visit www.ckpaving.com to learn more about their services and commitment to excellence. About C&K Paving Contractors Founded in 1999, C&K Paving Contractors, Inc. is a trusted name in commercial paving, delivering high-quality construction, repair and maintenance solutions for diverse industries . Licensed across the U.S., C&K Paving's clients include the giants of the big-box retail sector, outparcel & brick-and-mortar businesses, restaurants & convenience stores, shopping centers & regional malls and healthcare facilities. No job is too big or too small for them to handle. SOURCE C&K Paving LOS ANGELES, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarins, Europe's #1 prestige skincare brand, and Air France announce the recent opening of a Clarins Spa within the airline's lounge in the Tom Bradley Terminal at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Conveniently located near the Air France boarding gates, the Air France Lounge hosts a beautifully spacious and calming retreat, and providing a French travel experience, with a French cuisine experience and now offering two Clarins cabins dedicated to Skin Spa treatments. Clarins Spa room at Air France Lounge located in LAX airport. Clarins Spa room at Air France Lounge located in LAX airport. Open daily, from 11am to 7:30pm, the Clarins Skin Spa has been dedicated to provide complimentary wellness experiences for Air France's La Premiere, Business and Flying Blue Elite Plus customers, and is also open to eligible customers of KLM and SkyTeam partner airlines passengers. Four signature skin spa services feature Clarins' stress-relieving, 100% manual application methods and aromatic, combined with the brand's plant-powered formulas: Jet-Lag Relief - a pampering treatment to naturally restore hydration and skin comfort, using expert hands to apply skin-reviving pressure. Powered by super-quenching Organic Leaf of Life extract for passengers to feel relaxed and rested pre-flight. - a pampering treatment to naturally restore hydration and skin comfort, using expert hands to apply skin-reviving pressure. Powered by super-quenching Organic Leaf of Life extract for passengers to feel relaxed and rested pre-flight. Detox Time - The Clarins Anti-Pollution method, combined with moringa extract, helps to reduce tell-tale signs stress and pollution on the skin, leaving skin looking refreshed and radiant. - The Clarins Anti-Pollution method, combined with moringa extract, helps to reduce tell-tale signs stress and pollution on the skin, leaving skin looking refreshed and radiant. Eye Must a soothing treatment enriched with albizia extract helps to reduce the look of dark circles and care for the under-eye area for a bright-eyed and luminous look. a soothing treatment enriched with albizia extract helps to reduce the look of dark circles and care for the under-eye area for a bright-eyed and luminous look. Relax and Reset an exclusive treatment for La Premiere customers. Reservations can be made inside the Air France Lounge, with either the Air France team when passengers check-in the lounge or with the Clarins iPad booking tool located by the Clarins Spa. La Premiere customers can also book treatments by calling their dedicated number. Clarins and Air France, a long-lasting partnership For 20 years, Clarins has been pampering Air France's Business customers at every stage of their trip. Upon their arrival at the airport, they enjoy free access to the spas in the company's lounges in terminals 2E (halls K, L and M) and 2F at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport as well as at New York-JFK. On board, each customer receives a comfort kit containing Beauty Flash Balm (face cream) & the Hand and Nail Treatment Cream. Clarins Eau Dynamisante spray and Soothing Toning Lotion are readily available for customers to use until they reach their destination. About Clarins Skin Spas For more than 70 years, Clarins has been providing transformational, results-oriented spa experiences to guests around the globe. Each innovative spa treatment is powered by cutting edge, plant-derived, CLARINSPRO formulasand gentle pressure point application methods, based on the physiology of the skinthat work synergistically to gently relax, tone and drain away toxins for anti-aging results that are visible, immediate and long-lasting. All Clarins formulas contain the highest quality active plant ingredients, sourced from around the world with the utmost respect for local communities, nature and the environment. About Clarins Clarins, was founded in a professional Parisian beauty institute by Jacques Courtin-Clarins in 1954. Clarins is family-owned and is distributed in more than 150 countriesoffering skincare innovations for face and body, men's, and makeup. With unique expertise in Phyto-chemistry, Clarins Laboratories are considered pioneers in the fields of plant science and technology. The brand values are rooted in an ongoing dialogue with consumers, an abiding respect for nature and people, and commitments to sustainable sourcing, including Les Domaines Clarinstwo organic farms and open-air laboratories in France. Clarins is accelerating its sustainable actions to become a Certified B Corporation in2025. Currently carbon neutral, the company will further reduce its carbon footprint by 30% and become 100% plastic neutral using 100% recyclable packaging by the end of 2025. Partners include Pur Projetmore than 800,000 trees planted to date; Plastic Odysseya three-year expedition across three continents with 30 stopovers to fight against plastic pollution; and Mary's Mealmore than 45 million school meals provided to children in need to date. Lucas Petry, Clarins Senior Manager, Communications - [email protected] Melissa Reidhead, Clarins Executive Director, Communications - [email protected] www.clarinsusa.com SOURCE Clarins USA Company announcement No. 573, 2025 COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- H+H International A/S (hereinafter referred to as "H+H" or "the Company") hereby announces the following: CHAIR KENT ARENTOFT STEPS DOWN AFTER 12 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP Chair Kent Arentoft has informed the Board of Directors that he will step down at the coming annual general meeting on 8 April 2025 and leave the Board of Directors. Kent Arentoft has acted as Chair since April 2013 when he was first elected as board member. Under his guidance, H+H has experienced significant growth, consolidating the Polish AAC market, expanding into CSU production in Poland and CWE in 2018, and establishing the UK business as the market leader, securing a strong position across all key regions. Over the past two years, H+H has navigated a major transformation, addressing macroeconomic challenges by streamlining operations, improving efficiency, and strengthening financial resilience. With the company now in a solid position and well-equipped to capitalise on future opportunities, Kent Arentoft has decided that the time is right to step aside. Provided the Board of Directors' proposal for board member candidates is approved at the coming annual general meeting, the newly elected Board of Directors plans to appoint current Vice Chair Miguel Kohlmann as new Chair of the Board of Directors. Miguel Kohlmann has been a board member since 2018 and Vice Chair since 2024. He has extensive management experience in building materials and industry on a global scale. CONTACT: For further information please contact: Niclas Bo Kristensen Head of Investor Relations & Treasury +45 24 48 03 67 [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com The following files are available for download: ORLANDO, Fla., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Legal Services (CLS) recently received a Cy Pres award for $43,803.54 from the undistributed funds of a class action lawsuit concerning tenants' rights. Attorneys Joseph M. Sternberg and Robert Murphy represented the tenants of the Grand Reserve at Lee Vista in the class action lawsuit in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Orange County, Florida. Attorneys Joseph M. Sternberg and Robert Murphy present check to CLS staff members. The case, Butcher et al. v Antigua Club Associates, LTD., et al., involves allegations that the Grand Reserve at Lee Vista imposed termination fees amounting to unlawful liquidated damage fees without providing sufficient notice or a list of all fees applicable to the tenants. The Court approved a settlement agreement in which CLS became the Cy Pres recipient of the funds left unclaimed by class members. CLS Chief Program Officer, Danielle Harris, recognized the attorneys Robert Murphy and Joseph Sternberg who represented the plaintiffs. "We appreciate all the work you and your team do to bring justice for tenants through class actions. We are grateful for your consideration of CLS for the Cy Pres award from this action. Your support of CLS allows us to continue to serve those in the community with their civil legal needs helping to maintain their families, health and livelihood." Cy Pres, a French term translating to "as near as possible," is a legal principle enabling the unclaimed funds from a class action lawsuit to benefit nonprofit organizations serving the interests of the class members. CLS's receipt of the Cy Pres award underscores our steadfast dedication and relentless work in addressing legal needs among underserved individuals. It also recognizes CLS's exceptional commitment to promoting justice and empowering individuals in need through effective legal advocacy. About Community Legal Services Community Legal Services aims to enhance the lives of those we serve through accessible legal support, assistance, and education. We call it "Legal Access for All". As a pillar in the community since 1966, our dedicated staff attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, and advocates have worked diligently to solve civil legal problems that impact the daily lives of Central Florida residents. CONTACT: Jeff Harvey COMPANY: Community Legal Services PHONE: 407-480-4512 EMAIL: [email protected] WEB: LegalAccessForAll.org SOURCE Community Legal Services Two sessions: HK delegates keen to deepen integration 08:27, March 04, 2025 By William Xu ( Chinadaily.com.cn National lawmakers and political advisers from Hong Kong on Monday said they are keen to learn more about progress with national development and to further the city's integration into national development as they departed for Beijing to attend the national two sessions. They said they are enthusiastic about attending the annual sessions of the nation's top political advisory body the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, and the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, which will commence on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Hong Kong has 36 NPC deputies and over 180 CPPCC National Committee members. Speaking at Hong Kong International Airport before departing for Beijing, Starry Lee Wai-king, Hong Kong's member of the NPC Standing Committee, said this year marks the end of the nation's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), which outlined eight positions for Hong Kong. She said the sessions provide a good opportunity to review the contributions and efforts made by Hong Kong toward the nation's development, and also for putting forward constructive suggestions for the upcoming five-year plan. She also said she is looking forward to hearing the government work report, to be delivered by Premier Li Qiang during the two sessions, which summarizes the previous year's work and outlines the vision behind China's path to modernization in the coming year. Lee expressed her confidence in the country's ability to drive economic growth, saying that she believes the central authorities will introduce more policies to stimulate investment from private enterprises' in both the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong markets. NPC deputy Ronick Chan Chun-ying, who is also a local lawmaker representing the finance sector, said he is also keen to hear the government work report, as it will provide insights into the nation's economic growth engines and pace. He said he expects to see additional policy instruments introduced to drive domestic demand, thereby providing momentum for sustainable growth in gross domestic product. Jimmy Ng Wing-ka, another Hong Kong NPC deputy, said he is interested to learn about how the country will utilize artificial intelligence and more technologies to accelerate industrial upgrading. Many of the Hong Kong delegates attending the two sessions share a keen interest in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area an 11-city cluster in which Hong Kong is a core city. National lawmaker Maggie Chan Man-ki emphasized the need to boost talent exchanges inside the 11-city cluster, while Shiu Ka-fai, a Hong Kong member of the CPPCC National Committee, said he hopes a shot-in-the-arm will be announced to boost the tourism industry in the Greater Bay Area. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) MIAMI, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CommunityRewards powered by Points4Purpose is pleased to announce its new charity partnership with 305 Pink Pack to increase awareness about the organization's core mission and dedicated services while raising money through the CommunityRewards automated charity fundraising platform. CommunityRewards Partners With 305 Pink Pack to Micro-Fundraise For Women Battling Cancer. 305 Pink Pack is a small, community-based organization that helps women in Miami battling various types of cancer. "As a champion and advocate for women, I'm glad that Points4Purpose and the CommunityRewards platform can support some of Miami's most vulnerable individuals," said James Trocme, Chief Operating Officer of Points4Purpose. Everyday shoppers in Miami can show their support to 305 Pink Pack by joining the CommunityRewards program and linking their preferred debit or credit card to the platform, instantly gaining access to cash back rewards at thousands of qualifying retailers and automatically donate a portion of those earnings to 305 Pink Pack. "We're incredibly grateful to Points4Purpose for creating such an innovative micro-charity fundraising platform that incorporates small, micro-charity donations into everyday shopping. This is a completely new kind of charity fundraising that we've never seen before and we're excited to collaborate," said Rosemary Carrera, founder of 305 Pink Pack. This month marks International Women's History Month with March 8th marking International Women's Day and to honor this special month, CommunityRewards will co-host an upcoming Breast Cancer Walk with 305 Pink Pack while encouraging participants to sign up for CommunityRewards and help micro-fundraise for a great, hyper-local charity and cause. "The sign up process to join CommunityRewards is simple and free shoppers can sign up in under 30 seconds, link their preferred debit card, choose the charity and the percentage of their cashback earnings they want to donate to and that's it! Then when a CommunityRewards member shops at participating retailers, they'll automatically earn cashback and automate a micro-donation to the charity of their choice. 305 Pink Pack is a small, community-based organization that helps women in Miami battling various types of cancer. "As a champion and advocate for women, I'm glad that Points4Purpose and the CommunityRewards platform can support some of Miami's most vulnerable individuals," said James Trocme, Chief Operating Officer of Points4Purpose. Carrera says the non-profit organization provides essential support and resources to women battling cancer: "We provide rides to and from doctor appointments, which are often for chemotherapy as well as other. key resources and financial support." To join CommunityRewards and support 305 Pink Pack, please visit Miami.CommunityRewards.store/register (https://miami.communityrewards.store/register) to join for free. Retail businesses interested in joining the platform can also learn more by filling out this form (https://miami.communityrewards.store/business). ABOUT COMMUNITYREWARDS CommunityRewards is powered by Points4Purpose, Inc. and is a seamless, card-linked cashback rewards and micro-charitable giving platform that enables consumers to earn cashback on purchases at qualifying retailers and automate micro-donations for the charity of their choice. Visit https://miami.communityrewards.store today to join CommunityRewards for free and follow @CommunityRewards.Store on Instagram for regular updates, deals and news. ABOUT POINTS4PURPOSE, INC. Points4Purpose, Inc. is an innovative financial technology company based in Sydney, Australia with North American headquarters based in New York City and Miami, providing rewards technology solutions throughout North America and Australia. Points4Purpose provides a unique, first-of-its-kind loyalty program that allows shoppers to earn cashback on purchases at qualifying retail partners with the option to donate a percentage of their earnings to the charity of their choice. By connecting thousands of shoppers, brands and charity organizations together in one effortless platform, Points4Purpose is leading the charge to make micro-philanthropy a part of everyday commerce. Through card-linking technology, Points4Purpose makes it seamless and easy for consumers to donate to local participating charities. To learn more Points4Purpose, please visit https://points4purpose.com. ABOUT 305 PINK PACK 305 Pink Pack is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to supporting women undergoing cancer treatment, to ensure they are able to access their care and recover from it. Services are available at no cost to women in South Florida in active cancer treatment. Through various initiatives, the organization aims to provide direct and supportive services, as well as foster a sense of community among those facing the challenges of cancer. Since being founded in 2020, 305 Pink Pack has provided over 11,000 rides to cancer treatments, grocery assistance to over 350 families, and more than 500 home and personal care services. To learn more, please visit www.305pinkpack.org. Media Contact: Samantha Savory 3055825997 [email protected] SOURCE Points4Purpose, Inc. - Powered by AWS' secure and scalable cloud infrastructure, the end-to-end solution enables CSPs, Retail, and BFSI to drive reward-based promotions and loyalty programs - Delivers personalized reward recommendations and tailored communications based on individual customer behaviors that drive customer engagement. BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Comviva, the global leader in customer experience and data monetization solutions, today announced the launch of MobiLytix Rewards 5.0, a unified AI-driven SaaS Loyalty Platform, which accelerates the application of AI for loyalty and enables seamless execution of loyalty programs with gamification and personalization across digital channels. MobiLytix Rewards is an end-to-end solution for CSPs, Retail and BFSI to deliver reward-based promotions and loyalty programs to consumers, enterprises, and employees. The new-age SaaS loyalty platform offers a dynamic, data-driven approach with seamless integration across web, mobile, and in-store channels, building lasting customer relationships. The platform serves as a powerful tool for fostering customer retention and driving revenue growth. Built on AWS' secure and flexible cloud infrastructure, the platform will ensure data security and privacy, providing transparency and trust in the loyalty program's transactions and customer interactions. The MobiLytix Rewards platform enables tailored programs offering real time points, instant rewards, dynamic tier configuration, multiple wallets, gamification, robust dashboards, flexible reporting, and rewards across many categories. This is an industry agnostic platform that caters to simple and complex use cases across the customer lifecycle; acquisition, engagement, retention and brand advocacy. Amit Sanyal, EVP & COO, Martech Solutions at Comviva, said, "We are proud to unveil our Next Gen MobiLytix Rewards, a game-changing solution that leverages advanced AI capabilities to transform the loyalty landscape. This launch underscores our commitment to providing clients with state-of-the-art tools that drive customer engagement and create meaningful, personalized experiences. By integrating AWS cloud infrastructure, MobiLytix Rewards 5.0 ensures a robust and scalable platform for fostering deep customer relationships globally." Commenting on the success of its loyalty program, Michael Wright, CEO of Gourmet Food Stores, Egypt, said, "We introduced a strategically designed, dynamic tiered loyalty program powered by Comviva's MobiLytix Rewards and hosted on AWS Cloud, delivering exceptional results. By offering hyper-personalized experiences and enhanced value, the program has strengthened customer engagement, elevated brand perception, and driven significant revenue growth." Comviva was recently named a Visionary in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for AI in CSPs Customer and Business Operations report. Comviva's vision is to revolutionize the telecommunications industry by harnessing the transformative power of AI and Generative AI. With AI use cases across its MobiLytix solutions, Comviva is enabling businesses to create, manage, and deliver real-time personalization and contextualized customer experiences. The MobiLytix Rewards platform currently serves over 120 million end customers, with a vast global rewards catalog spanning over 10 million items. The platform is deployed across 15 countries and issues more than 8 billion reward points weekly, marking its global impact and reach. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/995982/5050412/Comviva_Logo.jpg SOURCE Comviva CHICAGO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) will release its fiscal 2025 third quarter results on Thursday, April 3, 2025. A press release and supplemental materials, including pre-recorded remarks, will be issued that morning prior to a 30-minute live question-and-answer session with the investment community at 9:30 a.m. ET. The pre-recorded remarks, transcript, press release, presentation slides, and live audio Q&A can be accessed at conagrabrands.com/investor-relations under Events & Presentations. The live audio Q&A can also be accessed by dialing 1-877-883-0383 for participants in the U.S. and 1-412-902-6506 for all other participants using passcode: 8551232. Please dial in 10 to 15 minutes prior to the call start time. About Conagra Brands Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), is one of North America's leading branded food companies. We combine a 100-year history of making quality food with agility and a relentless focus on collaboration and innovation. The company's portfolio is continuously evolving to satisfy consumers' ever-changing food preferences. Conagra's brands include Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, Slim Jim, Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, and many more. As a corporate citizen, we aim to do what's right for our business, our employees, our communities, and the world. Headquartered in Chicago, Conagra Brands generated fiscal 2024 net sales of more than $12 billion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com. For more information, please contact: MEDIA: [email protected] INVESTORS: [email protected] SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc. FREMONT, Ohio, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CPA on Fire proudly welcomes Mason Michell, CPA, as the firm's new Advisory Team Lead. Mason brings extensive experience in financial strategy, tax compliance and business advisory. As a former Big Four manager with Deloitte, he has worked directly with clients to deliver tailored financial solutions that maximize profitability and business growth. His expertise strengthens CPA on Fire's commitment to providing proactive financial guidance that helps business owners make informed, strategic decisions. As Advisory Team Lead, Mason plays a crucial role in CPA on Fire's advisory model. He leads a dedicated financial advisory pod, serving as the primary point of contact for business owners. In this capacity, he ensures that clients receive strategic financial guidance beyond standard bookkeeping. His responsibilities include overseeing financial reporting, analyzing budgets, KPIs and providing creative, outside-the-box strategies that help business owners optimize their financial operations and scale efficiently. Beyond financial reporting, Mason plays a key role in equipping business owners with financial tools to maximize profitability, minimize tax liabilities and build long-term wealth. Before joining CPA on Fire, Mason was a Senior Tax Consultant at Deloitte, where he gained deep expertise in corporate tax strategy and financial planning. His time at a Big Four firm provided him with a strong analytical foundation, allowing him to assess business performance, identify key financial drivers and develop practical solutions tailored to each client's needs. Mason is known for his strong analytical skills, ability to identify customized financial solutions and expertise in business growth strategies. His decision to join CPA on Fire was driven by his passion for working closely with business owners in a more consultative role - helping them make data-driven financial decisions that support profitability and long-term success. "Mason has an incredible ability to dig deep into a company's financial performance, analyze key metrics and develop practical solutions. His strong analytical skills, combined with his hands-on experience, make him an invaluable asset for our clients. He understands the bigger picture and delivers strategies that drive real business success." - Ron Parisi, CPA, JD, Owner of CPA on Fire For more information about CPA on Fire's advisory and financial strategy services, visit www.cpaonfire.com About CPA on Fire CPA on Fire is a full-service financial firm dedicated to empowering growth-driven business owners. Specializing in Virtual CFO Services, Tax Planning and Strategy, Accounting, Business Advisory and Bookkeeping services, they provide tailored financial solutions that align with each client's unique goals. Serving businesses with revenues between $1 million and $10 million, CPA on Fire is committed to helping business owners navigate the financial complexities of growth, enabling them to focus on scaling their businesses and achieving long-term success. Contact CPA on Fire to learn more about their services. Social Media Handles https://www.facebook.com/CPAonFire/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cpa-on-fire https://twitter.com/cpaonfire?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/cpaonfire/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/@cpaonfire SOURCE CPA on Fire LOS ANGELES, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The formal transition of Cromer Material Handling and Doosan Material Handling Solutions of Southern California to Forklifts Group, a leading provider of material handling solutions, has been announced today. The Forklifts Group is a well-known material handling distributor headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and brings over four decades of collective experience in equipment, parts, service, repairs, and rental capabilities. Working with top OEMs like Bobcat, Linde, and others, the Forklifts Group team has earned numerous Dealer of Excellence awards in the industry over the years on the East Coast and welcomes the opportunity to expand its footprint across the West. Existing dealerships across California in Fresno, Sacramento, Manteca, Bakersfield, San Diego, Santa Maria, and Los Angeles, as well as Las Vegas, Nevada, will continue to operate under Brent Poulton's leadership, serving as President for Forklifts Group on the West Coast. Poulton will focus efforts on bringing new product and service capabilities to its existing local markets while partnering with East Coast operations to service national accounts. Brent Poulton remarked, "This is a major step in our next phase of growth. Joining an organization with an excellent reputation in the material handling industry will allow us to see immediate benefits and strengthen our position as a leader in this industry while executing an aggressive growth strategy through national expansion." The branding transition is expected to be finalized in early April and reflected across all company communications and branding materials. About Forklifts Group: Forklifts Group comprises full-service dealerships nationwide with decades of material handling experience, offering a full range of products and services to exceed customers' needs with the highest level of service. Bobcat Company recognized Forklifts Group as a top-performing dealer with the Diamond Award. For more information, visit forkliftsgroup.com. SOURCE Forklifts Group Behind the New Location Are Multi-Unit Strategic Partners Edward and Cynthia Hymes , Along with Their Son, Edward. Opening will Mark the Second Of Five Planned Under Their Agreement, Following the Successful Opening of Their Southlake Town Square Location in November 2024 located at 228 South St, Southlake . Situated in Snider Plaza, the New Location is Expected to Open in Summer 2025. DALLAS, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe , the ultra-popular restaurant brand serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner and specializing in sweet and savory crepes, hot drinks and more, continues to expand throughout the state of Texas, bringing a new storefront to Snider Plaza in Dallas. The new restaurant is slated to open in Q3 of 2025, and will be located at 6632 Snider Plaza, University Park. Located in the heart of University Park, Dallas, Sweet Paris Snider Plaza will be part of this charming, walkable destination, renowned for its unique blend of boutiques, restaurants, and specialty shops. Texas residents for 27 years, Edward and Cynthia Hymes, along with their son Edward, bring a wealth of experience in restaurant ownership, business leadership, and project management. After years of success, the family sought to build a lasting legacy in the food and beverage industry. Longtime admirers of Sweet Paris, they found the brand to be the ideal platform to merge their expertise and passions. Following the successful launch of their first location in Southlake, the family is eager to welcome a new community to their portfolio in the prime location of Snider Plaza. The three additional units in their agreement remain in various stages of development. Located in the heart of University Park in Dallas, Snider Plaza is a charming, walkable shopping and dining destination known for its blend of boutiques, restaurants, and specialty shops. Just minutes from Southern Methodist University, the plaza offers a unique mix of cozy neighborhood charm and the elevated energy of Dallas, making it a prime location for the newest Sweet Paris location. With its inviting atmosphere and vibrant community, Snider Plaza provides the perfect backdrop for the Hymes family's new location, bringing Sweet Paris' signature crepes and cafe experience to one of Dallas' most beloved retail and dining hubs. "Bringing Sweet Paris to Snider Plaza is an exciting next step in our entrepreneurial journey," said Edward Hymes. "After seeing the success of our Southlake location, we have confirmed that the brand is the perfect fit for our family and for the Dallas community. Snider Plaza's charm and energy align perfectly with the inviting ambiance of Sweet Paris, and we look forward to sharing our passion for authentic crepes and cafe culture with even more guests." Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe continues to expand nationwide, now boasting 19 stores in operation in Texas, Florida, Minnesota, Arizona and Mexico. "We are thrilled to continue expanding Sweet Paris in our home state of Texas with the Hymes family leading the way," said Allison Chavez, co-founder of Sweet Paris. "Their dedication to the brand and their commitment to delivering an exceptional guest experience make them the ideal partners for this next phase of growth. Snider Plaza is a fantastic location, and we can't wait to introduce our unique take on Parisian-inspired dining to this vibrant community." Sweet Paris was founded in 2012 by Ivan and Allison Chavez with a mission to revive the art of eating crepes. The brand continues to embark towards national expansion, and is looking to partner with qualified and engaged individuals seeking multi-unit opportunities through its strategic partnership model. The brand offers a highly scalable opportunity with strong profit-potential. For more information on Strategic Partnership opportunities, please visit www.sweetparisfranchise.com. ABOUT SWEET PARIS: Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe is a fast-growing restaurant franchise specializing in sweet and savory crepes, waffles, salads, hot drinks and more. On a mission to "Revive the Art of Eating Crepes" one creperie at a time, Sweet Paris is seeking qualified Strategic Partners, especially those with a background in hospitality, to expand the concept in new markets. For more information about the brand, please visit www.sweetparis.com, and for more information on Strategic Partnership Opportunities, visit www.sweetparisfranchise.com. SOURCE Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe Tickets are available now at www.wcfasummit.com . For the first time, the Davos Communications Awards Ceremony will be held in person during the Gala Dinner on April 10, recognizing excellence in public relations, corporate communications, and industry innovation worldwide. All communication experts, agencies and in-house teams are invited to submit their work at www.davosawards.com . Set in the iconic Davos Congress Centre, this summit is all about high-impact connections and exclusive insights. Attendees will engage in high-level networking sessions, expert-led keynotes, and dynamic panels on AI, crisis management, emerging trends, regionality and successful practices in the sphere of public and corporate communications. Among the distinguished speakers, representing over 11 countries worldwide, set to take the stage are: Guntram Kaiser, Founder of KaiserCommunication GmbH (Germany); Johna Burke, AMEC CEO (US); Stuart Bruce, PR Futurist & Co-Founder at Purposeful Relations (UK); Catherine Hernandez-Blades, Independent Board Director (US); Kateryna Doroshevska, Founder & CEO, BECOME PR agency (Ukraine); Katja Fasink, CEO, key7 Communications (Slovenia); Mary Beth West, Senior Strategist (US); Mike Southon, Entrepreneur Mentor, The Beermat Entrepreneur (UK); Paul Holmes, Founder at PRovoke Media (US); Sanjiv Winayak, Senior Client Director/Head of AI at Milk & Honey (UK); Tatevik Simonian, Director Communications & International Relations, SPRING PR (Armenia); Thabisile Phumo, Executive Vice President Stakeholder Relations at Sibanye-Stillwater (South Africa); Viroslava Novosylna, CEO & Founder at SLOVA PR (Ukraine). This prestigious event invites communication enthusiasts, industry leaders, and innovators globally to build valuable connections, explore new business opportunities, elevate their global presence and learn the best new practices in communications. "Bringing together the brightest minds in communications in Davos is not just an event it's an experience. And there is no better place to do that than Davos, where we've tracked lifelong professional connections and opportunities to be made. We are honoured to continue WCFA's legacy of hosting transformational events that have impacted professionals worldwide since 2010", said Maxim Behar , President of the World Communications Forum Association. The Davos Communications Summit & Awards 2025 is in cooperation with the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) and is proudly supported by The #PREthics Community as the gold sponsor and Brain 4 Strategy as the silver sponsor. The official media partner is PR Newswire, part of Cision Group Ltd. About World Communications Forum: Founded in 2010 in Davos, Switzerland, the World Communications Forum Association is a premier global platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and industry development, focused on upgrading its members' expertise and to be an active voice in business, society and politics. WCFA's flagship event, the World Communications Forum, has been hosted in major cities worldwide, including Istanbul, Prague, Moscow, New York City, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Mexico City, Lusaka, Cape Town, and Geneva. In 2020, the association launched the Global Communications Summit on Zoom, bringing together over 450 global experts to establish the Tenets for Ethical Communications, endorsed by 135 industry leaders from 36 countries. For more information, contact: Maxim Behar, WCFA President [email protected] +359 888 50 31 13 www.wcfaglobal.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633363/WCFA_Davos_Summit_2025.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633362/WCFA_Logo.jpg SOURCE World Communications Forum Association (WCFA) "Clarify" brings next-level personalization to DeepL's Language AI platform, addressing growing demand among its 200k+ business customers NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DeepL, a leading global Language AI company, today announced the launch of Clarify, a groundbreaking feature bringing interactivity to AI translations, powered by its next-generation LLM. Clarify transforms the user experience by actively engaging throughout the translation process, serving as an interactive AI companion and language expert that resolves ambiguities and provides greater control over translations. This results in a more personalized, engaging experience that yields higher quality, nuanced translations driving seamless cross-border communication for DeepL's rapidly expanding network of over 200,000 business customers worldwide. "AI is increasingly becoming an essential sparring partner in our professional lives, which is what we're introducing with Clarify a more personalized approach to interacting with the DeepL platform throughout the translation process. Its role is similar to that of a colleague, proactively engaging with users and helping them fine-tune translations to achieve the high quality required for business communication," said Jarek Kutylowski, CEO and Founder, DeepL. "This powerful addition brings an added layer of personalization and accuracy to the DeepL experience, so that our customers can get even greater value out of our platform. Businesses want to trust AI for the right answers, so shifting from a static, one-way experience to more of a dialogue with the technology will become the norm." AI investment is booming, surpassing $ 184 billion in 2024 , with 72% of business leaders aiming to incorporate AI into their daily operations in 2025 and 92% planning to boost their AI budgets in the next three years. Focus is now moving from excitement over the possibilities of AI to whether deployments can deliver results driving a shift away from general models towards highly specialized solutions that can be customized and personalized to meet specific business needs. A quarter of global businesses are looking to invest in AI for specialized tasks , like translation, over the coming year. Moreover, human-AI collaboration is often considered key to the successful deployment of AI in businesses, especially for applications that require deep contextual understanding, such as translation, and in high-stakes, highly regulated environments like legal and manufacturing. For example, 51% of in-house legal teams see AI as a key tool for enhancing translations, combining AI solutions with human expertise and oversight. While DeepL's specialized Language AI platform is already trusted for its accurate, context-aware translations proven to require 2-3 times fewer edits than Google Translate and ChatGPT-4 to achieve the same quality and leverages the expertise of thousands of human translators to train its models, the launch of Clarify elevates the user experience by introducing interactive human-AI collaboration for the first time. Clarify allows professionals and knowledge workers to engage more deeply throughout the translation process, ensuring their specific context and requirements are met. The feature can also identify nuances that non-native speakers may overlook or find challenging, ensuring that translations always achieve the highest levels of accuracy and clarity essential for business-critical use cases. How Clarify works Once text is entered into DeepL Translator, Clarify proactively seeks to clarify context, prompting users with questions on topics such as multiple meanings, gender references, names, numbers, idioms, cultural references, abbreviations, and specialized terms. After users respond, Clarify then adapts the translations to ensure proper syntax, tense, and grammar. Clarify knows the right questions to ask because it is designed specifically for translation use-cases, powered by DeepL's highly specialized LLMs trained by professional language experts. And in contrast to other AI tools that rely on user-driven interaction where users type a prompt, receive a response, and iterate until achieving a desired result Clarify can save users time by operating in a system-driven manner, intuitively identifying the necessary context and prompting users accordingly. "This is a tremendous milestone for our company from a technological perspective and is just the beginning of many exciting innovations we have coming to the DeepL Language AI platform to enhance its interactivity," said Sebastian Enderlein, CTO, DeepL. "Our goal is to ensure our fast-growing network of customers which has now surpassed 200,000 businesses worldwide are equipped with the highest quality, most secure and cutting-edge solutions to meet their evolving language and communication needs." The launch of Clarify coincides with a period of significant growth for DeepL, as the company has established itself as the leading Language AI solution provider for businesses worldwide. Over the last year, DeepL's global customer network has grown significantly, now totaling over 200,000 businesses across sectors ranging from manufacturing to legal, retail, healthcare and more including notable brands like Softbank, Mazda, Harvard Business Publishing, The Ifo Institute, Panasonic Connect and more. This success stems from the company's market-leading innovation, which combines exceptional quality, reliability, and security in its comprehensive Language AI platform, featuring advanced written and spoken translation tools, writing solutions, and the DeepL API. Clarify is now available for DeepL Pro users worldwide via the DeepL Translator web interface, for English and German translations with more languages coming in the future. The feature maintains the same enterprise-grade security and compliance standards as the rest of the DeepL Pro experience. For more information and to try out DeepL Pro for your business today, visit https://www.deepl.com/en/pro . About DeepL DeepL is on a mission to break down language barriers for businesses everywhere. Over 200,000 businesses and governments and millions of individuals across 228 global markets trust DeepL's Language AI platform for human-like translation in both written and spoken formats, as well as natural, improved writing. Designed with enterprise security in mind, companies around the world leverage DeepL's AI solutions that are specifically tuned for language to transform business communications, expand markets and improve productivity. Founded in 2017 by CEO Jaroslaw (Jarek) Kutylowski, DeepL today has over 1,000 passionate employees and is supported by world-renowned investors including Benchmark, IVP and Index Ventures. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2447716/DeepL_Logo.jpg TOKYO, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Taiwan's thriving startup ecosystem took center stage at Venture Cafe Global Gathering 2025, where the Digital Transformation Association (DTA) highlighted Taiwan's leadership in sustainability, innovation, and digital transformation. Supported by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and industrial leaders, this premier global event brought together over 1,000 innovators, startups, policymakers, and academic and industry leaders from more than 80 countries to foster collaboration and cross-border partnerships. DTA Leads Taiwan Delegation DTA Chairman Jen-Ran Chen (sixth from the left), the Managing Partner of GRC Fund (fifth from the left), and a delegation of Taiwanese startups visit Venture Cafe Tokyo at CIC Tokyo DTA President Jen-Ran Chen led a Taiwan delegation of startups, investors, and industry leaders to engage in discussions on regional innovation and collaboration. The delegation also included Benjamin Jen, Managing Partner at GRC VC Fund and former President of the Taiwan MIT Alumni Club, and Benjamin Liao, Chairman of Forte Hotel Group and a core member of MIT REAP Team Hualien, both of whom are industry leaders fostering Taiwan's innovation ecosystem for sustainable development. Taiwan's startup talent also took the spotlight at #Pitch2Tokyo, a global startup competition supported by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Among 17 international competitors, Dr. Roy Cheng, CEO of an ITRI-backed startup and MIT REAP Team Hualien's entrepreneur representative, presented Harvest Defender, showcasing precision agriculture solutions leveraging Hualien's organic farmlands. Advancing Dialogue on Resilient & Sustainable Cities At the Resilient & Sustainable Cities panel, DTA, in partnership with MIT REAP Team Hualien, emphasized Taiwan's role as a leader in urban innovation and resilient technologies. The panel featured Fara Taraie, an urban design expert with experience in Japan and the UK, discussing best practices in sustainable city planning. Benjamin Liao, also Chair of PATA Taiwan, shared insights on sustainable tourism and hospitality development, while blockchain entrepreneur Harrison Goldsmith explored how innovative technologies drive sustainability and urban resilience. Participating in the East Asia Innovation Panel Further reinforcing Taiwan's role in regional innovation, DTA Secretary-General Dr. Samantha Huang joined the East Asia Innovation Panel, where she discussed government-led innovation policies and startup ecosystem growth alongside Osamu Aruga, Director for Innovation Policy at Japan's Cabinet Office, and Harim Chung, Director of the Tokyo Office at Korea SMEs and Startups Agency. The session, moderated by James Lee, Senior Manager of Global & Asia Innovation Advisory at CIC Tokyo, highlighted opportunities for regional collaboration in innovation-driven economies. DTA's Commitment to Global Innovation As Taiwan's leading industrial association for digital transformation, DTA, through its participation in Venture Cafe Global Gathering 2025, will continue to strengthen Taiwan's global presence as a hub for social innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. For more information about DTA, visit www.dta.tw. SOURCE Digital Transformation Association (DTA) Acquisitions of K-Motion Auto Service and Antero Automotive & Truck Services Expand Footprint in Englewood and Greenwood Village DENVER, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- EAS Tire & Auto, a Straightaway Tire & Auto brand, has announced the completion of two additional acquisitions. The recent deals include K-Motion Auto Service in Englewood and Antero Automotive & Truck Services in Greenwood Village, strengthening its presence in the greater Denver market. The acquisitions, finalized on January 2 and January 10, 2025, respectively, expand EAS Tire & Auto's footprint in strategic Denver submarkets to 21 locations. "We are thrilled to welcome both Antero Automotive and Truck Services and K-Motion Auto Service into the EAS Tire & Auto family," said Brian Bates, president of EAS Tire and Auto. "The two businesses have built outstanding reputations for quality service and customer care, and we are honored to carry forward their legacies. These acquisitions align with our commitment to delivering top-tier automotive solutions while expanding our presence in the community. We look forward to working with their talented teams and ensuring a seamless transition for the customers who have come to trust them for their vehicle needs." K-Motion Auto Service, recognized for its large facility and experienced team, provides EAS with a strong foundation for growth in the Englewood community. The acquisition, being its first of 2025, allows EAS to establish a presence in a previously unserved market while maintaining the high standards of service that customers have come to expect. Antero Automotive & Truck Services, a long-standing fixture in the community, brings a team of highly skilled professionals who will contribute to EAS's continued growth. Its proximity to the EAS-Davis location in Greenwood Village provides further density for the brand, allowing for greater efficiency and expanded repair offerings. "After decades of serving this community, it was important to us that K-Motion Auto Service continues under leadership that values integrity, service excellence, and the relationships we've built," said Jim and Diane Kristie, Sellers of K-Motion Auto Service. "We couldn't have asked for a better fit than Brian Bates and the EAS Tire & Auto team. We are confident that our customers and employees are in great hands, and we're excited to see K-Motion thrive in this next chapter." This expansion reflects a commitment to preserving local automotive repair expertise while providing resources for growth and operational excellence. Both locations will maintain their high-performing teams while gaining access to Straightaway's platform support and resources. "Antero Automotive has always been about integrity, service, and community, and I couldn't have found a better partner than Brian Bates and EAS Tire and Auto to carry that mission forward," said Andy Emery, Former Owner of Antero Automotive and Truck Services. "From our very first conversation, it was clear that we shared the same values and passion for taking care of both customers and employees. I'm excited for this next chapter, knowing that our customers will continue to receive exceptional service and that our team will be in great hands." These acquisitions strengthen EAS Tire & Auto's strategy of densifying the Denver market while upholding its commitment to quality service and community engagement. Straightaway is actively expanding its footprint in new and existing markets and welcomes inquiries from shop owners interested in exploring a sale or partnership. For more information visit www.gostraightaway.com. About Straightaway Tire & Auto/EAS Straightaway Tire & Auto is a leading independent, full-service aftermarket automotive repair and service platform with 65 locations across Colorado, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin. In Colorado and surrounding areas, Antero and K-Motion are part of the Straightaway Tire & Auto family, delivering trusted automotive repair services with a strong local presence. Straightaway focuses on building strong local brands by partnering with established automotive repair businesses to provide resources and operational expertise that drive growth and long-term success. The company is committed to identifying opportunities to strengthen the markets where it operates and, being good stewards of the communities it serves. For more information visit www.gostraightaway.com. SOURCE Straightaway Tire and Auto Imagine wasting two weeks on fake applicants. Australian businesses are buried under a mountain of AI-generated resumes, spending an average of 9.56 daysalmost two full working weekssorting through unsuitable applications for every job opening. This reality, uncovered in new research by Remote, a global HR platform, comes from surveying 506 Australian companies. The root cause? A flood of AI-generated resumes clogging up the hiring pipeline, potentially overshadowing Australias best talent with flashy but often unreliable applications. With skills shortages already putting pressure on local businesses and labour market conditions shifting rapidly, this AI chaos is hitting Aussie employers where it hurts mosttime, money, and lost opportunities. ALSO READ: Resumes are dead. Heres the secret to hiring better, faster, smarter AI turning a tough gig into a nightmare The Australian jobs market is already challenging, and AI is making it worse. Job seekers are struggling to stand out, while businesses are overwhelmed by a sea of applicationsmost of which are AI-generated and lack substance. Remotes research reveals that a quarter of businesses are drowning in more applicants than they can manage, and 83% have received AI resumes containing false data in the past six months. The real kicker? 31% of Australian businesses still cant find candidates with the right skills amidst the flood of applications. The rise of tools like ChatGPT, Rezi, and Jobscanwhich 45% of job candidates globally use, according to a 2024 Canva and Sago surveyhas made it easier for candidates to craft keyword-stuffed resumes that breeze through applicant tracking systems (ATS). A 2023 MIT Sloan study found these AI-enhanced CVs land more interviews and often secure higher salaries, but as Cristina Criddle and Delphine Strauss reported in the Financial Times, they tend to be generic and devoid of personality. Khyati Sundaram of Applied told the FT, Were seeing higher volume and lower quality, a sentiment echoed across Australian HR desks. The result? A staggering 54% of recruiters report noticing a rise in under-qualified applicants, with 64% of businesses calling it a major headache. The toll on businesses This AI resume boom is a double-edged sword: Australian businesses are inundated, with 48% cutting review time per application just to keep uprisking the chance of overlooking top talent. Remotes data shows that those 9.56 days per role equate to lost productivity and delayed hires. Amidst the flood of applications, skills shortages continue. The Financial Times points out that softened labour markets and online job postings only add to the chaos. Meanwhile, TestGorilla (2024) found that 60% of recruiters are now flagging buzzword overloadterms like innovative that lack substanceas a red flag. Hiring the wrong person is costly. Companies with 100-499 employees already spend $413,804 annually on HR tasks, and mis-hires only drive turnover costs higher. Fighting back with smarter strategies With 87% of Australian businesses planning to ramp up hiring in 2025, theres growing pressure to separate genuine talent from the AI-generated noise. HR teams are adapting by using more sophisticated methods to navigate the AI flood. For example, Nelson Connects recommends hiring managers watch out for red flags in AI-generated resumes, such as repetitive phrases or missing information. Harvey Nashs Andy Heyes highlights how American grammar and overly generic wording often trigger alarms. Australian HR professionals are encouraged to look for specifics, like grew sales by 25% with a new CRM, rather than vague descriptions. Companies like Vervoe are focusing on skills-based assessments, and TestGorilla advocates for multi-measure testingsuch as coding challenges or campaign pitchesto reduce mis-hires by 30%. For tech roles, practical tasks outweigh resumes that claim broad skills like Python wizard. Transparency also plays a crucial roleTestGorilla suggests asking candidates directly, Did you use AI here? How? This approach lets companies identify tech-savvy applicants without guilt, especially given that majority of students admit to using ChatGPT. Furthermore, Odyssey Automation underscores the importance of human oversight beyond applicant tracking systems (ATS). Morgan McKinleys Ross Crook agrees, noting that human-to-human interaction remains vital in making the final hiring decision. To avoid AI spam, Forbes (2024) recommends clearer, more specific job ads, pointing out that posts like run a 5-person team to hit $1M in quarterly sales are far more effective than vague ones like manage a team. Remote CEO Job van der Voort isnt holding back: The growth of AI tools and mass-apply tactics has generated application overload The key is using AI strategically to expedite hiring, verify skills, and get to the right talent quickly. Already, 26% of Australian businesses use AI to match or screen candidates, another 30% use pre-screening tests, and 22% use specialist recruiters. AI-generated resumes are becoming ingrained in the process, and their prevalence among young applicants, adept at avoiding detection, is well-documented by the FT. By combining AI efficiency with human judgment, companies can streamline operationsaccelerating screening, reducing biasand still minimize risk. As the Wall Street Journal warns, Spot AI-generated resumes and adaptor fall behind. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The partnership will empower HVAC professionals to use both platforms together, offering transparent pricing and a frictionless client experience SEATTLE, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- EDEN, a pioneering digital sales enablement platform in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry, has announced a new partnership with Sales Builder Pro, a top-rated solution for contractors to create in-home HVAC proposals. By combining EDEN's instant online pricing with Sales Builder Pro's in-home proposal tools, the partnership enables contractors to deliver a seamless sales experiencefrom lead generation to closingboosting both efficiency and customer satisfaction. "Research shows that over 70% of consumers are more likely to reach out to contractors who provide pricing on their website," said Josh Koplin, Founder and CRO of EDEN. "That transparency builds trust and generates red-hot leads. With EDEN, contractors can pre-qualify customers and provide instant online pricing. But the job isn't done until the deal is closedthis is where the partnership with Sales Builder Pro comes in, enabling professional, in-home proposals that drive cross-sells and upsells at the kitchen table." "This partnership is about bringing the best of both worlds to HVAC contractors," said John Steidley, Founder and CEO of Intelligent Mobile Support. "By pairing EDEN's ability to provide accurate, upfront online pricing with Sales Builder Pro's professional proposal and closing process, contractors can shorten sales cycles, increase their average ticket size, and deliver a seamless customer experience." The partnership delivers key advantages, including instant EDEN onboarding for Sales Builder Pro customers, incentive alignment between platforms, and easy price updates across both systems. Contractors already leveraging both platforms are seeing the benefits firsthand. "Our partnership with both Sales Builder Pro and EDEN Instant Quote has streamlined pricing and rebate management, taking the workload off our team," said Jordan Low, General Manager at Comfort Heating, Cooling, Electrical & Plumbing. "With their teams seamlessly integrating everything behind the scenes, we're able to provide a smooth and consistent experience for our customers, both online and at the kitchen table, while keeping our sales process efficient and hassle-free." By creating a seamless bridge from online to the kitchen table, contractors can provide a more efficient, transparent, and customer-friendly sales experiencegiving them a competitive edge in today's evolving HVAC market. About EDEN EDEN's mission is to empower contractors with innovative technology, helping them to grow their businesses and provide exceptional customer experiences. Founded in 2021, the Seattle-based startup provides a digital sales enablement tool to help HVAC contractors provide quick and accurate instant quotes for HVAC systems. By leveraging technology to provide prices and detailed breakdowns of eligible incentives and expected utility savings online, EDEN helps promote high-efficiency systems that contribute to sustainability and benefits both homeowners and contractors. For more information, visit https://www.e-denhomes.com/. About Sales Builder Pro Sales Builder Pro is one of the top-rated sales proposal software solutions within the residential HVAC industry, designed to improve the productivity and profitability of home service contractors. The software is a flagship product from Intelligent Mobile Support, Inc. For more information, visit https://www.imobilesupport.com/. MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 [email protected] SOURCE EDEN WorkForce Enterprise AM-C550, WorkForce Pro WF-C5890 and WorkForce ST-C5500 Color MFPs Recognized for Professional Image Quality, Fast Print Speeds and Flexible Features LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson America, Inc., a worldwide leader in printing solutions, today announced that the WorkForce Enterprise AM-C550, WorkForce Pro WF-C5890 and WorkForce ST-C5500 color MFPs have earned Buyers Lab (BLI) 2025 A4 Pick Awards from Keypoint Intelligence. Its lab technicians and analysts were impressed by the performance and features of the Epson A4 devices. "The Epson AM-C550, WF-C5890 and ST-C5500 help simplify workflows and make for productive multi-user environments. They provide professional image quality output, particularly with business graphics that are bright and sharp, with fast job streams and first-print-out-times," said Rachel Dean, technical editor in Keypoint Intelligence's Workplace Group. "The Epson A4 MFPs have simple-to-operate touchscreens, and an impressive range of apps with various cloud and mobile print support options to meet the flexible ways of working in today's hybrid business environment." Epson WorkForce Enterprise AM-C550, WorkForce Pro WF-C5890 and WorkForce ST-C5500 MFPs earn BLI A4 Pick Awards Post this For over 60 years, clients in the digital imaging industry have relied on Keypoint Intelligence for independent hands-on testing, lab data and extensive market research to drive their product and sales success. Keypoint Intelligence has been recognized as the industry's most trusted resource for unbiased information, analysis and awards due to decades of analyst experience. "Epson understands the challenges businesses face in finding reliable, productivity-enhancing and cost-enhancing tools and has engineered its business printers to address these needs as well as help our customers achieve their sustainability goals," said Elliot Williams, director of product marketing, Business Imaging, Epson America, Inc. "This recognition from industry authority Keypoint Intelligence for three of our A4 printers affirms our commitment to delivering innovative and dependable solutions that empower businesses to succeed." Powered by PrecisionCore technology, a simple, smart and clean solution that delivers outstanding reliability with low waste, the AM-C550, WF-C5890 and ST-C5500 are designed to support more business hustle and fewer printer hassles, enhancing productivity and offering a low total cost of ownership with distinct environmental benefits. More About Epson's Award-Winning MFPs: The WorkForce Enterprise AM-C550 delivers powerful business productivity with print speeds up to 55 ISO ppm (black/color), high-performance scanning and legal-sized media support. An energy-efficient MFP, it has the lowest power consumption in its class 1 up to 65% lower vs. color laser printers. 1 With flexible placement options and a compact footprint, it is configurable as a desktop or floor-standing unit, ideal for virtually any work environment. delivers powerful business productivity with print speeds up to 55 ISO ppm (black/color), high-performance scanning and legal-sized media support. An energy-efficient MFP, it has the lowest power consumption in its class up to 65% lower vs. color laser printers. With flexible placement options and a compact footprint, it is configurable as a desktop or floor-standing unit, ideal for virtually any work environment. The WorkForce Pro WF-C5890 is built with an innovative Replaceable Ink Pack System, allowing businesses to print up to 5,000 ISO pages with replacement ink packs 2 reducing ink replacement frequency and save up to 25 percent on replacement ink vs. color laser toner. 3 The WF-C5890 has the lowest power consumption in its class 4 and delivers print speeds of 25 ISO ppm (black/color). is built with an innovative Replaceable Ink Pack System, allowing businesses to print up to 5,000 ISO pages with replacement ink packs reducing ink replacement frequency and save up to 25 percent on replacement ink vs. color laser toner. The WF-C5890 has the lowest power consumption in its class and delivers print speeds of 25 ISO ppm (black/color). The WorkForce ST-C5500 Supertank includes high-yield ink bottles with up to two years of ink in the box,6 enough to print up to 12,000 pages black/8,800 color.7 Businesses can save up to 80 percent with replacement ink bottles equivalent to about two cents per color ISO page compared to 14 cents vs. color laser toner cartridges.8 The ST-C5500 features print speeds of 25 ISO ppm (black/color) and the lowest power consumption in its class.9 For more information about Epson's portfolio of high-performance business printing solutions, visit https://epson.com/office-printers. More information about Keypoint Intelligence awards can be found here: https://keypointintelligence.com/awards. About Epson Business Inkjet Epson's portfolio of high-performance business printing solutions forges the future of office printing and sets the new standard for minimal intervention, affordability and low energy consumption. Engineered with Epson's innovative PrecisionCore Heat-Free technology, Epson's groundbreaking business printing solutions from desktop printers and workgroup printers for hybrid work-from-home and in-office small businesses to WorkForce Enterprise MFPs deliver high performance with few moving parts to exceed market needs. To learn more about Epson's portfolio of business inkjet printing solutions, visit Epson.com/Office-Printers. To learn more about Epson PrecisionCore Heat-Free technology, visit Epson.com/PrecisionCore . About Keypoint Intelligence For over 60 years, clients in the digital imaging industry have relied on Keypoint Intelligence for independent hands-on testing, lab data, and extensive market research to drive their product and sales success. Keypoint Intelligence has been recognized as the industry's most trusted resource for unbiased information, analysis, and awards due to decades of analyst experience. Customers have harnessed this mission-critical knowledge for strategic decision-making, daily sales enablement, and operational excellence to improve business goals and increase bottom lines. With a central focus on clients, Keypoint Intelligence continues to evolve as the industry changes by expanding offerings and updating methods, while intimately understanding and serving manufacturers', channels', and their customers' transformation in the digital printing and imaging sector. About Epson Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson's goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1 trillion. global.epson.com/ Epson America, Inc., based in Los Alamitos, Calif., is Epson's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), X (x.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/epsonamerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica). * Designed for use exclusively with Epson ink packs. Black and color print speeds are measured in accordance with ISO/IEC 24734. Actual print times will vary based on factors including system configuration, software and page complexity. For more information, visit www.epson.com/printspeed 1 Compared to similarly featured A4 color laser printers and copiers with speeds of 51-60 ppm per industry available data as of November 2023. Actual power savings will vary by product model and usage. 2 Replacement ink pack yields are estimated based on ISO/IEC 24711 test in Default Mode printing continuously. Ink pack yields vary considerably for reasons including images printed, print settings, temperature and humidity. Yields may be lower when printing infrequently or predominantly with one ink color. All ink colors are used for printing and printer maintenance, and all colors have to be installed for printing. For print quality, part of the ink from the included ink packs is used for printer startup and a variable amount of ink remains in the ink pack after the "replace ink pack" signal. For details, see www.epson.com/inkinfo 3 Actual savings will vary based on print tasks, print volumes and usage conditions. Savings comparison based on the purchase cost of replacement ink packs and the cost of enough color toner cartridges to achieve the total page yields of the ink packs using the manufacturers' online prices and yields for the highest-capacity toner cartridges for the best-selling similarly featured color laser printers with speeds of 30 ppm or less per industry-available data as of March 2022. 4 Compared to similarly featured color laser printers with speeds of 30 ppm or less based on industry-available data as of March 2022. Actual power savings will vary by product model and usage. 5 Actual energy savings will vary based on print task and use conditions. Compared with best-selling, similarly featured color laser printers priced at $1,499 (USD) or less and 40 ppm or less, as of February 2023. Competitive data gathered from manufacturer websites and third-party industry sources. 6 Based on average monthly document print volumes of about 300 pages. 7 Part of the ink from the included bottles is used for initial setup. Yields are lower than those of replacement ink bottles. Included and replacement ink bottle yields based on the ISO/IEC 24712 pattern with Epson's methodology. Actual ink yields will vary considerably for reasons including images printed, print settings, temperature and humidity. Yields may be lower when printing infrequently or predominantly with one ink color. All ink colors are used for printing and printer maintenance, and all colors must be available for printing. For more information, visit www.epson.com/inkinfo 8 Actual savings and costs will vary considerably based on print tasks, print volumes and usage conditions. Savings and cost per ISO page are based on the cost of replacement ink bottles and the cost of enough standard-capacity color laser toner cartridges to achieve the total page yields of the ink bottles using the manufacturers' online prices and yields for the best-selling similarly featured color laser printers, available at retail, priced at $1,499 MSRP (USD) or less with speeds of 40 ppm or less per industry available data as of February 2023. Savings of up to $600 (USD) and cost per ISO page of about $0.09 (USD) for XL-capacity color laser toner cartridges based on the same methodology. 9 Actual energy savings will vary based on print task and use conditions. Compared with best-selling, similarly featured color laser printers priced at $1,499 (USD) or less and 40 ppm or less, as of February 2023. Competitive data gathered from manufacturer websites and third-party industry sources. EPSON, PrecisionCore and WorkForce are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2025 Epson America, Inc. SOURCE Epson America, Inc. 100 million women and girls to actively join the digital economy within the next decade BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The EQUALS Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women and girls in the digital world with the launch of its new mission today at MWC25 Barcelona. This strengthened commitment by the founding partners of EQUALS consisting of the International Telecommunication Union, the International Trade Centre, UN Women, UN University and the GSMA sets an ambitious goal: achieving digital gender equality by 2035. The EQUALS Global Partnership - a coalition of international organisations, governments, corporations, academic institutions, non-profits, and community organisations worldwide - is intensifying efforts to bridge the gender digital divide. Empowering Women and Girls Through Digital Innovation The new EQUALS vision puts women and girls at the centre of digital transformation at a time when technology, particularly AI, is evolving rapidly. By equipping them with digital skills, resources, and opportunities, EQUALS aims to empower 100 million women and girls within the next decade to become active contributors to the digital economy. "As technology evolves faster than ever, successful digital transformation depends on women and girls being at the forefront of change," said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. "That's why a renewed focus on empowering women innovators and policymakers is driving the new EQUALS Global Partnership." Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, said: "The growth of AI and digital innovation presents unprecedented opportunities to build a more inclusive world. But without intentional action, women and girls risk being left behind. By reaffirming our mission, the EQUALS Global Partnership is ensuring that women and girls everywhere can fully participate in the digital economy, unlocking their potential and shaping the future of technology." The partnership's work will be structured around thematic workstreams, each operating on a two-year cycle, ensuring flexibility to adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities. EQUALS partners and members will continue advocating for policy changes, fostering collaboration between public and private sectors, and launching targeted programmes to support women and girls in tech. As part of its broader vision, EQUALS aligns its work with key global frameworks, including the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN Global Digital Compact, and the Beijing +30 Review Process Outcomes. For more about the EQUALS Global Partnership, visit https://www.equalsintech.org/. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1882833/GSMA_Logo.jp SOURCE GSMA BEIJING, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from chinadaily.com.cn: From waterfalls to misty mountains, from diverse ethnic groups to local cuisines, this majestic province will leave you breathless in 240 hours, Yang Jun reports in Guiyang. The Xiaoqikong scenic spot in Libo county is a captivating destination. CHINA DAILY Tucked away in southwestern China, Guizhou province is a land of unspoiled beauty and rich cultural diversity. This land of misty mountains, tranquil rivers and timeless karst formations seems to exist beyond the reaches of modernity. Home to a tapestry of ethnic groups, Guizhou breathes life into ancient customs - from the slash-and-burn rhythms of its traditional agriculture to the echoes of totem worship and the mesmerizing grace of ritual dances. Creation myths, hymns, sacrificial rites and folklore weave into daily life, preserved in a culture that reveres storytelling as an art form. With its mild climate and warm hospitality, the province beckons travelers to immerse themselves in its serene landscapes and heritage, offering a glimpse of a China far removed from the clamor of urban life. Whether your heart longs for adventure, reflection, or thrills, Guizhou promises an unforgettable journey into the soul of a land like no other. Day 1: Guiyang Old Town The first day in Guizhou is dedicated to Guiyang, a city saturated with history. As the province's capital, Guiyang is a city embraced for its cool climate, rich cultural heritage and diverse cuisine. Upon arrival, head straight to Nanming district to start your day like a local. Enjoy a traditional Guizhou breakfast in the bustling markets and indulge in street food favorites like changwang noodles, a dish made with pork offal, blood curd and fried pork bits. If that's too rich, opt for sticky rice dishes instead. In the afternoon, visit Jiaxiu Pavilion, a 400-year-old landmark perched on the Nanming River. This historic structure offers stunning views and glimpses into the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) cultural legacies. The name Jiaxiu symbolizes academic excellence and the flourishing of talent. Stroll around the pavilion to admire its elegant style while soaking in the river views. For dinner, give Guiyang's famous roadside barbecue a try. It's not just about flavors - the lively atmosphere makes it unforgettable. Dip your skewers in Guizhou's houttuynia cordata (fish mint), or "fishy-smelly herb" sauce, for a true taste of the region. Grab a refreshing cup of bingjiang, a mix of fruit, sticky rice and crushed ice and spend your evening wandering through Renmin Square and the old streets to see street performances and illuminated fountains. Stay at one of the many hotels near Dashizi in the bustling city center and get a good night's sleep - the rest of Guizhou awaits. Day 2: Chishui Danxia A four-hour drive from Zunyi Railway Station, the Chishui Danxia Tourist Area has three must-see attractions - The Great Waterfall, Foguangyan (Buddha Light Rock) and Yanziyan (Swallow Rock). The Danxia landscape, known for its dramatic red sandstone cliffs, was shaped by powerful rivers carving through the terrain during a tectonic uplift, resulting in a breathtaking contrast of towering peaks and plunging waterfalls. Chishui Great Waterfall is 76 meters high and 81 meters wide and is the largest waterfall on a Danxia landform. Surrounded by a lush subtropical rainforest with 99 percent forest coverage, it's a spot you don't want to miss. Foguangyan features the world's largest exposed red sandstone wall in the Danxia formations. Its centerpiece is a striking arc-shaped cliff stretching 1,127 meters, with a waterfall cascading 269 meters - a truly awe-inspiring sight. Exploring the area requires at least four hours on foot, so prepare for a workout. The steep mountain paths, dense forests and countless waterfalls make it a rewarding but physically demanding adventure. Don't forget your raincoat and slip-resistant shoes, as safety is key on these trails. Bing'an Ancient Town offers a quiet, convenient overnight retreat with easy access to scenic spots. If you prefer a city vibe, staying in Zunyi is a good option, with shuttle buses to take you directly to the attractions. Day 3: Fanjing Mountain If you dream of traversing a pristine subtropical forest, Fanjing Mountain is the ideal destination. Hidden within its dense woods, you might catch a glimpse of the elusive Guizhou golden monkey, a species only found here. Fanjing Mountain is part of the Wuling Mountain range in Tongren city, with an elevation of 2,572 meters and offering some of the most breathtaking vistas in the province. Known as an "ecological island", it has the best-preserved primeval forest at its latitude and is home to more than 7,000 plant and animal species, including rare species dating back 70 million to 2 million years. The mountain's unique geological formations, shaped over millennia, create a stunningly diverse, majestic landscape. Due to its elevation, the mountain shows distinctive vertical climate zones, with weather often differing between its base and summit. The Hongyun Golden Peak is a distinctive landmark, offering incredible sunrise views. A radiant light cascades over the mountaintop as the sun ascends from behind the clouds, where you can get a bird's-eye view of Fanjing Mountain's vast beauty. Fanjing Mountain also holds deep spiritual significance. Revered as a sacred Buddhist site, its name is derived from the Buddhist concept, symbolizing transcendence and serenity. In July 2018, Fanjing Mountain was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site List, cementing its status as a global treasure. Consider staying in the Yunshe village, which has winding streams, ancient bridges and the aroma of smoked meats, offering a glimpse into the timeless charm of rural mountain life. Day 4: Zhenyuan Ancient Town A three-hour drive from Fanjing Mountain brings you to Zhenyuan Ancient Town, a hidden gem in the mountains and valleys of southeastern Guizhou. With over 2,000 years of history, Zhenyuan preserves the rustic charm of the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The Wuyang River meanders through the town in an S-shape, dividing it into two parts - the former administrative city on the north bank and the ancient military garrison on the south. From above, the layout resembles a tai chi symbol. As one of Guizhou's four major ancient towns, Zhenyuan is the perfect place to experience the leisurely pace of life in ancient time. By day, it resembles an ink-wash painting; at night, it transforms into a spectacle of lights. After sunset, red lanterns light up along the river, with water reflections creating an enchanting scene. The cobblestone paths, lined with flickering lights, exude a tranquil, romantic atmosphere. Stroll along Heba Street to Minzhu Street, where well-preserved buildings adorned with lanterns set a picturesque mood. The riverside is also dotted with cozy cafes and small bars where you can sip local rice wine while listening to the river's gentle flow. Must-try delicacies include green bean tofu pudding, tofu balls, bayberry soup, sticky rice and grilled fish. Consider staying in a riverside guesthouse and waking up to views of the winding Wuyang River or enjoy the rainy nights and illuminated skylines from your window. Day 5: Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is one of the largest settlements of the Miao ethnic group in the world, where culture and nature intertwine. "Qianhu" means thousands of household. The crystal-clear Baishui River divides the village into picturesque hamlets that cling to the hillsides. A panoramic view of the sprawling village shrouded in morning mist can be viewed from the observation deck - a sight so poetic that Chinese writer Yu Qiuyu said: "It answers everything with beauty." Immerse yourself in the rhythms of Miao life by strolling through cobbled paths lined with traditional stilted houses and witness the heritage of this ancient community. Indulge in local delicacies like sour fish soup and Miao-style cured bacon at charming eateries, where every bite is a taste of the region's unique culture. Hillside guesthouses offer cozy stays and stunning views of the village below, while nearby star-rated hotels cater to those seeking modern comforts. Its classic spots include Lusheng Field, Diaojiao Building Group, Gage Ancient Lane, Youfang Street, Xijiang Miao Museum, Fengyu Bridge, Youfang Field, the viewing platform, and the pastoral tourist area. Day 6: Xiaoqikong Nestled in the emerald mountains of Guizhou's Qiannan Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture, Libo is a stunning natural retreat. The Xiaoqikong (seven small arches) Bridge, built in 1835, is a highlight in the area. Follow the river upstream to encounter the cascading Laya and spectacular 68-step waterfalls, surrounded by lush greenery. Libo's unique terrain, mainly mountainous plateaus, is a wonderland of karst landscapes, featuring peak forests, limestone caves, stone forests on water and underground rivers. Setting this area apart are its waters and dense forests - particularly the one-of-a-kind water forest, recognized as one of China's top 10 most beautiful forests by Chinese National Geography. A walk through the water forest reveals a magical scene of trees embedded in stones rising from the water, their roots extending deep into the riverbed below. There are many accommodation options near Libo Ancient Town, and the area is a hub for local delicacies where you can try the beef rice noodles for breakfast before setting out. Day 7: Huangguoshu Waterfall Located 128 kilometers, a 30-minute high-speed train ride from Guiyang, Anshun is home to the magnificent Huangguoshu Waterfall, Guizhou's most iconic tourist destination. Stand beneath the waterfall to feel the refreshing mist envelop you. On the way to the waterfall, you might pass the Baling River Bridge, one of the tallest of its kind worldwide, and the soon-to-be taller Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge. Driving on the highways through Guizhou's mountains and valleys, you'll feel the allure of this "museum of bridges". Huangguoshu Waterfall is the largest in China at 77.8 meters tall and 101 meters wide. The best time to visit is from June through October. At the base lies Rhinoceros Pool, where rainbows appear, most frequently in summer, amid the waterfall's spray, shifting and transforming as you move. Behind the waterfall is the famous Water Curtain Cave, made famous by the 1986 TV adaptation of Journey to the West. The 134-meter-long cave has six windows through which visitors can marvel at the cascading water. Inside, you'll find five chambers, three cave springs and two cave waterfalls. At sunset, stand by the windows for a breathtaking view of Rhinoceros Pool, where rainbows mingle with clouds and mist, an experience known as the "Water Curtain Cave inner view sunset". The Huangguoshu National Park is vast, with the main waterfall taking about two hours to explore. Bring a raincoat to enjoy the grandeur or traverse the Water Curtain Cave for adventure. While in the area, be sure to try Anshun's culinary specialty duoduo rice tofu hotpot, featuring rice tofu simmered in a rich tomato-based broth. Staying in downtown Anshun is recommended for better lodging options and convenient access to the scenic area. Day 8: Wanfenglin Wanfenglin Scenic Area, the largest and an iconic karst peak forest in China, stretches over 200 km in length and 30-50 km in width. The forest rises abruptly from the ground, blending with picturesque farmlands. In August 1639, famous travel writer Xu Xiake marveled at Wanfenglin, exclaiming: "Mountains abound across the land, but only here do they form a forest." The scenic area comprises the eastern and western peak forests. The eastern section is bold and majestic, while the western side exudes elegance and charm enhanced by vast farmlands that evoke a poetic vision of pastoral life. In the western peak forest, tranquil villages dot the landscape. The graceful Nahui River winds like a ribbon through verdant fields and cottages, painting a vivid scene. Visitors can stroll through the fields, cycle along serene paths, and revel in the earthy fragrance of the soil, basking in the warmth of the sunset. Villages at the foot of the peaks offer sweeping views of the magnificent scenery. Beyond its breathtaking natural beauty, Wanfenglin boasts a rich cultural heritage. It is home to the Bouyei, Miao and other ethnic groups which have cultivated unique traditions over generations. Visitors can immerse themselves in the region's culture through hands-on activities like batik dyeing and embroidery or by exploring distinctive architecture, festivals and ethnic songs and dances. The homestays near Nahui village are recommended. At night, the lively marketplaces provide a vibrant contrast to the day's tranquillity. Don't miss local culinary delights such as sour bamboo shoots with beef or specialty fried rice, authentic flavors that will linger long after you leave. Day 9-10: Guiyang city life If a destination that seamlessly combines the energy of a modern city with the tranquillity of nature is more your style, Guanshanhu district in Guiyang is an unbeatable choice. Known as an "urban oasis", this new district is the perfect conclusion to your Guizhou journey. At the heart of the district lies Guanshanhu Park, a sprawling urban wetland covering approximately 327.72 hectares. As one of Southwest China's largest parks, it serves as the city's "green lung", providing a serene escape from bustling urban life. Stroll along the wooden boardwalks that trace the shimmering lake, rent a bike, or set up a picnic to savor the healing powers of nature. In the afternoon, delve into the wonders of geology and paleontology at the Geological Museum of Guizhou. This is the ideal place to discover why Guizhou is hailed the "Kingdom of Karst". The museum showcases an extraordinary array of geological treasures, from massive crinoid and ichthyosaur fossils that offer a glimpse into life millions of years ago, to minerals and rocks that highlight the region's rich natural resources. Plan to spend about one to two hours exploring the exhibits. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm, but closed on Mondays, so it's best to confirm the schedule in advance. If you're into archaeology, plan to spend about three hours at the Guizhou Provincial Museum, where you can dive into the province's rich history. Highlights include the mysterious bronze yue axes with intricate patterns and the stunning ethnic costumes. As night falls, head to Aydc creative community, a dynamic space where Guizhou's ethnic culture meets modern design. This new hub, beloved by local youth, is the perfect spot to experience the region's innovative cultural pulse. Stroll from the outdoor market to the third floor to encounter lively attractions like an energetic skatepark, Moto Garage for motorcycle enthusiasts and ASPIR, where you can buy unique handcrafted goods and local specialties. When hunger strikes, grab a bowl of beef noodles enhanced with spicy roasted chili sauce, followed by a sweet, refreshing serving of fruit tofu pudding. If you're lucky, you might stumble upon a roadside concert in Guiyang. Don't worry, these performances are open to all, with no tickets, no boundaries and no walls. It's all about spontaneity - passionate singing on stage to a lively crowd below. During the holidays, especially the New Year, Guiyang transforms into a sea of music at night. Each district boasts unique music venues, which may lead to a sleepless night. To top it off, enjoy a pint of craft beer while listening to live music, letting the rhythm of the evening draw your day to a close. SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn The software creates domain-specific UR Codes for identity issuing authorities SUMMERLIN, Nev., March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FaceTec announced the release of the UR Encoder Software for use with their ground-breaking UR Codes identity verification protocol as the company expands its industry-leading position in global 3D Face Verification and digital identity software. UR Codes are generated by issuing authorities such as DMVs, passport issuers, law enforcement agencies, schools, employers, etc., using secure UR Encoder Software that runs inside the firewall of that issuing authority. Using a unique private encryption key, the software cryptographically signs each UR Code, making them provably immutable with a public key-enabled check. UR Codes store digitally signed face data that biometrically binds the codeholder to their identity data, yet remains universally scannable with today's mobile devices and computer webcams. This privacy-protecting biometric security technology empowers secure, two-party remote identity verification at infinite scale. Requests to download the UR Encoder software can be made at dev.urcodes.com/downloads The UR Encoder is provided with a free, perpetual license to government identity issuers, non-profits, and similar not-for-profit organizations. Commercial entities contracted to print UR Codes on behalf of these organizations can also receive a free perpetual license for the UR Encoder Software. "The FaceTec engineers have put tremendous effort into the development of the UR Encoder Software, and we are thrilled to empower issuing authorities all over the world to begin using UR Codes to increase trust in their countries," said Josh Rose, CTO of FaceTec. The UR Code Encoder Software uses Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithms (ECDSA) to sign the contents of the UR Codes with the UR Code issuing authority's private key. The UR Code is validated against the corresponding public key to validate the digital signature. This ensures the UR Code was generated by the owner of the private key corresponding to the public key and ensures the contents of the UR Code have not been modified. For commercial applications, for-profit entities can enter into a partnership with FaceTec to encode UR Codes for use in their applications. Recently, FaceTec announced the release of the Scan+Match Apps for its revolutionary UR Code identity verification protocol. The apps scan, validate, and match a face to the biometric data encoded in a UR Code, with no biometric data or personally identifiable data leaving the user's device. The server-side UR Matcher SDK release will follow in the coming weeks and the UR Code Scan + Match SDKs will be released in early Q2 to complete the UR Code Software suite. About UR Codes FaceTec's UR Codes allow codeholders to prove with high confidence their legal identity, age, and the right to access their accounts or privileges, in-person and remotely. UR Codes have embedded within them digitally bound biometric and legal identity information that ensures privacy-preserving, decentralized identity verification. As they store unique, signed face data, personal info, and legal identity data, UR Codes enable secure, low-cost, two-party identity verification at unlimited scale in any identity-related scenario from any issuing authority, such as a DMV, passport issuer, school, or employer. For more information, visit the following resources: About FaceTec FaceTec is a global force in the fight against identity fraud. For use on standard, ubiquitous digital devices, FaceTec's patented biometric security software solutions provide exceptionally secure, remote, unsupervised identity verification and authentication, ensuring that only the legitimate account owner is allowed access to their valuable or sensitive digital services, assets, and systems. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in the U.S., with additional staff in the UK, Brazil, Portugal, Mexico, Canada, and Singapore, FaceTec is the world's leading provider of 3D face biometric Liveness and matching software, processing three billion-plus Liveness Checks annualized, protecting sensitive information in high-risk, high-value environments, including banking and finance, government, major ecommerce, global social networks, digital national IDs and mobile driver licenses, and much more. FaceTec's AI-driven technology employs advanced algorithms and deep learning models to accurately and securely verify, authenticate, and bind individuals to their accounts based on their unique face biometrics. FaceTec's patented, industry-leading Certified 3D Liveness Detection and face matching, UR Codes, optical character recognition, know-your-customer, and age estimation technology anchor a secure chain of trust in the IDV process for reliable, trusted access to mobile and web applications. FaceTec technology has been exhaustively tested against tens-of-millions of digital and physical spoof artifacts--including hi-res photos and videos, life-like masks, and mannequin heads--but also against much more sophisticated injection and bypass-type attacks, all now easily blocked. With ongoing, advanced AI development and the world's only spoof bounty program , FaceTec continues to stay ahead of constantly evolving attack methods. For more information and business inquiries, please visit FaceTec.com . About FaceTec 3D Face Verification FaceTec's pioneering, patented 3D Face Biometrics are fast becoming the global standard in secure onboarding, KYC, and reverification, stopping ID fraud and unauthorized access for millions of users on six continents. FaceTec's 3D Face Verification Platform features: 100% data-sovereign, customer-run software: no user data is sent to FaceTec World-leading 3D Face Matching rate at 1-in-125 million FAR at less-than-1% FRR Patented UI generates data-rich 3D FaceMaps from standard 2D cameras from standard 2D cameras World's-first UR Codes enable secure, low-cost two-party identity verification Codes enable secure, low-cost two-party identity verification $600,000 Spoof Bounty Program and Level 1&2 Certified 3D Liveness Detection Spoof Bounty Program and Level 1&2 Certified 3D Liveness Detection Unphishable 3D FaceMaps ensure trust without creating honeypots Support for all modern smartphones, tablets, and PCs with webcams KYC/IDV Dashboard with integrated 1-to-N de-duplication to catch fraudsters World-leading 1-in-2 million FAR 3D FaceMap-to-2D-photo-ID matching Anonymous, better-than-human 3D age estimation and 3D age checks Fast, intuitive interface with 98-99% first-time-user success rates Easy to integrate, customize, deploy, and manage Developers can download FaceTec's demo apps directly from FaceTec.com for iOS, Android, and any modern browser, and the developer SDKs are available free at dev.facetec.com . About Liveness.com Liveness.com is an educational resource for biometrics users, vendors, analysts, media, and regulators, providing a comprehensive history of Level 1-5 Presentation Attack Detection, Template Tampering, and Camera Bypasses, as well as explanations of methods and means for evaluation, certification testing, and bounty programs. SOURCE FaceTec, Inc. BERGEN, Norway, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In April 2024, Avinor and the Civil Aviation Authority entered a collaboration to establish Norway as an international test arena for zero- and low-emission aviation. On March 4, 2025, the first formal agreement for demonstration flights was signed at Bergen Airport, Flesland, with American aircraft manufacturer BETA Technologies and Bristow Norway AS, a subsidiary of Bristow Group Inc. Demonstration Flights Start in Q3 BETA's ALIA CX300 eCTOL aircraft The demonstration flights will be cargo flights without passengers, conducted using BETA's ALIA CX300 conventional take-off and landing (eCTOL) aircraft, which will be flown by Bristow Norway. The cargo flights will operate initially between Stavanger Airport and Bergen Airport, starting from Stavanger in late summer, with the entire route commencing later in the fall. BETA recently completed the production build of the ALIA aircraft that will perform these demonstrations. The aircraft, BETA's second production-intent vehicle, was manufactured at the company's scaled production factory in Burlington, Vermont, USA and has already received airworthiness certification for VFR, IFR, day and night flying from the FAA. It will arrive in Norway later this year. Government Ambitions through the Aviation Strategy and the National Transport Plan "The government's goal in the National Aviation Strategy and the National Transport Plan 20252036 (NTP) is to accelerate the transition to zero- and low-emission aviation. To achieve this, one billion kroner has been allocated in the NTP. The first major initiative is the establishment of Norway as an international test arena for zero- and low-emission aircraft", says Minister of Transport Jon-Ivar Nygard. "With an aviation industry committed to reducing emissions, a decentralized network of airports of various sizes, a significant regional air transport market, a proactive aviation authority, and a supplier industry specializing in battery-electric propulsion systems and hydrogen technology, we have a strong foundation for the early adoption of new technologies," says the Minister of Transport. Broad Involvement The goal of the test arena is to gain knowledge, learning, and to prepare the ecosystem and set the foundation for scaling. This means involving airlines, manufacturers, supplier industries, the energy sector, and other stakeholders. "Avinor's role is to facilitate the infrastructure at airports and make the airspace available for actors who wish to test various zero- and low-emission aircraft in an operational environment. We seek more knowledge about what different technologies and aircraft require in terms of airport facilities and necessary energy supply needs. For example, we currently have a procurement process underway for fast chargers for electric aircraft in Bergen and Stavanger to accommodate the first test flight," says Karianne Helland Strand, Executive Vice President for Sustainability, Concept, and Infrastructure Development at Avinor. "Aviation is a safe mode of transport and a well-regulated sector. As the aviation authority, we will ensure that new technologies can be tested in accordance with regulations. We will learn how regulations and frameworks need to evolve to enable new technologies and concepts. Through this, we will build the necessary expertise early on for the solutions of tomorrow. We are now establishing a connection point between the aviation industry and the support system in line with the government's objectives," says Director General of Civil Aviation, Lars Kobberstad. "We see great value in real-world demonstrations, both to understand performance and mission fit, but also to bring local communities in what this technology offers," said Patrick Buckles, BETA's Sales Lead. "This year, as we operationalize this technology, we're excited to showcase how its low-cost, high-reliability operations can serve markets all over the world, including Norway." "This regulatory sandbox evaluation project exemplifies our philosophy of crawl, walk, run for early adoption of new aviation technologies and solidifies the commitment to our vision to be a leader in innovative and sustainable aviation," said Dave Stepanek, Executive Vice President, Chief Transformation Officer for Bristow Group. "Bristow Norway is proud and honored to partner with this distinguished group of leaders in advanced air mobility." Several Milestones Throughout the Spring Prior to activating the test arena, a supplier of chargers will be selected for both Stavanger and Bergen, with a deadline for the delivery of a charger to be installed at Stavanger Airport by June 1. Bergen Airport will have a mobile charger, which is to be delivered by August 15. Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements represent Bristow Group Inc.'s ("Bristow") current expectations or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "project," or "continue," or other similar words, and include statements regarding the expected benefits of the fleet support and training agreements disclosed herein. These statements are made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, reflect management's current views with respect to future events and therefore are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such forward-looking statements include statements regarding the capabilities, development, certification, marketing, and future operations of BETA electric aircraft and the anticipated benefits of the collaboration among Avinor, the Civil Aviation Authority Norway, BETA and Bristow. Bristow's actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. Bristow cautions investors not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are made. Bristow disclaims any obligation or undertaking to provide any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in Bristow's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which the forward-looking statement is based that occur after the date hereof, except as may be required by applicable law. You should not place undue reliance on Bristow's forward-looking statements because the matters they describe are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond Bristow's control. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these matters or how they may affect us. We have included important factors in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Bristow's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 (the "Annual Report") which we believe over time, could cause Bristow's actual results, performance, or achievements to differ from the anticipated results, performance or achievements that are expressed or implied by Bristow's forward-looking statements. You should consider all risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Annual Report and in Bristow's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), all of which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. About Avinor Avinor is a wholly owned state limited company under the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications and is responsible for 44 state-owned airports. Avinor has taken a leading role in reducing climate gas emissions from the aviation industry, including the development of electric aircraft, and supplying sustainable aviation fuel. Avinor provides safe and efficient travels for around 50 million passengers annually, half of which travel to and from Oslo Airport. Around 3,000 employees are responsible for planning, developing, and operating an efficient airport and air navigation service. Avinor is financed via airport charges and commercial sales. The air navigation services are organized as a subsidiary wholly owned by Avinor. Avinor is headquartered in Oslo. About CAA Norway CAA Norway's main objective is to contribute to safe, societally beneficial, and sustainable aviation. As an aviation authority, CAA Norway, in collaboration with EASA, will contribute to regulatory facilitation and learning. The purpose is to enable safe testing and phasing in of new technologies in an ecosystem. It will also enable the regulators to identify the need for regulatory changes and to ensure that approval and certification processes are well prepared and can be carried out efficiently. CAA Norway's main office is in Bod in the northern part of Norway. About BETA Technologies BETA Technologies is an electric aerospace company that is creating a new paradigm for transporting goods and people, making it greener, safer, and more efficient. To do this, we are building an electric transportation system that includes net-zero, all-electric aircraft and a cross-country, multimodal charging infrastructure to support various types of EVs. Safety, simplicity, and pragmatism are at the heart of everything we do, from the design of our products to our approach to the market. The team brings experience from top global organizations, and takes a hands-on, multi-disciplinary approach to problem-solving and innovation. To foster a deep understanding of aircraft, engineering, and a connection to the mission, each BETA team member has the opportunity to become flight-certified at no cost. About Bristow Group Bristow Group Inc. is the leading global provider of innovative and sustainable vertical flight solutions. Bristow primarily provides aviation services to a broad base of offshore energy companies and government entities. Our aviation services include personnel transportation, search and rescue ("SAR"), medevac, fixed wing transportation, unmanned systems and ad-hoc helicopter services. Our business is comprised of three operating segments: Offshore Energy Services, Government Services and Other Services. Our energy customers charter our helicopters primarily to transport personnel to, from and between onshore bases and offshore production platforms, drilling rigs and other installations. Our government customers primarily outsource SAR activities whereby we operate specialized helicopters and provide highly trained personnel. Our other services include fixed wing transportation services through a regional airline and dry-leasing aircraft to third-party operators in support of other industries and geographic markets. Bristow currently has customers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Dutch Caribbean, the Falkland Islands, India, Ireland, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Spain, Suriname, Trinidad, the United Kingdom ("UK") and the United States ("U.S."). SOURCE Bristow Group LOS ANGELES and BRIDGEPORT, Conn., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Florence Education ("Florence"), a public benefit corporation dedicated to solving the global nursing shortage through innovative healthcare education, today announced plans to acquire Paier College, a private institution founded in 1946, based in Bridgeport, CT, specializing in art, design, and applied sciences. Pending regulatory approval, the institution will be renamed Florence University, introducing new nursing and healthcare programs, including apprenticeship pathways to Registered Nurse (RN) licensure and upskilling initiatives for current nurses. The acquisition is expected to close in Q2 2025, subject to approval from the Connecticut Office of Higher Education and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. By combining Paier's distinguished academic heritage with Florence's innovative education and technology platform, Florence University will provide returning art students with a seamless path to degree completion and expand opportunities for new learners in the U.S. and internationally, including in Asia and Africa. "We're excited to bring Paier College into the Florence family," said Dante Mitchell Tolbert, MPH, MHA, FACHE, CEO & Co-founder of Florence. "Florence University will honor Paier's legacy in the arts and applied sciences while expanding nursing and workforce development opportunities to address America's ongoing nursing shortage." Florence Education, co-founded by Dante Tolbert, Jenny Quinn, PhD, APRN, and Kyle Hill (former CEO of HomeHero, a home care startup acquired in 2018 after raising $23 million), specializes in workforce development programs designed to help hospitals and health systems overcome chronic staffing challenges. These initiatives include upskilling current employees, providing apprenticeship pathways toward RN licensure, and enhancing clinical competencies. Florence Academy, the licensure training division of Florence Education, provides a customized learning experience for domestic and international nurses. It leverages AI-powered toolsincluding adaptive study plans, real-time progress tracking, and a multilingual chatbotto effectively prepare nurses for the NCLEX and other exams. Additionally, Florence supports internationally trained nurses with visa sponsorship and pathways to U.S. licensure. "Florence Education's holistic approach to workforce development is transforming how healthcare organizations train, retain, and grow their nursing teams," said Miles Bird, General Partner at StoryHouse Ventures and investor in Florence. "Their comprehensive platform helps health systems meet staffing demands while improving patient care." About Florence Education Florence Education is a global education platform and public benefit corporation tackling the nursing shortage through technology-driven training and advanced nursing education. In partnership with hospitals and academic institutions, it provides career advancement pathways, including licensing prep, apprenticeships, workforce upskilling, advanced degree programs, and international recruitment support. To learn more about its workforce solutions, reach out to [email protected]. About Paier College Established in 1946, Paier College specializes in art, design, business, communications, and coding. Located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Paier College has served generations of students in creative and technical industries. Upon completion of the acquisition, Paier College will transition into Florence University, expanding its academic offerings to include nursing and healthcare programs while maintaining its commitment to existing art students. Forward-Looking Statements Some statements in this press release are forward-looking, reflecting management's expectations for future performance. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, including regulatory approvals, economic conditions, and demand for Florence Education's services. Although not subject to public company reporting requirements, Florence Education disclaims any obligation to update or revise these statements, except as required by law. Contact For Florence Education: [email protected] For Paier College: +1 203-287-3031 | [email protected] SOURCE Florence Education Number of scholarships across Canada and the US increases to 400 TORONTO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Foresters Financial (Foresters), the global life insurer that empowers its members to do more of the good they want to do, announced that it has launched the 2025-2026 academic year Competitive Scholarship1. Foresters Competitive Scholarship benefit offers members and their families the chance to apply for scholarships that support outstanding academic goals and community engagement. Applications are now open for both new and returning candidates, starting December 5, 2024, and closing April 30, 2025. For the 2025 academic year, Foresters is expanding its impact by increasing the number of Competitive Scholarship awards to 400, up from 355 in 2024. To make this possible, the annual award amount has been adjusted to $2,000 in local currency, ensuring even more opportunities for both new and returning applicants across Canada and the US to achieve their academic goals. Since the benefits inception in 2012, Foresters Financial has awarded over 9,900 tuition scholarships internationally, representing an investment of more than US$19.7 million in education. To be eligible for consideration, applicants need to be 24 years of age or younger and either a current Foresters member themselves or have a parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or spouse who is a member. For new applicants, a minimum GPA of 3.2 / an average of 80%, 50 volunteer hours within the two years up to the application deadline and enrollment in a minimum two-year, full-time undergraduate program at a recognized school in Canada or the US are required to apply. For returning candidates, a minimum GPA of 3.0 / an average of 75%, 15 volunteer hours within one year up to the application deadline, and enrollment in full-time studies in the academic year they are applying as a returning applicant in Canada or the US, are required to apply. Meeting or exceeding these requirements does not guarantee that an applicant will be chosen as a scholarship recipient. Learn more by visiting the Competitive Scholarship landing page on Foresters.com. Foresters Financial President and CEO Matt Berman said, "At Foresters, we believe that education is the most powerful catalyst of a better futurenot just for individuals, but for entire communities. The launch of our 2025-2026 Competitive Scholarship benefit reflects our continued commitment to empowering our members and their families to achieve their dreams and make a meaningful difference in the world. It's more than a scholarship, it's an investment in the future." To ensure complete impartiality in the selection, the process is managed by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), which appoints a Selection Committee composed of international university and college representatives. The decision is based on community service, grades and essay with a 50%/25%/25% weighting for those three elements. Applicants apply via the ISTS portal, with an easy-to-reference checklist and Live Chat feature with a Foresters customer service representative, available to support the process. Applicants will be notified of their award status by mid-June 2025. If selected for a scholarship, recipients must accept or decline the scholarship by the deadline indicated on the acceptance form. If that deadline is missed, recipients risk forfeiting their scholarship. Scholarship funds are issued by August 31, 2025. Please find a list of the 2024 recipients at this link. About Foresters Financial Financial security and living your purpose For over 150 years, Foresters Financial has been helping families secure their financial future. But we don't stop there. As a purpose-driven organization, we empower our members with opportunities to enhance their health, support their local communities and champion the causes they care about most. We provide life insurance in the US and Canada, as well as life insurance and savings solutions in the UK, while partnering with our members to help them do more of the good they want to do. Since 1874, we've been steadfast community builders. Today, sustainability, environmental consciousness and social responsibility are central to delivering our purpose. This commitment drives us to offer meaningful lifelong benefits2, such as Foresters Care grants that unite communities, Competitive Scholarships to nurture future leaders and more initiatives designed to create a world where good thrives. Together, we're making a difference while inspiring new generations to give back. Foresters Financial is the trade name for The Independent Order of Foresters, the oldest non-denominational fraternal benefit society. For 24 straight years, The Independent Order of Foresters has received an "A" (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best.3 ______________ 1 The Competitive Scholarship benefit is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS). 2 Foresters Financial member benefits are non-contractual, subject to benefit specific eligibility requirements, definitions, and limitations and may be changed or cancelled without notice or are no longer available. 3 The A.M. Best rating assigned on September 6, 2024, reflects the overall strength and claims-paying ability of The Independent Order of Foresters (IOF) but does not apply to the performance of any non-IOF issued products. An "A" (Excellent) rating is assigned to companies that have a strong ability to meet their ongoing obligations to policyholders and have, on balance, excellent balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile when compared to the standards established by. A.M. Best Company. A.M. Best assigns ratings from A++ to F, A++ and A+ being superior ratings and A and A- being excellent ratings. See ambest.com for our latest rating. Foresters Financial, Foresters, Foresters Care, Foresters Moments, Foresters Renew, Foresters Member Discounts, Foresters Go, the Foresters Go logo and Helping Is Who We Are are trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Rd, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries. 424397 US (02/25) SOURCE The Independent Order of Foresters ROANOKE, Va., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Woods Rogers announces the addition of Kristin B. Johnson as an attorney its growing Government & Special Investigations Practice. She brings federal investigation and litigation experience as a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. Kristin returns to Woods Rogers, where she began her career as a litigation associate before spending nearly two decades in public service. She advises clients in high-stakes criminal and civil enforcement proceedings, government investigations, and crisis management. Woods Rogers announces the addition of Kristin B. Johnson as an attorney in the firm's growing Government & Special Investigations Practice. As a federal prosecutor, Kristin investigated and prosecuted crimes related to all manner of white-collar offenses, including healthcare, bank, mail, wire, tax, and bankruptcy fraud, as well as money laundering, export violations, obstruction of justice, national security, and opioid diversion, among other high-profile matters. She draws on her vast experience working with state and federal agencies and her familiarity with the process to effectively guide clients facing the threator the realityof a government investigation. "Kristin's return to Woods Rogers is a milestone in expanding our Government & Special Investigations Practice Group, which has more than doubled over the past year," said J. Benjamin Rottenborn, who co-chairs the practice. "Adding Kristin to our talented bench of former government attorneys allows us to advise clients through unprecedented change in the legal and political landscape." The team defends and counsels clients in government investigations, litigation, and enforcement actions involving the False Claims Act, the Controlled Substance Act, financial crimes, healthcare fraud, U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, government contracts and procurement fraud, environmental regulations, public corruption, and civil rights. "The pace and complexity of developments in Washington, D.C. will give rise to an increasing number of government investigations and enforcement actions," added Patice L. Holland, Government & Special Investigations Practice co-chair. "Having led high-profile criminal investigations as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kristin brings experience to clients facing prosecution, as well as organizations that want to take preventative measures to avoid government scrutiny. She joins our critical response team to assist clients if and when the government comes calling." Woods Rogers is a Virginia-based law firm delivering uncommon service and solutions. More than 135 attorneys collaborate across disciplines to provide business-focused legal advice to a diverse range of clients, from individuals to large corporations. With outstanding talent, strong relationships, and an exceptional culture, Woods Rogers is redefining the legal experience for clients. For More Information: Kristen Chatterton Woods Rogers [email protected] (804) 237-8812 SOURCE Woods Rogers Private investment firm strengthens position in the home services sector with key acquisitions across multiple markets NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Franchise Equity Partners (FEP), a private investment firm committed to forging long-term partnerships with quality franchisees and franchisors, marked a year of significant growth in 2024 with expansion in the home services sector. Through its partnership with Reliable Residential HoldCo ("Reliable Residential"), FEP expanded its footprint by acquiring multiple Precision Garage Door ServiceO franchise operations in Orlando, Ocala, and Jacksonville, Florida, as well as Tulsa, Oklahoma, reinforcing its position within the Neighborly network. In addition, FEP extended its reach into the plumbing sector with Mr. Rooter and broadened its garage door service portfolio with the purchase of Smokey's Garage Door in Phoenix. With this rapid growth, Reliable Residential has promoted Carlos Morales to Chief Executive Officer. In his new role, Morales will oversee operations across all brands under Reliable Residential, ensuring seamless integration and operational efficiency as the company scales. Florida Expansion In December of 2023, FEP acquired Precision Garage Door Service O operations in Orlando and Ocala, Florida, and commenced integration and enhancement in January 2024, adding to Reliable Residential's existing presence in Clearwater. This expansion positions the brand to meet rising demand in Central Florida, a region experiencing strong population growth and increasing homeowner service needs. "Our expanded investment in Reliable Residential strengthens our footprint in Florida and aligns with our strategy to support high-performing operators in the home services space," said Mike Esposito, Co- Founder and Managing Partner of FEP. Building on this momentum, FEP acquired Precision Garage Door ServiceO in Jacksonville in March 2024, further advancing its strategic investment in Florida. Additionally, FEP diversified into the plumbing sector with the acquisition of Mr. RooterO franchise operations in Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, and Lakeland. As a Neighborly brand specializing in full-service plumbing and drain cleaning, Mr. RooterO aligns with FEP's strategy to diversify its portfolio across essential home services. This investment enhances FEP's presence in Florida and marks its commitment to growing within Neighborly's extensive network of brands. Entering Tulsa and Strengthening Midwest Operations By January 2024, FEP successfully built out and began the expansion of Precision Garage Door ServiceO operations in Tulsa, Oklahoma, solidifying its mark in the Midwest. This move complements Reliable Residential's existing presence in Oklahoma City, allowing the company to deepen market saturation in the state. "Tulsa is an important market for us as we continue growing our Precision Garage Door ServiceO platform," said Carlos Morales, Chief Executive Officer of Reliable Residential. "FEP's investment allows us to scale efficiently while maintaining the high level of service our customers expect." Growth in the Southwest FEP continued its expansion in the garage door service industry with the acquisition of Smokey's Garage Door, a leading independent operator in Phoenix. This marks FEP's first investment in an independent garage door service provider, complementing its portfolio of home service franchises. With Smokey's Garage Door now part of its portfolio, FEP continues to strengthen its role as a major investor in the home services space, reinforcing its long-term commitment to supporting and scaling high- performing brands across the country. Commitment to Long-Term Growth in Home Services FEP's strategic acquisitions reinforce its dedication to strengthening its partnerships with Neighborly and its industry-leading brands. By investing in high-growth markets and diversifying its service offerings, FEP remains committed to supporting franchise operators and improving service accessibility. In 2025 and beyond, FEP plans to further expand its portfolio, pursuing additional growth opportunities with Neighborly brands in key markets across the country. For more information about Franchise Equity Partners, please visit https://www.fep-us.com/ . About Franchise Equity Partners: Franchise Equity Partners is a private investment firm specializing in providing capital to franchise businesses and their owners. Its differentiated approach combines extensive corporate finance and operating experience with an initial target portfolio size of $1 billion to enable growth, ownership simplification, succession, and estate planning, among other strategic business opportunities. To learn more about Franchise Equity Partners, please visit www.fep-us.com or follow the firm on LinkedIn. About Mr. Rooter Plumbing: Mr. Rooter, a Neighborly company, is a full-service plumbing and drain cleaning franchise with more than 240 franchises worldwide. Established in 1970, Mr. Rooter franchisees provide services to both residential and commercial customers. Acquired in 1990, Mr. Rooter is part of Neighborly, the world's largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses. For more information about Mr. Rooter, visit MrRooter.com . About Precision Garage Door Service: Precision Garage Door Service, a Neighborly company, is the nation's leading residential garage door repair company. Precision Garage Door Service provides consumers the highest levels of customer service and value for all garage door needs, specializing in garage door repair, new garage door installment, and repair of garage door openers from more than 100 locations in the U.S. Acquired in 2020, Precision Garage Door Service is part of Neighborly, the world's largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining, and enhancing homes and businesses. Neighborly brands are found at Neighborly.com and through the Neighborly App. For more information about Precision Garage Door Service, visit PrecisionDoor.net. To learn about franchising opportunities with Neighborly, click here. About Neighborly: Neighborly is the world's largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining, and enhancing homes and businesses. Through the Neighborly mobile app, Neighborly connects consumers to local service providers that meet rigorous franchisor standards across 18 service categories. More information about Neighborly, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com. To learn about franchising opportunities with Neighborly, click here. Contact: Andrea Mazzola (954) 893-9150 [email protected] SOURCE Franchise Equity Partners President Donald Trump recently signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum aimed at promoting foreign investment while protecting Americas national security interests, particularly from threats posed by foreign adversaries like the Peoples Republic of China. Welcoming foreign investment is crucial for economic growth, job creation, and innovation in the United States. Thats why this Memorandum will create a fast-track process to facilitate greater investment from specified allies and partners, with conditions that prevent investors from partnering with foreign adversaries of the U.S. in corresponding areas. President Trump also promised the U.S. will expedite environmental reviews for any investment over $1 billion. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, will be used to restrict Chinese investments in strategic U.S. sectors like technology, critical infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, energy, raw materials, and others, the White House explained. U.S. farmland and real estate near sensitive facilities, will be protected. Foreign adversaries will also be restricted in their access to U.S. talent and operations in sensitive technologies. New or expanded restrictions may be considered on U.S. outbound investment to China in sensitive technologies, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, aerospace, and more, to stop American funds from supporting Chinas Military-Civil Fusion strategy. President Trump is committed to making the United States a premier destination for investment while balancing national security interests, the White House underscored. Certain foreign countries, including China, systematically direct investment in American companies to gain access to cutting-edge technology, intellectual property, and leverage in strategic industries. These efforts must be countered, declared the White House. Foreign entities and individuals hold roughly 43 million acres of U.S. agricultural land, which is nearly two percent of all land in the U.S. China owns more than 350,000 acres of farmland across 27 states. China is exploiting American capital and ingenuity to fund and modernize its military, intelligence, and security operations, posing direct threats to United States security with weapons of mass destruction, cyber warfare, and more, noted the White House. President Trump is keeping his promise to prevent foreign adversaries from taking advantage of the United States. He vowed to adopt new rules to stop U.S. companies from pouring investments into China, and to stop China from buying up America, allowing all of those investments that clearly serve American interests. DENVER, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Gates Industrial Corporation plc (NYSE: GTES), a global manufacturer of innovative, highly engineered power transmission and fluid power solutions, today announced that the Company will attend the J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference in New York City on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Brooks Mallard, Chief Financial Officer, will present at 4:40 pm Eastern Time. To listen to a live webcast of the announced presentations, please visit the Events & Presentations section of the Gates Investor Relations website at investors.gates.com and click on the event webcast link. About Gates Industrial Corporation plc: Gates is a global manufacturer of innovative, highly engineered power transmission and fluid power solutions. Gates offers a broad portfolio of products to diverse replacement channel customers, and to OEMs as specified components. Gates participates in many sectors of the industrial and consumer markets. Our products play essential roles in a diverse range of applications across a wide variety of end markets ranging from harsh and hazardous industries to everyday consumer applications including virtually every form of transportation. Our products are sold in more than 130 countries across our four commercial regions: the Americas; Europe, Middle East & Africa; Greater China; and East Asia & India. SOURCE Gates Industrial Corporation plc DENVER, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- GigSmart, a leading staffing platform providing businesses with fast, cost-effective access to qualified workers, today announced expanded capabilities that allow companies to rapidly tap into a national workforce of both W-2 employees and independent contractors (1099) within a single, seamless platform. As labor demands continue to fluctuate, GigSmart ensures businesses have the flexibility to meet workforce challenges head-onwhether filling last-minute shifts, hiring for seasonal demand, supplementing full-time staff, or adapting to changing workforce conditions. GigSmart's comprehensive solution is designed to help businesses quickly access reliable talent without the inefficiencies of traditional staffing agencies. Unlike competitors, GigSmart's platform offers unparalleled speed in connecting businesses with qualified, skilled workers across multiple industriesincluding warehousing, hospitality, retail, logistics, and events. "Labor needs evolve rapidly, and businesses require a workforce solution that is as agile as they are," said Mitch Catino, Founder and Chief Operating Officer at GigSmart. "Business needs and worker classification requirements can vary based on location, work type, company policy or local guidance. With GigSmart, businesses don't have to choosewe provide a frictionless solution to instantly source, manage, and pay workers, regardless of classification requirements." GigSmart's Key Differentiators Unmatched Speed & Efficiency: Businesses can fill open shifts in minutes, not daysreducing downtime and ensuring productivity remains high. Businesses can fill open shifts in minutes, not daysreducing downtime and ensuring productivity remains high. Compliance & Flexibility: Whether sourcing temporary W-2 employees or independent contractors, businesses can easily navigate workforce classifications and compliance requirements without unnecessary complexity. Whether sourcing temporary W-2 employees or independent contractors, businesses can easily navigate workforce classifications and compliance requirements without unnecessary complexity. Cost-Effective Hiring: GigSmart helps companies reduce recruitment costs by eliminating high staffing agency fees and providing direct access to workers ready to fill roles. GigSmart helps companies reduce recruitment costs by eliminating high staffing agency fees and providing direct access to workers ready to fill roles. Post Hourly Shifts: No cost to post and source Workers ASAP or up to 30 days in advance, giving businesses maximum scheduling flexibility. No cost to post and source Workers ASAP or up to 30 days in advance, giving businesses maximum scheduling flexibility. Hire Insured Workers: Every Worker is protected by comprehensive insurance policies, regardless of 1099 or W-2 classification, including, but not limited to - Occupational Accident / Worker's Compensation, General Liability, and Hired Non-Owned Auto Insurance. Every Worker is protected by comprehensive insurance policies, regardless of 1099 or W-2 classification, including, but not limited to - Occupational Accident / Worker's Compensation, General Liability, and Hired Non-Owned Auto Insurance. Match with Qualified Workers : With a diverse pool of workers across all industries and positions, GigSmart helps businesses connect with experienced candidates tailored to their specific needs. : With a diverse pool of workers across all industries and positions, GigSmart helps businesses connect with experienced candidates tailored to their specific needs. Find Trustworthy Candidates: Businesses can hire Workers who have completed Background Checks, Motor Vehicle Record Checks or Drug Screeningsor rely on community-vetted profiles to find the best-fit candidates for their workforce. GigSmart's model doesn't just benefit businessesit also creates greater opportunities for workers seeking flexible employment. Through the platform, workers can choose the jobs that fit their schedule, gain access to immediate work opportunities, and get paid fast upon job completion. "In today's fast-changing labor market, businesses can't afford long hiring processes or unreliable staffing models," added Catino. "GigSmart eliminates hiring bottlenecks, empowering businesses to stay fully staffed while giving workers more control over their schedules and earning potential." To learn more about how GigSmart is transforming the future of staffing, visit www.gigsmart.com. About GigSmart: GigSmart is a workforce solutions platform that connects businesses with on-demand labor for a wide range of roles. With a simple, user-friendly interface, GigSmart enables businesses to find and hire the right workers quickly, easily, and cost-effectively. Whether businesses need short-term labor or full-time staff, GigSmart provides the flexibility and tools to manage a diverse workforce with confidence. For more information about GigSmart's W2 employee hiring options or to start posting jobs, visit www.GigSmart.com. SOURCE GigSmart "Marlen's leadership and vision for enhancing the member experience and her ability to forge meaningful external partnerships make her the ideal choice for this critical role," said Dr. Felix Nunez, GCHP's acting chief executive officer (CEO). "Her years of experience in public policy and community engagement here in Ventura County will be instrumental as we continue to connect our members with high-quality care." As the primary GCHP executive leader responsible for understanding member needs, Ms. Torres is working to integrate advanced survey tools and data analysis into the organization to enhance the member experience. As the external-facing leader, Torres continues to act as a liaison with key stakeholders, including community organizations, government officials, and state agencies. She monitors legislative changes, advocates for GCHP's interests, and educates key stakeholders on policy impacts while ensuring strategic alignment with local and federal regulations. "As someone who was born and raised in Oxnard and calls this city 'home,' I take great pride in listening to the unique needs of our members, whether they are managing their own health, or caring for their children or aging parents," Ms. Torres said. "Our members are my neighbors and family members they are people I care for and about. From a personal and professional standpoint, I am excited to continue building a member-centered health plan that places our members' voices, personal needs, and family well-being at the forefront of everything we do." Ms. Torres joined GCHP in 2014 as a policy analyst. Over the last 10 years, she has held progressive roles within the organization, including manager of government and external relations, and director of government and community relations. In her most recent position as executive director of strategy and external affairs, she monitored proposed local, state, and national policy initiatives that could impact GCHP. She worked closely with other Medi-Cal plans, state and federal trade associations, and government officials to advocate for continued access to quality health care for GCHP members. Her extensive public policy and strategic planning background includes a notable policy fellowship in 2018 with the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), where she focused on federal Medicaid policy initiatives. During her time in Washington, D.C., Ms. Torres researched the role of education and employment in health outcomes, culminating in a white paper titled "Where Education, Employment and Health Meet." The white paper was highlighted during a 2019 U.S. Senate policy forum hosted by ACAP. Ms. Torres currently serves on the Ventura County Behavioral Health Advisory Board and previously served on the City of Oxnard's Commission on Homelessness. Torres holds an M.B.A. from California Lutheran University and a B.A. in History and Chicana/o Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. About Gold Coast Health Plan Gold Coast Health Plan proudly serves nearly 250,000 Medi-Cal members in Ventura County through its network of primary care physicians, specialists, behavioral health providers and hospitals. Since it was founded in 2011, Gold Coast Health Plan has been committed to providing access to high-quality care and improving the health of its members, which include 1 in 3 county residents, 1 in 6 seniors, and 1 in 2 children up to the age of 5. To learn more, visit: www.goldcoasthealthplan.org. Media Contact: Susana Enriquez-Euyoque 805-437-5596 [email protected] SOURCE Gold Coast Health Plan New product line from the nation's leading Caribbean food purveyor features two new exciting patty flavors and redesigned packaging, available in 1,600 Walmart locations nationwide THE BRONX, N.Y., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden Krust , the premier family-owned Caribbean culinary brand in the U.S., is bringing its signature flavors to even more customers nationwide with the launch of Golden Krust Island Select, available exclusively at Walmart. The Island Select line debuts with two new retail Jamaican patty (baked pastry pocket) varieties Strawberry & Cream Cheese and Vegetable along with a bold packaging redesign featuring a sleek, vertical box. This new look will roll out across all Golden Krust grocery products, reinforcing the brand's commitment to quality and innovation. DISCOVER THE GOLDEN KRUST ISLAND SELECT LINE The Golden Krust Island Select line includes the Jamaican classic varieties Beef (spicy or mild), Chicken, and Jerk Chicken, alongside the new flavors: Strawberry & Cream Cheese a sweet and creamy twist on the classic patty, combining real strawberries and smooth cream cheese. It's perfect for breakfast or as dessert, served with vanilla ice cream. a sweet and creamy twist on the classic patty, combining real strawberries and smooth cream cheese. It's perfect for breakfast or as dessert, served with vanilla ice cream. Vegetable a hearty blend of cabbage, corn, green beans, carrots, broccoli, and onions, seasoned with Caribbean herbs and spices like garlic, thyme, and Scotch bonnet peppers. "We are proud to grow the reach and legacy of Golden Krust's authentic Caribbean products with the launch of Island Select, a new sub-brand now available exclusively at Walmart, America's number one grocery banner. Building on the success of our Spicy Beef, Mild Beef, and Jerk Chicken patties, we're introducing two new retail optionsStrawberry & Cream Cheese and Vegetableoffering something for every craving," said Steven Clarke, Golden Krust's Vice President of Marketing. "These flaky Jamaican patties are easy to prepare in the microwave, oven, or air fryer and now come in space-saving vertical packaging. Island Select delivers the bold flavors and convenience our customers love, with even more variety." Now available at 1,600 Walmart locations from coast to coast, Golden Krust Island Select makes it easier than ever to enjoy authentic Jamaican-style patties anytime. Each Golden Krust Island Select package contains two patties that are convenient and satisfying for any situation, whether at home, work, school, or on the go. The line is available at 1,600 Walmart locations in over 30 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. ABOUT GOLDEN KRUST Founded in 1989 in the Bronx, Golden Krust has grown from a single family-run bakery into the leading Caribbean fast-casual restaurant brand in the U.S. With over 100 franchise-operated and company-owned restaurants in eight states, Golden Krust continues to serve its beloved Jamaican patties and Caribbean cuisine to communities nationwide. Beyond its restaurants, Golden Krust's retail division supplies frozen Jamaican patties and a range of island-style baked goods to over 22,000 retail locations nationwide, including Walmart, ShopRite, Publix, Target, and more. For more information, visit goldenkrust.com and follow @goldenkrust on Instagram. Press Contacts: Emily Koh & Emma Hernando Mona Creative [email protected] SOURCE Golden Krust ROCKVILLE, Md., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI), a leading engineering and construction services firm, is pleased to announce the acquisition of DesignTech, Inc., a Maryland-based company specializing in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire suppression systems design. DesignTech, established in 2000, has built a reputation for providing quality design and progressive solutions to its clients. With a commitment to establishing and maintaining strong client relationships, DesignTech offers engineering support to ensure the success and productivity of its clients' businesses and facilities. Their expertise also complements and expands GPI's experience in the design of spaces for mission critical operations such as data centers, communication buildings, television stations, private and government enterprises, and manufacturing facilities. "We are excited to welcome DesignTech to the GPI family," said Patrick Kenneally, President/CEO of GPI, "DesignTech's reputation, capabilities, and client-focused approach align perfectly with GPI's culture and create some exciting opportunities to further expand our building systems practice." GPI Executive Vice President, Lew Brode, P.E., LEED AP, who is leading the acquisition, added, "Their expertise in building systems design aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver comprehensive engineering solutions. This acquisition will allow us to better serve our clients and expand our capabilities in the Mid-Atlantic region." "We are thrilled to join forces with GPI," said DesignTech's Tom Igo, P.E., "This partnership will provide our clients with enhanced services and resources while maintaining our commitment to quality and client satisfaction. We look forward to the opportunities this acquisition brings for our staff and clients." DesignTech's Matt Bowers, P.E. said "We are eager to embark on this next chapter with GPI. Joining forces with a firm that shares our values and dedication to engineering excellence ensures that our clients will continue to receive the high-quality service they expect while benefiting from expanded expertise and resources." The acquisition of DesignTech is part of GPI's ongoing strategy to broaden its service offerings and geographic reach. By joining forces with DesignTech, GPI aims to provide even greater value to its clients and continue its growth as a leader in engineering and construction services. About DesignTech, Inc. DesignTech, Inc. is a leading engineering firm specializing in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire suppression engineering. We serve a wide range of industries, including commercial office buildings, healthcare facilities, schools, universities, laboratories, and more. Our services extend beyond design to include site and systems evaluation, feasibility studies, code compliance analysis, energy analysis, LEED certification, value engineering, commissioning, and BIM services. Founded on retrofitting existing buildings, we provide tailored solutions to optimize projects, facilities, and ongoing operations for owners, developers, architects, and builders. About GPI Founded in 1966, Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) is a leading engineering consulting firm renowned for its innovative design and construction of transportation infrastructure and building projects. With over 1,800 dedicated employees across more than 60 offices nationwide, GPI is committed to delivering excellence in engineering, design, planning, and construction management services. As a 100% employee-owned company, every team member has a vested interest in the success of the company, ensuring a high level of dedication and quality in every project. GPI remains dedicated to our core values of integrity, quality, and service. We are determined to lead the way in sustainable innovative solutions that enhance the built environment, creating long-term value for our clients, employees, and the communities where we live and work. SOURCE Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Miller Family Wine Co.'s premium non-alcoholic wine brand, Hand on Heart, is proud to announce its partnership with Susan G. Komen, the world's leading breast cancer organization. Together, they aim to inspire people to raise a glass while raising awareness about breast cancerencouraging proactive wellness and balanced choices. Hand on Heart and Susan G. Komen Partner to Raise Breast Cancer Awareness and Empower Women Rooted in the belief that personal health encompasses physical, social, mental and emotional well-being, Hand on Heart proudly champions a balanced lifestyle, allowing people to enjoy life's simple pleasures without compromise. As part of this commitment to vitality and empowerment, Hand on Heart is thrilled to be the first and only alcohol-removed adult beverage to partner with Komen, a trusted leader in education, research, advocacy and the breast cancer community. During their year-long collaboration, Hand on Heart has pledged a significant contribution to Komen in their global crusade against breast cancer. Throughout the year, customers who purchase Hand on Heart wines have the opportunity to donate to Komen. This partnership aims to raise breast cancer awareness, provide educational resources, and inspire women to prioritize their health all while supporting those in the Komen community. "With one in eight women in the U.S facing a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, we feel a deep responsibility, especially as a brand dedicated to strength and harmony in life, to talk about the lifestyle choices that may reduce that risk," says Nicholas Miller, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Miller Family Wine Company. "We are honored to partner with the amazing Susan G. Komen organization to empower more people to live longer, flourishing lives, all without having to give up the joy of enjoying a glass of wine. Through this partnership, we are proud to support a shared commitment to wellness and contribute to the meaningful impact being made in so many lives." "We're incredibly grateful for the generous support of Hand on Heart, a brand dedicated to promoting wholeness in everyday life," says Sarah Rosales, vice president of corporate partnerships at Susan G. Komen. "Our goal to provide lifesaving information and resources is strengthened through partnerships with like-minded businesses that share our commitment to educating and empowering women to take charge of their health. Together, we look forward to making a greater difference." From its inception, Hand on Heart has redefined standards in the non-alcoholic wine category, proving that zero-alcohol wines can be just as high quality, expressive and great tasting as their alcoholic counterparts. Sourced from exceptional vineyards across California's leading wine regions, Hand on Heart uses cutting-edge technology to gently remove the alcohol while preserving the wine's delicate characters making it the perfect choice for those who want to enjoy a glass of wine without sacrificing their health goals. To learn more about Hand on Heart and their commitment to balanced well-being, visit handonheartwine.com. To learn more about Susan G. Komen and support their mission, visit komen.org. Miller Family Wine Company Miller Family Wine Company is a division of the Thornhill Companies the industry-leading umbrella brand of one of California's premier winegrowing families, the Miller Family, who have been farming California's Central Coast for five generations. Miller Family Wine Company includes the prestigious Bien Nacido Estates and acclaimed national branded wine labels such as Butternut, J. Wilkes, Pandemonium, optik, Ballard Lane, Smashberry, Barrel Burner, Volunteer, Hand on Heart (non-alcoholic wines) and Reciprocity organically grown wines, in addition to control label brands for prominent retailers across the U.S. and the French Camp vineyard in Paso Robles. SOURCE Miller Family Wine Company BALTIMORE, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The State of Maryland and Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) are being named in a civil complaint filed today alleging negligence that enabled the sexual assault of at least 69 children who were allegedly abused while housed at Charles H. Hickey, Jr. School, a juvenile detention facility. As alleged in the complaint, the state agencies failed to protect children from Ronald Neverdon, who was employed as a housing unit manager and a housing supervisor at the facility from approximately the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s. The lawsuit was filed by attorneys in the Baltimore office of Slater Slater Schulman LLP, a leading, full-service law firm with decades of experience representing survivors of traumatic and catastrophic events. The complaint details a pattern of negligent supervision that allowed Neverdon to abuse his position of authority at the juvenile facility. According to the complaint, Neverdon allegedly abused the plaintiffs at various locations throughout the facility, including in his office, the gym, residents' rooms, bathrooms, and the showers. The filing also alleges that the abuse extended beyond the facility, with Neverdon sexually assaulting children at his house and the movies. "When it first opened back in the 1800s, the Charles H. Hickey, Jr. School was reportedly called the 'House of Refuge' over a century later, it offered anything but that to the children who had the misfortune to be sent there by the state," said Adam Slater, Founding and Managing Partner of Slater Slater Schulman LLP. "These young people were placed in the care of the Department of Juvenile Services by court order, yet the state failed to safeguard them from repeated abuse. The victims continue to suffer the profound, lifelong consequences of this institutional negligence, and we are committed to holding the responsible parties accountable." "These survivors, many now in their 50s and 60s, have carried the trauma of this abuse for decades," said Benjamin Davis, Managing Attorney of Slater Slater Schulman's Baltimore office. "The complaint details a horrific pattern where Neverdon used his position of authority to isolate and prey on children as young as nine years old. The Maryland Child Victims Act finally gives these brave individuals a pathway to justice." The complaint alleges that the State of Maryland failed to implement proper supervision protocols and ignored warning signs of inappropriate behavior at the facility. According to the complaint, many of the children housed at the facility were aware of the abuse. According to the filing, Neverdon threatened and manipulated victims to prevent them from reporting the abuse, telling them he would "make their lives miserable" and that "no one would believe them." The plaintiffs report ongoing psychological trauma from the abuse they suffered as children at the state-run facility. Of particular concern, the filing states that the DJS knew the plaintiffs were being abused and was well-aware that child sex abuse by facility staff has been a persistent problem for decades. The complaint alleges that despite investigations conducted by the DJS's own task force and studies by the U.S. Department of Justice confirming ongoing abuse issues, the agencies failed to take effective action to protect children in their care. Originally opened in 1850, Charles H. Hickey, Jr. School was the first facility built in Maryland for the sole purpose of housing juvenile offenders separately from adults. The facility was run by DJS and included both a secure detention center and, until its closure in November 2005, a secure treatment program. The DJS was tasked with protecting children within Maryland's juvenile justice system, with a stated mission to "transform young people's lives [by] creating safe communities." The lawsuit is proceeding under the Maryland Child Victims Act, which was signed into law on April 11, 2023, and recently upheld as constitutional by the Maryland Supreme Court on February 3, 2025. The law allows survivors to file retroactive lawsuits, even if their claims have already expired under an existing statute of limitations, and eliminates the statute of limitations for all future lawsuits based on childhood sexual abuse claims. NOTE: Individuals seeking to be linked to resources for sexual assault survivors can call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. The National Sexual Assault Hotline operated by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) provides confidential support from trained staff members and can assist with finding local healthcare resources, help talk through what happened, and offer referrals for long-term support. About Slater Slater Schulman LLP Slater Slater Schulman LLP is a leading, full-service law firm with decades of experience representing survivors of traumatic and catastrophic events. Our dedicated attorneys are committed to ensuring the best results for our clients through persistence and compassionate representation. With 11 offices in 10 states, Slater Slater Schulman has achieved successful resolutions in some of the most challenging cases in the nation. We have considerable experience with complex, historical sexual abuse cases involving massive institutions, including academic, religious, and youth organizations. Our firm also represents clients in litigation involving pharmaceutical drugs, product liability, environmental law, employment and labor law, medical malpractice, and personal injury, and has proudly represented thousands of World Trade Center survivors. Learn more at sssfirm.com MEDIA CONTACT: Joan Vollero, Allan Morancie / ICR, Inc. [email protected] SOURCE Slater Slater Schulman LLP BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- During the MWC Barcelona 2025, Bob Chen, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, proposed the evolution of optical networks towards AI Optical Network (AI ON) in the AI era. This transformation aims to provide 5A-quality connectivity, laying a robust foundation for AI growth and prosperity. Bob Chen, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, proposing the "5A" criteria for next-generation optical networks The AI era is defined by three key characteristics: AI application is everywhere, AI computing power is everywhere, and AI native is everywhere. These trends demand networks that can sense service types, deliver differentiated connectivity, and ensure optimal service experiences. Additionally, networks must provide deterministic connectivity to support flexible and efficient computing power scheduling, while also integrating AI capabilities to enhance both service quality and network efficiency. Bob Chen emphasized that since the release of the target network for the AI era in 2024, Huawei has collaborated with global customers to drive continuous innovation. The next-generation evolution of optical networks, termed AI ON, is now clearer and is characterized by the following features: A wareness: In the past, optical networks did not sense service types. Future optical networks need to accurately identify service types based on traffic patterns and flow directions, ensuring that bandwidth, latency, and reliability requirements are met. This enables networks to better understand and adapt to service needs. wareness: In the past, optical networks did not sense service types. Future optical networks need to accurately identify service types based on traffic patterns and flow directions, ensuring that bandwidth, latency, and reliability requirements are met. This enables networks to better understand and adapt to service needs. A lways On Demand: Unlike the past, where networks offered undifferentiated connectivity, future optical networks need to provide real-time, differentiated connectivity tailored to specific service demands. For instance, a gaming user can be offered a three-hour 1 Gbps bandwidth package. lways On Demand: Unlike the past, where networks offered undifferentiated connectivity, future optical networks need to provide real-time, differentiated connectivity tailored to specific service demands. For instance, a gaming user can be offered a three-hour 1 Gbps bandwidth package. A ssurance: In the past, many factors such as network congestion, fault, and service increase may degrade the connectivity quality. In the future, optical networks need to guarantee high-quality connectivity regardless of network changes or service fluctuations, ensuring deterministic latency and zero packet loss for all services. ssurance: In the past, many factors such as network congestion, fault, and service increase may degrade the connectivity quality. In the future, optical networks need to guarantee high-quality connectivity regardless of network changes or service fluctuations, ensuring deterministic latency and zero packet loss for all services. A utonomous O&M: In the past, network O&M was reactively performed after a fault occurred. Moving beyond the traditional mode of reactive maintenance, future networks need to proactively identify and mitigate potential risks before they impact users, achieving self-healing and optimization. utonomous O&M: In the past, network O&M was reactively performed after a fault occurred. Moving beyond the traditional mode of reactive maintenance, future networks need to proactively identify and mitigate potential risks before they impact users, achieving self-healing and optimization. AI Native: Full-stack AI-native capabilities need to be embedded across network terminals, devices, and management systems, accelerating network intelligence. For example, AI computing power in ONTs/FTTRs will identify application types and enhance device performance using small models on terminals. In closing, Bob Chen remarked that the AI represents a transformative shift in human society, offering unprecedented opportunities for the ICT industry. Just as 5A signifies the highest service quality in industries like hospitality and tourism, premium connectivity will be essential to seize these opportunities. Huawei is committed to collaborating with the industry to advance optical networks towards AI ON, deliver 5A-quality connectivity, and drive new growth in the AI era. SOURCE Huawei NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a comprehensive report from The Insight Partners, "hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market is expected to reach US$ 11.78 billion by 2030 from US$ 6.68 billion in 2022; it is anticipated to record a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period (Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Solution Kits, Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Devices, Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Filler Kits, Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Chemical Peels, and Anti-Aging Masks), Indication (Anti-Aging and Wrinkle Treatment, Facial Rejuvenation, Fat Loss, Hair Loss, Stretch Marks, and Acne and Scar Treatment), and End User (Dermatology Clinics, Cosmetic Clinics, Hospitals, and Others), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South & Central America, and Middle East & Africa", The market is projected to grow from US$ 561.20 million in 2022 to US$ 1,148.60 million by 2030; it is estimated to record a CAGR of 9.4% during 20222030. To explore the valuable insights in the Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Market report, you can easily download a sample PDF of the report- https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00029977/ The hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market is experiencing significant growth. Factors such as simplified and minimally invasive procedures; a wide range of applications; and improvements in comfort, efficiency, and outcomes with technological advancements propel the hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market. However, the potential side effects and regulatory challenges hamper the growth of the market. The growing adoption of novel products based on path-3 technology is further expected to bring new trends in the hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market in the coming years. Competitive Strategy and Development Key Players : A few of the major players operating in the hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market are AbbVie Inc, Bayer AG, Epipharm AG, Galderma Laboratories, Obagi Cosmeceuticals LLC, Lutronic Corporation, La Pristine, L'oreal S.A, Pierre Fabre Group, and Vivier Pharma USA . : A few of the major players operating in the hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market are AbbVie Inc, Bayer AG, Epipharm AG, Galderma Laboratories, Obagi Cosmeceuticals LLC, Lutronic Corporation, La Pristine, L'oreal S.A, Pierre Fabre Group, and Vivier Pharma . Trending Topics: Pigmentation disorder treatment market, dermatology drugs market, dermatology devices market, and skin treatment market. Global Headlines on Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Market In February 2025, Obagi introduced the Suzanobagimd collection, developed by dermatologist Dr. Suzan Obagi . This line targets hyperpigmentation and skin sensitivity, offering medical-grade skincare solutions. . This line targets hyperpigmentation and skin sensitivity, offering medical-grade skincare solutions. Swiss brand Teoxane announced its expansion into the US skincare market with a dermocosmetics line featuring Resilient Hyaluronic Acid technology. This launch aims to provide advanced treatments for hyperpigmentation and other skin-related concerns. For Detailed Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Market Insights, Visit: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/hyperpigmentation-disorder-treatment-market Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Market Overview of Report Findings Market Growth: Hyperpigmentation is a common dermatologic condition referring to skin darkening due to excessive melanin production in the epidermis or dermis layer. It is not harmful but can be perceived as a significant cosmetic flaw and becomes a persistent psychological burden for the patient if not addressed in time. Factors such as the rise in prevalence of melasma and an increase in the number of hyperpigmentation disorder awareness programs propel the market growth. However, the high cost of treatments impedes the growth of the market. Increasing Number of Hyperpigmentation Disorder Awareness Programs: Awareness campaigns play a crucial role in educating the public on preventing, diagnosing, and treating UV-induced hyperpigmentation while highlighting the importance of quality sunscreen. Key initiatives include Bella Aurora's International Skin Pigmentation Day (2022), Dermalogica Clear's skin acceptance campaign (2021), and Zydus Healthcare's nationwide Melasma Awareness Movement (2023), which engaged 18,737 healthcare professionals. These efforts have increased awareness, driving demand for advanced treatments and positively shaping societal perceptions of hyperpigmentation, ultimately fueling the market growth. Growing Demand for Aesthetic and Dermatological Treatments: The rising consumer focus on skin health and beauty, fueled by increasing disposable income and social media influence, is driving demand for advanced dermatological treatments. For instance, as per the Personal Income and Outlays, in May 2024 , real disposable personal income in the US grew by 0.5%. Similarly, as per the National Bureau of Statistics of China , in 2024, China's per capita disposable income saw a nominal increase of 5.1%. Additionally, as per the Global Social Media Statistics research summary, social media influence significantly impacts consumer behavior. As of February 2025 , 63.9% of the global population uses social media, with an average daily usage of 2 hours and 21 minutes. This extensive engagement provides a platform for influencers and brands to promote hyperpigmentation treatments, thereby increasing consumer awareness and interest. People are increasingly seeking solutions such as laser therapy, chemical peels, and specialized topical formulations to achieve even-toned, radiant skin. Additionally, greater awareness of hyperpigmentation and the availability of noninvasive treatment options encourage more individuals to explore medical and cosmetic procedures, further boosting the market growth. The influence of beauty trends, celebrity endorsements, and expanding dermatology clinics worldwide has made hyperpigmentation treatments more accessible, driving sustained demand across various demographics. Geographical Insights: In 2022, North America led the market with a substantial revenue share, followed by Europe and APAC. Further, Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR in the hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market during the forecast period. Stay Updated on The Latest Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Market Trends: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00029977/ Market Segmentation Based on treatment type, the hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market is segmented into cosmeceutical, light or laser therapy, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and cryotherapy. The cosmeceutical segment held the largest share of the market in 2022. By condition, the hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market is categorized into melasma, solar lentigines, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and others. The melasma segment held the largest share of the market in 2022. In terms of end user, the hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market is segmented into hospitals, dermatology centers, and others. The hospitals segment held the largest share of the market in 2022. The medical refrigerators market is segmented into five major regions: North America , Europe , APAC, Middle East and Africa , and South and Central America . Purchase Premium Copy of Global Hyperpigmentation Disorder Treatment Market Size and Growth Report (2023-2031) at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00029977/ Conclusion The hyperpigmentation disorder treatment market is growing as more people seek effective solutions for skin-related concerns such as melasma and sunspots. While high treatment costs remain a challenge, technological advancements are making treatments more accessible. Rising awareness, social media influence, and increasing disposable income are a few factors driving the demand for skincare solutions. As brands continue to innovate and launch new products, the market is expected to expand in the coming years, offering better and more effective options for managing hyperpigmentation. Related Reports- About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: Contact Person: Ankit Mathur E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +1-646-491-9876 Press Release- https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/hyperpigmentation-disorder-treatment-market Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2520492/The_Insight_Partners_Logo.jpg SOURCE The Insight Partners VANCOUVER, BC, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. (the "Company") - (TSX: ITH) (NYSE American: THM) today announced that it has completed a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") pursuant to which the Company issued common shares to existing major shareholders to raise gross proceeds of approximately US$3.9 million to be used in part to study the massive stibnite antimony mineralization at the Livengood Gold Project. The Private Placement consisted of 8,192,031 common shares of the Company, representing approximately 4.1% of the 199.7 million shares issued and outstanding prior to the completion of the Private Placement, at a price of US$0.4801 per share, the closing price of the Company's common shares on the NYSE American on February 25, 2025. The Private Placement was taken up by current institutional shareholders of the Company, Paulson & Co. Inc., Electrum Strategic Opportunities Fund II L.P. and Kopernik Global Investors, LLC on behalf of itself and affiliates. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Private Placement for working capital and general corporate purposes, including advancing antimony metallurgical studies. Following completion of the Private Placement, the Company has 207,885,473 common shares issued and outstanding. The Company's most recent S-K 1300 Technical Report Summary, "Pre-Feasibility Study of the Livengood Gold Project", as amended October 13, 2023, presented a new geologic model for the Livengood deposit and detailed gold metallurgical work that allowed the relationship between gold recovery and antimony mineralization to be characterized. During this geological modelling process, 54 veins of massive stibnite were detailed with antimony grades ranging up to 6.9%, as presented in Table 11-8 "Livengood deposit massive stibnite grade estimates" of the S-K 1300 Technical Report Summary. While the pre-feasibility study detailed the 9.0 million ounce of gold reserve and 6.4 million ounces of gold production projected over 21 years, no metallurgical studies were completed to provide an understanding of whether antimony might be recoverable from the massive stibnite veins. Karl Hanneman, Chief Executive Officer, said "Record gold prices combined with our large gold reserve are presenting an improving value proposition for our Livengood Gold Project. In addition, changing world geopolitics have resulted in increased awareness in the United States of the importance of critical and strategic minerals, including antimony, for our national defense and economy. The market price of antimony has increased to record highs and therefore the significant occurrence of antimony known to exist within our Livengood Gold Project now warrants some of our attention. Thus, we intend to use a portion of this financing to begin the evaluation of whether this antimony could be recovered in a way such that the production of antimony over the long life of the project might add value to the project and contribute to the critical and strategic mineral needs of the United States. We appreciate the support of our major shareholders, who understand that this new opportunity only adds to the potential of our large gold reserve, which is getting more exciting each day." The Private Placement complied with the requirements of the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") and the NYSE American. The Company relied on the exemption set forth in section 602.1 of the TSX Company Manual, which provides that the TSX will not apply its standards to certain transactions involving eligible interlisted issuers listed on a recognized exchange, such as the NYSE American. As some of the institutional shareholders qualify as related parties of the Company, the Private Placement was a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying upon exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 on the basis that the fair market value of the shares issued does not exceed 25% of the Company's current market capitalization. The offer and sale of the foregoing securities was made in a transaction not involving a public offering, and the securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws and have not been and will not be qualified for sale to the public by prospectus under applicable Canadian securities laws. Accordingly, the securities may not be reoffered or resold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws and in Canada except pursuant to an exemption from the prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the common shares issued in the Private Placement, nor shall there be any offer or sale of the common shares issued in the Private Placement in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements which explicitly describe such risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements containing the terms "intends," "estimates," "may," "might", "will," or other similar expressions to be uncertain and forward-looking. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The forward-looking statements in this press release, including statements regarding the financing, the total investment amount raised in connection with the financing, the use of proceeds, and estimates of the quality and quantity of the mineral resources at the Livengood Gold Project, including gold and antimony, and potential need for antimony in the United States, are based upon the Company's current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: (i) the demand for, and level and volatility of the price of, gold, (ii) general business and economic conditions, (iii) the accuracy of the Company's resource estimates (including with respect to size and grade) and the geological, operational and price assumptions on which these are based, (iv) the timing of the Company's ability to commence and complete planned work programs at the Livengood Gold Project, including the antimony study, (v) the Company's ability to attract and retain key staff, particularly in connection with the permitting and development of any mine at the Livengood Gold Project, and (vi) the Company's ability to secure the necessary services and supplies on favorable terms in connection with its programs at the Livengood Gold Project and other activities. The foregoing list of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors detailed in the "Forward-Looking Statements," "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2024, the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2024, and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024, and other documents that have been and will be filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulators. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by applicable securities laws. About International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. has a 100% interest in its Livengood Gold Project located along the paved Elliott Highway, 70 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska. On behalf of International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. (signed) Karl L. Hanneman Chief Executive Officer SOURCE International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, or USCIRF, recently held a hearing on how to advance religious freedom in Burma. Meir Soloveichik is currently the vice chair of USCIRF - an independent, bipartisan U.S. government advisory body created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act. The Commission uses international standards to monitor freedom of religion or belief abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and the U.S. Congress. February 1 marked the four-year anniversary of the coup in which General Minh Aung Hlaing seized control and ousted Burma's democratically elected government. Over the past four years, Burma has sunk into a human rights and humanitarian abyss, said Vice Chair Soloveichik. Millions of people are either internally displaced in Burma or outside the country. As refugees, more than 28,000 have been arrested and 6,000 have been killed. The Burmese military had targeted ethnic and religious minorities for more than two decades before the coup, seeking to maintain its grip on power and achieve a Buddhist nationalist vision for Burma. After the coup, the Military and the State Administration Council have violently targeted religious communities with arrests, killings, torture, and airstrikes, attacking more than 250 religious sites throughout the country, said Mr. Soloveichik. On January 7th, 2024, the military launched airstrikes in Sagaing region, killing 17 civilians, including nine children, as they gathered to worship at St. Peter Baptist Church in Kanan Village. The severity of the offense prompted human rights watchdog Amnesty International to call for the attacks to be investigated as war crimes. In August, the military bombed the Buddhist monastery in the Mandalay region where a displaced person sought shelter. Many were injured, including a seven-year-old girl who had to have both of her legs amputated. Burma was re-designated as a Country of Particular Concern by the State Department in December of 2023. USCIRF has recommended that Burma retain this designation. As Burma continues to fragment, warned Mr. Soloveichik, vulnerable religious communities are further exposed to violence, terror and retaliation for their alleged support for pro-democracy groups. The United States said Vice President JD Vance, recognizes that part of protecting religious freedom initiatives means recognizing in our foreign policy the difference between regimes that respect religious freedom and those that do not. Its time for Burma to extend that protection to all its citizens. TRENTON, Ill., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim's Formal Wear Inc, (JFW) is proud to announce that it has become a 100% employee-owned company through the creation of a new Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). This change strengthens JFW's long-term commitment to its employees and its customers. "The transition to an employee stock ownership plan secures the company's future while empowering our employees with a meaningful stake in its success," said Steve Davis, CEO of Jim's Formal Wear. "We chose to transition ownership to our employees as a way to honor their dedication, talent, and hard work. This move also empowers our team to take an active role in shaping and participating in the benefits of our future growth while preserving the principles and culture that define us. I believe this new structure will drive innovation and long-term success." Founded in 1964, Jim's Formal Wear is the largest independent provider of men's formal wear services in the United States. The Company is headquartered in Trenton, Illinois, and has a network of seven service centers and eight delivery hubs across the country. JFW carries all garment types necessary for formal occasions, including weddings, proms, quinceaneras and other special events. Having successfully navigated to its third generation of family leadership, JFW has expanded over the years into a nationwide distributor of rental and retail formal wear garments to more than 4,500 independent retailers. These retailers include bridal shops, men's stores, and tuxedo specialists, among others. The Company maintains long-tenured relationships with its highly diversified retailer network, with the average tenure exceeding a decade. JFW currently employs 500 full-time team members and staff, and hires an additional 250-300 seasonal employees. According to data from the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), Jim's Formal Wear joins a group of more than 6,500 ESOPs in the United States, including more than 300 headquartered in Illinois. ESOPs currently cover nearly 15 million participants nationwide. SOURCE Jim's Formal Wear Asset-based lending veteran to provide commercial and industrial and accounts receivable expertise to Tiger's full suite of lending, valuation and disposition services NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jonathan Blooman asset-based lending and restructuring professional who brings decades of experience in commercial and industrial (C&I) and accounts receivable (A/R) assets has joined Tiger Group as Senior Director of Business Development. Bloom's hiring further expands Tiger's C&I and A/R category expertise as the company continues to grow its lending, valuation and disposition businesses. Jonathan Bloom Over the course of his career, the Denver-based executive has cultivated an extensive network of business contacts across North America. His new role primarily focuses on business development for Tiger's Commercial & Industrial and Accounts Receivable divisions. Bloom will work closely with Chad Farrell, Managing Director of Tiger Commercial & Industrial, and Bruce Passen, Managing Director of Tiger Receivables. "Jonathan and I worked together for nearly a decade. I have seen firsthand his extraordinary ability to analyze restructuring and distressed situations and quickly grasp the needs of borrowers, lenders and turnaround professionals," Passen said. "I am confident that combining Jonathan's insights, drive and creativity with Tiger's full suite of advisory, finance and monetization services will result in game-changing solutions for our clients." "With respect to equipment loans and dispositions, Jonathan has touched virtually every commercial and industrial asset class, and he is well-positioned to advise banks, workout firms, bankruptcy trustees and other Tiger clients on holistic strategies for turning businesses around and maximizing recoveries," Farrell said. "We're very excited to welcome him aboard." Early in his career, Bloom served as Vice President of Sales for Hilco Receivables and then Vice President at Hilco Appraisal Services. The Indiana University Bloomington graduate subsequently served in executive roles at Loeb, Summit Investment Management, and Sunflower Bank. "As the son of an ABL lender, this industry is in my blood. I am passionate about leveraging my experience to help lenders, borrowers and turnaround professionals find the strategies and services they need to achieve their goals," Bloom said. "Our multidisciplinary team at Tiger acts as a force-multiplier in those efforts. Tiger's platform is an excellent fit and I am greatly looking forward to partnering with my colleagues to take our client service to the next level." Media Contacs: At Jaffe Communications, Elisa Krantz, (908) 789-0700, [email protected]. SOURCE Tiger Group SEATTLE, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- JND Legal Administration UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK SJUNDE AP-FONDEN and THE CLEVELAND BAKERS AND TEAMSTERS PENSION FUND, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, et al., Defendants. Case No. 1:17-cv-8457-JMF Hon. Jesse M. Furman SUMMARY NOTICE OF (I) PROPOSED SETTLEMENT; (II) SETTLEMENT HEARING; AND (III) MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS' FEES AND LITIGATION EXPENSES TO: All persons and entities that purchased or acquired General Electric Company ("GE") common stock between February 29, 2016 and January 23, 2018, inclusive ("Class Period") and were damaged thereby ("Class"). Certain persons and entities are excluded from the Class as set forth in detail in the Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement dated November 22, 2024 ("Stipulation") and the Notice described below. PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY; IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE CLASS, YOUR RIGHTS WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE SETTLEMENT OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PENDING IN THIS COURT. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and an Order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ("Court"), that the Court-appointed Class Representatives Sjunde AP-Fonden and The Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Pension Fund (together, "Class Representatives"), on behalf of themselves and the Court-certified Class in the above-captioned securities class action ("Action"), have reached a proposed settlement of the Action with defendants GE and Jeffrey S. Bornstein (together, "Defendants") for $362,500,000 in cash that, if approved, will resolve all claims in the Action. A hearing ("Settlement Hearing") will be held on April 24, 2025 at 11:00 a.m., before the Honorable Jesse M. Furman, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, either in person in Courtroom 1105 of the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY 10007, or by telephone or videoconference (at the discretion of the Court), to determine, among other things: (i) whether the Settlement on the terms and conditions provided for in the Stipulation is fair, reasonable, and adequate to the Class, and should be finally approved by the Court; (ii) whether the Action should be dismissed with prejudice against Defendants and the releases specified and described in the Stipulation (and in the Notice) should be granted; and (iii) whether Class Counsel's motion for attorneys' fees in an amount not to exceed 25% of the Settlement Fund and payment of expenses in an amount not to exceed $10 million (which amount may include a request for reimbursement of the reasonable costs incurred by Class Representatives directly related to their representation of the Class) should be approved. Any updates regarding the Settlement Hearing, including any changes to the date or time of the hearing or updates regarding in-person or remote appearances at the hearing, will be posted to the case website, www.GeneralElectricSecuritiesLitigation.com. If you are a member of the Class, your rights will be affected by the pending Action and the Settlement, and you may be entitled to share in the Settlement Fund. This notice provides only a summary of the information contained in the full Notice of (I) Proposed Settlement; (II) Settlement Hearing; and (III) Motion for Attorneys' Fees and Litigation Expenses ("Notice"). You may obtain a copy of the Notice, along with the Claim Form, on the case website, www.GeneralElectricSecuritiesLitigation.com. You may also obtain a copy of the Notice and Claim Form by contacting the Claims Administrator by mail at General Electric Securities Litigation, c/o JND Legal Administration, P.O. Box 91449, Seattle, WA 98111; by calling toll free 1-844-202-9485; or by emailing [email protected]. Copies of the Notice and Claim Form can also be found on the websites for Class Counsel and Liaison Counsel, www.ktmc.com and www.gelaw.com, respectively. If you are a Class Member, in order to be eligible to receive a payment from the proposed Settlement, you must submit a Claim Form postmarked (if mailed), or online via www.GeneralElectricSecuritiesLitigation.com, no later than June 20, 2025, in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Claim Form. If you are a Class Member and do not submit a proper Claim Form, you will not be eligible to share in the distribution of the net proceeds of the Settlement, but you will nevertheless be bound by any releases, judgments, or orders entered by the Court in the Action. Any objections to the proposed Settlement, the proposed Plan of Allocation, and/or Class Counsel's motion for attorneys' fees and Litigation Expenses must be filed with the Court and delivered to Class Counsel and Defendants' Counsel such that they are received no later than April 3, 2025, in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Notice. As this Class was previously certified and, in connection with class certification, Class Members had the opportunity to request exclusion from the Class, the Court has exercised its discretion not to allow a second opportunity to request exclusion in connection with the Settlement proceedings. If you previously requested exclusion from the Class in connection with class certification and wish to opt back into the Class to be eligible to receive a payment from the Settlement, you must submit a request to opt back into the Class so that it is received no later than April 3, 2025, in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Notice. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT, THE CLERK'S OFFICE, DEFENDANTS, OR DEFENDANTS' COUNSEL REGARDING THIS NOTICE. All questions about this notice, the Settlement, or your eligibility to participate in the Settlement should be directed to Class Counsel or the Claims Administrator. Requests for the Notice and Claim Form should be made to the Claims Administrator: General Electric Securities Litigation c/o JND Legal Administration P.O. Box 91449 Seattle, WA 98111 1-844-202-9485 [email protected] www.GeneralElectricSecuritiesLitigation.com All other inquiries should be made to Class Counsel: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Sharan Nirmul, Esq. Richard A. Russo, Jr., Esq. Joshua A. Materese, Esq. 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 1-610-667-7706 DATED: March 4, 2025 BY ORDER OF THE COURT United States District Court Southern District of New York SOURCE JND Legal Administration UPPER MARLBORO, Md., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kindred Partners, LLC, an SBA-approved Mentor-Protege Joint Venture between Knowesis, Inc. and Kymber Consulting, LLC, was awarded a 3-year contract to support the critical work of the Department of Defense, Defense Health Board (DHB). The DHB is a Federal Advisory Committee to the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) that provides independent advice and recommendations on matters pertaining to Department of Defense (DoD) health care policy and program management, health care delivery, health promotion and treatment, and other aspects of interest to the DoD. Our work supports Board management to include recruiting, logistics, administrative and meeting support for some of the most influential and authoritative experts in science, technology, medicine and the health industry. Kindred provides research support for some of the most vexing health related topics facing the DoD. Our staff or research associates support the board's development of comprehensive topic review and evaluation and support the formal recommendations for action to the Department's leadership. "The Board's work truly epitomizes our mantra of 'exceptional work with exceptional people'. Our staff are energized to facilitate the understanding of some of the most critical topics facing Military Healthcare and to support the Board in its advisory role to the SECDEF," stated Dara Jones, Kindred Partners Managing Member. Kindred Partners is a consulting firm specializing in policy, governance, and strategic planning grounded in data analytics. We are an SBA certified 8(a) and Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) delivering enterprise-wide strategies and policy solutions to our Federal clients. SOURCE Knowesis, Inc. GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- King Risk Partners, a rapidly growing insurance broker with offices throughout the broader Eastern and Southeastern regions of the United States, proudly announces its acquisition of The Insurance Center, a trusted independent insurance agency located in Warwick, Rhode Island. This acquisition underscores King Risk Partners' commitment to expanding its service to local communities throughout the broader Eastern and Southeastern regions of the United States while maintaining its commitment to excellence. King Risk Partners For over 50 years, The Insurance Center has been a trusted provider of comprehensive insurance solutions for individuals, families, and businesses in Warwick and throughout Rhode Island. With a commitment to excellence and personalized service, they offer a wide range of insurance products, including personal, business, and life insurance. "We are thrilled to welcome The Insurance Center to the King organization," said Malcolm King, CEO of King Risk Partners. "Their exceptional reputation, industry expertise, and strong client relationships perfectly align with our vision of growth through partnerships with well-established agencies. This acquisition not only extends our reach into Rhode Island but also enhances our ability to provide local outstanding service to our clients." "We are so excited to join forces with King Risk Partners," said Dave Stenhouse, Principal of The Insurance Center. "Delivering top-tier customer service has always been our priority, and this partnership enables us to expand our personal and business insurance offerings while upholding the high standards our clients expect and trust." This acquisition underscores King Risk Partners' commitment to strategic growth through partnerships with reputable agencies, reinforcing its dedication to quality, integrity, and client satisfaction. About King Risk Partners King Risk Partners is a leader in the insurance industry, offering a wide range of insurance products and services designed to meet the diverse needs of its clientele. Known for its integrity, professionalism, and commitment to customer satisfaction, King Risk Partners continues to be a top choice for clients seeking reliable and comprehensive insurance solutions. Learn more at www.king-insurance.com . For additional information, please contact: King Risk Partners [email protected] SOURCE King Risk Partners BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 3, as the global communications and technology community converged in Barcelona, Spain, for MWC Barcelona 2025, Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company (YOFC) took center stage with its visionary theme, "Leading a New Future With Fibre." During the exhibition, YOFC (Booth 5A30, Hall 5) showcased innovative products and solutions across five core scenarios: 5G Advanced Connectivity, AI Intelligent Computing Center, Internet of Energy, Intelligent Traffic, and Enjoy Digital Life. 20250304184400 5G Advanced Connectivity Lays an Optical Framework for a Connected Future Targeting the evolving demands of 5G-A and 6G, YOFC highlighted key innovations, including the G.654.E optical fibre, known for its ultra-high-speed, capacity, and long-distance transmission capabilities. Other featured exhibits included the versatile GenBand optical fibre, designed to support backbone, metropolitan area, and access networks across multiple applications, and high-end multi-mode optical fibres that boost data center efficiency. Additionally, YOFC presented a variety of specialized optical fibres tailored to meet diverse market requirements. The G.654.E fibre stands out in the industry for its combination of a large effective area and low attenuation coefficient. This makes it the industry's preferred choice for current 400G and 800G, as well as future Tbit/s ultra-high-speed transmission technologies. For over a decade, YOFC has been at the forefront of developing G.654.E fibre technology. Leveraging its technological expertise and lineup of competitive products, YOFC has successfully deployed its fibres on a large scale in network infrastructure projects for the three major Chinese carriers, the State Grid, and for key telecom operators in multiple countries, including the Philippines and Brazil. To further advance optical communication technology towards higher speeds and greater adaptability, YOFC unveiled two groundbreaking products at MWC Barcelona 2025: EasyBand Plus-Mini 173m Fibre: This innovative fibre combines a smaller outer diameter with bending insensitivity, effectively reducing the size and weight of fibre optic cables. It significantly enhances pipeline resource utilization, making it an ideal choice for upgrading urban pipeline networks. Plus-Mini 173m Fibre: This innovative fibre combines a smaller outer diameter with bending insensitivity, effectively reducing the size and weight of fibre optic cables. It significantly enhances pipeline resource utilization, making it an ideal choice for upgrading urban pipeline networks. MaxBand OM4 Pro Fibre: Specifically designed for single-channel 100G transceivers, this fibre overcomes signal degradation caused by central wavelength shifts in optical modules. It ensures the seamless transition of data center multimode connectivity solutions to 400G, 800G, and higher, offering reliable connectivity to support the increasing demands for computing power as a result of the widespread integration of AI across all industries. Cutting-Edge Optical Fibre Enables Lightning-Fast Data Channels for AI-driven Smart Computing Centers Focusing on AI data center scenarios, YOFC has introduced the Smart Computing Solution, which integrates advanced optical fibres, including hollow core and multi-core variants, and top quality multimode fibres alongside 400G/800G optical modules and eco-friendly cabling. These technologies enhance computational power while emphasizing sustainability, guiding the industry towards a greener, sustainable future. Hollow core fibre, often cited as the "disruptive technology for next-generation optical communication," reduces transmission delay by some 34% compared to traditional solid fibres. It offers a new high-performance channel for intelligent computing networks and distributed large models. Leveraging years of experience and technical expertise in large-scale fibre and cable production, YOFC stands at the forefront of the industry in the mass manufacturing of extended-length, ultra-low-loss (<0.1dB/km) hollow core fibres. The company is fully equipped to deliver premium products for extensive commercial applications. Marine Communication Solutions Empower a Greener, Sustainable Future During the exhibition, YOFC showcased a comprehensive range of unrepeatered and repeatered submarine fibre optic cables, along with our proprietary lineup of submarine repeaters that come equipped with connector boxes, alongside our other wet-end products. The YOFC series of submarine fibre optic cables are designed to overcome the challenges in dealing with all types of underwater environments, with a maximum laying depth of up to 8,000 meters. Notably, this lineup has obtained the full series of UJ/UQJ certifications. YOFC also displayed 220KV AC, 500KV AC, and 330KV DC submarine photoelectric composite cables, designed for high-power transmission between the mainland and islands, between islands, and between land and offshore wind farms, facilitating clean energy transmission. Furthermore, YOFC owns several cable-laying ships, crane vessels, and wind turbine installation vessels, enabling the company to provide flexible solutions and offer customers comprehensive professional services. All-Optical Intelligent Vehicles Redefine the Smart Travel Experience With the pioneering concept of the "all-optical intelligent vehicle," YOFC's intelligent vehicle solution enhances vehicle electrification and intelligence, boosts safety and reliability, and reduces both energy consumption and maintenance costs. These advances are achieved through the integration of five new technologies: in-vehicle fibre-optic communication, glass-side light-emitting optical fibre, erbium and ytterbium co-doped fibre for LiDAR amplifiers, fibre monitoring of in-vehicle batteries, and silicon carbide. In addition, YOFC unveiled its latest urban rail transportation communication solutions, designed to address the challenges of wireless coverage across independent communication systems operating within one rail networks or between collaborating rail networks. These solutions aim to provide "zero blind spot" communication security for urban rail transportation. FTTx Solution Enhances Optical Connectivity for a Better Life YOFC's FTTx solution offers a comprehensive end-to-end package that includes optical fibre, equipment, connectors, and a full suite of services to assist customers in rapidly deploying fibre access networks. The next-generation FTTR (Fibre to the Room) all-optical networking solution extends 10 Gbps bandwidth seamlessly to every corner using invisible fibre optic cabling. This solution supports the concurrent access of multiple types of terminals, making it ideally suited for scenarios such as 8K Ultra HD videos, cloud gaming, and whole-house intelligence. Simultaneously, YOFC's high-quality connectivity products and solutions, including HDMI, DP, USB, and audio cables, have achieved a remarkable technological leap, transitioning from fibre to the home to fibre to the screen. This advance ensures that every connection, whether for engineering-grade or home audio-visual applications, surpasses expectations, delivering a seamless and boundless experience. From "Pipeline" to "Ecosystem": Redefining the Value of Optical Communication "In the AI era, optical fibre transcends its role as an information channel to become the nerve center of an intelligent ecosystem," explained Zhuang Dan, YOFC's Executive Director and President. "Our participation in MWC underscores YOFC's ongoing commitment to leveraging fibre optic technology to drive network upgrades, enhance computational efficiency, and foster sustainable growth through collaboration with global partners." As a leader in the global optical communication sector, YOFC has consistently positioned itself at the forefront, committed to transforming fibre optic technology from a simple "information transmission pipeline" into an "AI ecosystem enabler." True to the corporate mission of "Smart Link Better Life," YOFC maintains a customer-centric and innovation-driven approach. The company continues to push the boundaries of value in optical communication, striving to realize the limitless potential of an intelligent world. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633168/20250304184400.jpg Multicenter, randomized controlled pivotal study to investigate a novel device for post-radical prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence DURHAM, N.C., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Levee Medical is pleased to announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval to initiate the ARID II ( A Pivotal Study of Vo R o Urolog I c Scaffol D for the Treatment of Post Prostatectomy Stress Urinary Incontinence) clinical trial under an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE). ARID II is a multicenter, single blind, randomized controlled study designed to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the Voro Urologic Scaffold in adult men undergoing robotic assisted radical prostatectomy as compared to control. "We are proud to reach this important milestone in our mission to minimize incontinence for patients of radical prostatectomy," said Bruce Choi, Founder & CTO of Levee Medical. "This achievement reflects the dedication and hard work of our team and the invaluable support of our investors. We believe that the Voro Urologic Scaffold has the potential to significantly reduce the occurrence and severity of post-prostatectomy incontinence, and help patients quickly return to the quality of life they had before prostate cancer." Levee Medical is also excited to announce that Arvin K. George, MD, Director of Prostate Cancer Programs at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, will serve as the national principal investigator (PI) for the ARID II trial. Dr. George is a renowned expert in the field of prostate cancer and has led numerous pivotal studies in urologic oncology. "Incontinence is a common, yet often under-addressed consequence of prostate cancer surgery," stated Dr. George. "The Voro Urologic Scaffold represents a promising new approach that could redefine how we manage post-surgical incontinence, potentially enhancing the quality of life for many patients." The company also recently announced on February 11, 2025, the closing of its Series B financing totaling more than $14 million including note conversions. This fundraising round highlights strong investor confidence in the company's innovative solution for post prostatectomy incontinence and will support ongoing clinical trials, including ARID II. About Levee Medical Levee Medical is committed to designing solutions that aim to reduce complications associated with surgical treatment for prostate cancer. The Voro Urologic Scaffold is the first product Levee plans to bring to market. This device is limited to investigational use and not approved for commercial use in the U.S. or in any country. For more information, please visit www.leveemedical.com. SOURCE Levee Medical BANGALORE, India, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lithium-Sulfur Battery Market is Segmented by Type (High Energy Density Lithium Sulfur Battery, Low Energy Density Lithium Sulfur Battery), by Application (Aviation, Automotive) The Global Market for Lithium-Sulfur Battery was valued at USD 58.1 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 460 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 34.9% during the forecast period. Claim Your Free Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-33V15827/Global_and_India_Lithium_Sulfur_Battery_Market Major Factors Driving the Growth of Lithium-Sulfur Battery Market: The lithiumsulfur battery market is witnessing transformative growth driven by heightened demand for energy storage solutions across various sectors. Innovations in battery chemistry and improved cost efficiencies have paved the way for increased adoption in aerospace, electric vehicles, and grid storage. Companies are investing heavily in research and strategic partnerships to address challenges such as cycle life and safety concerns. This dynamic market is characterized by rapid technological progress, evolving consumer preferences, and supportive regulatory frameworks that encourage sustainable energy practices. As market competition intensifies, differentiation through product diversification and strategic collaborations has become critical. The market is expected to see further expansion as advancements in material science and supply chain optimization drive down costs, making lithiumsulfur batteries a viable alternative to conventional energy storage technologies worldwide. Strategic investments, innovative research, and global market integration are set to propel the lithiumsulfur battery sector to new heights with momentum. Unlock Insights: View Full Report Now! https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-33V15827/global-and-india-lithium-sulfur-battery TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE LITHIUM-SULFUR BATTERY MARKET: Aviation applications are significantly propelling the growth of the lithiumsulfur battery market by addressing critical energy storage needs for aerospace systems. These batteries offer a high energytoweight ratio, making them particularly advantageous for aircraft that require lightweight power solutions without compromising performance. The aviation sector benefits from lithiumsulfur technology through extended flight times, enhanced fuel efficiency, and reduced emissions, aligning with the industry's sustainability goals. Manufacturers are increasingly investing in research to overcome current challenges such as cycle life and safety concerns. As airlines and defense contractors explore innovative energy storage options, lithiumsulfur batteries present promising solutions that can transform aircraft power systems. This transformative potential has attracted considerable interest and investment, setting the stage for future advancements that could redefine energy strategies in the global aviation industry. Ongoing developments in battery chemistry, performance optimization, and scalability are further driving market adoption and securing long-term industry growth with significant promise. High energy density lithiumsulfur batteries are emerging as key enablers for the battery market by delivering superior performance in energy storage applications. Their ability to store more energy per unit mass makes them ideal for highdemand sectors, particularly in transportation and grid storage solutions. The enhanced energy density supports longer operation times, reduced weight, and improved overall system efficiency, making them highly attractive for both commercial and military applications. Researchers and manufacturers are focusing on optimizing the battery chemistry to extend cycle life and improve safety features. This breakthrough in energy storage technology is attracting significant investments and driving market momentum. As industries increasingly seek robust, highcapacity energy solutions, high energy density lithiumsulfur batteries are positioned to redefine performance standards and accelerate market growth on a global scale. Ongoing research efforts, enhanced production methods, and strategic investments further solidify the market's expansion and global adoption, ensuring sustained industry leadership. Low energy density lithiumsulfur batteries contribute to the market growth by offering solutions where moderate energy requirements are sufficient. Although they do not match the high energy density variants, these batteries provide improved stability and longer cycle life, making them suitable for less demanding applications. Their relatively lower energy output is offset by enhanced safety features and reliability under varying operating conditions. This balance between performance and durability attracts sectors that prioritize costeffectiveness and operational efficiency. Manufacturers are optimizing low energy density systems to meet niche market needs, thereby expanding the overall battery portfolio. By addressing a broader range of applications, low energy density lithiumsulfur batteries complement highperformance models, ensuring a comprehensive market solution that caters to diverse energy storage demands. Ongoing advancements in material science, improved manufacturing techniques, and strategic partnerships are paving the way for enhanced performance, increased scalability, and broader adoption of low energy density solutions globally. Adherence to stringent regulatory standards is emerging as a significant market driver for lithiumsulfur batteries. Governments and regulatory bodies worldwide are establishing guidelines to ensure safety, environmental protection, and performance reliability. These regulations encourage manufacturers to adopt best practices in material handling, production processes, and quality assurance. Compliance with regulatory requirements not only mitigates risks associated with battery performance and disposal but also enhances consumer trust. As the market evolves, companies are compelled to invest in certifications and testing protocols to meet international standards. This proactive approach to regulatory compliance helps create a level playing field, promotes innovation within defined boundaries, and drives market acceptance by ensuring that lithiumsulfur battery products are safe and environmentally responsible. Enhanced safety protocols, rigorous certification processes, and transparent compliance practices further strengthen market credibility, encouraging broader adoption and facilitating entry into new markets amid evolving global regulatory landscapes, ensuring sustained industry leadership. Expanding the range of battery products to cater to varied application needs is another influential factor in the lithiumsulfur battery market. Companies are diversifying their product portfolios by developing batteries with different energy capacities, form factors, and safety features to suit diverse industrial requirements. This approach allows manufacturers to address niche segments while also appealing to mainstream markets. Enhanced product diversification mitigates market risks by reducing reliance on a single product line and offers tailored solutions for specific enduser applications. This strategic diversification not only broadens customer choice but also stimulates competitive differentiation. As market competition intensifies, product diversification becomes essential for capturing emerging opportunities and sustaining longterm market growth in a dynamic global environment. Focused investment in research, expansion into new markets, and flexible product strategies further drive diversification, enabling companies to meet evolving customer demands while strengthening competitive positioning, ensuring market leadership and sustained growth globally. Claim Yours Now! https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-33V15827&lic=single-user LITHIUM-SULFUR BATTERY MARKET SHARE Global key players of lithium-sulfur batteries include OXIS Energy (Johnson Matthey), Sion Power, PolyPlus, etc. The top three players hold a share of about 81%. Europe is the largest producer, with a share of about 68%, followed by North America, with 32%. The largest market is Europe, with a share of about 67%, followed by North America and Asia-Pacific, with a share of 30% and 2%, separately. Key Companies: OXIS Energy ( Johnson Matthey ) ) Sion Power PolyPlus Sony LG Chem Ltd Reactor Institute Delft Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai Research Institute of Silicate Stanford University Daegu Institute of science and technology, Korea Monash University Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology Kansai University Purchase Regional Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/QYRE-Auto-33V15827/Global_and_India_Lithium_Sulfur_Battery_Market SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. DISCOVER MORE INSIGHTS: EXPLORE SIMILAR REPORTS! - The global market for High Energy Density Lithium Sulfur Battery was estimated to be worth USD 220 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1494.7 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 32.2% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global market for Low Energy Density Lithium Sulfur Battery was estimated to be worth USD 240 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1003.9 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 22.3% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Global Commercial Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) Batteries Market was valued at USD 33 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 279 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 36% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global market for Lithium-Sulphur (Li-S) Rechargeable Batteries was estimated to be worth USD 48 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 376.1 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 34.9% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global market for Lithium Sulfide for Solid-state Battery was valued at USD 8.1 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 617 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 87.0% during the forecast period. - The global Lithium Ion Battery Electrolyte Market revenue was USD 2830 Million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 8915.1 Million by 2029 with a CAGR of 17.6% during the forecast period (2023-2029). - The global market for Lithium Ion Battery (LIB) Material was estimated to be worth USD 12000 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 14930 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 3.1% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - The global Sulfur-Based Battery market was valued at USD 540 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 1500.1 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 16.5% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Lithium-ion Battery Dispersants Market - Satellite Lithium Ion Battery Market - The global Lithium-ion Battery Cathode Materials market is projected to grow from USD 6937.7 Million in 2024 to USD 8577.8 Million by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.6% during the forecast period. 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GET A FREE QUOTE Valuates Reports [email protected] For U.S. Toll-Free Call 1-(315)-215-3225 WhatsApp: +91-9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Blog: https://valuatestrends.blogspot.com/ Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/valuatesreports/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/valuatesreports Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valuatesreports/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valuatesreports6753 https://www.facebook.com/valuateskorean https://www.facebook.com/valuatesspanish https://www.facebook.com/valuatesjapanese https://valuatesreportspanish.blogspot.com/ https://valuateskorean.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesgerman.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesreportjapanese.blogspot.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg SOURCE Valuates Reports TORONTO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Investment Management (Manulife IM), a company of Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, is pleased to announce a multiyear commitment to Ownership Works, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing prosperity through shared ownership in the workplace. This partnership underscores Manulife's ongoing commitment to driving financial resilience and addressing financial inequality and value creation through its sustainable investing priorities. Ownership Works partners with companies and investors to implement broad-based employee ownership programs, creating a culture of shared ownership that provides all employees with meaningful wealth-building opportunities. "We are excited about our collaboration with Ownership Works as its mission is dedicated to tackling social inequality by improving financial resilience and economic opportunity, which is inherently aligned with Manulife's Impact Agenda," said Anne Valentine Andrews, Global Head of Private Markets, Manulife IM. "We are supportive of and energized by Ownership Works' approach to improving long-term business performance through the power of public and private companies transitioning to shared ownership models, where employees are also given the opportunity to build wealth over time alongside investors." As part of the partnership, Manulife IM's private equity team will work to integrate shared ownership models into its investment approach, which includes encouraging general partners to adopt such models to better align incentives and improve company performance. Scott Garfield, Senior Managing Director, Private Equity & Credit, Manulife IM, will also join Ownership Works' Limited Partners Leadership Council. "Manulife IM is thrilled to join Ownership Works in promoting a future where shared ownership is a catalyst for prosperity and economic growth," said Scott. "Our team is looking forward to the numerous ways we can broaden the definition of success through this collaboration and set a new standard for the industry where incentives are not only aligned to improve company performance, but also to drive long-term success for employees and our investors." "We are appreciative of Manulife IM's commitment to addressing systemic barriers to economic opportunity," said Anna-Lisa Miller, Executive Director of Ownership Works. "With the support of partners like Manulife IM, we are establishing employee ownership as the new standard in business one that creates great places to work and generates financial returns for businesses, investors, and employees alike." About Manulife Wealth & Asset Management As part of Manulife Financial Corporation, Manulife Wealth & Asset Management provides global investment, financial advice, and retirement plan services to 19 million individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Our mission is to make decisions easier and lives better by empowering people today to invest for a better tomorrow. As a committed partner to our clients and as a responsible steward of investor capital, we offer a heritage of risk management, deep expertise across public and private markets, and comprehensive retirement plan services. We seek to provide better investment and impact outcomes and to help people confidently save and invest for a more secure financial future. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com. Media Contact: Elizabeth Bartlett [email protected] SOURCE Manulife Wealth & Asset Management Two-Unit Agreement to Bring Marco's Signature Products to New Region Experienced Pizza Franchisee, Jack Praizner , Leads Expansion with Focus on Mentorship and Market Growth One of Nation's Fastest-Growing Pizza Brands Looks to Develop Across the State with Qualified Franchisees PHILADELPHIA, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Marco's Pizza, one of the nation's fastest-growing pizza brands, announces its entry into Philadelphia with a signed two-unit area development agreement. Seasoned pizza industry veteran Jack Praizner will lead the expansion into this vibrant, untapped market. The first location is expected to open in Bethlehem in Q3 2025, followed by Whitehall in Q4 2025. Seasoned pizza industry veteran Jack Praizner will lead the expansion into Philadelphia, with the first location expected to open in Bethlehem in Q3 2025, followed by Whitehall in Q4 2025. Praizner, a resident of Folsom, Pennsylvania, brings more than two decades of pizza expertise to Marco's. Starting his career at 15-years-old as a Domino's employee, Praizner quickly rose through the ranks to become a multi-unit franchisee, owning and operating 12 Domino's locations before selling them in 2021. Ready to re-enter the industry with a fresh perspective, Praizner was drawn to Marco's for its high-quality product, modern store design, and robust corporate support and views his home market as having growth potential for the brand. "After years in the pizza business, I knew exactly what I was looking for in my next venture: a brand with great growth potential and a product that stands out," said Praizner. "Philadelphia is ready for Marco's it's a blank canvas, and I see incredible potential here. I'm excited to bring Marco's to this community and mentor the next generation of franchisees." With a passion for leadership and a commitment to fostering growth, Praizner views this venture as more than just expanding his business portfolio it's an opportunity to invest in people. His vision extends beyond opening stores; he is determined to mentor his district managers, equipping them with the skills and confidence needed to become franchise owners themselves. By cultivating a culture of empowerment and entrepreneurship, Praizner aims to create a pipeline of future leaders who can carry the Marco's legacy forward while achieving their own dreams of business ownership. "Jack's extensive experience in the pizza industry and his passion for mentorship make him an ideal partner to lead Marco's debut in Philadelphia," said Gerardo Flores, Chief Development Officer of Marco's Pizza. "With his dedication to cultivating future franchisees and fortifying the market, Jack's leadership sets the stage for Marco's imminent growth in this dynamic region." Prospects are taking note of the business opportunity, as the Marco's Franchising Franchise Disclosure Document reports the Top 50% of Marco's franchised stores generated average net royalty sales of AUV $1,208,653 during the 2023 fiscal year*. As multi-unit franchise development continues to grow, Marco's leadership prioritizes a development support system, including technology and tools to help identify territories for expansion, plus support in real estate, construction management, field operations, and information related to financing. FRANdata, a leading research and advisory firm that analyzes the franchise market, reports Marco's 2024 FUND Score ranks among the Top 10 of all evaluated franchise systems. More impressively, Marco's ranks in the Top 3 scores for all QSR brands and No. 2 in the pizza category, maintaining its strong position from 2023. These impressive rankings are a testament to the brand's commitment to financing guidance as a core focus of its franchise development strategy which has led the 1,200-unit brand on the path to continued growth. For more information Marco's Pizza franchise opportunities, visit https://www.marcos.com/franchising/ or contact Jamie Cecil at [email protected] or 866-731-8209. ABOUT MARCO'S PIZZA Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco's Pizza is one of the fastest-growing pizza brands in the United States. Marco's was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale ("Pat") Giammarco and thrives to deliver a high-quality pizza experience, known for its dough made from scratch and its three fresh signature cheeses. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate over 1,200 stores in 35 states with locations in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Mexico. Most recently, Marco's was recognized as America's Favorite Restaurant in the Limited-Service Pizza category by Nation's Restaurant News using Technomic Ignite Consumer 2024 data. Other recent accolades include ranking No. 48 on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2024 "Franchise 500" ranking, earning a coveted spot as the only top 5 pizza chain to rank on Newsweek's 2025 "America's Best Customer Service" in pizza chains list, earning a spot on QSR's Top 50, and being featured on Nation's Restaurant News' prestigious "Top 500" ranking. *Based on the Average Sales Volume of the top 50% of U.S. Franchised Stores for our fiscal year 2023. Based on our fiscal year 2023, 185 of 447 Franchised Stores in the category (or 41%) met or exceeded this average. This information appears in Item 19 of Marco's Franchising's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document ("FDD") - please refer to our FDD for complete information on financial performance. Individual results may differ. There is no assurance that any franchisee will perform as well. According to Technomic's 2024 America's Favorite Restaurants data, Marco's Pizza secured the top spot in the Limited-Service Pizza category with a 53.4% composite top-box rating, indicating the share of recent guests who gave the brand the highest possible rating for each of the guest experience attributes. Data for America's Favorite Chains comes from Technomic Ignite Consumer, which collects information about how brands impact consumers and how consumers interact with those brands, via online surveys. See here for more information: www.technomic.com/ignite-consumer. SOURCE Marco's Pizza MARK Capital Management, a pan-European real estate investment manager, has been awarded 'Logistics Investor of the Year' by PERE, a leading industry title. LONDON, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The award follows Crossbay II, the second fund in MARK's urban logistics strategy Crossbay, securing 660m in equity commitments in Q4 2024. The final close represented a 20% increase in fund size compared to the predecessor vehicle. Including debt financing, Crossbay II has a total investment capacity of over 1.5bn, which will be deployed and managed by Crossbay's on-the-ground teams across the major markets in Europe. New investors in Crossbay II included pension funds, pension insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds and family offices from across Europe, Asia and the US. Returning investors included the fund's largest investor. According to PERE data, Crossbay II was one of the top 10 largest industrial & logistics private real estate funds to close globally, and the largest Europe-focused vehicle to achieve final close. Including near-term pipeline, Crossbay II currently manages c.1bn in assets, with investments in the UK, France, the Benelux region, Germany, Spain and Italy. Crossbay focuses specifically on single-user distribution warehouses in gateway cities. Crossbay II is now over 65% committed, having acquired over 7.5 million square feet to date. MARK Capital Management first started investing in urban logistics in 2018. Crossbay I, the manager's first dedicated urban logistics fund, secured 550m in equity commitments and is fully realised after a successful exit in 2022. Crossbay is led by CEO Marco Riva, previously of Logicor, with sourcing and asset management capabilities executed by on-the-ground logistics experts in each of the markets in which Crossbay operates. MARK Capital Management CEO Marcus Meijer told PERE: "It may sound cliche, but this was definitely an all-team effort. Special thanks should be given to our on-the-ground teams in our target markets. That genuine, in-country presence and ability to source off-market opportunities is so critical to the success of a granular aggregation strategy like Crossbay II. It really is what sets us apart, and we hear this all the time from our investors too. "Crossbay's strategy is cycle-agnostic and benefits from a best-in-class, pan-European origination function and an in-house infrastructure set up specifically to execute a very granular strategy." MARK Capital Management is an independent real estate investment and asset manager that has managed over 20bn of private real estate since the firm's founding in 2008. Serving a global client base of institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds and family offices, MARK leverages boots-on-the-ground presence in its target markets, combining local knowledge with expertise in sourcing, development, asset and portfolio management, to create and execute investment strategies that maximise value for investors while aligning with their objectives. This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE MARK Capital Management SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Martori Farms, the nation's leading grower and distributor of premium melons, is proud to announce the acquisition of the assets of V.H. Azhderian & Co., a company with a deep-rooted legacy in the melon industry. This strategic move marks Martori Farms' expansion into California's highly productive San Joaquin Valley, one of the most fertile growing regions in the world. Kandy V.H. Azhderian & Co. has a storied history dating back to 1915, when V.H. Azhderian began growing and shipping melons in the Imperial Valley. Over its 100 plus-year tenure, the company operated in several key locations, including Holtville, Turlock, Dos Palos, and its historic downtown facility in Los Banos. The company was a pioneer in melon packing and shipping, establishing itself as one of the longest tenured melon operations in Los Banos, Ca. Under the respected Three Star label, Azhderian melons became widely recognized for their quality and excellence in the marketplace. As part of this acquisition, Berj Moosekian, a longtime leader in the Azhderian family business, will join Martori Farms as Director of California Agricultural Operations. Moosekian, who managed the family's melon operations starting in the mid-1990s, brings a wealth of experience and industry knowledge to his new role. His leadership will be instrumental in overseeing Martori Farms' expansion in California and ensuring the successful integration of the Los Banos facility into the company's operations. "We are honored to carry forward the legacy of V.H. Azhderian & Co. and to expand our footprint in California's premier melon-growing region," said Steve Martori, CEO of Martori Farms. "With Berj Moosekian leading our California agricultural operations and our continued commitment to delivering premium melons under the Kandy label, we are poised for a successful future in the region." Martori Farms plans to leverage the Los Banos facility to enhance its production capabilities, ensuring efficient cooling, storage, and distribution of its melons across the country. By integrating this site into its operations, the company continues its commitment to innovation and excellence in the produce industry. SOURCE EAGLE PRODUCE, LLC From humble beginnings as caregivers to their status as a trusted leader in Michigan's cannabis industry, House of Dank has grown to 12 locations statewide. Each location features a carefully curated selection of flower, edibles, concentrates, CBD products, and more. Over the past decade, House of Dank has not only set the standard for cannabis excellence, but also forged meaningful connections with customers and the communities it serves. "We're incredibly proud of how far we've come," said Marvin Jamo, Owner of House of Dank. "This milestone isn't just about our successit's a celebration of the people who have supported us along the way. Our customers, team members, and community have been the heart of our journey, and we're honored to celebrate this achievement together." Overcoming Challenges House of Dank's journey has not been without obstacles. Navigating shifting regulations, market challenges, and municipal hurdles has tested the company's resilience. Despite these challenges, House of Dank has never closed its doors and remains the only cannabis company in Michigan to operate under its original ownership and without public fundinga testament to its strong foundation and commitment to excellence. A Decade of Dedication Since its founding in February 2015, House of Dank has continually adapted and thrived in the ever-evolving cannabis landscape. Key milestones and achievements over the past decade include: Community Impact : Donating over $1 million to local charities and spearheading impactful initiatives such as block cleanups, holiday food drives, free expungement clinics for cannabis-related convictions, breast cancer awareness campaigns and more. : Donating over to local charities and spearheading impactful initiatives such as block cleanups, holiday food drives, free expungement clinics for cannabis-related convictions, breast cancer awareness campaigns and more. Retail Growth : What started with one location on 8 Mile in Detroit , slowly turned into the expansion to 12 retail locations across Michigan whilst winning awards along the way from community and cannabis leaders such as Weedmaps, Leafly, Adcann, Detroit Metro Times, Detroit Free Press and Hour Detroit. : What started with one location on 8 Mile in , slowly turned into the expansion to 12 retail locations across whilst winning awards along the way from community and cannabis leaders such as Weedmaps, Leafly, Adcann, Metro Times, Detroit Free Press and Hour Detroit. Pioneering Events : Collaborating with industry-leading brands to educate customers on the benefits, uses, and responsible consumption of cannabis products. In 2023, H.O.D. introduced the first-ever recreational cannabis sales and consumption event integrated into Arts, Beats & Eats, a preexisting, 20+ year old festival in Michigan . : Collaborating with industry-leading brands to educate customers on the benefits, uses, and responsible consumption of cannabis products. In 2023, H.O.D. introduced the first-ever recreational cannabis sales and consumption event integrated into Arts, Beats & Eats, a preexisting, 20+ year old festival in . Award-Winning Products : Developing, launching and growing their award winning CBD line for humans and pets, including muscle freezes, tinctures, and pet treats. : Developing, launching and growing their award winning CBD line for humans and pets, including muscle freezes, tinctures, and pet treats. Customer-Centric Services : Introducing convenient delivery options, the Clubhouse Rewards loyalty program, safe and secure locations and inclusive environments for all customers. : Introducing convenient delivery options, the Clubhouse Rewards loyalty program, safe and secure locations and inclusive environments for all customers. Employee Growth : Growing from a team of 10 employees in 2015 to over 500 team members today, many of whom have been with the company since its inception. Looking Ahead As House of Dank enters its next decade, the company is committed to continuing its legacy of innovation, community engagement, and product excellence. Plans for 2025 include expanding its retail footprint, opening new locations, and forging partnerships that further elevate the brand's impact. "Ten years is just the beginning," added Jamo. "We're excited to continue growing, innovating, and serving our community for many more years to come." House of Dank plans to host celebrations at all of their retail locations on May 17th, 2025. To stay in the know on House of Dank events, updates, and information, please visit shophod.com or follow them on social media . Media Contact: Angela Cataldo [email protected] 248-885-8642 ext. 104 At House of Dank, we are dedicated to providing a widely available, affordable, convenient, and evolving space for individuals to explore and enjoy the diverse world of cannabis. We believe that the many benefits and experiences offered by cannabis should be accessible to all, delivered with the utmost quality, consistency, and reliability. We strive to redefine the cannabis experience, setting new standards of excellence in the industry. SOURCE House Of Dank LLC Partnership will expand access to high-quality in-home care for patients in Southeast Texas with multiple chronic conditions NASHVILLE, Tenn. and HOUSTON, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Monogram Healththe nation's leading value-based multispecialty provider of in-home, evidence-based care for patients with multiple chronic conditionsand Memorial Hermann Health System, a nonprofit health system committed to creating healthier Houston communities, have launched services to provide care for commercial and Medicare Advantage members of Memorial Hermann Health Plan, the insurance division of the Houston-based health system. This joint venture between Monogram and Memorial Hermann brings together Monogram's expertise in providing multispecialty in-home care with Memorial Hermann's high-value care network that includes its experienced, affiliated physicians and over 270 care delivery sites across Greater Houston. The launch of services for Memorial Hermann Health Plan members aims to deliver holistic, patient-centered care that addresses the complex needs of individuals living with chronic kidney disease and its causes, including diabetes, high blood pressure and metabolic disorders. "This milestone marks an exciting first step for our joint venture with Memorial Hermann Health System," said Mike Uchrin, CEO and co-founder of Monogram Health. "We're creating a seamless care model that holistically and collaboratively addresses complex health needs and improves outcomes for Memorial Hermann patients living with chronic diseases." The collaboration exemplifies Monogram's commitment to value-based care by aligning health systems, providers, and payers to deliver integrated and affordable care. This initial population launch sets the stage for expanding the program to additional populations and health plans, further advancing the joint venture's goal to improve care for patients with multiple chronic conditions. "We are always looking for new and innovative ways to advance the patient experience and improve health, especially for those patients with multiple chronic conditions," said Jay Hurt, CEO for Memorial Hermann Health Plan. "Our patients who need this type of treatment will now be able to receive personalized care that is both innovative and compassionate without having to leave the comfort of their homes." This launch also builds on Monogram's trajectory of growth. Monogram now covers 200,000 lives in 36 states as it looks to continue to expand and ensure more patients receive personalized, in-home support that improves quality of life and delivers measurable results. About Monogram Health Monogram Health is the leading value-based multispecialty provider of in-home evidence-based care and benefit management services for patients living with polychronic conditions, notably chronic kidney and end-stage kidney disease. The company deploys an innovative in-home care delivery model and technology-driven array of evidence-based clinical services, including complex case and disease management, utilization management, and medication therapy management to transform the way health care is delivered for those with polychronic conditions. This innovative model of care has been shown to dramatically improve patient outcomes and quality of life while reducing medical costs across the health care continuum. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, and privately held by Frist Cressey Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, TPG Capital, as well as other leading strategic and financial investors, Monogram Health has numerous value-based partnerships with leading health plans and risk-bearing providers to care for patients across 36 states and all insurance products. To learn more about Monogram Health, ranked 2024's No. 3 fastest growing private company in the United States, please visit here. About Memorial Hermann Charting a better future. A future that's built upon the HEALTH of our community. This is the driving force for Memorial Hermann, redefining health care for the individuals and many diverse populations we serve. Our 6,600 affiliated physicians and more than 34,000 employees practice the highest standards of safe, evidence-based, quality care to provide a personalized and outcome-oriented experience across our more than 270 care delivery sites. As one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in Southeast Texas, Memorial Hermann has an award-winning and nationally acclaimed Accountable Care Organization, 17* hospitals and numerous specialty programs and services conveniently located throughout the Greater Houston area. Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center is one of the nation's busiest Level I trauma centers and serves as the primary teaching hospital for McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. For 118 years, our focus has been the best interest of our community, contributing nearly $500 million annually through school-based health centers and other community benefit programs. Now and for generations to come, the health of our community will be at the center of what we do charting a better future for all. *Memorial Hermann Health System owns and operates 14 hospitals and has joint ventures with three other hospital facilities, including Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital First Colony, Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital Kingwood and Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital-Katy. Contact: Greg Hicks [email protected] SOURCE Monogram Health BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fibocom (Stock code:300638), a global leading provider of AIoT solutions and wireless communication modules, announced the launch of its new 5G modules and solutions based on Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.s latest Qualcomm X85/X82 5G Modem-RF. These new solutions are set to help industry customers seamlessly transition to next-generation Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technologies and rapidly accelerate the commercialization of new platforms. The latest Qualcomm X85/X82 5G Modem-RF delivers significant performance upgrades over the previous X75/X72 generation, including: Supports 3GPP 5G Advanced standards, enabling key 5G Advanced features. Enhanced NR Sub-6GHz downlink carrier aggregation (CA), upgraded from 5CA to 6CA, with carrier bands exceeding 400 MHz. Support for Intra-band ULCA (uplink carrier aggregation) TDD, boosting uplink data rates and optimizing network efficiency. Advanced software capabilities, supporting OpenWRT version 24.x, with compatibility for RDK-B and prplOS. Major AI advancements, including Modem AI functionality and support for external AI NPUs (Neural Processing Units). Powered by a quad-core processor, new software suite, and several industry-leading innovations, Fibocom's 5G modules deliver remarkable capabilities in network coverage, latency, energy efficiency, and mobility. Harnessing advanced AI capabilities, these modules drive 5G FWA solutions to an unprecedented level of intelligence. These 5G modules support six-carrier aggregation in the NR Sub-6GHz downlink, offering bandwidth exceeding 300 MHz for faster transmission speeds and broader signal coverage. In addition, Intra-Band uplink carrier aggregation ensures faster data rates, optimizing overall network performance and addressing bandwidth-intensive applications like video conferencing, online gaming, and virtual collaboration. In addition to hardware upgrades, the Qualcomm X85 Modem-RF introduces software innovations. The modules will support OpenWRT 24.x, a popular open-source router operating system known for robust features and scalability. Support for RDK-B and prplOS provides users with the flexibility to select the platform that best suits their needs. The Qualcomm 5G AI Suite and Qualcomm Networking AI Suite combine to deliver QoS management and intelligently prioritized network traffic. These powerful AI Suite capabilities automatically identify high-priority taskssuch as streaming HD video or online gamingand allocate necessary bandwidth, significantly enhancing the user experience. "We are thrilled to collaborate with Fibocom on the launch of their new 5G modules and solutions, powered by our latest Qualcomm X85/X82 5G Modem-RF. Together, we are proud to set new benchmarks with solutions offering exceptional network coverage, low latency, energy efficiency, and enhanced mobility, ultimately paving the way for a more connected and efficient future," said Gautam Sheoran, VP & GM, Wireless Broadband & Communications, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "We are excited to continue our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies on the Qualcomm X85/X82 5G Modem-RF to launch more intelligent FWA solutions that empower home broadband, enterprise networking, and industrial IoT applications." added by Simon Tao, VP of MBB Product Management Dept., Head of MBB BU at Fibocom, "Fibocom is committed to driving the adoption of 5G technology and AI applications. We believe this partnership with Qualcomm Technologies will accelerate the intelligent evolution of the FWA market, providing smarter and more efficient connectivity services to users worldwide." Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. SOURCE Fibocom Wireless Inc. BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fibocom (Stock code:300638), a global leading provider of AIoT solutions and wireless communication modules, has launched QuickTaste AI, a collection of AI-powered solutions to revolutionize the catering experience with advanced human-machine interaction and real-time multilingual translation. Revolutionizing the Catering Experience with AI Technology (PRNewsfoto/Fibocom Wireless Inc.) Utilizing the powerful edge AI and compute capabilities of the Qualcomm Dragonwing IQ Series, QuickTaste AI addresses key challenges such as language barriers and operational inefficiencies in its intelligent and adaptive capabilities across a variety of devices. Supporting over 100 languages in voice and text, QuickTaste AI provides customers with seamless AI-driven interaction to place orders, make payments, and interact via voice commands. For international customers, it ensures seamless communication with strong real-time multilingual translation. Furthermore, QuickTaste AI is powered by GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet AI transcription technology, alongside big data analytics and machine learning, it can analyze customer preferences and order history to provide personalized menu recommendations. To ensure stable performance across diverse operational environments, QuickTaste AI supports multiple network options for reliable connectivity & deployment flexibility regardless of regional or infrastructure constraints. A New Era for AI in Retail and Hospitality With large language model integration, QuickTaste AI delivers superior natural language processing and real-time translation, eliminating communication barriers in the global retail and hospitality sectors. Its cost-efficient deployment on existing handheld terminals reduces hardware expenses for businesses while enhancing scalability and ease of adoption. Fibocom will be use LANDI Global smart terminals for the first implementation. "We are excited to collaborate with LANDI Global and Qualcomm Technologies to introduce QuickTaste AI, a solution that brings AI-powered automation to the catering industry," said Ralph Zhao, VP of MC BU Product Management at Fibocom. "By integrating AI Agents into catering service operations, we are redefining the customer experience while helping businesses enhance efficiency and reduce costs." Mihnea Serbu, LANDI Global VP commented: "LANDI Global has consistently been at the forefront of delivering innovative retail solutions across diverse industries. Through our joint effort with Fibocom in AI, we will accelerate the digital transformation of the catering sector and drive meaningful advancements across the broader retail industry." The debut of QuickTaste AI marks a major step forward in integrating AI-driven automation, multilingual interaction, and smart service personalization in the catering industry. With the continued collaboration among partners, the industry can expect further advancements in AI-powered solutions, driving digital transformation and enhancing customer experiences across various sectors. Mobile World Congress is ongoing, welcome to visit Fibocom's booth at #5I33 in Hall 5. Join us in advancing connectivity for an intelligent future. Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiary Qualcomm and Qualcomm Dragonwing are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated. SOURCE Fibocom Wireless Inc. Expanded NewEdge private cloud footprint and DEM capabilities strengthen Netskope One platform to deliver unmatched security and uncompromising performance SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Netskope, a leader in modern security and networking, today announced new technology advancements for NewEdge , the carrier-grade infrastructure that underpins Netskope One, its converged platform for delivering critical security, network, and analytics services. With continued expansion of NewEdge itselfand the services such as Netskope One Digital Experience Management (DEM) that NewEdge helps deliverNetskope sets a new standard for modern security and networking using infrastructure that addresses customers' requirements for world-class coverage, end-to-end performance, and resilience for business continuity against "black swan" events such as natural disasters and cable cuts. Similar to how the world's largest cloud hyperscalers deploy new infrastructure, NewEdge was architected to be scalable with the ability to quickly add data centers, increase capacity, and ensure the Netskope One services are always on and performant. Unlike alternatives that rely on public clouds and third-party providers, Netskope has direct control over its infrastructure, with full compute at the edge and all Security Service Edge (SSE) services available in every region (including Mainland China). That control eliminates the need to backhaul traffic or leverage virtual (or "fake") POPs that add latency and negatively affect the digital experience. Backed by industry-best service level agreements (SLAs) for availability, traffic processing, and security efficacy, Netskope provides enterprises the critical assurances and performance guarantees needed to be confident running their business. Netskope continues to deliver additional enhancements for NewEdge and the critical security, network, and analytics services that are part of the Netskope One platform. Recent updates include: Adding multiple new NewEdge regions (including data centers in Calgary, Helsinki , Lisbon , and Prague ), and ongoing expansion in existing NewEdge regions (including data centers in Bogota , Jeddah , Osaka , and New York City ) , , and ), and ongoing expansion in existing NewEdge regions (including data centers in , , , and ) Surpassing 75 NewEdge regions globally, all equipped with full compute data centers and each offering a complete range of SASE capabilities including Cloud Firewall, SWG, inline CASB, ZTNA, SD-WAN, and data and threat protection Surpassing coverage for 220 countries and territories with more than 200 NewEdge Localization Zones, which deliver a local direct-to-net digital experience for users, regardless of the NewEdge data center to which they are connected Ranking, as of February 2025 , as the world's 12th most active global Internet Exchange (IX) participant alongside some of the biggest web and cloud brands including AWS, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. IX participation quantifies a cloud provider's global presence, plus ensures more traffic paths available to achieve superior performance and resilience. , as the world's 12th most active global Internet Exchange (IX) participant alongside some of the biggest web and cloud brands including AWS, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. IX participation quantifies a cloud provider's global presence, plus ensures more traffic paths available to achieve superior performance and resilience. Expanding connectedness of the NewEdge infrastructure, with nearly 5,000 network adjacencies to more than 750 unique Autonomous System Numbers (ASN), reducing latency on the first and last mile, and enhancing user and application experience Launching the newly updated Netskope Trust Portal , a public interface that offers anyonenot just Netskope customersa real-time view into the state of the Netskope cloud, backed by live data , a public interface that offers anyonenot just Netskope customersa real-time view into the state of the Netskope cloud, backed by live data Expanding availability of NewEdge Route Control, which keeps network traffic flowing ensuring no disruptions to performance and delivery of Netskope servicesvia dynamic selection and prioritization of optimized routes for end-to-end performance. In addition, Netskope continues to push the boundaries of DEM with cutting-edge AI and proprietary ML models, driving intelligent automation and deep analytics to optimize network performance and user experience. New advancements in Netskope One DEM include: Automated network diagnostics in the Path Performance dashboard to allow for instant detection of network path degradations, reducing the need for manual troubleshooting and minimizing downtime for organizations across their LAN and ISP connectivity paths. AI-powered User Experience Root Cause Analysis (RCA), which automates issue detection and resolution, equipping frontline helpdesk teams with real-time insights into user experience degradation and integrating directly with Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) systems to improve incident management efficiency. "When it comes to delivering modern networking and security services, outcomes are what truly matter, and architecture is foundational to achieving good outcomes." said Pete Finalle, IDC Research Manager, Security & Trust. "It's not enough to have all the right security tools or network services or even that they've converged. It is the underlying architecture that allows customers to depend on both security efficacy and network performance, and Netskope delivers strong protection without sacrificing performance." "With NewEdge powering the Netskope One platform, Netskope customers never need to sacrifice network performance for security, and can count on a network that performs at carrier-grade levels," said Joe DePalo, Chief Platform Officer, Netskope. "What our customers receive is a user experience that is indistinguishable from, and even improved over, direct-to-net for virtually any user on the planet. They can also be confident in dynamic control over traffic routing and using AI/ML to proactively mitigate experience issuessomething other SASE vendors, which rely primarily on service delivery via public cloud networks, simply can't offer." For more: About Netskope Netskope, a leader in modern security and networking, addresses the needs of both security and networking teams by providing optimized access and real-time, context-based security for people, devices, and data anywhere they go. Thousands of customers, including more than 30 of the Fortune 100, trust the Netskope One platform, its patented Zero Trust Engine, and its powerful NewEdge network to reduce risk and gain full visibility and control over cloud, SaaS, web, and private application activityproviding security and accelerating performance without sacrificing either. Learn more at netskope.com , on LinkedIn , and Instagram . Media Contacts: [email protected] Hurricane Electric Internet Exchange Report SOURCE Netskope BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NetSTAR, Inc., the global leader in URL and IP categorization, Web and SaaS application categorization, and threat intelligence data, is excited to announce the newest release of its WebApp Compass solution at Mobile World Congress (MWC 2025). This latest version marks a significant enhancement in the platform's capabilities, expanding support for a wider array of supported web and SaaS applications while bolstering its market-leading security and meta-data for each application. Expanded Application Support and Enhanced Security The newest release of WebApp Compass now supports a significantly increased number of web and SaaS applications, providing Partners with broader visibility and control over their customers' digital assets. In addition to expanding its web and SaaS application coverage, the update introduces additional security coverage designed to further protect against emerging cyber threats. "Our telco, hardware, software, and solution vendor Partners have adopted WebApp Compass at an incredibly fast rate," said Daniel Ashby, Sr Vice President and General Manager of NetSTAR, Inc. He continued by saying "We are excited to announce that our newest release of WebApp Compass, with enhanced application and security coverage, ensures our Partners will have the most robust, up-to-date coverage and protection for an ever-evolving internet and threat landscape." In-Depth Data and Accelerated Update Frequency With a focus on delivering deeper insights, the updated WebApp Compass offers more comprehensive meta-data for web and SaaS applications. This enriched dataset enables telco, hardware, software, and solution vendors to perform more informed categorization, risk assessments, and optimization for customer needs and requirements. Furthermore, the release includes a more frequent update schedule multiple times throughout a 24-hour cycle, ensuring that customers receive the most current application and threat intelligence available in the industry. Join Us at MWC 2025 NetSTAR, Inc . invites all attendees of Mobile World Congress 2025 to meet with them in their executive meeting room and demo center (Hall 7), to learn more about the enhanced capabilities of WebApp Compass as well as their other URL and IP categorization ( inCompass ), and threat intelligence ( inSITE ) solutions. Experts will be on hand to demonstrate how these new features can help telcos and vendors safeguard the digital environments of their subscribers and customers more effectively. About NetSTAR, Inc NetSTAR Inc. is recognized globally as the leader in URL and IP categorization, Web and SaaS application categorization, and threat intelligence data. With a strong commitment to security and innovation, NetSTAR Inc. empowers organizations around the world by providing the intelligence needed to stay ahead of evolving web categorization and digital threats. Join Us at MWC 2025 NetSTAR Inc. invites industry professionals, partners, and media representatives to visit its stand and engage with its experts during Mobile World Congress 2025. To schedule a meeting or for more information about NetSTAR solutions and participation at MWC, please contact us at [email protected]. Media Contact: Thomas Ashby VP of Marketing NetSTAR Inc [email protected] +1-(650) 600-3850 For additional information about NetSTAR Inc and its services, please visit https://netstar.ai. SOURCE NetSTAR Inc. (All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated) TORONTO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - New Gold Inc. ("New Gold" or the "Company") (TSX: NGD) (NYSE American: NGD) today announced that it has commenced an offering of $400 million aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes (the "Notes"). New Gold intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Notes, together with cash on hand, to fund the purchase of any and all of its outstanding 7.50% senior notes due 2027 (the "Existing Notes") and to pay related fees and expenses. New Gold intends to use the remainder of the net proceeds, if any, to redeem any Existing Notes remaining outstanding following the Tender Offer (as defined below) at 100% of the principal amount thereof on or about July 15, 2025. As also announced today, New Gold has commenced a tender offer (the "Tender Offer") to purchase for cash any and all of the Existing Notes, subject to, among other conditions, the successful completion of the offering of the Notes. The Tender Offer is being made only by and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the related Offer to Purchase. The offering of the Notes is not conditional upon any minimum principal amount of Existing Notes being tendered and purchased in the Tender Offer. The Notes will be offered and sold only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes will be offered and sold in Canada on a private placement basis pursuant to certain prospectus exemptions. The offer and sale of the Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act and the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any offer or sale of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This news release shall not constitute an offer to purchase or the solicitation of an offer to sell any Existing Notes in the Tender Offer, and this news release shall not constitute a notice of redemption for the Existing Notes. About New Gold New Gold is a Canadian-focused intermediate mining Company with a portfolio of two core producing assets in Canada, the Rainy River gold mine and the New Afton copper-gold mine. New Gold's vision is to build a leading diversified intermediate gold company based in Canada that is committed to the environment and social responsibility. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that New Gold believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements, including the completion and timing of the offering of the Notes, the intended use of proceeds from the offering of the Notes to fund the Tender Offer and the Company's intention to redeem any Existing Notes not tendered and the timing thereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although New Gold has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. New Gold does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE New Gold Inc. Research finds nearly all (98%) Gen Z jobseekers open to skilled trades careers would pursue those opportunities if training was funded and nearly 3 in 4 would be "extremely likely" to pursue programs offering paid training, revealing opportunities to attract new generation to manufacturing, healthcare and skilled trades BOSTON, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ready to Hire, part of the skills training business of Cengage Group, a global edtech company, today released its Gen Z in the Skilled Workforce report - which surveyed 525 Gen Zers (age 18-29) currently working in or considering entry-level roles in manufacturing, skilled trades and healthcare - to better understand how they discover and evaluate career pathways. The research comes as industry estimates suggest that 4.2M U.S. workers are planning to retire next year, highlighting the urgent need for organizations to reach this next generation. New Ready to Hire Research Suggests Financial Barriers Preventing Gen Z From Closing the Skills Gap in the Skilled Trades (PRNewsfoto/Cengage Work, part of Cengage Group) "Organizations that rely on a skilled entry-level workforce and face an aging workforce with significant retirements expected in the next year are under significant pressure to attract the next generation," said Rya Conrad-Bradshaw, SVP, Cengage Work and General Manager, ed2go and Ready to Hire. "Many specialized roles in manufacturing and healthcare require students to self-fund certification programs, which our research shows can be a critical barrier to entry for Gen Z jobseekers." In fact, 98% of Gen Z jobseekers say they would be more likely to pursue an entry level career in skilled trades if training was funded, and nearly 1 in 4 (23%) cite financial resource barriers as a primary obstacle. Nearly 3 in 4 (70%) indicated they're "extremely likely" to pursue programs offering paid training in skilled trades that lead directly to employment. Beyond financial challenges, respondents expressed feeling underprepared by their training. Less than half (45%) in skilled trades roles felt that their training fully prepared them for their responsibilities and 20% of those who were looking for jobs in the skilled trades reported a lack of qualifications to move forward with applications. Just over half (52%) want more preparation for their roles, citing gaps in hands-on experience and tech-focused training. "As these results show, the high cost of training, along with inadequate training programs, are major obstacles in connecting this generation to skilled trades," said Conrad-Bradshaw. "Removing these barriers and offering better access to affordable and comprehensive training programs gives organizations a competitive edge in attracting this generation and nurturing the next wave of loyal talent." Additional Key Findings: Gen Z career choice driven by job stability, salary - When deciding to pursue their career, respondents indicate job stability (58%), salary potential (55%) and alignment with personal values or interests (36%) as top drivers. Further, nearly 3 in 4 (74%) Gen Z workers say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their current jobs and nearly 1 in 3 (28%) plan to stay in their field of work for more than 10 years. Gen Z also has strong interest in development opportunities - 70% are "extremely likely" to pursue programs offering paid training in skilled trades that lead directly to employment. Additionally, many respondents (over 78%) said they want to see growth paths and skill development plans before committing to a role. This echoes findings in the 2024 Cengage Group Employability Report, which found that 69% of respondents wished their college or learning programs worked more closely with employers to develop hands-on learning courses. The optimal time to reach this generation is during high school - Nearly two thirds (62%) of aspiring workers started considering career paths during high school or immediately after graduation. This represents an opportunity for organizations to collaborate with local high schools to offer hands-on learning opportunities, allowing students to explore the potential of these careers. Friends and family provide strong influence over other sources The report found that 64% of those working in the skilled trades first learned about their current field through family and friends, while only 10% were influenced by career guidance programs and 9% by social media. Gen Z conducts extensive online research when job hunting a significant number (over 85%) checked job boards, LinkedIn (45%), Reddit (42%) and YouTube (29%) for professional opportunities and employer research. To learn more and to download to the Gen Z in the Skilled Workforce report, visit readytohire.com/blog/gen-z-in-the-skilled-workforce/. Survey methodology: Data presented in this report comes from a survey conducted between October 18 and October 29, 2024, of 525 individuals aged 18-29 from the United States who did not hold a bachelor's degree. The service CloudResearch (Connect) was used to recruit, and participants were either employed in or interested in entry-level positions within health care, manufacturing or other skilled trades. Responses were confidential and met rigorous standards to ensure a broad representation of this population and protection of personal data and information. About Ready to Hire Ready to Hire, powered by Cengage Group, helps companies create and develop skilled talent pipelines for high demand roles through role-aligned training and upskilling products and services. Working directly with employers and a network of academic partners and workforce organizations, Ready to Hire helps employers build untapped candidate pipelines using scalable, technology-enabled services that identify and train new talent through train-to-hire programs, upskill current talent to earn certifications and professional skills with an on-site structured experience, and access local talent. For more information, visit https://www.readytohire.com/. About Cengage Group With more than 100 years serving learners, Cengage Group is a global edtech company that enables student choice. No matter how, where, when or why someone wants to learn, our portfolio of education businesses supports all students, from middle school through graduate school and skills education, with quality content and technology. Collectively, our three business units Cengage Academic, Cengage Work and Cengage Select help millions of students each year in more than 125 countries achieve their education and career goals and lead choice-filled lives. Visit us at www.cengagegroup.com or find us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contacts Emily Featherston, Vice President, Corporate Communications [email protected] SOURCE Cengage Work, part of Cengage Group Educators' Attitudes toward the Profession Vary Significantly by State AUSTIN, Texas, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- America's teachers are finding reasons to be more optimistic about their profession, according to a on the state of the teaching profession released by Education Week at the SXSW-EDU Conference in Austin. Overall, teacher morale has improved from just one year ago, a shift from recent years when teachers reported high levels of burnout and disillusionment. Yet even though teachers appear to feel more optimistic about their work, they are under pressure to keep pace with multiplying responsibilities and deepening student needs, the report finds. A new Education Week report shows that U.S. teachers are finding more reasons to be optimistic about their profession. Post this Now in its second year, The State of Teaching report aims to portray the reality of today's teaching profession, correct misconceptions, and help inform smarter policies and practices for the field of over 3 million educators working in K-12 schools. According to the report, during the 2024-25 school year, the Teacher Morale Index, a year-over-year multifaceted gauge developed by the nonprofit Education Week, is +18 on a scale of -100 to +100, suggesting that teachers overall view their jobs more positively than negatively. The score rose significantly from last year's -13. "By reporting from classrooms across the country, we found that teachers served students not only with their specific expertise but also by being agile, adaptable and empathetic," said Education Week Editor-in-Chief Beth Frerking. "Despite their many challenges, their resilience shone through." Based on in-depth reporting and surveys from schools around the country, the report features interactive charts showing the Teacher Morale Index score for each state and details five changes other than a pay raise that teachers say would be most likely to boost their morale. These include hiring more staff; shifts in school leadership approaches and styles; changes to school rules/policies; changes to schedules/calendars; and more money for non-staffing-related needs. The report found that teacher morale levels vary significantly by state. Teachers in Georgia have the highest score on the Teacher Morale Index at +47. At the other end of the spectrum, New Hampshire has the lowest score at -14. The report also describes differences in teacher morale by gender, race/ethnicity, and age. "Teachers are the heart of our schools and key to scholar success," said Superintendent Dr. Errick L. Greene of Jackson Public Schools in Jackson, Miss. "Their dedication, passion, and resilience help shape the future, one child at a time. As education leaders and supporters, it is our responsibility to remain connected to their experiences, to understand their challenges, to provide the needed support, and to celebrate the impact that teachers make every day. When we listen to and uplift our teachers, we strengthen our schools, empower our scholars, and build a brighter future." The report is available at https://www.edweek.org/the-state-of-teaching. The State of Teaching Project is supported by grants from the Charles Butt Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation. Coverage of teachers and the teaching profession is also made possible by general operating support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The 50-state data collection was made possible through a partnership with MCH Strategic Data. Since 1981, Education Week has been America's most trusted resource for nonpartisan K-12 education news and information. A nonprofit organization, teachers, principals, and district leaders nationwide turn to us for the most up-to-date information on K-12 education, as well as innovative, high-value tools and solutions. Learn more at www.edweek.org. Contact: Robyn Miller-Tarnoff, [email protected], 301-280-3187 SOURCE Education Week JUNO BEACH, Fla., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) today announced that members of the senior management team will participate in various investor meetings throughout March. They plan to discuss, among other things, long-term growth-rate expectations, reaffirming those presented on the Jan. 24, 2025, fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financial results call. Investors and other interested parties can access a copy of the Jan. 24, 2025, news release and presentation materials at www.NextEraEnergy.com/investors. NextEra Energy, Inc. NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. A Fortune 200 company, NextEra Energy owns Florida Power & Light Company, which is America's largest electric utility that sells more power than any other utility, providing clean, affordable, reliable electricity to more than 6 million customer accounts, or approximately 12 million people across Florida. NextEra Energy also owns a competitive clean energy business, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. Through its subsidiaries, NextEra Energy generates clean, emissions-free electricity from seven commercial nuclear power units in Florida, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com. ### Cautionary Statements and Risk Factors That May Affect Future Results This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but instead represent the current expectations of NextEra Energy, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, NextEra Energy) regarding future operating results and other future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of NextEra Energy's control. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements concerning long-term growth-rate expectations. In some cases, you can identify the forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "will," "may result," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "seek," "potential," "projection," "forecast," "predict," "goals," "target," "outlook," "should," "would" or similar words or expressions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. The future results of NextEra Energy and its business and financial condition are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, or may require it to limit or eliminate certain operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed in this news release and the following: effects of extensive regulation of NextEra Energy's business operations; inability of NextEra Energy to recover in a timely manner any significant amount of costs, a return on certain assets or a reasonable return on invested capital through base rates, cost recovery clauses, other regulatory mechanisms or otherwise; impact of political, regulatory, operational and economic factors on regulatory decisions important to NextEra Energy; effect of any reductions or modifications to, or elimination of, governmental incentives or policies that support clean energy projects or the imposition of additional tax laws, tariffs, duties, policies or other costs or assessments on clean energy or equipment necessary to generate, store or deliver it; impact of new or revised laws, regulations executive orders, interpretations or constitutional ballot and regulatory initiatives on NextEra Energy; capital expenditures, increased operating costs and various liabilities attributable to environmental laws, regulations and other standards applicable to NextEra Energy; effects on NextEra Energy of federal or state laws or regulations mandating new or additional limits on the production of greenhouse gas emissions; exposure of NextEra Energy to significant and increasing compliance costs and substantial monetary penalties and other sanctions as a result of extensive federal, state and local government regulation of its operations and businesses; effect on NextEra Energy of changes in tax laws, guidance or policies as well as in judgments and estimates used to determine tax-related asset and liability amounts; impact on NextEra Energy of adverse results of litigation; impacts of NextEra Energy of allegations of violations of law; effect on NextEra Energy of failure to proceed with projects under development or inability to complete the construction of (or capital improvements to) electric generation, storage, transmission and distribution facilities, natural gas and oil production and transportation facilities or other facilities on schedule or within budget; impact on development and operating activities of NextEra Energy resulting from risks related to project siting, planning, financing, construction, permitting, governmental approvals and the negotiation of project development agreements, as well as supply chain disruptions; risks involved in the operation and maintenance of electric generation, storage, transmission and distribution facilities, natural gas and oil production and transportation facilities, and other facilities; effect on NextEra Energy of a lack of growth, slower growth or a decline in the number of customers or in customer usage; impact on NextEra Energy of severe weather and other weather conditions; threats of terrorism and catastrophic events that could result from geopolitical factors, terrorism, cyberattacks or other attempts to disrupt NextEra Energy's business or the businesses of third parties; inability to obtain adequate insurance coverage for protection of NextEra Energy against significant losses and risk that insurance coverage does not provide protection against all significant losses; a prolonged period of low natural gas and oil prices, disrupted production or unsuccessful drilling efforts could impact NextEra Energy's natural gas and oil production and transportation operations and cause NextEra Energy to delay or cancel certain natural gas and oil production projects and could result in certain assets becoming impaired; risk of increased operating costs resulting from unfavorable supply costs necessary to provide full energy and capacity requirements services; inability or failure to manage properly or hedge effectively the commodity risk within its portfolio; effect of reductions in the liquidity of energy markets on NextEra Energy's ability to manage operational risks; effectiveness of NextEra Energy's risk management tools associated with its hedging and trading procedures to protect against significant losses, including the effect of unforeseen price variances from historical behavior; impact of unavailability or disruption of power transmission or commodity transportation operations on sale and delivery of power or natural gas; exposure of NextEra Energy to credit and performance risk from customers, hedging counterparties and vendors; failure of counterparties to perform under derivative contracts or of requirement for NextEra Energy to post margin cash collateral under derivative contracts; failure or breach of NextEra Energy's information technology systems; risks to NextEra Energy's retail businesses from compromise of sensitive customer data; losses from volatility in the market values of derivative instruments and limited liquidity in over-the-counter markets; impact of negative publicity; inability to maintain, negotiate or renegotiate acceptable franchise agreements; occurrence of work strikes or stoppages and increasing personnel costs; NextEra Energy's ability to successfully identify, complete and integrate acquisitions, including the effect of increased competition for acquisitions; environmental, health and financial risks associated with ownership and operation of nuclear generation facilities; liability of NextEra Energy for significant retrospective assessments and/or retrospective insurance premiums in the event of an incident at certain nuclear generation facilities; increased operating and capital expenditures and/or reduced revenues at nuclear generation facilities resulting from orders or new regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; inability to operate any of NextEra Energy's owned nuclear generation units through the end of their respective operating licenses or planned license extensions; effect of disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit and capital markets or actions by third parties in connection with project-specific or other financing arrangements on NextEra Energy's ability to fund its liquidity and capital needs and meet its growth objectives; defaults or noncompliance related to project-specific, limited-recourse financing agreements; inability to maintain current credit ratings; impairment of liquidity from inability of credit providers to fund their credit commitments or to maintain their current credit ratings; poor market performance and other economic factors that could affect NextEra Energy's defined benefit pension plan's funded status; poor market performance and other risks to the asset values of nuclear decommissioning funds; changes in market value and other risks to certain of NextEra Energy's assets and investments; effect of inability of NextEra Energy subsidiaries to pay upstream dividends or repay funds to NextEra Energy or of NextEra Energy's performance under guarantees of subsidiary obligations on NextEra Energy's ability to meet its financial obligations and to pay dividends on its common stock; the fact that the amount and timing of dividends payable on NextEra Energy's common stock, as well as the dividend policy approved by NextEra Energy's board of directors from time to time, and changes to that policy, are within the sole discretion of NextEra Energy's board of directors and, if declared and paid, dividends may be in amounts that are less than might be expected by shareholders; XPLR Infrastructure, LP's inability to access sources of capital on commercially reasonable terms could have an effect on its ability to consummate future acquisitions and on the value of NextEra Energy's limited partner interest in XPLR Operating Partners, LP; effects of disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit and capital markets on the market price of NextEra Energy's common stock; and the ultimate severity and duration of public health crises, epidemics and pandemics, and its effects on NextEra Energy's business. NextEra Energy discusses these and other risks and uncertainties in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, and this news release should be read in conjunction with such SEC filings. The forward-looking statements made in this news release are made only as of the date of this news release and NextEra Energy undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc. One NHA school helping students increase fluency with decodable book library GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- March is Reading Month, and while students celebrate with their favorite books, some children are still improving their reading skills. National Heritage Academies' (NHA) Curriculum Specialist Jamie Garner explained why students might be behind and how to help increase their literacy. NHA Curriculum Specialist Jamie Garner offered tips to help struggling readers improve their fluency and comprehension. The foundation for a good reader starts with mastering phonics and phonemic awareness. Phonics is the relationship between letters and the sounds they make, and phonemic awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate letters and their sounds. When students can match letters to sounds and then use that knowledge to identify words, that's when they gain momentum. Garner said that children might have trouble reading due to a lack of explicit instruction and practice. NHA schools use skills assessments to help identify students facing challenges, and teachers use this information to build a tailored intervention plan. "We have the tools at NHA to nail down what gaps each child has," Garner said. "It's easy for teachers to nail down what our students are understanding so that they can reteach the skill or present it in a different way. We can bridge those gaps for students so they can be successful in life." While transformational work is happening at NHA schools, improving reading skills doesn't stop in the classroom. Garner offered multiple strategies to use at home, helping children of all ages. For the youngest readers still learning their letters, recognizing each shape and matching it with the proper sound is an easy exercise for students and their parents. For a more hands-on activity, Garner said writing letters in shaving cream or sand helps build a bond between letters and their sounds. Garner also recommended a "sound hunt," where students go around the house searching for items that start with the same sounds. Another way to build up your child's vocabulary is to try and think of words that fit specific categories, like naming things associated with restaurants while you're on your way to a dinner out. "When we do these activities, we're categorizing these things in our brain," Garner said. "When we put things into categories like that, it might seem simple, but it actually has long-term effects." One tool emerging readers can use is a decodable book. These books focus on the relationship between letters and the sounds they make, providing students the opportunity to practice sounding out words and build their reading foundation. Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy At Risk Teacher Lindsay Cliff introduced a decodable book library in her school. She said these resources use explicit instruction of sound-letter correspondence to help readers grow. "Students are able to break down words by sounding them out and not by guessing," Cliff said. "I have older students that struggle with reading longer words because they see the first three or four letters and guess the rest of the word. It's important to approach literacy by breaking it down step-by-step so that students can build up their skills." Decodable books have a minimalistic design, one without many colors or pictures. When the page focuses on the words, students can't rely on the book's visuals to comprehend the story. These books serve struggling readers of all ages. Cliff included chapter books in the school's decodable library as a tool for older students during independent reading time. She said she wanted them to feel comfortable around their peers who might be reading advanced chapter books. Whether students are using decodable books or writing letters in shaving cream, both Cliff and Garner emphasized the importance of practice. Reading independently or with a parent exposes kids to letters, words, and books, which goes a long way toward improved fluency. "The more they see words, the more automatic they become," Garner said. "The more automatic it is, the easier it is to read that word in context." About National Heritage Academies: National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of 100 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 68,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find the nearest charter school near you, use the NHA school finder. SOURCE National Heritage Academies DURHAM, N.C., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hillcrest Convalescent Center and Hillcrest Raleigh at Crabtree Valley (collectively "Hillcrest") are notifying individuals of a data security event that may have affected their personal information. While we are unaware of any attempted or actual misuse of personal information, we are providing individuals with information about the event, our response, and steps they may take to protect against any possible misuse of their personal information, should they feel it necessary to do so. Hillcrest is posting this notice to provide individuals with information about the data security event and to share resources with people who believe their personal information was potentially impacted. Hillcrest mailed letters to affected individuals for whom it had sufficient address information for beginning on February 28, 2025. Please note, we may not have sufficient address information for all potentially impacted individuals and are offering this notice in the media as a means of helping inform them. What Happened? On June 27, 2024, Hillcrest identified suspicious activity on its network and moved quickly to secure its environment. Hillcrest immediately launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. Through the investigation, Hillcrest discovered unauthorized access to its network that led to the unauthorized acquisition of some Hillcrest data. Hillcrest then conducted an extensive and detailed review of the data to identify the potentially affected individuals and information. This review was completed on February 13, 2025. What Information was Involved? The potentially affected information includes name, date of birth, Social Security number, patient data, medical information, treatment information, health insurance information, and Health Care Provider information. What We Are Doing. Protecting personal information in our care is one of our top priorities. Upon learning of this event, we promptly initiated an investigation to review and enhance our security systems. We also reported the incident to law enforcement in an effort to hold the perpetrators accountable. Additionally, Hillcrest is offering all affected individuals between twelve (12) and twenty-four (24) months of complimentary credit monitoring and identity restoration services through TransUnion, depending on your state of residence. The deadline to enroll in these services is June 5, 2025. Please note, affected individuals must visit the website or call and speak with a TransUnion representative to be enrolled in the services. What You Can Do. Please review the following "What Steps Can I Take to Help Protect My Personal Information?" which provides information on what individuals can do to better safeguard against possible misuse of their personal information. We also encourage all to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing account statements and monitoring credit reports for suspicious activity. If individuals identify any suspicious activity on their accounts, please contact the institution the account is held with to speak with them directly about the activity. For More Information. If anyone has additional questions or concerns that are not addressed in this notice, please call our toll-free dedicated assistance line at 1-833-799-4042. This toll-free line is available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this event may cause. We remain committed to ensuring the security of information in our care. What Steps Can I Take to Help Protect My Personal Information? Monitor your accounts : We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity or errors. Please report any suspicious activity on your account to the institution. Check credit reports : Under United States law, you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report at: Equifax P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374 1-800-685-1111 www.equifax.com Experian P.O. Box 9701 Allen, TX 75013 1-888-397-3742 www.experian.com TransUnion P.O. Box 1000 Chester, PA 19016 1-800-888-4213 www.transunion.com Place a security freeze : You may place a security freeze on your credit reports, free of charge. A security freeze prohibits a credit reporting agency from releasing any information from a consumer's credit report without written authorization. However, please be aware that placing a security freeze on your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prevent the timely approval of any requests you make for new loans, credit mortgages, employment, housing, or other services. You will need to place a security freeze separately with each of the three major credit bureaus if you wish to place a freeze on all your credit files. To request a security freeze, you will need to supply your full name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, current address, all addresses for up to five previous years, email address, a copy of your state identification card or driver's license, and a copy of a utility bill, bank or insurance statement, or other statement proving residence. To find out more on how to place a security freeze, contact the credit reporting agencies at: Equifax P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348 1-800-685-1111 equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services Experian P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 1-888-397-3742 experian.com/freeze/center.html TransUnion P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016 1-888-909-8872 transunion.com/credit-freeze Place a fraud alert : At no charge, you can also have the three major credit bureaus place a "fraud alert" on your file that alerts creditors to take additional steps to verify your identity prior to granting credit in your name. Note, however, that because it tells creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you, it may also delay your ability to obtain credit while the agency verifies your identity. As soon as one credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the others are notified to place fraud alerts on your file. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, or should you have any questions regarding your credit report, please contact the credit reporting agencies. Equifax P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348 1-888-766-0008 equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services Experian P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 1-888-397-3742 experian.com/fraud/center.html TransUnion P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016 1-888-909-8872 transunion.com/fraud-victim-resource/place-fraud-alert Review additional resources : You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, security freezes, fraud alerts, and the steps you can take to protect yourself against identity theft and fraud by contacting the Federal Trade Commission or your state Attorney General, with some contact information shown below. The Federal Trade Commission encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should be promptly reported to law enforcement, the Federal Trade Commission, and your state Attorney General. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. This notification was not delayed by law enforcement. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20580 consumer.ftc.gov and ftc.gov/idtheft 1-877-438-4338 Maryland Attorney General 200 St. Paul Place Baltimore, MD 21202 oag.state.md.us 1-888-743-0023 New York Attorney General Bureau of Internet and Technology Resources 28 Liberty Street New York, NY 10005 ag.ny.gov 1-212-416-8433 North Carolina Attorney General 9001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699 ncdoj.gov 1-877-566-7226 Rhode Island Attorney General 150 South Main Street Providence, RI 02903 riag.ri.gov 1-401-274-4400 Washington, D.C. Attorney General 441 4th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 oag.dc.gov 1-202-727-3400 You also have certain rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) : These rights include the right to know what is in your file; to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information; to have consumer reporting agencies correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; as well as other rights. For more information about the FCRA and your rights pursuant to the FCRA, please visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/articles/pdf/pdf-0096-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf Minor's Personal Information Involved : You can request that each of the three national credit reporting agencies perform a manual search for a minor's Social Security number to determine if there is an associated credit report. Copies of identifying information for the minor and parent/guardian may be required, including birth or adoption certificate, Social Security card and government issued identification card. If a credit report exists, you should request a copy of the report and immediately report any fraudulent accounts to the credit reporting agency. You can also report any misuse of a minor's information to the FTC at https://www.identitytheft.gov/. For more information about Child Identity Theft and instructions for requesting a manual Social Security number search, visit the FTC website: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0040-child-identity-theft. Contact information for the three national credit reporting agencies may be found above. Deceased Family Member's Personal Information Involved: You may choose to notify the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and request they flag the deceased credit file. This will prevent the credit file information from being used to open credit. To make this request, mail a copy of your family member's death certificate to each company at the addresses below: Equifax Information Services P.O. Box 105169 Atlanta, GA 30348 Experian Information Services P.O. Box 9701 Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Information Services P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19022 Contact: Amir Goodarzi, 215.299.2020 SOURCE Hillcrest Convalescent Center The Company is also pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, it lodged its application for the grant of Fast-track approvals for the Waihi North Project ("WNP"), which includes Wharekirauponga Underground ("WUG"), under New Zealand's Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 (the "Act"). The Company expects WNP to be fully permitted (subject to any appeals) under the Act by the end of 2025. Highlight drill intercepts include (estimated true width): 6.3 m @ 8.7 g/t Au from 450.0 m , EG Vein (WKP135) @ 8.7 g/t Au from , EG Vein (WKP135) 1.7 m @ 24.6 g/t Au from 373.3 m , EG HWS Vein (WKP135) @ 24.6 g/t Au from , EG HWS Vein (WKP135) 3.5 m @ 14.0 g/t Au from 457.0 m , EG Vein (WKP132A) @ 14.0 g/t Au from , EG Vein (WKP132A) 5.7 m @ 5.3 g/t Au from 516.6 m , EG Vein (WKP136A) @ 5.3 g/t Au from , EG Vein (WKP136A) 3.8 m @ 4.0 g/t Au from 567.8 m , EG Vein (WKP136) Gerard Bond, President & CEO of OceanaGold, said "Today's results continue to demonstrate the continuity and upside potential at Wharekirauponga beyond the 1.2 Moz of Reserves we declared with the PFS in December 2024. Continued growth of Wharekirauponga through drilling and exploring for further discoveries in the district in 2025 is one of the best investments we can make and we look forward to the potential to continue to grow the resource. Additionally, the submission of our application for the Waihi North Project under the Fast-track Approvals Act is a significant milestone for us and is a testament to the years of hard work, preparation and studies that have gone into this submission. We are excited to now be one step closer to advancing this great project and look forward to unlocking the value of Wharekirauponga for all of our stakeholders." Drill Results Overview Since the Company's exploration news release dated November 14, 2024, a total of five drill holes have been completed which include four extensional drill holes, two from drill site 9 and two from site 8, each of which has intersected significant mineralization in the high-grade southern shoot of the East Graben (EG) vein zone (Table 1, Figures 1-3). Results demonstrate continuation of high-grade mineralization within the EG vein and numerous hanging wall (HW) veins to the south. In addition, a single hole was completed in the lower level of the northern shoot as part of geohydrological studies (Table 1, Figures 1-3) intersecting the EG vein and low-grade mineralization in WKPB01 (1.9 m @ 2.0 g/t Au). Drilling continues to step out to the south and grow the high-grade southern shoot of the EG vein zone and highlights ongoing potential with a further 600 metres of strike available to be tested from drill site 9. Holes WKP132A (3.5 m @ 14.0 g/t Au) and WKP135 (6.3 m @ 8.7 g/t Au) demonstrate excellent grade and width in the unconstrained up-dip and strike dimensions of the southern shoot. Hole WKP135, drilled from drill site 9, is the southernmost hole drilled across the EG vein to date and demonstrates continuity in grade. Hole WKP137, slightly higher in elevation, further supports this result intersecting 4.1 metres (true width) on the EG vein with analyses pending (Figure 2). Hole WKP135 also showed a high-grade intersection of 24.6 g/t over 1.7 metres (true width) across the EG HWS (Hanging-Wall Splay), similarly extending mineralization in the hanging wall. A neighbouring hole drilled in late 2024, WKP134A, also intersected high-grade mineralization on this structure with 16.0 g/t over 2.3 metres (true width). Opportunity remains for up-plunge, down-plunge, and along-strike extensions on this and other attendant hanging and footwall veins. Drill holes WKP136 (3.8 m @ 4.0 g/t Au) and WKP136A (5.7 m @ 5.3 g/t Au) have improved the confidence in mineralization at the lower level of the southern high-grade shoot with both holes displaying continuity in geology and mineralization. These holes will also contribute to the growth of the resource in a future model update. Results can be viewed in 3D using VRIFY at the following link: https://vrify.com/meetings/recordings/2379d4c3-4a93-440f-91fe-283ee8ca1c1d VRIFY note: Drill results reflect those set forth in OceanaGold's press release dated March 4, 2025. For further information, please refer to the press release. 2025 Exploration Program Exploration drilling for the 2025 drill program will target resource growth from drill sites 1, 8 and 9, testing beyond the current southern extent of drilling, and up-dip of both current and future extension holes in the south. The EG vein zone remains the primary, near-term target for drilling with 8,600 metres planned in 2025, targeting resource conversion and growth. About Wharekirauponga, the Waihi North Project and the Fast-track Approvals Act The Wharekirauponga vein system is located approximately 10 kilometres to the north of the Company's Waihi Gold Mine (Figure 4). Resource conversion drilling at Wharekirauponga during 2024 has increased the Indicated Resource to 2.4 million tonnes grading 17.9 g/t Au for 1.4 million ounces of gold and 1.9 million tonnes grading 9.8 g/t Au for 0.6 million ounces of gold in the Inferred Resource category. Wharekirauponga is part of WNP, which has the potential to create significant socio-economic contributions for the communities in the Coromandel region and for New Zealand. This includes significant in-country investments and a substantial increase to direct and indirect employment opportunities. OceanaGold operates to the highest environmental and social standards which has enabled it to run a successful and responsible mining business in New Zealand for over three decades. The lodging of its substantive application for Fast-track approvals is consistent with the Company's targeted timeline for the grant of approvals by December 2025 and the commencement of decline and underground development work for the proposed WUG mine in 2026. In 2025, $40-45 million of early works not requiring Fast-track approvals are also planned. The Act was passed by the New Zealand Government in December 2024 and looks to accelerate the development of major projects with significant regional or national benefits. Applications for Fast-track approvals opened in February 2025. For more information on the Act, please see the Government of New Zealand's website at https://environment.govt.nz/acts-and-regulations/acts/fast-track-approvals/. Table 1: Wharekirauponga drill intersections subsequent to the November 14, 2024 results update. Drill Hole ID From (m) To (m) True width (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Vein WKP132A 457.0 461.3 3.5 14.0 8.1 EG WKP135 373.3 375.4 1.7 24.6 18.9 EG HWS WKP135 450.0 457.0 6.3 8.7 11.2 EG WKP136 567.8 573.7 3.8 4.0 9.6 EG WKP136A 516.6 524.0 5.7 5.3 7.0 EG WKPB01 328.6 333.0 1.9 2.0 14.3 EG For further information relating to drill hole data for Wharekirauponga, please refer to the Company's website at https://investors.oceanagold.com/additional-drillhole-data. www.oceanagold.com About OceanaGold OceanaGold is a growing intermediate gold and copper producer committed to safely and responsibly maximizing the generation of Free Cash Flow from our operations and delivering strong returns for our shareholders. We have a portfolio of four operating mines: the Haile Gold Mine in the United States of America; Didipio Mine in the Philippines; and the Macraes and Waihi operations in New Zealand. Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) at Wharekirauponga, Waihi Gold Mine All exploration samples are assayed for gold by 30g fire assay with AAS finish. Since mid-2022, drill core sample intervals where visible electrum is logged are followed up by a subsequent screen fire assay after the routine 30g fire assay. Holes WKP40-45 had core samples shipped for sample preparation to the independent SGS laboratory in Westport (New Zealand). Prepared pulps were then shipped to independent Australian Laboratory Services Pty Ltd (ALS) in Brisbane, accredited to ISO/NATA 17025 for gold analysis by fire assay and 4-acid digest, and 42 element ICP geochemical analysis. Holes drilled after WKP45 (i.e., WKP46 to WKP136) were prepared and analyzed at SGS Waihi NZ Ltd (Au by 30g fire assay and Ag by aqua regia digest and 0.3gm AAS finish). Selected pulps are periodically sent to ALS in Brisbane for a 4-acid digestion and 42 or 48 element ICP geochemical analysis. Quality of exploration assay results has been monitored in the following areas: Sample preparation at the SGS Waihi and Westport labs through sieving of jaw crush and pulp products; labs through sieving of jaw crush and pulp products; Monitoring of assay precision through routine generation of duplicate samples from a second split of the jaw crush and calculation of the fundamental error; and Monitoring of accuracy of the primary SGS assay and ALS results through insertion Certified Reference Materials ("CRMs") and blanks into sample batches. Blank, duplicate and CRM results are reviewed prior to uploading results in the AcQuire database and again on a weekly basis. The protocol at Waihi requires CRMs to be reported to within 2 standard deviations of the certified value. The criterion for preparation duplicates is that they have a relative difference (R-R1/mean RR1) of no greater than 10%. Blanks should not exceed more than 4 times the lower detection value of the assay method. Failure in any of these thresholds triggers an investigation and, if appropriate, re-assay. Drill core is stored within secure facilities on site to which access is controlled. Site employees transport samples to the analytical laboratory which is also a secured facility. The SGS Waihi NZ Ltd laboratory is an independent commercial geochemistry and energy assay laboratory with ISO 17025: 2017 accreditation, audited by an external consultant in 2020, and is inspected on a quarterly basis by OceanaGold geologists. No sampling risks have been recorded during these visits. Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical information relating to Waihi exploration results in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Leroy Crawford-Flett, a Chartered Professional Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and an employee of OceanaGold. Technical Report For further information, please refer to the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report - Waihi District Study Pre-feasibility Study, New Zealand" dated December 11, 2024 with an effective date of June 30, 2024, prepared by D. Townsend, L Crawford-Flett, K. Hollis, E Leslie, and T. Maton, (OceanaGold) available on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.com under the Company's name and the Company's news release entitled "OceanaGold Reports Mineral Reserves and Resources for the Year Ended 2024" dated February 19, 2025. Cautionary Statement for Public Release This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the expected permitting and construction timeline for WNP, potential Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources growth, the realization of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates, costs and timing of future exploration and drilling programs and the potential of WNP to create significant socio-economic contributions for the surrounding communities in New Zealand. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future performance and reflect the Company's expectations regarding the generation of Free Cash Flow, execution of business strategy, future growth, future production, estimated costs, results of operations, business prospects and opportunities of OceanaGold and its related subsidiaries. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. They include, among others, the accuracy of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources estimates and related assumptions, inherent operating risks and those risk factors identified in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form prepared and filed with securities regulators which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com under the Company's name. There are no assurances the Company can fulfil forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are only predictions based on current information available to management as of the date that such predictions are made; actual events or results may differ materially as a result of risks facing the Company, some of which are beyond the Company's control. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on reasonable assumptions, readers cannot be assured that actual outcomes or results will be consistent with such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE OceanaGold Corporation WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED New GenAI agent proposes code fixes directly within Microsoft's VS Code editor Growing adoption of Parasoft's C/C++ test CT designed for automation at scale Company experts reinforce commitment to innovations in AI, test automation, and continuous compliance during three embedded world Conference 2025 sessions MONROVIA, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Parasoft, a global leader in AI-automated software testing solutions, is showcasing its latest product innovations at embedded world Exhibition, booth 4-318, including new GenAI integration with Microsoft Visual Studio Code (VS Code) to optimize test automation of safety-critical applications while reducing development time, cost, and risk. Additionally, growing customer adoption of Parasoft C/C++test CT for continuous testing and compliance underscores the company's ability to take software testing to the next level, empowering customers to meet rigorous industry, regulatory, and quality standards. "As embedded systems face ever-increasing demands for heightened safety, security, and efficiency, Parasoft continues to build on our legacy of AI-driven automation to ease development while elevating compliance," said Igor Kirilenko, chief product officer, Parasoft. "Our integration through the GenAI agent inside VS Code, for example, offers developers assistance with fixing static analysis violations to produce better quality code." Smarter, Faster Resolution of VS Code Violations The GenAI agent for VS Code gives C/C++ developers another layer of intelligence to expedite resolutions of code violations in VS Code, one of the world's most popular integrated development environments (IDEs). Residing within Microsoft Copilot, the agent works with Parasoft's static analysis tool to analyze software code for violations and then delivers in-depth problem explanations based on specific business requirements, industry best practices, and compliance standards, such as MISRA and CWE Top 25. In addition to pinpointing the violation and recommending rules-based resolutions, this latest Parasoft extension proposes automatic code corrections. All actions associated with this closed-loop workflow take place within the IDE, eliminating tedious and time-consuming intermediate steps and context switching. The results empower developers to build high-quality code at the source, while reducing development time by up to 30%. Available now, Parasoft's new GenAI agent is being piloted by top customers, including a major automotive manufacturer and multinational semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company. Growing Traction for Parasoft C/C++test CT Since its introduction last year, C/C++test CT has been deployed by Parasoft customers to ensure continuous compliance with safety standards, such as ISO 26262 for automotive, DO-178C for aerospace, IEC 62304 for medical devices, EN 50128/EN 50716 for rail systems, and IEC 61508 for industrial automation and manufacturing applications. Designed for automation at scale, the platform helps safeguard critical applications, spanning autonomous driving, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), aerospace flight controls, military weapon systems, industrial robotics, rail systems, smart home devices, and telecommunications networks. As an international Tier 1 supplier to the automotive industry, JOYNEXT relies on Parasoft's C/C++test CT to ensure continuous compliance for critical applications, including ADAS, intelligent cockpit, and smart connectivity. "Parasoft C/C++test CT outperformed the competition in a large code base encompassing both build and runtime processes," said Jens Wagner, director, R&D, JOYNEXT. "The tool gives us the highest confidence in analyzing code coverage of our entire code base while the software licensing model offers the most flexibility." According to Kenny Austin, chief customer officer at Parasoft, increased adoption of C/C++test CT reduces barriers for customers through seamless integration into diverse CI-based workflows. "Parasoft's C/C++test CT is a real game-changer for customers in safety- and security-regulated industries as it empowers them to meet stringent industry standards, accelerate CI pipelines and optimize testing solutions," he said. Overcoming Obstacles With Open-Source Framework Certification Parasoft also is lowering major barriers for developers of safety-critical applications by closing a crucial gap between open-source testing frameworks and certification requirements. In the coming months, Parasoft will share more insights on how to accelerate safety-critical software development through streamlined validation and qualification of the GoogleTest framework for seamless compliance with stringent industry standards. As part of Parasoft's customer-focused commitment, company experts will share pragmatic advice during informative sessions at embedded world Conference 2025, including a timely talk on lowering GoogleTest barriers for compliance with industry standards. Sessions include: Ensuring Safety in AI/ML-Driven Embedded Systems. Session 5.5: AI Algorithms. Wednesday, March 12 : 1:15-1:45 p.m. Presented by Ricardo Camacho , director, Software Safety & Security. Overcoming Challenges Deploying GoogleTest Unit Test Frameworks for C/C++ Embedded Software Compliance. Session 5.15: Test Automation. Wednesday, March 12 , 3-3:30 p.m. Presented by Miroslaw Zielinski , director, Product Management. Accelerating Coding Standards Compliance Using AI-Augmented Static Analysis. Session 5.9: How to Leverage AI for Development. Thursday, March 13 , 3:30-4 p.m. Presented by Arthur Hicken , chief evangelist. About Parasoft Parasoft helps organizations continuously deliver high-quality software with its AI-powered software testing platform and automated test solutions. Supporting the embedded, enterprise, and IoT markets, Parasoft's proven technologies reduce the time, effort, and cost of delivering secure, reliable, and compliant software by integrating everything from deep code analysis and unit testing to web UI and API testing, plus service virtualization and complete code coverage, into the delivery pipeline. Bringing all this together, Parasoft's award-winning reporting and analytics dashboard provides a centralized view of quality, enabling organizations to deliver with confidence and succeed in today's most strategic ecosystems and development initiatives security, safety-critical, Agile, DevOps, and continuous testing. SOURCE Parasoft SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Perr&Knight, a leading insurance consulting and software solutions provider, is proud to celebrate its 30th anniversary and has launched a special landing page on their website (www.perrknight.com) to commemorate and share this significant milestone. Loaded with custom-created content including videos featuring Perr&Knight's founders and principals, the special landing page also features a compelling and detailed visual timeline documenting its impressive growth and the addition of experts and services over the company's rich 30-year history. Since its founding, Perr&Knight has been a trusted partner to the property & casualty and life, accident & health industries, offering a comprehensive range of services that include actuarial consulting, risk strategies & solutions, product development, insurance policy and forms consulting, regulatory compliance, compliance and operational assessments/training, state filings, licensing, technology consulting, statistical reporting, data services, predictive analytics, and bureau monitoring & maintenance. To commemorate this milestone, Perr&Knight reflects on three decades of unwavering commitment to delivering top-tier services and innovative solutions. With more than 150 dedicated insurance professionals, including 30+ credentialed actuaries, and a nationwide presence, Perr&Knight has solidified its position as one of the largest independent actuarial and insurance consulting firms in the United States. "We are thrilled to celebrate 30 years of excellence and growth," said Tim Perr, CEO of Perr&Knight. "Our journey has been marked by a relentless pursuit of quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. We owe our success to our talented team of experts and loyal clients who have been with us through the years." A cornerstone of Perr&Knight's success is their cloud-based state filings management solution, StateFilings.com, which has become the leading platform in the industry. This innovative software exemplifies the company's dedication to leveraging technology to streamline processes and enhance efficiency for their clients. In addition to their professional achievements, Perr&Knight also takes pride in their contributions to the community and the insurance industry. Over the past 30 years, the company has been involved in numerous initiatives, fostering a culture of thought leadership, professional development, and social responsibility. As Perr&Knight looks ahead to the future, they remain committed to their core values: Environmental, Community and Employee Wellbeing; Diversity and Inclusion, Excellent Work Product, Innovation, Integrity, and Superior Customer Experience. With a strong corporate culture and a clear vision, the company is poised to continue its legacy of providing unparalleled services and solutions to the insurance industry. For more information about Perr&Knight, and to share in their 30th anniversary celebrations, please visit Perr&Knight's 30th Anniversary Page. About Perr&Knight: For 30 years, Perr&Knight has provided exemplary insurance consulting and software solutions to the property & casualty and life, accident & health industries. Services include actuarial consulting, risk strategies & solutions, product development, insurance policy and forms consulting, regulatory compliance, compliance and operational assessments/training, state filings, licensing, technology consulting, statistical reporting, data services, predictive analytics, and bureau monitoring & maintenance. Software includes StateFilings.com, the leading cloud-based state filings management solution. With offices nationwide and more than 150 insurance professionals, including 30+ credentialed actuaries, Perr&Knight is among the largest independent actuarial and insurance consulting firms in the United States. Contact: Louis Landon Marketing & Communications Manager Perr&Knight Email: [email protected] Website: www.perrknight.com SOURCE Perr&Knight SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinnacle Fertility is pleased to announce that IVF Michigan & Ohio Fertility Centers has joined its national network, expanding Pinnacle's footprint into the Midwest. IVF Michigan & Ohio, with over six decades of collective experience, has helped more than 30,000 patients achieve their family-building goals. Known for its patient-focused care and cutting-edge reproductive services, IVF Michigan & Ohio operates nine clinics across Michigan and Ohio, including in Bloomfield Hills, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Grand Blanc, Grand Rapids, Macomb, Saginaw, Traverse City, and Toledo. This partnership strengthens Pinnacle's presence in the Midwest while highlighting why clinics choose Pinnacle: access to industry-leading technology and the proven Pinnacle Operational Model (POM), which empowers clinicians to provide the best care for their patients. As part of this collaboration, IVF Michigan & Ohio will also integrate Pinnacle's operational best practices which enhance the standards of care and patient outcomes. "It's not just about our growthit's about creating more opportunities for individuals and couples to access the fertility care they need." Post this "We are thrilled to welcome IVF Michigan & Ohio Fertility Centers into our growing network," said Beth Zoneraich, CEO of Pinnacle Fertility. "This partnership reflects our continued commitment to expanding our national footprint while delivering world-class fertility care. With Pinnacle's focus on innovation and support for our physicians through our POM model and state-of-the-art technology, we are providing clinics with the resources needed to thrive in today's ever-evolving healthcare landscape. It's not just about our growthit's about creating more opportunities for individuals and couples to access the fertility care they need." Dr. F. Nicholas Shamma, founding member and Medical Director of IVF Michigan & Ohio Fertility Centers, expressed pride in the care his team provides and excitement for the future with Pinnacle. "We are incredibly proud of the compassionate, high-quality fertility care we provide to patients across Michigan and Ohio. Partnering with Pinnacle allows us to build on that foundation while expanding our reach on a national scale. With access to Pinnacle's extensive resources, advanced technology, and collaborative expertise, we are strengthening our ability to deliver innovative, personalized treatments and drive the future of reproductive medicine." As part of Pinnacle Fertility, IVF Michigan & Ohio Fertility Centers will continue its commitment to personalized patient care while leveraging Pinnacle's clinical, operational, and technological resources. Pinnacle Fertility operates over 40 clinic locations nationwide, with 17 state-of-the-art embryology labs, and is known for its pioneering work in reproductive medicine. About Pinnacle Fertility Pinnacle Fertility is a premier network of physician-led fertility clinics dedicated to transforming dreams of parenthood into reality. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Pinnacle manages a nationwide network of more than 40 clinic locations and 17 state-of-the-art embryology labs. With a team of over 1,000 fertility professionals, Pinnacle Fertility leads the industry in research, technology, and innovation while delivering compassionate, personalized patient care. Through its commitment to supporting clinical excellence and patient-centered solutions,Pinnacle Fertility is shaping the future of reproductive medicine. About IVF Michigan & Ohio Fertility Centers Established in 2002, IVF Michigan & Ohio Fertility Centers operates nine locations across Michigan and Ohio, offering a full spectrum of fertility treatments, including IVF, IUI, genetic testing, male infertility treatment, egg donation, and fertility preservation. IVF Michigan Fertility Center is one of the leading fertility clinics in the region, recognized for its advanced reproductive technologies and patient-centered approach. For more information, visit ivf-mi.com or pinnaclefertility.com . Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Pinnacle Fertility LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third year in a row, Mike Clear , Realty ONE Group's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), has been named a HousingWire Finance Leader because of his exceptional leadership in the industry, successfully navigating the challenging real estate market and fueling the popular brand's incredible growth around the world. Clear is among only 40 top finance executives in housing to make HousingWire's prestigious 2025 list . "I'm grateful to be at a place in my career where I can help steer a company to success which translates to the success of our Broker/Owners, our real estate professionals and so many others," said Clear, whose career spans from finance and operations roles to sales and marketing. Clear was quoted in a recent HousingWire article about the growth expected for Realty ONE Group in 2025. "We're a very attractive place for (real estate professionals) to join right now. In this market, if there is a downward commission pressure for people, I think a flat-fee model makes a lot of sense." Clear joined Realty ONE Group in 2017 with more than three decades in the industry, more recently as Vice President of Operations for American Home Shield but also in multiple roles at HSA Home Warranty including President, COO, Chief Information Officer and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. Clear was also named a 'Luminary' on RISMedia's 2025 Newsmaker list which features some of real estate's most impactful leaders. Clear is one of the finance leaders who are "...helping their organizations navigate an evolving market landscape and driv(ing) sustainable growth." Realty ONE Group was recently named the No. 1 real estate brand for the fourth year in a row on Entrepreneur's highly-competitive 2025 Franchise 500 list, just as the global franchisor celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The UNBrokerage as it is known in the industry has more than 20,000 real estate professionals in more than 450 offices in 49 states, Washington D.C., and 25 more countries, recently expanding into Bonaire and Curacao. Learn more at www.OwnAOne.com . About Realty ONE Group International Realty ONE Group International is one of the fastest growing, modern, purpose-driven lifestyle brands in real estate whose ONE Purpose is to open doors across the globe ONE home, ONE dream, ONE life at a time. The organization has rapidly grown to more than 20,000 real estate professionals in over 450 locations across 25 countries and territories because of its proven business model, full-service brokerages, dynamic COOLTURE, superior business coaching through ONE University, outstanding support and its proprietary technology, zONE. Realty ONE Group International has been named the number ONE real estate brand by Entrepreneur Magazine for three consecutive years and continues to surge ahead, opening doors, not only for its clients but for real estate professionals and franchise owners. To learn more, visit www.RealtyONEGroup.com . SOURCE Realty ONE Group Seasons at Bella Vista is scheduled to make its debut this Saturday DUNDEE, Fla., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Richmond American Homes of Florida, LP, a subsidiary of M.D.C. Holdings, Inc., is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of Seasons at Bella Vista (RichmondAmerican.com/SeasonsAtBellaVista) in Dundee. This highly anticipated neighborhood offers an impressive array of single- and two-story floor plans from the builder's sought-after Seasons Collection (RichmondAmerican.com/Seasons), designed to make homeownership more attainable and maximize living space. Boasting an RV garage, the Copper is one of eight inspired Richmond American floor plans available at Seasons at Bella Vista in Dundee, Florida. Select homes at this community also offer the UltraGarage (RichmondAmerican.com/UltraGarage), an attached, extra-tall garage designed to house a range of vehicles and to accommodate a variety of storage needs. Grand Opening Event (RichmondAmerican.com/BellaVistaGO) Prospective homebuyers and area agents are encouraged to stop by Seasons at Bella Vista for a special Grand Opening event on Saturday, March 8, from 12 to 3 p.m. Attendees can enjoy complimentary refreshments and enter a drawing for a chance to win a prize. Community highlights: New Seasons Collection homes from the $300s Eight single- and two-story floor plans with open layouts Up to 6 bedrooms & approx. 3,030 sq. ft. Professionally curated fixtures & finishes Deluxe primary bathrooms & RV garages available Close proximity to hills, lakes & orange groves Seasons at Bella Vista is located at 1212 Daisy Hill Avenue in Dundee. Call 407.634.3837 or visit RichmondAmerican.com to learn more and RSVP for the community's Grand Opening event. About M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1972. MDC's homebuilding subsidiaries, which operate under the name Richmond American Homes, have helped more than 250,000 homebuyers achieve the American Dream since 1977. One of the largest homebuilders in the nation, MDC is committed to quality and value that is reflected in each home its subsidiaries build. The Richmond American companies have operations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington. Mortgage lending, insurance and title services are offered by the following MDC subsidiaries, respectively: HomeAmerican Mortgage Corporation, American Home Insurance Agency, Inc. and American Home Title and Escrow Company. For more information, visit MDCHoldings.com. SOURCE M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. An aerial drone photo taken on July 19, 2024 shows a wind farm in Tongliao, China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen) "If a country has effective and low-cost green technologies, is committed to a global ecological civilization, practices free trade, and is willing to share its green technologies, then it can play a key role in shaping a postmodern, ecological global civilization," said Philip Clayton, president of the U.S. Institute for Ecological Civilization. "China can play and is playing this crucial role." BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Recent years have witnessed record-breaking heatwaves worldwide, making it clear that global warming is not merely a distant warning but a harsh reality. Meanwhile, China, with its steadfast commitment and remarkable progress in green development, has emerged as a champion in the global transition to renewable energy, serving as a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change. What has China achieved so far? What does it mean to the world? Here is what to know. This photo shows a ceremony marking the 10 million milestone that China's annual production of new energy vehicles (NEVs) has surpassed for the first time, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Nov. 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) A GREENER CHINA China has been making concrete steps toward its commitment to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP decreased by 50.9 percent in 2021 compared to 2005, the base year for the country's climate contributions, according to recent reports submitted by China to the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The country has been growing literally greener. China's forest coverage rate reached 25 percent by 2023, with forest stock exceeding 20 billion cubic meters. The annual carbon-sink capacity of China's forests and grassland has exceeded 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, ranking first in the world. Meanwhile, renewable energy expansion in China continues to set new records, with over 200 million kilowatts of newly installed capacity for renewable energy power generation in the first three quarters of 2024, accounting for more than 80 percent of total new installed capacity. In 2023, China accounted for 60 percent of the new renewable capacity added worldwide, according to World Energy Outlook 2024. Electricity generated from clean energy accounted for 39.7 percent of the country's total power generation in 2023, up by around 15 percentage points from 2013, according to a white paper titled China's Energy Transition issued in 2024. China is also a top player in reducing energy intensity, with 26 percent down since 2012. Its production and sales of new energy vehicles have topped the world for 10 consecutive years. China's achievements in green development reflect its strong commitment to balancing economic development with environmental sustainability, said Naing Swe Oo, a senior advisory board member of Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies. "Through the ambitious carbon neutrality goals, energy structure adjustments and industrial decarbonization efforts, China has made significant progress in the transition to a more sustainable economy," he said. Maksat Abilgaziev (R) and his colleague check power transformer equipment at Zhanatas wind farm in Zhanatas, Kazakhstan, on April 3, 2023. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua) THE GREEN GROWTH Bearing fruitful achievements domestically, China has been assisting other countries in achieving green growth and strengthening their adaptation capacity for climate change. For years, China has aided the construction of clean energy and environmental protection projects in developing countries. For instance, under the China-Ethiopia-Sri Lanka Renewable Energy Technology Transfer Project, 11 green energy solutions have been installed covering 12 small and medium-sized demonstration sites and benefiting more than 50,000 people across five provinces in Sri Lanka and four regions in Ethiopia. They are expected to generate at least 70,000 kWh of energy -- saving approximately 157,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Moreover, clean energy stations with Chinese investments have taken off in both Kazakhstan and Mali. The Zhanatas Wind Farm in Kazakhstan generates 350 million kWh of clean electricity annually, equivalent to saving 109,500 tons of standard coal and cutting carbon emissions by 289,000 tons every year. The Gouina Hydropower Station in Mali has transformed West Africa's energy landscape since its 2022 launch. Generating 687 million kWh annually, the hydropower plant provides enough power for 1 million residents across Mali, Senegal and Mauritania, replacing 240,000 tons of coal and reducing carbon emissions by 630,000 tons yearly. Kenya economist James Shikwati noted that China's experience in green and sustainable development provides valuable inspirations for Kenya and other African countries. "If China can produce more green products within Africa, it would be a significant benefit for the continent," he said. Boasting the world's largest and most complete new-energy industrial chain, China is home to 70 percent of the photovoltaic components and 60 percent of wind power equipment worldwide. In 2023 alone, the country's export of wind and photovoltaic products helped reduce carbon emissions by 810 million tons in recipient countries. "Solving China's problems also helps solve problems for many other countries," said Hoe Ee Khor, chief economist of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office. "If a country has effective and low-cost green technologies, is committed to a global ecological civilization, practices free trade, and is willing to share its green technologies, then it can play a key role in shaping a postmodern, ecological global civilization," said Philip Clayton, president of the U.S. Institute for Ecological Civilization. "China can play and is playing this crucial role." This aerial photo taken on July 17, 2023 shows the newly built solar farm of Tianjin Yinghua New Energy Technology Development Co., Ltd. in north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua) A GREEN FUTURE No matter how the international landscape evolves, China's determination and action for proactive climate response never changes. It is one of the initial parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and among the first signatories and ratifiers of the Paris Agreement on climate change. From 2016 to 2023, China supported other developing countries with roughly 24.5 billion U.S. dollars in total climate-related funding. Over the years, China has been active in promoting a fair and more equitable global climate governance system. Within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UN Environment Programme on building a green Belt and Road for 2017-2022, launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development together with 31 countries, and formed the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition with more than 150 partners from more than 40 countries. "Through such initiatives as the BRI, China is helping other developing countries deploy green technologies, such as solar farms and wind power infrastructure. This not only promotes China's influence, but also accelerates the global green transformation," said Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank. By October 2024, China, an active participant in South-South cooperation, had signed 53 MoUs on South-South cooperation addressing climate change with 42 developing countries, and had implemented nearly 100 projects focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Additionally, China had rolled out over 300 capacity-building programs in climate-related fields and provided training opportunities for over 10,000 participants from more than 120 developing countries. With climate change and green development listed among its eight key areas, the Global Development Initiative proposed by China has won the support of an increasing number of countries and regions around the world. It has established more than 30 cooperation platforms, with over 1,100 projects launched, covering all 17 of the United Nations' sustainable development goals. "There's no doubt that China's commitment to green development has positioned itself as a leader in the global fight against climate change, which is critical to global decarbonization efforts," said Malindog-Uy. "China's continued leadership in this field is likely to shape the future of the global energy markets and climate policy." Editor: Zhang Zhou To Commemorate The European Day Of Remembrance For The Righteous, A Collection Of Righteous Rescuer Profiles Will Be Released And Featured Alongside The Stories Of The Jewish People They Risked Everything To Save. BERLIN, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) on the European Day of Remembrance for the Righteous, will release, "Stronger Than Fear," a book profiling Righteous Rescuers non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust from nine countries along with the stories of the Jewish people they saved. At an event launching the collection, Holocaust survivors will meet the children and grandchildren of the Righteous Rescuers who saved them. In other instances, Righteous Rescuers will meet the descendants of the Holocaust survivors they helped save. Gideon Taylor, President of the Claims Conference said, "During the Shoah, thousands of individuals across Europe risked their own lives to save Jews from the Nazis. Today, only about 150 of those Righteous Rescuers are still with us. The Claims Conference has been a long-time supporter and funder of many Righteous Rescuer programs around the world, and we are proud to continue honoring their sacrifice with this publication." An official event to celebrate the launch of the collection of profiles will be held in Limoges, France. Righteous Rescuers and Holocaust survivors will travel from different parts of France, Poland, Belgium, Germany, Israel and the United States to take part in the public presentation. Included in the gathering will be Jewish siblings, Dr. Sophia Joachims, 89 years, and Mark (Manek) Schonwetter, 91 years old, who were born in Poland and survived the Shoah thanks to the Righteous Rescuer family that hid them. At the event, the survivor Colette Zeif from Paris will also be present. After their mother was deported to Auschwitz in 1942, Colette and her elder sister Jacqueline were taken by the couple Marguerite and Charles Bayrand in Limoges, who presented them as their own children. The descendants of the Bayrand family will also be present at the event. Also, the survivors Pierre-Michel Kahn, 92 years old, from Paris and Regine Suchowolski Sluszny, 85 years old, from Antwerp/ Belgium will be present. Rudiger Mahlo, Representative of the Claims Conference in Europe, said, "The history of the Righteous Rescuers extends beyond the lives they saved. They demonstrate the courage needed to speak out, to act and to choose empathy over apathy. The transmission of these stories is at the core of educating every generation on the Holocaust. By passing on the dramatic choices Righteous Rescuers made without giving in to fear, we preserve a sacred space of humanity for young people to refer to when their time comes to choose." Bronislawa Bakun, a Righteous Rescuer from Janow/Sokolka in Poland, who rescued more than 12 Jews from persecution and death, said, "We simply did what one does when one is human. We saved lives." Greg Schneider, Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference, said, "This important publication provides 36 portraits of Righteous Rescuers who together saved more than 220 Jews from persecution and death at the hands of the Nazis. Each portrait is a living example of humanity and courage. The Claims Conference is committed to passing their legacy of strength and active compassion on to future generations. Holocaust Education is about lessons in humanity. The memory of the Righteous Rescuers' countless acts of selfless bravery during the Shoah is a critical history of mankind at its best that should be integrated into school curricula all over the world." In addition to the profiles, this publication honors the unparalleled courage of Righteous Rescuers who fed, housed, hid and helped Jews escape persecution and death during the Holocaust. While more than 28,400 Righteous Rescuers have been vetted and registered by Yad Vashem, only about 150 of that selfless population is still alive. Their individual stories and testimonies are critical to the history of the Holocaust and personal to the global Jewish community. Pierre-Michel Kahn, the only Survivor of the Montbeliard roundup of February 1944, saved by the Righteous Rescuer Louise Blazer, said, "Saving Jews at the risk of one's own life means preferring the lives of others to one's own. I'm thinking of Lou Blazer, a member of the Resistance and suspected as such by the German police, who didn't hesitate to ask the Kommandantur for a safe-conduct, allowing her to get a Jewish child out of prison, as he was about to leave for Auschwitz." The featured rescuers are from nine countries: Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Germany and France. Currently edited in English and French, further editions are planned in Polish, German, Hebrew and Lithuanian and will be published throughout 2025. Jaroslawa Lewicki, a Righteous Rescuer originally from Zoczow in Poland, who together with her mother and grandfather hid two Jewish boys in their house for more than a year, said, "To give the hidden Jews hope for survival, we had to conceal our own fear. My mother would remind us every day that we must be stronger than our fear, or nothing will succeed." Witold Lisowski, a Righteous Rescuer from Warsaw in Poland, who along with his mother and brother smuggled food and medicine into the Ludwisin ghetto and hid Dudek Inwentarz in their home for several years, said, "Today, when I see the family of 30 that Dudek founded after we helped him survive the Second World War, I know that it was worth taking every risk." The Claims Conference has upheld a commitment to honor Righteous Rescuers as a moral and ethical act of gratitude for the unparalleled courage they demonstrated during the Shoah. In 1963, Yad Vashem began officially recognizing individuals as Righteous Among the Nations, a program named for the literature of the Sages (Chasidei Umot HaOlam) which describes non-Jews who came to the aid of Jewish people in times of need. Under the leadership of Nahum Goldmann and Saul Kagan, the Claims Conference initiated material support for the Righteous. In 1986, The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous was established by Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, z"l, to increase aid and awareness for the Righteous. After successful negotiations with the German government, the Claims Conference now provides increased assistance to Righteous Rescuers worldwide. A digital version of the book "Stronger Than Fear" is available on the Claims Conference website https://www.claimscon.org/stronger-than-fear/. SOURCE Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany Leading Basmati and Jasmine Rice Brands Demonstrate Heritage and Origin at 2025 Natural Products Expo West Booth #2075 CYPRESS, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal, recognized as the #1 brand of Authentic Basmati rice in the United States, and Golden Star, recognized as the #1 Authentic Jasmine rice in the United States, are set to transport 2025 Natural Products Expo West attendees on a journey of taste, tradition, and authenticity at booth #2075. From March 5-6, attendees will see, smell and feel the difference of authentically grown Basmati from India and Jasmine from Thailand through an immersive sensory experience. This special activity will culminate in an exclusive raffle where two lucky winners will embark on a cultural adventure to India or Thailand. This marks the largest experiential showcase of Royal and Golden Star rice at Expo West, reinforcing their commitment to origin, sustainability and culinary excellence. Step into the World of Authentic Rice at Booth #2075 Attendees can embark on a "Sense the Source" Experience at Expo West a hands-on journey where texture, fragrance and tradition come alive. Led by brand ambassadors in stunning traditional Indian and Thai attire, visitors will get a firsthand look at what makes truly authentic rice special. The experience will also offer a chance to enter to win a once-in-a-lifetime cultural immersion trip to: India ( March 5 ) The land of true Basmati, where every grain tells a story. ( ) The land of true Basmati, where every grain tells a story. Thailand ( March 6 ) The home of fragrant, delicate Jasmine rice. Winners will be drawn each day promptly at 4:00pm PT. You must be present to win! Expo West Exclusive: Taste What's Next Join Royal for an exclusive first taste of its Ready-To-Heat Cuban Black Beans & Seasoned Basmati Rice, a vibrant fusion of Caribbean flavors and perfectly aged Basmati, launching nationally in May 2025. Royal will also be showcasing its diverse range of delicious Indian foods, including Basmati Rice, Ready-To-Heat Rice, Biryani Kits, Chakki Atta Wheat Flour, and Moong, Toor and Masoor Dals. Golden Star will be sampling its Ready-To-Heat Organic Thai Hom Mali Jasmine Rice available today, beloved for its fresh, aromatic flavor and harvested at peak season in Thailand. Celebration Of Authenticity Expo West is a celebration of food, that connects people worldwide across cultures, generations, traditions, languages and more and where it comes from matters. Royal and Golden Star will be honoring their origin and heritage throughout the show. Truly authentic Basmati can come only from the sub-continent of India. Royal Authentic Basmati is proudly grown in this region, cultivated with care, and aged for a minimum of 12 months in controlled silos, to allow it to develop a non-sticky texture that is always loose and separate. Golden Star's Thai Hom Mali Jasmine is authentically grown in Thailand and packed fresh at harvest season every year, which results in a naturally fragrant, long-grain rice known for its slightly sweet taste and soft texture. Golden Star Jasmine products proudly bear the Thai Hom Mali Rice Certificate Mark, a quality mark registered with the Intellectual Property Department, that demonstrates that it originates in Thailand and meets the Ministry of Commerce's quality standards. Preserving A Sustainable Future Royal and Golden Star will also be spotlighting a shared commitment to fostering a sustainable future for its communities and the planet. These brands recognize the urgent need to address global challenges and advance production methods that are economically viable, and yet still environmentally responsible. Both companies are active members of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), a global alliance working to promote eco-friendly rice farming, empower small farmers, and reduce the environmental footprint of rice. Press and influencers can book a booth appointment by contacting [email protected]. Interested retailers should connect directly with Ferris Orita ([email protected]). About Royal For over 30 years, Royal has been providing consumers with the ingredients to create delicious, authentic Indian meals and memorable moments of comfort, celebration, and excitement around them. Royal's commitment to quality, authenticity and sustainability has made it the #1 brand of Authentic Basmati rice and Sona Masoori rice in the U.S. Proudly grown in India, Royal is on a mission to bring people together over food, blending cultures, flavors, and traditions to help consumers create, express, and share the many flavors of life. Royal products are available for purchase through national retailers including Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Publix and HEB, as well as online through Amazon. For more information about Royal and the brand's roster of authentic Indian products, please visit authenticroyal.com and join us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. About Golden Star Golden Star started as a family-owned, woman-owned and minority-owned business. From ensuring its products are packed fresh at harvest season in Thailand to using sustainable efforts in its fields and factories, Golden Star believes that everyone deserves to eat the best foods, made in the best way and save money doing so. Golden Star products are available at Walmart and in grocery stores nationwide. To learn more about Golden Star, visit goldenstartrading.com. About LT Foods LT Foods Ltd. is a leading Indian-origin global FMCG company in the consumer food space. It is a leading player globally in the specialty rice and rice-based foods business for more than last 70 years. The company delivers the finest quality and taste experiences in more than 80 countries across India, the U.S., U.K., Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and the Rest of the World. The company's flagship brands include DAAWAT, one of India's most loved and consumed Basmati brands, Royal, which is North America's most loved brand and many more. The company is proudly expanding into the future food preferences of millennials by offering organic food in global markets and supplying organic food ingredients to leading businesses. The company is committed to nurturing the goodness of food for people, the community and the planet. For more information about LT Foods please visit ltgroup.in/. Press Contact Konnect Agency [email protected] 858-213-6513 SOURCE Royal & Golden Star Three Listed Subsidiaries Earn International Accolades for R&D Excellence SHANGHAI, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest 2024 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard released by the European Commission reveals that SANY Group, a leading Chinese engineering equipment manufacturer, has achieved global recognition for its innovation capabilities. Three of its listed subsidiaries SANY Heavy Industry, SANY International and SANY Renewable Energy respectively ranked 313th, 863rd and 1,508th globally, based on their outstanding R&D investments and technological expertise. Notably, SANY Heavy Industry retained its status as China's construction machinery sector leader in terms of the level of effort they have put into R&D. The Scoreboard, an authoritative annual report published by the European Commission since 2004, tracks innovation trends among the world's top 2,000 manufacturers (representing 85% of global R&D investment with 1.26 trillion in 2023). Among the 579 Chinese companies included in the list, SANY Group demonstrated remarkable technological prowess: its subsidiaries SANY Heavy Industry, SANY International and SANY Renewable Energy claimed the 63rd, 207th, and 396th positions in China's R&D ranking, underscoring the success of the Group's "R&D-first" philosophy. SANY Heavy Industry, a major player in the construction machinery sector, is emphasizing innovation as its guiding principle. The firm is developing what it calls a 'future-oriented productivity system' that is focused on globalization, digitalization, and decarbonization. In 2023, SANY invested approximately $810 million (5.865 billion yuan) in research and development. This funding targeted advancements in renewable energy equipment, intelligent construction systems, and the expansion of its global product offerings. Over the course of the year, the company secured 1,533 patent authorizations, with more than 55% of these for new inventions. Guided by China's "dual-carbon" (carbon peaking and carbon neutrality) goal, SANY Group has accelerated its green technology revolution: electric mixer trucks, hydrogen-powered mining trucks, and other low-carbon equipment achieved mass production milestones. The Group also pioneered industry-transforming innovations such as the world's first 5G remote-controlled excavator and unmanned road roller fleets. Its R&D network now spans 12 countries and regions, including China, the U.S., Germany, and India, enabling 24/7 global collaborative innovation. Industry analysts predict that SANY Group's commitment to maintaining annual R&D spending above 5% of revenue, coupled with the commercialization of its cutting-edge digital twin and AIoT platform technologies, will fuel sustained growth in its global expansion. The Group aims to boost R&D efficiency by 30% over the next three years, accelerating its transformation from "Made in China" to "Intelligently Designed for the World." SOURCE SANY Group Nationwide clinical data exchange for the MEDITECH community. ROCKVILLE, Md., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Secure Exchange Solutions (SES), part of Centauri Health Solutions' leading cloud-based clinical data exchange offering, today highlighted the growing impact of its participation in the MEDITECH Alliance. The Alliance helps SES drive increased MEDITECH community engagement and value in three key areas: referral management, health event notifications, and improved data exchange to support integrated care management and disease tracking. Through this collaboration, SES expands provider access to secure messaging and real-time health event management for new MEDITECH facilities. Integrated directly into provider workflows, SES enables better patient outcomes across the healthcare ecosystem, more efficient care coordination, and improved compliance. "SES participation in the MEDITECH Alliance accelerates delivery of meaningful solutions to the MEDITECH community," said Michele Darnell, President, Secure Exchange Solutions. "Our mutual customers see real benefits immediatelyenhanced provider communication and collaboration that leads to improved patient caredemonstrating the true value of the MEDITECH partnership." MEDITECH hospitals, health systems, and integrated delivery networks rely on SES to: Optimize referral workflows through improved interoperability, closing referral loops and enhancing patient, caregiver and provider satisfaction. closing referral loops and enhancing patient, caregiver and provider satisfaction. Capture health event alerts and make them actionable, enabling care teams to respond quickly to patient needs, resulting in clinical efficiencies and timely patient updates. enabling care teams to respond quickly to patient needs, resulting in clinical efficiencies and timely patient updates. Exchange data on demographics, comorbidities, immunizations, medications, and other treatments to support integrated care management and reporting for disease management and trending population health event initiatives. These integrated capabilities deliver real value to MEDITECH facilities by improving patient outcomes, enhancing provider communications, and strengthening regulatory compliance. To learn more about Secure Exchange Solutions, visit us at Booth #546 during HIMSS March 3-6 in Las Vegas. About Secure Exchange Solutions Secure Exchange Solutions and leading provider of interoperable, cloud-based clinical data exchange solutions, sets the standard for seamless, scalable, secure connectivity across organizational boundaries. As an industry-leading provider of interoperable, cloud-based clinical data exchange and AI/NLP-powered clinical data analysis and review technologies, Secure Exchange Solutions protects, streamlines, and delivers sensitive and critical health care information while ensuring compliance and improving efficiency and quality. Hospitals, health systems, physicians, health plans, and application partners rely on Secure Exchange Solutions for integrated secure communications that expand their reach. For more information, please visit www.secureexsolutions.com. About Centauri Health Solutions Centauri Health Solutions provides technology and technology-enabled services to payors and providers across all healthcare programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, Commercial and Exchange. In partnership with our clients, we improve the lives and health outcomes of the members and patients we touch through compassionate outreach, sophisticated analytics, clinical data exchange capabilities, and data-driven solutions. Our solutions directly address complex problems such as uncompensated care within health systems; appropriate, risk-adjusted revenue for specialized sub-populations; and improve access to and quality of care measurement. Headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., Centauri Health Solutions employs 1,600 dedicated associates across the country. Centauri has made the prestigious Inc. 5000 from 2019-2022, as well as the 2020 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. For more information, visit www.centaurihs.com. About MEDITECH MEDITECH empowers healthcare organizations everywhere to expand their vision of what's possible with Expanse, the world's most intuitive and interoperable EHR. Expanse lays the foundation for the next digital era, enabling care across delivery settings with cloud-based systems that drive better outcomes and provide mobile, personalized solutions to improve efficiency for an overburdened workforce. See why thousands of healthcare organizations in 27 countries and territories choose Expanse to meet the challenges of a new era in healthcare. Visit ehr.meditech.com, find MEDITECH Podcasts on your favorite platform, videos on YouTube, and follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Threads. SOURCE Secure Exchange Solutions Jonathan Orell, W. Graham Garrett, Kyle Buchoff and Michael Horowitz have joined the firm, bringing substantial expertise and deep industry experience to Shipman & Goodwin's growing Finance practice. Their arrival underscores the firm's continued commitment to providing comprehensive, high-caliber legal services to financial institutions, corporations and emerging businesses. "We are thrilled to welcome this dynamic team of finance lawyers to our expanding practice group," said Scott M. Gerard, Shipman's Finance Department co-chair. "They each bring unique specializations and insights to our deep bench of attorneys dedicated to performing at the highest level in handling complex matters for our clients and being responsive to their needs. We look forward to continuing to meet our clients' evolving legal needs." "Financial transactions are growing increasingly complex, and the growth of our team allows us to continue the Shipman tradition of providing high quality, practical and responsive legal services to our clients in a wide variety of legal matters," said Marie C. Pollio, co-chair of Shipman's Finance Department. "From traditional and non-traditional bank lending to the transactions of commercial developers and other financial institutions to corporate trust and capital markets, our practice group remains nimble and ready to provide excellent, strategic legal services." The new additions expand the firm's depth and breadth of its Finance practice: Jonathan Orell joins the firm as a partner. He brings robust experience in complex finance and real estate transactions and a proven history of serving diverse lending and real estate clients. A trusted and strategic advisor, Orell offers extensive experience in complex financing of commercial properties and all asset classes, as well as property leasing, acquisition and sale. joins the firm as a partner. He brings robust experience in complex finance and real estate transactions and a proven history of serving diverse lending and real estate clients. A trusted and strategic advisor, Orell offers extensive experience in complex financing of commercial properties and all asset classes, as well as property leasing, acquisition and sale. W. Graham Garrett specializes in sophisticated real estate financing in all asset classes, representing major financial institutions and other lenders in all aspects of financing transactions, as well as representing private developers and owners in property acquisitions, sales and leasing matters. specializes in sophisticated real estate financing in all asset classes, representing major financial institutions and other lenders in all aspects of financing transactions, as well as representing private developers and owners in property acquisitions, sales and leasing matters. Kyle Buchoff and Michael Horowitz join Shipman's premier corporate trust practice. They will represent banks and other financial institutions as administrative agents, trustees and collateral agents for secured and unsecured capital market transactions. These strategic additions provide extensive industry insight, supporting Shipman's continued growth in the finance sector and fostering further expansion and success within the practice group. The firm looks forward to continuing to attract top talent and building upon its robust finance offerings to continue serving clients at the highest level. About Shipman & Goodwin LLP Shipman's value lies in its commitment to its clients, to the profession, and to the community. With more than 140 lawyers in offices throughout Connecticut and New York, the full-service law firm serves the needs of local, regional, national, and international clients that include public and private companies, educational institutions, governmental entities, non-profit organizations, and individuals. Shipman is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the firm, the legal profession, and the community. Shipman has participated in Diversity Lab's Mansfield Rule since 2019 and earned Mansfield Certification Plus status for the fifth consecutive year in 2024. Shipman was also recognized by Women Inc. Magazine as one of the "Top 100 Law Firms for Women." The National Law Journal also ranked Shipman as the eighth most inclusive firm for women in their 2021 national survey. For more information, visit www.shipmangoodwin.com. Contact: Jennifer Stokes (860) 251-5014 | [email protected] SOURCE Shipman & Goodwin, LLP WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Game night's getting a tasty upgrade! Fresh off Toy Fair New York 2025 (March 1-4) at the Javits Center, "Show Me Your Chef," the world's first live-action cooking competition board game, is ready to dish out fun. For 4-12 playersplay one-on-one in 4 teams or up to 3 per teamteams bring grocery lists, compete for ingredients with trivia cards, and race a 40-minute clock to cook, judged by peers (no self-voting) for a trophy. Priced under $25 retail, it's slated for Fall 2025. Cooking Industry's Hot Streak Cooking competitions are a global feast: 20-30 million US viewers savored The Great British Baking Show (6-7M per episode in the UK) and Top Chef (2-3M per episode in 2024) in 2023-2024, with 50-100 million fans worldwide. Netflix's Culinary Class Wars scored 6.5 million views in its first week, while Food Network's Tournament of Champions drew 10 million across its 2023 season. "Show Me Your Chef" brings this craze homeaffordable at under $25. Social Media's Foodie Fever Food dominates online: Gordon Ramsay boasts 12.6 million Instagram followers, Food Network 11 million, and Jamie Oliver 10 millionchefs and networks stoking a digital hunger. Cooking shows shine tooGreat British Baking Show (1.5M followers), Top Chef (1.2M), Chopped (1.1M)with 40% of US users browsing food pics monthly and 39% of UK users naming food their top Instagram topic. "Show Me Your Chef" turns teams into creators, sparking #ShowMeYourChef posts. Team Fun, Made Simple For 4-12 playerssolo in 4 teams or up to 3 per teamit's a flexible showdown. Junior chef mode welcomes kids, while printed trivia cards keep it easy, with optional digital packs via QR code for fresh challenges. One trophy fuels rivalry, and QR-coded invitation templates plus video instructions make hosting a cinchall under $25 retail, hitting shelves Fall 2025. Post-Toy Fair Reveal Showcased at Booth 6754 during Toy Fair NY 2025, "Show Me Your Chef" wowed attendees. "90% of playtesters loved the chaos," says Pat creator. About Show Me Your Chef, Pat Timmons Founder and serial entrepreneur Pat has had decades of direct retail experience and has boot strapped many family businesses in her 40 years of business creations from coffee shops, on-line retail, salons, restaurants, ice cream/toy shops and is currently co-founder of US Water Systems along with her husband Mark. "An indie designer from Indianapolis, cooking up fun for all." Stir Up Some Buzz "Show Me Your Chef" delivers team cooking thrills under $25set for Fall 2025, it's a post-Toy Fair standout. Dig in! Click here for more details about our booth at: https://tfny2025.mapyourshow.com/8_0/exhibitor/exhibitor-details.cfm?exhid=393403. SOURCE Show Me Your Chef New service streamlines RCS operations, enhances monetization, and simplifies financial management for telcos. STOCKHOLM, Sweden, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinch (Sinch AB (publ)) (XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its Digital Customer Communications Cloud, today announced the launch of its RCS Business Enablement servicea comprehensive solution designed to help telecoms seamlessly launch, operate, and monetize RCS for Business. The messaging market is evolving, and enterprises are ready to take advantage of RCS' powerful capabilities including verified and branded senders, rich customer experiences, and improved analytics. Staying ahead of shifting business and consumer demands can be complex that's where Sinch makes the difference. With deep industry expertise, decades of experience working with telcos, and a proven track record of bringing RCS for business to life across Europe, the U.S., LATAM, and APAC, Sinch helps businesses and mobile network operators adopt and scale RCS delivering rich, engaging, and secure customer communications at global scale. Sinch's RCS Business Enablement service helps telecoms to successfully launch, manage, and secure their RCS for Business with ease. Designed to address monetization challenges, security risks, regulatory hurdles, and technical complexities, this solution helps telcos streamline operations while delivering engaging, secure, and seamless customer interactions. By eliminating the need to manage complex RCS tasks in-house, Sinch provides end-to-end support, backed by Sinch's extensive global expertise. "At Sinch, we understand that customers today expect communications from businesses to be as instant and seamless as those they have with friends and family," said Francois Boshoff, Vice President, and Head of Product Management at Sinch. "That's why we've built a solution that simplifies the launch and running of RCS for mobile operators, empowering them to meet these customer expectations while accelerating time-to-market, reducing costs, and maximizing monetization opportunities. Our goal is simple: let operators focus on growing their business while we handle the heavy lifting." Key Components of Sinch's RCS Business Enablement Service: Sinch Operator Insights : Gain real-time visibility into agent status, traffic trends, message types, and conversation durations. Our data and analytics platform enables data-driven decisions while ensuring privacy and regulatory compliance through a secure, user-friendly interface. : Gain real-time visibility into agent status, traffic trends, message types, and conversation durations. Our data and analytics platform enables data-driven decisions while ensuring privacy and regulatory compliance through a secure, user-friendly interface. Sinch Rating and Billing : Managing financial transactions doesn't need to be complicated. Sinch's solution automatically collects and rates billable messaging events directly from Google RCS, applying telecom-specific pricing models. Detailed invoices are generated to simplify financial relationships with wholesale messaging partners. : Managing financial transactions doesn't need to be complicated. Sinch's solution automatically collects and rates billable messaging events directly from Google RCS, applying telecom-specific pricing models. Detailed invoices are generated to simplify financial relationships with wholesale messaging partners. Agent Approvals & Content Compliance Management: Sinch manages the RCS for Business Agent approval and life cycle management process on behalf of mobile operators, working directly with the Google RCS for Business Administration Console and RCS for Business Operations API. This service enforces operator-specific policies, ensuring only approved Agents operate on the network, relieving operators of the ongoing administrative burden. Sinch manages the RCS for Business Agent approval and life cycle management process on behalf of mobile operators, working directly with the Google RCS for Business Administration Console and RCS for Business Operations API. This service enforces operator-specific policies, ensuring only approved Agents operate on the network, relieving operators of the ongoing administrative burden. Fraud Detection & Security: Sinch enhances network security through its proprietary automated messaging testing platform. By leveraging traffic analysis, Sinch detects and prevents fraud , spam, and malicious content within RCS for Business messaging. The system generates actionable recommendations to mitigate risks, prevent commercial bypass, and ensure policy compliance, protecting both the operator and their customers. Sinch enhances network security through its proprietary automated messaging testing platform. By leveraging traffic analysis, Sinch detects and prevents , spam, and malicious content within RCS for Business messaging. The system generates actionable recommendations to mitigate risks, prevent commercial bypass, and ensure policy compliance, protecting both the operator and their customers. End-to-End Ecosystem Support: Beyond RCS Business Enablement, Sinch supports the entire telco messaging ecosystemfrom content generation to API provisioning. Telcos can outsource wholesale services to Sinch, effectively gaining access to a global enterprise sales department at no extra cost. What's in it for telecoms? Faster RCS launch with minimal operational overhead Automated financial management with accurate rating and billing processes Real-time analytics for informed decision-making and control Global sales support to expand revenue opportunitieswithout added expenses Streamlined compliance to navigate regulatory complexity with ease "Telecoms are ultimately looking for ways to simplify operations while delivering the personalized, conversational experiences today's customers demand," added Francois Boshoff. "By combining operational efficiency, robust analytics, and financial transparency, our RCS Business Enablement service provides a complete solutionhelping telcos not only launch RCS but monetize and scale it for long-term success." For more information, visit sinch.com or stop by MWC Barcelona 2025, Hall 5, Booth 5J53 For more information, please contact: Janet Lennon, Director of Global PR & Communications [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com SOURCE Sinch AB New service streamlines RCS operations, enhances monetization, and simplifies financial management for telcos. STOCKHOLM, Sweden, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinch (Sinch AB (publ)) (XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its Digital Customer Communications Cloud, today announced the launch of its RCS Business Enablement servicea comprehensive solution designed to help telecoms seamlessly launch, operate, and monetize RCS for Business. The messaging market is evolving, and enterprises are ready to take advantage of RCS' powerful capabilities including verified and branded senders, rich customer experiences, and improved analytics. Staying ahead of shifting business and consumer demands can be complex that's where Sinch makes the difference. With deep industry expertise, decades of experience working with telcos, and a proven track record of bringing RCS for business to life across Europe, the U.S., LATAM, and APAC, Sinch helps businesses and mobile network operators adopt and scale RCS delivering rich, engaging, and secure customer communications at global scale. Sinch's RCS Business Enablement service helps telecoms to successfully launch, manage, and secure their RCS for Business with ease. Designed to address monetization challenges, security risks, regulatory hurdles, and technical complexities, this solution helps telcos streamline operations while delivering engaging, secure, and seamless customer interactions. By eliminating the need to manage complex RCS tasks in-house, Sinch provides end-to-end support, backed by Sinch's extensive global expertise. "At Sinch, we understand that customers today expect communications from businesses to be as instant and seamless as those they have with friends and family," said Francois Boshoff, Vice President, and Head of Product Management at Sinch. "That's why we've built a solution that simplifies the launch and running of RCS for mobile operators, empowering them to meet these customer expectations while accelerating time-to-market, reducing costs, and maximizing monetization opportunities. Our goal is simple: let operators focus on growing their business while we handle the heavy lifting." Key Components of Sinch's RCS Business Enablement Service: Sinch Operator Insights : Gain real-time visibility into agent status, traffic trends, message types, and conversation durations. Our data and analytics platform enables data-driven decisions while ensuring privacy and regulatory compliance through a secure, user-friendly interface. : Gain real-time visibility into agent status, traffic trends, message types, and conversation durations. Our data and analytics platform enables data-driven decisions while ensuring privacy and regulatory compliance through a secure, user-friendly interface. Sinch Rating and Billing : Managing financial transactions doesn't need to be complicated. Sinch's solution automatically collects and rates billable messaging events directly from Google RCS, applying telecom-specific pricing models. Detailed invoices are generated to simplify financial relationships with wholesale messaging partners. : Managing financial transactions doesn't need to be complicated. Sinch's solution automatically collects and rates billable messaging events directly from Google RCS, applying telecom-specific pricing models. Detailed invoices are generated to simplify financial relationships with wholesale messaging partners. Agent Approvals & Content Compliance Management: Sinch manages the RCS for Business Agent approval and life cycle management process on behalf of mobile operators, working directly with the Google RCS for Business Administration Console and RCS for Business Operations API. This service enforces operator-specific policies, ensuring only approved Agents operate on the network, relieving operators of the ongoing administrative burden. Sinch manages the RCS for Business Agent approval and life cycle management process on behalf of mobile operators, working directly with the Google RCS for Business Administration Console and RCS for Business Operations API. This service enforces operator-specific policies, ensuring only approved Agents operate on the network, relieving operators of the ongoing administrative burden. Fraud Detection & Security: Sinch enhances network security through its proprietary automated messaging testing platform. By leveraging traffic analysis, Sinch detects and prevents fraud, spam, and malicious content within RCS for Business messaging. The system generates actionable recommendations to mitigate risks, prevent commercial bypass, and ensure policy compliance, protecting both the operator and their customers. Sinch enhances network security through its proprietary automated messaging testing platform. By leveraging traffic analysis, Sinch detects and prevents fraud, spam, and malicious content within RCS for Business messaging. The system generates actionable recommendations to mitigate risks, prevent commercial bypass, and ensure policy compliance, protecting both the operator and their customers. End-to-End Ecosystem Support: Beyond RCS Business Enablement, Sinch supports the entire telco messaging ecosystemfrom content generation to API provisioning. Telcos can outsource wholesale services to Sinch, effectively gaining access to a global enterprise sales department at no extra cost. What's in it for telecoms? Faster RCS launch with minimal operational overhead Automated financial management with accurate rating and billing processes Real-time analytics for informed decision-making and control Global sales support to expand revenue opportunitieswithout added expenses Streamlined compliance to navigate regulatory complexity with ease "Telecoms are ultimately looking for ways to simplify operations while delivering the personalized, conversational experiences today's customers demand," added Francois Boshoff. "By combining operational efficiency, robust analytics, and financial transparency, our RCS Business Enablement service provides a complete solutionhelping telcos not only launch RCS but monetize and scale it for long-term success." For more information, visit sinch.com or stop by MWC Barcelona 2025, Hall 5, Booth 5J53 For more information, please contact: Janet Lennon, Director of Global PR & Communications [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com SAN FRANCISCO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sojern, the leading marketing platform built for hospitality, is excited to announce the addition of a fully managed email marketing service as part of its multichannel Commission offering. This industry-first solution streamlines marketing, making it easier to drive direct bookings, build guest loyalty, and reduce online travel agency (OTA) dependenceall within Sojern's transparent pay-for-performance commission model. Now available in the US and Canada, with additional countries coming soon. Email campaigns are a powerful tool for hoteliers to engage travelers and build loyalty at every stagefrom awareness to post-stay. With email marketing revenue expected to hit $17.9 billion by 2027, the channel continues to grow. However, time, expertise, and budget constraints often limit hoteliers' ability to run effective email campaigns. Now, hoteliers can partner with Sojern to effortlessly execute high-performing email campaigns without the need for in-house resources. Powered by Sojern's AI-driven marketing platform, this new fully managed service combines Sojern's Guest Marketing Suite with the expertise of email designers and copywriters to ensure seamless campaign creation, deployment, performance and measurement. Sojern's email solution seamlessly connects with the hotel's property management system (PMS) to unlock powerful guest insights, enabling targeted email campaigns that drive engagement and direct bookings. Automated reconciliation further streamlines operations, allowing hoteliers to focus on the guest experience rather than manual tasks. "Today's travelers increasingly seek personalized experiences, from their destination choices to their on-property stays," said Noreen Henry, Chief Revenue Officer at Sojern. "In fact, 90% of consumers expect brands to understand and anticipate their needs. As guests invest more in memorable and tailored experiences, they expect the same level of personalization from hotels before they've even arrived. With Sojern's fully-managed email solution, hotel marketers can deliver timely, branded content that drives engagement, direct bookings, and loyaltyovercoming traditional bandwidth and budget hurdles without additional work." Cultivate Guest Relationships to Drive Direct Bookings While many hotels still rely on bookings from OTAs, and will continue to in some capacity, the industry is shifting. Skift projects that by 2030, direct digital channels are expected to surpass OTAs as the dominant distribution channel for hoteliers, with an estimated $409 billion in direct bookings compared to $333 billion from OTAs. Sojern's fully managed email service helps hoteliers capitalize on this shift by delivering brand-aligned email campaigns that engage past guests, encourage repeat stays, reduce OTA dependence, and recapture abandoned bookings. And since repeat customers spend 67% more than new guests, investing in customized branded email campaigns isn't just smartit's a revenue-driving necessity. Early adopter Nicole Willams, Principal/VP Sales & Marketing, Daryon Hotels International said, "Working with Sojern has been a fantastic experience. Their email marketing campaigns have been a game-changer, helping us reach the right audience and drive more bookings. The process is seamless, the reporting is clear, and the results speak for themselves." Pay Only for Results Budget constraints often limit hotel marketers' abilities to get their brand in front of potential travelers. Rather than front-loading costs, Sojern's pay-for-performance pricing model is tied directly to revenue, allowing hoteliers to participate in managed email campaigns by only paying for performance. Beyond reducing upfront costs, Sojern's multichannel approach allows hoteliers to ensure every touchpoint works together seamlessly to maximize conversions. With sophisticated attribution, hoteliers are able to engage travelers across channels, optimizing marketing spend and effectiveness to maximize ROI. To learn more about Sojern's fully-managed email offering as part of its Commission solution, hoteliers can join the waitlist here. About Sojern Sojern is the leading marketing platform built for hospitality, designed to boost growth and profitability for the travel industry. The Sojern marketing platform is a set of easy-to-use software and services that delivers unrivaled traveler insight, intelligent audiences, multichannel activation and optimization, and a connected guest experienceall in one place. More than 10,000 travel marketers rely on our platform annually to find, attract, convert and engage travelers. Founded in 2007, Sojern is headquartered in San Francisco, California with teams in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. SOURCE Sojern Dedicated Name Rooted in Statesville's Whiskey Heritage, Driving the Future of Custom Spirits Production STATESVILLE, N.C., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Distilling Company is proud to announce Statesville Contract Distilling , the newly named division that honors the company's longstanding commitment to contract distilling and co-packing services. Since the company's founding in 2013, this division has been an integral part of Southern Distilling Company's growth and success. Now, it's stepping into the spotlight with a formal identity of its core pillar of business that reflects both the heritage and future of whiskey distilling in Statesville, North Carolina. Statesville Contract Distilling, the contract distilling division of Southern Distilling Company, offers a diverse range of standard and custom new fill whiskeys, extensive aged barrel inventory, warehouse barrel storage, private label production, and co-packing for more than 150 brands globally. "We don't just make whiskeywe redefine excellence. Contract distilling has been the backbone of our business from the start and it was time to give this essential part of our business its own name and identity," said Pete Barger, co-founder of Southern Distilling Company. "Statesville Contract Distilling embodies our relentless commitment to precision, innovation, personalization, and world-class craftsmanship. We are dedicated to delivering superior spirits tailored to the highest standards for our partners, while honoring the deep-rooted whiskey heritage of our community." Southern Distilling Company could have been built anywhere, but Statesville was the clear choice. With its ideal climate, fertile land for growing grain, and central location for distilling, aging, and transporting spirits, Statesville provides an unmatched foundation for excellence. The town holds a unique legacy: once known as the "Liquor Capital of the World," Statesville's distilling traditions were interrupted by Prohibition, but Southern Distilling Company is proud to reignite and carry forward this storied history. More importantly, the company's capabilities today are relevant and its dedication to quality and personalized services provides significant value to clients, ensuring excellence in every aspect of contract distilling and co-packing. "Statesville Contract Distilling represents not just the core of our services but also the spirit of a community deeply rooted in distilling heritage," Barger continued. "We're proud to bring this legacy into the modern age with unparalleled customer service, exceptional quality, and an unwavering commitment to the craft." Statesville Contract Distilling's mission is simpleto honor its Statesville roots while building on a decade-long reputation for personalized contract distilling service and superior spirits production. The name reflects the company's ongoing commitment and dedication to offering premium contract distilling and co-packing solutions while fostering lasting partnerships. "This milestone wouldn't be possible without the trust and support of our team, partners, and community," said Barger. "We're grateful to each of you for joining us on this journey. Together, we're building something truly special." For more information, visit statesvillecontractdistilling.com . About Southern Distilling Company Southern Distilling Company has reignited North Carolina's distilling tradition while embracing the innovation of America's craft spirits industry. The 20-acre distillery campus is proudly located in Statesville, North Carolina, a city with a big role in bourbon's history. Before Prohibition, Statesville was known as the "Liquor Capital of the World." It is now home to a state-of-the-art 36,000 square-foot distillery where days are spent distilling the highest quality bourbons and ryes and watching over more than 65,000 barrels patiently aging in the rickhouses. Southern Distilling Company has grown to become one of the country's largest privately owned distilleries since being co-founded by Pete and Vienna Barger in 2013. Southern Distilling Company supports sustainability and regenerative agriculture processes and sources quality grains from farms within 20 miles of its facility. It also produces Southern Star bourbons and rye whiskeysits own line of award-winning artisan spirits. The distillery, located along Interstate 77 near the I-40 interchange is open for tours, tastings, cocktails, and bottle sales. It also hosts public events and experiences throughout the year. For more information, visit SouthernDistillingCompany.com . About Statesville Contract Distilling Statesville Contract Distilling, the contract distilling division of Southern Distilling Company, offers a diverse range of standard and custom new fill whiskeys, extensive aged barrel inventory, warehouse barrel storage, private label production, and co-packing for more than 150 brands globally. Statesville Contract Distilling's mission is simpleto honor its Statesville, North Carolina roots while building on a decade-long reputation for combining the artistry of distilling with cutting-edge technology and unparalleled personalized service to produce craft-quality spirits at scale. For more information, visit statesvillecontractdistilling.com . CONTACT: Laura Mulhern [email protected] SOURCE Southern Distilling Company This photo taken on March 3, 2025 from Aalma El Chaeb of Lebanon shows a boarder wall between Lebanon and Israel. Newly appointed UNIFIL Sector West Commander Nicola Mandolesi on Monday called on Lebanon and Israel to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the fragile stability in the region. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua) BEIRUT, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Newly appointed UNIFIL Sector West Commander Nicola Mandolesi on Monday called on Lebanon and Israel to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the fragile stability in the region. "The full implementation of Resolution 1701 is of utmost importance, and we call on all parties to refrain from any actions that could jeopardize the fragile stability currently in place," Mandolesi said when meeting with Mufti of Tyre and Jabal Amel in southern Lebanon, Judge Sheikh Hassan Abdallah, according to the official National News Agency (NNA). "UNIFIL remains fully committed to the communities of southern Lebanon, working to restore security and stability while supporting the Lebanese army in deploying its forces in the region," Mandolesi said. He also highlighted UNIFIL's daily commitment to supporting the Lebanese army through joint patrols, knowledge-sharing, and coordinated operational activities. "This ongoing effort is essential to ensuring a safe and stable environment, contributing to the return of displaced residents to southern Lebanon," he said. He also noted how UNIFIL's presence helps foster cooperation between different local communities, promoting an atmosphere of dialogue and security. For his part, the Mufti emphasized UNIFIL's vital role following the cessation of hostilities. He reaffirmed the peacekeeping forces' importance in ensuring the security and stability of the residents of southern Lebanon. He strongly condemned the recent attacks on Beirut airport and UNIFIL personnel, stressing that UNIFIL forces are an integral part of the region's social fabric and that any attack on them is an attack on the Lebanese people. An Israeli drone is pictured in the sky over Mansouri, Lebanon, on March 3, 2025. Newly appointed UNIFIL Sector West Commander Nicola Mandolesi on Monday called on Lebanon and Israel to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the fragile stability in the region. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua) Editor: Zhang Zhou Alileo joins a group of wine brands that are leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy GLOUCESTER, Mass., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alileo , a Sicilian boxed wine brand, announced today that it has received B Corp certification from non-profit organization B Lab. Alileo joins an international network of organizations leading economic systems change to support a collective vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. With approximately 100 wineries worldwide having B Corp certification, the milestone underscores Alileo's ongoing commitment to meeting high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. "From the first conversations about Alileo around our family's dining table in 2020, we have always had our commitment to our environment, community and team at the forefront of every decision we make," said Antonio Bertone, co-founder of Alileo. "We're honored to be part of this small group of wine brands and more than 8,000 organizations worldwide that are B Corp certified. We look forward to continuing to grow our impact towards the greater good." "Since 2006, B Lab has aimed to create a movement to change our economic system. We're happy to have Alileo join the movement and positively contribute to the collective efforts to shift our global economy from a system that profits few to one that benefits all," said Max Hayes, Community Growth Manager at B Lab United States & Canada. "We look forward to watching Alileo grow and further their social and environmental impact." Created by husband and wife team Antonio Bertone and Alexandra Drane, Alileo is produced in partnership with Bertone's family in Sicily and imported to the United States. The brand was started to pay homage to their family's Sicilian roots as well as give their family in Sicily upward economic mobility. With a focus on sustainability and environmental friendliness, Alileo chose the bag-in-box format because it is lighter to ship than traditional glass bottles, which results in lower transport emissions and a smaller carbon footprint. Alileo also follows strict vinification guidelines that include the organic cultivating of the vineyards for grape production, manually harvesting and selecting the grapes, using spontaneous fermentation without added yeast and daily fermentation maintenance to ensure that the wine is 100% natural and unfiltered. Alileo is available online and ships to 41 states via www.alileowines.com . Alileo can also be purchased in fine wine retailers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Texas. About Alileo Alileo is a sustainable Sicilian boxed wine brand. Founded by Antonio Bertone and Alexandra Drane, Alileo is produced in partnership with Bertone's family in Sicily and imported to the United States. Their bag-in-box organic wines are made using traditional methods with varietals from the West Coast of Sicily. Alileo was awarded three medals by the Decanter World Wine Awards 2023, the world's leading wine competition. Alileo were awarded silver for the Syrah and bronze for the Young Grillo and Rosato Bronzato. For more information, visit www.alileowines.com . About B Corp Certification B Corp Certification assesses the overall social and environmental impact of a company. To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must meet a score of at least 80 points in the B Impact Assessment, an evaluation of a company's positive impact, and pass a risk review, an evaluation of a company's negative impact. It must change its corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders, and exhibit transparency by allowing information about their B Corp Certification performance to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab's website. B Corps recertify every three years and, once certified, are expected to increase their score over time as they progress towards becoming more equitable, inclusive, and regenerative businesses. SOURCE Alileo IRVINE, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SWARM Engineering ("SWARM"), the cutting-edge Agentic AI platform revolutionizing industrial operations, today announced the appointment of Joe Intrakamhang as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). A former Head of Data Science Procurement at Google, Intrakamhang brings over 23 years of experience in AI, machine learning, and cloud-scale technology solutions, with a proven track record of delivering high-impact innovations across global enterprises, financial institutions, and non-profits. Joe Intrakamhang, CTO SWARM Engineering Backed by S2G Investments, SWARM is pioneering the next wave of intelligence in Industrial operations, leveraging Agentic AI to automate and optimize complex operations, eliminate inefficiencies, and deliver decision intelligence at scale. Intrakamhang is a trailblazer in AI-driven innovation having led groundbreaking machine learning initiatives, scalable AI architectures, and enterprise-grade software development at Google. His expertise spans industries, having built technology and data systems for organizations such as Lehman Brothers, The Northern Trust, Kroger, and Feeding America. "Joe is a visionary leader with unparalleled expertise in AI and automation," said Shail Khiyara, CEO of SWARM Engineering. "His leadership will propel SWARM forward, accelerating our ability to deliver groundbreaking, modular AI-powered transformative solutions. With his experience at Google and a proven track record of driving innovation at scale, Joe will play a pivotal role in expanding our impact across industries." Beyond his corporate achievements, Intrakamhang is a dedicated board member of the Northern Illinois Food Bank, leveraging data-driven strategies to combat food insecurity at scale. His thought leadership has been featured in Google's official blog, GreenBiz, Engadget, as well as featured in S2G Investments podcast, showcasing how AI and data science are transforming supply chains for greater efficiency and impact. "I am thrilled to join SWARM Engineering at this critical inflection point," said Joe Intrakamhang. "AI is no longer just about insights its driving real-world action, and SWARM is leading the charge. With Agentic AI we are revolutionizing how enterprises conquer operational complexity, enabling businesses to make faster, smarter decisions with unmatched precision and scale." Shaping the Future of AI-Powered Operations As CTO of SWARM Engineering, Intrakamhang will lead the company's technology vision, accelerating AI-powered automation and advancing SWARM's Agentic AI platform. By transforming complex industrial challenges into AI-solvable solutions, delivering SWARM delivering millions in cost savings and efficiency gains for enterprises in supply chain, logistics, manufacturing, and workforce planning. Renowned for applying AI to real-world challenges Intrakamhang has been recognized by industry leaders for his impact at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and food systems. The appointment marks a crucial moment for industrial AI acceleration. Emily Ma, Head of Google Food and board member of ReFED, "Joe has consistently been at the forefront of using AI and data for meaningful impact, particularly in food systems and sustainability. His deep understanding of AI's role in optimizing supply chains and reducing inefficiencies will be a game-change for SWARM, and I look forward to seeing show he transforms industrial operations at scale." About SWARM Engineering SWARM Engineering is an AI-powered platform designed to solve complex operational challenges through advanced Agentic AI and Challenge Engineering. By automating decision-making across supply chain, workforce & production planning, and logistics, SWARM helps enterprises achieve significant cost savings and efficiency gains. For more information, visit www.swarm.engineering. Media Inquiries: Holly Self [email protected] 949-414-6559 SOURCE SWARM Engineering Dairy Workers Secure Higher Wages, Better Benefits, Stronger Protections SPARTA, Wis., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters dairy workers at Foremost Farms USA have overwhelmingly ratified a strong four-year agreement. The new contract will provide Teamsters Local 120 members with higher wages, increased pension contributions, and improved health care. "This company has generated a lot of revenue because of our hard work," said Brad Lusk, a Local 120 shop steward. "We fought hard for this contract, and now every worker at this company is better off because we were ready to strike to get what we deserved." The deal comes after workers forced management to take their demands seriously by resoundingly authorizing a strike. In addition to better pay and benefits, Lusk and his co-workers also secured a tripled premium rate for night shifts, more bereavement time, and double the allowance for work boots. "It's about time Foremost Farms USA starts to recognize what Teamsters members have known all along. Workers are responsible for the success of this company, so it's only right that we get great health care and other benefits," said Tiffany Kagel, a business agent for Local 120. "We're willing to do whatever it takes to get a fair contract," said Cory Holliday, a shop steward for Local 120. "So is every other Teamster at this company." Local 120 and Teamsters Local 662 represent workers at nearly all of Foremost Farms USA's facilities. Teamsters Local 120 proudly represents over 15,000 workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. For more information, go to local120.org. Contact: Matt McQuaid, (771) 241-0015 [email protected] SOURCE Teamsters Local 120 NEW DELHI, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LT Foods Ltd., an Indian-origin global FMCG company in the consumer food space, proudly announces its collaboration with the finest global superstar, Mr. Shah Rukh Khan, for the world's finest basmati brand - DAAWAT. The moment marks the coming together of the Bollywood icon, who has enthralled the audiences with his finest performances, with DAAWAT known for delivering the finest food experiences across millions of homes globally. The King of Bollywood teams up with the King of Basmati Speaking about the association, Mr. Shah Rukh Khan said, "I'm glad to partner with DAAWAT, where passion and commitment to excellence come together, inspiring people to bring out their finest in every meal and every moment." Mr. Ashwani Arora, Managing Director & CEO, LT Foods Limited said, "DAAWAT is not just about food, it's about crafting moments of joy and togetherness. We take pride in bringing the finest quality basmati to tables across the world. Shah Rukh Khan, being the finest global actor, is synonymous with excellence, making him the ideal choice to represent DAAWAT. Together, we celebrate the art of Bring Out Your Finest." About LT Foods Limited LT Foods Ltd. is a leading global Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company in the consumer food space. It is a leading player globally in the specialty rice and rice-based foods business for more than last 70 years. The company delivers the finest quality and taste experiences in more than 80 countries across India, the U.S., U.K., Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and the Rest of the World. The company's flagship brands include DAAWAT, one of India's most loved and consumed Basmati brands, Royal, which is North America's most loved brand and many more. The company is proudly expanding into the future food preferences of millennials by offering organic food in global markets and supplying organic food-ingredients to leading businesses. The company is committed to nurturing the goodness of food for people, the community and the planet. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633140/DAAWAT_RICE.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2633141/LT_FOODS_Logo.jpg SOURCE LT Foods LAWRENCE, Mass., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program is recognizing Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 915, 2025) by inviting Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, family members, and caregivers to attend free workshops on "The Cost and Consequences of Healthcare Errors, Fraud, and Abuse", to gain a better understanding of how to protect, detect, and report healthcare errors, fraud, and abuse. Medical billing mistakes, patient record errors, medication errors, and unnecessary procedures can all lead to delayed or improper treatmentsposing serious risks and compromising patient safety. Medical errors can result in incorrect diagnoses, wrong medical treatments, and contribute to patients receiving inequitable care. The MA SMP Program encourages all Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to take an active role in their healthcare by reviewing their Medicare Summary Notices, medical billing statements, and reporting all questionable charges and discrepancies to the MA SMP Program. "Patient safety is contingent on an honest, transparent, and a patient-centric healthcare approach and delivery system", said Lucilia Prates, MA SMP Program statewide director. "Mistakes, such as medication errors, wrong diagnoses, and unnecessary procedures can have serious consequences. We all need to do our part to encourage patients and caregivers to feel empowered to ask questions of providers without feeling judged. It takes mutual respect and trust to discuss healthcare concerns, which ultimately promotes patient safety." During Patient Safety Awareness Week, the MA SMP Program will be offering the following free educational presentations to older adults, family members, and caregivers on "The Cost and Consequences of Healthcare Errors, Fraud, and Abuse." Upcoming events include: Monday, March 10 : 1 PM East Boston Senior Center East Boston Senior Center Wednesday, March 12 : 1 PM Ipswich Senior Center Ipswich Senior Center Wednesday, March 12 : 1:30 PM Longmeadow Council on Aging Presentations are offered regularly across the Commonwealth. To find a presentation near you, visit www.masmp.org/events. To schedule a presentation, please contact Lori Laviolette at 978-946-1278 or email her at [email protected]. The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program is part of a national initiative with a mission to reach, educate, and counsel Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, family members, and caregivers on preventing, detecting, and reporting healthcare errors, fraud, and abuse. The MA SMP Program works in partnership with government, non-governmental, statewide and local agencies, community-based and grassroots organizations, and a corps of dedicated and trained volunteers to activate consumers to become better engaged in their healthcare. Disclaimer: This publication is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $613,506.00 with 100% funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government. SOURCE AgeSpan, Inc. Customizable trading dashboard and mobile app bring advanced tools to full spectrum of investors CHICAGO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Online broker TradingBlock today unveiled a fully customizable trading dashboard and mobile app, delivering professional-grade trading tools to retail investors. The platform allows traders of all levelswhether beginners or advancedto tailor their trading experience. As a long-time provider of custom trading technology solutions for individuals, institutions, and Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), TradingBlock has designed these new tools to eliminate the need to switch platforms as trading needs become more sophisticated. TradingBlock's new customizable trading dashboard and mobile app bring advanced tools to the full spectrum of investors. "Whether you're a beginner or an advanced trader, you can design and modify layouts within TradingBlock to fit your style without ever outgrowing the platform," said TradingBlock President and CEO Jere Wickert. "We have more than 20 years of experience serving professional and institutional traders, which puts us in an advantaged position to deliver seamless, professional-grade trading experiences to retail investors. TradingBlock has once again proven that it's truly made for the way you trade." TradingBlock's fully adaptable dashboard grows with the unique needs of each trader, from beginner-friendly layouts to advanced setups. The web-based platform and mobile app offer ultra-low pricing with zero commissions on stocks and ETFs, and a $0.50 charge per equity options contract, with no minimums. TradingBlock's new dashboard is built for traders who need flexibilitywhether they trade options, require advanced charting, or feel constrained by their current broker's technology. Founded by a former Cboe floor trader and pioneer in online options brokerage, TradingBlock's customers are backed by a seasoned trade desk and responsive U.S.-based customer support. "With TradingBlock, you don't have to switch platforms as you grow as a trader," said TradingBlock Vice President of Market Strategy Mike Martin. "Customers at any level can design as many custom layouts as they wish based on the data they want to see across one or more monitors. As their needs change, they can modify or create new dashboards that serve them best." The launch of professional-grade tools for retail traders follows the recent release of TradingBlock's customized order-routing algorithms for asset managers and professional and active traders who want to align order-routing algorithms to their unique strategies. TradingBlock is also introducing a new Learn Center which offers an extensive array of trading videos and tutorials available at https://tradingblock.com/learn. About TradingBlock TradingBlock is a FINRA-member broker-dealer and comprehensive trading technology platform and brokerage solutions provider launched in 2003 and headquartered in Chicago. Made for the way you trade, TradingBlock offers highly customizable trading tools across three lines of business serving sophisticated individual traders, small institutions, hedge funds and asset managers, and independent RIA firms. When it comes to building, implementing, and supporting custom trading technology, TradingBlock provides customers with a top-tier brokerage team that can meet their unique and evolving demands, through a platform that seamlessly integrates options trading. TradingBlock is a member of FINRA, SIPC and NFA. For more information, visit tradingblock.com. Media Contact Brandon Blackwell Haven Tower [email protected] 424-317-4868 SOURCE TradingBlock Data shows growing interest among travelers in using a travel advisor for the first time NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2024, Travel Leaders Network, the largest network of professional travel advisors in North America, saw a notable increase in website traffic to its consumer-facing site, TravelLeaders.com. Analyzing search patterns and user behavior revealed a growing interest in using travel advisors for the first time, offering valuable insights into evolving consumer travel trends and preferences throughout the year. In 2024, Travel Leaders Network, the largest network of professional travel advisors in North America, saw a notable increase in website traffic to its consumer-facing site, TravelLeaders.com. Analyzing search patterns and user behavior revealed a growing interest in using travel advisors for the first time, offering valuable insights into evolving consumer travel trends and preferences throughout the year. TravelLeaders.com empowers travelers to find their ideal travel advisor by searching based on key attributes such as specialty, location and more. Once an advisor is matched and selected, users can seamlessly connect through the site to consult and book their trips. In 2024, Travel Leaders Network gave their member agencies nearly 300,000 leads from TravelLeaders.com. From those leads, patterns emerged that show what today's traveler is looking for. Major cities such as New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Miami saw the highest volume of users, with travelers aged 35 to 54 making up the largest demographic. Throughout the year, travelers visiting TravelLeaders.com actively searched for cruises and all-inclusive travel experiences. Early in the year (Q1 2024), there was a strong demand for Disney trips, romance and family group travel, followed by a rise in family and friends-focused group travel in Q2. In Q3, honeymoon trips saw a boost, as well as increased interest in all-inclusive resorts. Toward the end of the year (Q4), travelers turned to the platform for milestone events like birthdays, anniversaries and large villa rentals for group celebrations. In terms of geography, the Caribbean and Europe were consistently popular destinations, with notable regional fluctuations. Jamaica was the most searched Caribbean destination in Q2, Q3 and Q4, while the Dominican Republic was a top choice for leads from July to September. The Bahamas, Aruba and Puerto Rico gained traction in Q4. In Europe, Italy, Greece and the UK saw steady interest throughout the year, with Portugal and Ireland drawing attention in Q4, and Switzerland experiencing a notable uptick in inquiries during the last quarter. Another key takeaway from TravelLeaders.com data was the high level of preparedness among users. They were well-informed, having already done significant research before reaching out. While travelers often had a clear idea of the type of trip and sometimes a specific destination in mind, they sought the expertise of Travel Leaders Network travel advisors to refine their plans and secure the best accommodations, cruises and activities. The platform experienced an influx of "infrequent travelers," many looking to book bucket-list vacations. These users turned to Travel Leaders Network travel advisors to ensure they received the best value and tailored experiences for their dream trips. "From the over 300,000 leads that came through TravelLeaders.com in 2024, it is safe to say that travel advisors are more valued than ever," said John Lovell, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network. "It's fascinating to see how travel consumers' preferences shift throughout the year. Even more encouraging is the fact that travel's popularity is showing no signs of slowing down. This trend has continued into the first month of 2025, with our travel advisors continuing to attract new clients and close more sales than ever before. Savvy consumers know that working with a Travel Leaders Network travel advisor is the best way to ensure a flawless trip." Travel Leaders Network has been recognized as one of Newsweek's Most Reliable Companies of 2025, earning praise for its ease of doing business, exceptional value, consistent delivery and strong reputation for dependability. Among the 300 companies on the list, Travel Leaders Network is the only travel network to receive this honor. For more information or to find a travel advisor, visit TravelLeaders.com . About Travel Leaders Network Travel Leaders Network (www.TravelLeaders.com), an Internova Travel Group company, assists millions of leisure and business travelers annually and is one of the largest sellers of luxury travel, cruises and tours in the travel agency industry, with approximately 5,700 travel agency locations across the United States and Canada. CONTACT: Berit Griffin [email protected] 651-442-5173 SOURCE Travel Leaders Network ATLANTA and CHICAGO and DALLAS and NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Demonstrating its unwavering commitment to innovation and diverse leadership in the legal industry, Troutman Pepper Locke will be hosting this year's annual International Legal Technology Association's (ILTA) Catalyst - Women Who Lead event on March 13. This year marks a significant milestone as all physical locations of the event, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and New York City, will be hosted at Troutman Pepper Locke offices. The ILTA Catalyst - Women Who Lead event is a premier gathering that celebrates and supports the leadership and contributions of women in the legal technology sector. Attendees can look forward to a day filled with insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and inspiring presentations from leading women in legal technology. Alison Fragale, organizational psychologist, professor at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, and bestselling author of Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve, will present as the keynote speaker. Amie Colby, managing partner of Troutman Pepper Locke, emphasized the importance of this initiative: "At Troutman Pepper Locke, we are committed to exploring new frontiers and fostering a culture of diversity and innovation within the legal technology sector. We are proud to support and empower women leaders who are driving change and advancing the role of technology in the legal industry." "ILTA believes in the strong partnerships we have with our member firms. Troutman Pepper Locke has been an exceptional partner and a great supporter of our Women Who Lead Catalyst events," said ILTA CEO, Joy Heath Rush. Catalyst is a one-day event offering education and interactive networking. Hosted by Troutman Pepper Locke, the event will take place in four cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and New York City. For those unable to attend in person, a virtual attendance option is available. For more details about the event and to register, please visit the ILTA website. Troutman Pepper Locke Troutman Pepper Locke helps clients solve complex legal challenges and achieve their business goals in an ever-changing global economy. With more than 1,600 attorneys in 30+ offices, the firm serves clients in all major industry sectors, with particular depth in energy, financial services, health care and life sciences, insurance and reinsurance, private equity, and real estate. Learn more at troutman.com. SOURCE Troutman Pepper Locke LLP STOCKHOLM, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Truecaller and Telness are entering a strategic partnership to enhance security in business calls. Through this collaboration, thousands of Swedish companies will have the opportunity to verify their identity on Truecaller's platform. The partnership marks the introduction of Truecaller's business offering, Truecaller for Business, to the Swedish market. According to a recent survey made by SIFO commissioned by Truecaller, 64% of all calls from unknown callers in Sweden go unanswered. Truecaller's business service reduces the risk of important calls being ignored and lowers the risk of fraud by displaying verified business identities to recipients on both iPhone and Android devices. Through this partnership, Telness' business customers will be offered a verified identity on Truecaller's platform. Verification increases the efficiency of phone calls and also provides companies with identity protection, benefiting both businesses and consumers who can feel confident about who is contacting them. Today, Truecaller offers business services to large enterprises in more than 30 markets globally, with business revenue being Truecaller's fastest-growing revenue stream. Fredrik Kjell, COO, Truecaller commented, "I am very proud that, through our partnership with Telness, we are now truly starting to offer our business products in Sweden. The majority of our business customers are currently in India and the MEA region. With our new iPhone product, Sweden, Europe, and the U.S. are becoming increasingly interesting for us. We look forward to developing our collaboration with Telness over time to improve efficiency and security in communication between businesses and individuals." Vahdat Zehtab, CEO, Truecaller commented, "At Telness, we believe in an outstanding customer experience. That's why we are proud to be the first operator in Sweden to collaborate with Truecaller, the global leader in call identification, to make our services even safer and more relevant for businesses. Together, we are creating a smoother and more reliable telecom experience and we see this as the beginning of a long-term partnership, where we may, for example, offer AI-based fraud protection in the future." For more information, please contact: Andreas Frid, Head of IR & Communication +46 705 29 08 00 [email protected] About Truecaller and Truecaller for Business: Truecaller (TRUE B) is the leading global platform for verifying contacts and blocking unwanted communication, serving as a natural part of daily communication for more than 433 million active users. Truecaller's business solutions enhance corporate calls with brand identity and context, enabling trustworthy and secure customer communication. More than 2,500 large companies worldwide are verified on Truecaller and utilize other advanced communication features offered to businesses. These solutions improve the efficiency of business calls and significantly reduce fraud and phone-related scams, contributing to greater customer security in business communication. For more information, please visit corporate.truecaller.com About Telness: Telness is one of Sweden's leading mobile operators for entrepreneurs and business owners, known for delivering an outstanding customer experience. Telness provides seamless and reliable mobile services via Telia's network, with no binding contracts or hidden fees. With an intuitive self-service portal and a smart cloud-based switchboard, Telness makes it easy to manage business communication anytime, anywhere. Telness is the operator of choice for those who value freedom, quality, and simplicity. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/truecaller-ab/r/truecaller-and-telness-in-new-partnership---offering-verified-business-calls-in-sweden,c4113050 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/20429/4113050/3297712.pdf Telness 250304 - english https://news.cision.com/truecaller-ab/i/truecaller-och-telness,c3383266 Truecaller och Telness SOURCE Truecaller AB PORT LOUIS, Republic of Mauritius, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay International (UPI) proudly announces the relaunch of its brand in Mauritius, reinforcing its commitment to empowering businesses, fostering financial inclusion, and celebrating the island's rich cultural heritage. Themed "Celebrate Cultural Heritage and Powerful Partnerships," the event brings together local banks, industry leaders, media, and influencers to showcase the strength of collaboration in driving economic and technological advancement. This relaunch highlights the enduring relationship between Mauritius and China, two nations deeply connected through diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1972, China has remained Mauritius's largest trading partner, supporting key sectors such as infrastructure, finance, agriculture, and high technology. The China-Mauritius Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has further deepened economic cooperation, enhancing trade and investment opportunities for both countries. UnionPay's expansion in Mauritius not only strengthens financial services but also enhances cultural and economic exchanges between the two nations. With 100% UnionPay acceptance across Mauritius, local businesses are well-positioned to serve international visitors, while Mauritian travelers can seamlessly access services in China, empowering them to explore new opportunities, expand trade, and foster entrepreneurship. The event showcases UnionPay's growing role in Mauritius, with ABC Banking, State Bank of Mauritius, Mauritius Commercial Bank and Banque Patronus presenting their UnionPay-powered products and collaborations. These partnerships ensure seamless and secure transactions, benefiting local businesses, entrepreneurs, and consumers. "As we celebrate our brand relaunch in Mauritius, we reaffirm our commitment to deepening economic, trade, and cultural ties between Mauritius and China," said Mr. Asad Burney, Head of UnionPay International Africa Region. "With UnionPay cards issued in over 84 countries and regions, and accepted in 183 countries and regions, we continue to welcome engagement and investment, further strengthening Mauritius as a global financial hub." The event also marks the official release of UnionPay's latest digital advertising campaign, produced in Mauritius with Mauritian talents, capturing the essence of the island's vibrant culture and dynamic business landscape. Attendees, including local influencers and media representatives, will have the opportunity to engage with the campaign and create content that amplifies UnionPay's message. With its unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration, UnionPay International continues to shape the future of payments in Mauritius and beyond, building on the strong foundation of China-Mauritius cooperation. Visitors watch a collaborative dual-arm robot demonstration during the Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, March 3, 2025. The 2025 Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition kicked off on Monday at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Featuring the participation of about 1,200 domestic and international enterprises from the industry, the exhibition focused on presenting processing solutions tailored for high-demand sectors like new energy vehicles, electronic equipment manufacturing, and aviation equipment. Visitors had the opportunity to explore an array of displays, highlighting core functional components of CNC machine tools, laser processing equipment, sheet metal grinding tools, as well as a variety of related products and cutting-edge technologies. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) A visitor (L) talks with a staff member beside a machine tool exhibit during the Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, March 3, 2025. The 2025 Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition kicked off on Monday at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Featuring the participation of about 1,200 domestic and international enterprises from the industry, the exhibition focused on presenting processing solutions tailored for high-demand sectors like new energy vehicles, electronic equipment manufacturing, and aviation equipment. Visitors had the opportunity to explore an array of displays, highlighting core functional components of CNC machine tools, laser processing equipment, sheet metal grinding tools, as well as a variety of related products and cutting-edge technologies. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Visitors look at a turning center exhibit during the Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, March 3, 2025. The 2025 Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition kicked off on Monday at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Featuring the participation of about 1,200 domestic and international enterprises from the industry, the exhibition focused on presenting processing solutions tailored for high-demand sectors like new energy vehicles, electronic equipment manufacturing, and aviation equipment. Visitors had the opportunity to explore an array of displays, highlighting core functional components of CNC machine tools, laser processing equipment, sheet metal grinding tools, as well as a variety of related products and cutting-edge technologies. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Visitors watch a robot demonstration during the Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, March 3, 2025. The 2025 Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition kicked off on Monday at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Featuring the participation of about 1,200 domestic and international enterprises from the industry, the exhibition focused on presenting processing solutions tailored for high-demand sectors like new energy vehicles, electronic equipment manufacturing, and aviation equipment. Visitors had the opportunity to explore an array of displays, highlighting core functional components of CNC machine tools, laser processing equipment, sheet metal grinding tools, as well as a variety of related products and cutting-edge technologies. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) A staff member (3rd R) introduces products to visitors during the Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, March 3, 2025. The 2025 Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition kicked off on Monday at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Featuring the participation of about 1,200 domestic and international enterprises from the industry, the exhibition focused on presenting processing solutions tailored for high-demand sectors like new energy vehicles, electronic equipment manufacturing, and aviation equipment. Visitors had the opportunity to explore an array of displays, highlighting core functional components of CNC machine tools, laser processing equipment, sheet metal grinding tools, as well as a variety of related products and cutting-edge technologies. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) A visitor (1st R) talks with staff members in front of an exhibition booth showcasing key components of machine tools during the Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, March 3, 2025. The 2025 Shanghai International Machine Tool Exhibition kicked off on Monday at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Featuring the participation of about 1,200 domestic and international enterprises from the industry, the exhibition focused on presenting processing solutions tailored for high-demand sectors like new energy vehicles, electronic equipment manufacturing, and aviation equipment. Visitors had the opportunity to explore an array of displays, highlighting core functional components of CNC machine tools, laser processing equipment, sheet metal grinding tools, as well as a variety of related products and cutting-edge technologies. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Editor: JYZ Company Plans Significant Expansion of Commercial Organization to Grow Sales and Enhance Customer Support VALENCIA, Calif., March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Valencia Technologies, a neuromodulation company focused on minimally invasive treatment of urgency urinary incontinence, announced the appointment of Richard W. Klauer as Vice President Sales. Mr. Klauer will leverage his deep experience in urology and commercial leadership to fuel growth of the company's flagship product, the eCoin system. Richard W. Klauer Rich Klauer brings over two decades of experience in medical device sales for urological conditions. He has a proven track record of success across every sub-specialty within urology, including women's and men's health. Rich has built and led Sales teams in multiple companies with innovative technologies that revolutionized patient care. He has played a pivotal role in expanding early-stage organizations, leveraging his expertise to navigate complex markets and build strategic partnerships. At Valencia Technologies, Rich will focus on accelerating commercial adoption of the eCoin system for the treatment of symptoms of urgency urinary incontinence. "I am excited to continue my career in the urology space with such an innovative company as Valencia," said Mr. Klauer. "We look forward to expanding access to eCoin for the many physicians and patients across the country who want or need another treatment option." The eCoin device is a coin-sized neurostimulator which is implanted under the skin near the ankle during a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure utilizing local anesthetic. The eCoin device automatically delivers periodic stimulation to the tibial nerve twice weekly. In its pivotal clinical study, the eCoin system reduced episodes of urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) by at least 50% in 75% of patients at one year. Unlike many other stimulation devices, eCoin streamlines the post-implant experience. Most patients need just one post-implant programming session, with no need for weekly recharging or patient programmers. About Valencia Technologies Valencia Technologies (www.valenciatechnologies.com) is a privately funded medical device company headquartered in Valencia, California. It manufactures and markets the eCoin system, the first and only FDA-approved, subcutaneous implantable tibial nerve stimulator for UUI. The Company's vision is that most eCoin implant procedures will eventually be performed in physicians' clinics. Valencia Technologies received FDA approval for the eCoin system in 2022. Results based on the per protocol study population https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf20/P200036B.pdf Media Contact: Tom Patzelt VP Marketing, Valencia Technologies 612-802-7299 [email protected] SOURCE Valencia Technologies Corporation Editor's note: China Daily is presenting the series Visionary Pathway to tell the stories of practices and key initiatives promoted by President Xi Jinping during his tenure in various local regions, exploring their transformative impacts and interpreting the consistent values, thoughts and philosophies upheld by the president. BEIJING, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from chinadaily.com.cn: A brisk dawn wind carried a salty tang across Aojiao village as fishing boats glided in with the tide, their cabins loaded with crab, squid tubes and the occasional grouper. Aojiao, a village at the southeastern tip of Dongshan county, Fujian province, faces the sea on three sides. It is renowned for its 500-year history of maritime culture and beautiful natural scenery, and has become a modern fishing village known for its economic prosperity and ecological preservation. LI JUNTAN/FOR CHINA DAILY Fishermen catch fish at sea in Aojiao village, Dongshan county, Zhangzhou city, East China's Fujian province, Jan 7, 2025. Xu Wei/China Daily Along the shoreline, 59-year-old fisherman Shen Zhiqun was busy unloading fresh catches with his son, after nights spent navigating the shimmering expanse of the sea. Shen's fishing vessel is outfitted with state-of-the-art fishing technologies, and the development of cold chain systems has allowed his catches to reach markets far beyond the coastal village thanks in part to e-commerce platforms. However, he said that his 40 years of experience in fishing remained the key to guaranteeing a bumper harvest from each of his fishing trips. "To me, fishing in the ocean is like going through college. It requires experience, learning from the older generation and taking lessons from the sea," he said. Nestled at the southeastern tip of Dongshan county, Aojiao has undergone a dramatic transformation, from a small village to a vibrant fishing community, over the past two decades a change that captured national attention when President Xi Jinping visited in October last year. It was Xi's second trip to the coastal hamlet, and came 23 years after his first visit in 2001, when he served as the province's governor. Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, praised the village's evolution over the past 23 years and conveyed an optimistic tone about an even brighter future for rural areas and a more vibrant life for farmers. The village's transformation has been widely seen as a validation of Xi's vision for diversifying the nation's food supply and broadening the channels of income for rural residents. Aojiao, dubbed the nation's most beautiful fishing village, now boasts 88 registered steel-hulled fishing boats and a total of 603 smaller fishing vessels, pushing its annual marine output value past 330 million yuan ($45.3 million) in 2023. Furthermore, the development of aquaculture, e-commerce and rural tourism has broadened the channels of income for village residents, whose average annual disposable income has reached 58,000 yuan. During his visit last year, Xi fondly recalled that during his first trip to Aojiao in 2001, he already foresaw the village's enormous potential. "When I was working in Fujian, I noticed that our island communities held tremendous promise. That's when I proposed leveraging both the mountains and the sea using mountain resources if you live by the mountains, and using the sea if you live by the sea," he said. Liang Caiyi, an analyst with the Fujian Academy of Social Sciences, noted that Aojiao's success story has proved correct the long-standing emphasis from Xi that rural areas should tailor their development strategies to local resources. "A consistent governance philosophy underlies both the president's vision of leveraging the mountains and the sea and the all-encompassing approach to food," she said. Meanwhile, the village's proper protection of its ocean ecology and environment, and the thriving of rural tourism today, also exemplify the idea that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, she added. Growth drivers During his tenure in Fujian, Xi championed an all-encompassing approach to food, underscoring the development of under-forest economies ecologically sustainable activity that relies on forests and woodlands and marine aquaculture. The approach sought to adapt development strategies to local conditions and fully transform Fujian's mountains and maritime assets into real drivers of growth. Shen Ruidong, deputy Party secretary of Aojiao village, said the community has acted on this vision over the past two decades and striven to harness the ocean's abundance to boost public well-being. A pivotal moment in the village's transformation came with the modernization of its fishing fleet, Shen said. In the early 2000s, fishermen navigated rough waters in small wooden trawlers, and the prospects of deep-sea fishing or aquaculture seemed distant. Confronted with challenges such as dwindling fish stocks, village officials worked tirelessly to secure bank loans that enabled local fishermen to purchase larger, steel-hulled vessels to replace the wooden trawlers. These modern vessels equipped with GPS navigation, hydraulic winches and refrigeration facilities allow crews to stay at sea for 10 to 15 days at a stretch, venturing farther offshore and significantly cutting costs while boosting profits. "The refrigeration equipment also allows us to keep the catches fresh and sell at better prices," he said. Another key factor that underpinned the village's prosperity was the gradual pivot to the construction of modern sea farms to bolster the aquacultural sector. Guo Handong, 57, had to switch from the building of wooden boats to the farming of abalone with the upgrading of the village's fishing vessels in 2010. However, a powerful typhoon disrupted his operations years later by causing a power failure, rupturing pipes and causing oxygen levels in the water tanks to plummet resulting in the loss of nearly half of his stock. With help from authorities and aquaculture experts, Guo was able to rebuild his farm and deploy modern technology to monitor water quality, manage disease outbreaks, and better protect equipment from severe weather conditions. Today, Guo's farm, one of 128 of its kind in Aojiao, boasts 122 tanks nearly twice its previous capacity and operates on an internet-of-things system that allows him to regulate oxygen levels with a tap on his phone, producing thousands of abalones each year with a smaller team. The pivoting from wild catch to aquaculture in Aojiao epitomized the nation's broader shift in the fishing sector. Nationwide, 82 percent of China's aquatic products were produced through aquaculture in 2024, with the nation's aquacultural sector now accounting for nearly 60 percent of global aquaculture output. Green drive Environmental restoration has also been central to the village's renewal, as enhanced measures to treat waste and sewage from aquaculture operations, households and fishing vessels bolstered the local ecology. Aojiao was once confronted with growing pollution from the quick development of coastal aquaculture, as some farmers erected makeshift structures along the shore, with trash and wastewater discharged directly into the sea, said Shen Ruidong, the village official. The coastal waters were once teeming with kelp and abalone farms, but foam buoys floated on the surface, and bits of polystyrene littered the beach. During high tide, marine debris would even wash up to residents' doorsteps. To tackle these issues, local authorities launched a baywide ecological cleanup, creating no-aquaculture as well as permitted zones, and guiding farmers to designated areas. They also encouraged upgrading from wooden rafts and foam buoys to eco-friendly plastic net pens and floats, improving the marine environment and restoring orderly offshore operations. The gradual improvement in ecology and environment has paved the way for the development of rural tourism, allowing Lin Hubin, a military veteran, to set up a homestay while selling seafood on a livestreaming platform. Lin said the homestay was flooded with bookings during summer and holiday periods, as tourists arrived to experience the seaside lifestyle and fishing practices. Meanwhile, the improvement in water quality has also significantly improved the quality of produce from aquaculture farms, which pump water from deep in the sea to raise the produce, farmers said. Cai Yanzhong, head of the bureau of agriculture and rural affairs in Dongshan county, said the trajectory of Aojiao's development holds key lessons for the rural vitalization of broader regions. "By leveraging its unique geographical assets and cultivating distinctive local industries, Aojiao has built a diverse economic foundation that includes marine capture and aquaculture, advanced seafood processing, e-commerce and rural tourism," he said. "This shows that successful rural vitalization hinges on industry-focused strategies that adapt to local conditions, tap into inherent advantages and develop signature enterprises." The village is not without challenges. The dwindling of fish stocks offshore is expected to continue troubling the fishermen, and the aging of the village workforce, with an increasing number of young people migrating to urban areas, is posing obstacles to long-term development, officials said. Even so, Shen Zhiqun, the fisherman, said he expects that the sea will continue to provide for the village's future generations. "Everything we have comes from the sea," he said. "And as long as we treat it with care and respect, it will continue to give back." SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn Actor Steve Carell announces $175,000 Alice's Kids Grant at Senior Assemblies ALTADENA, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alice's Kids, a Virginia based non-profit and longtime supporter, Steve Carell, announced today via video that the charity will pay approximately $175,000 for Altadena seniors to attend their school prom. The donation sends more than 800 students to an annual, right-of-passage dance that may have been overlooked after the Eaton Fire raged through the community. Steve Carrell announces Alice's Kids Grant "Going to prom should be a celebration, and we wanted to help make the big night just a little easier for seniors whose lives have been turned upside down by the wildfires," said Ron Fitzsimmons, Executive Director of Alice's Kids. "Senior year is a turning point, and hopefully this allows the students to unwind and have some fun after a devasting year." The fires impacted over 9,400 structures in the Altadena/Pasadena areas and displaced 10,000 families. The six high schools, which survived intact, are making the best of a bad situation and moving ahead with their proms. "Knowing the financial pressure families are feeling, we wanted to at least erase the worry of paying for prom tickets," said Fitzsimmons. "Marshall is so incredibly gratefulso many of our students endured tragedy and loss due to the Eaton Fires, and this wonderful gesture will lift our students' spirits with a spark of much needed joy!," said principal Lori Touloumian of Marshall Fundamental Secondary School. Byron Flitsch, Director of Curriculum at Aveson Charter said, "This is amazing news! We are beyond grateful! What a kind gesture for our studentsand to have Steve Carell share the news is beyond epic!" Additional schools include John Muir, Blair, Rose City and Pasadena High Schools. Alice's Kids is a national charity that provides anonymous financial assistance to children in need. Learn more at www.aliceskids.org. SOURCE Alice's Kids REDDING, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report titled, 'Vision Inspection Systems Market' by Offering (Hardware, Software, Services), Application (Defect Detection, Others), Type (PC-based, Compact, Other), Inspection Mode, End User (F&B, Healthcare, Automotive, Others) & Geography - Forecast to 2032. The vision inspection systems market is projected to reach $9.29 billion by 2032 from an estimated $5.70 billion in 2025, at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2025 to 2032. Download FREE PDF Brochure Of Vision Inspection Systems Market - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=5973 The growth of the vision inspection systems market is driven by stringent government regulations and compliances related to product quality and safety, growing demand for automated inspection processes, and increasing adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. However, the high initial investment requirements are a factor restraining the growth of this market. In addition, technological advancements in inspection systems and the growing adoption of robot-assisted inspection systems are expected to generate growth opportunities for the market's stakeholders. However, compatibility and interoperability challenges are major challenges impacting market growth. Moreover, the integration of AI technologies is a prominent trend in the vision inspection systems market. The global vision inspection systems market is segmented by offering (hardware (vision sensors, lenses, lighting, cameras, processors, and peripheral devices), software, services (Deployment & Integration Services, Consulting Services, and Support & Maintenance Services)), application (identification inspection, quantity inspection, dimension measurement, positioning/alignment, verification, defect detection, and appearance inspection), type (PC based, smart camera-based, and compact), inspection mode (3D mode and 2D mode) and end user (electronics & semiconductor, aerospace & defense, healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, food & beverages, automotive, transportation & logistics, and other end users). This study also evaluates industry competitors and analyzes the market at the regional and country levels. Based on offering, the global vision inspection systems market is segmented into hardware, software, and services. In 2025, the hardware segment is expected to account for the largest share of over 58.5% of the global vision inspection systems market. The hardware segment is further segmented into vision sensors, lenses, lighting, cameras, processors, and peripheral devices. This segment's large market share is mainly attributed to the increased adoption of machine vision inspection for ensuring product quality, the rising need for inspection systems to optimize workflow efficiency for quality control, to enhance the quality of products during the development and production stages, increasing R&D expenditure of key players, the rapid growth of industrial sectors such as automotive, packaging, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and other industrial applications and increasing focus of key players on the development of vision inspection systems. Get Insightful Data On Regions, Market Segments, Customer Landscape, And Top Companies (Charts, Tables, Figures And More) - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/request-sample-report/cp_id=5973 However, the software segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on application, the global vision inspection systems market is segmented into identification inspection, quantity inspection, dimension measurement, positioning/alignment, verification, defect detection, and appearance inspection. In 2025, the defect detection segment is expected to account for the largest share of over 28.4% of the global vision inspection systems market. This segment's large market share is attributed to the growing development of advanced vision inspection systems to ensure accurate detection of defects, the increasing focus of manufacturers on improving production efficiency and product quality, and the increased integration of AI technology in vision inspection systems. However, the identification inspection segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on type, the global vision inspection systems market is segmented into PC-based, smart camera-based, and compact. In 2025, the PC-based segment is expected to account for the largest share of over 52.6% of the global vision inspection systems market. This segment's large market share is attributed to benefits such as high flexibility, greater power, and speed of PC-based systems, growing adoption of PC-based vision inspection systems in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, and a rise in manufacturing activities across several countries. However, the smart camera-based segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on inspection mode, the global vision inspection systems market is segmented into 3D mode and 2D mode. In 2025, the 2D mode segment is expected to account for a larger share of over 66.5% of the global vision inspection systems market. This segment's large market share is attributed to the focus of businesses on improving product quality due to their affordability and less complexity than 3D systems, the rising use of 2D vision inspection systems for barcode reading, pattern recognition, and quality inspection across F&B, pharmaceutical industry, growing adoption of 2D systems for high-speed image acquisition and processing and growing demand of modern manufacturing processes. Based on end user, the global vision inspection systems market is segmented into electronics & semiconductors, aerospace & defense, healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, food & beverages, automotive, transportation & logistics, and other end users. In 2025, the electronics & semiconductors segment is expected to account for the largest share of over 18.9% of the global vision inspection systems market. The increasing complexity of electronic devices and the rapid pace of innovation in semiconductors are driving the adoption of advanced vision inspection systems in this market. Furthermore, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning is enhancing the capabilities of these systems by enabling them to analyze large sets of inspection data, identify patterns, and predict potential defects, thus improving the speed and accuracy of inspections. Have Specific Research Needs? Request a Customized Research Report - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/request-customization/cp_id=5973 Based on geography, the vision inspection systems market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. In 2025, Asia-Pacific is expected to account for the largest share of over 38.2% of the global vision inspection systems market. This region's large market share is attributed to the growing investment across industries for digital transformation, increasing safety and consumer protection requirements, and stringent safety regulations. Moreover, the Asia-Pacific region is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period. This region's growth is mainly driven by rising industrialization, growing adoption of automation systems by manufacturers, growing demand for quality products, and increasing manufacturing activities across several industries, including pharmaceutical, automotive, food and beverage, and cosmetics. The growing demand for quality products from these industries creates potential opportunities for the players in this market. China leads the market with its sheer manufacturing scale, where vision inspection systems are now indispensable in electronics assembly, automotive component production, and packaging operations. The push for 'Made in China 2025' emphasizes quality and innovation, prompting manufacturers to adopt high speed and AI-enabled vision technologies to enhance productivity and ensure compliance with global standards. Moreover, emerging markets such as India, Vietnam, and Thailand are rapidly integrating vision inspection technologies to meet the demands of global supply chains. India's pharmaceutical and food processing industries, for example, are adopting vision systems for serialization, packaging verification, and contamination detection, driven by export requirements. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia's growth as an electronics manufacturing hub, coupled with increasing regulatory focus on quality and traceability, is spurring investment in inspection automation in the region. Key Players: Some of the key players operating in the vision inspection systems market are Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (U.S.), OMRON Corporation (Japan), Optel Vision Inc. (Canada), Cognex Corporation (U.S.), KEYENCE CORPORATION (Japan), FANUC CORPORATION (Japan), Basler AG (Germany), Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (U.S.), Antares Vision S.p.A. (Italy), Datalogic SpA (Italy), Averna Technologies Inc. (Canada), National Instruments Corporation (U.S.), Pleora Technologies Inc. (Canada), USS Vision LLC (U.S.), ISRA VISION GmbH (Germany), and Qualitas Technologies (India). IMMEDIATE DELIVERY AVAILABLE | BUY THIS RESEARCH REPORT (Insights, Charts, Tables, Figures and More) - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/Checkout/34946568 Scope of the report: Vision Inspection Systems Market Assessment - by Offering Hardware Cameras Vision Sensors Lighting Processors Lenses Peripheral Devices Software Services Deployment & Integration Services Consulting Services Support & Maintenance Services Vision Inspection Systems Market Assessment - by Type PC Based Smart Camera-based Compact Vision Inspection Systems Market Assessment - by Application Defect Detection Dimension Measurement Appearance Inspection Positioning/Alignment Verification Quantity Inspection Identification Inspection Vision Inspection Systems Market Assessment - by Inspection Mode 2D Mode 3D Mode Vision Inspection Systems Market Assessment - by End User Electronics & Semiconductor Aerospace & Defense Healthcare Pharmaceutical Consumer Goods Food & Beverages Automotive Transportation & Logistics Other End Users Vision Inspection Systems Market Assessment - by Geography North America US Canada Europe UK Germany France Italy Spain Sweden Switzerland Netherlands Norway Austria Denmark Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific China Japan India South Korea Singapore Australia Malaysia Taiwan Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa & Israel UAE Rest of Middle East & Africa Related Reports: Inspection Machines Market Size, Share, Forecast, & Trends Analysis by Offering (Hardware, Software), Automation Mode (Automatic Inspection, Semi-automatic Inspection, Manual Inspection), End User (Pharmaceutical and Biotech, Food and Beverages), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2031 - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/inspection-machines-market-2571 Industrial X-Ray Inspection System Market by Component, Imaging Technique (Digital Imaging, Film-based Imaging), Dimension (2D X-Ray System, 3D X-Ray System, End-use Industry (Electronics & Semiconductors), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2031 - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/industrial-x-ray-inspection-system-market-5148 Inspection Robots Market by Type (Stationary, Mobile), Application (Visual, Ultrasonic, Photogrammetry, Laser Scanning, Thermal, Quality Inspection), End User (End Use Industry, Inspection Services), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2030 - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/inspection-robots-market-5513 Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market by Service (Testing Services, Inspection Services, Certification Services), Sector (Agriculture and Food, Retail, Automotive, Construction) - Global Forecast to 2030 - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/testing-inspection-and-certification-market-5151 X-ray Inspection Systems Market for Electronics & Semiconductors by Component (Hardware, Software, Services, Consumables), Imaging Technique (Film-based Imaging, Digital Imaging), Dimension (2D X-ray, 3D X-ray), Application, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2029 - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/x-ray-inspection-systems-market-for-electronics-and-semiconductors-5253 Automotive TIC Market by Service (Testing, Inspection, Certification), Sourcing (In-house, Outsourced), Supply Chain Service, Application (Vehicle Inspection, ADAS, OEM Testing, Durability Testing, Telematics, Others), Geography - Global Forecast to 2031 - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/automotive-tic-market-4977 Non-destructive Testing Services Market Size, Share, Forecast, & Trends Analysis by Type (Inspection, Training, Others), Method (Radiographic, Ultrasonic, Others), Application (Flaw Detection, Others), End-use Industry (Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Others), & Geography - Global Forecast to 2031 - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/non-destructive-testing-services-market-5118 Robotic Vision Market by Offering, Type (2D, 3D, 4D), Application (Welding & Soldering, Assembling & Disassembling, Material Handling, Identification & Feature Extraction), End User (Industrial, Commercial), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2029 - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/robotic-vision-market-5408 About Meticulous Research Pvt. Ltd. We are a trusted research partner for leading businesses worldwide, empowering Fortune 500 organizations and emerging enterprises with market intelligence designed to drive revenue transformation and strategic growth. Our insights reveal future growth opportunities, equipping clients with a competitive edge through a versatile suite of research solutions - including syndicated reports, custom research, and direct analyst engagement. Each year, we conduct over 300 syndicated studies and manage 60+ consulting engagements across eight major sectors and 20+ geographic markets, all to deliver targeted business insights that help our clients lead in a rapidly evolving global market. With a strong focus on problem-solving for complex business challenges, our research enables organizations to navigate change with assertion, aligning it with strategic pathways for sustainable growth. By identifying innovative and effective solutions, we empower leaders to make impactful decisions that drive operational excellence and fuel innovation. We are committed to crafting insights that enhance business performance and help our clients unlock new revenue opportunities, positioning them for long-term success in the competitive global marketplace. Contact: Meticulous Market Research Pvt. Ltd. 1267 Willis St, Ste 200 Redding, California, 96001, U.S. USA: +1-646-781-8004 Europe: +44-203-868-8738 APAC: +91 744-7780008 Email- [email protected] Visit Our Website: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/ Connect with us on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/meticulous-research Meticulousblog.org | Top Market Research Reports Blog - https://meticulousblog.org/ Content Source: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/pressrelease/1205/vision-inspection-systems-market Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1757980/Meticulous_Research_Logo_1.jpg SOURCE Meticulous Market Research Pvt. Ltd. As part of Visit California's new technology and travel initiative, California Active Inspiration, Mindtrip's AI platform will now give visitors to Visit California's Road Trips Hub the opportunity to take any source of social, video or web travel inspiration and turn it into personalized and must-see driving itineraries throughout California SAN FRANCISCO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindtrip, an AI powered platform that empowers everyone to travel differently, today announced the integration of its B2B platform, Mindtrip for Business into Visit California's Road Trips Hub. With the launch, Mindtrip's AI software will now help visitors take any of Visit California's more than 74 highly curated and locally vetted road trips, videos and other sources of inspiration and turn them into personalized and customized driving itineraries throughout California, in an instant. Mindtrip is a travel platform that leverages proprietary AI to make travel exciting, easy and fun. As part of Visit California's new technology and travel initiative, California Active Inspiration, Mindtrip's AI platform will now give visitors to Visit California's Road Trips Hub the opportunity to take any source of social, video or web travel inspiration and turn it into personalized and must-see driving itineraries throughout California. The implementation rolled out as part of Visit California's new technology and travel initiative, California Active Inspiration, with the initial launch featuring Mindtrip's AI platform integrated directly into the Visit California Road Trips Hub. This new co-op initiative aims to demonstrate how California destinations can leverage technology to tap into their local expertise, offering tailored content that meets the unique needs of every traveler. To ensure a seamless integration, Mindtrip thoroughly indexed Visit California's content across its entire website, content management system, and beyond, enabling its AI engine to provide real-time insightsincluding updates on LA fire closures and more. "Mindtrip's partnership with Visit California once again demonstrates to the industry not only the power of AI, but the ways it can improve real world travel," said Andy Moss, co-founder and CEO of Mindtrip. "Like us, Visit California understands that everyone travels differently and with Mindtrip for Business' integration across their Road Trips Hub, we will be able to deliver tailored road trip recommendations that visitors to California have been searching for to make their travel experiences even more memorable." As part of the Visit California Road Trips implementation, Mindtrip is introducing brand-new road trip specific functionality designed to meet the diverse needs of travelers coming from all different areas. This includes: multi-stop trip planning, as well as automatically plotting a visitor's journey course on a map. It also includes enhanced distance routing so visitors will be able to maximize their time and avoid route plans that are not logistically realistic. Through the Road Trips Hub, visitors can start planning by either building a road trip from scratch using a few anchor points or must-see attractions that they have in mind, or by leveraging inspirational content found on Visit California's Road Trips Hub and social channels, linking from social, video, broadcast, guides, and articles into Mindtrip's embedded platform. Mindtrip's Start AnywhereTM functionality will then connect the dots, turning content into customizable trip plans. Mindtrip has also launched translation capabilities as part of the Visit California partnership, translating everything across the entire platform, from user interface, point of interest pages, and more into nine different languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Korean and German. "Visit California is committed to providing travelers with the most enriching and seamless planning experience possible," said Caroline Beteta, president & CEO of Visit California. "By leveraging cutting-edge technology on our Road Trips Hub, we empower visitors to effortlessly tap into the full depth and breadth of California's travel inspiration to plan their own epic journey. This initiative marks a significant step forward in our ability to connect travelers with the personalized information they need to plan unforgettable California adventures, directly from our industry's vast library of content." For more information about Mindtrip for Business and its innovative suite of solutions, please visit www.mindtrip.ai. About Mindtrip Mindtrip is a travel platform that leverages proprietary AI to make travel exciting, easy and fun. Founded in 2023 in Silicon Valley, Mindtrip was developed by serial entrepreneurs and avid travelers who have a deep understanding of technology, trends and a proven track record of bringing game changing products to market. The company's founders created Mindtrip, a first of its kind platform that combines conversational AI with a proprietary knowledge base to deliver personalized travel experiences that are accurate, actionable and all in one place. To learn more about Mindtrip, its founders and where to access, please visit Mindtrip.ai or on its social channels at https://www.instagram.com/mindtrip.ai/ and https://www.tiktok.com/@mindtrip.ai. About Visit California Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs in partnership with the state's travel industry that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Official State Visitor's Guide, go to visitcalifornia.com. For story ideas, media information, downloadable images, video and more, go to media.visitcalifornia.com. Contact: Rachel Rogers 3107704917 [email protected] SOURCE Mindtrip Empowering the next generation of visual storytellers. BANGKOK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- vivo has officially launched the "Capture the Future" initiative in Thailand, in partnership with UNESCO. The initiative, announced at the Crystal Box, Gaysorn Urban Resort, aims to foster youth creativity by encouraging students to explore the essential topics of science, education and society through the art of audiovisual storytelling. vivo is committed to innovating and advancing mobile imaging technologies to empower individuals with the tools to create and express themselves. This initiative represents a significant step in promoting the development of mobile imaging. A Platform for Youth Voices With the widespread adoption of the Internet and the flourishing of social media, an increasing number of people are accustomed to using mobile imaging for life documentation, artistic creation, and social sharing. Asia is one of the most densely populated regions in the world and also one of the fastest-growing markets in terms of Internet users. Mobile imaging removes the barriers to creation and promotes the popularization of visual culture, becoming an important means for young people to express their own points of view. Recognizing this trend, vivo has partnered with UNESCO and Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF) to establish the "Asian Youth Film Fund," which supports the Capture the Future initiative. The programme invites students to produce short films exploring how science and technology shape society, and their visions for the future. Participants will have access to advanced mobile imaging equipment provided by the organizers for this initiative, and winners will be selected by a panel of professional judges. The top entries will earn the opportunity to be screened at prominent Asian film festivals, giving young filmmakers a chance to share their work with a wider audience. As part of the program, students will have further opportunities for in-depth exchanges with expert filmmakers and photographers, exploring topics related to filmmaking, photography, and videography. UNESCO recognizes the importance of nurturing creativity, storytelling, and diversity among young people. By joining hands with vivo, it seeks to empower youth with a platform where they can explore their creativity and express their talents through visual storytelling. Chang Yumeng, Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Thailand, highly praised the event. She pointed out that the initiative not only provides a platform for artistic expression, but also highlights the powerful role of science and technology in shaping society. "By leveraging the power of storytelling, art, and technology, we will strengthen global influence and create new opportunities for partnerships that transcend borders." She emphasized. At vivo, we believe that technology is more than just a tool for innovationit is a bridge that connects creativity, expression, and learning. Zhu Yi, vivo Global Brand Strategy Senior Director, expressed that vivo would like to use the power of mobile imaging to inspire young people, unlock their creative potential, and give them a voice. As one of the initiators of the Asian Youth Film Fund, BCAF firmly believes that creativity and visual imagery are not only ways to document the times but also powerful forces in promoting social dialogue, youth development, and cultural innovation. President of BCAF, Cui Qiao, pointed out that the thoughts and perspectives of young creators are full of vitality and infinite possibilities, transcending boundaries and connecting the world. "We look forward to working with the world-class brand vivo and like-minded friends from all walks of life to advance cultural exchanges among young people across Asia." Cui Qiao said. "Beyond What You See, Unveil What the World could Be": Expanding the Boundaries of Visual Expression Mobile imaging is the intersection of technology and humanity. It links our physical and digital worlds and has the ability to amplify and enhance human expression. As an innovation leader in the field, vivo has a vision to empower every individual with the tools and technologies to create and express themselves. The newly launched vivo V50 continues the legacy of the V series, featuring ZEISS Natural Color Calibration, which ensures the precise reproduction of what the human eye perceives while pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. This pursuit aligns with vivo's philosophy of " Beyond What You See, Unveil What the World could Be ". vivo has made significant strides in advancing smartphone photography both through continuous innovation and corporate social responsibility initiatives centered around photography or videography. These efforts have created opportunities for the exchange of visual cultures and the nurturing of a new generation of creators with a strong sense of humanistic values and storytelling ability. "Capture the Future": A Global Vision for Social Responsibility vivo has launched the "Capture the Future" initiative building on years of experience in working with global partners to advance social responsibility. The program is designed to inspire creativity through imaging technology and encourage young people to engage with pressing societal issues and drive positive change through the power of visual storytelling. Since its entry into the Thai market in 2013, vivo has become one of the leading smartphone brands in the country, preferred by young and tech-savvy consumers. This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic relations, and at this significant juncture, vivo, through the "Capture the Future" initiative, is providing a platform for young people in both countries to share their experiences, further strengthening cultural exchange and collaboration. vivo is committed to promoting the development of the "Capture the Future" project across global markets in the future, empowering youth with greater creative possibilities and breathing new life into the future of visual storytelling. SOURCE vivo Aiming to strengthen Finland's quantum computing expertise, the launch marks the end of a four-year joint development project that successfully completed the building of a 50-qubit quantum computer. The 50-qubit quantum computer is now available for research and business use. ESPOO, Finland, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and IQM Quantum Computers, one of the global leaders in superconducting quantum computers, have completed and launched Europe's first 50-qubit superconducting quantum computer, now open to researchers and companies through the VTT QX quantum computing service. The new 50-qubit quantum computer further strengthens Finland's position among the countries capable of developing and investing in quantum computing. Finland first announced its efforts in quantum computing development back in November 2020 with a total budget of EUR 20.7 million from the Finnish government to develop a 50-qubit quantum computer. The 50-qubit quantum computer opens today for use by companies and researchers in universities and research institutes through the VTT QC quantum computing service. The quantum computer offers industries an opportunity to develop applications for quantum computing and to work on them in a practical way. "Developing and building a 50-qubit quantum computer demonstrates that Finland is one of the global leaders in the field. With this quantum computer, we can develop applications and new algorithms for material modeling and simulation, optimization problems, and artificial intelligence," says Erja Turunen, Executive Vice President, VTT. "Now is the perfect time for companies to consider how quantum computing could benefit them in their own business. Leadership in critical technologies like quantum computing is crucial for Finnish society. We need to be capable of both building the required hardware as well as using it for practical applications. Now with the 50-qubit quantum computer completed, it is time for the applications development by the entire Finnish ecosystem," she continues. The project was phased into three parts so the community in Finland can take advantage of the new technology as early as possible. The 5-qubit quantum computer was completed in 2021. In the spring of 2022, it was connected to the Internet via CSC's LUMI supercomputer for the use of Finnish researchers and later also more widely for business users. The 20-qubit computer was completed in 2023, and, in the third phase, it was upgraded to 50 qubits. A 50-qubit quantum computer is capable of performing such calculations which are not anymore possible with a classical computer, making this a significant milestone. Thanks to the new chip technology, it was possible to significantly reduce computer noise and increase the number of qubits used in calculations. "The delivery of this quantum computer is a significant milestone in our technology roadmap towards large-scale quantum computing with applications in quantum machine learning, optimization, or simulations," says Dr. Jan Goetz, Co-CEO and Co-founder of IQM Quantum Computers. "Our collaboration with VTT to develop the 50-qubit system serves as a baseline for our IQM Radiance 54-qubit quantum computer, a product we are shipping to our customers worldwide. We are now at full speed to deliver on the growing demand for our quantum computers to drive scientific breakthroughs and ultimately reach quantum advantage," he discloses. Quantum computers were developed as a joint development project, where both parties, VTT and IQM, developed part of the technology. VTT especially developed the superconducting TWPA amplifiers, used for readout of the qubit signals, as well as quantum processor chip-level integration and packaging solutions. The superconducting TWPA amplifiers developed and manufactured by VTT are currently the world's leading components, and they are in high demand within the quantum technology industry in Europe. VTT's spin-off company, Arctic Instruments, is commercializing VTT's TWPA technology. VTT also made significant leaps forward in the manufacturing of qubits and integration technologies, and VTT is now offering them as a commercial service. The manufacturing methods used in quantum technologies now include the Josephson junction technology, superconducting Through Silicon Vias (TSVs) and superconducting flip chip integration methods. During the innovative 50-qubit quantum computer co-development, VTT also launched another quantum technology spin-off, SemiQon, which is developing semiconducting qubits. Finland's quantum technology business ecosystem is growing, with multiple new startup companies emerging in the last few years. The BusinessQ community, operating as part of InstituteQ, Finland's quantum technology research and development ecosystem, brings together different actors in the Finnish quantum value chain. BusinessQ currently has more than 25 companies as its members, from technology developers to end-users. The new quantum computer provides new opportunities for the companies in the ecosystem to develop commercial applications and products, deploy quantum technology, and build new business. The new 50-qubit quantum computer is located at VTT's premises in Micronova in Espoo, Finland. MEDIA MATERIAL For additional information: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Pekka Pursula, Research Manager, Quantum Technology tel. +358 40 738 4986 [email protected] Further information on VTT: Paula Bergqvist, Communications Manager +358 20 722 5161, [email protected] www.vttresearch.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/vtt-info/r/vtt-and-iqm-launch-first-50-qubit-quantum-computer-developed-in-europe,c4113608 The following files are available for download: SOURCE VTT Info KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- KCB Bank Tanzania has signed a USD 15 million loan agreement (equivalent to Tsh39.48 billion) with WaterEquity to support water accessibility across Tanzania, particularly in underserved rural areas. Left to Right: Gabriel Etonga, Head of Africa for Private Equity and Infrastructure, WaterEquity, Njeri Kirumbi, Head of Africa for Financial Institutions, WaterEquity, Pascal Machango, Head of Treasury, KCB Bank and Frida Shirima, Company Secretary and Head of Legal, KCB Bank at the press event in Tanzania. Left to Right: Gabriel Etonga, Head of Africa for Private Equity and Infrastructure, WaterEquity, Njeri Kirumbi, Head of Africa for Financial Institutions, WaterEquity, Pascal Machango, Head of Treasury, KCB Bank and Frida Shirima, Company Secretary and Head of Legal, KCB Bank at the press event in Tanzania. The funding will be directed toward key water projects under the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) and Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA), aimed at improving water availability and sanitation infrastructure. This initiative aligns with KCB Bank's commitment to sustainable development and supporting the well-being of communities across Tanzania. These projects fall under key sub-sectors, including manufacturing of materials and equipment, building and construction, and trade and supply. Speaking at the signing ceremony in Dar es Salaam on behalf of Cosmas Kimario, KCB Group Regional Businesses Director and Managing Director, Pascal Machango (Head of Treasury), emphasized the importance of the relationship in supporting both the bank's sustainability agenda and country's development goals: "We are pleased to officially announce this collaboration between KCB Bank and WaterEquity in the spirit of improving community well-being. This relationship will not only strengthen our portfolio but also ensure that funds are directed toward impactful projects that will make a lasting difference in people's lives." Water accessibility remains a critical challenge in many parts of Tanzania, particularly in rural areas. Through this strategic alliance, KCB Bank aims to support the country's water sector, contributing to increased access to clean and reliable water sources to more communities. "WaterEquity is pleased to support KCB Bank Tanzania in expanding access to safe water and sanitation. This investment aligns with our mission by addressing the interconnected challenges of water access, gender, climate, and economic development in underserved communities across Tanzania," said Njeri Kirumbi, Head of Africa for Financial Institutions, WaterEquity. In 2024, KCB Bank disbursed more than USD 28M in loans towards water and sanitation. This investment underscores KCB Bank's dedication to supporting Tanzania's development agenda by fostering sustainable solutions that address fundamental community needs. KCB Bank is committed to its sustainability agenda, currently implementing 14 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and integrating the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Framework into its business practices. This relationship aims to enhance the bank's ability for a more impactful business inspired by its brand purpose of For People, For Better. About WaterEquity WaterEquity is an asset manager dedicated to mobilizing private investment into the water and sanitation sector in emerging and frontier markets. We invest in financial institutions, enterprises, and infrastructure in emerging and frontier markets that help deliver safe water and sanitation solutions to low-income communities, while seeking financial returns for investors. Since 2016, WaterEquity has raised more than $460 million in committed investment capital and has improved access to safe water or sanitation for more than 6.6 million people. Founded by entrepreneurs Gary White and Matt Damon of Water.org, the success of WaterEquity is built on decades of collective experience investing in water and sanitation in emerging markets. Learn more at WaterEquity.com Disclaimer: All investment has a risk of loss. There can be no assurance of any level of social or environmental impact. There is always the risk that impact investments will have a net negative impact, despite best efforts to achieve net positive impact. About KCB Tanzania Limited KCB Bank is a subsidiary of KCB Group that was established in 1997 providing a wide range of commercial services to individuals, SMEs, Islamic banking and corporate clients. KCB Group, is the largest in East Africa, operating in seven countries including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Congo DRC and a representative office in Ethiopia. With a strong presence in Tanzania, KCB Bank operates through 18 branches strategically located in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Mwanza, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Shinyanga, Geita, and Songwe, ensuring service accessibility and convenience to customers. Services provided by KCB Bank includes account opening, loans, insurance, and digital financial solutions, designed to meet diverse customer needs. By December 2024, KCB Bank Tanzania recorded Tsh1.5 trillion in assets, underscoring our steady growth and unwavering commitment to investing in the country. Contact Information: Faizneen Bharmal, Senior Associate, Marketing [email protected] +1 (816) 877-8400 SOURCE WaterEquity NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WB Engineers+Consultants is proud to join the global engineering community in celebrating UNESCO's World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development on March 4th. This year's theme, "Shaping Our Sustainable Future Through Engineering" highlights the role engineers play in creating solutions that address environmental challenges. UNESCO's World Engineering Day emphasizes the importance of engineering in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), from reducing carbon emissions to building resilient, energy-efficient infrastructure. Through sustainability initiatives, WB Engineers+Consultants makes the global environment better by thoughtful engineering of the indoor environment. The firm works with clients to improve environmental performance through ESG consulting, energy audits, and strategic sustainability planning, ensuring real, measurable impact. "As engineers, we have an ability to address real world issues," said Desmond Greene, Managing Director of Building Optimization at WB Engineers+Consultants. "World Engineering Day reminds us of our responsibility to design and implement solutions to leave the world better than we found it." As part of their sustainability initiatives, WB Engineers+Consultants have proudly committed to the MEP 2040 challenge. MEP 2040 calls for engineers to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in their building projects by 2040, focusing on achieving net-zero operational carbon by 2030 and net-zero embodied carbon by 2040. Additionally, WB Engineers+Consultants became an ITAC equivalent energy assessment provider, where they deliver high-impact energy solutions to industrial clients, helping them reduce operational costs while improving energy efficiency. As the world looks toward a more sustainable future, WB Engineers+Consultants remains committed to leading the way in engineering solutions that protect both people and the planet. To learn more about WB Engineers+Consultants' sustainability initiatives, visit https://wbengineering.com/services/decarbonization/. Media Contact: Julie Pampuch 6467785644 [email protected] SOURCE WB Engineers+Consultants VANCOUVER, BC, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. ("Wheaton" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the winner of its inaugural Future of Mining Challenge. ReThink Milling Inc. has been awarded US $1 million for its Conjugate Anvil Hammer Mill (CAHM) and MonoRoll technologies, which have the potential to revolutionize the milling process. This innovative grinding technology demonstrates immense potential to deliver greater efficiency with significantly lower energy use, leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs. Wheaton launched the Future of Mining Challenge in September 2024 and invited companies from around the world to propose industry solutions aimed at improving operational efficiencies and minimizing environmental impacts. This year's challenge focused on finding innovative, scalable technologies that have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across mining operations. The Future of Mining Challenge is supported by Foresight Canada, Canada's largest cleantech innovation and adoption accelerator. "Constant innovation is essential to responsibly meet the growing global demand for minerals and metals, and it is the driving force behind our Future of Mining Challenge," said Randy Smallwood, President and CEO of Wheaton Precious Metals. "ReThink Milling's winning technology is something we believe displays this innovation, and we are pleased to support the company through the Future of Mining Challenge award as they advance into commercialization. Integration of new technology across global mining operations requires industry support, and ReThink Milling has demonstrated they are well on their way to moving this forward with the support of nine leading mining companies and other industry partners. We hope the Future of Mining Challenge award funds give the company a boost to propel this technology further forward." Steve Wilson, CTO of ReThink Milling said, "We are thrilled to see our technology and prototype machines recognized for their potential economic and environmental benefits within the mining industry. Collaborating directly with mining companiesthose who will ultimately become our future clientshas been a game changer in refining and advancing our technology. We are deeply grateful to our industry collaborators for their support and insights, and we're honoured to have our CAHM Platform Technology acknowledged by Wheaton as a groundbreaking innovation for the sector. We are excited for the next phaseto scale our CAHM Platform Technology bringing it closer to a mine site, paving the way for future commercialization and ongoing engagement with existing and new collaborators." Jeanette Jackson, CEO of Foresight Canada, emphasized the impact of the Wheaton Precious Metals Future of Mining Challenge, stating, "This challenge showcases the potential power of cleantech to transform the mining industry. By bringing innovators and industry leaders together, we're driving solutions that could enhance productivity and support a resilient economy." To learn more information about Wheaton's Future of Mining Challenge and the 2024/2025 winner, ReThink Milling, visit www.futureofmining.ca. Applications for the 2025-2026 Future of Mining Challenge will open later this year. The theme of the next challenge will be announced in the coming months. About Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. Wheaton Precious Metals is the world's premier precious metals streaming company, providing shareholders with access to a high-quality portfolio of low-cost, long-life mines around the world. Through strategic streaming agreements, Wheaton partners with mining companies to secure a portion of their future precious metals production. Committed to responsible mining practices, Wheaton employs industry-leading due diligence practices with a goal of unlocking long-term value for shareholders while supporting the broader mining industry to deliver the commodities society needs through access to capital. Wheaton's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange under the symbol WPM. Learn more about Wheaton Precious Metals at www.wheatonpm.com or follow us on social media. About Foresight Canada Foresight Canada helps the world do more with less, sustainably. As Canada's largest cleantech innovation and adoption accelerator, they connect public and private sectors to the world's best clean technologies, de-risking and simplifying the adoption of innovative solutions that improve productivity, profitability, and economic competitiveness, all while addressing today's most urgent climate challenges. Foresight is well-positioned to lead the green economic transition, having supported 1431+ ventures to generate $549M in revenues and $2.24B in capital support, run 65+ industry challenges, and create 9,090+ high-paying jobs. Find out how they're redefining the adoption and acceleration of cleantech at foresightcac.com, and join the conversation on LinkedIn. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking-Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance of Wheaton. Forward-looking statements, which are all statements other than statements of historical fact, include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to sustainability commitments and targets by Wheaton and at mineral stream interests currently owned by Wheaton (the "Mining Operations"). Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Wheaton to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including (without limitation) risks related to the ability to achieve sustainability commitments and targets at both Wheaton and the Mining Operations and other risks discussed in the section entitled "Description of the Business Risk Factors" in Wheaton's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the risks identified under "Risks and Uncertainties" in Wheaton's Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the year ended December 31, 2023, both available on SEDAR+ and in Wheaton's Form 6-K filed March 14, 2024, all available on EDGAR. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management currently believes to be reasonable, including (without limitation) that sustainability commitments and targets at both Wheaton and the Mining Operations will be achieved, there will be no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, that estimations of future production from the Mining Operations and mineral reserves and resources are accurate, that the mining operations from which Wheaton purchases precious metals will continue to operate, that each party will satisfy their obligations in accordance with the precious metals purchase agreements, and that Wheaton's application of the CRA Settlement is accurate (including the Company's assessment that there will be no material change in the Company's facts or change in law or jurisprudence for years subsequent to 2010) and possible domestic audits for taxation years subsequent to 2017 and international audits. SOURCE Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. Ukraine has more than UAH 126 billion in its treasury account as of March 3, as well as $40.3 billion in gold and foreign exchange reserves, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. "The treasury account also contains foreign currency. In fact, the budget execution for the first two months is plus more than UAH 2 billion, that is, we are filling our budget for January and February, and customs and tax authorities have fulfilled the plan," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday. Shmyhal said that he reported this information about the sufficiency of financial resources and the possibility of financing the state budget deficit of $38 billion in 2025 at the meeting with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. He recalled that Ukraine recently underwent the seventh review of the IMF program and will receive a tranche of $400 million, which was reduced from the previously agreed $900 million precisely due to the current availability of sufficient resources and the desire to receive this money later. "All other instruments are actually concentrated around the IMF program: the Ukraine Facility from the European Union, under which we will receive EUR12.5 billion this year. Also, the infrastructure of the $50 billion ERA loan (income from frozen assets of the Russian Federation) is actually closed around this program: Europe will give us EUR18 billion this year in the form of a macrofinance," the prime minister said. He added that the agreement signed with the participation of the president on March 1 with the United Kingdom would bring in more than $3 billion. "We also have Japan and Canada with their contributions to the ERA program. We also work with the World Bank, with the EBRD, with other financial partners, with other countries. These are the Nordics, the Baltic countries, European countries, which also have smaller contributions, but we will receive from about 100 million, 300 million to 500 million in euros or dollars this year from other partners. All of this in total adds up to this budget deficit that we have," Shmyhal explained. The new complex will house the operational and administrative components of the 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Grissom Air Reserve Base. DAYTON, Ohio, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Woolpert-RS&H JV has completed the design for the new Logistics Readiness Complex at Grissom Air Reserve Base in Indiana. The complex will house the 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron, which delivers a range of operational capabilities logistic needs for the U.S. Air Force, including supply, vehicle management, traffic management, and mobilization planning. The new complex will merge and bring these functions, which are currently carried out across six separate facilities, under one roof. Woolpert-RS&H JV provided full design services, including architecture; interior design; civil, structural, fire protection, mechanical, and electrical engineering; communications distribution; survey; and sustainability services. This work assisted the USACE Louisville District procure and award a construction contract solicitation package for the future complex. Woolpert-RS&H Project Manager Rebecca Knolle said that the Louisville District twice previously faced procurement challenges for this project, so the Woolpert-RS&H JV was pleased to support a successful procurement. "Under this contract, our team was tasked with descoping and value-engineering the project and working with the client to optimize the scope, as well as streamlining the LRC's design, so that this vital project could finally be awarded and put into motion," Knolle said. "Ultimately, this contract led to the successful award of a construction contracta significant milestone for a project that has experienced procurement challenges prior to Woolpert-RS&H JV's involvement." The Woolpert-RS&H JV has supported the USACE community on a range of projects since 2016. The joint venture is currently serving contracts for the USACE Norfolk, Louisville, Baltimore, and Japan Districts, as well as the Air Force Civil Engineer Center. "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District is very excited to be able to deliver a crucial facility for the Logistics Readiness Squadron at Grissom Air Reserve Base, alongside Woolpert RS&H JV," Air Force Reserve Support Section, USACE Louisville District Project Manager Jim Walters said. "We're looking forward to future projects at Grissom and working with one of our key customers, Air Force Reserve Command, on these vital projects for our nation." Construction on the complex, awarded to Commercial Contracting Corporation, is expected to begin in 2025. "The new complex is vital and will greatly streamline the multi-layered mobility process by enhancing oversight, minimizing wait times, and increasing the effectiveness and security of the Logistics Readiness Squadron mission," Knolle said. "It is Woolpert-RS&H's continued privilege to serve those who serve our nation." About Woolpert Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, and geospatial (AEG) firm, with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private, and government clients worldwide. Woolpert is a Top 100 ENR Global Design firm, has earned eight Great Place to Work certifications, and actively nurtures a culture of growth and respect. Founded in 1911 in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert has been America's fastest-growing AEG firm since 2015. Woolpert has over 2,700 employees and more than 60 offices on five continents. For more, visit woolpert.com. About RS&H Since 1941, RS&H has set the standard for evolving to meet the ever-changing architecture, engineering, and consulting needs of our clients and communities. From the launch of the national space program to the expansion of the U.S. highway network to global airports that connect the world like never before, we approach every project by applying decades of well-honed expertise with insight that yields innovation with a purpose. Media Contact Lynn Rossi 312-837-2017 SOURCE Woolpert MILPITAS, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- XL Industries (XLI), a leading Northern California builder, is pleased to announce its merger with Graham Construction, a Canadian-based, employee-owned construction solutions provider. The merger, which takes effect on March 4, 2025, combines two leading construction services providers, positioning the newly unified company to deliver a broader range of services, greater operational efficiency, and expanded capabilities across North America. "We are thrilled to join forces with Graham Construction to combine our organizational strengths to expand our reach and deliver greater value to our clients," said Richard Walker, CEO of XLI. "This merger will allow us to harness the strength of both companies' expertise, talent, and innovative approaches to project delivery. It will also allow us to serve our clients in geographies beyond Northern California. Together, we will be better positioned to be great partners in delivering complex projects at the highest quality." Strategic Reasons for the Merger As the construction industry continues to evolve, the merger will help both companies capitalize on technological advancements, expand service offerings, and create more opportunities for their employees. "This strategic move will allow us to continue growing while preserving our people-first philosophy and maintaining the exceptional culture that makes us who we are," said Walker. The two companies share a strong alignment in values, vision, and ways of working. The partnership supports XLI's long-term goals, providing stability, financial strength, and an opportunity to invest further in the company's future and people. Additionally, the merger introduces a broader ownership opportunity for XLI employees, as Graham's employee ownership structure allows staff to participate in an equity program, extending ownership potential beyond XLI's previous program. No Immediate Changes to Leadership or Structure There will be no immediate changes to XLI's brand or leadership. XLI will join Graham's U.S. Buildings group, comprised of Milender White, a full-service real estate company with offices in Southern California and Colorado that joined Graham in 2021, and Graham's Seattle operations. This presents an exciting opportunity for the company to leverage Graham's additional resources, capabilities, and expertise, both within the U.S. and throughout North America. "This merger marks a pivotal moment in the future of construction," said Andy Trewick, CEO of Graham. "By combining our strengths, we will expand our geographic footprint, enhance our service offerings, and continue to lead with innovation in project delivery." Graham, with over 2,700 employees and the capacity to employ up to 6,000 craft workers, has been a leader in the industry since its founding in 1926. The company generates annual revenues exceeding $4 billion (CDN) and has over 500 active projects per year across North America. This merger represents a significant step forward for both companies and enhances their ability to deliver impactful, sustainable projects that benefit the communities and industries they serve. About XL Industries Founded in 1992, XL Industries (XLI) is a leading construction services provider committed to its purpose of "building to improve lives." Headquartered in Milpitas, California, with additional offices in Oakland and Sacramento, XLI encompasses a diverse family of companies: XL Construction, Bradley Concrete, Elevated Construction Services, TimberQuest, and Arrow Rental & Supply. Together, these companies specialize in serving clients across the education, life sciences, advanced technology, commercial, civic, and healthcare sectors, creating spaces that enhance and enrich communities. Known for excellence, XLI has been consistently ranked among Silicon Valley's "Best Places to Work." About Graham Construction Graham is an employee-owned construction solutions partner with revenues exceeding $4 billion annually. With nearly 100 years of experience, Graham provides general contracting, design-build, integrated project delivery, construction management, public-private partnerships, preventative maintenance program services and development services in the buildings, industrial, infrastructure and project finance sectors. Graham has offices throughout North America and employs passionate professionals and trade craft focused on delivering lasting value. Graham has the resources, capacity, and expertise to undertake projects of every scope, scale and complexity. To learn more, visit www.grahambuilds.com. SOURCE XL Industries MUSCAT, Oman, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Xlence, a leading CFD broker, continues to gain industry recognition. Being awarded as the Fastest-Growing FX Broker is a significant milestone, a testament to Xlence's commitment and capabilities. Xlence is constantly breaking new ground in the MENA and DFCI regions, growing fast, and creating a significant impact in the MENA area. This milestone marks Xlence's dedication to providing traders with a seamless and transparent trading environment. Furthermore, the Smart Vision Summit Oman is the perfect place to celebrate this achievement. Apart from being one of the fastest-growing brands, Xlence participated as a Diamond Sponsor at one of the biggest Middle Eastern finance conferences. What a fantastic experience at the Smart Vision Summit The Smart Vision Summit Oman was a unique opportunity for Xlence. It was a buzzing hub filled with leading figures in the industry, financial institutions, and decision-makers. This event allowed Xlence to connect with clients, share ideas about trading and investment opportunities, and establish new partnerships, further strengthening its commitment to its stakeholders. Key Highlights At the Smart Vision Summit Oman, the Xlence team reaffirmed its commitment to its clients and partners. The team's goal is to ensure that customer satisfaction is always at its highest, as set by Xlence, providing the best trading experience possible. Industry-Shifting Perspectives : Xlence presented insightful perspectives about the trading landscape, providing a deeper understanding of the market and ideas to underline the brand's dedication to establishing a strong foundation for their local clients. The work never stops, and client feedback is their utmost priority. : Xlence presented insightful perspectives about the trading landscape, providing a deeper understanding of the market and ideas to underline the brand's dedication to establishing a strong foundation for their local clients. The work never stops, and client feedback is their utmost priority. Stronger Partnerships: There's nothing more satisfying than building a strong network and collaborating with the market's top players to give traders even more opportunities, tools and better trading conditions. This occasion served as fuel for the future and a milestone. We are more driven than ever to continue pushing further. This might be the beginning, but momentum is given. About Xlence Xlence is a rapidly expanding international CFD broker designed for traders who want additional opportunities, transparency, and technology. With a significant presence in Europe, MENA, and Asia, we offer top-notch service, innovative trading tools, and access to various financial products. Become a member of the Xlence community now. To advance in your trade, go to www.xlence.com. Trade with Xlence, Excel in Trading Media Contact Details: Name: Nicolas Georgiou Email: [email protected] Phone Number: +357 96199856 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2606624/5189736/Xlence_Dark_Logo.jpg RESTON, Va., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pyramid Systems, an award-winning leader in innovative IT solutions, and YRCI, a leading provider of human capital management solutions for federal agencies, have joined forces to launch AIR-hr. This powerful AI-driven tool will help federal employees and HR professionals efficiently navigate complex employment regulations, retirement options and reduction in force procedures during an unprecedented time for the federal workforce. Combining Pyramid's advanced AI technology with YRCI's deep expertise in federal HR policies, AIR-hr offers real-time, reliable guidance tailored to the needs of federal agencies and employees. Pyramid Systems & YRCI launch AIR-hr: a powerful AI tool delivering real-time HR support for federal workers. Post this "Federal employees will benefit from clear guidance and easy access to their options," YRCI CEO Hans Jaeger said. "With AIR-hr, we're providing instant, straightforward support to empower employees and enhance HR services across federal agencies. This collaboration with Pyramid builds upon our 24 years of expertise in federal HR policy to deliver a truly groundbreaking solution at a transformational time for the federal workforce." AIR-hr introduces a new era of streamlined HR support by eliminating the need for employees to sift through dense policy documents or wait for HR assistance. With immediate, policy-backed answers available 24/7, employees can make informed decisions quickly, and agencies can better serve their workforce. In addition to supporting federal employees, the tool enhances the capabilities of HR professionals by addressing routine inquiries, enabling teams to focus on high-value, strategic initiatives. "We are committed to driving innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of federal agencies," Pyramid CEO David Chow said. "AIR-hr represents the future of HR support: purpose-built for federal employees to improve how they access and retrieve information rapidly. By leveraging our AI expertise in partnership with YRCI's human capital acumen, we are enabling federal workers and the HR teams supporting them to thrive in a rapidly changing environment." AIR-hr is more than a traditional chatbot; it's a purpose-built AI system specifically trained on federal HR policies. The tool is continuously updated as regulations evolve and is backed by expert oversight to maintain accuracy and relevance. Its key features underscore its impact on federal HR support: Policy-Driven Expertise: AIR-hr provides accurate, up-to-date guidance tailored to federal employees, ensuring adherence to federal HR policies critical at a time of major changes in the federal workforce. Real-Time, On-Demand Answers: Employees and HR professionals can access clear and reliable responses to complex policy questions - anytime, anywhere. Enhanced HR Team Efficiency: By managing routine inquiries, AIR-hr enables HR staff to devote more time to strategic initiatives while ensuring consistent support. User Privacy and Security: Designed with government compliance and security standards in mind, the system protects employee privacy by not storing or processing personal information. AIR-hr is being released as a free version 1.0, ensuring federal employees can immediately access critical HR information. Future iterations will offer agency-specific customization through paid versions, expanding functionality and capabilities based on personalized needs. Pyramid ' Nexus Division led the IT and development efforts behind the tool. Nexus manages Pyramid Labs, which professionalizes innovation across the Pyramid ecosystem of advanced technologies. With a legacy that includes transformative projects like FHA Catalyst, which redefined the Federal Housing Administration's data, Pyramid is setting new benchmarks for modernizing federal processes and transforming the way business is done. "AIR-hr embodies the core mission of Nexus and Pyramid Labs: bringing innovative solutions to market that solve real-world challenges," Chow said. "We are excited to see how AIR-hr transforms the HR landscape, making processes more streamlined and accessible for federal agencies and their employees." YRCI complements this technological expertise with decades of expertise in federal HR policy, ensuring the tool's deep alignment with the needs of federal agencies. "This partnership reflects the best of what YRCI and Pyramid brings to the table. Together, we've created a solution that enhances operational efficiency and ensures the human aspect of HR is preserved and strengthened," Jaeger said. AIR-hr's release comes at a pivotal time, as federal workforces adapt to evolving policy landscapes and changing workplace dynamics. Employees need timely guidance now more than ever, and AIR-hr is poised to provide just that. By offering consistent, policy-backed insights, the tool empowers employees to make confident, well-informed decisions in a dynamic environment. The pathway for AIR-hr includes exciting future developments. Agencies will soon have access to customized, advanced versions of the tool designed to meet their unique requirements. Paid versions will include enhanced features, such as advanced analytics and tailored training modules, further amplifying the tool's impact. About Pyramid Pyramid Systems, Inc. is an employee-owned technology leader, driving digital transformation across federal agencies for 30 years. We empower forward-thinking innovations, accelerate production-ready software, and deliver secure solutions so federal agencies can meet their mission goals. Voted a Top Workplace USA 2023-2024, Pyramid is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, and employs more than 185 people. Learn more at pyramidsystems.com About YRCI YRCI, headquartered in Reston, Virginia, is a trusted leader in federal human capital solutions, dedicated to empowering the government to better serve its citizens. Since its founding in 2001, YRCI has partnered with federal agencies to deliver innovative, strategic, and technology-driven HR solutions designed to address complex workforce challenges. With expertise spanning the full spectrum of federal staffing and workforce management, YRCI ensures agencies have the right people, processes, and technologies to achieve mission success. Driven by a commitment to excellence, flexibility, and care, YRCI provides impactful, results-oriented solutions that support the evolving needs of federal agencies. As a powerhouse in federal HR, YRCI is shaping the future of federal workforce management. Learn more at YRCI.com Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Pyramid Systems, Inc. Switzerland has decided to join some provisions of the EU's 16th package of anti-Russian sanctions, the Swiss government said in a statement on Tuesday. "Switzerland is adopting the additional measures decided by the EU [...]. The measures will take effect on 4 March," the statement said. The restrictions will apply to 48 individuals and 35 entities, "among others, supporters of the Russian military complex," it said. There are also sanctions on 74 vessels from third countries, mostly tankers. According to the statement, "53 new entities are subject to stricter export control measures." Three banks will fall under restrictions for using the Russian Central Bank's financial messaging system. Switzerland will de-SWIFT 13 Russian banks starting on March 17. The EU's Foreign Affairs Council approved the 16th package of economic and individual sanctions on Russia on February 24. Mineral deal with Ukraine to be signed in short order Republican Congressman after his talk with Yermak Republican US Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, after a conversation with the head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, said that the agreement on minerals with Ukraine will be signed in a short time. "I just had a lengthy and productive one-on-one conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Chief-of-Staff, Andriy Yermak. We are 100% getting this train back on the tracks. This mineral deal will be signed in short order, which will lead to a strong long-term economic partnership between the United States and Ukraine, and which will ultimately and naturally lead to security assistance," he said on X. He stressed that Europe will be required "to step up and do its part, and there will be mandates for them to do just that." 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 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that in order to bring peace and decades of tranquility closer, Ukraine, Europe and the United States need to act constructively, the press service of the head of state reports. Ukraine, all of Europe, and America together, we can ensure decades of peace. And for this, we must stay constructive work together, complement each other's proposals, and speed up diplomacy to end the war, he said in his evening video address Monday. He noted the continuation of work with European partners on a special diplomatic and security architecture that can bring peace closer. In particular, this is what we discussed in London recently and what we had spoken about with many world leaders before that, he stressed. Zelenskyy also said he spoke with the leaders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. A good conversation. About the outcomes of the London summit. About opportunities and perspectives on all processes involving the United States. And about defense support that saves lives of our people. I am grateful to the Baltic states for standing so firmly with Ukraine thank you once again for your support, friends! the President noted. United Nations, March 4 : Security Council President Christina Markus Lassen sees hope for a "breakthrough" in efforts to stop the Ukraine war. United Nations, March 4 (IANS) Security Council President Christina Markus Lassen sees hope for a "breakthrough" in efforts to stop the Ukraine war. Denmark's Permanent Representative Lassen, who took over the Council presidency on Monday, said, "There's hope for some kind of breakthrough in the peace process or at least a session of hostilities". "It's important to note that nobody wants peace more than, Ukraine, so of course, we'll do whatever we can to support that", she said at a news conference. But she added that it should conform to the UN Charter. She said that she hoped it would be under "terms that do not reward the aggressor and punish the victim" and will be "respecting Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignties and independence". She said the five European countries abstained on the Council resolution last week moved by the US on Ukraine because they wanted to be sure "peace is on the right terms" and "Ukraine's right to be respected". "It's more a question of how do we get there [to peace] than the end goal that I think we all agree on", she said. In the context of the recent differences with the US on Ukraine, she said Europe has to be more self-reliant and referred to Sunday's European Summit in London where the leaders showed strong support for Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky who had been snubbed by Trump on Friday. Lassen said that while Western Europe has a very strong Transatlantic alliance with the US, "within that alliance, Europe has to stand more on its own feet". That is "what we saw yesterday at the summit in London", she said. Washington, March 4 : US President Donald Trump has paused all aid to Ukraine till as much time as it takes to determine President Volodymyr Zelensky's commitment to ending the war with Russia, according to multiple US media reports. Citing unidentified officials, Fox News reported the order is coming shortly. President Trump will address the issue of Ukraine in his address to a joint session of the US Congress on Tuesday evening, hours after his tariff hikes of 25 per cent go into effect on imports from Canada and Mexico, and 20 per cent on goods from China. Asked at a White House what it would take to resume negotiations with Ukraine for a deal to secure rights to the country's vast resources of rare earth minerals after it broke down in a fiery exchange with President Zelensky at an Oval Office meeting, Trump said, "I just think you should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin." Asked about President Zelensky's comments in London that he fears the war with Russia is going to last a long time, President Trump said he hoped the Ukrainian leader was not right. He went on to say Russia wants to end the war and so do the people of Ukraine, seeking to put distance between Zelensky and his country, a line that is playing out prominently amongst his Republican support base. Trump had called Zelensky a dictator some weeks ago and suggested he was not calling for elections because he feared losing. After the Friday blow-up in the Oval Office, Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator who has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine's fight back against the 2022 Russian invasion but who is also known to be a fickle ally and friend at home and abroad, called for Zelensky to step down. Zelensky, who has said he only answers to Ukrainian voters, offered Graham Ukrainian citizenship so he could actually vote to oust him. Ankara, March 4 : Turkiye condemned Israel's recent decision to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, calling it a violation of international law and a threat to ongoing ceasefire efforts. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday denounced the move as a deliberate act of collective punishment against the Palestinian people and a blatant violation of international law, Xinhua news agency reported. Turkiye also warned that such actions could jeopardise diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. "This decision undermines the chances of peace and prolongs the suffering of innocent civilians," the ministry stated. Turkiye urged the international community to take immediate action to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid. "It is imperative that Israel fulfills its obligations and allows humanitarian assistance to reach those in need," the statement said. Israel has blocked humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip since early Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the measure was taken to pressure Hamas into accepting a new proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire deal. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East has warned of severe consequences following the Israeli move. In a press statement, the agency's media advisor, Adnan Abu Hasna, said that the shutdown would exacerbate "the tragedy and immense suffering" endured by Gaza's more than two million residents over 15 months of war. Ankara, March 4 : Turkey condemned Israel's recent decision to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, calling it a violation of international law and a threat to ongoing ceasefire efforts. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday denounced the move as a deliberate act of collective punishment against the Palestinian people and a blatant violation of international law, Xinhua news agency reported. Turkey also warned that such actions could jeopardise diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. "This decision undermines the chances of peace and prolongs the suffering of innocent civilians," the ministry stated. Turkey urged the international community to take immediate action to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid. "It is imperative that Israel fulfills its obligations and allows humanitarian assistance to reach those in need," the statement said. Israel has blocked humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip since early Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the measure was taken to pressure Hamas into accepting a new proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire deal. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East has warned of severe consequences following the Israeli move. In a press statement, the agency's media advisor, Adnan Abu Hasna, said that the shutdown would exacerbate "the tragedy and immense suffering" endured by Gaza's more than two million residents over 15 months of war. Geneva, March 4 : At the 58th regular session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Arindam Bagchi, delivered a pointed critique of the High Commissioner's global update, calling for a "genuine update" on the situation in India. Geneva, March 4 (IANS) At the 58th regular session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Arindam Bagchi, delivered a pointed critique of the High Commissioner's global update, calling for a "genuine update" on the situation in India. Bagchi's statement was in response to unfounded remarks made about India, particularly in relation to Jammu and Kashmir. "Mr. Vice President, allow me today to share some reflections about the High Commissioner's global update. As India was mentioned by name, let me begin by emphasizing that the world's largest democracy continues to be a healthy, vibrant and pluralistic society," Bagchi said. He dismissed the concerns raised in the report as "unfounded and baseless", stressing that these comments did not reflect the ground realities of India. Bagchi also urged a better understanding of India's democratic and pluralistic ethos. "We would urge a better understanding of India and our civilization's ethos of diversity and openness, which continue to define our robust and often cacophonous civic space," he emphasised. A key focus of his speech was the region of J&K, which was mentioned in the report with an inaccurate reference to "Kashmir". Bagchi pointed out that in the past year, the region had seen significant improvements, including increased peace, provincial elections, a booming tourism industry, and rapid development. He added, "Nothing illustrates this divergence more than the passing reference to Jammu and Kashmir, erroneously referred to as Kashmir." "Ironically, in a year that stood out for that region's improving peace and inclusive progress, be it the large turnout, provincial elections, booming tourism, or the rapid development pace, clearly, the global update needs a genuine update. At a larger level, we are concerned about global updates, oversimplifications of complex issues, sweeping and generalized remarks, usage of loose terminologies and apparent cherry-picking of situations," said Bagchi. He called for introspection within the office of the High Commissioner, stating, "Mr. Vice President, the High Commissioner has sensed a pervasive unease, but we would submit that a key element to addressing this is a long and hard look in the mirror by the office of the High Commissioner." The 58th regular session of the Human Rights Council (HRC 58) is taking place in Geneva from February 24 to April 4, 2025. Nairobi, March 4 : The International Monetary Fund (IMF) began an official review of Kenya's corruption and governance issues, a senior Kenyan official said. The findings of the technical assessment will enable the government to implement priority governance reforms to fight corruption and support economic growth, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi said on Monday in a statement issued in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi after a meeting with Rebecca A. Sparkman, deputy division chief at the Fiscal Affairs Department of the IMF. Mudavadi welcomed the IMF's response to the Kenyan government's request for a Governance Diagnostic Assessment, starting with a scoping mission and then a full assessment later in the year. The move to invite the IMF team came after Kenyan President William Ruto, under pressure from young protesters demanding accountability, promised to propose changes to the relevant law in July 2024 to seal the loopholes that undermine the fight against corruption, Xinhua news agency reported. Ruto said the legal amendments would include cracking down on corrupt officials and those displaying opulence and wastage in government spending amid the high cost of living. The IMF has urged Kenya to intensify efforts to tackle budgetary and economic challenges following taxation reforms that sparked mass protests in June 2024. Sparkman said the scoping mission will examine corruption vulnerabilities in six core areas: fiscal governance, central bank governance and operations, financial sector oversight, market regulation, rule of law, and anti-money laundering and combating terrorism financing. Mumbai, March 4 : Adarsh Gourav is now set to make his Telugu debut in a psychological horror movie. The actor heaped praise on the South film industry and said that it has consistently delivered "some of the most compelling and innovative films." Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Adarsh Gourav is now set to make his Telugu debut in a psychological horror movie. The actor heaped praise on the South film industry and said that it has consistently delivered "some of the most compelling and innovative films." Adarsh shared: "I've always believed that great stories transcend language, and as an actor, my biggest thrill is to explore diverse narratives across industries. The South film industry has consistently delivered some of the most compelling and innovative films, and I'm excited to finally be a part of it. The upcoming yet-untitled project is being spearheaded by Jahnavi, daughter of renowned producer D.V.V. Danayya, and is directed by Baba Shashank. The film is scheduled for release in 2025. He said that he has never done a psychological horror genre. "This project, in particular, is unlike anything I've never done Psychological horror genre and it has a gripping story that immediately drew me in. Collaborating with a visionary team and making my Telugu debut with Jahnavi's production is truly special. I can't wait for audiences to see what we're creating." Adarsh began acting with the drama film My Name Is Khan in 2010. He gained international recognition for playing chauffeur Balram Halwai in the satirical film "The White Tiger", which earned him nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He has also worked in "Hostel Daze", the comic thriller series "Guns & Gulaabs", and "Kho Gaye Hum Kahan". His latest work includes "Superboys of Malegaon", a coming-of-age film directed by Reema Kagti and written by Varun Grover. Inspired by the 2008 documentary Supermen of Malegaon, it is based on the life of Nasir Shaikh and other amateur filmmakers in the small town of Malegaon. The film also stars Vineet Kumar Singh, Shashank Arora, and Anuj Singh Duhan. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Los Angeles, March 4 : Hollywood star Angelina Jolie attended the mother-daughter brunch in Alabama, with her daughter Zahara to raise awareness for period poverty. The National Institutes of Health describes period poverty as women and girls "having insufficient access to menstrual products, education, and sanitation facilities." Zahara, who joined Spelman College's chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority in November 2023, was the keynote speaker for the Women in Training Inc.'s fourth Mother-Daughter Brunch at the Renaissance hotel, reports people.com. "We are truly honored that Zahara Jolie-Pitt will speak at the Fourth Annual WIT Mother-Daughter Brunch about her passion to end period poverty, which is the mission of Women in Training," the non-profit organization's president and CEO Adeyela Bennett said ahead of the event, according to WAKA 8 Action News. She continued, "We are also excited that her mother, the internationally renowned movie star Angelina Jolie, will join us to support her daughter and to support our goal of ensuring that every girl and young woman has the products she needs to live her life to the fullest extent." Angelina adopted Zahara in 2005 from Ethiopia when she was 7-months-old while on a visit with her eldest son, Maddox. The Oscar-winning actress shares six children Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh and twins Knox and Vivienne with her ex husband Brad Pitt. Roughly one month before attending the mother-daughter brunch, Angelina and her kids got together to give back once more, this time for the families affected by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles. "Her kids are volunteering around the state, asking for what's needed and jumping in," a source close to the Eternals actress told people.com on January 13. "She went to see the firefighters at the Rose Bowl and is close to the team at World Central Kitchen," the insider added at the time, noting that Angelina first connected with the organization during a May 2022 visit to Ukraine. "Overall she is trying to listen and follow and not get in anyone's way," the source continued of Jolie's efforts to help. "She knows what's important is to bring supplies and donate and fall in line. She isn't posting or announcing efforts. Just trying to listen and learn." In addition to raising her children to give back to others, the actress has also spoken openly about the importance of self. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Mumbai, March 4 : Actor Chandan Roy Sanyal has addressed the controversy surrounding the show "Aashram" and its portrayal of religious figures. Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Actor Chandan Roy Sanyal has addressed the controversy surrounding the show "Aashram" and its portrayal of religious figures. The show, which has sparked significant debate since its release, has been criticized by some for its depiction of faith and religious symbolism. However, Sanyal remains unfazed, highlighting the overwhelming support the series has garnered from viewers. When asked about the backlash, Chandan acknowledged that criticism is an inevitable part of being in the public eye. He told IANS, "Backlash is inevitable, but love always outweighs criticism. On social media, I see that about 98% of people appreciate the show, while a small percentage express anger. However, if the show had only received criticism, it wouldn't have lasted for five years. The overwhelming support from viewers, especially women and younger audiences, has made Aashram a success." In "Aashram Season 3", Chandan Roy's character will dethrone Baba Nirala, a role that was immortalized by Bobby Deol. The actor also spoke openly about stepping into such an iconic role and the challenges it brings. "Bobby Sir's portrayal of Baba Nirala is iconic. The show revolves around his character, and people connect with it deeply. The writers made my character the new Baba, and I had to step into that role. Ultimately, it's up to the audience. I can't predict whether they will accept me in this transformation. The storyline now has two Babas, which sets up an interesting dynamic. It all depends on how the writers develop my character moving forward. I am also curious to see how the audience reacts and what platforms like MX Player or Amazon Prime decide for the future," he shared. On Chandan's birthday, a major slate announcement revealed several exciting upcoming projects, with "Aashram Season 3 Part 2" standing out as one of the key highlights. Sanyal took to Instagram to share images from the event, captioning the post, "The wait is over! What a birthday celebration when the whole world celebrated with Aashram! The year has just begun for me. Bhopa is coming soon." The show stars Bobby Deol as the manipulative and sinister Baba Nirala, who exploits the young women in his ashram. The previous season of the hit series aired in 2022, and the second part of Season 3 was released on February 27 on Amazon MX Player. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Waltz: Peace with Ukraine-Russia going to take concessions on territory Peace between Ukraine and Russia will require "territorial concessions" and "security concessions" from Russia, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said in an interview with CNN. What I am saying is this war needs to end, and its going to take concessions on territory, thats going to take Russian concessions on security guarantees. Thats going to tale all sides coming to the table. And we are working very hard to drive those negotiations forward, Waltz stated. In response to the question of what concessions Vladimir Putin would have to make, Waltz replied that security should be ensured by territorial concessions from Ukraine. Well, we cant get any specifics from the Ukrainians, but this will clearly be some type of territorial concession for security guarantees going forward, he said. At the same time, Waltz noted that such guarantees should be provided by European countries, and that the United States does not see Ukraine as a member of NATO. Thiruvananthapuram, March 4 : After last week's high-level meeting in Delhi, the Congress party in Kerala appears to have settled into a temporary calm. But if history is any indicator, such lulls have been a recurring theme in the party for nearly five decades. The fundamental diagnosis remains unchanged -- internal factionalism -- only the actors keep changing. The key question now is whether the latest intervention by the party high command will lead to a different prognosis. For over 50 years, the Congress in Kerala has been defined by factional rivalries. In the 1970s, the party was divided between the camps led by K. Karunakaran and A.K. Antony, with Antony at one point breaking away to join hands with the CPI(M). However, by the early 1980s, Antony returned, and the divide persisted -- now with Oommen Chandy leading Antony's faction. By the 1990s, new factions emerged. Ramesh Chennithala and G. Karthikeyan formed the "reformist" group, while Vayalar Ravi led another breakaway faction. As Karunakaran aged, his son K. Muraleedharan entered state politics, and by the turn of the century, Oommen Chandy had solidified his position as the most powerful faction leader, with other groups consolidating under Chennithala. For the next two decades, the Chandy-Chennithala rivalry defined the Congress in Kerala. However, the party slipped into further disarray after Chandy's health declined in 2021 and Pinarayi Vijayan secured a second consecutive term as Chief Minister. By then, former Antony faction leaders V.M. Sudheeran and Mullapally Ramachandran had served as state Congress presidents, but their leadership saw further internal strife rather than stability. In the midst of this flux, a new leadership duo emerged -- K. Sudhakaran, the Kannur MP, as State Congress President, and V.D. Satheesan, a five-time legislator, as Leader of the Opposition. However, the last three years have been marked by infighting and chaos. Then came a dramatic shift -- the party high command stepped in decisively after Shashi Tharoor, the four-time Thiruvananthapuram MP, began asserting his influence. His rise triggered a realignment of factions, prompting the high command to summon senior leaders and issue a firm warning -- no more public squabbling. In a symbolic move, Sudhakaran reached out to Ramachandran, and after a private discussion, the two leaders presented a united front, declaring that their sole focus would be on bringing the Congress-led UDF back to power in the 2026 Assembly elections, starting with a strong performance in the local body elections later this year. A media critic, speaking on condition of anonymity, remained skeptical. "Going by past experience, Congress leaders in Kerala have never been able to remain silent for long," he noted. He recalled a favourite quote of the late Oommen Chandy -- "none except the Congress workers can defeat the Congress party. The diagnosis of the party's troubles has remained unchanged for decades. The only thing that has changed is the actors. The real question now is whether the prognosis will be any different. Time will tell whether last week's Delhi intervention has truly set the party on a new path." New Delhi, March 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended his congratulations to Christian Stocker on being sworn in as Austria's new Federal Chancellor and expressed his eagerness to strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations. Christian Stocker officially assumed charge after taking the oath of office at Hofburg on Monday, ending Austria's prolonged political uncertainty. His appointment comes as part of a newly formed coalition government consisting of Austrian People's Party (OVP), the Social Democrats, and the liberal Neos party, though challenging negotiations are expected ahead. Taking to X, PM Modi posted, "Warmly congratulate Christian Stocker on being sworn in as the Federal Chancellor of Austria. The India-Austria Enhanced Partnership is poised to make steady progress in the years to come." Expressing optimism about bolstering bilateral cooperation, he added, "I look forward to working with you to take our mutually beneficial cooperation to unprecedented heights." India and Austria have maintained close diplomatic relations since 1949, marking 70 years of bilateral ties in 2019. Over the years, both countries have emphasised strengthening their partnership through high-level official visits. In September 2021, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla visited Vienna to participate in the 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. Earlier, in February 2019, Austria's then-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karin Kneissl, travelled to India to celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties, meeting with her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. With Stocker now at the helm, both nations are expected to continue fostering their longstanding diplomatic and economic relations. Mumbai, March 4 : Actress Amrita Arora shared a heartfelt and romantic post as she celebrated her 16th wedding anniversary with her husband, Shakeel Ladak. Taking to Instagram, the actress expressed her love and admiration for her "beloved," marking the special occasion with a heartfelt post. Amrita posted a candid photo of them and wrote, "Sweet 16! How sweet it is to be loved by you @shaklad ! Happy 16 my beloved Happy anniversary to us." In the image, the couple is seen sitting with Shakeel clicking their selfie. Amrita married Shakeel Ladak, a businessman in the construction industry, in 2009 in a low-key Christian and nikah ceremony For the unversed, Amrita Arora's mother, Joyce Polycarp, is of Malayali Christian descent, while Shakeel hails from a Muslim family. The couple's journey into parenthood began on February 5, 2010, when they welcomed their first child, a son, Azaan. They expanded their family on October 20, 2012, with the birth of another son, whom they named Rayaan. Meanwhile, in January, the 'Golmaal Returns' actress turned a year older and celebrated her 44th birthday with her family and close ones. Wishing Amrita on her special day, Malaika Arora posted a picture of herself posing with her sister In the image, the two were seen hugging each other and smiling as they get photographed. For the caption, Malaika wrote: "Happy birthday ammu aka Jolene love u to the moon n back @amuaroraofficial." On the work front, Amrita Arora began her career as a VJ before venturing into Bollywood. She made her acting debut in 2002, starring alongside Fardeen Khan in the film "Kitne Door Kitne Paas." Following this, she appeared in several films, including "Awara Paagal Deewana", "Girlfriend," "Speed," and "Red: The Dark Side." In 2009, Amrita featured in "Deha and Team: The Force" and also took on a supporting role in the Kareena Kapoor starrer "Kambakkht Ishq." Her most recent film appearance was in the 2009 erotic thriller "Ek Tho Chance," directed by Saeed Akhtar Mirza. The film, which also stars Purab Kohli, Ali Fazal, Pawan Malhotra, and Vijay Raaz, marked her final appearance on the big screen to date. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Kolkata, March 4 : Several postpartum women in Burdwan Medical College and Hospital in the East Burdwan district of West Bengal fell sick on Monday night after allegedly being administered the wrong injection. However, no casualty had been reported at the time the report was filed. The hospital authorities claimed on Tuesday morning that all the postpartum women are out of crisis now. Meanwhile, confusion has surfaced over the exact number of postpartum women falling sick on Monday night. While officially the principal of Burdwan Medical College, Mousumi Bandopadhyay, had said the figure was seven, some family members of the patients falling sick claimed that the number would not be less than 10. Bandopadhyay had claimed that the complications were because of some allergic problems after being administered with the injection, although all are out of crisis currently. The family members of the postpartum women falling sick claimed that these mothers were quite healthy and fine even after their deliveries. "But complications started soon after they were administered with three injections one after another. They had a fever and were shivering. Either they were administered the wrong injections or they were injected on empty stomachs which led to the complication," alleged a family member of such a postpartum woman. Recently, in another state-run medical college and hospital in Kolkata in the West Midnapore district, seven women had fallen sick after they were allegedly administered with expired Ringers' Lactate. One postpartum woman died in that incident, while six others recovered after some time after being in critical condition for a few days. However, the state government denied the charges and instead blamed some of the doctors of the said hospital, accusing them of negligence in treating those postpartum women. Even 10 doctors attached to the said hospital were also suspended. However, their suspensions were revoked last month. Mumbai, March 4 : Bollywood actor Pulkit Samrat revealed why he jokingly asked his brother Ullas Samrat to "pretend" that his debut film "TAPS" was challenging. Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Bollywood actor Pulkit Samrat revealed why he jokingly asked his brother Ullas Samrat to "pretend" that his debut film "TAPS" was challenging. Pulkit's younger brother has made his acting debut with Sudhanshu Saria's short film "TAPS," an LGBTQ+ drama. Expressing his happiness over his brother's debut, the 'Fukrey' actor praised Ullas, saying he walked into his first film like he's been doing this forever. Pulkit shared, "My brother just made his acting debut in Taps, and what a debut! Ullas walked into his first film like he's been doing this forever. At least pretend that this was a little difficult!." "And then comes Rohit Mehra, who dynamically matches this energy. Arvind, the director of the film, has captured the essence of love amazingly beautifully. Thank you so much, Sudhanshu, for believing in this story. Congratulations, Lotus Visual Pro and Kashish Film Festival! Thank you, Richa and Ali, for presenting this film. I somehow feel that you guys have some sort of cinematic superpowers because whatever you put your hands on turns out to be really fantastic. Also, a big shoutout to Vinit, who is not with us but is there in the essence of love," he added. Pulkit's wife and actress Kriti Kharbanda also praised her brother-in-law's hard work, stating, "Every once in a while, someone we love does something so special that we just want the entire world to know about it. This is one such moment for me. Ullas, I have seen you dream; I have seen you work hard, I have seen you push through and I have seen you be patient. And look, it's all paying off. TAPS is here, and everyone is loving it." She went on to state, "And you can't blame them, right? I mean, come on. But let me tell you this, the bigger blessing is having a great team and I think you were blessed with exactly that. Found a great co-star in Rohit, a director who loves love and who shows love like no one else in Arvind. Sudhanshu, congratulating on not just recognizing such a beautiful subject but actually making it and being an advocate for it. Richa and Ali, I love you guys. Thank you for bringing TAPS into our lives. And last but not the least, a new poster is coming today. Exclusively launching. Tap it, tap it, and you'll see." Pulkit and Kriti have also unveiled the new poster of the film on social media alongside a heartfelt note. Presented by Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha, "TAPS" is directed by Arvind Caulagi and produced by National Award-winning filmmaker Sudhanshu Saria along with KASHISH Film Festival and Lotus Visual Productions. The film stars debutant Ullas Samrat and Rohit Mehra in the lead roles. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Lahore, March 4 : Left-arm spin-bowling allrounder George Linde has been added to the South African squad as a travelling reserve for the Champions Trophy, providing cover for Aiden Markram, who is nursing a right hamstring injury, says a report. Markram sustained the injury while fielding against England and was forced to spend the remainder of the match on the sidelines. His availability for the semi-final clash against New Zealand will be determined following a fitness test during Tuesday eveningas training session. According to ESPNCricinfo, Lindeas inclusion is part of South Africaas contingency plan, particularly if they progress to the final in Dubai, where drier conditions could necessitate an additional spinner. Linde arrives on the back of a successful SA20 campaign, where he played a crucial role in MI Cape Townas maiden title triumph. In 11 matches, he scored 161 runs at a strike rate of 153.33 and claimed 11 wickets at an impressive economy of 6.29. More recently, he featured for Western Province in the One-Day Challenge Division One, scoring 106 runs and picking up four wickets in five games. The report also said that captain Temba Bavuma and batter Tony de Zorzi have recovered from illness and will train with the squad on Tuesday evening. South Africa has been hit hard by injuries throughout the tournament, with key pacers Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger, and Lizaad Williams all ruled out before the competition began. Meanwhile, left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka remains with the squad as a traveling reserve. Chamarajanagar, March 4 : A family staying at a resort in the Bandipur of Karnataka's Chamrajnagar district has mysteriously disappeared into the woods, police said on Tuesday. The missing persons have been identified as 40-year-old J. Nishanth from Bengaluru, his wife Chandana and their 10-year-old son. According to Gundlupet Police, the family checked into the Country Club near Bandipur on March 2 and went missing the next day. The family left the luggage in the resort's room, went out in a car and never returned. The police stated that the family had travelled in their car to Mangala Road in the Bandipur forest area and disappeared from there. The police have lodged a missing case. Chamarajanagar SP B. T. Kavitha visited the resort with police officers and gave directions to the investigating officers. The preliminary investigations have revealed that Nishanth had booked the room by giving a fake identity card claiming that he is an employee attached to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). During the inquiry, it came to the fore that Nishanth was unemployed. It is suspected that Nishanth had come to the resort to escape the torture by moneylenders. Preliminary investigations have led to the suspicion that Nishanth had taken heavy loans. The police suspect that the creditors may have kidnapped the whole family or they would have walked into the forests. The police said nothing could be said at this stage as the investigation is underway. The police have launched a hunt in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Mysuru city in Karnataka. More details are yet to emerge regarding the incident. Earlier, a second-year Pre-University (PUC, Class 12) student went missing in Farangipete town near Bantwal, in Mangaluru district. Infuriated Hindu organisations and the BJP observed a bandh condemning police "inaction". Chennai, March 4 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has questioned why an Uttar Bharat Tamil Prachar Sabha was never established in North India, while a Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha has existed for over a century to promote Hindi in southern states. In a post on X, CM Stalin wrote: "A century has passed since the Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha was set up to make South Indians learn Hindi. How many Uttar Bharat Tamil Prachar Sabhas have been established in North India in all these years? The truth is, we never demanded that North Indians must learn Tamil or any South Indian language to 'preserve' them. All we ask is to #StopHindiImposition on us. If BJP-ruled states want to teach three languages or even 30, let them! Just leave Tamil Nadu alone!" CM Stalin reiterated his opposition to the alleged imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu and other southern states, emphasising that Tamil Nadu has never insisted that northern states learn Tamil. He further challenged the three-language policy, arguing that if students in North India are only required to learn two languages properly, why should students in South India be forced to learn a third? In another X post, he criticized those advocating for a third language in Tamil Nadu: "Some guardians of lopsided policies, wailing in great concern, ask, 'Why are you denying Tamil Nadu students the opportunity to learn a third language?' Well, why don't they first say which third language is being taught up north? If they had just taught two languages properly there, where's the need for us to learn a third?" Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has also strongly opposed the New Education Policy (NEP) and any form of Hindi imposition. CM Stalin recently warned that implementing the NEP would set Tamil Nadu back by 2,000 years, asserting that the state would reject the policy even if the Union government offered Rs 10,000 crore. He also criticized Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accusing him of imposing Hindi through the NEP. Udhayanidhi vowed to protect Tamil identity at all costs. CM Stalin further highlighted what he called the discriminatory allocation of funds for language development. "Tamil is spoken by 8 crore people, yet the Union government has allocated only Rs 74 crore for its development. Meanwhile, Rs 1,488 crore has been allotted for Sanskrit, which is spoken by only a few thousand people", he said. He further said, "The Tamil Nadu government has consistently opposed the NEP and the three-language policy, preferring its existing two-language system -- Tamil and English. Even the principal opposition party, AIADMK, has backed this stance." However, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused CM Stalin of misrepresenting the NEP to sustain a political narrative. He urged the Chief Minister to set aside political differences and focus on students' interests. Pradhan's response followed a letter CM Stalin sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, objecting to the linking of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds with the PM SHRI Schools scheme. The CM argued that these are separate Centrally sponsored programmes and that linking them is unfair. In his letter, CM Stalin urged PM Modi to immediately release Rs 2,152 crore in SSA funds for Tamil Nadu without tying them to the NEP. He accused the Union government of using financial allocations as a tool to force states into compliance, calling it a violation of cooperative federalism. Seoul, March 4 : South Korean Police said Tuesday they have transferred three cases of treason charges against President Yoon Suk Yeol and two others to the prosecution and the state anti-corruption agency. The cases against Yoon, former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Noh Sang-won, former commander of the Defence Intelligence Command, were filed with the police in connection with Yoon's short-lived imposition of martial law in December,Yonhap news agency reported. The cases have been transferred to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, a police official told reporters without elaborating. All three men are already standing trial on insurrection charges over the failed martial law bid. Earlier on Saturday, Demonstrators both supporting and opposing Yoon began gathering for large-scale rallies, as the nation grapples with the political fallout from his failed martial law attempt last December and his subsequent impeachment. The rallies, coinciding with the anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement against Japan's colonial rule, come after the Constitutional Court held its final hearing on Yoon's impeachment trial this week and began deliberations on whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. Rallies led by conservative activist pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon and the conservative Christian group Save Korea began near the Gwanghwamun area in central Seoul and Yeouido in western Seoul to oppose Yoon's impeachment. Tirupati, March 4 : A leopard was sighted on the Alipiri walkway in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati early on Tuesday, triggering panic among local shopkeepers and devotees. The leopard was sighted on the walkway near Galigupuram with its movements captured on CCTV footage in a shop around 1 a.m. The shopkeeper alerted the officials of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). The TTD officials advised devotees to use the walkway only in groups. As a precautionary measure, they also restricted access for children under the age of 12. Two weeks ago, a leopard was sighted near Muggu Bavi on the walkway. It had retreated into the woods. However, the TTD security personnel had been providing security to devotees. After the latest incident, the TTD officials, along with the Forest Department, have put in place additional security measures. Alipiri walkway is used by hundreds of devotees every day to reach the Sri Venkateshwara temple atop Tirumala hills. The 9-km-long route has 3,550 steps to reach the hill shrine. In January, a leopard was sighted near Alipiri on the foothill of Tirumala hills, sending panic among the residents of Tirupati as well as the pilgrims. A contract employee of TTDas Aswini Hospital was injured when he encountered a leopard while travelling on a bike on Alipiria"Cherlopalli road. The big cat jumped off the road median to cross the road towards the abutting forest. Muni Kumar fell from the bike when he panicked upon seeing the leopard. Leopards have been making frequent appearances on this road during the last several months. A six-year-old girl was mauled to death by a leopard on August 11, 2023. She was walking to Tirumala on the Alipiri footpath along with her parents. Her body was found behind the Narasimha Swamy temple the next morning. In another incident, a three-year-old boy was also attacked by a wild cat. The animal had tried to drag the boy into the forest but it was chased away by pilgrims and security personnel. The TTD, along with the Forest Department, had stepped up the vigil. They imposed certain curbs on the movement of devotees trekking to the temple and installed CCTV cameras. They captured four leopards in a span of two months by setting up cages along the walkway. Vice President JD Vance said Monday that he thinks Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will get there eventually on engaging in a peace deal to end Russias war in Ukraine, at the same time noted that on Friday the Ukrainian leader disrespected President Donald Trump, CNN reports. Vance said Monday that he thinks Zelenskyy will get there eventually on engaging in a peace deal to end Russias war in Ukraine. He showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump has said is the policy of the American people and of their president. Thats the real breakdown is, I think Zelenskyy, wasnt yet there. And I think, frankly, now still isnt there, but I think he will get there eventually, he has to, Vance said. Asked if Zelenskyy could return to the White House if he said he was ready to discuss a peace plan, Vance told the host that if Zelenskyy engaged seriously on the details, the US would be ready to talk again. I think that if he called and had a serious proposal for how he was going to engage in the process. Look, there are details that really matter that were already working on with the Russians. Weve talked with some of our allies, he needs to engage seriously on the details, the US Vice President summed up. Manila, March 4 : The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said a search is on for an FA-50 fighter jet that went missing shortly after midnight on Tuesday while on a tactical night operation. "The aircraft lost communication with the rest of the flight involved in the mission minute before reaching the target area," the PAF said in a statement. The other aircraft repeatedly attempted to re-establish contact with the missing jet until returned to Mactan in Cebu province in the central Philippines. "The PAF is conducting extensive and thorough search operations, utilising all available resources, to locate the missing jet fighter aircraft," read the statement. The PAF said its primary concern is the safe return of the jet's aircrews. "We are hopeful of locating them and the aircraft soon," the PAF said, Xinhua news agency reported. Air Force spokesperson Colonel Consuelo Castillo informed reporters that this was the "first major incident" involving its squadron of FA-50S, which had previously participated in exercises over the contested South China Sea. The Philippines acquired a dozen of these fighter jets from South Korea over the past decade. Castillo said that the jet was flying "over land" on its way to a designated target area when it went missing during a "tactical night operation in support of our ground troops." She refrained from disclosing further details about the missionas specifics or its location, except to say that the fighter took off from Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base, which shares a runway with the airport in Cebu, the country's second-largest city. "We remain hopeful that we will recover both the aircraft and the crew," she said. "We are optimistic that they are safe." In an official statement, the Air Force stated it was "conducting extensive and thorough search operations, utilising all available resources, to locate the missing jet fighter aircraft." The FA-50s have been involved in joint air patrols with the United States over the disputed South China Sea, where tensions have escalated between China and the Philippines over territorial claims on reefs and waters. Kolkata, March 4 : West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu called up the father of Indranuj Roy, the first-year student of Jadavpur University currently admitted to a Kolkata-based hospital after allegedly being hit by the Minister's vehicle within the university premises during the March 1 ruckus, and expressed grief over the incident. Kolkata, March 4 (IANS) West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu called up the father of Indranuj Roy, the first-year student of Jadavpur University currently admitted to a Kolkata-based hospital after allegedly being hit by the Ministeras vehicle within the university premises during the March 1 ruckus, and expressed grief over the incident. Confirming the development, Indranujas father, Amit Roy, a teacher by profession, told media persons on Tuesday that the Minister himself called him up on Monday night and said he was pained over the incident. aThe Minister, besides expressing his grief over the incident, also enquired about the health conditions of Indranuj. The Minister also assured me that he will personally speak to Indranuj after he is released from the hospital. We are really happy over the gesture of the Minister," Amit Roy said. He also said that the Minister had also informed him that not just him but his wife also was pained over the unfortunate incident. He also said that he had a discussion with the Minister on the legal action being initiated against the students of Jadavpur University over Saturdayas ruckus. Incidentally, on Monday morning, information surfaced that Kolkata Police have registered FIRs against several students of Jadavpur University, including Indranuj. A petition had also been filed at Calcutta High Courtas single judge bench of Justice Trithankar Ghosh accusing the city police of conducting a biased, one-sided investigation in the matter. The hearing on the matter is likely in the second half of Tuesday. The ruckus broke out within the university campus on Saturday when the Minister's car was allegedly stopped after it entered the campus, and a scuffle followed. The students were demanding immediate elections for the universityas studentsa council. The agitating students alleged that while Basu decided to leave the campus in the face of the protests by students, his vehicle deliberately hit the two agitating students, following which they were severely injured and had to be hospitalised. Amid the protests, the Minister also received minor injuries and fell sick. He was taken to the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College & Hospital and was released later. Shillong, March 4 : The Red Horns Division of the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted a two-day joint exercise 'Yudh Kaushal' at Umroi military station in Meghalaya to demonstrate operational capabilities, officials said on Tuesday. A defence spokesman said that the exercise was conducted on Monday and Tuesday at Umroi military station to demonstrate operational capabilities by incorporating Helicopters, a plethora of drones in surveillance and armed roles, new generation equipment, force multipliers and supporting arms. He said that Lieutenant General Gambhir Singh, the General Officer Commanding the Gajraj Corps, witnessed the Yudh Kaushal exercise on the capture of enemy objectives in a multi-domain environment. The spokesman said that the IAF played a pivotal role in the operation, showcasing its capability of speedy induction of troops into the exercise area and seamless coordination for joint operations. The exercise also integrated academia from IIT, Guwahati and the civil defence industry. Lt Gen Singh also took the opportunity to interact with soldiers and officers who participated in the exercise and commended their efforts for the execution of seamless coordination and jointness within various elements of the exercise, the spokesman said. He encouraged them to continue to upgrade technical thresholds and strive for operational excellence in modern warfare. According to the spokesman, Yudh Kaushal featured a synchronised assault on enemy objectives using first-person view drones, automated mobility vehicles, and a plethora of secure communication devices, showcasing the Army's ability to execute rapid, coordinated strikes, with maximum accuracy and lethality. Paratroopers carried out combat free fall during the exercise and round-the-clock intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance were provided by UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). The exercise aimed to enhance the Army's readiness for modern warfare by seamless integration of cutting-edge technology, precision fire, secure communication and revision of Tactics, Techniques and Procedures. The exercise reaffirms the Army's commitment to modernising its defence forces, incorporating emerging technologies and enhancing joint operational effectiveness, the spokesman stated. Mumbai, March 4 : Shares of Reliance Industries Limited continued to slide on Tuesday, following a ruling from the Delhi High Court that reversed a previous judgment. Amid the legal uncertainty, the companyas shares dropped by as much as 1 per cent, reaching Rs 1,159.55 per share during the intra-day trade. This ruling concerns an arbitral award won by Reliance, along with BP Exploration (Alpha) Limited and NIKO (NECO) Limited, in a dispute with the government over alleged gas migration from ONGCas blocks in the KG-D6 area. In the original case, the government accused the consortium of causing gas migration, which led to a demand for compensation of $1.55 billion. On May 9, 2023, a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court dismissed the government's appeal, upholding the arbitral award in favour of the consortium. However, the government did not accept the ruling and filed an appeal with a division bench of the Delhi High Court. The division bench reversed the earlier decision, which significantly impacted Relianceas share price. Following the court's decision, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued a letter of demand to Reliance, BP Exploration, and NIKO, raising the claim amount to $2.81 billion. This new figure includes additional calculations related to the gas migration issue, representing a sharp increase from the original demand. Reliance Industries has announced that it is actively challenging the division bench's ruling and has sought legal advice to pursue the matter in higher courts. Over the past year, Reliance's stock has fallen by 22.45 per cent or Rs 345.45 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE). Meanwhile, the stocks of Reliance Group companies experienced a sharp drop on March 3, wiping out over Rs 40,000 crore from their market capitalisation. The combined market valuation of these companies fell by Rs 40,511.91 crore, reducing it to Rs 17.46 lakh crore on Monday. Bengaluru, March 4 : A statement against Rashmika Mandanna by Congress MLA Ravikumar Ganiga calling her "arrogant" and "ungrateful" has triggered a major controversy in Karnataka with his colleague, A.S. Ponnanna, MLA and Advisor to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stating that the actress is as entitled as Ganiga to choose where to go and where not to go. Bengaluru, March 4 (IANS) A statement against Rashmika Mandanna by Congress MLA Ravikumar Ganiga calling her "arrogant" and "ungrateful" has triggered a major controversy in Karnataka with his colleague, A.S. Ponnanna, MLA and Advisor to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stating that the actress is as entitled as Ganiga to choose where to go and where not to go. The controversy erupted after the actress and a few other Kannada actors did not attend the inauguration of the international film festival in Bengaluru. Slamming the actress Ganiga had said, "Rashmika Mandanna entered the film industry and started her career through the Kannada movie 'Kirik Party'. She was invited last year for the international film festival. Rashmika claimed that she is living in Hyderabad and she doesn't know where Karnataka is. Rashmika further said that she doesn't have time to attend the film festival." Irked by the actress' remarks MLA Ravikumar, a staunch follower of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar slammed Rashmika Mandanna for her alleged arrogance. Meanwhile, Dy CM Shivakumar also came down on the industry and maintained that the film industry can't survive without the government and the people. Significantly on Tuesday, responding to a statement by his colleague Ravikumar Gowda, the Advisor to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and MLA A.S. Ponnanna told the media at Vidhana Soudha, "We are living in a constitutional democracy and individual freedom is a fundamental right. Rashmika Mandanna is as entitled as MLA Ravikumar Ganiga to choose where she wants to go and where not to go." When about the language used against her, MLA Ponnanna stated, "I also feel the language is perhaps inappropriate. Rashmika Mandanna is well within her rights to participate in a particular programme, whether it is a state programme or not, it is her choice. I do not think anyone should be interfering in her right to choose where she should be." MLA Ponnanna and actress Rashmika Mandanna both hail from the Kodagu region and belong to the Kodava community. Meanwhile, reacting to the controversy, Ganiga stated in Bengaluru on Tuesday that he stands by his statement. "I can present the official invitation issued to Rashmika for last year's international film festival in front of the media." "This is our challenge," he asserted, responding to claims that Rashmika was never invited to the event. MLA Gowda further stated, "Let this display of arrogance stop. We don't talk about actresses Anushka Shetty and Shilpa Shetty because they did not start their careers here. They struggled and achieved success in the Telugu and Bollywood industries, and they have also acted in Kannada films." "What we want to convey is that Rashmika Mandanna used the Kannada audience as a stepping stone and then displayed arrogance. The statement was meant to address her attitude, not my personal opinionit reflects the sentiment of the Kannada people," he said. He continued, "Why would I target Rashmika Mandanna? What do I gain from this? I am not organising a film festival in Mandya. We invited her on behalf of six crore Kannada people, but she declined, citing a lack of time. Let her correct herself." Ravikumar represents the Mandya Assembly seat. "This land gave her a careershe should respect it," he added. Meanwhile, reacting to criticism against him for his remarks on film artistes, Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar stated, "Let them criticise. I made the statement so that they would react. I know how much I have contributed, and those who have benefited from my help know it too. This is about the state, our land, and our interests. It's about your language. Did we organise the international film festival for ourselves? It was held to help their films grow." Shivakumar further said, "If film artistes don't attend to promote their own films, should we take responsibility for that too? There may have been some lapses, and some people may not have been invited. Whether that was a mistake on our department's part is a separate matter. But ultimately, it was their event, and they should have attended the festival, right? No one is beyond criticism." "We can survive without films. They need the government and the people to promote their films," Shivakumar emphasised. Senior film producer and director Rajendra Singh Babu, responding to Shivakumar's statements, remarked, "The Mekedatu project is crucial for providing drinking water to Bengaluru. There is a way to invite artistes. Deputy CM Shivakumar should have considered how to maintain good relations with the film industry. We have our own chambers and associations, and there are senior artistes who would certainly attend if invited." "The Kannada film industry has never turned its back on the language or the state's interests. It has always responded to the state's causes. The artistes should have attended the international film festival voluntarily instead of waiting for an invitation," Rajendra Singh Babu said. He further emphasised, "Will Shivakumar be the Chief Minister for 50 years? This is political. After five years, another government will take over. He should not have spoken like a dictatorhe should have communicated in a more refined manner." "If we are threatened with being unable to make films here, we will go to Uttar Pradesh, where they offer a Rs 5 crore subsidy. In Jammu and Kashmir, they provide a Rs 6 crore subsidy. We do not need any assistance from the Karnataka government. We are creators, and we can create anywhere. Shivakumar should take back his words," he demanded. "Karnataka is not anybody's grandfather's property. Shivakumar has misused the platform," he slammed. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Chennai, March 4 : The Madras High Court has refused to strike down an election petition filed by Vijaya Prabhakaran, son of late DMDK leader Vijayakanth, challenging the Lok Sabha victory of Congress MP Manickam Tagore from Virudhunagar. Justice N. Sathish Kumar, on Tuesday, directed that the issues in the case be framed for trial and ordered the continuation of the proceedings. The matter has been posted for a hearing next week. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Manickam Tagore contested the Virudhunagar constituency against Vijaya Prabhakaran, the candidate of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK). After a closely fought battle, Tagore won by a narrow margin of 4,379 votes, securing 3,85,256 votes against Prabhakaranas 3,80,877. Following his defeat, Vijaya Prabhakaran filed an election petition seeking a recount of all postal votes, including the rejected ones, in the Virudhunagar constituency. He also requested a recount of votes recorded in the electronic voting machines (EVMs). Prabhakaran alleged that Manickam Tagore suppressed crucial information in his election affidavit and used unfair means to secure victory. He sought to have Tagoreas election declared null and void and requested relief in his favour. In response, Manickam Tagore argued that the allegations against him were baseless and scandalous, terming the election petition an abuse of the legal process. Tagore filed a plea in the High Court to strike down the charges against him. However, the court dismissed his request and ruled that the trial must continue. Manickam Tagore, a senior Congress leader, is serving his third term as a Member of Parliament from Virudhunagar, having won in 2009, 2019, and 2024. He previously lost the seat in 2014. He currently serves as the Congress partyas whip in Parliament, is a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee, and is one of the partyas prominent figures in Tamil Nadu. He also holds the position of AICC in charge of the Telangana Congress, where the party is in power. Dhaka, March 4 : Bangladesh is witnessing another surge in protest movements with Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, serving as the Home Affairs Advisor in the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, facing intense heat and criticism this time for making insensitive remarks on women in the country. A group of protestors, under the banner of 'Bangladesh against rape and oppression,' burnt the effigy of Chowdhury on Tuesday, demanding his resignation following the remarks made by the Home Advisor regarding the harassment of two young women over smoking in public at Dhaka's Lalmatia. The protestors gathered at the site of the incident and later marched towards the parliament building, demanding Chowdhury's immediate removal from the Yunus-led interim government, local media reported. Earlier, when local journalists questioned the Home Advisor about the physical assault on the two young women, he stated, "As far as I know, the women were smoking, and some people heading to prayers objected. This led to tea being thrown at them." He added that smoking in public places is prohibited for both men and women and urged everyone to refrain from smoking in open spaces. These remarks have now triggered public outrage throughout the country. The protestors, accusing the Home Adviser of incompetence, alleged that cases of rape, murder, mob violence and moral policing are on the rise across Bangladesh, reported leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star. According to the protestors, despite repeated outcries, there is no improvement in the law and order situation in the country, and it is further deteriorating with no action against perpetrators of crime. The protesters carried placards with slogans such as 'Stop slut-shaming!' 'Laws for women, but where is the law for men?' and 'Ensure safety or step down!' "We protested against the ongoing rape and repression and marched towards the Home Ministry. Yet, the police -- who fail to arrest rapists, control mobs, or catch thieves -- obstructed our procession," a protestor told the newspaper. "Some of our protesters were injured as a result. We later organised a torch procession, giving the Home Adviser a 24-hour ultimatum to resign and apologise. He has failed to do so. Now, he must be removed," he added. Another protestor, echoing the demands of resignation, accused the Home Advisor of "inciting the mob" with his remarks. On Saturday, two young women in Dhaka were physically harassed by a group of men for smoking at a roadside tea stall. The two girls were surrounded by a mob and were subjected to harassment. These girls were slapped and punched by 10-12 men, who also recorded the incident, which later went viral on social media. New Delhi, March 4 : Acting swiftly on the recommendation made by the Supreme Court Collegium, the Centre on Tuesday cleared the appointment of 4 permanent judges in the Madras High Court. "In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint S/Shri Justices (i) Ramasamy Sakthivel, (ii) P. Dhanabal, (iii) Chinnasamy Kumarappan and (iv) Kandasamy Rajasekar, Additional Judges of the Madras High Court, to be Judges of that High Court with effect from the date they assume charge of their respective offices," said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. On February 21, the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, approved the proposal for the appointment of Justices Sakthivel, Dhanabal, Kumarappan, and Rajasekar, as permanent Judges in the Madras HC. The Chief Justice and Judges of the High Courts are appointed by the President under clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution. The Chief Justice, while sending his recommendation for appointing an additional Judge as a permanent Judge, must, along with his recommendation, furnish statistics of month-wise disposal of cases and judgments rendered by the judge concerned as well as the number of cases reported in the Law Journal duly certified by them. The information would also be furnished regarding the total number of working days, the number of days they actually attended the court and the days of their absence during the period for which the disposal statistics are sent. Brussels, March 4 : Emphasising on the "momentous and dangerous" times and 'grave nature of the threats" faced, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday announced a plan to boost Europe's defence spendings throughout the European Union. Addressing reporters in Brussels, Von der Leyen said that she has written a letter to leaders ahead of Thursday's European Council, outlined the 'ReArm Europe Plan' which features a set of proposals on how to use all of the financial levers at disposal in order to help EU Member States to quickly and significantly increase expenditures in defence capabilities. "In the various meetings in the last few weeks a" most recently two days ago in London a" the answer from European capitals has been as resounding as it is clear. We are in an era of rearmament. And Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending. Both, to respond to the short-term urgency to act and to support Ukraine but also to address the long-term need to take on much more responsibility for our own European security," said European Commission President while suggesting a proposal to provide EUR 150 billion of loans to the Member States for defence investment. ReArm Europe, she said, could mobilise close to EUR 800 billion for a safe and resilient Europe even while continuing to work closely with partners in NATO. The first part of this ReArm Europe plan, European Commission President detailed, is to unleash the use of public funding in defence at national level. "Member States are ready to invest more in their own security if they have the fiscal space. And we must enable them to do so. This is why we will shortly propose to activate the national escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact. It will allow Member States to increase significantly their defence expenditures without triggering the Excessive Deficit Procedure. "The second proposal will be a new instrument. It will provide EUR 150 billion of loans to Member States for defence investment. This is basically about spending better a" and spending together. We are talking about pan-European capability domains. For example: air and missile defence, artillery systems, missiles and ammunition drones and anti-drone systems; but also to address other needs from cyber to military mobility for example. It will help Member States to pool demand and to buy together," she mentioned. European leaders have also been considering sending troops to Ukraine in a "coalition of the willing" as part of a proposal to help and enforce a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. Russia has earlier stated that it would oppose the presence of European troops on the ground. It came under consideration after the rift between the United States and Ukraine escalated following last week's confrontation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Trump in Washington. Trump has now halted all aid to Ukraine till as much time as it takes to determine Zelensky's commitment to ending the war with Russia, according to multiple US media reports. Moscow, Mar 4 : Ukrainian border guards are refusing to perform combat operations against Russian counterparts in the Kursk region, Russian state-owned news agency Ria Novosti reported on Tuesday citing available video recordings. "I am not ready for the moral and psychological state, the presence of three minor children, the lack of escort, the lack of orientation on the ground, reconnaissance and additional exploration, additional positions, poor radio communication; there is no communication with adjacent units in the area of tasks. Instructions for the implementation of the task do not correspond to the realities," the report quoted a Ukrainian sergeant as saying in the video. More videos detailed that many Ukrainian border guards refused to perform the task due to their moral and psychological state and also cited their poor health condition. One of the border guards stated that he was afraid of losing his life, reported Ria Novosti. Last week, Russia's Tass news agency quoted a defence official as saying that the Ukrainian military command is aware that the incursion in borderline Kursk Region has resulted in huge losses for its troops while the theatre of combat operations is shifting to Ukraine's Sumy region. In February, the Russian Defence Ministry said that Ukraine's losses in the Kursk Region have exceeded 61,000 servicemen. Speaking to Russian military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda, a senior Russian military official stated that the Russian army has gained control of 64 per cent of the Kursk region territory initially captured by Ukrainian forces after they launched a surprise offensive in the border region last year. The Ukrainian armed forces attacked Kursk region on August 6, 2024. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier said that Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region makes no sense from a military-strategic point of view. Former Ukrainian Army General Dmitry Marchencko also said that the invasion into the Kursk Region lacked a clear objective, despite the fact that it involved the best units of the Ukrainian army. He had resigned after making the statement. AFU Air Force: 65 out of 99 enemy UAVs shot down at night, 32 drone simulators lost from location Last night, units of the Defense Forces shot down 65 enemy UAVs out of 99 that attacked the territory of Ukraine, 32 drone simulators were lost, the press service of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. "As of 09:00, the downing of 65 Shahed-type attack UAVs and other types of drones in Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Mykolaiv and Odesa regions has been confirmed," the message reads. As reported, on the night of March 4 (from 19:00 on March 3), the enemy attacked with 99 Shahed-type attack UAVs and various types of drone imitators from the directions of Orel, Kursk, Millerovo, Bryansk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk of the Russian Federation. Thirty-two enemy drone simulators were lost from location (without negative consequences). The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Defense Forces of Ukraine. It is noted that Odesa, Sumy and Donetsk regions suffered as a result of the enemy attack. Patna, March 4 : Dilip Jaiswal has been officially reappointed as the President of the Bihar BJP, a move welcomed by party leaders as they gear up for the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections. The announcement was made by Union Energy Minister Manohar Lal Khattar during the State Council meeting at Bapu Auditorium in Patna on Tuesday. Expressing his gratitude, Jaiswal told IANS, "This is a historic moment for me. I have accepted this challenge and responsibility. I will work towards strengthening the party, taking along all the leaders and workers who have worked relentlessly for the party." Union Minister Giriraj Singh emphasised the democratic nature of the BJP, and told IANS, "In the Bharatiya Janata Party, any worker who is given a responsibility is chosen by the workers themselves. Today, during the Bihar Rajya Parishad election meeting, Dilip Jaiswal has been re-nominated as President with a full majority." He added that under Jaiswal's leadership, the NDA would secure a victory in the upcoming elections. Speaking to IANS, Union Minister Nityanand Rai echoed this sentiment, stating, "The Bihar unit has chosen a hardworking and humble leader connected to the grassroots. We will fight the elections under his leadership and form an NDA government in Bihar." Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary also welcomed the decision and said, "Under Jaiswal's leadership, the organisation will progress." BJP leader and Minister Prem Kumar said, "The party has expanded significantly under his leadership. In the 2025 elections, the NDA will once again hoist its flag of victory and form the government in Bihar." BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain also lauded the decision, stating, "Under Dilip Jaiswal's leadership, the BJP will continue to grow. Additionally, as Manohar Lal Khattar has stated, the NDA government will be formed under Nitish Kumar's leadership. There is great enthusiasm among party workers, and the NDA is set to return to power here." Speaking to IANS, BJP MP Dharmshila Gupta praised Jaiswal's accessibility, saying, "He is a leader whose doors remain open 24/7 for party workers. He is a very simple man." She expressed confidence that the NDA would secure a majority in the upcoming elections. Hailing from Khagaria district in Bihar, Dilip Jaiswal belongs to the Kalwar caste and holds M.Sc, MBA, PhD, and Master of Philosophy degrees. A three-time MLC from Purnea, Araria, and Kishanganj constituencies, he has served as BJP's treasurer for two decades and is considered close to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Jaiswal recently resigned as Bihar's Revenue & Land Reforms Minister following Nitish Kumar's Cabinet expansion. BJP follows the 'One Man, One Post' rule, prompting his resignation. This move paved the way for the induction of seven BJP leaders into Nitish Kumar's Cabinet, a strategic step ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, expected in October-November. His nomination for the state president position was backed by Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary, Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha, Minister Mangal Pandey, and Legislative Councillor Sanjay Mayukh. With no other candidates filing nominations, his appointment was uncontested. The State Council meeting, attended by over 6,000 BJP members, focussed on strengthening party unity and finalising election strategies. Key attendees included Union Ministers Giriraj Singh and Nityanand Rai, Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, former Union Ministers Radha Mohan Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad, Bettiah MP Sanjay Jaiswal, Bihar BJP incharge Vinod Tawde, and Deputy State incharge Deepak Prakash. With Jaiswal at the helm, the Bihar BJP aims to bolster its organisational structure and intensify its election campaign, positioning itself for a strong contest in the 2025 Assembly elections. Bengaluru, March 4 : Asserting that his remarks have been twisted, Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily on Tuesday clarified that he had not said anything about replacing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Former Union Minister Moily's clarification comes after his remark "No one can stop Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar from becoming the Chief Minister" created a huge controversy. Speaking to the media, former Chief Minister Moily said: "No one should create confusion. It is wrong to make comments either in favour of CM Siddaramaiah or Dy CM Shivakumar." Moily said Shivakumar has done good work and deserves to become the CM but "I have not said anything about replacing Siddaramaiah". "Changing the CM without any discussion and consultation is also wrong. I am committed to the democratic process. No one in the state as well as in Delhi has my experience. I am not part of the power-sharing discussion between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar and won't comment on it," he said. He said that if Siddaramaiah has to be changed, the AICC leaders will have to take the opinion of the Congress party workers and MLAs. "In my case also, it happened. The central leaders had a different choice. In 1980, though the MLAs were on my side, the central leadership chose a different candidate for the post," he recalled. However, Moily became Chief Minister in 1992 when 90 per cent of MLAs suggested his name for the post. During a party function in Udupi last week, Moily announced that no one can stop Shivakumar from becoming the Chief Minister. "I was the one who gave Shivakumar the party ticket to contest the MLA election for the first time. He has groomed himself into a successful political leader, and it is a matter of great joy," Moily said. Mandya : , March 4 (IANS) Karnataka BJP President and MLA, B.Y. Vijayendra stated on Tuesday that he will request Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ensure that the upcoming state budget is farmer-centric. Speaking to the media after participating in a paddy transplanting event in the field of farmer Sukhendra Shivabasappa in Kottatti village, Mandya district, Vijayendra prayed that Goddess Chamundeshwari grants the state government the wisdom to address farmers' hardships. He mentioned that the paddy transplanting event was conducted under the guidance of district leaders and the party's district president. Criticising the state government he claimed that no farmer-friendly decisions had been made since it came to power. Responding to a question, he pointed out that the central government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modias leadership, had increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various agricultural products multiple times and implemented the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. He questioned why the CM Siddaramaiah-led government had halted the scheme. Vijayendra further explained that during B.S. Yediyurappaas tenure as Chief Minister, farmers could install a transformer for their fields by paying just Rs 25,000. However, after the Siddaramaiah government took charge, the cost has now increased to Rs 2-3 lakh, he claimed. He accused the government of misleading people by promising guarantees while simultaneously imposing financial burdens elsewhere. Calling it an anti-poor and development-less government, Vijayendra alleged that the BJP would expose its true colours before the people of Karnataka in the upcoming Assembly session. Furthermore, he criticised the government for favouring Tamil Naduas Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and the UPA alliance by releasing Cauvery water arbitrarily, thereby doing injustice to farmers in the Cauvery basin. Vijayendra pointed out that the state is already experiencing intense heat and rising temperatures. He urged the government to present a farmer-friendly budget, ensure fodder storage for livestock, and focus on providing clean drinking water. Gandhinagar, March 4 : The Gujarat BJP's Parliamentary Board will hold a crucial meeting on Tuesday to finalise the selection of office bearers for 65 municipalities, Junagadh Municipal Corporation, and three taluka panchayats-Gandhinagar, Kathlal, and Kapadvanj. Gandhinagar, March 4 (IANS) The Gujarat BJPas Parliamentary Board will hold a crucial meeting on Tuesday to finalise the selection of office bearers for 65 municipalities, Junagadh Municipal Corporation, and three taluka panchayatsa"Gandhinagar, Kathlal, and Kapadvanj. More than 220 key positions, including mayors, deputy mayors, standing committee chairmen, and ruling party leaders will be decided. Sources said that the names are expected to be announced by Wednesday. The meeting will be held at the Chief Ministeras residence, with decisions for each local body expected to be made and the meeting will be chaired by State BJP President C.R. Patil and attended by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, State Organisation General Secretary Ratnakar, and other Parliamentary Board members. The BJP has shortlisted candidates based on their ability to manage responsibilities at various levels, ensuring strong leadership in municipal governance. In the recent local body elections in Gujarat, held on February 16, the BJP achieved a sweeping victory, solidifying its dominance across the state. The BJP secured control over the Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC), winning 48 out of 60 seats. The Congress obtained 11 seats, and an independent candidate claimed one seat. In the municipality elections, the BJP won 62 out of 68 municipalities, with the Congress managing to secure only one municipality, Salaya, in Devbhumi Dwarka district. This marked a significant loss for the Congress, which had previously held 12 municipalities. The BJP's success extended to the taluka panchayats, where it won all three - Gandhinagar, Kapadvanj, and Kathlal. Out of 78 seats across these panchayats, the BJP secured 55 seats, the Congress won 17, and independents claimed six seats. In terms of individual seats, the BJP secured 1,341 out of 1,840 municipality seats, while the Congress won 252 seats. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made modest gains with 27 seats, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) obtained 43 seats, and independents won 151 seats. Bengaluru, March 4 : The Karnataka Congress government is mulling to facilitate those who voluntarily want to opt out from getting the benefits under the guarantee schemes. H.M. Revanna, the Chairman of the Guarantee Implementation Committee, reacting to the matter in New Delhi, said on Tuesday that some women in Karwar city stated that they "do not need" the guarantee schemes and that they should reach the poor instead. "In light of this, we are considering setting up a system for those who voluntarily wish to opt out of the guarantee schemes," said Revanna. Revanna has further stated that he had already spoken to the national leaders K.C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is also Karnataka in-charge regarding the implementation of the guarantee schemes. Revanna said that the guarantees were implemented during the first cabinet meeting held by the Congress after assuming the power. "All schemes are implemented. Under the Gurha Laxmi scheme, three months' instalments were pending and it's been arranged now. Under the Gruha Laxmi scheme, the government is providing Rs 2,000 cash incentive every month for all women heads of the family. We will not stop guarantees. The economic experts have opined that the guarantees have improved the financial state of the poor. Earlier, Gujarat was projected as the model. Now, Karnataka is becoming the model," he stated. He said that the guarantees panel will monitor the implementation of the five poll guarantee schemes of the Karnataka government. In order to increase the economic empowerment of women in the state, Rs 2,000 is being given to the female head of the family every month under the Gruha Laxmi Guarantee Scheme. 1,26,24,547 women beneficiaries have been registered under the said scheme and since the inception of the scheme, Rs.36,000 crores have been directly deposited in the accounts of the beneficiaries. The facility of Gruha Laxmi Scheme has now been extended to the gender minorities as well. Under the government's ambitious project "Shakti Yojana", since the launch of the said project till Jan 17, 2025, about 376.70 crore beneficiaries of the State have benefited from the Shakti Yojana. The government has allocated a grant of Rs 8,215 crore for this purpose. Besides, the government guarantee schemes include Anna Bhagya (free 10 kilograms of rice for every individual of BPL family), Gruha Jyothi (free power up to 200 watts) and Yuva Nidhi (Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500 monthly incentive for fresh graduates and diploma holders for two years). The Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot in his address claimed that many predicted that the state would lag behind in development and the financial system of the state would deteriorate due to the ambitious welfare schemes launched by the government. The government has proved the prediction to be false. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had told the Legislative Assembly in December, 2024 that the government has spent around Rs 63,382 crore on its five guarantee schemes ever since it came to power in 2023. Kabul, March 4 : Afghan police have discovered a huge quantity of illicit drugs and apprehended two alleged drug smugglers in north Afghanistan's Takhar province Monday night, a local official said on Tuesday. "Police have uncovered a total of 6,299 kg of illicit opium concealed by smugglers inside a gas tanker in Khatayan area of Taluqan city, the capital of the province," said Mohammad Akbar Haqqani, provincial police spokesperson. The vehicle was en route from Badakhshan, a neighbouring province of Takhar, said Haqqani, adding that two suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the case. The Afghan interim government has prohibited poppy cultivation and drug production and trafficking, pledging to combat the drug issue until Afghanistan, previously known for its poppy production, is transformed into a drug-free country. Meanwhile, the counter-narcotics police have discovered a huge quantity of illicit drugs including 15 kg heroin and arrested 12 individuals on the charge of involvement in black business in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province, provincial police spokesman Mullah Assadullah Jamshid said Tuesday. The contraband, which includes 15 kg heroin, 689 kg hashish and objects used in manufacturing heroin and hundreds of intoxicant tablets, has been recovered during a series of operations over the past two days, the official said. Police also destroyed eight acres of poppy farms during the operations, the official added, Xinhua news agency reported. The Afghan interim government, which has outlawed poppy cultivation, drug production and drug trafficking, has vowed to fight the drug menace until the once-poppy-growing Afghanistan becomes a drug-free nation. Chandigarh, March 4 : AAP leader and MP Malvinder Singh Kang on Tuesday accused the Congress of trying to use courts to halt the Punjab government's anti-drug campaign. He said NGO People Welfare Society, which filed the petition in the High Court against the government's actions targeting drug smugglers, is run by staunch Congress supporters. Kang showed to the media photos of NGO operators -- Kanwar Rajinder Singh and Kanwar Pal Singh -- with Rahul Gandhi and then Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, highlighting their longstanding ties with the Congress. He said the petition was deliberately filed in the court to end the Punjab government's anti-drug campaign, even though the actions taken by the government targeted individuals involved in illegal activities and the buildings demolished were unlawfully constructed on government land. These sites were being used for drug trafficking. The individuals involved had amassed immense wealth by selling narcotics. Kang cited the example of Sonu from Ludhiana, who had illegally constructed buildings on railway land. He also mentioned Rinky from Patiala, who encroached on temple land to build illegal structures. Similarly, Jasvir Singh from Jalandhar had built on village common land (shamlat land). Kang said all these locations were linked to drug trafficking, and action was taken against them in accordance with the law. He questioned the Congress, asking why it wanted to stop the government's anti-drug campaign. "Does it want to protect drug smugglers?" He demanded that Punjab Congress leaders and Rahul Gandhi respond to this. Kang alleged that Congress leaders had ties with drug smugglers and had provided them government protection during their rule. Hence, the Congress does not want any action to be taken against the drug mafia. However, the people of Punjab are watching these actions and will respond to the Congress. Reiterating the Aam Aadmi Party's commitment to the fight against drugs, Kang said no matter how hard the Congress tries, this campaign will continue. The AAP government is determined to eradicate drugs from Punjab. Mumbai, March 4 : Both the Houses of Maharashtra legislature on Tuesday were adjourned for the day after the treasury benches took aggressive postures demanding the registration of a sedition case against Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi for the glorification of Aurangzeb. The state Assembly was adjourned three times -- for 10 minutes, 30 minutes and 15 minutes and later the Speaker Rahul Narwekar announced the adjournment for the day as the ruckus between the ruling and opposition members continued over the Aurangzeb issue. The state council was also adjourned twice for 30 minutes and again for 15 minutes before the presiding officer announced the adjournment for the day amid noisy scenes. Immediately after the proceedings were announced in the state Assembly, the ruling MahaYuti members claimed Azmi was a descendent of Aurangzeb, who tortured Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and brutally killed him. BJP legislator Atul Bhatkalkar demanded that Azmi be booked for treason and suspended from the Assembly for the budget session. Shiv Sena minister Gulabrao Patil also demanded action against Azmi. BJP legislator Sudhir Mungantiwar demanded that Aurangzeb's grave be demolished. In the wake of the uproar, the Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes. Later, when the House reassembled, Industries Minister Uday Samant reiterated the demand that Azmi be suspended from the House and be booked for treason. Again amid ruckus, the House was adjourned for 30 minutes. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde slammed Azmi reiterated that Azmi be booked under the sedition law and suspended for the House. "Abu Azmi deliberately and repeatedly insults Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. He is anti-national and has no right to sit in this House," said Shinde. He further recounted the atrocities committed by Aurangzeb against Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, stating "Aurangzeb tortured Sambhaji Maharaj for 40 days -- gouging out his eyes, pulling out his nails, skinning him alive, and rubbing salt on his wounds. He forced him to convert. Praising such a tyrant is an insult to our national heroes and patriots. Sambhaji Maharaj sacrificed his life for the nation, winning 69 battles in nine years, while Aurangzeb destroyed Hindu temples and brutalised women. He even imprisoned his own father and killed 27 of his own relatives. How can anyone glorify such a ruthless oppressor?" Shiv Sena UBT legislator Bhaskar Jadhav dared the treasury benches to register a sedition case against Azmi citing that the BJP-led government is at the Centre and is also in power in Maharashtra. Again the House was adjourned for 15 minutes and later it was adjourned for the day. Incidentally, Azmi was conspicuous by his absence in the House. However, he gave a statement to the media in the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan and later left. In the state council, BJP legislator Praveen Darekar raised the issue demanding action against Azmi. He was later joined by the MahaYuti legislators. On the other hand, the opposition parties countered by raising the controversial statement made by Marathi actor Rahul Solapurkar on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the threat to historian Indrajit Sawant allegedly given by a Nagpur-based Prashant Koratkar. However, the treasury benches continued their demand for action against Azmi. The presiding officer then adjourned the House for 30 minutes. After the House was reassembled, the ruckus continued which led to the adjournment of the House for 15 minutes. The leader of the opposition Ambadas Danve accused the treasury benches of shutting the mikes from the opposition benches. As the House witnessed uproar, the presiding officer later announced the adjournment of the council for the entire day. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena announced that it would stage protests across the state against insult to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and also to condemn Abu Azmi's statement that Aurangzeb was the best administrator. Ranchi, March 4 : A staggering 103 government schools in Jharkhand are operating without a single student, while 17 teachers remain posted in these schools. Additionally, 7,930 schools across the state function with just one teacher, catering to a total of 3,81,455 students. This alarming revelation came to light in the Jharkhand Assembly on Tuesday, where the state government presented these figures in response to a question raised by an MLA. Raising the issue, BJP MLA from Dhanbad, Raj Sinha, said that a significant number of teachers were drawing salaries despite there being no students in their schools. "Is it not true that there are no students in 199 schools, yet 398 teachers continue to be employed there?" he asked. The lawmaker further pointed out that several government school buildings were being misused -- some encroached upon by private entities, some converted into commercial spaces, and others becoming hubs for illicit activities like alcohol consumption at night. "Why doesn't the government shut these schools instead of letting them deteriorate?" he questioned. Responding to the concerns, Jharkhand Education Minister Ramdas Soren acknowledged the decline in student enrolment and the uneven distribution of teachers across schools. However, he asserted that simply transferring teachers from student-less schools to understaffed ones would not be a viable solution. "This would further lead to a decline in the number of children attending schools. Instead, we are focusing on initiatives like the aSchool Chalo Abhiyana to increase student enrolment," he said. Under this initiative, school teachers and students visit the homes of dropouts, encouraging them to return to school. "Efforts are being made to create awareness among parents and communities to bring children back into the education system," he added. On addressing the shortage of teachers, Ramdas Soren informed the Assembly that the government is in the process of appointing 26,001 assistant professors for elementary schools. "Once we receive recommendations from the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), appropriate action will be taken to maintain the student-teacher ratio in schools," he stated. New Delhi, March 4 : There is a need to enhance the capacity-building of medical officers to achieve required results of healthcare schemes at the grassroot level, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, JP Nadda, said on Tuesday. Chairing the ninth meeting of Mission Steering Group (MSG) of National Health Mission (NHM) here. The minister stressed on the need "to ensure the translation of agendas and objectives of different health schemes" for which, he underlined the importance of the roles of officers like the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) at the ground level. He suggested the "need for training and capacity-building exercises so that their capacities can be utilised in the best way possible that will pave way for achieving required results of healthcare schemes at the grassroot level". The Mission Steering Group is the highest policy-making and steering institution under the NHM, providing broad policy direction and governance for the health sector. Nadda also commended the role of ASHA workers -- "grassroot foot soldiers" -- in the healthcare system and stressed on the need for their further empowerment and welfare through revised incentives for routine activities, and providing enhanced honorariums. While commending the developments made in strengthening the health infrastructure through new technological advances and additions, the Union Minister also emphasised the need to ensure quality of the latest additions like the BHISHM cubes (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri). India has achieved the National Health Policy (NHP) target of maternal mortality rate (MMR) 100 deaths per 1 lakh live births. Between 1990 to 2020, MMR in India declined 83% which is much higher than the Global MMR decline There has been a 69 per cent decline in infant mortality rate in India during this period, while the Global IMR decline was 55 per cent. More than 1.76 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are operational in the country. In the last five years, annual footfall at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs has increased from 13.49 crore to 121.03 crore. The number of NCD screenings increased from 10.94 crore in 2019-20 to 109.55 crore in 2023-24. The meeting also covered crucial discussions on policy frameworks, operational strategies, and financial norms aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery and achieving the NHM's objectives. Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav and Anupriya Patel; Suman K Bery, Vice chairman, NITI Aayog; and V.K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog were also present at the meeting. Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/ President Donald Trump is ordering that US military aid to Ukraine to be paused after his spat with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday, Bloomberg has reported. The United States is halting all current military aid to Ukraine until Trump determines the country's leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, a senior defense official said. The official said all U.S. military equipment that is not currently in Ukraine will be suspended, including weapons in transit on planes and ships, or waiting in transit zones in Poland. Trump ordered Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to pause, the official said. Bloomberg notes that the US president is pushing for a quick deal to end the war that has been going on for three years. But when Zelenskyy demanded security guarantees in the Oval Office last week to ensure that Russia does not violate the agreements, Trump angrily told him to come back when he is ready for peace. That, in turn, has forced European allies to rush plans to supply Ukraine with weapons and peacekeepers under the deal. But Europe lacks many other weapons and capabilities that the U.S. is now providing. Allied officials have said the arms supplies will likely last only until the summer. The publication says that it is not yet clear to what extent Trump's order will affect the amount of aid. He took office with $3.85 billion in money left over from the previous administration in the form of the so-called presidential authority to reduce U.S. stockpiles. At this point, it is unclear whether the Trump administration will actually use this money for Ukraine, especially given that U.S. weapons stockpiles are running low and need to be replenished. Mondays decision also goes beyond simply cutting off funding, jeopardizing aid that is already being delivered or in progress. That includes critical munitions, hundreds of multiple-launch rocket systems and anti-tank weapons, and other capabilities. Ending existing contracts with industry could also require the U.S. to pay some form of break fee to companies that have begun fulfilling the orders. The United States and Ukraine were supposed to sign a deal that would have allowed the United States to receive a significant share of future revenues from Ukraine's natural resource extraction, but after Friday's meeting, the agreement appears to have fallen apart, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, the White House confirms the cancellation of military aid supplies to Ukraine, CNN reports. The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, the White House official said. Another official said the pause would apply to all military equipment that is not provided to Ukraine. The pause is a direct response to what Trump sees as Zelenskyy's poor behavior last week, the official said. They noted that the pause could be lifted if Zelenskyy demonstrates a new commitment to talks to end the war in Ukraine. Kyiv, March 4 : Ukraine has enough reserves to withstand the conflict with Russia for about six months without US support, the RBC-Ukraine online media outlet reported Tuesday, citing a senior parliament official. "Our military-industrial complex has significantly expanded over the past three years, and it is capable of offsetting threats and risks," said Fedir Venislavsky, a Member of the Parliament's defence committee. However, he acknowledged that Ukraine relies on the United States for certain weapons, including air defence systems and long-range multiple-launch rocket systems. Venislavsky said that efforts are underway to secure alternative sources of supply for critically important weapons, Xinhua news agency reported. According to multiple media reports, the US administration suspended delivery of military aid to Ukraine earlier in the day, days after the Oval Office saw a heated exchange between the Ukrainian and US presidents at the White House. Between February 2022 and January 2025, Washington provided 65.9 billion US dollars in military assistance to Ukraine, according to the US Department of State. Meanwhile, emphasising on the "momentous and dangerous" times and 'grave nature of the threats" faced, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday announced a plan to boost Europe's defence spendings throughout the European Union. Addressing reporters in Brussels, Von der Leyen said that she has written a letter to leaders ahead of Thursday's European Council, outlined the 'ReArm Europe Plan' which features a set of proposals on how to use all of the financial levers at disposal in order to help EU Member States to quickly and significantly increase expenditures in defence capabilities. "In the various meetings in the last few weeks a" most recently two days ago in London a" the answer from European capitals has been as resounding as it is clear. We are in an era of rearmament. And Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending. Both, to respond to the short-term urgency to act and to support Ukraine but also to address the long-term need to take on much more responsibility for our own European security," said European Commission President while suggesting a proposal to provide EUR 150 billion of loans to the Member States for defence investment. ReArm Europe, she said, could mobilise close to EUR 800 billion for a safe and resilient Europe even while continuing to work closely with partners in NATO. The first part of this ReArm Europe plan, European Commission President detailed, is to unleash the use of public funding in defence at national level. Ranchi, March 4 : In a major success for security forces in Jharkhand, police and paramilitary personnel in West Singhbhum have seized a cache of arms and ammunition during an anti-Maoist operation in the forested region of the district, officials said on Tuesday. A Maoist camp was also demolished during the operation. They said that two improvised explosive devices (IEDs), each weighing 10 kg and meant to target security forces, were defused. Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Shekhar said the operation was carried out in the Husipi forest under the Tonto police station area. A country-made pistol, two carbines, a rifle, a 10 kg IED, 58 detonators, and other items were recovered from a Maoist weapons cache, which was allegedly stockpiled to target security forces. Top leaders of the CPI-Maoist outfit -- Misir Besra, Anmol, Mochu, Anal, Asim Mandal, Ajay Mahto, Sagen Angaria, and Ashwin -- are reportedly active in the Saranda and Kolhan regions along with their cadres. Security forces have been conducting a sustained crackdown against them. This is the latest in a series of successful operations in Jharkhand. On February 24, security forces demolished a Maoist camp in the Tonto police station area, recovering 10 weapons, including a US-made M-16 rifle and over 500 rounds of ammunition. In another operation on March 1, police in Chatra district arrested Aakraman Ganjhu, known by multiple aliases -- Brahmadev, Awadh, and Ram Vinayak -- the second-in-command of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), along with three associates. The raid led to the seizure of three 9mm pistols, a US-made M-16 AI rifle, an SLR rifle, two .315 bore rifles, three 7.62mm country-made pistols, and additional firearms. More than 5,000 bullets, multiple magazines, seven mobile phones, a vehicle, and other items were also recovered. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier said that the anti-Maoist operations in the country are in the final stages and that Maoism will be completely eradicated by the end of March 2026. New Delhi, March 4 : The Centre on Tuesday warned miscreants against tampering or spoofing of telecom resources, like mobile numbers, IP address, IMEI and SMS headers, as such offences are punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or up to Rs 50 lakh fine, or both. Fraudsters are deploying various tactics for misuse of telecom resources. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has observed cases where miscreants acquire Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards or other telecommunication identifiers like SMS header to send bulk SMS to citizens through fraud, cheating or personation. "It has also been observed that some persons procure SIM cards in their name and give them to others for using. Sometimes the persons to whom the SIM has been given, misuses it for cyber-frauds, making the original user also an offender," said the Ministry of Communications. The Department has undertaken various initiatives for prevention of misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime and financial frauds. It has also been observed that in some cases, SIM cards are being procured through fake documents, fraud, cheating or personation. "This is an offence under the Telecommunication Act, 2023. At times it has been found that the Point of Sale has been involved in facilitating such procurements which tantamount to abetting in the offence," said the Department. Cases have also been observed where miscreants modify the telecommunication identifiers like Calling Line Identity (CLI), commonly referred to as phone number through various means like Mobile Apps. Other telecom identifiers that uniquely define a user or a device like IP Address, IMEI (Mobile handset identifier), SMS headers are also tampered to either send fraudulent message. All such activities violate the provisions of the Telecommunication Act, 2023 and are considered offence under this Act. Section 42 (3) (c) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 specifically bars tampering of telecommunication identification. "Under Section 42(3), such offences are punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend up to fifty lakh rupees, or with both. Section 42 (6) of the act also envisages same punishment for those who abets any offence under the Act," the Department informed. Dubai, March 4 : Mohammed Shami clinched three dismissals while Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakaravarthy bagged two scalps each to bowl out Australia for 264 in 49.3 overs in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final clash at Dubai International Stadium here on Tuesday. Despite half-centuries from captain Steve Smith and Alex Carey, disciplined bowling from India restricted the ODI world champions from reaching the 300-run mark. The first powerplay saw movement from both Indian pacers Shami and Hardik Pandya as India got an early chance to celebrate in the match but Shami dropped Travis Head on duck on the second ball of the innings. Shami, in his second over, bagged Cooper Connolly on a nine-ball duck to draw first blood. A thin outside edge off Connolly's bat was caught by KL Rahul behind the stumps. In the next over, Head struck Pandya for four and a six to stamp his presence in the middle. After clearing mid-off for a boundary, Head bettered it with a powerful flick over deep square leg for a maximum. Head continued his attack against Shami and hammered him for a hat-trick of boundaries to accumulate 14 from the over. With pacers leaking runs, Rohit Sharma brought Kuldeep Yadav into the attack and he kept it tight against Head and Steve Smith. In search of a wicket, Rohit introduced Varun Chakaravarthy in the ninth over. The right-arm leg break did exactly what was expected from him - dismissing Head for 39, who struck five fours and two sixes. Vice captain Shubman Gill took a brilliant catch at long-off to hand India their second wicket of the match. Marnus Labuschagne joined Smith in the middle and the duo tackled the Indian spinners well and kept the scoreboard ticking at a decent pace. In the 14th over, Smith survived after Axar's ball hit the stumps but the bail didn't dislodge. Smith and Labuschagne stitched a 56-run stand to take the total to the three-figure mark. Jadeja broke the partnership with the dismissal of Labuschagne (29), who was trapped in front of the wickets for lbw in the 23rd over. Meanwhile, Smith completed his half-century off 68 balls, his 35th in the ODIs. Just after scoring fifty, Smith charged Jadeja over long-off to smash the first six of his innings. In the same over, Jadeja picked up Josh Inglis (11) to break the partnership and leave Australia at 144/4 after 27 overs. Shami's return to attack gave India the moment to celebrate as the veteran pacer dismissed Smith for 73. Australia skipper was involved in three 50-partnerships with Head, Labuschagne and Alex Carey. However, Glenn Maxwell failed to live up to the billing and was bowled out by Axar for 7 in the 38th over. Carey played a steady knock in the end and completed his half-century off 48 balls and built a 34-run partnership with Ben Dwarshuis for the seventh wicket before Chakaravarthy sent the latter back to the pavilion in the 46th over. Chakaravarthy ended his 10 overs with the figures of 2-49, including the crucial scalp of Head. Shreyas Iyer's razor-sharp direct hit from the outfield ended Carey's stay in the middle after scoring 61 including eight fours and a six. Shami got hold of Nathan Ellis (10) in the penultimate over before Pandya got his first scalp of the match with the dismissal of Adam Zampa (7) to bowl out Australia for 264 with three balls to spare in the innings. Brief scores: Australia 264/10 in 49.3 overs (Steve Smith 73, Alex Carey 61; Ravindra Jadeja 2-40, Mohammed Shami 3-48, Varun Chakaravarthy 2-49) against India. New Delhi, March 4 : India is set to revamp its model bilateral investment treaty (BIT) framework to attract as well as protect foreign investments, aligning with the evolving global investment landscape while guarding national interest, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) V. Anantha Nageswaran said on Tuesday. Addressing a post-Budget webinar titled 'Making India Investment Friendly', Nageswaran highlighted that the current BIT framework, which has not been updated in nearly a decade, is being revised to address modern challenges. He stressed that this update is essential due to significant changes in the global investment ecosystem and international laws since India last reviewed its BIT model. "The new model BIT, therefore, will be more attuned to the demands of a dynamic global investment environment," Nageswaran said. He further stated that at the same time, it will reflect India's sovereign rights and the importance of regulatory space so that public policy priorities are not constrained by international legal obligations. The Chief Economic Adviser stressed that the new BIT model will focus on improving protections for investors, particularly in emerging economies like India. This is in response to the growing demand from investors for stronger safeguards to secure their investments. The revised framework will ensure that India remains an attractive destination for foreign investment, particularly for medium-sized enterprises. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also addressed the issue in her 2025-26 Budget speech, stating that the existing BIT model will be revamped to make it more investor-friendly. FM Sitharaman emphasised the importance of balancing India's sovereign rights and regulatory space while encouraging foreign investment. Nageswaran emphasised that foreign investments, both portfolio and direct, are crucial for India's economic growth, especially as the country faces a current account deficit. "The revamped BIT model aims to address investor concerns, enhance legal safeguards, and support India's long-term economic growth strategy by making the country an even more attractive investment hub," he said. Aizawl, March 4 : Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Tuesday said that his government has made a concerted effort to combat cybercrime and the misuse of social media and punish the offenders. In his Budget speech in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said that concerted efforts have been made to combat cybercrime, curb the misuse of social media, address the spread of misleading statements, and penalise offenders according to the law. "The Cyber Crime Police Station is actively promoting cyber safety awareness to educate social media users. These initiatives aim to serve as a strong deterrent against cybercrime and promote safe usage of the internet and technology by the public," he said. Presenting the Rs 13835.42 crore budget for the financial year 2025-26, the Chief Minister said that Mizoram aims to capitalise on the opportunities arising from India's rapid ascent and grow alongside the nation toward the goals of 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) and 'Viksit Mizoram' (Developed Mizoram). Lalduhoma also said that this year due to the ongoing efforts toward consolidation, 80 per cent of the accumulated outstanding healthcare bills have been resolved. Furthermore, the total amount of outstanding healthcare bills is expected to be cleared by the end of the current financial year (2024-25), he said. "The government is also actively working for the implementation of the Mizoram Universal Healthcare Scheme, an enhanced and comprehensive cashless initiative with effect from April 1 this year and that would significantly improve healthcare coverage." The Chief Minister told the house that the state government has initiated its flagship scheme, "Mizoram Bana Kaih (Hand holding)," designed to foster sustainable development. For the fiscal year 2025-26, a total of Rs 350 crore has been earmarked, reflecting a 75 per cent increase from the current year's allocation of Rs 200 crore, he mentioned. Patna, March 4 : During the Budget Session of Bihar Assembly, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav launched a scathing critique of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the state government's performance. He characterised the administration as ineffective, stating, "The government is a wreck, the system is useless, the CM is tired, and the common man is wandering around helpless." Yadav accused CM Nitish Kumar of deflecting from current issues by reminiscing about situations from two decades ago, thereby avoiding accountability for the state's present challenges. He also criticised the Governor's address, labelling it as repetitive, suggesting it included accomplishments from previous administrations to bolster the current government's image. Highlighting infrastructure failures, Yadav pointed to the frequent collapse of bridges and culverts in Bihar, questioning the quality and oversight of such projects. He also mocked the administration's excuses, sarcastically attributing the loss of 9 lakh litres of alcohol to rats, thereby questioning the Bihar government's credibility. In a poetic critique, Yadav remarked on the government's obsession with past records, implying that they were stuck in outdated achievements and have failed to make significant progress since 2005. He emphasised that prior to 2005, there were six medical colleges still serving 90 per cent of the population, and numerous houses and vendor markets were established for the poor during Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure, suggesting that the current administration has not built substantially upon these foundations. Yadav challenged CM Nitish Kumar to engage in fact-based discussions, asserting that previous leaders, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, did not blame their predecessors but focussed on their own governance. He noted that from 1961 to 1990, Bihar experienced political instability with frequent changes in leadership and imposition of President's Rule, hindering development. However, post-1990, under Lalu Prasad Yadav's leadership, there were no communal riots, and efforts were made to empower Backward Classes and Dalits by appointing them as MLCs and ministers. This exchange underscores the heightened political tensions in Bihar as the state approaches its next Assembly elections at the end of this year, with leaders like Tejashwi Yadav actively challenging the incumbent government's record and narrative. Jaipur, March 4 : Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan arrived in Jodhpur with his family ahead of his son's Kartikeya Chauhan wedding on Tuesday. Kartikeya is the elder son of the Union Minister and the wedding will take place on March 6 at the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur. The ceremony will be graced by renowned personalities from the industry and various political circles. At the airport, Shivraj Singh Chauhan's wife, Sadhana Singh, marked the joyous occasion by feeding him sweets. Chouhan greeted well-wishers with folded hands, embracing the festive spirit. Guests at the grand wedding will be treated to an authentic Rajasthani culinary experience. The couple, Kartikeya and Amanat Bansal, will exchange vows in a traditional ceremony at Umaid Bhawan Palace. To accommodate guests, four luxury hotels in Jodhpur, including the palace, have been booked. Amanat Bansal is the daughter of Anupam Bansal, the Executive Director of the renowned shoe manufacturing company Liberty. Meanwhile, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said: "Daughters have always been considered a blessing. Now, a daughter is coming into our family too. Everyone is eagerly preparing to welcome her." To be groom Kartikeya said: "It is a pleasure to start a new chapter of my life in this culturally rich city. My family has taken care of all the preparations." The much-anticipated wedding promises to be a blend of grandeur, tradition, and heartfelt celebrations. Amanat Bansal has studied Psychology from Oxford University, London. Both of them got engaged on 17 October last year in Delhi. More than 300 VVIP guests from across the country are expected to come to Jodhpur for the wedding ceremony. BJP President J.P. Nadda, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, General VK Singh, Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Deputy Chief Ministers Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa, Cabinet Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar and many other ministers of the country and state will also attend the wedding ceremony. Arrangements have been made at Umaid Bhawan Palace for relatives and other VVIPs. Hyderabad, March 4 : BJP MP K. Laxman said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given an assurance that South India will not lose a single Lok Sabha seat in the delimitation process. The Rajya Sabha MP told media persons here that after the general census, delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies would be taken up and the reservation for women would be finalised. Laxman said the population in Telugu states has come down compared to 2011. Though population in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh has come down, the number of Parliamentary seats in these states will not come down. The BJP leader pointed out that the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act proposed increasing the Assembly seats in Telangana to 153. Laxman also denied that there was any talk of appointing a leader from South India as the National President of the BJP. The MP said the party has already announced party presidents for 11 states and soon presidents for other states would also be appointed. Laxman alleged that the government of Telangana was trying to mislead the Centre over the Regional Ring Road (RRR) and asked the Congress whether it was undertaking RRR for real estate business. He accused the Congress of repeating the mistakes of the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government. He alleged that BRS leaders tried to reap benefits with RRR alignment. He said before coming to power Congress leaders had promised to rectify the mistakes of the BRS government but after coming to power they forgot the promises. The Rajya Sabha member said if 10 per cent Muslims were not included in the list of Backward Classes, the proposal by the Telangana government to enhance reservations for Backward Classes would be accepted. He alleged that the caste survey conducted in Telangana was full of inaccuracies. He also remarked that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has not satisfied anyone by conducting the caste survey. Laxman also stated that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was worried over the growing strength of the BJP in the state. He said changing the chief minister was an internal matter of the Congress party but they wish him to remain the CM for the remaining four years. New Delhi, March 4 : Achieving 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047 will require a focused and determined approach, adding around 4 GW annually from now onwards, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said on Tuesday. Emphasising that nuclear energy is critical for Indiaas Net Zero goal by 2070, the minister called for private sector participation, regulatory reforms and sustained public engagement. Addressing a post-Budget webinar organised by NITI Aayog, Dr Singh highlighted the Union Budget 2024-25as vision for Indiaas nuclear power expansion, which sets a target of achieving 100 GW by 2047. Highlighting the growing energy demand, he stated that Indiaas electricity needs are expected to increase four to five times by 2047. While renewable energy sources are expanding, they alone cannot meet the base-load demand, making nuclear power a key component of Indiaas energy strategy. Dr Singh acknowledged that legislative amendments to the Atomic Energy Act, Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, and the Electricity Act would be required to enable this participation. "Opening up the nuclear sector will send a strong policy signal to industry players, boosting investor confidence and encouraging long-term investments," the minister noted. He also highlighted that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), along with its subsidiaries, aims to contribute nearly half of the 100 GW target by leveraging domestic and international partnerships. Meanwhile, NTPCas joint venture, Ashwini, has already taken the lead in constructing four 700 MWe PHWRs at Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant (MBRAPP). The launch of a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) R&D Mission, with the objective of developing five SMRs by 2033 was also highlighted by the minister. These reactors, known for their adaptability, could be deployed in industrial zones, remote areas, and hard-to-abate sectors like cement and steel manufacturing. The minister also underscored the need for a nationwide awareness campaign to address public concerns regarding nuclear energy. "A much more vigorous and sustained public outreach program is necessary to dispel fears and highlight nuclear power as a safe and clean energy source," he said, urging collaboration among government agencies, private players, and environmental groups. The Pentagon has denied reports that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered an end to offensive cyber operations against Russia, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing its own sources. "Hegseth has neither canceled nor postponed any cyber operations targeting malicious Russian entities, and no directive has been issued regarding this priority The denial came after The Record, a cybersecurity publication, reported that Hegseth had ordered the US Cyber Command to stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions. The story was followed by the Washington Post and New York Times that added their own confirmations from unnamed officials, the message reads. At the same time, a source from the US Department of Defense confirmed the information about the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine and said that the movement of all US military equipment that is not yet in Ukraine will be suspended, including weapons in transit on planes and ships or waiting in transit zones in Poland. At the same time, Economist correspondent Oliver Carroll reported that no order to stop military supplies to Ukraine was received from the United States, and there is no evidence of this yet. To be clear, I have no information the order to stop support (arms supplies) has not been made. It is that so far there has been no evidence of it on the ground, Carroll said on X Tuesday. Mumbai, March 4 : Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray has recommended the name of party legislator Bhaskar Jadhav's name for the post of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Thackeray in a letter addressed to the state Assembly Speaker Rajesh Narwekar on March 3 has urged him to accept his recommendation. With this, the Thackeray camp has put the ball in the Speaker's court. Thackeray has mentioned in a letter the resolution passed unanimously by the Shiv Sena UBT legislators held on February 28 in his Matoshree residence. "This house authorises Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray to finalise the name for the leader of opposition in the state assembly. The name recommended by Thackeray will be acceptable to use," reads the resolution. Jadhav was the front runner for the party's choice for the post of leader of opposition, especially after former minister and legislator Aaditya Thackeray expressed his unwillingness to take up the job. Thackeray chose to recommend Jadhav's name for LoP's post after the Legislative Assembly Secretariat clarified that there is no rule which makes it binding that the party should have at least 10 percent of the total strength in the state assembly to qualify for the post. The Maharashtra Assembly has 288 MLAs 10 per cent of the total strength works to 28.8 (29). None of the Opposition parties alone have 29 MLAs at present. Shiv Sena UBT has a strength of 20 legislators. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday said that in many states even parties with four or five members have got the post of Leader of the Opposition to maintain the spirit of democracy. "Here, our combined strength of opposition is over 50. Therefore, it is not difficult to become the opposition leader of Shiv Sena UBT," he added. Jadhav started his political career as a member of the Ratnagiri Zilla Parishad in 1992 and later he was elected to the state assembly as the Shiv Sena candidate in 1995. He was re-elected again in the 1999 assembly election. Jadhav later left Shiv Sena and joined the NCP. He was nominated in the state legislative council in 2006. In the 2009 Assembly election, Jadhav was elected to the state assembly and made minister of state. In 2013, he became the state NCP chief. Jadhav was inducted into the state cabinet and made a cabinet minister during June 2013 and September 2014. Jadhav was elected to the state assembly in 2014 as NCP nominee and later he rejoined Shiv Sena and won the assembly election held in 2019. After the split in Shiv Sena, he stayed with Thackeray camp and he got reelected in the 2024 assembly election. Ahmedabad, March 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sharing his thoughts on the commendable effort by Vantara - one of the world's biggest animal rehabilitation centres - that is situated in Gujarat, said that it was serving as a "vibrant example of our centuries old ethos of protecting those we share our planet with." Ahmedabad, March 4 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sharing his thoughts on the commendable effort by Vantara one of the world's biggest animal rehabilitation centres that is situated in Gujarat, said that it was serving as a "vibrant example of our centuries old ethos of protecting those we share our planet with." PM Modi took to his social media handle to share glimpses of his visit to the rehabilitation centre, where he saw injured and accident-hit animals getting treated and taken care of. "At Vantara, I saw an elephant which was the victim of an acid attack. The elephant was being treated with utmost care. There were other elephants too, which were blinded and that, too, ironically by their Mahouts," wrote PM Modi while sharing pictures of an elephant getting treated inside the facility. He shared another picture of an elephant, which was hit by a speeding truck, now getting treatment at Vantara. "There were other instances too. A lioness was hit by a vehicle resulting in severe spinal injuries. She was getting proper care. A leopard cub abandoned by her family got a new lease of life, with proper nutritional care," PM Modi wrote, sharing the pictures of the state-of-the art facility built for their care. The Prime Minister also complimented the team at Vantara for the care given to such wild animals. Notably, Vantara in Gujarat's Jamnagar is a sprawling wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation centre housing over 1.5 lakh rescued and endangered animals. Currently, the centre is home to more than 2,000 species of animals. The wildlife centre is equipped with modern treatment facilities for animals including MRI machine, CT scan, and ICU facilities. The centre also provides advanced veterinary care including specialised departments for wildlife anesthesia, cardiology, nephrology, endoscopy, dentistry, and internal medicine. PM Modi during his visit to Vantara also interacted with dedicated doctors, staff and workers who serve as the custodians of various facilities at Vantara. Beirut, March 4 : Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have reaffirmed in a joint statement the importance of enhancing Arab cooperation and coordinating positions on key regional and international issues, the Lebanese official National News Agency (NNA) reported Tuesday. According to the NNA, the statement issued following Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday in the Saudi capital Riyadh also affirmed both sides' commitment to "the full implementation of the Taif Agreement, the enforcement of relevant international resolutions, the extension of state sovereignty across all Lebanese territory, and the exclusive possession of weapons by the Lebanese state." The Taif Agreement, negotiated in Saudi Arabia in 1989 and approved later that year, ended a 15-year-long civil war in Lebanon and reasserted the Lebanese government's authority in the south. Lebanon and Saudi Arabia stressed "the national role of the Lebanese Army and the necessity of supporting it, while calling for the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from all Lebanese lands," read the joint statement, Xinhua news agency reported. A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, in place since November 27, 2024, calls for an Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanese territory. However, Israel maintains a presence in five positions along the border despite a February 18 deadline. Meanwhile, the NNA reported that during the meeting between Aoun and the Crown Prince, the two sides discussed ways for further cooperation and agreed to "assess obstacles hindering the resumption of Lebanese exports to Saudi Arabia and explore measures to facilitate travel for Saudi nationals to Lebanon." Aoun also invited the Crown Prince to visit Lebanon, an offer "met with appreciation and a positive reception," according to the NNA. New Delhi, March 4 : Heads seem to have started rolling over the stampede at New Delhi Railway station last month with the government shifting out the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Delhi, an official said on Tuesday. The February 15 incident triggered by a surge in crowd waiting to board trains to Prayagraj for Maha Kumbh on platforms 14 and 15 had claimed 18 lives. The Railways announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh for the seriously injured passengers and Rs 1 lakh for those who suffered minor injuries in the stampede. Earlier, the Railway Ministry constituted a two-member committee to probe the deadly stampede. The probe committee comprising Narsingh Deo, PCCM/Northern Railway, and Pankaj Gangwar, PCSC Northern Railway, ordered the securing of video footage of platforms 14 and 15 of the station where the incident took place. The probe panel also inspected the tragedy site and collected statements of witnesses to corroborate it with the CCTV footage. Sources said the probe panel was also mandated to investigate the possibility of the incident being triggered by rumours which forced waiting passengers to switch between the two platforms, resulting in the crushing of people on a staircase on platform 14. The incident came at a time when several railway stations in north and east India were grappling to manage crowds headed to Maha Kumbh Mela. The stampede followed a sharp increase in the number of passengers attempting to catch the weekend evening trains to the holy city, resulting in overcrowding and chaos. DCP Railway K.P.S. Malhotra explained the cause of the incident, stating that the main reason for the stampede was a surge in passengers during the delays of two trains. Earlier, the Railways claimed that special trains were being run to manage the sudden rush at New Delhi Railway Station. Four special trains were run to evacuate the unprecedented sudden rush. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav expressed grief over the death of people in the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. He said, "I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My prayers are with all those who have lost their loved ones. The entire team is working to assist all those who have been affected by this tragic incident." Ankara, March 4 : The Turkish Foreign Ministry has summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Ankara in response to Tehran's criticism of Turkish foreign policy, Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said on Tuesday. The move came a day after Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned Turkey's ambassador following Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's warning to Tehran against actions that could undermine Syria's stability. Keceli told reporters that during the talks with Iran's envoy, bilateral issues were discussed, including "some Iranian officials' accusations against Turkey". He said, "We believe that critical messages between countries should be conveyed directly to the relevant parties, which is the approach we followed today," slamming "certain" Iranian officials' "frequent criticism" of Turkey in public recently. Despite the diplomatic tension, Keceli reaffirmed the importance Turkey has placed on its relations with Iran, saying, "Strengthening ties with Iran remains a priority for us." The tension between the two countries has brewed after Fidan, in an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic on Wednesday, criticised Iran's regional policies, particularly its reliance on militias in Syria and Iraq, urging Iran to reconsider its strategy. In response, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Monday described Fidan's comments as "unconstructive," calling on Turkish authorities to think more about the outcomes and impacts of their policies. On Monday, Baghaei responded to Fidan's comments in an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic last Wednesday, where the Turkish minister criticised Iran's regional policies, particularly its reliance on militias in Syria and Iraq. Fidan argued that while Iran had made some gains, its approach imposed a long-term burden on both the region and Iran's establishment, urging Tehran to reconsider its strategy. Baghaei said Fidan's remarks were "frequently repeated" and "unconstructive." He also cited Israel's growing assertiveness in the region, particularly in Syria, and called on Turkish authorities to think more about the outcomes and impacts of their policies. He noted that although the two countries had differences over several regional issues, they had managed to preserve "good ties" by adopting "wise approaches and showing rational behaviours." New Delhi, March 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's affection for animals is well-known, and his love for them is not something new. Even before assuming office as Prime Minister, he had a deep bond with animals. Recently, Modi Archive 'X handle' shared old photos of PM Modi with animals, captioning them, "He loves animals, and they love him right back!" New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's affection for animals is well-known, and his love for them is not something new. Even before assuming office as Prime Minister, he had a deep bond with animals. Recently, Modi Archive 'X handle' shared old photos of PM Modi with animals, captioning them, "He loves animals, and they love him right back!" The pictures show him sitting with a tiger, feeding an animal, and even holding a small animal in his lap, highlighting how his love for animals has been a long-standing passion. This affection has been rejuvenated through his visit to Vantara in Gujarat on Sunday. During his time at Jamnagar's Vantara, PM Modi spent some time with various wildlife, playing with Asiatic lion cubs, white lion cubs, clouded leopard cubs, and caracal cubs, among others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vantara animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar. He remarked, "Inaugurated Vantara, a unique wildlife conservation, rescue, and rehabilitation initiative, which provides a safe haven for animals while promoting ecological sustainability and wildlife welfare. I commend Anant Ambani and his entire team for this very compassionate effort." The visit included memorable moments as PM Modi fed lion cubs and admired an okapi. Vantara houses over 2,000 species and more than 1.5 lakh rescued, endangered, and threatened animals. Throughout the visit, PM Modi displayed affection for several animals, including feeding lemurs and engaging with seals. Vantara spans 3,000 acres and features advanced veterinary facilities with enclosures designed to replicate the animals' natural habitats. PM Modi also visited the wildlife hospital at Vantara, which is equipped with MRI, CT scans, and ICUs. During his visit, the Prime Minister witnessed an Asiatic lion undergoing an MRI and also visited the Operation Theatre where a leopard was receiving lifesaving surgery after being rescued from a highway accident. Vantara offers specialised care with various departments, including Wildlife Anesthesia, Cardiology, Nephrology, Endoscopy, Dentistry, and Internal Medicine. Nairobi, March 4 : The Horn of Africa has some 26.3 million people living either as refugees or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) disclosed in a report on Tuesday. According to the report, 20.7 million people are internally displaced while 5.6 million are refugees and asylum seekers. The UNHCR highlighted a rise in the number of those displaced following the escalation of conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in February. "Approximately 65,000 people have arrived in Burundi and 15,937 in Uganda from the DRC since January 2025," the agency said. It also revealed that Egypt holds the highest number of 1.5 million refugees from Sudan, followed by South Sudan at 1.05 million and Chad at 759,058. The main causes of displacements in the Horn of Africa are conflict, climate change effects like floods and drought, and food insecurity, according to the UN agency, Xinhua news agency reported. Data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development showed that some 66.9 million people were food insecure in the Horn of Africa at the end of January. Last month, the European Union announced $4.13 million to support a joint project to protect vulnerable communities in the Greater Horn of Africa from the devastating impacts of climate extremes, conflict, and displacement, the World Food Programme (WFP) said. The project will support 450,000 vulnerable people in Ethiopia and Somalia for two years by reducing the impacts of forecasted shocks before they become crisis through capacity strengthening of weather agencies to provide timely, accurate forecasts, enabling better community and government response, the UN agency said on Monday. "Increasingly frequent and intense climate extremes such as droughts and floods are compounding existing drivers of hunger such as conflict, displacement and economic instability," Rukia Yacoub, WFP's Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Africa, said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. "As livestock and crops perish, livelihoods are lost, and hunger deepens," the statement said. "Early action saves lives, builds people's resilience to face future crisis, and eases the strain on limited humanitarian resources." The project will be implemented by the WFP, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Climate Prediction and Applications Centre of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development and the Danish Refugee Council. The Horn of Africa, located in the easternmost part of Africa, is one of the world's most conflict-prone and fragile regions. The Horn of Africa has a long history of protracted conflict, violent extremism, and weak governance and hosts a large number of refugees and internally displaced people. It is also one of the world's poorest regions, with an estimated 57 million people living in extreme poverty. The long-term impacts of Covid-19, climate change, protracted conflict, the war in Ukraine and reduced funding globally are all contributing to food insecurity in the Horn of Africa. The hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa is reaching unimaginable proportions as 23 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are highly food insecure and face severe hunger and water shortages. Relentless drought and high food prices have weakened peopleas ability to grow crops, raise livestock and buy food for their families. Kolkata, March 4 : A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Tuesday, put an interim stay on any kind of police investigation against BJP leader and superstar Mithun Chakraborty in a case registered against him by Kolkata Police accusing him of making communally sensitive statements at a public programme. The single-judge bench of Justice Suvra Ghosh, in her order, put the interim stay on any kind of investigation in the matter till May 20 this year. The matter will come up for hearing again on that day. In November last year, an FIR was registered against the superstar based on a complaint accusing him of making a highly provocative statement at an organisational meeting of BJP in Kolkata on October 27, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "I am saying this in front of the Union Minister that I will do whatever is required for West Bengal. There are hidden meanings when I say that I will do whatever is needed. One leader is claiming that in a particular district, there are 70 per cent Muslims against 30 per cent Hindus. He also said that the latter would be cut and thrown in the Bhagirathi river. Surprisingly the Chief Minister did not tell him anything. A day will come when I will bury you in your soil," Chakraborty said targeting Trinamool Congress legislator Humayun Kabir about this comparative population ratio in minority-dominated Murshidabad district, just before the Lok Sabha elections last year. Thereafter in November last year, a complaint was filed against Chakraborty at Bowbazar Police station in central Kolkata and based on that complaint the city police registered an FIR against him. However, the state BJP leadership in West Bengal clarified that the comments by the superstar were a reaction to Kabir's earlier statement claiming that Hindus in a Muslim- dominated Murshidabad district of West Bengal would be cut and thrown in the Bhagirathi River. Later Chakraborty approached the Calcutta High Court challenging the FIR registered against him. The matter came up for hearing at the bench of Justice Ghosh on Tuesday and there the bench put an interim stay on any kind of police investigation in the matter till May 20. Paris, March 4 : French Finance Minister Eric Lombard told France Info radio Tuesday that France is against using frozen Russian assets to finance Europe's defence capacity-building. When asked if France still opposes using frozen Russian assets to finance Europe's defence investment and aid to Ukraine, Lombard said that France believes these assets "belong mainly to Russia's central bank." According to him, Europe is not "in war" with Russia, seizing frozen Russian assets as a contribution "would be contrary to the international agreements that France and Europe signed." On Monday, during a debate at the French National Assembly, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also affirmed that the French government didn't consider seizing frozen Russian assets a good idea, as it would pose "great financial risk" to European countries. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Sunday that the European Union (EU) member states should raise their defence spending to 3 to 3.5 per cent of the EU's total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Speaking to the French daily Le Figaro after participating in a defence summit in London, Macron said on Sunday that European Union (EU) member states should invest "heavily" in European defence to prepare for America's eventual disengagement and to ensure Europe's security. The French President suggested raising considerable amounts together through joint loans or even the European Stability Mechanism. "We probably need initially 200 billion euros (208 billion US dollars) to kick off," he added, Xinhua news agency reported. On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled an 800-billion-euro (844.6-billion-US dollars) plan to significantly increase defence spending across the bloc. She said that in response to escalating security threats across the European Union (EU), Europe had entered "an era of rearmament." In a letter written to EU leaders ahead of Thursday's European Council, von der Leyen unveiled the "ReArm Europe" plan and emphasised the urgency of strengthening Europe's defence capabilities, citing mounting geopolitical tensions, particularly in light of Russia-Ukraine military conflict and concerns over the future of US support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). "Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending. Both to respond to the short-term urgency to act and to support Ukraine but also to address the long-term need to take on much more responsibility for our own European security," she said. "The question is no longer whether Europe's security is threatened in a very real way," von der Leyen said. "The real question in front of us is whether Europe is prepared to act as decisively as the situation dictates." Kolkata, March 4 : Trinamool Congress seems to have gone on the backfoot as one of their panchayat body chiefs has her name enrolled in two different assembly constituencies in a particular district of West Bengal. The ruling party leader whose name has surfaced in the matter is Sefali Khatun who is the head of the Kalygunj Panchayat Samiti in Nadia district in West Bengal. The state leadership of BJP has drawn the notice of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal with documents supporting their claims that Khatun's name appeared as a voter in both Nakashipara and Kalygunj assembly constituencies, both in Nadia district. Giving her reaction to the media persons, Khatun clarified that she was not aware that her name had continued in the voter's list of Nakashipara, where she used to stay before. "Previously we used to stay at Nakashipara and hence my name was in the voter's list there. However, later we shifted to Debgram under the Kalygunj assembly constituency and got my name as a voter there. But I was not aware that my name had continued in the voters' list of Nakashipara," she claimed. State BJP leadership had claimed that such clarifications are hilarious from an individual who is herself a part of the administration. However, after the matter was brought to the notice of the ECI during the day, the name of Khatun was deleted from the voters' list of Nakashipara. While addressing the extended organisational meeting of Trinamool Congress last week, the Chief Minister accused the BJP of enlisting voters from other states in the voters' list in West Bengal and to substantiate her allegations, she referred to a couple of instances of electors of two different states having identical EPIC numbers. On Sunday, the ECI issued a clarification, issued a statement indirectly refuting the allegations brought forward by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and claimed that the duplication of EPIC numbers does not imply duplicate/fake voters. The commission has also clarified that some cases of duplicate EPIC numbers were caused by the use of identical alphanumeric series by two different states or Union Territories. However, Trinamool Congress had described the commission's clarification as mere eye-wash and did not conform to ECI's own guidelines in this regard. Policeman killed, his colleague, five civilians injured due to enemy shelling in Kherson region As a result of enemy shelling in Kherson region, a police officer was killed, another police officer and five civilians were injured, the National Police of Ukraine report. "Kherson region. As a result of Russias shelling, a policeman was killed, his colleague was wounded, and five civilians were injured," the National Police said on its Telegram channel on Tuesday. The occupation forces shelled Kherson and Beryslav districts with artillery, mortars, tanks, aircraft and UAVs. "Russian strikes caused damage to 17 objects: an apartment building and nine private houses, a kindergarten, a post office and five cars," the police said. In particular, as noted in the report, the enemy launched four UAB strikes. "As a result of the shelling near the checkpoint, a police officer was killed, another law enforcement officer received an explosive and craniocerebral injury, concussion and closed chest injury," the National Police noted. Hyderabad/New Delhi, March 4 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday met Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution Prahlad Joshi and urged him to release long-pending dues of Rs.1,981 crore to the state. Accompanied by Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, the Chief Minister met the Union Minister in the national capital and discussed several state-related issues. They submitted a petition requesting the release of pending dues of Rs 1,468.94 crore towards the supply of rice to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) during the 2014-15 Kharif season. They brought to the attention of the Union Minister that the pending dues were related to the additional levy collection which was borne by the state government. The CM and the State Minister requested the Union Minister to release the arrears of Rs 343.27 crore for the supply of rice from May, 2021 to March, 2022 and in April, 2022 under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. The Chief Minister also appealed to the Union Minister to release pending dues of Rs 79.09 crore for rice distribution under the Non-NFSA (National Food Security Act) from June 2021 to April 2022 and extend the CMR (Custom Milling Rice) period by at least four months instead of one month to avoid hurdles in the supply. Revanth Reddy requested Prahlad Joshi, who is also the Union Minister for Renewable Energy, to restore the 4,000 MW solar power generation permit granted to Telangana under the PM Kusum scheme earlier. As the state government was already promoting women's self-help groups to become entrepreneurs in solar power generation, the CM told the Union Minister that the Centre had previously granted a 4,000 MW permit to Telangana but later reduced it to 1,000 MW. According to the Chief Ministeras Office, the Union Minister responded positively to the pleas made by CM Revanth Reddy and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy regarding the release of pending dues and sanction of 4,000 MW. CMO Secretary Manikraj, State Civil Supplies Commissioner D.S. Chauhan, and Telangana Bhavan Resident Commissioner Gaurav Uppal were also present. Kolkata, March 4 : The acting vice chancellor of Jadavpur University Bhaskar Gupta, on Tuesday, mooted a proposal for a judicial panel probe in the ruckus within the university campus last week in which two students were severely injured and hospitalised allegedly being hit by the vehicle of the West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu, who was himself reportedly heckled by the agitating students there. On Tuesday, Gupta mooted this proposal at a meeting with the representatives of different college and university teachers' associations in the matter. Since Gupta is on bedrest after he fell sick following Saturday's ruckus, he participated in the meeting virtually. "The matter of conducting the elections for the students' council of Jadavpur University, the issue on which the students were agitating on Saturday, also came up for discussion at the meeting," said a university faculty member present at the meeting. At the same time, there were moments of difference at the meeting between the representatives of the Left-affiliated Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA) and those of Trinamool Congress-affiliated West Bengal College & University Professors' Association (WBCUPA). The JUTA representatives demanded registration of FIRs on the event of two students being hit by the minister's vehicle. However, the WBCUPA representatives objected to that and instead demanded a probe on the arsenal at the office of a Trinamool Congress-affiliated body within the university campus on Saturday night. CPI(M)'s student wing Students' Federation of India (SFI) has expressed anguish on why the acting vice-chancellor is not holding a meeting with the students and discussing how normalcy can be restored and the date of election for the students' council can be announced. "When the acting vice-chancellor could have a meeting with the teachers; what was his problem in having a similar online interaction with the students?" questioned an SFI leader. The ruckus broke out within the university campus on Saturday when the Minister's car was allegedly stopped after it entered the campus, and a scuffle followed. The students were demanding immediate elections for the university's students' council. The agitating students alleged that while Basu decided to leave the campus in the face of the protests by students, his vehicle deliberately hit the two agitating students following which they were severely injured and had to be hospitalised. On Saturday, amid the protests, the Minister received minor injuries and fell sick. He was taken to the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College & Hospital and was discharged later. Patna, March 4 : During the discussion on the Governor's address in the Bihar Assembly, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made a historic political claim, stating that he played a key role in making Lalu Prasad Yadav the Chief Minister in 1990. "Even the people of Lalu Yadav's caste (Yadav) had refused to make him CM, but I supported him. I made your father (Lalu Yadav) CM," Nitish Kumar said while addressing Tejashwi Yadav via Speaker on Tuesday. Nitish Kumar was a key figure in Janata Dal politics in 1990 when a tussle was underway over who would be CM -- Lalu Yadav or Ram Sundar Das. Nitish Kumar defended his recent switchover to NDA, highlighting past issues with RJD. He also accused Tejashwi Yadav and RJD of creating instability during the Mahagathbandhan government twice, saying: "I have twice formed a government with Tejashwi Yadav, but both times, they messed up. That is why I left them and returned to NDA." Nitish Kumar's remarks have revived an old political chapter in Bihar's history, adding new tension between JDU and RJD as they prepare for future electoral battles. CM Nitish Kumar launched a sharp attack on Tejashwi Yadav, calling him "a child" who "doesn't know anything." His remarks triggered a heated exchange, leading to a walkout by opposition members. Nitish Kumar also criticised RJD's rule before 2005. "No one used to leave their houses after evening during the RJD tenure. There were no roads, no development and frequent Hindu-Muslim fights. When I came to power in 2005, the first thing I did as CM was to fence graveyards to maintain peace," Kumar said. While highlighting his achievements after 2005, Kumar said, "After I became CM, there was a big transformation in education, health, and infrastructure. In 2016, we provided reservations for women in government jobs. Before elections, 12 lakh youth will be given jobs. Currently, 24 lakh youth are employed and our government recognised madrasas and provided financial help for abandoned Muslim women." During the Chief Minister's speech, the opposition members walked out of the Assembly, protesting his statements. While seeing the walkout, Nitish Kumar said, "They ran away because they know they won't get anything in the election." Imphal, March 4 : Four days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the overall security situation in Manipur, state Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Tuesday reviewed the overall law and order situation in the restive state. A senior Raj Bhavan official said that the Governor chaired a security meeting and reviewed the overall law and order situation in the state. The official said that this was a follow-up meeting after the security situation of Manipur was reviewed at a meeting held in New Delhi on March 1 under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister. The Governor directed the officials of both the Army, para-military, Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and the state police to maintain a high vigil over the situation and to take prompt action when the situation arises. Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Security Advisor to the state government Kuldiep Singh, Director General of Manipur police Rajiv Singh, Home Commissioner N. Ashok Kumar, General Officer in Command 3-Corps Lt. Gen. Abhijit S Pendharkar, GOC,57 Mountain Division Maj. Gen. S.S. Kartikeya, Inspector General, Assam Rifles (South) Maj. Gen. Ravroop Singh, top Manipur Police officials, Inspector General. CRPF, Rajendra Narayan Das and Inspector General, BSF S.K. Mishra attended the meeting at the Raj Bhavan. In an attempt to restore peace and normalcy, the Union Home Minister on March 1 reviewed the overall security situation in Manipur. During the meeting, he had said that the Centre, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remains fully committed to restoring lasting peace in Manipur and is providing all necessary assistance in this regard. The Home Minister directed that free movement be ensured for people on all roads in Manipur from March 8 and asked for strict action against anyone attempting to create obstructions. The Home Minister had also instructed that the fencing work on both sides of the designated entry points along Manipur's border with Myanmar should be completed at the earliest. He said that to make Manipur drug-free, the entire network involved in the drug trade should be dismantled. The March 1 meeting in Delhi was the first such top-level review meeting held after the imposition of President's Rule in the northeastern state, which has been witnessing ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 3, 2023. Presidentas Rule was promulgated in the restive Manipur on February 13, four days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. The Manipur Governor and top officials of the state government, Home Ministry, Intelligence Bureau, Deputy Chief of Army Staff, the Army's Eastern Command chief, the Directors General of the BSF, the CRPF, and the Assam Rifles, Security Advisor, Manipur government, and Manipur's Chief Secretary and Director General of Police attended the Delhi meeting. Senior police officials said that so far over 750 looted and illegally held weapons, including many sophisticated arms and a huge cache of ammunition, were returned to security forces since the Governor made the appeal for the first time on February 20. Governor Bhalla, in his fresh appeal, on February 28 said: "The request (on February 20) has yielded a positive response. Upon the expiry of the seven-day deadline for voluntary surrender of such arms, there has been a demand from both valley and hill areas to extend the period for surrender. I have considered the request and decided to extend the deadline up to 4 p.m. on March 6 for voluntary surrender of such arms." "During this period, no punitive action would be taken against the individuals who voluntarily surrender weapons. However, any person found in possession of illegal or looted arms after the given deadline will face legal action as per law," he said. Bhubaneswar, March 4 : Amidst the controversy over the rescheduling of celebration of Panchayati Raj Divas by the Odisha government, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday announced to hold state-wide protests across the state on March 6 against the government's decision. During a press conference here on Tuesday, senior party leader Sanjay Das Burma said: "Commemorating the legendary Biju Patnaik's contributions towards the Panchayati Raj system, the Panchayati Raj Diwas has been observed on his birth anniversary on March 5 every year." Burma said the party strongly criticises the decision taken by the current BJP government to observe the Panchayati Raj Diwas on April 24 instead of March 5. "Tomorrow, the auspicious birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik will be celebrated across the state as it is celebrated by the BJD. But, on March 6, we will hold state-wide protests against the government's anti-constitution attitude," he added. Burma also urged all the people of Odisha, including the youths, students, women, etc, to participate in the protest by the BJD workers on March 6 against the deceit committed by the state government in connection with the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik. Highlighting Patnaik's contributions towards the Panchayati Raj system, the senior BJD leader said that Biju Babu was not only the first to implement the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, but also the first leader in India who had said about 'Gaon Ku Kama and Maa Ku Samman' (availability of jobs in villages and respect to women). Burma also stated that the former Chief Minister of Odisha was the first in the country to take the revolutionary step to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in the Panchayati Raj system. He said Biju Babu was of the view that Odisha or India couldn't develop until the women were not empowered and they were not engaged in policy making at the village level. Burma also added that the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik on March 5 has been celebrated as the Panchayati Raj Divas for the last three decades since 1991. The senior BJD leader also asserted that Biju Babu will always be remembered by the people of Odisha as the architect of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system. He further claimed that one year after Patnaik implemented the Panchayati Raj system in Odisha, the central government made the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments in 1992 which constitutionalised the Panchayati Raj system in the country. He said that the Union government has been celebrating Panchayati Raj Day on April 24 since 2010 while the Odisha government has been celebrating Panchayati Raj Divas since the last three decades. Jaipur, March 4 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Tuesday said that Sambhar Lake, located near Jaipur, has the potential to become a major tourist attraction similar to Gujarat's Rann of Kutch. Given the significant participation of domestic and international tourists in the Sambhar Festival, he instructed officials to develop more facilities and increase its promotion. Chief Minister Sharma also reaffirmed the state government's commitment to preserving Rajasthan's cultural, religious, and historical heritage while ensuring its development. He emphasised that Rajasthan holds immense potential for religious and cultural tourism, which, along with conservation efforts, will boost the tourism sector and generate employment opportunities. He was chairing a review meeting on Tuesday at the Chief Minister's residence, Sharma stated, "Conserving our heritage while advancing development is our primary goal. We are dedicated to restoring temples and promoting religious tourism in the state." He also stressed the importance of familiarising the younger generation with Rajasthan's rich historical and religious legacy and suggested that school students be taken on regular tours of iconic monuments and sites. The Chief Minister said that in the Sankalp Patra, it was announced to develop Braj Chaurasi Circuit as devotional tourism. For this, tourism facilities are being developed on the Braj Chaurasi Kos Parikrama Marg. He said that the development work of Poonchri Ka Lotha Deeg along with the Parikrama Marg should also be expedited. He directed to complete all the procedures for the construction of Shri Gokul Jat Panorama, Raja Khemkaran Panorama, Dev Baba Panorama, Govind Swami Panorama soon and start the work. He further directed the officials to get the development work done at Tanot Mata Temple in Jaisalmer and ensure proper arrangements for the stay of the devotees coming there. He said that along with improving the connectivity of Girduwala, Village Kuldhara and Longewala with Jaisalmer and Tanot, facilities should be developed for tourists here. He said that in the cabinet meeting held recently in Prayagraj, it was decided to renovate temples located outside the state. He directed the officials of the Devsthan Department to get such temples surveyed and find out their actual number and list them. Chennai, March 4 : Actress Nayanthara, who has often been referred to as 'Lady Superstar' by her fans, has now appealed to the media and to the audiences to henceforth address her as just Nayanthara and not as Lady Superstar. Issuing a statement late on Tuesday night, Nayanthara, who has been a dominant force in the Tamil film industry, said, "While thanking all my sources of happiness and success for my journey as an actress, I sincerely hope this note finds you and your families in the best of health and happiness. "My life has been an open book that has always found its adornment with your unconditional love and affection. Be it the pat on my shoulder during my success or extending your hand to lift me during hardships, you have always been there for me," she said. Pointing out that many had graciously referred to her as "Lady Superstar," a title born out of their immense affection, she said, "I owe you all a lot for crowning me with such a valuable title. However, I humbly request you all to call me 'Nayanthara'. This is because I feel that the name is what I hold closest to my heart. It represents who I amnot just as an actor but as an individual." The actress also went on to point out that while titles and accolades were priceless they could also sometimes create an image that separated the stars from their work, their craft, and the unconditional bond they shared with the audience. "I believe we all share the language of love that keeps us connected beyond all limits. While the future might be unpredictable for all of us, I'm so happy that your unfading support will remain constant, and so will my hard work to entertain you. Cinema is what keeps us united, and let us keep celebrating it together," she signed off. Kyiv, March 4 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called his last week's public spat with the US President Donald Trump "regrettable" and said that Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table "as soon as possible" to bring lasting peace closer. Kyiv, March 4 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called his last week's public spat with the US President Donald Trump "regrettable" and said that Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table "as soon as possible" to bring lasting peace closer. In a long post on X, the Ukrainian president said the Oval Office meeting, at which he clashed publicly with President Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance, was "regrettable" and that it was time to make things right. Zelensky's note comes a day after the Trump administration put a pause on all aid to Ukraine till such time as it takes to determine if the Ukrainian President wanted to end the war. "None of us wants an endless war," Zelenskyy wrote. "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts." The Ukrainian president went on to propose first steps in the cessation of hostilities with Russia. "We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal." He was mindful of addressing frustration felt by the Trump administration that he did not feel appreciative enough about the help his country has received from the US. "We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this." He addressed the issue of the Oval Office meeting blowup that played out on TV screens around the world. He had questioned the Trump administration's efforts to end the war through diplomacy and had been rebuked in turn by Trump and Vance for not being grateful and respectful enough. "Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive." The Ukrainian President concluded by announcing in the post he was ready to sign an agreement with the US on rare earth mineral reserves in Ukraine. "Any time and in any convenient format as we see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively," he claimed. Bhopal, March 4 : Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday said that the Madhya Pradesh government is progressing towards an agreement with Maharashtra regarding the Tapti Basin Mega Recharge project. The Chief Minister said that discussions with the Maharashtra government are in progress and all hurdles have been resolved through multiple rounds of meetings between senior officials from both the neighboring states. The Chief Minister made this statement during an interaction with the farmers who came to meet from Burhanpur under the leadership of former Minister and MLA Burhanpur Archana Chitnis at the Chief Ministeras Office on Tuesday. The Tapti Basin Mega Recharge project is expected to utilise a total of 31.13 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet of water, with 11.76 TMC allocated to Madhya Pradesh and 19.36 TMC to Maharashtra. It will need 3,362 hectares of land in Madhya Pradesh for the construction of dams and canals. The government is actively working to resolve long-pending water-sharing issues, ensuring that farmers as well as industries get enough water. Upon completion of the Tapti project, a permanent irrigation facility will be established, benefiting 1,23,082 hectares of land in Madhya Pradesh and 2,34,706 hectares in Maharashtra. The project will specifically benefit four tehsils in Madhya Pradesh, including Burhanpur, Nepanagar, Khaknar and Khalwa in the Burhanpur and Khandwa districts, according to the state government's statement issued earlier. Besides supplying water to Maharashtraas northern region and Madhya Pradeshas southern areas, the project is also aimed at addressing drinking water concerns in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and irrigation needs in Chhindwara. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had earlier stated that he had spoken to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and he was also keen on making concrete efforts to resolve the issues related to the long-pending Tapti and Kanhan river water projects in collaboration with MP. --IANS pd/dan Mumbai, March 4 : With India defeating Australia in the semifinal of the Champions Trophy (CT) 2025 with a four-wicket victory in Dubai on Tuesday, Pakistan will not be able to organize the final of the event of which they were the host. As per the hybrid formula agreed by Pakistan and ICC, the final now will be played in Dubai, instead of the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. This has resulted in Indian fans trolling Pakistan on social media, making fun of the hosts missing their own party. Virat Kohli's 84 supported by KL Rahul's unbeaten 42 and Hardik Pandya's 28-run cameo led India to a four-wicket win against Australia in the first semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy at Dubai International Stadium. With this win, India became the first team to qualify for the Champions Trophy final for a third consecutive time. They will now take on the winner of the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand in Dubai on March 9. India played all their matches in Dubai and it was agreed before the start of the tournament that India will not travel to Pakistan and thus the final will be played in Dubai if India was in contention. "Gaddafi Stadium knocked out of the Champions Trophy," said a fan in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Pakistan were knocked out of the tournament in the league stage after losing to New Zealand and India in their first two matches. "Host Pakistan Can't Host Champions Trophy 2025 Final In Pakistan. Thank You Kohli For Cooking Pakistan Again," wrote another fan, trolling Pakistan for missing out on the opportunity. Pakistan had failed to win a single match and even three of the league matches were washed out by rain, thus impacting Group B matches. "Now, the Champions Trophy 2025 final wonat happen in Pakistan. Two minutes of silence for all Australian fans from Pakistan," wrote another fan. Many fans also poked fun at Pakistan for spending Pakistani rupees 1280 crore for refurbishing stadiums for the mega event only to see the hosts play one game at home, the 60-run loss vs New Zealand with the final group game against Bangladesh being washed out with a single ball bowled. "Pakistan as a country knocked out twice of the Champions Trophy 2025. -No team in Final. -No stadium in Final," said a post on X. Polish MFA: US decision to suspend military assistance to Ukraine made without consulting, informing allies The U.S. decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine was made without consulting allies, Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski said. According to Polish RMF24, the spokesperson stressed that "this is a very important decision, and the situation is very serious." Wronski said that US President Donald Trump made the decision without any consultations. "Neither with the NATO allies, nor with the Ramstein Group, which supports the warring Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said. Guwahati, March 4 : The Assam government has expressed its sincere gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his contribution towards arranging the investment summit 'Advantage Assam' 2.0. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday: "In a cabinet meeting here today, the #AssamCabinet has expressed its sincere gratitude to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji for his extraordinary efforts to promote our state as an investment destination during #AdvantageAssam2. We have also finalised a mechanism to scrutinise the MoUs signed." The recently held investment summitAdvantage Assam 2.0, has attracted investments worth at least Rs 4.5 lakh crore. "Sectors like hydrocarbons, which is our forte, and mines and minerals have attracted the most investment. We are now focusing on making Assam a developed industrial state like it was in 1947. Assam was the first industrial state of the country," Sarma earlier said. According to him, the success of the summit highlights Assam's growing potential as an investment hub. "With its abundant natural resources, strategic geographic location, and progressive policies, the state has been steadily working towards establishing itself as a key player in India's industrial landscape. The massive investment influx is expected to boost employment opportunities, infrastructure development, and overall economic growth in the region," Sarma stated. Meanwhile, the state cabinet also decided to set up Ratan Tata Electronics City in Jagiroad. The Cheif Minister mentioned: "In recognition of the unparalleled contribution of the Tata Group and its Chairman Emeritus, Late Shri Ratan Naval Tata (the first Assam Vaibhav awardee) himself, Cabinet has approved the naming of the entire area covered by Assam Semiconductor & Electronics Logistics Park (ASELP), Jagiroad Tata OSAT center, proposed township with the social Infrastructure, as Ratan Tata Electronics City (RTEC), Jagiroad." Sarma noted that the semiconductor plants in Gujarat and Assam, alongside upcoming projects in quantum physics and artificial intelligence, would be developed in India. He stressed that India would provide the skilled workforce needed in these sectors, not only for the nation but also for global demands. "To prepare for this, I urge the need to equip India's youth with the necessary skills. The semiconductor project at Jagiroad is progressing rapidly, with production expected to begin by the end of the year," he said. --IANS tdr/dan Jaipur, March 4 : Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar on Tuesday ordered probe into irregularities in madrasa board and mid day meal scheme during the previous government's tenure. The Minister highlighted irregularities in the mid-day meal scheme during the previous government's tenure: During the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of transferring funds to parents' accounts (as advised by the Finance Department), the Education Department chose to distribute food materials. Despite a recorded student enrollment of 59.81 lakh, materials were reportedly distributed for 66.22 lakh students, raising concerns about discrepancies. He said, "A CAG report indicated a scam of Rs 1,705 crore in material procurement tenders. The previous investigation into the matter will be canceled, and a new, impartial inquiry will be conducted. Corruption in uniform distribution in the Madrasa Board will also be thoroughly investigated. Dilawar reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring quality education for every child in Rajasthan, along with fostering moral values, discipline, and practical knowledge. He emphasised that both family and school play a crucial role in shaping students' character, and the state government is strengthening the education system accordingly. He further said: "The REET exam, held on February 27-28, 2025, was conducted under strict supervision to ensure confidentiality. 13.77 lakh candidates appeared, and no reports of unethical activities were received. Similarly, the Pre D.El.Ed. exam (2024) was successfully conducted." While responding to the debate on grant demands for the Primary (Demand No. 20) and Secondary Education (Demand No. 21) Departments in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Dilawar announced that the House had passed the grant demands of Rs 218.82 billion for elementary education and Rs 288.30 billion for secondary education by voice vote. He announced innovations in the paper-checking system and said: "Along with re-totalling, a re-checking system is being introduced through a pilot project. To prevent paper leaks and copying mafias, Secondary Education Board exam papers will now be prepared section-wise by different experts." He said that under the National Education Policy, primary education will be imparted in the mother tongue or local language. "A dictionary has been prepared to aid in this transition. Books are being developed in accordance with NEP guidelines. All schools will be painted with the same colour," he added. New Delhi, March 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Belgian Princess Astrid, who is leading a high-level delegation to India from March 1-8. The Prime Minister welcomed Princess Astrid to India and deeply appreciated her initiative of a big delegation of over 300 members, including prominent business leaders, government officials, and representatives from various sectors. This is the second time Princess Astrid is spearheading an Economic Mission to India, underscoring the significance of strong economic ties between the two nations which have been on an upward trajectory. The discussions between PM Modi and HRH Princess Astrid spanned a wide array of areas, including trade, investment, technology, defence, innovation, clean energy, infrastructure, agriculture, skilling, academic exchanges, and cultural and people-to-people ties. Both sides agreed to work closely to discover new pathways for cooperation across emerging and high-impact sectors, which would strengthen economic resilience, foster innovation-led growth, and deepen bilateral cooperation to benefit the people of both countries. The visit will prioritise industries like pharmaceuticals, logistics, aerospace and renewable energy, according to an official statement. The delegation of the Belgian Princess is slated to meet Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh; External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other high-level officials during this week. The country currently ranks 18th among Belgiumas export destinations. Around 200 Belgian companies are operating in India. A seminar on water and waste management will bring Belgian and Indian partners together around cleantech, and the virtual inauguration of the Silox research and innovation centre is a fine example of Belgian ambitions in this area in India, according to a statement from the Belgian government. Like defence, the construction sector is also one of the priority sectors of this economic mission. A seminar on this topic will examine future market trends and business opportunities, contemporary practices and challenges. Belgian and Indian companies and organisations will exchange best practices and discuss existing technologies and innovations. The delegation includes representatives from 36 Brussels-based companies, with 61 participants, 30 per cent of whom are women. On March 5, the India-Belgium Tech Forum will focus on strengthening technological partnerships. Jaipur, March 4 : Nine trainee sub-inspectors (SIs), including three women, have been dismissed from service in Jodhpur following their involvement in the SI Recruitment Exam-2021 paper leak scandal. The Special Operations Group (SOG) had registered a case against them for using dummy candidates to clear the exam. They were arrested on March 3, 2024, and later released on bail. The SI Recruitment Exam-2021 was compromised due to a leaked question paper, and the investigation revealed that several candidates used proxies to take the exam on their behalf. The SOG arrested nearly 50 trainee SIs, of whom 25 have been granted bail by the High Court. Similar actions were taken in Bikaner and Kota, where five more trainee SIs, including two women, were dismissed. Among them, three had used dummy candidates, while two had cleared the exam using unfair means. Dismissal orders for these officers were also issued Tuesday evening. This crackdown highlights the state governmentas commitment to maintaining transparency and integrity in recruitment processes. Authorities are expected to continue their probe, and more actions could follow, said officials. On Tuesday, Jodhpur Range IG Vikas Kumar issued dismissal orders for the following individuals Gopi Ram Jangu Bishnoi (Sihagon Ki Beri, Barmer), Chanchal Bishnoi (Fitkasni, Jodhpur), Ajay Bishnoi (Bhavad, Jodhpur), Dinesh Kumar Bishnoi (Kabuli, Barmer), Naresh Kumar Bishnoi (Malwad, Jalore), Priyanka Bishnoi (Devda, Jalore), Harku Jat (Kerwada, Barmer), Surendra Kumar Bishnoi (Danta Sarnau, Jalore) and Dinesh Kumar Bishnoi (son of Bhagirath) (Devda, Jalore). Earlier, Bikaner and Kota, IG dismissed 5 including two female trainee sub-inspectors (SI). In SI recruitment 2021, three of these candidates made dummy candidates sit in their place, while two had passed the exam by cheating. The dismissed SIs were posted in the Bikaner and Kota range. Their dismissal orders were issued in February this month. Bikaner IG Om Prakash Paswan said, "Shravan Kumar Godara and Manju Bishnoi have been dismissed. Both have been removed from service under Dismissed from the Service under CCA 19 (2) under the service rules." In the year 2024, the Special Operations Group (SOG) had registered a case. Both were arrested in this case and are currently lodged in the Jaipur jail. Shravan Kumar Godara got posted in Hanumangarh and Manju Bishnoi in Bikaner. Further, Kota IG dismissed Chetan Singh Meena, Renu Kumari and Malaram Vishnoi. A total of seven trainee sub-inspectors have been dismissed from the Kota IG office so far. Chetan Singh Meena is currently in jail. Chetan had passed the exam via a dummy candidate. Renu Kumari and Malaram Bishnoi are out on bail. Renu and Malaram are accused of passing the exam fraudulently. Kolkata, March 5 : The police on Tuesday arrested two relatives of the three members of the same family whose hanging bodies were recovered from their residence at Haltu area under Kasba Police station in south Kolkata earlier in the day. The two relatives who have been arrested are Pradip Kumar Ghosal and his wife Nilima Ghosal. Pradip Kumar Ghosal is the maternal uncle of Somnath Roy, one of the three members of the same family who were found hanging. The other two bodies recovered were Somnath's wife Sumitra Roy and their two-and-half-year-old son Rudranil Roy. The Ghosal couple have been arrested on charges of conspiracy and suicide abatement. The city police insiders said that first Somnath's father-in-law and sister-in-law registered a complaint against the Ghosal family for abating the suicide of the Roy couple after hanging their son from the ceiling of the residence. Later, as the investigating officials questioned some neighbours of the Roy family, the merits of the police complaint were confirmed to a great extent. Thereafter, the police arrested the Ghosal couple. At the same time, the city police insider said, the involvement of the Ghosal couple was also evident from the suicide note that was recovered from near the bodies of the victims. In the suicide note, the Ghosal couple was accused of putting pressure on Somnath and Sumitra on certain property-related issues. The post-mortem reports are yet to be available following which the exact reason behind the deaths could be ascertained. Initial investigation suggests the couple committed suicide after hanging the kid from the ceiling. "The Ghosal couple are the main conspirators for abating the suicides. We want them to be punished," said Somnath's father-in-law Bishwanath Bhowmik. Ottawa, March 5 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that his country will not back down from a fight against the trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump. Trudeau told a press conference on Tuesday that there is no justification for the trade war Canada and the US are entangled in and Canada will challenge Trump's moves, Xinhua news agency reported. "So today, the US launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend," said the Canadian PM, who repeated Canada's retaliation. The Canadian government hit back with an initial 30 billion Canadian dollars ($21 billion) in tariffs on US goods, with the promise to add another 125 billion Canadian dollars more in 21 days' time. Trudeau vowed that American families, and Trump, will soon feel how damaging the tariffs are. Speaking to the camera, Trudeau addressed Trump directly saying that "This is a very dumb thing to do". Trudeau accused Trump of wanting to "see a complete collapse of the Canadian economy", believing that's the reason Trump is moving ahead so aggressively. "Because that will make it easier to annex us, is the second part of his thought," said Trudeau, "That is never going to happen." He called the President's claims the tariffs are needed because of fentanyl seeping across the border from Canada to the US "unjustified and false excuse". Canadian officials made a month-long diplomatic push to avoid tariffs and has responded to Trump's concerns about the border. Canada named a new "fentanyl czar" and listed Mexican cartels as terrorist groups. On February 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25 per cent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with a 10 per cent tariff increase specifically for Canadian energy products. On February 3, Trump announced that the additional tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada would be deferred for one month, allowing more time for negotiations. Trump said on Monday that 25 per cent tariffs on Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday, March 4. Aden : , March 5 (IANS) Yemen's Houthi forces have said that they successfully intercepted a US MQ-9 reconnaissance drone over the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. Yahya Sarea, the Houthi military spokesperson, said on Tuesday on the social media platform X that the drone was shot down while "violating Yemeni airspace and conducting hostile operations" in Hodeidah province, Xinhua news agency reported. Sarea said it is the 15th aircraft neutralised by Houthi forces during what they term the "ongoing Battle of the Promised Liberation and the Sacred Jihad," a campaign they describe as supporting Gaza and Lebanon. No immediate comment was available from US military or diplomatic sources regarding the Houthi claim. The Houthi group, which controls large swathes of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, has previously targeted vessels they say are linked to Israel in the Red Sea as support for Palestinians during the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Israel has targeted the Houthis in Yemen five times during the ongoing conflict. The most recent strike occurred on January 10. The initial attack took place on July 20, 2023, followed by additional strikes on September 29, December 19 and December 26. The port of Hodeidah was repeatedly hit in these airstrikes. Since November last year, the Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been conducting missile and drone attacks on what it said were "Israeli-linked" ships in regional waters and beyond, as well as targets in Israel, to show solidarity with Palestinians amid their conflict with Israelis in Gaza. The group has escalated attacks since the end of September after Israel killed former Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike in the southern suburb of Beirut. The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israelas campaign against the Gaza-based Hamas terror group. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran. In response, the Israeli military has launched airstrikes on Houthi sites in Yemen, while the US-British naval coalition stationed in the waters has been conducting sporadic air raids and strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group. Ottawa, March 5 : The Canadian federal government has announced a detailed tariff package after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed that Canada will not back down from a fight against the trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump. According to a news statement issued on Tuesday by the Finance Ministry, the first phase of Canada's response includes tariffs on 30 billion Canadian dollars (about $21 billion) in goods imported from the US, effective as of 12:01 a.m., March 4. The list includes products such as orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles, cosmetics, and certain pulp and paper products, Xinhua news agency reported. The additional countermeasures on 125 billion Canadian dollars (about $89 billion) in imports from the US would be from a list of goods open for a 21-day comment period which includes products such as electric vehicles, fruits and vegetables, beef, pork, dairy, electronics, steel, aluminum, trucks, and buses, the statement said. The government is also taking steps to mitigate the impact of these countermeasures on Canadian workers and businesses by establishing a remission process to consider requests for exceptional relief from the tariffs, the statement added. All options remain on the table as the government considers additional measures, including non-tariff options, the statement said. Trudeau said during his speech to the nation earlier on Tuesday that Canada will also be challenging the US illegal actions by filing dispute resolution claims at the World Trade Organisation and through the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement, or the free trade mechanism in North America that was renegotiated by Trump in his last term. The counter tariffs will remain in place until the US tariffs are withdrawn and not a moment sooner, Trudeau added. The Canadian PM told a press conference on Tuesday that there is no justification for the trade war Canada and the US are entangled in and Canada will challenge Trump's moves. "So today, the US launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend," said the Canadian PM, who repeated Canada's retaliation. The Canadian government hit back with an initial 30 billion Canadian dollars ($21 billion) in tariffs on US goods, with the promise to add another 125 billion Canadian dollars more in 21 days' time. Trudeau vowed that American families, and Trump, will soon feel how damaging the tariffs are. Speaking to the camera, Trudeau addressed Trump directly saying that "This is a very dumb thing to do". He accused Trump of wanting to "see a complete collapse of the Canadian economy", believing that's the reason Trump is moving ahead so aggressively. "Because that will make it easier to annex us, is the second part of his thought," said Trudeau, "That is never going to happen." He called the President's claims the tariffs are needed because of fentanyl seeping across the border from Canada to the US "unjustified and false excuse". Canadian officials made a month-long diplomatic push to avoid tariffs and has responded to Trump's concerns about the border. Canada named a new "fentanyl czar" and listed Mexican cartels as terrorist groups. On February 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25 per cent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with a 10 per cent tariff increase specifically for Canadian energy products. On February 3, Trump announced that the additional tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada would be deferred for one month, allowing more time for negotiations. Trump said on Monday that 25 per cent tariffs on Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday, March 4. "We are thrilled to see our containers being used in such innovative and impactful ways," said Kirk Vigre, President at Dry Box Inc. Post this In season 10 episode 3, titled "By A Landslide," the Raneys used three shipping containers, one for a mountaintop cabin and the others to build a bear-proof barn structure, to help a Millennial couple in Naples, Idaho achieve their homesteading dreams. The Raneys refer to the containers as "dry boxes" throughout the episode. In Season 11 on episode 1, titled "Where the Wild Wind Blows," the Raneys helped a Colorado war veteran's family build a livestock barn using two 40ft containers at their ranch after it was damaged by a windstorm. Marty Raney acknowledges his friendship with Dry Box Inc President, Kirk Vigre, in this episode. "We are thrilled to see our containers being used in such innovative and impactful ways," said Kirk Vigre, President at Dry Box Inc. "Homestead Rescue highlights the resilience and ingenuity required for off-grid living, and we are honored that our containers can play a role in helping families achieve their homesteading dreams." All episodes can be streamed on Discover Go. Due to their strength and durability, shipping containers are increasingly being used for more than just onsite storage. They're being repurposed into shipping container homes, mobile offices, garages, barns, pop-up shops, and even swimming pools. Dry Box Inc. specializes in providing new and used shipping containers for sale and rent for a variety of applications including local moving services, temporary offices, refrigerated storage, and custom modifications. With a commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, Dry Box Inc. continues to support creative and sustainable solutions for individuals and businesses across 8 states in the Northwest United States, including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. For more information about Dry Box and its storage container rentals and sales, visit DryBoxUSA.com. About Dry Box Inc. Dry Box Inc. is the largest supplier of shipping containers for sale and storage container rentals in the Northwest United States, offering fast delivery in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. Media Contact Jeff Paul, Dry Box Inc, 1 3605066456, [email protected], Dry Box Inc SOURCE Dry Box Inc SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. President Donald J. Trump and Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk are trying to right-size the entire federal enterprise, just as companies large and small do daily. Democrats are having none of it. Indeed, their rage over DOGE knows no borders. "Donald Trump has turned the White House into The Elon Musk Show," House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York complained this week on the Capitol steps. "It's a malignant clown show. Nothing that is being done nothing is actually making life better for the American people. They are trying to take affirmative steps to make life worse." Meanwhile, journalist Joe Gallina asked Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (D - Texas), "If you could speak directly to Elon Musk, what would you say?" Crockett replied: "F--k off." Profanity would be an improvement at Musk-owned Tesla dealerships in California, Colorado, and Oregon. They have endured anti-Musk graffiti, vandalism, arson, and even gunfire. "Mostly peaceful" bullets have shattered the windows of Tesla facilities in recent weeks. Despite this acrimony and political violence, the American people stand with Trump, Musk, and DOGE. A February 24 Harvard-Harris survey of 2,443 registered voters found that 76% favor "Undertaking a full-scale effort to find and eliminate fraud and waste in government expenditures." Only 24% disagree. Americans are righteously indignant about Washington, D.C. treating their hard-earned tax dollars like boys-room tampons: DOGE reports that the Department of Health and Human Services paid a non-profit called Family Endeavors $18 million per month since March 2024 to manage an empty immigration facility in Pecos, Texas. That's $180 million, through December 31, to run a vacant space. A mysterious "climate" group called Power Forward Communities, tied to failed Democrat gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams of Georgia, declared 2023 income of $100. Regardless, Team Biden last year handed PFC a whopping $2 billion EPA grant. "That's 20 million times the organization's reported revenue," said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. USAID distributed $2 billion in Haiti-related grants. "Only 2% of the 2 billion went to where it was supposed to," Fox News host Jesse Watters said Tuesday. "Half of it went to all of these aid groups based around DC," he added. "Are liberals just stealing from poor black people and calling it compassion?" Graft aside, Washington exhibits basic mismanagement and mind-blowing incompetence. "The FAA is using floppy disks to manage some of their systems," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed. "This is ancient technology," he added. "It costs $0.90 of every dollar to maintain these really old systems." Rather than scream, "Resist!" Democrats should concede that Trump, Musk, and DOGE are right about these indefensible federal failures. Having Washington's computers operate as if the Internet never lived, and keypunch cards never died, serves neither free-spending liberals nor free-market conservatives. Helping, rather than hindering, DOGE excise federal excesses and self-humiliating deficiencies would make Democrats far easier to take seriously when they urge Republicans to think twice before cutting programs that accomplish something. The National Institutes of Health battles the forced march into twilight known as Alzheimer's. DOGE sacked 10% of the 100-member Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementia, including lead researcher Kendall Van Keuren-Jensen. While CARD should survive a 10% staff reduction, Democrats, and many Republicans, would argue that accelerating treatments and cures for this crippling mental ailment would buoy Alzheimer's victims and reduce public-health expenditures. Trump and DOGE would be more sympathetic to such pleas, if Democrats first said, "We agree: It was stupid to spend USAID money to jet Ukrainian designers and models to Paris Fashion Week. Ditto $2 million squandered on Moroccan pottery classes. Let's recover those funds. Now, will you agree to keep CARD properly staffed, so we can send Alzheimer's the way of polio and smallpox?" Defending federal dysfunction is a losing proposition. If Democrats want to champion anything that Washington gets right, they should admit that Trump, Musk, and DOGE are uncovering billions of dollars in federal wrongs. 2025 Deroy Murdock Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has reiterated Ukraine's ambition to enshrine its EU membership as part of a future peace agreement. "Our ambition is to have EU membership as one of the elements of our peace agreement. This is our goal, and we are asking for support from Poland as well," Shmyhal stated during a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday. Three years after the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine, the toll on Ukrainian cultural infrastructure continues to rise. Russian drone and missile strikes have targeted multiple literary establishments so far this year: on January 1, the building housing the National Writers' Union of Ukraine in Kyiv was damaged, and the Odesa Literary Museum was damaged on January 31, according to the Ukrainian outlet Chytomo. Moreover, attacks this February and March on Kharkiv, where much of Ukraines publishing infrastructure is based, damaged numerous bookstores and the Triada-Pak printing house. "During a massive Shahed drone attack on Kharkiv on February 28, one of our bookstores was damaged by the blast wavewindows shattered, parts of the ceiling collapsed, and many books were destroyed, Ihor Zarudko, director of the national bookstore chain Knygoland, said. Another Knygoland bookstore in a different district was also affected by nearby blasts, shattering windows and knocking shelves of books to the floor. "We are cleaning up and continuing to work," Zarudko said. "Russia continues to deliberately target bookstores, printing houses, libraries and other cultural institutions because they influence not only the development of education and culture but also the strengthening of national identity," Zarudko added. In all, Knygoland bookstores have been targeted on six different occasions. The media outlet Suspilne also reported damage to the KSD bookstore in Kharkiv, where 12 people were injured in the attack, according to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office. The printer Triada-Pak in Kharkiv had its windows, roof, fence, office spaces, and equipment were destroyed, but reported no injuries. Triada-Pak is asking for support for its publisher clients, including Ranok, Fabula, The Old Lion Publishing House, A-BA-BA-HA-LA-MA-HA, and Vivat. "Visit bookstores, buy Ukrainian booksthey preserve our culture and strength. Together, we are strong!" the printer posted on social media. Statistics from the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications reveal that since February 24, 2022, Russian shelling has damaged or destroyed 2,205 cultural infrastructure sites, including 790 Ukrainian libraries. The Kharkiv region and environs have been most severely affected, with 325 cultural sites impacted. Among the publishing-related institutions that have been attacked are numerous printing companies, including Factor Druk, Unisoft, House of Printing, and Hurov and Co., while the logistics center of the Ranok publishing house has also been damaged. As Elon Musk and his tech team urge their fellow Americans to become domestic auditors to help rein in federal spending, people have been encouraged to use the Treasury Departments usaspending.gov website to identify and track government finance. Your go-to source? Guess again, say experts. But usaspending.gov is wrong on the biggest picture, RealClearInvestigations found. The total amount of spending across all agencies, as recorded at usaspending.gov, appears to be 50% higher than most experts interviewed for this article think it actually was. In Fiscal Year 2024, for instance, the website pegs total spending at $9.7 trillion, when several experts said it was probably around $6.5 trillion. No one could explain the much bigger figure. Officials with usaspending.gov conceded to RCI that their totals were wrong and said the error, which shows up in similar fashion for the last five fiscal years would be fixed soon. They offered neither an explanation for their higher total nor an estimate of what it should be. Two weeks later, the erroneous figures remain. Budget experts say the websites seeming multi-trillion-dollar error illustrates a core challenge Musk and his colleagues at the Department of Government Efficiency face as they try to reduce Washingtons spending. In a twist on the classic Washington line, the problem is not just following the money but finding it in the first place. The federal government has become so big and so expensive that even experts have trouble navigating the morass of contracts, awards, grants, loans, and other items that have transformed the U.S. spreadsheet into a labyrinth pitted with dead ends and rabbit holes. The federal budget chainsaw massacre? Maybe, but Elon Musk has a problem: not just following the money but finding it in the first place. DOGEs real accomplishment so far has simply been to bring attention to the federal governments broken accounting systems. David Ditch: When you see the process has become so arcane even I dont claim these are real, hard numbers, then you know the process is definitely and irreparably FUBAR." When you see the process has become so arcane even I dont claim these are real, hard numbers, then you know the process is definitely and irreparably FUBAR, said David Ditch, using the acronym for fouled up beyond all repair. He spent years poring over federal budgets and spending at the conservative Heritage Foundation before moving this month to the Economic Policy Innovation Center. Musks job may strike everyday Americans as ordinary in the sense that hes trying to balance accounts, but Washington is a different animal, and several experts told RCI it stays that way on purpose. The complexity and layers Musks team has encountered are a feature, not a bug, according to this view. "Federal government spending is nebulous and almost designed to be that way because no one person benefits from it being straightforward, said Lydia Mashburn Newman, a managing director at the American Institute for Economic Research. No one is trying to get a holistic picture of what this or that agency is doing and the way money gets appropriated is very fragmented. Newman has seen the beast from two sides, as a congressional aide and federal worker, and she says the comprehensive nature of DOGE is something new under the sun for the Washington bureaucracy. Lydia Mashburn Newman: "Federal government spending is nebulous and almost designed to be that way because no one person benefits from it being straightforward." "There is no total view of the budget. Congress simply takes last years number and changes it, usually to a larger number, she said. So the unique thing about DOGE is that it is providing a top-to-bottom audit. Its not just asking if the books balance, but what is the money actually spent on." While Musk initially promised to cut some $2 trillion from the federal budget and news accounts have focused on his efforts to reduce the federal workforce DOGEs real accomplishment so far has been to bring attention to the federal governments broken accounting systems. Despite the hue and cry raised over DOGE, previous alarms have been rung by some other agencies only to be ignored. On Jan. 16, four days before Biden vacated the White House, the Government Accounting Office said it was unable to provide an opinion on the reliability of the federal governments consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2024 and 2023. The Office of Management and Budget has also flunked six of the 24 departments and agencies it looked at, including Labor and Education. The Defense Department has failed seven consecutive audits, while the Department of Education hasnt gotten a clean opinion for three years. Romina Boccia: Complexity isnt an accident; its a consequence of a government that has grown far beyond its core functions and is tied down by a self-serving bureaucracy and public-sector union power." It is hard to pass an audit when you dont follow the basic rules of accounting. Musk reported that he was having difficulty tracing $4.7 trillion in federal spending because the Treasury Access Symbol (TAS)a code that links payments to budget items was allowed to be optional for years and often left blank. In response, Musk tweeted, the Treasury Department now requires all outgoing government payments have a payment categorization code, which is necessary in order to pass financial audits. All payments must also include a rationale for the payment in the comment field, which is currently left blank. Importantly, we are not yet applying ANY judgment to this rationale, but simply requiring that SOME attempt be made to explain the payment more than NOTHING! At the Treasurys usaspending.gov, which experts use regularly and consider valid despite the big topline errors, nearly $150 billion is slotted every year into an unreported data box. While Musks team is reportedly using advanced artificial intelligence systems to comb federal records, it will face a different challenge when tackling the federal employee retirement system. DOGE will confront the sinkhole of bureaucracy: records still kept on paper and processed almost entirely by hand by some 700 workers who toil 230 feet below ground in an abandoned limestone mine in northwestern Pennsylvania. The governments use of antiquated systems helps explain some of Musks teams biggest mistakes so far. This month, they claimed that millions of deceased people some listed as more than 300 years old are receiving social security benefits. It turns out DOGE probably misread the data sets, which includes millions of dead people not receiving benefits, in the antiquated, 1960s-era computer system Social Security still used to disperse more than $1.3 trillion to some 68 million people last year. Musk conceded errors will be made, but experts told RCI some are impossible to avoid when trying to get a visible net around the surging ocean of federal government spending. Complexity isnt an accident; its a consequence of a government that has grown far beyond its core functions and is tied down by a self-serving bureaucracy and public-sector union power, said Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute. That complexity isnt just an inconvenience it shields waste, fuels inefficiency, and makes reform harder, she said. A government that has grown too big and too far-reaching makes it difficult to track whats spent, let alone rein it in. Simply getting the information that Musk and some popular domestic auditors like DataRepublican have made public so far is an accomplishment. In the past, including Trumps first term, efforts to put all the governments financial laundry hanging on the line were met with indifference or resistance, according to Newman. "All this seems ordinary to most Americans, but before Musk sent his teams in to get information, it was very time-consuming to get data, she said. In Washington, thats just protocol: You ask for something, and it could take months to get. But DOGE, in partnership with OMB, is no longer allowing the stone-rolling that plagued the last Trump administration." One of the biggest challenges DOGE might face involves its effort to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse. As RCI reported last year, Since 2003, when the government first started tracking improper payments, it is estimated that they have added up to more than $2.7 trillion, according to paymentaccuracy.gov, the public website where government agencies report their numbers. That total is almost certainly a low-ball figure because the feds often rely on states, which also disburse money and often provide spotty accounting of their spending. That $2.7 trillion figure does include $764 billion in improper payments paid during the first three years of the Biden administration to the wrong recipients, for the wrong reasons, or in the wrong amounts. The federal government estimates that nearly 6% of its total spending went to improper payments during Bidens presidency, according to OpenTheBooks.com. During its first four-year term, the Trump administration issued an estimated $673 billion in improper payments, which were about 5% of government outlays, the watchdog group said. Yet that money has proven extremely difficult to claw back. An analysis by the Associated Press, for example, found that fraudsters potentially stole more than $280 billion in COVID-19 relief funding; another $123 billion was wasted or misspent. Combined, the loss represents 10% of the $4.2 trillion the U.S. government has so far disbursed in COVID relief aid. All that DOGE has done so far has dominated headlines and infuriated an entrenched elite in Washington's bureaucratic warrens. But Trump remains a steadfast supporter of Musk's work thus far, and in typical fashion promises more to come: In less than a single month, the Department of Government Efficiency has already saved over 55 this is just a short period of time $55 billion, and were just getting started. Over the past decade, Burkina Faso has been experiencing a profound political and humanitarian crisis, driven by armed insurrections and a resurgence of terrorism. Since 2015, the country has witnessed an escalation of violence perpetrated by jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which have progressively extended their control over approximately 40% of the national territory, resulting in over 26.000 recorded civilian casualties by 2025. Security in the capital, Ouagadougou, has been directly threatened by terrorist attacks, the most recent occurring in August 2024, when an incursion by the jihadist group Jamaat Nasrat al-Islam wal-Muslim (JNIM) resulted in the deaths of over 200 individuals. The situation has inevitably compromised the stability of Burkina Faso, leading to a succession of military and civilian governments that have been unable to restore order or effectively address the radicalised armed groups. Following the ousting of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore in January 2022, power transitioned to Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, whose government was subsequently overthrown in September of the same year by Army Capt. Ibrahim Traore. The latter has promised to restore security and guide the country toward democratic elections; however, the persistent jihadist threat and the relative international isolation render this transitional path exceedingly challenging. Furthermore, corruption and the authorities inability to maintain control over vast areas of the emergence of local militias and self-defence groups, often involved in human rights violations and clashes with government forces. The complexity of the crisis in Burkina Faso is amplified by the intervention of foreign powers, influencing both political alliances and dynamics of the conflict. Historically linked to France, Burkina Faso has seen a deterioration of bilateral relations with Paris, evidenced by the Burkinabe governments ultimatum in September 2024, which demanded the transfer (interpreted as closure) of the French embassy from Ouagadougou, as well as the specious arrest and subsequent detention of four agents of the French DGSE in December 2023. In parallel, Burkina Faso has strengthened ties with Russia, seeking military and strategic support within a broader regional context, where Mali and Niger have also forged similar relationships, culminating in the formation of the Confederation of the Sahel States (September 2024), closely linked with Moscow. This shift raises concerns among Western governments that Burkina Faso, like Mali, may be growing closer to Russia and enlisting Warner governments mercenaries to confront jihadists. Moscow would thus fill the void left by France, gaining greater influence in West Africa. However, the Russian support and new partnerships do not seem to have yielded the desired results, with the military juntas in power failing to contain the advance of extremist groups, resulting in a 190% increase in terrorism-related victims between 2021 and 2025. Moreover, it appears that Moscow has encouraged Burkina Faso to sever ties with France, only to have a free hand to test its soft-power capabilities, effectively replacing Paris. Beyond France and Russia, Turkey has also increased its influence in the region, forging economic and military agreements with Burkina Faso. Ankara has reportedly supplied drones (TB2 and AKINCI) and armaments to Burkinabe forces to counter jihadist groups, while Turkish companies have invested in infrastructure and construction in the country. These manoeuvres are to be interpreted within a broader strategy aimed at increasing its presence in the Sahel and positioning Turkey to compete (and, if necessary, negotiate) for control of resources and regional trade on par with major geopolitical powers. Some analysts suggest that Frances former allies, including the Burkinabe government, were inclined to engage in secret talks with Islamists, while France remained committed to fighting them. The crisis in Burkina Faso has generated a humanitarian catastrophe of vast proportions: over 2 million people have been forced to leave their homes, with over 90% of those displaced being hosted by families, severely straining the resources of local communities. Additionally, approximately 1.5 million people remain blocked in areas that are cut off from aid, trade, markets, mobile phone connections, and basic social services. The educational system, already underdeveloped due to previous low government investments, is collapsing, with on-fifth of school closed due to terrorist attacks, particularly targeting female education centres. Human rights violations are widespread and troubling. Military authorities have been accused of forced recruitment, including children, and intimidation of magistrates and political opponents. The strategy of involving civilian in anti-jihadist operations has led to tragic episodes, such as the Barsalogho massacre in August 2024, where hundreds of civilians were killed while digging trenches under the military juntas orders. The situation Burkina Faso remains extremely precarious. The increasing influence of new foreign powers and the authorities inability to guarantee security and respect for fundamental rights raise serious doubts about the possibility of a peaceful and lasting resolution to the violence and the countrys institutional stability. The creation of the Confederation of the Sahel States and the progressive distancing from the Western sphere of influence could have even broader geopolitical repercussions, leading to greater internal fragmentation and the expansion of the conflict to other neighbouring countries such as Benin and Cote dIvorire, in addition to Mali and Niger. Matteo Balzarini Zane, bachelor degree in Political Science, International Relations and Human Rights at the University of Padua (Italy). His X account is @m_balzarinizane. Washington isnt Las Vegas, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to the nations capital last week to throw the dice, to gamble that he could win unlimited funds, weapons, and, yes, even American troops. He played and lost. Zelensky would have done well to read You Can Negotiate Anything by Herb Cohen, who once said: The meek shall inherit the Earth, but not its mineral rights. Millions have followed Cohens wisdom for how to generate and use leverage in a business negotiation. But not Zelensky. He believes his small nation can outfight and outlast an adversary that lost 20 million soldiers as Americas ally in World War Two, including more than one million dead at the Battle of Stalingrad. Zelensky is a former comedian, but he appears quite serious that Ukraine can defeat Russia, as long as he has the United States in his pocket. Thats right: Zelensky wants U.S. troops to guarantee his countrys security. This is another way of suggesting our troops should die for Ukraine; another way for Ukraine to back into the collective defense obligation described in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. After three years of war and hundreds of thousands killed or wounded, President Trump disagrees. We have to negotiate a deal, Trump told the Ukrainian president repeatedly and politely, before the conversation became antagonistic. New York Times columnist David Brooks said he was nauseated by President Trumps behavior, but we contend Trump was professional and strong on his position. He complimented the bravery of Ukraines soldiers. He acknowledged how hard Ukraine has fought in the field. He credited Ukraines generals (and Zelensky himself) for defending their country. You have to be very proud, Trump said, but now we want to get it over with. The overriding metaphor of their conversation was gambling, and President Trump gave Zelensky a plain, realistic assessment of the situation. You dont have the cards, he explained. Failing or refusing to understand the metaphor, Zelensky shot back: Were not playing cards. Youre playing cards, Trump insisted. Youre gambling with the lives of millions of people. Youre gambling with World War Three. And Trump produced the receipts, noting that 350 billion dollars of the American peoples money had been staked on the gamble in Ukraine. Zelensky also was gambling as Vice President JD Vance pointed out that he could get what he wanted by pressing his case before the media, in the Oval Office, and that Trump, like Biden, wouldnt push back in a public forum. Winning at the table demands strategy, but Zelensky displayed none of it Friday. Its tempting to say Trump called Zelenskys bluff, but a bluff implies an awareness that you dont have the cards, that you dont have the leverage to influence the outcome of the deal. The fact that Trump had to explain this to Zelensky proves that the war needs to end and soon. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine, no Western leader except Trump has dared to demand that Zelensky face the truth. He is welcomed as a hero in every nation of the trans-Atlantic alliance. Sean Penn awarded him his Oscar. Vogue magazine gave him and his wife a glamour spread. Acting, of course, is a key skill in winning at the poker table especially when you dont have the cards. Zelenskys been covering the ante with our chips, and now we all stand to lose even more. The problem is Ive empowered you to be a tough guy, Trump mused aloud. Fortunately, America is done writing blank checks for Zelenskys casino trips. Zelensky persists in asking for unconditional, unlimited support and security guarantees from the United States. Until when? Until Ukraine wins the war, Russia retreats, and pays for the reconstruction of the nation they invaded. Trump correctly understands that this is never going to happen. From an America First perspective, a peace deal is the only acceptable outcome. Any viable deal will require compromise from both nations. We wont ignore our national interest because Zelensky doesnt like the terms. Trump indicated that Zelenskys unrealistic vision of himself and Ukraines prospects could scuttle a deal. Zelensky twice refused to sign the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal before his visit to Washington. Its gonna be a very hard thing to do business like this, Trump said. [Its] gonna be a tough deal to make because the attitudes have to change. As always, media-savvy Trump recognized the ugliness of the exchange was a positive development. When Vance chided Zelensky for litigating this in front of the American media, Trump corrected him: I think its good for the American people to see whats going on. Keenly aware of the visual dimension of communication and persuasion as he was ending the exchange, Trump said: This is gonna be great television, Ill say that. Critics like columnist David Brooks think Trumps behavior is unpresidential but theyre missing the core revelation: Zelensky is a bad actor in both senses of the term. He is an unreliable partner for the United States, and someone who doesnt know when to suppress the hero shtick. After losing hand after hand, Zelensky still insists that America has an obligation to cover his bets because hes going to win the next one. Its not just ingratitude and entitlement; its exploitation and extortion. President Trump should give Zelensky some time to take another look at his cards, and make clear that if America is going to stay at the table, Zelensky will play his hand the way we want it played. Adam Ellwanger is a professor at University of Houston Downtown, where he teaches rhetoric and writing. Follow him at @1HereticalTruth on X. John J. Waters is a lawyer. He served as a deputy assistant secretary of Homeland Security from 2020-21. Follow him at @JohnJWaters1 on X. Ukraine thanks the United States for its very significant military support, which saved tens of thousands of lives and helped the country withstand the Russian aggressor; such support is currently continuing and Kyiv hopes for its continuation in the future, said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. "Today this support exists in Ukraine, it continues," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday. According to Shmyhal, regarding discussions about the possibility of ending US military support, Ukraine "will absolutely calmly continue to work through all available and accessible diplomatic channels" with the US, with Congress and the Administration of President Donald Trump so that Ukraine and the US continue the fight for a fair, long-term, stable peace in Ukraine. "Today, Ukraine is absolutely determined to continue cooperation with the United States of America, and I am confident that support from the United States, as a world leader, one of our largest partners, which has supported us for three years, will continue," the Prime Minister of Ukraine concluded. Foreign media reported earlier on Tuesday that Trump had ordered a halt to all military aid to Ukraine. A senior Defense Department official said the U.S. will halt all current military aid to Ukraine until Trump determines that the country's leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, Bloomberg reported. Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Instagram / Daisy Kent By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/03/2025 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. alum Daisy Kent has revealed that she's taken her relationship with Thor Herbst to the next level by moving in with him in Las Vegas, NV."I moved to Vegas!" Daisy, 26, captioned an Instagram video on Sunday that showed her wearing a white robe and getting ready in the spacious bathroom of Thor's home."Yes, me and Thor are now roommates, so we'll see how that goes," she added with a laugh.Daisy therefore joked with her social media followers how they'll probably be seeing "a lot more of Thor" in her online content."We have just moved in [and] we're, like, still moving in," Daisy explained with Thor in the background of the video, which she had also uploaded via TikTok."We did a road trip with a bunch of my stuff from L.A. and then I flew up a couple days ago, brought a bunch more stuff and then [I'm] doing another road trip on like Monday or Tuesday this week, where I'm going to bring a lot more of my stuff."After finishing Joey Graziadei 's season in second place, Daisy rekindled a relationship with Thor, whom she had briefly dated over four years ago while they both attended San Diego State University.Daisy went public with her relationship in May 2024 by posting a photo with Thor on Instagram."I remember when I first met Thor in college. He was like, 'I'm from Las Vegas,' and I was like, 'Who lives in Las Vegas?'" the Minnesota native recalled."And now, here I am! The plan was when the house was done, I was always going to move here -- and now the house is done. So, now I'm here."Daisy shared that while she plans to go "back and forth" between Las Vegas and San Diego for "a little bit," Thor's place is now her permanent residence.Daisy subsequently gushed about how her favorite thing about Thor's new house is "that I get to be with Thor more." She also said she's a big fan of the kitchen and loves everything about the house.Daisy also confirmed that she still travels to Minnesota frequently to visit her family and friends and that she hopes to have a second home there eventually.Daisy told Kathy Swarts and Susan Noles on the "Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour" podcast in June 2024 that "it just clicks" with Thor and she was crazy about him "He is the most -- he is the kindest person I've ever met in my life, and he would do anything for anybody. He is just a very giving and loving person," Daisy said at the time.Susan called Daisy and her man "a perfect match," and Daisy agreed."Yeah, I don't know. He just has so much respect for everyone. He shows so many people so much respect, and he's just constantly, like, uplifting me," Daisy gushed.28 alum pointed out how she and Thor have been close friends since college and their romance was progressing nicely."I think everything happened for a reason," she said. "This season of my life, I'm really happy and I'm just enjoying it all."But Daisy admitted dating in the public eye could "be a little stressful at times," especially since she and Thor were "still growing and figuring out" their relationship."I've been slowly integrating [him onto my social media], but we've been spending a lot of time together," Daisy said. "We see each other pretty often, and we're not that far [from each other]."Daisy added, "We're making it work. I think [in the days] coming up, I'll be posting more, so I'm excited about that too."Daisy previously revealed that Thor had been the one to break up with her in college."But we just weren't at a place to have a relationship, and I think, at the time, we were both just very 'college.' We just wanted to have fun, so it was the best thing for both of us," Daisy said during a May 2024 episode of the "Scrubbing In with Becca Tilley & Tanya Rad" podcast.Thor apparently contacted Daisy after she had time to heal from her split with Joey. (Joey's Final Rose Ceremony had filmed in November 2023, although it didn't air until March 2024)."I was going through so much... It wasn't until after the show that we decided to try to give it a go," Daisy shared, before adding, "I had no idea he was still interested."At the time, Daisy said Thor wasn't exactly comfortable with being in the spotlight yet."He's very supportive of what I want to do and all of this too, but he never, ever thought this would happen. I'm sure when articles started coming out, it was shocking," Daisy noted.Although Daisy said she loved being on TV and had "the time of my life" on , she rejected ette role two weeks before : After the Final Rose aired in March 2024.Daisy -- who said she'd be open to a stint on Dancing with the Stars -- insisted that Thor had nothing to do with her decision to pass on ette.In fact, Daisy even said on an April 2024 episode of "The Squeeze" podcast that she was "relieved" to have turned down ette's 21st season, which later premiered in July 2024.After all, Daisy just received a cochlear implant in 2023, and before that, she had battled undiagnosed Lyme disease for years and finally sought an aggressive treatment program in Germany."I knew they would take care of me, and they made that very evident that they would," Daisy revealed of ette producers on an April 2024 episode of "The Viall Files" podcast."But also, the fact you're hurting other people... I mean, there's usually what -- around 30 people? I can't send everyone home at once, you know what I mean? What if I didn't like them? I don't think I could actually sit there and kiss somebody [I didn't like]."Daisy insisted she had "thought really long and hard" about the opportunity before passing on it."I think I know when things are getting too much and when it would be too much for me... I just felt like it was important that I kind of take control over my life and the path I want to do," Daisy explained, adding, "It just didn't feel right."On 's Season 28 finale, Daisy and Kelsey Anderson were Joey's Final 2 bachelorettes in Tulum, Mexico.After both women met Joey's family and had a final date with him, Daisy predicted that she wasn't going to end up with Joey. She felt something was "off" and "missing" with Joey during their last date.Daisy shared her suspicions with Kelsey Anderson , and then the women drove to the Final Rose Ceremony in the same van.Daisy essentially beat Joey to the punch and broke up with him, and then Joey got engaged to Kelsey.Interested in more news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group Happy birthday, S&B. Its not often a company marks its 200th anniversary, especially one based in a country thats been invaded by both Nazis and Communists, experienced the death of an empire, survived the transition from state control to free market capitalism, and recently, acquisition by another firm. But here we are. Founded in 1825 by two French businessmen, Louis Sellier and Jean Maria Niclaus Bellot, S&B originally made percussion caps for the Austro-Hungarian empire, after being granted a contract by Franz I. By 1870, the company had added cartridge manufacturer to its portfolio, turning out rimfire metallic ammunition, as well as pinfire shotgun shells, quickly expanding production to over 10 million cartridges annually. Rolls of lead wire, ready to be cut up for bullet cores. By 1936, production had outgrown their original factory in Prague, so they picked up and established a new facility in Vlasim, about an hour outside the city, where they still manufacture today. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the company transformed from a state-run organization to a joint-stock company, and, in 2022, were acquired by Colt-CZ group. In the U.S., S&B is perhaps best known for offering some of the most inexpensive 9mm ball ammo on the market, and its tempting to lump them in with other bargain brands, such as garbage-tier products from the likes of Tula and Ulyanovsk (or at least it was, until the latter were sanctioned following Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022). The exterior of one of several new ammunition units built to handle increased demand. Raw materials go in, finished rounds go out. This would be a major mistake. Having visited ammunition plants all over the western hemisphere, we can say with certainty that S&B has one of the most modern facilities weve ever seen and a QC process thats second to none. Their U.S. market presence is the result of a deliberate business decision to limit exposure to the most volatile (though largest) market in the world one thats willing to endure seemingly eye-watering prices during inevitable panic-buying episodes yet will nickel-and-dime at every opportunity outside of them. Predictability and stability are prerequisites for a healthy business environment, and, in this respect, the U.S. can be a frustrating place to sell ammo. 7.62 machine gun ammo is loaded in million-plus round batches, starting out as lead wire, brass, and copper strips. The only component S&B doesnt make in house is powder, which is sourced on the world market. Instead of putting a lot of eggs in an American basket, the company decided to focus its efforts just about everywhere else, shipping about 20 percent of production to these shores and seeking long-term contracts from governments in Europe and the Middle East in effect subsidizing the ammo we see here, as this reduces the need to carry excess raw material inventory. Testing for QC purposes is continuous, and ranges from optical and weight sensors on the loading machines, to ballistic testing on the indoor range. This strategy seems to have paid off, as the company went from revenues (in USD) of $134 million in 2014, to $314 million in 2024, while maintaining approximately the same number of staff and making significant investments in new plant. This modernization is ongoing, and two of the new lines are now spitting out a prodigious amount of product using machines designed and built in-house. Just because the most commonly seen S&B offerings are 9mm flavor doesnt mean thats all they make. If you need European calibers such as 857, 6.555, or a personal favorite, the well-balanced and heavy-hitting 9.362, youll find them in inventory, as well as more exotic rounds for rimmed, single-shot rifles. Theres also economically priced 300BLK, 6.8SPC, and 6.5 Creedmoor using high-quality brass (though if youre a reloader you may encounter slightly tighter primer pockets than usual), and S&B 10mm Auto is some of the best value out there. Finished product doesnt sit in the warehouse long, before being shipped off to the end user. The red seal on these ammo cans indicates acceptance by a NATO country. If you ever wondered how many 9mm rounds fit inside a 40-foot-long ISO container, according to S&B the answer is 1.3 million. With a steady stream of shipments crossing the Atlantic, we expect to be shooting Sellier & Bellot products well into the future and look forward to a continued supply of high quality, economically priced ammunition from a trusted ally. 'The bull market cycle ran for five years. It's the end of that cycle.' 'The next cycle is a down cycle, and in that down cycle, you will see the Sensex falling from their highs of around 68,000 to maybe 40,000-50,000 at the bottom of the cycle.' Shankar Sharma, founder of GQuant Investech, asserts that the Indian bull market, which lasted approximately five years, ended in late 2024, with small-cap stocks peaking in January 2025. Sharma attributes the relentless selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs), who have offloaded over Rs 3 lakh crore since October 2024, primarily to India's taxation policies. These policies, coupled with rupee depreciation and capital gains taxes, have made Indian equities less attractive for the FIIs, with net returns barely competing with US Treasury yields. In this two-part interview with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com, Shankar Sharma discusses why he thinks the bull market that began in 2020 has almost but come to an end, how he plans to play the oncoming bear market, why the Indian government will not overshoot its fiscal deficit target pegged at 4.3% of GDP, why the FIIs are selling big in India, why Trump's tariff tantrums may not much impact the Indian economy except the auto sector, that too due to Chinese imports and how retail investors should take advantage of sharp-and-swift bear market rallies. February would be the fifth straight month for the Indian benchmarks to close in the negative. The last time this happened was in 1996. And FIIs have been relentless sellers, having sold stocks worth more than Rs 3 lakh crore since October 2024. How do you read the Indian markets in this context, and what lies ahead? The markets have had a very good five-year period, and it's the end of the bull market. It's as simple as that. There's nothing more to overanalyse in this. The typical Indian bull market lasts between four and six years. I have written about it and talked about it in my various interviews since the middle of last year, saying that it's a tiring, tired, and aging bull market. This bull market ended in the middle of the fifth year. Basically, it started around April 2020 and pretty much got over by September-October 2024. The small-cap bull market ended in January 2025. So, it's pretty much about four -and-a-half to five years. Is that the reason why FIIs are selling so relentlessly? Because they also know that the Indian bull market is over, and they can now take advantage of risk-free returns in the US Treasury? Or is there more to this FII selling? India, by way of its taxation policies, has made it very unattractive for foreign investors. That is the basic reason why foreigners don't like India anymore. Think about it: If your nominal GDP growth is around 10%, which is what the government is projecting (and that is in rupee terms), stock market returns typically mirror nominal GDP growth. So, the stock market returns expected from India will be around 10%, maybe 11%. It will not be 14%-15%, as we have calculated from the beginning of the data series for the Sensex. The reason is that for the bulk of those periods, nominal GDP growth used to be 14%-15%. But the more recent GDP growth in nominal terms has been around 10%, and even the government in this Budget is projecting only 10%. If you think about it, 10% expected return from Indian equities minus rupee depreciation -- let's first deduct around 15% between long-term and short-term capital gains (the midpoint). So, you knock off 1.5% from your 10%, leaving you with 8.5% in rupee terms. Then, minus currency depreciation of at least 3%-4%, you're left with 4.5%. The US Treasury two-year bond today yields around 4.3%. Why would anybody in their right senses waste their time, if they had dollar investments offering them same returns without having to bother about currency fluctuations, and other India-specific tax policies? On a macro top-down basis, there is absolutely no case for a foreign investor to look at India, given the slowing growth and, more importantly, the really unfair burden of taxation on the stock market, which does not exist for foreign investors pretty much anywhere in the world. If these impediments were to be removed, do you think FIIs will come back to India? Not that they have sold lock, stock, and barrel but still Rs 3 lakh crore is a huge amount? There is no point in answering that question because they cannot be removed. It is like if you were to say, if Indian roads become better, we can sell more Lamborghini cars, or if our air quality became good, then we would have more parks, and people will become very fit. All that is not going to happen. So, why speculate about what's not going to happen? I can list one million things in India that should have happened but have not happened. So, to ask for a reversal of this taxation policy is literally like life on Mars. It's not going to happen. Recently, at an investors' meet in Dubai, you talked about the 'Indian Lake of Returns' theory, and in that, you predicted the end of the bull market. Why do you think that the Sensex will return only 2.5% CAGR, and small caps will see negative 3.1% for the next five years? Those are best-case estimates in my view. They can be even lower. By the way, these are only rupee numbers. If you factor in dollar appreciation or rupee depreciation, you're looking at a CAGR of minus 4.5% on both these indexes for the next five years. So, it's very simple. As I said, the bull market cycle ran for five years. It's the end of that cycle. The next cycle is a down cycle, and in that down cycle, you will see the Sensex falling from their highs of around 68,000 to maybe 40,000-50,000 at the bottom of the cycle. Then, you will see intra-period rallies for the next five years. So, from 50,000, you will rally back 20% to 60,000. Then again, everybody will get very chirpy about the market. But on a point-to-point basis, you will see no gains from the high of 2024 to 2030. You will see negative returns from the Sensex or the small-cap market. There will be bottom-up stock-picking opportunities, trading opportunities -- all that is part and parcel of investing. We are talking about a structural bull market that has ended. It was a trending market, and now a trading market has come. That's where we are in the cycle. With slowing growth and fiscal constraints, do you think India's economic momentum can be sustained without aggressive government spending? No doubt, the government is spending Rs 11 lakh crore. They've budgeted for it. Nobody knows how much they will actually spend. Do you think it is enough to revive the Indian economy? The government has projected nominal growth rate at 10% (for FY 2025-2026). So, even after all these measures, we are still expecting to grow at 10% nominally. Now, let's break down the budgetary math. As I've mentioned before, and it's important to highlight, India's taxation system primarily relies on indirect taxes (mainly GST) and direct taxes (corporate and personal income tax). Over the past few Budgets -- perhaps in the last six or seven years -- the government has reduced corporate income tax, most notably in 2019 when it was cut significantly. In the most recent Budget, personal income tax was also reduced. So, two historically stable sources of tax revenue have been lowered, while the government has increased taxation on stock market profits. From a top-down perspective, this shift means we have moved away from predictable tax sources to an inherently volatile one -- the stock market. If market conditions remain weak, it is logical to expect a shortfall in personal income tax collections, which are projected to grow at 14%. If capital gains tax collections fall short -- which seems likely given the market losses since September 2024 -- personal income tax revenue will also take a hit. If that happens, what options does the government have? Will they overshoot the fiscal deficit target of 4.4%? Unlikely. The government is firmly committed to maintaining fiscal discipline. However, if personal income tax revenue falls short -- and corporate income tax collections also decline due to the ongoing downgrades in earnings -- it is highly likely that overall tax revenue will miss projections. If both of these components underperform and the fiscal deficit must be maintained, the only viable option is to cut capital expenditure (capex). This means the Rs 11 lakh crore budgeted for capex may be reduced to Rs 10 lakh crore -- or even less -- which would further slow the economy down. By making the stock market a key driver of tax revenue, we've created a structural problem. This has never happened in India's history. In my 35-38 years in the markets, the economy and taxation system were never so dependent on stock market gains. Traditionally, the stock market was the tail that wagged the economic dog; now, it has become the dog itself. I don't like that. Do you think this will boomerang on the Indian fiscal situation? And if that were to happen do you also think that the government will take the risk of overshooting its fiscal deficit target? That's what I just said. They will not overshoot the fiscal deficit. They'll maintain it. But if push comes to shove, they will cut back on capex. If push comes to shove, do you think this government has the political capital to take the risk of overshooting its fiscal deficit targets? Because where else will the growth come from? I'm telling you, they will not overshoot. They will not overshoot. They will cut back on capex. The government has slapped a $2.81 billion (about Rs 24,500 crore) demand notice on Reliance Industries and its partners, including BP Plc for gains made from producing and selling natural gas that may have migrated from neighbouring block of state-owned ONGC. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters This follows the Delhi high court's decision on February 14, overturning an international arbitration tribunal ruling that held the duo not responsible for paying any compensation for the gas they produced and sold which had allegedly migrated from adjoining fields. Consequent upon the Division Bench judgment, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has raised a demand of $2.81 billion on the PSC contractors namely Reliance Industries Ltd, BP Exploration (Alpha) Ltd and NIKO (NECO) Ltd," Reliance said in a stock exchange filing. Originally, Reliance held 60 per cent interest in Krishna Godavari basin deep-sea block KG-DWN-98/3 or KG-D6 while BP had 30 per cent and Canadian firm Niko held the remaining 10 per cent. Subsequently, Reliance and BP took over Niko's interest in the production sharing contract (PSC) and now hold 66.66 per cent and 33.33 per cent, respectively. The government had in 2016 sought $1.55 billion from Reliance and its partners for the quantum of gas that had migrated to its block KG-D6 from adjoining fields of ONGC. Reliance contested the claims before an arbitral tribunal which in July 2018 upheld that it was not obliged to pay any compensation. The government filed an appeal and in May 2023, a single judge of Delhi HC upheld the arbitration award, dismissing the government's appeal. A division bench of the Delhi HC in February set aside the single judge order, ruling against Reliance and its partners. Reliance said the letter of demand was received by the company on March 3, 2025. "The company is legally advised that the Division Bench judgment and this provisional demand are unsustainable. The company is taking steps to challenge the judgment of the Division Bench of Hon'ble Delhi HC," it said. "The company does not expect any liability on this account," it added. Reliance had previously said that it would appeal the decision in the Supreme Court. The dispute dates back to July 2013 when Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) suspected reservoir connectivity of its KG-DWN-98/2 (KG-D5) and G-4 blocks with that of Reliance's KG-D6. It felt that at least four wells that Reliance drilled on the borderline with KG-D5 may have drained out its resources as well. ONGC in May 2013 filed a writ in the Delhi High Court seeking compensation for the loss. On September 10, 2014, the Delhi High Court disposed-off ONGC's petition and directed the government to take a decision, after it received a report from an independent panel set up by ONGC and RIL. Global consultant DeGolyer and Mac Naughton (D&M) was appointed to carry out a third-party study. In its final report dated November 19, 2015, D&M concluded inter-alia that "the integrated analyses indicated connectivity and continuity of the reservoirs across the blocks operated by ONGC and Reliance." The report quantified the volume of gas migrated from Godavari PML and KG-DWN-98/2 to KG-DWN-98/3 block and respective production of gas from migrated volumes till March 31, 2015. After submission of the D&M report, the government constituted a single member committee on December 15, 2015, composed of former Chief Justice of Delhi HC Ajit Prakash Shah "to quantify the unfair enrichment" by Reliance. The committee concluded that the Government of India, and not ONGC, is entitled to claim restitution from Reliance for the unjust benefit it received and unfairly retained. ONGC has no locus standi to bring a tortious claim against Reliance for trespass/conversion since it does not have any ownership rights or possessory interest in the natural gas. All mineral resources are the property of the government of India. Using Shah's report, the government asked ONGC to step aside and took over the matter. The ministry of petroleum and natural gas (MoPNG) in a November 4, 2026 order sought disgorgement from Reliance and its partners, demanding $1.47 billion from the partners for producing in seven years ending March 31, 2016 about 338.332 million British thermal units of gas that had seeped or migrated from ONGC's blocks into their adjoining KG-D6 in the Bay of Bengal. After deducting $71.71 million royalty paid on the gas produced and adding an interest at the rate of LIBOR plus 2 per cent, totalling $149.86 million, a total demand of $1.55 billion was made on Reliance, BP and Niko. The government also pressed Reliance to pay $174.9 million of additional profit petroleum after certain costs were disallowed because of KG-D6 output being lower than the target. Reliance and its partners on November 11, 2016, slapped an arbitration notice. In July 2018, the international arbitration tribunal rejected the government's claim. The three-member panel by a majority of 2-1 also awarded $8.3 million compensation to the three partners. The government challenged the arbitration award before a single bench of Delhi High Court, seeking it be set aside as it "strikes at the heart of the public policy and has given a premium to a contractor (Reliance) that has amassed vast wealth by committing an insidious fraud as well as criminal offence." Delhi HC in May 2023 upheld the arbitration award saying "the view taken by the arbitral tribunal is most certainly a "possible view", which calls for no interference." The government approached the division bench of the Delhi HC against the single bench order. The division bench, comprising justices Rekha Palli and Saurabh Banerjee, on February 15 set aside a May 2023 single bench ruling that had upheld the 2018 arbitration award rejecting the government's claim. 'We are not opposed to any Indian language. We are against Hindi imposition.' The kerfuffle between the Union and Tamil Nadu governments over the New Education Policy -- specifically the compulsory teaching of Hindi as third language in state board schools -- shows no sign of abating, or resolution. Since the anti-Hindi agitation of the 1960s, Tamil Nadu has followed a two-language formula in its schools. The National Democratic Alliance government would like the state to adopt the three-language formula but the state has remained steadfast in its refusal to do so. In Tamil Nadu, while the rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam remains opposed to Hindi being imposed, the Congress has maintained a silence while the BJP has gone all out in favour of the move. As the standoff continues, T K S Elangovan, a senior DMK leader and a former MP, tells A Ganesh Nadar why the state opposes Hindi imposition even as it is not opposed to speaking or learning Hindi. The NEP proposes three languages but it doesn't specify that the third language has to be Hindi. So why are you making it an anti-Hindi agitation? We are not making it an anti-Hindi agitation. They earlier said that Hindi should be taught in every state. Education is in the Concurrent List and there is a law in our state that we will follow a two-language formula in education and administration and if we abide by that law, they are threatening us that they will not give us money. What kind of threat is this? The Government of India should share its funds with the states equally or as per rules they have framed. They cannot say we will not give you funds. That is what they are saying. It is unconstitutional. Don't you think the anti-Hindi agitation belongs to the 1960s and has run out of steam now? No, it started way back in 1938 when the Justice Party lost the elections and the Congress came to power. Rajaji (C Rajagopalachari) became the chief minister and he said that Hindi should be taught in all schools. The agitation started at that time and then it was stopped. In 1952 it started again when Rajaji became the chief minister in democratic India. It reached its peak in 1965 when students immolated themselves protesting against Hindi imposition. The people of Tamil Nadu have always been against Hindi imposition. In 1968 a law was enacted in the assembly that Tamil Nadu will follow a two-language policy and that law is still in force, we are only following that law. In 1980 and even now we are not denying any student's right to study any language. There is a Hindi Prachar Sabha in Chennai teaching Hindi, we are not stopping them. There is an Alliance Francaise which is teaching French, the German embassy is teaching German and the Russian Council is teaching Russian. We are not stopping anybody. They are not in our education system and this order doesn't apply to them. There are two education streams in Tamil Nadu. The Central Board which is CBSE and the state board which is SSE. In the CBSE system they are teaching Hindi and we are not stopping them but in our board we are following the two-language formula. Today you can effectively live in Chennai without being able to speak in Tamil. Service providers like auto drivers, vegetable vendors all know a smattering of Hindi with which they converse with non-Tamil customers. Given this, isn't the anti-Hindi agitation ineffective? No, there are people from North India working here because they could not get employment there. They are doing menial work here. They are driving autos. They are not educated people. The North Indian states are not giving good education also. Their people are serving in hotels, cleaning tables. They can speak Hindi and that does not mean they have learnt Hindi and come here. That is their mother tongue and we respect their mother tongue. Their failure to give employment to their people and education to their people and skills to their people has led to this. IMAGE: T K S Elangovan. Photograph: A Ganesh Nadar Are you opposed to speaking Hindi itself, or opposed to Hindi imposition? We are not opposed to any Indian language. We are against Hindi imposition. Don't compel us to study Hindi, that is our stand, it is our choice. We have our education in Tamil and great educationists the world over have said that studying in your mother tongue is the best education possible. We are successful. We are second or third in the country in the field of education. Our students who have studied here are in better positions than their North Indian counterparts. Can you define what you mean by Hindi imposition? Hindi imposition means you are compelled to study it. But isn't Hindi a tool for economic progress? People see it advantageous to them to improve their business or work opportunities, so why are you opposing it? Our people are working in other states in higher positions. They are not doing menial labour and cleaning tables. They get better positions in bigger companies because of their education. There proper education was not given, here we give proper education. The dropout rate in Tamil Nadu is much less than in any other state in the country. People study here and pass and go on for higher studies. They go to other states and get good positions. Even our IAS officers who have studied here work there. They learn Hindi and speak with the locals, they manage very well. That doesn't mean everyone has to learn Hindi and go to work in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan. Those people don't have any job there and so they are coming here. Home Minister Amit Shah has said no state will lose seats because of delimitation, so aren't you creating a fear psychosis when you insist that it will happen? Let the government say that there will be no increase in seats in Parliament. You mean, decrease in seats? I mean increase, as they plan to increase the Lok Sabha seats to 848. As per our calculation UP will get 63 seats more. All North Indian Hindi-speaking seats will get 150 seats more. And Tamil Nadu will get only 10 seats more. So it is about increase, not decrease. In 1967 we had 41 seats and in 1971 we lost two seats because we had followed sincerely the Government of India's family planning scheme. But none of the North Indian states is following family planning, a Government of India scheme, and nobody asks them. If the Union government is not releasing funds why don't you approach the courts instead of discussing it in public? We will first take it to the people of Tamil Nadu so that they know how the Union government is cheating them. We will go to court. That route is always there but we need the people to know. In all areas the funds to Tamil Nadu is reduced. We pay more by way of tax but we get less by way of our share. The Delhi high court on Tuesday granted bail to alleged middleman Christian Michel James in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case. IMAGE: Christian Michel James. Photograph: ANI Photo Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, while granting the reprieve to James, said it was an 'exceptional situation' where the accused was in custody for over 6.2 years but the trial had not yet commenced due to incomplete investigation. With the relief in Enforcement Directorate case, and the Supreme Court granting him bail in a related Central Bureau of Investigation case on February 18, James can walk out of prison subject to compliance with the conditions. Justice Sharma said James' prolonged incarceration 'without any foreseeable conclusion of trial' would infringe his fundamental right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution, which overrode the statutory bar on bail under the anti-money laundering law. Section 45 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the judge said, imposed stringent conditions for the grant of bail but the provision couldn't be interpreted in a manner to confine the accused in judicial custody for an indefinite period of time. 'The present case is not one where the applicant's custody is only marginally beyond the halfway mark. Instead, the applicant has been in custody for over six years and two months -- which is alarmingly close to the maximum punishment -- without even being adjudicated guilty,' the order said. The examination of over 100 witnesses was highlighted in the bail order, which also noted about a thousand documents relied upon by the prosecution. 'Given that the trial is unlikely to conclude before the applicant completes even seven years in jail, further incarceration would render the entire purpose of a trial meaningless,' the 22-page bail order said. The relief came on a bond and surety of Rs 5 lakh each aside from surrendering the passport before the trial court. Taking into account the directions of the top court, the court asked the ED to request the trial court for imposing necessary conditions before releasing James on bail. James, it added, would extend all co-operation in the investigation and during the trial. The court reserved verdict on the bail application on February 28. Probe agencies reported irregularities in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from Italian manufacturing company AgustaWestland. The ED counsel opposed James' plea, saying the British national did not meet the 'twin tests' for grant of bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and was a flight risk. His lawyer sought the relief on grounds that while the anti-money laundering law has a maximum punishment of seven years, he had spent over six years in jail, in violation of his fundamental right to a fair and expeditious trial. It was also argued that there was no material evidence to connect him with the alleged offence and there was no reasonable likelihood of conclusion of investigation in the near future. Advocates Aljo K Joseph, Vishnu Shankar and Sriram P represented James. He was extradited from Dubai in December 2018 and was subsequently arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED. James is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case and the other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The CBI, in its chargesheet, claimed an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010, for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros. The ED chargesheet filed against James in June 2016 alleged he received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, put forward by France and Great Britain, is "difficult to implement" and once again noted that Italy will not send its troops to Ukraine, the Italian prime minister said in an interview with Rai 1 Secolo television channel. "Regarding the proposal to send European soldiers, put forward by France and Great Britain ... In my opinion, it is very difficult to implement, I am not sure about its effectiveness, this is the reason why, as you know, we said that we will not send Italian soldiers to Ukraine," said the head of the Italian government. As reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni discussed in London the development of a joint action plan to end the war in Ukraine. Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde on Tuesday resigned from the state cabinet, days after his close aide Walmik Karad was named as the mastermind in the Beed sarpanch murder case. IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with NCP leader Dhananjay Munde. Photograph: @dhananjay_munde/X Dhananjay Munde has submitted his resignation. I have accepted it and forwarded it to Governor C P Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters at Vidhan Bhawan. The resignation followed a vociferous demand by the opposition for Munde's removal from the cabinet. Fadnavis held a late-night meeting with Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar on Monday, along with senior NCP leaders, including Munde, to discuss the issue. The Opposition demand for Munde's resignation intensified after gory photos and court chargesheet details related to the killing of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh surfaced, revealing the brutalities committed before the murder. Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 last year allegedly for attempting to stop an extortion bid targeting an energy company in the district. The state Crime Investigation Department (CID) on February 27 filed a more than 1,200-page chargesheet at a court in Beed district in Deshmukh's murder and two related cases. Three separate cases - murder of sarpanch, bid to extort money from Avaada company and assault on security guard of the firm - have been registered at Kej police station in Beed. The police have invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the accused in the cases. Seven persons have been arrested so far and booked under the MCOCA. One of the accused is still at large. Besides Karad, the others arrested include Sudarshan Ghule, Vishnu Chate, Jairam Chate, Mahesh Kedar, Siddhartha Sonawane, Sudhir Sangale and Prateek Ghule. Krishna Andhale is a wanted accused in the case. Syed Firdaus Ashraf marches through time to trace the bitter history between Russia and its West European neighbours. IMAGE: Red Army troops race across a field to attack on the Southern Front, April 1942. Photograph: Max Alpert/Wikimedia Commons If you are wondering why Russia is so wary of Ukraine getting closer to Western European nations, there is bitter history behind it. For the last 400 years, Russia has been trying to preserve its sovereignty and defend its borders against the European imperial powers. Russia sees the European nations as a threat to its existence as Napoleon's France, Hitler's Germany and even Sweden have tried to invade Russia at various points in time. The first major attack against Russia was from tiny Poland. Known as the Polish-Russian war, it began in 1609. When Russia formed a military alliance with Sweden, the king of Poland, Sigismund III Vasa, declared war on Russia. Poland aimed to make territorial gains and weaken Russia, which had become an ally of Sweden that Poland considered a threat. Sigismund's invasion was successful and he managed to capture Moscow. This was soon followed by the Ingrain war between former allies Sweden and Russia, which lasted for seven years from 1610-1617. Ingria refers to the area between the Gulf of Finland, the Neva River and Lake Ladoga. It was at this time that Sweden planned to put its duke on the Russian throne. Later a peace treaty was signed between the two countries, ending the feud. Ninety years later, in 1709, Sweden once again rose against Russia. This time because of the ambitious tsar of Russia, Peter I, who wanted to regain Ingria from Sweden. The Battle of Poltava was fought in July 1709 in which Swedish King Charles XII's army was defeated by Peter I. It was after this war that Ingria was named St Petersburg. In 1807 Great Britain that attacked the Russian empire as it had signed the Treaty of Tilsit with the French to end mutual hostilities. The Treaty of Tilsit was very unpopular among Russians but Tsar Alexander I of Russia had no option but to give in as he feared a French invasion under Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon's idea was to cut off market access for his arch enemy England as he wanted to restrict their goods from being sold in Russia and make them economically submissive to France. However, Tsar Alexander I had to open up his markets to British goods as France did little to help Russia in its time of dire need. This angered Napoleon who invaded Russia and captured Moscow in 1812. IMAGE: Russian displaced persons and former prisoners of war about to leave transit camps near Hamburg for the Russian zone of occupation from where they were to be repatriated to the Soviet Union, May 31, 1945. Photograph: Imperial War Museums/Wikimedia Commons In 1853, European powers England, France and even the Ottoman empire formed an alliance to take on Russia in what is known as the Crimean War. The war broke out because Russia demanded to exercise protection over the Orthodox Christians of the Ottoman empire. Russia suffered a major defeat in the Crimean war and the Treaty of Paris was signed. The treaty was a humiliation for Russia as it had to not only guarantee the territorial integrity of the Ottoman empire (now known as Turkiye) but also grant shipping rights over the Danube river to all the 10 nations it passed through. The last major invasion which Russia witnessed was when Adolf Hitler's Nazi army invaded the country in June 1941, in what came to be known as Operation Barbarossa. Hitler's decision to invade Russia (known then as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) was a disaster, and the German army was routed. The battle for Stalingrad was the turning point of World War II for the Allied powers on the Eastern front. Hitler's army never recovered after that defeat in which 250,000 German soldiers lost their lives. The prime objective of NATO or the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation that came into being after the Second World War was to contain the former Soviet Union's expansionism. Given this bitter history with Europe over centuries, no wonder Russia doesn't take kindly to Ukraine, which it considers a vassal State, getting closer to its adversaries from the past. IMAGE: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Princess Astrid of Belgium in New Delhi, March 3, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo India and Belgium on Monday explored potential defence engagements in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the maritime domain, and discussed ways to strengthen defence industrial cooperation. The talks took place during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's meeting in New Delhi with Princess Astrid of Belgium and Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken. The meeting came just days after India and the European Union, of which Belgium is a member State, pledged on Friday to explore a security and defence partnership to counter common threats. The defence minister welcomed Belgian investments in India's defence sector and suggested Belgian companies expand their footprint in India and integrate Indian vendors into their supply chains, according to a ministry of defence statement. Both countries also agreed to explore an 'institutionalised defence cooperation mechanism', the MoD statement added. Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth had on Friday met the European Commission's commissioner for defence and space, Andrius Kubilius, in New Delhi. They held comprehensive discussions on India-EU bilateral defence and security cooperation, with a focus on maritime engagements and information-sharing in the Indo-Pacific. Seth and Kubilius also explored 'ways and means to enhance defence industrial cooperation, particularly the participation of European defence companies in joint projects and coproduction opportunities in India', according to an MoD statement on Friday. They also discussed the modalities of Indian participation in the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation (Pesco) framework and other European developmental projects. Pesco is a treaty-based framework that enables 26 of the 27 EU member States to jointly plan, develop, and invest in collaborative capability development while enhancing the operational readiness and contribution of their armed forces. IMAGE: Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on Friday met the European Commission's commissioner for defence and space Andrius Kubilius in New Delhi. Photograph: Kind courtesy DefenceMinIndia/Facebook Kubilius visited India as part of a delegation led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following the meeting, the ministry of external affairs issued a joint statement on Friday, stating: 'The EU side welcomed India's interest in joining the projects under the EU's Pesco, as well as to engage in negotiations for a Security of Information Agreement (SoIA). The leaders also committed to exploring a security and defence partnership.' When the EU regularly exchanges classified information with third countries, it does so under legally binding agreements that ensure both exchange and protection of such information. These agreements are known as SoIAs. Speaking to a financial daily, Kubilius highlighted India's strong defence industry and its potential to play a key role in the EU's defence supply chains. His remarks come as European nations are working to expand and modernise their armed forces in response to the Russia-Ukraine war, rising threat perceptions, and geopolitical uncertainty under US President Donald Trump. The Kolkata Police have arrested the husband of one of the deceased in the Tangra triple murder case after he was interrogated for several hours, officers said on Tuesday. IMAGE: Kolkata police commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma visits the site of the incident in Tangra Police Station area where three females including one minor were found dead in their home, in Kolkata, February 19, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo Prasun Dey, one of the prime accused in the case, was questioned after he was released from a hospital on Monday, they said. Dey will be produced before a court in Kolkata on Tuesday. The arrestee and his elder brother Pranay Dey had been undergoing treatment at state-run Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital here under police watch after sustaining injuries in an apparent suicide attempt. According to police sources, Prasun Dey was released from the hospital on Monday evening and taken to the Tangra Police Station, near his residence, for interrogation. Discrepancies were found in his statements, the officers said. The Kolkata Police had earlier recorded the statements of both brothers but were awaiting medical clearance to initiate detailed questioning. Prasun Dey was arrested late on Monday night. He will be produced in court today, a police officer said. The case came to light on February 19, when the brothers crashed their car into a pillar along the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in what appeared to be an attempt to end their lives. While being treated for their injuries, they disclosed to police that the bodies of their wives and a girl were lying inside their residence in Tangra. Following the revelation, a police team rushed to the house and recovered the bodies. An autopsy conducted on February 20 confirmed that the victims had been murdered. On February 25, police officials stated that their investigation had led them to believe that no outsiders were involved in the crime. Further probe into the case is underway, police said. A 17-year-old girl has been battling for life with 60 per cent burns after a man allegedly set her ablaze in Mumbai's Andheri area, the police said on Tuesday. The girl and the 30-year-old accused, residents of Marol in Andheri, in Mumbai's western suburbs, were friends for the last couple of months. The victim's mother recently asked the accused not to meet her daughter, the police said, adding the exact motive behind the crime was yet to be ascertained. The incident took place at around 11.30 pm on Sunday behind a hospital in Marol Gaothan area during which the accused also suffered burn injuries. While the victim was sitting in a chawl (row tenement) with her female friends after having dinner, the accused, Jitendra alias Jitu Tambe, allegedly poured petrol on her and set her afire, an official said. The girl suffered 60 per cent burns, with injuries on her face, neck, stomach, private parts, hands and legs, he said. The victim, who is critical and unable to speak, is undergoing treatment at a civic-run Dr R N Cooper Hospital in Juhu, the official said. A boy, who knew the girl, had informed her mother about the incident. The girl's mother then rushed to the spot and found her daughter with several burn injuries. As per the FIR, the girl, on seeing her mother, said, "I am not at fault, Jitu poured petrol on my body and set me on fire." The victim and the accused knew each other. They were friends for the last couple of months and used to meet in the area, the official said, quoting a complaint filed by the victim's mother. The girl's mother had asked her about if they were in a relationship, but she had denied it, the complaint mentioned. Later, the girl's mother met the man and asked him not to meet her daughter, it added. The accused also suffered burn injuries in the incident and was admitted to hospital, the police said. Based on the complaint, a case was registered against the accused under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by using acid, etc, and a probe was underway, they added. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said his government may seek the help of agencies like the Interpol in investigating the alleged interference of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who allegedly has links with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi's British wife, in India's internal affairs. IMAGE: ssam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Photograph: ANI Photo Sarma, however, said the probe is at an initial stage and he has already informed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the developments in the case. "The matter is very sensitive. I have informed the home minister about the issue. The SIT is doing its investigation, but we can do our probe until a certain level only. We may have to take the help of agencies like Interpol at a certain stage," he told reporters in Guwahati. "The entire probe is at an initial stage now and the government will take it forward as far as possible in the coming days," he added. The state police on February 17 constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe a case against the Pakistani national for his social media comments on Assam and India's internal affairs. Sheikh, an advisor of the Pakistan Planning Commission and a former colleague of Gogoi's British wife Elizabeth Colburn, was charged under various sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhtia (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA. The CM, who also holds the Home portfolio, further claimed that the SIT has obtained a lot of preliminary information related to the Pakistani national. "When he visited India, many people from Pakistan accompanied him. Even people like the attorney general of Pakistan came to India and they stayed in smaller hotels to be away from public glare. This entire tour exercise was continuing till 2018," he said. Sheikh came to India 18-20 times, tweeted and commented on Assam, and was in touch with Assamese people, he claimed. "We have found the name of an Assamese woman, whose husband works at JNU, and both of them were in touch with this person. The investigation is not centred on one individual, but it is seen that there is an influence of ISI or the Pakistani government in India. "And noteworthy is that Assamese people are involved in it. That is why we are monitoring it, but we cannot comment on it immediately. We will need two-three months," the CM said. Sarma and the Bharatiya Janata Party have been attacking Gogoi, the deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, alleging that his wife has connections with the Inter-Services Intelligence. After much hue and cry, the state cabinet on February 16 decided not to register any case against Gogoi or his wife but instructed the DGP to file a first information report (FIR) against the Pakistani national. The state government also announced that it would write to the Centre to probe Colburn's participation in Lok Sabha campaigns in the erstwhile Kaliabor constituency, which was won by Gogoi twice, despite being a British citizen. Gogoi has alleged that the BJP was going to extreme lengths to defame him and his family, and asserted that he would be taking appropriate legal actions. At least 12 persons, including four children, were killed and 30 injured as two explosive-laden vehicles rammed into the boundary wall of the main cantonment in Bannu in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday while the army personnel neutralised at least six terrorists. IMAGE: Pakistani soldiers stand guard on a road leading to the cantonment area in Bannu. Photograph: Zahid Muhammad/Reuters The suicide bombers hit the wall of Bannu Cantonment, about 200 km south-west of Peshawar, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the evening around sunset time, police said. Hafiz Gul Bahadur-affiliated little known Jaish Al Fursan, in a statement, claimed the attack in Bannu. The group is one of the several factions of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Dr Numan, spokesperson of the DHQ Hodpital at Bannu said 12 civilians were killed in Bannu cantonment suicide blast and 30 were injured and added that the dead also included four children and two women. A dozen casualties were reported from the nearby civil buildings and the debris of a mosque adjacent to Bannu cantonment's boundary wall hit by the suicide bombers, sources said quoting the hospital authorities. All the injured have been shifted to the hospital, the sources added. After the explosions, the cantonment wall was breached and many terrorists attempted to enter the cantonment, however, at least six of them were neutralised while the remaining have been surrounded, security sources confirmed. Sources also said that the army authorities have sealed the main routes leading to the cantonment and not providing access to the blast site. The clearance operation will continue until all terrorists are eliminated, according to security sources. Meanwhile, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the Bannu explosion and sought a report on the incident. Expressing sorrow over the loss of human lives, he extended heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the martyrs. "Such incidents during the holy month of Ramadan are extremely condemnable and tragic," Gandapur said. The country witnessed a sharp increase in terror attacks in January 2025, surging by 42 per cent compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank. The data revealed that at least 74 militant attacks were recorded nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants. Another 117 individuals sustained injuries, including 53 security forces personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 militants. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remained the worst-affected province, followed by Balochistan. In KP's settled districts, militants carried out 27 attacks, resulting in 19 fatalities, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and two militants. The tribal districts of KP (erstwhile Fata) witnessed 19 attacks, leading to 46 deaths, including 13 security personnel, eight civilians, and 25 militants, the data showed. Days after his tense exchange with President Donald Trump at the White House, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated his country's commitment to achieving lasting peace and expressed willingness to 'work under Trump's leadership'. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 28, 2025. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters His remarks, seen as an effort to placate Trump, came in a social media post on X, just hours after the White House announced a pause in military aid to Ukraine -- assistance that is critical to its fight against Russia's invasion. In his statement, Zelenskyy outlined initial steps toward peace, including the release of prisoners and a mutual truce in the sky and sea, provided Russia reciprocates. 'We want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree on a strong final deal,' he stated. He also affirmed Ukraine's readiness to sign a lucrative agreement on rare-earth minerals and security with Washington, DC, seeing it as a crucial step toward stronger security guarantees. 'I truly hope it will work effectively,' he added. Regretting the heated exchange with Trump and Vice President J D Vance, Zelenskyy wrote, 'Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right... Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.' The US decision to pause military aid has triggered alarm and apprehension in Kyiv. Zelenskyy's statement came ahead of Trump's address to the Congress on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have expressed gratitude for past US support and reiterated their desire to continue working with Washington, DC. However, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasised that Ukraine still seeks security guarantees as part of any peace deal and will not recognise Russian occupation of any Ukrainian land-positions that could be sticking points in negotiations with both Washington and Moscow. Ukraine and its allies remain concerned that Trump may push for a swift ceasefire that could favor Russia, which Kyiv insists cannot be trusted to uphold any truce. Zelenskyy's remarks signal Ukraine's intent to accelerate diplomatic efforts while securing firm commitments from the Trump administration in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Ahead of their planned protest in Chandigarh on March 5, several Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders were detained in early morning raids at their residences on Tuesday and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann denounced the agitating farmer unions, saying they have turned Punjab into a 'state of dharnas' and caused huge losses to it. IMAGE: Members of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) meet protesting farmers over various demands, at Khanauri border in Sangrur. Photograph: ANI Photo Speaking to reporters in the Kharar tehsil office in Mohali, Mann said he had categorically told the farmer bodies that they should not remain under the impression that he could not take action. Farmer leaders and opposition parties criticised the Aam Aadmi Party government for the crackdown, which came a day after talks between Chief Minister Mann and SKM leaders ended abruptly with the CM walking out of their meeting. "The government cannot stifle the voice of farmers with such steps," Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal. Replying to a question on his meeting with farmer leaders, Mann said, "I told them yesterday that every day you hold rail roko protests and block roads that cause huge losses to Punjab economically and Punjab is becoming a state of dharnas." "There is a fight to take credit among various farmers' unions which are trying to create anarchy by running a parallel government," said Mann. He reiterated that the government is always ready to resolve issues pertaining to various sections of society through negotiations but inconvenience to the common people through rail or road blockades cannot be permitted. In a statement, the SKM claimed the police took several leaders into custody including Balbir Singh Rajewal, Ruldu Singh Mansa, Gurmeet Singh Bhatiwal, Nachhttar Singh Jaiton, Veerpal Singh Dhillon, Binder Singh Golewal, Gurnam Bhikhi and Harmesh Singh dhesi. "Police raids have been carried on at the houses of farmer leaders including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Raminder Singh Patiala, Buta Singh Burjgill, Harinder Singh Lokhowal, Satnam Singh Ajnala, Gurmeet Singh Mehma and Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala," said the SKM. In Ludhiana, SKM leaders including Harjit Singh Giaspura, Balwant Singh Khirnia, Avtar Singh Mahlo, Manmohan Singh Deol and Dilbag Singh were allegedly detained. Several farmer leaders have gone 'underground' while many have been put under house arrest, according to SKM members. Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Police Jaskaran Singh Teja said six farmer leaders were 'detained'. Meanwhile, farmer leaders called upon the protesters to head towards Chandigarh as part of the SKM's call for a week-long 'dharna' at the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. The SKM, which had led the 2020 agitation against the now-repealed three farm laws, is demanding the withdrawal of the Centre's draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, a legal guarantee on minimum support price as per the Swaminathan Commission report, implementing the state's agricultural policy and purchase of six crops at MSP by the state government. Lakhowal claimed that the Punjab police conducted 'raids' at the residences of SKM leaders early this morning. He said police personnel are also deployed at his residence. "We are fighting in support of various farmers' demands. It is our right to hold protests. We warn the state government not to indulge in such police actions," Lakhowal said as he called upon farmers to reach Chandigarh in large numbers. In Hoshiarpur, Doaba Kisan Committee president Jangveer Singh Chauhan alleged that at around 4:30 am, he was taken to the police station from his residence in Rasulpur village. Later, his supporters reached the police station and compelled the authorities to release him. He claimed that he had been placed under 'house arrest', with at least three police personnel still deployed outside his house. "We had no intention of blocking traffic or disrupting any office work; it is merely a protest in Chandigarh to express our resentment. However, instead of granting us a site, the government scheduled a meeting with us. "During the meeting, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann walked out, and subsequently, police action was initiated against farmer leaders. This is highly condemnable and clearly an attempt to suppress our planned protest in Chandigarh tomorrow," Chauhan alleged. SKM leader Raminder Singh Patiala said the police conducted a 'raid' at his residence also. He said a scheduled meeting of the SKM that was to take place in Ludhiana on Tuesday has been suspended. He said farmers have resolved to head towards Chandigarh on Wednesday. If the police stop them, they should sit there, he said. Several political leaders condemned the AAP government for police action against farmer leaders. In a post on X, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal said, 'Today early morning the police started raiding residences of Kisan leaders and has detained many of them in a crude attempt to foil the March 5 Andolan of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. Such dictatorial methods can never stifle the voice of the Annadata.' 'The @Akali_Dal_ expresses solidarity with the protesting farmers & their cause and will do its utmost to ensure all their demands are accepted by this corrupt & arrogant @AAPPunjab govt.' Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa lashed out at the state government for the police action. "Farmers are protesting for the acceptance of their rightful demands. Instead of arresting farmers, take action against corrupt ministers, MLAs, and officers'. I demand the immediate release of farmer leaders," said Bajwa. Talks between the Punjab government and SKM leaders to discuss farmers' demands broke down midway on Monday, with farmer leaders claiming a 'livid' Mann 'walked out of the meeting in a huff without any provocation'. Mann said his doors are always open for talks but inconvenience and harassment of the public in the name of agitation should be avoided. The SKM is also demanding a law for debt settlement, ensuring canal water to every field, payment of sugarcane arrears and stopping alleged 'forcible' acquisition of land for the Bharatmala projects. In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Election Commission of India to provide details of cases in which it had either removed or reduced the period of disqualification from electoral rolls of leaders post their conviction in criminal cases. IMAGE: A view of the Supreme Court of India (SCI) building. Photograph: Amit Sharma/ANI Photo A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan asked the poll panel to furnish within two weeks details of such cases in which it exercised its power under Section 11 of the Representation of People Act (RPA), 1951. Under the RPA, the period of disqualification from electoral politics post-conviction in criminal cases varies depending on the offence and sentence. In cases relating to imprisonment of two or more years, a person is disqualified from the date of conviction until six years after their release, even if they are out on bail or awaiting appeal. However, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is empowered under Section 11 of the Act to remove or reduce the period of disqualification after recording the reasons. The bench said PIL petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay and others could file a rejoinder to the EC's response within two weeks after the details were furnished by the poll panel. The 2016 PIL, filed through advocate Ashwani Dubey, sought a life ban on convicted politicians aside from the expeditious disposal of criminal cases against MPs and MLAs in the country. On being informed that a similar plea of NGO Lok Prahari was pending and being heard by another bench, Justice Datta referred the PIL of Upadhyay to the Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna for clubbing them and listing them before one court. The bench said the matters should be listed expeditiously after the CJI passes an administrative order. During brief hearing, senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, assisting the bench as an amicus curiae, said the details of reduction or removal of disqualification of convicted politicians were not available and the same should be provided. Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the petitioner, said steps were needed to prevent criminalisation of politics and quoted the poll panel as saying that chargesheeted persons should be barred from entering into electoral politics. The ECI counsel said he had no difficulty in providing details of cases where the poll panel exercised its power to reduce or remove the period of disqualification and said the validity of Section 11 of the RPA was not under challenge in the present case. The Centre, however, opposed the PIL recently and said imposition of life ban on convicted politicians was solely within the domain of Parliament. In an affidavit, the Centre said the prayer amounted to re-writing of the statute or directing Parliament to frame a law in a particular manner which was wholly beyond the powers of judicial review. "The question whether a life-time ban would be appropriate or not is a question that is solely within the domain of the parliament," the affidavit said. There was nothing inherently unconstitutional in limiting the effect of penalties by time and it was a settled principle of law that penalties were limited either by time or by quantum, it added. The apex court on February 10 sought responses of the Centre and the ECI on the challenge to the constitutional validity of Sections 8 and 9 of Representation of People Act. Outlining 'criminalisation of politics' as a major issue, the bench asked how a person could return to Parliament after being convicted in a criminal case. Reports from the border, from the logistics hub in Yasenka, confirm the statements of the American side about the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine, said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. "As you know, today it has been announced that the American side will suspend American aid to Ukraine and possibly begin lifting sanctions against Russia. We have no reason today to believe that these are just words, and the reports that come from the border, from our hub, also confirm the statements of the American side," Tusk said before the meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday. According to Tusk, this "of course puts Europe, Ukraine and, of course, Poland in a more difficult situation." The Mumbai Police have started an investigation into a case against Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi over his remarks eulogising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, officials said on Tuesday. IMAGE: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi. Photograph: @abuasimazmi/X An FIR was registered on Monday against Azmi by police in neighbouring Thane on a complaint of Lok Sabha member Naresh Mhaske for allegedly attempting to hurt religious feelings. The Thane police subsequently transferred the FIR to Mumbai, where a fresh case was registered at Marine Drive police station on Tuesday against Azmi under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, an official said. Azmi, who is the Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra president, had said that during Aurangzeb's reign, India's border reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar). "Our GDP accounted for 24 per cent (of the world GDP)) and India was called a golden sparrow (during his regime)," claimed the MLA from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency in Mumbai. Asked about the fight between Aurangzeb and Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi had termed it a political battle. The remarks created outrage and Shiv Sena supporters had staged protests against Azmi. The issue also rocked the state assembly, where members of the ruling parties demanded Azmi's suspension from the House. Shiv Sena functionary Kiran Pawaskar on Monday went to the Marine Drive police station here, demanding action against Azmi and submitted a written complaint, the official said. The Mumbai police have registered the case against Azmi under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting religion or religious beliefs). 302 (Uttering words with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) and 356(1) & 356(2) (defamation), he said. A probe was on into the case, the police added. United States President Donald Trump has temporarily suspended, with immediate effect, the delivery of all American military aid to Ukraine, just days after an unprecedented showdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, February 28, 2025. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters A report in The New York Times quoted a senior administration official as saying that Trump temporarily suspended the delivery of all US military aid to Ukraine and that the order takes effect immediately, affecting "more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition in the pipeline and on order". The report said Trump's decision to halt military aid "resulted from a series of meetings" at the White House between the US leader and his senior national security aides. The official said "the order would be in effect until Trump determined that Ukraine had demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia. The order also pauses "hundreds of millions of dollars in aid through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides funds that Kyiv can use only to buy new military hardware directly from US defence companies." According to the US State Department, Washington has till date provided USD 65.9 billion in military assistance since Russia launched its premeditated, unprovoked, and brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and approximately USD 69.2 billion in military assistance since Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014. This latest setback for Ukraine in the third year of its war with Russia comes just days after Trump and Vice President J D Vance had a heated verbal exchange with Zelenskyy, who was visiting the White House last Friday and the two countries were all set to sign a rare mineral deal. But talks between Trump and Zelenskyy unravelled in a heated exchange that played out in front of the global media. Towards the end of the about 50-minute press conference, Vance told the Ukrainian leader, "I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. ... you should be thanking the president for trying to bring you into this conference." As the conversation grew heated, Trump told Zelenskyy, You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War Three. You're gambling with World War Three, and what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that's backed you far more than a lot of people say they should. Trump and Vance also criticised Zelenskyy for not being grateful enough for the support that the US had given so far to Ukraine in its war with Russia. As leaders from Europe and around the world took to social media website X to rally behind Zelenskyy and underscore their support for Kyiv, the Ukrainian leader responded to everyone with the same message - Thank you for your support. Melania Trump made her first appearance on Capitol Hill on Monday, March 3, 2025, since her husband was sworn in for a second term as America's president on January 20. The first lady met 'members of Congress on a bill could speed the removal of intimate imagery posted online without an individual's consent, or revenge porn,' Associated Press reported. 'The Take It Down Act, sponsored by US Senators Ted Cruz, Republican-Texas, and Amy Klobuchar, Democrat-Minnesota, passed the Senate in February. Melania Trump's public show of support for the legislation could help get it through the Republican-controlled House and to President Donald Trump's desk to become law, AP added. IMAGE: Melania Trump was accompanied by Elliston Berry, who Fox News noted, was '14 years old when a classmate took an image off social media and used a computer programme to create fake naked photos of her.' All photographs: Kent Nishimura/Reuters IMAGE: 'The teen says she and her mother tried to get the image of her removed for months,' Fox News reported. 'We need to hold Big Tech accountable to take action. I came here today to not only promote this bill, but to fight for the freedom of so many survivors millions of people, male, female, teenage children, kids all are affected by the rise of this image-based sexual abuse.' IMAGE: Melania Trump, Elliston Berry and Senator Ted Cruz at a discussion on the Take it Down Act, a legislation which would criminalise revenge porn. IMAGE: Most American states have 'laws protecting individuals from revenge porn, but only 20 states have explicit laws covering deepfake non-consensual intimate imagery,' Fox News reported. IMAGE: Melania shakes hands with US Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (Republican-Florida) who reintroduced the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Network (TAKE IT DOWN) Act for the 119th Congress. Alongside Senator Ted Cruz and Elliston Berry is Francesca Mani, a New Jersey high school student who, TIME magazine noted in a profile for its TIME100 AI issue, after discovering that 'boys in her class had used AI software to fabricate sexually explicit images of Mani and her female classmates... has been on a mission to prevent this from happening to others'. Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Mahipal Soni/Rediff.com A 36-year-old woman, who committed suicide after the death of her cat in Amroha district, had refused to bury the animal's body and kept it close to her for three days hoping it would return to life, her family said on Monday. Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo The grief-stricken family has now decided that they will not keep any cat as pet. "My daughter Pooja simply loved Titu (cat). On Wednesday night at around 10 pm, Titu's tongue turned blackish and after about 45 minutes, it died," Pooja's mother Gajra Devi told PTI. When asked whether Pooja had dropped any hints of ending her own life, she said, "Pooja did not say anything as such." Pooja allegedly hanged herself in Mohalla Kot Hasanpur here on Saturday night. Police on Sunday said she was mentally disturbed and had undergone treatment for the condition in Moradabad. According to the family members, Pooja adopted the cat nearly two years ago and raised it "like her own child". When the pet died, she became grief-stricken, they said. "Pooja had a belief that her cat will come back to life. I told her that almost three days have passed, and now it's time to bury the body, but she did not give any reply. She remained quiet and calm," Gajra Devi said. When contacted, Mayank Agarwal, a neighbour of Gajra Devi, said, "I had seen the cat staying mostly with her (Pooja)." Agarwal also said that Pooja had got married around eight-nine years ago, but the marriage barely lasted for a few days. "Possibly due to this, an emptiness may have entered her life." He also said that Pooja was not willing to get her cat buried, and used to say that the cat will become alive. "It was after her death that the cat was buried in the presence of police," Agarwal said. Pradeep Khatri, a Lucknow-based clinical psychologist, said that for people like Pooja who live in isolation, pets are the support system for them. "Pooja was probably suffering from psychotic illness, which is a mental illness that involves a loss of contact with reality. People with psychotic disorders may have difficulty distinguishing between reality and their perceptions," Khatri told PTI. "People with psychotic illness do not want anybody to enter their world... When her pet cat died, Pooja could not bear that emptiness, due to which she committed suicide," he said. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday claimed that the National Democratic Alliance government headed by him put an end to frequent Hindu-Muslim clashes in the state by taking measures such as fencing graveyards and bringing to justice those named in communal riots. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav attend the first day of the Budget Session, at Bihar Legislative Assembly in Patna. Photograph: ANI Photo The longest-serving chief minister of Bihar, who would seek a fifth consecutive term in office in assembly polls due later this year, was replying to a debate on a motion of thanks to the governor's address to the joint session of the bicameral legislature. Opposition members began raising angry slogans, as soon as the Janata Dal-United president said, by way of an introductory remark, "Before we came to power in 2005, the law and order situation was so pathetic that people feared going out of their homes after dusk. Bad roads also made commutes difficult." The 74-year-old got miffed over the ruckus and told the opposition members in an admonitory tone, "You people are children. Do you know what was the situation back then?" Pointing towards Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, Kumar said, "Even he is a child", and raised his finger in the direction of the press gallery to remark, "Ask the journalists if you want to know how bad things were back then." When Yadav rose to interject, he was upbraided by Kumar with the remark, "You know nothing. Your father owes his political career to the support I had extended, notwithstanding opposition from people of your own caste." The allusion was to Lalu Prasad, the Rashtriya Janata Dal president, who became the leader of the opposition in the assembly in the 1980s, upon the death of OBC stalwart Karpoori Thakur. The rise of Prasad, who later became the chief minister of Bihar, was seen as a victory of a young and aggressive camp in the Janata Dal, which then included Kumar. The CM, who has been a Bharatiya Janata Party ally for most part of his career, also indirectly referred to the RJD-Congress combine with the remark, "Earlier, the state was always plagued by clashes between Hindus and Muslims. Those who used to get Muslim votes could never put an end to this. When I took over, disputes over land meant for graveyards (kabristan) was identified as a major factor." Fencing of thousands of graveyards was, therefore, carried out, with the government bearing the entire expenses. The government also brought to justice all those who were said to have been involved in the Bhagalpur riots (of 1989). This is how the government put an end to Hindu-Muslim clashes, Kumar said. Soon afterwards, opposition MLAs staged a walkout and the CM taunted them with the remark, "After the elections, we will be back and they will be decimated. They have run away because they neither know nor understand anything." The JD-U supremo, who had quit the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) last year to return to the NDA, asserted 'we are together again and will remain so', even as he accused Yadav, his former deputy, of wrongdoing (tum gadbad kar rahe the). Thailand The Southeast Asian nation offers Privilege Residence Program, that grants applicants the right to reside in Thailand for 20 years. The investment is around 650,000 baht ($19,023) which is close to Rs 17 lakhs. After that your path to citizenship is open, although it depends on your eligibility. Every Indian must visit the National War Memorial in Delhi where every soldier who made the supreme sacrifice for the Motherland is remembered in gold letters. Photographs and Video: Archana Masih/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Naval officers with a wreath at the National War Memorial. In the heart of Delhi is a place for the Greatest and Bravest that this country has ever known. Every day, this sacred place brings people from all across the country to honour soldiers who gave their life for the nation. There are nearly 26,500 names etched in gold on granite bricks at the National War Memorial, a short walk from India Gate. If there is one place that every Indian must have on their bucket list -- it is this. It is a pilgrimage that must be undertaken by all. The name of every soldier killed in action in every war or armed conflict after Independence is mentioned in the rows after rows of granite walls. There are some names under which loved ones have left marigold flowers. It just breaks your heart. SEE: Honouring war heroes at National War Memorial Every evening before sunset, the Indian Armed Forces hold a dignified ceremony which is open to all. The public is free to walk around the complex, but entry into the area where the eternal flame of heroism -- the Amar Jawan Jyoti -- burns 24x7 is restricted. In the most poignant part of the service, uniformed soldiers accompany the next of kin of a fallen soldier to lay the wreath on behalf of the entire nation. On Maha Shivratri evening, Mrs Shahi, wife of Rifleman Ram Babu Shahi, had travelled from Chitwan, Nepal, to pay tribute. Rifleman Shahi was killed in action fighting terrorists in Baramulla, north Kashmir, in August 2018. He was only 24 and left behind a young wife and infant daughter. Mrs Shahi was accompanied by family members and soldiers from her husband's unit -- 1 Gorkha Rifles. The Gorkhas are among the fiercest and fearless of our fighting troops. Rifleman Shahi had joined the Indian Army aged 19. On deputation to 32 Rashtriya Rifles, he was part of an anti-terror operation when he was struck by bullets on his chest. He breathed his last at the base hospital in Srinagar. IMAGE: The granite bricks with the names of each soldier killed in action etched in gold. As details of Rifleman Shahi's act of valour was announced, the public was told not to clap or raise slogans to maintain the sanctity of the solemn ceremony. The public adhered to the instruction and stood on the stairs in silence. One is not allowed to sit on the stairs [exceptions are made for wheelchairs]. "This is a place of sacrifice and should be treated with respect. This is no place to sit and lounge or lie down on the grounds. The decorum has to be honoured," says a lady attendant who comes in to work six days a week. Entry is free. Pictures/video are allowed. "People come from the far corners of India -- the North East, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kashmir... sometimes they reach just at closing time unaware of the timings. We let them in because we understand how far they have come from." IMAGE: A view of the National War Memorial. After Mrs Shahi laid the marigold wreath, the naval contingent conducted the beating retreat ceremony where the Tiranga along with the Army, Navy and Air Force flags are lowered. Only those in uniform are asked to salute the flag. The rest of the public is instructed to stand at attention. It is a dignified ceremony conducted admirably by the armed forces and an honour to watch it. IMAGE: Mrs Shahi, wife of Rifleman Ram Babu Shahi, who had travelled from Chitwan, Nepal, pays tribute at the National War Memorial, February 26, 2025. On the two most important dates in our nation's calendar -- Republic Day and Independence Day, the prime minister begins the day by paying homage to our soldiers at the War Memorial. The Army, Navy and Air Force pay respect here on their annual days. It is here the chiefs come on the last day of service before retirement. It is here that veteran soldiers congregate to remember the men they served with and who left them too soon in service of the country. And it is here ordinary Indians come every day to read the names, spend some quiet moments and say thank you to soldiers they do not know, but who gave their all for them. Jai Hind Ki Sena! Timings: November-March: 9 am - 7pm; April-October: 9 am- 8 pm. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Danish Defense Minister on freeze of U.S. aid to Ukraine: Situation is very serious, Europe must do much more, faster Ukraine needs strong international support, which is why Europe must do much more and much faster, said Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen. I can only express my great regret about what the Americans have decided. They are helping to put Ukraine in a difficult situation when it needs as much support as possible. Therefore, the announcement of the termination of military support means that Europe must act much faster, the minister told the Danish TV channel TV 2. He stressed that there is a need for much greater speed from Europe and the need for us in Europe to make a decision in the next few days to allocate an additional one billion euros to the Ukrainian defense industry. Poulsen told Ritzau that the decision to suspend aid was a very serious situation. According to the defense minister, it would have a serious impact on Ukraine. It would have an impact on the battlefield, and not least on the ability of Ukrainians to defend themselves. There are things that Ukrainians are completely dependent on in relation to the Americans, he added. BRATTLEBORO Following concerns raised by a report questioning what appeared to be falsification of public records, an internal review by the town found that an unintentional error in the process was made. An article by Jonathan Elwell published Friday in The Rake Vermont, "Are Brattleboro Police hiding their relationship with a far-right blogger?," reported that on Aug. 7, after a contentious conversation at the Select Board meeting about downtown safety initiatives, Planet Hank creator Hank Poitras "wrote to five officers with a series of requests. After asking for statements on various stories, he concluded his email by writing, 'Also maybe a discussion about some of the plans the select board discussed and we can Shop talk about how to respond about those topics.'" Three copies of emails were provided to Robin Morgan of Brattleboro, who made the records request and shared the documents with the Reformer after The Rake article was published. In the copy submitted by Police Chief Norma Hardy, the article states, "the suggestion that 'we can Shop talk about how to respond about those topics' has been inexplicably deleted." After concerns raised about records management and media interactions within the department, Town Manager John Potter said Sunday that he's "starting an internal review right away, led by our Human Resources staff." "It will be a fair and thorough process," Potter said. "Police work is complex and high pressure, and I respect the challenges that come with it. Our goal is to support our employees while also making sure we are meeting the expectations of the people we serve." After reviewing the original Freedom of Information Act request for public records, Potter said Monday night that "the town believes there was an error as part of the process, but that error was made unintentionally." He said the original press inquiry to the police department "appeared multiple times throughout the document that was provided as part of the FOIA request by Chief Hardy. Toward the end of the document, the request appears again as part of a separate email that was forwarded from the chief to a clerk at the department. In that instance, the second half of the line was unintentionally omitted." Hardy acknowledged the error but denied it as proof of "hiding" information as part of an inquiry, Potter said. On Monday, Hardy did not respond to requests for comment. "A review of this FOIA request supports the finding that the deletion of the second half of the line was unintentional because why would the chief disclose the entire email to others if she intended on hiding it from the public?" Potter said. "The chief prepared the packet of documents for the FOIA request, which incorporated any public records between police department staff and Poitras. This included an email chain that featured the inquiry in full. After assembling the packet, the Chief delivered the documents to the Town Managers Office, which was emailed to the town attorney for distribution to the individual who submitted the original FOIA request." Potter said the municipality "stands behind Chief Hardy and will endeavor to avoid inadvertent mistakes like this in the future." Before the finding was made, Potter said the town is handling concerns raised by the article "with care, we are updating the relevant policies, and we trust in our employees commitment to doing the job right. Brattleboro works best when we work together. The police, town staff, and the community all have a role in making sure we keep moving in the right direction." Attorney James Valente of Costello, Valente & Gentry in Brattleboro told the Reformer a civil fine of as much as $1,000 can be incurred if a member of a public body is found to have willfully destroyed a public document. Neglect of duty by public officers can bring the same maximum fine or as long as a year of imprisonment, he said in an interview about law on the issue. He called the circumstances "unusual" and did not share an opinion on whether a crime was committed. Potter said the police department is "made up of hardworking people who care about this community and are committed to doing their job the right way." "There is a lot of good work happening right now ...," he said, applauding initiatives such as the Brattleboro Resource Assistance Team, "great hiring, innovative training, the Situation Table, One Brattleboro and other efforts to connect with the community. I know this is a team effort, but I cannot underemphasize the leadership of Chief Hardy with her depth of experience and decades of dedication and commitment to public service. Not every town has this type of leadership and these kinds of programs, and I am proud of the progressive work being done to keep Brattleboro safe and supported." Public service, Potter said, "comes with a lot of responsibility. People expect accountability, and thats fair. When concerns come up, the town looks into them, figures out whats going on, and takes any steps needed." Potter noted the police department "recently adjusted its media access, setting a dedicated press availability on Mondays from noon to 1 p.m. for any media outlets to attend and receive statements." That, he said, "ensures that public information is shared openly, consistently and fairly without regard to political viewpoints. Our responsibility is to provide access to information in a way that serves the whole community." Police chief denies giving special access to community journalist Brattleboro Police Chief Norma Hardy took to social media Monday to dispel what she called misinformation about the relationship between her department and community news journalist, Hank Poitras, or Planet Hank. The new press availability followed a Feb. 10 announcement from Chief Hardy, saying that her department "does not collaborate with Mr. Poitras." "The statements we give Mr. Poitras are the same statements in our public media releases," Hardy wrote. "These are provided at the request of any reporter or journalist that makes such a request, as Mr. Poitras routinely does." Hardy also disavowed "racist and divisive statements that have been made by Hank Poitras ..." "We want to make it clear we condemn any and all statements of this nature," she wrote. "We continue to serve our community in our usual unbiased and empathetic way." Poitras has been listening to a police scanner, filming incidents and creating videos he publishes on YouTube. He also hosts a podcast. In his own social media post, Poitras asked people not to judge him by "old screenshots taken out of context" of comments he made while he was an aspiring comedian. "I've said a lot of controversial things things that have clearly caused great offense to people," he wrote. "I haven't tried to deny that. However, I am not a racist or a misogynist. ... I am not a hateful person and I have always tried to speak from a place of humor, regardless of how much Im trolling. I have owned up to my divisiveness ... comments I made at an earlier time in my life dont reflect who I am now." Letter to the Editor: Democrats lie to get what they want Photo: https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/21659 Units of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with other units of the Defense Forces, struck the Syzran Oil Refinery in Samara Region, the Sokhranivka Main Gas Pipeline Linear Production Division, and the oil pumping infrastructure of the occupiers in Rostov Region of Russia on Tuesday night, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on its Telegram channel. "On the night of March 4, units of the Unmanned Systems Forces, in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces, carried out a DeepStrike on the Syzran Oil Refinery. It is located 800 km from the Ukrainian border in Samara Region and belongs to Rosneft," the Unmanned Systems Forces reports. It is noted that the products of the refinery, which is capable of processing 8.9 million tonnes of oil per year, are supplied, including to the Russian army. However, due to regular strikes, the actual volume of oil processing at the refinery in 2024 was significantly lower and amounted to about 4.3 million tonnes. "The last time the plant stopped its work was after an attack on the night of February 19," the Unmanned Systems Forces added. "Also, the Unmanned Systems Forces operators directed strike drones at the Sokhranivka Main Gas Pipeline Linear Production Division in Rostov region. It is engaged in the transportation of natural gas. Another facility in the region that burned this night is the 915 km oil pumping station, located near the village of Chertkovo," the Unmanned Systems Forces noted. As reported, representatives of local authorities announced a fire on the territory of the warehouse of an industrial facility in Sokhranivka and a hit on an oil pipeline with subsequent ignition. It is also reported that in Rovenky in the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk region, fire damage was inflicted on a fuel and lubricants storage base, from which oil products are supplied for the needs of the Russian army. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted that detailed information on the consequences of the damage to the facilities is currently being clarified. After a week of runaway diplomacy around how to end the war in Ukraine that has widened rifts between the United States and other Western powers and raised new questions about the future of US assistance for Ukraine, China is looking at how it can capitalize. For Beijing, the diplomatic fissures between the United States and its European allies -- the latest of which was opened up by an Oval Office clash between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy -- presents new opportunities to repair its own battered relations with Europe. The fallout could also ripple out to Asia, where countries aligned with Washington, such as Taiwan, are grappling with the implications of a more transactional United States and the opportunities that could create for China as it looks to ramp up pressure and assert itself more powerfully in the Pacific. This has been pretty unequivocally good for China, Andrew Small, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin who previously advised the European Commission on China strategy, told RFE/RL. Beijing sees the wider opportunities that this could bring, from Taiwan contingencies to more global cooperation with Russia to a weakened United States. How Can China Benefit From The US Policy Shift? China had already been reaching out to Brussels and European capitals before the dustup in Washington that saw Zelenskyy leave the White House early without signing an important minerals deal after being berated by Trump and Vice President JD Vance. That ongoing outreach by Chinese diplomats has looked to exploit fears that US efforts to reset the relationship with Russia and quickly end the war in Ukraine could leave European countries abandoned by their ally, three European Union officials told RFE/RL. Beijing, which has professed neutrality but has supported Russia amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is now looking to expand on its pitch and benefit from the transatlantic rift, including from Trumps plan to hit goods made in the EU with 25 percent tariffs, which Brussels said it would retaliate against with countermeasures of its own against the US economy. Small says that this Chinese effort is still in an early fact-finding phase to discover what kind of openings are available in this new context. Whatever China puts forward will be met with skepticism, he said. But Beijing thinks they will see some opportunities if they can navigate this first phase, especially if tariffs hit. Does China Want To Be A Peacemaker In Ukraine? China has largely been content to remain on the margins amid the flurry of diplomatic activity since Trump took office in January, but officials have been probing the European side. At the Munich Security Conference in February, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China believes all stakeholders should participate in peace talks, underscoring Europe's role in them ahead of US-Russia talks in Riyadh that did not include Kyiv or European officials. If I was Beijing, Id be telling the Europeans what they want to hear and one thing they want to hear is that Europe and Kyiv should be at the table to discuss Ukraines future, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, an assistant professor at National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan and a former adviser to the European Parliament, told RFE/RL. On the sidelines of the conference, retired Chinese colonel Zhou Bo made headlines during an interview in which he floated the prospect of Chinese and Indian peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a settlement to end the war. That was followed by comments by Wang at the Group of 20 (G20) meeting of foreign ministers in South Africa where he said that the recent US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia were a window of opportunity for peace in Ukraine and that China will continue playing a constructive role in the political settlement of the crisis. Ferenczy sees these comments as trial balloons as Beijing tests how receptive its outreach will be, but she cautions that years of trade spats between Brussels and Beijing, as well as strained ties from China's economic support of Russia throughout the war and the supply of dual-use goods for its war efforts, will be difficult to shake. Beijing will also need to overcome the perception that its diplomatic efforts are more about image building than actual peacemaking. Soon after the war began, Chinese leader Xi Jinping rushed to paint China as neutral and Chinese diplomats called for peace at international forums. In 2023, Beijing issued a 12-point peace plan for Ukraine that seemed designed to set the stage for a cease-fire and peace talks, but it provided no clear roadmap to end the war and was dismissed by Western officials as setting the stage for a peace on Russias terms. In a similar vein, EU officials say that Beijing is yet to present any new offers to the 27-country bloc in its early rounds of outreach beyond rhetoric about an unreliable United States and the prospect of normalizing trade relations. Its unavoidable that we will be affected by statements from Beijing that sound good to us, Ferenczy said. But a less reliable United States doesnt make China more reliable all of a sudden. Will Tensions Over Ukraine Diplomacy Affect Asia? The Trump administration has said that its efforts are designed to push allies to pay a bigger share of their own defense needs, recalibrate trade relationships, and bring an end to the war in Ukraine. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also said that, if the United States were to scale back military assistance for Ukraine, it would allow Washington to focus its resources on the Asia-Pacific region, where the administration has said countering China is a priority. But there are early signs that Washingtons approach to ending the war in Ukraine will have ripple effects further east, particularly in Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing has vowed to annex if it refuses to peacefully accept unification. Taiwan has long faced the possibility of a Chinese invasion, but pressure also looks to be growing. On February 28, Chinas Defense Ministry would not rule out the use of force against Taiwan, and its spokesman Wu Qian warned the United States that playing sneaky tricks on Taiwan would only backfire. Those comments came after Taiwanese authorities said they had detained a cargo ship crewed by Chinese nationals, which they believe may have severed an undersea communications cable. Following that, the Chinese military held what Taipei said was unannounced "shooting training" off the islands southern coast. Taiwans ability to deter a potential attack hinges on whether the United States stands ready to help, and the Taiwanese government has seen US assistance for Ukraine as something of a bellwether for how Washington could react in the event of a crisis with China. Ryan Hass, a former director for China on the US National Security Council, said that Trumps efforts to end the war in Ukraine and his recent spat with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office will no doubt cause anxiety in Taipei, but added that Taiwans unique position as the manufacturer of 90 percent of the worlds most-advanced semiconductors leave it in a unique position with the United States. Trump has called for Taipei to increase defense spending and said that he wants to move some of the islands semiconductor foundries, which manufacturers the chips largely for US tech companies, to the United States. Any type of relocation, however, would be a costly and slow process. Hass says this makes Taiwan indispensable to Trumps goals for an American industrial renaissance as he looks to revamp manufacturing back home. Taiwan needs the US, but the U. also needs Taiwan, Hass wrote on X. Trump knows this fact. There is a complementary division of labor between US tech companies and Taiwans chip foundries that cannot be replaced. The CEO of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) visited the White House on March 3 and afterward announced plans to make a fresh $100 billion investment in the United States. TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker and a leading supplier to major US hardware manufacturers, said the plan involves building five facilities in the United States in coming years. The European Union has condemned the passage of a Russian-style "foreign agent" law by the Republika Srpska, accusing authorities in the Bosnian Serb entity of undermining "the constitutional and legal order of Bosnia and Herzegovina," in comments sent to RFE/RL. The EU's press office also said that the law passed by the entity's National Assembly last week "directly contradicts the repeated obligations of the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity to advance on the path of [Bosnia-Herzegovina's] accession to the European Union." Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian president of Republika Srpska, has long pushed for legislation to restrict foreign-funded NGOs, likening the effort to the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). An analysis by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, however, noted strong similarities to Russias more restrictive "foreign agent" law from 2012, a law that has also inspired copycat legislation in the pro-Moscow Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan. The passage of the controversial law was seemingly sped up by Dodik's sentencing last week by the state Bosnian Court over his failure to execute the decisions of the high representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt. The court's first degree verdict -- which Dodik has the right to appeal -- sentenced Dodik to a year in prison and banned him from political life for six years. The Republika Srpska assembly responded on February 28 by passing laws that barred state-level law enforcement and judicial organs from the entity, further deepening Bosnia's political crisis. The law covering the work of foreign-funded nongovernmental organizations was passed on the same day. The system of government in Bosnia-Herzegovina is among the most complex in the world. Since the Dayton peace agreement, which was signed in 1995 and ended the war in Bosnia, the country has consisted of the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the ethnic Serb-dominated Republika Srpska under a weak central government. While Republika Srpska can pass laws on internal matters, state-level laws and institutions remain supreme according to the constitution. The Office of the High Representative (OHR), a position held since 2021 by Schmidt, oversees the implementation of civilian aspects of Dayton. Dodik is currently under US and U.K. sanctions for actions that Western governments say are aimed at the secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia. He has denied that the Serb entity of Bosnia has ever pursued a policy of secession, while at the same time pursuing legislation to wrest back powers for Republika Srpska at the expense of the state of Bosnia. Opposition lawmakers in Republika Srpska effectively boycotted the vote on the "foreign agent" law, which passed with backing from the ruling coalition led by Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats. The law is formally called a "Law on the Special Register and Public Transparency of the Work of Nonprofit Organizations" that are foreign-funded or foreign supported. In addition to creating a register of such organizations, the law allows for their surveillance by the authorities, bans broadly defined political activities, mandates additional registration, and requires submitting reports to the Republika Srpska Justice Ministry on the receipt of financial resources from abroad. It stipulates that in the event of a violation of the law, the relevant ministry can propose to a court that the offending organization be banned from operating. Relatives of former RFE/RL contributor Nika Novak, who was sentenced to prison last year by a Russian court for carrying out her professional duties, have voiced alarm over what they called a "difficult" transfer to a Siberian jail. Novak's appeal against a four-year sentence for confidential cooperation with a foreign state, international or foreign organization -- a sentence she considers unjust -- will now take place in the city of Novosibirsk, where she was placed in jail on March 1. Novak was asleep in the apartment where she lives with her mother in the Siberian city of Chita, when agents of Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) raided their home and detained her in December 2023. She was charged under Article 275.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, before being flown to Moscow, where she was put in pretrial detention. Since she was transferred to the jail in Novosibirsk last week, Novak has been sharing a noisy and chaotic cell with ten other inmates facing a variety of criminal charges, Novak's relatives told RFE/RL, noting that she had stopped eating as a result of stress and fear. They described the jail as worse than any of the other facilities that she has been held in to date, including her latest stint in a jail in the city of Irkutsk, with one relative describing her 1,800-kilometer transfer to the Novosibirsk jail as "difficult." 'Reminiscent Of The Soviet-Era...' The relatives, who did not wish to be named, said Novak's legal representatives had filed a motion to have her moved to a different cell, citing Russian laws on detentions that should separate prisoners like Novak from others accused of serious, nonpolitical crimes like murder. Her appeal against the sentence will be heard by a court in Novosibirsk on March 24. Before her arrest Novak had worked for ChitaMedia and was editor in chief of the Zab.ru website. She contributed to programs by RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities in 2022. The 32-year-old's case marked the first time that a journalist was sentenced under Article 275.1, a crime that was only introduced in 2022 in the months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Rights experts have criticized the conception and wording of the law, while Human Rights Watch called the legislation "reminiscent of the Soviet-era ban on contacts with foreigners" in its 2023 World Report. On July 22, 2024, leading Russian human rights group Memorial recognized Novak as a political prisoner. Her detention has also been condemned by the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Coalition for Women in Journalism, and the International Press Institute, which said Nikas sentencing was made possible by Russias continued instrumentalization of its own legislation with the aim of repressing independent journalists and other critical voices. WASHINGTON, D.C. - US President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress for the first time since taking office less than 50 days ago to press the case for continuing his domestic and foreign policy agenda, including the suspension of aid to Ukraine. Trump has pursued a shock and awe strategy over the first six weeks of his second term, announcing drastic changes to domestic and foreign policy, often using executive orders to bypass Congress, as he seeks to fulfill his campaign promises. The Republican president has fired thousands of federal employees; imposed tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada; deported hundreds of illegal immigrants; created a US cryptocurrency reserve, and restarted diplomatic relations with Russia with a goal to end the war in Ukraine. What Is Expected In Trump's Speech? In a March 3 post on Truth Social, Trump claimed his address will be big." He didn't give any details, but the speech comes hours after he announced a pause on all US military support for Ukraine in its battle to repel invading Russian forces and days after his public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office that rattled European allies. The policy orders streaming from the White House on a nearly daily basis have jolted some parts of the electorate, especially those with jobs tied either to government or international trade. The guiding theme of the address will be how Trump is delivering on his campaign pledges, from imposing tariffs to downsizing the federal workforce, Charles Kupchan, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, told RFE/RL. But I think Trump has his work cut out for him. His popularity is starting to slip, the stock market is starting to weaken. So, I think he has to make the case that what he is doing is working. The market euphoria following Trumps election has given way to concern that tariffs will reignite inflation, an issue that played an outsized roll in the November presidential election. Trump said 25 percent tariffs against Canada and Mexico, two of the United States largest trading partners, would go into effect on March 4, triggering the sharpest decline in U.S. stocks in more than two months. Oval Office Fallout For Ukraine? Kupchan said he expected Trump to touch on the now infamous dispute with Zelenskyy during his address but will try to spin it to his advantage as tough love that is needed at this moment to end the war, now in its fourth year. As the cameras rolled during their White House meeting on February 28, Trump berated Zelenskyy - who insisted that a US security backstop be part of any peace deal - as ungrateful, adding he had no cards in negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington on February 28 to sign a deal to jointly develop Ukraines critical minerals and other natural resources with the United States and urge Trump to backstop a European peacekeeping force should a truce be reached. Trump has made ending the war a priority and flipped three years of US policy on its head by reaching out directly to Putin, whom his predecessor had isolated politically since the start of the war in February 2022. Kyiv and European allies fear that Trump is willing to impose a bad peace on Ukraine to achieve his goal of ending the war quickly, and European leaders have rushed to put forward their own peace plan. Zelenskyy left the White House following the dispute and the two did not sign the critical minerals agreement. During a press conference on March 3, Trump said he did not think the deal was dead, and media reports on March 4 said he might use his speech to Congress to announce a plan to sign it. Trump has told his advisers that he wants to announce the agreement in his address, according to multiple US news outlets quoting unidentified sources. The White House has not confirmed the reports, which cautioned that the situation could change. Daniel Vajdich, president of Yorktown Solutions, which lobbies on behalf of Kyiv, said the agreement is good for both Ukraine and the United States. "It gives the US concrete equities in Ukraine that should now be protected," said Vajdich. The fund created by the agreement will be an important mechanism for getting the US private sector to invest in Ukraines reconstruction, Vajdich, a former advisor to several Republican presidential candidates, added. Trump had promoted the deal as a way to recoup the billions of dollars in U.S. support since the war began and justify continuing the aid. U.S. agencies reported on March 3 that the Trump administration is pausing aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is contributing to a solution." What Time Is Trump's Speech? Trump will deliver his speech at 9 p.m. local time inside the Capitol building. Trumps first joint address to Congress in 2017 during his first term in office lasted about one hour. It focused on many of the same issues he has been highlighting since returning to power: stopping illegal immigration, increasing tariffs to protect domestic industries, and pushing NATO members to spend more on defense. The Ukrainian military has begun recruiting 18-24-year-olds on a voluntary basis as the armed forces face a dire shortage of manpower to hold off the invading Russian troops. In its latest bid to replenish the ranks of its army -- depleted by three years of full-scale war -- Ukraine has introduced a new plan that paves the way for adults below the conscription age of 25 to join the military. What Benefits Are Offered For Joining The Ukrainian Army? Unveiled last month, the initiative -- called The Generation That Decides Now -- offers incentives that include a 1 million hryvnya ($24,000) bonus, subsidized mortgages, free university education, and the right to travel abroad after completing service. Under martial law, most men aged 18-60 are not allowed to leave the country. The military is also offering young volunteers intense training, the right to choose which military brigade they want to join, and the right to defer mobilization for a year -- when they reach 25. The duration of the service under such contracts is just one year, but it can be extended on a voluntary basis, according to the Defense Ministry. By comparison, the majority of other soldiers in Ukraine are expected to serve indefinitely, if they survive. Days after the initiative was announced, ministry spokesman Dmytro Lazutkin told RFE/RL that it has sparked interest, with many young people contacting the hotlines of military recruitment centers and the Defense Ministry to seek information. Under full-scale attack by its much larger neighbor since February 2022, Ukraine has struggled with problems including manpower, shortages of weapons and ammunition, and military corruption. The manpower problem came up during a heated argument between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House on February 28. Trump told Zelenskyy his country was running low on soldiers, while Vance said Ukrainian authorities are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because [they] have manpower problems. The Biden administration, which provided tens of billions of dollars in support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, told Kyiv in November that Ukraine has the weaponry it needs and should significantly increase its troops levels. Were also ready to ramp up our training capacity if they take appropriate steps to fill out their ranks, Sean Savett, the White House National Security Council spokesman, said at that time. Why Isn't Zelenskyy Mobilizing Ukraines Youth? But Ukraine has resisted calls from the United States and other Western allies to lower the compulsory conscription age from 25 to 18. President Volodymyr Zelenskyys government has argued that sending the youngest adult generation to war en masse will leave Ukraine facing a demographic crisis in the future and hamper its ability to rebuild the nation after the fighting is over. Last April, Ukraine reduced the draft age from 27 to 25, introduced tougher punishments for draft dodgers, and lowered physical requirements for military service, allowing men who had HIV and tuberculosis to enlist. Those measures have had a limited effect. The new initiative has already angered some Ukrainians. Oleh Simoroz, an activist and army veteran, called the plan discrimination against soldiers who are not eligible for the benefits. "We must not divide people in the army based on their age, Simoroz wrote on Facebook. Affordable mortgages should be available to all servicemen. The same is with free university education. Why should a 55-year-old sergeant -- who doesnt have a university education and is discharged from the army after being wounded -- be worse-off than a 20-year-old?" Tens of thousands of Ukrainians, including those living abroad, had voluntarily joined the army to defend their country when Russia invaded it in February 2022. The enthusiasm has waned, however, as the war drags on. Has Ukraine Failed to Solve Its Manpower Problem? After Russia launched the invasion, Ukraine had little difficulty finding troops to defend the country, Simon Schlegel, then the senior analyst for Ukraine at the International Crisis Group, wrote in December. However, he wrote, The surge of volunteerism that followed Russias occupation of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale invasion in 2022 has fizzled after three years of brutal warfare and in the absence of a clear path to victory for Ukraine. Ukrainian media reported more than 18,000 army desertion cases in January-September last year, while thousands more reportedly paid bribes to leave the country. But many Ukrainians say they will defend their country for as long as it takes. A serviceman, who only gave his first name, Vitaliy, told RFE/RL that he welcomes the governments plan to offer incentives to young people to join the army. Despite being 21 years old, Vitaliy is not eligible for the benefits because he enlisted before the project was announced. But he said he has no regrets as the money has not been his motivation to fight for his country. I am not angry. Ive already been on vacations, I have traveled to foreign countries, he said. I am going to extend my military contact until we reach the logical conclusion of this war. The European Commission does not comment on the decision of U.S. President Donald Trump to stop support for Ukraine, while at the same time assuring continued support from the European Union. European Commission spokesman Stefan Keersmaecker said at a briefing in Brussels on Tuesday that he did not think they had the right to comment on decisions or announcements made on the other side of the Atlantic. He added that, in his opinion, what remained extremely important was the unwavering support of the European Union for their friends in Ukraine. When asked whether the EU was ready to fill the gap that the Americans could leave, the spokesman drew attention to the letter that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had sent to EU leaders with a plan ReArm Europe, calling for increased defense spending. He stated that this was very important and explained that the President had outlined her ideas, which would be incorporated into the discussions that would take place with the leaders on March 6. He added that they would then see how things would develop further. Asked whether High Representative Kaja Kallas planned to continue with the plan to increase military support for Ukraine, her spokesman Anouar El Anouni said that the High Representative had put forward a new defense initiative to support Ukraine with more ammunition in the short term. He added that he could say this initiative had received broad political support at the last Foreign Affairs Council meeting and that the issue remained under active discussion ahead of the European Council meeting. Asked whether the EU could replace Starlinks, in particular, another spokesman, Thomas Regnier, recalled that the EU was working very hard on Iris Squared. According to him, Iris Squared will only be fully operational by 2030, so in the meantime, they are working on an alternative solution, the so-called GovSatCom, which is essentially a pooling and sharing of existing satellite capabilities in member states. Ukraine has expressed its interest in GovSatCom, and we are currently considering it, he said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the tense Oval Office meeting with US President Donald Trump last week was "regrettable," and that he is willing to work with Trump's "strong leadership" to achieve long-term peace. Zelenskyy's remarks came in a social media post on X, hours after the White House announced a pause in military aid to Ukraine, which is critical to fighting Russia's invasion. "The meeting did not go the way it was supposed to," Zelenskyy said. "It's unfortunate that it happened this way. It's time to make things right. We want future cooperation and communication to be constructive." Saying that "none of us want an endless war," he added that "Ukraine is ready to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring long-term peace closer...My team and I are ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to achieve long-term peace." Zelenskyy thanked the US for its support during the war and said Kyiv was "ready" to sign the US-proposed minerals deal, even though his remarks did not specifically address the US decision to halt aid to Ukraine. Late on March 3, senior US officials told multiple media outlets that Trump had ordered a pause in all military aid to Ukraine, piling pressure on Kyiv to fall in line with US efforts to broker a peace deal with Russia despite a lack of security guarantees for Ukraine. "We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," reports quoted a White House official as saying on condition of anonymity. "The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well." "This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," Fox News quoted a Trump administration official as saying. The suspension will last until Trump determines that Ukraine's leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, according to Bloomberg and Fox News. Speaking from Washington on March 4, US Vice President JD Vance spoke about the US decision to suspend military aid. Vance said the US needs to "get some payback for the incredible financial investment" it has made in Ukraine. When asked if the US would resume providing military aid to Ukraine, Vance says that "everything is on the table" once Kyiv begins negotiating. What Are The Chances Of A Reversal? Reports of the suspension widened the rift between Zelenskyy and the Trump administration, which had long been troubled but split wide open at the White House meeting. The pause amplifies already deafening questions about US support for Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion at a time when Moscow's forces have been gaining ground for many months, albeit at a massive cost in casualties, and Ukraine struggles with manpower problems and other challenges in the biggest war in Europe since 1945. It is likely to add to concerns in Kyiv and among its supporters in the West that Ukraine could be pressured into a cease-fire or a peace deal that favors Moscow. Those worries increased after Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin in mid-February and then sent top officials to meet their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia. The Kremlin welcomed the news. "If its true, then its a decision that really could push the Kyiv regime into a peace process, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "If the United States stops being [an arms supplier] or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace," he said. Any disruption in the flow of US arms to the front line would rapidly weaken Ukraine's chance of beating back Russia's invasion. The suspension applies to "all US military equipment not currently in Ukraine, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland," Bloomberg reported. "The suspension of U.S. assistance for Ukraine is a very unfortunate and significant development, but it may not have immediate impact," Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an expert on the Ukrainian and Russian militaries, wrote in a thread on X. "Ukraine is far less dependent on the U.S. for day to day battlefield needs in 2025, than it was in earlier periods of the war. " "Much depends on the extent [to which] Ukraine has been stockpiling munitions/parts and where Europeans can step in, although in some cases they have low inventories, and in others U.S. retains the ability to deny any transfers," Kofman wrote. "The impact will probably be much more visible in a few months. The pause "will have a bad impact, of course, if you deprive Ukraine of assistance from the United States, whether it's financial aid or military aid," independent military analyst Yury Federov told Current Time. "Military assistance includes not only supplying weapons, ammunition and so on, but it also includes supporting Ukraine by providing intelligence information." "Most experts estimate that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be able to maintain the current pace and intensity of military operations for about six months," he said. "Whether this is correct or not is difficult to say." How Much Aid Is Affected? The precise amount of military aid affected is unclear, but the transfer of $3.85 billion worth of weapons authorized by Congress under Biden had not yet been allocated by the White House. No new military aid has been approved since Trump took office in January. The US Congress has appropriated more than $180 billion in support for Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, about two-thirds of it military aid. "First of all, the suspension of US aid could affect air defense missiles, HIMARS ammunition, and artillery," Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko wrote on Telegram. The United States is the only producer of HIMARS and ATACMS systems and if they run out, Ukraine's ability to strike far behind Russian lines and guard its rear positions will be compromised. Ukrainian politicians voiced dismay at the decision and concern over the tattered ties between Kyiv and Washington. "The dialogue with the United States must be restored immediately, because its rupture will, by and large, benefit only Putin," Iryna Friz, a lawmaker from the opposition European Solidarity bloc in Ukraine's parliament and member of the Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. Friz pointed out that European leaders have also urged Zelenskyy to seek to mend relations with the Trump administration. Roman Kostenko, secretary of the same committee in the Verkhovna Rada, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that the United States was "blackmailing us with these weapons and trying to make us make some concessions." The situation is "very bad, but not catastrophic," he said. "Even if we lose this assistance, there will be no catastrophe, but the situation, of course, will be much worse. Therefore, now we all have to do everything in order not to lose assistance." Prominent Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko said the current US policy on Ukraine, dramatically different from the Biden administrations stance, is part of the new political reality. But tactically, we need to preserve the remnants of the partnership and the ability to buy weapons from the United States and receive intelligence and satellite information, he told Current Time. Fesenko called for changes in Kyivs approach to US ties, including a refusal to bet on personal contacts between Zelenskyy and Trump. This has been Zelenskyy's premise from the very beginning, that the most important thing is his personal relationship with Trump, he said. And what did we see? Unfortunately, it didn't work. In the United States, Democrats in Congress immediately condemned the pause in military aid. "My Republican colleagues who have called Putin a war criminal and promised their continued support to Ukraine must join me in demanding President Trump immediately lift this disastrous and unlawful freeze," said Representative Gregory Meeks (Democrat-New York). The military aid pause came after Zelenskyy's disastrous visit to the White House, which had been expected to produce a deal on joint development of Ukrainian rare minerals and hydrocarbon resources that Trump has cast as a crucial step toward peace between Ukraine and Russia. Instead, a meeting before cameras in the Oval Office devolved into a vocal clash, with Trump and Vance saying that Zelenskyy should be more grateful for US support and is in no position to make demands. The signing of the minerals deal was scrapped, Zelenskyy left the White House early, and Trump said he could "come back when he is ready for peace." Senior US officials blamed Zelenskyy for the blowup and called on him to apologize. On March 3, Trump suggested his patience was running out, criticizing Zelenskyy's resistance to the prospect of a quick cease-fire without the kind of concrete security guarantees Kyiv has been seeking from the United States. What Could End The Military Aid Pause? "What we need to hear from President Zelenskyy is that he has regret for what happened, he's ready to sign this minerals deal, and that he's ready to engage in peace talks," White House national-security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News earlier on March 3. After Zelenskyy was quoted as saying the end of the war is "very, very far away," Trump wrote in a social media post: "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" In the Fox interview, Vance said that the door remains open to the Ukrainians, but that European leaders must tell Zelenskyy that the war cant go on forever. He said they admit this in private but in public tend to "puff" Zelenskyy up. He also defended Trump's position that giving Washington an economic interest in the future of Ukraine will serve as a sound security guarantee. "If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine," Vance said in the interview. "That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years," he added. Trump said on March 3 that he does not believe the minerals deal is dead. With US support deeper in doubt after the Oval Office clash, European leaders moved to take more control of potential peace negotiations and to step up military aid to Ukraine. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on March 3 that there were a "number of options on the table" for a cease-fire agreement to at least temporarily halt fighting sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than three years ago. The statement came after French President Emmanuel Macron told the newspaper Le Figaro that he thought a one-month truce on air, sea, and energy infrastructure would give allies time to assess Russian President Vladimir Putin's commitment to a full and lasting cease-fire. 'Manufactured Escalation,' Says Germany's Merz Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is proposing a "rearm Europe plan" as European governments scramble to mitigate their growing differences with the United States over the war in Ukraine. "We need a massive surge in defense, without any question. We want lasting peace, but lasting peace can only be built on strength, and strength begins with strengthening ourselves," von der Leyen said on March 3. In a letter to EU member states on March 4, she proposed that 800 billion euros ($840 billion) be made available for European defense spending going forward, with 150 billion ($157 billion) euros in new loans for defense investments to be backed by the EU's budget. In some of the strongest European comments yet on the White House standoff, Germany's likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, referred to what he called "manufactured escalation" at the meeting, a thinly veiled criticism of Trump and his administration. "It was not a spontaneous reaction to interventions by Zelenskyy, but obviously a manufactured escalation in this meeting in the Oval Office," Merz told a news conference in Hamburg on March 3, adding that Europe "must now show that we are in a position to act independently." Despite intense and ongoing discussions on boosting Europe's own defense capacities and alarm over warming rhetoric between Moscow and Washington, European leaders say engaging the new US administration is a priority. Merz said he would "advocate doing everything to keep the Americans in Europe." With reporting by AP, Bloomberg, Reuters, Fox News, and The Washington Post Olivia Kelleher The DPP has appealed for leniency a four year sentence which a 22 year old student received for punching, kicking and stamping another man 250 times in a twenty minute attack in Cork. The Court of Appeal sitting in Cork on Monday heard that Darragh McLoughlin of Richmond Hill, Cork pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to the other man at Paul Street in Cork on October 18th, 2022. In a sentencing hearing in Cork Circuit Criminal Court in May of last year Judge Jonathan Dunphy said it was nothing short of miraculous the victim had not suffered life-threatening injuries. Judge Dunphy sentenced McLoughlin to 6 and a half years with two and a half years suspended. CCTV At the sentencing hearing the court was shown a CCTV recording of the assault in which McLoughlin confronted the injured party on Paul Street in Cork. He wrestled him to the ground before beginning a sustained assault on him. The court heard there had been some bad blood between the men. Detective Garda Joe Crowley said gardai had counted 250 separate blows either punches, kicks or stamps by McLoughlin on the injured party. Judge Dunphy noted at the sentencing hearing that many people in court looked away when the CCTV footage of the assault was played. He said that McLoughlin himself could not bring himself to watch it. McLoughlin had used the victims own phone to record a 77-second section of the assault. The phone also had audio on the attack in which he could be heard ordering the injured party to stop protecting himself. He instructs him to put his hands down so he can kick him in the skull unprotected. I counted 14 kicks to the head in that, said Judge Dunphy, adding the victim sustained 50 kicks to the face. The victim suffered multiple fractures of the right eye socket and fractures of nasal bones, and was left with double vision and what was described as an ongoing deformity as a result of the attack. Attack Today at the Court of Appeal the DPP appealed the sentenced handed down to Mr McLoughlin on the basis of undue leniency. Imelda Kelly, Senior Counsel said that the DPP believed the sentence imposed was too low even when mitigating factors such as the guilty plea were taken in to consideration. Ms Kelly said that the attack was ferocious, persistent and prolonged and comprised of punches, kicks and stamps and over 250 blows. She said that other aggravating factors included the dragging of the victim on the ground, telling the man to remove the arm from his face when it was his only protection and the use of demeaning language. Dean Kelly, SC, said thats his client Mr McLoughlin felt abject shame for what had occurred and described his own behaviour as animalistic, shameful and appealing". He said that the suspended two and a half years in the case would be activated in full if McLoughlin became involved in anything resembling drunken behaviour after his release from prison. The three judges Ms Justice Tara Burns, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Mr Justice Michael MacGrath reserved their decision which they will deliver in the Court of Criminal Appeal in Dublin. The date for the appeal decision has yet to be set. Sarah Slater Lockboxes used to store keys for Airbnb-style holiday lets in Dublin will no longer be allowed to be attached to permanent structures in public spaces, such as poles and bike stands. A new Dublin City Council policy was passed on Monday night by councillors at the monthly meeting of the local authority. A report into the issue of lockboxes or key holders was brought before the council by acting executive manager Brendan OBrien. Independent councillor Mannix Flynn said at the meeting that the council has for a long time tried to deal with the issue on our streets. The veteran councillor pointed out that many of these lockboxes are associated with illegal bed and breakfasts, drug dealing which are used to hide drugs and money, as well as prostitution. He said he was very pleased the council was going to remove the lockboxes, but was disappointed that there is a stay of execution of six weeks to allow those who ever put them [lockboxes] to remove them. What is illegal is illegal and at the end of the day they should be removed immediately. Labour councillor Dermot Lacey said both he and Cllr Flynn raised the issue around three years ago to the council and that it is only fair to tourists coming into the city who expect to find keys to where they are staying in a lockbox and to have a lead in time of six weeks before they are removed. Cllr Lacey said lockboxes were dirty and unsightly, as well as being trip hazards. Well done to the traffic and mobility committee for getting this through and to the council for delivering on it. I think its a positive move. Sinn Fein councillor Ciaran O Meachair said the lockboxes were a real symbol of how housing has been turned over to corporate organizations such as Airbnb and short-term rentals. I think it doesnt solve the problem of Airbnb in Dublin but I think its a step in the right direction. Cllr Janet Horner said Dubliners were really keen to see these [lockboxes] gone and that she hoped that there would be a proactive approach to removing them with clippers or angle grinders once the policy is enacted. Social Democrats councillor Cat ODriscoll reiterated that the new rule does not affect lockboxes on private property. The acting executive manager reassured councillors that lockboxes would be "removed straight away when any are reported to the council by public representatives and members of the public. Mr OBrien added that they have attempted to the best of their ability reached out to operators of which there are several and not just Airbnb over the issue and to date we havent had much feedback from them but we do intend to keep on with that process. Childrens Books Ireland and An Post are reminding children and families in Roscommon to claim their free World Book Day titles, from Irish authors and illustrators including Paddy Donnelly, Aine Ni Ghlinn and Andrew Whitson AKA Mr. Ando, in time for this years World Book Day Ireland on Thursday, 6th March. Sponsored by National Book Tokens and delivered by An Post in partnership with Childrens Books Ireland, World Book Day Ireland is making books and reading more accessible than ever. Families and children in Roscommon are encouraged to use their 1.50 World Book Day tokens, available now through schools, online, and in bookshops, to claim one of 14 specially curated titles before 23rd March. Speaking about World Book Day Ireland, Elaina Ryan, CEO of Childrens Books Ireland said: Read Your Way is the main message of this years World Book Day Ireland and that means encouraging children and young people to enjoy the pleasure that comes from reading...whether thats a graphic novel, audiobook, Irish language publication, or one of the 14 brilliant World Book Day titles available for readers aged from 0teen. We also encourage families in Roscommon to take part in the events being planned to celebrate the day and as always, to visit their local library to discover more great books. Schools, libraries and bookshops across the country will mark the day with celebrations including storytelling sessions, and costume challenges where pupils to dress up as their favourite character from a book. Mary Steurer, North Dakota Monitor, northdakotamonitor.com An attorney representing the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline told a jury of Morton County residents on last Wednesday morning that Greenpeace was secretly behind the protests that halted its construction back in 2016. "They didn't think that there would ever be a day of reckoning, but that day of reckoning starts today," Trey Cox said in opening arguments for Energy Transfer's case against the environmental group. Energy Transfer is expected to spend the next two weeks presenting its case. The full trial is scheduled for five weeks, not including jury deliberation. The company says that Greenpeace backed unlawful, destructive behavior by Dakota Access Pipeline protesters who camped near the Standing Rock Reservation in 2016 and 2017. It also says that Greenpeace launched a misinformation campaign to undermine the project, causing a six-month construction delay and inflating the pipeline's financing costs. Energy Transfer seeks roughly $300 million from Greenpeace. In his opening, Cox said Energy Transfer will show the protests started out peaceful but took a turn after Greenpeace arrived on the scene. He said Greenpeace harmed Energy Transfer's reputation by falsely claiming that Energy Transfer was careless in its management of the project, and that the energy company's security contractors used extreme violence against peaceful demonstrators. The demonstrations were in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which says the pipeline violates tribal sovereignty, disrupts sacred sites and endangers its water supply. Cox also said he will present evidence that Greenpeace paid for six of its employees to embed within the protest camps and to train protesters. That includes communication records in which Greenpeace employees say the organization successfully put public pressure on federal regulators to delay an easement to cross Lake Oahe, a reservoir on the Missouri River near the Standing Rock Reservation, Cox said. Cox claimed Greenpeace falsely claimed that the pipeline crossed into the Standing Rock Reservation and that the pipeline bulldozed numerous archeological zones. Energy Transfer alleges Greenpeace's statements about the Dakota Access Pipeline caused eight banks to back out of financing the pipeline's construction. Greenpeace denies all of Energy Transfer's claims, and says Energy Transfer is unfairly targeting the environmental group to intimidate activists. Attorneys provided three separate opening statements for Greenpeace - one for the organization's U.S. branch, one for its international branch and a third for a nonprofit called Greenpeace Fund. Everett Jack, lead attorney representing the U.S. arm of Greenpeace, said Energy Transfer will not be able to provide evidence that Greenpeace was responsible for any of the financial harms the company suffered due to the protests. He said that the demonstrations gained momentum well before Greenpeace got involved. The alleged destruction of Native sacred sites, confrontations between security and protesters and significant developments in the pipelines' permitting process all caused the protests to swell independent of any action by the environmental group, Jack said. He added it is Greenpeace's policy not to get involved in Indigenous rights matters unless tribal communities ask them to. "Why did Greenpeace get involved? Because it was asked, and only because it was asked," he said. Jack said that despite this, Energy Transfer is attempting to blame all of its unbudgeted expenses related to the pipeline on Greenpeace. He also said that Greenpeace never claimed the pipeline crossed through the Standing Rock Reservation. Greenpeace stated that the pipeline crosses unceded land recognized as belonging to the Sioux Nation in an 1851 treaty with the U.S. government, Jack said. Jack said that the delayed construction and additional financing costs stemmed from the federal government's decision to delay an easement, as well as a lawsuit brought by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against the Army Corps of Engineers. Attorneys for Greenpeace International and Greenpeace Fund said their respective organizations never had any employees go to the protests and did not support the demonstrations financially. Many members of the jury pool on Monday disclosed that they have negative memories of how the protests affect their community. Some also said they worked in the energy industry. Energy Transfer in 2019 donated $3 million to the city of Mandan, where the trial is being held, for improvements to the library and downtown plaza. Greenpeace on Tuesday made another plea to Gion to move the lawsuit to a different court. Gion denied the request, according to Deepa Padmanabha, Greenpeace senior legal advisor. The plaintiffs and defendants are represented by teams of lawyers from elite law firms, including some who are monitoring the trial from a remote livestream. The livestream is not open to the public. Gion remained in opposition to recording, photography or the use of electronic devices in the courtroom. He warned Wednesday morning that any attorneys found in violation of these restrictions could face sanctions. The court needs to "have control of what goes out there so we don't have a problem with sequestration of witnesses," he said. A group of attorneys monitoring the trial on Wednesday afternoon asked the North Dakota Supreme Court to review Gion's decision to deny live streaming access to the public. A ruling against Greenpeace could hurt First Amendment rights and the climate movement, the group said in a press conference outside the courthouse. "The law that can come down in this case can affect any demonstration," said Marty Garbus, who has represented civil rights figures in several high-profile cases, including Leonard Peltier, Nelson Mandela and Daniel Ellsberg. In a separate lawsuit over the pipeline, the state of North Dakota seeks $38 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Crops has jurisdiction over the portion of the pipeline that passes underneath Lake Oahe, and owns the land that became site of the largest protest camp during the demonstrations. North Dakota alleges that by allowing protesters to use its land, the Army Corps caused the protests to spiral out of control, causing the state to incur $38 million in damages. A judge has yet to rule on the case. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in October filed another lawsuit against the Army Corps for allowing the pipeline to continue operating without an easement. WILLISTON ND--American State Bank & Trust Company (ASB) is proud to support the community by donating a collection of handmade quilts to the Family Crisis Shelter. These quilts, which were purchased at the recent St. Joseph's Mardi Gras Auction, will provide warmth and comfort to families in need. "At ASB, we believe in giving back to the community in meaningful ways," says Dave Hanson, President/CEO. "We are pleased to donate these beautiful handmade quilts in hopes that they bring a sense of comfort to those who need it most." ASB has a longstanding commitment to community service and outreach. This donation is part of the bank's broader efforts to support local organizations that make a difference in the lives of residents. The Family Crisis Shelter is a 24-hour, 7 day-a-week, crisis intervention program for victims and families of domestic violence and sexual assault, serving a tri-county area of northwestern North Dakota. "We are grateful for ASB's thoughtful donation," said Marie Collins, executive director of the center. "They will be put to great use and remind the families we serve that our community cares deeply about their wellbeing." Photo: https://ksf.openukraine.org/en Former Prime Minister of Ukraine (2014-2016) Arseniy Yatsenyuk, former Prime Minister of Australia (2013-15) Tony Abbott, former Prime Minister of Sweden (1991-1994) Carl Bildt, and former Prime Minister of Estonia (2014-16) Taavi Roivas addressed U.S. President Donald Trump with an appeal to resume dialogue at the highest level between Washington and Kyiv and support the proposals made by their colleagues during the Summit in London, the initiator of the appeal, head of the Kyiv Security Forum Arseniy Yatsenyuk, reported on his Facebook page on Tuesday. "Recent events have heightened tensions on both sides of the Atlantic. As longstanding friends of America, deeply invested in the well-being of the American people and the strength of its relations with our nations, we write to express our unwavering support for the unity of America and Europe - a foundation of global peace and security," the statement notes. "Americas adversaries seek to dismantle this historically strong alliance, believing that its collapse would lead to the decline of both your nation and ours. They do not expect bold and decisive leadership capable of reinforcing this alliance through shared responsibility. We urge you to pursue precisely such leadership - one that will serve as a defining contribution to our collective future," the former prime ministers noted. The statement calls on the U.S. president to resume dialogue between Washington and Kyiv. "We call upon you to restore high-level dialogue between Washington D.C. and Kyiv and to endorse the prudent and forward-thinking proposals presented by our colleagues at the recent London Summit," they emphasize. It is noted that Russia inherently expects to win not on the battlefield, but through deception and manipulation. "Only through steadfast support for Ukraine, stronger defense commitments from Western nations, increased contributions from European allies, tougher sanctions on Russia, and a policy of peace through strength can we compel Russia to seek a genuine and lasting peace," the statement notes. Big Horn Leasing LLC, Sidney, currently has a groundwater permit for water marketing purposes pending. The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is currently analyzing the objections that were submitted by the February '24 deadline. If any of the objections are determined to be valid and facts are provided that explain how or why one or more of the application criteria are not met, then the application will be set for a contested case proceeding. If the permit is approved, it will allow the diversion of water year-round from three wells at a cumulative rate of 142 gallons per minute (GPM), at a volume of 229-acre feet (AF). These wells are located on property Tim Partin, Big Horn Leasing LLC., owns 6.5 miles SW of Sidney. DNRC Glasgow Regional Office issued a Draft Preliminary Determination to Grant (Draft PD), on Oct. 7, 2024, which was issued after Partin, had provided the necessary documents along with his Water Right Permit Application. Agencies consulted during preparation of the Environmental Assessment include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, USDA Web Soil Survey, National Wetlands Inventory, and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, with the determination being "no significant impact". In the Preliminary Determination to Grant, physical availability was proven to be there. The DNRC deemed the application met the six legal water quantity requirements, including physical availability, legal availability, adverse effect, adequacy of diversion, beneficial use, and possessory interest. The Draft PD was then sent out for public comment, and received 21 comments from other water rights holders along Highway 200 who draw water from the Fort Union Formation Aquifer. Brought into question was physical availability, legal availability, adverse effects, diversion works, beneficial use, water quality, and illegal water use. After reviewing all public comments, the DNRC determined that the application met the six water quantity criteria assessments. Some neighbors of the property in question are not satisfied with the DNRC's determination, the ultimate concern being the sustainability of their wells with 100% consumptive water usage being permitted at 142 GPM and at 229 AF. Daniela Bennion lives about three miles from the site and explained that in August 2024 she noticed her water was discolored yellow, and that by October it had black silt in it. Other area residents observed sand in their water, decreased water pressure, and one resident stated in their comments that their well was "sucking air". All noted issues among property owners occurred in the same time frame. Many things were brought into question, such as why an aquifer test from 2013 was used, especially given that Montana has been in one of the worst droughts on record, beginning in 2020. DNRC's Communications Director Moira Davin explained, "Aquifer tests use collected data along with mathematical models to estimate aquifer properties. The aquifer properties demonstrate an aquifer's ability to move and store water and water levels in the aquifer may change throughout a season, or from year to year. The aquifer properties such as transmissivity, or how easily water moves through the porous rock/sediment aquifer, typically do not change over time, especially in a sandstone aquifer. A long-term drought can impact how much groundwater is available from year to year but would not impact how that water moves through the aquifer." According to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, "Instream right volume was calculated by multiplying the flow rate times 1.98 times the number of days in each month, for a total yearly volume of 3,266,857." Another issue is the aquifer's ability to replenish, (which happens via infiltration of snowmelt, rain water, irrigation system losses, and surface water sources (rivers, streams, canals, ponds, etc.). "The DNRC models the aquifer as if it is infinite in extent and the world is a flat surface. They include the Yellowstone River as a constant head boundary, or able to provide water to the aquifer. The river surface is over 150 feet below the aquifer in question," stated commenter, water rights holder, and Richland County Conservation District administrator, Julie Goss. Independent hydrogeologist Kevin Chandler became involved in the fall of 2024 after being asked to review the permit application. Chandler worked as a hydrogeologist for the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology for 12 years, reaching the level of associate professor, and much of that time was spent studying the aquifers around Sidney and Medicine Lake. He has developed numerical groundwater models of the West Crane, Clear Lake, Fox Hills, Tongue River, West Billings aquifers. Chandler began studying groundwater in 1997, and fought to establish the Horse Creek Controlled Groundwater Area near Absarokee, MT. "I think the biggest issue with this current problem is that everything in the DNRC's determination of physical and legal availability is based on one inadequate aquifer test from 2013 with no consideration for the geology of the Tongue River Formation," he said. Chandler stated in response to MT DNRC Findings of Fact for Water Right Permit No. 42M 30163320, "There is no evidence that the water from the Yellowstone River flows miles laterally and hundreds of feet uphill into the aquifer in question. Nor is there evidence for significant groundwater flow from the aquifer in question to the river. They (DNRC) provide no hydrologic or geochemical evidence to support this claim." For every assessment criterium, commentors raised concerns, questioning whether or not the DNRC had done its due diligence. One of the most controversial issues was that of alleged illegal water usage, which has been blamed for surrounding wells' various issues in the late summer/early fall of 2024. Some neighbors have concerns that pumping occurred in 2024, before the permit was approved, however the DNRC's authority and resources are limited, and enforcement work is complaint driven. DNRC had not received any complaints about suspected illegal use in this area until mid-February, when it received two complaints. DNRC is now in the process of investigating those complaints. Partin explains that the water in the holding pits had been sitting for years, and that he pumped the water from one pit to another in order to make repairs to pit liners. He ultimately sold that water to a fracking company, but never did any well pumping. Additionally, former owners of the property in question took everything of value prior to selling the land, and Partin had to trench in new power lines, which are the lines that neighbors saw laid out around the property. He suggested that varying well depths and irrigation could be possible causes for water issues. "There are nine documented irrigation wells within eight miles of this property, using a cumulative rate of 9,000 GPM," Partin said, and added, "Water pressure is affected by a weak pump or pressure switch, not the lack of water." He also mentioned that in order to apply for the permit, he had to apply for the maximum flow rate, as that is what is required for the permit application. "That is what I had to apply for, that's not what I intend to use," he stated. Still, landowners are not satisfied with the pending permit, as the DNRC has stated that there are 1367 active ground water rights located within the zone of influence, and of those water rights, 243 completed in the source aquifer that may experience drawdown greater than or equal to one foot. Should the water level of the aquifer drastically drop, wells would potentially pull sand and silt and ultimately be ruined, leaving residents to make the decision to spend tens of thousands of dollars drilling deeper wells, or to access the Dry Red Water Authority (DRWA). The DRWA connection fee is $5,000 with an option to have that fee put on property taxes to be paid over the next 20 years, and monthly water bills following. If this scenario became a reality, the implications would be devastating for some, especially to anyone with livestock. With that in mind, it is important to understand that there are 36,309 AF of water in the aquifer, of which 25,298 AF is available for appropriation for beneficial uses, like marketable water. "Water marketing is recognized by statute as a beneficial use of water," stated Davin. Residents have not been convinced that this permit is of beneficial use, despite Partin meeting all the legal requirements, and Bennion has reached out to Montana Senators and Representatives. Montana Senator Gregg Hunter responded saying, "Once illegal pumping was suspected, the permit process should've been stopped. There needs to be a policy change. It appears there is no governing entity and it needs to be addressed some way, somehow." Senator Hunter is hoping to sit down with an experienced water rights lawyer, the DNRC director, the Department of Environmental Quality director, Bennion, and possibly Governor Gianforte to understand what can and can't be done, and how to address these issues going forward. Requirements tied to this permit include that all water must stay within the state and water can only be acquired by the water contract holder. Water reporting will be done by said water contract holder to be submitted annually or upon request of the DNRC. Also, should senior water right holders have issues with their water, they may contact junior water right holders to have water usage stopped. Commenters want to make it known that they have no issues with fracking or oil companies in the area, but believe that water for fracking should not come from potable freshwater aquifers. Partin explained that the wells he will be pumping from are considerably closer to the locations he needs to haul water to, saving him 45 minutes roundtrip, and increasing efficiency. He also mentioned that he owns a farm that draws water from the same aquifer. "Why would I run my own farm out of water?" he questioned. "I have 3,000 acres of land just over the hill from this property, so for every foot of precipitation, which is 14" annually in Richland County, that is 3,000 AF. I'm asking to use 229 AF of those 3,000 AF and the rest goes into the aquifer." The effects of the permit remain to be seen and Bennion along with other concerned neighbors plan to pursue legislative changes for the protection of all groundwater rights in the state. "They (DNRC) are not being good stewards of our resources," said Bennion. "I would like proper science and good stewardship from our government." To become involved in protecting groundwater rights, visit http://www.montanacleanwater.com. Watford City, ND - McKenzie Health is excited to officially introduce Dr. Jenna Sloan, OBGYN, to the community. Dr. Sloan is the newest member of the obstetrics and women's health team and brings with her a deep commitment to advancing women's healthcare in rural communities. Dr. Sloan joins McKenzie Health from Hays Medical Center in Kansas, where she was part of a team that performed between 600 and 700 deliveries annually. "We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jenna Sloan to McKenzie Health," said Pete Edis, CEO. "Her dedication to rural healthcare aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver compassionate, patient-focused care while building meaningful relationships with those we serve." Dr. Sloan provides comprehensive obstetrics and gynecology services, including well-woman care such as Pap smears and preventive health screenings, as well as routine and high-risk prenatal and postpartum care. She offers a range of contraceptive options, including IUDs, and specializes in routine and advanced procedures such as colposcopy, LEEP, and performs gynecological surgeries, such as ovarian cyst removal, hysterectomy, and myomectomy using minimally invasive techniques. Her areas of focus include managing heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, pelvic pain,perimenopause and menopause symptoms, painful intercourse, vulvar conditions, pelvic organ prolapse, and weight management. Dr. Sloan is also deeply committed to maternal mental health and improving access to mental health services for mothers and expectant mothers. Dr. Sloan holds a bachelor's degree in microbiology with a secondary major in natural resources and environmental science from Kansas State University (2008). She earned her medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 2013 and completed her residency at Baylor Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Temple, TX. Originally from Hays, KS, Dr. Sloan is a proud mother to three children, ages 9, 7, and 4. Her husband, a civil engineer, and their family enjoy life on their farm, where Dr. Sloan loves biking, reading, and spending time outdoors with her family. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit McKenzieHealth.com or call 701-444-2235. McKenzie Health is committed to quality services, continuity of care, assurance of qualified staff, and family involvement for individual patients and clients. Headquartered in Watford City, the organization consists of a 24-bed Critical Access Hospital, Rural Health Clinic, Specialty Clinics, Urgent Care, Good Shepherd Home (long-term care), Horizon Assisted Living, and Connie Wold Wellness Center. WOLF POINT, MT Missouri River Country is looking for enthusiastic individuals passionate about tourism promotion to serve on its Board of Directors. There are currently positions open. Board members play a crucial role in boosting local economies, promoting events, and attracting visitors to Northeast Montana. This is a great opportunity to represent your community and contribute to the regions tourism growth. If youre interested or would like more information, please reach out to the Missouri River Country office. In addition, Missouri River Country is now accepting applications for its Cooperative Marketing Grant Program, available to nonprofit tourism organizations in Northeast Montana. These funds support marketing projects designed to bring in visitors from outside the local area, helping to grow tourism and extend traveler stays. The Cooperative Marketing Funds operate on a 50/50 matching basis, with Missouri River Country covering half of the marketing costs. Funded through state bed tax dollars, this grant program is offered annually through an application process. Previously funded projects include: - Community and museum brochures - Billboards and signage - Event advertising and promotions Nonprofit organizations interested in applying can find guidelines and applications at http://www.missouririvermt.com or contact the Missouri River Country tourism office at 1-800-653-1319 or PO Box 118, Fort Peck, MT 59223. Missouri River Country is Montanas northeastern tourism region, covering Garfield, McCone, Phillips, Valley, Sheridan, Daniels, Richland, and Roosevelt counties, as well as the Fort Peck Reservation. The organization is managed by a Board of Directors appointed by County Commissioners, Chamber of Commerce, or any other Missouri River Country Board Member. For more information, visit http://www.missouririvermt.com or call 1-800-653-1319. The public is invited to the 50th anniversary Economic Outlook Seminar, Tuesday, March 11, at MSU Richland County Extension, 1499 N. Central Ave. Montanas AI Future: Rethinking How to Staff and Run Your Business will inform attendants about local and state economy, with reporting on the economy of Montana by the University of Montanas Business Bureau of Economic Research. The seminar is usually $99, but with code: EOS25YZONQ it will be $50. Visit EconomicOutlookSeminar.com and click the Register Now button in the upper right to sign up for the event. Introductions begin at 8 a.m., followed by Montanas AI Future: Rethinking How to Staff and Run Your Business presented by Patrick Barkey, Director of Research, BBER; U.S. and Montana Outlook presented by Jeff Michael, director, BBER; Health Care Outlook presented by Patrick Barkey, Director of Research, BBER; Tourism and Recreation Outlook presented by Melissa Weddell, director, ITRR; Housing and Construction Outlook presented by Jeff Michael, director, BBER; Agriculture Economic Outlook, presented by Joel Schumacher, MSU Extension Specialist; Will Montana Benefit from the Federal Government Energy Policy Reset? presented by Patrick Barkey, Director of Research, BBER; Richland County Outlook presented by Patrick Barkey, Director of Research, BBER; Local Economic Report presented by Leslie Messer, Richland Economic Development executive director; Ag Policy Update presented by Joel Schumacher, MSU Extension specialist. There will be a lunch break from 11:50 a.m.-12:10 p.m. before Robots Are Here to Steal Your JobOr Make It Way Better: How AI is Changing Work, Hiring, and the Quest for Happy Humans presented by Paul Gladen, University of Montana associate vice president for Research and Economic Development. The half-day session will conclude at 12:50 p.m. For more information or for help registering, contact Shannon Furniss, University of Montana Marketing and Communications director with the Bureau of Business and Economic Research, at 406- 243-2782. Court issued orders regarding the famous pastor of Punjab A woman has accused him of molestation, and he was to appear in court today but did not show up. Court issued orders regarding the famous pastor of Punjab Bajinder latest news: Popular preacher Pastor Profit Bajinder has landed himself in trouble. A woman has accused him of molestation, and he was to appear in court today but did not show up. Therefore, a non-bailable warrant has been issued against him. Earlier, Bajinder had threatened to close down the whole state of Punjab on March 12th with the help of politicians if the case against him was not withdrawn. Advertisement The case is about a woman from Kapurthala who had accused Pastor Profit Bajinder of molestation and raised concerns for her and her family's safety. Her parents, as per her complaint, started going to the Church of Glory and Wisdom in Tajpur in 2017, where Pastor Bajinder held Christian congregations. The pastor, in this period, took her phone number and began sending obscene messages and making indecent calls. The lady also claimed that the pastor started seating her by herself in his cabin at the church in 2022 and would touch her inappropriately when she was by herself. She is afraid of her life and that of her family and suspects that the pastor could have them murdered. Advertisement According to her, if anything happens to her or her family members, Pastor Profit Bajinder and Avtar would be held accountable. The police have launched an investigation into the incident. (For More News Apart Court issued orders regarding the famous pastor of Punjab Bajinder stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Canada Warns of Retaliation Against US Tariffs with Threats to Energy, Mineral Exports President Trump needs to pull back, when asked whether he sees any hope for a delay in the tariffs. Canada Warns of Retaliation Against US Tariffs with Threats to Energy, Mineral Exports latest news: Canadas Ontario Premier, Doug Ford, has warned the U.S. of retaliation if it imposes the expected tariffs on Canada. In an interview with NBC on Monday afternoon, Premier Doug Ford stated that for the sake of both the American and Canadian people, President Trump needs to pull back, when asked whether he sees any hope for a delay in the tariffs. He said,"It is going to be an absolute disaster for both countries. We are the largest trading partner. I dont want to respond, but we will respond like they have never seen before. Advertisement You need our uranium, our potash, and our high-grade nickel. I will stockpile our high-grade nickel, which accounts for 50% of your military and manufacturing needs, along with your aluminum, steel, and lumber. It will be an absolute disaster, and this is all due to one personPresident Trump. I have talked to countless Republican and Democratic governors, senators, and members of Congress. I love the U.S.; I lived there for 20 years. They are all saying this is the craziest thing someone could ever do. It is going to create massive problems." Ford emphasized that retaliatory actions are not his first choice but might become necessary. It is the last thing I want to do, he added. Advertisement Meanwhile, President Trump announced on Monday that a 25-percent tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters at the White House earlier, Trump was asked if there was anything Canada could do to try and hold off the tariffs. He responded, "No room left for Mexico or Canada. Theyre all set; they go into effect tomorrow." Trumps Tariff Decision: According to a report published in Shine on February 1, President Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25-percent tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, along with a 10-percent tariff increase specifically targeting Canadian energy products. Advertisement Reports suggest that Trump is taking this step to pressure Mexico and Canada into enforcing stricter measures to combat illegal migration and drug trafficking into the U.S. (For More News Apart Canada Warns of Retaliation Against US Tariffs with Threats to Energy, Mineral Exports stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) "No Room Left" for Canada or Mexico to escape says Donald Trump Trump ordered 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as a further 10% on products from China. "No Room Left" for Canada or Mexico to escape says Donald Trump latest news: US President Donald Trump has assured that there is "no room left" for Canada or Mexico to escape the US tariffs that will be implemented on March 4. In a Monday investment announcement, Trump said that the tariffs are "all set and are going to effect" as scheduled. In early February, Trump ordered 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as a further 10% on products from China. On February 4, he suspended the tariffs on Mexico and Canada for 30 days on the grounds of new promises from the two nations to enhance border security. But Trump has now decided to go ahead with the tariffs, saying that there is still smuggling of illegal drugs, especially fentanyl, from Canada and Mexico. Advertisement Trump also posted a message on Truth Social, calling on American farmers to gear up for higher domestic sales of farm products since tariffs on foreign products will become effective on April 2. He reiterated that drugs must be halted or greatly curtailed from entering the US, noting that the imposed tariffs will come into effect as planned. Aside from the tariffs imposed on Canada and Mexico, China will also be hit with an additional 10% tariff beginning on March 4. Trump emphasized that the April 2 reciprocal tariff deadline will be in full force and effect. (For More News Apart "No Room Left" for Canada or Mexico to escape says Donald Trump stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) President Donald Trump Freezes U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine after Oval Office Argument Donald Trump has temporarily paused military aid to Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia. President Donald Trump Freezes U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine after Oval Office Argument latest news: U.S. President Donald Trump has temporarily paused military aid to Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia. The decision comes days after a heated exchange with his Ukrainian counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the Oval Office last Saturday. Advertisement During the meeting, Zelenskyy sought security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression, but Trump rejected the request, telling Zelensky to Come back when hes ready for peace. Reports indicate that Trump held multiple meetings with top national security officials at the White House before making the decision. There is no report of how long the pause would last. The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, a White House official said. Advertisement Officials stated that the halt will apply to all military equipment not yet delivered to Ukraine and is a direct response to what Trump perceives as Zelenskyys bad behavior last week. During the Oval Office meeting, Trump reportedly told Zelenskyy, You gotta be more thankful. Because, let me tell you, you dont have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you dont have any cards. He further added, Once we sign this deal, you are in a much better position. But you are not acting at all thankful, and thats not a nice thing. Ill be honest. Thats not a nice thing. Advertisement Zelenskyys office has not yet responded to the decision. According to a report published by Reuters, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated, By halting military aid to Ukraine, President Trump has given Putin a clear opportunity to intensify his violent aggression against innocent Ukrainians. The consequences will undoubtedly be severe. (For More News Apart President Donald Trump Freezes U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine after Oval Office Argument stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) The situation at Zaporizhia NPP (ZNPP), which has been occupied for three years, is critically difficult and as long as the Russian Federation continues to hold the station, the world is on the verge of a nuclear, radiation and environmental disaster. Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Haluschenko said this on Facebook on the occasion of the third anniversary of the station's occupation on March 4 on Tuesday. "The enemy continues to militarize Zaporizhia NPP and the adjacent occupied territories, blocks access to the station site for Ukrainian personnel. Due to the incompetent actions of the occupiers, the degradation of the station's equipment and security systems continues," he noted. In addition, the term of residence of nuclear fuel in the reactors is expiring. Due to constant shelling, ZNPP periodically remains literally on one power line, which threatens a nuclear incident, as it creates a danger to the cooling of nuclear reactors. The effectiveness of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission at the station has been significantly reduced, as the Russian Federation continues to limit the communication of the agency's experts with the station's personnel and block access to some areas and premises of ZNPP. As Haluschenko recalled, since the capture of ZNPP by Russian troops, the station has suffered significant damage and experienced more than one fire. "Furthermore, there was a deliberate militarization of the nuclear power plant by the enemy. Despite the fact that this is a nuclear facility with a strict security regime, the Russian occupiers placed military equipment and ammunition on the station site, shelling neighboring cities from its territory," he wrote. According to the minister, this was followed by the kidnapping and intimidation of personnel, the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station and the reservoir, numerous provocations and blackouts at the nuclear facility itself. At the same time, all the rules of nuclear and radiation safety were violated and continue to be violated. "The world, together with us, with Ukraine, must direct all efforts to stop Russia's nuclear blackmail - demilitarization and deoccupation of ZNPP, the return of the station under full control of Ukraine and the restoration of its safe operation," Haluschenko emphasized. February 4, 2025 A roundup of local and international news. Newsflash Newsroom, 04.03.2025, 13:55 A roundup of local and international news. PLAN European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a new fund on Tuesday that could mobilize almost 800 billion euros for defense investment in the European Union. The money would be spent on supporting Ukraine and taking more responsibility for our own European security, the EC leader said. We are in an era of re-armament, and Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending, the EC chief said. According to her, the Commission is to provide loans worth 150 billion euros to be used for air and missile defense, artillery systems, missiles and ammunition, drones and anti-drone systems, as well as to meet other needs, from cybersecurity to military mobility. With this equipment, member states can massively increase their support for Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen said. WEAPONS Washington has decided to suspend military aid to Ukraine following a dispute between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, White House officials confirmed to Bloomberg, Fox News and CNN. The pause will last until Donald Trump determines that Ukrainian leaders demonstrate a good faith commitment to peace, according to Bloomberg and Fox News reports. All deliveries of US military equipment that are not currently on Ukrainian territory will be suspended, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit zones in Poland. The US president has taken on the views of Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks, falsely claiming that Ukraine started the war and accusing Volodymyr Zelensky of being a dictator, but his decision to stop providing military aid is a step that could have real consequences for the balance of power in the conflict and strengthen Putins position, CNN notes. DEFENSE Romanias acting President, Ilie Bolojan, had a telephone conversation on Monday with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, on which occasion he thanked Romania for its contribution to the alliance, welcomed the increase in Bucharests defense budget and reaffirmed the commitment of NATO and the United States to collective defense and Article 5, the Presidential Administration reports. President Bolojan said that NATO remains the main guarantor of Romanias security, and Article 5 is the one that most effectively deters threats and attacks against allies. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, he highlighted the need for a just and lasting peace, as well as the importance of maintaining support for this country. MOLDOVA The European Union will allocate this year to the Republic of Moldova an additional aid of 60 million euros to strengthen its defense capabilities, the European Council President Antonio Costa said in ChisinauThe European official specified that, under the European Peace Facility, created to support the defense capabilities of various countries, the Republic of Moldova is the second beneficiary, with about 37 million euros allocated so far. Costa visited Chisinau on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Republic of Moldovas application for EU membership. INVESTORS Representatives of foreign investors in Romania, who had talks with interim President Ilie Bolojan, highlighted the need for reforms aimed at cutting red tape, improving administrative efficiency and creating a sustainable fiscal framework, the Presidential Administration reports. The need for strategic investments in infrastructure, education, health and in value-added sectors, such as technology hubs, biomethane production and data centers, was discussed. Talks focused on attracting and continuously developing investments in the national economy, given the importance of political stability, fiscal predictability and maintaining a favorable climate for investors. President Ilie Bolojan reaffirmed Romanias commitment to a firm Euro-Atlantic path, emphasizing that this framework provides security to investors and contributes to the long-term development of the economy. Bolojan emphasized that Romanias economic development depends on attracting investment, access to modern technology and openess towards international markets. PONTIFF Pope Francis, who suffered two episodes of acute respiratory failure on Monday afternoon, remained conscious and cooperative, the Vatican announced. The pontiff had difficulty breathing and returned to non-invasive mechanical ventilation. It has been 19 days since Pope Francis, 88, was hospitalized at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, following a diagnosis of double pneumonia. Doctors maintain a reserved prognosis, given the complexity of his condition, and hundreds of Catholics gathered in St. Peters Square for the eighth consecutive evening to pray for the Pontiffs health. (EE) February 4, 2025 UPDATE A roundup of local and international news. Newsflash Newsroom, 04.03.2025, 19:51 NATO. Romanias acting President, Ilie Bolojan, had a telephone conversation on Monday with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, during which the latter thanked Romania for its contribution to the alliance, welcomed the increase in Bucharests defence budget and reaffirmed the commitment of NATO and the United States to collective defence and Article 5, the presidents office said. Ilie Bolojan said that NATO remains the main guarantor of Romanias security, and Article 5 is the one that most effectively deters threats and attacks against allies. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, he highlighted the need for a just and lasting peace, as well as the importance of maintaining support for this country. Investors. Representatives of foreign investors in Romania, who had talks with interim President Ilie Bolojan, highlighted the need for reforms aimed at cutting red tape, improving administrative efficiency and creating a sustainable fiscal framework, the presidents office said in a statement. The need for strategic investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare and in value-added sectors, such as technology hubs, biomethane production and data centres, was discussed. Talks focused on attracting and continuously developing investments in the national economy, given the importance of political stability, fiscal predictability and maintaining a favourable climate for investors. President Ilie Bolojan reaffirmed Romanias strong commitment to the Euro-Atlantic path, emphasising that this framework provides security to investors and contributes to the long-term development of the economy. Bolojan emphasised that Romanias economic development depends on attracting investment, access to modern technology and openness towards international markets. Aid. Washington has decided to suspend military aid to Ukraine following an argument between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, White House officials confirmed to Bloomberg, Fox News and CNN. The pause will last until Donald Trump determines that Ukrainian leaders demonstrate a good faith commitment to peace, according to Bloomberg and Fox News. All deliveries of US military equipment that are not currently on Ukrainian territory will be suspended, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit zones in Poland. In recent weeks, the US president has echoed the views of Russian President Vladimir Putin, falsely claiming that Ukraine started the war and accusing Volodymyr Zelensky of being a dictator, but his decision to halt military aid is a step that could have real consequences for the balance of power in the conflict and strengthen Putins position, CNN notes. Defence. The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday proposed a new defence package that could mobilise almost 800 billion euros for investments in the defence area in the European Union. The funds are aimed at supporting Ukraine and for Europe to shoulder more responsibility for its own security. In its ReArm Europe plan, von der Leyen also proposed that member states should have more freedom in complying with the Unions otherwise strict rules on debt and deficit when it comes to defence spending, as well as the possibility to reallocate available regional development funds to military investment. In Bucharest, Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu welcomed the proposals to exempt defence spending from the excessive deficit procedure, emphasising that this something that Romania has constantly called for. Europe must be prepared to uphold its security and defence, as reflected in todays Von der Leyens proposal to Rearm Europe, Marcel Ciolacu posted on social media. Foreign Ministry. The Romanian foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the recent allegations made by the Russian special services are ridiculous and completely groundless and part of a series of hybrid actions conducted by the Russian Federation in order to undermine democracy in Romania. These activities, which include public messages, and campaigns to influence and meddle with the democratic processes, are intended to destroy trust in the authorities and criticise Romanias membership to the European Union and NATO, the ministry also said. Earlier, the SVR, Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, said in a statement that EU leaders are clearly behind the decision to bring charges against Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu, who is suspected of links, or at least affinities, with Putins Russia. (CM) Romania and NATOs Eastern Flank NATO is Romanias main security guarantor, the countrys president, Ilie Bolojan, has reiterated Photo: www.presidency.ro (Presedintele interimar Ilie Bolojan) Stefan Stoica, 04.03.2025, 14:00 Romanias interim president, Ilie Bolojan, spoke by phone with NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, on Monday, when he said that the North Atlantic Alliance remains the main guarantor of Romanias security. Article 5, which provides that an armed attack against one of the allies is considered an attack against all the members, is the one, which most effectively discourages threats and attacks against NATO members, president Bolojan explained. The leader in Bucharest also insisted over the importance of the transatlantic relation and the US presence in Europe, which are crucial in his opinion for the security of the continent. Romania continues to contribute to the stability and security of NATOs Eastern Flank together with its partners and is supporting the consolidation of security in the Black Sea region, Bolojan underlined. The president explained that Bucharest, which is presently allotting 2.5% of its GDP for defence, is ready to further increase investment in this area. Referring to the situation in Ukraine, President Bolojan highlighted the need for a fair and durable peace as well as the importance of carrying on support for this country. The NATO Secretary General thanked Romania for its contribution in the alliance, as well as for being a member which acts responsibly as a major factor of security and stability in the Black Sea area and the Eastern Flank. Mark Rutte said these efforts are all the more so relevant in the present security context and voiced NATOs support for strengthening the allied presence in the region. NATO Secretary General reiterated the commitment of NATO and the United States to collective defence and Article 5, underlining the United States efforts for a durable peace in Ukraine. Mark Rutte also hailed Romanias decision to raise its defence budget and underlined the need for other European allies to have similar approaches. The two leaders agreed to maintain a constant dialogue on these issues. The Romanian president and the NATO Secretary General had attended an informal meeting on European security in London on Sunday. The participants in the aforementioned meeting, hosted by British Prime Minister, Kier Starmer, pledged to carry on financial and military support for Ukraine. After the meeting, president Bolojan said the security guarantees to Ukraine would in fact be for the entire Eastern Flank, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. However, the Romanian official said these guarantees cannot be assured without support from the United States. The informal meeting in London was one of coordination in the run up to the European Council proceedings on March 6 and a meeting that is to bring together, on March 7, leaders of the non-EU countries who want an approach to settling the conflict in Ukraine that might lead to the implementation of sustainable peace in the region. (bill) The EU supports Moldova The EU provides the Republic of Moldova with 60 million Euros for defence Maia Sandu si Antonio Costa (Foto: facebook.com/maia.sandu) Leyla Cheamil, 04.03.2025, 13:50 This year, the European Union will allocate, within the framework of the European Peace Facility, 60 million euros to strengthen the defence capabilities of the Republic of Moldova, the former Soviet state with a predominantly Romanian-speaking population, which neighbours Romania and Ukraine. The announcement was made by the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, who paid a visit to Chisinau, three years after the Republic of Moldova submitted its application to join the European Union. The request was filed on the same day as Georgia and three days after Ukraine, in the context of Russias invasion of Ukraine. The administration of the Republic of Moldova, a state that wants to join the EU by 2030, is trying to establish closer relations with the EU, especially in matters of security and defence. Antonio Costa specified that, within the European Peace Facility, created to support the defence capabilities of various countries, the Republic of Moldova is the second beneficiary, with almost 37 million euros allocated so far. Antonio Costa praised the efforts of the authorities in Chisinau to strengthen the European path against those who seek to undermine Moldovas path to progress, prosperity and stability, through energy blackmail, fake news and hybrid attacks. He also said that the use of energy as a weapon is unacceptable, and the European Union and its member states will continue to support the Republic of Moldova in obtaining total independence from any type of energy or supplier from Russia. What is happening in Ukraine is related to the entire security of the European Union, it is not only related to our partners in the East, not only to Moldova, said the Brussels official. In Chisinau, the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, met with the head of state, Maia Sandu. She also stressed the importance of European support for the security of the region in the current international context, marked by hybrid threats, cyber-attacks and disinformation campaigns. Maia Sandu reiterated the commitment of the Republic of Moldova to the consolidation of national security and its integration into the European Union, stressing that the Union supports Moldova in moments of crisis. In May last year, Moldova concluded a security and defense partnership with the EU, becoming the first state to sign such an agreement with the EU bloc. The pro-European government of the Republic of Moldova condemned the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, and the relations between the authorities in Chisinau and Moscow have deteriorated significantly. The Moldovan authorities announced that Russian drones violated their countrys airspace and also talked about the discovery of drone remains on their territory. (MI) Unemployment from the euro area and Spain are the top economic news due on Tuesday, headlining a light day for the European economic news. At 3.00 am ET, Spain's labor agency publishes monthly unemployment data for February. The number of unemployed is expected to rise to 45,200 from 38,700 in the previous month. At 4.00 am ET, Italy's statistical office ISTAT releases unemployment rate for January. Economists forecast the jobless rate to remain unchanged at 6.2 percent. At 5.00 am ET, Eurozone unemployment data is due. The jobless rate is seen at 6.3 percent in January, unchanged from December. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Shares of Thales Group (THLEF.PK) were gaining around 8 percent in the morning trading in Paris after the French firm reported Tuesday higher profit and revenues in fiscal 2024. Further, the company proposed a dividend, and issued fiscal 2025 outlook, expecting growth in margin and sales. Looking ahead, for fiscal 2025, the company projects organic sales growth of between 5 percent and 6 percent, corresponding to sales between 21.7 billion euros and 21.9 billion euros. Adjusted EBIT margin is expected between 12.2 percent and 12.4 percent. Patrice Caine, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are starting 2025 with confidence and determination and a positive outlook for the vast majority of our activities. Thales presented its new strategic roadmap in November 2024. By drawing on its unique leadership positions serving growing and its ability to innovate and anticipate technological breakthroughs, the Group affirms its ambition to deliver accelerated, profitable and sustainable growth over the coming years, starting in 2025." Further, the Board of Directors decided to propose the payment of a dividend of 3.70 euros per share. The final dividend of 2.85 euros will be paid on May 22. For the year 2024, consolidated net income, Group share was 1.42 billion euros, up 39 percent from prior year's 1.02 billion euros. Adjusted net income, Group share was 1.90 billion euros, compared to 1.77 billion euros a year ago. Adjusted earnings per share were 9.24 euros, compared to last year's 8.48 euros. Adjusted EBIT increased 13.4 percent year-over-year to 2.42 billion euros, and the growth was 5.7 percent on an organic basis. Adjusted EBIT margin was 11.8 percent, higher than 11.6 percent last year. Sales exceeded the 20 billion-euro mark, reaching 20.58 billion euros, up 11.7 percent from 18.43 billion euros in the prior year. Organically, sales grew 8.3 percent, above expectations. Order intake in the year increased 9 percent on a reported basis and 6 percent organically to 25.29 billion euros. In Paris, Thales shares were trading at 239.00 euros, up 7.46 percent. For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The Ukrainian government is working on the possibility of using part of the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) loan from the G7 countries totaling $50 billion to finance the eRecovery compensation program for housing destroyed by the war, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. "Today we are actively working on using part of the ERA loan of $50 billion to compensate people for their lost housing," Shmyhal said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday. According to the prime minister, more than UAH 30 billion in compensation has been accrued to date: UAH 8 billion for damaged housing, UAH 22 billion for destroyed housing. He noted that the compensation is being made at the expense of confiscated Russian assets both in Ukraine and abroad. As reported, within the framework of the ERA mechanism of the G7 countries, Ukraine has already received $1 billion from the US and EUR3 billion from the EU. French stocks are down firmly in negative territory Tuesday morning, with new U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, and U.S. President Donald Trump's threat that he will impose reciprocal tariffs from early April, hurting sentiment. In retaliation, Canada announced 25% tariffs on $107 billion worth of U.S. goods, with $20.7 billion in immediate effect. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country is preparing countermeasures. China has announced 15% tariffs on U.S. chicken, wheat, corn and cotton, plus 10% cent tariffs on soybeans, pork, beef and dairy beginning March 10. U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that he will impose reciprocal duties with effect from April 2, and the first target will be a levy on agricultural products. The benchmark CAC 40 was down 110.44 points or 1.34% at 8,089.27 a few minutes ago. Stellantis is declining 6.5%. ArcelorMittal, STMicroElectronics and Renault are down 4.7%, 4.4% and 4.3%, respectively. Kering, TotalEnergies, BNP Paribas, Saint Gobain, Legrand, Societe Generale, Schneider Electric, LVMH, Teleperformance, Accor, Vivendi, Credit Agricole, Publicis Groupe and Michelin are down 2 to 3.7%. Thales is soaring 9% after reporting adjusted net income of 1.90 billion euros for fiscal 2024, compared to 1.77 billion euros a year ago. Further, the company proposed a dividend, and issued fiscal 2025 outlook, expecting growth in margin and sales. Looking ahead, for fiscal 2025, the company projects organic sales growth of between 5% and 6%, corresponding to sales between 21.7 billion euros and 21.9 billion euros. Adjusted EBIT margin is expected between 12.2% and 12.4%. Danone is gaining about 2.5%, while Veolia Environment, Eurofins Scientific, Sanofi, Safran and Engie are up 0.5 to 1.1%. Dassault Systemes is up marginally. On the economic front, data from Eurostat said the unemployment rate in the euro area remained flat at 6.2% in January. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com The Chinese government said it will take retaliatory action as US President Donald Trump's tariff against China took effect Tuesday. "China will take countermeasures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests," the Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Trump ordered on Monday that since China has not taken adequate steps to alleviate the illicit drug crisis through cooperative enforcement actions, he will impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports, taking the total levy to 20 percent. The Trump administration said the Chinese Government's failure to act to blunt the sustained influx of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, from China to the United States constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security. The Chinese commerce ministry denied this, and said the increase in tariffs is a "typical act of unilateralism and bullying." The tit-for-tat tariffs reportedly had a negative impact on US and Asian Tuesday over fear of a possible trade war. The Chinese response came the same day Canada announced 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on $107 billion worth of US imports within hours of President Donald Trump said he is proceeding with implementing the same tariff rate on goods from Canada and Mexico. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The United States has strongly objected to a recommendation on sustainable aviation fuels made during the 13th triennial meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection. The CAEP recommended to the ICAO Council on multi-cropping, the practice of growing two or more crops on the same land, for sustainable aviation fuels. It would unfairly penalize U.S. farmers and significantly benefit Brazil over the rest of the world, according to the State Department. The U.S. government said this proposal is premature and lacks sufficient technical or scientific justification. It added that the adoption of the recommendation will harm U.S. farmers and the aviation industry, while increasing incentives for deforestation of threatened tropical forests. The United States remains committed to a constructive dialogue at ICAO and the CAEP and reiterates its willingness to continue to work with member States, U.S. industry, and other observers on recommendations that reflect U.S. interests that maximize contributions to ICAO, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce Said in a Statement. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Israel's move to prevent all aid from entering the Gaza Strip after Hamas reportedly refused to accept a plan to continue with phase one of the fragile ceasefire has had an immediate impact, including a 100-fold increase in the price of flour and vegetables, says the UN. The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said on Monday that the Kerem Shalom, Erez and Zikim crossing closures means that vital humanitarian assistance, including thousands of tents, can't be delivered to civilians in need. Phase one of the ceasefire mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US expired on Saturday, with Hamas calling on Israel to move on to the next agreed phase. but Israel is calling instead for a continuation of phase one through the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan in line with a proposal from the top U.S. envoy to the region. January's ceasefire deal has seen the release of 33 Israeli hostages who had been held captive since the 2023 October 7 terror attacks, with around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners released in exchange. "The ceasefire has provided the opportunity to distribute food, to distribute water, as well as shelter assistance and medical aid, allowing nearly everyone in Gaza to receive food parcels," said UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, briefing reporters in New York. "Our humanitarian partners tell us that following the closure of the crossings into Gaza yesterday, flour and vegetable prices increased more than 100-fold. Partners are currently assessing the stocks that are currently available," he added. Meanwhile, UNICEF warned that the stoppage of aid deliveries into Gaza will quickly lead to devastating consequences for children and families who are simply struggling to survive. The UN children's agency said that between January 19 and last Friday, almost 1,000 UNICEF trucks had crossed into the enclave carrying clean water, medical supplies, vaccines, therapeutic food and other materials. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Treasuries initially extended their recent upward trend but gave back ground over the course of the trading session on Tuesday. Bond prices pulled back well off their early highs and into negative territory. Subsequently, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, rose 3.0 basis points to 4.210 percent after hitting a low of 4.106 percent. The early strength among treasuries came amid concerns about a global trade war after President Donald Trump's new tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China took effect. However, buying interest waned over the course of the session and traders subsequently cashed in on recent strength in the bond , with the ten-year yield bouncing off its lowest intraday level since October. The White House said Trump is proceeding with implementing previously paused 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico to combat the extraordinary threat to U.S. national security posed by unchecked drug trafficking. Trump also increased the tariff on Chinese imports to 20 percent from 10 percent, claiming the country has not taken adequate steps to alleviate the illicit drug crisis. Canada responded by announcing 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on C$155 billion of American goods, starting with tariffs on C$30 billion worth of goods immediately and tariffs on the remaining C$125 billion in 21 days' time. In a subsequent post on Truth Social, Trump said Canada putting a retaliatory tariff on the U.S. will lead to a reciprocal tariff by the same amount. Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government has made "contingency plans" to respond to the new tariffs. China also said it would impose additional tariffs of 10 to 15 percent on several agricultural goods, including soybeans, corn, dairy and beef. Trading on Wednesday may be impacted by reaction to the latest U.S. economic data, including reports on private sector employment, service sector activity and factory orders. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis In 1966, while in training, Ntsiki met the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM), Bantu Stephen Biko, who was then a medical student at the University of Natal. The couple married in 1970 and had two children, Nkosinathi and Samora, and were later blessed with a daughter, Bulelwa Lindelwa, in 1988. In a rare moment of coming full circle, Rhodes University will honour Mrs. Nontsikelelo (Ntsiki) Biko by robing her at the Steve Biko Centre in Ginsberg in the Eastern Cape on Thursday, 27 March 2025. This event follows her virtual bestowment of an Honorary Doctorate in Laws (LLD) (honoris causa) during the 72nd graduation ceremony on April 28, 2021. Rhodes University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela, will personally conduct the robing ceremony, a milestone that was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prof. Mabizela stated in 2021, This conferral on Mama Biko is in recognition and celebration of her long and sustained contribution as a dedicated community activist and an advocate for the upliftment of the poor and marginalised in our society. Deeply rooted in the philosophy of Black Consciousness and the approach to community development that promotes self-reliance and personal agency, she has played a critical role in giving hope and livelihoods to the communities in which she has worked. Through her community activities, she has touched many lives and helped young and old regain their dignity, self-respect, and humanity. Mrs Biko, born in Libode close to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, has a rich history of dedication to healthcare and community activism. She completed her junior certificate at Buntingville Secondary School and matriculated at Shawbury Senior Secondary School. She pursued training in General Nursing and Midwifery, earning a Diploma in Advanced Nursing Science from the University of South Africa and certifications in nursing from Grey Hospital (geriatric care and HIV/AIDS counselling) and Dora Nginza Hospital in Gqeberha (primary health care). In 1966, while in training, she met the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM), Bantu Stephen Biko, who was then a medical student at the University of Natal. Reflecting on their relationship, she said, I must say, he was very politically involved then as president of SASO and somehow I fell for him. The couple married in 1970 and had two children, Nkosinathi and Samora, and were later blessed with a daughter, Bulelwa Lindelwa, in 1988. Mrs. Bikos journey saw her family relocating to Ginsberg in 1972 when her husband was banned to Qonce. Despite facing immense challenges, including her husband's tragic death in 1977, her resilience never wavered. She worked at Grey Hospital in King Williams Town until 1999, even as she faced ongoing intimidation from authorities. Her unwavering commitment to community-based activism became a hallmark of her life, reflecting the Black Consciousness philosophy. Mrs Bikos community work includes membership in the Ginsberg Civic Association, being a Trustee of the Ginsberg Education Trust, and her role in founding the Steve Biko Foundation with her son, Nkosinathi. The Centre has become her primary base for continued activism, where she actively participates in public dialogues, book launches, exhibitions, and performances. It is an honour to have been awarded this recognition of my life's work by Rhodes University. Having devoted my life to the provision of public health care services, amongst others, I must dedicate this honour to the thousands of frontline workers who have defended our country against the COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs Biko said in 2021. The upcoming robing ceremony is a profound moment of recognition and celebration of Mrs Bikos enduring legacy and contributions to society. In a groundbreaking step towards sustainable transportation, Tata Motors has launched Indias first hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck trials, reinforcing its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. The historic initiative, funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, was flagged off by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, and Shri Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy. Revolutionizing Freight Transportation with Hydrogen-Powered Trucks The hydrogen truck trials will span 24 months, deploying 16 advanced hydrogen-powered trucks across Indias key freight corridors, including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi-NCR, Surat, Vadodara, Jamshedpur, and Kalinganagar. These trucks will utilize both Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2-ICE) and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) technologies, marking a new era of clean and efficient cargo transportation in the country. Flagging off 3 hydrogen-powered vehicles developed by @TataMotors and @IndianOilcl, along with Union Minister Shri @JoshiPralhad Ji, in Delhi today. These vehicles will operate in the Faridabad-Delhi NCR and AhmedabadSuratVadodara corridors for the next 18 to 24 months, with pic.twitter.com/pgaV0vuOIt Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 4, 2025 Nitin Gadkari, Honble Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, said, Hydrogen is the fuel of the future with immense potential to transform Indias transportation sector by reducing emissions and enhancing energy self-reliance. Such Initiatives will accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility in heavy-duty trucking, and move us closer to an efficient, low-carbon future. I congratulate Tata Motors for taking the lead in this significant step towards enabling hydrogen-powered green and smart transportation. Tata Motors at the Forefront of Hydrogen Mobility The trial will include three flagship Tata hydrogen-powered trucks: Tata Prima H.55S H2-ICE (Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine) Tata Prima H.55S FCEV (Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) Tata Prima H.28 H2-ICE These trucks offer an operational range of 300-500 km and feature Tata Motors premium Prima cabin, advanced driver-assist systems, and enhanced safety features, ensuring a superior and fatigue-free driving experience for truck operators. Governments Push for Hydrogen & Green Mobility Pralhad Joshi, Honble Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India said, Hydrogen is an important fuel for Indias transition to a sustainable and zero-carbon future. The beginning of this trial is a significant step forward in showcasing the potential of green hydrogen in decarbonizing Indias transportation sector. This initiative, part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, reflects our commitment to driving innovation and achieving Indias energy independence while contributing to global climate goals. I applaud Tata Motors for taking the lead in this pioneering effort. A Leap Towards Sustainable Logistics With this initiative, Tata Motors reaffirms its leadership in sustainable mobility solutions, pioneering alternative fuel technologies such as battery electric, CNG, LNG, hydrogen ICE, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The company has already successfully deployed 15 Hydrogen FCEV buses on Indian roads, further proving its commitment to reducing carbon emissions in commercial transportation. Highlighting Tata Motors vision, Mr. Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors, said, Tata Motors is deeply honored to be at the forefront of driving Indias transformation towards greener, smarter, and sustainable mobility. As a company with a long-standing commitment to nation-building, we have continuously embraced innovation to develop mobility solutions that contribute to Indias growth and development. Today, with the commencement of these hydrogen truck trials, we are proud to further this legacy by pioneering the transition to clean, zero emission energy for long haul transportation. We are grateful to the Government of India for their visionary leadership in making this possible, and we remain committed to playing our part in building sustainable, future ready mobility solutions that will deliver better performance and efficiency. A Step Towards a Greener Future By integrating hydrogen-powered trucks into Indias freight transport network, Tata Motors is setting the stage for a cleaner, more sustainable logistics ecosystem. With increased operational efficiency, reduced carbon footprint, and enhanced driver safety, these trials will play a crucial role in shaping Indias green mobility future and supporting the governments vision of making the country a global leader in hydrogen energy solutions. No, that isn't an account of President Donald Trump's first weeks in office. It is a description of Andrew Jackson's first 40 days on the job, according to James Parton's 1860 book, "The Life of Andrew Jackson." "The sun had not gone down upon the day of his inauguration before it was known in all official circles in Washington that the 'reform' alluded to in the inaugural address meant a removal from office of all who had conspicuously opposed," Parton wrote, "and an appointment to office of those who had conspicuously aided the election of the new President." Jackson set the standard for the most tumultuous presidential term ever - at least until now. He took office on March 4, 1829, as the self-described champion of "the common man," declaring he was out for revenge against the "hungry rats" from the outgoing administration of President John Quincy Adams. Jackson quickly replaced the Adams-appointed U.S. ambassador to Colombia, fellow 1812 war hero Gen. William Henry Harrison, who had been there only a few weeks after a months-long trip. Then Jackson turned to federal workers. Everyone in government "from the highest officer to the lowest clerk, was filled with apprehension," wrote socialite Margaret Bayard Smith, who had known presidents since Thomas Jefferson. One troubled Treasury Department worker "from mere fear of removal, cut his throat from ear to ear," the National Daily Intelligencer reported. Another article said a bureaucrat "went raving crazy." Washington was a city of about 19,000 people. The President's House and the Capitol were connected by dirt streets with no streetlights. Most congressmen stayed at boardinghouses along Pennsylvania Avenue, Donald B. Cole wrote in his 1993 book "The Presidency of Andrew Jackson." Prominent visitors stayed at John Gadsby's new four-story National Hotel. The word on the street was about job cuts. In his first year, Jackson cut 20 percent of the 11,000 federal jobs in a government overseeing 24 states, Sen. John Holmes of Maine said in Congress in 1830. Jackson removed "more officials in one year than all preceding presidents had in the previous forty," Cole wrote. "The most disagreeable duty I have to perform is the removals & appointments to office - There is great distress here," wrote Jackson, who turned 62 on March 15. The president made 68 appointments in the first nine days alone. Jackson also formed a "kitchen Cabinet" of advisers. One of them was newspaper editor Duff Green, who promoted Jackson's policies. Green's United States Telegraph said about the job cuts: "Removals have been made, and we have no doubt it will continue to be, for the country loudly demands them." To help with the job cutting, Jackson appointed another newsman, Amos Kendall, as a Treasury Department auditor. Kendall didn't ask workers to write five things they did the previous week, but he did have Eight Rules of Conduct. "First, every government officer must begin work by nine in the morning and not end until three in the afternoon," he wrote. "Third, no officer may read a book or newspaper during working hours unless absolutely necessary for the job at hand." He forbade "any gambling or drunkenness" and "Eighth, no officer can use any office supplies for anything other than government business." Kendall soon found that his predecessor had stolen $3,300 in federal money and had him prosecuted. Later, Jackson officials claimed to have removed officials who had defaulted on $457,000 - equal to $23 million now. But Congress eventually discovered that Jackson's choice for collector at the Port of New York, gregarious New York City politician Samuel Swartwout, had fled to England after becoming the first person to steal $1 million, or about $60 million today, from the federal government. Jackson's fast start led to turmoil in April 1830, when he began pushing publisher Green out of his kitchen Cabinet for printing criticisms of the president by his own vice president, John C. Calhoun. "Poor Duff is now the target" of Jackson's fervent backers down to "those who throw up their arms and shout, 'long live King Andrew,'" the Lowell Journal wrote. Jackson replaced Green with Francis Blair, who moved into a house across the street from the White House while he published the Washington Globe. (The Blair House now is used to house visiting foreign leaders.) This was followed in April 1831 by reports that Jackson was forcing out Treasury Secretary Samuel Ingham. "Jackson has already indicated to the Honorable Secretary his Sovereign Displeasure and that his place is wanted for one who is known to be more loyal to His Majesty, King Andrew the first," the Baltimore Patriot reported. At issue was what later became famed as "The Petticoat Affair." Since the inaugural ball, most of Jackson's Cabinet members and their wives had been snubbing War Secretary John Eaton's young bride, Margaret. She was the daughter of a local innkeeper and had been widowed only a few months when she married Eaton, a friend of the president. Jackson, perhaps because his wife Rachel had died just before he took office, sided with Peggy Eaton. At one Cabinet meeting he went so far to say, "She is as chaste as a virgin." Secretary of State Martin Van Buren unsuccessfully tried to calm matters by calling on Peggy Eaton and her husband at their home. "The political history of the United States, for the last thirty years," Parton wrote in 1860, "dates from the moment when the soft hand of Mr. Van Buren touched Mrs. Eaton's knocker." Then came the stunning news that all but one of Jackson's six Cabinet members had resigned. To help defuse the Peggy Eaton issue, Eaton and Van Buren voluntarily resigned first. This led to the forced resignations of everybody except the postmaster general. A popular cartoon showed Jackson sitting in a chair with the walls collapsed around him and four rats with human faces running away, with the caption, "The rats leaving a falling house." Meanwhile, Jackson was publicly quarreling with Vice President Calhoun, who was urging people back in South Carolina to disobey the president's tariffs as unconstitutional. Jackson soon was vetoing bills like no president before him. The big one was a veto in 1832 of a bill to continue the charter of the quasi-public Second Bank of the United States. Jackson, who wanted to get rid of paper money, said the bank favored the wealthy. "It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes," he wrote, and not the "humble members of society." Things got nastier during the 1832 election campaign against Jackson's political enemy Henry Clay of Kentucky. Long before the current White House put out a mock Time magazine cover showing President Trump wearing a crown and the words "Long Live the King," anti-Jackson newspapers began publishing a cartoon of "King Andrew the first" under the headline "Born to Command." The famous cartoon showed the king standing dressed in a long flowing robe with a scepter in the right hand and a veto pen in the left while stomping on the U.S. Constitution. Jackson was unfazed. He won reelection and continued the turmoil that began in his first term. In March 1837 he turned over the presidency to Van Buren and left for his slave plantation at the Hermitage in Tennessee. Asked if he had any regrets, according to several Jackson biographers, he said, "Yes, I regret I was unable to shoot Henry Clay or to hang John C. Calhoun." (COMMENT, BELOW) The rating of incumbent President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is 44% support and shows a growing trend, reports the aggregator of sociological surveys Europe Elects. The former head of the General Staff, currently Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom Valeriy Zaluzhny has 21% support, the fifth president (2014-2019), leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko has 10%, non-partisan MP Dmytro Razumkov and leader of the All-Ukrainian Union Batkivschyna Yulia Tymoshenko have 6% each, and the rest have less than 5%. The poll was conducted on February 25-27 among 1,008 respondents. The survey results appeared, in particular, in the comments under the post of head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk, who insists on a change of power in Ukraine "back to a democratic one" and "some kind of amnesty in a neutral country" for Zelenskyy. The Irish government has approved an additional EUR 100 million aid package for Ukraine, which will be used to purchase non-lethal military equipment, RTE News reports, citing Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris. "Tanaiste Simon Harris said the funding would be allocated for 'non-lethal military equipment and support,'" the publication said in a statement on its website on Tuesday. As the Cabinet gathered this morning to discuss ways to aid Ukraine, the Taoiseach said there is "no doubt" the US President's decision to pause military aid to the country is "a very, very serious development." Micheal Martin described it as "a serious setback" and he called for "continued engagement between everybody." The Irish government has also reportedly approved a bill that would remove the need for UN approval for the deployment of its peacekeeping troops abroad. Bloomberg previously reported that the Irish government was planning to change its rules for sending troops abroad. It is believed that this is related to the country's possible participation in the peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Belgian FM: US suspension of aid to Ukraine requires EU to rapidly boost defense spending to keep supporting Ukraine The U.S. suspension of military aid to Ukraine requires the EU to quickly increase defense spending to continue supporting Ukraine and guaranteeing its own security, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said. "Exceptional times require exceptional responses. The fact that the US are suspending their military aid to Ukraine calls on the EU to rapidly boost its defense spendings to keep supporting Ukraine and ensure its own security. We need to ramp up the long-awaited by our allies - investments and reach a strategic autonomy," he said on the X social network. The minister said that with the ReArm Europe plan, the European Commission is putting forward concrete and new proposals for a safe and resilient Europe. "Those efforts are necessary, its obvious. At the same time they should not impact other critical sectors for the well-being of our societies, and we should make sure we keep a sustainable budgetary trajectory. The Belgian government will discuss those proposals swiftly. Together, we are stronger," Prevot said. Researchers at the University of Ottawa have made a significant advancement in the field of spinal cord injury research, developing a novel optogenetic mouse model that could lead to improved treatments for limb spasticity. Spasticity, characterized by involuntary and sustained muscle contractions, affects approximately two-thirds of Canadians with spinal cord injuries. This new model addresses the limitations of previous research methods, offering a more reliable and consistent approach to studying this debilitating condition. "Our team has created a transgenic mouse model where we can activate specific nerves in the hind paws using blue light. This allows us to reliably trigger the neural circuits potentially responsible for spasticity after spinal cord injury," explains Tuan Bui, Chair and Professor in the Department of Biology at uOttawa. "By utilizing optogenetics, we were able to activate specific sensory pathways with light, allowing us to induce spasticity in a controlled manner." The research, conducted over the past three years at the Motor Circuits Laboratory at the University of Ottawa, involved generating a unique transgenic mouse model and developing a method to induce limb spasticity consistently. This innovative approach enables researchers to study the underlying causes of spasticity more effectively and could accelerate the development of new treatments. The study was a collaborative effort involving PhD graduate Sara Goltash, honours undergraduate student Riham Khodr, and postdoctoral fellow Alex Laliberte. Their work not only advances our understanding of spasticity but also showcases the University of Ottawa's commitment to cutting-edge research in neuroscience and rehabilitation. Alex Laliberte, last author of the study, emphasizes the potential impact of this research: "Our new animal model could significantly facilitate the study and discovery of new therapeutics for the treatment of spasticity. By providing a more reliable experimental platform, we're opening doors to better understand and potentially alleviate this challenging condition." "Our study shows that spasticity starts as early as two weeks after spinal cord injury, a critical timeframe for intervention. Understanding the differences between sexes in spasticity responses could also lead to more targeted treatments in the future," Laliberte notes. This breakthrough comes at a crucial time, as the need for effective treatments for spinal cord injury complications continues to grow. The team's innovative approach could pave the way for more targeted and efficient therapies, potentially improving the quality of life for millions of people worldwide affected by spasticity. When a droplet of water falls on a hot pan, it dances across the surface, skimming on a thin layer of steam like a tiny hovercraft; this is known as the Leidenfrost effect. But now, researchers know what happens when a hot droplet falls on a cool surface. These new findings, publishing in the Cell Press journal Newton on March 3, demonstrate that hot and burning droplets can bounce off cool surfaces, propelled by a thin layer of air that forms beneath them. This phenomenon could inspire new strategies for slowing the spread of fires and improving engine efficiency. "We started with a very fundamental question: What will happen when a burning droplet impacts a solid surface?" says senior author Pingan Zhu of City University of Hong Kong, China. To better understand how heat affects droplet behavior, Zhu and his team used hexadecane, an oily liquid with fuel-like properties, for their experiment. They dropped room-temperature, heated (120C/248F), and burning droplets of the substance on various surfaces, some of which were smooth, scratched, or liquid-repellent. The room-temperature droplet stuck to all the surfaces upon contact, as the team expected. But the heated and burning ones bounced, suggesting that the heat was the key. Using high-speed and thermal cameras along with computer models, the team captured the droplets in motion. They discovered that as a hot droplet approaches the room-temperature surface, the bottom cools faster than the top. This temperature difference stirs up circulation within the droplet, where hotter liquid flows from the edges toward the bottom, dragging air along with it. That air forms a thin, invisible cushion at the bottom of the droplet, preventing it from making contact with the surface and allowing it to bounce back instead. The authors note that while temperature distribution is key in this process, other factors may also play a role. "Understanding why hot droplets bounce isn't just about curiosity -- it could have real-world applications," says Zhu. "If burning droplets can't stick to surfaces, they won't be able to ignite new materials and allow fires to propagate." By combining the bouncing behavior of hot droplets with liquid-repellent coatings, the team explored the potential applications of these findings. They demonstrated that burning droplets on liquid-repellent plastic films floated on a thin air cushion, preventing direct contact. This coating reduced the contact area of the droplet onto the surface by more than four times compared to bare plastic, which deformed and sustained fire damage when it came into contact with the burning droplet. The team also studied this phenomenon in engines. They found that when fuel droplets clung to surfaces, they burned inefficiently, leaving behind unburned residue and wasting energy. But in an engine model with a liquid-repellent coating, the droplets beaded up and burned completely. These findings may lead to better fire-resistant materials and more efficient engines. "Our study could help protect flammable materials like textiles from burning droplets," says Zhu. "Confining fires to a smaller area and slowing their spread could give firefighters more time to put them out." This work was supported by financial support from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong. A team of scientists has developed a method to illuminate the dynamic behavior of nanoparticles, which are foundational components in the creation of pharmaceuticals, electronics, and industrial and energy-conversion materials. The advance, reported in the journal Science, combines artificial intelligence with electron microscopy to render visuals of how these tiny bits of matter respond to stimuli. "Nanoparticle-based catalytic systems have a tremendous impact on society," explains Carlos Fernandez-Granda, director of NYU's Center for Data Science and a professor of mathematics and data science, one of the paper's authors. "It is estimated that 90 percent of all manufactured products involve catalytic processes somewhere in their production chain. We have developed an artificial-intelligence method that opens a new window for the exploration of atomic-level structural dynamics in materials." The work, which also included researchers from Arizona State University, Cornell University, and the University of Iowa, blends electron microscopy with AI to enable scientists to see the structures and movements of molecules that are one-billionth of a meter in size at an unprecedented time resolution. "Electron microscopy can capture images at a high spatial resolution, but because of the velocity at which the atomic structure of nanoparticles changes during chemical reactions, we need to gather data at a very high speed to understand their functionality," explains Peter A. Crozier, a professor of materials science and engineering at Arizona State University and one of the paper's authors. "This results in extremely noisy measurements. We have developed an artificial-intelligence method that learns how to remove this noise -- automatically -- enabling the visualization of key atomic-level dynamics." Observing the movement of atoms on a nanoparticle is crucial to understand functionality in industrial applications. The problem is that the atoms are barely visible in the data, so scientists cannot be sure how they are behaving -- the equivalent of tracking objects in a video taken at night with an old camera. To address this challenge, the paper's authors trained a deep neural network, AI's computational engine, that is able to "light up" the electron-microscope images, revealing the underlying atoms and their dynamic behavior. "The nature of changes in the particle is exceptionally diverse, including fluxional periods, manifesting as rapid changes in atomic structure, particle shape, and orientation; understanding these dynamics requires new statistical tools," explains David S. Matteson, a professor and associate chair of Cornell University's Department of Statistics and Data Science, director of the National Institute of Statistical Sciences, and one of the paper's authors. "This study introduces a new statistic that utilizes topological data analysis to both quantify fluxionality and to track the stability of particles as they transition between ordered and disordered states." The research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (OAC-1940263, OAC-2104105, CBET 1604971, DMR 184084, CHE 2109202, OAC-1940097, OAC-2103936, OAC-1940124, DMS-2114143). A 'chasm of misunderstanding and miscommunication' is often experienced between clinicians and patients, leading to autoimmune diseases such as lupus and vasculitis being wrongly diagnosed as psychiatric or psychosomatic conditions, with a profound and lasting impact on patients, researchers have found. A study involving over 3,000 participants -- both patients and clinicians -- found that these misdiagnoses (sometimes termed "in your head" by patients) were often associated with long term impacts on patients' physical health and wellbeing and damaged trust in healthcare services. The researchers are calling for greater awareness among clinicians of the symptoms of such diseases, which they recognise can be difficult to diagnose, and for more support for patients. Autoimmune rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and vasculitis are chronic inflammatory disorders that affect the immune system and can damage organs and tissues throughout the body. They can be very difficult to diagnose as people report a wide range of different symptoms, many of which can be invisible, such as extreme fatigue and depression. Dr Melanie Sloan from the University of Cambridge led a study exploring patient-reported experiences from two large groups, each of over 1,500 patients, and in-depth interviews with 67 patients and 50 clinicians. The results are published today in Rheumatology. Patients who reported that their autoimmune disease was misdiagnosed as psychosomatic or a mental health condition were more likely to experience higher levels of depression and anxiety, and lower mental wellbeing. For example, one patient with multiple autoimmune diseases said: "One doctor told me I was making myself feel pain and I still can't forget those words. Telling me I'm doing it to myself has made me very anxious and depressed." More than 80% said it had damaged their self-worth and 72% of patients reported that the misdiagnosis still upset them, often even decades later. Misdiagnosed patients also reported lower levels of satisfaction with every aspect of medical care and were more likely to distrust doctors, downplay their symptoms, and avoid healthcare services. As one patient reported, it "has damaged my trust and courage in telling doctors very much. I even stopped taking my immunosuppressive medicine because of those words." Following these types of misdiagnoses, patients often then blamed themselves for their condition, as one individual described: "I don't deserve help because this is a disease I've brought on myself. You go back to those initial diagnosis, you've always got their voices in your head, saying you're doing this to yourself. You just can't ever shake that. I've tried so hard." One patient described the traumatising response their doctor's judgement had on them: "When a rheumatologist dismissed me I was already suicidal, this just threw me over the edge. Thankfully I am terrible at killing myself, it's so much more challenging than you think. But the dreadful dismissiveness of doctors when you have a bizarre collection of symptoms is traumatizing and you start to believe them, that it's all in your head." Dr Melanie Sloan, from the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge, said: "Although many doctors were intending to be reassuring in suggesting a psychosomatic or psychiatric cause for initially unexplainable symptoms, these types of misdiagnoses can create a multitude of negative feelings and impacts on lives, self-worth and care. These appear to rarely be resolved even after the correct diagnoses. We must do better at helping these patients heal, and in educating clinicians to consider autoimmunity at an earlier stage." Clinicians highlighted how hard it was to diagnose autoimmune rheumatic diseases and that there was a high risk of misdiagnosis. Some doctors said they hadn't really thought about the long-term problems for patients, but others talked about the problems in regaining trust, as one GP from England highlighted: "They lose trust in anything that anyone saysyou are trying to convince them that something is OK, and they will say yes but a doctor before said that and was wrong." However, there was evidence that this trust can be rebuilt. One patient described having been "badly gaslit by a clinician," but that when they told the clinician this, "She was shocked and had no idea She was great. Took it on the chin. Listened and heard. Apologised profuselyFor me, the scar of the original encounter was transformed into something much more positive." Mike Bosley, autoimmune patient and co-author on the study, said: "We need more clinicians to understand how a misdiagnosis of this sort can result in long-standing mental and emotional harm and in a disastrous loss of trust in doctors. Everyone needs to appreciate that autoimmune conditions can present in these unusual ways, that listening carefully to patients is key to avoiding the long-lasting harm that a mental health or psychosomatic misdiagnosis can cause." The study authors recommend several measures for improving support for patients with autoimmune rheumatological diseases. These are likely to apply for many other groups of patients with chronic diseases that are often misunderstood and initially misdiagnosed. They propose that clinicians should talk about previous misdiagnoses with patients, discuss and empathise with their patients as to the effects on them, and offer targeted support to reduce the long-term negative impacts. Health services should ensure greater access to psychologists and talking therapies for patients reporting previous misdiagnoses, which may reduce the long-term impact on wellbeing, healthcare behaviours, and patient-doctor relationships. Education may reduce misdiagnoses by encouraging clinicians to consider systemic autoimmunity when they assess patients with multiple, seemingly unconnected, physical and mental health symptoms. Professor Felix Naughton, from the Lifespan Health Research Centre at the University of East Anglia, said: "Diagnosing autoimmune rheumatic diseases can be challenging, but with better awareness among clinicians of how they present, we can hopefully reduce the risk of misdiagnoses. And while there will unfortunately inevitably still be patients whose condition is not correctly diagnosed, with the correct support in place, we may be able to lessen the impact on them." The research was funded by LUPUS UK and The Lupus Trust. Six out of every ten people globally lack access to safe medical oxygen, resulting in hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year and reducing quality of life for millions more, an international report co-authored by the University of Auckland has found. Associate Professor Stephen Howie from the University's Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (FMHS) was an adviser to the Lancet Global Health Commission on Medical Oxygen Security and co-author of its report Reducing global inequities in medical oxygen access released 18 February. A key finding shows global access to medical oxygen is highly inequitable. Five billion people, mostly from low and middle-income countries don't have access to safe, quality, affordable medical oxygen. Associate Professor Howie, child health researcher and a specialist paediatrician says he hopes further lives will be saved because of this work, and that children and adults will not only survive but thrive. The Auckland University team are leading the field to improve access to medical oxygen. Howie recently gave a plenary address at the World Lung Health Conference in Bali, spelling out the challenges and opportunities to tackle the global issue. "I have been working in the area of oxygen treatment for oxygen-starved (hypoxic) illnesses for two decades, particularly in Africa and the Pacific. My first priority was children (naturally, as a paediatrician) but we learnt soon enough that solving the problem has to involve catering for all ages. "It is such an obvious need. I saw it at the hospitals I worked at in Africa where needless death from diseases like pneumonia happened because oxygen supplies were short, and this hit families and staff very hard. It was at that time that we made it our goal that 'no child should die for lack of oxygen' and this applies to adults too." Fiji was particularly hard hit when the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, at one point it had the highest rate of COVID-19 in the world. A close partnership between the Fiji Ministry of Health, the University of Auckland, Cure Kids and Fiji National University, funded by New Zealand MFAT and other donors, played an important role in supporting the pandemic response says Howie. U.S. President Donald Trump is still committed to a mineral extraction agreement with Ukraine, but Ukrainians must be ready to sit down at the negotiating table, U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance said. Vance said, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, that the president is still committed to the minerals deal. He mentioned that they had heard some positive things, but not yet, of course, a signature from their friends in Ukraine. He added that the minerals deal is a really important part of the president's policy. He explained that, number one, the American people need to be repaid for the incredible financial investments that had been made in the country. He pointed out that a lot of the aid sent by the Europeans had come in the form of money being given back to them, and that it was really ridiculous and frankly an insult to the American people that the Europeans were getting a better deal than the American people. He concluded by saying that the president is just trying to make sure the American people got a fair deal while also ensuring that they had access to some of the minerals and resources that are very important to the economy of the future. Vance stressed that it is important for the Ukrainian side to agree to sit down at the negotiating table. He explained that, in his opinion, the most important thing is not the public statements, such as President Zelenskyy saying he was committed to peace or apologizing to the president. He emphasized that what matters more is what the Ukrainians do to get meaningfully involved in what a peaceful settlement would look like. He stated that they need Ukrainians to come to them privately and say what they need, what they want, and how they will participate in the process of ending the conflict. He concluded that this lack of private participation is what concerns them the most. Commenting on the fact that the current U.S. administration is putting serious pressure on Ukraine but not on Russia, Vance noted that the U.S. still has a number of sanctions imposed on the Russians. He explained that they believe the Russians are experiencing economic difficulties because of the conflict and that it is in the best interests of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States to bring the conflict to an end. He emphasized that they believe in applying pressure on everyone to stop the killing, as that is the president's policy and what is in the interests of the American people. Vance also mentioned that there are many details that need to be worked out, including issues about territory and other matters. He stated that they want to have this conversation but are not committed to one path or another. He said they are simply stating that peace could not even be put on the agenda if the Ukrainians are not willing to negotiate in good faith, and that, as of now, they has not been able to or willing to. He concluded by expressing hope that this would change. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "We discussed the current developments and exchanged visions on the next steps. We are coordinating our positions and doing everything to achieve guaranteed peace as soon as possible and bring an end to this war," Zelenskyy said on the X social network on Tuesday. The president stressed the need for a just peace with clear security guarantees, which is achievable together with the leadership of the United States and Europe. "Thank you for your advice and support during this difficult time. We will always remember everything that the British people have done for Ukrainians and our shared security," Zelenskyy said. In turn, Sky News, citing Starmer's spokesman, reports that he briefed the Ukrainian president about his conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that "it was vital that all parties worked towards a lasting and secure peace for Ukraine as soon as possible." The British Prime Minister also welcomed Zelenskyy's "steadfast commitment to securing peace." "Underscoring that any peace for Ukraine needed to be lasting and secure, the Prime Minister said no one wants peace more than Ukraine," the spokesman said. Zelenskyy on European Commission's decision to protect Europe: For us, this is primarily additional air defense President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the European Commission's decision, which will help strengthen support for Ukraine. "There is very important news from the European Commission regarding significant funds for the defense of Europe. For us, this is primarily additional air defense - additional systems, additional missiles, additional opportunities to protect our cities and villages, and our positions. And all this creates a good additional basis for working to end the war," Zelenskyy said in an evening address on Tuesday. He added that Ukraine will continue consultations, and there will be new joint steps with partners. "We know that the Russians have not changed their positions and demands regarding Ukraine. They will demand a reduction in our army, they will want a legal renunciation of our territories, and also a significant political deformation of Ukraine with a weakening of the Ukrainian Constitution," the president noted. However, according to him, as long as "we all stand together and strong in Ukraine, as long as we are here, no one will succeed - peace will be worthy." As reported, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen named five points of the ReArm Europe plan, which will allow mobilizing about EUR 800 billion in European defense spending and will help strengthen support for Ukraine. The volume of investments in the Ukrainian technology sector in 2024 increased by 120% compared to the figure in 2023, according to the annual review of the Ukrainian technology investment ecosystem Dealbook of Ukraine prepared by the investment company AVentures Capital. According to the information provided in the review, after a sharp drop from $832 million in investments in the technology sector in 2021 to $236 million in 2022, in 2023 the volume of investments dropped to $209 million. The recovery in 2024 to $462 million indicates that the Ukrainian technology industry is halfway to restoring pre-war indicators, the review says. There are many companies that have the potential to attract significant investments in 2025. The defense technology sector is experiencing the fastest growth, driven by a surge in investments, new startups, specialized acceleration programs and venture funds focused on miltech, says the Dealbook of Ukraine text. In contrast, in 2024, as in the previous year, the largest amount of investments, $223 million or 48% of the total investment volume, were attracted at the late stages. The overall picture may be distorted by a large deal by the developer of the no-code platform for business process automation and the CRM company Creatio. In June 2024, it raised $200 million from a consortium of investors including Sapphire Ventures, StepStone Group and Volition Capital 90% of all Series C investments (made at later stages), the report authors noted. Investments in early-stage projects accounted for 32% of the total $147 million in 2024, compared to 39% of total investments in the technology sector in 2022 and 2023. The top five investment deals of 2024 in the review, in addition to the deal with Creatio, include a deal with the British fintech company Carmoola, founded in 2021, which in January 2024 raised $19.2 million from QED Investors, VentureFriends and InMotion Ventures, a platform that simplifies the home buying process Jome, which raised $9.8 million from nine venture funds, the financial management application IN1, which integrates fiat currency and cryptocurrencies within a single platform. In September 2024, IN1 received $6 million in funding from Brainstorm Ventures. In addition, the Fintech Farm initiative, which creates neobanks in developing countries in partnership with traditional banks and in 2024 raised $5 million from the Bank of Georgia. The largest amount of grants to miltech companies in 2024 was issued by the Brave1 fund - $40 million, which aimed to increase investments in 2025 to $100 million. The most funding was attracted by the miltech companies Osavul, Swarmer and Bavovna.AI (an average of $2.8 million), the report says. The largest M&A deal of 2024, according to Dealbook, was the $1.5 billion deal for the acquisition of the Datagroup-Volia provider and the third largest mobile operator lifecell by NJJ Holding of French businessman Xavier Niel. The largest deal for the acquisition of a minority stake was the deal with Work.ua, valued at $7.7 million. The buyers are Grupa Pracuj, KEUS, KUPR, Artur Mikhno, Roman Prokofyev, Yevhen Sobakariov. Among the M&A deals expected in 2025, the largest mobile operator Kyivstar is said to have acquired the online taxi service Uklon. The deal is estimated to be worth $80 million. Also, the acquisition of the YouTeam online platform that allows companies to quickly and efficiently hire remote software developers by Toptal. The acquisition of a developer of artificial intelligence chatbots for business BotsCrew by CourtAvenue and the acquisition of the Estonian company Parcelsea specializing in mailboxes for private homes and communities by Jetbeep. Jenna Sayler never imagined she'd be heading up a team at NASA fresh out of college but that's exactly where she's landed. As the first graduate of the new ceramic engineering minor at South Dakota Mines, Sayler secured a role in the nonmetallic materials and space environmental effect group at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, a team that has not hired a new college graduate in three decades. Now, shes at the forefront of space exploration, spearheading research in additive ceramics, supporting liquid engine technology and leading plasma torch innovation all critical components in NASAs mission to push the boundaries of what's possible in space.Sayler graduated last May with a metallurgical engineering degree and a minor in ceramics engineering. Sayler said she fit into the puzzle of what NASA was looking for. They are just really getting into ceramics heavily right now and because their knowledgeable ceramicist of 20 years recently retired, I was able to step into that role using my recent experience from my ceramics minor. Sayler is part of the ceramics and ablatives team within the EM41 Branch the nonmetallic materials and space environmental effect group responsible for supporting, directing, and conducting nonmetallic material research and space environmental effects testing across the entire life cycle of space exploration hardware. She also works with the Advanced Manufacturing branch, getting more acquainted with the Marshall Space Flight Centers various printing machines and robotics. Saylers current work builds on her 2024 summer internship at NASAan opportunity she nearly missed. It was completely out of the blue, she said. I started the application but never finished. They saw my application in the waiting window and noticed I was part of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, so they gave me a call. Thats what brought me here that summer. Now, Sayler oversees additive ceramics, supports liquid engine operations, and leads the plasma torch teamcontinuing many of the projects from her internship while embracing new responsibilities. Since starting with NASA earlier this year, Sayler has taken the lead on operating NASAs new ceramic printing machine and the material testing and ceramic material characterizations needed to create more sustainable parts/components for high temperature applications. An example of these high thermal parts are tungsten throat rings that get really degraded from how hot our test motors burn. Our motors burn so hot that they actually burn through the tungsten, Sayler said. The team is currently learning and exploring how to develop parts on this ceramic printing machine and how to verify their reusability. Our goal right now is to print some parts to test and evaluate in high thermal conditions and see how well they hold up. If we can get certification on our printing capabilities in the next three years, that would be amazing, she said. Saylers team is currently working on various prints that will be sent out to different NASA teams for testing. While she won't be conducting the tests, Sayler worked on learning how to test ceramics during her undergraduate work at Mines. "A lot of this ceramic work was what I was doing with Dr. Donovan, Sayler said of Katrina Donovan, Ph.D., senior lecturer in the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering. Ive actually performed all these mechanical tests myself, so I have a really good understanding of why we are performing these various tests and how to read the data we receive from them. Although I dont have to physically do the testing as we have many different expert teams for every test, I can understand what the data is telling me thanks to my MET program at Mines. Sayler credits the universitys hands-on program for giving her a strong foundation that blended her passion for engineering with her creativity. I've always been a creative person with lots of different hobbies like glassblowing or stained glass, and I've probably been doing pottery since seventh or eighth grade. The Mines ceramics engineering minor supports the universitys commitment to enhancing undergraduate STEM education. Our goal is to develop an academic program that incorporates art concepts into engineering, fostering innovation, creativity, collaboration, and entrepreneurship while expanding the pool of undergraduate talent, Donovan said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The II International Dialogue Conference titled "Bridge Between the Past and the Future," dedicated to the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide in the US state of Illinois has been widely covered in foreign media, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora. The conference in the US state of Illinois attracted significant attention, with notable contributions from geopolitical analyst Malik Ayub Sumbal and Brazilian journalist Fabiana Ceyhan, who shared their perspectives on the Khojaly genocide. In her article, Fabiana Ceyhan emphasized the violent attack on the city of Khojaly by Armenian military forces, during which 613 innocent civilians, including children, were mercilessly killed. The Brazilian journalist also discussed Azerbaijan's efforts to raise awareness about the genocide and its "Justice for Khojaly!" campaign, aiming to inform global governments and the international community about the truth. In the same article, geopolitical analyst Malik Ayub Sumbal underscored the importance of global recognition of the Khojaly genocide and called for accountability for those responsible for such atrocities. His book, From Tovuz to Karabakh: A Comprehensive Analysis of the War in the South Caucasus, which deeply examines the region's conflicts, was also highlighted, with copies distributed to conference participants. For detailed articles, visit the following links: https://brasiliainfoco.com/jornalista-fabiana-ceyhan-participa-de-conferencia-global-em-chicago-e-fala-sobre-a-tragedia-de-khojaly/ https://omundodiplomatico.com.br/2025/02/25/jornalista-fabiana-ceyhan-participa-de-conferencia-global-em-chicago-e-fala-sobre-a-tragedia-de-khojaly/ https://mundoeturismo.com.br/jornalista-fabiana-ceyhan-participa-de-conferencia-global-em-chicago-e-fala-sobre-a-tragedia-de-khojaly/ https://www.jornaltaguatingadf.com.br/2025/02/internacional-jornalista-fabiana-ceyhan.html?m=1 https://meuquadradinho.com.br/noticia/60415/jornalista-fabiana-ceyhan-participa-de-conferencia-global-em-chicago.html https://www.portalr10.com/noticia/140690/fabiana-ceyhan-voz-ativa-pela-justica-global-e-o-papel-estrategico-do-azerbaijao- https://malikayubsumbal.com/malik-ayub-sumbal-author-of-tovuz-to-karabakh-addresses-khojaly-tragedy-at-2nd-global-dialogue/ Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel London stocks were set to fall at the open on Tuesday following heavy losses on Wall Street, as US President Donald Trumps tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico kicked in. The FTSE 100 was called to open around 45 points lower. Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank, said: "Today marks a turning point in Donald Trumps tariff policy. It is the day the tariff threat will materialise - unless there is a surprise U-turn - and hammer hopes that the aggressive tariff threats were not just a negotiation tactic. "As a result, the Canadian and the Mexican imports will be hit by 25% levies, and the Chinese imports will be subject to 20% tariff. In addition, the US will impose tariffs on agricultural product imports starting from April 2nd and tariffs as highs as 25% are expected to hit the European imports in the foreseeable future." Both China and Canada have already announced they will impose retaliatory tariffs on the US. In UK corporate news, annual sales at bakery chain Greggs passed 2bn for the first time helping to serve up an 8.3% rise in pre-tax profit to 204m. The company said total sales were up 11.3% in the 12 months to 28 December, with like-for-like sales in company-managed shops up 5.5% year-on-year. LFL sales in company-managed shops increased by 1.7% year-on-year in the first nine weeks of 2025. Challenging weather conditions in January followed by improved trading in February, Greggs added. Equipment rental firm Ashtead said it expects full-year results to rise in line with previous guidance, after a record performance over the first nine months of the year, with rental revenues up 5% and adjusted EBITDA up 3%. Rental revenues are expected to rise by 3-5% for the year ending 31 March, though rental revenue growth in Canada - which accounts for just under 9% of sales - is now expected to be 9-13%, down from earlier estimates of 15-19%. Fresnillo posted a big jump in full-year sales and operating profits. Revenues rose by 26.9% to $3.64bn and its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation by more than double to reach $1.55bn. Thanks to that "strong" performance, the precious metals miner announced a special dividend of $308m, or 41.8 US cents per share, together with a final dividend of $192.3m or 26.1 US cents. Net cash at period end stood at $458.3m. China and Canada unveiled retaliatory measures against the US after Donald Trump imposed his sweeping tariffs plan at midnight US time, despite warnings it could spark an escalating trade war. US tariffs have come into force of 25% against goods from Canada and Mexico, the USs two biggest trading partners, and 20% tariffs against China doubling the levy on China from last month. Guardian Elon Musks fellowship of the Royal Society remains intact after a meeting of the scientific body, the Guardian has learned, but questions remain about whether further action will be taken. Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO who also owns the social media platform X, was elected a fellow of the UKs national academy of sciences in 2018, apparently in recognition of his work in the space and electric vehicle industries. Guardian US nuclear weapons could be set to return to British soil almost two decades after Washington removed its last warheads, satellite images have revealed. The images, published in a report from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), indicate that 22 previously mothballed nuclear bunkers at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk have undergone extensive upgrade work. Telegraph Taxpayers will foot 24.2bn to cover the billowing public sector wage bill incurred from Storm Rachel over the next five years, Telegraph analysis shows. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will hike National Insurance contributions paid for by employers from 13.8pc to 15pc from next month, while the threshold at which businesses start to pay will also be dropped. - Telegraph The cost to consumers of dealing with cabling bottlenecks on Britains electricity network has risen by 60 per cent to more than 250 million in the first two months of the year as wind farms were paid to switch off and gas plants paid to replace them. The rapid expansion of offshore wind farms to tackle climate change has resulted in turbines being built before Britains transmission networks have been upgraded to carry all the power that they generate on windy days. The Times STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Staten Island man has been indicted on a charge of bribery of a public official following an alleged attempt to secure Dept. of Defense IDs for two Chinese immigrants one in the U.S. illegally in Jacksonville, Florida, acting U.S. Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announced Monday. Raymond Andres Zumba, 27, a U.S. Navy reservist who, according to online records, resides in South Beach, became the subject of a federal investigation in January after a confidential source informed law enforcement that Zumba had become aware that their spouse worked in the personnel office of Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS). Zumba allegedly asked the source whether the spouse would be willing to issue identification cards for an under-the-table payment, according to court documents. Acting at the direction of federal agents, the source proceeded to engage in a series of conversations with Zumba during which they discussed Zumbas plan to obtain unauthorized ID cards in exchange for cash, the U.S. Attorneys office said in a statement. After driving from New York, Zumba arrived in Jacksonville on Feb. 13 with three individuals, including a Chinese national. Zumba allegedly brought these individuals to NAS Jacksonville where the sources spouse allowed them into the personnel office after business hours and began the process for two of them to receive ID cards, the U.S. Attorneys office said. The following day, Zumba met with the source, who gave him two cards in exchange for $3,500, authorities said. Zumba was taken into custody and the cards were recovered, the U.S. Attorneys office said. If convicted, Zumba faces up to 15 years in federal prison. He is being held pending trial, the U.S. Attorneys office said. An attorney for Zumba did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Fun comes to Castleton Avenue once again with a Mardi Gras celebration on Tuesday, March 4. This time around the street and all surrounding thoroughfares will remain open as merchants in West Brighton take their festive parade to the sidewalk and inside their shops. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri) Pamela Silvestri STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Store owners along Castleton Avenue will stage a festive Mardi Gras evening in West Brighton on Tuesday, March 4. Staten Islanders can expect a celebratory, family-friendly parade with complimentary Creole food bites and music tuba and trombone included. Courtesy of the Castleton Avenue Merchants Association, the celebration will be focused between Oakland and Davis Avenues starting at 4 p.m. The streets will remain open with scheduled happenings on the sidewalk and inside businesses such as Clay and Kiln Pottery Studio, Farm to Bagel, House of Misfits Tattoo, and La Torretta Pizzeria. This is how Mardi Gras will roll on Castleton Avenue: Clay and Kiln : Open for children to color pictures for free from 4 to 5 p.m. with live New Orleans jazz. Jazz musicians from Ray Scros and the Second Line Stompers will perform. Farm to Bagel : Owner Casey has created a buffet menu (from Jumbalaya to King cake) and is collaborating with Clay and Kiln Studio for an adult painting and dinner party from 6 to 8 p.m.; offering New Orleans style food in their storefront with food open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. from the store itself. La Torretta Pizzeria : Deals on pizza and Mardi Gras themed menu, open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Richmond Hood : Proprietor Tariq is having a 50% off sale on apparel, blasting NOLA jazz and funk all day long, from noon to 8 p.m. House of Misfits: Tattoo artist and shopkeeper Liz is running a flash sale on Mardi Gras-styled tattoos from noon to 8 p.m. with additional fun activities popping up in the upcoming week as well. Clay and Kilns Kristin Daggan said, We are so excited about this event. We are happy to be working tightly together as merchants to bring a little more fun and excitement to the neighborhood. She added, Normally a parade is observed from the sidewalk to the street. For this one, anyone driving down the strip will be observing a parade on the sidewalk from the street. Were turning the idea of a parade on its head." Daggan explained how the community event came together quickly. She said the goal is to create a fun atmosphere for all ages. Beads will be handed out at red traffic lights. She added, Real jazz will be provided in a fun little environment. All the stores will be colored in purple and green lights. What we want to do is make people smile and enjoy themselves. There will be free activities like arts and crafts, plus coloring. Many local businesses and organizations are getting involved, offering deals and opening their doors. Mardi Gras marks the eve of Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of the Lenten season, a time to fast by the standards of many traditions. The fete, also called Fat Tuesday, takes on a decadent theme as a result. It is a final time to indulge and be merry before a season that is supposed to be somber. This is not the first Castleton Avenue rodeo and show put on by the Castleton Avenue Merchants Association. The group has planned successful and fun seasonal events in the past. The endeavors are both self-funded by the businesses with a collective of city resources from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Cultural Affairs and the City Council. The Staten Island Business Outreach Center and NYC Small Business Services also pitched in. Pamela Silvestri is Advance/SILive.com Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A beloved teacher and mentor, Gregory Hutchins, who worked at Curtis High School in St. George, has died. Hutchins, 78, who retired from the high school at the end of the 2023-2024 school year, was known to have a special bond with both students and staff alike, according to an Instagram post shared by the school. He reportedly died after a long illness on Feb. 26, according to numerous posts on Facebook. Former principal Aurelia Curtis recalls meeting Hutchins for the first time when he was assigned as a SPARK counselor, a program designed to provide individual and group counseling, classroom presentations, and positive alternatives to help students develop skills needed to resist the challenges of drugs and alcohol. The high school created a safe space, the Skills Center, where students interacted with Hutchins and other counselors. When the budget line was cut by the Department of Education, I knew we had to find a way to maintain Gregs valuable services to our school community and we did! said Curtis. Hutchins was remembered by many colleagues, friends, and students. Curtis High School Hutchins was involved with students in the Skills Center and various afterschool clubs. He was known as the go-to guy if a club needed a faculty advisor. He was the faculty advisor for the Black Awareness Club, where he was instrumental in engaging students of all ethnicities in discussions and activities. He also served as faculty advisor for the Step Team not because he was knowledgeable in the area, but because students trusted that Hutchins would guide and champion them. There are so many stars in Greg Hutchinsons crown and one of them is for the altruistic work he did at Curtis High School, said Curtis. Declining health separated his physical presence, but his heart is always in those hallowed halls. The Curtis family lost a good man when he departed this world last week. I am proud to have rehired him when we almost lost him to budget cuts. I am even prouder to call him, my friend. Gregory Hutchins was the faculty advisor for several clubs. (Courtesy/Curtis High School) Curtis High School Barbara Prideaux, who worked with Hutchins before retiring in 2013, explained that they became friends and partners working together to run the Black Awareness Club and put on shows during Black History Month. Greg loved the kids and he loved working at Curtis High School, said Barbara Prideaux, who worked with Hutchins before retiring in 2013. The only reason he retired was that he kept getting sick while going to workGreg had a calming manner about him. He was a great listener and offered solid advice to students. If he couldnt help them, he would find someone who could. During his tenure at the school, he was also the head of student mediation, working to mediate conflicts between students while also training students to become mediators themselves. Sean Cogan, the coordinator of student activities at Curtis High School, shared an office with Hutchins for two years. Every morning, the pair would listen to music from Hutchins' iPod and would talk about music, life, and share jokes together. Sharing that office gave Cogan a first-hand look at how Hutchins served as both a mentor and father-figure to students. He would train dozens of kids as mediators each year and they just wanted to be around him, eating lunch in our office, and spending any free period there, said Cogan. He would mentor them, help them with their classes, and listen to them so that each kid felt seen and understood. A wall of remembrance was posted in the school building. (Courtesy/Curtis High School) Curtis High School And as sick as Hutchins was, Cogan explained, his top priority was always to train his student mediators to become leaders and make peace. I will miss him terribly, Cogan added. Many students and staff also left words of remembrance for Hutchins in Curtis High Schools student newspaper, The Curtis Log, at https://www.curtislog.org/. He was a mentor, father and friend to the students, said Prideaux. Many of them would not have graduated without his encouragement and listening ear. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. A homecoming service will be held on Saturday, March 15, at 11 a.m. at Mt. Sinai United Christian Church, located at 15 Pike St. Following the service, a life and legacy memorial will be held at 1 p.m. at the Brighton Heights Reformed Church, located at 320 St. Marks Place. Visitors are asked to enter through the parking lot around the corner on Montgomery Avenue. Summer Rising applications opened on March 4. In this photo, second-grade students draw landmarks and places of interest on maps of the New York City boroughs, while PS 60 Principal Donna Bonanno looks on. (Staten Island Advance/Annalise Knudson) Annalise Knudson Annalise Knudson New York City families can now apply to send their child to free, all-day programming this summer through the Summer Rising program. It is a free program administered by the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and the city Department of Education (DOE) that connects elementary and middle school students to fun, culturally relevant, hands-on experiences to strengthen their academic, social and emotional skills. The application portal is open at www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/summer/summer-rising. It will remain open through March 28. Here are 9 key things to know about the free program. Who can apply to Summer Rising? Students currently in kindergarten through eighth grade (in the 2024-2025 school year) in New York City can apply for Summer Rising. This includes any student attending public school, charter school, non-public school, and home-schooling students. How can I apply? New York City families can submit an enrollment request online at www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/summer/summer-rising. The application will be available in MySchools, at www.myschools.nyc. How can I find Summer Rising locations? Starting Tuesday, you will be able to search Summer Rising program sites in MySchools. Will there by enrollment priorities? Similar to last year, placements will be assigned with a focus on equity, including prioritizing students with academic needs, 12-month Individualized Education Program (IEP) programs (Chapter 683, Extended School Year, and Autism Nest or Horizon), students in temporary housing and foster care, and with a local connection to a school-year CBO program or school community. What does a typical day look like for students? Students have access to both academic and enrichment programming over the course of the day, including field trips, arts activities, and outdoor recreation. Programs are planned and operated collaboratively by school principals and community-based organizations (CBOs). Breakfast, lunch and snack will be served. A typical day will include a mix of academic support, social emotional learning, and enrichment activities. Academics will be provided by licensed teachers in the morning, while enrichment activities (such as art, sports, and play) will be led by CBO staff in the afternoons and on Fridays. CBOs will also facilitate enrichment in the morning, alongside academics, for K-5 programs. Students with disabilities who may require additional supports to participate in programming, such as a paraprofessional, will receive those supports as needed, according to the DOE. What does the schedule look like? There will be six weeks of programming for middle schoolers and seven weeks for elementary school students in July and August. Below is what the calendar looks like. Grades K-5: July 2-Aug. 15 Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Grades 6-8: July 2-Aug. 8 Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Students with 12-month IEPs (District 75): July 3-Aug. 13 Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (or similar schedule) Students with 12-month IEPs (Districts 1-32 Extended School Year) : July 2-Aug. 12 Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or similar schedule) ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Programs : July 2-Aug. 7 Monday to Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (or similar schedule) Students with 12-month IEPs will have the option to participate in DYCD-led extended day enrichment hours (until 6 p.m.) and programming through Aug. 9 (68 students) and Aug. 16 (K5 students). Families interested in this extended day enrichment should apply via the application portal. Will there be any time off during Summer Rising? Summer Rising will only be closed one day this year on Friday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. When will I know if my child is offered a seat? Results and a waitlist will be available to families in MySchools on April 24. Where can I find more information? Visit www.schools.nyc.gov/summer to find more information. Families should email summer@schools.nyc.gov, call 311, or speak to their parent coordinator for support with Summer Rising enrollment. Families who do not have internet access or cannot access the enrollment portal should reach out to their parent coordinator, who can help them complete the application. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. March has arrived, and with it comes Daylight Saving Time. Each passing day is getting a little bit brighter, now that the darkest day of the year is behind us, so, before you know it, the clocks will change and well spring forward for 2025. Of course, we dont have to change every clock. Most do it automatically, thanks to advances in technology. Most smartphones, laptops and smartwatches rely on GPS satellites to keep time and reset themselves, if the set automatically function is chosen. They may also set themselves according to atomic clocks. Daylight Saving Time will start on Sunday, March 9, this year. Clocks will be moved on hour ahead at 2 a.m. Days will continue to have more sunlight until the summer solstice on Friday, June 20, at 1:41 p.m. Weve been in Standard Time since Nov. 3, 2024. Do we need it? Most of us dutifully change the clocks in accordance with the practice without giving it a second thought, and many of us look forward to the day Daylight Saving Time begins. But there are others who are hoping for an end to the practice altogether. Benjamin Franklin is largely credited with developing the idea of Daylight Saving Time. He did so in a satirical essay in 1784, titled An Economical Project, suggesting that starting the practice would allow people to make better use of daylight. But the system of uniform Daylight Saving Time throughout the United States wasnt established until 1966, by the Uniform Time Act. Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, opt out of changing of the clocks, though lawmakers in other states including New York have been pondering whether or not to opt out of the practice in recent years. During the fall 2023 legislative session, lawmakers introduced a pair of bills in the New York State Assembly and Senate to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Both bills remained trapped in committee, however, and no vote took place. So, neither has become law. Those hoping to see an end to the practice in New York are state Sen. Joe Griffo, of upstate Rome, and state Sen. Angelo L. Santabarbara, of Schenectady. Griffo told the Advance/SILive.com that people are overwhelmingly telling him: Lets stop springing forward and falling back.' In Pennsylvania, PennLive previously reported in April 2021 that the House of Representatives there passed a bill in a 103-98 vote that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent. In the future, I think this is a very positive reform for Pennsylvania, changing time twice a year is incredibly inefficient and an outdated practice, the bills sponsor, Rep. Ryan Mackenzie told PennLive at the time. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The LEF network Azerbaijan project will conclude this year, but cooperation between Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland may continue in a new format, Liga Siceva, Director of the EU Projects Department of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in an interview with Trend. Speaking during the B2B forum focused on the development of business relations between Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland, Siceva noted that the LEF network Azerbaijan project has actively contributed to the development of cooperation between companies, but it will conclude by the end of this year. "We are continuing to support companies interested in establishing contacts and cooperation between Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland. As part of the project, two trade missions to the Central Baltic countries are planned for this year. Additionally, a trade mission from the Baltic countries to Azerbaijan will be organized in October," Siceva noted. She emphasized that after the completion of the LEF network Azerbaijan project, plans are in place to continue cooperation with business organizations in Azerbaijan and the Caspian Energy Club. "We are also aiming to sign various memoranda of cooperation and are ready to continue working togetherperhaps in a different format, but maintaining the connection between Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland. This is crucial for business," she added. According to Siceva, businesses from the Baltic countries see great potential in Azerbaijan. Shared historical and cultural elements bring people together, while cultural differences offer new opportunities for cooperation. "For example, companies coming to Azerbaijan are ready to support local businesses in entering the European market, organize necessary certifications, or provide IT solutions," she stressed. Siceva also highlighted that the LEF network Azerbaijan project has received substantial support in Azerbaijan, including from organizations such as the Caspian Energy Club, AZPROMO, KOBIA, and the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce. To note, Baku hosts a B2B forum aimed at developing business ties between Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. The event is held within the framework of the LEF Network Azerbaijan project with the organizational support of the Caspian Energy Club. The project began in March 2023, with a duration of 36 months and a budget of 1.26 million euros. The LEF Network Project Azerbaijan aims to enhance regional innovations and the bio-economy by exporting services, expertise, and products to the country. At present, it seeks to establish 10 sales agreements within 36 months between mature SMEs from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Azerbaijan. According to limited research, the sectors with aligned demand and supply include ICT, green technologies, higher and lifelong education, as well as interior design services and goods. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel In this 2024 file photo, the Agoura High School band from Agoura Hills, California, performs at Lincoln Center for the 29th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival. (Photo courtesy/ Gilberto Tadday/Jazz at Lincoln Center) Gilberto Tadday/Jazz at Lincoln Center IN CLASS: This feature is part of an ongoing education column highlighting the various activities that engage school communities. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Staten Island high school band was recently selected to compete in a prestigious nationwide competition in May. Jazz at Lincoln Center announced the top high school jazz bands will compete in the 30th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival on May 7-11. It will be held at Jazz at Lincoln center located at Broadway at 60th Street, in Manhattan with the final concert taking place at the Metropolitan Opera House. The Susan E. Wagner High School jazz band, directed by Paul Corn, will compete as a finalist. The fact that hundreds of thousands perhaps even millions of young people around the world have played Duke Ellingtons music, and his music has been distributed so widely through this program, is a tremendous source of joy for me, said Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center managing and artistic director. I truly feel that Jazz at Lincoln Center has contributed something of real value to the world. The music of Duke Ellington is certainly the highest level of what has come out of the United States of America. For the first time this year, the competition was doubled from 15 to 30 bands selected to compete in the finals. There will be two rounds of competitions over the course of five days on two stages Rose Theater and the Appel Room. The final concert and awards ceremony will be held on May 11 at the Metropolitan Opera House. Ive watched this program expand and evolve over the years and am deeply proud of how Essentially Ellington has changed the landscape of jazz education, said Todd Stoll, Jazz at Lincoln Center vice president of education. In a culture always looking ahead to the next best thing, we celebrate the music of Duke Ellington and how it speaks across generations and barriers to bring us together in a way that is both profound and relevant. Congratulations to the directors, parents, and communities that support these students in their efforts to master this music. The Essentially Ellington program has long been a cornerstone of jazz education, providing thousands of schools worldwide with free Duke Ellington music transcriptions, rehearsal guides, and expert resources. Program alumni include renowned artists such as Grammy winner Samara Joy and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra members Carlos Henriquez and Alexa Tarantino. Scholarship semi-finalists Two Staten Island high school students have been named semifinalists for a top scholarship. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, which has a mission of supporting exceptional students with financial need, announced that 571 high school seniors have been named semifinalists for its generous Cooke College Scholarship Program. The scholarship provides students with the opportunity to graduate with as little debt as possible. The award, which is last dollar funding after all institutional aid, can provide as much as $55,000 per year to pursue a bachelors degree at any accredited undergraduate institution. Two Staten Island students, Masha Efimovich and Kangxi Yang, were named semifinalists in late January. They both attend Staten Island Technical High School. Were incredibly proud of how the Cooke Scholar community has evolved in 25 years of community-building, said Natalie Rodriguez Jansorn, vice president of scholarship programs at the Cooke Foundation. Congratulations to these students for thinking big about their futures and earning the distinction of becoming a Cooke College Scholarship semifinalist. This years Cooke College Scholarship semifinalists represent an exceptional cohort, selected through an even more rigorous academic standard with a new minimum unweighted GPA requirement of 3.75. The 2025 Cooke College Scholarship recipients will be announced in late March. Cooke College Scholars are selected based on exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, leadership, and service to others. Students must be current high school seniors. SEND US YOUR STORIES Do you have a story idea for the In Class education column? Email education reporter Annalise Knudson at aknudson@siadvance.com. President Donald Trump told American farmers that they should get ready to have fun selling their products to U.S. consumers after his tariffs on foreign American trading partners. Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun! the president posted Monday on his Truth Social media site. Trump has slapped a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico and doubled tariffs to 20% on products from China. All three are major consumers of American farm goods. The Des Moines Register reported that Iowa would likely be hit hard by the tariffs. The Hawkeye State leads the nation in corn, pork, egg and ethanol production, and ranks second in growing soybeans and 10th in raising beef. Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union board, said Monday that tariffs will not bring much joy for U.S. farmers, especially if they lose access to foreign markets and the domestic supply of corn, soybeans, pork and other products increases. Lower prices arent fun for farmers, said Lehman, who led a virtual town hall meeting with U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, on Monday that ended shortly before Trumps post. Losing reliable trade markets is not fun for farmers. Our farmers are very concerned about that - its hitting their bottom line, and ability for them to innovate on their farm with conservation funds and projects to build relationships with consumers and their communities through building our local and regional food system. And, were talking a lot about tariffs, Lehman said. Farmers invest in building good trade relationships. And unfortunately, they can be undone very, very quickly. Im afraid thats whats happening, said Lehman. When speaking of next month, Trump was referring to potential plans to place tariffs on goods from the European Union. The tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China went into effect this week. Canada said they would respond with 20% tariffs if the American tariffs are still in place in three weeks. China has also announced new tariffs on American goods. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have come in for stinging criticism both here and abroad following their fiery Oval Office confrontation last Friday with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But some polls taken after the unprecedented blowup show Trump and Vances favorable ratings edging up, according to ABC Newsproject538 averages. The site showed that Trumps favorability increased from 47.7% to 48.1% as of the Monday morning following the meeting, as reported by the Bergen Record. Vances popularity edged up slightly, according to the site, from 40.8% to 40.9%. In polls that included data gleaned after the meeting, the site had Emerson College showing Trump with a 48% approval rating, with 43% disapproving of Trumps job performance. Morning Consult showed Trump with a 49% approval rating, with 48% disapproving of Trump. John Zogby Strategies showed a split in Trumps favorability, with 48% approving and 48% disapproving. Zelenskyy last Friday was set to sign a minerals deal with the U.S. as Trump looks to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. But tempers flared when Trump and Vance said that Zelenskyy hadnt shown enough gratitude for American support and the meeting collapsed. Zelenskyy was subsequently asked to leave the White House. The polls show that 54.4% of Americans disapprove of the job that Congress is doing as opposed to 27.8% who approve. Other polls taken before the Zelenskyy meeting had good news and bad news for Trump. A poll from CNN showed that most Americans disapprove of the job that Trump is doing since starting his second term in the White House last month. The survey also showed that a plurality of Americans think that the policies of the 47th president are taking the country in the wrong direction. According to CNN, 52% of those surveyed disapprove of the job that Trump is doing, with 48% approving, about the same as a CNN poll from the middle of February. Trumps 48% approval rating ahead of his initial address to Congress tonight is higher than it was in 2017 before that years speech to Congress following Trumps first election to the presidency. The poll also showed that 45% if respondents believe that Trumps policies are leading the U.S. in the wrong direction, while 39% believe the country is headed in the right direction under Trumps leadership. A majority also say that Trump has not paid enough attention to the countrys most important problems (52%), with 40% saying he has had the right priorities, CNN reported. The poll was conducted between Feb. 24-28 among a random national sample of 2,212 adults drawn from a probability-based panel. The margin of error was +/-2.4%. An NPR/PBS/Marist poll showed that 51% of respondents disapprove of the job Trump is doing while 45% approve. Trumps current approval rating is better than the 38% approval rating he had when he left office in 2021. The poll showed 54% of Americans saying that the country is headed in the wrong direction, while 45% said its headed in the right direction. Thats an improvement from December, when 64% of Americans said the country was heading in the wrong direction. President Joe Biden was in office at that time. The Marist poll was conducted from Feb. 24-26. Results for all adults (n=1,694) are statistically significant within 2.8 percentage points. Results for registered voters (n=1,533) are statistically significant within 3.0 percentage points. A hot mic tantalizingly caught President Donald Trumps first words to White House staff following last weeks unprecedented Oval Office blowup with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Youre right, maybe we should (INAUDIBLE). Lets have a little something.... Trump said to an unidentified aide as the press was leaving the room, the Daily Mail reported. Would you bring them to the Roosevelt Room? Once the Ukrainian delegation was led to the Roosevelt Room down the hall from the Oval Office, Zelenskyy and the delegation were told that the president wanted them to leave the White House. The meeting had devolved into a shouting match between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance after the U.S. officials said that Zelenskyy had failed to show enough gratitude for U.S. war aid for Ukraine. Sitting for an interview on the Fox show Hannity, Vance said that his own answer to a journalists question at the Oval Office meeting set Zelenskyy off. I do think that there was just a certain sense of there was a lack of respect. There was a certain sense of entitlement, Vance said Monday in his first interview since the blowup. During the White House meeting, Vance explained the importance of diplomatic engagement as a way to end Russian President Vladimir Putins war with Ukraine when Zelenskyy asked if he could follow up. He described Russias illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, previous failed peace agreements and a 2019 ceasefire that was violated by the Kremlin, Fox News reported. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean? Zelenskyy asked. Im talking about the kind of diplomacy thats going to end the destruction of your country, Vance responded. I think its disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American mediaYou should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict. A planned rare earth minerals deal was left unsigned. Trump later suspended military aid to Ukraine. Lights out. Canada is threatening to cut electricity exports to the United States as part of the escalating trade war launched by President Donald Trump. Trumps 25% tariffs on Canadian goods took effect on Tuesday. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he would cut off electricity exports to the United States with a smile on my face, the New York Post reported. They rely on our energy, they need to feel the pain, Ford said. They want to come at us hard, were going to come back twice as hard. Ontario powered 1.5 million homes in the U.S. in 2023, the Post said, and is a major exporter of electricity to New York and other border states such as Michigan and Minnesota. It wasnt immediately clear if Ford was talking about all Canadian provinces cutting off energy exports to the US or just his province. Ford also reiterated a prior pledge to match Trumps 25% tax on all products entering the United States from Canada, Mexico and China. I [didnt] start this tariff war, but were going to win this tariff war, Ford said. The provinces have a big say in it, but its the federal government thats leading the charge, and were going to stand shoulder to shoulder no matter whos in the federal government. As Trumps tariffs took effect, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the nation would slap reciprocal 25% tariffs on U.S. goods. More tariffs would be levied if the American tariffs remain in place for 21 days. Fords electricity threat was first reported by the Toronto Sun. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Pack those umbrellas its going to be a wet Wednesday. Stormy conditions are forecast to roll into the area in the afternoon and persist into Wednesday evening, according to Dave Dombek, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. While most of the precipitation is slated to come down in the afternoon hours, Dombek notes there is a chance that residents could experience some rain showers in the morning. A National Weather Service graphic shows a rainfalll/liquid precipitation forecast for New York City from Wednesday, March 5, through Thursday, March 6, 2025 (Courtesy of the National Weather Service) I think thatll (morning showers) kind of morph into a little bit beefier batch of rain, little steadier and some heavier rain at times tomorrow afternoon, especially late afternoon and into the evening and early nighttime hours tomorrow (Wednesday), said Dombek. Pretty good downpours, I would say. Dombek foresees the New York City area receiving a general half-inch to an inch of rain from this system. These downpours are expected to trigger minor flooding in urban and poor drainage areas, Dombek explained. I think theres a very good chance that, at some point, we could get a flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder, Dombek added. In addition to the wet weather and potential for a legitimate thunderstorm, Dombek says there could be a pretty good burst of winds on Wednesday. An AccuWeather graphic shows a forecast for elevated wind gusts in New York City on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Courtesy of AccuWeather) Southerly winds begin to pick up during the day Wednesday and are forecast by Dombek to linger into the evening hours. Generally, winds are expected to measure somewhere between 15-30 mph in the evening. However, there is a period, likely sometime between 6 and 11 p.m., where gusts could peak around 40-45 mph, Dombek said. It may not be damaging; it could be, locally, not out of the question. But I think it will at least be pretty noticeable and gusty for a time, added Dombek. Despite calmer conditions generally prevailing on the heels of this system, Dombek thinks that breezy winds will persist into Thursday and Friday. Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe! Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions. 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Addressing the roundtable "Middle Corridor: Connecting Through the Caspian Sea" held in Azerbaijan's Baku, Pertsovsky reminded that since 2018, Ukrzaliznytsia has been a permanent member of the International TITR Association. "I want to emphasize the importance of the work being carried out by all participants of the TITR in developing this transport corridor. The significance of an alternative route from East Asia to Western Europe cannot be overstated, and the increase in transport volumes along this route speaks for itself. Ukraine was forced to suspend its participation in the TITR due to geopolitical events, and today we are pleased to announce our intention to resume our involvement in the project. Active work is underway to restore ferry connections with Georgia, which will not only extend the TITR route to European countries transiting through Ukraine but also revive the former economic ties between our countries," he said. Pertsovsky also highlighted that "Ukrzaliznytsia" is currently working on creating new business units. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel 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 Sarah Court has seen the worst of corporate Australia. She was there when Telstra was fined a whopping $50 million for its treatment of Indigenous customers in rural Australia; again when Apple was fined $9 million for misleading consumers about its free repairs; and, like the rest of us, watched aghast during the banking royal commission. But even she remains staggered by the continuing vast, illegal and deceitful transfer of wealth from ordinary Australians to big businesses. After interviewing Court, the highly regarded deputy chair of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, multiple times over the past year about a range of corporate misconduct issues, including significant legal victories she has chalked up, we are meeting in person for the first time on a scorching 33-degree day at Il Solito Posto, an Italian basement restaurant near 101 Collins Street, and right across the road from ASICs Melbourne offices. Its a favourite Melbourne haunt for the top end of town and perhaps the perfect backdrop to our lengthy musings on the rise of populism, the decline of trust in institutions and our collective responsibilities as a society to address widening social inequality. It has taken more than six months and lots of predictable bureaucratic wrangling to finally set up this lunch. Sarah Court and Joe Longo, who joined ASIC to clean up the corporate regulator after it was lampooned during the banking royal commission, at Senate estimates in February. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen ASIC is not the golden regulator child that title ostentatiously goes to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, where Court used to be commissioner and for a very long time, it was a maligned, neer do-well body famously lampooned by eminent jurist Kenneth Hayne during the banking royal commission. Court, and her boss, Joe Longo, were appointed in 2021, tasked with cleaning up the corporate regulator whose competency and efficiency are a perennial issue. Advertisement ASIC still faces a barrage of criticism, including by parliamentarians who as recently as six months ago recommended splitting ASIC into two after a two-year inquiry concluded it comprehensively failed its role as a regulator. The inquirys chair, Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, accused ASIC of enabling Australia to become a haven for white-collar crime because of its timid legal approach. Loading Other independent observers question why the regulator goes hard on super funds over greenwashing, but allows resources companies to make seemingly misleading statements without any serious ramifications. Or why criminal prosecutions for corporate misconduct are so few and far in between. Court is convinced ASIC has turned a corner. In 2024, it convinced several Federal Court judges Mercer, Vanguard and Active Super misled investors as part of landmark greenwashing cases; sued failed airline Rex and embattled super fund Cbus; and pursued big banks and insurers for failing vulnerable customers. There are absolutely areas we are working on, one of them is about how we engage with people who report misconduct, Court says. I wont say its completely fixed, but were making inroads. Im much more comfortable than perhaps ASIC has been in the past about sharing information on those who bring matters to us; being more open and trusting. Advertisement The insalata di barbabietola. Credit: Penny Stephens Over the course of 1 hours (neither of us realise how quickly that time has flown), we find ourselves regularly going back to that theme of accountability and transparency, and how those two fundamental pillars of democracy are critical to breeding community trust. When Court and I nestle into a corner table on the lower ground of the cosy Il Solito Posto, we both immediately gravitate towards insalata di barbabietola (to be frank, I had already diligently pored over the menu before I arrived) a beetroot and sweet potato salad with shaved apple, hazelnuts, spinach and goat cheese. For variety, Court instead opts for the caprese salad with tomatoes, capers and buffalo mozzarella, while both of us indulge in sparkling water. Ive already spoken with an ASIC media adviser (twice) about payment for todays lunch. Usually, this masthead pays. But theres concern over whether that would be considered a gift under the Australian Public Service guidelines, if it needs to be disclosed or cant be accepted in the first place. The caprese salad. Credit: Penny Stephens We never get to the bottom of what is explicitly allowed and what is not, if theres a chance Court or I could fall foul of some law, so the deputy chair and I end up splitting the bill, lest she is grilled in Senate estimates over it. We are already deep into conversation about the impacts the Hayne royal commission has had on corporate Australia and the regulators when our food arrives. Court is no stranger to this world where big business intersects with government she was a former executive lawyer with the Australian Government Solicitor and most recently a commissioner at the ACCC who oversaw their litigation program, but even she is astounded by what she has seen over the past three years in her role at ASIC. Advertisement She is quick to point out that she doesnt believe most people are out to do the wrong thing but somewhere along the way, the systems and processes designed to safeguard consumers fails. But, perhaps dishearteningly, the issues that were identified and promised would be fixed during the banking royal commission still endure. Over an almost two hour-lunch, Sarah Court regularly goes back to the theme of accountability and transparency. Credit: Penny Stephens The vast amounts of money in the financial services sector that needs to be remediated has generally staggered me, Court says. In the insurance area alone, there was more than $800 million needing to be remediated Its just really staggering that promises can be made and its not just one company or sector but not delivered on. Sums of money that might be trivial or small amounts for the individuals, but as a collective transfer of wealth from consumers to those entities is quite amazing. This is what Court sees as the crux of the issue: has a business promised to deliver something but failed to do so? This is why, she says, ASIC is going hard after greenwashing. Loading We decide to take a break. Ive eaten through a chunk of my salad, but Court has barely touched hers. While we both eat, she talks about her upbringing in Adelaide, how she landed her dream cadetship working in criminal law policy in Canberra before deciding she hated it and moving across to the Australian Government Solicitor and her childhood friends who still ground her. Advertisement I have just finished reading New York Times journalist Ezra Kleins 2020 book, Why were polarised, and still reflecting on the results of the United States election, so I want to understand what role Court thinks she has in rebuilding trust in institutions, or the impacts she has seen of rising populism on her own institution. Throughout our conversation, Court points out several times she doesnt even want to characterise it as a rise in populism. That just sounds dismissive of peoples genuine concerns, she says, and those who are in positions like hers have a responsibility to get out of their comfort zones and engage with the issues people identify as a challenge. Youve mentioned this idea several times. Is there anything in your life that has shaped you and these thoughts? I ask. Court considers this. Hmmm. Two things. I live in Adelaide and spend most of my time in Adelaide. Most of my friends are from high school. They are completely oblivious to what I do. They are very special to me, but they are not people immersed in the big picture [politics], who are just living and getting by and a bit oblivious to politics and regulators, and thats quite humbling in a way, she says. Then, the work at the ACCC is very consumer-focused and certainly engaging with consumers All the commissioners around the table have wide-ranging consumer experience, running consumer helplines, eloquently explaining what they are seeing, that their clients are desperate. Thats also been humbling. Its this lens that she says she has brought to ASIC: the regulators role is to hold business to account, identify the harm done to the consumer and demonstrate to the public the corporate watchdog is the tough cop on the beat. Advertisement Strickland Metals may be on the cusp of a massive porphyry discovery after its diamond drill rig hit a whopping 493-metre intercept grading 0.14 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 223m at its Jezerska Reka prospect, which is part of the companys Rogozna gold and base metals project in Serbia. The assays from the new hole also show a 412m section running at grades of 130 parts per million (ppm) copper from a depth of 300m and ending in gold and copper mineralisation at 700m depth. A core photo showing hydrothermal veins in a potassic-altered porphyry a key indicator for potential mineralisation - from 708m depth at Strickland Metals Jezerska Reka prospect, part of the companys Rogozna gold and base metal project in Serbia. Initial geochemical testing of the target was conducted in 2023 and was followed up with a geophysical survey that lit up a sizeable, mineralised zone, hinting at the possibility of something big. The results from the new hole were correlated with a previous diamond hole, which was also drilled at the time of the geophysical survey. The earlier hole intersected 94m of high-grade gold at 0.4g/t from 484m, ending in 0.17g/t gold mineralisation at a depth of 716m. MUSIC KHRUANGBIN Hordern Pavilion, March 5 Also March 6, 7 Reviewed by SHAMIM RAZAVI Album shows can be challenging even with the best of material and the most atmospheric of venues. A La Sala and the Hordern are neither of those things, so pity poor Khruangbin as they soldier on with a top-to-toe rendition of their latest album. The clue is in its title, which translates as to the living room. It is a work best savoured on vinyl - not only for the textured reverb of Mark Speers Stratocaster but also so its unmemorable B-side can remain happily unplayed. Even the A-side takes its time to get going, with the nights first four numbers serving as a warm-up for a fiesta that only truly begins with Pon Pon and stretches across another two songs to conclude with Hold Me Up a joyous but brief chapter bookended by pieces more arty than party. Lost in space: Khruangbin Credit: Jackie Lee Young The shows second wide-ranging half is far superior, even if it opens with an unintended wobble to Speers melodies on Como me Quires and The Infamous Bill. Wobble overcome, the party restarts with Pelota and builds with mounting intensity, climaxing in Maria Tambiens masterful channelling of Iranian 70s disco through the bands psychedelic funk filter to deliver something at once political, beautiful and fun. These pieces from earlier albums are no less artful than the shows more minor first half, but they are more accessible and fully formed. That accessibility resonates with an audience transformed from respectful nodding silence to gyrating funksters but a noticeable chunk of the crowd has headed for the exits well before the band is done. Which is a great shame. Devoid of obvious ego, Speer and bassist Laura Lee do their best to put on a performance, slinking across the stage with a feline elegance, their footsteps synchronised both with each other and the rhythm as they personify the groove. You cant fault their commitment to communicating their vision even the A La Sala cuts are adapted for the show so that more minor pieces are trimmed to deliver their delicate main idea before outstaying the audiences welcome but it is an intimate vision too nuanced and too pretty for this cavernous setting. MUSIC FONTAINES D.C. Opera House Forecourt, March 6 Reviewed by PENRY BUCKLEY Did you know/I could claim the dreamer from the dream? go the wistful opening lines of Fontaines D.C.s Favourite. Its a sentiment that seems to linger for fans throughout this show. Fontaines D.C. in action at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt on Thursday night. Credit: Mikki Gomez This is the first stop on the Dublin post-punk bands world tour for their wildly successful fourth album, Romance, and the first time they have played here in two years. And they do not disappoint, despite the rain, with what might be a perfect set. The band have an affinity with Australia (I feel like I arrive here and Im not completely an outsider, bassist Conor Deegan III told this masthead this week), and the audience, a fair few Irish audibly among them, consolidate the bond by delighting in singing along during the history lesson in I Love You, about the gall of Fine Gael and the fail of Fianna Fail. On the Grammy-nominated Romance, Fontaines reach new heights. Their new and old material feels like a cohesive canon from the moment they open with the title track. Recent anthem of disaffection, In the Modern World, responds to the 2020 tune A Heros Death (with its refrain Life aint always empty), while the new albums lead single, Starburster, matches the energy of 2022s industrial, grinding Nabokov. The new material is gentler as a whole and provides balance with the softer interludes of Horseness Is the Whatness (a nod to James Joyces Ulysses) or when guitarist Conor Curley sings the shoegazey Sundowner. But Fontaines are most at home in the driving Boys in the Better Land (from 2019 debut Dogrel) or the aforementioned Starburster, as fans fizz and bounce off each other in the mosh. Frontman Grian Chatten does not relent, either. But all dreams come to an end. As the band closes the set with Favourite, before the four-song encore, its opening lines echo joyously around the harbour. MUSIC GREEN DAY Engie Stadium, March 3 Reviewed by MICHAEL RUFFLES American Idiot has no right to feel this urgent. The song is 20 years old but could have been written last weekend after recent Oval Office antics. As a mission statement and piece of punk rock, it is as blunt as it is blistering, and Green Day delivered it in searing style on a Monday night in suburban Sydney. The California trio, expanded for live purposes, played a smattering of hits along with classic albums Dookie (1994) and American Idiot (2004) in full. Billie Joe Armstrong and that giant mushroom cloud. Credit: Chris Neave The first comes closest to outright nostalgia bait as men of a certain age bounce around to slacker anthems of their youth; Billie Joe Armstrong a cheeky and charismatic punk pixie, Mike Dirnt taunting with the bass intro to masturbation masterpiece Longview, Tre Cool bringing flair and leopard prints behind the drums. Under a giant cartoon mushroom cloud from the album cover, Green Day barely pauses for breath during the angsty and relentless Dookie leg: the more alternative, almost poppy When I Come Around stands out in the crowd as a jaunty singalong. It ended on a high note with Tre Cool sauntering about the stage to an orchestral version of the hidden final track All by Myself. Bringing the set into the 21st century was the rousing Know Your Enemy, complete with an onstage fan going appropriately wild and the arena-pleasing anti-war anthem 21 Guns. Tre Cool brought plenty of flair and charisma to the party. Credit: Chris Neave However, American Idiot is the bands crowning achievement. The hour-long punk opera opus describes a disenchanted generation worried about war, government intrusion and mass media manipulation. Its as chilling and thrilling now as it was in the Dubya years, and Armstrong injects a rejection of the MAGA agenda to the opening title track and references to Ukraine and the Middle East in the rambunctious multi-part Jesus of Suburbia. This is for Ukraine, Armstrong declares before launching into Holiday, the Armageddon-tinged protest song that itself goes off like a bomb. With Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Wake Me Up When September Ends, the band turns from punk brats to genuine rock stars and even after all these years the band finds ways to make them seem fresh and moving. Let us pray that 20 years on the songs are just as exhilarating but a lot less chilling. Can I get another amen? MUSIC MARIZA Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, March 3 Reviewed by JOHN SHAND The lights go down, and Luis Guerreiros dazzling Portuguese guitar splinters the silence. Mariza first appears as a silhouette, only her platinum hair and sparkly gown catching the dim light. Then she unleashes the phenomenon thats her contralto voice, a voice that may have darkened slightly in the 18 years since she was last in Sydney but thats lost none of its ear-pinning power. This time, the Mozambique-born Portuguese singer, who has taken Lisbons fado music to new audiences around the world, was chattier than I recall, telling us how she began singing in her parents taverna when she was five and that her first album, recorded 26 years ago, was intended as a gift for her father, not a commercial release. Mariza amps up the intensity from the very beginning of the show. Credit: Ravyna Jassani The world had other ideas. Mariza immediately hits an intensity most singers aspire to reach at their concerts pinnacle, and then she sustains it for song after song. Sometimes, it could seem as if all the sadness and despair in the world had been given voice or as if she were conjuring up the ghosts of all who have ever suffered. Meanwhile, her willowy arms and saucer eyes emphasised every note, compounding every emotion. She could discard her microphone and still fill the Concert Hall with her voice, making one suspect that, despite the exemplary sound quality, she and her quintet were slightly over-amplified. And what a band. Besides Guerreiro (who was here 18 years ago), Carlos Phelipe Ferreira played equally dazzling acoustic guitar, and Gabriel Salles contributed sparse, apposite bass. Joao Frades accordion offered a contrasting, swirling sonic world to the guitars, with its unusually rich low notes particularly evident in the introduction to Meu Fado Meu, and drummer Mario Costa coloured and dramatised the music with a hybrid kit offering a wealth of sounds, which his virtuosity expanded further. Loading But the bands primary purpose was to launch Marizas spearing voice, to let her bare her heart on songs such as Beijo de Saudade (roughly Kiss of Longing), fado being Portugals blues or flamenco. Its slow tempos underline the desolation often present in the lyrics and in the singing of the likes of Mariza and her great predecessor, Amalia Rodrigues, to whom she again paid tribute. When she has veered closer to pop music on her records, the songs can sometimes seem emotionally limp compared with those in the fado tradition or with those reflecting her Mozambican roots. Yet in concert theres no sense of this because her commitment is unwavering and her presence compelling, while her band lends to every song the kind of authority that a great orchestra does to classical music. Besides, she knows the importance of lightening the mood with her occasional party pieces, such as the enthusiastically received encore, Maria Joana. The spell was only broken and repeatedly so by those audience members who rudely and fatuously insisted on filming her. MUSIC Simone Young conducts Elgar and Vaughan Williams Opera House Concert Hall, February 28 Reviewed by PETER McCALLUM Moving from the front desk to the soloists position to play Elgars demanding Violin Concerto, Sydney Symphony concertmaster Andrew Haveron gave a commanding performance of majestic power, sinewy expression and rewarding musical richness. As might be expected, he interacted with the orchestra he usually leads with a refined ear, picking up the second phrase of the first movements main theme so as to continue the thought but gently darken the mood. Andrew Haveron gave a commanding performance of the Elgar Violin Concerto. Credit: Nick Bowers When Elgars expansive, striving textures called for it, he soared above the orchestral sound with heroic tone and impeccable intonation, heating up the coda of the weighty first movement to create a moment of stirring excitement. In the slow movement he and conductor Simone Young drew out the elegiac long line with tender sweetness, rising to searing intensity towards the end. With an incisively carved flourish, Haveron brought the finale scintillatingly to life. For the cadenza, Elgar writes delicate tapping textures for accompanying strings to create a magical background of glistening presence while the soloist draws the music back to reflective melancholy for the reintroduction of the first movements opening idea. In addition to its musical rewards, this performance was a reminder of Sydneys good fortune in having a violinist of Haverons calibre leading its orchestra week by week. The concert opened with a drily, skilfully orchestrated new work by Carl Vine, Dreams Undreamt, which propelled its way through eight minutes duration with energised syncopated rhythms, picking out irregular accents and transitioning to new tempi to ramp up the momentum, while raucous cow-bells barracked noisily at the back (which may be why the dreams remained undreamt). Oh my god. Id already been dressed down by my old friend, former sex worker and academic Eurydice Aroney, because Id confessed to hating the film. Sure, its not my place to be a movie reviewer. But doing it anyway. You know when you read a bunch of reviews before you see a film - and then wonder if the reviewers saw what you did? Packed, says Elena Jeffreys, sex worker, PhD in the politics of sex work organisations and advocacy lead for Scarlet Alliance . She says the audience loved it. The tickets had been sold out for weeks. Just an hour after Anora scooped the Academy Awards , a cinema in Brisbanes Red Hill was filled with sex workers and friends celebrating International Sex Worker Rights Day . Then, the screening began. That was me when watching Anora, nicknamed Ani, a sex worker, and the situation in which she finds herself with the son of a Russian oligarch (message to the US: never trust Russians). Nearly every single review I read described it as liberating, as showing the collective strength of sex workers, and Anora herself as a woman possessed of enormous power. Me? My god, I found Anora so depressing, so terribly depressing. Yes, the movie that won the Palme dOr at Cannes last year and now has those five Academy Awards, including best picture, best director and best actress (for Mikey Madisons work in the title role). Nearly every single review described Anora as liberating, as showing the collective strength of sex workers, and Anora herself as a woman possessed of enormous power. Credit: AP My friend Eury tells me off over my complete incapacity to see what she sees a movie that is as close to reality for sex workers as possible. It lives and breathes the idea of nothing about us without us because both Sean Baker and Mikey Madison went all in. Baker thanked the sex worker community in one of his speeches on Monday (our time and also, as I said earlier, International Sex Worker Rights Day so very fitting). And Eury even mocks me for having enjoyed Pretty Woman all those years ago. Anora quotes PW but is nothing like it. Also, I suppose it is a character flaw that I want happy endings. Why does Jeffreys love the film? Things that hadnt even occurred to me, such as showing the strip club as a workplace where workers should have rights and protections. Is it just me, or is the Australian property market looking more and more like the Hunger Games? And Im not talking about tenants fighting to the death for an overpriced rental though that scenario might not be far off. I mean the growing divide between investors hoarding multiple properties and working Australians stuck forever renting, much like how the Hunger Games wealthy Capitol rules over the struggling Districts, maintaining control through economic disparity. Allowing access to our superannuation could address the growing divide between younger renters and older home owners. Credit: Dionne Gain And just like in the dystopian tale, a significant resource Australians own retirement savings is being kept from them, when allowing people to access their superannuation could help more working Australians break out of the rental trap. First home buyers are being further outpaced by investors. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, the number of new home loans to first home buyers increased by just 0.2 per cent last year, while loans to investors surged by 13.2 per cent. The trend of home ownership has only been declining since its 1966 peak, affecting younger generations the greatest. Peter Dutton has urged Anthony Albanese not to call the federal election this Sunday because of the forecasts for widespread damage from Tropical Cyclone Alfred, saying this was the wrong time for campaigning. The Opposition Leader made the remarks while speaking from his Queensland farm during an interview on Sky News on Wednesday afternoon about his preparations for the cyclone to make landfall in south-east Queensland and northern NSW. Opposition leader Peter Dutton. Credit: Louise Kennerley While Dutton spoke with Sky host Chris Kenny about the cyclone for several minutes, he also used the interview to aim a series of barbs at the prime minister and step up his bid for election victory when the formal election campaign begins. He said Albanese was wrong to consider sending peacekeepers to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal in the war, and criticised Albanese over his response to the arrival of Chinese navy ships in the Tasman Sea last week. Albanese dismissed questions about Coalition policy on insurance companies at a press conference earlier on Wednesday, saying there were no political parties when all sides were working together on the response to the cyclone. Albanese has cancelled plans to fly to Perth in the next few days because of the risks of a natural disaster on the east coast, which has fuelled talk about whether he would call the election this Sunday. I think calling it on Sunday would be a mistake, Dutton said on Sky News. I think the prime minister would regret doing so, because if, as were advised, this cyclone does track across the coast, it is going to be causing a lot of damage. There will be a lot of flooding, and therell be a lot of families and businesses who are really devastated, and at that time, I think its really the occasion for the prime minister to be governing, not campaigning. Labor advisers privately said this showed Dutton was engaging in partisan politics when Albanese had avoided doing the same, but they declined to be named and quoted on their views. Albanese could move on Sunday or Monday to call an election for April 12, although this depends on the cyclone. In the event of a natural disaster, he could postpone the plans and head to an election on May 3 or May 10. The election must be held by May 17. Prosecutors are appealing against the length of a prison term for a man who killed five people in one of the states deadliest crashes in a decade, arguing the sentence was manifestly inadequate. Christopher Dillon Joannidis, 30, was on his way to a friends wedding on April 20, 2023, when he crashed his Mercedes-Benz into Debbie Markeys Nissan Navara and a fully laden B-double milk tanker at Strathmerton in Victorias north about 2.20pm. Christopher Dillon Joannidis (left) and partner Eleanor Theebom outside the County Court in November. Credit: AAP Markey, from nearby Cobram, was driving four international visitors on working visas Pin-Yu Wang, Hsin-Yu Chen, Wai Yan Lam and Zih-Yao Chen home from work at an abattoir. All five were killed. Markeys dog, Sophie, also died at the scene. His daughter, Tracey Mellowship, confirmed his death to The Washington Post on Monday. A cause of death was not disclosed. James Christopher Harrison was born Dec. 27, 1936, in the town of Junee, New South Wales. His lifelong dedication to giving blood came after his own hospitalization: He underwent major lung surgery at age 14 and later described waking up in intensive care and discovering he had received extensive blood transfusions. According to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, which organizes blood donations and distributes plasma to hospitals, Harrison gave blood from 1954, when he became old enough to donate under Australian law, to 2018, when he was advised to stop because of his age. In 1966, scientists discovered that blood plasmas containing Anti-D, an uncommon antibody, could be administered during pregnancy to help prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN), which can cause serious complications including stillbirth and neonatal death. Soon afterward, medical officials discovered that Mr. Harrison carried unusually high concentrations of Anti-D. "The antibody from his plasma was administered to 2.4 million babies," Jemma Falkenmire, a spokeswoman for Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, said in an interview Monday, estimating the number of babies whose mothers received the injection while pregnant. "There are so many people walking around with a little bit of James." Scientists in Australia have used Mr. Harrison's plasma to manufacture over 3 million doses of the Anti-D immunoglobin injection since 1967, with every ampoule administered in the country containing his donated antibody, according to Lifeblood. Only a minuscule volume is required to prevent HDN in a pregnancy deemed to be at risk. Every year, the Anti-D injection that contains Mr. Harrison's antibodies is administered in about 17 percent of pregnancies in Australia. His daughter, Mellowship, is among those who received it. "He was relentless. He really wanted to help others," said Falkenmire, recalling how he hated needles and preferred to be distracted by conversation during a donation. "Having a donor with that amount of antibody was incredibly important for Australia." His prolific donor history - 1,173 donations - also earned him the moniker "The Man with the Golden Arm." HDN arises when a woman with an Rh-negative blood type carries a fetus that has inherited its father's Rh-positive blood, an incompatibility that causes the mother's blood to reject the fetus's red blood cells. Scientists were never sure why Mr. Harrison's blood contained such high concentrations of Anti-D, but speculated that it was the result of the blood transfusions he received during his lung surgery. "He was flooded with the antibody," Falkenmire said. "They asked me to be a guinea pig, and I've been donating ever since," Mr. Harrison told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2018, when he stopped donating on the advice of health officials concerned about the effects at his age. "I'd keep on going if they'd let me," Mr. Harrison said at the time. According to the Australian government's Health and Medical Research Council, the discovery of the antibody has rendered clinical incidences of HDN in Australia "almost non-existent." According to a 2018 study by the peer-reviewed Medical Journal of Australia, HDN caused an estimated 250 stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Australia in 1967. An estimated 16 percent of people in the United States have Rh-negative blood, giving them the ability to produce Anti-D antibodies in their plasma. But according to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, that country has fewer than 200 Anti-D donors - with medical researchers now hoping to develop a synthetic version of the injection composed of lab-grown antibodies. The program is named "James in a Jar," after Mr. Harrison. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, along with Melbourne's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, has successfully re-created and grown the antibody in the lab and hopes to one day be able to use it to treat HDN worldwide, potentially reducing dependency on donors, the organization said in a statement. "Creating a new therapy has long been a holy grail' - with a scarcity of donors committed to regular donation as well as being able to produce antibodies in sufficient quality and quantity," David Irving, director of research at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, said in the statement. Mr. Harrison's wife, Barbara Harrison, died in 2005. He is survived by his sister Margaret Thrift, his daughter, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. (COMMENT, BELOW) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The Western Azerbaijan Community condemns the biased statements of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk voiced at the UN Human Rights Council, the statement of Western Azerbaijan Community reads, Trend reports. We expected the High Commissioner to condemn the grave consequences of Armenia's occupation of Azerbaijani lands, including the destruction of religious and cultural heritage and mine terrorism, and to invite Armenia to sincerely cooperate with Azerbaijan to determine the fates of some 4,000 missing Azerbaijanis. The High Commissioner also failed to condemn the recent racist speech by Armenia's first President, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, reflecting the goal of creating a mono-ethnic State by deporting Azerbaijanis, the construction of a restaurant on the ruins of an ancient mosque in Yerevan, and occasional revanchist statements from Armenia. We urge the High Commissioner not to be selective in his approach to international law, international humanitarian law, international human rights law and not to interfere in the work of the judicial system of a sovereign state, the statement of the Western Azerbaijan Community reads. The belief that equal access to education is the path to self-betterment has been shaken by the flight to private schools and selective public schools leaving the public comprehensive system to shoulder the burden of economically, socially and educationally disadvantaged students. Since the Gonski Report alerted Australia to huge inequities in education 13 years ago, governments have sought to redress the imbalance and additional billions of dollars of needs-based funding has poured into schools. Hows that going? Not too well. The former head of the Department of Education, Michele Bruniges, has proposed the disproportionate concentration of poor students in the public system could be addressed by curbing new selective schools and asking private schools to open their doors to less advantaged children. Dr Michele Bruniges, the former head of the Department of Education. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Research showed that in 2017, about 430,000 students attended a school with a high concentration of disadvantaged students, but that number had jumped to 555,000 students by 2023. In a speech to be delivered at Wednesdays SMH Schools Summit 2025, designed for teachers, school principals and education sector leaders to explore cutting-edge policies and evidence-based approaches, Bruniges said 94 per cent of Australian schools with a high concentration of disadvantage were public schools. In NSW, that figure was 97 per cent. The impact of this trend is that it creates a cycle of negative perceptions that undermine the bonds that tie children, their families and their schools to their community, she said. Loading Bruniges said the inequity in the schooling system was incompatible with Australias self-image of a fair go, and there was a need to encourage a trend away from concentrations of disadvantage that could involve asking more schools that receive public funding to open their doors to children from less advantaged backgrounds and consideration of registering all new schools to be comprehensive, not specialist or selective. She echoed Adrian Piccoli, the former state education minister in the Coalition government, who nearly 14 months ago warned Sydneys selective schools should not grow with population, but rather selective streams in more comprehensive schools were a better way forward. Selective streams within a school are a much better model. Thats better than pulling a student out from their local school and putting them somewhere in an entirely different school, Piccoli said. The selective public school system has served our state well. It has produced brilliant scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers and school teachers among a vast number of professions. Governments from the late 1980s increased the number of selective schools and, particularly, this century, added selective classes to comprehensive schools. Now there are 21 fully selective and 26 partially selective public high schools in NSW, the highest number of any Australian state, and while a recent policy reserves 20 per cent of places for Indigenous and disadvantaged students, and those with a disability, they are predominantly filled with students from the quartile of socioeconomic advantage. A former education department head has suggested curbing new selective schools and asking private schools to open their doors to less-advantaged children beyond just sporting scholarships to address an increasing concentration of poorer students in NSWs public education system. Michele Bruniges, who led the federal Department of Education for seven years, will use a speech at The Sydney Morning Herald Schools Summit on Wednesday to outline research showing 94 per cent of schools with a high concentration of disadvantage in Australia are public schools. In NSW, the figure is 97 per cent. Dr Michele Bruniges research found public schools educate almost all of the most disadvantaged students. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen The impact of this trend is that it creates a cycle of negative perceptions that undermine the bonds that tie children, their families, and their schools, to their community, Bruniges will say. She notes, in some cases, socioeconomic segregation is driven by parents with the financial means who are seeking out private options, while schools with the biggest challenges get dismissed as bad schools. Health authorities are urging clients of a Sydney cosmetic clinic to get tested for blood-borne infections after alleging staff posing as medical practitioners performed invasive procedures and the discovery of surgical equipment marked veterinary use only and dubious medicines. The Ketthip Beauty Clinic at 68 Sussex Street was raided on Thursday by the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) officers, who allegedly uncovered alarming health and safety violations and seized large quantities of surgical equipment and imported medications, some of which had expired. The HCCC is concerned that non-registered staff at the clinic were allegedly performing invasive surgical procedures such as breast augmentation without a medical practitioner present. Credit: iStock The commission is concerned that non-registered persons at the clinic may be performing invasive surgical procedures such as breast augmentation absent any registered health practitioner involvement, the HCCC said in a statement. HCCC officers seized scalpels, sutures, cannulas and other medical devices. Much of this equipment was clearly marked as being for veterinary use only, the HCCC said. Combined with increasing winds in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast regions on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and heavy rainfall peaking on Thursday night and Friday morning, residents are facing a deteriorating weather situation, the weather bureaus Jane Golding said. We are dealing with three natural disaster events in one, NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing said on Wednesday morning, adding NSW had not experienced a similar situation since Tropical Cyclone Nancy hit in 1990. Wassing said winds of up to 100km/h and gusts far in excess of that would most likely bring down power lines and trees and restrict road access. Were already starting to feel the early impacts of those winds, but the worst-case scenario is we start to really feel that in terms of Thursday afternoon and into Thursday evening as the tropical cyclone crosses into Queensland. Again, what that means is that if people feel like they are in unsafe locations, now is the time to relocate, Wassing said. I want people to act now, relocate now, before those circumstances are occurring. This is not just a rain event, this is a wind event, multiple wind events and then a potential flash flood and flooding event so now is the time to act. By Thursday afternoon and into Thursday evening, it is too late. Loading Hundreds of additional SES personnel have been deployed to the Northern Rivers and the Mid North Coast, as well as communication equipment, aviation resources and specialist vehicles. More than 100,000 sandbags were available for those who needed to protect their properties, Wassing said. Flood watch alerts have been in place since Monday for the Northern Rivers, a region devastated by floods in 2022, and the Mid North Coast. Offshore waves as big as 10 metres have been recorded east of Coffs Harbour, Golding said. This is a very dangerous weather situation and were just urging everyone to please keep up to date and heed the advice of emergency services, Golding said. The NSW government has closed 121 schools in northern NSW for the rest of the week, an Education Department spokesperson said. In Lismore, confirmed closures for schools, medical centres, courthouses, law firms, public transport services, city council on Thursday will take place. Hospitals, ambulance, police and fire stations are still open. Minns hoped the impacts on Lismore would be less than the devastating 2022 floods, but was planning for the worst and hoping for the best. Supermarket shelves in the Northern Rivers have been stripped since the cyclone warnings were issued, with Minns urging people not to panic buy. All Qantas and Jetstar flights to Ballina on Wednesday have been cancelled until at least midnight Thursday, a Qantas Group spokesperson said. Flights to and from Coffs Harbour will be suspended from midnight Wednesday until at least midday Thursday, while flights to and from the Gold Coast will be suspended for 24 hours from 4pm on Wednesday. Flights to and from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast were expected to continue as scheduled as of Wednesday afternoon. Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said the community, which is still rebuilding after the record flooding in 2022, was facing the great unknown of how badly hit the city would be. Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg, pictured in 2022, said the community was facing the great unknown of how much damage would occur. Credit: Elise Derwin Krieg, who lost his home and business in those floods, said a disaster as bad as 2022 would be demoralising. That would break many, many people, he said. It would be hard to get up and keep going after that. Theres a lot of very fragile people in Lismore and in the region. NSW Reconstruction Authority chief executive Mal Lanyon said the authority was pre-planning for recovery even before we go into a response phase in the Northern Rivers. We will stand alongside you. We understand the trauma of that previous event. I want to make it very clear that we have listened to the messages, and we have learnt from 2022, and we understand that speed to recovery is essential for the community, he said. Lanyon said his thoughts were very much with the people of the Northern Rivers. Isolated downpours from Wednesday could bring as much as 800 millimetres of rain in far north-east NSW over several days, while 400 to 600 millimetres is likely in areas 50 to 100 kilometres south of the Queensland border. Widespread heavy rainfall of up to 400 millimetres is expected to fall between Coffs Harbour and the Queensland border. The heaviest rainfall is expected south of where Alfred makes landfall. Friday is likely to see the heaviest of the rain before Alfred travels inland, where between 25 and 100 millimetres of rain is expected over the weekend as the system weakens into a tropical low. Wind gusts of up to 120km/h are expected in some parts of north-east NSW. Time was running out on Wednesday afternoon for millions of people in built-up coastal areas of south-east Queensland trying to prepare for a cyclone bringing destructive winds and flooding. Schools, public transport and major roads were set to close as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approached, as Brisbane authorities warned residents that creeks and rivers were likely to flood. The storm, which as of Wednesday afternoon remained a category 2, was expected to make landfall late on Thursday or early Friday between Queenslands Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. The first cyclone to hit the states south-east since 1974, Alfred was predicted to trigger heavy rain, flash flooding, destructive winds and storm surges. A month after 17-year-old Charlize Zmuda was killed in a shark attack off Bribie Island, the teens father, Stephen, has extended his support to the community, helping locals prepare for Tropical Cyclone Alfred as it moves towards land. Armed with a shovel on Tuesday, Zmuda joined other volunteers filling sandbags and ferrying them to retirement villages and the local caravan park. After all the tragedy weve had here, he said, referring to his daughters death, the community is rallying together yet again. Local father and surf lifesaver Stephen Zmuda (right) has stepped up to support the community that rallied around him a month ago. Credit: Dan Peled Charlize was an active surf lifesaving volunteer, who had been involved in the Bribie Island Surf Club since she was eight. A home owner who admitted to building an illegal seawall on a Frankston South beach in front of his $9.25 million house says he will rip out the construction works after being surprised by a public backlash. Gene Neill said on Tuesday he would respect a stop-work order that Frankston City Council had emailed him on Monday night after locals raised concerns at the weekend about his build near Olivers Hill Lookout. Gene Neill says he was building a seawall to stop erosion, but admits he didnt have a permit. Credit: Simon Schluter Ive offered to rip it all out and just replant and let the landslides continue, he said. Well put the house on the market and sell it. Neill said on Monday that he had no choice but to build a seawall without a permit because it was impossible to get one and erosion was threatening his house, which property records show he bought in December. A woman accused of murdering her boyfriend by stabbing him in the chest allegedly claimed the 31-year-old rigger stabbed himself, a court has heard. Lauren Vivian Brown, 28, has gone on trial in the Supreme Court of WA over allegations that she fatally stabbed James Sheahy in their apartment in Joondalup in September 2023. Lauren Vivian Brown, pictured, is on trial over the alleged murder of her boyfriend. Credit: Nine News Perth State prosecutor Michael Cvetkoski told the court witnesses would give evidence during the course of the trial that she was verbally and physically abusive towards Sheehy, whom she had only met five months before his death. The couple had only weeks earlier moved into a unit in Joondalup when an argument allegedly ensued between the pair. Cvetkoski said Sheehy was on the phone to a friend moments before he was injured. The friend claims to have heard Brown in the background shouting really loudly during their conversation. Thats all for today readers, thank you for joining us. However, as we near the finish line for the state election, its worth revisiting what has been promised so far. Our calculations have Labors promises edging out Liberals at $6 billion to $5.97 billion, though the Liberals total is likely higher because they have not provided media list of their promises made on candidate social media pages. The Nationals total remains at $5.5 billion. Commitment costings remain a contentious point in this campaign, with Labor criticising the Liberals daily for not submitting their costings to Treasury for assessment as their alliance partners the Nationals have done. All will be revealed on Thursday as the Liberals have scheduled in the public release of their costings by an unknown third-party business. Thanks again for tuning in today, well see you tomorrow for more news you need to know. Power bills in Victoria are tipped to soar, with a new warning that wholesale electricity costs are forecast to double over the next five years even if the state meets its renewable energy targets. The projection was published in technical documents released by Infrastructure Victoria as part of its draft 30-year strategy. New modelling has flagged increases to wholesale electricity prices for the rest of the decade. Credit: The Age They show that two separate consultancies, Aurora and Jacobs, were commissioned to analyse the impact of Victorias transition to cleaner energy. The Aurora report forecasts that even in a scenario in which the states renewable energy targets are achieved, wholesale electricity prices would peak in 2030 at more than double this years levels, up to an average of nearly $120 per megawatt hour. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Roman Gurevich, the executive director of the Israeli-based company "R-A-G Esegim Gurevich Communications", a famous political analyst, gave extensive information about the Khojaly genocide on a news broadcast of the well-known Israeli Channel 9, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora. Meanwhile, it was noted that in his speech, Roman Gurevich compared the tragedy of the Hamas terrorist organization's attack on civilians in southern Israel, which resulted in the killing, wounding, and capture of hundreds of civilians, with the Khojaly genocide. He noted that on the night of February 25-26, 1992, Armenian military units attacked the city of Khojaly and killed hundreds of people with unprecedented cruelty. The political analyst added that both countries have gone through difficult and severe trials, and these will forever be etched in the memory of both the Jewish and Azerbaijani people. The talk with Gourevitch can be viewed in the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baEzqxx7nOE On the night of February 2526, 1992, the Khojaly genocide - one of the most horrific crimes against humanity in the past century - was carried out by Armenia with extreme brutality against Azerbaijani civilians. On this solemn anniversary, the Azerbaijani people remember with deep sorrow the 613 victims of this atrocity, including 106 women, 70 elderly people, and 63 children, whose lives were taken in a single night. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel 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 An anxious look washes over Roger Cooks two minders as he graciously accepts our photographers directions to grab a knife and fork in both hands and face the camera. Im hungry for government, he says with a grin while holding the cutlery upright. Premier of Western Australia Roger Cook at The Wellard, Wellard. Credit: Colin Murty With just five days left in the state election campaign, its obvious the Premier is feeling comfortable, and why wouldnt he be we are on his home turf. WAtoday meets the premier for lunch at his local, The Wellard, which the Dad from Kwinana boasts is a few minutes from his house. He says he knows the menu like the back of his hand and orders a cheeseburger with no chips just salad and a Side Track XPA from local brewery Gage Roads. He is watching what he eats, he says. Im not. I order a parmy. Advertisement Its been 22 months since former premier Mark McGowan resigned, catapulting Cook into the leadership position and sending him into his first electoral test as Labor leader this Saturday. The sheer number of Labor MPs in parliament makes a Liberal comeback to government near impossible, so Cook will be judged on how many formerly blue ribbon seats he can retain from that 2021 landslide. He offers the same were not taking any seat for granted guff but, ultimately, he wants a clear mandate for Labors election platform. Roger Cook facts Favourite WA holiday destination: Balingup Because my dads got a place there...its our sanctuary. Favourite WA musician: Todd Johnston Favourite WA wine: Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay - Its off the charts. I dont sit awake at night wondering if its this many seats or that many seats, but we expect in any election, particularly after the 2021 election, that therell be some rebalancing, he says. What that looks like is up to the people of WA. While Cook says he isnt taking anything for granted, it is clear he has an eye to March 9 and what his new cabinet will look like. Advertisement Finance Minister Sue Ellery, Attorney General John Quigley and Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman have all retired, leaving room for new faces. As our pub grub arrives, Cook hints that his new cabinet may reach gender parity. I want it to be diverse. I think gender diversity in particular is important in relation to the cabinet, and want to make sure that there are a range of voices around the table, he said. Its an ambition. I have to make sure that we bring more voices in. There are 17 cabinet positions, so true gender parity is unachievable, but to bring it closer at least two or all of his new ministers would have to be women. Roger Cooks cheeseburger from The Wellard. Credit: Colin Murty Cook, the youngest of six siblings, sings the praises of gender parity as a positive influence in his entire Labour caucus, which has been remarkably united and disciplined these past four years despite the huge number of MPs needing wrangled. Advertisement I dont want to make any gender stereotypes here, but I think the fact that 50 per cent of the caucus is made up of women now does make a difference to the way it operates, he says. Its much less aggressive, and I think people hold each other to a higher standard of behaviour. What will be harder to wrangle in the next term is the upper house, which Labor is likely to lose control of. Labor MPs will be replaced with more opposition members, Greens and a smattering of minor parties like Australian Christians, One Nation and Legalise Cannabis. Loading Cook says he is not worried about this looming new political dynamic. Theres only been four years in the entire life of all WA labor governments where weve held a majority in upper house. That was the last four years, he says. If we dont have a majority there, we will do what weve always done, which is negotiate and work with the cross benchers and with the opposition parties to get good legislation through. Advertisement The Greens have been vocal over demands to curb the states oil and gas industry if the next government wants its support to pass legislation, while Legalise Cannabis want the government to you guessed it legalise cannabis. Cook shuts that down immediately, but says there are things they could negotiate in that space around medicinal cannabis. To the Greens demands he says: There are areas which, quite frankly, are not up for grabs, such as keeping the economy strong and keeping jobs growth going. Cook says day one of the new government will involve acting on promised cost of living supports like the $150 and $250 student assistance payments. Premier Roger Cook. Credit: Colin Murty However, much of the next four years will see his government pursue its Made in WA plan, which involves hundreds of millions of dollars spent on establishing green industries here like battery manufacturing, powerline manufacturing and green steel. It seems like the perfect time to ask him about his future in politics. Advertisement Singapore/Indonesia: Tumini, a Bali bombing survivor, visits a psychologist every few weeks. She is still unloading her torments: explosions, screams, the smell of burning flesh; stumbling, charred, into the smoky night from Paddys bar, where she had been mixing cocktails. She visits the doctor once a month too. More than two decades since the attacks, the pain from her stomach wound is still so intense its as if someone is ripping my internal organs out. Shrapnel in her skull gives her migraines. The burn scars that cover almost half of her body still itch. Tumini, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name, delayed her most recent hospital visits because she was afraid of being turned away at reception. Tumini showing some of her scars from the Bali bombing. Her wounds were so ghastly that hospital staff assumed she was dead. Credit: Amilia Rosa It is too embarrassing for me to get rejected at the hospital, she said. I am waiting for LPSK to confirm I can still go and get my treatment covered. Australians have been watching as Donald Trump shows us who he is. As Trump and J.D. Vance made abundantly clear in Washington on Friday, a new reality is dawning for the United States traditional allies. That is translating into how Australians think about the future of our security. A potentially historic shift is under way in how Australians view our relationship with the US. Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese. Credit: Nine New polling by The Australia Institute has found that more Australians view Donald Trump as a greater threat to global peace than Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Xi Jinping. When given the three choices, 27 per cent of Australians chose Xi or Putin, and 31 per cent saw the US president as the biggest danger. These figures are extraordinary. More Australians now think the leader of our most important security ally is a bigger threat to peace and security than the leaders of the worlds two most powerful authoritarian states, one of which has invaded another sovereign nation. Having worked on high-level diplomatic meetings for the US government, I know how theyre supposed to go. They are carefully scripted and controlled, designed to reinforce alliances. What happened in the Oval Office between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington on Friday was something else entirely a spectacle, a public gaslighting by a president who values TV ratings over democratic self-determination. It is not an overstatement to say Zelensky was set up. There was no negotiation, no commitment to defend an ally just the kind of subjugation autocrats demand. It was a moment that confirmed Trumps view of alliances: that they are transactions, where power is used as leverage. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Initially, Trump said he had not discussed suspending military aid to Ukraine. But by Tuesday, the White House confirmed that secretary of defence Pete Hegseth had executed a suspension at Trumps order. Believed to include ammunition, vehicles, other equipment and shipments already in transit, it is a move likely to halve the countrys defence capabilities against Russia. I have seen the other side of this fight. In 2022, as Russian forces moved towards Kyiv, I was sent to Ukraine to document potential war crimes and help build humanitarian response systems. Panama City, Panama:--- Tadzio Bervoets, Technical Officer for the Caribbean Sustainable Blue Financing and Blue Economies (BluEFin) Project at the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund and Chair of the UNESCO Ocean Decade Task Force for Tropical Americas and the Caribbean, recently led key discussions at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC/UNESCO) Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Forum, held from February 1821, 2025, at the Marriott Executive Apartments Panama City, Finisterre. The forum provided a critical platform for regional and international experts to discuss the role of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in fostering a sustainable Blue Economy. As a leading expert in marine conservation and sustainable financing, Bervoets played an active role in highlighting the Caribbean BluEFin Projects approach to integrating MSP into conservation financing strategies. Marine Spatial Planning is a key tool for balancing economic development with biodiversity conservation and climate resilience. Through the BluEFin Project, we are ensuring that Caribbean nations have the financial and strategic frameworks necessary to support ocean sustainability, said Bervoets. The Caribbean BluEFin Project, which is funded by the Global Environment Facility, implemented by the United Nations Environment Program and executed by Bervoets at the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, aims to enhance sustainable financing mechanisms for marine conservation across the region. Bervoets participation in the forum emphasized how MSP can drive sustainable economic growth while safeguarding critical marine ecosystems. During the event, Bervoets engaged with representatives from National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs), the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM). These organizations play key roles in shaping regional and transboundary MSP strategies, ensuring that conservation and economic development efforts are effectively aligned. The insights gained from the forum will further strengthen the implementation of MSP within the BluEFin Project, supporting its mission to promote long-term conservation financing and sustainable ocean governance. Bervoets and his team will continue working with regional partners to advance strategies that align marine conservation with economic resilience and climate adaptation. Photocaption: Bervoets leading discussion at the MSP forum and with representatives of the Governments and National Conservation Trust Funds of The Bahamas, St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF) hosted an informative enforcement training session for stakeholders in preparation for the proposed legislative changes connected to Plastic Free SXM. SMDFs Managing Director, Makhicia Brooks, opened the sessions by introducing the Plastic Free SXM project, emphasizing its goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating single-use plastics and polystyrene through community action and legislative change. SMDF executed Plastic Free SXM on behalf of the Government of St. Maarten between January 2023 & February 2025, with support from the Resilience, Sustainable Energy, and Marine Biodiversity Programme (RESEMBID), funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France. The legislative framework developed as part of Plastic Free SXM was submitted to the Ministry of General Affairs in December 2024. This proposed legislation seeks to restrict the production, importation, distribution, and sale of specific single-use plastic and polystyrene foam products. At the start of the project, stakeholders, including controllers and inspectors, were engaged in consultations and data collection to help shape the proposed legislation. Their input was instrumental in drafting regulations that are both practical and enforceable. Now that the legislation has been finalized and is on its path to review and future parliamentary approval, the follow-up training was held to further familiarize these stakeholders with the enforcement mechanisms and their roles in implementation. Held over two days, the training featured four sessions lasting three hours each, with over 40 participants in attendance. These included Controllers from the Inspectorate of Economic and Transport Affairs (IETA), Inspectors from the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor, and Customs Officers. Carla Vlaun, Managing Director of Tackling Law, the firm that won the public tender in October 2023 to produce the legislation, presented an overview of the key legislative provisions, which will restrict the importation, production, distribution, and sale of several single-use plastic items. The first phase of restrictions will apply to plastic shopping bags, straws, stirrers, and styrofoam food containers. The legislation also includes strict enforcement mechanisms to address the environmental and public health risks posed by plastic waste. Once enacted, the law will carry a maximum fine of ANG 100,000, a measure that was received with some surprise, but overall strong support from training participants, noting that "stronger fines establish the gravity of an issue and lay the groundwork for effective enforcement." With the legislation now in the hands of the Government of St. Maarten, the next steps involve finalizing its trajectory towards Parliament for approval. SMDF remains committed to working alongside government agencies, businesses, and environmental organizations to support the transition to more sustainable practices, Brooks concluded. If approved by Parliament, the proposed legislation includes a transition period, with an outlined phase-out schedule, with six-month intervals between bans at various levels of the supply chain, from production and importation to local wholesale distribution and retail sales. For more information on the initiative, visit www.plasticfree.sx. Antigua:--- In a major leap forward for Caribbean air travel, LIAT (2020) has joined forces with industry powerhouse Hahnair, adding to its leading partner portfolio of over 350 partner airlines worldwide. This strategic partnership places LIAT20's flights at travel consultants fingertips across 190 markets through the X1 code integration in major Global Distribution Systems (GDSs). The partnership marks a significant milestone in LIAT's rapid expansion since its August 2024 launch. LIAT (2020) 5L operates under the brands LIAT20 and LIAT, embodying the legacy and future of Caribbean aviation from its base in Antigua and Barbuda. From its maiden flight to Castries, Saint Lucia, LIAT20 has swiftly established itself as a vital link in Caribbean aviation, now serving 13 destinations through an impressive network of 25 routes. Operating from its main hub at Antigua's V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU), LIAT (2020) has become instrumental in weaving the Caribbean's islands closer together. This integration with Hahnair Technologies revolutionizes booking accessibility, enabling travel consultants worldwide to seamlessly book and issue LIAT20 flights through their preferred GDS platforms, with tickets issued on HR-169. The move represents a significant step in LIAT20's mission to enhance Caribbean connectivity and streamline travel experiences. For comprehensive details about LIAT (2020) and Hahnair's extensive partner network, visit the Partner Carriers section of our website. About LIAT (2020) Limited LIAT (2020) Limited is the regional airline carrier known for its safety record and ability to connect the Caribbean islands. Operating with an enhanced fleet of ERJ145 and ATR42-600 aircraft, LIAT20 continues to be a key driver of economic development and regional integration. With a continued emphasis on safety, operational efficiency, and service excellence, LIAT20 is working to redefine travel in the Caribbean. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan Fuad Naghiyev has been strictly reprimanded for shortcomings in his work, Trend reports. President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree in this regard. TSMC announces $100 bn investment in new US chip plants Washington, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Taiwanese chip-making giant TSMC will invest at least $100 billion in the United States to build "cutting edge" manufacturing facilities, President Donald Trump said Monday, announcing the latest blockbuster financial pledge by a private company since his return to office. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's new investment will come on top of their existing commitments, and will go into "building five cutting edge fabrication facilities," Trump said during a White House event, flanked by TSMC chief executive C.C. Wei. He added that much of the funding would be invested in the US state of Arizona, where TSMC -- the world's largest chipmaker -- has already invested heavily, and would create "many thousands" of high-paying jobs. TSMC has long faced demands to move more of its production away from Taiwan, amid fears that supplies of the critical technology could be disrupted in any conflict with Beijing. The company, during former president Joe Biden's administration, pledged to invest more than $65 billion in three factories in Arizona, one of which began production in late 2024. Trump recently ratcheted up the pressure on TSMC and other chip manufacturers by publicly mulling the introduction of 25 percent tariffs on all semiconductor chips made outside the United States. Taiwan said it will review the investment "in accordance with the law". The review will take into account "the company's development while ensuring the overall competitiveness of the semiconductor industry and the country," cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee said. "The close cooperation in high-tech industries between Taiwan and the United States has made Taiwan the most important partner for the United States in maintaining its leading position in high-tech and technology industries," Lee said. "In the future, our country will continue to strengthen cooperation to create mutual benefits and win-win results." Taiwan's Department of Investment Review spokesman Su Chi-yen told AFP the government could potentially veto the investment, but that "most past rejections were due to incomplete documentation." Monday's announcement brings the total amount committed by TSMC to around $165 billion, C.C. Wei said Monday. "We are going to produce many chips to support AI progress, and to support smartphones' progress," he added. The new investment will help expand the firm's US footprint to include "three new fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities and a major R&D (research and development) team center," while supporting 40,000 construction jobs over the next four years, TSMC said in a statement. The concentration of chip manufacturing in Taiwan has been described as a "silicon shield" against a possible invasion or blockade by China, which claims the island as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control. There are concerns Taiwan could lose that protection if its companies build too many factories overseas. "Taking away Taiwan's technology sector will reduce the power of Taiwan's 'silicon shield'," James Yifan Chen, assistant professor in the Department of Diplomacy and International Relations at Tamkang University in Taiwan. "Taiwan without semiconductor and tech industries will be like Ukraine without nuclear weapons." - Tariff threats - Since regaining the White House, Trump has called on companies to create more manufacturing jobs in the United States, while threatening to impose steep levies on those who do not comply. His administration has already imposed a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods, and is scheduled to impose a 25 percent tariff Canada and Mexico from Tuesday, alongside an additional levy of 10 percent on goods from China. On Monday, Trump said there was "no room left for Mexico or for Canada" to avoid the tariffs, adding: "They're all set, they go into effect tomorrow." Trump has invited executives from some of the world's largest companies -- including OpenAI and Oracle -- to the White House since his January 20 inauguration to tout investments worth hundreds of billions of dollars in US manufacturing. The amount announced since inauguration day now totals more than $1 trillion, including a commitment from Apple to invest $500 billion over the next four years. These gargantuan sums are sure to please Trump's supporters. His critics point to some similarly ambitious targets pledged during his first term in office which failed to materialize. da/des/amj/tym TSMC - TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY ORACLE TSMC announces $100 billion investment in new US chip plants Washington, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Taiwanese chip-making giant TSMC will invest at least $100 billion in the United States to build "cutting edge" manufacturing facilities, President Donald Trump said on Monday, announcing the latest blockbuster financial pledge by a private company since his return to office. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's new investment will come on top of their existing commitments and will go into "building five cutting edge fabrication facilities," Trump said during a White House event, flanked by TSMC chief executive C.C. Wei. He added that much of the funding would be invested in the US state of Arizona, where TSMC -- the world's largest chipmaker -- has already invested heavily, and would create "many thousands" of high-paying jobs. TSMC has long faced demands to move more of its production away from Taiwan, amid fears that supplies of the critical technology could be disrupted in any conflict with Beijing. The company pledged during former president Joe Biden's administration to invest more than $65 billion in three factories in Arizona, one of which began production in late 2024. Trump recently ratcheted up the pressure on TSMC and other chip manufacturers by publicly mulling the introduction of 25 percent tariffs on all semiconductor chips made outside the United States. Taiwan will review the investment "in accordance with the law" and ensure that the "most advanced manufacturing processes will remain in Taiwan," President Lai Ching-te's office said. Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai said the island looked forward to "continuing to cooperate with friendly countries for mutual benefits." However, he said it was important that Taiwan maintain its "key position" in the global chip supply chain and "ensure that we are leading in key technologies." Monday's announcement brings the total amount committed by TSMC to around $165 billion, Wei said. "We are going to produce many chips to support AI progress, and to support smartphones' progress," he said. - 'Silicon shield' - The new investment will help expand the firm's US footprint to include "three new fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities and a major R&D (research and development) team center," while supporting 40,000 construction jobs over the next four years, TSMC said in a statement. The concentration of chip manufacturing in Taiwan has been described as a "silicon shield" against a possible invasion or blockade by China, which claims the island as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control. There are concerns Taiwan could lose that protection if its companies build too many factories overseas. "Taking away Taiwan's technology sector will reduce the power of Taiwan's 'silicon shield'," said James Yifan Chen, assistant professor in the Department of Diplomacy and International Relations at Tamkang University in Taiwan. "Taiwan without semiconductor and tech industries will be like Ukraine without nuclear weapons." - Tariff threats - Trump has called on companies to create more manufacturing jobs in the United States since regaining the White House, while threatening to impose steep levies on those who do not comply. His administration has already imposed a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods and imposed a 25 percent tariff on Canada and Mexico from Tuesday, alongside an additional levy of 10 percent on goods from China. Trump said on Monday there was "no room left for Mexico or for Canada" to avoid the tariffs, which came into effect early on Tuesday. Trump has invited executives from some of the world's largest companies, including OpenAI and Oracle, to the White House since his January 20 inauguration to tout investments worth hundreds of billions of dollars in US manufacturing. The amount announced since inauguration day in January totals more than $1 trillion, including a commitment from Apple to invest $500 billion over the next four years. These gargantuan sums are sure to please Trump's supporters. His critics point to some similarly ambitious targets pledged during his first term in office that failed to materialize. da/des/amj/pbt TSMC - TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY ORACLE BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. A total of 60 electric buses will be purchased for the organization of passenger transportation exclusively with electric motor buses in the public transport system of Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan city, Trend reports. In this regard, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree. According to the decree, for purchase of 60 electric buses for the organization of passenger transportation exclusively with electric motor buses in the public transport system of Nakhchivan City, and installation of energy charging devices, as well as the improvement of the depot (garage) infrastructure to enhance the service level of these buses, in connection with the implementation of several issues related to the "State Budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2025" as stipulated in paragraph 1.12.4.4.12 of the Decree No. 268 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated December 27, 2024, regarding the application of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated December 16, 2024, No. 93-VIIQ, and through increasing the charter capital of "BakuBus" LLC, an amount of 33.4 million manat (19.6 million) has been allocated. The Ministry of Finance of Azerbaijan will ensure the financing of the amount specified in the first part of this decree. The Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan will address the matters arising from this decree. Taiwan says US will 'not abandon' Asia-Pacific region Taipei, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 The United States will "not abandon" the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan's defence minister said, days after US President Donald Trump's fiery clash with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky fuelled concern in Taiwan over US support for the island. Taiwan faces the constant threat of an invasion by China, which claims the island as part of its territory, and Taipei is heavily reliant on Washington for its security backing. Trump's repeated criticism of Taiwan over its dominance of the global semiconductor chip industry and its spending on defence has raised doubts about his willingness to protect the island. Speaking to reporters on Monday -- days after Trump warned Zelensky to make a deal with the United States "or we're out" -- Taiwan's Defence Minister Wellington Koo said he was "convinced that the US will not abandon the Indo-Pacific". "It doesn't want a war in the region, since that would lead to the loss of the Indo-Pacific region and bear immense costs," Koo said, using another term for the Asia-Pacific region, in remarks embargoed until Tuesday. "The US cannot withdraw from the Indo-Pacific because this is its core interest... This is undoubtedly a fundamental national interest for the US, whether from the perspective of economic growth, geopolitical relevance, or military security." Koo said Taiwan was in the centre of the Asia-Pacific's so-called first island chain -- linking Okinawa, Taiwan and the Philippines -- and its security was critical to its neighbours, who have competing territorial claims with China. "If Taiwan were breached and taken over by the CCP, what situation would Japan face? What situation would the Philippines face?" Koo asked, using the acronym for the Chinese Communist Party. Koo warned China's "authoritarian expansionism" would not stop. Meanwhile, Taiwan's foreign ministry said Tuesday it "continues to assess the positions of Russia, the United States, the European Union, and Ukraine", after a White House official said Trump had suspended military aid to Kyiv. The United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but Washington has long been Taipei's most important partner and biggest supplier of arms. Taiwan has repeatedly vowed to increase defence spending as it seeks to stay onside with the Trump administration, and Koo said there were ongoing discussions with Washington about the weapons procurement process. "We are communicating with them and, of course, we hope they will also expedite the review process for arms sales that are essential for building our self-defense capabilities," Koo said. "This is something we are continuously working on in our discussions with them." Koo would not comment on specific purchases, but said that "asymmetric capabilities and defence resilience are our priorities for foreign military procurement." Taiwan's roughly week-long "Han Kuang" annual military drills will be expanded this year, Koo said, with five new joint operational exercises added and live-fire drills held over 10 days. Calls grow in Germany to bring back military service Berlin, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Germany's conservatives who are set to lead the next government argued Tuesday that the country should quickly reintroduce compulsory military service. Friedrich Merz, head of the CDU/CSU bloc that won last month's elections, has argued that in the era of US President Donald Trump, Europe will have to better handle its own security. The defence policy spokesman of his centre-right alliance, Florian Hahn, told Bild daily that Germany's "suspension of conscription no longer fits the current threat situation". "The first conscripts will have to walk through the barracks gates in 2025," Hahn told the daily. "We cannot stand by and watch as the world around us becomes more unsafe." Fears about the future strength of NATO have surged in Europe after Trump has increasingly sided with long-isolated Russia against Ukraine, upending the Western consensus of recent years. Merz has vowed to break with many policies of former CDU chancellor Angela Merkel, including on migration, but also on her 2011 decision to suspend compulsory military service. This week, Merz reiterated that he would favour the reintroduction of a compulsory year in which young people could perform either military or community service. "We need a much higher personnel strength in the Bundeswehr (armed forces)," he said. "I am not committing myself to any numbers now, but we cannot manage with the current number and we also need a much stronger reserve." - Support - Although conscription was long highly controversial in Germany, support for bringing back some form of military service has grown across political party lines. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, from the Social Democrats (SPD) of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, has pushed the idea of building up the armed forces, though without conscription. He has promoted a model that relies on voluntary service but also allows the country to make conscription compulsory if needed. In a first step, the outgoing Scholz cabinet in November signed off on plans for a new model under which all 18-year-olds would be sent a questionnaire about their interest in the army and their physical condition. All young men would be required to return the questionnaire, while for women it will be voluntary. A contingent of young men and women would then be invited to a selection process and some recruited for an initial six-month stint of military service, with the option of extending. The CDU/CSU bloc is currently in exploratory talks with the SPD towards building a coalition government, with Merz eyeing an Easter deadline. The ex-foreign minister of the Greens, Joschka Fischer, also argued that Germany must reintroduce compulsory military service. "I was in favour of abolishing it," he told news weekly Stern. "That was a mistake that we must reverse." "Compulsory military service must be reintroduced. For both sexes. Without this step, we will not make any progress in protecting Europe." Finland urges NATO membership for Ukraine if any truce breached Helsinki, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Ukraine should automatically become a NATO member if Russia breaches any ceasefire deal, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said, echoing an influential US senator. US President Donald Trump, who has paused crucial US military aid to Ukraine, has ruled out the notion of Kyiv joining NATO, as has Moscow. The US president is keen to end the war but has refused to give Ukraine the security guarantees it has demanded to deter Russia from attacking again. In an interview with US news channel CNN late Monday, Stubb proposed that Ukraine automatically become a NATO member if Moscow were to violate any ceasefire agreement agreed by the warring sides. "Why don't we instead give them a de facto NATO membership, which basically means that when the negotiations end and we have a peace settlement, a part of it all is to say that if Russia ever breaks that settlement, breaks the ceasefire or attacks Ukraine again, Ukraine becomes automatically a member of NATO," he said. "I think that is a strong enough backstop," he added, referring to Europe and Ukraine's insistence that the US ensures a peace accord is respected. In mid-February Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, first floated the idea on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. "If you can't get them into NATO right now, my idea ... is to be really clear: Tell (Russian President Vladimir) Putin if you ever do this again, if there's another incursion by Russia into Ukraine, that leads to automatic admission into NATO by Ukraine as a tripwire," Graham told US news outlet Politico. Trump's dramatic end to Putin's isolation has forced European leaders to boost their defence cooperation and find their own path forward to end the war in Ukraine. An EU summit in Brussels on Thursday was to focus on Ukraine and European security issues. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday presented a five-part plan to mobilise some 800 billion euros for Europe's defence, and help provide immediate military support for Ukraine after Washington suspended aid. EU chief unveils 800-billion-euro plan to 'rearm' Europe Brussels, Belgium, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 EU chief Ursula von der Leyen Tuesday presented a five-part plan to mobilise some 800 billion euros for Europe's defence -- and help provide "immediate" military support for Ukraine after Washington suspended aid. The move came hours after US President Donald Trump announced the aid freeze, intensifying Washington's push for a peace deal with Russia and confirming its pivot away from its European allies and partners in backing Kyiv's war effort. "A new era is upon us," the European Commission president said in a letter presenting the plan to EU leaders, two days before a summit aimed at cementing joint action on support for Ukraine and boosting Europe's defences. "'ReArm Europe' could mobilise close to 800 billion euros of defence expenditures for a safe and resilient Europe," von der Leyen told reporters as she outlined the plan, which includes a 150-billion-euro loan facility along with steps to free up large-scale defence investments. It was not immediately clear how fast funds could be made available under the proposals -- which need approval by member states -- nor how quickly this could translate into battlefield support for Kyiv. "It can help finance or accelerate certain purchases," Camille Grand of the European Council on Foreign Relations told AFP. "The results will be visible more likely in weeks or months rather than 'immediately' but it makes a difference, since that is when the American restrictions will start to bite." - Five-point plan - The plan includes five points: -- It proposes that the EU ease strict budget rules -- which oblige states to keep public deficits below three percent of gross domestic product -- to allow them to ramp up spending on defence. Von der Leyen suggested this measure could free up 650 billion euros over four years. -- Secondly, the plan calls for a new "instrument" to provide 150 billion euros of loans to member states for defence investment. "We are talking about pan-European capability domains -- for example: air and missile defence, artillery systems, missiles and ammunition drones and anti-drone systems," said von der Leyen. "With this equipment, member states can massively step up their support to Ukraine. So, immediate military equipment for Ukraine," she said. -- The third component would involve using the existing EU budget "to direct more funds towards defence-related investments." That would include letting member states repurpose so-called "cohesion" funds intended for the development of poorer European countries -- to use them for defence. -- The last two areas of action would involve the bloc's lending arm the European Investment Bank. EU states want it to drop limits on lending to defence firms and a savings and investments union to help companies access capital. In a separate letter to EU leaders Tuesday, seen by AFP, the EIB's president Nadia Calvino said she would call for the scope of eligible investments to be "further widened" to align with the EU's "new policy priorities". A European official said this would involve making pure defence projects eligible -- rather than dual-use civilian and military items at present -- and would remove an eight-billion-euro cap on security and defence investments. This would allow the bank to support large-scale strategic projects and items without plausible civilian use such as helicopters. - 'Clear and present danger' - Thursday's Brussels summit -- after weekend crisis talks also involving Britain and NATO -- comes as Europe contemplates the stark prospect of the United States withdrawing longer-term support from Ukraine and more broadly from its European allies. Brussels is pressing member states to agree to urgently deliver a new package of key weaponry, but it was unclear if a deal would be reached on Thursday. A broad consensus has emerged however among European leaders on the need to significantly ramp up military spending to bolster its defences against Russia -- a key demand from Trump's administration towards its NATO allies. "Europe faces a clear and present danger on a scale that none of us has seen in our adult lifetime," von der Leyen wrote in outlining the defence options. "We are living in the most momentous and dangerous of times," she said. "This is a moment for Europe, and we are ready to step up." BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament's Economic Policy, Industry, and Entrepreneurship Committee Azer Amiraslanov will visit Russia's St. Petersburg on March 5 to participate in a meeting of the permanent Commission of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS on Economics and Finance, a source in the Azerbaijani parliament told Trend. According to the source, the meeting will discuss the draft special parts of the model Tax Code for CIS member states, as well as the progress of work on model bills on "Strategic Planning," "Standardization," "Licensing", and others. In addition, the event will address several organizational issues. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Ukraine pledges to hold out after US halts arms supplies Kyiv, Ukraine, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Ukraine said Tuesday it would do everything it could to hold out in the face of the Russian invasion after Donald Trump decided to halt vital US military support to Kyiv. The US president suspended military aid to Kyiv days after a stunning public clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. "We will do everything to hold out," Prime Minister Denys Shmygal told a press conference in Kyiv. Washington has been Ukraine's most important military backer since Russia invaded in February 2022, with Shmygal saying US assistance in the form of air defence and intelligence exchanges had saved "thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives". Ukraine said it was in talks with Europe on filling the gap and wanted to negotiate with Trump over the arms halt. "We are discussing options with our European partners, and of course, we are not overlooking the possibility of negotiations with our American counterparts," Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on X. Shmygal said: "Ukraine is absolutely determined to continue cooperation with the US." That includes signing an aborted deal to give the United States preferential access to Ukraine's minerals and natural resources, he said. Zelensky, who was yet to comment publicly on the halt of aid, went to Washington to sign that deal before it was scrapped after his showdown with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Laying out the importance of US support, Shmygal said Tuesday that security guarantees from Washington were critical for both Ukraine and Europe. "We need and ask for concrete security guarantees, both from the United States of America and from Europe and from the G7 countries. This is existentially important not only for Ukraine, but also for the European Union, for the European continent," he said. Shmygal said one of the most critical affected areas could be supplies of Patriot air defence systems and ammunition. "Patriot systems are the only system so far that is capable of fighting Russian ballistic missiles," he said. Ukraine spent months earlier in the war pleading with Washington and its allies to send Patriot batteries to the country to better defend its skies and cities from waves of Russian aerial attacks. bur-jc/jbr/phz Calls grow in Germany to revive compulsory military service Berlin, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Germany's conservatives, who are set to lead the next government, on Tuesday argued that the country should quickly reintroduce compulsory military service. Friedrich Merz, head of the CDU/CSU bloc that topped last month's elections, has argued that in the era of US President Donald Trump, Europe will have to better handle its own security. The defence policy spokesman of his centre-right alliance, Florian Hahn, told Bild daily that Germany's "suspension of conscription no longer fits the current threat situation". "The first conscripts will have to walk through the barracks gates in 2025," Hahn told the daily. "We cannot stand by and watch as the world around us becomes more unsafe." Fears about the future strength of NATO have surged in Europe, not least after Trump recently sided repeatedly with long-isolated Russia against Ukraine, upending the Western consensus of recent years. Merz has vowed to break with many policies of former CDU chancellor Angela Merkel, including on migration, but also on her 2011 decision to suspend compulsory military service. This week, Merz reiterated that he would favour the reintroduction of a compulsory year in which young people could perform either military or community service. "We need a much higher personnel strength in the armed forces," he said. "I am not committing myself to any numbers now, but we cannot manage with the current number and we also need a much stronger reserve." - 'Personnel problems' - Although conscription has been highly controversial in Germany for a long time, support for bringing back some form of military service has grown across political party lines. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, from the Social Democrats (SPD) of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, has pushed the idea of building up the armed forces, though without conscription. He has promoted a model that relies on voluntary service but also allows the country to make conscription compulsory if needed. In a first step, the outgoing Scholz cabinet in November signed off on plans for a new model under which all 18-year-olds would be sent a questionnaire about their interest in the army and their physical condition. All young men would be required to return the questionnaire, while for women it would be voluntary. A contingent of young men and women would then be invited to a selection process and some recruited for an initial six-month stint of military service, with the option of extending. German Armed Forces Association chairman Andre Wuestner also spoke out on Tuesday in favour of starting conscription based on the so-called Swedish model, and to improve pay and conditions. "We have to start this year, otherwise we risk imploding in terms of personnel starting next year," he told Welt TV. "We have enormous problems in terms of personnel. It's about the need to regenerate about 27,000 people a year who leave the armed forces and need to be recruited back." The CDU/CSU bloc is currently in exploratory talks with the SPD towards building a coalition government, with Merz eyeing an Easter deadline. The ex-foreign minister of the Greens, Joschka Fischer, also argued that Germany must reintroduce compulsory military service. "I was in favour of abolishing it," he told news weekly Stern. "That was a mistake that we must reverse." "Compulsory military service must be reintroduced, for both sexes. Without this step, we will not make any progress in protecting Europe." US is top military aid supplier to Ukraine Paris, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Most of the around 130 billion euros of military aid Ukraine has received between the Russian invasion of February 2022 and the end of 2024, has come from the United States, the European Union and Britain. Although Ukraine's allies have pledged 170 billion euros ($180 billion) of military aid, only 130 billion euros has actually been delivered or earmarked for weapons or equipment, according to data from The Kiel Institute, a German economic research body. The gap can be explained by the fact that some allies, including the European Union, make commitments over several years. - US biggest contributor - The United States is the biggest national contributor, accounting for nearly half (49.4 percent) of the military aid to Ukraine. The 64 billion euros ($69 billion) Washington has spent so far, according to the Kiel Institute, is a far cry from the $350 billion President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed. The US military aid, approved under the former administration of Joe Biden, has mostly been shelled out. But there are still equipment and weapons whose delivery was suspended by Trump on Monday. The European Union and its member states have pledged more military aid to Ukraine than the United States, for a total of 71 billion euros, according to the institute. But the bloc lags behind when it comes to aid actually delivered or allocated. As of end-December, the EU had disbursed 50 billon euros of the pledged amount. The United Kingdom has delivered or earmarked half of the promised amount -- the equivalent of 20 billion euros. Canada has forked out 2.6 billion euros of the 3.1 billion promised, and Norway 1.8 billion of its 8.5 billion. In terms of contributions compares to the size of their economies, Denmark and the Baltic states make the biggest contributions. In Denmark's case, it was equal to two percent of GDP in 2021. For the Baltic states, it ranges between 1.3 and two percent. On this metric, Germany paid 0.32 percent of its GDP. And the United States 0.30 percent. France's contribution-against-GDP was 0.13 percent, according to the Kiel Institute. - Who is giving what ? - In terms of quantity, Poland is by far the biggest provider of assault tanks (354) to Ukraine, but they are mainly old Soviet-built armoured vehicles. Since early 2023, Kyiv has received a smaller number of heavy US-made Abrams modern tanks, along with British Challenger 2 and German Leopard 2 tanks. The main donors of the tanks are Australia (49), the United States (31), Spain (29), Germany (18), Poland and the UK (14 each). The United States is the biggest provider of 155 mm howitzers, having provided 200, followed by the UK (94). The United States is also the biggest donor of multiple rocket launchers, having given around 40 HIMARS. When it comes to anti-air defences, Germany and the United States have each provided three US-made Patriot systems, to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian missile attacks on its infrastructure and cities. UN envoy slams Israel's 'unacceptable' Syria escalation Geneva, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 The United Nations envoy for Syria on Tuesday strongly condemned Israel's "military escalations, including airstrikes" on its northern neighbour. Syrian state media said Israeli strikes hit the Tartus area on Monday, after a war monitor reported a blast near the city's port and the Israeli army said it struck a "military site" further north. That came after Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes after a lightning Islamist-led offensive ousted president Bashar al-Assad in December, in what it said was a bid to prevent Syrian military assets from falling into hostile hands. It also sent troops into a UN-patrolled buffer zone that has separated Israeli and Syrian forces on the strategic Golan Heights since 1974. UN envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said Tuesday he was "deeply concerned by continued violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement". Such actions, he warned in a statement, "are unacceptable and risk further destabilising an already fragile situation, heightening regional tensions, and undermining efforts toward de-escalation and a sustainable political transition." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month that southern Syria must be completely demilitarised, warning that his government would not accept the presence of the forces of the new Syrian Islamist-led government near its territory. Even before Assad's fall, during Syria's civil war which broke out in 2011, Israel carried out hundreds of strikes in the neighbouring country, mainly on government forces and Iranian-linked targets. The same day Assad was ousted, Israel said its troops were entering the UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights. Israel seized much of the Golan Heights from Syria in a war in 1967, later annexing the area in a move largely unrecognised by the international community. Pedersen's statement called on Israel "to cease violations, uphold its international obligations, and refrain from unilateral measures that exacerbate conflict." It urged "all parties to respect Syria's sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity." "Constructive dialogue and strict adherence to international agreements and international law are essential for security in Syria and the broader region." France denounces 'aggressive' Russian jet in the Mediterranean Paris, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 France on Tuesday said a Russian fighter jet flew dangerously close to a French surveillance drone over the eastern Mediterranean, denouncing its "aggressive" behaviour. The announcement came as European countries are seeking ways to shore up defences and help war-torn Ukraine after President Donald Trump ordered a suspension of US military aid deliveries. French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on X that a Russian SU-35 fighter jet on Sunday manoeuvered dangerously around a French Reaper drone, which was on a surveillance mission in international airspace over the eastern Mediterranean. The Russian fighter jet made "three successive close passes, which could have resulted in the drone losing control," said Lecornu, adding that such behaviour speaks of "a desire to restrict free air traffic in shared spaces." "This intentional, non-professional and aggressive action is not acceptable," he said. "France will continue to act to defend freedom of navigation in international air and maritime spaces." mra-as/sjw/yad UK to speed up military purchases amid Ukraine fallout London, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 The UK government Tuesday vowed to cut red tape to speed up military purchases, as London and the European Union ramp up defence spending amid uncertainty over Ukraine's future. "We need to step up to the challenge of securing our own country, but also securing Europe as well," Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said in a speech to manufacturers gathered in London. The government has promised a review of defence contract rules "to incentivise faster delivery" of equipment from ships to munitions, drawing lessons from Britain's rapid arms mobilisation for Ukraine during its three-year war with Russia. "The US has supported Ukraine more than any other country in the world. It is important now that Europe steps up," Reeves added, in light of Washington suspending aid to Ukraine. It comes after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week pledged to boost UK defence spending to 2.5 percent of the nation's economy by 2027 -- which the Labour government sees as helping also to grow stagnant gross domestic product. European chief Ursula von der Leyen meanwhile on Tuesday presented a five-part plan to mobilise some 800 billion euros ($833 billion) for Europe's defence -- and help provide "immediate" military support for Ukraine. While the UK is no longer a member of the European Union, Starmer is making diplomatic efforts to bridge differences between Europe and the US over Russia's war in Ukraine. The UK, home to defence giant BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce -- which makes engines for military planes and submarines -- added Tuesday that it plans to ensure small and medium-sized enterprises have better access to supply chains across the defence sector. Trade organisation ADS, representing 1,300 SMEs, described the announcement as "hugely welcome", telling AFP also that such companies "are a vital part of the UK's defence sector". Reeves also said Tuesday that "there's every reason to be hopeful about coming to some sort of trade deal" between the UK and the US. "But it shouldn't be about choosing between the US and our nearest neighbours and trading partners in Europe," she added. Ireland moves to end UN veto on troop deployment Dublin, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Ireland's deputy prime minister Simon Harris said Tuesday that Dublin plans to scrap a mechanism preventing the overseas deployment of Irish military peacekeepers without a UN green light. Ireland's small, 8,500-strong defence force has traditionally engaged in international peacekeeping. But currently three steps -- dubbed a "triple lock" -- have to be taken before more than 12 members of the Irish defence forces can be sent abroad on any mission. Harris, who is also defence minister, said a draft proposal to change the triple lock has now been approved at cabinet level. The first and second steps are green lights from the government and parliament, with the third step -- UN approval -- now set to be scrapped. The government argues that Ireland should be able to respond to crises without waiting for approval from the UN Security Council. Ireland has to be "agile" and be in a position to get Irish citizens out of danger, said Harris. The government has become more concerned about the triple lock in recent times due to the effective veto it gives to any of the five permanent members of the UN security council -- China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States -- whose agreement is required to authorise resolutions. "Russia and China should not have a veto on where Irish troops are sent," taoiseach (prime minister) Micheal Martin said in parliament Tuesday. Removing the triple lock would be a vindication of Irish sovereignty, he said. Under the proposed legislation, the number of soldiers that could be deployed as part of any mission would increase from 12 to 50. But the triple lock is seen by opposition parties as one of the foundations of Irish military neutrality. Removing it was the first "dangerous" step towards abandoning neutrality, said the leftist-nationalist party Sinn Fein. Peadar Toibin, leader of the small conservative Aontu party, accused the government of "using" the crisis in Ukraine to send Irish soldiers on EU military missions. If the government wants to change the triple lock then it should "go back to the people in a referendum". More than 250 academics also wrote to Martin to voice their alarm over the proposal. "The triple lock is a central component of Ireland's neutral position because it essentially stands as a bulwark against deploying Irish troops unless there is a UN mandate to do so," they wrote. "Removing the triple lock may sound the death knell on Irish neutrality." Chad army leader's party wins overwhelming senate majority N'Djamena, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 The party of Chad's military ruler Mahamat Idriss Deby won 43 of 46 seats in the country's first senate elections, according to final results released Tuesday. Chad's senatorial vote at the end of February was the final stage of a political transition that began when Deby took power after the death of his father four years ago. Deby won a five-year term as president last May in an election boycotted by the opposition and described by international NGOs as "not free nor credible". The army officer, recently promoted to the rank of field marshal, has since sought to stamp his authority on the landlocked desert Sahel nation. Two seats in the senate originally allocated to Deby's Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) were reassigned to two allied parties on appeal, Chad's Constitutional Council confirmed in Tuesday's final tally. Swiftly after the results' announcement Deby appointed the last 23 lawmakers needed to complete the senate, which will be responsible for the representation of autonomous communities. The bicameral parliament was established in 2020 by a reform later confirmed by the new constitution approved in a December 2023 referendum. In December's legislative elections the MPS was likewise awarded a landslide majority of 124 of the 188 seats in the lower house. Both votes were similarly boycotted by the opposition, which predicted they would produce "pre-fabricated results". Voters went to the ballot box against a backdrop of attacks by the jihadist group Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region and the ending of a military agreement with former colonial master France. Europe will struggle to plug Ukraine's US military aid gap: analysts Paris, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 The freezing of US military aid to Ukraine leaves dangerous weak spots in its defence against Russia's invasion, and European allies will struggle to plug the holes, analysts say. After Washington announced the suspension of aid in a row with Kyiv over the US approach to ending the conflict, some experts estimated Ukraine can last for only a few months before the strain starts to show. The United States single-handedly accounted for nearly half of the value of military aid to Ukraine from 2022 to 2024, according to the Kiel Institute, a German research group. "Taking into account the weapons that have already come to Ukraine, and what we have, and what we actually produce ourselves, we can withstand at least six months without the nature of the war changing significantly," political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told AFP. Here are facts about Ukraine's assets in the key areas of air defence, long-range strike capability, artillery and reconnaissance -- and how much it has been relying on support from the United States and others. - Air defence - Ukraine needs sophisticated air defence guns to shoot down the barrages of missiles and drones that Russia fires daily at its towns and infrastructure. It has seven US-made Patriot air defence systems, provided by the United States, Germany and Romania. "Patriot is very important to protect our cities, not troops," said researcher Mykhailo Samus, director of the New Geopolitics Research Network, a think tank in Kyiv. To continue using the Patriot systems, Ukraine will need munitions and spare parts, said Leo Peria-Peigne, a researcher at the French international affairs institute IFRI. "Will other countries be able to buy parts from the Americans and pass them on to the Ukrainians, or will the Americans oppose that? We do not know." Germany is building a factory to make munitions for the Patriot system -- the first outside the United States -- but production is not expected to start there until 2027. In addition, for high-altitude interceptions, Ukraine has two European-made SAMP/T systems from Italy and France. It has some similar systems of its own and has been provided with others for shorter-range interceptions. Analysts say that Ukraine's European allies will struggle to make up for an end to US Patriot support. "Europe has some real shortcomings in this area," said Yohann Michel, a researcher at the French university Lyon-3. "The SAMP/T are very good but not very mobile, and they are not produced in sufficient numbers," he said. "Production will have to be increased, or even shifted somewhere else outside France and Italy." To make that work, "you would have needed to start the process two years ago," added Peria-Peigne of IFRI. If Patriot output declines, researcher Yohann Michel said Europe could send Ukraine fighter jets to intercept missiles "and to repel the Russian bombers that are striking Ukraine". European allies have already given Ukraine F16 and Mirage 2000-5 fighters -- and Michel judged that they have the capacity to provide more. - Long-range strike power - To strike back at Russia far behind the front line, Ukraine currently relies on US aid. Washington has supplied it with around 40 ATACMS ground-to-ground rocket-launch systems mounted on HIMAR mobile units. Such items are rare in Europe, with inferior Czech systems the closest equivalent there currently, said Michel. To replace them, "the Europeans would have to quickly develop their own system, or else buy systems from South Korea," he said. For launching deep strikes from the air, Kyiv uses "mostly European and Ukrainian equipment", said Samus of the New Geopolitics Research Network. These include European-made Storm Shadow missiles -- also known as SCALP. But it is not known how many of these Ukraine currently has on order, said Peria-Peigne. - Artillery - One area where Europe is in a position to help is in the big guns needed on the battlefield. In artillery equipment, "Europe has really raised its production capacity and Ukraine too is in a less bad position," said Peria-Peigne. The European Union has forecast it will produce 1.5 million 155mm shells this year -- more than the 1.2 million it said were produced in the United States. Ukraine for its part has come up with its own anti-tank weapons, said Michel. It has also developed remotely piloted drones that can fire missiles at Russian positions. - Reconnaissance - US exports are considered indispensable for obtaining the satellites, drones and other aircraft needed for spying effectively on enemy positions. "It is very important for us to continue to receive satellite intelligence from the United States," said analyst Fesenko. For such reconnaissance, European countries "have tools, but they are not as extensive," added Michel. "A lot of them depend completely on the United States in this area." Israel says killed Hezbollah navy commander in Lebanon strike Jerusalem, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Israel's military said it killed a Hezbollah navy commander in an air strike Tuesday in south Lebanon, accusing the slain militant of violating a November ceasefire. The Israeli air force "struck and eliminated" Khodr Said Hashem, a naval unit commander for the Lebanese armed group, near the town of Qana, a military statement said. It accused Hashem of "activities (that) posed a threat to the State of Israel and its citizens and constituted a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon". The military said Hashem was a member of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force and played a role in "maritime smuggling operations". Lebanon's official National News Agency reported one person killed in an Israeli strike on a car in a village in the area of the southern city of Tyre, where Qana is located. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Ezzedine called on a committee tasked with overseeing the November 27 truce deal with Israel to "put an end to this continued violation of our national sovereignty". He also urged the committee to "exert all pressure to expel the enemy from the lands it occupies", warning that failure to do so would "push our people and our citizens to exercise their right to resist" them. The truce deal largely halted more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, though Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory since the agreement took effect. The fighting, initiated by Hezbollah in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas, included two months of all-out war and killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, according to authorities. In Israel, 78 people were killed, as well as 56 troops killed inside Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Lebanon, according to the UN, and 60,000 in Israel. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel was due to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by February 18 after missing a January deadline, but it has kept troops at five locations it deems "strategic". The ceasefire also required Hezbollah to pull back north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border, and to dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. Last week, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain indefinitely in what he called a "buffer zone" in south Lebanon. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsperson) of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva continues her visits to places from which individuals cannot leave of their own will, a source in the Ombudsmans Office told Trend. According to the source, the Ombudsperson and members of her National Preventive Group for the Prevention of Torture conducted the next visit to the Temporary Detention Center and Investigation Prison of the State Security Service. In the course of the visit, several individuals charged with crimes, including Ruben Vardanyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkady Gukasyan, Bako Saakyan, Davit Babayan, and others, were individually received by the ombudsperson. During the confidential meetings, their complaints were heard, and the conditions for the protection of their rights were examined on-site. During the visit, which also involved a medical member of the National Preventive Group, persons who were individually listened to and medically examined, including Vardanyan and Saakyan, said that since their detention, they have been treated humanely, faced no discrimination or mistreatment, were provided with normal detention conditions and medical services, and had been repeatedly visited by the ombudsperson and the International Red Cross Committee, as well as expressed gratitude for the subsequent reception. Within the visit, the conditions of detention at the facility personal hygiene and sanitation, medical care, and nutrition were reviewed, and it was determined that no discrimination was made in the treatment of detainees and that their rights, necessary medical and psychological services, legal assistance, and access to information were ensured. The received persons were given informative publications on legal acts regarding their rights and information about how to contact the Ombudsmans "916" Call Center for further inquiries. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Where to live Golden Visas: the four European countries where you can still get citizenship by buying property Four European countries still offering golden visas to property buyers BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. If the Armenian side is genuinely interested in the opening of communications in the region, it should not evade its obligations and must take practical steps in line with the new regional realities to facilitate the opening of communications, said Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Aykhan Hajizada, Trend reports. He made a comment in response to Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan's article about the communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan. "It is well known that Armenia, having occupied Azerbaijans internationally recognized sovereign territories for nearly 30 years, and causing the blockade of Azerbaijans Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, has not made a positive contribution to the real negotiation process for the opening of communications in the four years following the 44-day Patriotic War. Although Armenia is aware of its written and signed obligations regarding the opening of communications connecting Azerbaijans western regions with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, it has yet to fulfill them. Overall, Armenia putting forward proposals for essentially unnecessary, complex to execute, and practically lengthy routes serves to divert attention away from the process and obligations," the statement reads. Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. The 40 days leading up to Easter are called Lent, and are known as a time of fasting. Shrove Tuesday was the last chance to use up eggs and remaining ingredients beforehand. On Shrove Tuesday, Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confessions and were absolved from their sins, or shriven. A bell would be rung to call people to confession, which was known as the Pancake Bell and is still used today. Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year and falls between February 3 and March 9. Speaking this afternoon, she said: "When we think of other demonstrations across London that happen on a weekly basis, I wonder whether quite the same restrictions are put in place for them." He added: The reality is we are not today expecting war to take its old nature of massed armies or invasions, we are seeing a pernicious undermining of the confidence in the British state, an undermining of the credibility of our own ability to protect our citizens and our friends, and that is undermining not just our position, but also our economy and the freedom of our citizens. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. A tapestry of remembrance unfurled across the vibrant streets of major US cities, weaving together the threads of history and sorrow as an awareness campaign marked the 33rd anniversary of the Armenian-committed Khojaly genocide in the heart of Washington, New York, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh, Trend reports via the State Committee for Work with Diaspora. The campaign was organized with the support of the committee and the Florida Azerbaijan Community. LED screen-equipped vehicles, carrying messages about the truths of Khojaly, paraded through the central streets of these cities. The vehicles, passing by iconic locations such as the CNN building, Times Square, the Pentagon, the White House, the Capitol, and the University of Pittsburgh, displayed images of the Khojaly genocide victims along with illustrations showing the horrors of the tragedy. The vehicles were adorned with slogans like Justice for Khojaly! Recognize the Khojaly Genocide!, Crime Against Humanity by Armenia, Azerbaijanis Demand Justice!, and Remember Khojaly!, "Pray for Khojaly!", along with disturbing facts such as 63 children, including newborns, were killed in Khojaly! and 613 Azerbaijanis, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people, were killed. Over 1,200 Azerbaijanis were taken hostage. These facts were displayed to raise awareness among local communities. The campaign caught the public's eye and made quite a splash. The goal of these annual awareness efforts in the U.S. is to draw attention to the facts surrounding the Khojaly genocide and educate the local population about this tragic event in Azerbaijans history. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Conservative former Treasury minister Dame Harriett Baldwin earlier said: The art of taxation is extracting the largest amount of money with the lowest amount of squeaking from the goose and yet the Chancellor will have heard the honking of the tractors on Whitehall today, to raise an amount of money that will pay for less than one day of NHS spending. Both the leaders of the Scottish Tories and Scottish Labour while being supportive of the thrust of the First Ministers remarks appeared to attack comments from SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who was branded a keyboard warrior by the Prime Minister after urging him to get off his knees and rescind the state visit offer. Asked how the Government should handle a leader who appears to backtrack on remarks, after Mr Trump called Mr Zelensky a dictator before days later refusing to repeat the claim, she said: I think if you look at how the president went, the correspondence and the way in which that meeting went with the Prime Minister, youll have seen the warmth there. As the Prime Minister said yesterday, we would look at going further but as (Mr Sunak) knows it is incredibly complicated to do that in line with international law, but we keep all options on the table because (Mr Sunak) is absolutely right, Russia should pay for the damage that Russia has caused. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US - probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye (GNAT), Numan Kurtulmus, called Chairperson of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Sahiba Gafarova, on March 4, to extend his greetings on the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan, Trend reports. The Chairman of the GNAT conveyed his wishes for the holy month to bring peace, prosperity, and well-being to the brotherly Azerbaijani people and the entire Muslim world. During the phone conversation, both sides exchanged views on bilateral relations between the two brotherly nations, including parliamentary cooperation. They expressed satisfaction with the high level of interaction between the legislative bodies, both on a bilateral basis and within international parliamentary organizations. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 5. Few people know that in Armenia they very actively declared their historical rights to fascist ideology: the beginning of the new video of the Vmedia YouTube channel is intriguing from the very beginning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCuwqOKzjlw&feature=youtu.be In particular, we are talking about the statements of the last Prime Minister of Dashnak Armenia (1918-1921) Simon Vratsyan, who, from the pages of the Dashnak magazine "Droshak" ("Banner") published in Paris, accused Benito Mussolini of plagiarizing the ideas of fascism he preached. Namely, of borrowing them from the program of the Dashnaktsutyun party. At the same time, Vmedia emphasizes that if in 1926 the world did not yet know what fascism was, and in the Armenian environment they did not really understand whether it was worth claiming such dubious "copyrights", then it will no longer be possible to justify the policy of modern Armenia, where a cult around historical figures associated with the fascists is preserved. After the collapse of the USSR, an impressive cult was created in modern Armenia around Garegin Nzhdeh, and since 2004 "Nzhdehism" has been proclaimed the official ideology in Armenia. Garegin Nzhdeh, who served as a paid agent for the SD during World War II, is considered the founder of the Armenian Nazi ideology - "tsekhachronism". In Armenia, this ideology is shamefully called "tribalism", but this does not stop it from being essentially fascist. The ruling Republican Party of Armenia even prepared and published a propaganda brochure dedicated to Nzhdeh and his ideas. The author of this book, Mushvig Lalayan, is quoted in the film, who, in fact, expressed a claim to the primacy of "tsekhakron" in comparison with Nazism and fascism. "This is probably why the first president of Armenia spoke about a grave crime against humanity as the fulfillment of the "Armenian dream." The second president, Robert Kocharyan, declared the "genetic incompatibility" of Armenians and Azerbaijanis. The third, Serzh Sargsyan, boasted of his personal participation in the Khojaly massacre, the genocide. And the current prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, is wriggling with all his might, like an eel in a frying pan, just to prevent the return of the exiled Azerbaijanis to Armenia," the Vmedia film emphasizes. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. Just click here. As I watch Europe's deepening existential crisis over its grim growth prospects, I often think back to a speech I heard 16 years ago in Paris. I was a lowly consultant for the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, but for some reason they had let me in to a fancy lunchtime reception, where I listened to a senior staff member describe how the financial crisis proved the validity of the European economic model. Slow, steady and highly regulated growth, she explained, was superior to the American boom-and-bust version of capitalism. What a difference a decade and a half makes. Last year Mario Draghi, the former president of the European Central Bank, released his now infamous "Draghi report," which blames excessive and fragmented European regulations for strangling growth. Business owners in countries such as Germany must comply not only with their own country's regulations, but also with the EU's. As a result, and they spend too many hours dealing with red tape, and the costs are unduly felt by smaller businesses. According to the report, 55% of small- and medium-sized businesses cite regulatory obstacles as their greatest challenge. The General Data Protection Regulation, for example, has made it nearly impossible for small technology firms to compete. This is a drag on European growth because smaller businesses are both more innovative and more likely to adopt new technology. The European Union was meant to spur growth by offering national economies access to a bigger market and more stable financial conditions. But all they've gotten is more financial and regulatory fragmentation. A lot needs to change - and lifting some regulations is a good place to start. This will not be easy, however, and the Draghi report shows why. It's not just the many cautious references to ensuring safety and stability, or the explicit goal of an "industrial strategy" for Europe. The report reflects a much deeper issue that undermines growth: extreme risk aversion, especially in Germany. To some extent, European regulations are designed to slow growth and increase certainty. European culture is just more risk-averse than America's. There is a reason stock ownership is lower and welfare states are bigger in Europe. Relatively speaking, the US is less regulated and more open to risk (which is one reason it has better growth prospects). Remarkably, for all their differences, the US and Europe - as well as many developing nations - do agree on one thing: the need for deregulation. Some of the explanation is related to domestic politics, as in the US, where President Donald Trump's administration is banking on deregulation to unleash much higher growth rates to pay for its tax cuts and spending plans. But there are larger forces at play. First, nations are realizing they need more economic growth to pay down debt and continue the rise in living standards their citizens demand. Growth will be especially critical for countries needing to pay for the care of aging populations. Second, new technology such as AI is transforming economies around the world. This demands a rethinking of regulatory structures, not only so regulations can be more effective, but also to ensure countries can take advantage of the new opportunities a major transformation offers. Whether these deregulatory initiatives will translate into more growth depends on how they play out. After a crisis, there are always calls for more regulation - and during periods of stagnation, there are often calls for less regulation. In both cases, however, what's actually needed is better regulation: Rules that update regulatory structures and institutions to fit the new economy. In this case, that means giving them simpler and more flexible ways to meet the changing and unpredictable needs the adoption of AI will require. Some leaders still don't get it. They promise that this economic transformation can be managed to the benefit of everyone. But technology-driven growth is inherently unpredictable and creates winners and losers. The most realistic hope for regulation is to limit externalities and fraud, not to ensure stability and predictability. None of this is to say that regulatory reform - or, if you prefer, deregulatory reform - is doomed. It's only to say that finding the right balance between reducing risk and encouraging growth is as much about values as about economics. The purpose of government is to balance risk and reward for its citizens. The problem is that Europeans want more safety than they can afford. And Americans may well get more disruption than they anticipate. (COMMENT, BELOW) Allison Schrager, a Bloomberg columnist, is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 5. With the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, an Iftar ceremony was held on March 4 to mark the holy month of Ramadan, Trend reports. Arzu Aliyeva attended the event, which brought together parents of martyrs, war veterans, and public figures from various regions of the country. During the ceremony, verses from the Holy Quran were recited, and prayers were offered for the souls of the heroic sons of the Motherland who sacrificed their lives for Azerbaijans independence and territorial integrity. Speakers at the event highlighted the heroism of Azerbaijani soldiers under the leadership of President and Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev. They also expressed gratitude for the governments continuous support for the families of martyrs and war veterans, describing this gathering as a reflection of that commitment. As part of the My Son is a Hero project, implemented by Fire Land Group with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, gifts were presented to mothers of martyrs ahead of International Women's Day on March 8. Well-known artists also performed at the event in honor of the mothers of fallen heroes. The My Father is a Hero and My Son is a Hero projects have been ongoing for five years, organizing events across Azerbaijan with the participation of families of martyrs. The statement sent on Tuesday by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service represents "the first public official intervention" by Moscow in support of a presidential candidate, and it should trigger a major alarm signal for the entire Romanian state, Bucharest General Mayor Nicusor Dan said in a reaction to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service's claim - also cited by news agency TASS - that the EU leaders are obviously behind the decision to bring charges against presidential candidate Calin Georgescu. "Today, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service issued an official statement attacking the Romanian prosecutors who investigate Calin Georgescu. It is the first official public act by which Russia intervenes in support of a presidential candidate and an extremely important alarm signal for the entire Romanian state, the current heads of our institutions and the Romanian citizens. Here is how, in just a few months, those who organized the elections and those who manipulated them have brought us to a critical moment for our freedom, prosperity and democratic path. Romania needs a new leash of life and a president legitimized by vote, responsible and dedicated to European values," the Mayor wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. According to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Brussels is waging a war against the European leaders who openly support U.S. President Donald Trump. "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who played a key role in recognizing the results of the first round of the presidential elections in Romania as invalid, called on the current authorities in Bucharest to bar Georgescu from participating in the second round in May. She warned that if this representative of 'non-systemic forces' continues his election campaign, the European Union will restrict access to its funds for Romania," the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service said, yet without providing evidence. The renewable energy industry, mainly offshore wind energy, has been identified as the main area in which the business communities of Romania and the Republic of Panama can cooperate, given the European experience of Romanian entrepreneurs, according to a press release from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR). As part of the economic mission carried out in Central America, the CCIR leadership and representatives of the companies that are part of our country's delegation had a meeting with the Secretary General of the Maritime Administration of the Republic of Panama, Volney Guinard Estripeaut. "Following these discussions, the renewable energy industry, mainly offshore wind energy, was identified as the main area in which the business communities of the two states can cooperate, taking into account the European experience of Romanian entrepreneurs," the quoted source mentions. CCIR President Mihai Daraban emphasized that "there is a common interest of the two states to cooperate in the field of offshore wind energy, this industry representing a major component in the development strategy of the Maritime Administration of the Republic of Panama, with an emphasis on the construction of installations appropriate to the geographical profile of this country." "The Romanian delegation, present at this economic mission, includes companies that perform at a European level in the industry and that are in advanced discussions with Panamanian partners regarding collaboration in projects of common interest. Moreover, the role of CCIR is to facilitate such contacts between business communities and to provide all the necessary support for the Romanian business environment to re-enter important commercial markets," mentioned Mihai Daraban, quoted in the press release. At the same time, the Secretary General of the Maritime Administration of the Republic of Panama, Volney Guinard Estripeaut, appreciated the involvement of the CCIR in organizing such events for the business communities of the two states, emphasizing the need for the experience of Romanian companies operating in the field of renewable energy. "We must take into account the fact that the National Energy Plan of the Republic of Panama 2015-2050 establishes that, by 2030, approximately 15% of energy should come from renewable sources, and by 2050 this percentage should rise to 50%," the Panamanian official said. Justice Minister Radu Marinescu said on Tuesday that he is not aware of the U.S. authorities pressuring the Romanian government or sending an official request for the release of the Tate brothers. "The Justice Ministry is not aware whatsoever of any pressure or official request sent by the American authorities regarding these defendants," Radu Marinescu declared at the end of the event for the presentation of the 2024 activity report of the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. Commenting on the possibility that the two will not return to Romania, the minister specified that there is a judicial cooperation mechanism in force between Romania and the U.S. "By virtue of this judicial cooperation mechanism, persons sought by one or another of these jurisdictions have been surrendered to the requesting jurisdiction. From my point of view, it is in the interest of these defendants to return to Romania, the more so as, from what I have seen they have made public claims that they are innocent. I don't see why an innocent person would not stand before a certain court. I have no indication at the moment that these persons would not return to Romania to continue submitting to judicial proceedings," Radu Marinescu said. Regarding the accusations leveled by the Tate brothers' at the Romanian judicial system, the JusMin said that no offense to the Romanian authorities will be ever tolerated. "Personally, I have not seen this situation, but if it happened, then the people who hold the magistrates in contempt must respond to the law. I do not follow the opinions expressed by the people in question, I have other concerns, but I assure you that if they violate the judicial control, the Romanian justice system has all the necessary resources at hand to act accordingly, meaning either replacing the pre-trial measure or, if they abscond justice, by passing sentences, including in absentia," Marinescu emphasized. Prosecutor General Alex Florenta provided on Tuesday new details from the investigation targeting former presidential forerunner Calin Georgescu and Horatiu Potra's mercenaries. Calin Georgescu is being investigated in two cases - one in which he was already indicted for actions against the constitutional order, and another one in which Potra and his mercenaries were ordered under pre-trial arrest. The prosecutors are also investigating Potra's alleged meetings in Moscow, before the December 2024 election, but also how he introduced weapons and large amounts of money into the country. The statements were made by Prosecutor General Alex Florenta after presenting the Public Prosecution Office's 2024 activity report. PG Alex Florenta said that the prosecutors are looking into the possible involvement of statal actors in the Romanian election. "We must probe what these interferences consist of, if they are confirmed. Beyond the elements we already have, the case prosecutor will decide whether it is necessary to expand the investigations to other facts," Florenta specified. Investigators are also collecting information about Horatiu Potra's alleged visits to Moscow. "There is ample evidence from this point of view. There are many elements of this type that have emerged, including from the IT searches conducted on the devices seized from the group's members. All these elements, because we are talking about a very large amount of computer data, are being analyzed in real time. All the pieces of the puzzle will be put together and we will present you with a conclusion in due time," the PG explained. About the judge involved in Georgescu's case, he said that he cannot disclose his name, but that he is being investigated in rem for favoring the perpetrator, as he is suspected of having intervened in Calin Georgescu's favor both before and after the December election. Florenta also stated that investigators want to find out how the weapons reached the members of Potra's group and where the 3.3 million euros found in a safe came from. "Investigations are being carried out, including into the origin of the money and possible crimes of tax evasion and money laundering, to see what part of the money entered Romania legally, to what extent this entire financial flow was declared to the tax authorities and if the taxes due to the budget were paid," Florenta said in conclusion. Romania's Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu on Tuesday welcomed the proposals released by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the exemption of defence spending from the excessive deficit procedure, saying that Romania has constantly advocated for such a solution. "Europe must be prepared to uphold its security and defence, as reflected in today's Von der Leyen's proposal to Rearm Europe. Particularly welcome proposals to exempt the defence spending from the excessive deficit procedure, a solution for which Romania pleaded since the beginning of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Putting forward different instruments allowing for the increase of defence investments will contribute to consolidating capabilities in EUMS and to protect Europe as a whole," Ciolacu wrote in a social media post, said Agerpres. Von der Leyen on Tuesday proposed a new fund that could mobilise almost EUR 800 billion for defence investments in the European Union, including military aid to Ukraine. According to the dpa news agency, the new fund is part of a proposal presented to member states ahead of a special March 6 summit of EU leaders in Brussels. In her plan to rearm the EU, the EC president also proposed to give member states more leeway in complying with the EU's usually strict rules on defence debt and deficit spending, as well as the possibility of reallocating regional development funds available for military investment. A gradual reduction in the clawback tax will keep generic drugs on the market and lead to budget optimisation, Daniel Bran, member of the Administrative Council of the Association of Generic Drug Manufacturers in Romania (APMGR), said on Tuesday at the PRIA Finance for Keys Business Sectors conference. "In Romania, there are over 40 drug production facilities and all of the drugs are generic. The impact of the local production of generic medicines is 1.1% of GDP, and as for the budgetary contribution, it amounts to 0.3%. Moreover, having a strong industry, we can say that we also contribute to balancing trade through the exports we make. There are over 9,000 highly qualified people working in the industry. Doctors, pharmacists, researchers work. We are talking about a strong industry, with a particularly economic impact. On the other hand, as far as the budgetary impact is concerned, we have a situation here. As you know, in Romania there is the lowest price policy, but on the other hand, we are talking about the clawback tax, which is seen as an income, but at the same time as an obstacle to budget optimisation, because 70% of the patients who are treated in Romania are treated with generic drugs. 80-90% of medicines are cheap medicines. Or, having the lowest price a clawback tax makes cheap drugs go out of the market. Then, in fact, the state pays for the slightly more expensive medicines, because those affected by the clawback tax are always priced at RON 5, 10 , 20 and some 50 medicines," Bran said. He added that the first budget optimisation that the Association of Generic Drug Manufacturers in Romania proposes aims to reduce the clawback tax by 5% in the first year to keep generic drugs on the market. "The first budget optimisation we propose entails cutting the clawback tax in a gradual way. In the first year, we can cut 5%, which will keep generic drugs on the market. And it's not a lie. We can see that in 2016-2023, by introducing generic medicines on the market, we had a budget optimisation of EUR 1 billion and we estimate that, by 2028, this budget optimisation will bring another EUR 500 million. If we gradually lower the clawback tax, let's say by 5%, and keep cheap drugs on the market, this budget optimisation increases. I know it seems somehow the other way around: if I lower a tax, I don't have any money left in the budget. In fact, I optimise the budget, leaving cheap drugs on the market and then you spend less. The second proposal we have relates to the Waste Water Directive. These additional investments can create major dysfunctions in the industry. Because at the time when this directive was conceived, the budgetary impact at European level was calculated at somewhere around EUR 1 billion. Today, when we think about implementing that directive, we see that a country like Finland has an impact of only EUR 800 million, and a country like Germany has an impact of EUR 1.5 billion." The association requests the postponement of the application of the Urban Waste Water Directive and the creation of a working group to establish the real impact on the economy. "The impact calculated at the moment at the level of the European Union is EUR 10-15 billion, although it is a directive that was somehow unhappily conceived, because we started from EUR 1 billion, and now we are somewhere between EUR 10 and 15 billion, and that can have a devastating effect on the manufacturing industry. We want to bring more production facilities to Romania, but at the same time we have some regulations that do not help us. Our suggestion is to see, to ask for this simplification of the directive, to see once again the effect it has, to see what we can do to postpone the application of the directive in the first phase and to discuss it in Finance, in the Environment, in industry. If it is necessary to set up a working group to discuss and see what the real impact of this directive is and to resume the impact study, because it is not natural to have an impact 10-15 times higher than the one initially assessed when we started," said Bran. As for the clawback tax, Finance Minister Barna Tanczos said that the healthcare policy is designed by the Ministry of Health. "Regarding the pharma industry, we cannot make the healthcare policy at the Ministry of Finance. We have a relevant ministry and we can come up with specialists, with clear data, with information from the money collected from the costs of various medical services, on analyses, on the medical system as a whole. Even the clawback tax is a tax that comes from the relevant sector and is applied by the Ministry of Finance, but it is not a tax specific to Finance. Medium and long-term healthcare policies must be made at the relevant ministry. The challenges are very big, because the Health Insurance House is a system that requires years of money from the national budget. The amounts collected from health insurance do not cover the total expenses of the system and hence the discussions about how far this need can extend to make up for the deficit of the house and go ahead with all the medicines, with all the services, with all the products that are practically financed from this system. I agree with you that even for this sector, special programmes for these companies can be developed, together with the Ministry of Economy. Why not also have a programme for the pharma industry, so that we can balance domestic production here as well, to help generic drugs manufacturers as well, because there will always be a dispute here. It is the dispute of the sector, it is not the dispute of the Ministry of Finance," Tanczos told the same specialist event. Tanczos and officials from the financial, industry, healthcare, construction industries, circular economy and environment and automotive sectors discussed on Tuesday the most important subjects for securing macroeconomic balances, strengthening resilience and increasing competitiveness at the PRIA Finance for Keys Business Sectors event. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 5. On March 4, the Nizami Cinema Center hosted the premiere of the documentary "In the Footsteps of a Journey United Kingdom," dedicated to National Leader Heydar Aliyev's official visits to the United Kingdom, Trend reports. President of the Baku Media Center Arzu Aliyeva attended the event. Speaking before the screening, project director, renowned traveler, and journalist Azer Garib noted that the film takes viewers through the historical cities of London and Edinburgh, shedding light on the unofficial aspects of National Leader Heydar Aliyevs official visits. He emphasized that the documentary also highlights historical facts about National Leader Heydar Aliyevs pivotal role in fostering Azerbaijan-UK relations. Filmed in London and Edinburgh, this documentary marks the fourth installment in the In the Footsteps of a Journey series dedicated to Heydar Aliyevs international visits, following previous films on his trips to Italy, Japan, and China. The project aims to underscore the historical significance of these visits and their impact on Azerbaijan's international relations. The In the Footsteps of a Journey series showcases National Leader Heydar Aliyevs contributions to strengthening Azerbaijans global ties and enhancing its international standing. The documentary, conceptualized by Azer Garib, features editor Ayaz Mirzayev, producer Asgar Garibzade, cinematographer Ali Aliyev, and editing specialist Elmar Tariyeloglu. The film was produced with the support of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), bp-Azerbaijan, and the CinemaPlus cinema network. A lot of attention has been directed to US President Trumps contentious 28 February meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office of the White House. Given the sensitivities on all sides, it is imperative to keep our wits about us and to consider in the cold light of reason what this might portend for us, and what we Romanians should do about it. By all accounts, a day that was set to make progress on an economic deal that would demonstrate concrete and enduring US interest in Ukraineand which over time could have become the rational basis for a postwar US-Ukraine partnershipended in disaster for Zelenskyy. The entire world now understands that the war in Ukraine has not proceeded according to expectations and in fact has been a divisive issue for the Western world including in NATO. Indeed, even the least aware among us can now see that Western discourse about unity of purpose regarding Ukraine, a constant in Washington and European capitals since the Russian invasion three years ago, masked a far more complicated reality. Even before the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting there were signs of this growing divergence in the increasing attention paid to contrary perspectives as the grim reality of the situation in Ukraine became more apparent, and in elections results from both sides of the Atlantic. As any practical businessman will tell you, any transaction should be met first by understanding the realities on the ground. This is crucial to building a wise strategy. This includes a clear assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, and above all the fundamental balance of power, financial or otherwise, that defines the prospects for cooperation or competition among the players on any particular matter. In my view, President Zelenskyy clearly has not analysed correctly the state of play in Washington. He seems oblivious to the electoral mandate President Trump won to bring an end to the war, and to the unassailable fact that the real political, financial, and military power upon which Kiev relies is almost wholly in Washington. He seems to think that the tactics he used on a largely incapacitated President Biden and his team would work on new President Trump and his administration, despite all indications to the contrary. Like it or not, Zelenskyy needed to understand the situation. He failed spectacularly. Equally troubling is that it is quite possible that Zelenskyy relied on bad advice from elements in the United States opposed to Trump, and that this encouraged him to make demands for immediate security guarantees that he frankly is in no condition to make. It is somewhat clear that political or other zones of pressure may prevent Zelenskyy from adopting a more realistic policy. Consequently, the meeting with Trumpwho in fact holds all the cards, as he himself told Zelenskyy in the Oval Officewas a fiasco for Ukraine, which has seen so much destruction and loss of life, and for which there was little prospect for a military reversal of the present trend. Moreover, Zelenskyy has alienated his most vociferous backers in the Trumps Republican Party, who praised him as recently as two weeks ago but now castigate him for the disrespect he displayed in the Oval Office and are calling for his immediate resignation. Zelenskyys trip to London for a meeting of European leaders this past weekend outwardly appeared to be a success, but on closer observation reflected the same pathologies that undermined the Ukraine cause in the United States. Zelensky was warmly greeted by Prime Minister Starmer and other European leaders, some of whom are calling for new leadership of the free world out of long and barely concealed spite for Trump. However, despite their words of encouragement, the Europeans do not agree on the course to take in Ukraine and do not have the means or the willpower on their own to support Ukraine militarily in any meaningful way. The effect of all of this is only to worsen Zelenskyys situation by encouraging him to continue a war with Russia and subject Ukraine to even more permanent damage, making a peace process more difficult. Strategically, Zelenskyys rebuff of Trump and apparent turn to Europe would only benefit Putin. Trump has told Zelenskyy he can return to Washington only when he is sincerely ready to make peace. For the good of Ukraine and the West, he should accept reality immediately. This is the situation. And so, what of Romania? In recent weeks I have written articles expressing my concerns that Romania has not fully comprehended the direct and clear messages from the Trump Administration concerning Transatlantic relations, even though several key leaders cited Romania as one of several examples of a Transatlantic disconnect. If this persists, it will have profound effects not only on our beloved homeland but on Western civilization itself. My previous articles can be read here si here. Romania is in NATO and the EU, and so in one sense it is understandable that interim President Bolojan would attend the meeting in London. Presumably he wanted to hear directly from Starmer and French President Macron about their own recent meetings with Trump, and their plans to support Ukraine in the wake of Zelenskyys failures in Washington. The danger, however, is that Romania will be under pressure to side with its EU and European NATO partners not only to support Ukraine, but also implicitly against the United States position. Doing so would be epically foolish which would likely be read in Washington as a failure to appreciate the gravity of the situation and perhaps to call into question ties with the United States. Romania is not new to this situation. Throughout our history we have had leaders who understood how to navigate in troubled waters. We need that leadership now, perhaps more than ever. *** Dr. Nawaf Salameh is a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist, Founder and Chairman of the Nawaf Salameh Family Office and Alexandrion Group, a leading producer and distributor of spirits and wines in Romania and internationally; his career is marked by innovation, strategic investments in renewable energy, agriculture, and hospitality, as well as a strong commitment to supporting culture, education, and excellence through the Alexandrion Foundation. ST. LOUIS The city is taking the next step to seize dozens of properties owned by Paul McKees NorthSide Regeneration and says it will begin the legal process against more properties this week. The St. Louis Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority on Friday sent $1 million in offer letters to the owners of 87 properties north of downtown. Such letters need to be issued before a government starts condemnation proceedings against property owners. Deion Broxton, a spokesman for the LCRA and its parent agency, the St. Louis Development Corporation, said LCRA intends to initiate the eminent domain process against 59 additional properties in the St. Louis Place and Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhoods. Nearly all of the 146 properties are owned by NorthSide Regeneration. As a North City native, this is the kind of action we are forced to take to spur economic development for the residents in these neighborhoods, SLDC President and CEO Neal Richardson said in a statement. But a lawyer for NorthSide, Paul Puricelli, fired back, saying SLDC had demonstrated it couldnt administer federal pandemic money via a north St. Louis grant program and that it shouldnt take on more responsibility, given those issues. Respectfully, this is not the time for SLDC to add 80 parcels of real estate to its mismanagement of the public coffers, Puricelli said in a statement. NorthSide began buying up land in the area 20 years ago, aided by some $43 million in state tax credits to fund acquisitions and maintenance. It later sold back some land it had purchased from the city to allow the National-Geospatial Intelligence Agency to assemble a site in the heart of its footprint. But Northside still owns some 1,500 properties and 200 acres around the NGA. As its promised development projects stalled and the condition of its properties worsened, the city soured on NorthSide. Economic development officials, meanwhile, believe NorthSide demands sales prices in excess of the lands value, due to the debt encumbering the land, making redevelopment in an already difficult area even harder. Puricelli, though, said Northside will make sure the city pays the true market value that Mr. McKee has created in this area by being the first developer willing to invest in North St. Louis in decades. It comes as no surprise to Paul McKee that, now that he has been able to attract the NGA, the city suddenly wants his land, Puricelli wrote. There has been no demand for or investment in this area of north St. Louis for the last 50 years, either on the part of the city or regional developers. This is opportunism at its worst. The citys moves to begin clawing back NorthSides land have been in the works for years. In 2018, former Mayor Lyda Krewson canceled NorthSides development agreement. And early last year, Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, who represents the area, sponsored a bill granting the city eminent domain rights over the area where NorthSide owns much of its property. SLDCs announcement that it was moving ahead with eminent domain came a day before city voters head to the polls to decide whether Mayor Tishaura O. Jones deserves a second term. Communities in North City have been neglected by greedy, absent developers for far too long, Jones said in the statement Monday. This is another step toward building a city that invests in its neighborhoods and puts residents first when it comes to development. On Friday, NorthSide Regenerations main lender, the Bank of Washington, donated $10,000 to a political action committee supporting Jones leading opponent in the race, Alderwoman Cara Spencer. Spencers PAC has also received large donations over $100,000 from Clayco founder Bob Clark, whose companies partnered with NorthSide on a Bottle District transaction that netted them millions in tax credits. But Spencer has historically been one of McKees loudest critics. Before the city severed its ties with McKee, Spencer pushed through a bill removing an exemption that had shielded NorthSide and other developers from paying city nuisance fines and fees. Later, she circulated a resolution calling for a criminal investigation of NorthSides use of tax credits. Spencer was also one of only two votes at the then 28-member Board of Aldermen against granting NorthSide additional tax money in 2019 bills backed by former Alderman Jeffrey Boyd and former Board President Lewis Reed, who had accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from McKees lawyers. The Bank of Washington, represented by the same law firm that represents McKee, has spent years in litigation against the city over its decision to sever the development agreement. The bank also pushed legislation in Jefferson City that would have protected its financial interests in the NorthSide Regeneration area by forcing the city to make it whole in any eminent domain proceedings. Spencer said Monday she didnt realize the PAC supporting her had received $10,000 from the Bank of Washington. She stopped short of saying she would continue the eminent domain proceedings should she win the mayors race, saying she would have to review the specifics. But she said her position on NorthSide Regeneration hasnt changed. Ive been holding Paul McKee accountable since my first days in office, Spencer said. Austin Huguelet of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. CLAYTON A St. Louis-based cannabis company is suing the state after being rejected for nine different medical marijuana licenses. According to documents filed in county court last week, Blue Arrow submitted five dispensary applications, two cultivation applications and two manufacturing applications in 2019. Of those, five were conditionally denied by the state Department of Health and Senior Services. In 2020, Blue Arrow appealed the departments denial of two dispensary location applications. Hearings for both appeals were held in 2023; Missouri's Administrative Hearing Commission upheld the denials in January, citing shortcomings in the company's plans for security, diverse hiring, storage and more. Blue Arrow hired an attorney who determined that Blue Arrow's application deserved higher scores, based on a retrospective analysis. However, the commission found this analysis subjective, calling the method "deeply flawed" as the attorney reviewed only a small pool of applicants. Now, Blue Arrow is challenging the decisions, claiming that the Administrative Hearing Commission's decision violates its constitutional rights, is not supported by evidence, was made without without a fair trial and more. Through its lawsuits, the cannabis company is asking the court to grant it two marijuana dispensary licenses. Health department spokesperson Sami Jo Freeman said that the DHSS cannot comment on pending litigation. The League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis presents this guide to the candidates and races on the April 8 primary ballot. City voters can cast a ballot at any of 53 polling places. Voters can see wait times at polling places here. Voters need proper non-expired identification: A Missouri driver or non-driver's license, a military ID, a U.S. passport or another form of picture identification from the U.S. or state of Missouri. AUGUSTA Faced with a lawsuit and worried about a prolonged and costly court battle, the Augusta Town Board voted Monday night to take a financial hit and drop its $200 application fee for short-term rental owners at least for now. Board Chairman Joe Buchheit said town leaders were blindsided by the suit from a rural St. Charles County resident over the fee, saying they have no record of plaintiff Laura Bissonnette operating or applying to operate a short-term rental or even owning property in Augusta. I mean, we can fight this. We could spend $5,000 or $10,000, but the overall picture is all we would be fighting over is $200, said Board Chairman Joe Buchheit. Weve all struggled to really make any sense of this lawsuit and to really understand what the real purpose of why they did this. The application fee was part of restrictions the board approved two years ago after Washington, Missouri natives David and Jerri Hoffmann announced a $100 million investment aimed at turning Augusta into a wine tourism hub, akin to Napa Valley. The town worried too many properties would be turned into short-term vacation rentals, booked through apps like AirBnb or VRBO. The town was just trying to generate some income that would help us improve our community, he said. Thats what we were really shooting for and all that we were trying to accomplish. Eliminating the $200 annual fee will cost the town about $2,600 in revenue this year $200 from each of the 13 short-term rentals in Augusta something that Buchheit said will hurt the citys bottom line. Augusta does not collect a hotel occupancy tax, and only sees revenue from personal property, real estate, sales taxes and business licenses and permits. The southwest St. Charles County town relies heavily on its close proximity to the Katy Trail and multiple wineries and tourist-friendly events sponsored by the Greater Augusta Chamber of Commerce to finance its day-to-day operations. Buchheit said revenue from the short-term rental fee went into the towns general fund and was used to pay for street repair, snow removal, general maintenance in the towns park and other projects. I dont think anyone thought we were doing anything harmful when we were putting this ordinance together, Buchheit said. We were trying to make it the most reasonable it could be for everybody that wanted to run a business in town. In 2023 Augusta leaders enacted a series of regulations regarding short-term rentals, including the $200 fee, capping at 15 the number of short-term rentals operating in the town, yearly inspection requirements and more. Neither Bissonnette nor her attorney, Zachary McMichael, attended Monday nights meeting. McMichael previously declined to make his client available for an interview, saying that state law is clear that any taxpayer has authority to challenge unconstitutional taxing ordinances like this one. Bissonettes lawsuit argued the short-term rental fee was really a tax, which could only be levied if approved by voters. McMichael was triumphant on Tuesday, saying that Augusta completely capitulated. (It) sounds like Augusta has agreed that the suit has merit, McMichael said. After the board rescinded the fee, members agreed to begin drafting ballot language for an April 2026 election proposition that would ask voters to approve a new short-term rental application fee. Mondays decision came too late for the measure to be included on the ballot for next months municipal election. JoAnn Milster, president of the local chamber of commerce, said she believes the community will respect the boards reasons, but they wont be happy about it. People in this town are tired of being pushed around by people coming into our community, who dont take the time to do their research, Milster said in an interview after the meeting. They know that we dont have much money, so theyre just going to make us roll over and not enforce our own laws. Randal Oaks was the lone dissenting vote on rescinding the ordinance. He said the board ultimately made a tough decision for the betterment of the town. A lot of people put a lot of effort into getting this ordinance to go forward, he said. JEFFERSON CITY In what could foreshadow a lengthy filibuster in the Missouri Senate this spring, Republican lawmakers Monday outlined their plans to make it harder for residents to change the states constitution. Fueled by the November vote in favor of repealing Missouris abortion ban, the GOP group pitched legislation to members of the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee that would raise the threshold for placing questions on the ballot. And, to varying degrees, the different proposals also would make the questions that do get on the ballot harder to win approval. I want to have rural Missouri have more of a say in what goes on the ballot, said Republican Sen. Jason Bean, a Bootheel region cotton farmer. Denise Lieberman, director of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, said the proposals would create an unfair system where rural votes carry more weight than urban voters. Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, said some of the changes being considered would make it virtually impossible to change the constitution. Republicans have been pressing for changes after voters approved a number of progressive ballot questions in recent years, while at the same time putting Republicans in control of all levers of government. Along with lifting a ban on abortion in November, Missouri voters in recent years have agreed to increase the minimum wage, expand Medicaid and legalize recreational marijuana. Under current law, any constitutional amendment takes effect when approved by a simple majority of the votes cast on the measure. Many of the recent questions that won approval have been heavily supported in the states blue-leaning urban population centers, while not faring as well in Missouris red rural regions. I do think there is a little something to the rural-versus-urban divide, said Sen. Mike Henderson, R-Bonne Terre. A plan sponsored by Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby, would require that voters pass it statewide, but also in six of the states eight U.S. congressional districts. And one from Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, would require overall statewide approval, but also a simple majority of the votes cast in the majority of Missouris 163 state representative districts. Republican Sens. Ben Brown of Washington and Bean of Holcomb are sponsoring similar legislation. Brown said he wants to ensure outside groups arent coming to Missouri and spending big on campaigns in urban areas. The Missouri Farm Bureau said it supports adding some benchmarks for constitutional changes; the Missouri Realtors oppose the effort. Supporters included Sam Lee, director of Campaign Life Missouri, who urged lawmakers to act fast, citing efforts to prohibit the Legislature from limiting voters ability to alter the constitution. This is something that requires much urgency, Lee said. The latest push comes after Democrats blocked similar changes by mustering a 50-hour filibuster at the end of the legislative session, arguing the Republican measures would weaken the power of voters to make changes in state policy. Similar efforts have failed in other states. A 2023 attempt by Ohio Republicans to raise the threshold for passing future constitutional amendments from a simple majority to 60% was defeated at the polls. While Missouri lawmakers are debating the proposed changes, a bipartisan group called the Respect Voters Coalition has launched a campaign to prevent Republicans from changing the way state ballot measures are approved. The coalition is holding a series of town halls across the state to gather citizen input on a proposed amendment that would prohibit politicians from changing the initiative petition process. During the past session, the Missouri Legislature placed deceptive language on the 2024 ballot, and attempted to pass multiple bills that would effectively gut the ballot initiative process, stripping away a Constitutional right from Missourians. Their attacks aim to make it impossible for the people to have a check on government power, the group said in announcing its plans. The organization plans to file an initiative petition in late April and launch the process of collecting a minimum of 300,000 signatures from residents in six of Missouris eight congressional districts. The legislation is Senate Joint Resolutions 10, 11, 30 and 47. JEFFERSON CITY The Missouri House gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a plan to stop county tax assessors from classifying short-term rental homes at a higher tax rate. On a voice vote, lawmakers agreed that rentals booked through Airbnb, Vrbo and other services should remain taxed at residential rates of 19% of the value of a home, instead of the 32% rate commercial property owners pay. A full vote in the House later this week will send the matter to the Senate. The sponsor of the legislation, Rep. Chris Brown, R-Kansas City, said hes talked with county assessors and found disagreement and inconsistency in how they handle taxing homes that are used primarily as short-term rentals. Ive discovered its the wild, wild west out there, Brown said during debate on the floor. The discussion comes as cities and towns grapple with how to tax and regulate vacation rentals. For years, the businesses operated largely without regulation. Neighbors and officials have voiced concerns about short-term rentals hosting raucous and sometimes violent parties and worried that investors are buying up affordable homes to rent out, taking them off the market for residents. In 2023, St. Louis aldermen voted to limit the number of units an operator can own, make it easier to shut a unit down when theres trouble and require operators to get city permits. In Augusta, officials on Tuesday dropped a $200 fee it charges owners of short-term rentals. Voters there could be asked to weigh in on the issue in a referendum next year. In a 2021 case, the State Tax Commission ruled a short-term rental property in St. Louis should be classified as mixed, with one-third of it taxed as commercial and two-thirds residential. People are tired of getting taxed and taxed and taxed. If it is a home it should be taxed at residential rates, said Rep. Jim Kalberloh, R-Lowry City. But, Rep. Del Taylor, D-St. Louis, said the issue needs more study. We rely on our assessors to recognize these variations, Taylor said. This is far more complex than a house is a house is a house. During earlier testimony, property owners urged the Legislature to take action, saying the higher commercial tax rate is hurting their businesses. Christine Teglo owns a short-term rental in St. Charles, but said changes in the assessment may put her out of business. St. Charles just determined that my house is now considered a commercial property and my property taxes have more than doubled, Teglo wrote. Michele Torres of Branson Vacation Retreats said property owners are shedding their Missouri properties because of higher taxes and fees. Investors are selling their short-term rentals and purchasing property in other states due to the unfair classification of the property taxes, Torres wrote. Tyann Marcink Hammond said the tax bill on a Taney County unit she owns jumped from under $5,000 to over $10,000 in 2023 after it was reclassified. Allowing county assessors to arbitrarily reclassify vacation home rentals to commercial because of a loophole in the tax code is a threat to the tourism economy that the state of Missouri, along with local communities, have been diligently building for decades, Hammond wrote. The legislation is House Bill 1086. (Note: This story was updated to clarify the location of a property owner's unit affected by a re-assessment as being in Taney County, not Warren County.) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The number of personnel involved in humanitarian demining operations in Azerbaijan's Gazakh district is planned to be raised, a source in the Azerbaijani National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) told Trend. The demining works have been going on in the territories of Azerbaijan's Gazakh district liberated from occupation since April 2024. During the operations, 59.9 ha of land were cleared, and 857 anti-personnel mines, 95 anti-tank mines, and 38 unexploded ordnances were found and neutralized. "The mentioned areas have both challenging terrain and a high level of mine contamination," the source added. A 12.7-kilometer borderline was established between Azerbaijan and Armenia following border delimitation, ensuring the return of four villages, namely, Baghanis Ayrim, Ashagi Askipara, Kheyrimli, and Gizilhajili (6.5 square kilometers) in the Gazakh district to Azerbaijan. The State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan took control of the territories of these villages of Gazakh district on May 24. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel JEFFERSON CITY A proposal to name a large swath of Missouri highways after President Donald Trump received little pushback in a state Senate hearing on Monday. A pair of proposals would name roadways after the president. One, filed by Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance, names Highway D from Route 94 to Highway T after the President. Schroer picked the spot as a play on Trump's initials. "It's fitting to have this road running through Defiance (for) somebody who was smeared, lied about, wrongfully impeached, wrongfully indicted, sued, nearly assassinated twice, and kept fighting to protect this nation," Schroer said. Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, wants to go a step further. Her proposal would name all currently unnamed highways in Missouri after Trump, excluding those in the counties of Jackson, Boone, St. Louis and the city of St. Louis the only areas of Missouri which voted for former Vice-President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Coleman has filed similar legislation in the past. As a House legislator in 2021, she proposed naming a stretch of Interstate 55 in Jefferson County after Trump. At the time, Coleman said her proposal was her way of saying thank you to Trump for strengthening Missouris economy, defending our values, and making America great again during his historic first term. Her efforts were unsuccessful. Democrats didn't push back on either proposal during the hearing. Sen. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, suggested adding an amendment to the legislation creating a memorial section of road for Kansas City native Harry S. Truman. A section of U.S. Highway 24 and Interstate 70 in Jackson County are already dedicated to him. Memorial naming bills generally face limited pushback, but have been struck down in the past. Republicans backed off a plan to create Rush Limbaugh day in 2021 amid Democratic consternation. Bitcentral Debuts Fusion Insights, Ushering in a New Era of AI-Powered Media Discovery New AI-driven tool tackles media asset fragmentation, helping broadcasters and digital content teams surface valuable content with unprecedented speed and accuracy Newport Beach, California( ) Bitcentral, a leading pioneer in digital media workflows for broadcast and digital video, today announces the launch of Fusion Insights, an AI-powered solution designed to enable broadcasters, media production teams, and digital content curators to maximize the value of their media assets and deliver more impactful decision-making and enhanced workflow efficiency. Managing vast media libraries has never been more challenging. As content archives grow exponentially, media professionals face increasing challenges in efficiently locating, repurposing, and monetizing their assets. 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Intelligent Search Beyond Metadata : Unlike traditional search tools, Fusion Insights goes beyond file names and tags, analyzing visual, contextual, and narrative connections to deliver highly relevant results. : Unlike traditional search tools, Fusion Insights goes beyond file names and tags, analyzing visual, contextual, and narrative connections to deliver highly relevant results. Seamless Integration & Workflow Optimization: Designed to work within existing media production ecosystems, Fusion Insights eliminates time-consuming asset searches, allowing teams to focus on content creation. Fusion Insights is the latest innovation extending the capabilities of the Bitcentral Fusion suite, which also includes Fusion Gateway and Fusion Hybrid Storage (FHS). Fusion empowers organizations with a hybrid-cloud solution that offers a more balanced and efficient storage environment, enhanced search functionality, and seamless integration with AI technologies. Combined, they provide the tools that enable media organizations to optimize workflows and take a more intelligent approach to content management. Fusion Insights is a game-changing toolkit for forward-thinking media organizations looking to streamline their operations, added Sam Peterson, COO of Bitcentral. Media companies can quickly surface the right content, at the right time, without the headache that comes with manual processes. Whether theyre managing live broadcasts, producing news, or creating digital content, Fusion Insights is a smarter way to work all while saving time, reducing costs, and maximizing the value of their media assets. Visit our booth (#W2213) at the 2025 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 6th-9th. For more information: https://content.bitcentral.com/fusion-insights. About Bitcentral. From global brands to TV stations and digital publishers, Bitcentral is driving a new future in storytelling. For over 20 years, weve helped broadcasters and publishers deliver the biggest stories in news, sports, and entertainment to the widest audiences. Our systems are used by over a thousand media and entertainment organizations to simplify the production, asset management, distribution, and monetization of content everywhere. With Core News, we provide unparalleled reliability and agility for content production. We offer fully automated playout solutions with Central Control, and ViewNexa provides one unified workflow that simplifies video management, streaming, consumer application experience, and distribution for broadcasters, publishers, and media companies. Learn more at www.bitcentral.com. How to Build (and Retain) your Streaming Audience Whether you stream college sports, indie films, yoga sessions, DIY tutorials, religious services, or anything in between, every OTT service shares the same core goals: attracting an audience, keeping them engaged, and, most importantly, turning that viewe Toronto, Canada( ) Whether you stream college sports, indie films, yoga sessions, DIY tutorials, religious services, or anything in between, every OTT service shares the same core goals: attracting an audience, keeping them engaged, and, most importantly, turning that viewership into revenue. But having great content is just the beginningyou need viewers to actually watch it! So, how can content owners and streaming platforms not only grow their audience but keep them coming back for more? Know your Audience Building an audience starts with understanding them. And the beauty of streaming is the wealth of data it providesviewing habits, genre preferences, engagement levels, and even geographical trends. For content owners, this data isnt just numbers; its the foundation of your strategy. The first step is identifying who your viewers are, what they watch, when they watch, and why they choose your content over others. These insights can inform everything from content curation to marketing tactics. For example, if you know your audience gravitates toward specific genres or titles, you can tailor your library or even your promotional efforts to align with these preferences. The Art of Curation Content is the heart of every streaming platform. But its no longer enough to simply offer great contentits about offering the right content at the right time. A mix of timeless classics and fresh, trending titles is essential. Offering new releases that align with the latest social or cultural phenomena can capture immediate attention, but platforms also need to keep the evergreen content that forms the backbone of their librariesclassic films, cult favorites, and beloved TV series. This mix ensures that viewers will always find something that speaks to them, whether its comfort food or the latest binge-worthy sensation. However, curating content is not just about offering quantity; its about quality and relevance. Understanding how viewers consume content is just as important as knowing what they want to watch. Is your audience watching during commutes or late at night? Are they more likely to binge entire seasons or prefer shorter episodes? For example, the rise of mobile streaming means platforms must prioritize content that is optimized for mobile devices, catering to the on-the-go viewer. This flexibility not only keeps viewers happy but also increases their chances of returning for more. Platforms like FAST Channels TV support content owners in curating diverse, engaging libraries tailored to specific genreswhether its classic films, horror, action, or family contentensuring there's always something for everyone. Leverage your Marketing Building an audience goes beyond just providing a great selection of content; its also about creating a sense of community. This is where the power of social media and digital marketing comes into play. Platforms today use every tool at their disposalemail newsletters, social media posts, influencer partnerships, and targeted adsto keep their brand in front of potential and existing customers. For content owners, this level of engagement is key. Its not just about posting a few promotional tweets or Instagram stories; its about creating a dialogue with the audience. Hosting live Q&A sessions with actors, offering behind-the-scenes content, and even creating exclusive sneak peeks are all ways to maintain buzz and excitement around a platform. Check out our guides on social media marketing and targeted email campaigns for a deeper dive into how to make the most of your marketing efforts. The Importance of Personalization One of the most powerful tools available to streaming platforms today is the ability to personalize the viewing experience. Personalization goes beyond recommending shows based on viewing history; its about creating a tailored experience that feels custom-designed for each individual. Take Spotifys personalized playlists as an example. The music streaming giant has set a new standard for personalization, using algorithms to create playlists that reflect a listeners tastes and preferences. A similar approach has been adopted by video streaming platforms, with the aim of creating a highly individualized experience for each user. Personalization helps keep viewers engaged by making them feel as though the platform is catering to their specific needs. Whether its curating recommendations based on past viewing habits or offering content tailored to mood, interests, or time of day, personalization enhances the viewers overall experience and boosts retention rates. The Power of Exclusivity Finally, when it comes to retaining an audience, exclusivity is an extremely powerful tool. Offering exclusive content that viewers cannot find anywhere else creates a sense of loyalty and urgency. Whether it's exclusive movies, early releases, or special content that can only be accessed through a subscription, these offerings drive not only sign-ups but long-term commitment. For example, HBOs Game of Thrones kept millions of subscribers hooked for years, providing them with exclusive access to the most talked-about show on TV. Similarly, Netflix has built a massive following through its original programming, including shows like Stranger Things and The Crown. These exclusives are what make a platform not just a place to watch content but an essential part of the cultural conversation. In the end, those who succeed will be the ones who understand that audience retention isnt a one-time effort but an ongoing process of engagement, curation, and innovation. For streaming platforms, the key to success is a delicate balance of consistency, relevance, and above all, a deep connection with their viewers. As the competition intensifies, only those who can master this balance will emerge as the true leaders in the streaming era. At FAST Channels TV, we understand that change is inevitable. Thats why we emphasize the importance of strategic partnerships with content owners to navigate the ever-evolving streaming landscape. If youre ready to take your content to the next level, were here to help. Together, with the right tools and strategies, we can grow your audience and keep them engaged for the long haul.Top of Form About FAST Channels TV Revolutionize Your TV Experience with FAST Channels TV FAST Channels TV empowers content owners, broadcasters, and operators with cutting-edge white-label platforms and channel playout services. Our innovative solutions enable the swift deployment and seamless monetization of FAST linear channels, transforming how audiences engage with streaming content. For inquiries about launching a FAST channel or adding our channels to your platform, contact FAST Channels TV at info@fastchannels.tv or visit https://www.fastchannels.tv/ Army Maj. Michael Stockin is serving nearly 14 years in jail for sexual abuse of patients. The former Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., physician is the subject of 42 claims totaling $210 million against the Army for failing to properly monitor Stockins activity and react quicker to complaints about his inappropriate behavior. (KOMO News) The Army is facing $210 million in claims from 42 soldiers and veterans who say they were victims of Maj. Michael Stockin, the Army doctor at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., serving a nearly 14-year sentence for sexually abusing patients. Twenty new complaints under the Federal Tort Claim Act were filed Monday with the U.S. Army Claims Service at Fort Meade, Md., according to Christine Dunn, an attorney with Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight. The firm already filed claims on behalf of 22 men who said they were abused by Stockin. The Army has focused on the criminal prosecution of Dr. Stockin, Dunn said. Now that has concluded and its time to hold the Army accountable for its role that allowed the abuse of his victims to take place. The administrative claims are the first step in establishing a victims right to sue the federal government for financial damages. Each of the claims seeks $5 million. The victims argue the Army wasnt diligent in oversight of Stockins activities at Madigan Army Medical Center, the hospital at Lewis-McChord, and didnt act quickly enough when complaints arose about the doctors behavior. The Army owed a duty of care to patients at Madigan to take reasonable efforts to ensure their well-being while at the medical facility, wrote one victim, identified only as John Doe No. 23. However, the Army breached that duty by negligently hiring and negligently supervising Dr. Stockin. The Armys negligence directly caused me to be sexually assaulted by Dr. Stockin. Stockin arrived at Lewis-McChord in June 2019 and was assigned to the staff of the pain management clinic at Madigan. He was barred from seeing patients in early 2022 following the Armys reaction to initial claims of Stockins inappropriate behavior. Stockin was charged with sexually abusing contact and indecent viewing in August 2023. By January 2024, Stockin faced a total of 52 counts of violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice with a possible maximum sentence of more than 250 years. In January 2025, Stockin was sentenced to 164 months in prison by Col. Larry Babin, a military judge. Redacted copies of three of the complaints, provided by Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, recounted encounters with Stockin that are similar to earlier complaints. The men were assigned to Stockin an Army pain management doctor. Once alone in an examination room, Stockin would tell the men to disrobe and then fondled the mens genitals or make crude comments while staring at their bodies, according to the statements. Victims who testified during Stockins court-martial said the doctor told them that the viewing and touching were routine parts of the medical examination, even when the patient was complaining of pain in their neck, shoulders, back or elbows. Dunn, the lawyer handling the civil action against the Army, said the Pentagon has six months to investigate each claim. They can settle with the victim or deny the claim. If denied, claimants can sue in U.S. District Court. A side by side comparison of the entrance to Fort Moore and the old entrance sign when it was called Fort Benning. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON Fort Moore, the Army base in Georgia that is home to infantry and armor training, will once again be called Fort Benning but without ties to the Confederacy, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote in a memorandum announced Monday. I direct the U.S. Army to change the name of Fort Moore, Ga., to Fort Benning, Ga., in honor of Cpl. Fred G. Benning, who served with extraordinary heroism during World War I, Hegseth wrote. The Army base, founded in 1918, was named for Henry Benning, a local resident who worked as a lawyer and a judge before joining the Confederate army and rising to general. A slave owner, Benning never served in the U.S. Army and worked, even after the Civil War, to promote racial segregation and white supremacy, according to historians. The base was renamed in 2023 for Army Lt. Gen. Hal and his wife Julie Moore after Congress mandated the Pentagon rid its installations of names and items honoring those who served the Confederacy. Congress created the Naming Commission in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act the annual must-pass bill that sets Congress policy and spending priorities for the Pentagon charging the panel with identifying all items in the Defense Department inventory associated with the Confederacy. In a 2022 report, the panel that oversaw the name-changing process included several Bennings who were nominated for consideration for the posts name. Only one appeared to have ties to the Army Cpl. Fred G. Benning. Born in Norfolk, Neb., Benning enlisted in the Army in April 1917. He served in the Machine-Gun Company, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division of the American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I. Benning was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross the Armys second-highest award for battlefield valor for heroic actions on Oct. 9, 1918, as an 18-year-old fighting in France. After the enemy killed his platoon commander and disabled two senior non-commissioned officers, Benning took command of the surviving 20 men of his company and courageously led them through heavy fire to their assigned objective in support of the Meuse-Argonne offensive. After returning home, Benning was elected mayor of Neligh, Neb., Hegseth wrote. Benning died in May 1974. As we rename Fort Benning, I further direct the Army to honor the legacy of Lt. Gen. Harold Hal Moores storied military service and Julia Julie Moores family and casualty notification advocacy in a manner that celebrates their significant contributions to the local community and the Army, Hegseth said. The defense secretary last month made good on President Donald Trumps campaign promise to restore the name Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty by issuing an order to rename the North Carolina base for a different Bragg World War II Silver Star recipient Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, instead of its longtime namesake, Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg. Under current law, Hegseth cannot name Defense Department assets or properties for individuals tied to the Confederacy. The children of Army Lt. Gen. Hal and Julie Moore, for whom Fort Moore was renamed in 2023, urged Hegseth to consider their parents legacy before removing their name from the post. Hal and Julie Moore still represent the values and culture and competencies that Secretary of Defense [Hegseth] is saying he wants in our force and in the [Defense] Department, said Dave Moore, Hal and Julies youngest child who retired from the Army as colonel in 2011 after serving tours in Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan. The combination of Hal and Julie Moore as namesake gives the Department of Defense the opportunity to embrace honor, integrity, competency, selfless service, and gives the Department of Defense the opportunity to reinforce their support for Army families and Army spouses. I think its a win for the Department of Defense if they do nothing. Hal Moore was a revered warrior who served in the Korean War and earned the Distinguished Service Cross in Vietnam for lifesaving heroics during the wars first major battle before rising to a three-star general. His wife, Julie, meanwhile held their family together through more than two dozen moves and served as an activist for Army families. The daughter of an Army officer, she was a lifelong volunteer for the American Red Cross, and she is also credited with revamping the Pentagons casualty notification process to ensure such news was delivered by uniformed Army officers, after she witnessed families being notified of Vietnam casualties by telegrams delivered by taxi drivers in Columbus, Ga. Both Moores are buried on the Georgia Army post. Hegseth has said the Army bases should be reverted to Fort Benning and Fort Bragg because they tie generations of soldiers together. Its about the connection to the community, to those who served, and were not, as the president has said and Ive said as well, were not done there. There are other bases that have been renamed that erodes that very same legacy, Hegseth said last month in Germany. Theres a reason I said Bragg and Benning when I walked into the Pentagon on day one. But its not just Bragg and Benning. There are a lot of other service members who have connections, and were going to do our best to restore it. Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, Caisson Platoon, and the U.S. Army Band conduct military funeral honors with a funeral escort at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., on March 24, 2023. (Elizabeth Fraser/Arlington National Cemetery) WASHINGTON Three soldiers and four horses at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., were injured Monday afternoon during a training exercise, the Army confirmed. The training accident occurred at about 2 p.m. between soldiers and horses of the Caisson Detachment of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard. Three horses unseated their riders but did not escape the base, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Patrick Husted said. The three soldiers who were unseated received non-life-threatening injuries which required treatment at a local hospital. One soldier underwent surgery and remained at the hospital overnight, while two were released upon completion of treatment, Husted added. Four horses also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and have been examined and treated by onsite veterinarians. None of the animals needed to be evacuated for higher level care and are expected to fully recover, Husted said. One modified caisson wagon was damaged and was moved to the Caisson Detachment motor pool for further evaluation, Husted added. No further details about what happened were provided. The accident remains under investigation. The caisson platoon of the 3rd Infantry Regiment has carried the caskets of deceased service members to gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., since 1948. The caisson a ceremonial wagon that bears the casket is drawn by four specially trained horses. The processions are considered an integral part of traditional full-honor military funerals at Arlington. But unsanitary living conditions, malnourishment and a lack of open space for the herd led to the suspension of horse-drawn funerals conducted by the 3rd Infantry Regiment Caisson Platoon in May 2023. The horses were infested with parasites, crowded into small fields filled with manure and construction debris, and suffering from malnutrition from low-quality feed. Two horses died. Language in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2025 instructs the Army secretary to complete renovations of historic stables that had fallen into disrepair at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The Army also must ensure equine handlers are trained and certified to manage the herd and take other steps to establish safeguards for the horses welfare before caisson services can return. The unit remains sidelined from Arlington funerals, and the Army has not identified a date when the operations will resume. The Old Guard unit resumed operation in January as part of former President Jimmy Carters funeral. Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Gammon, of Georgetown, Texas, stands lookout aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson as it pulls into Busan, South Korea, for a scheduled port visit, March 2, 2025. (Pablo Chavez/U.S. Navy) CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea A visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier to South Korea prompted a warning Tuesday from the sister of North Koreas autocratic leader that Washington and Seoul should not test the will and ability of the communist regime. Kim Yo Jong alleged the arrival Sunday of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group at Busan disregards Pyongyangs security concerns and was aggravating the situation. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is a high-ranking government and Communist Party official. The hostile policy toward the [North] pursued by the U.S. at present is offering sufficient justification for [North Korea] to indefinitely bolster up its nuclear war deterrent, she said through the state-run Korean Central News Agency. We will never confine ourselves to sitting still and commenting on the situation. Pyongyang plans to carefully examine unspecified options that will threaten the security of the enemy, she added. The USS Carl Vinson arrived at Busan, roughly 200 miles southeast of Seoul, for a port call accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton and the guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett. The visit demonstrates the allies commitment to their military partnership and shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, U.S. 7th Fleet spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Moroney said by email Sunday. Moroney declined to specify how long the U.S. warships will remain at Busan. North Korea regularly criticizes joint military drills between the U.S. and its ally, and the appearance of U.S. strategic assets, like aircraft carriers and long-range bombers, in South Korea. Kim also took issue with a Feb. 20 bomber escort drill, when two U.S. B-1B Lancers flew alongside South Korean F-35A Lightning IIs and F-15K Slam Eagles through South Korean airspace. If the actions of strategic bombers are put together, the U.S. is hurling strategic assets into the Korean Peninsula at the constant deployment level, she said Tuesday. The last carrier to dock at Busan, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, arrived June 24 and continued on to a maritime and air power exercise with South Korean and Japanese forces. The U.S. and South Korea are scheduled to kick off their Freedom Shield exercise later this month. The large-scale exercise is held annually throughout South Korea on land, air and sea for roughly two weeks. North Korea test-fired three short-range ballistic missiles in March 2024, four days after the U.S. and South Korea wrapped up the last Freedom Shield. The communist regime on Jan. 14 last fired several short-range ballistic missiles that flew roughly 155 miles before coming down in the East Sea, or Sea of Japan. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Commemorative events dedicated to the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide were held in several cities of Ukraine, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora. The committee noted that in Kryvyi Rih city, the Azerbaijani diaspora activists, paying tribute to both the Khojaly genocide victims and the victims of the Holodomor, laid wreaths and flower bouquets at the "Holodomor" memorial complex and observed a moment of silence to honor the memory of the victims of the genocide. Afterward, the participants were provided with detailed information about the history of the Khojaly tragedy. In Kharkiv, the memory of the Khojaly genocide victims was also honored. The event was attended by the Honorary Consul of Azerbaijan in Kharkiv Afgan Salmanov, the Honorary Consul of Albania in Kharkiv Shahin Omarov, the Head of the Department for Foreign Economic Relations and International Relations of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration's Investment and Foreign Economic Activity Department Inessa Glushenko, the Chairman of the "Friendship" Society of Kharkiv Region Murad Omarov, People's Artist of Ukraine Katib Mammadov, representatives of scientific institutes, members of the creative and educational communities, as well as residents of Kharkiv. The speakers stressed the cruelty of the crimes committed by the Armenian separatists in Khojaly and the importance of recognizing this tragedy and the massacre of innocent people as an act of genocide by the whole world. A documentary film about the Khojaly genocide was shown afterward. Following the event, the participants of the event visited the photo exhibition dedicated to the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide at the "Buzok" gallery of the Kharkiv Information-Exhibition Center. On the night of February 2526, 1992, the Khojaly genocide - one of the most horrific crimes against humanity in the past century - was carried out by Armenia with extreme brutality against Azerbaijani civilians. On this solemn anniversary, the Azerbaijani people remember with deep sorrow the 613 victims of this atrocity, including 106 women, 70 elderly people, and 63 children, whose lives were taken in a single night. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel A Navy contractor prepares a granular activated carbon filtration system to begin cleaning water pumped from the Red Hill well in Aiea, Hawaii, in January 2022. (Christopher Thomas/U.S. Navy) FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii University researchers are using a florescent dye in the aquifer near Pearl Harbor to better understand the flow of water beneath the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, site of a massive jet fuel spill three years ago. Over six days in mid-February, researchers injected 50 pounds of rhodamine dye, mixed with 5,000 gallons of water, into a well shaft operated by the Navy, Toomas Parratt, a researcher at the University of Hawaiis School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, said by phone Feb. 24. The injection point was about a quarter mile upgradient of the Navys Red Hill well, which was contaminated with jet fuel in late 2021 from a spill at the fuel storage facility. The facility was subsequently closed. The aquifers flow in that area is not fully understood, and the researchers hypothesize that the underground water will primarily flow toward the Red Hill well rather than to wells in other directions. The Red Hill well, one of three used by the Navy for its water distribution system in supplying more than 90,000 households in military communities on and near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, was isolated from the system in the wake of the contamination. In January 2022, the Navy installed a series of massive carbon filters at the Red Hill well site. Each day, millions of gallons of tainted water are pumped up, filtered and released into the nearby Halawa Stream. The continuous pumping is intended to prevent petroleum contamination in the well from migrating elsewhere. Parratt said he expects most, if not all, of the nontoxic dye will end up at the Red Hill well and be absorbed by the carbon filters. Parratt conducted initial testing using a device called a colloidal borescope, which is lowered into well sites to gauge the direction and velocity of groundwater. He said he found a real strong connection of flow from the Navy well shaft designated RHMW08, which is the injection site, and the Red Hill well. Understanding movement in the aquifer is important as the Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill works to empty and clean the Red Hill fuel facility, which was ordered permanently closed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in March 2022. The task force is also charged with the years-long clean-up of the soil and groundwater contaminated by fuel. Understanding the flow patterns of groundwater in the subsurface is important to assess the environment in the Red Hill area and investigate contamination around and underneath the facility, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states on its web site. The task force said in an emailed statement Wednesday that it would incorporate the published findings of the dye study with the groundwater flow model the Navy submitted in September to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The university researchers are monitoring the dye in real time in two ways. First, LED lights are lowered into monitor wells to take hourly readings that gauge the amount of fluorescence. This is useful in understanding the timing of the dyes transport from the injection site. Second, carbon packs that absorb dye are inserted in other wells. Those packs are removed, crushed up and analyzed. These will indicate whether water from the injection site flows to a particular site. The light and carbon readings can subsequently be used in a groundwater model that simulates different amounts of flow to see which one best matches the plume spread from the dye experiment. The idea is that we try to calibrate the groundwater model that matched the spreading of the plume that was observed, he said. Readings at the Red Hill well are taken every 10 minutes and will provide an estimate of the velocity of groundwater. Those readings will also be used to extrapolate how much of the 50 pounds of dye ended up at the Red Hill well, Parratt said. The dye is expected to reach the Red Hill well by early spring, with preliminary findings likely released in early summer, he said. Fukuoka, the sixth largest city in Japan, is less than two hours by car from Sasebo Naval Base. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes) A U.S. service member from Sasebo Naval Base may face assault charges based on suspicion he hit a man with a mug over the weekend, according to a local news report and a police spokesman. The U.S. service member struck a 19-year-old man across the head with a mug around 7:07 a.m. Saturday at a business in the Tenjin district of Fukuoka city, a Fukuoka Prefectural Police spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Monday. Police arrested the service member 35 minutes later, the spokesman said. Police declined to provide details about his rank and affiliation. A local TV news report identified the man as a U.S. Navy sailor. Stars and Stripes is withholding the service members name until criminal charges are filed. A spokesman for the naval base on Monday acknowledged that an individual affiliated with the base and under the jurisdiction of the status of forces agreement was involved in an incident in Fukuoka. SOFA outlines the rights and responsibilities of individuals in Japan with the U.S. military. The U.S Navy takes any infractions of host nation laws by its personnel seriously and is cooperating to the extent possible with Japanese authorities. We are unable to comment further at this time due to the ongoing investigation, spokesman Aki Nichols told Stars and Stripes by email. A report Saturday by Nagasaki Culture Telecasting, citing local police, said a heavily drunk sailor was asked to leave a bar by employees, who told him the place was closed. The sailor left but immediately returned and with a mug from a table hit the man, according to the report. The man was not injured, the police spokesman told Stars and Stripes. Some Japanese government officials are required to speak to the media only on condition of anonymity. The police spokesman declined to say where the service member was being held. Johnston Island, as seen from a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft, Oct. 1, 2018. (U.S. Coast Guard) The Department of the Air Force has tagged an isolated Pacific island as a test site for landing rockets capable of delivering tons of cargo anywhere on the planet at lightning speed. The department signaled its intent Monday to build two rocket landing pads on Johnston Island within Johnston Atoll, an unincorporated U.S. territory 717 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu, according to a notice in the Federal Register. The Air Force Research Laboratorys Rocket Cargo Program would involve leasing commercial rockets to deliver cargo faster and more cheaply than planes, according to the labs website. The goal is for up to 100 tons of cargo to be delivered anywhere on the planet within tactical timelines, the website states. The department must first prepare an environmental assessment of the impact that building and operating the proposed landing pads will have on essential fish habitat, migratory birds, and other protected species, according to the notice. Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. The landing pads would accommodate up to 10 reentry vehicle landings per year over four consecutive years to support the test, demonstration, and evaluation of capabilities of the Rocket Cargo Vanguard program. The department expects to start rocket-delivery testing this year. The Department of the Air Force, which includes the Space Force, anticipates that building and operating the landing pads will not significantly impact the environment, according to the notice. A draft assessment may be ready in April for a 30-day public comment period, according to the notice. Potential rocket missions include delivery of equipment to quickly restore a loss of mission operations or for humanitarian aid and disaster relief, the website states. This illustration demonstrates how cargo rockets may enable rapid delivery of large payloads for urgent humanitarian assistance and disaster response, according to the Department of the Air Force. (Randy Palmer/U.S. Air Force) In October 2020, Army Gen. Stephen Lyons, at the time the head of the U.S. Transportation Command, told the National Defense Transportation Association that officials were working with Elon Musks Space X on rocket cargo deliveries. The Federal Register notice does not mention Space X participation in the trial. Think about moving the equivalent of a C-17 (Globemaster III cargo plane) payload anywhere on the globe in less than an hour, Lyons asked the virtual audience, according to an Oct. 8, 2020, Air Force news release. U.S. forces are preparing to disperse across the Indo-Pacific in the expectation of missile attacks on established bases in a conflict with China over Taiwan or in the South China Sea. To sustain forces across a vast swathe of territory the Air Force has been renovating World War II-era airfields from Micronesia to the Philippines. Johnston Island was used in the 1950s and 1960s for rocket launches in support of nuclear tests, according to the Air Force Space and Missile Museum at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Between 1958 and 1975, many scientific rockets were also launched from the island, according to the museum website. Chemical weapons were stored there until 2003, according to an undated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report on the island. Officials also considered Kwajalein Atoll, Midway Island and Wake Island as rocket landing sites, according to the Federal Register notice states. Col. Peter Eltringham, right, commander of the 12 Marine Littoral Regiment, congratulates Lt. Col. Jacob Godby on assuming command of the 12 Littoral Combat Team at a ceremony at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, March 3, 2025. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes) CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa The Marine Corps activated its second-ever littoral combat team this week on Okinawa, providing the backbone for reconnaissance and anti-ship fire missions carried out by a seaborne quick-reaction force. The 12th Littoral Combat Team, the last of three subordinate elements to be designated within the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, was stood up Monday at the regiments Gun Park on Camp Hansen. Lt. Col. Jacob Godby took command of the team and Sgt. Maj. Andrew R. Kissick was designated the battalion sergeant major during a ceremony in which about 200 Marines participated. Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, III Marine Expeditionary Force commander Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, family and friends also attended. With the combat team, the 12th Littoral Regiment is just under 2,000 Marines and growing, regimental commander Col. Peter Eltringham said during remarks at the ceremony. The 12th Littoral Logistics Battalion was redesignated from Combat Logistics Battalion 12 in early October, and the 12th Littoral Anti-Air Battalion was activated in early December. [The regiment] is growing fast, but we got a whole lot stronger today because of this formation, Eltringham said. We bring this combat power to Okinawa to be able to deliver it in the eyes of our adversaries, and to build that combat power such that we can make sure that we bring it to the decisive point on the battlefield. The combat team is centered around a reinforced infantry battalion with an anti-ship missile battery, according to a Feb. 21 news release from 3rd Marine Division. It is designed to degrade potential adversaries decision-making calculus by exploiting critical vulnerabilities, [disrupt] enemy targeting processes, and [be] difficult to observe in littoral warfare, regiment spokeswoman 1st Lt. Sarah Bobrowski wrote in an email Tuesday. At its core an infantry formation, the team conducts reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, employs and enables multi-domain fires, and establishes expeditionary sites to support the maritime campaign in line with the Marine Corps Force Design plan, Godby said in his remarks at the ceremony. The 12th Littoral Regiment was created in November 2023 as part of Force Design. The regiments stand-in force operations are a key tenet of the plans island-fighting doctrine. The Marine Corps concept for stand-in forces cites China as the joint forces pacing challenge. Littoral regiments are designed as smaller, mobile units inserted within enemy missile range to seize and hold key islands and deny enemy vessels access to surrounding areas. The Marines created the 3rd Littoral Regiment, its first, at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in March 2022, and plans a third for Guam. The 12th Littoral Combat Team traces its lineage through the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, which was deactivated in January at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Its 25 battle streamers carried over to the combat teams flag during the ceremony. It was first activated in 1922 as 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and re-designated 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, in 1930, according to the Marine Corps. It saw action in World War II, the Vietnam War and both Gulf wars, and was redeployed to Camp Schwab on Okinawa from December 1966 to January 1967. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen gives a press conference on the Defence package at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels on March 4, 2025. (Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty Images via TNS) (Tribune News Service) The European Union will propose extending $158 billion (150 billion) in loans to boost defense spending as the bloc tries to adjust to U.S. President Donald Trumps abrupt pullback of American security on the continent. After decades of underinvestment, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU also plans to activate a mechanism that would allow countries to use their national budgets to spend an additional $684 billion on defense over four years without triggering budgetary penalties. Combined with the new defense spending loans, von der Leyen said the package could mobilize nearly $842 billion if governments take full advantage of the new leeway. We are in an era of rearmament, she told reporters in Brussels Tuesday. Europe is ready to massively boost its defense spending. The euro rose as much as 0.3% to $1.0521, its highest level since Feb. 26, after von der Leyens announcements. European bonds trimmed earlier gains, with the yield on 10-year German debt trading around 2.46% compared to about 2.43% before the news. The new loan instrument would be similar to one set up during the Covid pandemic to support member states short-time work schemes and similar measures. The legal basis cited by the commission indicates that it wont require the unanimous support of all member states, which means it could avoid potential vetoes by countries like Hungary, according to people familiar with the matter, who were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive talks. Any broader push for new EU borrowing to provide non-refundable grants, however, would have to win the backing of the 27 member states, a significant hurdle. Germanys election winner, Friedrich Merz, has signaled he may be open to such plans, but Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban has indicated hes likely to block efforts aimed at aiding Ukraine. The EU has previously managed to get around Orbans opposition to sustain support for Ukraine over the past months, but the Hungarian leaders stance has hardened since Trumps victory. Europe is looking to mobilize hundreds of billions of euros in additional financing as it seeks to continue support for Ukraine at a critical moment, particularly after Trump ordered a pause in all military aid to Kyiv. Von der Leyen has called this a once-in-a-generation moment and previously said the EU faces defense investment needs of around$526 billion over the next decade. This is about basically spending better and spending together, and were talking about pan European capability domains, like, for example, air and missile defense, artillery systems, missiles and ammunition, drones and anti-drone systems, but also to address other needs from cyber to military mobility, for example, she said. Defense stocks rose again on Tuesday as investors bet that European countries will have to keeping ramping up military spending. Thales SA rallied as much as 13%, while Dassault Aviation and Leonardo SpA were also up. The sector is up nearly 20% so far this week. Von der Leyen sent a letter to the member states listing possible options to bolster national defense in the near term. The proposal will be discussed by EU leaders at an emergency meeting Thursday, although theyre unlikely to agree on a proposed 20 billion military aid package for Ukraine. The latest draft of the summits conclusions seen by Bloomberg has no reference to a detailed initiative and instead just calls for the urgent stepping up of efforts. The leaders are expected to assess their preferred ideas and mandate the commission, which is the EUs executive arm, to work further on them before concrete proposals are put forward as early as their next gathering on March 21-22, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Many EU countries, including France and Italy, face challenging budgetary situations and dont have much fiscal capacity to dramatically increase borrowing. The letter also listed some other options including mobilizing private financing through the capital markets, facilitating the use of some EU funds for defense purposes or expanding the lending practices of the European Investment Bank to include some military projects currently excluded. The EIB is separately set to propose expanding its mandate to projects dedicated to military uses, a move thart would broaden its investment mandate to include more defense spending, according to a letter seen by Bloomberg. With assistance from Greg Ritchie, Blaise Robinson and Alberto Nardelli. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Left to right: U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad al-Aiban, the Russian president's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attend a meeting together at Riyadh's Diriyah Palace on Feb. 18, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein /Pool/AFP/Getty Images via TNS) (Tribune News Service) Russia agreed to assist President Donald Trumps administration in communicating with Iran on issues including the Islamic Republics nuclear program and its support for regional anti-U.S. proxies, according to people familiar with the situation. Trump relayed that interest directly to President Vladimir Putin in a phone call in February and top officials from his administration discussed the matter with their Russian counterparts at talks in Saudi Arabia days later, people familiar with the matter in Moscow said, declining to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. White House officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither Russia nor Iran have publicly confirmed or denied the request. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to questions sent by Bloomberg that Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations and that Moscow is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this. A spokesman for Irans foreign ministry, when asked if Russia had offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington, said only it was natural for countries to offer their assistance. Given the significance of these matters, its possible that many parties will show good will and readiness to help with various problems, the spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, said during a televised press conference Monday in Tehran. From this perspective, its natural that countries will present an offer of help if its needed. The ministry didnt respond to questions from Bloomberg News. Since taking office about six weeks ago, Trump has tried to restore relations with President Vladimir Putin, which the U.S. severed after Russias 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As Trump seeks to broker an end to that war directly with Putin including a Feb. 12 phone call between the two leaders both sides have signaled theyre open to cooperating on other geopolitical interests, including trade routes and resources in the Arctic. Top U.S. and Russian officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, discussed Washingtons interest in Moscow helping with Iranian issues, during a Feb. 18 meeting in Riyadh, according to people with knowledge of the situation, asking not to be identified as not all details of those talks have been made public. Russias Lavrov later shared details about the U.S. meeting with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi when they met in Tehran, Araghchi said in a televised press conference after the meeting. Trump has sent mixed signals over Iran since returning to the White House. He said he aims to return to the maximum pressure policy of his first term, such as reimposing sanctions and targeting its security forces, including killing a top general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. But Trumps also said he wants to immediately start working on a verified nuclear peace agreement with Iran. As two countries both heavily sanctioned by the U.S., Russia and Iran have deepened cooperation on trade and energy, as well as security, including Russia utilizing large numbers of Iranian drones in its war against Ukraine. But its unclear how receptive Tehran will be to any U.S. overture delivered via Russia. Many hardliners, who dominate Irans powerful institutions such as the IRGC and the judiciary, have publicly opposed engagement with Washington. Last month, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Trump cant be trusted since he withdrew from an Obama-era nuclear agreement during his first term and that Iran wouldnt be bullied into negotiations. Irans President Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist who supports reviving the nuclear deal, said last week that he would set aside his personal belief in the need for U.S. engagement and back Khameneis opposition to talks while Washington continues to sanction Irans economy. Despite the public posture, both the United States and Iran are trying to find channels of communication, productive ones which would mark the start of a dialogue, Nikolay Kozhanov, an associate professor at Qatar Universitys Gulf Studies Center, said. Any understanding between the U.S. and Iran would be a complex one with the U.S. offering sanctions relief and Iran agreeing to contain its regional ambitions, Kozhanov added. The U.S. has long suspected the Islamic Republic of using a decades-old civilian nuclear sector to shield a covert military dimension. Iran has repeatedly denied it wants weapons and insists its atomic work is for peaceful means including power stations that are partly financed by Russia. The United Nations nuclear watchdog on Monday said the U.S. and Iran should begin talks, and that it was holding high-level discussions with the White House on the issue. That follows its warning last week that Tehrans stockpile of near-bomb-grade fissile material had surged more than 50% since Trumps election. Iranian officials are also under intense pressure to deliver economic relief to a population exhausted by an acute cost-of-living crisis thats been compounded by U.S. sanctions under both Trump and President Joe Bidens administration. Iran is also locked in a bitter shadow war with top U.S. ally Israel and has vowed to keep fighting despite Israel having severely weakened Tehrans key proxies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Both groups are designated terrorist organizations by the U.S. and other countries. With assistance from Arsalan Shahla and Golnar Motevalli. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. An F/A-18 Super Hornet launches from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in March 2024, as the ship worked to stem Iranian-backed Houthi militants trying to disrupt shipping in the Red Sea. The State Department has officially designated the Houthis as a terrorist organization. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes) The State Department formally designated Houthi militants in Yemen as terrorists on Tuesday, fulfilling an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January and reversing a Biden-era policy. Former President Joe Biden had removed the Iranian-backed Houthis from the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations in 2021. The designation had limited the delivery of aid to Yemenis who had endured a yearslong civil war and famine, the Associated Press reported at the time. But since 2023, U.S. forces and allies have been forced to fend off Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The group has launched hundreds of strikes against commercial and military vessels since shortly after the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Those hostilities prompted the Trump administration to redesignate the militia group, also known as Ansarallah, as an FTO, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement Tuesday. The designation is meant to cut off financial resources to terrorist groups, while stigmatizing them and encouraging other nations to do the same, according to the State Department. The United States will not tolerate any country engaging with terrorist organizations like the Houthis in the name of practicing legitimate international business, Rubio said in a statement. The State Department also announced a reward of up to $15 million and possible relocation for information leading to the disruption of Houthi finances. Information on the reward is available at https://rewardsforjustice.net. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. A total of 17 universities from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have joined forces, putting pen to paper on over 40 cooperation agreements, Trend reports. The documents were signed during a roundtable on strengthening cooperation in higher education between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan at ADA University. These documents reflect the parties' commitment to expanding academic collaboration, creating joint educational programs, and deepening scientific cooperation. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel U.S. Army infantrymen assigned to Task Force Armadillo patrol with a Syrian Free Army soldier in al-Tanf, Syria, on Jan. 11, 2025. The U.S. has a force of 2,000 service members deployed to Syria, but President Donald Trump's plans for the mission are under review. (Trenton Pallone/U.S. Army) A withdrawal of American troops from Syria raises the risk of thousands of ISIS fighters escaping from sprawling prison camps guarded by Kurdish forces, analysts and former defense officials say as the White House reviews its security posture in the Middle East. Since at least 2019, American troops leading Operation Inherent Resolve have trained members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces as security guards who oversee the literal and figurative ISIS army in detention, as U.S. Central Command described it in January. Besides the 9,000 fighters kept in 22 jails across Syria, the U.S. trains SDF guards to secure the displaced persons camp in Al-Hol and Roj, where ISIS is trying to recruit many of the more than 42,000 detainees who have lived for years in makeshift tents, often without adequate sanitation and limited access to water. But security guard training has progressed slowly. The SDF is frequently pulled into skirmishes with Iranian-backed militia groups, local Arab tribes and Turkish fighters, according to reports from the Defense Department inspector generals office. Syrian Democratic Forces trainees practice prisoner restraint techniques in northern Hasakah province, Syria, in May 2023. U.S. and coalition troops based in Syria train SDF personnel to guard large prison camps holding Islamic State fighters. (Defense Visual Information Distribution Service) Security concerns persist at the camps, including weapons smuggling. Seizing on the instability in the region, ISIS recently renewed its campaign to break fighters and their families out of the detention centers, the inspector general said. President Donald Trump has vowed to keep the U.S. out of foreign entanglements, and following the ouster of the Assad regime, has repeatedly said the U.S. should not get involved in Syria. NBC News reported last month that the Defense Department is developing plans to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, though the White House has not confirmed any decisions. Few security analysts, if any, are calling for U.S. military involvement in Damascus and its new political order after a combined 53 years of rule by former President Bashar Assad and his father, Hafez Assad. Some worry, however, that an end to the U.S. military presence in remote areas could make ISIS prison breaks and camp raids easier to pull off, potentially unleashing a new wave of fighters. The U.S. troops help prevent ISIS from exploiting the power vacuum that has followed the Assad regimes fall, said Amy Holmes, a research professor of international affairs at George Washington University who visits the detention centers regularly. If the U.S. were to withdraw, it would be a huge security risk for not just Syria but the entire region, said Holmes, who added that ISIS has continued launching attacks and is believed to retain sleeper cells. A Syrian Democratic Forces detention facility guard trainer, left, shakes hands with a coalition service member during a training course graduation in the Shaddadi region of Syria in March 2023. Coalition forces advise and assist the SDF with training to guard Islamic State prisoners. (Nicholas J. De La Pena/U.S. Army) Quarterly IG reports detail the challenges faced by Operation Inherent Resolve personnel. The U.S.-led task force has often reported struggles in training SDF guards, citing regular bombardments from Turkey, a NATO ally that views the SDF as an offshoot of a terrorist group. Shortly after rebel forces took Damascus in December, Turkish forces increased their assaults on the SDF. The U.S., concerned about the stability of the camps, stepped in to broker a ceasefire deal, and has been calling for a path to de-escalation between the groups. The SDF views U.S. forces in the region as a deterrent to Turkish attacks and in the past has asked for more U.S. personnel, the IG reports say. However, Trump has long been reluctant to bulk up forces in the country. During his first term, in 2018, Trump proposed the removal of troops from Syria immediately raising concerns about an ISIS resurgence and prompting the resignation of then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Trump eventually reconsidered leaving a small contingent of troops in the country that defense experts say is critical to keeping the Islamic State from reconstituting. I think its no surprise that the previous Trump administration had a real proclivity for getting out of these areas, said retired Gen. Joseph Votel, former head of U.S. Central Command. But the fact of the matter is our presence there solidifies the SDF, adds to the stability, and as a result, is preventing ISIS from coming back. U.S.-trained prison guards in northeastern Syria stand in position with newly equipped riot gear in March 2020. Islamic State fighters held in prison camps guarded by Kurdish forces could find it easier to escape if American troops leave Syria, analysts and former defense officials say. ( Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve) The U.S. is also still moving forward with a two-part drawdown of troops from neighboring Iraq, with plans to remove some of the 2,500 service members stationed there by September, while maintaining relations with Iraqi leadership in the fight against ISIS. The fall of the former Syrian regime has resulted in a tectonic geopolitical shift in the region. Although Assads ouster comes as a major blow to his allies in Iran and Russia, analysts say the U.S. may want to recalibrate its position in the coming months, especially when it comes to moving troops. Any entity, any government, including ours, that believes that security and stability in the Middle East is good for our national security should take a knee and reevaluate whatever plans existed before, said Dana Stroul, director of research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Pentagons former top civilian official with responsibility for the Middle East. Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, director of the Defense Health Agency, tours the Federal Health Pavilion at a conference in Chicago, Ill., in April 2023. (Department of Defense) WASHINGTON The director of the Defense Health Agency suddenly retired Friday, a week after several top generals were fired at the Pentagon, the agency announced. Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland vacated her post, which she held for slightly more than two years. She was the fourth director of the agency, and the first Black woman to hold the position. I want to thank Crosland for her dedication to the nation, to the Military Health System and to Army medicine for the past 32 years, Dr. Stephen Ferrara, the acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said in a statement issued Friday. Officials did not provide additional details on Croslands retirement, which came one week after President Donald Trump abruptly fired Air Force Gen. Charles CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth followed by firing Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations, and Gen. James Slife, the vice chief of the Air Force. That same day, Hegseth also said he would replace each military services top judge advocate generals because they were not well suited for the jobs. Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, director of the Defense Health Agency, suddenly retired Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. She was the fourth director of the agency and the first Black woman to hold the position. (Defense Health Agency) Dr. David Smith, the acting principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, was appointed as the acting director of the health agency on Feb. 28, 2025. (Military Health System ) Dr. David Smith, the acting principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, was appointed as the acting director of the health agency while the Defense Department conducts the nomination process. The director of the Defense Health Agency is a position held by an O-9, the second-highest military pay grade, which requires Senate confirmation to attain the post. The Defense Health Agency was established in 2013 as a U.S. military combat support agency to manage medical services worldwide. The agency manages all military hospitals and clinics. Dr. Smith is a steady hand with decades of experience in the Military Health System in and out of uniform, Ferrara said. I ask everyone to support Dr. Smith and the entire DHA team as we stabilize and strengthen our system serving the most lethal fighting force on the planet. Crosland entered the Army as a medical corps officer in 1993. She has served in more than a dozen leadership positions including commander of the Army Health Clinic in Grafenwoehr, Germany, commander of the Army Medical Department Activity in Heidelberg, Germany, and deputy chief of staff for operations for the Army Medical Command in Falls Church, Va. Prior to becoming the agency director, Crosland served as the Army deputy surgeon general and deputy commanding general for the Army Medical Command. Raymond Andres Zumba, 27, a Navy Reservist, was indicted Feb. 26, 2025, on a charge of bribing a public official. Federal authorities say Zumba tried to purchase Defense Department identification cards for unauthorized individuals. (Joshua Magbanua/U.S. Air Force) A Navy reservist has been accused of trying to buy Defense Department identification cards for two unauthorized people, including a Chinese national, who authorities say were looking to access U.S. military installations. Raymond Andres Zumba, 27, faces a bribery charge after a federal grand jury in Jacksonville, Fla., indicted him on Feb. 26, a Justice Department statement issued Monday said. He is being held without bail and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the single count, according to the statement. No trial date has been announced. Zumbas rank, job in the Navy and duty station are unclear. He is from New York City, according to the DOJ. His Feb. 14 arrest in a sting came after an active-duty sailor who had served with Zumba aboard the USS Carney told investigators at Naval Station Mayport about a November meeting with him at a Jacksonville bar. Zumba appeared to have a significant amount of money and told the sailor he had married a Chinese national. He asked whether the sailor would be willing to house Chinese nationals for money, according to court records. Following a trip to Hong Kong in December, Zumba asked whether the sailors spouse, who works in the personnel office at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, could issue real common access cards for his in-laws in exchange for money, the Feb. 18 complaint states. Zumba later changed the request, saying he needed uniformed service IDs, which are issued to military family members and retirees and give them access to installations, benefits and privileges. He offered to pay $3,500 for two ID cards that provided base access, authorities said. Zumba traveled to Florida with the buyers, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China and a Chinese national living in the U.S. illegally under an assumed name. They arrived at the personnel office after hours on Feb. 13. Investigators had bugged the office and installed cameras to record the meeting, in which the buyers were photographed and fingerprinted as part of the ID card process, the complaint said. Zumba and the naturalized citizen were arrested the following day after exchanging money for the cards. The Chinese national had already gone back to New York, and the statement did not say whether that person is still at large. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., left, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, shakes hands with Al Lipphardt, the Veterans of Foreign Wars national commander, on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, before a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON Veterans service organizations castigated the administration of President Donald Trump for sweeping cuts of federal jobs that are hitting veterans who represent nearly one-third of the civilian government workforce and receive their medical care at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Trump administrations moves to freeze aid to nonprofits, ax hundreds of VA contracts with community nonprofits and fire thousands of federal workers jeopardize services to some of the most vulnerable veteran populations, including paralyzed veterans and homeless veterans, advocates said Tuesday at a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees. These actions have complicated the hard work of ending veteran homelessness, said Kathryn Monet, chief executive officer at the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. Monet referred to the spending reductions and mass firings ordered by the Trump administration and carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency, formed by Trump adviser Elon Musk. More firings are expected in the coming weeks. Tuesdays three-hour hearing was supposed to focus on the legislative priorities of about a half-dozen veterans service organizations. But one by one, advocates raised concerns about the mass firings at the VA, along with cuts to community funds and contracts that nonprofits rely on to assist veterans. The VAs specialty care system for paralyzed veterans needs to be preserved for their complex needs, said Robert Thomas, president of Paralyzed Veterans of America. There are concerns the system is being slowly starved of infrastructure, staff and services, when thousands of veterans rely on it. He said paralyzed veterans and their loved ones are signing a petition urging the Trump administration not to dismantle the VA-based services for spinal cord injuries and disorders. He said the level of medical expertise on catastrophic war injuries and treatment are not available anywhere else. Several leaders from the Veterans of Foreign Wars the nations largest veterans service organization urged lawmakers to ensure the VA has the staff and resources for veterans to receive timely care, benefits and disability compensation that they qualified for through their military service. Al Lipphardt, the Veterans of Foreign Wars national commander, holds up an armed services enlistment contract on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, during a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees in Washington. Lipphardt said veterans care is in the contract and must be honored. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) Everyone who served honorably met [their] end of this agreement. We demand our leaders do the same and ensure VA has the staff and resources so veterans can receive their full earned benefits. This is not an ask. Honor the contract with our veterans, said Al Lipphardt, the VFWs national commander. There is nothing more sacred than taking care of those who served this nation, and this has got to be fixed. We have 1.4 million members, but we represent 18 million veterans. They all need to be treated with respect. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., a Marine Corps veteran, said he is hearing from veterans fired from their federal jobs. He said they are feeling a sense of betrayal. These are guys who went into federal service after military duty because they wanted a mission-oriented job and to continue to give back to their country, Gallego said. Theyre scared. They feel disrespected by the fact theyre being treated this way. He said there are better, more effective ways a federal workforce reduction could be handled, instead of arbitrary layoffs of thousands of workers. Gallego, along with other lawmakers and veterans service groups, said they were dismayed by the attitude of Musk, who waved a chainsaw in the air at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, when he discussed the mass workforce reduction. Gallego said neither Musk nor the young staffers hired to execute the layoffs have military experience. VFW leaders said they are focusing on helping more than 6,000 veterans who lost their federal employment find new jobs and not fall into homelessness. You are going to hear more from us and see us a lot more, Lipphardt told lawmakers. Patrick Murray, acting executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, testifies Tuesday, March 4, 2025, during a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) We want to make sure the firings are stopped, said Patrick Murray, acting executive director at the VFW in Washington, D.C. While each person was deemed not essential, their jobs were still important. We want to make sure our veterans are gainfully employed, and the high performers are not fired indiscriminately. Monet also urged lawmakers to fully fund programs that aim to help the unemployed veterans regain jobs and keep their homes. She also said the grant pause of federal aid to nonprofits at the end of January caused a chilling effect on community organizations serving veterans outside the VA. It gave the impression the federal government was willing to arbitrarily allow nonprofit organizations to foot the bill for services they had legal agreements to be reimbursed for, Monet said. The Office of Management and Budget halted the freeze directed by the Trump administration, but contracts are under review. Some nonprofits said their funds have not returned and their agreements are on hold pending the outcome. Lawmakers also shared stories from constituents who are veterans. Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-Minn., said her office is learning about veterans, some of them disabled, terminated from jobs at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. The Minneapolis VA already is dealing with staff shortages, said Morrison, a physician. The last thing they need to do is to terminate people without cause, through no fault of their own. Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-Minn., speaks on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, during a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committee in Washington. The hearing centered on testimony from veterans service organizations. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) Each staff member at a clinic or hospital has a role that is important to patients, she said. If no one is there to answer the phone when someone calls, that is a denial of benefits, said Sen. Angus King, I-Maine. He said seven workers were recently fired from Togus VA Medical Center in his state as part of the federal workforce reduction. Five were veterans. Thats a hell of way to treat someone who put their life on the line for this country, King said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Kazakhstan will support Garabagh University by deploying the best lecturers to train students, Kazakhstan's Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek told reporters following a roundtable discussion on strengthening cooperation in higher education between Azerbaijan and Karabakh at ADA University, Trend reports. We will send at least 10-15 of our best lecturers who will teach at Garabagh University in English. These are specialists in math, biology, chemistry, artificial intelligence, and computer engineering, the minister stated. ''In addition, the creation of a special scholarship program for students from Central Asia who want to study in Karabakh is under consideration. We realize how important this is for the brotherly people and we are ready to support it,'' the minister added. Referring to broader cooperation in education and science, the minister noted that Kazakhstan annually allocates 12 scholarships for Azerbaijani students and also develops academic exchange. Currently, 222 students from Azerbaijan study in Kazakhstan, and about 80 students from Kazakhstan study in Azerbaijan. Special attention is paid to the formation of a joint grant research program between the Ministries of Education of the two countries. Our Science Foundation will be the operator on the Kazakh side, which will allow scientists from both countries to jointly develop projects and receive funding, he noted. The Minister also stressed the importance of the new agreement with the Supreme Attestation Commission under the President of Azerbaijan, which will give Kazakh scientists the opportunity to publish in Azerbaijani scientific journals. We value our relations not just as a strategic partnership, but as brotherly, Turkic relations. We share a common history, language, values, and religion. Therefore, we will develop cooperation, and move to joint educational and scientific projects, he concluded. Mr Tamar, originally from Afghanistan, has been in a remand prison for nearly five months after bail was refused in the district court and high court A loud snorer accused of attacking his neighbour with a stick during a dispute has been refused bail for a third time. Ismail Tamar (41) claims his snoring was behind the row and denies assaulting and injuring the resident of the flat next door. Judge John Hughes remanded him in custody after hearing there were garda fears for the neighbours safety if he was released. Mr Tamar, of South Circular Road, Dublin, is charged with assault causing harm to Mouro Di Dio on October 9 last year. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin District Court, but before the case was heard, the DPP gave a new direction for a jury trial in the circuit court. Mr Tamar, originally from Afghanistan, has been in a remand prison for nearly five months after bail was refused in the district court and high court. His lawyer made a fresh bail application, arguing the circumstances had now changed on the eve of his trial. Objecting to bail, Garda Sean Butler said it was alleged the accused went to his neighbours flat with a wooden stick in his hand, shouting abuse, and attempted to strike Mr Di Dio over the head with it. Mr Di Dio protected his head with his hands and the accused allegedly struck his hands, causing serious pain. Mr Di Dio then put his leg up to protect himself and the accused allegedly grabbed his foot and removed a shoe. The alleged victim went back inside and locked his door. He was taken by ambulance to St Jamess Hospital, where he was found to have suffered torn ligament damage to his left hand. Doctors were unable to identify any break because it was too swollen. The court heard the two flats are bedsits within a house. Mr Di Dio and his wife are unable to access their apartment without passing the accuseds. Gda Butler outlined a series of previous incidents alleged by Mr Di Dio. The garda feared if bailed, the accused would return to the property, retaliate and intimidate the alleged victim. Mr Di Dio, a qualified teacher from Argentina working in a factory here, said that before the alleged attack, the accused had been banging on his walls and door every night. Mr Tamar told Judge Hughes his problem was snoring and he claimed Mr Di Dio had been banging on his door to wake him. Defence barrister Luke OHiggins said his client could spend at least another year in custody if not granted bail. Judge Hughes refused bail and further remanded the accused in custody for a book of evidence. Daniel Blanaru also said that the person who made a mistake on the night was his partner because, she should have the respect for me as a man A murder accused told gardai that he pushed and hit his partner during an argument after he claimed he found her having a party with her brother and another tall guy hours before she was found stabbed to death in her home, a trial has heard. During his first interview with gardai, Daniel Blanaru also told officers that the person who made a mistake on the night was his partner because, she should have the respect for me as a man. Mr Blanaru (37), from Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his partner, Larisa Serban (26) at their home on or about August 12, 2022. The jury at the Central Criminal Court yesterday viewed portions of a video recording of Mr Blanarus first interview in Ashbourne Garda Station with Detective Sergeant Mark Looby and Detective Garda Padraig ORourke on August 12, 2022. In the interview, Mr Blanaru, speaking through a Romanian interpreter, told the detectives that he had been at a party in Navan the previous night, getting home at around midnight. Daniel Blanaru. Photo: Paddy Cummins. He said when he got to his house, Larisa was there with her brother David and a tall guy. Mr Blanaru said he asked what was going on and Ms Serban said they were having a party. He said there was cocaine on the table and he asked his wife: Why are you doing this in our house and why are you allowing those things to happen? Mr Blanaru said Larisas brother came to him and the two men had an argument. He said he told his partners brother: You should have a bit of respect. Mr Blanaru then told gardai: The person who made a mistake is my wife. She should have the respect for me as a man. He said he told David to get out of the house and then Larisa told Mr Blanaru to leave. And I ask her what do you mean for me to get out of my own house? I said let them get out of my house, said Mr Blanaru. We kind of try to push each other and tall guy separated us. He said he then argued with his wife asking her: Who is this guy? If he is here at the party where is his partner? before telling Larisa that, this means that you [are] with this guy. Larisa Serban. Pic: Supplied by IrishPhotoDesk.ie Mr Blanaru said they then told him they would call 999 if he wouldnt get out of the house. He continued: I know that I pushed her. I know that I hit her. And then the tall guy tried to get between us, and I asked the tall guy why are you getting involved you have no right to get between us?. He said Ms Serbans brother then got in between the couple and told Mr Blanaru to get out. She told me if I wont get out of the house she is going to call the police. And I said you see what you are doing you throw me out of the house, he said. The accused then said he went to Drogheda and from there he called Larisas Facebook but she didnt answer. And then I called my brother to go and see whats happening there, he said. Mr Blanaru told gardai he then went to Drogheda Garda Station and from that point I didnt know anything else. He said his solicitor and gardai informed him that Larisa was dead. Prosecution counsel Eilis Brennan SC then read a portion of the memo of interview in which Mr Blanaru was asked about the party in Navan he said he had attended. The accused told gardai it had been a gypsy party and took place at a property in the centre of town. Asked about the tall guy he said was in the house with Larisa and her brother when he got home, Mr Blanaru said the man was tall with white coloured skin, black hair and a moustache. He said the man was Romanian but not gypsy. During questioning, Mr Blanaru said he first met Larisa in Carrickmacross at the end of 2016 having first interacted on Facebook when he had a phone for sale. Thats how we started talking and meeting, he said. Asked if the couple were married, Mr Blanaru said not legally going on to tell the detectives that he and Larisa had received a blessing in the Pentecostal Church. The trial continues today before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury of eleven men and four women. John Stokes (27) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 pleaded guilty A "mean" scammer caught carrying out a bogus door-to-door collection in Dublin claiming to raise money to help homeless women has been jailed for five months. John Stokes, 27, of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 pleaded guilty to an offence under the Street and House To House Collections Act. During the proceedings at Dublin District Court, it was revealed that Stokes had previously worked for the Associated Charities Trust (ACT). It runs Thomond House in Limerick and provides emergency and transitional accommodation for homeless women. Despite leaving the charity over five years ago, the father of two kept copies of their documents on file and was caught last year using one to carry out a collection in Harold's Cross, Dublin. However, Garda Michael Dowling caught him as an elderly woman was about to hand over 50. Hugh Silke, ACT project manager, gave a victim impact statement, telling the court that after the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, the charity ceased door-to-door or street collections but raised funds through its website instead. Mr Silke said Stokes was "elusive" and could print off copies of documents which looked like they were from the charity. Stokes "preyed" on the public, but none of their efforts to stop him were successful. Mr Silke said over the last few years, the charity has had to update its website frequently to warn potential donors about him carrying out fake collections in their areas. Stokes had 21 prior convictions, including one for deception. Judge Gerard Jones noted that one woman had been about to give Stokes money when he was intercepted and he praised Garda Donnelly who caught him. Defence solicitor Holly Laher mentioned that her client had worked for the charity before 2020, and since then, he had been "in and out of work". He has also spent two years in the UK since 2020 and has been on social welfare while searching for employment. Judge Jones described Stokes's actions as "a very mean crime" where the public expected their money to go to the homeless charity. "If an elderly lady gives 50, he might as well take it out of her hands," he said as he sentenced Stokes, who did not address the court. Gardai from Kevin Street Garda Stations drugs unit searched an apartment under warrant where they recovered a large amount of tablets and a quantity of cocaine A man and a woman were arrested on Sunday night following the seizure of 3,850 of Xanax and crack cocaine at a Dublin apartment complex. A number of plain clothes gardai in unmarked cars attended the scene on Cameron Street in Dublin 8 along with a garda van. They were seen entering the complex and returning with two people who were taken into custody. Gardai from Kevin Street Garda Stations drugs unit searched an apartment under warrant where they recovered a large amount of tablets and a quantity of cocaine - approximately 3,500 of Xanax tablets and 350 of crack cocaine. Two adults, a male and female, were arrested in connection with the seizure and have since been charged to appear before the courts. The bust was made as part of Operation Tara, An Garda Siochanas enhanced national anti-drugs strategy launched by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris in July 2021. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute drug trafficking networks at all levelsinternational, national, and localinvolved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale, and supply of controlled drugs. A garda spokesperson said no additional information is available at this time. In her victim impact statement, the woman branded him a cruel inhumane person whose actions ruined the lives of both herself and her child A Wicklow man has been jailed for three years at the Central Criminal Court for coercively controlling and falsely imprisoning his former partner. Cian Smullen (30), of Timore, Newcastle, Co Wicklow pleaded guilty last November to coercive control, false imprisonment, burglary, criminal damage and threats to cause criminal damage. In her victim impact statement, the woman branded him a cruel inhumane person whose actions ruined the lives of both herself and her child. She said she was full of anxiety and shame from a time I was completely broken I was constantly afraid he was going to come back. The woman said she couldnt leave the house because of the bruises on her face having been pinned down, beaten and choked by him. She said she has never recovered and never expected it to affect me the way it has. I was too scared to tell anyone what was going on in case Id lose my daughter, she added. Mr Justice Paul Burns described it as a cruel course of serious offending over a number of months. He said it was an aggravating factor that they were in a relationship. He said the pleas came late but the prosecution accepted they were of some assistance. He noted Smullens history of substance abuse and that he had a damaged septum. The judge noted a probation report said Smullen has limited remorse, engaged in victim blaming and was at a high risk of reoffending. He said Smullen would require a course of intervention post-release. He noted Smullen was now in a relationship and claims he has turned his life around. A psychology report said he had ADHD and difficulty controlling his anger. The judge also noted that the report said he claims to be drug free and his risk of reoffending is low. He noted Smullen had 24 previous convictions including one for assault which were dealt with by fines and suspended sentences. Mr Justice Burns noted the discrepancy between the psychology and probation reports but said he would favour the report of the Probation Services. The judge handed down a sentence of four years and suspended the final year backdating it to November last for time spent in custody. The court heard Smullen began a romantic relationship with the victim in 2019 and they moved in together two months later. Detective Garda Liz Collins told a sentence hearing last December that Smullen became threatening, abusive and was ordering the woman to stay at home. When she told Smullen she didnt want to be with him anymore he lost his temper and punched her in the face leaving her with a black eye. On another occasion, Smullen was actively trying to break into the house with an axe and a screwdriver but didnt manage to get in. Smullen hit the woman on the face and this behaviour went on for a number of months. On a number of different occasions, the woman asked him to leave but he refused so she left and went to live with her father. Smullen threatened to burn down her fathers house. As a way of coercing her, he also threatened to plant drugs in the house so Tusla would take her child away. Those type of threats were designed to allow him to stay in the house, the court heard. In November 2020, she told Smullen he had to move out and gave him a deadline or she would get a court order. She said he was out drinking or taking drugs and she wouldnt allow him to stay in house. Gda Collins agreed with Eoghan Cole SC, defending, that Smullen had a very long history of cocaine abuse and has a damaged septum which would be evident when you hear him talking. The garda disagreed that his plea was of assistance when the judge interjected asking the garda what she meant. Not really, we would have been prepared to proceed with a trial said Det Gda Collins. In mitigation, Mr Cole said Smullen spiralled downwards into cocaine and alcohol use. He noted his client has a previous conviction for assault. Mr Cole said a letter Smullen had provided showed a certain amount of minimising but a plea had been entered. He said there was no excuse for his actions and says hes deeply ashamed. Mr Cole said Smullen is now drug-free and fully accepts the physical assaults. He said he was in the throes of a serious addiction. The probation officer said he cant remember some events, Mr Cole told the court. The probation report placed him at high risk of re-offending but the Probation Services want to engage with him. Mr Cole said his client wants to take every opportunity to rehabilitate and that prison is not the place for him. He said his client is now free of drugs and works with his father in the family business. He accepts fully that there is a prison sentence to be imposed. Mr Cole said Smullen was never before the court on anything on indictment before. He said his client had never been in custody before and prison was not the place for him. Youd have to hope hed have the best years of his life ahead of him, said Mr Cole. He said his clients mother and father present in court and were supporting him but its not an inappropriate support and they are deeply ashamed. Graham Potts was jailed for four and a half years on his 39th birthday for demanding money with menace, threatening to damage property and harassment A woman had to sell her house and move to another area, after a man harassed her and demanded that she pay her sons cocaine debt, a court has heard. Graham Potts was jailed for four and a half years on his 39th birthday for demanding money with menace, threatening to damage property and harassment. He had pleaded guilty. Dublin Circuit Criminal court heard that Potts, with an address at Fitzgerald Park, York Road in Dun Laoghaire, also had a drug debt at the time, and had his legs and arm broken for his non-payment. Garda Stephen Noonan told the court that the woman and her husband were living in an area of South Dublin, when men began calling to their door in April 2022. The men first looked for the couples adult son, but when told he was at work, a man informed his mother that he owed 3,000. Her son later told her that he knew nothing about it, but the group arrived again a few days later and said that the amount had gone up to 6,000. The next message given to the woman by a man at her door a few days later was to tell her son to contact Graham. A couple of days later, the accused himself arrived at her front door and said that 6,000 had to be paid. Other people remained in the driveway, and one of them shouted to her that she needed to get her son to sort this, that she needed to take it seriously. In all, Potts called to the house four or five times. She asked him what the debt was for and he said it was for cocaine. On one occasion, he said: You are a lovely lady and I wouldnt like anything bad to happen to you, your cars or your house. The woman contacted gardai after about two weeks of the demands, and handed over a photograph that her husband had taken of Potts at their home. The woman then began to receive phone calls, having given Potts her number. She didnt answer any of the calls and Potts again arrived at her door, begging her to come out. The calls stopped at the end of April, but in May, Potts called to where her son worked as a chef. He threatened to call to the womans house if her son didnt come out of the kitchen. He met the woman on his way back to his car, and told her that the debt was now 7,000. On May 30, somebody rang her doorbell, banged at the door, and shouted through the letterbox that her son owed 7,000. A victim impact report was handed in to court, in which she described the effect the ordeal had on her family. She said that they had sold their house and left the area. The court heard that Potts has 41 previous convictions, is currently serving a sentence, and was due to be released in December of this year. Under cross examination by the defence, Gda Noonan accepted that no money was ever extracted, that Potts had not tried to conceal his identity, and that the woman was not in a position to identify the others involved. He also accepted that Potts was not involved in organised crime or a member of any gang. He agreed that Potts had a drug debt at the time. It was further accepted that Potts had both legs and an arm broken, and was hospitalised for around three weeks as a result. Potts barrister said that he was a fully qualified carpenter, was married with children and a nice home, but seemed to have completely lost the run of himself in terms of consumption, racking up debt and offending. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-and-a-half-year sentence, and declined a request to backdate it to the date Potts went into custody. Solicitor Padraig OConnell said he could categorically state that his client will not be giving evidence against Leen in October Nathan McDonnell, James Leen and the successful Ballyseedy Garden Centre in Tralee, Co Kerry Meth-smuggling businessman Nathan McDonnell will NOT be testifying against his co-accused James Leen when he goes on trial in the Special Criminal Court later this year, his solicitor confirmed yesterday. Speaking with the Sunday World, solicitor Padraig OConnell said he could categorically state that his client, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Friday, will not be giving evidence against Leen in October. McDonnells co-accused Leen is to stand trial on five charges, including the allegation he directed the activities of a criminal organisation within Ireland for 12 months. His legal team had previously indicated he will contest all charges. No, Mr OConnell responded, when asked whether McDonnell, who has co-operated with the authorities since his arrest, would be testifying for the state against Leen. That cant happen. The law does not permit co-accused to give evidence against each other. Ballyseeedy businessman Nathan McDonnell McDonnell, had been facing a maximum of 21 years in prison for his own role in the plot to smuggle 32.4 million worth of crystal meth through Ireland. Instead, he will now serve just nine years for his crimes once standard remission of 25 permission is deducted from his headline sentence. He would have gotten the 21 years in my opinion if he had pleaded not guilty and was convicted. We took a certain course a pragmatic course based on the evidence, Mr McConnell said. Details of the key role McDonnell played in facilitating the plot, allegedly orchestrated by Leen, were revealed over successive court appearances leading up to his sentencing on Friday. The Special Criminal Court heard of links between a transnational organised crime group based in Kerry, with the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. It was this Kerry-based organised crime group, the State has submitted, that McDonnell assisted by storing and then arranging to export the drugs. Under direction from Senior Counsel for the prosecution John Berry, Detective Sergeant Dave Howard agreed that the seizure of crystal meth in Cork in February 2024 had resulted from a year-long investigation into a transnational organised crime group based in Kerry. Sub-machine guns, also seized are still subject to ballistic analysis. This organised crime group has connections with the Sinaloa Cartel, which Sgt Howard said is one of the worlds biggest drug cartels. Gardai gained access to this local gangs communications network after phones and SIM cards were seized in 2023. Violent predator Feeney back behind bars as victim says he should never be allowed to leave Cathal Feeney and the Coleraine home he fled after it was attacked A dangerous sex offender who raised fears among women after settling in Coleraine has been forced to flee and is currently behind bars, we can reveal. Cathal Patrick Feeney had been rehomed in The Heights estate in the Co. Derry town not long after he was released from prison for a sick sex attack on a woman he met on a dating site. But we can reveal not only has he been forced to leave the town by the UDA, Feeney is now behind bars in Maghaberry Prison after he breached his terms of release. Now, one of Feeneys past victims has told the Sunday World: This man is the devil himself, he should never be allowed out of prison. I live in constant fear after what he did to me fear about where he is now, said the woman, who didnt want to be specific about what Feeney had done to her in fear shed be identified by him. Thankfully, hes in prison but hes not going to be there forever. Women should get together and make sure no judge in this country ever lets that monster out to walk our streets. Women need to know hes one of the most dangerous men in the country. He has dozens of victims and when he knocks them out he sexually assaults him. He tortures animals too. Hes pure evil. Hes been in and out of prison and young offenders centres since he was 15. All women should know if you are a teenager or over 60, Cathal Feeney will see you as prey so long as you are female. Thats one thing though he cant stand up to a man. Hes terrified of men. But hes the worlds best actor and extremely controlling. Hes been put out of Coleraine, Cookstown and Limavady. I wouldnt want anyone to go through what I did and its not just his victims who suffer its their families who feel the impact too. My biggest fear is his next victim wont be so lucky. As revealed last month, Feeneys arrival into the town coincided with the PSNI and local politicians expressing concerns about a number of incidents in the town including a bag filled with cable ties, condoms and a balaclava being seized. Feeney had nothing to do with that and another man in his 40s was charged in court earlier this week with a number of offences. There had also been separate reports from women in the town claiming they had been followed by a man. As reported in this paper, women in The Heights area publicly named Feeney on social media as living in the area and the 39-year-olds presence had been noticed by the same UDA gang that recently shot a pensioner five times in the town. But last week just before our story about him was published Feeney fled the town and was arrested and put in prison. Sources say he was actually chased and confronted by angry residents who wanted him to leave. And to hammer home that message, members of an extremely violent North Antrim UDA gang attacked his home in Athol Avenue. This picture shows the damage to the property which took place last week. Three windows were broken during the late night attack. A PSNI spokesperson told the Sunday World: Police received two reports of criminal damage at residential premises at the Athol Avenue area of Coleraine. On Wednesday 12th February, it was reported to police shortly after 8.40pm that two sets of windows were damaged and paint thrown at a property in the area. A further report was received on Tuesday 18th February that a window was smashed at another property in the area at around 11pm on Monday 17th February. Inquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding these incidents and police would appeal to anyone with any information to contact them. Its understood the attack on Feeneys short-lived home was on Monday. Locals in the area say Feeney will not be missed. Hes gone and he wont be missed, we dont want this area to be a dumping ground for sex offenders, said a resident. I dont agree with violence but women living here shouldnt feel afraid to go out at night because scum like Cathal Feeny have moved in. Its likely he was targeted by the same gun-toting UDA gang that has been behind a number of bloody gun attacks in the area most recently a shocking attack on OAP James Hull. The 70-year-old, whos disabled and uses a mobility scooter, was attacked in his own home last month when a masked gang broke into his property and shot him five times. The same gun-crazy crew, from the much-feared North Antrim UDA, have been responsible for a spate of near-deadly gun attacks in the last five years, including on drug-smuggling grandmother Sally Cummins and Celtic fan Paul Fleming both of whom miraculously escaped with their lives despite being shot in the head. Feeney is originally from the Eglinton area of Derry but he lived in Omagh where he committed serious offences. In one court case Feeney was described as a danger to women who also flouted court orders and breached bail conditions even managing to join a dating site despite supposedly being monitored by a specialist PSNI team dedicated to looking after dangerous offenders. The court was told eight women, including his own mother and grandmother, had taken non-molestation orders against Feeney. Feeney, who has more than 70 convictions, had been charged with raping the woman in her home after they had gone out on a date in March 2020 but he pleaded guilty to a lesser sex assault charge. In October 2022 Judge Brian Sherrard made controversial remarks when sentencing Feeney for sexually assaulting a woman he met through a dating website. The judge, before jailing him for four-and-a-half years, said: You are young. Theres nothing that will stop you moving on with your life in a productive way, finding work or finding a wife or partner, getting a family and a home. The outcry led Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan to write back to say the judiciary would receive further guidance and training. The incident appeared to take place not far from his mansion at Fair Hill in Rathkeale, Co Limerick. A MILLONAIRE trader linked to the infamous Dead Zoo Gang ended up in a petty road rage incident unleashing a foul mothed tirade at an elderly motorist. Richard Kerry OBrien Sr let loose after being confronted over blocking the road with his van as he stopped to chat to a pal. OBrien, a previous target of the Criminal Assets Bureau, is closely related to key members of the Dead Zoo Gang jailed for a series of museum robberies. The incident appeared to take place not far from his mansion at Fair Hill in Rathkeale, Co Limerick. The small Toyota car is seen stopped behind OBriens vehicle as the driver leans on the horn in frustration. The person filming the clips asks laughingly: Are you moving for him Kerry? No, he can go f**k himself. He's an oul tramp that fella. The driver is waved on even as a car passes by in the opposite direction making it impossible to do so. The frustrated motorists, then gets out of his car and politely asks: Drive on there please. An infuriated OBrien shouts back I wont, go f**k yourself. I dont give a f**k were I am, go f**k yourself. Will you do that? When the elderly motorist replies that he wont do so and again asks him to move OBrien continues with expletive ridden replies as the clip ends. It is not first time Kerry OBrien has launched nasty tirades in a public place. He threatened a Sunday World reporter after previously complaining no-one had contacted him for his side of the story. He launched a vile, foul-mouthed rant and made threats of violence during the outburst at his red-brick mansion in Rathkeale. "I'll break your neck you b***d you!" he shouted. "G'out! G'out! I'll hospitalise you, you c**t you!" he added as a female relative put her arm across him, warning him to calm down. Just moments earlier the same woman had responded with a string of expletives when asked if Kerry O'Brien was home. "F**k out! Move now!" she shouted as she tore up an offered business card. "He doesn't want to ring you, you put him enough inside in the papers... after all the rubbish you put in the papers?" OBrien Sr was one of 19 people originally arrested in 2013 as part Operation Griffin in the UK by police investigating museum thefts. 'Kerry' O'Brien Sr's family, was described as having been "at the heart" of the conspiracy to steal priceless museum exhibits and rhino horns. Two of O'Brien's sons, his brother and a nephew were among the men jailed for the conspiracy to steal Stg71 million worth of museum artefacts. His sons, John and Richard 'Kerry' O'Brien Jnr were sentenced to six-and-a-half and five-and-a-half years each. Also jailed were Kerry senior's brother John 'Cash' O'Brien, his nephew Richard Sheridan, and his brother-in-law Danny 'Turkey' O'Brien. The antique dealer's mansion in Rathkeale had also been raided by the Criminal Assets Bureau as UK police investigated the gang. The haul which has an estimated street value of 42,000 and will now be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. A teenager has been arrested after gardai seized 42k of cocaine hidden in woolly socks a home in Galway. A total of 600 grams of cocaine was discovered during a raid on a home in Oranmore during a raid by the The Divisional Drug Unit. The haul which has an estimated street value of 42,000 and will now be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis. A garda spokesman said a teen was arrested following the discovery He said: A man, aged in his late teens, was arrested and detained at a station in the Garda North Western Region under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. "He was subsequently released without charge, pending further investigations. Galway chief superintendent Gerard Roche last year described the increase of cocaine in the area as extraordinary. He warned that Galway drug dealers are becoming increasingly volatile and said that the main focus for the gardai must be to tackle the drugs supply chain. If we put a lot of resources into drugs, we will get results. I want to make things very difficult for the people who are going down the lines of sale and supply, he said. We have arrested groups who are starting to become quite volatile in the city and county but this drugs strategy takes a lot of effort and a lot of resources. Cocaine use is now endemic and it is in every class of society. If a person wants to take drugs, they will do it. It is our job to disrupt the sale and supply of drugs and make life as uncomfortable as possible for anyone involved. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The solemn ceremony of laying a monument to the National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev was held in the square near the Azerbaijani Embassy in Russia in Moscow, Trend reports. On the memorial slab, it is written: A monument will be erected here to twice Hero of Socialist Labor, outstanding state and political figure, Chairman of the Commission of the Council of Ministers on construction and development of Baikal-Amur Mainline. Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia Rahman Mustafayev, Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Vitaly Savelyev, veterans of Baikal-Amur Mainline construction, USSR Ministry of Transport, and others attended the event. Heydar Aliyev chaired the Commission of the USSR Council of Ministers for the construction and development of the Baikal-Amur Mainline and made a huge contribution to the development of this strategically important project. The monument erected in Moscow symbolizes the recognition of the services of Heydar Aliyev, the national leader of the Azerbaijani people, to the Soviet Union, in the construction and development of the Baikal-Amur Mainline. The CCTV footage was posted by police to social media on Tuesday morning Police have released CCTV footage of a person they wish to identify. The CCTV footage was posted by police to social media on Tuesday morning. The footage appears to show a man in dark clothing and a dark hat pass a number of properties. Police wouldnt be drawn on the nature of the incident but posting to social media PSNI North Belfast said: Can you help us identify the individual in the accompanying footage? We are investigating a recent incident that occurred in north Belfast on Monday, 3rd February. We believe the individual in this footage may be able to assist us with our enquiries, and we are asking them or anyone who has information to contact us on 101. The parking at Dublin Airport is often sold out in advance of bank holiday weekends New car park with space for more than 6,000 vehicles to open near Dublin Airport A new car park located close to Dublin Airport with space for more than 6,000 vehicles will open next week. Passengers travelling through the airport will be able to use the new Park2Travel car park from Monday, March 10. This means that passengers travelling over the long St Patricks Day bank holiday weekend will be among the first to avail of the new car park. The parking at Dublin Airport is often sold out in advance of bank holiday weekends. The new car park, located six minutes away from Dublin Airport, has a capacity for more than 6,000 vehicles. APCOA Ireland managing director Neil Cunningham said that many people will already know the new car park location as it was formerly Quick Park until it closed in 2020. "We've been busy preparing the car park ready for its opening on March 10," he said. "We look forward to welcoming customers and giving them a convenient, secure and sustainable airport parking experience, he added. A 24/7 shuttle bus service with transfers every 12 minutes during peak times will accommodate passengers between the car park and the airport. The facility is monitored and patrolled for security and has dedicated on-site assistance, which is available at all times for customer support. The car park also provides EV charging stations for electric vehicle users. Pre-bookings can now be made at the Park2Travel website. Full details, including a map and directions, can also be found on the car park's website. Both men were killed when the car in which they were travelling collided with the gable wall of a house at Baltoney, Gortahork on Friday evening Jamie Diver was one of those killed The former secondary school of two young men who were killed in a tragic road crash in Co Donegal at the weekend have paid tribute to their former pupils saying they had such a "zest for life." Shaun McClafferty (17) and Jamie Diver, who was in his 20s, were both pupils at Falcarragh Pobailscoil Cloich Cheannfaola in West Donegal. Both men were killed when the car in which they were travelling collided with the gable wall of a house at Baltoney, Gortahork on Friday evening. Two other young men were injured in the crash, one of them seriously. One of the men injured has since been transferred from Letterkenny University Hospital to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin for specialist treatment. Both young men killed in the single-vehicle crash are to be laid to rest in the coming days. Jamie Diver's funeral will take place at Christ the King Church in Gortahork on Wednesday followed by Shaun McClafferty's funeral the following day at the same church. Tragic Shaun McClafferty who was fatally injured. Pupils and teachers at their former secondary school said the young men will be remembered for their 'zest for life.' A spokesperson said We as a school are deeply saddened by the passing of our former pupils, Jamie Diver and Shaun Martin McClafferty, in a tragic accident at the weekend Their loss will be felt among our school community in shared moments and in our special memories of both young men. They both will be remembered for their strong friendships, gentle kindness and zest for life. "Their young lives filled with hope, talent and dreams for the future have been taken too soon. May their gentle souls rest in peace. The school also paid tribute to the other two men hurt in the crash who were also pupils of the school. They said they will continue to pray for the recovery of the young men, Josh Scanlon and Darragh Lynch, who are also from the locality. Fr. Brian O'Fearraigh who attended the scene of last Friday's crash revealed how he gave the last rites to the two young friends at the scene. He told how he was asked to call to the scene by local garda and described the scene that he met. "It was just a devastating sense of silence and sadness," he said. "Here we had two young lads whose lives were full and all of a sudden they were cut short. "It really is sometimes difficult to put it into words but what it once again brought home to me is how fragile life is. "This kind of tragedy is not uncommon in Donegal but you never get used to it. Losing a child is not a natural thing for parents to go through and when it happens it is just devastating," he added. Fr OFearraigh said the local community will wrap its arms around the families of all those involved in the tragedy including those who lost loved ones. Gardai say they continue to carry out a full investigation into the cause of the crash. Head of the Garda Traffic Corps in Co Donegal, Inspector Seamus McGonigle, issued a plea for anybody who witnessed the crash or who may have dashcam footage of the tragedy to come forward. Vikat Bhagat, an Indian gang member, was found guilty of raping and murdering the 28-year-old The Attorney General has been petitioned to order an inquest in Ireland into the circumstances of the murder and rape of Donegal woman Danielle McLaughlin in India in 2017. Vikat Bhagat, an Indian gang member, was found guilty of raping and murdering the 28-year-old and was sentenced to life in jail on February 17 in Goa. Ms McLaughlins mother, Andrea Brannigan, travelled to India for the conclusion of the trial, accompanied by one of her daughters as well as Ms McLaughlins best friend. Danielle McLaughlin (28) was murdered in India in March 2017 In March 2017, Ms McLaughlin, who had been backpacking in the area, was found dead in a field in the western state of Goa. Her murderer, who she mistakenly believed to be her friend, has already indicated he intends to appeal his conviction through his lawyers, according to Ms Brannigan. Meanwhile, the familys solicitor and international human rights lawyer, Desmond Doherty, confirmed he has now written to the Office of the Attorney General, seeking that an inquest into Ms McLaughlins murder be held in Ireland. Ms Brannigan said there were several reasons she hoped this might be granted. Danielles death certificate is an Indian one. All it says it that my daughter died in a field in in Canacona We got a post-mortem report, it was over 100 pages long. It is very technical. Part of the job of a coroner is to condense that for us, to explain it, she said. Also, [former state pathologist] Marie Cassidy carried out a second post-mortem after Danielles body was returned. We think, therefore, we should be granted an inquest on that basis alone. Also, Danielles death certificate is an Indian one. All it says it that my daughter died in a field in Canacona. I would like an Irish death certificate. I have always wanted one. When Irish people are killed overseas, their families have very little rights. They dont get a garda liaison officer to help them. They also dont get to have their say in court. Its too late for me, and Danielle, but Id like to try and pave the way to make things easier for other families who will find themselves in this situation. Danielle's Mc Laughlin's mother Andrea Brannigan and sister Joleen at home in Buncrana. Photo: Joe Dunne Ms Brannigan added that it would mean a lot for an inquest to be held in Donegal. Ive always wanted to be part of an Irish court process in relation to this. The families of loved ones who die overseas really have very few rights and I feel that should change, she said. The Office of the Attorney General was contacted for comment. I got to see some of his statements. He tried to accuse the police of trying to frame him Upon her return to Ireland following Bhagats sentencing a fortnight ago, Ms Brannigan said she was very grateful for the support she received in India. The two lead policemen in Danielles investigation, they never missed a day between them of that mans 250 court appearances, she said. He is appealing, his lawyers have stated this, and he has 90 days to do so. I got to see some of his statements. He tried to accuse the police of trying to frame him. A memorial has been set up where Danielle McLaughlin's body was found in Goa, India Ms Brannigan twice visited the area where her eldest childs body was discovered in a remote field. A memorial has been set up there and her mother left memorial cards, flowers and a QR code, which provides people who visit the spot with information about Danielle, as well as photographs of her. Ms Brannigan must now wait until Bhagats appeal process ends before she can apply through lawyers in India to have Danielles personal belongings returned, including her two diaries. Vikat Bhagat As her mother I wouldnt read them, out of respect for her privacy, they would be more for her sisters. She always kept a diary since she was a young girl, she said. There is also her Kindle, her clothes and her phone. At the memorial, at the spot where Danielle was found, we took some leaves from the ground home, too. Because there were leaves from the ground found in her hair. The Tauranga-based Aerocool Rescue Helicopter carried out a record-breaking 66 life-saving missions within the coastal Bay of Plenty region over the month of January. This is the highest number of missions performed in one month by the helicopter on record, said Philips Search and Rescue Trust fundraising and marketing head Sharni Weir. They included 31 inter-hospital transfers, seven medical events, 16 rural/farm incidents, three motor vehicle accidents, and nine miscellaneous missions. The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was most often seen at Tauranga Hospital with 11 inter-hospital transfers, Whakatane Hospital with seven, and Rotorua Hospital with five, Weir said in a statement to SunLive. As the community were enjoying the warmer weather outside and frequenting many summer hotspots, there was a drastic increase in remote missions almost double the usual amount. The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter crew were required in Matakana Island, Motiti Island, Waihau Bay, Hahei, and many other remote and challenging locations to provide life-saving care in time-critical situations. The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was most often seen at Tauranga Hospital with 11 inter-hospital transfers, Whakatane Hospital with seven, and Rotorua Hospital with five. Photo / ARH Weir said the month had a busy start with the helicopter dispatched six times on New Years Day. The mission details In the early hours of January 1, the helicopter was dispatched to Hahei for a male who sustained injuries after an accident. The patient was treated on scene by the onboard critical care flight paramedic and flown to Auckland City Hospital for further treatment, Weir said. It was then sent to Rotorua Hospital for a male who had sustained injuries following a significant fall. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital to receive further treatment. That same morning, the helicopter was dispatched to Matakana Island for a male who was in critical condition. The patient was transported to Tauranga Hospital to receive further treatment. In the afternoon, the helicopter crew were sent to Tauranga Hospital for a female who was experiencing a medical event. Weir said the patient was flown to Waikato Hospital. The helicopter was then dispatched to Rotorua Hospital for a male who needed urgent further medical care. The patient was flown to Auckland City Hospital. Finally, in the evening, the helicopter flew to Rotorua Hospital for a female who was in critical condition. The patient was transported to Auckland City Hospital. In the early hours of January 3, the helicopter went to Oropi for a female who sustained serious injuries following a significant fall. The patient was flown to Tauranga Hospital. On January 6, the helicopter aided a female in critical condition at Tikitiki. The patient was flown to Gisborne Hospital. The helicopter went on January 8 to Pukehina Beach to help a male having a serious medical event. The patient was treated at the scene before being taken to Waikato Hospital. A male experiencing a serious medical event was taken to Rotorua Hospital on January 15 before being transferred to Waikato. Then the helicopter flew to Motiti Island for a male having a serious medical event, who was flown to Tauranga. On January 17, the helicopter attended a vehicle accident in the Kaimais. A male in critical condition was stabilised and flown to Waikato Hospital. The crew flew on January 24 to the Karangahake Gorge and spent an hour helping a female in critical condition. The patient was airlifted to Waikato Hospital. The helicopter was sent to Taupo Hospital on January 31 for a male experiencing a medical event who was flown to Waikato. The helicopter returned to Taupo that afternoon for a male having a serious medical event and flew back to Waikato Hospital. The fast response of the rescue helicopter and its highly trained crew ensures the patients receive the best care as quickly as possible. Help us gear up. Minister of Health Simeon Brown said the Government is delivering on its commitment to fix New Zealands broken healthcare system by ensuring Kiwis get better access to healthcare. "Making it easier for New Zealanders to see a doctor or other health professional is a key priority," Brown said. We are already investing record funding into healthcare, but many New Zealanders are still finding it too hard to get an appointment with their GP, which is putting pressure on our emergency departments." On Monday, Brown announced: 100 clinical placements for overseas-trained doctors to work in primary care. Incentives for primary care to recruit up to 400 graduate registered nurses per year for three years. A new 24/7 digital service for all New Zealanders to be able to access online medical appointments. Health New Zealand providing a $285 million uplift for general practice over three years. We are taking action to ensure New Zealanders have increased access to more doctors and nurses and more choice of where they can access that healthcare," Brown said. We know we will need more doctors. Thats why we are funding a new two-year primary care training programme for up to 100 extra overseas-trained doctors once they are registered to work in New Zealand." Brown said it makes no sense that overseas-trained doctors living in New Zealand are willing to work in primary care, but cant, because there arent enough training opportunities. We are fixing this by building on a successful pilot in the Waikato and will support their transition into general practices that need them most," Brown said. Under the plan, GP practices and other providers outside hospitals will also be paid an incentive to attract, recruit, and support up to 400 graduate registered nurses a year from this year.: Brown said just over $30 million has been allocated over five years for this initiative. "Primary care providers, including general practice, will receive $20,000 per graduate nurse in rural areas, with those in our cities receiving $15,000. This helps attract essential healthcare staff where theyre desperately needed, particularly in rural areas." The Minister said the Government will also invest in a new 24/7 digital healthcare service that will provide all New Zealanders with better access to video consultations with New Zealand-registered clinicians, such as GPs and nurse practitioners. This service will mean Kiwis can access primary healthcare from anywhere in New Zealand, 24 hours a day, seven days a week with the ability for GPs and nurses to also issue prescriptions or make referrals for lab tests," Brown said. This is a practical solution which expands access to primary care for Kiwis and will provide an additional service to ensure New Zealanders have more access to timely and quality care. Today, I am also announcing that Health New Zealand will deliver a $285 million performance-based uplift in funding over three years for general practice from 1 July 2025. This is made possible due to the Governments record $16.68 billion in health and is in addition to the capitation uplift general practice receives annually." Brown said it will incentivise GPs to offer enhanced access, including keeping their books open to new patients, achieving key Government health targets such as increased immunisation rates, or supporting family doctors to undertake minor planned care services, and see patients in a timely manner. We know this additional funding will make a real difference in delivering the best health outcomes for New Zealanders, with more detail to be confirmed," Brown said. Our focus remains on strengthening services, reducing pressure on GPs, and ensuring Kiwis can access the care they need, when they need it. I look forward to making further announcements about improving access to primary care and how we will increase and retain doctors and nurses as part of this package." The man accused of causing a head-on collision near Taihape that killed three motorcyclists can now be identified. Garth Temokina Thompson, 51, faces charges of being under the influence of methamphetamine and causing a fatal crash killing three people and seriously injuring another. He was also charged with driving under the influence of a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of operating a motor vehicle on December 7. Jeremy Capper says he is pleased Garth Thompson can be named. Capper was the sole survivor who lost his arm, leg and three of his friends. Photo / Mike Scott Jeremy Capper, a motorcyclist who survived the crash, was pleased Thompsons charges are now public and believed that it was good the rest of New Zealand can see what a scumbag he is. Capper, 48, was riding his Harley-Davidson back to Mangaweka, with three fellow motorcyclists following close behind. Then, out of nowhere, he saw a black Toyota Hilux ute coming at him. It happened so quickly ... I collected the left side of his vehicle, and he collected mine. I thought, what the f*** are you doing? Capper says. Jeremy Capper, says a Black Ute came out of nowhere and crossed into his lane causing a triple fatality. Photo / Supplied. He bounced off the ute, skidded 100m, and blacked out, briefly. I remember everything, the noise, the sparks, sliding on gravel and seeing the car on its side. There was debris everywhere, I asked a witness to the accident, Am I bleeding? Am I missing anything?' He said, Your foot. It was 100 metre away, I thought thats a bummer. I slid on my belly and crushed my arm, my hand was mangled, and I smashed my elbow. My last words were, please dont let me bleed out'. Lesley Brooks, 46, was one of three people killed in a head-on-collision near Taihape on December 7. Photo / Supplied. Capper and three of his mates, Lesley Brooks, 46, Luke Shaw and Jacob Pudding Coady, both 24, had all attended a bike rally in Mangaweka for the Manawatu chapter of the Road Pirates the previous night. They had just finished breakfast and were heading along State Highway 1 in Utiku, near Taihape, on December 7 around 8am when the unthinkable happened. Capper was the sole survivor. Luke Shaw and Jacob Coady died in a head-on-collision near Taihape on December 7, 2024. Critically injured, Capper was flown to Wellington hospital from the scene and then on to Hamilton where he was in an induced coma for nearly 6 weeks. He is lucky to be alive but angry he lost an arm, a leg and his three friends. That tore me up. Capper says police told him the driver had taken methamphetamine before the crash. He was in critical condition and discharged himself from hospital a day after the accident. I am pissed off my life has changed. The driver is an oxygen thief. I hope he will be punished. Everyone thought he was dead. I have nothing to say to him. He can get f***ed. Jeremy Capper with his wife Tania who has been at his bedside since the crash on December 7 2024. Police told Capper the driver had taken methamphetamine before the crash. Photo / Mike Scott Capper, a fitter and welder, has now been moved to Whakatane Hospital which is closer to his home in Galatea. Jeremy Capper is the sole survivor of a triple fatality. He wants to get "back on the horse" and buy a trike, Photo / Supplied. Although his Harley is written-off he wants to get back on the horse and is now looking for a trike. He is grateful to be alive but sad his friends never made it home. I feel sad I survived, and they didnt. I feel responsible for leading them into a disaster, but it was out of our control and shouldnt have happened. Thompson will reappear in the Palmerston North District Court on April 8. -Rotorua Daily Post The North Island weka population is booming in the Bay of Plenty. Numbers are growing and the birds are becoming more common, spreading towards Rotorua and Whakatane, Weka Recovery group lead and senior technical advisor Rhys Burns said. Weka are large, brown, flightless birds known for their feisty, cheeky and curious personality, Burns said. They are one of the few remaining natural avian predator species. They are omnivores. They can prey on birds and lizards but also eat a wide variety of fruit and insects. The native species are protected on mainland New Zealand after becoming critically endangered, likely as a result of drought, ferret releases, land-use change and possibly disease. Weka prefer habitats that include bush margins and rough farmland, where they can access fruit. They eat the fruits from native plants, and they move them around and excrete them quite some distance from the tree. A North Island Weka. Photo / DOC, Bruce Dix Weka are likely found in about 5% of the North Island, a significant increase from 30 to 40 years ago when there were fewer than 1000 left, Burns said. There is no accurate assessment of current weka numbers, but Burns was confident there more than 20,000 on the North Island. For the past 20 years, weka have been expanding westwards in the Bay of Plenty, he said. They turned up in Opotiki in the early 2000s around the township and then kept spreading from there and Whakatane. The birds had been seen in Murupara and around Lake Rotoma. The primary predators are ferrets and dogs, and probably to a lesser extent stoats on the younger ones, Burns said. If youve got a high density of rabbits, you quite often have ferrets. More ferrets mean weka can easily decline into extinction, Burns said. As curious animals, weka were often found near peoples houses. Many dog breeds are naturally attracted to weka because they run away and trigger that chase instinct. Their recent success in expansion can be accredited to their ability to cope with environmental challenges and breeding at a higher rate than mortality rates. They are breeding well, and they must be avoiding mortality or having a lower mortality than the number of chicks they are producing as a population, Burns said. Orchards are buzzing around the country with much of the last stonefruit picked and packed, and the wine grape harvest getting under way. There were close to 9000 workers in Aotearoa under the Recognised Seasonal Employer, or RSE scheme, at present. They came from Pacific Island nations like Fiji, Vanuatu and Samoa and were a vital part of the horticulture workforce. But unions were concerned the coalition Governments new immigration policies were eroding migrant workers rights. The Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said recent changes to the RSE scheme from September, like increasing the cap to 20,750 workers, were driven by increased demand from employers wanting more workers. Other changes included employers being required to pay workers an average of 30 hours a week over four weeks, lifting a pause on accommodation cost increases and lifting the requirement to pay workers 10% above the minimum wage, which would only apply to experienced workers. Many fruit companies RNZ had spoken with recently said there were good labour levels on orchards throughout summer. Colin Bond of Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated said: The labour for our industry is made up of quite a few components, one of them is obviously the RSE scheme, the workers we get out of the Pacific, and recent changes from the Government have been positive there. Were seeing more backpackers in the country as well, and of course, with the unemployment rate increasing in New Zealand theres improved access to New Zealanders as well. You put those three things together in terms of more supply and then more automation thats going on every year in our industry, particularly in the post-harvest sector, that combination gives us a lot of confidence that were really well placed for 2025 on the labour that we need to do a great job at harvest. MBIEs acting national manager Pacific, Faamata Laumalili, said employers were expected to ensure pastoral care was available for workers, that they received adequate training and that employers maintained good community relationships with churches, for example. RSE worker wellbeing is a key element of the RSE scheme and employers are responsible for their workers welfare and pastoral care, Laumalili said. MBIE assured working conditions were monitored closely by officials such as labour inspectors, compliance officers and Pacific liaison officers who regularly reported back to workers home countries. But co-convener for Workers First Unions Pasefika Fono, Antonia Lilii, said there was little accountability from the home countries once their citizens have left for New Zealand. She said any blame for exploitation was shared by both the host and home countries. When you say migrants, theres exploitation, theres RSE workers, theres exploitation, yeah because our people, its cheap labour. In terms of the working conditions that were trying to fight as unions, why cant they have the same standard rates, the same entitlements that a normal employee in New Zealand is entitled to? She said they would love policymakers to think of how to provide protection to RSE workers. If you want people to pay for your retirement, you need to make sure of this protection for your workforce. Antonia Lilii said places like Samoa offer pre-departure training so RSE workers can understand their contracts and their rights before they leave. But she says sometimes the contracts are different on their arrival, including extra deductions for accommodation or medical insurance. The Union Network of Migrants RSE organiser, Mikee Santos, said unfortunately there are still cowboys exploiting workers for financial gain. He said with New Zealands growing reliance on migrant workers, MBIE must make significant efforts to better ensure abuse was minimised. We have advocated for more stringent process and more safety nets for migrant workers in this sector, there have been some changes but not much. This is again a problem, if the policies will be mediocre, the conditions will get worse. The easy answer is, if youre a migrant worker theres an 0800 number to call if you are being aggrieved or abused but its not that easy, because migrant workers, normally they dont put their head up. They normally hide their heads because of their visa conditions, because they dont want to rattle the cage [in case] after this they go back to their home, and they will not be called again to go back to New Zealand. Santos said it would be very sad if the New Zealand economy grows by standing on the bruised backs and shoulders of migrant workers. MBIE said further work was under way to look at broader RSE policy settings and compliance, which will include assessing deductions, rights and benefits. Attending Blue Lights Life Skills Camp in Trentham has reinforced 17-year-old Tyron Finnertys ambition to join the New Zealand Army and earned him top honours. The Tauranga Boys College student took part in the five-day programme from 1014 February 2025, an experience that cemented his aspirations and earned him the Overall Excellence Award. Reflecting on the camp, Finnerty said, The marching is my main takeaway. I will be able to use this learning for when I join the army. I really appreciate the connections I made with the military staff, especially when they suggested I sign up for the army as soon as possible. The recognition came as a surprise. I didnt realise I was going to win this award when my name was called out, I was caught off guard but was able to receive it with a big smile, he said. His dedication and perseverance stood out to Blue Light and Defence Force staff. Kawana Marsden, a Blue Light mentor on camp, praised his attitude. Tyron showed respect for the staff on camp, he took initiative, supported his peers, and completed instructed tasks. Before camp, Tyrons aim was to join the army, and when he was put in that environment, it encouraged him to keep doing his best. For other teenagers considering the Life Skills Camp, Finnerty offered advice: Put your best foot forward even if you dont want to be there. You will get good things out of it if you keep pushing through. Finnerty is completing his final year at Tauranga Boys College while applying for the New Zealand Army, with the goal of becoming an infantryman. Blue Lights Life Skills Camp, run in partnership with the New Zealand Defence Force, helps young people develop confidence, leadership, and resilience through adventure-based experiential learning. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Commemorative events dedicated to the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide were organized in the Primorsky Krai of Vladivostok, the Chelyabinsk region, and the Krasnoyarsk Krai of Russia, a source in the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan told Trend. According to the source, the public organization "Friendship," based in the Primorsky Territory of Vladivostok city, held a memorial event dedicated to the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide. In his speech, the chairman of the organization, Ramiz Zeynalov, noted that the night of February 25-26, 1992, became one of the most terrifying events in history. At the initiative of the First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has been conducting systematic and consistent activities to inform the world about the Khojaly genocideone of the greatest tragedies of humanity. He informed the participants of the event that the international campaign "Justice for Khojaly!" initiated in 2008 by the Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva, further strengthens the advocacy efforts in this direction. In conclusion, videos on the Khojaly tragedy prepared by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation were screened. Another event dedicated to the Khojaly tragedy was held in the Chelyabinsk region. The event, organized by the public organization of Azerbaijanis in the Chelyabinsk region, began with a minute of silence in memory of the genocide victims. The head of the organization, Arshad Khankishiyev, gave a detailed account of the history of the genocide. The second part of the event was dedicated to an open discussion. It was emphasized that every Azerbaijani must remember and preserve the history of their country and honor the memory of the genocide victims and martyrs. Following the event, a video about the Khojaly genocide was screened. One more memorial event dedicated to the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide took place in the Krasnoyarsk Territory of Russia. The ceremony was organized by the Regional Azerbaijani National-Cultural Autonomy and the Union of Azerbaijani Youth of the Krasnoyarsk territory. The ceremony began with a minute of silence to honor the victims of the Khojaly genocide. The Deputy Chairman of the National-Cultural Autonomy for Religious and Spiritual Issues of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Haji Mutallib Ibishov, a witness to those tragic events, Nazim Aliyev, and the Deputy Chairman of the Autonomy, Telman Tamoyev, spoke about the genocide. The courage shown by the Azerbaijani people in restoring their territorial integrity was emphasized, and the establishment of historical justice was noted. On the night of February 2526, 1992, the Khojaly genocide - one of the most horrific crimes against humanity in the past century - was carried out by Armenia with extreme brutality against Azerbaijani civilians. On this solemn anniversary, the Azerbaijani people remember with deep sorrow the 613 victims of this atrocity, including 106 women, 70 elderly people, and 63 children, whose lives were taken in a single night. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The Papamoa Volunteer Fire Brigade has retired its siren, choosing to rely on alternative alert methods to notify firefighters of emergencies. The brigade, which responds to an average of 210 callouts per year, has turned off the siren as its primary alert system, Fire and Emergency New Zealand said in a statement on Tuesday. Instead, brigade members will be notified via pagers and Fire and Emergencys Availability and Messaging System (AMS) app. The siren had been both a reassuring and disruptive presence for the community, Fire and Emergency Bay of Plenty group manager William Pike said. Hearing the siren go off can give comfort to people that the brigade is active and will respond when their community needs them, he said. But we also acknowledge that when it goes off in the middle of the night, or multiple times through the day, it can cause disruption for people. Pike reassured the community that alternative alert systems were sufficient to maintain the brigades usual response times. The siren has not been completely decommissioned. It will be tested every Tuesday at 6.55pm with a single blast before the Parton Rd-based brigades training session. This was to ensure it remained operational as a backup in case other alert systems failed, the statement said. Papamoa Chief Fire Officer Arron King said the brigade remained fully committed to serving the community. We want to reassure the community that although they will no longer hear our siren other than once on a Tuesday, the Papamoa brigade will continue to be there to protect and serve, he said. King also encouraged new volunteers to join. If you are in the area and thinking about giving back to your community, get in touch with us or visit one of our Tuesday training nights from 7pm. The change has already taken effect, with the siren inactive except for its weekly test. Fire and Emergency decided in 2021, following a single complaint, to turn the siren off at night despite an 8000-signature community petition in opposition, NZME reported. Waikato Police have confirmed the reported sightings of a man matching the description of missing man Travis Langford on Sunday were not him. Police received a number of reported sightings on Sunday, including State Highway 30, approximately 20-25km south of Te Kuiti. "Police would like to thank the members of the public who contacted us following these reported sightings," a police spokesperson said. "We encourage anyone who sees a person matching the description of Travis to report that to Police." Police said it is also possible that Langford has travelled outside of the Waikato region since the time he was reported missing in January. "If you have any information that could assist Police, please get in touch by calling 105. Please quote reference number 250119/4439." Langford's mother Angela Grocott, has released a statement today, which reads: "Please make contact with me Travis, just a quick text message or phone call that you are safe and are okay. You are so missed by your brothers, Dad and I, Zeus and our entire whanau. Our hearts are heavy. We dont have the words to express how much you are loved and how much you complete our lives. Please come home son. We love you." Julio J. Portabales Villanueva del Trabuco Tuesday, 4 March 2025, 12:42 Compartir The northern Malaga province town of Villanueva del Trabuco is set to become one of the European benchmarks of digitisation of online commerce. This is because Mastercard, one of the most important financial services multinationals and one of the main sponsors of world-class events such as the Champions League, has chosen this town as the only municipality in Spain to test 'Click to Pay', an innovative digital payment system that aims to eliminate the need to enter data manually for each online purchase. A recent study by the company revealed that the online shopping process is often tedious. The study showed that 91 per cent of Spaniards still manually enter their full address and the 16 digits of their card in each of their online purchases. To try to reduce the time spent making online purchases, Mastercard has decided to carry out its pilot project in 16 towns across Europe, all of them with long names, which makes the task of online shopping more laborious. These include Brandys nad Labem-Stara Boleslav in the Czech Republic and Wasterhaar-Vriezenveensewijk in the Netherlands. 91% of people in Spain still manually enter their full address when shopping online, according to Mastercard's latest study. The town hall has stated that participation in the project does not involve any cost for the town, although it is a "unique opportunity" to appear in the company's promotional campaigns and to be a reference in this field at an international level. It also added that the Mastercard representatives showed great interest in visiting the town. Mayor Juan Luis Gallardo has welcomed the project, highlighting the visibility that it means for the town: "We are very grateful to Mastercard for having selected us, along with other municipalities in Europe, to test this new fast, simple and secure way of paying online. We are very proud of the name of our town, but we also recognise the value of a good shortcut and the usefulness of technology to make our lives easier and safer," he said. Operation Mastercard has said that the benefits of the 'Click to Pay' system include the process that replaces the card number with a series of random identifiers or 'tokens'. This not only protects consumers from potential fraud, but also safeguards retailers from cyber threats and data breaches. It seeks to eliminate barriers in the online purchasing process, allowing for more agile and secure payments. According to Mastercard data, 75 per cent of Spanish consumers have abandoned a purchase due to payment complications. The implementation of 'Click to Pay' aims to reduce these obstacles, offering a smoother and more efficient user experience. With this initiative, the inhabitants of Villanueva del Trabuco will be able to enjoy a more advanced payment system, optimising times and reinforcing the security of each transaction. Participation in this pilot project positions the town as a benchmark in technological innovation, demonstrating that even the smallest localities can lead great advances in the digitisation of e-commerce. Pilar Martinez Malaga Tuesday, 4 March 2025, 13:08 | Updated 16:36h. Compartir The Internationale Tourismus-Borse (ITB) travel fair in Berlin started today and Andalucia, the Costa del Sol and Malaga city have set up a large-scale display to strengthen connections with the German market. The Andalusian presence at the fair promises to bring success back to the Spanish region, increasing both the loyalty of German tourists and income in the industry. The German tourist has one of the most attractive profiles for countries all over the world due to the high rate of travel. Moreover, Germany is the country with the largest population among EU members (84.7 million). For that reason, more than 170 countries will be competing to improve their share of business at ITB. Nito Salas Many Spanish business owners, professionals and officials have travelled to the fair aiming to maintain the upward trend in tourism, which Andalucia is already achieving. They are among the record 5,800 national and international exhibitors taking part in the event, which is a 5% increase compared to the 2024 edition. Under the slogan 'The world of travel lives here', organisers of the fair have stated that "the ITB buyers' circle is an indicator of the recovery of the sector. Growth has been significant, especially in key travel segments such as cruises and travel technology, but also in the dynamic markets of Southern Europe, Asia, Africa and the Arab countries". Nito Salas The event seeks to address the challenges and opportunities of an ever-changing market. The fair is key for the country, especially since, for Germans, travel is a priority and a basic commodity. Germans do not cut back on holidays and save up every month to make sure they get to experience these getaways, even at a time of uncertainty marked by the country's delicate economic situation and a change of government that has yet to take place. "The travel industry is a key economic force for Germany," said Norbert Fiebig, president of the German travel association (DRV), in a statement following the win of the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) in the elections. Spain tops rankings as most popular holiday destination Despite the economic uncertainty, Germany still has a GDP per capita that is 20% above the Eurozone average. According to a report by IPK International, the German tourism industry experienced strong growth in 2024. The report also noted that "Spain tops the rankings as the most popular holiday destination, followed by the US, Germany, France, Italy and destinations such as Mexico, Turkey, the UK and Austria". Sunny locations with access to a beach, urban breaks and round trips are the types of holidays that experience the highest level of growth. "The trend towards direct bookings and alternative accommodations underlines a growing desire for flexibility and individual travel experiences. All these developments and the growing demand for authentic, high-quality experiences promise good business for the travel industry in 2025," stated the report. At this year's ITB edition, Andalucia will once again display a large stand (535 square metres), with the collaboration of sixty companies and institutions, to promote its offers, especially to younger tourists. Junta de Andalucia's head of tourism, Arturo Bernal, stated that "Germany is one of our strategic markets, with a tourist profile that seeks authentic, sustainable and quality experiences". He also highlighted the importance of attracting visitors at any time of the year and throughout the region. 5,800 national and international exhibitors are attending this year's ITB Berlin, 5% more than in 2024. The Costa del Sol will also have its own stand of 235 square metres and 35 participating companies, focusing on building connections with visitors with greater purchasing power. Francisco Salado, head of Turismo Costa del Sol, seeks to continue the upward trend, which marked 2024, by attracting the type of tourist that generates higher income. As a reference point, in 2024 the German market generated an income of nearly 1.3 billion euros in 2024, an increase of 15.4%; 981,880 German passengers arrived in Andalucia (a 19.3% increase). Malaga Airport received 75.5% of German tourists visiting Andalucia and 6.7% of those who were coming to Spain in general. "Four out of every ten German tourists in Andalucia booked accommodation on the Costa del Sol, which gives an idea of our undisputed leadership," said Salado. Malaga city will also return to its stand at this year's ITB, from which it will target the 'premium' tourist. "The statistics show that 2024 ended with a total of 208,409 overnight stays booked by 80,342 German tourists visiting Malaga. These figures represent an increase of 7% and 2.93%, respectively", said Jacobo Florido, councillor for tourism. DEAR MISS MANNERS: Do people say How do you do? anymore when being introduced to someone? The phrase seems to have faded away. If it is no longer used, what should I say when being introduced to someone new? GENTLE READER: You are right about this conventions having fallen into disuse. It tended to confuse people because it seemed to be a question, was nevertheless pronounced as if it were a statement, and the correct response was not to say how one was, but to repeat the remark. So probably not worth saving. That makes your question a crucial one: What should one say? A common answer is Pleased to meet you. Very few seem to remember, or care, how declasse that phrase was once considered. (It still is in England, where there was national sneering when Carole Middleton, mother of the current Princess of Wales, said it upon first meeting Queen Elizabeth.) The rationale for objecting to this phrase is that one cannot know, when meeting a stranger, whether or not it will be pleasant. This is similar to the objection that How do you do? does not really ask how anyone does. Perhaps we should not be subjecting mere conventions to such analysis. Meanwhile, for lack of a better solution, Miss Manners continues to puzzle people by saying How do you do? when meeting someone. In letter salutations, the Hi that has been replacing the conventional Dear (Dear being yet another victim of such analysis) is too cheeky for her. Just Hello? Maybe. But she is hoping a Gentle Reader will come up with a better solution. (Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.) COPYRIGHT 2025 JUDITH MARTIN DISTRIBUTED BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106; 816-581-7500 Litchfield, N.Y. - Three people were seriously injured Sunday after a truck hit a snow bank and overturned in Herkimer County, troopers said. Around 11:30 a.m., an off-duty Utica firefighter discovered the truck crashed after noticing swaying power lines, according to a news release from state police Monday. When troopers arrived on scene, they said they found three people inside of an overturned 2022 Chevrolet pickup truck. The truck driven by Christopher W. Ryan, 41, of Richfield Springs was driving on Cedarville Road when it went off the road, hit a snowbank and multiple trees, troopers said. Then the truck overturned down an embankment, they said. First responders extricated two passengers, Shawn W. Ryan, age 17, and Dawn Bernholz, age 63, both of Richfield Springs, troopers said. Shawn Ryan was taken to Wynn Hospital before being airlifted to Upstate University Hospital where he is in critical condition. Bernholz and Christopher Ryan were taken to Wynn Hospital, troopers said. Benholz is in serious condition and Christopher Ryan is in critical condition, they said. Troopers said the cause of the accident is under investigation. Staff writer Darian Stevenson covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at dstevenson@syracuse.com Kevin James attends the "The Fab Thirties" Event on July 21, 2024 in Forte dei Marmi, Italy. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images) Getty Images The King of Queens and Paul Blart: Mall Cop star Kevin James is returning to Central New York this fall. James will perform a stand-up comedy show at The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater in Syracuse on Saturday, Nov. 8. The event, part of his Owls Dont Walk Tour, will begin at 5 p.m. Tickets go on sale Thursday, March 6, at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster. Prices have not been announced. The early showtime is unusual for stand-up comedy shows, but may be a sign James plans to do two performances. Other stops on his tour dates include two shows in the same city on the same night. James is also scheduled to perform Friday, June 20, at the Kodak Theater in Rochester, at 7:30 p.m., and on Friday, Nov. 7, at the Resorts World Catskills in Monticello at 8 p.m. James, a SUNY Cortland alumnus, began his career as a stand-up comedian in the 90s. In his most recent Amazon Prime Video special, 2024s Kevin James: Irregardless, he covered a wide range of topics like parenting, marriage, technology, and how many tater tots he can fit in his mouth. Hes also known as an actor in the Paul Blart: Mall Cop movies and TV series King of Queens and Kevin Can Wait, plus roles in Grown Ups, Hitch, Here Comes the Boom, The Crew and Pixels. James came to Central New York in 2022 to film a role in an upcoming American High movie. More than 100 people attended the Jamesville-DeWitt school board meeting in person, and 300 more attended online, demanding transparency and action after the district downplayed death threats to teachers from a student who then attacked an aide. Marnie Eisenstadt | Meisenstadt@Syracuse.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The personal and work-related treasures of our valiant crew membersIgor Kshnyakin, Aleksandr Kalyaninov, and Hokuma Aliyevahave been graciously offered by their families to the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan, Trend reports. The participants at the presentation ceremony remarked that the courage and selflessness displayed by our national heroes will be etched in the hearts of our people for all time. The presentation of items belonging to our heroic crew members to the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan and the perpetuation of their heroism is a source of great honor and pride for the AZAL team. On December 25, 2024, an Embraer 190-100 IGW passenger aircraft, registered as 4K-AZ65 in the state registry and owned by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), operating a regular flight J2-8243 from Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russian Federation, crashed near Aktau Airport in the Republic of Kazakhstan. As a result of the aviation accident, two crew members (the captain and the co-pilot), a senior flight attendant, and 35 passengers lost their lives. Despite the human casualties and injuries, during an emergency landing, it was possible to save the lives of 29 people thanks to the professionalism, courage, and bravery of the pilots and attendants. Following the receipt of information about the emergency landing in the Republic of Kazakhstan, necessary search and rescue operations were immediately carried out, and survivors were evacuated and provided medical assistance. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Tully, NY - An out-of-state company wants to build Onondaga Countys first wind farm, putting about two dozen turbines taller than the Washington Monument across the hills of Tully, Lafayette and Otisco. The project is in the early stages. The developer, Palmer Capital out of Boston, has yet to submit official plans to the state. New York imports more electricity from Canada than any other state. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com) Syracuse, N.Y. The operator of New Yorks electric grid expects that President Donald Trumps tariff on Canadian imports could increase power costs to New Yorkers. The New York Independent System Operator has asked federal regulators for fast-tracked approval to collect the tariffs from Canadian generators, on the assumption that electricity is covered by the new tariff. New York is the biggest importer of Canadian electricity, which in recent years has provided anywhere from 4% to 11% of power used in the state. New York imported 7,700 gigawatt-hours from Canada in 2024, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the NYISO federal filings. Adding to the hurt for New Yorkers, the leader of the province of Ontario has said he will add a 25% export tax on electricity sent to New York and other states in retaliation for Trumps tariffs. The tariff on Canadian energy is part of Trumps broader 25% tariff on goods made in Mexico and Canada. The directive calls for a 10% duty on energy and energy resources. Even though the tariffs took effect today, energy officials in New York and New England say they dont know whether they are supposed to collect the tariff on electricity imported from Canada. New York imports power worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year from Canada. Without a means to collect the tariffs, the NYISO could face adverse consequences, including possible bankruptcy if it is found responsible for collecting the payments, the organization told regulators. The New England grid operator also asked for direction on how to proceed. Grid operators in both regions have asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to tell them whether the tariff applies to electricity and, if so, how it is to be collected. Out of caution, the New York grid operator asked for permission to approve a requirement that any entity that causes Canadian electricity to be imported to New York bear the cost of the tariffs. No such mechanism exists yet. ISO New England estimated that a 10% tariff on electricity imports could cost about $66 million on its grid, according to its FERC filing. Its not clear how much the tariff would add to New York consumer electric rates. Duties on Canadian electricity would likely amount to tens of millions of dollars per year, the NYISO said. Ontarios leader said he will add a 25% export tax on electricity sent to New York and other states in retaliation for Trumps tariffs. Ontario provides 2,500 of the 4,600 megawatts of capacity that New York draws upon from Canada, the NYISO reports. Doug Ford, the Ontario premier, also said he was prepared to shut off the exports altogether if American tariffs persist. NYISO officials said they do not expect power shortages stemming from the tariffs but offered little clarity about where the issue is headed. The U.S. and Canada have one of the most integrated electric grids in the world, allowing system operators in both countries to pool resources for improved reliability and economic efficiency, said Kevin Lanahan, a NYISO vice president, in a statement. We are in close and regular contact with Hydro Quebec and Ontarios Independent Electricity System Operator. The NYISO anticipates having adequate supplies to meet expected demand on the system. NYISO officials said they hope that the tariffs will not apply to electricity. The NYISO and neighboring system operators have serious concerns that applying export tariffs to electricity may have serious adverse effects on reliability and wholesale electric markets, the organization said in a prepared statement. Both the NYISO and its New England counterpart have asked federal officials for an expedited decision by the end of this month. Staff writer Tim Knauss can be reached at: email | Twitter | 315-470-3023. Nearly 10 years have passed since I visited a Jewish settlement outside of Hebron, the largest city in the West Bank, and was confronted by a settler at the gravesite of Baruch Goldstein. Goldstein became a hero to hard-right settlers in 1994, a year after the Oslo accords were signed, when he walked into an ancient mosque in Hebron with an automatic rifle and began shooting, killing 29 Palestinian worshippers and wounding 125 before the survivors beat him to death. On the day I visited, his tombstone was adorned with freshly placed rocks along its perimeter, a gesture that honors the deceased and marks recent visits. An engraved tribute offered this praise: He gave his life for the people of Israel, its Torah, and land. I thought of that visit on Sunday night when the Oscar for best documentary was awarded to No Other Land, a film made by a crew of Palestinians and Israelis that shows the relentless efforts to destroy a tiny Arab village in the West Bank to make way for a new military training ground. You see bulldozers crushing homes, forcing the survivors to live in caves nearby. You see Jewish settlers harassing them and scaring their children, and in one instance, an Israeli soldier shooting an unarmed Palestinian man in the neck as he tries to stop them from taking his familys generator. The movie documents the friendship that grows between its two main figures, the Palestinian activist, Basel Adra, and the Israeli journalist, Yuval Abraham, both co-directors of the film. But every night, Abraham goes home to safety and security, generating resentment among some villagers, while Adra stays behind, wondering if another midnight raid awaits. When I look at Basel, I see my brother, Abraham said at the Oscar ceremony. But we are unequal. We live in a regime where I am free under civilian law, and Basel is under military laws that destroy his life. The film carries a moral urgency, one that Adra underscored at the awards ceremony by describing Israels actions as ethnic cleansing. Its a claim that has grown harder to dispute as Jewish settlements relentlessly expand in all corners of the West Bank, and the death toll of Palestinians killed in the West Bank during confrontations with Israeli soldiers and settlers since the Oct. 7 attacks is just over 890, according to the United Nations. At least two members of the Netanyahu cabinet have called for outright annexation, as have leaders of the settlement movement. The year 2025 will be the year of sovereignty in the West Bank, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in November. Conservatives in Israel have dismissed the film as propaganda. Miki Zohar, the Minister of Culture, called it sabotage that chose to amplify a narrative that distorts Israels image around the world. It is true that the film shows only one side of a tangled and fraught story, like most movies and books on the conflict. There are no suicide bombers in the film, no rockets fired on Jewish homes, and no discussion of Hamas mass murders and kidnappings on October 7, which took place shortly after filming was done. (For a gripping account of that attack, try The Gates of Gaza by Amir Tibon, an Israeli journalist who lived in a kibbutz near the Gaza border and spent hours hiding in the safe room of his house, huddled with his wife and two daughters, while the massacre took place outside his door.) But No Other Land deserves this award. Many great documentaries champion one side in a dispute, as does my own favorite, Eyes on the Prize, the 1987 series on the civil rights movement in America. No Other Land brings to life an ugly aspect of this conflict that Americans too often ignore. This is not about Israel hunting down Hamas fighters holding hostages in tunnels beneath schools and hospitals in Gaza. In the West Bank, we are witnessing a land grab, fueled by religious extremism and ethnic hatred. A two-state solution is almost impossible to imagine now that there are 144 Jewish settlements in the West Bank with a population that has grown to 490,000 not counting the 220,000 Jewish residents of East Jerusalem. Thats by design, and the Jewish settlers I talked to in their settlement near Hebron, Kiryat Arba, made no secret of it. This is the land of the Jewish, thats all, said one middle-aged settler, a woman who worked as an ambulance driver. Its right in the Torah. The idea of Palestinians is a myth. There is no nation of Palestine. At the Goldstein gravesite, the burly settler who approached us, Ofer Ohana, took it a step farther: If the Arabs make trouble, we kill them, he said. This is our country. We must keep them afraid. Fear is not something you see much of in No Other Land. The Palestinians in this village, Masafer Yatta, were outgunned and outmanned, but they refused to leave, even when the bulldozers came, even when forced to live in caves. What, in the end, will Israel do about that? Moran is a national political columnist for Advance Local and the former editorial page editor/columnist for The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. He can be emailed at aquinas1222@gmail.com. By Lucy Hodgman | Times Union, Albany Albany, N.Y. When state Sen. Shelley Mayers downstate district was struck by Hurricane Ida in 2021, she spent the aftermath of the storm negotiating help from a range of different state agencies. The Westchester County Democrat turned to the Department of Transportation for help restoring transit systems, contacted the Department of Education about her districts flooded schools, and worked with the Department of Financial Services to fight denials of flood insurance coverage. In total, she said, she worked with probably seven separate agencies. A selection of vintage clocks are displayed at Electric Time Company, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Medfield, Mass. Analog clocks must be changed manually when Daylight Saving Time begins and ends. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) AP Are you ready to spring forward for Daylight Saving Time? Daylight Saving Time 2025 starts on Sunday, March 9, at 2 a.m. Also known as daylight savings time, the biannual changing of the clocks always begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday of November. Most U.S. states turn their clocks ahead a full hour when DST begins in the spring, losing an hour of sleep. When DST ends, we fall back by turning our clocks back and gaining an hour of sleep. Here are three things you need to do before Daylight Saving Time 2025 begins: 1) Manually turn any analog clocks ahead before going to bed on Saturday night, the night before Daylight Saving Time. All digital devices, such as computers, TVs and cell phones, will automatically update to the new time at 2 a.m. Sunday. This ensures all clocks in your home will show the same, correct time on Sunday. 2) Gradually adjust your bedtime about 15 or 20 minutes earlier for three or four nights before the time change. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends slowly changing your schedule to prepare for Daylight Saving time, including moving up daily routines like meals and exercise. Also, avoid afternoon naps, excess caffeine or blue light from screens that can make falling asleep harder. 3) Check your smoke detector batteries. The Firemens Association of the State of New York recommends that people use DST as a reminder to replace batteries in their smoke detectors when we switch to and from Daylight Saving Time. The group says 60 percent of home fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms. * * * * * Despite some confusion in recent years, Daylight Saving Time has not become permanent and does not appear to be ending anytime soon. (Making daylight savings permanent would mean the time we change our clocks to in the spring would be year-round, and we wouldnt turn our clocks back in the fall.) U.S. Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla., reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act earlier this year to lock the clock and make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide. The legislation has stalled in Congress multiple times, largely due to a disagreement over whether to keep standard time or permanent daylight savings time. A poll last year found 61% of Americans want to stop changing their clocks twice a year, but some never do. DST is not observed in Hawaii and most of Arizona. The Uniform Time Act mandates Daylight Saving Time, so any other state that wants to be exempt from changing its clocks every year must get congressional approval. More than a dozen states, including New York, have introduced legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent but have not moved forward at the federal level. ...Studies show that it is the transition out of Daylight Saving Time, which leads to an increase in car accidents, causes more on-site work incidents, and disrupts the health of all who are subject to this time change, said a New York bill sponsored by New York State Sen. Joseph Griffo (R-47) in 2023. This bill would, once there is a repeal of the federal law establishing Daylight Saving Time, allow New York to enter into a compact with neighboring states to establish Daylight Saving Time as the states year round time. Daylight Saving Time was first established during World War I to conserve fuel for war industries. The law was repealed after WWI ended, but was re-established by Congress during World War II due to energy consumption and became U.S. law in 1966 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, establishing uniform start and end times within standard time zones. The policy, regulated by the Department of Transportation, aims to save energy, reduce traffic fatalities, and reduce crime. Daylight Saving Time was kept after World War II because Americans were believed to use less energy by extending summer daylight into the evening. However, a 2008 Department of Energy study found that DST reduces annual energy use by just 0.03 percent, and another study by the University of California-Santa Barbara found DST might even increase energy consumption. Eldar Aliyev, the Azerbaijani Embassy's adviser in Turkiye, Faruk Koyluoglu, the deputy mayor of Ankara Buyuksehir, Parviz Mammadzade, the adviser to the chairman of TADEF, and other political representatives condemned the Khojaly genocide as the most brutal and horrific tragedy in human history. They emphasized the importance of the international community recognizing the genocide and considered it a shared pain, not only for Azerbaijan but for the entire Turkic world. As part of the event, panel discussions were held with participation from leading universities in Turkiye. The gathering concluded with a performance by popular artist Alihan Samadov. In Antalya, a similar memorial was organized by the Azerbaijan Culture and Solidarity Association, the Turkic Hearths Organization of Antalya, and the Turkic World Community at Akdeniz University. Attendees included members from Kirkuk, various regions of Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as representatives from the Iraqi Turkmen Unity and Solidarity Society, our compatriots from South Azerbaijan, and students from Akdeniz University. The participants viewed a photo exhibition dedicated to the Khojaly genocide in the universitys lobby. In his speech, Togrul Ismayl, a professor, provided an in-depth presentation on the history of the Khojaly genocide and its analysis from the perspective of international law. Following the presentation, participants had the opportunity to ask further questions. In the Azerbaijan House in Kayseri's Talas district, a similar ceremony was held to honor the victims of Khojaly. The event was attended by Kayseris deputy governor Adnan Turkdamar, Talas Mayor Mustafa Yalcn, Melikgazi Municipality Mayor Mustafa Palancoglu, Kayseri Police Department Chief Atanur Aydn, Kayseri University Rector Professor Kurtulmus Karamustafa, and many other officials. The historical aspects related to the genocide were discussed, and the importance of international recognition was stressed. Participants also laid flowers at the Khojaly memorial located in the Azerbaijan Brotherhood Park. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. HHHkumar Newbie Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Shaktinagar Posts: 5 Thanked: 80 Times TATA Tiago EV: 15,000 KMS in 8 Months! A few months ago, I penned down my buying saga and first impressions of the Tata Tiago EV (you can read it Lets get the suspense out of the way: the experience has been shockingly smooth (pun intended). The Tiago EV is performing like a champ, though there have been a few "meh" moments that left me scratching my head because, hey, no car is perfect, right? In this review, Ill dive into the nitty-gritty of EV ownership: servicing woes (or lack thereof), charging adventures (yes, there are stories), and how it fares as my trusty daily driver. Strap in its going to be an interesting ride! So, its been 8 months, and lets be honest the honeymoon period is officially over. The real question is: how does the car hold up in the daily grind? Well, let me tell you, the electric drive is like that one friend whos always calm and collected, no drama, no noise, just smooth vibes. And when I say smooth, I mean butter smooth, the kind of smooth that makes you wonder why gears were even invented in the first place. Driving it feels like gliding on a metro train, minus the crowd and awkward eye contact with strangers. The brisk acceleration is borderline addictive, and the absence of gear shifts? Oh, its a game-changer in stop-and-go traffic. Its like the car is whispering, Relax, Ive got this, while you cruise along stress-free. This electric car technology is lightyears ahead in NVH levels compared to a traditional ICE vehicle both inside and out. Seriously, its like stepping into the future, where noise, vibration, and harshness are just urban legends. But heres a thought: when every vehicle on the road is electric someday, whats a traffic jam going to feel like? No roaring engines, no pungent exhaust fumes just the gentle hum of motors and, maybe, the occasional frustrated honk. Will it feel eerily peaceful, or will we just invent new ways to be annoyed? Hopefully, the technology evolves fast enough for us to witness that day or will we even be in the driving seat by then? Maybe self-driving cars will handle the daily commute while we binge-watch yet another show. Heck, will people even go to offices anymore? Who knows times got all the answers, and its not spilling the beans just yet. Alright, let me rein in my excitement and get back to the car Im actually driving. Now, lets address the elephant in the room: the range. Whats the range Im getting out of this car? Well, its surprisingly good. Or maybe this little car with its tiny battery has somehow turned me into a super efficient driver. Ive mastered the art of coasting like a pro, swapped mechanical brakes for regenerative braking, and embraced the thrill of driving at... lets call it leisurely speeds just slow enough to annoy my wife and urge me to hurry up. Addressing the elephant in the room, Range: Im getting around 200 KMS with about 20% to spare. That translates to about 2.5 KMS per 1% of State of Charge (SOC). Not bad for a car that looks like its running on a couple of AA batteries, right? Id say around 90% of the time, the range falls in this ballpark of about 2.3 to 2.7 kms per 1% of SOC with AC (Econ ON). But, let me also share the absolute best and worst ranges Ive had so far. Back in July, with the monsoon winds cheering me on and the temperatures in the cozy 25-26C range (plus no sun thank you, clouds!), I managed to get a whopping 2.85 kms per 1% of SOC. I covered 175 KMS from Ilkal to Raichur, Karnataka, with 40% to spare. And lets not forget, I did all this with an average trip speed of a thrilling 45 KMPH because sometimes, slow and steady does win the range game! My absolute worst range experience occurred during this trip: five adults packed into the car, battling 36C heat on a scorching afternoon, en route to Mantralayam, 60km away. I rely on mental SOC milestones: 90% for 22+ km, 80% for 45+ km, and 70% for a reliable 70+ km. However, at 70% SOC, I'd only managed 60km. Despite efforts to conserve energy, I finished the trip with a mere 130km total and 25% SOC remaining a dismal 1.7km per 1% SOC. The next day, I discovered a nail in the front tire, reducing pressure to a mere 10 PSI. This explained the drastic range reduction. It was a stark reminder that with a small battery, even minor issues have a significant impact. Constant vigilance is essential to avoid range anxiety and potential stranding. Now, lets talk about the long journeys with this car. Ive made the trip from my hometown of Shivamogga to Shaktinagar, Raichur more than once, a solid 450 KMS. The journey takes me about 12 hours, including two charging and food stops. Now, in comparison, my old ICE car wouldve done the same trip in 8-9 hours. So, yeah, you could say the EV is a little more relaxed about the whole "getting there quickly" thing. Mileage as KM/KWH: Ive come to realize that KM/KWH figures tell a far better story about a cars efficiency and, lets be honest, my driving skills than those dry AEC readings. Now, seeing the electric Creta flaunting some fantastic numbers, I thought, Why not see how my Tiago EV stacks up? So, off I went, calculator in hand. Trip 1: Dharwad to Hospet: Distance covered: 165.8 KM Battery left: 37% The math: 165.8 KM / (24 kWh 0.63) = 10.96 KM/KWH It was a smooth highway drive, early morning, no AC. My Tiago EV practically whispered down the road. Pretty impressive, Id say! Trip 2: Hospet to Raichur: This leg was... an experience. Picture roads that feel like theyve been carpet-bombed, sprinkled with endless speed breakers, rogue bikers zigzagging like its a video game, and the last 60 KM resembling a lunar surface. Distance covered: 189.5 KM Battery left: 20% Calculation: 189.5 KM / (24 kWh 0.8) = 9.86 KM/KWH With the AC set to 26C and temperatures outside blazing at 35-37C, Id say my Tiago EV deserves a medal or at least a celebratory car wash. So, apparently, I'm now enjoying long drives. Is this what a mid-thirties crisis looks like? Since I've become the "Man of the House," which basically means I need spousal and small-human approval for any outing. Impromptu adventures? Nope. Attending a few last bachelor friends' weddings? Definitely not. The bachelor fun has officially expired, replaced by the soul-stirring rhythm of adulthood. Even my parents are in on it, reminding me that I should be more responsible. My life is now a non stop thrill ride of work, home, family, the weekly shopping, and the diaper changing marathon. Who needs adrenaline when you've got this? Service Experience & Niggles: Tatas service experience feels like a low-trust affair, not exactly the kind that fills you with confidence, especially in a city like Raichur. If Tata wants to stay competitive in the fast-evolving EV market, it seriously needs to up its game for EV customers. The service center here? Well, lets just say it looked more like a forgotten warehouse than a functioning workshop. Even my old Chevy Beats friendly neighborhood garage was cleaner and better organized! Now, I get it its a workshop, not a five-star lobby but even then, you'd expect a bit more professionalism. The staff, however, seemed to be in a league of their own and not in a good way. During my first inspection at 2,000 KM, my Tiago EV was lifted on a service jack for an underbody check. Curious as I am, I joined the young mechanic, a lad in his early twenties, to observe. Midway through, he nervously warned me, "Saar! Don't touch the car; you might get electrocuted!" Yep, you read that right my EV was being handled like a ticking time bomb. It was clear they knew more about traditional cars than EVs. To add to the comedy, the service advisor insisted I get the AC system cleaned in my barely 2-month-old car without even asking if I had concerns! And the cherry on top? The car was returned unwashed because the pressure washer was not working. Being a trusting soul (or maybe just too polite), I believed them. Fast forward to my 7,500 KM service + transaxle oil change, and guess what? The car was unwashed yet again! This time, the excuse? Power cut. Talk about consistency, TATA! If this is the "experience" youre aiming for, I might as well say... Tata! Ah, the Tiago's iTPMS. Or, as I like to call it, the 'Imaginary Tyre Pressure Monitoring System' because it's more fiction than function. It's basically a permanent amber warning light on the instrument cluster and a 'TPMS Error' message. My daily routine? Ignore it and convince myself it's just a harmless iTPMS tantrum, not the dreaded 'HV Critical Error' that spells doom. During my 7500 km service, I mentioned this 'nuisance' to the service advisor. He nodded sagely, promising a fix. However, upon pickup, I was too busy channeling my inner Hulk over the unwashed car to remember. I was raising so much hell that I forgot the iTPMS entirely. Ten kilometers down the road, I realized my mistake. A call to the advisor resulted in a classic 'Oh, it might have come back on after the reset' and an invitation to return. Yeah, no thanks. I'd rather live with the amber glow than revisit those geniuses. But then, a miracle! Or maybe just a solar flare. After a full day of sunbathing, the iTPMS finally decided to cooperate. Apparently, all it needed was a good dose of vitamin D. Who knew my car was a sun worshipper? Now, I'm left wondering if I should just park it in direct sunlight whenever it throws a fit. Maybe I'll even get a tiny beach chair and some sunscreen. Driving an EV from an Electrical Engineers Perspective: An EV is basically a battery-powered car where DC voltage is chopped up and inverted by some seriously clever power electronics to feed the motor with AC. Simple enough, right? But heres the catch whenever current flows, it produces heat. More current? More heat. And heat is the arch-nemesis of everything in an EV: the battery, the electronics, and even the motor windings. Think back to the early days of electronics. Remember those tiny fans desperately trying to keep circuits cool? Things have improved, sure, but heat is still a major villain. EV batteries have the same temperature tolerance as your average Joe: 15C to 35C is the sweet spot. Anything above? Too hot. Below? Too cold. Now, lets talk about driving. If you own an EV that does 0100 km/h in under 10 seconds, you cant drive like a lunatic and expect good range. When you stomp on the accelerator, the battery draws massive current, heating up everything the motor, the controller, and itself. To fight this heat, the cooling system kicks in, drawing even more current, further stressing the battery. Now add high ambient temperatures and the AC blasting to cool you down, and congratulations youve entered a vicious cycle where every system is pushed to its limit. This is even more concerning in the Tiago EV, which uses cylindrical cells with lower voltage ratings arranged in series and parallel. Hard, relentless driving can introduce voltage imbalance, something the BMS (Battery Management System) can fix initially, but over time, it leads to irreversible cell damage. The result? Inconsistent performance, sudden voltage drops, reduced range, and if you push it far enough the dreaded HV Critical Error warning. Of course, the future will bring tougher electronics, better battery chemistry, and high-voltage architectures (moving from 400V to 800V). But until then, the rules of EV driving remain the same as any car: Smooth acceleration and deceleration. Prioritize coasting over braking. Use regenerative braking as much as possible. In my Tiago EV, I use Regen 1 in the city and Regen 0 on highways, relying on regen braking for gradual slowing and using friction brakes only when necessary. Once I mastered this, I became a better, calmer, and more composed driver. And lets be honest, that's a win for both me and my battery! Public Charging Infrastructure, Ideal Range & Thoughts on the Future of EVs and Fast Chargers: Fast-charging networks are popping up everywhere, and their usage is steadily increasing. I fast charge 46 times a month when traveling from Raichur to other places. In the past eight months alone, the number of fast chargers on my routes has doubled! Initially, they were always empty. I'd just roll up, plug in, and go. But now? I actually see other EVs on the road. Its like that old Russell Peters joke: I thought I was the only one! The Good, The Bad & The Power Supply Woes: So far, the charging experience has been smooth. The CPOs (Charge Point Operators) have done a great job apps work, chargers work, even the mobile network works. The only sour grape? The power supply itself. Heres why: The transmission grid in India, ever since the One Nation, One Grid initiative, has become incredibly reliable. Blackouts are practically unheard of now. In my 10-year career in power generation, Ive never witnessed a failure in our 400 kV switchyard that required a black start. In fact, for the last five years, the transmission grid has achieved near 100% availability. But distribution? Oh, thats another story. While high-voltage 765 kV/400 kV transmission lines are rock solid (because failure could cause cascading grid collapses), the distribution network the last mile that actually delivers power to your charger is still stuck with classic desi problems: Electricity theft (as high as 30%) Overloaded feeders Inadequate maintenance Urban vs. Rural areas Choose Wisely! To break it down further: Urban feeders (serving hospitals, blood banks, etc.) are maintained religiously and are generally available 24/7. Rural feeders? Not so much. If a rural feeder trips, it can take 68 hours to get it back up. For an EV owner planning long trips, this is crucial information. Always choose a charging point within city limits rather than a lonely one in the middle of a highway. It might just save you from spending the night at a dhaba for all the wrong reasons. A Message to CPOs: Data is King! It would be hugely helpful if CPOs provided: Average daily availability (in hours) So users can assess how frequently power cuts happen. Daily average charging factor (in hours) To gauge how busy a charger is. Because lets be honest nobody wants to drive 50 km to a charger, only to find out that its either down or has a queue longer than a famous biryani joint. So, until the distribution network gets its act together, EV owners plan wisely. Which CPO Do I Prefer? So far, Ive tried Jio BP, Static, Zeon, Tata Power, and Ionage and my top pick? Static. Why? It has never failed me. The interface is excellent, the chargers are the cheapest, and most importantly, it actually shows when the charger was last used. (Take notes, other CPOs! A quick rating rundown: Zeon: Great interface, smooth charging experience, and well-placed locations. Jio BP: The interface is meh, but the charging experience has been good. Tata Power: Charged a few times overall, just average. Ionage: Well, if you want to inhale petrochemical fumes even after owning an EV, this is the one! The Recharge Struggle: One of the biggest irritations? Maintaining balances across different CPO apps. Every time I charge, I feel like Im juggling five different wallets like some fintech intern. Can someone in the bureaucracy please take up a DPI (Digital Public Infrastructure) project for EV charging? Imagine a UPI-like system for CPOs, a single platform listing all CPOs, where you can use any app to charge from any provider and make payments directly from your bank account. That would be a game-changer for the growing CPO network! So, Whats the Operating Cost of a CPO? While charging at Hospet Jio BP, I stumbled upon the tariff plan details (because why not do some math while waiting?). The plan was LT-6(c), which has two cost components: Fixed Cost: Rs 70/- for up to 50 kW Rs 170/- per kW beyond that Variable Cost: Rs 4.50/- per unit during solar hours (0900-1800) Rs 5.50/- per unit during non-solar hours So, a 60 kW charger attracts a Rs 5,200/- fixed charge meaning the CPO has to dispense at least 350 units just to break even! If you look closely, theres a Rs 1/- difference between solar and non-solar hours. This is because meeting the demand during peak hours is tougher. And given how things are going in the energy market, this gap might widen even more in the future. A Fun Fact for EV Owners Who Charge Overnight If youre the type who conveniently plugs in your EV at night, just know that youre most likely running on good old thermal power. So while you smugly drive around in your zero-emission vehicle, somewhere out there, a coal plant is working overtime for you. Well, I seem to have drifted far away from what I originally set out to do to review my Tiago EV. So, back to business! Its an excellent car thats been going strong without much tantrum (which is more than I can say for some service centers!). I just wish Tata would step up its service game. Honestly, I feel bad for Harrier owners, imagine spending 20+ lakhs and still dealing with atrocious service. If Tata doesnt fix this, people (including me) might just end up saying Tata to Tata. On another note, this Tiago EV has somehow dragged the writer in me back out. Maybe Ill pen down a few more thoughts once I cross 20,000 km. Until then, see you all on the road! Im trying to pen down a review ever since crossing 10K kms, after crossing 15,000 Kms here I go,A few months ago, I penned down my buying saga and first impressions of the Tata Tiago EV (you can read it here (Tata Tiago Electric Review) ). Fast forward a few months, and after clocking 15,000 KMS, here I am happy, and surprisingly, still a fan of this little electric car.the experience has been shockingly smooth (pun intended). The Tiago EV is performing like a champ, though there have been a few "meh" moments that left me scratching my head because, hey, no car is perfect, right?In this review, Ill dive into the nitty-gritty of EV ownership: servicing woes (or lack thereof), charging adventures (yes, there are stories), and how it fares as my trusty daily driver. Strap in its going to be an interesting ride!So, its been 8 months, and lets be honest the honeymoon period is officially over. The real question is: how does the car hold up in the daily grind?Well, let me tell you, the electric drive is like that one friend whos always calm and collected, no drama, no noise, just smooth vibes. And when I say smooth, I mean butter smooth, the kind of smooth that makes you wonder why gears were even invented in the first place.Driving it feels like gliding on a metro train, minus the crowd and awkward eye contact with strangers. The brisk acceleration is borderline addictive, and the absence of gear shifts? Oh, its a game-changer in stop-and-go traffic. Its like the car is whispering, Relax, Ive got this, while you cruise along stress-free.This electric car technology is lightyears ahead in NVH levels compared to a traditional ICE vehicle both inside and out. Seriously, its like stepping into the future, where noise, vibration, and harshness are just urban legends.But heres a thought: when every vehicle on the road is electric someday, whats a traffic jam going to feel like? No roaring engines, no pungent exhaust fumes just the gentle hum of motors and, maybe, the occasional frustrated honk. Will it feel eerily peaceful, or will we just invent new ways to be annoyed?Hopefully, the technology evolves fast enough for us to witness that day or will we even be in the driving seat by then? Maybe self-driving cars will handle the daily commute while we binge-watch yet another show. Heck, will people even go to offices anymore? Who knows times got all the answers, and its not spilling the beans just yet.Alright, let me rein in my excitement and get back to the car Im actually driving. Now, lets address the elephant in the room: the range. Whats the range Im getting out of this car?Well, its surprisingly good. Or maybe this little car with its tiny battery has somehow turned me into a super efficient driver. Ive mastered the art of coasting like a pro, swapped mechanical brakes for regenerative braking, and embraced the thrill of driving at... lets call it leisurely speeds just slow enough to annoy my wife and urge me to hurry up.Im getting around 200 KMS with about 20% to spare. That translates to about 2.5 KMS per 1% of State of Charge (SOC). Not bad for a car that looks like its running on a couple of AA batteries, right?Id say around 90% of the time, the range falls in this ballpark of about 2.3 to 2.7 kms per 1% of SOC with AC (Econ ON). But, let me also share the absolute best and worst ranges Ive had so far. Back in July, with the monsoon winds cheering me on and the temperatures in the cozy 25-26C range (plus no sun thank you, clouds!), I managed to get a whopping 2.85 kms per 1% of SOC. I covered 175 KMS from Ilkal to Raichur, Karnataka, with 40% to spare. And lets not forget, I did all this with an average trip speed of a thrilling 45 KMPH because sometimes, slow and steady does win the range game!My absolute worst range experience occurred during this trip: five adults packed into the car, battling 36C heat on a scorching afternoon, en route to Mantralayam, 60km away. I rely on mental SOC milestones: 90% for 22+ km, 80% for 45+ km, and 70% for a reliable 70+ km. However, at 70% SOC, I'd only managed 60km. Despite efforts to conserve energy, I finished the trip with a mere 130km total and 25% SOC remaining a dismal 1.7km per 1% SOC. The next day, I discovered a nail in the front tire, reducing pressure to a mere 10 PSI. This explained the drastic range reduction. It was a stark reminder that with a small battery, even minor issues have a significant impact.Constant vigilance is essential to avoid range anxiety and potential stranding.Now, lets talk about the long journeys with this car. Ive made the trip from my hometown of Shivamogga to Shaktinagar, Raichur more than once, a solid 450 KMS. The journey takes me about 12 hours, including two charging and food stops. Now, in comparison, my old ICE car wouldve done the same trip in 8-9 hours. So, yeah, you could say the EV is a little more relaxed about the whole "getting there quickly" thing.Ive come to realize that KM/KWH figures tell a far better story about a cars efficiency and, lets be honest, my driving skills than those dry AEC readings.Now, seeing the electric Creta flaunting some fantastic numbers, I thought, Why not see how my Tiago EV stacks up? So, off I went, calculator in hand.Trip 1: Dharwad to Hospet:Distance covered: 165.8 KMBattery left: 37%The math: 165.8 KM / (24 kWh 0.63) =It was a smooth highway drive, early morning, no AC. My Tiago EV practically whispered down the road. Pretty impressive, Id say!Trip 2: Hospet to Raichur:This leg was... an experience. Picture roads that feel like theyve been carpet-bombed, sprinkled with endless speed breakers, rogue bikers zigzagging like its a video game, and the last 60 KM resembling a lunar surface.Distance covered: 189.5 KMBattery left: 20%Calculation: 189.5 KM / (24 kWh 0.8) =With the AC set to 26C and temperatures outside blazing at 35-37C, Id say my Tiago EV deserves a medal or at least a celebratory car wash.So, apparently, I'm now enjoying long drives. Is this what a mid-thirties crisis looks like? Since I've become the "Man of the House," which basically means I need spousal and small-human approval for any outing. Impromptu adventures? Nope. Attending a few last bachelor friends' weddings? Definitely not. The bachelor fun has officially expired, replaced by the soul-stirring rhythm of adulthood. Even my parents are in on it, reminding me that I should be more responsible. My life is now a non stop thrill ride of work, home, family, the weekly shopping, and the diaper changing marathon. Who needs adrenaline when you've got this?Tatas service experience feels like a low-trust affair, not exactly the kind that fills you with confidence, especially in a city like Raichur. If Tata wants to stay competitive in the fast-evolving EV market, it seriously needs to up its game for EV customers.The service center here? Well, lets just say it looked more like a forgotten warehouse than a functioning workshop. Even my old Chevy Beats friendly neighborhood garage was cleaner and better organized!Now, I get it its a workshop, not a five-star lobby but even then, you'd expect a bit more professionalism. The staff, however, seemed to be in a league of their own and not in a good way.During my first inspection at 2,000 KM, my Tiago EV was lifted on a service jack for an underbody check. Curious as I am, I joined the young mechanic, a lad in his early twenties, to observe. Midway through, he nervously warned me, "Saar! Don't touch the car; you might get electrocuted!" Yep, you read that right my EV was being handled like a ticking time bomb. It was clear they knew more about traditional cars than EVs.To add to the comedy, the service advisor insisted I get the AC system cleaned in my barely 2-month-old car without even asking if I had concerns!And the cherry on top? The car was returned unwashed because the pressure washer was not working. Being a trusting soul (or maybe just too polite), I believed them.Fast forward to my 7,500 KM service + transaxle oil change, and guess what? The car was unwashed yet again! This time, the excuse? Power cut.Talk about consistency, TATA! If this is the "experience" youre aiming for, I might as well say... Tata!Ah, the Tiago's iTPMS. Or, as I like to call it, the 'Imaginary Tyre Pressure Monitoring System' because it's more fiction than function. It's basically a permanent amber warning light on the instrument cluster and a 'TPMS Error' message. My daily routine? Ignore it and convince myself it's just a harmless iTPMS tantrum, not the dreaded 'HV Critical Error' that spells doom.During my 7500 km service, I mentioned this 'nuisance' to the service advisor. He nodded sagely, promising a fix. However, upon pickup, I was too busy channeling my inner Hulk over the unwashed car to remember. I was raising so much hell that I forgot the iTPMS entirely. Ten kilometers down the road, I realized my mistake. A call to the advisor resulted in a classic 'Oh, it might have come back on after the reset' and an invitation to return. Yeah, no thanks. I'd rather live with the amber glow than revisit those geniuses.But then, a miracle! Or maybe just a solar flare. After a full day of sunbathing, the iTPMS finally decided to cooperate. Apparently, all it needed was a good dose of vitamin D. Who knew my car was a sun worshipper? Now, I'm left wondering if I should just park it in direct sunlight whenever it throws a fit. Maybe I'll even get a tiny beach chair and some sunscreen.An EV is basically a battery-powered car where DC voltage is chopped up and inverted by some seriously clever power electronics to feed the motor with AC. Simple enough, right? But heres the catch whenever current flows, it produces heat. More current? More heat. And heat is the arch-nemesis of everything in an EV: the battery, the electronics, and even the motor windings.Think back to the early days of electronics. Remember those tiny fans desperately trying to keep circuits cool? Things have improved, sure, but heat is still a major villain. EV batteries have the same temperature tolerance as your average Joe: 15C to 35C is the sweet spot. Anything above? Too hot. Below? Too cold.Now, lets talk about driving. If you own an EV that does 0100 km/h in under 10 seconds, you cant drive like a lunatic and expect good range. When you stomp on the accelerator, the battery draws massive current, heating up everything the motor, the controller, and itself. To fight this heat, the cooling system kicks in, drawing even more current, further stressing the battery. Now add high ambient temperatures and the AC blasting to cool you down, and congratulations youve entered a vicious cycle where every system is pushed to its limit.This is even more concerning in the Tiago EV, which uses cylindrical cells with lower voltage ratings arranged in series and parallel. Hard, relentless driving can introduce voltage imbalance, something the BMS (Battery Management System) can fix initially, but over time, it leads to irreversible cell damage. The result? Inconsistent performance, sudden voltage drops, reduced range, and if you push it far enough the dreaded HV Critical Error warning.Of course, the future will bring tougher electronics, better battery chemistry, and high-voltage architectures (moving from 400V to 800V). But until then, the rules of EV driving remain the same as any car:In my Tiago EV, I use Regen 1 in the city and Regen 0 on highways, relying on regen braking for gradual slowing and using friction brakes only when necessary. Once I mastered this, I became a better, calmer, and more composed driver. And lets be honest, that's a win for both me and my battery!Fast-charging networks are popping up everywhere, and their usage is steadily increasing. I fast charge 46 times a month when traveling from Raichur to other places. In the past eight months alone, the number of fast chargers on my routes has doubled! Initially, they were always empty. I'd just roll up, plug in, and go. But now? I actually see other EVs on the road. Its like that old Russell Peters joke: I thought I was the only one!So far, the charging experience has been smooth. The CPOs (Charge Point Operators) have done a great job apps work, chargers work, even the mobile network works. The only sour grape? The power supply itself.The transmission grid in India, ever since the One Nation, One Grid initiative, has become incredibly reliable. Blackouts are practically unheard of now. In my 10-year career in power generation, Ive never witnessed a failure in our 400 kV switchyard that required a black start. In fact, for the last five years, the transmission grid has achieved near 100% availability.But distribution? Oh, thats another story.While high-voltage 765 kV/400 kV transmission lines are rock solid (because failure could cause cascading grid collapses), the distribution network the last mile that actually delivers power to your charger is still stuck with classic desi problems:Urban vs. Rural areas Choose Wisely!To break it down further:Urban feeders (serving hospitals, blood banks, etc.) are maintained religiously and are generally available 24/7.Rural feeders? Not so much. If a rural feeder trips, it can take 68 hours to get it back up.For an EV owner planning long trips, this is crucial information. Always choose a charging point within city limits rather than a lonely one in the middle of a highway. It might just save you from spending the night at a dhaba for all the wrong reasons.It would be hugely helpful if CPOs provided:Average daily availability (in hours) So users can assess how frequently power cuts happen.Daily average charging factor (in hours) To gauge how busy a charger is.Because lets be honest nobody wants to drive 50 km to a charger, only to find out that its either down or has a queue longer than a famous biryani joint.So, until the distribution network gets its act together, EV owners plan wisely.Which CPO Do I Prefer?So far, Ive tried Jio BP, Static, Zeon, Tata Power, and Ionage and my top pick? Static.Why? It has never failed me. The interface is excellent, the chargers are the cheapest, and most importantly, it actually shows when the charger was last used. (Take notes, other CPOs! A quick rating rundown:Zeon: Great interface, smooth charging experience, and well-placed locations.Jio BP: The interface is meh, but the charging experience has been good.Tata Power: Charged a few times overall, just average.Ionage: Well, if you want to inhale petrochemical fumes even after owning an EV, this is the one!One of the biggest irritations? Maintaining balances across different CPO apps. Every time I charge, I feel like Im juggling five different wallets like some fintech intern. Can someone in the bureaucracy please take up a DPI (Digital Public Infrastructure) project for EV charging?Imagine a UPI-like system for CPOs, a single platform listing all CPOs, where you can use any app to charge from any provider and make payments directly from your bank account. That would be a game-changer for the growing CPO network!So, Whats the Operating Cost of a CPO?While charging at Hospet Jio BP, I stumbled upon the tariff plan details (because why not do some math while waiting?). The plan was LT-6(c), which has two cost components:Fixed Cost:Rs 70/- for up to 50 kWRs 170/- per kW beyond thatVariable Cost:Rs 4.50/- per unit during solar hours (0900-1800)Rs 5.50/- per unit during non-solar hoursSo, a 60 kW charger attracts a Rs 5,200/- fixed charge meaning the CPO has to dispense at least 350 units just to break even!If you look closely, theres a Rs 1/- difference between solar and non-solar hours. This is because meeting the demand during peak hours is tougher. And given how things are going in the energy market, this gap might widen even more in the future.If youre the type who conveniently plugs in your EV at night, just know that youre most likely running on good old thermal power. So while you smugly drive around in your zero-emission vehicle, somewhere out there, a coal plant is working overtime for you.Well, I seem to have drifted far away from what I originally set out to do to review my Tiago EV. So, back to business!Its an excellent car thats been going strong without much tantrum (which is more than I can say for some service centers!). I just wish Tata would step up its service game. Honestly, I feel bad for Harrier owners, imagine spending 20+ lakhs and still dealing with atrocious service. If Tata doesnt fix this, people (including me) might just end up saying Tata to Tata.On another note, this Tiago EV has somehow dragged the writer in me back out. Maybe Ill pen down a few more thoughts once I cross 20,000 km. Until then, see you all on the road! Last edited by Omkar : 15th March 2025 at 08:43 . Forward-looking: Google adds its voice to the growing consensus for an industry-wide progress towards secure programming practices. There is a standardization opportunity for every player involved in the software business, with billions in savings to gain and better security for all. Security vulnerabilities related to memory safety are becoming increasingly troublesome among companies and organizations dealing with software products. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently urged developers to eliminate buffer overflow bugs. Google is now pushing for the entire software industry to step up against the dreadful flaws in memory-related routines. "Memory safety" means protecting a software project or code snippet against various flaws related to memory access, like buffer overflows or wild pointers. When the code doesn't provide enough protection to memory routines, cyber-criminals or adversarial state actors (Russia, China, Iran) can exploit memory-access bugs to compromise systems, steal sensitive data, or gain access to protected networks. Google noted that the abuse of memory safety vulnerabilities has eroded trust in technology and caused damages for billions. Traditional approaches conceived to strengthen popular programming languages are helpful but aren't enough to stop the tide of easily exploitable vulnerabilities anymore. Newer programming languages such as Rust, Kotlin, or safe "subsets" for traditional languages like Safe Buffers for C++ are designed to enforce memory safety from the get-go. These tools have already proven themselves effective, with a "significant" reduction in vulnerabilities in Android. New hardware technologies, such as Arm's Memory Tagging Extension or the Capability Hardware Enhanced RISC Instructions, provide a complementary defense for existing (potentially unsafe) code. Google proposed a new collective commitment to a common goal: eliminating this class of vulnerabilities through strong secure-by-design programming practices. The CISA also suggested the secure-by-design approach, but Google is pushing the goal even further with its blueprint. Google's framework for an industry-wide memory safety standard supports diverse approaches, with different security properties programmers need to achieve rather than specific implementation details. Developers should tailor memory safety requirements based on various needs, with varying levels of memory security for different applications. So, it's more of a guideline approach than a template. The framework should also define criteria and metrics for an objective security compliance assessment, similar to how we assess energy efficiency. This technology-neutral framework should be practical and actionable, with best practices for existing technologies and guidance on leveraging specific solutions to meet the new standards. Google isn't simply theorizing a novel approach to build a more secure software industry. The company has partnered with industry players and academic institutions to develop these standards. "The journey towards memory safety requires a collective commitment to standardization," Google said. "We need to build a future where memory safety is not an afterthought but a foundational principle, a future where the next generation inherits a digital world that is secure by design." What just happened? TSMC and President Trump have announced that the semiconductor giant will invest an extra $100 billion in the United States' chip manufacturing industry, adding to a previous $65 billion commitment. The money will go toward building new chip facilities and an R&D center, creating 40,000 construction jobs and tens of thousands of "high-paying, high-tech jobs" over the coming years. TSMC says the $165 billion investment across four years represents the largest foreign direct investment in US history. The company's expansion plans include three new chip fabrication plants and two advanced packaging facilities in in Arizona, along with a major research and development centre. The company had previously announced three of these facilities. Trump called the investment a "tremendous move by the most powerful company in the world." "We must be able to build the chips and semiconductors that we need right here," Trump said. "It's a matter of national security for us." TSMC's $6.6 billion grant awarded under the US Chips Act was finalized last November. The company started producing 4nm chips at its current Arizona plant in January, something then-Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo hailed as "a big deal never been done before, never in our history. And lots of people said it couldn't happen." TSMC previously said it would open its second Arizona plant sometime in 2026, but that date was pushed back to 2027 or 2028 last year. The recently announced third fab will make chips on 2nm or even more advanced process technology by the end of the decade, according to the firm the Taiwanese government recently gave TSMC permission to make its 2nm chips abroad. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Trump's tariffs have made the US a more attractive proposition when overseas firms are looking for locations to build manufacturing facilities. "They want to be in the greatest market in the world, and they want to avoid the tariffs. If they are not here, they have to suffer," Lutnick said. TSMC's first Arizona fab hasn't been smooth sailing. From finding skilled workers and dealing with local regulations to the cultural differences between US and Taiwanese management styles, the plant has faced plenty of challenges from the outset. It was recently reported that building semiconductor plants in the US takes twice as long and costs twice as much as in Taiwan. Apple announced last week that it would make a $500 billion investment in US manufacturing over the next four years. As part of the package of investments, it will build a new advanced manufacturing facility in Houston that will produce servers, previously manufactured outside of the US, that support Apple Intelligence. The 250,000-square-foot factory is slated to open in 2026 and create thousands of jobs. Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC) has introduced massive developments in the world of mobile technology, and now T-Mobile's parent company, Deutsche Telekom, is joining the smartphone-making business that revolves around artificial intelligence. The tech company has revealed its partnership with Perplexity AI to build a new AI phone, which will also use the Perplexity Assistant for its service. The plans are already underway for both companies while Deutsche Telekom's subsidiary, T-Mobile, is also making its push to further develop its Magenta AI. Deutsche Telekom is Making an AI Phone with a Perplexity Assistant The LATEST development for T-Mobile's Deutsche Telekom is here, and it focuses on offering its very own consumer technology device that leverages AI. According to the latest announcement from Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile, they are now working on their take on an AI phone, but the company still has no name for this new device. Deutsche Telekom is following up on showcase at MWC 2024 that featured the same AI Phone concept. What is different now is its partnership with Perplexity AI, which leverages its Perplexity Assistance to bolster this new device's capabilities. Through the combined forces of Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile, and Perplexity, the new smartphone will reportedly offer better text and call communications experiences, online shopping, online media, and more. Moreover, Deutsche Telekom revealed that Perplexity AI will be an app-free experience, serving as a co-pilot for the device's many processes. T-Mobile's Magenta AI to Run Deutsche Telekom's AI Phone This AI phone will run under the Magenta AI system, the technology that is available on the smartphones from T-Mobile. This means that users will be able to easily access the technology on the lock screen or by double-tapping the power button. Users may also access the likes of Google's Cloud AI, Picsart, ElevenLabs, and more from the device. Deutsche Telekom claimed that the AI phone will be available later this year, but no specific dates have been confirmed. The Era of AI Smartphones Is Here AI smartphones seem to be the new trend when it comes to mobile phones in this day and age. Samsung was notably among the firsts to introduce the era of AI smartphones with their Galaxy S24 series release, with the company launching Galaxy AI alongside it to power its features. Others quickly followed suit, with various international companies also integrating AI heavily into their operating systems and user interfaces to offer users an assisted and more powerful approach. Apple, for example, also introduced its AI-focused smartphones when it unveiled the iPhone 16 series, in which Apple Intelligence takes center stage. Other manufacturers and companies are slowly making the switch, with Carl Pei's Nothing, Google Pixel, and more working on deeper AI integrations. Tencent's Yuanbao AI chatbot has surpassed DeepSeek to lead as the top downloaded iPhone app in China this week. With the Chinese AI market seeing unprecedented levels of expansion, three of the top five most downloaded free applications are AI chatbots. Tencent's Yuanbao, ByteDance's Doubao, and DeepSeek are at the forefront. Yuanbao AI Gains Popularity Amid Fierce Competition According to Bloomberg, Tencent's new AI chatbot incorporates its own Hunyuan artificial intelligence technology with DeepSeek's R1 model of reasoning. DeepSeek's dramatic ascension has already sent shockwaves throughout China's technology world, prompting firms to speed up AI investments and product launches. However, it has experienced some challenges. It can be recalled that DeepSeek was banned in Australia in early February. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., in turn, has begun to benchmark its own AI with DeepSeek and pledged a whopping $53 billion to AI research. Tencent, not to lose its competitive advantage, has integrated DeepSeek R1 into several products, such as WeChat's search function and a virtual friend for its popular game Peacekeeper Elite. Tencent's Strategic AI Steps to Conquer the Market Shenzhen-based Tencent is the world's largest distributor of games and a major player in China's digital economy. Its WeChat platform has more than 1.4 billion users, giving the company a huge market to push its AI breakthroughs. Using its enormous ecosystem, Tencent recently rolled out Hunyuan Turbo, a quicker and more efficient AI system that is capable of beating DeepSeek in response times. Earlier this year, the US blacklisted Tencent over its potential links to the Chinese military. The Pentagon saw that this possibility was a threat to national security. AI Monetization Issues and Open-Source Trends As much as the popularity of AI chatbots continues to rise, monetization has proven to be a long-term challenge. Presently, AI services are predominantly free and mostly offered in open-source modes, as DeepSeek's AI models are being made available. Tencent, Alibaba, and Baidu are among companies competing to acquire users ahead of focusing on viable revenue models. For the time being, the war is focused on user acquisition. Tencent's dominance of its competitors in downloads is testimony to its strength in AI adoption. Nonetheless, Alibaba and Baidu are still strong competitors, each aggressively moving in the AI market. Making Money With AI Chatbots Tencent knows that it's headed in the right direction in terms of AI development. However, the bigger question is how they will monetize the AI chatbots. While some look at subscription-based services, others can embed AI in current offerings to boost user engagement and ad income. Tencent's Yuanbao AI is no wonder the newest platform that AI enthusiasts will watch. China is indeed in a fast-paced battle with the US in the AI revolution and it will be a matter of time before the sleeping giant catches up with the latter. While chatbots can give us all the convenience we need- from scientific questions to mathematical equations, it's still not a reliable source of information. As a matter of fact, some of them are still "hallucinating" with misinformation. This is alarming since it can mix up real news with made-up data. The new Steam Hardware Survey figures are in, and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 has officially taken its place as the most widely used graphics card by Steam users. This is an extension of Nvidia's historic stronghold on the PC gaming industry, building on the success of the RTX 3060 and the iconic GTX 1060. Nvidia's 60-Series GPUs Reign Supreme Nvidia's 60-series graphics cards have been the PC gamer's first choice for years. Its specs are just top-notch over the other existing video game graphics cards. The GTX 1060 reigned supreme for a long time, with the RTX 3060 finally taking its place in October 2023, according to PCGamesN. The RTX 4060 has now usurped its predecessor, proving Nvidia's dominance of the mid-range GPU segment. Based on the latest survey, RTX 4060 experienced a sharp 3.97% jump in usage during the previous month, and it now claims 8.57% of all GPUs employed by surveyed Steam users. RTX 3060 is in the second spot with a share of 6.87%. These figures illustrate how rapidly gamers are embracing Nvidia's newest products. Steam Hardware Survey: A Reliable Indicator of GPU Popularity Although the Steam Hardware Survey is not a conclusive industry-wide ranking, it is still a compelling predictor of GPU trends. With a user base exceeding 40 million active Steam users, the survey gives a significant insight into the gaming preferences of PC gamers across the globe. More importantly, this monthly survey by Valve monitors different hardware parts, such as the most sought-after gaming GPUs, CPUs, operating systems, and even VR headset usage. These statistics enable manufacturers and enthusiasts to measure the condition of PC gaming hardware. Booming Demand for Nvidia's RTX 4000 Series Aside from the RTX 4060 taking the top spot, some other RTX 4000 series GPUs experienced significant increases: The RTX 4070 rose by 2.54%, now holding fourth position with a 5.43% market share. There's also a 1.6% jump for the RTX 4070 Super. However, the RTX 4060 (laptop version) tells a different story after dropping by 0.91%. These observations indicate that gamers are gradually making their way to Nvidia's new generation of graphics cards driven by improved performance, power efficiency, and the increasing use of ray tracing in contemporary games. AMD and Intel Struggle to Gain Ground The most recent survey findings picture a tough road for Nvidia competitors. AMD particularly experienced little improvement, with merely one of its GPUsthe Radeon RX 6750 GREregistering a slight 0.1% boost in adoption. No stand-alone Intel Arc GPUs made it onto the list whatsoever, underscoring all the more the dominance of Nvidia in the marketplace. Further, AMD experienced a dip in CPU usage, falling by 5.12%, while Intel CPUs increased by 5.14%. This suggests that even with AMD's competitive Ryzen processors, Intel is still the favorite among PC gamers. No RTX 5000 Series GPUs in the Rankings Yet Despite all the hype about the impending RTX 5090 and the just-released RTX 5070 Ti, none of Nvidia's new 50-series GPUs have appeared on the Steam Hardware Survey. This is probably because they are not readily available, highly sought after, and priced at a premium. But as inventories settle, we can expect these GPUs to make an appearance in the rankings within the next few months. Conversely, AMD's recent release of the RX 9070 XT may disrupt the status quo, providing a competitive option to Nvidia's top-of-the-line GPUs. Whether it will be able to challenge Nvidia's supremacy is yet to be determined. The swift uptake of Nvidia's newest GPUs speaks volumes about the company's capacity to provide performance and value that appeals to gamers. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 4. In January 2025, Turkmenistans Lebap cement plant produced 111.6 thousand tons of cement, marking a 71.6 percent increase compared to January 2024, Trend reports. This growth has been achieved through efficient work organization and the implementation of modern technologies. The increase in production will ensure a steady supply of cement for construction The use of local raw materials in production positively impacts the low cost of the plant's products, which is also beneficial for foreign companies. For example, about 107.5 thousand tons of cement were exported to neighboring Uzbekistan in 2023. The Lebap Cement Plant, one of the largest manufacturing facilities in Turkmenistan, has been equipped with advanced technologies to meet the needs of the construction industry and regions with cement restructuring. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 4. The Vice Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Bauyrzhan Kudaibergenov, and the delegation of the Republic of Croatia, led by Croatian Parliament member Zvonimir Troskot held a high-level meeting and discussed the development of trade and economic cooperation, Trend reports. The bilateral talks also involved Vera Kim, a member of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Croatia to Kazakhstan, Refik Sabanovic, as well as members of the Croatian Parliament. In the course of the meeting, the parties expressed satisfaction with the current level of Kazakhstan-Croatia relations, emphasizing mutual interest in further developing trade and economic cooperation. Special attention was given to increasing the volume of bilateral trade and implementing investment projects. Vice Minister Bauyrzhan Kudaybergenov noted the significant potential for a multiple increase in trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Croatia over the next five years. He provided detailed information on the priorities of the Government of Kazakhstan in diversifying the economy, highlighting the update of the Investment Policy Concept until 2029. The new approach under this concept focuses on attracting investments based on the specific needs of various sectors. Head of the Croatian delegation Zvonimir Troskot confirmed the countrys interest in expanding cooperation with Kazakhstan in such strategically important areas as the oil and gas industry, energy, agriculture, and transportation, as well as deepening trade and investment ties. The parties agreed to further strengthen cooperation and expressed their readiness to maintain regular contacts to expand mutually beneficial partnerships. The Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan functions as the working body of the Kazakhstani side of the Kazakhstan-Croatia Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation. The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Croatia in 2024 reached $282 million, of which $254 million - exports from Kazakhstan to Croatia and $28 million - imports from Croatia to Kazakhstan. Indonesia plans $40 bn energy projects in 2025: minister Jakarta, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Indonesia plans more than 20 energy projects worth around $40 billion this year, its energy minister said Tuesday, as it tries to increase domestic refining capacity. The projects include a bid to use coal to create an alternative to a popular imported cooking fuel. Coal-dependent Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, is one of the world's top emitters but President Prabowo Subianto last year committed to phasing out coal power generation over 15 years and reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century. "We have presented approximately 21 projects... with a total of around $40 billion investment," energy minister Bahlil Lahadalia said in a statement published by the presidential palace Tuesday after he met Prabowo. The projects are part of a bigger effort to grow Indonesia's economy and create jobs by improving domestic capacity to refine commodities ranging from oil to nickel. Among the plans is a project to use coal to produce dimethyl ether (DME) as a substitute for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). "We will do this so that the product can really be marketed domestically as an import substitute," Bahlil said. Most of the LPG sold domestically in Indonesia in 2023 was imported. An oil refinery with a capacity of around 500,000 barrels and an oil storage facility will also be built, he said. The projects will be funded in part by the archipelago's new sovereign wealth fund Danantara, which launched last month to oversee more than $900 billion in assets, he said. "What is clear is that the purpose of investment is to create quality jobs, create added value and increase state revenue and our national economic growth," Bahlil said. Recently inaugurated Prabowo has pledged to take Indonesia's annual growth from five to eight percent, while ordering billions of dollars worth of cuts across government. The government said Danantara would have an initial budget of $20 billion and Prabowo said last month it would be used on "20 or more high-impact national projects" this year. Prabowo's cuts, made to fund Danantara and other projects like an ambitious multi-billion-dollar free lunch programme, stoked student-led protests in multiple Indonesian cities last month. Climate 'laggard' Ireland risks 26 bn euros EU fine: report Dublin, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Ireland risks paying a 26 billion euros ($27.4 bn) fine to other EU members if it fails to meet agreed 2030 climate targets, according to an Irish report published Tuesday. Ireland is currently on course to miss its commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions widely blamed for climate change, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and the Climate Change Advisory Council warned in their joint report. If climate action is not ramped up Ireland could face a bill of between 8 and 26 billion euros, the two advisory councils to the Irish government added. "Without action to reduce emissions now, Ireland will face avoidable costs," the report said. The wide range between 8 billion and 26 billion euros illustrates the high degree of uncertainty involved including around costs if the EU as a whole misses its targets, it added. Marie Donnelly, chairwoman of the Climate Change Advisory Council, described Ireland as a "standout laggard". Ireland is underperforming on targets for increasing its share of renewable energy use and improving energy efficiency - all part of the EU's effort to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Irish taoiseach (prime minister) Micheal Martin said Tuesday that Ireland has "accelerated plans" to address climate change challenges, and promised even more expenditure on the country's energy grid. He also pointed to "successful" on-shore renewables, adding the "next big push would be offshore". His deputy Simon Harris said there needs to be "a turbo charging" of existing measures not yet enacted. Irish emissions targets for transport, buildings, small industry, waste and agriculture will overshoot by around 57 percent on current trajectories, said Tuesday's report. While renewable energy generation is on course for a shortfall of 12 percent. Under EU legislation adopted in 2018 if a state emits more than allowed it must buy the difference from other nations which are doing better on their own targets. While many EU countries are missing their 2030 targets, Ireland lies at the bottom of the table in per capita terms according to the EU statistics body Eurostat. Although the worst-case projection in Tuesday's report would mean a payout to EU partners of potentially 26 billion euros, the bill could more than halve if the government enacts measures already set out in its existing climate action plan. "The government would need to be even more ambitious to reduce the costs further," said the report. Tanzania receives 18 white rhinos from South Africa Dar es Salaam, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Tanzania received 18 white rhinos from South Africa on Tuesday as it seeks to boost conservation and tourism, local authorities said. The move is part of a project that will see the East African nation receive a total of 36 white rhinos, which have been absent in the country for decades. Remains of the endangered species have been found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in northern Tanzania, said Emmanuel Kaaya, rhino specialist with the local authority. But "they vanished due to poaching in the 1970s," he added. Tanzania's overall population of related black rhinos has fallen from an estimated 10,000 in the 1970s to just 212 in 2021, according to the latest report by the International Rhino Foundation (IRF). South Africa accounts for the majority of the world's remaining white rhinos, with an estimated 13,991 in 2023, the report said. The origins of the name are uncertain since both species are grey, though "white" rhinos tend to be larger, with a different mouth and longer front horn. A poaching crisis in South Africa has led to the loss of more than 10,000 rhinos since 2007, the IRF said. "Rampant poaching has put them at great risk. That is why we have started relocating them to countries like Botswana, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and now Tanzania," Inkosi Gumede Zwelinzima, a South African community leader, said at the handover ceremony, according to a statement from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority. "Despite these challenges, we have successfully increased the white rhino population through careful conservation," he added. Local authorities said the new arrivals will initially be kept in an enclosure while they adapt to the local climate and food, before being released into the conservation area's famed Ngorongoro crater. The Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute says conditions are ripe for the rhinos to "thrive", and that they could eventually be introduced to other reserves such as Mikumi and Burigi-Chato. Ocean surges in Ghana displace 1,000 Agavedzi, Ghana, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 Heavy waves have since Saturday flooded Ghana's coastal Volta Region, displacing some 1,000 people and destroying homes and schools, prompting local authorities to declare a state of emergency. The community of Agavedzi, near the border with Togo, was the heaviest hit by the "tidal waves", as the ocean swells are locally referred to, with 51 houses and more than 300 people uprooted. "We are aware of your situation and are determined to take proactive measures," Volta Regional Minister James Gunu said, who declared the state of emergency as he visited the area over the weekend. Though coastal flooding from ocean surges is a recurring problem in this stretch of Ghana, residents say authorities have been slow to come up with a lasting solution. A sea wall started several years ago remains only partially built. Fishermen have urged a comprehensive approach, including dredging to help control the ocean's encroachment. While coastline erosion is natural, experts have warned that climate change is exacerbating the problem in Ghana, where a quarter of the population lives along its 550-kilometre (350-mile) coast. The areas affected by the weekend's tidal surge also include Some, Salakope and Amutinu. Local Agavedzi assembly member Eben Assah said that the disaster had severely disrupted economic activities, education and healthcare in the affected areas. "This is not the first time we have experienced such destruction from tidal waves. The damage is worsened by the uncompleted sea defence wall. We are appealing to the government to prioritise its completion," said Sylvester Kumawu, another local assembly member. He further warned that if left unaddressed, the advancing sea could overrun the key Keta-Aflao road, cutting off vital transportation routes. Noble Wadjah, coordinator of the Coastal Civil Society Organisations Forum, warned that without action, "sections of our population (will) disappear due to environmental neglect". "If this continues, entire towns will be wiped off the map, with disastrous social and economic consequences," he said. Health workers from the Ghana Health Service are expected to arrive in the area to provide medical screenings for affected residents. A clinical psychologist will also be available to support those experiencing trauma from the disaster. str/nro/kjm Morocco adds prison time for activist jailed over earthquake response criticism Rabat, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04, 2025 A Moroccan appeals court on Tuesday handed activist Said Ait Mahdi a one-year prison term, up from the initial three-month term he had been sentenced to for defamation, his lawyer said. Ait Mahdi, who leads a group for victims of a major 2023 earthquake, has been in detention since December 23 after criticising the kingdom's response to the disaster. In January, a Marrakesh court had sentenced him to three months in jail for "defamation, insult and the publication of false allegations aimed at infringing on privacy". On Tuesday, the Marrakesh appeals court "increased the sentence... to one year" behind bars, lawyer Mohamed El Ghalloussi told AFP, calling it a "very harsh and shocking" ruling. Three other defendants in the case who had been initially acquitted were given four months in jail each for "insulting public officials", the lawyer said. According to Ghalloussi, the case was based on "complaints from local officials following social media posts they considered offensive". El Haouz province, to the south of Marrakesh, was one of the areas hit hardest by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the region in September 2023, killing close to 3,000 people and wounding 5,600. It also destroyed around 60,000 homes in the High Atlas mountains, forcing many families to live in tents through the winter. Ait Mahdi's group has campaigned for faster reconstruction and more aid to those affected. The Moroccan authorities said in December they had issued 57,000 reconstruction permits and that more than 35,000 homes had been or were in the process of being rebuilt. The authorities have put in place an $11 billion, five-year reconstruction and development plan for the six provinces hit by the disaster. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Uzbekistan will also apply the experience of Azerbaijan's successfully implemented agricultural insurance mechanism, a source in the Azerbaijani Agricultural Insurance Fund told Trend. According to the source, this topic was a key focus during the visit of representatives of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Agriculture and the leadership of the Agricultural Insurance Fund to Uzbekistan. In the course of the visit, the delegation, consisting of Fuad Sadygov, Chairman of the Board of the Agricultural Insurance Fund, and Zaur Aliyev, Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, held meetings at the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, and the National Agency for Perspective Projects of Uzbekistan. A meeting with the Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan Akhadbek Haydarov, the head of the department Botir Umonaliyev, and the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Agricultures department Ilkhom Jurayev discussed applying the agricultural insurance system experience of Azerbaijan in Uzbekistan, based on the memorandum signed between the two countries. The cooperation in the field of agricultural insurance between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan and the implementation of Azerbaijan's experience were discussed in a meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the National Agency for Perspective Projects of Uzbekistan Vyacheslav Yuryevich. The creation of a state-supported agricultural insurance mechanism in Azerbaijan was initiated by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, dated August 19, 2019. This decree enacted the Agricultural Insurance Law and established the Agricultural Insurance Fund. The agricultural insurance mechanism in Azerbaijan was created based on the experience and support of Turkiyes Agricultural Insurance System (TARSIM). Through the agricultural insurance system, crop farming, livestock farming, and fisheries can be insured against numerous risks, including natural disasters. According to the rules, 50 percent of the insurance premium is paid by the state as support to farmers. Since its inception, the scope and activities of the Agricultural Insurance Fund have been expanding year by year. Currently, approximately 25 percent of the country's total agricultural land, or 447,000 hectares, is insured through the Agricultural Insurance Fund. Payments to farmers and agricultural enterprises have been rapidly increasing, reaching 6.4 million manat ($3.7 million) by the end of 2024, and these figures continue to grow daily. Azerbaijan's successful agricultural insurance experience has attracted the attention of neighboring countries, and discussions are currently ongoing about implementing this experience in other countries, including Uzbekistan. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A New Hampshire man who was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of his 5-year-old daughter Harmony Montgomery has filed an appeal in New Hampshire Supreme Court. The 101-page document filed on Tuesday comes nearly a year after Adam Montgomery, 34, was sentenced to 45 years to life in state prison for his role in Harmonys death. Investigators believe Harmony was killed in December 2019, nearly two years before she was reported missing in 2021. Her body has never been found. Montgomery was also sentenced to a minimum total of 11 more years for charges of falsifying evidence, tampering with a witness and second-degree assault. His attorneys argued that he should have had a separate trial for his assault charges and that his estranged wife and stepmother of his daughter, Kayla Montgomery, should not have been allowed to testify after serving prison time for lying to the grand jury, Boston 25 reported. open image in gallery Adam Montgomery at his sentencing hearing at Hillsborough Superior Court on May 9, 2024, in Manchester N.H. He was found guilty of second-degree murder earlier in the year in the death of his 5-year-old daughter, Harmony ( AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool ) At Montgomerys trial last year, Kayla Montgomery revealed gruesome details in her testimony, telling the court that she saw her husband violently beat Harmony for soiling herself in the back of the car where they had been living on December 7, 2019. The incident happened shortly before they noticed her lifeless body. The stepmother told the court that Montgomery stuffed Harmonys body in a duffel bag and then spent several weeks moving it around, hiding it in different locations, including a restaurant freezer, in the ceiling of a shelter, and in an apartment refrigerator. But in the appeal filed this week, attorneys claim there were credibility issues with Kayla Montgomery's testimony because her story had changed several times during the investigation and that she had a "a history of dishonestly and misplaced trust." The attorneys argue that her testimony shouldnt have been admitted. open image in gallery Harmonys body has never been found ( Nicole Sorey/Facebook ) The appeal also noted concerns with combining the murder case with the assault case. The defense had previously requested the two cases to be severed, but that request was denied. Attorneys said the bad acts evidence that Montgomery assaulted and neglected Harmony in the two weeks leading up to her death should not have been admitted to the court, as well as evidence that he prevented Harmonys mother, Crystal Sorey, from seeing her daughter to cover up that abuse. While the evidence may have been part of Soreys story, that circumstance does not make the evidence admissible. The disputed evidence was not necessary or essential for the jury to realistically evaluate the evidence about what happened to H.M. on and after December 7, 2019, the appeal reads. Montgomery has denied killing Harmony. He has, however, admitted to disposing of her body, but refuses to say where. The search for Harmony continues. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Casey Anthony, the Florida mother who was famously acquitted of killing her child in 2011, has launched a TikTok account and Substack to promote her new career as a legal advocate. In the three-minute long video posted on March 1, Anthony encouraged viewers to subscribe to the social media platform and online newsletter, which she said she would use to advocate for women, the LGBTQ community and her deceased daughter, Caylee. This is my first of probably many recordings on a series that Im starting, Anthony said in the video recorded from her car. I am a legal advocate. I am a researcher. Ive been in the legal field since 2011 and in this capacity, I feel that its necessary, if Im going to continue to operate appropriately as a legal advocate, that I start to advocate for myself and also advocate for my daughter. open image in gallery Anthony said her TikTok video was the first of probably many recordings on a series that Im starting ( Casey Anthony/TikTok ) For those of you who dont know, my name is Casey Anthony, she says in the video. My daughter is Caylee Anthony. My parents are George and Cindy Anthony. This is not about them. This is not in response to anything that they have said or done The whole point of this is for me to begin to reintroduce myself. Anthony made headlines over 20 years ago when her two-year-old daughter went missing in the summer of 2008, yet she did not report the disappearance for a month. The childs body was found in December of that same year in a wooded area behind the Orlando home of Anthonys parents, George and Cindy Anthony. In 2011, Anthony stood trial for Caylees murder, but was controversially acquitted. Her defense team argued that the child died of accidental drowning, and Anthony has blamed her parents for the death. Anthony tells viewers on the video that she would be posting regularly on legal issues, including privacy rights, saying some people close to her have been targeted and attacked, and that she would be a proponent for the LGBTQ community [and] womens rights. So as a proponent for the LGBTQ community, for legal community, womens rights, I feel that its important that I use this platform that was thrust upon me and now look at as a blessing, as opposed to the curse that it has been since 2008, she said. open image in gallery Caylee Anthonys remains were found in 2008 ( Caylee Anthony ) By Monday afternoon, the account had more than 46,000 followers and the video has more than 2.2 million views. Subscriptions to her Substack channel cost $10 a month or $100 annually. She also offers free subscriptions with limited content, according to the website. My goal is to continue to help give a voice to people, to give people tools and resources that they can utilize. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A San Francisco woman, accused of pulling a horses tail, leading to a five-year-old boy being left bruised and injured after being bucked from the animal, was arrested last weekend. Tomasa Panjojleon, 29, was held on suspicion of felony child endangerment, the Daly City Police Department announced Monday. The suspect was booked into San Mateo County Main Jail in Redwood City after being detained Saturday. Police said officers responded to Thornton Beach Recreation Area in Daly City, in the Bay Area, on February 23 after a young rider fell from a horse during a lesson after an unknown woman who was later identified as Panjojleon allegedly tugged its tail. The unexpected action startled the horse, resulting in the juvenile being thrown off, police said in a statement Sunday. The juvenile sustained injuries as a result of the fall. Police said the suspect fled the area before officers arrived at the scene. An investigation is underway. Officials did not reveal the extent of the childs injuries. However, the victims cousin, Alexandra Fuerte, told The Independent that the boy was being taken to a podiatrist by his aunt on Tuesday after sustaining an injury to his right ankle. Fuerte said the suspects actions were cruel enough for the horse, let alone while being ridden by a child. It is just horrible, she added. In a social media post on Sunday, she said the boy had been advised by doctors to stay off his feet for at least a week. The day after the incident, Fuerte wrote that the victims helmet possibly spared him from a concussion. Alexandra Fuerte, the victims cousin, shared the harrowing clip of the fall last week ( @alexfuerte.21/Instagram ) A video seeming to show the incident was posted to Instagram by Fuerte on February 24. She said it took place at Ocean View Stables, with staff swiftly acting to calm down the horse to ensure it didnt trample the victim. In the clip, the suspect is seen running up behind the horse while being ridden by a young boy and appears to yank its tail, causing the animal to stand on its hind legs. The camera pans away and cuts to the floor moments later. Fuerte said the other young rider seen in the video was the victims five-year-old cousin who did not sustain any injuries. The victims mother, Mary Fuerte, also posted the video on Facebook last week and said that the fall left her son limping, adding that he's scared, his back and nose hurts. She claimed that the horse could have killed my son. Ocean View Stables barn manager Caroline Read told KRON 4 that the horse, Zeuss, also sustained injuries. She added that the incident took place during a 10-to-15-minute pasture pony ride to get the children used to their horse. Read also told KTVU that the child got back on the horse and claimed the family denied all medical intervention. The Independent has contacted the San Mateo County District Attorneys Office and Ocean View Stables for more information. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A federal investigation into the death of John O'Keefe in the Karen Read case has officially been closed, and no charges will be filed against police, a special prosecutor confirmed in Norfolk Superior Court on Tuesday. Read, 44, is accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend O'Keefe by hitting him with her SUV outside a Canton home on January 29, 2022, and leaving him to die in a snowstorm. Her attorneys argued she was framed to protect other law enforcement officers they say were involved in OKeefes death. But on Tuesday, special prosecutor Hank Brennan told the court the federal probe has come to an end. There is no longer any federal investigation into the investigation of John OKeefes death or any related matters, he said, noting that he had permission from the US Attorney's office to reveal the news. It is closed. It is over. open image in gallery Karen Read, 44, will stand trial for a second time on April 1 after her first trial ended in a mistrial ( AP ) Canton Police Chief Helena Rafferty then released its own statement about the probe. I recently spoke to and was informed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, that ALL ASPECTS of the federal investigation, initiated by her predecessor and related to the death of John O'Keefe, have been completed, Rafferty said in a statement, according to CBS News. The investigation is no longer active and will be closed. Due to ethical limitations, I cannot comment further. Brennan had been arguing for a gag order for the defense on Tuesday when he announced that the federal probe into O'Keefe's death had ended. The prosecutor asked Judge Beverly Cannone to impose sanctions on the defense and to put any future defense motions under seal until it is determined that there is no protected material, and to put an end to the defenses media strategy of open interviews, CBS reported. There should be a gag order on all of these attorneys, every single one of them, and the commonwealth will not speak either, Brennan said. open image in gallery Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor shows the jury a broken tail light while testifying in Reads trial in June 2024 ( The Boston Globe ) Reads case returned to court this week for the first in a series of key hearings leading up to her second trial which is expected to begin on April 1. A judge declared a mistrial in June after finding jurors couldnt reach an agreement, without polling the jurors to confirm their conclusions. Reads attorney Martin Weinberg argued that five jurors later said they were deadlocked only on the manslaughter count, and had unanimously agreed in the jury room that she wasnt guilty on the charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene. But they hadnt told the judge. The ruling from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court then cleared the way for a new trial on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene of a crime. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Luigi Mangione, accused in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has received his largest-ever donation just weeks ahead of his next federal court hearing. Mangione, 26, pleaded not guilty on December 23 to an 11-count indictment charging him with murder as an act of terrorism, weapons, and stalking offenses in connection with the death of Thompson who was gunned down in midtown Manhattan on December 4. The suspect will next appear in federal court on March 19 and in New York state court on June 26. If found guilty, Mangione could face the death penalty. Last month, an anonymous donor deposited $30,000 into the Ivy League graduates legal defense fund, alleging that Mangiones motives were suspect and that due process [was] lacking. The donor added that they were highly doubtful about the evidence presented and were therefore dubious of the need to pursue capital punishment. The full statement on the GiveSendGo donation page read as follows: I never needed to worry about affording med care. But I am here bc, even among the affluent, it is clear that from the motion to dismiss Adams charges to perp walk, the case is likely politicized. Makes me highly doubtful of any claimed evidence and pursuit of capital punishment. CP, esp, would personally & strongly tilt me in favor of defense; the motives are suspect & due process lacking. open image in gallery Mangiones popularity since the brutal attack has not faltered and fans have anonymously bestowed payments of $6,300, $5,700, $5,000 and $2,000 in his legal fund ( AP ) This is not the first major donation that Mangione has received. On February 17, $11,000 was donated to the legal fund with that contributor also citing concerns of inadequate due process in the U.S. legal system. As the catalogue of donations reveals, Mangione has previously received a spate of anonymous payments of $6,300, $5,700, $5,000, $2,000 among others. Only a few donors have chosen to state their names on the cause. The total defense fund now stands at $641,491. The creators of the legal fund, The December 4 Legal Committee, previously declared they intended to accept the cash. Luigi is aware of the fund and very much appreciates the outpouring of support. My client plans on utilizing it to fight all three of the unprecedented cases against him, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, his attorney, said in a February 4 statement. In the last two weeks, Mangione appeared at a pretrial hearing in New York Criminal Court, where dozens of fans were seen lining the streets holding up Mangione paraphernalia while they desperately sought to catch a glimpse of him. A week later, the 26-year-old and his legal team desperately urged supporters to stop flooding him with fan mail. I am overwhelmed by and grateful for everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support. Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions, as mail has flooded MDC from across the country, and around the globe, Mangiones statement said. While it is impossible for me to reply to most letters, please know that I read every one that I receive. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to write. I look forward to hearing more in the future. The shooting on December 4 became a global news story after Mangione was able to evade police capture for almost a week prompting a frantic national manhunt. open image in gallery Mangione is next due to face federal court on March 19 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Mangione was eventually caught after he was spotted inside a McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania. An employee at the fast-food chain recognised him from photos that were circulating online and tipped off authorities. Bizarrely, the alleged killer has attracted swathes of female support after he became glamorised over his appearance as well as being praised for vigilantism in the brutal attack of Thompson. Crucial to the explosion of his popularity was an image that captured Mangione smiling in a flirtatious moment with a female employee inside a hostel where he was believed to be staying. That smile was said to be the most significant clue to date in the entire case, according to former NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller to CBS News at the time. Mangione continues to be held at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Independent contacted Mangiones attorney for comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Texas rapper and his five-year-old daughter were shot dead in what authorities have described as a brazen targeted shooting in Dallas car wash on Monday morning. Two gunmen are believed to have fired a round of bullets at the child, RMani, and her father, Ronnie Smith, 30, who is also known by his stage name, G$ Lil Ronnie, as they sat in a parked car at Slappys car wash, said the Forest Hill Police Department. The gunmen approached the father and daughter in a white four-door Kia, exiting their vehicle just before opening fire. A video of the attack has spread on social media, it shows Smith attempting to draw the gunmens fire away from the car, running before being hit by the gunfire and falling to the ground. A witness at the scene who called 911 told CBS Dallas-Fort Worth that they heard 20 to 30 gunshots. Both Smith and his young daughter were pronounced dead at the scene. RMani just celebrated her fifth birthday a day previously. open image in gallery The father and daughter were found dead at this car wash when authorities arrived ( CBS ) He was a rapper. He didnt bother nobody. He didnt target nobody. He was a family man, and he was going around rapping, okay. Why would you target him?, Smiths aunt Stella Houston told Fox Dallas-Fort Worth. Cleaning the car out, and somebody came through shooting and killed him and the baby. And a baby. His baby. A baby!, Houston added. The rapper has three albums listed on Spotify and attracted over 40K listeners a month. Arguably his most well-known track is 2018s Hoodframe Killuminati in which he collaborated with Go Yayo. Smiths daughter just celebrated her fifth birthday a day before the shooting, according to her family. The two gunmen are described as Black males who wearing blue jeans and grey sweaters. One of the suspects has already been identified and a warrant has been issued for a capital murder arrest, his identity has not been released. Slappys car wash announced shortly after the incident that it would be closed for at least two days to assist with the investigation. "We are shocked, appalled and deeply troubled by the senseless and violent events that occurred today," the car wash said in a statement, seen by CBS. The double homicide is reportedly the fourth and fifth murders to have occurred in Forest Hill, Texas, this year alone. The Independent contacted Forest Hill PD and Texas Rangers, who are said to be leading the investigation, for information. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Chinese scientists have unveiled a new prototype superconducting quantum computer which they claim would lay the groundwork for a whole new era of processors. Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) say the quantum computer operates at a speed that is a quadrillion (1015) times faster than the fastest supercomputer currently available. The quantum processor, described in a new study in the journal Physical Review Letters, was also found to be a million times faster than Googles latest experiment. Scientists across the world have been attempting to build quantum computers capable of performing tasks infeasible for classical computers. Oxford scientists achieve teleportation with quantum supercomputer One of the tasks that has become something like a golden standard for testing and comparing quantum computers is whats called the random circuit sampling (RCS) problem. This process [RCS] has become a focal point of intensive research due to its capacity to underscore the computational superiority of quantum systems, scientists explained. Two powerhouses that have been competing strongly with each other to build the worlds best quantum computers have been Googles Sycamore and Chinas Zuchongzhi research teams. For instance, Googles groundbreaking Sycamore processor created a benchmark in 2019 by completing a random circuit sampling task in 200 seconds a task that would have taken about 10,000 years to simulate on the world's fastest supercomputer at the time. Now, USTCs new quantum computer Zuchongzhi-3 has been found to outperform the latest results published by Google in October 2024 by 6 orders of magnitude. Chinese scientists say Zuchongzhi-3 has a computation speed surpassing that of the world's most powerful supercomputer by 15 orders of magnitude, firmly establishing a new benchmark in quantum computational advantage. Schematic diagram of Zuchongzhi-3 chip ( USTC ) This task is estimated to be infeasible on the most powerful classical supercomputer, Frontier, which would require approximately 5.9109 years to replicate the task, scientists wrote. We have successfully executed a larger scale random circuit sampling than previously achieved by Google, further widening the gap in computational capabilities between classical and quantum computing, researchers wrote in the study. Scientists say this leap in computing power came after optimising the processors fabrication and wiring configuration. The latest findings are a testament to progress in building hardware for quantum computers, they say, adding that it can lead to advanced processors for drug discovery and artificial intelligence. Our work not only advances the frontiers of quantum computing but also lays the groundwork for a new era where quantum processors play an essential role in tackling sophisticated real-world challenges, they wrote. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The grain supplies from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan through the Baku Grain Terminal have reached 1.5 million tons, Trend reports. According to the information this became known following the results of the first meeting of the working group between representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. In the course of the meeting, Vice-Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan Ermek Kenzhekhanuly and Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan Elchin Zeynalov emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the agricultural sector. The parties noted that the establishment of a working group aimed at strengthening cooperation and identifying key areas of partnership. Representatives of the two bodies discussed prospects of supplying breeding material (seed) of agricultural animals from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan, as well as issues of exchange of seeds of crops, ecological variety tests, and participation in scientific conferences. In addition, the issue of development of joint educational programs and double-diploma education between agrarian universities of the two countries was raised. Following the results of the meeting, the parties agreed to continue cooperation in the agricultural sphere, work out specific projects in detail, and implement the plans outlined. Meanwhile, the trade turnover of agricultural products between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in 2024 increased by 5.6 percent over the year and amounted to $78.6 million. Imports from Kazakhstan reached $64.2 million, which is 81.6 percent of total exports. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 4. Kazakhstan will increase the capital of Baiterek Holding by 1 trillion tenge (over $2 billion), with investments directed toward the creation of new projects, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin announced, Trend reports. Speaking at a government meeting, Zhumangarin outlined planned measures to accelerate economic growth in the current year. According to him, the government will significantly boost funding for the real sector of the economy this year and in the coming years. In particular, the capital increase for Baiterek Holding will enable the financing of projects worth 8 trillion tenge (over $16 billion) in 2025. "These investments will support the development of new projects across the country, leading to an expansion of manufacturing capacities and the creation of high-productivity jobs," Zhumangarin stated. He further emphasized that Baiterek Holdings support for businesses goes beyond increased financing, as it also involves the introduction of new financial instruments to enhance economic growth. Meanwhile, the country's Baiterek Holding plays a key role in implementing several industry development initiatives, including the Manufacturing Industry Development Concept (2023-2029), the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Development Concept (until 2030), the Housing and Communal Infrastructure Development Concept (2023-2029), and the Agro-Industrial Complex Development Concept (2021-2030). The Donald loves to call Canada the 51st state but maybe he should consider annexing a couple of council areas in Melbournes south-east. Antics at Kingston and Casey have raised eyebrows in recent weeks, with members of the public at meetings veering away from the topics of roads, rates and rubbish to grind culture war axes on DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), wokeness and vaccines. Some voters believe the Kingston Council could learn a thing or two from Donald Trumps agenda. Credit: AP At Kingston, a council meeting in early February featured such questions to council officers as why is Kingston flying LGBTQ flags yet again? and now that President Donald Trump has been elected in the United States, will Kingston take a leaf out of his anti-woke administration?. It cant be long before someone suggests bringing in Elon Musks DOGE toecutters to slash the councils workforce. The click-clack of stilettos may have once been a familiar sound in CBDs across Australia, but for a time, it seemed COVID, and the casualisation of office wear, may have signalled the death knell for the high heel. Now, the clackers, as they were famously referred to in The Devil Wears Prada, are back in lockstep with return-to-office mandates. Along with more traditional office attire, heels are returning to the corporate world, albeit in a slightly different way. Tania Dalton, a former stiletto-wearer, now exclusively wears flats. The rise of flats The 2010s saw the widespread adaption of streetwear and casual shoes in the corporate world with the explosion of sneaker culture. The pandemic took this to another level, as office workers were sent home, while other flat styles like ballet flats came into vogue. A 16-year-old boy has been charged after a western Sydney mosque was allegedly targeted with threats of a mass shooting referring to the Christchurch massacre, sparking a major police investigation. A social media user allegedly threatened to christ church 2.0 the newly opened Australian Islamic House Masjid in Edmondson Park. The mosque contacted police on Tuesday after finding the post left on its Instagram page. The Australian Islamic House Masjid in Edmonson Park received the threat on its Instagram page. Credit: The Australian Islamic House Masjid Following a referral from NSW Police to their Western Australian counterparts, a 16-year-old boy was arrested at Eaton in south-west WA on Tuesday night. He has since been charged with creating a false apprehension to the existence of threats or danger. Brisbane and northern NSW will face more damaging winds, torrential rain, huge swells and power outages. What is its predicted path? Alfred was 65 kilometres north north-east of Brisbane and 40 kilometres south south-east of Maroochydore at 6.30am AEST, but the storm system is impacting the coast from about Coolangatta, on the Queensland-NSW border, to Ballina, in northern NSW. Ex-tropical cyclone Alfred lies off Bribie Island and is moving slowly north. Gales are no longer occurring over coastal or island locations. It is expected to move towards and cross the mainland coast this morning, with winds weakening further as it moves inland. Where is it expected to flood? More than 20,000 properties in Brisbane could experience anything from mild inundation in their backyards to significant flooding in their homes. The Brisbane suburbs at most risk include Brighton, Windsor, Ashgrove, Morningside, Rocklea, Coopers Plains, Carina, Sandgate, Hemmant, Lota, Tingalpa, Indooroopilly, Albion, Bardon and Wynnum West. A flood watch is in place from the Mary River north of Brisbane, all the way down to the NSW border. The weather bureau says the heaviest rainfall and the greatest potential for severe flash flooding will be south of where Alfred makes landfall. The winds around a cyclone travel in a clockwise direction, so the heaviest winds and strongest rainfall occurs on the southern flank of the system, BOM senior meteorologist Kimba Wong says. Loading Nearly half a years worth of rain, around 400 millimetres, is expected to fall in Brisbane in just 24 hours. More than 800 millimetres of rain is possible in Brisbane from late Wednesday, putting the south-east corner at risk of severe, potentially deadly flooding. The heavy rain is likely to intensify Friday and continue into the weekend. Parts of NSWs north-east are forecast to be drenched with up to 800mm of rain from Wednesday to Saturday. Residents in parts of NSWs Northern Rivers region have been ordered to evacuate and thousands remain without power as the slow-moving tropical cyclone edges closer to land. Almost 100 warnings, including evacuation warnings, are in place across regions in north-east NSW. See the Bureau of Meteorologys warnings summary here. Forecast accumulated rain over the seven days ending on Sunday, March 9. Credit: Weatherzone.com.au Why is Alfred so low? There are a few contributing factors, Wong says. The water temperature in the southern Coral Sea is much warmer than usual about 26 to 27 degrees which is helping fuel Alfred. Also, Alfred is largely being steered by an upper trough currently sitting over eastern Australia that is driving it south. Whats changing is that the upper trough is being replaced by an upper ridge, in kind of like a wave pattern. Its that upper ridge that will change the direction of the cyclone and see it head west, towards the Queensland coast, Wong says. What has the Queensland government said? Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told residents on Monday, Nows the time to prepare, including having tinned food, making an emergency kit, gathering passports and clearing debris from properties. Loading He also urged residents to consider evacuating while it was still an option. The evacuation centres are a last resort, Crisafulli told a news conference on Friday, adding that dozens of centres had been opened. Have an evacuation plan if you are in one of those areas, he urged those in the cyclones path, advising them to secure their homes before evacuating. If in doubt, go and stay with friends and families. The Queensland government has asked telecommunications companies to increase network capacity to cope with an expected jump in internet usage and millions of messages throughout the emergency. It has also asked supermarkets to ensure shelves were regularly restocked amid a rush for bottled water and other essential items. Residents have started fleeing their homes, schools have closed, public transport has been cancelled and two Black Hawk helicopters are on standby, as residents stay home and businesses close their doors. Sandbagging stations have opened across the region, with hundreds of people queuing for hours at council and SES depots. What has the NSW government said? Those in Alfreds firing line in NSWs Northern Rivers were told to leave by 9pm on Thursday or risk not being able to evacuate. Loading The town of Lismore, which was devastated by record flooding in 2022, has been warned its CBD is at risk of flooding again, with residents urged to evacuate just after 9pm on Thursday. The town received more than 100 millimetres of rain on Thursday as residents hunkered down. The Bureau of Meteorology said on Friday afternoon that Lismore would be likely to flood by Saturday morning, and the SES urged residents not to enter floodwaters. River level rises are occurring along the Wilsons River and Leycester Creek, and moderate flooding is expected at Lismore from Friday evening, the Bureau said in a statement. The river is likely to exceed the major flood level around early Saturday morning. If rainfall continues to intensify overnight, river levels may reach near the height of the Lismore Levee (10.6 metres) late Saturday morning. The NSW State Emergency Service will deploy additional flood rescue and storm response staff to the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers. We have also sent communication equipment, support personnel, aviation resources and specialised vehicles ahead of the forecasted impacts later this week, NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan said. NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib assured locals the authorities are doing everything we can to prepare for the looming system. Were cognisant of what the Northern Rivers have gone through and some of the trauma that they carry, he said. What is a category 1 cyclone? Category1 cyclones can generate destructive wind gusts of up to 100km/h, which can bring down trees and power lines, topple caravans, tear boats from their moorings and damage houses. Cyclone categories are all based on the wind strength, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. However, the categories do not take into account the severity of the rain or potential flooding. A category 1 cyclone can bring more rain and flooding than a fast-moving category 5 that rips through an area, Wong says. How long is Alfred expected to last? The shutdowns come as companies controlled by Genius owner Darren Michael Misquitta are pursued through the courts or the corporate insolvency process by creditors including the Tax Office and Victorias State Revenue Office with claims worth at least $12.8 million. In a separate matter, the United Workers Union representing childcare workers at the chain is suing Misquitta and three of his companies in the Federal Circuit Court, alleging employees are owed more than $7 million in unpaid superannuation. Genius Childcare director Darren Misquitt. Another Misquitta-controlled company, Genius (Collins), was wound up in a court-ordered liquidation in 2023 after it failed to pay nearly $5 million in rent and other charges for an upmarket daycare centre it operated on Collins Street in the city. Last month, liquidator Paul Vartelas advised creditors of a company called Horizontal 1 that he believed Misquitta, as company director, had breached his statutory obligations by allowing it to accrue debts while already insolvent. Loading It is my view that the director breached his obligations by allowing the company to trade while insolvent, Vartelas wrote in a report to creditors that has also been lodged with corporate regulator the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). My investigations are currently ongoing. Another liquidator, Altan Djenab, who acted in the Collins Street liquidation, notified ASIC in late 2023 that Misquitta had allegedly breached the Corporations Act by failing to hand over company books and records. The regulator was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline on Tuesday. The Genius head office has not responded to detailed questions from The Age, nor has Misquitta who is believed to be overseas responded to attempts to seek comment. One Genius employee said years of hard work by staff were just crumbling in front of our eyes. Genius childcare. Credit: Joe Armao Were trying to support the centres in every area that we can, but were just not given the tools to succeed, they said. Were getting abused by families, educators, unpaid invoices, like its our fault. Loading On Wednesday afternoon last week, about 34 families with children enrolled at the Taylors Lakes centre were told via an email seen by The Age that they did not have childcare the next day due to unexpected staffing challenges. Please know that this decision was not made lightly, as we prioritise the safety and wellbeing of all children and staff, it read. Genius did not charge families for Thursday. Another email sent to parents on Thursday, also seen by The Age, said staffing challenges have not yet been resolved. The Age has been told the centre will remain closed on March 5. Another Genius worker said through tears that the centre, which was running at 40 per cent occupancy, was temporarily closing because staff were about 11 days past their scheduled pay date. Taylors Lakes parent Samantha who declined to give her last name for privacy reasons said she had removed two children, aged three and 15 months, from the service after repeated closures. Genius still owes me funds, she said. Samantha said she believed the operators had no respect for parents or staff. Its down to those staff members that were still coming into work and not getting paid, she said. Its disgusting that the company is allowed to get away with it. This is an emergency. People arent getting paid. They are not paying rent or being able to put food on their table or get fuel. The government definitely needs to step in and show us that they are invested, like they say they are, in childcare. Genius Childcare. Credit: Joe Armao Jessica, another parent with a child at the centre, said she did not know day to day whether she would be able to go to work without childcare. The unions national president, Jo Schofield, accused Genius of flagrantly breaching its duties as an employer, with late pay, unpaid super and chaos affecting centres. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared he is open to sending Australian peacekeeping troops to Ukraine as US President Donald Trump halts military assistance to the besieged nation in a bid to drive President Volodymyr Zelensky to the negotiating table with Russia. Albaneses unprompted comments on a possible Australian peacekeeping mission opened up a divide with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who has rejected the idea, and marked a significant turnaround from the governments efforts a day earlier to pour cold water on the idea. Albaneses intervention came soon after Trump ordered a pause on US military assistance to Ukraine, a move that follows his on-camera blow-up with Zelensky in the White House last week and will imperil the nations ability to fight Russias invasion. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia has a proud record of contributing to peacekeeping missions. Credit: Rhett Whyman Speaking at an election event in Perth, West Australian Premier Roger Cook labelled US Vice President JD Vance, who berated Zelensky in the fiery Oval Office meeting, as a knob. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 4. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have agreed to hold the 14th meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation in the first half of this year, Trend reports. This issue was discussed during a meeting between Uzbekistan's Minister of Investments, Industry, and Trade Laziz Kudratov, and the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Uzbekistan Huseyn Guliyev. Following the meeting, the sides agreed on mutual steps to organize the 14th meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation in the first half of 2025, as well as other events within the bilateral agenda of Uzbek-Azerbaijani cooperation. During the negotiations, the parties also discussed measures for the timely implementation of the agreements reached, as well as prospects for expanding trade, economic, and investment cooperation, with a focus on the active involvement of the business communities of both countries. Special attention was given to the implementation of previously agreed projects in the fields of urban planning, tourism, and agriculture. The parties outlined comprehensive tasks for accelerating ongoing work and agreed on further joint steps to support new investment initiatives. The positive dynamics of investment cooperation were noted. Currently, 257 enterprises with Azerbaijani capital operate in Uzbekistan, including 56 joint ventures and 201 companies with 100 percent Azerbaijani participation. Noting the high potential for a significant increase in these figures, the parties agreed to promote promising projects among the business communities of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Victoria should phase out stamp duty and replace it with a new residential land tax, Infrastructure Victoria says, arguing the costly upfront tax on home purchases encourages urban sprawl and penalises people who want to change homes to be closer to work or family. Scrapping stamp duty and replacing it with a land tax regime would be one of the most effective things the Victorian government could do to spur housing growth in Melbournes inner and middle suburbs, the independent advisory body argues in a new report. Stamp duty increases taxpayer costs for roads, schools and hospitals on the urban fringe, Infrastructure Victoria says. Credit: Peter Rae It says stamp duty increases the burden on taxpayers to fund infrastructure such as roads, schools and hospitals for the urban fringe, and that it forces first home buyers to live in new, poorly serviced suburbs on the edge of the city, far from employment, while making it less affordable to move house when life circumstances change. Stamp duty pushes people to live in new suburbs, creating higher infrastructure costs to government, Infrastructure Victoria argues in its draft 30-year strategy, published on Tuesday. Jack Boger will Lead Non-Profit that Provides Support For Junior Enlisted Service Members Through Flights Home BOSTON, March 3, 2025 -- Miles for Military, a nonprofit that provides flights home for active-duty junior enlisted personnel for holidays and other important dates, announced the hiring of Jack Bogera Marine Corps veteran, social entrepreneur, and recent Yale graduate studentas its executive director. Boger brings to Miles for Military a wide range of leadership and philanthropic experience, as well as a family heritage of service in the American military dating back nearly three centuries. "The addition of Jack Boger is both a critical end exciting one," said retired pararescueman Ramon Colon-Lopez, a former Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and Miles for Military board member. "His breadth of experience, professionalism, and dedication to the MFM vision will propel us to reach more troops and continue to make a difference. I am personally excited to work with him in the very special and passionate project designed to take care of our Armed Forces." Former U.S. Marine Corps Captain Tom Davin, another Miles for Military board member, added: "I've known Jack Boger since he was a U.S. Marine Corps officer with 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. He is a mission-driven leader, highly committed to the active-duty military and veteran communities. An unconventional problem solver, Jack has a relentlessly positive attitude that inspires those around him. The other board members and I are honored to welcome him to the Miles for Military team." Miles for Military, which was founded by Maureen Byrne, a Massachusetts woman and mother of a Marine, serves an unmet need among enlisted service members in the most junior ranks, many of whom cannot afford to fly home for milestone events such as holidays, birthdays or family gatherings. The organization provides flights home at no cost in return for the service members volunteering at a charity of their choice. During this past holiday season, Miles for Military flew nearly 50 service members on leave to hometowns across the country. "The opportunity to serve as the first executive director at Miles for Military and help bring Maureen Byrne's vision to life aligns perfectly with my desire to support the military community in holistic ways," Boger said. "The chance to learn from and work with a world-class board is humbling and exciting. I look forward to building an enduring organization that brings military families together for many special moments in the years to come." Miles for Military is seeking to grow its donor base through corporate partnerships and private donations to expand its program nationwide. The organization intends to increase its impact by flying hundreds of junior enlisted service members home and developing relationships with additional bases to support all service branches this year. Boger recently completed graduate studies at Yale Divinity School, where he focused on ethical leadership, spiritual healthcare, and nonprofit management. He views his leadership role at Miles for Military as a prime opportunity to apply his training, education, and experience in an operational capacity for an important mission. Boger served as a ground intelligence officer in the United States Marine Corps from 2014-18, leaving active duty as a captain. Stationed aboard Camp Pendleton with the 1st Marine Division, he deployed twice with 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, first to Australia with Marine Rotational Force-Darwin as a rifle platoon commander and then on the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit as an intelligence officer. Following his Marine Corps service, Boger attended Stanford Ignite, an entrepreneurship program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and worked at several startups, including Atomic, a San Francisco venture capital firm and studio. He has consulted for family foundations on philanthropic issues ranging from Native American religious freedom to human security in the Middle East and spent several summers volunteering on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Boger has provided leadership training at the University of Texas at Austin to students at the McCombs School of Business and the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Additionally, he has worked with the Veterans Mental Healthcare Leadership Coalition to advocate on Capitol Hill for greater access for veterans to breakthrough mental health therapies and innovative treatments. Boger is a cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College, where he was a James Freedman Presidential Scholar and Rockefeller Leadership Fellow. His family has a long history of military service in the United States dating back to the French and Indian Wars and the American Revolution. During World War Two, his grandfather, Willett Boger, served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy, sailing with Admiral William "Bull" Halsey's fleet in the South Pacific Theater. About Miles for Military Miles for Military is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps junior active-duty enlisted military personnel return home for holidays and other moments that matter. Since 2021 the organization offers flights in exchange for volunteer work, embodying the values of duty, honor, and community. To donate, please visit https://www.milesformilitary.org/ SOURCE Miles for Military Striking corrections officers and supporters have kept warm around burn barrels throughout the ongoing strike. Striking corrections officers and supporters have kept warm around burn barrels throughout the ongoing strike. Corrections officers remained on strike Monday morning at Attica Correctional Facility. New York state said it was beginning terminations, but noted "only a handful" so far. Corrections officers remained on strike Monday morning at Attica Correctional Facility. New York state said it was beginning terminations, but noted only a handful so far. ALBANY Only a handful of striking corrections officers had been fired as of Monday morning, according to state officials. But the officials said theyll have more to say in the future, during a Zoom briefing conducted about 9:15 a.m. We want to encourage the corrections officers and the sergeants who havent come back yet to come back, said Commissioner Jackie Bray of the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. We dont want to take these actions. We want to give you the opportunity to return. The briefing followed a weekend in which the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announced measures intended to bring the striking officers back to work. Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III of the DOCCS announced Sunday afternoon the beginning of a final push by the state which include canceling health insurance Monday for any remaining strikers and their dependents, retroactive to when the strikers first stopped showing up for their shifts. Those affected would not be eligible to continue their health coverage under COBRA, he said. DOCCS then announced Sunday evening that it had begun firing striking officers. A letter posted to the departments Facebook page said officers who had missed 10 consecutive days and then missed their 11th shift would be considered to have resigned, with their employment terminated effective March 2. Less than 10 corrections officers had been fired as of Monday morning, Bray said. That will continue to evolve over the next several days, she said. Today were taking the further action to terminate health insurance for thousands of corrections officers, but well have more to say about future terminations after today. The state has been communicating directly with corrections officers and sergeants since Feb. 25 to ensure they understand what sanctions could arrive during the strike. The measures have included robocalls, text messages and a website established Friday. None of these actions we take lightly, Bray said. We have tried at every turn to get people back to work without taking these actions. The Taylor Law prohibits public employees from striking, she said, while the existing union contract allows the state to consider the officers to have resigned if theyre absent more than 10 workdays without an explanation. All absences from the strike have been considered unauthorized absences, she said. The state Attorney Generals Office can hold striking officers in contempt under the Taylor Law, said Bray who described the strike as absolutely illegal under the law due to public essential public safety needs. No corrections officers have been arrested, she said, but more than 350 have been named in a civil action. The state Attorney Generals Office was in a hearing Monday morning in an effort to begin civil contempt proceedings. We would expect that to play out over the next several days before anybody was detained, Bray said. National Guard deployment Thousands of National Guard personnel remain deployed to assist at correctional facilities statewide in the meantime. We have mobilized over 7,000 guard men and women across the state, Bray said. Weve had more than 5,300 guard men and women, boots on the ground, in our facilities. The National Guard personnel were deployed to 41 correctional facilities at their peak, she said, describing the number as moving and fluid. The plan in such situation is to leave National Guard personnel in place for as long as needed, she said, adding theyre doing a very good job. The National Guard personnel have worked very closely and with the corrections officers who have remained on duty, Martuscello said. They worked very closely and partnered with them, he said. As they gained more and more (of a) comfort level, they received training inside the institution by our seasoned officers. They were then able to expand the duties they were assigned, and theyre doing a great job collaborating with the staff who are remaining, as well as with the National Guard to operate safe facilities. Corrections officers who were out of work due to the Family Medical Leave Act, disability, and medical issues have been informed theyre considered absent and ordered to return to work. Martuscello and Bray placed the blame on the striking officers. This has been an illegal action which has now lasted 14 days, Bray said. We have taken steps every day of those 14 days to not have to get here. We have negotiated in good faith across a broad range of topics going as far as we can legally go. Martuscello has issued further guidance highlighting that the state has the authority to take action to increase safety at the facilities. In terms of folks on FMLA or workers comp or bereavement leave, everybody was ordered back to work because of the illegal action and because of the safety conditions that illegal action created, Bray said. In the consent award, the Commissioner has agreed that anyone on FMLA, anyone on workers comp, anyone who was ordered back to work but had a valid reason that they had to remain out, or had to come in and go back out, we deal with those on a case-by-case basis in an expedited way, and we would make sure people who legitimately couldnt work werent penalized. The strike is proving costly in the meantime. To date our state has spent approximately $25 million in response to the strike and we estimate if the strike were to continue, wed be spending approximately $106 million per month, Bray said. Holding the line Corrections officers remained on-strike Monday morning outside Attica Correctional Facility. The officers have been offered anonymity by The Daily News but they and retired staff declined to comment on the latest developments. Officials from the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association also declined to comment Monday. The striking corrections officers and their supporters have repeatedly voiced worries about safety issues and extremely long hours. They have called for an end to the HALT Act, which they said gives inmates a level of impunity for assaults and similarly dangerous actions against officers and other inmates. An agreement reached late Thursday between DOCCS and NYSCOPBA temporarily suspended portions of the HALT Act and called for a circuit breaker to assist with staffing issues, but has been widely rejected by striking officers. Six correctional facilities are no longer on strike, Martuscello said. They include Greenhaven, Fishkill, Hudson, Shawangunk, Taconic and Sing-Sing. Staff need to return to the workforce for the dialogue to continue, to provide for safe facilities and community safety, he said. Theyve been heard and Im committed that together we can make a safer prison system, Martuscello said. Visitation remained suspended at correctional facilities statewide as of Monday. Includes reporting by news editor Matt Surtel and staff writer Brian Quinn, who reported from Attica. 97th Oscars Anora, The Brutalist win big with 5 and 3 wins LOS ANGELES : SEAN Bakers Anora, a movie about a sex worker who marries the pampered son of a Russian oligarch, won big at the 97th Academy Awards as it took home five Oscars, including Best Picture. It was also a race that unfolded during one of the worst natural disasters in Los Angeles history, something that the Oscars reflected with tributes to the firefighters who came to the aid of communities impacted by the wildfires, as well as with a montage highlighting the many films shot in the city, from The Long Goodbye to Licorice Pizza. Sean Baker, the maverick behind Anora, won for producing, directing, editing and writing the films screenplay. His latest film was a favorite with critics and its Oscar success is a statement-making moment for Neon, the indie distributor behind Anora, which previously guided Parasite to a best picture statue in 2020. However, having earned $40 million globally, Anora also ranks as one of the lowest grossing Best Picture winners in history, reports variety.com. Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison took the top acting honors. Brody, a previous winner for The Pianist, played a brilliant, but troubled architect in The Brutalist, while Madison scored an upset victory for her portrayal of an exotic dancer under pressure to get an annulment. Madison said, I grew up in Los Angeles, but Hollywood always felt so far away from me, so to be here, standing in this room today is really incredible. She went on to pledge her support to the sex worker community, calling herself, an ally. Brodys win, one of three prizes for The Brutalist, came after a series of setbacks had seen him shunted aside by the movie business. Acting is a very fragile profession , Brody, who had to hand his gum to his partner Georgina Chapman before taking the stage, said. No matter where you are in your career, no matter what youve accomplished, it can all go away. And I think that what makes this night most special is the awareness of that. And the gratitude that I have to still do the work that I love. A Real Pain star Kieran Culkin was named best supporting actor for his turn as a troubled man on a tour of Poland with his cousin, while Zoe Saldana for Emilia Perez won best supporting actress for her performance as an attorney who helps a cartel leader undergo gender affirmation surgery. With tears streaming down her face, Saldana declared herself a proud child of immigrant parents. I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last, she added. Among other major winners, Im Still Here, a family drama set during Brazils military dictatorship, was named best international feature. It made history as it was the first time the country had ever won the Oscar. Flow, a fantasy adventure from Latvia about a cats efforts to survive a flood, picked up best animated feature over the likes of The Wild Robot and Inside Out 2. And No Other Land, a look at the Israeli Governments efforts to force Palestinians from their homes in the West Bank, won best documentary despite struggling to get distribution. Conan OBrien, a former late night TV staple turned podcasting impresario, hosted the Oscars for the first time, taking over from Jimmy Kimmel, who had emceed three previous shows. His opening monologue poked fun at everything from the fact that the show began at four in the afternoon to Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascons social media scandal. The ceremony also included a tribute to the James Bond franchise, which made headlines last month after Amazon MGM bought creative control of the series from the Broccoli family. 1.6-billion-pound deal confirmed by UK PM with Ukraine to buy missiles LONDON : BRITISH Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain will allow Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) of British export finance to purchase more than 5,000 air defence missiles. This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening Ukraine, Starmer told a press conference on Sunday following a summit with Western leaders in London, Xinhua news agency reported. The goal is to put Ukraine in the strongest position so the country can negotiate from a position of strength, he added. Western leaders, including more than a dozen European heads of State and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, gathered in London on Sunday for a defense summit aimed at advancing a peace plan for Ukraine. Starmer said leaders at the summit had agreed on a four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine: to maintain military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues and increase economic pressure on Russia; to ensure that any lasting peace guarantees Ukraines sovereignty and security, with Ukraine at the table for any negotiations; to deter any future invasion by Russia in the event of a peace deal; and to establish a coalition of the willing to defend Ukraine and uphold peace in the country. The leaders also agreed to meet again soon to sustain the momentum behind these efforts, Starmer said. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Britains commitment to supporting the peace plan with boots on the ground, and planes in the air. Europe must do the heavy lifting, he said, emphasising that the agreement needs US backing. Let me be clear, we agree with Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together, he said. Earlier on Sunday before the summit, Starmer announced that Britain, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the US. Ukraine ready to sign minerals deal with US, says Zelenskyy Kyiv, Mar 3 (ANI) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine is ready to sign a minerals agreement with the US, describing it as the first step toward security guarantees. Sharing a post on X, he wrote, We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But its not enough, and we need more than just that. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. Weve been fighting for 3 years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side, he added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The Central-Baltic Regional Business Forum will be held in Baku, Director of the EU Projects Department of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Liga Siceva said at the B2B Forum today, Trend reports. "In October this year, the Central-Baltic Regional Business Forum will take place as the final event in Baku. It will be a major event bringing together businesses from different countries. This year, we will also hold two business forums in Estonia and Finland," she pointed out. Siceva emphasized that, in collaboration with the Caspian Energy Club, they plan to invite the most promising business partners from Azerbaijan to the Central-Baltic region for a trade mission, which will include visits to Latvia, Estonia, and Finland. Baku hosts a B2B forum aimed at developing business ties between Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. The event is held within the framework of the LEF Network Azerbaijan project with the organizational support of the Caspian Energy Club. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel 3 more held for harassing Union Minister Khadses daughter MUMBAI : THE Jalgaon police on Monday arrested two more men and detained a minor boy in connection with the harassment of Union Minister Raksha Khadses daughter and some of her friends, an official said. With this, four persons have been apprehended so far in the case. Seven persons have been named in the FIR, registered on the complaint of Khadse at Muktainagar police station in Maharashtras Jalgaon district in connection with the incident that occurred at Sant Muktai Yatra in Kothali village there on February 28 night. One person, Kiran Mali, was nabbed earlier, while the Jalgaon police arrested two more others - Aniket Bhoyi and Anuj Patil - and also apprehended a minor boy on Monday, the official from Muktainagar police station said. Efforts were on to nab the other accused, he said. The seven have been charged with stalking and other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, while Information Technology Act provisions have been invoked since they tried to take pictures and videos of the girls without permission, according to police. During the probe, the police found the accused allegedly misbehaved with several girls and even clashed with the bodyguards accompanying them. A 17-year-old girl had made a complaint, and the bodyguards named the seven accused. Talking to reporters on Sunday, BJP leader Khadse said, I was in Gujarat, so my daughter called me to ask for permission to go. I asked her to take a guard and two to three staff members along. My daughter and her friends were followed and pushed, and their photos and videos were taken. When my staff objected, the boys resorted to unruly behaviour, and a mob of 30 to 40 people gathered. Khadse said when she returned home on Sunday morning, her daughter told her that the same group had misbehaved with her on February 24 at a public event. It is unfortunate. If such things happen to an MP or Union Ministers daughter, imagine what common people have to go through, she said. Khadse said some locals in Muktainagar told her that this group harassed girls on their way to school. I have spoken to the Chief Minister and the Deputy Superintendent of Police, she said. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday assured strict action in the case. 6,327 river dolphins in India: Survey NEW DELHI : THE first population estimation of riverine dolphins in India has revealed the presence of 6,327 dolphins in the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus River systems, according to a Government report published on Monday. The Ganga River dolphin, known for its unique features, is found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system and its tributaries across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. A small population of the Indus river dolphin, a close relative of the Ganga river dolphin, is found in the Indus River system in India. As part of Project Dolphin, a comprehensive survey was conducted for the first time to estimate the population of river dolphins across eight States -- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam and Punjab. It is one of the worlds largest freshwater surveys, covering the entire range of the Ganga river dolphin in the Ganga and Brahmaputra, as well as the Indus river dolphin in the Beas river, according to the report Population Status of River Dolphin in India. The survey estimated 6,327 Ganga river dolphins (range: 5,977-6,688) and three Indus river dolphins. The findings suggest that dolphins thrive in areas with adequate water depth and minimal human disturbances, it said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Project Dolphin on August 15, 2020, to conserve dolphins and other aquatic ecosystems. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced the Asiatic lion population estimation exercise in May and unveiled conservation plans for tigers, gharials and a critically endangered bird, while pushing for using AI to combat forest fires and human-animal conflicts. He made a slew of announcements while chairing the seventh meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), in his capacity as ex-officio chairperson, at Sasan in Gujarats Junagadh district. At the meeting, which coincided with World Wildlife Day, the PM virtually laid the foundation stone of a National Referral Centre for Wildlife at Junagadh. Modi announced a scheme focused on the conservation of tigers, and a centre of excellence for the effective management of human-wildlife conflicts. Soon after completing his lion safari at the Gir National Park, Modi headed for the NBWL meeting, which ended by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and other members of the board. At the meet, the PM announced the initiation of a new conservation project on gharials, and a National Great Indian Bustard Conservation Action Plan after considering the need to upscale conservation efforts of this critically endangered bird species, stated an official release. He outlined a scheme focused on the conservation of tigers outside reserves with the aim to address human-tiger and other co-predator conflicts by ensuring co-existence with local communities, it said. The Board discussed conservation efforts for dolphins and Asiatic lions, and the establishment of an International Big Cats Alliance. Monitoring dolphin populations is crucial for conservation, especially for river dolphins, which have a slow growth rate and live in some of the worlds most threatened habitats. The survey covering over 8,000 km was conducted from 2021 to 2023. It included eight states -- along the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers and their tributaries, as well as the Beas river. During the survey, 58 rivers were assessed. Of these, 28 rivers were actively surveyed by boat, while 30 were studied through road surveys, focusing on locations where the Ganges river dolphin had been historically reported. The PM asked the board and Environment Ministry to gather traditional knowledge and manuscripts of various regions of India with respect to conservation and management of forests and wildlife for research and development, stated the release. The Prime Minister chalked out a roadmap for wildlife conservation strategy and future actions for the ministry and asked officials to constitute various task forces to work on Indian sloth bear, gharial and Great Indian Bustard conservation and development, it said. Modi commended the active participation of local communities in conservation and emphasised on the importance of utilising advanced technologies, including AI, in wildlife conservation. He also advised research and documentation of medicinal plants in forest areas which can play a crucial role in animal health management, the release said. The PM later flagged off motorcycles for enhanced mobility of frontline forest staff and interacted with field-level functionaries at Gir. PM Modi lauds tribals for taking care of Asiatic lions habitat SASAN (Gujarat), Mar 3 (PTI) PRIME Minister Modi went on a lion safari at Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarats Junagadh district on Monday morning. In a post on X, Modi said the population of Asiatic lions has seen a steady rise due to collective efforts, and commended the contribution of tribals and women living in surrounding areas in preserving the Asiatic lion habitat. The PM also posted pictures of lions that he came across during the safari. This morning, on #WorldWildlifeDay, I went on a Safari in Gir, which, as we all know, is home to the majestic Asiatic Lion. Coming to Gir also brings back many memories of the work we collectively did when I was serving as Gujarat CM, he said. In the last many years, collective efforts have ensured that the population of Asiatic Lions is rising steadily. Equally commendable is the role of tribal communities and women from surrounding areas in preserving the habitat of the Asiatic Lion, Modi added. Over the last decade, the population of tigers, leopards, rhinos have risen too, indicating how deeply we cherish wildlife and are working to build sustainable habitats for animals, he said in another tweet. The Prime Minister also posted pictures of lions that he came across during the safari. Centre elevates IRCTC, IRFC to Navratna status NEW DELHI : The elevation to Navratna status grants the 2 companies greater financial autonomy, allowing them to invest up to Rs 1,000 cr without first seeking Govt approval THE Central Government on Monday upgraded the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) to the prestigious status of Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) as the performance on key parameters such as net profit and net worth of the two companies have risen to meet the required eligibility criteria. The new Navratna status will give these companies more autonomy in taking financial decisions. With the announcement made by the Department of Public Enterprises, IRCTC and IRFC have become the 25th and 26th Navratna among the CPSEs, respectively, marking a major milestone for the Indian Railway companies. The elevation to Navratna status grants the two companies greater financial autonomy, allowing them to invest up to Rs 1,000 crore without first seeking Government approval, which will help to expedite decision-making in their growth plans ahead. The Union Government categorises CPSEs into three groups: Maharatna, Navratna, and Miniratna. The Centres aim is to make these PSUs much more competitive and efficient. IRCTC, under the Ministry of Railways, reported an annual turnover of Rs 4,270.18 crore, a net profit of Rs 1,111.26 crore, and a net worth of Rs 3,229.97 crore in the financial year ended March 31, 2024. IRFC, also under the Ministry of Railways, recorded a turnover of Rs 26,644 crore, a net profit of Rs 6,412 crore, and a net worth of Rs 49,178 crore in the same period, the Department of Public Enterprises said in two separate posts on the social media platform X. Meanwhile, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw complemented the two companies for the achievement. Congratulations to team IRCTC and team IRFC on being upgraded to Navratna status, the Union Minister posted on X. IRCTC, which was founded in 1999, provides ticketing, catering, and tourism services for the State-owned Indian Railways and has a high level of interaction with consumers. IRFC, founded in 1986, is responsible for mobilising funds for Indian Railways massive infrastructure expansion and modernisation projects. With this upgrade, IRCTC and IRFC join other Navratna CPSEs, including Bharat Electronics Ltd., Container Corporation of India, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., Oil India Ltd., among others. Previously in September Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd., National Hydroelectric Power Corp., Solar Energy Corp., and RailTel Corp were elevated to Navratna status. In July 2024, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., was added to the group of Navratna companies. CGSWA intervenes, directs NRANVP to withdraw Jhanjh Wetland tenders By Mukesh S Singh : Raipur, Regulatory intervention follows scrutiny of procedural and statutory compliance in wetland conservation Official communication asserts that proposed projects contravene Supreme Court directives and environmental mandates NRANVPs tendering process under legal review as contradictions in regulatory adherence emerge The Chhattisgarh State Wetland Authority (CGSWA) has issued a formal directive to Naya Raipur Atal Nagar Vikas Pradhikaran (NRANVP), instructing the immediate withdrawal of tenders for two proposed real estate projects adjacent to Jhanjh Wetland, citing clear contraventions of Supreme Court orders and statutory environmental protections. The directive, formalised in a letter dated March 3rd, 2025, asserts that the tendering process is legally untenable and in direct breach of established wetland conservation frameworks. The intervention follows intensive scrutiny initiated by The Hitavada through successive investigative reports, which meticulously exposed regulatory inconsistencies, procedural lapses, and the misrepresentation of Jhanjh Wetlands legal status. The newspapers sustained coverage compelled CGSWA to independently assess the matter, leading to its decisive intervention. The letter, addressed to NRANVPs Chief Executive Officer (CEO), underscores that any continuation of the tendering process would be in violation of judicial mandates and would attract regulatory and legal consequences. CGSWAs directive pertains to NIT No. 10361, which proposes a plotted development and floating recreational facility over 2.66 acres, and NIT No. 10360, which outlines the construction of branded residences across 18.64 acres. The regulatory body affirms that these projects violate Rule 4(2)(iv) of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 & 2017, which categorically prohibits permanent construction within 50 meters of the highest recorded flood level over the past decade. Furthermore, the authority substantiates that Jhanjh Wetland qualifies as a deemed notified wetland under Supreme Court rulings, specifically referencing M.K. Balakrishnan vs Union of India (2017) and Anand Arya vs Union of India (2024). These judgments establish that wetlands exceeding 2.25 hectares, whether explicitly notified or not, fall under statutory protection and must remain safeguarded from encroachment or commercial development. This determination stands in stark contradiction to NRANVPs prior assertion that Jhanjh Wetland was not legally classified as a protected ecological zone, thereby raising concerns over the procedural due diligence undertaken before initiating the tendering process. Whistleblower Dr Rakesh Gupta, who has played a pivotal role in flagging these alleged regulatory violations, has welcomed CGSWAs intervention while expressing concern over the delayed regulatory response despite clear statutory infringements. The directive unequivocally reinforces the Supreme Courts standing orders on wetland conservation, which leave no discretionary space for such projects to proceed. The fact that these tenders were issued despite these provisions calls into question the adherence to regulatory diligence, he remarked. He further raised concerns over the continued suppression of an inquiry report ordered by CGSWA, pointing out that on June 20th, 2023, the Raipur Collector was directed to submit a compliance report on encroachments within Jhanjh Wetland, yet the findings remain undisclosed. If there were no violations, why is the report not being made public? If it contains adverse findings, does the withholding of this information indicate an attempt to obfuscate regulatory non-compliance? Dr. Gupta questioned, asserting that transparency remains a key issue in the unfolding developments. CGSWAs letter also reiterates that a Supreme Court-mandated nationwide wetland demarcation initiative remains in progress, requiring the scientific verification of all wetlands exceeding 2.25 hectares by March 13th, 2025. Despite this, NRANVP proceeded with the tendering process without awaiting the legally mandated verification, raising questions over procedural integrity and compliance with judicial directives. Under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, violations of statutory wetland conservation laws entail significant legal repercussions, including penalties and imprisonment of up to five years for officials found responsible for authorising projects that result in ecological degradation. Furthermore, the Public Trust Doctrine, a Supreme Court-backed legal principle, stipulates that wetlands are preserved as ecological commons for public benefit and cannot be privatised or commercially exploited. With CGSWAs directive now legally enforceable, NRANVPs actions will determine whether the regulatory framework is upheld or disregarded. The Supreme Court has provided absolute clarity on wetland conservation, and non-compliance with these mandates could have serious legal ramifications. The manner in which this case unfolds will test the integrity of environmental governance in Chhattisgarh, Dr. Gupta stated in his concluding remarks. EV charging booths remain unplugged By Anshul Kadu : Most of the 45 EV charging booths installed at metro stations are unusable as they are marred by technical glitches, accessibility issues Despite the booming electric vehicle (EV) market in the city, Maha Metros ambitious initiative to provide free charging infrastructure at its metro stations across the city is largely falling flat. Of the approximately 45 charging booths installed across 25 metro stations for both two-wheelers and four-wheelers, a significant number of those remain unusable, marred by technical glitches and accessibility issues. Malfunctioning charging booths is the common sight greeting EV users at many stations, a stark contrast to the initial promise of convenient charging for people and commercial establishments along side the metro route. While Maha Metros Senior Deputy General Manager (Corporate Communications), Akhilesh Halve, asserts that 18 of the 25 metro stations have functioning charging facilities, ground reality paints a different picture. Even at these functional locations, not all booths are operational, leaving EV owners frustrated and stranded. The project, a collaboration between Maha Metro and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) for installation and maintenance, seems to be struggling with consistent upkeep. Technical problems and improper location are the primary reasons cited by Halve for the 7 metro stations with non-functional booths. He further stated that Maha Metro plans to relocate some of these booths within the same stations to improve accessibility so that citizens can make use of the facility. However, even the operational booths often remain unplugged, highlighting a deeper issue of underutilisation. People prefer charging at home, says Rahul Mohod, an electric car owner. Although charging facility at metro stations is free, home charging is becoming increasingly convenient, especially when compared to the past expenses of petrol. Security concerns also deter potential users. Rehman, a regular commuter, recounts an incident where his charger was switched with another while his vehicle was left unattended. Who can guarantee that someone wont tamper with my vehicle or charger? he questions, highlighting the need for better security measures. Accessibility is another major hurdle that limits usage of public facility. At Ujjwal Nagar Metro Station, Anjusha, an electric two-wheeler commuter, regularly faces the challenge of vehicles parked directly in front of the charging points. Theres simply not enough space, she laments. I have often found the booths completely blocked by stationary vehicles. The lack of dedicated parking enforcement around the charging booths exacerbates the problem. Without clear regulations and enforcement, the spaces are easily occupied by non-charging vehicles, rendering them useless for their intended purpose. While the growth of EVs in Nagpur signals a rising demand for charging infrastructure, Maha Metros current offering falls short. Ground realities raise questions about the effectiveness of the maintenance and operational strategies. The situation demands urgent attention from Maha Metro and EESL. Addressing the technical issues, improving security, enforcing parking regulations, and raising public awareness are crucial steps to ensure that these valuable charging facilities are utilized effectively. So the question arises, the investment of public funds that went into creation of the charging utility turning out to be white elephant? Minor student driving car hits womans moped, causing injuries Staff Reporter BHILAI, A WOMAN was injured after her moped was struck head-on by a car driven by a minor returning from school in Nehru Nagar (East), Bhilai, on Monday morning. The erring minor with three of his classmates, who were traveling in a speeding car, escaped unharmed. The police apprehended the underage driver and registered an offense. According to police reports, at around 11:30 am, Sunita Arde (34), a resident of Kosanagar, Supela, was en-route to pick up her children from school when the accident occurred. A student from Delhi Public School, Durg, who was behind the wheel, lost control of the car while speeding with three classmates on board. The collision left Sunita Arde with injuries to her chin and minor bruises. The impact threw her off her moped, which was then dragged beneath the car until it crashed into a nearby lamppost. The Supela Police have registered the offense under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing rash driving and causing injury. Inspector Rajesh Mishra, Station House Officer of Supela Police Station, confirmed that legal proceedings against the minor driver are ongoing. Significant percentage of people say personal data compromised in public domain: Survey Of those Indians who believe their personal identification data has been leaked or in public domain, over half of them say it is either their Aadhaar or PAN card details or both that have been compromised A SIGNIFICANT percentage of citizens believe that one or more of their personal data elements are already in the public domain or in databases that have been compromised, a survey said on Monday. According to online platform LocalCircles, 87 per cent of citizens surveyed believe their personal data was leaked in the public domain. The survey claims to have received over 36,000 responses from citizens located in 375 districts of India between August 25 to February 28. However, the number of responses on each question varied. Most of the respondents have blamed telecom operators, e-commerce apps, banks and financial service providers, Government departments etc for compromising their data in public domain. Of those Indians who believe their personal identification data has been leaked or in public domain, over half of them say it is either their Aadhaar or PAN card details or both that have been compromised. Citizens whose personal data has been leaked and in public domain hold various arms of the Government, telcos, banks and eCommerce apps/sites responsible for it, the survey report said. In response to a question on who the respondents believe may have leaked their data in public domain, 65 per cent held telecom service providers responsible, 63 per cent indicated eCommerce apps and sites, 56 per cent blamed banks and financial service providers. Around 50 per cent respondents blamed State/ local Government offices, databases, staff", 48 per cent of respondents stated payment apps or sites, 26 per cent said educational institution, 37 per cent blamed other businesses/ entities. Traders threaten agitation if Govt extends LBT deptt closure date Dr Dipen Agrawal, President of CAMIT, addressing the press meet on Monday while Sharavan Malu,Girdhari Mantri, Arjundas Ahuja and Tarun Nirban are also seen. Business Reporter : While welcoming the Maharashtra Governments recently decision to shut down the Local Body Tax (LBT) department in all municipal corporations by April 30, leading trade and industry bodies on Monday said they would resort to agitation if the Government extends the deadline. Following persistent efforts by all stakeholders and direct engagement with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Urban Development Department has recently announced the closure of LBT departments across the State by April 30. However, some municipal corporations are reportedly seeking a one-year extension. Office-bearers of Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry and Trade (CAMIT), Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA), Nag Vidarbha Chamber of Commerce (NVCC), Nagpur Chamber of Commerce Limited (NCCL), and Vidarbha Taxpayers Association (VTA) have jointly welcomed the Governments decision emphasizing that it is not a victory of traders over the Government but a testament to the Governments commitment to resolving long-standing issues of the business community and promoting ease of doing business. Elaborating on the matter at the press conference held here, Dr Dipen Agrawal, President of CAMIT, highlighted that between 2010-11 and 2012-13, the average annual octroi collection in Nagpur was Rs 425 crore. During the LBT period (April 1, 2013, to July 1, 2017), potential revenue from octroi would have ranged between Rs 1,500 crore and Rs 1,700 crore. However, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) collected significantly higher amounts and also received compensation and grants from the state government, by way of 1 per cent cess on real estate transactions which was introduced in 2013, followed by a Rs 40 crore per month grant after the partial abolition of LBT in 2015. After LBT abolition, the corporation revenue has been protected through statutory grants under the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to the Local Authorities) Act. In 2018, LBT officials claimed Rs 1,000 crore was due from traders, including Rs 700 crore in assessed dues. However, six years later, the department now claims arrears of Rs 3,200 crore. Dr Agrawal questioned the basis of these inflated figures and urged the Government to stand firm on its decision to close the LBT department without dilution or extensions. Girdhari Mantri, representing VIA, pointed out that many manufacturing units of VIA members are located outside city limits and were not liable for LBT. However, the LBT department still assessed them and issued unjustified demands simply because their registered offices were within municipal limits. Arjundas Ahuja, President of NVCC, highlighted the hardships traders faced due to LBT since 2013. NVCCs LBT camps in 2018 and 2020 revealed numerous inflated and unreasonable tax demands, he added. Tarun Nirban, representing NCCL, noted that NMC had already downsized the LBT department due to minimal collections, with staff reductions over the past two to three years making the department nearly non-functional. Sharavan Malu, President of VTA, underscored the compensatory measures given to municipal corporations over the years. J P Sharma, Sachin Puniyani, Tejinder Singh Renu, Narayan Toshniwal, Pradeep Jajoo, Dhyaneshwar Rakshak, Keval Ramani, Rakesh Gandhi, Suryakant Agrawal, Umesh Patel, Harman Bawecha, Husain Noorallha Ajani, Sanjay K Agrawal, Vice President of CAMIT, and others were present in the press conference. TRUMPS WAY AHEAD of the extraordinary summit of European Union leaders to discuss additional support to Ukraine in the long-stretched war against Russia, the United Kingdom, France and Germany have proposed a one-month ceasefire plan to carry on peace negotiations. The plan looks a quickly-drafted band-aid solution hammered due to the urgency to act faster following the spectacular showdown between Ukraine President Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and United President Mr. Donald Trump on Friday in the White House. The heated exchange has upset all calculations of the European nations for a peace pact between Ukraine and Russia as the United States has emerged as a new bully in the theatre. The new ceasefire plan prepared by UK, Germany and France focuses on being a bridge to restore peace talks between Ukraine and Russia but there is a big shadow of Mr. Trump looming on the entire equation as the United States is out to extract its pound of flesh with favourable deals, without any interference of European countries. It is a dangerous reality now after the dressing down of Mr. Zelenskyy by Mr. Trump and his deputy Mr. JD Vance in full public glare. The new strategy looks a bid by the European countries to make a comeback into the bigger picture totally occupied by Mr. Trump at the moment. One thing that Mr. Trump has ensured with the televised tirade against Mr. Zelenskyy is keeping all the players involved in the peace process between Ukraine and Russia on tenterhooks. The US President has told the world without saying a word that he would be the only voice in this deal and American terms must be acceptable to all. The strategy is fraught with many dangers but given the upending of traditional policies and norms of diplomacy by the maverick US President, there seems little room for logic. It was never an American policy to keep away its European allies. Being a patriarch of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the US was always at the forefront in leading the bloc of European allies in the grouping with more funding. However, the provision is now becoming an eyesore for Mr. Trump and his reluctance to take the European Union on board for the Russia-Ukraine truce deal is borne out of the same. In a way, by almost openly siding with Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin, Mr. Trump has made it an America vs Europe issue. In the instant future, the issue is set to unfold into a State vs State bickering as the US continues to berate the NATO, question defence funding by its members and their insistence on helping Ukraine. The fact remains that the European countries and Ukraine cannot sustain the war against the mighty Russian forces without the help of America. It has handed a big leverage to Mr. Trump whose transactional diplomacy is in full flow in the second term. There should be no surprise if Mr. Trump uses the Russia-Ukraine peace deal to pressurise the NATO allies to pump more funding for the blocs forces and make the members purchase weapons from American companies. He has already threatened to quit the NATO over gross disparity in defence funding by its members. The warning is a message for the European countries to rework their budgets by keeping US interests at the centre of their thinking. It is a typical business tactic by Mr. Trump seeking more from the world to fulfill his promise of Making America Great Again. In this entire gamut, Ukraine and the poster boy of resistance Mr. Zelenskyy are still left fending for themselves. He might have to come around and talk to Mr. Trump which will be a clear advantage to Russia. But then again, it is the Trump Way of diplomacy. The world has to brace for it. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) will provide wagon assistance to Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) CJSC, the Secretary General of the "Trans-Caspian International Transport Route" (TITR) International Association Gaidar Abdikerimov said at the association meeting in Baku, Trend reports. "During todays meeting, organizational issues of the executive body, the formation of a pool of wagons along the TITR route (Middle Corridor), and the provision of wagon support by the KTZ national company to the railways of Azerbaijan and Georgia will be discussed," he noted. Will be updated BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Latvian food exports to Azerbaijan are on the rise, Director of the EU Projects Department of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Liga Siceva said at the B2B Forum dedicated to the development of business relations between Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia and Finland, Trend reports. Siceva noted that Latvia mainly exports animal products, foodstuffs, chemical products, and pharmaceuticals to Azerbaijan. We are particularly pleased with the growth of food exports to Azerbaijan, and these indicators continue to increase, she emphasized. According to her, Latvia mainly imports metals, engineering products, as well as foodstuffs and vegetables from Azerbaijan. We are pleased that trade is developing in both directions because only with bilateral exchange we can talk about strong economic relations, Siceva noted. Baku hosts a B2B Forum on the development of business ties between Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland. The event is held within the framework of the LEF Network Azerbaijan project, with the organizational support of the Caspian Energy Club. Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. CCTV: Tajikistan held elections to the lower house of parliament on March 2. Whats Chinas comment? Lin Jian: China congratulates Tajikistan on the successful elections of the lower house of parliament. At the invitation of Tajikistans Central Commission for Elections and Referenda, China sent a group to Tajikistan to observe the elections. China believes that the elections are democratic, open and transparent, and demonstrate the political openness and inclusiveness of the country. China highly commends that and sincerely wishes the people of Tajikistan new, greater achievements in national development under the leadership of President Emomali Rahmon. As a friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic cooperative partner in the new era, China values its relations with Tajikistan, and stands ready to work with Tajikistan to earnestly implement the important common understandings between President Xi Jinping and President Rahmon. We will step up mutual support, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation on all fronts, and strive for more solid progress in building a China-Tajikistan community with a shared future. Beijing Daily: New Zealands Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters said after his visit to China last week that the special relationship between New Zealand and China is in the second decade, and the two sides had substantive and constructive dialogues on bilateral cooperation and regional and global issues. Can you share more details? Lin Jian: From February 25 to 27, New Zealands Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters visited China. This is an important high-level exchange as the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership enters the second decade. This visit is aimed at delivering on the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries, enhancing strategic communication, and promoting the continued sound and steady growth of the bilateral relations at the new starting point. Vice President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met and had talks with New Zealands Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters respectively. The two sides had candid and in-depth exchange of views on China-New Zealand relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest, and agreed to maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen dialogue and communication, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters reaffirmed New Zealands commitment to the one-China policy and that it is committed to being a positive partner with China. China expressed appreciation for this stance. China stands to work with New Zealand to renew the traditional friendship, carry forward the spirit of striving to be the first, and become partners with mutual trust and achieve mutual success, thereby better benefiting the peoples of both countries and maintaining regional and global peace and stability. The New York Times: The United States has imposed further 10 percent tariffs on most goods from China. What is your reaction? Lin Jian: I believe youve noticed the statements released by competent Chinese departments. The fentanyl issue is a flimsy excuse to raise U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports. China has made clear its opposition more than once. Our countermeasures to defend our rights and interests are fully legitimate and necessary. The U.S., not anyone else, is responsible for the fentanyl crisis inside the U.S. In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, we have taken robust steps to assist the U.S. in dealing with the issue. This is obvious to all and people from various sectors in the U.S. have expressed thanks to China on multiple occasions. Instead of recognizing our efforts, the U.S. has sought to vilify and shift the blame to China, and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes. Theyve been punishing us for helping them. This is not going to solve the U.S.s problem and will undermine our counternarcotics dialogue and cooperation. Let me reiterate that intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating. If the U.S. truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit to address each others concerns. If the U.S. has other agenda in mind and if war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, were ready to fight till the end. We urge the U.S. to stop being domineering and return to the right track of dialogue and cooperation at an early date. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Our main goal is to improve the business and investment climate in Azerbaijan, First Deputy CEO of Caspian Energy Club Rasim Mahmudov said at the B2B Forum on the development of business relations between Azerbaijan, Latvia, Estonia and Finland, held in Baku today, Trend reports. He mentioned that the Caspian Energy Club organizes events in this direction. "We are trying to establish mutual relations in the format of B2B, meetings, breakfasts, and evaluate cooperation opportunities. In 2023, we created the international branch of the Caspian Energy Club. The main goal of this organization is to organize our activities abroad. In recent years, we have organized large forums in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, the Czech Republic, and Latvia. These events are ongoing," he added. Caspian Energy Club was established in June 2002 with the active participation of Caspian Energy and the support of large oil-gas companies operating in the Caspian, Black Sea, and Baltic regions. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The plan for cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor for 2025 envisages a volume of 2.5 million tons, including 96,000 twenty-foot equivalent containers, the Secretary General of the "Trans-Caspian International Transport Route" (TITR) International Association Gaidar Abdikerimov said at the Association meeting in Baku, Trend reports. He noted that to implement the approved plan for 2025, railway and port administrations, transport operators, and shipping companies must avoid unjustified delays and downtime of loaded wagons and containers at checkpoints, ports, and port stations of the Caspian and Black Seas, ensuring the unimpeded passage of trains within the established timeframes. In 2024, freight volumes along the Trans-Caspian route increased by 62%, reaching 4.5 million tons. Measures being implemented are expected to expand its capacity to 10 million tons by 2027. Yes Significant efforts are being made No Much more needs to be done Some progress But there are still critical gaps Vote View Results BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The protocol of the 22nd meeting of the International Association Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) held in Baku has been signed, Trend reports. The protocol includes eight issues. Furthermore, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Kazakhstan Railways JSC (KTZ) and PTC Holding. Following the meeting of the International Association of TMTM, Poti TransTerminal (Georgia), Xi'an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation Co., LTD (China), and UZ Cargo Poland Sp. z o.o. (Poland) were welcomed as associate members. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The eight OPEC+ countries Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman held a virtual meeting on March 3, 2025, to assess the global oil market conditions and outlook, Trend reports. They reaffirmed their decision from December 2024 to gradually and flexibly return 2.2 million barrels per day (mbd) in voluntary adjustments starting April 1, 2025. This increase may be paused or reversed depending on market conditions, allowing the group to support market stability. The countries also reiterated their commitment to fully adhere to the additional voluntary production adjustments agreed in April 2024 and to compensate for any overproduced volumes since January 2024.Compensation plans will be completed by June 2026, with overproducing countries frontloading their compensation and submitting updated schedules to the OPEC Secretariat by March 17, 2025. Peace rallies | IMPHAL, Mar 4 : The Federation of Civil Society Organizations (FOCS) is holding a series of rallies for bringing peace to Manipur from March 8. FOCS president Th Manihar made this announcement at its office near Imphal War Cemetery today. The rallies for peace in Manipur are expected to reach all vulnerable villages which have been kept off-limit to civilians by security forces. However, no final decision on the destinations of the rallies and its finer details has been taken yet, he said. FOCS is in contact with communities of the expected places of destination and the details are being planned. The rallies will incorporate traditional rituals of the destination places and meetings to sensitise people on the situation in Manipur. Committees for the rallies have been formed. The success of the rallies depend on the cooperation of the public, Manihar said, urging people for support. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. A new deputy minister of digital development and transport has been appointed in Azerbaijan, a source in the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport told Trend. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Azercosmos OJSC Samaddin Asadov has been appointed to this post. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. An article dedicated to the Khojaly genocide, titled "A shared pain: Jewish communities commemorate victims of massacre," has been published on the Israeli news website Israel National News Arutz Sheva, Trend reports via the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan. The article discusses how thousands of Jewish communities moved from Azerbaijan to Israel and other parts of the world commemorate the victims of the massacre that took place in Khojaly 33 years ago. It is noted that these communities light candles, read prayers, and hold memorial ceremonies in honor of the Khojaly victims, expressing their respect for their memory. Rabbi Zamir Isayev of the Safarad community in Baku emphasized that Azerbaijan offered significant support to Israel during the October 7 massacre in Israel in 2023. He also mentioned that a memorial ceremony dedicated to the Khojaly genocide victims was held at a Jewish school under the guidance of the Rabbi. The article also highlights the solidarity demonstrated in Azerbaijan toward the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The shared suffering of Azerbaijan and Israel has become a bridge of hope and unity between the two peoples, strengthening diplomatic ties and mutual support on the international stage, stated Adam Amilov, president of the Israel-Azerbaijan International Association "AzIz" during a memorial ceremony for the Khojaly tragedy organized in Israel. The full article can be read by following this link: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404585. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) International Association held its General Assembly meeting today in Azerbaijan's Baku, Trend reports. Representatives from ten countries, including leaders of railway administrations and high-ranking officials from transport and logistics companies, participated in the meeting. The discussion focused on the rising importance of the Middle Corridor, also known as the TITR, as one of the key arteries for regional transport connectivity. The gathering highlighted that under the framework of close cooperation among TITR member states, several comprehensive measures have been implemented to improve cargo operations. These include the integration of modern analytical information systems and the establishment of real-time cargo tracking services. The introduction of the "Digital Trade Corridor" multimodal platform and the "Fast Customs" platform by Singapores Global DTC (Digital Trade Corridor) company has increased transparency in operations and strengthened control mechanisms. The meeting particularly noted the increase in cargo capacity on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which is set to expand from one million tons annually to five million tons, with operations on this route being revived. Participants also emphasized that the main goal is to improve the efficiency of the transport system by ensuring cargo security, agreeing on uniform tariffs, and increasing the speed of cargo flows, all of which will meet the needs of all partners. This approach will enable Middle Corridor countries to achieve long-term success. Following the discussions, the assembly reviewed the confirmed tariff rates for the TITR Development Working Group for 2025. Additionally, the cargo transportation plan for this year via the Middle Corridor and its implementation plan were approved. A decision was also made to open a representative office of the TITR in the city of Xi'an, China. The session concluded with the signing of agreements, including those on the organization of feeder connections between Caspian Sea ports and the provision of loading services for feeder vessels. The event continued with the "Middle Corridor via the Caspian Sea" forum, where participants exchanged ideas on the efficient organization of maritime transport and discussed potential future actions in this direction. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel In recent years, India has witnessed a disturbing trenda decline in PhD enrolments in national institutions. According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22, the total number of PhD enrolments in India stood at approximately 2.02 lakh, accounting for only 0.5 per cent of the total student enrolment. While this figure has shown a gradual increase over the years, recent data from premier institutions such as IITs, IISc, and central universities indicate a worrying decline in PhD admissions. For instance, IIT Bombay saw a nearly 30 per cent drop in PhD applications in 2022 compared to previous years, and similar trends have been observed in other IITs and NITs. Many national institutions couldnt find quality candidates from those who have qualified for national-level tests like CSIR, GATE, etc. This trend could have far-reaching consequences for the countrys research ecosystem and global competitiveness if left unchecked. Doctoral education is pivotal in knowledge creation, innovation, and economic growth. A shrinking pool of PhD scholars threatens Indias academic and industrial research output and undermines its aspirations of becoming a knowledge superpower. Research institutions are the bedrock of scientific and technological advancements, serving as hubs for innovation, discovery, and intellectual progress. While principal investigators, faculty members, and senior scientists often receive the limelight for breakthroughs, the research scholarsdoctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows, and junior researchersform the backbone of these institutions. They drive experimental work, data analysis, and the continuous pursuit of new knowledge. Without these people, none of our scientific institutions could survive even for a day. Advertisement Moreover, Indias research output is already lower than that of global leaders. As per the SCImago Journal Rank (SJR), India ranked 9th globally in terms of research publications in 2022. However, the quality of publications, as measured by citation impact, remains below that of countries like the US, China, and Germany. A decline in PhD enrolments will only exacerbate this issue, leading to a weaker research foundation and fewer high-impact studies. Advertisement A major contributing factor is the lack of adequate financial incentives and job security for PhD holders. Research scholars often struggle with inadequate stipends that do not match the rising cost of living. While the government provides research fellowships through bodies such as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the University Grants Commission (UGC), these funds are often delayed, causing distress among students. The research output from many Indian institutions is increasingly becoming disconnected from industry needs and global trends. A significant portion of PhD research remains confined to theoretical explorations with limited practical applications. The lack of collaboration between academia and industry reduces the incentives for students to engage in meaningful, impactful research. Despite their critical contributions, research scholars often face numerous challenges, including funding constraints, lack of job security, and the pressure to publish. Long hours in the lab, coupled with the demand for high-quality research outputs, can take a toll on their well-being. Institutions must recognize these challenges and work towards creating a supportive environment that ensures their intellectual and personal growth. Another significant factor contributing to the current state of research is the change in attitude among present-generation youngsters. Many are less willing to endure the pain and challenges associated with PhD work, which can take four to eight years of their productive period. Their focus seems to be on smart work and higher financial returns rather than long-term intellectual pursuits. This shift in priorities is impacting the research ecosystem, with fewer individuals opting for rigorous academic research. Moreover, the lack of lucrative career opportunities post-PhD discourages many from taking up doctoral research. While undergraduate and postgraduate programs attract significant enrolments due to their immediate employability prospects, doctoral research is often viewed as a long, arduous journey with uncertain career rewards. Many PhD holders are forced to work on meagre salaries in many academic institutions. In industry, the salary package of a PhD holder is poor compared to people with mere diplomas and degrees. Higher qualification is a disqualification for many industries. The stagnation of research fellowships, delays in stipend disbursement, and the lack of well-structured post-doctoral opportunities further deter students from pursuing research. A strong doctoral program is essential for maintaining academic excellence in universities. Fewer PhD students mean fewer research publications, reduced global rankings, and decreased funding opportunities. This, in turn, affects the credibility of national institutions, making them less attractive to international collaborations and student exchange programs. A weak research culture forces India to rely on foreign technologies and innovations, increasing dependency on imports and reducing self-reliance. This hampers the governments vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), making the country vulnerable to technological and economic dependencies. The declining trend in PhD enrolment is a serious concern that needs immediate attention. If not addressed, it will severely impact Indias research ecosystem, innovation potential, and global competitiveness. A multi-pronged approach involving financial reforms, policy changes, industry integration, and global collaborations is the need of the hour. By creating a robust and attractive research environment, India can reclaim its position as a leader in knowledge creation and scientific advancements. The future of Indias intellectual and technological progress depends on how effectively we tackle this challenge today. Research scholars are not merely assistants or trainees; they are integral to the progress of research institutions. Their relentless pursuit of knowledge, innovative thinking, and dedication ensure that research continues to evolve, addressing global challenges and improving lives. Recognizing their contributions and supporting their journey is essential for the sustained advancement of science and technology. Every year, during National Science Day and Technology Day, we remember the contributions of our scientific community, but we rarely remember the actual heroes of science, the research scholars. Every policymaker must evolve a culture where our research scholars are valued and respected for building a developed nation. The writer is the Dean-Academic Affairs, Garden City University, Bangalore and Adjunct faculty, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. A trilateral conference of important railway authorities was held today in Baku as part of events hosted by the International Association of Legal Entities of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), Trend reports. The meeting was attended by Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC; David Peradze, CEO of Georgian Railways JSC; and Nurlan Saurambayev, Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy National Company JSC. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia discussed ways to more efficiently utilize the potential of the Middle Corridor, focusing on improving the delivery of container cargo from China to European destinations during the meeting. During the meeting, discussions were held regarding coordinated actions for timely delivery of container cargo from China to Europe, as well as measures to ensure the uninterrupted, reliable, and efficient functioning of international corridors. One of the key topics was the operationalization of the "Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd." Joint Venture, which has been established between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia. The regional significance of cooperation in railway freight transportation among the key transit countries of the Middle Corridor was emphasized, particularly the vital contribution of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line to East-West freight transport, with an annual capacity of up to 5 million tons. The officials noted the successful dispatch of the first container block train from Kazakhstan's logistics center in Xi'an to Azerbaijan in March of the previous year, marking a significant milestone in their collaborative efforts. In 2024, a total of 287 block trains were received from China, heading towards Azerbaijan and Europe. Plans are underway to increase this number to 600 in the current year, reflecting the growing efficiency and capacity of the Middle Corridor. The meeting also emphasized the importance of joint efforts with TITR to accelerate cargo flows, aiming to elevate the China-Central Asia-Azerbaijan route to a new global level. The participants agreed that diversifying joint activities among railway administrations could further enhance cargo transit volumes along the Middle Corridor. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Azerbaijan and Serbia have discussed prospects for joint activities, opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, investments, and industry, Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov said in a post on his official X page, Trend reports. "During a video conference with Adrijana Mesarovic, Serbias Minister of Economy, we discussed prospects for joint activities, opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, investments, and industry and further strengthen our economic partnership," the post reads. Will be updated My personal style is: Diverse, mood-driven, and mostly comfortable. You will find bright colours, sombre tones, flowing Indian wear, formal jackets, womens dhotis and more in my wardrobe. My personal style icon: At times, the character Sienna Miller plays in 'Anatomy of a Scandal' (sophisticated, serious, expensive), and sometimes, Emily in 'Emily in Paris' Season 1 (fun, quirky, creative). An item in my wardrobe that means a lot to me: I have a few an early Sabyasachi dress, a pair of hoop earrings from Nicobar, my Bottega Veneta knot clutch. Shveta Jaishankar's favourite Sabyasachi dress My favourite souvenir from my travels is: A set of four coffee mugs from a safari trip to South Africa. Part of the mug is shaped like the animal it represents. They are hand-painted, unique and beautiful. I have packed and carried them to many homes I have moved to but I lost one along the way. Coffee mugs she bought from South Africa The best gift I have received: A pair of earrings my mom designed and got made for me as a surprise. Every time I wear them, someone asks where they are from. The best gift I have given: A holiday for someone special to the Maldives. Another time I gave a wine cooler to a friend stocked fully with great wine because I was moving cities and couldnt take it with me. The last thing I bought: A gorgeous kancheevaram sari. Jaishankar's latest purchase; a Kancheevaram sari The last book I read: My Beloved Life by Amitava Kumar. It is a fantastic read. Im currently reading Necessary Dreams by Anna Fels. Its a thought-provoking non-fiction. The last film I loved: I re-watched 'Notting Hill' and 'Erin Brockovich' and loved them to bits (again)! My Spotify list would include these songs: 'Bittersweet symphony' by The Verve, Unnaku Thaan (hit song from the movie Chitta sung in part by my daughter), Someone like you by Adele and Bongo Bong by Manu Chao. Just the name perks me up. My beauty/ wellness routine is: My routine is practical. I eat well most of the time and exercise 4/5 days a week. I sleep for 7-8 hours. My skincare is a good sunblock, a light moisturiser, lip balm, under-eye cream at night. Collagen supplements when I remember to take them. I wish I had the time and patience for a more involved skin and hair care routine but this is what I am able to manage right now. Heliocare's sunblock, an important item in Jaishankar's beauty routine My favourite holiday destination: Europe and the one time I have been to Bali I felt I would love going back. I love to collect: Good memories, books and bangles. My fridge always has: Eggs, cheese and dark chocolate. And filter coffee. Someone told me it stays fresher in there. Minimalism or maximalism: Mediumalism. My home looks like: a well-lived space with natural light, antique furniture offset by modern art and something belonging to my kids in nearly every corner! I have to channel my inner Marie Kondo nearly every day. I am happy to report I succeed at times. Jaishankar's house My favourite mix of traditional and contemporary is: Me. Its how I see myself as a person. My best ideas come when: I am walking in nature or sitting alone with a pen and paper or phone at a quiet coffee shop. The best way to spend Rs 20,000 is: To buy advance gifts for the next few months for a bunch of occasions which you will now be well prepared for. My idea of happiness is: Radical acceptance of yourself and your situation while also trying to change things for the better. On this tightrope is my happiness. In a relief to Madhabi Puri Buch, the former chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India and other officials of the market regulator as well as the BSE, the Bombay High Court has stayed for four weeks a special court order, which had directed the Anti Corruption Bureau to register an FIR against them. Apart from Buch, the special court had ordered FIR against SEBI's whole-time members Ashwani Bhatia, Ananth Narayan G, and Kamlesh Chandra Varshney, as well as BSE officials, including MD and CEO S. Ramamurthy and then chairman Pramod Agarwal. The case relates to a listing of a company Cals Refineries on the stock market back in 1994. The complainant, Sapan Shrivastava, who claims to be a journalist, had sought an investigation into the listing of the company alleging large-scale financial fraud regulatory violations and corruption. He had alleged that SEBI officials facilitated market manipulation and committed corporate fraud by allowing the company's listing that didn't meet the prescribed norms. The FIR order had been challenged in the Bombay High Court by Buch and the other officials. The High Court prima facie observed that the special court order was passed mechanically without going into details or attributing any role to Buch and others, Bar and Bench reported. Appearing for the SEBI officials, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the complainant was habituated to filing frivolous cases and had been fined before for the same by the courts. Mehta also argued that the petitioners were the present office bearers, while the case was related to a company that was listed in 1994, over 30 years ago. Appearing for the BSE officials, senior Advocate Amit Desai also termed the allegations by the complainant against the officials as baseless and scandalous, LiveLaw reported. Meanwhile, the complainant Shrivastava said his allegations were based on facts and requested permission to file additional documents annexing all his past complaints. Cals Refineries was earlier known as Cals Limited and incorporated back in 1984, according to information available on stock broking firms. Originally promoted as a hardware firm, it was later transformed into a refinery company. The company was later in 2013, found guilty in a case involving irregularities in issuance of global depository receipts (GDR). In relation to the case, the market regulator barred 8 entities from the securities market for 10 years in 2014. In response to the special court order, the regulator had said that the applicant is known to be a "frivolous and habitual litigant" with previous applications dismissed by the court, with the imposition of costs in some cases. Over the last few years, there are has been a surge of new investors in capital markets. While direct investing in the stock market has grown, with lakhs of new demat accounts opened, many more have turned to mutual funds for wealth creation through systematic investment plans (SIPs). In order to broaden the investor base, the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI) recently launched the Rs 250 SIP initiative. Former Securities and Exchange Board of India Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch during her tenure had been pushing for such a micro-SIP initiative across the mutual fund industry, so that every one could get access to a safe, regulated financial investment market. "The concept of the bottom of the pyramid and making it profitable is here and now, thanks to technology. And to my mind, this is perhaps going to be the biggest and best manifestation of that," she said at the launch of the JanNivesh SIP product by SBI Mutual Fund, the country's largest asset manager. According to AMFI, its Chhoti (small) SIP initiative is designed to make mutual fund investing more accessible, particularly for first-time investors and those from underserved segments. Essentially, the idea was that small traders, the unorganised work force or even rural labourers should be able to access the formalised investment ecosystem. "The intent is to look at how we can serve the larger pool of people by making it more attractive. A Rs 250 SIP may seem a large amount, but if you do a daily SIP, its like Rs 10 a day. From a savers point of view its very good," said A. Balasubramanian, the MD and CEO of Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC. To be sure, a few mutual funds had already been offering small SIPs. But, the Chhoti SIP, an industry-wide initiative would significantly enhance its impact, said Sachin Jain, managing partner at Scripbox, a wealth management platform. "A collective push backed by SEBI and AMFI ensures greater visibility, regulatory support, and structured educational initiatives that can drive adoption," he said. But, the success of this initiative hinges on financial literacy and investor education, he felt. "Educating investors about the why and how of investing will be crucial in ensuring long-term participation. Over time, this initiative can help lower-income investors break free from the cycle of debt, build disciplined savings habits, and plan their financial futures more effectively," noted Jain. Some fund houses were already offering SIP of even Rs 100 a month. But, such initiatives were not pushed or marketed much as they were not lucrative. And that will be a key here. "There is an ecosystem of the payment aggregator, the payment gateway, setting up the SIP, registrars... the absolute cost of all of that on a Rs 100 or Rs 250 SIP generally becomes very high in terms of basis points. So, it's very important to solve the cost structure. And I think that is the whole objective with which AMFI and SEBI are working together, that for these smaller ticket SIPs, how do we ensure that the cost structures are also lesser," said Kalpen Parekh, MD and CEO of DSP Mutual Fund. Balasubramanian of Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC believes that breakeven can be achieved in around 2-3 years. He is hopeful that once the investor starts a Rs 250 SIP, over time she will increase the amount, so the pool will only keep rising. "For a country of our size and scale, and while we have 150 crore people, not everyone has wherewithal to save a larger amount every month. It will be very encouraging to see more and more people joining capital markets through SIP as a route," said Parekh. The launch of this initiative comes at a time equity markets have been falling amid huge sell-off by foreign institutional investors. With the benchmark large cap indices down 15-16 per cent from their peak, many worried investors have possibly been stopping their SIPs. Recent data from AMFI for January 2025 indicated that there had been more SIP cancellations than new SIP registrations. Educating the first time investors to invest in SIPs at a such a juncture, could be challenging. Also, explaining them the importance of riding the cycles and staying invested over a long-term, will be important. On March 15, the first trial run of a freight train that will directly connect Russia with Pakistan is scheduled to leave Karachi for Moscow before chugging through Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. This rail link follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Railway Cooperation signed between Russia and Pakistan in June 2024. Top Pakistani exports to Russia and the Central Asian markets can be cotton textiles and food products like rice and wheat while Russia can send its oil, gas, steel and other industrial goods. Despite the optics of what a Russia-Pakistan direct rail link can mean, not much impact is seen on India by way of implications. Firstly, Indias bilateral ties with Russia are far more crucial and comprehensive than Russias with Pakistan. India remains the worlds biggest importer of military equipment with Russia being the biggest supplier. Indias tanks, fighter aircraft, naval platforms everything has a dominant Russian element. Second, Russia is the biggest source of energy for India which is the worlds third-largest oil importer and consumer. India has already ratcheted its oil imports from Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine which now stands at about 38 per cent of its total foreign oil imports. Russia had offered its oil at much-discounted rates to India after Western nations stopped buying from Moscow after the imposition of sanctions. On the other hand, India also has a lot of exports like pharmaceuticals and consumer goods that have a ready market in Russia. ALSO READ: Indian Armys Air Defence looking up with smart ammo, lasers, MW weapons Thirdly, the economic and political heft and stature between India and Pakistan is a no-brainer. While India pursues an independent foreign policy under the plank of strategic autonomy, Pakistan is arguably at best a proxy pawn for China in the strategic game. Indias economy is the fastest growing one while the Pakistani economy is in doldrums. India has all the makings of a democracy that is maturing fast while the Pakistan polity is another name for instability. While Russia, bogged down with an ongoing war in Ukraine, is on a lookout for newer markets and trade connectivity that will override the Western-imposed sanctions, the beleaguered Pakistan economy is desperately looking for avenues for more revenue. But significantly, the new connectivity is part of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) networkoriginally planned in 2000 by India, Iran, and Russiawhich is a 7,200 km-long multimodal transport network linking Asia and Europe but with the primary nodal points being St Petersburg and Mumbai. The multimodal INSTC using a network of sea, road, and rail routes will cut down time taken for movement of goods between the two countries from the existing 40 days to about 20 days bringing down carriage cost between Mumbai and St Petersburg by about 30 per cent. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap revealed that before Amruta Subhash was cast as RAW agent Kusum Devi Yadav in Netflix's Sacred Games, South Indian superstars Manju Warrier and Nayanthara were considered for the part. During a roundtable interview, The Lunchbox producer said that the pairs names were suggested when casting the second season of the show, which released in 2019. "We were trying to get her (Manju) for Amrita Subhash's role... Different language actor... We were auditioning for Sacred Games. We gave them (Netflix) three options. We gave them an option of her, Nayanthara and one more person," Kashyap told reporters. ALSO READ | Anurag Kashyap says Indian theatres have destroyed his film-viewing experience "At that time, Netflix didn't have an India office. So, everything was going to the US. And at that time, OTTs were not really looking at South films. They were not looking at the South market. They wanted an actress to be picked up from where their market is. It was limited to Maharashtra or anywhere. Their choices are always based on algorithms where they are getting subscribers," he added. Kashyap, a long-time admirer of South Indian cinema, has often shared high praise for Mollywood. He recalled a time when Warrier reached out to the filmmaker for feedback on her 2024 Malayalam film Footage. "Manju and I, we go (way) back... We first met in 2011-2013... We have common friends between us, Geetu Mohandas and Rajeev Ravi (couple, Moothon director and cinematographer, respectively). And we share the same birthday." ALSO READ | After 'Manjummel Boys' success, Anurag Kashyap says he's jealous of Malayalam filmmakers A Hindi version of Footage, presented by Kashyap, will hit theatres on March 7. The Kannada film industry is divided over Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's alleged threat to the film fraternity that he would "fix" them for skipping the inauguration of the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival (Biffes) held last Saturday. Shivakumar, who was visibly upset over the absence of industry bigwigs at the event, openly expressed his disappointment and said, "I know how to tighten their nuts and bolts." During his speech, the Congress leader further alleged that unlike in the past, Sandalwood was no longer involved in the causes related to the state's interest. "A few years ago, we had taken out a 150-km long Mekedatu padayatra -'Namma Neeru, Namma Hakku' (our water, our right) to draw attention to the drinking water crisis of Bengaluru. Except for Sadhu Kokila and (Duniya)Vijay, nobody from the Sandalwood had turned up. Today, once again, only a handful of the people from the industry are here for the festival. This is not a private event of either Siddaramaiah or mine. This is a film industry programme, meant for actors, directors, producers and technicians. You may take it as a warning or a request. If the government does not co-operate and deny permission for shooting, you can make no films. I, too, know how to tighten the nut and bolt. So, kindly understand this," said Shivakumar. #WATCH | Bengaluru: On his 'nuts and bolts' comment, Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar, " We may not be right and polished...let me rectify it. I am not God, so if I have done anything wrong, I will rectify it but I am speaking in the best interest of the (film) industry. I am also pic.twitter.com/bwiSWnF4jW ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2025 The statement created a political furore with even the opposition parties accusing Shivakumar of threatening the film fraternity. "Does DCM think the film industry is the slave of the Congress party? If Ambareesh were to be alive, he would have given Shivakumar a befitting reply," said Leader of Opposition R. Ashok. Union minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy said the voters who gave the mandate to Congress also knew how to tighten the nuts and bolts of those who cross the line. On Tuesday, Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, countered his critics saying that he was not the one who spoke "colourful words" and believed in straight talk. "I only spoke out for the good of the industry. I am also part of that industry. I used to run a touring talkies named after Indira Gandhi. Today, I own 23 screens in Bengaluru. Sandalwood has grown taller than Bollywood due to a couple of films and is striving to match Hollywood standards. Some people are working hard to achieve that. I, too, hope that Kannada films reach greater heights. I only urged them to save the Kannada film industry as it is dying. Perhaps, my language was colloquial," said Shivakumar defending his earlier statement. Actor-turned-politician Ramya (Divya Spandana) in her Instagram post stated that Shivakumar was not "entirely wrong". "As actors, we have a considerable impact on public and it is imperative we lend our voice to the causes we believe in. Whichever side you may lean towards, dialogue is essential for democracy," she said. Citing the example of Rajkumar, who had lent his support to the Gokak agitation, Ramya said it was the artiste's prerogative whether or not to lend their voice to a cause. She, however, added that they should not be threatened to do so under any circumstances. "Most friends are vocal about their opinions in person but shy away from making public statements as they are subjected to trolling and their work gets affected, too. Actors have become soft targets for politicians and I urge our leaders to refrain from issuing threats and bullying them," said her post. Film director T.S. Nagabharana took exceptions to Shivakumar's choice of words, saying they were "inappropriate" and reflected the deputy chief minister's "culture". In a veiled dig at Film Academy president Sadhu Kokila, he said, "In the past, we used to visit people's houses to personally invite them for the festival at least a week in advance or call them as we considered it as one big family. The current organisers need to introspect." Rajya Sabha MP and Kannada actor Jaggesh expressed his angst over the "lack of unity" in the Kannada industry. "The festival inauguration was at 7 pm and we got the invitation at 6 pm. Moreover, there is no unity and no conversations and the film artists association has vanished. For an industry inching towards death, and missing the bolt, it is no use trying to tighten (fix) it," the veteran actor wrote on X. National award-winning film director Girish Kasaravalli said he did not go to the festival as the organisers had not sent him an invitation, though one of his films Ghatashraddha was being screened at the festival. Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce president M. Narasimhalu justified Shivakumar's statement and said the film fraternity should have attended the event. Actor-director-writer Chakravarthy Chandrachud alleged there was dirty politics being played out in the state film academy and there were issues in the selection of films and awards. "None of us got any invitation even on WhatsApp. Has Sadhu Kokila given the invitations to top heroes Kicha Sudeep,Yash and Upendra? The politicians want mileage out of the film fraternity. That is the reason the film festival is inaugurated on the steps of the Vidhana Soudha. Both politicians and the film industry need each other. You cannot be a Hitler just because you are in power," charged Chandrachud. The man who is in the eye of the stormFilm Academy president Sadhu Kokiladefended the deputy chief minister saying there was no need to blow a small issue out of proportion. "D.K. Shivakumar sir is one of us and he took the liberty to express his disappointment as there was a low turnout from the fraternity," said Kokila who also claimed the invitations had been sent out in time. "We might have missed giving the invitations to one or two. But everyone knew that the festival would begin on March 1 as we had made the announcement on January 6. I have personally handed over 600 VIP passes to the film chamber to be given to distributors and exhibitors. It was a government programme and not my personal programme. Who should have shown interest in this event?," he asked. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Azerbaijan will develop more space programs in the coming years, the Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Samaddin Asadov said at an event dedicated to the World Engineering Day, Trend reports He mentioned that with the development of space programs, the influence and position of the Azerbaijani government in space is strengthening. "Azerbaijan today has a significant influence in the global space industry thanks to the work it has done. We could previously say this was regional, but now we can confidently say its global. Our country is a participant in numerous space projects and international programs. Azerbaijan is one of the few countries with a special position in orbit. In the coming years, Azerbaijani engineers will prepare and launch the most professional satellites that meet the highest standards," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The Oscar win for the visual effects for Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two is a big deal for the Mumbai-based firm DNEG that worked on the film. It's the 7th for the country and 8th for the company. Speaking about the win, DNEG CEO Namit Malhotra expressed pride in the work done by his company. "Our artists and our capabilities are already ahead of what Indian filmmakers are using... We don't have enough big visual-led effects projects here and that is where we are hoping to get to the next level," said Malhotra in a conversation with PTI. Malhotra observed that India does most of the visual effects than any other country. "More Indians are working (on VFX) in any major Hollywood film than there are in Indian films. That is a unique reality we are already in." DNEG addied the VFX work of principal effects artists Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer who collected the Oscar at the 97th Academy Awards on Monday. Lambert acknowledged the work of DNEG and another company Wylie Co. for their contributions. Formerly Double Negative before it was rebranded as DNEG following its merger with Malhotra's Prime Focus World, the firm has worked on some high-profile Hollywood films like Interstellar, Inception, and Blade Runner 2049 in addition to the first two Dune films. DNEG is currently collaborating with KGF star Yash for Ramayana, in the capacity of a co-producer and the film's primary VFX team. Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash lead the big-budget epic directed by Nitesh Tiwari. "Ramayana is something very close to my heart. We are not just doing the visual effects but also producing it. It's a complete integration of all the 30 years of my learning of everything I have had in the industry... It's a challenge but we are excited about that and believe that the time has come for Indian stories and Indian culture to now be more recognised at the world level. It's as good as anything else out there," said Malhotra, who is also working on another highly anticipated Yash-starrer Toxic, helmed by Geetu Mohandas. Less than two months after a maternal death at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), where several new mothers fell seriously ill, a similar sense of fear emerged at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital (BMCH) on Monday. Several postpartum women in the gynaecology and obstetrics department at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital (BMCH) began feeling unwell after receiving multiple injections on Monday. Some developed fevers with convulsions, while others gradually became unresponsive. With the memory of Januarys maternal death at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), where several new mothers also became critically ill, still fresh, families of the patients in Burdwan hurried to the hospital in panic after being informed by the authorities that their loved ones' conditions had worsened. Upon arrival, they claimed they were denied entry to the department. They further suspected that an untrained individual might have administered the injections, leading to the incident. There was also confusion about the number of postpartum women who became ill. While the patients' family members claimed that the condition of 10 to 12 new mothers worsened, Mausumi Banerjee, the principal of Burdwan Medical College, stated that only seven had fallen sick. A team of doctors then examined the patients and administered alternative medication to aid their recovery. Gradually, over the course of an hour, their condition began to improve. After conducting further medical assessments, the doctors confirmed that all the patients were now stable. Even though the situation was brought under control, the incident continued to create anxiety among patients and their families on Tuesday. As a result, some decided to discharge their loved ones and leave the hospital. Regarding the incident, the principal of Burdwan Medical College, Mausumi Banerjee, told the media that an "allergic reaction" occurred after the injection was administered. She mentioned that the authorities are currently gathering more information about the matter. This happened on Monday afternoon after the doctors had completed their rounds in the ward. Preliminary investigations suggest that it was caused by a reaction to the medication. However, all patients are now in stable condition, Prof (Dr) Tapas Ghosh, the medical superintendent cum vice-principal, informed the media. The hospital authorities have reportedly put on hold all injections of the batch that were administered and have decided to send the administered medication for testing. Sunil Sharma, Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, called any discussion on Article 370 as foolishness. Sharma was responding to a proposal moved by J&K People's Conference chief Sajad Lone in the assembly on Tuesday. Lone walked out from the assembly in protest against the rejection of his proposed amendments to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinhas speech in the assembly on Monday, which made no mention of Article 370. He wanted to introduce amendments regarding Article 370, the scrapping of the Public Safety Act (PSA), alleged rigging of the 1987 elections and police verification of people. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, however, didnt entertain his proposals. The governors address is indistinguishable from a possible BJP speech, had they been in power. There seems to be total ideological overlap. No mention not even remotely of Article 370, Article 35 A. No mention of 5 August 2019. No mention of reorganisation Act. Seems the NC Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) March 3, 2025 As per Rule 187, a discussion on Article 370 cannot be allowed within a year of the same resolution, Rather said. On the issue of 1987 elections, he said it is a matter of the past and must be a recent occurrence to be debated. The PSA and police verification fall under the ministry of home affairs (MHA) and until statehood is restored, this assembly cannot deliberate on them, he ruled. Lone also accused the ruling National Conference of being in cohorts with the BJP. The BJP had warned that it would not allow any discussions on Article 370, arguing the Article was abrogated by Parliament. The opposition leader said no assembly in the country can overrule or overturn the decision of the Parliament. Discussing Article 370 is foolishness, Sharma said. The Supreme Court has legitimised its abrogation, he said. His love for Pakistan has resurfaced as his in-laws are there, Sharma charged. In the inaugural session of the J&K Assembly in November last year, Lone, PDPs Waheed Parra, and Awami Itead Party (AIP) had supported the resolution on the restoration of special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution was introduced by the National Conference. It didnt mention Article 370 and called on the Centre to engage with the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir to restore its special status. After the resolution was passed, Lone, Parra and AIPs Sheikh Khursheed said the resolution was silent on Article 370 and they tried to introduce another resolution calling for restoration of Article 370, which was disallowed by Rather. Multiple bodies associated with the Trinamool Congresss education cell, including the West Bengal College and University Professors' Association (WBCUPA), took out a rally in Kolkata on Tuesday to protest the heckling of Bratya Basu, the education minister of West Bengal, in Jadavpur University (JU) last week. Basu was there to attend the annual general meeting of WBCUPA on Saturday when a group of ultra-left students demanding student body elections heckled him and vandalised his car. The incident also led to the injury of two students. The minister, reportedly, reached out to the family of one of the injured students, named Indranuj Roy, and expressed regret. Also read | Jadavpur University row: TMC, Left students wing clash in West Bengal amid protest against Education Minister Howrah, West Bengal: On Jadavpur University incident, Student's Federation of India State Secretary Debanjan Dey says, "...Protests by the SFI took place throughout the day in various provinces and campuses. Following yesterday's student strike at the university, Trinamool pic.twitter.com/PwjkaPWmjm IANS (@ians_india) March 4, 2025 Holding posters of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the protesters on Tuesday raised slogans against the Students Federation of India (SFI), accusing the CPI(M)s student body of leading the attack against Basu and creating an unsafe environment for professors and teachers in JU. Along with WBCUPA, the West Bengal Trinamool Primary Teachers' Association (WBTA), the West Bengal Trinamool Secondary Teachers' Association (WBTSTA), the Trinamool Shiksha Bandhu Samiti also took part in the rally from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Jadavpur police station. VIDEO | Kolkata: TMC workers stage protest over the alleged heckling of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu at Jadavpur University. (Full video available on PTI Videos- https://t.co/dv5TRAShcC)#Kolkata pic.twitter.com/oHAuzO6bYD Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 4, 2025 Meanwhile, Bhaskar Gupta, the interim vice chancellor, on Tuesday proposed a judicial inquiry to probe Saturdays incident. His proposal came during a meeting with several teacher associations of the university, including WBCUPA. On the other hand, several ultra-left student organisations called for demonstrations on the university campus on both Tuesday and Wednesday. They demanded that classrooms and research laboratories remain closed. The protesters also put forth several demands following their general body meeting on Monday. They have collectively decided that Vice Chancellor Bhaskar Gupta must come to the campus and speak with them within the next 24 hours, warning that on failing to do so they will escalate their protests. If necessary, they will stage a sit-in outside his office. During Saturdays incident, a group of students also allegedly assaulted the VC, which, reportedly, deteriorated his health. As a result, he has been advised to remain on complete bed rest for the next 10 days. The protesters demanded that the university cover the medical expenses of injured students. Additionally, Gupta should work with the government to withdraw police complaints against certain students. They also insisted that authorities file charges, including attempted murder, against Basu for allegedly permitting reckless driving on campus. Along with the issue of student union elections, filing of FIR over allegations of reckless driving on campus was also raised during the VCs meeting with the teachers bodies. However, WBCUPA opposed this and instead called for an investigation into the fire incident at the Shiksha Bandhu office inside the campus. Additionally, a request was made to the state government for extra security personnel. The discussion also emphasised taking all necessary measures to restore peace and normalcy on campus. Keralas State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), which advises the government on environmental clearance for development projects at the state level, has given the green signal to the controversial Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi Twin Tube Tunnel Road project. However, the approval comes with 25 stringent conditions for the tunnels construction in a highly ecologically sensitive, landslide-prone region. These conditions include the installation of four ground vibration monitoring systems and regular oversight by an environmental management committee. The 2,034 crore project proposes the construction of a twin-tube, unidirectional tunnel road (2+2 lane) with a four-lane approach from existing roads to improve connectivity between Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. The SEAC decided to grant environmental clearance after an expert committee meeting on March 1. #WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram: On Wayanad Twin Tunnel project, Congress leader and Kerala state assembly LoP VD Satheesan says, " We are discussing this matter, we couldn't discussed it so far because the permission was granted only two days back. On the backdrop of Wayanad pic.twitter.com/3a7M0fqcMa ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2025 If completed, the tunnel will pass through areas designated as ecologically sensitive. A 5.76 km section of the tunnel runs through forest land, and at least four tribal settlements are located just 500m to 1.5km from the proposed tunnel road on the northern side. Since the major landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala villages of Wayanad, strong opposition has emerged against this ambitious project by the Pinarayi Vijayan government, which promises to resolve Wayanads connectivity challenges as the district grows as a tourism hotspot. The tunnel project is expected to be an alternative to the Ghat Road connecting Wayanad and Kozhikode, where hours of traffic snarls are common. Notably, the SEAC has highlighted that the tunnel alignment passes through highly fragile terrain, prone to landslides, where massive destructive landslides occurred in 2019 and 2024. The committee has stressed the need for a comprehensive environmental management plan. Additionally, it has warned that the project could worsen human-wildlife conflict in the area. The region is also home to rich biodiversity including endangered bird species like Nilgiri Sholakili and many other species that are endemic to Western Ghats. KITCO Ltd, established in 1972 as the first technical consultancy organisation in India, jointly by Industrial Development Bank of India, Government of Kerala and public sector banks, is the project proponent for this project. The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited is the implementing agency. In September 2024, Dilip Buildcon Limited emerged as the L-1 bidder for constructing the tunnel. SEAC has made it clear that construction can proceed only by adhering to several additional conditions. These include conducting micro-scale mapping of landslide-vulnerable zones, setting up automated weather stations, and employing advanced tunnelling methods that reduce ground vibrations. Notably, the SEAC approval does not explicitly mention any independent study, and it is highly likely that environmentalists will intensify their protests against the project in the days to come. There are 32,474 vacancies across various departments in Jammu and Kashmir. However, since October last year, only 3,727 of these vacancies have been sent for recruitment. This was informed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday in a written reply to MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone who wanted to know the number of vacancies available in government departments. Abdullah, who heads the general administration department, informed the Legislative Assembly that as of January 31, there are 2,503 gazetted vacancies, 19,214 non-gazetted vacancies and 10,757 multi-tasking staff vacancies. Despite the large number of vacancies, the recruitment process has been slow. After the elected government led by Abdullah assumed office on October 16, 2024, only 3,727 posts have been referred to the Jammu & Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and the Public Service Commission (PSC), including 738 gazetted posts, 1,754 non-gazetted posts and 1,235 multi-tasking staff vacancies. The government also revealed that Rs 14.17 crore has been collected as examination fees from job applicants taking recruitment tests. For a question whether there are any plans to waive application fees for job seekers, the government said that no such proposal is being considered. The slow pace of recruitment despite many vacancies has raised concerns among job seekers. Government jobs are in huge demand in Jammu and Kashmir due to limited opportunities in the private sector. Of late, educated youth have taken to starting their ventures to earn a livelihood. Horticulture and tourism employ lakhs of people directly and indirectly in Jammu and Kashmir. Startup culture is also shaping up slowly among educated youth. The governments skill development programmes are also providing training and other assistance for youth to start their businesses. IT sector, which had started to pick up in J&K, suffered a setback due to the communication blockade by the government when Article 370 was revoked. The sector is yet to recover fully and many businesses offering services to clients outside India were shut. However, efforts are on to revive the sector with better internet availability. A terror suspect who allegedly plotted an attack on the Ayodhya Ram Temple has been arrested in a joint operation by multiple agencies. Two hand grenades were recovered from his possession. Identified Abdul Rehman, the suspect was arrested on Sunday by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Haryana's Palwal Special Task Force (STF) in Faridabad. He was taken to Gujarat for interrogation and radical material has been recovered from him. Following this, a court has remanded him in custody of the Haryana STF for 10 days. Who is Abdul Rehman? Abdul Rehman, 19, from Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh was the owner of a butcher shop in Milkipur. He also drove an auto rickshaw. Reports suggest that this was a front to hide his identity. Major terror plot against Ayodhyas Ram Mandir foiled by Gujarat & Haryana ATS. Initial investigations of terrorist Abdul Rehman reveal ISI links. And this has happened in the holy month of Ramadan. Terrifying. pic.twitter.com/07hceLGu5k Ashok Singhal (@TheAshokSinghal) March 3, 2025 The investigators are probing his connections to ISI-backed groups as well as looking into the whereabouts of his handlers. The person who supplied him the grenades is believed to be an ISI handler. He reportedly received training online from Pakistan's Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) agency. They taught him how to use an AK-47 assault rifle and grenades. It has been revealed that Rehman has held recce at Gate 1 and 2 of Ayodhya temple. Following this he travelled from Faizabad to Faridabad by train five days before his arrest. Rehman left his family saying he was leaving for a religious centre in Delhi. However, he travelled to Faridabad instead. Rehman has claimed that he is linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) module of the ISIS. This is under investigation. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath turned to Tulsidas to illustrate how his government was different from others, taking money from the public only to give it back manifold. The couplet he chose was one in which Lord Ram tells his brother Bharat that a ruler should extract tax in a manner similar to how the sun takes water from the oceans, rivers, and pondswithout anyone seeing it. Yet when the same water came down in the form of rain, all beings stood to benefit. This, he said, was unlike the Samajwadi Party rule in which Rs 15 crores was used just to distribute Rs 20 crores of unemployment allowance. Adityanath said his government had not imposed a single new tax in the last eight years but had worked hard to give back to the people and turn UP into a revenue-surplus state. #WATCH | Lucknow | Speaking in Assembly, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says, "Today's Samajwadi Party takes the name of Dr Lohia but has gone away from its ideals. SP has forgotten Dr Lohia's conduct, ideals, and principles. He said that Vishnu, Shankar, and Ram are the basis pic.twitter.com/9UonvPEPcx ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2025 Another mythological reference came for the direct benefit transfer scheme which he said was like the mallet of Bhim (one of the Pandava brothers in the Mahabharat) for it had destroyed corruption. Adityanath delivered his address on Tuesday evening as part of the Budget session of the state Assembly. He tore into the previous government both directly and by reeling off figures from 2017 (when he was sworn in as CM for the first term) and comparing them with current figures. One of his jibes was that the name of the Samajwadi Party was associated with every bura (bad) deed in some way. The violence in Sambhal that happened in November last year also figured in his speech. He said that there was a mischievous attempt to destroy the existence of 68 teerth (pilgrimage sites) and 19 koop (wells). It was our duty to find themwhat is ours should be given to us; there are no two ways about it, the chief minister said. He elaborated on the states progress, saying that UP was no longer a break in the nations development, rather it had become a breakthrough state. The recently concluded Mahakumbh also featured prominently in the CMs speech. He highlighted the fact that 33 crore women had come to the mela but there had been no untoward incident. (There were some instances of miscreants filming bathing women, but the police took swift action against them). #WATCH | Targeting Opposition on its statements over Prayagraj Mahakumbh, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says, "Mahakumbh has been able to showcase the state's ability to hold such a large event to the country and the country's ability to the world. The misinformation that you pic.twitter.com/Oy05m60l0r ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2025 He asked the Opposition to prove its allegation that the BJPs thought process was communal when at the Mahakumbh people congregated without distinction of religion, caste or region. He likened the organization of the congregation to a trial by fire which the state had cleared in an exemplary fashion. This would echo in the world for a long time to come, he said. A 67-year-old Indian nurse who was attacked at Palms West Hospital by a patient may suffer permanent blindness due to her injuries. Leelamma Lal was beaten by Stephen Scantlebury, a 33-year-old man who was evaluated for mental health issues, which authorities claim was a racial attack. The incident happened last month at Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee. Witnesses told deputies that Scantlebury was in a hospital bed on the third floor when he suddenly jumped up on the bed and then jumped on Lal. Two other people were in the room at that time. One ran out to call for help before a second person ran in and saw Scantlebury on top of Lal, beating her repeatedly with his fists. Lal, a registered nurse, is in stable condition at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach with a brain bleed. She suffered serious injuries after the accused hit her repeatedly with his fists, fracturing every bone in her face. She may be permanently blind, according to reports. The man, who fled from the hospital, was later arrested and charged with attempted murder charge and hate crime enhancement. Palm Beach County Deputy Sgt. Beth Newcomb testified to the authorities that Scantlebury made racist remarks, saying, "Indians are bad" and "I just beat the (expletive) out of an Indian doctor." Dr. Cindy Joseph, whose mom, nurse Leelamma Lal, was brutally attacked at a Florida hospital, says she is "really disappointed in the system," calling the incident preventable.@TVAshleigh MORE: https://t.co/YWvjKhzhhR pic.twitter.com/8r0tTYmMv1 NewsNation (@NewsNation) February 26, 2025 Leelamma's daughter Dr Cindy Joseph told reporters that she will need surgery to repair her facial injuries and faces weeks of hospitalisation. "This is gonna forever change the rest of her future and she's 67. She has, with her health, a good at least 20 plus years left and she shouldn't have to spend them the way she's gonna have to spend them," Joseph was quoted by CBS 12. She added that Leelamma was talking but was very confused and woke up worried about getting fired for not being at work. "She's very, very confused. I thought she might have remembered what happened, but I don't think she recalls it clearly. She thought she was at Palms West that day, she thought she was off, and she thought she was there for a doctor's appointment. So I don't think she recalls the assault very clearly, but maybe it'll come back with more time," she said. According to the arrest affidavit the arrest affidavit, Scantlebury was a psychiatric patient on a Baker Act hold, a temporary involuntary hospital hold for people experiencing a mental health crisis. Scantlebury's wife, Megan, told the court that Scantlebury how her husband had been paranoid in the days leading up to the incident. She said he was hallucinating and feeling like he was being watched, even accusing herself and their neighbours of being involved. Days after the public dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Trump administration has paused U.S. military aid to Ukraine. The pause which has already gone into effect will affect hundreds of millions of dollars of weaponry which is not yet inside Ukraine. The White House confirmed the latest move on Monday in a statement that the US is committed to working towards peace. The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, the White House official said. Ukraine has not officially responded to the latest move. The US has been a key supplier of weapons for Ukraine since the war began but Trump's latest stance shows a marked shift in U.S. policy toward the conflict. Since Trump took office in January, $3.85 billion has been available to be transported to Ukraine from the existing U.S. stockpiles, CBS News quoted US officials. But, none of that has been packaged since January 21, though shipments of weapons promised by the Biden administration are being transported. Before he left the White House, the Biden administration had rushed shipments of weapons to Ukraine, including the long-range ATACMS missiles, which allowed Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory. "Basically, he wants Ukraine to cave. That's the only thing that I can tell": Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York) weighs in after President Trump ordered all military aid to Ukraine to be paused. pic.twitter.com/n8mtBlv2nJ Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) March 4, 2025 In the current scenario, Ukraine can sustain its current fighting pace for several weeks before the pause will begin to show. "The impact is going to be big. I would call it crippling," said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CNN. Even with European aid, Ukraine can only last only two to four months. "Thats why they dont fall off a cliff, but when your supplies get cut in half, eventually that shows up on the front lines," Cancian said. "Their front lines would continue to buckle and eventually they would break and Ukraine would have to accept an adverse even catastrophic peace settlement," he added. So far, the United States has provided $65.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022, the State Department said in January. The next stage of constructing the Trans-Caspian Fiber Optic Cable Line, a key component of the Digital Silk Way project aimed at creating a digital corridor between Europe and Asia through Azerbaijan, is underway, Azernews reports. With the participation of the Prime Ministers of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, Ali Asadov and Olzhas Bektenov, a document was signed to approve the agreement for the construction of underwater fiber-optic communication lines along the Caspian Sea floor. The agreement was signed by Emil Masimov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AzerTelecom, and Bagdat Musin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kazakhtelecom. As part of the Trans-Caspian Fiber Optic Cable Line Project, a 380 km fiber-optic cable will be laid along the bottom of the Caspian Sea between Sumgayit (Azerbaijan) and Aktau (Kazakhstan). This will ensure the transmission of multi-terabit data and establish high-speed internet connections of up to 400 terabits per second. The construction will be carried out in several stages, including coastal area and seabed assessments, the design and manufacture of high-quality, durable cables, and their transportation and installation. AzerTelecom and Kazakhtelecom aim to complete the construction by the end of 2026. The Trans-Caspian Fiber Optic Cable Line is a vital part of the Digital Silk Road project, a digital telecommunications corridor passing through countries like Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. This infrastructure will offer the most optimal and shortest route for data transmission, with high bandwidth and minimal latency, fostering regional cooperation and sustainable development. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 4. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, who is on an official visit to Uzbekistan, toured the Tashkent Technopark alongside Uzbek Prime Minister Abdullah Aripov, Trend reports. During the visit, Kobakhidze was introduced to a range of high-tech products manufactured at the site, including household appliances, electronic meters, elevators, water pumps, industrial air conditioners, and refrigeration equipment. The tour highlighted Uzbekistans efforts to enhance industrial innovation and strengthen economic cooperation with Georgia. The Technopark, established under the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, serves as a hub for industrial cooperation and high-tech manufacturing. With direct investments exceeding $365 million, it hosts 16 production facilities focused on advanced technologies. As the White House confirms pausing US aid to Ukraine, it has been revealed that 19 of the 31 Abrams Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) supplied to Ukraine by the US have been damaged, destroyed or captured. These tanks were called 'game changers' that would wreak havoc on the Russians, but clearly did not. Almost 20 "Abrams" tanks out of 31 that were delivered to the Ukrainian army have already been destroyed , "Militari Voch" writes. They were all destroyed in the last six months. pic.twitter.com/oSrJcm9Cq3 Sprinter Observer (@SprinterObserve) August 23, 2024 The situation is such that 19 of the 31 highly sophisticated MBTs that arrived in 2023 have been taken out by Russian drones. The efficiency of Russian drone and artillery strikes was such that Ukraine was forced to remove the US-made armour, according to a The New York Times report on drones. In January, Ukraine even blew up one of its few surviving U.S.-made M-1 Abrams tanks, possibly to keep it from falling into Russian hands. The first Abrams MBT arrived in September 2023. Soon after, videos began to surface showing Russia decimating the 69-ton, four-person tanks. Within a year-and-a-half, the 47th Mechanized Brigadethe sole Ukrainian user of the high-tech Abrams lost at least 17 of the tanks. Russia even captured one tank, putting it on display in August at the Army-2024 expo held in Patriot Park just outside Moscow. Ten months after sending the tanks, the then US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan too concluded that the vehicles were "not useful" for Ukraines war effort, even citing the Abrams as an example of how many American weapons did not have the desired impact in the theatre. "When it comes to Abrams tanks, we sent Abrams tanks to Ukraine These Abrams tank units are actually undermanned because its not the most useful piece of equipment for them in this fight," he stated. There were also reports of Ukrainians alleging that the sheer size of the tank was an issue on the front line, making them an easy target for the Russians. There were also complaints regarding US tanks performance, including technical issues, such as the vulnerability of electronic components to condensation. During his 2023 visit to Cyprus, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called out the European Union's hypocrisy of buying more oil and gas from Russian than India imports. Now US President Donald Trump has slammed EU for spending more on Russian oil than aid to Ukraine. Trump's comments came amid his administration's decision to halt military aid to Ukraine to mark change in US foreign policy. Around $3.85 billion worth of US stockpiles have been held by the government since Trump's inauguration. The EU has rallied behind Kyiv following the Oval Office showdown between Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskky. Europe has spent more money buying Russian Oil and Gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine BY FAR!" Trump posted on Truth Social. Jaishankar had back in 2023 pointed outthat "six times more fuel" from Russia than India imports from February 2022 to February 2023. The minister pointed out that "if a $60,000 per capita society feels it needs to look after itself, and I accept that as legitimate, they should not expect a $2,000 per capital society to take a hit." BREAKING: Donald Trump has paused US military aid to Ukraine just days after his row with President Zelenskyy, according to US media reports. Read more: https://t.co/2EE8zalefX Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/Wqnm9Tbr4Q Sky News (@SkyNews) March 4, 2025 A study by the Finland-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) states that EU spent around $23 billion to buy Russian oil and gas in 2024. In the same year, EU sent $19.6 billion aid to Kyiv. Pointing out this hypocrisy long back, Jaishankar in 2022 dismissed the European claims that India buying Russian oil could isolate it in case of a Chinese aggression. He said, "Europe has to grow out of the mindset that its problems are the world's problems but the world's problems are not Europe's problems. That if it is you, its yours, if it is me it is ours. I see reflections of that. The foreign minister had said that India wants a stop to the conflict in Ukraine, the sentiments which are now echoed by Trump. The CREA study said India's imports of Russian fuel has increased by 8 per cent in the same period while NATO member Turkey raised its purchased by 6 per cent. US Vice President JD Vance has broken down what happened during the Oval Office showdown last week, slamming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over his "unwillingness to engage in the peace process." Speaking to Fox News anchor Sean Hannity on Monday night, Vance said his comment about engaging Russian President Vladimir Putin diplomatically set Zelenskyy off. During the Oval Office meeting, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had negotiated with Putin from 2014 to 2022 and that both the sides signed a deal. However, he added that Putin broke the deal and did not release prisoners as agreed. "What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you speaking about?" Zelenskyy asked Vance. In reply, the VP said, "I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country." When the Ukrainian leader said, "Yes, but if you...", he was interrupted by Vance. The veep then said, "Mr President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media. Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the frontlines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president." Talking to Fox News, Vance said he does not really care about what the Ukrainian leader says about him or others but pointed out that he was disappointed about Zelenskyy not being ready to participate in the peace process. However, the US leader said he expects Zelenskyy will eventually agree to a peace deal. The US vice president said the meeting was supposed to be a "rah rah" moment for the two sides and Washington wanted Ukraine to get into tough negotiations later. However, he admitted that "it went off the rails", adding that Trump is still ready to resume the talks. Vance blamed European leaders for "puffing up" Zelenskyy by calling him a freedom fighter who should keep fighting forever. "Well, fighting forever with what? With whose money? With whose ammunition? and with whose lives?" he asked. Vance then went on to say that Trump's way is the only realistic option to end the war. "We encourage both President Zelenskyy and President Putin to follow that path," the veep added. Pope Francis, who has been admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome for 18 days, due to bilateral pneumonia has slept through the night and is resting, according to the Holy See Press Office. The pontiff had suffered two episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency on Monday evening. It was caused by build-up of a large amount of endo-bronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm. Following this, doctors performed bronchoscopies to remove the accumulation of mucus. Views of Vatican and Rome hospital where Pope Francis is being treated https://t.co/lFZYU56owx Reuters (@Reuters) March 4, 2025 This was the third such serious health crisis the 88-year-old suffered since February 14. They had resumed non-invasive mechanical ventilation on Monday afternoon as Pope Francis was said to have "remained alert, oriented and cooperative at all times." The doctors have ruled out any fresh infection in his respiratory system, as the blood tests showed no signs of elevated white blood cell count. However, his health condition continues to be complex and further respiratory issues cannot be ruled out, as per the Vatican health team. He had experience an "isolated" breathing crisis involving vomiting on Friday. However, the pontiff regained his health by Sunday as he responded well to oxygen therapy. Pope Francis has missed his traditional Angelus prayer for three weeks now and would skip the mass and procession to mark the first day of the six-week Lent on Wednesday ahead of Easter. Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, he was motivated to join the Jesuits in 1958 after recovering from a severe illness. He chose his papal name in honour of St Francis of Assissi. He is known for making women full members of dicasteries in the Roman Curia and has called for decriminalisation of homosexuality. You can join live every Tuesday night at 8:30 PM for a new Ask the Rabbi episode at https://www.oorah.org/ask-the-rabbi Your browser does not support the video tag. President Donald Trump said Monday that 25% taxes on imports from Mexico and Canada would start Tuesday, sparking renewed fears of a North American trade war that already showed signs of pushing up inflation and hindering growth. Tomorrow tariffs 25% on Canada and 25% on Mexico. And thatll start, Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt Room. Theyre going to have to have a tariff. Trump has said the tariffs are to force the two U.S. neighbors to step up their fight against fentanyl trafficking and stop illegal immigration. But Trump has also indicated that he wants to even the trade imbalance with both countries as well and push more factories to relocate in the United States. His comments quickly rattled the U.S. stock market, with the S&P 500 index down 2% in Monday afternoon trading. Its a sign of the political and economic risks that Trump feels compelled to take, given the possibility of higher inflation and the possible demise of a decades-long trade partnership with Mexico and Canada. Yet the Trump administration remains confident that tariffs are the best choice to boost U.S. manufacturing and attract foreign investment. Before Trumps statement on tariffs in response to a question on Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that the c omputer chipmaker TSMC had expanded its investment in the United States because of the possibility of separate 25% tariffs. In February, Trump put a 10% tariff on imports from China and reemphasized on Monday that the rate would be doubling to 20% on Tuesday. Trump provided a one-month delay in February as both Mexico and Canada promised concessions. But Trump said Monday that there was no room left for Mexico or for Canada to avoid the steep new tariffs, which were also set to tax Canadian energy products such as oil and electricity at a lower 10% rate. If Trump is imposing tariffs, we are ready, said Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly. We are ready with $155 billion worth of tariffs and were ready with the first tranche of tariffs, which is $30 billion. Joly said Canada has a very strong border plan and explained that to Trump administration officials last week. She said the diplomatic efforts are continuing. She spoke after Trump made his comments Tuesday. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum went into Monday waiting to see what Trump would say. Its a decision that depends on the United States government, on the United States president, Sheinbaum said ahead of Trumps statement. So whatever his decision is, we will make our decisions and there is a plan, there is unity in Mexico. Both countries have tried to show action in response to Trumps concerns. Mexico sent 10,000 National Guard troops to their shared border to crack down on drug trafficking and illegal immigration. Canada named a fentanyl czar, even though smuggling of the drug from Canada into the United States appears to be relatively modest. As late as Sunday, it remained unclear what choice Trump would make on tariff rates. Lutnick told Fox News Channels Sunday Morning Futures that the decision was fluid. Hes sort of thinking about right now how exactly he wants to play it with Mexico and Canada, Lutnick said. And that is a fluid situation. There are going to be tariffs on Tuesday on Mexico and Canada. Exactly what they are, were going to leave that for the president and his team to negotiate. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Mexico has also offered to place 20% taxes on all imports from China as part of talks with the United States. Bessent told CBS News on Sunday that China would eat the cost of the tariffs, instead of passing them along to the U.S. businesses and consumers that import their products in the form of higher prices. But companies ranging from Ford to Walmart have warned about the negative impact that tariffs could create for their businesses. Similarly, multiple analyses by the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the Yale University Budget Lab suggest that an average family could face price increases of more than $1,000. Trump also plans to roll out what he calls reciprocal tariffs on April that would match the rate charged by other countries, including any subsidies and and value added taxes charged by those countries. The U.S. president has already announced the removal of exemptions from his 2018 tariffs on steel and aluminum, in addition to tariffs on autos, computer chips, copper and pharmaceutical drugs. (AP) Federal employees face a midnight deadline to comply with Elon Musk s second demand for reports on their recent accomplishments, a request that has become a flashpoint within the government workforce. Musk and President Donald Trump have suggested that employees who dont comply could get fired. Theyve also described the requirement a list of five things that each person did last week as an unobjectionable way to increase accountability within a sprawling bureaucracy. But for many workers, the request has been a source of anxiety and confusion as the new administration tightens its grip on the federal government. Some agencies are still telling their workforces not to respond or to limit what they say in response, just as they did after Musks first request last month. Judging by instructions that have circulated in recent days, the workforce will face a standing request for lists of accomplishments every Monday. There are roughly 2.4 million federal workers excluding active-duty military and postal workers, 80% of whom are based outside of the Washington, D.C. metro area. At the Food and Drug Administration, employees received three emails Monday on the topic the first at about 6:45 a.m. Eastern letting them know about the request, the second before 8 a.m. telling them to await guidance, and the third after 11:30 a.m. explaining how they should respond. Employees were told to write back with a high level of generality and not include any sensitive data, discuss specific grants or identify colleagues that theyre working with. There was similar guidance at the Department of Energy, which plays a key role in managing the countrys nuclear arsenal. Do not include any sensitive or classified information, and do not send any links or attachments, wrote Energy Secretary Chris Wright. If all your activities are sensitive, please reply All of my activities are sensitive. Meanwhile, the State Department on Saturday told its workforce that department leadership would respond on their behalf. And the Federal Bureau of Prisons said employees could respond that disclosure of my duties may compromise institution security or operations. Justice Department employees were told after the initial request last week that they didnt need to respond due to the confidential and sensitive nature of the Departments work. But on Monday, employees were told that effective immediately, they should follow the instructions in the email from the Office of Personnel Management. Meanwhile, the FBI workforce was told that Director Kash Patels previous guidance instructing employees to hold off on responding remains in effect until further notice. The initial demand for lists of five accomplishments came last month. The Office of Personnel Management eventually told agencies that it was optional despite Musks threat of layoffs for noncompliance. This time, some of the requests came from individual agencies, which have the power to hire, fire and discipline workers. Musk described the requirement as a pulse check during Trumps first Cabinet meeting of his second term. Do you have a pulse and two neurons? he said. So if you have a pulse and two neurons, you can reply to an email. (AP) As his White House meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart devolved into a stunning blowup, President Donald Trump leaned on a familiar refrain to explain his unique kinship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Putin went through a hell of a lot with me, Trump said Friday, raising his voice and gesturing with his hands as he recounted the long-since-concluded saga of a federal investigation in which both he and the Russian president played starring roles. He went through a phony witch hunt where they used him and Russia. Russia, Russia, Russia, ever hear of that deal? Trump said. The reference to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election underscored the extent to which Trumps lingering fury over an inquiry he has misleadingly branded a hoax remains top of mind more than eight years after it began. It also showed that Trumps view of a war Russia launched against Ukraine three years ago is colored not only by his relationship with Putin and the alliance he believes they share but also by his fraught past with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was a central player in the first of two impeachment cases against Trump during his first four years in office. Heres a look at what the American president means when he says Russia, Russia, Russia: Investigations tied to Putin connections Questions over Trumps connections to Putin followed him into his first presidency and hung over him for most of his term, spurring investigations by the Justice Department and Congress and the appointment of a special counsel who brought criminal charges against multiple Trump allies. While running for office, Trump cast doubt on the idea that Russian government hackers had stolen the emails of Democrats, including his 2016 rival Hillary Clinton, and orchestrated their public release in an effort to boost his candidacy and harm hers. Then, as president, he broke with his own intelligence communitys firm finding that Russia and Russia alone was to blame for the hack. Even when he begrudgingly conceded that Russia might be responsible, he also suggested the culprit might be a 400-pound genius sitting in bed and playing with his computer. In July 2018, while meeting with Putin in Helsinki, Trump appeared to embrace the Russian leaders protestations over the conclusions of U.S. intelligence officials by saying, I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today. He added that I dont see any reason why it would be Russia. All the while, he memorably raged against the investigation, calling it a hoax and witch hunt and, as he did at the White House last week, repeatedly deriding all the Russia, Russia, Russia attention. Special counsel Robert Muellers investigation wrapped up in 2019 and left no doubt that Russia had interfered in the election in sweeping and criminal fashion and that the Trump campaign had welcomed the help. But the inquiry did not find sufficient evidence to prove that the two sides had illegally colluded to tip the outcome of the election. Do us a favor If Trumps history with Russia appears to have contributed to his worldview of the current conflict, so too has his past with Ukraine. He held a call in 2019 with Zelenskyy and pushed him to investigate corruption allegations against Democratic rival Joe Biden and Bidens son Hunter ahead of the 2020 election, which Joe Biden went on to win. The call which included Trumps memorable line: I would like you to do us a favor, though was reported to congressional leaders and to a government watchdog by a CIA officer-turned-whistleblower who said the president appeared to be soliciting interference from a foreign country in the U.S. election. After Trumps call with Zelenskyy, the White House temporarily halted U.S. aid to the struggling ally facing hostile Russian forces at its border. The money was eventually released as Congress intervened. Trump was subsequently impeached by the House but acquitted by the Senate. The presidents skepticism of Ukraine went beyond the call. During his first term, he also seemingly bought into a long-discredited conspiracy theory that connects Ukraine, not Russia, to the 2016 political interference and the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and repeatedly accused the FBI of a lackluster investigation that led to the blaming of the Kremlin. What happens next? The long-term repercussions of the Oval Office spat, in which Trump called Zelenskyy disrespectful in the most hostile public exchange in memory between world leaders at the White House, remain to be seen. But the immediate consequences are clear: Zelenskyy left Washington without signing a minerals deal that Trump said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending its war with Russia. Hes not welcome back, Trump said on social media, until hes ready for Peace. On Monday, the U.S. president again blasted the Ukrainian leader after Zelenskyy noted that a deal to end the war is still very, very far away. With the U.S.-Ukraine relationship now in jeopardy, Zelenskyy has used a series of posts on X to express his thanks to the American people, Trump and Congress for all the support. European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have embraced Zelenskyy in the aftermath of the White House fight. In Russia, officials are relishing the conflict, sensing an opportunity to move closer to the U.S. and bring about a halt in American aid for Kyiv. That window seemed to open last month when the U.S., in a dramatic reversal, split from European allies by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in votes on U.N. resolutions seeking an end to the war. In an interview with a Russian state TV reporter that aired Sunday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the new U.S. administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely coincides with our vision, he added. (AP) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Kazakhstans Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tleuberdi held a meeting with the Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman Muhammad Al-Bahrani to discuss the current state and future prospects of Kazakh-Omani relations, Trend reports. According to the country's Foreign Ministry, the two sides expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the recent official visit to Kazakhstan by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi and emphasized the importance of implementing the roadmap signed during the visit. The discussions also focused on key issues, including strengthening trade and logistics links through the expansion of existing land and sea routes. Both parties agreed on the need to initiate talks with interested stakeholders to form working groups for the joint development of logistics capabilities. Additionally, they voiced support for Omans initiative to establish a direct investment fund for Kazakhstan and its neighboring countries. Nine months have passed since Thomas Matthew Crooks, a seemingly ordinary 20-year-old, fired eight shots at then-presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. And yet, despite federal investigations, private probes, and endless speculation, one glaring question remains unanswered: Why? Those searching for clarity have been met with silenceor worse, obstruction. The FBI, according to sources, has blocked efforts to uncover the shooters motives, leaving local authorities, former classmates, and the broader public frustrated. Crooks left no manifesto, no clear warning signs, no explanation for why he climbed onto a rooftop and attempted to assassinate a formerand now currentpresident. Even Crooks family has sealed itself off from the world. His parents, Matthew and Mary, have refused all interviews, their home transformed into a fortress of grief and secrecy. Neighbors whisper that they only leave the house under the cover of darkness, slipping out at 3 a.m. to buy groceries. The entire situation has fueled suspicion, not just among locals, but in the highest circles of conservative influence. For those who refuse to accept the lone gunman theory, troubling details continue to surface. Private investigator Doug Hagmann, hired by an undisclosed client, has spent months examining the case. His findings? Crooks didnt act alone. This took a lot of coordination, Hagmann told The New York Post. In my view, Crooks was handled by more than one individual. He was used for this assassination attempt. And I wouldnt preclude the possibility that there were people at the rally itself helping him. Hagmanns team analyzed geofencing data from Crooks electronic devices, tracking his movements from his home to the rifle range where he practiced, to the rally site itself. Yet, the most chilling revelation? One of the devices geolocated with Crooks before the shooting is still pingingnot in some shadowy safehouse, but inside Bethel Park High School, where Crooks graduated in 2022. Even as Hagmann and his team dug deeper, they encountered resistance. Federal agents, or individuals posing as such, twice escorted him out of Butler County, warning him to drop the case. There are people still out there involved in this case that need to be brought to justice, Hagmann insisted. Officially, the FBI accessed Crooks phone, computer, and encrypted messaging apps across multiple countries, including Belgium, New Zealand, and Germany. Yet, what they found remains a mystery. National security adviser Mike Waltz, a former GOP congressman, confirmed the agencys reachbut not their findings. Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), who has been independently investigating the shooting, claims the FBI has actively obstructed his work. While he personally believes Crooks acted alone, he acknowledges that something doesnt add up. His own theory? Pharmaceuticals. Something happened to make him go crazy, Higgins said, speculating that Crooks was on some type of mind-altering prescription drug. But even this hypothesis is riddled with inconsistencies. The Pittsburgh County medical examiner never conducted toxicology tests on Crooks for pharmaceuticalsat least, not in any way that made it into the official autopsy report. More strangely, his body was quietly released to his parents and cremated just eight days after the shooting, catching even investigators off guard. The narrative surrounding Crooks in the immediate aftermath of the shooting painted him as a loner, a ticking time bomb rejected by his schools rifle club, a disturbed young man who had once threatened to attack his high school. But interviews with those who knew him tell a different story. He was my little buddy, said Xavier Harmon, a former computer technology teacher at Steel Center for Career and Technical Education. I just didnt believe it when I heard it. Tom was quirky, funny, incredibly intelligent. He was always helping his classmates. Crooks was not the isolated outcast some claimed. A standout student, he maintained near-perfect grades, earned a scholarship to Robert Morris University, and excelled in engineering. His SAT scorea near-flawless 1530reflected a mind built for logic and precision, not erratic violence. And yet, on July 13, he was anything but logical. From a rooftop 130 yards away, he opened fire, striking Trump in the right ear, killing rallygoer Corey Comperatore, and injuring two others. In the chaos that followed, he was fatally shot by a counter-sniper. If Crooks had been radicalized, where was the trail? No online rants, no extremist group affiliations, no paper trail of a young man plotting political murder. While investigators struggle to piece together Crooks final months, his family remains an enigma. His parents, both licensed social workers, have refused to speak publicly. His sister, Katie, lives a mile away in a modest apartment. When The New York Post knocked on her door, two older men appeared instead, delivering a cryptic warning: The story is dead. Remember that. What are they afraid of? What are they hiding? Nine months later, the assassination attempt on Donald Trump remains a puzzle with missing pieces. The FBIs secrecy, the private investigators being run out of town, the high school device that still pingsnone of it fits neatly into the lone gunman narrative. And yet, for all the official statements and government reports, no one has been able to answer the simplest question of all: Why did Thomas Crooks do it? (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened Tuesday to launch high-profile provocations in response to the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier in South Korea and other U.S. military activities, which she slammed as confrontation hysteria of the U.S. and its stooges. The warning by Kim Yo Jong implies North Korea will likely ramp up weapons testing activities and maintain its confrontational posture against the U.S., though President Donald Trump has said he would reach out to Kim Jong Un to revive diplomacy. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong accused the U.S. of clearly showing its most hostile and confrontational will to North Korea with the deployments of the USS Carl Vinson and other powerful U.S. military assets and U.S.-South Korean military drills this year. The DPRK is also planning to carefully examine the option for increasing the actions threatening the security of the enemy at the strategic level to cope with the fact that the deployment of U.S. strategic assets in the Korean Peninsula has become a vicious habit and adversely affects the security of the DPRK, she said, using the acronym of North Koreas official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Her statement suggests North Korea may test-launch powerful missiles designed to strike the mainland U.S. or American military bases in the region, observers say. South Koreas Defense Ministry warned later its ready to repel any provocations by North Korea based on a solid military alliance with the U.S. A ministry statement called Kim Yo Jongs warning sophistry meant to justify her countrys nuclear development and future provocations. On Sunday, the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group arrived in South Korea, the latest temporary deployment of a U.S. strategic asset aimed at displaying the firmness of the U.S-South Korean military alliance in the face of North Korean threats and boosting interoperability of the allies combined assets. The U.S. carriers arrival came four days after North Korea conducted cruise missile tests, its fourth missile launch event this year. North Korea views arrivals of such powerful U.S. military assets in South Korea as major security threats and often responds with missile tests. North Korea hasnt directly responded to Trumps overture but alleged U.S.-led hostilities against North Korea have intensified since the start of Trumps second term in January. Experts say Kim Jong Un wont likely embrace Trumps outreach anytime soon as he is now focusing on his support of Russias war against Ukraine with supply of weapons and troops. They say Kim could consider returning to diplomacy with Trump when he thinks he cannot maintain his countrys current booming cooperation with Russia Kim and Trump met three times from 2018-19 during Trumps first term to discuss the future of North Koreas nuclear program. Their high-stakes diplomacy eventually collapsed due to wrangling over U.S.-led economic sanctions on North Korea. (AP) The Associated Press is asking a federal judge for a second time to immediately restore its access to presidential events, arguing that the Trump White House has doubled down on retaliating against the news outlet for its refusal to follow the presidents executive order that renamed the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden last week refused APs request for an injunction to lift the ban against many of its reporters and photographers. But McFadden noted that case law weighed against the White House, and urged the administration to reconsider before a scheduled second hearing on March 20. In an amended lawsuit filed late Monday, AP cited continued instances of journalists turned away including a photographer not allowed on the West Palm Beach airport tarmac to document Air Force Ones arrival and the White Houses decision to fully take control over membership of the pool that covers the president at smaller events. The net result is that the APs press credentials now provide its journalists less access to the White House than the same press credentials provide to all members of the White House press corps, the amended lawsuit argues. The Trump administration did not immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday morning. White Houses move called a targeted attack The AP filed its initial lawsuit on Feb. 21, naming three Trump officials White House chief of staff Susan Wiles, deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich and press secretary Karoline Leavitt as defendants. The agency, a not-for-profit news organization in operation since 1846, called the White Houses move a targeted attack that strikes at the freedom of the press and public to speak freely without the threat of government retaliation. The administration has said that it is not blocking the AP from reporting the news or even the White House grounds but access to the president is something that it controls. In recent days, it has broadened the group of outlets that participate in the coverage pools to include some that are clearly sympathetic to Trumps views. Trump has dismissed the AP as an organization of radical left lunatics and said: Were going to keep them out until such time as they agree that its the Gulf of America. The APs call on this issue takes on added weight because the AP Stylebook, its guide to news standards, is widely used by other news organizations and communicators. Its guidance was to continue to use Gulf of Mexico because the name is widely recognizable to an international audience, while acknowledging Trumps directive. The White House ban hinders the APs ability to produce reporting and publish photographs quickly an essential attribute of a wire service causing delays that harm the AP and, as a result, the thousands of news outlets and billions of readers that rely on its journalism, the agency said in its lawsuit. Larger White House events also are barring AP, agency says In addition to cutting the AP out of coverage pools, which it has participated in while covering presidents for more than a century, the AP said its Washington reporters were turned away from larger events open to all journalists with White House credentials who reserve in advance. They include recent state appearances by French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Oddly, however, AP journalists from France, England and Ukraine who paid to travel with the foreign leaders media contingents were permitted to cover those White House events, the AP said. An AP spokeswoman said the agency said it does not typically send its overseas journalists on such trips to the White House. In the amended lawsuit, the AP says a source told its journalists that that the ban had been expanded from text journalists to photographers specifically to deprive the organization of revenue it earns from selling pictures. Dozens of news organizations signed a letter urging the White House to reverse its policy. The signees included Trump-friendly outlets like Fox News Channel and Newsmax. (AP) Ukrainians expressed alarm and apprehension Tuesday at a U.S. decision to pause military aid that is critical to their fighting Russias invasion, as a rift deepens between Kyiv and Washington. Days after an explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the assistance halted in a bid to pressure Kyiv to engage in peace talks with Russia. Officials in Kyiv said they were grateful for vital U.S. help in the war and want to keep working with Washington. The countrys prime minister, though, said Ukraine still wants security guarantees to be part of any peace deal and wont recognize Russian occupation of any Ukrainian land. Ukraine and its allies are concerned Trump is pushing for a quick ceasefire that will favor Russia, which Kyiv says cannot be trusted to honor truces. A White House official said the U.S. was pausing and reviewing its aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The order will remain in effect until Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance. The pause in U.S. aid isnt expected to have an immediate impact on the battlefield. Ukrainian forces have slowed Russian advances along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, especially in the fiercely contested Donetsk region some 700 kilometers (400 miles) east of Kyiv. The Russian onslaught has been costly in troops and armor but hasnt brought a strategically significant breakthrough for the Kremlin. Ukraine needs help to fight Russia Ukraine, which depends heavily on foreign help to hold back Russias full-scale invasion that began on Feb. 24, 2022, has feared that aid could be stopped since Trump took office. U.S.-made Patriot air defense missile systems, for example, are a pivotal part of protecting Ukraine. Just as vital is U.S. intelligence assistance, which has allowed Ukraine to track Russian troop movements and select targets. I feel betrayed, but this feeling is not really deep for some reason. I was expecting something like that from Trumps side, said a Ukrainian soldier fighting in Russias Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a daring military incursion in August 2024 to improve its hand in negotiations. The soldier spoke by phone to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. On the front line, where Ukraine is struggling to fend off the much larger and better-equipped Russian army, another soldier said the U.S. decision would allow further battlefield gains for Moscow. War is very pragmatic, he told AP, speaking on condition of anonymity in compliance with military regulations. If we have weapons, enough ammunition, infantry, armored vehicles and aviation great. If not, then were done, he said. He recalled a seven-month delay in U.S. aid that ended in April 2024 but opened a door for the Russian capture of the strategically important city of Avdiivka. Olena Fedorova, 46, a resident of the southern port city of Odesa, said she hoped Trumps decision would be temporary because we really need help. U.S. support is vital because Europe cannot fully provide what Ukraine needs in air defense systems, said lawmaker Yehor Chernov. As a result, this will lead to an increase in the number of casualties among civilians, he said. The U.S.-Ukraine relationship has taken a downturn since Trump took office and his team launched bilateral talks with Russia. Trump says he wants to get traction for peace negotiations. He vowed during his campaign to settle the war in 24 hours, but later changed that time frame and voiced hope that peace could be negotiated in six months. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said U.S. help is vital and has saved perhaps tens of thousands of civilian and military lives. But he emphasized at a Kyiv news conference that any peace agreement must be on Ukraines terms, as the victim country. Ukraine wants concrete security guarantees from Washington, European countries and Group of Seven leading industrialized nations, he said. Giving up territory to Russia, which occupies nearly 20% of Ukraine, is not possible under the U.N. Charter, he said. He repeated Zelenskyys position that Ukraine is still ready to sign a lucrative minerals deal with Trump that could be the first step toward a ceasefire. European allies stress support for Kyiv Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Washingtons decision could act as a spur to a peace agreement. The U.S. has been the chief supplier in this war so far, Peskov said. If the U.S. suspends these supplies, it will make the best contribution to peace. Polands Foreign Ministry said the U.S. had not consulted with or informed NATO countries before announcing the pause. Russia will likely try to use the halt in supplies to extend its territorial gains and strengthen its position in prospective peace talks. Russias state RIA Novosti news agency quoted Andrei Kartapolov, a retired general who chairs the defense committee in the lower house of parliament, as saying Ukraine would exhaust its current ammunition reserves within months. We need to keep up the pressure and continue to target their bases and depots with long-range precision weapons to destroy the stockpiles, he said. Ukraines European allies, meanwhile, reaffirmed their commitment to Kyiv. The chief of the European Unions executive proposed an 800 billion euro ($841 billion) plan to bolster defenses of EU nations and provide Ukraine with military muscle. The British government, which has been leading European efforts to keep Trump from pushing to end the war on terms that could favor Moscow, said in a statement that it remains absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director-general of the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based defense think tank, said Washingtons move could encourage Russia to ask for more Ukrainian concessions, including demilitarization and neutrality. This decision is not about economics. It is driven fundamentally by Trumps view that Russia is willing to do a peace deal, and only Ukraine is the obstacle, Chalmers said. But there is no evidence that Russia would be prepared to accept a deal, and what that would be. Trump said Monday he is still interested in signing a deal that would hand over a share of Ukraines rare-earth minerals to the U.S., an agreement that Zelenskyy has also said he is ready to sign. By abruptly halting military assistance to Ukraine, President Trump is hanging Ukrainians out to dry and giving Russia the green light to continue marching west, said Razom for Ukraine, a Ukrainian advocacy group. It urged the White House to immediately reverse course, resume military aid and pressure Putin to end his horrific invasion. (AP) Republicans in Congress are taking aim at four cities often called sanctuary cities over their policies limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement with a hearing this week that comes as President Donald Trump presses ahead with his campaign of mass deportations. Mayors Michelle Wu of Boston, Brandon Johnson of Chicago, Mike Johnston of Denver and Eric Adams of New York are set to appear Wednesday in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Theres no strict definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities, but the terms generally describe limited cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE enforces U.S. immigration laws nationwide but seeks state and local help, particularly for large-scale deportations, requesting that police and sheriffs alert them to people it wants to deport and hold them until federal officers take custody. But some cities and states say cooperating with ICE means victims of crime and witnesses who arent in the U.S. legally wont come forward. And, to varying degrees, officials argue that they want their localities to be welcoming places for immigrants. Courts have repeatedly upheld the legality of most sanctuary laws. But Trump administration officials have targeted sanctuary policies right out of the gate in his second term, seeing them as a key impediment to deporting people in the large numbers he wants. The administration has sued Chicago and Illinois as well as New York state over various immigration laws. Heres a look at the immigration policies and migration trends of the cities whose mayors will appear Wednesday: Boston The citys Trust Act generally restricts how much the police can cooperate with ICE, although it does allow some cooperation with a division called Homeland Security Investigations when it comes to such issues as combating human trafficking or drug and weapons trafficking. The city also must follow a 2017 ruling by the states highest court that forbids Massachusetts authorities from holding a person otherwise entitled to release from custody based solely on a federal request. Those requests, called detainers, typically ask federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to give at least 48 hours notice before suspected immigrants are released from jail or to hold them for up to 48 hours after they would normally be released so ICE can pick them up. Otherwise, ICE must go out into the community to arrest them. Trumps border czar, Tom Homan, hammered Bostons police commissioner and promised to go to Boston and bring hell with him. That has not sat well in Boston. Wu, a Democrat up for reelection this year, said that it was clueless and insulting for Homan to attack the police commissioner and that she wants Boston be a welcoming place for immigrants. Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said handing over defendants makes it harder to gain cooperation from immigrants when investigating crimes. Chicago Chicago has some of the countrys strongest immigrant protections, barring cooperation between federal agents and city employees, including police. The nations third-largest city became a sanctuary location in the 1980s and has amped up its policies multiple times since. That includes a 2012 ordinance that bars federal agents from accessing city resources in assisting with immigration operations. City officials beefed up protections after Trump first took office in 2017 and again in 2020, when it required police to document requests for assistance from federal agents. Illinois also has protections allowing anyone, regardless of immigration status, to get a drivers license. Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office in 2023, inherited a migrant crisis his first year. Short on shelter space, Chicagos leaders used police station lobbies, airports, parked buses and hotels to house asylum-seekers. At its height, roughly 15,000 migrants lived in dozens of temporary shelters, although the city has shuttered those as the number of people arriving decreased. There have been a handful of City Council attempts to weaken Chicagos sanctuary protections, but they have been unsuccessful in the Democratic-leaning city. Johnson has defended the policies. We welcome all individuals and families who want to work, live and thrive here in our beloved city, Johnson said in late January. Denver Denver became a hub for immigrants coming across the U.S.-Mexico border, with the city seeing arrivals of 43,000 over the last two years. Mayor Mike Johnston struggled to cobble together the resources to house and feed them, gouging parts of the city budget and pleading with the federal government alongside other mayors for funding, which only partially came. The spotlight ratcheted up when a video of armed men in an apartment building in the Denver suburb of Aurora went viral, prompting then-candidate Trump to claim that the city of some 400,000 people was overrun by a Venezuelan gang. The idea was swiftly repudiated by local officials, but the limelight stayed on Colorado. In early February, heavily armed federal agents in masks and armored vehicles appeared across the metro area. The results of the operation are unclear, and Homan said news media leaks hindered the raids. The mayor has repeated that he wants Denver to be a welcoming place while drawing the line at those who commit violent crimes. Last month, Denver Public Schools became the first district to sue the Trump administration over its policy allowing ICE immigration agents in schools. New York In New York City, an estimated 231,000 immigrants have arrived since 2022 at a cost that the city estimates to be more than $7 billion for shelters, food, security and legal support. Last month, the city sued the Trump administration over $80.6 million in reimbursements for congressionally approved immigrant aid after officials paid the money and then clawed it back. As in other cities, New Yorks immigrant arrivals have fallen dramatically over the past year. Mayor Eric Adams continues to voice support for policies that ensure all residents have access to social services regardless of immigration status. But Adams wants to roll back policies prohibiting city employees from working with immigration enforcement, saying he wants to remove dangerous people from our streets. Hes also called on the City Council to make changes allowing New York to honor ICE detainer requests to hold people in jails beyond their release dates. And hes invited ICE agents to work out of the Rikers Island city jail. Adams critics, including those running for mayor, say his desire to work with the White House is an effort to wriggle out of federal corruption charges. Adams said ahead of the hearing that he hoped for a civil conversation with the representatives around a very complex topic that many cities have inherited. (AP) For the second year in a row, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg gave the most to charitable causes, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropys exclusive Philanthropy 50 list of the Americans who donated the largest sums to nonprofits last year. In 2024, he gave a total of $3.7 billion to support arts, education, the environment, public-health groups, and programs aimed at improving city governments. He gives directly to charities and through his Bloomberg Philanthropies, which last year awarded a $1 billion grant to his alma mater, Johns Hopkins University, to make medical school free and to provide financial aid to nursing and public health students. Ive never understood people who wait until they die to give away their wealth. Why deny yourself the satisfaction? he wrote in an email to the Chronicle. Ive been very lucky, and Im determined to do what I can to open doors for others and to leave a better world for my children and grandchildren. Bloomberg was one of six donors who gave $1 billion or more in 2024. The others were Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and his wife, Patty Quillin (No. 2), Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell and his wife, Susan Dell (No. 3), investor Warren Buffett (No. 4), Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, physician Priscilla Chan (No. 5), and retired professor Ruth Gottesman (No. 6). The majority of those gifts went to foundations and donor-advised funds that support causes including education, economic mobility, social justice, and scientific research. Gottesman, like Bloomberg, gave to make medical school free. She donated $1 billion to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Together the 50 donors on the list contributed a total of $16.2 billion to charity in 2024. The median amount they gave was $100 million. While those numbers are sizable, not all of the nations wealthiest people appear on the list. Only 19 of the richest Americans on the Forbes 400 list donated enough to appear in the Philanthropy rankings. Among those who gave big but are less well known: Thomas Golisano, the billionaire founder of Paychex, is No. 8. He gave away $500 million last year. Almost $400 million of that went to 123 nonprofits in New York and Florida with no strings attached. About 90 of those gifts were $1 million to $5 million, often to small groups that rarely get contributions of that size. Many were to organizations that serve people with developmental, intellectual, and physical disabilities. The issue has great meaning to Golisano, whose son has a developmental disability. Retired insurance executive Hyatt Brown and his wife, Cici, at No. 20, gave the Museum of Arts & Sciences, in Daytona Beach, Fla., $150 million for a new building and to turn its current home into a childrens museum. Businesswoman and venture capital investor Michele Kang, at No. 28, gave $84 million last year, including $4 million to help the USA Womens Rugby Sevens team prepare for the Olympics. Some big public debates have been swirling in the world of philanthropy. Some donors most notably hedge-fund billionaire Bill Ackman pushed back against the institutions they have supported, criticizing universities responses to the October 7 attacks in Israel and campus protests against the war in Gaza; critiquing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; demanding changes; and pledging to halt support. Some philanthropists believe that politicized public debates about giving are unhelpful noise that can get in the way of doing effective work. K. Lisa Yang (No. 34), a retired investment banker, gave $74.5 million this year, much of that to MIT and Cornell University, where she is a trustee. Over the years, Yang has given large sums to programs that help people who are physically or cognitively disabled, and she advocates for individuals with disabilities and autism-spectrum disorders. The people who are suffering from these disorders, they dont have the luxury of time, she says. When you have a rare disease and they do politics, to the people who are suffering from the disorder, it is totally irrelevant. Theyre still suffering. But some donors are loath to get ensnared in high-profile polarizing issues, says Renee Kaplan, CEO of the donor advisory firm Forward Global. As a result, she says, some donors are staying out of the fray by making anonymous gifts. Others are working together in donor collaboratives, both to boost their power and resources and to shield individual contributors from criticism. Donors are starting to say, Ill do more anonymously. Im not going to put my name on things. Im going to slow down our foundation for a while because Im worried Ill be a target, Kaplan says. I think theres genuine concern and pause and fear thats affecting donors. This years list marks the 25th anniversary of the Philanthropy 50 ranking. Buffett was the top donor over that period, with cumulative gifts totaling $49.4 billion. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates followed, with the $34 billion they gave together. (Since their divorce, both have appeared on the list individually.) Bloomberg, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk round out the top five. Buffett, Gates and French Gates, and Bloomberg together account for roughly one-third of the $314.5 billion in giving by Philanthropy 50 donors since 2000. The biggest gift made during that time is Buffetts 2006 pledge to the Gates Foundation, valued at the time at $36.1 billion. (AP) Egypt has introduced a new post-war governance plan for Gaza, positioning it as an alternative to U.S. President Donald Trumps vision for turning the enclave into a global economic hub, dubbed the Middle East Riviera. The Egyptian proposal, which received initial backing at an Arab League summit in Cairo on Tuesday, aims to replace Hamas with interim governing bodies managed by Arab, Muslim, and Western states. The plans draft statement calls for swift international and financial support to move forward with implementation. According to details reviewed by Reuters, the proposal would establish an International Governance Assistance Mission, responsible for overseeing humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts in Gaza. The draft explicitly states that no significant international funding for rebuilding Gaza will be provided as long as Hamas remains in power. Instead, the plan envisions: An International Stabilization Force led by Arab states. Donor conferences to secure funding, with an expected $20 billion contribution from Gulf and Arab states. A steering board overseeing implementation, comprised of Arab nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the United States, and the European Union. The exclusion of Hamas from any future governance role. Notably, the Egyptian plan does not place the Palestinian Authority (PA) in a central leadership role, a departure from previous international discussions on Gazas future. Egypts plan outright rejects Trumps vision of resettling Gazas population while reconstructing the region into a modern economic hub. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trumps proposal earlier this week, calling it visionary and innovative. However, Egypts alternative framework emphasizes a governance model without Hamas, arguing that stability must come before economic transformation. When asked about Egypts proposal, White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes reaffirmed Trumps commitment to his own post-war vision for Gaza. However, he acknowledged that the Trump administration is open to input from Arab partners, stating that the presidents proposals have facilitated regional discussions and prevented further crises. Hamas, for its part, flatly rejected Egypts initiative. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed the plan, stating, The future of Gaza must be determined solely by the Palestinians. He warned against external interference and rejected any non-Palestinian administration or foreign forces inside Gaza. The United Nations estimates that rebuilding Gaza will cost over $53 billion, but neither Trumps nor Egypts plans currently include firm financial commitments. With multiple competing visions for Gazas futureincluding one from Saudi Arabia that calls for an eventual Palestinian stateregional power struggles over who controls Gaza post-war are far from settled. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) In the chaos of dawn on October 7, 2023, as Hamas terrorists stormed Israels southern border, one battle stood out as the most devastating: the fall of Nachal Oz. A newly released IDF investigation has revealed shocking details about the attack that saw the strategic military outpost overrun in just under two hoursan event now deemed the biggest failure of that day. The findings, made public Monday night, expose a tragic mix of intelligence failures, financial constraints, and tactical misjudgments, all of which left the base woefully unprepared for an attack of this magnitude. But amid the horror, the report also details extraordinary acts of heroism, as outgunned and outnumbered Israeli soldiers fought to defend their post. Nachal Oz, located just half a mile from the Gaza border, was intended to be a forward military stronghold. Instead, due to budgetary limitations, it was treated as a rear outpost, leaving it shockingly exposed. When the attack began at 6:29 a.m., 162 soldiers were stationed at Nachal Ozbut only 90 were armed. Even more disturbingly, just one lone guard patrolled the perimeter. The attackers came in force. According to the IDF probe, 215 terrorists from Hamass Shejaiya Battalion stormed the base, quickly overwhelming the defenses. Within minutes, the outcome was sealed. By the time the battle ended, 53 IDF soldiers had been killed, three troops and seven female IDF observers had been kidnapped, and 71 Hamas terrorists had been killed. Perhaps the most devastating revelation from the probe is just how methodical Hamas was in planning the attack. The terror group spent years gathering intelligence on the base, using IDF soldiers social media posts to create a detailed map of Nachal Oz. They knew where soldiers slept, where they sought shelter, and even the location of communications equipment and surveillance cameras. A seized Hamas document laid out the plan with chilling precision. The best time to attack, it said, would be at first light, on a weekend or Yom Tov, when many soldiers were home. It advised using rocket fire to force soldiers into shelters, leaving them vulnerable to direct assault. The IDFs internal review confirmed that Hamas had been developing these plans since 2016, refining them under the cover of seemingly routine escalations. The terrifying Jericho Wall plan, uncovered by Israeli intelligence in 2022, had been dismissed as unrealistic at the time. It was no longer unrealistic on October 7. Yet, even in the face of overwhelming odds, some fought with unparalleled bravery. Major Shilo Har-Even, 25, despite being seriously wounded, led multiple counterattacks to hold back the terrorists. He fought until his last breath. Warrant Officer Ibrahim Kharuba, 39, a Bedouin soldier, shielded the defenseless female IDF observers, vowing that it would be an honor to die protecting them and Israel. Kharuba fought until he was killed in a shootout. Both soldiers have now been recommended for Israels highest military honor, the Medal of Valor. The collapse of Nachal Oz was not an isolated failureit was part of a larger pattern of military miscalculations that led to the single deadliest attack on Israeli soil. According to the IDFs findings, 5,500 terrorists infiltrated Israel through 114 breaches in the border, using seven boats and six paragliders to outmaneuver defenses. The attack was launched under cover of 3,889 rockets and 57 drones. The military, the report confirms, failed to anticipate and prepare for such a coordinated ground invasion, particularly under sustained rocket fire. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the man at the helm on October 7, has taken full responsibility for the militarys failures. In a statement following the release of the investigation, he did not mince words. The responsibility is mine, he stated bluntly. I was the commander of the army on October 7, and I also bear the full responsibility for all of you. Halevi has announced plans to resign in March, making him the highest-ranking Israeli official to step down over the failures of that day. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) If the negotiations over the release of additional hostages from Gaza continue to stagnate, Israel will return to battle in Gaza no later than next weekend, that is 10 days, Channel 12 News reported on Monday evening. An Israeli official told Channel 12 that negotiations with Hamas over US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoffs plan for the extension of the ceasefire and the release of additional hostages are currently at a deadlock Israels moves are being carried out in close coordination with the Trump administration, with the President determined to end the war in Gaza so he can pursue a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Several Israeli officials told Channel 12 that the Israeli public hasnt grasped how important an Israeli-Saudi peace agreement is to Trump, who is determined to remove any obstacles from pursuing a deal. A senior Trump administration official reportedly told a senior Israeli official: Kill them all to the last one. Hamas in Gaza is an obstacle to normalization. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Monday afternoon in the Knesset plenum: I say to Hamas if you do not release our hostages you will suffer unimaginable consequences. We are now preparing for the next stages of the war. Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said on Monday: If Hamas does not release the hostages soon the gates of Gaza will be locked and the gates of hell will open. We will return to fighting and Hamas will be subject to IDF forces and methods they never encountered before until complete victory. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) The Biden administration buddied up with Iran and gave over a billion dollars to terror-supporting entities such as the Palestinian Authority and the UNWRA, and at the same time, since Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu re-entered office in December 2022, snubbed democratically elected senior Israeli politicians and even considered sanctioning them. One of those officials was Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, who also serves as a Minister in the Defense Ministry. Despite his status as a senior and influential member of the government of one of the USs closest allies, Biden administration officials refused to meet with him. Now that President Trump is in office, Smotrich is no longer considered a persona non grata and received an invitation to the White House to meet with his US counterpart, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and other senior Trump officials. On his flight overnight Monday, Smotrich issued a statement saying: The purpose of the visit is to strengthen economic cooperation between Israel and the United States, to promote joint economic initiatives, and to deepen the strategic alliance between the countries. I will emphasize in my meetings Israels firm position in the fight against terror and the need for clear US backing for the continuation of our security activities in the war. This visit serves as an additional pillar in strengthening the strategic and economic ties between Jerusalem and Washington, out of a shared commitment to the stability and security of Israel and the entire region. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Kazakhstans Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has instructed authorities to finalize an investment agreement with ESTA Construction within two weeks for the construction of a $1.35 billion fertilizer plant, Trend reports. The meeting with ESTA Construction CEO Mustafa Toprak focused on the establishment of a urea and ammonia production facility in the Mangistau region, near the Kurik seaport. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 700,000 tons of urea and 42,000 tons of ammonia, which will help reduce dependency on fertilizer imports and support the agricultural sector. The project is expected to create 400 permanent jobs and involve up to 3,000 workers during construction. The facility's location offers logistical advantages for exporting through the Caspian Sea, ensuring optimal conditions for international trade. The project aligns with Kazakhstans goal to increase domestic fertilizer production, addressing the country's annual demand of 3.2 million tons, of which current domestic production covers only 56%. Prime Minister Bektenov emphasized that the development of domestic urea production is crucial for reducing import reliance and enhancing food security. He also highlighted government support for farmers, including subsidies covering up to 60% of fertilizer costs and advance payments to reduce production costs. The government allocated 35 billion tenge ($70 million) for these programs in 2025. Seven senior Russian missile specialists visited Iran over the past year amid deepened defense ties between the two countries at the height of tensions between Israel and the Islamic Republic, Reuters reported. According to the report, Russian missile specialists flew from Moscow to Tehran on two flights on April 24 and September 17 last year. As YWN readers are aware, Iran carried out direct strikes on Israel on April 13, 2024, and October 1, 2024, meaning that the Russian experts visits were made 10 days after Irans first attack on Israel and two weeks before the second attack. Reuters stated that it was unable to determine what the seven were doing in Iran. A senior Iranian defense ministry official confirmed that Russian missile experts visited Iranian production sites multiple times last year, including two underground facilities. The officials who visited Iran are very senior military officers in the Russian army, specialists in air defense, artillery, and advanced weapon development. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to U.S. educational institutions, threatening to cut all federal funding to colleges, schools, and universities that permit illegal protests. In a statement made on social media, Trump singled out pro-Hamas demonstrations, vowing to unmask and imprison agitators while sending a clear message to academic administrators nationwide. The announcement follows a pattern of escalating actions from the Trump administration aimed at curbing campus unrest, particularly protests tied to Palestinian terrorist groups. All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests, Trump declared in a post on his Truth Social platform. He went further, promising that agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came, while American students involved could face expulsion or arrest, depending on the severity of their actions. The move comes just a day after the administration targeted Columbia University, threatening to pull over $50 million in government contracts due to its failure to address anti-Israel protests that have roiled the Ivy League campus. Federal officials have pointed to Columbias handling of demonstrationssome of which have blatantly veered into antisemitic territoryas a catalyst for broader action against schools nationwide. Meanwhile, Trumps newly formed Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is ramping up efforts to address what he calls vile hate on college campuses. The timing of the announcement is notable, coinciding with Trumps preparations for a major speech to a joint session of Congress later on Tuesday. While not an official State of the Union address, the prime-time event is expected to highlight his administrations hardline stance on issues like immigration and national securitythemes that dovetail with his approach to campus protests. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Pressure is mounting on European leaders to seize frozen Russian assets and use them to help fund Ukraines war effort. Following the public bust-up between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky last week, MPs said the UK and Europe must step up and accelerate their support for Kyiv by taking control of nearly 237billion of Russian cash sitting in Western bank accounts. But in comments that highlight hesitancy in capitals on the Continent, Keir Starmer admitted it was a very complicated issue. I do think that we need to do, and are doing, more work to look at what are the possibilities, at least along with other countries, he told Parliament yesterday. But Im not going to pretend that this is simple or straightforward. The comments came after Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said at the weekend there was no consensus in Europe on whether the Russian cash should be seized amid lingering fears such a move could have negative consequences for the euro and the banking system. Around 25billion of the funds are held in UK banks, including the Bank of England, while most of it roughly 174billion is held in Belgium-based bank Euroclear. Frozen assets: Following the public bust-up between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured), MPs said the UK and Europe must step up and accelerate their support for Kyiv Senior Tory and Labour MPs are now stepping up pressure on leaders across Europe to act. Conservative former cabinet minister John Whittingdale, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said ministers should start thinking about whether they can use the frozen assets. And former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: It is time to take action and seize this money. Ukraine needs financial support to enable it to re-equip its forces and to repair the appalling damage caused by Russia. It is long overdue that we take action. Labours Alex Sobel, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on Ukraine, said it was imperative that the UK pass laws to seize the frozen Russian assets as quickly as possible. He added: It is right that the aggressor pays for the unbelievable damage they have caused. While no Western country has yet seized the frozen Russian assets held in their banks, many have used the interest and other gains from the funds to help support Ukraine. On Saturday, the Government signed a new deal with Kyiv to provide a loan of 2.3billion to help purchase weapons. The loan will be repaid using profits from frozen Russian assets. The funds will be paid in three annual instalments of 752million and come on top of a separate 3billion military aid deal. Growing calls to take control of the cash follows comments from David Lammy last week that the UK and Europe should move from freezing assets to seizing assets. But the Foreign Secretary added that it was not an issue on which any government can act alone and has called for cooperation with Britains European allies. The Russian assets frozen are mostly made up of reserves from its central bank, its Ministry of Finance and the Russian National Wealth Fund. It does not include private frozen assets. While none of the G7 group of countries the US, the UK, Canada, France, Japan, Italy and Germany has seized the assets, some have passed laws allowing them to do so in support of Ukraine. Imogen Payter, head of non-profit UK Friends of Ukraine, said: It has never been more critical for the UK, Europe and other allies to step up their support for Ukraine. This could be the beginning of World War Three if we dont act quickly. We have 237billion in frozen assets that can be mobilised. The time for prevarication is over. Proponents of seizing the assets argue that, under international law, Russia is obligated to pay for the damage caused by its invasion of Ukraine. National wealth: The frozen Russian assets are mostly made up of reserves from the its central bank, its Ministry of Finance and the Russian National Wealth Fund However, some have warned that seizing the funds could set a dangerous precedent and could destabilise the UK and European banking systems. Last year, European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde warned it might break international law, and discredit the rules-based order in the West. Opponents in the UK say it will damage the City as a global financial centre, as other governments may fear their funds will also be seized. Any reluctance to deposit assets in the UK or Europe could undermine the pound and the euro as global reserve currencies, and help the likes of China, which is trying to encourage more countries to hold reserves in its currency. Joe Powell MP, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-corruption, said: We are now at a crisis point in Europe and it is time to mobilise the frozen Russian sovereign assets. Calls for Britain to seize the frozen assets come amid mounting pressure on European leaders to take on a larger role in supporting Ukraine and securing the Continent following threats from Trump that the US will scale back its military presence in the region. There are also fears the US President will cut off military aid to Ukraine entirely following an argument with Zelensky last week. Talks between US and Russian delegations about a potential peace deal have also spurred the Continents leaders into action. Phil Brickell MP, a member of the foreign affairs committee, said: We must urgently find a legal route to seizing frozen Russian assets to use for the reconstruction of Ukraine Putin and his cronies must pay for the damage they have caused. Anglo Americans boss saw his pay jump by 888,000 last year as he fended off a takeover bid from larger rival BHP. Duncan Wanblad was handed 4.4million in 2024, as his basic salary of 1.35million at the mining giant was topped up with bonuses and other payments. That took his pay since taking charge in 2022 to more than 12million. Chairman Stuart Chambers was paid 855,000 last year. Wanblad and Chambers led the defence of London-listed Anglo American after BHP launched a 39billion takeover bid. Having rejected the approaches, Wanblad announced his own plans to transform Anglo American by selling or spinning off parts of the business including its De Beers diamond operation. It was hoped that De Beers would be listed on the London stock market in a major boost for the City. But Wanblad last month suggested a sale may be more likely. He also scaled back investment in the Woodsmith fertiliser mine in North Yorkshire. The rally in European defence stocks accelerated dramatically yesterday as leaders vowed to boost military spending. Shares in FTSE 100 giants Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems soared to record highs after an emergency summit on Ukraine at the weekend. And an index tracking European aerospace and defence shares also hit an all-time high. Analysts at JP Morgan said the Continents drive to re-arm its military forces has been turbocharged. It follows a heated White House meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump last week, which increased a sense of urgency for Europe to act faster on security spending. At an urgent summit in London on Sunday, Keir Starmer pledged to build a coalition of the willing to defend a peace deal in Ukraine. Military spending: Shares in FTSE 100 giants Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems soared to record highs after an emergency summit on Ukraine at the weekend Addressing leaders from France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Nato and the EU, the Prime Minister said Europe must do the heavy lifting on defence. He unveiled a 1.6billion deal to allow Ukraine to buy more than 5,000 missiles to be made by French defence giant Thales in Belfast. That came after Chancellor Rachel Reeves used profits from frozen Russian assets to fund a 2.3billion loan scheme to help Kyiv buy weapons. The summit was attended by Zelensky, who later met the King at Sandringham. It was a show of solidarity following his dramatic clash with Trump in the Oval Office. The televised row sparked fears of an irrevocable rupture between the two leaders and reinforced the need for European nations to bolster their own security. RBC Capital Markets analyst Peter Schaffrik said it was an inflection point. The whole Zelensky-Trump meltdown has fast-forwarded everything, he said. Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the clash had brought the need for Europe to increase collective security into sharp focus. And the European summit had a direct read-across to defence stocks on the markets, said Russ Mould, investment director at broker AJ Bell. Rolls-Royce shares rose 4.4 per cent, or 32.8p, to 776.8p, an all-time high. And BAE Systems Europes biggest defence firm saw its stock surge 14.6 per cent, or 205p, to a new peak of 1611.5p. Shares in QinetiQ the high-tech company that was spun out of the Ministry of Defence and is the inspiration for Q in James Bond jumped 12.9 per cent. Chemring, which has reportedly recently rebuffed a 1.1billion takeover swoop from US buyout firm Bain Capital, saw shares rise 7.4 per cent. Security firm Babcocks stock rallied 6 per cent. In Europe, shares in Italian defence giant Leonardo leapt 16.1 per cent, German firm Rheinmettall saw its stock jump 13.7 per cent to a record high and Thales stock rocketed 16 per cent. Starmer last week pledged to increase the defence budget from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of GDP and Rachel Reeves has relaxed the rules to allow Britains 28billion sovereign wealth fund to invest in defence. We believe that this is likely to be the beginning of a fundamental realignment that will shape markets for the foreseeable future, said Nigel Green, boss of financial advisory firm deVere Group. Governments across Europe are coming to terms with the fact that their decades-long reliance on US military backing can no longer be taken for granted. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 4. Uzbekistan'sMinister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change Aziz Abduhakimov met with Sameh Vahba, Global Director of the World Bank for Environmental Protection, Disaster Risk Management, and Sustainable Development, to discuss areas of mutual interest, Trend reports. The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in irrigation, landscape restoration, and air pollution control investments. Both sides emphasized the importance of the RESILAND project, which targets land degradation, desertification, and climate change across Central Asia. The project is part of the World Banks broader strategy for sustainable development and ecosystem conservation in the region. Abduhakimov also presented the 2025 initiative to declare the year as the "Year of Environmental Preservation and Green Economy," highlighting upcoming events such as the Samarkand Climate Forum, Eco Expo International Exhibition, and the 20th CITES Conference. Vahba presented reports on air quality in Tashkent and a roadmap for improving air quality management, developed in cooperation with the ministry. The World Bank has also suggested expanding efforts to monitor and improve air quality. Both sides agreed to continue collaborating on projects aimed at restoring degraded landscapes, developing ecotourism, and supporting local communities, with a focus on atmospheric air monitoring and environmental protection. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 4. Uzbekistan's Minister of Water Management Shavkat Khamrayev met with a World Bank mission led by Sameh Vahba, Trend reports. The discussion focused on ongoing water sector reforms and new collaborative projects aimed at improving water efficiency in the country. Minister Khamrayev highlighted the progress made in areas such as canal concreting, pump station modernization, water-saving technologies, and digitalization. These reforms are expected to save the country around $10 billion annually. The World Bank is set to fund a significant project, "Improving the National Irrigation System and Energy Efficiency," valued at $240.5 million, with the bank contributing $200 million. The project, slated for implementation from 2025 to 2030, will cover key regions such as Karakalpakstan, Namangan, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, and Bukhara. It aims to improve water supply to 232,000 hectares of irrigated land through the reconstruction of eight canals. Both parties also discussed advancing technical and economic aspects of the project and strengthening investment cooperation in Uzbekistan's water management sector. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Azerbaijan plays a central role in the development of the Middle Corridor (also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or TITR), being one of the most active participants in this international transportation route, Gaidar Abdikerimov, General Secretary of the TITR International Association, said in an interview with Trend. Abdikerimov highlighted Azerbaijan's efforts while speaking on the sidelines of the TITR summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. "Since Azerbaijani transport businesses are among the active participants of this international transport route and have contributed significantly to its development to date, they play a crucial role in maintaining the security of the Middle Corridor," he said. He also articulated that the primary objective of the pathway is to optimize service delivery for end-users. "The demand for the corridor rises in tandem with the volume of transportation. This increases the demand for the route's capacity, which is crucial for resolving new issues," Abdikerimov added. To note, Baku hosted the General Assembly of the International Association of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route on March 4. Delegations from ten countries participated in the event, including leaders of the railway administrations from the member countries and representatives of transportation and logistics companies. The event concluded with a signing ceremony of agreements on the organization of feeder connections between the Caspian Sea ports and ensuring the loading of feeder vessels. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR plans to start dismantling of decommissioned units at the Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery, the company told Trend. "As in previous years, efforts to upgrade production and infrastructure to meet modern standards will continue at the Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery in 2025. Over the year, several aging product storage tanks will be refurbished. Additionally, due to the modernization and reconstruction project, some older units and infrastructure have been taken out of service. Starting in 2025, the dismantling of decommissioned units is scheduled to commence," SOCAR stated. The Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery, which produces gasoline, aviation kerosene, diesel fuel, petroleum coke, fuel oil, and other oil products, meets the majority of the domestic market's demand. Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 4. Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliyev has arrived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, for a one-day working visit, Trend reports, citing the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan. As part of the visit, Kasymaliyev is scheduled to hold talks with the Prime Minister of Tajikistan, Kohir Rasulzoda. The meetings will focus on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding promising areas of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, including trade and economic ties, energy, transportation, and cultural-humanitarian initiatives. Additionally, the visit includes a scheduled tour of the Rogun Hydropower Plant to introduce the Kyrgyz delegation to Tajikistan's hydropower expertise. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan maintain strong economic relations, with a trade turnover of $80 million in 2024, focusing on agriculture, textiles, and construction materials. Despite occasional border tensions, both nations continue to work on strengthening their economic cooperation and expanding trade opportunities. This evening the top lawman in Missouri levels strong accusations against Kansas City's mayor. Thanks to readers for sending this one our way . . . Here's the word: @MayorLucasKC has spent millions of PUBLIC dollars on lawsuits to undermine the rule of law and defund the Kansas City Police Department. I am demanding answers. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Missouri AG Bailey: My office has officially requested to see how taxpayer dollars on lawsuits aimed at defunding the police are being spent. Here's the screencap: Developing . . . Right now we sense a disturbance in the force and hear the collective groan of just about everyone in the Kansas City metro as we note this weather worry that's causing seasonal depression to kick in all over again. Accordingly . . . KANSAS CITY WEATHER NEWSIES PREDICT IMPENDING MARCH BLIZZARD!!! Here's a preview: "Due to blizzard-like conditions possible throughout the morning, we anticipate the backside of a low pressure system to produce snow shower activity, which could accumulate snowfall between 1-2 inches on average, especially along I-70 and the metro." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . FIRST WARN WEATHER DAY: Potential for blizzard-like conditions Wednesday Blizzard-like conditions possible throughout the morning, especially during the morning commute. Joe's Blog: Massive(!) spring/winter storm to hit region (MON-3/3) Snow, blizzard chances and rain with extreme winds to hit Kansas City metro in severe, massive spring, winter storm Developing . . . A look at local life . . . HOW BAD IS KCMO TRANSIT?!?!? SOOOOOO BAD THAT SOME GUY'S BUS RAMPAGE ISN'T THE WORST BUS STORY WE'VE HEARD THIS YEAR!!! In fact, it makes a little more sense than so many jerky toy train riders who "indulge" their private fantasies in very public places. Check-it . . . A Kansas City, Missouri, police officer is recovering after allegedly being assaulted by a man who stole a Kansas City Area Transportation bus. According to court documents filed Monday, the suspect, allegedly stole the bus sometime before 6 a.m. Sunday. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . KSHB: Man charged for stealing Kansas City, Missouri, city bus, assaulting officer Developing . . . Before our progressive friends get too happy about the former weather dude and current JoCo politico coming undone . . . We think it's important to share a a more fact-based passage from the state's legal leader . . . Kobach, the states attorney general, said in supportive testimony Thursday that the bill simply brings Kansas in compliance with federal law and up to par with its neighboring states of Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. I understand that this is one where some people disagree vehemently on the policy side, but there is no room for disagreement on the legal side, Kobach said. It is crystal clear what federal law says, and it is crystal clear that Kansas stands in direct violation of two federal statutes. Meanwhile . . . We can't deny . . . MIKE THOMPSON LOSING HIS TEMPER IS HILARIOUS IF ONLY BECAUSE WE ALL KNEW HIS NICE GUY TV PERSONA WAS FAKE!!! A quick quote and then link to a report posted just moments ago . . . Appearing frustrated, Thompson slammed a hand on the desk, causing the committee members nameplates to jump. Clear the room right now, he said. Clear the room. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Reflector: Kansas Republicans punt immigration bill after kicking opponents out of hearing BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 4. The Russian government has allocated 420 million rubles ($5.2 million) for the reclamation of ten uranium tailings repositories left behind from Soviet-era uranium mining and production in Kyrgyzstan, Azamat Mambetov, the First Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan, said during a parliamentary committee meeting in Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports. The reclamation work will address ten critical tailings sites located across different regions of Kyrgyzstan, including a tailings site, tunnel, and mine in the village of Kadji-Sai, Issyk-Kul Region; a tailings site in the Nookat district of Osh region; three tailings sites in the village of Kyzylzhar, Jalal-Abad region; three toxic tailings sites in the village of Sumsar, Jalal-Abad region; and two toxic tailings sites in the village of Kann, Batken region. According to Mambetov, the reclamation work is scheduled to begin in June 2025. This funding follows previous financial commitments by the Russian government for the reclamation of tailings sites in Kadji-Sai and Min-Kush. The Min-Kush reclamation project is expected to be completed by May 2025, though delays have occurred due to the pandemic and the underestimated scope of work. The agreement between the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers and the Russian government was signed on March 26, 2024, following negotiations between Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Emergency Situations, Major General Boobek Azhikeev, and Alexei Likhachev, CEO of the Russian state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom, at the ATOMEXPO-2024 forum in Sochi, Russia. The agreement's main objectives are to protect the population living near the tailings, reduce the risk of environmental disasters, and promote efficient land use. It is also intended to contribute to the socio-economic development of regions affected by the closure of uranium mining enterprises. At least one U.S. industry is not happy to now have an advantage over its Canadian (and Mexican) counterparts, thanks to the trade war U.S. president Donald Trump inaugurated today. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), in a news release Tuesday morning, said, We are concerned that Canadian stores may take U.S. spirits products off their shelves again and also fear that American whiskey will become entangled in a new round of retaliatory tariffs. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW And that is what happened in at least one province today with Ontario removing all U.S. products from the LCBO, its provincewide retailer and distributor. We greatly appreciate and support President Trumps leadership to protect the American people and jobs by pursuing fair and reciprocal trade, said the DISCUS statement. However, it added that, for decades, this model of fair and reciprocal trade has been in place for spirits between Mexico, Canada and the United States, and the U.S. hospitality industry has flourished as a result. With spirits products between our three countries already benefitting from fair and reciprocal trade, it makes no sense to have them embroiled in this trade dispute. Tariffs on spirits products from Canada and Mexico, according to the DISCUS statement, will jeopardize the industrys contribution to the U.S. economy. The North American spirits sector is highly interconnected and, as a result, tariffs on Tequila and Canadian whisky will harm U.S. spirits companies that have these products in their brand portfolios. American spirits consumers, as well as restaurants and bars across our country that are still struggling following the pandemic closures, will shoulder the burden of these tariffs. The Distilled Spirits Council said that the three national distillery councils, which also include Spirits Canada and Mexicos Tequila Chamber, are committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to explore solutions that prevent tariffs on distilled spirits. Maintaining tariff-free access for all distilled spirits is crucial for supporting jobs and shared growth across North America. Todays news release from DISCUS is no surprise as the three stakeholder groups from U.S., Canada and Mexico had issued a joint statement when Trump came close to implementing tariffs last month. Our associations are committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to explore solutions that prevent potential tariffs on distilled spirits. We are deeply concerned that U.S. tariffs on imported spirits from Canada and Mexico will significantly harm all three countries and lead to a cycle of retaliatory tariffs that negatively impacts our shared industry, stated last months joint statement. The North American spirits sector is highly interconnected, the joint statement reiterated. Many companies own brands in all three countries, contributing positively to local economies. Certain spirits, such as bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, tequila and Canadian whisky, are recognized as distinctive products and can only be produced in their designated countries, explained the statement. Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey can only be made in the U.S., tequila in Mexico, and Canadian whisky in Canada. The imposition of a tariff not only negatively impacts trading partners but also harms domestic industries. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Saudi Aramco 2024 net income down by $15bn Saudi Aramco Tuesday March 04, 2025 announced its 2024 financial results that showed a decline in the companys net profit as compared to 2023 Tuesday March 4, 2025 11:36 PM , ummid.com News Network Riyadh: Saudi Aramco Tuesday March 04, 2025 announced its 2024 financial results that showed a decline in the companys net profit as compared to 2023. The Saudi oil giant however posted a 4.2% increase in the quarterly base dividend in 2024, according to Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Aramco Financial Statements Aramco net income reached $106.2 billion in 2024, compared to $121.3 billion in 2023, the financial results showed. Cash flow from operating activities amounted to $135.7 billion compared to $143.4 billion in 2023. Free cash flow was $85.3 billion, compared to $101.2 billion in 2023, according to the results. Moreover, the gearing ratio reached 4.5% as of December 31, 2024, compared to -6.3% at the end of 2023. Aramco stated that the Q4 2024 net income was in line with analyst consensus, despite certain other non-cash charges of around $1.7 billion. Aramco Base Dividend The worlds leading petroleum company also added that the board declared a base dividend of $21.1 billion for Q4, a 4.2% YoY increase, to be paid in Q1 2025, reflecting its focus on delivering a sustainable and progressive dividend. The company also highlighted in the report that a performance-linked dividend of $0.2 billion was declared and to be paid in Q1 2025, in line with the previously announced mechanism. Aramco expects total dividends of $85.4 billion to be declared in 2025, emphasizing the capital investment of $53.3 billion in 2024, including $50.4 billion organic capital expenditure. Additionally, 2025 capital investment guidance ranges from $52.0 billion to $58.0 billion, excluding around $4.0 billion of project financing. The report showed progress on track to deliver growth strategy across Upstream and Downstream, with potential additional operating cash flows of $9.0 billion to $10.0 billion from growth in Aramcos Upstream gas business and $8.0 billion to $10.0 billion from growth in its Downstream business by 2030. Additionally, it stated that the companys spare capacity provides flexibility to help meet potential oil demand growth. If called upon, utilizing one million barrels per day of existing spare capacity could generate an additional $12.0 billion in operating cash flow, based on the 2024 average price. Saudi Aramco or Saudi Arabian Oil Company was founded on May 29, 1933 around five years before discovery of oil in the Kingdom on March 3, 1938. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Itikaf 2025 at Haramain: Registration Steps Online Registration for the prospective worshipers intending to perform Itikaf at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Masjid e Nabawi in Ramadan 2025 has started. Here are steps to follow and direct link Wednesday March 5, 2025 1:30 AM , ummid.com News Network [The General Presidency will reserve and earmark specific area of the two holy mosques for Itikaf. (File image)] Itikaf at The Two Holy Mosques: The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has started from today i.e. Wednesday Ramadan 05, 1446 AH corresponding to March 05, 2025, online registration for the prospective worshipers intending to perform Itikaf at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Masjid e Nabawi. Itikaf Registration 2025 The registration for Itikaf is online and the pilgrims are required to download the app and fill up the online form. Itikaf registration for the Makkah Haram and Masjid e Nabawi is same. The pilgrims need to select their mosque preference while filling up the online form. The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques will start issuing permits for those registered through its official website, and that will be in line with the specific conditions and set criteria. Itikaf will begin on 20th Ramadan 1446AH, corresponding to March 20, and will continue until Ramadan 30. What is Itikaf? Itikaf is an Islamic practice consisting of a period of spiritual retreat in a mosque during the last 10 days of Ramadan. It is the Sunnah (Tradition) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Itikaf can be offered during the Holy Month of Fasting at any mosque in the world. However, the worship at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Masjid Nabawi has special rewards as is the case with Umrah offered during Ramadan . The Prophet (pbuh) encouraged those who perform Itikaf to spend their time reciting Quran, performing prayers and seeking blessings from the Almighty Allah. The General Presidency will reserve and earmark specific area of the two holy mosques for Itikaf. The worshipers are advised to bring in only a prayer rug, light bed sheet, pillow and two pieces of ihram dress. Registration Steps Follow the steps given below to register if you wish to perform either at the Grand Mosque in Makkah or The Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. Download and Install app on your smartphone. Visit this link for for Android, and follow this link for iPhone (iOS). for for Android, and follow this for iPhone (iOS). After downloading the app, create your account. You will need to provide your visa number during the account creation process. Registration for Itikaf in Masjid al-Haram opens during specific hours in Ramadan. Its crucial to monitor the opening time closely, as registration slots fill up rapidly. Within the application, navigate to the My Services section. Look for the option related to Itikaf Services. Re-check every detail you entered before clicking on Submit button. After submitting your application, wait for confirmation. If your application is successful, youll receive confirmation within the application. Upon reaching Makkah, visit the designated counter in the middle of Ramadan to collect your Itikaf card. This card is primarily for accessing lockers, which are limited in number. Pilgrims should note that the Itikaf registration will end when the number of slots allotted for the ritual is complete. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 4. The Ashgabat Stock Exchange (ASE) held a roundtable to discuss the development of Turkmenistan's stock market, Trend reports. The event brought together representatives of the exchange, brokers, issuers, investors, and other stakeholders. The participants discussed raising public awareness about securities listed on the ASE, as well as the advantages of investing and raising funds through the stock market. A significant focus was placed on improving legislation in line with modern financial market realities. Since 2023, the first corporate bonds have appeared on the market, and today, seven companies that have issued bonds are listed on the ASE. The market capitalization of corporate bonds has reached 75 million manat ($ 21.5 million). This financial instrument allows companies to raise funds for business projects while offering investors new investment opportunities. The Ashgabat Stock Exchange, founded in 2016, continues to develop and organize securities trading exclusively among its members. Currently, the exchange consists of seven legal entities, and its operations are financed through transaction registration and service fees. By Laman Ismayilova YARAT Contemporary Art Space has presented a group exhibition titled "Me and the Ark, Me and the Great Flood," showcasing a diverse array of works by both local and international artists. Prior to the exhibition's launch, a gathering took place with the curator and participating artists. Each artist shared insights into the inspiration and background behind their creations, followed by a Q&A session where they engaged with the audience's inquiries. Inspired by a contemporary interpretation of Nasimis philosophy, the group exhibition presents sculptures, installations and audiovisual projects commissioned by YARAT by Azerbaijani artists Tarlan Gorchu and Orkhan Huseynov, and artists Mladen Milyanovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Pavla Nikitina (Czech Republic). The exhibition also features new projects, as well as works in various media by Mykhailo Alekseyenko, Volodymyr Budnikov and Vlada Ralko (Ukraine), Rimas Sakalauskas (Lithuania), Natalia Vatsadze (Georgia), Ali bey Huseynzade, Salim Turan and Elturan Mammadov (Azerbaijan). In the 14th century, Seyid Imadaddin Nasimi wrote, All the world is human. His philosophy states that every person perceives reality through the prism of their own experience, shaping the world around them. Each of us perceives reality through the lens of personal experience, and with every individuals passing, an entire worldone that existed uniquely within their consciousnessceases to exist. This underscores our responsibility not only for ourselves but also for the world we shape through our actions and the choices we make. Nasimis words, I am the watcher and the watched, I am both light and darkness, old and young, take on new relevance in the digital age, where social networks blur the boundaries between the individual and the collective. The ability to speak for oneself and the growing awareness of identity in all its diverse facets bring the issue of respecting boundariesboth personal and internationalto the forefront. The right to dignity and sovereignty foregrounds processes of inclusion and decolonization. Nasimi's voice is among the factors that provide support, inspiration, and hope in this context, as well as undermine colonial hierarchies built on knowledge. Philosophical parallels can be found in the thoughts of Ukrainian neurophysiologist Oleg Krishtal. He compares the human brain to a time machine moving between two infinities. His formula resonates with Nasimi's philosophy: Infinity outside, infinity within, and in between myself. Offering a broad panorama of human existence, the group exhibition invites us to envision a future illuminated by Nasimis words: "You, who have grasped the word of God, shall not become a sage. Even if you do not become a sage, you will not remain a beast." The exhibition will continue at YARAT Contemporary Art Space until October 26. Curator: Kostiantyn Doroshenko Researcher: Nizami Mammadov Special thanks to the Azerbaijan Independence Museum. TASKENT, Uzbekistan, March 4. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan on March 4-5, the Uzbek government says, Trend reports. According to the information, bilateral meetings, as well as a meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission, are planned as part of the visit. In addition, the Georgian delegation will visit industrial enterprises and take part in a number of other events. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 4. Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and the Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Nurlan Yermekbayev have discussed issues related to the development of economic relations, Trend reports via the minister's social media publication. "Since its establishment, the SCO has become an important platform for practical and pragmatic cooperation. We discussed issues related to deepening cooperation within the SCO framework, strengthening regional security, as well as developing economic and cultural ties between member states. Uzbekistan is committed to strengthening multilateral cooperation and contributing to the overall prosperity of the region," the publication reads. To note, the itinerary for Yermekbayev encompasses a strategic engagement in Uzbekistan from March 4 to 7, followed by a diplomatic mission to Tajikistan on March 14 and 15, and culminating with a collaborative visit to Kyrgyzstan from March 17 to 19. During the Central Asian expedition, Yermekbayev is set to engage in high-level dialogues with the executive leadership of the respective nations and their diplomatic entities, while also participating in symposiums at premier political science institutions and various public forums. He has previously engaged in trips to Russia, Belarus, and India during the months of January and February in the year 2025. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel A group of leading computational scientists, including University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel, is urging the United States to increase its investment in high-performance computing (HPC), a technology critical for scientific discovery, economic competitiveness and national security. In a new policy forum published in the journal Science, they argue that the U.S. lacks a comprehensive strategy to address mounting technical and geopolitical challenges in this vital field. "We need to reimagine how the HPC ecosystem should look from the hardware level, through the software stack, the connections to distributed computing resources, and all the way up to applications in science, engineering and manufacturing, says Ewa Deelman, a principal scientist at the University of Southern California (USC) Viterbis Information Sciences Institute (ISI) and the papers first author. She is scheduled to visit UW in July to speak about HPC and artificial intelligence. HPC systems are advanced computing ensembles that harness the power of tens of thousands of processors to solve complex problems beyond the capabilities of regular computers. These supercomputers enable breakthrough research in everything from weather forecasting and drug discovery to cryptography and aircraft design, making them essential tools for innovation. While the U.S. recently succeeded at deploying its first exascale supercomputers -- a type of HPC system capable of a quintillion calculations per second -- the question of what comes next remains uncertain, the scientists say. Continued technical advances in HPC are needed to power scientific discovery. Yet, the paper authors point to several challenges the U.S. faces in this area: fast-paced changes in computing hardware, physical limitations in chip manufacturing, shifting market dynamics driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and growing concerns about energy consumption. The rise of AI also has intensified demands on HPC systems while introducing new computational requirements. Geopolitical challenges compound these technical hurdles. In the global competition for technological sovereignty and compute power, other nations are finding success with coordinated national strategies. The European Unions EuroHPC initiative is building some of the worlds fastest supercomputers across multiple countries; China is rapidly advancing its domestic HPC capabilities; and Japan has developed the Fugaku supercomputer through a carefully planned national program. To maintain long-term U.S. competitiveness, the paper calls for a whole-nation approach that would bring together academia, national laboratories, industry and government in a coordinated effort. Researchers urge the U.S. federal government to organize a task force charged with creating a national, 10-year road map for HPC in the post-exascale computing era, one that remains adaptable to the rapid pace of technological change. For instance, quantum computing could reshape HPC over the next decade, requiring consideration of hybrid systems to tackle currently intractable problems. But technology is only one part of the ecosystem that upholds HPC. Another critical challenge is the need for a well-trained cyberinfrastructure workforce, including researchers, software engineers, system operators, trainers and educators. We need to keep raising awareness of the importance and the need for support in terms of national policies and funding -- not only for HPC, but broadly science, engineering, workforce development and education, Deelman says. They are all needed for the safety and prosperity of our nation as well as the global well-being. The Science paper authors represent nine major institutions: UW, USC, the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Manchester, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Duke University, the University of Utah and the University of California-Berkeley. Seidel also chaired a group -- including a number of the authors of the Science article -- that last year submitted a report to the U.S. Department of Energy recommending computing priorities for the coming decade. Another of those authors -- Dan Reed, of the University of Utah -- is scheduled to speak at UW May 29 on the future of HPC in an event sponsored by the Research and Economic Development Division and UW Libraries. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Irans accession as the ninth member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has expanded opportunities for cooperation in multiple sectors, a source at the SCO Secretariat told Trend. The Islamic Republic of Iran officially became a full member of the SCO during the organizations 23rd summit in July 2023, held under Indias presidency. "Iran's full membership has enriched the cooperation within the Organization in many fields," the SCO Secretariat stated. With Irans significant role as an oil and gas producer, its inclusion strengthens energy cooperation among SCO members, which collectively account for 20% of the world's oil reserves and 50% of global gas reserves. "With Iran's inclusion, there is further potential for collaborative energy projects, exploration, development of infrastructure, and coordinated policies to stabilize energy markets," the source noted. Beyond energy, Irans membership provides a strategic advantage in connectivity. "Iran's strategic location offers improved access to the Middle East and beyond. This can lead to the development of transport corridors, enhancing connectivity between the Member States," the source emphasized. Iran is also expected to contribute to regional security efforts, particularly in countering terrorism and other threats. Additionally, the countrys technological expertise in fields such as information and communication technology and biotechnology presents further opportunities for collaboration. Cultural exchange is another area in which Iran is expected to make a significant impact. "SCO framework promotes cultural cooperation among the Member States. Iran's rich heritage will contribute to humanitarian exchange programs within the Organization," the SCO Secretariat added. Furthermore, Iran is actively working to strengthen trade and investment ties with SCO member states by reducing trade barriers, facilitating transactions, and promoting economic integration. "Iran's trade with SCO member states reached $41 billion in 2023, marking a 10.26% increase compared to the previous year. China remained Irans largest trading partner within the bloc, accounting for approximately $30.32 billion of the total trade volume, followed by India and Russia," the source said. According to the SCO, in the first ten months of 2024, Irans trade with other SCO members continued to grow, reaching $37.1 billion - a 5.5% increase over the same period in the previous year. "Iranian exports to SCO countries also saw significant growth, with around 54.5 million tons of goods worth $18 billion exported in 2023, reflecting a 41% rise in cargo volume". The SCO rep also highlighted Irans efforts to establish new international transport corridors aimed at improving connectivity and trade routes. "These corridors are expected to streamline logistics, lower transportation costs, and enhance trade efficiency for all parties involved," the source added. Vietnam Briefing has developed into a premium source for insight on doing business in Vietnam. It publishes business news concerning foreign direct investment into Vietnam, including the most important tax, legal and accounting issues. The Vietnam Briefing Magazine was first published in 2009, and is contributed to by investment professionals based in Vietnam. Arab leaders adopted an Egyptian reconstruction plan for Gaza on Tuesday that would cost $53 billion and avoid displacing Palestinians from the enclave, in contrast to U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for the territory. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said the proposal had been accepted at the closing of a summit in Cairo. The meeting, hosted by Egypt, included the emir of Qatar, the vice president of the United Arab Emirates and the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia. Egypt's plan which comes as a counterproposal to Trump's January plan to resettle Palestinians outside Gaza while the territory is rebuilt calls for residents of Gaza to remain inside the territory in seven specific locations in temporary housing while rubble is removed and demining takes place. Egypt and many other Arab states oppose the portion of Trump's "Middle East Riviera" plan that calls for Palestinians in Gaza to be relocated outside the Strip during rebuilding efforts. In comments during the meeting, Sissi thanked Trump for his efforts to help rebuild Gaza, adding that Egypt's suggested plan involved a temporary governing body to rule the territory. He said that Egypt is proposing a group of technocrats to run the territory during an interim period, while a new Palestinian police force is trained and while efforts are made to secure funding from donors to rebuild what was destroyed. He added that Egypt would host a donor conference next month. Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, welcomed the proposal, but Israel criticized it. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the Arab summit's proposal "failed to address" the realities of the situation following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which sparked the war. "Hamas' brutal terrorist attack, which resulted in thousands of Israeli deaths and hundreds of kidnappings, is not mentioned, nor is there any condemnation of this murderous terrorist entity," the Foreign Ministry said. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said he welcomed the Egyptian idea and urged Trump to support the plan because it would not involve displacing Palestinians. Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza remains tense amid the possibility that conflict could erupt again after Israel accused Hamas of using aid deliveries into the territory as a "principal source of revenue [for itself]," and halted aid shipments on Saturday. Said Sadek, who teaches political sociology at the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology in Egypt, told VOA that many Arabs oppose disarming Hamas and forcing the group to relinquish power to rebuild Gaza. "Basically, this summit will discuss how to marginalize [or] sideline Hamas and having an international Muslim peace force and training Palestinian policemen so that the process of reconstruction [takes] place. The trouble, of course, is that how can you force Hamas to leave Gaza, [and] how can you deprive them of their weapons?" he said. Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV reported that Arab leaders were expected to approve a proposal to ask the U.N. to help set up a joint Arab-international peacekeeping force to run Gaza during an interim period while a new Palestinian police force is trained and a group of technocrats runs the territory. Egypt has refused to assume control over the territory it ruled from 1948 to 1967, when it was seized by Israel. Arab League spokesman Jamal Rushdi tried to minimize disagreements over Egypt's Gaza plan, while addressing Arab media. He said the plan to rebuild Gaza is just the beginning of a long road to reconstruct the territory and to secure the needed funds to do the rebuilding. Hamas has ruled out transferring power and says it will keep its arms, which its leaders call a "red line," or a line that it will not cross. Israel, in return, has threatened to resume hostilities, and Israeli media claim that Hamas has recruited more fighters, restoring its forces to 30,000 men. Egyptian mediators have negotiated with Hamas without a great deal of success since it first grabbed control of Gaza in 2007, expelling the mainstream Fatah group and the Palestinian police force that was set up after Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. Some information in this report came from Reuters. The Pritzker Prize, dubbed the "Nobel" for architecture, was awarded Tuesday to China's Liu Jiakun, who was recognized for designs that celebrate "everyday lives." "In a global context where architecture is struggling to find adequate responses to fast evolving social and environmental challenges, Liu Jiakun has provided convincing answers that also celebrate the everyday lives of people as well as their communal and spiritual identities," the award's jury wrote in a statement. Born in 1956, Liu has worked on more than 30 projects in China ranging from academic and cultural institutions to civic spaces and commercial buildings. "Architecture should reveal something it should abstract, distill and make visible the inherent qualities of local people," Liu said in the statement, evoking his craft's capacity to create "a sense of shared community." Liu lives and works in his birth city of Chengdu, where he prioritizes the use of local materials and traditional building techniques. His projects include the Museum of Clocks in Chengdu, a large circular structure with a skylight that illuminates an interior strip of photographs. Alejandro Aravena, who won the award in 2016 and is chair of the jury, said Liu's works offer "clues on how to confront the challenges of urbanization" especially because they are sometimes "a building, infrastructure, landscape and public space at the same time." "Cities tend to segregate functions, but Liu Jiakun takes the opposite approach and sustains a delicate balance to integrate all dimensions of the urban life," Aravena said. Liu, who is the 54th recipient of the Pritzker Prize, will be honored at a celebration in Abu Dhabi in spring, award organizers said. Last year's prize went to Japan's Riken Yamamoto, whose projects are credited with promoting human contact and who said at the time his objective was to "design architecture that can bring joy to people around it." BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Iran will establish a large trading center in Russia to directly deliver Iranian products to consumers, Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade of Iran, Chairman of the Trade Promotion Organization Mohammad Ali Dehghan Dehnavi told reporters, Trend reports. According to him, Iran will take this step to develop trade and economic relations with the member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Dehnavi mentioned that after the signing of the free trade agreement between Iran and the EAEU, the Trade Development Organization of Iran aims to increase the presence of Iranian products outside the country. The deputy minister pointed out that, with the signing of the free trade agreement between Iran and the EAEU, Iran has gained access to the markets of five Eurasian countries with a total trade volume of $850-$900 billion. "The signing of this agreement is an absolutely appropriate step toward mitigating the negative effects of sanctions imposed on Iran. This agreement makes it possible to remove some of the restrictions arising from sanctions against the country," he said. On December 22, 2024, the Iranian parliament ratified the free trade agreement between Iran and the EAEU. The agreement is expected to take effect by the end of March or in April. Furthermore, on December 25, 2023, a free trade agreement was signed between Iran and the EAEU in Saint Petersburg, Russia. After the agreement comes into force, it's predicted that trade turnover will reach $18-20 billion within five to seven years. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel M23 rebels launching an offensive in east Congo abducted at least 130 sick and wounded men from two hospitals in the city of Goma last week, the United Nations said Monday. M23 fighters raided CBCA Ndosho Hospital and Heal Africa Hospital during the night of Feb. 28, taking 116 and 15 patients respectively, U.N. Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement. The abducted men were suspected of being Democratic Republic of Congo soldiers or members of a pro-government militia known as Wazalendo. "It is deeply distressing that M23 is snatching patients from hospital beds in coordinated raids and holding them incommunicado in undisclosed locations," Shamdasani said, calling for their immediate release. M23 spokespersons Willy Ngoma and Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Tutsi-led M23 marched into the city of Goma at the end of January and have since made an unprecedented advance into east Congo, seizing territory and gaining access to valuable minerals. Their ongoing advance, which started in late December, is already the gravest escalation a long-running conflict rooted in the spill over into Congo of Rwanda's 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of Congo's vast mineral resources. Congo, U.N. experts and Western powers accuse Rwanda of backing the group. Rwanda denies this and says it is defending itself against ethnic Hutu-led militias bent on slaughtering Tutsis in Congo and threatening Rwanda. About 7,000 people have been killed in east Congo since January and almost half a million people were left without shelter after 90 displacement camps were destroyed in the fighting, according to the government. International sanctions, renewed investigations by the International Criminal Court and Africa-led peace negotiations have failed to halt the advance by the rebels, who have captured east Congo's two major cities, Goma and Bukavu. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says she will inform member states on Tuesday about plans to strengthen the European defense industry and the EU's military capabilities. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged European leaders on Sunday to step up their defense efforts to not only help secure peace in Ukraine but stability across the continent. White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said he welcomed the European plans. We spoke with Jennifer Kavanagh Senior Fellow & Director of Military Analysis Defense Priorities. Europe is scrambling to take the lead in planning an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday doubled-down on his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, soldiers are on trial for desertion and other crimes following the M23 rebel advance. A look at the measles and bird flu and how to stay safe. In Illinois, a guilty verdict was announced in the trial of man accused of murdering a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy. Plus, humanitarian aid to Gaza. Gum arabic, a vital ingredient used in everything from Coca-Cola to M&M's sweets, is increasingly being trafficked from rebel-held areas of war-torn Sudan, traders and industry sources say, complicating Western companies' efforts to insulate their supply chains from the conflict. Sudan produces around 80% of the world's gum arabic, a natural substance harvested from acacia trees that's widely used to mix, stabilize and thicken ingredients in mass-market products including L'Oreal lipsticks and Nestle petfood. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), at war since April 2023 with Sudan's national army, seized control late last year of the main gum-harvesting regions of Kordofan and Darfur in western Sudan. Since then the raw product, which can only be marketed by Sudanese traders in return for a fee to the RSF, is making its way to Sudan's neighbors without proper certification, according to conversations with eight producers and buyers who are directly involved in gum arabic trading or based in Sudan. The gum is also exported through informal border markets, two traders told Reuters. Asked for comment, a RSF representative said that the force had protected the gum arabic trade and only collected small fees, adding that talk of any lawbreaking was propaganda against the paramilitary group. Last month, the RSF signed a charter with allied groups establishing a parallel government in the parts of Sudan it controls. In recent months, traders in countries with lower-gum arabic production than Sudan, such as Chad and Senegal, or which barely exported it before the war, like Egypt and South Sudan, have begun to aggressively offer the commodity at cheap prices and without proof it is conflict-free, two buyers who have been approached by traders told Reuters. While the acacia trees that yield gum arabic grow across the Africa's arid Sahel region known as the 'gum belt' Sudan has become by far the world's biggest exporter due to its extensive groves. Herve Canevet, Global Marketing Specialist at Singapore-based supplier of specialty food ingredients Eco-Agri, said it was often difficult to determine where gum supplies are coming from as many traders would not say if their product has been smuggled. "Today, the gum in Sudan, I would say all of it is smuggled, because there's no real authority in the country," he said. The Association for International Promotion of Gums (AIPG), an industry lobby, said in a January 27 public statement it "does not see any evidence of links between gum [arabic] supply chain and the competing [Sudanese] forces." However, five industry sources said the opaque new trade in gum risked infiltrating the procurement system of global ingredients makers. Companies like Nexira, Alland & Robert, and Ingredion buy a refined version of the amber-colored gum, turn it into emulsifiers and sell it to big consumer goods firms. Contacted by Reuters, Ingredion said it works to ensure that all supply chain transactions are fully legitimate and has diversified sourcing since the start of the war to include other countries such as Cameroon. Nexira told Reuters the civil war prompted it to cut its imports from Sudan and take proactive measures to mitigate the impact of the conflict on its supply chain, including broadening sourcing to ten other countries. Alland & Robert, Nestle and Coca Cola did not comment. M&Ms maker Mars and L'Oreal did not return requests for comment. Cheap gum for sale Mohammed Hussein Sorge, founder of Khartoum-based Unity Arabic Gum, which served global ingredients makers before the war, said he was offered gum arabic in December by traders in Senegal and Chad. He said the Chad-based traders wanted $3,500 per ton for hashab gum, a more expensive variety of gum arabic primarily produced in Sudan, for which he would normally expect to pay more than $5,000 per ton. The sellers could not provide a Sedex certification, which ensures buyers a supplier meets sustainable and ethical standards, Sorge also told Reuters. Sorge did not buy the gum because he feared the low price and lack of documentation was an indication it had been stolen in Sudan or exported via informal RSF-affiliated networks. "Smugglers manage to smuggle gum arabic through the RSF because the RSF controls all production areas," Sorge said. Sorge, who fled to Egypt after RSF forces stole his entire gum supply in 2023, shared WhatsApp messages with Reuters showing these gum traders had reached out on five separate occasions, including as recently as Jan. 9. Since October, the RSF banned exports for 12 goods to Egypt, including gum arabic, in retaliation for what it said was Egyptian airstrikes against the militia. Asked for comment, the paramilitary said it banned what it called smuggling to Egypt because it was not benefiting Sudan. A buyer, who declined to be named for safety reasons, recounted how he also was approached by shadowy gum traders. "I have [acacia] seyal cleaned open quantities ready for shipping," read one WhatsApp message, reviewed by Reuters and offering a load of seyal gum, a cheaper gum arabic variety. In subsequent WhatsApp messages, the trader proposed to schedule shipping every two months at a negotiable price of $1,950 per metric ton, lower than the $3,000 per ton the buyer said he would expect to pay for this kind of load. In a different WhatsApp conversation with the same buyer, reviewed by Reuters, a different trader said that trucks carrying gum arabic had crossed the Sudanese border into South Sudan and Egypt. In all instances, the gum traders could not provide a Sedex certification, the buyer said, adding that he declined the offers for fear the gum came from RSF-affiliated networks. Changing routes Before the Sudanese civil war, the raw gum would be sorted in Khartoum and then trucked to Port Sudan, on the Red Sea, to be shipped via the Suez Canal around the world. Since late last year, however, RSF-affiliated gum arabic started to appear on sale at two informal markets on the border between the Sudanese province of West Kordofan and South Sudan, according to a buyer based in an RSF-controlled area, who declined to be named due to safety concerns. The buyer, a major trader in the West Kordofan area, said traders collect gum from Sudanese land owners and sell them to South Sudanese traders in these markets for U.S. dollars. All of this happens with RSF protection, which the traders pay for, the buyer added. Abdallah Mohamed, a producer who owns acacia groves in West Kordofan, also told Reuters the RSF takes a fee from the traders for protection. The paramilitary group has diversified its interests into gold, livestock, agriculture and banking. South Sudan Information Minister Michael Makuei, who is also the government's spokesperson, told Reuters transport of gum through South Sudan was not the government's responsibility. Calls and messages to Joseph Moum Majak, the minister of trade and industry for South Sudan, went unanswered. The RSF also takes the product to the Central African Republic through the border town of Um Dafoog, the buyer said, adding that some goes to Chad. A wholesale buyer, based outside Sudan, told Reuters the gum was now being exported through Mombasa in Kenya and South Sudan's capital Juba. Arabic gum of illicit origin has also appeared on sale online. Isam Siddig, a Sudanese gum processor who is now a refugee in Britain, told Reuters his warehouses in Khartoum had been raided by the RSF after he fled in April 2023 with three suitcases of gum in tow. A year later, his gum products appeared on sale, still in his company's branded packaging, in an online Facebook group according to a screenshot shared with Reuters. Britain's King Charles III welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday as the monarch faces criticism in Canada over being silent about U.S. President Donald Trumps repeated suggestion that the U.S. annex its northern neighbor. While royal officials did not provide details about the private talks at the monarchs royal residence Sandringham, the king and Trudeau were expected to discuss Trumps comments that Canada should become the 51st state. Charles is the head of state in Canada, a member of the Commonwealth group of many former British colonies and territories. Trudeau said Sunday, nothing seems more important to Canadians right now than standing up for our sovereignty and our independence as a nation. Britains monarchs must remain politically neutral, but the Canada issue shows how delicate that balancing act can be. The Government of Canada should ask the Head of State to underscore Canadian sovereignty, former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney posted on X. Trudeau flew to London to join an emergency defense summit on Ukraine over the weekend, where British Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlined plans to end the war in Ukraine and rallied European counterparts to throw their weight behind the country as U.S. backing of Ukraine appeared in jeopardy. The king's meeting with the Canadian leader came after Charles met Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to show solidarity with Ukraine after Trump lashed out at Zelenskyy in a heated exchange in the Oval Office. Starmer told lawmakers Monday he held talks with Trudeau over the weekend and was "able to assure him of our strong support for Canada. Meanwhile, Charles has invited Trump to come for a state visit. Starmer delivered that invitation to Trump in Washington last week, noting it was an unprecedented honor since Trump already had been given the royal treatment by Queen Elizabeth II during his first term. Starmer insisted to lawmakers Monday that the U.S. and Britain have the closest of relationships, and that it would be "a huge mistake at a time like this to suggest that any weakening of that link is the way forward for security and defense in Europe. As Ukraines war enters its fourth year, 6.8 million Ukrainians remain refugees. Researchers say fewer than half plan to return when the war ends. From Kyiv, Lesia Bakalets reports on what can be done to encourage more of them to return to their homeland. The U.N.s special representative on sexual violence in conflict said that when military spending goes up worldwide, it increases conflicts that mainly affect women and children. "What we are seeing is that sexual violence is plaguing conflict, and is significantly impacting all civilians, but significantly women and girls, Pramila Patten told VOA at the International Humanitarian Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "We should invest more in prevention. We should invest in addressing the root cause, which is marginalization, poverty, gender inequality," she said. "Of course, we have to respond, but I think prevention is where we should invest more. Many humanitarian groups at the U.N. and Saudi-organized forum held in February said traditional Western donors have reduced or halted funding. In the United States, the Trump administration has moved to cut tens of billions of dollars in foreign aid, though its actions face legal challenges now winding their way through the courts. Leila Pakkala, the director of UNICEFs supply division, said her agency is seeking $9.9 billion to help more than 109 million vulnerable children and their families. This year as we're looking at the humanitarian spectrum, we're looking at increased needs, whether it's in nutrition, whether it's around water and sanitation, access to health, and making sure children don't lose out on immunization, she said. She said resources are not keeping pace with demand. We have increased numbers of wasting severe acute malnutrition in children around the world, whether it's in conflict and fragile context, or whether it's at the onset of rapid response emergencies, natural disasters," she said. In southern Africa, perennial drought, floods and cyclones affect children and their families, she said. "The needs outweigh the ability to respond, Pakkala said. Dereje Wordofa, president of the nonprofit SOS Children's Villages International, said climate change is contributing to a general humanitarian crisis. The situation is worsening and particularly in eastern and southern Africa. There are more people who are affected by humanitarian crisis than any time before," he said. "The sheer amount of money required to bring services and goods to these affected communities is very, very high. And the international humanitarian funding is not marching to this scale and the magnitude of need. Some groups are turning to organizations such as the Saudi-based King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) for funding. Hana Omar, the center's director of partnerships and international relations, said KSReflief is assisting many African countries as conflicts and climate change leave more people in need. We remain committed to deliver our aid, to find ways to advocate for the rights of these people and to make sure that we reach those in need. There is still hope people want to solve and to find solutions for all these challenges, Omar said. This year KSRelief organized the aid forum with the U.N. under the theme: Navigating the Future of Humanitarian Response as it celebrated its 10th anniversary of humanitarian work outside the borders of Saudi Arabia. The Vatican said Monday that Pope Francis suffered two new episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency, with a prognosis that remains guarded. The popes condition is the result of a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm, the Vatican said in a statement. The Vatican said Francis, 88, underwent two bronchoscopies to remove the mucus and later resumed the use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation. He remains alert, oriented and cooperative at all times, the Vatican added. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Feb. 14 with a case of bronchitis that soon worsened to double pneumonia. This hospital stay is the longest during his time as pope. He is prone to lung infections, having had part of a lung removed when he was a young man. Some of the faithful who have journeyed to Rome to see the Vatican and possibly the pope have altered their plans and are now saying prayers for Francis outside the hospital for his full recovery. The pope's illness has also prompted Catholics to gather in Vatican City, his native Argentina and other areas of the world to hold prayer vigils. Francis became pope in 2013 when his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned. Some information for this report came from Reuters. President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday praised Russia's developing ties with Myanmar, during a visit by the Asian country's junta chief to its key ally. Russia is a crucial arms supplier to the isolated state, which is struggling to quell violent opposition to the junta's military rule. "The relations between our countries are steadily developing," Putin told junta chief Min Aung Hlaing in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. "We have great potential," he said, hailing growing trade ties. Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in a 2021 coup, saluted Putin as a "king" and backed Moscow's full-scale military offensive on Ukraine. "I believe that victory must be yours under your strong and decisive leadership," he told Putin. Both countries are under heavy Western sanctions Myanmar following the 2021 coup and Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea and its ongoing three-year-long offensive on Ukraine. Russia exports some raw materials and fertilizers to Myanmar, and both sides have talked up the prospect of deepening economic ties alongside their military and political alliance. Meeting the Myanmar delegation earlier on Tuesday, Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Moscow saw potential to boost cooperation in energy, nuclear, transport, agriculture and telecoms projects. Moscow's support has become vital to Myanmar's military particularly the air force as it battles an array of ethnic minority armed groups and pro-democracy guerrillas on multiple fronts. The junta suffered significant territorial losses after a 2023 rebel offensive but its air power has been pivotal to arresting the advance of opposition forces. Russia has sought to boost relations with anti-Western governments, particularly in Asia and Africa, since ordering troops into Ukraine in February 2022. With Washingtons sudden pause on military aid to Ukraine as a backdrop, worried European Union leaders meet in Brussels Thursday to discuss steps to beef up EU defenses against Russia. The question is no longer whether Europes security is threatened in a very real way, or whether Europe should shoulder more of its responsibility for its own security, said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen ahead of the summit, as she outlined a multipronged, $840 billion defense financing plan for the 27-member bloc. The real question in front of us, she said, is whether Europe is prepared to act as decisively as the situation dictates and whether Europe is ready and able to act with speed and ambition that is needed. That message has been resonating across multiple emergency summits that gathered European leaders fearful of possible U.S. disengagement, and has resulted in new European defense spending commitments, after years of Washington demands to take on more of the burden. But EU members also face steep challenges as they move to rearm, from sometimes shaky governments and economies, to skeptical populations and a surging far right that is often more favorable toward Russia. Especially concerning for many is the Trump administrations possible pivot from a longstanding transatlantic alliance. It raises very big issues for the future of the European Union and I think people in Europe are very aware of this, said Ian Lesser, who heads the Brussels office of the German Marshall Fund policy institute. Is Europe going to address these challenges, whether its on trade or defense in a collective way? Or are countries, member states, going to go their own way?" Sense of urgency For many EU leaders, todays message is unity. During a summit in London, EU countries and nonmember Britain agreed to develop their own peace plan for Ukraine to present to Washington. France and Britain also backed a coalition of the willing sending troops to Ukraine to enforce any peace deal. French President Emmanuel Macron who has long called for a more militarily autonomous Europe has also suggested extending Frances nuclear deterrence to other European countries. The sense of urgency is finally catching up with European leaders, but its not sufficient at the moment, said Olena Prokopenko, a senior German Marshall Fund fellow. We see different levels of understanding of the level of threat that Europe is facing at the moment. I see some degree of I dont want to say panic but really alarmed Europeans who realize they need to stick together as much as possible, said Elie Tenenbaum, director of security studies at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris. Still, he added, Europe faces a daunting task. If the Europeans want to step up and make up for the loss of American aid to Ukraine, it needs to happen now, Tenenbaum said. They need to put the money on the table; they need to pass on the orders to the defense industry. Beyond Ukraine, the Brussels-based Bruegel policy institute estimates Europe would need 300,000 more troops and hundreds of billions more dollars to deter possible Russian aggression without the United States. Europe is lacking ammunition, were lacking replacement parts, were lacking readiness, Tenenbaum said. Former French ambassador Michel Duclos, however, points to Europes assets. Yes, we are not in a good situation, said Duclos, now an analyst at the Montaigne Institute research group in Paris. But at the same time, in demographic terms, in economic terms, we could be much stronger than Russia, if we are able to put our act together in defense terms. Pushback Europes new security ambitions are already facing pushback. Frances powerful far-right National Rally party, for one, has rejected France including Europe in its nuclear deterrence capability, and leader Marine Le Pen describes an independent European defense as illusory. Hungarys Viktor Orban, noted for his friendly Kremlin ties, has called on Europe to instead enter direct talks to bring about a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Many European economies are struggling, while public support for Ukraine is fading in some countries. A pair of recent polls, for instance, shows that while two-thirds of French citizens believe Europe should continue supporting Kyiv, three-quarters dont want French boots on the ground except to enforce a possible peace. So far, European leaders have been trying to be more reassuring than alarming, says analyst Tenenbaum, of the message many are sending their populations. But if they want to justify higher defense spending and risk taking, then they will need to be much more vocal about the dangers the region is facing. For analyst Duclos, last weeks heated White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, offered an impetus to prepare Europeans for going it alone. What happened in the Oval Office last week was useful to make people understand we disagree not only on the means, instruments and policies, but on something more fundamental: on values, on the threat perception, he said of growing transatlantic differences. And for the French public, it was the most powerful of wake-up calls. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. A secretariat for the Iran-Eurasia Free Trade Agreement has been currently established in Iran's Tehran, Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade of Iran, Chairman of the Trade Promotion Organization Mohammad Ali Dehghan Dehnavi told reporters, Trend reports. According to him, the structure of this secretariat is currently in the process of being formed. This secretariat will be Iran's representative office in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Dehnavi added that Iran, as an observer member of the Eurasian Economic Union, is taking steps to establish full trade relations with this union. The deputy minister pointed out that most of the countries with which Iran has trade relations currently have 10 or 20 trade attaches. However, Iran has only one trade attache in those countries. Iran should try to develop the structure in this direction. On December 22, 2024, the Iranian parliament ratified the free trade agreement between Iran and the EAEU. The agreement is expected to take effect by the end of March or in April. Furthermore, on December 25, 2023, a free trade agreement was signed between Iran and the EAEU in Saint Petersburg, Russia. After the agreement comes into force, it's predicted that trade turnover will reach $18-20 billion within five to seven years. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel A South Korean lawmaker said Tuesday that a North Korean soldier captured by Ukraine wanted to live a "normal life" in the South, after Seoul vowed to offer citizenship to Pyongyang's troops. In January, Seoul's National Intelligence Service confirmed that the Ukrainian military had captured two of around 10,000 North Korean soldiers they estimate have been sent by Kim Jong Un to fight for Moscow in their war against Kyiv. Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon said that he was able to meet the two soldiers, who remain in Ukrainian custody at a detention facility in an undisclosed location, after submitting a request to Kyiv authorities. "The moment I faced the two young prisoners, I was overwhelmed with emotions compassion, sympathy, and an innate sense of empathy," said Yu in a press conference. One of the soldiers told him that he wanted to move to South Korea so that he could eventually reunite with his parents, Yu recounted. Yu also said that the soldier asked if he would be able to "live as he wish with the rights I hope for" if he goes to South Korea and asked if he would be able to "have a home and start a family there". Under South Korea's constitution, all Koreans, including those who live in the North, are considered citizens, and officials reaffirmed last month that this would apply to any troops captured in Ukraine. Sending the soldiers back to the North would be "essentially a death sentence," Yu said. North Korean troops have been instructed to kill themselves rather than be captured, South Korean intelligence has said, and Yu said the soldiers told him they had witnessed multiple suicides by grenade by their injured comrades. "Even as prisoners of war, North Korean soldiers are constitutionally recognized as South Korean citizens and must be protected accordingly," Yu added. In 2019 the South Korean government expelled two North Korean men after investigators said the pair murdered 16 crewmates before taking their fishing boat to South Korean waters. It was the first-ever transfer from the South to the North since the end of the Korean War. However new images were released three years later showing one man desperately resisting the handover. Sweat streamed down Talita Ferreira Sanches face as she pushed a cart loaded with beer and water up the winding, cobblestone streets in Rio de Janeiro last month, calling out to glitter-covered revelers decked out in fishnet tights. The 22-year-old from an area outside Rio had spent the night sleeping on a street in the bohemian neighborhood Santa Teresa, covering herself with just a sheet, so she could arrive in time for the early-morning Carnival party Heaven on Earth. Carnival represents a lot of joy and all the money that we make, said Ferreira Sanches, who has worked as a street vendor for the last four years. She makes around 1,500 reais ($260) a day during Carnival about the same as the country's monthly minimum wage. Every year, we have an objective. Last year we bought a fridge and a television, this year we want to buy a wardrobe and a stove, she said, pocketing cash with one hand while dishing out ice-cold drinks with the other. Like musicians and stilt walkers, vendors are a fixture at Rio's street parties. Known in Portuguese as ambulantes or camelos," they scour Instagram pages for times and locations, coordinate on WhatsApp groups, then race across parks and up hills, from Rios downtown to Copacabana beach, all to place themselves and their carts in the thronging crush of thousands or hundreds of thousands of thirsty revelers. An economic lifeline Peddlers provide much-needed party fuel and hydration, and can themselves partake in the buzzing, joyous atmosphere. More than that, though, it's an economic lifeline, allowing them to pay off debts, buy presents for their kids and set them up for the rest of the year. But as opportunity to cash in has grown, more and more vendors have joined the rush and drawn pushback. There are nearly 500 registered street parties this year, and hundreds more unofficial ones, considerably more than the pre-pandemic era, and they all need cold beer and water. Rios City Hall conducted a lottery for 15,000 authorized vendors at this years Carnival 5,000 more than last year, but observers say there are far more vendors than spots. Selling without a permit renders them vulnerable to harassment, seizure of their merchandise and even violence from Rios municipal guard, according to the United Street Vendors' Movement known by its acronym MUCA. The ballooning number of vendors in recent years has created tensions with party organizers, said Pericles Monteiro, the director of Heaven on Earth, which he founded in 2001. Party facilitators and revelers have accused hawkers of blockading the procession by setting up shop in the middle of its path with their heavy carts. We couldnt walk, we felt suffocated, Monteiro said of Heaven on Earth's procession two years ago. The group didnt get to the square where the show was supposed to end on time, and had to walk almost in silence until reaching the designated area. When they got there, peddlers had barbecues fired up and vans parked in the street, leaving little room for performers, musicians or revelers. We support street vendors. People have to work and they have an important role. We are aware of that. But the way it has been done, the intensity there really has been a serious problem hindering the partys development, Monteiro added. Mess with harmony Vendors are aware of the grievances, and the impact on their reputation. This year, the union SindInformal and other groups launched a campaign to promote respect, proper organization and security during Carnival, and recommended buying from vendors surrounding the party rather than in the middle of the mayhem. Fear of repercussions and clashes also prompted MUCA to produce a manifesto this year calling for mess with harmony. The document said criticism and attacks targeting vendors spark backlash against an already marginalized community. Vendors are seen as dangerous, as tarnishing the citys reputation, as causing public disorder, said Flavia Magalhaes, who researches street sellers at the Paulista University in Sao Paulo. But vendors sustain a festive street culture that is very important for the citys tourism. They also face dire working conditions, struggling to access toilets, working long hours without stopping for food and struggling to find a legal place to leave their merchandise, according to a 2019 report by MUCA and Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. They often spend hours on public transport each day trekking into the city from the poor periphery. Carnival daycare center During Carnival, being based in the city center is a game-changer, said Maria de Lourdes do Carmo, 50, known as Maria of the Street Vendors. Do Carmo has been a vendor for three decades, often hawking caipirinhas to foreign tourists in Santa Teresa's cobblestone hills; the municipal guard doesn't tend to crackdown up there, she said. She ran for a city council seat in last years election to fight for greater respect for her peers but lost. Since last year, Rio state's public prosecutors have been leading discussions on preventing violence against itinerant workers while also trying to tackle the municipality's failure to better organize their activity, for example by providing sanctioned deposits for their goods. And City Hall this year is attending to a long-standing demand, including by vendors' rights group Women for Women Providencia, for childcare services. Authorities will provide a daycare center for vendors children during street parties and samba schools parades, with food, cultural activities and games, Rios department of social assistance said in an email. For Debora Silva Pereira, 42, enduring the long, exhausting days away from her family is worth it, firstly because Carnival buoys her family's income. On a good day, she makes 3,000 reais what she normally earns in 10 days during the rest of the year, selling women's clothing. But she also enjoys the mixture of work and play. We meet people and make friends. The money makes it worth it, but experiences even more so, she said. The United States says it has cut off intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, which could seriously curtail Kyivs ability to continue its three-year fight with Russia, even as Washington is quickly pushing the two countries toward peace talks to end the conflict. President Donald Trump earlier in the week ordered the U.S. to suspend military aid to Kyivs fighters after his contentious meeting last week at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Wednesday that the U.S. had also, for the moment, ended sharing its intelligence with Kyiv, although it could be short-lived after Zelenskyy said his heated exchanges with Trump in the Oval Office had been regrettable and that Ukraine was ready for peace talks with Russia. "I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause [that prompted Ukraine's president to respond] I think will go away," Ratcliffe told the Fox Business Network. "I think we'll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine as we have to push back on the aggression that's there, but to put the world in a better place for these peace negotiations to move forward," he said. Since the start of the war in 2022, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with significant intelligence, including critical information its military needs for targeting Russian forces. Mike Waltz, Trumps national security adviser, told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. "had taken a step back" and that the administration was "reviewing all aspects" of its intelligence relationship with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Waltz told CBS News that the U.S. is moving quickly to start peace negotiations to end the war and sign a mineral rights deal with Kyiv. "I think we're going to see movement in very short order," Waltz said. He said Trump officials will meet with Ukrainian officials as they conduct shuttle diplomacy with Russia. "I have literally just been on the phone with my counterpart, the Ukrainian national security adviser, talking about times, locations, delegations," Waltz said. In a speech to the U.S. Congress Tuesday night, Trump said he had received a letter from Zelenskyy in which the Ukrainian leader expressed willingness to start war-ending negotiations with Russia. "Wouldn't that be beautiful?" Trump said in an address to the U.S. Congress. "It's time to stop this madness. It's time to halt the killing. It's time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides." His description of the letter matched what Zelenskyy posted earlier in the day on social media, saying Ukraine was ready to negotiate as soon as possible and would work under Trumps strong leadership to reach a peace deal. Zelenskyy said his acrimonious encounter with Trump at the White House last Friday was regrettable and that he remains ready to sign a deal that would give the United States substantial, long-term rights to Ukraines rare-earth minerals needed for the American manufacture of technology products. In a post on X, the Ukrainian leader said in a statement that his discussions with Trump and Vice President JD Vance did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Trump and Vance, seated close to each other in the Oval Office, assailed Zelenskyy as being ungrateful for the more than $100 billion worth of munitions the United States has sent to Kyivs forces to fend off Moscows 2022 invasion, even though the Ukrainian leader had on numerous occasions thanked the U.S. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence, Zelenskyy said on Tuesday. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins, an anti-tank missile weapons system. We are grateful for this. I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace, Zelenskyy said. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. Vance told VOA on Tuesday, We do believe that it's in Russia's best interest, but also Ukraine and the United States's best interest, to bring this conflict to a close. Zelenskyy said the first stage of any truce in the fighting could be the release of [Russian and Ukrainian] prisoners [each country is holding] and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree a strong final deal, he said. But reaching a peace deal could prove difficult. Ukraine has long demanded a restoration of its internationally recognized 2014 borders before Moscow unilaterally seized Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. Overall, Russia now holds about a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including much of eastern Ukraine, and has vowed to not return any of it to the Kyiv government. U.S. President Donald Trump began his first speech to Congress of his second term by proclaiming that America is back, triggering chants of USA from Republican lawmakers. Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the Golden Age of America. From that moment on, it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action to usher in the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country, Trump said. Trump said his administration has accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years, and we are just getting started. To date, he has signed 76 executive orders several of which are being challenged in court. Just a few minutes into Trumps address, the president was interrupted by jeering from the floor of the House, prompting Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson to direct the sergeant at arms to remove Democratic Representative Al Green, who is from Texas. Trump continued his address after Green was removed from the chamber. Trump listed several of his executive orders, including that he declared a national emergency on the southern border and deployed U.S. military and border patrol to "repel the invasion of our country." He also said he imposed an immediate freeze on all federal hiring since returning to the White House, plus a freeze on foreign aid. Trump also withdrew the United States from what he called the unfair Paris Climate Accord, the corrupt World Health Organization and the anti-American U.N. human rights council. Usually known as the State of the Union in non-inauguration years, the address provides Trump with a public stage to lay out his vision for the U.S. economy and immigration policy, and allows him to defend recent controversial decisions to cut the federal workforce and confront Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The most pressing challenge for Trump will be to unite Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives to pass a budget funding the government past a March 14 deadline. Republicans differ on whether to cut popular social safety net programs such Medicaid, which provides health insurance to those with low incomes, to pay down the U.S. debt and pay for an extension of the 2017 tax cuts passed during Trumps first term. Trump has called for one big, beautiful bill to fund his domestic policy agenda. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are going to deliver the America First agenda, House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters last week. Were going to deliver all of it, not just parts of it. Congressional Democrats have criticized the budget for benefiting the wealthy. "Make no mistake, it will rob seniors, kids and the disabled to pay for the rich to get richer, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said last week. Trump also addressed the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk. Senator and former CIA analyst Elissa Slotkin will deliver the Democratic response to Trumps address. Slotkin won the swing state of Michigan by focusing on the economy in her outreach to voters. VOA's Katherine Gypson and Kim Lewis contributed to this story. Iran and Turkey have summoned each other's diplomats for discussions, officials said Tuesday, after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan criticized Tehran's policy of supporting militias in Syria and elsewhere. On Monday, a top aide to Iran's foreign minister met with the Turkish ambassador to Tehran and emphasized the need to avoid "inappropriate remarks and unrealistic analyses that could lead to disputes and tensions in bilateral relations," according to an Iranian Foreign Ministry statement. The Iranian official, Mahmoud Heidari, also told the Turkish ambassador that Muslim countries should focus their efforts on halting Israel's "crimes and aggressions" in the Palestinian territories and Syria. Turkey reciprocated on Tuesday by inviting the Iranian charge d'affaires for discussions. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said the Iranian diplomat was told that foreign policy matters should not be used for domestic political purposes and that messages should be communicated directly to Turkish officials, not publicly. In an interview with Al-Jazeera television aired last week, Fidan criticized Iran's foreign policy, describing Tehran's reliance on militias in the Middle East region as a "risky" strategy and urging a change in policy. "If you try to create unrest in another country by supporting a group there, another country might try to create unrest in your country by supporting a group here," Fidan said. The tensions between the two neighbors come as the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria has weakened Iran's influence in the country, while enhancing Turkey's clout. The new, Sunni Islamist government views Iran-backed militias as a threat. The Iranian government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, said Tuesday that Fidan's remarks were "unconstructive." She added: "We hope not to witness a repeat of them." The United States is drawing a clear distinction between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese people, setting the tone that Washington views Beijings government not the general public as an adversary in strategic competition, according to an internal document obtained by VOA. This approach largely aligns with the State Departments public messaging in the later years of U.S. President Donald Trumps first administration. In recent guidance on China-related terminology, Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructs U.S. embassies and consular posts to use more specific descriptors and avoid "Chinese" as an adjective when its use could imply a negative connotation of the Chinese people, culture or language more broadly. This latest directive follows the removal of references to the Beijing government as the Peoples Republic of China on the State Departments website, which now refers to the country simply as China in a fact sheet. The internal document instructs the State Department to use "CCP" in public speeches or press releases when discussing government actions, recognizing that the CCP holds ultimate authority over political, economic, military and many other decisions in the country. But when describing Chinas malign actions, the document advises against using "Chinese" as an adjective to prevent the perception that the U.S. government attributes those actions to the Chinese people, according to the memo. The U.S. is also advised to avoid using language that reflects the ideology of Chinas leader Xi Jinping. Under this directive, Xi should be referred to as General Secretary of the Communist Party, rather than President, reflecting the supremacy of the party over the state a practice largely in line with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeos approach. In the internal guidance, Rubio reaffirmed the emphasis in the State Departments fact sheet on U.S. policy toward China, which said the U.S. will address its relationship with China under the principles of reciprocity and fairness." Additionally, the State Department should avoid characterizations previously used by former President Joe Bidens administration, such as invest-align-compete and responsibly managing the relationship between the U.S. and China. In Beijing, Chinese officials have "strongly deplored and firmly opposed" the changes in the State Departments factsheet, accusing it of "peddling the so-called China-U.S. strategic competition." At a briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China has "lodged serious protests with the U.S." following Rubios recent media interviews, which Beijing deemed as steeped in the Cold War mentality. In Washington, analysts say the changes in the State Departments policy description on its website are not unusual and often occur when a new administration takes office. Were still waiting to see exactly how the [Trump] administration casts its broader China strategy, said Brian Hart, deputy director of the China Power Project at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. However, during a Monday discussion on China hosted by CSIS, he noted that updates to official websites are common during transitions between administrations. Despite six parliamentary terms, the Kurdistan Parliament has yet to pass a bill recognizing the 1988 chemical attack on Halabja as genocide, hindering efforts to prosecute companies and individuals who collaborated with the former Ba'ath regime. While more than 4,000 people have filed lawsuits, the absence of legal recognition has weakened their cases. Although Iraq's Supreme Criminal Court declared the attack a genocide in 2010, legal efforts in Kurdistan remain stalled. Advocates hope that a long-awaited bill, currently under parliamentary review, will finally be passed to provide justice for victims and their families. Click here for the full story in Kurdish. The Iraqi government has agreed to fund the salaries and budget for 138,000 peshmerga forces, despite the actual number being significantly higher. Meanwhile, thousands of peshmerga and other security personnel have been assigned as guards for officials, influential figures and private individuals. Click here for the full story in Kurdish. After the United States second 10% tariffs on Chinese goods took effect Tuesday, China retaliated by imposing 10% to 15% tariffs on certain U.S. agricultural imports, as well as export bans on 15 U.S. firms. China also filed a dispute complaint against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization. Chinas tough gesture has won support from most Chinese netizens, who said that China will never back down. Click here for the full story in Mandarin. Protests over living conditions by retired Telecommunication Company employees took place in six cities across Iran on Monday. Simultaneously, retirees from the Social Security Organization and other institutions gathered in Kermanshah and Shushtar. As the Iranian New Year (Nowruz) approaches, concerns over the cost of living continue to grow. On Monday, the U.S. dollar exchange rate in Iran's market climbed to the 93,000-toman range, while the price of a single gold coin exceeded 75.5 million tomans. Click here for the full story in Persian. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. India will continue its operations at Chabahar Port, located in the Sistan and Baluchestan Province in southeastern Iran, said Irans Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, Trend reports. Speaking today at a press conference held in Tehran, Sadegh clarified that rumors regarding India's withdrawal from the Chabahar Port were unfounded, emphasizing that operations at the port are ongoing smoothly. Notably, one of the Iranian government's primary objectives for Chabahar Port is to construct its second phase and provide it with state-of-the-art loading and offloading facilities. The second phase of the port's infrastructure has been finalized, and the installation of equipment has commenced. India has pledged to allocate $370 million toward the port's development. The port has the capacity to handle 8.5 million tons of cargo annually and can accommodate vessels weighing up to 100,000 tons. Recently, various media outlets have reported that India may withdraw from Chabahar Port due to the re-imposition of the US maximum pressure policy against Iran. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Thousands of Chinese leaders, lawmakers, and business leaders are gathering in Beijing this week for Chinas biggest political meetings of the year. The meetings, which will bring together top party officials, bureaucrats, military leaders and delegates, business heads, academics and others, are watched closely for signs of the Chinese governments priorities for the year ahead. The gathering is also used to pass instructions down to local officials and party cadres across China. Amid ongoing deflationary pressures and a looming trade war with the United States, analysts say this years meetings, officially called the Two Sessions, will focus on boosting domestic demand and cultivating high-tech innovation. In the face of geopolitical uncertainties, especially the potential trade war between the U.S. and China, the Chinese leadership will try to pursue economic reassurance by letting the outside world know that the Chinese economy remains stable, said Wen-ti Sung, a Taipei-based political scientist for the Australian National University, or ANU. Despite these attempts, Jacob Gunter, lead economic analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Germany, said the NPC is unlikely to introduce policies that will boost consumption in sufficient ways due to the economic challenges the country is facing. What are the Two Sessions? The Two Sessions or lianghui as they are called in Mandarin, are the annual meetings of Chinas top political advisory body, the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, or CPPCC, and Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, the National Peoples Congress, or NPC. The meetings typically kick off with the CPPCC meeting on Tuesday and are followed by the NPC gathering on Wednesday. The CPPCC, which has more than 2,000 members, is tasked to provide recommendations on a wide range of issues, including the economy, education, and social welfare. The body typically puts out proposals but doesnt have the power to make laws. The NPC, with around 3,000 members, is tasked with passing legislation, electing national leaders, and approving government budgets and national development plans. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual meetings used to last around two weeks, but in recent years, the meetings have been shortened. This year, the CPPCC meetings will run from March 4 to March 10 and the NPC meetings from March 5 to March 11. Who will attend the meetings? This years two sessions will feature a diverse line-up of participants, from top Chinese leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, to provincial delegates and industry leaders. Unlike previous years, leaders from tech giants, including Tencent chairman Tony Ma and Baidu CEO Robin Li, were missing from the participants list. Instead, leaders of emerging tech companies, such as electric vehicle manufacturer XPeng CEO He Xiaopeng and Chinese artificial intelligence chipmaker Cambricon Technologies chairman Chen Tianshi, will participate in the meetings, a sign analysts say of Beijings determination to pour more resources into emerging sectors. According to state media, more than 3,000 journalists from Chinese and foreign media outlets are expected to cover the important meetings from Beijing. As China has tightened control over foreign journalists visas since 2020, many foreign correspondents, especially those working for American media outlets, can only secure short-term visas to cover the meetings, VOA has learned. Key events during the Two Sessions Chinese Premier Li Qiang will kick off the NPC sessions by delivering the government work report on Wednesday, during which he is expected to reveal Chinas economic growth target, government budget including defense spending, and key economic policy directives for 2025. Lis address is likely to touch on some foreign policy issues but for indicators on U.S.-China relations and Beijings thoughts on efforts to end the war in Ukraine, many will be looking to the press conference that Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to hold on Friday. With a potential U.S.-China trade war looming in the background, analysts think China will set the 2025 economic growth target at 5%, reflecting the Chinese governments attempt to maintain stability while seeking to facilitate progress. Fang Tsung-yen, an assistant research fellow at the Taipei-based Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told VOA that since the stimulus measures that China rolled out last September only generated limited effects, it remains to be seen whether Beijing will introduce more fiscal measures to boost domestic demand during the Two Sessions. In addition to key economic measures, the Chinese government is also expected to roll out measures aimed at channeling more state resources into key sectors, such as AI and semiconductors, while enhancing confidence among domestic and foreign investors. In light of the dramatic changes in U.S. foreign policy since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, some experts say China will try to present itself as a pro status-quo power during the annual meetings. As the American leadership abdicates its role globally, China might see an opportunity to step up and show it can act more responsibly on global issues, Dali Yang, an expert on Chinese politics at the University of Chicago, told VOA by phone. VOA Mandarins Chih-wei Chuang contributed to this report. The future of the ceasefire between Israel and U.S.-designated terror group Hamas is in doubt after Israel cut off all aid to the Gaza Strip, sparking panic buying. Israel says it wants to extend the current ceasefire for seven weeks, Hamas says it wants talks on a permanent end to the war. No media source currently available The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Following the arrest of prominent journalist Blessed Mhlanga, Owen Dhliwayo, the Online Editor for Vemuganga FM says journalists are now self censoring. By Katherine Gypson U.S. President Donald Trump will address Congress Tuesday night, capping some of the most consequential first weeks of any U.S. presidency. Usually known as the State of the Union in non-inauguration years, the address will provide Trump with a public stage to lay out his vision for the U.S. economy and immigration policy, and allow him to defend recent controversial decisions to cut the federal workforce and confront Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But the most pressing challenge for Trump will be to unite Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives to pass a budget funding the government past a March 14 deadline. Republicans differ on whether to cut popular social safety net programs such Medicaid, which provides health insurance to those with low incomes, to pay down the U.S. debt and pay for an extension of the 2017 tax cuts passed during Trumps first term. Trump has called for one big, beautiful bill to fund his domestic policy agenda. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are going to deliver the America First agenda, House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters last week. Were going to deliver all of it, not just parts of it. Congressional Democrats have criticized the budget for benefiting the wealthy. "Make no mistake, it will rob seniors, kids and the disabled to pay for the rich to get richer, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said last week. Trump will also likely speak about the rationale behind the U.S. imposing tariffs on other countries. He confirmed that 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico would go into effect on Tuesday. They're going to have to have a tariff, Trump told reporters Monday. So, what they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs. But one analyst told VOA that was unlikely. Probably what's going to happen is most manufacturers are going to just move to other countries where the tariffs are not imposed, or they will just move, said Shannon Bow OBrien, associate professor of instruction at the University of Texas at Austin. They will ship it [business] to other places, and then ship it to those here to try to avoid tariffs. Or we're going to see other countries making it even cheaper, so then when the tariffs are imposed, the price is going to stay. I don't believe it's going to achieve what he wants, which is to have manufacturing come back to the United States or concede to certain issues, OBrien said. Trumps first weeks in office were also marked by executive orders addressing one of the key issues of his campaign: immigration reform. He is expected to highlight changes to the security of the U.S. southern border with Mexico in his speech Tuesday. He could also address the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk. While domestic issues are traditionally the focus of presidential addresses to Congress, several pressing foreign policy challenges are likely to come up in Trumps speech. Trump told reporters after his Oval Office confrontation last Friday with Zelenskyy that he does not feel Ukraine has sufficiently acknowledged the United States nearly $200 billion contribution to the conflict that began when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Trump is also expected to address the ceasefire in Gaza and his plans for real estate development in the conflict-ridden region. Senator and former CIA analyst Elissa Slotkin will deliver the Democratic response to Trumps address. Slotkin won the swing state of Michigan by focusing on the economy in her outreach to voters. VOA's Kim Lewis contributed to this story. Hasanabi. Photo: HasanAbi via YouTube Dont worry Twitch couldnt take down your woke bae like that. Streamer Hasan Piker is back on the platform a day after making a potentially threatening joke about Sen. Rick Scott. im back, Piker confirmed on X with a photo of President Donald Trump holding a newspaper reading ACQUITTED. The saga started February 28, when Piker was reacting to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson talk about cutting Medicaid fraud. If you cared about Medicare fraud or Medicaid fraud, you would kill Rick Scott, Piker said. He elaborated that he was referring to the Republican senator from Florida committing the largest Medicare fraud in U.S. history. (Scott was CEO of Columbia/HCA in 1997, when the company was fined $1.7 billion for defrauding Medicare and Medicaid.) Pikers suspension wasnt immediate, but by March 3, his page said it was temporarily unavailable due to a violation of Twitchs Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. Twitch didnt confirm why Piker was suspended, though he posted the clip to TikTok (where its still up!) with the caption twitch banned me for this take. And he wasnt quite apologetic on X or YouTube afterward. ill choose my words carefully next time & say if mike johnson cares abt medicare fraud (since he wants to cut 800m from medicaid/medicare) hed call for MAX PUNISHMENT for current fl gop senator/former gov rick scott who has done the most medicare fraud in us history! Piker wrote. After a little over 24 hours, hes back and of course, already promoting the stream off of his suspension. Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images Jay-Zs legal fight against a woman who accused him of rape isnt over. The rapper, born Shawn Carter, is now suing the anonymous Jane Doe and her lawyers for defamation after she withdrew her lawsuit last month. In a lawsuit filed on March 3, per Rolling Stone, Jay-Z said Does allegations that he raped her alongside Diddy after the 2000 VMAs were completely fabricated. Further, Jay-Zs lawsuit claims Doe voluntarily admitted directly to representatives of Mr. Carter that her accusation was false, though it does not give details of that admission. Meanwhile, Does attorney Tony Buzbee said she stands by her accusation even though she withdrew her lawsuit. Shawn Carters investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened, and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story, Buzbee said in a statement. She wont. Instead she has stated repeatedly she stands by her claims. Buzbee is one of the two lawyers whom Jay-Z is also suing, alongside David Fortney. Doe first named Jay-Z when she refiled her lawsuit in December of last year. She claimed she went to the MTV Video Music Awards without a ticket in 2000 when she was 13. Outside the ceremony, Doe said she was invited to Sean Diddy Combss after-party, where she alleged Diddy and Jay-Z raped her. Jay-Z vociferously denied the allegations, which he characterized as a blackmail attempt. Then, days later, Doe admitted to NBC News that she made some mistakes in remembering her lawsuit after NBC noted inconsistencies in her story including where the party was, other celebrities she met there, and whether her father picked her up afterward. Still, Doe maintained her allegation overall. Our client remains fiercely adamant that what she has stated is true, to the best of her memory, Buzbee told NBC at the time. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Efforts have been accelerated in Iran's Gilan Province for the acquisition of land along the Rasht-Astara railway route, part of the North-South International Transport Corridor, said the countrys Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, Trend reports. Speaking today during a press conference in Tehran, Sadegh noted that the purchase of the land along the Rasht-Astara railway line from local citizens will be completed by the end of the coming Iranian year (from March 21, 2025, through March 20, 2026). The minister also highlighted that over the past six months, Iran has held numerous meetings with Russia and Azerbaijan regarding the development of the Rasht-Astara railway line. Sadegh stated that, in addition, the Russian side has initiated research on the Rasht-Astara railway line. The Iranian minister also noted that Azerbaijan is keen on the commissioning of the Rasht-Astara railway line. Iran anticipates that this railway will facilitate the transport of 15 million tons of cargo annually. To note, an intergovernmental agreement signed between Russia, Iran, and India on September 12, 2000, laid the foundation for the North-South Transport Corridor. In general, several countries have ratified the said agreement. (Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Bulgaria, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Sultanate of Oman, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Turkiye, Ukraine). The purpose of creating the corridor is to reduce the time of delivery of goods coming from India to Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe (the delivery time on the current route is more than 6 weeks; it is expected to be three weeks via North-South). The Qazvin-Rasht railroad (175 km) was put into operation on March 6, 2019, to connect Azerbaijan's railroads with Iran's railway network within the corridor. The Rasht-Astara railroad is to be built on Iranian territory. The North-South Corridor has three directions within Iran. The eastern direction is Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries; the middle direction is Russia and other countries across the Caspian Sea; and the western direction is Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern European countries. On May 17, 2023, an agreement was signed between Russia and Iran on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railroad in Gilan province in northern Iran. Nine stations will be built on the Resht-Astara railroad line, which is about 163 kilometers long. With the completion of this railroad, the North-South international corridor will be improved, and Iran's railroad network will be integrated with the Caucasus countries, Russia, and Northern European countries. According to the agreement, the Russian side is expected to spend 1.6 billion euros for the construction of this railroad. This railroad will be built and completed within 48 months. ------ Follow the author on X: @BaghishovElnur Photo-Illustration: Vulture The Dream Hotel is a cautionary tale about what can happen when you dont read the terms of service. In the near future of Laila Lalamis unsettling, meticulously observed new novel, Americans are outfitting themselves with a neuroprosthetic implant called the Dreamsaver, marketed as a sleep aid. It turns out its also scanning wearers dreams and sharing them with the Risk Assessment Administration, a federal body that searches the data for indications the dreamers are potential criminals then detains those it deems suspect. The plot, you may notice, owes debts to Philip K. Dicks 1956 novella The Minority Report, in which three prophetic human precogs are hooked up to complicated machinery that reads their minds; theyre also yoked to a brutally efficient police apparatus that makes arrests based on their predictions. The specific prognostications may vary the precogs can disagree among themselves but there remains something essentially supernatural about their abilities. They can see the future, possessing a gift thats ineffable, beyond understanding. In The Dream Hotel, the supernatural is in short supply. Here, precrime allegations are based on hundreds of data inputs dreams plus the usual stuff: criminal histories, social-media posts run through an algorithm treated by its partisans with uncritical reverence. The algorithm knows what youre thinking of doing, before even you know it, one character says. Thats a scientific fact. Of course, these dreams diagnose criminality no better than a Theranos blood test diagnoses illness: Its uncut authoritarianism masquerading as technocratic surety, lacquered in Silicon Valley horseshit. And if that sounds familiar, lets just say Lalami has her finger on the pulse of the magicless age in which we lately find ourselves living. The author of four previous novels, an essay collection, and a book of short stories, Lalami has a knack for taking a flashy premise and underdelivering thats a compliment, by the way. The Other Americans (2019), for instance, unfolds as a mystery: After a Moroccan American restaurateur is killed in a hit-and-run, his family tries to figure out whos done it, and why. Suspicion comes to rest on a neighboring business owner. Was it an interpersonal dispute, a racist animus, both? But when it comes, the answer seems almost beside the point; Lalami is more interested in how emotion works in extremis, using the suspenseful setup to smuggle in a sensitive exploration of the ways grief can rend the fabric of a family and, beyond, the community that surrounds it, surfacing latent resentments and buried passions. In The Dream Hotel, she works like a gut rehabber, scraping any remnant of sci-fi sheen off the walls of the (decreasingly) futuristic premise. Her protagonist is Sara Hussein, a 38-year-old museum archivist detained at LAX on her way back from a London conference. Interrogated by security agents, Sara learns shes been flagged by the algorithm for her elevated risk score, which 518; the threshold is 500. Her dreams have put her over the line. Sara is taken to a California womens facility for whats supposed to be a 21-day monitoring period. But, as the novel opens, shed been incarcerated for ten months, her stay extended every time she inadvertently violates some rule or another. Her fellow inmates are similarly situated, the whole scenario instantly recognizable. Nobody in charge will call this prison its retention, in the lingo, compared by one security agent to summer camp but it comes with all of prisons routine intrusions and privations. The women pay exorbitant fees to communicate with loved ones on the outside. If they want free tampons, they have to consent to getting their periods tracked. Theyre put to work for a company that has a contract with the prison management, which itself has been outsourced by the government to a private firm. Lalamis writing has often revolved around questions of migration, belonging, and the thin membrane that separates citizen from outsider; The Dream Hotel mines similar themes. Sara has training as a historian of post-colonial Africa, specializing in independence movements and border formation. (An intellectual of Moroccan descent, she bears some resemblances to her creator; Lalami was born in Casablanca and came to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. in linguistics.) She finds resonances in her own experience of incarceration, playing out Lalamis thesis, as it were, that none of this is particularly new: Empires have always relied on state-of-the-art technologies to surveil and control subject populations. Seeing a tablet with lists of detainees, work assignments, and performance metrics, Sara is reminded of colonial censuses, the piles of ledgers maintained by small clerks across the empire, and that made the extraction of labor more efficient. A mural in the detention facility a converted elementary school, underscoring the impoverishment of the public sphere in this brave new world is by Victor Arnautoff, a Russian American painter and Communist Party member questioned in 1956 by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Even the risk score that governs Saras fate is no great novelty it sounds like a credit score. With Sara attuned to the significance (and limitations) of the historical archive, Lalami also creates the sense that we, as readers, are watching an archive in the process of being constructed, weaving bits of documentary ephemera between chapters: facility meeting notes, memos, disciplinary reports. This clever gambit lets readers in on expository information we couldnt access in the novels close third-person narration, but it also allows Lalami to make a subtler point. Like the hundreds of discrete inputs that supposedly build the case against Sara, each of these materials means little on its own. The data needs humans to do something that only humans can do: Connect the dots; build a story. Like Sara, Lalami is acutely attuned to the gap between spare bits of information and the narrative that might be made of them. Her finest book, The Moors Account (2014), was a resplendent retelling of a disastrous 16th-century expedition to the New World from the perspective of an enslaved person on the journey whose appearance in the actual historical record is limited to a brief mention in the journals of the explorer Cabeza de Vaca. The claustrophobic authorial perspective, coupled with narration in the present tense, creates a creeping sense of disorientation. On some level, Sara knows how ludicrous this all is. But as the months drag on, and as she contemplates the specific accusation leveled against her the algorithm believes she poses a risk to her husband her resolve wavers. She dips into a well of shame, a childhood incident in which her younger brother drowned in a neighbors pool while Sara was supposed to be watching him. She begins keeping a journal a counter archive to help wrench her dreams back into the place where they belong: the subjective, the personal. Both Sara and the algorithm have similar questions about her character, but with a critical distinction. The algorithm asks whether shes a criminal a purportedly objective query, referring to a socially constructed category, with a binary answer. The questions that haunt Sara are more profound, and beyond the ken of any processing system: Could I harm somebody? Am I a good person? Disorientation makes sense for Sara, but the reader may occasionally pine for an omniscient perspective, a voice capable of building suspense in a narrative whose direction isnt always clear. In the books second half, especially, events pile up that have the surface appearance of big drama a wildfire, a norovirus outbreak, some chicanery Sara unearths on the part of the prison contractor. But each of these fits hazily into the larger machinery of plot, contributing little sense of propulsion toward the climax which, when it comes, arrives a bit abruptly. Still, these developments have a kind of oneiric logic to them clearly relevant somehow, floating in loose relation, yet more information in a book thats exhilaratingly overstuffed with it. Theres a lot of pleasure in reading them like tea leaves indeed, like dreams and contemplating what really matters, and why. As with The Other Americans, I came to rather admire the muted nature of this books denouement, which places Sara yet again in front of functionaries who hold her freedom in their hands while prostrating themselves to the algorithm: If lacking in high drama, it felt true. Sara, meanwhile, starts to better appreciate the ordinariness of her experience of incarceration. The pressures of driving down her risk score, acting the model prisoner all that has foreclosed the possibility of meaningful connection with the other inmates, she realizes. The cure isnt solitude but solidarity. Freedom is teeming and complicated and, yes, risky, and it can only be written in the company of others, she thinks. Data without context is pretext, to borrow a phrase; no woman is an island. This isnt Dicks Minority Report, and its certainly not Steven Spielbergs rollicking, ultrasleek 2002 film adaptation, with its magnetized streets and creepy high-tech pod-prisons. Its worse than all that, an alarmingly likely approximation of what were all careering toward. Lalami has peered into the future and found that it looks like nothing so much as the present which is to say dingy, corrupt, dumb, and dishonorable. And terrifying. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Iran is working to enhance cargo transit and transportation through the North-South and East-West corridors, accelerating the related processes to increase efficiency, said the countrys Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, Trend reports. Speaking today during a press conference in Tehran, Sadegh noted that numerous meetings have been organized with neighboring countries, including Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Iraq, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, over the past months to discuss these corridors potential and improve their effectiveness. The Minister highlighted that Iran continues its diplomatic efforts with regional countries, considering the strategic significance of these international corridors for further developing transport networks. To note, an intergovernmental agreement signed between Russia, Iran, and India on September 12, 2000, laid the foundation for the North-South Transport Corridor. In general, several countries have ratified the said agreement. (Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Bulgaria, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Sultanate of Oman, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Turkiye, Ukraine). The purpose of creating the corridor is to reduce the time of delivery of goods coming from India to Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe (the delivery time on the current route is more than 6 weeks; it is expected to be three weeks via North-South). The Qazvin-Rasht railroad (175 km) was put into operation on March 6, 2019, to connect Azerbaijan's railroads with Iran's railway network within the corridor. The Rasht-Astara railroad is to be built on Iranian territory. The North-South Corridor has three directions within Iran. The eastern direction is Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries; the middle direction is Russia and other countries across the Caspian Sea; and the western direction is Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern European countries. Furthermore, Iran places significant importance on the East-West International Corridor, particularly in terms of rail transport for cargo transit. The country is aiming to be part of the East-West Corridor, which stretches almost 2,000 km and connects China with European countries. Italy's celebration of Michelangelo will be centred in the artist's native Tuscany. Italy is marking the 550th anniversary of the High Renaissance genius Michelangelo with a series of special events and cultural initiatives, centred mainly in Florence. The celebrations begin on Thursday, 550 years after the birth of Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni in the village of Caprese Michelangelo, located about 100 km east of the Tuscan capital. Florence will host "the most important museum on Michelangelo in the world" thanks to collaboration between the Galleria dellAccademia and the Bargello Museums, the director general for Italy's state museums Massimo Osanna said on Monday. Osanna told news agency ANSA that the two museums will create joint itineraries enabling visitors to tour the Accademia and the Bargello as well as visiting Michelangelo's sketch-filled "Secret Room" which was discovered beneath the Medici Chapels complex 50 years ago. Osanna was peaking on the sidelines of the presentation of "The eternal contemporary. Michelangelo 1475-2025", a programme featuring talks, readings and concerts in honour of the artist who painted the Vatican's Sistine Chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512. The Galleria dell'Accademia's star attraction is Michelangelo's David, a towering marble masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, sculpted by the artist from 1501 to 1504. The museum is also home to several other Michelangelo sculptures including four unfinished "slaves", originally created for the tomb of Julius II in Rome, and the incomplete St Matthew, as part of an intended series of 12 apostles for the Duomo in Florence. The Bargello hosts four works by Michelangelo: Bacchus, a relief representing a Madonna with Child, Brutus, and David-Apollo. There will also be celebrations in Caprese Michelangelo, at the Birthplace Museum of Michelangelo Buonarroti, where the Renaissance master was born on 6 March 1475. Italy will mark the occasion by issuing a special commemorative stamp and a collector's coin in tribute to the artist who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art. 10 of the most influential Italian women of the 20th century. If youre unfamiliar with the tale of Romes beginnings, its a powerful story with an underlying matriarchal theme. The legend is that Rhea Silva, a Vestal Virgin, gave birth to twin sons named Romulus and Remus, and was soon forced to abandon them due to threats against their lives. Intercepted from the Tiber river by the god Tiberius, the twins were saved as they nursed from the she-wolf Lupercal. Some 3,000 years later, and Italian society is still suckling from the teat of womens accomplishments. Although the course of Italian history and society has been shaped by influential women, many of them rarely make it past the textbook page into public discourse. Hortensia, the first female lawyer who lived in 42 BC argued that women should not have to pay for a war they wanted nothing to do with. In the 12th century Trotula de Ruggiero, the first female gynecologist argued against Gods will for pain during childbirth and presented the idea of opium to ease said pain. Artemisia Gentileschi, who lived in the 17th century, was the first recognised female painter. Despite such advanced positions, these womens accomplishments were swallowed whole by patriarchal dictation. It wasnt until the 20th century that official legislation and progress for womens rights finally became visible, and Italians have women like these to thank for it. Here is a list of 10 of the most influential and inspiring Italian women of the 20th century. Rita Levi Montalcini (1909-2012) Liliana Segre (born 1934) Despite her fathers initial expectations of his daughter to be a housewife, Montalciniand subsequently made substantial contributions to the science world. In 1986, she was awarded thefor the discovery of the nerve growth factor. She was also honoured with other biochemistry or biomedical science awards such as thein 1983, the Lasker Award in 1986, and the National Medal of Science in 1987. Aside from her scientific achievements, Montalcini was appointed ain 2001 by Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, then president of Italy. Liliana Segre, aged 94, is renowned for speaking out about the horrors of the Holocaust. Born in 1930 into a Milanese family of Jewish origins, Segre was one of the few Italian Jewish children to survive deportation to a Nazi death camp. She was expelled from her primary school after the Racial Laws were promulgated in 1938 by the Fascist regime to enforce racial discrimination, mainly against Italy's Jews. When she was 13, Segre was deported with her father to Auschwitz. On arrival at the concentration camp the young Liliana was separated from her beloved father who she never saw again. He was murdered by the Nazis on 27 April 1944. After decades of silence, in the early 1990s Segre began to speak publicly of her horrific experience, particularly to young students. She was made a senator for life by President Mattarella in 2018, on the 80th anniversary of the Racial Laws. In 2020 she was placed under police protection after being subjected to a barrage of anti-Semitic abuse, including death threats. Samantha Cristoforetti (born 1977) Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, Italy's first woman in space, in 2022 became the first European female commander of the International Space Station (ISS). Popularly known in Italy as AstroSam, Cristoforetti was the fifth European commander of the ISS to hold the role, following in the footsteps of fellow Italian Luca Parmitano. The 47-year-old astronaut was the third woman ISS commander in the world after two Americans, Sunita Williams and Shannon Walker. A former Italian Air Force pilot, Cristoforetti holds the record for the longest uninterrupted spaceflight by a European astronaut (199 days, 16 hours), and until June 2017 held the record for the longest single space flight by a woman. Photo: Markus Wissmann / Shutterstock.com. Franca Sozzani (1950-2016) Franca Sozzani was arguablyIn her 28 years as editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia (1988-2016), she accomplished many milestones and shifted the tone within the fashion industry. Sozzani didnt shy away from bringing light to some controversial topics at the time, such as domestic violence, drug abuse, plastic surgery, weight standards, and inclusivity., which featured solely black models such as Naomi Campbell and Iman. The magazine sold out in the US and UK within 72 hours and created a lot of buzz within the fashion industry. Aside from her strides in fashion, Sozzani dedicated her time to philanthropic work. She became a UN Goodwill Ambassador, a global ambassador for the UN Food Programme, co-founder of Child Priority (a non-profit which helps talented but less fortunate children to achieve their dreams), and president of the European Institute of Oncology Foundation. Photo credit: DELBO ANDREA / Shutterstock.com. Anna Magnani (1908-1973) Grazia Deledda (1871-1936) Leonilde Iotti (1920-1999) Sophia Loren (born 1934) Otherwise known as La Lupa or the she-wolf, Anna Magnani was a prominent figure in the Italian film industry. Known for her expressive and emotional acting, she left a lasting impression on many and was described as fiery by Time magazine. In 1945 she achievedin Roberto Rossellini's neorealist masterpiece Rome, Open City. A decade later, Magnani starred in her first English-speaking role in a mainstream Hollywood movie called The Rose Tattoo. Due to her moving performance of a distraught widow, she became the first Italian to AnotherGrazie Deladda, was honoured as a sympathetic and idealistic writer from Sardinia. She won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926, becoming. Deledda invoked moving descriptions of characters with strong connections to their origins while simultaneously criticising societal norms. She was a, publishing roughly a novel a year and garnering commerical and critical success, including for her most popular book, Canne al vento (Reeds in the Wind) in 1913. Leonilde or Nilde Iotti was a prominent(PCI). In 1946, Iotti was selected as a member of the constituent assembly and, as a result, was one of 75 members entrusted with drafting the Italian Republican Constitution. She was elected as the first female, serving the longest post-war term with two more legislative terms. Though not entirely radicalised, Iotti had a more nuanced take on, such as divorce and abortion. Even at her funeral, an all-women guard of honour stood in the hall of the chamber of deputies by her coffin. Italian actress Sophia Loren, one of the original stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, was the first actress to win an Oscar for foreign-language film. Born Sofia Scicolone in Rome in 1934, she changed her name to Sophia Loren in 1953 at the suggestion of Italian movie producer and her future husband Carlo Ponti. Her breakthrough role was in The Gold of Naples (1954), directed by Vittorio De Sica, and she went on to co-star in a string of movies with Marcello Mastroianni as well as Hollywood stars Cary Grant and Anthony Perkins. Her performance as Cesira in De Sica's 1961 movie La Ciociara (Two Women) earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the first actor or actress to win an Oscar for a foreign-language performance. Over subsequent decades Loren also won a record seven David di Donatello Awards for Best Actress, five special Golden Globes, an Honorary Oscar in 1991 and a Visionary Award in 2021. She celebrated her 90th birthday in Rome in September 2024. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) Montessori began her academic journey as a fish out of waterShe then shifted her path and graduated medical school with honors from the Rome's Sapienza University . After graduation, she continued researching at La Sapienza in the psychiatric clinic, observing children with mental disabilities and focusing on assisting them with proper education. In 1906, she was recruited to oversee childrens education and care for low-income families in Romes San Lorenzo district. The house, called Casa dei Bambini, enrolled 50-60 children from two to seven. Observing these children proved to be the foundation for her educational methods, as she provided practical activities that allowed children to form self-discipline and individualism. The first casa found immense success and Montessori opened a few more. Meanwhile, her teaching methods were becoming popularised in Italy, Switzerland, the UK, France, Spain, the Netherlands and the US. She travelled to give lectures and provide training courses for her methods. Her education model would go on to be used on an international level. Tina Anselmi (1927-2016) Tina Anselmi lived a noble life,. In 1944, Nazi soldiers stormed her school and forced her and her peers to witness a hanging of a group of 31 young Partisans. It was then that she decided to join the. From 1968-1987 she was re-elected five times as a member of the Italian chamber of deputies, three times as undersecretary to the department of labour and social services, and she became the first female member of an Italian cabinet. She was an advocate for equal opportunities, passing a bill in 1977 that allowed both fathers and mothers to have time away from their children. She was also vocal on gender equality in terms of employment and chaired the National Equal Opportunities Commission until 1994. Anselmi received the Knights Great Cross award of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the highest-ranking honour. In 2016, she was featured on an Italian postage stamp. By Ophelia Luchin Article originally published on 10 February 2021. Pontiff suffers further setback as he enters third week in hospital. Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia in Rome's Gemelli Hospital, suffered two episodes of "acute respiratory insufficiency" on Monday, the Vatican said in its latest bulletin. The episodes were caused by "a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm", the Vatican said on Monday evening, requiring the 88-year-old pontiff to undergo two separate bronchoscopies. Doctors gave Francis an oxygen mask to help with his breathing, the Vatican said, noting that he "remained alert, oriented and cooperative at all times" and adding that his prognosis remains "guarded. Earlier on Monday the pope's condition was described as stable, after he suffered an "isolated bronchial spasm on Friday which led to a "sudden worsening" of his respiratory condition. As Francis enters his third week in hospital, prayer vigils continue outside the Gemelli and in St Peter's Square where a Rosary is being said for the pope each night. Photo Wanted in Rome Almost 45 million in district court fines remain unpaid across the States district court system since 2020. The figures, released by the Courts Service to MEP Cynthia Ni Mhurchu under the Freedom of Information Act, show that 133,851 fines across the State have yet to be paid in full. Ms Ni Mhurchu, a former barrister, described the situation as a slap in the face to victims of crimes. The Fianna Fail MEP called for the issue of unpaid district court fines to be included in the upcoming review of the criminal justice system which was promised in the 2025 Programme for Government. What does this say to the victims who have been impacted by crimes such as drink driving, assault, theft, and shop lifting," Ms Ni Mhurchu asked. "We are imposing fines that a percentage of criminals are choosing to ignore and it seems there is little we are doing about it. 45 million would fund a lot of domestic violence refuges, road safety campaigns and extra Garda on our streets. "It is time for a get tough approach to those criminals who feel they are above the law. Our road deaths have been rising in Ireland for consecutive years. How can we expect any improvement in that scenario when those fined for traffic offences may choose not to pay the fine?" The district court area for Dublin had the highest amount of unpaid fines since 2020, with 13.3 million outstanding. The next highest amount of unpaid fines was in Naas, Co Kildare, where fines totalling 3.7 million remain unpaid. Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, was one of the most compliant district court offices in Ireland with almost 134,000 in district court fines outstanding since 2020. By Jonathan McCambridge, David Young and Rebecca Black, PA The Norths First Minister has said she is incredulous at a large order for a Belfast plant to supply missiles for Ukraine. The Thales plant in east Belfast is to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth up to 1.6 billion (2 billion), the British government has announced. However, Michelle ONeill said she found the deal incredulous at the time of public service cuts, winter fuel payment cuts, national insurance hikes and inheritance tax changes for farmers. British prime minister Keir Starmer made the missiles announcement during a press conference on Sunday. Photo: Julian Simmonds/Daily Telegraph/PA Speaking in the Northern Assembly on Monday, she said: I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services. Ms ONeill also said she felt the focus of the international community should always be to work towards negotiation and peace settlements. Our own example here will tell us that, she added. British prime minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that the lightweight-multirole missiles (LMM) will be made at the Thales weapons plant in Belfast, creating 200 jobs. This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now and strengthen Ukraine in securing the peace when it comes, he said. The missiles, which are capable of flying at 1.5 times the speed of sound and striking targets more than 6km away, can be used to attack enemy vehicles, boats and drones. UUP MLA Steve Aiken raised Ms ONeills comments later in the Assembly chamber to deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, against the commitments to driving the economy in the region. Ms Little-Pengelly responded praising Northern Irelands fantastic aerospace and defence industry. So much of that is around supporting people to secure peace, she told MLAs. We do all want to see peace. We want to see a peaceful outcome negotiated. We should be very proud of the world-class products and contribution that they are making in very, very important areas. Meanwhile TUV leader Jim Allister said: ONeill feigns concern for money which she alleges should be spent on public services while defending an IRA campaign which cost the health service alone countless millions. With the approach of the new administration in Washington increasingly moving towards disengagement in Europe, it is more important than ever that Europe steps up to the plate when it comes to spending on defence something it frankly hasnt done in many decades. Earlier, during a press conference at Stormont, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the deal is hugely significant for the Belfast workforce. Mr Robinson also described the recent heated Oval Office confrontation between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy as appalling. It is a hugely significant order, he said. The Thales weapons factory in Belfast will make the 5,000 lightweight-multirole missiles for Ukraine. Photo: David Young/PA "It builds on not only the work that has been done to encourage defence contributions and spend in Northern Ireland, but it also recognises the significant contribution Thales has made to the ongoing efforts in Ukraine." Mr Robinson said previous missiles built in Belfast had been vital to the defence of Ukraine. He added: "In fact, Ukraine would have fallen had it not been for the contribution from Belfast in the early phases. "While international coalitions have increased and contributions have been made from a wide range of countries and companies, the Belfast contribution has continued to grow. "It is of vital importance. To achieve a contract of 1.6 billion with 5,000 units and the encouragement for employment of 200 new employees at Thales is hugely significant indeed." He added: This order of 5,000 units in an overall package of 1.6 billion is hugely significant for the Belfast workforce. It is a recognition of their skill and what they do in our city. "There is no point talking about international principles, no point talking about the values we respect and that we wish to protect globally if you are not prepared to stand up for them."] Asked about the scenes in the White House when Mr Zelenskiy visited on Friday, Mr Robinson said they were appalling. I thought it was appalling and I think anybody that watched it will have been disappointed because you will always have to-ing and fro-ing in international relations and in diplomatic channels, but actually President Zelensky is a gentleman who has stood at the forefront of his country and their plight over the last three years. He is internationally regarded as somebody who has stepped up remarkably in defence of his nation, giving hope where seemingly there was little. For such a public spectacle it was disappointing. What we can recognise is that in all of these things there will be discussions to be had behind closed doors. That was a very public display of a discussion I dont think we needed to see. Im glad that things have moved on since, I think the encouragement and the discussions between the UK government and Ukraine have been important over the weekend. The summit that took place yesterday was another important step forward in the support that is available for Ukraine and last night a suggestion that actually the discussions between the US and Ukraine are back on track. Sinn Fein spokesperson on Health, Deputy David Cullinane TD has called on the Minister for Health to urgently address funding issues which are holding back the training of specialist advanced paramedics and the protection of the vital Emerging Threat Unit. The Waterford TD, also called on the National Ambulance Service to ensure that advanced paramedics are deployed appropriately to meet patient need and for appropriately qualified paramedics to be recognised for advanced practice, until the conclusion of the review of roles and responsibilities and the implementation of a new paramedic specialist grade. In a statement to Waterford News & Star, Deputy Cullinane said: "It is an indictment of the governments failure to plan ahead that there is no provision in the 2025 HSE Service Plan to train advanced practice specialist paramedics this year." At the same time, the Ambulance Service is not funded to pay the essential advanced practice allowance that helps to retain experienced and highly skilled paramedics," he said. Paramedics are also raising serious concerns with me that there are not enough advanced paramedics and that existing advanced paramedics are not being deployed efficiently," he added. In addition to concerns around patient safety, Deputy Cullinane said staff morale within the ambulance service was also "very low". On top of this, the Ambulance Service is disbanding the essential Emerging Threat Unit because of a lack of funding," he said. "This is feeding into poor morale and will present major safety risks if the unit is disbanded," he added. Deputy Cullinane went on to comment: "All of this is getting caught up in the talks on the future framework following the review of roles and responsibilities, which is long delayed." At the heart of these disputes is the governments reckless recruitment embargo and mismanagement of the health service [which] has devastated the Ambulance Services ability to hire and train more paramedics," he said. He commented that decisive action is needed on the part of the Minister for Health: "The Minister for Health needs to show leadership, ensure a positive conclusion in talks on roles and responsibilities, fund the training and deployment of specialist paramedics, and fund the retention of the Emerging Threats Unit." The Ambulance Service needs to be resourced to fully staff its core services, recruit and train more paramedics, and further develop specialist and advanced practice," he said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Iran is holding negotiations with ten countries to sign free trade or preferential trade agreement, Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade of Iran, Chairman of the Trade Promotion Organization Mohammad Ali Dehghan Dehnavi told reporters, Trend reports. According to him, some of these discussions are already in their final stages. The official failed to specify the countries with which negotiations are underway. Dehnavi added that if the sanctions against Iran are lifted, the agreements that Iran will reach with other countries on free trade or preferential trade can greatly help the country's economy. The reason is that 30 years ago, international trade was a top priority with membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Currently, regional alliances are more conducive to the development of trade between countries. "Iran can increase its economic role through cooperation with regional alliances or permanent membership," he noted. On December 25, 2023, a free trade agreement was signed between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union in Saint Petersburg, Russia. After the agreement comes into force, it's predicted that trade turnover will reach $18-20 billion within five to seven years. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Waterford City and County Council are to recommend the refusal of the Scart Mountain Wind Farm. If granted by An Bord Pleanala would see 14 wind turbines built in a wind exclusion zone in West Waterford. A special meeting of the Dungarvan Lismore District Council was held this week to discuss the application. The councillors were unanimous in their view that the application be refused and expressed anger that such a proposal be made in a sensitive area of Waterford. Councillor Niamh ODonovan, who lives within 2.5km of one of the proposed turbines, said the community were very much against it. I think West Waterford have taken our fair share of wind. Im not willing to meet anyone halfway, and I know the people of Modeligo and the surrounding areas are not willing to compromise one bit," said Cllr ODonovan. Cllr ODonovan said she was concerned the development would impact the local water system, drainage and landslides in the area. She said as well as that there will be an impact on agriculture and protected species in the area. She said this is why the area is designated a no-go area of wind infrastructure. If all of us can go to the extent of getting mortgages, looking for planning permission abiding by all the conditions, surely a development like this considering it is no wind zone," said Cllr ODonovan. Cllr Thomas Phelan said the council need to stand by the County Development Plan. If we dont refuse this we would be saying our development plan wasnt correct in the first place and we dont stand over. "We should stand over it and therefore I am happy to support the planning department's recommendation that the application be rejected. That no-go area wasnt drawn up at random or arbitrarily and it was based on the latest guidance and with the OPR and we should stand over that, said Cllr Phelan. Cllr John Pratt said that there are communities with wind farms, that suffer because of the noise and flicker. He said the development would be absolutely appalling in an area where they are trying to promote tourism. I would hate to think how it would turn out if it gets to go ahead, said Cllr Pratt. THE SAME PAGE Senior Executive Planner Aisling OSullivan said they were all on the same page. Cllr ODonovan, I hear what you are saying and that is why the planning authority is recommending a refusal of the development. "It doesnt comply with our wind energy policies and it doesnt comply with our landscape designation and that is why we are recommending to An Bord Pleanala that it is refused, said Ms OSullivan. She acknowledged the work councillors and officials did on the County Development Plan which includes policies on renewable energy and land and seascape sensitivity. She said that the plan was tested and assessed and found in line with national policy. Therefore, the conclusion must be the recommendation to refuse the application and hope An Bord Pleanala uphold its local planning policies. Ms OSullivan said from an environmental impact point of view, the local authority would be concerned about the hen harrier population and dry heath. So we have commented on the environmental losses and impact on species because as you rightly pointed out, they are critical in such a landscape, said Ms OSullivan. FIFTEEN TURBINES In her outline, Ms OSullivan told councillors that FuturEnergy is applying to construct 15 turbines between 179 and 185 meters high. Thirteen of the turbines are in sensitive areas, and 14 are in wind exclusion zones. The site they propose to develop on is 970 hectares, covering 14 townlands from south of the Tipperary border to the foothills of the Knockmealdown mountains. As part of the development, FuturEnergy is also proposing to permanently upgrade the existing forest entrance and build six new site entrances. As well as the turbines, the site would include a 100m metrological mast and a 111kv substation. Several other site works and construction infrastructure were outlined at the meeting. The developer is seeking 10-year planning permission with a 35-year operational life. Elected members were told that as the development is the strategic infrastructure of national importance, the application is made directly to An Bord Pleanala. Ms OSullivan told councillors that while the council do not have the power to refuse, they are obligated to provide a set of conditions should An Bord Pleanala grant the application. She said even though the development would contravene the council's policies and they intend to recommend a refusal, they must comply with this obligation. Therefore, the council are proposing to reduce the maximum height of the turbines to 150m and the operational life to 25 years. They are also recommending the company make a special contribution toward road works the council will have to carry out. The road network facilitating this development- a lot of it is on local roads, and some of them are only a car and a bit wide, so there will have to be passing bays and road improvement and strengthening to facilitate this development. "So we would be seeking a special contribution to any of those works, said Ms OSullivan. PLAYING POKER But Cllr ODonovan said it isnt enough of a reduction and even making the recommendations, as the council has, is playing poker. I dont want passing bays. I can already use my local roads quite well. So, I dont see the benefit to the local community at all, said Cllr ODonovan. The councillor proposed that they recommend, half the height and half the number. You know these developers ask for the sun, moon and stars when they only want the sun as such. So, might be worth going lower and calling them out, said Cllr ODonovan. Ms OSullivan said that wouldnt work because it would not be viable for the operator. She said if they reduce down on height, the developer will just put in more turbines. I think we are very strong in our Chief Executives report and our refusal reasons. This will be assessed from scratch, and I would be quite satisfied that we have put forward a strong enough case, said Ms OSullivan. UNANIMOUS Cllr Niamh ODonovan proposed the Chief Executives report recommending a refusal of the application. The report was seconded by Thomas Phelan, who asked that it be included that the decision represented a unanimous view. Read more about this story heretarget="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> and here. Oireachtas members from across the South East met at Leinster House to discuss the campaign to deliver funding for the N24, Waterford to Cahir upgrade. The meeting, organised by Waterford TD, David Cullinane, was attended by TDs and Senators from Waterford, Kilkenny, and Tipperary to discuss how they can collaborate to deliver for the south-east. Following the meeting, Deputy Cullinane issued a statement welcoming "the broad commitment" from TDs and Senators representing Waterford, Kilkenny, and Tipperary to work together to deliver funding for the N24 Waterford to Cahir upgrade. Deputy Cullinane said to Waterford News & Star that he convened a group of Oireachtas members from Waterford, Kilkenny, and Tipperary in the hopes of coordinating to advocate for funding for the N24 upgrade from Waterford to Cahir. The transport upgrade is being delivered by Kilkenny and Tipperary County Councils in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport, the project is currently in Phase 2 of four development stages, 'Options Selection'. It has been over a year since the preferred route, including bypasses Carrick-on-Suir, Mooncoin, and Kilsheelan, was announced," Deputy Cullinane noted, saying the project needs just 7.9 million in funding over the next three years. The proposed development is approximately 60km in length, extending from the M8 Junction 10, Cahir North Roundabout, to the Quarry Roundabout, on the M9 Dublin to Waterford motorway just to the north of Waterford City in Co. Kilkenny. Several similar proposed N24 projects failed to proceed to statutory planning phases due to the inability to procure funding to progress through development phases. IKEA is exploring opportunities in Munster and Waterford in particular, according to a company spokesperson. The spokesperson told the Waterford News and Star that IKEA is committed to expanding in Ireland and making their stores more accessible to customers. As part of this ongoing commitment, we are currently exploring opportunities to establish a new Plan & Order Point in the Munster region, with Waterford being a location of interest. While we are excited about the potential, we are not yet able to confirm an opening date, said the spokesperson. Speculation began last week when a listing for store assistants appeared on the job website Indeed. The listing, which is now no longer available, said the company were hiring staff for a new Planning and Order Point in Waterford, with interviews scheduled for March. The potential opening in Waterford would be part of an expansion of the Plan and Order Points already underway in the Leinster region and parts of Munster. IKEA has already opened several successful Plan & Order Point stores across Ireland, including locations in Naas, Dublin (St. Stephen's Green), Drogheda, Cork, Carlow, and Sligo. "We will continue to look for opportunities to bring this convenient service to more communities across Ireland, said the spokesperson. Plan and Order Points are smaller stores for kitchen bedroom, and living room planning. While customers cant take home furniture from these points, they can order for delivery. Staff at the Planning and Order Points can provide design advice by appointment, or customers have the option of a self-service desk. IKEA already operate a collection point at the Tesco Superstore in Ballycarnane, Tramore. Waterford is set to celebrate 1,111 years since its founding by Viking Randall in 914AD. Visit Waterford are marking the milestone anniversary by unveiling '11 Hidden Treasures' - an itinerary of the Deise's ancient wonders. Visitors can go on a journey that spans a millennia from the vestments at the Medieval Museum to the gothic style Ballysaggartmore Towers at Lismore. The towers were built in 1850 by Arthur Kiely-Ussher for his wife as part of a plan for an estate of grandeur. Alas, they couldn't complete the estate plans but the beautiful towers remain. Another treasure is 'The Magic Road' at the beautiful Mahon Falls where a fairy door awaits every curious visitor. Close to Cappoquin is the Dromana Bridge, the unique Hindu Gothic that dates all the way back to 1830. This one of a kind structure was orginally built from wood and papier mache to greet the owner of the Dromana Estate, Henry Villiers-Stuart and his wife, Theresa Pauline Ott of Vienna. Director of Visit Waterford Mealla Fahey said: "2025 is a truly special year for Waterford, marking over a millennium of history, culture, and resilience. Through the 11 Hidden Treasures itinerary, we invite visitors to uncover the lesser-known yet fascinating stories that have shaped Irelands oldest city and explore the much older hidden stories of Waterford, where Ireland begins." To find out more, go to visitwaterford.com The narrative around Donald Trumps return to office was that no matter whether you loathed or loved him, he was meant to be good for Wall Street. Its early days, but you dont hear Trump talking about the sharemarket any more as proof of his successful management of the US economy. Instead, were seeing the Trump slump as he continues to rattle the economy. The sharemarket is getting increasingly skittish around Donald Trumps policies. Credit: Bloomberg A recent graph of the US sharemarket movements reads more like an electrocardiogram (ECG) of someone experiencing massive heart palpitations. Western Australias housing crisis is among the worst in living memory for many residents, with stories of families sleeping in cars, homes taking years to be built, intense competition for rentals and runaway prices as prospective buyers jockey for the little stock available for sale. So how do the numbers stack up on key housing metrics since Colin Barnett and his Liberal-National government were swept out of office by Mark McGowans Labor Party almost a decade ago in 2017? WA is not building enough new homes to put a roof over our booming populations heads. Credit: Nathan Perri Australian Bureau of Statistics building activity data confirms there is no end in sight to the current housing crisis, with WA unable to build enough new stock to keep up with record migration. There were 1400 fewer new home starts last year compared to 2017, a fall of more than 7 per cent. And it comes at a time when net overseas migration exploded by 950 per cent, up from 1600 eight years ago to nearly 17,000. That has bumped Perths population to 2.3 million, while statewide it has hit three million. Tropical cyclones conjure images of tornado-like winds ripping roofs from houses, uprooting trees, tearing boats from their moorings and blowing in windows and doors. But history shows that the biggest threat from the weather system is the possible flooding that will hit after the cyclone breaks down. Residents in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales are on high alert, waiting to see where Tropical Cyclone Alfred may cross the coastline this week. However, the worst damage could come when the weather system becomes an ex-tropical cyclone a huge, slow-moving storm system that causes widespread flooding. The public service union is prepared to take the Coalitions pledge to order workers back to the office to the industrial tribunal, as they seek to cast Opposition Leader Peter Duttons vow to clamp down of working from home as a tone-deaf response to the needs of working women. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Dutton of adopting a Trumpist policy, sparking a fight over government efficiency. Federal bureaucrats will be expected to return to the office five days a week if the Coalition wins office, opposition finance spokesperson Jane Hume revealed in a speech on Monday after the number of public servants working from home rose sharply under Labor. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Credit: Rhett Wyman The latest Australian Public Service Commission census reveals 61 per cent of federal public servants worked from home some of the time in 2024, a 15 per cent increase from 2021. The town was established to accommodate US Navy personnel working at the defence base. Exmouth soon became a Little America, with a unique blend of American culture in a pocket of outback Australia. Patriotic residents didnt hold back on traditions either, with Fourth of July festivities prompting a blue, red and white takeover of the town oval. Loading Uncle Sam celebrations dwindled in 1992 when the US withdrew military personnel and assigned private contractors to manage the stations infrastructure. While RAAF Base Learmonth supports land, air and sea operations in the region today, Americas departure prompted Exmouth to reinvent itself as a more playful place. Swims of a lifetime Im visiting in September at the tail-end of Exmouths whale season. Temperatures are on the up, hovering around 29 degrees. Perhaps not the ideal time to erect a tent, but it is a compromise to afford Exmouths bucket-list experiences in the big blue. Exmouth is the gateway to the worlds largest fringing reef system, Ningaloo Reef. Western Australias premier underwater amusement park stretches 260 kilometres along the north-west coast. Unlike its eastern counterpart, the Great Barrier Reef, threatened by industrial developments and runoffs, Ningaloo Reef thrives. Paired with the warm Leeuwin Current, its remoteness enables over 500 tropical species and corals to flourish, attracting returning residents. Epic swims with ocean giants are Exmouths forte whale sharks and humpbacks migrate along the coast, dubbed the Ningaloo Highway. Guided swims with the former are offered from late March to October. The worlds largest shark cruises the waters of Nigaloo Reef from March to October. Credit: Tourism Western Australia The coastal highway becomes busier mid-year, with humpback whales journeying northward from Antarctica from July to October. Several tour companies offer swims from $499 per adult (seasonality varies with each operator). I opt to swim alongside whale sharks with Exmouth Dive & Whale Sharks. The odds are in my favour, with Ningaloo Reefs 97 per cent interaction rate. The day is full of suspense: When will we see the big fish? How long do we have to perform scissor kicks beside them? Diving at Navy Pier. The boat is split into two groups, enabling everyone to enjoy precious moments with the worlds biggest fish. Im within metres of this giant, its mouth wide open, big enough to engulf me. Thankfully it has an appetite for plankton, not humans. After what feels like an eternity, its tail slowly swooshes past me, and its over. But it wont be the last fascinating swim on this trip. Diving into a Cold War-era playground Some Cold War relics are less ominous. Located 14 kilometres from town is Exmouth Navy Pier, a T-shaped jetty thats 110 metres long and 300 metres wide. Once a US Naval base for transporting resources, it is now a drawcard for divers, often regarded as one of the worlds top shore dives. But getting to dive is not straightforward. The pier now forms part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) restricted area. It is the only operational naval base in the world that permits commercial diving, making it conceivably the most exciting defence base. The only catch? You need to bring your passport. Dive Ningaloo is the only scuba-diving operator permitted to take divers to explore what lurks beneath this accidental diving destination. It feels strange being chauffeured into the high-security area in a full-body wetsuit, passport in tow. All visitors must also pay the ADF a $50 fee in advance for the privilege of accessing these protected waters. Its a mad rush to get in once past the checkpoint, with the dives timed with tidal movements. Once in the water, all becomes chaotic. Over 200 fish species make up this colourful universe, often described as a glassless aquarium. A non-stop stream of divers shimmer 12 metres below, spotting large schools of trevally, barracudas and moray eels, their hangry-looking faces peering out from bright, soft corals. Grey nurse sharks, sea turtles, odd-looking carpet sharks and doe-eyed groupers come and go. Life really is a whirlwind down here. Exmouth: a slice of American pie in Australias outback. Calling the last round The stars-and-stripes influences of yesteryear are evident throughout Exmouth. Potshot Hotel Resort is a timeworn tribute to the past, with the former military-era inn accommodating budget-conscious travellers. Another nod to America is the country-themed music bar, Cadillacs Bar & Grill. Life-size cut-outs of American country icons safeguard every inch of this honky-tonk even Taylor Swift makes a 2D appearance. Americana adorns the walls, including guitars, bull horns, concert posters, slogans and of course plenty of flags. The menu is what youd expect burgers, steaks, wings, greasy American classics. The Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Stations transmission towers glow against the night sky. Whalebone Brewing Company embodies the Exmouth of today. I sip a pint of session ale and watch a band perform under zigzagging fairy lights. Im reminded of the beauty of Ningaloo, dotted by whales and surrounded by nautical relics its a slice of Australia I cant get enough of. THE DETAILS Fly Qantas flies directly from Perth and Melbourne (seasonally) to Exmouth (Learmonth). See qantas.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The Charge d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Ankara has been summoned by Turkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trend reports. According to Turkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Oncu Keceli, this invitation was made to discuss bilateral issues and some recent claims made by Iranian officials against Turkiye. Keceli mentioned that in recent times, Iranian officials have increasingly voiced their criticisms of Turkiye in public, and the ministry had already prepared and presented a file on this matter to the Iranian side. We have observed that Iranian officials have publicly criticized Turkiye. A file on this issue has already been presented to the Iranian side, Keceli emphasized in his statement. Meanwhile, the Turkish Ambassador to Iran was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry on March 3, at which it was brought to the Ambassador's attention that recent statements by the Turkish Foreign Minister do not reflect reality. It was emphasized that statements undermining bilateral relations should be avoided. Turkish FM Hakan Fidan recently stated that Iran's approach to foreign policy needs to change. According to him, this policy is putting a huge burden on the Iranian system. Fidan remarked that Iran should learn important lessons from the developments of the new era and should strengthen regional cooperation. Old mistakes should not be repeated. --- Follow the author on X: @BaghishovElnur A further $US4 billion was unused and still available at the end of the Biden administration, at Trumps discretion. In an interview with Fox News, Vice President J.D. Vance said continuing to throw money and ammunition at the conflict was not a strategy. The only guy in town with a strategy is the president of the United States and everybody needs to follow his lead, Vance said. The president knows that if you want real security guarantees if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Earlier, Trump rounded on Zelensky for saying a deal to end the war was far, far away, claiming it showed the Ukrainian leader was not serious about peace, and branding it the worst statement Zelensky could have made. He thinks the wars going to go on for a long time, and he better not be right about that, Trump said. It takes two to tango. Youre going to have to make a deal with Russia, and youre going to have to make a deal with Ukraine If somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long, that person wont be listened to for very long. Trump, who said during last years election campaign that he could end the war in 24 hours, is intent on stitching together a deal quickly that makes some concessions to Russia and does not involve the US acting as a security guarantor for Ukraine. On Friday, Trump kicked Zelensky out of the White House and cancelled a joint press conference after a heated on-camera confrontation in which Trump and Vance branded the Ukrainian leader disrespectful, demanding and insufficiently thankful for US assistance in the war effort. Ukraine has since turned further towards Europe. Zelensky met European leaders in London at the weekend and shook hands with King Charles. Britain and France could unveil their own plans for a peace deal as soon as this week. Zelensky said on Tuesday that he wanted the war to end as swiftly as possible, but security guarantees for Ukraine were essential to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin resuming attacks, as he had done before. He said new air defence systems had arrived from Lithuania, and new artillery contracts had been secured. Russia continues to fuel this war. The world sees this, and the world acknowledges it, he said in a video message. Trumps shift of US policy from explicit supporter of Ukraine to disinterested mediator has been praised by the Kremlin, whose spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said: The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely aligns with our vision. Credit: Matt Golding Asked about those comments on Tuesday (AEDT), Trump maintained Putin wanted to strike a peace deal, but he pushed back against the perception he was too close to the Russian leader. He reiterated that he had given Ukraine lethal anti-tank weapons and put sanctions on Russia, and noted Putins advances into Georgia (2008), Ukraines Crimea (2014) and his full-scale invasion of Ukraine (2022) occurred on the watch of other US presidents. Under president [George] Bush they got Georgia. Under president [Barack] Obama they got a nice big submarine base, a nice big chunk of land, Crimea. Under President Trump they got nothing. And under president [Joe] Biden they tried to get the whole thing ... the whole big Ukraine, Trump said. Putin is the one that will tell you this has not been so good for them. I gave Russia nothing except grief. I gave them [Ukraine] sanctions and Javelins [missiles] ... and then they say how close I am to Russia. The development comes as a CBS News/YouGov poll at the weekend showed Americans were evenly divided on how Trump was handling Russias war on Ukraine, with 51 per cent approving and 49 per cent disapproving. Loading China refutes Rubio's false charges Xinhua) 08:31, March 04, 2025 BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the recent remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which were steeped in the Cold-War mentality and full of lies and false accusations, and has lodged serious protests with the U.S. side, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday. Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a daily press briefing in response to a query about the remarks made by Rubio, who blamed China on issues of Taiwan, economy and trade, COVID-19 and Indo-Pacific affairs during a recent interview with a U.S. media outlet. There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China -- this is the real status quo in the Taiwan Strait, Lin said. Noting that the Taiwan question is the most crucial, sensitive and explosive question in China-U.S. relations, Lin said that if the United States does not hope to trigger confrontation, it must stop crossing or trampling on the red line of the Taiwan question. Lin said that trade and tariff wars have no winner. The U.S.'s attempts to politicize and weaponize trade and economic issues, levy tariff hikes on Chinese imports under the pretext of fentanyl, and create blocks to its normal trade, investment and economic cooperation with China will only harm its own economic interests and international credibility. Lin added that China stands ready to work with the United States to address each other's concerns through dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and will take all measures necessary to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. Lin noted that origins-tracing of COVID-19 is a serious science issue, and that it is "extremely unlikely" that the pandemic was caused by a lab leak, which was the authoritative conclusion reached by the experts of the WHO-China joint mission following their field trips to the lab in Wuhan and in-depth communication with researchers. The United States needs to immediately stop slinging mud on and scapegoating China. Lin said that the Asia-Pacific is a pace-setter in cooperation and development, not a chess board for geopolitical rivalry. The United States should not project its own hegemonic mentality onto China. "Attempts to stoke bloc confrontation in the Asia-Pacific run counter to the trend of the times and go against the common aspiration of regional countries," Lin said, adding that these moves will win no support and be doomed to failure. Lin said that a lie told a thousand times cannot be a fact, that the world will not be fooled by such baseless vilification against China, and that megaphone diplomacy does no good for China-U.S. relations. China will be committed to viewing and developing relations with the United States on the basis of the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and will also firmly defend its national sovereignty, security and development interests, Lin said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) By Laman Ismayilova An exhibition "Thousand Patterns of the Chul" exhibition has opened at Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, Azernews reports. The exhibition showcases a total of 25 beautiful and richly patterned chul samples from the museum's collection, woven in various regions of Azerbaijan Baku, Shirvan, Gazakh and Garabagh. Chul is a decorative cloth that covered and decorated the backs of different beasts of burden (horses, camels, donkeys and oxen). In Azerbaijan, it was mainly made with pile- and flat-weaving techniques and sometimes with embroidery techniques, such as gulabatin (gold embroidery), takalduz (chain stitch embroidery), julma (bird's eye) and patchwork. In order to beautify camels and horses for ceremonies and folk festivals, they were covered with chul. In winter, chul was used to protect animals against cold. A clay figure of a horse with an image of a floral-patterned chul (2nd millennium BCE), found in Maku in South Azerbaijan and a gold bowl with a lion with a chul (1st millennium BCE), discovered in Teppe Hasanlu next to lake Urmia, proves that the chul is an antique item. Depictions of chuls adorned with rich patterns can also be found in the works of renowned artists of the Tabriz miniature school. During the Middle Ages, a chul was made of colorful wool and silk, sometimes gold and silver threads and precious stones for the horses of rulers and court noblemen. The exhibition "A Thousand Patterns of the Chul" will run until April 1. Founded in 1967, the National Carpet Museum holds more than 14,000 exhibits of the finest Azerbaijani carpets. Initiated by eminent carpet artist Latif Karimov, the museum is beautiful inside and out. The museum's new building is designed in the form of a rolled carpet. Now, the museum hosts multiple events, including international symposiums, conferences, and various exhibitions. In 2019, the museum received national status for its significant contribution to promoting Azerbaijani carpet weaving art. In 2020, the Carpet Museum enriched its collection with a beautiful pile of carpets purchased by the Culture Ministry at the Sartirana Textile Show in Italy. The 19th-century Guba carpet "Ugakh" was donated to the Carpet Museum, while the Garabagh carpet "Chelebi" enriched the collection of the museum's Shusha branch. For four years, the Carpet Museum won the Travellers' Choice Awards. The award proves once again that the professional activity of the National Carpet Museum is highly appreciated by visitors from all over the world. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The Iranian government has proposed a new project to the Islamic Consultative Assembly aimed at promoting education in the native languages of ethnic minorities who are citizens of the country, said Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson of the Iranian government, Trend reports. Speaking during a press conference in Tehran, Mohajerani noted that the native languages of ethnic minorities living in Iran are an essential part of the countrys cultural heritage, which is explicitly mentioned in Article 15 of Irans Constitution. The country is home to approximately 400 languages and dialects, and this number is expected to grow. "The project provides detailed information regarding languages. While Persian is the official language in Iran, other languages are considered part of the countrys cultural heritage. The project aims to address gaps in education so that bilingual individuals will not face obstacles in their studies while preserving their cultural heritage," she said. Last week, the Iranian parliament rejected a plan to teach the languages and literature of ethnic minorities in secondary schools. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel American actor, two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26. Their deaths remain mysterious, but forensic expert Michael Baden has theorized that the tragedy could have been caused by an accident. ADVERTISIMENT According to law enforcement agencies, their bodies were found in different parts of the house, and a dead dog was also found next to the woman. The police noted that the couple had been dead for several days at the time of the discovery. This was reported by People. At a press conference on February 28, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said that Hackman's pacemaker last worked on February 17, nine days before he was found. This may indicate that the actor died on that day. Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner of New York, suggested that Gene Hackman's death could have been caused by cardiac arrest. "The autopsy showed that he had no injuries. There was no carbon monoxide. And he had the most common cause of death in this country - severe heart disease, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure," Baden said. ADVERTISIMENT Probable cause of death of Betsy Arakawa The expert also drew attention to the circumstances in which Betsy Arakawa was found. Her body was found in the bathroom next to a bottle of medicine and a heater. The forensic expert suggests that the woman could have found her husband unconscious and rushed to get his blood pressure medication. Police documents state that thyroid pills, blood pressure medication and Tylenol (paracetamol) were found in the bathroom. Baden speculated that Arakawa may have slipped or lost her balance due to stress and fallen, sustaining an internal head injury. "She may have hit her head during the fall and sustained some kind of internal brain injury that doesn't show up on the outside, or bleeding from inside the brain," he said. ADVERTISIMENT Why the dog could have died Another mystery was the death of one of the couple's pets, a German shepherd. Her body was found a few feet away from Arakawa. Baden explained that if the dog had no access to water and food for nine days, it could have died of dehydration. However, the other two dogs, who were also near the house, survived. The police have not yet commented on what could have led to the death of only one animal. Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that the police called the death of the actor and his wife suspicious. The results of toxicology tests are currently expected. The front door of the apartment was open. But no signs of forced entry were found. There are also no signs of theft or robbery. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Ukrainian dancer and choreographer Dmytro Dikusar, who joined the ranks of the Armed Forces at the beginning of the full-scale war, contacted the front line and "showed" US President Donald Trump what kind of suits Ukrainian men wear. However, his appeal was more about journalists close to the US president, who were confused by the scandalous question about the clothes of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. ADVERTISIMENT The choreographer appeared on Instagram in a military uniform. On top of it, he drew the outline of a business suit with a tie. "They think we don't have suits..." Dmytro Dikusar said, adding a winking emoticon. Ukrainians signed every word of the dancer. In their comments, they expressed their support for Dikusar and noted that the military have the best costumes. "Our guys will be the most beautiful in the world when they take off their uniforms and put on their costumes! Low bow to you and your brothers in arms, Dmytro!" "The costumes are a testament to courage, will and defiance, they are worn by people with the most passionate hearts and unconquered souls! Thank you all, our tireless fighters for freedom!" ADVERTISIMENT "Our heroes have the best costumes." "I really, really, really want to see you in a stage costume on the floor!" "Anyone can wear a costume, but only the worthy can wear a pixel." We would like to remind you that during a conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, he and journalist Brian Glenn had a dispute over the appearance of the Ukrainian president. The US press cynically asked why the Ukrainian did not come to the meeting in a business suit. Zelenskyy answered: "I will wear it when the war is over. Maybe one like yours. Maybe it will be better. Maybe cheaper. We'll see!" Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that Galkin poked fun at Trump over Zelensky's "suit" and showed an eloquent photo from the Ukrainian's meeting with King Charles III of Great Britain. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit The final countdown is on for the countrys first all-island International Womens Day event. Registrations close this Friday for Network Irelands IWD Celebration, at which Dr Norah Patten will share lessons she has learned on her lifelong personal space mission when she gives the keynote address. The event will take place in Croke Park on Saturday, March 8th. The astronaut will join chef Trisha Lewis and digital entrepreneur Aine Kerr in speaking to the theme of this years Network Ireland presidency, Breaking Barriers. The event is supported by Women in Business NI, and key event partners Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland, as well as the organisations official partner, AIB. Speaking about the programme for Network Irelands IWD 2025 celebration, National President Amy OSullivan said: This pioneering event brings together women from both sides of the border to celebrate International Womens Day in the biggest event of its kind ever staged in Ireland, with 450 attendees expected. Breaking barriers is my mission for the year and dissolving the boundaries that separate us to encourage women across the entire island to support and inspire one another is at the heart of this event. Each of our speakers is a trailblazer in her field and I know that their determination, resilience and growth mindset will be a huge motivation for anyone attempting to break barriers on their own business and life journeys. Ciara Ryan, Head of Wealth and General Insurance AIB, said: At AIB, we understand the additional barriers that women can face not just in business but with their financial wellbeing in general. Our research shows that the gender pension gap is closing, but many barriers remain, and having a strong financial plan for your business and personal wellbeing is so important. Network Irelands International Womens Day celebration is an especially inspirational way of celebrating women in all kinds of business. AIB, as a strong supporter of women in enterprise, values our partnership with Network Ireland, as we continue to champion women who are breaking barriers daily. Speaking about her involvement, Dr Norah Patten said: I am delighted to be asked to speak at the Network Ireland International Womens Day celebration for 2025. I have spent decades paving my path to space, and in the process I've tried to use my own opportunities to open the doors for others to follow. I'm truly honoured to fly to space alongside two female trailblazers from our research institute, and our research spaceflight will include a focus on female health, an area understudied in space exploration. I hope that my experience will encourage women across the island of Ireland to shoot for the stars! Elaine Patterson, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Manager at InterTradeIreland who are key partners for the event said: This is a groundbreaking event that brings together businesswomen from across the island of Ireland for an International Womens Day celebration, as Network Ireland builds on its collaboration with Northern Ireland counterparts, Women in Business NI. Continued collaboration between women entrepreneurs across the island creates even more opportunities for businesses to grow and meet their potential. InterTradeIreland is proud to support this event as we collectively work to support women across all sectors as they build fruitful connections taking their careers and businesses to the next level. Members of Network Ireland and Women in Business NI will gather for the conference at Croke Park on March 8th. This event is also open to non-members. Registration closes on Friday, February 28th. For more details and to register, go to networkireland.ie/events The Network Ireland International Womens Day event will be supported by Women in Business NI, and key event partners Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland, as well as the organisations official partner, AIB. Pestle & Mortar is the gifting partner. There will also be a fundraising drive on the day for Debra, which supports people living with the incurable genetic condition, epidermolysis bullosa (EB) or butterfly skin, and their families. Patient advocate Emma Fogarty hopes to speak on the day. A Palestinian man who fled the war in Gaza has received a suspended prison sentence after his careless driving caused the death of a Mayo grandmother. Mohammed Alqarra, aged 38, of Windsor Lodge, North Road, Drogheda, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court. Kathleen Forkan, aged 84, of Treenkeel, Kiltimagh, and formerly of Urlaur, Kilkelly, passed away at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) ten days after the collision on the N17 on September 24, 2022. Mrs Forkan was a front-seat passenger in a car being driven by her daughter Dymphna Murphy. They had been visiting a cousin of Mrs Forkans in a nursing home and Mrs Murphy was preparing to turn left at a junction in the direction of Kiltimagh when her car was struck from behind by Alqarras. There was no evidence of excessive speed. The defendants car had five occupants including children and a one-month-old baby. His vehicle turned upside down. Mrs Forkan did not appear to be seriously injured immediately following the accident and the court heard that her main concern at the time was for the Alqarra family. However, she went into shock and was removed to MUH by ambulance where her condition deteriorated further. She died 10 days later with the cause of death given as massive pulmonary embolism due to deep vein thrombosis with a major contributing factor a subdural hematoma sustained in a road traffic accident. Mrs Forkan was a grandmother of 12. In a victim impact statement, her daughter Dymphna said her late mum was a loving mother and grandmother who had the ability to light up a room. Her caring nature meant she was more concerned about the safety of the Alqarra family than her own in the aftermath of the crash. Her daughter said the family had no wish for retribution. The Forkan family said they hope their mothers tragic death serves as a reminder of how precious life is. Mr Alqarra apologised in court to the Forkan family. The court heard he lost both his parents at a young age and his brothers were also killed in the recent bombing in Gaza. Alqarra, a father of four, had been living in Ireland for three years before the collision. He had no previous convictions at the time of the accident but came before the district court in Co Louth for breaking a red light 13 months following the crash. Judge Eoin Garavan praised the Forkan family for their 'beautiful' victim impact statement. Judge Eoin Garavan praised the Forkan family for their "beautiful" victim impact statement. He said Mrs Murphy was clearly her mothers daughter given the sentiments expressed. The judge said it was a violent collision and it clear that Alqarra was not keeping a proper lookout". He noted the early plea and lack of aggravating factors and said he believed Alqarras apology to be heartfelt and genuine. Nothing is to be gained by putting this man in prison, the judge remarked. He imposed a 10-month suspended prison sentence and a two-year driving disqualification. The recent intervention by US President Donald Trump in Ukraines fight against invading Russian armies may have made Mayo-based Ukrainians less willing to return to their homeland, with some telling the Western People that Trumps recent overture to Russia has made them more worried that a durable peace can be achieved. Given this situation, some see their long-term future in Mayo. One Ballyhaunis-based refugee believes Trumps decision to re-engage with the Kremlin has emboldened Russia. After Trump came to power, things got much worse. Russia has realised that it can do whatever it wants, said Yulia Babak. She explained how on a night last month, just after the American-Russia summit in Riyadh, 267 [Iranian-made] Shahed rockets were fired into Ukraine, a number not seen since the start of the war. "Listening to the results of the negotiations after the meeting in Saudi Arabia, to which Ukraine was not invited, it is impossible to understand whether these are political decisions or the ravings of mentally ill people. Against this backdrop, Babak, from Kremenchuk, finds the question of whether to return to Ukraine a painful one. I was left alone with my two sons, my husband stayed in Ukraine, as according to our legislation he cannot leave the country. The eldest son has not seen his father for two years. For me, the most important thing is not where my family is, but that the family is together. I am very afraid for the future of my sons, so everything will depend on how the war ends. Another refugee, Olena Nimchuk, stresses her gratitude to Ireland for its shelter but she dreams of returning to Ukraine where her husband and mother remain. But against the background of today's events and Trump's statements, I am very scared and I do not understand what will happen next with my country and how we should proceed. It is very sad and painful to realise that there is no justice in the world, that evil remains unpunished. The world has proven this. Money is the main thing, and people's lives are worth nothing. Babak believes freezing the war - as happened after Russia took Crimea in 2014 - will not end the war. Many of my close friends have died defending their land, so I don't think after what I've heard that Trump will end the war rather than freeze the conflict. Giving him territories with rich deposits reminds me of science fiction films where aliens come to other planets and suck out the useful resources. We paid a very expensive price for our freedom, so peace is the return of Ukraine's borders to 2014 and the country's admission to NATO and the EU. I do not want to be afraid for the future of my children. As Ukraine faces the prospect of an imposed peace, those whose former homes are in Russian-occupied territory see their future in Ireland. I really want to believe that the war in Ukraine will end and people will be able to live peacefully and enjoy life, but my life experience says otherwise, explained Natalya Litovchenko who left her hometown in 2014 when Russian troops first appeared in eastern Ukraine as little green men invading parts of eastern Ukraine and Crimea. In 2022, everything happened again, recalled Ms Litovchenko. I do not consider Ukraine safe even if a peace treaty is signed. When you are responsible for the safety and life of your child, it is very important to understand. Returning to Ukraine is currently not an option given Natalyas house is in occupied territory. An apartment she rents in Kharkiv is 25 kilometres from the Russian border. Facing such uncertainty, she wants to stay and live in Ireland if my daughter and I have such an opportunity. A business student at the Castlebar campus of the Atlantic Technology University and a talented dressmaker, Litovchenko says she likes her life in Ireland. I am very grateful to all the people who helped me and my daughter adapt to a new place. I have friends, the opportunity to work and study, and security. Also a student at the ATU in Castlebar and working part-time, Yulia Babak finds Ireland a very hospitable country. Her family, she stresses, does not sit idle, we do not want to be unemployed". Looking to the future, she seeks help for her son in secondary school. I would like to find special people who would help children to integrate into society and solve elementary issues related to the educational process. After all, when your child is happy, you feel happy too. Three years on from the start of the war, integration has also become a priority for Olena who worries about the future of her adult son Anatoliy whose cerebral palsy makes her a full-time carer. His future is the most important thing for me. And Anatoliy is in love with Ireland, he likes your country and would love to stay and live here. But how? How can he integrate here? He is a lawyer by profession, has a Ukrainian diploma, which means he cannot work in Ireland. And when Ireland stops helping Ukrainians, the question will arise where to live and at what cost. Even in the event of a cessation to the war, there are others who see a longer period of exile. A Ukrainian male of fighting age living in East Mayo who prefers not to give his name foresees a longer period of enforced exile as the country counts the cost of the war. I hope to return eventually because my family and friends are there. Like millions of other Ukrainians, I would have never left Ukraine if the war had not started. However, I dont think I will be able to return for the next three to five years, regardless of whether the war ends or not. But I hope Im wrong about this. Like the others interviewed for this article, the young Ukrainian man is circumspect about Washingtons intentions. Trump's negotiations could potentially bring the end of the war closer. At the same time, his populist approach might worsen the situation for Ukrainian soldiers and lead to more casualties due to reduced military aid. Putin could take advantage of this, and he definitely will. Many of my ideals have been shattered during this war. I used to believe that since Ukraine agreed to give up all its nuclear weapons in the 1990s, the US had guaranteed our security. But after three years of this massacre, I think Ukraine is just a pawn that the US can easily sacrifice. I am very grateful to the Irish people for all their help and kindness. The only challenge I face is that it has become harder to find an IT job to continue my professional career, but this is more of a global trend than a local issue. Scientists are warning that the Earth's strongest ocean current is slowing down due to climate change, which could have catastrophic consequences. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) transports about 173 million cubic meters of water every second in a continuous ring around the entire Antarctic continent. ADVERTISIMENT New research shows that by 2050, the ACC could become 20% slower due to climate change caused by human activity. If this happens, it could lead to a "vicious circle" of rapid ice melt, rising sea levels, and spiraling global temperatures, DailyMail writes. According to scientists, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which is more than four times more powerful than the Gulf Stream, is a key part of the "ocean conveyor belt" that moves water, heat, and nutrients around the planet. But as fresh water from melting sea ice flows into some areas of the Antarctic, the processes driving this conveyor belt will begin to weaken, experts explain. ADVERTISIMENT "The ocean is extremely complex and well-balanced, but if this current 'engine' fails, serious problems could arise," said lead researcher Bishahdatta Ghayen, associate professor at the University of Melbourne. "In particular, greater climate variability with extreme weather conditions in certain regions and accelerated global warming due to a decrease in the ocean's ability to act as a carbon sink," the scientist added. Similar to its better-known northern cousin, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the ACC is driven by cold, salty water. According to scientists, the cold, dense water quickly sinks into the deepest "abysses" of the ocean and rushes northward, carrying oxygen and CO2, and churning up nutrient-rich sediments on the ocean floor. ADVERTISIMENT The water is then pulled to the surface through a process called upwelling in areas such as the Southern Ocean south of Australia, bringing nutrients to the surface and driving the ocean current cycle, experts say. However, recent studies have shown that sea ice around Antarctica fell to a record low last year. "Melting ice sheets are dumping huge amounts of fresh water into the salty ocean. This sudden change in the 'salinity' of the ocean has a number of consequences, including a weakening of the sinking of surface ocean waters into the deep and a weakening of the strong ocean jet that surrounds Antarctica," said Dr. Gajen. Using Australia's most powerful supercomputer, the scientists modeled how this process will affect the Antarctic Circumpolar Current in a scenario where greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. The modeling showed that ice melt alone will cause a 20% slowdown in the ACC by 2050. Current research shows that this slowdown will have a broad impact on the climate. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The Business & Finance ESG Awards, in partnership with Grant Thornton, are delighted to announce that Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and renowned climate justice advocate, will be honoured with the prestigious ESG Leader Award at this years ceremony. The event will take place on 10th April at the Round Room of the Mansion House, Dublin. Recognised globally for her unwavering commitment to human rights, gender equality, and climate action, the Ballina woman has dedicated her career to advocating for a more sustainable and equitable world. As Irelands first female President and a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, she has played a leading role in advancing environmental and social governance principles at both national and international levels. Through her work as Chair of The Elders and as a leading voice on climate justice, Robinson continues to inspire businesses and governments alike to take meaningful action on sustainability. Commenting on the honour, Mary Robinson said: "I am honoured to accept the ESG Leader Award at a time when there is significant push back on companies accepting the importance of incorporating Environmental, Social & Governance values to ensure their sustainability. I encourage Irish companies to show that both ESG and DEI (Diversity, Inclusion & Equity), are not only the right thing to do but also good for their bottom line." Tracey Carney, Managing Director of Business & Finance, highlighted the significance of Robinsons contribution to ESG leadership: "Mary Robinson has been a pioneering force for sustainability and corporate responsibility, demonstrating how ethical leadership can drive meaningful change. Her dedication to climate justice and human rights has set a global benchmark, and we are honoured to recognise her as this years ESG Leader." Sonya McLean The trial of a woman, her brother and another man accused of sexually assaulting and raping her daughter has collapsed at the Central Criminal Court. Ms Justice Melanie Greally told the jury that developments during the trial lead to a conclusion by me that this trial should be brought to a conclusion now and heard by a different jury on a different date. She told the jurors that she did not do this lightly, referring to the impact it would have on the complainant. She added that the court has a duty to make sure there is a fair trial. I dont feel that this can be done on this occasion, Ms Justice Greally said before she discharged the jury. The three accused all have addresses in the west of the country. They can't be named for legal reasons. The complainant's mother had pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of sexual assault and not guilty to one count of rape. It is alleged that the mother sexually assaulted the girl on nine occasions between 2000 and 2009 at the family home, on one occasion between 2012 and 2014 and on three occasions during a family holiday in 2001. The man had pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one of oral rape on dates between 2003 and 2012, all at the same address in the west of Ireland. The court has heard he is the complainant's maternal uncle. A second man had pleaded not guilty to one count of oral rape between 2008 and 2009 at the same address. The jury has heard he was a friend of the accused woman's then partner. The case was returned to the lists at the Central Criminal Court to have a new trial date fixed. Ardagh Community Players return to the stage with their forthcoming production of the compelling drama, Home is the Hero, by Galway playwright Walter Macken for a two-night run this Thursday and Friday, March 6th and 7th, commencing at 8pm nightly in the local Ardagh Community Centre. First performed in 1952, this play offers a gripping exploration of family, pride and the difficulties of reintegration after imprisonment. Set in a small Irish town, the play follows Paddo OReilly, a man returning home after serving five years in prison. He expects to find his family unchanged, but is instead met with a new reality his wife, children and community have moved on without him. The story unfolds with intense emotions, conflicts and a struggle for acceptance and redemption. Home is the Hero was first performed in Ardagh as a fundraiser for Rathnamagh National School in the 1970s. A stage was erected in the Master's classroom in the school with just enough seats to guarantee full houses each night. The group is delighted to bring this powerful drama to life again in Ardagh and hopes audiences find it thought-provoking and engaging. A big thank you is extended to everyone in the community who helped in any way to bring this production to the stage and a special mention to the children and principal of Ardagh National School who have also helped out with a musical contribution. The cast this year includes familiar faces: Tommy Kilroy in the lead role of Paddo OReilly, Joan Ruttledge (Paddos wife), Sean Doherty (Trapper), Dolores OBoyle (Bid), Dermot OBoyle (Dovetail), Cathy Flynn (Mrs Green), Oisin Finan (Willie OReilly), Eoin Flood (Manchester Monaghan) as well as two new members, Grace Timlin (Josie OReilly) and Ria Loughney (Lily Green). The director is John OHora. Walter Macken was an Irish writer, actor and playwright known for his deep exploration of Irish identity, history and social issues. Home is the Hero was his first play to be performed at the Abbey Theatre and later became Irelands first television play. Doors open at 7.30pm on each night and the show gets underway at 8pm. The International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) are not discussing the possibility of Russian and Belarusian athletes returning to official competitions. They are not even talking about their admission in the so-called neutral status. ADVERTISIMENT This is reported by Verstka, which received a response from the organizations. The federations emphasized that they had not received any requests from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to consider the participation of athletes from the Russian Federation and Belarus in the 2026 Games. "This issue is not on the table. There is nothing but rumors at the moment, which we refuse to comment on," said Christian Winkler, the IBU's communications director. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, next year's Olympic Games will be held in Milan, Italy, from February 6 to 22. Earlier, the IOC confirmed that it would follow the same strategy for athletes from Russia and Belarus as it did at the Paris 2024 Games. The organization said at the time that the final decision on their admission to the 2026 Olympics will be made later. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Microsoft said it will shut down down Skype, the video-calling service it bought for $8.5 billion in 2011, which helped spark a transformation in how people communicate online. The tech giant said it will retire Skype in May and shift some of its services to Microsoft Teams, its flagship videoconferencing and team applications platform. Skype users will be able to use their existing accounts to log in to Teams. Microsoft for years prioritized Teams over Skype and the decision to fold the brand reflects the tech giant's desire to streamline its main communications app as it faces a host of competitors. Founded in 2003 by a group of engineers in Tallinn, Estonia, Skype was a pioneer in making telephone calls using the internet instead of landlines. It relied on VOIP, voice over internet protocol, technology that converts audio into a digital signal transmitted online. Skype added video calls after online retailer eBay bought the service in 2005. You no longer had to be a senior manager in a Fortune 500 company to have a good quality video call with someone else, said Barbara Larson, a management professor at Northeastern University who studies the history of virtual and remote work. It brought a lot of people around the world closer. The ability to bypass expensive international phone calls to connect with far-flung co-workers was a boon for startups, but also people outside the business world. You could suddenly have long calls, frequent calls, that were either free or very inexpensive, Larson said. As with other new platforms, scammers also made use of it. By 2011, when Microsoft bought it from eBay, Skype had about 170 million users worldwide, then-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said in an event announcing the planned merger. The Skype brand has become a verb, nearly synonymous with video and voice communications, he said at the time. Skype was still considered high-tech in 2017, when recently inaugurated President Donald Trump's administration used it to field questions from journalists far from the White House press briefing room. A month later, Microsoft launched Teams, an attempt to catch up to the growing demand for workplace chatting services sparked by upstart rival Slack Technologies. Slack and Teams, along with newer video platforms such as Zoom, saw explosive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic as companies scrambled to shift to remote work, and even families and friends looked for new tools for virtual gatherings. By then, Skype was already on the wane but paved the way for strengthening the connections people can build remotely. Higher-quality media can really deepen relationships and make people able to work through complex problems much better, Larson said. Suddenly, this was available to anyone with a decent internet connection. And that was the real sort of revolutionary role that Skype had. Watch the speech: President Donald Trump will address both chambers of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, at 9 p.m. ET. You can watch through the video player above. WASHINGTON Donald Trump loves a good spectacle, and it's hard to top a speech to a joint session of Congress. The House chamber is packed with lawmakers, and the president's arrival is announced in a booming voice by the sergeant-at-arms, triggering cacophonous applause. Trump's speech on Tuesday evening isn't technically considered a State of the Union address that comes next year, after he's been on the job for longer but there's no distinguishable difference for anyone watching at home. Almost no detail is left to chance in these situations. Here's an idea of what to look and listen for: Where is Elon Musk? The most powerful people in American government are usually on the dais during an event like this. While the president addresses the nation, the House speaker and the vice president, who doubles as the ceremonial leader of the Senate, sit behind him. However, they've been largely overshadowed by Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency and serving as a top adviser to Trump. There's no precedent for Musk's operation, which has burrowed into federal agencies, led to thousands of firings and counting, and rewired how Washington works. Special guests at presidential speeches often sit above the chamber in the gallery. Will Musk, the world's richest person, be there or somewhere else? What does Trump say about Ukraine? It's been only a few days since the most dramatic encounter in the Oval Office in recent memory. Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to solidify a partnership involving critical minerals, only for a deal to fall apart after Trump and Vice President JD Vance laced into Zelenskyy over a perceived lack of respect. Now the future of U.S. support for Ukraine, which has been fending off a Russian invasion for three years, is increasingly in doubt. "You either make a deal or we are out," Trump told Zelenskyy. Will Russia try to press its advantage on the battlefield? Does Zelenskyy patch things up with Trump? Will fragile U.S. relationships with European allies deteriorate further? There are no clear answers right now. But Tuesday's speech will be a high-profile opportunity for Trump, a Republican, to explain his vision for the war and his approach to foreign policy. How do lawmakers behave? Presidential speeches to Congress have become rowdier affairs. Rep. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, famously shouted "You lie!" at President Barack Obama's address to Congress in 2009, and decorum hasn't improved much since then. President Joe Biden got into his own back-and-forth with Republicans, and Trump is known for deviating from his script with attempts to stir outrage among his opponents. How will Democrats respond? Sometimes their protests have been quiet, such as when women wore white, the color of the suffragette movement, to previous events. But at a time when Democratic voters have been eager for their representatives to be more aggressive, it's possible that they become more vocal. Reaction from Republicans is more predictable. Expect them to try to outdo one another with their embrace of the president. Does Trump spell out a legislative plan? Trump has demonstrated his desire to push the limits of presidential power during his second term in office, but there are some things that he still needs congressional help to accomplish. The president wants spending cuts, border security funding and tax cuts a politically sensitive combination at a time when Republicans have only slim majorities in the House and the Senate. The party will need almost complete unanimity to move forward. So far, Trump has followed his typical approach of playing one side off against the other, sometimes endorsing the House plan for one massive piece of legislation and sometimes supporting the Senate strategy of breaking the proposals into multiple bills. Don't expect a lot of details from the president that's not something that usually happens in speeches like this, regardless of who occupies the Oval Office. But Trump could reveal more about his goals or prod lawmakers to work faster. Given the power that Trump has over the party, any remark could reshape the debate. Which version of Trump shows up? The president is in his element when he's delivering freewheeling remarks, bouncing from topic to topic in what he likes to call "the weave." But that's not usually how these kinds of speeches go. They're often carefully scripted, the kind of monologue that Trump might label "BORING" in a post on Truth Social if he were watching it on television. How long will Trump stick to the teleprompter this time? And how much does he veer off track? A hint could be Trump's speech at the Republican National Convention last summer, when he accepted the party's presidential nomination. He started off subdued, even somber, as he shared the story of his assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. But the appeal for national unity eventually gave way to a flood of grievances more typical of Trump's stump speeches. Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet in Paris, France, Robert Badendieck in Istanbul, Turkey, Evelyn Musambi in Nairobi, Kenya, Thalia Beaty in New York and Edith Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. Almost all people react emotionally to tickling. However, they don't laugh when they tickle themselves. ADVERTISIMENT For most people, the reaction to tickling is typical - it's a pleasant feeling, but excessive nerve excitement and loss of control can cause irritation. Still, for some reason we can't feel the same way when we tickle ourselves, LiveScience writes. The answer to this question is that the brain already knows about the expected feeling of tickling and downplays its manifestations. "It's because the brain is always predicting into the future. Brains are not just reactive; they are trying to guess ahead at what's going to come next," said Stanford University neuroscientist David Eagleman. According to scientists, every time a person performs an action, the primary motor cortex, the part of your brain responsible for initiating the message, sends a copy of the command to many areas of the brain to prepare for the sensory information that is to come from the human action. ADVERTISIMENT For example, when a person wants to pick up a pencil, the brain sends a message to the hand and fingers. However, it doesn't just send messages to the muscles that will generate this movement, it also sends copies to the somatosensory cortex, the part of the brain that processes incoming sensory information, and to the visual cortex, which is responsible for processing vision. Konstantina Kilteni, a neuroscientist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, explains that the brain uses the signals it sends to the muscles to predict future action. Kilteni runs the Somatosensation & Gargalesis lab, which is called the Touch and Tickle Lab. Using brain imaging techniques such as fMRI and magnetoencephalography, she and her team are investigating whether the brain perceives a touch made by oneself differently than a touch of someone else. ADVERTISIMENT According to the neuroscientist, people constantly perceive the intensity of their own touch as weaker than external stimuli. And it's not just a perception. Neuroimaging confirms that the brain reacts less strongly to self-generated touch. Instead, people are more attentive to external stimuli that are perceived by all the senses, because understanding them can be crucial for survival, experts explain. That's why tickling oneself does not work. After all, the brain knows about our actions in advance and sends signals that nothing important or threatening is happening. However, if it's someone else, the sensation intensifies. The brain is not prepared and the tickle works. After all, tickling requires a surprise, scientists say. Still, there are some exceptions. For example, people with schizophrenia have difficulty recognizing what they initiated from what they didn't. They often fail to predict their movements and subsequent sensations, so tickling themselves surprises them. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Rio de Janeiro is not the only place where the atmosphere of an incredible carnival is in full swing. Trinidad and Tobago, a small island nation, annually organizes a large-scale celebration that is as big as the Brazilian one. ADVERTISIMENT This year's carnival took place from March 3 to 4, and was filled with music, dancing, and colorful parades. This holiday, known as the "mother of all carnivals," is a unique cultural phenomenon that combines African and Caribbean traditions. Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is distinguished by its musical part. Unlike the Brazilian carnival, which is dominated by samba, it features steel drums, calypso and soca music, a style that originated on these islands. The history of the carnival dates back to the time of slavery, when African slaves, deprived of the opportunity to participate in the celebrations of white planters, created their own traditions with dancing, drumming, and masquerades. ADVERTISIMENT A special event of the carnival is the Jouvert, which takes place on the morning of Carnival Monday. This is a symbolic reenactment of the burning of sugar cane fields, which was the beginning of the slave revolt. Festival participants reenact this historic event, creating a unique atmosphere. Trinidad and Tobago is not just about carnival. The island nation is famous for its white sand beaches with crystal clear water and abundant wildlife. Maracas and Pigeon Point beaches are considered to be among the best in the country. Nature lovers can visit the Acee Wright Nature Center and the Caroni Bird Sanctuary, home to hundreds of species of birds. ADVERTISIMENT For those looking for a unique experience, the island offers the Nylon Pool and Tobago's Buccoo Reef, shallow sandbanks in the middle of the ocean that are ideal for snorkeling. Pitch Lake in Trinidad, the world's largest natural asphalt deposit, is also worth a visit. And Argyle Falls in Tobago impresses with its beauty and lush tropical nature. Trinidad and Tobago is becoming an increasingly popular destination for tourists, thanks to its natural beauty and unique culture. The climate of Trinidad and Tobago is tropical, with relatively stable temperatures throughout the year. The dry season, which lasts from January to May, is considered the best time to visit, because during this period there is less rainfall and more sunny days. Subscribe to OBOZ.UA's Telegram and Viber channels to keep up with the latest developments. Writing the AI-wrongs in journalism The rise of AI in journalism signals the time for guidelines around disclosure, transparency and accountability. More than this, its time for journalism to do the work of rebuilding trust and restoring its value. I dont trust mainstream media anymore; I prefer to get my news from X. Its not as biased, says the woman at the lunch table. But youre just being fed posts from an algorithm, its an echo chamber, says her husband, seated next to her. Now hes going to say Im being brainwashed, she says, elbowing him with a chuckle. But Im not. You can follow anyone on X even Barack Obama. Her husband picks at his plate, silent. This actual exchange happened just after Trump won the American election in November 2024. This brief conversation sums up the very deep, troubled waters into which journalism has drifted. Relationship, reach, and ranting Lets unpack this. First, the audiences have crashed out of love with journalism, resulting in a massive trust deficit. Second, journalism is up against social medias astounding reach (with the backing of rich owners who are the Big Tech monopoly). Algorithms are insidiously powerful as they crush through users data, creating so-called personalised content thats pushed out relentlessly. This samey content sometimes outright disinformation and misinformation reinforces the users view. But it is curation that strips out context, nuance, opposing views and a broader range of sources. Third, because social medias influence fuels emotionally charged responses, it shapes peoples opinions in a way that makes less room to engage, challenge and debate. It leaves people feeling more angry, more disappointed, and further removed from those who dont share their views. Death of the newsroom This is the reality of the world in which journalism operates aggravated by disruptions within newsrooms themselves, many of which are now operating virtually or are depleted. They rely on freelance journalists who are underpaid and unprotected, or they use contributing writers who have primary paid jobs. These newsrooms also rely on articles produced by niche journalism outlets, most of which are donor-funded, disseminating news through a free-to-use content sharing model. Journalism digitally disrupted Dr Nechama Brodie, a Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Media Theory at the Wits Centre for Journalism and an author and researcher, worked as a journalist for 25 years. She sets out how digital disruption changed and continues to change journalism in South Africa. Going back at least 15 years, we saw the start of mainstream news organisations pushing to build more prominent websites and taking more of their content online. There was a lot of investing in digitisation from so-called digital consultants and gurus, who turned out not to be gurus hoping that digitisation would somehow bump up traffic and be a revenue boost. What media owners failed to do was invest in journalism, she explains. So, we've seen this erosion of journalism skills in favour of digitisation, but we've also seen losses of revenue amongst news media. Digitisation has not been all bad, making it even trickier with which to get to grips. For instance, Brodie points out, it has also had several amazing benefits. Its allowing for better desktop-based fact-checking, easier transcription, data sorting, better access to contacting a wider variety of people and different resources. But this has often come at the cost of the practise of journalism, which has been weakened. Brodie says that this is clear in the woefully thin coverage of news or big issues. Its made audiences feel that journalism has less impact, less relevance, and is simply out of touch. Brodie says, Diversity is also not happening news titles are concentrated within the same large media companies, many of community and regional newspapers are shrinking, or don't exist anymore. The whole idea of a robust journalism system is that we shouldn't only have one voice; there should be lots of different voices. Impact of ai on journalism Then theres the latest newsroom disrupter: how artificial intelligence is reshaping newsrooms and how journalists work. Brodie says that its important first to understand AI its strength and also its weaknesses. The biggest problem that we see right now is not so-called AI writing individual articles, but using these technologies to scrape and generate aggregated summaries. AI is not intelligent; its stochastic [having random probability] it's like a parrot thats able to repeat words without necessarily attributing meaning to those words. Something like ChatGPT is a large language model that is fed massive amounts of data in the form of other people's writing and can calculate the statistical probability of one word following another, or a group of words in context with each other. ChatGPT is a chatbot developed by Californian company OpenAI. The bots are trained, says Brodie fed data that is generated by humans and therefore have the same biases as we do. There are inherent features in the programming that create glitches. It means AI makes mistakes. For this article, questions were put to ChatGPT on how it gets things wrong. The generated responses were, AI tools still face significant challenges in fully preventing the spread of disinformation. Also, that it generates persuasive-sounding but false content making it difficult for users to distinguish truth from fiction. ChatGPT added that the global, interconnected nature of the internet means that misinformation can spread rapidly, and different cultural, legal, and societal norms make it hard to implement universal solutions. Brodie says that a start is to recognise these limitations of AI, then there must be a push for better guidelines for the use of AI in journalism that includes more transparency, disclosure, and tracking. Journalism is not about filling a page with words its about a thought process, about conceptualising something, also showing the original sources and referencing, she says. Whither AI and journalism? Brodie says that restoring trust in journalism comes down to doing the work to build credibility. Its important for journalism to show that it can take responsibility and accountability as it argues for its unique value to be recognised. Pheladi Sethusa, a Lecturer in the Wits Centre for Journalism and the Editor of Vuvuzela, the student newspaper, says, The recurring theme we hear is for honesty about where and how AI is being used. These are the right kinds of conversations taking place about creating working principles and frameworks when it comes to the use of AI in journalism, but its broad implementation is going to be the next hurdle to get over. Sethusa warns that using AI cannot be the easy temptation to subsidise our work just because journalism faces multiple constraints. Relying disproportionately on AI, she believes, exacerbates the crisis of reporting that is narrowly focused, un-nuanced and devoid of context and care. There are practical solutions though, she says. Along with industry guidelines for AI use, there should be drives to improve media literacy, starting at primary school level. Teaching children from early on what the news looks like; explaining the minutiae of how news works is critical, she says. Its the grounding that children need to recognise news versus messaging from advertisers, promotors, politicians or those with social media influence. Its education to understand bias, to verify sources, and to inculcate the practice of read-more-widely, she adds. But this is also not the moment to crumble under the multiple crises facing journalism and journalists, says Sethusa. This is the moment we get to decide how we want to reshape journalism; to redefine it. Its to go back to core principles; to lean back into our humanity as journalists, because the machine will never be able to relate to people in the ways that journalists can. Currently, Ukraine produces 40% of the weapons it needs, with Europe providing 30% and the United States another 30%. Therefore, the level of dependence on the United States has decreased compared to 2022, but we cannot get rid of it completely. ADVERTISIMENT While Europe is ready to do more for Ukraine, it still relies on the United States. It is difficult for European countries to catch up and do their best to provide for Kyiv themselves. This was stated by Oleksandr Kraev, an expert at the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism", in the OBOZ.Talk program. "That is, no matter what the Europeans in London offer - more weapons, peacekeepers, or a new security pact. Each time, these phrases ended with them saying that we still can't do it without the United States at this stage. Without the United States, we are not yet able to act independently, because these processes simply take time. During this certain time, the United States should give us the opportunity to carry out these reforms, changes, and so on, so that we do not fall victim to Russian aggression," he said. ADVERTISIMENT Three years after the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine, major European arms manufacturers and the entire European business community have prepared themselves for a militarized world, where armies will grow, security will be a more important topic, and politicians will be more pro-military. "Now European politicians will not be able to reverse this course, because it is no longer political will or courage that requires it, it is economic circumstances that require it. European business has begun to adapt to the new security realities," the expert said. According to him, now any politicians who want to maintain their popularity and be re-elected will have to support Ukraine and create a common European army, invest in defense, in particular in the defense industry, because it is, first of all, a very profitable business. As a reminder, French President Emmanuel Macron has called for significant investments in European defense. He said that military spending should be set at around 3.3.5% of GDP. The French leader intends to make this issue a key one at the extraordinary European summit scheduled for March 6. As reported by OBOZ.UA, former NATO Commander General Richard Shirreff said that even if Ukraine loses US support, the situation will not be hopeless for Kyiv due to the depletion of Russia's military potential. However, Europe should no longer count on the United States as an ally to resolve the war in Ukraine. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The White House's decision to suspend all U.S. aid to Ukraine was made without consulting its allies. Neither NATO members nor the countries that were part of the US-led Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine in the Ramstein format were informed of their intentions by the US government. ADVERTISIMENT This was stated by Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski. He called the situation "very serious." The diplomat's statement was quoted by TVN 24. The White House said that Trump had suspended all military aid to Ukraine to "ensure its contribution to the resolution of the conflict." A few hours earlier, in response to a direct question from journalists, Trump himself said that "he hasn't even talked about it yet" and suggested that "we'll see what happens" because, as he said, "a lot is happening." A representative of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pawel Wronski, called the Trump administration's decision "very significant" and the situation that followed it "very serious." He emphasized that Washington not only did not consult with its NATO and Ramstein allies on this decision, but also did not inform them of its intentions. ADVERTISIMENT "This was done without any information or consultations neither with NATO allies nor with the Ramstein group, which supports the warring Ukraine. The Council of Ministers (of Poland Ed.), which is currently meeting, will comment on this decision. The statement of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen indicates that this will also be a topic of discussion at the upcoming European Council," the representative of the Polish Foreign Ministry emphasized. Wronski added that the country's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski "is in constant consultations with our allies, not only European ones," citing the recent visit of the head of Polish diplomacy to Japan as an example. Earlier, the Trump administration's suspension of military aid to Ukraine was confirmed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Opening a meeting of the Polish government, he said that the suspension was confirmed by Polish border guards and employees of the country's logistics hub. Tusk also emphasized that there is no reason to doubt that Washington is working to lift sanctions against Russia. According to him, the Polish government should unite to quickly make "extraordinary decisions" required by the current situation. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The United States immediately began to estimate when exactly Ukraine would feel the impact of President Donald Trump's decision to suspend military aid. It is believed that without American equipment and weapons, the Ukrainian front will begin to "break down" in three to four months, unless Kyiv agrees to fulfill Washington's conditions for continuing peace talks. ADVERTISIMENT The article with the timeline appeared on CNN's website following the news of the American leader's decision. Like the previous time, analysts, among other things, refer to unnamed, "knowledgeable" officials from the White House. "It will take some time - perhaps a few days or weeks - for the effects of the US pause in military aid to be felt by Ukrainian fighters on the battlefield. But as soon as the country's current stockpile begins to run out, the effect will be serious," said one official. In his opinion, this will happen even if Ukraine's European partners rush to provide additional assistance. He is convinced that "there is a capacity gap" that Europe is currently "unable to fill on its own." ADVERTISIMENT Mark Kanchian, Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that Trump's move will be felt within two to four months, as the assistance of European countries so far has enabled the Ukrainian Armed Forces to "stay in the fight." He predicts that as soon as the "Ukrainian front begins to crumble," Kyiv will unfairly "have to make peace." "The impact will be great. I would call it devastating. When your stockpiles are halved, it eventually affects the front line. The front lines will continue to distort, and eventually they will collapse, and Ukraine will have to accept an unfavorable - even catastrophic - peace settlement," Kanchian said. At the same time, he added that the US administration has more forms of assistance to Ukraine that "can be suspended or canceled altogether," including intelligence sharing and training for the Ukrainian military. ADVERTISIMENT "There may be a way out of this, but it will be extremely humiliating for Volodymyr Zelenskyy," the American analyst said. As a reminder, Donald Trump ordered the suspension of military aid to Ukraine as a direct response to what he sees as Zelenskiy's "bad behavior" at a meeting at the White House last week. Officials from the US administration noted that the pause could be lifted if the Ukrainian leader demonstrates a "new commitment" to negotiations to end the war brokered by Trump. As reported by OBOZ.UA, former NATO commander General Sir Richard Shirreff said that Ukraine could do without US support: "the situation will not be hopeless" due to the depletion of Russia's military potential. However, he emphasized that Europe should no longer count on Washington as an ally to resolve the war in Ukraine. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! According to Armenian media, the draft law "On the beginning of the process of the Republic of Armenia's accession to the European Union" is not an application for EU membership. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Paruyr Hovhannisyan during the second reading of the draft at a meeting of the Commission on European Integration of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. "This law is not an application for membership in the European Union. This law corresponds to the direction of closer rapprochement with the EU," the deputy minister said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not see the context of geopolitical changes in this regard. Armen Gevorgyan, a member of the Armenia faction, expressed surprise: "It turns out that we are adopting a law, but we are not seeking membership. In that case, the question arises, why are we adopting this law?" "We are starting the membership process, but this does not mean applying for membership. I'm just talking about it," explained Paruyr Hovhannisyan. The Chairman of the commission, Arman Egoyan, explained that this is exactly what we are talking about. "Because when the process starts, at some stage it also means applying for membership. Not now, maybe in a year. But the law is specifically about membership, which must be preceded by a corresponding application," he said. The discussions dragged on, and the discussion of the issue was postponed from March 4 to March 25. As you can see, there is already friction in Armenia around the law on the beginning of EU accession. Previously, the draft had already been adopted in the first reading in early January. But a lot of things have changed in the world between the first and second readings. Membership in the European Union has lost its appeal in terms of joining a powerful team that provides peace and security. The processes that began on January 20 make the beautiful phrases contained in the preamble devoid of practical meaning. During the discussions in the first reading, the pompous preamble did not raise any questions. It should be recalled that the draft law adopted by the Armenian Parliament in the first reading, with reference to the "will of the people", announced the beginning of the process of the country's accession to the European Union. The authors of the project announced that the goal of the initiative is to "make Armenia a safe, secure, developed and prosperous country." Today it is already quite clear that membership in one structure or another is not capable of making any country really safe and prosperous. You can have the support of the entire EU and the West as a whole and still end up in a broken trough. Moreover, it is completely unfair to be there, if we talk about Ukraine. Armenia has nothing to count on at all. She just won't have anything to cover when the ge changes again tomorrow. The political winds from it will also require calculation. She simply has nothing for which the same States will bargain. It will simply be transferred from one pocket to another. Over the past month and a half, it has become more than clear that Armenia will not be accepted into the EU. Just as other people on the waiting list from the former Soviet Union will not be accepted. For this, a sanction from Moscow will now be necessary again. The latter, given the current situation, will soon regain "ownership" of Armenia. Times have changed, and it is more expensive to persistently pursue a policy of so-called European integration. Many in Armenia today recall the words of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, who compared the Armenian bill on joining the EU to buying a ticket to the Titanic. The sober Armenian experts knew how it would end without Overchuk. Armenia will never become a full member of the EU. But he will lose a lot from breaking with the EAEU. In short, its economy will collapse by 80 percent. However, these figures are not new to official Yerevan. In March last year, the European Parliament made a gift to Armenia by adopting a resolution proposing to consider the possibility of Armenia's membership in the European Union. In Yerevan, they pretended that they did not understand where everything was coming from, pretended that they did not see the real background of this curtsy. There, as always, they did not look a couple of steps ahead and trotted to a dead end. Which is exactly what they came up against this Monday. It is not serious to raise the issue of joining the European Union until the situation is clarified. Therefore, the issue has been postponed until the end of the month. During these three weeks, something may become clearer, and some trends will take clearer shape. And then it will become clear how important it is to keep or delete the preamble to the draft law, which enthusiastically describes Armenia's expectations from the EU. It is possible that it will be decided not to bother with the preamble, but to postpone the project indefinitely in its entirety, to hide it away until geopolitics makes a sharp turn again. Why does Armenia need the European Union at all? Beautiful words about prosperity, security and security are an empty phrase. For all this, the country must have the potential, political and economic resources. The question of whether Armenia has all this does not require an answer. Now Yerevan has one task - to make things worse. And to make things worse, the cautious Pashinyan will try not to rush into European integration, but will sit quietly and see if Europe can withstand the confrontation with Trump. If it holds up, you can come out of the trench, unfurl the blue-starred flag and say that you were just providing the rear. If the United States undermines the European Union, it would be better not to mention the bill with its approval in the first reading. And the main thing is to forget about it in Moscow. In any case, Armenia is not a country that is taken seriously, whether in Europe or the United States. They don't take it seriously in Russia either. The centers of power just need such partners, completely dependent, not self-sufficient, with a lot of problems, with shaky positions in their region. There is no doubt that the January vote in the Armenian parliament amused many in Brussels. Pashinyan really wants his country to be perceived as an equal, but for this it must learn independence and stop looking for support under someone's armpit. Real sovereignty is not a gift attached to the Declaration of Independence. It must be suffered and earned. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a plan to rearm the European Union and provide military assistance to Ukraine. According to her, EU members are ready to invest more in defense. ADVERTISIMENT Von der Leyen also assured that this plan will allow EU states to increase defense spending without excessive deficits. The President of the European Commission said this during a briefing on March 4. According to her, Europe is living in dangerous times and will face serious and devastating consequences if the threats come true. In this regard, the President of the European Commission is convinced that EU countries must take greater responsibility for their own security. Von der Leyen assured that Europe is ready to significantly increase its defense spending to respond to the short-term need to act and support Ukraine. She also emphasized that the challenge lies in the long-term commitment to take responsibility for security in Europe. The proposed plan envisages the allocation of funds to increase defense and assistance to Ukraine from the general budget and the EU and national budgets of individual states. ADVERTISIMENT The first point of the plan suggests that EU members allocate funding for defense at the national level. Von der Leyen assured that EU countries are ready to invest more in defense if they have the fiscal space. In this regard, the European Commission intends to propose the possibility of bypassing the Growth and Stability Pact, which will allow states to increase defense spending without triggering the excessive deficit procedure. According to her, this will free up to 650 billion euros over four years. The second point proposes to provide 150 billion euros in loans to member states for defense investments. These funds can be spent by EU countries on air defense systems, artillery systems, missiles and ammunition, drone and anti-drone systems, as well as joint procurement of equipment. In the Kherson region, Russian occupants refuse to follow orders to storm the islands along the Dnipro River. The Russians are afraid to attack, because previous groups of occupiers did not return from such operations and still remain in the waters of the Dnipro. ADVERTISIMENT The invaders also hope for an early truce and a cessation of hostilities. This was reported on Telegram by the military movement of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars "Atesh". According to the guerrillas, soldiers of the 24th and 26th motorized rifle regiments are massively sabotaging orders to assault. There are talks among the personnel about a possible freeze in hostilities, which further undermines the morale of the occupiers. Atesh noted that the occupiers understand that it is pointless to die for an attempt to seize a few square meters of someone else's land if they can wait for the fighting to stop. In addition, the boats used to send the attackers are in a deplorable state - many of them have repeatedly broken down due to sabotage. In this regard, the occupiers realize that the equipment is unreliable and are trying to avoid sending them to the islands. As a reminder, in the first three days of March, the pressure of Russian troops in the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops decreased slightly. Probably, the occupiers are recovering from their losses and preparing for the next steps. As OBOZ.UA previously wrote, in February 2025, a decrease in the number of Russian missile strikes on Ukraine was noted, both massive and single. In total, the occupation forces used 99 missiles of various types and purposes. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Severe weather threat for the Central and Southern US Tuesday. The strongest threat of severe storms are expected for the orange area above, where strong tornadoes, gusty winds and large hail are possible. Trucks wait to cross the United States border on the Peace Bridge, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. [AP Photo/Lauren Petracca] Speaking from the Oval Office Monday afternoon, US President Donald Trump vowed that his punitive tariffs against Canada and MexicoAmericas two largest trading partnerswill come into force as threatened Tuesday morning. All imports from Mexico are to be subject to a 25 percent tariff, as will all goods from Canada, except oil, natural gas, electricity and other forms of energy. These are to be subject to a lower but still hefty tariff of 10 percent. The tariffs, you know, theyre all set, announced Trump. Asked if there was still a possibility that their implementation could be delayed as a result of eleventh-hour negotiations, Trump was emphatic that the tariffs will proceed as planned: No room left for Mexico or Canada. They go into effect tomorrow. Trumps tariffs will roil the North American economy, with workers in all three countries bearing the brunt in the form of mass layoffs and punishing price hikes. Both Canada and Mexico have vowed to respond with tariffs of their own, raising the prospect of an escalating tit-for-tat trade war. Canada is Americas single largest export market, and Mexico is also a major US market, especially for agricultural products. The premier of Ontario, Canadas most populous and industrialized province, himself until recently a Trump enthusiast, threatened Tuesday to cut off electricity exports to the US, which would likely cause blackouts and brownouts in Michigan, Minnesota and New York. If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, exclaimed Doug Ford, I will do anything, including cutting off their energywith a smile on my face. They need to feel the pain. Even if Ford is only bluffing, it is difficult to exaggerate the disruptive impact of a North American trade war, above all, for working people. Trump and his acolytes have lied relentlessly about the way tariffs work, so as to claim that their cost will be borne by foreign exporters. In fact, it is the US-based importing company that will face a 25 percent tax on the cost of the Canadian or Mexican goods that they are purchasing. To maintain their profit margins, the importer will respond by either passing on the 25 percent charge to the consumer or by canceling the order altogether. The tariffs adverse impact will be magnified due to the highly integrated character of North American production, with many industries dependent on continental production chains. This is especially true in the auto industry, where a car or truck component may traverse the Canada-US or Mexico-US border multiple timeswith each crossing making it subject to a 25 percent tariff chargebefore it is finally assembled into a finished vehicle in any one of the three countries. Representatives of Canadian auto and auto parts manufacturers have warned that much of the industry could shut down in a matter of days following the imposition of 25 percent tariffs, and there have been similar warnings from Mexico. The disruption of production chains will also rapidly lead to production cuts and layoffs in the US, and, if the tariffs are maintained for any substantial period, they will lead to vehicle price increases measured in the thousands of dollars. Speaking last month about Trumps tariff threats, Ford CEO Jim Farley complained, What were seeing is a lot of cost and a lot of chaos. The tariffs also threaten to fuel gasoline price hikes that could ripple throughout the US economy. This is because crude oil imports from Canada, which as of Tuesday are to be subject to a 10 percent tariff or tax, account for more than 20 percent of US daily oil consumption. Trump has sought to legally justify his imposition of tariffs on Americas ostensible US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) partners on national security groundsspecifically, the claim that the US is being invaded by migrants and fentanyl from Canada and Mexico. This is a reactionary subterfuge. In recent weeks both Ottawa and Mexico City have surged security forces to their respective borders with the US, lending material support and political legitimacy to the Trump administrations vile anti-immigrant witch hunt. But all to no avail. Opening salvo in a global trade war Trumps effective abrogation of the USMCA, an agreement he himself negotiated during his first term, is only the opening salvo in a global trade war, whose principal targets are China and the European Union (EU). Moreover, this trade war is itself just one front in a US-led scramble of all the imperialist powers to seize control of markets, natural resources, production networks and strategic territories through commercial struggle, state coercion and war. Also Tuesday, Washington will begin levying a further 10 percent tariff on all imports from China, the worlds second largest economy, and from the standpoint of the strategists of American imperialism its biggest threat. This is in addition to the 10 percent tariff Trump imposed on Chinese goods as of February 4 and the vast array of tariffs on Chinese imports and embargos on the export to China of US high-tech products that were imposed during the Biden and first Trump administrations. Trump and his aides have announced plans for a barrage of further tariffs targeting the entire world in the coming weeks. These include: 25 percent tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum effective March 12; a 25 percent tariff on imports from the EU; and 25 percent tariffs on automobiles and pharmaceuticals. Washington has also announced that it will soon impose reciprocal tariffs against any country that pursues domestic policies, including tax regimes and state-owned companies, deemed inimical to US corporate interests. The European Union has pledged to respond in kind to any trade actions that Washington takes against it, even as it has announced plans to massively rearm so that it can pursue its own predatory imperialist aims, including in the war against Russia, independently of, and if need be, in opposition to the US. A key aim of Trumps America First trade war is to reshore production chains and rebuild US imperialisms military-industrial production. As in the 1930s, trade war threatens to become the antechamber to imperialist world war. Trumps drive to establish US imperialist control over its near-abroad Far from indicating strength, Trumps actions are a desperate attempt through a shock and awe blitzkrieg of social counterrevolution at home and imperialist aggression abroad to reverse the accelerating decline of American capitalisms global power. A key element in this is establishing unbridled US imperialist dominance in Americas near-abroad so as to prepare for war with China. Trump is seeking to exploit the vulnerability of Americas neighbours, both of whom send some 80 percent of their total exports to the US, to extort an expansive and as of yet not fully revealed list of concessions in respect to investment, access to energy and critical minerals, foreign policy and, in Canadas case, military spending. This includes potentially coercing Canada into an economic union with the US and ultimately transforming it into Americas 51st state. Speaking in confidence last month to a corporatist summit of business and trade union leaders, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau said that Trumps threat to use economic force to annex Canada was a real thing, adding that the US president believes the cheapest way to secure Canadas hoard of critical minerals is to swallow it. Canadian imperialism has long prided itself on being Washingtons closest ally and is itself a protagonist in the inter-imperialist struggle to re-divide the world. As such, it has played an important role in instigating and prosecuting NATOs war on Russia and integrated itself ever more fully into Washingtons economic and military-strategic offensive against China. But now to its dismay, the predator finds itself prey, with Trump declaring his ambition to annex Canada, alongside his threats to use military force to seize Greenland and take back the Panama Canal. For class struggle, not tariff war Workers in the US, Canada and Mexico must emphatically oppose all attempts to corral them behind their respective ruling classes and governments in the developing trade war. Even as the Canadian ruling class declaims against Trump, it is pledging to strengthen the reactionary Canada-US military-security alliance and bear more of the burden in the drive to secure American imperialist global hegemony. Thus the very same Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who is threatening to plunge working class neighbourhoods in Detroit into darkness, has been calling for a Fortress Am-Can to confront the real enemy, China. Moreover, behind the incessant calls for national unity and Canadian flag-waving, the ruling class is rushing to embrace Trumps social policy, demanding massive corporate tax cuts, the gutting of environmental regulations, and the evisceration of public services, as well as hikes in military spending. The reality is workers in Canada can only oppose Trump and all he representsoligarchy, dictatorship and the destruction of working peoples social and democratic rightsby intensifying the class struggle and uniting with their class brothers and sisters in the United States and Mexico. The biggest obstacle to forging the fighting unity of the working class is the nationalist, pro-capitalist trade union bureaucracies. The unions in Canada and the US have rallied behind their respective ruling classes. United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain responded to Trumps original executive order imposing the 25 percent tariffs by declaring, The UAW supports aggressive tariff action to protect American manufacturing jobs as a good first step to undoing decades of anti-worker trade policy. Canadas union leaders are leading the push for harsh retaliatory measures that will punish American workers. The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) leaders who systematically sabotage workers struggles and police strikebreaking laws and orders, like those used against the Canada Post workers last December, are suddenly ever so militant when the interests of Canadian imperialism are at stake. Cut off U.S. energy and resources now: No energy, no critical minerals, no oil and gas, thundered a recent CLC statement. As the World Socialist Web Site explained in a perspective last month, workers must have none of this: They should dismiss with contempt the rival phony claims of Trump and Trudeau that they are fighting for American and Canadian jobs and declare with one voice, This is not our war, and we will not be made to pay for it. They must join forces in a united movement of the North American working class, through the development of rank-and-file committees, independent of the trade union apparatus, as part of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). These committees will organize opposition to the demands of the ruling class for sacrifices in the form of mass job cuts, concessions and the evisceration of public services and social programs. Opposition to trade war and its ruinous impacts on the working class must be infused with a socialist internationalist program, key tenets of which are opposition to imperialist war and anti-immigrant chauvinism. As they build new rank-and-file organizations of genuine class struggle and fight to unite their struggles into a continent-wide mass movement for workers power and a Socialist North America, workers in the US, Canada and Mexico must reach out to their class brothers and sisters in China, Europe and beyond. More than ever: the watchword of the working class must be Workers of the world, unite! Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), made a statement last Thursday through a visiting delegation of the Peoples Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). Calling on the PKK, which has been engaged in an intermittent civil war with the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) since 1984, to lay down its arms and dissolve, Ocalan proposed integration with the state by declaring his party historically and politically bankrupt. The DEM Party delegation meeting with PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan makes a statement. February 27, 2025 [Photo: DEMGenelMerkezi/X] The PKK leadership, based in the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq, has welcomed the call and declared a ceasefire. We agree with the content of the call as it is, and we say that we will follow and implement it from our own side, the PKK Executive Committee said in a statement Saturday. The PKK wrote, It is clear that a new historical process has begun in Kurdistan and the Middle East with this [Ocalans] call. This will also have a great impact on the development of free life and democratic governance worldwide. The PKK leadership stated that a suitable democratic political and legal foundation must also be established for the success of the call, and suggested that Ocalan himself should lead the congress. This would require Ocalan to attend the congress from the prison on Imral Island, where he has been held since 1999, or to be released. As of yesterday, we have entered a new phase. We have the opportunity to take an important step towards the goal of demolishing the wall of terrorism that has been built between our millennia-old brotherhood, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on February 28, claiming, When the pressure of weapons and terrorism is removed, the democratic space of politics will naturally expand further. This statement comes amid an intense wave of repression and arrests targeting broad swathes of political and social opposition, under conditions where the PKK has largely ceased its activities in the country for a long time. The abolition of remaining democratic rights in Turkey is not based on the pressure of arms and terror, but mainly on the deepening war in the Middle East and the growing class tensions at home. Erdogan threatened that if the PKK fails to fulfil its promises, We will continue our ongoing operations, if necessary, leveling with the ground and leaving no head upon shoulder. After previous negotiations collapsed in 2015 over fears of a Kurdish state in Syria and Turkey, the civil war inside the country escalated bloodily and the Turkish army launched several military operations against Kurdish militias in Syria. Turkey now controls many areas of north-western Syria, while the north-east of the country is controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and US forces. Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the fascist ally of Erdogans Justice and Development Party, welcomed Ocalans call, saying that in the chaotic environment the world is in, a historic opportunity for Turkey has been opened. Bahceli said the call was valuable from the beginning to the end and that the PKKs statement was supportive and complementary to it. The Erdogan governments negotiation process with Ocalan and the PKK began in October with Bahcelis own call. Selahattin Demirtas, the imprisoned former co-chairman of the Peoples Democracy Party (HDP), the predecessor of the DEM Party, wrote an article praising the role of Erdogan, Bahceli and Ocalan in the process, saying, May God grant them all a long and healthy life, but I will do my best to ensure the success of these three leaders who have taken the initiative for peace in the Middle East and for the historic Kurdish-Turkish peace at the last stage of their lives. Demirtas, whose immunity was lifted with the support of the Republican Peoples Party (CHP), has been unlawfully imprisoned since November 2016. Srr Sureyya Onder, a DEM Party deputy and member of the delegation that met with Ocalan, joined the chorus of praise for Bahceli, the leader of a party with a history of massacring working-class militants, leftists and minority Alevis, and of supporting the oppression of the Kurdish people. Mr. Devlet [Bahceli] is one of the most elegant people I have seen in my political life in terms of one-to-one human relations, said Onder in a Haberturk live broadcast on Monday. Workers will not oppose the end of an armed conflict which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Kurdish and Turkish youth since 1984 and has been exploited to divide the working class. But the glorification of the reactionary representatives of the Turkish bourgeoisie must be rejected. These political leaderships are organically incapable of building a democratic regime because of their bourgeois class nature, tied to imperialism and hostile to the working class. Throughout the history of the Republic, the Erdogan government has continued the state policy of suppressing the democratic demands of the Kurdish people. Even during the negotiations with Ocalan, the governments repression against Kurdish politicians and people has escalated. Since last years local elections, 12 mayors from the DEM Party--elected by hundreds of thousands of Kurdish voters--have been dismissed, hundreds of Kurdish politicians arrested, and the legal political organisation the Peoples Democratic Congress (HDK) criminalised as an extension of a terrorist organisation. The governments wave of repression and arrests is not only directed against the Kurdish political movement, but against all political opposition, and is mainly aimed at suppressing a mass movement of the working class. In the last months, there have been operations against CHP municipalities, the leadership of the Istanbul Bar Association has been charged with terrorism, opposition journalists, trade union leaders and left-wing party members have been arrested or are under investigation and strikes and demonstrations have been banned. These steps are taken under an authoritarian presidential regime, built with the support of the bourgeois opposition parties in one way or another. The US and European powers welcome the negotiations between Ankara and Ocalan/the PKK because they further their predatory aims in the Middle East. They believe that an agreement between their ally Ankara and the Kurdish nationalist movement will serve their aggressive plans, especially against Iran and its allies. On Sunday, the pro- Erdogan government daily Turkiye Gazetesi accused Iran of planning to undermine the negotiations in a report citing AKP and senior security sources. Without proof, the newspaper wrote, Iran knows that if the PKK disintegrates, it will have no more organisations to use in the region. For this reason, Iran may want to undermine the process in the coming period by using the leaders of the organisation close to it. The marginal left wing within the DEM [party] will oppose it because it does not suit their calculations... There may be those who want to infect the process. Marxist remnants inside could infect it, the paper added. This comment comes in the wake of the arrest of 30 people from parties, which are members of the HDK, in the midst of an investigation into the HDK involving thousands of people. One of the critical points in the debate on the PKKs laying down its arms and dissolving itself was whether Ocalans call included its sister organisations in other countries, in particular the YPG (Peoples Defence Units) in Syria. Ankara advocates that the YPG should dissolve itself and be subordinated to the new Damascus regime. The terrorist organisation PKK, PYD, YPG, SDF, by whatever name, with all its extensions in Iraq and Syria, must lay down arms and dissolve itself, AKP spokesman Omer Celik said. Last month, it was announced that during talks with the HTS in Syria, an agreement was reached on the integration of the SDF and its autonomous administration into the Damascus regime. According to SDF representative Abu Omar Al-Idlibi, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, the SDF would be integrated into Syrias Ministry of Defence as a single unit, potentially within a corps or as part of the ministrys eastern command. Meanwhile, tensions continue to rise between Israel and Turkey, which has expanded its occupation of Syria following the regime change in Damascus and declared the Kurds a natural ally. The bitter experiences of the past century have proved that a progressive solution to the Kurdish question, which is intertwined with a deepening imperialist war in the Middle East and involves four countries in the region, cannot be found within the capitalist nation-state system. Such a solution can only be achieved by the working class in an independent and international struggle in uncompromising opposition to imperialism for a Middle Eastern Socialist Federation. Addressing the Sri Lankan parliament on Friday, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake warned that his Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna/National Peoples Power (JVP/NPP) government will stop any attempt to topple it. The remarks were made during an almost hour-long speech in a parliamentary committee debate on the 2025 budget. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake meets with senior army officials on February 25, 2025 [Photo: Presidents Media Department] Dissanayake referred to previous methods of changing the government in response to an economic or internal crisis and the collapse of national security such as in the recent past, when the masses came into the streets. No opposition, he said, would get any such opportunity in the future and would not be able to topple this government. Although Dissanayake appeared to be replying to the opposition parties, the real target of his remarks was the working class and the rural poor and its rising anger over his governments broken promises and attacks on social conditions. His reference to the recent past, was to the AprilJuly 2022 mass uprising and national strikes that brought down President Gotabhaya Rajapakse and his government. Dissanayakes JVP/NPP, along with all the other opposition partiesSamagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the then ruling party Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP), United National Party and the Tamil partieswere hostile to and fearful of the mass uprising. Addressing parliament on April 7, 2022, Dissanayake warned that the mass protests and strikes were pushing the country towards anarchy and called on the opposition and the ruling SLPP to introduce policies to suppress the nationwide movement. For four months the JVP/NPP, in coordination with the SJB, the trade union bureaucracies and the fake-left Frontline Socialist Party, played a leading role in derailing the anti-government uprising. Dissanayakes real fear is the working class. He came to power last year following strikes and protests in 2023 against President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who replaced Rajapakse. Disenchanted with Dissanayakes ruthless implementation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) demands, the working class is now starting to come into conflict with the new regime. The Government Medical Officers Association has threatened to strike tomorrow in opposition to cuts in allowances in the 2025 budget with other health workers planning national demonstrations in March over the same issue. Other public sector workers, including development officers and educators, have denounced the budgets small pay rise, an increase formulated according to IMF demands that fails to match the rising cost of living. Dissanayake began his speech by jubilantly declaring that the IMF will come up with very good news soona reference to the likely release of the $US334 million fourth instalment of the $3 billion bailout loan. Announcing the instalment, the IMF praised Colombo for following its demands. IMF deputy managing director Kenji Okamura warned, however, that the Sri Lankan economy is still vulnerable [and] there is no room for policy errors, meaning its austerity measures must be fully imposed. These include the restructuring and privatisation of state-owned enterprises, the axing of hundreds of thousands of jobs, increased taxes on essential goods and services, cuts in government funding for subsidies, and a miniscule pay rise. Dissanayakes speech was in response to claims by opposition MPs that the country faced national security threats, following the shooting death on February 19 of an underworld gangster by another gang leader during courtroom proceedings. NPP government ministers and MPs assured parliament that national security had not collapsed, and that the government was strengthening the state. Agitation on national security is always used by the ruling class to build up the state apparatus against working people. The issue also provided a diversion for the opposition and the government to cover up the real social issues faced by millions of working people and the oppressedunemployment, poverty, and the high cost of livingwhich have drastically worsened. A large portion of Dissanayakes speech involved allegations that some sections of society were working to destabilise the country. He claimed to have recent information that five criminal gangs were believed to be operating from one centre and trying to destabilise the government. The government will probe and reveal the truth, he declared, and would take all the necessary measures to defeat and eliminate the underworld gangs. Such measures will be the pretext for boosting security forces and the police and directed against workers and the rural poor. Dissanayake said the budget allocated 1,000 million rupees ($US3.3 million) for police stations and the recruitment of 10,000 new personnel. Army, air force and navy soldiers and the police will also be given more sophisticated and up-to-date weapons, technology and training. The parliament was also told that the budget includes a substantial salary hikeranging from 27 to 33 percentfor military personnel. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala also revealed that the basic monthly salary of a police constable will increase from 29,540 to 44,293 rupees this year, with additional raises planned for 2026 and 2027. Further salary increments will be paid to the inspector general of police and other higher-ranking officials. These increases are in complete contrast to the meagre pay rises for state employees. The lowest grade will only be receiving a net monthly increase of 8,250 rupees in three yearly instalments, with slightly more for higher grades. Dissanayake told parliament that his government would replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act with a powerful anti-terrorist and anti-extremist law. A new legal framework and the bolstering of the police and armed forces was necessary, he said, to address organised crime and deal with racist and extremist tendencies. His government, Dissanayake cynically declared, would not allow racism and extremism to take root. All this is from a leader of the JVP, a reactionary political formation that embraced petty bourgeois guerillaism and Sinhala patriotism from its inception, supported the brutal 26-year communal war by successive governments against the Tamil minority, and has vowed to protect the Sinhala language and ensure Buddhism remains enshrined in the countrys constitution. Dissanayakes speech implied that the JVP/NPP had won a mandate in the presidential and general elections to do as it wished. We did not come to parliament through conspiracy, he declared, implying that any opposition to its IMF-dictated austerity program was anti-democratic. Like his predecessors, Dissanayakes will leverage the powers of the executive presidency and all the existing anti-democratic laws against any insurgent movement of the working class. While the SJB and other opposition formations make occasional criticisms of the IMF-dictated measures, this is to politically derail the masses. Notorious for scuttling workers struggles, the trade union bureaucracies are once again calling for protests and promoting false illusions that the government can be pressured to grant concessions. The working class and rural masses must reject these lies, organise independently through the formation of their own action committees and develop a coordinated struggle against the governments social attacks. This must be connected to the holding of a Democratic and Socialist Congress with democratically-elected delegates from these action committees and aligned with the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees to fight for a workers and peasants government to implement socialist policies. The victories at Sundays Academy Awards of the pro-Palestinian No Other Land as best documentary and Brazils Im Still Herewhich exposes the crimes of the US-backed military dictatorship in that country in the 1970sas best international feature film are historically and politically significant. The results of the vote by nearly 10,000 Academy members unquestionably reveals a molecular process of radicalization taking place in the US and globally. Tellingly, polls indicated that the greatest interest in the upcoming Academy Awards was among 18-to-29-year-olds. Basel Adra, left, and Yuval Abraham accept the award for best documentary feature film for "No Other Land" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. [AP Photo/Chris Pizzello] In regard to No Other Land, the genocide in Gaza and the current brutal, illegal expulsion of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank have evoked great horror and anger. The homicidal attack on an entire population, subjected to unending violence and humiliation, by one of the most well-equipped military machines on the planet, is galvanizing wide layers of people. That sentiment is not dying down, and it will not die down, despite the best lying efforts of the propagandists of every Western power. Who can believe in a ceasefire and a peace agreed to by butchers? In their acceptance speeches, viewed by tens of millions around the world, two of No Other Lands co-directors, Palestinian Basel Adra and Israeli Yuval Abraham, decried the decades of injustice and the ongoing ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians, as well as the destruction of Gaza and the actions by the US government to block peace and uphold ethnic supremacy. The triumph of Im Still Here at the Oscars last night will only encourage interest and enthusiasm for the film in Brazil itself, and beyond. Director Walter Salles work tells the story of the disappearance of Rubens Paiva, a Brazilian Labor Party politician murdered by the military junta in the early 1970s, and the subsequent fight for justice led by his wife, Eunice Paiva (played by Fernanda Torres, nominated for best lead actress). As the WSWS has pointed out, more than 5 million Brazilians have gone to the cinemas to see the film, which is already the fifth highest-grossing in the countrys history. Headlines noted that Brazilians cheered when news of the award was announced. The Associated Press reported that in Rio de Janeiro, where Carnival parades are underway, the announcer shared the results with the tens of thousands of spectators in the crowd, eliciting shouts of joy. In his remarks in Los Angeles Sunday, Salles dedicated his prize to Eunice Paiva, a woman who after a loss suffered during an authoritarian regime decided not to bend, and [to] resist. Im Still Here The success of No Other Land, which documents the criminality of Zionist ethnic cleansing operations in the West Bank aimed at terrorizing or driving out the local Palestinian population, has a particular weight given the hostility directed toward the film by official political and cultural circles in Europe and the US. After the documentary was honored at last years Berlin international film festival, the action came under immediate attack by the German media and politicians of various parties as shameful and antisemitic, in spite of the fact the filmmaking team is composed of two Palestinians and two Israeli Jews. In the US, the campaign against No Other Land has taken the form of a conspiracy of silence to prevent it from being shown. Distributors and pro-Zionist elements in the film world decided it was too dangerous to allow the American population to view the cruelty and barbarism of Israeli settlers and soldiers. The film, despite the Oscar nomination and now, victory, still does not have a distributor, an unprecedented situation. No Other Land, as the WSWS commented last year, directed by the Palestinian-Israeli collective of Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, recounts the brutal expulsion of Palestinian villagers from Masafer Yatta, a settlement of 19 villages south of Hebron in the West Bank. The filmmakers, as we explained, are compelled to protect themselves from the aggressive actions of the Israeli army and the fascistic settler militias allied with it. Friends and relatives help repeatedly to hide them and their footage. Anyone opposing the evictions is mercilessly attacked. The Zionist crimes in the area continue. As CNN reported Monday, Hours before the films Oscar win, residents of the West Bank area depicted in the documentary were attacked by Israeli settlers who were accompanied by Israeli forces. Israeli soldiers detained three people in the area and settlers attacked residents of the village of Khirbet Asfi, in Masafer Yatta, throwing stones, destroying solar panels and damaging water tanks. So do the efforts persist to suppress criticism of the murderous Israeli policies and the Netanyahu regimes US and European financiers, arms suppliers and accomplices. The expulsion of students from Columbias Barnard College for protesting genocide, the firing of the Palm Beach Posts editorial page editor over a cartoon alluding to the mass deaths in Gaza and the Trump administrations efforts to deport critics of Israel are only a few of the latest incidents. No Other Land In Basel Adras speech Sunday night at the Oscars, which was greeted with loud applause, he observed that two months ago, I became a father. And my hope to my daughter, that she will not have to live the same life I am living now, always fearingalwaysalways fearing settlers violence, home demolitions and forceful displacements that my community, Masafer Yatta, is living and facing every day under the Israeli occupation. Yuval Abraham added When I look at Basel, I see my brother. But we are unequal. We live in a regime where I am free under civilian law and Basel is under military laws that destroy his life and he cannot control. The honoring of No Other Land was rightly seen by the Zionist regime and its supporters as a slap in the face. Israels extreme right Minister of Culture Miki Zohar called the Academys action a sad moment for the world of cinema. Zohar asserted that instead of presenting the complexity of Israeli reality, the filmmakers chose to amplify narratives that distort Israels image vis-a-vis international audiences. Freedom of expression is an important value, but turning the defamation of Israel into a tool for international promotion is not artit is sabotage against the State of Israel. As part of his defense of freedom of expression, Zohar helped institute a policy in 2023 that withholds funding from filmmakers who dare criticize the Zionist state. US pro-Zionists could not hold back their knee-jerk reactionary idiocy. Former Ronald Reagan speechwriter and George H.W. Bush administration official John Podhoretz commented, Congratulations to HAMAS for its Oscar win. Now lets see them destroyed. Of course, far from making any concessions to antisemitism, Academy voters also bestowed on Adrien Brody one of the bodys top awards, best actor in a leading role, for his performance in The Brutalist, a confused film, but one in which Brody plays a Hungarian-Jewish architect, a tormented victim of a Nazi concentration camp and, ironically, an eventual emigre to Israel. Anora Anora, the Sean Baker-directed film, about a Russian-American sex worker from Brooklyn who comes up against the family of a Russian oligarch, won an armful of awards, including a record-tying four for Baker himself. The film is not the strongest effort by the director of the considerably more moving The Florida Project, but it has an anti-establishment edge and the final, mutual commiseration of the two characters lowest on the social totem pole no doubt resonates with audiences. Inevitably, the Academy Awards ceremony exhibited the contradictions and peculiarities of the social layers that participate in and sustain it. There was more than enough self-congratulation and senseless glamor to go around, with the unavoidable doses of racial and gender obsession (the first Dominican-American to win an Oscar, the first black man to win best costume design, etc.). Sophomoric awards host Conan OBrien made his one foray into political commentary by quipping pointedly that Anora is having a good night ... Thats great news ... I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian. Veteran actress Daryl Hannah, not heard from for years and on hand to present the award for best editing, proclaimed, Slava Ukraini! [Glory to Ukraine!]. Given the longtime dominance of the Democratic Party and identity politics in Hollywood, the victory of No Other Land is all the more significant. The actual voting took place before Trump moved back into the White House, albeit the general character of his new administration was already apparent, so the award was a deliberate repudiation of the Biden-Blinken policy of arming and encouraging the Israeli mass killers. Events are cutting their way through to the consciousness of the more critical artists, as they are to advanced sections of the working class and young people in every corner of the globe. Elevenlabs AudioNative Player Senator Bernie Sanders. February 27, 2025' [Photo: @SenSanders] Six weeks into the Trump administration, there is mounting opposition among workers and young people. Trump is moving to establish a presidential dictatorship, escalate attacks on the working class and carry out mass deportations of immigrants. The frontal assault on federal workers is producing growing outrage, and the broader attack on social programs, including plans to gut Medicaid, will affect millions. Throughout this escalating crisis, the Democratic Party has been a portrait of impotence and complicity. It has accepted Trumps attacks without any opposition, offering at most gestures and empty statements. Trumps cabinet of reactionaries and fascists has sailed through Congress. Following Bidens pledge to facilitate a smooth transition, the Democrats have enabled Trumps policies, including their vote to pass the anti-immigrant Laken Riley Act. Now, suddenly, the Democrats have found their voiceon the question of war. Following Trumps recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Democrats have launched an all-out campaign, denouncing Trump as an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and accusing him of undermining US national security. The political dynamic behind this shift is clear: There exist two fundamentally different forms of opposition to the Trump administration. There is the growing opposition of the working class to his attacks on bedrock social programs, his destruction of democratic rights, his persecution of immigrants and his support for the Gaza genocide. And there is the opposition of significant sections of the ruling class, which is opposed to Trumps foreign policy shifts, particularly on Ukraine. The Democratic Party speaks for the opposition of sections of the ruling class. It supports Trump and the Republicans reactionary social policies. Its aim is to channel popular anger into support for its own reactionary agendamaking opposition to Trump synonymous with support for war. This is a continuation, at a more advanced stage, of the strategy the Democrats pursued during the first Trump administration. This strategy is evident in the Democrats plan to respond to Trumps address to Congress which will be delivered Tuesday evening. The featured speaker will be Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA operative who helped oversee US military operations in Iraq before joining the Pentagon. Slotkin, a leading advocate of war against Russia, has denounced Trump over Ukraine, declaring, Ronald Reagan must be rolling over in his grave. The basic line has been repeated by every Democrat. According to Axios, Democrats are preparing a Ukraine ambush against Trump nominees at Senate confirmation hearings Tuesday. The relationship with NATO, the relationship with Ukraine, the president buddying up to dictator Putin... all of these are big problems, declared Democratic Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley in advance of the hearings. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, backed by the Democratic Socialists of America and other pseudo-left organizations, plays a particularly insidious role in the pro-war campaign. He is set to deliver a live-streamed response to Trumps remarks on Tuesday night, tasked with giving the Democratic Partys militarist agenda a populist veneer. His role is to corral working class opposition to Trump behind the faction of the ruling class that demands an escalation of war. In remarks on Meet the Press Sunday, Sanders declared that our job is to defend the 250-year tradition that we have of being the democratic leader of the world by continuing the war against Russia. This is a disgusting effort to use the great democratic traditions of the American Revolution, which defeated the British monarchy, and the Civil War, which overthrew slavery, to disguise the present-day role of American imperialism, the most reactionary force on the planet. Since emerging from World War II as the dominant capitalist power, the United States has propped up dictators, overthrown governments and waged wars to maintain the rule of a parasitic financial oligarchy. Sanders, while railing demagogically against the billionaires at home, has unshakeably backed the Democratic Party and its wars abroad. Sanders followed this up with a three-page statement published Monday under the headline, Meet Donald Trumps New Best Friend, Vladimir Putin. The statement strikes a McCarthyite tone, denouncing Putin as a former Soviet spy who spent 16 years in the KGB, then outlining his record as a representative of the Russian oligarchy. There is no question that Putin is a reactionary representative of the Russian capitalist class, which arose out of the liquidation of the Soviet Union by the Stalinist bureaucracy. But his crimes against the working class, at home and on Russias periphery, are dwarfed by the crimes committed by American imperialism during the same period. Sanders has conducted his entire political career apologizing for and facilitating these crimes. He either supported wars initiated by Democratic administrations (in the former Yugoslavia, Libya and Ukraine) or voted to fund wars launched by Republican administrations and continued by the Democrats (Iraq and Afghanistan). The primary concern of the Democratic Party is to stifle the development of left-wing, socialist opposition to Trump by subordinating it to demands for escalation of war against Russia. Had they won the election, the Democrats would have continued and deepened Bidens reactionary policieswar abroad, austerity at home and attacks on democratic rightswhile working to suppress any movement of the working class. Any association with the Democratic Party is politically fatal for a genuine movement in opposition to Trumps fascist policies. Its attempt to make opposition to Trump synonymous with war against Russia plays directly into his hands. The war is deeply unpopular among broad sections of workers and youth, and Trump, while fully committed to the interests of American imperialism and the financial oligarchy, cynically exploits this opposition for his own reactionary ends. The growth of social opposition among workers and youth to the Trump administration must not be tied to the utterly reactionary policies of the Democratic Party, which speaks for the intelligence agencies, the Pentagon and Wall Street. The attempt to use opposition to Trump to strengthen the war drive against Russia must be rejected. The fight against dictatorship must be connected to the struggle against militarism and war, which ultimately means a struggle against capitalism itself. A "coalition of the willing" has emerged among NATO countries to send their troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers after the war with Russia ends. This initiative was led by the United Kingdom and France, as stated by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the EU leaders' summit on Ukraine. However, he did not mention which other countries would like to join the peacekeeping mission. ADVERTISIMENT According to Sky News, the countries that join this initiative will be able to send their soldiers to act as peacekeepers in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. As military analyst Michael Clark explained to journalists, it should be a separate group of states. If they do not act under the umbrella of NATO or the EU, Slovakia and Hungary cannot veto their decisions. According to Clarke, the group will definitely include France and Britain, as they were the initiators. In addition, he believes that Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, as well as Finland, may join, as all four countries are members of NATO and share borders with Russia. The military analyst does not rule out that Italy and Canada will also join the "coalition of the willing." The publication noted that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his country is "exploring ways in which it can best assist" Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT However, according to Clark, Poland, Spain and Germany are not going to send their troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping mission. Poland has a long border with Ukraine and Belarus, so it is primarily concerned about its own security. In addition, Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed last month that Warsaw has no plans to send its soldiers to Ukraine. Spain is also unlikely to join the "coalition of the willing," as Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said last month that "it is too early to talk about sending troops to Ukraine." As for Germany, the situation is still in doubt. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has previously rejected the possibility of sending German troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers, and his future successor, Friedrich Merz, has not yet expressed his position on this initiative. As reported by OBOZ.UA, the day before, Keir Starmer said that at the summit in London on March 2, "a number of countries" expressed a desire to be part of the plan to ensure peace in Ukraine. Britain, France and other countries want to prepare a plan to stop the fighting in Ukraine and present it to the United States. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Donald Trump claps as fascist billionaire Elon Musk prepares to depart after speaking at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, on Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon] On Friday, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced the elimination of 7,000 jobsmore than 12 percent of the agencys staffas part of the Trump administrations assault on the federal government workforce. In a news blog post, the SSA wrote: The agency plans to reduce the size of its bloated workforce and organizational structure, with a significant focus on functions and employees who do not directly provide mission critical services. The SSA announcement also said that much of the staff reductions needed to reach the target of 50,000 will come from retirement, VSIP [voluntary separation incentive payment] and resignation. However, SSA said the cuts will require, reduction-in-force actions that could include abolishment of organizations and positions. The announcement said the agency will close six of its 10 regional offices, adding, SSA has operated with a regional structure consisting of 10 offices, which is no longer sustainable. The regional offices provide support to SSA workers on the front lines who directly serve the 72.5 million Americans who are receiving benefits. There will also be an organizational restructuring of the SSA headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, which the announcement called outdated and inefficient. This will include a reduction of the number of Deputy Commissioner-level organizations. Numerous experts have issued statements saying the job cuts threaten the agencys fundamental operations and will be catastrophic for the public. Speaking to CNBC, former SSA Commissioner Martin OMalley said that the actions, which are being implemented by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), are putting monthly benefit checks at risk. Ultimately, youre going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits, OMalley said in an article published Saturday. I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days. Other reports have shown that the agency is already at a 50-year low in staffing while the number of beneficiaries grows by 10,000 people daily. Appearing on Friday on the Joe Rogan podcast, Elon Musk repeated the falsehood that a search of the Social Security database showed, there were 20 million dead people marked as alive. He also claimed, Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time. Coming from someone whose $400 billion fortune was amassed through cryptocurrency and stock market speculation, this is staggering hypocrisy. The history of Social Security It is also completely false. The SSA was created through the Social Security Act of 1935, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his New Deal initiatives. The act introduced a system of retirement benefits for workers aged 65 and older, funded through taxes on their income. Initially, it did not cover all workers, and benefits were modest. The Social Security system was part of the response by the American capitalist class to the explosion of working class struggles in the 1930s. The eruption of a mass strike wave across the country, including sit-down strikes in auto and other industries in the Midwest, forced the ruling class to implement the New Deal reforms as an alternative to a revolutionary confrontation with the working class. Over the decades, the Social Security program was expanded significantly. In 1939, benefits were extended to dependents and survivors of workers, making it more of a family-based insurance program. In 1956, the Disability Insurance (DI) program was added, providing benefits to workers unable to continue employment due to disabilities. Further expansions came with Medicare in 1965, under President Lyndon B. Johnson, providing health insurance for individuals aged 65 and older, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in 1972, offering aid to low-income individuals who are elderly, blind, or disabled. In 1995, during the administration of Democrat Bill Clinton, SSA was made an independent agency and borrowing from the Social Security Trust Fund to offset mounting budget deficits was increased. Calls for the overhauling and privatization of the Social Security system have increased, as the aging population and increasing benefit payouts have been used to raise doubts about its financial stability. Now, the financial oligarchy is seizing on the Trump administrations claims of eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government to get its hands on the estimated $2.7 trillion in assets maintained by the Social Security Trust Fund. Democrats posture, while preparing to work with Trump on cuts Sensing that Musks Ponzi scheme statement might trigger widespread opposition to the job cuts, leading congressional Democrats held a press conference on Monday afternoon. Senators Charles Schumer (New York), Ron Wyden (Oregon), Patty Murray (Washington) and Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota) gave comments and attempted to conceal the role of Democrats in paving the way for Trumps moves against Social Security. While the senators said they opposed the job cutsWyden even said that DOGEs attack on Social Security was the first step on the path to privatizationthey agreed with the premise of the Trump White House that efficiency and cost cutting was important. When asked by the press if the Democrats would insist on preventing the Social Security cuts as part of a deal to bring a funding bill up for a vote and avoid a government shutdown, Senator Murray said, We are looking at a number of different things. In other words, the Democrats are fully committed to working with Trump to eliminate every social program and gain by the working class in a century of struggle. Their sole red line is over the priorities of American imperialism, in particular their opposition to Trumps threats to end US involvement in the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the only action that the Democrats offered was spelled out by Senator Schumer who said, Were getting together, House and Senate Democrats were going to fight it. And guess what, were gonna prevent the cuts. Schumer, who clearly did not believe a word of what he was saying, continued, We need every person who is a recipient to call their Republican congressmen and senators and give them one sentence. Hands off my Social Security. The man behind the SSA announcement, the agencys interim director, Leland Dudek, was appointed by Donald Trump following the resignation of Michelle King, who stepped down over a dispute with DOGE officials demands to have access to sensitive records, according to people who spoke to the media anonymously. A February 20 report in the Wall Street Journal said, King was informed in an email Sunday morning that Dudek had been elevated to acting commissioner and she decided to retire from the agency after three decades, some of the people said. Dudek was a largely unknown middle level staffer who was appointed by Trump after he had been placed on administrative leave for becoming a stooge for Musk and DOGE within the agency. In a since-deleted post on LinkedIn that was obtained by the Journal, Dudek wrote, I confess. I bullied agency executives, shared executive contact information, and circumvented the chain of command to connect DOGE with the people who get stuff done. Dudek is expected to serve until the Trump nominee for SSA Commissioner, Frank Bisignano, the chief executive of the financial service technology company Fiserv, is confirmed by the Senate. As of now, there is no date for Bisignanos confirmation hearing. Opposition grows among National Park Service workers Over the weekend, demonstrations were held at all 433 national parks across the US against the slashing of 2,000 jobs at the US Forest Service and 1,000 jobs at the National Park Service. A protest of hundreds took place at Yosemite National Park in California. Protesters gather at Yellowstone National Park in opposition to cuts to the National Park Service. Signs call for impeaching Trump, disbanding DOGE and rehiring park rangers. [Photo: toquop] The demonstrators recognize that behind the attacks on the National Park Service is a drive by the financial oligarchy to convert public lands into private property for the purposes of drilling and mining natural resources and for real estate development. At Yellowstone Park in Montana, protesters created their own banners and placards. One sign said, More Old Faithful! Less Old Fascists, and another said, Support Federal Employees, Not Billionaires. A banner in front of a crowd of demonstrators said, Yellowstone is Not for Sale. Pro-Palestinian supporters march to Barnard College during the picket line outside Columbia University, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in New York. [AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura] The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) unequivocally condemns Barnard College at Columbia University for expelling two students who protested a Zionist History of Modern Israel class in January, and a third for participating in the April 30 occupation of Hamilton Hall, renamed Hinds Hall by protesters. We demand the immediate reinstatement of these students, who were set to graduate this semester, and an end to all attacks on pro-Palestinian students democratic rights. The claim that opposition to the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza constitutes antisemitic hate speech is a blatant lie used to justify repression. All students suspended or disciplined by Columbia University and other institutions for participating in anti-genocide actions must be fully reinstated, have their academic standing restored and have all disciplinary records expunged. To realize these demands, we call on students to take up a concerted fight to mobilize the working class to defend democratic rights and force an end to the genocide. The crackdown on campuses is part of a massive assault on the democratic rights of the entire working class. The fascist Trump administration seeks to overthrow the US Constitution, establish a presidential dictatorship, and carry out mass deportations of immigrant workers. Trump, emulating Hitler, aims to annex territories such as Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal in preparation for a third world war, while advocating for the expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza. These desperate measures do not reflect the strength of the capitalist system but rather its deep crisis and instability. The ruling class fears that todays student movement will ignite broader working-class opposition to fascism, war and the capitalist system itself. This is why both the Biden and Trump administrations have supported a ruthless crackdown on pro-Palestinian and anti-genocide speech and protests on university campuses. Under Trump, this crackdown is being escalated to bring universities under the direct control of his authoritarian regime. Columbia University, New York University, and eight other institutions are now under investigation by the Orwellian Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. In January, the Trump administration threatened to deport international students, falsely branding them as perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence. The Democratic Party fully supports these efforts. On Thursday, New York Citys Democratic Mayor Eric Adams posted on Twitter/X: The pain the protests held at Barnard College is causing to our Jewish community is not lost on me. Let me be very clear: I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, any protest that calls for an intifada revolution, which is a call for violence against the Jewish State of Israel. Adams deliberately distorts the meaning of intifada to equate any opposition to Zionism and the genocide in Gaza with antisemitism. Earlier this month, the Trump administration admitted to striking a deal with Adams to dismiss federal corruption charges against him in exchange for his full collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This revelation prompted several Democrats to call for Adams resignation. However, Adams is merely the most blatant example of the Democratic Partys collaboration with Trumps reactionary policies. Last week, New Yorks Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul ordered Hunter College at the City University of New York (CUNY) to remove a job posting for a faculty position in Palestinian Studies. On Thursday, students protested Hochuls scheduled appearance at the City College of New York (CCNY). In response, police arrested two protesters, and Hochul canceled her appearance, citing alleged security concerns. The principal obstacle to developing the mass opposition to the genocide into a broader movement of the working class is the trade union bureaucracy, which serves to suppress and contain workers opposition. As the Trump administration wages an all-out attack on federal workers, a spearhead for the broader assault on the working class, the union apparatus is doing nothingat most, proposing meaningless letter-writing campaigns and other empty maneuvers. The union bureaucrats have also participated in slanders against opponents of the genocide in Gaza. On Thursday, the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), which primarily represents airline, railroad and transit workers, issued a statement which sought to paint pro-Palestinian protesters as opponents of the working class. A protester told the Columbia Spectator that they saw a Barnard security guard represented by the TWU putting his arms around a student and twisting until a student fell to the ground. It was people trying to help that student, that is how that guard got injured. TWU International President John Samuelsen responded to the incident by denouncing trust-fund baby ideologues for supposedly harming the blue-collar TWU workforce at Barnard to advance their political cause. Samuelsen previously condemned Columbia for failing to protect union members during the April occupation of Hamilton Hall. He wrote a letter to then-University President Minouche Shafik alleging that Columbia epically failed to protect the safety of university employees. Having made endless concessions on sick time, medical care, and working conditions to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for decades, the TWU leadership can hardly claim to prioritize worker safety. Samuelsens statement is nothing but an attempt to disorient workers and separate them from the fight against fascism and war that confronts all workers. As to his reference to students protesting the genocide as self-important elitists, Samuelsen makes a six-figure salary that he siphons every year from workers dues money. To stop the genocide in Gaza, fight fascism and prevent the further escalation of war, students need to fight for the development of a movement in the working class, not through the union bureaucracy but in opposition to it. The IYSSE, the student and youth movement of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP), fights for the development of rank-and-file committees in every workplace, as part of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees, which will connect the defense of the interests of workers with the fight against genocide, war and dictatorship. There are no easy solutions or shortcuts, but the massive struggles ahead will provide immense opportunities. The IYSSE calls on all students at Columbia and campuses nationwide to oppose the attack on pro-Palestinian students. We demand the immediate reinstatement of the expelled Barnard students and the dropping of all disciplinary actions against students facing repression for their participation in anti-genocide protests. We call for an end to the criminalization of free speech and the broader crackdown on democratic rights. The defense of democratic rights and opposition to war can only succeed through the mobilization of the social force capable of challenging the capitalist ruling classthe international working class. This requires a political break from both the Democratic and Republican parties, which, despite their factional differences, are united in their support for genocide, war, and dictatorship. The IYSSE is fighting to build a new socialist anti-war movement, based on the principles of revolutionary Marxism. We urge students and young people to study the history of our movement and join the IYSSE. Opposition to Creative Australias ejection of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino from the 2026 Venice Biennale continues to mount with hundreds of creative workers publicly denouncing the Labor government and its arts funding agency. Over 4,350 artists and other creative workers have now signed a petition demanding reinstatement of the artist and curator. Michael Dagostino (left) and Khaled Sabsabi [Photo: mav.org.au] On February 7, Sabsabi and Dagostino were selected to represent Australia at Venice from a list of 50 applicants and a final short list of six. Creative Australias decision is part of escalating bi-partisan government and corporate media attacks on all public opponents of Israels Gaza genocide. Artist, writers, actors, academic and health workers have been frontline targets in this widening antidemocratic assault. Last Friday, around 30 artists, several of them holding placards stating, Stop silencing pro-Palestine voices, demonstrated outside Creative Australias headquarters in Sydney. The protest is just a small indication of the deep-going hostility of thousands of artists and creative workers nationally over the sacking of Sabsabi and Dagostino. Addressing the demonstration, Omar Sakr, a well-known poet, denounced Creative Australias attack on freedom of artistic expression. When art must serve the governments political agenda, its no longer art, its propaganda, he said. Sakr is one of three writers whose teen-writing workshops were shut down in early 2024 by the Victorian State Library after they publicly denounced the Gaza genocide. Library management bogusly claimed that the writers classes posed child and cultural safety concerns. Last week Sabsabi and Dagostino declared that they were determined to present their work to the 2026 Venice Biennale. The overwhelming support from the arts community, colleagues, and the public has reinforced the fundamental role of artists in shaping discourse and pushing boundaries, they said. This project is about art, unity, and dialoguea vision that challenges, inspires, and reflects the complexities of our world. We are determined to see it realised and need your support to make it happen. The artist and curator were dropped by Creative Australia on February 13, less than a week since their appointment and just six hours after the Liberal Partys shadow minister for the arts Claire Chandler used the Senate to question their appointment. Chandler falsely claimed that two of Sabsabis video installationsYou in 2007 and Thank You Very Much in 2006supported terrorism. Her bogus allegations followed a gossip column article the previous day by Yoni Bashan in the Murdoch-owned Australian newspaper. Half an hour after Chandlers question, Arts Minister Tony Burke called Creative Australia chief Adrian Collette, who told him that a board meeting would be held that night. While Burke disingenuously claims he had no role in the removal of Sabsabi and Dagostino, the board meeting was all over in 90 minutes with a media statement issued soon after. The artist and curator were given no right of appeal or the opportunity to address the board, nor were any members of the panel that recommended them for the Venice Biennale invited to address the meeting. Denunciations of this flagrant political censorship erupted the next day with the protest resignation of board member and artist Lindy Lee and two other leading figures from Creative Australias visual arts department. Five of the artists shortlisted to represent Australia at Venice declared that they would not accept any invitation to replace Sabsabi and Dagostino, which means there will be no Australian artist represented at Venice in 2026. Last year Australia won Venices Golden Lion award for Archie Moores exhibit. This powerful statement of solidarity was followed by an open letter from leading figures in Australian contemporary artMike Parr, Imants Tillers, Patricia Piccinini, Ricky Swallow, Shaun Gladwell, Callum Morton and Tracey Moffattand curators who previously represented Australia at Venice. Suzanne Cotter and Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, current and past directors respectively of Sydneys Museum of Contemporary Arts, which holds several of Sabsabis works, also condemned Creative Australia. Creative Australia CEO Adrian Collette at Senate Estimates hearing, February 25, 2025 [Photo: YouTube Australian Parliament Streaming Services] On February 26, Creative Australia CEO Collette and the boards chairman Roy Morgan were questioned at a Senate Estimates hearing about their sudden removal of Sabsabi and Agostino. Collette, who has held two all-staff meetings over the issue in the past fortnight, told the hearing that the board didnt have the time to get legal advice about tearing up its contract with Sabsabi and Dagostino. The immediate deselection of Lebanese-born Sabsabi and Dagostino was necessary, Collette insisted, to prevent a divisive debate which threatened social cohesion and the future of the organisation. To suggest that the very existence of Creative Australiathe countrys principal arts funding bodywas threatened by a debate about two almost 20-year-old videos that do not in any shape or form support terrorism is bogus and ludicrous. It is a clear message, however, from the agency that it will slavishly accede to each and every demand from Australias Zionist lobby and the Albanese Labor government. Prior to the Senate hearing, Creative Australia suddenly announced that it was postponing its 2025 Asia Pacific Arts Awards ceremony scheduled to be held last night at the Arts Centre in Melbourne. The cancellation was necessary, the agency declared, to support the wellbeing of all involved. This unprecedented decision, with no future date announced, was a desperate attempt to circumvent further public criticism of its political censorship, not just by protesters outside but from those attending and receiving prizes. Many of those shortlisted for Arts Pacific Arts prizes have signed petitions opposing the Gaza genocide and Creative Australias political censorship. Amid this rising opposition, the Guardian newspaper revealed last week that National Gallery of Australia censored two items related to Palestine on a large tapestry included in the SaVAge Klub group exhibition by Pacific Island artists in June last year. The tapestry had artistic interpretations of flags from various Pacific Island nations and a t-shirt made in the Palestinian flag colours of red, green, black and white, a badge and fist pin. SaVAge Klubs curator told the Guardian that she and the artists had pushed back against this censorship but had little choice to accept the managements demands that the Palestinian items on the tapestry be covered with pieces of white cloth. It is no accident that the reactionary campaign against Sabsabi and Dagostino was initiated by the pro-Gaza genocide Murdoch media. Yoni Bashan on "Behind the front line: In conversation on the Israel-Hamas conflict," March 24, 2024 [Photo: YouTube The Australian] Yoni Bashan, a rabid Zionist, who penned the initial gossip column piece, began his career at Australian Jewish News before working for several of Murdochs outlets, including the Daily Telegraph, New York Post and Wall Street Journal. The first Australian journalist embedded with the Israeli military when it invaded Gaza in October 2023, Bashan was later joined by pro-Zionist Murdoch hack Liam Mendes. Impressed by his work, Lachlan Murdoch awarded Bashan the News Corps Journalist of the Year prize in 2024. Presenting him with the award in Sydney, Murdoch declared, As the horrific October 7 attacks happened, Yoni was on the phone to the Australians Editor-In-Chief Michelle Gunn wanting to go to Israel. By October 10, he was on the ground, the first Australian journalist to visit Gaza after the attacks. Bashan has followed his initial hit piece against Sabsabi and Agostino with witch-hunting claims that a group of Muslim artists known as the Eleven Collective, which was established by Sabsabi, had unfairly secured extensive arts grants from Creative Australia in recent years. On Friday the Australian published a lengthy piece by arts critic Christopher Allen, who claimed that Creative Australia had been corrupted and was increasingly dysfunctional. The boards job, Allen wrote, should be to rein in rogue staff and corrupt peer panels to ensure that arts funding in Australia rewards excellence and the humane values of civility, tolerance and freedom, not work that overtly or covertly promotes poisonous and divisive ideologies. In short, it must promote Zionism, militarism and imperialist war. These reactionary calls echo those sent by letter last week from Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler to Arts Minister Tony Burke. Leibler demanded Burke investigate the arts funding agencys grant allocation processes, selection criteria, and accountability mechanisms to prevent the misuse of taxpayer funds. The Labor government, he said, must cease funding for extremist-aligned projects to prevent public funds from supporting individuals or works that promote hate, anti-Semitism, or extremist ideologies. In other words, this means banning arts grants and other government funding to individuals and organisations opposing Israels genocide of the Palestinians and other imperialist-back war crimes. No one must be allowed to denounce the US-backed Israeli war crimes and the Albanese governments active involvement and support. While thousands have raised their voices against the dumping of Sabsabi and Dagostino and other witch-hunting assaults, artists and creative workers cannot confine their opposition to appeals to Creative Australia or the pro-imperialist Labor government. This means uniting with academics, teachers, students, medical practitioners now under attack and a turn to the working class in a political and industrial struggle against the capitalist profit system, the source of imperialist war and genocide. Mass protests against the right-wing government and President Aleksandar Vucic have been taking place in Serbia for months. While initially the protests were mainly organised by students, all age and professional groups are now participating. Students and workers have been demonstrating almost daily in over 300 cities since November. Protest in the city of Cacak in central Serbia on 26 January 2025 CC BY 2.0] [Photo by Dejan Krsmanovic / flickr On December 22, around 100,000 protesters gathered at Slavija Square in the capital, Belgrade. It was the largest demonstration in Serbia in 20 years. Since December, students from 65 of the countrys 80 faculties have been on strike. Schools are also on strike, and at major demonstrations, farmers have blocked main roads with dozens of tractors. The protests are enjoying widespread support among the population. According to surveys, more than 61 percent support the demonstrations against the government and the president. During demonstrations in freezing temperatures, local residents provide participants with warm drinks and meals. Belgrade taxi drivers travelled to a rally in Novi Sad, Serbias second-largest city, and provided students with free rides back. Rallies and protests by Serbs are also taking place outside Serbia, in Vienna, Berlin and other European cities. On March 1, tens of thousands protested in the southern Serbian city of Nis. The protests were triggered by the deaths of 15 people, including two children, due to the collapse of a railway station canopy in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad in November. The collapse was preceded by a renovation of the station, but the dilapidated canopy was not replaced. The general contractor responsible for the renovation was a Chinese company, which has stressed that the roof was not part of the renovation project. It is reasonable to assume that corruption lies behind the lack of transparency in the construction projects. Shortly after the incident, Construction Minister Goran Vesic resigned. He was arrested weeks later, along with other top officials. Corruption among politicians and authorities is commonplace in Serbia and affects almost every area. Without good connections or sufficient bribes, it is often impossible to get official permits, medical treatment or jobs. The protests quickly spread beyond the immediate cause and express massive opposition to the right-wing government and the hated President Vucic. Vucic has been in office since 2017 and has implemented a drastic shift to the right. He comes from the ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party (SRS), of which he was a member from 1993 to 2008 and for which he occasionally held ministerial posts. In the 1990s, the SRS recruited nationalists for the wars in Croatia and Bosnia and formed paramilitary units that were notorious for carrying out atrocities. Since the civil war in Yugoslavia and NATOs war against Serbia, the situation facing the population has been precarious. Poverty and unemployment have continued to rise in recent years under Vucic. The gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is $11,352, placing the country in 10th place among the poorest countries in Europe. Only countries such as Albania, Armenia, Moldova, Kosovo and Ukraine are poorer. One in five Serbs is affected by poverty. In order to fulfil the criteria for the countrys EU accession aspirations, the last governments have continued to trim the few remaining provisions of the social safety net. At the same time, the wealth of the countrys narrow upper class is growing. Armament spending has also been stepped up in recent years. Against this background, the protests have a social character and are directed against the entire political system. Since Vucic came to power, there have been repeated spontaneous protests, most recently in 2023 after a school shooting rampage in Belgrade that killed nine students and a security guard. In addition to the publication of all documents about the tragedy in Novi Sad, the protesters are demanding the prosecution of violent attackers of the students, as well as the release of all detained demonstrators. Furthermore, they are calling for an increase in the education budget by 20 percent. Vucic responded to the ongoing protests by sacrificing his prime minister, Milos Vucevic, who he forced to resign at the end of January. Vucevic led an extreme right-wing government made up of the Progressive Party (SNS) and the Socialist Party (SPS), the nationalist party of former head of state Slobodan Milosevic. Vucic ruled out new elections, so the manoeuvre did not stop the protests. Nor has the brutal crackdown on protesters intimidated them so far. Not only are the official security forces cracking down harshly on the demonstrators, but members of the SNS, who have close ties to fascist groups, are also attacking students. Sometimes they have driven cars into groups of peaceful demonstrators. Vucic is receiving support from the European Union. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who never hesitates to support any protest that is in any way directed against Russia, did not comment on the protests in Serbia. Gert Jan Koopman, the EUs director-general for neighbourhood and enlargement negotiations, had merely noted steady progress towards the EU during a visit to Belgrade and also ignored the protests. The reason for this is the interests of the leading European powers in the Balkans, where Serbia is a major player. Belgrade is supposed to ensure stability there and continue to be harnessed for the EUs war policy against Russia. Vucic has not only condemned Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine but has also recently been moving ever closer to the EU in military terms. As early as 2023, Belgrade abandoned plans to purchase a new batch of Russian fighter jets in favour of a 2.7 billion contract to supply 12 French fighter jets. Serbian military officials also declared that they would no longer purchase Russian weapons produced under licence in third countries. Instead, Serbia has since supplied Ukraine with ammunition worth around 800 million via third countries, thereby supporting the policy of waging war against Russia. Serbia also plays a central role in the EUs policy of sealing Europes borders off from refugees. The country is located on the so-called Balkan route and regularly uses force against migrants trying to reach Europe via the route. Last year, Belgrade signed an agreement with the EU allowing the stationing of the EU border protection agency Frontex along Serbias borders with Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia. Furthermore, Serbia has mineral resources that are of great interest to the European automotive industry. In June last year, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz accompanied the signing of a Memorandum on Critical Raw Materials in Belgrade, which provides for the resumption of lithium mining in western Serbia. Thailands opposition parties in the National Assembly filed a censure motion against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party (PT) last Thursday. At the end of March, a debate will be held that could potentially oust Paetongtarn or even lead to the dissolution of the lower house of parliament. At present, the prime minister is expected to survive the no-confidence motion. Thailands Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, centre, arrives at Government House for cabinet meeting in Bangkok, February 4, 2025. [AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit] While 10 ministers in the governments cabinet were originally targeted, the opposition, led by the so-called progressive Peoples Party (PP) instead chose to focus solely on Paetongtarn, who took office last August. The Peoples Party was previously known as the Move Forward Party (MFP) before the latter was dissolved by the Constitutional Court in August as well. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, who leads the opposition bloc in parliament and is also head of the Peoples Party, stated, We cannot trust the current government to govern the country because the prime minister lacks the qualifications, knowledge, and the will to resolve the peoples problems. She has shown no responsibility as prime minister. The debate is scheduled to begin March 24 and could last five days, though Pheu Thai is attempting to limit it to only two days. Other issues to be addressed include alleged failures in public administration and corrupt practices with large business conglomerates. None of the parties in parliament is attempting to improve conditions for workers or protect the democratic rights of the population. All of them in their own way defend the capitalist system and are hostile to the working class, including the PP, which did not lift even a finger to fight the dissolution of its predecessor, the MFP. The censure debate instead reflects divisions within the Thai ruling class. Serious concerns about the economy exist, which has been struggling, a product of the crisis of world capitalism. According to the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) the economy grew 2.5 percent in 2024, the slowest in South East Asia. The economy is only expected to grow between 2.4 and 2.9 percent this year. Last year, agriculture and manufacturing contracted 1 percent and 0.5 percent respectively. Thai workers are also struggling with the highest levels of household debt in the region, roughly 89 percent of GDP. These concerns have only intensified since Trump came to power. Thailand is highly vulnerable to Trumps trade tariffs. It has the fifth largest trade surplus with the US, which has grown 343 percent since 2017. No doubt sections of the Thai ruling class feel Paetongtarn is incapable of maneuvering amid dramatically changing world politics and economy and will also be unable to contain social unrest as living conditions further decline for the working class. Natthaphong also accused Paetongtarn of allowing her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, of leading her and being involved in the government administration. Thaksin was prime minister from 2001 to 2006 until he was driven from office in a military coup. His administration had cut across the interests of the military, the monarchy, and other conservative sections of the bourgeoisie. He is also the founder of Pheu Thai and its de facto leader, though he holds no official position in the party or government. Thaksin spent 15 years in exile before Pheu Thai reached a backroom deal with the military to form a government in August 2023, which allowed Thaksin to return. An eight-year prison term for corruption was reduced to one year by Thailands king, of which Thaksin only served six months in the comfort of a hospital room. He remains a target of the military and its allies and currently faces charges of lese-majeste. Censure debates are not uncommon in Thai politics. Pheu Thai called four similar censure debates along with the MFP between 2020 and 2022 against the military regime. All of these were unsuccessful, but they served the oppositions purpose of promoting illusions that democratic issues could be resolved within the parliamentary system. However, the Peoples Party is now openly aligning itself with the opposition Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), which supports the censure motion. The PPRP was the party of the military junta under General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who seized power in the 2014 coup and remained in power until 2023. Before the 2023 general election, he split from the PPRP to join the United Thai Nation Party (UTN). The PPRP was removed from the ruling coalition after it cooperated with the antidemocratic efforts last year to successfully remove the first Pheu Thai prime minister Srettha Thavisin on trumped-up ethics charges. Significantly, the PP, the successor to the MFP, now finds itself in the league with the PPRP which played a central role in blocking the formation of an MFP-led government following the latters victory in the 2023 general election. The PPs posturing as progressive has nothing to do with defending the democratic and social rights of youth and workers. Rather it is aimed at suppressing unrest by directing hostility and anger over attacks on democratic rights and social conditions into the dead-end of parliamentary politics. Based on current seats, the opposition does not have the numbers to pass the censure motion. Pheu Thais coalition, comprised of nine parties including the right-wing Bhumjaithai Party (BJT, 71 seats) and United Thai Nation Party (36 seats), holds 322 seats out of 500. Paetongtarn stated following a closed-door meeting of coalition party leaders last Tuesday, Weve discussed the censure debate in detail because we want this coalition to maintain its unity and stability. We will all help each other [in the debate] across all ministries. However, the BJT is a right-wing party, which previously backed Prayuts military government. It has emerged as the standard bearer for the right-wing sections of the ruling class grouped around the military and monarchy. It also played a key role in preventing the MFP from coming to power in 2023. The BJT recently walked out of two sittings of parliament regarding PT-led discussions to amend the 2017 junta-imposed constitution. The walkouts on February 13 and 14 meant a lack of quorum, ending any discussion on the issue. It is therefore not out of the question that the BJT could lead a split of right-wing parties to remove Paetongtarn. Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at the New York City District Council of Carpenters while campaigning for mayor of New York City, Sunday, March 2, 2025 [AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson] The former governor of New York, Democrat Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in a #MeToo scandal in 2021, announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City over the weekend. The move was not a surpriseCuomo has been leading in polls over the current Democratic Mayor, Eric Adams, as well as several progressive Democratic contenders, for some time. The Democratic primary will be held in June and the general election in November. Cuomo is a veteran right-wing Democratic Party politician. He was the campaign manager in the 1982 election campaign of his father, New York Governor Mario Cuomo. The younger Cuomo went on to posts as assistant secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 1993 to 1997 and as HUD secretary from 1997 to 2001 in the Clinton administration, attorney general of New York state from 2006 to 2010, followed by three successful gubernatorial campaigns in 2010, 2014 and 2018. His tenure as a governor was a disaster for the working class in New York and nationally, exemplified by the role he played at the outset of the COVID pandemic in the state in February 2020, when New York City became an epicenter of the disease, and the virus spread from there to much of the rest of the United States. Cuomo at the time became a national figure through carefully scripted daily press conferences on the state of the pandemic, for which he was lauded in the media as an alternative to Trump, then in his first presidential term. Cuomos policies, however, despite having a scientific gloss, differed very little from Trumps. After the massive infusion of wealth to the oligarchy under the CARES Act and the Federal Reserves quantitative easing later in March 2020, Cuomo, along with the rest of the political establishment, began to enforce the reopening of business and public institutions, first with the construction industry and then with schools, by means of lies, threats and bullying. He announced in August that schools, main vectors of viral transmission, should begin to reopen if positivity testing rates were under 5 percent. Schools systematically under-tested educators and students. Fellow Democrat Bill de Blasio, then New York Citys mayor, who also embraced this deadly program, reopened schools the next month, and this policy was continued by Cuomos successor Kathy Hochul. Cuomos administration played a noxious role during the first year of the pandemic not only by its malign neglect but especially when it directed many hospitalized elderly people who were positive for COVID-19 to move into nursing homes. The Cuomo administration then ensured that the total number of those who died of the disease was falsified. Perhaps 9,000 elderly and 552 mentally disabled people died directly because of the policy. Altogether up to 60,000 people died of the disease in New York while Cuomo was in office. Cuomo was forced to resign in August 2021 after 11 women, most of them in his administration, came forward with charges of sexual harassment. The effort to push Cuomo out with a sex scandal and keep the central political issues, particularly over his handling of the pandemic, out of the public eye, became the consensus policy of his fellow Democrats. President Joe Biden called for his resignation in August 2021. The New York Times also played a key role in driving him out of office, enthusiastically pursuing a rotten #MeToo campaign, as it has with a variety of public figures since 2017. Cuomo has sought to rehabilitate himself in the last few years, taking New York Attorney General Letitia James, the New York State Ethics Commission and one of his accusers to court. Many observers have felt it was only a matter of time before he directly entered the degraded environment of bourgeois politics again, to which he is so suited. No doubt he is seeking to leverage the crisis of Eric Adamss administration to his advantage. Adams was indicted by federal prosecutors last year on corruption charges. He has negotiated a quid pro quo deal with the Trump administration, in which the the Justice Department has sought to have the charges dropped in exchange for the mayors full and enthusiastic implementation of Trumps dictatorial policies in New York City. This has found most open expression in Adamss embrace of the assault on immigrant workers, who constitute a significant portion of the citys population. Adams, who has sought for months to deprive asylum seekers in the city of necessities such as shelter, has already sought to implement Trumps plans in opposition to the citys sanctuary laws. The exchange of favors became so blatant that prosecutors associated with the case not only refused to sign the request for dismissal, but also resigned their offices. While the Department of Justice was finally able to find an official who was willing to make the request to the court, Adams already flagging popularity has plummeted, and calls have been issued from within Democratic Party circles for his resignation, although Governor Hochul has refused to exercise her powers under the state constitution to remove him. In an unusual action, the judge presiding over the case has delayed dismissal of the charges, which is normally done when the prosecutors request it. Cuomo is a thoroughly right-wing politician. On his campaign website, while making empty promises to alleviate problems in education, such as large class sizes in the public schools and chronic student absenteeism, or suggesting minor reforms to deal with the severe shortage of affordable housing in the city, he has proposed police-state measures similar to those favored by Adams. His proposals include increasing the New York Police Department (NYPD) presence on the subways, better infrastructure to stop impoverished fare-beaters from using the transit system, and stepping up action against antisemitism--against student and faculty protests at universities against the genocide in Gaza. He also calls for increasing the size of the NYPD and reviving a broken windows policing program, which supports police surveillance of working-class communities. Cuomos campaign issued a document on the crisis of affordability in the city which copies various points from the so-called progressive candidates: proposing to have free bus lines and implement universal pre-K for three-year-olds, a program that Adams has consistently cut in the last few annual budgets. The former governor has no more intention of addressing the social crisis in New York City than the other Democratic candidates. Last month, the Robin Hood Foundation issued a report that showed that the poverty rate in the city had risen from 23 to 24 percent and that the poverty rate among children was fully 25 percent Cuomos real base is in the ruling class of billionaires and real estate magnates, as well as the trade union bureaucracy. His appeal to these layers is that he will keep a lid on the growing social crisis in New York City. On Sunday he spoke before the New York City District Council of Carpenters, which had already endorsed him even before he officially announced his candidacy. The union bused in members to a rally, apparently without telling them what it was for, and Cuomo repeated a series of right-wing nostrums, including attacks on his progressive rivals for attempting to defund the police. He specifically took aim at the these democratic socialist candidates that released a wave of antisemitism throughout our city, likely referring to Zohran Mamdani, the candidate endorsed by the New York City Democratic Socialists of America, for being so bold as to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. It is significant that Cuomo has had little criticism of the new administration of fascist President Donald Trump. On March 1, he announced, I will work with anyone, including President Trump, to get the resources New York City needs. In other words, Cuomo will help to implement Trumps policies in New York City. And what Trump wants is dictatorship on the campuses, ICE raids on immigrant workers and their families, and a police regime fit to crack down on the mass resistance that is already being sparked by economic hardship and the fascist policies of the Trump administration itself. On the evening of March 4, U.S. President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress, the first time he will appear before both chambers since returning to office. Democratic lawmakers are discussing various options for protesting Trump's speech, including direct disruption. ADVERTISIMENT Axios writes about this. The publication cites information from several House Democrats. It is noted that some lawmakers are preparing props for Trump's speech, such as posters, eggs and empty egg trays as a hint of rising prices for this product in the United States, various pocket constitutions that will hint that Trump is violating the Constitution, as well as firecrackers and red cards. In addition, Democrats said that protesters could be given ties in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. They are also considering the option of a "silent protest," during which participants will not applaud Trump or respond to his words. The publication emphasized that there are disagreements among Democrats about the most effective form of demonstration against Trump. It is also possible that some lawmakers will leave the hall after the US president utters specific phrases that they consider unacceptable. As a reminder, Trump is expected to speak in Congress on the evening of March 4 with arguments in favor of his ambitious domestic and foreign policy plans. As reported by OBOZ.UA: On March 4, it became known that Donald Trump ordered the suspension of military aid to Ukraine after his dispute with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on February 28. In particular, the decision applies to all equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine that has not yet been shipped and is in transit zones. Politicians around the world reacted with indignation to Trump's move. They compared the suspension of aid to forcing Ukraine's surrender. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Don't fall for fakes! The United States has announced the nomination of President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. They say he deserves it more than anyone else in the world. ADVERTISIMENT This statement was made by Republican Congressman Darrell Issa. He did not explain what exactly Trump's exceptional merits in establishing peace on the planet were, as his press service later did. On Monday, March 3, Issa, who is a congressman from the state of California, announced that he was nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. "Today I am nominating Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. No one deserves it more," he wrote on his account on the X network. Issa did not explain what exactly Trump's exceptional merits are. So social media users began to speculate on their own. Some agreed that in less than two months of his presidency, Trump had allegedly "stopped" two wars at once - in Ukraine and in the Middle East - but immediately received a huge number of indignant comments in response stating that this statement was false. ADVERTISIMENT Meanwhile, Issa's spokesman Jonathan Wilcox explained that it was about Trump's "peacemaking efforts" in the Middle East, The Hill reports. "Congressman Issa recently led a Codel [congressional delegation] to four Middle East countries - he saw firsthand and from several heads of state that the spirit of peace and a move away from conflict is real and multilateral," he said. According to Wilcox, Trump seems to be leading the planet to peace "in a way that we haven't heard about in years." "Since his election and since being sworn in, President Trump has inspired and advanced the cause of peace - and in a way we haven't heard about in years. His advocacy is a commitment to a world without war, and we are seeing that gaining attention in several regions of the world today - not just one," he emphasized. ADVERTISIMENT The Hill emphasizes that Trump is indeed acting "in a way we haven't heard of in years," in particular, by making a dramatic turn in foreign policy, turning away from allies with whom the United States has cooperated for the past 80 years and actually siding with the aggressor state of Russia. "This statement came as Trump reset US policy on the war in Ukraine, increasing pressure on Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy while thawing relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin," the article says. The publication also recalled that Trump's desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize has long existed. He has been nominated for it many times, but to no avail. Therefore, The Hill notes, Trump's insistence on a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine at any cost may be partly explained by his desire to win the coveted prize. Earlier it was reported that Trump had suspended military aid to Ukraine. The decision applies to all equipment for the Defense Forces, both that has not yet been shipped and that is in transit zones. The US President, as befits a true "peacemaker," has begun to weaken the country that is defending itself from an aggressive attack. The condition for the resumption of aid is "the readiness of the country's leader to reach a peaceful settlement." At the same time, Trump and his entourage have not yet publicly voiced any demands to Russia to end the aggressive war in Ukraine that it has launched. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Berenice Alanis, suspected of the murder of her husband and two children, after her arrest in Acapulco, on July 20, 2022. RR. SS. A woman accused of having her husband and two stepchildren killed over a US$19.5 million inheritance was arrested on July 20 after three years on the run. Berenice Alanis, nicknamed the Black Widow by the Mexican press, was arrested in a luxurious hotel in the popular Mexican resort of Acapulco. The Mexico City Attorney General has charged her with masterminding the murder of her husband, Jacobo Quesada, and his two sons, shot to death in a gym owned by the family on April 5, 2019. Our painstaking investigation has led to the arrest and prosecution of Berenice N for the crime of intentional homicide by firearm, following the Mexico City Attorney Generals order issued on December 20, 2019, said the Facebook post from the Attorney General for the state of Guerrero. After the arrest was announced, the authorities released a photo of a bewildered and handcuffed Alanis dressed in beach attire. Alanis was initially arrested soon after the crime was committed in April 2019, but a judge released her due to irregularities in the case. According to local press reports, when Alanis was released, she absconded with a collection of luxury cars belonging to her wealthy husband. Authorities are investigating whether she sold those vehicles to finance her three-year run from justice. Jacobo Quesada met Alanis in 2003 when he hired her to clean his house. A romantic relationship developed between the two and they later married. When Quesada accused Alanis of being unfaithful, he decided to cut her out of his will. Quesada owned numerous properties and businesses, and had amassed a fortune estimated at US$19.5 million. After being stripped of the inheritance, Alanis put the wheels in motion to have her husband killed. On the night of April 5, 2019, Quesada and his children, Patricia and Jacobo Jr. were at a gym when Alanis arrived to work out. Quesada snapped a photo of her in gym clothes that he shared on social media. Moments later, an armed man came in and shot Quesada and his two children. The unidentified shooter has remained at large ever since. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds were in Rhode Island over the weekend for a horse show at a local farm, the farm's owner said. Pam Maloof, the owner of Faith Hill Care Farm in East Greenwich, said Lively and Reynolds visited the farm on Sunday for a horse show that their children were competing in. Lively and Reynolds' children ride horses out of a barn in New York that is in the same riding league as Faith Hill Care Farm, Maloof said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maloof said Lively and Reynolds' children's team was the high points team, meaning it earned the most points at the show. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively attend "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" on Feb. 16, 2025, in New York City. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds 'were lovely,' farm owner says Alicia Cotrone-Leo's sons spoke to Ryan Reynolds about his movie "Deadpool." Maloof said Lively and Reynolds "were lovely to everybody," taking photos and signing autographs with attendees. She also said they offered advice to the riders about the importance of hard work. After the show, Maloof said they went to a local restaurant, though she declined to give its name out of privacy. "They went to a local restaurant and bought their team lunch and shared it with my staff," Maloof said. "So they were lovely." 'Like we've been friends forever' Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds visited Faith Hill Care Farm in East Greenwich. Alicia Cotrone-Leo, Faith Hill Care Farm's assistant manager, said Lively approached her to chat about the insulated Carhartt overalls they were both wearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(We) talked about the farm, talked about ourselves a bit, introduced each other. She was asking about my kids," Cotrone-Leo said. "Pretty basic stuff, like they almost acted like we've been friends forever. It was lovely. There was no awkwardness with conversation, it flowed." Cotrone-Leo said her two sons were also in attendance at the show, and they got to speak with Reynolds about the "Deadpool" film series. "He was great with them," she said. "He's amazing with kids. Got right down to their level, chit chatted with them." Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have visited Rhode Island before Sunday's trip was not Lively and Reynolds' first time in the Ocean State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their famous friend, Taylor Swift, owns a home in Westerly's Watch Hill neighborhood that they are known to visit from time to time. Last year, Lively and Reynolds were reported to be visiting Swift's home alongside other A-listers, including Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Bradley Cooper. Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds kids Lively and Reynolds have four kids: James (10), Inez (8), Betty (5) and Olin (2). Part-time Rhode Islander Swift has incorporated her friends' kids into some of her music, including using Betty and Inez's names in the song "betty" and James' voice in her track "Gorgeous." This story has been updated with more information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melina Khan is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY Network - New England, which serves more than a dozen affiliated publications across New England. She can be reached at MKhan@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds visit RI farm: 'They were lovely' Carnival Corp. is putting the finishing touches on, not a new ship but a new destination for cruise passengers. Beginning in July, Doral-based Carnival will send ships between PortMiami and Celebration Key, a private development in the Bahamas. Described by the cruise ship company as a new destination from the ground up, Celebration Key is on the southern side of Grand Bahama island and about 17 miles northeast of Freeport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When finished, the resort will have its own pier with two berths where Carnivals largest ships can dock. In 2026, the pier at Celebration Key will add two more berths so a total of four Carnival ships can dock at the same time. The resort will feature water slides for kids, scuba diving and other sports, and excursions. And there will be restaurants and bars that passengers can reach by walking or swimming. Costing $600 million, the destination is the latest in major cruise carriers betting big time on private islands or resorts built from the ground up. The new stops give cruisers more beach time, expand group activities and bring in more money. Royal Caribbean, also based in Miami, is developing a third private space in Mexico thats expected to be ready in 2027. The companys other two private resorts are in Labadee, Haiti, and Coco Cay in the Bahamas. Norwegian Cruise Line has Great Stirrup Cay, also in the Bahamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carnival is so keen on Celebration Key that 20 of its 27 ships plan to sail there, including all five ships that call PortMiami home: Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Conquest and Carnival Magic. Ships sailing from Baltimore, New Orleans and Galveston will also head there this year. Carnival Conquest, which does three-and four-day trips to the Bahamas, will be the first PortMiami-based ship to visit Celebration Key, departing South Florida on July 18. At the construction site Celebration Key represents a new chapter for Carnival and its construction builds on our close partnership with the Bahamas, Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement. Seeing it transform from vision to reality is incredible. Duffy visited the under-construction Celebration Key in February, along with Carnival Corp. Chief Executive Officer Josh Weinstein and Chief Maritime Officer Lars Ljoen. The cruise executives joined leaders from the organization Plant a Tree and replanted about 1,000 sabal palms, a nod to the role their industry needs to play in increasing sustainability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duffy also took part in the ceremonial filling of one of two expansive freshwater lagoons, the largest in the Caribbean. These will be sustained by Celebration Keys desalination system that converts seawater into freshwater. The lagoons span over seven acres and hold about seven million gallons of water. Carnival broke ground on the project less than three years ago. About 500 Bahamian workers are on the 65-acre site around the clock to make sure the resort is ready by July. The cruises from Miami that will stop at Celebration Key range from a three-day weekend cruise on Carnival Conquest to a 13-day trip starting from Barcelona on Carnival Journeys. Carnival Celebration will offer a variety of seven-day cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean that stop at the new resort. The resort expects to have more than 30 restaurants and bars, from full-service sit-downs to self-ordering food trucks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The development is broken down into different areas. Paradise Plaza is the welcoming area. Starfish Lagoon has recreation and relaxation. Calypso Lagoon has an adult-only area with a DJ island and a large swim-up bar. Pearl Cove Beach Club is a premium adult-only space with an infinity pool and beachfront cabanas. Pearl Cove Beach Club will offer beachfront daybeds, private cabanas and Super Villas, each of which includes access to the clubs open bar service, infinity pool, full-service restaurant and beachfront. Here is a rundown on the food and drinks: Food on Carnivals Celebration Key Runners run eastward passing the Carnival Horizon docked at the Port of Miami during Life Time Miami Marathon on Sunday, January 28, 2024 in Miami. Calypso Lagoon Mingos Tropical Bar & Kitchen, named after the Bahamas national bird the flamingo, is a full-service, Carnival-run restaurant offering Bahamian favorites including fried fish and conch fritters, as well as burgers, seafood, tacos, steak and sandwiches. Mingos bar will serve tropical frozen drinks and cocktails. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mingos Express food truck, just outside the restaurant, has self-ordering kiosks and shaded seating, and to-go hamburgers, salads and fish sandwiches. Surf N Sauce BBQ & Brews is a full-service dining spot serving slow-smoked meat prepared in an outdoor smoker. A full-service bar pours craft beer from Bahamian breweries. Starfish Lagoon Gills Grill, a full-service restaurant and full bar, cooks up Caribbean seafood including seafood baskets, local fish, lobster, steamed crab and shrimp, chicken, burgers and kids meals. Captains Galley Food Hall features five outlets serving burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, pizza, Mediterranean bowls, tacos and burritos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food trucks with self-ordering kiosks offer chicken sandwiches, burgers and conch fritters. Pearl Cove Beach Club Pearl Cove Beach Club restaurant in an area for guests 18 and older. Beverages on Celebration Key Calypso Lagoon Long Necks Bar is where you can grab one of 100 seats and order a frozen drink, beer or Bahamian cocktailwhile aDJ spins tunes. The Sunshine Swings Bar has 40 swings and offers a chill vibe. The Parrotfish Swim Up Bar has seating in-water and out-of-water and serves frozen cocktails and mocktails with tropical fruit juice. Pearl Cove Beach Club An infinity pool overlooks the beach and a swim-up bar Paradise Plaza A welcome area where you can get your caffeine fix or energy boost with coffee and ice cream. Carnival cruise reservations You can book sailings taking place into 2027. To learn more about their sailings and make reservations, visit the Carnival website at carnival.com. In the Muslim world, Ramadan, which began last Saturday, is a month of community celebration, prayer and charity, when the streets are decorated and, in the evenings after the fast is broken, filled with people and food stalls. For Gazan Hossam Nasser, however, these are days of great anxiety due to the increasing drumbeats of war by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu and its decision on Sunday to indefinitely cut off humanitarian aid, to force Hamas to accept changes and violations of the ceasefire they agreed to in January. Unfortunately, we depend on that aid. On the little that we get, like flour, rice and lentils. I live with my children, my brother and his family in a tent. And I say it frankly: life be damned, if this is what life is like, he laments through WhatsApp messages (Israel has prevented access to the press since the beginning of the war). On Sunday night, the first night of Israels collective punishment, Gazans rushed to stock up on supplies. Basic products such as flour have doubled in price. Like so many Gazans, Nasser, 35, has ended up in a tent after more than a year of wandering around. First, he says, he survived (buried under rubble) the bombing of his family building. He describes it as one of three times when Gods protection saved his family from being torn to pieces. He then crammed his wife and children into an apartment rented by another relative near the capital. That was until the end of January, when the Israeli army allowed (under the ceasefire agreement) hundreds of thousands of people displaced from the north to the south of Gaza to return to their homes. Among them were the owners of the house. They asked us to vacate it, explains Nasser, who describes his life today as follows: On the street, without a roof, without heat, without work, without meat, because of the siege and poverty. Now, he fears the humiliation of a prolonged cut in humanitarian aid and having to search for food and drink every day, feeling without power or strength after 16 months of Israeli invasion. Furthermore, if the war returns again, it will be a war of survival or extinction, he warns. Palestinian children gather to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, March 3, 2025. Hatem Khaled (REUTERS) The UN childrens agency, UNICEF, on Monday sounded the alarm about the speed with which the Israeli decision could have devastating consequences for children and families in Gaza who are struggling to survive. UNICEF explained in a statement that during the six weeks of the first phase of the truce (which ended on Saturday without continuity, due to Netanyahus refusal to negotiate the second phase) it was able to introduce up to a thousand trucks with water, medicines and vaccines, among other things. This is three times as many as in the previous six weeks, but the situation for children in Gaza remains dire, even during the ceasefire. This was evidenced last week by the death of seven newborns from hypothermia, according to health services. This is also a Ramadan with ominous drones in the background, like those that fly over the Maruf family as they break their fast on the rubble of their home in Jabalia, in northern Gaza. I cannot bring my children food, nor clothes to cover themselves, [] but here we are, in the month of Ramadan, having iftar [the meal with which the Ramadan fast is broken] among the rubble, living among the rubble, says the father of the family. A video broadcast by local media shows the family eating on the ground and chopping wood to prepare a bonfire. They place the pot on two bricks and a perforated iron bar. With 200,000 inhabitants before the war, Jabalia is the town most devastated by a mixture of bombings, raids, controlled explosions and clashes between soldiers and militiamen, which reached a climax with a tough siege between October and the beginning of the truce in December. Some, like the Marufs, stayed in one of the most dangerous areas during the war, despite the destruction and the losses. Others, like Salah al-Hajj Hassan, have taken advantage of the truce to return to Jabalia and set up their tent on the rubble. Or to re-establish themselves in what remains of their houses, sometimes without windows or even a facade to protect them from the cold of the last few weeks. We are dying and we do not want war, nor displacement alerts, nor hunger for our children, Salah told Reuters on Monday. Where will our food come from? he asked. The mood in Gaza, where almost the entire population is Muslim, seemed different on Saturday, as it welcomed the Muslim holy month with communal events. In Rafah, thousands of Palestinians shared iftar at a long table stretching for hundreds of meters. On either side, a grey row of ruined buildings illustrated a level of destruction unprecedented since World War II. In Jabalia, dozens of plastic chairs were gathered together for the occasion, which in peacetime is usually enjoyed at home, with meals cooked throughout the day and special sweets. A Palestinian woman prepares Iftar meals to break the fast, during the holy month of Ramadan, at Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip, March 2, 2025. Mahmoud Issa (REUTERS) At that point there were still a few hours left before the first phase of the ceasefire was due to end, and before Netanyahu announced the blocking of humanitarian aid, and so the Muslim cleric Mufid Al Hasanat expressed his joy in front of the cameras for a Ramadan without the constant bombings and hardships of the previous one. Last Ramadan we did not experience such days, nor this spirituality, because we were living under the bombs, destruction and death, said Al Hasanat. But this time, God willing, we will experience different days, in which the heart will be filled with joy, because we received it without bloodshed or death. The 2024 Ramadan began after five months of war, with more than 30,000 dead, the UN warning about the risk of famine in the north and dozens of Gazans losing their lives crushed or drowned as they tried to reach the first aid shipments that countries such as the U.S., Jordan or the United Kingdom dropped from the air. Since Sunday, the images from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing are reminiscent of those early days, when Israel decided to use hunger as a weapon of war, and looting and logistical problems made distribution difficult. Hundreds of trucks are waiting in line in Egypt for authorization to enter. The bombings have been much more targeted during the ceasefire, but have still killed more than 100 people in six weeks, according to the Hamas governments health ministry in Gaza. Since Sunday, Israel has slightly increased the number of air raids. Neighbors to the east and south speak of more long-range and tank fire from the buffer zone where troops remain. The fear that this may be just the beginning is fuelled by the statements made by Israeli leaders in recent days. Bezalel Smotrich, one of the most powerful ministers and part of the handful that Netanyahu consulted before announcing the aid blockade, called for opening the gates of hell, echoing the expression used by U.S. President Donald Trump. The deputy speaker of parliament, Nisim Vaturi, advocated in a television interview that the new bombs sent by Trump be used to resume attacks with more force than in the previous 16 months, in which the Israeli army fought, he said, with its hands tied behind its back. The latest call, on Monday, comes from Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right leader who resigned two months ago (in protest against the ceasefire in Gaza) from his post in charge of police and prisons and who promises to return to Netanyahus coalition if Trumps ethnic cleansing initiative is implemented. He wants Netanyahu to go further and order the bombing of warehouses in Gaza that store humanitarian aid and also to completely cut off water and electricity. We must starve the Hamas terrorists before returning to the fight, so that we can easily crush them afterwards, he said. The director general of planning, water and sanitation at Gaza City Municipality, Maher Ashur Salem, told Al Jazeera that the enclave has about 25% of its pre-war water supply. Eighty percent of this comes from the Israeli company Mekorot (which then bills the Palestinian National Authority), so a cut in supply would have dire consequences. He added that the Israeli military has already destroyed 75% of alternatives, such as wells. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Add another honor to the list for this Ohio park. Hocking Hills State Park ranks among "The 50 Most Beautiful Places in America," according to Conde Nast Traveler, joining places like the Grand Canyon, the Badlands in South Dakota, the Everglades in Florida, Crater Lake in Oregon and many more. And it's not the first time the park in Southeast Ohio has been noticed by a national publication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what Conde Nast Traveler said about Hocking Hills State Park and the other honors it has received. Hikers enjoy the view at Hocking Hills State Park in Logan. Snap a selfie: Hocking Hills named the top Instagram landmark in Ohio. See the list Why Conde Nast Traveler says Ohio's Hocking Hills State Park is one of the most beautiful places in the nation The travel magazine has this to say about Hocking Hills in its unranked list: "Open (and beautiful) all year round, Hocking Hills State Park is packed with hiking trails that pass by waterfalls, cliffs, thick forests, and gorges canopied by hemlock trees. The trail leading to the Whispering Cavea 300-foot-wide recess cave with gentle waterfallsis particularly lovely." "What an honor," the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said about the ranking on Facebook. WOW! Conde Nast Traveler named Hocking Hills State Park as one of the most beautiful places in America! What an honor ... Posted by Ohio Department of Natural Resources on Friday, February 28, 2025 Can't get out at Hocking Hills? Here are 5 ways to enjoy the area indoors Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And if the detail that there are 50 spots makes you think the publication just chose one from each state, think again. Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming, among others, get multiple mentions. Sites in states neighboring Ohio to make the list include Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky, Indiana Dunes National Park, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan. Previous honors and awards for Hocking Hills In 2024, it had the Best Hiking Trail in the nation, as decided by readers in USA TODAY'S 10Best ranking. Forbes listed it among the Best Places to Travel in 2023. Also, Hocking Hills topped U.S. News & World Report's Best Places to Visit in Ohio that same year. Whispering Cave trail named Best Hiking Trail in USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice 2024 Whispering Cave is one of several trails at the park. According to the 10Best article, the 5-mile loop takes hikers over a swinging bridge and features the second-largest cave in the region, with a 105-foot seasonal waterfall flowing to the floor below. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whispering Cave beat out trails in Yellowstone National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the trail to the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, a fact the Ohio Department of Natural Resources bragged about on Facebook. "Well, well, well...Hocking Hills State Park beat out some impressive hikes to claim the top spot for USA TODAY's 2024 Readers' Choice for 10 Best Hiking Trails!" Things to do at Hocking Hills Hocking Hills offers seven hiking trails, according to its website, with Whispering Cave being the longest. The other trails range from a quarter mile to two miles in length, and from easy to difficult. Apart from hiking, Hocking Hills offers boating and fishing at Rose Lake, mountain biking on two 2-mile trails, hunting in designated areas, stargazing at John Glenn Astronomy Park, and an archery range, among others. Hocking Hills Lodge and Conference Center The newest state park lodge in Ohio, Hocking Hills State Park Lodge offers modern accommodations in a rustic setting, according to its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has 81 guestrooms as well as 40 cabins (some pet-friendly) available to rent, as well as several restaurants and pubs. The venue is also available for weddings, retreats, meetings and other events. The lodge is among seven named Best in Lodging in Midwest Living magazines 2024 Best of the Midwest list, which lists the 25 best Midwest spots for lodging, food and drink, and more. "As the first new state park lodge in Ohio in more than 30 years, its a transformative addition to a region known for hiking but not big hotels," the magazine wrote. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio park ranks among the 50 most beautiful places in America. Here's why There are some Massachusetts state symbols you probably know. The state flower is the Mayflower, in a nod to the ship the Mayflower. The state dog is the Boston Terrier, which also happens to the the first purebred American dog breed. The state dessert is the Boston Cream Pie, and the state donut is the Boston Cream donut. But, do you know the official state beverage? Here's the Commonwealth's official state beverage and why. A pretty and festive cocktail with cranberry, bubbles, and a hint of orange will be a hit at parties What is Massachusetts' official state drink Massachusetts' official state drink is cranberry juice, according to the Secretary of State's website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cranberry juice was made the state's official beverage on May 4, 1970, in order to honor its cranberry industry. According to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association, cranberry agriculture has been growing in Massachusetts for over 200 years. Pun not intended. The cranberry is also our state berry, as it was made so on July 11, 1994 by the General Court, the Secretary's website said.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Keith Shannon, repeated the sentiment to Wicked Local media partner WCVB in a report last year. Cocktails with cranberry juice You can honor the Commonwealth's state drink by introducing it as a delicious mixer into a cocktails or mocktails you may have at your next social function. The Vodka Cranberry, also known as the Cape Codder, is a cocktail that is comprised of one parts vodka to five parts cranberry juice with a lime slice dropped in as a garnish. It is served over ice in a rocks glass or a highball. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You could also try making a Cosmopolitan, which consists of vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau (also known as triple sec) and lime juice. It is shaken then served in a cocktail glass with an orange swirl. If you're in the mood for a Thanksgiving throwback, you could always make a Harvest Spice Punch. It's a holiday treat that is made of cinnamon whiskey, cranberry juice, frozen cranberries, ginger ale, red wine and whiskey, stirred and served in a punch bowl. For exact measurements: Thanksgiving cocktails and mocktail recipes: Festive flavors featuring apple, cranberry, pumpkin Mike Snider contributed to the reporting of this story. Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: MA's state drink is cranberry juice. How to use it in a cocktail BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) One person was injured in a Monday afternoon shooting in Baton Rouge. The victim was left with non-life-threatening injuries after a shooting around 1:30 p.m. on W. Johnson Street near Highland Road. No further details were shared by the Baton Rouge Police Department. Southern University campus police investigating after student hurt in shooting Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. With 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico now a reality, economists predict that prices for some supermarket staples will rise. Prices on everything from avocados to tequila are set to rise as new tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico take effect, says Ram Ganeshan, professor of operations and supply chain at William & Marys Raymond A. Mason School of Business. With nearly half of U.S. imports of fruits and vegetables coming from Mexico and key products like meat, dairy, and alcoholic beverages imported from both countries, these tariffs will drive up costs across grocery aisles, Ganeshan says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is a look at some of the products that are most likely to affect consumers wallets. Avocados Photo: Michael M. Santiago (Getty Images) That avocado toast in the morning might get more expensive. According to the USDA, 47% of all fruits that came into the U.S. in 2023 did so through Mexico. Strawberries Photo: Julian Finney (Getty Images) According trade magazine The Packer, Mexican strawberries make up about 85% of strawberries found in the U.S. Look for prices to rise with the tariffs in place. Peppers Photo: Sean Gallup (Getty Images) According to the USDA, 76% of bell peppers that are sold in the U.S. are grown in Mexico, so look for these colorful favorites to cost more. Nuts Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Statista, the export value of fruits and nuts from Mexico to the United States amounted to $7.76 billion in 2023. Look for favorites like peanuts, pistachios and walnuts to go up in price. Beer Photo: Michael M. Santiago (Getty Images) Mexican import Modelo (BUD) is the top-selling beer brand in the United States. One university professor predicts a 45-cent increase on a six-pack of Corona. And while larger brands might be able get away with smaller increases, smaller craft beers may be hit much harder. Cooking oil Photo: Scott Olson (Getty Images) A large percentage of cooking oil sold in the U.S. is made in Mexico, so expect frying just about anything to become more expensive. Seafood Photo: Elisabetta Zavoli (Getty Images) According to NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. imported more than 79% of the seafood Americans consumed in 2020. Much of Americas favorite seafood, from cod to tuna to snow crab, comes through Canadian fisheries. Maple syrup Photo: Kathryn KY Cheng (Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drenching your pancakes with some bliss in a bottle is about to become pricier. Canada produces 71% of the worlds pure maple syrup, 91% of which is produced in Quebec. Butter Photo: Scott Olson (Getty Images) Many dairy products sold in the U.S. come through Canada, Ganeshan says so look for staples like butter to get more expensive. Beef Photo: David Ryder (Getty Images) According to Western Producer, an industry trade magazine, 75 percent of Canadas beef was exported to the United States in 2023. Tariffs on those cross-border burgers, chops, and steaks will be felt in the supermarket. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) 2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. We remember and honor those 168 who lost their lives on April 19, 1995, when a bomb went off in front of the Murrah building in downtown Oklahoma City. 168 Days to remember those lost in the OKC bombing: Jerry Lee Parker. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. We want to remember Jerry Lee Parker, while honoring those who survived and thanking those changed forever. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Border patrolmen greeted by Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins. Washington, D.C., 1935. Credit - Bettmann Archive / Getty Images President Donald Trump has promised the largest deportation operation in American history. Yet history suggests that roadblocks may stand in the path of such an effort. One vivid example from history involves an incident from nearly 100 years ago when conservatives attempted to impeach Frances PerkinsFranklin D. Roosevelts Labor Secretary and the first woman to be a cabinet secretaryfor not deporting Harry Bridges, a union organizer from Australia. Perkins defense made clear the real limits on the executive branch when it comes to deportations. It also exposed the tension between politics and the law when it comes to deportations, potentially foreshadowing the choice that will confront Trump Administration officials soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conservatives took note of Bridges in 1932, when he became a spokesman for a group of West Coast longshoremen seeking unionization. In 1933, their unionization efforts succeeded. The following year, the longshoremen went on strike after employers refused to bargain with their newly founded union. Bridges traveled the West Coast coordinating a strike of all longshoremen and warehousemen. The effort proved successful, forcing employers to consent to fewer hours, higher pay, and safer workplace conditions. We showed the world that when working people get together and stick together theres little they cant do, Bridges once wrote. Bridges alleged communist beliefs and labor organizing made him a target in an era of strong anti-communism and anti-immigrant sentiment. In 1937, the District Director of the Immigration Naturalization Service (INS) in Seattle applied to arrest Bridges on vague charges of subversion. Before Perkins became Labor Secretary in 1933, the District Director's belief that Bridges had committed a crime would have been sufficient to arrest him. At the time, the INS fell under the purview of the Labor Department and thus Perkins leadership. She changed policy out of concern that INS was doing things that harmed immigrants. This meant the District Director needed approval from above to arrest Bridges, and department officials determined that his request included insufficient evidence to warrant doing so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read More: Frances Perkins Was the First Woman to Serve in a U.S. Presidential Cabinet. It's No Coincidence She's Having a Moment The INS officials, however, didn't take that as the final word. Instead, they sent a small team to the West Coast to continue investigating. The investigators later traveled to New York to depose Bridges. Then, Congress took notice. In January 1939, New Jersey Representative J. Parnell Thomas, an anti-Communist and opponent of the New Deal, introduced a resolution to impeach Perkins. He claimed she had committed treason by refusing to deport the alleged Communist. Thomas misconstrued Bridges Communist beliefs to suggest that he supported overthrowing the government and that Perkins, in refusing to deport him, was aiding and abetting this cause. On Jan. 21, 1939, Perkins sent a written statement to Congress, responding to an invitation to explain her reasoning for not deporting Bridges. She had been given no roving commission by Congress to deport all aliens whose activities happen to be unpopular with many people, she explained. If Congress legislated that she had to deport anyone with unpopular opinions, Perkins added, the Labor Department would follow suit. Likewise, she said she would follow the law if the courts decided that alleged Communism qualified as grounds for deportation. In fact, a case was winding its way through the judiciary on this very topic at the time. Yet, Perkins also reminded congressional conservatives that no one could prove that Bridges was plotting to overthrow the government, because, as she observed, there is no such evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a climate of broad anti-Communism sentiment, however, a lack of evidence did not stop Perkins' critics. This was especially true as business interests, working to undermine progressive New Deal labor policies such as a federal minimum wage and unemployment insurance, openly equated support for these policies with Communism. Perkins received a slew of hate mail from people who loathed her and Bridges, claimed she too was a Communist, or some combination of the two. Some of these letters were full of conspiracy theories and antisemitismdespite Perkins explicitly stating that she had no Jews in my ancestry. One letter writer charged that Perkins wouldnt deport the dirty Harry Bridges because he belonged to the same gang as her. If you ever would go to see Hitler, he would know what to do to you and the likes of your Jew or Jewess, read one especially hateful message. On Feb. 8, 1939, Perkins testified before Congress to defend her handling of the Bridges case. The hearing took place behind closed doors in a dimly lit, narrow room. She could bring only her Solicitor of Labor. Do you remember the priest that walked beside Joan of Arc when she went to the stake? she asked him, signaling how righteous her cause felt. He nodded affirmatively. At the hearing, Perkins clarified that she wasnt a Communist. Rather, she wanted to fix capitalism by reforming it with progressive legislation and social programs. She viewed her reluctance to deport Bridges as a defense of freedom of speech in line with democracy and core American values. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then she turned her attention to U.S. immigration law. She explained that previous administrations had deported people arbitrarily. Perkins, by contrast, had imposed restraints upon the arbitrary use of this power. She did so because she recognized that it was necessary to proceed in all cases with scrupulous fairness in order "to build and maintain confidence in our institutions. Read More: What Donald Trump's Win Means For Immigration Furthermore, Perkins argued that arbitrary deportations violated the lawwhich only Congress could change. Perkins could deport Bridges only if Congress commanded her to, if he had entered unlawfully, if he became a public charge, if he committed a crime of moral turpitude, or if he attempted to overthrow the government. The latter provision meant that she could even deport him for joining a formal organization that set out to overthrow the government. But Bridges had committed none of these crimes. Perkins reminded Congress that she couldnt deport him just for disliking him. Doing so would be illegal. The secretary, however, found that a critical mass of lawmakers wasnt interested in protecting the rights of people who werent citizens, nor did they seem invested in upholding the integrity of the law. Their focus was on politics, specifically redbaiting Perkins to undermine the liberal policies she supported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, Perkins made a case for why this was the wrong approach. She concluded her testimony by emphasizing the importance of the democratic method and liberty: by refusing to deport Bridges she was safeguarding these fundamental American values. Had he threatened those values, she would have deported him. Instead, she argued, the biggest threat to those principles was the effort to impeach her for following the law. The House never did impeach Perkins. But the process was so loud, the dismissal proceedings so quiet, and the political ramifications so severe that Perkins continued to feel their effects for years. In 1940, President Roosevelt successfully urged Congress to transfer the INS from the Labor Department to the Justice Department in anticipation of American entry into World War II. The impeachment had cemented Perkins reputation as both pro-immigrant and a political liability, and Roosevelt wanted to avoid a wartime controversy about how she handled immigration issues. It wasnt just that most lawmakers and voters didnt want a pro-immigrant Labor Secretary to welcome foreigners during wartime. It was also that they didnt want to spend government resources and political capital on fair proceedings. Given Trump's promises on immigration, once again, officials could face pressures to err on the side of deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the case presented by Perkins is a clarion call for abiding by the law, protecting due process, and leaving political sentiments aside. Her example teaches us how such practices can protect innocent people while preventing political chicanery from undermining faith in the American system of governance. Rebecca Brenner Graham is author of Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany. She is a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University. Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors. Write to Made by History at madebyhistory@time.com. Interior of a modern data center. A proposed $2.8 billion computing center in South Carolinas Upstate would have its own onsite power generation. (Stock photo by Imaginima/Getty Images) A proposed $2.8 billion computing center in South Carolinas Upstate would have its own onsite power generation. Officials say the so-far-unnamed aeronautics and engineering firm could serve as a model for big tech in the Palmetto State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed investment in Spartanburg County comes as South Carolina grapples with how to meet the energy needs of a growing population, manufacturing base and an influx of power heavy data centers. Its referred to publicly as Project Moc-1 to keep the actual company name secret amid negotiations. Massive centers under construction by Google and Facebook parent company Meta in other parts of the state each require hundreds of megawatts to operate. But Moc-1 would buy fuel and make its own power rather than adding to demand on the grid, County Councilman David Britt told the SC Daily Gazette. This could set the stage for other projects on how to do something like this, said Britt, who serves as the councils economic development committee chairman. Unlike traditional data centers, Moc-1 wont be leasing out space on servers to other companies. Instead, the Upstate center will be for the companys own use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Carolina is in competition with one other state to bring in the business, Britt said. The codenamed company operates in three other states but does not currently have a location here. While the reported investment figure is huge, the companys workforce would be small: Its expected to employ 27 full-time workers. Little else is known as negotiations continue. To lure in the company, Spartanburg County is offering a reduced property tax rate of 4% for 40 years. By state law, manufacturers without such an arrangement pay a 6% rate. (Industrial property owners previously paid a 10.5% rate, but state laws passed in 2017 and 2022 effectively lowered it to 6%.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The county also is offering special credits allowing the company to further buy down its tax bill a $1.5 million annual credit for the first 20 years and $2 million for the 20 years after that. Britt said Moc-1 would be a good fit for Spartanburg County. Even with the incentives, the massive investment would generate a lot of tax revenue for the county. He also noted that unemployment is already low in the county: 3.9% in December, compared to the state average of 4.7%, as of the latest report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And, according to Britt, existing small businesses, such as electricians and heating and air conditioning companies, are likely to benefit as the company will need contractors to conduct maintenance on the facility for years to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the deal is made, it would mark the second-largest single investment in state history, behind battery recycler Redwood Materials in Berkeley County. Redwood Materials announced in late 2022 it was coming to South Carolina but delayed its construction by a year. The company broke ground on its $3.5 billion site in early 2024. Company spokeswoman Morgan Crapps previously told the SC Daily Gazette that production hiring will begin in the coming months. Redwood will employ 1,500 South Carolinians when it reaches full capacity. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Firefighters rescued two young children from a burning Providence home Monday evening. Providence Battalion Fire Chief Mark Randall told 12 News that firefighters were first called to Ophelia Street to investigate reports of fire in a window. Firefighters rushed into the building upon learning that the children were trapped inside, he added. Randall said the children were unconscious when firefighters rescued them from the second floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both kids were brought to Hasbro Childrens Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and are expected to be OK. Its unclear how many residents are affected. The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the new 12+ smart TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking 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 WPRI.com. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Two Las Vegas high school students helped put antisemitism in the public eye on Monday as they testified at the Nevada Legislature on one bill and helped present another. Ethan Cohen, a 15-year-old sophomore at The Meadows School, and Meyer Delee, a 14-year-old freshman at Las Vegas Academy, testified in Carson City in support of Senate Bill 96 (SB96), which would designate Jan. 27 each year as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Then they introduced another bill, SB179, which would expand the types of discrimination subject to the authority of the Nevada Equal Rights Commission to include antisemitism. Meyer DeLee. (Courtesy: Nevada State Legislature) Ethan Cohen. (Courtesy: Nevada State Legislature) That means investigations into discrimination in housing, jobs and public access would include incidents of antisemitism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Elliot Malin, a lobbyist for the Anti-Defamation League in Nevada, it was an encouraging sign for the future. Lawmakers took note, as well, complimenting both Cohen and Delee on their work. The brief presentation of SB179 came after Malin helped present SB96. He cited the contributions of youth. The Governors Advisory Council has been very proud to partner with Mr. Ethan Cohen, behind me, who testified in support, who has been driving an initiative as a student at his high school. He is a sophomore in high school to do more to teach about the Holocaust, Malin said. Elliot Malin of the Anti-Defamation League in Nevada. (Courtesy: Nevada State Legislature) I would be remiss if I did not mention that and the good work of our youth who are here today to come in support, so thank you again, Malin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James Ohrenschall, one of the sponsors of SB179, said he has been working with Cohen and Delee for close to a year on the bill. He called them two up-and-coming leaders in the Jewish community in Nevada. Delee, who is from a proud agricultural family out of Nye County, is studying to get his pilots license, Ohrenschall said. Cohen is a Nevada Youth Legislator, as well as the founder and president of the National Holocaust Youth Council. I am an American. I am a Nevadan. And I am a Jew, Cohen said. I have had the unique experience of both witnessing and experiencing the sickening rise of antisemitism and hate in Nevada, and was inspired to come straight to lawmakers to do something about it. Delee cited four separate antisemitic incidents in the Las Vegas valley, along with statistics that Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Nevadas Advisory Council on Education relating to the Holocaust, a majority of Nevadans cant define antisemitism, Delee said. The language of the bill sets the definition as a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish Individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities. Euthanasia pill proposed as Nevada law after Gov. Lombardos veto in 2023 The message to the Nevada Legislature is more than some vague concept of a problem that exists somewhere else, according to Malin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this building, I have faced antisemitism. In this building from other lobbyists, I have faced antisemitism, and from members of the community. I remember last session, a bill on the Nazi swastica, and the remarks I was hearing from behind me, Malin said. It saddens me to this day what we see, and make no mistake here, we have seen a 200% increase of antisemitic incidents over the last year per the Anti-Defamation Leagues statistics. After the Oct. 7 massacre and attack, it was a 374% increase in attacks on Jews in America, he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a pause in the delivery of military aid to Ukraine, a move that redoubles the pressure on Volodymyr Zelenskiy to show willingness to conclude a peace agreement with Moscow, the White House has confirmed. The measure comes three days after the public rebuke, broadcast in front of television cameras in the Oval Office, of the Ukrainian president by Trump and his vice president, J. D. Vance. While he applies the stick to Zelenskiy, Trump offers carrots to Vladimir Putin: the Pentagon has confirmed the suspension of its cyber offensives against Moscow, and the White House seems to be considering the lifting of some sanctions. In the aftermath of that blowback in which Trump reproached his counterpart for not being sufficiently grateful to the United States and questioned whether he really wanted to reach an agreement, after Zelenskiy had highlighted the unreliability of Putin senior U.S. officials indicated that the Republican was considering cutting off the military aid to Kyiv that had been approved by his predecessor, Joe Biden, and was still pending delivery. The president has made it clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We have paused and revised our aid to ensure that it contributes to a solution, a senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Monday in making the case for the drastic move. Trump held a meeting Monday with his Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to decide on the next steps in the war. Assistance is now suspended until the U.S. president decides that Zelenskiy shows a genuine commitment to peace. The order extends to all weaponry not already on Ukrainian soil, including materiel that was already in transit or in Poland waiting to cross the border into the invaded country. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, the U.S. Congress has approved $175 billion in assistance for Ukraine, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. There was still $3.85 billion to be used, which had not been included in the across-the-board freeze on foreign aid funds ordered by the Republican administration immediately after Trumps return to the White House. The decision represents a hard blow for Kyiv given Washington is its main supplier of military aid. And it is also a demonstration that neither Zelenskiys public messages of gratitude towards his hitherto indispensable partner, repeated several times over the weekend, nor the European intervention whose leaders met this Sunday in London to reiterate their support for Ukraine and to draw up a peace plan acceptable to Kyiv and which the U.S. could join have managed to make a dent in Trumps indignation. In an interview with Fox News, Vance claimed that Kyivs European allies are not helping Zelenskiy by failing to pressure him to end the war. Zelenskiy, he goes to Europe and a lot of our European friends puff him up. They say you know, youre a freedom fighter. You need to keep fighting forever. Fighting forever with what? With whose money? With whose ammunition, and with whose lives? The president is actually taking a much more realistic perspective and saying, this cant go on forever. We cant fund this thing forever. The Ukrainians cant fight forever. So lets bring this thing to a peaceful settlement he declared. Trump lashed out twice on Monday against the Ukrainian leader, from whom he already interprets any statement as malicious. After Zelenskiy declared that he believes peace with Russia is still a long way off, the Republican took it as proof that his counterpart wants to delay the end of the war. And he warned him in a message on social networks that America will not put up with it for much longer. Trump added: This guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskiy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. In his statements to the press Monday, Trump reiterated that for contacts between his administration and Kyiv to resume, Zelenskiy will have to profusely show his gratitude to the United States for the aid received during three years of war, which the Republican falsely puts at $350 billion (in reality it is less than $200 billion). He also seemed to be again toying with the idea that the Ukrainian president should leave office. In an appearance before the media in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Trump insisted on the need to reach an agreement with Russia, and an agreement with Ukraine, that is going to have the approval of the European nations, because that is important. But in apparent reference, again, to Zelenskiy, he noted, maybe somebody doesnt want to make a deal, and if somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long. Because I believe that Russia wants to make a deal. I believe, certainly the people of Ukraine want to make a deal. Trump also said that he will announce on Tuesday, in his address to both houses of Congress in a speech equivalent to the State of the Nation, the future of the economic agreement that both presidents had planned to sign on Friday, before the meeting in the Oval Office descended into acrimony. Here he did throw a thread of hope to Kyiv. Asked if he considered the pact dead, he replied: No, I dont think so, and reiterated that the United States needs the minerals it could extract from Ukrainian soil. The pact provides for joint exploitation of Ukraines natural resources, something Washington argues is necessary to recoup the money spent on military aid. The Republican administration also claims that this document will link the two economies, give the United States an incentive to defend Kyiv, and serve as a deterrent for Moscow to avoid a new invasion in the future. At the same time that the U.S. president is increasing the pressure on Zelenskiy, the White House is considering the possibility of removing some of the sanctions it imposed on Moscow during the war, in a new step in the rapprochement between the two governments and their negotiations for an end to the war in Ukraine, according to Reuters, which cites a senior U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter. The presidential office, according to the news agency, has asked the State and Treasury departments to draw up a list of sanctions that could be removed. Such a list would be presented to Russian representatives at upcoming meetings between delegations of the two countries to discuss an improvement of diplomatic and economic relations. Since the call between Trump and Putin in mid-February, envoys from both governments have met at least twice. The first, in Riyadh, was led by the heads of the respective diplomacies, Sergey Lavrov and Marco Rubio. The second took place last week in Turkey. According to Reuters, the sanctions that the U.S. departments are considering removing include some against various Russian entities and individuals. It is unclear what Washington might get from Moscow in return for such a step. The move comes on top of the Pentagons decision, leaked on Sunday and confirmed on Monday, to suspend cyber operations against Russia. Trump, who promised during the U.S. election campaign to end the war in 24 hours, has adopted much more favorable positions toward Russia in the negotiation process. At no time has he advanced what he plans to demand from Putin, whom he has described as very intelligent and a genius, while remaining highly critical of Kyiv. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Big news outta Gotham City as Gotham Park, the nonprofit reopening the iconic Brooklyn Banks space under Manhattan's Brooklyn Bridge, received two million dollars in federal capital funding to help its missionpart of which is the reopening of the skateable Big and Small Brooklyn Banks. "What a day celebrating $2 million in federal capital funding for our new public space beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Gotham Park is so thankful to @senschumer, @senkirstengillibrand and @repdangoldman for their vigorous support to bring this funding to Lower Manhattan. This federal Reconnecting Communities grant will create a legacy public space to reconnect our diverse communities at the foot of one of our nations most significant landmarks the Brooklyn Bridge - while catalyzing social, economic, environmental and health benefits for millions of New Yorkers.Many thanks to @nycmayor, Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi , our agency partners at @nyc_dot led by Commissioner @ydanis_rodriguez and @nypd, and to our incredible community stakeholders who have supported our grassroots efforts: Gotham Parks Board led by Elizabeth Lewinsohn, @trinitychurchnyc, @theskateparkproject, our Community Boards 1 and 3, our neighbors including NYCHAs Alfred E. Smith Houses, Chinatown, Chatham Green, Southbridge Towers, the South Street Seaport Historic District, @paceuniversity, the Murry Bergtraum Campus, and so many more.Thank you ALL for your commitment to the hard work of building legacy public space to uplift New Yorkers for generations to come!" If you're old enough to remember skating the Small Banks, this is huge! And if you're too young, trust us, you're going to be stoked when those perfect brick bumps are back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Don't miss another headline from TransWorld SKATEboarding! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more quality skate content. Related: The Brooklyn Banks Are (Not) Back: RB Umali Interview + New Footage We reached out to NYC miracle worker Steve Rodriguez for what this money means for skateboarding: "The first step is always the most significant. And this funding is an amazing start to refurbishing/transforming the space for skateboarding and general public use. Gotham park (which is a 9-acre space which includes the Small Banks, 9 stair, Big Banks and other areas that were never skated) will require a significant renovation project that will most likely require 100-200 million (remember were in NYC) to complete. As far as how this affects the timeline of the Small and Big banks reopening I would say that it does not affect the initial timeline as I believe these funds are for the next stage of the project. So I see it as more as momentum/awareness of the space rather than direct funds to make the current stage happen faster."Steve Rodriguez Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though this two million does not relate to the opening of The Banks, The Big Banks are still scheduled to open this year, with the Small Banks opening sometime after that. Please consider donating to gothampark.org, they are the ones maintaining the park and picking up trashplease don't litter when you're down there! Two Reading men have been arrested on attempted murder charges in a Feb. 2 shooting in Muhlenberg Township. Police said they identified the gunman as Luis Rosario, 22, because he dropped his cellphone as he exited the passenger side of a car. The suspect vehicle had followed the victim through an alleyway in the 2800 block of Kutztown Road before Rosario got out and fired shots, hitting the victim in the back and foot. The victim told investigator he had been dropped off by a ride-sharing service about 3:30 a.m., moments before the shooting. After he walked into the alleyway, he saw a car following him and began to run when he saw the door opening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim was taken by ambulance to the Reading Hospital trauma center, where he underwent surgery. According to court records: Police recovered the phone, which was on the street in the same spot as seven .45-caliber shell casings. The phone showed several Facetime calls to someone labeled in the contacts as Leafy, immediately after the shooting. Police identified Leafy as Kalif Johnson, 22, from messages on the phone. They learned he owns a Subaru Outback that was captured on cameras in the area of the shooting. The recordings showed a Deka parking pass hanging from the cars rearview mirror. Investigators confirmed Johnson was an employee of East Penn Manufacturing Co., the maker of Deka batteries. Johnson of the 500 block of Moss Street and Rosario of the 1000 block of North Sixth Street were arrested Feb. 28 and sent to Berks County Prison without bail to await a hearing on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, conspiracy and weapons charges. They traveled from Westchester to Washington, D.C., to our nation's burial ground, Arlington National Cemetery, to remember their sons and brothers, the "Faces of the Fallen" in the Iraq War. Their story was captured by Journal News staff writer Shawn Cohen and photographer Dave Kennedy. Twenty years ago, on March 22, 2005, Christina and Yolanda Cuming of North White Plains remembered Pfc. Kevin Cuming, and looked at his portrait in a just-opened exhibit, "Faces of the Fallen." Carmen Palmer of Mount Vernon was there, too, to remember her son, Marine Cpl. Bernard Gooden. Chris Lagman from Yonkers was there for his brother, Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman. About 1,500 relatives of servicemen and servicewomen who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan came from across the country to remember. Some hoped to find those who might have known their sons in their final days. Chris Lagman, left, Christina and Yolanda Cuming, and Carmen Palmer, right, look at the portraits of soldiers during the opening day for the "Faces of the Fallen" exhibit at Arlington National Cemetery March 22, 2005. Lagman lost his brother Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman, Yolanda Cuming lost her son Pfc. Kevin Cuming, and Palmer lost her son Marine Cpl. Bernard Gooden in fighting in the Iraq War. The exhibit features portraits of more than 1,000 soldiers who lost their lives in the Iraq War. "When this happened, I felt as if I was the only person going through this," Palmer said. "Now, I understand it's the whole United States." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She struck up a conversation with Zaida Walters from Houston, whose son was killed in Fallujah. They bonded instantly. "It's not real," Palmer said, weeping. "Let's pray for the ones that are still there. I wish for no family to go through what I go through." "We pray for you," Walters told Palmer. "We are in a family together," Palmer replied. "We are one family, one heart." The Journal News/lohud.com has been telling stories of the Lower Hudson Valley for generations. This regular column and photo feature takes a look back into our extensive archive. Reach Peter D. Kramer at pkramer@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: 'Faces of the Fallen' exhibit unites families of Iraq War dead DANE COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) March 4, 2025, marks the 27th anniversary of the murder of Father Alfred Kunz, a Catholic priest who was a pastor in Madison for over 30 years, and officials are urging the killer to come forward. The Dane County Sheriffs Office is continuing to search for Father Kunzs killer to this day, and in a Tuesday morning Facebook post, the department left a message for whoever did it. Husband of deceased woman in Wisconsin being held in jail, investigation continues Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have a story to tell, and we want to hear it, the post said. Time has passed, but the truth remains. The community is still waiting for answers, and we are still searching for justice. You may think this case is forgotten, but we havent stopped working. The post added that its never too late to come forward, and urged the public to help in the continued investigation. Anybody with information is urged to call the Dane County Sheriffs tip line at (608) 284-6900, or leave one on the department website. No additional details are available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) An alleged sexual assault victim of Sean Williams has withdrawn her motion to intervene in a federal civil lawsuit that Johnson City has agreed to settle for $28 million. Court briefs related to that motion reveal more about the pending settlement, which will be split to compensate two different groups of sexual assault victims and alleged victims. And beneficiaries will include multiple alleged Sean Williams victims who did not ever file complaints with the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD). An undisclosed portion of the $28 million wont be covered by Johnson Citys municipal liability insurance company. In response to an emailed query, Johnson City spokesperson Keisha Shoun told News Channel 11 Monday that the remaining amount will be drawn from the citys general fund balance. That total wasnt specified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1 removed from event as crowd becomes loud with Congresswoman Harshbarger It will come partly from the citys unassigned fund balance and the restricted fund balance, which is essentially the rainy day fund. As of Dec. 31, the combined fund balance (unaudited) totaled $49.6 million, Shoun said, with some unpaid property taxes still outstanding. The withdrawal of the motion to intervene by Atlanta-area attorney Rory Weeks removes a potential complication in the Jane Doe et al v City of Johnson City case. The lawsuit was first filed in June 2023 on behalf of nine alleged victims of Williams, who for years owned a fifth-floor downtown Johnson City apartment as he ran a glass and concrete contracting business. The suit alleged police knowingly allowed Williams to commit multiple sexual assaults between at least 2018 and 2021 allegations the city vehemently denied. While never charged with sexual assaults by Johnson City police, Williams, now 53, was later indicted on sex crimes against children that occurred in his apartment after being arrested in Cullowhee, N.C. on unrelated charges. He was sentenced last week to 95 years on federal pornography charges and still likely faces future local rape charges based on photos and videos of more than five dozen assaults, which authorities say he possessed when arrested in Cullowhee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plaintiffs whose numbers expanded over time as authorities reviewed photos and videos they had seized from Williams when he was arrested in late April 2023 will drop claims of police corruption and other violations in exchange for the settlement. The Johnson City Commission unanimously approved the settlement proposal Feb. 13. Alleged victim C.S., who is not a part of the Doe plaintiff group, filed the motion to intervene on Feb. 17. That motion argued C.S. may still want to pursue the corruption and other claims being dropped and that the fairest way for her to be able to do so was by letting her join the claim before the Doe plaintiffs dropped off of it. Attorneys for the Jane Does argued that C.S. is still free to pursue claims against JCPD if she chooses, as are any other Sean Williams alleged victims who did not join the suit before a settlement was approved. They also rebutted Weekss claim that the dismissals language jeopardized C.S.s chance to prove any corruption claims. The Jane Does motion says theyre moving to dismiss claims against police because of the substantial risk of not meeting the applicable burdens of proof based on the evidence which has been adduced through extensive discovery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weeks called that a shocking and unnecessary revelation that had the effect of making claims by other women and children who were drugged, sexually assaulted, or trafficked by Williams seem less compensable. Attorneys: Jane Does stand by the strength of their case The Jane Doe attorneys wrote the substantial risk phrase wont have a practically harmful effect on other womens claims. There is nothing unusual or shocking about Plaintiffs acknowledgment of the substantial risk of continuing to litigate novel Trafficking Victims Protection Act claims a risk present in any case that does not settle and instead goes to a jury trial and then becomes subject to appeal. They added that they stand by the strength of their case while acknowledging that risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the plaintiffs dismissal motion didnt explicitly mention that alleged Williams victims who did not report their sexual assault would get settlements, those represented by the Doe attorneys will. Attorney Vanessa Baehr-Jones said those plaintiffs are receiving negotiated settlements of confidential amounts. The proposed class settlement for the people who reported sexual assaults from 2018-2022 is subject to U.S. District Judge Travis McDonoughs approval. A filing in response to C.S.s motion to intervene includes a footnote that attorneys will request preliminary approval of the class settlement as soon as possible, at which time it will be filed publicly. That settlement is based on third-party expert Eric Daigles audit of five years worth of Johnson City sexual assault cases commissioned by the city itself after a separate but related lawsuit was filed in 2022, a year before the one being settled. Daigles report looked at more than 300 sexual assault reports to JCPD from 2018 through 2022. It found a number of cases that were well-investigated but determined that, overall, JCPD had a number of certain investigative practices that could negatively affect the quality and efficiency of their response to sexual assault cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daigle noted a common theme running through many of these weaknesses: JCPDs response to sexual assault was challenged based on gender-based stereotypes and bias. JCPD has worked on addressing many of Daigles eight major findings and reports a markedly improved approach. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The DeSoto County Sheriffs Office says it recovered $30,000 worth of stolen Milwaukee tools and took one person into custody after searching two residential properties in Southaven, Mississippi. The sheriffs office said its criminal investigations division and SWAT team assisted the Union Pacific Railroad Police in executing search warrants at the homes as part of a long-term investigation into the theft of about $2 million in Milwaukee Tools from cargo containers. The ATF and FBI also assisted with the operation. Macon Herron. Courtesy: Desoto Co. Sheriffs Office DCSO has not released any details about the train car heist or the locations where some of the tools were found but said Macon Herron was taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man accused of indecent exposure again During the searches, authorities said they also recovered a stolen Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a stolen Can-Am Renegade ATV, and a Glock pistol with a machine gun switch. Herron already has an active arrest warrant out of Crittenden County, Arkansas, and a prior arrest record for receiving stolen property, the sheriffs office said. Herron is now facing two counts of felony receiving stolen property and prohibited possession of a machine gun conversion device. Investigators said the case is ongoing, and there could be additional charges or arrests. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Grieving family members gathered at the site where three people died early Sunday morning in a crash that police say involved a drunk driver. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] They placed three vases with flowers for the victims who never made it home after a family gathering. Joselin Lopez, 18, died a day before her 19th birthday, according to family. Maricela Vieyra Gonzales, 52, leaves behind a son. Federico Ramirez Chun, 42, was driving the car hit by an SUV. Ramirez Chuns wife survived but was rushed to a hospital with injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We just gotta learn how to forgive, a family member said at the memorial site near Williams Road and Bishop Circle near Norcross. The crash occurred just after midnight Sunday when Gwinnett police say Domingo Lopez Raymundo, 19, crashed into the car carrying four people. The collision happened as the victims were turning left from a stop sign. Its obviously tragic when you have any death, especially three in one incident like this, said Cpl. Juan Madiedo with the Gwinnett County Police Department. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police say both Lopez Raymundo and his passenger, Camilo Bernal Castaneda, 33, fled from the crash through a nearby neighborhood. They were quickly located, and they were both arrested, Madiedo said. Now, families are left figuring out how to transport the victims bodies to their home countries for proper funerals. Two of the bodies (Lopez and Ramirez Chun) are going to go to Guatemala, and one of the bodies (Gonzalez) are going to go to Mexico, a family member explained. The families are moving forward, hoping for justice but without anger. Hope the best for the person that did it, said a relative at the memorial site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lopez Raymundo, the driver, faces DUI, hit and run, driving without a license, and more pending charges, according to police. Bernal Castaneda, the passenger, was arrested and charged with obstruction. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Three people are facing charges in connection to a drive-by shooting in Westmoreland County. Nino Manno, 20, Ronan Hunter, 18, and Joshua Gross, are accused of shooting into a house along Poker Road in Mount Pleasant Township early on Sunday morning while someone was inside before speeding away from the area, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorneys Office. The DA says state police responded to the home and saw the homes front door was broken from gunfire and the side window shattered. Several spent shell casings and bullet fragments were recovered from the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Manno and Hunter are facing charges of aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, while Gross is facing a conspiracy charge. The DA says investigators executed a search warrant at Mannos home and vehicle, finding a handgun and spent shell casings of different calibers inside the vehicle. A fourth man involved was identified by state police but is not currently facing any charges. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) The Laurel County Sheriffs Office said it has reported three people to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a reckless driving complaint on Friday. The sheriffs office said three people were arrested around 7:30 p.m. near Fifth Street and Spivey Lane in London. According to a press release, a deputy saw the suspected vehicle meeting with another vehicle. Officials said they found 23-year-old Enjel Sosa-Olivas in possession of suspected fentanyl. Jose Roberto Landero, 39, and Yalibeth Carmen Peralta-Gonzalez, 29, were allegedly determined to be under the influence, and Landero reportedly tried to pull away when deputies were trying to arrest him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An arrest citation said Sosa-Olivas walked around the car, and an official found a white towel with duct tape around it with plastic bags that had white powder inside. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: (Laurel County Sheriffs Office) 29-year-old Yalibeth Carmen Peralta-Gonzalez (Laurel County Correctional Center) (Laurel County Correctional Center) (Laurel County Correctional Center) The press release said all three individuals were identified as illegal aliens, and authorities notified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Sosa-Olivas was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance fentanyl. Landero was charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place and resisting arrest. Peralta-Gonzalez was charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office said all three face deportation to Nicaragua. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: They were lodged in the Laurel County Correctional 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 FOX 56 News. Thirty Los Angeles County detention services officers are facing criminal charges for allegedly facilitating gladiator fights between youths at a County juvenile hall. California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the unsealing of a grand jury indictment accusing the officers, all from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, of child endangerment and abuse, conspiracy and battery impacting 143 victims between the ages of 12 and 18. The indictment alleges that the officers allowed and, in some instances, encouraged 69 fights to occur between youths at Los Padrinos during the period from July 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, stated Bontas release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Attorney General, the California Department of Justice launched an investigation after video footage of the fights leaked in January 2024. The footage shows eight probation officers standing idly by while a group of teens attack a 17-year-old inside a day room at the juvenile hall. According to the Los Angeles Times, the teen suffered a broken nose and head trauma. Some officers are even seen laughing, and shaking hands with the young people involved, Bonta said. Watching the video, the officers look more like referees or audience members at a prize fight not adults charged with the care and supervision of young people. The officers dont step in or intervene and dont protect their charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The eight probation officers were soon placed on administrative leave, followed by another four in April 2024. Bonta said 22 of the 30 officers who now face these criminal charges were arraigned on Monday. The rest will be arraigned on Apr. 18. There have been calls on the state level to close Los Padrinos altogether because of unsuitable conditions and failed inspections. The Probation Department has refused this order, though. Officers at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall have a duty to ensure the safety and well-being of those under their care. Instead, the officers charged today did just the opposite overseeing gladiator fights when they should have intervened, said Bonta. The indictment and the filing of criminal charges is an important step toward holding these officers accountable and addressing shortfalls at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an entirely separate civil judgment in November 2024, Bonta announced additional monitoring and protections to address illegal and unsafe conditions in L.A. County Juvenile halls, including Los Padrinos. The L.A. County Probation Department issued the following statement regarding Bontas announcement: The Los Angeles County Probation Department fully supports and applauds the Attorney General and his office for todays indictments. Our department sought the assistance of law enforcement authorities when misconduct was discovered, which eventually led to the AGs office investigation. Since then, we have fully collaborated with our partners. At the same time, we have been conducting our own internal inquiries. The current staff named in todays indictments have all been placed on leave without pay. Accountability is a cornerstone of our mission, and we have zero tolerance for misconduct of any peace officers, especially those dealing with young people in our system. While these incidents are deeply troubling, we believe this marks an important step toward rebuilding trust and reinforcing our commitment to the meaningful changes we are proposing in our juvenile facilities. Our vision for them is one that prioritizes rehabilitation, support, and positive outcomes for justice-involved youth, as well as upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity for our staff. We remain dedicated to fostering an environment that is safe, restorative, and aligned with best practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Ukraine is proposing to Russia a truce in the sky that is, a halt to mutual long-range drone and missile strikes against civilian infrastructure and, above all, against their respective energy industries. The proposal was announced by Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday via his social networks. The Ukrainian president added that this partial suspension of hostilities would also apply to the naval war and would allow the exchange of prisoners of war held by each side. Zelenskiys message seeks above all to regain the trust of U.S. President Donald Trump. This is the first time that Zelenskiy has publicly proposed a ceasefire, even if only a partial one, to Moscow. Something similar was reported in the American media in the summer of 2024. At the time, according to news agencies such as Bloomberg, the two sides had received mediation from third countries to stop the attacks on the Ukrainian electricity grid and the Russian oil and gas industry. The occupation of part of the Russian province of Kursk in August of that year by the Ukrainian army put a stop to this option, according to the Kremlin. The two sides also negotiated an end to hostilities with the mediation of Turkey in the spring of 2022, in the first months of the invasion, but Kyiv renounced this option after the scandal caused in public opinion by the Russian war crimes in the offensive on the Ukrainian capital and in a context in which the Armed Forces of Ukraine were managing to push back the invading troops at high speed. The new proposal announced by Zelenskiy comes two days after French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that he was negotiating with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to offer a partial ceasefire similar to the one detailed by the Ukrainian leader, although only for one month. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot added that the intention of a truce in the sky, at sea and in the energy infrastructure is to test whether Vladimir Putin has good intentions to seal a truce. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron hold a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House on March 2, 2025 in London, England. WPA Pool (Getty Images) Trump has repeatedly said over the past week that he feels a greater affinity for the Russian autocrat because the latter genuinely wants peace as opposed to Zelenskiy. Relations between the American and Ukrainian leaders are at rock bottom following Trumps constant attacks on Zelenskiy, most notably the clash at the White House on Friday. Trump warned his Ukrainian counterpart that he is in a weak position, without any cards. The U.S. government announced on Monday that it is suspending its military assistance to Ukraine until Zelenskiy demonstrates that he wants to negotiate peace. Zelenskiy stressed in February that, even if Europe increased its military aid, without the U.S., Ukraines chances of survival are very low. Washington provides up to 40% of the defense resources with which Ukraine has fought in the three years of invasion. Under Trumps strong leadership In his post, Zelensky admitted that our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians, he added, although the word fair was missing, an adjective essential to the official Ukrainian argument to make it clear that an agreement with Russia must also recognize Ukraines sovereignty in the occupied territories and the Kremlins obligation to repair the damage caused. Zelenskys statement also omitted mention of the main issue that sparked Fridays White House row with Trump. The Ukrainian head of state insisted that any ceasefire agreed with Russia requires a U.S. commitment to future defense guarantees for Ukraine. The U.S. president has refused to commit to such aid. Zelenskiy did not mention in his social media message what he has considered in recent weeks to be essential security guarantees. Zelenskiy also makes it clear in his message that he wants to get closer to Trump, even if it means making concessions: My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. What the Ukrainian leader did not do is apologize for the unexpected turn of events at the Oval Office, an apology that Trump and those closest to him had demanded. The Ukrainian presidents message also reiterated that regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. The bilateral economic treaty would provide the U.S. with 50% of the income from the exploitation of minerals in Ukraine. This deal was to be ratified last Friday, but the discussion in the White House put it on hold. The Ukrainian side assumes that, although on paper there is no specific mention of what military aid Washington would give in return, there will be a future agreement on defense cooperation. Russia is attacking military and civilian targets hundreds of kilometers from the front with its missiles and drones on a daily basis. With these bombings, it has disabled 80% of Ukraines electricity generation capabilities. The army of the invaded country, for its part, periodically punishes Russias gas and oil industry, as well as its military facilities, with its drone bombs, sometimes more than 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Zelenskiys proposal would be limited only to stopping attacks on civilian, not military, targets. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Thirty officers from the Los Angeles County Probation Department have been indicted on criminal charges after an investigation into allegations they allowed and in some cases encouraged fights between teens inside the county's juvenile halls. An indictment unsealed late Monday afternoon contains 71 counts of child abuse, conspiracy and battery against 30 probation officers, alleging their involvement in a series of fights that took place from July to December 2023. Two officers Taneha Brooks and Shawn Smyles are accused of telling other officers not to intervene or make reports when fights happened, according to the indictment. Smyles told youths involved in fights not to seek medical attention in order to cover up the brawls, the indictment said. Late Monday, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta referred to the coordinated brawls as "gladiator fights." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictments were the result of a California Department of Justice investigation launched after state investigators were leaked security video published last year by The Times that shows eight probation officers standing idly by while a group of teens attacked a 17-year-old inside Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey. The teen suffered a broken nose and a "traumatic brain injury," according to a civil claim filed last year. Details of the indictments were first reported by The Times last month. The officers look more like referees or audience members at a prizefight, not adults charged with the care and supervision of young people, Bonta said at a news conference. The officers don't step in, don't intervene and don't protect their charges. Bonta said the office reviewed videos and found 69 fights that occurred among 143 youths ages 12 to 18. The fights took place at Los Padrinos in the chaotic first six months after the hall opened in July 2023. They did have multiple gladiator-type fights between individuals with probation officers employed by L.A. County right there in the room, watching, not intervening, not keeping the young people they were charged with taking care of safe, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bonta said prosecutors believed the fights were orchestrated by the probation officials. We believe that this was planned. It was intended. There was a desire on the part of the juvenile probation officers for these fights to occur, he said. They often wanted them to happen at the beginning of the day and a certain time in a certain place. The indictment echoed Bonta's allegations. In the December 2023 attack on the 17-year-old, Brooks and Smyles told several new detention services officers that fights would happen before they took place. They instructed the rookie officers "not to say anything, write down anything and just watch when youth fights occurred," according to the indictment. The video published last year by The Times shows the 17-year-old sustaining punches and kicks from youths who attack him one at a time inside a day room at Los Padrinos. On more than one occasion, the victim falls to the ground while officers do little to stop the violence. At one point in the video, Brooks steps out of the way as a youth charges the victim and delivers a running kick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: L.A. probation officer caught on camera bending teen in half given no-jail plea deal The victim's public defender alleged last year that Brooks "instigated" the brawls by telling the attackers the 17-year-old was a racist and a member of a rival gang. At one point in the video, Brooks can be seen checking her watch, as if timing out each brawl. Another officer identified in court last year as Smyles can be seen in the video shaking hands with one of the assailants while the 17-year-old crumples under a flurry of punches in another part of the room. The teen, who was charged with robbery at the time of the attack, remains in the custody of the Probation Department but is no longer being housed at Los Padrinos, according to his civil attorney, Jamal Tooson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smyles also was charged with one count of battery for an unlawful use of force against a youth Oct. 9, 2023, according to the indictment. Brooks ignored questions from a reporter in the courthouse Monday. Smyles declined to comment through his attorney. In her written report on the incident, Brooks said that the 17-year-old and his attackers were engaged in mutual combat and each fight stopped when she gave an oral warning. Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes Los Padrinos, said in a statement that all of the officers involved in the abuse had been placed on leave last year. "I support the Chief Probation Officer in firing any officers who are found guilty," she wrote. "This is only further proof that the culture of our probation department needs to change dramatically." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dozens of current and former probation officers could be seen milling around the 13th floor of the downtown Los Angeles criminal courthouse on Monday afternoon, many of them still unsure what they were being charged with or why. Retired officers also appeared in support of the defendants, arguing that their colleagues were victims of a chronically understaffed and mismanaged agency that put them in an impossible job. Our members have been working under extremely difficult conditions understaffed and ill-equipped facilities that house individuals accused of murder, sexual assault, terrorism, and other serious crimes, Stacey Ford, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 685, the union that represents probation officers, said in a statement. Despite these challenges, our professional peace officers remain committed to maintaining the highest level of professionalism while upholding their sworn duties." Probation Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa suspended at least 14 officers in relation to the Los Padrinos video months before it was published, according to a department spokeswoman. In a statement released Monday, the department said it sought an outside investigation immediately after discovering the video. Every officer caught up in Monday's indictments is now on leave without pay, according to the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While these incidents are deeply troubling, we believe this marks an important step toward rebuilding trust and reinforcing our commitment to the meaningful changes we are proposing in our juvenile facilities," the statement read. "Our vision for them is one that prioritizes rehabilitation, support, and positive outcomes for justice-involved youth, as well as upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity for our staff." The majority of the officers charged were lower-level staff, many of whom had been with the agency for more than a decade. At least one of the officers who was indicted, Ramses Patron, is a director at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, meaning he supervised the staff involved in the incidents. His attorney, Tom Yu, dismissed the allegations as a "political hit" and said Patron, who has been with the department for 30 years, wasn't even in the room when the fights happened. "It appears that the indictment arose from a failure to act by my client, which presupposes he had direct and actual knowledge of the 'gladiator' style fights," Yu said in a text message to The Times. "From my knowledge of the case, I do not believe that such evidence exists." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The December 2023 incident raised questions about whether the violence was condoned by officers and the validity of probation officers' reports on fights and other uses of force within the halls. A supervisor who reviewed Brooks' notes on the fighting incident captured on video said during a court hearing that he never questioned her account or reviewed the video before entering her report into a court file. The indictments are the latest in a string of controversies surrounding the Probation Department. Read more: Troubled juvenile hall gets another lifeline after judge punts decision on closure Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California's Board of State and Community Corrections ordered Los Padrinos closed late last year after it repeatedly failed inspections and was deemed "unsuitable" to house youths. The majority of the juveniles incarcerated in Los Angeles County are housed in Los Padrinos because the board previously closed the county's other two juvenile halls Barry J. Nidorf in Sylmar and Central Juvenile Hall in L.A. after increases in violence and instability in the halls exacerbated by a staffing crisis. The Probation Department refused the state's order to close Los Padrinos, and state board members have said they don't know what legal recourse they have to enforce it. The California attorney general's office has previously declined to address the issue. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Miguel Espinoza is weighing a request from the L.A. County public defender's office to remove all of its clients from Los Padrinos, based on the board's finding that it's unsafe for youths. "The probation system and its underlying culture are broken," Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo Garcia said in a statement Monday. "Accountability for those who have failed to protect our youth is long overdue there is no justice in a system that abuses the very youth it is entrusted to care for." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The deadline to get a Real ID is just two months away and if air travelers do not have this new form of identification they will not be able to fly domestically unless they have another federally approved form of identification, like a passport. The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement Tuesday announcing once the deadline arrives on May 7, every flyer must have a Real ID or "your air travel may be delayed," unless you have another acceptable form of ID. A standard driver's license will not suffice. The Real ID is a state-issued driver's license that can be purchased at a Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles center. You will need to bring certain documents to the DMV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said in a statement Tuesday that residents have had the opportunity to convert to a Real ID since 2013, during their regular eight-year renewal. The department said over 63% of Wisconsin's valid driver license or ID cards currently display the Real ID star indicating they are federally compliant, while many who don't have a compliant card have another form of ID and some may not plan to travel. Flyers will need a Real ID by May 7 to fly domestically, unless you have a passport. The neighboring Illinois Secretary of State is encouraging residents to double check if they need a Real ID before going to the DMV, as the state is experiencing long lines. When asked about long lines at Wisconsin DMVs, the DOT said, "Most Wisconsin DMV customers are able to get in and out in under 10 minutes." Wisconsin residents can plan ahead by getting a personalized checklist of the required documents needed to bring to the DMV using the interactive Driver Licensing Guide. It also allows customers to pre-fill any required applications, print and bring the forms or submit them electronically. Here's more to know about Real ID and how to get one in Wisconsin. Do I have to get a Real ID? No. Your driver's license is still valid, and will continue to be valid even after the 2025 deadline. However, without a Real ID, you will not be able to fly domestically or visit a federal building unless you have a U.S. passport. What's different about Real ID? Real ID is a more secure version of the traditional driver's license. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cards have a detailed black and white photo laser-engraved on a polycarbonate card. The card has two high-definition, high-contrast images, making the card much more difficult to counterfeit, according to the DMV. Wisconsin Real ID cards are marked with a star in the upper-right corner. How do I obtain a Real ID in Wisconsin? You will need to go to the DMV you cannot complete the process online. You will need to bring a number of additional documents to the DMV. You can, however, use the DMV's interactive website dlguides.wi.gov to start the process and begin filling out the right forms. What should I bring to the DMV? You'll have to prove your information in up to six categories: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Name and date of birth Legal presence in the U.S. Identity Name change (if applicable) Address (two forms) Social Security number For proof of name, date of birth and legal presence in the U.S, options you can provide include your passport, passport card, birth certificate and certificate of naturalization. Here are additional forms to prove citizenship status. To prove your identity you can use your driver's license or photo ID. You can also use a marriage certificate, Social Security card or W-2 tax form. The DMV lists further options. If you changed your name you will need to provide a marriage certificate, divorce certificate, court order or your passport with your current name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You will need to provide two forms of proof of address. A utility bill for water, gas or electricity will work. You can also provide a cable internet bill or mobile phone bill. A medical bill from a doctor or hospital is also acceptable. The DMV lists more options. All documents must be original or a certified copy. Photocopies will not be accepted. You also must know your Social Security number, and provide it at the DMV. If you are not eligible for a Social Security number, the DMV asks that you fill out form MV3741 at the DMV. How much does a Real ID cost? In Wisconsin, getting a Real ID is the same price as getting (or renewing) a regular driver's license $34. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A regular photo ID costs $28. If your current ID will not expire before 2025 and you want to get a Real ID before then, you will have to pay the cost of a duplicate card $14. Here's a full list of driver licensing fees. This story was updated to add a photo. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: About 63% of Wisconsin residents have a Real ID as deadline looms FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) Four people have been sentenced in connection with a pair of 2024 robberies at tobacco stores in Fort Smith, according to court documents. Hailey Wisegarver (formerly Waller), 25, Tanner Wisegarver, 25, Jason Mathis, 18, and Veeonta Vallien, 18, were arrested on April 5, 2024, on two counts of aggravated robbery. At the time of their arrests, Mathis and Vallien were juveniles and were identified at a later date. Hailey Wisegarver (formerly Waller), 25 (Courtesy: Sebastian County Detention Center) Tanner Wisegarver, 25 (Courtesy: Sebastian County Detention Center) Jason Mathis. 18 (Courtesy: Sebastian County Detention Center) Veeonta Vallien, 18 (Courtesy: Sebastian County Detention Center) Court documents say the four were responsible for armed robberies at King Tobacco locations on Towson Avenue on March 31 and North Greenwood Avenue on Feb. 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trial delayed for man facing negligent homicide in Fort Smith teens death No details were given on what was stolen in each robbery. Haley Wisegarver (Waller) Wisegarver pleaded guilty on Oct. 2, 2024, to two counts of aggravated robbery, one count of possession of methamphetamine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was sentenced to 15 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with 25 years suspended. As part of her sentence, Wisegarver was ordered to have no contact with any King Tobacco location or the victims involved in the robberies. Tanner Wisegarver Wisegarver pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2024, to two counts of aggravated robbery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was sentenced to 15 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with 25 years suspended. Arkansas State Police investigate homicide in Logan County Jason Mathis and Veeonta Vallien Mathis and Vallien pleaded guilty on Feb. 26 to amended charges, two counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery. They were sentenced to 15 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with 15 years suspended. As part of their sentence, they are banned from all King Tobacco locations. On March 3, an order was filed stating the four were ordered to pay $4,679.83 in restitution. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. Forty-six percent of surveyed American voters said that neither the U.S. nor Ukraine walked away as a winner from last weeks tumultuous meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a new Emerson College poll released Monday. Another 35 percent of surveyed voters said the U.S. walked away as a winner, while 15 percent said the same about Ukraine. Four percent said both counties were equally successful. The poll also showed a stark, partisan divide in how Americans view the meeting, with 57 percent of Democrats saying neither country walked away as a winner. Another 25 percent of Democrats said Ukraine was the winner, while 16 percent said the same about the U.S. Among Republicans, 60 percent said the U.S. walked away as the winner, while 31 percent neither. Seven percent of Republicans said Ukraine was the winner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fifty-one percent of surveyed independents said neither country walked away as a winner, while 28 percent said the U.S. did. Fifteen percent said Ukraine was the winner. On Friday, an Oval Office meeting between Trump, Zelensky and Vice President Vance sent shock waves through the world when the leaders engaged in a shouting match over Ukraines war with Russia, resulting in Vance and Trump calling Zelensky disrespectful. Zelensky said Monday in a post on the social platform X that we need real peace and insisted on security guarantees, saying he is still working with American and European partners. It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible, he said on the platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump hit back in his own post on Truth Social, calling Zelenskys remark the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be Peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking? Trump said. The back-and-forth is the latest development in a massive shift in U.S. foreign policy toward Ukraine and Russia. The same Emerson College poll showed Americans divided over Trumps approach to the conflict, with 73 percent of Republicans approving and 76 percent of Democrats disapproving. Forty-six percent of independents said they approved and 35 percent said they disapproved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Emerson College poll was conducted March 2-3 among 1,000 registered voters. The margin of error is 3 percentage points. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. CANTON, Texas (KETK) Five people were arrested over the weekend for attempted burglary in Canton. Officials believe the five people were a part of several prior robberies in East Texas. The Canton Police Department responded to a possible burglary in progress early on Sunday morning. The people involved in the robbery had fled the scene prior to officers arriving. The group went on to attempt to burglarize more vehicles a short distance away, Canton PD said. Tyler Junior College recognizes longtime supporters at board meeting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers were able to locate those involved and conducted a traffic stop. According to Canton PD, five people were found inside the car, including two women, Rashae Abercrombie, 19, and Hailey Huber, 19, along with three juvenile males. Further investigation of the vehicle led to marijuana being discovered along with a weapon. Following the investigation, all five suspects were reportedly arrested on multiple charges, including possession of marijuana, unlawful carry of a weapon and tampering with evidence. Items found inside the car indicated that the five people were part of several previous robberies in Van Zandt County. Canton PD said they will be assisting other departments in finding any possible connections. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. A top lawmaker identified the five capabilities he believes the US military needs to innovate in. Those areas are missiles, missile defenses, drones, counter-drone systems, and secure comms, Rep. Smith said. Special operations forces lead the charge on experimenting with some of those, he added. There are five critical technologies needed to fight future wars, a top lawmaker on military and defense matters said recently. Those areas are missiles, missile defenses, drones, counter-drone systems, and secure communications, Rep. Adam Smith, a Washington Democrat and the ranking member of the US House Armed Services Committee, said at a recent symposium in Washington, DC. He said these are the areas where the US needs to innovate and develop game-changing capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having the best weapons within those areas, he said, is key to winning future wars. The war in Ukraine is showing just how crucial these capabilities are. Smith pointed out that the development of countermeasures demands a constant cycle of modifying these systems. That's been seen especially in the mass use of electronic warfare to jam drones; in response, both sides of the war have developed ways to evade frequency jamming. Beyond drones and counter-drone tech, the importance of missiles and missile defense are increasingly hot topics among military leaders as US rivals and adversaries, from Russia and China to Iran and North Korea, invest in missiles. The US has seen interceptor stocks strained by Iranian bombardments and lower-end threats like the Houthis in Yemen, who terrorized ships in and around the Red Sea. In a great-power conflict, such as a potential war with China in the Indo-Pacific region, air defenses could be more critical to shield naval bases, air bases, and other installations, as well as ships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US military is also developing and fielding certain offensive missile capabilities, like the Typhon Mid-Range Capability, which is a land-based launch option for Tomahawk cruise missiles, and hypersonic missile systems. SOF is undergoing a pivot from focusing on counterterrorism to great power competition. U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Patrik Orcutt Likewise, another key development area has been secure communications and assured navigation. Vulnerabilities in these spaces can be costly in a high-end fight. For the US military, special operations forces can be seen leading the way in innovative iteration. "They're going to iterating on a day-in and day-out basis, and we need to learn from that and expand it," Smith said at the National Defense Industrial Association US Special Operations Symposium. US special operators testing out uncrewed systems in different environments against different threats, for example, are at the front lines of figuring out what could be needed for a future fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are often among the first to get their hands on new technologies, and they work closely with the defense industry to develop new systems, leading to real-time adaptations and rapid evolutions. As special operations leadership said at the recent symposium, operators are going to need cheaper, more expendable weapons, like drones, in a potential future fight. While this doesn't mean that other systems such as F-35 Joint Strike Fighters or Ford-class aircraft carriers aren't needed, it does raise questions about where the US Department of Defense's priorities are. "We are spending a ton of money at DoD right now that isn't in those five things," Smith said. First-person view, or FPV, drones like the one above have dominated the battlefield in Ukraine. Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images The Pentagon is reshuffling the Defense Department's budget. It is still a bit murky, with submarines being among the few clearly articulated priorities, but it's moving roughly $50 billion from legacy programs to new priorities, which do appear to include missile defense and drone-related technologies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Big challenges for the department in fielding new capabilities can be contracting issues and slow acquisition processes. Military officials and industry partners at the NDIA special operations symposium spoke about the challenges facing the US military's acquisition process, including requirement and funding hurdles that have hindered the adoption of new weapons and capabilities. Some speakers highlighted the agile and flexible acquisition process used by US special operations forces as a model for how the Department of Defense can better implement new technologies, especially drones and other uncrewed systems. They said that having a process able to produce a variety of systems could be vital in a longer, protracted conflict. Others noted that a future, high-speed, highly digitized war could be even more demanding with the rise of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. Questions were raised, too, about whether decision-making will occur at such a pace that humans can't keep up. The technological space is evolving fast. Read the original article on Business Insider Last Fridays meeting between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart President Volodymyr Zelenskyy created complications in yet-to-be started peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and even reportedly prompted Trump to have the Ukrainian president leave the White House ahead of schedule. In a series of social media posts on Saturday morning, Zelenskyy reiterated that while Ukraine is willing to sign a critical minerals deal, they want security guarantees included. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. Weve been fighting for 3 years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side, Zelenskyy said in a post on X. After a failed trip to Washington, D.C., Zelenskyy then went to Europe to shore up support for Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think our relationship (with the U.S.) will continue, because its more than an occasional relationship, Zelenskyy said late Sunday, as The Associated Press reported. Trump didnt take to these words kindly. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday. It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing and Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. In conversation with Fox News' Sean Hannity, published Monday, Vice President JD Vance broke down what it would take to reach a peace deal and reveal what happened behind the scenes during the heated meeting, which he attended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are five highlights from the interview. What would it take to negotiate a peace deal? The U.S. is offering Kyiv a different kind of security, Vance told Hannity. If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine, the vice president said. He said the Trump White Houses doors are always open, but Zelenskyy should be willing to seriously consider peace talks before coming back to the Oval Office. Look, this is not going to make anybody happy. The Russians are going to have to give up stuff. The Ukrainians are going to have to give up stuff, Vance said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You cant come to the Oval Office and say, Give us security guarantees. We wont even engage with you about what were willing to give up, Vance claimed. When theyre willing to talk peace, I think President Trump will be the first person to pick up the phone, he added. Vance says Zelenskyy initiated the heated argument with Trump The vice president said hes noticed Trump likes to do press conferences with foreign leaders. And during the conversation with Zelenskyy, he bent over backwards to be gracious and kind toward the Ukrainian president, Vance added. The meeting went off the rails after the U.S. president and vice president answered a question about the Trump-Vance White Houses open channels of communication with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance championed the idea of diplomacy, prompting Zelenskyy to push back by detailing Russian President Vladimir Putins decades-long history of occupation in Ukraine and a failure to keep his word on prison exchanges and ceasefires. Then he pointedly asked Vance what type of diplomacy he referred to, starting the back and forth. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean? Zelenskyy asked. Im talking about the kind of diplomacy thats going to end the destruction of your country, Vance responded. I think its disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict." Vance told Hannity he attempted to defuse the situation by suggesting the conversation continue in private, only to be shot down by Trump, who wanted the American people to know the state of the negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do think that there was just a certain sense of there was a lack of respect ... a certain sense of entitlement, the vice president said. He reaffirmed Trumps goal is to end the war. I really dont care what President Zelenskyy says about me or anybody else, but he showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process, he added. Did Zelenskyy try to come back to the White House after the contentious meeting? Referring to the reports that say Zelenskyy called a number of times to come back to the White House, Hannity asked Vance whether the Ukrainian president attempted to come back to the White House and if the request came through multiple phone calls. I dont know about numerous calls but they certainly made at least one request to come back and continue the conversation, Vance revealed. The U.S. president thought Zelenskyy was disrespectful and there wouldnt be anything to talk about since he showed a clear unwillingness to discuss the peaceful settlement, the vice president said. Vance on Europe supporting Europe Vance said Zelenskyy went to Europe, where a lot of our European friends puff him up, calling him a freedom fighter and saying he needs to keep fighting forever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, fighting forever with what? With whose money? With whose ammunition? With whose lives? said the vice president. But Trumps perspective is more realistic, Vance said, adding, This cant go on forever. We cant fund this thing forever. Toward the end of the conversation, Vance noted that the Ukrainians lost support from Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who, despite being a staunch advocate for Kyiv, called for a change in Ukrainian leadership for the benefit of the country. But, Vance said, the crazier fact is European state heads show bold support for Ukraine in public, but in private, they want the war to end. I honestly dont care what the Europeans say in public. What I care is what they say in private, he said. Can Putin be trusted with a ceasefire deal? The Fox News host saw the peace negotiations as unfolding in three ways. He perceived the critical minerals deal as ceremonial, that would pave the path for the second part: a ceasefire. But, Hannity said, part three, the negotiation settlement with Putin, would be the hardest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance argued that Putin is willing to negotiate, before adding, we trust but verify. The vice president affirmed Hannitys perception about the purpose of Zelenskyys visit last week. The deal aimed to assure Ukrainians about continued American support. It also was meant to recoup some of the money the U.S. spent on aid to Ukraine, Vance said. He added that peace negotiations will follow after the deal is signed. As the Deseret News previously reported, Trump wants access to Ukraines large swath of critical mineral resources in exchange for brokering a peace agreement and helping Kyiv to rebuild. Zelenskyy is willing to compromise but wants security guarantees from the U.S. a promise the Trump-Vance administration seemed unwilling to make. As (Secretary of State Marco Rubio) has said, nobodys suggesting that we give the Nobel Peace Prize to Vladimir Putin, he said. Its important for President Trump to be able to have a conversation thats not well served by standing up at a press conference and calling the guy every negative name in the book. (NewsNation) A United Airlines flight made an emergency landing in Waco, Texas, on Sunday evening after experiencing severe turbulence that injured five people on board, according to media reports. Nexstars KLST reported that SkyWest flight 5690, which had been operating as United Express and is in United Airlines regional flight service network, took off from Missouris Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri at 4:48 p.m. C.T. It was headed to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, per data on FlightAware.com. While in the air, strong turbulence hit the plane, a Bombardier CRJ-200, injuring five passengers and forcing the pilot to land at Waco Regional Airport, SkyWest Airlines said in a statement. There were 29 passengers and three crew members, according to KLST. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Waco Regional Airport Interim Director of Aviation, Michael Reisman said the pilot made an emergency landing in order to deal with the potential injuries on board the aircraft. Second email to federal workers comes with caveat After medical personnel evaluated the five injured passengers they were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Reisman said the injured passengers were treated and released, and made it to Houston in the early hours of Monday. That aircraft came in with additional personnel and supplies to help support the operation, Reisman said. They reported all the passengers on the second aircraft and then departed out of here at about 1:30 this morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rough weather on Sunday also forced two American Airlines flights to divert from their scheduled trip. The incident comes at a time when the public is on edge after a string of deadly crashes involving airplanes, including the January collision of an American Airlines passenger jet and U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed all 67 aboard both aircraft. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President Donald Trump will soon head to Capitol Hill for perhaps the most consequential speech of his second term so far. He is set to deliver an address to Congress a day after he decided to halt US military aid to Ukraine, which could have dire consequences for its war against Russia. Heres what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. 1. Tariffs China and Canada are fighting back as new US tariffs against those countries and Mexico went into effect today. President Donald Trump enacted 25% duties on Mexico and Canada, and doubled tariffs on Chinese goods to 20%. Beijing swiftly announced 15% retaliatory tariffs on some American goods, including chicken, wheat, corn and cotton. In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Ottawa would immediately respond with tariffs on $30 billion of US goods. The tariffs threaten to raise the prices Americans pay for a wide array of products that are imported from the three nations, which collectively shipped $1.4 trillion worth of goods to the US last year more than 40% of the value of US imports. 2. Ukraine aid The White House announced it is pausing military aid to Ukraine following last weeks heated clash between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. Officials say Trump and his aides want an acknowledgment or public apology from Zelensky before moving forward with a rare earth minerals deal or any future aid. The halt in aid will remain in place until Trump determines Zelensky has made a commitment to seeking peace talks, one official said, in what is essentially an attempt to force Ukraine to the negotiating table by threatening further losses on the battlefield. 3. Severe weather More than 55 million people across the central and southern US are at risk of severe weather today as a violent storm sweeps across the country. In New Orleans, officials rushed to reschedule Mardi Gras events and shorten parade routes to avoid ferocious winds, according to the Associated Press. Forecasts show the storm will intensify as it moves east in the hours ahead threatening the Lower Mississippi River Valley with strong tornadoes, gusty winds, large hail and heavy rainfall. On Monday, a haboob dust storm also tore through New Mexico with near-zero visibility, shutting down interstates. A haboob is essentially a wall of dust and debris that can grow up to 5,000 feet tall as its blown forward by strong winds. 4. Crypto The Trump administration is working to develop a cryptocurrency reserve, part of the presidents pledge to make the US the Crypto Capital of the World. However, some prominent tech and crypto leaders have criticized the plan to direct the government to stockpile bitcoin, ethereum and three other tokens. Analysts say it has raised obvious questions of conflict of interest, considering that the company that owns Trumps social media network recently made clear its plans to invest $250 billion in the cryptocurrency industry. Other critics have likened Trumps plan to a government bailout of crypto, an asset class that just experienced its worst trading month in two years. Bitcoin, a market bellwether, fell 18% in February its steepest drop since June 2022. 5. SpaceX SpaceX on Monday called off its eighth test flight of Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built. The company did not share what, exactly, the issues were that led engineers to wave off the launch attempt. SpaceX founder Elon Musk posted on X that there were too many question marks about this flight, adding that it would be best to try again in a day or two. During the last Starship test run in January, the spacecraft exploded over the Caribbean and littered populated islands with debris. Key objectives for Starships eighth flight test, when it launches, will include attempts to reignite a Starship engine in space and deploy a batch of mock satellites. BREAKFAST BROWSE Turning thrift store finds into treasure Furniture flipping has become a popular side hustle with a devoted social media following and its making influencers thousands of dollars per month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She moved to France on an impulse. It wasnt quite what she expected Realizing she wanted more from life, a 70-year-old widow left the US behind and relocated to France. Now she says she cant imagine ever moving back. The story behind Julia Foxs naked dress on Oscars night This mythical dress covered with cleverly placed hair was a nod to Italian painter Sandro Botticellis seminal 15th century painting, The Birth of Venus. Disneys biggest cruise ship yet will take its maiden voyage later this year Disneys cruise line said its new 1,100 foot-long vessel will be destination at sea featuring seven themed lands. Heres what awaits guests. Dominos Pizza sales are struggling The pizza chain is adding stuffed crust to its menu to compete with its rivals, but its a toss up whether the strategy will boost sales. TODAYS NUMBER 36 Thats how many hours that construction workers in India spent trapped in a Himalayan avalanche. Some 46 workers survived by sheltering in crushed metal containers in the deep snow. TODAYS QUOTE Words cant do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Dolly Parton, announcing on Monday that her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 82. Dolly Parton performs during an event celebrating the Kansas statewide expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, in Overland Park, Kan. - Charlie Riedel/AP TODAYS WEATHER Check your local forecast here>>> AND FINALLY Six Flags implodes what was the tallest, fastest roller coaster With speeds once topping 128mph, the Kingda Ka roller coaster was recently destroyed to make space for new rides at Six Flags Adventure Park in New Jersey. Watch the video here. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com In his 1970 novel Spock Must Die!, based on the Star Trek universe, James Blish recounted how a glitch in the Enterprises teleporter created a duplicate of the famed Vulcan scientist, indistinguishable from the original to the naked eye but with all of its molecules reversed like a mirror image. To survive, the second Spock was forced to synthesize mirror-image amino acidsbuilding blocks of proteinsbecause he could not metabolize normal ones. It was no wild fantasy. Many molecules can assume two alternative configurations, called left and right, which are mirror images of each other, like two gloves in a pair. All life on Earth is based on left-handed amino acids, while DNA and RNA carry only right-handed sugars. Ever since the microbiologist Louis Pasteur discovered this property, called chirality, in 1848, science fiction has speculated about it. But this intriguing field has also given rise to dreams in real science: what if mirror-like beings existed, with their amino acids and sugars oriented backwards? Synthetic biology laboratories have toyed with the possibility of constructing mirror bacteria. Now, however, these same scientists are abandoning the idea because of the possible catastrophic consequences that could turn the dream into a nightmare. The molecular world upside down There is no apparent biological reason for terrestrial life to have made this choice. An excess of left-handed amino acids has been found in some meteorites, which could have conditioned biology if those ingredients arrived from space. But everything must remain that way for life to function, since biological molecules fit together like puzzle pieces. Like the false Spock, a mirror animal could only digest mirror food. Mirror molecules are being synthesized in laboratories that may have interesting properties. There are researchers who are building mirror proteins and nucleic acids to determine whether they can be used for pharmaceutical purposes, explains John Glass, head of the Synthetic Biology group and director of the La Jolla campus of the J. Craig Venter Institute in California. Glass was part of the team that created the first bacterial cell with a synthetic genome in 2010, an achievement that has also been a boost to the possibility of producing mirror bacteria. But in 2024, a working group co-chaired by Glass brought together nearly 40 renowned researchers from 26 institutions in nine countries to ponder one question: should this goal be pursued? Potentially lethal and invasive The groups conclusion, based on a comprehensive 300-page technical report, was published last December in the journal Science: Our view is that mirror bacteria and other mirror organisms should not be created, they wrote. The reason for this recommendation is summed up in the impact on two areas: health and the environment. Our analysis suggests that mirror bacteria would likely evade many immune mechanisms mediated by chiral molecules, potentially causing lethal infections in humans, animals and plants, the signatories warned, adding: We cannot rule out a scenario in which a mirror bacterium acts as an invasive species in many ecosystems. But if Spock had to synthesize his own special food, how could a mirror bacterium survive on a world that was chirally hostile to it? This was one of the reasons that had until now kept some scientists skeptical about the risks of mirror bacteria, along with the idea that any microbe so created could be contained, if at all, by embedding certain deficiencies in its metabolism that would prevent it from living outside its small laboratory habitat. However, many bacteria, such as the tiny Escherichia coli that powers biology labs, can live in environments devoid of chiral nutrients, which are abundant in nature, they write. As for biocontainment, laboratory accidents occur with some regularity, even in high-containment labs, whether due to human error or equipment failure, they write, noting the possibility that bacteria could evolve to free themselves from their metabolic shackles or that someone could break them loose on purpose. Continue the discussion Our December paper in Science has attracted a lot of attention from both the press and other scientists, Glass says, adding that almost all reactions have been supportive of the proposal to abandon the creation of mirror bacteria. It is noteworthy that every single researcher we know who has received funding to build mirror bacteria has signed our paper. According to Glass, this is the case of Kate Adamala, a synthetic biologist at the University of Minnesota. Adamala, co-author of the report and the Science article, says that creating mirror life has not been a priority for her, but she is blunt: Given the potentially extraordinary risks we have identified, I think no one should be working to build mirror bacteria. She appreciates that the consequences have been considered before it is too late, something that, she regrets, does not always happen. We were pleased to see prominent scientists and policymakers take these risks seriously and join our call for further dialogue, said another author, microbiologist and molecular geneticist Vaughn Cooper of the University of Pittsburgh. The discussion continues at a conference in Asilomar, California, marking the 50th anniversary of an event that examined the dangers of genetic technologies. In June, a meeting at the Pasteur Institute in Paris will include a public seminar to develop the arguments of the technical report and provide a broader context for mirror life, Adamala said. Drawing the red line in the grey zone The biologist is reassuring: No one is working on building mirror bacteria today. However, as Ting Zhu, a biochemist at Westlake University in China, one of the most prominent researchers in the manufacture of mirror biomolecules, points out, the synthesis of a complete mirror cell would not be technologically possible in the future that we can predict. Zhu, who has not participated in the working group or in the publications of his colleagues, says he also supports the cautious approach. Zhus work involves creating a mirror version of the molecular machinery of DNA and RNA to make mirror proteins. Experts agree that this research does not entail any risk and should continue; the red line is creating something capable of self-replication: It is at that point that the work becomes potentially very dangerous, says another of the co-authors, Jonathan Jones, from the Sainsbury Laboratory in the United Kingdom and a specialist in plant defenses against infections. However, Adamala admits, there is a grey area between the two, and a broad international discussion is needed on where to draw the line. The key to the difference lies, according to Glass, in a quote from Harvard synthetic biologist Pamela Silver: Yogurt can make more yogurt, but shampoo cant make more shampoo. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition President Trump will head to the Capitol on Tuesday for the first joint address of his second term emboldened by a month of mass federal agency slashing, shocking foreign policy moves and a dizzying array of executive actions that have disrupted Washington and beyond. Trump will show off such prowess before a joint session of Congress in the House chamber, where his Cabinet secretaries, Supreme Court justices, House and Senate lawmakers, and perhaps the controversial Elon Musk prepare to be his live audience. The president is expected to tout his sweeping efforts to reshape the government, crack down on immigration and reorient U.S. foreign policy on the heels of an Oval Office spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are five things to watch for in his prime-time speech. Musk and DOGE The White House has yet to say whether Musk will be in attendance, and if so where he will sit, but Musk has joined Trump both in the Oval Office and at his first Cabinet meeting, where he spoke at length, sometimes for longer than Trump. Musk has been put in charge of spending cuts and worker firings within the federal government that the administration says has so far totaled in the billions of dollars. Trump has floated the idea that 20 percent of that could go to taxpayers and another 20 percent toward paying down U.S. debt, but some budget hawks want the deficit taken care of before rebates are sent out. Trump also has to defend the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Musk despite widespread controversy over the manner in which agencies have been slashed and workers fired on the spot, sometimes over one-line emails. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Republicans have faced pushback at town halls in recent weeks over the cuts the billionaire tech executive has implemented. Theres also ongoing concerns from Democrats and some Republicans about the scope of the cuts that DOGE is implementing, especially as the team has overhauled the work of the U.S. Agency for International Development and targeted the critical work of the Internal Revenue Service and Federal Aviation Administration, among other departments. Meanwhile, congressional Democrats are bringing fired federal workers to the speech to highlight their opposition to DOGEs sweeping cuts. What Trump will say about Ukraine The speech comes right on the heels of Trump on Monday night pausing aid to Ukraine in an about-face of U.S. foreign policy amid his public clash with Zelensky starting in the Oval Office late last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also called off peace talks with Zelensky but said Monday that a minerals deal was not completely off the table. Trumps remarks may provide more clarity on the path forward for U.S. policy toward Ukraine. Were making a speech you probably heard about it tomorrow night. So Ill let you know tomorrow night, Trump told reporters Monday when asked about discussions around Ukraine. The president said a proposed deal for the U.S. to invest in Ukraines critical mineral supply was still possible, but that Zelensky should be more appreciative if he wants to restart talks. Some Republicans have in recent days suggested Zelensky was not the right leader for Kyiv moving forward, while Democrats have warned the Trump administration is playing into Russias hands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump on Monday doubled down on criticizing Zelensky, bashing him for saying that a deal to end the war is is still very, very far away. Zelensky later said we need real peace and insisted on security guarantees, adding it is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive. New agenda items The news out of the second Trump administration keeps coming at a frenetic pace, but Trump on Tuesday will have perhaps his biggest prime-time audience since retaking office. Trump has used his time before cameras at the White House to make major announcements on tariffs, immigration and foreign policy, including when he stunned the world with his unexpected plan for a U.S. takeover of Gaza and an Oval Office fight with Zelensky that he said would make great television. Trump may find more opportunities for fireworks from the dais, particularly those regarding how he plans to advance his legislative agenda, which he has suggested could be done in one or two sweeping packages involving tax cut extensions, border funding and energy investments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tomorrow night will be big. I will tell it like it is, Trump posted Monday on Truth Social. The day before the speech, Trump announced additional tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico will now go into effect the day of his address and that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company will make a $100 billion investment in U.S. chip manufacturing plants. How Democrats respond Trump has had limited interactions with Democrats on Capitol Hill since taking office, meeting with bipartisan governors at the White House but largely avoiding Democratic members of Congress. That is set to change on Tuesday, with many Democrats slated to attend Trumps speech. All eyes will be on whether Democrats jeer or heckle Trump or conduct some type of silent protest. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) famously ripped up her copy of Trumps State of the Union address in 2020 to show her displeasure with his speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic women have also attended previous of Trumps State of the Union addresses wearing all white to symbolize womens rights and suffrage. Trump has taken jabs at former President Biden in various comments to the media since taking office and could use the address as another opportunity to criticize his predecessor, leading to more fireworks. Still, joint addresses to Congress have typically contained some type of outreach to the other party to work on behalf of the American people. Biden used his joint addresses to advocate for issues that he said should be bipartisan, such as care for veterans and addressing the opioid epidemic. In Trumps case, much of it will come down to whether he and his team view the speech as an opportunity to broaden his appeal, or another chance to double down on the mandate he has claimed in the wake of the 2024 election. Shutdown threat looms Trump will speak to lawmakers 10 days before a government funding deadline that could lead to a shutdown if no agreement is reached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The potential for a shutdown has been overshadowed in the early weeks of Trumps term by the presidents own actions, as well as congressional Republicans efforts to get moving on his agenda. Trump last week publicly backed a clean, temporary government funding bill, urging lawmakers to pass a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through September. The question is whether Trump can get Republicans unified around that idea. Some Republicans have called for incorporating spending cuts into any funding measure after DOGE identified various contracts it deemed wasteful. Including DOGE cuts in appropriations, however, would spark outcry from Democrats and almost certainly lead to a government shutdown. The narrow margin in the House leaves little wiggle room for Republicans, and Trump may use his speech to urge lawmakers to avoid a worst-case scenario of a messy shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. After lessons were learned the hard way last summer, a UK airport has installed new screening lanes to avoid long queues that led to people missing the start of their holidays. Birmingham Airport, located just outside the UKs second-largest city, has announced it has installed two state-of-the-art passenger screening lanes as part of a 5m investment in the airport. The screening lanes come after long waits at security checkpoints during the peak summer period last year, with some travellers missing their flights as a result. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The airport blames a last-minute decision by the government to change its rules on liquids, which saw an increase in additional bag checking. The airport has worked tirelessly to ensure that long queues do not impact the customers summer again, Birmingham Airport said amid the announcement. The new lanes will add allow the airport to screen up to an additional 3,600 passengers per hour in peak times. The West Midlands hub was one of the only UK airports to comply with a deadline on 1 June 2024 to install modern security scanners that analyse the molecular structure of a passenger bag, meaning liquids or laptops would not have to be removed during the security process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This would have permitted travellers to carry much larger quantities of liquids, aerosols and gels through the checkpoint than the 100ml container limit. Ahead of the deadline and the summer travel peak, Birmingham Airport invested 60m into the new equipment, yet in a shock turnaround, airports were ordered to restore the 100ml limit rule nationwide. As a result, many more bags than expected were being rejected and removed for a hand search during the summer. Amid the busy summer flight period, passengers reported missing flights to holiday destinations due to long waits at security, while Nick Barton, the airports CEO told The Independent in June that anxiety levels among passengers were off the scale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three-hour queues are just not a thing that happens here, he said. Al Titterington, the terminal operations director at Birmingham Airport said on Monday: Last summer, some passengers experienced unacceptable lengths of queuing, so we have focused on improving the efficiencies of our processes and how we support our customers on their journey, as quickly as possible. Since last summer, we have been relentless in our focus to make sure unacceptable queuing does not return this year. Over the course of several weeks, we will be making a string of announcements, unveiling new projects and partnerships that will enhance the passenger experience during what will be our airports busiest year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new lanes, found in Zone A, will be opened during peak times to accommodate passenger demands. Birmingham Airport says it hopes that the government will again lift the 100ml liquid rule ahead of this summer, and hopes to see passengers able to travel with up to two litres of liquids in their cabin bag. The airport said it has remained in close dialogue with the government over this. After recording its busiest half-term week on record with 100,000 passengers flying out of its hub, the airport said the average wait for security was under eight minutes. For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) Desmonds Army Animal Law Advocates are offering a reward for information regarding the severe neglect of a male Yorkie found in Meriden Wednesday. The group is offering $6,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. The offer expires 90 days from March 3. Desmonds Army offers $5,500 for information on abandoned Meriden cat who later died Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meriden Animal Control is also trying to track down the dogs previous owners. Johnny Mac, a male black and tan Yorkshire Terrier, was found on Thorpe Avenue with a collar on and a leash dragging behind him Wednesday evening. Officials with Meriden Animal Control-Saving Paws said a woman stopped and secured him in her vehicle, then drove him right to the shelter for medical attention. They said all four of the dogs legs were completely encapsulated in severely matted, rock hard, extremely dirty fur. A front leg was in the worst condition, with dried blood and pus all over it. After shaving his legs, the shelter said they found it had a chunk of it missing due to a festering wound. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The domestic abuse survivor behind Desmonds Army The shelter said the pup could only walk on three legs when he arrived. Blood work showed a severe infection and he was diagnosed with a grade 4 heart murmur. He also only had two teeth left in his mouth, they said. Despite all the pain and suffering little Johnny Mac has endured for what seems to be quite a long time, he is the friendliest little boy who just wants attention! He has a huge will to live and is doing very well so far! the shelter said in a Facebook post. The shelter is also hoping to raise funds for the pups ongoing care and to pay for an echocardiogram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is asked to call Meriden Animal Control-Saving Paws at 203-235-4179. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) The Virginia State Police (VSP) is investigating a fatal two-vehicle accident that occurred on Saturday on Route 11 in Rockbridge County. On March 1 at approximately 11:20 a.m., a collision occurred at the intersection of Pine Forest Road. A 2005 Toyota 4-Runner did not yield to the right of way when turning onto Route 11 from a stop sign on Pine Forest Road. The Toyota was hit by a 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 that was traveling south on Route 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seven wanted for violent charges in Lynchburg arrested in warrant roundup 79-year-old Patricia Ann Bane of Lexington, Va., was identified as the driver of the Toyota. She was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash. Ms. Bane died at the scene. The 40-year-old driver of the Ram was transported to a local hospital to be treated for injuries. He was not wearing his seatbelt. No charges are pending and the crash remains under investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe's fiancee, Kimberly Burch, has died after a tragic fall from a cruise ship during "The 80s Cruise" on the Royal Caribbean vessel, Explorer of the Seas. Kimberly Burch reportedly fell "from a room balcony" on March 2, the very first night of the seven-day cruise, following an alleged "heated" argument with the 60-year-old rocker. Coast Guard Deploys Helicopter Crew In Effort To Find Kimberly Burch Instagram | Kimberly Burch A US Coast Guard spokesperson confirmed the incident occurred roughly 20 miles from Freeport, Bahamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter crew and other personnel to assist the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in their search. Unfortunately, the search was later suspended, and Burch's body has not been recovered. A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told Daily Mail: "Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort, is working with local authorities, and we are providing support and assistance to the guests family during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our guests family, we have no additional details to share. Royal Carribean Passengers Speak Out Instagram | Kimberly Burch Eyewitnesses described a tense atmosphere on board. One passenger told The Hollywood Reporter: "There was an announcement over the PA saying someone went overboard so the ship was going to stop and turn around to try and locate the person. [The] ship was stopped for a few hours. Safety boats were deployed with floodlights to illuminate the surrounding area. Another cruise ship nearby had its floodlights on searching as well. My wife spoke with some people on one of the decks saying they heard that it was a woman and it was caught on camera. Cant confirm though. Eventually the ship powered up and off we went. This morning a PA announcement said that the US Coast Guard had taken over the search. We arrived at Nassau, Bahamas a few hours behind schedule. No excursions were canceled. Havent heard anything since." The cruise, which departed from Miami, was scheduled to visit Nassau, San Juan, and Labadee. Kimberly Burchs Mother Speaks Out Instagram | Kimberly Burch Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burch had traveled on the cruise to support Downe, who was scheduled to perform with his band during the nostalgic event. The couple, who had been in a relationship for around five or six years, appeared to be enjoying the trip prior to the tragedy. Just hours before her fall, Burch shared a photo of herself and Downe on social media, writing, "We made it to @the80scruise." Kimberly Burchs mother, Carnell Burch, shared with TMZ that Taime Downe called her on Monday to inform her of Kimberlys death. According to Carnell, it remains "still unclear" whether Kimberly "jumped or accidentally fell" from the cruise ship, though she is "confident Kimberly would not purposefully hurt herself." Carnell noted that Kimberly had been drinking on the cruise, which she described as "out of character for her." She also mentioned that her daughter had an argument with Taime before the tragic incident. Despite this, Carnell emphasized that Kimberly was not experiencing depression or emotional issues and had been looking forward to the trip, which had only just begun. Kimberly Burch's Body Has Not Been Recovered Instagram | Kimberly Burch The incident occurred around 11 p.m. EST on the first night of the cruise, approximately 80 miles from Miami. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a passenger on X, formerly Twitter, Kimberly "jumped from the balcony of her 8th-floor room" following an argument with her partner. The passenger wrote, Currently on the #RCL Explorer of the Seas for the #80scruise. Unfortunately, we have a woman overboard situation and boats have been deployed. We are currently 80+ miles from Miami at 11 p.m. PST. Not good. They continued, It looks like the woman jumped from the balcony of her 8th floor room after an argument with her partner. This is our 15th cruise, and the first time weve actually experienced this. Clearly, the priority is recovering the woman. And the boat has turned around and is at a dead stop. They have deployed boats for the search. Could be a long night..." Search For Kimberly Burch Is Called Off Instagram | Kimberly Burch Despite the immediate efforts of the ship's crew and support from nearby vessels, the search for Burch was called off. Neither Taime Downe nor his representatives have released a statement regarding the incident. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Burchs fall continues, with authorities examining reports of an argument between the couple prior to the tragedy. Kimberly Burch, fiancee to '80s rocker Taime Downe, has died after a tragic cruise ship accident, new reports reveal. She was 56. According to TMZ, the Faster Pussycat frontman was on board a Royal Caribbean cruise when his fiancee fell to her death somewhere near the Bahamas. Her body has not yet been found. SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimberly's mother, Carnell Burch, told the publication that Downe called her on Monday, March 3, to deliver the tragic news. She said the incident followed a heated exchange between her daughter and Downe, though it's still unclear if Kimberly jumped or accidentally fell from the ship. Carnell also insisted that her daughter wouldn't "purposefully" hurt herself, and noted that Kimberly had been drinking on the cruise, which wasn't usual behavior for her. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told TMZ, "Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort, is working with local authorities, and we are providing support and assistance to the guests family during this difficult time." "To respect the privacy of our guests family, we have no additional details to share." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Downe and the rest of Faster Pussycat was a featured act on the '80s-themed cruise, along with performances from Squeeze, Adam Ant, Tiffany and Men at Work. Just days prior to the incident, Kimberly shared an Instagram selfie with Downe to say "We made it" shortly after arriving on the ship, which departed from Miami, Fla. A representative for the U.S. Coast Guard told the outlet that the incident occurred "roughly 20 miles away" from Freeport, Bahamas. Kimberly's body remains missing, TMZ reports. Next: Sheriff Reveals How Long Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Could Have Been Dead in Home LAS VEGAS (KLAS) An 82-year-old man died two weeks after a multiple-vehicle crash in the southwest Las Vegas valley. On Feb. 10, around 2 p.m., the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to the multiple-vehicle crash on Sahara Avenue and Lindell Road. LVMPD said a Chevrolet Malibu driving west on Sahara Avenue approached the intersection while the traffic light was red. At the same time, a Hyundai Elantra was driving north on Lindell Road with a green light. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chevrolet ran the red light and entered the intersection just as the Hyundai was crossing, police said. The front of the Chevrolet crashed into the right side of the Hyundai, pushing it northwest into a stopped Ram pickup truck. The Hyundai kept moving northwest and crashed into a Clark County signal pole. The 82-year-old Hyundai driver was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead on Feb. 28, police said. The Chevrolet driver was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries, while the Ram driver reported no injuries. Police said impairment was not a factor, and the crash remains under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) An Abilene man accused of carjacking and assaulting a woman has been arrested. Jarnac Napoleon Vandervilt, 28, of Abilene, was taken into custody on a robbery charge following an incident at the Dennys Restaurant located at East Overland Trail and Westlake Road near FM 600. Police say Vandervilt was striking the woman multiple times before taking her car and speeding away from the scene. In the search for the vehicle, police discovered that the car was in Jones County, traveling near County Road 323 by Highway 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers from Jones County stopped the vehicle and took the suspect into custody. Vandervilt is charged with a second-degree felony robbery, with a bond set at $75,000 in the Taylor 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 KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Dr. Iman Alsaden, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, stands outside a procedure room on Monday after performing the first elective abortion in Columbia since 2018 (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent). COLUMBIA The doors of the only Planned Parenthood clinic in mid-Missouri opened up on Monday morning just like they have since 1970. But for the first time since 2018, pregnant women from central Missouri received an abortion at their local clinic instead of traveling across state lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By 10 a.m., the first two patients had received ultrasounds to confirm gestational age and were provided with educational materials in preparation for their abortions. By days end, a total of four women received dilation and curettage procedures in which the embryo or fetus (depending on the gestational age) is removed from the uterus using suction. I hope people really feel how meaningful this is, said Dr. Iman Alsaden, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which runs the Columbia clinic. An abortion procedure room pictured on Monday at Planned Parenthood in Columbia, Missouri (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent). Missouris first elective abortion since voters in November enshrined reproductive rights into the state constitution was performed last month in Kansas City. But Mondays procedures mark a turning point as the first time abortion has been available outside the major metro areas of the state since well before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal abortion protections. Even a year ago, as they were helping gather signatures and advocating for the abortion-rights amendment, Alsaden said the idea of restoring access in Columbia was completely unbelievable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alsaden is one of five physicians at Planned Parenthood Great Plains who perform abortions across their Kansas and Missouri clinics. On Monday, they drove in from Kansas City to help re-start the procedure and re-train staff in Columbia who for the past several years have only been providing family planning services, STI testing and treatment and cancer screenings. So did Macy Thompson, a registered nurse based in the Overland Park, Kansas, clinic who made the trek to assist Columbia staff Monday. Her job was to help prepare patients before the procedure and then provide them with the information they needed once it was completed. Her bright pink hair matched her scrubs as she sat at a desk inside the two-person recovery room Monday morning. She had recently told the first patients about what medication was available to them ahead of the procedure. Then Thompson informed them of common symptoms post-procedure, like cramping and some bleeding. Beside her were goody bags for the patients: pads, underwear, a heat pack and a big handful of condoms, just in case. In the corner a speaker played music. She usually takes requests from patients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not the fanciest, Thompson said. But we try to do a lot for comfort. Thompson considers herself more than a nurse. She also described her role as a receiver of narratives. Many of the patients are having a bad day, she said. But not every story is sad, and she often reminds patients that they dont have to justify their decision. Her last parting gift to patients before they head home? Im a big hugger, Thompson said. Thats the final step of the abortion process. Or a high-five. By late afternoon, the inside of the clinic was quiet. In the waiting room, at least 100 colorfully wrapped condoms sat in a plastic tub. Pamphlets on puberty, sex education, birth control, HIV and syphilis lined a wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Health center manager Krissy Lincoln sat at the front desk. Purple earrings with the words Pro Choice AF dangled above her shoulders. Its a normal doctors office clinic, she said. Its nothing that is unusual. Its just a scary word abortion that people dont like. The only obvious difference was a computer screen with a live video stream of the entrance to the clinic, including a view of some of the protesters gathered outside. Protesters, or sidewalk counselors, arent uncommon outside the Columbia clinic. On Monday, about 20 people gathered outside the clinics tall fence in rotations. Many have been coming to pray outside the clinic for years. Connie Gerling, with 40 Days for Life, prays as she stands outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on Monday. A sign beside her reads: We Care. We can Help (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent). You have another choice, one said through the fence to a patient walking into the clinic beside a volunteer Planned Parenthood clinic escort who shielded them from view with an umbrella. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some cars honked in support. Others blared angry blasts as passengers shouted out windows at the small crowd. Get a life, a passerby yelled as Connie Gerling, a longtime volunteer with 40 Days for Life, bowed her head and prayed. She repeated one verse to herself on several occasions Monday: Everything is possible with God. Who decides when a baby is a baby? she asked. God made that decision. Bonnie Lee, a retired registered nurse who has been taking up residence outside the Columbia clinic since 2009, felt the heaviness of the day, watching as staff members walked in and out of the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I pray for them because they cannot comprehend what theyre bringing down on themselves, she said. Whether its in this life or afterwards. Lee remains confident that abortion wont remain legal for long. I believe a referendum on truth is out there, she said, emphasizing her belief that a judges recent ruling dissolved all oversight of Planned Parenthood clinics. Longtime anti-abortion activist Bonnie Lee stands outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on Monday. At the same time that I get so frustrated, I have to remember the judgement theyre calling down on themselves, she said of those involved with abortions inside the clinic (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent). Last month, Jackson County judge Jerri Zhang struck down the final few regulations for Missouri abortion providers, calling them unnecessary and discriminatory. This order opened the door for abortions to resume at every clinic in Missouri, though only the clinics in Kansas City and Columbia have re-started the procedure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state previously imposed licensing laws on Planned Parenthood clinics that the organization cited as so burdensome that they werent able to continue offering the procedure at most of their Missouri clinics even before abortion was outlawed in 2022. This included a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between seeing a provider and having the same provider perform the abortion and a requirement that physicians performing the procedure have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. Abortion opponents, including Lee, often cite a 2018 state health inspection report at the Columbia clinic that found tubing used in procedural abortions contained black mold and bodily fluid. Planned Parenthood officials have disputed the characterization of the inspection and later said the equipment had been replaced and the issue resolved. When Vicki Casey started at Planned Parenthoods Columbia clinic in 2005, she said state inspections werent nearly as politicized or weaponized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now director of centralized operations for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, Casey said the two-decade difference is stark. A few years into the job, she noticed more protesters gathering outside, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Inspection reports were a little more over the top. Each year, the job got harder as abortion regulations approved by the anti-abortion legislature piled on. Patients took the brunt of the burden, Casey said. Suddenly patients had to scramble to take off work twice, get child care twice, find funds to travel to the clinic twice. In 2018 the clinic ended abortions because it could no longer meet a state requirement that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges at a hospital no more than 15 minutes from the clinic and the clinics license expired. Casey called the decision devastating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monday was anything but for her. Their goal is to get patients in and out in two hours. Prior to 2018, Casey said it took between four and six hours to get a patient through for an abortion procedure, pointing to the consent laws that slowed the process. Shes stuck it out for two decades despite the near-constant changes. You have to believe in what you do, Casey said. I believe that abortion is health care and that theres no difference between that and the other things that we do here. When Emily Wales, now president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, started at the organization nearly eight years ago, she recalled a patient who lived about 30 minutes outside Columbia calling to push her appointment to later in the day after her child care plans fell through. The clinic adjusted her appointment time, and the woman came in later that day for her abortion before making it home in time to pick her kids up again. Its the best example of why care has to be close, Wales said, adding that for the first time in years, mid-Missourians are among the growing number of people who have reasonable access to an abortion clinic. Emily Wales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains (right) takes a shift as a clinic escort with Vicki Casey director of centralized operations, on March 3, 2025, outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent). Zhangs ruling, Wales said, puts Planned Parenthood clinics on the same playing field as private OBGYN offices rather than holding them to similar standards as hospitals. She said while the clinic itself is no longer licensed by the state, the physicians and nurses inside the building are, and they are instructed by oversight boards. She said the clinic also has to abide by requirements in order to keep its lab license, as well as municipal building codes. Were just like going to your normal doctors office without an additional level of state oversight, she said, adding that their equipment is inspected on a regular basis through an infection control process. Its a bit hard to believe abortion has returned to the clinic, Wales said, though the fight is far from over. Planned Parenthood is still waiting on the state to approve or reject a complication plan for medication abortions, the most common type of abortion and the method preferred by most patients still in their first trimester. Shes also closely watching the states elected officials. This legislative session, dozens of bills have been filed seeking to restrict abortion rights. This includes multiple proposed constitutional amendments seeking to put an abortion ban on the ballot as soon as this year. Wales oversees the Planned Parenthood affiliate where in 2009 Dr. George Tiller, an abortion doctor in Kansas, was shot and killed while attending church. She worries about the anti-abortion rhetoric she hears on a regular basis. When you have the states attorney general saying that Planned Parenthood should be eradicated or eliminated, Wales said. That kind of language does incite others potentially to violence. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Stopped after California Highway Patrol clocked him going 111 mph, Miguel Victoria denied drinking despite smelling of alcohol and slurring his speech, reports say. He claimed he hadnt slept in three days and was speeding because his dog was choking. Both dogs in his car were fine, officers said. Court documents say Victoria provided three breath samples that returned the following blood-alcohol content measurements: 0.16, 0.12 and 0.13%. All were above the state legal limit of 0.08%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, Victoria was charged with two felony DUI counts and a misdemeanor count of driving on a license suspended for DUI. He has a court hearing in April. On Jan. 31, CHP stopped Victorias Nissan Altima on southbound Interstate 5 south of Highway 166 after determining it was traveling 111 mph far over the 70 mph limit, documents said. Victoria performed poorly on field sobriety tests, gave breath samples indicating he was intoxicated and was arrested. He was later released and has been out of custody. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News. Nikol Pashinyan suddenly remembered that the Chukchi is not a reader, but a writer, and published an article in the official press about closed communications with Azerbaijan. In his writings, Pashinyan once again delights us with his brilliant diplomatic proposals. According to him, Yerevan has long been ready to allow Azerbaijani trucks in, but it turns out that Azerbaijan is simply "psychologically not ready" to pass through Armenia. But it doesn't matter! Armenia will generously allow Turkish trucks to carry Azerbaijani goods. As they say, there is no difference as long as it works! Seriously, Pashinyan really suggests that Turkish drivers transport Azerbaijani goods through Armenia. Isn't that clever? But the irony is that while the Armenian Prime Minister speaks so sweetly about transit, Armenian politicians scare their citizens every day with horror stories about the Zangezur corridor. So what are they afraid of? Maybe it's time to think about it if a neighbor doesn't respond to "open doors," maybe the problem is inside the house, not with the guest? Azerbaijan has clearly announced its conditions for the opening of communications for a very long time. And when it comes to transit, even more has been said about it in the last 5 years. Who needs the neighboring territory more for transit, Armenia or Azerbaijan? Opinion articles written in the style of their author. These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. All opinion articles written by individuals from outside the staff of EL PAIS shall feature, along with the authors name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed This is going to be great television. From Trumps terrifying ambush of Zelenskiy at the White House last Friday, the statement that struck me most was the one at the top of this column. And there was plenty to choose from. Trump made that assessment at the end of the meeting. That was his conclusion, after cornering the president of a country at war that has lost over 40,000 lives. While he humiliated the leader of Ukraine, Trump was known to be concerned about the quality of the show. The leader of the free world, or a candidate to win Big Brother? With apologies to Big Brother contestants. Trump has more experience in television than in politics, if experience is a grade in this case. His 11 years as host and producer of The Apprentice are almost three times as much as he has spent in the White House. He is also a remarkable viewer. John Bolton, his former national security adviser, said of his first term: I think that if you could clock the amount of time he spent actually in the Oval Office versus the amount of time he spends in the little dining room off the Oval Office with the cable news networks in one form or another on, it would be a very interesting statistic. And his aspirations in show business, of which he was on the inside as a member of the Screen Actors Guild until 2021, are well known. He only failed to challenge Zelenskiy actor-to-actor, and to boast about his cameos in Home Alone 2 and Sex and the City. I wonder how many times since Friday he has watched himself telling Zelenskiy: You are gambling with the lives of millions, with World War III. Yesterday, President Trump hosted Ukrainian president Zelenskiy at the White House, and it went really, really well. Everyone who watched felt at ease and thought the world is now a safer place. Here now is a replay of their historic press conference, said a voiceover at the beginning of Saturday Night Live, giving way to a sketch in which the meeting was parodied. Quite a feat considering that not even 30 hours had passed between one and the other, and another minor detail: that we have glimpsed the end of the world geopolitical order as we have known it for the last 80 years. Trump is difficult to parody because he already parodies himself, but from comedy we must look on the bright side: it is worse for the world. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) A grassroots political activist group is holding twin protests in the Lowcountry to call for government transparency in the executive branch. On March 4, residents nationwide, including those in Charleston and Summerville, will gather to oppose what they view as overreach by the executive branch and to highlight public dissent. The organization leading the protests, 50501, stated that their goal is to give voice to the growing dissent among the population regarding the illegal and unconstitutional actions of the Trump Administration. They plan to hold protests in every state capital across the nation, uniting as one50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protest will take place in Hampton Park from 12 1:30 p.m. and 200 S Main Street in Summerville from 12 4 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 WCBD News 2. ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) An Adams County caregiver is accused of making dozens of purchases with stolen bank cards, stealing more than $12,000 from care-dependent people. According to the charges filed Friday by State Police, Jakhari Borders, 26, of Gettysburg, allegedly made 33 fraudulent purchases at about 10 different stores with the victims bank cards from Dec. 16, 2024, to Jan. 3, 2025. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Morning Weather Forecast Troopers were made aware of the fraud report after they spoke with another caregiver for the victims in Straban Township on Jan. 17. According to a criminal complaint, Troopers were provided with the statements and saw the fraudulent purchases that the victims did not recognize. Surveillance video footage of the stores where the transactions were made was obtained by Troopers, who said Borders was seen in each footage they looked at. State Police say Borders was the only one seen making the purchases to the victims accounts. Red Robin looking to close dozens of underforming restaurants Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Borders also made multiple withdrawals at an ATM at Sheetz using the victims pin numbers, State Police said. The fraudulent transactions totaled over $12,500. Borders is also accused of using a stolen debit card to make a $450 payment to the Adams County Clerk of Courts office for a prior theft conviction. Troopers said there was also another investigation looking into similar incidents involving Border. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Severe Weather Alerts Borders faces felony charges that include 30 counts of access device fraud, three counts of financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person, a count of identity theft, and a count of forgery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Borders is currently locked up in Adams County Prison with her bail set at $75,000 by Magisterial District Judge Matthew Harvey. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) A hundred people rallied on the steps of Hartford City Hall on Monday, calling to strengthen the Connecticut Trust Act. We are here today to say that Connecticut, in the very least, should not be assisting ICE in its efforts, Rev. Josh Pawelek at the Unitarian Universalist Society said. New Haven officials join the community for Know Your Rights immigration training Bishop John Selders at Moral Monday Connecticut said it is important to show strength and community. Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said he was proud of the rally on the steps of City Hall, where everyone was welcome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Welcoming city for everybody. I am an immigrant myself, a son of refugees. It is important to us that the city is welcoming; its frankly what makes a safe, building trust between our community and the city, Arulampalam said. Democratic lawmakers agree and say that trust is the core of policing. If you talk to the police chiefs in the state of Connecticut, and we have in the past, they have been very clear, you cannot breach the trust of the community and if you do, you cannot be able to be effective in the policing, Sen. Saud Anwar (D) South Windsor said. If you are here illegally, and you want to stay, dont commit a crime, Rep. Patrick Callahan (R-Fairfield) said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch the full video in the player 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 WTNH.com. Editors Note: The transcript of this live Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity. AUSTIN (KXAN) A drought, low humidity, and strong winds are coming to a head on Tuesday to produce an extreme wildfire risk, according to the National Weather Service. KXANs Tom Miller spoke with the Austin Fire Departments Wildfire Division Coordinator Chris Dibrell about AFDs preparations ahead of Tuesday and what Central Texans can do to protect their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tom Miller: As a firefighter when you see this kind of setup, where does your mind go with that? Chris Dibrell: It goes into preparation so that as a firefighter, its double checking that all your wildland firefighting gear, the nozzles, the hoses, the truck itself, the brush trucks, the things that are specific to doing wildland fire, as well as brushing up on our tactics and strategies for responding to the interface. Miller: What are some of the biggest mistakes that people make on these high-danger days, and how can they prevent that? Dibrell: So understand that 90% of homes that catch fire during a wildfire are from embers. So an ember can travel up to a mile, a mile and a half on a day with 30-mile-an-hour winds. If you have a fire, its going to push those embers a long way. So if we just do simple things, like clean our gutters out, take the cushions and things that might easily burn on our back decks and porches and remove the leaves and things away from zero to five feet away from the home, those are simple steps that people can take. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller: Now its early March. You dont think necessarily this is the peak of wildfire season, but is this a year-round season? Dibrell: Its getting that way. Its really not ever out of potential in Texas, given our weather that goes all over the place. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. When more than a dozen MAGA-aligned activists and social media influencers gathered at the White House last week, they had no idea they were about to be handed binders titled "Epstein Files: Phase 1"-- and neither did senior White House officials who organized the event, according to multiple sources familiar with the event. Attorney General Pam Bondi and her team did not inform White House officials in advance that she planned to distribute the binders, which contained almost no new information regarding convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein -- and now the move has ruffled feathers among those closest to President Donald Trump, including his senior White House staff, sources tell ABC News. The move faced widespread criticism, not only from Democrats but also from some of the president's most loyal supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: DOJ releases 'first phase' of Epstein files, including an evidence list White House staff moved quickly to try and contain the fallout, privately reaching out to influencers who were critical of Bondi and the move online, according to sources. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, responding to a request for comment from ABC News, said, "Everyone is working together as one unified team at the direction of President Trump. Any notion to the contrary is completely false." Officials with the Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while facing federal child sex trafficking charges. The well-connected financier, who owned a private island estate in the U.S. Virgin Islands, has long been rumored to have kept a "client list" of celebrities and politicians, which right-wing influencers have accused authorities of hiding. Multiple sources familiar with both civil and criminal cases against Epstein say no such list has been discovered. PHOTO: Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference 2025 at National Harbor, Maryland, Feb. 20, 2025. (Will Oliver/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock) The night before last week's event, Bondi told Fox News that the Justice Department planned to publish "a lot of flight logs" and "a lot of names" related to Epstein. However, the binders largely consisted of information previously made public through criminal or civil litigation surrounding Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, leading senior White House staffers to question why Bondi was even teasing the release of new information in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of the Justice Department's public release, Bondi directed her staff to compile binders of the materials to distribute to the influencers at the event, sources said. She also instructed her team not to inform White House officials of the plan, according to multiple sources, apparently thinking the surprise would be well received inside the West Wing. The White House had organized the event a week earlier to engage influential pro-Trump voices who the president credits with aiding his 2024 campaign. According to multiple sources, the agenda never included distributing Epstein-related materials. During the gathering in the Roosevelt Room, influencers including Liz Wheeler, Rogan O'Handley and Chaya Raichik, the creator of Libs of TikTok, met with Leavitt and Vice President JD Vance. Then, Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel entered the room and handed out binders labeled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" with the words "By Order of Attorney General Pam Bondi & FBI Director Kash Patel" printed on the cover and the word "Declassified" stamped across the top -- though the documents did not contain any official government declassification markings. The information had not yet been posted on the Justice Department website when press cameras, set up to cover British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit, captured influencers leaving the West Wing. Some were seen smiling while holding MAGA hats and the binders -- giving the impression they contained new revelations about one of the most infamous sex trafficking criminals in modern history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The images quickly went viral, generating a mix of speculation, confusion and outrage across the political spectrum. MORE: 5 years after Jeffrey Epstein's arrest, push for accountability continues "If you look at the traffic online over the Epstein release, I have never seen the Left and the Right come together in a moment on a debacle," Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz said on CNN. Behind the scenes, Trump White House officials pointed the finger at Bondi, who they say quietly arranged the release without notifying senior staff, multiple sources told ABC News. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, Republican of Florida, who leads a congressional task force overseeing the release of Epstein-related documents, condemned the move on X, calling it a "complete disappointment" and saying she had not been informed of the plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and one of Trump's most vocal supporters, also blasted the handling of the release, writing on X: "The Epstein files were released in an unprofessional manner with paid, partisan social media influencers to curate their binders for us. I can't trust anything in the binder. Neither should you." Bondi proceeded to react to the fallout by accusing the FBI's New York office of withholding information about the Epstein investigation, but did not specify what material she believed the office to be withholding. She demanded that the office "hand over all records in its possession relating to Epstein" by 8 a.m. last Friday. MORE: Appeals court upholds sex crimes conviction of Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell The Epstein material released last week contained previously published pilots' logs and included redactions performed by prosecutors on the case to protect the identities of potential victims, as well as Epstein's so-called "black book" that has previously been made public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One document never before seen is what the Justice Department is calling "Evidence List," a three-page catalog of material apparently obtained through searches of Epstein's properties in New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Bondi claimed in an interview Monday night with Fox's Sean Hannity that she has since received "thousands of pages of documents" that she has the FBI sifting through, but did not detail what exactly had been turned over. On Monday, James Dennehy, the head of the FBI in New York and a well-regarded leader in the New York law enforcement community, told the office he was forced to submit his resignation on Friday as assistant director-in-charge of one of the FBI's most visible posts. Dennehy said he was not given a reason for the decision. AG Bondi faces heat from White House, Trump allies over Epstein files release originally appeared on abcnews.go.com More than 500 protesters gathered on the grounds of the North Carolina State Capitol to protest Donald Trumps administration. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline) Protesters dotted the North Carolina State Capitol grounds with picnic blankets and signs Tuesday as part of a peoples picnic organized by the 50501 movement marking the third such protest just over a month into Donald Trumps second term. The demonstration, which began shortly after noon, featured more flags and signs supporting Ukraine than the movements two prior rallies in February, as attendees voiced outrage at the treatment of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to the White House last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the sit down, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of gambling with World War Three and berated him, according to CNN. David Prusko, a graphic designer from Clayton, brought an array of signs to protest Trump and his administration. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline) Graphic designer David Prusko of Clayton, who came to Tuesdays protest bearing a Slava Ukraini sign, said Trumps blow-up with Zelenskyy made him embarrassed to be an American. Helen McNeill, who said this was her first 50501 protest, said she viewed the clash as a set up. If he had shown up in a three-piece suit, they would have said he wasted money they gave him to buy the suit, McNeill said. Trump wants him to bend the knee and kiss his feet. The protest featured a number of musical performances, including songs by a protest music group known as the Piedmont Raging Grannies, who trace their origins to antiwar protests in Canada. Another speaker asked the crowd to join in and if youre unhappy and you know it, clap your hands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after 1 p.m., the picnics emcee belted out Do You Hear the People Sing? from the play Les Miserables a song intended to resist a king that the U.S. Army Chorus performed for Trump last month that many interpreted as an act of protest. They protested you at your own event and you were too stupid to get it, posted Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.) after the performance. Speaking out against DOGE cuts Randy VanSlyke is a military veteran who spent 22 years serving in the army: 20 with the Michigan Army National Guard, and two in Germany in the early 1970s. Randy VanSlyke spent 22 years serving in the military between the Michigan Army National Guard and in Germany. (Christine Zhu/NC Newsline) Hes appalled at the Trump administrations move to cut funds for the Department of Veterans Affairs and subsequently benefits for veterans. I did 22 years for this country, and theyre going to take my benefits away that I put my life on the line for, VanSlyke said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VanSlyke, who donned a U.S. Army cap and a Vets against Trump sign, wore a shirt with a famous quote from Martin Niemoller following the Holocaust that reflects the speakers inaction with standing up for different groups. First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me. Martin Niemoller VanSlyke likened this with present times, pointing out how the administration is currently targeting immigrants. Afterwards, itll move on to other groups, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With an eye toward events closer to home, protesters also voiced concerns over attempts to curb power from Democrats like North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. Republicans in the state Senate filed last month a one-page bill to block Jackson from joining lawsuits against Trumps executive orders. We cant trust our elected officials to do what they were elected to do, Stephanie Jolly said, carrying a sign saying silence is complicity. Laura Thomas, left, held a Diaper Don balloon at the protest on March 4, 2025. (Christine Zhu/NC Newsline) Demonstrators gave voice to a backlash against layoffs of federal employees as well. Laura Thomas, who held a balloon shaped like Trump wearing a diaper, said she and her husband were planning their first cross country road trip, which included stops at national parks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We stand with Ukraine, we stand with the federal workers, save our national parks, protesters chanted at one point. With the administration making cuts to the National Park Service and the presidents recent executive order to increase logging in national forests, shes worried about access. We dont know if the parks will be open. We have a motorhome, were hoping to camp at some of the parks, Thomas said. Thats a very, very small thing compared to what a lot of other people are going through, but the things that hes doing, its a domino effect, it is going to affect everybody. Protesters hold signs reading Unite or Die, Stop Putin, and Trump is a Traitor. A protest holds a sign reading Not my president, not my voice, not my values, not my beliefs. Protesters hold signs reading Fire Trump Vance Musk, Support Federal Workers and I Stand with True Heros Ukraine & Zelensky A crowd of protesters on the State Capitol lawn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Signs reading Depose Project 2025 Scum and Defend Democracy Now A protester holds a sign reading Theyre eating the checks, theyre eating the balances, theyre eating our democracy! Bombarding billionaires While Trump and Vance received much of the blowback from protesters, many also called out billionaires both within his administration and those who support it from outside. Our government is handing over every last bite to the billionaire class, said Graham Johnson, who proudly identified as a queer, autistic, disabled citizen of the U.S. My message to the billionaire class and the government that is upholding it is: Our pronouns are not a threat to you, our families are not a threat to you, our capacity for happiness is not a threat to you. Meschia McKelvie holds up a sign listing billionaires she said protesters should research for their role in Trumps policies. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline) In remarks to the crowd, Meschia McKelvie called on protesters to remember a list of billionaires she prepared on a whiteboard including Office of Management and the Budget director Russell Vought, an architect of Project 2025, as well as Republican megadonor Peter Thiel and blogger Curtis Yarvin, a proponent of monarchy in the U.S. These are names that are not being uttered, not nearly to the level that they should be, McKelvie said. The richest and most powerful men in America are in the final stages of a decades-long plan to kill democracy and turn your country into a monarchy ruled by tech billionaires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McKelvie wore a shirt reading Delay, Defend, Depose words that were infamously inscribed on the bullets allegedly used by Luigi Mangione to kill Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Asked whether she was concerned this might be viewed as an incitement to violence, she replied, I really dont care. Crystal Free, standing with McKelvie, told NC Newsline about how her eight-year-old relative suffered severe brain damage after a traumatic car crash. After waking up from months in a coma, doctors wanted to send him to a rehabilitation facility. But insurance wouldnt cover the costs. This is actually a reaction to violence, because there are millions of people who lose their lives every day because of having insurance claims denied and delayed, Free said. FORT WALTON BEACH, Florida Air Force Special Operations Command has dubbed its newest aircraft Skyraider II, a nod to the Cold War-era propeller plane that delivered close air support during the Vietnam War. Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, head of Air Force Special Operations Command, announced the name of the OA-1K Skyraider II, a propeller-driven light attack airplane, at the Global SOF Foundations annual Special Air Warfare Symposium in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, on Thursday. I see a bright future for the OA-1K, Conley said. I think once our operators get their hands on it, it will be something different than what we expect it to be and thats a good thing when we developed this requirement five years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skyraider II? The Air Force may bring back Vietnam-style combat plane Conley emphasized the platform would be adaptable. The Skyraider II is able to change hard pods for various mission sets, from close air support to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. If we do this right, itll be modular, Conley said. Operators are already developing ways to break down the aircraft, stow it in a C-17 cargo plane and transport it where needed. I think we have lots of opportunities to help shape that platform into something different than what we had in the past, Conley said. The plane is scheduled for delivery to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, this month, according to Conley. The Air Force's new Skyraider II pays homage to the Skyraider used during the Vietnam War. Here, a Douglas A-1H Skyraider of the 602nd Special Operations Squadron flies over Vietnam in June 1970. (U.S. Air Force) Conley concluded his remarks at a session that covered various aspects of AFSOC with a short video announcing the name of the new aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The video announcer described the Skyraider II as a modern powerhouse inspired by the A-1E Skyraider, which troops called Spads during its Cold War-era service a nod to the wood-and-wire World War I fighter plane, Air Force Times previously reported. From the jungles of Vietnam to the battlefields of tomorrow, the warrior spirit of the A-1 lives on in the OA-1K Skyraider II, the announcer said. Ready to answer the call any place, any time, anywhere. The aircraft has received criticism for using a propeller instead of a jet engine. Some media outlets have referred to it as a crop duster, a reference to agricultural aircraft that sprays pesticides on crops. While we dont expect the Skyraider II to go mix it up with fifth- and sixth-generation fighters, it will provide value to our supported forces globally, said Brig. Gen. Craig Prather, AFSOCs director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The propeller operation allows the aircraft maximum maneuverability, extended loitering and other features that allow for real-time intelligence and immediate fire support to troops on the ground, Conley said. The aircraft can fly 245 miles per hour at 10,000 feet with a range of 1,500 miles at 8,000 feet, according to its manufacturer L3Harris. The platform can carry precision-guided munitions and a variety of weapons and sensing packages. That doesnt look like a crop duster, does it? Conley asked the audience, some of whom responded with a chuckle. In a sharp break, Airbnb has distanced itself from the personal opinions of co-founder and board member Joe Gebbia, who has become a vocal supporter of President Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE. "Joe is joining DOGE in his personal capacity, Christopher Nulty, Airbnbs head of corporate communications and public affairs told Skift. While he continues to serve on the Airbnb board, Joe has not had an operating role at the company since July 2022, and his personal views don't reflect the views of Airbnb or Airbnb.org." A source close to Airbnb said Gebbias turn toward Trump, which the co-founder announced on X two days after the inauguration in January, and advocacy for DOGE have created concern internally at Airbnb, which is a very liberal company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Airbnb's online community center is filled with messages from hosts who said they are leaving Airbnb or are considering deleting their listings unless Airbnb cuts ties with Gebbia. Typical is a comment from one host in Buffalo, New York, who wrote: "Anyway - it's sad. I am a host of 12 years and a Superhost and I will be looking to list elsewhere unless they lose Joe Gebbia fast." Airbnb.org and Gebbias Stance on Illegal Aliens Gebbia, who announced a few days ago that he is working with DOGE on designing a new federal government retirement process, has also been chairman of the nonprofit Airbnb.org since its inception in 2020. Airbnb.org has helped provide temporary housing to hundreds of thousands of refugees, asylum seekers, victims of natural disasters, and relief workers. Yet Gebbia has also become a vocal critic of European and U.S. refugee policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One DOGE priority has been to reduce foreign aid, some of which goes toward refugee assistance programs around the world. There have also been mass firings of federal employees. Gebbia co-founded Airbnb with Brian Chesky and Nate Blecharczyk in 2008, and has chaired Airbnb.org since its creation in 2020. A representative for Gebbia didnt comment on whether Gebbia's views present a conflict with his role as chairman of Airbnb.org, let alone Airbnb, where he remains a major shareholder and board member. Joe Gebbia's Views at Odds With Airbnb and Airbnb.org Gebbia has regularly expressed his views through posts on X. On January 22, two days after the Trump inauguration, Gebbia posted that he voted Republican in November, "something the younger me would hate myself for doing." I have a confession to make: I did a bad thing. Something the younger me Would hate myself for doing. Something that only a few people (and maybe Bytedance) know: I voted Republican last November. I know, I know I can hear the crush of disappointed voices: Say it aint so, Joe Gebbia (@jgebbia) January 19, 2025 He has criticized "carefree borders" and "mass migration" in Europe and expressed support for a U.S. Attorney General lawsuit against New York "for prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens." Powerful message from Vice President Vance to the leaders of UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain and the other EU nations with carefree borders. Did the people in any of those nations vote for mass migration? Or was it mandated from the top? Genuinely curious. Feel free to share https://t.co/PphNRuv2PJ Joe Gebbia (@jgebbia) February 14, 2025 On the other hand, in a 2024 announcement, Airbnb touted the work of Airbnb.org, which Gebbia chairs. "Since its founding, Airbnb.org has provided over 1.4 million nights of free, temporary housing to more than 210,000 refugees and asylum seekers." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to chairing Airbnb.org, Gebbia has also served as a board member of the Olympic Refugee Foundation. Gebbia, a billionaire and board member of Musks Tesla, posted last month that it's "unbelievable people are protesting against this," referring to the federal government budget gap that DOGE is targeting. Unbelievable people are protesting against this https://t.co/e8gnwteV6z Joe Gebbia (@jgebbia) February 13, 2025 Airbnb provided the initial funding for Airbnb.org and its leadership has donated funds to the group, which is an independent nonprofit. Airbnb publishes Airbnb.org press releases and promotes its activities, which most recently, with the help of hosts and aid organizations, provided temporary housing to victims of, and first responders to, the LA wildfires. Gebbia's Changed Politics In his heyday at Airbnb, where he had an operational role until leaving in 2022, Gebbia was "the soul of the company," former Airbnb Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy Chip Conley told Skift that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source close to the company said years ago Gebbia was thought to be the most liberal member of the co-founder trio, the most caring and soft-hearted. In his January tweet about embracing Trump, Gebbia said he did research and discovered Trump "deeply cares about our nation," adding that he "loves the whole DOGE initiative." In addition to his support for Trump, Vice President JD Vance and DOGE, Gebbia is an ardent supporter of attacking the problem of plastics mucking up the environment, and of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.'s efforts to rid toxins from the U.S. food supply. Gebbia is co-founder of Samara, which is attempting to ease the housing crisis by selling "tiny homes" meant to be placed at times in backyards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gebbia's politics seemingly clash with that of Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky, who made a $100 million pledge to the Obama Foundation. Chesky and Obama, who a source said are good friends, created the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service. As of a mid-2024 financial filing, Gebbia wielded 21.1% of Airbnb's voting power, and together the three co-founders controlled 79%. They have nominating and voting agreements that ensure that they vote for one another for board seats and thereby can't be ousted. While it's unclear how Airbnb's distancing itself from Gebbia's personal views might impact that voting agreement one day, his chairmanship of Airbnb.org appears to be on less-secure footing. Get breaking travel news and exclusive hotel, airline, and tourism research and insights at Skift.com. WARSAW, Poland The Polish Ministry of National Ministry is advancing plans to buy new transport and refueling aircraft, with major players Airbus and Boeing intensifying their rivalry for potential contracts. A Polish MoD spokesperson confirmed the ministrys aircraft procurement plans, but also said the final scope of these purchases is yet to be defined. Poland is considering to accelerate the acquisition of air refueling capabilities. We are interested in acquiring aircraft capable of acting both as air tankers and transport aircraft under the Karkonosze program, the spokesperson told Defense News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Polish ministry plans to buy refueling planes to service the countrys growing fleet of fighters. Poland operates F-16 jets and FA-50 light attack aircraft, among others, and is awaiting the delivery of the first of its 32 ordered F-35 fighters in 2026. Local observers name Airbuss A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) as one of the forerunners for the potential order. The ministry is also considering to acquire the European groups A400M transport aircraft, Germanys Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in January 2025 during a visit to the Airbus Defence and Space plant in Bremen, German specialist news site Hartpunkt.de reported. Meanwhile, as Polands government is mulling plans to purchase shares in Airbus, Warsaw could combine its investment with buying between two and four A330 MRTT aircraft and between six and eight A400M planes for the Polish military, according to French daily Le Monde. The European group will likely compete for the potential order against Boeing which has been heavily promoting its KC-46 tanker in Poland alongside the F-15EX fighter jet offer for the countrys Air Force. The Polish military is considering to acquire a further 32 fighter jets, and it is also assessing the Eurofighter Typhoon and buying more F-35s. Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, speaking with Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, in the Alabama House of Representatives on March 4, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. DuBose's jury duty exemption bill passed the House unanimously Tuesday. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Tuesday to exempt nursing mothers from jury duty. HB 209, sponsored by Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, requires nursing mothers to provide documentation of childbirth and a written statement in order to be exempt from jury duty for two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We named the bill Parkers Law after the precious 3-month-old baby that had to accompany her mother all the way down to the Jefferson County courthouse, DuBose said on the House floor Tuesday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In January, Kandace Brown brought her 3-month-old to jury duty in Jefferson County. According to a posting on Browns Facebook page, the judge would not dismiss Brown and told her to make arrangements for her strictly breastfed daughter. The Alabama Supreme Court issued an administrative order on Jan. 17 stating that nursing mothers qualify for exemption. But here in Alabama, just four days after this incident happened, the change was made because of each one of you sharing this and helping bring this to light, Brown wrote on her social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill goes to the Senate. SB 79, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, the legislations companion bill, passed that chamber on Feb. 18. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 22 states as of 2021 exempted nursing mothers from jury duty or allowed their jury service to be postponed. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A close-up of police lights. The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee passed several bills that expand police powers in Alabama. (Getty) The Alabama House Public Safety and Homeland Security committee last week approved a series of measures giving law enforcement additional powers over objections from Democrats about potential abuse. The three bills passed on Wednesday allow police and sheriffs deputies to confiscate vehicles of those who drive without their drivers licenses; require residents to divulge personal information while being questioned by law enforcement; and allows law enforcement to detain people for up to 24 hours on charges of resisting arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats expressed concerns with all the measures. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX You got some hot-headed officers out there, and they demand too much for being a police officer in blue, said Rep. Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville. HB 296, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, allows law enforcement to hold people charged with resisting arrest for up to a day. The three-page legislation offered few changes to the law except for adding the detention section. It is a growing problem, local law enforcement asked me to bring this, Sells said. It is getting to be more of a problem with people resisting arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HB 34, sponsored by Rep. Ron Bolton, R-Northport, makes it unlawful for a person questioned by police in public to give a false date of birth to law enforcement when asked. It is currently illegal to provide a false name and address to law enforcement when asked. HB 34 adds a persons birth date to the information that law enforcement can demand from people they encounter. People who provide a false name, address or date of birth could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by one year in jail and a fine of up to $6,000. In addition, Boltons legislation also makes it a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine, for a person to knowingly refuse to give the law enforcement officer his or her name, address, date of birth, and an explanation of his or her actions. The requirement to provide a persons identification doesnt cross over into the Miranda guidelines, Bolton said. When they start questioning them, asking them specific questions, it does, but simply identifying themselves is not covered by Miranda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HB 304, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, allows law enforcement to impound peoples vehicles if their drivers licenses were revoked, suspended or expired for more than 180 days. It also establishes several fines and fees. For people with drivers licenses from another state that are not valid, law enforcement may levy a fine of $100 to $500 for the infraction, and $50 in court costs. The persons driving privileges may also be suspended for an additional six months. Money from the fines and fees goes to the Traffic Safety Trust Fund, the Peace Officers Standards and Training Fund and the police or sheriffs department that made the arrest. Democrats on the committee said the bills amounted to overreach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is an issue between policing and community in this state, and in the nation, what we are doing is making it even worse by passing these types of bills, Jackson said. Rep. Jeremy Gray, D-Opelika, said that the bills expand police powers to the point that it infringes on the publics rights. What right does the citizen have in this whole thing? Gray said. It seems like you are giving law enforcement a lot of autonomy to do whatever they want. If I am a citizen, and I am not doing anything what rights do I have as a citizen with this bill? Rep. Tim Wadsworth, R-Arley, was the lone Republican on the committee to express any concerns with any of the legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By doing this bill, what we are going to end up doing is put people in a place where they are going to lose their vehicle and they will end up losing their job, even losing their house as a result of this, he said. I have been involved where, if you dont put a $2 ticket in, they tow your vehicle and charge you $200. With all these fees, once you get into the system, you cant get it back. Lawmakers are also considering legislation that gives police and deputies, as well as corrections officers and tactical medics, enhanced protection against criminal prosecutions and civil litigation that people may file for alleged misconduct. Republican lawmakers decided to make crime their top priority for the 2025 legislative session after Gov. Kay Ivey announced in a news conference that she is supporting several bills aimed at addressing public safety, particularly violent crime. Many of the proposals she wants to adopt focus on enhancing police powers, from providing additional benefits and legal protections to assist with recruitment and retention to enhancing penalties for specific crimes that could exacerbate prison overcrowding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have proposed a series of measures, including bills to make possession of Glock switches which rapidly increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic weapons a state crime, and require safe storage of firearms in homes with children. Thus far, the Republican supermajority has stalled the bills sponsored by Democrats. The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee has rejected the safe storage measure. A Republican-version of the Glock switch ban is expected to be in committee on Wednesday. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The suspect, pictured here, called WHDN to report her missing. - WHDN A man who called Dothan, Alabama ABC affiliate WHDN looking for help in finding his missing wife is now accused of her murder. Stephen Craig Miller, Sr., 64, has been charged with murder after the body of his wife Gloria was found in a dry creek bed. In a release, Dothan Police said Miller, Sr. admitted to having a fight with his wife on Saturday, the day she went missing, before he allegedly strangled her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's a monster underneath him and I didn't realize that monster was in him," said Sidney Whitaker, Miller's brother. WHDN said Miller's family filed a missing person's report on Monday and started using social media to spread that word about her disappearance. Miller, Sr. called WDHN to report her missing on Tuesday. "For him to come over to my place, after he had already committed this crime and me having no knowledge of it, he was very deceptive," said Whitaker. We asked WHDN about it, but havent heard back. From DothanPolice: Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence (center) speaks with Sens. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro (bottom right) and Jack Williams, R-Wilmer, in the Alabama Senate on March 4, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama Senate passed a bill Tuesday allowing people to use gold and silver to be used in monetary transactions. SB 130, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, would make refined gold and silver bullion, specie or coins that have been stamped, marked, or imprinted with their weight and purity a legal tender in Alabama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This bill simply allows you to pay with gold or silver any debt. It doesnt require anybody to accept it or use it, Melson said. The bill does not require anyone to accept or offer silver or gold. Utah in 2011 passed a law allowing people to use US-minted gold and silver coins as legal tender. Louisiana passed a similar law in 2013 and Texas in 2017. The bill passed 31-0 and goes to the House. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The scales of justice are seen in an undated photo. (Getty Images) Separation of powers is a foundational principle of this country. We are taught in school that the legislature enacts laws; the judiciary interprets laws; and the executive enforces laws. Executive administrative agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or DHHS, simply do not have the authority to create new laws on their own, or to expand the scope of existing laws. The purpose of administrative regulations is to give guidance on how to carry out a statutes intent not to be a workaround of the legal, democratic, and political processes. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a long-standing and important statute that prohibits recipients of federal funding from discriminating against people with disabilities. For example, public school students with disabilities are able to receive 504 plans to ensure that they are able to access necessary resources and supports for their education. Section 504 is a critical safeguard for Alaskans with disabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, DHHS finalized a regulation that imposes a one-sided, unfunded, and sweeping set of mandates that jeopardize the continued viability of state programs and services, and that are impossible for any state to fully comply with. The regulation the State challenged claims to be interpreting Section 504, but it goes far beyond and even acts against the language and intent of the statute. In fact, the new regulation is likely to undermine the States ability to provide ongoing service and supports. It requires states to redesign their service delivery systems to conform to newly imagined and vaguely defined requirements, regardless of the cost or impact to the state. And penalty for failing to meet those requirements is a loss of federal funding. With the new regulation, DHHS acted outside of its authority, ignored significant concerns from public commenters including states, families, and advocates, and disregarded congressional intent and federal court cases. Alaska joined a lawsuit challenging this regulation due to the negative impact on its Medicaid program, which is relied upon by nearly one-third of Alaskans. The Department of Law began communicating with the public about these concerns and its interest in the lawsuit in September 2024, when it joined, and it will continue to share updates as the case progresses. As an example of the real world impact to Alaskas Medicaid program, Alaska has asked and received permission from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to waive typical Medicaid rules so that it can provide additional behavioral health and home and community-based services beyond what Medicaid normally allows. Not only does the new regulation impose rules that conflict with CMS requirements for these waivers, but it also imposes substantial costs on states without increasing federal funding for Medicaid. At the same time, it burdens private providers of Medicaid services, who may choose to stop serving Medicaid recipients altogether, rather than take on new costs and administrative burdens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The regulation imposes sweeping yet extremely vague new requirements on states and other recipients of federal funds and threatens to take away existing federal funding (including Medicaid) if a recipient is not able to meet its impossible demands. It puts states between a rock and a hard place. If the state chooses to provide waiver services, it has to meet CMSs requirements but the regulation says that meeting those requirements could result in a loss of federal funding. The overall impact of this rule would be to decrease services and supports available to Alaskans. By joining this lawsuit, Alaska is acting to protect the integrity of the statute and the States existing programs and services. To be clear: this case is not asking the court to eliminate the Rehabilitation Act or Section 504 protections. All 17 participating states have unequivocally stated this fact, most recently in a joint status report filed with the court on Feb. 19, 2025: Plaintiffs clarify that they have never movedand do not plan to movethe Court to declare or enjoin Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. 794, as unconstitutional on its face. Plaintiffs have not sought and do not seek to enjoin the disbursement of funds from the Department on the basis that the statute is unconstitutional. Recent media reports claiming otherwise are likely based on a misunderstanding of the difference between as applied and facial challenges to statutes. The complaint in this case does not seek to have the Rehabilitation Act declared facially invalid in other words, struck down. The plaintiff states are not asking and will not ask for the Act to be struck down in totality or in part. Our only concern is the regulation, which cannot be reconciled with a constitutional interpretation of the Rehabilitation Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bottom line is this: If the plaintiffs prevail in this suit, Alaskans will experience no changes to the Section 504 protections and benefits they have always received, and the state of Alaska will continue its efforts to improve service delivery without the threat of losing federal funding due to the new regulation. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at a news conference on Jan. 31, 2025. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon) Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Friday proposed a constitutional amendment that would give future governors more latitude when picking judges for the Alaska Court System. If adopted by the Legislature, the amendment would be subject to a statewide vote in 2026. If adopted by voters, it would take effect after Dunleavy leaves office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The draft amendment, known variously as House Joint Resolution 12 and Senate Joint Resolution 13, would reduce the role of the nonpartisan Alaska Judicial Council in the judge-picking process. The council, which consists of three public members chosen by the governor and three members of the Alaska Bar Association, collects applications whenever theres a judicial vacancy. The council considers those applications and picks the most qualified people for a shortlist of nominees. If theres a tie on a particular nominee, the chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court casts the tiebreaking vote. The list of finalists, which must include at least two people, is sent to the governor, who makes the final selection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the governors constitutional amendment were adopted, the council would no longer be able to pick a short list of finalists based on their merit. Instead, the council would be required to forward every applicant, as long as they met the state constitutions minimum requirements. In a statement, the governors office said, This resolution, if adopted by the people of Alaska would compel the Alaska Judicial Council to send all names of prospective judge candidates to the governor for the purpose of selecting judges for openings. No hearings have yet been scheduled on the governors amendment proposal, which was introduced Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dunleavy has previously expressed frustration with the judicial selection process. In 2019, after expressing unhappiness with his options for a Palmer Superior Court vacancy, he did not follow state law, violating the timeline to fill the vacancy. The governor ultimately made a pick, but his violation served as one of three grounds for the unsuccessful campaign to recall him from office. Two years later, Dunleavy asked the Judicial Council for more options to fill a vacancy on the Alaska Supreme Court. The Council declined to modify its list of nominees, and Dunleavy picked from the original list. A year later, conservative Republicans made the states judicial selection process a key part of their campaign to amend the Alaska Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That fall, voters were asked whether they wanted to convene a constitutional convention, and those urging a yes vote said they felt the Judicial Council held too much power and prevented the governor from approving the conservative nominees he wanted. On that constitutional question, Alaska voters rejected the convention by more than a 2-to-1 margin. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Alaska Supreme Court Justice Jude Pate, right, asks a question during oral arguments in a case concerning correspondence education allotments, on June 27, 2024, in the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage. (Photo by Andrew Kitchenman/Alaska Beacon) The Municipality of Anchorage may fine homeowners whose property becomes a public and police nuisance, the Alaska Supreme Court has ruled. In an order published last week, the courts five members ruled in favor of the municipality in a lawsuit brought by a woman whose property on Dewberry Street was the cause of more than 100 calls to police in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents, the Anchorage Police Department (APD) responded to over one hundred calls involving complaints of drug activity, trash dumping, theft, gunshots, and suspicious activity in and around the property. In one case, police responded to a murder in front of the property. Altogether, the municipality said, APD responded to 119 calls in one year. Under municipal code, the city can fine the owner of a property and the tenant who lives there $500 per excessive police response to the dwelling unit. Excessive is defined as each police response in excess of eight to a dwelling unit in a calendar year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roseanne Leydon was the listed owner of the Dewberry Street home, and Anchorage ultimately fined her for dozens of police calls that it deemed excessive. Leydon, representing herself, appealed those fines to the municipality, where a hearing officer found that she was liable for 13 excessive police calls and their associated fines. While that was less than the 29 calls that the municipality had sought, Leydon appealed again, to Anchorage Superior Court, which upheld the hearing officers findings. Leydon appealed again to the Supreme Court, where she argued that the municipalitys ordinance was vague and lacked due process. She also said that she had not been properly notified of violations. In a unanimous opinion, the court rejected Leydons arguments and upheld the lower courts decision. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX White House counselor Alina Habba on Tuesday suggested some veterans are perhaps not fit for government jobs. As you know, we care about veterans tremendously. I mean, thats something the President has always cared about, anybody in blue, anybody that serves this country. But at the same time, we have taxpayer dollars, we have a fiscal responsibility to use taxpayer dollars to pay people that actually work, Habba told reporters outside the White House when asked about veterans who worked for the federal government. That doesnt mean that we forget our veterans by any means. We are going to care for them in the right way, but perhaps theyre not fit to have a job at this moment, or not willing to come to work. I wouldnt take money from you and pay somebody and say, Sorry, theyre not going to come to work. Its just not acceptable, Habba said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) knocked Habbas Monday comments in a post on X. Our veterans risked everything for Americanow they come home to be told by those whove given nothing for this country that theyre not fit. Theyre more than fit to serve, Moore said. The Trump administration and its new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) commission have been cracking down on government spending and the size of the federal workforce. Veterans make up roughly 30 percent of federal employees, and veterans advocates have been sounding the alarm about the impacts of DOGE cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and elsewhere. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) estimated last week that DOGE, led by tech billionaire Elon Musk, has fired approximately 6,000 veterans as part of the government overhaul. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our veterans make significant sacrifices in service of our country, but those sacrifices do not seem to matter to President Trump and unchecked billionaire Elon Musk, DeLauro said in a statement asking the administration to provide an exact number of veterans fired and what they plan to do to support them. Rep. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) are both planning to bring veterans fired by DOGE as their guests to Trumps joint address to Congress Tuesday night in protest of the cuts. Ricky was abruptly let go, despite the protections afforded to him as a veteran and stellar performance reviews, during DOGEs chaotic round of firings earlier this month. The Administration abandoning veterans like Ricky is unacceptable, Gillen said of her guest, Ricky Sanchez, in a statement. And Republican Rep. Tom Barrett (Mich.) announced on Monday that hed sent a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins raising concern about the workforce reductions and calling on the department to review and reconsider their workforce reduction process to ensure only those who have truly underperformed are relieved of duty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our veterans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, even if separation is warranted, Barrett said. In a recent video message on changes at the VA, Collins stressed that, saying, Were taking care of the veterans, I promised you that from day one. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Three people are facing charges after deputies said they found pounds of meth at a northwest Georgia home. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] For the past several months, the Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force has been investigating a homeowner who lived on Tolbert Road in Rockmart. Investigators say evidence obtained led them to believe the homeowner was using his cartel connections to buy drugs to sell in Haralson County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, the NWGDTF served a search warrant at the home on Tolbert Road. Officials said they found four and a half pounds of methamphetamine, several nonprescribed schedule four prescription pills, scales, baggies, smoking devices and other drug trafficking paraphernalia along with a gun. TRENDING STORIES: Authorities arrested Nicky Scott Proctor, 61, Tabatha Michelle Miller, 45, and Tracey Lanette Brookshire, 53, all of Rockmart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proctor was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a Schedule IV drug. Miller was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine. Brookshire was charged with possession of methamphetamine. She was also booked on an outstanding bench warrant. Haralson County Sheriff Stacy Williams said hes appreciative of the great work of the Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force. I am very appreciative of the great work done by our Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force in taking down this major drug trafficker and removing him and his poison from our communities, said Williams. We stand firm in our commitment to hunt down, arrest and prosecute anyone that brings drugs into Haralson County. Do not get comfortable, we will not stop. The trio is currently behind bars at the Haralson County Jail. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) An Altoona man was jailed after police said he was found with heroin and allegedly admitted to going to Philadelphia over the weekend to buy more to distribute in the city. Joel Ortiz-Rodriguez, 48 (Blair County Prison) Joel Ortiz-Rodriguez, 48, was arrested March 3, after Altoona police were requested to pull over his vehicle while agents continued surveillance on a residence he was seen arriving at and then leaving with two others. According to the criminal complaint, Ortiz-Rodriguez was pulled over on Broad Avenue and refused to exit the vehicle. After being pulled from the vehicle, police said they saw two rounds of ammunition on the floorboard. Ortiz-Rodriguez was detained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police also identified the other two in the vehicle, a male and a woman who was discovered to be wanted by the Blair County Sheriffs office Hilary Shutt. Shutt was taken into custody. When trying to identify Ortiz-Rodriguez, he gave police permission to get a pouch from his pocket that had credit cards with his name on it, charging documents show. Inside the pouch, police said there were 32 wax packets of suspected heroin and a baggie with eight pills. Woman accused of conspiring with jailed lover to kill police informant with hotshot According to charges, the male in the vehicle told police Ortiz-Rodriguez had just returned from Philadelphia to re-up (resupply himself) with heroin and he had come to the Altoona residence to drop some off and take him to the methadone clinic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police interviewed Ortiz-Rodriguez who allegedly admitted to going to Philadelphia over the weekend to get more heroin and was dropping off a few baggies for everyone in the residence. A search of Ortiz-Rodriguezs phone showed several messages from people needing drugs ASAP because they were dope sick. According to the complaint, a search of the vehicle turned up only one empty wax packet where the other male was sitting. Stay up to date with the latest news in the palm of your hand. Click here to download the WTAJ app for Apple and Android devices. Ortiz-Rodriguez is facing multiple possession with intent to deliver charges as well as possession and criminal use of a communication facility charges. He was placed in Blair County Prison with bail set at $350,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. POLK COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) North Carolina wildfires have scorched hundreds of acres of forest in western North Carolina. The fires prompted voluntary evacuations in Polk County as crews continue to try to contain them. Look at the blue sky. Could you ask for more? The flowers against the blue sky, Tryon resident Trisha Attaway said. Here comes the helicopter looking at the forest fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An almost perfect spring-like day in Polk County, contrasted by a plume of white smoke and the constant echoes of helicopters flying above the mountain near Attaways home. Carolina Wildfires: City of Morganton issuing burn ban Ive seen the helicopters all morning, she said. They have been all over the place. Since Saturday, local firefighters and the N.C. Forest Service has been working to contain a wildfire that was sparked by a downed power line. Since Saturday, the fire has spread nearly 600 acres. It was difficult to maintain the fire perimeter due to numerous factors one being the steep terrain, the windy gusty conditions and also some of the debris that was taken down by Helene that we are having to deal with as well, N.C. Forest Service Forestry Technician Jeremy Waldrop said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On one side of Highway 176 in Tryon, homeowners voluntarily evacuated. On the other side of the road, the entire mountainside was charred black. MORE: Gaston County crews battling woods fire near Cramerton Friends told me that my house was probably gone. Its not going to be your house anymore, Attaway said. Attaway returned home Monday morning to find her house, which had made it through Hurricane Helene, still standing. The fire line was just feet away from her property. Leave me be and let me be bored, but no, all of these humongous adventures coming up, but thanks be to God I am alive, and everything is well, and I havent suffered really, and I am just really grateful, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Monday evening, the North Carolina Forest Service says 60% of the wildfire has been contained. A spokesperson from the agency says they do not believe any homes were damaged or destroyed and that all evacuations have been lifted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. TOKYO - Tokyo police saw a record 4.49 billion yen ($30 million) worth of cash turned in as lost property in 2024, up 1.8 percent from the previous year, amid a surge in inbound tourists and as more people went out after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. The largest single amount of cash brought to the police totaled around 11.6 million yen, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's lost and found center has also revealed. About 3.2 billion yen was returned to the various owners, and some 570 million yen was given back to those who found the money. Around 660 million yen became metropolitan government revenue. Approximately 4.4 million items were handed in to the police, up 7.8 percent from the previous year, also hitting a record high. Of the items, driver's licenses and other identification documents made up the largest proportion at about 830,000, while there was a noticeable increase in electronic equipment, including wireless earphones and e-cigarettes, the police said. Related coverage: Tokyo police to set up 24-hour lost and found lockers Japan police to launch unified online system for lost and found items During his nomination hearing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked by Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, if he agrees with the Geneva Conventions, the legal framework that governs the conduct of war, which the United States helped to create after the horrors of World War II. Hegseth obfuscated to such an extent that the inescapable conclusion was that he rejects the laws and treaties requiring U.S. forces to abide by these long-established principles among them, not torturing POWs, not harming civilians and not wantonly destroying homes or schools. Then, shortly after taking the oath of office, Hegseth fired the top lawyers for the Army, Navy and Air Force. He did so reportedly without having spoken to any of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth has often asserted that the Pentagons lawyers have unduly restricted U.S. warfighters on the battlefield. But hes mistaken: Its not the lawyers who hold American service members to such high standards, but the law itself. His decision represents a blatant disregard for that law. Hegseth: Top military lawyers fired because they werent well-suited The U.S. military is the best fighting force in the world, not only because it is equipped with the most sophisticated technology and lethal weapons but because it trains to win a war of principles. U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are taught that the job of a warfighter is not just to kill the enemy and win the battle, but to win the war by upholding the values, legitimacy and honor of our country and the reputation of the U.S. military. That means training to operate as a disciplined force, but also abiding by the Geneva Conventions, the Uniform Code of Military Justice and federal criminal law on war crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The laws of war are neither a new creation nor some foreign imposition. They are, in part, an American innovation. Amid the bloodiest war in American history, President Lincoln codified fundamental aspects of the laws of armed conflict in the Lieber Code, which formed the foundation for the Geneva Conventions. The fundamental principles underlying the Geneva Conventions might seem obvious today that war should not cause unnecessary suffering; that noncombatants deserve protection; that medical personnel must be allowed to perform their humanitarian work; that certain methods of warfare are simply too inhumane to be permitted; and that even in war, there must be rules that preserve human dignity. There are 196 state parties to the Geneva Conventions. These principles guide a baseline of behavior in armed conflict that has been nearly universally accepted. They protect not only civilians but also combatants, ensuring care for our own injured soldiers and POWs that fall under the control of foreign forces. The same is true of our Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is derived from the principles enshrined in the Geneva Conventions. They are not simply aspirations that service members are free to ignore or interpret as they please. They are the law the basis of the integrity and discipline that make the U.S. military the most respected in the world and every U.S. service member is bound and trained to follow them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consider the alternative. U.S. troops intentionally or recklessly shoot a defenseless civilian or torture a prisoner. Of course, this is behavior that the American people firmly reject. Both are war crimes, and neither helps the U.S. win wars. But Hegseth is on record defending this type of criminal misconduct. Now, he is terminating the career lawyers whose job was to provide warfighters with the guidance necessary to comply with the law. The unmistakable message is that Hegseth doesnt trust Americas service members. And, the message that will be heard by young recruits is that the ends justify the means, no matter how egregious or inhumane the misconduct. These actions make civilians and service members alike less safe. In Afghanistan and Iraq, like Vietnam decades earlier, we saw how civilian deaths, for which U.S. forces were rarely punished, turned the local population against U.S. forces and into the arms of the enemy. We also learned that respecting the laws of war helps protect our own troops from losing faith in the mission and suffering moral injury. They will have to live the rest of their lives with the memories of those they killed, and it is difficult to overstate the importance of knowing they acted in a manner that was lawful and honorable. When our military leaders abandon the institutional mechanisms to uphold the law and protect civilians, they betray the trust of the warfighters who risk their lives for our country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some frustrated veterans, like Hegseth, argue, in essence, that if U.S. forces had been allowed to act with unchecked brutality and impunity, we would have been victorious in those wars. But that is not the lesson our decorated military experts at the National War College or West Point have learned. Decades of military studies and tactical reviews have concluded that when U.S. forces used excessive force or killed civilians with impunity, our mission suffered. Despite an enduring ability to unleash immense firepower against our enemies, we have faced setbacks every time the U.S. mistakenly bombed an innocent family or empowered a corrupt and abusive warlord. From the U.S. Constitution to the UCMJ and the Geneva Conventions, our democracy is built on the rule of law. Our nations lawyers in uniform are responsible for ensuring that our armed forces live up to and protect the values and principles our nation stands for. Firing them, and dismissing their value, is a grave error. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the oldest democracy with the most powerful military, its in our national interest to uphold the laws of war. And perhaps most importantly, it distinguishes us from adversaries who do not share the American peoples appreciation of the incalculable value of innocent life. Patrick Leahy is a former U.S. senator, Senate president pro tempore and attorney who represented Vermont in the U.S. Senate from 1975 to 2023. Lt. Gen. Robert G. Gard Jr. (Ret.), is a graduate of West Point who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars and as president of the National Defense University. President Donald Trump is expected to brag about his administrations dismantling of the federal government and his aggressive stance on Ukraine at Tuesdays first joint Congressional address. Trump - who is expected to speak around 9 p.m. tonight inside a packed House chamber - is poised to boast about the tough approach he has taken with world leaders during a whirlwind 43 days in office following last weeks Oval Office showdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The fallout has culminated in Trumps decision to temporarily pause aid to the war-torn nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes going to talk about the great things hes done: The borders secure, the waste hes finding with DOGE, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan and chairman of the Judiciary Committee told the New York Times. Hes going to keep laying out his vision, where he wants the country to go, GOPs Jordan, who speaks regularly with the president, told the newspaper. DOGE lead Elon Musk is expected to be in attendance tonight to watch Trump likely boast about the billionaires gutting of federal agencies. This is despite growing backlash over relentless job cuts and emails from the mogul demanding workers respond detailing their accomplishments for the week or face termination. President Donald Trump, pictured at his State of the Union address in February 2020, is set to outline the 'renewal of the American Dream' (Getty Images) Trump hinted Monday that Ukraine would come up in tonights speech. When asked by a reporter whether the minerals deal was still possible, the president said: Ill let you know, before he added: Were making a speech, you probably heard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The presidents speech comes against the backdrop of his trade tariffs on Mexico and Canada, which went into effect Tuesday. Fired civil servants, small business owners and Medicaid recipients who risk losing their healthcare have been invited to an assembly room by Democrats in an attempt to challenge Trumps narrative of a historic transformation of the federal government. The White House said Monday that the theme of Trumps address which is not technically considered a State of the Union message will promise the renewal of the American Dream. Tomorrow night will be big, blared Trumps Truth Social on Monday in block capitals. I will tell it like it is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previous presidents have typically used these speeches to list their accomplishments and lay out future plans. Trump, pictured in the White House on March 3, 2025, is set to give the first joint Congressional address of his second term (EPA) Trump is expected to focus on four areas: his second term's achievements domestically and internationally, the economy, a push for Congress to pass border funding and his plans for peace around the globe, reports Fox News. The president will likely continue pushing congressional Republicans who hold a narrow margin to turn his America First agenda into law. The president will also focus on immigration and new tariffs, a senior administration official told NBC News last week. He will also discuss his administrations efforts to release hostages from Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, a White House official told the network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt touted the speech as must-see TV. President Trump has accomplished more in one month than any president in four years, and the renewal of the American Dream is well underway, she added. Trumps Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told reporters Monday that the joint session of Congress is an opportunity for President Trump, as only he can, to lay out the last month of record-setting, record-breaking unprecedented achievements and accomplishments that have made this the most successful opening to any presidency. Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin will deliver the Democrats' reaction to Trump's remarks an almost 60-year-old tradition, normally done after the formal State of the Union. She will lay out the fight to tackle the deep challenges we face and chart a path forward, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X. Smoke alarms save lives, but many homes dont have them or even ones that work properly. Jayce Eustice spoke with Our Quad Cities News about the American Red Crosss Sound the Alarm program to help install free smoke alarms, create escape plans and share fire safety information. For more information, 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. Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin (AFP-WI) is rolling out a new investment of $300,000 in the states Supreme Court race as it looks to support conservative candidate Brad Schimel in the April 1 election. AFP-WIs latest investment, news of which was first shared with The Hill, includes several digital and connected TV ads, as well as a mailer. In some of the ads, a narrator says that Judge Brad Schimel will follow the law, protect us and keep our families safe while suggesting liberal candidate Susan Crawford will play dangerous partisan politics and calls her soft on crime. In one of the digital ads, AFP-WI urges to stop progressive control and says Wisconsins future is at stake. Another digital ad encourages voters to cast their ballot for Schimel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ad campaign brings AFP-WIs ad investments in the race to $1.3 million, which it notes is in addition to our robust ongoing statewide grassroots work and direct mail campaign. Wisconsinites deserve better than Susan Crawford, who stands by her extreme, partisan agenda over the people of Wisconsin, AFP-WI state director Megan Novak said in a statement. AFP-WI is boosting its efforts to support Brad Schimel on April 1st with an additional six-figure investment because there is no room for Crawfords extreme agenda and soft-on-crime record on our states highest court, she added. Wisconsinites will head to the polls next month to vote on several races, including a vacant seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley is not running for another term, bringing the partisan tilt of the court to an even 3-3 split. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The election will determine whether the high court remains a liberal majority or flips back to a conservative one. The judicial race has already seen millions pouring into the race given that opportunities to influence the partisan makeup of a high court in a battleground state are few and far between. Other outside groups that are spending in the race have included Elon Musks America PAC, ACLU Voter Education Fund and the Republican State Leadership Committees (RSLC) Judicial Fairness Initiative. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Amid opening day bouquets and speeches about giving Floridians the policies and programs they need, the states Republican leaders kicked-off the two-month legislative session with ceremony and optimism. Will the vibe last? Probably not. If this session which opened Tuesday goes as most do, some harshness is certain to cloud the opening day mellow. Where could conflicts emerge? Taxes could complicate House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, ridiculed the Legislatures spending ways, saying lawmakers in the past spent time congratulating ourselves for giving easy-to-fund, non-recurring sales tax holidays to Floridians but not rooting out wasteful spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perez openly clashed with Gov. Ron DeSantis over immigration just weeks ago and may have been firing another shot at the governor. After all, DeSantis last month recommended seven sales tax holidays in his state budget proposal, on back-to-school items, boat fuel, gun purchases and more. We can do better, Perez said. I am challenging our budget subcommittee chairs to dive into the budget and find real savings in recurring revenue. Members, this money doesnt belong to us; it belongs to the people of Florida. Then, there are property taxes. DeSantis said he wants a constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot that would dramatically reduce property taxes without raising other taxes to replace this revenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The approach would jeopardize funding for virtually every government service, from environmental work to schools, police and fire. Its politically big and awkward, with constituencies including cities, counties and school boards likely ready to fight. Taxpayers need relief, DeSantis said, making his sales pitch in his State of the State speech. You buy a home, pay off a mortgage, and yet you still have to write a check to the government every year just to live on your own property? Is the property yours or are you just renting from the government? DeSantis, though, stopped short of defining how far he wants to go with reining-in property taxes. Hes calling for lawmakers to decide on ballot language next year, after setting a course to deep-dive analyze the issue this spring. State of the State 2025: Gov. DeSantis outlines plans on property taxes, insurance Show your cards or not The top priorities of a House speaker or Senate president always become part of the horse-trading of a legislative session. One leader can hold hostage the goal of the other to force agreements on other spending or policy matters. And the wheeling-and-dealing often lasts until close to the 60th day of session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, such trading could get tricky. Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, has laid out a range of priorities, topped by his wide-ranging push for a rural renaissance, an almost $200 million package of health care, education and infrastructure programs to help the states often overlooked communities. Albritton also pledged to revitalize the struggling Florida citrus industry in his opening-day speech to senators. Weve seen tremendous economic growth in urban areas of Florida, and as Ive said before, its rural Floridas turn, Albritton said. Across the Capitol rotunda, Perez kept his political cards much closer. He repeated his claim that he comes into session with few personal priorities, making a point of having no House Bill 1 this year dismissing the idea of legislation that represents the speakers top want. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, Perez said he wants to make the Legislature more responsive to the demands of Floridians: I said I would be foregoing the traditional presiding officer game of defining the work of session around a set of my own personal priorities; that this process needed to be less about me and more about we. Perezs refusal to display a wish list could make later deal-making with the Senate a bit tougher. But the speaker did say he wanted to hold insurance companies accountable for raising rates for years amid cries they were facing bankruptcies. A Florida Office of Insurance Regulation report only recently revealed shows that from 201719 insurers were making billions of dollars, paying sizable dividends to shareholders and steering profits to parent companies. DeSantis downplayed the significance of the findings. But Perez hinted the House investigation may be the priority he wont acknowledge exists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have asked the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee to conduct hearings, and they will have access to the full range of tools including issuing subpoenas, putting witnesses under oath, and hiring outside experts, Perez said. Guns divide Republican leaders DeSantis is clamoring for lawmakers to allow for open carry of firearms in Florida going along with Second Amendment advocates not satisfied with the states current, permit-less concealed carry law. Previous coverage: Florida Gov. DeSantis pushes Legislature for open carry of guns amid immigration tension Hes also endorsed the National Rifle Associations push to repeal the ban on people under 21 from buying rifles and shotguns. He also wants to relax the states red flag laws which allow law enforcement to remove firearms from people considered a threat to themselves or others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Albritton has no interest in allowing open carry. Were a very diverse state, and Miami is not Wauchula, he said. The measures were approved by lawmakers after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in 2018. But Albritton and Perez said that while rejecting most of DeSantis gun demands they may go along with dialing back one law and allowing those under 21 to buy long guns. Im working through my mind on that, Albritton said. John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Networks Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jkennedy2@gannett.com, or on X at @JKennedyReport. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Amid flowers, speeches and good vibes, pitfalls loom in Legislature PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) 10 On Your Side personalities Katie Collett, Aesia Toliver, Tom Schaad and Regina Mobley were given the stage at Brighton Elementary School, where select stories were read to eager audiences. Across Portsmouth, with one exception, elementary school children learn in Title I schools, which means extra federal funding is provided to help the children make the grade. Those funds could now be in jeopardy, as President Trump has called for abolishing the U.S. Department of Education. Portsmouth School Board Chairman Dr. Cardell Patillo sounded the alarm last month in an interview with 10 On Your Side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Title I is responsible for much of our professional development for our teachers who are in those schools, Patillo said. President Trump calls the current public education system a failure, with 70% of 8th graders below proficient in reading, and 72% below proficient in math. The House bill to eliminate the Education Department is now in the Committee on Education and the Workforce. In Portsmouth, there is concern budget cuts could trim performance in a system where 13 of 14 elementary schools are Title I schools. We receive over $700,000 from the federal government every year through our budgeting process, Patillo said. If we were to lose $700,000 in federal funding, Im not sure how that would be made up and where it would come from, so that could severely damage our school division and the needs of our students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The Amite River Basin Commission is preparing to release its master plan for projects to help mitigate flooding across the seven parishes it touches. Some ideas include building a reservoir in the northern part of the basin and some small, localized projects. Thats because weve got the two fastest growing parishes in the state. Weve got the seat of the state government, weve got our flagship university, we have a growing population, which means growing risk in risk doesnt mean just the propensity of getting flooded, Amite River Basin Commission Executive Director Paul Sawyer said. Risk means actual people and property and homes and communities that are in the way of water that wants to flood them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sawyer, the new executive director of the board, said that plans are in the works to lay out their key projects and ideas to the legislature in April. They will be asking the state for funding for some of the projects, but could not say how much just yet. Projects like the Comite River Diversion Canal, Laurel Ridge Levee extension, and West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Levee are all part of the $1.5 billion in the works in the basin already. When an upper basin retention project is put in place, that takes the pressure off of the rest of the system, Sawyer said. You have to imagine that once you get below or, you know, at approximately Denham Springs or I-12, the topography flattens out. So imagine just spilling water on the table. Thats the lower Amite basin. Louisianas carbon capture industry faces uncertainty under Trump administration Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sawyer discussed how critical flood mitigations are needed after events like the major flooding events of the 1980s and 2016 as population and development grow. Lowering flood risk and flood protection projects. You know, ultimately, if they all work, its not just lowering flood insurance. Its about protecting lives and homes and schools and communities. It means protecting the economy, Sawyer said. Despite most of the projects with shovels already in the ground being Army Corps of Engineer funds that take years to come through, Sawyer said they are striving to go a different way for money in order to address flooding sooner to bring down insurance rates and protect communities. Once completed, the master plan will be released to the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No flood gauges, no warning: 99% of US streams are off the radar amid rising flash flood risks Latest News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. On Monday afternoon, a Boeing 747 jet freighted with US weaponry landed in Rzeszow, the Polish border town that serves as a gateway to the battlefield in Ukraine. Its cargo was safely deposited. But unless it was transported onwards immediately, it is likely to remain there. By nightfall, the Trump administration had frozen all military support to Ukraine, plunging the nation into the deepest crisis it has faced since the war began. For days after their disastrous summit in the White House, it appeared possible that Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump could patch things up between them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House put out unambiguous signals that it expected a televised apology from the Ukrainian president, who had refused to go along with its rushed peace deal just as he refused to comply with Russias slapdash invasion. Mr Trump reposted a commentary on Truth Social suggesting that Mr Zelensky would eventually have to concede and sign his minerals deal, recognising it as the best - and only - US commitment coming his way. But then, speaking once again with his mind on the frontlines and not on the mood in the Oval Office, Mr Zelensky said that peace was very, very far away. That appears to have torn it. By Monday night, White House officials briefed out that they had suspended all deliveries of military aid to Ukraine, including weapons already in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting to cross the border in Poland. Protesters hold signs showing the face of Zelensky outside the US embassy in Poland on March 3 - Czarek Sokolowski/AP The impact of a prolonged hold on US aid will be transparently disastrous. When Mr Trumps Republican allies led Congress to block weapons shipments in 2023, guns went silent across the frontline, helping Russia capture towns including Avdiivka. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement European aid helped make up the shortfall then. But it cannot immediately replace the loss of US military support, which both Europe and Washington have been delivering to Ukraine at a rate of about 1.4bn per month since the war began. To put the cut in scale, around 3bn of weaponry remains to be sent to Ukraine under a presidential drawdown by outgoing president Biden. But some 30bn more is due to be delivered up until March 2028, according to figures from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. In fact, US aid was set to drastically increase this year compared to last, as US defence manufacturers fulfil procurement contracts signed in the early days of war. (A dozen Himars systems, ordered in 2022, were soon due to arrive on the battlefield.) Little interest in peace deal The figures do not tell the story. What they deliver is GPS-guided GMLRS rockets that rain down on Russian troops behind the frontlines, Bradley fighting vehicles that keep Kyivs troops nimble, and Patriot air defence missiles that protect cities from endless long-range bombardment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They provide shells and tanks, Javelins and JDAMS. Crucially, too, they provide hope: that the former teachers and electricians on the frontline have a constant supply of world-beating weaponry as they attempt to hold off the vastly outnumbering army of Vladimir Putin. Today they will wake up learning that is gone. If the Trump administration does not turn the taps back on, it is likely that Ukraine will, in the end, be crushed. Mr Zelensky himself has said its chances of survival are low without American support. Putin will have little interest in signing a peace deal when his enemy is so vulnerable. If he does, it will be a feint for gradual constriction. Ukraines own defence industry, which has stepped up the production of drones 100-fold since the war began, can hold the line for a while with Europes assistance. But over time, it will crack. The longer Putin waits, and the US stands back, the better chance he has of achieving a goal something like regime change in Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such that it exists, the hope is this. In his interview with Fox News on Monday night, JD Vance left the door open for Mr Zelensky to come back and sign the minerals deal. (The vice-president, betraying an callous disregard for the British and French troops who fought alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, said that the deal would be better than an EU peacekeeping force made up of random countries that havent fought a war in 30 or 40 years). Mr Zelensky must now do so. If it takes saying three bags full, sir, he should do that. White House officials have described the aid cut as a pause to ascertain if Ukraine is truly ready to seek peace. And there is reason to hope that Mr Trump may baulk at cancelling all 30bn due to be delivered to Ukraine by 2028; the US government may have to pay break fees and other penalties if it cuts off contracts Kyiv signed with American defence manufacturers, even though it paid using US funds. In a best case scenario, Mr Trump is employing a negotiating tactic to secure the deal he wants. By pressing this button, though, he has given Putin every incentive to keep fighting - and the heroic Ukrainian army holding out against him plenty of reason to think twice. 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. ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) Deputies have arrested the suspect connected to the death of a Seneca man. According to the Anderson County Sheriffs Office, Daeshawn Marquize Wilson was arrested Monday. The 18-year-old is charged with the murder of Jimmy Ramey, who was found shot to death in a wooded area near Wilsons family property on February 26. Ramey was reported missing on February 18 after not picking up his wife from work. Officials said they found Rameys truck in Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson has also been charged with possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Bond for Wilson was denied Tuesday. Wilsons circuit court hearing is scheduled for June 5. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. WASHINGTON - The United States has paused all military aid to Ukraine, a White House official said Monday, following a verbal clash between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last week. "We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding Trump is focused on peace and hopes other countries will also work toward that end. Earlier in the day, Trump offered further harsh criticism of Zelenskyy, threatening that the United States would no longer support Ukraine. "America will not put up with it for much longer," Trump said in a social media post, referring to the Ukrainian leader's stance on ending the three-year-old war. "It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be Peace as long as he has America's backing." Zelenskyy's reported comments late Sunday that any agreement on ending Russia's war in Ukraine was still "very, very far away" were slammed by Trump as "the worst statement that could have been made." His latest attack on Zelenskyy came after European leaders reaffirmed over the weekend their continued support for Ukraine, underscoring that Russia started the war. Zelenskyy and European leaders agree that U.S.-backed security guarantees are essential for a lasting peace in Ukraine. Trump's embrace of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which became even more apparent during the meeting with Zelenskyy on Friday, has worried Europe and democratic countries in other parts of the world. The meeting in the Oval Office in front of TV cameras devolved into a tense argument, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance taking turns to assail Zelenskyy after he expressed skepticism about any dealings with Putin, citing the Russian leader's violations of earlier promises. Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House and the countries canceled the planned signing of a minerals agreement and a joint press conference. On Monday, as he and Vance pressed during the meeting, Trump told reporters at the White House that Zelenskyy should be more thankful for the military and financial aid that the United States has provided to Ukraine in its fight to repel Russia's full-scale invasion that began in February 2022. When asked if he has decided to suspend military support for the war-torn country, Trump said, "I haven't even talked about that right now. I mean, right now we'll see what happens. A lot of things are happening right now as we speak." Related coverage: Trump says TSMC to invest $100 billion in U.S. Trump-Zelenskyy talks collapse after Oval Office shouting match Trump says tariff on Chinese goods to double to 20% next week Andrea Jenkins has announced she won't seek reelection for her Ward 8 seat on Minneapolis City Council. Jenkins confirmed in a Monday newsletter she won't be seeking a fourth term, having represented the Lyndale and Kingfield neighborhoods since first being elected in 2017. "After several months of introspection and vacillation, Ive decided this is my last term in office. I will not be seeking a fourth term as a Minneapolis City council member. It has, indeed, been the honor of my life to serve as your council member," Jenkins said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jenkins became the first Black transgender person to be elected to public office in the United States in 2017, and made history again in 2022 after she was named the first openly transgender city council president. "I served as council president and vice president during some of the most challenging times in Minneapolis history. Im very proud of to be supported by voters in Ward 8. Im grateful for the people who worked to support a strong Ward 8, elevating women, people of color and our LGBTQIA+ community," Jenkins said in a statement. As council president, Jenkins called George Floyd's murder by police in 2020 at the time "a symbol for a knee on the neck of Black America." His murder sparked nationwide protests in the spring and summer of that year. The Democrat has been working in city government since 2001, when she was appointed to the role of policy aide by Robert Lilligren. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jenkins touched on highlights during her tenure, including: Minneapolis adopting a $15 minimum wage Becoming one of the first cities to take a question about criminal backgrounds off job applications Passing the 2040 Comprehensive Plan "As this year progresses, I will take time to detail and highlight more accomplishments and thank you's," Jenkins said. "There is still most of this year ahead us. Minneapolis is a great city and I believe Ward 8 is the soul of this city. We have a lot of work to do." NEW YORK Andrew Cuomo launched a comeback bid Saturday by painting a gloomy portrait of a New York City in decline and pledging to turn things around if elected mayor. By Monday, nearly all of his rivals had the same reaction: Cuomo is to blame for much of what ails the nations most populous city. They said he damaged mass transit and housing programs as governor in his desire to exert authority over former Mayor Bill de Blasio. With that line of attack, Cuomos Democratic opponents are attempting to undermine the former governors ties to the city as well as one of his biggest assets: his self-styling as a competent manager ready to clean up Gotham. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those rivals, who were waiting for this weekends late entry into the race, are hoping to appeal to voters who value genuine New York bona fides like riding the subway to work and believe they demonstrate authenticity. His critics are also noting that his decadelong tenure in Albany coincided with a surging homeless population across the city and an increasingly ramshackle mass transit system questioning whether hes committed to improving the city or just seeking vindication from the scandals that led to his resignation in 2021. Being mayor may help Andrew Cuomo, but it wont do a damn thing for New Yorkers, said Scott Stringer, a former city comptroller and mayoral candidate, in a video released by his campaign. Cuomos yearslong feud with de Blasio, cuts to public assistance programs and handling of mass transit policy became immediate fodder for opponents, who argued his pursuit of power was to the detriment of city residents. They will all face off in the Democratic primary June 24. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A super PAC led by a former de Blasio staffer intensified those barbs and, in a pointed rebuke of Cuomos affordability platform unveiled Monday, blasted his penchant for showy projects like a bridge light show instead of simply fixing the dilapidated subway cars. Fueling the skepticism is the Queens natives relatively new re-conversion as a city resident: After living for years in suburban Westchester County and the governors mansion in Albany, he registered to vote last summer at a Manhattan address. Changing your voter registration doesnt mean you understand what its like to be a real New Yorker, said Jasmine Gripper, co-director of the Working Families Party, which has long battled the former governor and will be screening mayoral candidates Sunday. The attacks are an implicit recognition that its Cuomo not the scandal-scarred Mayor Eric Adams running for reelection who is considered the front-runner in the race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi scoffed at the criticism. New York City is in crisis, and we need a serious, proven leader who can get the job done, he said. Instead of meeting the moment these nameless, faceless politicians some of whom have been in office since the 90s are flailing around trying to rewrite history because they have no real records of their own other than bear hugging extreme DSA rhetoric and cutting $1 billion from the NYPD budget. Cuomo has also been in public life for decades as well. Azzopardi credited Cuomo with major infrastructure projects like the Moynihan Train Hall and Kosciuszko Bridge while delivering progress where Washington failed on gun control, paid family leave, abortion rights and tax cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former governors fights with de Blasio, disputes over who controls the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (the governor does) and decisions around affordable housing programs have created a costlier city, his opponents alleged. Much of the criticism stems from Cuomos own self-acknowledged micromanaging and the inherent power a governor wields over city policies. Cuomo was blamed by critics for the deterioration of mass transit infrastructure and his administration faulted for what critics considered frivolous expenses, like more than $200 million on a multicolored light show that was meant to be a tourist attraction. It was in keeping with the governors affection for glitzy projects, like the popular overhaul of LaGuardia Airport. It was Cuomos grave mismanagement and carelessness that brought us the summer of hell where the subway system was so abominable, there were 70,000 delays a month, causing lost wages from tardiness and missed medical appointments, said mayoral candidate Brad Lander, the city comptroller. Cuomos campaign asserted the former governors administration made an historical state commitment to the capital plan of $8.3 billion in 2015 while he was governor and credited Cuomo with ensuring city and MTA funding commitments for the plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The criticisms of Cuomos oversight of the city date further back. As the state was facing significant budget gaps, Cuomo cut $65 million in 2011 in annual funding for a rental assistance program known as Advantage, for people exiting city homeless shelters. Then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg ended the initiative as a result, something experts cite as a leading reason homelessness spiked in the city in the following years. You can blame Bloomberg for not doing more having been cheated out of all this money, but the person doing all the cheating was Andrew Cuomo, said Joshua Goldfein, an attorney focused on homelessness at the Legal Aid Society. The homeless census immediately surged: Between March 2011, when the program was suspended, and the end of 2013, the citys shelter population increased by 35 percent. There are presently 84,843 people sleeping in municipal shelters, according to the Department of Homeless Services daily census. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Azzopardi called the claim false and lazy and pointed to replacement programs that had more funding than the initial $59 million. Those were targeted to older New Yorkers and people with disabilities and HIV/AIDS. Cuomo federal housing secretary for former President Bill Clinton acknowledged the citys homelessness crisis in his launch video. During his 17-minute address, he described a troubling feeling when you walk down the street and try not to make eye contact with a mentally ill homeless person, or when the anxiety rises up in your chance as youre walking down into the subway. As the city struggled to curtail street homelessness, Cuomo also oversaw a reduction in psychiatric beds, which dropped by 11 percent between 2014 and 2022 one year after he resigned from office. Now we hear him talking about how New York City is in crisis and we need to involuntarily remove people from the streets well, theres no beds to put people in because Cuomo defunded them, Goldfein said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Azzopardi argued the state reduced only non-forensic beds leaving those reserved for people with severe mental illnesses in place. And Cuomos administration pushed to develop 20,000 supportive housing units apartments with social services included to address the problem, spending $2.6 billion for the effort over five years, Azzopardi said. Rivals additionally slammed Cuomos efforts to reduce the number of federal housing bonds available to the city and change how the bonds could be used a move that would have hindered the citys affordable housing efforts. The program was a policy priority for de Blasio, Cuomos political nemesis. He didnt go through with the threat, but Lander, the city's comptroller, cited it as an example of pissing matches, self-aggrandizement and fear-mongering that he said defined Cuomos time in office. This is someone whos in it for his ego, not the problem of New Yorkers, Lander, who is running for mayor, said Sunday in what he dubbed an emergency press conference regarding Cuomos entry into the race. Two guys from Queens could soon be on a collision course again. More than three years after Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace as governor of New York, he finds himself the front-runner to replace Eric Adams, the scandal-scarred mayor of New York City who is seen by some voters as too beholden to President Donald Trump. Cuomo on Saturday officially tossed his hat into the already crowded ring of Democratic candidates seeking to challenge Adams. Early polls have shown him with a double-digit primary lead over the incumbent mayor, who is also a Democrat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Cuomo, 67, didn't mention Trump by name during his announcement, J.C. Polanco, an expert on New York City politics who teaches at the University of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx, said he didn't have to. "He is, like Trump, a Queens guy" who projects "a competent and tough persona" at a time when many New Yorkers think the city is out of control, Polanco said. "He can go toe-to-toe with his fellow Queens kid in the White House when needed," Polanco said. Cuomo already appears to be running against Trump, who remains deeply unpopular in his hometown, as well as Adams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a recent fundraiser with wealthy donors, Cuomo likened the president to "the bully in the schoolyard" who tries to bend people to his will through intimidation, The New York Times reported Saturday, an account corroborated by Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi. During the pandemic, Cuomo often stole Trump's media thunder with daily updates on the battle against Covid that became must-see TV for some, as the Trump administration struggled to come up with a coherent response to the spreading plague. "His daily exposure and personal family stories, especially during shutdowns, made him a family TV fixture," Polanco said. As Trump prepares to take an axe to streams of federal funding on which New York City relies, many there may see in Cuomo the politician least likely to cave to Trump, said Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime Democratic political consultant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Andrew Cuomo is very smart about budgets, and he knows that New York City relies on federal dollars, and he knows that Trump is going to cut those dollars," Sheinkopf said. "Trump is serious about those cuts. So look to Andrew Cuomo to be the advocate for the city. Andrew Cuomo is going to be whats standing in the way of those cuts." Asked whether running against Trump is a wise strategy for Cuomo, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said Cuomo can bring it on. No Republican since 1988 has received as much support from the residents of New York City as President Trump did in the November election, and Democrats attempting to represent them should understand that fact," Fields said in an email. "New Yorkers have borne the brunt of radical progressivism and are desperately seeking relief through the common-sense policies of President Trump. A comeback attempt after resigning It's a far cry from August 2021, when Cuomo became a political pariah after the New York state attorney general concluded that he had sexually harassed at least 11 women with unwanted touching and suggestive comments about their sex lives or appearance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under pressure from both local and national Democrats, including then-President Joe Biden, Cuomo resigned. Cuomo apologized for some of his conduct and said he didnt realize it made people uncomfortable. But he denied the most serious allegations and blamed "cancel culture" for his ouster. "Five district attorneys looked into these allegations and found no there there," Azzopardi said. "The civil cases have either been dropped or are completely falling apart because the discovery revealed, over an agonizing four years, the truth: the governor never harassed anyone." Then, Cuomo started laying the groundwork for a political comeback. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Adams became increasingly more vulnerable after he was indicted last year on federal bribery and fraud charges. He had been facing trial in April, but the Justice Department suddenly moved to dismiss the charges against him. In the video announcing his bid for City Hall, Cuomo acknowledged he had made some "mistakes" as governor but quickly pivoted to talking about how he would take on some of the city's most pressing problems, like soaring housing costs, homelessness and crime. Did I make mistakes, some painfully? Definitely, and I believe I learned from them and that I am a better person for it, and I hope to show that every day, he said in his announcement video. But I promise you this: I know what needs to be done and I know how to do it, and I will give it my all to get the job done and it will get done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams on Monday said he had not seen Cuomo's video and insisted he was not concerned that his rival's $8 million war chest is twice what he has mustered for his re-election bid. "Im running on my record," Adams said. "You cant dispute records. You cant dispute what we have done. And there are naysayers, yea-sayers, and everything in between. But at the end of the day, no one can dispute the records." Polanco said Cuomo's admission of having made "mistakes" might be enough to reassure New York voters. "Trump rewrote the political playbook on the morality test in 2015 and has added several new editions," he said. "The days of not running for elected office because of a skeleton in your closet are over. Today, as we can see from President Trump, you can have an entire cemetery in your closet and still win an election." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheinkopf mostly agreed. "That will be a problem with some parts of the population," Sheinkopf said of the sex harassment allegations. "But right now the feeling is that New York City needs somebody strong to manage a city that people feel has gotten out of control. People want a city thats cleaner and safer. And there is no question that Andrew Cuomo is a good manager." Cuomo also benefits from major name recognition as the son of the beloved-by-many former Gov. Mario Cuomo, the experts said. But don't expect the other Democrats, or Adams, to get out of Cuomo's way before the June 24 primary, Sheinkopf said. That group includes city Comptroller Brad Lander, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and state Sens. Jessica Ramos and Zellnor Myrie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immediately after Cuomo made his announcement, Stringer accused the ex-governor of treating New York City as his personal punching bag while he was in Albany and stiffing the city on badly needed funds to improve, among other things, subway service. Ana Maria Archila, co-head of the left-leaning New York State Working Families Party, which is also on the ballot in New York, told The Gothamist that voters shouldnt have to choose between scandal-scarred mayoral candidates. Andrew Cuomo four years ago was the person that every single person in the political class said was not fit to lead, Archila said, and thats still true. "This will be a contested race," Sheinkopf said. "Politicians dont believe they can lose, so theyre going to stay in there for as long as they can." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also, said Polanco, "the citys matching funds program gives little incentive for people to drop out if they satisfy the bare minimum requirements to get the matching funds." But even before he officially launched his campaign on Saturday, Cuomo had already lined up the endorsement of key Democratic players like Rep. Ritchie Torres, who told the New York Post on Monday that Andrew Cuomo has the competence to govern the city. He has the courage to stand up to extremist politics both from the far left and far right. And while the progressive wing of New York's Democratic Party is not keen on Cuomo, Polanco said that "it is tough to say he did not govern as a progressive." Among other things, Cuomo can tout his support for marriage equality, criminal justice reform and pushing for things that Trump finds anathema like driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants, Polanco said. Plus, said Sheinkopf, "New Yorkers like tough guy mayors" and projecting deference to Trump in this city could be the kiss of death for a mayoral candidate. "They want somebody who is going to stand up for New York City," he said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) A 7-year-old child was left on a bus. Monday evening, the boys parents are upset and Coventry Local Schools administrators are investigating the incident. I was mad and I was angry as any father would be, said Michael Windle. Windle told FOX 8 that he received a call from the district around 10:15 a.m. Monday, informing him that his son had been left on a bus. According to the district, the child had fallen asleep and did not exit the vehicle with the other students and was later discovered when the bus returned to the transportation facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bus driver left and was unaware my son was still on the bus, said Windle. No one found him immediately. He was on the bus for about an hour unattended in 25 degree weather. Shots fired after local baby shower; 5 people arrested: I-Team Once the child was located, he was taken to school. Windle said he seemed OK and was back at school for lunch time a few hours after it occurred. In a statement, Coventry Schools Administrators said, in part, First and foremost, we are grateful that the student is safe. Upon learning of the situation, district administrators immediately launched an investigation to determine how this occurred. The bus driver has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of our investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also said the district has clear procedures in place requiring drivers to conduct post-route checks to ensure all students have exited the bus. They are now reviewing those safety protocols with all transportation staff to prevent an incident like this from happening in the future. Ohio lawmaker proposes students spending more time in school Windle says they did seem sincerely upset over the incident. The bus garage was kind of shook up. The superintendent himself was shook up and said hes never seen anything like this happen and he said he fully understood because hes a dad himself, said Windle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district says they are in direct communication with the family and will provide any necessary support. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Workers serve up grilled peanut butter sandwiches for Peanut Butter and Jelly Day at the Georgia Capitol. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder To celebrate National Peanut Month, the Georgia Peanut Commission kicked off Peanut Butter & Jelly Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, with lawmakers going nuts for grilled PB&J sandwiches and peanut candy courtesy of the Georgia Peanut Commission and other sponsors. Even House Speaker Jon Burns took time to appreciate the humble Georgia staple. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peanuts are so important, obviously, to the economy of Georgia, to our farm economy and to our growers whove grown them for generations, he said. And Im looking over here at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, how important it is from a nutritional standpoint to all Georgians. Whether youre in urban Georgia, or rural Georgia or around the world, peanuts make a difference in peoples nutritional lives. But these guys do great work. They go out and fight the weather, every year this crowd sustains us all. Im very proud of them and appreciate them being here today. From left, Rep. Steven Meeks, Speaker Jon Burns and Georgia Peanut Commission Chair Joe Boddiford celebrate peanuts at the Georgia Capitol. Ross Williams According to commission chairman Joe Boddiford, PB&J day has been held at the Capitol annually for 25 years. Georgia has a deep-rooted history with peanuts, and they continue to be a staple crop used in many products today. Georgia is the national leader of peanut production at nearly 3 billion pounds in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Georgia grows over half the peanuts in the nation and thats about 14 other states. We make good enough yields that we generally make a profit, Boddiford said. The number one thing that Georgia peanuts go into is peanut butter, theyre in a lot of candy bars. And whenever they crush them, they create peanut oil and thats a very good cooking oil. Another one of their uses is in a fortified infant nutrition program, like Mana, saving a starving childs life, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mana Nutrition is a company based in Fitzgerald that produces nutrient-dense food using Georgia peanut butter for children overseas with severe malnutrition. The company recently made headlines when the Trump Administration terminated contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which contracts with Mana, Feb. 26. The contracts were reinstated yesterday. The University of Georgia has a dedicated Peanut Team as a part of its agricultural and environmental sciences. The team is composed of scientists who conduct agricultural research and provide environmental data to farmers. We work with the growers first-hand, said Walter Scott Monfort, the Peanut Teams lead scientist. We have an agent in every county that works directly with the growers to produce peanuts. We also work with growers on problems, on anything thats going on. Were the non-biased source for the growers of the state when it comes to peanuts. Monfort said the team always faces difficulties but recent years have been especially tough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres always challenges every year, a lot of them environmental when it comes to weather. The weather in the last two years has caused us to lose a lot of quality and yield, but in most years we do really well, he said But were in a climate that grows very good crops, but it also grows very good pests. So we have to constantly work on trying to manage those pests. Sadly, not everyone can enjoy a Georgia peanut. Peanuts are one of the most common allergies, but Boddiford said peanut scientists are cracking the case. They work with pediatricians (in) early introduction to peanuts in the first six months of a childs life, pretty well guarantees they dont have an allergy to peanuts, he said Theres still some work going on a peanut vaccine or something that you can give a child or an adult and help them to either get over it or be at least less sensitive to it so its not the dangerous thing that it was. Pile of peanut butter sandwiches. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Reporter Ross Williams contributed to this article. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexican authorities were investigating the killing of a local reporter Monday in the central state of Guanajuato, the countrys homicide leader. The state prosecutors office identified the victim only by his first name, but local media outlets said the victim was Kristian Zavala, who covered local goings on in the city of Silao on his Facebook page. Zavala and another person were killed Sunday, according to the office. It was the third killing of a media worker so far this year, though it remained unclear if the motive was connected to his work. The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists and Mexicos chapter of Articulo 19 demanded a thorough investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, Mexico has been one of the worlds most dangerous countries outside a war zone for journalists. How journalist killings are counted Sometimes authorities say the victim was a journalist, but usually only if it was someone well known. More commonly, press advocacy organizations share the information. The information, however, can vary between sources. In many cases, like that of Zavala, the victims cover very local events using social platforms rather than for a traditional newspaper, television or radio station. In those cases, its also common that the coverage is only one of the persons jobs. They may also drive a taxi or do something else to make ends meet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same authorities who are looked to for answers in some cases quickly dismiss a journalists work as a possible motive or suggest they were involved with unseemly people or business. The number of journalist killings is down, but does that mean its safer? No. Mexico had its deadliest year for journalists in 2022 with 13 killings, according to CPJ and Articulo 19. In 2023 and 2024, that fell to half or fewer, but non-lethal attacks shot up. In 2023, Articulo 19 recorded 561 such attacks, which includes disappearances as well. Hyperlocal journalists like Zavala are frequently the most exposed. They cover crime in places where cartels operate with impunity or cover local politics where justice is difficult to access and politicians may consider it easier to simply silence a critical voice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What do authorities do? Press advocates criticize authorities for frequently downplaying aggression toward the press and sometimes not investigating at all. During the administration of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, he used his daily press briefings frequently to attack journalists, calling them enemies or adversaries and leaving the impression they were fair game. The University of Texas received the highest score among Texas universities and colleges analyzed in the Anti-Defamation League's 2025 campus antisemitism report card, which rates how schools with significant Jewish student populations are successfully combatting antisemitism and how they are not. In its second report card, the Anti-Defamation League, a New York-based advocacy nonprofit fighting antisemitism and extremism, rated 135 higher education institutions across the U.S., including four in Texas, based on their administration and policies, Jewish life organizations, campus climate and conduct. Only eight received an A grade. The University of Texas at Austin received a B grade along with 40 other institutions. The campus has experienced multiple acts of antisemitic vandalism and graffiti, including during Jewish holidays, and a burning of an Israel flag outside a restaurant when Jewish fraternity members were inside in February 2024," the report said. But UT also has clear policies, strong Jewish community organizations and accountability for anti-Jewish harassment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas A&M and Rice University received each received a C rating, and the University of Houston received a D, according to the report. Students at all four universities have reported antisemitic harassment to the ADL. Jackie Nirenberg, the regional director for Austin's Anti-Defamation League, said the report is not punitive, but rather, it assesses how colleges are handling antisemitism and protecting Jewish students as students report record incidences of antisemitism. "For the longest time Jewish students were really not seen as a group that could be discriminated against on campus. Things have changed quite a bit," Nirenberg said. "This has become an issue nationwide, and (it's) why ADL decided that it was time to sort of get a feel for what is going on college campuses, to protect Jewish students and to ensure that there are measures that are taken to make Jewish students feel belonging on campus." Antisemitism has been rising in the U.S. by white supremacists, even before the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas in Israel, she said, but it skyrocketed in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war when advocacy against Israel, including at many universities across the country, became antisemitic or anti-Jewish at times. In September 2023 and incidents thereafter, Texas Hillel was vandalized with antisemitic epithets, and students have reported harassment and fear at UT in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Students are feeling pressure from both ends of the spectrum on this issue," Nirenberg said. "Which makes it a uniquely pressurized, highly pressurized situation for young people who are discovering who they are, launching their lives, developing socially and just feeling extremely uncomfortable.' Nirenberg said the university has worked with Austin's ADL and other partners to create a safe environment for Jewish students over the last year and a half. The university's willingness to listen sets it apart, she said. "UT just was extremely open to ideas, open to two-way communications, and very, very responsive," Nirenberg said. "That was really heartening, and they continue to do that." ADL credited UT for disciplining two teaching assistants who sent a message offering support to Palestinian students but not to Jewish students on a university messaging platform after the Israel-Hamas war ignited, as well as for disciplining student protesters who violated campus rules when protesting the teaching assistants' job reassignments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also credits the university with its response to the pro-Palestinian encampment April 29, 2024, though it did not mention the April 24 demonstration in which dozens of people were arrested while protesting for the university to divest from weapons manufacturers contributing to the war in Gaza though an encampment was not formed. Nirenberg said some Jewish students were afraid to go to class and the university's emphasis on safety helped reassure them. "When things got really heated, they were very, very clear about what expectations they had vis a vie campus protests, and that clarity was not typical of a lot of other campuses across the nation," Nirenberg said. "This administration was really trying to maintain a very delicate balance between code of conduct and safety on campus and freedom of speech, which is not an easy task to do, but that safety was their No. 1 concern." The ADL also found that UT protected Jewish students by defining antisemitism in its free speech policy and prevented pro-Palestinian students from delivering a letter to the president to divest from Israel, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the future, Nirenberg said UT could implement centers for civil discourse and dialogue for students to safely voice their feelings about the war. Though pro-Palestinian organizers have said that their speech is not antisemitic, misunderstanding prevents people from understanding the affect of their words regardless of intent, Nirenberg said. She said the report is an "awakening," and she hopes universities act to further protect Jewish students. Antisemitism "was a new thing for so many people, and so many people also don't understand the Jewish lived experience. It's a very unique experience. It's cultural, it's religious. There's a tie to Israel that is very unique," Nirenberg said. "Not knowing what it means to live a Jewish life, it makes it difficult to recognize antisemitism and understand what it is." This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: UT ranks best in Texas for protecting Jewish students, ADL says Joe Maupin of Louisville said a lot of issues brought him to Frankfort Tuesday. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley) FRANKFORT Hours before President Donald Trump was set to address a joint session of Congress Tuesday evening, hundreds of protestors gathered at the Kentucky Capitol to again voice their displeasure with the presidents administration. About 500 people under the 50501 Movement umbrella assembled on the Capitols steps, the third such gathering in recent weeks. The latest protest comes on the heels of the public spat between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. Since then, Trump ordered a pause on U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Protesters display Ukrainian flags as well as signs opposing Trumps administration. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley) Members of the crowd in Frankfort held Ukrainian flags along with signs opposing Trump and Elon Musk, the billionaire leading the controversial cost-cutting group Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joe Maupin, from Louisville, said a lot of issues brought him to Frankfort Tuesday. He held a sign with the words Support Ukraine, but knows protecting reproductive health for women is an important policy area for his daughter. Im a Navy veteran, and it just boggles my mind that this country would turn its back on Ukraine, he said. It just doesnt make sense. Maupin attended a past protest in Frankfort and said he hopes they continue to grow. The 50501 Movement was founded by people discussing possible actions in a Reddit community after Trumps second inauguration. Since then, groups have held demonstrations at state capitols throughout the country to oppose the Trump administration. (Photo by Getty Images) Next to me, on his bunk, I sense my cellie straighten his body. I cant read his face, but his frantic murmurs suggest night terrors. I came to prison at age 15, after being tried as an adult for first-degree murder. Nearly 30 years later, I still wonder if Ill survive the terrors of incarceration and all theyve done to me. Chief among these consequences? My diminished capacity to humanize and be responsive to the feelings of others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In prison, we dont talk about how the rain beating on our grated windows makes us sad. Or how the fresh scent after a cloudburst compels us to run outdoors and smell the air. And we dont talk about love how it inundates us but crawls into the hidden chambers of our souls. This story was published in partnership with Prison Journalism Project, a national nonprofit organization that trains incarcerated writers in journalism and publishes their work. Sign up for PJPs newsletter, follow them on Instagram and Bluesky, or connect with them on LinkedIn. When I arrived in prison as a boy, stranglings and murders and other acts of violence were commonplace at Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas, just south of Albuquerque. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During my first month locked up, I remember my neighbor getting stabbed and the sound pop! of the shank cracking open his skin. That moment triggers a cascade of other violent memories. More stabbings. People being stomped out and carried away from the yard screaming, covered in blood. People running. People unconscious. People on stretchers. A sampling of public data tells part of the story. In 2018, for example, there were 39 assaults by prisoners in New Mexico correctional facilities that resulted in serious injury to their peers or to staff, according to the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee. That figure marked a 10-year high. Meanwhile, Source New Mexico has documented a long and ongoing history of abuse by guards against prisoners at facilities across the state, including Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Clayton, where I currently reside. It is horrible to see another human being cry out, Why? as theyre being victimized, and to have no one answering. In my memories, all I hear are taunts and vicious chants. And just like that, the victim is gone. Its over, never happened. Assault amnesia sets in. It makes me ashamed of my own humanity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the night, I dream about the times my former partner and I spent together. I remember how we tried to find hope in a hopeless situation. She drove hundreds of miles across the New Mexican desert just so we could stare into each others eyes. But, then as now, prison constantly assaults my capacity to love and to hope. When my physical safety is under threat, no room remains for emotional vulnerability. When I am surrounded by loud, raucous energy ricocheting off the concrete walls, it is hard to think of life outside at all. My former partner and I held on for six arduous years while I was locked up. In the end, the system won, by waiting us out. But still I cherish those moments. In our conversations and correspondence, we yearned for and envisioned a life we might someday reach. In conjuring those images of what-could-be, we built a shelter on pillars of pain, a refuge for when the isolation became too strong to bear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I desperately need to visit those images every night. Sometimes I worry about the effects prison will have on my future relationships. I imagine having to explain the parts of me that the system has chiseled away, if not killed off entirely. I imagine being exposed as a sham of a person because of what I let the system make of me: an emotionally defective and despondent human being. There is nothing irrational about these fears. I only did what self-preservation demanded of me in an environment of unspeakable brutality and the incessant belittling of life. And yet the cost is profound. Most days I cannot imagine seeing myself partake in any of the privileges that require human interaction the kind of stuff that makes this thing called life worth living. Despite how impossible it feels to remain human, I still continue to reach. I hope. I keep my heart open to empathy, trying to resist the brutal onslaught. But still I wonder: Will there be anything left of me when I leave here? Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. This is Totally Normal Quote of the Day, a feature highlighting a statement from the news that exemplifies just how extremely normal everything has become. I write to request clarity on whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) has yielded to political pressure and attempts to weaponize the agency against elected officials whose speech they disagree with. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hello, Pam Bondi? Is your agency being weaponized? Thats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs question for the head of the DOJ, after Trump border czar Tom Homan threatened her for hosting a webinar with the Immigrant Defense Project, an advocacy group that offers legal aid to migrants, in which folks were educated on their legal rights, in case they encounter Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. In an interview with Fox News, Homan said he emailed the deputy attorney general, asking them to look into whether the representative was somehow obstructing justice. Is that impeding our law enforcement efforts? If so, what are we going to do about it? Maybe AOC is going to be in trouble now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ocasio-Cortez rejected the idea that informing people of their rights is impeding law enforcement. She wrote on X, Maybe he can learn to read. The Constitution would be a good place to start. Homan, again on Fox News, said he is well aware of the Constitution, but I am also aware the DOJ gives legal interpretations on issues like this to ensure ICE acts in accordance with the law. On Friday, AOC took things up a notch and penned a letter to AG Pam Bondi, demanding confirmation of whether she and/or her office were in fact under federal investigation. Over the past two weeks, Border Czar Tom Homan has gone on multiple forums threatening political prosecution against me, citing resources I distributed informing my constituents and the American public of their constitutional and legal rights, Ocasio-Cortez wrote. The representative also reminded Bondi of the First Amendment right to free speech, noting that Vice President J.D. Vance recently said, We may disagree with your views, but we will fight to defend your right to offer it in the public square. Mr. Homans repeated attempts to use your agency to politically intimidate duly elected officials are a textbook threat to the right to free speech in the United States, Ocasio-Cortez wrote. Threatening criminal proceedings for exercising the First Amendment is itself a violation of the First Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AOCs full-throated response to the Trump administration is a stark contrast to how her party has been handling Trump 2.0. Democrats have consistently been losing public confidence, even before Trump took office. A CNN poll from early January found that Democrats had a 33 percent approval rating. By February, that number had sunk to 21 percent, in a separate Quinnipiac poll. The party has been widely criticized for sitting quietly on the sidelines while Trump has signed a flurry of executive orders targeting immigrants and LGBTQ+ rights and gutting federal agencies. Democrats have slowly started to raise more of a stink. Last week, California Rep. Dave Min introduced legislation (by the groan-worthy name of the BAD DOGE Act) to rein in Elon Musk, whos been spearheading the Trump administrations mass firing of civil servantsbut it has little chance of moving forward given the GOPs majority in the House. Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez has taken a different approach. Shes been leveraging her social media prowess and communicating about what the presidents administration is doing and what it means for her constituents across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Now the Democratic firebrand has shown shes also not afraid to engage in a public showdown with the president and his cronies. Her party should be taking notes. WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. will invest $100 billion in the United States to help boost chip-making capacity, hailing the plan as a "tremendous move." With the new investment, TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, said it will spend a total of $165 billion to build three fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities and a research center in Arizona. The announcement comes as Trump continues to unleash a series of tariff threats against major U.S. trading partners, while calling on foreign manufacturers to build factories in his country. "Semiconductors are the backbone of the 21st-century economy, and really, without the semiconductors, there is no economy powering everything from AI to automobiles to advanced manufacturing," Trump said at the White House with TSMC CEO C.C. Wei. "We must be able to build the chips and semiconductors that we need right here in American factories with American skill and American labor, and that's exactly what we're doing," Trump said. "It's a matter of economic security. It's also a matter of national security for us." Until the announcement, the U.S. president had repeatedly complained that Taiwan took the semiconductor industry from the United States. Taiwan's government said the island will continue to strengthen cooperation with the United States for mutual benefit, calling Washington "Taiwan's most important economic, trade and technological partner." The territory will review TSMC's new phase of investment plans in accordance with the law and ensure that the chipmaker's most advanced manufacturing processes will be kept onshore, Karen Kuo, spokeswoman of the island's presidential office, said. Michelle Lee, spokeswoman of the Executive Yuan, or Taiwan's Cabinet, said close Taiwan-U.S. cooperation in industry and technology over the years has created economic prosperity and countless job opportunities for both sides. Meanwhile, TSMC also said its investment in Japan will go ahead despite the expansion of its U.S. investments, which will be implemented as "a response to customer demand." In 2024, the largest U.S. trade deficit in goods was with China, followed by Mexico, Vietnam, Ireland, Germany, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, according to official U.S. data. According to TSMC, which previously committed to spending $65 billion on its cutting-edge chip manufacturing operations in Phoenix, Arizona, its increased investment is likely to support 40,000 construction jobs over the next four years and create numerous high-paying, technology jobs. Related coverage: Trump-Zelenskyy talks collapse after Oval Office shouting match Trump says tariff on Chinese goods to double to 20% next week Trump floats 25% tariffs on imported cars, chips, drugs The Associated Press is asking a federal judge for a second time to immediately restore its access to presidential events, arguing that the Trump White House has doubled down on retaliating against the news outlet for its refusal to follow the president's executive order that renamed the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden last week refused APs request for an injunction to lift the ban against many of its reporters and photographers. But McFadden noted that case law weighed against the White House, and urged the administration to reconsider before a scheduled second hearing on March 20. In an amended lawsuit filed late Monday, AP cited continued instances of journalists turned away including a photographer not allowed on the West Palm Beach airport tarmac to document Air Force One's arrival and the White House's decision to fully take control over membership of the pool that covers the president at smaller events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The net result is that the AP's press credentials now provide its journalists less access to the White House than the same press credentials provide to all members of the White House press corps, the amended lawsuit argues. The Trump administration did not immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday morning. White House's move called a targeted attack The AP filed its initial lawsuit on Feb. 21, naming three Trump officials White House chief of staff Susan Wiles, deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich and press secretary Karoline Leavitt as defendants. The agency, a not-for-profit news organization in operation since 1846, called the White Houses move a targeted attack that strikes at the freedom of the press and public to speak freely without the threat of government retaliation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration has said that it is not blocking the AP from reporting the news or even the White House grounds but access to the president is something that it controls. In recent days, it has broadened the group of outlets that participate in the coverage pools to include some that are clearly sympathetic to Trumps views. Trump has dismissed the AP as an organization of radical left lunatics and said: Were going to keep them out until such time as they agree that its the Gulf of America. The AP says that since the body of water is not totally within the United States, Trump's order would not extend beyond U.S. borders and would create confusion for its readers. AP's call on this issue takes on added weight because the AP Stylebook, its guide to news standards, is widely used by other news organizations and communicators. Its guidance was to continue to use Gulf of Mexico because the name is widely recognizable to an international audience, while acknowledging Trump's directive. The White House ban hinders the AP's ability to produce reporting and publish photographs quickly an essential attribute of a wire service causing delays that harm the AP and, as a result, the thousands of news outlets and billions of readers that rely on its journalism, the agency said in its lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Larger White House events also are barring AP, agency says In addition to cutting the AP out of coverage pools, which it has participated in while covering presidents for more than a century, the AP said its Washington reporters were turned away from larger events open to all journalists with White House credentials who reserve in advance. They include recent state appearances by French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. AP journalists from France, England and Ukraine who paid to travel with the foreign leaders' media contingents were permitted to cover those White House events, the AP said. An AP spokeswoman said the agency does not typically send its overseas journalists on such trips to the White House. In the amended lawsuit, the AP says a source told its journalists that the ban had been expanded from text journalists to photographers specifically to deprive the organization of revenue it earns from selling pictures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dozens of news organizations signed a letter urging the White House to reverse its policy. The signees included Trump-friendly outlets like Fox News Channel and Newsmax. ___ David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social DENVER (KDVR) Seventeen people are without a home after firefighters believe a space heater sparked a fire at an apartment complex in the Hampden South neighborhood on Tuesday morning. The Denver Fire Department said that just before 4 a.m., crews responded to a structure fire at Yosemite Street and Oxford Avenue, near Cherry Creek Reservoir. FOX31s Jim Hooley was on the scene where it appeared to be a condominium with several units with heavy smoke. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire department said it was a second-alarm fire and multiple units responded. Before 4:30 a.m., the department said crews had water on the fire. The department told Hooley that crews had to act fast as Tuesdays high wind speeds couldve caused the fire to spread. No injuries were reported, although the fire department said 17 people were displaced and are currently staying with the Red Cross. The department told Hooley that the residents homes were damaged and a lot of personal items were burned as well. Investigators believe an unmonitored space heater caused the fire. Residents wake to smoke and flames I woke up at 3 a.m. and I could smell smoke, said Chris Bigler. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He lives in the end unit with his roommate, Rose Kidston. It was a smell that was concerning. Thats when I saw the flame start coming through my window. I saw my blinds disappear in the flames and realized I needed to get out of my room as fast as I could, Kidston said. Why are firetrucks in Denver white, not red? The two were able to get some of their belongings out of the home and they say there is a lot of smoke and water damage. The Red Cross has offered assistance to the fire victims. Luckily, everyone was able to get out, said Denver Fire Department Captain Luis Cedillo. Cedillo said the suspected cause of the fire was a space heater that was left on. He said residents need to use caution when using a space heater and keep it away from anything that could catch fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They really bring it too close to items that are extremely flammable, or they forget to turn them off, and so trying to keep that radius at a minimum of three feet is always important, Cedillo said. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that space heaters are involved in about 1,700 fires per year. CPSC says to always plug a space heater into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip. The commission said to never leave a space heater unattended and to turn it off when sleeping. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. EAU CLAIRE Monday was as close as Shane Helmbrecht has come to an arraignment since the 2016 death of his neighbor, but it was put on hold again as another appeal is pending. Helmbrecht, 53, was charged with killing Jenny Ward in 2016, but his attorneys have long contended he is incompetent to stand trial. Multiple evaluations have split on whether Helmbrecht is unable to assist his defense or unwilling to do so. The dueling evaluations came to a head in 2023, when prosecutors sought a new evaluation on the basis of Helmbrechts ability to come and go freely from a group home. The results of that evaluation were not made public, but Helmbrecht took his mothers car and went to Mexico when his arraignment was scheduled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That act provided prosecutors with additional ammunition for a hearing held last September. The court found Helmbrecht competent, a finding his attorneys appealed. Last month the defense asked for a new competency hearing, citing unspecified concerns, which prosecutors ridiculed in a response as simply a delay tactic. On Monday, court records show Karl Schmidt, one of Helmbrechts attorneys, told the court the defense was not prepared to proceed today with the Arraignment as there is an appeal pending and must await the outcome. The appeal of the district courts finding of competency was filed in November. The state courts website says that, generally, the appellant must file a brief supporting the appeal within 40 days of the record on appeal. But deadlines for filings in Helmbrechts case have been extended three times since then on the defenses requests. And thats not the only appeal Helmbrecht has lodged. Wisconsins online courts database shows his attorney filed an appeal of the courts February denial of a new competency hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helmbrecht has not been allowed to return to his previous freedoms since being extradited from Mexico as his case has resumed, though. He remains in the Eau Claire County Jail without bond. The absence of bond isnt necessarily an indication that the court wouldnt allow one. In Helmbrechts first appearance after extradition, prosecutors said they dont have the legal authority to request the court set a high bond amount given the case is in suspended status. Thats because the district court finding of competency has not yet been finalized. Apple has launched a legal battle against Yvette Coopers secret order for the tech giant to install a backdoor in the iPhone. The company has lodged an appeal with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, the court that oversees Britains surveillance laws, over the demand to provide access to encrypted iPhone messages and pictures. The Home Secretary recently served Apple with an order requiring it to break the encryption that secures its iCloud online storage system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, the company shut down its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature in Britain rather than comply with the secret order, saying it was gravely disappointed. At the time, the company said: We have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we never will. The demand from the UK Government also drew criticism from Donald Trump, who compared the request to the type of surveillance typically employed in China. Investigatory powers appeals are often held in secret and will assess whether Ms Coopers order, issued in January, is necessary and proportionate. Apple has argued that creating a backdoor would endanger millions of customers by making it easier for hackers to access private information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Security services have long claimed that fully securing digital activity with end-to-end encryption allows criminals to operate freely and impedes investigations. The encryption provided by ADP means that Apple is unable to retrieve iPhone backups containing messages and photos, even when it is asked to do so by law enforcement. Apples appeal could be heard in the next month, according to the Financial Times, which first reported the challenge. It is the first known case of the Home Office serving a technical capability notice to break encryption or of it being challenged. Although Apple has prevented users turning on ADP, it could still be in breach of the government order since existing users can still have the feature activated. The order can also apply to accounts outside the UK, where the feature remains active. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump last week hit out at Sir Keir Starmer over the order, saying: We told them you cant do this... We actually told him [Starmer] ... Thats incredible. Thats something, you know, that you hear about with China. Tulsi Gabbard, the US presidents national intelligence director, has called the demand egregious and pledged to investigate whether it complied with US-UK legal agreements. The Home Office has not commented on the situation, saying: We do not comment on operational matters, including, for example, confirming or denying the existence of any such notices. Last year, the Conservative government changed surveillance laws to require companies to abide by encryption orders even while they are being appealed. 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. CAIRO (AP) Arab leaders on Tuesday endorsed Egypt's postwar plan for the Gaza Strip that would allow its roughly 2 million Palestinians to remain, in a counterproposal to U.S. President Donald Trumps plan to depopulate the territory and redevelop it as a beach destination. The $53 billion plan's endorsement by Arab leaders at a summit in Cairo amounted to a rejection of Trumps proposal. The summit conclusions were welcomed by Hamas, rejected by Israel and given a lukewarm response by the Trump administration. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi expressed his appreciation for the consensus among the Arab countries to support the reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, which allows the Palestinian People to stay on their land without displacement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a social media post after the summit, el-Sissi said he looked forward to working with Trump, other Arab nations and the international community to adopt a plan that aims for a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian Issue, ends the root causes of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, guarantees the security and stability of the peoples of the region and establishes the Palestinian State." Initial reactions White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes dismissed the Egyptian proposal as unworkable. The current proposal does not address the reality that Gaza is currently uninhabitable and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance," Hughes said. "President Trump stands by his vision to rebuild Gaza free from Hamas. We look forward to further talks to bring peace and prosperity to the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Israel's foreign ministry, Oren Marmorstein, posted on X that the Egyptian plan fails to address the realities of the situation" and said the summit's joint communique does not mention Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war or condemn the militant group. The plan, he said, remains rooted in outdated perspectives." Marmorstein reiterated Israels support for Trumps plan to resettle Gaza's population elsewhere, describing it as an opportunity for the Gazans to have free choice based on their free will." Egypts Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty blasted Israels rejection as unacceptable, describing its position as stubborn and extremist. There will be no peace neither to Israel or to the region without establishing an independent Palestinian state in accordance with United Nations resolutions, he said. He said Israel violates all international law rules the international law must be imposed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No single state should be allowed to impose its will on the international community, Abdelatty said. Hamas welcomed the summits outcome, saying it marked a new phase of Arab and Islamic alignment with the Palestinian cause and that it valued Arab leaders rejection of attempts to transfer Palestinians from their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Israel has embraced what it says is an alternative U.S. proposal for the ceasefire itself and the release of hostages taken in Hamas' attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the war. Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza to try to get Hamas to accept the new proposal and has warned of additional consequences, raising fears of a return to fighting. The suspension of aid drew widespread criticism, with human rights groups saying that it violated Israel's obligations as an occupying power under international law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The alternative proposal would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages the militant groups main bargaining chip in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners a key component of the first phase. Egypt's postwar plan Egypts plan foresees rebuilding Gaza by 2030 without removing its population. The first phase calls for starting the removal of unexploded ordnance and clearing more than 50 million tons of rubble left by Israels bombardment and military offensives. Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the summits final communique calls on the U.N. Security Council to deploy an international peacekeeping force in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peace is the Arabs strategic option, he said, adding that the communique rejected the transfer of Palestinians and endorsed Egypts reconstruction plan. The Egyptian plan creates a path for a new security and political context in Gaza. The communique said Egypt will host an international conference in cooperation with the United Nations for Gazas reconstruction, and a World Bank-overseen trust fund will be established to receive pledges to implement the early recovery and reconstruction plan. According to a 112-page draft of the plan obtained by The Associated Press, hundreds of thousands of temporary housing units would be set up for Gazas population while reconstruction takes place. Rubble would be recycled, with some of it used as infill to expand land on Gazas Mediterranean coast. In the following years, the plan envisages completely reshaping the strip, building sustainable, green and walkable housing and urban areas, with renewable energy. It renovates agricultural lands and creates industrial zones and large park areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also calls for the opening of an airport, a fishing port and a commercial port. The Oslo peace accords in the 1990s called for the opening of an airport and a commercial port in Gaza, but the projects withered as the peace process collapsed. Hamas would cede power to an interim administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Western-backed authority and an opponent of Hamas, attended the summit. Israel has ruled out any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and, along with the United States, has demanded Hamas disarmament. Hamas, which doesn't accept Israel's existence, has said it's willing to cede power in Gaza to other Palestinians, but won't give up its arms until there is a Palestinian state. Israel has vowed to maintain open-ended security control over both territories, which it captured in the 1967 Mideast war and which Palestinians want for their future state. Israels government and most of its political class are opposed to Palestinian statehood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump shocked the region last month by suggesting Gazas roughly 2 million Palestinians be resettled in other countries. He said the United States would take ownership of the territory and redevelop it into a Middle Eastern Riviera. Netanyahu embraced the proposal, which was roundly rejected by Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights experts, who said it would likely violate international law. The war began with Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people hostage. Hamas-led militants are still holding 59 hostages, 35 of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements. Israel has rescued eight living hostages and recovered the remains of dozens more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel's 15-month offensive killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It doesn't say how many were fighters, but the ministry says women and children made up more than half the dead. Israel says it killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The offensive destroyed large areas of Gaza, including much of its health system and other infrastructure. At its height, the war displaced about 90% of the population, mostly within the territory, where hundreds of thousands packed into squalid tent camps and schools repurposed as shelters. ___ Jahjouh reported from Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war The News Arab leaders endorsed Egypts $53 billion Gaza reconstruction plan following an emergency summit in Cairo on Tuesday, only for the US to promptly reject it. The Arab League meeting concluded with the first unified counter to US President Donald Trumps proposal to take over Gaza and displace Gazans, estimating a three-to-five year rebuilding process, with Gazans remaining in temporary housing rather than leaving the enclave. Governance would be overseen by a small technocratic committee for six months before transitioning to a revamped Palestinian Authority. The current proposal does not address the reality that Gaza is currently uninhabitable and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance, a US National Security Council spokesman said. Trump, in his 100-minute congressional address on Tuesday, didnt mention his plan to redevelop Gaza into the Riviera of the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcements come after the first phase of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired, with no clear path to further talks. Israel has since blocked aid to the strip in an attempt to pressure Hamas to agree to a temporary extension. SIGNALS Arab countries divided over Gazas post-war future Sources: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal Arab countries are united in opposition to Donald Trumps Gaza plan. But beyond insisting on Palestinian statehood and rejecting forcible displacement, [they] have not yet agreed on an alternative vision for Gaza, The New York Times wrote. Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia want Hamas to disarm, but are open to the group retaining a political presence, while the UAE wants the Palestinian Authority to govern both Gaza and the West Bank. Meanwhile, Israel backed by the US opposes Hamas involvement in postwar Gaza, while Hamas has refused to disarm. [Any proposal] cannot just be a reconstruction plan but a political and security plan, a former senior counterterrorism official at the US Defense Department told The Wall Street Journal. Cairo talks gains urgency as Gaza ceasefire falters Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera, The Economist Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Cairo talks gained urgency after the first phase of a temporary ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas expired. Israel has refused to begin talks on a second stage, instead proposing what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was a US-backed extension that would run throughout Ramadan and Passover, which ends on April 20. Hamas has rejected the plan, with an official telling Al Jazeera that the Tehran-backed group would only release the remaining Israeli hostages under the terms of the initially agreed deal. The stalemate has escalated regional concern that the war could soon reignite, The Economist wrote. If the group continues to refuse to change the terms of the agreement, Israel is preparing a massive new offensive in Gaza. Israeli officers say that could pay the way for [Trumps] plan. Trumps intentions for Gaza remain unclear Sources: The Washington Institute, Chatham House Some analysts have questioned if Trumps widely criticized proposal to transform Gaza into the Riviera of the Middle East is realistic or even sincere. But Trumps announcement, two Middle East policy experts at The Washington Institute wrote, has moved the goalposts on Gaza negotiations. This, they argued, is very much in line with Trumps established playbook of upping the ante, creating a pressurized situation, and putting the onus on others to offer workable solutions. If Trumps proposal is aimed at spurring negotiations, a Chatham House researcher argued, it could nonetheless backfire by harming other US interests in the region, including potentially giving a boost to Irans influence. (Bloomberg) -- Leaders of Arab countries endorsed Egypts Gaza reconstruction plan, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced, in a move to counter the controversial ideas of US President Donald Trump, though a number of crucial details remain to be ironed out. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposition was endorsed at an extraordinary Arab League summit held on Tuesday, with Jordans King Abdullah, Qatars Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres among those present in an ornate domed hall at the new administrative capital on the outskirts of Cairo. This plan preserves the Palestinian peoples right to rebuild their homeland and ensures it remains on its land, El-Sisi said in opening remarks, adding that Cairo would host a Gaza reconstruction conference next month. He urged fellow leaders to contribute to a special fund that will be created for Gaza, and said parallel political and security tracks would be launched to support the rebuilding plan. Hamas, the Iran-backed militant group that rules Gaza, has said it welcomes the Arab-endorsed reconstruction plan. Arab leaders have rejected Trumps proposal to relocate all the residents of war-ravaged Gaza to make way for the US to build what hes called the Riviera of the Middle East. The closing statement of the Arab summit condemned Israels decision this month to suspend humanitarian aid to Gaza and warned against the displacement of Palestinians and the occupation of more Palestinian territories, a move described as a clear threat to the foundations of peace in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also stressed the importance of implementing the phased Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, including the withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip and the Philadelphi corridor near the border with Egypt. For a transitional period, the statement welcomed a suggestion to form a committee under the Palestinian government to administer Gaza, and a proposal from Egypt and Jordan to train Palestinian police in the coastal enclave. It also calls on the UN Security Council to deploy peacekeeping forces in the strip and the West Bank. But while the representatives, including from Saudi Arabia, are seeking to project a unified front against Trumps proposal to displace Palestinians, the initiative faces a number of major hurdles, according to several people briefed on the approximately 150-page document. Disagreements exist over the issue of Palestinian governance of Gaza, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive material. Security of the territory is another outstanding matter, they said, as well as the future of Hamas, which is designated a terrorist group by the US and a number of other nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Egypts El-Sisi said the effort to agree to a postwar Gaza plan should be a prelude to the creation of a Palestinian state and comprehensive peace between Israel and all Arab countries and that this was possible with Trump in the White House. The conflict has left the territorys residents with a choice between being annihilated or displaced, he added. I am certain President Trump can do it given our sincere desire in ending tensions and enmities in our region, said El-Sisi, who rejected Trumps offer that Egypt host many of the two million Palestinians who would be driven out of Gaza. A 90-page version of the Arab plan seen by Bloomberg News dated March 2025 and titled Gaza, Palestine: Early Recovery and Gaza Reconstruction and Development envisions multiple phases lasting between six months to five years at a total cost of $53.2 billion. Initially, 1.5 million Palestinians would be housed in temporary units spread out over seven sites across the war-ravaged territory as the monumental task of removing nearly 50 million tons of rubble gets underway, according to the document. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The day-to-day affairs of Gaza would be run by an independent committee consisting of technocrats and non-partisan Palestinian figures under the umbrella of the Palestinian government, paving the way for the full return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, according to the plan. El-Sisi confirmed this in his speech. Egypt and Jordan would vet and train people to police Gaza with the possibility of deploying an international defense/peacekeeping force with clear references mandated by the UN Security council, added the draft, without providing details. One Arab official involved in drafting the plan said Hamass name was intentionally left out so as not to antagonize the group and secure its cooperation in implementation. Ceasefire Uncertainty Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overshadowing the summit is the risk that fighting resumes between Israel and Hamas after a six-week Gaza ceasefire expired on Sunday, making any reconstruction plan moot for the time being. Israel, with apparent US backing, wants to extend the initial phase of the truce agreement brokered in January by Egypt, Qatar and the US. Hamas insists the parties must move on to Phase 2 negotiations that would lay out an end to the war. Israel has suspended humanitarian aid to Gaza as a result of the impasse, triggering rebukes from Arab mediators as well as Saudi Arabia, which has been rallying countries in the region around the alternative to Trumps redevelopment proposals for Gaza. The Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians since it began in October 2023, according to Gazas Hamas-run health authorities. Much of the territory lies in ruin with reconstruction costs estimated at $50 billion. Israel launched its Gaza campaign after Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Sunday the Egyptian-Arab-Islamic Gaza reconstruction plan would move on to a ministerial-level meeting in Saudi Arabia to iron out the details. That would include representatives of majority Muslim countries like Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Turkey and others. But it will be a challenge to persuade many countries, particularly Western ones, to back the plan when it doesnt explicitly address how Hamas can be removed and disarmed. Its a non-starter for Israel and most likely the US and the European Union. On Hamas we are clear, Hamas is not an interlocutor for us, the EUs Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Suica, said. Saudi Arabia supports removing Hamass hardline military and political leadership from Gaza but says its necessary to deal with what it has described as moderate elements of the group, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. The United Arab Emirates has adopted a more uncompromising stance, they said, and wants a complete overhaul of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority too before it commits any funds to reconstruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Egyptian, Saudi and UAE officials didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Another potential obstacle to the plan is the repeated statements by Gulf states that they wont fund reconstruction in Gaza without a commitment and path to a Palestinian state, something Israel has rejected. Its unclear where Trump stands on this issue. --With assistance from Abdel Latif Wahba and Thomas Hall. (Corrects spelling of Egyptian Presidents first name in opening paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. By Andrew Mills, Yomna Ehab, Nafisa Eltahir and Nidal al-Mughrabi DOHA/CAIRO (Reuters) -Arab leaders adopted an Egyptian reconstruction plan for Gaza on Tuesday that would cost $53 billion and avoid displacing Palestinians from the enclave, in contrast to U.S. President Donald Trump's "Middle East Riviera" vision. The White House said the plan adopted by Arab states did not address Gaza's reality and that Trump stood by his proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's plan to displace Palestinians in a U.S. takeover of the enclave received global condemnation last month and echoed long-standing Palestinian fears of being permanently driven from their homes. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said the Egyptian proposal, welcomed in subsequent statements by Hamas and criticised by Israel and the U.S., had been accepted at the closing of a summit in Cairo. Sisi said at the summit that he was certain Trump would be able to achieve peace as the Gaza Strip has been left devastated by Israel's military assault. The major questions that need to be answered about Gaza's future are who will run the enclave and which countries will provide the billions of dollars needed for reconstruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sisi said Egypt had worked in cooperation with Palestinians on creating an administrative committee of independent, professional Palestinian technocrats entrusted with the governance of Gaza after the end of the Israel-Gaza war. The committee would be responsible for the oversight of humanitarian aid and managing the Strip's affairs for a temporary period, in preparation for the return of the Palestinian Authority (PA), he said. The other critical issue is the fate of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the PA's rival, whose October 7, 2023, attack on Israel killed 1,200 people with more than 250 taken as hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The attack was followed by Israel's military assault on Gaza that has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry. The assault has also displaced nearly Gaza's entire population and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Islamist faction that has run Gaza since 2007 said in a statement it agrees to the Egyptian committee proposal. Hamas has agreed it will not field candidates to the Cairo-proposed committee but it would have to give its consent to the tasks, members and the agenda of the committee that would work under the PA's supervision. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said late on Tuesday the names for the individuals participating in the committee had been decided. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads the PA, said he welcomed the Egyptian idea and urged Trump to support such a plan that would not involve displacing Palestinian residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abbas, in power since 2005, also said he was ready to hold presidential and parliamentary elections if circumstances allowed, adding his PA was the only legitimate governing and military force in the Palestinian Territories. Hamas said it welcomed the elections. Abbas has seen his legitimacy steadily undermined by Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank, which he oversees. Many Palestinians now regard his administration as corrupt, undemocratic and out of touch. The Israeli foreign ministry in a statement called the plan "rooted in outdated perspectives" and rejected the reliance on the PA while complaining that Hamas was left in power by the plan. Washington also voiced its disapproval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The current proposal does not address the reality that Gaza is currently uninhabitable and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance," White House spokesman Brian Hughes said when asked whether Trump would support the Arab leaders' plan. "President Trump stands by his vision to rebuild Gaza free from Hamas," he said. RECONSTRUCTION WOULD NEED GULF STATES Any reconstruction funding would require heavy buy-in from oil-rich Gulf Arab states such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which have the billions of dollars needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa said the reconstruction fund would seek international financing as well as oversight and likely be located in the World Bank. The UAE, which sees Hamas and other Islamists as an existential threat, wants an immediate and complete disarmament of the group, while other Arab countries advocate a gradual approach, a source close to the matter said. A source close to Saudi Arabia's royal court says the continued armed presence of Hamas in Gaza was a stumbling block because of strong objections from the United States and Israel, which would need to sign off on any plan. In a speech at the summit, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said international guarantees were needed that the current temporary ceasefire would remain in place, and supported the PA's role in governing the strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaders of the UAE and Qatar did not speak during open sessions of the summit. Hamas was founded in 1987 by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood during the first Palestinian Intifada, or uprising. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri on Tuesday rejected Israeli and U.S. calls for the group to disarm, saying its right to resist was not negotiable. Abu Zuhri told Reuters the group would not accept any attempt to impose projects, or any form of non-Palestinian administration or the presence of foreign forces. Since Hamas drove the Palestinian Authority out of Gaza after a brief civil war in 2007, it has crushed all opposition there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ALTERNATIVE TO TRUMP PLAN Egypt, Jordan and Gulf Arab states have for almost a month been consulting over an alternative to Trump's ambition for an exodus of Palestinians and a U.S. takeover of Gaza, which they fear would destabilise the entire region. A draft final communique from the summit seen earlier by Reuters rejected the mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. Egypt's Reconstruction Plan for Gaza is a 112-page document that includes maps of how its land would be re-developed and dozens of colourful AI-generated images of housing developments, gardens and community centres. The plan includes a commercial harbour, a technology hub, beach hotels and an airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel was unlikely to oppose an Arab entity taking responsibility for Gaza's government if Hamas was off the scene, said a source familiar with the matter. But an Israeli official told Reuters that Israel's war aims from the beginning have been to destroy Hamas' military and governing capabilities. "Therefore, if they are going to get Hamas to agree to demilitarise, it needs to be immediately. Nothing else will be acceptable," the official said. Sources familiar with Hamas said the group had only lost a few thousand fighters in the Gaza war. Israeli officials say around 20,000 Hamas fighters have been killed and the group has been destroyed as an organized military formation. (Reporting by James Mackenzie and Emily Rose in Jerusalem, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Pesha Magid in Riyadh, Andrew Mills in Doha, Jana Choukeir in Dubai, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Nafisa Eltahir, Yomna Ehab and Mohamed Gebaily in Cairo, Matt Spetalnick and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Alex Richardson, Jon Boyle and Daniel Wallis) TOKYO - The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- U.S. pauses all Ukraine military aid amid Trump-Zelenskyy rift WASHINGTON - The United States has paused all military aid to Ukraine, a White House official said Monday, following a verbal clash between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last week. "We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding Trump is focused on peace and hopes other countries will also work toward that end. ---------- A-bomb survivor's son repeats call for elimination of nukes at U.N. NEW YORK - The state parties to a U.N. treaty on banning nuclear weapons met in New York on Monday, with a Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor's son repeating his call for the eradication of such arsenals. The participants gathered for a full session at the world body's headquarters for the first time since Nihon Hidankyo, Japan's leading group of atomic bomb survivors, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last fall. ---------- Japan lower house OKs minority gov't's revised FY2025 draft budget TOKYO - Japan's House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a revised 115.2 trillion yen ($773 billion) draft budget for fiscal 2025 after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government made concessions to win sufficient opposition backing. The draft budget for the year through March 2026 was initially crafted by the government in December. But it was amended for the first time in 29 years after parliamentary deliberations earlier this year, with the first reduction in its amount since 1955. ---------- U.S. doubles additional China tariff to 20%, sparking trade war fears WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump's additional tariff on Chinese imports was doubled Tuesday to 20 percent, raising the prospect of a trade war with the Asian powerhouse. Along with the change to duties on imports from China, U.S. tariffs of 25 percent on goods from Canada and Mexico took effect after midnight, with Trump claiming the three countries are not doing enough to clamp down on the smuggling of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into his country. ---------- Japan warns of snow in central Tokyo, traffic disruptions feared TOKYO - The Japanese weather agency warned of snow in central Tokyo and neighboring areas from Tuesday evening that could disrupt traffic due to icy roads. Heavy snow is expected in mountainous areas in western Tokyo, while some of the capital's 23 wards are expected to see snowfall through Wednesday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. ---------- Russia adds Japanese foreign minister, 8 others to entry ban list MOSCOW - Russia said it has added nine Japanese individuals including Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to its entry ban list amid the Asian country's sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, triggering an immediate backlash from Tokyo on Tuesday. The indefinite ban, which Moscow said is in retaliation for the sanctions, also targets former and current ambassadors to Ukraine, Kuninori Matsuda and Masashi Nakagome, as well as the presidents of private Japanese companies that used to operate businesses in Russia. ---------- ispace to attempt June Moon landing, would be 1st by Japan firm TOKYO - Japanese space startup ispace Inc. said Tuesday its lander will attempt a Moon touchdown on June 6, following a 2023 failure, which could make it the first Japanese private company to accomplish the feat. Its lunar lander Resilience, carrying a rover and experimental equipment, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 15 as part of a mission to reach the Moon's northern hemisphere. The lander is currently en route and is expected to enter lunar orbit in early May. ---------- Record 4.5 bil. yen in lost cash turned in to Tokyo police in 2024 TOKYO - Tokyo police saw a record 4.49 billion yen ($30 million) worth of cash turned in as lost property in 2024, up 1.8 percent from the previous year, amid a surge in inbound tourists and as more people went out after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. The largest single amount of cash brought to the police totaled around 11.6 million yen, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's lost and found center has also revealed. Video: Girls' Day festival in Wakayama Prefecture Mar. 4A strong early spring weather system is set to move into Minnesota later today into Wednesday starting with rain and quickly changing into snow. According to the National Weather Service, the falling snow combined with strong wind gusts between 45 and 55 mph will create a period of blizzard conditions. Blowing and drifting snow with whiteout conditions will make travel dangerous at times Tuesday night into part of Wednesday morning. The Weather Service has placed Albert Lea and the surrounding area into a blizzard warning from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 3 p.m. Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Total snow accumulations between 4 and 8 inches are possible. The Weather Service warns whiteout conditions are expected and will make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening. The hazardous conditions could impact the Wednesday morning commute, and strong winds could cause damage to trees and power lines. Travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If people must travel, they should have a winter survival kit with them. If they get stranded, they should stay with their vehicle. Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill last year that would have banned cellphone use in public schools. She did so for no good reason. Because there is no good reason. This year, with a new bill under consideration, at least one lawmaker has come up with the absolute worst reason for not banning cellphones in classrooms. He wants to turn school kids into stool pigeons. Informants. Middle school McCarthyites ratting out teachers who (as if kids would know) are being woke. Advertisement Advertisement No wonder Arizonas test scores arent great. School cellphone ban is only way to break addiction On cellphones in school heaven help me I agree with Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, who spoke in favor of last years bill, saying teachers already have heavy burdens, but it makes it that much more difficult to be constantly nagging on kids to put their cellphones away. Hobbs vetoed the bill, however, saying it would have established an unnecessary mandate for an issue schools are already addressing. Some are, sort of. Some arent. A statewide mandate could solidify a policy that, at the very least, gives classroom teachers a fighting chance to keep students attention. Advertisement Advertisement As Horne said about kids constantly being asked to put their phones away, At this point, the addiction has gotten so great that they dont do it. Arizona bill fairly asks school boards to set limits We know what Horne said is true because that same addiction is just as great for the students parents. And for everyone else. And given the frenetic advances in artificial intelligence, we have a limited time to teach our young people how to think for themselves before AI does all the thinking for them. So, a new version of a cellphone ban is up for consideration this year. Opinion: Phones in schools are dangerous. Ban them This time, the bill directs school district governing boards to adopt policies to limit students use of wireless communications devices, including gaming devices and video players, during instructional time. Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 1226 was introduced by Republican Sen. Shawnna Bolick, and it provides an out for school districts that already have a policy to limit student cellphone use. Yet a lawmaker wants students to be secret police Republican Sen. Jake Hoffman is against the idea. He wants kids to have phones in class so that they can record the insane, woke antics of teachers. Words that prove the antics of unhinged politicians are way more dangerous. Hoffman said banning cellphones would prevent the sunlight that has actually caused our education system to slightly move away from woke. Students as secret police. Thats not promoting sunlight. Thats a grown-up who is completely in the dark. Advertisement Advertisement Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. For more opinions content, please subscribe. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: School phone ban could die because GOP wants kids to snitch | Opinion LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) The Arkansas Department of Corrections and Vanir Construction Management announced on March 3 that the 3,000-bed prison planned for Franklin County will cost $825 million. According to a press release, to authorize spending on the prison, Budget Chairman Senator Jonathan Dismang (R-Little Rock) and Rep. Lane Jean (R-Magnolia) filed companion appropriation bills for $750 million. Another $75 million was already approved by the Arkansas General Assembly as part of Act 95. The state has already directed $405 million in funding toward the $825 million cost estimate. This estimate lets us move forward quickly on the long-overdue prison project and build a safer, stronger Arkansas. I look forward to working with our partners in the legislature to get this appropriation passed, said Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The release says once the funds are appropriated, the state can work with the Owners Representative to move forward with drawing up in-depth plans for the prison and breaking ground as soon as possible. Sanders announced on Oct. 31 that the state had bought property to be used for the prison for $2.95 million. The plan to build a new prison has caused controversy in Franklin County. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. Arkansas Dept. of Corrections outlines new budget toward Franklin County prison plan LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The Arkansas Department of Corrections announced on Monday that the estimated maximum cost of the new 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County is $825 million. That estimate was reached after consulting with Vanir Construction Management. In authorizing that spending, Budget Chairman Sen. Johnathan Dismang (R-Searcy) and Rep. Lane Jean (R-Magnolia) filed companion appropriation bills for $750 million, and another $75 million that was already approved as part of Act 95 in the General Assembly. Legislation for $750 million new prison funding filed in Arkansas legislature Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The State has already directed $405 million toward the total estimate of $825 million. This estimate lets us move forward quickly on the long-overdue prison project and build a safer, stronger Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. I look forward to working with our partners in the legislature to get this appropriation passed. Arkansas Department of Corrections officials voiced their excitement to see the goalpost ahead. This estimate allows us to move quickly toward breaking ground on the Franklin County prison and building the long-overdue, 3,000-bed facility we know our state needs, Arkansas Department of Corrections Secretary Lindsay Wallace said.We look forward to working with the Governor and legislature to secure the resources we need to build the prison and create a safer, stronger Arkansas, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyone knows we need a new prison to address our states prison bed shortage, and I look forward to working with legislators to secure the funding necessary to build this facility quickly, Chairman of the Arkansas Board of Corrections Benny Magness said. Franklin County prison plans hit bump after appropriations request fails in committee Once those funds are appropriated, the State can work with the Owners Representative to move forward with drawing up in-depth plans for the prison and breaking ground as soon as possible. Arkansas currently has a shortage of more than 3,000 prison beds, requiring the state to spend almost $30 million each year to house inmates in county jails. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Sanders announced the purchase of an 815-acre plot in Franklin County to build the new prison in October of last year, at a total cost of $2,950,000. Officials say the parcel offers the infrastructure needed for a new prison, including cell reception, water lines, electricity, and a nearby fire department, and is also close to more than 100,000 working-age adults who could staff the new facility. Group outlines opposition to Franklin County prison plans for Arkansas The property is large enough to offer privacy to both neighbors and inmates and is expected to employ almost 800 people at an average salary of over $46,600, based on estimates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, listens to testimony during a public health committee meeting on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) This story has been updated to correct the amount of the prison cost estimate and add more context. Arkansas lawmakers filed an appropriations bill to support construction of a Franklin County prison that officials estimated Monday will cost $825 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A letter from the Denver office of the firm hired by the Department of Corrections as construction manager for the prison project put the preliminary cost estimate at $825 million. The Legislature previously set aside $330 million for the proposed 3,000-bed penitentiary, plus another $75 million. Last Thursday, members of the legislative Joint Budget Committee balked at approving an appropriation bill that would allow the corrections department to start accessing the set-aside funds because of concerns there was no firm estimate of total costs. The bill failed to garner enough votes to move forward. In the letter released by the department Monday, Mike Beaber, project director for Vanir Construction Management Inc., emphasized that the cost estimate is preliminary. He noted some studies and the design work remain to be done. Additionally, this budget reflects current market conditions. The $825 million budget is therefore a preliminary projection based on best-available data and industry minimums. As the above evaluations progress, refinements to scope, design, and cost allocations will provide a more precise budget, Beabers letter says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monday was the deadline for lawmakers to file appropriations bills during the legislative session. Republicans Sen. Jonathan Dismang of Searcy and Rep. Lane Jean of Magnolia are the co-sponsors of Senate Bill 354, which would appropriate up to $750 million to the Arkansas Department of Corrections Division of Correction for costs associated with prison construction. An emergency clause would allow the bill to be effective July 1, 2025, the start of the fiscal year. At some future point there could be a request to increase the appropriation, but theyre not going to spend $750 million in year one, Dismang told the Advocate. So this is an appropriation that will have a life of multiple years, and it will be renewed through the reappropriation process as we go into each session. So it may be adjusted at that point, or it may not be. The latest debate around the project stemmed from the Joint Budget Committees consideration of a letter with the governors appropriation recommendations for 2025-2027 biennium capital projects, including construction of a new campus for the Arkansas School for the Deaf. For the correction division, the letter recommended $330 million for the Franklin County prison, $3.8 million for a camera project at the divisions Wrightsville Unit and $300,000 for a flooring project at the McPherson Unit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Committee members decided to vote on the corrections department appropriation separately from the other projects. Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, requested a division of the chambers, meaning the House and Senate members vote separately. House members failed to garner enough votes to advance the bill, so Senators did not vote. Let us know what you think... State lawmakers whove been vocal opponents of the Franklin County prison said they were uncomfortable approving the appropriation without having an estimated total cost or completion date. Corrections Secretary Lindsay Wallace said officials should know more about the cost once they have a design. The Board of Corrections last month approved a Request for Qualifications for an architectural firm. Based on qualifications being due March 18, Wallace said she anticipates the Board of Corrections approving a contract in May before presenting it to lawmakers for final approval in June. Sen. Jim Payton, R-Wilburn, said regardless of whether officials have an estimate, the state should decide how much its willing to spend instead of letting an architect decide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If were going to design a prison, we need to set a budget, Payton said. You dont let the architect set the budget, youve got to communicate to them that we have to be within some realm. When asked if the $75 million in reserves for prison construction was not enough to hire an architect and get the process started, Chad Brown, chief financial officer for the Department of Corrections, said he was nervous about moving forward with just the $75 million because when we get into this process, we dont want to have invoices out there that we cant pay. The appropriation bill would start the process of allowing the corrections department to access the $330 million the Legislature set aside in 2023. Department of Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson told the committee that supporting the appropriation does not mean the corrections department will automatically have access to that total amount. As with other similar projects, Hudson said corrections department officials will have to keep returning to the Legislature to request approval for various sums throughout the construction process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know theres attention on this, theres extra attention and theres a lot of emotions maybe on this particular project, but the process will be the same for building this building, he said. So you will have a couple of bites at the apple to be able to weigh in on and to vote whether or not it moves forward eventually. I can assure you that the governors not going to want to move forward on this until we know what the budget is. The project has been a source of controversy since the governors announcement of the planned prison site last October shocked local officials and residents. Community members have continued pushing back on the project as state officials move forward with their plans. State officials have said prison expansion is needed to help with overcrowding. County jails house roughly 10% of state inmates, costing the state nearly $30 million annually, according to a corrections department spokesperson. Dismang said this is a major project and he wants his colleagues to have some time to consider the appropriations bill and ask questions of the governors office and the corrections department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were talking about building something that is significant, he said. There is debate, there should be debate, and well have debate in Joint Budget on the appropriation. Im sure well have discussion on the floor. Advocate reporter Tess Vrbin contributed to this story. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DELAWARE, Ark. The Arkansas State Police are investigating a Logan County homicide that happened on Sunday. According to investigators, the Logan County Sheriffs Office was contacted concerning an incident at a home in the 400 block of River Mountain Road. Arkansas State Police, prosecutors announce state-wide crackdown to end vehicle pursuits When deputies arrived, they said they found the body of 84-year-old William Harris after a family member contacted 911 with concerns about his well-being. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Logan County Sheriffs Office then contacted Arkansas State Police to investigate. Harriss body was transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab to determine the manner and because of his death. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A 42-year-old man from Oregon is wanted for second-degree murder in connection to the death of 41-year-old Janelle Klaar, whose body was found inside a room at the John Day Motel in John Day, Ore. on Feb. 28. Grant County District Attorney Jim Carpenter signed a warrant for the arrest of suspect Gary Dylan Cavan on Feb. 28. As of March 4, Cavan is still at large and is considered armed and dangerous. Suspect Gary Dylan Cavan is wanted out of Grant County, Ore. for second-degree murder. (Grant County Sheriffs Office) On Feb. 28, the Grant County Sheriffs Office responded to a welfare check requested by family members to a 7th Street address in John Day, a press release issued by the Grant County Sheriffs Office reads. After knocking at the residence, no one was located. Deputies attempted phone contact with the occupant and that was unsuccessful as well. A few hours later, staff at the John Day Motel called to report what appeared to be a deceased female located in a room there at the establishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2-year-old Siletz boy still missing as search enters third full day Cavan was last seen in Baker City, located west of I-84 in Eastern Oregon. He is said to have blonde hair and blue eyes, stands 6 feet 2 inches tall, and weighs 215 pounds. The investigation is led by Oregon State Police with assistance from the Grant County Sheriffs Office. Anyone with information regarding Cavans whereabouts are asked to contact Oregon State Police immediately. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Around 60 employees are set to be laid off as a logistics company closes its Plymouth facility. Veyer, a Florida-based logistics company, recently informed the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development that it intends to shutter its operations located at 1105 Xenium Lane in Plymouth. The layoffs will affect around 60 employees over a 14-day period beginning April 28. Google Streetview Veyer is a subsidiary of The ODP Corporation, which also owns Office Depot and OfficeMax. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Affected positions include office and warehouse associates, delivery drivers, general managers, maintenance mechanics, equipment operators and managers. None of the affected employees are union members, according to the letter from Veyer. HONOLULU (KHON2) To reflect and honor Hokuleas historic launch, which was on March 8, 1975, a commemorative ceremony and an array of activities will take place this week. Hokulea turns 50! According to Jonah Apo Hokulea crewmember and Polynesian Voyaging Society Development Coordinator on Saturday, March 8, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Hokuleas 50th Birthday Commemoration and the 16th Annual Kualoa/Hakipuu Canoe Festival at Kualoa Regional Park will take place. Its free to attend and open to the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., a commemorative ceremony will reflect on and honor Hokuleas historic launch on March 8, 1975 at the very site where the canoe was first assembled, blessed, and entered the ocean. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The celebration will continue from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the Kualoa/Hakipuu Canoe Festival, hosted in partnership with the City and County of Honolulus Department of Parks and Recreation, features food, music, ocean activities and educational opportunities for the entire family including paddling and sailing, and navigation lessons. Then on Monday, March 10, Monday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. the celebration continues with dockside canoe tours of Hokulea at the Hawaii Convention Center. The public is invited to step aboard Hokulea and hear from young crew members and navigators who are training to take leadership roles in the next chapters of the Moananuiakea Voyage, according to Apo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hokulea visiting Ko Olina Finally on Friday, March 14, the Bishop Museum will host an after-hours event honoring Hokuleas 50th birthday. The museum, a pivotal partner in Hokuleas inception, will pay tribute to the canoes origins and legacy with special exhibits and programming dedicated to the history of traditional Polynesian voyaging. To imagine the first 50 years and what she was able to accomplish, and the places shes gone, and all the people who played a part in her story for these first 50 years, such a massive milestone for us and were all very excited. Just being able to honor her in a significant way is something were really looking forward to this week, said Apo. Please purchase tickets and find program details by clicking here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news For more information about these events and more, 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 KHON2. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Public Investigator team chases tips, finds answers, and gets results. No story is too big or too small. Got a tip or a question? Email publicinvestigator@jrn.com. The question: Did Menards wrongly apply Milwaukee's new sales tax to her purchase? While sorting through a collection of old receipts, Peggy Schaff, 60, noticed an unusual detail on a recent purchase at Menards in West Milwaukee. In November, during a Black Friday sale, Schaff purchased $87 worth of goods. But her receipt included two different charges for Milwaukee sales tax one for 5.9% and one for 6.4%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schaff contacted Public Investigator to ask if the new City of Milwaukee sales tax had been incorrectly applied to her purchase. Peggy Schaff holds her sales receipt from November from the West Milwaukee Menards that she noticed included two Milwaukee sales tax amounts. No one could offer her an explanation why. Schaff isn't the only Milwaukee-area customer checking their receipts carefully lately. Since the new City of Milwaukee sales tax went into effect last year, residents of nearby suburban cities have discovered the increased rate wrongly being added onto their purchases at major retailers and on streaming services like Netflix. The new tax raised the city's sales tax from 5.9% to 7.9%. In December, Schaff contacted the Wisconsin Office of State Treasurer for help. She said representatives told her to redirect her questions to the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS. Despite repeated follow-ups, she never got a response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The IRS is not involved in the determination of city and county taxes, so representatives from the agency would not have been able to address Schaff's concerns, an IRS spokesperson told Public Investigator. The answer: Both of the Menards tax charges are valid, officials say Although the name may be deceiving, the Office of the State Treasurer doesn't oversee tax laws. It mainly advises the state Legislature on the spending of tax dollars. The agency that actually oversees the administration of tax laws here is the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. When Public Investigator contacted the Department of Revenue in March, spokesperson Jennifer Bacon confirmed that the Menards in West Milwaukee is not subject to the new City of Milwaukee sales tax. Peggy Schaff, pictured here on Feb. 28, 2025, holds her sales receipt from the West Milwaukee Menards. However, after reviewing Schaff's bill, Bacon confirmed that the two tax charges on Schaff's bill were correct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The store had simply separated the sales tax into two line items, she said: one for food items and one for non-food items, which are taxed at different rates. "Menards split the sales amounts based on non-food sales taxed at the state plus county rate of 5.9%," Bacon said. "Food and beverage items were taxed at the state, county and local exposition tax of 6.4%." What should Wisconsin customers do if they've been charged an incorrect sales tax? If you're incorrectly charged a city sales tax, you can go to the store or business with a copy of your receipt and request a refund. Additionally, you could send a copy to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue's Customer Service Bureau, and the agency will contact the company directly and request it adjust its transaction system, also known as a point of sale system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you are overcharged on tax by more than $50, Bacon said you can request a refund directly from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue by submitting a refund claim using the department's My Tax Account portal at https://tap.revenue.wi.gov/. Once you arrive on the landing page, select "Buyer's Claim for Refund." Tamia Fowlkes is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at tfowlkes@gannett.com. About Public Investigator Government corruption. Corporate wrongdoing. Consumer complaints. Medical scams. Public Investigator is a new initiative of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and its sister newsrooms across Wisconsin. Our team wants to hear your tips, chase the leads and uncover the truth. We'll investigate anywhere in Wisconsin. Send your tips to publicinvestigator@jrn.com or call 414-319-9061. You can also submit tips at jsonline.com/tips. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Shopper confused by double tax on West Milwaukee Menards receipt NEW YORK - The state parties to a U.N. treaty on banning nuclear weapons met in New York on Monday, with a Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor's son repeating his call for the eradication of such arsenals. The participants gathered for a full session at the world body's headquarters for the first time since Nihon Hidankyo, Japan's leading group of atomic bomb survivors, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last fall. The participants at the third meeting of the 2021 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will discuss the doctrine of nuclear deterrence and adopt a declaration when its ends on Friday. "For young cells exposed to atomic bombs in mothers' wombs, the effects of radiation are immeasurable," 79-year-old Jiro Hamasumi from Tokyo said in a speech at Monday's meeting. Hamasumi was born six months after his mother was exposed to radiation in the 1945 U.S. atomic bomb attack on the western Japan city. Calling the nuclear bomb the "devil's weapon," Hamasumi said, "We must not repeat the tragedy of the atomic bombings." Japan, the only country attacked with atomic bombs, and countries with nuclear arsenals including the United States and Russia have not adopted the treaty. The Japanese government did not send official observers to the first and second meetings in 2022 and 2023, respectively, and has not dispatched a representative for the ongoing round. Atomic bomb survivor and campaigner Setsuko Thurlow, 93, who is in New York for the meeting, said she is "furious" that the Japanese government is absent. "It is truly shameful that Japan, which should be well aware of the issue, is not taking part." "(The government) does not want to displease the United States," said Thurlow, who currently lives in Canada. "They need courage, but courage alone is not enough," she added, calling for governments and ordinary citizens to engage in dialogue. Germany attended the previous two meetings as an observer, but the country's mission to the United Nations said Monday that Berlin was not sending a representative to the third meeting. Japan has said that the issue of disarmament should be handled under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which it has ratified. Related coverage: Japan government not to participate in U.N. nuke ban meeting in March A-bomb survivors testify, push for nuke abolition at Nobel forum A-bomb survivors concerned over Trump win, abductee's kin hope for progress AUSTIN (KXAN) An assistant principal with IDEA Public Schools in Round Rock was arrested after he was accused of inappropriately touching a student on school property last month, according to the Round Rock Police Department. RRPD said on social media that 49-year-old Aaron Freeman was charged with indecency with a child by contact, which is a second-degree felony. He remained in the Williamson County Jail Monday, according to police. Aaron Freeman, 49 (Photo: Williamson County Jail) Online court records did not show an attorney for Freeman, as of Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IDEA Public Schools told KXAN the staff member was arrested off campus. IDEA Round Rock Tech is aware of an arrest made involving a staff member for allegations of inappropriate behavior with a student. The staff member was arrested off campus on administrative leave. We are working in collaboration with law enforcement and taking appropriate actions in accordance with the law and network policy. IDEA takes these allegations seriously and is committed to prioritizing the safety and well-being of staff and students. As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further. All questions should be directed to the Round Rock Police Department. IDEA Public Schools Police said the student reported the incident, which RRPD said prompted an immediate investigation. Detectives were then able to obtain an arrest warrant for Freeman, and he was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. It wasn't long ago that record numbers of migrants were claiming asylum at the U.S. southern border, overwhelming federal agents and backlogging the immigration courts. Now the border is the quietest it's been in years, largely because the Trump administration has stopped processing asylum claims there and pushed that responsibility farther south. Mexico has seen more asylum applications over the last several weeks than at any time in recent memory, its refugee agency thronged by recent U.S. deportees, as well as migrants who were headed north but wound up stranded by President Trump's crackdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mexican government has not released recent data on asylum claims, but an official familiar with the figures said that the numbers are three to four times greater than before Trump was elected in November, with as many as 1,000 migrants a day starting the process. U.S. Marine Corps forces near San Diego patrol at the border with Mexico on Feb. 7, 2025. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) The surge underscores the ways Trump's border policies are putting new pressure on Mexico. Previously a country where migrants simply passed through en route to the United States, it is increasingly seen as a Plan B for those who don't make it or have been deported and feel they cannot return to their homelands. But there are growing fears that Mexico's asylum system is unprepared to deal with the increase. And matters have been made worse by the Trump administration's 90-day freeze on U.S. humanitarian aid. Read more: How Mexico's president has kept Trump at bay for now Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around $2 billion in annual U.S. aid destined for Latin America and the Caribbean is now on hold, forcing nonprofit shelters, legal aid providers and other groups that work with migrants in Mexico to lay off staff members or suspend their operations at a time when they are needed most. The freeze is also expected to result in cuts to Mexico's refugee agency, which was indirectly funded with U.S. money channeled through the United Nations. "This is worse than anything I've ever seen," said Gretchen Kuhner, director of the Institute for Women in Migration, a Mexico-based nonprofit that advocates for migrants, referring to both the shift in U.S. border policy and the sudden withdrawal of aid. "There's just a lot of frustration and confusion." The U.S. has turned to its southern neighbor for help blocking migrants since at least the Obama administration, when Mexico agreed to increase deportations and dramatically militarize its border with Guatemala. More recently, the Biden administration and the first Trump administration struck deals with Mexico to require asylum seekers to wait there while their claims were processed. President Claudia Sheinbaum has acknowledged that her country is receiving non-Mexican deportees and is repatriating some to their homelands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is what Mexico has done for years, said Josue Leal, who runs a migrant shelter in southern Mexico called Oasis De Paz del Espiritu Santo Amparito. We have been doing the dirty work for the United States. Read more: Immigration & the Border Leal once worked alongside 11 others at the tin-roofed shelter in the city of Villahermosa. After the U.S. aid freeze, he was forced to lay off half of his staffers. At the same time, demand for legal services has surged, he said. In January, the shelter's paralegal helped 224 people apply for asylum in Mexico, up from 106 the month before. It appears that most of those seeking refuge here are among the estimated 270,000 people who were waiting in Mexico while they sought appointments at the U.S. border using a Biden-era cellphone application known as CBP One. Trump abruptly ended the program on his first day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a branch office of Mexico's refugee agency in Naucalpan de Juarez, a suburb of Mexico City, the line of people waiting for appointments on a recent morning wrapped around the building. Most were from three countries beset by poverty and political repression: Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela. Nereida Carrera, 40, of Venezuela is flanked by her daughters outside Mexico's refugee agency in Naucalpan de Juarez. Carrera, who worked on the campaign of a Venezuelan opposition leader last year, fled the country after its authoritarian leader claimed victory. (Kate Linthicum / Los Angeles Times) Nereida Carrera, 40, a political activist who worked on the campaign of an opposition leader in Venezuela's presidential election last year, fled with her family after the nation's authoritarian leader claimed victory despite ample evidence that he had lost. Carrera's husband managed to lodge an asylum claim at the U.S. border and was given a permit that allows him to legally work in Florida while he awaits the outcome of his case. Carrera and her two daughters, 20 and 11, had an appointment to present their asylum claims at the Mexicali border on Feb. 3. The girls were thrilled, Carrera said. After months apart, they thought they were about to see their father." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps cancellation of the app devastated them all. "Hes there," she said of her husband, "and were here with broken hearts." Now, there is a vigorous family debate. The daughters aren't ready to give up on the U.S. Their father, meanwhile, is considering self-deporting to Mexico to reunite with his family. Read more: U.S. official says drone flights over Mexico may signal future strikes Carrera said she is looking into claiming asylum elsewhere in the world, possibly in Europe. I dont know where to go, she said. But were going to get refugee status here in Mexico while we figure it out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear how many of those applying for asylum in Mexico now plan to stay here long term, and how many may be using the process to gain legal status that allows them to work and avoid harassment by police while they make other plans. Carrera and others spoke about the challenges of living as immigrants in Mexico, where work is ample and food is relatively cheap but where xenophobia, violence and corruption are common. Humberto Briceno, 39, of Venezuela, waits for an appointment outside Mexico's refugee agency in the city of Naucalpan de Juarez. He is among the migrants seeking to stay in Mexico after the Trump administration in effect ended asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. (Kate Linthicum / Los Angeles Times) Humberto Briceno, 39, also from Venezuela, said gangs and immigration agents have extorted money from him while he waits in Mexico for a chance to claim asylum in the United States. He eventually found work as a security guard, but said he earns less than $80 for a 72-hour workweek. Now that Briceno's dream of reuniting with family in the U.S. seems out of reach, he hopes to stay in Mexico. Returning to Venezuela is not an option. They would call you a terrorist and put you in jail," he said. "They would disappear you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His friend Carlos Ordaz, 50, also said he would not voluntarily return to Venezuela, even though Mexico has been offering migrants free flights back to Caracas in recent months. We sold our houses, our cars, to make this journey, he said. We have nothing to go back to. Carlos Ordaz, 50, also of Venezuela, is now seeking refuge in Mexico instead of the U.S. "We sold our houses, our cars, to make this journey," he said. "We have nothing to go back to." (Kate Linthicum / Los Angeles Times) Asylum applications in Mexico have skyrocketed in recent years, increasing to a record 140,982 in 2023 from 1,295 in 2013. Mexico, the world's 13th largest economy, has the capacity to absorb them, said Andres Ramirez, the former director of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance. "There are many countries in the world that have much poorer economies than Mexico and many more migrants," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Mexico's immigration agents have sought to restrict migrants from reaching the U.S. border in recent years, apprehending people en masse and busing them south, many have become caught in bottlenecks in poorer communities near Guatemala. Addressing the needs of those populations and processing a rising number of asylum claims nationally will require "strengthening the operational capacity of Mexico's institutions," Ramirez said. Yet the refugee agency is poised to lose resources. It is supported in part by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which has long received funding from the United States. U.S. donations to the U.N. are on hold because of the humanitarian aid freeze. Mexico recently increased the budget of the refugee agency. But it included a much larger increase for the country's National Immigration Institute, which is tasked with deporting migrants without legal status. Ramirez said that was an indication that authorities are more interested in policing migrants than helping them. He said the country's ability to cope with growing demand on its asylum system may depend on whether Trump's threat of widespread deportations actually materializes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his first month in office, Trump deported fewer people than the average every month during the last full year of the Biden administration. But many fear more deportations are coming both of Mexicans and third-country migrants. But in the absence of widespread deportations, some migrants may decide it is still worth it to try to reach the U.S., even by illicit means. Ramirez said that migrant smugglers, who are known in Mexico as coyotes, were already making that pitch. Coyotes are encouraging people that there is still hope, he said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) An Athens man accused of sexual abuse against a child has been arrested. According to court documents, Nickie Van Davis, 72 ,of Athens, was arrested for sexual abuse against a child younger than 12-years-old on Tuesday. Court documents state the incident begin in December 2024. His next court date appearance is unknown 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 WHNT.com. Firefighters worked to extinguish a brushfire that threatened homes in Atlanta early Tuesday. Firefighters responded to Armand Road NE at about 12:46 a.m. Crews were able to extinguish the fire by 2:23 a.m. According to Atlanta Fire Rescue, the fire did not spread to any of the nearby homes. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Nevada state Controller Andy Matthews is sponsoring legislation to create a new state office of inspector general. (Legislative committee stream screengrab) The first week of his second presidency Donald Trump fired inspectors general at 17 different federal agencies, and a few days later he fired another one. Maybe one of them can get a job in Nevada. Nevada Republican state Controller Andy Matthews is pushing legislation to create a Nevada inspector general empowered to audit any state agency, local government entity, or nonprofit organization that receives state funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a Nevada division of Internal Audit Services in the Governors Finance Office, a Legislative Counsel Bureau Audit Division, and the Nevada Department of Corrections has an audit division all its own. But those all conduct performance audits to determine if an organization is efficiently and effectively achieving its goals, Matthews told the state Assembly committee on government affairs Monday. The inspector general called for in Assembly Bill 33 would instead conduct forensic audits to find waste, fraud, abuse, and/or misconduct, Matthews said. Anytime is a good time to bring more oversight and accountability to government spending, said Matthews, whose career prior to being elected to the state Assembly and then state controller included serving as president of the Nevada Policy Research Institute, a libertarian research and advocacy organization. Under his bill, the controller would select three to five candidates who meet the bills job requirements, and present them to a panel that includes the state treasurer, the state controller (again), and the lieutenant governor, who in turn could make the appointment only by unanimous decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not sure why the lieutenant governor makes sense in this part of your bill, said Assemblymember Duy Nguyen, D-Las Vegas. Matthews said he wasnt wedded to that part. Noting that Matthews said the beauty of the inspector general position is the person would be independent, Nguyen asked why the bill houses the office under the controller instead of setting it up as a stand-alone entity, adding What happens if the controller needed to be audited? Matthews said he wasnt wedded to the position being in his office, either. Republican members of the committee praised the legislation, as did representatives of the Nevada Libertarian Party, the Nevada Independent American Party, and Matthews former employer, Nevada Policy (formerly Nevada Policy Research Institute). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also testifying in favor of the bill was Jim DeGraffenreid, who is the national Republican committeeman for Nevada but perhaps best known as one of the six fake electors who still face state charges for fraudulently submitting false electoral certificates to Congress in 2020 wrongly declaring that Trump had won Nevada that year. Opponents of the legislation speaking Monday included representatives of the Nevada Association of Counties and the Nevada Leagues of Cities, who called the bill redundant and duplicative, respectively. MADISON All votes cast in Wisconsin during the 2024 presidential election were counted accurately, a new audit concludes. Ballots were not altered, missed or counted for the wrong candidate by voting machines across the state when President Donald Trump defeated then-Vice President Kamala Harris in this battleground state. The audit, required to be conducted by state and local election officials after each general election, covered more than 327,000 ballots and was conducted in the weeks following the November election, according to Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe. WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe speaks at a Keep Our Republic voting education event in La Crosse on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. Local clerks and their staff audited the ballots by hand to confirm the voting equipment used throughout the state accurately tabulated votes and remained secure throughout the election, Wolfe said in a memo to commissioners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There was no evidence of programming errors, unauthorized alterations or 'hacking' of voting equipment software or hardware, or any equipment malfunctions that changed the outcome of any contests on the ballot," Wolfe wrote. Any errors were determined to be committed by humans and not machines, Wolfe noted. The audit was the largest of its kind, Wolfe said. It comes after years of intense scrutiny of Wisconsin elections and the commission following the 2020 election after which President Donald Trump launched a campaign based on false claims arguing he had actually won Wisconsin's presidential contest that year and was not defeated by former President Joe Biden in the Badger State. Wrapped into the baseless argument were allegations of voting machines changing votes. In reality, Biden defeated Trump in 2020 by about 21,000 votes a margin that was upheld by audits, judges and Republican-overseen election reviews and studies. In 2024, Trump defeated Harris by about 29,000 votes in Wisconsin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My hope is that this reassures persons on all sides of the political aisle that voting tabulators are doing their jobs accurately, Democratic commission chairwoman Ann Jacobs, who also was chair during the 2020 election, said said in a post on the social media platform X. We all lament when our candidate loses, but in WI, it wasnt because someone hacked the machines. The other guy just got more votes, said Jacobs, a Democratic appointee to the commission. Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin audit finds all votes accurately counted in 2024 election BOSTON (WWLP) Last month, the State Auditors team met with a team of senators about a potential audit of the legislature, but now the auditors team is refusing the invitation. The first meeting between the senate subcommittee focused on the audit and the auditors team was heated and largely unproductive, with both sides volleying frosty questions and continuing to argue the issue of whether an audit would violate the separation of powers clause of the constitution. Parents advocate for child bereavement leave Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state auditor told reporters on Friday that her team will not participate in the next meeting. It is very clear that this is just another maneuver and tactic to get out of following the 72% voter-approved mandate that our office conduct an audit of the state Legislature, said Auditor Diana DiZoglio. The auditor called on her followers on X to contact the attorney general and request she stop the kangaroo court Senate committee hearing, which she says is unconstitutional in and of itself. The Senate committee sees the issue differently. They said this type of meeting is necessary to both iron out constitutional concerns and ensure they understand the scope and requirements of the requested audit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Subcommittee needs answers to these fundamental questions and will be conducting a hearing to seek input and guidance, said Senator Cindy Friedman, Chair of the Senate committee. This comes after the House of Representatives voted against a new rule which would clarify the Houses compliance with an audit just last week. With the auditors refusal to participate in the Senate hearing, it appears the only possible path forward for her team is to take the legislature to court, but her team said they have not yet filed a lawsuit. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. by Xinhua writers Zheng Bofei, Jin Jing, Larry Neild LONDON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Following last week's Trump-Zelensky White House clash, more than a dozen Western leaders gathered here Sunday to revive efforts for a Ukraine peace deal and propose a settlement to Washington. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the summit as a "once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe." Although the meeting could push the region toward greater self-reliance in security, many observers fear the measures may be too little and too late. WAKE-UP CALL Europe now finds itself at a moment of truth in its security strategy. Before Friday's diplomatic debacle at the White House, Russia-U.S. talks on the Ukraine crisis took place in Riyadh on Feb. 18, with neither Europe nor Ukraine given a seat at the table. Just one week later, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a plan to impose a 25-percent tariff on all goods imported from the European Union (EU), and justified the move by claiming that the EU was formed to "screw" the United States. Europe was in a "moment of real fragility," Starmer told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. Asked about the White House clash involving the duo of Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told BBC before the summit that the breakdown was a "wake-up call" for European nations, stressing that they must adopt a cohesive strategy for the Ukraine crisis and post-conflict arrangements. Stubb expressed frustration over shifting transatlantic ties, saying the U.S.-Europe relationship "is evolving," and "we're witnessing a more transactional United States, where the Trump administration -- rightly or wrongly -- is pursuing an 'America First' policy." This has led European leaders to explore their own security solutions. At the Munich Security Conference last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed for an emergency clause that would allow governments to increase defense spending without being constrained by the EU's strict budget deficit rules. After Sunday's summit, she reiterated that Europe must "step up massively" and forge a common security approach. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Sunday that European countries should boost their defense spending to between 3 and 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). His proposal came a few days after Starmer's announcement that Britain would increase its defense spending to 2.5 percent of its GDP by 2027 and to 3 percent in the next parliamentary term, which would mean by 2034 at the latest. Following a bilateral meeting with Ukraine on Saturday, Britain also agreed to loan Ukraine 2.26 billion pounds (2.84 billion U.S. dollars) to bolster its defense capabilities. Shortly after the summit, Britain further committed 1.6 billion pounds (2 billion dollars) in export finance, allowing Ukraine to purchase over 5,000 air defense missiles. More than eight years after Britain voted to depart from the EU, it has positioned itself at the forefront of European security efforts, trying to play the role of a "bridge" between Europe and the United States to secure a peace deal for Ukraine. STRENGTHENED BOND After Sunday's summit, Starmer outlined a four-step plan to strengthen Ukraine and support peace: to maintain military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues and increase economic pressure on Russia; to ensure that any lasting peace guarantees Ukraine's sovereignty and security, with Ukraine at the table for any negotiations; to deter "any future invasion by Russia" in the event of a peace deal; and to establish a "coalition of the willing" to defend Ukraine and uphold peace in the country. The summit's outcome was welcomed by European leaders. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called it "a good meeting," saying "European countries are stepping up to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to fight for as long as necessary." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the importance of NATO and said on social media on Sunday: "In recent years, we have strengthened our alliance with new members and increased defense spending. This is the path we will continue to follow." However, doubts remain over whether Europe can fully safeguard a peace deal on its own. When asked how Britain plans to persuade more countries to join the "coalition of the willing," Starmer acknowledged that some countries may be reluctant to contribute militarily. "I strongly feel that unless some countries move forward, we will stay in the position we're in and not be able to move forward," he said, while admitting the goal to "stay in lockstep with the United States." TRANSATLANTIC DISAGREEMENTS The EU and the Trump administration have a range of disagreements on the settlement of the Ukraine crisis, while the U.S. provision of security guarantees for Ukraine is foremost among the discussions. Within a week before the London summit, both Macron and Starmer visited Washington to seek U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine or Europe, but failed to persuade Trump in this regard. Trump sidestepped the question of security guarantees, expressing confidence that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, would "keep his word" if an agreement is reached. He also ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine's NATO membership has been a focal issue in the crisis. Earlier on Sunday before the summit, Starmer announced that Britain, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States. He named three essential points to achieve "lasting peace" -- a strong Ukraine, a European element with security guarantees and a U.S. backstop, with the last one being the subject of "intense" discussion. After the announcement of the four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine at the summit, the participating leaders also agreed to meet again soon to sustain the momentum behind these efforts. "Europe must do the heavy lifting," Starmer said, emphasizing that the agreement needs U.S. backing. Iain Begg, a research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told Xinhua: "The real question is whether this will be enough to sway the White House. We've seen time and again that Washington can reverse its stance overnight." Also on Sunday, Macron told a French newspaper that he was "trying to make Washington understand that disengaging from Ukraine is not in America's interest." While the summit has pushed Europe toward greater security commitments, the region still faces divisions over whether to deploy troops to Ukraine under a peacekeeping framework. For now, some major European countries, including Germany, Spain and Poland, remain hesitant to commit troops to Ukraine, with Britain and France taking the lead in potentially sending military forces. Meanwhile, the EU is still in the early stages of developing a defense budget plan. Some experts noted that Europe's efforts to build its own defense capabilities may still have a long way to go. David Galbreath, a professor of international security at the University of Bath, pointed to the U.S. military's capabilities: "The U.S. provides far sharper military capabilities, such as long-range strikes, sophisticated anti-tank systems and advanced surface-to-air missiles, than anything coming from Europe." Mar. 3Video shows Officer Damien Schroeder pulling man from the house moments before burning debris started falling where he had been lying An Austin Police officer was honored during the Austin City Council meeting Monday night for his role in saving a man from serious injury or possibly death during a house fire at a duplex in early February. Officer Damien Schroeder received a letter of commendation for his efforts on Feb. 4 to pull an injured man away from a home that was actively on fire just moments before burning material from the structure started falling on the space the man occupied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You can clearly see that had Damien not arrived when he had ... that man would have been burned," said Austin Police Chief David McKichan, referencing a video from Schroeder's dash camera that was shown Monday night. "This certainly could have had a fatal outcome here." The video shows the moment that Schroeder rolled up on the scene of the fire in the 1300 block of 10th Street SW and both smoke and active fire can be seen coming from the duplex. Just moments earlier, the man had jumped from a second floor window in effort to escape the fire, but in doing so had broken his leg and couldn't move. The man can be seen in the video lying on the ground as Schroeder runs to him and then drags him away. Later in the video, Schroeder is seen running back up to the duplex in order to help the residents on the other side of the duplex to escape, including carrying a small child away from the structure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My service, my duty is to protect people no matter what," Schroeder said. "My mindset was to make sure everyone was okay." Austin firefighters showed up not long after to begin putting the fire out, which was later determined to be intentionally set. On Feb. 6, Gelisha Sally Rivers, 32, the daughter of the man rescued by Schroeder made her first appearance in Mower County District Court to face a single felony count of first degree arson, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine if convicted. "There is no doubt, Damian, you saved that man's life," Mayor Steve King said Monday night. "This is just a clear video of what you've done." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Schroeder, who has been with the department for two years, said that what he did was something any officer would do. "Although I was the first on the scene for the incident ... I am confident that any other officer in the Austin Police Department would have made the same split second decisions and jumped into action as I did," Schroeder said. "God put me in the right place at the right time," he added. "I'm just there to do my job at the end of the day." Driverless robotaxis have officially taken to the streets of Austin, with Uber riders now able to select a Waymo autonomous vehicle to get to their destination. Tesla is not far behind: CEO Elon Musk told investors in a fourth-quarter earnings call that he plans to have thousands of driverless vehicles, known as the Tesla Robotaxis or Cybercabs, throughout Austin by June. "This is not some far-off mythical situation. It's literally five, six months away," Musk said in late January. In Austin, where residents have input on everything from the size of the police department to zoning in their neighborhoods, the Texas Legislature has made sure they will have no say in being guinea pigs for this technology. The track record for robotaxis raises serious questions about whether they should be tested on our busy and crowded city streets. The autonomous Tesla Cybercab taxi is pictured at the press day for the opening of the 101st edition of the Brussels Motor Show, at Brussels Expo, on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Brussels. Companies promoting robotaxi have praised Texas hands-off approach to regulation. State law allows autonomous vehicle companies free access to public streets provided they are registered and insured, like any human-driven car, and equipped with technology to record data about potential crashes. State law forbids cities and counties from enacting their own driverless-vehicle regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe into robotaxis operated by Waymo, which is owned by the same company as Google, over 31 incidents that included vehicles ramming into a closing gate and driving on the wrong side of the road. There is also a federal investigation into GMs Cruise after one of its cars hit and dragged a jaywalking pedestrian in San Francisco. A Washington Post reporter in San Francisco recently described the dangers of crossing the street when driverless cars are present. When I try to cross my street at a marked crosswalk, the Waymo robotaxis often wouldnt yield to me, reporter Geoffrey A. Fowler wrote. I would step out into the white-striped pavement, look at the Waymo, wait to see whether its going to stop and the car would zip right past. Amy Witherite is a board-certified attorney and traffic safety expert. She is the founder of the Witherite Law Group. General Motors recently announced it would no longer fund its Cruise self-driving robotaxis after accidents led to a federal investigation. After investing $10 billion in the technology, GM cited the "considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market." The argument for Texas' hands-off attitude has been the claim that regulations stymie innovations. Innovation is important, but it must not come at the expense of safety. Austin residents should be able to have a say in whether this unproven technology is allowed on our city streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amy Witherite is a board-certified attorney and traffic safety expert. She is the founder of the Witherite Law Group. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Why didn't Austin get a say in having Waymo driverless robotaxis? AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) The Austintown Police Department officially has a new chief. Valorie Delmont has been with the department since 1999, worked her way up through the ranks and is now in charge of the department. The Austintown trustees meeting was standing room only Monday night, all to see Chief Delmont officially sworn in. The room filled with applause as her family and department members even some retired ones were there to support her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its really exciting. This is something Ive worked my entire career for, and having the support of the officers and staff is very important because its going to make every transition a little bit easier, Delmont said. She arrives as the police department faces financial challenges following the failure of Novembers levy but Delmont remains optimistic. I think that our guys will be able to and willing to do more with less, and provide the same level of service that the residents expect from us, she said. The Fraternal Order of Eagles 3298 donated $5,000 to the police department and another $5,000 to the fire department to support them both as the township takes a hard look at its bottom line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks to our membership and the support, and our number-one priority is the police and the fire department because they are always there helping us, said Bob Marshall, with the Fraternal Order of Eagles 3298. Every little bit helps and thats huge to have not only the support of an agency like that, but to also have a financial backing as well, Delmont said. She says shes also prioritizing programs that will improve police-community relations and is looking forward to taking on her new role. Her message to the Austintown community? The police department is committed to serving you as your police department, and to helping mediate and solve problems so if you need anything, please reach out to us. Thats what were here for, Delmont said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Delmont hit the ground running Monday night, giving an update on the police departments month at the trustees meeting. She has already officially taken over following Bob Gavaliers last day on Friday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. (Bloomberg) -- Australia is open to requests to take part in peacekeeping operations in Ukraine, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, reaffirming his support for Kyiv as it faces growing criticism from the Trump administration. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Australia is open to consideration of any proposals going forward on potentially deploying troops to Ukraine, Albanese said, adding that its struggle against Russia is about the defense of international law. The UK and France have been discussing boots on the ground in Ukraine to ensure its security in the event of a ceasefire with Moscow. We stand with the people of Ukraine and we stand with President Zelenskiy, Albanese told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday. Theres discussion at the moment about potential peacekeeping and from my governments perspective were open to consideration of any proposals going forward. His comments come as President Donald Trump ordered a pause to all US military aid to Ukraine as he seek to increase pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following a blowup between the two leaders at the Oval Office. Australian says it has contributed more than A$1.3 billion ($808 million) in military support for Ukraine since Russia invaded the former Soviet republic three years ago. Australia reaffirmed its strong support for Ukraine in recent weeks even as Trump has intensified criticism of Zelenskiy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Australian officials will meet with local authorities this week to discuss the future of the Port of Darwin, currently leased for 99 years to Chinese-owned company Landbridge Group, as concerns remain over foreign ownership of the strategic asset. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives from the Northern Territory government will travel to Canberra on Thursday to discuss the port and steps necessary to secure its future, according to a statement released Tuesday by NT Treasurer Bill Yan. He called for clarity from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on possible funding for Darwin Port. Weve been doing our due diligence now over many, many months to make sure that what we do around Landbridge and any acquisition of the port is done in the correct manner, Yan told reporters on Tuesday. Federal and territory authorities have been discussing how to deal with uncertainty around the port since November, when reports first emerged of potential financial difficulties at Landbridge. In an emailed statement on Tuesday, Landbridge Australia Non-Executive Director Terry OConnor said the Port of Darwin isnt for sale. The ministers announcement today has come as a surprise and I can confirm that Landbridge and Darwin Port have not been involved in any discussions on the matter, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Northern Territory government originally approved the lease to the Chinese company, a decision criticized by then President Barack Obama as Darwin on the doorstep of a Southeast Asian region thats increasingly being contested by China is also a base for thousands of US Marines. The federal government later changed laws that would allow it to force states and territories to cancel new or existing agreements with foreign governments. Still, a Department of Defence review that began in 2021 found that there were no national security concerns as a result of the deal. One of Albaneses lawmakers in the Northern Territory, Luke Gosling, told Sky News on Monday that the government is looking at buying the port back from Landbridge, potentially with a mix of federal government funds and institutional investors. We can return the port to Australian hands where it should be and we can start to make the most of our strategic position in the Indo-Pacific, Gosling said. The Labor lawmaker also questioned whether Landbridge was meeting its obligations under the terms of the lease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked at a press conference in Sydney on Tuesday, Albanese didnt confirm or deny whether he was considering using federal money to buy back the port. We wouldnt have sold it in the first place, he said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stated that his country is open to possible proposals to participate in peacekeeping operations in Ukraine. Source: Albanese at a meeting with journalists in Sydney Quote: "There's a discussion at the moment about potential peacekeeping. From my government's perspective, we're open to consideration of any proposals going forward, as Australia has historically played an important role, in areas including in Africa, in Cyprus, in a range of peacekeeping areas. We want to see peace in Ukraine, but we want to make sure that the illegal, immoral actions of Russia are not rewarded." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Albanese noted that Australia has so far provided AUD 1.5 billion (approximately US$933 million) in support to Ukraine, of which AUD 1.3 billion (approximately US$808 million) has been allocated for direct military assistance. His statement follows Donald Trumps decision to suspend all US military aid to Ukraine, aiming to pressure President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a spat between the two leaders in the Oval Office. Previously: Zelenskyy left the White House ahead of schedule on Friday, 28 February, after a spat with Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. In response, Trump claimed that Zelenskyy had disrespected the US and was not ready for peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Trump said that he had not yet discussed stopping military aid to Ukraine, saying "we'll see what happens". In recent weeks, the Trump administration has halted funding for the purchase of new weapons for Ukraine and is considering freezing another type of aid the supply of weapons from US stockpiles. On 4 March, Bloomberg, citing a Pentagon official, and CNN, citing a White House official, reported that Trump had ordered the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine, increasing pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after their row in the White House. Background: On 1 March, Albanese expressed his support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people. He noted that Zelenskyy had demonstrated courage and leadership, symbolic of his people, in the face of the brutal and illegal Russian invasion. In a demonstration of solidarity with Ukraine, Australia introduced its largest sanctions package since 2022 on 24 February, targeting 70 individuals and 79 organisations connected to Russia. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) An Australian man credited with saving 2.4 million babies through his record-breaking blood plasma donations over six decades, has died, his family said Tuesday. He was 88. James Harrison, a retired state railway department clerk, died in a nursing home on the central coast of New South Wales state on Feb. 17, according to his grandson, Jarrod Mellowship. Harrisons plasma contained a rare antibody, known as anti-D, which is used to make injections that protect unborn babies from hemolytic disease of the newborn, in which a pregnant womans immune system attacks her fetus red blood cells. The disease is most common when a woman has an Rh negative blood type and her babys is Rh positive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Australia has only 200 anti-D donors who help 45,000 mothers and their babies annually. Despite an aversion to needles, Harrison made 1,173 donations after he turned 18 in 1954 until he was forced to retire in 2018, aged 81. He did it for the right reasons. As humble as he was, he did like the attention. But he would never do it for the attention, Mellowship said, adding his grandfather had been surprised to be recognized by Guinness World Records in 2005 as the person who had donated the most blood plasma in the world. The record was beaten in 2022 by American Brett Cooper from Walker, Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Australian Red Cross Blood Service pays tribute to donor The Australian Red Cross Blood Service said Harrison was renowned as the Man with the Golden Arm. He was credited with saving the lives of 2.4 million babies through his plasma donations, the national agency responsible for collecting and distributing blood products, also known as Lifeblood, said in a statement. Lifeblood chief executive Stephen Cornelissen said Harrison had hoped that someone in Australia would one day beat his donation record. James was a remarkable, stoically kind and generous person who was committed to a lifetime of giving and he captured the hearts of many people around the world, Cornelissen said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was James belief that his donations were no more important than any other donors' and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was, Cornelissen added. Antibody helps donor's family Mellowship said his mother, Tracey Mellowship, Harrisons daughter, needed the treatment when he and his brother, Scott, were born. Jarrod Mellowship said his own wife, Rebecca, also needed the treatment when three of their four children were born. There is speculation that Harrison developed a high concentrations of anti-D as a result of his own blood transfusions during major lung surgery when he was 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the surgery, his dad, Reg, told grandad youre only really alive because people donated blood, Jarrod Mellowship said. The day he turned 18, he started donating. The application of anti-D in fighting hemolytic disease of the newborn was not discovered until the 1960s. Harrison, who was born in New South Wales, is survived by his sister, Margaret Thrift, his daughter, two grandsons and four great-grandchildren. Authorities seek to identify man in stolen credit card investigation MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (KFOR) Authorities in Midwest City are seeking to identify and speak with a man regarding a investigation into a stolen credit card. According to detectives, the man is wanted after an investigation shows a stolen credit card was used at a local retail store on 01/06/2025. Police seek to identify man in stolen credit card investigation, Image courtesy Midwest City Police Department City of Ada reports damage after severe storms Police encourage anyone to contact (405) 739-1258 if you can identify this individual. Reference case number 25-00629. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. The United Auto Workers (UAW) union said it supported President Trumps Tuesday tariffs, offering a full backing for the aggressive action seeking to alter past trade agreements with neighboring countries. Tariffs are a powerful tool in the toolbox for undoing the injustice of anti-worker trade deals, the union wrote in a Tuesday statement. On Tuesday, the Trump administration imposed 25 percent tariffs on most imports from Canada and Mexico and a new 10 percent tariff on imports from China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are glad to see an American president take aggressive action on ending the free trade disaster that has dropped like a bomb on the working class, the union wrote. In its response to the presidents move, the UAW accused corporations of killing good blue-collar jobs by prioritizing foreign manufacturing over production within the United States. We want to see corporate America, from the auto industry and beyond, recommit to the working class that makes the products and generates the profits that keep this country running, the union wrote in their statement. The UAW is in active negotiations with the Trump Administration about their plans to end the free trade disaster, they continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group said they are helping shape President Trumps proposed reciprocal tariffs set to take form in April. Their alliance with the president comes in stark contrast to their endorsement of former President Biden during the 2024 campaign season. The UAW leader also slammed Trump for his billionaire status. Joe Biden bet on the American worker while Donald Trump blamed the American worker. We need to know whos going to sit in the most powerful seat in the world, and help us win as a united working class, UAW President Shawn Fain said in January 2024. Though the unions tune has changed, neighboring nations discontent over Trumps tariffs is steadily growing. Canada and China have both announced retaliatory tariffs on a wide range of imports, which will likely cause consumer prices to swell. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said hikes will cripple every nation involved. The Latin American country is expected to announce retaliatory tariffs over the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its inconceivable that they dont think about the damage this is going to cause to United States citizens and businesses with the increase in prices for things produced in our country, Sheinbaum said during televised remarks on Tuesday. Also, the damage it will cause by stopping job creation in both countries. No one wins with this decision. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CONCORD, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (USA), home to a handful of flights courtesy of Avelo Airlines, will now host an Avelo Airlines operations base starting on Thursday, March 6. The new base of operations was announced in December 2024 as part of their continued expansion and commitment to North Carolina, Concord officials said. READ MORE: Airline announces significant expansion, new jobs, more cheap flights in the Charlotte area Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concord will be the airlines seventh base in NC, and in April Avelo Airlines will open up its eighth NC base in Wilmington (ILM). Officials say the airline anticipates creating 100 new jobs to support the two new NC bases. Those positions include Avelo crewmembers and jobs with Avelo business partners operating at the two airports. On Thursday morning, Avelo Airlines officials will be at USA for a ribbon cutting and will provide remarks on the new base of operations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th NPC, briefed the press on the session. Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei) Journalists work at a press conference of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Lou Qinjian (C), spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Lou Qinjian (C), spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Lou Qinjian (C), spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) Journalists raise hands to ask questions at a press conference of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) A journalist asks a question at a press conference of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Lou Qinjian (C), spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Lou Qinjian (C), spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) A journalist asks a question at a press conference of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie) A journalist asks a question at a press conference of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), talks with journalists after a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), talks with journalists after a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. The NPC, China's national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Mar. 4WORTHINGTON Liv VanderKooi was honored as the Worthington FFA Chapter's Star Entrepreneur, while Autumn Luinenburg captured the Star Placement award during the chapter's 87th FFA banquet Monday night at the Worthington High School. The awards are given to FFA members who excelled in their Supervised Agricultural Experience. VanderKooi, a junior, earned the award based on recordkeeping for her SAE involving planting, tending to and harvesting watermelons, cantaloupe and pumpkins while marketing and selling her crops at local farmers markets, to organizations and District 518 for two years. Luinenburg, a senior, excelled with her SAE records focused on her work in making receipts for farm activities, learning to operate a variety of equipment as well as doing maintenance repairs with A&M Larson Farms and Luinenburg Waste over the past four years. The Star Greenhand award was presented to sophomore Kaitlyn Brunk for her leadership and FFA involvement during her first year as a member of the organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monday night's banquet included the presentation of the Honorary FFA Degree, which went to Randy Michelson, a district sales manager for Wyffels Seed who has shared seed expertise with students through his involvement with the school district's Land Lab. Wyffels Seed has given Worthington FFA members a total of $30,000 in scholarships over the years. The evening also included several scholarship presentations. Stephanie Dykstra was awarded the Jerry Russell scholarship; Lauryn Ahlers accepted the Worthington Ag Advisory Board scholarship; Autumn Luinenburg received the Lowell Haack scholarship; and Morgan Reetz, Claire Mahlberg, Stephanie Dykstra and Autumn Luinenburg received the Wyffels Seed scholarship. Leadership and scholarship pins and certificates were presented to two FFA members from each grade level. Freshman honorees were Emma Heitbrink, leadership; and Andrea Raya Chavez, scholarship. From the sophomore class, Noah Gravenhof received the leadership honor, while Tyson Petersen received the scholarship pin. Jack Bomgaars received the leadership pin and Addison Joens received the scholarship pin from the junior class. Senior honorees were Ben Mahlberg, leadership; and Tarryn Joens, scholarship. Five Worthington FFA members were recognized for their upcoming State FFA Degree awards, which will be presented at the Minnesota FFA Convention next month. Those receiving state degrees are Autumn Luinenburg, Lauryn Ahlers, Claire Mahlberg, Liv Vander Kooi and Madison Sieve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other honors presented during the evening included: Retiring President: Autumn Luinenburg DeKalb Senior Plaque: Autumn Luinenburg Senior Student of Merit: Claire Mahlberg Golden Spatula: Madison Sieve Prepared Public Speaking award: Autumn Luinenburg Extemporaneous Speaking award: Paige Barber Employment Skills award: Kennedy Woodbury Also recognized were the FFA members who received Minnesota FFA Blue Jackets scholarships: Bennet Ahlers, Emma Hietbrink, Wilson Mahlberg, Aurora Ramos Ramos and Kristal Solis. Receiving the Worthington FFA Memorial Jacket Scholarship was Kaitlyn Mulder. Big Bear bald eagles Jackie and Shadow have welcomed two hatchlings! Thousands of eager viewers who have been watching the eagles' nest via webcam since the first pip showed over the weekend got to see one of the hatchlings emerge, with glimpses of tiny feathers and a beak appearing just before 11:30 p.m. Monday. The second hatchling arrived around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to Sandy Steers, the executive director of the Friends of Big Bear Valley. A third hatchling is expected to reach full development Tuesday evening and could hatch in the next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im thrilled that they have hatchlings and they have two chicks after two years of no hatching," she said. "Im thrilled for everyone watching. People are talking about tears of joy and thats how I feel." The organization announced the hatchlings may be imminent on Sunday after the first pip appeared. The group operates a 24-hour webcam that monitors the eagles' nest 145 feet up in a Jeffrey pine overlooking Big Bear Lake. Read more: 'Tears of joy!!!' Big Bear bald eagles may get crack at parenthood Pipping is when a baby bird uses its beak to crack open its shell, and a pip watch is the online vigil and hoopla surrounding that activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tears of joy!!! responded one person on Facebook after the first crack showed up Sunday. In 2023, Jackie and Shadows eggs were eaten by ravens. And last winter also held heartbreak. The pair added a rare third egg to their clutch in late January, but the cold weather was severe. At one point, a storm kept Jackie on her nest for 62 hours straight, sometimes completely covered in snow. Low oxygen levels at high altitude are one of the reasons the Friends of Big Bear Valley group suspects Jackies three eggs failed to hatch that year. Cold, snowy winters and rainy springs also dim young eaglets chances of survival. Bald eagle eggs typically have a 50-50 chance of hatching, according to Steers. Once hatched, fewer than 50% of eaglets survive their first year, according to the American Eagle Foundation. 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. VALPARAISO, Ind. (WGN) A bald eagle died after contracting the bird flu in Northwest Indiana. The bird was captured by the Humane Indiana Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Valparaiso on Monday. The center said it received a call about an injured or ill eagle and the team found it in a field. According to the centers post on Facebook, the eagle was unable to fly and lacked the coordination to get back on its feet. The bird was also observed having seizures on the way back to the center. The team at Humane Indiana Wildlife Rehabilitation Center found no obvious injuries but the bird was underweight and dehydrated, and a test indicated it was suffering from toxicosis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The team suspected the bird might have HPAI or Highly pathogenic avian influenza, the post said. An avian influenza test was conducted and sent to a lab at Purdue University. On Tuesday, the director of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Valparaiso told WGN News in an email the eagle had passed away overnight. More information can be found at Humane Indiana. They also accept donations here. While we are still awaiting test results to tell us conclusively whether or not he was suffering from HPAI, his sudden passing would be consistent with having caught the virus, the statement said. On Thursday, the center said test results confirmed the bird had avian influenza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Cat food recalled over risk of bird flu weeks after pets euthanized Their Facebook post also noted the area has seen a considerable increase in Avian Influenza cases within the last few weeks. The center notes that birds of prey can contract the virus when they scavenge on, or even hunt, birds that are avian influenza positive. Anyone handling a bird who may have avian flu or cleaning up diseases birds should wear proper PPE including gloves and masks. Reports can be made to DNR at https://www.in.gov//sick-or-dead-wildlife-reporting/. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. For the record: 6:43 a.m. March 4, 2025: An earlier version of this story said test taker Ray Hayden could not afford to go to California to take the bar exam. In fact, he considered the journey a waste of money. After Californias bar exams were plagued last week with technical problems and irregularities, the California Supreme Court directed the State Bar on Tuesday to plan on administering the July exams in a traditional in-person format. "The court is deeply concerned by the troubling reports of technical failures, delays, and other irregularities," the Supreme Court said in a statement, noting that it has asked the State Bar and the vendor that administered the exam to provide an expedited, detailed report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court weighed in after State Bar of California staff recommended that the agency return to in-person tests as it scrutinizes whether the vendor behind the new testing system met the obligations of its contract. Based on the administration of the February Bar Exam, staff cannot recommend going forward with Meazure Learning, Donna Hershkowitz, chief of admissions for the State Bar, wrote to the agency's Board of Trustees in a staff memo, referring to the vendor. Instead, she wrote, staff recommend reverting to in-person testing for the next round of exams in July. The State Bars 13-member board is scheduled to meet March 5 to decide on plans for the July bar exam and remedies for test takers who faced problems. In a statement Monday, the State Bar said it is closely scrutinizing whether Meazure Learning met its contractual obligations in administering the February State Bar exam and will be actively working with its psychometrician and other stakeholders to determine the full scope of necessary remediation measures for February 2025 bar exam test takers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not yet clear exactly how much this episode will cost the State Bar. The agency has not conducted an updated fiscal analysis, a spokesperson for the agency said. "However, given that the Board authorized expansive refunds for February and free July exams for those February applicants who do not pass the February exam or who withdrew before the exam," he added, "we are unlikely to realize any cost savings in 2025." Saving money was the key reason the State Bar overhauled its exams. Facing a budget deficit last year of $22.2 million, the agency decided to save money by ditching the National Conference of Bar Examiners Multistate Bar Examination, a system used by most states, and switching to a new system of in-person and remote testing. It cut a deal with test prep company Kaplan Exam Services to create test questions and hired Meazure Learning to administer the exam. The result was a disaster for many test takers: Some reported they were kicked off the online testing platforms; experienced screens that lagged and displayed error messages; and had proctors who could not answer basic questions. Others raised issues with the multiple-choice test questions, complaining they consisted of nonsense questions, had typos and left out important facts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The State Bar said that the Committee of Bar Examiners will discuss possible remedial measures, which could include a discussion of the Provisional Licensure Program. "The Board of Trustees has expressed its support for the PLP program in the past," most recently in a proposal submitted to the Supreme Court in 2023, it said in a statement. "Only the California Supreme Court can authorize a new provisional licensure program or extension of the current program." As the State Bar homed in on the problems with Meazure Learning, deans of some of Californias top law schools noted that the issues were not confined to the technology. While the State Bar has focused on the issues caused by the platform administrator (Meazure), our graduates also reported typos and errors in the new multiple-choice questions that mirrored those we saw in the practice questions published this past fall, as well as disruptive conditions at the testing centers, 17 deans of Californias American Bar Assn. accredited law schools wrote Monday in a letter to the California Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: 'Utterly Botched': Glitchy rollout of new California bar exam prompts lawsuit and legislative review The deans urged the California Supreme Court to allow test takers who sat through the exam and were unsuccessful to obtain provisional licenses under the supervision of experienced attorneys. Provisional licensure would allow candidates with offers of employment contingent on bar passage to retain them, the deans wrote. It would give those who have spent down savings or taken out loans to study for the bar examination the opportunity to earn the income they may need to prepare for another attempt. The deans also urged the state to go back to using the Multistate Bar Exam multiple-choice questions instead of the Kaplan questions, noting there was not enough time to fully investigate and solve the problems with the technology and the multiple-choice questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We understand that the initial departure from the nationally used MBE was prompted by budgetary considerations caused in part by the need to rent large spaces for test-takers, the deans wrote. The alternative exam has proven to cost far more than initially anticipated, so the shift did not solve the financial problem, but likely exacerbated it while creating many others. If the State Bar returned to the Multistate Bar Exam and California essays for the July exam, the deans said, they would offer spaces on their campuses to the agency at no cost. Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Berkeley School of Law, applauded the State Bar staff for recommending a return to in-person exams. Last week was a fiasco and returning to in-person makes total sense, he told The Times, adding that he hoped the State Bar also would reconsider Californias departing from national standards to work with Kaplan. The problem is much larger than Meazure Learning. It was the choice to abandon the National Conference of Bar Examiners prepared tests for Kaplan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: California courts sued over failure to ensure transcripts in millions of hearings Last year, when the State Bar announced a new $8.25-million, five-year deal authorizing test prep company Kaplan Exam Services to create multiple-choice, essay and performance test questions, it promoted its new exam system as saving up to $3.8 million annually. In September, the board approved up to $4.1 million for Meazure Learning to carry out the February and July 2025 exams. But Hershkowitz noted in the staff memo that the State Bar planned to seek additional funding from the board for Meazure to execute the July exam. The hybrid model with Meazure was projected to cost $3.9 million for the July exam about $1 million less than the traditional in-person model, Hershkowitz noted in the memo. But actual costs may be higher," she noted, "as we are anticipating increased numbers of test takers due to the offer to waive July exam costs for many applicants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Switching the plan five months ahead, Hershkowitz also wrote, would create additional challenges. There may be fewer locations for applicants to select from, resulting in higher costs for applicants who may have to travel further from their local community to take the exam. About 1,066 of the 5,600 people who had registered for the February exam withdrew. About 67 applicants who took the test were notified Friday that they were eligible for a March 18-19 retake. Michael Kaufman, the dean of Santa Clara University School of Law, said there was always a question about whether the State Bars shift away from the national system was a wise decision. Another question is whether its actually been realized," he said, noting that last week's fiasco could ultimately cost the State Bar more money rather than less. "I think their efforts to save money have gone by the wayside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law school deans, he said, were motivated to work with the state to come up with new and fair ways to assess aspiring attorneys' competency. "The time is now for a productive, careful, measured conversation with decision makers, including the California Supreme Court, so this doesn't happen again," Kaufman said. "And so that we can actually come up together collaboratively with a fair, reliable mechanism for assessing competency to practice law in a way that will serve the public in the community and the clients. That's the goal." Some test takers who opted to take the exam remotely did not welcome a return to in-person testing. Ray Hayden, who took the test from Lake County, Fla., said he refused to waste his money traveling across the country and finding accommodation for several nights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What they really need to do is to push through with remote," he said. "Find a better provider that can actually handle the bandwidth." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The day before Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass left for Ghana, her aides received an email from the citys Emergency Management Department warning of a "high confidence in damaging winds and elevated fire conditions occurring next week." The mayor nevertheless went on the trip, attending the Ghanaian presidents inauguration, as well as a U.S. Embassy cocktail party, on Jan. 7, the day the Palisades fire broke out. Bass' team did not inform her of the Friday, Jan. 3, email, which advised of a meeting the following Monday to coordinate preparations for the anticipated high winds. In the days before Bass' flight, the National Weather Service had also begun alerting the public on social media about the growing wildfire risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bass, over the last few weeks, has accused former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley of failing to warn her of the potential for a cataclysmic wind event. She told Fox 11 she would not even have traveled as far as San Diego had she been informed of the fire danger. "It didnt reach that level to me, that something terrible could happen, and maybe you shouldnt have gone on the trip," she said. Bass fired Crowley on Feb. 21, criticizing the chief's handling of the Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and killed 12 people. Crowley has appealed her dismissal, with a City Council vote on the appeal scheduled for Tuesday. Correspondence obtained by The Times through a public records request showed that the Emergency Management Department was advising mayoral staffers of the weather outlook, in the Jan. 3 email and messages over the following days, as the forecasts grew increasingly dire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than a dozen Bass aides received the Jan. 3 email, which included multiple attachments from the National Weather Service. An EMD official also wrote that a "tentative calendar invite" to the Monday meeting would follow. Deputy Mayor Zach Seidl, who received the email and oversees communications for Bass, downplayed its importance, saying it did not suggest imminent catastrophe. At that point, he said, the email was referring to a meeting that was tentative. "That is not a warning of disaster," he said. "That sends the opposite message." EMD spokesperson Joseph Riser told The Times that "tentative" referred to the exact date and time of the Monday meeting, not whether it would take place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jan. 3 email was sent at 2:30 p.m. by Jillian de Vela, a duty officer with the EMD, to an internal group called "EMD Adverse Weather," which includes more than 100 officials, including firefighters, police officers, and Department of Water and Power and L.A. Unified School District employees, according to a list provided by EMD officials. Christopher Anyakwo, who is Bass' executive officer for emergency operations, and more than a dozen other Bass aides are on the EMD Adverse Weather email list. The mayor and her chief of staff are not on the list, which was provided by the EMD. The Jan. 3 email included a 10-page attachment with a National Weather Service forecast, which featured a graphic showing a large red flame icon and the header "Critical fire conditions." The graphic said wind gusts could reach 80 mph starting Jan. 7, which, combined with low humidity and very dry vegetation, created a major fire risk for L.A. and Ventura counties. On Jan. 3, De Vela also directly emailed two Bass aides Anyakwo and Jacquelyne Sandoval, the mayors policy director for emergency management sending them Zoom links to the Monday meeting, which was formally known as an adverse weather coordination call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seidl, in an email to The Times, said no one from Bass' staff told her about the information in the Jan. 3 email. He declined to say whether any aides advised Bass of the worsening weather conditions while she was in Ghana. Seidl also did not respond to a question about whether the information in the Jan. 3 email raised concerns in the mayor's office or was serious enough to warrant canceling the Ghana trip. Instead, he repeated the mayor's assertion that Crowley should have contacted her about the weather. "Before other major weather emergencies, the Mayor or at minimum, the Mayors Chief of Staff has received a direct call from the Fire Chief, flagging the severity of the situation. This time, that call never came," he said. Read more: Bass says LAFD Chief Crowley failed to warn her about fire risk Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crowley has repeatedly declined to weigh in on the mayor's allegations in recent days, saying she is "extremely proud of the work" performed by city firefighters. Los Angeles Fire Department officials have said they followed protocol before and during the fire. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, a Crowley supporter, said the Jan. 3 emails the group email and the ones to the two Bass aides show that EMD officials were advising Bass' team of the potential for dangerous fire weather before she left the country. "She keeps saying, 'I wouldn't have left had I known.' But her staff did know," Rodriguez said. "This verifies that her staff was notified of the potential threat by EMD, whose responsibility it is to let us know of these potential weather events." The EMD, one of the city's smaller departments, monitors and distributes weather warnings to an array of agencies and elected officials. In 2024, the EMD organized 20 adverse weather coordination calls, according to the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Mayor Karen Bass was at embassy cocktail party in Ghana as Palisades fire exploded The mayor is responsible for supervising the EMD, according to the 2024 edition of the city's Elected Official Emergency Response Handbook. The department's duty officer, a position that rotates among staffers, is charged with notifying relevant stakeholders including the mayor's team about preparations that have been made before threatening weather conditions, according to the agency's 123-page adverse weather guidebook. The duty officer collects information about weather forecasts, such as heat waves, atmospheric rivers and high winds, and may recommend initiating an adverse weather coordination conference call, according to EMD guidelines. In the final days of December, the National Weather Service began conducting 1 p.m. briefings on the fire risk, inviting fire departments and emergency preparedness agencies from L.A. and Ventura counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first "fire call" took place Dec. 30, followed by another on Jan. 2, said Susan Buchanan, a spokesperson for the National Weather Service. After that, the afternoon conference calls occurred daily, followed by a daily webinar for the media and others, she said. On Jan. 2, two days before Bass' flight to Ghana, the weather service warned during its fire call of the potential for a "DAMAGING OFFSHORE WIND EVENT" in L.A. and Ventura counties and the "long duration of Red Flag conditions," according to a chronology provided by the weather agency. The forecast included a 50% chance of a strong wind event starting Jan. 7, with peak gusts of up to 80 mph. On Jan. 3, the chance of a strong, sustained wind event starting Jan. 7 had increased to 60%, with gusts potentially exceeding 80 mph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, Jan. 5, the day after Bass left for Ghana, forecasters replaced the red flame icon with a purple one, upping the fire risk to the highest level, "extreme." That day, De Vela emailed the EMD Adverse Weather group, advising of the extreme fire conditions forecast. On Jan. 6 at 11 a.m., the National Weather Service ratcheted up its warning again, saying on X: "HEADS UP!!! A LIFE-THREATENING, DESTRUCTIVE, Widespread Windstorm is expected Tue afternoon-Weds morning across much of Ventura/LA Co." Three hours later, the meeting De Vela referenced in her Jan. 3 emails took place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Seidl, two people from the mayor's office participated in the Zoom: Sandoval and press secretary Gabby Maarse. In a seven-page summary of the Jan. 6 meeting, emergency management officials compared the coming winds to the fierce windstorm that battered the region in December 2011. "This windstorm event has the potential to produce life-threatening and destructive wind gusts of 80 to 100 mph," said the summary, which was obtained through The Times' public records request. That document listed storm preparations planned by various city agencies, including the Department of Water and Power and the Department of Recreation and Parks. The Fire Department was slated to "pre-deploy field resources" ahead of the extreme Santa Ana winds. Bass returned from Ghana shortly before noon on Jan. 8, more than 24 hours after the Palisades fire erupted. She told reporters she took the "fastest route back," staying in contact with public safety officials as she traveled. 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. BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) Jane, the daughter of a Marine veteran, said she wanted to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs because she wanted to help people. Since my time here, its been quite an honor. The people here are great to work with, the vets are amazing. Its been a real pleasure to serve, she said. Last Monday, she was one of the more than 2,400 federal employees laid off by the department in a month. News 8 is not using her last name on request while Jane appeals her termination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration sets the stage for large-scale federal worker layoffs in a new memo She was an interior designer at the Battle Creek VA medical center. For 11 months, Jane worked to make sure that veteran patients had furniture that was safe and easy to use regardless of their condition. She would often walk the campus to make sure it was navigable and that needed signage was in good repair. It was a job she loved. She said she loves the mission of helping vets and that its a pleasure to have something to relate to her dad, a Marine veteran. It was also a busy job. When the first What did you do last week? email was sent to federal employees, Jane replied with 16 bullet points. She wrote about reviewing changes to the Wyoming clinic, finding work station space for returning staff and working with the mental health team on installing special beds. My supervisor must have had some wind that it was coming, so I was actually packing up to go home and we were reloading my email a couple of times. The second time that I reloaded it, it was a little after 4:30, it came in and it said I was terminated, said Jane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, the Agency finds that your performance has not met the burden to demonstrate your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest, said the memo from a Chief Human Capital Officer. Judge finds mass firings of federal probationary workers were likely unlawful The termination notice came just weeks before Jane was out of her probationary period. My one big thing is that I didnt get to say goodbye to anybody. And that includes a lot of the leaders in mental health, administrators. I just had to leave, she said. While she works to get her job back, Jane said shes making the most out of the situation by taking care of her family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The job meant a lot because I really loved it and when you love what you do, its not a job, Jane said. A spokesperson for the medical center said in an email that a small number of probationary staff were laid off. This decision will have no negative effect on Veteran health care, benefits or other services and will allow VA to focus more effectively on its core mission of serving Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors, the spokesperson wrote. JOB PERFORMANCE While the termination memo claimed Janes performance wasnt enough, her recent performance review showed a different story. A progress review in May 2024 rated her as fully successful or better. In November 2024, her job performance was rated as excellent. One manager mentioned Janes knowledge of using different software to develop sketches as part of several relocation and renovation projects. She was also commended for managing projects left behind by another staff member who had retired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kenny Cheek, president AFGE Local 1629 representing VA workers, said the layoffs are concerning. Were not here to, you know, bash the VA. We just want to make sure that our workers are supported, and we want to bring back our terminated workers. They did nothing wrong, so if they did nothing wrong, it wasnt conduct or performance, we want to see them come back, Cheek said. Veterans caught in mass layoffs He and Jane believe the decision was not made by the medical center but rather further up the chain. All Cheek wants to see is for all of his members to be back on the job. We want to make sure they do the job that theyre hired to do. We love our VA. We love our job. We will support all of our Members, and if we lose one, thats one too many, said Cheek. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amid the mass layoffs, the VA said it will hire 300,000 employees in what it calls mission-critical positions. Leaders with the national advocacy group Veterans of Foreign Wars have demanded a stop to the cuts. The director for veteran services with the American Legion Department of Michigan said his team has not seen any impact on veteran benefit claims after the layoffs. Though he said there is a possibility that the impact has yet to trickle down. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. The BBCs director-general Tim Davie has admitted there were unanswered questions that should have been followed up over the companys scandal-hit Gaza documentary. Davie defended his journalists to the U.K.s Culture, Media and Sport Committee and claimed no one needs any prodding on an independent investigation while speaking at a parliamentary inquiry in London. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, the corporation apologized and removed Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, about the lives of three children caught in the Israel-Gaza war, from its streaming service BBC iPlayer. It was discovered that one of the 13-year-old subjects, Abdullah Al-Yazouri, is the son of Hamas deputy minister of agriculture, leading to widespread accusations against the BBC, including being manipulated by terrorists. Nothings more important than we are trusted, Davie began alongside board chair Samir Shah on Tuesday. I think theres a lot of frustration and disappointment. Its not about the BBC and people like myself, but were very sorry to the audience, because we dont want to be in a position where we have flaws in the program-making. After Davie defended his journalists who are under enormous pressure, he added: At the end of the day as editor-in-chief, I have to be secure not only editorially, but in the making of that film and I lost trust in that film. Therefore I have taken the decision to take it off iPlayer There were unanswered questions from the BBC, he added. That should have been followed up. Im not ruling it out, Davie said when asked if the doc could be re-uploaded following appropriate edits. Media figures such as actors Riz Ahmed, Khalid Abdalla, Miriam Margolyes and director Mike Leigh are among the 1000+ signatories of an open letter published by Artists for Palestine U.K. demanding it be reinstated on the platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont need any prodding, he said in reference to an investigation on the economics of who was paid and when, as well as organizing an independent review of the film. As I understand it today, the BBC has only made one payment. This was for a license fee to the program maker, the independent [company, to make the film]. The initial assessment of the economics showed that there was a small payment to the sister [of Abdullah]; its a totally normal payment because the boy recorded the narration and went to a studio to do it [Hoyo Films] have written to us very clearly saying no money has gone to Hamas, but absolutely have to do that work. Shah backed up his colleague and said there will be an independent review of the film. Though he was candid over his personal shock at seeing the serious failings on both sides when the interim report came in. The standards of the BBC are very good, Shah said. Theyre very strong So I worry that it wasnt so much the processes that were at fault, [but] people werent doing their job. When asked about the petition from Artists for Palestine U.K., Shah responded: I want to make it quite clear that the idea that we see whats happening in Gaza through the eyes of children is a good documentary idea. I do not want anybody to think thats not the case. What were talking about is the execution of that idea and the level of trust that took place in the BBC, and the independent production company. A BBC spokesperson told THR on Sunday: During the production process, the independent production company was asked in writing a number of times by the BBC, about any potential connections he and his family might have with Hamas. Since transmission, they have acknowledged that they knew that the boys father was a deputy agriculture minister in the Hamas Government; they have also acknowledged that they never told the BBC this fact. It was then the BBCs own failing that we did not uncover that fact and the documentary was aired. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. BBC chair Samir Shah admitted the network having to pull its Gaza documentary was a really, really bad moment and a dagger to the heart of BBC, according to multiple media reports. Shah spoke about the project to the U.K.s Members of Parliament during a pre-planned meeting on Tuesday. Last month, the BBC removed the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone after it was revealed that the projects 13-year-old narrator was the child of a deputy agriculture minister for Hamas. The documentary is no longer available on BBCs iPlayer, and an internal investigation has been launched. This is a really, really bad moment, Shah said alongside the BBCs director general Tim Davie during the Parliamentary session. What has been revealed is a dagger to the heart of the BBCs claim to be impartial and to be trustworthy, which is why I and the board are determined to ask the questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shah went on to say that the editorial standards and guidelines for the BBC are very good and very strong. I have a worry that it wasnt so much the processes were at fault, as people werent doing their job. Thats what we need to really establish, he said. Davie also said there had been a serious failing in the documentary and turned the blame to Hoyo Films, the independent production company that made the documentary, stating that heads at BBC were not told by the company about the teenage narrators possible ties to Hamas. The meeting also revealed that Hoyo had already paid the boys mother what has been described as a limited sum for his involvement. That payment will be part of the investigation. Davie then stood by the BBCs decision to pull the documentary, a move that has also been criticized. The network head said he lost trust in the team that made the film, which led to his difficult decision. Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone features important stories we think should be told those of the experiences of children in Gaza. There have been continuing questions raised about the programme and in the light of these, we are conducting further due diligence with the production company, the British public service broadcaster said in February statement. The programme will not be available on iPlayer while this is taking place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the transmission of this documentary, the BBC has become aware that the father of the films narrator, a child called Abdullah, has worked as a deputy agriculture minister for the Hamas-run government in Gaza, a separate statement further clarified after it aired on BBC Two. Weve promised our audiences the highest standards of transparency, so it is only right that as a result of this new information, we add some more detail to the film before its retransmission. We apologise for the omission of that detail from the original film, an additional BBC statement read. We followed all of our usual compliance procedures in the making of this film, but we had not been informed of this information by the independent producers when we complied and then broadcast the finished film. That message concluded, The film remains a powerful childs eye view of the devastating consequences of the war in Gaza which we believe is an invaluable testament to their experiences, and we must meet our commitment to transparency. The post BBC Chair Calls Pulled Gaza Doc a Dagger to the Heart to Networks Claims of Trustworthiness and Impartiality appeared first on TheWrap. BBC Chair Samir Shah has labeled the Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone controversy a dagger to the heart of BBC impartiality, as he urged a proper independent review of the corporations Middle East conflict coverage. Shah, who is understood to have been left extremely frustrated by the situation that has played out over the past 10 days, did not hold back this morning when speaking to the Culture, Media & Sport Committee (CMSC) about the immense damage caused to the 100-year-old pubcaster by the under-fire doc. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I agree that this is a really bad moment, Shah said. What has been revealed is a dagger to the heart of the BBCs claim to be impartial and trustworthy, which is why I and the board are determined to answer the questions being asked. The BBC Board is very exercized by the scandal and we will get to the bottom of this and take appropriate actions, added Shah. Led by Russell Brand reviewer Peter Johnston, the BBC has commissioned an in-depth investigation into Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, after it emerged that one of the docs narrators is the son of a Hamas minister. Regulator Ofcom has said it could still step in if it is not satisfied with how the BBC is going about things and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has met with Shah and been highly critical of the situation. Shah, who used to run BBC current affairs, said today a deep dive into the mechanics of the film itself is required. I have a worry that it wasnt so much the processes that were at fault but that people werent doing their job, said Shah, although he subsequently denied he was criticizing specific BBC staff. He harked back to his time covering the conflict in Northern Ireland, which he described as my Gaza when he worked for BBC current affairs. In Northern Ireland we had to be very careful about the circumstances of which a terrorist organization works and how they control things, he said. The BBCs coverage of the Middle East conflict warrants a proper independent review, according to Shah, who said we have had loads of complaints about our coverage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The BBC has been commissioning longer reviews into its news coverage over the past couple of years and Shah suggested this should be the next one we study, following similar probes into coverage of the economy and migration. The How to Survive a Warzone issue first reared its head when an investigative journalist unearthed the narrators Hamas links. A group of 45 Jewish TV industry figures including ex-BBC content chief Danny Cohen contacted the BBC and the doc was eventually removed from iPlayer, with the BBC saying producer HOYO Films, which is run by the docs director Jamie Roberts, failed to inform executives about the narrators father. In response, hundreds including BBC presenter Gary Lineker signed an open letter condemning the corporations censorship on Palestine. The BBC has since said that HOYO hid the narrators Hamas connections from its compliance team. Speaking alongside Shah, Director General Tim Davie stressed there was no evidence of active deception from Roberts company and thats why we need to do a review. He said HOYO had said no money was paid to Hamas but a small fee was given to the narrators mother and sister, raising further questions that Davie stressed need answering properly. Despite pressure from both sides of the debate, Davie vehemently pointed out that the BBC does not bow to lobbies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you think we bow to lobbies then come and spend a day with me, he added. We navigate a course sensibly and rationally based on sensible journalism. Davie didnt rule out the doc returning to iPlayer once Johnstons review is complete but stressed that it had to be pulled once he discovered the roots of the problem. At that point quite quickly I lost trust in the film and therefore I took the decision quite quickly to take it off iPlayer. Speaking of reviews, Shah revealed that the BBCs workplace review into culture commissioned in the wake of the Huw Edwards scandal will report back to the board later this month and be published in April. The Banijay review into MasterChef host Gregg Wallace, meanwhile, will publish in weeks not months, according to Davie. On the anniversary of his Chair appointment, Shah said he had never expected this procession of men abusing their power, from news anchor Edwards all the way to Wallace and the likes of One Show helmer Jermaine Jenas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am determined to stamp this out, he said. Shah said the BBC must remember that it is bigger than its presenters. I want to bring about a culture where we say, This person is out, he added. We cant control individuals but by god we can make them go. The BBC is bigger than them. You equivocate on virtually everything Samir Shah CMS chair Caroline Dinenage had kicked off the meeting by saying to Davie and Shah: You must be as frustrated as us to have to talk about the latest scandal in reference to the Gaza doc. Before this saga erupted, Davie and Shah were supposed to be addressing the committee on more long-term, holistic issues such as future funding models and BBC independence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regarding the future of the licence fee, Shah found himself squirming when put under pressure over his claim that the BBC needs to look at whether non-payment of the fee remains a criminal offence, something he said he was troubled by. Pressed on what could be done, he struggled to come up with a solution that wouldnt lose the BBC money, only saying: When we discuss the new funding model we should make enforcement part of that debate and discussion. Referencing a previous committee session, Dinenage slammed Shah for equivocating on virtually everything. A different committee member then said it was extraordinary that Shah would come out with an idea that could lose the BBC 200M ($254M) to 300M in lost licence fee income a year at a time when it is struggling for funding. Shah eventually shot back by pointing out the previous government took away funding for over-75 license fees and BBC World Service funding, which has lost the BBC around 1B per year since. That is not in my gift but if [the government] were to [take back those payments] then the ability of me to say, lets not criminalize that offence could happen he added. We could then have the money to cope with that phenomenon. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The heads of the BBC have addressed the ongoing controversy concerning its documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, with the broadcasters chair describing it as a dagger to the heart of BBC impartiality. The documentary was pulled from the BBC streaming service iPlayer two weeks ago after concerns were raised following the revelation that its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a deputy agricultural minister in Gazas Hamas-run government. In announcing that it was pulling the doc, the BBC acknowledged its failure to disclose the boys family ties to Hamas and said it would be conducting further due diligence with London-based production company Hoyo Films. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday in a pre-planned Parliamentary session, the matter was raised to BBC director general Tim Davie and chair Samir Shah. I agree that this is a really bad moment, Shah said. What has been revealed is a dagger to the heart of the BBCs claim to be impartial and trustworthy, which is why I and the board are determined to answer the questions being asked. He added that the BBC Board was very exercized by the scandal and would aim to get to the bottom of this and take appropriate actions. Davie said that it was a very difficult decision to remove the documentary, adding that these were stories we want to tell. He also pushed back on the idea that the BBC bowed to lobbies from either side, and said that it simply came to whether people can trust this program and not whether it was a valid area of journalistic endeavour. Shah noted that questions about the doc arose the day it first aired and said he found, to his shock, that there were serious failings on both sides [concerning how the doc was made], on the independent production side, as well as on the BBC side. He added that the BBCs editorial guidelines and standards were very strong, noting that he worried that it wasnt so much the processes were at fault as people werent doing their job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shah also asserted that he wanted to make it clear that he thought the idea that we see whats happening in Gaza through the eyes of children was a good documentary idea I do not want anybody to think thats not the case. Davie later said that voices of those children and children in Gaza is absolutely something we need to hear. Davie added that Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone had received around 500 complaints about it being biased against Israel, while there had been around 1,800 calls for it to be put back on iPlayer after it was removed. Both Davie and Shah confirmed there would be a proper deep dive into the makings of the documentary. Days after the BBCs decision to remove the documentary from its platform, a strongly-worded opened letter condemned the move as politically motivated censorship. Signed by more than 1000 names from the media industries including Ken Loach, Mike Leigh, Gary Lineker and Riz Ahmed it described the film an essential piece of journalism, offering an all-too-rare perspective on the lived experiences of Palestinian children living in unimaginable circumstances. The letter, addressed to BBC chair Samir Shah, director general Tim Davie and chief content officer Charlotte Moore, added that it was appalled that the BBC has chosen to give credence to a politicized campaign that sought to discredit a documentary about childrens experiences of unspeakable Israeli military violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it didnt directly respond to the letter, the BBC followed up by apologizing and admitting that serious flaws had occurred in the making of the documentary. According to the BBC, production company Hoyo Films withheld crucial information despite direct questioning. During the production process, the independent production company was asked in writing a number of times by the BBC about any potential connections he and his family might have with Hamas, the spokesperson said. Since transmission, they have acknowledged that they knew that the boys father was a Deputy Agriculture Minister in the Hamas Government. The broadcaster confirmed it has no plans to broadcast the program again in its current form or return it to iPlayer pending the investigations completion. According to the BBC, Hoyo also told the broadcaster that they paid the young boys mother a limited sum of money for narrating the film, paid via his sisters bank account. It said the production company had made assurances that no payments had been made to any members of Hamas or its affiliates either directly, in kind or as a gift. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its statement, Hoyo said: We feel this remains an important story to tell, and that our contributors who have no say in the war should have their voices heard. The day before the Parliamentary session, media regulator Ofcom wrote and published a letter to Shah saying that it had ongoing concerns about the nature and gravity of the failings concerning Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone and the negative impact they have on the trust audiences place in the BBCs journalism. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. CAIRO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit stressed Tuesday at the ongoing emergency Arab summit on Gaza held in Egypt's New Administrative Capital that violence will not stop if the Israeli occupation is not ended, and any illegal perspective for the region is not accepted. He also said violence will not be stopped by displacing Palestinians, and the reconstruction of Gaza is viable while keeping its residents on their land. The summit, attended by Arab leaders and delegations, as well as representatives from international organizations including the United Nations, will later discuss a Gaza reconstruction plan proposed by Egypt. The BBC has been reported to counter-terrorism police over its own admission that payments were made to the family of a Hamas official. The broadcaster disclosed last week that it wrote a number of times to the film-makers of a documentary asking if the child narrator was connected to Hamas. In a statement issued by the BBC last week, the broadcaster revealed that money was paid, by the production company Hoyo Films, to the 13-year-old narrators mother via the bank account of his sister. It described the sum as limited but declined to put a value on it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The BBC has accepted it failed to carry out proper due diligence prior to the documentary being broadcast last month. Lawyers have now alleged that the corporation had a duty to report its concerns to the authorities and that a failure to do so could be a breach of terrorism laws. The documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone has been pulled from iPlayer after the BBC admitted it had identified serious flaws in the programmes making. Its failure to declare that the narrators father is deputy minister for agriculture in the Hamas government has provoked public outrage. Abdullah Al-Yazouri, who narrates the BBC documentary, is the son of Hamass deputy minister for agriculture - Amjad Al Fayoumi/Hoyo Films Tim Davie, the BBCs director general, and Dr Samir Shah, its chairman, will be questioned on the crisis by MPs at a hearing of the culture, media and sport select committee on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UK Lawyers for Israel has reported the BBC to the Metropolitan Police for alleged terrorism offences. It said that under section 19 of the Terrorism Act 2000, the broadcaster has a duty to disclose to the police any suspicions that another person has committed a terror offence. It has also reported the BBC under section 17 of the same act which prohibits payments where there is reasonable cause to suspect the cash has been used for the purposes of terrorism. The money was paid to the family by Hoyo Films, the UK-based production company that made the documentary after being commissioned to do so by the BBC. The BBC said that Hoyo Films only made the admission that the child was the son of a Hamas official after the connection was exposed by an investigative journalist. Tim Davie, the BBCs director general, will be questioned on the crisis by MPs on Tuesday - Tim Whitby/Royal Television Society Caroline Turner, the director of UK Lawyers for Israel, accused the BBC of treating anti-terrorism legislation with disdain and ignoring its obligations to report its suspicions to the police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said: Not only did the BBC fail to carry out its own investigations into the family connections of the child, as it has admitted in its statement, it also apparently failed to inform the police of its suspicions, enabling the police to investigate, as it was obliged to do. Ms Turner added: The BBC has either been duped by the Hamas propaganda machine or has co-operated with it or both. We hope that if the BBC is found to have breached counter-terrorism laws, the police will treat the BBCs executives like any other criminal and prosecute accordingly. In a statement the Met Police said: Were aware of a BBC documentary about Gaza and we have received a number of reports raising concerns. Officers from the Mets Counter Terrorism Command are currently assessing whether any police action is required in relation to this matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scotland Yard has stressed that reports must first be assessed prior to any investigation being launched. It remains unclear if any offence has been committed. A BBC spokesman said: While we do not comment on police matters, we are aware of, and comply with, our legal obligations. The Telegraph attempted to approach Hoyo Films. In a statement last week, Hoyo Films said: We felt it was important to hear from voices that havent been represented on screen throughout the war with dignity and respect and to tell the story about the devastating impact of war on their everyday lives. We are cooperating fully with the BBC ... to help understand where mistakes have been made. We feel this remains an important story to tell, and that our contributors who have no say in the war should have their voices heard. 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. SAINT HELENA ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) Investigators with the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office are asking for information in connection to two separate shooting incidents that occurred on Monday, March 3, 2025, and Tuesday, March 4, 2025. On March 3, 2025, at approximately 7:30 p.m., there was a report of shots fired on Saxonville Road on Saint Helena Island. When deputies arrived, they found a home had been shot at multiple times. They learned a 32-year-old male victim had arrived at an area hospital suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The victim was inside the home at the time the shots were fired from the road. He was treated and released. Then on March 4, 2025, at about 1:30 a.m., the Sheriffs Office Communications Center received a report of shots fired, this time on Martin and Phoebe Way on Saint Helena Island. Deputies found a home has been shot at from the road. Also, another home in the area on Luther Warren Drive, received damage from gunfire. No injuries were reported in this incident. Anyone with information regarding either shooting should call (843) 255-3426. For those wishing to remain anonymous, tips can be reported to Crime Stoppers of Beaufort County toll free at 1-844-TIPSBFT (1-844-847-7238). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The City of Beavercreek recently received a $1 million grant that will aid in the development of a new park. According to a press release, the city will receive the grant thanks to Ohio House Bill 2s One-time Strategic Community Investment Program. The money will help fund the first phase of development for Spring House Park, which will bring the following: An entrance driveway ADA-accessible playground and equipment A splash pad An outdoor fitness area Shelters Restrooms An expanded paved parking lot Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are thrilled to receive this grant and to begin the exciting development at Spring House Park, said Zach Wike, Beavercreeks parks director. The initial construction will provide an immediate enhancement for the Beavercreek community, while ensuring minimal impact on the parks daily operations and maintenance. The total cost of phase 1 is estimated to be $4.3 million. So, the grant will not fund the entire phase, but its a start. The city estimates that the park will cost about $36 million to develop, with $17 million allocated for infrastructure. Spring House Park will be located on Grange Hall Road between East Patterson Road and Shakertown Road. Land for the park, a total of 148 acres, was purchased in 2022 after receiving a $738,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The grant was provided based off the promise of a dollar-for-dollar match from the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city is hoping to gather additional funding for the project. A proposed 1.93 mill parks levy failed in November 2023. Beavercreek Parks, Recreation & Culture will host a public forum on Wednesday, April 2 to garner public input and feedback regarding the park and its development. The open house will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Click here for more 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 WDTN.com. Beekeepers worried about concerning trend of local government crackdowns COOL RIDGE, WV (WVNS) Some local governments across the state of West Virginia are cracking down on the regulations around beekeeping. Temperature changes and livestock; how the wild weather affects them Across the state, a trend of city governments cracking down on allowing beekeeping within city limits has begun to emerge. Mark Lilly, the Head Beekeeper for Appalachian Headwaters, a non-profit that offers several education programs, said a lawsuit was recently settled in favor of a beekeeper in South Charleston, allowing him to keep bees on his property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lilly said so far, southern West Virginia is not having those same issues, though. He said it is thanks to how they educate their new beekeepers. We encourage all of the beekeepers that we come in contact with, no matter where you live, the number one rule is be a good neighbor. So, one, you know, ask your neighbors before you do that. And then secondly, go by some reasonable guidelines, like, you know, you dont wanna have forty hives on your fourth of an acre, said Lilly. Lilly also said to face your hives towards your own property. He said educating your neighbors and asking for assistance from Certified and Master Beekeepers will go a long way towards making sure southern West Virginia still has plenty of honeybees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. Chappy, a beloved gray seal pup found wandering the streets of New Haven in February, has died due to gastrointestinal issues, according to Connecticuts Mystic Aquarium. On February 16, the seal was found stranded on Chapel Street, after which police kept him secure until Mystic Aquarium workers took him to a safer environment. Workers at the aquarium believe Chappy was acting on instinct and trying to get away from larger, dangerous seals in the waters near New Haven when he wandered inland and found his way to Chapel Street, where he was picked up about a mile from Yale University's campus, and several blocks from the nearest coastline, according to NPR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chappy, who was only a few weeks old when he was discovered, was taken for treatment at Mystic Aquarium's Animal Rescue Clinic. There, aquarium workers discovered that Chappy was ill, presenting signs of mild pneumonia, dehydration, and malnutrition. There appeared to be some hope for his recovery as he initially responded well to his treatments and was even learning to eat on his own. Chappy, the seal pup that was rescued last week from the city streets of New Haven has started eating fish for the first time! This is a great step in his rehab as he continues to put on weight. pic.twitter.com/h7oYeBzr6k Mystic Aquarium (@mysticaquarium) February 24, 2025 Despite his apparent improvement, his gastrointestinal issues continued to plague him, and his condition began to worsen. He was suffering from digestive issues and had trouble eating whole fish. He eventually died from his illness. "It's with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of Chappy, the gray seal pup we had been treating in our Animal Rescue Clinic," the clinic said on social media. After a necropsy was conducted by aquarium staff, they found that he had died from complications associated with mesenteric torsion, meaning his intestines were twisted in a way that cut off blood supply to much of his gastrointestinal tract. Chappy, a gray seal cub who was found stranded on the streets of New Haven, Connecticut in February, has died from gastrointestinal issues (Mystic Aquarium) "Unfortunately, despite all the efforts, his gastrointestinal issues were too severe to treat, and he succumbed to his disease," the clinic said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Small pieces of plastic were also found inside his stomach. Aquarium workers do not believe they contributed to his death, but pointed out the discovery as a reminder of the damage human pollution can do to marine life. "In addition, while unrelated to Chappy's immediate cause of death, small pieces of plastic were found in his stomach highlighting the threat that marine debris, especially plastics, poses to marine animals," the clinic reported. While Chappy was only with the aquarium for a short time, the staff said in a statement that they were proud to have treated him and noted that he was surrounded by loving staff while he was in their care. "The reality of working with stranded animals can be tough sometimes, but Chappy was surrounded by love until the very end," the clinic wrote. PEORIA, Ill, (WMBD) The jukebox musical movie Rock of Ages, with smash hits of the 80s, is a live play at Bloomington Community Players Theatre, every weekend in March. Cast members Shireen Banigan and Andrew Crisp stopped by WMBD This Morning to talk about the upcoming production. The show is about a girl named Sherrie Christian, played by Banigan. Sherrie is fresh off the bus from Paola, Kansas, and she is looking to try and pursue her dreams of becoming an actress in Los Angeles, Banigan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another character in the show is Drew Boley, played by Crisp. Boley is a wanna-be rock star who aspires to be the next big star who experiences setbacks, according to Crisp. Crisp explained how he feels the musical really encapsulates everything about the 80s. Its a jukebox musical thats just based off of the era of 80s rock, and its a show that just encapsulates that era, he said. Banigan added that the show is an 80s rock show that has a plot. Theres so much music, and theres so much dance, were just excited to share it with an audience, were ready for an audience to laugh along with us, said Banigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the songs featured in the musical include Dont Stop Believing by Journey and Here I Go Again by Whitesnake, among other big hits, they said. Rock of Ages plays at Bloomington Community Players Theatre, 201 Robinhood Lane, in Bloomington, March 7-9, 14-16, and 21-23. Tickets range from $9 to $20 on the community players 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 CIProud.com. BELVIDERE, Ill. (WTVO) New details have begun to emerge about the future of the idled Belvidere Assembly Plant. According to United Auto Workers Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen, the Stellantis plant will operate in two shifts once it comes back online, although he said no equipment has yet been ordered for the plant. According to Frantzen, the company is looking to recall Skilled Trades workers in 1st quarter 2026, Team Leaders in 4th quarter, and Team Members in 1st or 2nd quarter 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter to union members, Frantzen said the promised Mopar Mega Hub and battery plant, part of the original union contract, were not included at this stage. Frantzen said despite Keep the Promise rallies being held throughout the corporation last year, the support from the membership for a strike wasnt there. With that being said, theres no other way to hold this corporation accountable for anything, he added. In January, UAW President Shawn Fain announced the plant would reopen in 2027, putting 1,500 union members back to work. The plant has sat idle since 2023. That fall, Stellantis announced it would invest nearly $5 billion in the factory, an investment that would include an electric vehicle battery plant and a parts distribution hub. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company cited market conditions for its delay in reopening the plant. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) The Berkeley County Sheriffs Office is collaborating with MUSC to offer free safety checks for car seats and seat belts to ensure childrens safety. Deputies are hosting two seat belt safety check locations on Saturday, April 5th. Berkeley County deputies voice, If you ever question whether your child is buckled in safely, we`re here to help! Certified technicians will check if your childs car seat is properly installed and give 20 free car seats to qualifying passengers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies will be at the following locations on April 5th: Philip Simmons Elementary School 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Cane Bay Elementary School 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. To sign up, 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 WCBD News 2. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner has called for the next German government to reduce fees on the country's aviation sector. Air traffic taxes and security fees must be reduced "so that Germany is competitive with its airports," Wegner said in the German capital on Tuesday at the opening of a major travel trade show. German aviation has been slow to recover from the coronavirus pandemic compared to the rest of Europe. The industry blames high government-imposed charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attending the opening day of the ITB conference, Wegner said the outgoing administration under Chancellor Olaf Scholz has led a "misguided airport policy" and demanded a new direction from the next government. Wegner's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), are currently holding preliminarly talks with Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) over the formation of a coalition. "When we enter the coalition negotiations and talk about economic development in Germany, air transport must play a very, very decisive role," the mayor argued. Berlin has already submitted an initiative on aviation policy to the Bundesrat, Germany's upper house of parliament, Wegner said. State premiers are in agreement that taxes and fees must be reduced to the European level, argued Wegner, who also serves as state leader of Berlin, one of Germany's three city states. Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan Fuad Naghiyev has been strictly reprimanded for shortcomings in his work, Azernews reports. President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree in this regard. "BMW has made significant investments in research and development (R&D) in China to meet market demands. The innovations developed in China serve not only the local market but are also promoted globally, driving overall technological progress," a BMW board member said. MUNICH, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Innovations from BMW's Chinese factories not only drive local development but also enhance the overall technological capabilities and production efficiency of the company through its global network, said Milan Nedeljkovic, a board member responsible for production at BMW Group. "BMW factories implement unified global standards during production, and our global production network is highly coordinated, with factories supporting one another," Nedeljkovic told Xinhua in a recent interview. "BMW has made significant investments in research and development (R&D) in China to meet market demands. The innovations developed in China serve not only the local market but are also promoted globally, driving overall technological progress," he said. Nedeljkovic emphasized that the Chinese market holds a key position in BMW's global strategy. BMW has over 20 years of investment history in China, with three vehicle production plants. More than 90 percent of its output is used to meet domestic demand in China, creating a robust production network. Mechanical arms conduct welding work in a workshop of the Tiexi Plant of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Qing) "BMW has adjusted its product strategy to cater to the Chinese market, establishing a strong business foundation and maintaining close cooperation with local partners, thus building an efficient supply network," said Nedeljkovic. "The Group will continue to deepen its presence in China, enhancing global coordination in production, R&D and innovation," he added. According to BMW Group's data, the Chinese market accounts for more than a quarter of the BMW Group's total sales. In 2024, BMW sold 715,159 units and produced 695,579 units in China. Almost 90 percent of vehicles produced locally in China are also sold there. BMW Group has established an R&D center in China, the largest one outside Germany. It has also set up innovation hubs in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Nanjing, covering key technology areas such as automotive R&D, digital services, software systems, and autonomous driving. FOND DU LAC On top of sturgeon spearing and Valentine's Day, February held a lot more for Fond du Lac. The top stories in Fond du Lac in February included sturgeon spearing news and weather updates, but business news as 2025 gets going has included housing, redevelopments, best spots for bar pizza and the impending closure of the local Joann Fabrics and Craft store. Here are the top six Fond du Lac Streetwise stories from February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement January's top business news: 2025 developments and more Fond du Lac Streetwise news you may have missed in January Readers weigh in on the top 7 places for bar pizza Co-owner Mike Schafer checks on a house deluxe pizza at Joe's Fox Hut, which is celebrating its 60th year in business. We asked readers to share their recommendations on Fond du Lac-area bars for pizza, and the top three places among responses include Joe's Fox Hut, Bob's Pizza and 11:11 Burgers & Beignets. Seven total businesses garnered the most reader attention, whether for their quality crust, selection of toppings, or pairing opportunities with beer or wine. Joann fabrics is set to close in Fond du Lac JOANN Fabrics & Crafts, 806 W. Johnson St. Fond du Lacs Joann fabrics and crafts location, 806 W. Johnson St., has started going-out-of-business sales after a mid-February announcement of the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company filed a motion in court Feb. 12 seeking approval to close more than 500 stores and sell off assets to Gordon Brothers, which served as the stalking horse bidder that sets the floor for the auction process. However, as of Feb. 23, the winning bidder was GA Group together with the Prepetition Term Loan Agent, who intend to "wind down" company operations and close all the store locations, according to the Joann restructuring website. Fond du Lac's position in Wisconsin has unique impact on its housing shortage With the city of Fond du Lac's final report for the Housing Study & Action Plan, local leaders and residents now have a better idea of the city's housing shortage and what's needed to improve the situation. One takeaway unique to Fond du Lac is its close location among several Wisconsin cities and employment centers, including Oshkosh, Appleton, Sheboygan, Milwaukee and Madison. This draws in commuters who work in those cities, but emphasizes the "missing middle" workforce housing that is affordable to middle-class earners as many employees have to find housing outside of Fond du Lac. Saputo factory site one step closer to redevelopment Among housing solutions the city has been working on, redevelopment of the former Saputo factory site on the northeast corner of Main and Scott streets has been high on the list of possibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Feb. 12, the Fond du Lac City Council approved residential and mixed-use development on the property, opening opportunities for the site and supporting a possible public-private partnership to finance and facilitate revitalization. This is part of the North Main Street Corridor Plan guiding improvements to the stretch of Main Street between Lakeside Park and where the downtown sector starts south of Johnson Street to connect the two spaces and create a "sense of place" in the heart of the city. Here's what happened to the building Sam Meyer moved to Main Street Fond du Lac State Farm agent and local historic building buff Sam Meyer recently completed his fifth renovation project in Fond du Lac. One of the first steps was physically moving the building from South Marr Street to North Main Street. The building was built in the 1860s as a doctor's office, and now, after extensive restoration back to what it most likely would have looked like, it serves as Meyer's new office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Remember when ...: A hidden stairway, secret tunnels & more: Fond du Lacs Octagon House steeped in intrigue Fond du Lac County Board launches discussion for new jail After several months with the topic in the hands of the Fond du Lac County Jail Ad Hoc Committee, considerations for a new county jail have started discussions in county board. The committee was tasked with determining if a new jail was needed and what a new jail might entail, including how much it would cost. The findings for the current jail included safety, security and overcrowding concerns, which would make either extensive renovations or a brand-new building necessary. To give the county board and taxpayers an idea of what to expect, Kurt Berner of Wisconsin construction company Samuels Group presented a current cost range from about $267 million for a housing addition and renovation downtown to about $393 million for moving the entire justice center to Scott Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac business news in February: Best bar pizza, housing & more Even before he took office, Donald Trump spoke of emergency: America is in the grip of a woke and weaponized federal government, he warned. Then came the catch: With the nation in such a state, the normal rules werent going to apply anymore. In the weeks since he has taken office, they havent, and weve seen the result: The president has set up opportunities for grift through meme coins and other means; he has violated administrative laws and usurped the power of the purse from Congress; he appears to be turning the Department of Justice into his personal legal team; and his billionaire co-president, Elon Musk, is involved in decisions related to agencies (supposedly) regulating his businesses, just to name a few. The goal posts have shifted so far that they can no longer be spotted on the playing field. Those who study autocracy will tell you: All this talk of emergency is an emergency in itself. The road to authoritarianism is paved with this tropethe dire pending calamity that only the strongman has seen, and which only he can solve. The idea of a shared predicament adds gloss to the unthinkable, so that it starts to seem reasonable: Your pets arent safe living in the same neighborhood as Haitians, so 20 million people need to be deported, posthaste. The emergency, should it come, may not be entirely real. What is real is that before you know it, this rhetorical bait and switch has cleared the way for the further consolidation of authoritarian rule. Its never been a more important time to learn to recognize this trick, and learn to decode it. Even as we speak, the preparation appears to be underway. President Trump recently earned another cycle of disgust by posting a paraphrase of a quote traditionally attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte: He who saves his Country does not violate any Law. Whether or not Napoleon said it, he certainly meant it. He came to power in a 1799 coup on the pretext that the French republic faced an emergency. Anders Breivik, the Norwegian terrorist, meant it in the same way, when he invoked the quote to justify the mass murder of 77 people, most of them young people at a summer camp. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rhetoric of the emergency has been a part of MAGA from the beginning. In an influential essay published pseudonymously in the Claremont Review of Books in 2016, the essayist and former speechwriter Michael Anton described the Clinton-Trump contest as The Flight 93 Election. A triumph for Clinton, he intoned, would be the moral equivalent of a terrorist attack on the United States. In the face of such a threat, any and all means of resistance were called for; it was time to rush the cockpit. Anton was recently confirmed by the Senate as Trumps nominee for director of policy planning. The same language showed up again in Project 2025, the 900-page blueprint for a conservative administration coordinated by the Heritage Foundation. The federal bureaucracy has been weaponized, the document warns, and the wokesters are on the cusp of seizing power. The next president has at most two years to save the country. Appearing on Steve Bannons War Room podcast, Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation and a leader of the project, menaced that the country is in the midst of a second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be. An internal document prepared by staffers and fellows at the Center for Renewing America, the think tank where Russell Vought prepared for his return as Trumps director of Office of Management and Budget, listed as top priorities promoting Christian nationalism and invoking the Insurrection Act as a means of mobilizing the military to put down domestic protest. The radicalized intellectuals behind MAGA didnt just fall into this kind of authoritarian claptrap on their own steam. The trope of the emergency has a long history, upon which theyve ably drawn. Its all there in the annals of the Claremont Institute, a think tank with deep connections to MAGA and the Trump administration. (Claremont board member John Eastman, for example, was co-conspirator 2 in the charges special counsel Jack Smith laid against Trump for conspiring to commit election fraud in 2021.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two twentieth-century political philosophers figure centrally in the backstory of the Claremont Institute and allied intellectuals at the Heritage Foundation, the Center for Renewing America, and elsewhere. The one they dont mind talking about is Leo Strauss. A German-Jewish political philosopher who fled Nazi Germany and eventually landed at the University of Chicago, Strauss is important to the men of Claremont chiefly for the distinction he draws between exoteric and esoteric political philosophy. The exoteric stuff, as the men of Claremont appear to understand it, is what you tell the masses, that is, the people who show up at rallies and sit in the pews of conservative churches. The esoteric message, they seem to believe, is for the initiates, the Ivy-educated cadre that may be expected to assume command of the machinery of the state. But the thinker who arguably matters more in understanding the radicalized MAGA intellectual is Carl Schmitt. A conservative Catholic with a sex-addiction problem who managed to get himself excommunicated from the church, Schmitt defined a genuine sovereign as he who decides on the exception. Which is a nice way of saying he who is above the law. Schmitt also articulated the importance of the state of emergency as a means of separating out the genuine sovereign from the effete liberals who would otherwise betray the people and give in to the enemies of the state. He associated these woke wimps with the rationalist German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, whom he accuses of trying to base the legitimacy of the state on reason and liberal values. All this is music to the ears of Claremont intellectuals, who vie with one another in their condemnations of Hegel and the rational administrative state, which they associate with the dread evil of wokeism. For example, Charles Kesler, the longtime editor of the Claremont Review, implicitly follows Schmitt when he identifies the administrative state with all that is bad in America. It is helpful to know that Schmitt was a full-on Nazi. When Hitler declared an emergency and seized control of the government in 1933, Schmitt was exultant. At last, the ghost of Hegel has been killed off, he enthused. He lobbied hard for a position as adviser to the Nazi government, and he did his part to condemn the work of Jewish scholars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make no mistake, I am not here instantiating Godwins law by comparing the MAGA intellectuals with Nazis. Rather, I am noting that they have borrowed directly from Nazi sources to make the very same points that the Nazis were making. They understand very well that the way to establish a form of government that is not bound by law or reason is to declare a state of emergency. And that is precisely what they are in the process of doing by giving everything they dont likeexpertise, swathes of the sciences, anti-discrimination law, any acknowledgment of socioeconomic or racial inequalitythe moniker of woke and not only endeavoring to forever banish these enemies, but using the idea of an extended, wraparound emergency as an excuse to suspend the rule of law. To see how the process works, it is helpful to remember a more prosaic aspect of those earlier chapters in the history of authoritarianism. Napoleon didnt wait around for some fake emergency to present itself. He went out and spread rumors that the Jacobins were about to launch a coup. Hitler didnt wait either; he famously exploitedmany say orchestratedthe burning of the Reichstag to get the emergency he wanted. In other contextsVenezuela after the election of Hugo Chavez, for examplethe planning for the emergency exhibits less foresight, yet is ultimately no less effective in destroying democracy. It is on account of this need for a semi-planned emergency in mind that we need to pay special attention the corrupt disruption of the federal government currently masquerading as an efficiency initiative. The overt goal of the effort is to eliminate within the administration of government all individuals perceived as not explicitly loyal to the president and the ideology of his movementthose who might, in other words, take their sworn fealty to the Constitution seriously. The obvious benefit for the president and his allies will be a federal government geared to serve his personal financial interests and their power. You might think that the disruption of government services and risk of serious harm to the public would be a disadvantage. But you might be wrong about that. A little pandemic that slips through the cracks of a downsized Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a terrorist attack that gets past a weakened intelligence and law enforcement community; a peaceful protest that gets out of hand and provokes a violent response; an international conflict resulting from broken alliances, broken promises, or just plain lunatic adventurismthese self-inflicted wounds might prompt just the emergency that Americas authoritarians need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to communicating the threat, lets bear in mind that the rhetoric of doom can be part of the problem. Trumps tireless trash-talking of the country should be understood as priming the public for emergency action. He keeps telling his base that America is a hellhole because he understands instinctively that the more hellish people think it is, the more likely they are to give him license to do as he pleases. The message those of us who believe in democracy and its institutions, including a functioning government, might seek to convey is something much closer to the truth: Most Americans would prefer to live in a democracy than a kleptocracy with authoritarian and theocratic features. A new state of emergency might be nothing more than an excuse for Trump and his allies to further the con. More important work, however, needs to be done on the legal front. The nations lawyers, lawmakers, and judges are going to be tested as never before. They are going to face a fundamental challenge in the fact that the laws concerning declarations of emergency were mostly crafted on the premise that our commander in chief would be acting in good faith. But Trump is not acting in good faith, and his lawlessness must be met and challenged on every front. The way to secure the rule of law, to paraphrase Supreme Court Justice John Roberts, is to make sure that the law rules. GEORGE F. LEE / AUG. 23 In 2024 about 30 acres of land in Kakaako Makai was acquired in 2012 by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, OHA, in lieu of back payments owed by the state. OHA has tried to convince state lawmakers to allow residential development on at least some of it. Here, tables and umbrellas for food trucks occupy the site of the old Fishermans Wharf. 1 /2 GEORGE F. LEE / AUG. 23 In 2024 about 30 acres of land in Kakaako Makai was acquired in 2012 by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, OHA, in lieu of back payments owed by the state. OHA has tried to convince state lawmakers to allow residential development on at least some of it. Here, tables and umbrellas for food trucks occupy the site of the old Fishermans Wharf. GEORGE F. LEE / JAN. 9 The Office of Hawaiian Affairs property Kakaako Makai is bordered by Ala Moana Boulevard, Forrest Avenue and Ilalo Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 /2 GEORGE F. LEE / JAN. 9 The Office of Hawaiian Affairs property Kakaako Makai is bordered by Ala Moana Boulevard, Forrest Avenue and Ilalo Street. GEORGE F. LEE / AUG. 23 In 2024 about 30 acres of land in Kakaako Makai was acquired in 2012 by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, OHA, in lieu of back payments owed by the state. OHA has tried to convince state lawmakers to allow residential development on at least some of it. Here, tables and umbrellas for food trucks occupy the site of the old Fishermans Wharf. GEORGE F. LEE / JAN. 9 The Office of Hawaiian Affairs property Kakaako Makai is bordered by Ala Moana Boulevard, Forrest Avenue and Ilalo Street. A reformed effort by the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs to permit housing on land it owns in Kakaako has come up short at the Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two Senate committees on Friday indefinitely deferred a bill that proposed to partly repeal a ban on residential development in Kakaako, makai of Ala Moana Boulevard, for the benefit of OHA. The decision sidelines further consideration of Senate Bill 534 this year. OHA has been trying for more than a decade to convince a majority of state lawmakers to allow residential development on at least some of the 31 acres OHA accepted from the state in 2012 to partially settle claims against the state over unpaid revenue generated from former Hawaiian crown lands, referred to as ceded land. In several prior years, the Senate passed OHA-backed bills to allow residential development in the area known as Kakaako Makai. Those prior bills were defeated in the House, where they were opposed by then-Rep. Scott Saiki, who represented Kakaako and during that time was House speaker or majority leader with great power over legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saiki lost his bid for reelection in August. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking 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. This year 18 representatives in the 51-member House expressed early support for OHAs proposed legislation. SB 534 was introduced by 11 of 25 state senators. In early February three Senate committeesHousing, Hawaiian Affairs, and Water and Landadvanced SB 534 in unanimous or near-unanimous votes after a three-hour public hearing where more than 400 pages of written testimony were submitted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters of the legislation outnumbered opponents by more than 3-to-1. Two more Senate committeesJudiciary and Ways and Meansintended to take action on the bill Feb. 26. Instead, Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Karl Rhoads announced Feb. 26 that a new draft of SB 534 was being proposed by the two committees and that a public hearing was scheduled for two days later, Friday, because proposed amendments were pretty substantial. Yet on Friday, Rhoads (D, Nuuanu-Downtown-Iwilei ) recommended deferring the bill indefinitely without the planned hearing because some senators didnt support the new draft. We were scheduled to take testimony, but we have not found a way forward on this bill, he announced. Several proposals have been put out there, and we dont have a consensus on them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, Ways and Means chair, added that the chairs of the three committees that previously advanced the bill did not agree with the proposed new draft. We couldnt reach agreement with the subject-matter chairs, so well be deferring, Dela Cruz (D, Mililani-Wahiawa-Whitmore Village ) said in the hearing room. New provisions in the proposed draft included a different way for the Hawaii Community Development Authority, the state agency regulating development in Kakaako, to fund area infrastructure improvements, and forming a working group to help transfer regulation of Kakaako development from HCDA to the city. OHA expressed support for the proposed draft in written testimony. Some opponents of earlier versions of SB 534 opposed the proposed draft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kai Kahele, who spearheaded the push for SB 534 as OHAs board chair, said Monday in a statement that he was disappointed by the outcome but respects the legislative process and accepts the decision. I am proud of the way Team OHA presented the case for affordable workforce housing in Honolulus urban core, and we remain committed to addressing the needs of our beneficiaries, said Kahele, a former state and federal lawmaker who was elected to the agencys board of trustees in August. As for the future of our lands in Kakaako Makai, the Board of Trustees will determine the best path forward in alignment with our mission and responsibilities. Some opponents of SB 534 suggested that the state swap other land for the nine parcels that OHA accepted in lieu of $200 million. It would make sense if the State wants to help OHA develop affordable housing to offer additional, more appropriate land elsewhere, Jonathan Lott said in written testimony for Fridays anticipated hearing. Perhaps the State could take back the Kakaako Makai ceded lands in exchange. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sherry Broder told the Senate Judiciary and Ways and Means committees in written testimony that the current housing prohibition in Kakaako Makai is unfair to Native Hawaiians. OHA should be allowed to maximize this asset just as Howard Hughes (Corp.) and other developers have been doing in Kakaako, she said. OHAs plan is excellent and will bring benefits to everyone : more housing, attractive development and an income stream to OHA for the benefit of Native Hawaiians. Through SB 534, OHA sought to allow towers rising up to 400 feet, twice the current limit, on two of its parcels fronting Ala Moana Boulevard. The bill also mandated that more than 50 % of all resulting homes on these two parcels be reserved for Hawaii resident households that dont earn over 140 % of Oahus median income. Furthermore, buyers of these reserved homes would have to be owner-occupants, and a preference would be given to those who work within 5 miles of the area in essential fields that include education, health care, law enforcement, hospitality and construction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kahele framed the objective as helping the state address a chronic affordable- housing shortage. We are not building homes for out-of-state investors, he said during a community meeting in January. The three Senate committees amended the original version of the bill to require that the reserved homes have perpetual price limits keeping them affordable for all future owners with the same income restriction. On three other OHA parcels, the agency proposed market-priced housing within existing height limits and for only Hawaii residents with an owner-occupant restriction, or perhaps a hotel or condo-hotel on one parcel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proceeds from market -priced housing were intended to help fund OHA programs that benefit Hawaiians and to allow the agency to pay for other planned improvements on its Kakaako land, including a Hawaiian cultural center and public waterfront promenade along the Ewa edge of Kewalo Basin Small Boat Harbor. The Legislature banned residential use of land in Kakaako Makai in 2006 to block HCDAs plan to have a developer create a mix of housing, commercial uses and recreational public spaces after project opponents argued that it was a bad use of public land and would curtail public access to the waterfront. Today the area includes a mix of warehouses, car dealerships, office buildings, parking lots, a marine research lab, a waterfront restaurant, a ship repair facility, a childrens museum, the University of Hawaii medical school and Kakaako Waterfront Park. Utah didnt have an esthetics license until 2001, and now a bill in the state legislature would make changes to licensing for estheticians, hair stylists, nail techs, barbers and others. SB330, sponsored by Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, changes the type of licenses available and how many hours are required to receive certain cosmetology licenses. But cosmetology professionals and those who teach the skills are concerned about the changes to licensing requirements. Specifically, they are worried how the changes impact what skills the students will master, and if it will impact the clients who receive those services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill was put together after the Utah Office of Professional Licensure Review studied cosmetology licenses in Utah and suggested changes. The recommendations from the licensing group focused on safety, making sure people were licensed enough to practice safely, but not necessarily at a high quality. I do feel like thats great, the safety is important, but in hair, there needs to be just as much quality as there is safety, because theres so many bad hairstylists, and its because we dont have to pass the test on quality, the test is to pass on safety, said Brynn Black a hairstylist who works at Shade Nine Salon in American Fork. Instructor Brynn Black, center, gives her hair design apprentices Brinley Buckland, left, and Kambrie Mustain, right, advice as they work on giving a client highlights at Shade Nine Salon in American Fork on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News Throughout the process of developing the bill, Sandall worked with professionals and school owners to make sure they are on board with the changes the bill would foster. He shared that his daughter is an esthetician, and that he helped pay for her schooling and has watched her throughout her career. I know how many hours she had to go. ... I watched her do it, and Ive watched her practice esthetics, master esthetics. And so I understand how fast these new technologies come, Sandall shared. Changes made to esthetics licenses significant The bill would make significant changes to the licensing for estheticians in Utah, the biggest change being that it would eliminate the basic esthetician program. Currently, those wanting to study esthetics can do a basic esthetics program for 600 hours or get a masters of esthetics license for 1,200 hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2001, when the master of esthetics license was first started in Utah, Mandalyn Freeland was 22 years old and wanted to get licensed. She wanted to study just esthetics, but not do hair. When she couldnt find somewhere to do that, she decided to start her own school of esthetics where students could focus on just esthetics. Hair design apprentice Kambrie Mustain brushes dye into a client's hair at Shade Nine Salon in American Fork on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News I remember telling my mom and my husband, like, I dont want to wait and drive past someone else doing this. This is my dream, Freeland said. Im just gonna do it before someone else does. After hiring licensed instructors for Mandalyn Academy, Freeland earned her master of esthetics through her own school. She has been running the school for 24 years now. Freeland explained that the skills in the basic programs are things performed at a day spa but the extra treatments under the masters level are received at a med spa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The basic license includes learning how to do facials, wax hair removal, manicures, pedicures, eyelash and eyebrow work. Freelands school also teaches spray tanning and teeth whitening in her basic program because those skills are not regulated through the state. With the master program students learn more advanced treatments, including more aggressive ways to exfoliate. These treatments include microdermabrasion, chemical peels, microneedling, dermaplaning and laser. Freeland said she doesnt think its a good idea to get rid of the basic program, because it requires just enough hours for it to be federally funded, and students who cant afford it on their own can apply for Pell grants and loans. Without the basic license, students who cant afford esthetician school wouldnt have that option anymore. Instructor Brynn Black, right, talks with her hair design apprentices before they start working on a client's hair at Shade Nine Salon in American Fork on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News If youre trying to make things easier for the public to gain an education and a license and a career, then we should have kept the basic program at 600 hours, just to be able to give more people the opportunity, time and money wise, to get that foundation. And then if you want to do masters, you can go on and do that, Freeland said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kenzi Hopkins is a student at Mandalyn Academy who has finished her basic training and is now working towards getting the advanced license, a decision she made as she worked through learning the basics. I really love to learn it, just because I feel like masters side of things is where you see more results oriented. And I really wanted to focus on helping people through their skincare and I wanted them to be confident in their skin, Hopkins said. Changes also coming to hair design license Brynn Black is a hair stylist in American Fork who this year decided to take on an apprentice for the first time. Her apprentice, Melanie Wheeler, started with her in the fall. Two other stylists at her salon, Shade Nine, have also taken on apprentices. The apprentices are all working to get their hair design license. Wheeler said she decided to do an apprenticeship instead of going to a school because she heard she would be able to learn more and would be better prepared to start working after being an apprentice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What inspired me to do this was because I wanted to teach girls that you can actually be good at doing hair, Black said. Because a lot of girls dont continue doing hair after school, and I truly believe its (because of) their experience in school. Hair design apprentice Melanie Wheeler works on giving her client Sarah Porter highlights at Shade Nine Salon in American Fork on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News SB330 would change the hour requirements for the hair design license, requiring students to tally 1,000 hours in school or under an apprenticeship to get licensed. The hour requirements for barbers under this bill would also be 1,000 hours. Black said she believes the apprenticeship for hair design should be less hours than going to school. So I dont know why they think apprenticeship need more hours, because theyre already working in a salon, and thats the goal, thats why you go to school, is to be able to feel confident in working in a salon, and they already are, Black said. High school students still can attend cosmetology school One concern when the bill was first introduced was that it would prevent high school students from attending cosmetology schools. This licensing for high schoolers can be achieved through their schools CTE programs or through the private cosmetology schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive had several high school students that have attended my school through the school district and have been able to get elected credits fulfilled to graduate and get a scholarship that the school district provides for them to come their junior or senior year and already have this license and career by the time they graduate high school. That has been phenomenal, Freeland said. Hair design apprentice Brinley Buckland works with other hair design apprentices on giving a client highlights at Shade Nine Salon in American Fork on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News Sandall said that he worked with stakeholders to fix the issue. Now, the bill would allow these high school students to attend cosmetology school. The high schools that have reached out are comfortable with the language that weve got, Sandall said. It was never our intent to exclude them, yeah. So I think we got it fixed, Sandall said The creation of micro-licenses SB330 would also allow people to become licensed in smaller individual components of esthetics and hair design. These have been referred to as micro-licenses. This would include being individually licensed in facial hair removal, eyelash and eyebrow work, haircutting and chemical hair services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So weve created components, these small health and safety permits, in hours, Sandall said. And if somebody just wants to get that and do that, they can go out and try to be marketable on their own. There is still an option for the smaller components to be bundled together so students can learn all of cosmetology or esthetics if thats what they want to do. Freeland said shes concerned that with the micro-licenses, students wont receive all the background and foundation that they need for sanitation and also professionalism, because of the limited amount of hours. Another concern Freeland shared about these micro-licenses is that people who are only licensed in individual components of esthetics and not all of esthetics might still claim to be a estheticians. How is the public gonna know? Freeland said. Youre gonna have all these girls going through one of those courses, and saying, Im an esthetician,' and so the publics not gonna know, like, what does your esthetician really know? What are they really certified to do? By Renju Jose SYDNEY (Reuters) - Tech giants Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms, Snapchat and TikTok have urged Australia to reconsider a decision to exempt Alphabet's YouTube from its laws banning social media for children younger than 16. The landmark legislation setting some of the world's most stringent limits on social media was approved by Australia's parliament in November, forcing such firms to bar log-ins by minors, or pay fines of up to A$49.5 million ($31 million). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement YouTube stands to be exempted from the ban set to take effect by the end of the year as it is considered a key educational tool and is the only service allowed for children as part of a family account with parental supervision rights. But Meta said a young person with a YouTube account experiences the features outlined by the government to justify the ban, including algorithmic content recommendations, social interaction features and exposure to harmful content. "YouTube's exemption is at odds with the purported reasons for the law and we call on the government to ensure equal application of the law across all social media services," it said in a blog posting on Wednesday. TikTok is concerned that exempting YouTube from the minimum age rule would result in a law that is "illogical, anticompetitive, and short-sighted", it told the government in a submission, urging consistency for all social media platforms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Snapchat said no specific company should receive preferential treatment. "There must be a fair and impartial application of exclusions and all services should be held to the same standard," Snap Inc said in a submission on Friday. Some mental health and extremism experts told Reuters YouTube exposes children to addictive and harmful content as it hosts the same sort of dangerous content as other sites. In public online statements, YouTube has said its moderation effort is getting more aggressive, while it has broadened its definition of harmful content picked up by its automated detection system. ($1=1.6111 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) AUSTIN (Nexstar) On Tuesday morning, Gov. Greg Abbott and his Texas Economic Development (EDP) & Tourism Office released a 155-page plan for the immediate future of the worlds eight-largest economy (excluding the U.S.). Texas Present First the report touched on where Texas currently is, highlighting its recent growth in industry, entrepreneurship, workforce and infrastructure. It also discusses Texas diversity, noting no single industry sector in our economy currently generates more than 10 percent of total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Graph showing what each industry contributes to Texas GDP. (Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office, Office of the Governor) The report also highlights Texas export growth, which has outpaced the overall United States from 2015 to 2021. Texas has led the country in exports every year since 2002, with nearly 6% of exports coming from the manufacturing and energy sectors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas is also spotlighted as a place Americans want to live, boasting the lowest rate of native-born Texans leaving the state and the highest rate of population growth. (Texas) gained over 9 million new Texas residents over the last two decades, meaning our population grew by approximately 43 percent. When businesses succeed, all Texans succeed The future of business To continue the states economic development, Abbott placed a priority on supporting businesses. Specifically his plan calls to bolster Texas key industries, to promote Texas exports, to expand regional economic efforts and to pursue more federal funding options. Some examples of the work theyve already done include adding a Texas CHIPS Office within the EDT, formation the Texas Space Commission, and the Department of Agricultures State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). That pioneering spirit The future of innovation and entrepreneurship Abbott also identified four goals to help new businesses grow: incentivize research, cultivate innovation, connect entrepreneurs to resources and promote Texas as a global destination for start-ups. Ideas include creating advertisements highlighting (innovators) stories from across all sectors and regions to demonstrate to the world the advantages that Texas offers. Texas by the numbers infographic. (Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office, Office of the Governor) The job creators of tomorrow The future of the workforce In coordination with his several efforts to improve education this legislative session, Abbott highlighted three ways education can lead to a greater workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, Abbott wants to create a workforce pipeline in Texas key workforce sectors, including supporting retraining programs for workers leaving more outdated industries. He also wants a more successful workforce development system, improving apprenticeship programs and encouraging more hands-on career training. Lastly, Abbott says the EDT will work with all education providers and industry leaders to help quickly adapt education to what the incoming workforce needs. Gateway to global trade Future of Texas infrastructure Bigger.Better_.Texas_._Economic_Development_Strategic_Plan_Download According to the EDT report, infrastructure is essential to the success of our economy. To improve it, Texas wants to improve transportation, energy, water and broadband networks in the future. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A bill that allows a driver whose native language is not English to use an interpreter during a driving test for a South Dakota license is headed to the state House of Representatives. The House Transportation Committee passed Senate Bill 193 9-3 on Tuesday. The bill had multiple supporters who testified on Tuesday and no opponent testimony, but it did get some discussion in the committee. SB193 has already passed the Senate 33-2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Rep. Phil Jensen was one of three who voted against the bill. If you are in America, you need to learn to speak English, Jensen said. If you want to drive you need to learn English and you need to speak English. In support of SB193, Republican Rep. Brian Mulder said he served in Germany for five years and passed a drivers test. He was allowed to take it in English. A person who doesnt speak English as their first language learns to read road signs, Mulder said. Those road signs are international signs, said David Owen, a lobbyist with the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce , who testified in favor of the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bill supporters said the drivers taking the test must pay for the interpreter and the interpreter cannot provide any advice. The bill also requires interpreters to be approved by the South Dakota Department of Motor Vehicles. Sponsor Democrat Sen. Jamie Smith said he worked with the DMV to address its concerns about the original version of the bill. The importance of the bill to the workforce was also stressed as well as how it would help reduce the number of unlicensed drivers and uninsured drivers in the state, which Smith is good for the economy and all policy holders. David Parsley of Madison said he was supporting a refugee family. Two adults in the family worked outside of Madison and obtaining a drivers license was important to their jobs. Although they may not be fluent in English, they are learning, Parsley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do think it will put more people into the licensed and insured category, Republican Rep. Keri Weems said in support of SB193. The importance of insured drivers was also stressed by Republican Rep. Amber Arlint during the discussion of SB193. Committee chairman Republican Rep. Tony Randolph said it seems the state may be making too many accommodations for those whose primary language is not English, yet he said he wasnt going to vote against the bill. He hoped for more discussion on it on the House floor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) A bill to ban manufacturers from using certain dyes and additives in foods passed through the Agriculture and Wildlife Committee on Monday at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Senate Bill 4 was authored by Senator Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond. She said she has heard from hundreds of Oklahoma families who have supported the legislation, which she called common sense. This is our first swing at this and its a big one, said Thompson. We are giving Oklahomans the freedom to know what theyre actually putting in their bodies. Were not taking away food. Were taking away chemicals. Were taking away things that have no nutritional value. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ban would include 21 chemicals such as aspartame, Red dye 3 and 40, Blue dye 1 and 2, and sodium nitrate. Thompson said they were all products that have been linked to behavioral problems in children and certain illnesses. A lot of Americans dont know what they are or that they exist, said Thompson. The legislation would also ban those same chemicals from being used in medications by 2028. It would require manufacturers add warning labels to foods with additives until the ban kicks in. Lawmakers discuss bill that would condense tax brackets for Oklahomans Companies that do not comply would face a $5,000 fine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Agriculture would oversee the law and send money collected in fines to the local Food for Schools program. Some lawmakers questioned how the bill would work and if it would translate into more government regulations. Why wouldnt we be asking the feds to address these additives? asked Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City. Thompson responded by saying that if every state in the nation were doing something similar, then the FDA would be forced to act. I still dont like the bill, said Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt. I know (Thompson) is wanting to do good things. I just feel that it is government overreach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers approved an amendment to strike the title of the bill which meant it would move forward with expected changes. It passed committee by a 10-1 vote and will now advance to the full Senate floor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Some states are expanding adult eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots ahead of the green light from federal regulators. (Photo by Getty Images) A bill banning gene-based vaccines, like some forms of the COVID-19 vaccine, received approval from a Senate subcommittee Monday. Senate File 360 would prohibit health care providers from administering gene-based vaccines, with penalties of a misdemeanor charge and a fine of $500 for each violation, as well as requiring a review of the providers license. Gene-based vaccines are those using nucleic acids like messenger RNA (mRNA), creating proteins in order to trigger an immune response. While mRNA vaccines have been in research development for decades, the COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna were the first of this kind of vaccine to gain approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speakers supporting the bill said the measure was necessary because the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were linked with adverse health outcomes. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Ed Dowd, founding partner of Phinance Technologies, who wrote the book Cause Unknown: The Epidemic of Sudden Deaths in 2021 & 2022 with a foreword by now-Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., spoke at Mondays subcommittee meeting. He said there has been an increase in members of the adult labor force who have excess disabilities in recent years, which he attributed to COVID-19 vaccinations. We believe that the mRNA vaccines is the cause of these trends, Dowd said. Regardless of my opinion, the trend has emerged, which is quite alarming, (and) needs to be investigated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dowd has also advocated for the Trump administration to put limits on mRNA vaccines because of safety concerns. Advocates with medical organizations said there are already measures in place through the FDA approval process to ensure that vaccines available to the public are safe and effective. Sandra Conlin with the Iowa Hospital Association also expressed concerns about the legislation penalizing health care practitioners for administering vaccines. We definitely oppose trying to get to that route by criminalizing health care providers, because we do have patients coming in voluntarily seeking these vaccines, and certainly it is everyones right in here not to go get one, but to place a criminal penalty against the health care provider its why were opposing this bill, Conlin said. Lindsay Maher with Informed Choice Iowa, a group founded in 2017 in opposition to vaccine requirements and health mandates, said there were specific concerns about mRNA vaccines as gene therapy products intent on altering a persons body that are different from regular vaccines. Her statement is disputed by medical experts with organizations like the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia who say mRNA vaccines are not forms of genetic therapy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite concerns about vaccine injuries and the expedited process of approval for the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Maher said Informed Choice Iowa had concerns about the legislation. We do not like the mechanism of enforcement for this bill or an outright ban, Maher said. Instead, we recommend a provision requiring the product manufacturers provide evidence that these tests have all been completed with no possibility of integration or transmission to the non-consenting public, as well as waiving their immunity from liability prior to allowing them to be available in Iowa. Lina Tucker Reinders, executive director of the Iowa Public Health Association, said there was an irony to this bill being introduced on STEM Day at the Iowa Capitol, when people gathered to celebrate and discuss science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the state. This is the direction of vaccine research, she said. And stopping this research, making these vaccines not available for Iowans, puts our health at risk, puts their agricultural sector at risk, and quite frankly I think, also puts our research universities at risk if they cannot engage in this type of research as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Dennis Guth, R-Klemme, signed off on the legislation, reading an email in the subcommittee meeting from a constituent who said they were injured by taking a gene-based vaccine. He said he was open to amending it to make it more workable for our state, but said the issue was something the Legislature should act on. I think the one thing that disappoints me the most today has been the medical fields denial of the facts that are out there, Guth said. And not being able to say, Maybe we need to compromise, we need to make some accommodations for some of this. But instead, I see them circling the wagons, and it just hurts your credibility even further. Sen. Doug Campbell, R-Mason City, also signed off on the bill. He said he would be open to amending the bill to expand liability for vaccine manufacturers whose products harm Iowans. Sen. Molly Donahue, D-Marion, was in opposition, saying the COVID-19 vaccine prevented millions of deaths during the pandemic and that the legislation to ban mRNA vaccines was trampling on the rights of Iowans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also said the legislation could harm Iowa in the future if passed, pointing to the measles outbreak in Texas and the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Correction: This story has been updated to correct Sen. Donahues city. Shes from Marion. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Bill filed in Arkansas legislature to require locking away childrens library material on sexuality LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A bill filed in the Arkansas legislature on Monday will require strict controls on specific childrens library material if it becomes law. House Bill 1646 mandates that any kindergarten through fifth-grade library media center must lock away in a separate room any material that concerns an individuals sexuality. The material in the locked room may only be checked out by a student after the librarian receives written approval from the childs caretaker. Federal judicial ruling overturns parts of Arkansas library obscenity law Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the bills language, educators who allow locked-away material to be checked out without a signature will be reported to the Licensure Standards Board. First-time offenders will receive a written reprimand, and the second time will have a teachers license revoked. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Kuwait's Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdul Latif Al-Mishari (2nd R), Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Zhang Jianwei (C), and Liu Huailiang (2nd L), chairman of China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co., Ltd., attend a signing ceremony of infrastructure construction contracts at Public Authority for Housing Welfare in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait, on March 3, 2025. China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC) on Monday signed two major contracts worth a total of 557 million U.S. dollars with Kuwait's Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW). The contracts cover the construction and maintenance of road networks, infrastructure, irrigation reservoirs, and substations in South Saad Al-Abdullah New City, located about 25 kilometers southwest of the capital Kuwait City. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua) KUWAIT CITY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC) on Monday signed two major contracts worth a total of 557 million U.S. dollars with Kuwait's Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW). The contracts cover the construction and maintenance of road networks, infrastructure, irrigation reservoirs, and substations in South Saad Al-Abdullah New City, located about 25 kilometers southwest of the capital Kuwait City. According to the CGGC, the two projects are valued at 77.25 million Kuwaiti dinars (around 250 million dollars) and 94.88 million Kuwaiti dinars (around 307 million dollars), respectively. Addressing the signing ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Zhang Jianwei described the contracts as a fruitful outcome of China-Kuwait cooperation. He expressed his gratitude to the Kuwaiti side for its strong support, highlighting that the project would enhance the quality of life for Kuwaiti citizens. Meanwhile, Zhang reaffirmed China's commitment to continuing bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations, and encouraged more Chinese companies to explore opportunities in Kuwait, especially in the housing sector. Kuwait's Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdul Latif Al-Mishari described the contracts as "highly significant," calling them "a major achievement and among PAHW's largest contracts." He also expressed confidence in CGGC's ability to deliver the project on schedule. Liu Huailiang, chairman of China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co., Ltd., noted that the new contracts with the PAHW would further strengthen economic and trade ties between China and Kuwait, and contribute to the realization of Kuwait Vision 2035. Spanning approximately 64 square kilometers, the South Saad Al-Abdullah New City project is one of the key projects under Kuwait Vision 2035. It includes the construction of over 20,000 residential units and service facilities, aiming to accommodate around 150,000 residents upon completion. Kaiden Forman-Webster ICT + MTFP New legislation in the Montana state legislature is seeking to revive a key position in the Department of Public Health and Human Services. State Sen. Susan Webber, Blackfeet, last week brought a bill that would create a tribal relations management team, effectively reviving the tribal relations manager position and ensuring that role cannot be absorbed by the American Indian Health Director. With a particular carve out that directly addresses the position and the Director of American Indian Health may collaborate together but the position will need to be held by separate individuals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Webber said this addition is to ensure that the Department does not just create the Tribal Relations Manager Team to have two positions in name, but only one individual to handle the requirements of both. The relations position will focus on consultation between the tribes and state regarding health related issues while the AIHD will be focused on administrative issues. Webber took a different approach to the bills hearing by introducing it and immediately following it up by requesting the committee table her bill. The reasoning for this abnormal move by Webber to table her own bill during the hearing was that she had accomplished the goal she set out to achieve. Bringing this bill forward was a way to force the Department of Public Health and Human Services to come to the table and address the call for communication and the tribal relations position to be created again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Had the department been in communication from the beginning, I would have never brought this bill if that was the case. I got their attention, and now that I know that they are responding through their department policy, that is a win as well. and even though this is not enshrined in code [the tribal relations position]. The point is that it is going to be working. During her hearing, Webber took it as a chance to voice her frustration with the lack of communication with DPHHS. I initiated contact with the department in regard to the position for a month and never got a response, Webber said. After the Medicaid hearing Webber assumed that this lack of communication would change but it did not. It was at the request of tribal governments that Webber brought this bill forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this session, a committee hearing took place to provide an opportunity for tribal voices to speak their opinions and concerns regarding Medicaid and Medicaid Expansion. During this meeting, the Tribal Manager Position that previously existed within the Department of Public Health and Human Services was terminated after Lesa Evers retired in 2021 and became a focal point of conversation and put into question why this position no longer exists. Related: Montana legislature begin discussions on Medicaid Many spoke out against this decision taken by the Department of Public Health and Human Services, stating that consultation between tribes and state fell drastically upon the elimination of this position. So I'm back, the tribes and I never got a response and the lack of response was a concern. Previously through this position we had very strong communication, this no longer exists. The tribes healthcare is in the hands of this department and because of this we have a real stake in this department, Webber said. Now that I got the bill and now that it's being heard, they [the DPHHS] finally speak up about the progress they are going to make. I hope this keeps their feet to the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Webber and Montana tribes reached out to the DPHHS to discuss the position but never received a response I wanted them at the table and this is how I did it. I expect changes and table the bill. said Webber. Answering the communications would have gone a long way. A possible concern would be what if this move fails and the DPHHS still refuses to create this position within the department and maintain open communication. When asked about this possibility Webber was confident that they will do it There is still no confirmation that the department has taken any concrete actions to remedy the situation but that may change with the upcoming Montana American Indian Caucus meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well see what comes next week, were going to have the DPHHS. Brereton said he was not going to go, said Webber. The caucus meets every Wednesday to discuss pertinent issues and future endeavors. In next week's meeting Webber believes the caucus and the department will be able to address the position and its duties going forward. The tribal relations manager was responsible for communicating between the Department of Health and Human Services and tribal governments across the state. Evers served in the position for 11 years, kept in close contact with tribal leaders and community members to ensure tribes were included in important health care decisions. The state health department, however, quietly eliminated Evers position last year when she retired. Duties of the tribal relations manager were instead absorbed by the DPHHS director of American Indian health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about the decision, a spokesperson from DPHHS in January told Montana Free Press the tribal relations manager duties were not eliminated. Rather, these tasks were incorporated into the duties of the [Office of American Indian Health] director to reduce confusion and create a strong, uniform structure for serving tribal populations, they wrote in an email. Tribal leaders, however, criticized the decision to combine the roles, saying they werent consulted in the matter. Communication between the state agency and tribal governments, they said, is especially vital considering Native Americans face persistent health disparities. From 2018 to 2022, Native Americans, on average, died 17 years sooner than their white counterparts in Montana, according to DPHHS data. The DPHHS is vital to Indigenous health, Webber in an interview with MTFP and ICT and stressed her disapproval with the Department Director Brereton lack of urgency in this matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proponents of the bill included Keaton Sunchild, speaking on behalf of Western Native Voice. He attested to the unusual nature of the hearing, while also taking it as a chance to voice his concern. Just keeping in mind, going forward, into the second half of the session, that this shouldn't have gotten to this point, Sunchild said. We're hoping that the government-to-government consultation, that that will continue to happen going forward, so that we don't have to do this again. ICT logo MTFP logo Shared This story is co-published by Montana Free Press and ICT, a news partnership that covers the Montana American Indian Caucus during the states 2025 legislative session SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) Illinois is among the states with very little oversight for homeschooling. A bill in the statehouse hopes to create a framework to ensure homeschooled students are accounted for and are learning what they need. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association classifies Illinois as one of 12 free states for having no requirement to notify the state and a low amount of regulation for homeschooling content and approaches. The states homeschool system stems from a 1950 Illinois Supreme Court ruling where justices ruled a couple was allowed to homeschool for religious reasons as a form of private school. IL Republican lawmakers file batch of bills to boost relief for families Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Lombard) filed a bill that has more than 15 co-sponsors, and proposes the Homeschool Act tightens the rules. It requires parents to notify schools annually of their intentions to homeschool and to keep a portfolio of their childrens academic work and immunization records. Parents also must have a high school diploma and not be convicted of child sex crimes in order to homeschool. The Coalition for Responsible Home Education is a nonprofit of homeschooled adults advocating for protections for homeschooled children. The group said the bill will keep kids safe. Every child has the right to be safe, to learn, and to access resources. HB 2827 would protect those rights for children who are homeschooled in Illinois, said CRHE Executive Director Angela Grimberg. We are grateful for this opportunity to work with Illinois lawmakers and the homeschool community to help bring HB 2827 to fruition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill has been met with fierce opposition, with HSLDA President Jim Mason calling the bill an attack on our freedoms. Homeschool freedom works, Will Estrada, HSLDAs Senior Counsel, said in a video on the organizations social media. Homeschool families work. Home schoolers love their kids. The full bill can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) E-cigarette users may soon be paying more at the cash register. Senate Bill 20, which would raise taxes for vaping supplies, is moving through the legislature, with sponsors saying the goal is to keep them out of the hands of teens. Lawmakers have proposed similar bills in previous sessions. Once again, today, it drew mixed opinions. Hopefully, [it will] influence and help children stop taking up nicotine in their school years, said Senator Martin Hickey (D-Albuquerque). Preventing youth from using and becoming addicted to nicotine is what Senator Martin Hickey says his new tax bill is meant to do while also generating money for the state. The bill would raise the tax retailers pay on e-cigarettes and e-liquids from 12.5% to 40%. The same goes for closed-system cartridges, which are currently taxed at 50 cents per unit. Senator Hickey says that other states that have imposed higher tax rates have seen a reduction in teens using nicotine products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Mexico Senate passes Turquoise Alert Bill Supporters of the bill say the problem needs to be addressed. We have an e-cigarette epidemic in our schools, and you can ask your local principals, teachers and kids are vaping in bathrooms and its a big, big issue, said Mahesh Sita with the American Heart Association. Meanwhile, others argue it will not deter behavior, while negatively impacting law-abiding adults. Tobacco taxes are the most regressive of any tax we can impose on our constituents. they affect the most financially vulnerable the most, said Art Hall with Native Trading Associates. The bill would also create a new nicotine use prevention and control fund to help educate youth on the dangers of nicotine. It starts here. If we can stop the addiction to nicotine, by discouraging the uptake in youth, were going to have many less behavioral health problems down the line, said Sen. Hickey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill passed todays committee with a 6-to-5 vote. It will now head to the Senate floor. If it passes there, it still needs to make its way through the house. The bill initially included a tax increase on traditional cigarettes and cigars, but the sponsors say they removed those as a compromise with opponents of the bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. An Iredell County lawmaker is defending a hike in emission inspection fees that could double your bill. According to the Hickory Record, right now, safety inspections cost $12.75 and $23.75 for safety and emissions. A house bill sponsored by North Carolina State Representative Jeff McNeely wants to raise it to $29.15 and $40.15. ALSO READ: Several local lawmakers reverse opposition to transit plan McNeely said the increase all goes to the inspection stations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said if lawmakers dont raise the price, mechanics and auto shops will quit doing the work. House lawmakers are set to debate the bill Tuesday. WATCH BELOW: Iredell Coast ends free food pantry due to rising grocery costs Sen. Helene Duhamel, R-Rapid City, listens to testimony during a South Dakota Senate State Affairs Committee meeting on Jan. 17, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) The South Dakota Senate advanced legislation Monday at the Capitol in Pierre that would take $15 million from a statewide housing infrastructure program and put it in a fund supporting the growth of Ellsworth Air Force Base. The base near Rapid City is undergoing an estimated $2 billion worth of construction to accommodate the future arrival of B-21 bomber planes, which are under development. That activity is expected to grow the base and its surrounding civilian population significantly, putting stress on local governments to accommodate the growth with roads, housing, schools, and other infrastructure and services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Helene Duhamel, R-Rapid City, introduced the bill. She said supporting the base will help ensure it never lands on a closure list, as it did temporarily two decades ago. It is something we must take care of, pay attention to and not take for granted, Duhamel said. She also proposed the amendment adopted Monday that identifies the housing infrastructure fund as the source of the money, rather than the state general fund. The Legislature created the $200 million Housing Infrastructure Financing Program two years ago with state money and federal pandemic relief funds. Half of the fund was made available as grants to support infrastructure for housing projects, and all of that money has been awarded. The other half was made available as loans, but demand has been low, leaving more than $80 million in loan funds still available as of December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duhamels bill would capture $15 million from the housing fund and place it in a new Ellsworth support and development fund, from which grants and loans could be made for projects promoting the development, expansion, and support of the mission at Ellsworth. The fund would be administered by the South Dakota Ellsworth Development Authority and its board of governor-appointed members, which the Legislature created in 2009. The Senate voted 29-6 to send the bill to the House of Representatives. Senators rejected a related bill from Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, that would have further supported the bases growth with state contractors excise tax revenue generated by construction projects on the base. The vote against that bill was 21-14. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A growing cohort of tech billionaires is focused on etching their imprints on extraterrestrial realms. Elon Musk wants to create a moon base and send humans to Mars. Jeff Bezos is testing a massive new rocket for outer space. And Jared Isaacman, the aerospace entrepreneur and Trumps nominee for NASA administrator, backs colonizing Mars. Exciting ventures all, but in their gumption, they've lost perspective on an opportunity here on planet Earth. The American heartland is increasingly isolated from the innovation economies that made such billionaires so wealthy. Musk, Bezos, Isaacman, and other tech billionaires should harness their immense power and contribute to a bold project at home: helping heartland cities reinvent themselves for the 21st century. The payoff from sparking Midwestern economic moonshots that create good-paying jobs may not be as romantic as playing out some Star Trek fantasy, but America needs tech billionaires to step into a more civic-minded roleand the rewards are likely to be profound. Enduring legacies In previous generations, industry titans harbored their own big dreams at the vanguard of innovation. During Cornelius Vanderbilts lifetime, steamship races on the Hudson River were a source of public spectacle. Despite the monopolies that made robber barons like Vanderbilt rich, many of their audacious investments were accompanied by a separate and contemporaneous wish to pull the whole of society up along with them. (Vanderbilt would go on to seed the Nashville university named in his honor.) The landmarks such barons left America reflected their desire to extend a ladder back down to those being left behind by technological change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, the absence of any similar impulse is working to sobering effect. The decay across the middle of America isnt just bad for those who feel trapped there in cycles of downward mobilityit also presents an opportunity for those billionaire investors and philanthropists to establish a positive legacy. Rather than look to the stars, they should seize the opportunity under their noses. I speak from experience. In 2019, I founded Tulsa Innovation Labs, an economic development organization supported by oil tycoon George Kaiser and his family foundation. With a $6 billion endowment, Kaisers philanthropy is transforming Tulsa by diversifying the regions oil and gas economy and catalyzing an innovation ecosystem. In addition to Tulsa Innovation Labs, Kaiser has funded Tulsa Remote, an incentive program attracting remote tech workers to northeast Oklahoma; Build in Tulsa, which supports Black startup founders; and the Atlas School, a coding bootcamp. After a new approach to economic development and public, private, and social sector investment, the region is expected to grow at least 20,000 tech jobs over the next decadeabout a third of which are attainable without a bachelors degree. Investing in middle America Tulsa is a shining example of what could happen if some of the countrys 800-plus billionaires began launching moonshots here at home and then began holding each other accountable for following through as civic leaders. The needs are desperate. In the world of technology, AI is all the ragethe next frontier in a perpetual desire to disrupt less productive patterns in the economy and solve intractable scientific problems. But for most of America, the labor market disruptions that could result from AI are a rumbling source of terror. For all that upheaval is celebrated by techies in New York, Seattle, and Boston, its viewed as a looming scourge in St. Louis, Cleveland, and Kansas City. And that is casting a generalized pall over the heartland that has been decades in the making. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In places that thrived through the post-World War II era, the working class is hurting, and the middle class is shrinking. The tech economy feels as distant as Mars. But those places would flourish again if their potential was recognized and cultivated in a smart and judicious way with a bit more investment from those otherwise focused on the stratosphere. Supporting entrepreneurs First, those interested in reinventing the heartland need to pursue the goal strategicallythis cant be done as a slapdash effort driven solely by personal interests. Chicagos economy is enormous, for example, but it lags behind coastal peers in tech. Billionaire heiress Penny Pritzkers nonprofit P33, an inclusive growth organization she launched, has crafted a targeted strategy to bolster a deepening well of innovation and entrepreneurship in quantum, biotechnology, and decarbonizationclusters ripe for growth in the Windy City. Chicago already boasts great hospitals and universities. Pritzker, who served as U.S. Commerce Secretary in the Obama admin, is weaving those existing assets into a new tech community and creating accessible pathways for Chicagoans to benefit from it. Second, resources need to be deployed on a systematic basis, not as one-off and disconnected projects. Just as communities are interdependent, so too are innovation ecosystems. Universities, financiers, entrepreneurs, and more need one another to grow together. When the Walton Family decided to breathe new life into Northwest Arkansas, they not only invested in the local university and workforce system, but they also funded Right to Start, an initiative to support entrepreneurs from underserved communities, and built networks connecting founders, mentors, capital, and talent. To build an entrepreneurial culture, they needed to support several nodes of regional life, and in doing so, are proving that theres real tech potential in rural parts of America. Finally, investors should summon the courage to make big, early bets, on the expectation that others will follow if they do. The most significant barrier for most heartland cities in transitioning legacy economies to tech is in attracting their first significant backer. After Bill Ford Jr., the great-grandson son of Henry Ford, founded Michigan Central, Detroits 30-acre epicenter for tech and innovation, the city and state showed a new willingness to invest, and then Google entered with another major investment. Absent a commitment to Detroits future and that first green light from Ford, its not clear that the other investments would have materialized. A more prosperous U.S. Ventures in the cosmos and the heartland need not be mutually exclusivebut the balance of investment in these two distinct realms needs to change, and fast. Americas geography of innovation is dangerously skewed. Concentrating wealth and opportunity on the coasts leaves the nation vulnerable to economic and social instability, while limiting our global competitiveness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Billionaires have the power to build a more resilient, equitable, and prosperous America; to do so, they should work with heartland cities in the spirit of collaboration, not colonization. The question they must ask themselves is simple: Do they want their legacies to be defined by vanity projects, or do they want to be remembered for reviving the American Dream? Mars can wait. Americas heartland cannot. The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com House Bill 377 would make it a Class B felony to prescribe, administer, or supply puberty blockers or hormone replacement therapy to anyone under 18. (Photo by Vladimir Vladimirov/Getty Images) When Jennifer Boisverts son Luke told her at age 9 that he identifies as a boy, the transition process was simple: support her son, buy him his preferred clothes, and use his preferred pronouns. Hes had months, years of counseling, she said to lawmakers Monday. Hes well rounded. Hes a happy kid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The more difficult process would come later. Luke Boisvert, now 13, does not produce sex hormones and has just one X chromosome, a condition known as Turner syndrome. That means he does not need puberty blockers but he does need hormone treatment, either in the form of testosterone or estrogen. My body physically cannot go through puberty on its own, Luke Boisvert testified Monday. Because of this, I need to take one of the hormones so I can go through puberty. I would prefer to take testosterone, of course, because it fits what I want to look like, sound like, feel like, and who I am: a boy. The Boisverts, who live in Nashua, are moving forward with a process and a team at Massachusetts General Hospital. But proposed legislation in the state would bar such practice of hormone therapy in New Hampshire and threaten felony charges. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW is in a crisis, call, text or chat the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. To reach the New Hampshire Rapid Response Access Point, call or text 833-710-6477. If you need help with grief and loss, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers advice and resources. You can also call the National SAMHSA Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP, with services in English and Spanish, toll free 24/7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, Gov. Chris Sununu signed into law a ban on certain gender-affirming surgeries for people under 18. But the ban did not apply to all types of surgeries, nor did it impact other treatments for transgender youth, such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy. This year, Republican state lawmakers are seeking to ban those, too. A pair of bills to do so attracted heated, emotional testimony to the House Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs Committee Monday. House Bill 377 would make it a Class B felony to prescribe, administer, or supply puberty blockers or hormone replacement therapy to anyone under 18. And House Bill 712 would ban gender-affirming breast surgeries for minors, and limit the use of such surgeries to those needed to treat malignancy, injury, infection, or malformation. The latter bill would not carry a felony charge but could open surgeons up to litigation for providing them. Republicans, inspired by national political trends, say the procedures should be banned until people are adults and can decide to undergo the treatments without parental consent. They argued that not enough is known about the long-term effects of the procedures and pointed to cases in which adults have expressed regrets for undergoing them as children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Children cannot fully comprehend the lifelong implications of altering their bodies with powerful medications, said Rep. Lisa Mazur, a Goffstown Republican and the sponsor of HB 377. Yet we are witnessing a concerning trend where children, some as young as 3 years old, are being seen as patients in gender clinics. Democrats and LGBTQ+ advocates, meanwhile, decried the bill as an attack on transgender people and said it would exacerbate gender dysphoria among transgender youth and could ultimately increase suicide attempts. Over hours, transgender teens and young adults testified to their own experiences, seeking to convince the committee not to recommend the bills. Gender-affirming surgeries for minors are rare, according to data from the National Institutes of Health. Puberty blockers and hormone therapy treatments are more common for that age group. But opponents of the bills say allowing both as options is crucial to give physicians the best tools to help struggling youth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All transgender young people in New Hampshire should be able to get the doctor-prescribed medical care they need, said Linds Jakows, the co-founder of the advocacy group 603 Equality, in a statement Monday. Patients, families, and providers must be the ones making these decisions, not politicians. Conservatives and other supporters of the bill had the opposite view, contending that the procedures are more likely to harm children than help them. Rep. Erica Layon, a Derry Republican, argued there should be better avenues to help transgender teenagers than to give them procedures that can be irreversible. Its not compassionate to give these to kids, and I ask that we stand up and we say that its time to end this experiment and protect kids, Layon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bills emerged after a 2024 election season in which transgender rights became a central flashpoint, as Republicans, including now-President Donald Trump, vowed to ban the procedures across the country. Supporters of the bill on Monday pointed to research indicating that hormone therapy and puberty blockers can carry long-term side effects and hamper bone growth and bone density. Advocates pushed back on the safety risks, with some citing a 2023 study in the New England Journal of Medicine showing increases in appearance congruence, positive affect, and life satisfaction among teenagers and young people after two years of their transitioning. And transgender people said they disagreed that any risks justified banning the procedures. To many, puberty blockers and hormone therapy allowed them to finally realize their gender identity and shed the misery they had experienced before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres been a lot of talk about regret and permanent, irreversible decisions, and let me start by saying that my biggest regret is not transitioning sooner, said Savannah Griffin, a transgender woman from Bradford. When Griffin was 17, before she had come out, her severe depression caused her to drive her truck off the road in an attempted suicide. She survived, and began seeking therapy and taking antidepressants. Eventually, realizing the source of her pain, she began estrogen treatments at age 18. Its the best decision Ive ever made, she said. Six and a half months after starting the estrogen, I was able to quit the antidepressants. Ive been as happy as Ive ever been, and I go months without having suicidal thoughts at all, whereas before coming out it was daily. As for irreversible changes, suicide is an extremely irreversible change, Griffin said. The committee will make a recommendation on the bills in the coming weeks, after which they will head to the full 400-member House. CHEYENNE A majority of Secretary of State Chuck Grays election integrity bills died Friday night after failing to pass first reading in the Wyoming Senate, including two that threatened to upend Laramie County elections, according to County Clerk Debra Lee. A large number of election-related bills were filed this session, making up 8% of total proposed legislation, according to WyoFile.com. House Bill 245, Pen and paper ballots, would have removed touch-screen voting machines that have been used by Laramie County voters for decades. Lee previously told lawmakers this bill would upend elections in her county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve been using these for decades, Lee said in a House committee. They dont know how to mark a paper ballot, I have to be honest. Another failed bill, HB 131, Ballot drop boxes-prohibition, would have created a statewide ban on ballot drop boxes. Lee and several other county clerks argued that the removal of ballot drop boxes could disenfranchise qualified electors from participating in Wyoming elections. Lee previously told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle she received a lot of correspondence from voters who were grateful for the ballot drop box outside the Laramie County Governmental Complex. They could deliver their ballot securely, they could deliver it independently, Lee said. Some of them had health concerns, and they really were glad that they were able to get that ballot to us without having to come into the office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grays election priorities Before the start of the session, Gray told members of the press he was working closely with lawmakers to promote his election integrity priorities this legislative session. These priorities included requiring proof of voter residency and U.S. citizenship, a statewide ban on ballot drop boxes, a ban on ballot harvesting, requiring true photo ID, a ban on Zuckerbucks, improving voter list maintenance statutes and requiring hand verification of voting machines. The secretary of state celebrated a victory on Monday, after HB 156, Proof of voter residency-registration qualifications, successfully passed the Legislature and headed toward Gov. Mark Gordons desk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sponsored by Wyoming Freedom Caucus chairman emeritus Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, HB 156 creates a new 30-day residency rule in order to vote in Wyoming elections and includes a requirement of proof of U.S. citizenship. Only United States citizens, and only Wyomingites, should be voting in Wyoming elections. Period, Gray said in a news release. With the passage of this landmark legislation, Wyoming will further cement our commitment to election integrity, as the only state to require proof of citizenship for all elections, an important priority of President Trump. I urge the Governor to sign this common-sense, conservative piece of election integrity legislation. Bills that ban Zuckerbucks and other third-party funding administrations, improve voter maintenance list statutes and prohibit rank choice voting are still making their way through the session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Gray expressed his disappointment over the other election bills that failed to pass the Senate. Despite a lot of the good work we have been able to achieve and continue to achieve, I am disappointed that seven key election integrity bills were not heard on Friday, Gray said in an email to the WTE. All of these passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives, were heard and passed the Senate Corporations(, Elections and Political Subdivisions) Committee, and died before they could be heard in the Senate. Sandra Hale Schulman Special to ICT Billy Cypress, who served for more than 26 years as chairman of the Miccosukee Tribe, died on February 28 at age 74. The tribe did not confirm his cause of death, though sources said he had been battling cancer. Cypress was first elected to the Miccosukee Business Council in 1973 and served for more than a decade before his election as chairman, making him the longest serving executive of the tribe, and one of the longest serving executive officials in the Western Hemisphere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cypress is survived by his sons, daughters, grandchildren, and his nieces and nephews. Miami Mayor Daniella Cava said in a post, I mourn the passing of Billy Cypress, a visionary and longtime Chairman of the Miccosukee Tribe. His decades of service transformed the Tribe, expanded its reach, and strengthened advocacy for our Everglades. My deepest condolences to his family and our Miccosukee community. Miccosukee Casino Resort. (Photo Sandra Hale Schulman) During his tenure, Cypress oversaw the establishment of the tribes gaming operations, expanding the administrative departments, and became a leading advocate for the tribe and for the Everglades. The tribes reservation lands in Southeast Florida are mostly in swamp and sawgrass, vital sources of water filtration and wildlife. They derive much of their income from tourism and fishing licenses. The sole casino resort off the main highway hosts craft festivals. Many in South Florida first became aware of the tribe through his advocacy and outreach, who would be impossible to fully capture the breadth of his accomplishments and his lengthy 10-year in office, said current Chairman Talbert Cypress in a post. Talbert Cypress is clan-related to Billy Cypress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former chairman led fights in Congress and in the courts all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, Talbert Cypress continued. He took on Big Sugar's water pollution and established the first stringent pollution control standards in the Everglades, which resulted in billions of dollars in state and federal investment. He advocated tirelessly to restore historic flows and engineering flooding in the Everglades. He protected the right of the tribe to teach its young people in a traditional way. He brought tens of thousands of acres back into tribal control and re-established jurisdiction over areas of Everglades National Park that the tribe had been evicted from in the 1940s. He established the tribe's first embassy and built diplomatic relationships with foreign nations, which led to the issuance of Miccosukee passports that were recognized by the same. And all Billy Cypress's work in office set the standard for tribal self-determination and emphasized the importance of Miccosukee traditional practices as being ever more vital in today's world. A young Billy Cypress holds a carved frog at the Miami-Dade Community College in Miami as shown in this 1973 photo. (Photo courtesy of State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory) In testimony to Congress in 1997, Billy Cypress said, "We're not asking for much. Just leave us alone and we'll leave you alone. We'll protect the environment, protect water quality, assist in Everglades' restoration. Miccosukees hope to see just one law, yours and mine, and that we're all equal under it together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cypress is remembered by his friends and extended family as funny, charming, and lighthearted, though he took his role seriously as an elected official. He made traditional crafts and proudly wore the detailed rick rack shirts and jackets that are distinctive to the tribe. Talbert continues that He always made time to talk to family, friends, and his fellow tribal members. He was a great storyteller with an excellent memory, who loved to teach and share. He loved the tribe and all that it stands for, and his focus was always on the well-being of the tribal community as a whole. I worked with Chairman Billy Cypress on the business council for four years as the tribal secretary. He always recognized the honor it was to serve as chairman for our people, and he carried himself with a men's pride. When I was elected to serve as chairman in 2021, he was nothing but gracious and supportive. Whenever I saw him or spoke to him, I always made sure to refer to him as chairman. There are few who understand the responsibility of the seat, but only he served for almost 30 years. Chairman Billy Cypress, thank you for your humor, your dedication, and your service. Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICTs free newsletter. BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) A Binghamton City Councilmember introduced new legislation that would require every landlord to obtain a license and crack down on the landlords not keeping their properties up to code. Binghamton City Councilmember Rebecca Rathmell announced the new Proactive Rental Housing Inspection Program yesterday. The program would change the City of Binghamtons traditional complaint-based code enforcement system, and require landlords to register for a license, and submit to routine property inspections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rathmell says landlords who arent up to code will be fined, and that money could be put towards rehabilitation or relocating. She estimates the program will generate around a million dollars a year. But if we have now a new, dedicated funding source, because were responsibly tracking and identifying and inspecting rental units, we will now also have the resources to support the landlords that do want to make repairs, says Rathmell. Rathmell anticipates, if passed into law, four more code enforcement officers would need to be hired to inspect all of the properties. She says as of now, the city doesnt have an official rental registration, so there could be anywhere from 12,000 to 19,000 rental properties in Binghamton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rathmell says the Proactive Rental Program will establish a registry of landlords and their properties. She says there will be several town hall meetings for the community to provide feedback on the proposal. Binghamtons Mayor Jared Kraham says he is reviewing the legislation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34. MEXICO CITY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday called for "temperance, serenity and patience" as the United States is set to impose tariffs on Mexican imports on Tuesday. Addressing her daily morning press conference, Sheinbaum reassured the public that her administration has multiple backup plans in place should the tariffs be imposed. She said that recent meetings between Mexican and U.S. security and trade officials "went very well." "We will wait and see what happens. In this situation, we must have temperance, serenity and patience," she said. Mexico has prepared "Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and Plan D," said the president, without providing further details. While she did not rule out speaking directly with U.S. President Donald Trump, Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico remains calm and prepared. "So whatever his decision is, we will make our decisions and there is a plan and there is unity in Mexico," she said. She also cautioned against speculation, stressing that the decision to impose tariffs ultimately rests with the U.S. government. Trump had previously agreed to delay a 25 percent tariff on Mexican goods for one month after Sheinbaum ordered the deployment of 10,000 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to curb drug trafficking and mass immigration. On Sunday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed in an interview with Fox News that tariffs on Mexico and Canada are set to take effect on Tuesday. However, he noted that Trump has the final say on the tariff levels, leaving room for potential last-minute adjustments. ST. LOUIS BJC HealthCare employees are on edge after yet another wave of car break-ins at hospital parking garagesthis time at Parkview Tower and the Euclid Garage. Employees say they dont feel safe, and some are even considering quitting. So far, FOX 2 knows that employees received an email Saturday morning about the break-ins, but many employees said they do not believe BJCs claim that safety is a top priority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the second round of break-ins in just one month, and workers say this has been an issue for years. At the start of February, employees say more than 60 cars were broken into at other BJC garages. Many say this has been happening since at least 2022. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Im scared. I dont want to go to work and a lot of my co-workers say if their cars are broken into, theyre done, said one BJC employee. Theyre quitting because they are over this; no one feels safe. Employees said they have seen no changes in security since the first wave of break-ins, and they claim BJC has been vague about any new safety measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All people know is cars are getting broken into and we hear nothing. So we think nothing is being done, said another anonymous BJC employee. Some employees say theyve encountered homeless individuals near their cars. Others say they only see one security guard driving around. Employees want security guards stationed at garage entrances 24/7 instead. Its unacceptable for this to keep happening on the same campus in all different garages. Employees, patients and their family members for an highly ranked hospital in the United Statesthis shouldnt be happening, said an anonymous BJC employee. Families shouldnt have to worry about their cars being broken into when they are on the campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St. Louis Mayoral primary results Police say a small group is responsible for these break-ins. Surveillance footage has helped with the investigation, and officers are working with BJC to strengthen security plans. We sent those out internally to our officers to see if there are any leads we can develop from that before sharing with the public to see asking for their help, said Sgt. Sean Mazzola, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments deputy director of Public Affairs. Police confirmed that 13 cars were broken into this past weekend. No suspect information is available yet, but officers say the main target is firearms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know that these people are looking for firearms and, unfortunately, they did get another firearm this weekend. So my message to the community is please dont leave anything of value, especially firearms, in your vehicle, Mazzola said. BJC HealthCare responded to FOX 2 with a statement. On behalf of BJC HealthCare: Overnight Feb. 28-March 1, there were numerous vehicle break-ins in the Parkview Tower and Euclid garages on campus. Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens Hospital Public Safety are investigating in cooperation with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Hospital Public Safety officers monitor and patrol the campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in cooperation with St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rare low pressure system to hit St. Louis; causes increased headaches and joint pain Police said these break-ins are happening both in the city and the county. Officials are continuing to meet with Barnes-Jewish hospital leadership to review patrol strategies and camera placementsbut employees said they need to see them before they feel safe again. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KINGS, Ill. (WTVO) Michael Williams opened his car detailing and motorcycle customization shop in Ogle County less than a month ago. On Sunday, after finding a racial slur painted on the buildings exterior, he decided to close the business and move it somewhere else. Clearly Customs, at 206 Linn Street, opened in early February. Williams, who is black, said yesterdays incident wasnt the first time he was targeted with racial hatred since moving in. As soon as we opened the shop here, I kind of brushed off and ignored the note that was near my front door. It was very simply put and written, You dont belong here, Williams said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just thought it was a fluke and paid no mind to it. Literally brought it up with the rest of the trash I picked up on the way into the building, tossed it away, he continued. On Sunday morning, he found a racial slur painted on the garage doors of his business, , reading Die n******s, leave. It took it to a different level because it wasnt just directed towards me, he said. Adding that s means someone has recognized that its not just me. Its my son as well. Williams said he was hoping to build up his business before his son graduates high school, with the plan to pass it along to him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We wanted to give something built up for him, to be able to come in and do what he does as far as the automotive detailing, and then, in turn, still be able to enjoy our hobby as far as the motorcycle side goes, Williams said. On Monday, residents who saw Clearly Customs Facebook post over the weekend came to help clean up the graffiti. Cynthia Malkmus said, This is not something that we deal with. And its sad. Its sad that its come to this because that thats just not acceptable. Its not acceptable. Williams said he was grateful for his neighbors support. Were just going to tighten up our boots and keep moving and strive forward, its what we can do, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams said he intends to move his business out of Kings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Four of Walton Countys five commissioners acknowledged they received a document that included the voter registration information of 18 people. All 18 had spoken against the so-called Blackstone projects proposed 2,400, two-story homes in the Mossy Head community. Yall have just become the little Hitlers of the world because people are scared to death that their names could have been read out today, and their voting records, that is an excellent embarrassment to the county, and its an embarrassment to these developers, said a resident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Dan Curry says the document was placed under his offices exterior doormat by Halsey Beshears, a consultant involved in the Blackstone development. Curry says Beshears tried to set up a meeting between the two of them to discuss the document. A couple of days later, he did call me to go over the document, but I figured he would go over the questions that those 18 folks stood up there and asked, but instead he proceeded to just tell me exactly what was on the document with their voting history. And I just as didnt get a good feeling about that, said Curry. Curry says the document was misleading at first glance, with the front page containing renderings of lot sizes and a model home. But then I flip the page and its handwritten. You know, 18 people spoke, so many didnt vote for you, or not me personally, but didnt vote for the commissioners. Three dont even live in the area. So I mean, to me hes trying to insinuate that none of those 18 people really count, added Curry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beshears says his intention was to provide equal transparency from speakers at commission meetings as their testimony moves commissioners opinion, the commissioners have the right to know who is speaking. Beshears goes on, writing, There was never any ill intent to sway a vote either way. The information I provided was all public record and nothing wrong as a commissioner made it out. FSU Panama City students practice underwater crime scene skills Commissioner Curry says he worries this incident will hinder citizens from wanting to speak at meetings in the future, especially about controversial topics like the Blackstone development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have this opportunity where you have probably 14 or 15 of these people have never spoken at a bcc meeting before. Do you think theyre going to come back and speak again? Theyre going to theyre going to think long and hard before they do that because who knows whats going to be slid under somebodys rug the next time around, said Curry. It should be noted that most voter registration information is public record, but not all. Some of the folks may have stipulations where theyre not a public record, ex-law enforcement judges, stuff like that, that stuff is redacted, said Curry. After reviewing the document, Walton County Supervisor of Elections Ryan Messer released a statement saying: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can confirm that the voter information was publicly accessible and did not contain protected or confidential data. However, in a few instances, the document appears to contain inaccuracies when compared to official voter records. Feb-28-ReleaseDownload Walton Countys Republican Executive Committee urged Messer and other county officials to conduct an investigation to determine if criminal charges are warranted. Beshears says he welcomes an investigation to help spread awareness of what is public record, saying the same process served him well during his terms in the Florida House and in other consulting jobs. But Curry says the information was irrelevant in his decision-making process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont care if youre a democrat. I dont care if youre a republican. I dont care if youre an independent. I dont care if you voted or you didnt vote, emphasized Curry. Commissioners voted 5-to-nothing against the development, saying it was for the publics overall well being. By putting they dont live in the area, or they live in Defuniak Springs or they live in South Walton, you know, it still concerns everybody, said Curry. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A blood moon is set to happen on March 13 and March 14 this year, but what exactly is a blood moon? In mid-March, everyone in the U.S. will have the opportunity to experience a blood moon, according to Space.com. It will also be visible in parts of Europe, Australia, Asia, South America and Africa. What causes a blood moon? A blood moon occurs when the moon is in a total lunar eclipse. It has no real significance; however, it does give the moon a red-tinted look. This can only happen during a full moon when the sun is fully illuminated against the moons surface. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At certain times, the Earth will pass in between the sun and the moon, cutting off the sunlight and causing an eclipse. Then, a little bit of light from our sunrises and sunsets will fall on the moons surface, causing it to look red. Lunar eclipses are nice because people can stay home, step outside from time to time to see the changes, and stay comfortable, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Brenda Culbertson told NewsNation affiliate KSNT. Earths shadow is much larger than the lunar shadow that hits Earth in a thin line. Can a blood moon be different shades of red? A surfer rides a wave as a super blood moon rises above the horizon at Manly Beach on May 26, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Yes, a blood moons shade of red can depend on many factors, such as: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amount of pollution Cloud cover The amount of debris in the atmosphere If an eclipse occurs during a volcanic eruption, for example, it might appear as a darker red because of the particles in the air. When [the] moon reaches the umbra, people notice it becoming darker and usually changes to a deep red, however, that is not always the case, Culbertson said. The deep red color is why people call most total lunar eclipses Blood Moons. What is a super blood moon? A supermoon happens when the moon is at its closest point to Earth and is a full moon, according to NASA. During this time, the full moon is a bit closer than it normally is, so it appears larger and brighter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If a lunar eclipse happens at the same time, this can cause a super blood moon. However, a supermoon doesnt always have a red tint. NASA said that supermoons and lunar eclipses are different events and do not always happen at the same time. NASA also notes that there are two to four lunar eclipses in a single 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 The Hill. (NewsNation) A blood moon is set to happen on March 13 and March 14 this year, but what exactly is a blood moon? In mid-March, everyone in the United States will have the opportunity to experience a blood moon, according to Space.com. It will also be visible in parts of Europe, Australia, Asia, South America and Africa. What causes a blood moon? A blood moon occurs when the moon is in a total lunar eclipse. It has no real significance; however, it does give the moon a red-tinted look. This can only happen during a full moon when the sun is fully illuminated against the moons surface. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kroger giving out free Hour Back Box for daylight saving time At certain times, the Earth will pass in between the sun and the moon, cutting off the sunlight and causing an eclipse. Then, a little bit of light from our sunrises and sunsets will fall on the moons surface, causing it to look red. Lunar eclipses are nice because people can stay home, step outside from time to time to see the changes, and stay comfortable, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Brenda Culbertson told NewsNation affiliate KSNT. Earths shadow is much larger than the lunar shadow that hits Earth in a thin line. Can a blood moon be different shades of red? SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA MAY 26: A surfer rides a wave as a super blood moon rises above the horizon at Manly Beach on May 26, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. It is the first total lunar eclipse in more than two years, which coincides with a supermoon. A super moon is a name given to a full (or new) moon that occurs when the moon is in perigee or closest to the earth and it is the moons proximity to earth that results in its brighter and bigger appearance. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Yes, a blood moons shade of red can depend on many factors, such as: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amount of pollution Cloud cover The amount of debris in the atmosphere If an eclipse occurs during a volcanic eruption, for example, it might appear as a darker red because of the particles in the air. Private lunar lander Blue Ghost aces moon touchdown with a special delivery for NASA When [the] moon reaches the umbra, people notice it becoming darker and usually changes to a deep red, however, that is not always the case, Culbertson said. The deep red color is why people call most total lunar eclipses Blood Moons. What is a super blood moon? A supermoon happens when the moon is at its closest point to Earth and is a full moon, according to NASA. During this time, the full moon is a bit closer than it normally is, so it appears larger and brighter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If a lunar eclipse happens at the same time, this can cause a super blood moon. However, a supermoon doesnt always have a red tint. NASA said that supermoons and lunar eclipses are different events and do not always happen at the same time. According to NASA, there are two to four lunar eclipses in a single 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 NewsNation. (WJW) James Harrison, a prolific blood and plasma donor for decades who helped save the lives of millions of babies in Australia, has died, according to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. The organization made the announcement on Saturday, confirming that Harrison passed away in his sleep at the Peninsula Village Nursing Home last month. He was 88. Nicknamed the Man with the Golden Arm, Harrison was internationally known for saving more than 2 million babies by donating plasma more than 1,100 times since 1954, the organization said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James plasma contained the rare and precious antibody, Anti-D, which is used to make the life-saving medication given to mothers whose blood is at risk of attacking their unborn babies, Lifeblood said in a press release. Cat food recalled due to bird flu risk According to the organization, Harrison had to undergo blood transfusions after lung surgery when he was 14. With some encouragement from his father, Harrison started donating when he turned 18 and never missed an appointment until he retired at 81 years old, the organization said. James extended his arm to help others and babies he would never know a remarkable 1,173 times and expected nothing in return, said Lifeblood CEO Stephen Cornelissen He continued to donate even in his darkest days, after the passing of his wife Barbara, who was also a blood donor, and helped inspire his career as a lifesaver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was also very proud to have saved so many lives, without any cost or pain. It made him happy to hear about the many families like ours, who existed because of his kindness, his daughter, Tracey Mellowship, added on behalf of the family. Pope Francis suffers new breathing crises, is back on noninvasive ventilation: Vatican According to the organization, researchers are now working to grow the antibody in their lab, nicknaming the project James in a Jar. Using the blood of James and other donors, the team has successfully recreated and grown his antibody in the lab with the hope it will one day help prevent Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn, not just for pregnant women in Australia, but also worldwide, the press release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Learn more about the research being done right here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. CHIPPEWA FALLS A Bloomer man now faces charges stemming from an incident in which authorities say he pointed a handgun at two people at a campground near New Auburn. Robert J. Peterson, 63, 1521 11th Ave., was charged Monday in Chippewa County Court with two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, operating a firearm while intoxicated and disorderly conduct. Judge Benjamin Lane released Peterson on a signature bond and set a return court date for March 18. Per the terms of his release, Peterson cannot consume alcohol or enter taverns, and he cannot have any contact with the victims in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to PJs Campground on Highway 40 in the town of Sampson on Jan. 25 after receiving a call of an armed individual there. A victim told law enforcement a man, later identified as Peterson, was stealing items from the campground and had brandished a handgun. The eye witness said Peterson was in his vehicle, which was blocked in by another vehicle. Peterson initially ignored police commands and refused to go to the ground, but was eventually taken into custody without incident. The eyewitnesses explained they had confronted Peterson and accused him of stealing antlers. The victims stated that the argument continued at which point Robert exited his truck, turned around, brandishing a black in color semi automatic handgun in his right hand and pointed it toward (them), the criminal complaint reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers searched Petersons truck after Peterson was detained. In plain view on the front center seat I observed a black handgun I recognized as a Glock that was sitting there, the officer wrote in his report. In front of the front seat on the raised portion of the floorboard was a second revolver style handgun and it was determined to be a Smith and Wesson 22 long rifle handgun. This gun had six rounds in the cylinder and they were removed for safety purposes. Gastropub Bobcat Bonnie's is shuttering its location where the chain got its start. Bobcat Bonnie's on Michigan Avenue in Corktown is immediately closing its doors. "It breaks my heart to confirm that my flagship restaurant, Bobcat Bonnies Corktown, will be closing immediately after a decade on Michigan Avenue," owner Matt Buskard said in a statement. Its locations in Ferndale and Lansing will continue to operate, according to the statement. The eye catching Bobcat Bonnie's emblemed is easy to see as you're driving down Michigan Avenue near Trumbull. "Our incredible Corktown staff has known for a few weeks and several of them are moving to jobs in our Ferndale restaurant," Buskard said. "Please go out and support your neighborhood small businesses. " Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buskard also thanked Corktown for "a great 10 years." Buskard opened its Corktown location in 2015 and grew the chain, known for being a hip and colorful place, to seven locations in Michigan. In recent months, Buskard has taken to social media, including Facebook, expressing in lengthy posts the challenges and struggles the restaurant industry has endured, including the pandemic and a tough business climate with a downward trend in sales. In late January, Buskard closed the Bobcat Bonnie's in Wyandotte after trying out being open only for brunch. Its Clinton Township location at the Mall at Partridge Creek abruptly shuttered last August. Ypsilanti's closure followed a few months later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Lafayette Coney Island in Detroit reopens after passing inspection Buskards portfolio of restaurants also included the Fly Trap in Ferndale, which he acquired in February 2022, but recently transferred the ownership back to its original owners. Last August, Buskard opened Scout Vester in the former M Brew spot in Ferndale but closed it four months later. A few years ago a location was also announced for a spot in Toledo, Ohio, which has not opened. In a lengthy Facebook post, Buskard recalled how the Corktown area, which he called a magical neighborhood and community has evolved and called Bobcat Bonnies Corktown closing the toughest decision. Over the years we have proudly served the downtown community, and Detroits Oldest Neighborhood- Corktown. We have seen Tigers Stadium go from a lot to an amazing facility with PAL. Weve seen vacant buildings turn into hotels, apartments, and cool businesses! And most importantly weve seen the outstanding transformation of the train station, Buskard wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While he called the decision heartbreaking, Buskard wrote that the decision was one we must make based on where things are currently in the economy. Personally, this is devastating news, according to the post. This was my first store my friends and family came in to help us paint, reupholster, clean, set up, and open this restaurant. He wrote of hearing about new places that are closing or rebranding or selling and being inundated with stories about businesses moving on. It can feel tough thinking that we survived the pandemic only to never really be able to recover over the longer term. Truly this is never the situation I foresaw us ever being in but this is where many of us are at," according to the post.Buskard outlined plans for the future: Our goal in the next few months is to re-create what was great about Bobcat Bonnies. By really focusing on the service, quality, and pricing we are going to usher in a new season of Bobcat, and slowly remind folks why they loved us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bobcat Bonnie's in Detroit's Corktown abruptly closes after 10 years LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The body of a man killed in a hit-and-run crash has been in a funeral home for more than three months, as the family waited for an answer from North Las Vegas police and a state agency to approve their application to bury him. Adrian Narcisse, 48, died on Nov. 18, 2024, after he was struck by a vehicle while crossing a marked crosswalk around 5 a.m. near Las Vegas and Lake Mead boulevards. Its been three months, and it is ridiculous. Its been ridiculous, his sister April Siler said. He was a son. He was a brother. He was a father. He was a grandfather, and he was just taken out unfortunately by a coward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The North Las Vegas Police Department released surveillance photos a few hours after Narcisse, 48, was struck dead. In an email Sunday, NLVPD told 8 News Now that the car had been found but not the driver. I just want answers. I just want to know who did this and if theyre doing anything to find out who did this, Siler said. Adrian Narcisse, 48, died on Nov. 18, 2024, after he was struck by a vehicle while crossing a marked crosswalk around 5 a.m. near Las Vegas and Lake Mead boulevards. (April Siler) Adrian Narcisse, 48, died on Nov. 18, 2024, after he was struck by a vehicle while crossing a marked crosswalk around 5 a.m. near Las Vegas and Lake Mead boulevards. (April Siler) Since his death, Narcisses body has been at Davis Funeral Homes, according to his sister. Siler said they have yet to bury him due to the Victims of Crime Fund not receiving a police report on the incident from NLVPD. State lawmakers created the fund in the 1960s to help crime victims with medical bills and funeral costs. Claims cant exceed $35,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Siler said their mother died a few months before Narcisse and their father died in January, so they are in a tough financial position. As of two weeks ago, [the Victims of Crime Fund] stated that it is still pending due to the fact that it is still under quote, unquote investigation. And Im not understanding that, Siler said. NLVPD has not responded to a request for comment regarding the release of the police report. After 8 News Now made inquiries into the matter, Siler said the Victims of Crime Fund called her to say it would submit for approval the application for Narcisses funeral. According to state law, most of the money in the Victims of Crime Fund comes from assets seized from those convicted of crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese spokesperson said on Tuesday that China highly values its relations with Europe and the two sides are partners that contribute to each other's success. Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, made the remarks at a press conference held ahead of the opening of the session scheduled for Wednesday. The healthy and stable development of China-Europe relations aligns with the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides, as well as the common expectations of the international community, Lou said. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. "Over the past 50 years, facts have proven again and again that there are no fundamental clashes of interest or geopolitical conflicts between China and Europe; rather, they are partners that contribute to each other's success," Lou said. Noting that the economic and trade relations between China and Europe have generally developed steadily, Lou said the economic and trade cooperation has not only promoted the economic development of both sides but also made positive contributions to the stability of global industrial and supply chains, as well as to global economic growth. "China-Europe relations are not targeted at, dependent on, nor subject to any third party," he added. China is willing to work with the European side to implement the important consensus reached by their leaders, strengthen cooperation across various fields, and jointly address global challenges and oppose unilateralism and protectionism, he said. DENVER (KDVR) Eagle County officials say they have recovered the body of a snowboarder who was reported missing on Feb. 14 when he didnt return from the slopes near Vail. Vail Mountain Rescue and Vail Ski Patrol began looking for Connor Gill, 26, after he was reported overdue from his return. Denver weather: Pinpoint Weather Alert Day Tuesday The Eagle County Sheriffs Office had been notified of Gills absence about 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 14, and rescuers were looking for the snowboarders last known location and looked in areas known to be commonly ridden by the missing man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Eagle County Coroners Office on Monday confirmed in an email Gills body was found Friday, two weeks after he was last seen. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. The man accused of using a machete to attack a homeless day center worker last year could bail out of jail. A judge set Cedric Smiths bond at $250,000. After issuing the order last month, the judge said the court still considers Smith to be a danger to the community. However, prosecutors did not indict him within the 90 days required by law. So, the judge was obligated to set a bond for him. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Channel 2 Action News contacted the Athens-Clarke County District Attorneys Office to find out what prevented prosecutors from indicting Smith within the required 90-day window. We are waiting to hear back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police arrested Smith in June 2024. Investigators believe he beat Chris Sullens in the head with a machete outside Advantage Homeless Day Service Center in Athens. If Smith is able to bond out of jail, the judge ordered him to stay away from Sullens and banned him from Athens-Clarke County. TRENDING STORIES: Smiths criminal record in Athens dates back to 2013. That is when police said he pulled a knife on a woman on a sidewalk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was charged with parole violations in 2014 and 2015 and in 2017, he cut someones neck with a razor blade, according to an arrest warrant. He served four years in prison for that offense. He was out on parole when the attack against Sullens happened. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Sip. Read. Relax. Thats the thrust of a new business promising to blend, literature and libations in Detroits historic Corktown neighborhood. Sip-N-Read is a bookstore and bar where visitors can peruse novels of all genres in a space thats billed as cozy and social while offering Michigan-made wines and craft cocktails. Located on Michigan Avenue in Corktown, Sip-N-Read plans a spring opening. Tamela Todd, a three-time published author, founded Sip-N-Read to provide a place with an atmosphere that encourages conversation, creativity, and community, according to a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sip & Read is more than just a bookstore or a bar its a destination where stories are told, friendships are formed, and ideas are shared, Todd said in a news release. The 2,400-square-foot space is a place where they can enjoy a novel with or without a glass of wine or other beverage or engage in book discussions. Todd said creating this space and project is personal for her because she loves sipping and reading, be it coffee, tea, wine, or a mocktail. More: Detroits first indoor and outdoor dog park with beer garden plans second location More: Batch Brewing celebrating 10th anniversary: What's on tap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sip-N-Read plans to offer book selections, including bestsellers, independent titles and works of all genres, according to a news release. Its beverage menu will feature hand-selected Michigan made wines, craft cocktails plus non-alcoholic options along with cheese and meat charcuterie boards paired with accompaniments. Also planned are monthly literary and discussion events, book signings, and author readings. Were creating a space that celebrates literature while offering a modern social experience, blending two of lifes greatest pleasures books and wine, Todd said. Sip-N-Read is at 1620 Michigan Ave., Suite 122, in Corktown between Trumbull and Rosa Parks Blvd. For information, visit sipandread.net. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Sip-N-Read bookstore offers Michigan made wines, cocktails amid novels BLUFFDALE, Utah (ABC4) The booms are back. Utahns can expect to hear loud booms and noises throughout this week as the Utah National Guard begins a round of live artillery testing at Camp Williams near the point of the mountain. In an announcement posted on social media, the Utah National Guard said the live artillery training will begin on Tuesday, March 4, and continue through until Friday, March 7. The booms can be expected periodically between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. throughout this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not uncommon for Utahns to hear explosive booms throughout the year. No elimination of Utahs social security tax, says state budget chair Most notably, the Tooele Army Depot surprised the Wasatch Front in September 2024 by conducting detonations to dispose of expired military munitions. Residents from Kaysville in Davis County as far as Provo in Utah County reported reverberating booms strong enough to shake houses and rattle windows. Depot officials which typically alerts Utahns about upcoming detonations did not post any notices before the booms were heard. Officials later said they would do a better job in the future and explained that increased moisture in the ground paired with the lack of cloud cover amplified the effects of the detonations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately for Utahns, weather conditions dont quite match up with what Utah was seeing in September, meaning any loud booms from the Utah National Guard this week may not travel as far or be as impactful. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Boots faces an investigation after selling weight-loss jabs to a 16-year-old. The high street chemist was caught selling the prescription-only drug Wegovy to an undercover reporter. The reporter, 16, lied about their age online and was not asked to produce identification proving they were 18-years-old when picking up the medication as part of an investigation by Channel 4s Dispatches. Wegovy is the weight-loss version of diabetes drug Ozempic, both of which have the same active drug. Another brand called Mounjaro is also available in the UK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation also revealed a series of qualified nurses with prescribing qualifications had given out the weight-loss jabs privately to people with Body Mass Index (BMI) scores well below the required threshold of 30. The undercover patient, known as Amber, was eligible for the drugs based on her height of 5ft 4in and weight of 12 stone, but she lied about being 18. When filling out an application for Wegovy on the Boots website, the first reason it says someone will not be prescribed the drugs is if they are under 18. When Amber was asked to confirm her date of birth, she told the pharmacist she was born in 2006 and was never asked to prove this. She was able to leave with the packet of injectable drugs which say keep out of sight and reach of children. Stricter rules introduced It comes after the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), the UKs pharmacy regulator, introduced stricter rules on access to weight-loss injections last month. The new guidelines require chemists to see patients in person or via a video call rather than relying on photos before prescribing the drugs as part of efforts to tackle a surge of people lying about their BMI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amber visited two separate stores of the pharmacy once before and once after the rule changes but was not asked for ID on either occasion. Boots also appeared to have failed to deliver on its promise to contact the GP of a patient it prescribed the weight-loss injections to as an additional safety measure. Amber checked twice with her family doctor to find out if the chemist had been in contact but was told they had not, the documentary revealed. The investigation found Boots was the only retailer that had not asked for a photo ID. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, said it was deeply concerning and asked the regulator to investigate the rogue prescribers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are licenced medicines with potentially serious side effects so it is totally unacceptable for any retailer to prescribe them without the correct medical supervision and ID and age verification, he said. Healthcare regulatory bodies such as the GPhC have the powers to investigate and act against rogue prescribers. We expect them to do so and have sought urgent assurances that action is being taken in this case. There can be real health benefits if these treatments are provided safely to the right patients, but they are not for getting beach-body ready and retailers must act responsibly in prescribing them. Systemic failure Alima Batchelor, the head of policy at the Pharmacists Defence Association, described it as a systemic failure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You expect that there should be verification of the details givenIts disappointing. The investigation also revealed that qualified nurses, who are licenced to practise, were prescribing the drugs to people who were not eligible. Undercover reporters one with a BMI of 24.2 and the other a BMI of 23.8 contacted 32 nurses about obtaining the drugs, both lying about their height and weight to inflate their BMI. Three nurses sent prescriptions without any kind of verification of weight, while one nurse asked for a video call but did not question the reporter who was visibly not eligible for the drug and eventually sent her a prescription for the drug. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two additional nurses instructed them to collect prescriptions in person from their homes but neither weighed nor checked their BMIs. One nurse also suggested that the undercover reporter didnt have an issue with their weight. Patient safety is our priority A spokesman for Boots said: Patient safety is our number one priority. We always strive to provide a high quality of care to patients including those whose weight is impacting their health. Although Wegovy is licenced for patients aged 12 and over, our policy is not to prescribe to under 18s. Following publication of the updated General Pharmaceutical Council guidance, we have strengthened our ID policy to only accept official photographic ID. We will further review our processes in consultation with GPhC and Care Quality Commission. We urge people not to falsify their health information to obtain any prescription medicine. Speaking about the undercover findings, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, the NHS National Medical Director, said: It is deeply concerning to hear that more people are accessing weight loss drugs online without proper eligibility and safety checks. These are powerful medications with serious side effects including dehydration, nausea and pancreatitis that can lead to hospitalisation if misused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We continue to urge online pharmacies and private providers to act responsibly and ensure that robust safeguards are in place, such as in-person weight and age checks, to keep patients safe from harm. The documentary, titled Skinny Jab Scandal: Dispatches, is available to watch and stream on Channel 4 at 8pm tonight (Tuesday). 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 number of migrants apprehended crossing the U.S.-Mexico border unlawfully between official ports of entry sank to its lowest level in 25 years in February, as the Trump administrations restrictive immigration policies began to take effect on the ground. Roughly 8,450 people were caught last month during Trumps first full month in office, according to preliminary government data obtained by CBS News, the lowest level since at least 2000. At the peak of the record-setting surge in immigration during the Biden administration, border agents sometimes caught that many unauthorized crossers each day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crossings may have even hit levels not seen since the late 1960s, according to historical statistics. Since taking office, the new administration has attempted to limit immigration of all kinds. Officials have canceled major refugee settlement contracts, fast-tracked deportation proceedings, suspended asylum claims, reinstated the Remain in Mexico for asylum-seekers, ended so-called catch and release of low-risk migrants, and eliminated a Border Patrol app that gave migrants the opportunity to schedule an appointment for screening at official ports of entry. The Trump administrations combination of fast-tracked deportations and expanded border security appears to have caused a massive drop in border crossings (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The White House has also declared the country under invasion and sent thousands of military troops to the border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the massive slowdown at the border itself, another key part of the Trump agenda deporting millions of people already in the country has faced major roadblocks. Immigration officials say that leakers have impeded enforcement operations, though data points to more structural problems, including the fact that Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers are already beyond max capacity. A top official in charge of the deportations at ICE was reassigned last month, amid reported frustration over the pace of removals. Signs point to Trump stepping things up even further in the coming days, including by reviving Title 42, a public health provision the first Trump administration used to fast-track deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immigration has been at the heart of the new administrations agenda, including its economic policies. Trump said this week that long-threatened tariffs on Canada and Mexico will soon take effect, as the Republican seeks further action from the U.S. allies on illegal immigration and cross-border drug smuggling. The administration has announced one pro-immigration initiative, though its no less controversial than its many new and reinstated restrictions. The president has proposed selling $5 million gold card visas to wealthy overseas investors who create U.S. jobs. One of the most progressive members of Congress is fighting with President Donald Trump's border czar over migrant rights trainings, in a fight that could reverberate in Arizona. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., sparked Trump border chief Tom Homan's ire when she held a "Know Your Rights" webinar she said was designed to inform her constituents of their constitutional rights amid Trump's threats to crack down on migrants in the country without authorization. At least two Democratic members of Congress from Arizona Reps. Yassamin Ansari and Raul Grijalva also are providing similar outreach to migrants. Advertisement Advertisement Homan argued on Fox News that Ocasio-Cortez was breaking the law. "What she's really doing, you and I and the rest of the country knows, she's trying to teach them how to evade law enforcement," Homan said. "That's a felony." He told Fox News host Laura Ingraham he was "working with the Department of Justice and finding out" if Ocasio-Cortez was "crossing the line" legally, and that he had raised that question with the deputy attorney general via email. Ingraham charged Ocasio-Cortez was helping migrants "game the system." The clash could eventually come to Arizona, where the civil rights trainings have been a mainstay of migrant advocacy groups' response to Trump's agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Like Ocasio-Cortez, Ansari and Grijalva have joined in the "Know Your Rights" campaign. Both have circulated English- and Spanish-language resources online, and Ansari held a bilingual tele-town hall in late January. In a written statement to The Arizona Republic, Ansari called the prospect of a Justice Department investigation "completely ridiculous." "My office has received no pushback or legal threats in fact, nothing but sincere appreciation from a community that has the right to know this information," she wrote. "In turn, we are so thankful to partners like Friendly House and Nunez law firm who have helped us get the word out. No one is 'gaming a system'; I will continue to make sure my constituents know their rights." Advertisement Advertisement The issue resurfaced late last week when Ocasio-Cortez sent a letter to Trump's newly confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi asking whether the Justice Department is investigating her office. She argued the webinars were protected under the First Amendment. It has been 14 days since Mr. Homan first threatened to weaponize your agency, but I have not yet heard any referral from the federal government, Ocasio-Cortez wrote to Bondi. Homans actions undercut core Constitutional rights and further transparency is necessary. Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, retorted Monday on social media: "Teaching illegal aliens how to evade law enforcement is a crime. Illegal aliens are not citizens, therefore theyre not your constituents. Hope this helps!" The civil rights trainings have been offered in Arizona by immigrant advocacy groups for years. They were started years ago by groups in Phoenix in response to the immigration sweeps carried out under former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the late 2000s, and later during the record deportations that took place from 2009 to 2012 during the first term of the Obama administration, advocates say. Advertisement Advertisement "The whole nation is following the models started in Arizona," Erika Ovalle, a co-founder of the grassroots advocacy group Puente Arizona, told The Republic in January. Republic reporter Daniel Gonzalez contributed reporting. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump's border czar wants AOC investigated: Why it matters for Arizona How do you fancy bringing Andrew Tate back to the UK? National treasure that he is. According to a news report on Sunday, Yvette Cooper is considering extraditing the British-American influencer and his brother Tristan, after the two men travelled by private jet from Romania where they are under investigation for human trafficking to Florida last week. Any request could cause friction between Trumps administration and Starmer, insiders say, although surely the larger problem would potentially be having Andrew Tate back in the country. Toxic Tate came up again yesterday, amid appalled reactions to the Centre for Social Justices (CSJ) report, Lost Boys, which summarised: Whilst the last hundred years have been marked by great leaps forward in outcomes and rights for women, in this generation it is boys who are left behind, and by some margin. The findings are as stark as the reports title. While we dont necessarily need a heap of statistics to tell us that young men are in crisis, these figures are truly jaw-dropping. Five hundred and fifty thousand young men are not in work, education or training. Two-and-a-half million UK households lack a father figure. For the first time in history, young men are earning less than women (by nine per cent). Ninety-six per cent of the prison population is male. Oh, and suicide is the leading cause of death among young men. British-American influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan may be extradited from the US to Britain In the wake of devastating reports like these, theres an immediate inclination to blame rather than explain (its easier, for one thing). Which is where Tate popped up again and again and where people are getting it so wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tate isnt the disease; hes a symptom. Yes, this gun-toting, cigar-smoking wannabe playboy is as repulsive as his rhetoric talking about hitting and choking women, trashing their belongings, and controlling their movements but he didnt rise to prominence in a vacuum. Amid the statistics above, theres one that explains nearly all the others: two-and-a-half million households without a father. That means boys are now more likely to own a smartphone than live with their dad. What could possibly go wrong? When people are flailing or in freefall, they reach out for something to grab onto. Tate, like Trump, is one of those things. Alluring, in part, for his sheer visibility for being impossible to avoid. And in a climate where almost every traditional male characteristic from competitiveness and resilience to courage and aggression has been demonised, is it any wonder that boys see this kind of man as the antidote? If youre being told your very essence is toxic, you might as well become a fully paid-up member of the club. I had hoped to avoid ever knowing too much about Tate. Like a steaming pile of excrement on the pavement, there are things you avoid looking too closely at. But when talk of young men being radicalised on the internet and the misogynistic manosphere reached a certain point, I forced myself to watch half a dozen of his podcasts, because I needed to understand. Most were exactly what I imagined they would be. One single-handedly explained not just Tate as a phenomenon to me, but the Lost Boys in the CSJs report. The podcast was about vaping. Not its dangers, but the insignificant, peasant mindset youd have to have in order to sit there puffing away on these ridiculous blueberry blast flavoured gizmos, made in China. Do you think China gives a s--t about the west puffing away on this petrol? Tate sneered. And immediately I understood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was the kind of little speech a good father or a great teacher would give used to give, back when everyone wasnt so scared of stern talk, rules and punishments. Good fathers know that kids crave the rigour and framework those things give you. They also know that whereas emphasising danger has never worked on boys, stressing how stupid an act makes them look does. So even if Tates fans are not all living without a father, they may still be lacking the kind of father, teacher or mentor who says: Dont suck on that pen-like contraption, it makes you look ridiculous. Get off your phone and get yourself outside. The CSJs report underlines how varied and complex the reasons for the Lost Boy crisis are, from flaws in our education system all the way up to the decline of male-dominated industries such as manufacturing, agriculture and construction. This is no doubt true. But good role models can make up for many a setback and its highly unlikely young men are going to find them roaming the internet. 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. MOSCOW, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Russia-U.S. talks on Ukraine are unlikely to begin before the full restoration of diplomatic missions in both countries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying on Tuesday. U.S. and Russian delegations met in Istanbul on Feb. 27 to discuss issues affecting the operations of their respective diplomatic missions in Moscow and Washington. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the discussions included the status of Russian diplomatic properties in the United States, particularly the return of six properties that were "illegally seized" between 2016 and 2018. Two boys on a Manhattan subway platform were beaten and slashed with a scalpel by a group of muggers who stole the Nike Air Jordan sneakers off both victims feet, police said Tuesday. One victim, 16, was slashed across his head while the other, 15, was slashed on the nose and lip during the clash on the downtown No. 1 train platform at the Dyckman St. station in Inwood at about 3 p.m. on Feb. 17, cops said. The victims were confronted by four strangers who punched and kicked them. As the attack escalated, one of the crooks pulled out a scalpel and slashed both victims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The robbers ran off uptown on Dyckman St. with the older boys cell phone and Air Jordans and just one Jordan shoe from the younger victim. The boys were treated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia. The NYPD on Tuesday releasing surveillance photos of two of the suspects and asked the publics help identifying them and tracking them down. One is described as about 16 with a slim build and black hair. He was wearing a dark green Canada Goose coat with a hood, gray sweatpants and black sneakers. The second suspect was wearing a black winter coat with tan fur on the hood and blue jeans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. On Monday, the NYPD announced serious subway crime, which includes robberies and felony assaults, dropped 15% in the subway system in February compared with the same month last year. In late February 2025, a rumor spread online that the United States government set a $1 limit on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees' procurement cards, which are used to buy medical supplies and provide other services to veterans. Some some posts claimed the limit came from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It's true that the General Services Administration, which helps manage basic operations at federal agencies, requested that at least 15 other agencies likely including the VA reduce their card limits. The GSA, which described it as a "commonly used risk mitigation best practice," reduced its own card limits to $1, according to a Feb. 21 statement from the agency, but it's unclear if the GSA asked the other federal agencies to set the same $1 limit, specifically, on their cards. The Federal News Network reported that the GSA asked the VA in a Feb. 20 memo to reduce most of its card limits to $1. It wasn't possible to independently verify FNN's reporting as of this writing. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 26 temporarily freezing federal credit cards to implement his DOGE "cost efficiency initiative." The order didn't explicitly exempt the VA . Thus, DOGE is involved in efforts to freeze spending in the federal government however, it's unclear what DOGE's role was, if any, in the GSA's card limit request. In late February 2025, a rumor spread on social media that the federal government set a $1 limit on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees' procurement cards, which are used to buy medical supplies and provide other important services to veterans. The claim spread on platforms like Facebook, X, Reddit and TikTok. Many posts blamed Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency for the $1 limit; for example, this Facebook post said the cards would be set to $1 "until DOGE decides which employees 'deserve to have one.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of these posts included a screenshot of a message from a purported employee at Seattle's Veterans Affairs hospital. The alleged employee said they received an email "at the Seattle VA" announcing that "they are reducing the balance of all procurement cards to $1," which will impact purchases for hospital supplies, gas for transportation and more. "This came from GSA but it really came from DOGE. Our facility got notice only today even though the GSA memo is from 2/20. This will cripple patient care at the VA," the message said. "GSA" is the U.S. General Services Administration, which helps manage basic operations at federal agencies. It's true that the GSA has asked at least 15 other agencies to reduce their card limits, according to a statement from the agency. The GSA didn't explicitly say if it requested $1 limits but did reduce its own card limits to that amount; however, it's likely (though Snopes was not able to independently verify as of this writing) that the GSA asked the VA to reduce most of its card limits to $1, according to a reputable news report. U.S. President Donald Trump also signed an executive order on Feb. 26 putting a freeze on federal credit cards and acknowledging DOGE's involvement in the decision. Therefore, while the details remain unverified, the body of proof indicates that the broad strokes of this claim are accurate: It's true that many federal agencies, reportedly including the VA, received requests from GSA to reduce card limits and that a federal credit card freeze connected to DOGE did not exclude the VA. It is not yet possible to confirm the details of the purported Seattle VA employee's message; the Seattle VA directed inquiries to a VA spokesperson, Tami Begasse, who directed inquiries to the VA's general press inbox which has not responded to a request for comment as of this writing. Lauren Feringa, the TikTok user and director of a veteran advocacy organization who appeared to be the first to post the purported message from the Seattle VA also did not return a request for comment by the time of publication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the GSA's statement, the agency called the $1 limit a "commonly used risk mitigation best practice" and said "it is disappointing that some federal employees characterize proper and sensible oversight as burdensome." "Under this administration, GSA is committed to saving every single dollar and helping federal agency partners prevent all fraud, waste, and abuse," the agency said. GSA requested agencies set limits on cards On Feb. 21, 2025, the GSA released a statement that said the agency "asked 15 other agency leaders to reduce their agency charge card limits, and the number and usage of cards." The GSA also set a $1 limit for "all cardholder accounts" on its own procurement cards. The agency's statement did not list which agencies were included among the 15, and the GSA declined a request for further comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, credible evidence suggests the VA was one of the 15, including a Federal News Network story from Feb. 26, 2025, which reported that the GSA requested the VA set all of its purchase and travel card limits to $1 "with a few narrow exceptions" in a Feb. 20 memo. According to FNN, a publication for federal employees, the memo said that "up to 0.1%" of the VA's workforce could have purchase card spend thresholds set above $1. "Please provide the rationale for all such deviations on an employee-by-employee basis along with the proposed increased threshold," the memo supposedly said. FNN's story notes that it is not legal for the GSA to force a $1 limit on the VA, so the memo sent to the VA by the GSA simply requested that the VA set this limit. However, a separate memo, reportedly sent on Feb. 23, asks the VA to make the GSA "a consignor with delegated authority on all task orders," which may change whether the GSA has power over the VA's spending. FNN shared plain text copies of the two memos with Snopes in an email but did not provide copies in the form of forwarded emails, PDFs or other formats allowing further independent verification of its reporting. Neither the GSA nor the VA publicly disputed FNN's reporting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a 2024 report from the VA's auditor, the VA's three charge card programs purchase, travel and fleet had over $5.6 billion in spending from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, with $5.5 billion of that amount spent through purchase cards. Purchase cards are used for supplies and services, travel cards for travel expenses and fleet cards for fuel, maintenance and repair of "government-owned and -operated vehicles." The memo obtained by FNN reportedly from the GSA calls on the VA to limit travel and purchase cards to $1. "These card program changes will not affect Fleet cards," the memo said. Thus, the claim from the purported Seattle VA employee that purchasing gas will be impacted is not true, at least for any government-owned vehicles. However, given that most procurements at the VA are through purchase cards, it is likely that the $1 limit would impact most purchases. The auditor's report said the VA had 11,846 purchase cardholders, 21,147 travel cardholders and 4,188 fleet cardholders from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 and that "the Purchase Card Program is at medium risk, and the Travel and Fleet Card Programs are at low risk, for illegal, improper, or erroneous purchases." It is unclear whether the $1 limit is currently in effect as of this writing; the memos did not include a deadline for implementation. DOGE's role in credit card freeze Amid the requests from the GSA to other agencies, Trump on Feb. 26 signed an executive order, "Implementing the President's 'Department of Government Efficiency' Cost Efficiency Initiative." This order put a temporary freeze on nearly all credit cards held by agency employees without any explicit exception for the VA. The relevant text is below: (f) Credit Card Freeze. To the maximum extent permitted by law, all credit cards held by agency employees shall be treated as frozen for 30 days from the date of this order, except for any credit cards held by employees engaged in, or charges related to employees utilizing such credit cards for, disaster relief or natural disaster response benefits or operations or other critical services as determined by the Agency Head, and subject to such additional individualized or categorical exceptions as the Agency Head, in consultation with the agency's DOGE Team Lead, deems appropriate. It's worth noting that the executive order directs agency heads to make exceptions "as the Agency Head, in consultation with the agency's DOGE Team Lead, deems appropriate," which echoes the language from social media posts claiming that DOGE would determine which employees would receive exceptions to the $1 limit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wired magazine reported previously that DOGE put a $1 limit on GSA cards and planned to expand this across the federal government; Trump's credit card freeze and the GSA's request to the 15 other agency heads appear to align with this reporting. Rep. Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington, posted a video on X on Feb. 25 in which he stated that the Seattle VA's financial accounts were frozen and blamed Musk (emphasis ours): We just received word from the Seattle VA that dozens of probationary employees have been laid off and in addition to that, they have froze their accounts and budget of the VA their ability to purchase items like medical devices, but also when patients come in for transplants, they need to transported, they need to be put up. Those budgets are now frozen and the Seattle VA pretty soon like tomorrow is going to have to start canceling procedures for veterans because Elon Musk is randomly firing people and devastating the services to American people and now to our veterans. A spokesperson for Smith's office, Carly McDonald, said via email that she would check if the office's source at the Seattle VA would speak publicly but "can't guarantee they'll respond"; this story will be updated if they do. Thus, credible evidence does suggest the GSA requested the VA reduce most of its purchase and travel card limits to $1. Around the same time, Trump froze federal credit cards under DOGE's "cost efficiency initiative." This suggests DOGE may have been involved in an effort by Trump's administration to limit purchases by the VA through various methods. Sources: Heckman, Jory. "VA Gets GSA Request to Slash Total Number of Employees Who Hold Purchase Cards." Federal News Network - Helping Feds Meet Their Mission., Federal News Network, 26 Feb. 2025, federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-affairs/2025/02/va-gets-gsa-request-to-slash-total-number-of-employees-who-hold-purchase-cards/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schiffer, Zoe. "DOGE Puts $1 Spending Limit on Government Employee Credit Cards." WIRED, 20 Feb. 2025, www.wired.com/story/doge-government-credit-cards/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025. Smith, Adam. "I Just Got Word from the Seattle va That Dozens of Employees Have Been Laid off and Accounts Have Been Frozen." X.com, 25 Feb. 2025, x.com/RepAdamSmith/status/1894543173453525008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1894543173453525008%7Ctwgr%5E8e25cde041fdbcf79532a59bfb588e2c84b109ae%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fox13seattle.com%2Fnews%2Fconfusion-concern-federal-spending-freeze. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025. "Statement Regarding Recent Reporting about the GSA SmartPay Program." U.S. General Services Administration, 21 Feb. 2025, www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/statement-regarding-recent-reporting-about-the-gsa-smartpayr-program-02212025. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025. Trump, Donald. "Implementing the President's 'Department of Government Efficiency' Cost Efficiency Initiative." The White House, 26 Feb. 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-cost-efficiency-initiative/. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025. US Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. "Fiscal Year 2023 Risk Assessment of VA's Charge Card Program DEPARTMENT of VETERANS AFFAIRS." Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, 2024, www.vaoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2024-09/vaoig-23-02910-197.pdf. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025. The price Klingers Bread Co. paid for eggs last year was $2.64 a dozen, according to co-owner Dave Klingebiel. At the end of February, Klingebiel said, a dozen eggs cost $7.85 a dozen. The South Burlington bakerys cost for eggs has essentially tripled. Klingers pastry manager Amie Carpenter said that figure is probably on the lower side as she has seen prices from some distributors around $9 a dozen. I think one word would describe the whole thing ouch, Klingebiel said. Theres no way that we can raise the price of our pastries and cover that. You just sort of bite the bullet and keep making a good product. Amie Carpenter, pastry manager at Klinger's Bread Co., poses Feb. 27, 2025 near hundreds of eggs at the South Burlington business. Thats the conundrum restaurant owners in Vermont and across the nation face as egg prices soar during an outbreak of avian influenza. Do restaurants already struggling with tight profit margins, workforce shortages and the general slowdown of business in winter raise menu prices commensurate with the increase in egg prices? Or do they just absorb one more expense? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian Lewis said eggs were once a loss leader restaurateurs could count on to lure customers to help boost otherwise slim restaurant profit margins. Lewis owns restaurants including the Parkway Diner in South Burlington and Filibuster Restaurant & Bar in Montpelier, both of which are open for egg-centered breakfasts seven days a week. Eggs used to be a product that you could make money off of and now its a product where its up there with steak margins, said Lewis, who also oversees the Yellow Mustard delis in Burlington and Montpelier and founded a restaurant with eggs in the name, Toast & Eggs in Waitsfield. When youre a breakfast restaurant and your whole restaurant is based on eggs, you cant have the whole menu be a loss leader. Brian Lewis, who runs the Parkway Diner, sits at the counter of the South Burlington eatery April 28, 2022. USDA tracks egg prices The U.S. Department of Agricultures weekly egg-markets overview report for Feb. 28 showed the wholesale price on the New York market for large in-carton eggs delivered to retailers rose 6 cents to $8.53 per dozen. Lewis said he has seen egg prices in the last few months shoot from $23 a case to $107 a case, which contains 180 eggs. I havent raised prices, he said. I changed my purveyor for eggs and Im utilizing eggs that are just from upstate New York and Vermont and by doing so Ive been able to only pay twice what I was before, maybe a little more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis said hes now paying $57 for a case of eggs. He was already using local products from companies including Cabot Creamery and Vermont Creamery. He knows saving money by going even more local is not a permanent solution; if all restaurants start sourcing local eggs, that could cause shortages. I think that this is a short-term fix. The next step is that demand for local eggs will become so high that they too will increase substantially, according to Lewis, who said farmers will eventually not have enough hens to lay eggs. Mike Williams, founder of Kountry Kart Deli, puts eggs on the griddle at the Burlington business Feb. 28, 2025. Costs affect Kountry Karts Shiner Like at Lewis restaurants, menu prices at Klingers Bread Co. have not gone up because of egg costs. For the most part were trying to keep it as business as usual, said Carpenter, the pastry manager. The bakery uses 80 to 100 dozen eggs a week, primarily in its pastries. Instead of raising prices, Klingers has sought other ways to manage costs. Juliana Marino displays cookies Feb. 27, 2025 at Klinger's Bread Co. in South Burlington. Rather than put five of a particular variety of cake in the pastry case, the company might only display four to reduce potential waste. If a type of cookie shows signs of lagging sales, Klingebiel said Klingers might start making fewer of them. Its the type of attention Klingers always pays, according to Carpenter, but its closer than normal attention now with high egg prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Klingers sells breakfast sandwiches that Klingebiel said dont account for a huge percentage of the bakerys egg consumption. He said theres no question Klingers would have to raise prices if the business depended heavily on egg sandwiches for its income. Rows of eggs are stored in the cooler at Kountry Kart Deli in Burlington on Feb. 28, 2025. Kountry Kart Deli in Burlington does depend heavily on egg sandwiches for its income. The cost per egg for the Main Street breakfast and lunch takeout specialist increased over the past couple of months from 26 cents to more than 66 cents per egg, according to founder Mike Williams. Theres no doubt that the rising cost of eggs has put pressure on our bottom line, especially when a staple like the Shiner (breakfast sandwich) is such a big part of what we do at Kountry Kart Deli, Williams wrote in an email. Weve done our best to absorb as much of the increase as possible while still keeping our prices fair for customers whove been supporting us for years. Kountry Kart Deli increased prices 25 cents on its small sandwiches and 50 cents on large sandwiches. Still, Williams said, the business has absorbed more than half of the increase. Mike Williams, founder of Kountry Kart Deli, assembles a Riser breakfast sandwich at the Burlington business Feb. 28, 2025. While rising egg prices have been a significant and possibly temporary problem, the bigger issue facing Kountry Kart Deli and other city businesses has been the overall reputation that Burlington has taken on lately, according to Williams. He cited safety concerns and the changing business environment as bigger problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rising food costs are tough, Williams said, but theyre just one piece of a bigger issue thats impacting not just us, but many of our fellow Burlington businesses. High egg prices might stay for a while longer. Carpenter at Klingers doesnt expect egg costs to come down until after Easter on April 20. Lewis hopes egg prices do decline soon, not just from his perspective as a restaurant owner but as a parent. I have a family and I have three boys and I know how much it costs to go out to eat, he said. Its not cheap. Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont restaurants scramble to account for costs of rising egg prices Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated. U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a suspension of all military aid to Ukraine, a senior Defense Department official told Bloomberg on March 3, escalating pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky mere days after a heated exchange in the Oval Office cast doubt on U.S. support for Kyiv. According to the official, all U.S. military assistance to Ukraine is on hold until Trump determines that Ukrainian leaders are making a genuine effort toward peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The directive goes into effect immediately, impacting over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition. An official who spoke to the New York Times on condition of anonymity, said the decision followed a series of White House meetings between President Trump and his senior national security advisers. "The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," the White House official said this evening, according to CNN. The pause affects not only future aid but also weapons already in transit, including shipments on aircraft and ships, as well as equipment awaiting transfer in Poland. The U.S. has provided assistance worth $119.8 billion since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, including $67.1 billion in military aid, $49 billion in financial aid, and $3.6 billion in humanitarian aid, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Explainer: Did Trump lie about $350 billion aid to Ukraine, and does Kyiv have to repay it? The decision follows a contentious meeting between Trump and Zelensky, where disagreements over military aid and Ukraines strategic stance fueled tensions. Following the meeting, Trump said that Zelensky "is not ready for peace." "He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace," Trump posted on Truth Social on Feb. 28. The White House has not specified what steps Ukraine must take to restore the flow of military aid, leaving uncertainty over the timeline and conditions for its resumption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that Trump expects Zelensky to be "committed" to negotiate a peace deal to end the war. Additionally, the U.S. is "pausing and reviewing" its military aid to ensure it is "contributing to a solution." Read also: We need to get the U.S. back on track: Ukrainian businesses, economists react to mineral deal failure Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baiers timely sitdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dominated Friday evenings ratings and even outdrew the nightly news programs of two broadcast networks. According to Nielsen Media Research, Special Report with Bret Baier attracted 6.2 million viewers and 775,000 in the key 25-54 advertising demographic during the telecasts first half-hour, which is when Baiers interview with Zelensky aired. The interview peaked with 6.4 million viewers and 855,000 in the demo during the 6-6:15 p.m. ET quarter. The interview naturally drew increased interest as it occurred just hours after the explosive White House clash between Zelensky and President Donald Trump, which featured Vice President JD Vance berating the Ukrainian president as disrespectful while accusing him of not thanking the administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the fireworks in the Oval Office, which culminated in Trump booting Zelensky from the White House without signing a mineral rights deal, the Ukrainian leader told Baier that he remained hopeful that his relationship with the president could be salvaged. Its more than two presidents. The historical relations, strong relations, between our people, Zelensky said. This is the most importantand of course [were] thankful to the president and to Congressbut first of all to your people. Your people helped to save our people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier (Getty Images) With viewers flocking to Fox News to see Zelenskys first reaction to the White House blowup, a broadcast news show that typically draws millions of more viewers than Special Report found itself slightly behind Baiers newsmaking interview. NBC Nightly News, which averaged 6.8 million total viewers and 1.03 million in the key demo this past month, pulled in 5.76 million viewers during its 6:30-7 p.m. time slot on Friday night. CBS Evening News, which has suffered a ratings drop since it changed to a two-anchor format following Norah ODonnells departure, averaged 3.9 million viewers for the evening. The program had been attracting a nightly audience of 4.6 million in recent weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In general, broadcast and cable news see a drop off in ratings on Friday evening, explaining why CBS Evening News and NBC Nightly News which also didnt have the benefit of an exclusive Zelensky interview were below their average ratings. For the entire hour, Special Report pulled in a total audience of 5.7 million viewers and 661,000 in the 25-54 demographic. Baiers show, which is averaging 3.5 million viewers and 414,000 in the advertising demo in 2025 so far, was up 63 percent in total viewership and 60 percent in the key demo. It was also the second highest rated 6 p.m. hour in Fox News history, ranking only behind the 2017 Trump inauguration. Special Report, like the rest of Fox News lineup, has seen its ratings soar since Trump won in November. The conservative cable giant just experienced the highest rated February in the networks history, averaging 3.09 million viewers in primetime. The rest of the cable news landscape, meanwhile, is only now starting to see its viewership climb back to pre-election levels after experiencing an exodus following Trumps victory. Besides the Zelensky interview, Baier also recently sat down with French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Additionally, with Fox News enjoying a closely intertwined relationship with the White House nearly 20 former Fox employees hold positions in the administration it shouldnt come as a surprise that a number of Trump administration officials and Cabinet members have appeared on Baiers show in the past few weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The record-setting ratings that Fox News is experiencing due to Trumps return to office prompted Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch to say during a recent conference that the right-wing network should be considered more than a cable news channel. It's important to note that we don't see Fox News anymore as just a news service. We see it as one of the top five broadcast networks in the United States, even though we don't have the same distribution that broadcast has, Murdoch told the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference on Monday. In January and February, we were the number two broadcast network, right? Equivalent to the number two broadcast network at Fox News, he added. Despite having a much smaller universe in cable. In January, we were only beaten by NBC, and in February we were only beaten by CBS. And so that's how we view it. And that's how we're able to drive, frankly, the affiliate revenue growth that we've achieved. Brittany Henderson and Kelly Kalm are suing their childrens former daycare Tick Tock kids Academy on Merritt Island over an incident that occurred in February of last year. They and their attorney shared a video of Hendersons then 5-year-old daughter clearly acting out. But its what happened next that led the negligence lawsuit. Henderson said, She told me that she was locked in a storage closet and that she was locked in the back of the head and Kicked in the leg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the video, Eyewitness News saw Hendersons daughter being brought to the closet. Kalms son, who was three years old at the time, is non-verbal. He was seen sitting at the desk and appears to get hit after he picks up a book. Minutes later, there will was another physical interaction between the boy and former employees Laura and Ashley Carmichael. Kelly Kalm is the boys mother. She told us, I felt he was an easy target. They knew that he could not come home and tell me what they were doing. Both employees were fired by the daycare and DCF was notified. In its report, DCF noted Hendersons child was in the closet for 20 minutes and what happened didnt comply with the facilitys written disciplinary policies. But there were no criminal charges. Laura Carmichael was arrested, but the state attorneys office told us, based on the totality of the circumstances, there was insufficient evidence to file criminal charges. The office also said theres case law that allows teaching personnel to discipline and moderately chastise students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney Kenechukwu Anusionwu, who represents Henderson and Kalm, told us, Criminal liability is one thing, but civil liability is another. And civil liability was suing to recover money associated with the value of the damages. And that could be psychological and also physical. We attempted to reach the attorneys of record for the daycare and its former employees. We only got a response from Attorney Valerie Gatlin with the firm of Resnick and Louis. We were simply told, We have no comment on active litigation. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade butted heads with his MAGA-backing colleagues on Tuesday over the Trump administrations handling of the Ukraine war, repeatedly reminding them that Vladimir Putin is the bad guy and not Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky. Though a longtime and loyal supporter of Donald Trump, Kilmeade has also been a harsh and vocal critic of Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, placing the entirety of blame for the three-year war on the Kremlin. Even as many within the right-wing media ecosphere have expressed sympathy for Putin while demanding that the United States stop aiding Ukraine in its fight, Kilmeade has remained steadfast in his pro-Ukrainian stance. In recent days, the Fox & Friends star has made it abundantly clear that he is breaking from Trump on Ukraine. Following the explosive White House clash that saw Trump and Vice President JD Vance raging against Zelensky, the president decided to suspend all military aid to Ukraine because he wanted Zelensky committed to a goal of peace with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to that Monday evening move, which Ukrainian officials said could impact the frontlines within days and gives the appearance that America is siding with Russia, Kilmeade took to social media to take a veiled shot at the president. Can we all remember [Putin] is the bad guythey invadedthey kidnap kids, Kilmeade tweeted. Whatever happensUkraine can not loseeastern Europe will be next. (Fox News) During Tuesdays broadcast of Trumps favorite morning cable news show, Kilmeade continued to hammer that point home while also taking issue with his co-hosts unequivocally backing the presidents pivot towards Russia in the war. Specifically, he was put off by the suggestion that the United States could further punish Ukraine if Zelensky doesnt apologize to Trump over the White House clash. Mr. Zelenskyy is probably thinking, if I dont apologize, whats in it for me? One of the things that is being overlooked that a close advisor to the president could actually impact is the Starlink internet, co-host Steve Doocy said. Thats Elon Musk. If Elon Musk wants to send a message, all hes got to do is say, Im gonna pull the plug on that. Because theyve got tens of thousands of terminals over there right now. Kilmeade, who was broadcasting remotely while the rest of the crew was in the studio, accused his colleagues of siding with Putin over Ukraine. Keep in mind what you guys are saying, he declared. You are saying Zelenskyy is worse than Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Doocy and the other hosts denied that was the case, Kilmeade continued to heap criticism on them for suggesting that the U.S. could further threaten Zelensky to force him to agree to terms with Russia. Youre saying we should starve Starlink, Kilmeade exclaimed. Youd have to take Starlink from our allies in order to get them to do an economic deal or get them to the table? He went on to assert that Europe is concerned about Ukraine falling to Russia because they believe all of Eastern Europe will soon become infiltrated, resulting in the reformation of the Soviet Union. While he credited Trump with forcing European leaders to step up and further commit to supporting Ukraine following the presidents blowup with Zelensky, he reiterated that there is only one true antagonist in the war. And Vladimir Putin is the bad guy. Zelensky might not be leader of choice, but he is Ukrainians' leader of choice, he flatly stated, prompting co-host Lawrence Jones to fire back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian, everybody knows Putin is the bad guy. We dont need to virtue signal every single day and say Putin is the bad guy, Jones huffed before referencing the scuttled mineral rights deal with Ukraine. But just saying hes the bad guy doesnt end the war. What ends the war is Zelensky partnering with the United States from an economic standpoint, that is his security guarantee. And he wont do this! He wont even let us get to Putin! Seemingly parroting Trump talking points, co-host Ainsley Earhardt further groused that Zelensky used to be so grateful but has become disrespectful to the US even though we have given three times more than Europe. This false claim has been repeated by Trump countless times, despite the fact that European countries have committed over twice as much aid to Ukraine as the United States and allocated more already to the war-torn country. Saying he didnt think that Zelensky forgets all the assistance America has given Ukraine, Kilmeade added that the off-the-rails White House exchange likely wasnt a bad moment for Trump and it will probably play in a loop everyday in the Trump presidential library. Still, he wanted his colleagues to think about the larger implications of the ideas they were floating. In the big picture, realize if you deny Starlink to your ally, then you are not only not providing weapons, you are letting maybe Kyiv fall, he concluded. That is not what anybody wants. Meanwhile, Earhardt insisted that nobody wants World War III and that Trump would step in to prevent that if that was a possibility. I made a passing reference in last week's mailbag to Republican Sen. Todd Young being one of the good people in today's political cesspool. Some skeptical left-leaning readers responded to argue that Young so far has gone along with President Trump's second-term agenda (true) and wondered how I could distinguish him from explicitly MAGA members of Congress. Those are fair concerns, so I'm devoting this full mailbag column to them. Hicks: DOGE for Indiana? Here's why government efficiency is hard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you want to submit questions for a future mailbag, email me at the address below or fill out the form at the end of the online article page. Here's a sample reader response regarding Young: Neal Roach: Please explain how you think Sen. Todd Young is any different from Gov. Mike Braun or Sen. Jim Banks. There hasnt been a single vote against any of Trumps nominees. Young reminds me of former Rep. Susan Brooks he tries to appear reasonable, but votes MAGA. The votes are what counts, not the fake concern. In some ways, I prefer Banks at least youre not under any illusions with him, since he doesnt try to mask his cravenness. I can't claim to know Young well and I'm not inside his head, so my analysis is based on an outsider's perspective, as well as conversations over the years with people who know him better. Take it as you will. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, I reject the underlying premise of this question, which seems to suggest that because Young opposed Trump's candidacy for a second term, he should now be part of the #Resistance. Young is still a Republican U.S. senator pursuing a conservative agenda, which, in many cases, aligns with the Trump administration. Young described himself as an "excellent team player," in an interview with Punchbowl News, adding he's had several interactions with Trump and is working on a "legislative initiative" with the president. Young seems to be using the Trump presidency as a vehicle for pursuing his objectives. You should judge Young based on his policy goals, of course, but you should also judge him based on whether he seems to be acting in the public's best interest, according to his conscience. Is he effective? Does he approach his job in good faith? Those answers matter, even if you oppose Young's political orientation. That said, Young has supported Trump's least defensible cabinet nominees, including Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In two of those cases, I can't even point to my disclaimer above that Young is a Republican. Gabbard and Kennedy were Democrats! With Kennedy, Young voted to put a historically pro-choice liberal in charge of the U.S. health care apparatus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy is perhaps the most consequential Trump pick. At a time when mRNA vaccines are showing promise to combat pancreatic cancer, Young helped confirm an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has the capacity to slow progress on the development of new life-saving vaccines while also leaving Americans less immune to illnesses that were once thought to have been eradicated. U.S. Senator Todd Young addresses Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, the Indiana Senate at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Kennedy recently backtracked a bit on his lunacy, urging people to get the MMR vaccine amid a deadly measles outbreak. But, at the same time, the Food and Drug Administration (which reports to HHS) just canceled a key meeting to prepare for next season's flu shot. Kennedy's body of work shows he is broadly opposed to vaccines and now he has tremendous influence over that area of public health. That's just one example of the harm Trump's presidency could cause. Young supported it. I think there's close to a zero chance that Young wanted to cast votes in favor of those Trump nominees. You can argue that makes it even worse, because Young played politics instead of doing what he believed was right and I'd listen to that argument. But I'm willing to give Young the benefit of the doubt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young's colleagues have shown the playbook for power accumulation in this era become a Twitter troll and align with Trump no matter what he says or does. Young has conspicuously rejected that path, and MAGA Republicans have knives out for him because of it. Instead of performing for cameras, Young has operated behind the scenes, doing some of the most important policy work of the past decade, resulting in the CHIPS and Science Act (which Trump has threatened to kill). Young is making some compromises on his values. But the character and integrity he has demonstrated throughout his career lead me to seek the most generous explanations for those compromises. I suspect Young is playing a long game or, perhaps more accurately, two concurrent long games. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Long game No. 1: Trump-aligned interests threatened consequences for senators who rejected the president's nominees and seemed prepared to follow through. Young very well might have forfeited all influence within the Republican Party to cast a vote against Kennedy or Gabbard leaving him buried in the political graveyard of Never-Trumpers just weeks into the term. Any potential consequence might have been worth it to keep Kennedy away from HHS. But there's also a strong case that Young can keep his head down and do policy work now while maintaining his good standing long enough to deal with hard-to-predict, yet potentially greater, challenges to come. Long game No. 2: Young's alignment with Trump so far suggests he's keeping his options open to run for reelection in 2028. You can view that as cynical affirmation that he's just like everyone else who will do or say anything to get elected. Or, you can acknowledge that his successor would be someone like Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Young might have reasonable concerns about what happens once he's out of office. Assuming Gov. Mike Braun runs for reelection in 2028 (no sure thing), Beckwith (among others) could take a shot at defeating Young in a primary that year and he'd have a very strong shot at winning. I would never count out Young, who is popular and has a lot of money, but the conservative base in Indiana has moved away from the values Young represents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MAGA Republicans increasingly view Young as an enemy, and they are prepared to seize on perceived weaknesses to take him down. Young is walking a tightrope through Trump's second term. The confirmation votes were just the beginning. Maybe Young succeeds in forging a partnership of sorts with Trump. But, based on how Trump's term has started, it's increasingly hard to imagine Young making it to 2028 without risking everything. How long can foreign policy-minded Young watch the president make inexplicable concessions to Russia and China without intervening? Young might have to sacrifice himself to stay true to his principles. I think he'd do it. I understand why others aren't so sure. Young so far has avoided exerting independence in ways that progressives, and even some conservatives, might like to see. Whether you agree with Young's individual choices or not, though, his collective body of work inspires confidence that he has a strong moral compass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If push comes to shove, Young will prove he cares about doing what's right more than preserving his career. Or, better yet, he'll guide Trump in a better direction behind the scenes and prove yet again he's one of America's most effective senators. Thank you for reading! If you want to send questions for future mailbags, fill out the Google form on the online article page or email james.briggs@indystar.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Todd Young votes with Trump, but maintains principles | Opinion BRISTOL, Conn. (WTNH) A paraprofessional at Destinations Academy at Bristol Eastern High School was arrested Tuesday for possession of child sexual abuse material, Bristol police said. Jacob Senick, 25, was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material in the first degree. Police: Man says he forgot he tethered dog to car in South Windsor According to police, Senick was arrested at his Bristol home around 5:30 a.m. Members of the Criminal Investigation Unit executed a warrant at his residence and seized material related to the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said they conducted an extensive investigation in 2024, and the CID received credible information indicating he was involved in the illegal activity. They identified Senick as the individual in possession of the videos depicting minors involved in explicit conduct. Acting Superintendent of Bristol Public Schools Iris White said he began working in the destination program in Oct. 2023. I write to inform you that a paraeducator in the Destinations Program on the Bristol Eastern HS Campus was arrested today on child pornography charges. The District is cooperating fully with law enforcement and the employee was immediately relieved of all duties. Clearly, an allegation of this magnitude is incredibly disturbing and causes concerns about the safety of the children in our school community. Bristol community members should be reassured that the safety of children is the districts foremost concern. The Bristol Board of Education has adopted robust policies and procedures to promote the safety and well-being of all our children, White said in a written statement to the Bristol Public Schools community. White added that any concerns may be reported directly to law enforcement or the State of Connecticut Department of Children and Families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Satellites backed by the British taxpayer could be used to replace Elon Musks Starlink in Ukraine as the United States withdraws its military support for the country. OneWeb, the London-based subsidiary of French satellite company Eutelsat, said it was ready to swiftly deploy equipment to Ukraine. Shares in Eutelsat, which is 10pc owned by the UK taxpayer, have risen by 200pc since Friday, on the prospect that the system may replace Starlink, owned by Mr Musks SpaceX. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starlinks satellite internet system has been a lifeline for Ukrainian soldiers and drone pilots but has been financed partly by the US Department of Defence. Around half of the 42,000 Starlink terminals in Ukraine are paid for by Poland. A Eutelsat spokesman said the company was already operating in Ukraine and that OneWeb could provide an alternative. We are actively collaborating with European institutions and business partners to enable the swift deployment of additional user terminals for critical missions and infrastructure, the company said. Our LEO (low Earth orbit) services are already deployed in Ukraine, supporting government and institutional communications. OneWeb solutions can provide an alternative for certain government and defence applications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OneWeb was rescued by the UK government in 2020 in a 400m deal championed by Dominic Cummings, former adviser to then prime minister Boris Johnson, but was sold to Eutelsat in 2023, leaving the taxpayer with a small stake in the combined company. The stakes value had dwindled to around 65m (54m) but after the recent share surge is now worth around 170m. OneWeb remains headquartered in the UK under the terms of the sale. Ukrainian soldiers need reliable satellite service to support drone and communications technologies - Inna Varenytsia/Reuters France also has a stake through the state-owned investment bank Bpifrance. The UK Government would be likely to be involved in decisions about its increasing military use. It has a golden share in OneWeb that gives it a veto over certain national security decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OneWebs larger and more expensive satellite receivers may not be as well suited to battlefield operations as Starlinks. The company also has a fraction of the satellites that Starlink has orbiting the Earth, although their higher altitude means they can cover a greater territory. Eutelsat said that over Europe, Eutelsat offers the same capabilities as Starlink in terms of coverage and latency. The company has started work on a second generation of OneWeb satellites that will form part of a European secure communications system in the next decade. Mr Musk has denied reports that the US has threatened to shut off Starlink to Ukraine if Volodymyr Zelensky refuses to sign a minerals deal with Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taiwan signed a deal with OneWeb last year after negotiations with Starlink broke down. Eva Berneke, the Eutelsat chief executive, told investors last month: They wanted to have an alternative to Starlink. We see that in quite a lot of places. We also see especially European and other [defence departments] being very interested in having all the alternatives available. 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. Karam Haloub's kids are seen near their damaged house in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 3, 2025. Karam Haloub, 39, insisted on living together with his wife and five children in their own house in Beit Lahia town for the first 14 months since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. However, the family were forced to evacuate during an Israeli operation in December 2024, and moved into a tent in Gaza City. They returned to the Beit Lahia town following the declaration of the Gaza ceasefire, but only found their residence demolished in attacks. Now, the family have to cope with a makeshift shed next to the rubble of their home amidst harsh conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Karam Haloub's kids are seen near their damaged house in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 3, 2025. Karam Haloub, 39, insisted on living together with his wife and five children in their own house in Beit Lahia town for the first 14 months since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. However, the family were forced to evacuate during an Israeli operation in December 2024, and moved into a tent in Gaza City. They returned to the Beit Lahia town following the declaration of the Gaza ceasefire, but only found their residence demolished in attacks. Now, the family have to cope with a makeshift shed next to the rubble of their home amidst harsh conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Karam Haloub's kids are seen near their damaged house in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 3, 2025. Karam Haloub, 39, insisted on living together with his wife and five children in their own house in Beit Lahia town for the first 14 months since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. However, the family were forced to evacuate during an Israeli operation in December 2024, and moved into a tent in Gaza City. They returned to the Beit Lahia town following the declaration of the Gaza ceasefire, but only found their residence demolished in attacks. Now, the family have to cope with a makeshift shed next to the rubble of their home amidst harsh conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Karam Haloub's kids are seen near their damaged house in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 3, 2025. Karam Haloub, 39, insisted on living together with his wife and five children in their own house in Beit Lahia town for the first 14 months since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. However, the family were forced to evacuate during an Israeli operation in December 2024, and moved into a tent in Gaza City. They returned to the Beit Lahia town following the declaration of the Gaza ceasefire, but only found their residence demolished in attacks. Now, the family have to cope with a makeshift shed next to the rubble of their home amidst harsh conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Karam Haloub's wife prepares food near their damaged house in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 3, 2025. Karam Haloub, 39, insisted on living together with his wife and five children in their own house in Beit Lahia town for the first 14 months since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. However, the family were forced to evacuate during an Israeli operation in December 2024, and moved into a tent in Gaza City. They returned to the Beit Lahia town following the declaration of the Gaza ceasefire, but only found their residence demolished in attacks. Now, the family have to cope with a makeshift shed next to the rubble of their home amidst harsh conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) This photo taken on March 3, 2025 shows a view of Karam Haloub's damaged house in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Karam Haloub, 39, insisted on living together with his wife and five children in their own house in Beit Lahia town for the first 14 months since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. However, the family were forced to evacuate during an Israeli operation in December 2024, and moved into a tent in Gaza City. They returned to the Beit Lahia town following the declaration of the Gaza ceasefire, but only found their residence demolished in attacks. Now, the family have to cope with a makeshift shed next to the rubble of their home amidst harsh conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Karam Haloub's family has meals in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 3, 2025. Karam Haloub, 39, insisted on living together with his wife and five children in their own house in Beit Lahia town for the first 14 months since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. However, the family were forced to evacuate during an Israeli operation in December 2024, and moved into a tent in Gaza City. They returned to the Beit Lahia town following the declaration of the Gaza ceasefire, but only found their residence demolished in attacks. Now, the family have to cope with a makeshift shed next to the rubble of their home amidst harsh conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) A kid of Karam Haloub is pictured near the damaged house in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 3, 2025. Karam Haloub, 39, insisted on living together with his wife and five children in their own house in Beit Lahia town for the first 14 months since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. However, the family were forced to evacuate during an Israeli operation in December 2024, and moved into a tent in Gaza City. They returned to the Beit Lahia town following the declaration of the Gaza ceasefire, but only found their residence demolished in attacks. Now, the family have to cope with a makeshift shed next to the rubble of their home amidst harsh conditions. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) BBC director general Tim Davie and BBC chair Samir Shah answered questions from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the House of Commons in Britains parliament on Tuesday, addressing a wide range of issues. In one update, Davie shared that streamer BritBox has topped the 4 million subscriber mark, with a representative later specifying that this figure is for its operations across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the Nordics. BritBox in the U.S. (and other non-U.K. territories) is now over 4 million subscribers (and) is pretty much very low churn, and the enterprise value is very high, he said. BBC Studios bought out venture partner ITV to take full control of BritBox International at the start of March 2024 when the streamer had more than 3.75 million subscribers. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case for the BBC is even stronger than it has ever been before, Shah said on the first anniversary of his starting his role, citing the need for a core fact-based news provider amid the dangers of opinionated news, misinformation and disinformation. He also said that global streamers make brilliant content, but the BBC is the key player able to focus on British storytelling for British audiences. Plus, the BBC and other public service broadcasters can provide shared experiences for mass audiences. The case for the BBC is stronger than ever, but the jeopardy is higher, Davie echoed. People must feel involved in society amid the current risk of many people disengaging entirely, he emphasized. Building a link to the BBC and feeling ownership is important. Shah was on Tuesday also asked about how well the BBC board is working. Nothing is ever perfect, and we are making some changes, he said in addressing what a recent board efficiency review found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A charter for a generation that protects the BBC and its independence is his goal, he also shared. The current charter, which outlines the public broadcasters public purposes and governance, along with its funding, including through tax payer money, is due to expire at the end of 2027. The regular scrutiny session on the work of the British public broadcaster, whose commercial arm BBC Studios last week held its annual content showcase in London, saw members of parliament question the executives about funding issues, financial challenges faced by the BBC ahead of the review of its charter, as well as editorial processes, impartiality processes, workplace culture, the future of TV, as well as recent controversies. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Canada should seek closer ties with Britain because its nuclear weapons can help protect the country against Donald Trump, a Liberal party leader running to replace Justin Trudeau has said. Chrystia Freeland, the former deputy prime minister under Mr Trudeau, said that US president is clearly threatening our sovereignty with his campaign to absorb Canada as the 51st state of America. In order to guarantee our security, Ms Freeland said she would build closer security partnerships with European Nato allies and I would be sure that France and Britain were there, who possess nuclear weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would be working urgently with those partners to build a closer security relationship in a time when the United States can be a threat, said the ex-foreign minister and finance minister at the final Liberal leadership debate last week. The Liberal party has overtaken the Conservatives in the polls for the first time since 2021, surging on a backlash to Mr Trump and his mockery of Mr Trudeau as merely Governor of Canada. Ms Freeland is running second in the race to Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England. She draws 31 per cent of voters against Mr Carneys 43 per cent, a poll for Mainstreet Research found last week. Results are due on March 9. The suggestion that Canada should seek to avail itself of Britains nuclear umbrella against the United States was criticised by Ms Freelands political opponents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that that was an insane thing to say, said Danielle Smith, the conservative premier of Alberta, Canadas wealthiest province. As if somehow were going to have a nuclear threat from the United States or counter some kind of nuclear threat, Ms Smith told The Telegraph. The US is our friend and allied security partner, she said, citing the North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) alliance, in which Canada and the United States share air defence of the continent. During 9/11 it was a Canadian commander that was giving direction on North American airspace on where those planes needed to land [he redirected US air traffic to Canadian bases]. Thats how integrated we are on the security front. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So anyone suggesting otherwise is just being silly. Britains Trident nuclear submarines rely on missiles and warhead designs from the United States, with which the UK shares nuclear materials, research and training under the 1958 US-UK mutual defence agreement. In December, Ms Freeland dramatically resigned from Mr Trudeaus government, revealing in an open letter that she had resisted costly political gimmicks as finance minister in order to face the challenge of looming US tariffs. With his popularity at record lows, Mr Trudeau had offered Canadians a $250 CAD (135) cash rebate and implemented a two-month holiday on General Sales Tax. Trump calls Freeland a whack Ms Freelands resignation prompted Mr Trudeau to resign himself, setting the stage for a fresh candidate to run in the general election due to be held before October this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A former Financial Times journalist and Moscow correspondent, Ms Freeland led the negotiations over the Canada-Mexico-US trade agreement during Mr Trumps first term. She has positioned herself as the best candidate to confront US tariffs, which are due to snap into place tomorrow at 25 per cent on a broad swath of Canadian exports. I know president Trump. I fought for Canada in the first Trump administration, and I got a good deal for Canada, she told the Canadian Press at a rally on Saturday in the city of Edmonton, Alberta. In an interview with the Spectator last week, Mr Trump referred to Ms Freeland as a whack. Shes absolutely terrible for the country. Shes incompetent in many respects and can only cause ill will for Canada, the president said. On X, Ms Freeland replied: Theres a reason Trump called me a whack. Theres a reason he complained about my negotiating skills. Theres a reason Putin kicked me out of Russia, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont back down and Trump and Putin know it. Seen as a Trudeau loyalist after having served under him in various cabinet positions since 2015, Ms Freeland has attempted to distance herself from the Left-wing identity politics of the prime minister. I am an old-school Liberal, she told TV host Bill Maher over the weekend. And Liberals in Canada win when we are focused on people and on what they need in their lives. We lose when people think that we are focused on virtue signalling and identity politics. On Monday, Emmanuel Macron said France would consider extending the umbrella of its nuclear forces across Europe. Friedrich Merz, Germanys new Chancellor, has called for Britain and France to share their arsenals with his nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sir Keir Starmer last week refused to be drawn on Mr Trumps 51st state proposals, shutting down the question at a press conference in the White House. I think you are trying to find a divide between us that doesnt exist, the Prime Minister said, adding that Canada wasnt discussed in his one-to-one talks with the president. 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 Capitol rotunda is pictured on the first day of the legislative session in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) The Utah Legislature unveiled its final budget recommendations on Friday, which outlines how lawmakers plan on spending the states money. Not included in that $30 billion list was the roughly $1.6 million that the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition asked for earlier this year to help shelters and victim service providers handle an increase in referrals, and to fund a program to help prosecute the most serious offenders. Domestic violence resources Help for people in abusive relationships is available in Utah: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, once again, advocates with the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition are spending the last week of the legislative session lobbying lawmakers to amend the list of budget recommendations. If they dont, a program that allows law enforcement to conduct strangulation exams for victims of domestic violence could run out of funds. Its all hands on deck to make sure everyone knows this program exists and what it does, and that its really a no-brainer to fund, said Erin Jemison, director of public policy for the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition. Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla said on Monday that theres still a chance the funding could come through before the session ends on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pressure is there, and were all hopeful that some of this can be addressed, said Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City. The coalition prioritized two funding requests this year. One would direct about $1.4 million to various domestic violence shelters and service providers. The other would funnel $260,000 in annual funds to help police departments around the state commission forensic medical exams in domestic violence cases that involve strangulation. The program is forecasted to cost more than $400,000, and the Domestic Violence Coalition is planning on fundraising to cover the difference. The $1.4 million request was a big ask, and amid a tight budget year, Jemison says the coalition tempered expectations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the latter is a relatively small appropriation with the potential to make a big impact. Given the small amount, we had more hope, said Jemison. Data shows that domestic violence incidents that involve strangulation are one of the biggest indicators of potential lethality in a relationship. A 2009 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that non-fatal strangulation was present in 43% of intimate partner homicides, and 45% of attempted intimate partner homicides. Another study showed that being strangled by an intimate partner heightened the chances of homicide by 600%. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But law enforcement arent always equipped to handle these cases. Instead, they contract with highly specialized forensic experts who conduct a strangulation exam, while also providing important health care services to the victim. Those forensic experts can act as expert witnesses during a trial, or provide prosecutors with a report that can add credibility to a victims testimony. In 2022, lawmakers allocated $200,000 toward creating a program to reimburse law enforcement for the strangulation exams. And in 2024, they made another $200,000 appropriation to expand the program. In just four months, more than 80% of that funding was spent. Jemison said a number of law enforcement agencies are now telling the Domestic Violence Coalition that they only conduct the exams in the most serious cases over concerns that the funding is running dry. If lawmakers dont direct some money toward the program, it will end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Budget Chair Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, said the budget process is still in motion and that theres a chance the program could be funded. When asked about it on Monday, he told reporters: maybe. Theres a little money were still working with, Stevenson said. Jemison said instead of ongoing funds, which would support the program annually, they could be getting more one-time funding. The coalition is 50% hopeful, she said. If thats the case, theyll be back on capitol hill next year lobbying for more funding. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Rocky Mountain Power in Utah does a good job with its demand on energy, but new data centers and AI facilities could challenge the ability to meet electricity needs. To that end, Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, has proposed a measure to insulate current ratepayers against an explosive growth in load demand and allow developers of these centers to operate in a competitive space to find their own energy. What we have now is an exponential increase in demand where companies are coming in and wanting to place data centers. Theyre wanting to do AI and these large loads are, quite honestly, very hard to service under our normal, current regulated monopoly system that we have in our state. What weve done with this bill is we have allowed for loads that are over 50 megawatts to come in and operate in a competitive space, rather than a regulated monopoly space that we typically allow, Sandall said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill, SB132, was heard on the Senate floor Monday and passed unanimously. This would only (apply) in the geographic area of Rocky Mountain Power and allow Rocky Mountain Power to compete in individual contracts, Sandall said. It also gives a pathway for outside entities to come in and be service providers for these large loads. As I mentioned with the substitute, one of the biggest sticking points has been weve tried to create this wall between the new loads and the existing customer base to make sure that costs dont get allocated back to regular or normal or existing customers for ramping up in these new large loads. Sandall did concede the bill has been through several changes and met with resistance, but he emphasized the compromise it embraces should work and deserves to be heard by their counterparts in the House. The part that got real tricky was when the power had to be transmitted from a new producer through the system, the current system, to a new user of over 50 megawatts. When those upgrades need to happen, there will be some benefits that accrue back to the regular customers in increased transmission capability that space was really hard to navigate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that if Utah is going to be a competitive player in this arena, it needs to adjust and be ready. I think this is a great way to allow our state to be in the forefront in electrical production. And these companies that are wanting to look theyre looking in all 50 states. And the state that begins to get this right first is going to have the opportunity to have that business here, have that investment billions of dollars worth of investment comes to our state. The bill would make the Utah Public Service Commission the final arbiter of these new loads coming on, Sandall said. Sen. Derrin Owens, R-Fountain Green, praised the measure during the hearing on the Senate floor. These are challenging issues and what I really appreciate is looking out for the taxpayer or the ratepayer, rather than capturing all of the cost when these large loads come on and then put (it) right into a monopoly that already exists. ... So I really appreciate the Legislature and a good sponsor for looking out for that and trying to craft it. I know its difficult, but appreciate the work and Ill be in support. McLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44) The McLennan County Commissioners Court approved a Burn Ban Order linked to a Red Flag Warning on Tuesday. According to the County Judges Office, the National Weather Service issues Red Flag Warnings. It indicates that there is an increased risk of fire danger due to a combination of warm temperatures, low humidity and stronger winds. The Burn Ban Order issued by the Commissioners Court is in effect for 90 days. However, it is only active when there is a Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can view the Burn Ban Order below. The status of McLennan County Burn Ban Orders or Red Flag Warnings can be viewed online here. Red-Flag-Warning-Burn-Ban-Order-3-4-25Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. Mar. 4As the Butler County Jail prepares this week to again become a detention facility for Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees, immigration advocates have raised concerns about pending litigation that sprouted from the jail's previous ICE contract. The 2020 lawsuit, which is still ongoing in the U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, alleges that two refugees Bayong Brown Bayong and Admed Adem -while housed at the Butler County Jail were repeatedly beaten and threatened during their ICE detainment. The Butler County Commission in February approved an amendment to the contract the sheriff has with the U.S. Marshals Service to add ICE prisoners, effective March 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was surprised that the county rubber-stamped this request for the ICE contract, knowing there is this active court case. Any abuse, any denial of medical treatment, any failure to follow religious observance, any civil rights violation we hear about, we can go back to the court. We can grow the case," said Lynn Tramonte, the executive director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance. The lawsuit claims that one of the alleged incidents with a Butler County corrections officer resulted in Bayong losing a tooth. Sheriff Richard Jones previously told this news outlet that the men both no longer housed at the jail were noncompliant while in the jail, with appropriate use of force being used. This news outlet asked the sheriff's office for comment on detainee safety, as well as clarification on ICE contract details and oversight for ICE detention centers. Sgt. Kim Peters, a public information officer for the Butler County Sheriff's Office, replied in a statement that the ICE contract is still under negotiation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peters said the facility passed necessary inspections for ICE detainment. Butler County Sheriff's Office officials last month said they were moving quickly to prepare the jail for ICE detainees. Butler County had a contract with ICE from 2003 until June 2021, when the sheriff canceled it. Jones previously said he canceled his contract with ICE for housing detainees awaiting immigration hearings in 2021 due to the Biden administration's regulations. Tramonte said families that have reached out to the Ohio Immigrant Alliance have reported "a state of terror and a state of siege." "Not only is ICE going to knock on your door, but you could be driving to school, dropping your kids off, going to work. You don't know if you're going to be stopped. And the terror isn't limited to people without paperwork," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ohio Immigrant Alliance would like to see people facing immigration violations a civil charge not housed in facilities that typically house people facing criminal charges. Resources exist for immigrant families with questions about their rights, Tramonte said. This includes a hotline managed by her organization. Denise Callahan contributed to this report. BATES COUNTY, Mo. Family of the two boys who died in a Bates County mobile home fire over the weekend are grieving. They said they tried desperately to get them out after. The fire happened in rural Butler, Missouri at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Now, the community is stepping up to lend a hand. The owner of the Carpenters Cup said this community supports each other in times of tragedy. A large pile of clothes and food in their corner is now proof. Dozens of people dropped off donations, including money, to go to the family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police arrest man connected to 5 break-ins Waldo, Brookside neighborhoods Theres been a revolving door of donations meant for the family impacted by this deadly fire. Bridget Merryfield is a stranger to Jamie and Rachel Huff. However, the Bates County mom felt called to donate. I cant even fathom what theyre going through, Merryfield said. I wish I could help more than just providing the mom clothes. It just pulls at your heartstrings. Aiden and Hunter were just 2 years old. Aiden was their biological son, they took in Hunter at just 6-months-old, according to Huff. Jamie, Rachel and their 15-month-old girl made it out of the burning home alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was just fire all over the living room, Jamie said. The door, the windows, basically everything was blocking us from the babies. I just kept screaming, My babies, my babies!' Rachel said. Jamie said just after 11 p.m. Saturday, they heard a popping noise coming from the living room. He went to check and saw flames. We tried to get to our baby boys both ways, and no matter how we tried, we couldnt get to them in time, Jamie said. So, we had to sit there and watch them the whole time and watch them, watch the whole house burn, pretty much helpless. Jamie used a water hose, attempting to get inside the boys room, still he said the fire spread. They ran outside and he punched through the glass to the boys window. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I reached my hand in and the built-in dresser that was in the room, was just charred and melting, Jamie said. It was falling apart, I couldnt even grab it to pull myself in. We called their names but couldnt hear anything and within seconds, we had to get back because flames were coming out of their windows. The states division of fire safety responded to the scene to investigate the cause. The Bates County Sheriff told FOX4 investigators are looking at the source of the fire possibly being electric-related. But the states division of fire safety said right now, where and how this fire started isnt clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Carpenters Cup continues to collect donations for the family. Theres also a GoFundMe page. The family said the money will go to funeral expenses for the two boys, housing and getting back on their feet. This is how we show Gods love, Carpenters Cup Owner Becky Clift said. Its got to feel good to know, that no matter where you turn, theres somebody willing to give you a hug, or just a smile. Somebody you can lean on for just a little bit, even if its just a little bit. And we all need God and thats where were coming from. Woman, 12-year-old boy killed in Platte County crime spree identified Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So many people are helping us, and we are so grateful, Rachel said. So thankful, Jamie said. We did lose everything in the fire, unfortunately, it just isnt enough. It doesnt bring back our boys. My heart goes out to the families, and we will miss the children playing out in the yard, neighbor Therese Hurshman said. I just want to extend prayers and heartfelt wishes, and I just want them to feel the Lord wrapping his arms around them. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) The City of Albuquerque shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to a bike shop owner last fall who says she was wrongfully charged after she kicked out an aggressive customer. Just like a bar, or restaurant, or your home, if someone enters it, you have the right to protect yourself, says Amanda Batty. Batty, a former Albuquerque resident, has received thousands of dollars from the city after she sued, saying she should not have been criminally charged for protecting her bike shop. I told him that he needed to leave, and then he came back, Batty said. Batty used to own the now-closed Bike Coop, just south of the University of New Mexico (UNM) campus. In Battys lawsuit, she says that in 2023, a customer became combative after purchasing the wrong-sized tire against her advice and demanded a refund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teen accused in fatal botched robbery remains behind bars He was really aggressive; he was really abusive, Batty explained. Batty says she called the police, but before they arrived, the customer returned a third time. Made a move as though he was going to enter, come further into the shop, Batty said. I didnt know if he had a weapon. Batty told the customer he was not welcome inside the store and attempted to stop him from forcing his way in, kneeing the customer in the groin and pushing him out of the shop. When police arrived, to Battys shock, she was the one given a summons to appear in court on a battery charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They told me that they would send me a criminal summons for ejecting someone from my private business, Batty said. Albuquerque man sentenced for string of robberies Batty spoke to News 13 in 2023, just after the incident. She told KRQE that she had been dealing with a string of property crimes and unwanted people on her property, and this was the last straw. Thats when Batty decided to close her shop. That battery charge was later dropped, and Batty filed a suit against the city and the responding officer claiming unlawful arrest. Now, the City of Albuquerque has paid Batty $50,000 to settle the suit. Even so, Batty says the last couple of years have been a financial strain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The settlement amount was less than 10% of the inventory value that we had in the shop that we had to liquidate, Batty added. Following the incident, Batty moved out of Albuquerque and now lives in Oregon. News 13 reached out to the city for a comment about the settlement but did not hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. "I am a big technology enthusiast, and I consider China to be a major player in the tech sector -- indeed, a leader." Filip Jancik, a talented Slovak violinist, has now gained more than 100,000 followers on Chinese video platform Bilibili. His eyes have captured China's modernization with its blend of tradition and innovation. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Above: Nexstar Media Wire video on U.S. crime statistics. JACUMBA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) A Jacumba man was taken into custody after a stockpile of booby traps and weapons, including explosives, were found by sheriffs deputies in his home Monday morning, the department said. The officers found the items while executing a search warrant around 6 a.m. Monday at the mans home in the 42000 block of Old Highway 80 as part of an investigation into an assault with a deadly weapon incident last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the search, deputies discovered the man, identified as 40-year-old Ross Warren, hiding from authorities inside a wall. According to the sheriffs department, concealed with him was a firearm, a pellet gun and an imitation firearm. At least one person shot dead in Mission Valley Multiple fabricated explosives and improvised booby traps, such as a wood plank with screws pointing up and a ball of nails, were also found scattered outside the home, the sheriffs department added. Upon finding these items, the sheriffs Bomb/Arson Unit was dispatched to the scene to safely recover them. Additional firearms, ammunition, explosives and booby traps were found by the unit, according to the sheriffs department, as well as evidence tied to the original investigation. Firearms, a booby trap and explosives found in a Jacumba mans home on March 2, 2025. (San Diego County Sheriffs Department) Firearms, a booby trap and explosives found in a Jacumba mans home on March 2, 2025. (San Diego County Sheriffs Department) Firearms, a booby trap and explosives found in a Jacumba mans home on March 2, 2025. (San Diego County Sheriffs Department) Firearms, a booby trap and explosives found in a Jacumba mans home on March 2, 2025. (San Diego County Sheriffs Department) Warren was arrested and booked into San Diego Central Jail. He faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, child endangerment, possessing or deploying booby traps, and multiple counts of possessing or manufacturing destructive devices, the sheriffs department says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warrens girlfriend, who he lives with, was also arrested on suspicion of charges tied to obstruction or delaying a peace officer. However, she was cited and then released. No further information was available about the original investigation that prompted the search of Warrens home. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Disclaimer: All persons are innocent until proven guilty CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) A student at Booker T. Washington High School was arrested for pointing a BB gun at another student, according to Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr. According to a media release from the Caddo Parish Sheriffs Office, on Monday March 3, just after 2 p.m, Deputy Daniels, the School Resource Officer at BTW, was notified about an altercation involving a 19-year-old student named Demartezz Robinson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caddo Parish DA highlights mental health crisis in children Police say during the incident, Robinson brandished a BB gun that resembled a real handgun at another student. Deputy Daniels found both Robinson and the weapon and subsequently placed him in custody. Robinson was arrested and booked into Caddo Correctional Center. He faces charges of carrying a firearm/weapon on school property and aggravated assault with a firearm. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. California is mandating that state employees return to the office four days a week starting July 1. The move aligns with a White House mandate for federal workers to return full-time. Companies like Amazon and JPMorgan also require in-person work, ending remote policies. California is requiring most state employees to come into the office at least four days a week starting July 1. Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said on Monday that the state employs 224,000 full-time workers and that over half have returned to daily in-office work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases," Newson said in a statement. The announcement said telework would be granted on a case-by-case basis, including for employees who do not live near their offices. The order follows a White House mandate to return federal workers to the office full time. President Donald Trump signed the return-to-office mandate during his first hours in office. Changes are also being rolled out on the state level. Some states, including Ohio and Oklahoma, require their employees to work in person, ending pandemic-era telework policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, companies including Amazon, JPMorgan, and Salesforce have required their employees to return to in-person work. California's order has gained criticism from one of the largest public sector unions in the country. On Monday, SEIU Local 1000 called Newsom's decision "out of touch, unnecessary, and a step backward" and asked him to "reverse this reckless decision." "Forcing workers back into the office hits them financially," the union, which said it represents 96,000 people employed by California, wrote in a statement. "Many will face higher costs for gas, parking, and commuting expenses that telework helped avoid." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another labor union, the California Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges, and Hearing Officers in State Employment, or CASE, said that the order came without advance warning. "Many agencies have given up real estate to adjust to telework" and CASE members require offices because of the sensitive nature of their work, Tim O'Connor, CASE's president, said in a release. "We have no idea how the State is going to comply with that requirement." The order reverses Newsom's outlook and policies toward remote work. During the pandemic and until the end of 2023, his administration encouraged remote work for California government employees. It also gave individual agencies within the government autonomy over remote or hybrid work policies. Newsom has been pushing for in-person work since April 2024. Newsom also asked state human resources to streamline the hiring of former federal workers who want jobs in areas such as firefighting, weather forecasting, natural resource management, and medical and mental healthcare. Mass layoffs and employee buyouts across US government agencies led by Elon Musk's DOGE have left thousands of federal employees unemployed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump and Musk have said the moves are meant to improve productivity and slash federal spending. Newsom's office did not respond to a request for comment from BI. Read the original article on Business Insider An on-duty Sacramento County sheriff's deputy survived after overdosing on fentanyl he had seized during an arrest, a recently published internal investigation has revealed. The 2023 incident initially sparked alarm as officials believed he had collapsed after being "exposed" to fentanyl. The sheriff's spokesperson alerted the media, and some deputies who had witnessed their colleague's near-death sought therapy, according to the 468-page internal report. Deputy Marvin Morales was discovered unresponsive on the floor of a sheriff's station bathroom. Drug paraphernalia was in the pocket of his uniform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morales later told sheriff's officials that he had ingested the drug "with the intent to commit suicide" because he had been suffering from depression. The investigation would reveal, however, that this was not the first time Morales had used drugs he'd seized. In the Oct. 24, 2023, incident that led to his overdose, Morales conducted a "suspicious subject stop" around 5:40 p.m. and found a tinfoil bundle with methamphetamine in it sticking out of the suspect's pants. A laboratory test on the narcotics would later identify the seized drug as fentanyl, the report states. Deputies treated their colleague with Narcan after his overdose. (Sacramento County Sheriff's Office) Nearly three hours later, Morales, who was on duty and in full uniform, entered the public lobby and restroom of the sheriff's Central Division Station in south Sacramento. The investigation found that Morales smoked some of the methamphetamine he'd seized using a glass pipe "he obtained at some point during the course of his duties and a torch lighter that had been in his patrol vehicle." Another deputy found Morales unconscious on the bathroom floor; a glass pipe with burned residue was nearby, the report states. Officers administered Narcan in an effort to reverse the overdose. Morales was transported to a hospital for further treatment and survived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Responding officers found the tinfoil of methamphetamine that Morales had seized earlier in a pants pocket of his uniform. The investigation also found that, on two separate occasions in August, Morales had cited individuals for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, then lied about how he disposed of the items. In his routine crime reports on each incident, Morales said he secured a glass methamphetamine pipe and "due to the fragile state of the glass pipe and to avoid breaking it, I took a photograph of it with my department-issued iPhone as I would be using this photograph as evidence," and disposed of the pipe at the sheriff's station. In an internal interview, the report says, Morales confessed that he had lied in one of the crime reports and had taken the methamphetamine pipe home and smoked the drug residue from the pipe three or four times over four months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morales told officials he did it because it "gave him the 'energy' he needed to write in-custody reports." Investigators challenged Morales' assertions, citing a toxicology report of his blood and hair samples as evidence of chronic drug use. The report recommended that Morales be terminated, and the deputy was informed of the results on Jan. 4, 2024. Documents show that Morales resigned Feb. 2 that same year. He voluntarily surrendered his peace officer certification this month, according to the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Speaking of his colleagues who sought therapy after he nearly died, Morales said in an internal interview that he wanted to "apologize to them so bad, but I can't. I'm not that strong bro." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He went on to apologize to his partner and the Sheriff's Office. "That's why I did it in that bathroom," he said. "I didn't want the public to see me." 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. California lawmakers will consider a bill intended to expand protections for migrant workers who come to California through temporary work visa programs for jobs in agriculture, nursing, domestic care and other industries. The legislation, Assembly Bill 1362, would require that all contracted foreign labor recruiters register with the state and follow rules aimed at preventing them from exploiting migrant workers. It would prohibit them, for example, from charging workers recruitment fees and create legal remedies for labor violations. The bill, also called the Human Trafficking Prevention and Protection Act for Temporary Immigrant Workers, was recently introduced by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For too long, the vast majority of temporary foreign workers have remained unprotected and subject to the documented abuses of unscrupulous foreign labor recruiters. Businesses also risk falling prey to exploitative [recruiters] who use predatory recruitment processes, Kalra said Monday in a statement about the bill. Anti-human trafficking advocates say that due to a lack of federal oversight, temporary visa programs are frequently exploited, with workers subject to human trafficking because of false promises and illegal schemes by third-party labor recruiters. To remedy these issues, California passed legislation in 2014, Senate Bill 477, requiring foreign labor recruiters to register with the state and abide by certain worker protections. It also mandates that workers receive fair and clear contractual terms, as well as that recruiters pay bonds to cover funds for any potential violations, and prohibits retaliation against workers exercising their labor rights. However, only a sliver of foreign labor recruiters who bring in those migrant workers are subject to these rules, said Stephanie Richard, director at the Sunita Jain Anti-Trafficking Initiative, an organization at Loyola Law School that is backing the newly introduced legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Kern County immigration raid offers glimpse into new reality for California farmworkers During the regulatory process to hash out how SB 477 would be enforced, the law was narrowly interpreted to apply only to H-2B visas, she said. Out of the roughly 350,000 migrant workers who come to California employed through temporary work visa programs, only about 5,000 are brought through H-2B visas, according to Kalra's office. AB 1362 would extend existing protections to foreign labor contractors recruiting for all other temporary work visa programs, with two exceptions: recruiters for J-1 exchange visitor visas typically used by researchers and students and talent agency recruiters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richard said she believes it's crucial that lawmakers pass these protections, given the looming threat of immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration. "We know that business will demand more temporary workers if some of our workforce is deported, and that there will be less oversight from the federal government that will lead to more exploitation," she said. Previous efforts to amend language to expand protections to other workers on temporary work visas have been opposed by the Western Growers Assn. The business group, which represents farmers growing produce in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, generally opposes changes that it has said could slow down the process or increase the cost of bringing migrant agricultural workers to California through the H-2A visa program. The president of the Western Growers Assn., Dave Puglia, has said in recent weeks that crucial aspects of Americas food production are increasingly strained by a lack of workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a recent opinion piece for a trade publication, he wrote that the foreign visa program that helps bring workers here should be expanded to better fill the needs of farmers, and that any obstacles whether they be threats of workplace immigration enforcement raids or bureaucratic bottlenecks should be removed as much as possible. The Western Growers Assn. did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the new bill. 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. (Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered almost 100,000 state workers to return to their offices four days a week starting in July. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement is one of the larger state mandates since the Covid-19 pandemic upended work habits. It follows a White House directive to bring back federal workers full-time, while major companies such as Salesforce Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have taken similar steps to have employees return. In-person work makes us all stronger period, Newsom said in a statement. When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases. Californias 224,000 workers are currently required to show up in office at least two days a week. The mandate announced Monday will affect about 95,000 people, the governors office said, since many state jobs already require full-time in-person work. In the already congested Sacramento area, it could complicate the commutes for thousands of workers who dont live near their offices. California seems like it doesnt want to be out of line with the federal government, said Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford University professor who studies remote-work trends. He said enforcing the mandate will be difficult, with typical compliance rates hovering around 50% to 70%. If theyre mandating four days in practice, my guess is youll see two to three days, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsoms order provides room for exemptions on a case-by-case basis. Those may include employees who were hired with a mutually agreed-upon telework arrangement and others who dont live near their offices. The governor also ordered the states human resources department to make it easier for federal workers who were fired by the Trumps administration to find jobs with the state. California will create a website connecting this newly available talented workforce with current job opportunities and identify vacancies that match the skills of fired federal employees. The governor could face resistance from unions that represent state workers. They opposed his previous mandate requiring two days of in-office work, arguing that the policy adds to costly commutes without boosting productivity. (Updates with union background in final paragraph.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. More than 150,000 calls, texts and chat messages have been answered by counselors working for the 988 Wisconsin Lifeline since the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline shifted to a three-digit number in July 2022. But what do people do once they hang up not just in Wisconsin, but across the country? For people who need more support once their call ends, finding a crisis center might be harder to come by today compared to when 988 first launched. That's according to a new national study published in JAMA Psychiatry. It found that, despite increases in calls and messages to 988, the number of community crisis facilities has mostly decreased since the launch of 988. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report also highlighted a slight uptick in peer-support services, in which people facing behavioral health challenges are paired up with counselors who have overcome similar challenges. While facilities in general decreased, peer-support services saw an increase. Wisconsin was a bit of an outlier. It saw neither an increase nor decrease in crisis community centers although it did see a jump of more than 5% in peer-support services. Jonathan Cantor, a policy researcher at American nonprofit think-tank RAND, which conducted the study, told the Journal Sentinel that the success of 988 depends on whether people have follow-up access to crisis facilities. In other words, the volume of calls can only do so much if a caller has nowhere to go with after it. "There's been this large increase in engagement with 988, but 988 is just one component of the broader crisis infrastructure," Cantor said. "We wanted to see if there was any change in the availability of crisis services after the launch of 988 because there was this increased demand. But we really didn't see any except for peer-support services." People who call 988 Wisconsin Lifeline are encouraged to follow-up with a therapist Wisconsin's current and developing crisis facilities run counter to some of the national trends outlined in the JAMA report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caroline Crehan Neumann, crisis services coordinator for Wisconsin Department of Health Services, told the Journal Sentinel that many of the people who receive support in the state from talking with a Lifeline counselor are not simply left to their own devices once the conversation ends. Rather, they are are set up with one or more referrals to explore ongoing behavioral health services, such as therapy, local support groups, or financial assistance support. That's been helped by the growth in staff at Wisconsin Family Services, the organization that hires and trains 988 Wisconsin Lifeline counselors. Currently, 988 Wisconsin Lifeline is staffed by 74 counselors, a 37% increase since last December. "This data shows us that 988 is not only for immediate support but also for ongoing, local care," Crehan Neumann said. "The data also gives us insight into why people are looking for support." How can 988 data be harnessed? While the RAND study found a small but significant decrease in mobile crisis response and suicide prevention services, Cantor said that Wisconsin's mobile crisis slightly increased, making it "relatively stable" compared to the rest of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mobile crisis response is a type of intervention that allows for face-to-face counseling services to take place in someone's home, neighborhood or community. The idea is to avoid unnecessary emergency department visits and hospitalizations, which can themselves be traumatizing. Access Community Clinics, which provide mobile crisis response, have cropped up in recent years across Milwaukee County and Dane County. That tells Cantor that researchers need to continue tracking changes in the future to determine where unmet needs are. The hope is that these conversations pave the way for the creation of more crisis facilities across the country. Crehan Neumann said plans are in the works to use 988 data to better understand the impact the three-digit number has had on peoples emotional and mental wellbeing. A consumer satisfaction survey went out a few months ago to 988 chatters and texters to learn more about their interactions with counselors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "988 is here and so, for best success, we're going to need a coordinated crisis services system where, once you call 988, counselors can help you identify where to go," Cantor said. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: More Wisconsinites are calling 988, but crisis services have not grown Very sad I always thought of America as the leader of the free world and the defender of freedom, liberty and democracy. Now, for whatever reason, our president seems more aligned with Russia and Putin. Very sad. A disgusting display What a disgusting spectacle we witnessed in the White House last Friday. Two bullies ganging up on a brave man desperately trying to just save his country. Unfortunately for them, they came out looking like the complete ignorant cretins that they are. And just does anyone question the seeming person in charge Elon Musks attire as he struts around his office. Anyone ask him if he even owns a suit? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Puppet of Putin This is on about Trump, what exactly is he wanting Russia to give up? Absolutely nothing. They started this war. Hes wanting Ukraine who are the victims in this to give up everything. Trump is a puppet of Putin. Making America not great Republican bootlickers are lining up to congratulate Trump and Vance for their disgraceful bullying of the courageous freedom fighter Zelenskyy. Theres no doubt now. America is now playing on team dictator. And its no way to make America great. Powers of negotiation Trump shows his negotiating tactics in full force with President Zelenskyy, including blackmail, threats, intimidation and bullying. A fire that burned over 100 acres in Harnett County southeast of Cameron was fully contained by 6 p.m. Sunday. A web posting by Cypress Pointe Fire & Rescue in Moore County reported on the progress. The fire started Saturday morning near Lizzie Jeter Lane, according to Spout Springs Fire Chief Alan Jarvis. Crews worked overnight monitoring the blaze, which was in heavily wooded swamp terrain, according to Cypress Point Fire & Rescue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two North Carolina Forest Service plows were deployed to contain the fire on Sunday morning, and an NCFS spotter plane was also used a long with a drone from Moore Breaking News. Accessing the fire was difficult, according to the Cypress Point F&R web posting. Several vehicles were burned and one structure was damaged with no reported injuries. Assisting fire departments included Carthage, Lemon Springs, Southern Pines, Fort Bragg and Eastwood. Harnett County EMS and Sheriffs Office also responded. Whispering Pines Fire Department covered Cypress Point F&R station 1. On Monday morning, Jarvis asked the public to refrain from outside burning until we get some rain. Conditions were dry and windy with low relative humidity over the weekend. Lee County Emergency Management issued a red flag warning on Facebook discouraging outdoor burning between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday. President Donald Trump hit imports from Canada and Mexico with 25% tariffs overnight, alongside an additional 10% tariff on goods from China imposed Monday. The import duties are aimed at forcing more cooperation from Canada, China and Mexico on stopping illegal immigration and drug smuggling into the U.S., Trump said. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Tuesday that her government plans to respond to the U.S. tariffs with its own tariff and nontariff measures starting Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau retaliated with tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods immediately and promised an additional $125 billion in products from the U.S. will face levies in three weeks, according to CBC. Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese goods in February, and doubled the rate of tariffs on imports from China to 20% on Tuesday. China has responded with up to 15% duties on U.S. agrifood goods such as beef, chicken and pork, to start next Monday. Sheinbaum said she would continue to seek a negotiated solution to the immigration and drug smuggling issues at the border with the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nobody wins with this decision, Sheinbaum said at her daily morning news conference on Tuesday. There is no reason that justifies these actions. I call on the people of Mexico to face this challenge together, to remain united. Mexico was the top U.S. trade partner for the second consecutive year in 2024, totaling a record-breaking $840 billion. Canada ranked No. 2 for trade with the U.S. in 2024 at $761 billion, and China ranked third at $582 billion. Border authorities in the U.S. were scheduled to begin collecting a 25% tariff on nearly all goods from Mexico and Canada starting at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, according to a public notice of the rules posted Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps tariffs could spark a global trade war, hurting businesses and consumers, according to Melanie Nuce-Hilton, an innovation strategist at GS1 US. Wallets of both businesses and consumers alike are going to feel the pain. Expect price shifts and product availability changes in the short term, Nuce-Hilton said in an email to FreightWaves. Small businesses that rely on imported materials especially in home goods, apparel, and electronics may have to raise prices or adjust inventory. Ewing, New Jersey-based GS1 US is a nonprofit organization that facilitates industry collaboration to improve supply chain visibility and efficiency through GS1 standards. Nearshoring, change of manufacturing those are pretty painful things to do in a supply chain, Nuce-Hilton said. We are $1 trillion underfunded for the infrastructure we need to truly bring manufacturing back to the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ronald Kleijwegt, CEO at Vinturas, said the tariffs could mark a shift in international manufacturing and supply chains. Were already seeing a shift toward nearshoring and friendshoring, where supply chains prioritize trade partners least impacted by protectionist measures. With U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods increasing, supply chains will likely pivot to alternative manufacturing hubs, such as Vietnam, India or Mexico, Kleijwegt said in an email to FreightWaves. The post Canada, China and Mexico strike back as Trumps tariffs go into effect appeared first on FreightWaves. LONDON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said Tuesday that Prime Minister Keir Starmer would not "choose between the U.S. and Europe" and is working to bring Washington to the table for further discussions on Ukraine. Asked by BBC Radio 4's Today program about the U.S. decision to pause military aid to Ukraine, Rayner said: "We are focused on support for Ukraine, bringing the U.S. around the table alongside our European partners in Ukraine." She said Starmer remains "laser-focused" on Ukraine and "won't be derailed" by the announcements on aid pause. "He will continue that dialogue with our oldest and strongest ally, the U.S., and with European partners and with Ukraine," she added. Canada will introduce tariffs of 25% on imports from the United States in retaliation to US tariffs, due to be imposed on Tuesday. After a 30 day pause, US President Donald Trump said tariffs of 25% are set to come into force on Tuesday for goods from Canada and Mexico. Energy resources from Canada will have a lower 10% tariff. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said should American tariffs come into effect, Canada would introduce matching 25% tariffs on up to $155 billion in imports from the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Canada will not let this unjustified decision go unanswered," Trudeau said in a statement. "Our tariffs will remain in place until the US trade action is withdrawn, and should US tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures," he said. He urged the US administration to reconsider its tariffs and said Canada "remains firm" in standing up for its economy, jobs and workers. "Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship. They will violate the very trade agreement that was negotiated by President Trump in his last term," Trudeau said. By David Ljunggren and Promit Mukherjee OTTAWA (Reuters) -Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday that his tariffs on Canadian imports were "a very dumb thing to do" and said Ottawa was striking back immediately at its closest ally. Trudeau, who is stepping down at the end of the week, also accused Trump of wanting to ruin the Canadian economy. Speaking hours after Trump launched a trade war against Mexico and Canada, Trudeau announced immediate 25% tariffs on C$30 billion worth of U.S. imports. If need be, Canada will target another C$125 billion worth in 21 days' time, he said. "There is absolutely no justification or need whatsoever for these tariffs," Trudeau told reporters, adding that Canada would challenge the U.S. measures at the World Trade Organization and through a U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement already in place. "Canadians are reasonable and we are polite, but we will not back down from a fight, not when our country and the well-being of everyone in it is at stake," he said. Trump responded by saying the Canadian retaliatory tariffs would be met with immediate reciprocal tariffs of the same size. Trump has accused Canada of failing to do enough to stem the flow of the deadly fentanyl opioid and its precursor chemicals into the U.S., an argument Trudeau called "completely bogus, completely unjustified, completely false." Trudeau's relations with Trump, which have never been warm, deteriorated in recent months after the president repeatedly talked of Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state and mockingly referred to Trudeau as its "governor" rather than prime minister. Trump says he is unhappy with the trilateral U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal that he signed in his first term. Trudeau played down the idea of opening talks ahead of a review scheduled for 2026. "Given that he is choosing to want to ruin the Canadian economy, I don't know whether to bring forward negotiations, given the situation of such bad faith that we're in," said Trudeau, who warned Canadians that tough times were coming. Economists say Canada, which sends 75% of all exports to the United States, will plunge into a recession unless the tariffs are lifted quickly. Trudeau said Americans would suffer as well, given how tightly the two economies are connected, and he referred to a Wall Street Journal editorial in late January that said Trump would be launching "the dumbest trade war in history" if he went ahead with tariffs. "It's not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you're a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do," said Trudeau, who will step down as prime minister after the ruling Liberal Party chooses a new leader on Sunday. (NewsNation) Ontario Premier Doug Ford has threatened to cut off electricity exports to the United States following President Donald Trumps newest tariffs. If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything including cut off their energy with a smile on my face, Ford told reporters at a mining convention in downtown Toronto, the Toronto Sun reported. Trump enacted a 25% tariff on imports from our northern neighbor on Tuesday, making good on his campaign promises to make other North American countries pay for perceived failures in border security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But beyond the political posturing are a combined 380 million people in Canada and the U.S. who could face higher prices or power cuts if this trade war intensifies. Does US rely on Canadian electricity? The United States and Canada have had a symbiotic energy relationship for nearly six decades. Americas northern border is home to more than 35 major electricity transmission lines and 70 oil and gas pipelines, connecting the countries in the closest energy relationship in the world, per the embassy of Canadas official website. As of 2021, Canadian energy exports to the United States totaled $112 billion conversely, the U.S. imported $25 billion in energy to Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ontario Doug Ford Premier: Trump tariffs backfired, inflation to hit US In 2024, Canada supplied 62% of American crude oil imports. Other energy exports from Canada include hydroelectric power, natural gas and other fossil fuels. The energy relationship between the two countries extends beyond just the trade of commodities, encompassing a variety of common, though not always identical, economic, security, and environmental priorities, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In some way, shape or form, all 50 states get energy or benefit from the U.S.-Canada energy trade. Can Canada cut off electricity to the US? Yes, Canada can make good on Fords promise though itll take more than his threats to enact tariffs or pull the plug altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will take federal government approval for Ontario or any province to retaliate against Trump, experts told CNN back in 2024 when Trump and Ford first floated their warnings. Who will be affected by a Canadian energy cut? Nearly every region of the country will feel the heat or lack thereof if Canada decides to stop exporting energy. Oil refineries in the Midwest and Great Lakes region rely on that oil to make gasoline, jet fuel and diesel. In 2023, the U.S. imported 1.4 million barrels of Canadian crude oil each day more than half its daily import of 2.4 million. In New England, states like Maine, which are secluded from other regional energy infrastructure, could face electricity cost hikes of up to $200 million per state, Heatmap News reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state of Vermont has partnered with Hydro-Quebec to have the Canadian company provide 25% of the states annual energy needs through 2038. Similarly, New York has a deal for megawatt importation through 2030. Both deals could easily fall apart if Fords threats come to fruition, leaving much of the northeast scrambling for a new source. What would happen if Canada stops exporting energy to US? If Canada does shutter its energy exports to the U.S., Trump and his administration will have to buy from a pricier source, shift power across the country or create more energy facilities in-house. Integrity Energy, one of the largest commercial energy brokerages in the nation, warns this could single-handedly impact power reliability and costs in many states along the Northern border and throughout the Midwest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ohio-based enterprise forecasts a jump in both gas prices and energy rates, especially for states in the northeast like Maine, which is secluded from other regional energy infrastructure. Trump trade war intensifies as tariffs go into place RJ Johnston, research director at Columbia Universitys Center on Global Energy Policy, told CNN in December that he doesnt see much vulnerability for America in this situation. He argues that the U.S. has abundant electricity resources and that any energy scramble would likely be temporary. Even in an extended outage, the US has the ability to add more generation capacity in a relatively short period of time, Johnston said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) U.S. tariffs on Canada and Mexico are set to begin Tuesday. President Donald Trump has proposed to impose 25 percent tariffs, or taxes on imports, in response to what he calls an unacceptable flow of illegal drugs and migrants into the U.S. Approximately 15 percent of cars sold in the U.S. are made in Mexico, while seven percent are made in Canada. Trumps tariff tactics carry higher economic risks than during his first term Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts say there will be some sort of impact on auto suppliers and manufacturers. However, what that exact impact will be is still yet to be determined. Brian Lester, chief investment officer for Howe & Rusling, says when it comes to the potential pinch car buyers could feel in the future, consumers can expect to see an increase after several weeks. Lester does not, however, think that rise in price will be to the fullest extent or estimate. If the tariffs were to go fully into effect and that cost were to be passed onto the consumer entirely, the cost of automobiles in the U.S. would rise by $6,000 based on various estimates. However, thats unlikely to actually occur because manufacturers will have to absorb some sort of margin impact. Their component suppliers will also have to absorb some sort of margin impact. So, after a period of several weeks, I do think consumers can expect to see an impact upward on sticker prices surrounding new cars. Thats assuming these tariffs remain in effect, but I would not expect them to go up by the full estimate of $6,000. Its probably less than that, said Lester. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lester also spoke on the tariffs from China, which are likely to put pressure on the price of hybrid and electric vehicles. President Trump has also announced a forthcoming 25 percent charge on all steel and aluminum imports, which is set to take effect March 12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. OTTAWA President Donald Trumps plan to impose tariffs on Canadian goods is drawing an immediate response as Ottawa responds with levies on U.S. products targeting Republican-led states, including Florida oranges and appliances from Ohio. The Canadian response to the U.S. trade action set to take effect Tuesday has been in the works for weeks since Trump first announced his intention on Feb. 1 to upend decades of trade cooperation between the two nations. Canada is now poised to hit the U.S. with 25 percent tariffs on C$30 billion of U.S. goods, and the threat of C$125 billion more after a 21-day consultation period. The list of what would get tariffed immediately includes food poultry, beef, fish, yogurt and more along with various textiles and furniture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said thousands of Canadian jobs are at stake. We are ready with C$155 billion worth of tariffs, she told reporters on her way into a Cabinet meeting, referring to the two-pronged tariff retaliation plan. Joly said she and her Cabinet colleagues spent Monday reaching out one more time to their Trump counterparts to head off the economic damage of the tariffs. Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc spoke with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also said he is ready to fight. If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything, including cut off their energy with a smile on my face, he said Monday. Im encouraging every other province to do the same. Ontario exports electricity to 1.5 million Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump broke the news while Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Air Force jetliner was airborne to Ottawa from London, where he met earlier in the day with King Charles III and following Sundays Ukraine solidarity summit with European leaders. No room left for Mexico or for Canada. The tariffs, you know, theyre all set. They go into effect tomorrow, Trump said Monday afternoon, kicking the feet out from under one of the most intensive Canadian political advocacy efforts that has ever targeted the U.S. capitol. States that will feel Ottawas retaliation include Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and many more that have Republican leadership and where voters helped bring Trump to power on his promise to reduce their cost of living. One government source said potential tariff targets include coffee from House Speaker Mike Johnsons home state of Louisiana, along with anything from Pennsylvania, a key swing state that turned the election for Trump. Candace Laing, the president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said Trumps decision would plunge Canada and the U.S. into a job-killing recession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tariffs are a tax on the American people. Rather than bringing back affordability or creating a 'golden age' for business, tariffs will cost consumers at the checkout, cost producers more at every point along the supply chain, and force businesses to find alternate suppliers that are less reliable than Canadian ones, Laing said in a statement to POLITICO. The U.S. can claim this policy is about hitting Canada where it hurts, but it will soon see the disastrous impacts at home in cities like Detroit, Pittsburgh and Louisville, she said. Canadas retaliation will be the sword to the proverbial carrot that saw Ottawa lawmakers and Canadas premiers spending weeks shuttling back and forth to Capitol Hill with the message that tariffs on Canada will also hurt Americans. The intense, widespread lobbying aimed at Trumps incoming Cabinet, lawmakers in Congress, state-level politicians and business leaders was an attempt to demonstrate that Ottawa was taking Trump at his word: that Canada could avoid tariffs if they could show a reduction in the flow of fentanyl and illegal migrants into the U.S. from Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Less than 1 percent of those illicit drugs and people currently enter the U.S. Nonetheless, Canada spent C$1.3 billion on a border security plan that included Black Hawk helicopter deployments, other surveillance and more border officials on the ground. The list of officials deployed to D.C. to head off the tariffs was long and included LeBlanc, Defense Minister Bill Blair and Kevin Brosseau, Canadas newly appointed fentanyl czar. In the end, nothing they said mattered. We know that we've answered questions that the Trump administration had regarding our efforts, said Joly of the border measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is about far more than the border for Trump, it is about reshoring manufacturing to America part of his promise of delivering on a new golden age. The heart of that pledge is the coveted and highly integrated automobile sector that both countries established through an Auto Pact inked 60 years ago the precursor to free trade deals followed decades later. Trump suggested Monday one way to avoid tariffs is to build business in America. I would just say this to people in Canada or Mexico, if they're going to build car plants, the people that are doing them are much better off building here, because we have the market. We're the market where they sell the most. And so I think it's going to be very exciting, he said. The auto sector is literally the engine of Ontario, Canadas most populous province, its premier pledged in his typically colorful language to protect those jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To the president: Im a different type of cat. Ill fight tooth and nail. Im not going to roll over and get annihilated, Ford said. Flavio Volpe, the president of Canadas Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, has predicted tariffs could cripple the North American auto industry within a week. We know that the president never backs off during press conferences. Im still hopeful that when we see it in writing, some of it will have a relationship with math, science and the truth, Volpe told POLITICO on Monday. Miller told POLITICO last week that although meetings with individual Washington lawmakers felt productive, there was a sense of futility to the blitz. No matter who you meet at the highest level, what is quite clear is that the decision ultimately is made by the president and it can change. Speaking at a mining convention in Toronto on Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province would back the countrys united response to President Donald Trumps 25% tariffs even if that means cutting off electricity to the United States. If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything, including cut off their energy, with a smile on my face, Ford said. They rely on our energy, they need to feel the pain. They want to come at us hard, were going to come back twice as hard. The premier doubled down on that message Tuesday as he fielded questions from reporters while standing behind a podium reading, Canada is not for sale. Instead of mutual prosperity and security, said Ford, one man President Trump has chosen chaos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now we have no choice: We have to respond, he said. According to data tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Canada exported $3.2 billion worth of power to the United States in 2023. Power transmission between the two countries plays a critical role in balancing the grid and ensuring system reliability. Ford has also threatened to cut off nickel exports to the U.S., which relied on Ontario for 46% of its supply of the metal last year. Nickel plays a crucial role in making stainless steel. In a follow-up conversation with CNN, Ford apologized to the American people while explaining his plans to, if need be, cut off electricity from Ontario that powers 1.5 million U.S. households in New York, Michigan and Minnesota. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is unnecessary, and we do have to retaliate, and I apologize to the American people. Its not you, its your president thats causing this problem, he said. President Trump ran on a mandate to lower costs, to create more jobs. This is going to do exactly the opposite. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to Trumps tariffs with a retaliatory 25% tariff on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods, calling out Trump directly for what Trudeau called his very dumb tariff policy. Trump responded via a social media post riddled with capitalization errors and a jab hes previously made at the prime minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount! he said. Related... Contrary to the American popular stereotype, Canadians do in fact get angry. And right now, much of the country is irate at the U.S. over tariffs that took effect just after midnight Tuesday. Canadians are boycotting American-made goods in shops, cancelling their vacations to the U.S., booing the Star Spangled Banner at sporting events, and piling on Wayne Gretzky for his friendship with Donald Trump. British Columbia and Ontario have pulled all or some American liquor from the shelves of their government-owned liquor stores. Even the excuse that he is giving today for these tariffs today, of fentanyl, is completely bogus, completely unjustified, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a Tuesday press conference. We actually have to fall back on the one thing he has said repeatedly, that what he wants is to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 25% duties and most goods from Canada 10% on energy products have been the main subject of discussion in the country since Donald Trump proposed them in November. Ottawa retaliated with 25% tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods on Tuesday, rising to cover an additional $125 billion of merchandise in 21 days if the U.S. duties remain in place. Canadians are infuriated not just at the hostile action by the countrys neighbor, closest ally and largest trading partner, but at the betrayal of the closer economic ties that the country agreed to when it signed the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement in 1989, followed by NAFTA in 1994. Those pacts came at a much higher economic cost to the country than to the U.S. For Canadians, the existential question for the past century has been how close to we get the U.S. economically, Darren Atwater, an Ottawa-based journalist, told Quartz. Election after election has been run on on that. Canadians knew they were making a faustian bargain with the trade pacts: The loss of thousands of jobs as U.S. manufacturers closed their branch plants in the country, in exchange for its own firms gaining access to a large market for the first time. The results were painful, but Canadian businesses eventually thrived. Nobody but nobody expected the rug to be pulled, Atwater said. Canada shifted its entire economy for a free-trade world and it was suddenly locked out on 90 days notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The duties have already affected one election: The Progressive Conservative government of Ontario was returned to office last weekend with an increased parliamentary majority after Premier Doug Ford brother of the late Toronto mayor Rob Ford flipped from public Trump fan to anti-tariff warrior who banned all U.S.-made alcohol from liquor stores. But the big beneficiary is the federal Liberal party, which trailed the Conservatives badly in the polls for years until recently, when it pulled slightly ahead, riding the wave of rising nationalism. While opposition leader Pierre Poilievre held a press conference yesterday at which he declared hes not MAGA, hes been unable to shake public perceptions that his party is too close to the U.S., too sympathetic to Trump and unlikely to hold a firm line in negotiations. The Liberals have gained momentum by opposing Trumps tariff threats and increasing investment in citizen-focused infrastructure, Kevin Ford, FX & macro strategist at Convera, said in an email. Justin Trudeaus resignation as PM also helped, he added. Time and wait have worked in their favor. With reporting by Will Gavin For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Candace Owens, the far-right commentator and YouTuber who in recent months has juiced her already sizable online following by zealously defending Justin Baldoni in his It Ends With Us legal battle with Blake Lively, revealed in a Feb. 27 livestream that her next project will be attempting to exonerate Harvey Weinstein in the court of public opinion ahead of his April 15 retrial in New York on rape charges. She explained shes been talking with the imprisoned producer by telephone since early 2022, recording interviews since his second conviction in Los Angeles, also for rape and other sexual misconduct. Her takeaway: While hes an immoral man, hes also a victim of the justice system. Owens, a longtime and persistent critic of the #MeToo movement, of which the Weinstein saga served as the watershed, noted that Ive always had faith in our court system and now thats beginning to change. Now Im beginning to wonder if our courtrooms have been politicized. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, the New York state Court of Appeals overturned Weinsteins conviction from four years earlier, citing improper rulings by the trial judge that had prejudiced him as a defendant. The appeals court noted in its ruling that women had been allowed to testify about allegations that werent part of the case. Owens, who in the same livestream derided Endeavor head Ari Emanuels support for Blake Lively in the Baldoni matter and continued to highlight revelations pertaining to late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has a history of what the Anti-Defamation League has called vicious antisemitism, which led to her departure from Ben Shapiros conservative media outfit The Daily Wire last year. On her livestream, she explained that during their introductory call, Weinstein asked her about her support of antisemite Kanye West and noted hed been a financial supporter of the ADL. I suddenly felt like I was trying out for the cheerleading team, recalled Owens, who last year promoted her belief that Brigitte Macron, Frances first lady, was born a man. Weinsteins spokesman, Juda Engelmayer, tells The Hollywood Reporter in a statement: Since 2017, when the allegations against Mr. Weinstein first emerged, nearly every mainstream and alternative media outlet has seized opportunities to amplify grievances against him. Whenever potentially exculpatory information arose, it was often ignored. However, when new allegations surfaced, they were met with sensationalized headlines. Engelmayer added, Ms. Owens intent is to contribute to the ongoing discourse by presenting some of that additional information that, to date, media have not felt need enough to share with the public. Mr. Weinstein hopes for a truly objective examination of his cases one that fairly considers his accusers, the prevailing narratives, and crucial facts that have frequently been overlooked in the rush to report since this ordeal began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Owens own communications representative has circulated a memo underscoring that the series Harvey Speaks, set to debut later this week, will also critique the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism about Weinsteins misconduct published by The New Yorkers Ronan Farrow and The New York Times Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, as well as delve into how businessmen used #MeToo to try to steal Harveys and other mens businesses. Owens, who declined to speak with THR about the project, promised on her eponymous show that it will explode the world. In statements to THR, attorneys for some of Weinsteins more than 80 accusers downplayed the value of the Owens-Weinstein effort, emphasizing that the producer has repeatedly opted not to testify under oath in his defense. I think that what really matters at this point is the evidence that will be admitted in his next criminal trial, said Gloria Allred. My guess is that the only evidence that may be explosive would be his testimony if Mr. Weinstein decided to testify under oath and subjected himself to cross examination by the prosecution. Given that he has not taken the witness stand in his last two criminal trials in New York and California, I am doubtful that he will choose to testify this time. Lawyer Dave Ring represented the Los Angeles trials Jane Doe 1. (She went public in a THR profile following his rape conviction as Evgeniya Chernyshova.) He agrees with Allred: Mr. Weinstein chose to not take the witness stand on his own behalf, he said, adding: This [collaboration] is yet another ploy by Mr. Weinsteins public relations machine to try and change public opinion about him and his sordid past. Louise Godbold, who has accused Weinstein of misconduct and is now the executive director of Echo, a nonprofit that provides trauma education, says of the Owens project, I would ask people to please ignore it. I dont want to listen to it. I dont want to react to it. Candace Owens is not my source of information of choice. When these perpetrators clamor for attention via these more obscure media outlets, its providing very effective PR. They know it will get picked up by more mainstream outlets, which can then publish without needing to do the fact-checking they would for an original piece. We know what the perpetrators are up to. If we cant ignore it, lets expose the strategy. Lets be intelligent. This is an age-old tactic, and in this age of disinformation weve got to get smarter and not get duped into clanging our bells on demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rebecca Keegan contributed to this reporting. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. HOUSTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A refugee service in the U.S. state of Texas filed a lawsuit on Monday against the Trump administration, accusing the White House of "unlawfully" freezing more than 36 million U.S. dollars meant to help about 100,000 authorized immigrants in the state. Catholic Charities Fort Worth (CCFW), the parent organization for the Texas Office for Refugees, alleged that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. block funds to provide help to "those fleeing persecution in their home countries," according to a CCFW news release. The aid group said that reimbursements to the agency have not resumed since the Trump administration rescinded a memo freezing all federal grant payments in late January. "[M]any entities have received their federal funding in the weeks since the attempted funding freeze," the complaint reads. "CCFW has not been able to draw down any funds -- and has not received any indication why its funds remain frozen." Catholic Charities has asked 14 times for funding and gotten no reply, the lawsuit states. The funding covers the cost of services like workforce development, cash assistance, case management, and English classes for approximately 100,000 authorized immigrants across the state, according to the CCFW, which launched the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. Monday's lawsuit suggests that the lack of payments has led to staff furloughs or layoffs at 24 of the 29 organizations in Texas that receive federal reimbursements for providing refugee support services, said a report from the Austin American-Statesman. The U.S. government accepts refugees from the United Nations and non-governmental organizations after meticulous vetting, said the report, noting that Texas received just under 11,000 refugees in 2024, with most coming from Afghanistan, Venezuela or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Catholic Charities lawsuit is the latest in a growing list of court actions against the Trump administration. Last month, the U.S. Conference of Bishops sued the Trump administration over similar issues. NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. (KCAU) In December, North Sioux City residents voted to change the citys form of government. The process of making a change to a commission form of government has been underway ever since. On Monday, KCAU 9 learned the names of those looking to fill a seat on the new commission, replacing the old alderman type of government. Residents will choose from 10 candidates for the special election. Iowa Donor Network emphasizes importance of organ and tissue donations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the position of mayor, voters will get to chose between Chris Bogenief and Greg Meyer. For the position of four-year commissioner, Lynn Hoffman and Kodi Benson are the two candidates. For three-year commissioner, the candidates are Julie Burhoop and Bob Davis. The two-year commissioner candidates are Jessica Jo Strain and Daniel Zurff. Finally, the one-year commissioner candidates are David James Wilch and Vincent D. Tucker. When the new commission takes over, one of our number one priorities has to be to establish the working environment over at McCook Lake moving forward, city administrator Jeff Dooley said. Next Monday, well draw for the order in which those candidates will appear on the ballot. The election is set for April 8. Also on the agenda on Monday: McCook Lake residents who had their homes destroyed during record summer flooding received an update on proposed tax abatements for their property. As many as 30 were destroyed. On Monday, council members approved an abatement plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one injured after house fire in Hull Because of some of the destruction that happened out there, some residents asked for some of their property taxes to be abated, Dooley said. Because the property tax based on the value of the property and some of those houses arent even there anymore, so we went through that abatement process and the council approved it. The approved North Sioux City tax abatements will go to Union County where they will implement it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. NATCHITOCHES, La. (KTAL/KMSS) Work is scheduled to begin on a seawall along a portion of the Cane River in early March. The City of Natchitoches has collaborated with the Cane River Waterway Commission and the Cane River National Heritage Area on the project, which includes building a seawall along the Mill Street side of the Cane River in Natchitoches. The Cane River Waterway Commission funded the project, which will stabilize the Cane Rivers bank and make it safer for various forms of recreation, including boat traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The contractor for the seawall projects is CRC Worx Construction of Robeline, Louisiana. The project is expected to take 130 days to finish, and work is scheduled for Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Motorists are expected to use caution while driving in the project area and are asked to expect a few traffic disruptions while the project is underway. For more information about the seawall project, call the Cane River Heritage National Area at (318) 356-5555. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP) Several schools in western Massachusetts are among 135 across the state to receive funding for career and college planning programs. The My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP) is a program that offers students the opportunity for learning experiences that align with their interests and academic goals, including Early College or Innovation Career Pathways. Over 200 schools in more than 150 districts across the state have been involved in MyCAP planning and implementation training from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). State orders changes following racist incidents at Southwick school Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The MyCAP process begins in grade 6 and continues through grade 12 and focuses on students interests, skills and talents to help plan for education and job training after high school, and helps students to identify the personal, social and behavioral skills needed to be successful in a particular career. This focus can also be helpful when a student is considering internships, apprenticeships and capstone projects to further their education and skill development. This funding will expand access to tools that help break down barriers to higher education and careers, especially for students of color, LGBTQ+ students and first-generation students. Through MyCAP, we are able to give students, counselors and schools a roadmap that ties current learning to a students post-graduation success, said Governor Maura Healey. This program will help set our students up for success in higher education and the workforce, supporting the needs of our employers and our economy. Massachusetts has put higher education in reach for thousands more students, making community college free and four-year degrees more affordable. We have also deepened workforce partnerships between schools and high demand industries to enable students to explore different career paths at no cost, said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. Todays grants will support districts in creating systems where each student has a plan at graduation for where their future will take them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As I travel around the state on our Higher Education Financial Aid Roadshow, students have shared how important MyCAP has been for them in planning for their future. We want every student to be able to connect what they are learning in school with their next step and know that higher education opportunities are available for them in Massachusetts, said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. Todays announced funding is an investment in all of our students providing them with the tools to realize their dreams. Massachusetts offers MEFA Pathway, a college and career planning portal, at no cost to every student to track MyCAP progress. The platform provides search engines for career and college exploration, engaging activities to help students learn about themselves, space to capture work-based learning experiences, and places to record personal goals and identify barriers. The grant recipients are listed below: School Award Amount Advanced Math and Science Charter Academy (in Marlborough) $6,500 Amherst Pelham Regional District $41,420 Andover Public Schools $5,000 Boston Public Schools $95,000 Brockton Public Schools $15,000 East Bridgewater Public Schools $21,000 Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Sciences (in Boston) $19,615 Everett Public Schools $42,960 Fairhaven Public Schools $4,620 Fall River Public Schools $28,875 Global Learning Public Charter School (in New Bedford) $12,000 Granby Public Schools $9,750 Hadley Public Schools $8,800 Holyoke Public Schools $23,775 Hoosac Valley Regional Schools $6,500 Hopedale Public Schools $13,000 Hopkinton Public Schools $30,000 Hull Public Schools $5,000 Lee Public Schools $7,500 Leicester Public Schools $5,500 Lowell Public Schools $18,490 Lynn Public Schools $67,050 Maynard Public Schools $11,800 Medway Public Schools $12,500 Mendon-Upton Regional School District $5,600 Millbury Public Schools $5,500 Natick Public Schools $6,000 New Bedford Public Schools $9,694 North Adams Public Schools $5,500 North Reading Public Schools $25,000 Northern Berkshire Regional Technical School $4,679 Pittsfield Public Schools $44,605 Quabbin Regional School District $10,560 Reading Public Schools $22,500 Sandwich Public Schools $13,400 Scituate Public Schools $3,436 Southbridge Public Schools $7,000 Springfield Public Schools $99,924 Stoneham Public Schools $7,500 Stoughton Public Schools $8,400 Sutton Public Schools $11,000 Taunton Public Schools $5,000 Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School (in Franklin) $6,245 Triton Public Schools $14,300 Wachusett Regional School District $54,000 Walpole Public Schools $5,500 Wareham Public Schools $14,887 Webster Public Schools $4,500 Westport Public Schools $8,000 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) Wildfires have long been part of South Carolinas history, and Horry County has often played an outsized role in that story. In February 1898, at least 14 people were killed as up to three million acres of land burned from Aiken County to Chatham County, N.C. and east to Marlboro County driven by 40 mph winds that allowed flames to swallow up wooden homes and sawmills. The South Carolina Forestry Commission was formed in 1927 with forest fire protection put at the top of its mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1936, a Georgetown County man was ordered to assist in wildfire suppression for the rest of his life after a magistrate judge sentenced him for careless burning. Heres a look back at some of the regions most significant wildfire activity. 1954 was a brutal weather year in Horry County Four months before Hurricane Hazel slammed into coastal South Carolina a Category 4, a cigarette sparked what would become the 10,192-acre Bombing Range Fire on June 27. Air temperatures reached 107 degrees and stayed in triple digits for three days. Multiple wildfires marred the Grand Strand, Pee regions in the 1960s, 70s April 2, 1966: A wildfire near Pee Dee Camp in Marlboro County burns 5,550 acres March 4, 1967: Longs Crossroads Fire in Horry County burns 1,200 acres April 18, 1967: Buist Tract Fire in Horry County scorches 6,005 acres over three days April 2, 1969: Highway 77 fire burns 3,050 acres in Marlboro County Dec. 5, 1970: Bristow Fire burns 1.082 acres in Marlboro County April 1, 1972: A backyard trash fire escaped, taking out 1,045 acres in Darlington and Chesterfield counties. 1976 Horry County wildlife becomes largest in SC history The Clear Pond Fire would eventually destroy 30,000 acres across a 14-mile path of destruction between Conway and Myrtle Beach, sparked on April 10, 1976 by an unattended campfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One day later, a smoke plume rose 10,000 feet and extended far across the Atlantic Ocean. Before the sun went down, 17,000 acres were gone. By April 17, the fire was fully under control: Miraculously, there were no fatalities or serious injuries associated with the fire, nor were any homes lost. More than 65 Forestry Commission bulldozers and 113 agency personnel from 28 counties were brought in to knock down the flames 200 more people contributed locally. 2009 Horry County wildfire would become most destructive in SC history What began on April 22, 2009 as a small blaze in a forested area just off Highway 31 would over the next 36 hours grew into a 19,000-acre conflagration that destroyed 76 homes, damaged 97 others and forced the evacuation of 4,000 people. It would be nearly a month before officials had full control of the scene, which caused an estimated $17 million in lost timber and another $25 million from the destroyed homes, mostly around the Barefoot Resort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2010 state Forestry Commission after action report outlines the fires strength and devastation. At its peak, the fire spread at more than 2.4 miles an hour, with flame lengths of up to 270 feet. More than 1,500 people were involved in the response including three aircraft. The Highway 31 fire represents the largest mobilization of SCFC resources to a wildfire on record, the report says. * * * 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 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. Firefighters battled over 170 blazes across North and South Carolina over the weekend as dry conditions and strong winds fueled fast-moving wildfires, prompting evacuations and sending residents indoors. In South Carolina, more than 175 fires have torn across the state, forcing Governor Henry McMaster to declare a state of emergency on Sunday. The order aimed to bolster wildfire response efforts and ensure adequate resources for firefighters. A statewide burning ban also remained in effect on Tuesday. Careless behaviors, such as burning on the wrong day, leaving a fire unattended, not staying with a fire until it is fully extinguished, can result in a fire escaping and becoming a dangerous wildfire that quickly threatens lives and property, North Carolina Forest Service Assistant Commissioner and State Forester Greg Hicks warned on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow our live coverage of wildfires. One of the largest fires erupted in the Carolina Forest area, just west of Myrtle Beach. The Horry County blaze, which started Saturday, rapidly expanded to 1,600 acres, doubling in size overnight. By Tuesday morning, it had spread across 2,059 acres and was 30 percent contained, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. While the fire had forced evacuations, many residents have been able to return home. No injuries or structural losses have been reported. However, fire danger was expected to continue through Tuesday afternoon, bringing gusts between 20 and 25mph. A weekend map shows all the fires reported in North Carolina, with blazes marked by red still active. There were fewer on Tuesday as crews made progress (Screengrab/North Carolina Forest Fire) In North Carolina, the U.S. Forest Service reported multiple wildfires burning across four national forests. The largest, in Uwharrie National Forest, located about 50 miles (80km) east of Charlotte, had burned approximately more than 400 acres (162 hectares) by Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further west, in Polk County, a brush fire near the town of Tryon threatened communities in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The fire had consumed 593 acres and was 63 percent contained, as crews made tremendous progress. There is a storm front approaching and there will be high winds before and after the rain. It does look like there will be a lot of rain so the burn ban for Polk County will remain in place, until there is a significant amount of rain, said Polk County Emergency Management. The North Carolina Forest Service has deployed aircraft for water drops and back-burning operations. Officials warn that residents near affected areas should expect heavy smoke as containment efforts continue. And, wildfire smoke was impacting visibility in South Carolina, making driving tricky. Due to the nearby wildfire incident, heavy smoke is expected in the Carolina Forest area through at least midday Tuesday, the county police said. A helicopter drops water to help contain a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of the coastal resort city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 2025, where residents were ordered to evacuate several neighborhoods (AP) The National Weather Service has cited critically dry vegetation and low humidity as key factors fueling the blazes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Horry County fire is believed to be human-caused, the investigation into the matter has not been completed. It remains unclear what caused the other fires. To watch some of our neighbors houses catch on fire is something Ive never experienced before, Polk County resident Phillip Smith told WBTV on Monday. The Central Carolina Academy chapter of DECA participated in events during the annual North Carolina DECA Career Development Conference in Greensboro from Feb. 27 through March 1. Workshops, training sessions, exhibits, general sessions and competitive events were among the offerings. DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe, according to DECA.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twenty-four students competed in various areas of business and marketing to demonstrate proficiency. Over 5,900 high school students from across the state participated in the 2025 Conference. The team of Kinleigh Westbrook, Abby Ashley and Lexi Fish all earned proficiency from a combination of testing and interview, placed sixth in their competition and are now eligible to compete at the International Career Development Conference in Florida in April. In only its third year as a school, the accomplishment of being recognized on stage was a first for Central Carolina Academy. We had a combination of students working in teams and as individuals on projects and presentations that had to be submitted for review ahead of time, explained advisor Natalie Chubbs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other students who achieved proficiency in their competitive events were: Lily Liles and Gracie Norris (Hospitality Services) Tanner Reichel and Sara Forte (Travel & Tourism Marketing) Jenali Miller and Carson Perry (Personal Selling) Jude Stump (Entrepreneurship Business Plan) Avery Mcfarland, Helen Mistler and Charlotte Miller (Hotel Lodging Management) Kyra McGee and Jacelyn Scott (Quick Serve Restaurant Management) Thailik McCormack (Principles of Marketing) Raiah Dona (Apparel and Accessories Marketing) Two separate groups of students competed in the Community Awareness Project. The first group (Kinleigh Westbrook, Abby Ashley, and Lexi Fish) had a topic that brought attention to impacts of hearing loss and Cholesteatomas. Their project was entitled Can you hear me? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seniors Danika Brewster, Brea Williamson, and Tatum Cole in the second group chose a project that addressed The Urgent Crisis of Fentanyl. As a second phase of the Entrepreneurship Business Plan event, Jude Stump introduced a business plan. All of the students presented in front of judges during the competition in Greensboro. In addition, two students participated in professional selling events. Chapter president Jenali Miller made a proposal on sustainability recommendations for a major hotel chain. Carson Perry presented recommendations for a customer relations management system for a major retail chain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two separate teams represented the school in team decision making events. Lily Liles and Gracie Norris chose the Hospitality Services competition. Tanner Reichel and Sara Forte participated in the Travel & Tourism Marketing category. In November more than 30 students participated in district level competitions. They built on experience gained there to help in preparing for the state Career Development Events. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said staff is on the ground in Texas due to the urgency of the deadly measles outbreak thats infected over 150 people, most of whom are unvaccinated children. The federal public health agency announced Tuesday that it will be offering onsite support to local officials for one to three weeks, aiding in quick decision-making to control health threats. This partnership known as an Epi-Aid is a rapid response by CDCs Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) to tackle urgent public health issues like disease outbreaks, the CDC said. A woman receives a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in New York. There are more than 150 measles cases in Texas. Associated Press In an accompanying statement, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the outbreak, which claimed the life of an unvaccinated child last week, is a call to action for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to public health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy, who has a long history of opposing vaccinations, did not on Tuesday encourage people to get vaccinated against the virus. He instead implored the public to work together to prevent future outbreaks, without offering specific details on how. Under my leadership, HHS is and will always be committed to radical transparency to regain the publics trust in its health agencies, he said. The CDCs announcement came as the Texas Department of State Health Services shared on Tuesday that there have been 159 confirmed cases of measles in the state since late January. Of those cases, 22 have required hospitalization. The total increased by 35 since the departments last report on Friday. There has been one fatality in a school-aged child who lived in the outbreak area. The child was not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions, the health department said of last weeks death. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed the measles outbreak at a cabinet meeting at the White House last week, saying, "Its not unusual. We have measles outbreaks every year. Bloomberg via Getty Images More cases are expected due to the highly contagious nature of the disease, the department added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Fox News op-ed published Sunday, Kennedy acknowledged the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine is crucial to preventing potentially deadly disease, and he said he was deeply concerned about the measles spread. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons, he said, while also stressing that the decision to vaccinate is a personal one. The op-ed was a reversal of comments he made at the White House late last month, when he dismissed the Texas outbreak, the largest the state has seen in decades, even after the childs death. Its not unusual, Kennedy told reporters. We have measles outbreaks every year. The childs death from measles, which was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, was the nations first since 2015. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Kennedys assistant secretary for public affairs, Thomas Corry, announced that he had resigned effective immediately from the HHS. His decision reportedly followed internal clashes within the department over Kennedys handling of the outbreak, Politico reported, citing two people familiar with the matter. Related... SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) This March, Shreve Memorial Library is celebrating Womens History Month and the 2025 theme of Moving Forward Together. According to a press release, the Womens History Month theme celebrates women, both past and present, who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship, and leadership, inspiring generations. Throughout the month, patrons of all ages are encouraged to visit the library to be inspired by guest lectures, special programs, group discussions, and various arts and craft workshops highlighting Womens History Month. Several Shreve Memorial Library branches will welcome inspirational and motivating guest speakers to expound upon the theme of Moving Forward Together in celebration of Womens History Month. On Tuesday, March 4 at 1:00 p.m., the West Shreveport Branch, located at 4380 Pines Road, will welcome AJ Dunn, Executive Director of the Northwest Louisiana YWCA, for a special presentation highlighting the pivotal role women play in shaping society, fighting for equality, and advocating for community. In Gilliam, First Lady of Shreveport, Elizabeth Arcenaux, will inspire and motivate library patrons during a Womens Day program on Thursday, March 6 at 3:00 p.m. at the Gilliam Branch, located at 12797 Main Street. LSUS Professor of History, Dr. Cheryl White, will lead a Womens History Month lecture on Mary Bennett Cane, Shreveports Founding Mother, on Saturday, March 8 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hamilton/South Caddo Branch, located at 2111 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The North Caddo and Atkins Branches of Shreve Memorial Library will host empowerment workshops on Saturday, March 8 in celebration of Womens History Month. At 10:00 a.m., the North Caddo Branch, located at 615 N. Pine Street in Vivian, will host a Womens Day program, inviting patrons to celebrate the incredible journey of women through history while exploring practical self-care activities, meditation and more. At 1:00 p.m., the Atkins Branch will host an empowerment workshop designed to encourage women to support women through business. Attendees will learn more about women-owned businesses, perfecting a resume, and creating materials to promote a business at the workshop held at the Atkins Branch, located at 3704 Greenwood Road. Writing competition, celebrate Womens History Month On Monday, March 24, the West Shreveport Branch will host a special program entitled, Herstory Happy Hour: Mocktails & Movement. The program for adults will feature a selection of handcrafted alcohol-free beverages inspired by remarkable women in history. Attendees will also receive a mocktail recipe booklet to take home. The program will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the West Shreveport Branch. Library patrons will also be able to share their own personal experiences and pay homage to the inspirational women in their lives during Womens History Month discussions at several Shreve Memorial Library branches. Each Tuesday in March, library patrons at the Rodessa Branch, located at 10093 Main Street in Rodessa, are invited to share stories of how healing traditions are passed down from women in their families and the community. The Rodessa Branch is open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and library patrons are invited to stop by at any time to join the discussion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patrons can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee while discussing Womens History Month at both the Oil City and the Higginbotham-Bryson Branches. On Thursday, March 13, the Oil City Branch, located at 102 Allen Street in Oil City, will host a Crafting to a Tea program and discussion of the Oil City Homemakers Club at 2:00 p.m. Similarly, the Higginbotham-Bryson Branch will host a Womens History Month Coffee and Conversation session on Friday, March 28 at 10:00 a.m. at the branch located at 9359 Greenwood Road in Greenwood. On Thursday, March 20, adults at the Hollywood/Union Avenue Branch, 2105 Hollywood Avenue, can express their gratitude to the women in their personal and professional lives by writing notes of thanks and encouragement at 1:00 p.m. At the Cedar Grove-Line Avenue Branch, 8303 Line Avenue, teens can test their knowledge of Womens History Month through an interactive trivia game on Tuesday, March 25 at 5:00 p.m. Movie screenings highlighting the lives, work and accomplishments of prominent women in history will take place at the Wallette, Cedar Grove-Line Avenue, David Raines and Hamilton/South Caddo Branches. Each movie screening will be followed by a discussion of the film presented. Movie screenings are scheduled as follows: Monday, March 10 at 10:00 a.m. Mid-Day Matinee: R.E.S.P.E.C.T. at Cedar Grove-Line Avenue Branch Thursday, March 13 at 10:00 a.m. Extraordinary Black Women Who Shaped America: Film, Chat and Chew at Wallette Branch, 363 Hearne Avenue Thursday, March 20 at 10:30 a.m. Womens History Month Movie Showing: Best of Enemies at David Raines Branch, 2855 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Tuesday, March 25 at 5:30 p.m. Womens History Month Documentary: Shes Beautiful When Shes Angry at Hamilton/South Caddo Branch Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials say in addition to these programs, library patrons can participate in a number of arts and crafts workshops inspired by notable women throughout history. Patrons can make Womens History Month posters at the Cedar Grove-Line Avenue Branch on Friday, March 7 at 10:00 a.m. or relax with coloring templates on Tuesday, March 11 at 10:00 a.m. At the Broadmoor Branch, patrons can make collage clipboards on Monday, March 10 at 4:30 p.m. at the branch, located at 1212 Captain Shreve Drive. Library patrons can also make doilies at the Belcher-Wyche Branch, 409 Charles Street in Belcher, on Friday, March 14 at 3:00 p.m. or Womens History Month tote bags at the Hosston Branch, 15478 US Highway 71 in Hosston, on Thursday, March 20 at 2:00 p.m. Those interested in expressing themselves through painting can participate in a special arts program at the Mooretown Branch, 4360 Hollywood Avenue, on Monday, March 24 at 4:00 p.m. or complete a Georgia OKeeffe inspired work of art at the North Shreveport Branch, 4844 North Market Street, on Thursday, March 27 at 10:00 a.m. All supplies will be provided. Registration may be required. All programs are free and open to the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information on these and other Shreve Memorial Library programs, please visit the 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 KTALnews.com. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) President Donald Trumps two-week deadline to end DEI in schools passed last Friday, but many Ohio public schools and universities are hesitating to make big changes. The Department of Education released a Dear Colleague letter on Feb. 14 giving public school districts and universities two weeks to stop any programs teaching about systemic racism or broadly pertaining to DEI. Although the demand has been challenged in court, that deadline passed Feb. 28. Several Ohio schools have already made changes, including Ohio State Universitys closure of two DEI offices and various related programs. Akron Public Schools said it is reviewing its DEI programs and policies, although it reaffirmed its commitment to a diverse and inclusive environment days after the initial announcement. See previous coverage of Ohio States decision in the video player above. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio bill would create savings accounts for students attending private religious schools But most Ohio schools have hesitated to make sweeping cuts or changes, particularly as the enforcement of the Dear Colleague letter remains unclear. Central Ohio public school districts either did not respond to NBC4s inquiry about any changes to DEI programming or said they would not need to make changes. A representative for Dublin City Schools said they were unaware of any changes, and New Albany-Plain representatives said they did not have formal DEI initiatives, so they did not have to update their policies. South Western City School District chief spokesperson Evan Debo echoed the sentiments of other districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As far as DEI programming is concerned, SWCSD does not have any existing programs or initiatives that exist to promote or instruct on curriculum related to DEI, Debo said. With that in mind, we believe we are in alignment with the expectations sent down from the federal level to preserve funding streams and resources for educational purposes. Nearly all central Ohio school districts offer some sort of diverse, equitable or inclusive program geared toward students and creating a welcoming environment. Bexley, Columbus, Hilliard, Groveport Madison, Olentangy, Reynoldsburg, Pickerington and Worthington schools all have dedicated staff in roles with some connection to fostering diversity and inclusivity. Ohio may mandate computer education in public schools Some districts said they would not be making changes. Melanie Amato of Westerville City Schools said the district will continue providing equal educational opportunities for all students. She said the district does not discriminate based on protected classes, social or economic background, or age unless it is relevant to a program or activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our educational programs are designed to meet the needs of all students, ensuring they receive the support necessary to succeed, Amato said. While we will make necessary adjustments to align with federal requirements, our dedication to our students and delivering a high-quality education remains. Grandview Heights Superintendent Andy Culp said the district is not making any changes and will prioritize student success and well-being over threats of funding. The district receives minimal federal funding and does not anticipate significant impacts from the proposed changes regarding DEI funding, Culp said. Our focus continues to be on supporting each and every student, every day. According to the Department of Education, federal funding makes up about 8% of K-12 funding nationwide. Ohio schools are primarily funded through state allocations and property taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Tuesday denounced the Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for prohibiting universities in Taiwan from cooperating with premium science and engineering universities of the mainland. Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the DPP's move harms the interests of Taiwan's universities and exposes it to be narrow-minded and arrogant. After previously banning exchanges between local institutions and three mainland universities, including Jinan University, the educational authority in Taiwan recently added seven more mainland universities, including Beihang University and Beijing Institute of Technology, to the list of institutions prohibited from academic exchanges. These institutions are globally renowned engineering universities, and their achievements in a wide range of areas have made significant contributions to industrial development and technological progress in both Chinese mainland and the world, rather than solely focusing on military technology, Chen added. The DPP has repeatedly extended its political interference into cross-Strait educational exchanges, demonstrating its mindset of opposing anything related to the mainland, which has also been widely criticized by the education sector in Taiwan. "We are willing to share the convenience of the mainland's advanced education with students from Taiwan, and the mainland's universities always welcome Taiwan compatriots with academic aspirations," said Chen. The dismissal of Gen. Charles Q. Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was startling, if not unexpected, at the beginning of President Donald Trumps second term. Trump had appointed Brown to lead the Air Force in 2020, and in 2023, former President Joe Biden elevated him to the chairmanship. Both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had signaled that Browns ouster was a key part of their overhaul of the Department of Defense, one of several firings of senior officials associated with the Biden administration. Retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine has been named as President Donald Trumps pick for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. U.S. Air Force via AP To replace Brown, Trump has nominated Dan Caine, a retired Air Force general. The abrupt firing of a respected incumbent in favor of a replacement within Trumps orbit has triggered concerns about politicizing the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The controversy has brought attention to the vital, yet not widely understood, role of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. What exactly does the chairman do? What powers does he or she have? How has the job changed over time? And what makes someone effective in the role? The presidents principal military adviser The chairman is the United States highest-ranking military officer. A four-star general or admiral who reports directly to the president, the chairman presides over the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a council comprised of senior members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and the National Guard. The chairmans job is to distill the collective wisdom of the council and then advise the president on the best use of the nations military force. While outranking all other military personnel, the chairman possesses no command authority. An adviser rather than a decision-maker, the chairman helps the president understand the armed forces options and capabilities during military crises. Operating outside the chain of command, which runs from the president to the defense secretary to combatant commanders, the chairmans power stems not from leading troops in battle, but from having the ear of the leader of the free world. Defense Secretary Louis A. Johnson swears in General of the Army Omar N. Bradley as the nations first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Aug. 16, 1949. U.S. Department of Defense Created in 1949, the chairman position was designed to solve a quintessentially American problem. In a nation where civilian control over the military is a first principle, what is the best way for presidents to receive the considered wisdom of the military forces they command? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since George Washingtons time, this problem has vexed Congress, the branch of government the Constitution designates to make rules for land and naval forces. If military officials have too much sway in the White House, the president can veer toward authoritarianism, seeing troops and tanks as the answer to matters better solved politically. But if the officer corps voice is too weak, complex battlefield operations and the strategic planning that precedes it are likely to be botched, as happened in Vietnam. Tension with the service secretaries In its original form, the chairman position was little more than a first among equals. Devoid of a staff, the positions day-to-day power was outstripped by the civilian secretaries heading each military branch, more firmly entrenched leaders who were heavily invested in the existing divisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From what had become a centuries-old bureaucratic turf war, the Army and Navy secretaries knew how to divvy things up, as a 1985 Senate report put it. Relentless infighting undermined the chairmans ability to get all the players on the same page and could lead to a disaster like the the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut by militants. Adm. William Crowe was the 11th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, serving in that post from 1985 to 1989. U.S. Navy In an interview about the failures in the aftermath of the Beirut attack, Adm. William Crowe, the chairman at the time, said: I could only operate through the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine component commanders, who stood between me and the forces in the field. Component commanders reported to their own service chiefs and could use this channel to outflank the unified commander. The Goldwater-Nichols Act, passed in 1986, strengthened the chairmans position significantly. The law said it aimed to improve the military advice provided to the President and more efficiently use military resources. The chairman received the coveted responsibility of personally advising the president and defense secretary on military matters. In practical terms, the chairman became the third-most important military figure, behind only the two officials he advised. For their part, the service secretaries were relegated to the less prestigious role of training and equipping their respective troops. Their determination to preserve an antiquated model of military administration made them less relevant in an era of jointness and unified commands. Army Gen. Colin Powell, center, served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993, and later served as secretary of state. Wally McNamee/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images The qualities of an effective chairman Immense in scale and scope, the chairman position by law must be held by a four-star officer with a significant amount of prior seasoning, including experience in one or more of the senior-most positions of the military. This requirement can be waived when it is in the national interest to do so, a provision Trump invoked when nominating Caine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Broad experience helps chairmen identify counterproductive gamesmanship. In the buildup to the Gulf War, the Air Force chief of staff publicly bragged about the superior effectiveness of air power. Army Gen. Colin Powell, the chairman at the time, responded by advising Defense Secretary Dick Cheney to immediately fire the Air Force chief. Keen to such maneuvers, Powell wanted to send a message that the days of inter-service rivalries and airing of grievances were over: Only a unified mindset would be tolerated. Frank, apolitical guidance is also important. The chairmans four-year term is intentionally staggered against the presidents term so that a single chairman advises two presidents. Adm. Mike Mullen was appointed by President George W. Bush and then worked under President Barack Obama for nearly three years. Gen. Joseph Dunford, an Obama appointee, counseled Trump at the start of his first term. Trump broke from this tradition by dismissing Brown less than two years into the term to which President Joe Biden appointed him. He selected Caine, a general whom Trump said told him the Islamic State group could be totally finished in one week. The new chairmans challenge will be to balance his independent judgment against telling the president what he wants to hear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Dwight Stirling, University of Southern California Read more: Dwight Stirling 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. Mar. 3A former engineer with SpaceX who is running to unseat Sen. Susan Collins said the Republican lawmaker is not doing enough to hold Elon Musk accountable for the indiscriminate way he is cutting government agencies and federal spending. "What I'm most concerned about is there has been zero oversight from the Senate committee, specifically from Susan Collins, and they almost seem paralyzed or afraid to protect their constituents and that has me really concerned," said Phillip Rench, a 37-year-old Waterboro resident who has registered as an independent candidate for Collins' U.S. Senate seat. Rench, who worked for Musk's space technology company, said he believes reducing federal spending should be done "with a scalpel, not a chainsaw." Rench criticized his former boss' approach to slashing government spending and the lack of oversight and accountability from Congress especially Collins, the 72-year-old chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She has the ability to subpoena people and ask questions on live television if she wants to," Rench said. "She has a lot more power, but she's afraid to use it. What's the point of having a powerful state senator if she's not actually doing everything she can to protect her constituents?" Collins was asked Thursday by the Press Herald whether she would bring in Musk or other members of his team, known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to testify before the appropriations committee. Collins replied that she hadn't considered doing so. However, she said she plans to ask all department heads to come before the appropriations committee, and one of the lines of questioning would be how DOGE is impacting their departments and whether DOGE is interfering with how they want to run them. Collins spokesperson Blake Kernan responded to Rench's criticisms Friday by saying Collins is providing meaningful oversight through communications with Trump officials, pointing to her efforts to fight the administration's cuts to federal grants for medical research, cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and tariffs on Canadian products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Mr. Rench seems focused only on oversight through 'live television' and completely ignores the actual work that the Senate does," Kernan said. "Oversight doesn't mean just sending press releases and doing cable television interviews. It includes direct contact and questioning of decision-makers." "Senator Collins has advocated on many issues directly with the vice president and the president's chief of staff, as well as many Cabinet secretaries and nominees," she continued. "Hearings are an important part of the oversight function. The Senate Appropriations Committee will soon begin a series of subcommittee hearings to evaluate spending requests and reductions as well as to assess compliance with congressional intent and enacted laws." In an interview with the Press Herald on Friday, Rench talked about his background and his concerns before launching a campaign website and social media page for his long-shot bid to unseat Collins in 2026. He was a college student living in Orlando, Florida, when he saw an animated video of a rocket landing on earth. He knew right then that he wanted to join the team at SpaceX, a private company owned and operated by Musk, the billionaire who is now leading President Donald Trump's controversial charge to slash the federal government and spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rench said he has seen "both sides of (Musk) the good and bad." He's proud of SpaceX, saying working there was "the best, most crazy time" of his life, but he declined to elaborate about his personal interactions with the man who is upending the federal government. "It's not about him," he said. "It's about the people of Maine." A former Democrat who grew up in southern Maine, Rench said he decided to run because he doesn't trust Collins to defend a woman's right to make her own health care decisions and because his work as a control system engineer has given him unique talents to solve complex problems by breaking them down and looking at things differently. Rench knows he's running an uphill battle in trying to unseat Collins, especially without the financial and organizational support of a major political party. However, he believes it's important to get big money out of politics, pointing to Musk's role in the Trump administration after spending more than $270 million to help get Trump elected last fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I want to prove that a person like me, who has good intentions, who is a good person, who is decently well known in the community, can run a formidable campaign without a lot of money if they make the right decisions," he said. "I think we need to show that to the American people. You don't need big money to win an election. I know that may be a hill that I die on. However, I think it's an important hill that we at least need to test." So far, only one other candidate besides Rench has filed papers to challenge Collins in 2026. Natasha Alcala, a Madawaska Democrat, is the first person in her party to file paperwork. Both Alcala and Rench still need to collect signatures before becoming eligible to appear on the ballot. Alcala also filed papers to challenge Sen. Angus King last year but never qualified for the ballot. Staff Writer Joe Lawlor contributed to this report. Copy the Story Link ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) Three St. Joseph men face drug charges stemming from an investigation between two local law enforcement agencies. Officers with the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and St. Joseph Police Department Street Crimes Unit served a search warrant at 2801 Angelique St. on Feb. 28, seizing cocaine, methamphetamine and more than 10 grams of fentanyl. Clayton Martin, Caleb Martin and Jarod Enriquez all were served with pending warrants, and each was charged with separate offenses related to the Feb. 28 incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once again, the cooperation between law enforcement agencies has allowed drugs to be taken off the streets and charges to be brought against these defendants, said Captain Shawn Collie of the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force. Clayton Martin, 24, is charged with second-degree trafficking and possession of a controlled substance and is being held on a $10,000 cash-only bond. In another case, he is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and three counts of unlawful use of a weapon and has a $5,000 cash and $25,000 surety bond. Enriquez, 23, is charged with second-degree trafficking and possession of a controlled substance and is being held on a $10,000 cash-only bond. He is also being detained on probation violation of possession of controlled substance case where he has a warrant where no bond is allowed. Caleb Martin, 20, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance and is being held on a $7,500 cash-only bond. He also has a warrant for failure to appear from the City of Gower, Missouri. All three are being held in the Buchanan County Law Enforcement Center. (GIF: GIPHY) The day that seemed it would never come has arrived: Tariff Day. As of Tuesday morning, 25% tariffs are imposed on most goods flowing into the U.S. from Mexico and Canada. As of right now, the only exception is Canadian energy, which is facing a 10% tariff. Tariffs were originally supposed to start in February, but the leaders of Mexico and Canada were able to negotiate a 30-day pause as they strengthened their border presence to crack down on fentanyl coming into the U.S. In February, the 10% tariff on Chinese imports went into effect, and as of Tuesday, an additional 10% has been added for a grand total of 20%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While this is expected to add roughly $1,200 in costs to consumers annually, it stands to wreak havoc on certain industries more than others. The automotive industry could be crippled, as many car manufacturers have expanded operations throughout North America. Vehicles and their components cross between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico multiple times during the production process. Ford CEO Jim Farley warned last month that the threat of the tariffs was creating chaos in the auto industry and could have devastating consequences for American automakers. The aluminium industry is expected to take a hit as two-thirds of the primary aluminum used each year in the U.S. comes from Canada. U.S. smelters cannot keep up with the demand for domestic aluminum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Automotive and aluminium arent the only sectors expected to take a hit. Tariffs will hurt consumer packaged goods companies and the agricultural sector significantly. A large amount of produce is grown for the U.S. in Mexico, and with the rising costs of imports, grocery prices will increase and there could be shortages in stores before the domestic produce season gets underway. In response to the tariffs levied against them, Canada and Mexico have promised to impose similar tariffs. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has not announced the actual amount yet and says she is continuing to explore a negotiated solution. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau retaliated with tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods immediately and promised an additional $125 billion in products from the U.S. will face levies in three weeks. As shippers consider this new normal, some will struggle to adapt and others will find the rising costs unsustainable. If most of a shippers revenue comes from automotive manufacturers, it might be time to diversify to avoid the crash that could strike an entire industry. SONAR Key Market Insights: Raleigh, North Carolina Market Check. Raleigh, North Carolina, has experienced a noticeable tightening in freight capacity the past few weeks, with outbound tender rejection rates climbing to 9.01%, marking a 2.1% week-over-week increase. While capacity is still available, securing trucks for outbound loads is becoming more challenging. Most outbound lanes are starting to see rate increases as carriers gain more pricing power due to tightening conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As rejection rates rise, shippers can expect increased disruptions to their routing guides, which means secondary carriers are going to see some more volumes. Increasing lead times, diversifying the carrier base and strengthening relationships with core carriers will also be critical in maintaining service consistency. (GIF: GIPHY) Whos with whom. Project44 has a new freight procurement analytics solution in partnership with SONAR. The partnership provides shippers with contract benchmarking, procurement optimization and visibility into carrier rates. As freight capacity shifts and cost pressures rise, outdated, manual RFP processes are no longer sustainable. Many shippers still manage procurement over email an inefficient method that no longer meets todays fast-paced market demands. Having experienced these challenges firsthand as a broker, I know how critical it is to have the right technology to solve them and we now can through this partnership, Jett McCandless, founder and CEO of project44, told FreightWaves in an email. This integration between SONAR and project44 delivers our mutual customers a seamless way to access high-frequency supply chain market data within their existing workflows. By combining SONARs data-driven insights along with project44s advanced technology, we are enabling continuous procurement for organizations that ship goods all over the world, said Nick Persin, director of strategic partnerships at SONAR. The more you know Industrial outlook darkens ahead of tariffs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Light Load: I for one will not starve if tariffs fry Canadian bacon Flexport CEO: Every single member on your team should be using AI Bot Auto sets ambitious 2025 schedule for driverless freight operations The post Check Call: Tariffs finally arrive in US supply chains appeared first on FreightWaves. CHEROKEE, Iowa (KCAU) A Cherokee man charged with first-degree murder in the death of his infant child will have his trial moved elsewhere. According to court documents, on Monday, March 3, the state of Iowa approved a motion for change of venue by Luis Contreras-Deciga, 24. His attorney had cited the extensive media coverage of the case while arguing that seating an impartial jury in Cherokee County would be difficult. 4 more arrested for fight at West Middle School, charged with participating in a riot Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new location of the trial has not yet been decided. Contreras-Deciga requested Polk County or Pottawattamie County in the Des Moines and Council Bluffs metro areas respectively. The court brought up Woodbury County and Kossuth County as other possible options. The location will be determined after a trial date has been set. Contreras-Deciga has waived his right to a speedy trial. Contreras-Deciga was charged with first-degree murder after an infant was reportedly found unresponsive on May 8, 2024 while under his care. After four days in the hospital, the infant was declared brain dead and deceased, with an autopsy finding the cause to be a homicide due to blunt force head injuries. Authorities interviewed Contreras-Deciga, who allegedly said the infant became unresponsive when he violently shook the infant while asking the infant what he needed. He then called the mother to call for emergency assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Des Moines PD shares video in deadly January 24 officer-involved shooting Authorities also examined Contreras-Decigas phone and found messages between him and another person who told Contreras-Deciga to deny any aggressive behavior and to be consistent with his version of events, documents say. Contreras-Deciga was arrested in Dec. 2024 and pleaded not guilty in Jan. 2025. Wesley Thoene 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) A Chesapeake man who had already been sentenced in federal court to 36 years in prison for creating child porn was sentenced Monday in Chesapeake Circuit Court to an additional 52 years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor, the Chesapeake Commonwealths Attorneys office said. Previously: Chesapeake man pleads guilty to 16 counts of child sexual abuse Chesapeake Circuit Court Judge Marjorie A. Taylor Arrington suspended another 153 years for Jonathan R. Wilson, 37, on condition of an indeterminate period of supervised probation and good behavior, along with complying with the Virginia State Police sex offender registry. He pleaded guilty last Sept. 16 to forcible rape, indecent liberties by a custodian, forcible sodomy and aggravated sexual battery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson admitted to performing sexual acts with a child starting when she was just 2-years-old, and the abuse continued for two years, according to evidence presented by the Chesapeake Commonwealths Attorneys office. He had already been convicted in federal court of creating child sexual abuse material from the sexual acts Wilson pleaded guilty to. It was in January 2022 when Chesapeake detectives learned that the IP address associated with Wilsons home was uploading child sexual abuse material, with detectives learning the child in the photos was one he had physical access to. This monster should never walk on our streets again, the victims mother said previously in a statement to 10 On Your Side. He does not belong in our society. His 16 felony guilty pleas included three counts of sodomy and two counts of rape involving a victim under the age of 13. The other counts involved taking indecent liberties with a child and aggravated sexual battery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson had pleaded guilty in 2023 to creating child porn, and was already serving 36 years in prison for that. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CHICAGO Chicagos small business owners are still on edge after Mondays news that President Trump will begin enforcing tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. In Little Village, 26th Street is considered the economic engine of a neighborhood that brings Mexican traditions to Chicago. But that engine is beginning to feel some cracks. Mexico is the third largest importer of goods for Illinois, bringing in an estimated $18 billion dollars in 2023. The talk of tariffs comes at a time when business owners say Mexican brands were beginning to recover from the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Small Business Advocacy Council released the following statement on the tariffs impact: The new tariffs taking effect today on goods from Canada, Mexico and China will place additional pressure on many small businesses in Illinois, which rely on affordable access to goods, materials and equipment. Elliott Richardson, President of SBAC WGN Investigates: Investigating public corruption, crime & fraud Meanwhile, the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is tasked with easing consumers and conglomerates as they attempt to build more Mexican investment in Illinois. WGN Investigates Lourdes Duarte spoke with one business owner who laid out what it means for Illinois. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) A child was struck by a vehicle in front of the Rio Vista Head Start campus on March 3. According to Concho Valley Council of Governments Executive Director John Austin Stokes, the incident occurred during the morning after a child attempted to cross a section of Ben Ficklin Road that runs in front of the campus. He said the child was injured but is OK and that authorities were contacted immediately. The incident was reported to 911 as soon as it happened this morning, and then weve been doing our best to let parents know that it was an isolated incident but to use caution when they drop their kids off at school, Stokes said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stokes said CVCOG has already begun talks with the City of San Angelo and the San Angelo Police Department to increase traffic safety in the area. Potential plans include updated and additional crosswalks as well as San Angelo Police Department patrols. Weve not had any issues like this in the past, and its certainly an isolated issue, but were going to adapt and do everything we can to ensure that nothing like this happens ever again, Stokes said. Concho Valley Homepage staff contacted the SAPD to gather further information but did not receive a response as of the time of publication. This is a developing story. Stick with Concho Valley Homepage 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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com. Children as young as 1 are being raped and sexually assaulted by armed forces in Sudan, where a bitter civil war has been raging for almost two years, according to a new report by the United Nations childrens agency. The first comprehensive account illustrating how mass sexual violence is being wielded as a weapon of war against children inside the northeast African nation found that more than 200 children had been raped since the start of last year, although the authors stressed that this was only a small fraction of the total number of cases. Children as young as one being raped by armed men should shock anyone to their core and compel immediate action, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calling it an abhorrent violation of international law and could constitute a war crime, she added that it must stop. Four 1-year-olds were among those who survived the assaults and another 16 survivors were children under the age of 5, the report said. Of the reported 221 cases of child rape, 66% of the victims were girls, while 33% were boys, it added. The number of violations recorded against Sudanese children was 16% higher in 2024 than in 2023, which had already seen an increase of 473% from 2022 when the war broke out, the report said. Displaced Sudanese girls near the Sudanese town of Tawila. The report contained distressing details that highlighted the gravity of the situation on the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After nine at night, someone opens the door, carrying a whip, selects one of the girls, and takes her to another room. I could hear the little girl crying and screaming. They were raping her, read one testimony by Omnia, an adult female survivor who was held by armed men in a room with other women and girls. Nearly two years of war between Sudan's armed forces controlled by the countrys top commander and de facto ruler, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, led by his former deputy, Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, have left more than 30 million people or more than half of the population in need of humanitarian assistance. Once allies, both men were part of the military establishment that seized power following the collapse of the Western-backed government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok in 2021. But although they agreed to rule together, their alliance broke down over how to manage the transition to a civilian government. With neither willing to cede power, war broke out in April 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 12 million people have been displaced and tens of thousands of people have been reportedly killed, according to the U.N. While both sides have been accused of extensive human rights violations, a U.N. fact-finding mission in October found that the RSF was responsible for committing sexual violence on a large scale in areas under its control, including gang rapes, abductions and sexual slavery. In January, the United States determined that the RSF had committed genocide in areas under its control. Damage from clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum. UNICEF, which has been providing safe spaces for children through emergency response rooms set up by local activists, said in the report that the outcome of sexual crimes against children was devastating due to the fact that victims have few places to turn to for medical help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Women and girls are fleeing their homes and families to other cities where they end up becoming internally displaced and continue to face high risk of sexual violence, the report added. Widespread sexual violence in Sudan has instilled terror in people, especially children, Russell said, calling on all parties to the conflict to put an end to the violations. These scars of war are immeasurable and long-lasting, she added. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com By Alimat Aliyeva India, the worlds second-largest producer of unrefined steel, imported record amounts of finished steel from China, South Korea, and Japan in the first 10 months of the fiscal year, Azernews reports. Imports of finished steel from South Korea increased by 11.7 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 2.4 million tons. During this period, South Korea became the largest exporter of steel alloys to India. Steel imports to India from China totaled 2.3 million tons, while imports from Japan amounted to 1.8 million tons. Indias surge in finished steel imports highlights a significant shift in its steel industry, which traditionally focuses on producing raw steel. The increased demand for finished steel reflects a growing need in sectors like construction, automotive, and infrastructure development. While India is a major steel producer, the demand for high-quality, specialized steel alloys from countries like South Korea and Japan has led to a rise in imports, especially for advanced manufacturing processes. This trend also underscores the global interconnectedness of the steel market, with major producers like China, Japan, and South Korea catering to the growing demand in emerging markets like India. As India continues to invest in infrastructure and urban development, the reliance on imported steel may increase, impacting the dynamics of both global steel production and trade. BEIRUT, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have reaffirmed in a joint statement the importance of enhancing Arab cooperation and coordinating positions on key regional and international issues, the Lebanese official National News Agency (NNA) reported Tuesday. According to the NNA, the statement issued following Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday in the Saudi capital Riyadh also affirmed both sides' commitment to "the full implementation of the Taif Agreement, the enforcement of relevant international resolutions, the extension of state sovereignty across all Lebanese territory, and the exclusive possession of weapons by the Lebanese state." The Taif Agreement, negotiated in Saudi Arabia in 1989 and approved later that year, ended a 15-year-long civil war in Lebanon and reasserted the Lebanese government's authority in the south. Lebanon and Saudi Arabia stressed "the national role of the Lebanese Army and the necessity of supporting it, while calling for the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from all Lebanese lands," read the joint statement. A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, in place since Nov. 27, 2024, calls for an Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanese territory. However, Israel maintains a presence in five positions along the border despite a Feb. 18 deadline. Meanwhile, the NNA reported that during the meeting between Aoun and the crown prince, the two sides discussed ways for further cooperation and agreed to "assess obstacles hindering the resumption of Lebanese exports to Saudi Arabia and explore measures to facilitate travel for Saudi nationals to Lebanon." Aoun also invited the crown prince to visit Lebanon, an offer "met with appreciation and a positive reception," according to the NNA. (Bloomberg) -- Chile Interior Minister Carolina Toha stepped down from her post and said she will run for president in this years election, marking the entry of an experienced center-left politician in the contest for head of state. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Toha presented her resignation to President Gabriel Boric on Tuesday. In separate remarks made late at night after the cabinet change ceremony, she told reporters its time for her generation to seek the nations top job. The time has come for me to undertake another political battle, which is to compete for the presidency, Toha said. I have participated in many triumphs in resounding triumphs but also in defeats. I have been part of hope and of advances. Chiles center-left parties have dragged their feet over naming candidates for this years presidential vote, leaving opposition contenders to dominate early polls. Local laws prevent Boric, whose administration has been dogged by low popularity, from seeking a second consecutive term. Amid the political vacuum, theres also speculation that former head of state Michelle Bachelet could attempt a third period in the nations top job. On Tuesday night, Boric wished Toha good luck in the challenge of giving the governments political alliance continuity, and he called for competitive primary elections within the left. Toha was replaced by Secretary General of the Presidency Alvaro Elizalde. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This decision has not been easy, Toha said on Tuesday afternoon. It is appropriate at this time to thank the president for the trust he gave me to fulfill this position. The delay to announcing her candidacy could cost Toha heavily. A Pulso Ciudadano survey published on Sunday showed only 1.9% of respondents would back her for president. Thats well behind conservative front-runner Evelyn Matthei, with 24.3%, and hard-right contenders Jose Antonio Kast and Johannes Kaiser, who garnered 10.6% and 9.7%, respectively. The results also put Toha far behind Bachelet, with 15.9%. While the former center-left president has said she wont run for a third term, her enduring popularity as well as recent silence have revived calls that she reconsider. Toha is a political heavyweight who brings experience as a minister, former government spokeswoman, congressional deputy and mayor. After joining Borics administration in 2022, she oversaw Chiles fight against crime. She also led the response to last weeks nationwide blackout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, critics say Tohas efforts to tackle crime amid a surge in homicides have fallen short. Roughly 59% of the population disapproves of her performance, while 37% support her, according to a Cadem poll published in February. Toha faced especially intense scrutiny for reacting too slowly last year when her former undersecretary, Manuel Monsalve, stepped down and was later charged with rape. Chiles first round presidential vote will be on Nov. 16 and a run-off, if needed, would take place on Dec. 14. --With assistance from Sebastian Boyd and Valentina Fuentes. (Re-casts story with Carolina Tohas confirmation of plans to seek the presidency) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. By Andrew Silver SHANGHAI (Reuters) -China announced a ban on Tuesday on imports of genetic sequencers from U.S. medical equipment maker Illumina, just minutes after U.S. President Donald Trump's additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods took effect. The ban is part of a series of measures China announced in response to the extra U.S. tariffs and comes after Beijing put Illumina on its "unreliable entity" list in February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China accounts for about 7% of Illumina's sales. Gene sequencers help determine the sequence of DNA or RNA, allowing scientists to study genetic variations associated with diseases and diagnose rare genetic conditions. The ban takes effect from March 4. China's commerce ministry said in a statement that Illumina had suspended normal transactions with Chinese enterprises and taken discriminatory measures against them. Responding to Reuters queries, Illumina said it would continue to serve its customers in China and was "committed to operating in compliance with the latest guidelines from the Ministry of Commerce". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It said the company was assessing the announcement to fully understand the impact on its operations in China. Beijing refrained from punishing big U.S. household names, as it did when it retaliated against the Trump administration's February 4 tariffs, but Illumina was the most high-profile company hit by the latest measures from China. The company has been under growing scrutiny from Beijing, after two of its Chinese rivals, MGI and BGI, were listed in a U.S. bill that aims to restrict business with several biotech companies on grounds of national security. MGI and BGI have denied such allegations. Illumina's shares slid 2.8% to $81.81 in premarket U.S. trading. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its business in the country has already been under pressure from stiff competition, with sales in Greater China falling nearly 20% to $308 million last year. Shares in BGI Genomics, a subsidiary of BGI, jumped 8.4% on Tuesday and MGI Tech, a listed MGI entity, soared by the daily limit of 20%, on prospects for taking market share in China from their U.S. rival. Nomura revised up its earnings forecast for MGI Tech and estimated the ban could create a potential 750 million yuan ($103 million) business opportunity for the Chinese firm this year. In February, China also put PVH Corp, the holding company for brands including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, on its unreliable entity list and announced an investigation into Google as part of a wide range of measures targeting U.S. businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Companies added to the list can be subject to fines and a broad range of other sanctions, including a freeze on trade and revocation of work permits for foreign staff. ($1 = 7.2782 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Andrew Silver; Writing by Miyoung Kim; Editing by Kim Coghill, Edwina Gibbs and Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Mrigank Dhaniwala) China and Canada have responded to new US tariffs that took effect on Tuesday by imposing retaliatory measures on imports from the United States, fuelling fears of a global trade war. New US tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China came into force on Tuesday, the White House announced on Monday. Washington imposed an import fee of 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada and raised tariffs on Chinese products from 10% to 20%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hours before the US tariffs took effect at midnight (0500 GMT Tuesday), Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would introduce matching 25% tariffs on up to $155 billion ($107 billion US) worth of imports from the United States if Washington proceeded with the tariffs. China announced on Tuesday that it was imposing new tariffs on key agricultural imports and imposing further restrictions on US companies. A statement by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is expected later on Tuesday. The punitive tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports mark a sharp escalation in trade tensions, raising fears of a North American trade war with unpredictable consequences for the global economy. The announcement sent stock markets tumbling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early February, the White House said the tariffs were in response to Canada, Mexico and China allowing illegal drugs to enter the US. Trump then agreed to delay the planned trade restrictions for at least 30 days after Mexico and Canada made concessions, particularly regarding border security. China says it's ready for trade war Beijing's Ministry of Commerce said that starting on March 10, China will impose a 15% tariff on chicken, wheat, corn and cotton from the US. Other agricultural products, including soybeans, pork and beef, will be subject to a 10% additional duty. China also warned that more US companies would be added to its list of unreliable entities, potentially leading to restrictions or outright bans on doing business in China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House justified the increase on tariffs on China by pointing to the continued smuggling of Chinese-manufactured fentanyl into the US. Beijing on Tuesday condemned the move, saying that if the United States wanted to start a tariff war, trade war or any other war, China would follow through to the end. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China rejects the US measures and that the countermeasures by the People's Republic are necessary to protect Chinese rights and interests. Pressure, coercion and threats are not the right way to deal with China and Beijing, Lin said. He advised the US to return to the path of dialogue and cooperation. Canada stands firm Trudeau said on Monday that Canada would start with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately, with tariffs imposed on the remaining $125 billion on American products in 21 days' time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our tariffs will remain in place until the US trade action is withdrawn, and should US tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures," he added. This suggests Canada might be willing to pause or even stop oil exports to its southern neighbour, a move that could have severe consequences for the US. EU 'deeply regrets' US tariffs Trump has also said he plans to impose tariffs on imports from the European Union. A spokesman for the European Commission said Tuesday the bloc "deeply regrets" the US decision to slap tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This move risks disrupting global trade, harming key economic partners, and creating unnecessary uncertainty at a time when international cooperation is more crucial than ever," the spokesman said. "These tariffs threaten deeply integrated supply chains, investment flows, and economic stability across the Atlantic," he added. "The EU stands firmly against protectionist measures that undermine open and fair trade. We call on the United States to reconsider its approach and work towards a cooperative, rules-based solution that benefits all parties." German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said the EU would not be "pushed around" by US tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If President Trump imposes the announced tariffs on EU products, we will react with unity and self-confidence," said Habeck. "We are walking into a comprehensive tariff conflict with our eyes wide open," said Habeck, warning of a "tariff spiral" after the announcement of retaliatory measures by Canada and China. After Donald Trumps tariffs against China, Mexico, and Canada went into effect Tuesday, the three countries retaliated with tariffs of their own against American goods. In response to Trumps 20 percent tariffs on all Chinese products, China announced tariffs of up to 15 percent on imports of U.S. chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton and 10 percent tariffs on U.S. soybeans, sorghum, pork, beef, seafood, fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. These tariffs will take effect beginning March 10, with goods already in transit being exempt until April 12. In addition, China is also introducing more controls on business with certain American companies. Chinese customs officials said they will suspend American lumber imports, claiming forest pests such as bark beetles and longhorn beetles were found. The country also suspended soybean import qualifications from three U.S. companies, claiming it found traces of fungi and seed-coating agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China imported $24.7 billion of farm products from the U.S. in 2024, about 14 percent of all U.S. farm exports. A spokesperson for Chinas foreign minister, Lin Jian, said that the U.S. had repaid kindness with enmity with its tariffs. I would like to reiterate that the Chinese people have never been afraid of evil, do not believe in ghosts, and have never been bullied, Jian said. Canadas response to Americas 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods amounts to 25 percent tariffs on $155 billion of American goods, with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods going into effect immediately and the rest going into effect in 21 days, to remain in place until the U.S. trade action is withdrawn, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement. Because of the tariffs imposed by the U.S., Americans will pay more for groceries, gas, and cars, and potentially lose thousands of jobs, Trudeau added. Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship. They will violate the very trade agreement that was negotiated by President Trump in his last term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that the country will respond to U.S. tariffs of 25 percent with tariffs of its own, to be announced at a public event in Mexico Citys central plaza on Sunday. There is no motive or reason nor justification that supports this decision that will affect our people and our nations, Sheinbaum said. All of this indicates that Trump has set off a trade war that is completely unnecessary and based on the presidents own delusions. Supposedly, Trump thinks that he can replace the governments revenue from income taxes with revenue from tariffs, even planning to create a pointless External Revenue Service. In the real world, however, the tariffs will wreck the economy, cause the stock market to plummet further, and cause negative side effects felt by the average American, such as higher grocery and utility bills. Its not clear when or if Trump will see the folly in his plans, but in the meantime, the public is going to feel the effect on their wallets. Beijing on Tuesday condemned the United States' doubling of tariffs on Chinese products, saying that if the United States wanted to start a tariff war, trade war or any other war, China would follow through to the end. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China rejects the US measures and that the countermeasures by the People's Republic are necessary to protect Chinese rights and interests. Pressure, coercion and threats are not the right way to deal with China and Beijing, Lin said. He advised the US to return to the path of dialogue and cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US President Donald Trump had previously ordered by decree the doubling of import tariffs on goods from China, which was decided upon in February. China responded by announcing counter-tariffs on agricultural products and other measures against US companies. This sets the stage for a new trade war between the world's two largest economies, reminiscent of the 2018 trade conflict during Trump's first presidency. China retaliated on Tuesday against US tariff hikes by announcing new tariffs on key agricultural imports and imposing further restrictions on US companies. Beijing's Ministry of Commerce said that starting on March 10, China will impose a 15% tariff on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton from the United States. Other agricultural products, including soybeans, pork, and beef, will be subject to a 10% additional duty. China also warned that more US companies would be added to its list of unreliable entities, potentially leading to restrictions or outright bans on doing business in China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move comes after US President Donald Trump issued an executive order, doubling tariffs on Chinese imports from 10% to 20%. The White House justified the increase by pointing to the continued smuggling of Chinese-manufactured fentanyl into the US. Meanwhile, tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada also took effect on Tuesday, according to US media reports. "President Donald J. Trump is proceeding with implementing tariffs on Canada and Mexico," the White House said in a statement released late on Monday, shortly before the tariffs took effect at midnight (0500 GMT). The 25% punitive tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports mark a sharp escalation in trade tensions, raising fears of a North American trade war with unpredictable consequences for the global economy. The announcement sent stock markets tumbling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early February, the White House said the tariffs were in response to Canada, Mexico and China allowing illegal drugs to enter the United States. Hours before the US tariffs took effect, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would introduce matching 25% tariffs on up to $155 billion ($107 billion US) on imports from the US if Washington's tariffs proceeded. China, Mexico and Canada have responded to new US tariffs that took effect on Tuesday by imposing retaliatory measures on imports from the United States, fuelling fears of a global trade war. New US tariffs on goods from the three countries came into force on Tuesday. Washington imposed an import fee of 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada and raised tariffs on Chinese products from 10% to 20%. China announced on Tuesday that it was imposing new tariffs on key agricultural imports and imposing further restrictions on US companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced retaliatory measures including import duties and other steps which she will reveal on Sunday. "We need to keep calm and think clearly," Sheinbaum said. Hours before the US tariffs took effect at 0500 GMT Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would introduce matching 25% tariffs on up to C$155 billion (US$107 billion) worth of imports from the US if Washington proceeded with the tariffs. The punitive tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports mark a sharp escalation in trade tensions, raising fears of a North American trade war with unpredictable consequences for the global economy. The announcement sent stock markets tumbling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early February, the White House said the tariffs were in response to Canada, Mexico and China allowing illegal drugs to enter the US. Trump then agreed to delay the planned trade restrictions for at least 30 days after Mexico and Canada made concessions, particularly regarding border security. China says it is ready for trade war Beijing's Ministry of Commerce said that starting on March 10, China will impose a 15% tariff on chicken, wheat, corn and cotton from the US. Other agricultural products, including soybeans, pork and beef, will be subject to a 10% additional duty. China also warned that more US companies would be added to its list of unreliable entities, potentially leading to restrictions or outright bans on doing business in China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House justified the increase on tariffs on China by pointing to the continued smuggling of Chinese-manufactured fentanyl into the US. Beijing condemned the move, saying that if the US wanted to start a tariff war, trade war or any other war, China would follow through to the end. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China rejects the US decision and that the countermeasures are necessary to protect Chinese rights and interests. Pressure, coercion and threats are not the right way to deal with China and Beijing, Lin said. He advised the US to return to the path of dialogue and cooperation. Mexico and Canada stand firm More than 80% of Mexican exports go to the US, with thousands of companies and millions of jobs depending on the trade partnership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a bid to appease Trump, Mexico recently extradited 29 individuals convicted of drug-related offences to the US. According to the US Department of Justice, these included former infamous cartel leader Rafael Caro Quintero. But the steps were not enough to persuade Trump to drop his tariffs idea and Mexico will now retaliate. Trudeau said on Monday that Canada would start with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately, with tariffs imposed on the remaining $125 billion on US products in 21 days' time. "Our tariffs will remain in place until the US trade action is withdrawn, and should US tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This suggests Canada might be willing to pause or even stop oil exports to its southern neighbour. EU 'deeply regrets' US tariffs Trump has also said he plans to impose tariffs on imports from the European Union. A spokesman for the European Commission said the bloc "deeply regrets" the US decision to slap tariffs on Canada and Mexico. "This move risks disrupting global trade, harming key economic partners, and creating unnecessary uncertainty at a time when international cooperation is more crucial than ever," he said. "These tariffs threaten deeply integrated supply chains, investment flows, and economic stability across the Atlantic." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said the EU would not be "pushed around" by US tariffs. "If President Trump imposes the announced tariffs on EU products, we will react with unity and self-confidence," said Habeck. "We are walking into a comprehensive tariff conflict with our eyes wide open," he added, warning of a "tariff spiral" after the announcement of retaliatory measures. CAIRO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Egypt is set to present a 53-billion-U.S. dollar comprehensive plan for reconstructing Gaza at the emergency Arab summit on Tuesday, the state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV channel reported. The multiphase plan, spearheaded by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, proposes rebuilding Gaza over five years without displacing its residents, said the report. During the early recovery phase, spanning six months, some 3 billion dollars will be allocated to address urgent humanitarian needs, such as housing demand. In this process, seven designated locations in the enclave will provide housing for more than 1.5 million displaced Gaza residents. An independent administration committee will be formed to oversee the enclave's affairs, it added, noting the committee will consist of non-partisan technocrats and will operate under the umbrella of the Palestinian government. Following this, a two-year reconstruction phase will focus on large-scale rebuilding efforts, with 20 billion dollars dedicated to reviving essential services, basic infrastructure, and economic stability in Gaza, the TV channel reported. With the next stage extending to 2030, an estimated 30 billion dollars will be pooled for completing infrastructure projects, building additional housing units, and establishing industrial zones, among other goals. According to the report, Egypt and Jordan are jointly training Palestinian police forces in preparation for deployment to Gaza. The plan, to be presented at the summit held in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, counters a previous proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump, which suggests redeveloping Gaza and relocating Gazans to neighboring countries, including Egypt and Jordan. China retaliated with tariffs on American goods after Donald Trump doubled levies on Chinese goods. Canada also announced 25% retaliatory tariffs on US goods. Canada's Trudeau said that Americans will pay more for gas and groceries as a result. Canada and China swiftly retaliated against new tariffs from the Trump administration on Tuesday. After President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Chinese goods from 10% to 20%, Beijing announced additional tariffs of 10% to 15% on some US imports starting March 10. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canada also was prepared for a quick response; the country's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, released a statement on March 3 saying that if Trump's tariffs go into effect, Canada will place a 25% tariff on $155 billion of American goods until Trump's tariffs are withdrawn. "Because of the tariffs imposed by the U.S., Americans will pay more for groceries, gas, and cars, and potentially lose thousands of jobs," Trudeau said. "Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship. They will violate the very trade agreement that was negotiated by President Trump in his last term." The retaliatory tariffs mark a new trade war under the Trump administration; Trump has vowed that his tariffs will remain in place until the countries he is targeting crack down on their drug and border policy, specifically surrounding the flow of fentanyl into the US. "While President Trump gave both Canada and Mexico ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country, they have failed to adequately address the situation," the White House's fact sheet said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexico's President, Claudia Sheinbaum, said on Tuesday there was no justification for the US move and that would announce "tariff and non-tariff measures" on Sunday. Mexico was also hit with a 25% tariff from Trump. The impact of Canada and China's retaliatory tariffs China's retaliatory tariffs include 10% tariffs on US soybeans, pork, and beef imports and 15% tariffs on chicken and cotton imports, according to the Commerce Ministry . Beijing also targeted American farm imports into China when US President Donald Trump started the trade war in his first term. Trudeau's statement did not outline specific goods Canada's tariffs are targeting. However, Trudeau said in early February, following Trump's initial tariff announcement, that Canada's tariffs will impact a range of goods shipped from the US to Canada, including fruit, clothing, shows, and household appliances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing's speedy response on Tuesday reminiscent of Beijing's swift response on February 4 against the US's first tranche of tariffs is an indication that Xi Jinping's administration was prepared for the moves. Markets in Asia were broadly lower early on Tuesday because of worries over the impact of the trade war. But losses were limited as investors were already prepared, analysts said. China's measures also appeared contained, Gary Ng, a senior economist at Natixis, told Business Insider. He said Beijing stuck to its "playbook of retaliation," similar to the moves it used on February 4. Last month, the country announced tariffs on some US goods and imposed export controls and market access restrictions on select companies. Some US companies are already preparing for price increases in response to the latest tariffs. Target CEO Brian Cornell told CNBC on Tuesday that the tariffs could lead the company to raise prices on fruits and vegetables. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Those are categories where we'll try to protect pricing, but the consumer will likely see price increases over the next couple of days," Cornell said, adding: "If there's a 25% tariff, those prices will go up." DeepSeek confidence is buoying China China's markets have recently been supported by renewed interest in its tech stocks following DeepSeek's meteoric rise. At a press briefing on Monday, Scott Kennedy, a China specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said China felt it was in a "much better position" than during Trump's first term in office. Because of significant tech advances, Beijing is not "desperate" for a Trump deal, he said. "If they're going to reach a deal, they want it to benefit China and not just be a one-way list of concessions from Beijing to Washington," Kennedy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is doubling down on tariffs just as Beijing holds its annual political meetings of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference known as "Two Sessions." Investors are watching for signs that China will step up stimulus measures amid heightened trade tensions, a prolonged economic downturn at home, and weak domestic consumption. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected on Wednesday to deliver the government work report that's set to detail top policy priorities and reveal China's 2025 GDP growth target. Read the original article on Business Insider China imposed duties of up to 15% on major U.S. farm products and announced targeted actions at more than 20 companies on Tuesday, retaliating against President Donald Trumps increased tariffs. The tariffs target major food exports to China, including chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton, with a 15% rate. A 10% duty was added to imports of sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), China was the biggest market for U.S. agricultural exports in 2023, accounting for 17% of trade. Products subject to the new tariffs make up the majority of agricultural goods imported by China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recent USDA study projected China to be the third-largest agricultural market this year, with exports falling by $1.3 billion from a prior projection due to increased competition for soybeans, corn, sorghum, and cotton. Overall trade in fiscal year 2025 is set to reach $22 billion. Chinas Ministry of Commerce also placed 15 U.S. companies on its export control list, including drone makers Skydio and AeroVironment (AVAV), Leidos (LDOS), Aerkomm, and Shield AI, an artificial intelligence startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz. It also added 10 companies to its unreliable entity list, including Wisconsin-based S3 AeroDefense, setting the ground for sanctions. Illumina (ILMN), the biotech firm that recently began layoffs, was placed on the unreliable entity list last month in Chinas first wave of retaliation against the tariffs, alongside Calvin Klein (PVH) owner PVH Corp. Now, Beijing says Illumina cant export gene sequencers to China, which accounts for 7% of its sales. China also issued anti-dumping duties on U.S. companies that export single-mode optical fiber to the market. Tariffs on those firms range from between 33.3% to 78.2%, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the U.S. has other agenda in mind and if war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, were ready to fight till the end, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Tuesday. On Monday, Trump increased tariffs on imported Chinese goods to 20% from 10% and maintained other restrictions that went into effect in February. He cited a failure on Chinas part to reduce the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. The U.S. also issued tariffs of 25% on all Mexican goods and most Canadian goods, which went into effect early on Tuesday. The duties on Canadian goods include a carveout for energy products, which will be taxed at 10%, in an effort to keep gas prices more manageable. Wendon Zhang, a professor of applied economics and policy at Cornell University, estimates that Trumps tariffs could shed 0.4% of real gross domestic product (GDP) loss from the U.S. economy. That comes out to a loss of more than $100 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hit back with a 25% tariff on $155 billion worth of American goods, although just $30 billion worth are immediately impacted. Several premiers have discussed their own measures, with Ontarios Doug Ford targeting U.S. alcohol and Elon Musks Starlink. Because of the tariffs imposed by the U.S., Americans will pay more for groceries, gas, and cars, and potentially lose thousands of jobs, Trudeau said in a statement. Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship. President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico on Monday said the nation has a plan B, C, D of how to respond to the U.S., without elaborating. She had earlier directed Mexicos economy secretary to prepare a series of tariff and non-tariff retaliatory measures. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. By Joe Cash, Mei Mei Chu and Nicoco Chan BEIJING (Reuters) - China retaliated swiftly on Tuesday against fresh U.S. tariffs with hikes to import levies covering $21 billion worth of American agricultural and food products, moving the world's top two economies a step closer towards an all-out trade war. Beijing also slapped export and investment curbs on 25 U.S. firms, on grounds of national security, but, unlike when it retaliated against the Trump administration's February 4 tariffs, this time avoided punishing any household names. "Trying to exert extreme pressure on China is a miscalculation and a mistake," a foreign ministry spokesperson told a press conference in Beijing, adding that China had never succumbed to bullying or coercion. The latest retaliatory measures came as the extra duty of 10% U.S. President Donald Trump threatened for the world's second-largest economy took effect at 0501 GMT on March 4. That makes for a cumulative 20% tariff in response to what the White House considers Chinese inaction over drug flows. China has accused the White House of "blackmail" over its tariff hike, saying it has some of the world's toughest anti-drug policies. Analysts say Beijing still hopes to negotiate a truce on tariffs, deliberately setting its hikes below 20% to leave its negotiators room to hash out a deal, but each escalation reduces the chance of a rapprochement. "China's government is signalling that they do not want to escalate," said Even Pay, an agriculture analyst at Trivium China. "It's fair to say we're in the early days of Trade War 2.0," Pay said, adding there was still time to avoid a protracted trade war if Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were able to strike a deal. Later on Tuesday, China said it would investigate U.S. producers of a type of optical fibre for circumventing anti-dumping measures, suspended the import licences of three U.S. exporters, and halted China-bound shipments of U.S. lumber. The new U.S. tariffs represent an additional hike to pre-existing levies on thousands of Chinese goods. Some of these products took the brunt of sharply higher U.S. tariffs last year under then President Joe Biden, including a doubling of duties on semiconductors to 50% and a quadrupling of tariffs on electric vehicles to more than 100%. The 20% tariff will hit several major U.S. consumer electronics imports from China that had previously escaped untouched, from smartphones and laptops to videogame consoles, smartwatches, speakers and Bluetooth devices. By Antoni Slodkowski, Laurie Chen, Jing Xu and Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) - China unlocked more fiscal stimulus on Wednesday, promising greater efforts to support consumption and cushion the impact of an escalating trade war with the United States on an economy that Beijing is determined to grow by another 5%-or-so this year. Premier Li Qiang, in a speech at the opening of the annual meeting of China's parliament, warned that "changes unseen in a century are unfolding across the world at a faster pace". "An increasingly complex and severe external environment may exert a greater impact on China in areas such as trade, science, and technology," Li said. The trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is threatening China's economic jewel, its sprawling industrial complex, at a time when persistently sluggish household demand and the unravelling of the debt-laden property sector are leaving the economy increasingly vulnerable. Trump has also dangled tariffs at a long list of countries, disrupting a decades-old global trade order that Beijing has built its economic model around. Pressure has been building on Chinese officials for consumer-focused stimulus to fend off deflationary pressures and reduce the world's second-largest economy's reliance on exports and investment for growth. The term "consumption" was mentioned 31 times in Li's report, up from 21 times last year, while "technology" received 28 mentions, slightly up from 26 in 2024, according to Guotai Junan analysts. "For the first time, boosting consumption has been elevated to the top priority among 2025's major tasks, displacing technology from its usual leading position," said Tilly Zhang, technology analyst at Gavekal Dragonomics. "Its not a pivot from the previous industrial policy, but pursuing a more balanced" macroeconomic framework, Zhang said. However, China said more than a decade ago that it wants to shift to a more consumer-driven growth model, without making significant progress towards that goal, and investors aren't placing bets on this change in tone. The CSI AI Industry Index gained 1.1% and the Hang Seng Tech Index climbed 3%. The consumer discretionary sector rose 0.6%. The recent emergence of artificial intelligence platform Deepseek has boosted market sentiment in China this year. AI advancement was given more space in Li's speech this year compared with 2024, with promises to foster its application in sectors including electric vehicles, smartphones and robots. The Trump administrations large-scale layoffs of federal workers could affect the rollout of former President Joe Bidens efforts to bring advanced chipmaking back to the U.S. The Chips Program Office, which oversees the implementation of the Biden administrations CHIPS and Science Act, is set to lose two-fifths of its workforce, Bloomberg reported, citing unidentified people. About 20 employees have left after accepting deferred resignations, according to Bloomberg, and about 40 probationary workers are bracing for layoffs on Monday. The Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Quartz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The terminations wont have a big effect on employees negotiating contracts with companies receiving funding, one person told Bloomberg. These employees are responsible for tracking progress on contractual benchmarks. Leaders in the Chips Program Office met Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to discourage him from laying off those employees, Bloomberg reported. Other Chips Act funding projects may be at risk due to federal cuts, including $500 million in funding for smaller companies involved in the semiconductor supply chain. Lutnick has asked the offices employees how its making funding decisions, and how the government could get money back that has been awarded, according to Bloomberg. Hes also interested in limiting how companies who have received Chips Act funding can conduct business in China, the news service said. Employees are looking at ways to amend applications for funding and contract language that could meet the Trump administrations demands, Bloomberg said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM) (TSMC), a recipient of Chips Act funding, announced its planning to invest at least $100 billion to build out chip plants in the U.S. over the next four years. Most of the investment will be focused in Arizona where TSMC is already building a chipmaking hub, President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday. He added that the plan includes building five cutting-edge chip fabrication facilities in Arizona that will create thousands of jobs. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Gender-affirming care will resume for patients at Childrens Hospital of The Kings Daughters in Norfolk, according to a recent announcement from the hospital. CHKD paused hormone therapy and puberty blocker treatments for transgender patients Feb. 3 after an executive order was signed by President Donald Trump. The order aimed to halt the use of federal money to support gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth under the age of 19, and if fully implemented, the order would cut off government health insurance including Medicaid and TRICARE for the treatments. Since the executive order was signed, several states have pushed back against Trumps attempt to end gender care for minors. A federal judge in Washington state issued a ruling Friday that blocks the orders in Washington, Minnesota, Oregon and Colorado the four states that brought the lawsuit until the case is resolved. In Baltimore, another federal judge extended a nationwide block to March 5 while he weighs an injunction request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will evaluate each individual situation to ensure that evidence-based care and clinical best practices support the needs of all patients and their overall health and well-being, the hospital said in a statement. CHKD has never performed surgeries as part of gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Treatments for gender dysphoria at the hospital include hormone therapy or puberty blockers, and other medical conditions that used similar medications were not affected by the pause. The hospital joins other health care systems in Virginia in continuing hormonal care for minors. VCU Healths Childrens Hospital of Richmond also announced it would begin gender-affirming care for its patients after a similar pause earlier this year. CHKD said the legal battle is an evolving situation, and patients will be notified if the status of their care changes. Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Earbuds providing real-time bidirectional translation and simultaneous interpretation, speakers featuring a digital assistant capable of consecutive conversations, and air conditioners with flexible airflow functions. These are among the new products released by some of China's tech firms, and while coming from different brands, they share one prominent feature: empowered by artificial intelligence (AI). Amid the recent AI boom, accelerated by the application of DeepSeek, many Chinese consumer electronics and home appliance manufacturers have raced to incorporate AI technologies into their products in a bid to tap the huge potential of the new consumption market. China's tech firm Xiaomi said last week that it will spend about one quarter of its 2025 research and development investment in AI-related fields. Honor, another well-known smart device maker, announced on Monday its strategy of becoming a leading global AI terminal ecosystem company. "The AI revolution will reshape a new paradigm in the terminal industry, fundamentally transforming our productivity, society and even culture in unprecedented ways," said Honor CEO Li Jian. Global market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) forecast that shipments in China's smart terminal market will grow by 4 percent in 2025, with total shipments of AI personal computers, AI tablets and AI smartphones expected to increase by 20 percent year on year. In addition to traditional consumer electronics, the augmented reality (AR) glasses are set to become the next focal point in smart terminal integration, IDC noted. Rokid, a technology company based in east China's Hangzhou, has gained market attention recently for its new AR glasses that enable wearers to deliver speeches smoothly by playing the script thanks to AR technologies. On e-commerce platforms, "AI Voice" has become a filter option for home appliances such as televisions. Many consumers indicated in product reviews that smart features are a key consideration when making purchasing decisions. Hisense has officially integrated DeepSeek AI services in its television products, making its TV products capable of DeepSeek-based smart conversations. Other major TV manufacturers, including Changhong, Skyworth and TCL, have announced the incorporation of the DeepSeek AI service in select products as well. The Chinese government has voiced support for the development of the AI terminal sector to leverage its role in boosting consumption. Last month, a State Council executive meeting called for enhanced efforts to promote AI-related spending and develop new consumer products, scenarios and trends. Chinese tech hub Shenzhen announced an AI terminal industry development plan on Monday, aiming to lift the market scale to over 800 billion yuan (about 111.52 billion U.S. dollars) by 2026, with the output of AI terminal products surpassing 150 million units. This initiative also seeks to build more application scenarios for AI terminal products in fields such as smart manufacturing, smart finance, smart cities, smart elderly care and smart governance. AI-empowered consumption not only reconstructs consumption experience through technological empowerment, but also stimulates demand and supply through technological integration, said Lao Guoling, head of the research center for e-commerce with Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. "It is expected to become a crucial link connecting domestic demand growth and consumption upgrading," Lao added. CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. (WROC) Congresswoman Claudia Tenney is headed to Washington D.C. for President Donald Trumps joint congress discussion Tuesday night. Ahead of that, hundreds of people lined up along Route 332 in Canandaigua with some things theyd like her to keep in mind. Save USAID. Save Veterans. Save Medicare those were some of the messages held up by hundreds in Canandaigua Monday afternoon. We were coming out today to protest Claudia Tenney and all of the causes she is voting for and standing with in Washington, and how she doesnt represent our district, Laura DAmico told News 8. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laura and Mary DAmico said, when President Trump addresses Congress, they want their representative to consider the issues affecting the people in her district. I hope she hears that people are really, really angry about her standing with Trump 100% of the time. I would like her to look at each issue and say, will this help my people back home? Is this going to help them pay the bills? Is this going to pay their medical bills? You know? What about the people in the nursing homes? What are you doing for us, Mary asked. One issue close to home for the DAmicos Ukraine. Congresswoman Tenney has voted against further aid to Ukraine from the United States. However, last week the Congresswoman introduced legislation urging the European Union to consider the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization saying it aids Russias war against Ukraine. Trump pauses aid to Ukraine amid clash with Zelensky Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a personal connection, Laura said its not enough. As someone who has a friend who is going through this right now, it feels even more real, you know, and I live streamed this as a person whos a Fulbright Scholar, who was supported by the State Department last year, to represent the United States, finally, as an artist, its very important for the United States to maintain diplomacy, Laura said. Seeing all the signs at Mondays protest, Mary said she doesnt feel so isolated. Youre at home in front of the TV or whatever, you feel so alone in your despair over whats going on in your country, feeling like youre losing your country, and then you come out here and you see everybody feels the same way, Mary said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congresswoman Tenney will be attending the joint session Tuesday night alongside Oswego County Sheriff Don Hilton. News 8 is expected to hear from her before that gets underway. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The city of Charlotte broke ground on a new fire station Tuesday. The new site for Firehouse 11 will be on West 28th Street in north Charlotte. Built in the 1950s, the Charlotte Fire Department said the original firehouse has reached the end of its service life. ALSO READ: From ashes to beauty: Community rallies around family after house fire The 17,160-square-foot, two-story, four-bay firehouse will be equipped with the latest advancements in firefighter safety, technology, and environmental sustainability, officials said. Charlotte Fire hopes it will help with the growing need for residents across the metro. WATCH BELOW: Charlotte firefighters head to Kentucky, face historic flooding CHICAGO After long delays, people living in a homeless encampment in Gompers Park on the citys Northwest Side will get a chance to secure free support services and more stable, permanent housing. The outreach by several city departments is part of what the city calls accelerated moving events, or AMEs. The AME in Gompers Park began Wednesday morning. Those living in encampments, or were previously living there, are meeting with housing managers at the Salvation Army, located next door to Gompers Park. They will have the option to virtually tour an apartment and select one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are offered a meal while theyre waiting. Hopefully it is a comfortable space for them as theyre looking at housing, furniture and other options, Sendy Soto, Chicagos Chief Homelessness Officer, says. PREVIOUS: Crews to begin clearing out remaining tents of homeless encampment at Gompers Park The goal is to help 29 people secure housing. If a park resident accepts, it could take up to 90 days until they have stable housing. The city says it has moved about 3,000 people under the AME program which it says is completely optional since it started in 2020, and that its been coming to Gompers Park since the fall to work with those staying at the encampment there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the 35th time the city has taken volunteers from encampments and helped them find housing. The city also says its been transparent with how Wednesdays move in Gompers Park is going to happen. Some community members, however, claim the city is not being completely transparent about the process. PREVIOUS: Chicago agencies dismantle smoke stacks and propane tanks at Gompers Park homeless encampment Ideally, everybody has the choice to move into the communities that they want to move into, and the types of apartments or dwelling units that they want to move into, said Soto. But we dont have that housing stock in the City of Chicago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we will be offering (Wednesday) is apartments that landlords have opted to be part of (in the AME program). So if we dont have landlords in the area of Mayfair that have opted into this program, were not able to provide service to (people who need housing) in the area of their choice. The city says it costs about $30,000 per each household every year for the AME program. With 28 households set to be moved on Wednesday, that equates to $840,000 annually for that move alone. The city had budgeted $2.8 million for the AME program when it started in 2020. For 2025, the city has budgeted $25 million for the program, due to the end of federal funding the city had previously relied on. For months, Gompers Park encampment have caused frustration for some people living nearby, saying they want them out and its a safety issue. But there are some neighbors who fully supports the encampments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel safe in this park with these people who are experiencing homelessnessI want people to know that there are neighbors here that love these people. We are concerned for them and its really important that we keep everybody safe here in the neighborhood. These are our neighbors, one resident told WGN. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Taking aim at past issues with policing in Milwaukee Public Schools, an agreement the city approved Tuesday says the district's new school resource officers will only step in when students break the law. New MPS school police will be prohibited from getting too involved in regular school discipline, under the agreement. Those issues are to be handled by school staff, the memorandum of understanding says. For over a year, MPS has been required to place 25 school resource officers in its schools as the result of the state law known as Act 12. That hasn't happened, but the agreement the city approved Tuesday morning is one of the final steps for the two to comply with state law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After passing the full Common Council on a 10-4 vote, the agreement still needs the signature and approval of Mayor Cavalier Johnson. The MPS Board of School Directors was scheduled to vote on the agreement Tuesday evening. The school district previously voted to allocate funds to pay its share of the program. The four alders who voted against the agreement Tuesday were Milele Coggs, Marina Dimitrijevic, Andrea Pratt and Laressa Taylor. Dimitrijevic said during the meeting she was concerned about the outcomes of bringing police to schools and pointed to other cities where police in school led to more arrests of students. Coggs called the memorandum of understanding an "unfunded mandate" from the state and noted the lack of information on training and implementation, when explaining why she would vote no. On Feb. 27, Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge David Borowski found the city of Milwaukee in contempt of his earlier order to put police in schools by that date and imposed a $1,000 daily fine. Those penalties would go into effect March 15, giving the city and MPS time to sign the memorandum of understanding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city and district are also expected to have officers in schools by March 15, under the judge's order. To do so, they will need to recruit officers from elsewhere in the police department and, at the very least, according to the judge, schedule a 40-hour training by the National Association of Resource Officers as required by Act 12. "In my view, it's been the city's intent for a year and a half, either intentionally or neglectfully, to run out the clock on this type of situation. To not comply," Borowski said at the Feb. 27 hearing, the third time he set a deadline. Borowski's orders are the result of an ongoing lawsuit filed by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty and a district parent. It aims to force police into MPS schools as required by Act 12. Heres what to know about the draft memorandum of understanding and how it compares to past versions: Milwaukee police should not be involved in noncriminal discipline According to the memorandum of understanding, both MPS and the city must agree that school resource officers should not be used to enforce school discipline "unless such participation is necessary under the circumstances." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also says MPS will be responsible for training school staff in how to distinguish when a students behavior requires a response from law enforcement, as well as how to avoid participating in law enforcement. Both parties are expected to address "criminal activities by students and other things like environmental crime prevention techniques." In the hearing last week, Borowski said a school resource officer should be able to tell the difference between a student who "mouths off" and one who is committing a crime of assault. In response, Milwaukee Police Department Chief of Staff Heather Hough said it's not always so clear. In some cases, teachers may be frightened by a student "mouthing off." "There are black and white areas of this, but there are also some gray areas," Hough said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Journal Sentinel analyzed police call data for the past 11 school years, finding there were 3,700 calls from district addresses on average per year just between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Not all of those calls related to student behavior, however and many that did were nonviolent. Research has shown that students of color and those with disabilities are more likely to be arrested or suspended when police are in schools. In campaigning against school police, some expressed concerns that the presence of officers in understaffed MPS schools will lead young people to become involved with law enforcement for conduct that could otherwise be handled at the school level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That was an issue in Tuesday's council meeting, too. "What is the goal of the expanded police interactions with our Milwaukee Public Schools children? What are the metrics being used? Will more students being arrested?" asked Dimitrijevic, who voted against the agreement. Other council members pushed back. "I literally just had a town hall on Feb. 22 where I had 30 residents, and the first thing they talked about is when the police are coming back to the schools," said Ald. Mark Chambers Jr. During Tuesday's council meeting, Dimitrijevic proposed an amendment that said any unanticipated city revenue from the MPS police program be diverted to the Milwaukee Recreation Department for youth programming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She withdrew that proposal before a vote during Tuesday's meeting, saying she would introduce it during a later committee meeting. Training for police officers slated to begin next week On Monday, Bauman said the National Association of School Resource Officer training is scheduled to begin next week. Milwaukee Police Department officials are finalizing a contract with the national training organization, he said. On Feb. 27, Assistant City Attorney Clint Muche said 21 current MPD officers have volunteered to work inside city schools. The officers who volunteered are from various divisions in MPD, said Ald. Peter Burgelis. He said the police department had assured the council there would be no operational issues with moving officers to fill the required 25 positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city had 1,587 police officers in late 2024. Prior agreements between MPS, city didn't specify police's role in school discipline MPS used to station school resource officers in particular schools. But that practice ended in the 2013-14 school year, following concerns those officers were too often involved in school discipline. A 2014-15 report to the school board said police had been "taking on different than intended roles in the schools they were assigned to." "It was noted that the way some of the cases were handled, officers ended up making arrests as the situations escalated; arrests in schools increased," a different report later found. Prior versions of the memorandum of understanding between the city and MPS do not specify officers' roles in enforcing school discipline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike the new draft contract, older agreements said officers would provide "educational resources to pupils and parents regarding issues related to alcohol and other drugs, law, ordinances and the juvenile code." Past school resource officer contracts capped the number of officers at 12. The new agreement sets it at 25, the required number through state law. Older agreements also specified that officers would be "mobile" through MPS; the new contract says officers will be positioned in "specific regions through the district to ensure coverage of MPS schools." In his order last week, Borowski asked the city to provide the names of the officers who will work inside MPS, as well as the schools they would work in. How the city, schools and police got here The saga between the city and its school district began with the passage of 2023 Wisconsin Act 12, a state funding law. In negotiations with the Republican-led State Assembly, that law brought new revenue for the city but came with strict stipulations around things like policing in Milwaukee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The police-related requirements of Act 12 apply only to MPS, although Wisconsin has 421 public school districts. The law forced MPS to reverse a 2020 decision to terminate contracts with police, action it took in the wake of national anti-police brutality protests and the murder of George Floyd. Act 12s requirements have been in place since January 2024, but the city and school district have never reached an agreement over funding or contract details. Both Borowski, and attorneys for WILL have maintained the parties are intentionally refusing to comply with the law, though MPS and the city have said they are committed to implementing the program. "I really hope that the aldermen of Milwaukee have enough sense to understand the predicament that they're in relative to the state law," Borowski said during the case's latest hearing on Feb. 27. On Monday, Johnson said he wished the agreement had been in place earlier, but said he was pleased the judge ordered the cost be split equally. Johnson said an equal split was the city's position in negotiations. "I'm interested in getting it done," he said. "I'm happy we're going to be moving forward." David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com. Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit jsonline.com/rfa. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee SROs will not get involved in MPS discipline, agreement says (FOX40.COM) The City of Sacramento and 15 other local governments across the country are suing the federal government over President Donald Trumps threat to withhold funds from sanctuary jurisdictions. The lawsuit cites several actions and executive orders, including one that instructs the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, which seek to interfere with the lawful exercise of Federal law enforcement operations, do not receive access to Federal funds. For forty years, our city has been a safe haven for refugees fleeing hardship and persecution, Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty said in a press release announcing the lawsuit. It is the moral tradition of our nation and our city to protect immigrants and refugees. Sacramento will uphold this legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the lawsuit, the city notes that the Sacramento City Council passed a resolution in 2017 that generally prohibits city resources from being used to: Ask about or investigate immigration status Detain someone just because they are or might be undocumented Tell the federal government the release date of someone who may be undocumented Provide confidential information, such as someones home address, just because they are or might be undocumented The Trump Administrations threat of withholding federal funds impacts the Citys budget at a time when it is already working on balancing major deficits, the city said. The City is already receiving notice that these federal grants are likely to be withheld. The City of Sacramento also laid out the various plans and projects that a disruption to federal funding could affect. The city said it is counting on about $175 million in federal reimbursements for projects and programs related to public works, public safety, and medical services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other 15 plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the City And County of San Francisco, the County of Santa Clara, the City of Portland, Martin Luther King, Jr. County, the City of New Haven, the City of Oakland, the City of Emeryville, the City of San Jose, the City of San Diego, the City of Santa Cruz, the County of Monterey, the City of Seattle, the City of Minneapolis, the City of St. Paul and the City of Santa Fe. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. Representatives from civil and voting rights groups hosted a panel to outline their priorities for the 2025 session of the Florida Legislature on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Jackie Llanos/Florida Phoenix) Amid Gov. Ron DeSantis push for lawmakers to further restrict Floridas citizen initiative process, civil and voting rights groups have labeled the move an attack on Democracy. The governor has repeatedly called for the overhaul of citizen-led ballot initiatives even after celebrating the November defeat of the proposed constitutional amendments to protect abortion access and legalize recreational marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to clean up this out-of-control amendment process, and you in the Legislature have the opportunity to do just that and protect Floridas constitution once and for all, DeSantis said Tuesday during his State of the State address on the first day of the 2025 legislative session. Following the governors address, social justice and voting rights groups, including Equal Ground, the ACLU of Florida, and the NAACP Florida State Conference, defended Floridians right to amend the Constitution during a press conference, saying it is the only recourse citizens have when lawmakers refuse to listen to them. The vote is the most powerful tool that we have to choose the direction of our state, said Genesis Robinson, Equal Grounds executive director. It is how we hold our leaders accountable, shape our communities, and demand change, and any effort to undermine that right is an attack on democracy itself. Majorities of voters supported both amendments, but they needed 60% supermajorities to pass. Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group backing abortion rights, agreed to pay a $164,000 fine to the Department of State after it accused the group of petition fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spring Hill Republican Sen. Blaise Ingoglia is following DeSantis lead, putting forward a bill, SB 1414, to eliminate third-party collection of petition forms. Instead, those forms would undergo the verification measures used in vote-by-mail. Under existing law, groups backing the initiatives need to collect nearly 900,000 signatures. Lee County Republican Jenna Persons-Mulicka filed a bill, HB 1205, imposing fines for initiative sponsors if any petition collectors have been convicted of felonies. Under the bill, sponsors would also have to pay a $1 million bond to the Florida Division of Elections. The proposed changes to the process follow the successful constitutional amendment to raise the minimum wage and the governors use of state resources to campaign against the 2024 ballot initiatives, said Abdelilah Skhir, a senior strategist for the ACLU of Florida. Now, theyre coming back and almost trying to derail the entire process, right? he said. Its almost like, you know, back in school when youre playing a game with a kid on the playground, and then you start beating that kid, and then they start just making up rules on the spot. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Claremore High School and Will Rogers Junior High School both scored an "F" for chronic absenteeism on the Oklahoma State Report Card. Sequoyah and Verdigris' middle and high schools had better attendance than the state average during the 2023-2024 school year. The Oklahoma Department of Education released its 2023-2024 report card of Oklahoma schools in December 2024. It's available online at oklaschools.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report card considers a student chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of school days in a given year. During the 2023-2024 year, 80.97% of students in Oklahoma were not chronically absent. This was a 1% improvement from the previous year and bumped the state's absenteeism score up from an "F" to a "D." The state rated Claremore, Sequoyah and Verdigris public schools' attendance as follows: Will Rogers Junior High School: 68.29% of students in good attendance (F) Claremore High School: 67.37% in good attendance (F) Sequoyah Middle School: 89.23% in good attendance (C) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sequoyah High School: 84.03% in good attendance (D) Verdigris Junior High School: 87.7% in good attendance (C) Verdigris High School: 87.12% in good attendance (C) Bryan Frazier, superintendent of Claremore Public Schools, said chronic absenteeism isn't just a Claremore problem. He said schools and workplaces across the country are feeling the effects of COVID-19 pandemic in their attendance numbers. "Absenteeism is a nationwide problem," Frazier said. "I don't want to speculate too much, but yeah, I think COVID does have something to do with that. I think that there was that time that people checked out, and it's true of even employment." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chronic absenteeism has risen in Oklahoma since the pandemic. About 85% of Oklahoma students were in good attendance in 2018 and 2019; since 2022, that has dropped to about 80% each year (the state doesn't have data for the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 years). Mike Payne, Verdigris' superintendent, said though his schools' attendance surpasses the state average, the pandemic put the district's attendance lower than he wants it to be. Payne said attendance could stay lower than pre-pandemic because COVID-19 conditioned families to keep kids home when they're sick. "We've had so much flu and all kind of things, so our attendance is probably going to look a little different next year," Payne said. "But everybody's will be, right? ... We don't want [students] here with a 105 degree temperature." Frazier said absenteeism is a particularly important issue at Claremore High School because the school operates on a block schedule. Students take four 90-minute classes a semester, meaning they miss more instruction with each absence than they would if classes were shorter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frazier wants to transition Claremore High School from a block schedule to a seven-period school day to remedy this. The Claremore Public Schools Board of Education took no action on a proposal to adopt a seven-period school day at a meeting in February. Frazier said chronic absenteeism is largely out of the district's control he said districts can encourage students to come to school, but can't force them to board the bus. "It has to do with area culture and socio-economics," Frazier said. "... We have to do all we can to get kids here, but again, it's part of our grade that probably shouldn't be in there." Many state lawmakers agree. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, chairs the Senate Education Committee and has filed a bill to replace chronic absenteeism on the report card with a survey. Reps. Ellen Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City, and Ronny Johns, R-Ada, have advanced similar bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Terry Saul, superintendent of Sequoyah Public Schools, said Sequoyah has developed a culture in which administrators, teachers and bus drivers all do their part to intervene when a student starts missing too much school. "Our method has just been more contact, way, way, way more contact, even if that means a home visit, even if that means sometimes going out and picking a kid up with school resource officer," Saul said. "The fortunate thing at Sequoyah is you're not dealing with that many students, so it's easier to hone in on a smaller group of kids." Denton Holland, Verdigris' technology director, said Verdigris also benefits attendance-wise from its small student population. Holland said Verdigris will continue to prioritize improving its attendance rate. "Attendance is a big deal because ... if the kid's not here, how are we going to teach them?" Holland said. "How are we going to educate the student that's not here? Societally, it's a growing problem everywhere." Imagine a southeastern Wisconsin with no cars, no buildings, no people and, as a result, no emissions. An environmental utopia? Not according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Unfortunately, air pollutants dont recognize state lines and emissions originating from northern Illinois and Indiana are moving upwind along Lake Michigan. Case in point: Ozone level readings made in Racine show that only 3 percent of the emissions detected there are attributed to activity here in Wisconsin. Wisconsins air quality is actually better than ever recorded, but now the Clean Air Acts standards call for even greater air quality improvements than the region has realized over the last 30 years. Its causing big issues for our long-term economic outlook. Wisconsin businesses end up paying for Illinois pollution For decades, elevated ozone levels along the lake have prompted the EPA to designate all or parts of seven counties in southeastern Wisconsin from Kenosha to Sheboygan as non-attainment zones. This designation forces businesses to pay for costly pollution mitigation or, in some cases, limit operations to avoid triggering federal Clean Air Act requirements despite emissions not originating in Wisconsin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An analogy: Imagine two men on a scale, one man weighs 200 pounds, the other 800 pounds. Essentially the EPA is grabbing the 200-pound man and telling him he needs to lose 500 lbs. for both to be healthy. The Clean Air Act never foresaw this scenario and its time the issue was addressed. Milwaukee and the area have been on a roll over the past several years. Billions of dollars in capital investment, highlighted by Microsofts $3 billion-plus data center project in Racine County, have all signs pointing in a positive direction for economic development, job creation and all that goes with it. Opinion: UWM has weathered cuts, delivered research to improve health and commerce But that trajectory is at risk due to these unfair and outdated mandates originating in Washington. If the issue is not corrected, you can certainly bank on our leadership in the manufacturing sector eroding. This means fewer opportunities for this generation and those to follow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Economic development is a competitive sport. Cities and their surrounding regions across the country are fighting tooth and nail for the same expansion, relocation and start-up activity we want to see in our region. Its a game of inches and any competitive disadvantage placed on our region is a disincentive to businesses looking to invest here. These more stringent regulations could mean the difference between a win and a loss. Clean Air Act must be amended to not punish Milwaukee region So, what can we do? The Clean Air Act must be amended to hold the Milwaukee region harmless and, at the same time, the EPA and Wisconsin should collaboratively work with relevant parties in northern Illinois and Indiana on reducing their emissions. Opinion: We Energies Kenosha County power plant threatens public health and environment Good Neighbor laws are on the books but fail to have the teeth necessary to put enough pressure on the sources of emissions causing our increased ozone levels. The state of Wisconsin has filed suit arguing these rules arent sufficiently stringent, but cases like this, and others across the U.S., have stalled. Its time for the Trump administration to hit the pause button on enforcement and for Congress to make better sense of the otherwise critically valued Clean Air Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As time grows short, MMAC and our coalition partners will fight for our business members and the economic climate in southeastern Wisconsin by advocating for policies to reduce upwind emissions. Our residents deserve to breathe clean air and our employers and therefore our larger community should not pay the price for a problem they dont own. Dale Kooyenga is president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: EPA mandates threaten economic growth in Milwaukee region | Opinion SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A public records request for former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noems state credit card charges is providing a closer look at travel and spending near the end of her term in Pierre. The South Dakota state auditors office received a public records request from KELOLANDs Bob Mercer on Feb. 26 seeking Noems state credit card charges for the past six years. The request also sought any available credit card charges incurred by Noems predecessor in the governors office, Dennis Daugaard. The state granted Mercers request and provided KELOLAND News with redacted invoices. Senate puts Medicaid expansion repealer on ballot Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem is now secretary of the Department of Homeland Security; she resigned the governorship on Jan. 25. In the time immediately preceding that date, the statements for Noems state credit card with PREMIER Bankcard show a balance of $24,005.27 for the period from Oct. 30 to Nov. 28 and $22,309.68 for the period from Dec. 30 to Jan. 29. While KELOLAND News has not yet seen a PREMIER Bankcard account summary showing activity from Nov. 29 to Dec. 29, the statement for the period from Dec. 30 to Jan. 29 shows a previous balance of $29,458.06. During the time period beginning on Oct. 30, South Dakota taxpayers paid for hotel rooms for the governors security detail in several states, including Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada and Wisconsin. Additionally, lodging for the governors security detail in Washington, D.C. in January 2025 included the following costs for taxpayers: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement $6,336.54 at Canopy by Hilton $6,693.87 at Hampton Inn & Suites $2,422.07 at Cambria Hotel Washington D.C. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Jallal Toufiq, president of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), speaks at a press briefing in Vienna, Austria, March 4, 2025. The INCB on Tuesday warned that the rapid spread of illicit synthetic drugs poses a serious threat to global public health and is reshaping illicit drug markets. (Xinhua/He Canling) VIENNA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) on Tuesday warned that the rapid spread of illicit synthetic drugs poses a serious threat to global public health and is reshaping illicit drug markets. In its 2024 annual report published here on Tuesday, the INCB highlighted the rising production and consumption of synthetic drugs, which are often more potent than plant-based drugs. Criminal actors are exploiting regulatory loopholes to create new synthetic substances, posing more challenges to enforcement efforts. "The rapid expansion of the illicit synthetic drug industry represents a major global public health threat with potentially disastrous consequences for humankind," the INCB president Jallal Toufiq said. "We need to work together to take stronger action against this deadly problem which is causing hundreds of thousands of deaths and untold harm to communities." The INCB called for more coordinated action by governments and the private sector to curb the manufacturing, trafficking and consumption of illicit synthetic drugs. This photo taken on March 4, 2025 shows the Chinese version of the International Narcotics Control Board's 2024 annual report in Vienna, Austria. The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) on Tuesday warned that the rapid spread of illicit synthetic drugs poses a serious threat to global public health and is reshaping illicit drug markets. (Xinhua/He Canling) This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available. Update: SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The road has reopened and the gas leak has been shut off. Original story: SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A road in the Sugar House neighborhood was shut down on Monday afternoon after a gas leak. After nearly an hour, officials said the gas leak was shut off. According to Captain Chad Jepperson with the Salt Lake City Fire Department, the leak was caused by construction in the area, and the gas was leaking from a steel line on 2100 South near 700 East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire department has asked people to avoid the area, and two businesses one of which lost its gas supply have been evacuated. Other businesses in the area have been ordered to shelter in place. Jepperson said the incident first occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday, and the gas was leaking outside and not going into buildings. The two businesses were evacuated because their gas supplies were affected, but not because gas was leaking into the buildings. ABC4.com has a crew heading to the scene to learn more about the situation. MJ Jewkes 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 ABC4 Utah. Conservative commentator Scott Jennings was sharply criticized on social media this week after he condemned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a CNN panel discussion for not wearing a tie to his disastrous meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the Oval Office last week. During a Monday night segment of NewsNight with Abby Philly, the panel discussed Zelenskyys Friday visit to the White House, in which Trump and Vance berated Zelenskyy in front of gathered reporters, accusing the Ukrainian president of not showing enough gratitude for the aid the U.S. has provided his country since Russias 2022 invasion. The Trump administration and Ukrainian officials were presumably seeking to reach an agreement that day to sign a minerals deal that would have given the U.S. access to Ukraines critical minerals to pay back past aid from the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No agreement was signed. While analyzing what went wrong in the heated and ineffective Oval Office meeting, NewsNight guest panelist and Republican New York lawmaker Bruce Blakeman turned his sights on Zelenskyys clothing. He said the Ukrainian president who wore black pants and a black collarless long-sleeve top that featured an embroidered Ukrainian trident was dressed like a schlub at the White House. Trump and Vance wore suits. Jennings later jumped in to share his thoughts about Zelenskyys clothes: Is it worth it? Was not putting on a tie worth it? ... Is it worth it? But Jacob Neiheisel, associate professor of political science at the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, made quite the observation about this criticism: Republicans didnt seem to have that much of an issue with Elon Musks attire just a couple of weeks ago. (Musk notably wore a T-shirt and cap to his bizarre joint Oval Office press conference with Trump last month.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Objections to Zelenskyys clothing choices are likely just an excuse to take umbrage and cloak what the administration was going to do anyways (cut off aid to Ukraine) in the veneer of moral outrage about Ukraine not being sufficiently respectful, Neiheisel told HuffPost. Prominent conservatives like Jennings have long directed attacks on Zelenskyys more traditionally informal attire for events and meetings with government officials. During the Oval Office meeting, right-wing journalist Brian Glenn, whos the boyfriend of far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), asked Zelenskyy why he didnt wear a suit. Do you own a suit? he asked, adding, A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the dignity of this office. But many people have pushed back on those lines of attacks. After a clip of Jennings remarks on CNN made rounds on X, formerly Twitter, the conservative pundit was slammed online for focusing attentionon Zelenskyys clothes amid Russias ongoing invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others have pointed out that Zelenskyys attire is a signal to the ongoing war in Ukraine, and that past leaders like Sir Winston Churchill have similarly made statements wearing informal gear during wartime. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with President Donald Trump at the Oval Office in the White House on Feb. 28 in Washington, D.C. via Associated Press Zelenskyys attire can be seen as a symbol that Ukraine is fighting for its survival. I think that Zelenskyys attire is a signal to the world that Ukraine is on a war footing and is fighting for its survival, Neiheisel said, adding that Zelenskyys attire emerged when Russia was moving toward Ukraines capital and there was an expectation that everyone capable of fighting in Ukraine was going to have to do so. He pointed out that there is a great deal of heterogeneity in terms of how world leaders have decided to adorn themselves when their nation is at war, and that while leaders in the U.S. have rarely deviated from the norms of the day, past leaders have indeed sported different types of clothing and gear to send messages. Neiheisel also pointed out that Zelenskyy isnt just throwing on drab-colored clothing, and that hes often worn the brand M-TAC a Ukrainian tactical clothing and gear maker as a tangible reminder that Ukraine is doing everything it can to provide for its own defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, Rebecca Arnold, a senior lecturer in history of dress at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, told The Independent that the olive green T-shirts Zelenskyy wore while delivering speeches to U.S. Congress and other elected officials around the world was a way to connect him to the armed forces, without seeming militaristic. Hes communicating, therefore, with those around him in government, but importantly, through digital and heritage media, he connects to his countrys people and the wider world, she said at the time. The attacks on Zelenskyys clothing is likely a political tactic. Attacks like the ones on Zelenskyys attire provides the rank-and-file with reasons that they can articulate for supporting certain policy positions, Neiheisel said, adding that in this case, that policy is one of leaving Ukraine (and really much of Europe) to its own devices. The manufactured outrage over Zelenskys clothing choices allows the administration, and Republicans more generally, to construct a narrative surrounding why the U.S. is no longer going to help Ukraine, he said. Related... Mar. 3Police: Holmes fought with officers Andy Holmes, the mayor of Coal Grove, was arrested by the Ironton Police Department on Saturday morning on three charges, including operating a vehicle while intoxicated, felony resisting arrest and felony assault. He was taken to the Lawrence County Jail and was released on Saturday. According to a report from the Ironton Police Department, officers found Holmes at his home and he was stunned three times while fighting the police officers, before being arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case began just after Friday midnight when a report of a hit-skip accident in the 3600 block of South Third St. Officers found a sedan with "significant" rear end damage on Third Street in Ironton and a woman standing beside it. They also found several parts of a GMC along the roadway. One officers stayed at the site of the crash and the other went to search for the GMC. Dispatch told officers that a black GMC truck fitting the description was headed toward Coal Grove. Dispatch called to tell the officer that OnStar had reported a crash in the area and gave the information of the vehicle involved, which was used to get an address, which was Holmes' address in Coal Grove. An officer found a black 2023 GMC Yukon with "severe" damage to the front end at house. Because of the damage, the officer was concerned about the welfare of the driver and called for an additional officer to help locate the driver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officers knocked on the door of the residence and were greeted by a woman. Police said she called out for "an individual later identified as James Andrew "Andy" Holmes." It was at that time a Coal Grove officer arrived on the scene. The officers asked to come in and the woman let them in the house. Officers asked if Holmes was drunk and the woman nodded her head up and down, "implying yes to the question asked," the report said. They found Holmes in bed and asked him about the crash and Holmes "acted as if he had no clue what we were talking about," the report said. It was then the officers said they noticed Holmes was bleeding from his head and called for EMS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officers asked Holmes if he would come outside to talk about the accident and said he refused. Holmes asked the Coal Grove officer, '"Who's the rest of these guys, what department are they from?" the report said. The officers again explained that they were from Ironton where the crash occurred. The Ironton officers asked who Holmes was and they were told that he was the mayor of Coal Grove. The Ironton officers said that the fact that he was the mayor of Coal Grove was irrelevant, since the accident happened in Ironton. Holmes then told the Coal Grove police officer to arrest the Ironton Police officers, before asking about the crash, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holmes then asked if they had a warrant to be there and was told consent was given for them to enter the house. The Ironton officers said they had enough information and could leave now and told they would be getting body cam footage from the Coal Grove Police Department and to make sure that it was not deleted, because of the pending charges. Homes then called the officer "stupid" and "then stated 'No, I think you're retarded," according to the report, which continued that Holmes aggressively got out of bed and told them to leave because they didn't have a warrant and that they were on private property. Officers decided to leave to de-escalate the situation, but Holmes followed them and said "get the (expletive) out of here," according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the door, the report said that he shoved one of the officers and grabbed his vest, at which point Holmes was told he was under arrest. The report said Holmes swung at an officer, pulled away and headed toward the kitchen. The officers followed him to take him in custody, but Holmes continued to aggressively pull away, according to the report. An officer pulled his Taser and stunned Holmes in the right side of his stomach and tried to handcuff him, the report said. He was stunned twice more, before he was handcuffed and put in the patrol car. He was examined by EMS for his head wound and then was taken to the Lawrence County Jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the jail, Holmes was asked to submit urine for a test. According to the police report, Holmes elbowed an officer again and told them he could not hear what they were saying as they read a form that explained the penalty for not submitting to tests. Holmes refused to sign the form or the citation for OVI and assured clear distance. According to the report, Holmes admitted to a corrections officer that he was drinking at the Moose Lodge and "stated he believed he hit something with his 'Yukon.'" Holmes is scheduled to be in Ironton Municipal Court on Thursday morning. Holmes was sworn in as mayor in 2024 and he was on the village council from 2017-2023. Elbridge Colby, the nominee for undersecretary of defense for policy, said at his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on Tuesday that he now views a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat to the United States homeland and said he would provide military options to the administration to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon if necessary. Colby also sought to distance himself from Michael DiMino, who prompted alarm among supporters of Israel after being named deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East. Colbys comments suggest hes backtracking on his past views that the U.S. could contain a nuclear-armed Iran, and that the consequences of striking Iran to eliminate its nuclear program would be worse than those of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, which had raised serious concerns for Senate Republicans. But when pressed in detail about his past comments, Colby also tried to justify them by arguing he was merely pushing back against what he viewed as an overly hawkish consensus at the time. And he underscored, later in the hearing, that the Trump administrations goal is to reach a trust-but-verify negotiated agreement with Iran with a military option available. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), a skeptic of Colbys nomination, questioned Colby on his views towards Iran, saying he had concerns about Colbys past comments and that they were inconsistent with the administrations policy. Pressed by Cotton on whether he considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be an existential danger to us not just a severe danger, as you said in response to Sen. Gillibrand or a significant one as you said in your written answers, Colby said he agreed. Yes, a nuclear-armed Iran especially, Senator, given that we know theyve worked on ICBM-range capabilities and other capabilities that would pose an existential danger to the United States, Colby said. He said that it was consistent with his understanding that Irans nuclear program poses an immediate danger to Israel and U.S. Arab allies and that Iran would have the capabilities to strike the continental United States within a few years. Colby agreed, when asked by Cotton, that if diplomacy with Iran fails and the U.S. only options are a military strike to prevent Iran from nuclearizing or allowing the nuclear program to proceed and hoping that it can be contained, he would provide the administration with credible military options to eliminate Irans nuclear program. At his confirmation hearing for a top Pentagon post, @ElbridgeColby said he now views a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat to the United States homeland and said he would provide military options to the administration to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon if pic.twitter.com/1EtVQEnQ4u Jewish Insider (@J_Insider) March 4, 2025 I believe we should not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon and if confirmed I would believe its my responsibility to provide credible good military options, he said later, responding to Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK). Pressed by Sullivan, Colby provided an evasive response about his past accommodationist rhetoric about Iran. I would say a lot of what I was arguing against at the time, these conversations 15 years ago, a lot of the opponents I felt had a casual or in some cases even flippant attitude towards the employment of military force, Colby said. Thats a lot of what I was arguing against. Was my wording always appropriate, was my precise framing always appropriate? No. Was my wording always appropriate, was my precise framing always appropriate? No. At his confirmation hearing, @ElbridgeColby responded to questions from @SenDanSullivan about his past statements on Iran having nuclear weapons. Full story: https://t.co/QsxyAqYKkVpic.twitter.com/tzjRee2AaX Jewish Insider (@J_Insider) March 5, 2025 In an exchange with Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), Colby said that his advocacy and commentary especially as a public intellectual, if you will, was pushing back against a lot of people who frankly I would say were quite cavalier about the employment of military force. He added that the current U.S. leadership understand that we need to be militarily strong, but also understand the downside risks of the deployment of military force, it needs to be rational. In an exchange with @SenRickScott during his confirmation hearing, @ElbridgeColby said his advocacy and commentary especially as a public intellectual was pushing back against a lot of people who frankly I would say were quite cavalier about the employment of military force. pic.twitter.com/NjjyzgxdET Jewish Insider (@J_Insider) March 4, 2025 Colby said he agreed with Cotton that military options must go beyond providing Israel with certain bombs and leaving it to take out the Iranian nuclear program. Asked by Cotton if one option could be allowing Israel to use advanced U.S. bombers, refueling tankers and heavy bombs to strike Iran, Colby said, I wouldnt want to get ahead of the president on specific decisions, but I think those are the kinds of things that should be absolutely part of the discussion and those would be the kinds of things that I would raise for the consideration of the secretary of defense and the president. Again prompted by Cotton, Colby said that having credible military options on the table could make it easier to achieve a viable nuclear deal with Iran. Cotton, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also indicated during his questioning that hed be open to a nuclear deal with Iran that fully dismantled Irans nuclear program. Cotton recalled that, in his written answers provided prior to the hearing, Colby had said the United States should deny Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon. Outside the hearing room, Vice President J.D. Vance, who introduced Colby, told Jewish Insider that the administrations policy is extremely clear, that we cannot tolerate nuclear proliferation, especially in Iran. The president has been very clear he doesnt want to tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran, Vance said. I dont know what Mr. Colby has written in the past, but Ill say that every single person that we nominate to a position is going to have at least one thing that they disagree with the president about. Thats okay. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), the committees chairman, began his questioning of Colby by asking about DiMino, underscoring Republican concerns about the top Middle East official and the way that the selection of DiMino seen as a Colby acolyte in isolationist foreign policy circles has colored Colbys confirmation proceedings. Colby denied he was responsible for hiring DiMino and rejected DiMinos view that the U.S. does not have any critical interests in the Middle East, saying that is not consistent with the administrations policy. He does not speak for me and I think I have a number of views that differ materially from his, from what I understand, just in public reporting, Colby said of DiMino. He similarly distanced himself from Andrew Byers, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia, who has advocated for a dovish approach toward China. Wicker asked Colby if it was correct that Colby had made no determination as to whether either man would be retained in those positions suggesting that they could be fired once he takes office. As part of not presuming, my understanding is that I should not be even thinking in that way, Colby said. What I would say is that, if confirmed, I would obviously be only one person in a chain but what I would commit to you is that anybody in my organization, if Im confirmed, should be in line with the presidents agenda. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations had urged senators on the committee to question Colby about his views on Iran and about DiMino at his confirmation hearing. Sullivan told JI after the hearing that he had had very frank discussions with Colby ahead of the hearing about Iran and his past views, and said he believed Colby answered sincerely. When youre what I would call a public intellectual, when you write a lot over 20 years, there are things that you write about that maybe arent always your later views, Sullivan said. He added that it was important that Colby addressed his own personal views on the situation and that they are now in line with the administrations policy. I dont want you to say, I support this because the president supports it. I want you to say I support this because I personally believe it. Thats very different, Sullivan said. But asked whether hes happy with where Colby stands on the Iran issue at this point, Sullivan responded, Im not sure happy, but I thought it was a good hearing and an important hearing. At other points during the hearing, Colby reiterated his view that the U.S. lacks the capability to fight wars in multiple theaters at the same time, saying that his approach to Iran hinges on the U.S. limited capabilities. He repeatedly praised Israel as a model ally, and said the U.S. should work to bolster it and Arab allies so that they are better able to counter Iran on their own. My view, Senator, just to be very clear, is not that we should ignore the Middle East or that we should totally get out of the Middle East, he said. Im baseline-ing off of the reality that I think all of us, candidly, must baseline off of, which is that we dont have a multi-war military, going on to emphasize Chinas plans and ambitions to invade Taiwan. Colby said hes a really big fan of the Abraham Accords, which he described as part of the solution if not exclusively so for countering Irans regional ambitions and proxy forces, and said he would support efforts to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords and enhance regional military integration and cooperation. Colby added that the U.S. should remove the bear hug that the Biden administration had placed on Israel, attempting to exert control on Israels military actions. He praised Israels moves against Hezbollah, Iran and Hamas, saying that the results had been strongly in the U.S. interest. A thin line of severe weather is likely to stir up gusty winds and a small chance for tornadoes in Tampa Bay on Wednesday. The National Weather Services Storm Prediction Center said portions of Floridas west coast, including Tampa Bay, have a marginal risk of severe weather Wednesday. The risk level is second on a scale of six that ranges from a thunderstorm threat to a high-level threat. The thunderstorms are riding ahead of a cold front pushing south along the Gulf Coast. A level three weather threat was in place for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Tuesday, according to the prediction center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storms threaten Mardi Gras celebrations occurring along the coast, according to The Associated Press. New Orleans officials moved up and shortened the citys largest parades. In Tampa Bay, the Florida Strawberry Festival announced it had canceled The Bellamy Brothers' 3:30 p.m. show Wednesday. The 7:30 p.m. Lynyrd Skynyrd show remained unchanged. The safety of our guests is our top priority, Florida Strawberry Festival president Kyle Robinson said in a news release. Tony Hurt, a meteorologist for the National Weather Services Tampa Bay office, said the window for storms to arrive in Tampa Bay is around midday to late afternoon Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Possible future radar forecasts show thunderstorms arriving in Tampa Bay at noon Wednesday and pushing south near Fort Myers by 2:30 p.m., according to a post on X by Spectrum Bay News 9 meteorologist Josh Linker. It will probably be in and out within a matter of probably two hours, Hurt said of the thunderstorms. The greatest risk from the thunderstorms will be strong wind gusts. Hurt said the weather service is expecting gusts up to 50 to 60 mph. With the severe weather threat comes a slight chance of tornadoes and hail, according to the weather service. Hurt said less than an inch of rain is expected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the storm system pulls away from Tampa Bay, cooler air will sink down and briefly drop temperatures into the 40s and 50s. By Thursday, highs across the region will be in the mid-60s. Early Friday will likely be the coolest day of the week, when temperatures could sink into the mid-40s. The cold front will be short and sweet, and by the weekend, temperatures should climb back to near 80 degrees. March 3 (UPI) -- Colombia President Gustavo Petro is calling on his country's Congress to legalize marijuana, saying its prohibition "only brings violence" from cartels. "I ask the Colombian Congress to legalize marijuana and remove violence from this crop. The prohibition of marijuana in Colombia only brings violence," Petro wrote Sunday in a post on X, according to a translation. Petro also called on other nations to legalize coca leaves "for purposes other than cocaine," following the recent arrest of Namoussir Mounir, a Belgian citizen accused of drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The fall of Namoussir Mounir, a liaison between Colombian and Mexican cartels and cartels from the Balkans, who lived in Cartagena, shows the degree of multi-nationalization of the cocaine mafias," Petro said. "I ask the governments of the world to end the ban on the use of coca leaves for purposes other than cocaine at the United Nations," he added. "If coca leaves are used in fertilizers, food and other uses, the policy of substitution of illicit crops improves." Cocaine and cannabis use in Columbia is not criminalized, but regulations prohibit it under certain circumstances. Personal use is limited to 20 grams of marijuana and one gram of cocaine. Last year, after 13 failed attempts, the Colombian Senate rejected a new proposal to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Petro has long maintained that legalized regulations are more effective than outright prohibition. Last month, he called cocaine "not worse than whiskey" and argued armed and violent cartels could be "easily dismantled" if the drug were legalized and their main source of revenue cut off. "The empowerment of mafia organizations shows the failure of prohibition and the absence of alternative measures to simple prohibition," Petro said. "Today there are much more powerful cartels than in the time of Pablo Escobar." "My government will maintain full cooperation with all governments in the matter of confiscating cocaine," Petro vowed. "And it has focused and will focus its action on large shipments and on high-ranking cocaine and money laundering bosses worldwide." Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, a Glenwood Springs Democrat, speaks at an immigrants rights rally at the Colorado Capitol on Jan. 22, 2025. (Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline) Shade structures and warming shelters for Colorado workers would be required at certain temperatures under a bill working its way through the Legislature. House Bill 25-1286 would require employers to provide shade or shelter in extreme conditions, develop temperature-related safety plans for job sites and make water available for workers in an effort to prevent illness like heat stroke, hypothermia and frostbite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our working families and our working community know what it is to live in a changing climate. We are the ones that are feeling the pressure of living in places that sometimes dont have air conditioning, or working outside when its over 100 degrees, Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, a Glenwood Springs Democrat, said at a press conference announcing the legislation in February. What we want to ensure with this bill is that our community members are able to go to work and come back home, she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Velasco is running the bill with Rep. Meg Froelich, an Englewood Democrat, Sen. Lisa Cutter, a Littleton Democrat, and Sen. Mike Weissman, an Aurora Democrat. Nineteen House Democrats, including Majority Leader Monica Duran, are also signed onto the bill in support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sponsors say the bill seeks to codify into state law existing guidelines set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for workers in industries that can operate in extreme temperatures, such as construction, agriculture, landscaping, oil and gas production, warehousing and manufacturing. OSHA is considering rulemaking around a heat standard similar to what is outlined in the bill. Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States, and between 2011 and 2021, 436 people died on the job due to environmental heat exposure, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last August was the hottest August on record in the Northern Hemisphere. As our climate continues to change, these risks will become more and more prevalent. Thats why we must implement protections that prevent these occurrences from happening, Cutter said. The bill defines trigger temperatures as a low of 30 degrees Fahrenheit and a high of 80 degrees, though the triggers account for how a person experiences low and high temperatures, such as with wind chill and humidity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At that heat level, employers would need to provide shade or an air-conditioned area for workers that is no more than a quarter mile from the work site if people need to walk to it. It would need to be large enough that the number of workers taking a break could sit normally and comfortably without touching one another. Employers would also need to provide at least one quart of water per worker per hour, or one gallon every four hours. If it hits 90 degrees, workers would be entitled to a 15 minute rest break every two hours. Alan Soto, who owns a gravel service business in Colorado, said that despite OSHA training and guidelines, protections on the work site are not guaranteed. Colorado is under federal OSHA jurisdiction, rather than an individual state plan with stricter standards. Its up to each employer to decide how serious to take worker safety, and unfortunately, its often not enough. Ive seen workers push through heat exhaustion, feeling dizzy and weak, because they dont want to lose a days work pay, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colorado has had heat-related protections for agricultural workers since 2021, but that doesnt extend to other industries and the state does not have cold-related protections for any workers. Colorado can lead the nation in protecting workers from exposure to extreme cold, whether they are inside or outside. Hypothermia, frostbite and trench foot are just a few of the issues that can arise from cold stress and they can worsen existing health conditions, Cutter said. There would be rules for cold-related risks that mirror the heat-related ones. At the initial trigger level, workers would need to have access to a heated indoor area close by. If it is unsafe or infeasible to have that heated indoor area, employers would need to utilize alternative procedures for providing access to warmth, according to bill text, though it does not provide examples. Workers would be able to take a 10 minute preventative warm up break every two hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill also has guidelines for a buddy system for workers to monitor each other in extreme temperatures, rules for communication with workers alone on a job site and required injury prevention plans. Employers should provide essential and basic protections to workers, like shade, water and warming shelters. These are not luxuries. These are common-sense necessities to protect the health and even to save lives, said Alex Sanchez, the president of the advocacy group Voces Unidas. The bill is backed by the Coalition to Protect Workers from Extreme Temperatures, which includes Voces Unidas, Conservation Colorado, ACLU Colorado and the states larger unions. It is widely opposed, however, by industry groups like the Associated Builders and Contractors Rocky Mountain Chapter, Colorado Farm Bureau, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association Colorado Chapter and Associated General Contractors of Colorado. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Gifford, AGCs advocacy director, said the bill covers a topic already regulated by OSHA. We very much believe in worker safety and health, but we just dont think its helpful to have two different units of government regulating the same area, he said. Additionally, he said that many of the large contractors that are members of AGC already consider extreme temperatures and the associated safety risks. He also worries about how mandatory breaks could impact a projects timeline and cost. Theyre doing rest breaks, heat, breaks, cold, measures, buddy systems. They have to have all of this in a written safety plan, he said. So its not the measures, its really the fact that were going to have a whole new swath of time that just cant work because of cold or heat. The bill is set for its first committee hearing on March 13 with the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Democratic U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, who plans to boycott President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress, speaks at the Colorado Democratic Party watch party on Nov. 5, 2024. (Andrew Fraieli for Colorado Newsline) U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette decided not to attend President Donald Trumps address to Congress Tuesday night. Trumps childish and shameful actions in the Oval Office towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as his barrage of illegal attacks against public servants and vulnerable groups, have disgraced and embarrassed our country, DeGette said in a statement. His actions are beneath the office of the President and do not merit my attendance at this Joint Address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Denver Democrat will watch the address remotely. She said Trump undermines democracy and ignores his promise to lower costs and make life better for Americans. DeGettes office has fielded calls daily from constituents frustrated that Trump and Elon Musk, the worlds richest person and a Trump megadonor and adviser, have made life worse. His extreme actions, including his reckless disregard for the rule of law, are an insult to my constituents and the American people, she said. They deserve so much more than his hateful rhetoric, blatant lies, and lack of meaningful progress on improving their quality of life. A growing list of other Democrats in Congress have expressed their intentions to skip the speech for various reasons. U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, will watch the address remotely from Colorado with her newborn, though Lakewood Mayor Wendi Strom will attend in person as Pettersens guest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado will bring guest Jamie Werner, a former program management specialist at the White River National Forest Supervisors Office in Glenwood Springs, who lost her job in February when the Trump administration terminated probationary employees. Democratic U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado will bring guest Amelia Huffman, a Navy veteran and former U.S. Forest Service employee who lost her job when the Trump administration fired over 3,400 Forest Service employees in February. House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse , a Lafayette Democrat, will attend the address with guest Mikayla Moors, a former forestry technician with the U.S. Forest Service who lost her job in the Trump administrations latest round of mass terminations. U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd , a Grand Junction Republican, will bring Andrei Iancu, who served as the U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property during the last Trump administration. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert , a Windsor Republican, will bring her mother, Shawna Bentz, to attend the address. U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank , a Colorado Springs Republican, will bring his wife, Lisa Crank, as his guest at the address. U.S. Rep. Jason Crow , a Centennial Democrat, will bring Rosario Morales, a program enrollment manager at STRIDE Community Health Center in Aurora who works closely with patients who would be impacted by proposed federal Medicaid cuts. U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, a Fort Lupton Republican, will bring guest Liz Hardy, whose 25-year-old daughter died after taking a counterfeit pill laced with a lethal amount of fentanyl. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE DENVER (KDVR) With President Donald Trumps speech to Congress on the horizon, members of Colorados congressional delegation have invited Colorado guests to attend the speech. President Trump will deliver his speech Tuesday night to Congress, an equal branch of government he has bulldozed past this first month in office, wielding unimaginable executive power to get what he wants, at home and abroad. Trumps speech to Congress comes as he wields vast power almost daring lawmakers, courts to stop him Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since his reelection, Trump with billionaire aide Elon Musk by his side has blazed across the federal government, dismantling not just norms and traditions but the very government itself, firing thousands of federal workers and closing agencies established by law. His presidency so far has also been marked by shows of force in immigration and drug crackdowns across major U.S. cities, including in Colorado. Colorados congressional delegation invites include fired federal workers, a healthcare worker impacted by funding cuts and the mother of a woman who died of a fentanyl overdose. Democrats send message on federal worker, funding cuts Congressional Democrats have invited fired federal workers to the House chamber for the address, hoping to show the human impact of the presidents mass layoffs. Two Colorado Democrats have announced their invited guests, one a U.S. Forest Service employee who was fired and the other a healthcare worker who says Medicaid funding cuts will hurt Colorado patients. Sen. Michael Bennet Sen. Michael Bennet in a press release announced his guest to the speech is Jamie Werner, a former program management specialist with the White River National Forest Supervisors Office in Glenwood Springs. She worked on managing complex, high-priority recreation infrastructure and restoration projects, according to the press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Bennets press release, 90 Coloradans were affected by the mass layoffs of thousands from the USFS. Werner, who was fired in February, said in the press release she joined the Forest Service to serve Americans and steward public lands. Upside-down American flags hung as hundreds protest US Forest Service cuts at RMNP Another major reason I wanted to join the White River National Forest was to work alongside its exemplary staff. These are dedicated, committed, passionate, intelligent people who have chosen a path of civil service, and even when facing shortfall after shortfall in staffing and funding, they continue to show up every day and find creative ways for our Forest to thrive, Werner said. Even if I hadnt been fired, it is infuriating and heartbreaking to see my colleagues essentially be told that not only does their important work not matter, but that theyre not even doing it well, and have had their lives and livelihoods upended as a result. Sen. John Hickenlooper The guest for Sen. John Hickenlooper will be Amelia Huffman, a U.S. Navy veteran also fired from the U.S. Forest Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amelia has dedicated her life to serving our country, both as a naval officer and a public servant, Hickenlooper said in a release. The administration illegally fired her and other hardworking Forest Service employees without any plan and put Colorado at risk right as we head into peak wildfire season. Rep. Joe Neguse Rep. Joe Neguse, of Colorados 2nd Congressional District, is also bring a former USFS employee to Washington. Mikayla Moors was a forestry technician based in Estes Park who worked across the Mountain West to conduct wildfire mitigation programs before she also received a termination notice in February. My calling is to serve others by protecting our priceless cultural, historical and natural resources. I took on an extremely demanding, labor-intensive job that many others wont or cant do in hopes of proving myself for a long career in federal lands management, Moors said in a press release. My team performed important, difficult work that reduced communities exposure to the threat of wildfire. And now that thousands of us have been unjustly fired, communities across the country will be less safe, and our forests less healthy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Real and immediate consequences for Colorados economy: Legislators react to reports of US Forest Service mass layoff Rep. Jason Crow Rep. Jason Crow, from Colorados 6th Congressional District, is inviting an Aurora healthcare worker who says Republican budget cuts to Medicaid will hurt patients. Rosario Morales is a program enrollment manager at STRIDE Community Health Center in Aurora. We should not be cutting Medicaid and taking away health care from millions of people to pay for another massive tax cut to billionaires and big corporations, Crow said. Local community health centers like STRIDE work every day to provide quality, affordable health care to Colorado families. I am proud that Rosario Morales will be my guest at the Presidents address to highlight why Congress should reject any budget that cuts Medicaid and takes away health care for children, pregnant women, and the disabled. Rep. Brittany Pettersen In a post on X, Pettersen, who represents Colorados 7th Congressional District, said she will not attend as she cares for her baby born in late January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Lakewood Mayor Wendi Strom will be there in support of all the federal workers in CO, including the 6,000 employees who work at the Lakewood Federal Center, who provide vital services and support our states economy. Rep. Diana DeGette, who represents Colorados 1st Congressional District, will not attend the speed. Trumps childish and shameful actions in the Oval Office towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as his barrage of illegal attacks against public servants and vulnerable groups, have disgraced and embarrassed our country, she said in a release. His actions are beneath the office of the President and do not merit my attendance at this Joint Address. GOP congressman to highlight story of fentanyl crisis Rep. Gabe Evans, of Colorados 8th Congressional District, will bring the mother of a woman who died in 2022 of a fentanyl overdose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liz Hardys middle daughter, Brooke, died New Years Day 2022 after taking half a counterfeit pill laced with a lethal amount of fentanyl, according to a press release. Evans, often outspoken about cracking down on drugs, tied Colorados fentanyl crisis back to border security. Man convicted in metro Denver operation that produced millions of fentanyl pills As a Colorado cop for 10 years, I witnessed firsthand how not supporting law enforcement enables traffickers and the flow of fentanyl into our communities, Evans said in the press release. Im humbled to have Liz join me at the Presidents Joint Address and I will always fight to rid our communities of this deadly poison that is wreaking havoc on our communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liz said she wants to tell her daughters story to hopefully stop others loved ones from dying. One time, half a pill, and life for our family changed forever, Liz said in the press release. If it were not for our faith in Christ, knowing we will see Brooke again one day, we could not survive this. We want her story to be told because too many of our loved ones are dying unnecessarily. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. NAIROBI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The Horn of Africa has some 26.3 million people living either as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) disclosed in a report on Tuesday. According to the report, 20.7 million people are internally displaced while 5.6 million are refugees and asylum seekers. The UNHCR highlighted a rise in the number of those displaced following the escalation of conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in February. "Approximately 65,000 people have arrived in Burundi and 15,937 in Uganda from the DRC since January 2025," the agency said. It also revealed that Egypt holds the highest number of 1.5 million refugees from Sudan, followed by South Sudan at 1.05 million and Chad at 759,058. The main causes of displacements in the Horn of Africa are conflict, climate change effects like floods and drought, and food insecurity, according to the UN agency. Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development showed that some 66.9 million people were food insecure in the Horn of Africa at the end of January. The Trump administration said Monday that it had launched a review of federal grants and contracts with Columbia University over allegations the school failed to address antisemitism amid a wave of campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war. Federal grant commitments totaling $5 billion will be reviewed by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education and the General Services Administration, the three agencies said in a joint statement. They said they would also consider a stop-work order on about $51 million in federal contracts. President Donald Trump said in an executive order in January that he would marshal federal resources to address antisemitism on college campuses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Institutions that receive federal funds have a responsibility to protect all students from discrimination, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in the statement announcing the review. Columbias apparent failure to uphold their end of this basic agreement raises very serious questions about the institutions fitness to continue doing business with the United States government. The university said it is reviewing the announcement. We look forward to ongoing work with the new federal administration to fight antisemitism, and we will continue to make all efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff, it said in a statement. Columbia was a focal point of the campus protests that erupted after Israel launched an invasion of Gaza in response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attack with large-scale protests that bitterly divided the university in Upper Manhattan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up an encampment at the school and occupied a building until they were forcibly removed by police while Jewish students and faculty complained of harassment and abuse from protesters. Columbias president, Minouche Shafik, resigned as a result of the tumult. Protests have largely subsided but have not entirely ended. Last week, pro-Palestinian demonstrators held a sit-in at nearby Barnard College, which is affiliated with Columbia. Republicans have seized on the complaints of antisemitic harassment and abuse, pointing to them as evidence of hostility to Jewish students and the adherence to woke ideology on college campuses. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. echoed that view in the statement announcing the grant review. In recent years, the censorship and false narratives of woke cancel culture have transformed our great universities into greenhouses for this deadly and virulent pestilence, Kennedy said. Making America healthy means building communities of trust and mutual respect, based on speech freedom and open debate. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Multiple organizations were awarded a grant Monday by the Columbus City Council under the Columbus Access to Resources for Expanding Employment Readiness program, or CAREER 500. CAREER 500 is aimed at increasing the citys workforce development programs to help residents train in skills needed in central Ohio. Columbus leaders recognized a gap between the number of career opportunities and the number of people trained to do those jobs. The CAREER 500 initiative could be the solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Columbus City Council President Pro Tempore Rob Dorans spearheaded the effort, hoping to strengthen the citys workforce. We have jobs, we just dont have the people trained to do them, Dorans said. At the same time, we know friends or family that live paycheck to paycheck. It seems lets make an investment in people to make sure theyre trained for the jobs that exist today and into the future. Seven programs were selected to be awarded up to $350,000. Those programs include Riverview International Center which helps immigrants and new Americans learn the skills necessary to get jobs. Riverview Executive Director Emelia Sheeley said the organization is using the grant money to hire more staff and make the workforce development program bigger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our population in central Ohio is really growing thanks to immigrants and refugees, Sheeley said. To be able to ensure that going ahead for the next couple of years, we have the funds to help people get jobs is just huge. Franklinton Rising also received the CAREER 500 grant. The nonprofit helps young people learn life skills to enter the central Ohio workforce for the first time. They learn about construction trades through restoring and building new homes in inner city neighborhoods. Franklinton Rising President Tom Heffner said those homes are then rented to low-income people in need. Being an employee and working and earning a great wage is foreign to many, many, many young adults that are in this age group, so were doing a lot of life skills teaching as well as teaching job skills, Heffner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dorans said CAREER 500 grants will allow more people to access life-changing workforce development programs, giving them the chance to get good wages, quality health care benefits and retirement plans. Especially when you have such a low unemployment rate historically for Columbus, we really need to be focusing on folks that just with a little bit of extra help and training they are going to be able to move up, Dorans said. The goal of CAREER 500 is to help 500 central Ohio residents over the next two years with the grant program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. I dont say this often, but lets give Donald Trump the benefit of the doubt. During Trump's instantly infamous Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky last week, the Ukrainian president was determined to make one point above all: that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not to be trusted. Again and again, Zelensky noted that Putin has a long record of breaking promises. Twenty-five times he broken his own signature, Zelensky explained in clunky English. Twenty-five times he broken cease-fire. Zelensky kept returning to this point because he knows Putins paper promises are worthless. Putin has made it very clear that he wants to reclaim as much of the old Soviet empire as he can get away with, which is why he invaded Georgia in 2008, turned Belarus into a vassal state, refused to remove troops from Moldova, annexed Crimea in 2014 and launched a full-blown invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As Putin once put it, Russias borders do not end anywhere . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Column: Whether Russia invaded Ukraine is not a 'complicated' question. Why say it is? Trumps response to Zelensky? Putin didnt break any promises while Trump was president. This is the key to Trumps entire understanding of the war. If he were president, he always says, the war never would have happened. So lets give Trump the benefit of the doubt and assume Putin would never violate an agreement brokered by Trump while Trump is in office. So what? National security operates on a longer timeline than a single presidency. Read more: Goldberg: Is Trump's Napoleon quote just idle trolling? This context suggests otherwise Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One reason Germany was incorporated into NATO and the European Union was to ensure that it would never again threaten the continent or the world. Another was to ensure that the Soviet empire would not expand farther into Europe, beyond the Eastern European states it occupied at the end of World War II. And the time frame of this alliance wasnt just as long as Harry Truman or German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer remained in office. The time frame was as long as necessary. Similarly, our European allies are scrambling to adapt to an international order in which America can no longer be relied on not because they fear an imminent invasion of Poland or the Baltic states. What theyre concerned about is the long run. Indeed, Putin might love a deal allowing him to keep much of what hes stolen and the Trump administration has already said its fine with that and prepare for another stab at taking all of Ukraine and maybe more a few years down the road. Trump doesnt care about down the road. He wants to be able to claim he achieved peace in the short term. If Putin invades Ukraine again on Jan. 20, 2029, thats not his problem. In fact, he might even like it: He could point to it as more evidence that Putin would never invade the country while Trump was president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is how Trump thinks about politics, international and domestic alike. He cares less about serious, lasting policy than what he can take credit for immediately. One popular theory for Trumps dislike of Zelensky is that the Ukrainian leader failed to help him tarnish Joe Bidens political prospects in 2019, which became the subject of Trumps first impeachment. Trump just wanted the Ukrainians to say Biden was under investigation for corruption and let him handle the rest. As an inducement, he threatened to withhold military aid to Ukraine even though it had been appropriated by Congress. Trumps second impeachment revolved partly around a similar plea to Justice Department officials: Just say the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen. In both cases, the talking point was more important to Trump than the truth. This is the context of his maneuvering to end the war in Ukraine. He wants to be able to say he delivered peace; he couldnt care less whether its a durable peace. He just wants the talking point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His foreign policy team understands this, which is why administration officials scoff at the idea of providing Ukraine with actual security guarantees. Everybody is saying security guarantees to secure the peace, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday on ABC News This Week. You first have to have a peace. Rubio once understood how deterrence works. As he put it in 2015, Vulnerable nations still depend on us to deter aggression from their larger neighbors. Oppressed peoples still turn their eyes toward our shores, wondering if we hear their cries, wondering if we notice their afflictions. He endorses a backward notion of deterrence now because he wants to help Trump secure a talking point, not a lasting peace. Zelensky isnt an obstacle to peace; hes an obstacle to a talking point. And Trump and company hate him for it. @JonahDispatch If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A longtime civil rights activist who served Nashville has died. Dr. Charles Kimbrough a civil rights activist and former president of the Nashville branch of the NAACP died at the age of 98. Kimbrough was a Korean War veteran, retired veterinarian and minister, but those who knew him remember him as a dedicated trailblazer above all else. You wont find somebody like him in every church, in every school, in every community, Reverend Enoch Fuzz, senior pastor for The Corinthian Church, told News 2. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Kimbrough grew up during the height of Jim Crow in Prospect, Tennessee. Among his achievements, he earned a Purple Heart and went on to become one of the first licensed African Americans to practice veterinary medicine in Tennessee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He kept the movement alive in Nashville, Fuzz said. He was committed to helping poor people, disadvantaged people, people who were oppressed, people who were less educated, [people who had] a class differentiation Dr. Kimbrough was with everybody. Every person was important to him. Kimbrough was president of the NAACP Nashville branch for several years, helping to expand its presence in Tennessee. As a member of the civil rights movement, he introduced many to the organization and its mission. In a statement to News 2 on Kimbroughs legacy and efforts in the Nashville, a representative from Nashvilles mayors office said: Dr. Charles Kimbrough served our country with distinction. He earned a Purple Heart, served in Korea, earned his doctorate at Tuskegee, and fought for justice throughout the Civil Rights Movement. He founded multiple NAACP chapters and for seven years and served as the president of Nashvilles. All of that speaks to his selfless heart, his volunteer spirit, and his commitment to ensuring he left this world more just than he found it. We are lucky he called Nashville home. Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed a resolution in honor of Kimbrough and his commitment to community leadership. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Dr. Kimbrough devoted his life to working to help all people be on an equal plane. Thats how he saw that America should be, Fuzz added. People like that come along rare[ly] in society people who give their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A viewing for Kimbrough has been scheduled from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. Thursday, March 6 at the Terrell Broady Funeral Home in Nashville. An interment at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery will start at 10 a.m. Friday, March 7. Kimbroughs visitation will be held from 10:30 a.m. until noon at Spruce Street Baptist Church on Saturday, March 15; the funeral will start at noon and be held within the same church. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Bloomberg) -- The Democratic Republic of Congo has offered the US exclusive access to critical minerals and infrastructure projects in exchange for security assistance as it battles a rebellion backed by neighboring Rwanda. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Congo asked for an urgent meeting between Presidents Felix Tshisekedi and Donald Trump to discuss a pact that would give American companies access to some of the most coveted minerals for the energy transition. As the worlds largest supplier of cobalt and a major producer of lithium, tantalum and uranium, the DRCs resources are integral to US industrial competitiveness and national security, an Africa-US business group lobbying on Congos behalf said in the letter. A partnership presents a unique opportunity for the United States to establish a reliable and exclusive supply chain. The invitation to exploit Congos vast resources shows Tshisekedi has become increasingly desperate in his fight against Rwanda, which supports a rebel group thats threatened to overthrow his government and seized a wide swath of the countrys mineral-rich east. The Trump administration is open to discussing partnerships in this sector, the US State Department said in an email. Partnerships with US companies will strengthen both US and DRC economies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But any deal is likely a long way off. Trumps predecessor, Joe Biden, struggled to interest US firms in Congos minerals amid concerns about corruption, environmental degradation and labor issues. The US has also been reluctant to assist Congos military, which has been accused of human-rights abuses. Tricky Negotiations For the DRC, this would likely involve lengthy, tricky renegotiations of mining contracts, while it is difficult to see the Trump administration being able to mobilize US investors, said Joshua Walker, program director for the Congo Research Group at New York Universitys Center on International Cooperation. And it is still unclear whether the new administration will commit significant resources to ending Rwandan aggression in the DRC. The letter was one of several sent to senior US officials last month, offering a Congolese deal similar to the Trump administrations proposed minerals-for-security arrangements with Ukraine, which fell apart last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement QuickTake Explainer: Why Trumps Ukraine Minerals Deal Is Not an Easy Win Congos mining industry, which is also the worlds second-biggest source of copper, is dominated by Chinese companies. A tie-up with the US would allow Tshisekedi to shift away from Chinas dominant influence and strengthen economic ties with the West, the lobby group said. The letter offers US companies operational control and exclusive extraction and export rights. It also proposes involvement in a planned deep-water port on Congos Atlantic coast and the establishment of a joint strategic mineral stockpile. In exchange, the US would provide training and equipment for Congos armed forces as well as direct security assistance. It would have access to military bases to protect strategic resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter, disclosed on the Foreign Agents Registration Act website, was sent by lobbyist Aaron Poynton of the Africa-USA Business Council on behalf of Pierre Kanda Kalambayi, chair of the Congolese Senates Committee on Defense, Security and Border Protection. Similar letters were also addressed to the heads of the House and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, Republican Senator Ted Cruz, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Republican Representative Rob Wittman, who chairs the House Critical Minerals Policy Working Group. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Congress began grappling in earnest with the future of NASAS Artemis program last week amid indications the moon may lose out to Mars under President Trumps new administration. The Space Coasts new representative in the U.S. House, Mike Haridopolos, led the U.S. House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee in a hearing weighing the rising costs of Artemis Space Launch System rocket against the threat of losing to China in a new race to return to the moon. We stand at a crossroads. The world is watching, and our competitors, like communist China, are racing to beat us there, Haridopolos, who chairs the subcommittee, said during opening remarks. We cannot afford to fall behind. This is an opportunity to prove that America still leads the world in exploration and innovation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While no NASA official came to the hearing, it did feature two witnesses discussing how long to stick with the current Artemis program, which has many critics including Trumps close advisor and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Haridopolos asked the witnesses to gauge the risks and benefits of changing up the Artemis program. One witness, former NASA official Dan Dumbacher, warned against shifting the focus to Mars. NASA should keep its short-term attention on the moon, he said. Its about doing the right thing at the right time, Dumbacher said. Therefore the discussion is not moon or Mars, rather, timing dictates that we must first master the moon and then proceed to Mars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another witness, former executive secretary of the National Space Council Scott Pace, who is now the director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, agreed the moon should be the focus, but called for a quick revision to the current Artemis plan. A primary concern is the Space Launch System, which is expensive and not reusable, he said. Its time to consider alternatives for going from the Earth to the moon and back. He said instead of NASA footing the bill for the complicated SLS rocket, the agency should able to buy heavy-lift services to send payloads to the moon. To date, only the uncrewed Artemis I mission has made it to space, with the much-delayed crewed Artemis II mission that will fly around but not land on the moon slated for no later April 2026. Artemis III is next up by summer 2027, which would aim to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Artemis is made up of the Orion capsule built by Lockheed Martin and the SLS rocket, made up of a core stage built by Boeing and solid rocket boosters from Northrop Grumman. A NASA Office of the Inspector General audit in late 2023 cited the cost of each SLS rocket to taxpayers at $2.5 billion, part of the overall ballooning cost of Artemis that was projected to top $93 billion by the time Artemis II launches. The audit said the SLS rocket represented 26% of that cost to the tune of $23.8 billion. A revised Artemis campaign plan should be a high priority for the new administrator, Pace said. There may be some painful adjustments with industry and our international partners, but its better to do so now than to continue on an unsustainable and unaffordable path. The OIG audit also recommended NASA look at alternatives for heavy-lift services, citing both SpaceX with its in-development Starship and Blue Origins New Glenn rocket as options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Existing contractors and many NASA officials, though, have stumped for sticking with the current plan as the quickest way to return to the moon, as major changes can often mean major delays. Orion, for instance, was originally part of the Constellation program announced under President George W. Bush, but then was canceled under the Obama administration. Its resurrection as what would eventually be called the Artemis program began in 2012, but it took more than a decade before the first launch. Pace estimates that switch from Constellation to Artemis added at least five years in the nations efforts to return to the moon. He said scrapping Artemis entirely would mean the U.S. would certainly not beat Chinas stated goal of landing their taikonauts on the moon by 2030. Both Pace and Dumbacher, though, questioned if any American would set foot on the moon by 2030. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dumbacher, who most recently was the recently the CEO of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and is now an adjunct professor at Purdue University, said the nation should stick with the current SLS rockets at least through the next two missions. When asked what he would do to ensure the U.S. get back to the moon before China, he said, I take advantage of the hardware I already have in the in the barn, and the hardware available in Artemis II and III to go make it happen. We are at a key crossroads for U.S. leadership in space. Our global competitors, primarily China and its allies, are outplanning and outpacing us in their drive to become dominant in space, he said. This is a critical national security and economic concern. He said theres no reason to believe China wont hit their 2030 target. China has met every space milestone they have proposed within plus or minus a year, he said. The United States must protect our potential economic opportunity, protect our national security, lead the building of the necessary infrastructure, and importantly, lead chartering the rules of the road. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) Congressman Bobby Scott has announced that he will be attending President Trumps address to Congress alongside Army veteran Alexzandria Hunt. How to watch Trump address to Congress Hunt, 33, was abruptly fired from Hampton VA Medical Center on Feb. 25 as part of the Trump administrations widespread firings of federal employees. She worked as a supply technician and said the reason she was given for her termination was false. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Department of Veterans Affairs lays off more than 1,000 employees I broke down in (her supervisors) office and cried because I couldnt understand what was happening and why it was happening, Hunt said. The letter she received stated the agency finds that your performance has not met the burden to demonstrate that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest. Hunt said she never had overtly negative feedback since starting at the VA in September. She said her supervisor was just as surprised as she was. President Trump and Elon Musk have unleashed chaos and confusion across the federal government with heir haphazard and harmful mass firings of civil servants, Scott said. Many civil servants provide critical services to the American people and ensure public safety. Ms. Hunt is one of my constituents and a veteran. She was working hard to ensure other veterans in Hampton Roads received the care they earned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I look forward to bringing her to President Trumps address and ensuring people know Ms. Hunts story, Scott continued. She and thousands of veterans and civil servants have had their lives upended and Americans have had services denied because of Donald Trump and Elon Musks cruel policies. President Trump is expected to deliver his address starting at 9 p.m. on March 4. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto addresses the legislature's Transportation Committee on Feb. 26, 2025. (Amanda McCard/CT Mirror) This article first appeared on CT Mirror and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Last year, Connecticut recorded more than 300 traffic related fatalities. Alcohol was involved in a third of them. In an effort to address what transportation officials see as a serious problem on the states roadways, lawmakers are considering legislation to crack down on drunken driving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 1376 would set Connecticuts legal blood alcohol content, or BAC, for drivers and boaters to 0.05%, down from its current limit of 0.08%. If passed, Connecticut would be the second state in the country to adopt the 0.05% limit, following Utah. At least two other states, including Hawaii and Washington, are considering a similar change. The legislatures Transportation Committee heard testimony on the bill Wednesday. Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto of the state Department of Transportation told lawmakers the legislation could reduce alcohol-related crashes on roadways. Lowering the BAC is proven to be effective, he said, adding that it shifts behavior and acts as a deterrent against driving while intoxicated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman, who also testified at Wednesdays hearing, said alcohol was involved in one-third of the traffic-related fatalities in Connecticut in 2024. He said lowering the legal BAC is one step the state can take to reduce these deaths. In 2021 and 2022, Chapman said, drivers with blood alcohol levels between 0.05% and 0.07% were responsible for 12 and 9 fatalities, respectively. In contrast, there were 117 and then 128 deaths caused by people with blood alcohol levels of 0.08% or higher in those same years. Certainly the number of fatalities in that lower range is less, Chapman said, but, its certainly not zero. Some lawmakers suggested the bill wouldnt address the larger number of deaths caused by people with a BAC level that is already illegal. Rep. Tom ODea, R-New Canaan, said most alcohol-related fatalities involve a driver whose BAC is well above 0.08%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Addressing Eucalitto during his testimony, ODea asked, Weve got a problem in Connecticut with a lack of theres a lot less vehicles being pulled over by the police. Is that fair to say? Eucalitto responded in the affirmative. ODea said the state should also be looking to crack down on people driving while under the influence of cannabis. Dont you think that preventing people from smoking marijuana while driving would be an even bigger help? ODea said. Chapman, of the NTSB, said the two issues were parallel problems, and that lowering the legal BAC level for drivers is one tool to address a multifaceted problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Aimee Berger-Girvalo, D-Ridgefield, said theres no single avenue to solving drug- and alcohol-related fatalities. Whether were talking about polydrug impairment or alcohol-related specifically, this does require multimodal solutions, she said. S.B. 1376 also seeks to promote phlebotomy training for police officers and to study the feasibility of electronic warrant technology that might help police more quickly obtain warrants for people suspected of driving under the influence. Colin McAllister, Naugatuck Chief of Police, said at the hearing that these changes would improve what he sees as inefficient processes for police dealing with drunk drivers. He said obtaining a physical warrant can be particularly difficult and time-consuming after hours. In cases where time is critical, such as DUI investigations, this system is impractical and not workable within the confines of the current statute, he said. McAllister also said breath and urine samples are limited in their ability to identify inebriation, and blood samples can only be taken by hospital staff for medical, not evidential, reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But some advocates expressed opposition to that aspect of the bill. In written testimony, Jess Zaccagnino of ACLU-CT expressed concerns that phlebotomy testing and other drug-related traffic enforcement might be administered inequitably. As with many types of policing, traffic enforcement disproportionately impacts Black and brown people, she said. Zaccagnino said phlebotomy testing was much more invasive of privacy and bodily integrity than a breathalyzer test, and she urged lawmakers to reconsider. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has returned from a state trade mission to India with a broken arm. The Democrat appeared Monday at a state Capitol news conference with his left arm in a black sling. Lamont, who is right-handed, said he slipped on wet marble sometime during his weeklong visit. It's broken, he told reporters, noting how the cost of his medical treatment in India was a bargain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ill tell you that it broke, I get a nurse, I go and get an X-ray, they give me this sling. I come back, I go talk to this business group and I said, You guys are amazing, it only cost $10. They said, You got ripped off. Thats India," Lamont added. Lamont, who headed a delegation of state officials and business leaders and met with about 30 companies, said he returned to Connecticut with a signed memorandum of understanding. The agreement with Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India, is to increase economic ties. Connecticut residents who were born in India, about 38,000 people, make up 14% of the state's foreign-born population. Of the 19,990 international students studying in the state, 7,200 are from India, making it the top country of origin. BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese spokesperson said on Tuesday that China highly values its relations with Europe and the two sides are partners that contribute to each other's success. Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, made the remarks at a press conference held ahead of the opening of the session scheduled for Wednesday. The healthy and stable development of China-Europe relations aligns with the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides, as well as the common expectations of the international community, Lou said. The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. "Over the past 50 years, facts have proven again and again that there are no fundamental clashes of interest or geopolitical conflicts between China and Europe; rather, they are partners that contribute to each other's success," Lou said. Although spot freight rates continue to tumble as more global ocean freight capacity enters the market, congestion in the largest ports in Asia and Northern Europe still endures. The Port of Singapore, the worlds largest transshipment hub and second-largest overall, is seeing containers sit in ports for a week at a time. The average dwelling period of a container transferred from one vessel to another is 7.1 days, according to data from EconDB. More from Sourcing Journal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These container dwell times are even worse at Rotterdam, with boxes waiting 9.1 days to be moved from one ship to another. In Antwerp, containers are sitting around for 6.7 days waiting to be loaded. Both ports, based out of the Netherlands and Belgium respectively, have endured multiple union dockworker strikes over several days in February that have slowed operations. In the case of Antwerp, the ports DP World Terminal has faced operational challenges affecting all handling areas, according to a notice from Kuehne + Nagel last Thursday. Due to severe yard congestion, the terminal is implementing emergency measures. With stacking capacity fully utilized, the port will reduce export delivery truck slots to 30 percent to prioritize the swift removal of import containers, the notice said. Additionally, berth priorities are being adjusted to expedite the clearance of export and transshipment containers. The terminal will reject any additional import or transshipment cargo from nearby ports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Rotterdam, many of the problems are confined to Hutchison Ports Delta II terminal, where the strikes from unions including FMV Havens and CMV have taken place. Kuehne + Nagel said the terminal is operating at 50 percent of its usual capacity, and port disruptions are expected to continue until an agreement is reached between the labor groups and Hutchison. The disruption has led to vessel wait times of up to seven days, barge congestion of 76 hours and feeder vessel delays of 72 hours. In total, 9.1 percent of the total global container fleet is either docked or awaiting to berth at a port, or 2.87 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), Linerlytica said. This has eased off of pre-Lunar New Year levels, when 10.5 percent of global vessel capacity was waiting at port anchorages in late January. Singapore expects 233 vessels to arrive at its port over the next seven days, well ahead of the 166 ships expected to dock at Ningbo in China in the same period. South Koreas largest port, Busan, is expecting 150 arrivals, while 134 are heading to the Port of Shanghai. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rotterdam and Antwerp are expecting 96 and 79 vessels through March 11. According to a Linerlytica report, the Chinese ports are seeing a sharp rise in vessel arrivals that has coincided with poor weather and fog-related closures. This has led to longer berthing delays in Shanghai, Ningbo and Qingdao. Across Shanghai and Ningbo, 687,018 TEUs on 154 ships are waiting at anchorage, while Qingdao is anticipating 310,763 TEUs coming over through 56 vessels. All three ports have the highest queue-to-berth ratios among ports reeling in 100,000 TEUs, with Qingdao coming in at a 2.64 ratio, and Shanghai/Ningbo having a 2.14 ratio. The constant port congestion could be whats keeping charter freight rates up while traditional spot and contract rates take their annual dive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With that in mind, Linerlytica called a charter market correction imminent. The widening disconnect between faltering container freight rates and the continued strengthening of container ship charter rates is unsustainable, with the ratio of the charter rate index to the China Containerized Freight Index currently at a historic high, said Linerlytica in a blog post. Both spot freight rates and charter rates usually move in tandem, but they can diverge depending on market demand, which has escalated heavily for chartered container ships since October 2021. According to the Harpex, (Harper Petersen Charter Rates Index) charter rates increased roughly 7 percent from Oct. 1 to Feb. 28, with the majority of the jump coming after the 2024 presidential election. After that point, commercial charter rates have increased 4.5 percent. The greater spike comes presumably as more major retailers that charter their own ships sought to front-load more goods into the U.S. ahead of President Donald Trumps inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike spot freight rates, which has largely been in freefall since the beginning of 2025, the Harpex has inched up nearly 1 percent over the two-month span. The Red Sea diversions have driven the widening divergence in the two indices since the beginning of 2024, according to Linerlytica. However, the company said this could soon be reversed as carriers start to curb their appetite for additional ships amid a weakening freight market. Standing in front of the boarded-up CVS at Snelling and University avenues, Cole Hanson uses a manual grabber arm to pick up trash as he tells the camera his father grew up in the same political ward where Hanson attended college and is raising his own daughter. Weve got some challenges in the neighborhood, said Hanson, explaining in his new campaign video that he carries Narcan, an emergency opioid treatment, when he rides public transit. I believe it should be easier to start a business here in St. Paul, especially if youre following all the rules. Hanson, president of the Hamline-Midway Coalition, has launched his candidacy for the soon-to-be-vacated Ward 4 seat on the St. Paul City Council, in a race whose timeline still remains uncertain. Whether Election Day lands in August or September remains to be seen, but he already has company on the campaign trail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molly Coleman, a graduate of Harvard Law School and founder of the advocacy organization the Peoples Parity Project, announced her candidacy for the Ward 4 seat on Tuesday, as well. Coleman, the daughter of former St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, said she is raising her son in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood and supports affordable and market-rate housing options and high quality core services. St. Paul is the greatest city in the country. Thats why I am raising my family here, said Coleman, in a campaign statement. Now more than ever before, Im seeing people losing faith in democracy. I am running for City Council because I know that the best thing we can do to fight that lack of faith at the federal level is to make a real difference locally and that means making sure people can build the lives they dream of right here in St. Paul. Cristen Incitti, president and chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota, threw her hat into the proverbial ring for the Ward 4 seat in late February, according to her social media posting on the website LinkedIn. My policy priorities are focused on housing, economic development, and public safety for everyone, she wrote, calling herself a leader who is progressive and practical and acutely focused on housing issues. More candidates for the open seat are likely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mitra Jalali, who has held the Ward 4 seat since a special election in 2018, served for a year as council president before announcing in January that she would step down from office out of concern for her health. Her last day of city employment is expected to be March 8. The city council will accept applications and resumes for an interim council member through March 13, and appoint her temporary replacement on March 26. Once Jalalis departure is official, the city will work with Ramsey County Elections on scheduling a special election for the Ward 4 seat, which is required by the city charter within 180 days of the seat becoming vacant. That would likely land an election around August. The winner of that contest is expected to serve through 2028 as a result of the citys voter-approved shift to even-year council and mayoral elections. The ward spans Hamline-Midway, Merriam Park, St. Anthony Park and parts of Macalester-Groveland and Como. Related Articles BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) Nearly seven years after his passing, Super Cooper is continuing to save the day. Local non-profit organization Super Cooper Saves the Day is hosting the 6th Annual Cooperpalooza Carnival on Saturday. The event serves as the organizations biggest fundraiser of the year. Guests of all ages will be able to enjoy games, raffles, and fun snacks. All proceeds from the event will benefit the groups mission to provide support for families with a child battling cancer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event will be held from 12 to 4 p.m. at Touch of Texas, located at 1240 Upper Front Street in Binghamton. Founded in memory of Cooper Busch, a Chenango Bridge boy who passed away from Leukemia in 2018, Super Cooper Saves the Day provides emotional and financial support to victims of childhood cancer. Super Cooper hosts many fundraisers throughout the year. It also opened a playground at Chenango Bridge Park to be shared with children across the community. For more information, check out Super Cooper Saves the Day on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34. For decades, the international order and our relationships with allies have been built on trusta trust forged through adversity, from conflicts to economic crises. In an era of escalating geopolitical competition, economic fragmentation, and emerging security threats, trust has only become more important. Without trust, cooperation falters, alliances weaken, and global challenges become insurmountable. Strength alone is not enough; trust must be the foundation of a durable and effective foreign policy. Throughout history, trust has served as the backbone of global stability. The formation of NATO in 1949 exemplifies how trust between allied nations ensured collective security and deterrence against external threats. Similarly, the Marshall Plan, which provided aid to rebuild Europe after World War II, was a significant trust-building initiative that cemented the transatlantic alliance. Conversely, when trust erodedsuch as during the Cold War or the breakdown of U.S.-Iran relationsit led to prolonged tensions, avoidable loss, and instability. During the recent Munich Security Conference, it was evident that many statespersons and CEOs were marred by uncertainty in a moment of distrust. The conference has long been a destination where whats around the corner appears up close, and this years event was no exception. Whether in discussions on the next phase of Russias war in Ukraine, Vice President JD Vances speech on European expression and immigration, Europes posture toward China, or the potential of American tariffs on Europe, Canada, and Mexico, a new order is taking shape. It is up to us to shape it wisely. Sustaining trust The current global order is shifting not only as the U.S., a long-standing hegemon, faces a rising geopolitical competitor in China, but also as emerging powers like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and India grow in influence while traditional competitors like Russia face relative decline. This shift is occurring alongside a Europe in crisis, grappling with the ongoing war in Ukraine and the necessity of collective action among its allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukraine conflict highlights the importance of trust in modern warfare alliances. The U.S. and NATO partners have provided significant military aid, but sustaining that trust is crucial as political dynamics change. Any perceived wavering in U.S. support could weaken allied confidence and embolden adversaries. Similarly, trust issues between the U.S. and China are affecting global supply chains, cybersecurity, and diplomatic efforts on Taiwan. A recalibration of trust between global powers will determine the trajectory of the next decade. Beyond security, trust plays a pivotal role in global economics. Trade agreements, foreign direct investment, and market stability all rely on the predictability and reliability of diplomatic relations. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the European Unions internal economic cohesion demonstrate how economic partnerships thrive when trust is maintained. Conversely, Brexit showcased the economic turbulence that results from a breakdown in trust between partners. Trust is critical in both business and diplomacy, but it is paramount when considering long-term geopolitical realities. As the intensity of global competition rises, todays actions will define tomorrows strategy. Reinforcing alliances Geopolitics is a game of chess, not checkers, with trust serving as the north star guiding each move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the Trump administration, my advice is that holding adversaries close can serve a strategic role, but holding allies even closer is a long-term necessity. Strategic engagement with adversaries is essential to gather intelligence, avoid misunderstandings, and maintain open channels for diplomacy. However, reinforcing alliances must take priority, as these relationships are the key to navigating the coming decade. While trust with allies may be cultivated privately, the U.S. must also be more overt about its commitments. Optics matter. If America wants peace through strength, it must also demonstrate strength in numbers. As we approach some of the most complex power struggles of our time, fostering strong alliances that extend beyond election cycles is essential. This does not mean deals should not be renegotiated as economic realities and needs shift, but rather that such negotiations should be conducted with an understanding that every ally plays a strategic role in a broader mission. Projecting unity is vital, as adversaries will seek to exploit any signs of isolation or discord among allies. Europes balancing act For Europe, the key is approaching negotiations with the U.S. from a position of shared long-term objectives. European leaders should be clear about their priorities and open to compromises that result in mutual gains. Additionally, Europe must strike a balance in shaping modern policies, particularly on issues like artificial intelligence, without alienating allies and global businesses. As geopolitical divisions deepen, Europe must reinforce its strength through unity. This will be especially crucial as internal political shifts, such as the potential continued rise of the AfD in Germany, threaten to reframe the continents relationship with the EU. Additionally, Europes response to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will determine how effectively it balances economic interests with security concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One underexplored aspect of trust is the role of AI and emerging technologies in diplomacy. AI-driven security measures, blockchain-based diplomatic agreements, and cybersecurity cooperation could help nations verify commitments and prevent diplomatic deception. The U.S. and its allies should explore how technology can enhance transparency in trade agreements, international treaties, and security partnerships. Chess requires two players, and in an era of uncertainty, risk, and great power competition, both allies and adversaries must be maneuvered carefully. The strategic moves made today will define the world order for decades to come. Trust is not a passive asset; it is an active strategy that must be cultivated, reinforced, and projected to ensure stability and strength in an unpredictable future. By doubling down on historical lessons, economic interdependence, and technological advancements, global leaders can solidify trust as the foundation for lasting peace and prosperity. The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com PENAS BLANCAS, Costa Rica (AP) Costa Rica and Panama are coordinating to expedite southbound migrant transit through their countries along the same route that carried hundreds of thousands north in recent years, officials said Monday. Both countries have struggled to find their footing in recent weeks in the new reality of migrants heading south, turned back by the closure of the United States border to asylum seekers since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January. The security ministers from both countries met Monday in Penas Blancas, a border post between Nicaragua and Costa Rica where southbound migrants will board buses to a Costa Rican government facility at the Panama border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From there Panama will bus them to its Darien province, which borders Colombia. Costa Rican Security Minister Mario Zamora said that the effort will focus on Colombians, Venezuelans and Ecuadorians who are trying to reach their countries. He said that by organizing the transportation they hope to protect migrants from human traffickers. His Panamanian counterpart, Frank Abrego, said the idea is to offer a more regulated transit across Costa Rica and Panama. On Monday, small groups of migrants carrying backpacks crossed the Nicaraguan border into Costa Rica, cleared immigration, and boarded southbound buses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, southbound migrants boarded boats in a Panamanian port on the Caribbean sea to be carried to the Panama-Colombian border where they could continue south and avoid a treacherous land crossing of the Darien Gap. Venezuelan Barbara Somayor stopped to buy her bus ticket at the border post. I think it would be better if they offered us air transportation, because boats pose a risk for both adults and children, she said. But, well, one has to take the risk. Some southbound migrants in recent weeks had complained of being stopped by authorities in both countries as they tried to make their own way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reversed migration comes at the same time that Panama and Costa Rica agreed to receive several hundred migrants, largely from Asian nations, deported by the United States. While some agreed to return to their country of origin, others have been detained while the host nations and humanitarian organizations try to figure out what to do with them. Some are being held in a camp in Panamas Darien that previously had received northbound migrants. Those held there now complain of harsh conditions, lack of information and no access to legal counsel. On Saturday, a group of lawyers filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights requesting protective measures to safeguard detained migrants rights. __ Cordoba reported from San Jose, Costa Rica. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) Some Kentucky lawmakers are hoping to model the new presidential administrations increased focus on transparency and eliminating waste. If Kentucky were to create its own Office of Government Efficiency under this bill, it wouldnt exactly mirror the cuts were seeing by the similarly named DOGE in Washington, D.C. Instead, the bill would make use of the existing powers of Kentuckys auditor. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a continuing effort of fiscal responsibility, the bills sponsor, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor (R-Smithfield), said to lawmakers at a committee meeting on Monday. Tichenor said the intent of the bill is to see more accountability and transparency with how Kentucky spends taxpayer money. Senate Bill 257 would create a dedicated Office of Government Efficiency that operates within the existing Auditor of Public Accounts office. It would require annual performance audits of state agencies to identify waste and opportunities to cut costs. Its been sort of left to the wayside for the last few administrations. And thats really a matter of resources. There hasnt been the staffing; there has been the funding available to do that kind of work, Auditor Allison Ball explained to lawmakers. Ball said this is technically nothing new, and the office already has the power to do performance audits. By putting this into law, it makes them an annual requirement, with the findings required to be published in a report each year to the governor and the Legislative Research Commission. The office would not have the power to make cuts itself. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That should give people a lot of comfort that there are guidelines. Were not just making stuff up and just sort of looking through things; there are guidelines for how to figure out is this efficient, Ball explained. Ball said the office would not need any new money right now to start hiring personnel and would lean on existing money the office is able to generate but needs the legislative green light to use. Unlike the federal DOGE, this would be a permanent function of the auditors office. Senate budget chair Chris McDaniel (R-Ryland Heights) voted in favor of the proposal, but not without underscoring the need to understand the full scope of the bill. This is one of those situations where if we get it right, it will do wonderful things. If we get it wrong, we will embarrass ourselves, and we have to be right, McDaniel said. MORE POLITICAL NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill passed committee with 9 members in favor and a single Democrat 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 FOX 56 News. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) With incoming tariffs taking effect on March 4, political and business leaders in Utah are looking for ways to minimize the impacts. After accepting initial concessions from Canada and Mexico, President Donald Trump announced Monday that the 25% tariffs on the States neighbors would go into effect on March 4, in addition to increasing tariffs on China to 20%. The World Trade Center in Utah said it is in touch with entrepreneurs and policymakers on how the tariffs may impact the Beehive State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are some goods in the crosshairs of Trumps tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China Twenty-five percent of jobs within the state rely on international trade which equates to about 433,000 jobs in Utah, John Freedman with the World Trade Center told ABC4.com. Thats significant. In a February fact sheet from the White House, the Trump administration said the tariffs are being imposed to hold Mexico, Canada, and China accountable for preventing illegal immigration and stopping fentanyl and other drugs from coming into the country. Tariffs are a powerful, proven source of leverage for protecting the national interest, the White House said. President Trump is using the tools at hand and taking decisive action that puts Americans safety and our national security first. What will be affected? The tariffs are expected to impact automobile, agricultural, technology, and crude oil imports which would likely lead to higher grocery prices and higher prices at the gas pump, the Associated Press reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were a state built up of small and medium-size companies theres pros to that: Were resilient, were innovative, were industrious, were nimble, Freedman said. But on the flip side, were uniquely susceptible to things like tariffs, where we dont have large companies that can deploy capital and bring manufacturing onshore quickly. Thats hard for us to do. Experts say companies will handle the cost, or theyll pass it on to the customers. But with the push to manufacture in the United States, diversifying suppliers may be a challenge for Utah companies. How Utah is working toward increasing more affordable housing Car (and car insurance) prices Car dealerships in Utah say that the worst case scenario could be a $4,000 to $10,000 increase on a new car purchase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parts are shipped back and forth before theyre installed they go back and forth over borders, so trying to manage that would be extremely difficult, Mike Kistemaker with Ken Garff Automotive Group told ABC4.com. Kistemaker said certain cars are more affected than others, such as small SUVs and compact cars. He said a lot of Honda vehicles are built in the U.S., but some of the companys best sellers like Civics and CRVs are built in Canada, so they would likely be impacted. Stuart Winchester is a licensed insurance agent and the head of growth for the insurance comparison website The Zebra. Winchester said tariffs could lead to an increase in car insurance rates because replacement parts may need to cross borders several times. Six out 10 pieces of automobile repair equipment come from Canada, Mexico, or China, Winchester said. Your insurance companys going to bear that cost, and over time, what were going to see is insurance companies are going to adjust their pricing to capture the fact that theyre paying more to fix your car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Winchester said insurance premiums are changed on a state-by-state basis, where each state approves the requested rate increase from the companies. He said tariff-related rate increases may not be seen in some states until the end of the year, after insurance companies see what the impact is. I would bet you early movers in the insurance industry will have new rates in at the state level maybe in the next month or so, Winchester said. Winchester said there have already been a lot of changes in the Utah insurance market (such as a higher required liability minimum), which could mean things are prime to move fast and get those new rate increases in. However, he said it may take longer if insurance companies wait and see the more long-term effects of the tariffs. More information on car insurance trends for 2025 from The Zebra can be found online. Potential impact on energy costs Enbridge Gas said its customers should not see much of an effect from the tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of the energy we deliver is produced in Canada, so Enbridge Gas Utah, Wyoming and Idaho customers should not see any changes in the cost of their natural gas due to the tariff, Jorgan Hofeling with Enbridge told ABC4.com. Rocky Mountain Power said changes in federal policy would be evaluated during the companys planning process. We cant speculate on any impact regarding future federal policy including potential impacts that tariffs could have on electricity rates, Jona Whitesides, senior communications specialist for Rocky Mountain Power, told ABC4.com. Other impacts On the national level, U.S. stocks plummeted on Monday after President Trump confirmed the tariffs would be imposed. Experts say it will take some time to gauge the full effects of the tariffs, but business will continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have your own business in the state and want help or insight on how to move forward, you can contact the World Trade Center. The Associated Press and Matthew Drachman 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 ABC4 Utah. BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council Information Office on Tuesday released a white paper, titled "Controlling Fentanyl-Related Substances -- China's Contribution," highlighting the country's rigorous control over the chemicals. China has attached great importance to maintaining control over fentanyl-related substances in recent years, the white paper says. The country has exercised strict supervision over fentanyl-related medications, rigorously prevented the abuse of fentanyl-related substances, and stricken hard against the smuggling, manufacturing, and trafficking of fentanyl-related substances and related precursor chemicals, it notes. "These have delivered notable results," it states. The document also emphasizes China's commitment to enhancing international cooperation on drug control through dialogue, joint investigations, and knowledge sharing, while fostering partnerships based on equality and mutual trust. "China has achieved notable successes in in-depth cooperation with countries concerned, including the United States, in addressing problems with fentanyl-related substances and their precursors," the white paper states. According to the document, China has enumerated fentanyl-related medications in the List of Controlled Narcotic Drugs and exercises strict control in terms of their manufacturing, sale, use and export. Regarding control, China has worked actively to establish a digital tracking system for fentanyl-related medications, the white paper notes. The comprehensive use of new technologies and methods, such as radio frequency identification tags, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence, enables whole-process dynamic monitoring and closed-loop management of the manufacturing, sale, transport, use, import and export of fentanyl-related medications, which further prevents them from becoming lost. China actively responds to new challenges associated with fentanyl-related substances, states the document. To prevent the abuse of fentanyl-related substances and to combat and control related crimes to the greatest extent possible, China has adopted integrated measures such as expanding the list of controlled substances, strengthening regular supervision, stepping up inspection and seizure, and implementing innovative controls. Committed to the vision of a global community of shared future, the white paper says China rigorously meets its international drug control obligations and adheres to the principle of shared responsibility among all countries and a comprehensive and balanced approach to drug control. "It advocates mutual assistance, joint contribution, and shared benefit among all countries, and opposes finger-pointing and buck-passing," the document asserts. The white paper further emphasizes that China honors its own drug control responsibilities, firmly upholds the existing international drug control system, participates fully in making important decisions on international drug control, and contributes Chinese wisdom and solutions to the global governance of drugs. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in her State of the City address Tuesday announced a plan to increase access to affordable child care amid growing fear the high costs are driving families from New York. During this years speech at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Adams, who is considering a run for mayor, outlined a proposal, first reported in the Daily News, to expand the income eligibility for families to qualify for child-care subsidies. Currently, a family may qualify for assistance if they make below 85% of the state median income less than $109,000 for a family of four. The speakers proposal would expand eligibility to 100% of the state median income, or up to $128,000 for a family of the same size. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This Council has made early-childhood education our priority because we know that a robust and affordable system is essential to childrens development, our economy, and New Yorkers ability to remain right here in our city, Adams said during her speech. Under the plan, the city would offset half of the cost of child care for families in the higher-income bracket, while parents would continue to be responsible for the other half. The subsidy would cover about $12,000 per child each year. Thousands of families currently earn too much to qualify for assistance and too little to comfortably afford care, Adams continued. The city budget should fund child care for more of these families with subsidies that cover half the cost of care. The vouchers for lower-income families would continue to help them cover most, if not all, of the cost of care. The expansion could benefit an additional 1,750 infants and toddlers, if the current rate of participation in the voucher program holds, according to Council estimates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the speech, Adams also called for more funding in the state budget for child care. After a rapid expansion, the voucher program is currently facing a funding shortfall that would affect thousands of families if the city cannot quickly find more resources, the nonprofit investigative newsroom New York Focus has reported. The speakers annual address came as New York reckons with a child-care affordability crisis that is driving young families to leave the city. In interviews with The News, parents have repeatedly expressed a desire to remain in the city, but a struggle to make ends meet while waiting for public school. For children too young to qualify for the citys universal pre-K programs, parents can shell out $24,000 each year on the private centers, according to U.S. Labor Department data. For a family in the newly eligible income bracket, if implemented, that would amount to about a fifth of their annual income making it difficult to afford care and the citys soaring rental prices without sacrificing other basic living expenses. The federal guideline for child-care affordability is 7%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Adams] investment recognizes that families who do not qualify for child-care support today are struggling, and she is stepping up to do more, said Rebecca Bailin, executive director of New Yorkers United for Child Care. Expanding voucher eligibility will certainly help families. However, Bailin cautioned that voucher and means-tested programs often fail to reach a majority of eligible families, who do not know about the availability of assistance or otherwise do not take advantage of the program. Thats why prioritizing universal child care is essential, Bailin said. The Council and child-care advocates have repeatedly sparred with Mayor Adams over his handling of the citys early-childhood system, particularly over cuts to pre-K programs for 3-year-olds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A crowded field of mayoral challengers that Speaker Adams, who created a fundraising committee last week, could soon join has also seized on the issue, recognizing a weakness in the mayors reelection campaign as the result of unpopular budget cuts. Mayor Adams has consistently defended his record, insisting it was necessary to rightsize 3-K and invest in more opportunities for infants and toddlers. During his tenure, City Hall launched an online child-care application system known as MyCity and dramatically reduced co-pays for the lowest income families. According to the latest Mayors Management Report, child-care voucher enrollment currently stands at 79,500, or 21% higher in the first several months of this fiscal year than last. As Speaker Adams event was starting, Mayor Adams simultaneously announced the appointment of a new child-care czar. The permanent position has been vacant since October 2023 after City Hall created the office then lost its executive director less than a year later. The mayor did not attend the speakers address. City Hall had not returned a request for comment as of Tuesday afternoon. At least one Daviess County board wants to see the county keep the current zoning law in place. The Daviess County Area Plan Commission held a meeting at the direction of the county commissioners to examine the publics feeling on the law. We asked the APC to hold a meeting to get the pros and cons of keeping zoning or deleting zoning. Quite a number attended the meeting and quite a few spoke in favor of zoning. So far, the public is participating and that is what we want in this process, said President of the Daviess County Commissioners Nathan Gabhart. The goal of the meeting was to gather information. The APC voted against rescinding it which was not unexpected. You would have to be pretty bold to rescind zoning because of all of the what-ifs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daviess County put zoning into effect 10 years ago. Former Daviess County Commissioner Michael Taylor was heavily involved in the drawing of the ordinance. We had the big unknown of I-69. We didnt know how it would shape our county, and it is still shaping out county today. It was a big unknown back then. We were also trying to protect Westgate while trying to let the farmers have free reign to farm, said Taylor. We wanted to protect those I-69 exits at Washington and up north. We also wanted to limit billboards so that we didnt wind up looking like Georgia. The adult stores, we couldnt stop them from coming into the county, so we zoned them to one or two possible sites. Both are in the flood plain and away from everything. Even though Taylor was involved with the drawing of the zoning ordinance, he calls himself someone who is on the fence when it comes to zoning laws. I am still not a big proponent of zoning because I want to use my land as freely as possible, but there were situations in the county that needed it. We couldnt spot zone, so the only thing we could do is zone everything. Thats why we came up with zoning with a light approach and not full-on zoning. Thats why we took two years working on it, said Taylor. I dont know whether we need zoning or not. I think it has been a good thing, but I also know there will be other ways to go about it. I am on the fence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The original ordinance was drawn with the professional assistance of the Lochmueller group. Daviess County Economic Development Director Bob Grewe was working for Lochmueller at the time and says the Daviess County zoning is the result of a lot of work. I was working for Lochmueller when they were developing this zoning ordinance. We worked on that for months and months trying to get it to the satisfaction of the county. Lochmueller lost their shirt because they just kept working on it but in the end Daviess County got it right. It got something that fits Daviess County, said Grewe. Grewe says that the DCEDC is very supportive of zoning and wants to see the law stay in place. Of the 92 counties, only 10 do not have zoning, so most folks see the benefit of it. Enjoy your land and not at your neighbors expense, said Grewe. We are fortunate to have all of these strategic assets in Daviess County like Westgate and two exits on I-69. Planning and zoning is essential is being able to find the optimal use and value of those locations. We need to make it so that we do not let something land there that will detract from high quality development down the road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commissioners quest for information on zoning appears to be driven by two things. One is the idea that it is time to simply review the law. Government puts laws into place and they never pressure test them to see how they are working. Then we wind up burdened with thousands of laws that we dont even know exists, said Gabhart. We put zoning in place 10 years ago for very specific reasons, to protect I-69 and protect Westgate. It may be there are other options that we might find while going through this process. I think that through this process we may come up with a new and improved zoning or no zoning. The other reason expressed during commissioner meetings is that the law, which has often been cited as one for development, is not in use in some neighboring counties. Specifically, commissioners note that Gibson and Dubois counties have no zoning law, but still have plenty of growing businesses. Even if it is repealed, we will need some way to deal with property. It might be that we have to put in place a bunch of new ordinances, said Taylor. That is what they do in Dubois County. They dont have zoning but they have a lot of specific ordinances to control that. The decision will rest with the board of commissioners. We can do something similar to Gibson County where the APC recommended keeping it and the commissioners voted to get rid of it, said Gabhart. We set a July 1 deadline to make a decision. We could address it sooner. It depends on what we hear. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) Trumbull County Auditor Martha Yoder put the board of commissioners on notice and has threatened to file a lawsuit over proposed budget cuts to her office. Read next: Woman consumes drug evidence during traffic stop: Report Yoder wrote a letter to commissioners and read it aloud at Tuesdays meeting saying that the proposed cuts to her office are draconian and that other departments are not getting the same treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Letter from Martha YoderDownload Yoder asked for $4.2 million to fund her office, but the board is proposing $3 million. Its a 30% decrease that Yoder said her office cant afford while still performing legally mandated services and if it stands, she will have to lay off 40% of her staff. She added that services in her office will be sluggish with the cuts including real estate and deed transfers, real estate combines and splits, accounts payable and other office services. Already, her office has stopped recording and broadcasting meetings so the person responsible for doing that can prepare the office for the layoffs that Yoder said would have to be implemented on April 1. Please be advised that your stated intention is to cut my budget to a point where my office cannot adequately perform its statutory duties as well as duties critical to the adequate performance of statutory duties of other offices, I will be pursuing legal action against this Board of Commissioners, Yoder wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yoder said she is also stepping away from all American Rescue Plan tasks, except for the MARCs tower project, as she prepares to readjust the workload in the office. She said she would also stop helping other department heads understand accounting procedures and suggested that the county sheriffs office CFO take a class in government funding. I was a little shocked a little shocked, a little appalled, I like that department heads are fighting for their employees. I like that people care enough to go and fight for their departments, said County Commissioner Dennis Malloy. How about coming and working with the county and saying I know its a problem here, this is a little tight, lets work on this before its certified not Im suing you.' You can watch the exchange with commissioners and Yoder in the video player below. Yoder said commissioners should readjust their planning or go to the voters with a 0.25% sales tax increase to make up for the county budget shortfall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Malloy said Yoders plan punishes the commissioners and the public. Yoder added defunding the tax map, ceasing the manned IT Help desk, plus other reductions would also be on the horizon. It would be devastating to be honest and not just to our office but to other offices throughout the county because we do provide IT services to the whole county, she said. Commissioners have been working to balance the budget, cutting it by about $6 million from what was initially requested. Thats not easy. We went through department by department, we tried to figure out whats the best use of the public taxpayer dollars, what services would the public want us to continue to provide and maintain, Malloy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even the sheriffs office budget was on the chopping block, with a proposed budget $1.3 million less than what the previous administration spent in 2024. We just ask not to be cut any further right now because thats not going to, thats not going to be less than payroll, said Trumbull County Sherriff Mike Wilson. One of Yoders suggestions was to immediately begin the process of raising the sales tax a quarter percent to 7 percent. She says it would generate a little more than $2.6 million this year and about $8 million annually. This is gonna get me in trouble and might cost me my job. It is more important to me to do the right thing and lose my job than to not do the right thing and keep my job, Yoder said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Police in Glendale acknowledge that two emergency alerts blasted to wireless devices across Los Angeles County were mistakenly sent to a much broader area than intended. The first alert was issued shortly after 8 p.m. Monday, reading, Mannasseh Chibuzor Nwaigwe, Male African American 81 years old missing since this morning. Tens of thousands, if not millions, of Los Angeles residents received the urgent message, but when users clicked on it, no additional details were available. The countys official emergency management office, Ready Los Angeles County, clearly tried to distance itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Wireless Emergency Alert related to a missing person was sent countywide around 8 pm this evening. Please refer any inquiries to the City of Glendale, the agency posted on social media. A Public Safety Alert sent to wireless device users across Los Angeles County from the Glendale Police Department is seen in this screenshot. March 3, 2025. (KTLA) Glendale had no official statement Monday evening. A police watch commander, however, told KTLA that Nwaigwe has dementia, and no foul play was suspected in his disappearance. Then, shortly after 8 a.m. on Tuesday, L.A. County residents were jolted again by the same alert. Finally, roughly an hour later, the Glendale Police Department announced that Nwaigwe was no longer missing and also admitted its mistake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The alert was unintentionally sent to a larger audience, a police spokesperson told KTLA. We intended to distribute this alert to Glendale residents only. This latest emergency alert mishap comes less than two months after millions of county residents received false evacuation warnings related to the Palisades Fire. Emergency management officials said the messages did not come from a person or employee of the county but were instead automated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A significant chapter in the case of missing Cornelius girl, Madalina Cojocari, came to a close as her mother, Diana Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, officially finalized their divorce on Monday. The hearing, which focused on the legal separation of the couple, marks a somber milestone in the aftermath of a deeply troubling few years for the family. Christopher Palmiter filed for divorce from Diana Cojocari following the mysterious disappearance of Cojocaris daughter, Madalina, just before Thanksgiving in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple had been married since January 9, 2016, court documents confirmed. Palmiter, who had initially been involved in the investigation, was found guilty of failing to report the disappearance of a child. Diana Cojocari also pleaded guilty to the same charge and has since left the United States. Her absence has raised questions, and she has been called a suspect in the ongoing investigation into Madalinas whereabouts. Mondays court hearing focused solely on the divorce. There were no minor children of the marriage, according to court documents. As of 2 p.m. on March 3, 2025, their divorce was finalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The search for Madalina continues and the mystery surrounding her case remains unsolved. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM Finding Madalina Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Federal judges are pumping the brakes on the Justice Departments newfound claim that President Donald Trumps blanket pardon of Jan. 6 defendants was meant to cover a broad list of crimes that have nothing to do with the attack on the Capitol. It began with a tense hearing before a Trump-appointed district judge in Washington, D.C. last week. Since then, three federal appeals courts have also signaled skepticism about the scope of Trumps Jan. 6 clemency. The pushback is raising profound, untested questions about the presidential pardon power itself: How can courts be sure what was in a presidents mind when he signed a pardon using broad, ambiguous terms? And do judges have the authority to interpret for themselves what Trump meant when, on the first day of his second term, he pardoned people convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal prosecutors have begun claiming in recent weeks that Trump intended to absolve Jan. 6 rioters for many unrelated crimes the FBI discovered during the nationwide investigation into the attack on the Capitol. But some judges and legal experts say that interpretation is strained. If he really wants these people to be pardoned for all of these other offenses, there is nothing stopping him from issuing another pardon to that effect, said Brian Kalt, a Michigan State University constitutional law professor with a focus on the pardon power. The courts have every reason to reject the argument here, rather than establish a precedent for crediting loose language. The conflict flared most recently in California in the case of a Jan. 6 defendant with a history of domestic violence. The defendant, Benjamin Martin, claimed Trumps blanket pardon also covered his unrelated conviction for illegally possessing firearms. Martin argued that the gun conviction was related to the events of Jan. 6 because FBI agents discovered the illegal weapons in Martins home while they were executing a search warrant for separate evidence of the Jan. 6 riot. Initially, the Justice Department rejected him forcefully. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was convicted of illegal firearms possession in California, not Washington, D.C., and he engaged in that illegal possession on September 2, 2021, not January 6, 2021, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes wrote of the defendant, Benjamin Martin, on Feb. 14. The pardon on its face does not cover Martins conduct in this case. But six days later, prosecutors reversed themselves. They now claim that Trumps pardon may, in fact, have been meant for Martins gun conviction as well, and they asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to release Martin from prison. In recent days, prosecutors have said Trump intended his pardon for Jan. 6 defendants to cover an increasingly breathtaking range of convictions unrelated to the Capitol attack Florida man Jeremy Browns seven-year sentence for possession of grenades and classified information, Maryland man Elias Costianes two-year sentence for possession of firearms and drugs, and Kentucky militia member Dan Wilsons five-year sentence for illegal possession of six firearms. Martin, who was prohibited from owning a gun because of a previous conviction for strangling a girlfriend, may also be covered, they say. In each case, prosecutors used the nearly identical language, saying they realized Trump wanted to pardon these convictions after consulting with Department of Justice leadership. Now courts are pressing for answers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an emergency effort by the Justice Department to call off Browns appeal of his conviction for possessing grenades and classified info. Instead, a three-judge panel that includes appointees of Trump, former President Barack Obama and former President Gerald Ford will hear arguments Wednesday on the reach of Trumps pardon. On Sunday, Browns attorney Carolyn Stewart moved to withdraw from the case, saying Brown no longer intended to seek a pardon for his Florida charges and would instead prefer to fight his conviction on appeal. The court has not yet acted on her request though. Even though the courts have yet to resolve the case, Browns lawyers say he has been released from custody. The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals similarly pushed back on the Justice Departments attempt to wipe away Costianes conviction and drop his case. The court wants DOJ and Costianes to answer questions about whether it has the power to review and interpret Trumps pardon and how, exactly, Costianes gun conviction is related to the Capitol riot. And the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday said it would press forward with arguments on Martins appeal of his gun conviction but agreed to let Martin out of prison while the proceedings are ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the heart of the issue is what Trump subjectively intended when he signed the sweeping pardon for Jan. 6 defendants on Inauguration Day. For weeks, DOJ insisted that the pardon was narrow, meant only to cover crimes that were tethered to a specific location and date. The intention to provide limited relief is plain from the text and context, the Justice Department said. Prosecutors made a similar argument on Feb. 11 when denying Jan. 6 defendant Taylor Tarantos effort to dismiss unrelated firearms and threat charges. Tarantos lawyer is in discussions with the Justice Department, urging prosecutors to reconsider whether Trumps clemency should also cover Tarantos non-Jan. 6 charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Washington, D.C., Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Blackwell argued in early February that the plain language of the pardon did not apply to Wilsons gun convictions. But she reversed herself last week, telling U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich that DOJ had learned new information suggesting Trump wanted to pardon any convictions that stemmed from evidence that was uncovered by the FBI during searches related to Jan. 6. Friedrich said this explanation strained credulity both because of the Justice Departments earlier position and because the language of Trumps pardon seemed to rule out such an expansive interpretation. She raised concerns that the department appeared to be reinterpreting Trumps pardon to fit the circumstances of specific defendants and was unable to explain the limits. Her concerns were sharpened by a handful of cases that the Justice Department has not tried to dismiss or claim were covered by the pardon: a North Carolina man facing child pornography charges, a Tennessee man convicted of conspiring to murder FBI agents who investigated him, and Taranto. Friedrich has yet to rule on whether Wilsons jail sentence for his gun conviction will stand. But she has allowed him to remain free while she decides. While the battle over the scope of Trumps pardon keeps in limbo a handful of Jan. 6 defendants convicted of unrelated crimes, the Justice Department continued a spree of dismissing charges against Jan. 6 defendants whose cases had not yet reached a jury. In those cases, judges have limited power because the federal government has the exclusive authority to decide whether to prosecute federal criminal charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, prosecutors moved to drop a federal charge against Guy Reffitt already pardoned for leading the charge against police on Jan. 6 for possessing an unregistered silencer. A judge last week dismissed the case of Daniel Ball, who was facing federal charges in Florida for possessing firearms, despite a history of domestic violence and other violent felonies. And on Thursday, a judge dismissed charges against Zachariah Sattler for possessing a gun despite a previous felony conviction. After consulting with the Department of Justices leadership, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Bornstein wrote in Sattlers case on Wednesday, the United States has concluded that President Donald J. Trump pardoned Mr. Sattler of the offenses in the indictment. COVENTRY On Tuesday, Town Manager James D. Drumm will host a budget hearing open to the public, in which he and Superintendent David J. Petrone will discuss the annual budget. In New England town government, we as residents get to vote for our budgets, so people should take an interest to come out to learn what the proposed budget is about, Drumm said. This is an opportunity to come out to learn what the proposals are to operate the town government for the year and the Coventry schools. After the hearing, Drumm said the Town Council has 30 days to make amendments to the overall budget. They then have to submit a final budget, which is due April 7. The budget hearing will take place at the high schools Lecture Hall at 7 p.m. People who are unable to attend can also watch it live on the Schools Community Access Channel on Spectrum Channel 194, or via the schools YouTube channel. MANSFIELD, Pa. (WETM) A Vietnam veteran and former teacher from Tioga County, Pennsylvania, departed Mansfield this morning, as he heads to his final resting place in Virginia. Frank E. Yungwirth,79, of Covington, was escorted to his final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery in a funeral procession led by law enforcement following a send off ceremony in Mansfield on Monday, March 3. The ceremony for Yungwirth comes after his passing on Nov. 9, 2024, at a hospital in Williamsport. Richmond Township bridge work set to continue Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yungwirths obituary states that he joined the Army after he graduated from high school and flew helicopters in Vietnam. Yungwirth was honored for his service and earned an officers commission, eventually reaching the rank of captain. After Yungwirth left the military, he worked at his family tree farm while he attended school at Mansfield University. After earning his bachelors degree, he taught history and government at Wellsboro High School. Roadwork coming up in Sullivan Township Once Yungwirth retired from his teaching position, he served as a Township Supervisor for Covington Township. He was involved in veterans organizations including the VFW, DAV and the American Legion, where he served as commander and participated in various veterans events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. The chair of the National Republican Campaign Committee told GOP lawmakers Tuesday to avoid in-person town halls and the negative publicity of attendees castigating them for supporting President Donald Trump's steep government cuts. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., delivered the message in a closed-door meeting, according to three sources who spoke to Politico. Republicans confirmed reports of the new policy in a press conference after the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are people who do this as a profession, they're professional protesters," Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters. He said he thought it was "wise" not to "play into that" and suggested that lawmakers resort to remote town hall meetings to avoid the heat. While Republicans have dismissed the confrontations as the work of liberal activists, videos show unmistakeable anger from constituents in deep-red areas, including the district of Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., where a speaker asked the congressman why the GOP was taking a "radical and extremist and sloppy approach" to cutting funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As the town hall meeting continued, McCormick was interrupted several times by attendees telling him that they're "pissed" and urging him not to "bend over." At one point, several people can be heard chanting "shame!" GOP leaders are worried that incidents like this could go viral and inflict damage on the party and individual members' standing ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The backlash appears to be manifesting much sooner than did a similar dynamic in 2009, when Democrats and Republicans perceived as moderate faced a gauntlet of tense town hall meetings that presaged a Tea Party wave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One lawmaker apparently complained that protesters have been picketing at her house and targeting her kid, one source told the Wall Street Journal's Olivia Beavers. Democrats lashed out over the new avoidance tactic, accusing them of being afraid of their own voters. "If you're going to have the audacity to raise prices and rip away health care from millions of Americans, you should at least have the courage to face your constituents. House Republicans are cowards, House Majority PAC communications director CJ Warnke told Politico. Hudson's directive, of course, is not binding, and there is nothing stopping lawmakers from continuing to hold in-person events. Do so at your own peril, Hudson reportedly warned it'll only get worse. CRANE COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) The Crane Police Department and Midland Police Department recovered over $6,000 worth of stolen property this week. According to the Crane County Sheriffs Office, on Monday, March 3, officials executed a search warrant at the property/warehouse in the 900 Block of the North West Truck Route. Officials have not identified any suspects involved in the theft and said the investigation is still ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Zhou Lan, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao) Zhou Lan, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao) Lin Songtian, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Zhao Hong, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Yan Jianbing, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) A journalist asks a question during a group interview attended by members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Zhao Hong, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Ma Jiantang, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Qiao Hong, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Jin Li, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Huang Miansong, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Journalists raise hands to ask questions during a group interview attended by members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) A journalist with Xinhua News Agency asks a question during a group interview attended by members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend a group interview ahead of the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) A large fire early Tuesday morning has destroyed the main building of a former school in Boiling Springs. The Boiling Springs Fire Department confirmed with 7NEWS that crews from several agencies responded to the scene of a structure fire at 1850 Old Furnace Road that occurred around 4:15 a.m. The location was previously the old Boiling Springs High School and Junior High School campus. Fire officials said the building had been sitting vacant for some time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know there was no power no heat inside the facility it was completely empty, been boarded up and condemned and waiting for a development company to demolish it, Chief of Boiling Springs Fire Department, Scott Miller said. Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) You could see the early morning sky lit up with flames. An image, now burned in Don Bishops memory. On the news this morning, I was up at 5 and they were showing flames going up you know and man, Bishop said. Bishop said he started school here at the age of six in 1946, when times in Boiling Springs were much simpler, The outfield for the baseball field was a part of the football field and we didnt have lights so at 3 on Friday afternoon we played football, Bishop said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know you love things like that when you get older. According to firefighters, the building had previously been tagged as a collapse risk. Firefighters said a working fire was present upon arrival and flames were already through the roof. Around 5:45 a.m., it was reported that the main building was fully involved and had partially collapsed. This building had a lot of important history within our community, Miller said. We are sad to see it burn. The auxiliary buildings were not impacted according to the fire department. Around 9 a.m. officials announced that the fire was contained, but will continue to burn and smolder for some time. Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Several agencies are responding to a structure fire on Old Furnace Road near Highway 9 early Tuesday morning in Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs Fire Dept) Commuters are asked to take alternate routes around the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire remains under investigation by the BSFD. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. Editors Note: The Abilene Police Department supplied the following arrest and incident reports. All information below comes from reports made by responding officers, and all suspects are considered not guilty unless determined otherwise in a court of law. Incidents 500 block of Westview Drive Disorderly Conduct APD responded to a call for criminal trespass, where a man was arrested and transported to the Taylor County Jail without incident. 1700 block of Kirkwood Street Burglary of Building A criminal mischief report was taken at a residence. The suspect is known, and the investigation is ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 800 block of Oak Street Burglary of Building A victim reported that an unknown suspect pried into their building and stole multiple items. The stolen items are valued at approximately $10,790 and include wood, air conditioners, a bicycle, a saw, and paint. 4500 block of South 1st Street Hinder Secured Creditors A report was taken for hindering a secured creditor. 2200 block of South 1st Street Obstruction or Retaliation A victim reported that a tall Black male entered their store after having previously been warned about criminal trespass. The individual allegedly attempted to prevent the employee from calling 911. No location provided Assault Family Violence An arrest was made for Assault Family Violence in South Abilene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 3200 block of South 14th Street Criminal Trespass A report for criminal trespass was taken at a south side location. No location provided Tamper/Fabricate Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair A person was arrested for possession of an illegal substance, resisting arrest, and tampering with evidence. 6200 block of Highway 83/84 Assault Family Violence No public narrative provided 1600 block of Musgrave Boulevard Theft of Property A 25-year-old man was arrested for felony theft after allegedly stealing a forklift from a department store on the north side. Windmill Circle Assault A restaurant reported that a woman was in the parking lot following an altercation with another person who left the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1000 block of South Clack Street Theft of Firearm A person reported that his car had been burglarized and his firearm was stolen. No location provided Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon A victim reported that a 55-year-old man attempted to hit him with his vehicle during a hit-and-run accident in north Abilene. 1900 block of Sandefer Street Assault Family Violence A woman reported that her brother-in-law came to her house and assaulted her. The suspect left prior to police arrival. 1100 block of Musken Road Violation of Bond/Protective Order Police received a telephone report of bond condition violations. The investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4300 block of Buffalo Gap Road Criminal Trespass A criminal trespass report was taken and the victim/shopping center is willing to press charges. 900 block of Peach Street Assault Family Violence A 23-year-old was arrested for allegedly assaulting her spouse and mother-in-law. 6500 block of Central Park Boulevard Injury to Child/Elderly/Disabled An Injury to the Elderly report was taken. 200 block of Cedar Street Theft of Property A laptop, documents, headphones, charger and vape cartridge were reported stolen from a north side location. 5400 block of South 7th Street Terroristic Threat of Family/Household A terroristic threat report was taken in South Abilene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 600 block of Beech Street Assault Family Violence No public narrative provided. 4300 block of Buffalo Gap Road Assault A man reported he was assaulted by a woman and is willing to press charges. 2400 block of South 1st Street Assault A 40-year-old man allegedly assaulted another man on the south side of town. 2000 block of Ambler Avenue Accident Involving Injury A hit and run report was taken. 4500 block of Don Juan Street Violation of Bond/Protective Order A 41-year-old man was arrested for violation of bond conditions. 1500 block of South 8th Street Robbery A disturbance occurred in South Abilene and the suspect fled prior to police arrival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 700 block of Kenwood Drive Reckless Damage or Destruction A report was taken after a suspect allegedly broke two windows when locked out of the residence. 800 block of South Bowie Drive Driving While Intoxicated No public narrative provided. 2000 block of South 1st Street Criminal Mischief A 45-year-old was allegedly seen damaging property at a southside business. 4500 block of South 1st Street Violation of Bond/Protective Order A report was taken for violation of a protective order. 1600 block of Sewell Street Assault Family Violence A woman reported that her 28-year-old daughter assaulted her during an altercation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1700 block of Sandefer Street Burglary of Building A victim reported that an unknown suspect entered his back yard and stole a moped, comic book, and an air condenser. 4300 block of Buffalo Gap Road Assault A victim reported that an unknown man at a southside business assaulted them. 5400 block of South 7th Street Assault A report was completed for assault causing bodily injury. 3800 block of Grape Street Assault Family Violence A victim reported that the suspect hit her following a verbal argument. 900 block of EN 12th Street Assault Family Violence A report was taken following a disturbance in progress call at a north side residence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1700 block of Swenson Street Assault Family Violence Impede Breath The victim reported that she and her boyfriend got into an agreement and a report was taken for Assault Family Violence Impede Breath, Third Degree Felony. 3000 block of West Lake Road Criminal Mischief Police responded to a disturbance in progress at a residence in north Abilene, which resulted in a criminal mischief report. 1600 block of Franklin Street Assault Family Violence Police responded to a disturbance where a man and woman allegedly got into an argument that turned physical. 1600 block of Highway 351 Obstruction or Retaliation Police responded to multiple calls for service of an intoxicated man trespassing at several businesses. Police located the man and arrested him for public intoxication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No location provided Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon Family Violence A man was taken into custody for Aggravated Assault Family Violence at a north side location. 300 block of North Judge Ely Boulevard Theft of Property The victim reported his vehicle was stolen at a business. The vehicle and suspect were located later on and the suspect was arrested. 400 block of Cypress Street Theft of Property A report was taken for a stolen tablet. Arrests Felix Lopez Disorderly Conduct Joseph Ramirez Warrant Michael Gowdy Failure to Identify, Warrant Joseph Weimer Assault Family Violence, Public Intoxication, Violation of Bond/Protective Order James Powell Criminal Trespass Christopher Ryan Public Intoxication Andrew Trowbridge Failure to Identify, Warrant Kemon Brown Warrant Skilor Janics Driving While Intoxicated, Unlawfully Carrying Weapon Fabrianna Dickson Possession of a Controlled Substance, Prohibited Substance in a Correctional Facility Isaiah Vasquez Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Dalton Ballesteros Tamper/Fabricate Evidence with Intent to Impair, Resist Arrest Search or Transport, Possession of Marijuana Joe Flores Unlawfully Carrying Weapon, Public Intoxication Shamae Barnes Assault Family Violence Samuel Singleton Possession of a Controlled Substance Lecrecia Bailey Warrant Clayde Watson Theft of Property Kalilah Modest Assault, Assault Family Violence Noe Galicia Huitron Immagration Hold John Johnson Criminal Trespass Alberto Gomez Warrant, Possession of a Controlled Substance Tracy Keele Public Intoxication with 3 prior convictions Daniel Lopez Public Intoxication Christifer Flye Violation of Bond/Protective Order Ashlee Aguirre Warrant Rodolfo Cantu Driving While Intoxicated, Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility, Display Expired License Plate, No Driver License TJ Turner Warrant, Failure to Identify Jalen Trevino-McKoy Public Intoxication Christopher Rice Public Intoxication Brandy Garza Public Intoxication Steven Ford Driving While Intoxicated John Davis Public Intoxication David Heaston Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Trespass Phillip Blagrove Public Intoxication with 3 prior convictions, Obstruction or Retaliation Joshua Mendez Possession of Marijuana, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon/Family Violence Moises Ortiz Warrant Jaquilyn Gonzales Theft of Motor Vehicle, Theft of Property Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Khalid Abdalla, the British actor best known recently for playing Dodi Fayed in The Crown, has said hes been summoned by Londons Metropolitan police to a formal interview over his participation in a pro-Palestine march that took place in the U.K. capital earlier this year. In a post on social media, Abdalla who also starred in The Day of the Jackal, United 93 and The Kite Runner, and was a key part of Netflixs Oscar-winning documentary The Square about the Arab Spring said that he received a letter relating to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest of Jan 18th, adding that it remains to be seen if this will result in charges. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abdalla addressed the rally in London, which was held the day after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was signed and attracted several thousand protestors. Dozens of demonstrators were arrested on the day on suspicion of breaching protest conditions. In his social media post, Abdalla said that the right to protest is under attack in this country and it requires us all to defend it. He added: While there is an alarming rise in attempts to censor voices that stand up for Palestine, even as it faces open calls for ethnic cleansing, it will not work. The days of silencing after intimidation are gone. The stake are too high, and as we can see today with No Other Land winning at the Oscars, momentum is on the side of justice, and shared humanity. In a statement to The Guardian, a Metropolitan police spokesperson said: As part of our ongoing investigation into alleged breaches of Public Order Act conditions on Saturday, January 18, we have invited a further eight people to be interviewed under caution at a police station. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Khalid Abdalla, who played Princess Dianas lover Dodi Fayed in The Crown, says he has been summoned to a police interview after attending a pro-Palestine protest in London in January. Writing on Instagram, Abdalla said the right to protest is under attack in the UK following the summons, which relates to a Palestinian Solidarity Campaign rally that also led to ex-Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn being questioned under caution for breaching the rallys conditions. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abdalla has been a leading voice from the cultural world supporting Palestinians and the need for a ceasefire in Gaza. He said he was summoned by the Metropolitan Police several days ago alongside the likes of Stephen Kapos, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, and both have been asked to attend a formal interview. The Metropolitan Police told the BBC that eight people had been invited to be interviewed under caution at a police station as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged breaches of Public Order Act conditions on Saturday 18 January. Protest laws in the UK have been significantly tightened in recent years. When Corbyn and his former Labour Chancellor John McDonnell were interviewed about the rally several weeks back, the BBC reported that the conditions of the rally were that it would remain in the Central London area of Whitehall and not move on, yet the police said a large group made its way from Whitehall to Trafalgar Square. While there is an alarming rise in attempts to censor voices that stand up for Palestine, even as it faces open calls for ethnic cleansing, it will not work, wrote Abdalla on Instagram. The stakes are too high. Abdalla flagged Sundays Oscar night victory for Palestinian-Israeli West Bank doc No Other Land as proof that censorship will not work. He was also one of the big name signatories on the open letter sent to the BBC calling for the reinstatement of the Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone doc, which has been taken off iPlayer after it emerged that one of its narrators is the son of a Hamas minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abdalla, who has been nominated for two SAG Awards, is best known for playing Fayed, the son of Mohamed Al-Fayed, in seven episodes of The Crown. Other credits include The Day of the Jackal, The Kite Runner and United 93. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A version of this story appeared in CNNs What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. When President Donald Trump addresses the nation from Capitol Hill on Tuesday, hell get the first opportunity to sell Americans and Congress on his new proposal that the US needs to create a strategic reserve of cryptocurrency. Its a plan unveiled Sunday in a pair of social media posts more than an hour apart that will raise obvious questions of conflict of interest, both for Trump and his crypto czar, and could also feed into a brewing conspiracy about Fort Knox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first post mentioned three smaller and lesser-known cryptocurrencies XRP, solana and cardano, temporarily spiking their prices. More than an hour later, he added that the largest and best-known cryptocurrencies, bitcoin and ether, would also be involved. Crypto president Trump has been talking for a while about creating such a reserve, part of his pledge to make the US the Crypto Capital of the World. Beyond the policy aspect of crypto, he also has a personal interest. The company that owns Trumps social media network, and where Trump is the largest shareholder, recently made clear its plans to invest $250 billion in the cryptocurrency industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Separately, the Securities and Exchange Commission last week dropped a civil fraud case against Justin Sun, a Chinese businessman who pumped $75 million into a crypto token that could benefit Trumps family down the road. As CNNs Allison Morrow noted at the time, its a 180 for the agency since the Biden administration, which was working to regulate cryptocurrency. Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun speaks at a financial forum in Beijing, China November 4, 2015. - China Stringer Network/Reuters The value of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin surged after Trumps election, but have stalled in recent weeks. Yet Trumps move away from regulation is exactly what libertarian-minded tech billionaires who backed his campaign want. Trump appointed one of them, David Sacks, to be a crypto and AI czar in his administration. While Sacks has not released a financial disclosure and the terms of his employment are not clear, after Trumps posts about a strategic reserve spiked the value of cryptocurrencies, Sacks said on X that he had sold all of his cryptocurrency before joining the administration. His firm Craft Ventures, however, is invested in Bitwise, an asset manager that offers crypto index funds. The argument for a strategic reserve Evangelists for a cryptocurrency reserve say that the US taking a bold position in bitcoin could pay down the national debt at some point in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investor Michael Saylor, who said his company MicroStrategy has more than $50 billion worth of bitcoin, said on CNBC Monday that if the US buys 10 to 20 percent of the worlds bitcoin network for a long time decades or more it would eventually be worth many trillions of dollars. Whats compelling about it is if the United States takes a position in the emerging crypto economy if it buys up 10, 20% of the bitcoin network, were going to pay off the national debt, so why wouldnt that be in the interest of the United States? But for every bitcoin evangelist, there is an academic or banker from across the political spectrum who will point out that cryptocurrency investments might just as easily go up in smoke, which would be an unfortunate thing to happen to taxpayer dollars. Trump has argued the US can simply take the more than 200,000 bitcoin it currently has seized through criminal and civil actions and start building from there. Representation of the $Trump meme coin together with Bitcoin and crypto coins, seen in this photo illustration. Taken in Brussels, Belgium, on March 2, 2025. - Jonathan Raa/Sipa USA/AP Where to find the money to buy bitcoin There are other proposals, like the one from Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a Wyoming Republican, to reallocate money from the Federal Reserve to buy up bitcoin or to leverage the US governments gold reserves to raise funds for the bitcoin reserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Trump and Musk have talked recently about planning a trip to Fort Knox to make sure the gold is still there, feeding a conspiracy theory. During Trumps first administration, CNN used a public records request to obtain photos of then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell posing with gold bricks in the vault. McConnell even wrote his name on the wall. Its not clear there will be an appetite in Congress for tinkering with the gold reserve or otherwise spending taxpayer money to buy up bitcoin, but there will be an opportunity for insiders to talk about it when Trump and Sacks host a Crypto Summit on Friday at the White House for prominent founders, CEOS, and investors from the crypto industry. Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, complained on X that Trump should not be looking to invest Americans money in bitcoin at the same time he is trying to cut the size of government. While he chokes off cancer research and fires VA researchers, the President is using your taxpayer dollars to buy crypto and enrich his personal allies, she said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A woman faces charges in connection with a fatal crash last February on Route 202 in Litchfield where state police allege that she rear-ended a vehicle which led to a head-on collision that injured a man who died several days later. Lea Petzold, 41, of Litchfield faces charges of negligent homicide with a motor vehicle and following too closely, according to Connecticut State Police. She turned herself in on Saturday at the Troop L barracks in Litchfield after authorities obtained a warrant for her arrest. Petzold was charged following an investigation into a crash on Feb. 4, 2024, around noon on Route 202 where state police claim that she was heading west in a 2010 Honda CR-V and struck the rear of a 2022 Toyota Corolla that was stopped and waiting to turn left onto Tapping Reeve Drive, according to the warrant affidavit. The collision caused the Corolla, which was being driven by Robert Rumsey, to enter the eastbound lane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Corolla was struck head-on by a Dodge Dart SXT which was being driven east, the warrant affidavit said. The Dart then ricocheted to the right and collided with a brick pillar at the entrance to Tapping Reeve Drive. The driver of the Dart told state police his airbag went off and he noticed smoke in the vehicle, according to the warrant affidavit. He thought his vehicle may have been on fire so he quickly got out and saw bystanders removing Rumsey from the Corolla and to a safe area. Rumsey, who had turned 86 years old that day, told troopers he was heading home on Tapping Reeve Drive when the collision occurred, the warrant affidavit said. He was very confused and could not recall much beyond knowing that his vehicle was struck, according to the warrant affidavit. Rumsey suffered a laceration to his left hand and was taken to Waterbury Hospital for what was initially believed to be non-life-threatening injuries, according to the warrant affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver of the Dart was also taken to Waterbury Hospital. Petzold and her passengers did not report any injuries and declined to go to the hospital, according to the warrant affidavit. State police said Petzold was initially given a ticket for an infraction after allegedly telling investigators she looked down for a moment and could not stop in time when she looked up and saw the Corolla stopped, the warrant affidavit said. Three days after the crash, state police learned that Rumseys condition had deteriorated, according to the warrant affidavit. The trooper who investigated the crash met with Petzold and took back the ticket, which was then voided. According to the warrant affidavit, Petzold allegedly told state police she was on her way home when she felt something hit her foot and looked down to see what it was. She reiterated that by the time she looked up she did not have time to avoid a collision with Rumseys vehicle, state police wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police said they were later contacted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York and told that Rumsey was pronounced dead on Feb. 10, 2024, at a hospital in New York City where he had been transferred to, the warrant affidavit said. The cause of death was determined to be complications of multiple blunt force injuries, state police wrote in the warrant affidavit. The death was ruled an accident. According to an obituary, Rumsey died while surrounded by loved ones at the same hospital where was born. After being born in New York City, he was raised for much of his childhood in Scarsdale, New York, and later raised a family in Connecticut. He was passionate about art, history, writing/reading, constantly learning and connecting with others until his last days, the obituary said. He founded Norfolk Construction Company and took pride in his work designing and building homes for people throughout the Connecticut area. He constantly sought education and the perspective of others whether loved ones or strangers, obtaining his masters in history later in life and teaching at the Taconic Learning Center until the end of his life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rumsey enjoyed intellectual conversations and spending time at Mount Tom State Park in Litchfield where he would sit by the pond and drink coffee while people or duck watching, the obituary said. He was also an active member at St. Michaels Church where he was a part of the vestry board, led the morning prayer services, participated in bible study and was a regular Sunday service speaker, according to the obituary. His gentle ways, compassion for all others, self-curiosity and interest in others made a lasting impression on many, from family and loved ones, to friends whether momentary in nature or longstanding, to his church community, and to his peers and students, the obituary said. Petzold is free on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on March 14 in Torrington Superior Court. Chris Cuomo calls out Republican efforts to cut Medicaid while questioning whether Social Security is next. He points out that despite Trumps promise not to touch Social Security, the fearmongering from Trump and Elon Musk suggests otherwise. Cuomo says that Social Security is not a Ponzi scheme but a pay-as-you-go system, in which todays workers fund retirees. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Harlem Assemblyman Eddie Gibbs, a key ally to Mayor Adams, is endorsing Andrew Cuomos 2025 campaign, a blow to the embattled incumbent. Gibbs, who was endorsed by Adams for his East Harlem-based seat in 2022 and has been a prominent booster of the mayors Albany agenda, announced his endorsement of Cuomo in a statement provided by the ex-governors campaign. Andrew has always fought for our communities, and Im proud to support him for mayor of New York City, read Gibbs statement. Hes the leader we need to take on the tough fights and make this city work for everyone, including hardworking New Yorkers fighting for a second chance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vito Pitta, Adams reelection campaign attorney, didnt return a request for comment. Gibbs, the first formerly incarcerated member of the state Legislature, didnt return calls. Gibbs attended Cuomos campaign kickoff event in Manhattan on Sunday but declined to talk to reporters at that event about his endorsement plans. Cuomos long-awaited mayoral campaign announcement has reshaped the race. For months, polls have projected that the ex-governor would handily defeat Adams and his other challengers, as the mayor continues to face political headwinds amid his federal corruption indictment. Cuomo, who resigned as gov in 2021 amid sexual harassment accusations that he denies, has racked up some endorsements from other New York City politics powerbrokers, too, including Rep. Ritchie Torres and the local carpenters union. The Coweta County District Attorneys Office says it has dismissed the charges against a high school principal who was arrested for battery. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Feb. 24, Coweta County dispatch received a call regarding a dispute at East Coweta High School Principal Stephen Steve Allens home on Rock Mill Court. Deputies began investigating the events leading up to the 911 call. The investigation led to the arrest of Allen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Coweta County District Attorneys Office, Allen was charged with two misdemeanors: criminal trespass for damaging a door inside his home and battery-family violence for causing bruising to his son, 33-year-old William Taber Allen. The DA said during events leading up to Allens arrest, his son shared on social media and later told deputies that Steve Allen held a gun to his head that night and threatened to shoot him. The following day, the DA consulted with the Coweta County Solicitor-General and the Coweta County Sheriffs Office to initiate an expedited review of the case. Because our communitys school principals occupy a position of public trust, the allegation that a principal committed violent crimes deserves to be either confirmed by the State bringing formal charges in court or dispelled by dismissing the warrants as quickly as possible, the DA said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the DA, the prosecutors decision allowed the community and school system to move forward. Students at East Coweta High School protested Steve Allens arrest. The DA said after reviewing evidence, the office determined that evidence didnt support any criminal charges against Steve Allen and dismissed the warrants against Allen. The Coweta County District Attorneys Office says the case is now closed. Read the full release here: Charges dropped against Coweta County principal by Jennifer Smith on Scribd TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] An aerial drone photo taken on March 1, 2025 shows the cruise ship Europa 2 anchoring at a port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) QINGDAO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Tianjin and Qingdao, two major port cities in China, kicked off the new year with their first inbound international cruise ship of 2025 -- the Malta-registered Europa 2, a clear signal of the steady revival of China's cruise tourism industry. The luxury liner, carrying hundreds of passengers from countries including Germany, Austria and Switzerland is on a global voyage. During its China leg, the tour group headed to major destinations including Xiamen, Shanghai and Tianjin. After a brief stop in Qingdao in Shandong Province, east China, on March 1, the ship would head to Japan and the Republic of Korea, according to Kristina Jurgawka, a crew member aboard the ship. An avid history enthusiast, she was deeply impressed by the Great Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and enchanted by the skyline of Shanghai. "I'm truly grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime experience," she said. For German tourist Joachin Dopp, the ease of entry into China left the strongest impression. "It's simple to enter, no need for a visa or all those formalities. It's great that you can just enter the country and enjoy it [your trip]," he told Xinhua. His experience reflects well on China's effort to rejuvenate the cruise tourism sector. In May last year, a policy was rolled out allowing visa-free entry for foreign tourist groups arriving on cruise ships at any of the country's cruise ports along the coastline. With a coastline stretching 18,000 km, China has seen steady improvements in its port infrastructure. The country boasts abundant tourism resources and is experiencing rapid growth in the service industry, making it a major destination for international cruise liners. Wang Hong, president of China Europe International Business School, said in a media interview that the visa-free entry policy for cruise passengers will bring unprecedented development opportunities to China's tourism and cruise industries. It is expected to attract more foreign visitors to choose cruises as a means of traveling to China, thereby boosting inbound tourism. Industry leaders predict a strong rebound in international cruise tourism in China this year. On Jan. 3, an international cruise ship carrying 456 passengers docked at Phoenix Island International Cruise Port in Sanya, a popular tropical destination. From 2006 to the end of 2024, the port handled over 1,600 cruise ship voyages and over 2 million passenger trips. Days later, the Silver Dawn became the first international cruise ship to arrive in Shanghai this year, bringing over 400 tourists from more than 20 countries, including the United States, Britain, and Australia. During the eight-day Spring Festival holiday, the border inspection authorities in Shanghai reported 22 cruise ship entries and exits, with 72,000 cruise passenger trips. Tang Ming, head of a Shanghai-based travel agency, noted that since February 2024, the market has steadily recovered. "We expect to see a 20 to 30 percent increase in international cruise tourists this year," he said. Cruise ports in Qingdao are expected to receive over 40 cruise ship visits in 2025, twice the number recorded in 2024, according to the city's culture and tourism bureau. Meanwhile, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port is preparing for increased activities, with more than 40 inbound and outbound cruise ship visits anticipated at Dongjiang Port in the first quarter alone. Globally, the Cruise Lines International Association estimates that the number of ocean-going cruise passengers will reach 39.5 million by 2027, reflecting sustained demand for cruise voyages. By 2035, China's cruise market is expected to welcome 4.2 million inbound foreign tourist trips annually, with total economic output projected to reach 531.7 billion yuan (about 74.12 billion U.S. dollars), according to a report by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, as cited by Liao Minsheng, a marine tourism expert from Hainan Tropical Ocean University. China's market, Liao said in a media interview, presents unprecedented opportunities for the global cruise and yacht economy. "China's vast market size and growing demand for cruise tourism provide international cruise and yacht companies with ample room for expansion," he added. "The sector's growth is expected to drive the development in areas such as ship design and manufacturing, foreign trade, tourism services, port construction and modern maritime services." Tourists from the cruise ship Europa 2 taste a local beverage at a port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, March 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) Tourists from the cruise ship Europa 2 go through the customs at a port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, March 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) Red Onion State Prison in Wise County (Photo courtesy of Virginia Department of Corrections.) Dontae Ebrons family has been on edge. A physical altercation last summer at Red Onion State Prison, where he is incarcerated, left them deeply concerned for his safety, his brother Dominic said in an email. Ebron alleges that officers used excessive force on him last July, but the complaint he filed was deemed unfounded. Copies of paperwork he mailed to The Mercury confirm that he was sprayed with mace and force was used on him, though he disputes the details of what the document says happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Ebrons complaint, correctional officers assaulted him by spraying mace into his cell and bending his arm and fingers through the cells tray slot. After officers escorted him for medical attention, he alleged that he wasnt given water to rinse off the mace and that an officer tripped him, slamming his face to the ground. Prison paperwork tells a different story. The official report states that force was appropriately used because Ebrons arm had been out of the tray slot. It also claims that he was offered decontamination but refused. As for the body slamming, the report says it happened because Ebron pulled away from staff and attempted to spit. But Ebron, in a letter to The Mercury, says thats not what happened, and that he was spitting because they maced me and never let me get any water. Hes since asked for security camera footage of the incident to be preserved, believing it will confirm his version of events as well as the officers actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking for myself, I know I havent been nowhere near perfect, but that doesnt mean my rights as a human should be discarded, he wrote. Ebron is serving a 30 year sentence for a murder he committed during an armed robbery in 2005 when he was 20 years old. He is one of several Red Onion inmates who have spoken with the media or prison reform advocates over the past year, sharing stories of mistreatment and poor living conditions. Allegations range from excessive force and prolonged isolation to delayed medical care. Accusations of racism and religious discrimination have also surfaced. Last fall, the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) confirmed that at least six inmates burned themselves though advocates claim that number is higher. Some inmates and advocates say the burns were acts of protest, desperation, or attempts to secure transfers to other facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at a December 2024 meeting of the state legislatures Public Safety Committee, VADOC Director Chad Dotson dismissed the idea that self-harm was a form of protest. Theres no evidence whatsoever that there was any kind of a plot or a protest, Dotson said. All the inmates involved said they did it because they wanted to get away from Red Onion. Two of these have a history of self-harm. Red Onion inmate Ekong Eshiet, who is serving time for a 2018 malicious wounding charge, said in an audio recording by Prison Radio a group that amplifies the voices of incarcerated people that he was among those who set themselves on fire. He hoped the act would force a transfer out of the facility and said he had also protested his treatment through a hunger strike. Eshiet has also described discrimination from officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eshiet described his situation as being in fear for my life. In a separate message to The Mercury sent via JPay, an email service for incarcerated people, he raised concerns about continued access to email and the potential for retaliation against those speaking out amid the growing scrutiny on the prison. An investigation into Red Onion by the states new corrections ombudsman is pending, while an internal review is also underway at Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center in Chesterfield County, where a fire broke out during an outbreak last month. However state reports have already identified one issue that may be contributing to problems across Virginias prison system: staffing shortages. Critically and dangerously understaffed A November 2024 report to state lawmakers confirmed that staffing levels in Virginias correctional facilities remain dangerously low, with very few educational programs operating and some facilities unable to provide the legally-required out-of-cell time for inmates. The consulting firm CGL concluded that many of the VADOCs facilities are critically and dangerously understaffed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Dotson said that Red Onion specifically had a staff vacancy rate of 9% in late December, the November report from CGL indicated widespread staffing issues in VADOC. This lack of staff impacts every aspect of facility operations and results in facilities that are unsafe, the report stated. While Virginia doesnt technically use the term solitary confinement, it has what state code refers to as restorative housing. This form of isolation is intended for inmates who pose a threat to themselves or others, but advocates have long raised concerns about its prolonged use. A 2023 state law requires that inmates in restrictive housing receive four hours per day out of their cells something that, according to the report, is not always happening. Without identifying the facility, the report noted: Effectively, at one site visited, nearly the entire population had been in Restricted Housing status for an extended period of time at the time of our site visit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Red Onion, the Step Down Program is designed to help inmates transition out of restrictive housing. According to Dotson, more than 120 people were enrolled in the program by the end of last year, and over 300 have completed it in the past six years. Im giving you a way to get away from Red Onion behave, Dotson said during a presentation at the December committee meeting. However, a class action lawsuit filed by the Virginia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union argues that despite the programs stated purpose, inmates are still being confined longer than is justified. Current and formerly incarcerated individuals have told The Mercury that lockdowns are a frequent occurrence in Virginia prisons sometimes triggered by fights for security reasons, other times seemingly used as a method of population control when staffing is low. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a late January phone call with The Mercury, Kevin Rashid Johnson appeared to experience one firsthand. As he spoke, sirens blared in the background, signaling the start of a lockdown he said before the call ended. Johnson, who previously led a hunger strike at Red Onion, is now incarcerated at Keen Mountain Correctional Center in Oakwood and has been in several facilities around Virginia amid his life sentence for murder. He was one of the first to alert reporters and activists about the men who burned themselves last year and has been vocal in his dissatisfaction with Dotsons response. This man goes in the media, Oh, its just (inmates) being manipulative, Johnson paraphrased. Who the hell is going to set themselves on fire trying to be manipulative? That goes to one of the most primal fears in man fire. Without naming Johnson or specific advocates, Dotson dismissed their pushback when confirming the burnings, calling them bad-faith efforts to try to score cheap political points by advocacy groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson, however, urges people to consider what drives someone to harm themselves in the first place. A Black man incarcerated in Southwest Virginia, Johnson says his time in prison has been marked by racism from a system largely staffed by white officers. With a formal investigation into Red Onion on the horizon, Johnson remains skeptical of what, if anything, will change. Corrections Ombudsman Andrea Sapone stepped into her role last September, and by December she was already hearing from members of the legislatures Corrections Oversight and Public Safety committees, as well as members of the public advocating for their incarcerated loved ones. In response, she announced plans to streamline the complaint process for future investigations and plans to launch an inquiry into Red Onion. As of late February, her office has filled four of the five positions needed to carry that investigation. However, Johnson sees an inherent conflict of interest in the process. Since Sapone works for the state, he believes an independent third party should handle the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others, meanwhile, see Sapones position created through legislation as a step toward meaningful oversight and accountability in the prison system. A crowd gathers near Virginias Capitol on Jan. 8, 2024 for a rally about allegations of abuse stemming from some Virginia prisons. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury) High rehabilitative needs Flames appear to have quite literally ignited at a juvenile facility in Virginia. Transcripts from a 911 call obtained by The Richmond Times-Dispatch detail a chaotic scene on Feb. 9 at Bon Air Correctional Center, where a jailbreak of sorts unfolded. A group of minors gained control of their housing unit and started a fire, while the sole guard on duty barricaded herself in her office to call for backup. State police responded with pepperball guns to regain control of the situation. An internal investigation is underway, and charges are pending, according to Department of Juvenile Justice spokeswoman Melodie Martin. She noted that many youth housed at Bon Air have committed violent crimes. This is a very challenging population with high rehabilitative needs. Occasionally, some of the behavior exhibited in the community repeats itself in the facility, Martin said in an email. This is to be expected through the therapeutic process, and we support and thank the dedicated staff who invest in this high need population. But advocates argue that incidents like the one on Feb. 9 might also stem from persistent concerns about living and working conditions that they have warned about for years. Martin declined to disclose specific staffing numbers but said vacancies at Bon Air dropped by 39% between January and June of last year. She added that the Feb. 9 call for assistance was not based on staffing, but rather the departments protocol prohibiting the use of chemical agents or other law enforcement tools on facility residents leaving state police to deploy pepperball guns instead. But, much like VADOC, allegations have surfaced that low staffing levels may contribute to unsafe conditions for both employees and residents, as well as reduced access to rehabilitative programming. Staff exit surveys obtained by the Legal Aid Justice Center and advocacy group Rise For Youth reveal mounting frustrations among former employees. Yall ask for too much being that were always on single coverage, one survey from Feb. 22, 2024, read. (I am) tired of getting drafted everyday. Another former employee expressed concern about how staffing shortages impact the youth at Bon Air. Residents on the existing side of campus are constantly locked down due to staff shortage which is completely inhumane. If my child were locked up at this facility, as a parent, I would be extremely upset about the dynamic, a respondent wrote in a survey dated March 11, 2024. They added that staff are overworked and underpaid and that the staffing crisis poses a direct security risk. Interviews conducted by the Legal Aid Justice Center with some Bon Air inmates revealed that school has not always been available to them and many feel they are frequently in a state of lockdown. Both staff and incarcerated youth are hurting, said Valerie Slater, director of Rise For Youth. She wasnt surprised by the February outbreak of violence among some. If you are not providing all thats necessary for these young people to truly be successful, then there is going to be deterioration its a natural consequence, she said So when the fire broke out, I mean, how was it not anticipated that eventually it would boil over? For former Department of Juvenile Justice Director Andrew Block, the situation is troubling. My heart goes out to the staff and kids who Im sure are incredibly stressed and scared and exhausted, he said. Del. Rae Cousins, D-Richmond, has been gathering feedback from families of incarcerated individuals in both adult and juvenile facilities since taking office last year. When it comes to the Department of Juvenile Justice, she said the response from officials does not seem to align with the concerns raised by families or the documented complaints from former staff. Its sort of like two different accounts, Cousins said, adding that she wants to get to the bottom of the discrepancies. Both Cousins and Block believe the Commission on Youth could play a role in addressing these issues, whether through focused hearings or a formal study to explore legislative or departmental actions. I am gathering information from advocates and plan to speak with the commission members in the next month or so, Cousins said. Potential solutions so far While targeted reforms for facilities like Red Onion and Bon Air may be on the horizon, broader legislative efforts to improve conditions in Virginias correctional system are also underway. Sen. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, and Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra, D-Fairfax, sponsored measures aimed at reforming how facilities handle restrictive or solitary housing. The legislation requires that before an individual is placed in a restrictive setting, they must first be considered for a less-severe alternative. If isolation is deemed necessary, they must undergo both physical and mental evaluations. Del. Holly Seibold, D-Fairfax, a co-patron on the bill, voiced concerns that restrictive housing often perpetuates itself trapping people in a cycle where declining mental health makes it even harder for them to adjust their behavior and transition out of isolation. During a visit to Red Onion and Wallens Ridge facilities last summer, Seibold was shocked by the numbers of people held in solitary conditions. While state law mandates that such incarcerated individuals receive time outside their cells, she was troubled by the way the policy was being applied. They were technically outside, but in cage-like structures, Seibold said. That was really disturbing. Yes, theyre outside, but theyre still isolated in a cage. So to me, thats still a continuation of solitary. The current law requiring out-of-cell time was signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2023. Now, the new bill aimed at expanding solitary reforms awaits his decision. If signed, advocates say, the law would impact both youth and adult correctional facilities. It says persons in correctional center centers that means Bon Air counts, Slater said. Another measure from Bagby, which passed with bipartisan support, seeks to prohibit the shackling of youth during court proceedings. Under current law, juveniles can be restrained in court regardless of their behavior or the nature of their offense a practice that several states have already outlawed. As young people first enter the criminal justice system, some advocates argue that keeping them out of incarceration altogether could reduce the likelihood of future offenses. Tom Woods, an associate with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, believes Virginia could reinstate criminal justice reforms he helped shape more than a decade ago. A decade ago, then-Department of Juvenile Justice Director Andrew Block consulted with Woods to reform how long certain offenders were confined in correctional facilities, diverting some to probation programs that allowed them to remain with their families. The goal, they explained, was twofold: to prevent unnecessary incarceration and to create a more manageable staff-to-resident ratio in facilities. Every day and every hour in juvenile facilities needs to be directed towards rehabilitation and preparing those in custody to leave, Woods said. Since then, leadership changes have brought policy shifts, moving away from those reforms. But Woods argues that reinstating them could not only improve outcomes for youth but also help ease Bon Airs staffing struggles. It takes a certain kind of person and time to get the right people in the right positions, Woods said. If youre already feeling the pressure in terms of the population as it is, you need to look for ways to reduce that pressure quickly. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Britain, the US and Russia have participated in 2,681 votes together at the United Nations Security Council since 1946. In that time, the US has sided with Russia over the UK on just 22 occasions. The most recent instance came last Monday, when the UK and Europe abstained from a US-drafted resolution calling for an end to the Ukraine conflict that omitted any criticism of Russias actions. Before then, other than a disagreement over humanitarian relief to Gaza in 2023, you would have to go back to 1980 to find another example. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The short resolution was adopted on the third anniversary of Vladimir Putins invasion, much to the dismay of Ukraine and its European allies. The Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the UN, with a mandate to promote international peace through negotiation, the imposition of sanctions or, if necessary, the authorisation of force. A revolving roster of 10 nations joins the table for two-year terms, but five members have been permanent since its creation in the wake of the Second World War the US, UK, France, China and Russia (formerly the USSR). According to UN Digital Library records of all resolutions voted upon over the past 70 years, the UK and France are the closest permanent members, voting the same way 98.2 per cent of the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US, for its part, was most aligned with the UK (97.1 per cent) and understandably, given their history, found least common cause with Russia (87.8 per cent). But the current turmoil is bucking these long-term trends and suggests the two nations are drifting apart in their special relationship. The US and UK have only split votes 77 times, meaning entire years have often gone by with the pair 100 per cent like-minded. Over the past 12 months, however, this rate fell to 94.4 its lowest level since 1997. In December, the US abstained in a vote on the establishment of an African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, citing dissatisfaction with its funding model. Last March, it did the same during a call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More broadly, the breakdown of the transatlantic alliance echoes growing disunity within the wider Security Council and the UN as a whole. The majority of resolutions put forward, despite being put to a vote, are to give assent to agreements already made. The most common form of dissent, therefore, is to abstain. The share of abstentions among all votes cast has risen steeply over the past decade, from 0.06 per cent in 2010 to beyond eight per cent last year. Only the five permanent members have recourse to a more drastic measure their negative vote counting as a veto. According to Security Council Report, vetos empower them to defend their national interests, to uphold a tenet of their foreign policy or, in some cases, to promote a single issue of particular importance to a state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were eight vetos last year, the highest annual total since 1989 and the eighth-highest in 79 years overall. Three distinct phases emerge when looking at which country did the vetoing: the USSR was primarily responsible over the opening decades of the Cold War, the US then took the lead until 2008, from which point on Moscow began throwing up the most barriers once more. The USSR and Russia have been behind almost half (47.1 per cent) of all no-votes cast, a share that creeps up to 57.9 per cent over the past three years, coinciding with the three-year long Ukraine war. Speaking at an event after last Mondays vote, Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraines ambassador, asked countries to continue their support for rebuilding Ukraine and seeking accountability for crimes committed since Russias invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The road ahead is very challenging but when we are united we can prevail, she said. 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. My husband and I currently live in our hometown of Louisville, but lived in a small Western Kentucky community of 20,000 for 30 years. We raised our children in that community in service of others through our faith, our involvement in Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and other community activities as a family. We taught our children to be good citizens, to give back to their community, to embrace what the world had to offer and be an active part of it. Several of our children were then fortunate to participate in Kentuckys Governors Scholar program, with our youngest daughter studying on Bellarmines campus. She was assigned international studies as her major, and as someone who had come from a small rural town, it completely opened up a new world for her. She later graduated from the University of Kentucky with a dual degree in International Studies and Geography, as well as a minor in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Her passion for serving the global community led her to join the Peace Corps, where she was assigned to serve in Ukraine. My daughter was barely in Ukraine six months when in early 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine and her group was evacuated. She left Ukraine with only her backpack and couldnt communicate with the people she had lived and worked with. Her group came back to the United States broken, devastated and vulnerable but determined to continue their service. When it became clear that she couldnt return to Ukraine, she pushed for a new placement and was ultimately reassigned to Macedonia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There she spent 2 1/2 more years teaching English in a high school, leading young womens empowerment programming and issuing small community grants. When I had the opportunity to visit her in Macedonia, I saw firsthand the "soft" power Peace Corps holds, with its ability to both improve lives and build a positive perspective of the United States across the world, ultimately making us all safer. Letter: The Trump administration fired me after years of public service with HUD My daughter worked to improve lives. Trump's actions impede that. Her time in the Peace Corps fueled her drive to pursue a similar mission in the U.S. She looked for a way to help provide access to education for people in parts of the world who may not receive it otherwise. She understood that education is a fundamental right. She moved to Washington, D.C., in early 2017 to begin a job at an International education nonprofit. Since then, she has worked with adult learners all over the world, from supporting women to earn degrees at U.S. universities in rural American to supporting entrepreneurship activities for persons with disabilities in Indonesia. She and her team have dedicated their careers to lifting others and closing disparity gaps in access to education. She, like countless others both at home and abroad, have been deeply impacted by the actions of the current administration. The work I described above was funded by USAID, and she proudly implemented these transformative programs on behalf of the U.S. federal government and the American people. As I write this, all of her organization's USAID programs have been terminated and outstanding bills have not been paid by the federal government, forcing mass layoffs and negatively impacting thousands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While I agree that government spending should be scrutinized, the immediate actions of the administration to shut down USAID, which is less than 1% of the federal budget, seems reckless. The dehumanizing methods being used to accomplish this mission come at a cost to the thousands of people losing their jobs. The collateral damage, as I have heard some call the fallout from these chainsaw actions, should not be taken lightly. My child is collateral damage as are so many in this country and worldwide. Are our Kentucky representatives doing their part to stop the reckless actions of the current administration? It has been said that education is the currency of democracy. Are we paying too big a price? Think about it. Cheryl Schaefer's youngest daughter is losing her job because of USAID cuts. Cheryl Schaefer lives in Louisville, Kentucky. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Trump's dehumanizing cuts to USAID cost my daughter her job | Opinion AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)For the past 14 days, correctional employees from Auburns correctional facility and 31 others across the state have been on strike. They have stood firm throughout Central New Yorks weather conditions, demanding change. Despite state officials like Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Dan Martuscello and Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray urging strikers to return to work, they continue to protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The continuing strikers insist on action because their concerns remain unaddressed after the mediated consent award. The demands focus on two main issues: the suspension of the HALT Act, which restricts the use of solitary confinement, and staffing shortages facilities have been seeing, requiring guards and sergeants to work excessively long-hour shifts. The strikers argue the HALT Act has made prisons more dangerous by limiting their ability to discipline inmates who pursue violent acts inside of prisons. One anonymous officer explained the need for a practice of keep-lock, a term that correctional officers use inside of prison, which isolates an inmate after a threat. We all know its through legislation, too, but there are ways they can do it. An immediate suspension of HALT, but especially the keep lock, said the striking officer. Keep lock is a term we use in prison to keep the violent imamates accountable. Officers also stressed the need for a better work-life balance. Many strikers have reported to a 24-hour shift because of the staffing shortage many facilities are seeing across the state. Many officers have reported being mentally and physically exhausted after and during these shifts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were all getting stuck 24 hours all these long hours they got to come up to the table and say there no more sticking 24 hours. If this facility is low on staff levels, you got to put the programs on hold, claimed the striking officer. Beyond having control over inmates, strikers and their dependents have lost access to their health insurance as of March 3. A move strikers are claiming is illegal and uncalled for. The fact theyre putting misinformation out there and theyre driving everyone nuts, theres other means of coverage. Theyre supposed to offer COBRA. Theyre supposed to offer state medical, a striker said in response to the state taking their health insurance. Despite Monday mornings, March 3, briefing with the commissioners, the strikers are still uncertain of their future and are continuously growing frustrated, as they believe the state is using intimidation tactics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The threats have got to stop, obviously Hes been threatening the health care, threatening termination, so if he thinks threats are really going to force everyone back to work, youre really just creating more divide, you know, because eventually, if you kick a dog, its not going to take it anymore, said the striker. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR. March 4 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1681, to satisfy a debt, England's King Charles II granted a royal charter, deed and the governorship of Pennsylvania to William Penn. Penn founded Philadelphia -- the one-time capital of the United States and now the state's largest city -- a year later. In 1789, the U.S. Congress met for the first time, in New York City. In 1791, Vermont was admitted to the United States as the 14th state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1797, John Adams took the oath of office as the second president of the United States. Mourners lay flowers at the Reflecting Pools on February 26 at the annual remembrance ceremony at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing that killed six and injured over 1,000 on in New York City. On March 4, 1994, four men were found guilty in the bombing. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI In 1801, Thomas Jefferson became the first president to be inaugurated in Washington. File Photo by Pat Benic/UPI President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law at the White House on August 14, 1935. On March 4, 1933, Frances Perkins, standing behind FDR, was sworn in as U.S. labor secretary, becoming the first female member of the Cabinet. File photo by ACME Newspictures In 1809, James Madison took the oath of office as the fourth president of the United States. In 1825, John Quincy Adams took the oath of office as the sixth president of the United States. President Ronald Reagan addresses the nation via television on October 14, 1987. On March 4, 1987, Reagan acknowledged his administration swapped arms to Iran for U.S. hostages and said, "It was a mistake." File Photo by Tim Clary/UPI Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1829, Andrew Jackson took the oath of office as the seventh president of the United States. In 1837, the city of Chicago was incorporated. In 1929, belief that the powerful forces of gangland had stretched tentacles into the innermost councils of the police department was being investigated by the state's attorney's office. Franklin Delano Roosevelt addresses the nation during a radio broadcast from the White House on May 8, 1933. On March 4, 1933, Roosevelt took the oath of office as the 32nd president of the United States. UPI File Photo In 1837, Martin Van Buren took the oath of office as the eighth president of the United States. In 1841, William Henry Harrison took the oath of office as the ninth president of the United States. The nuclear-powered submarine USS Nautilus slips into the Thames River in New London, Conn., on January 21, 1954. On March 4, 1958, the Nautilus reached the North Pole by passing beneath the Arctic ice cap. File Photo by U.S. Navy/UPI In 1845, James Polk took the oath of office as the 11th president of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1853, Franklin Pierce took the oath of office as the 14th president of the United States. On March 4, 1917, Jeanette Rankin, a Montana Republican, was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives. She was the first woman to serve in Congress. File Photo by Library of Congress/UPI In 1857, James Buchanan took the oath of office as the 15th president of the United States. In 1861, Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office last the 16th president of the United States. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI In 1869, Ulysses Grant took the oath of office as the 18th president of the United States. In 1877, Swan Lake, a ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, was first performed at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. In 1881, James Garfield took the oath of office as the 20th president of the United States. In 1885, Grover Cleveland took the oath of office as the 22nd president of the United States. He also was inaugurated as the 24th president on this day in 1893. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1889, Benjamin Harrison took the oath of office as the 23rd president of the United States. In 1897, William McKinley took the oath of office as the 25th president of the United States. In 1909, the Taft administration was ushered in with a baptism of snow and slush accompanied by a 75 mph gale. Despite weather conditions, the inauguration parade, or, rather a portion of it, was held. William Taft was the 27th president. In 1913, laughter and tears marked the passage of the 62nd United States Congress. Humor and pathos, congratulations and condolences, were the final scenes closing the old Congress as a defeated "Uncle Joe" Cannon departed the Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1913, Woodrow Wilson took the oath of office to become the 28th president of the United States. In 1917, Jeanette Rankin, a Montana Republican, was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives. She was the first woman to serve in Congress. In 1921, Warren G. Harding took the oath of office as the 29th president of the United States. In 1929, Herbert Hoover took the oath of office as the 31th president of the United States. In 1933, Frances Perkins was sworn in as U.S. labor secretary, becoming the first female member of the Cabinet. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt took the oath of office as the 32nd president of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1958, the U.S. atomic submarine Nautilus reached the North Pole by passing beneath the Arctic ice cap. It would become the first submarine to pass underneath the North Pole later that year. In 1966, John Lennon told Britain's Evening Standard that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus." The comments sparked condemnation and protests the following summer. UPI File Photo In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan acknowledged his administration swapped arms to Iran for U.S. hostages and said, "It was a mistake." In 1994, four men were found guilty in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. In 2021, one of the convictions of three of the defendants, Ahmed Ajaj, Mahmud Abouhalima and Mohammed A. Salameh, were overturned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1999, a U.S. Marine pilot whose plane had snapped a ski-lift cable in Italy, killing 20 people, was acquitted of charges of involuntary homicide and manslaughter. In 2005, homemaking guru Martha Stewart returned home after serving five months in a federal prison for conspiracy, obstruction of an agency proceeding and making false statements to federal investigators. In 2015, a report released by the Department of Justice found that the Ferguson Police Department routinely performed "suspicionless, legally unsupportable stops" against the Black residents of the Missouri city. In 2022, Russian forces took control of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, France became the first country in the world to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution. Days later, in a ceremony to mark International Women's Day, French President Emmanuel Macron called on the European Union to do the same in its Charter of Fundamental Rights. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Dayton Department of Public Works is now under new management. The city of Dayton has just announced the appointment of Tom Ritchie as director of Public Works. Ritchie has decades of experience with Public Works, having served 30 years in the Waste Collection division in a variety of roles. Dayton expected to tackle 250 blighted structures in 2025 As director, Ritchie will oversee more than 230 employees in five Public Works divisions: Waste Collection, Street Maintenance, Civil Engineering, Fleet Management and Property Management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ritchie has worked for the city of Dayton for 37 years, serving as deputy director of Public Works since 2018. During his time as deputy director, Ritchie developed employee training programs, labor relations and labor contract negotiations. He also led the department in collaborative Dayton Recovery Plan-funded projects like neighborhood blight removal. As Public Works director, Tom Ritchie will continue to make a great difference for Dayton residents and businesses, as well as employees, said Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein. We look forward to his continued contributions to essential public services in Dayton. Ritchie will assume the position of director after the retirement of Fred Stovall, who served the city of Dayton for 24 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Two Washington, D.C., officers who were convicted in the 2020 death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown have been reinstated to the citys police force after being pardoned by President Donald Trump. The reinstatements of Metropolitan Police Officer Terence Sutton and Lt. Andrew Zabavsky were confirmed by a police spokesperson to HuffPost on Tuesday. The spokesperson declined further comment, reasoning that its a personnel matter. Both officers were charged with improperly chasing Hylton-Brown in a police vehicle and then conspiring to cover up their actions and the severity of his resulting, fatal injuries. They were pardoned by Trump just days after he took office in January. This image from a police-worn body camera shows Karon Hylton-Brown, 20, on the ground after a moped chase on Oct. 23, 2020. via Associated Press Both will need to go through extensive retraining before their assignments are determined, a police source told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hylton-Brown was riding a moped on a sidewalk without a helmet when he was chased by the two men. Such offenses are considered traffic infractions and are not to be pursued by police, according to the departments official policy. Hylton-Brown crashed his scooter into a car while coming out of an alley ahead of the officers vehicle on Oct. 23, 2020. He died two days later from his injuries. Sutton, who was behind the wheel, was convicted of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice in the crash. He was sentenced to 66 months in prison last September. Washington Metropolitan Police Department police officers push back demonstrators on Oct. 28, 2020, following the death of Karon Hylton-Brown. via Associated Press Zabavsky, who was supervising Sutton at the time of the crash, was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice and was also sentenced in September to 48 months in prison. Both men have been out on bail while appealing their convictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said the officers drove at unreasonable speeds and at one point drove in the wrong direction down a one-way street during their pursuit of Hylton-Brown, who was unarmed. After the crash, the officers turned off their body-worn cameras, allowed the driver that struck Hylton-Brown to leave the scene, and discussed how to cover up what had happened as Hylton-Brown lay dying of his injuries in the road. Neither officer notified the citys major crash unit and they submitted a false account of what happened, with Zabavsky falsely suggesting that Hylton-Brown was driving the moped while intoxicated, the Justice Department said. Suttons attorney Kellen Dwyer, in a statement praising Trumps pardon back in January, had argued that the conviction would have been reversed in the D.C. Circuit because Sutton was acting on a tip that Hylton-Brown was involved in a gang-related altercation. This detail, he said, was kept from the jury. The D.C. Police Union, reacting to news of their pardons in January, called their convictions glaring miscarriages of justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These officers men of integrity and dedication were targeted by corrupt prosecutors who weaponized the legal system against them, the union said. Hylton-Browns mother, Karen Hylton, had begged Trump in a letter not to pardon both men upon hearing of his consideration. Do not pardon these murderers, she told CNN back in January. Im asking him, do not pardon them. Related... DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) The Decatur City Council banned the use of sweepstakes machines within city limits. Council members voted for the measure 7-0 Monday night. While they were not in Decatur, members said they wanted to be proactive. Decatur City Council tables massage parlor ordinance discussion The sweepstake machines look like licensed video gaming machines but are unregulated under state law. The kiosks are also often deceptive that they advertise themselves as free to play but often are not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State lawmakers have attempted to ban these machines across Illinois, but have not been successful as of yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday announced that it has launched an anti-circumvention investigation into certain optical fiber products imported from the United States. The products under investigation are certain cut-off shifted single-mode optical fiber products, the ministry said in a statement, adding that the investigation period is six months, starting from March 4, and may be extended under special circumstances. The ministry said it initiated the investigation after receiving an application from a domestic firm in February. After reviewing the firm's application and related evidence in accordance with relevant regulations, the ministry concluded that the applicant's claims meet the requirements to file an anti-circumvention investigation, the statement said. This is the first anti-circumvention investigation in China, a ministry spokesperson said, noting that the purpose of such investigations is to ensure the effect of trade remedy measures, and that many members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have engaged in such practices. Evidence submitted by the applicant shows that U.S. exporters may have circumvented China's anti-dumping measures on related U.S. optical fiber products by exporting certain cut-off shifted single-mode optical fiber products to China. Authorities will conduct the investigation in accordance with the law, fully protect the rights of all stakeholders, and issue an objective and impartial decision based on the results of the investigation, the spokesperson said. Shi Xiaoli, a professor at the School of International Law, China University of Political Science and Law, said that the initiation of this investigation aligns with China's legal provisions and the common practices of WTO members, and will prevent potential circumvention practices by relevant U.S. producers or exporters. "This will enrich China's trade remedy investigation practices and make our country's trade remedy measures more effective," she told Xinhua. If the investigation determines that circumvention exists, China may adopt necessary anti-circumvention measures such as expanding the scope of tariffs, according to Shi. With days before Deerfield Beach residents vote for a new mayor, a candidate who withdrew from the race last week filed a lawsuit asserting that one of the remaining candidates should be disqualified, alleging that candidate doesnt meet the residency requirements. But a lawyer for Broward County argues that the lawsuit, brought by longtime city activist Timothy Chaz Stevens, should be denied because Stevens withdrew from the race after filing the lawsuit and therefore has no personal stake in the outcome of the mayoral election. Stevens filed a lawsuit Feb. 24 in Broward Circuit Court, accusing another mayoral candidate, Dan Herz, of being improperly qualified for the March 11 election and of being ineligible because he hasnt been a city resident for the length of time required by the city charter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an election interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Herz has denied the accusation, saying he has lived in Deerfield Beach for years. Stevens lawsuit, which names as defendants Herz, Broward County Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott and the city of Deerfield Beach, demands that various measures be taken, including urging the city to halt Herzs candidacy and stopping the elections supervisor office from certifying or processing any votes cast for Herz. No longer a candidate Broward County Attorney Adam Katzman, responding Monday to Stevens lawsuit on behalf of the elections office, called attention to how Stevens withdrew his candidacy for mayor in a letter to the city clerk dated Feb. 27, just days after the lawsuit was filed. Katzman argued that Stevens legal argument suffers from a fatal flaw, writing that Stevens is no longer a candidate and therefore has no personal stake in the outcome of the mayoral election. Katzman also made additional arguments that touched upon what local government agencies are legally required to do in the lead-up to elections. Katzman wrote that under Florida law, a filing officer, such as the city of Deerfield Beach, is responsible for candidate qualification, but may not consider information beyond the candidates submitted qualification document. He called the citys role in reviewing qualifying paperwork as strictly ministerial, citing state law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further, Katzman also argued that the Broward elections office has a vested public interest in ensuring orderly elections, and what the lawsuit demands of the elections office would be inconsistent with Florida law and conducting an election in an orderly and efficient manner. Katzman added, The Supervisor takes no position on whether Dan Herz meets the qualifications to run for City Mayor. On Monday, Stevens disputed Katzmans arguments in a separate court filing, saying what matters is that Stevens was a candidate when he filed the lawsuit. Plaintiff filed this lawsuit while he was a candidate, and standing is determined at the time of filing, Stevens wrote. A subsequent withdrawal from candidacy does not moot the case, particularly when the challenge pertains to the legal qualifications of another candidate. Plaintiff, knowing these facts, intentionally suspended his campaign, removing any possible suggestion of political gamesmanship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stevens also argued there is more to the elections supervisors office responsibilities, beyond it being a mere administrator who simply counts votes. Candidates response As of Tuesday, the Broward Clerk of Courts site didnt list a response from Herz to the legal case. However, Herz previously addressed the residency question during an interview with the mayoral candidates, presented by the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board. Herz was asked by the Editorial Board if he lives with his wife at a Plantation residence, with the Editorial Board citing records that show she claims it as a primary residence with a homestead exemption. Herz replied, Im so glad that you mention that because my opponents have been digging around on that into my personal life. So let me set the record straight, once and for all, I disavowed my homestead (exemption) in Plantation in 2018, and I have the proof from (Broward Property Appraiser) Marty Kiars Office, the email to back that up. And as you know, it is against the law to have more than one homestead because I am legally married. So I would be breaking the law if I were to file for homestead on where I live in Deerfield Beach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked further by the Editorial Board about whether he lives in Plantation, Herz replied, No, I do not. I moved up from Plantation to Deerfield Beach permanently in 2018. In an email to the Sun Sentinel on Tuesday, Herz called the legal case a frivolous lawsuit, while noting a court hearing was set for Wednesday afternoon. In addition to Herz, there is another candidate, Todd Drosky, also seeking the mayoral seat. You will see for yourself on 3/5 @ 3:30 pm, Herz wrote. Todd already investigated my residency directly with (Property Appraiser) Marty Kiar. Herz wrote that Kiar told him everything was above board & legal. In a phone interview with the Sun Sentinel, Kiar said the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For property tax purposes only, hes in compliance with the law, Kiar said. His wife is homesteaded in Plantation. He doesnt have to be homesteaded there for her to get the homestead. But because they are a married couple he cannot under any circumstances homestead anywhere else. You can only have one homestead per family unit. Thats all I can opine about. Im not involved in the Deerfield mayor race and Im not endorsing anybody. Kiar also said Drosky hadnt called him about this issue, even though other people have. In the court hearing scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, Circuit Judge Keathan Frink was scheduled to weigh in on the legal case. The March 11 election will be held to replace Mayor Bill Ganz, who cannot run again because of term limits. Stevens is the second mayoral candidate to withdraw from the race. Another candidate, Caryl Berner, also previously withdrew. Both Stevens and Berners names will still be on the ballot when voters go to the polls. Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, the Defense Health Agency's top official, retired last week, according to a surprise announcement from the Pentagon on Friday. Dr. Stephen Ferrara, acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said Crosland, who had served as the agency's director for two years, was "beginning her retirement" effective Friday. No reason was given for her departure; Crosland had been scheduled to speak Monday at the AMSUS Society of Federal Health Professionals' annual meeting in National Harbor, Maryland. Her departure follows the high-profile firings last month of top military leaders, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. "CQ" Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife, and the services' top attorneys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: Fear and Chaos Hit Military Families After Sudden Firings of Top Leaders "I want to thank Lt. Gen. Crosland for her dedication to the nation, to the Military Health System, and to Army Medicine for the past 32 years," Ferrara said in a statement. Crosland graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1989 and earned her medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences before embarking on a career as a family medicine physician. She was the fourth director of the Defense Health Agency and the third Black woman to reach the rank of lieutenant general in the Army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When she assumed the role of DHA director, she pledged to focus on serving patients, creating a Defense Department medical system that best served active-duty members and their families. Under her watch, the DHA completed the rollout of its MHS Genesis electronic health records system, a $5.5 billion program that provided and managed a new medical records system built to be interoperable with the Department of Veterans Affairs system. The DHA also consolidated the organization's 20 regional medical markets into nine networks led by a general or flag officer who has responsibilities for both the service medical command duties -- taking care of active-duty personnel -- and the DHA, which manages hospitals, training, supplies, procurement, and the Tricare health program for military dependents and retirees. The news also follows reports of short- or understaffed military health facilities including Naval Hospital Bremerton, Washington, which planned to transfer roughly 700 Medicare-eligible internal medicine patients to civilian providers since shortages left the clinic manned with one physician for 2,200 beneficiaries, according to the Kitsap Sun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other hospitals, like Naval Hospital Okinawa, also have been chronically understaffed, resulting in stress for military personnel and families. And last month, deferred maintenance at the system's premier medical facility, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland -- where President Donald Trump is scheduled to receive his annual physical next month -- caused flooding and other system failures that delayed surgeries and sent patients elsewhere. Since Jan. 1, patients who use the Tricare health program also have experienced delays in specialty referrals and care, while some providers still have not been paid in more than eight weeks following a changeover in Tricare regional contract management companies and payment processors in the Tricare East and West Regions. As a result of those problems, Crosland issued a letter Feb. 3 to all Tricare beneficiaries saying the DHA had taken a number of steps to fix the issues and aimed to insulate patients from the turmoil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Individuals who need health care should get that care regardless of TriWest's ability to manage the process," Crosland wrote, referring to the Tricare West regional contractor, which assumed management of the West Region on Jan. 1. According to Ferrara, Dr. David Smith, who served as assistant secretary of defense for health affairs in 2017 and from 2021 to 2022, will serve as acting DHA director. Military.com reached out to Crosland on Monday for comment. She said she had nothing more to add than what had been released. Related: Tricare to Allow Patients in Tricare West Region to Receive Specialty Care Without Preapproval Sen. Charles E. Sydnor III (D-Baltimore County), left, talks wth Senate Judicial Proceedings Chair William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery). Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) A decade-long fight over whether to let terminally ill patients hasten their deaths with physician oversight returned Monday in a two-hour House hearing, but lawmakers again said the Senate is likely to be the stumbling block this year. The votes arent there. Not in committee and not on the floor, Senate Judicial Proceedings Chair Will Smith (D-Montgomery) said Monday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His comments came just hours after a joint hearing by the House Judiciary and the Government and Operations committees on House Bill 1328, the End of Life Option Act, which would allow certain terminally ill patients to request medical aid in dying with the help of a physician. In order to qualify under the bill, patients would have to have the capacity to make their own medical decisions and have less than six months to live. The legislation requires both an oral request and written request with two witnesses and a required wait time to ensure that the patient wants to go through with the measure, among other restrictions. Debate on the bill is often emotionally charged, a challenge to lawmakers moral values that does not cut cleanly on party lines. But the bills main sponsor, Del. Terri Hill (D-Howard), says it provides compassion and autonomy to those facing imminent death. Medical aid-in-dying has had a dramatic history in the General Assembly over the past decade. In 2019, the bill failed on a 23-23 tie in the Senate after one senator opted to not vote, saying he could not bring myself to vote one way or the other. In 2024, advocates and Senate leadership thought it would come to the floor, but it stalled Judicial Proceedings amid concerns that there were not enough votes to pass it out of committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Smith, who is sponsoring the legislation in the Senate this year, said changes in the membership of the Senate and his committee do not appear to have improved its chances this year. It will still have a hearing next week in Judicial Proceedings, Smith said, giving lawmakers a little time to consider the legislation. But Smith says medical aid-in-dying is not an issue you can twist arms on. Its a vote of conscience. Youre either there or youre not, he said. The moral dilemmas the bill presents were on display during Mondays joint House hearing. Supporters say the bill grants dying patients the ability to set the terms of their deaths, rather than waiting for the end to come possibly in severe pain due to their illnesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I ask you all, yet again, how many more Marylanders have to die without this option? asked Brandi Alexander, an advocate with Compassion and Choices, a nonprofit advocacy group pushing for aid-in-dying legislation across the U.S. We sit here year after year, debating opinions and statistics and facts, but this is about people dying people that, frankly, deserve more from their leadership, said Alexander, a Prince Georges County resident. She referenced a survey of Maryland voters last year on the issue that found nearly 70% of Marylanders supported medical aid-in-dying options. The poll was conducted by Annapolis-based Gonzales Research & Media and commissioned by Compassion and Choices. Yet and still, we continue to spend hours and now years actually pontificating while dying people are suffering, Alexander said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Del. Brian Chisholm (R-Anne Arundel) noted the reappearance of the bill over the years, but said he held the same reservations about this bill this session as he has in the past. There are a lot of vulnerable people. There are people who are disabled theres people who cant communicate, he said. And thats always going to be my concern with this legislation. People with Alzheimers, starting to lose their mind, people who are elderly who are not all the way there. Its a vote of conscience. Youre either there or youre not. Sen. Will Smith (D-Montgomery) I just dont know if there are enough protections that could ever be put in place to make sure that the most vulnerable among us are not taken advantage of are not coerced into choosing these things, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laura Bogley, executive director for Maryland Right to Life, worries that passing the current bill would snowball into bigger issues. A procedure that begins with safe, legal and rare can quickly become an unregulated monopoly that deprives patients access to life-saving alternatives, she said. We urge you to put patients over profits and keep assisted suicide in criminal codes where it belongs. The disability community was split on the issue Monday. Nicole LeBlanc, a resident from Silver Spring who is on the autism spectrum, opposes the legislation. She fears people with disabilities would consider medical aid-in-dying options because they dont want to be to be a burden to their families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Seth Morgan, who has multiple sclerosis and also advocates for Compassion and Choices, supports the bill because disability is not a terminal illness and he believes there are enough protections in it to protect the disability community from widespread misuse of the bill. Hill assured that those who are not mentally capable of making their own medical decisions would not be eligible to receive medical aid-in-dying options. But without support from the Judicial Proceedings Committee, the fight could continue for another year, to the disappointment of advocates who support of the legislation. If I sound angry, its because weve worked for 10 years and its usually some kind of political pandering that doesnt let this bill see the daylight, Edna Hirsch said in support of the legislation Monday. Please, I beg you, let this get to the General Assembly. Let it get out of committee and let it get voted on. Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, and Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, are calling for a constitutional amendment that would let voters decide on abortion rights in West Virginia. (West Virginia Legislative Photography) As abortion is almost completely banned in West Virginia, Democrats in the Senate and House of Delegates will try again to let voters decide whether to reinstate abortion rights. Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, and Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, introduced identical legislation in their respective chambers that would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in the 2026 general election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would ask voters whether a person has a right to make and carry out ones own reproductive decisions, including decisions on miscarriage care, contraception, fertility treatment and abortion. I dont see a problem with allowing the people to say what they think, instead of this being a legislative issue, Garcia said. I believe this should be a decision thats made between a family and a medical provider. The resolution, Garcia noted, comes as 10 Republican lawmakers introduced a bill to remove the rape and incest exception for adults and children in West Virginias near-total abortion ban. In 2023, there were 16 abortions in West Virginia. In 2018, just under 52% of West Virginians approved a ballot measure that stated, Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, the U.S. The Supreme Court decided in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization that the Constitution does not protect abortion rights. West Virginia lawmakers passed the states current abortion ban in 2022 in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling. Nationally, broader support for abortion has risen since the Dobbs decision. In a Post-Dobbs and Roe America, West Virginians deserve the right to have a say in their own health care, Young said. The GOP are obsessed with controlling the lives and bodies of our people. West Virginias state code permits only lawmakers to approve constitutional amendments to be put on ballots, compared to other states, like Ohio, where citizens can initiate ballot measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young introduced a similar resolution last year, but it wasnt taken up for consideration in the House. Democrats call for a constitutional amendment on abortion faces a slim to none chance of being considered by an overwhelming Republican Legislature, Garcia said. He is one of two Democrats in the Senate. But I think its still important that it keeps being brought up, he said. Thats the only ability I have as a legislator to bring up those things that I think are important and my constituents are talking to me about. Garcias resolution has been sent to the Senate Judiciary committee, where Chairman Sen. Mike Stuart, R-Kanawha, will decide if it will be considered. Stuart said that the Judiciary Committee has many important pieces of legislation to consider this session and hell see whether theyre able to include it. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE President Donald Trump will see an audience dotted with fired federal workers when he delivers his speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, as a slew of Democrats plan to bring sacked employees to protest the administrations sweeping cuts of the federal workforce particularly veterans. In previous years, Democrats have boycotted Trumps speech as a way to show their disapproval of his policies. But this year, party leaders urged them to take a different route, opting instead to bring the president face to face with a handful of the thousands of people his administrations slash-and-burn approach to shrinking the federal government has impacted. Democrats are specifically seeking to highlight how the administration is hurting former service members a sore point for the president, who loves to tout his support from the military community but has also repeatedly drawn criticism for his comments about veterans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a Navy veteran, led a letter addressed to Office of Personnel Management Acting Director Charles Ezell and signed by eleven other Democrats on Monday voicing concern about the high number of veterans impacted by the downsizing operation led by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency. According to the letter, nearly 6,000 veterans have been fired across the federal government in DOGEs chainsaw cuts. The letters signatories are among the many Democrats bringing former service members fired from government positions to the joint session address Tuesday night, including Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who invited Kyle Rahn, a disabled Arizona veteran fired from the Department of Homeland Security two weeks ago. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) will bring Jason King of Fairfax, Virginia, a disabled vet who was fired from his job in the Federal Aviation Administrations safety division. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is bringing disabled Army veteran Alissa Ellman who was abruptly fired from her job at the Buffalo VA also spoke out about the impact of the cuts on veterans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firing [Ellman], firing veterans and slashing thousands from the VA workforce is outrageous and should be reversed, Schumer said in a press release. This is not how you treat our veterans its not just unacceptable, its un-American. Army Veteran Adam Mulvey, who was fired from his position as an emergency management specialist at Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago which provides medical services for active duty military personnel, veterans and their families will be a guest of Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). I am very concerned as both a veteran and a federal employee about what firings like the one I experienced will mean for health care providers like FHCC Lovell, Mulvey said in a release from Schneiders office. Not only was I an employee, but I receive my own healthcare at FHCC Lovell, as do my wife and children. Thousands of veterans come there for excellent care I am concerned that a reduction in staff and a drastic budget cut will reduce the quality of care. Mulvey called his firing insulting, saying he was told his position was terminated because of poor performance despite consistently positive evaluations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story. But Alina Habba, who serves as a senior adviser to the president, defended the administrations firing of veterans on Tuesday afternoon outside the White House as invitations for fired veterans to attend his speech piled up. That doesnt mean that we forget our veterans by any means, Habba said. We are going to care for them in the right way, but perhaps theyre not fit to have a job at this moment, or not willing to come to work. Some Democrats on Tuesday announced their plans to boycott the speech altogether, including Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Ron Wyden of Oregon, as well as Reps. Gerry Connolly and Don Beyer of Virginia, among others. Rep. Becca Balint (Vt.) and Sens. Ed Markey (Mass.), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Angela Alsobrooks (Md.) and Brian Schatz (Hawaii) will host a separate event with real time fact-checking of the presidents speech, as well as live reactions. And others are dipping into the wider pool of fired federal employees. Others set to attend Tuesday nights speech include former National Science Foundation employee Doug Kowalewski, a guest of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and several former National Park Service rangers. While Democrats were condemning Donald Trumps decision Monday to pause military aide to Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was being peppered with hostile messages on Elon Musk's X. White House officials told various media outlets that the U.S. would temporarily freeze more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition that is already ordered or in production for Ukraine, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidized purchases from American arms makers. The decision comes after a diplomatic press conference exploded into on-camera rancor on Friday, prompting fury from Trump and an outpouring of support for Zelenskyfrom European leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Musk's right-leaning social media site X, formerly Twitter, the reaction to Monday night's news was very different. "You are leading your people to the slaughter!" said one. "Good riddance!" said another. Many repeated Trump's false claims about Zelensky being a dictator, or offered conspiracy theories about the nature of the war. Democratic politicians condemned Trump's decision, while Republicans offered mixed views. "First, Donald Trump blamed Zelensky for Putins invasion of Ukraine. Then, he says he trusts Putin. Now, he has frozen bipartisan military aid," Massachusetts senator and former presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its clear that Donald Trump is putting his fragile ego before our national security siding with Putin over US allies in Europe." First, Donald Trump blamed Zelenskyy for Putins invasion of Ukraine. Then, he says he trusts Putin. Now, hes frozen bipartisan military aid. Its clear that Donald Trump is putting his fragile ego before our national security siding with Putin over U.S. allies in Europe. https://t.co/ED2GhUFkVG Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 4, 2025 Philadelphia representative Brendan Boyle called it "reckless, indefensible, and a direct threat to our national security," noting that military aid was approved by both parties in Congress. New York representative called it an attempt at "extortion. Republican senator Susan Collins denounced the pause, saying Ukrainians are "shedding blood" in defense of their country, while her colleague Markwayne Mullin said that the war has "no end in sight," and that American taxpayers had no obligation to keep funding it. News of the decision broke in the middle of the European night, so EU leaders largely had not commented as of late Monday evening. However, an anonymous European official told CNN the freeze was "petty and wrong, arguing it would lead to unnecessary civilian casualties due to a lack of air defense missiles Democratic lawmakers are exploring protest options ahead of US President Donald Trumps speech to Congress on Tuesday, 4 March, including direct disruption. Source: Axios, citing sources in the Democratic Party, as reported by European Pravda Details: Currently, there is no consensus among Democrats, both inside and outside Congress, on the best way to express their disapproval. Some Congress members have indicated they may walk out when Trump says certain phrases they find objectionable, according to lawmakers who spoke to Axios. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Criticism of trans kids might be one such statement that would prompt members to take action, one House Democrat said. Another planned protest tactic is to hold up placards opposing Trump or the Department of Government Efficiency. Some lawmakers plan to protest by wearing specific colours, with women opting for either pink or black. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur intends to give out ties and scarves in the colours of the Ukrainian flag to show support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Some politicians intend to sit with expressionless faces and refrain from clapping throughout Trump's speech. Background: Trump is reported to have ordered the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine until he sees Ukraine's leaders "demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace". Trump's decision also applies to weapons that have left the United States and are en route to the Ukrainian border Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! (Bloomberg) -- Jessica Martinez, a breast cancer survivor who lives with multiple sclerosis and relies on Medicaid to pay for medication, will be sitting in the House gallery when President Donald Trump delivers his address to Congress Tuesday evening. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Trump takes center stage before an expected prime-time audience of tens of millions, Democrats plan to do everything they can through guest invitations, televised rebuttals and even their choice of dress to use the moment to drive home the opposition partys criticism of Republicans political agenda. Chief among those themes is Democrats argument that Trump and his Republican congressional allies are cutting crucial services for the poor, the disabled and the middle class to fund tax cuts for billionaires. Fired federal workers and beneficiaries of safety-net programs such as Medicaid will be arrayed in Democrats guest seats, including Martinez, a 49-year-old from Peekskill in New Yorks Hudson Valley invited by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. She will be joined by a child whose life was saved by federal medical research now under attack, fired park rangers and veterans who lost their federal jobs. We want the focus to be on everyday Americans, their health, their safety, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar of California told reporters Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But dont necessarily expect viral moments, like former Speaker Nancy Pelosi tearing up Trumps speech in 2020 or Republican Representative Joe Wilson yelling you lie! when then-President Barack Obama delivered a 2009 address to Congress. Standing up and shouting may make me feel good but I want the focus to be on what he is saying, Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, an outspoken progressive, said. Im going to be at the speech although Id rather have a thousand needles poked into my eye than look at that man. Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin, who won election in a battleground state with a large base of blue-collar voters that Trump carried, is delivering the partys marquee response in a televised address following Trumps speech. Auto manufacturers based in her home state face severe disruptions from the tariffs on Canada and Mexico Trump imposed on Tuesday because of the industrys complex supply chain is integrated across North America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve got to chart a way forward that actually improves peoples lives in the country we all love, and Im looking forward to laying that out, Slotkin said beforehand. Many Democratic women in the House and Senate will wear pink to the address, a way of catching the television audiences attention and signaling protest of Trumps policies. The color pink represents womens power and persistence, according to an email sent to members of the Democratic Womens Caucus. Were powerful, passionate, the statement added, Trump is raising costs, not lowering them, and we will push back. The womens caucus has previously worn a uniform color, such as white, historically associated with the suffragette voting rights movement, to major speeches to call attentions to policy stances and demonstrate unity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a press conference in the morning, Democratic women held signs criticizing Republican policies including When Trump cuts Medicaid, pregnant women lose healthcare, grandmas lose nursing care. Some other Democrats are boycotting the event. Maxine Waters of California, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, said she sees no reason to attend. He has disrespected me. He has called me names. Why should I respect him? Waters said Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told CNN he will instead be holding a live prebuttal, because he believes the speech will be a farce. --With assistance from Steven T. Dennis and Emily Birnbaum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. President Donald Trump arrives this week on Capitol Hill to deliver a speech to Congress, a coequal branch of government he has bulldozed past this first month in office, wielding unimaginable executive power to get what he wants, at home and abroad. Democrats, after their stunning rejection by voters, are slowly beginning to mount a resistance. They are fighting Trump in court, with amicus briefs to protect federal workers, and filing legislation to serve as a check on what House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York calls the parade of horribles. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the minority party, they are limited in their power, but several Democrats are inviting fired federal workers, among other guests, to the presidents speech tomorrow. Rep. Morgan McGarvey will bring Dr. Kim Schatzel, president of the University of Louisville, a public research university impacted by Trumps freeze on federal funding, including funds for the National Institutes of Health, according to a press release from the Congressmans office. HOW TO WATCH THE JOINT CONGRESSIONAL ADDRESS A number of networks have said they plan to air the Republican presidents address across their broadcast and streaming platforms, with special programming before and afterward. It begins at 9:10 p.m. Eastern. The Associated Press will air a livestream online at apnews.com and on its YouTube channel. Read more of the latest Kentucky news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Trumps speech, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin will give the Democrats message in response, also televised. Democratic leaders say Slotkin will likely focus on economic issues. Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York will give a Spanish-language response, coming days after Trump signed an executive order designating English as the official U.S. language. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. By Alimat Aliyeva Coffee warehouses in Brazil, usually stocked with millions of bags of aromatic beans, are now nearly empty, Azernews reports. After recovering from one of the worst droughts in recorded history, Brazilian coffee farmers sold nearly all their beans months ahead of the new harvest. This is due to global prices nearly doubling over the past 14 months, reaching a historic high. Farmers in Brazil, the world's largest coffee producer, have exhausted their stocks to capitalize on record exports in 2024. However, Vietnam, the second-largest coffee exporter, saw its exports fall by 17.2 percent compared to 2023, as the countrys robusta coffee producers struggled with adverse weather conditions last year, according to the Reuters news agency. Prices for Arabica coffee, the most popular variety used in most roasted ground coffee, increased by 70 percent in 2024 and nearly 20 percent this year, reaching an all-time high. Robusta, the second most popular variety often used in instant coffee, surged 72 percent in 2024 and peaked at $5,847 per ton on February 12 of this year. "Weve never had such low stocks in February, but the new harvest is still far away. We wont have much coffee to sell until the next harvest starts. And its not just us, its everywhere," said Villian Cesar Freyria, sales manager at Cocapec, Brazil's third-largest coffee cooperative. A similar pattern is observed at Cooxupe, the worlds largest coffee production cooperative, located in the state of Minas Gerais. While the warehouses may seem full, almost all the stock has already been sold and is simply waiting to be shipped, explains Andre Silva Pinto, storage coordinator at Cooxupe. The analytical firm Safras & Mercado confirms these figures, estimating that 88 percent of the coffee has been sold, and brokerage firm Pine Agronegocios reports that only 8 percent of the crop remains on the market. The reduction in exports means that warehouses may be empty by May, while the new harvest wont begin until late May or June. The first shipment of fresh beans is expected no earlier than July, which will create additional challenges for the market. Coffee prices are expected to continue rising amid the shortages, with farmers negotiating with international buyers. This shortage has intensified the volatility in the global coffee market. While the surge in prices benefits Brazilian farmers, it also puts pressure on consumers and international buyers, especially in countries that rely on affordable coffee imports. The low stock levels and upcoming gap in supply could lead to higher prices for consumers, with the added risk of disruptions in coffee availability. As climate change continues to impact crop yields globally, the coffee industry is also exploring new ways to adapt to these unpredictable weather patterns, including investing in more resilient coffee varieties and sustainable farming practices. BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese spokesperson on Tuesday told the United States that the Chinese people have never been swayed by fallacies, deterred by intimidation, or cowed by bullying. Pressuring, coercion or threat is not the right way to engage with China, and exerting maximum pressure on China is a mistargeted and miscalculated approach, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said when commenting on the U.S. imposition of additional tariffs on Chinese imports citing the fentanyl issue as an excuse, despite China's repeated opposition. "It is legitimate and necessary for China to take countermeasures to defend its rights and interests," he said. The root cause of the fentanyl issue lies in the United States itself. "In the spirit of humanity and our friendship with the American people, we have taken strong steps to help the U.S. with its response to the fentanyl issue. This is obvious to all and people from various sectors in the U.S. have expressed thanks to China on multiple occasions," Lin said. "Instead of recognizing our effort, the U.S. has smeared and shifted blames onto China, and pressured and blackmailed China with tariff hikes. They are punishing us for helping them," he said. If the United States really wants to settle the fentanyl issue, it needs to stand by the principles of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit and engage in consultation with China to address each other's concerns, Lin said. "If the U.S. has other agenda in mind and insists on waging a tariff war, trade war or whatever war, China will not flinch and is ready to make due response," he said. "We urge the U.S. to stop being domineering and return to the right track of dialogue and cooperation at an early date," he said. House Democrats are discussing a way to "productively" disrupt President Donald Trumps speech to Congress but they havent come to a consensus on the best protest tactic, according to a report. Democrats are considering a range of plans to protest against Trumps joint Congressional address Tuesday evening, Axios reported. Others are weighing other tactics, such as boycotting the speech, but they are aligned in trying to find a way to convey outrage at how the presidents first two months in office have gone. The part that we all agree on is that this is not business as usual and we would like to find a way productively to express our outrage," one House Democrat told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress members may even hold up noisemakers or other props to demonstrate their frustration. Some of these ideas include displaying eggs or empty egg cartons to comment on the all-time high prices. Another is pocket constitutions to comment on his alleged Constitutional violations and anti-Trump and Department of Government Efficiency signs, the outlet reported. Lawmakers were explicitly urged against using props at recent meetings, two Democratic lawmakers told the outlet. President Donald Trump is set to give a speech to Congress Tuesday evening and House Democrats are figuring out a way to disrupt it. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously ripped up Trumps speech behind him at the 2020 State of the Union (AP) Other House Democrats are contemplating walking out if he crosses a line when mentioning certain stances, such as criticism of transgender children, one lawmaker told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not everyone is convinced a protest is the right move. There are definitely a lot of constituents that really want Democrats to disrupt and there are ... constituents who feel like that just plays into his hands," a House Democrat told Axios. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote a letter Monday to House Democrats that he understands if they choose to ditch the speech, but encouraged a "strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber." He and other party leaders plan to attend the speech in order "make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance, he wrote. Others still are planning to convey their disapproval through their wardrobes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic Women's Caucus is encouraging all of its members to wear pink, Congresswomen from the Congressional Black Caucus are discussing sporting black, and the Ukraine Caucus co-chair, Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur, is planning on doling out blue and yellow scarves the colors of Ukraines flag to show support for Volodymyr Zelensky after last weeks disastrous Oval Office meeting. "Whether we are wearing pink, or black, or yellow and blue, we are all conveying our displeasure with this administration," Virgin Islands Rep. Stacey Plaskett told Axios. "What's more important is our work together and the pressure for three Republicans to do the right thing for everyone. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson last week insisted Republicans show decorum during the presidents Tuesday speech. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wears a Laken Riley shirt as she arrives before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in March 2024 (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) But this type of decorum during presidential addresses seems to have gone out the window in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During former President Joe Bidens state of the union, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene handed out Laken Riley pins and shouted at him to say her name during his address. Four years earlier, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi showed dissent during Trumps last state of the union address of his first term when she ripped up a copy of his speech. She later explained the move to reporters: It was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternative. Former South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson famously yelled, You lie! during Obamas 2009 State of the Union. He was later reprimanded by the House for the outburst. Democrats are scrambling to rethink their strategy of using Republican town halls to oppose GOP-led plans to slash spending on Medicaid and other government services. Left-leaning organization Indivisible, which had been spearheading the efforts to disrupt constituent town halls, is calling on Democratic lawmakers to host their own town halls during the March recess or the group will do it for them, according to an email obtained by POLITICO. And other top Democrats, like former vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, are saying they might hold their own events to carry the message in Republican-held districts. The move follows NRCC chair Richard Hudsons (R-N.C.) directive in a closed-door meeting with House Republicans on Tuesday that Republicans should forego holding in-person town halls, as GOP members look to tamp down the disruptions as they debate major spending cuts to social programs in their upcoming budget. GOP party members, including President Donald Trump, have blamed paid troublemakers attending the contentious town halls, a claim which is unsubstantiated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Republicans are going to hide from their constituents, its critical that Democrats are as visible as possible in engaging with the American people about the harms and threats of GOP governance and policies, the email from Indivisible reads. The email is part of an ongoing effort by the grassroots organization to encourage Democratic lawmakers to raise the political temperature and combat Republican priorities in Congress while tech billionaire Elon Musk cuts government spending and lays off federal workers. Indivisible led efforts to protest proposals to repeal the Affordable Care Act during Trump's first presidency in 2017 the disruptions were considered part of a rolling tide of public opinion against reversing the law, and Republican efforts to do so ultimately came up short. The outside group appeared to be trying to replicate the playbook this time around as Republicans looked for ways to pay for tax cuts, but Republicans are canceling the venues for protest altogether. Some Democrats, who continue to see party infighting on messaging and campaigning tactics, view Indivisibles call on Democratic lawmakers as a sign that the organization misunderstands Democrats current political priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am absolutely taking it as a threat. When this kind of message goes out, especially to battleground members, it shows how out of touch and out of step these organizations are with the current political climate and reality of what needs to happen in order to keep these seats and take back the majority, a House Democratic aide, granted permission to speak candidly, told POLITICO. But for some Democrats, quashing the protests is an opening for Democratic lawmakers to host town halls in red districts. If your Republican representative wont meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will, Walz, the Minnesota governor, said in a post on X. Hell, maybe I will. If your congressman refuses to meet, Ill come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat em. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) shared similar sentiments in an op-ed for The American Prospect, which was published prior to the meeting Hudson held with House Republicans. Khanna announced he would visit three red districts in California starting March 24 and speak out against DOGEs mass firings and the Republicans Medicaid cuts. This is a moment for progressives to speak directly to people across the country, especially in places that have been hollowed out by the offshoring of jobs and failed policies that have put billionaires over the working class, Khanna wrote. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic lawmakers are demanding an explanation from the Pentagon over an order to pause offensive cyber operations against Russia during negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The pause in such cyber operations, which is not unusual during sensitive diplomatic initiatives, was first reported by The Record and was confirmed to Reuters by two sources familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity. Offensive cyber operations, which disrupt or disable rivals' computer networks, are distinct from cyberespionage, which is aimed at intercepting data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The details of the pause have not been made public, but it has further rattled Democratic lawmakers disturbed by President Donald Trump's administration's conciliatory approach toward Moscow. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the move. "It is a critical strategic mistake for Donald Trump to unilaterally disarm against Putin," Schumer said on X on Sunday. "The best defense is always a strong offense, and thats true for cybersecurity too," he added. Representative Adam Smith, the top Democrat in the House Armed Services Committee, said on Monday the Pentagon owed Congress an explanation, including about the scope of the order and the expected impact on U.S. allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith also asked "whether any risk assessment was made in advance of the order or is currently underway as a result of the order." The Pentagon declined to comment. "Due to operational security concerns, we do not comment nor discuss cyber intelligence, plans, or operations," a senior U.S. defense official said. Trump publicly clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week during a dramatic Oval Office meeting, threatening to yank U.S. support for Ukraine three years after Russia's invasion. After promising an immediate end to the Russia-Ukraine war during his campaign, Trump has quickly reversed U.S. policy by opening talks with Moscow over the head of Ukraine and without consulting its other Western allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, he condemned Zelenskiy after the Ukrainian leader was quoted saying the end was "very, very far away". "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be Peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S." (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Stephen Coates) Democrats are rejecting House Republicans plan to pass a stopgap spending bill through the end of September, raising the specter of a government shutdown in President Donald Trumps first 100 days and setting up a test of how far Democrats are willing to go to counter his administration. Top Democrats in the House and Senate are sharply opposed to Speaker Mike Johnsons strategy for a six-month funding extension, insisting it would give even more leeway to Trump and Elon Musk to slash government programs. They also fear that agreeing to the GOPs lengthy extension could weaken some of the only leverage they have in a GOP-controlled Congress, and could potentially damage an argument in court cases challenging the White Houses spending actions. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, called the GOPs plan for a one-year funding extension a non-starter and predicted Democrats would be unified in opposition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre in charge. And weve tried to negotiate, DeLauro said, insisting its the GOPs responsibility to fund the government since they control both chambers of Congress. Elon Musk wants a shutdown. Why? Because then its carte blanche open parks, get rid of EPA, no research. Its carte blanche. He is for that. Republican leaders still believe that Democrats will ultimately fold in the face of a possible shutdown after the March 14 deadline and deliver the votes to help a funding bill reach Trumps desk. With Republicans in control of Washington, Democrats are limited in what they can do, but Republicans will need their votes to pass a spending bill through Congress, creating an opportunity for the party locked out of power to make demands and potentially extract concessions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have not yet communicated a plan to their members. Yet Democrats appear emboldened at a moment in which they have few other options to stand up to the Trump administrations efforts to shrink government, fire federal workers and shutter the work of agencies Congress already funded. And many Democrats argue that Republicans not Democrats would face public backlash for shutdown because they control the House, Senate and White House. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks during a January 6 commemoration press conference on January 6, 2025, in Washington, DC. - Jon Cherry/Getty Images They run around telling everybody they have this great big mandate. Well, put on your mandate pants and pass what you want. If you want to work with us then they know what they have to do, said Rep. Jim McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California Rep. Juan Vargas said Democrats are in no mood to help bail out Republicans when they are focused on trying to fight against billionaire giveaways. They want us to be part of that? Hell no. Wed rather close down the government. And I think thats where were headed. Because they dont want to compromise, Vargas said. If Democrats remain dug in, Johnson would need to deliver the votes for his so-called clean continuing resolution with Republican support alone. But with a small majority and two Republicans, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Tony Gonzales of Texas, already opposed Johnson may fall short of the votes he needs to execute on that plan, too. Democrats say their preference is to force Johnson into a shorter-term spending bill that would allow appropriators to finish full-year spending bills and could give them more leverage to ensure Congress not the administration has power to dictate how federal funds are used. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are in a position to enact an appropriations bill and we need a little more time so why wouldnt we buy ourselves a little more time. There actually is no need for this brinkmanship, Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democratic appropriator from Hawaii, said. Privately, House GOP leaders acknowledge it will be difficult to pass the plan without Democratic votes and are leaning hard on their conservatives with help from the White House to back it. Trumps budget director, Russ Vought, made the case behind the scenes to Freedom Caucus members on Monday night, arguing that the government needs to stay open for the work of DOGE to continue, according to a person in the room. The next morning, Rep. Andy Harris, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, told CNN that he would support it because the president wants it. And a group of House conservatives are planning to meet with Trump at the White House on Wednesday, according to two sources familiar with the meeting. The GOP plan would essentially put government spending on autopilot for the next six months, alongside some small adjustments or anomalies, such as funding for certain military projects. But Democratic leaders say they would reject that extension because it doesnt carry the usual legal constraints that come with bipartisan, negotiated packages such as requiring the White House to abide by Congresss funding wishes, according to multiple people familiar with those high-level discussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And if the White House chooses not to fund certain agencies or programs, Democrats insist they will have a weaker legal argument to challenge that in court. Democratic leadership circulated a memo outlining the argument against a full-year stopgap over the weekend. The seven-page memo drafted by Sen. Patty Murray, which was obtained by CNN, labeled Trumps plan as a power grab that would allow Trump and Russ Vought to turn off cash for blue states for whatever vindictive or punitive reason they think up while giving them authority over large slush funds for any new money. Congress should not pass a full-year CR that would cede immense discretion and authority to President Trump, Elon Musk, and Russ Vought to zero out programs and redirect funding as they see fit, the memo states. Republicans, though, are making clear that they are not adding what they view as poison pill language to attempt to win Democratic votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were going to write a CR thats non-objectionable to every quarter as we can make it, whether youre in the Freedom Caucus or in the Democratic caucus. Were not trying to put 40 pills in, trying to hide anything. Were not trying to fool you. I dont want to give you an excuse to vote no, House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole told reporters, adding that it would include no new language on DOGE. Were not putting any DOGE cuts in the CR, the Oklahoma Democrat said. Negotiators still have more than 10 days to find a path ahead but senior Democrats are warning that the full-year stopgap would not be acceptable even if it doesnt include cuts that would enshrine DOGE, as Johnson previously floated. Democrats have been cautious in their messaging around the upcoming deadline, with top lawmakers stressing that Republicans are the ones in charge of Washington. But behind the scenes, many Democrats are insisting that they are not afraid of political ramifications and believe voters will blame Trump and the GOP for any fallout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Schumer memo is a key signal that Democrats are preparing their members to dig in on the fight, though it remains unclear whether a handful of Democratic senators would join Republicans to avert a shutdown. There are other signs around the Capitol that a government funding clash is coming: Some House offices have made temporary changes to their payroll to ensure that staff can be paid in advance in case of a shutdown, and one group of congressional staffers saw a pre-planned trip canceled for the weekend of March 15. CNNs Veronica Stracqualursi, Annie Grayer and Manu Raju contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Several Democrats have said they do not plan to attend President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress on Tuesday. The address, which will be attended by members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, marks his first speech to Congress during his second term. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, is expected to deliver the Democratic rebuttal to Trump's speech. PHOTO: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks with reporters after a House Democratic Caucus meeting on Capitol Hill, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Senator Chris Murphy is seen in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C., on Feb. 20, 2025. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images | SIPA via AP) MORE: Trump speech live updates: Tariff wars, Ukraine, firings to take spotlight Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said he will be in attendance "to make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance on the excesses of the administration." Here are the Democrats who have said they will skip Trump's remarks Tuesday night. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has said she will not be attending the address. "I'm not going to the Joint Address. I will be live posting and chatting with you all here instead. Then going on IG Live after," she wrote in a post on BlueSky. Sen. Chris Murphy Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy is also skipping Trump's remarks, and will instead attend an event with the progressive advocacy organization MoveOn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think every Democrat needs to make up their own mind. I think that State of the Union speech is going to be a farce. I think it's gonna be a MAGA pep rally," Murphy told CNN. "We have to fight every single day, every single day." "A lot of Democrats think maybe you should fight every third day, you should reserve your power and jump out of the bushes at the right moment," he added. "I just think we have to be on the offensive 24/7." MORE: How to watch, stream Trump's address to the joint session of Congress tonight Sen. Ron Wyden PHOTO: Sen. Ron Wyden arrives to speak at a news conference on social security benefits, March 3, 2025, at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP) Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has said he will host an online town hall instead of watching the address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In this unprecedented time in American history, my top priority is making sure Oregonians from every corner of our state can keep weighing in directly with me," Wyden told ABC affiliate KEZI. Sen. Patty Murray PHOTO: Sen. Patty Murray speaks with reporters following the Senate Democrats weekly policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Feb. 25, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Reuters) Washington Sen. Patty Murray said in a statement that she would skip Trump's address. "I will not be attending President Trump's address to Congress. The state of the union is that the President is spitting in the face of the law and he is letting an unelected billionaire fire cancer researchers and wreck federal agencies like the Social Security Administration at will," Murray said. Murray said she will instead be "meeting with constituents who have been harmed by this administration's reckless firings and its illegal and ongoing funding freeze across government." Sen. Martin Heinrich In a statement to ABC News, New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich said he is "not going to President Trump's Joint Address tonight." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'll start attending when he starts following the law," he said. MORE: Trump to address nation amid sagging approval ratings Rep. Gerry Connolly PHOTO: Congressman Gerald Connolly speaks at a rally in support of the United States Postal Service (USPS), organized by the American Postal Workers Union, amidst debates over changes to the USPS, in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 24, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Shutterstock) Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly is also sitting out Trump's remarks to Congress. "Since being elected to Congress, I have never missed a State of the Union address," he wrote in a statement. "But we have never seen our democracy so tested. We have never seen our laws, institutions, and the separation of powers so attacked from within." Rep. Becca Balint In a statement, Vermont Rep. Becca Balint announced she will not attend the address. "I watched him take an oath to uphold and protect the constitution, and all he did was spew lies, stoke division and fear and make no effort to unify our country. I won't sit and watch him lie to the American people again," she wrote in a post on X. Rep. Don Beyer Virginia Rep. Don Beyer is also skipping the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This evening President Trump will address a coequal branch of government for which he has shown total contempt and disregard," Beyer wrote in a post on X. "Meanwhile my constituents are seeing their livelihoods destroyed, often illegally. What he is doing is not normal, it is not acceptable, and I won't be attending." MORE: Who is Elissa Slotkin, the senator giving the Democratic response to Trump Rep. Sean Casten Illinois Rep. Sean Casten will not be in attendance, his office told Axios. Rep. Diana DeGette Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette said in a statement that she would not be at the event. "Trump's childish and shameful actions in the Oval Office towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as his barrage of illegal attacks against public servants and vulnerable groups, have disgraced and embarrassed our country," she said. "His actions are beneath the office of the President and do not merit my attendance at this Joint Address." Rep. Jan Schakowsky Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky also announced she would skip the speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I will continue to take every opportunity I can to speak out against this Administration's efforts to dismantle our democracy, end Medicaid as we know it, get rid of Social Security or Medicare, undermine veterans benefits or nutritional assistance to children and families, and so much more," she said in a statement. "I have heard from thousands of constituents who want me to resist. That is why I will not attend tonight's joint address." MORE: Trump 2nd term live updates: US, Ukraine could agree to mineral deal as soon as Tuesday Rep. Maxine Waters Speaking from the Capitol, California Rep. Maxine Waters said she "absolutely will not be there" Tuesday night, The Hill reported. "He's a dishonorable, deplorable human being," Waters said. "He's full of lies, and deceit, and he's aligned with Putin in Russia -- as a matter of fact, he should be tried for treason." Rep. Kweisi Mfume In a statement, Maryland Rep. Kweisi Mfume said he would not attend Trump's address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Donald Trump and Elon Musk are destroying the state of the union," he said. "I don't need to be there to watch him claim otherwise." Rep. Mike Quigley Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley said in a statement that he "cannot in good conscience adhere to the norm of attending his joint address," saying Trump has "set flame to every democratic norm and principle of our government." "From starting a coup attempt on January 6, 2021, to appointing an oligarch to assault government services, and blatantly ignoring the separation of powers, Donald Trump has undermined our democracy every day since taking office," he said. "I plan to spend this time working on behalf of my constituents and focusing on making government work better to address the pressing problems facing Chicagoans including increasing prices for groceries, housing, and health care; public safety; and climate change." Some Democrats to skip Trump's joint address to Congress originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Then-President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address in 2022. When President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, laid-off federal workers will be in the galleries as guests of Democratic lawmakers. (Photo by Adam Schultz/Biden White House) One was a cancer researcher. Another searched for health insurance fraud. A third was a biologist. Tuesday night, they will all be sending a message to President Donald Trump, even though none of them will say a word. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those three Maryland residents will be the guests of their Democratic representatives when Trump gives the first address of his second term to a joint session of Congress. All are former federal workers who lost their jobs in the six weeks since Trump took office and began slashing federal employment. Four of Marylands other Democratic members Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Reps. Sarah Elfreth (3rd) and Steny Hoyer (5th) are bringing pro-federal labor union or advocacy leaders guests. Until February, I had my dream job within the NIH [National Institutes of Health], at the National Cancer Institutes comparative oncology program, studying how a cancer commonly found in pet dogs could be used to better understand a rare and aggressive pediatric cancer, said a statement from Dr. Lauren McGee, who was laid off from the Department of Health and Human Services. I hope sharing my story helps in the fight against these illegal mass firings disrupting peoples lives and hurting medical research, said McGee, who will be a guest of Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th). List of confirmed delegation guests: Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-2nd): Katie Stahl, formerly of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-3rd): Rob Shriver, the former acting director of the Office of Personnel Management who is now managing director of Democracy Forwards Civil Service Strong Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th): Everett Kelley, American Federation of Government Employees National President Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-6th): Matthew Fessler, formerly of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th): Dr. Lauren McGee, formerly of the Department of Health and Human Services Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.): Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.): Ottis Johnson Jr., AFGE District 14 National Vice President Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Raskins office said McGee had received a perfect evaluation on her most recent performance review, but fell victim to the Trump administrations purge of federal agencies. Dr. McGees story reminds us of the devastating consequences for all Americans when President Trump and Elon Musk indiscriminately attack public health authorities, Raskin said in a statement. Her unceremonious discharge hurts all the current and future patients depending on her research for medical progress. The Maryland delegation guests are part of a larger Democratic effort to bring people who have been harmed by the Trump administration. We all said that we should highlight the impact on, and uplift stories of, people in our district, Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-6th) said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McClain Delaney is bringing Matthew Fessler, a laid-off health insurance specialist who was at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Fesslers role, prior to being let go, was to measure improper payment methods within the Medicare Part D program. While Musk and the Trump administration talked about eliminating waste, fraud and abuse, McClain Delaney said, Matthew, in fact, was one of those people who was hired to really target inaccurate payment measures and make sure that our government dollars were used wisely. Fessler said he received a notice on Feb. 15 that said he was being let go due to [his] performance not being adequate, and [he] did not have the knowledge, skills and abilities needed by the agency, despite being given a performance review roughly a month prior noting his outstanding results. The future is definitely murky, Fessler said Tuesday. I dont know what my future holds for me, but Im trying to take it one day at a time and be as positive about it as I can be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-2nd) has chosen to bring Katie Stahl, a constituent who was recently laid off from her position at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. At the time of her dismissal, Stahl was on probationary status due to receiving a promotion. Im sad to lose my job and leave behind the farmers, coworkers and projects I was working on, Stahl said in a statement. Im now facing the reality of unemployment and a tough job market, especially in the conservation field. I think its important for Americans to know that there will be unintended consequences of these blanket layoffs, not only for employees but also folk like farmers, she said. Van Hollen, who tapped Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman as his guest, said in a statement that Perryman and the group she heads are on the front lines of the efforts to fight back in court against the torrent of illegal actions by Trump and Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The remaining two Democrats in the states congressional delegation, Rep. Glenn Ivey (4th) and Rep. Kweisi Mfume (7th), are sending a message of their own by choosing not to attend the speech. Donald Trump and Elon Musk are destroying the state of the union, Mfume said in a statement. So, I dont need to be there to watch him claim otherwise. The sole Republican in the delegation, 1st District Rep. Andy Harris, did not respond to a request for comment on whether or not he is bringing a guest. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Democrats on Capitol Hill have bashed President Trump over mass federal firings since the first dismissals began in January. On Tuesday, theyre hoping to hold a human mirror to what that policy has done. When Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, hell be staring into a packed House chamber featuring not only Republican allies and Democratic adversaries, but also a host of former federal employees who were recently laid off by Elon Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The fired workers will be there at the invitation of Democrats in both chambers a strategy that represents just the latest piece of a broader campaign to highlight the real-world effects that Trumps early policy moves are having on Americans who live far outside the Beltway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) is part of the effort. Hes invited Kyle Rahn, a disabled Army veteran who served three tours in Iraq before his move to the Department of Homeland Security, where he served as a national security specialist. Rahn was fired last month by email. Kyle stepped up to serve his country both in combat and as a civilian, and this is how he was repaid. Its a disgraceful betrayal of our countrys promise to take care of the brave men and women who serve us, Gallego said. I invited Kyle to the State of the Union because I want Trump, Musk, and their DOGE minions to look him in the eyes and see the faces of the people their reckless chaos is hurting. The immediate impact of the Democrats strategy is, to be sure, highly limited. Most federal workers are not high-profile figures, so Trump wont recognize those hes fired as he delivers his speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the Democrats are hoping the mere presence of the fired workers in the chamber will bring public attention not only to the administrations efforts to gut the government, but also to the elimination of the federal services those workers once provided. These terminations jeopardize those services, put our communities at risk, and have a very real impact on the lives of dedicated public servants, said Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), whose guest on Tuesday is Ben Vizzachero, a U.S. Forest Service employee who was recently terminated from his job at the Los Padres National Forest, where he worked on fire prevention. Panetta is among those warning that the erosion of manpower at the Forest Service will hinder efforts to fight wildfires across the country. The Democrats guest gambit is more muted than other demonstrations the party had employed during Trumps big speeches to Congress during his first term, when it was not uncommon for high-profile members to boycott his State of the Union events. In a memorable moment during Trumps 2020 address, the last time he faced a joint session, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ripped the text of the speech in half an extraordinary image captured on live television, since Pelosi was standing on the dais behind the president at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet Trumps second-term victory was more decisive than his first, demoralizing Democrats who had warned he posed an existential threat to the nations constitutional order. And since Inauguration Day, Democrats have struggled to locate a unifying strategy for responding to the firehose of contentious executive orders, controversial remarks and general bombast emanating from the White House. Some fear that responding to every controversial move risks watering down their message and blurring the line between actions they deem egregious versus those they consider merely bad. Others worry that a failure to respond to each development would normalize unlawful or otherwise inappropriate actions by the commander in chief. Heading into Trumps speech, even Pelosi is warning fellow Democrats not to protest in ways that would draw attention to themselves, instead of keeping the focus on Trumps own words and deeds. Any demonstration of disagreement, whether its visual or whatever, just let him stew in his own juice, Pelosi told The Washington Post last week. Dont be any grist for the mill to say this was inappropriate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), meanwhile, weighed in on Monday, saying that while the decision to attend the Joint Session is a personal one, it was important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber. The House as an institution belongs to the American people, and as their representatives we will not be run off the block or bullied, he added in a letter to colleagues on Monday in which he also laid out a plan to continue to elevate the stories of everyday Americans who are being harmed in real time by House Republicans and the Trump administration. Amid the internal debate, however, Democrats are perfectly united on one thing: Theyre all outraged over the mass layoffs of government employees orchestrated by Musk, at Trumps behest. That campaign has affected virtually every facet of the federal government from the Defense and Homeland Security departments to the Forest Service and Federal Aviation Administration. And most of those agencies are employed by people working far outside the Beltway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By inviting a number of fired workers to Tuesdays speech, Democrats are hoping to showcase the human effects of Trumps firing spree not just in Washington, but all across the country. In north Illinois, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) has invited Adam Mulvey, an Army veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, who was fired last month from a federal health center in Chicago. In Queens, Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) has invited Luke Graziani, an Army veteran who served two tours each in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was let go last month after working for almost a year at a veterans health facility in the Bronx. In the Bronx, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) will attend with Nancy Bolan, another federal health worker who was fired in January from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And in Boston, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) will accompany Claire Bergstresser, a disabled worker with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) who was fired on Valentines Day. Claire is one of hundreds of thousands of workers across our nation who have been threatened, abused, and fired for no legitimate reason, Pressley charged, and her story is a powerful reminder of why we must use every tool we have to push back against Donald Trump and Elon Musks assault on our democracy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ATLANTA (AP) As Donald Trump prepared Tuesday to address a joint session of Congress, protest groups gathered at parks, statehouses and other public grounds across the country to assail his presidency as dangerous and un-American. The rallies and marches set in motion by the fledgling 50501 Movement, a volunteer-driven group organized in the weeks after Trumps inauguration mark the latest attempt at national resistance to the hardened support of Trumps Make America Great Again base and the success it has had in reshaping the Republican Party in the presidents populist image. Yet some early scenes Tuesday vividly demonstrated the difficulty Democrats, progressives and everyday citizens face in marshaling a tangible response to Trump and the swift, sweeping actions of his second administration. Protesters have so many things to push back against from tariffs to Trump's reset on the war in Ukraine to the aggressive and sometimes legally dubious actions of the Department of Government Efficiency and its leader, billionaire Elon Musk, that it's hard to know what to focus on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are so many things to fight, but I hope by being here we are starting some conversations, said Sara Grummer-Strawn, who held a sign declaring So Much Wrong, So Little Space, followed by a small-print litany of topics from Ukraine and tariffs to potential education cuts to the denial of climate and vaccine science. Around her in Atlanta were hundreds of people marching and chanting about a range of Trump initiatives. There were Palestinian flags and Ukrainian flags, along with signs bemoaning Trump ending military aid to Ukraine as it fights off the invading Russian troops of Vladimir Putin. Trump was called a fascist, a Russian asset, Putins Puppet and Wannabe King, among other, more profane monikers. One signed implored Punch Nazis, reflecting an increasingly common effort to compare Trump's presidency to Nazi Germany. Musk was a frequent target of mockery and ire. But there were also appeals for transgender rights, abortion rights and diversity. One understated sign appealed simply, Save Our Parks. Events were scheduled throughout the day in all 50 states, ending late Tuesday in Hawaii. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Austin, Texas, those gathered at the statehouse leaned in to support Ukraine. Pops of yellow a nod to the colors of Ukraines national flag dotted the crowd as protesters affixed sunflowers to their hair, hats and clothing. The Texas crowd, which numbered in the hundreds, eventually made its way through downtown, chanting, Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go. I think protests can be impactful, said Carol Goodwin, an Austin resident active in the local advocacy scene. I think these smaller protests are valuable for the people who come to express their frustrations, and I think this movement will grow over time. For some participants, Tuesday recalled 50501s first day of national action on Feb. 5 or the many womens marches in 2017, at the outset of Trumps first term. But for many others, it was a new step in their engagement. Goodwin cited Trump's tariffs against Canada and Mexico and the Oval Office exchange between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week as her reasons for attending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In San Francisco, Michael Gray also pointed to that White House exchange with the Ukrainian leader. The meeting with Zelenskyy ... just made us so disgusted to see an American president act that way on the world stage, said the Santa Rosa, California, resident. Grayson Taylor, a 33-year-old who came to the Atlanta event, had not protested until this year. He described the actions of Trump, his Cabinet and Musk as a billionaire coup leading a government that will be serving the ultra-rich. At the same rally, Sherri Frias, 58, said her concerns about the extension of Trumps 2017 tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans in conjunction with GOP proposals to roll back Medicaid and other aid programs drew her to her first protest. Trump has urged Congress to renew the tax cuts, which are set to expire. Another Atlanta attendee, 67-year-old Phyllis Bedford, said she came to her first political protest because she felt overwhelmed by the breadth of Trumps actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was thinking on my way here what I want to say about the situation, said Bedford, who drove from Republican-leaning Snellville, on the outer edges of metro Atlanta. All I could come up with is, Im sorry. I am sorry to Canada. Im sorry, Mexico. Im sorry, Greenland. Im so, so sorry, Ukraine and President Zelensky. Were just so wrong. And we dont all support this man. For my own mental health, because it makes me feel like Im doing something other than just the screaming inside of my head, right? That goes on every day, And I want to be heard. The protests come after some Republican members of Congress met angry town hall crowds during a recent congressional recess and as Democrats on Capitol Hill face pressure from voters on the left to be more outspoken. Taylor wants Democrats to be rude and aggressive like Republicans have been for years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Republican Party right now is so much more organized, and not divisive, Smith said. The Democratic Party, they have individual issues, but in my observation its hard for them to come together to deal with the real issues they want. Multiple demonstrators said they want to see Democrats relentlessly highlight the real-world impact of Trumps executive orders, Musks commission and the pending Republican budget plan. Bedford worked in the financial aid office at Georgia State University. Most of the kids I dealt with would not have been enrolled without Pell Grants and the (federal) financial aid system, she said. And now theres just a war on education, and higher education especially. Grummer-Strawn divides her time between Atlanta and Geneva, where her husband works for the World Health Organization after having spent 24 years at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from supporting WHO and clamped down on the CDCs research and public health advocacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to get people to stop and pause and see what each of his actions is leading to, connecting the dots, Grummer-Strawn said, even if people dont think Ukraine and tariffs and public health policy affect them directly. Frias, meanwhile, thinks Democrats are doing everything they can given GOP control on Capitol Hill and in the White House. The ultimate responsibility for action, she said, rests with the people of the U.S. - Lathan reported from Austin, Texas. Associated Press journalist Haven Daley contributed from San Francisco. Julie Leno of Bismarck reads aloud to her children outside of the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Library March 1, 2025, as part of a demonstration showing opposition for a bill that would force libraries to remove and relocate content considered to be obscene. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) About 1,000 silent protesters read from their books in front of North Dakota libraries Saturday to protest a bill that would force the removal of sexually explicit and obscene content from school and public libraries. Senate Bill 2307, sponsored by Sen. Keith Boehm, R-Mandan, would force the removal of that content from public areas of the library to areas not easily accessible to minors. The bill passed the Senate in February on a 27-20 vote and will now be considered by the House of Representatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right to Read ND, an organization opposing library censorship, led the reading protests at 17 libraries across the state with the largest drawing an estimated 275 people at the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library. About 275 read outside of the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Library on March 1, 2025, to show their opposition to Senate Bill 2307. (Contributed/ Right to Read ND) Im disappointed that we have to be doing this, but thrilled, and not surprised, that the library has such a crowd of folks showing up against book bans, against censorship, said Simon Moore, executive director of the Bismarck Library Foundation. Moore said there is no pornographic material at the Bismarck library and believes the same can be said for public libraries across the state. This is not about weeding out pornography. This is about taking control of local institutions, he said. This is about building a broader agenda of control, not just at libraries, but higher ed and what gets taught in classrooms, and ideas that folks want to weed out. Other events were in Minot, Fargo, West Fargo, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Mandan, Dickinson, Steele, Forman, Jamestown, Bottineau, Walhalla, Williston, Park River, Valley City, and Watford City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters of the bill point to some books they dont think are appropriate for children to access at public libraries. Tom Tracy, former superintendent of Kensal Public School north of Jamestown, said he was alerted a couple of years ago to a book called, Lets Talk About It: The Teens Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human, in the Valley City Barnes County Public Library. Tracy, a proponent of the bill, said he thinks the book is pornographic and obscene. It used to be that it was up to the parents to work with their own children on those very intimate type things, Tracy said. I think of my own children, and, boy, Ill tell ya, that is not something I would ever, ever want them to look at. Melissa Lloyd, assistant director of the Valley City Barnes County Public Library, said a hearing was held to review that book and no one asked for it to be removed from the library. The book was moved from the young adult section to the adult section. Since the hearing, no one has checked it out, Lloyd said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tracy emphasized that the bill doesnt ban books, but forces the material away from public view. They just want these books put in a place where they are not exposed to young children, Tracy said. Reese Novak, 9, of Bismarck, reads in front of the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Library on March 1, 2025, during a protests in opposition to a bill that would force libraries to remove and relocate obscene content. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) Opponents of the bill say libraries already have local processes to review complaints about content. In addition, lawmakers approved a bill in 2023 that required the removal of sexually explicit content from childrens sections of public libraries. Other opponents of this years legislation say they dont want the government to determine what material is considered obscene. I think that parents should be allowed to make the decisions themselves for what their kids are going to read, said Bismarck resident Julie Leno, who read aloud to her children during Saturdays protest. I dont want anybody telling me what is appropriate just like I dont think anybody would feel comfortable with me saying whats appropriate for their kids to read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would empower states attorneys to investigate complaints from citizens who have exhausted their local library content removal procedures. Those offices could issue opinions on content, which could lead to losses in library funding or criminal charges, if the content is deemed obscene and not removed. Jonathan Frye, a Bismarck resident, said the 2023 library content removal law and Senate Bill 2307 amount to fear mongering. It is making people afraid of something that there is no need to be afraid of, said Frye, who participated in Saturdays event. Places like public libraries and schools already have policies and procedures in place to screen the literaries that come in. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Publicly, Democrats are practically salivating at the made-for-midterms message that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk seemed to give them with the chaos of the federal cuts backed by the Department of Government Efficiency. Privately, however, theyre sounding a note of caution that attacking DOGE may not be a slam dunk. When moderate Democrats huddled last month at an upscale resort in Loudoun County, Virginia at a retreat hosted by the centrist group Third Way those gathered concluded that their party is seen as favoring excessive regulations, inefficient spending, and programs that dont directly benefit them, factors putting them on the back foot in responding to DOGE. Not only that, but their party also struggles with being seen as defending elite institutions such as the government bureaucracy, they agreed, according to a memo they wrote after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, over the weekend, came new polling by CBS News/YouGov that found a majority of respondents, 51 percent, generally approve of Trumps efforts to cut staff at government agencies like USAID. Now, before their official response to Trumps joint address to Congress on Tuesday, many Democrats are coming to the conclusion that theyll have to be more nuanced about how they respond to his raft of cuts to the federal government. I walk around and see signs, We love our federal workers, and that may be true, but we cant lose sight of the broader picture that [this] isnt just about government spending, said Rachael Russell, director of polling and analytics at Navigator Research, a project within the Hub Project, the Democratic nonprofit that commissioned the research on DOGE. We dont need to say were saving the federal bureaucracy, but focus [our messaging] on the people, the devastating impacts on society and some of the most vulnerable populations. Thats sometimes hard for Democrats to do. Democratic polling conducted by the Hub Project and Navigator Research found a significant difference in how DOGE is viewed depending on whether it is linked to Musk in voters minds. A plurality of voters in their survey viewed the Department of Government Efficiency, without Musks name attached, favorably by a 4-point margin. But when calling it Musks Department of Government Efficiency, its favorability dropped to 37 percent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Russell warned Democrats that theres a risk in tying DOGE to only Musk because, based on Trumps rocky relationships with administration officials in the past, who knows how long hell actually be there. Focusing solely on Musk as the villain is not going to be sustainable for us, Russell said. We have to connect the dots here for voters on why theyre taking stuff away from Americans, and thats because theyre giving billionaires a tax cut. Russell also cautioned Democrats against solely focusing their messaging on the status quo getting torn apart because theres always some appetite for cutting bloat out of the federal government. The Democratic National Committee appears to be taking this advice. During a private call with Democratic strategists and operatives to give messaging guidance ahead of Trumps Tuesday speech, they urged attendees to focus on the effects of Trumps cuts on voters particularly how they affect costs and the economy. They pushed Democrats to focus on Trumps campaign promise[s] and how hes broken them, according to a messaging guidance circulated after the call and obtained by POLITICO. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, the memo reads, Trump promised to lower mortgage rates, but DOGE cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development are likely to worsen housing markets and upend mortgages. What Democrats are finding is that while Musk himself might be underwater in polling, the idea of making government more efficient and distancing the party from bureaucrats is not without support even if Democrats oppose how Musk has executed it. Some of DOGEs efforts were on their face, a little bit appealing, including things like cutting waste, fraud and abuse, cutting spending, unnecessary spending, increasing government efficiency, but the minute you let folks know that Elon Musk was running DOGE, the numbers plummeted, said Lindsay Owens, executive director of Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive advocacy group that has polled on the issue. Last month, on Pod Save America, the liberal podcast hosted by former advisers to President Barack Obama, co-host Jon Lovett lamented, "Some of this is pretty annoying because it's the stuff we should have done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the right, meanwhile, DOGE is becoming a rallying cry that Republicans believe could animate GOP voters in the midterms. A new survey of Michigan voters by one of the states largest Republican PACs, Brighter Michigan, obtained first by POLITICO, showed that DOGE is resonating on the right. In the field from Feb. 21-24, the survey of 911 likely Michigan Republican Senate primary voters found that government corruption and DOGE was the most important issue to 55 percent of voters, outpacing the next closest issue, the economy, which registered 22 percent. It was a partisan poll, but it made an impression on Republicans. DOGE is today what the wall was in 16, said a GOP consultant who works on races in battleground states and who was granted anonymity to speak candidly. Democrats have been trying to recalibrate their responses. Following the Third Way retreat, the groups co-founder Matt Bennett said that if the group had been meeting more recently than a month ago, DOGE would likely have featured more prominently. And, he said, I think the conclusion would have been: People want change, just not this change not the chainsaw, but more of the scalpel. Broadly, Democrats see linking DOGE to Musk as a potent issue for them. Bennett said he suspected DOGE is gonna go out of favor when people start to feel this in their lives, while Margie Omero, a Democratic pollster, said the idea of cuts is not what people object to, they object to them being blunt and reckless. CANBERRA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian has called on Australia to strengthen artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation with China. "Taking restrictive measures against DeepSeek under the pretext of 'security risks' is an attempt to overstretch the concept of national security and politicize trade and tech issues. This would hinder technological progress worldwide and is detrimental to global economic recovery and development," Xiao wrote in a signed article published on Monday in the commentary section of the Australian. In the article, he elaborated on China's positive contribution to the global development of AI technology and data protection, and called on China and Australia to strengthen cooperation in the field of AI. China's AI efforts are driving global technological progress. In recent years, new breakthroughs in AI technology have become a key driver of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, he said, adding DeepSeek is one of the outstanding representatives in this field, providing a low-cost, high-performance model for AI development in countries around the world, including Australia. DeepSeek has accelerated the democratization of the latest AI advancements, propelling the global technology industry to new heights, and it has received widespread acclaim from international tech giants, Xiao said. Besides, China extremely prioritizes data security in AI development. It has never required, nor will it require, companies or individuals to collect or store data illegally. In the field of AI, China has always maintained a dual focus on development and regulation, ensuring strict protection of data security, he said. Currently, China is working with more than 100 countries and regional organizations to implement the global data security and AI governance initiatives put forward by China over the last five years. "In contrast to some AI companies that conceal data processing details under the guise of 'commercial confidentiality,' DeepSeek not only implements privacy policies that comply with the most stringent international standards, but also clearly outlines the location and methods of data storage," said the ambassador. The company uses advanced data encryption and anonymization technologies to ensure that user data is not misused, earning high praise from AI experts worldwide, including those from Australia, he said. As the AI era accelerates, China is ready to work with Australia to jointly build an open, inclusive, equitable, secure, and non-discriminatory AI development environment, Xiao said. STERLING, Va. (DC News Now) The Loudoun County Sheriffs Office (LCSO) said it was investigating a fatal stabbing that happened on Saturday in Sterling. On March 1 at around 10:30 p.m., deputies responded to the 20 block of Carolina Court and found 40-year-old Wesley Richard Scott, who had been stabbed outside of a home. Scott was taken to the hospital for treatment. He died on Sunday. Profound sadness: Arlington County Police Department mourning loss of K-9 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LSCO identified the suspect as Lathius Noel Martin, 40, of Alexandria, who was arrested during a traffic stop late Saturday night. He was charged with aggravated malicious wounding. LCSO said additional charges could be sought. Detectives believe that they knew each other and got into a fight, prompting Martin to stab Scott. Anyone with information is asked to call (703) 777-1021. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Alligator sightings in Florida are nothing new, but encounters between humans and wildlife are becoming more frequent as development encroaches on natural habitats. One recent incident in Key Largo underscored this growing trend. What's happening? Deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office were called to a home in the Pirates Cove neighborhood near Mile Marker 98 in Key Largo on Jan. 31, after residents found a large alligator swimming in their pool, reported Fox 35. Photos and videos shared on social media showed the deputies removing the large reptile from the residents' backyard pool. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While officials haven't confirmed how the alligator ended up in the pool, these kinds of encounters are becoming increasingly common as human expansion continues to reshape ecosystems. Why is this important? Although gator sightings are part of life in Florida, incidents like this highlight a growing concern: Human-wildlife interactions are on the rise due to habitat destruction, climate change, and urban sprawl. As wetlands shrink and natural waterways become more fragmented, animals are forced into residential areas in search of food, water, and shelter. Similar encounters have been reported across the state, with alligators found in storm drains, driveways, and even inside homes. Beyond the initial shock, these encounters pose safety risks for both humans and animals. While alligators are typically not aggressive toward humans, they can become defensive when cornered or provoked, leading to potential injury or the need for euthanization. What's being done about it? Florida officials are taking steps to protect both residents and wildlife through wetland preservation projects, development regulations, and community education initiatives. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program provides resources for safely handling alligator encounters and relocating animals when necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conservation efforts show how protecting natural ecosystems can reduce these encounters and better protect communities. For example, projects to restore Florida's wetlands not only benefit wildlife but also help prevent flooding, improve water quality, and support biodiversity. Individuals can also take steps to reduce human-wildlife interactions by securing outdoor trash, fencing off backyard pools, and avoiding feeding wildlife which can make animals more comfortable around humans. Protecting wildlife ultimately safeguards the balance of our environment. By prioritizing conservation efforts, we can reduce human-wildlife encounters and create safer, healthier ecosystems for both people and animals. 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. CHESTER, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Chester County deputies are searching for two suspects who allegedly fled authorities after a traffic stop. According to the Chester County Sheriffs Office, their drone and K9 tracking team are actively working to locate the subjects in the area of Patrick Street and First Street in the Eureka Community looking. Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area >> Latest stories here Deputies say they are searching for two Black males. One was observed in a black camo hoodie and black sweatpants. The other is in a white hoodie and gray joggers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone in the area is asked to secure all doors and vehicles and notify 911 if you see or hear anything suspicious. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. TALLAHASSEE, Florida Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis used his next-to-last State of the State speech to laud conservative legislative wins in recent years, while also reiterating his wish list for the two-month session that includes placing limits on ballot initiatives and rescuing condominium residents from rising costs. But the remarks by the Republican governor and the two legislative leaders also hinted at possible fault lines ahead, including how lawmakers will handle the states property insurance crisis and whether to undo much-heralded gun restrictions adopted in the aftermath of the Parkland shooting where 18 people were killed. Florida is the leader among the states because we lean into challenges, tackle the big issues, and deliver results for the people we serve, DeSantis said during his roughly 30-minute speech, which also included a generous nod to first lady Casey DeSantis, who is considering her own bid for governor in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While not mentioning the only current 2026 candidate, GOP Rep. Byron Donalds, DeSantis did take time to slam lawmakers in Washington and encouraged them to take a page out of Floridas book when it came to managing the nations debt. Can the congressmen in Washington, DC, please take a page out of Florida's fiscal playbook for a change? DeSantis said. The governors remarks alternated between revisiting his record in office, such as the policies responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, and urging the Legislature to move ahead with a potential overhaul of property taxes and elimination of the tax charged on business rent. DeSantis speech came in a much different environment than a year ago, when he stepped away from the presidential campaign trail in Iowa to deliver a stay-the-course address that sought to highlight his record. After losing the presidential race, DeSantis has a much different dynamic with a new set of legislative leaders who have recently asserted their independence. It took three special sessions for lawmakers and the governor to reach an accord on immigration policies that they passed last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In some instances, DeSantis called for action such as easing the burden on condominium owners or lowering property taxes without delving into detailed policy proposals. He told reporters afterward he is not wed to specific ideas but wants to focus on what can be done to keep them in their condos. DeSantis also acknowledged that his push to overhaul property taxes which will require a constitutional amendment will likely not be finalized until the 2026 session ahead of that years election. Some Republicans who have clashed with DeSantis in the past praised his remarks and said the speech represented an effort to bridge the gap. I think there have been words on the governors side, and from some of us, that is going to be difficult to take back, and well see now with some of the more controversial issues whether the unity message sticks, said state Rep. Juan Carlos Porras, a Miami Republican. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) called the speech a snooze fest. Maybe he doesnt have any new ideas, Driskell said. And I think maybe its also reflective of the tension between the governors office and the Legislature. Maybe he was being more careful about not getting ahead of his skis and putting out bold ideas with legislative leadership not willing to stand and support him. One clear contrast came over property insurance, an issue that has repeatedly topped polls as the most pressing issue in the state. During his own opening day remarks, House Speaker Daniel Perez, who said property insurance costs continue to be a top problem for Floridians, vowed to investigate reports that insurers may have siphoned off profits to affiliated companies by bringing insurance executives to testify to the House under oath a practice that has been seldom used in recent years. DeSantis, who contended that the insurance market has been stabilizing due to limits placed on lawsuits, told reporters he would not undo the changes passed in the last few years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While campaigning for governor in 2018, DeSantis said he would not have approved the law passed after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. That measure included a red flag law that allows law-enforcement authorities to petition a judge to take away guns from someone who is deemed a potential threat. The law also raised the age limit to purchase a rifle from 18 to 21 years old. Nikolas Cruz was 18 years old when he bought that AR-15 style rifle he used in the attack. In the past, Republican legislative leaders have been unwilling to revisit the law, noting it had strong support among the states sheriffs. State Senate President Ben Albritton told reporters he was working through that in my mind, regarding lowering the age restriction, but he said the states current red flag law has been successfully used by law enforcement. If this is a tool, and I believe that is and we can stop the next Nikolas Cruz then I say we just hold tight and let the thing work, Albritton said. Isa Dominguez contributed to this report. Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate President Ben Albritton, and House Speaker Daniel Perez stand in front of a joint session of the Florida Legislature to hear the governor's State of the State address on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix Gov Ron DeSantis said Tuesday in his State of the State address that he wants the Florida Legislature to re-examine key provisions of the landmark 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, enacted following the shootings in Parkland that killed 17 students and school administrators. Specifically, the governor wants the Legislature to repeal language that raised the legal age to purchase a shotgun or rifle in Florida from 18 to 21 and also the states red flag law, which allows law enforcement or family members to petition a court to temporarily remove a persons firearms if they pose a risk to themselves or others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to be a strong Second Amendment state. I know many of you agree, so lets get some positive reform done for the people in this state of Florida, he said. During a press conference held immediately after the speech, DeSantis reiterated his criticism of those laws, adding once again that he would like Florida to join the overwhelming majority of states that allow open carry. I dont know what the Legislature is going to do in those respects but, in spite of us saying that were the free state, in spite of us being like, oh, were this Republican bastion, conservative bastion, we definitely lag on that issue. Legislative leaders, particularly in the Senate, have opposed open carry in recent years. Senate President Ben Albritton said last fall that he doesnt support it because neither does law enforcement (specifically, the Florida Sheriffs Association), and repeated that opinion on Tuesday. He said he also supports Red Flag laws. Property Insurance Although the governor focused on guns, perhaps no issue is more important to Floridians than the cost of property insurance. DeSantis insisted the news on that front is good, mentioning how 11 new companies have entered the market over the last year with more than 130,000 new private policies put into effect in 2024, and that 73% of state-backed Citizens Property Insurance policyholders in Miami-Dade County are scheduled to receive a rate decrease of an average of 6.3%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And he urged the Legislature to provide additional funding for those on the My Safe Florida Home waitlist people who have been approved for grants to strengthen their homes against hurricane winds. DeSantis said he supports House Speaker Daniel Perezs plan to order a committee to hold hearings into property insurance companies moving billions of dollars to affiliate companies losses, based on a report from the Tampa Bay Times. If theres things that need to be done to be able to make sure that we have transparency and appropriate oversight, Im all for it, the governor said. What I am not going to support is opening the litigation floodgates. The fact is, our markets were being driven into the ground because of excessive litigation. Property taxes DeSantis took time once again to tout one of his new goals before he leaves office to make Florida the first state to outlaw property taxes. The proposal could go before voters as a constitutional amendment in 2026 if lawmakers first approve a study of the issue. (Lee County Republican Jonathan Martin is sponsoring a resolution to require the state Office of Economic and Demographic Research to analyze the repercussions). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is the property yours or are you just renting from the government? the governor asked the assembled members of the Legislature. And he emphasized that no one should believe that removing property taxes would lead to a state income tax, which the Florida Constitution does not allow. This body will not pass tax increases, and this governor will not sign tax increases, he said to applause. Overhaul ballot initiatives DeSantis was successful in 2024 in stopping two proposed constitutional amendments from securing the 60% vote required for passage. Amendment 4 would have enshrined abortion rights in the Florida Constitution while Amendment 3 would have legalized use of recreational cannabis for adults. Both received majority support, however. Since then, citing a state report alleging fraud in the petition gathering process by the group advocating for Amendment 4, the governor has been calling for the Legislature to make it even more difficult for citizen-led constitutional amendments, complaining the process had been perverted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to clean up the petition fraud and we need to clean up this out-of-control amendment process, and you in the Legislature have the opportunity to do just that and protect Floridas Constitution once and for all, he declared. This was likely DeSantis next-to-last State of the State address as governor. It came at an uncertain time in his tenure while he remains the most powerful person in Florida government, in January GOP legislative leaders and rank-and-file legislators rebuked his initial proposals on illegal immigration. Whether his wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis, decides to run to succeed her husband in 2026, the governor took time in his speech to give credit to her work in leading Hope Florida, an initiative designed to make it easier for Floridians to access help for mental health and substance abuse. By the end of 2024, Hope Florida has helped nearly 30,000 participants reduce or eliminate their reliance on government assistance, netting the taxpayers over $108 million in annual savings, he said. The Hope Florida model is now being replicated by other states around the country. Thanks to Casey for her leadership and ingenuity, he declared, pointing to Casey, who sat with the couples son, Mason, in the East Gallery of the Florida House chamber. Democratic responses House and Senate Democrats greet each other as senators entered the House floor on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Jackie Llanos/Florida Phoenix) Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo praised DeSantis handling of emergencies but lamented that Republicans have focused on culture wars instead of homeowners insurance and increasing pay for law enforcement and teachers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pizzo, who is expected to run for governor, in a rebuttal speech mentioned one of his bills, which would require all private employers to verify that their new hires are authorized to work in the country. You are not serious about curbing illegal immigration if you continue to cower to donors and not listen to our citizens, he said. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell delivered her caucus rebuttal to the address. She hit DeSantis on his recently announced Florida DOGE initiative and push to remove property taxes, saying the governor was merely seeking attention. But Driskell acknowledged her partys superminority position, making it essentially impossible to pass their priorities, such as expanding Medicaid and universal background checks in gun sales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We understand the political reality of Tallahassee, so we know these ideas arent likely to go anywhere, regardless of how good they are, Driskell said in her pre-recorded remarks. It isnt easy being in the minority party in the Legislature, but we arent Democrats only when its easy. Were here to advocate for our communities and make our voices heard, and thats what well be doing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida is ready to welcome the most powerful rocket in the world with open arms. DeSantis confirmed Floridas commitment to support future missions for SpaceXs Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket. Florida is the present and future of the space industry with leading space companies, like SpaceX, investing in the free state of Florida. We welcome SpaceXs Starship to our state, DeSantis said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said the Starship launches will bring $1.8 billion in investments and create 600 new jobs for Floridas Space Coast. Starship has been under development in Texas for years. Both NASA and SpaceX are planning to use Starship for future missions to the Moon and Mars. SpaceX has completed seven previous test flights of Starship and Super Heavy. The next test launch of the mega rocket is planned for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. (NewsNation) House and Senate lawmakers, U.S. Supreme Court justices, Cabinet members and invited guests will attend President Donald Trumps joint session address to Congress on Tuesday except for one pivotal person. A designated survivor is a Cabinet member chosen by the president to stay behind during speeches like the State of the Union, leaving the United States with a leader in case of a catastrophic event. NewsNation has learned that Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins will be Trumps designated survivor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., announced he was selected by Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries as the designated survivor for the Democratic side. Originating in the 1950s as a Cold War-era policy, assigning a designated survivor is an obscure but important ritual for joint-session events, according to the National Constitution Center. Trump to deliver high-stakes address to joint session of Congress Who is Trumps designated survivor? Typically, the name of the designated survivor is revealed just before, or even during, the address. Like the president, the designated survivor has to meet a few requirements they must be at least 35 years old and a natural-born U.S. citizen. All members of Trumps Cabinet meet both requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previous designated survivors include: 2024: Education Secretary Miguel Cardona 2023: Labor Secretary Marty Walsh 2022: Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo 2021: No one, since the pandemic did not allow all members of Congress to gather 2020: Interior Secretary David Bernhardt 2019: Energy Secretary Rick Perry Previous designated survivor describes experience as sobering In 2007, President George W. Bush selected then-U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to be his designated survivor for the State of the Union. Gonzales told NewsNation in 2024 he received no special training to prepare him for the position but that he was given two options for passing the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The option I chose was to put me in an airplane during the State of the Union, Gonzales said. I just felt perhaps it would be kind of cool to fly around as the president gave the State of the Union. Congress eyes probe, reforms in response to aircraft tragedy When he arrived at Joint Base Andrews, officials from every major department and agency appeared with the necessary documents to advise him in case of disaster. President Bush gave his State of the Union, and it was at that point in time where I suddenly realized, Oh, my gosh, if something happened back at the Capitol, then conceivably, I would become president of the United States, Gonzalez said. It is a sobering thought, quite frankly. When is Trumps speech? Trump will go to Capitol Hill with first lady Melania Trump tonight, with remarks slated to begin just after 9 p.m. ET mere hours after he paused aid to Ukraine and enacted hefty tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico. How to watch Trumps address to Congress You can watch the full joint address to Congress on NewsNation on TV, online at newsnationnow.com or on the NewsNation apps for your television or phone. Not sure how to watch NewsNation? Find your channel here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NewsNation is also available to stream on YouTubeTV, Hulu, FuboTV, Vidgo, Sling and DirecTV Stream. You can also download the NewsNation app by clicking here or going directly to your phones app 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 NewsNation. A bill authored by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, that would allow health care providers to refuse some services if they have moral or religious objections can now be heard on the House floor. West is pictured at the Oklahoma Capitol on Oct. 3, 2023. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Amid concerns that it could harm patients, lawmakers narrowly advanced a bill that would allow health care providers to refuse to offer specific procedures or care based on moral, religious or conscientious beliefs. House Bill 1224, authored by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, moved through the Health and Human Services Oversight Committee Monday with a 7-6 vote with bipartisan opposition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 30 health care providers from around the state gathered at the Capitol and filled the committee meeting to advocate against the bill. They said they were disappointed by the outcome of the vote. The legislation, which West said has been successful in a handful of states, could allow a physician, or an entire hospital, to choose not to offer procedures that conflict with personal beliefs. This excludes emergency care, although the bill does not define the parameters that create that situation. No specific procedures or types of care are outlined in the bill, meaning a health care provider, institution or payor could choose to stop offering STD testing, blood transfusions or elective procedures. Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, asked West if his legislation could allow a pharmacist, or in theory an entire pharmacy, to choose not to provide birth control to their patients if it conflicted with their religious beliefs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West said it could if they were refusing to provide it to every patient, not just a select few. He said he thinks his legislation falls exactly in line with the American Medical Association code of ethics. While one principle does allow physicians, except in emergencies, to be free to choose whom to serve, with whom to associate, and the environment in which to provide medical care, the code also asks physicians to support access to medical care for all people and regard responsibility to the patient as paramount. House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City said continuing to legislate and criminalize the physicians and providers in the state will not encourage them to stay and will instead push them out of state when Oklahoma already has some of the poorest health care outcomes in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We just had a conversation last week about the lack of maternal or the amount of maternal health care deserts in the state, and we know that most of what were talking about here is abortion, gender-affirming care, those types of procedures and services, she said. And so where will Oklahomans go, even if its just a handful of people who need care, if theres truly no access, if people decide to take this law and say, Im not going to provide a procedure or service because it goes against my conscience? Where will Oklahomans go? West said Oklahomans could find care with another provider or institution who was choosing to offer the care they were seeking. He argued the legislation had attracted providers in states where it had become law, but said no data or survey evidence was available to support this claim. The Republican also ran this legislation in 2024, and while it passed through the House, it died in the Senate. A similar measure in the Senate died in committee Monday, Munson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would just say that in rebuttal, this will not deny services to just anyone, and what weve seen in other states are that medical professionals migrate toward this type of legislation, West said. He said he had not spoken with health care providers in the state about his legislation. Dr. Angela Hawkins, the chair of the Oklahoma section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said she was disappointed by the vote. I think contrary to (Wests) statement that physicians welcome this bill, they dont, and the debate discussing how it will affect patients is true, she said. It will limit care for some patients, and not just in relation to abortion or gender-affirming care. You have people who will have decreased access to contraception, even decreased access potentially to mental health services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hawkins was at the Capitol as part of an advocacy day with physicians and residents from across the state, including Tulsa, Tahlequah and Oklahoma City. We have health care deserts all over the state who have one or two physicians, she said. So to say that they can go and see another physician is not true for everyone. They dont have access to a multitude of places they can go for care or treatment that they need, that that particular physician or pharmacist or hospital system may not agree with. The bill is eligible to be heard on the floor of the Oklahoma House. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Court documents have revealed new details in the case of a Tempe woman who was found dead in a burning car in Tonopah in 2023. Investigators with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office struggled to come up with a suspect in the murder of 22-year-old Mercedes Vega until November 2024 when deputies with the agencys homicide unit arrested 22-year-old Sencere Hayes in Tennessee, where he was residing. Sgt. Monica Bretado, a department spokesperson, said Hayes was arrested in Tennessee on Nov. 11. Hayes has since been extradited to Arizona where he was booked into jail on first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and theft of a means of transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Sheriff's Office initially declined to elaborate on how detectives tied Hayes to Vegas death, court documents show a fingerprint on a bloody bag matched with Hayes, along with his DNA on various items inside Vegas car. The documents said cell phone tower evidence and plane tickets also helped connect Hayes to Vegas killing. A photo of Mercedes Vega is displayed at the Silent Witness conference in Phoenix on Nov. 24, 2023. Some tips came into Silent Witness and were passed on to the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office, documents say, referring to the anonymous tip program. To the States knowledge, none of those tips led to a viable suspect. Deputies with the Sheriff's Office originally responded to reports of a burning car outside Tonopah on April 17, 2023, where they found Vegas body in the backseat roughly 60 miles west of her Tempe home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report stated that gloves and bleach were found in the front of the car, and lighter fluid was in the backseat. A medical examiner report ruled Vegas death a homicide, citing cause of death due to burns she suffered and smoke inhalation, the latter of which meant she was still alive when the vehicle was set ablaze. She also suffered blunt-force trauma and gunshot wounds that contributed to her death, the report said. Vega's car was found illegally parked near Culinary Dropout in Tempe. Makenzie Lockhart, a friend of Vega, is convinced multiple people were involved in her friends killing and can't wait until every one of them is taken off the streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want everybody to be brought to justice, Lockhart previously told The Arizona Republic. So, as happy as I am over (Hayes') arrest, Im not fully satisfied yet. Vegas parents, Erika and Tom Pillsbury, attended Hayes arraignment in December 2024 to watch the man accused of murdering their daughter for themselves. Tom and Erika believed at least three to four people were involved in Vega's killing given the level of coordination that would have been required to leave her in a burning car they abandoned in Tonopah. He had to figure out Mercedes, what she did, where she was at, where she lived and all that stuff, and theres no way he could have figured that out without somebody helping him, Tom said after the arraignment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, Judge Jennifer Green extended the deadline for when the Maricopa County Attorney's Office could submit a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Hayes if convicted to May 14, according to court documents. Hayes trial is currently scheduled for July 31, though trials in homicide cases can often be delayed for years due to their complexity. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Court documents: New details in Tempe woman Mercedes Vega's murder The Detroit City Council on Tuesday rejected a request to make the Renaissance Center a historic district amid talks of redevelopment plans. Since reports about transforming the RenCen have surfaced including proposals that include demolishing portion of the tower campus residents, preservationists and public officials have begun to act to preserve the structures. That included a letter from preservationists urging the city to consider adapting the existing buildings, and several residents stunned by the potential of losing a portion of their iconic skyline, and asking the city council to consider a historic designation study, which would allow the Historic District Commission to review permit applications for any work within a proposed historic district for one year. On the other side are stakeholders and supportive residents who view any future plans for the RenCen even demolishing portions or all of it as a viable path to create jobs and opportunities, and a flourishing riverfront. During Tuesdays council session, members overwhelmingly voted 8-1 to deny the historic review, with Councilwoman Angela Whitfield-Calloway being the lone vote supporting it, making room for Dan Gilberts Bedrock team to proceed with its proposal to conceptualize a different future for one of Detroits most iconic buildings. Calloway said she is not against development, but prefers to see more public input on the project, suggesting a town hall at Huntington Place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't think we have to demolish to build. I really don't. I think we can preserve and build at the same time. I think they can coexist. And I've watched with a broken heart, all of our buildings be demolished, and then what's being built now downtown are Lego-style buildings. They don't have any kind of architectural flavor or design. They are all cookie-cutter designs," Calloway said. "We are destroying our history. ... That skyline will be forever destroyed" if the city allows the developer to move forward. During last Thursdays planning and economic development committee meeting where stakeholders outlined the proposal and addressed questions Jared Fleisher, vice president of Dan Gilberts Rock Family of Companies, said demolishing two towers and maintaining the rest of the properties is the only viable path to preserving the Renaissance Center." Just because something can't be the same, doesn't mean it can't be spectacular, and our vision is to make this and to make the riverfront spectacular, Fleisher said. It should be something that Detroiters cannot just see as a stale icon from afar, but can actually experience and enjoy directly. It should be something that is inclusive, not designed to exclude; that is open, inviting, accessible, and easy to navigate. It should be something that connects and integrates the rest of the city with its riverfront, doesn't divide it. It should be something that anchors a thriving riverfront that is not just based on Navy Pier in Chicago, but that is the envy of Navy Pier in Chicago. By the end of the committee meeting, Councilman Fred Durhal III recommended denying the historic review. City Council President Pro Tem James Tate supported Durhal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I wanted to preserve as much as possible. Nothing in this denial does that. It does not now give a green light to a total demolition of the Renaissance towers," Tate said at Tuesday's formal session. "There's multiple discussions that has to happen prior to that taking place. And then, even if there's a request to demolish that, there has to be approval to do so." Tate, who initially opposed the plan, citing a lack of nuance in conversation surrounding demolition, questioned whether mothballing was a viable option. Fleisher said it would repeat the mistakes of the past of letting buildings sit and deteriorate. If you think about the success of the project that we presented today and the vision presented today, that's a thriving, active destination, its very difficult to reconcile that with two ghost towers looming over it. So, the fact that the economics won't change, we'll just delay the inevitable. And by delaying the inevitable, we will hurt today. Those are the reasons why we do not believe mothballing is the answer. Jennifer Stallings, legal counsel for General Motors, outlined some of the buildings structural details and tenancy over the years, implying that the whole campus is unable to be economically viable. The RenCen can accommodate 17,000 people. But at its peak, it held 10,000, which was not intended to be strictly GM employees, she said. At most, GM would have about 5,400 employees in the building, requiring more tenants to fill it up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This building was built to be a city within a city. It was built to be self-contained, to be separate. That is one of its biggest challenges, Stallings said. Its hard to get in and out of, and then once you're inside of it, it has this difficult-to-navigate looping structure. If you've ever worked at the RenCen or even attended an event, you've probably gotten lost inside of it. More: Mayor Mike Duggan delivers $3B Detroit budget with tax cuts, DDOT boost, homeless outreach Stallings emphasized it would be difficult to conceptualize the size of the building. The towers are 5.5 million square feet, "the size of two times the Empire State Building, and the podium is 1.5 million square feet of retail space," which is about the same size as Somerset Mall," Stallings said during the committee meeting. She added that the massive retail space is not accessible from outside foot traffic and relies almost entirely on tenants. These issues compound upon one another, and this building, more and more, just isn't viable in this day and age. So, we are just faced with this building that just can't exist, and can't be used and be effective in this day and age, Stallings said. A reconfiguring, a reimagining, a redevelopment, is our only option. And historic preservation would make that nearly impossible. So, we're looking to find a solution that works. And a project of this size, of this complexity, is something we cannot do alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the vote, Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement that designating the site as historic "would have killed any realistic hope of redevelopment and pretty much guaranteed Detroit would have five empty towers sitting on the riverfront for the next 30-40 years." The property is zoned as planned development, which requires work to line up with the city's Master Plan, according to the city. Alterations of the property would be under the purview of the City Planning Commission and the City Council, according to Marcell Todd, director of the planning commission. "We anticipate, at least as has been discussed as part of the presentation, that there may be a community benefits agreement in order to advance this one," Todd said. "That will, once again, put an opportunity to bring aspects of this proposal before your honorable body, and opportunities for agreements, potentially, to be crafted that could go beyond or even complement zoning that could achieve, in a different way, some of what could be achieved through historic designation." Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit City Council denies RenCen historic review, paving way for redevelopment JERUSALEM, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Israeli forces killed a local Hamas leader in Jenin, northern West Bank, on Tuesday, according to the Israeli military. A military spokesperson said in a statement that Border Police officers, army troops, and Shin Bet security agents raided Jenin overnight as part of Israel's ongoing military campaign in the West Bank. The spokesperson announced that "following an exchange of fire, the soldiers eliminated Isser Saadi," who was identified as the head of the Hamas network in Jenin. Another militant, along with Saadi, was killed, and three others were apprehended, according to the statement. In a separate statement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces "will continue to combat terrorism and thwart it everywhere." The Israeli military launched a large-scale campaign in Jenin on Jan. 21 and has since expanded it to other cities and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank, causing widespread destruction and killing dozens. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) An effort by a Nashville lawmaker to grant Tennesseans the right to die has failed in the state legislature. Nashville Democratic Rep. Bob Freeman put forth HB 598 this session, which would create a specific process for an adult with a terminal illness may request medication to facilitate their own death in a humane and dignified manner. According to the text of the bill, an adult who is capable and has been determined by both an attending and a consulting physician to be suffering from an incurable and irreversible disease that would result in their death within six months would be able to make an oral and written request for medication for the purpose of ending [their] life in a humane and dignified manner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bill would celebrate inalienable rights in Tennessee The bill would have required the person to first make an oral request, followed by a written request. That written request would have to be notarized, and the attending physician and a consulting physician would have to agree that the patient was in the final stages of life. There would also be a psychological evaluation to ensure the patient was making the request willingly and without duress. Further, the bill would require physicians make sure several things regarding the request, including but not limited to: Make the initial determination of whether the patient has a terminal illness, is capable, and has made the request voluntarily Ensure the patient is making a fully informed decision Refer the patient to a consulting physician for medical confirmation of the diagnosis and that the patient is making the decision voluntarily Refer the patient to counseling, if appropriate Recommend the patient notify the next of kin Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would have granted physicians who take part in the right to die provisions immunity from all civil or criminal liabilities related to a good faith compliance with the law. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts During the House Population Health Subcommittee on Tuesday, Freeman said the origins of the bill stem from a friend whose father had repeated battles with brain cancer. The third time he was diagnosed with brain cancer, Freeman said the doctors told the man there really wasnt anything they could do for him, and he ended up in hospice care with excruciating pain. His only solution to end the suffering and the pain was to stop his meds and stop eating, Freeman said, noting he also had congenital heart failure, and stopping his medications had multiple other side effects. He was a dear, dear friend, and called me to his bed and said, Please help me do something about this. Please help people that come after have an opportunity to choose dignity in death.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Freeman, his bill was modeled after other states with similar legislation, and 11 states currently offer medical assistance in death. Put yourself in that position. If you are at a point where medicine can no longer heal you, youre not getting up out of the bed; youre in horrible pain. Would you not want at least the opportunity to have the conversation about ending your pain? Freeman said during the committee meeting. He also acknowledged that the bill dealt with a tough subject matter that has a lot of nuances to it, particularly with people having strong beliefs on either side of the issue. Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He stressed that the bill was permissive in nature and not requiring any physician take part if they choose not to, especially after receiving resistance from members of the committee. Rep. Sabi Kumar (R-Springfield), himself a longtime physician, said he was concerned that the bill would be taking away choices from people, as well as affirming that doctors are tasked with saving lives, not ending them. Freeman, however, countered, saying physicians frequently dont take action to save lives, especially in the case of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders or previously set up advanced directives. In those instances, Freeman said, physicians are bound by their patients previous orders, and this bill would be simply a matter of offering terminally ill patients another choice for their own health. Despite intense debate on the issue, Freemans bill ultimately failed 2-8 along party lines, with Reps. Shaundelle Brooks (D-Nashville) and John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) in favor and Reps. Michele Carringer (R-Knoxville), John Gillespie (R-Memphis), Esther Helton-Haynes (R-East Ridge), Kumar, Iris Rudder (R-Winchester), Paul Sherrell (R-Sparta), Brian Terry (R-Murfreesboro), and Ron Travis (R-Dayton) opposed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. RACINE, Wis. (WFRV) A 41-year-old Wisconsin man previously convicted of sexual assault of a minor and is a registered sex offender was arrested on Monday for owning a child sex doll and child porn. Investigators with the Racine County Sheriffs Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit were tipped off to an individual who uploaded and downloaded child pornography on social media. Wisconsin deputies arrest two in separate OWI incidents Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials performed a background check on the criminal history of the suspect, identified as 41-year-old Edgar Aguero Cruz of Racine, finding that he had previously been convicted of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault of a Child. Cruz spent eight years in prison after probation was revoked in 2015, and is currently out of custody and being monitored by the Department of Corrections. Investigators with the Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigations Bureau and ICAC conducted a search warrant on Cruzs home on Monday, which is located directly across from an elementary school playground. At the time of the search, children reportedly were outside for recess. Investigators found multiple devices in Cruzs bedroom that were recovered to analyze throughout the investigation. officers also found a silicone sex doll the size of an infant, which had indicators of recent use for sexual purposes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators made contact with the Department of Corrections, and spoke with Cruz after taking him to the Racine County Jail. Cruz reportedly admitted to owning child sex abuse material on his Kik and Reddit accounts, and also admitted that he sent disturbing child pornography to unidentified individuals online. He also reportedly said that he purchased the child sex doll online, admitting that his DNA would be on it. According to the release, the following charges were recommended to the Racine County District Attorneys Office: Nine counts of child pornography possession Possession of a Child Sex Doll Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Sex Offender Fail/Update Information Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Husband of deceased woman in Wisconsin being held in jail, investigation continues The release added the following statement from Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling: Thanks to the relentless work of extremely dedicated investigators, this disgusting pedophile is in custody where he belongs. Hopefully, the criminal justice system will see how dangerous Cruz is and keep him away from children for a long, long time. Sheriff Christopher Schmalling No additional details were provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) President Donald Trump and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) fired all General Services Administration employees across Nevada on Monday, according to Democratic Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto. The department runs federal buildings, including federal courthouses. It was not immediately clear how many workers were affected. These are the workers that maintain our federal buildings and courthouses, including their security systems and he wants them all gone, Cortez Masto posted on X on Monday evening. This is outrageous! Social Security workers, U.S. Marshals, the Army Corps of Engineers all of them work out of federal buildings in Reno and Las Vegas. They rely on the GSA to keep their buildings safe and functioning so they can do their jobs and serve Nevadans. Now thats in jeopardy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last summer, GSA employees mitigated a Legionnaires outbreak at the Las Vegas federal courthouse. Workers detected the disease in the buildings water system, a spokesperson said at the time. DOGE has targeted the GSA in its sweeping cuts, closing the departments technology unit last weekend, CBS News reported. Last week, DOGE said a Las Vegas social security office would move in an effort to save money. The annual lease for the Las Vegas office costs $65,406. DOGE reported the closure would result in $16,406 in total savings, according to its website. In recent weeks, DOGE also fired 13 workers at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, including one responsible for monitoring toxic water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of November, the federal government employed about 3 million people including 600,000 U.S. Postal Service workers, according to the Pew Research Center. The most recent low of federal workers was in 2014 with 2.7 million. While the number of federal workers has grown over time, their share of the civilian workforce has generally held steady in recent years, Pew said. Are you a federal worker impacted by the cuts? David Charns can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. In September 2020, I was swearing an oath to uphold the Constitution in my dining room, eyes on my laptop. I had just started a new position with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), my first with the federal government, in the middle of the pandemic. Since leaving my home state of Indiana in 2003, my professional life had orbited USAID: My first real job was for a USAID contractor, and then I worked with a series of organizations that received USAID funding in India, Haiti, Niger, and the U.S. Despite this, I had never seriously considered joining the agency, preferring to work on the programs that USAID funded and perhaps restrained by a faint bias: Werent government employees disengaged and uninspired, working for a paycheck and little else? Opinion: What Trump gets right, and wrong, in cutting U.S. security costs abroad Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My colleagues in USAIDs Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance quickly put the lie to such prejudices. They were passionate, tireless professionals strenuously committed to the bureaus mission of saving lives and reducing the suffering of the worlds most vulnerable people. I saw them hop on planes with less than 24 hours notice to respond to disasters in Turkey, Pakistan and Haiti; spoke to them after they spent nights in the basement of a Kyiv hotel while Russian drones attacked outside; and silently cheered as they prepared our top diplomats to try to stop a famine in Sudan. In short, they were an inspiration. And, believe it or not, theyre no exception. Across the government, federal employees are driven by a belief in the importance of public service, toil long hours to advance their missions and bring specialized skills and knowledge that cant easily be replaced. But these workers my colleagues at USAID and more than 2 million other federal employees around the country are under attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elon Musk's dubiously deployed Department of Government Efficiency is remarkable for the speed, cruelty and, above all, the thoughtlessness of its unleashing. Under the guise of rooting out corruption, fraud, and inefficiency, Musk and clan have laid waste to an increasing range of government functions and agencies USAID for one, but also the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education. The Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs are reportedly next in the crosshairs. This is not a rightsizing or reimagining of government based on reasoned analysis in pursuit of clear objectives; rather, it is a slapdash yet deliberate effort to cripple the federal bureaucracy through truly unilateral cuts, thereby consolidating power in the executive branch. But why should this matter to Hoosiers who live far from Washington, D.C., most of whom no doubt would love to see a leaner, more effective government? First, this is only the beginning of Musk's and DOGEs campaign. The U.S. government is the worlds largest purchaser of goods and services, and its grants to state and local governments and service providers invisibly underpin much of the world we take granted. Even cuts made with clear justification and foresight have unintended effects. DOGEs frenetic slashing will have significant human and economic consequences in the state, some predictable and some not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second, our professional, apolitical civil service the competent, dedicated people I described above is one of the best things this country has going for it. All civil servants, including the 48,000 who make Indiana home, deserve humane treatment and a fair shake, a fair assessment of our value and contributions to the welfare of this great nation. A capriciously diminished federal workforce will inevitably result in a less safe, less prosperous, and less strong America. Musk and DOGE must be stopped before the worst comes to pass. Its too late for me I was terminated Feb. 24, with the non-explanation that it was in the best interest of the U.S. government. My wife lost her job with USAID, as well. In the long run, our family of five will be fine we have savings and strong support systems. I wish I could feel as hopeful about the future of our country and my home state. We must make our voices heard while there are things still left to save. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peter Gaff is a former federal employee who lives in Washington, D.C. He grew up in LaPorte County. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: I worked for USAID. What I saw inspired me. | Opinion For much of the past decade, President Donald Trump and his allies have been waging a war against the so-called "deep state"and the conflict has only escalated since Trump's return to power. There's no official definition of the term, of course. Loosely, the deep state is the collection of bureaucrats, contractors, intelligence officials, and other official or even quasi-official entities that more-or-less retain their power no matter who occupies the White House or which party controls Congress. But it's more specific than that. Implicit in talk about the deep state is the idea that certain individuals outside the official chain of command wield the true power in the federal government, and that they frequently ignore or thwart the will of the people's elected and appointed representatives. In a nutshell, the deep state is undemocratic and unaccountable, even to powerful figures in the federal government. Trump has cast the deep state as one of the chief antagonists of his populist movement, in no small part because such movements always require enemies (and the less well-defined the better). Much of what the second Trump administration has done so farfrom the mass firings of federal employees to the appointment of unorthodox leaders at the Pentagon, FBI, and other key outpostsis probably best understood as a direct assault upon this perceived opponent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But at the same time that he's focused on dismantling the deep state, Trump seems to have built his own undemocratic, unaccountable executive apparatus. How else should we view the incident that The Washington Post reported on last week involving Elon Musk, the unofficial head of the White House's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and Secretary of State Marco Rubio? As DOGE was slashing its way through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Rubio issued a waiver ensuring that "existing life-saving humanitarian assistance programs" should continue, despite the announced shutdown of USAID. "Several times, USAID managers prepared packages of these payments and got the agency's interim leaders to sign off on them with support from the White House," the Post reported. "But each time, using their new gatekeeping powers and clearly acting on orders from Musk or one of his lieutenants, [Luke] Farritor and [Gavin] Kliger would veto the paymentsa process that required them to manually check boxes in the payment system one at a time, the same tedious way you probably pay your bills online." As a result, USAID clinics that were supposed to be protected by Rubio's order were shuttered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is an almost perfect illustration of how conservatives used to believe the deep state operatedwith unelected, unofficial back-channel operatives overruling the plainly stated instructions of those who are nominally in power. And, sure, much of USAID's spending seems to have been wasteful and in need of a thorough audit, if not a serious cut. Yes, you can also make whatever jokes you'd like about Rubio getting exactly what he deserves for becoming Trump's lackey. Still, this should be worrying to anyone who takes seriously the threat of the deep state or values the rule of law. Whatever your views of Musk and Rubio as individuals, it simply cannot be that the Senate-confirmed secretary of state is having his decisions overruled by a man (or his lieutenants) who still lacks any official place in the White House's organizational chart and who runs a rebranded version of the U.S. Digital Service, an agency meant to streamline the executive branch's digital outreach efforts that has no statutory authority to make spending decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's an encouraging sign that some Republicans are upset about this. "Now that Marco is confirmed and in place, there should be nobody in the administrationoutside of the president of the United States or at the direction of the presidentthat should pause, delay, or cancel anything Marco thinks is in our best national interest," Sen. Thom Tillis (RN.C.) told NOTUS last week in response to a question about the Rubio/Musk turf war. Tillis also chalked up the incident to a case of having "a lot of cooks in the kitchen" but said there should be no doubt that Rubio, in this case, is "head chef." Maybe it was all just a mix-up. But while the situation with USAID and Rubio is the most high-profile, it is not the only example of DOGE and Musk operating like the very deep state Republicans used to criticize. Take, for another example, how the Trump administration is working to exempt DOGE from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As Reason's C.J. Ciaramella reported, Justice Department lawyers are now arguing that the DOGE does not have to respond to FOIA requests because it is no longer part of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of the office of the president is exempt from FOIA (the OMB is a bit of an outlier), but that maneuver still "runs contrary to Trump and Elon Musk's promises and stated goals of delivering open, transparent government to the public," Ciaramella wrote. Indeed, Musk has claimed that "all aspects of the government must be fully transparent and accountable to the people," Musk posted on X earlier this month. "No exceptions." Well, some exceptions, apparently. Musk's role within the executive branch is starting to look every bit as vague and unaccountable as the shadowy deep state operatives that Trump campaigned againstand that lack of clarity might soon undermine some of what DOGE has accomplished. In a statement to a U.S. district judge in February, a White House attorney explained that Musk is a "special government employee" and an adviser to the president, not the actual head of the DOGE or even an employee of the department. So who is running things? The White House said last week that Amy Gleason is now the administrator of the DOGE project. But Musk remains the face of the effort, and federal judges assessing the legality of DOGE's actions seem to have questions about the chain of command. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Based on the limited record I have before me, I have some concerns about the constitutionality of U.S.D.S.'s structure and operations," Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said during a hearing in the federal district court last week. The New York Times notes that she "expressed particular concern that [Musk's role] violated the appointments clause of the Constitution, which requires leaders of federal agencies to be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate." You have to assume that other federal judges hearing other legal and constitutional challenges to DOGE's spending cuts will soon be asking similar questions. Even if the Trump administration can fall back on the claim that those changes are authorized by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), judges are likely to look less favorably on these maneuvers if they appear to be happening on the orders of someone who holds no actual power (and, don't forget, runs a business empire that's significantly funded by government contracts). Overruling the decisions made by legally appointed officials. Dodging transparency. Refusing to identify who is running the show. Are Musk and the DOGE just the deep state by a different name? Some clarity and transparency from the White House about Musk's official status and the limits of DOGE's powers would go a long way toward establishing the necessary constitutional credibility to make any of these cuts stickand would have practical benefits too, like clearing up whether federal workers are supposed to respond to his emailed demands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is fair to point out, as Reason's Christian Britschgi has, that Musk is not the first personal adviser to the president who has occupied an unclear and constitutionally dubious role while exercising vast, unofficial powers from the White House. But Trump promised to demolish the deep state, not reshuffle the seating chart. Instead, he seems to be delivering a new version of the deep state, but one oriented toward conservative endswhich is, in fairness, what some conservatives wanted. That might be good enough for some Republicans who can't see past the next election. Principled conservatives and libertarians, however, should balk at the constitutionally dubious nature of all this and recognize that a smaller government with a more powerful set of unaccountable executive officials is unlikely to be much of a win for liberty. The post DOGE Goes Deep State appeared first on Reason.com. Six TRUPACT transport containers sit outside the Waste Receiving and Processing facility (WARP) on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation June 30, 2005 near Richland, Washington. Each container holds 14 55-gallon drums of transuranic (TRU) waste that has been processed and will be sent to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico. (Photo by Jeff T. Green / Getty Images) Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) appears to have targeted a building lease for the Carlsbad field office overseeing the countrys only underground nuclear waste disposal site, prompting immediate censure from members of New Mexicos congressional delegation. The Department of Energy Carlsbad Field Office is in the Skeen-Whitlock building, a 90,000- square foot facility that houses 200 workers who manage the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant better known as WIPP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WIPP itself is not at the Skeen-Whitlock building. The underground waste depository lies in a saltbed about 26 miles east of Carlsbad and is the nations only storage site for defense-related nuclear waste. Most of the items disposed of are soiled with elements heavier than uranium such as plutonium. The building was listed as one of the more than 7,000 leases listed as terminated by DOGE, but there is no additional information. Members of the U.S. The Department of Energy national and Carlsbad Field Office did not respond Tuesday morning to a request for information. The buildings potential closure poses risks to both the environment and national security, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) said in a written statement. The abrupt closure of the Skeen-Whitlock building would further strain our ability to manage nuclear waste effectively, Vasquez said. It is imperative that DOE and GSA provide immediate clarity on this issue and work collaboratively to ensure that WIPPs mission is not compromised. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) also issued a statement Tuesday, saying he will fight the closure of the facility. WIPP is critical to our national security. Now, Elon Musk and President Trump are jeopardizing WIPPs operations and its ability to safely manage the disposal of nuclear waste, Lujan said. The Carlsbad Field Office exists to ensure that WIPP can safely and effectively conduct its operations, and a potential closure could lead to delays in nuclear waste disposal and puts our environmental safety at risk. Lujans statement further noted that closing the field office would not only undermine the safety protocols at WIPP to protect the public and environment but also will put hundreds of federal jobs in one of the most rural areas of our state at risk. Members from Vasquezs office sent an email Monday to the U.S. General Services Administration, which manages the federal governments leases, writing that the closure was deeply concerning. The Carlsbad Field Office has already lost approximately 30% of its staff in the past month. This office is home to WIPP emergency response staff, who play a critical role in ensuring the safe management of defense-related nuclear waste, legislative assistant Emily Hartshorn wrote. Closing this facility would pose a serious risk to national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The GSA acknowledged the email from Vasquezs office early Tuesday, but did not provide any further information about the leases status. A person answering the phones at Cowperwood Company, which owns the Skeen-Whitlock building, said that the company would not comment nor confirm if it had received a termination notice from the GSA, saying: thats just not something were willing to discuss at this time. Don Hancock, the Nuclear Waste Safety program director and administrator at the nonprofit Southwest Research and Information Center, said the potential closure raises questions about where workers would relocate to or if the termination would mean a larger step to closing the site. WIPP cant operate without workers in Skeen-Whitlock and the WIPP site, Hancock said. That obviously has major implications for not only Carlsbad, New Mexico, but also for South Carolina, a major shipper of waste and Idaho, which has a legal agreement requiring WIPP to be open and receiving shipments. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Republicans have been facing outcry at town hall meetings from constituents over DOGE cuts. Now, some Republicans are signaling that they're doing away with in-person town halls. Some Democrats are already capitalizing on the moment, pledging to hold events in red districts. If your member of Congress is a Republican, you may not be able to attend an in-person town hall anytime soon. After weeks of protests over DOGE-driven cuts to the federal workforce, freezes on federal funding, and other early actions taken by President Donald Trump's administration, GOP lawmakers are signaling that they're likely to move away from the format. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Tuesday that he believes the protesters are "literally paid" by the liberal megadonor George Soros, and that they're using the town halls to generate "sound bites" to make Republicans look bad. "They're doing this for the cameras, we all know it, and I think it's not to play into it right now," Johnson said. The Wall Street Journal's Olivia Beavers reported that Richard Hudson, the chairman of House Republicans' campaign arm, directly urged lawmakers not to hold in-person town halls. Newsy: NRCC Chair Richard Hudson just very dramatically told members to put down their phones and listen, per source in room. He said no one should be doing town halls. Likened it to 2017, said the protests at town halls and district offices are going to get even worse. Another Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) March 4, 2025 Johnson told reporters that Republicans would engage with constituents in other ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's lots of different ways and forums to do it. You can do it in telephone town halls. You can have small subgroups of people from different industries and segments of the community," Johnson said. "We find that to be very, very productive, and more productive than if you just go to an open forum right now." Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas, who was confronted at a town hall over the weekend, told reporters on Tuesday that he hasn't decided whether he'll continue holding in-person town halls. "We did a telephone town hall last night," Marshall said. "We can reach thousands of people more at a time." Meanwhile, Democrats are seizing on the moment, with some pledging to take the fight to Republicans' turf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna wrote in an op-ed for The American Prospect that at the end of March, he would travel to three GOP-held California districts to "speak out against DOGE's mass firings and the Republicans' Medicaid cuts." And Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota wrote on X that he would host events in districts where Republicans refuse to hold town halls. "If your Republican representative won't meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will," Walz wrote. Thats a shame. If your Republican representative wont meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will. Hell, maybe I will. If your congressman refuses to meet, Ill come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat em. https://t.co/EtysJK75gK Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) March 4, 2025 Read the original article on Business Insider (NewsNation) Fired federal workers warned the Trump administrations cuts to federal science agencies could put endangered animals at a greater risk of becoming extinct, according to The Guardian. The Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency have fired thousands of employees with science agencies and stopped funding at the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. The Endangered Species Coalition has called for members of Congress to support the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act to prevent more cuts to wildlife preservation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senior USAID official ousted after sending memo on lifesaving aid Some staffers that were a part of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program to save the endangered black-footed ferret were fired, and funds for the animals conservation were frozen, according to Vox. Nearly 400 workers with the FWS were fired as DOGE looks to shrink the federal workforce. A judge recently ruled that some of the firings at federal agencies were likely unlawful and has set a hearing on the issue for March 13. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has welcomed Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) into the Pentagon, where Musks proteges aim to cut eight percent from next years budget. Theres certainly a need for more efficiency at the Pentagon, which has failed seven audits in a row and still relies on fax machines for its weapons acquisition process. But is Elon Musk the man for the job? The biggest problem with letting Musk have access to this information is not that hes overzealous, misguided, unelected, or wealthyits that he and his staff pose significant national security risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no evidence that Musk has the responsibility, knowledge, or understanding of the reasons and procedures for protecting sensitive personal or national security data. Indeed, there is rather extensive evidence to the contrary. Before Donald Trump returned to office, Musk became the subject of no fewer than three military security reviews and was denied high-level security access by the Air Force. The reason for this scrutiny is Musks extensive ties to foreign adversaries, which has allegedly included multiple, high-level conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials, which were not disclosed as required by law. Musk also has extensive ties to China. Tesla, Musks electric car company makes about half of its automobiles at a massive Shanghai plant known as the Gigafactory and had to borrow around $1.4 billion from state-controlled banks. These entanglements can prove worrisome because Chinese intelligence law gives the communist regime free and unfettered access to any corporate data of interest. As someone who has spent years overseeing the verification and compliance of arms control agreements, I understand how important it is to protect national security-sensitive data. The information DOGE would have access to is not limited to spreadsheets of inefficienciesit includes vital details on U.S. military and intelligence capabilities, readiness, and strategic deterrence. Allowing Musks organization access to such information risks compromising the nuclear force posture assessments, arms treaty compliance reports, and national security directives that are crucial to maintaining U.S. strategic superiority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We simply cannot risk China or Russia gaining access to national security data, including Defense Department records, Department of Energy data on U.S. nuclear capabilities, and intelligence community data on U.S. collection capabilities. If China or Russia gain access to the DoD data DOGE will need to carry out its audit, they could obtain an inside view of the U.S. militarys capabilities and weaknesses. This could help Russia in its ongoing spat with Ukraine or provide China with a clear edge in any future conflict over Taiwan. Perhaps Musk would prefer it that way. In 2022, he proposed turning the island nation into a special administrative zone of the Peoples Republic, the same status that failed to save Hong Kong from CCP tyranny. Hes also criticized any attempts to economically decouple the U.S. from China, despite the national security threats this entanglement poses. When dealing with arms control negotiations and matters related to U.S. treaty compliance, I saw firsthand how sensitive data can be leveraged by adversaries. Safeguarding national security information is a fundamental necessity for maintaining U.S. global power and the nations overall strategy of deterrence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration must proceed with caution. DOGEs mission may be a reasonable one, but if Musks involvement ends up exposing sensitive civilian and military data to our greatest geopolitical adversaries, a few billion in government waste will be the least of our problems. Paula A. DeSutter was United States Assistant Secretary of State for Verification, Compliance, and Implementation from 2002 to 2009. The website of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency provided its third weekly update of federal government cost-cutting Sunday night, claiming total government savings of $105 billion, up from the $65 billion it claimed in last week's update -- but the figure remains unverifiable as the site still says it's posted only a fraction of the receipts supporting this total. In its latest update to its "Savings" page, DOGE continued to update -- and in some cases delete -- contracts that it had previously listed as having saved up to billions of dollars in federal funds, after media outlets, experts and others publicly questioned details of the contracts. In all, DOGE listed a total of 2,334 canceled contracts on its latest "Wall of Receipts," with the savings from those contracts amounting to $8.8 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Federal workers laid off by DOGE sound off as they look for new jobs The amount is actually lower than the $9.6 billion in claimed savings from 2,299 contracts posted on its "Wall of Receipts" last week, reflecting the difficulty in pinpointing exactly what DOGE is cutting and by how much. Similar to last week, DOGE claims in this week's update that the $105 billion figure is based on a "combination of asset sales, contract/lease cancellations and renegotiations, fraud and improper payment deletion, grant cancellations, interest savings, programmatic changes, regulatory savings, and workforce reductions." The site, however, only provides receipts for a fraction of that number. In addition to the $8.8 billion alleged savings in canceled contracts, the new data on the site lists $660 million worth of real estate leases under the GSA that were canceled, and, for the first time, it lists federal government grants that have been terminated, totaling $10.3 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the contracts that have been deleted from DOGE's latest "Wall of Receipts" is the biggest contract it had listed as having canceled last week: a seven-year blanket purchase agreement from the IRS with $1.9 billion cap for "IT strategy and modernization." PHOTO: Elon Musk, his son, XX A-Xii, and Musk's mother, Maye Musk arrive at the White House's South Lawn, after arriving on Marine One with President Donald Trump on March 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) The website removed this contract from its "Wall of Receipts" after the vendor, financial management and IT company Centennial Technologies, told the New York Times last month that the contract was actually canceled last fall, under the Biden administration. The previous week, DOGE had to revise down its largest claimed savings contract from $8 billion to $8 million after the contract's vendor explained that the $8 billion listed on it procurement record was likely a clerical error. Another contract that was removed from DOGE's "Wall of Receipts" in the latest updated was a five-year $150 million USAID contract under the Asia Futures Activity initiative, aimed at serving the USAID's Asia Bureau to solve "interconnected challenges of economic growth, democratic governance, and resilience in the face of increasing health, climate, and food security threats." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for the Cadmus Group, which had received that contract, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News. DOGE also deleted from its latest "Wall of Receipts" what appeared to be a $149 million National Institute of Health contract awarded to software company Advanced Automation Technologies. Last week, the DOGE website listing that contract linked to a different NIH contract for leasing and maintaining refrigerated gas tanks. An NIH contract with Advanced Automation Technologies that shares the same contract ID is capped at just $1.4 million -- not the $149 million figure that had been listed by DOGE. MORE: 'Many of them will die': Hammer drops on USAID with organizations left reeling Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other terminated contracts listed in this week's data include a USAID contract for the Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative with a $256 million ceiling, from which DOGE claims to have saved $170 million that has yet to be obligated to the contractor. Another newly listed canceled contract is the USAID's Global Health Training, Advisory, and Support Contract program, a multi-year program that started in 2021 and was capped at $682 million through 2029. DOGE claims to have saved $284 million by terminating this program. The single biggest contract listed this week is a seven-year IT services contract from the USAID to the vendor Salient CRGT Inc., with a $597 million ceiling. Similar to last week's data, DOGE now lists more than 940 contracts where contract obligations have already been fully delivered -- meaning that 40% of the contracts they claim to have terminated will not actually result in saving any money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked about contracts that list $0 in savings last week, a White House official told ABC News that they're using a conservative methodology of calculating savings because they subtract the contracts' obligated dollars from the ceiling amounts. However, for many contracts the ceiling dollars are much higher than what is actually expected to be spent. MORE: Here are all the agencies that Elon Musk and DOGE have been trying to dismantle so far For the $10.3 billion in federal grants the sites says it's terminated, DOGE lists each of the 3,389 grants with the name of the awarding agency and the amount of each grant, but does not lists the grant's name or purpose. So far, much of the claimed savings from these grants have come from the USAID -- totaling $8.7 billion -- followed by $1.1 billion from the State Department, $472 million from the Education Department and $61 million from the EPA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DOGE has also updated its list of real estate leases that have been terminated, totaling $660 million. But much of the data is now missing information regarding which agency the leases were under, whereas the site previously listed leases from across more than 40 agencies. The current data shows $143 million worth of real estate leases under the GSA that were terminated, and the rest of the terminated leases-- totaling $516 million -- do not list their agencies. DOGE said last week that it would begin updating its website twice a week, but the current update, like the first two, came after a week. DOGE says it's saved $105 billion, though it's backtracked on some of its earlier claims originally appeared on abcnews.go.com MACAO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The credit rating agency Fitch Ratings on Tuesday affirmed the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR)'s credit ratings, including long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings, at "AA" with a "stable" outlook. The international rating agency expected Macao's economic prospects to be bolstered by the continued expansion of the tourism sector with increased non-gaming investment, the favorable relaxation of travel policies for Chinese mainland visitors, and the enhancement of tourism infrastructure. According to Fitch's rating definitions, ratings in the "AA" category denote a very strong fiscal position for payment of financial commitments, and the capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events. MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) The Department of Justice announced it is reviewing the prosecution of ex-Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters after reasonable concerns have been raised. In a statement of interest filed Monday, the DOJ said these concerns relate to Peters exceptionally lengthy sentence, First Amendment rights violations and the states denial of bail pending appeal, which is arbitrary or unreasonable under the Eighth and 14th Amendments. Peters, who is incarcerated in Larimer County Detention Center, was found guilty Aug. 12 of violating her duty, official misconduct, failure to comply with the Colorado Secretary of States Office, three counts of attempting to influence a public servant and one of two counts of conspiracy to commit impersonation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Accordingly, the United States respectfully submits that the concerns raised in the Application warrant at the very least prompt and careful consideration by this Court (and, at the appropriate time, the Colorado appellate courts), the DOJ wrote. This statement of interest comes not long after Peters attorneys requested a writ of habeas corpus last month while she waits for the Colorado Court of Appeals review of her charges. In the application, Peters reportedly suffers from serious health issues and that, while behind bars, her physical and mental health have deteriorated. President Donald Trumps DOJs review will also evaluate the states prosecution of Peters and whether the case was oriented more toward inflicting political pain than toward pursuing actual justice or legitimate governmental objectives, the filing read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peters cant be pardoned by Trump since she was convicted on state charges. Its ultimately Colorado Gov. Jared Polis decision whether to release her or not. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. The Justice Department pushed for a judge to allow President Donald Trump to appoint his own nominee at the Merit Systems Protection Board, in order to replace the member he unlawfully fired. The irony is particularly sharp in this case, as the once little-known MSPB was set up by Congress to shield the federal civil service from partisan retribution. Congress accordingly granted the leaders of the agency, including fired member Cathy Harris who filed the suit, long terms and removal protections, so they cant be dismissed at will (Harris says she was fired without cause in a one-sentence email). The MSPB is currently being inundated as federal workers flood its understaffed office with appeals of their firings. Some judges have dismissed worker lawsuits, telling the fired federal employees they must first adjudicate their cases at the MSPB all while the Trump administration attempts to paralyze it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Monday hearing in Washington, D.C., before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras, an Obama appointee, the DOJs Jeremy Newman pushed for Harris not to be reinstated even if the judge ultimately agrees with her that her firing was illegal. Newman instead argued for eventual backpay if Harris wins the case, so Trump can either let her spot sit vacant, depriving the agency of the quorum it needs to fully operate, or put in his own person effectuating the partisan takeover even while the agency is still nominally independent. The third member of the board, a Democrat, resigned on Friday, leaving one Republican member and Harris, who was temporarily reinstated by Contreras order. Newman argued that ordering Harris reinstatement would be a roundabout way to prevent Trump from exercising his official powers, including exercising his constitutional ability to nominate a replacement. Judge Contreras seemed most skeptical on this point, pushing back against Newmans recitation of historical antecedents and noting that some of his arguments came from dissents, not majority opinions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and Elon Musks mass firings of independent agency members have sent dozens of lawsuits like Harris into the federal courts, setting up a Supreme Court showdown over the extent of the Presidents removal power. As of now, at least some agencies still retain congressionally given removal protections meaning that the agencies can, in theory, operate truly independently of the White House, their members comfortable in the knowledge that long terms and stringent requirements for dismissal give them a layer of protection. Trump and Musk have fired federal employees in open violation of those protections. The Roberts Court had been steadily hacking away at the removal protections even before Trump retook office, leaving agencies including the Federal Reserve and the MSPB as the last vestiges of true independence in the executive branch. Experts fear that the Supreme Court will obliterate the last of these agency protections, bringing the entire executive branch more firmly under the Presidents power. It would be a realization of a maximalist version of the unitary executive theory, once a fringe right-wing conception of immense presidential power that now has adherents on the Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts told TPM that the independent agencies greatest hope of survival is the conservative justices fear of the economic crisis that would likely follow a partisan takeover of the Federal Reserve. While many of the right-wing justices if not all of them may endorse the unitary executive theory, they may also blanch at the macroeconomic instability that would be unleashed by the United States losing its independent central bank. Lawyers have been crafting their arguments accordingly. An attorney for Harris, the fired MSPB member, opened his arguments Monday not with an appeal on behalf of her agency, but a warning about another agency that could be decimated if her firing stands. The government is a bit mealy-mouthed on this piece, but seems to acknowledge that the Federal Reserve Board is constitutional and for all of our sakes, I hope thats true, Nathaniel Zelinsky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That admission should be the end of this case if the Fed is constitutional, so is MSPB by a mile, he said, adding grimly that the converse is also true. So far, the Trump administration is at least claiming that it wants to keep the Fed partially independent; in a recent executive order, the administration purported to place all executive branch agencies under presidential control with the exception of the Feds monetary policy duties. Experts are skeptical that such a separation could actually be executed, given how the agency is currently structured. The Trump administration has already appealed the temporary restraining order that Contreras granted in favor of Harris to the D.C. Court of Appeals. Whichever way he rules on the merits, the decision is certain to be appealed, too. In the theory you just heard, not only is the Fed unconstitutional, the merit-based civil service is unconstitutional and the President can fire every single person in the executive branch, Zelinsky said to end his presentation after the governments lawyer spoke. Several states including Connecticut, California and Massachusetts have recognized coercive control as part of domestic violence, although the definitions vary. (Photo by Getty Images) Agnes Brackett from Franklin County was in a 19-year abusive relationship that ended last year with her husband trying to burn down their home. Though he was arrested for buying guns and going on a rampage that included arson and domestic violence, according to police reports, Brackett said the abuse started long before, when her husband cut her off from her friends, monitored the time and the routes she took when she ran errands, and did not allow their daughter on the playground if other children were present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would get to the point where it gets in your head, and its insidious, she said during a Monday public hearing before the Maine Legislatures Committee on Judiciary. Its not just the hitting. Its deeper than hitting because its a place that nobody else can see. She was one of several domestic violence survivors, mental health experts and advocates speaking in support of a new bill that would explicitly name such patterns of behavior in state statute under types of domestic violence, allowing victims to seek protection and abusers to be arrested or prosecuted. These behaviors, called coercive control, are designed to dominate, isolate, manipulate or exploit a person who is a dating partner or a family or household member, according to the bill text. Advocates from a network of domestic violence survivors Brackett belongs to called Finding Our Voices said many survivors face one or more of these as a precursor to physical or sexual violence. The bill, introduced by Rep. Holly Rae Eaton (D-Deer Isle), includes several examples of coercive control such as limiting access to financial resources or employment; restricting or monitoring movements or communication, isolating partners from friends, family or support systems; using intimidation or threats to create fear or dependency; and exploiting victims vulnerabilities such as immigration status, or disabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Often, this type of behavior goes unnoticed by other people, but is all too clear to the victim, said Candis Veilleux, another survivor from Kennebec County and part of Finding Our Voices. Several states including Connecticut, California and Massachusetts have recognized coercive control as part of domestic violence, according to Eaton, although the definitions vary. The Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers opposed the bill, saying the language was vague and lacks clear direction on how it can be enforced. This lack of clear legal standards could lead to significant unintended consequences, including the misuse of protective orders in contentious family disputes, particularly in divorce and child custody cases, as well as increased criminal prosecutions under these vague definitions, attorney and MACDL member Eric Thistle of the Portland-based Thistle, Weaver and Morris wrote in submitted testimony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Current Maine statute does protect against most of the controlling behaviors, according to Andrea Mancuso of the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence. However, the coalition testified neither for nor against the bill, acknowledging that while it may not expand eligibility for the types of behaviors that could warrant a Protection from Abuse order, it does help make the protections more explicit. From our perspective, it does not expand eligibility for what types of behaviors you can walk into court and walk out with an order for, but it might allow more victims, she said. Clearly, it will allow more victims to see their own lived experience reflected in the statute. Mancuso said that if the bill passes, domestic violence victims seeking protection orders without the help of an attorney will be able to explicitly use the coercive control definitions to seek protection from courts. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A man from the Dominican Republic who was deported from the United States in 2004, pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry after prosecutors said he came back to the country illegally in 2014. According to U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, 59-year-old Rolando Antonio Rosado was ordered by a judge to be removed in June 2000, however, he never ended up surrendering himself. He was later arrested in October 2003 by the Rochester Police Department and charged with criminal possession of a weapon for a separate crime. Rosado was subsequently deported from the United States in April 2004. RPD surrounds house on Driving Park Ave. after shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2014, prosecutors said Rosado illegally re-entered the United States near Laredo, Texas. He was found by authorities about ten years later on Sept. 26 2024 in the Western District of New York. After his guilty plea on Tuesday, Rosado was sentenced to time served and transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Authorities in the Dominican Republic said Tuesday that they seized 36,000 cartridges, 23 firearms and more than two dozen rifle and pistol chargers from a Miami shipment destined for Haiti. Agents also confiscated a submachine gun and a charger for a .50-caliber rifle, according to a statement from the Dominican customs office. Dominican officials said the investigation is ongoing and that they are working with agencies including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. They noted that Dominican agents recently seized 37 weapons at the same port in the Santo Domingo capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The seizures come as gang violence in neighboring Haiti surges across the capital, Port-au-Prince, forcing 25,000 people to flee in the past two weeks, according to the International Organization for Migration. Last year, more than 5,600 people were reported killed across Haiti, with gang violence leaving more than one million people homeless in recent years, according to the U.N. Illegal firearms were blamed for an increase or a record number of killings in the Caribbean last year. An estimated 90% of weapons used in the region were smuggled in from the U.S., according to U.S. officials. On Tuesday, police in Jamaica said they charged a truck driver from Columbus, Georgia with trafficking prohibited weapons after agents on the island seized 66 firearms and more than 4,500 rounds of ammunition at a port in the capital, Kingston, last month. The suspect is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Jamaica, where he was arrested. ____ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america The City of Moline hosted a press conference Monday that served as a reminder that federal funding for the potential Quad Cities passenger rail runs out next year. Speakers, including Illinois State Senator Mike Halpin, Illinois State Representative Gregg Johnson and Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati, reiterated three possibilities for the project. The quickest, but most expensive, would use Iowa Interstate Railroads tracks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know its been such a long time and I know that there are lots of folks out there that have somewhat given up hope, Halpin said. But these types of programs and these types of visions take many, many years to come to fruition and once it is done the Quad Cities community will be greater for it. Johnson added that he wouldnt support an Illinois budget that didnt address passenger rail to the Quad Cities. The Q in downtown Moline is ready and waiting for passenger rail service. (Bryan Bobb, Our Quad Cities 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 WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Doug Ford, Premiere of Ontario joins Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House to discuss the short term and long term impact of Donald Trump launching a trade war against some of our closest allies and trading partners, and what the tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico will mean for consumers as early as this week when they are buying routine goods. Eight years ago, when Donald Trump addressed the nation for the first time as president, he did so as the revolutionary leader of a massive populist movement. The government he had just been tasked with leading, he argued in his inaugural address, was corrupt, its economic system rigged. The people surrounding him on stagethe countrys political and business elitehad spent decades lining their pockets and growing more powerful as much of the country went to hell. Americas cities, in his telling, had become wastelands, riven by gang violence, drug abuse, and unemploymentproblems that could be traced back to the free-trade deals and lax immigration policies pushed by members of both parties. Today we are not transferring power not from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the people, Trump said, minutes after becoming the forty-fifth president. This American carnage stops right here and stops right now. For most presidents, the inaugural address is an opportunity to mark their transition from the leader of a party to the head of a nation. The fractious rhetoric of campaigning is set aside in favor of paeans to unity, bipartisanship, and a brighter tomorrow. Having just won an election practically everyone thought he would lose by running as a different kind of candidate, Trump delivered a different kind of inaugural address. Trump was president, but he was still the head of a movement that was fundamentally at odds with most of the nations elite. His speech was not just dystopian, it was a declaration of war against the government he was now tasked with leading. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one sense, this was nothing new for Trump, who had won the Republican nomination and then the presidency in 2016 by seeing off two dynastic members of the political establishmenthe humiliated Jeb Bush in the Republican primary before upsetting Hillary Clinton in the general election. For the last decade, Trump has been telling voters that they had been abandoned by a political establishment he would systematically destroy. In 2016, he really did run a populist campaign, when he argued that the nations leaders were screwing over the country everywhere, spending billions on alliances and wars abroad while they abandoned its workers at home via free-trade agreements that moved factories overseas and left entire cities decimated. Casting himself as a different breed of Republican, he broke from long-standing orthodoxy not just on trade. He also broke away from opposition to entitlement programs, a stance that had defined the Republican Party for nearly a century: His promise to protect Social Security and Medicareboth signature Democratic programswas crucial to his success. Trumps brand of populism has always been intertwined with the extreme, xenophobic immigration policy that has been the centerpiece of his political project from its inception. In 2016, his campaigns central promise was the construction of 2,000-mile wall on the countrys southern border. It was a costly, stupid ideahundreds of miles of fencing already existed and most undocumented immigrants arrive through legal points of entry, like airportsbut a potent metaphor for his larger project, which was built around the return of protectionism and isolationism. By closing off the country, he would free up billions of dollars that were being spent on foreigners or in foreign wars, rebuild the countrys manufacturing sector, and lift up its struggling workers. At the same time, he would crack down on rapacious drug companies, protect clean air and water, and spend a trillion dollars rebuilding the nations crumbling infrastructure. Trump took over the Republican Party by promising to reorient it completely away from the business and elite interests that had dominated for decades and toward the workers he said had been abandoned by the leaders of both parties. One of the most compelling explanations, widely accepted on both the left and right, for Trumps improbable return to power four years later is that Democrats, the mainstream media, and other establishment figureseager to turn the page on the Trump eraoverlooked the continued appeal of Trumps populism. When Trump ran in 2020, his share of the working class held steady, even though he lost. In the 2024 election, it not only spiked again, but it did so thanks to huge gains made with Black and Latino votersgroups long seen as out of reach for any Republican, let alone one with Trumps long history of racism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he declared victory early on the morning of November 6, Trump argued that he was now leading a multiracial working-class movement. This campaign has been so historic in so many ways. Weve built the biggest, the broadest, the most unified coalition, Trump said, before listing a host of racial and demographic groups who had backed his candidacy. We had everybody and it was beautiful, he concluded. It was a historic realignment.... Over the coming days, it would become clear that Trump had a point. He had increased the partys share of Black and Hispanic voters for the third consecutive election and performed impressively with Arab Americans. With these added to his significant and growing base of white working-class voters, the result was not just a realignment, but the fulfillment of a promise Trump made at the start of his political career: The party of big business had become the party of the working class. Fifteen years ago, that transformation would have been unimaginable; without Donald Trump, it likely would have been impossible. But here was clear evidence that the populist moment Trump had launched a decade earlier was stronger than ever. In the days and weeks following Trumps victory, talk of the realignment was everywhere, for understandable reasons. Democrats, already grappling with the failure of a decade of anti-Trump messaging, now had another even bigger problem to deal with: If their partys support among the nonwhite working class continued to slip, it was doomed. For much of the press, this prospect served as the latestand arguably most profoundexample of a decade-long failure to understand Trumps appeal to regular people. For Republicans, Trumps capture of these voters transformed an otherwise unremarkable victorya plurality of the popular vote and the tenth-largest Electoral College margin of victory since 1960into a historic mandate. The populist moment Trump had heralded a decade earlier had finally arrived. There was one problem: Since his first victory, Trump has shed nearly all of the populism, replacing it with authoritarian rhetoric centering his own battle with the countrys elites, rather than the struggles of his voters. During his first term, Trump largely governed like a bog-standard Republican, staffing his administration with executives and ramming a $2 trillion corporate tax cut through Congress. Even after his movement had successfully exiled his critics within the GOP and taken over most of its infrastructure, there has been little talk of cutting down on price gouginga centerpiece of his first presidential campaignor increasing competition. Even the rhetoric about protecting American workers has largely slipped away, as Trump has embraced the nineteenth-century notion that tariffs will rake in billions (and perhaps replace the income tax in the process). Instead, Trumps project is nakedly and completely authoritarian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has wielded a populist mandate and used it almost entirely to advance the interests of the rich and powerful. In the opening weeks of his second term, Trump has wielded a populist mandate and used it almost entirely to advance the interests of the rich and powerful. The opening weeks of Trumps second term have been perhaps the most frenetic and consequential in more than half a century. Over the course of just two weeks, he effectively ended the countrys foreign aid program; all but shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; announced the transformation of Guantanamo Bay into a concentration camp for immigrants; empowered the worlds richest man, Elon Musk, to slash budgets and fire employees at will; and watched as the Senate appointed the most extreme Cabinet in recent American history. In the coming weeks, Trump and Musk may very well act on pledges to cut more than a trillion dollars in spending and gut the Department of Education, along with God knows what else. All these actions could credibly be described as revolutionary. Few, however, could be credibly described as populist. In fact, Trump and Musk are currently engaged in one of the biggest works of deception in American history, claiming the mantle of the working class as they tirelessly work to advance their own interests. As his hold over the Republican Party has grown and his share of the working-class vote has increased, Trump has become less and less populist. Indeed, the early weeks of his presidency suggest that those who have obsessed over his takeover of the Republican Party have missed half the story. Yes, Trump had undoubtedly twisted the GOP into his own image. Today it is more openly authoritarian and dominated by bigots, cranks, and crackpots than ever before. But Trump has changed, too. His rhetoric is still populisthe rails against elites at every opportunitybut little else is. Trump no longer embraces policies that boost competition, disempower corporations, and help workers. Instead, he has increasingly embraced long-standing Republican prioritiesslashing the federal bureaucracy, gutting regulations, and providing handouts to massive corporations. Donald Trump may have expanded the Republican Partys share of working-class voters, but his success with them has hardly resulted in a populist revolution. Instead, the early weeks of Trumps second term represent the return of the Republican austerity politics that he railed against in 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, nearly all of Trumps speeches are centered on his own petty grievances and fixations, which are increasingly detached from the lived experience of his audience. His economic populism, meanwhile, has all but disappeared, in favor of hot-button culture war issues that have been the bread and butter for a plutocratic Republican Party for years. Trump is now as likely to talk about an issue almost no one personally deals with (trans women playing girls sports) as he is to attack a corporate establishment that now largely supports him. Indeed, the opening weeks of Trumps second term have been spent with the administrations fire firmly aimed at federal workers who are being fired by the thousands. A decade ago, Trump rarely spoke about the deficit and pledged to protect entitlement spending (a promise he later broke). Today, his administration has pledged to at least a trillion dollars in spending and is currently preparing to gut Medicaid to pay for another corporate tax cut. In many ways, the early weeks of Trumps second term have as much in common with campaign promises made by Mitt Romney in 2012 as they do with those made by Donald Trump in 2016. A decade ago, when Trump was regularly attacking Romney on the campaign trail, he predicted that his political movement would soon transform their party. He was right. The emerging working-class Republican majority is one of the most consequential political developments in a decade. But that doesnt mean its a workers party now. Its been a long, chaotic six weeks in American politics. An endless barrage of executive orders, firings, and jarring shifts in foreign and domestic policy have dominated the headlines, with other embarrassments appearing almost hourly: renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, AI fever dreams of Gaza turned into a Trumpified beachfront resort, a televised Oval Office sparring match with the president of Ukraine. The zone isnt just flooded, it has been completely submerged. Unsurprisingly, much has been lost in the shuffle, including one salient, hugely popular issue: legal weed. For decades, marijuana has been federally classified as a Schedule I drug, inexplicably placing it on the same level as highly addictive, potentially deadly substances like heroin and above others that are far more dangerous, like fentanyl and cocaine. While Trump expressed support for rescheduling marijuana on the campaign trail last September, he hasnt spoken on it since, and with his past ambiguity on the issueand the ideological makeup of his right-wing, law and order Cabinetits not clear if he still supports reclassifying marijuana or if his administration even plans to do so. What is clear, however, is this: Trump only has two plausible paths forward on marijuana, and both would be awful for consumersand pretty much everyone. The country was slowly but surely moving toward reclassifying marijuana under the Biden administration. In October 2022, President Biden noted that the federal governments handling of marijuana legalization was a failed approach and ordered his agencies to revisit the issue, which then in turn led to an official recommendation that medicinal cannabis be moved from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3. The recommendation was approved by the Drug Enforcement Agency in May but has gotten little attention since. It barely factored into Kamala Harriss or Donald Trumps general election campaigns, and the issue has been essentially buried since Trump entered office in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weed is legal in 39 states, to widely varying degrees: Only 24 of those states allow it to be used recreationally. In some states where weed is technically still illegal, the situation is often muddled: In Nebraska, for instance, marijuana was decriminalized without any updates to existing policy. Policy and enforcement, for that matter, differ dramatically between states: California has a robust, mature recreational market, while New York has a chaotic, unregulated mess. The dissonance and inconsistency persist all while the drug soars in popularity and accessibilityand while large marijuana corporations rush to establish monopolies. This confusing, disorderly situation is being exacerbated by the fact that President Trump has never held a coherent position on marijuana. In the earliest days of his first campaign, President Trump personally expressed an openness to medical legalization (Medical marijuana, medical? Im in favor of it a hundred percent), while also expressing wariness toward recreational legalization (I think its bad, and I feel strongly about that). Jeff Sessions, Trumps short-lived first attorney general, did his best Nancy Reagan impression, declaring in 2017 that weed was only slightly less awful than heroin. Sessions was fired before he could really do any damage to the drugs status, and Bill Barr, who succeeded him, mostly left it up to the states. (Barr is now a part of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a prominent anti-legalization group.) Trump doesnt seem to feel very strongly about the issue. Some point to his support for a failed attempt at legalization in Florida as part of a larger shift, but its now clear this was little more than a campaign maneuver. By backing legalization, Trump effectively neutered it as a potential campaign issue, since he and Joe Biden (and later, Kamala Harris) effectively had the same position. (It probably also helped that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whom Trump relishes humiliating, was strongly campaigning against legalization in his state.) Far from being the first step in some greater vision for marijuana legalization in America, it was instead something baser and more familiar: a politician saying what voters wanted to hear to get elected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps actual choice is simple: He will either embrace loose regulation that favors large, corporate producers or he will completely abandon federal legalization and shift back to the socially conservative policies at the heart of Project 2025. The X factor here is likely Elon Musk. Musk has seized unprecedented authority since election night, and would certainly have Trumps ear on an issue like marijuana legalization. Muskreportedly a raging kethead and regular psychedelic user who tries his absolute hardest to win the internet every day, sometimes by attempted weed-related humorhas expressed support for legalization in the past, infamously smoking (but not inhaling) on The Joe Rogan Show in 2018. Musk unfortunately speaks to the young, low-propensity manosphere electorate to which Donald Trump has grown to endear himself, and the president has realized that. One can imagine that the Silicon Valley alum currently destroying the federal government would jump at the opportunity to fully corporatize the weed industry under the guise of legalization. This would look like an even worse version of the current landscape: Large, well-endowed multistate operators, or MSOsvertically integrated corporate weed companiessweep in and dominate the market. They buy out and kill smaller competition, create the illusion of choice for consumers, and focus only on creating the most potent weed, and as much of it as possible, which is not in the best interest of consumers. Most importantly, a lack of federal involvement in marijuana legalization would make it even more difficult than it presently is to ensure that marijuana products are adequately tested and regulated to the same standards that any other product is. The Musk path will make it harder to ensure that large marijuana producers provide consumers with basic information like dosage and side effects, and that they arent using illegal pesticides. This would require a partnership with some of the largest MSOs in the countrythe seeds of which have already been planted. The CEO of Trulieve, the worlds largest cannabis retailer, met with Trump in Florida after he came out in support of Amendment 3 (Trulieve owns and operates nearly a quarter of the 704 dispensaries in Florida). And in January, Trulieve, Cresco Labs, Green Thumb Industries, Verano, and Curaleaf formed the U.S. Cannabis Roundtable to lobby the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is in direct contradiction with the social conservatism that has come to define Trumps base, and his actual appointed Cabinet. Attorney General Pam Bondi is very much anti-legalization. In 2013 she blocked a bill that would have legalized medical weed in Florida on the grounds that it would make Florida one of the most lenient medical-marijuana states. When that effort failed, she tried to ban smokable medical marijuana. Today, Bondi refused to state her position, answering every question related to cannabis scheduling with, If confirmed, I will give the matter careful consideration after consulting with appropriate Department officials. Then theres Budget Director Russell Vought, the Project 2025 mastermind and devout social conservative who thinks secularism is evil. This does not sound like a guy whod be down for legal weed, and he most certainly isnt. In 2022 he called marijuana a a gateway drug and stated, We have a cultural complacency in the country as to whether it is good to be using drugs. [You] cant go to a big city without being involved with thisthe smell of it, Vought continued. It is a serious problem, and that extends tothere are calls to legalize cocaine. It is where the elite opinion is going. Both of these perspectivesMusks potential laissez faire corporate legalization and Vought and Bondis dreams of the war on drugs part 2are equally represented in Trumps inner circle. If he does become actionable on this issue, his position may simply depend on who spoke to him last. But either way, both paths place politics, profit, and production over peoples health, safety, and awareness. URUMQI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A new air cargo route linking Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, and Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, was launched on Tuesday, announced SF Airlines. The Urumqi-Islamabad route was the first all-cargo route launched by SF Airlines in Xinjiang to Pakistan. It will carry cross-border e-commerce goods and other products, said the air cargo carrier. Two round-trip flights are scheduled to shuttle between Urumqi and Islamabad every week on this cargo route, providing more than 110 tonnes of air transport capacity weekly. With the launch of the Urumqi-Islamabad route, the air cargo services of SF Airlines now reach three destinations in Pakistan, serving China-Pakistan economic and trade exchanges by enhancing logistics convenience, said SF Airlines. Headquartered in Shenzhen, SF Airlines is China's largest air cargo carrier in fleet size. To date, it operates 89 all-cargo freighters, according to statistics from the cargo carrier. LOS ANGELES (WJW) Thirty detention services officers in Los Angeles County are facing charges after allegedly arranging and encouraging so-called gladiator fights among children and teenagers at a local juvenile hall. On Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the unsealing of a grand jury indictment against 30 officers from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, according to a news release from his office. Ukraines Zelenskyy calls Oval Office spat with Trump regrettable Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictment alleges that the officers encouraged 69 fights between July 1, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2023. According to the press release, 143 people between the ages of 12 and 18 were impacted. The officers are charged with child endangerment and abuse, conspiracy and battery. The California Department of Justice launched an investigation after video footage of one of the gladiator fights was leaked in January of 2024. The Los Angeles Times shared the footage in an April 2024 article. Downey, CA June 29: Aerial view of Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey Thursday, June 29, 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Officers at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall have a duty to ensure the safety and well-being of those under their care. Instead, the officers charged today did just the opposite overseeing gladiator fights when they should have intervened, said Bonta. The indictment and the filing of criminal charges is an important step toward holding these officers accountable and addressing shortfalls at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. Let todays charges be a warning for all those who abuse their power: the California Department of Justice is watching, and we will hold you accountable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictment also alleges aggravating factors, including the vulnerability of the victims and the officers position of trust of confidence, which helped enable them to commit the offense, the press release said. These so-called gladiator fights resulted in physical harm to youth involved and, if the charges are proven, were a dereliction of the officers duty to protect those in their care. Twenty-two of the 30 officers were arraigned Monday at Los Angeles Superior Court. The remaining officers will be arraigned on April 18, 2025. Owner charged after abandoned dog found in snowy Parma Heights park: Police Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Separate from the indictment, the attorney generals office said it is working to address systemic shortfalls in Los Angeles County juvenile halls, and recently announced additional monitoring and strengthening protections at juvenile halls, including Los Padrinos, to address illegal and unsafe conditions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. On Monday, immigrants in cities across the country and in the metro Atlanta area participated in A Day Without Immigrants protest. Immigrants and those who support them were instructed not to work, spend money or go to school. Showing folks in Georgia and around the country just how important immigrants are in every facet of society, Kyle Gomez-Leineweber, Director of Policy and Advocacy at GALEO told Channel 2s Audrey Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GALEO is a Latin community development fund that works to increase leadership. TRENDING STORIES: Were seeing narratives that are simply false and targeting the immigrant community, Gomez-Leineweber said. Organizers said both the protest and the rally are in response to what they consider to be escalating attacks on immigrants across the country and in metro Atlanta. During the last Day Without Immigrants protest in February, Georgia GOP Chairman Josh McKoon addressed targeted ICE arrests and the subsequent protests that followed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think there is going to be a short-term blip as people understand what is actually going on, McKoon said. This administration is removing dangerous threats to our community, criminal, illegal aliens. People who are in the country legally have nothing to be afraid of. But rally organizer Natalie Villasana told Washington whats going on is a nationwide push back from immigrants to ultimately send a message. Were saying an end to mass deportation, abolish ICE and full rights to all immigrants, Villasana said. DENVER (KDVR) An elementary student in Denver died of a bacterial meningitis infection last month according to Denver Public Schools and the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. The student was attending Lincoln Elementary School and has not been identified. The school district asked for privacy for the family. Police investigate report at Golden High School, find cardboard prop gun Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district also said that it, alongside DDPHE, does not believe there is an ongoing risk of exposure to students or staff. In regard to this case, there is not an ongoing risk of exposure in the community or the need for preventative treatments for people who might have been exposed, DDPHE told FOX31. Its important to know that there are several strains of bacterial meningitis. Some require intensive public health measures (including prevention treatment) because they have an increased risk of spreading to others. Other strains have a lower risk of secondary infection (illness spreading to others in a school or household setting, for example) and, therefore, do not require public health interventions. The Denver school district said it would notify families immediately if any illness cases suspected to be meningitis are reported. The district recommends that families take standard steps to prevent the spread of germs, including keeping children home if they are sick, and following the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environments guidance on staying home for 24 hours while fever-free without fever-reducers before returning to school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district also recommended that guardians report their students symptoms when calling in absences, talk to their doctors, stay up to date on vaccinations, cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands frequently and increase cleaning and disinfecting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A man is facing charges after deputies say he crashed into multiple cars, including a police cruiser, during a chase. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As reported on News Center 7 at 6, on March 3 around 11:16 p.m., the Troy Police Department began chasing a Dodge Charger after observing it traveling 67 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to a media release. The chase began near North Market Street and East Staunton Road and continued through the Stonyridge area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Dodge Charger made a U-turn and intentionally hit a Troy police cruiser, according to the media release. TRENDING STORIES: The driver, identified by the Miami County Sheriffs Office as Carlton Holden II, 29, continued the chase, reaching 130-140 mph in a 55 mph zone. When Holden entered Tipp City, officers deployed stop sticks and deflated three of the cars tires. He continued to drive through the city, hitting two other cars near a railroad crossing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crash ended the chase and both Holden and his passenger, Carlton Holden Sr., were found hurt in the Dodge Charger. Both were taken to the hospital. Holden II is facing multiple charges including feeling and including, driving under suspension and failure to control. Tipp City police are handling the investigation into the crash. We will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Monday morning was a new kind of traffic nightmare in St. Johns County after St. Johns County Sheriffs Office deputies say 62-year-old Samuel ONeal Gardner pointed a gun at fellow drivers on Interstate 95 southbound around 9:30 a.m. Investigators said Monday that Gardner fired off a few shots, but theyre unsure if he aimed at other drivers on I-95. Rodneshia Jones saw the entire thing unfold first-hand, capturing shocking video of the encounter after driving right alongside Gardner on I-95 during the incident. WATCH: Video shows gunman waving firearm in I-95 traffic Id heard a pop like before we got on [the] side of each other, but I didnt really pay any mind, and I heard another one, Jones said. I was like, Wait a minute, whats that? And I look to my right, and I see he has the gun out the window. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SJSO said deputies attempted to pull Gardner over on I-95 southbound, but he instead turned the gun toward deputies and led them on a chase. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] I got off on the exit and I really just sat there and tried to decompress. You know, I cried, Jones told Action News Jax after the incident. I was very, very shaken up, because you dont expect to look to your right and see a gun, you know, out of someones window. SJSO said Monday Gardner was airlifted to the hospital after crashing into another vehicle and getting taken down by a sheriffs office K9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident snarled traffic on I-95 for hours for drivers like Taylor Starr. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] I travel on this road almost once a month because my parents live in Orlando and I actually live in Jacksonville, Starr said. So, I mean, Ive heard a lot of crazy things, but to have somebody just stop and pointing guns is a little insane. According to investigators, Gardner now faces charges of aggravated fleeing, three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, and improper exhibition of a firearm. Florida Highway Patrol is now assisting the sheriffs offices investigation into what led up to the incident. 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. Two drivers who caused a three-vehicle collision in Lakewood that killed three people after they left American Lake Park were sentenced Friday to jail and prison time. Prosecutors said speeding and driving under the influence were factors in the wreck. Jaquan Deshawn Price, 23, pleaded guilty Friday in Pierce County Superior Court to DUI vehicular homicide and was sentenced to eight years, 10 months in prison. Eric Maneja Fernando, 34, pleaded guilty in January to committing vehicular homicide by driving with disregard for the safety of other people. He was sentenced Friday as a first-time offender to 90 days in jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the day of the July 13, 2023 wreck, according to court filings, Price had been drinking at American Lake Park with three friends and using cannabis. Fernando was at the same park with his three children. Fernando drove home on Gravelly Lake Drive in a Dodge Ram pickup, and witnesses later reported seeing a Toyota Rav4 driving recklessly behind him. Price was behind the wheel, and prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum that when the road widened from one lane to two, Price tried to pass Fernando. Prosecutors said Fernando accelerated to 82 mph in a 30 mph zone, preventing Price from doing so. While the drivers were distracted, a Chevy Cavalier occupied by Miyako Jennings, 92, and Sue Yip, 86, tried to turn left onto the street from Wildaire Road. Prosecutors said Fernando clipped their vehicle before moving to the left, and then Price T-boned the Chevy at 75 mph. The Chevy and the Rav4 ended up smashed into utility poles on opposite sides of the road, and the Dodge pickup stopped in a center turn lane. According to court filings, officers found a chaotic scene with some occupants of the vehicles screaming and bloodied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jennings, who was driving, was declared dead at the scene. Yip was taken to a hospital with a brain bleed and a spinal injury, and she died Aug. 10, 2023. A passenger in Prices vehicle, Bryan Eppling, 23, also was pronounced dead at the scene. Toxicology testing later found that Prices blood-alcohol content was 0.047, below the legal limit of 0.08, and his level of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, was 4.4 nanograms per milliliter. The legal limit for THC is 5 nanograms per milliliter, although the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board notes that people can be found guilty of DUI regardless of blood test results. Fernandos defense attorneys, Bryan Hershman and Scott McGinty, stated in a sentencing memorandum that Price and two of his surviving passengers claimed in interviews with law enforcement that Fernando cut off Prices vehicle, and then Price chased him while his passengers yelled at him to slow down. The attorneys said there was no evidence in an accident-reconstruction report that Fernando engaged in reckless behavior that contributed to the crash, and they said there were independent observations that Fernando was trying to avoid a hazardous situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors wrote in court filings that they believed Price to be the more culpable driver, but that Fernandos behavior was reckless when he accelerated to 80 mph, and he contributed to the loss of life that occurred. In other news out of Superior Court: One of three defendants sentenced in fatal shooting at Lakewood gas station A 31-year-old man who is one of three defendants accused of murder for a fatal shooting that occurred during a robbery outside a Lakewood gas station has been sentenced to 21 years, five months in prison. Mumit Carter-Shabazz pleaded guilty Feb. 19 to second-degree murder in the 2022 robbery and shooting of Carl Wayne White, 33. Judge Philip Thornton sentenced Carter-Shabazz the same day, handing him a sentence at the low end of the standard sentencing range. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another defendant in the case, William Roy McMullen, is on trial in Superior Court. He is charged with first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm. The third defendant, Brandon Kahumoku Cajigal, is scheduled to face trial on charges of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery March 20. White was shot Dec. 18, 2022 while he was in his Dodge Ram at a gas station at 11122 Steele St. S. According to a trial memorandum in McMullens case, White was a private security guard for the gas stations convenience store. A surveillance video in the stores parking lot allegedly showed a gray sedan park close to Whites truck shortly after 5 a.m. The driver, later identified as Cajigal, entered Whites truck through the passenger door and was inside for about 11 minutes before two more men approached the truck from both sides and opened the vehicles doors. Minutes later, Cajigal is seen hopping on his leg on the passengers side, appearing injured. The other man on the passenger side identified by investigators as McMullen walks around the truck to the drivers side and allegedly fires a handgun multiple times toward the open drivers door. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMullen then got in the drivers seat, the third man got in the passengers seat and the two drove off, leaving Cajigal and White behind. Prosecutors said when Cajigal was arrested, he gave a statement that described a drug-related robbery. White was shot three times, and he was transferred to the University of Washington Medical Center, where he died about nine months after the shooting in September 2023. In a statement filed with the court regarding Carter-Shabazzs charges being reduced from first-degree murder, deputy prosecuting attorney Thomas Howe wrote that White identified Carter-Shabazz in a photo montage shown to him by Lakewood detectives, but it was inadmissible because White was deceased. Howe also said the investigation did not lead to an independent source that placed Carter-Shabazz at the scene of the shooting at the time it occurred, and that the case against him was based on an identification from a cooperating co-defendant and an associate of Carter-Shabazz who was uncooperative. Three men tied to string of gunpoint ATM robberies have been sentenced Three men who together robbed 10 people at gunpoint at ATMs in Tacoma in late 2022 and early 2023 have been sentenced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emmanuel Marcel Brown, 23, pleaded guilty in September to four counts of first-degree robbery. He was sentenced Feb. 20 to eight years, six months in prison. Devon Anthony Mathis, 23, pleaded guilty Sept. 26 to nine counts of first-degree robbery and one count of attempted first-degree robbery. He was sentenced the same day to 18 years in prison. Tofili Mahummad Ali Malo, 20, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to three counts of first-degree robbery and theft of a motor vehicle. He was sentenced Nov. 2, 2023 to 10 years in prison, which included a firearm-sentencing enhancement. The robberies happened from late December 2022 through early January 2023 at walk-up ATMs near South 72nd Street and Pacific Avenue and South 56th Street and South Tacoma Way. (NewsNation) Using drones, scientists were able to see previously unreported interactions between narwhals and found that they use their tusks for many different behaviors. In a study published by the journal Frontiers in Marine Science last Thursday, researchers wrote that differences in tusk use likely reflected differences in the narwhals behavioral intent. Narwhals are usually known for their tusking behavior, which is when they cross their tusks in what may be a ritualistic behavior to assess a potential opponents qualities or to display those qualities to potential mates, Greg OCorry-Crowe, the studys senior author and a research professor at Florida Atlantic Universitys Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom pauses environmental laws to fast-track wildfire prevention However, the new information scientists gathered showed narwhals also use their tusks for prey capture. Other actions were associated with exploration and play. Those involved in the study were from Florida Atlantic Universitys Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Canadas Department of Fisheries and Oceans. These researchers partnered with Inuit communities in Nunavut in Canadas High Arctic, according to a news release from Florida Atlantic University. Despite the universal fascination with the tusk of the narwhal, the function of this long, spiraled tooth is still debated, primarily because few people have observed how narwhals use their tusks in the wild, the scientists said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Narwhals were recorded chasing a kind of fish called arctic char, the study said. Using their tusks, the narwhals would hit, manipulate and influence the behavior of fish, scientists said. In some cases, tusks were able to deliver enough force to stun and possibly kill the char. How long does it take to get your tax refund? Our observations provide clear evidence of narwhals chasing fish and using their tusks to interact directly with the fish and to influence the fishs behavior, said OCorry-Crowe. Some of the interactions we saw appeared competitive in nature with one whale blocking or trying to block another whales access to the same target fish, while others may have been more subtle, possibly communicative and even affiliative. None appeared overtly aggressive. Cortney Watt, the co-author and research scientist and team lead at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said being able to observe the narwhals using their tusks for foraging and play was remarkable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This unique study where we set up a remote field camp and spent time filming narwhal with drones is yielding many interesting insights and is providing a birds eye view of their behavior that we have never seen before, Watt said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. Mar. 4WILKES-BARRE A Back Mountain man arrested in a Luzerne County drug sweep by the state Office of Attorney General in 2022 that involved a former police officer was sentenced to up to 12 years in state prison. Luzerne County Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. sentenced William Breha, 47, of Tower Lane, Dallas, to six to 12 years in prison on multiple felony counts of corrupt organization, criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and drug possession offenses. Breha pled guilty to the charges Oct. 2. The sentence also includes Breha's theft of a 1999 Nissan Frontier from the parking lot of Mohegan Pennsylvania on Dec. 5, 2020, according to court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Breha was among nine people charged by the Attorney General's Office on allegations they were trafficking and packaging fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana and selling the illicit drugs throughout Luzerne County, according to a 200 page criminal complaint. A then-Hanover Township police officer, Kevin Davis, was among the nine people arrested. Davis was indicted by a federal grand jury and was sentenced in March 2024, to eight years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, according to federal court records. Earlier this year, Luzerne Borough police charged Breha when found with drug paraphernalia at a residence on Bennett Street on Jan. 10. Breha pled guilty to a drug paraphernalia charge in Central Court. After Breha was arrested on the drug warrant by Luzerne Borough police, he was allegedly found concealing a handcuff key in his mouth during the intake processing at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, court records say. Breha is facing a charge of inmate in possession of contraband in county court. DUNCAN, Okla. (KFOR) Authorities in Duncan are investigating a deadly scene at a local motel after one person was found injured and another dead. The Duncan Banner first reported, Duncan Police Department received a call on Thursday, February 27 concerning a victim screaming for help at a motel located in the 1500 block of South Highway 81. According to police, upon arrival, one victim was found with multiple injuries, and another victim, deceased, who is identified as James Smith, was inside a room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City of Ada reports damage after severe storms Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations is assisting Duncan police in processing the scene. The investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. China's participation is indispensable in global climate governance system, said Jim Skea, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in an interview with Xinhua. Produced by Xinhua Global Service NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima toured a Cypriot potato field and a production facility Tuesday during a visit to the Mediterranean island nation. The visit featured a long tour of the farm and facility in Xylophagou and Liopetri, respectively, in the islands renowned potato-growing region. Potatoes are Cyprus third biggest agricultural export and Cyprus imports about three quarters of all its potato seeds from the Netherlands, according to Cypriot Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cypriot potato exports to the Netherlands are modest, amounting in the first half of last year at around 200,000 kilograms (441,000 pounds) at a value of 250,000 euros ($263,500). But Panayiotou said spuds are hopefully the start of a more-in-depth relationship with the Netherlands in the agricultural sector, particularly how Cyprus can glean specialized know-how from Dutch experts on advanced technology including smart irrigation systems. Thats important for often drought-hit Cyprus which is increasingly relying on desalination plants to meet its water demands. Panayiotou said shell visit the Netherlands in June to work out a roadmap on transferring that Dutch agricultural know-how to Cyprus. The royal couple complete their two-day visit on Wednesday. A squall line of severe thunderstorms roared through the area early Tuesday, causing damage to structures and trees. The storms cut a swath of damage through Ada. Allen and Stonewall also reported damage. Ada Police Officer Chad Reid, who was patrolling downtown Ada when the storm struck, said he believes the damage in Ada was caused by a tornado. As the storms rolled in, a tornado warning had been issued for Pontotoc County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several structures collapsed, including some residences. Firefighters said that all the collapsed buildings were searched. Initial reports indicate no one was injured or killed during the storms. Natural gas leaks were reported at numerous locations. Hundreds of customers were without electrical power. As Monday progressed, the National Weather Service increased to a severe storm threat level. The Ada area was under a tornado watch for much of late Monday night into Tuesday morning. Adas public safety command center, Central Dispatch, called firefighters and police officers from across the county to assist in safety and clean-up efforts. GODFREY, Ill. Governor JB Pritzker addressed a gathered crowd at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois, about losing talent in the Land of Lincoln. They are 70% likely to stay in that state, Pritzker said. People who are high school graduates and want to go to a four-year school, 70% likely that when they get to whatever that university is outside of Illinois, they are not coming back. Thats a real problem and we want to keep our best and brightest in state. The governor is announcing a new initiative and legislation to make it easier for select community colleges, like Lewis and Clark, to offer bachelor degrees in fields like health care, manufacturing, cyber security and early childhood education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All fields in the St. Louis region are in need of employees. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News I know I personally drive 20 minutes to class and if I thought (if) you needed us almost an hour drive from my house or to go to SIUE, said Melissa McKaig, Lewis & Clark student trustee. Both McKaig and Niota Kobialka are nursing students in the nursing program at Lewis and Clark and are supportive of the plan that meets students where they are. I dont live as far as some of my classmates, Kobialka said. I only live a couple of minutes away in town. But it was going to make a big difference if I have to go to another college for the rest of my degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis and Clark administrators say nearby Alton Memorial Hospital and OSF Saint Anthonys Health Center are two examples of local employers in need of trained workers with bachelors degrees. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Sioux City East High School will be hosting the 32nd annual Sing All About It! show choir invitational. There will be eight middle schools and 12 high school show choirs participating in the event. The event takes place on Saturday, March 8, at East High School. East High School offers Buddy Bags to children in the hospital The day starts with the middle school show choir competition at 8:15 a.m. in the East High Auditorium with Sioux City East Middles Evolution Show Choir ending the middle school competition as an exhibition at 11:15 a.m. The middle school awards ceremony will then be held at 11:45 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The high school competition will start at 8:15 a.m. in the East High Gym. Preliminary awards will take place around 5:15 p.m. and then the six finalist will start performances at 6:30 p.m. The East High show choir Headliners will have an exhibition performance at 9:30 p.m. with a final awards ceremony taking place around 10:15 p.m. Lily Bruening and Aaliyah Davies were in the KCAU 9 News studio to tell us more about the event. for more information about the event including tickets, parking, and concessions, 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A woman is now behind bars after police say she stole a womans parked car from her East Memphis home nearly two years ago. Michelle Barber, 41, was committed to jail on Monday, March 3. She is charged with theft of property $10,000-$60,000. On July 27, 2023, officers say they responded to an auto theft call at a home in the 200 block of North Mendenhall Road. The victim told police that she moved her white Infiniti off the carport so she could do yard work at her home. She says her purse and key fob were inside her car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She says she saw a woman, later identified as Michelle Barber, waving at her from across the street while she was working on her yard. When the victim looked up again, she says she saw her car speeding off down the road. $2M tool heist from train leads authorities to Southaven homes Two days later, the New Albany Mississippi Police Department said they were called to a shoplifting and disturbance at Walmart. Barber was identified as the suspect who left the business in a white Infiniti. Shortly afterward, police said they were able to find the vehicle and Barber. She was taken into custody at that time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man arrested after robbery of teen leads to shooting at Frayser gas station On July 30, 2023, investigators said the victim who had her car stolen positively identified Barber in a six-person photo lineup. The next day, the New Albany MS Police Department says Barber confessed in a written statement that she had stolen the Infiniti. Michelle Barber is currently held in jail on a $10,000 bond. She is due in court on Wednesday at 9 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 WREG.com. NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) Nacogdoches ISD has approved new state-created teaching materials for their elementary schools. The lessons were approved last fall by the state board of education and have been criticized for focusing too much on the Bible. TOWNHALL TENSION: State reps booed off stage during education meeting Its the way best for us to move forward, Nacogdoches ISD Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Les Linebarger said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starting next fall, Nacogdoches ISD elementary schools will use the states new Bluebonnet Learning instructional material. The Texas Education Agency said the lessons were developed using the best evidence on how to teach reading and math. Critics have said its a state-written curriculum that overemphasizes Christianity and could isolate some children. I use the phrase all-encompassing, Linebarger said. I mean, these materials cover the whole run of what takes place in the classroom and it really frees the teacher up then to work on how best to deliver that information to our students. The lessons were created by the state and are now available online for educators to use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Itll free up our teachers to worry about whats most important in the classroom, how best to pass along these lessons to the students, Linebarger said. School districts dont have to use it, but they will receive $60 per student if they do. Lufkin ISD did not put it up for vote, but discussed adopting the materials and possible benefits for teachers. East Texas Rep says school choice will pass in State House It provides them with every piece of material they would need to teach their lesson so they would not have to pull from this resource or this resource or create on their own time, Assistant Superintendent of Education Services and Accountability for Lufkin ISD Shelly Slaton said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district decided to not move forward with the vote on Bluebonnet Learning after hearing community feedback and concerns. There are some lessons that include stories from the bible, but also from the other world religions as well, Linebarger said. Nacogdoches will implement these learning materials starting this fall for math and language arts. We feel like theres a lot of positives in this, these instructional materials, Linebarger said. Governor Greg Abbott called Bluebonnet Learning a critical step forward. The TEA said there is no religious instruction in the lessons. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Chicagoans might wonder how a mayor with approval ratings as low as Brandon Johnsons keeps managing to eke out victories in the City Council even when aldermen providing the pivotal votes express disapproval of the ordinances at issue. A good example of this dynamic came last week with the narrow approval of the administrations plans to issue $830 million in new general-obligation bonds to fund infrastructure projects around the city. Two aldermen who voiced criticisms of the plan ended up playing key roles in ensuring it went forward. Ald. Desmon Yancy, 5th, took the puzzling step of voting against sending the ordinance back to the Finance Committee to address its many shortcomings, on which this page has opined more than once. His vote for the mayors position was critical because it meant a 25-25 tie in the chamber, and Johnson was then able then to provide the deciding vote to kill the motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then when the time came to decide on the ordinance itself, Yancy was the only alderman who opted not to vote at all, even though he was in the chamber. His vote then wasnt needed thanks to the reversal of a peer. Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th, had voted to return the measure to the Finance Committee, but after that effort failed, he supported the ordinance. He explained on X that he believed the bonds were necessary. I was OK with pausing if other alders needed time to understand why the bonds were needed or for changes to get them on board, he wrote. In an opinion piece on our pages, Yancy was highly critical of Johnson following the bond vote, saying that it along with last years tortuous budget process, which Yancy also ultimately supported is adding to the financial burdens future generations must bear. We couldnt have said it better ourselves. I can no longer support that, Yancy wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were glad to hear that. We will hold you to that pledge, Alderman. Because the time will come later this year when the administration proffers a budget for 2026, and the same issues it faced last year will be before the council again. Johnson has made clear he wont support any meaningful belt-tightening for a city government thats grown since federal pandemic aid enabled more hiring of government workers. That aid is nearly depleted. Vasquez and Yancy arent the only aldermen over the years whove taken apparent contradictory stances on issues or who have skipped votes for questionable reasons. There is a time-honored tradition in the City Council of aldermen taking a walk, thereby opting not to vote, at the request of an administration to ensure something passes that those aldermen cant support. Suffice it to say that Chicagos finances are deteriorating. Two rating agencies downgraded the citys credit in January the first downgrades in a decade. The repayment structure the Johnson administration envisions for the newly approved bonds, which would require no payment of any kind until 2028, risks more downgrades in the near future. Constructive criticism for the extreme leftists on the fifth floor from progressive allies such as Yancy and Vasquez are welcome. A more prudent administration long ago would have pivoted in terms of its approach to city finances in the face of widespread unpopularity with voters, as measured by multiple polls, as well as after hearing disapproval from officials who share the mayors goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the evidence before us, though, says we shouldnt expect that sort of adjustment. Johnson recently said the most important lesson hed gleaned from his difficult first two years in office was that he needed more unquestioning loyalists in his administration and should have appointed more of those at the outset. So if the mayor isnt going to listen to words, he must be forced to reckon with reality. And the only way to accomplish that is for aldermen to put their votes where their rhetoric is, even if that means embarrassment for the administration. Johnson is Chicagos mayor for at least two more years. A city beset by such teetering finances doesnt have the luxury of politics as usual on the City Council over such a long period of time. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. A recent string of late-night armed robberies in high-profile North Side neighborhoods sends an unsettling message: Grabbing an Uber after a night out in Chicagos nightlife areas requires some personal caution. To be sure, this rash of robberies pales in comparison with the crime levels afflicting less affluent neighborhoods on the South and West sides. So stipulated. But this trend, if unaddressed, could damage the post-grad culture that draws so many young people to our city and generates revenue (and tax receipts) in bars, clubs and late-night eateries. In the short term, the nightspots may see less traffic. Over the longer haul, if this narrative catches hold, the pipeline of newcomers to the city could be disrupted more significantly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chicago Police Department is telling people going out at night in Wrigleyville and the Gold Coast to be aware of their surroundings, recently issuing a community alert regarding a string of armed robberies that have taken place from January through the end of last month in which a crew of young men approached people waiting for an Uber or Lyft home from the bars. Victims told police the men threatened them with a handgun and sometimes used force to steal cash and other valuable property. In several incidents, robbers accessed the victims banking information through their phones. Weve heard similar tales from victims who have been forced to transfer large sums of money electronically for fear of violence. These crimes are horrifying for victims, harmful to tavern owners and restaurateurs and alarming for anyone considering a night out. Several of the robberies occurred right by Wrigley Field, on a stretch of Clark Street home to familiar names such as Sluggers and the Cubby Bear, and others occurred at Clark and Division in the Gold Coast along a busy strip of well-known bars including Butch McGuires and She-nannigans. These incidents took place between 1:30 and 3:45 a.m., just as people were finishing a night out. We can imagine that many of these bargoers were sitting ducks for anyone with a mind to commit robbery. Anyone whos lived in or around the city for a while can tell you that anytime youre out at night, you have to keep your head on a swivel. Theres a certain amount of street smarts every city dweller must acquire, but the shorthand is: Dont put yourself in dangerous situations. What that typically means is you shouldnt walk alone on an empty street or fumble idly through your wallet on the sidewalk. It doesnt typically mean you shouldnt use ride-share on a busy public thoroughfare to get home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Notably, this trend isnt just limited to the North Side in Hyde Park on the South Side, three University of Chicago students walking together early on Saturday morning were robbed at gunpoint. These stories instill fear. And people who are scared are less likely to want to stay here. Its not uncommon for victims of gun-related crimes to flee for safer confines. At the very least, we doubt anyone recently robbed at gunpoint will feel safe venturing out again for a while. Part of the fun of being young and living in Chicago is experiencing the citys neighborhoods and everything they have to offer including memorable nightlife. For college graduates who want to stay in the Midwest but still get the big-city experience, Chicago is the only logical choice. If we want to keep that pipeline flowing, city leaders need to tackle this problem head-on. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. In a gang war, victory is a rare achievement. Conflict between the aggressors drags on interminably. But the ones who suffer most of all are the innocent bystanders. This lose-lose analogy aptly describes Floridas predicament now that President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis are clashing over who should be our next governor. This ought to be our choice the peoples not theirs. All in for Byron who? Trump is all in for a back-bench Republican congressman, Rep. Byron Donalds of Naples, who has accomplished no more for the country that is, not much than he did for Florida during four obscure years in the state House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All that matters is that hes a loyal Trumper, and some people say Donalds has already won the next governors race simply because Trump endorsed him. It should not be this easy. But its a familiar story. DeSantis was an unaccomplished back-bencher in 2017 when Trumps endorsement catapulted him to frontrunner, and he swamped Adam Putnam, the then-agriculture commissioner, who had a deep and varied background of public service and should have had the GOP nomination locked up. So while other Florida voters are entitled to resent Trumps meddling, DeSantis doesnt have a leg to stand on in complaining about it. Trumps meddling put him in the governors mansion. The Ungrateful One No matter how you feel about either man, its undeniable that DeSantis displayed deep ingratitude by running against Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump early-bird anointing of Donalds fouls up DeSantis not-so-secret succession plan, as POLITICO Florida calls it, to have his wife Casey run next year to succeed him (the governor is term-limited and cannot run again). I won by the biggest margin that any Republican has ever won a governors race here, Ron DeSantis said after Trumps announcement. She would do better than me. He dismissed Donalds as a lightweight, saying he just hasnt been a part of any of the victories that we have had here over the Left over these past years. Heres where innocent bystanders will get hurt in a political gang war between two titanic egos. Out-Trumping Trump Ron DeSantis tries to out-Trump Trump in every wrong way possible, from open hostility to anti-discrimination programs to a cruel crackdown on immigrants to abusing government power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, DeSantis wants his own Department of Governmental Efficiency, like Trumps DOGE, to run roughshod over state agencies in Florida that are poorly funded and understaffed as it is. In some ways, DeSantis DOGE could be worse, as he wants to carry out this anti-government rampage using unreliable artificial intelligence (AI). Both of these pseudo-agencies rely on their own assumed powers without asking Congress or the state Legislature for any approval. Thats wrong. Trumps, which he outsourced to his extensively conflicted billionaire ally Elon Musk, is vandalizing everything in the U.S. government. Targets: cities, counties The governor says his copycat state-level DOGE will audit cities and counties, colleges and universities, repeal 70 as-yet unspecified state boards, fire hundreds of state employees. Its bundled with a scheme to investigate abolishing Floridas property taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local governments are independent not under the governor. They employ their own auditors, whose reports go to the state Auditor General. That office, independent of the governor, directly audits state agencies and colleges, universities and school districts. The Legislature, not the governor, decides whether to abolish state boards and commissions. In an editorial last week over the plan to repeal property taxes, by far the major source of operating local governments and schools, would require a personal income tax (fat chance), a massive sales tax increase or both. How did that work out? By these outlandish and dangerous measures, its obvious that DeSantis will run for president again, and it would be a huge help to have his wife in the Governors Mansion instead of Trumps hand-picked candidate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, more than any other single factor or person, is responsible for saddling Florida with Ron DeSantis for eight years. Now he wants to force-feed us eight years of Byron Donalds, whose congressional career offers little of note beyond a denial of the legitimacy of the 2020 election and bizarre statements indicating he thought Black families lives were better in the era of Jim Crow. No one, least of all Trump, should dictate control of Florida for one year, let alone 16. The larger question is not who will win this grudge match, but how much collateral damage theyll inflict on Florida in their battle. Gang wars never end well. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board includes Executive Editor Roger Simmons, Opinion Editor Krys Fluker and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Executive Editor Gretchen Day-Bryant, Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney and editorial writers Pat Beall and Martin Dyckman. Send letters to insight@orlandosentinel.com. Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over a preparatory meeting for the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) gathered in Beijing on Tuesday at a preparatory meeting to elect the presidium and set the agenda for the third session of the 14th NPC, scheduled to begin on Wednesday. Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the preparatory meeting. All the preparatory work for the annual session has been completed, Zhao said. A 176-member presidium was elected, with Li Hongzhong as secretary-general of the NPC session. The preparatory meeting also adopted the agenda of the upcoming session: -- Deliberate the report on the work of the government; -- Review the report on the implementation of the 2024 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2025 draft plan, and the draft plan for national economic and social development in 2025; -- Review the report on the execution of the central and local budgets for 2024 and on the draft central and local budgets for 2025, and the draft central and local budgets for 2025; -- Deliberate the bill put forward by the NPC Standing Committee on reviewing the draft amendment to the Law on Deputies to the National People's Congress and to the Local People's Congresses at Various Levels; -- Deliberate the work report of the NPC Standing Committee; -- Deliberate the work report of the Supreme People's Court; -- Deliberate the work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate. The presidium of the session met shortly after the preparatory meeting concluded. Attendees to the presidium meeting decided on the schedule of the NPC session, among other matters. The NPC will be in session from March 5 to 11 this year. Prior to the preparatory meeting, the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee met for the meeting's preparation. The presidium meeting and the Council of Chairpersons meeting were both presided over by Zhao. Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the first meeting of the presidium of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the 41st meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the 14th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) Education Secretary Linda McMahon has released what she calls the "final mission" for the Department of Education, as the Trump administration appears to be laying the groundwork for the agency's dismantling. The newly confirmed secretarys plans for the coming months will result in what she calls a "historic overhaul" of the education department that "will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the Department." In a brief list of goals guiding the departments path forward that was posted to the Education Department's website on Monday, McMahon, the former head of the Small Business Administration and Trump donor, stated, "Parents are the primary decision makers in their childrens education." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She adds, "Taxpayer-funded education should refocus on meaningful learning in math, reading, science, and historynot divisive DEI programs and gender ideology." Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, according to DEI experts, are intended to address and correct discriminatory policies or practices that may be found within an organization. "Postsecondary education should be a path to a well-paying career aligned with workforce need," McMahon adds in the list of goals. PHOTO: People walk in front of the Department of Education building, in Washington, D.C., Feb. 4, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Parental rights and "divisive" topics have been hot button issues on the state-level for years, quickly making their way to the national stage with heated debate taking place in recent years over school voucher programs, content restrictions, book bans, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Teachers fear shuttering Department of Education will diminish vital programs McMahons plans follow President Donald Trumps campaign proposals for education reform. One of these proposals -- an expansion of school voucher programs -- has been a key education talking point for the Trump administration, touted as an opportunity for parents to have more of a say in where their child goes to school. School voucher programs allow families to use public school funds to pay for private school tuition, homeschooling, and similar education opportunities. McMahon also echoed the Trump administration's efforts to restrict the discussion of certain topics like race, sex, gender and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the K-12 classrooms as well as in higher education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump signed an executive order in January that aims to find ways to cut federal funding to schools that teach certain topics related to race, sex, gender or politics. Restricting DEI topics in schools has also been a cause championed by "parental rights" advocates who have been behind a wave of book banning attempts as well as pressures on certain curriculum requirements at the local and state level. PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks at a press conference with Linda McMahon, head of Small Business Administration, Mar. 29, 2019 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) The department memo comes as sources tell ABC News the president is expected to sign an executive order as soon as this week calling for McMahon to diminish the education department and work with Congress to pass legislation that would eliminate it. The Department of Education, which administers and coordinates federal education assistance including Title I and Pell grants, was established under President Jimmy Carter in 1979 and officially began operations in 1980. The department has long stated that education curriculum, as well as graduation and enrollment requirements, have been decided by states and local communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's "Agenda47" campaign proposed eliminating the department. "We are going to close the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. and send it back to the States, where it belongs, and let the States run our educational system as it should be run," the proposal said. The agency can only be dismantled by an act of Congress, but how the department is funded and its policy goals are much more within Trump's immediate scope of executive powers. In the memo, McMahon stated that under her oversight, "the Department of Educations role in this new era of accountability is to restore the rightful role of state oversight in education and to end the overreach from Washington." ABC News has reached out to the Department of Education for further comment. ABC News' Arthur Jones II has contributed to this report. Education Secretary Linda McMahon announces plans for department's 'final' mission originally appeared on abcnews.go.com HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Tuesday was a day of action for educators at the Capitol complex in Hartford. The Connecticut Education Association called it Champions for Public Education Day. Public school teachers marched through the streets, protesting potential federal cuts and demanding more state funding. Gov. Ned Lamont vetoes $43 million in Democrat-led spending While the two dozen educators may have been marching in Hartford, they were more concerned about whats going on in the nations capital. The U.S. Senate confirmed Connecticut businesswoman Linda McMahon as the new secretary of education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She has orders from President Trump to dismantle the department and redirect hundreds of billions of dollars that would have gone to the nations schools. This is real cuts that affect us in loss of teachers, loss of services, programs, President of the Connecticut Education Association Kate Dias said. Were going to see class sizes increase and were going to see a loss of staff and we cant afford that. Dias said Connecticut is already short about 1,200 teachers. Advocates push to increase funding for a need-based scholarship in Connecticut Once educators reached the Capitol complex on Tuesday, they met with lawmakers and repeated what has become the rallying cry of those fighting federal cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were talking about how get millionaires, billionaires tax breaks on the backs of children, Dias said. Those federal cuts are not set in stone. There are legal actions underway declaring that only Congress can end a federal department, and only Congress controls the purse strings of the government. On the state level, there was also education funding controversy just yesterday. Recently, the General Assembly overwhelmingly passed $40 million in new spending to fund special education, against Governor Ned Lamonts wishes. Lamont then vetoed that funding, saying there is no need to rush. Now educators on the two sides are working it out. The governors office and the General Assembly are very hopeful about reaching a compromise, Fran Rabinowitz, Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents Fran Rabinowitz said. Thats a real step in the right direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With many steps still to go, however. Our public education system is phenomenal when we support it, when we pay for it, when we recognize that there is no other, greater investment in this nation than in our public education and in our schools, Vice President of the Connecticut Education Association Joslyn DeLancey said. Professional educators said that, in public schools, any cuts are sure to hurt the most for those who have the least. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, will host Judy Repking of Effingham County, a board member of Effingham Area Right to Life and chair of the Bishops Pro-Life Committee, as his guest for President Donald Trumps Joint Address to Congress on Tuesday. Repking and her husband, Paul, have been dedicated advocates for pro-life causes in Effingham County for over two decades, Bost said in a press release. I was happy to invite Judy Repking to sit in the House gallery for President Trumps Joint Address to Congress because you wont find a stronger defender of unborn babies in Southeastern Illinois, Bost said in the release. Judy and Paul have worked hard to educate, inspire, and mobilize others in the fight for life. Thats precisely the type of selfless leadership I wanted to highlight on this very special occasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a 2023 interview, Repking told the Effingham Daily News why the abortion issue is so important to her. The issue of life supersedes everything, Repking said then. If a congressman can make a right decision regarding life, theyre gonna make the right decision regarding our families and our small businesses. Repking said the issue of abortion is first and foremost. Life dictates everything, she said. Bost will meet with the Repkings on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, welcome them to join him at a congressional joint hearing, and provide a tour of the U.S. Capitol building. A movement is underway to recall Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass over her handling of Januarys deadly and destructive Palisades Fire. The Los Angeles Times reported Monday that paperwork had been filed with the Los Angeles Ethics Commission after it was initially filed with the state of California last week. The filing allows opponents of Mayor Bass to raise money so they can put a recall on the ballot. The City Clerks office did not immediately respond when asked if a recall petition had been filed, or if a signature gathering effort had been initiated, the Times reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics blasted Bass for not being in the city -or country- when the Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7. The massive blaze burned out of control for several days, scorching roughly 24,000 acres and destroying nearly 7,000 homes, businesses and other structures. The wildfire also claimed the lives of 12 people. The mayor previously said she had not been told about the severity of the fire weather conditions before she left for a diplomatic mission to Ghana. She cited that as one of the reasons for firing L.A. Fire Chief Kristen Crowley. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, left looks on as Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley talks during a news conference at HarborUCLA Medical Center in the West Carson area of Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Homes along Pacific Coast Highway are left burned to the ground in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) Search and rescue crew inspect a mobile home park destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Palisades, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) An aerial view of utility trucks parked near homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire as wildfires cause damage and loss through the LA region on January 13, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) A post citing the National Weather Service was made on the Mayors X account a day before the Palisades Fire, warning the public about dangerous weather conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is an expected destructive and potentially life-threatening windstorm starting Tuesday morning through Wednesday afternoon, the post on the Mayors X feed stated on Jan. 6. Crowley met with L.A. City Council officials Tuesday to appeal her dismissal. To be successful, she would need two-thirds approval from the councilwhich would be 10 of the 15 council members. Former LAFD chief appeals to City Council to get her job back At least one City Councilmember, Monica Rodriguez, has voiced support for Crowley since her firing. I am outraged by the scapegoating revealed by the Mayors actions. I plan to use my authority as a Councilmember to set the record straight and encourage Chief Crowley to appeal the Mayors baseless termination to the City Council, Rodriguez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opponents would need to collect approximately 330,000 signatures within the next four months to trigger a recall election, the Times reported. Critics also pointed out that Bass promised years ago, while campaigning to become mayor, that she would not leave the country if elected. Not only would I of course live here, but I also would not travel internationally the only places I would go would be D.C., Sacramento, San Francisco and New York, in relation to L.A., Bass told the New York Times in October 2021. Bass was also in Paris for the closing ceremony of the Olympics when Gov. Gavin Newsom showed up at an L.A. underpass to make the point that local governments needed to do more to clear homeless encampments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any recall effort will face a steep climb in Los Angeles. Several of the operatives pursuing the Bass recall campaign appear to be Republicans, a fact that could limit its appeal in a heavily Democratic city, the L.A. Times reported. The recall filing is nothing more than another extreme right-wing political stunt designed to divide Los Angeles when we need to move forward, Bass political strategist Douglas Herman said in a statement cited by the L.A. 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 KTLA. Egypt is proposing a $53 billion five-year plan for the reconstruction of Gaza that ensures Palestinians are not displaced outside the besieged strip, according to a document seen by dpa. The removal of the rubble and restoration of around 60,000 partially damaged houses would need six months and $3 billion, according to the document. Reconstruction should start afterwards. By 2030, hundreds of thousands of new homes that can house up to 3 million people would have been built, as well as an airport, a port, industrial zones, hotels and parks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starting the reconstruction process requires arrangements for transitional governance, providing security, preserving the horizon of the two-state solution, and preventing the outbreak of new conflicts, the plan said, as it urged the international community to support mediators' efforts to maintain the current ceasefire agreement. It also entails removing Hamas from ruling the Gaza Strip. Instead, a committee would be formed of independent non-factional technocrats, to administer Gaza for a transitional six-month period, in order to pave the way for the Palestinian Authority to return to the Gaza Strip. The proposal also stated that Egypt and Jordan are working on training Palestinian police personnel ahead of deploying them in Gaza. Egypt is proposing a $53 billion five-year plan for the reconstruction of Gaza that ensures Palestinians are not displaced outside the besieged strip, according to a document seen by dpa. Leaders from more than 20 countries gathered in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the plan. The removal of the rubble and restoration of around 60,000 partially damaged houses would need six months and $3 billion, according to the document. Reconstruction should start afterwards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By 2030, hundreds of thousands of new homes that can house up to 3 million people would have been built, as well as an airport, a port, industrial zones, hotels and parks. Starting the reconstruction process requires arrangements for transitional governance, providing security, preserving the horizon of the two-state solution, and preventing the outbreak of new conflicts, the plan said, as it urged the international community to support mediators' efforts to maintain the current ceasefire agreement. It also entails removing the Palestinian militant organization Hamas from ruling the Gaza Strip. Instead, a committee would be formed of independent non-factional technocrats, to administer Gaza for a transitional six-month period, in order to pave the way for the Palestinian Authority to return to the Gaza Strip. The proposal also stated that Egypt and Jordan are working on training Palestinian police personnel ahead of deploying them in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said that reconciliation between the rival Palestinian factions remains one of the hurdles. "There will be no real peace without establishing a Palestinian state," Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi told the opening session of the summit in Cairo. "Peace will not come by force and cannot be forced," he added, urging the international community to support Egypt's plan, which aims to counter US President Donald Trump's controversial plans for the Gaza Strip. Trump suggested transforming Gaza into a "Riviera of the Middle East" and permanently "resettling" the approximately 2 million Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan, prompting the UN to warn of "ethnic cleansing." Trump's remarks sparked outrage in the Arab world and beyond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I am sure Trump is able to carry that out [achieve peace] amid our true desire to put an end for the tensions and hostilities in our region," al-Sissi said. Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa expressed support for the plan. "We commend Egypt's plan presented to the summit for Gaza Strip and urge for this plan to be supported, which helps in strengthening our brotherly ties and protecting our national interests," the king told the opening session. EU: Cairo summit to 'give hope to millions of Palestinians in Gaza' The Gaza summit is important to "give hope to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and abroad" and to "bring an end to the terrible suffering we have all witnessed over the past year and a half," EU Council President Antonio Costa said ahead of the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The European Union firmly rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial changes in Gaza, in other parts of the world, or anywhere else, Costa said. Costa reiterated the EU's support for the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel at a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, in Cairo on Monday evening. "The EU urges all parties to make every effort to uphold the ceasefire and hostages' release deal," Costa said after meeting Abbas. "Humanitarian aid must be delivered immediately, safely, and unhindered to Gaza. We call on all parties to re-engage with the mediators on the talks for the second phase of the deal," he added. UN chief shows support for Arab-led efforts for Gaza reconstruction UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed support for the Arab-led reconstruction of Gaza and rejected the forced displacement of the strip's residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I welcome and strongly endorse the Arab-led initiative to mobilize support for Gaza's reconstruction clearly expressed in this summit and the UN is ready to fully cooperate in this endeavour," he said. "Gaza must remain an integral part of an independent, democratic and sovereign Palestinian state with no reduction in its territory or forced transfer of its population," Guterres added. Foreign minister: Israel ready for second phase of ceasefire Israel is ready to enter the second phase of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, according to the country's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saar said that this would require the release of all hostages and the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, the Times of Israel reported on Tuesday. Israel is reportedly trying to pressure Hamas into accepting a proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which expired last week, and release all remaining hostages in two stages. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Monday evening that Israel would only continue negotiations for a few more days. Hamas rejected Israel's demand for a demilitarization of the Gaza Strip as a prerequisite for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between the two sides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Disarming Hamas was a "red line" for the group in the negotiations on the continuation of the ceasefire, a Hamas spokesman told dpa. Hamas' latest statements suggest that it will be increasingly difficult to come to an agreement and it remains unclear whether the ceasefire will continue to hold. 27,523 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? 27,523 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? Peace in the region will not prevail without the establishment of a Palestinian state, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi told the opening session of an extraordinary summit in Cairo to discuss plans for the potential reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. "There will be no real peace without establishing a Palestinian state," he said. "Peace will not come by force and cannot be forced," he added, urging the international community to support Egypt's plan, which aims to counter US President Donald Trump's controversial plans to permanently "resettle" Palestinians to Arab countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I am sure Trump is able to carry that out [achieve peace] amid our true desire to put an end for the tensions and hostilities in our region," al-Sissi said. Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa expressed support for the plan. "We commend Egypt's plan presented to the summit for Gaza Strip and urge for this plan to be supported, which helps in strengthening our brotherly ties and protecting our national interests," the king told the opening session. Leaders of Qatar, Syria, Jordan and the UN secretary general are among those taking part in the summit. WETHERSFIELD, CT. (WWLP) Eight people were arrested on Sunday in Wethersfield, Connecticut, after police were called for a noise complaint. The 8 people7 adults and 1 juvenile, were talking loud and smoking when police arrived. The suspects evaded the scene as officers approached, but were eventually all caught. Police found 2 guns under a seat cushion where they fled the scene. All 8 suspects were charged with carrying a gun without a permit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the adults are held on bond, and the juvenile was released to a guardian. 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. Participants pose for a group photo before attending the Extraordinary Arab Summit-Summit for Palestine in New Administrative Capital, Egypt, on March 4, 2025. (Egyptian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua) CAIRO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- An emergency Arab summit kicked off in Egypt's New Administrative Capital on Tuesday, gathering Arab leaders and delegations as well as representatives from international organizations to discuss the latest developments in Palestine and the reconstruction of Gaza. In his opening speech of the Extraordinary Arab Summit-Summit for Palestine, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt has worked, in cooperation with Palestine and international institutions, to formulate a comprehensive plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents. The plan will start with an early recovery phase to address urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza and proceed with a reconstruction phase, he said, calling for adopting and supporting the plan. The plan must coincide with a clear path to peace, including political and security aspects, in which regional countries participate with the support of the international community to reach a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue, he said. Sisi said Egypt will host a conference for Gaza reconstruction in April. He said Egypt, in cooperation with Palestine, has formed an administrative committee of independent Palestinian professionals and technocrats to supervise the relief operation in Gaza and temporarily manage the enclave in preparation for the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza. Egypt is also working on training Palestinian security cadres who will assume the tasks of maintaining security in Gaza, Sisi said. For his part, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit stressed that violence will not stop if the Israeli occupation is not ended, and any illegal perspective for the region is not accepted. Violence will not be stopped by displacing Palestinians, and the reconstruction of Gaza is viable while keeping its residents on their land, he said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the UN's readiness to back the Egypt-drafted plan, stressing that Gaza should remain as part of the State of Palestine. Describing the situation in Gaza as "horrific," Guterres called for allowing humanitarian aid into the enclave. On Sunday, Israel decided to "prevent any entry of goods and supplies into Gaza" to pressure Hamas into accepting a new proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire agreement reached between the two sides in January. The emergency summit will later discuss the Egypt-drafted plan. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (1st R) speaks at the Extraordinary Arab Summit-Summit for Palestine in New Administrative Capital, Egypt, on March 4, 2025. An emergency Arab summit kicked off in Egypt's New Administrative Capital on Tuesday, gathering Arab leaders and delegations as well as representatives from international organizations to discuss the latest developments in Palestine and the reconstruction of Gaza. (Egyptian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua) EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) An El Paso man is facing a charge of murder after he allegedly ran over another man after an altercation this past Sunday, March 2, in Central El Paso, according to El Paso Police. 2 injured after pedestrian crash in Central El Paso Antonio Rodriguez, 47, is facing the charge after police say he intentionally ran over a man in his early 20s who ended up dying shortly after at a local hospital. Antonio Rodriguez, 47. Photo: EPPD. Police say they responded at around 9 p.m. that Sunday to the 700 block of North Piedras in reference to a pedestrian collision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was inside Rodriguezs vehicle when an altercation happened. After the altercation, the victim exited Rodriguezs vehicle, which is when Rodriguez intentionally ran over the victim, police said. The victim was transported to a local hospital and ended up dying as a result of his injuries. The man has not been identified as police are waiting to notify his family. Rodriguez was arrested for murder and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility under a $500,000 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 KTSM 9 News. EDITORS NOTE: The Alamogordo District Attorneys Office initially gave the wrong date when Bernardo Cornejo was convicted by a jury. That date has been corrected. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) An El Paso man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for criminal sexual contact of a child under the age of 13, the District Attorneys Office in Alamogordo, New Mexico, announced on Monday, March 3. El Pasoan Bernardo Cornejo was sentenced on Thursday, Feb. 27 to the maximum sentence allowed by law of 15 years in prison, the Alamogordo DAs Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cornejo was convicted on Oct. 31, 2024 by a Lincoln County jury of criminal sexual contact of a child under 13, the Alamogordo DAs Office said. On Dec. 31, 2021, while visiting Ruidoso, Cornejo unlawfully and intentionally touched the unclothed intimate parts of a child under the age of 13 years old, the Alamogordo DAs Office said. Following an investigation, Cornejo was arrested and charged on Feb. 7, 2022. The case was investigated by the Ruidoso Police Department and prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney RoxeAnne Esquibel and Deputy District Attorney Mikel Ward. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Sen. Elissa Slotkin rehearses the Democratic response to President Donald Trumps address to a joint session of Congress, in Wyandotte, Mich., on March 4, 2025. Credit - Paul SancyaPool/Getty Images Elissa Slotkin had the eyes of the nation on her as she gave the Democratic response to President Donald Trumps first joint congressional address of his second presidential term on Tuesday night. Its late, so I promise to be a lot shorter than what you just watched, the first-term Michigan senator said after Trump spoke for about 100 minutes, the longest annual presidential address in modern history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin was announced for the role by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries last Thursday. Schumer described Slotkin as a rising star who will offer a bold vision of hope, unity, and a brighter future for everyone, not just the wealthy few at the top. Slotkin promised she would take the opportunity to level with the public on whats actually happening in our country. Her rebuttal comes at a time when Democrats are struggling to present a unified opposition strategy to Trump. Read More: Trump Uses Big Speech to Spin Alternate Reality of Astronomical Achievements Slotkin began her 10-minute rebuttal by explaining her own path to politics before addressing Americans economic concerns, admitting that changes are necessary after a fraught election season. She said: Americans made it clear that prices are too high and that the government needs to be more responsive to their needs. America wants change, but theres a responsible way to make change and a reckless way, and we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a democracy. On the economy, Slotkin said prices of groceries, housing, health care need to be brought down, manufacturing needs to be brought back to America, businesses need certainty to invest, and Americans who arent billionaires need a fair tax system. Look, the President talked a big game on the economy, but it's always important to read the fine print, she said. Do his plans actually help Americans get ahead? Not even close, she added, arguing that Trump is trying to deliver an unprecedented giveaway to the wealthy. And to do that hes going to make you pay in every part of your life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin said Trump has no credible plan to lower grocery and home prices and that his tariffs are likely to raise the price of energy and trigger a trade war that could hurt U.S. manufacturing and agriculture. She also claimed that Trump would raise the costs of premiums and prescriptions because the math on his proposals doesnt work without going after your health care and that in order to pay for his plan, he could very well come after your retirement, referencing social security and Veterans Affairs benefits at risk. If hes not careful, he could walk us right into a recession, Slotkin said of Trump. Slotkin also raised concerns about billionaire Elon Musks status as an advisor to Trump, pointing to his attacks on social security, Medicare, and VA benefits as well as the Department of Government Efficiencys mass terminations of federal employees and programs that have upended Washington and the world. Change doesnt need to be chaotic or make us less safe, the mindless firing of people who work to protect our nuclear weapons, keep our planes from crashing, and conduct the research that finds the cure for cancer only to rehire them two days later, she said. No CEO in America could do that without being summarily fired. Read More: What DOGE Is Doing Across the Federal Government Addressing border security, Slotkin said that every country deserves to know who and what is coming across its border but that securing the border without actually fixing our broken immigration system is dealing with the symptom and not the disease. She said that the U.S. needs a functional system that allows vetted immigrants to come legally and contribute to the economy, before seemingly facetiously adding: I look forward to the Presidents plan on that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin offered a sharp contrast to Trumps more isolationist America First approach to foreign policy, declaring: Todays world is deeply interconnectedmigration, cyber threats, AI, environmental destruction, terrorismone nation cannot face these issues alone. We need friends in all corners, and our safety depends on it. She argued that Trump quotes former President Ronald Reagan when he calls for peace through strength but that Reagan must be rolling in his grave after Trumps clash in the Oval Office last week with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Reagan understood that true strength required America to combine our military and economic might with moral clarity. The Oval Office episode with Zelensky, Slotkin said, summed up Trumps whole approach to the world: He believes in cozying up to dictators like Vladimir Putin and kicking our friends like the Canadians in the teeth. Slotkin said Trump doesnt believe the U.S. is exceptional and that he would have lost us the Cold War. Read More: In Speech to Congress, Trump Defends His Handling of Ukraine and Russia Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin ended on a word of warning and a call to action. Our democracy, our very system of government, has been the aspiration of the world, and right now its at risk. Its at risk when the President decides you can pick and choose what rules you want to follow, when he ignores court orders and the Constitution itself, or when elected leaders stand by and just let it happen, she said. But its also at risk when the President pits Americans against each other, when he demonizes those who are different and tells certain people they shouldnt be included. But, she added, as much as we need to make our government more responsive to our lives today, don't for one moment, fool yourself that democracy isn't precious and worth saving. She told viewers not to tune out, to go to town halls and hold elected officials accountable, and to organize. Pick just one issue youre passionate about, and engageand doomscrolling doesnt count. The post-presidential-address rebuttal is widely seen as an opportunity for emerging party leaders to take the spotlight, and even conservatives praised Slotkins performance. Commentary editor John Podhoretz called it starmaking, and Jewish Insider editor-in-chief Josh Kraushaar called it the kind of focus that Dems have lacked since Trump took office, adding her worldview is what can lead the Dems back out of the wilderness. Heres what to know about Slotkin. From CIA analyst to congresswoman After graduating with a masters degree in international affairs from Columbia University, Slotkin was recruited to be a Middle East analyst for the CIA. Fluent in Arabic and Swahili, she served three tours in Iraq with the U.S. military. She then served in national security roles at the White House during both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. During the latter, her work ranged from combatting ISIS to U.S.-Russia relations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of the Democrats hope in Slotkin may be due to her ability to win over more conservative voters. Slotkin ran for Congress in 2018, flipping a Republican-held seat and helping Democrats regain a House majority. Her campaign, she said, was inspired by watching her mother die from ovarian cancer in 2011, after her family struggled to afford life-saving care against insurance price gouging. Slotkin drew nationwide attentionincluding both protests and supportwhen she announced at a town hall in 2019 that she backed Trumps impeachment. She nevertheless went on to win reelection in 2020 and again in 2022. In February, 2023, Slotkin threw her hat in the ring to succeed Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D, Mich.). Her campaign targeted split-ticket voters, emphasizing affordable healthcare, costs of living, and jobs for working and middle class Americans, while taking a moderate stance on gun laws. She narrowly beat Republican Mike Rogers, becoming the youngest Democratic woman elected to the Senate. She was one of four Democrats to win Senate races in states won by Trump. I personally think that identity politics needs to go the way of the dodo, the 48-year-old, who describes herself as a third-generation Michigander, told NBC News after the 2024 election. People need to be looked at as independent Americans, whatever group theyre from, whatever party they may be from. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin has broken from her partys positions on several issues, and was scored as one of the most bipartisan House members. She has opposed abolishing the death penalty, reserving its use for rare cases; was one of 12 Senate Democrats to vote for the Laken Riley Act that mandates harsher detention rules for undocumented immigrants suspected of theft or violent crimes; and drew criticism after voting for an amendment in 2023 preventing Department of Defense facilities from displaying non-official flags, including Pride flags. (Slotkin said she wished to ban hateful flags like the Confederate flag and would rather support a no-flag policy than allow hateful imagery above U.S. military bases; she has been endorsed by the LGBTQ+ rights group Human Rights Campaign and voted in favor of gender-affirming care for military families.) Weve gone through periods of political instability before, and ultimately, weve chosen to keep changing this country for the better, Slotkin said Tuesday night. But every single time, weve only gotten through those moments because of two things: engaged citizens and principled leadersengaged citizens who do a little bit more than theyre used to doing to fight for the things that they care about, and principled leaders who are ready to receive the ball and do something about it. Contact us at letters@time.com. When President Donald Trump delivers his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, he can be expected to highlight how he says he's delivering on the "mandate" that he and Republicans say Americans gave them in the 2024 election. Democrats plan to counter that claim with a Democratic response from one of the Senate's newest members: Elissa Slotkin, a first-term senator from Michigan. During her six previous years in the House, Slotkin earned a reputation as a moderate unafraid, at times, to challenge her party's conventions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saying she's "looking forward to speaking directly to the American people," she's promised a rebuttal to Trump's speech focused on economic and national security. MORE: Senate Democrats slam Social Security job cuts, attack Musk calling it 'Ponzi scheme' "The public expects leaders to level with them on what's actually happening in our country," Slotkin said in a statement announcing her speech last week. "From our economic security to our national security, we've got to chart a way forward that actually improves people's lives in the country we all love, and I'm looking forward to laying that out." PHOTO: Sen. Elissa Slotkin speaks during a hearing at the Capitol in Washington, DC, Jan. 14, 2025. (Ben Curtis/AP) She is also expected to take on Trump and Elon Musk's efforts to shrink the size of the federal government. Democrats have invited a number of fired federal workers as their guests for the speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin's guest will be Andrew Lennox, who served as a Marine in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria and was fired from his job with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Ann Arbor, Michigan. "You spend 10 years trying to defend your country in terms of honesty, integrity, and justice and then you come back and get copy and pasted the same email as 10,000 other people about performance," Lennox told ABC News. MORE: How to watch, stream Trump's address to the joint session of Congress Slotkin's speech comes as Democrats look to collect themselves after a punishing 2024 campaign cycle that saw Trump handily defeat then-Vice President Kamala Harris' bid for the White House. Democrats didn't fare much better down ballot, losing control of the Senate and failing to recapture the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Democratic leadership tries to zero in on a new strategy to reach moderate voters, they're looking to beam the spotlight onto Slotkin, who pulled off a narrow win in purple Michigan this November, beating Republican nominee Mike Rogers, who had served seven terms in the House, in a race for the state's open Senate seat, even as Trump won Michigan by 80,000 votes. Her focus on reproductive rights and economic issues like lowering costs for families, coupled with her track record in the House, helped her eke out a narrow victory in the Senate race. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took notice in selecting her to deliver the Democrats' response. MORE: Trump 2nd term live updates Schumer called Slotkin a "rising star" of the Democratic Party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As you know, Elissa is a rising star in our party. The American people are going to love what she has to say. She's just great -- on both economic and national security. I'm excited, I think we're all excited," Schumer said following the formal announcement that Slotkin would deliver the response to Trump. Slotkin is a former CIA agent who worked as a Middle East analyst. She served three tours in Iraq in this role. She then worked at the White House and Pentagon during the Bush and Obama administrations before launching a bid for the House. She won her seat in the House of Representatives in 2018, ousting a two-term GOP incumbent. During her tenure, she flexed her national security bona fides, serving on the Armed Services, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs committee. During her time in the House, Slotkin was consistently ranked among the most bipartisan members of the chamber. She occasionally voted across party lines and, in her earliest votes in the Senate, demonstrated a willingness to continue that bipartisan streak. She was one of 12 Democrats who voted in favor of the Republican-led Laken Riley Act earlier this year, helping to send the bill to Trump's desk. Who is Elissa Slotkin, the senator giving the Democratic response to Trump originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin has been selected as the Democratic lawmaker to deliver the liberal partys rebuttal to President Donald Trumps joint address to Congress on Tuesday evening. Slotkin, 48, was only elected to the U.S. Senate in November but previously spent six years representing a Michigan district in the House. She worked as a CIA analyst during the Iraq War and also served in the State Department and Department of Defense under the Obama administration. Dubbed a rising star in the Democrat Party by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Slotkin has developed a reputation for being a moderate Democrat and highly-ranked bipartisan member of Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to her selection as the Democrat rebuttal, Slotkin said she would speak directly with Americans about whats actually happening in the country. Heres what else we know about the Michigan congresswoman and her rebuttal: Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin is a moderate Democrat who has never shied away from criticizing her own party when necessary. She is set to give the Democratic rebuttal to Trumps address (AP) Who is Elissa Slotkin? Slotkin is a freshman senator from Michigan with a background in national security. Shes advocated for reproductive rights, universal healthcare, gun control, veterans' benefits, LGBT+ equality and making everyday costs more affordable for working-class Americans. At the same time, she has highlighted the importance of domestic manufacturing and increasing the U.S. defensive tools against foreign threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During her time in the House, she voted to impeach Trump both times and earlier this year, she was one of 12 Democrats to join Republicans in passing the Laken Riley Act. Slotkin is a former CIA agent who served three tours in Iraq, working as an analyst in the Middle East. She then worked for the Pentagon during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. Slotkin narrowly defeated her Republican opponent in the November election by just a 0.34 percent margin. Her election made her the youngest Democratic woman serving in the U.S. Senate. Slotkin left her mark on the government during her time in the House, representing Michigans 8th district, which includes the cities of Flint and Saginaw, from 2019 until 2023 and 7th district, which includes the capital Lansing, from 2023 until her election to the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, just two months into her new term, she will take center stage to push back on the presidents recent changes and highlight her colleagues' efforts at a time when many are criticizing Democrats for not taking action. Slotkin pictured with Senator Edward Markey while advocating for further gun control research during a press conference in 2023 (Getty Images) Who is Elissa Slotkins family? Slotkin is a third-generation Michigander whose family built the business Hygrade Foods, which supplied hot dogs to the now-demolished Tiger Stadium. The business turned into the company now known as Ball Park Franks. Slotkin was married to retired Army Colonel Dave Moore for 12 years and had two stepdaughters through the marriage. Slotkin and Moore met in Baghdad while Moore was serving a tour during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The two divorced on agreeable terms in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin has spoken openly about her mother, who died of ovarian cancer in 2011. What bills has Elissa Slotkin worked on? Much of Slotkins sponsored or co-sponsored legislative work has focused on expanding and protecting veterans benefits as well as bolstering U.S. defense. She introduced legislation that would strengthen the U.S.s stockpile of certain equipment to be used in public health emergencies, legislation that would re-evaluate the U.S.s national cyber incident response plan and legislation that would establish a council to make recommendations to the FCC on ways to increase security. However, all did not make it past the House. Slotkin supported the Inflation Reduction Act, the Respect for Marriage Act and the Womens Health Protection Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also voted to impeach Trump both times during his first term. She was one of 12 Democrats to vote in favor of the Laken Riley Act earlier this year. She also voted to confirm Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Slotkin greets former president Joe Biden in 2021 while Biden was speaking about his Build Back Better agenda in Michigan (AFP via Getty Images) What will she say in her rebuttal? Per tradition, typical of the State of the Union Address, Slotkin will respond to whatever Trump says during his joint address with the Democrats opposing opinion. The president is expected to speak about domestic policies, such as his aggressive crackdown on immigration and recent investments in bolstering the U.S. job market. But also foreign policies such as his plan to end the UkraineRussia conflict and involvement in the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin declined to preview her speech to reporters but hinted she would speak about issues that hit close to home such as how Trumps recent tariffs may impact the auto industry in Michigan. Though she can be critical of her own party, Slotkin may highlight the work Democrats are doing to lower the cost of living and protect Social Security and Medicaid, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries hinted in a statement. EMPORIA (KSNT) An Emporia man accused for the murders of two local women who went missing in 2023 is considering a possible plea deal. According to a Kiowa County, Colorado District Court clerk, prosecutors on Monday offered Phillip Lieurance an agreement to plead guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. The deal would come with a sentence of 16-50 years in prison. Lieurance is expected to announce his decision at his arraignment which is scheduled for Monday, July 7 in Kiowa County, Colorado. If he accepts this agreement, this sentence would run consecutively to his prison sentence in a previous Kansas conviction in an unrelated case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sept. 20, 2023, Linda Estrada, 44, and Amy Ford, 39, both of Emporia, were found dead in rural eastern Colorado, according to the Emporia Police Department. The women were reported missing on Sept. 11, 2023. Topeka Correctional Facility welcomes cats for residents to care for Emporia police used cellular phone technology and security videos to track the womens movements though Colorado, leading investigators to focus their efforts to search eastern Colorado and western Kansas. Estradas family spoke to 27 News after law enforcement discovered the bodies in Colorado. I appreciate everyone thats been a part in locating her, said Rachel Rios, Estradas younger sister, in 2023. We just that you just continue to keep her alive even though shes gone, and dont forget about her. She was a good person, she is, and she will be missed very much. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch On Friday, with the Pax Americana in flames and burned almost beyond recognition, a Dispatch colleague observed that Donald Trumps second term was shaping up to be what doomsayers thought his first term would be. It sure is. The first six weeks have played out like a thought experiment that crossed over into reality: What if people with Trump Derangement Syndrome in 2016 were right about pretty much everythingbut premature about the timing? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump will appoint a Cabinet of lunatics. That didnt happen in his first term. He wanted to appoint unfit toadies like Kash Patel to fill top vacancies but was deterred by his deputies. Now, however, Patel is the Senate-confirmed head of the FBI, joining embarrassments like Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Americas key policymakers. Trump will engage in grotesque corruption. There was certainly corruption during his first term, beginning even before he was sworn in as president, but that was peanuts compared to the breathtaking grifts hes running now. Just yesterday, he announced a new U.S. Crypto Reserve, a blatant scam to use taxpayer money to boost the value of investments held by his crypto-bro fans. Meanwhile, the main bureaucratic reform initiative in his administration is being run by a mega-billionaire with immense financial interests in industries regulated by the very agencies whose databases hes been rummaging through for weeks. Trump will let grudges and vendettas drive his policies. This too was true to some extent in his first termask James Comeybut it reached new depths last month when he moved quickly to strip John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and Mark Milley of their security details because each had offended him by criticizing him in the past. To a degree unmatched in his first presidency, Trumps new government brazenly divides politics into friends and enemies. Friends show their appreciation; enemies are apt to lose every public privilege that its within his power to deny them. Trump will govern chaotically and malevolently. Trump 1.0 was plenty chaotic, especially in its final year. No administration led by a man like him could be otherwise. But never did the first President Trump embark on a policy project as haphazard and destructive as DOGE, and not until Election Day 2020 did he do anything as nakedly malicious as pardoning violent loyalists or canceling life-saving foreign-aid programs on phony fiscal grounds. The latter is the America First impulse toward cruelty in its purest form: Better that a million foreigners die than that the tiniest insignificant sliver of precious taxpayer money be diverted to save their lives. Its all about cost-cutting, you seeexcept it really, really isnt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump will destroy NATO and the American-led international order. There were glimmers of this in his first term as well, but in the end he never withdrew from Europe or from the Far East. He even approved weapons shipments to Ukraine. It took until his second term, specifically this past Friday, for him to fully immolate the United States credibility as leader of the free world. Trump 2.0 is what you get when you take Trump 1.0 and subtract nearly every element of accountability. Since his first term in office, the president has gained a considerable degree of legal impunity from the Supreme Court, almost limitless political impunity from his supporters and the cowards in Congress who represent them, absolute administrative impunity from the slavish cronies with whom hes staffed his government, and electoral impunity from the fact that, one way or another, hell never face voters again. There were enough inklings in his first term of what his second term would look like to support two solid years of this newsletter, which is why every column of mine now reads as a variation of I told you so. Even the attempt on Friday to pressure Volodymyr Zelensky into a rotten deal had a famous analog in the presidents first term. And so, six weeks in, Trumps second term as president already looks like the sum of all fears that proto-Dispatch-ers felt nine years ago. If there ever were such a thing as irrational Trump Derangement Syndrome, it died in the Oval Office on Friday. Transactions vs. bullying. If your position was strong you wouldnt have to lie. So said Jonah Goldberg this weekend to Laura Ingraham, whos under the impression that someone somewhere is proposing sending our own sons and daughters to fight in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jonah has made that point many times since Russian troops invaded three years ago. The way you can tell that Ukraines opponents have an agenda, hes said, is that they so often resort to arguments that are transparently in bad faith to justify their criticism. Take for example the populist bleating about how, instead of spending it on Ukraine, the United States should have spent $175 billion on Americans instead. That would be a defensible positionif the Trump administration were gearing up to boost entitlements and government services and looking for ways to fund that. It isnt. Just the opposite: DOGE keeps hacking away at federal agencies, seemingly indiscriminately, while congressional Republicans are considering steep cuts to Medicaid on which many poorer Americans (plenty of them Trump voters) rely for health care. The GOP appears headed for a sour spot in which it slashes spending enough to make life harder for many Americans without slashing it remotely as much as would be needed to balance the budget. So the we need this money for Americans! argument is dishonest. If their position was strong, they wouldnt have to lie. But in fairness, and in case their personal vilification of Zelensky and his U.S. allies hasnt already made it clear enough, relatively few America-First-ers are still pretending that their core complaint about Ukraine has to do with wasteful spending. How could they when Trump is, or was, on the cusp of securing a cut for the United States of Ukrainian minerals? Had that agreement been signed on Friday, every MAGA diehard would have been required to insist it was the best, biggest, most beautiful deal America has ever made. Which is why the Ukrainians were willing to sign it, of course: Once Trumps own vanity was invested in the soil of their country, their thinking went, the White House would have no choice but to protect that soil from Russian conquest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shaking down Ukraine for mineral interests had a distinct Trump 1.0 feel, not unlike when he demanded that allies with U.S. troops stationed on their territory increase their payments to Washington. Because he perceives no strategic American interest in allying with liberal nations, he needs to believe that its in our financial interest to justify continuing that alliance. Hes a famously transactional politician; if you want something from him, you need to hand him some sort of victory, ideally involving cash. But dressing down Zelensky publicly on Friday had more of a Trump 2.0 feel. It wasnt about finances. If it had been, Trump wouldnt have refused to proceed with the minerals deal after things went south in the Oval Office. It was about respect. Zelensky didnt show enough of it, supposedly, and that was reason enough for the president and vice president to burn down the transatlantic alliance thats prevailed since World War II on live television. If I had told you in 2016 that America would switch sides in a major war involving Russia and part of the reason would be that the guy were allied with didnt wear a suit to a meeting, you would have accused me of the most hysterical case of Trump Derangement Syndrome youd ever seen. Yet thats what happened. Trump Derangement Syndrome is dead. Bad faith. Starting at Fridays meeting and continuing through the weekend, Republicans have strained to accuse Zelensky of being disrespectful or at the very least undiplomatic in arguing with Trump and Vancesurely the stupidest, most pathetic rationalization for a sea change in American foreign policy in U.S. history. Gregg Nunziata, a conservative lawyer, summarized the criticisms of the Ukrainians lack of tact aptly: Zelensky failed to appreciate that our president is a moronic narcissist and our vice president is a disingenuous climber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the rights position on the meeting was strong, they wouldnt have to lie. But they are lying. The lying began when Vance accused the Ukrainian president of being ungrateful, scolding him during the Oval Office as one would a child by asking, Have you said thank you once this entire meeting? Zelensky hadthree times, by Steve Hayes count, and dozens of times on other occasions. But this is what foreign relations looks like under Trump 2.0: Only major powers like Russia and Chinabut not the European Union, oddly, despite it having a higher GDP than both of those countriesare worthy of respectful diplomacy from the United States. Minor powers like Ukraine are to be disdained and bullied unless they engage in rank supplication, treating American aid not as a matter of mutual strategic interest but as a personal gift from Donald J. Trump himself. (If the Trump White House respected Ukrainians, the vice president wouldnt have been included in the meeting.) Thats probably why Vance didnt notice Zelenskys professions of gratitude. So what if Ukraines president has thanked Americans many times? How many times has he thanked Donald Trump? More bad faith followed the lie about Zelenskys supposed ingratitude, this time from Trump himself: By insisting on defending themselves from conquest, the president claimed, the Ukrainians are gambling with World War III. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a perverse way to apportion blame for a war that Russia started and which Russia alone has widened by deploying an allied nations troops on the battlefield. It would be one thing if Trump had accused both parties of risking escalation, but over the past month, only the Ukrainians have been browbeaten for resisting concessions. U.S. officials wont even state frankly that Russia started the conflict, functionally volunteering themselves in a Kremlin propaganda effort to muddy the moral waters around the war. The standard defense to all that is that antagonizing Russia wont get us anywhere. Youre not going to bring them to the table if youre calling them names, if youre being antagonistic, Marco Rubio said this weekend. Thats just the presidents instincts from years and years and years of putting together deals as someone whos in business. But this too was in laughably bad faith: No one uses antagonism as a negotiating tactic more liberally than Donald Trump, as we were reminded with our own eyes on Friday. Just a few days earlier, he had described Zelenskynot Putinas a dictator. And normally no one is more eager to project toughness toward recalcitrant opponents than Trump is. Russia is a ripe target for that approach: Theyre the aggressor, the side that ultimately will determine whether the war continues, therefore theyre the ones logically whom the White House should threaten until they agree to a ceasefire. Nothings stopping the president from warning Moscow that America will give Ukraine another $200 billion in weapons unless the Russian advance halts this month. Thats how a tough guy would negotiate. Its not how Trump is negotiating. What hes actually doing by leaning exclusively on Ukraine is prolonging the war, giving Russia a reason to fight on and inadvertently rallying offended Europeans to Zelenskys side. Pressuring the weaker party in a conflict to make concessions makes sense in only two circumstances: Either youre the worlds dumbest negotiator or youre completely indifferent to the outcome, even if it means one side being steamrolled. If Ukraine surrenders, Russia rolls into Kyiv, and hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians end up murdered, Trump will take it. As long as he gets to keep his promise of ending the war and maybe getting that Nobel Peace Prize hes coveted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of the impulses weve seen since Friday were there in Trump 1.0 but were restrained by advisers and the presidents own uncertainty about how voters would react if he followed those impulses to their logical conclusions. In Trump 2.0, the thoughtful advisers are long gone and the voters are no longer a concern. And so: At a moment when Putins own spokesman is crowing about the U.S. embracing Russias vision of the world, the Pentagon is halting offensive cyberoperations against Russia (even at the planning stage) and Trumps Republican toadies have begun demanding that Zelensky resign for having dared to embarrass their leader by making perfectly valid points when debating him. No one with Trump Derangement Syndrome could have foreseen it, just like no one could have foreseen Marco Rubio whining aboutdeep breathUkraine-splaining on national television. But here we are. Sabotage. All of it has the feel of deliberate sabotage. Thats not to say that it is deliberate sabotage. But if Trump 1.0 was akin to a horse being loose in a hospital, Trump 2.0 seems altogether more intentional. Were seeing things wed expect to see if the goals of the administration were to reduce American influence internationally, undermine basic federal services at home, trigger a series of constitutional crises related to executive power, and convert the government into a kleptocracy in which theres no limit to how much the presidents friends might benefit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Significant decisions are being made with no explanations offered to the public, too. When the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other top officials were recently fired and replaced, several former defense secretaries (including James Mattis) published a statement noting that the President offered no justification for his actions, even though he had nominated these officers for previous positions and the Senate had approved them. I stress again: Trump 2.0 is what you get when you take Trump 1.0 and subtract nearly every element of accountability. The identities of DOGE staffers are so closely guarded, for instance, that it qualifies as a major scoop when a newspaper simply manages to identify them. And even that meager degree of accountability has offended some apparatchiks in Trumpist media and the activist class. Were the voters who elected the president to a second term last fall prepared for this degree of Trump derangement? Regular readers know what I think about that. The irony of me writing I told you so columns is that no one needed to be told who and what Trump is. We all watched television on January 6. That episode was the sum of all fearsI thought. If a coup attempt at the Capitol couldnt convince Americans that those of us with Trump Derangement Syndrome werent so deranged after all, nothing will. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a more optimistic possibility, though. Yes, Americans who voted for him knew that they were renewing the most dangerously irresponsible reality show in U.S. history, but they assumed the material benefits theyd receive from doing so would justify the cost. They were willing to accept the risk of the United States becoming a global villain in exchange for Trump solving their problems. What happens, though, if the United States becomes a global villain and Trump doesnt solve their problems? What if they notice hes not even pretending to care about them? Perhaps some MAGA fans will slowly begin to question which side of the Trump derangement debate is actually the deranged one. Itll be too late when they do (I told you so!) but it would be nice to have a solid majority of Americans on the right side as we proceed through the rest of this nightmare. Buyers remorse is the smallest of consolations, but Ill take it. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. HELSINKI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Finland and Denmark have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance defense cooperation, the Finnish Ministry of Defense announced in a press release on Tuesday. The MOU was signed by Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen and his Danish counterpart Troels Lund Poulsen during the Danish royal couple's state visit to Finland. The two countries pledged to strengthen cooperation based on "shared values and mutual security interests," a commitment reinforced by Finland's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Denmark's decision to join the European Union's security and defense cooperation. According to the press release, the partnership will focus on areas such as NATO's deterrence and defense in the Nordic and Baltic Sea region, maritime cooperation, joint military exercises and training, collaboration on F-35 fighter jets, and military acquisitions. It noted that with Europe's security landscape evolving rapidly, deeper defense cooperation is essential. Strengthened bilateral ties between Finland and Denmark will contribute to European security and support existing cooperation within NATO, the EU, and the Nordic Defense Cooperation. The two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine. Danish King Frederik X and Queen Mary are on a state visit to Finland from March 4 to 5, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation within NATO. Discussions also include crisis resilience and the green transition, according to a press release from the Finnish President's Office. On March 1, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States to promote social unity and cohesion. To promote unity, cultivate a shared American culture for all citizens, ensure consistency in government operations, and create a pathway to civic engagement, it is in Americas best interest for the Federal Government to designate one and only one official language. As a U.S. citizen born in the unincorporated territory of Puerto Rico, I am a product of what you might call official bilingualism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the Spanish-American War, in 1902, the official language of the island was declared to be both English and Spanish. This was the law of the land during my childhood and adolescence. After I left Puerto Rico, the designation was revoked briefly in 1991 in favor of a Spanish-only law, only to be reinstated two years later by the Law of the Official Languages of the Government of Puerto Rico. Future of Puerto Rico is rooted in bilingualism My grandfather, Luis A. Ferre, the founder of the pro-Statehood Party, and the third elected governor of Puerto Rico, instilled in me his faith in the bilingual future of the island. He wrote, That is how I see the future of Puerto Rico A Spanish-speaking Puerto Rico with perfect command of English. A Puerto Rico abundant in tradition and cultural values inherited from Spain, but perfectly identified with the democratic ideals and the national objectives of the Nation of our citizenship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My mother, Rosario Ferre, a writer, and a furiously independent thinker, instilled in me a similar faith about the vital promise of bilingualism. In a New York Times guest opinion column from 1998, she wrote, As a Puerto Rican writer, I constantly face the problem of identity. When I travel to the States I feel as Latina as Chita Rivera. But in Latin America, I feel more American than John Wayne. To be Puerto Rican is to be a hybrid. Our two halves are inseparable: we cannot give up either without feeling maimed. Opinion: 'Emilia Perez' star Selena Gomez didn't deserve backlash for her Spanish fluency She added, bilingualism and multiculturalism are vital aspects of American society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For my grandfather and my mother, bilingualism was the way to social unity and cohesion, despite accusations of assimilation and of betrayal of a Puerto Rican national identity by their Spanish-only critics. English and Spanish are part of my identity Ive lived on the mainland of the U.S. for 45 years. And over that time, bilingualism has been one of the lynchpins of my life. I speak English at home, and I write my personal journal in Spanish. I speak both languages with my colleagues at work, with my students in class, and with the workers around town. My bilingualism has made me open to the old and emerging versions of both languages all around me. Benigno Trigo The official bilingualism of Puerto Rico, the law of the land since before my birth, has been my path to civic engagement and to becoming a contributing member of society in the United States and in Tennessee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If division and disengagement are the problems, bilingualism or better yet multilingualism might be the answer. Benigno Trigo is the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Humanities, Spanish and Portuguese College of Arts and Science at Vanderbilt University. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Trump's English-only executive order defies U.S. history | Opinion TIRANA, Albania (AP) Environmental groups on Tuesday criticized Albanias silence and lack of progress in analyzing 102 containers suspected of carrying a large amount of hazardous waste. Albanian prosecutors have put the containers in Porto Romano, 6 kilometers (4 miles) from Durres port, saying they would ask government institutions to conduct lab tests. The Seattle-based Basel Action Network (BAN) last August flagged the ship to authorities after receiving information from a whistleblower that the containers on board are suspected to be carrying an estimated 2,100 tons of toxic dust from pollution control filters from the steel industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BAN and the local group Milieukontakt Albania o Tuesday criticized the complete silence from the government and the apparent lack of any progress on the case from the government of Albania and the Durres prosecutors office. The government offices had no immediate response to a request for comment. The containers left Durres on July 4, 2024, on two Maersk-chartered ships with the intended destination of Thailand. BAN alerted several transit countries about the shipment. Thailand refused to accept the shipment, asking authorities in Singapore to stop it. The ships then docked at a Turkish port and the containers were loaded on the Turkish-flagged Moliva XA443A ship, which briefly stopped at the Italian port of Gioia Tauro before going to Albania, according to BAN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The customs documentation stated the containers contained iron oxide, according to Albanian local reports. It is suspected the containers have toxic steel furnace dust collected from pollution control filters at an Albanian company and also illegally smuggled from Kosovo and Germany. We are not even sure that the samples have been taken and the analysis begun, said Jim Puckett of BAN. Illegal trafficking in hazardous waste is a serious matter requiring criminal sanctions under treaty Albania has signed. It is not acceptable to pretend it did not happen and hope it gets forgotten. Photo courtesy Maricopa Community Colleges District In response to President Donald Trumps threat to defund colleges and universities that engage in diversity efforts for students and staff, Maricopa County Community College District is reassigning workers assigned to DEI roles, removing any language around inclusivity and stopping convocations. The Arizona Mirror obtained emails sent by administrators to staff at one of Maricopa Countys 10 community colleges on Feb. 28 asking them to remove Black History Month from the schools homepage, remove the diversity webpage, remove maps of all-gender restrooms and unpublish convocation information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Convocation ceremonies are generally smaller events held to celebrate graduations and can often focus on groups of students who share a major or a background, such as Hispanic students or LGBTQ students. In an email, MCCCD Chancellor Dr. Steven Gonzales told staff that the changes will not impact the larger commencement ceremonies. The changes come due to Trumps executive orders and new priorities set by the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights, which has put a ban on DEI and other topics in schools. Those who dont comply risk losing all of their federal funding. Based on the current state of affairs and as a public institution, we must comply with the law and enforcement guidance issued by regulatory agencies, Gonzales said in the email to all district employees. As well-intentioned and successful as some support activities have been for our students, some may no longer be able to continue. As we continue to assess the impact of the federal guidance, additional changes may be necessary to ensure compliance with evolving requirements. MCCCD last week already shuttered its largest affinity group for LGBTQ+ staff, students and teachers. Web pages that direct to information on Black History Month or Black Student Unions are already disappearing across MCCCD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mirror also exclusively obtained a spreadsheet that was sent to some MCCCD college employees that purports to show a list of internet links that are up for review to possibly be cut or have their language changed. Among them are: Victimology Culture and Society Chicana and Chicano Studies Sustainability Sociology Documentary Film Production Literature Music Religious Studies Psychology Courses Multiple Associates of Arts Degrees Amnesty International Anthropology Club Dungeons and Dragons Christian Challenge LGBTQ+ Native American Student Association Student Honors Association Some of the links included in the spreadsheet, such as Black History Month and the Black Student Union, have already been removed. Lindsey Wilson, a spokeswoman for the district, disputed what MCCCD sources told the Mirror and said those website pages have been now removed and are not being reviewed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the district is reviewing some website language to ensure compliance with Trumps executive order. Website language and content directly related to DEI must be modified or removed, Gonzales said in an email to staff about the changes. College website teams will receive further guidance and directions from our District Marketing and Communications Office to ensure we can implement changes by todays deadline. Trumps Department of Education had given colleges until Feb. 28 to implement changes or face investigations or have federal funding withheld. Funding for district employees to attend conferences or events focusing on DEI activities, including race, identity, or national origin is now prohibited, Gonzales said in the email. Employees can still attend conferences as long as the focus of the events does not exclusively revolve around those topics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We recognize the importance of creating space for all voices, backgrounds, and perspectives to connect and be heard. However, these employee-specific activities can no longer take place under the present guidance we have received, Gonzales said. Please note that student organizations are not impacted. MCCCD also ordered their employees to remove pronouns or other gender identity-related language from email signatures and business cards, telling employees to follow their brand standards guide. Gonzales announced that MCCCD will discontinue its Diversity Advisory Council as well as reevaluating all of MCCCDs DEI-related positions. We recognize the valuable contributions of our staff and will continue to explore ways that our staff can support our students, Gonzales said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Feb. 28 email, Gonzales recognized that many of the moves that MCCCD had made on inclusivity had provided meaningful support to students, faculty and staff. We ask that you join us in navigating this moment with resilience, empathy, and respect for one another, he wrote. Moments of change can be difficult, but we will move forward together continuing to serve our students, protecting access to education, and fostering a culture where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. ***CORRECTION & UPDATE: An earlier version of this story included a claim that employees assigned to DEI roles had been terminated; a district spokeswoman disputed that. Additionally, the spokeswoman denied that MCCCD was reviewing website content to remove terms that could violate Trumps executive order. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Gaza summit is important to "give hope to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and abroad" and to "bring an end to the terrible suffering we have all witnessed over the past year and a half," EU Council President Antonio Costa said ahead of the meeting. Costa was expected to reaffirm the EU's full commitment to contributing to peace in the Middle East as well as the bloc's support for a two-state solution at the Cairo gathering. The European Union firmly rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial changes in Gaza, in other parts of the world, or anywhere else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Costa reiterated the EU's support for the ceasefire between the Palestinina militant organization Hamas and Israel at a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, in Cairo on Monday evening. "The EU urges all parties to make every effort to uphold the ceasefire and hostages' release deal," Costa said after meeting Abbas. "Humanitarian aid must be delivered immediately, safely, and unhindered to Gaza. We call on all parties to re-engage with the mediators on the talks for the second phase of the deal," he added. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has presented a five-step plan for the rearmament of the European Union and support for Ukraine, stressing that the key question is no longer whether Europes security is under threat or whether more must be done, but whether Europe is ready to act decisively and swiftly. Source: Von der Leyen at a briefing in Brussels, as reported by European Pravda Quote: "We have long known the answers to those questions. The real question in front of us is whether Europe is prepared to act as decisively as the situation dictates and whether Europe is ready and able to act with speed and with the ambition that is needed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Von der Leyen reiterated her earlier call for Europe to rearm itself to meet its own defence needs and to support Ukraine. To this end, she has sent a letter to European leaders ahead of the EU summit outlining a five-step rearmament plan. The first part of the plan involves freeing up state funds for national defence spending. Quote: "Member states are ready to invest more in their own security if they have the fiscal space. So, we must enable them to do so. And this is why we will propose to activate the national escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact. This will allow member states to significantly increase their defence expenditures without triggering the excessive deficit procedure." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: This measure could release up to 650 billion over four years. The second element is a new instrument providing 150 billion in loans to EU member states for defence investments in air defence systems, artillery, missiles and ammunition, drone and anti-drone systems and joint procurement of equipment. Quote: "With this equipment, member states can massively step up their support to Ukraine. Immediate military equipment for Ukraine." Details: The third component is leveraging the EU budget. "Therea a lot we can do in this domain in the short term to direct more funds towards defence-related investments," she said, announcing a proposal allowing member states to use cohesion funds to increase defence spending. Notably, using cohesion funds does not require unanimity, meaning Hungary or Slovakia cannot veto such decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The final two steps involve mobilising private capital by expanding the investment market and using the European Investment Bank. Quote: "Europe is ready to assume its responsibilities. Rearm Europe could mobilise close to 800 billion of defence expenditures for a safe and resilient Europe." Background: A new EU security architecture will begin taking shape at an emergency EU leaders meeting on 6 March. On 19 March, Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas will present a new defence and industrial strategy. Kubilius has previously expressed hope that around 100 billion will be allocated for defence in the next seven-year EU budget. During a visit to Kyiv, von der Leyen announced plans to boost European arms production, which will also benefit Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed on Tuesday a new fund that could mobilize close to 800 billion ($841.5 billion) for defence investments in the European Union, including for military aid for Ukraine. "We're living in the most momentous and dangerous of times," von der Leyen told journalists in Brussels. Pressure on the EU to significantly increase defence spending and aid to Ukraine intensified further after US President Donald Trump's administration announced on Monday that it would temporarily suspend US military aid to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is Europes moment and we must live up to it." The money is to be spent on support for Ukraine and to "take on more responsibility for our own European security," she said. "We are in an era of rearmament, and Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending," the commission president said. The commission is to provide 150 billion in loans to be used on air and missile defence, artillery systems, missiles and ammunition, drones and anti-drone systems, and to address other needs from cyber to military mobility, von der Leyen said. "With this equipment, member states can massively step up their support to Ukraine," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Von der Leyen hopes that together with private capital and additional funding from the European Investment Bank, her proposal could mobilize close to 800 billion for defence. The new fund is part of a proposal von der Leyen pitched to EU countries ahead of Thursday's special EU leaders' summit. In her plan to rearm the bloc, the commission president also proposed giving member states more leeway for defence spending under the EU's usually strict debt and deficit rules, and reallocating available regional development funds for military investments. The European Union "deeply regrets" US tariffs imposed on imports from Mexico and Canada, a European Commission spokesman said on Tuesday. "This move risks disrupting global trade, harming key economic partners, and creating unnecessary uncertainty at a time when international cooperation is more crucial than ever," the spokesman said. "These tariffs threaten deeply integrated supply chains, investment flows, and economic stability across the Atlantic," he added. "The EU stands firmly against protectionist measures that undermine open and fair trade. We call on the United States to reconsider its approach and work towards a cooperative, rules-based solution that benefits all parties." SAN FRANCISCO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Starbucks named a new chief financial officer on Tuesday. Cathy Smith, who has been Nordstrom's CFO since 2023, will join Starbucks in the next month, Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said in a letter to employees. Niccol said Smith brings extensive experience in retail, global operations and corporate turnarounds. Smith previously served as the chief financial officer of Target and Walmart International. She will replace Rachel Ruggeri, who will stay at Starbucks for a period of time to assist with the transition before leaving the company. Late last month, Niccol announced a plan to lay off 1,100 corporate employees globally. Europe laid down the gauntlet as it unveiled a defense plan that could free up 800 billion ($840 billion) to rearm the continent amid the most significant shock to Western international relations in decades. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday a ReArm plan to stock up Europes defenses against a looming threat from Russia as the U.S. walks back its military support of Ukraine. The announcement offered concrete figures on investment following Mondays pledge by European leaders to beef up their defense capabilities as they rallied around Volodymyr Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europe is reeling from an intense opening two months of the Donald Trump administration, which has left the U.S. set to abandon its position as the Wests peace broker. In announcing the ReArm plan, von der Leyen spoke candidly about the existential threats Europe will face in the coming years. The EUs announcement came as the U.S. said it was suspending military aid to Ukraine following a heated argument between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday. We are living in the most momentous and dangerous of times. I do not need to describe the grave nature of the threats that we face. Or the devastating consequences that we will have to endure if those threats would come to pass, von der Leyen said in Brussels. Because the question is no longer whether Europe's security is threatened in a very real way. Or whether Europe should shoulder more of the responsibility for its own security. In truth, we have long known the answers to those questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freeing up the cash to stockpile Europe will require a level of cooperation on defense unprecedented in the EUs 32-year history. Each of the blocs 27 member states will need to increase their defense spending by an average of 1.5% of GDP, which von der Leyen says would create fiscal headroom of 650 billion over the next four years. The EU also plans to create a new instrument that would unlock 150 billion ($158 billion) in loans to member states for investment in defense. Europes quest to rearm itself will inevitably leave tough decisions for the regions policymakers. In announcing an increase in defense spending to 2.5% of GDP, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the country would cut its aid spending to fill the funding gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will continue working closely with our partners in NATO. This is a moment for Europe. And we are ready to step up, said von der Leyen. Defense giants soar higher As Europe ponders how to ramp up its military budget, shares in Europes largest defense contractors, BAE Systems, Rheinmetall, and Thales, soared as the extent of Europes renewed defense plans were realized. Collectively, the groups have added around $30 billion in market value since the start of the week. Thales received an extra boost after announcing earnings on Tuesday, showing an 8.3% increase in revenues in 2024. In a call with reporters following the companys results, Thales CEO Patrice Caine said that Europe had the technology to fend for itself on defense, and indicated it has the capacity to meet the regions growing defense demand. In February, BAE similarly said it would be able to cope with Europes newfound military appetite. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Sir Keir Starmer and our European allies have issued a lot of brave words and fighting talk on protecting Ukraine and taking on Putin. We are at a crossroads in history today, Starmer said after the London summit, announcing a coalition of the willing to support Zelensky. European unity is at an extremely high level not seen for a long time. Is it, though? The truth is that Europe last year paid far more money to Putins coffers in the form of oil and gas payments than it has given to the Ukrainians and continues to do so. Europe today imports far more Russian liquefied natural gas, or LNG, from Russia than at the beginning of the war. Most of the shadow fleet Russia uses to avoid sanctions are also owned by European, especially Greek, companies. Germanys ascendant right wing AfD party is openly calling for a reopening of the surviving branch of Gazproms Nord-Stream 2 Baltic gas pipeline. Europes big talk of fighting Putin is hypocritical nonsense while they are bankrolling the Kremlin war machine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Take sanctions. They were meant to bring the Russian economy to its knees and cripple Putins war machine. Perhaps they might have, if Europe had been willing to give up the fatal addiction to Russian energy that Trump repeatedly warned about back in 2017. Since the invasion the Kremlin has made close to a trillion dollars from oil and gas sales much of it from European customers. Even as bombs began to rain down on Kyiv, and as Brussels passed successive rafts of sanctions, Russian gas was never subject to any restrictions or penalties. It was Putin, not Brussels, who shut down gas exports through Nord Stream in July of 2022 in a crude attempt to squash Germanys growing arms supplies. Two months later saboteurs definitively fingered by German and Danish investigators as Ukrainians blew up three of the four undersea Nord Stream pipes. All of Europe was forced to scramble for alternative supplies of LNG from the US, Canada, Qatar and Russia. In 2024 EU member states bought 21.9 billion of Russian oil and gas but only gave 18.7 billion in financial aid to Ukraine, according to a report by the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Russia is currently Europes number two supplier of LNG, after the US, up nearly 14 per cent in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until January 1 of this year Gazprom was still supplying Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia with natural gas through a pipeline that runs through Ukraine. Russia has continued to pay nearly a billion euros a year in transit fees for this gas to Kyiv through subsidiaries in Switzerland. Mind-bogglingly, that made Gazprom one of the largest taxpayers in Ukraine for the first three years of the war. Even after the shutdown of the trans-Ukrainian pipeline, though, Southeast and Central Europe continue to buy Russian gas indirectly through Turkey. Its a similar story with oil supplies. Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the UKs new sanctions package recently, claiming that we continue to set the pace in ratcheting up the economic pressure on the Kremlin. Among the measures were sanctions against 40 oil tankers involved in pouring money into Putins war chest. But thats a mere 40 of the over seven hundred tankers shipping Russian oil. One would be forgiven for imagining that these sanctions on Russian oil exports mean that it is somehow banned. Its absolutely not. Instead, the US and EU have imposed a $60 per barrel price cap, versus a market rate for Urals Crude of $62 a barrel in December. And even that tiny difference is childishly easy to get around by accounting tricks. Lammy also claims to have with partners, already denied Putin access to $400 billion. What weasel words. The UK holds next to no Russian Central Bank Assets directly. Most are in Belgiums Euroclear system and the rest in the US and theres still no consensus on what to do with those funds or how to legally confiscate them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in any case the UK has little to do with this in principle or practice. And as Polands Prime Minister Donald Tusk admitted after the London meeting, there was no unity on seizing Russian assets in Europe. Though all leaders present agreed it was a good idea, he said that some countries feared the consequences either for the euro or the banking system. The Poles, by the way, have also announced that they will form no part of the Starmer-Macron peacekeeping force. And they are sceptical of Ukrainian membership of the EU for fear of their agriculture being massively undercut by cheap imports. Hungarys Viktor Orban, meanwhile, has denounced the London meetings decision to go on with the war instead of opting for peace. This is bad, dangerous and mistaken. So much for European unity. Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader, posted EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Sunday. Its up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed that European countries were stepping up to make sure Ukraine has what it needs to stay in the fight as long as it has to continue. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. If European leaders tweets were missiles, the Kremlin would now be a smoking ruin. But what Ukraine really needs is a swift end to hostilities and practical help to become free, prosperous and independent. Everything else is just virtue signalling, paid for in Ukrainians blood. 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. France, Germany, and the UK are exploring ways to seize over 200 billion euro ($210 billion) in frozen Russian assets as part of efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine, officials familiar with the discussions told Financial Times (FT). While Berlin and Paris had previously resisted full asset confiscation, they are now engaging in talks with European and G7 partners about potential mechanisms to use the funds. A proposal discussed by French officials suggests seizing the assets if Moscow violates a future ceasefire agreement, ensuring security guarantees for Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diplomatic activity has intensified in recent weeks, with France and the U.K. leading efforts to draft a European peace plan. These discussions gained momentum after U.S. President Donald Trump launched direct negotiations with Russia aimed at ending the war. Since 2022, G7 nations have frozen roughly 300 billion euro ($310 billion) in Russian central bank assets, with the majorityaround 190 billion euro ($200 billion) held in Belgiums Euroclear. Currently, only the interest generated by these funds is being used to back a $50 billion loan package for Ukraine, while the principal remains untouched. Read also: Europe is sitting on Russias $198 billion. Giving it all to Ukraine is tricky Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic states have long pushed for the full confiscation of these assets, but major European capitals had resisted over concerns about international legal precedents and financial stability. The European Central Bank had warned that such a move could undermine confidence in the euro as a reserve currency, given that most of the frozen assets are euro-denominated. However, shifting political dynamics appear to be changing the debate. French President Emmanuel Macron recently told Trump that immediate seizure would not align with international law but suggested the assets could be part of post-war negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Germanys likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has signaled openness to asset seizure and is coordinating with outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz ahead of an EU summit. In the U.K., Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that London is examining ways to deploy the funds, noting that while profits from Russian sovereign assets are already being used to support Ukraine, the fate of the principal remains complex. Read also: Frozen Russian assets face uncertain future under Trump Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou believes that European countries should step in to substitute US aid to Ukraine. Source: Bayrou during a speech to French MPs on Tuesday, 4 March, as reported by European Pravda and French newspaper Le Monde Details: Bayrou emphasised that France and Europe should "pool all possible means to replace, as far as possible", the US military aid to Ukraine, which was halted by the Donald Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The French prime minister stated that the supply of American aid "is coming to an end, as entire trains loaded for Ukraine have been halted and could not reach their destination". He noted that Ukraine needs ammunition, "a certain number of intelligence systems" and access to "networks and communications". "This will force us to rethink our model, our priorities, and to look differently at the world we thought we knew, which we now discover is more dangerous than we imagined and comes from those we thought were our allies," Bayrou said. Background: Media reports suggest that US President Donald Trump's decision to freeze aid to Ukraine has been supported by all his senior officials following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's remark that the war could endure for a prolonged period. Meanwhile, CNN says the United States continues to provide Ukraine with intelligence after Trump decided to cut off military aid to Kyiv. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The News Europe reacted with outrage Tuesday after US Vice President JD Vance dismissed other nations offers to send peacekeeping troops to a postwar Ukraine. In an interview with Fox News, Vance said giving the US an economic stake in Ukraine would be a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. The remarks sparked widespread condemnation, particularly in the UK: British troops have long fought alongside US forces, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, with Nigel Farage, the leader of right-wing opposition party Reform UK, saying JD Vance is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vice president responded to the criticism on social media as absurdly dishonest, noting that he didnt mention the UK or France in the interview, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. But, Vance added, there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful. SIGNALS Vance adds to strained US-Europe tensions Sources: Politico, The Guardian Vice President JD Vance has played a key role in exacerbating US-Europe tensions: Last month he criticized the continents leaders at the Munich Security Conference over free speech rules and met with the leader of Germanys far right, and his Ukraine remarks threaten to further exacerbate tensions. Theres a real and growing outrage over these comments, Politicos editor-at-large in Europe said. Vances insult wont be easily forgotten. Vance was also central to the disastrous Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy, when he attacked the Ukrainian president for seeming ungrateful. Vance is building a foreign policy team that is skeptical of Kyiv, positioning him as the chief saboteur of the transatlantic alliance, The Guardians global affairs correspondent wrote. European media turn their attention to Vance Sources: The Independent, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Le Monde Immediately following Donald Trumps inauguration, Vice President JD Vance had been perceived as something of a background character in the eyes of European media. But after Fridays meeting, The Independents world affairs editor warned that Vance could be more dangerous for Europe than Trump, because Vance can run for president in 2028: Vances focus has been international affairs but his intended audience is entirely domestic. German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung recently quoted a military expert who said Vance seems dangerous to me. And French outlet Le Monde has criticized Vances unprecedented aggressiveness toward Zelenskyy: Bitter exchanges, accusations, threats never before in the history of the US have differences been so bluntly and publicly exposed between two allies. The largest European countries are supporting efforts to confiscate frozen Russian assets worth over 200 billion while developing plans for a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. Source: Financial Times with reference to its sources Details: France and Germany, which have long opposed the full confiscation of assets held in the EU, are discussing ways to use them with the United Kingdom and other countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three people familiar with the talks said French officials had discussed a proposal for European countries to confiscate these assets if Moscow violates a future ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. This is part of efforts to provide security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a ceasefire agreement. Supporters of this idea see linking the frozen assets to Russia's compliance with a possible agreement as a way to pressure Moscow and guarantee Ukraine's security. G7 allies froze approximately 300 billion of Russia's Central Bank assets after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the vast majority of which about 190 billion are held in the Belgian central securities depository Euroclear, with smaller amounts held in France, the UK, Japan, Switzerland and the US. Currently, the income from these assets, mainly cash and government bonds, is being used to repay US$50 billion loans provided to Ukraine by the G7 countries, but the underlying assets are not affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states have long insisted on the confiscation of these assets, but key European capitals, including Berlin, Paris and Brussels, have previously rejected this idea over concerns that such a confiscation could create a precedent in international law. The European Central Bank is also concerned that the status of the euro as a safe currency for foreign exchange reserves would be jeopardised, as most of the assets are in euros. French President Emmanuel Macron stated during talks with his US counterpart Donald Trump last week that the immediate seizure of assets would not be "respecting international law", but these funds could be "part of the negotiation at the end of the war". A source familiar with the issue said that future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had stated that he would consider supporting the proposal to confiscate frozen Russian assets. Merz is expected to discuss the matter with current Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday, 5 March to align positions ahead of the EU leaders' summit on Thursday, 6 March. Scholzs press secretary declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated on Monday, 3 March, that London is considering using these assets. "Obviously the proceeds and profits are being used," he said to members of parliament, speaking after signing an agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the weekend regarding the UK providing a 2.26 billion loan to Ukraine secured by the proceeds of Russian sovereign assets under sanctions. Quote from Starmer: "On the [underlying] assets themselves, its a very complicated issue. Its not straightforward. But I do think we need to do more, and we are doing more work to look at what the possibilities are at least, along with other countries." Details: Two people familiar with the French proposal said it had been well received by other European allies, but there is still a long way to go before it is agreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters of asset confiscation have gained additional traction following the Trump administration's threats to reduce military support for Ukraine. "More and more countries are willing to use [frozen asset seizure] as leverage," one source told the FT. Previously: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed using a portion of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets to finance the future fund which is expected to be part of an agreement granting the US a stake in Ukraine's mineral resources. Background: Earlier, Reuters reported that Russia may agree to the use of US$300 billion of its frozen assets in Europe for Ukraines reconstruction. However, Russia is reportedly insisting that part of these funds be allocated to rebuilding the occupied territories. As previously reported by Ekonomicha Pravda, the latest draft of the agreement between the US and Ukraine on mineral resources proposes the creation of a commercial fund that would be 100% controlled by the US, with Ukraine contributing funds to it. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! In light of the growing need to finance armaments, the European Investment Bank (EIB) intends to further relax its regulations. EIB President Nadia Calvino is set to propose changes to the funding criteria to the board of directors, aiming to exclude as few projects as possible from financing, according to a letter by Calvino to the EU member states, obtained by dpa on Tuesday. Should the board of directors agree, the EIB could also finance barracks, military hospitals or scientific military facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tanks, ammunition and other purely military goods, however, remain off-limits. The planned German Armed Forces, or Bundeswehr, base in Lithuania could also benefit from the new guidelines. Lithuania's government recently applied for aid from the EIB to build local infrastructure, which would not be possible under the current rules. The EIB is permitted, according to its own mandate, to invest in so-called dual-use goods. These are products that can be used both civilly and militarily, such as helicopters or drones. The bank had already relaxed its rules in this regard last year. Earlier on Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a new fund that could mobilize close to 800 billion ($841.5 billion) for defence investments in the European Union, including for military aid for Ukraine. The News European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday unveiled a five-part plan to boost the blocs defense spending by up to 800 billion ($841.2 billion), hours after US President Donald Trump paused military aid to Ukraine. One of the biggest defense packages in European Union history, the plan includes 150 billion in loans to member states for defense investment. We are in an era of rearmament, von der Leyen said, stressing that the continent would take on much more responsibility for our own European security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement European leaders are set to attend another high-stakes summit in Brussels later this week to discuss next steps for Ukraine, although analysts have questioned whether the EU will be able to ramp up production fast enough to keep Ukraine armed in light of the US pullback. SIGNALS A sea change in Europes approach to defense, but is it enough? Sources: The Wall Street Journal, Center for Strategic and International Studies The proposed funding package marks a sea-change in the European Unions approach to defense after years of shying away from military spending, The Wall Street Journal wrote. But theres no guarantee that member states will agree to the plan the bloc moves only by unanimity and even if they do, it will nevertheless take time to translate into actual weapons deliveries to Ukraine. And in the long-term, it remains to be seen whether the EU can get serious about building a common fighting force, a Europe expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies argued: Ultimately, the EU as a political union should be able to defend EU territory with or without the United States. Europe lacks logistical infrastructure to counter Russia longterm Sources: Bruegel, Defense News Europe may be capable of providing enough weapons to Ukraine so that Kyivs fighting capacities remain where they are currently, experts at European think tank Bruegel argued in a recent report, but deterring Russian aggression in the long term will require significantly more troops and defense spending, as well as the rapid enhancement of military coordination between member states. Europe is dependent on the US for logistical support, the BBC reported: Analysts believe it could take the continent as long as five years to achieve self-sufficiency on things like satellite intelligence and battlefield command-and-control. Without these resources, the EU can only wage much bloodier wars, one analyst told Defense News, with the potential for higher casualties and greater territorial loss. Eutelsat, the French satellite operator that owns Starlink rival OneWeb, is negotiating with European governments to expand satellite connectivity in Ukraine. The company announced on March 4 that it is working with European institutions and business partners and has equipment ready for rapid deployment to support critical missions and infrastructure in Ukraine, according to Financial Times. These discussions come as investors speculate that Eutelsat could step in if Ukraine loses access to Elon Musks Starlink system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concerns over Starlinks availability escalated after the U.S. paused military aid to Ukraine on March 3. Ukraine has relied heavily on Starlink for battlefield communications, making it a crucial component of its military operations. Last week, Reuters reported that U.S. officials had raised the possibility of restricting Ukraines access to the system. Musk, who owns Starlink and has influence over U.S. President Donald Trump, denied the claim, calling the report false. Shares in Eutelsat surged as much as 123% to 4.50 euro before settling at a 70% gain, driven by investor confidence that European leaders will increase military support for Ukraine. The European Commission on March 4 proposed a 150 billion euro loan package to help EU member states finance defense procurement, which could facilitate immediate military aid to Kyiv. A spokesperson for the Commission confirmed that alternatives to Starlink were under consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eutelsats proposal involves combining OneWebs low Earth orbit satellites, positioned around 1,200 kilometers above the surface, with its geostationary satellites at 35,000 kilometers. This dual-constellation approach could provide essential connectivity for Ukraines military, including drone operations that have dealt significant blows to Russian forces. OneWeb already provides services to Ukraine through a German distributor, but expanding its role would require European governments to approve procurement and integration plans. Eutelsat acknowledged that the extent of its contribution depends on Ukraines military requirements, security protocols, and existing communication systems. Read also: US sided with Russia, North Korea & Iran Ukraine reacts to Trumps military aid freeze Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. DAR ES SALAAM, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A new type of weed has invaded Lake Victoria, affecting marine transport on the world's second-largest freshwater lake shared by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, a Tanzanian official said on Tuesday. Jarome Kayombo, manager of the Lake Victoria Zone for Tanzania's National Environment Management Council, told state-owned Daily News that the Salvinia weed was first identified in August last year, with investigations linking its source to human activities, mainly agriculture along the lake. Kayombo said the weed clings to the bottom of marine vessels, especially propellers, making navigation difficult. Research shows that the weed multiplies two to three times within eight days, thriving on the lake's abundant nutrients, the manager said, adding that winds further accelerate the weed's spread. "We collected 36 tonnes in four days recently, yet by the next day, it had multiplied as if nothing had been removed," said Kayombo. He said the weed also affects aquatic life by blocking oxygen from reaching deeper water levels, disrupting marine reproduction. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A bill to legalize a euthanasia pill designed to end a patients life has been introduced at the Nevada Legislature after Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed a similar bill two years ago. A patient who has been diagnosed with a terminal condition would be allowed to request medication to end their own life under certain conditions: Patient must be at least 18 years old. Patient has been diagnosed with a terminal condition by at least two practitioners. Patient has made an informed and voluntary decision to end his or her own life. Patient is mentally capable of making such a decision. Patient is not requesting the medication because of coercion, deception or undue influence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal passed by a narrow margin in 2023, before it was eventually vetoed. Now, a Republican who voted against the bill is sponsoring the new version, Assembly Bill 346 (AB346). Republican Assem. Danielle Gallant and Democratic Assem. Joe Dalia are the bills sponsors, along with co-sponsor Democratic Assem. Edgar Flores. All three of the sponsors represent areas in Southern Nevada. The bill was referred to the Assembly Select Committee on End of Life Care today in Carson City. It has not been scheduled for a hearing yet. Doctors and others involved in the patients care are protected from prosecution or professional discipline under language of AB346, and given the right to refuse to prescribe the medication. But if they refuse, they are required to facilitate the transfer of the patent to another health care provider. Medical professionals would dispense the euthanasia pill, but only the patient would be allowed to administer it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other sections of the law are written to ensure the death certificate states that the patient died of their terminal condition. A death resulting from the self-administration of a medication that is designed to end the life of a patient is not mercy killing, euthanasia, assisted suicide, suicide or homicide when done in accordance with the provisions of this bill. It further prohibits insurance companies from refusing to honor insurance benefits based on the use of a euthanasia pill. AB346 also states that the pill cannot be prescribed solely based on the patients age or a disability. Two years ago, Gov. Lombardo said in his veto message for the bill (Senate Bill 239 during the 2023 session): SB239 allows for physician assisted suicide in the State of Nevada. End of life decisions are never easy. Individuals and family members must often come together to face many challenges including deciding what is the best course of medical treatment for a loved one. Fortunately, expansions in palliative care services and continued improvement in advanced pain management make the end-of-life provisions in SB239 unnecessary. Given recent progress in science and medicine and the fact that only a small number of states and jurisdictions allow for similar end-of-life protocols, I am not comfortable supporting this bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before Lombardos veto, that bill barely made it out of a Senate committee on a 3-2 vote, passed narrowly in the full Senate on an 11-10 vote, and passed the full Assembly 23-9. A national group, Compassion & Choices, said in 2023 that Lombardo was the first governor to veto a medical-aid-in-dying bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Donald Trumps position on Russia has become so prostrate that even Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade has been forced to urge sanity. Following the Trump administrations decision to pause military aid to Ukraine, Kilmeade took to social media to issue a frank reminderone that was much needed by the U.S. president. Can we all remember @KremlinRussia_E is the bad guy, Kilmeade wrote on X Monday night, tagging Russian President Vladimir Putins account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They invadedthey kidnap kidsWhatever happensUkraine can not loseeastern. Europe will be next, Kilmeade added. The Fox News host, who once bent over backward to justify Trumps request for the kind of generals Hitler had, has apparently broken with the president over his foreign policy, which even the Kremlin has said largely coincides with its vision. The Bulwarks Tim Miller poked at Kilmeade on X, writing, Maybe DM the secretary of defense. Trump has made escalating efforts to convince the American people of the very opposite: that Putin will keep his word on a peace deal, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy isnt interested in peace at all. And this is in no way the beginning of Trumps smear campaign: He has long made efforts to undermine Zelenskiy and push false narratives about Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, Trumps first impeachment hinged on his allegedly pressuring Zelenskiy to dig up dirt on Joe Biden. How exactly did he pressure Zelenskiy to do what he wanted? He withheld military aid. Did it work? Not at all. Trumps efforts to recast the villain in this story seem to be working. A recent CBS News/YouGov poll found that the percentage of Americans who viewed Russia as the enemy had dropped from 64 percent in 2023 to 34 percent. A law firm filed $100 million in federal legal claims Monday on behalf of 20 former patients of an ex-military doctor at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, who was sentenced to prison in January after admitting to sexually abusing three dozen men under his care. The Federal Tort Claims Act administrative complaints, lodged against the U.S. Army and Department of Defense, allege that the Army was liable for Maj. Michael Stockins actions due to its negligence, including permitting him to continue to practice as an anesthesiologist and pain-management specialist despite knowing of the abuse. In a news release announcing the claims on behalf of her clients, attorney Christine Dunn said the Army must be held accountable for its role in allowing this rampant abuse to persist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of victims we represent has nearly doubled in the last two months alone, said Dunn, a co-managing partner with Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight. There is no doubt that this is one of the biggest sexual assault scandals ever faced by the military. There will be no justice for my clients and the many other victims out there until the Army takes responsibility for what happened to these men. The tort claims, typically precursors to lawsuits, each seek $5 million in damages. They also raise to 42 the number of men represented by Dunn who have lodged such complaints since September. Twenty-two earlier legal claims remained under investigation by the Army, according to the news release. Dunn previously said that not all of her clients were part of Stockins criminal case, and there were more victims than Stockin had been convicted of abusing. The claims accused Stockin of sexually abusing more than 100 patients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Army received 20 new claims this week and is reviewing them for legal sufficiency before investigating their factual allegations, Army spokespersonRuth Castro said in an email. No decision on how to respond will be made until the Armys review is complete and the claims have been investigated. A Department of Defense spokesperson referred an inquiry about the claims to the Army. Stockin, who had been assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center since July 2019, was sentenced Jan. 15 to more than 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to criminal charges involving 41 male victims at the base hospital. Stockin, who was 39 at the time of his sentencing, admitted to 36 counts of abusive sexual contact and five counts of wrongfully viewing a persons private area. Attorney Robert Capovilla, who represented Stockin, previously said that his client had taken full responsibility for his actions and made no excuses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Defense hopes and prays that the victims and Major Stockin will finally be able to heal and to move forward with their lives, Capovilla had said. Between 2019 and 2022, victims referred for pain management had said, Stockin asked patients to remove clothing and, without a chaperone present, fondled them or stared at their genitals for no apparent medical reasons during uncomfortable exams. Dr. Stockin then instructed me to lower my pants and underwear as he knelt down to eye level with my genitals. Then, he grabbed my penis, pulling and moving it around, one former patient, who Stockin admitted to sexually abusing, wrote in a claim Monday. He was not wearing gloves, and he was smiling. This process was deeply uncomfortable and felt less like an exam than a groping. Another patient, who wasnt part of Stockins criminal case, wrote in a claim that he was abused in a nearly identical manner during four appointments over 11 months. The man said he initially hadnt accepted his wifes suggestion that he was a victim of a sexual assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At first, I thought that she must be mistaken because I trusted that the Army would not let a predator into their ranks, he wrote, adding that the alleged abuse had hurt his marriage, caused him night terrors and gave him diagnosed sexual trauma and anxiety. I am now completely unable to receive medical care from a male provider, he wrote. I exhaust myself daily by constantly trying to avoid external reminders and flashbacks of being sexually assaulted by Dr. Stockin. The Army has said it spent hundreds of hours investigating Stockins criminal case, leading to 23 counts being filed in August 2023 before the number of charges eventually grew. Multiple complainants alleged they were sexually abused after Army officials received complaints about Stockin in February 2022 and suspended him, according to the news release Monday. Complainants alleged that Stockin continued seeing patients after the Armys Criminal Investigation Division questioned him about the accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, Dr. Stockin preyed upon countless members of our military on the Armys watch, Jillian Seymour, an associate with Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, said in a statement. The Army failed time and again to stop the serial predator it hired, employed, and supervised. The Army and Department of Defense have six months to investigate federal tort claims before an individual may file a lawsuit in federal court, the news release said. Stockin was previously assigned to medical centers in Honolulu and Maryland and deployed to Iraq from October 2020 to February 2021, according to the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. After his sentencing, the office said that Stockin would be dismissed from the Army and lose his medical license. It also said his sentence would be served at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and hell be required to register as a sex offender upon his release. A former state employee will serve time in federal prison for defrauding a Massachusetts housing agency after being fired from her job, and defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration in connection with the pandemic Paycheck Protection Program. Alihea Jones, 51, of Brandon, Fla., was sentenced in federal court to 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement on Monday. Jones was also ordered to pay $222,074 in restitution and to forfeit $222,074. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris handed down Jones sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September 2024, Jones pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud. In 2022, Jones worked remotely for the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development for six months, Foley said. She worked with the agencys Residential Aid to Families in Transition program, which provides funds to assist low-income Massachusetts residents facing eviction and other housing emergencies. Prosecutors said after Jones was fired from the agency, she was still logged into the RAFT database and accessed the files of four RAFT program participants. She authorized electronic payments to their landlords in the amounts of $7,500, $8,800, $6,925 and $10,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones changed the routing and bank account numbers from the landlords accounts to four unauthorized accounts in Georgia: an account in the name of Joness business, Beauty Concepts by Alihea LLC; Joness personal account; and the accounts of two of her friends. Jones did this all without knowledge or permission from the state agency, prosecutors said. After the transfers went through, her two friends each paid Jones a $2,000 kickback, prosecutors said. Earlier, in 2021, Jones also fraudulently obtained a $187,000 PPP loan from a Massachusetts lender, which the SBA later forgave, prosecutors said. Jones spent most of the money on personal expenses, including clothing and restaurants. Under the PPP, authorized lenders issued SBA-guaranteed loans to small businesses during the COVID pandemic to help keep workers employed. If a business spent the money on payroll and other permissible business expenses, the SBA forgave the loan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones submitted a PPP loan application to a Massachusetts lender falsely stating that Beauty Concepts had 17 employees and an average monthly payroll expense of $74,800, prosecutors said. In fact, Beauty Concepts did not employ anyone. Unaware that Joness information was false, the SBA agreed to guarantee a $187,000 loan to Beauty Concepts, prosecutors said. The lender transmitted the loan proceeds to the Beauty Concepts account in Georgia. Jones later applied to have her loan forgiven. Again, she included false employee count and payroll information, the U.S. Attorney said in her statement. Unaware that Joness representations were false, the SBA forgave the loan principal and accrued interest. In total, Jones caused a loss of $222,074, with $33,225 payable to the Department of Housing and Community Development and $188,849 payable to the SBA, Foley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW China will be "the main beneficiary" of US President Donald Trump's foreign policies, including his decision to align with Russia over Ukraine, Kyiv's former foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has said. Speaking days after a blistering on-camera argument between Trump and Ukrainian Presidency Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House, Kuleba said "everyone saw that the United States do not consider themselves as an ally of Ukraine and Europe any more". "I'm not surprised by the fact, but I'm surprised by how quickly this fact was exposed and literally formalised," said Kuleba, who served as foreign minister for more than four years, including the first 2 years of the war with Russia. Advertisement 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. Following the spectacle in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump paused delivery of military aid to Ukraine in a major escalation of tensions between the US and Ukraine. An unidentified official with the White House said the aid would be suspended until Kyiv was committed to peace, several US media reported on Monday. During the fiery encounter in Washington, Trump told Zelensky he should be more "thankful" for US support and said he was "gambling with World War III" by rejecting Washington's plans for a ceasefire. The Ukrainian president was subsequently asked to leave, without signing a deal on critical minerals, and without US support for his country. Kuleba described the incident as "an attack not only on President Zelensky himself, but on the country that he represents", adding that "many other leaders from around the world, most notably from Europe, [could] easily imagine themselves in Zelensky's shoes". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have to be crystal clear on the new reality: the United States are aligned with Russia for now, whether it's about Ukraine, whether it's about Europe, the visions of President Trump and President Putin are aligned ... maybe for different reasons," Kuleba said, in a video interview from his home in Kyiv on Monday evening. Many analysts have speculated that Trump is attempting a sophisticated diplomatic ploy popularly known as a "reverse Nixon". It comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Breitbart News last week the US was trying to "peel Russia" off China, much as former president Richard Nixon peeled China off the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Kuleba, however, dismissed it as "impossible, because for Putin, Trump is just an episode in the US strategy. And Xi, for Putin, is the strategy." Instead, burning alliances, exiting aid programmes and showing disdain for multilateralism means Trump "will definitely lose Europe", and in turn strengthen China's hand as it looks to curry favour with Washington's erstwhile allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "China will be the main beneficiary of Trump's second presidency - perhaps this is not the goal President Trump is trying to pursue, but there are very good reasons to believe that China, by demonstrating patience and readiness to embrace other countries, including Ukraine, will benefit greatly from what is happening," Kuleba said. Pointing to the vacuum expected to be left by Washington as it kills government bodies such as USAID, he predicted a rush of countries going to "the European Union and China ... seeking money to continue with the programmes". "All nations of the world will look around at what is happening, and they will realise quite quickly that the only stable and sane power in the world is China," said Kuleba, who left his role as foreign minister in September in a cabinet reshuffle. "This realisation will immediately push them in China's direction ... and this very context equally applies to the situation with Ukraine: China sees the opportunity and this is why you see, first of all, springs of more open, forthcoming and constructive engagement," he added, referring to a recent softening of tone between Beijing and Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has thrown support behind Ukraine and Europe to have a seat at the negotiating table - contrary to Trump's assertions that Europe would not be involved - Kuleba does not see an immediate role for Beijing. "Today, China does not have to be active - there is nothing that China should be doing now," Kuleba said. "All China has to do is to send a very cautious but clear message of embracement and support. Whatever the message says it should read: 'Ukraine matters to China'. This is it ... This will be enough," the diplomat said. "But I think at this point, the rapprochement between China and Europe seems to be unavoidable. It's a matter of time and scale - and this is another consequence of the US policy," he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It does not mean opening up the entire Europe and creating a free-trade zone with China, but there is plenty of room to manoeuvre. That room was closed because of the US-Europe alliance. Now that the alliance is gone, this room is open." While China has always claimed to be neutral in the war, it had been accused by the West of being on Russia's side. Beijing has been described by Nato and the G7 as a "decisive enabler" of Moscow's war effort, while the EU has previously estimated that 70 per cent of the sensitive hi-tech products reaching the Russian military are coming via China. Beijing has repeatedly denied such claims, saying it did not supply weapons to either side. Ukrainian officials, however, have been more reluctant to criticise Beijing "because we had less room for manoeuvre", Kuleba explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Because there was an issue of the survival of the country at stake, and because China has leverage on Russia, which few other countries actually do, so that was the overall strategy." In his several encounters with Wang since the invasion in February 2022, however, Kuleba repeatedly raised concerns about Beijing's ties to Russia. "In many cases, Chinese and Russian ambassadors in specific Global South countries were joining efforts to work against, to slow down the pace the engagement of these countries with Ukraine," said Kuleba, who denied that Kyiv saw engagement with China as crucial to tapping Global South support at the United Nations. Nonetheless, he said Wang was an "impeccable diplomat" who was "always open for a conversation, and I appreciate that". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He would not always react to what he was hearing, but I always knew that he heard everything, every single bite. And that was important," Kuleba said, adding that while their earlier meetings had been "two ministers reading the speaking points", a final encounter in Guangzhou last year was "more meaningful". However, there was never any sense that Beijing would break from Moscow, Kuleba said. "We are aware how Russia benefited from China's industrial base, benefited from deliveries of equipment from China. But these were not weapons, so it was hard and, for China, Russia was not under Chinese sanctions, so it was hard to make the legal case against it," he added. According to an opinion poll by the Razumkov Centre Sociological Service last year, 72.5 per cent of Ukrainians hold a negative opinion of China. Asked whether ties could be repaired, Kuleba said "it can go in either direction". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's largely up to China to define how they want to proceed. Ukrainians crave peace. They want the war to end on decent terms. And if China can help achieve that result, of course you will see a dramatic shift in Ukraine's public opinion," he said. "But since this is not happening, at least yet, we see what we see today. Our relations are almost non-existent in the sense that everything we have is the debris of the relationship that had existed before 2022." 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. By James Pearson, Polina Nikolskaya, Anton Zverev and Parisa Hafezi LONDON (Reuters) - Several senior Russian missile specialists have visited Iran over the past year as the Islamic Republic has deepened its defence cooperation with Moscow, a Reuters review of travel records and employment data indicates. The seven weapons experts were booked to travel from Moscow to Tehran aboard two flights on April 24 and September 17 last year, according to documents detailing the two group bookings as well as the passenger manifest for the second flight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The booking records include the men's passport numbers, with six of the seven having the prefix "20". That denotes a passport used for official state business, issued to government officials on foreign work trips and military personnel stationed abroad, according to an edict published by the Russian government and a document on the Russian foreign ministry's website. Reuters was unable to determine what the seven were doing in Iran. A senior Iranian defence ministry official said Russian missile experts had made multiple visits to Iranian missile production sites last year, including two underground facilities, with some of the visits taking place in September. The official, who requested anonymity to discuss security matters, didn't identify the sites. A Western defence official, who monitors Iran's defence cooperation with Russia and also requested anonymity, said an unspecified number of Russian missile experts visited an Iranian missile base, about 15 km (9 miles) west of the port of Amirabad on Iran's Caspian Sea coast, in September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuters couldn't establish if the visitors referred to by the officials included the Russians on the two flights. The seven Russians identified by Reuters all have senior military backgrounds, with two ranked colonel and two lieutenant-colonel, according to a review of Russian databases containing information about citizens' jobs or places of work, including tax, phone and vehicle records. Two are experts in air-defence missile systems, three specialize in artillery and rocketry, while one has a background in advanced weapons development and another has worked at a missile-testing range, the records showed. Reuters was unable to establish whether all are still working in those roles as the employment data ranged from 2021 to 2024. Their flights to Tehran came at a precarious time for Iran, which found itself drawn into a tit-for-tat battle with arch-foe Israel that saw both sides mount military strikes on each other in April and October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuters contacted all the men by phone: five of them denied they had been to Iran, denied they worked for the military or both, while one declined to comment and one hung up. Iran's defence and foreign ministries declined to comment for this article, as did the public relations office of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an elite force that oversees Iran's ballistic missile program. The Russian defence ministry didn't respond to a request for comment. Cooperation between the two countries, whose leaders signed a 20-year military pact in Moscow in January, has already influenced Russia's war on Ukraine, with large numbers of Iranian-designed Shahed drones deployed on the battlefield. ROCKETS AND ARTILLERY Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flight booking information for the seven travellers was shown to Reuters by Hooshyaran-e Vatan, a group of activist hackers opposed to the Iranian government. The hackers said the seven were travelling with VIP status. Reuters corroborated the information with the Russian passenger manifest for the September flight, which was provided by a source with access to Russian state databases. The news agency was unable to access a manifest for the earlier flight, so couldn't verify that the five Russian specialists booked on it actually made the trip. Denis Kalko, 48, and 46-year-old Vadim Malov were among the five Russian weapons experts whose seats were booked as a group on the April flight, the records showed. Kalko worked at the defence ministry's Academy for Military Anti-Aircraft Defence, tax records for 2021 show. Malov worked for a military unit that trains anti-aircraft missile forces, according to car ownership records for 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrei Gusev, 45, Alexander Antonov, 43, and Marat Khusainov, 54, were also booked on the April flight. Gusev is a lieutenant-colonel who works as deputy head of the faculty of General Purpose Rockets and Artillery Munitions at the defence ministry's Penza Artillery Engineering Institute, according to a 2021 news item on the institute's website. Antonov has worked at the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate of the Defence Ministry, according to car registration records from 2024, while bank data shows Khusainov, a colonel, has worked at the Kapustin Yar missile-testing range. One of the two passengers onboard the second flight to Tehran in September was Sergei Yurchenko, 46, who has also worked at the Rocket and Artillery Directorate, according to undated mobile phone records. His passport number had the prefix "22"; Reuters was unable to determine what that signified though, according to the government edict on passports, it isn't used for private citizens or diplomats. The other passenger on the September flight was 46-year-old Oleg Fedosov. Residence records give his address as the office of the Directorate of Advanced Inter-Service Research and Special Projects. That is a branch of the defence ministry tasked with developing weapons systems of the future. Fedosov had previously flown from Tehran to Moscow in October 2023, according to Russian border crossing records viewed by Reuters. On that occasion, as he did for the September 2024 flight, Fedosov used his passport reserved for official state business, the records showed. (Reporting by James Pearson, Polina Nikolskaya and Anton Zverev in London, and Parisa Hafezi in Dubai; Additional reporting by Tom Balmforth in Kyiv; Editing by Christian Lowe and Pravin Char) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) State executions should resume in May after the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) completed its multi-year revision of the states lethal injection protocol. Gov. Bill Lee ordered an independent review of Tennessees lethal injection procedures and executions have been paused across the state since spring 2022. TDOC Commissioner Frank Strada began developing a revised execution protocol after his appointment in January 2023, which was developed in consultation with the Tennessee Attorney Generals Office. DECEMBER 2024: Tennessee prison system revises lethal injection protocol after more than two-year pause Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am confident the lethal injection process can proceed in compliance with departmental policy and state laws, Strada said. Under the new execution protocol, Tennessee will utilize the single drug pentobarbital. Last month, the U.S. Attorney General told the director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to stop using pentobarbital in executions because its unclear if the drug causes unnecessary pain and suffering. The TDOC announced the lethal injection protocol in Dec. 2024. Following Mondays announcement that executions would resume, TDOC shared the following four orders to reset execution dates with News 2: Oscar Smith, who was found guilty of killing his estranged wife Judith in 1989, has a new execution date of May 22, 2025 Byron Black, who was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the homicides of Angela Clay and her two daughters, has a new execution date of Aug. 5, 2025 Donald Middlebrooks, who was convicted for the 1987 murder of Kerrick Majors, has a new execution date of Sept. 24, 2025 Harold Nichols, who was convicted of rape and first-degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Karen Pulley, has a new execution date of Dec. 11, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. illustration of person speaking at a pdium President Donald Trump is set to give a big speech on Tuesday his first address to a joint session of Congress since returning to the White House in January. Since hes been back in office, hes already taken a lot of action, including making big changes to the federal government and immigration policy. This address will now allow him to highlight his plans and pitch his agenda to the American people many of whom have some concerns. A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that 53 percent of respondents think the state of the union isnt strong, and 54 percent believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. Despite this, the president took to Truth Social, promising to tell it like it is during his primetime moment. Heres what you need to know before Tuesday nights speech. What time is Trumps congressional address? Trumps speech kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 4, but expect special coverage to start earlier. Once the president is done, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin a former CIA analyst who flipped a GOP seat in 2018 will deliver the Democrats response. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has called her a rising star in the party, said she will offer a comprehensive and clear-eyed response on key issues, including Social Security and Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following that, Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat will provide a Spanish-language rebuttal, and Rep. Lateefah Simon will deliver a progressive response on behalf of the Working Families Party. How can you watch Trumps address to Congress? You can catch Trumps primetime event on major television networks, including ABC, NPR, Fox News, CNN, and PBS. If you prefer to watch it online, both The Hill and Associated Press plan to live stream the event on their websites. What will Trump talk about? House Speaker Mike Johnson invited Trump to give a joint address to Congress last month, saying he wanted him to share his America First vision for our legislative future. According to Fox News, the theme of the address will be Renewal of the American Dream. The speech will be divided into four main sections: achievements from Trumps second term, both domestically and internationally; the administrations economic accomplishments; a renewed push for additional funding for border security; and Trumps plans for global peace. That could mean a lot of things, but Trump is almost guaranteed to highlight the more than $1.7 trillion in investments made since he took the oath of office to bring manufacturing back to the United States, including increases in energy production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On foreign policy, an unnamed White House official told Fox that the president is expected to outline his plans to restore peace around the world, including his mission to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. He will also focus on his administrations work to ensure the release of all hostages from Gaza. Whos expected to be there? Lawmakers from both parties in the House and Senate are expected to attend but some Democrats are using their plus-ones to make a statement. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Illinois Rep. Brad Schneider, among others, have invited former federal workers to Tuesdays speech in protest mass government firings and funding cuts. What the Democrats are showing with our guests is that its the American people who are being hurt by the actions of Elon Musk and Donald Trump, Schneider told The New York Times. The White House, however, sees it differently, accusing Democrats of exploiting the American people for political points. As is tradition, members of the U.S. Supreme Court and Trumps cabinet will also be in attendance. And, as always, at least one designated survivor will remain in a separate and secure location someone in the presidential line of succession who could step in to lead the country if disaster struck. Wait, is this not a State of the Union address? A joint address to Congress and the State of the Union might seem like the same thing after all, both involve the president speaking to a joint session of the House and Senate. Theyre also big political moments where the president lays out their policy and vision. But theres a key difference: The State of the Union is a yearly tradition required by the U.S. Constitution, in which the president looks back on the past year. A joint address to Congress, on the other hand, usually happens at other times in this case, a presidents first major speech after taking office so its not technically a State of the Union speech. Instead, its more about setting the stage for whats ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That approach isnt unique to Trump. According to the nonprofit American Presidency Project, the tradition of a new president delivering an early address to Congress began with Ronald Reagan in 1981. Since then, Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton have followed suit, each delivering their own administration goal speeches in 1989 and 1993, respectively. For Trump, this speech is more than just a tradition its a chance to set the tone for his second term, as Speaker Johnson noted in his invitation. But as the first president in over 130 years to serve non-consecutive terms and with a flurry of executive orders already in motion this one might feel a little different. The post What to Expect From President Trumps Congressional Address appeared first on Katie Couric Media. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is set to hold his first joint congressional speech on Tuesday night where hell address lawmakers and outline plans for the remainder of his term as well as tout his accomplishments so far. The highly anticipated speech will be the first time Trump has addressed Congress since being reelected to his second term. While Republicans are sure to offer thunderous applause with multiple standing ovations, Democrats are unlikely to praise any of the presidents talking points. In years past, the minority party has typically engaged in some sort of opposition by bringing guests with a political message or boycotting the event altogether. In some cases, lawmakers have even gone so far as to boo or jeer at the president during the speech, interrupting his remarks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speech comes after a tumultuous start for Trumps term as the president has made dramatic changes to the federal government by drastically cutting spending and laying off thousands of federal employees. The address also comes on the heels of a contentious meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week that led to mixed reactions from lawmakers. Some praised the exchange as a flex of U.S. muscles while others cautioned it was dangerous for foreign relations. Heres what to expect in what could turn out to be an unpredictable event, which is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. EST on Tuesday. The State of the Union or, not really The State of the Union address is presented every year by the sitting president to share details about the current atmosphere of the nation and how the administration is working to make things better for the American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, however, semantics will bar the event from being called the State of the Union. The address is meant to feature the president who presided over the country for the previous year something Trump has not done because he was only inaugurated in January. Due to that technicality, the first address in a presidents term is not called the State of the Union, despite bearing a striking resemblance. Republicans eager for first speech in GOP trifecta Not only is it Trumps first joint congressional address since his last term, its also the first speech since 2019 that Republicans have held control of the White House and both chambers of Congress raising the excitement level for GOP lawmakers as they prepare for the event. Preparations are underway to welcome (Trump) for his joint address to Congress tomorrow night, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a post on X alongside a photo of the House chamber. Its going to be BIG! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are ready for you, Mr. President! House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said in his own post . Republicans have so far enjoyed the advantages of holding a trifecta in the federal government, which largely gives them the ability to pass most legislation on their agenda. Trump has also signed a slew of executive orders undoing actions from the Biden administration, with Republicans eager to hear more about the presidents vision during his speech on Tuesday. President Trump will share his vision during a Joint Address to Congress on how he will continue the successes we have already seen during his second term in office, Rep. John Joyce, R-Penn., said in a statement . The Golden Age of America will continue to open doors for all Americans. What will Trump talk about, and for how long? Its not yet clear what topics Trump will touch on during his televised address, but its likely the speech could last more than an hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Presidential speeches have not always been so long, but Trump holds the longest average State of the Union length of the last 11 presidents. Trumps average length from his first term was roughly an hour and 20 minutes, followed closely by Bill Clinton with an average length of an hour and 14 minutes. The longest State of the Union speech Trump gave was in 2019, which lasted an hour and 22 minutes. Trump is likely to tout the executive actions he has taken so far, particularly the tariffs planned to hit Canada and Mexico as early as Tuesday. Those tariffs were initially expected to be implemented in February but were temporarily delayed due to last-minute agreements with both countries to strengthen security measures at the border to counter illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs. However, Trump announced last week those tariffs would be implemented during the first week of March, arguing the U.S.s neighbors are not doing enough to hold up their end of the bargain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump may also talk about his administrations efforts to end the war in Ukraine, especially after a meeting with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday ended in a shouting match between the two world leaders and an abrupt exit by the Ukrainian president before the pair could sign a planned minerals deal. The president could speak about his administrations efforts to cut down on waste and fraud in the federal government through the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, led by multi-billionaire Elon Musk. DOGEs actions have caused concern among some U.S. voters, leading a handful of Republicans to call for increased compassion as Musk looks for spending cuts. How will Democrats respond? While Democrats have organized large-scale protests for previous speeches such as women wearing all white to the last several presidential addresses to symbolize the Me Too movement or even boycotts of the event altogether some lawmakers are planning their own individual messaging tactics. For example, some Democrats are planning to bring ex-federal government employees to the address as their guests in protest of the layoffs being carried out by DOGE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, the second-highest ranking Democrat in the House, will bring Sarah Wroblewski, a meteorologist whose son is battling a rare form of cancer. Wroblewski has been outspoken about proposed spending cuts to the National Institutes of Health, raising concerns that it would block research projects to cure cancer. I cant even imagine how devastating a diagnosis for one of my children would be of having a stage four rare cancer, Clark said in a video. The second-most devastating thing would be that my federal government has decided to end childhood cancer research and take that away, take the hope from my family. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., will bring Kyle Rahn, who previously worked with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within the Department of Homeland Security. Rahn, a three-time deployed veteran, was laid off because he held probationary status due to his recent promotion to the CISA role within the last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to bringing Rahn, Gallego said he is hoping to hear commitments from Trump in his speech to protect veterans. Ill tell you right now: I also believe that there does need to be some cleanup of the federal budget, but I think that currently were looking for those numbers in the wrong places, Gallego told the Deseret News in an interview. I would hope that our presence reminds him of the commitment to the American people that he made. Yeah, I agree, you were elected to find some efficiencies, but you know, lets do that in an actual planned-out method. Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., is also planning to bring a former government employee affected by the layoffs. The New York Democrat is set to attend with Nancy Bolan, a Bronx-based USAID employee who was fired by DOGE earlier this year. A registered nurse practitioner and certified midwife, Nancy has devoted her career to helping the most vulnerable women and children in some of the most war-ravaged places on earth, Torres said in a post on X . She spent six years at USAID after a long career in health care and public health both in the United States and around the globe. All she wants to do is to return to her job saving lives. Although Democrats are not planning an all-out boycott, some in the minority remain undecided on whether theyll attend the speech. DAR ES SALAAM, March 4 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed and 49 others were injured in two separate road accidents in Tanzania, police confirmed on Tuesday. In the first accident, at least five people were killed and 49 others injured on Monday night when a bus they were traveling in overturned after colliding with the rear of a truck in Chigongwe village in Tanzania's central region of Dodoma. Acting Dodoma Regional Police Commander Anania Amo told local media on Tuesday that the accident occurred at 10:00 p.m. local time on Monday along the Dodoma-Kigoma highway. "The bus knocked the truck from behind after the driver failed to overtake another car," said Amo, adding that the deceased were three men and two women. In the second accident, two people were killed on the spot after a fuel tanker collided head-on with a truck in the Nane Nane area along the Dar es Salaam-Morogoro highway at 1:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, according to police. GREENE COUNTY, Mo. It is Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Missouri and local officials are saying now is the time to prepare for the severe weather season ahead. The Greene County Office of Emergency Management says its a good idea to have a plan in place before severe weather hits. Prepare on the blue sky days for when the gray sky days occur. Because if its a gray sky day and you havent planned, its too late, said Darren White, Deputy Director with Greene County Office of Emergency Management. Youre not going to have a plan in place to do what you need to do to keep yourself safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Preparing looks different for different kinds of severe weather. Thunderstorms like what is forecasted for Tuesday present a risk for lightning strikes. White says the best way to protect yourself in a thunderstorm is to stay inside as much as possible. If large amounts of rain lead to flooding in the area, White says the phrase turn around dont drown can be lifesaving. He says you should never drive through flood waters and risk your car being swept away. For tornadoes, White says its a good idea to have a go bag packed with essentials like food, plastic water bottles, chargers for your phone and daily medications. You should also identify where to shelter, like in a basement, at a local storm shelter or an interior wall in your home. During a tornado warning, the Greene County OEM will turn on the outdoor tornado sirens. These sirens are designed to warn people outside to get inside and take shelter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, if youre at home or work and you cannot hear the sirens inside, White said. We recommend you have a weather radio, your favorite app, whatever you whatever you prefer to keep you aware of whats happening. As part of weather preparedness week, there will be a statewide tornado drill Wednesday, March 5 at 11:00 a.m. Greene County is participating in this drill in place of the regularly scheduled test on the second Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. White says they do not test the sirens if conditions are poor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. Water experts and providers are pushing for a broad ban on PFAS, or "forever chemicals," which stay in our environment for years, The Guardian reported. These substances can be found in thousands of everyday products and are increasingly showing up in our water. The Water Services Association of Australia wants PFAS banned from non-essential consumer items. "We need to reduce now, as much as possible, how much PFAS is in the environment," said Adam Lovell, the association's executive director. He added that water providers are "deeply concerned about the levels of PFAS that are being allowed to enter the country through thousands of everyday household and industrial chemicals and products." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A ban would help protect both people and wildlife from these dangerous substances. Ian Wright of Western Sydney University has found PFAS in platypuses, noting that "wherever we look, we find it." His research shows these chemicals move up through the food chain, reaching humans. Meanwhile, New South Wales has identified 51 sites with major PFAS contamination that require ongoing cleanup. For families, this ban would mean safer drinking water and lower future costs. Removing PFAS from water supplies is extremely expensive. Treating just 1 kilogram of PFAS that has entered a wastewater system costs between $4 million and $25 million. These costs eventually hit consumers through higher water bills. Some industries may worry about finding safe alternatives for their products. However, supporters point to European countries that have already successfully implemented broad PFAS bans. They also note that the targeted approach of banning specific PFAS has backfired, with companies switching to similar but less-researched replacements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We need to ban them as a class," Nicholas Chartres of The University of Sydney said. How often do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? Never Sometimes Often Always Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Starting July 1, Australia will ban three PFAS, showing progress toward cleaner water for all. New drinking water guidelines with updated limits for these substances will be finalized later in 2025. "Ultimately it comes down to the health evidence, and what our local advisory committee advises us is the most certain evidence to base the guideline values on," Kristal Jackson of the National Health and Medical Research Council said. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Banning the trade of threatened wildlife successfully protects certain species, but sometimes at the expense of other animals that aren't part of the ban. Following the successful bans of target species, the sale of threatened, non-banned species has increased in Japan. What's happening? As The Conversation reported, a phenomenon called the "spillover effect" involves increased demand for alternative species when other online markets are no longer available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, Japan's government banned the trade of giant water bugs, golden venus chubs, and Tokyo salamanders. As a result, the trade of other threatened species increased rather than the wildlife trade demand simply disappearing. According to The Conversation, "These spillovers can be problematic as they can drive buyers to seek exotic pet species from other countries or even continents." Why are wildlife trade spillovers important? When people buy exotic pets and fail to take proper care of them, they often dispose of them in nature. Out in the wild again, but in a new place, these animals pose disease risks and put increased pressure on native fauna. Wildlife trade bans do not serve broader conservation goals if the spillover effects put more vulnerable species and their new habitats in danger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Implementing wildlife bans to prevent animal exploitation must be balanced against the indirect global impacts. What's being done to protect threatened species? Researchers are studying how to address the complex issue of wildlife trade and the potential future impacts of banning specific species while considering market reactions. This research offers hope that trade bans will not simply transfer extinction risks from one species to another, but rather address consumer behaviors. Consumer education is crucial in helping people understand which wildlife species are at risk and provide sustainable alternatives to purchasing threatened animals that belong in the wild. Meanwhile, governments can strengthen their enforcement and monitoring of wildlife trade and anticipate species that could become future trade targets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately, more sustainable, legal, and ethical alternatives exist to the wildlife trade. Maintaining captive breeding programs and properly managing wild populations to meet consumer demand is possible without driving species to extinction. As an individual, you can help protect threatened species by learning more about critical conservation and climate issues. You can donate to organizations focusing on wildlife conservation or take local action by volunteering with groups protecting wildlife habitats. With increased awareness and knowledge about the importance of wildlife trade bans and their purpose, we can help protect more vulnerable species for years to come. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. By Shoon Naing (Reuters) -Scam centres that operated along the Thai-Myanmar border for years have drawn fresh attention after the high-profile abduction and release of a Chinese actor in Thailand. The incident sparked a multi-national effort among Thailand, China and Myanmar to dismantle the centres in a network of scam compounds across Southeast Asia. Criminal gangs have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people to such centres to help generate illicit revenues running into billions of dollars a year, the United Nations says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WHAT ARE THEY? Scam centres, particularly those in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar run illegal online schemes to defraud people. Scammers often reach out to victims on social media and messaging applications to build online relationships before luring them into making fraudulent investments, such as in cryptocurrencies, a scheme commonly known as "pig butchering". Money laundering and illegal gambling operations are also run from some sites, analysts say. The main focus of the current crackdown is Myanmar's Myawaddy region, along the Thai border, where scam centres often enjoy the protection of armed groups such as the Karen National Army (KNA) and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WHEN DID THEY START? Scams in the region originated from loosely regulated casinos and online gambling, beginning in the 1990s and gathering pace in the 2000s, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) says. Shwe Kokko, a major scam compound in Myawaddy, was set up in 2017 by the Hong Kong-registered Yatai International Holdings Group and the precursor of the KNA, then under control of the Myanmar military, and advertised as a casino destination, USIP said in 2020. The company has denied involvement in any criminal activities, including human trafficking. Scamming operations in Myanmar's borderlands have expanded significantly in the last few years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said criminal groups sought new sources of profits when the lockdowns and strict border controls brought by the COVID-19 pandemic prevented gamblers from travelling. "Many repurposed the facilities into cyber-scamming compounds," it added. WHO OPERATES THEM? Criminal networks primarily originating from China are known to operate scam centres and, in Myanmar's Myawaddy region, armed groups such as the KNA also support operations, USIP says. Some foreigners brought out of Myawaddy say coercion and torture are rife in the scam compounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Junta-aligned groups also ran or supported scuh centres along Myanmar's northern border with China, much to Beijing's frustration. Some were caught up in fighting as anti-junta rebels launched the "Operation 1027" offensive in 2023. A 2023 Reuters investigation traced at least $9 million linked to "pig butchering" scams to an account registered to a well-connected representative of a Chinese trade group in Thailand. WHAT IS THE LATEST CRACKDOWN? Some regional nations have stepped up efforts to break up the compounds. Thailand has cut power, fuel and internet links to areas in Myanmar linked with scam centres. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current crackdown was triggered by the January abduction of Chinese actor Wang Xing in Thailand, which set off a social media uproar in his home country. Though he was later found in Myawaddy and swiftly sent home, the incident sowed concern in Thailand, where Chinese visitors are critical to the lucrative tourism industry. Inside Myanmar, the junta has detained more than 3,700 foreign nationals related to scam centres since the end of January with more than 750 sent home, state media say. Last month, China flew home some 200 citizens from Thailand's city of Mae Sot, which borders Myawaddy. About 7,000 people, most of them Chinese nationals extricated from scam compounds are still sheltering in camps run by the KNA and DKBA. The Thai crackdown has also widened to Cambodia, where authorities rescued more than 215 people from a scam compound. (Reporting by Shoon Naing; Editing by John Mair and Clarence Fernandez) In Milwaukee County, the District Attorneys Office is responsible for finding and sharing information about law enforcement officers with allegations of dishonesty, bias or past crimes, often in whats called a Brady list. The office, which once closely guarded its Brady list, released the full list last September after pressure from defense attorneys and media outlets. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, TMJ4 News and Wisconsin Watch spent five months examining the list and found it was often inaccurate and incomplete. In February, after reporters raised questions about several errors on the Brady list, the district attorney's office released an updated version. The news organizations are making that list public for the first time now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This list is up to date as of February 2025. The district attorney's office updates its list periodically, adding or removing officers when appropriate. District Attorney Kent Lovern said the list always is subject to change with new information. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: See Milwaukee County's Brady list of police with credibility concerns The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Monday it is investigating multiple false collision warnings on flights approaching Reagan Washington National Airport. In an emailed statement sent to The Hill on Monday, the agency said that multiple flight crews inbound to Reagan Washington National Airport received onboard alerts Saturday indicating another aircraft was nearby despite other aircraft not being close. Some of the crews executed go-arounds as a result of the alerts, the FAA said in the statement. The FAA is investigating why the alerts occurred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A go-around ends the landing approach and returns the aircraft to an altitude and configuration to safely make another approach, the FAA has said previously. In late January, 67 people died due to the collision of an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near National Airport. The crash rattled the nation and a survey found a drop in confidence in air safety and federal government agencies that sustain it following the crash. Last Tuesday, according to the FAA, a pilot with American Airlines didnt go ahead with a landing at National Airport so the aircraft would not collide with a departing flight. An air traffic controller instructed American Flight 2246 to perform a go-around at Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) Airport to ensure separation was maintained between this aircraft and a preceding departure from the same runway, a previous statement from the FAA to The Hill reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Updated on March 4 at 7:47 a.m. EST Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. As his 25% tariffs on imported Canadian products took effect on Tuesday, President Donald Trump repeated one of his many false claims about Canada wrongly saying, again, that Canada prohibits US banks from operating there. Canada doesnt allow American Banks to do business in Canada, but their banks flood the American Market. Oh, that seems fair to me, doesnt it? Trump wrote in a social media post on Tuesday morning. CNN and others debunked Trumps claim a month ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres nothing prohibiting American banks from operating here, including having retail branches, Cristie Ford, a professor at the University of British Columbias law school, said in an email in February. Canada tightly regulates the banking industry, and it requires various government approvals before a foreign-owned bank can open in the country. But US banks have been operating in Canada for well over a century; the Canadian Bankers Association, an industry group, said in a February statement that there are 16 U.S.-based bank subsidiaries and branches with around C$113 billion in assets currently operating in Canada and that U.S. banks now make up approximately half of all foreign bank assets in Canada. Tyler Meredith, former head of economic and fiscal policy for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, noted on social media in February that Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, US Bank, JPMorgan, and Northern Trust are among the US banks with current Canadian operations. You can see the others here and here. Meredith said in an interview that we take a very careful look at people who want to come into our banking sector, because we consider financial services to be a core asset to Canada and to the Canadian economy and try hard to avoid the cascading consequences the world has seen with bank failures in the US but there are existing American institutions, Chinese institutions, Japanese institutions, and European institutions that have permission to operate in Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US banks can apply to launch a subsidiary in Canada, which is known as a Schedule II entity, or a branch in Canada (not to be confused with a retail branch), which is known as a Schedule III entity. When a non-Canadian bank establishes a Canadian subsidiary, that subsidiary will be subject to the same regulatory regime and capital requirements as a domestically owned and operated bank, said Bryce Tingle, a professor at the University of Calgarys law school, in a February email. It will have exactly the same powers and market access as a Canadian bank. Jeremy Kronick, director of the Centre on Financial and Monetary Policy at the C.D. Howe Institute think tank in Toronto, explained in a February email that there are downsides to the subsidiary option from the perspective of foreign banks: A subsidiary is a separate legal entity from their parent, thus requiring their own local capital and liquidity structures. From the foreign banks perspective, this is obviously inefficient. Most US banks operating in Canada have chosen the branch option that does not subject them to the requirements of a subsidiary. However, there is a different restriction on branches: They are not allowed to accept deposits lower than $150,000 CAD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That, of course, means they cant conduct retail operations for average Canadian citizens but they can engage in various profitable activities, for companies and wealthy individuals, that are less visible to the general public. The Canadian Bankers Association said the US banks in Canada specialize in a range of financial services, including corporate and commercial lending, treasury services, credit card products, investment banking and mortgage financing. Kronick said: Bottom line: there are trade-offs to each option, but foreign banks certainly can operate in Canada. A case could probably be made that the restrictions on both options prevent full competition with Canadian banks, but not that Canada doesnt even allow US Banks to open or do business there as Trump stated. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Claim: Former President of Poland Lech Waesa wrote a letter to Donald Trump criticizing the U.S. President's decision to suspend the delivery of all U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Rating: Rating: True Context: Waesa did post such a letter on his Facebook page. However, it is not clear whether he wrote the letter alone or in conjunction with any of its signatories. It is also not clear whether he sent the letter directly to Trump or just posted it on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early March 2025, a rumor circulated online that former President of Poland Lech Waesa wrote a critical letter to Donald Trump expressing "fear and distaste" at the U.S. President's tense White House meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Feb. 28 and that the letter denounced the U.S. decision to halt military aid to Ukraine. During the Oval Office meeting, Trump accused Zelenskyy of not being grateful enough for U.S. support in Ukraine's war with Russia. Three days later, on March 3, the U.S. president temporarily suspended the delivery of all U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Amid the diplomatic dispute, social media users claimed on X and Facebook (archived, archived, archived) that Waesa a trade unionist who served as Poland's president between 1990 and 1995 and who played a leading role in the fall of Communism wrote the letter to Trump that included criticism of the U.S. president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One X user, whose post had amassed more than 13.1 million views as of this writing, wrote a thread containing non-verbatim excerpts from the letter. The thread started: "Former President of Poland Lech Waesa wrote the following letter to Donald Trump." https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10161318107352549&set=a.10150500205492549 Snopes readers also emailed us to ask if it was true that the former Polish president wrote the letter. In short, Waesa did post the text of such a letter to Trump on his Facebook page on March 3 (archived). Therefore, we have rated this claim as true. https://www.facebook.com/lechwalesa/posts/pfbid0YdAEYf7p6HsVo1oEhZrogFjMQHmptvKwPaHJtpuw76n5YnERYAeLj6nYLYw57XsHl Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former Polish president and 38 other Polish former political prisoners signed the document. However, it is not clear whether Waesa wrote the letter alone or in conjunction with any of the other signatories. It was also not clear whether they actually sent the letter to Trump or just posted it on social media. Snopes contacted the former president to ask about the authorship of the letter and whether it was sent to the U.S. president. We will update this story if we receive a response. At the top of the communication, a note appears in Polish before the letter addresses Trump. Facebook's English translation reads: "After the U.S. decision to suspend supplies to Ukraine, if the answer was in my gesture it would be 'Let's do our part' not a step back. AMEN. This is the text we signed." (Google's English translation reads: "After the U.S. decision to stop deliveries to Ukraine, if the answer were in my hands it would be 'Let's do our thing' not a step back. AMEN. We signed this text.") In the letter, Waesa and the signatories said they "watched the report of [Trump's] conversation" with Zelenskyy "with fear and distaste" and that they considered it "insulting" for the U.S. president to expect "respect and gratitude" for U.S. military aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The signatories also compared the Ukrainian president's treatment in the Oval Office to the experiences they endured while being interrogated when they lived under Communist rule. The Facebook translation of the letter read in full. We have included in brackets alternative translations for a more accurate representation of intended meaning in some parts: Your Excellency Mr President, We watched the report of your conversation with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenski with fear and distaste. We consider your expectations to show respect and gratitude for the material help provided by the United States fighting Russia to Ukraine insulting. Gratitude is due to the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed their blood in defense of the values of the free world. They have been dying on the frontline for more than 11 years in the name of these values and independence of their Homeland, which was attacked by Putin's Russia. We do not understand how the leader of a country that is the symbol of the free world cannot see it. Our panic [A Polish-speaking Snopes colleague translated this as "our fright"] was also caused by the fact that the atmosphere in the Oval Office during this conversation reminded us of one we remember well from Security Service interrogations and from the debate rooms in Communist courts. Prosecutors and judges at the behest of the all-powerful communist political police also explained to us that they hold all the cards and we hold none. They demanded us to stop our business, arguing that thousands of innocent people suffer because of us. They deprived us of our freedoms and civil rights because we refused to cooperate with the government and our gratitude. We are shocked that Mr. President Volodymyr Zelenski treated in the same way [A Polish-speaking Snopes colleague translated this as "They deprived us of our freedoms and civil rights because we refused to cooperate with the government and did not show them gratitude. We are shocked that you treated Mr. President Volodymyr Zelenski in the same way."] The history of the 20th century shows that every time the United States wanted to keep its distance from democratic values and its European allies, it ended up being a threat to themselves. This was understood by President Woodrow Wilson, who decided to join the United States in World War I in 1917. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt understood this, deciding after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 that the war for the defense of America would be fought not only in the Pacific, but also in Europe, in alliance with the countries attacked by the Third Reich. We remember that without President Ronald Reagan and American financial commitment it would not have been possible to bring the collapse of the Soviet Union empire. President Reagan was aware that millions of enslaved people were suffering in Soviet Russia and the countries it conquered, including thousands of political prisoners who paid for their sacrifice in defense of democratic values with freedom. His greatness was m. in. on the fact that he without hesitation called the USSR the "Empire of Evil" and gave it a decisive fight. We won, and the statue of President Ronald Reagan stands today in Warsaw vis a vis of the U.S. embassy. [Google translates these last two sentences to: His greatness consisted, among other things, in the fact that he unhesitatingly called the USSR the "Evil Empire" and gave it a decisive fight. We won, and a monument to President Ronald Reagan stands today in Warsaw opposite the U.S. Embassy.] Mr. President, material aid - military and financial - cannot be equivalent to the blood shed in the name of independence and freedom of Ukraine, Europe, as well as the whole free world. Human life is priceless, its value cannot be measured with money. Gratitude is due to those who make the sacrifice of blood and freedom. It is obvious for us, the people of "Solidarity", former political prisoners of the communist regime serving Soviet Russia. We are calling for the United States to withdraw from the guarantees [A Polish-speaking Snopes colleague translated this as "... to fulfill the guarantees ..." rather than "to withdraw from the guarantees", which appears to be a mistranslation by Facebook] it made with the Great Britain in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which recorded a direct obligation to defend the intact borders of Ukraine in exchange for giving up its nuclear weapons resources. These guarantees are unconditional: there is no word about treating such aid as an economic exchange. Biographies on the Lech Waesa Institute website say the "Solidarity" trade union the former Polish president led was the first independent and oppositional social movement in the Soviet bloc. In December 1981, the Polish government introduced martial law in an attempt to suppress political opposition, such as Waesa's movement. The then-trade union leader was incarcerated until November 1982 before winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983. Snopes contacted the White House for comment and will update this story if we receive a response. Sources: Lech Waesa Institute. "Biography Fundacja Instytut Lecha Waesy." Www.ilw.org.pl, www.ilw.org.pl/en/founder/biography. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ---. "Foundation - Lech Walesa Institute." Archive.org, web.archive.org/web/20090614022258/www.ilw.org.pl/en/117%2C50. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025. Hunder, Max, and Olena Harmash. 'Zelenskiy Calls Trump Clash Regrettable: "It's Time to Make Things Right"'. Reuters, 4 Mar. 2025. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/trump-halts-all-us-military-aid-ukraine-white-house-official-says-2025-03-04/. LaMagdeleine, Izz Scott. '15 Rumors We've Fact-Checked about Zelenskyy'. Snopes, 1 Mar. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//collections/zelenskyy-rumors-collection/. Rascouet-Paz, Anna. 'Zelenskyy Met with Democrats and Republicans before His Meeting with Trump'. Snopes, 3 Mar. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/trump-zelenskyy-meeting-with-democrats/. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Nobel Prize. "Lech Waesa Biographical." NobelPrize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1983/walesa/biographical/. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025. ---. "Lech Waesa Facts." NobelPrize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1983/walesa/facts/. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025. 'Trump Pauses US Military Aid to Ukraine While Pressuring Zelenskyy to Move toward Quick End to War'. AP News, 3 Mar. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-a15a459c9a3a393d040478ebbe250a9e. Waesa, Lech. "Letter to Trump." Facebook.com, 3 Mar. 2022, www.facebook.com/lechwalesa/posts/pfbid0YdAEYf7p6HsVo1oEhZrogFjMQHmptvKwPaHJtpuw76n5YnERYAeLj6nYLYw57XsHl. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wrona, Caroline Wazer, Aleksandra. 'Unpacking Claim Zelenskyy Called Vance an Expletive at White House Meeting'. Snopes, 3 Mar. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//news/2025/03/03/zelenskyy-vance-white-house-meeting/. Updates: March 14, 2025: This report was updated to include a more accurate translation of the letter, informed by advice from a Polish-speaking Snopes colleague. Claim: Tech billionaire and adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme." Rating: Rating: Correct Attribution In early 2025, a rumor spread online that U.S. President Donald Trump's adviser on government efficiency, tech billionaire Elon Musk, called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme," thus claiming that the government's program offering monthly income to retirees, people with disabilities and families with a deceased spouse or parent is a form of investment fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ponzi schemes involve paying existing investors with funds collected from later investors. They eventually fail when they run out of new investors. Musk's alleged comments appeared on social media platforms such as X, Facebook and Bluesky. Prominent politicians and public figures also shared his supposed remarks, including former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Democrats Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Texas Democrat Rep. Greg Casar's X post about Musk's purported words had amassed more than 5.4 million views as of this writing. On March 3, 2024, Democrats even held a news conference on the Trump administration's Social Security policies which featured Musk's purported comments: Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, a white woman with a short white bob and bangs wearing a grey suit, stands in front of a podium mid-speech. Behind her is a poster with the quote Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., at a news conference on Mar. 3, 2025. (Getty Images) Musk, the public face of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), did in fact call Social Security "the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time" during a Feb. 28, 2025, appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast. Therefore, we have rated this claim as a correct attribution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The billionaire's comments are available at 1:01:58 in this YouTube video of his conversation with podcast host Joe Rogan (emphasis ours): Musk: Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time. Rogan: Right, explain that. Musk: Oh, so, well, people pay into Social Security, and the money goes out of Social Security immediately, but the obligation for Social Security is your entire retirement career. So you're you're paying you're paying like, if you look at the future obligations of Social Security, it far exceeds the tax revenue. Far. Have you ever looked at the debt clock? Rogan: Yes. Musk: OK. There's our present-day debt, but then there's our future obligations. So when you look at the future obligations of Social Security, the actual national debt is like double what people think it is because of the future obligations. So basically, people are living way longer than expected and there are fewer babies being born. So you have more people who are retired that live for a long time and get retirement payments. So the future obligation so however bad the financial situation is right now for the federal government, it will be much worse in the future. The explanation behind Musk's claim that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme his reasoning being that the program's future obligations exceed tax revenue refers to a genuine issue. According to a 2024 report from the Social Security Administration, even if the administration combined its reserves used to pay Social Security beneficiaries, the agency would only be able to pay the full amount of scheduled benefits until 2035. After that year, "the projected fund's reserves will become depleted and continuing total fund income will be sufficient to pay 83 percent of scheduled benefits." By comparing the program to a Ponzi scheme, where existing investors are paid with funds collected from later investors, Musk was suggesting that Social Security which is funded through a payroll tax wherein workers and employers pay into a fund that then pays for current retirees' benefits is fraudulent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Social Security, unlike a Ponzi scheme, is not inherently fraudulent, nor does the program promise "investors" artificially high returns with little to no risk, a hallmark of this kind of investment fraud. The report above, for example, shows the administration's transparency about expected returns. Under current law, Social Security cannot completely run out of money unless people stop working and paying taxes (see the sections on taxes for employees and employers, which include no end date for the program). Paragraph three on the "Summary" page of this 2022 Congressional report notes that Social Security beneficiaries are "legally entitled" to their full scheduled benefits even if the fund runs out. This is, however, in conflict with a law that prohibits the government from spending more than it has in available funds. Beneficiaries could sue for their full benefits in this case. The report also outlines hypothetical resolutions to such an issue, including making full payments on a delayed schedule or making timely but reduced payments. Snopes previously debunked a rumor that Musk said he wants to cut Social Security benefits and unpacked the billionaire's claim that improbably old people were collecting benefits from the federal program. Sources: PowerfulJRE. "Joe Rogan Experience #2281 - Elon Musk." YouTube, 28 Feb. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSOxPJD-VNo. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025. ALMATY, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Construction of four new reservoirs in Kazakhstan will begin in 2025, announced Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, at a government meeting, as reported by the Kazinform News Agency on Tuesday. "In 2025, the construction of four new reservoirs in three regions of the country is planned. Among them, the Akmola, Kalguty (in Zhambyl Region), and Karaozek (in Kyzylorda Region) reservoirs are intended to address water shortages during the growing season for newly introduced irrigation areas covering 22,500 hectares," Nurzhigitov stated. He added that the construction of the fourth reservoir, Bolshoy Ozen, in the West Kazakhstan Region is aimed at retaining flood and meltwater, thus eliminating the risk of flooding for two settlements in the Kaztalovsky District, home to approximately 5,000 people. The minister recalled that last year, the ministry adopted two strategically important documents aimed at the large-scale modernization of the country's water management sector. As part of the plan, the construction of 42 reservoirs, the reconstruction of 37 hydraulic structures, and the renovation of 14,000 km of irrigation canals are planned. President Donald Trump 's Tuesday night address to a joint session of Congress highlighted several of the initiatives he's started in his first six weeks in office, but many of his comments included false and misleading information. Here's a look at the facts. He overstated the numbers on his immigration crackdown TRUMP: Illegal border crossings last month were by far the lowest ever recorded. Ever." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement THE FACTS: Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday that Border Patrol apprehended 8,326 people on the U.S.-Mexico border last month. But U.S. government data show that Border Patrol routinely averaged below that number in the 1960s. While February marked the lowest arrest total in decades, Border Patrol averaged less than February 2025 for the first seven years of 1960s. The government website does not track U.S.-Mexico border totals before 1960. Border Patrols monthly average was 1,752 arrests in 1961. He inflated the number of people who entered the U.S. illegally under President Joe Biden TRUMP: Over the past four years, 21 million people poured into the United States. Many of them were murderers, human traffickers, gang members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement THE FACTS: That figure, which Trump cites regularly, is highly inflated. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported more than 10.8 million arrests for illegal crossings from Mexico from January 2021 through December 2024. But thats arrests, not people. Under asylum restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people crossed more than once until they succeeded because there were no legal consequences for getting turned back to Mexico. So the number of people is lower than the number of arrests. There is no evidence other countries are sending their criminals or people with mental illness across the border, despite this frequent line from Trump. He overstated hotel costs for noncitizens in New York Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TRUMP: Citing alleged examples of what he described as appalling waste in the federal government, referenced $59 million for illegal alien hotel rooms in New York City. THE FACTS: Trump appeared to be referencing a payment of $58.6 million one of two the city received last month. The payment was a federal reimbursement under the Shelter and Services Program, which was created to support local governments and non-government organizations that provide support to noncitizens released by immigration authorities. Liz Garcia, a city spokesperson, said at the time that these reimbursements included $19 million in claims for hotel costs. The two payments totaled over $80.5 million for services delivered between November 2023 and October 2024. Economists differ with Trump on tariffs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TRUMP: Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again. And its happening. And it will happen rather quickly. Therell be a little disturbance, but were OK with that. It wont be much. THE FACTS: Trump is banking on the idea that taxing imports is the road to riches for the United States. Most economists say Trumps tariffs would hurt the country, as theyre tax increases that could raise the costs of goods in ways that could also harm economic growth. Trump suggests that the impact on inflation would be minimal. When the Yale University Budget Lab looked at the tariffs that Trump imposed Tuesday on Canada, Mexico and China, it found that inflation would increase a full percentage point, growth would fall by half a percentage point and the average household would lose about $1,600 in disposable income. There's no evidence Social Security money is being paid to many people over age 100 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TRUMP: Believe it or not, government databases list 4.7 million Social Security members from people aged 100 to 109 years old. It lists 3.6 million people from ages 110 to 119. ... 3.47 million people from ages 120 to 129. 3.9 million people from ages 130 to 139. 3.5 million people from ages 140 to 149. And money is being paid to many of them, and we are searching right now. THE FACTS: The databases may list those people, but that does not mean they are getting paid benefits. Part of the confusion comes from Social Securitys software system based on the COBOL programming language, which doesnt use a specific format for dates. This means that some entries with missing or incomplete birthdates will default to a reference point of more than 150 years ago. The news organization Wired first reported on the use of COBOL programming language at the Social Security Administration. Additionally, a series of reports from the Social Security Administrations inspector general in March 2023 and July 2024 state that the agency has not established a new system to properly annotate death information in its database, which included roughly 18.9 million Social Security numbers of people born in 1920 or earlier but were not marked as deceased. This does not mean, however, that these people were receiving benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency decided not to update the database because of the cost to do so, which would run upward of $9 million. As of September 2015, the agency automatically stops payments to people who are older than 115 years old. Trump did not inherit an economic catastrophe TRUMP: Among my very highest priorities is to rescue our economy and get dramatic and immediate relief to working families. As you know, we inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare. THE FACTS: Inflation peaked at 9.1% in 2022 under President Joe Biden, but Trump did not inherit a disastrous economy by any measure. The unemployment rate ticked down to a low 4% in January, the month he took office, while the economy expanded a healthy 2.8% in 2024. Inflation-adjusted incomes have grown steadily since mid-2023. And inflation, while showing signs of stickiness in recent months and still elevated at 3% in January, is down from its 2022 peak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, concern about the economy was a key driver behind support for Trump during the 2024 election. The average price of basic consumer goods in particular has seen major spikes in recent years. A dozen large eggs, for example, went from a low of $1.33 in August 2020 to $4.82 in January 2023. They decreased in price to $2.07 in September 2023, but are currently on the rise again, at $4.95 as of January. Trump's reference to an EV mandate is inaccurate TRUMP: We ended the last administrations insane electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto workers and companies from economic destruction. THE FACTS: There was no federal mandate to force the purchase of EVs, as Trump has falsely claimed many times before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden had set up a non-binding goal that EVs make up half of new cars sold by 2030. Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office revoking that goal. Biden's policies tightened restrictions on pollution from gas-powered cars and trucks in an effort to encourage Americans to buy EVs and car companies to shift from gas-powered vehicles to electric cars. A closer look at Army recruitment numbers TRUMP: I am pleased to report that in January, the U.S. Army had its single best recruiting month in 15 years. THE FACTS: Trump has repeatedly claimed that the Army's recruiting turnaround is tied to his time in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, according to Army data, recruiting numbers have been increasing steadily over the past year, with the highest total coming in August 2024 before the November election. Army officials closely track recruiting numbers. A significant driver of the recruiting success was the Armys decision to launch the Future Soldier Prep Course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in August 2022. That program gives lower-performing recruits up to 90 days of academic or fitness instruction to help them meet military standards and move on to basic training. ___ Associated Press writers Melissa Goldin in New York, Matthew Daly, Chris Rugaber, Will Weissert, Josh Boak and Rebecca Santana in Washington, Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, and Elliot Spagat in San Diego, contributed to this report. ___ Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck. BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Tuesday hit back against the United States with retaliatory tariffs and placed export and investment restrictions on 25 U.S. firms on national security grounds, though it refrained from punishing big U.S. household names. Here are four new names targeted by China: LEIDOS HOLDINGS Headquartered in Virginia, Leidos develops hypersonic weapons. In December, the U.S. Air Force awarded the aerospace firm a $987 million contract for F-16 fighter jet support to the Taiwanese military. It was put on China's export control list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GIBBS & COX Acquired by Leidos in 2021, the naval architecture company specializes in designing sea surface warships. Its past projects include designing anti-submarine warfare frigates for Taiwan. It was put on China's export control list. IPVM Several reports by the surveillance company IPVM have focused on Chinese surveillance camera producer Hikvision, which it has said worked with the Chinese government to track and monitor minority Uyghurs. Rights groups and the U.S. government have accused China of abuses against Xinjiang's Uyghur population, which China denies. It was put on China's export control list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SOURCEMAP It provides software solutions for supply chain transparency and due diligence checks. Some global brands have used Sourcemap's services to vet cotton from China's Xinjiang region. It was put on China's export control list. (Reporting by Che Pan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Bernadette Baum) (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week, a White House official said. The decision comes as Trump pivots towards Moscow in the war, three years after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of his neighbour. The United States supplies Ukraine with vital defensive and offensive capabilities, although the impact of the suspension would take time to filter down to the battlefield and Ukraine is less reliant on U.S. supplies than it used to be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following are some facts about international assistance to Ukraine during the conflict: OVERALL AID Europe has been the biggest provider of aid to Ukraine, allocating 132 billion euros (138.75 billion) of financial, military and humanitarian assistance since January 2022, just before Russia's invasion, while the United States has provided 114 billion euros in total, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Not all countries disclose all of the aid they committed to Ukraine, making it difficult to calculate with publicly available data the complete amount of funding provided, especially for sensitive information such as military aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, open-source research by the Kiel Institute shows the amount of publicly disclosed funds donated by Ukraine's partners in short-term and multi-year aid, loans and military support. The dataset has been benchmarked against reports from various countries, and provides figures on aid commitments and allocations. It gained international credibility and influence after it introduced more advanced tracking measures in 2024, and is also used for reference by NATO. MILITARY The United States is Ukraine's single largest military donor, having delivered or allocated over 64 billion euros since January 2022 in weapons, ammunitions and other military assistance. Of that, just under 14 billion euros was for heavy weapons, data by the Kiel Institute shows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europe has donated just under 62 billion euros in military allocations, of which 19 billion euros was for heavy weapons. U.S. military allocations to Ukraine include some critical weaponry, such as 45 overhauled T-72 and 31 M1A2 Abrams tanks, 352 Bradley vehicles, 201 Howitzers, 39 HIMARS rocket launchers and 17 air defense systems such as NASAMS, Patriot and HAWK batteries since January 2022, the data shows. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE HUMANITARIAN AID ($1 = 0.9514 euros) (Reporting by Alessandro Parodi in Gdansk, additional reporting by Marc Jones in London; editing by Mike Collett-White and Ros Russell) By Ted Hesson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped up arrests of immigrants in the U.S. illegally, cracked down on unlawful border crossings and stripped legal status from hundreds of thousands of migrants since January 20. ARRESTS Trump won back the White House promising record numbers of deportations. A Trump administration budget document published in June said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement aimed to deport 1 million immigrants per year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE has cast a wider net than under former President Joe Biden's Democratic administration, picking up more non-criminals and people with final deportation orders, including those coming to ICE offices for routine check-ins. ICE arrested more than 100,000 people suspected of violating immigration law from January 20 to the first week of June, according to the White House. The figure amounts to an average of 750 arrests per day - double the average over the past decade. Still, the pace of arrests remains far short of what Trump would need to deport millions of people. Top White House official Stephen Miller, the architect of Trump's immigration agenda, pressed ICE to escalate operations in late May. Miller set a quota for at least 3,000 arrests per day and told ICE leadership they should target anyone without legal status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The increased enforcement led to protests in Los Angeles and other cities. ICE in June ordered officers to generally refrain from immigration sweeps at farms, hotels, restaurants and meatpacking plants, but the Trump administration then rescinded the guidance. DETENTION ICE statistics show the number of people arrested by ICE with no other criminal charges or convictions and then detained rose from about 860 in January to 11,800 as of June 15 - an increase of nearly 1,300%. Those arrested and detained with criminal charges or convictions also rose, but at a lower rate of 101%. ICE had more than 56,000 immigrants in custody as of June 15, well beyond its funded capacity of 41,500. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sweeping tax and spending bill that Republicans aim to bring to final passage in the U.S. House of Representatives this week would devote an estimated $170 billion to immigration enforcement. The massive funding boost would cover a White House request for 100,000 detention beds, according to an analysis of the legislation by the pro-immigration American Immigration Council. DEPORTATIONS The Trump administration has struggled to increase deportation levels even as it has opened new pathways to send migrants to countries other than their home country, such as sending Venezuelans to Mexico, El Salvador or Panama. Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, said in late May that the administration had deported around 200,000 people over four months. The total appeared to lag deportations during a similar period under Biden, whose administration had 257,000 deportations from February-May 2024, according to Department of Homeland Security statistics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden's administration faced much higher levels of illegal immigration and quickly deported many of those crossing illegally, boosting deportation totals. DHS stopped issuing detailed statistical reports on immigration enforcement after Trump took office, which makes it harder to gauge the scope of the crackdown. STRIPPING LEGAL STATUS The Supreme Court in May allowed the Trump administration to proceed with terminating Temporary Protected Status for about 350,000 Venezuelans, paving the way for Trump to terminate it for other nations. TPS provides deportation relief and work permits to people already in the U.S. if their home countries experience a natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration rolled back a Biden-era extension of TPS for 521,000 Haitians, but that move was blocked by a federal judge on Tuesday, pushing the termination at least to February 2026. The administration also ended the status for thousands of people from Afghanistan and Cameroon, moves that take effect in the coming days and weeks. The Supreme Court in June let the Trump administration proceed with stripping legal status from half a million Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans who entered under a Biden-era "parole" program. Trump said in March that he was weighing a similar move to revoke parole for Ukrainians. The administration in April began notifying people who entered legally under Biden using an app known as CBP One that their status had been revoked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BORDER SECURITY Trump issued a series of executive orders when he returned to the White House, implementing a broad ban on asylum for migrants encountered at the southern border and sending in troops to assist border security efforts. His measures built on some initiatives already under way by the end of Biden's tenure, including a similar asylum ban and a push to increase Mexican enforcement. The policies appear to have successfully reduced traffic. U.S. Border Patrol arrested 6,070 migrants at the southern border in June, according to preliminary figures released by the Trump administration, a new monthly low that fell beyond the previous low in March. Monthly figures are not available prior to 2000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Migrant arrests are often used as a proxy to estimate illegal crossings although some migrants enter undetected. The arrest totals since Trump took office have been far below those under Biden, which peaked at 250,000 in December 2023. (Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Additional reporting by Jason Lange and Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Mary Milliken, Chizu Nomiyama, Howard Goller, Matthew Lewis, Alexandra Hudson) By Colleen Howe and Lewis Jackson BEIJING (Reuters) - New Chinese tariffs on American agricultural goods will affect some $21 billion worth of U.S. exports, a Reuters analysis of U.S. census data showed. The biggest blow by value will be to the U.S. soybean trade, the country's largest agricultural export to China, which will be hit by a 10% tariff and was worth just shy of $13 billion last year, the data showed. Reuters estimated the overall impact by comparing the 740 items listed by China on Tuesday against the U.S. census' trade database. Categories such as vegetables or aquatic products contained hundreds of individual items, ranging from frozen haddock fish to onions. In the case of pork or beef, tariffs covered frozen and fresh meat as well as offal. For a complete list of the 740 items published by China's Ministry of Finance see here. (Reporting by Colleen Howe and Lewis Jackson in Beijing; Editing by Bernadette Baum) CARROLL, Ohio (WCMH) A massage parlor in Fairfield County is being investigated by Homeland Security for human trafficking. According to the Fairfield County Sheriffs Office, search warrants were served Monday on Elegant Massage on the 3700 block of Old Columbus Road NW in Carroll, by Homeland Security Investigations Task Force and the sheriffs office; in addition, the business owners home was also searched. During the searches, law enforcement officers allegedly found people they believe are human trafficking victims as well as financial records and electronic devices officials said are indicative of human trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cannabis industry stakeholders say Ohios marijuana bill defies voters will The investigation was started after reports of illegal activity at the massage parlor, including suspected human trafficking, labor exploitation, and other offenses, the sheriffs office said. The suspected human trafficking victims were given access to victim services and resources. As of Monday, no arrests have been made, and no charges have been filed. Anyone with information related to human trafficking or illegal massage businesses can submit a tip through the Fairfield County Sheriffs Office app tip line. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) The fall out between President Donald Trump and Ukraines president continues. The two leaders are still not on the same page. Right now, President Trump is pressuring President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into signing a ceasefire deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin Zelenskyy says without security assurances guaranteeing Putin will not violate those terms he is uninterested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three days after the shouting match heard around the world President Trump and President Zelenskyy are still at odds over how to end Ukraines war with Russia. Zelenskyy said Sunday a peace agreement is still very, very far away following a meeting with European leaders. The statement sparked backlash in Washington. He better not be right about that, said Trump. On Truth Social, President Trump blasted Zelenskyy calling it the worst statement he could have made adding, America will not put up with it for much longer. He accuses Zelenskyy of not wanting peace. I just think he should be more appreciative, said Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Echoing the president, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, told reporters NATO allies must step up if they want to keep Ukraine and Europe safe. They have to also invest in the capabilities to do so, said Waltz. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Europe is prepared to increase support and map out a peace plan. Britain will play a leading role, with if necessary and together with others, boots on the ground and planes in the air, said Starmer. Democrats accuse President Trump of siding with Putin and urge the White House to not abandon U.S. allies. I just think Americans leadership was so hurt by what happened in the white house and we need to get that back again, said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans expressed frustration with Zelenskyys behavior. Over the weekend House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) suggested Zelenskyy resign over his remarks in the Oval Office. Secretary of State Marco Rubio who was in the room that day says the goal is to get back to the negotiation table. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A former sergeant in the North Korean military says that few of Pyongyang's soldiers have been captured fighting against Ukraine because they're told their families will be executed if they are caught alive. "Most soldiers will kill themselves before they're killed by the enemy, it's the biggest shame to be captured," the former soldier, Ryu Seong-hyeon, told ABC News. Ryu defected to South Korea in 2019, running across a minefield in the demilitarized zone that separates the two Koreas. PHOTO: North Korean defector Ryu Seong-hyeon in Seoul, South Korea. (ABC News) MORE: Ukraine claims more North Korean soldiers killed as Zelenskyy offers prisoner swap Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pyongyang has deployed more than 12,000 soldiers to Russia to fight in the Ukraine war, according to US estimates, with experts claiming Russian forces have also used North Korean weapons. An estimated 300 North Korean soldiers have died in the fighting, and over 2,700 have been wounded, Seoul's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers in a closed briefing in January. South Korea's spy agency told journalists Thursday that an unknown number of additional North Korean soldiers have been sent to the frontlines in Russia's western Kursk region since early February, after a near month-long lull in fighting against Ukrainian troops, who launched a surprise offensive across the border last August. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in January that his forces had captured two North Korean soldiers, marking the first time that Ukraine had captured Pyongyang's troops alive. PHOTO: ABC News Foreign Correspondent Britt Clennett speaks with North Korean defectors Ryu Seong-hyeon and Pak Yusung in Seoul, South Korea. (ABC News) In a nearly 3-minute video released by Ukraine following the capture of the two North Korean troops, one of the soldiers says he wants to remain in Ukraine when asked if he wishes to return home. The Korean translator asks, "Did you know you were fighting in a war against Ukraine?" The soldier shakes his head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Korean intelligence assessed that the two soldiers were with the Reconnaissance General Bureau, a key North Korean military intelligence agency. PHOTO: An undated handout photograph released on Jan. 11, 2025, from the Telegram account of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine shows an alledged soldier presented as North Korean detained by Ukrainian authorities at an undisclosed location. (V_Zelenskiy_official/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: At least 100 North Korean soldiers killed, 1,000 injured in fighting in Russia, South Korean intelligence says "If the soldiers are captured and tell information to the enemy, their families will be punished, go to a political prison camp, or worse, they will be executed in front of the people," said another North Korean defector, Pak Yusung. 'They just die like a dog' Pyongyang's soldiers have struggled to adapt to the modern battlefield, the North Korean defectors suggested, as videos released by the Ukrainian military appear to show North Korean soldiers being chased down by attack drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ryu and Pak defected long before the fighting that's underway in Russia, but they said that, in their experience, most of the soldiers would not have seen a drone in their life. PHOTO: North Korean defector Pak Yusung in Seoul, South Korea. (ABC News) MORE: North Korean killed in Russia wrote of 'sacred duty' to fight for Kim Jong Un "Before they go they don't have any practice in how to defend against a drone or how to fight Ukrainians, that's why they just die like a dog," Ryu said. "They don't have the skill, the language or the information." Pak and Ryu's analysis lines up with information released by South Korean intelligence, which said North Korea has clearly instructed the soldiers to kill themselves to avoid being captured alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seoul's spy agency also said it attributes the "massive casualties" of North Korean soldiers to their "lack of understanding of modern warfare," including their "useless" act of shooting at long-range drones, based on the agency's analysis of a recent combat video. PHOTO: ABC News Foreign Correspondent Britt Clennett speaks with North Korean defectors Ryu Seong-hyeon and Pak Yusung in Seoul, South Korea. (ABC News) Ryu, who was about 110 lbs. at the time of his defection, said if he were still a North Korean soldier, he would also want to go: "If I went to Ukraine, I could eat food, and I could see another country." He said there are also big financial incentives, and the soldiers would have no idea that their chances of dying were so high. Selling lies Ryu and Pak said North Korean soldiers were being sold a lie. "From a young age they're told to hate the American 'wolves', and now they are told they are finally killing Americans," the defectors said. Ryu said in his experience with the North Korean air force, about 50% of the pilots were only trained in theory, and did not have experience flying a fighter jet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pak, who is a researcher at the North Korea Institute, said North Korean leader Kim Jon Un would be receiving critical technology in exchange for the manpower, in what should be a deeply worrying sign for the world, Kim also gets more real combat experience in case of a war on the peninsula. "If Russia wins the war, it will empower the dictator alliance," Pak said. PHOTO: ABC News Foreign Correspondent Britt Clennett, right, speaks with North Korean defectors Ryu Seong-hyeon, center, and Pak Yusung in Seoul, South Korea. (ABC News) MORE: North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia "This is just the start. If the Ukraine war keeps going, Kim will keep sending soldiers. Inside North Korea more people will start knowing and that could be a threat to Kim." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked what they could possibly do about it when living in a dictatorship controlled by fear, Pak said, "Think about it: your sons died on the battlefield and not for your own country." Ryu added, "You cannot send so many people to the labor camps." Pak and his team of four North Korean defectors, Voices of North Korean Youth, have been trying to push the international community to condemn Russia and North Korea with one voice, and also called for the International Criminal Court to hold North Korean leader Kim accountable. ABC News' Karson Yiu contributed to this report. Families of North Korean troops captured in Russia 'will be executed,' former Pyongyang soldier tells ABC News originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The family of a teenage boy who was killed while at a pool house on a U.S. Air Force base last year has filed a lawsuit against the United States of America and the United States Air Force. In July 2024, Gabriel Stone was at a pool on Robins Air Force Base near Macon when a partition wall in the mens locker room collapsed, injuring Stone and three other minors. Stone was rushed to the hospital where he later died. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] In the federal lawsuit, attorneys claim that the wall, which was made of cinder blocks in 1969, was not properly supported. It also says that no major changes have been made to the building since then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While inside the locker room, some of the boys tried to grab the top of the cinder block wall and climb on top of it. As they did, it began to sway and the boys were not able to hold up the approximately 3,200 pound wall, so it fell over and trapped Stone underneath the concrete, according to the lawsuit. TRENDING STORIES: The family claims the U.S. government and the Air Force were negligent in not making sure the wall was properly supported over the last 56 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit is seeking financial damages, but does not list an amount. You can read the full lawsuit below. Stone Family Complaint by Jennifer Smith on Scribd [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] GAZA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Hamas on Tuesday urged the ongoing emergency Arab summit held in Egypt to "thwart" the Gaza displacement plan. In a press statement, Hamas spokesman Jihad Taha emphasized the need for unified efforts to support the resilience of the Palestinian people in the face of the Israeli occupation. He said, "The priority for any Arab initiative must be to stop Israeli aggression, strengthen Palestinian steadfastness, and support their resistance against the occupation." He reiterated the movement's rejection of any plans that could lead to the displacement of Palestinians from their land. Taha also underscored the importance of Palestinian unity in managing the situation within Gaza, ensuring that decisions serve the interests of the Palestinian people under the current circumstances. He noted that Hamas agreed to Egypt's earlier proposal to form a "community support committee" out of a conviction that a Palestinian framework is needed to help ease the suffering of Gaza's residents. He described the initiative as an important step amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Taha added that Palestinians expect tangible outcomes from the ongoing Arab summit that align with the historic responsibility of Arab leaders. He urged the international community to hold Israel accountable for implementing the ceasefire agreement signed on Jan. 15, stressing the need to resist any efforts aimed at undermining the Palestinian cause. (NewsNation) Ruthey Smith disappeared in March 2022, last seen in a part of Los Angeles known for gang violence and prostitution. Smith had been working as a prostitute to make ends meet and provide for her young daughter. Her family believes that her sex work, along with the fact that she is a Black woman, has led investigators to take her case less seriously. On Monday, the family was holding a press conference to keep the case in the public eye and to ask the Los Angeles Police Department to take over from the Long Beach Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Search underway for missing Oregon 2-year-old, Dane Paulsen Retired LAPD investigator Moses Castillo told NewsNation the family believes Smith is still alive and being trafficked. The issue here is that the police are dealing with the unsympathetic victim, and I think thats whats happening here; theyre not really putting the resources believe they ought to, Castillo said. Bodycam video shows shooting ambush of Colorado deputy Castillo pleaded with those in the community of human trafficking, including victims and survivors, to please reach out if they know anything about what happened to Smith. Those who dont want to talk to law enforcement can contact him and remain anonymous, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith is believed to be somewhere outside of Southern California, with information suggesting she may have been in Las Vegas at one point and could be in the San Francisco Bay area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ST. LOUIS An 18-year-old appeared in St. Louis Circuit Court on Monday and admitted to a 2023 fatal shooting after reaching a plea agreement with city prosecutors. Tabari A. Freeman Jr., 18, pleaded guilty to second-degree involuntary manslaughter for the Oct. 24, 2023, shooting death of Calvin Kelly. The shooting happened in the 4800 block of Shreve Avenue in the citys Mark Twain neighborhood. Police and prosecutors said Kelly was found with a gunshot wound to his head. Kelly was rushed to a hospital, but he later died from his injuries. He was 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freeman, who was 16 at the time of the killing, was arrested in December 2023. He escaped from the citys Juvenile Detention Center on Feb. 3, 2024, but was located and returned to custody later that month. St. Louis Mayoral primary results After being certified to stand trial as an adult in April 2024, Freeman was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and two counts of armed criminal action. However, the Circuit Attorneys Office dismissed three of those counts and reduced the murder charge to involuntary manslaughter in exchange for Freemans plea. On Monday, St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Katherine Fowler accepted the plea deal and sentenced Freeman to three years in Missouri state prison. Under Missouri law, the maximum sentence for second-degree involuntary manslaughter is four years imprisonment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freeman apologized for the shooting. After the sentence was announced, Kellys mother, grandmother, and twin brother said they were still grieving and did not believe three years was a long enough sentence. Judge Fowler expressed empathy for Kellys family and told them she understood why they felt they were denied justice. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. There are few fruits as juicy and fragrant as a ripe lychee, and farmers in China know it. Guangdong, a southern province, produces an average of 1.5 million tons each year, according to The World of Chinese. However, Guangdong's lychee harvesters reported that the 2024 season was "the worst year ever," as growing became extremely difficult due to heavy rains and hotter temperatures, TWOC reported. What's happening? The region's overall lychee harvest dropped an astonishing 50% last year. One grower, Wang Pengcheng, usually pulls in 500 to 1,500 kilograms of lychees; last year, he only got 20 single fruits, according to TWOC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For these farmers, the cause of the massive decline is clearly the region's major environmental shifts. 2023 was China's hottest year ever, which stunted the ability of lychee trees to produce buds. After that came months of extreme rain that robbed the crops even more. Rains reached an all-time peak in April at nearly 50 centimeters, TWOC reported. This unpredictability has raised serious concerns about the future of growing the popular drupe the same family of fruit as peaches and plums. "The old ways of farming by following solar terms are no longer reliable," Guo Rui, another lychee grower who suffered in 2024, told TWOC. Why are lower lychee yields concerning? For starters, losing the bulk of the lychee harvest was a major financial setback for farmers. Guo estimated his losses at 300,000 yuan, which is over $41,000. Plus, it's not only lychees that are at risk. Other staple crops also took significant hits, such as corn in flooded regions and rice in areas facing drought, per TWOC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These disruptions to the food chain all translate to lower supply in the market and higher prices at grocery stores. It also means a more precarious environment for other plants and animals, since biodiversity is critical to a healthy ecosystem. What's being done to support lychee farming? In all likelihood, more severe extreme weather events are on the horizon, and lychee farmers are gearing up with unique strategies to bolster their crops and rebuild yields. Their new techniques range from treating soil with compost to enhance fertility and improve its resilience, pruning their trees differently to promote growth, hanging sandbags on branches to strengthen fruit-bearing, and diversifying their other crops to have backup options, TWOC explained. According to the outlet, local artists are also starting to key on the issue in Guangdong. They have created plays and interactive exhibitions that raise awareness of the complex struggles farmers are facing in hopes that more publicopen discussion can help other industries move away from planet-heating practices, too. 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. Its been a difficult three years for American farmers. Costs of everything from gasoline to feed to equipment have risen, while most crop prices have fallen. Now many farmers say they worry President Donald Trumps incipient trade war will make things even tougher. Hes out there with his wrecking ball just throwing tariffs around, says Barb Kalbach, a fourth-generation corn and soybean farmer in Dexter, Iowa. Trumps 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico went into effect Tuesday, and the President doubled the levy on products from China to 20%. China retaliated with taxes of up to 15% on U.S. farm imports, while both Canada and Mexico announced retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canadas 25% tariffs on $30 billion of U.S. products affect poultry, meat, dairy, wheat, and other food products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farmers know from experience that these retaliatory tariffs are going to hurt them. When Trump launched a trade war against China in 2018, Beijing responded with tariffs aimed at the U.S. farm industry. Exports fell as Chinese buyers looked to places like Brazil for soybeans, reducing the market share of American farmers. Farmers were hit so hard that the Trump Administration ended up spending $23 billion to make them whole. Read More: Heres Where Chinas Retaliatory Tariffs Could Hit Hardest. Agriculture took the brunt of retaliatory tariffs by China last time, and certainly agriculture is going to be the main target of todays retaliatory strikes, says Marc Busch, a professor at Georgetowns School of Foreign Service who studies trade. This time, its not just China retaliating, but also Mexico and Canada, two of America's top trade partners. The expectation among ag stakeholders is that it will only be worse this time, Busch says. Kalbach, the Iowa farmer, fears the newest tariffs will only make it harder to export her products. This is just going to take parts of our markets away, she says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the last trade war, around 80% of the money the U.S. government took in from tariffs on Chinese imports went back to paying farmers who were hurt by retaliatory tariffs, Busch says. Such payments keep farms afloat, but what will really boost the agriculture industry is to find new markets, says Clark Packard, a research fellow at the Cato Institute. Its a question of whether we want welfare payments or whether we want to actually make sales, Packard says. We are getting back into this business of doling out more and more payments to the agricultural industry. Read More: How Trumps Tariffs Could Affect U.S. Consumers. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, U.S. farmers have lost money on almost every major crop planted in the last three years. Adding even more costs and reducing markets for American agricultural goods, federation president Zippy Duvall said in a statement, could create an economic burden some farmers may not be able to bear. Trump addressed such concerns in a post on Truth Social, encouraging farmers to sell more products within the U.S. To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold inside the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun! he wrote Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But farmers say that limiting sales to domestic markets would hinder their businesses and lower prices. The U.S. exported $83 billion in agricultural products to Canada, China, and Mexico last year, according to the farm bureau. Were really good at raising healthy, safe, and cost-effective food to the point that we produce way more than this country needs, says Chad Franke, the president of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, which represents 14,000 farmers across Colorado, Wyoming, and Mexico. To say that were just going to sell it domestically is like saying you should put 20 gallons of gas in your 15 gallon gas tank. Take the dairy industry. About 20% of U.S. milk production is exported annually, with about 40% of that going to Canada, Mexico, and China, according to Chuck Nicholson, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. If the domestic dairy industry gets only a little more milk than traders were expecting, prices drop as a result, Nicholson says. So if the dairy industry started trying to sell that 20% domestically instead of exporting it, prices would plummet, making it difficult for farmers to continue to operate. Already, Trump Administration policies are giving dairy farmers a headache, Nicholson adds, from immigration crackdowns to potential cuts to government programs such as food stamps, which contribute to demand for domestic dairy products. Farmers are uncertain about what markets will still want farmers products, whether the federal staffers they work with on a daily basis will still be there the next day, how much farm equipment and gas are going to cost, and how much theyll be able to sell their crops for. Farmers and ranchers already have enough uncertainty in their daily lives, says Franke, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union president. They dont need any more. Contact us at letters@time.com. The Penn State Fayette Eberly Campus is one of 12 branch campuses that could potentially be closing. Its one of four local branch campuses in southwestern Pennsylvania. Weve got to be loud, weve got to be heard, and weve got to do it quick, said Muriel Nuttal, director of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. She said she was stunned when she heard the Fayette campus could be on the chopping block. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My first thought was, I cant even imagine a Fayette County without Penn State Fayette Campus, she said. Nuttal, along with elected leaders at the local and state level, want to gather as much community support that they can to make sure Fayette is not one of the Penn State branch campuses to close. Those experiences and opportunities deserve to be passed on to another generation, said Republican State Representative Ryan Warner. The Fayette campus had 407 students enrolled for this past fall semester. Thats down 30% from 577 students in fall 2020. Its likely one of the reasons the university is looking to close it down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I cant understand how they dont view the campus the way we do, said Republican State Senator Pat Stefano. He said enrollment and credit hours shouldnt be all the university is considering. He said the campus has a huge impact on the community, and now the community has to help shine a light on that. This requires grassroots to get up through the layers of the university and to get to the right people who are making these decisions so they can understand what I call unmeasurable metrics, Stefano said. But time is of the essence. The university is expected to announce what branches will close before the spring semester is over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaders in the county are now working to form two committees. One is for community outreach and social media messaging. The other is a community, student, and alumni communications strategy to help form a letter-writing campaign to university officials. Theres also a change.org petition that was created by a Fayette campus student and shared by Republican State Representative Charity Grimm Krupa. Nuttall said if youd like to help, you can reach out to the Chamber of Commerce. We would love to hear from people who want to save this campus, she said. These committee meetings in Fayette County are going to continue. The next one is scheduled for Wednesday morning. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW A federal appeals court reinstated a ban on lobster fishing that protects right whales and aids their conservation, according to News Center Maine. Reversing a lower court's decision, the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the protections due to the high number of right whale deaths caused by entanglement in lobster fishing gear. The federal law, which the lower court had previously ruled against, is not a full ban on the lobster industry. It only bans lobster fishing in a 200-nautical-mile area off the New England coast from February 1 to April 30 every year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Atlantic right whales were nearly wiped out during the commercial whaling era and almost became extinct in the early 1900s. Conservation efforts helped whale populations recover, but progress has been slow. Now, entanglement in lobster fishing gear is one of the greatest threats to the right whale. Another serious and lethal threat is collisions with large ships. The previous government administration introduced a proposal that would have required ships to slow down in East Coast waters to protect the whales, but their attempt was unsuccessful before President Trump took office. There are currently fewer than 380 North Atlantic right whales, and that number is declining. Jane Davenport, a senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife, said the appeals court decision "represents a major victory for right whale conservation," per News Center Maine. Winter is a critical time for the whales because they are present in large numbers off the New England coast during those months. Davenport also stated that the ban "affects only a handful of lobstermen for three months but protects right whales from the deadly fishing gear entanglements driving this species towards extinction." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wildlife conservation is vital to maintaining biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, and the food chain we all rely on. Commercial fishermen are reportedly disappointed in the appeals court's decision. Maritime industry workers had been hoping the Trump Administration would be more receptive to their needs and concerns, News Center Maine reported. Executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association Beth Casoni explained that they're devising a plan to respond to the ruling. "While we are disappointed at the ruling handed down today, we are working with our counsels on what our options are for our next move," Casoni said, per News Center Maine. 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. LIMA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Peru's ex-president Pedro Castillo (2021-2022) went on trial on Tuesday, accused of attempting a coup d'etat by trying to dissolve Congress in December 2022. "The Judiciary is starting the trial hearing against former President #PedroCastillo and six others accused of #Rebellion and other crimes," Peru's Supreme Court of Justice announced on social media platform X. The court's Special Criminal Chamber is holding the hearings at the Barbadillo Penitentiary in the capital Lima, where Castillo, 55, is being held. Other defendants in the case include Betssy Chavez and Anibal Torres, both former presidents of the Council of Ministers. The prosecution has also charged with "rebellion" the former minister of the interior, Willy Huerta, and three former officers of the National Police: Manuel Lozada, Justo Venero and Eder Infanzon. State news agency Andina reported that the former president published a letter describing his status as "kidnapped" at Barbadillo and the judicial process against him as a "farce." Prosecutors are seeking a 34-year prison sentence for Castillo, as well as banning him from holding public office for a period of three years and six months. The other defendants face between 15 and 25 years in prison if convicted. Early in the day, a group of Castillo supporters gathered outside of the Barbadillo prison in a show of support for the former president. The Lafayette Parish coroner's office is taking over responsibility for sexual assault forensic medical exams in the Acadiana region. (Getty Images) Organizations providing services to sexual assault survivors plan to ask Gov. Jeff Landry and the Louisiana Legislature for an extra $2 million in state funding this year. The groups say they need the money to insulate themselves from potential federal funding cuts. Without money coming in, all of our rape crisis centers and us as a coalition are not going to survive, Rafael de Castro, executive director of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, said during a meeting of the Sexual Assault Oversight Commission last week. Louisianas rape crisis centers are dependent on three types of federal funding to pay for almost all of their operations. One of those sources, which comes through the Victims of Crime Act, was slashed 40% last year and is expected to be cut another 40% before the end of the year, de Castro said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two other buckets of federal money come through the Violence Against Women Act, which expires in 2027 and could face a difficult renewal in Congress. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Several of the competitive grants in the U.S. Department of Justice that rape crisis centers receive annually have also been in limbo since President Donald Trump took office, said Morgan Lamandre, president and CEO of Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response (STAR), the largest provider of survivor services in the state. The missing money from the Victims of Crime Act alone threatens to close 12 to 14 local rape crisis centers in Louisiana before the end of the year. They currently operate in every Louisiana parish except for Catahoula, Concordia, LaSalle and Winn. The centers provide therapy, support groups, emergency hotlines and volunteers to accompany survivors to hospital. STAR also provides legal services for clients who need help with restraining orders, child custody matters and other civil disputes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The survivor organizations ran into funding problems earlier this year when the Trump administration temporarily froze a wide swath of federal money it provides to states. Among the assistance held back was funding for sexual assault prevention programs, de Castro said. The centers were only able to avoid laying off staff because the Louisiana Department of Health backfilled the loss of federal funding for 30 days until the original grant funding started flowing again, he said. Attorney General Liz Murrill and Gov. Jeff Landrys office will also appeal to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to open up federal grants again for sexual assault services. Monica Taylor, Landrys director of human trafficking prevention, said she and Murrill personally talked to Bondi about the issue. Taylor is also drafting a letter explaining how the federal funding in question is used in Louisiana, she said at the commission meeting last week. Louisiana is unusually dependent on the federal government for sexual assault survivor resources. The state provides money for sexual assault forensic medical exams commonly called rape kits but it directs no financial help to rape crisis centers for victim advocacy or counseling. Theres no money specially allocated for those services, Taylor said. The Landry administration is working on legislation that would, for the first time, provide a steady source of state funding for rape crisis centers as well as domestic violence shelters and child advocacy centers, which support abuse victims who are minors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taylor said the proposal would bring a small amount of money through court fees that would go to all of those groups. She declined to provide further details about the plan, which is still being drafted. State Rep. Kellee Hennessy Dickerson, R-Denham Springs, will sponsor the bill from the governors office once it is finalized. Lawmakers might have to be convinced that more money needs to be spent on sexual assault response. Members of the legislature, who are overwhelmingly men, arent always aware of how significant the problem is, said Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton. They think the numbers are minute. They dont realize the number of victims that we are talking about, Mizell said at the commission meeting. Theres a general attitude of weve already put enough money into that. Taylor agreed that it will take a push from advocates and sexual assault survivors to convince legislators to make the services a budget priority. There are a lot of really good people in that building across the way, Taylor said, referring to the State Capitol where legislators meet. But there are some who think this is somebody elses problem. I just wish that the people in their lives who are hiding [as sexual assault survivors] would stand up to them, she said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A felonious assault case against a woman was dismissed in Youngstown Municipal Court Monday after the victims did not show up in court. Subpoenas were served on the victim and or victims in the case against 24-year-old Jaylynn Day, but a court entry said that the case could not proceed because the victim and witness were not present despite being served with subpoena. Prosecutors asked for the case to be dismissed and Judge Renee DiSalvo agreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Day was charged last month after Day walked into the city police department and said that she may have hit someone with her SUV. She was later charged with felonious assault. Joe Gorman contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Va.) commuted the sentence of a former Fairfax County Police sergeant convicted in the shooting death of unarmed Timothy Johnson at Tysons Corner Center in 2023. Prosecutors and family members close to the case aired their frustrations during a press conference Monday afternoon. On Friday, former Sgt. Wesley Shifflett had been sentenced to five years behind bars with two years suspended, effectively sentencing him to three years of incarceration with five years of probation to be served upon release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governors announcement came just days later, on Sunday evening. Youngkin commutes former Fairfax County police sergeants sentence for fatal Tysons Corner shooting Melissa Johnson, Timothys mother, said she found out about the commutation from media reports, and the governors office had not reached out to her in advance of the announcement. It felt like I could hear my sons voice crying out from the dirt at Tysons Corner mall again, saying, Why did you shoot me? I didnt have anything. Thats what it felt like, she said. Shifflett was convicted of reckless handling of a firearm in the deadly shooting of her unarmed son, who had taken off running after allegedly stealing sunglasses from inside the mall at Tysons Corner Center back in February 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Mondays press conference at the Fairfax County Courthouse, Commonwealths Attorney Steve Descano condemned the governors swift move, and Johnson accused Shifflett of lying in court. Why would he commute the sentence of a convicted, lying killer before fact finding, considering the victims family, or more importantly discovering the whole truth? said Johnson. Both Johnson and Descano said the governor would have needed more than two days to fully understand the facts of the case and go through court documents following the sentencing hearing Friday. Descano accused the governor of being politically motivated in his decision to commute Shiffletts sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Fairfax County police officer sentenced in deadly Tysons shooting Its absolute garbage. Its outrageous. It has nothing to do with the law and the facts and everything to do with his political ambitions and trying to get on Donald Trumps radar, said Descano. Gov. Youngkin released a statement last night, saying in part, The court rejected the Senior Probation and Parole Officers recommendation of no incarceration nor supervised probation Sgt. Shifflett has no prior criminal record, and was, by all accounts, an exemplary police officer. It is in the interest of justice that he be released immediately. The founder of a law enforcement advocacy organization, We Back Blue, also attended Mondays press conference, saying some of what Descano and Johnson had said about Shifflett was not true, at times shouting over them as they spoke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watching our law enforcement go through what theyve been through, especially with Steve Descano, who goes after them constantly in this arena, I think people are just kind of done with that. Theyre done watching our law enforcement and our first responders get stepped on, said Melissa Robey. Were in a climate where an officer is afraid to do their job. Theyre afraid to go after actual criminals. Others speaking out in favor of the governors action include the Virginia Police Benevolent Association. The Governors decision reflects the fundamental principles of fairness and justice. Sgt. Shiffletts exemplary service and dedication to public safety should have been taken into greater consideration, said VAPBA Fairfax Chapter President Steve Monahan. The agency went on to say the decision to commute the sentence reinforces the importance of upholding these principles while recognizing the complexities and split-second decisions officers must make in the line of duty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Metropolitan Police Department reinstates 2 Trump-pardoned officers after murder conviction, cover up The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus (VLBC) released a statement Monday calling the commutation reckless and a gross misuse of power. VLBC wrote the following, in part: Youngkin commuted a three-year prison sentence of former Fairfax County Police Sergeant Wesley Shifflett, allowing him to walk free after just two nights in jail. In 2023, Shifflett chased, shot, and killed 37-year-old father of three, Timothy McCree Johnson, outside Tysons Corner Center mall for the alleged crime of stealing sunglasses. Following Shiffletts conviction for the reckless handling of a firearm, Johnsons mother acknowledged that most Black and Brown families that find themselves in this situation do not get this far Todays verdict has provided Mr. Shifflett a second chancea benefit that my son, Timothy McCree Johnson, was not afforded. Virginia Legilsative Black Caucus As for what comes next, Shiffletts defense attorneys can still file appeals to have the conviction itself overturned, though its not clear if or when they might take those next steps. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. welch FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams have started reaching out in McDowell County by going door-to-door and helping people affected by the Feb. 15 flooding which struck much of southern West Virginia. On Feb. 26, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that President Trump had approved his request for Individual Assistance in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties. Another nine counties in that request Raleigh, Greenbrier, Summers, Wayne, Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln and Logan are still being considered by FEMA. FEMAs Individual Assistance program provides funds to individuals facing major damage to their homes or property. This declaration also gives all West Virginia counties the opportunity to participate in the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which can provide resources to alleviate or reduce future flooding and help public service districts with wastewater treatment and other long-term hazard reduction projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FEMA representatives going door-to-door in McDowell County can help flood victims register for FEMA assistance, check the status of applications and make minor corrections to applications, according to agency officials. Residents of McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties are eligible to apply for FEMA assistance to help with recovery from the winter floods that began on Feb. 15, 2025. People do not need to wait for Disaster Survivor Assistance teams to apply for FEMA assistance. They can also: Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone line operates seven days a week. People using a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, should give FEMA their phone number for this service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Visit DisasterAssistance.gov. Download the FEMA App. For people who have already applied for FEMA assistance, FEMA inspectors will follow up on applications and review reported damages. The public is being warned that while FEMA staff will be visiting their neighborhoods, it is important to be aware of potential fraud and scams by people claiming to represent FEMA. Members of the public seeking FEMA assistance should remember that: FEMA representatives never charge a fee or ask for payment. FEMA representatives will always have a laminated identification badge. Protect the privacy of your nine-digit FEMA case/registration number. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legitimate FEMA representatives will only ask for the last four digits as part of the verification process. People with any concerns can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. For more information on W.Va.s disaster recovery, visit emd.wv.gov, West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, www.fema.gov/disaster/4681 and www.facebook.com/FEMA. Mercer County has established a dedicated phone line, 304-487-2923, at the Mercer County 911 Center for reporting needs for flooding resources from the Mercer County Office of Emergency Management. This number features a prerecorded message and will prompt callers to leave a detailed message, including your name and phone number. Their messages will be given to Office of Emergency Services Director Keith Gunnoe. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com The U.S. Air Force has designated the drones that General Atomics and Anduril are currently developing as part of the first phase, or Increment 1, of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program as the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, respectively. These appear to be the U.S. militarys first ever fighter drone designations. The Increment 1 CCAs are expected to work closely together with crewed combat jets primarily in the air-to-air combat role, at least initially. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin announced the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A during a keynote address at the Air & Space Forces Associations 2025 Warfare Symposium this evening, at which TWZ is in attendance. In the U.S. military-wide designation system for aircraft and missiles, F stands for fighter and Q stands for drone. The Y at the front indicates a prototype design. A picture shown during Gen. Allvins keynote of a model of General Atomics CCA design with the YFQ-42A designation. USAF A picture of a model of Anduril CCA design along with the YFQ-44A designation that also accompanied Allvins keynote. USAF Allvin did not make any mention of official nicknames to go along with the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A designations. Andurils internal name for its design is Fury. General Atomics does not appear to have given its CCA design a name, at least publicly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interestingly, Blue Force Technologies, the company that originally started the development of Fury, displayed a test article with a notional YFQ-XX marking years ago. Anduril acquired Blue Force Technologies in 2023, and you can read more about the story of how Fury came to be in this past in-depth TWZ feature. A view of Blue Force Technologies booth at a past iteration of the Air & Space Forces Associations main annual conference in Washington, D.C., showing a Fury nose section with the notional YFQ-XX nomenclature written on the side. A rendering behind also shows the drone armed with an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile. Andrew Van Timmeren/LinkedIn Today, the Air Force announced the mission design series designation for Andurils CCA prototype: YFQ-44A, Dr. Jason Levin, senior vice president of engineering at Anduril Industries, said in a statement. Together, in close partnership with the Air Force, we are pioneering a new generation of semi-autonomous fighter aircraft that is fundamentally transforming air dominance by delivering highly capable, mass-producible, more affordable, and more autonomous aircraft by the end of the decade. The designation represents the first aircraft type of a YFQ designation, signaling a new era of uncrewed fighter aircraft, Levin added. It reinforces what we already knew: our CCA is a high performance aircraft designed specifically for the air superiority mission, acting as a force multiplier for crewed aircraft within the real constraints of cost and time. TWZ has also reached out to General Atomics for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As it stands now, the Air Force is looking to buy at least between 100 and 150 Increment 1 CCAs. In 2024, the service selected General Atomics and Anduril to proceed in what has ostensibly been a competition for the first batch of CCAs Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman had also submitted designs but it remains unclear whether it will ultimately acquire YFQ-42As, YFQ-44As, or a mix of both. As already noted, the primary mission of the first tranche of CCAs will be acting as flying missile trucks supporting crewed combat jets, in line with the new FQ designations, at least to start. Electronic warfare and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, as well as the ability to use the drones more indecently on their own missions, have also been discussed. Additional views of models of General Atomics CCA design, at top, and Andurils Fury, below. General Atomics/Jamie Hunter The Air Force is also in the process of refining requirements for additional drones as part of Increment 2 of the CCA program. The CCAs in the second tranche are expected to be more expensive than those in the first, though the exact capability mix they might have and what missions they might be tailored for are still unknown. The service has said in the past that it could acquire as many as 1,000 CCAs, or more, in total. The Air Force is very much still exploring how it will incorporate CCAs into its concepts of operations and overall force structure, but Allvin and other service officials consistently say they expect the drones to have a transformative impact. Were looking at different ways to execute the same mission. Were going beyond just single platforms equal single things, Allvin said in his keynote tonight. Maybe theres different ways to provide combat effects, understanding what that is, embracing and leaning into human machine teaming, understanding what autonomy can actually do for us, knowing thats going to be a part of our future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And now we have two prototypes of Collaborative Combat Aircraft that were on paper less than a couple of years ago, the Air Forces top officer continued. Theyre going to be ready to fly this summer. we are leaning into a new chapter of aerial warfare. Whatever the Air Forces initial CCA force looks like in the end, what have now been dubbed the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A looks set to have historic impact on how the service fights in the future. Update: 8:10 PM EST General Atomics has now issued its own press release about the new designation for its CCA design, which it says represents the first in a new generation of unmanned fighter aircraft. YFQ-42A will be critical in securing air dominance for the Joint Force in future conflicts, leveraging autonomous capabilities and crewed-uncrewed teaming to defeat enemy threats in contested environments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Air Force is developing Autonomous Collaborative Platforms to maintain its air superiority. Semi-autonomous aircraft, like YFQ-42A, will enhance flexibility, affordability, and mission effectiveness. YFQ-42A will enhance air superiority as a flexible, affordable force multiplier, General Atomics release continues. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with current and next-generation crewed aircraft, expanding mission capabilities and ensuring continued air dominance. In short, YFQ-42A provides fighter capacity affordable mass at a lower cost and on a threat-relevant timeline. The YFQ-42A designation follows the Air Forces decision to designate GA-ASIs highly common predecessor aircraft as the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station, the release adds. The XQ-67A was ordered by the Air Force Research Lab to support the development of concepts necessary to implement the vision for CCA. Were proud to get a new official aircraft designation, GA-ASI President David R. Alexander said in accompanying statement. YFQ-42A continues a long and distinguished history for GA-ASI that dates back to the 1990s and the debut of the RQ-1 Predator, which later changed to MQ-1 Predator. That uncrewed aircraft gave way to the MQ-9A Reaper, the MQ-20 Avenger, our new MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian, and many others. Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com By Anne Kauranen HELSINKI (Reuters) - The frequency of cable incidents in the Baltic Sea has been "exceptional" in recent years, but state actors have more effective ways of performing underwater sabotage than by dragging anchors, Finland's intelligence service chief said. The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after a string of power cable, telecom link and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and the NATO military alliance has boosted its presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, Finland released the oil tanker Eagle S, which is suspected of breaking a Baltic Sea power cable and four data cables late last year, but Finnish police have yet to provide conclusions in several ongoing investigations. Juha Martelius, the head of Finland's security and intelligence service Supo called the cable incidents "a secondary issue", despite describing their frequency as "exceptional" for the Baltic Sea in recent years. "The biggest concern regarding the Baltic Sea is that Russia's shadow fleet operates there and provides Russia with warfare capabilities by allowing Russia to sell energy to other countries that buy it," he told Reuters. 'Shadow fleet' refers to vessels used by Russia to move oil, arms and grains around in violation of international sanctions imposed on it over the Ukraine war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia has repeatedly denounced Western sanctions against Moscow's energy sector as an attempt to harm Russia's economy at the risk of destabilising global markets and said the country would press on with large oil and gas projects. In a national security review published on Tuesday, Supo said dozens of shadow fleet vessels sail through the Gulf of Finland to Russian oil ports weekly and that their ability to circumvent energy sanctions is of great importance to the Russian economy. "There are so many of these vessels in the Baltic Sea now that the likelihood of something happening is of course greater," Martelius said, referring to cable breaches and refusing to comment on ongoing investigations. Western countries should nevertheless take the threat against their critical underwater infrastructure seriously, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I would like to separate the anchors, whatever is behind those incidents, from the fact that there is a real threat against underwater critical infrastructure," he said, adding state actors had more effective capabilities for causing subsea destruction than by dragging anchors. (Reporting by Anne Kauranen; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) Sevier County is no stranger to wildfires. From the Sevier County wildfires in 2016 and the Hatcher Mountain Fire in 2022 to smaller fires like the one in the Shagbark neighborhood last year. The concerns with this most recent high fire danger day is not due to drought conditions, its due to the nature of the strong winds and low humidity. Sevier County Fire Administrator David Puckett said theyre prepared in anticipation for the high fire danger. Carl Dean, Dolly Partons husband of nearly 60 years who inspired Jolene, dies at 82 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for our county, Puckett said. With that we are taking necessary precautions to try to prepare and weve got additional staff standing by at our fire stations. We are making the necessary public notices and social media posts. One of the newest firefighters at Waldens Creek is Gabriel Crawley, he came to the fire department after spending two fire seasons with the Department of Forestry. He said the experience he got while in the Department of Forestry has helped at Waldens Creek. Most of our wildland calls that we get in the county are actually out here in Waldens Creek, Crawley said. I was able to bring a lot of my experience over here and kind of bring some more new ideas to the department too to help them better with the fires. While the fire departments are getting ready, its still important to make sure our home is safe and we have a way to get out in the event of a fire sparking near our homes. Puckett told us how we can be a step ahead if that time comes - like having a go-bag and clearing leaf litter from the home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A big loss Fire in Harrogate leaves one dead and two businesses destroyed The Sevier County Fire Administration will work with homeowners, HOAs and come out and do free assessments in conjunction with TDF (Tennessee Department of Forestry) and communities to help them plan, Puckett said. We point out very basic tips on things they can do prevent or lessen the effects of a wildfire pending that one comes through that way. For Crawley, when days like this come around, he is always keeping an eye on weather conditions and potential hazards. Any time Im walking our here and your lips start getting chapped while walking outside you know the humidity is kind of getting low so thats something to keep an eye out, Crawley said. Even when I come in, I live on the other side of Sevierville. I can see this whole mountain range on my way in. Im always checking it when Im coming in to see if I see any smoke coming up or something like that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement See more top stories on WATE.com The fire danger board at the fire department was listed as a four out of five four being very high and five being extreme. The fire department is hopeful everyone stays safe throughout the day Tuesday, but they will be ready to go if duty calls. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) Check here for updates as hundreds of crews work to contain the 2,059-acre fire that broke out Saturday on Covington Drive in the Carolina Forest area. 8:50 P.M. THURSDAY Horry County Fire Rescue took to Facebook on Thursday night to post drone footage of the Carolina Forest wildfire. The video shows an eye-in-the-sky view of the fire, going in and out of thermal imaging. Horry County officials said earlier Thursday evening that the Covington Drive Fire was up to 55% containment. 6:15 P.M. THURSDAY The 2,059-acre fire that broke out on Covington Drive is now at 55% containment, Horry County officials said at about 6:15 p.m. Thursday. 3:20 P.M. THURSDAY Horry County spokesperson Mikayla Moskov stressed on Thursday that a wildfire is never not that bad' during a media briefing outside the Carolina Forest Recreation Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Theres] always a risk to life, property, Moskov said. We would say to anyone who feels its not that bad that to the people in this community, it is a big deal. We hope that those people who feel that way dont have to experience this type of thing. As Thursday marks Day 6 of the fire, Moskov noted the toll its taken on some first responders. Everyone is certainly tired, she said. This is a long incident. The Covington Drive Fire as of Thursday afternoon remains at 2,059 acres and at 44% containment, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. 3:10 P.M. THURSDAY A plane crash at the Grand Strand Airport in North Myrtle Beach led to some minor delays for Black Hawk helicopters being used to drop water on the Carolina Forest wildfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The airport is next to the Intracoastal Waterway, where airplanes and helicopters have been getting water to drop in the fire. Russell Hubright of the South Carolina Forestry Commission says their arrival was delayed by about an hour because of the crash involving a single-engine plane. Hubright said it did not have a big impact on firefighting efforts. One person suffered a minor injury in the plane crash, according to North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue. 3:05 P.M. THURSDAY Horry County Fire Rescue has flown six drones at various times while fighting the Carolina Forest wildfire, according to Capt. Matt Rice, a fire investigator for the department. Rice talked about the drone program at an afternoon briefing on the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He says they have become an invaluable asset since the program began in the spring of 2016. We use this every day, Rice said. This is the biggest fire weve used these for. We use them every day, house fires, missing people We use them for all kinds of things. The only limit to drones in fire rescue is your imagination. If we can think of a use for itthats a win. Drones can serve as the eyes of emergency management officials and give instant feedback that can help determine where resources are needed, he said. During the first night of the fire, Rice said HCFR had four drones in the air that helped determine evacuation plans. We can put the drone up very easily, see what the fires doing in real time, Rice said. 1:45 P.M. THURSDAY The South Carolina Forest Commission says three helicopters are working in tandem dropping water as needed on the Carolina Forest wildfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video courtesy of South Carolina Forestry Commission In an operational update posted on Facebook, a spokesman says the Avalon neighborhood remains an area of interest because of winds coming from the west-northwest. He says fire teams are standing by in those communities in case theyre needed. The agency also has bulldozers widening fire lines in some areas that have very difficult terrain. 1 P.M. THURSDAY Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina will speak with members of the South Carolina media on Friday after a briefing on the Carolina Forest wildfire. 10:30 A.M. THURSDAY The Myrtle Beach SkyWheel will be lit up in red on Thursday to show appreciation for the firefighters and first responders who worked tirelessly to battle the Carolina Forest wildfire, SkyWheel officials said in a Facebook post. Their dedication, courage, and hard work help keep our community safe, and we are beyond grateful for their service. 10:20 A.M. THURSDAY Delta airlines confirmed to News13 that it has diverted some flights into Myrtle Beach International Airport to Charleston because of the airports proximity to the wildfire. Passengers on those flights were provided bus transportation from Charleston to Myrtle Beach. 10:10 A.M. THURSDAY After being unable to fly on Wednesday because of weather conditions, Horry County authorities say airplanes and helicopters will resume dropping water on the fire. The size of the fire 2,059 acres and the containment 44% remain unchanged from Wednesday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the severe weather threat has passed, and wildfire operations are moderately stable at the moment, HCPD is no longer manning checkpoints at neighborhoods; however, we remain up-staffed on the law enforcement side to rove the Carolina Forest area and assist with any fire rescue activities, spokesperson Mikayla Moskov said in an emailed update. Officials also said Thursday morning that another person has been cited for a burn ban violation. So far, four people have been cited and one person arrested. No one has been charged in connection with the fire. The statewide burn ban is no longer in effect, but there is still a ban in place for Horry and Georgetown counties. 5:52 P.M. WEDNESDAY The Covington Drive Fire remains at 2,059 acres but is up to 44% containment, the South Carolina Forestry Commissions response map shows. 4:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY South Carolinas statewide burn ban was lifted Wednesday for every county except Georgetown and Horry as rain across the state has improved wildfire conditions in most places. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2,059-acre Covington Drive fire in Carolina Forest remains the states largest. 2:52 P.M. WEDNESDAY Horry County Fire Rescue said on Facebook it had no need for donated items, but expressed gratitude to the community for doing so. It means the world, as our firefighters are working hard on the Covington Drive Fire, and all the emergencies across Horry County, the post reads. But currently, HCFR is good on food, snacks, water and other donated items. You folks are the best. Keep the positivity and support for all the hard-working folks coming, but we have no needs for donations or donated items at this time. 2:33 P.M. WEDNESDAY Horry County authorities have reopened International Drive, which has been closed during operations to control the Carolina Forest wildfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Community members can resume using International Drive; however, we ask that drivers maintain situational awareness as public safety personnel and apparatus will still be active in the area, Horry County government spokesperson Mikayla Moskov said in an email. Additional road closures could be necessary if conditions change. 2:15 P.M. WEDNESDAY South Carolina State Fire Marshal Jonathan Jones was in town Wednesday to provide an update on South Carolinas firefighter mobilization during a state Forestry Commission briefing. South Carolina State Fire / Facebook 2 P.M. WEDNESDAY The South Carolina Forestry Commission said Wednesday afternoon the fire remained at 2,059 acres and at 30% containment. 1:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY Heavy wind took down a burned tree that was compromised at the base, Horry County Fire Rescue said. Video posted to their Facebook and attached below shows weather conditions including smoke, rain, and wind in the Carolina Forest area. 11:00 A.M. WEDNESDAY A 50-year-old man remains in jail in Horry County accused of violating a state and local ban on open burning during the Carolina Forest area wildfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jason Daniel Bingham, 50, of North Myrtle Beach, was arrested Tuesday evening and remains in the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. Authorities said the arrest is not connected to the Carolina Forest fire. So far, three others have been given citations for violating the ban. Authorities say they were only given citations because they adhered to the ban after initially being contacted by authorities. 10:50 A.M. WEDNESDAY Horry County Fire Rescue spokesperson Tony Casey said during a media briefing Wednesday morning that the Covington Drive fire incident could take a month for all we know when asked how long the investigation into the start of the fire could take. Its [definitely] a top-four fire in Horry County history, Casey said. Large-scale incident, large-scale fire. Were hoping to keep it at the size it is right now. 8:55 A.M. WEDNESDAY Two more people have been cited for illegal outdoor burning, Horry County authorities said Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The citations are in addition to the citation and arrest authorities announced late Tuesday afternoon. The name of the person arrested has not been released. All of the alleged violations occurred in different parts of the county, and officials said no one has been charged with connection with the wildfire. 8:40 A.M. WEDNESDAY The Covington Drive fire was still at 2,059-acres and 30% containment as of 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. A statewide burn ban is still being strictly enforced. With heavy winds and rain in the forecast for Wednesday, there are no plans to have air drops from aerial assets, Horry County Fire Rescue said. Severe weather conditions, including a tornado watch until at least 1 p.m., could increase fire response. HCFR crews will not be able to fly drones above the fire when winds are higher than 40 miles per hour, which may limit strategic response to flare-ups and reported spot fires. Due to many trees being structurally compromised in the burned areas of the wildfire, firefighters will be flowing water from the outside to maintain containment levels. Crews will not be entering the woods for safety reasons if winds are too intense, HCFR said. Access to the communities near the Tuckahoe Bay will be limited as Horry County Police crews are staged in the area to allow first responders to get to potential fires and issues as quickly and safely as possible. International Drive remains closed between the fire gates. More than 500 personnel from Horry County and agencies across the state continue to support firefighting efforts and severe weather awareness work. Photo courtesy of South Carolina Forestry Commission 10 P.M. TUESDAY State forestry officials said the fire hasnt grown in size and remains 30% contained ahead of expected stormy weather and wind gusts. Four aircraft are now in place above Horry County to help with water drops. Dry, blustery conditions return Wednesday night into Thursday, increasing wildfire risks to areas that dont see substantial rainfall. 7 P.M. TUESDAY One person was cited and another arrested on charges of illegal burning in separate parts of the county amid a statewide ban issued Saturday, Horry Countys emergency management director said Tuesday. Further details werent immediately available, but officials said the violations were unrelated to the Covington Drive fire. Courtesy of South Carolina Forestry Commission 5 P.M. TUESDAY Video obtained by News13 shows a fire behind a trampoline and an Horry County Fire Rescue crew on scene about 90 minutes after the initial call for the Covington Drive fire came in on Saturday. 4 P.M. TUESDAY By the start of Tuesday, South Carolina National Guard aircraft completed 281 water drops, delivering nearly 265,000 gallons of water over 42 flight hours. 3:30 P.M. TUESDAY Horry County officials said theres still no timeline as to when International Drive may reopen, as it continues to serve as an access route for firefighters. International Drive closes maybe once or twice a year whenever there are prescribed burns in that area. So its not necessarily unusual to have the road closed, but the road has been closed for days and will remain that way, county spokeswoman Adrianna Seals said. There are multiple other routes available. Horry County police are still parked at the gates and will stay there until its reopened. Weve put more signage at the end of the road so they can re-route sooner. Some Myrtle Beach International Airport flights have been delayed or diverted as the FAA has prioritized airspace for assets being used to dump water on the Covington Drive fire. State Forestry Commission spokesman Rusell Hubright said South Carolina sees up to 4,000 wildfires annually, but the vast majority are no larger than ten acres. 2:20 P.M. TUESDAY Panera Bread in Carolina Forest is offering free You-Pick-Two meals to first responders through Friday. From now through Friday, first responders can receive a free You-Pick-Two when they show their badge in-store or through the drive-thru at Panera Bread in Carolina Forest. The restaurant is located at 101 Debo Dr. 2 P.M. TUESDAY Photo courtesy South Carolina Forestry Commission State Forestry Commission officials continue to create firebreaks around the blazes perimeter, with bulldozers, brush trucks and multiple aircraft working from Covington Road to north of Myrtle Beach. Aerial firefighting company Dauntless Air along with state National Guard, Department of Natural Resources and Horry County Fire Rescue crews are among the more than 30 agencies that have been in the field since Saturday afternoon. 1:50 P.M. TUESDAY Horry County public information officers will once again be available between 3 and 4 p.m. at the Carolina Forest Recreation Center for a wildfire-related Q&A. Forestry commission public information officer Russell Hubright will be available at 3:30 p.m. Officials also said Horry County Council Chairman Johnny Gardner and public safety director Randy Webster will speak to wildfire operations at the councils 6 p.m. meeting. 12:35 P.M. TUESDAY Horry County Fire Rescue said that its crews will be working with South Carolina Forestry Commission crews Tuesday to reinforce break lines, saturate the ground and deploy additional sprinkler lines. The SCFC is bringing in additional resources, including plows and staffing, additional line crews and supervisors. All are working to dig new lines, knocking down hot spots and generally working to increase containment. The fire is still at approximately 2,059 acres with 30% containment, according to the SCFC. International Drive will remain closed until further notice. There will be fire rescue crews in and around subdivision areas in Carolina Forest, as well as increased presence from the Horry County Police Department. 11 A.M. TUESDAY The South Carolina Forestry Commission said the Covington Drive fire was believed to be human-caused. 10:35 A.M. TUESDAY HCFR said crews are averaging 330 dispatched calls per shift since the beginning of the wildfires on Saturday. Some of those calls have been related to people continuing to burn when the burn ban is still in place. Authorities remind residents that Horry County remains under a burn ban, and open burning is unlawful until the ban is lifted. Current conditions make open burning extremely dangerous. HCFR also said that smoke will remain visible in the Carolina Forest area, and that an update on the Covington Drive Fire will be shared around noon. 10:10 A.M. TUESDAY Horry County authorities said Tuesday morning the fire was still 2,059 acres and remained at 30% containment, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Horry County Fire Rescue and assisting fire departments responded to a number of hot spots overnight that were quickly snuffed out. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HONOLULU (KHON2) A fire Monday night at the Waimanalo Convenience Center has led to a temporary closure of the facility. Nadine Nakamura, first Asian American woman House speaker, honored The City and County of Honolulus Department of Environmental Services (ENV) announced the closure Tuesday morning. The Honolulu Fire Department quickly responded to the scene last night, extinguishing two fires one in a large 40-cubic-yard bin and another in a trash compactor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 10 facts about Kelly Slaters $16.5M Hawaii North Shore home for sale Early investigations suggested the fires were not related to city operations. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You ENV crews are currently assessing the damage and ensuring the site is safe for reopening. The facility is expected to resume operations Wednesday unless there are any unforeseen delays. In the meantime, residents are urged to hold onto their waste or use alternative city disposal sites. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news For a complete list of drop-off locations, visit the ENV website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. MINSK, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has appointed Viktor Karankevich, Anatoly Sivak and Yuri Shuleiko deputy prime ministers, the press service of the Belarusian leader said on Tuesday. Karankevich, Sivak and Shuleiko previously held relevant posts, and have now retained them in the new Government. The President also compiled teams in the new government that will be responsible for industry, energy, agriculture, transportation, construction and utilities services, the press service said. Lukashenko said that, in general, he has no complaints against the work of the Government. Making personnel decisions regarding the industrial block of the government, Lukashenko stressed that his country needs to address investment issues. The President also noted the importance of Belarusian enterprises being extremely competitive in foreign markets. Earlier Lukashenko appointed Nikolai Snopkov as First Deputy Prime Minister and Vladimir Karanik as Deputy Prime Minister. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Members of Congress delivered a letter to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner Monday, requesting information after agency jobs and funding were slashed by the Trump administration. The letter questioned staff terminations, funding cancelations, stopping work orders and more. One hundred twenty-two House Democrats signed on. DOGE cuts at C&O Canal draw protests at National Park Service office Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes as the letter writers criticize actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency, which they believe will exacerbate the homelessness crisis across the country. As our nation faces one of the worst housing and homelessness crises in history, HUDs role in addressing this crisis is more critical now than ever, the letter said in part. Plans to terminate HUD staff across the country, freeze HUD funding which makes up less than 1% of all federal spending, as well as the decision to [go] after the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule and halt fair housing enforcement efforts under the Equal Access Rule, are cause for deep concern about the future of fair and affordable housing in this great nation. Congress members and fired federal workers rallied outside the HUD office after delivering the letter. One former federal worker named Elizabeth said she was terminated from HUD by email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It just said youre terminated effectively immediately, it didnt give a reason, and it was honestly just really frustrating considering how much time and energy we put into our jobs, she said. Shes now concerned about the many people the agency assists. Its hard not to be in the office and help the people that we know still need help, she said. National parks cutting hours, services amid federal layoffs Meanwhile, last week, Secretary Turner defended the actions of the Trump administration. In order to serve Americans well, we have to get our fiscal house in order. HUDs fiscal house was bulldozed by Biden. Were rebuilding HUDs foundation with stable, fiscal responsibility and regulatory reform, Turner said in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. LOS ANGELES The good news for Mayor Karen Bass: Her decision to sack the citys fire chief in the wake of devastating wildfires was broadly upheld Tuesday by the City Council. The bad news? That affirmation followed a messy spectacle that put the mayor and many council members crosswise with the politically potent firefighters a spat with implications that could persist long after the council vote. You all tell us how much you support firefighters, how much you love labor, Freddy Escobar, president of United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, the union representing the rank-and-file, pointedly told the council. Well, labor is with Chief Crowley on this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The showdown centered on ex-Chief Kristin Crowleys appeal of her termination, which Bass announced nearly two weeks ago. Crowley would have needed the support of two-thirds of the council or 10 members to reverse the decision. In the end, Crowley only got two members Traci Park, who represents the district torched by the Palisades Fire, and Monica Rodriguez. The 13 votes affirming the mayors decision was a forceful show of muscle by Bass and council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, her close ally. Bass' office emphasized the lopsided vote tally in a statement Tuesday about the decision. "This is an issue of public safety and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department the City of Los Angeles is moving forward," said spokesperson Zach Seidl. Though the math was not on Crowleys side, her appeal offered a consolation prize: the chance to inflict new PR pain on a mayor whos been on rocky footing ever since the fires broke out in early January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The high drama was heightened by an audience stacked with union firefighters unmissable in Los Angeles Fire T-shirts while Bass had her own contingent of backers, including civil rights groups and the Stentorians, an organization of Black firefighters. A line of spectators waited outside City Hall well after the proceedings began, while inside the chambers, there was a row of local television cameras capturing live coverage. Crowley, in her first extended public comments after her firing, offered a point-by-point refutation on Bass stated reasons for the firing. She said Bass primary justifications that Crowley sent home 1,000 firefighters on the morning the Palisades Fire began and that she refused to participate in an after-action report were false accusations. She also refuted Bass assertion that she failed to warn her of the dangerous conditions before the fires, which the mayor said would have informed her decision to take a diplomatic trip to Ghana a fateful choice that left her across the globe when the fires began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More pointedly, Crowley laced into the citys continued underfunding of the fire department, suggesting that Los Angeles safety is compromised because of the budgetary decisions of its leaders. I have seen our fire departments struggle from year to year with limited funding, staffing and resources, she told the council. We are past the point of sustaining our services without compromising public safety and the safety of our firefighters. Those budget battles were at the root of the fracture between Bass and Crowley, who gave media interviews while the fires were still burning asserting that the strained resources had hobbled the departments response. Though the two women later insisted they were working together to control the crisis, the public rift had irrevocably poisoned their relationship. Rodriguez, a frequent critic of the mayor, said that Crowleys firing will have a chilling effect on government workers who could fear the political ramifications of publicly voicing concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's sending the wrong message to every city employee and general manager that it is safer to stay silent than to call out what's wrong, Rodriguez said. Park, the other member to support Crowleys appeal, said the quest for accountability might ultimately merit firing everyone who has culpability across multiple departments. But I wouldnt do it without a well-informed record and actual evidence to support that decision, and I dont have it today, she said. Other members made clear the painful position they were in, torn between the mayor and the firefighters, who are often a coveted political backer, especially in the wake of disaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some, like Imelda Padilla, tried to split the difference, taking pains to separate the vote on Crowley from support for the department writ large. We cannot allow this conversation to overshadow the extraordinary bravery and dedication of our first responses and firefighters who battled this disastrous fire, she said. Because honestly, it's starting to feel that way, and Im over it. Padilla voted against Crowleys appeal, as did Tim McOsker, whose brother is a former UFLAC president who spoke in favor of Crowley. McOsker said the city would not be well-served by having a mayor and public safety chief who were at odds. But he was blunt about the blowback he may face for his vote. With a very, very, very heavy heart, I will say that I'm going to put the goal of public safety and a functional city above what might be more politically expedient for me, he said. Sometimes we need to risk our jobs to do our jobs. DAMASCUS, SyriaShoppers have long been coming to the Al-Hamidiyah market in central Damascus to purchase everything from clothes and home appliances to spices and even gold. In and around the Ottoman-era structure can be found links to Syrias and the broader regions history. The metal roofing covering the markets galleries has bullet holes from battles fought against French occupiers. Outside, the remains of the Roman temple of Jupiter lead into the Umayyad Mosque, one of the oldest in the world. The nearby Citadel hosts the tomb of Saladin, one of the most iconic fighters against European crusaders in the Levant. Nowadays, the market is witnessing another historic phase. The crowds have gotten bigger, as thousands of Syrians visit the capital for the first time in years. Besides the normal goods on display, they find newly minted merchandise celebrating the fall of the Assad regime, toppled on Dec. 8 by a coalition of rebel fighters led by the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. The sweaters, wrist bands and beanies emblazoned with Syrias revolutionary flag are a testament to the civic enthusiasm and pride generated by the fall of one of the regions most ruthless dictatorships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the crowds at Al-Hamidiyah market dont signal an improvement in buying power. A more accurate indication of the state of the Syrian economy can be seen outside the market itself. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. Since the fall of the Assad regime, large swathes of central Damascus have become filled with street sellers, with the citys sidewalks showcasing an unusual assortment of products ranging from canned tuna and chocolate bars to napkins and used shoes. This street trade is another sign of the countrys post-Assad transitional period. Old laws are no longer enforced, and the new administration has yet to regulate informal commerce. But the huge numbers of sellers illustrate two key things about the current state of the Syrian economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, the collapse of the Assad regime has reduced some domestic trade barriers and made a range of products cheaper and more readily available. Second, and more importantly, the lack of employment and broader economic prospects is forcing many Syrians to make ends meet by selling whatever they can. According to the United Nations World Food Program, an estimated 90 percent of Syrians currently live below the poverty line, and as many of 12 million people out of an estimated pre-war population of 25 million do not know where their next meal will come from. With much of the countrys infrastructure and housing destroyed, rebuilding Syria will take years and billions of dollars. But in the short term, stabilizing the economy and improving the living standards of Syrias poorest will be crucial. Rebuilding Syria will take years and billions of dollars. But in the short term, stabilizing the economy and improving the living standards of Syrias poorest will be crucial. The transitional government, headed by HTS leader turned interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has vowed to jumpstart the economy and rebuild the country. But much of what it will be able to accomplish over the coming months depends on external factors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A major obstacle is the volley of international sanctions levied against the previous regime by Western countries in 2011, as former dictator Bashar al-Assad violently repressed peaceful protests against his rule. While Assad and his entourage have escaped to Moscow, most of these sanctions remain in place, weighing heavily on economic activity. Sanctions hinder Syrias ability to interact with the rest of the world, limiting investment prospects, Karam Shaar, a political economist and independent consultant, told WPR. In January, the United States temporarily eased some its restrictions on transactions with Syria for a period of six months. Although Washington opted to maintain overall sanctions, it created exemptions to allow for the entry of humanitarian aid, the transfer of personal remittances from Syrians living abroad and certain commercial transactions related to the energy sector. These will now help in the short term. But six months is not nearly enough for what needs to be done. A similar move was announced by the European Union in late February. EU foreign ministers agreed to suspend sanctions on the energy and transport sectors, while easing restrictions on several financing institutions, including the Central Bank of Syria. Impediments on delivery of aid to Syria were also removed. These measures are set to last one year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both the U.S. and EU leaders want to make sure, however, that mechanisms are in place that allow for a quick re-establishment of sanctions if need be. That Western countries would use sanctions-relief to try to push Syrias transition toward an inclusive political system is to be expected. Keeping sanctions against individuals linked to the Assad regimes corruption and human rights abuses, and even some targeting individuals affiliated with the HTS to shape its future behavior, makes sense. But restrictions that impede Syrian businesses from trading internationally or the government from rebuilding the countrys electricity sector, in particular, only extend the misery inflicted by the previous regime. By allowing trade you would bring prices down, because sanctions are merely externalities that add to the price of goods, Assaad Alachi, an economist and executive director of the Baytna nonprofit organization supporting Syrian civil society, told WPR. Energy provision is a key challenge. Due to infrastructural damage, Syrias electricity supply remains intermittent, making businesses dependent on private generators. At night, many parts of the capital remain in the dark. Without a working electrical grid, nothing can happen: no agricultural or industrial development, says Alachi. Removing obstacles to electricity provision would impact Syria at the street level, he adds. For the time being, the exemptions accorded by Washington have opened the door for budget support mechanisms to be pledged by foreign donors. These will help beef up the states ability to implement urgently needed measures. Qatar has vowed to help finance the 400 percent increase in public salaries promised by Syrias new rulers last month, for instance. Saudi Arabia will likely also provide financial support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With state salaries averaging $25 a month, the hikes will help stimulate the economy by boosting livelihoods. But salary increases alone are expected to cost $127 million monthly. For the moment, Syrias interim government cannot fulfill its financial obligations with its own resources. According to Shaar, during the last few years of the Assad regime, the Syrian state used deficit spendingessentially printing moneyto make up for about a third of its expenses in the areas of the country it controlled. State spending has been $2 billion to $3 billion over the past four or five years, Shaar says. So, if you look at how much Qatar is willing to provide, that is already over half of the budget. Supporting the Syrian states ability to pay salaries and run its dilapidated services is essential to restarting the economy. Many state workers have been laid off, and many factories and private businesses have shut down. Public employees who managed to keep their jobs have had much of their pay delayed, and in many cases they and private-sector workers cant even retrieve money due to a currency crunch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of early March, financial support by Gulf countries still hadnt made it to Damascus, because Qatari authorities were reportedly unsure of whether or not these transfers would violate U.S. sanctions. In Washington, the Trump administrations position regarding Syrias new rulers remains unclear. All over Damascus, however, lines outside bank branches remain a daily sight. In the short term, authorities are hoping that meager budgetary resources can be boosted through a combination of regional support, new investment flows and eventually access to Syrian assets frozen abroad due to the account holders links to the Assad regime. Another challenge will be for the government to unify the currency in use. In Damascus, goods can be purchased using either Syrian pounds or U.S. dollars. Further north, the Turkish lira is also accepted. This creates challenges for businesses and affects the governments ability to implement monetary policy to stabilize the Syrian pound, which has seen high fluctuations in value that present additional problems for businesses and households. The economic recovery will also be influenced by politics. Sharaa, who led the military offensive against the Assad regime, has stated it will take four to five years to organize elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite his unifying rhetoric, however, Sharaa has yet to communicate a comprehensive vision for the political transition and showcase how it will include all Syrians, irrespective of gender, religion or political affiliation. A promised national dialogue took place last week, but it was hastily organized to meet a March 1 deadline previously announced by Sharaa. As a result, it offered little clarity on the path forward. In the meantime, authorities are trying to incorporate Syrias multiple rebel militias into a unified army. Despite the acquiescence of other armed factions, negotiations between the interim government in Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast have stalled, resulting in the SDF being excluded from last weeks dialogue. In the city of Homs and its surrounding province, insecurity and the risk of score-settling threaten to precipitate a new wave of fighting. No one will invest in Syria without knowing whether the country will be united or not, warns Shaar. After half a century of dictatorship under the Assad family and 14 years of a destructive civil war, Syrias political transition is a historic opportunity that was unthinkable only a few months ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for the informal sellers trying to make a living around Damascus as well as for Syrians at large, the political transition will only be as sustainable as the economic recovery that underpins it. And the timeframe for that is more urgent. Francisco Serrano is a journalist, writer and analyst. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, Weapons of Reason, The Outpost, Foreign Affairs and other outlets. His latest book, As Ruinas da Decada, about the Middle East in the decade after the 2011 popular revolts, was published in 2022. The post The First Test for Syrias Transition Will Be the Economy appeared first on World Politics Review. HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) The story of Virginia Christian, the first woman in Virginia to be executed more than a century ago, was retold in a living documentary Monday at the Hampton History Museum. The Tragic Case of Virginia Christian: A True Crime Exploration is a new theater-in-the-round dramatic experience from playwright Marie St. Clair, in which she shares Christians story, featuring actors reenacting the historical events surrounding the crime, followed by a guided discussion led by Dr. Colita Nichols Fairfax. Christian was convicted of murdering her employer, Ida Belote, when she was 16, and was the only woman executed by the Commonwealth of Virginia in the 20th century. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a biography of her at the Library of Virginia, she worked as a washer woman in Hampton to support her paralyzed mother. After a two-day trial in April 1912, she was convicted of murdering her White employer and was sentenced to death. She was executed on the day after her 17th birthday Aug. 16. She was the only woman in Virginia between 1908, when the General Assembly had centralized executions at the Virginia State Penitentiary, and 2010, when another woman, Teresa Lewis, was executed for murder before the state abolished capital punishment 11 years later. Fairfax shared insights into Hamptons societal culture in 1912, with the performance and discussion a blend of historical reenactment and historical analysis. The program was presented in a partnership with the citys Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Luther Chambers, thats my legal name I portray Henry Christian, Virginia Christians father, Chambers said. I get a call from Dr. Jerome Lee. Hes a former member of my church, and hes now a pastor of his own church. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then he says, I wanted to talk to you about that post you dropped the other day. He said, We got a show coming up. He says, Thats a relative of mine. I am the great-great-nephew of Virginia Christian. Its his mothers great aunt. Sandra Lee Packet, a great-niece of Virginia Christian on her mothers side, shared her memories. Now, the picture that Ive got, this is my grandma, Virginias sister, Packet said, pointing to a photo on the left. And this is my mother. In looking at a photo of Virginia Christian, Packet said she looked afraid. She looked like she realized she had to accept it, because there wasnt a choice, Packet said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Director Marie St. Claire said when she saw Virginia Christians photo, and the hopelessness in her eyes, I was like, Im going to tell your story.' What happens when youre just a regular girl, 16-years-old in 1912, St. Claire said, your days consist of washing clothes for people. So, somehow this everyday experience escalates to we go from a disagreement to a murder. Packet said no one denied that she did it. The whole thing was, she didnt have a choice, and at 17, she could have been in jail, Packet said. And they could [have] sent her to prison. St. Claire said that due to the prominence of the Belote family, they wanted Virginia Christian executed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor said right from the start, she was guilty. It was a heinous crime, the worst crime he had ever heard of, St. Claire said. Her mother had a heartfelt letter that she sent to the governor begging for them to commute her sentence. Nobody was trying to get her off. Everybody knew that she did commit this crime. However, commute her sentence to life in prison, as opposed to being executed. Said Chambers: All of it is tragic the relationship maybe not so good because of the timeframe, the era, but what if there was better communication. Would this woman have survived? Would she be electrocuted? St. Claire said in spite of the crime, she wanted to answer a key question. St. Claire said that even though Virginia Christian did commit this murder, my question that I was trying to answer was what is the positive thing that can come from this? What is something that we can learn from this?' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. An unhealthy bobcat was rescued from a Dane County road over the weekend. The Fitchburg Police Department said it was dispatched around 3 p.m. Saturday after someone reported a bobcat sitting in the middle of the road near Commerce Park Drive and Cottonwood Driv. The area is about six miles from downtown Madison and is surrounded by an industrial park, a movie theater and other businesses. The Military Ridge State Trail is about a block away. Fitchburg police said the cat was "being unsafe and stubborn" in the road, and the caller who reported it said the animal "looked unwell." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wisconsin WildCare, a DeForest-based wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization, helped officers safely remove the bobcat. The animal was turned over to its care. Fitchburg Police Officer Greene responded to a call of an 'unwell' bobcat sitting stubbornly in the middle of the road in the area of Commerce Park Drive and Cottonwood Drive on Saturday, March 1, 2025. How common are bobcats in Wisconsin? According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, bobcats can be found in all 72 Wisconsin counties. WiscNews reported that over 46,500 of them call Wisconsin home. Bobcats are generally between 20 and 30 pounds, the DNR says. They have light brown fur with spots and a short tail with black bands on the top. Historically, bobcats are a northern Wisconsin species, the DNR says, but recently, sightings have increased in the central and southern portions of the state. More: Smith: When it comes to wildcats in Wisconsin, bobcats are king This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Fitchburg police rescue sick bobcat from the middle of the road LORAIN, Ohio (WJW) Overnight fire crews in Lorain were called to a burning office building. Flames shooting from the roof of the 3-story building, located at 6111 South Broadway, were so large crews used several ladder trucks to help fight the fire defensively. Watch: Police use grappler to end pursuit The fire broke out shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. It wasnt immediately clear what businesses are currently located in the building, but according to the county auditors website, it was previously owned by the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio before it was sold in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was angry: Parents speak out after 7-year-old child left on local school bus The cause of the fire has not yet been released. No injuries were reported. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. A passenger tried to open an emergency exit on a flight from Madrid to Venezuela. One of the flight attendants fractured his leg while intervening, the airline told Business Insider. The passenger was handed over to authorities on landing in Caracas, it added. After a passenger tried to open an emergency exit in midair, a flight attendant who intervened is off work for weeks with a fractured leg. Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas Flight 701 was traveling from Madrid to Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday when a passenger began disturbing other travelers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An airline spokesperson told Business Insider the man was slapping and shouting at the person asleep next to him. "The crew acted quickly, calming the situation between the two," they said, adding that the disruptive passenger was moved to another seat. Moments later, he tried to open one of the plane's emergency exits, the airline said. A video shared on social media appears to show cabin crew scrambling toward the man to restrain him while concerned passengers look on. During the incident, one of the flight attendants suffered a partial fracture of his fibula, a lower leg bone, the Plus Ultra spokesperson said. He has been treated, but the injury will keep him off work for a few weeks, they added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unruly passenger was subdued in the back of the plane, accompanied by two crew members, until they reached Caracas, where he was handed over to local authorities, the airline said. It wasn't clear how far into the eight-and-a-half-hour flight the incident occurred. Data from FlightRadar24 shows the flight landed in Caracas around 30 minutes ahead of schedule. "In no case was the safety of the flight or those on board compromised," the spokesperson said. While somebody reaching for an emergency exit is frightening, it is effectively impossible to open one midflight. To prevent problems like hypoxia or altitude sickness, planes are pressurized to an altitude of 8,000 feet or below. That means the cabin's pressure is much higher than outside, producing huge forces that keep the doors sealed shut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Passengers attempting to open plane doors are rare but not unheard of. Last month, an Iberia passenger was accused of assaulting a flight attendant and opening an emergency exit before jumping onto the taxiway while a flight was preparing to take off. In 2023, four South Korean airlines signed up for a program that prioritizes exit row seats for uniformed personnel, including soldiers and airline workers. Passengers would also be warned in the pre-flight briefing not to try to open the emergency exit. The measures were introduced after an Asiana Airlines passenger opened a door at an altitude of 700 feet as the plane came in to land. Nobody was seriously injured, but nine people were taken to hospital after suffering from suspected hyperventilation, and a 33-year-old passenger was arrested, The Guardian reported. Read the original article on Business Insider Senate President Ben Alb ritton (L) and House Speaker Danny Perez (R) are ready for the start of the 2025 Session. (Photos via the Legislature; Capitol photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix.) The Florida Legislature for the past few years worked hand-in-hand with Gov. Ron DeSantis ahead of his unsuccessful presidential bid, pushing into law a long line of controversial measures dealing with abortion, gender and racial identity, and guns. The Republican majority and DeSantis also worked closely together on a huge expansion in taxpayer-financed private school vouchers and a crackdown on social media companies (although that last one drew Democratic support). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This years regular session, however, could feature a less malleable Legislature following a bruising battle this year between legislative leaders and the Republican governor over immigration. It took three special sessions for both sides to reach an accord on a bill aimed at helping state and local authorities cooperate with President Donald Trumps mass deportation plans. DeSantis for his part has played down talk that the tug-of-war over immigration with Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez will spill into this years session. I think you are going to see a very productive next two years, DeSantis said right after he signed the immigration measure into law. I know both Ben and Danny worked hard to get into their positions. You know, they want to leave a mark. They want to leave a legacy of success. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Familiar flashpoints Senate and House Democratic leaders Jason Pizzo (L) and Fentrice Driskell (R) will have a hard time stopping the Republican supermajority during the 2025 session. (Photos via Florida Legislature) Some familiar flashpoints are possible this year. Bills dealing with abortion including one to require public schoolchildren to watch an anti-abortion video in health class guns, and even preserving Confederate memorials have been introduced for the 60-day session that starts on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats, who now comprise superminorities in both chambers, will be unable to stop any of these initiatives if they gain backing from legislative leaders. DeSantis also wants legislators to embrace a crackdown on ballot initiatives that some critics contend would make it all but impossible for citizens to place constitutional amendments on the ballot. DeSantis launched that effort after he led the push last fall to defeat initiatives dealing with abortion access and recreational marijuana. But legislators mindful of DeSantis limited time remaining in office may wind up spending more attention to complicated, pressing problems such as insurance and condominium regulations maybe even property taxes (which the governor wants to abolish). They could even vote against some of DeSantis controversial appointees to university boards. The Legislature could even limit the power of a governor who has pushed the limits of his authority throughout his time in office, as evidenced when the House and Senate released identical higher education bills that would reinstate transparency requirements for university presidential searches and places term limits on members the Board of Governors and the Board of Education, which oversee the State University System and individual institutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the House has teed up possible veto overrides of budget items that DeSantis nixed last year from the state fiscal year FY 2024-25 budget. State government has become so flush with cash that we have lost any sense of discipline. House Speaker Danny Perez DeSantis did lay out his spending priorities a month ago, including eliminating a tax charged on commercial leases, redirecting how the state spends on cancer research, and putting nearly $590 million into the My Safe Florida Home program, designed to help homeowners hurricane-proof their residences and earn them potential reductions in insurance premiums. Gov. Ron DeSantis announces his proposed budget from the Capitol on Feb. 3, 2025. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) DeSantis proposed budget would transfer the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the Ringlings CadZan mansion, and the Ringling Circus Museum from Florida State University to New College of Florida. While New College President Richard Corcoran is super excited at the idea, the proposal isnt sitting well with Florida State University, Perezs alma mater. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Albritton, meanwhile, has his own big-ticket items, including his rural renaissance package, a nearly $200 million effort to help economic development in the states less-populated counties. The proposal targets improved broadband access, roads, schools, and health care facilities. The Senate president also wants to increase opportunities for children with autism and their families. Valuing value Perez hasnt released his legislative priorities, although a House health care committee last month passed a dental therapy bill that Perez sponsored as a freshman in 2018; he co-sponsored similar legislation in 2019. A House committee last month passed a sovereign immunity bill to make it easier for people injured by state or local governments to sue for damages beyond whats allowed in statute. Perez in 2019 sponsored two claims bills on behalf of constituents seeking to pierce the sovereign immunity limits. But in terms of the next state budget, the only bill lawmakers are constitutionally required to pass during the regular session, the speakers priority appears to be reining in spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his inaugural speech as House Speaker in November, Perez noted that when he was first elected to the House the states budget was $82 billion and that it has grown by about $40 billion since then. State government has become so flush with cash that we have lost any sense of discipline. We make purchases following natural disasters with little to no inventory control. We buy land that we cant keep track of, much less manage competently. We spend millions of dollars on failed IT projects. How much money has been spent on Capitol renovations only to have parking garages that leak water and flood? Perez said. We need to build a state budget that values value. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE TALLAHASSEE Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez announced Tuesday that he was ordering a committee to hold hearings into property insurance companies moving billions of dollars to affiliate companies while claiming losses, following reporting by the Times/Herald. In his opening remarks for the legislative session, which began Tuesday, the Miami Republican said that insurance companies might have been using creative accounting to hide profits. A couple of years ago, the insurance industry came to the Legislature and said without sweeping reforms, companies could not compete in Florida, Perez told lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have since learned of reports in existence at that time but not disclosed to the Legislature that may suggest some insurance companies were using accounting tricks to hide substantial profits while telling us they were in a crisis." The Times/Herald last month revealed that a never-before-seen state report found that insurance companies claimed to lose millions at the start of the states insurance crisis while their affiliate companies made billions. The report was produced in March 2022, months before lawmakers met in emergency sessions of the Legislature to make it harder to sue insurance companies. Insurers, regulators and Gov. Ron DeSantis cited the high number of lawsuits against companies as the reason why Floridians were experiencing skyrocketing premiums. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perez said the committee would be given the full range of tools to investigate: issuing subpoenas, putting witnesses under oath and hiring outside experts. Those tools are rarely used by legislative committees. The remarks received a standing ovation from lawmakers. When asked about Perezs comments, DeSantis said that state regulators have since increased oversight of insurers' affiliates, although he was open to doing more. If theres things that need to be done to be able to make sure that we have transparency and appropriate oversight, Im all for that, said DeSantis, who oversees the Office of Insurance Regulation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he said he still supported the changes that made it harder to sue insurance companies, and he would not support any legislation undoing it. That was something that needed to be done, he said. Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said senators were going to be watching closely for what the Houses hearings yield. Last week, House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, asked Perez to order an investigation. She praised Perezs decision on Tuesday and said there could be meaningful legislation over the next 60 days. We can see that this Legislature can act quickly when it needs to, Driskell said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American Property Casualty Insurance Association, a trade group representing insurance companies, said in a statement that it would work with lawmakers. The association looks forward to working with the Legislature during the 2025 Legislative Session and ensuring policy proposals are based on facts and not sensationalized reporting, its vice president of state government relations, Logan McFaddin, said in a statement. The report was first requested by the Times/Herald in 2022 and received in December last year. It was commissioned at a cost of about $150,000 by the Office of Insurance Regulation to examine insurers' use of affiliate companies between 2017 and 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The office caps the profits of insurers at about 4.5%. To get around it, many companies set up webs of affiliate companies that charge the insurance company for services at rates that can be well above what the services cost. Once the money leaves the insurer, its no longer under the oversight of regulators and not available to pay claims. The report showed that the insurers in the study (minus a couple of outliers) showed a net loss of $432 million during those three years. Their affiliate companies showed a net income of $1.8 billion. Insurers also spent $680 million on dividends to shareholders during the period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The author of the report concluded that 19 of 30 companies it examined had relationships with affiliates that were not fair and reasonable under state regulations, which are not defined. The Office of Insurance Regulation said the report was incomplete but showed that reforms to affiliate companies it has made were justified. The office this year is asking lawmakers to allow it to get more information on affiliate companies, including the actual cost of the services it charges insurers. Perez told reporters that the House had already filed a request for records with the Office of Insurance Regulation relating to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe in (the office), Perez said. They want to do whats right, and they want to do whats right for the consumer. The House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee, led by Rep. Brad Yeager, R-New Port Richey, will be conducting the hearings. Yeager said he didnt know yet what the hearings would entail. We want to peel the onion back and see whats there, Yeager said. Well do whatever we need to do to find the information out. Times/Herald staff writer Romy Ellenbogen contributed to this report. POOL, WV (WVNS) A Florida man pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a gun in West Virginia. According to a press release, on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 30-year-old Marcas Cory Anglin, of Tampa, Florida, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wyoming County man, ambulance business owner sentenced for tax crimes The press release stated that according to statements made in court, members of law enforcement tried to hold a traffic stop on October 2, 2020 of a car driven by Anglin in the Pool area of Nicholas County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anglin fled in the car before running from law enforcement on foot and reportedly having a standoff with law enforcement officers with a loaded handgun. Anglin was arrested and the gun was seized. People with previous felony convictions are prevented from possessing gun or ammunition by federal law. Anglin knew that he could not have a gun in his possession due to a prior felony conviction for armed burglary of a dwelling in Hillsborough County, Florida, Circuit Court on June 19, 2014. Mercer County woman sentenced after refusing drug rehabilitation Anglins sentencing is scheduled for July 8, 2025, and he faces up to ten years in prison, a maximum of three years of parole, and a $250,000 fine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston, who thanked the West Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their work on the 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 WVNS. JUBA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said Tuesday it faces a critical funding shortfall of 412 million U.S. dollars to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of millions in crisis-hit South Sudan in 2025. The WFP highlighted pressing requirements, including food and nutrition aid for crisis-affected populations, prepositioning supplies before the rainy season in May, and logistical support services. "The country is grappling with a long-standing humanitarian crisis marked by chronic food and nutrition insecurity, worsened by the severe economic downturn and climatic shocks," the WFP said in its latest report. The conflict in neighboring Sudan has worsened the situation, pushing over one million refugees into South Sudan. According to the UN, about 9.3 million people will require humanitarian assistance in 2025 -- 300,000 more than in 2024 -- while over 1.8 million remain internally displaced due to violence and climate-related disasters such as floods and droughts. Between December 2024 and March 2025, approximately 6.1 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity at crisis levels or worse, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Projections indicate that the number could rise to 7.7 million during the 2025 lean season. The WFP, meanwhile, noted that Sudan's conflict has exacerbated South Sudan's economic conditions. Damage to Sudan's oil pipeline has disrupted exports, reducing foreign exchange inflows and depreciating the local currency. South Sudan is grappling with multiple crises, including subnational violence, economic instability, and food insecurity, pushing millions of families into unprecedented humanitarian, economic, and political vulnerability, the agency warned. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A Florida Missing Child Alert was cancelled for a 16-year-old Tampa girl on Monday. Around 7 p.m., officials said the girl was found safe. The girl was last seen in the area of the 6000 block of Gibson Avenue in Tampa wearing a gray sweater and gray sweatpants. She was described as a black female with black hair and brown eyes. She is 53 tall and weighs 245 pounds. She has two nose piercings and a lip piercing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police believed she may have been traveling in the South Florida area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. TALLAHASSEE, Florida The typical pomp and circumstance surrounding Floridas Legislature opening its regular session comes with added flair this year: More political tension among Republicans, more speculation about Gov. Ron DeSantis legacy and the 2026 election, and less money to consider with federal aid drying up. The 60-day session, a usual slow-starter amid the ceremonial kick-off and opening day speech by DeSantis, comes weeks after GOP legislators and DeSantis reached an accord on a comprehensive illegal immigration bill. The infighting may be the most unusual thing of all for the governor, once a conservative rising star and 2024 presidential candidate who now faces harsh headwinds both out of Washington and in Tallahassee. DeSantis is term-limited, and Rep. Byron Donalds has already been endorsed by President Donald Trump to take his place in 2026. But first lady Casey DeSantis may wind up challenging Donalds in what could be a bruising GOP primary. She has been coy so far about whether she will take the plunge, but POLITICO reported late last month that both of the DeSantises have reached out to donors and supporters in recent weeks about a possible run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governors race, as well as other statewide races that several Republican legislators are expected to run in, could loom over the entire session. Legislative leaders have signaled they want to tackle more parochial and pocketbook issues than in recent years, when they moved through a long line of contentious, DeSantis-supported measures dealing with guns, abortion, and racial and gender identity issues. We have our own ideas on what good government means and how to produce for Floridians and were going to assert that, said state Senate President Ben Albritton. And that assertion is not just a blatant disregard for the perspective of the governor. But its part of that idea of being co-equal and that we both matter. Republicans have already sent signs of reasserting their independence: Examining budget vetoes by the governor for possible override, suggesting they will vote down recent controversial appointments by DeSantis, and even pushing proposals that would rein some powers of the governor. Top state House Republicans, for example, filed a proposed constitutional amendment to abolish the post of lieutenant governor that would also limit the governors power over agencies that report to him and the other elected members of the Cabinet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida Democrats, a super minority in both chambers with little power to challenge anything, have a wait-and-see attitude about the next two months. Im here for the Legislature pushing back on executive authority, authority that is overreaching and thats harmful to the people of Florida, said State House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, a Tampa Democrat. Part of the challenge, though, is there's oftentimes not so much daylight between legislative leadership and the governor actually believe in terms of values. So well see what the net effect of that is this legislative session. But I am encouraged that the Florida Legislature seems to be the Legislature once again. DeSantis has already laid out several priorities for legislators. In early February, he presented a $115.6 billion spending plan that includes substantial raises for state law enforcement and a long list of proposed tax cuts, including the complete elimination of the tax now charged on business and office rent. The governor previously called on legislators to alter a law that placed mandates on condominium associations, saying we should not want to see anyone forced out of their condo because of regulation. DeSantis also wants to sharply restrict the ability of outside groups to place proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot. And he has signaled support for allowing the open carry of firearms, and requiring more businesses to screen the immigration status of new employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The big question, however, is whether legislative leaders pursuing their own agenda will ultimately rebuff the governor on many of his priorities. The governor still has a very good policy and political radar, said state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, a strong ally of DeSantis who has shepherded many of his legislative wins. He knows what people are going to want out of the Legislature. So from now until the time hes termed out of office I dont see him turning off the spigot. And legislators could still spend time during the upcoming session on issues that resonate with Trump supporters. There are plans to memorialize the Gulf of America in Florida law and to consider banning communities from adding fluoride in water supplies. Legislators have also introduced a bill that would require public school children and teenagers in grades six through 12 to watch a video that shows the development of an embryo. Albritton has already highlighted several items he wants legislators to consider, including his so-called rural renaissance package designed to pour additional resources and spending into the states less-populated counties. Its a robust set of proposals that comes with a nearly $200 million price tag at a time when DeSantis and House Speaker Daniel Perez have talked openly about curtailing spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Floridas overall spending shot up during the DeSantis years with the infusions of federal aid approved during the pandemic but the total did remain flat last year due in part to budget vetoes. Perez has already publicly questioned the increases, signaling a potential time of restraint. But less flexibility in spending gives legislative leaders less leverage overall with their own rank-and-file members. Perez has so far remained quite mum on his own legislative priorities a move that could give him the upper hand in negotiations with the governor and the Senate. He has mentioned the need to address affordability concerns and property insurance. And it looks as if his chamber is ready to wade into fractious special interest battles over lawsuit limits. DeSantis has talked openly about finding a way to lower the amount of property taxes paid by residents to local governments and school districts. But even he has conceded that any concrete proposals which would require voter approval may wait until next year to finish. One key issue: A large cut in property taxes would require potential budget cuts or finding a new source of revenue. Albritton himself conceded it was a complicated fix, telling POLITICO last week that its not simple math, it is bona fide calculus, if not trigonometry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One bit of simple math remains that Republicans if unified can move quickly and forcefully if they want. State Sen. Jason Pizzo remains skeptical legislators will put aside their partisan and intraparty differences to tackle what he considers pressing problems. If we can get a lot of good stuff done this session, then I dont have to run for anything else, said the Aventura Democrat, who has been contemplating his own bid for governor. Isa Dominguez and Arek Sarkissian contributed to this report. The Florida Supreme Court recently disciplined seven attorneys disbarring three, revoking the license of one, suspending two and reprimanding one, the Florida Bar has announced. Court orders are not final until the time expires for the disciplined attorney to file a rehearing motion. The attorneys represent law practices from across the state. Disbarred lawyers must wait five years before they reapply for admission, and those who reapply are required to undergo a rigorous background check, as well as retake the Bar exam. Attorneys suspended for 91 days and longer must demonstrate rehabilitation in order to regain their law licenses. Disciplinary revocation is tantamount to disbarment. Jupiter Stephen Everett Walker, suspended for three years. Admitted to practice in 2001, Walker filed a civil complaint against his former romantic partner that included numerous unprofessional and derogatory statements about her and forwarded the complaint to her family and friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subsequently, he voluntarily dismissed the case and filed a second civil complaint which included numerous salacious and explicit statements that were included only to embarrass, humiliate, and harass his former partner. He also included new counts against others and made false accusations of RICO violations and misrepresentations to the court. Walker forwarded the second civil complaint to his partners family and friends. Further, Walker was charged with two misdemeanor counts of violating a restraining order against his former partner. Ocala Danialle Riggins, disbarred. Admitted to practice in 2005, Riggins engaged in a serious pattern of neglect and lack of communication with four separate clients. Riggins received funds from the clients for which she performed no useful services, did not respond to their requests for information, delayed resolution of the clients cases and did not refund any of the money she previously accepted. In some instances, Riggins caused the clients to seek alternative counsel, resulting in additional cost to the clients. In addition, two judges familiar with appearances of Riggins in their courtrooms complained about her inappropriate courtroom conduct and missed hearings. Riggins also failed to participate meaningfully in the disciplinary proceeding. Cocoa Beach Andrea Povilaitis, disbarred. Admitted to practice in 1997, Povilaitis concealed her neglect of a clients civil case by paying him what she falsely claimed were his settlement funds from her personal checking account. In fact, there was no settlement because she never filed the case, and she made misrepresentations to the Bar about the nonexistent settlement during the Bars investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a second case, Povilaitis was arrested in 2021 for driving while under the influence, for causing property damage after she crashed her vehicle, and for resisting arrest without violence. Povilaitis ultimately pled no contest to reckless driving and was placed on probation. Povilaitis failed to respond to the Bars written investigative inquiries and failed to participate in the resulting disciplinary proceedings against her. Orlando Johnny A. Pineyro, suspended for 91 days with proof of rehabilitation required prior to reinstatement. Admitted to practice in 1997, and after a motion for sanctions was filed in a civil matter, Pineyro submitted an affidavit to the court that was not accurate regarding his involvement in the representation. Pineyro explained that he was not counsel in the interpleader action at issue. Pineyro drafted an affidavit, which he sent to his attorney, who made substantial changes to the affidavit. Pineyro then signed the affidavit without thoroughly reviewing the content. His attorney filed it with the court. The affidavit failed to explain that Pineyro had assisted counsel in the case by reviewing a few pleadings and answering some questions, which led to additional litigation. After several days of testimony in the interpleader action, the court entered an order denying the motion for sanctions and referring Pineyro to The Florida Bar. Coral Gables Nicole Marie Pearl, disciplinary revocation with leave to seek readmission after five years. Admitted to practice in 2014, Pearl petitioned for disciplinary revocation following a judicial finding of fraudulent conduct in connection with a real estate development project. The Supreme Court granted the petition. Windermere Jeffrey Darryl Hogan, public reprimand and completion of a trust accounting workshop. Admitted to practice in 1992, Hogan overlooked making payments that originally were owed to the medical service providers in personal injury cases as far back as 15 years ago because he failed to maintain the required trust accounting records and failed to follow the required trust accounting procedures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hogan has since made all the payments owed. The Bars audit of his attorney trust account also found shortages, which Hogan immediately corrected. There was no evidence Hogan misused any funds. Miami Daryl Bobby Fenton, disbarred. Admitted to practice in 2020, and during a period of delinquency for failure to complete his continuing education requirements, Fenton engaged in the practice of law by filing a notice of appearance on behalf of a client. Fenton misrepresented on his application for reinstatement that he had not practiced law during the period of delinquency. When the Bar requested an explanation for the misrepresentation, Fenton failed to respond. Fenton was also judicially referred for failure to appear at two trial dates. He similarly failed to respond to that grievance and did not appear at his final hearing. Founded in 1949, The Florida Bar serves the legal profession for the protection and benefit of both the public and all Florida lawyers. As one of the nations largest mandatory bars, The Florida Bar fosters and upholds a high standard of integrity and competence within Floridas legal profession as an official arm of the Florida Supreme Court. To learn more, visit FloridaBar.org. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida bar report: Supreme Court disciplines Miami, Orlando lawyers Foaming at the mouth: Students hospitalized after consuming THC gummies MORICHES, Long Island (PIX11) A dozen students on Long Island were sickened at school Monday morning after someone handed out marijuana gummies at William Floyd Middle School. All of the students had to be rushed to the hospital after experiencing the effects of the drug. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State A mother of two of the students who wanted to remain anonymous spoke exclusively to PIX11 News. He felt like he was dying, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a frightening scene at William Floyd Middle School in Suffolk County according to students. A lot of firefighters and ambulances started coming, said Valeria Perez, a student at the school. A dozen ninth-grade students were given THC gummies and quickly began feeling the effects. You could really have side effects from gummies, said middle school parent, Carissa Slaninka. They can take you to places you dont want to go, even as an adult. One of the students, a 13-year-old boy who already suffers from a heart defect was hospitalized alongside his sister all day. Speaking from the hospital, their mother described the dizzying ordeal that left her terrified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If I lose my kids, I wouldnt even know what to do, she said. Its a gummy, its THC. I dont know the effects, but what Im seeing is brutalmy child was foaming at the mouth. More Local News She is demanding the school investigate who gave out the gummies and where they came from. Theyre a risk for teens trying to experiment, said Dr. Candice Foy, a pediatrician at Stony Brook Childrens Hospital. The best bet is not bringing them into the house. That hospitals emergency department alone treated 10 children and says its not uncommon to see this level of intoxication in young people. Weve had children come in completely altered, with difficulty speaking and not arousable, Foy said. The higher the dose, sometimes theres an altered level of consciousness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After this sobering lesson in drug safety, students say theyve learned an important takeaway. Not to take anything from other people, Perez, 11, said. It could be bad, or you could get sick from it. New York City reports measles cases, raising public health concern Parents say theyll use the incident as a teachable moment. Now that its happened, Im sure Ill be having a conversation with her, Slaninka said. It remains unclear how the student was able to get the gummies, which are legal in licensed shops in New York for anyone 21 and older. No criminal charges will be filed at this point, and discipline will be handled at the school level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Foes of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have formed a fundraising committee to pursue a recall campaign against her, according to paperwork filed with the city's Ethics Commission on Monday. The paperwork was originally filed with the state last week. The filing, submitted nearly two months after a wildfire destroyed swaths of L.A.'s Pacific Palisades neighborhood, will allow Bass' opponents to raise money to put a recall on the ballot. More information about the effort emerged Tuesday morning, when the group released a video on social media and publicly launched a campaign website. Silicon Valley philanthropist and former Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running mate Nicole Shanahan is listed as the recall effort's primary funder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shanahan, a former Democrat, poured millions from her personal fortune into Kennedy's independent presidential bid. She later backed President Trump after she and Kennedy dropped out of the race. Shanahan did not respond to a Facebook message from The Times. Los Angeles has endured enough, Shanahan said Tuesday on X. Once a city of hope, its now overrun with crime, chaos, and suffering. Today, we begin the effort to revive the City of Angels for the people. First step: recalling Karen Bass. Beyond Shanahan's associations, several of the operatives pursuing the Bass recall campaign appear to be Republicans a fact that could limit the campaign's appeal in a heavily Democratic city. Douglas Herman, a political strategist for Bass, said in a statement that the recall committee's filing is "nothing more than another extreme right-wing political stunt designed to divide Los Angeles when we need to move forward." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bass, a Democrat who spent 12 years in Congress, has been under fire over her absence from the city when the Palisades fire broke out and her struggle to answer questions when she returned. She has been at odds with her former fire chief, Kristin Crowley, removing Crowley on Feb. 21. The mayor also has had strained relations with Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who represents the Palisades. Her handpicked recovery czar, Steve Soboroff, recently said he was lied to about his compensation, then walked back the accusation. Paperwork filed with the Ethics Commission lists Sahil Nandwani, a real estate agent, as the recall committee's principal officer. Nandwani has been a donor to the state Republican Party, the San Bernardino County Republican Central Committee, Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) and San Diego Republican Kevin Faulconers gubernatorial bid during the 2021 attempted recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to federal campaign finance data. Nandwani also was active with the College Republicans while attending USC and was named "campaigner of the year" by the California Federation of College Republicans in 2019, according to the USC Republican Alumni Facebook page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nandwani referred questions about the committee to political strategist Gerald Sirotnak, who did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Times. On his LinkedIn page, Sirotnak is listed as the executive director of the San Diego Republican Party. He also identified himself as a onetime campaign manager for Calvert, saying that victory "helped secure a majority in the House for the Republican Party." The committee's paperwork lists its campaign treasurer as Kelly Lawler, a registered Republican who runs a Merced County-based firm that supports Republican and independent candidates nationwide. Only one Los Angeles mayor has ever successfully been recalled. In 1938, voters ousted the ignominiously corrupt Frank Shaw, electing reformer Fletcher Bowron in his place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To trigger a recall election, opponents of Bass would need to collect approximately 330,000 signatures, or 15% of the city's registered voters, within 120 days of the filing date. That percentage has proved an extremely high bar in recent years. Efforts to recall Councilmember Nithya Raman, former Councilmember Kevin de Leon and former Mayor Eric Garcetti were launched and then fizzled out. The most potent effort took place in 2021, when critics of Councilmember Mike Bonin gathered nearly 26,000 valid voter signatures supportive of a recall. The Bonin recall drive still fell short by 1,350 signatures. In 2022, Bonin decided not to run for reelection. 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. As more of President Trumps policies take effect, many of his voters are sharing their regret online, particularly as they experience firsthand the consequences of drastic cuts in spending and policy changes. While others who once supported him are now reconsidering their stance, not just due to policy impacts but also because of his behavior and leadership style. This shift became especially noticeable following his Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, which raised further concerns among current and former supporters. Two individuals seated in a formal setting, one in a black suit, the other in a blue suit with a red tie, with ornate decor in the background It was after that meeting with Zelensky that Reddit user Yo-boy-Jimmy posed this question to his supporters in the rAsk/Reddit subreddit: "Trump supporters, what is a red line that, if crossed, would make you stop supporting Trump?" Person waving at a crowded rally, surrounded by people holding signs that read "TRUMP WILL FIX IT" and wearing supportive merchandise The post went super viral, getting over 22K responses with Trump supporters, not surprisingly, overwhelming saying his treatment of allies and the Zelensky Oval Office meeting were big red lines. Below are the top and best comments: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1."In an effort to provide some sort of helpful commentary, I asked this question to my father: who is as big of a Trump supporter as any person can claim (and I say this with zero exaggeration). If the cuts to Medicaid and Social Security go through, he will lose his faith in Trump. All of his other actions, the axe DOGE is taking to the administration, the tax bumps to the ultra-rich, he feels that these things are justified as, as he puts it, 'At least someone is doing something about it' (it being our debt, and yes the irony of this statement is not lost on me)." "Hitting things like SNAP and benefits for vulnerable populations, he is under the belief it wont actually happen that theres a bigger picture we arent seeing. If it actually goes through, this administration will have lost a supporter who would rather cut out his own tongue than say anything bad about our president.Hearing my father say he is scared about what is currently happening causes me concern. It was a canary in the coal mine moment that I wont be ignoring." manoasky 2."Lifelong Republican voter. I will preface by saying I have never been specifically a Trump fan, to begin with, but for me, a key line that has been crossed is destroying our relationship with our allies. The other significant line is actually entertaining the idea that the executive branch does not have to follow orders from the courts. The people voted for a president, not a king." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm of the mind that the Republican Party needs to immediately intensely pressure Trump to reverse course on the absurd path he's going down, and if they can not succeed with that in any meaningful way very soon, then it is their duty to impeach and remove him. I will certainly never vote Republican again in my lifetime if that doesn't happen, and I would consider the entire party treasonous." Azcrael 3."I know two supporters who think that all the stuff with Musk is not right. That is the only crack in his support that Ive seen. I was actually surprised when they commented on a post criticizing Trump and Musk. I was expecting full support like its been all along." fangelo2 A man in casual attire gestures while standing next to a child in a suit and an older man sitting at a desk in an ornate room with flags 4."My mom is a Trumper, and I think the only thing that will possibly make her rethink her stance on Trump is if he messes with Medicare. Shes going through cancer treatments now and needs even more treatments. If he messes with Medicare, shes screwed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AustinDood444 5."So, my granny was a Trump supporter for a long time. Her line was when he filed for immunity for the crimes he committed while in office. In my grannys words. 'No one should be above the law, especially the president.'" SciFiChickie 6."The Ukraine thing has completely changed any support I have for him. Yeah, Im probably an idiot for casting a vote for him; I didnt realize it would be this bad. Good learning experience." yeetsqua69 7."Used to be a Trumper, had Trumper parents. Lost all respect after he announced that he would stop supporting Ukraine." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Good_Prompt8608 A man in a city protest holds a sign reading "I Stand With Ukraine." Other protesters carry flags and signs, with buildings visible in the background 8."I asked my mom, and this was honestly her answer, 'If they start putting teachers or children with ADHD in concentration camps.' Mainly because I am a teacher with a child with ADHD who is afraid of going to a camp; she said she would visit me. What a great MAGA, Jesus-loving mom!" Happy-Entertainment6 9."My husband finally flipped today thank God. His line was the betrayal. These countries dont keep nukes because of promises we made to protect them. And we have betrayed them. That was his line, apparently." Old-Arachnid77 10."My youngest nephew was kind of a 'soft' Trump supporter depending on how much bullshit his father (I use that word loosely) has been filling his head with. He's not anymore because of how hateful people have been emboldened by all this anti-trans stuff. His brother is queer and dresses very effeminately. One could easily assume he's trans, and my younger nephew is really scared that somebody might hurt him. He should've seen it coming, but as much as I love him, he's never been very good at thinking more than one step ahead. The first fight he ever got in was defending his brother from bullies when he was about 6 years old, and he hasn't let up on defending him since, so it's not like he doesn't know he's an easy target." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iztac_xocoatl Protesters sit holding signs advocating for trans rights, including messages like "Protect Trans Kids" and "Let Trans Kids Live." 11."Attempt at a third term. Causing a bad recession. If he approves sending out DOGE checks of $5,000 rather than pay down debt or shore up our entitlements." HappyEngineering4190 12."My grandma has watched Fox News every day for decades. She liked Trump. When he started talking about making us [Canada] the 51st state, she changed her tune pretty quick." Suspicious-Dog2876 13."When he attacked federal workers, I officially switched party affiliations and, after over 30 years, will NEVER vote Republican again." crowsaboveme 14."Not a Trumper, but have some family members that are. My uncle is from West Virginia and was always hardcore. For him, it was Trump siding with Russia before his very eyes. Russia had always represented the antithesis of everything he stood for. We have often butted heads, but I greatly respected him for that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ambitious-Sun-8504 A person in a suit sits at a desk, reviewing documents intently 15."I'm not a supporter by any means, but someone I know and follow on social media voted for him as a sort of 'protest vote' in regards to Palestine. (You don't need to tell me this was idiotic, I know.) He regrets his vote now, especially after the AI Gaza video came out, which was the hard red line for him. He still maintains that Harris supports Palestinian genocide but concedes that she would not have been as much of an asshole about it." girlwithdog 16."Not me, but I know for my brother (who does actually hate him mostly but likes some of his policies, I guess?). He said if Trump tries to extend his term or run a third time, he will draw the line at that. I sense him coming around before, and he kind of already has actually." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SL33MANS 17."I am a Trump supporter, and I love everything he is doing, but if he keeps up with these tariff talks and tanks the economy, I will pull my support. Commence downvoting!" jgn77 Shipping containers stacked at a busy port, with cranes and a cargo ship visible in the background. Vans parked in the foreground 18."Ending birthright citizenship." rem082583 19."Honestly, his foreign policy. His comments about Canada, Greenland, Gaza, and now Ukraine have made it so that I truthfully cannot support him anymore. I wasnt thrilled to vote for him, but I didnt like the direction in which Biden was taking the country. This direction is 10x worse." MasterAd8933 20."I'm a conservative who has voted Republican in every election except this one. The man has no moral compass. He crossed the red line after his last loss." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EeyorONzoloft1 21.And lastly, "The interaction with Zelensky today. This was, in fact, the tipping point, and I no longer support him." Savage-1-actual Two men in a formal meeting; one is gesturing while speaking You can read the original thread on Reddit. Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity. Now, I am curious: if you're a Trump supporter or know a Trump supporter, what is your or their redline? Let me know in the comments below! BYRON, Wis. (WFRV) The Fond du Lac County Sheriffs Office says that a 25-year-old Wisconsin man was arrested on Tuesday afternoon after engaging deputies in a 2.6 mile pursuit through Winnebago and Fond du Lac Counties. According to the release, the Fond du Lac County Communications Center received a report of a vehicle heading south on I-41 near Highway 26 in Winnebago County. The subject vehicle was reportedly traveling over 100 miles per hour and passing vehicles on the shoulder. Incredible Teamwork in Action: Fond du Lac police release footage of drone tracking of suspect who ran from traffic stop Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Wisconsin State Trooper reportedly tried to catch the suspect vehicle, but was unable to do so. A Fond du Lac County Sergeant saw the suspect vehicle speeding on Highway 175 in Byron, and attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver sped up, initiating a pursuit. The vehicle continued south on County Highway B, entering the intersection of Highway 175 and County Highway F, where the suspect sideswiped a semi-tractor trailer carrying milk. The vehicle continued, entering a ditch and crashing into a phone pole. The driver, identified as a 25-year-old man from Waukesha, attempted to run from the scene, but was quickly taken into custody. The man and a female passenger endured minor injuries, and were taken from the scene by paramedics. Fond du Lac County Sheriffs officials are filing charges of Felony Eluding and First Degree Reckless Endangerment against the driver in the pursuit, which spanned 2.6 miles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple agencies assisted during the incident, including the Wisconsin State Patrol, Oakfield Fire Department, the Fond du Lac County Highway Department, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the City of Fond du Lac Paramedics. This disgusting pedophile is in custody: Sex offender in Wisconsin arrested for possession of sex doll and child pornography The female passenger is not currently charged, but the investigation is ongoing. No additional details were provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. The boss of Britains biggest regional airline criticised rail travel as a poor alternative to flying even on relatively short journeys within the UK. Luke Farajallah, the chief executive of Loganair, said suggestions that people should be encouraged to take trains instead of planes were misguided, because rail travel was slow and relatively expensive even for trips between major cities. Mr Farajallah spoke after Loganair announced a 35-minute flight from Manchester to Southampton that he predicted would prove a popular alternative to both rail and road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes after the Governments official adviser on climate change said last month that restricting some domestic flights might need to be considered as a potential lever towards hitting net zero. The Climate Change Committee indicated that restrictions could be introduced on the 31pc or more of such flights with a rail alternative of under five hours, while noting that domestic flying accounts for just 4pc of Britains overall aviation emissions. Mr Farajallah said: I fundamentally disagree with all of these arguments. People should be encouraged to fly these distances if they want to. There is a demand to fly and its the most convenient and easiest way to travel. People also underestimate how expensive the railway actually is when you really add it all up, including travel to and from the train station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Manchester and Southampton are only 181 miles apart as the crow flies, the National Rail website indicates that the fastest direct journey by train takes four hours 14 minutes more than seven times longer than it will take to go by plane. The cheapest single ticket for a Manchester service arriving in Southampton before midday costs 55, 4 less than Loganair plans to charge when its flights start in October. Driving the same route takes four hours seven minutes to cover 225 miles via the M6, M42, M40, A43 and M3, according to the RAC. Loganair already serves Southampton from Edinburgh and Newcastle. Mr Farajallah said arguments against flying ignored the fact that taking the plane was often the only option for those wanting to travel out and back the same day and still get things done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: People can go from the south coast to Manchester for a days work comfortably and stress free. The chief executive said the market for the flights will include holidaymakers boarding cruise ships in Southampton, people doing business in the Northwest, and long-distance travellers flying out of Manchester with airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines. He said: I dont think many people want to spend several hours on a train before they get into an international airport to fly long-haul. I just dont think thats appealing in any sense. Loganair will also launch flights from Manchester to Exeter, a journey Mr Farajallah said otherwise requires a not very pleasant journey by car or complex changes by rail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Glasgow-based airline will station two new 70-seat ATR 72 turboprops in Southampton, with the city becoming its 10th aircraft base alongside six locations in Scotland plus Newcastle, Londonderry and the Isle of Man. Mr Farajallah said the new flights should be profitable despite Labours planned rise in air passenger duty (APD). The departure tax has double the impact on domestic flights, since it is levied on both outbound and return services. He said: We are staunchly against any tax that prevents people from choosing aviation as an option. APD is one of those things you have to suck up, but we do so very reluctantly because we believe that we are an enabler of growth. 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. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A former director at the Gow School in Erie County pleaded guilty to production of child pornography after he used hidden cameras to film minors, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced. Matthew Fisher, 51, of South Wales, was residing on the Gow School campus when he used hidden cameras to film at least five minor males engaging in sexual conduct. He was employed as the Associate Director of Enrollment and Management between June 2022 and November 2023. Child pornography of the five victims, as well as additional minor victims, were found on Fishers electronic devices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, a spokesperson with the Gow School said cameras were seized from Fishers residence but werent found anywhere else on campus. In addition, they said they are not aware of any Gow student being involved in the crimes. Fisher was previously charged with possession of child pornography after webpages depicting naked boys under the age of 10 were allegedly found on his school-issued laptop. Fisher faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a minimum of 15 years and a $250,000 fine, if convicted. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. ABU DHABI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Airbus is looking to manufacture key components of its A400M aircraft in the United Arab Emirates, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Tuesday. Gabriel Semelas, president of Airbus in Africa and the Middle East, said the initiative is expected to integrate local advanced manufacturing and engineering entities into the global aerospace supply chain. Airbus also plans to establish maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities for the A400M in the UAE, alongside a dedicated training center. Semelas noted that the company will provide training and technical support to the UAE workforce. The Airbus A400M is a military airlifter with a large cargo hold that enables the transport of heavy and outsized loads and their delivery to unpaved airstrips. CHICAGO Chicagos former mayor made headlines Monday with continued criticism of his own party. Rahm Emanuel was more than happy to discuss his partys electoral defeat in 2024, just dont ask him if he wants to run for the U.S. Senate, governor or Mayor of Chicago. Emanuel stopped at a gathering of Chicago elites Monday after recently arriving back from Japan where he served as U.S. ambassador in the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not done with public service, and Im hoping that public service is not done with me, Emanuel said. Mayor Johnson to defend Chicagos sanctuary city status in Washington In a roughly 45-minute Economic Club of Chicago Q&A, the former mayor dodged a question about whether hed like to get his old back. I know its hard for you to believe. Its hard for me to believe. Ive been back five weeks, so I want to take some time to think about what I want to do, Emanuel said. What he has been doing is making the rounds, sitting for a series of podcast and TV interviews where hes criticized failures of the Democratic Party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you had told me in 2008, let alone 1996 or 1992 that Silicon Valley would have walked away from a Democratic nominee, I would have said, Impossible. Thats what happened? Urban America. Impossible. Its what happened?' Emanuel said. Politics is addition, not subtraction, and weve been doing subtraction really well. According to Emanuel, there were three major world events this century that forever changed American politics: the Iraq War, the financial collapse of 2008, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last 30 years, both the political and economic establishment system and were all part of it. Im part of it we have failed the American people and theyre pissed off and guess what? Theyve earned the right to be pissed off at all of us, Emanuel said. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he battles the left, Emanuel is trying to re-shift his partys focus to classroom issues. Were having a debate about pronouns right now. What if you have two-thirds of your kids who dont know what a pronoun is? Emanuel said. You just had the worst reading scores in 30 years, worst math scores in 30 years, and were talking about bathrooms and locker roomsyou dont get a do-over in education, youre here in this room because you have a good education. I dont know all of you. Your kids have a good education. Emanuels message comes as we learn that centrist Democrats held a retreat in the Washington, D.C. area this past weekend where they rallied against far-left policies and institutions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) A former Connecticut State Police trooper who admitted to illegally collecting workers compensation was sentenced Tuesday in Hartford Superior Court. Kevin Moore was sentenced to a combined 728 days- suspended- and two years of probation. BACKGROUND: CSP trooper admits to illegally collecting workers comp The Moosup man was also ordered to pay back $47,000 in workers compensation funds by May 9, something he previously agreed to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last October, Moore pleaded guilty to two counts of fourth-degree larceny. He was originally arrested by the Workers Compensation Fraud Control Unit for fraudulent claim or receipt of benefits, and for first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community. Moore was placed on a temporary disability status when he injured his back while in the line of duty in July 2019. During that time, he received about $47,000 in wage replacement benefits. Bristol paraprofessional arrested for possession of child sexual abuse material However, state police said that he was seen from November 2019 to February 2020 exceeding what he said his limitations were. He was also operating his own business while out on leave, and didnt report those earnings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police told News 8 Moore is no longer employed with the agency. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 former FBI employee who lives in Central Florida says she is sounding the alarm about the agencys cuts. The FBI launched a wide round of staff cuts to bureaus across the country as the Trump Administration aims to shrink the size of the federal government. Investigative Reporter Ashlyn Webb sat down with Heather Vescio, who says the cuts will come at a cost. Vescio left the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2018 after a decade with the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But now, shes speaking on behalf of her friends who are still working for the FBI. Theyre scared. Theyre scared for their jobs, but theyre scared for the public because they know, just like I know, whats out there and what the potentials are, and people are going to get hurt, Vescio said. President Donald Trump has backed Elon Musk and DOGEs actions, calling the cuts necessary. The overall goal here with the team is to help address the enormous deficit we simply cannot sustain as a country, 2 trillion deficits, Musk said. Vescio published a blog about her concerns That there wont be any people to work the cases. There will be nobody out there to stand between your child and a predator or the parade and a mass shooting. Whos going to do it?, Vescio said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So theres agents to actually investigate each of these cases. And so there might be a length of time before that case is ever looked into, Webb reiterated. Oh yes, thats exactly what it is, Vescio said. And the backlog of cases that we see now, there could be more?, Webb asked. Absolutely, Vescio replied. The FBI Agents Association represents more than 14,000 active and former FBI agents. In a statement, the association called the cuts outrageous. Dismissing potentially hundreds of agents would severely weaken the bureaus ability to protect the country from national security and criminal threats, the association stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vescio says many of the jobs are tough enough to work as is. She worked as a senior forensic examiner in the child exploitation division and later in terrorism. Could you talk about the emotional toll it takes? Webb asked. Its facing the reality of the evil that exists among us all every day that I really didnt know existed before I worked those cases. And its all around us, Vescio replied. Musk has requested all federal workers send a list of their accomplishments for the week or face termination. FBI Director Kash Patel told FBI employees to pause any responses to the email. Vescio says there are clearance concerns about FBI employees responding to that email. She is also concerned about the people making the decision about where to cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you have people so far removed making decisions to fire those actually doing the work, its a problem, Vescio said. DOGE says it plans to use AI to assess the responses to emails from federal workers. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Federal employees, based in Kansas City, are feeling the impact of ongoing layoffs, coming down from the Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE is led by Elon Musk. I dont know a single human being on Earth who can say I have one more dollar in my pocket because of what hes (Musk) doing, but I can absolutely look at my kids and go oh, you have less. You are in a much, much worse position, Shayne Mitchell shared with FOX4. From notification, until work-issued items were turned in, and Shayne Mitchell was out the door he says it was just hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turn in your badge. Turn in your laptop. You have health insurance for 30 more days. Thats all, Shayne Mitchell, a former federal employee in Kansas City shared. Should you expect a check from Elon Musks DOGE cuts? On February 21, Mitchell got the notification, which came after he worked second-double shift. About midday through that second double shift, we get an invitation to a Zoom meeting. Myself, my supervisor, his supervisor, and the head of our treasury union. They read us a form letter. That form letter had well, based on your tenure. Valid. And based on your performance, which absolutely was not a valid true statement, weve decided your services are no longer needed by the United States Government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mitchell was an IT specialist for the Bureau of Fiscal Services Network Operation Center for one month, prior to being let go. They process the direct deposit payments for almost everything the federal government does. So, whether or not its an astronaut getting paid or whether or not its a social security direct deposit, among other things, Mitchell said on what the sector was responsible for. Its a 24/7 staffed operation for the Bureau of Fiscal Service. Mitchell said he monitored systems, hardware, and connectivity. His department included 11 employees. Thousands raised to support Haskell students, staff after federal cuts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were three of us, out of those 11, who were terminated that day, at least two of us were an Army and Navy veteran, Mitchell said. Part of that promise, we had to veterans going back decades, is youve done your service. Youve proven that you will go above and beyond, when the time comes you get a few points preference for civil service positions and that promise only means something if those civil service positions exist. He shared with FOX4, he was excited for this new role for the U.S. Government and this new opportunity, after spending time in the private sector. I was really excited to kind of raise my hand, take that oath for that third time. I had been to Iraq four times; each time for give-or-take a year. Twice with the Army and twice serving Uncle Sam in other capacities. Mitchell also says he has a son with a chronic illness. Insurance is vital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That has set a clock for me that we need to have health insurance that good by the end of that 30 days, he said. He will be healthy his whole life, as long as we maintain his treatments, but that becomes a bit of a challenge. He is now on the hunt for another job, but says many employers/positions dont offer benefits on day one of employment. And when your kid has a chronic illness, those gaps are terrifying. Not necessarily you arent going to be able to afford care, but that you arent going to be approved for that appointment. Youre not even going to be approved for that medication to be filled, he said. DOGE structure, authority emerge as biggest DC mystery under Trump Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mitchell is a member of the National Treasury Employees Union. The local chapter of NTEU is hosting a Save the Civil Service Rally across from the IRS Building at 333 W Pershing in Kansas City, Missouri. It is scheduled for March 15 from noon until 2 p.m. He plans to attend the rally. He also says he wants to communicate with local elected officials. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. The Los Angeles City Council rejected former Fire Chief Kristin Crowleys bid to get her job back, despite fierce support for her from the firefighters' union. The council voted 13 to 2 Tuesday against Crowleys reinstatement, handing embattled Mayor Karen Bass a much-needed political victory. Bass was in Ghana when the Palisades fire broke out, leaving council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson as acting mayor, and delivered a choppy performance in the days after she returned. Crowley used Tuesday's hearing to push back publicly, for the first time, against the arguments that Bass offered for terminating her from her post as the head of one of the nation's largest fire departments. Seated before the council, Crowley argued that she was facing retaliation for publicly highlighting a lack of resources at her department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The truth is that the fire chief should not be prevented from, or punished for, speaking openly and honestly about the needs and capabilities of the LAFD, or for doing her best to protect our firefighters and our communities," she told the council. Councilmember Imelda Padilla, who represents the central San Fernando Valley, criticized Crowley for her decision last month to discuss the fire department's budget with the news media while the Palisades fire was still raging. "The chief chose the wrong time and wrong place to raise an issue," she said. Crowley's bid for reinstatement was almost certain to fail, given the fact that she needed 10 votes, or a two-thirds majority. Only Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Traci Park, who have been strong Crowley supporters, voted in her favor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, Tuesday's proceedings created a headache for Bass, who ousted Crowley as chief nearly two weeks ago. During public comment before the council vote, firefighters repeatedly aired complaints that their department has been underfunded for too long, with some saying that Bass was trying to deflect blame from her own actions. Chuong Ho, who serves on the board of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, urged council members to reinstate Crowley, saying she was fired for "telling the truth" about the lack of resources. "She stood up, she spoke out, and she had our backs," Ho said. "I've never seen a fire chief in my career consistently speak out about the constant understaffing and lack of funding for our Fire Department." Crowleys appeal, which she submitted Thursday, has only added to the sense of volatility that has engulfed City Hall since the fire erupted Jan. 7, destroying thousands of homes and killing 12 people. For more than a week, Crowley's backers have accused Bass of scapegoating the fire chief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bass supporters, in turn, have accused Crowley of mismanagement and insubordination, calling her push for reinstatement part of a much larger political attack on Bass, the city's first Black female mayor. Sylvia Castillo, who worked for Bass while the mayor was in Congress, said that "divisive" political actors were trying to do a "public lynching" of Bass. Benjamin Torres, president and chief executive of the South L.A.-based group CD Tech, called the proceedings a "political move to cut off Black leadership." "This would not be done if [Bass] was a white male of privilege," he told the council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bass fired Crowley on Feb. 21, citing two major reasons. She said the chief had failed to pre-deploy as many as 1,000 firefighters on the morning the blaze exploded in size amid hurricane-force Santa Ana winds. She also accused Crowley of refusing to participate in an internal after-action report after being asked to do so. In the days leading up to Crowley's ouster, Bass said that the chief had failed to warn her of the increasingly dire wind forecasts. Read more: L.A. fire officials could have put engines in the Palisades before the fire broke out. They didn't Crowley's defenders, in turn, accused Bass of firing a veteran firefighter well before the completion of the after-action reports that would assess the city's preparation for, and response to, the Palisades fire. They said the mayor's staff had received warnings about the coming winds and the heightened wildfire risk from the city's Emergency Management Department, which tracks dangerous weather conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez, who represents the northeast San Fernando Valley, said Crowley has been unfairly scapegoated by a mayor desperate for a reset after the fire. She said the council, under the City Charter, has the power to reverse the firing of a general manager. Crowley's firing sends a bad message to city employees and department heads that it's "safer to stay silent than to call out what's wrong," Rodriguez said. "The only failure I believe Chief Crowley had was thinking people had their back. And so, for that I apologize," Rodriguez said, addressing Crowley. "Because as a leader of this department, you don't deserve it." Dozens of Los Angeles firefighters packed the council chambers to show support for the former fire chief. After she finished her remarks, the room erupted with applause and shouts of "Reinstate! Reinstate!" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crowley, the first woman to lead the LAFD in its 139-year history, was picked for the top job in 2022 by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti, after rising through the ranks of a department where female firefighters had complained about harassment and hazing. Tensions between Crowley and Bass quickly emerged after the fire started. On Jan. 10, Crowley went on multiple television stations to decry what she described as insufficient funding for her agency. In one interview, she said the city had failed her and her department. In another, she drew a link between cuts to her department and the city's handling of the fire. The firefighters' union praised Crowley as a truth teller someone with the courage to call out decades of under-investment in their agency. Bass responded by summoning Crowley to a meeting that went so long that the mayor missed her own news conference to update the public on the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Chief Crowley had the guts and the courage to speak out, to make sure her troops on the ground have what they need to do their jobs," said firefighter union President Freddy Escobar. "But her honesty cost her her job." In recent days, Bass picked up support from an organization representing the city's Black firefighters, which argued that a change at the top was "necessary." In a letter to the council, the Los Angeles City Stentorians said the department under Crowley has seen an increase in reports of discrimination and harassment, along with an increase in discriminatory hiring practices. "Over the past six months, her lack of accountability has only worsened," the letter said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: L.A.s fire chief generated controversy and fierce loyalty while the city burned Crowley used Tuesday's hearing to offer her first major rebuttal of the mayor's allegations. She said she did not refuse to conduct an after-action report on the fire, but rather supported having state officials, who are slated to produce an outside review, do the job. "The LAFD is not capable, nor do we have the proper resources to adequately conduct an after-action report for the Palisades fire, due to the sheer magnitude, scope and complexity of the incident," said Crowley, who now has a lower-level position in the department. Crowley also asserted that her department could not have deployed an extra 1,000 firefighters to the Palisades because it lacked sufficient fire trucks, ambulances and other vehicles to transport them. Because the city has reduced the number of mechanics, she said, those trucks were "broken down in our maintenance yards, unable to be used to help during one of the worst wildfire events in our history." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for Bass, welcomed the vote, saying that the city is "moving forward." "After testimony by the former Chief confirming she sent firefighters home on the morning of January 7th, her appeal was rejected 13-2 by members of the City Council," Seidl said in a statement. "This is an issue of public safety and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department." Tuesdays proceedings appear to be virtually unprecedented in modern city history, with the closest parallel being Bernard C. Parks bid for a second term as police chief in 2002. That year, appointees of Mayor James Hahn on the Board of Police Commissioners declined to renew Parks for a second five-year term. The City Council declined to overturn the commissions decision, during a debate that inflamed racial divisions in the city. The council's three Black members sided with Parks, the departments second Black chief, and against Hahn, who was politically wounded by the battle. Parks won a seat on the council the following year, while Hahn lost reelection in 2005. Councilmember Tim McOsker, who was Hahn's chief of staff during the Parks battle, said he didn't want to force two people who don't get along Bass and Crowley to work together. He said he had lived through that, and "it can be disastrous." "I'm going to put a functional city above what might be more politically expedient for me," McOsker said. Park, whose district includes Pacific Palisades, supported the move to reinstate Crowley, saying neither she nor her colleagues have received any after-action reports that would show who was to blame for an array of failures a lack of firefighters, a lack of water in fire hydrants and a lack of an orderly evacuation. Getting those answers "might very well mean firing everyone who has culpability across multiple departments, and I have no problem with that," Park said. "But I wouldn't do it without a well-informed record and actual evidence to support that decision," she added. "And I don't have it today." 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. COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) Following the news that Fort Moore has been renamed back to Fort Benning, announced by the Secretary of Defense on March 3, former Fort Benning commanders are speaking out. Retired Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe served as the commanding general of the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning from July 2020 to July 2022. He said: We should understand the upsides in naming our local base after both LTG Hal and his wife, Julia Moore. The renaming honored our Korean and Vietnam War veterans while also uniquely recognizing the vital role of military spouses by naming the installation after both a Soldier and their spouse. This is the only military post in the nation named for a married couple who exemplify service, sacrifice, and unwavering character. It is even more meaningful that the Moores remain a part of the installation, resting in its cemetery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the home of the Maneuver Center of Excellence, Hal Moore was a great choice as he represents both branches Armor and Infantry! Commissioned into the Infantry he commanded in the 7th Cavalry in Vietnam as highlighted in the book and movie We Were Soldiers Once And Young. In the Army, you strive to be all you can behere, you come to Be Moore! Former Fort Benning Garrison Commander (2015-2017) retired Brig. Gen. Andy Hilmes also offered a statement. The renaming of DoD installations has become a highly emotional and politicized subject. It pains me to see fellow Americans so divided on this matter. America is at its best when its people are united. Hal & Julia Moore, who made much of the history they are famous for here in the Chattahoochee Valley, were uniters of men, women, and families of all colors, religions, and backgrounds. The blended human fabric of the modern U.S. Army enabled any success I was involved in during 28 years of service to the nation. Requiring Fort Moore to undergo a name change twice in as many years not only invites taxpayers to question the appropriate use of resources, but also reopens old, divisive wounds that distract us from moving forward together on more complex and far-reaching matters. Further, it indirectly politicizes an institution every American expects to remain apolitical, regardless of who the commander-in-chief is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more about the renaming 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 WRBL. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The former chairwoman of a state board that oversees inmate discipline has been charged with two counts of statutory rape. Vanessa Murtaugh, 46, was indicted by a grand jury on the charges statutory rape by an authority figure and aggravated statutory rape Feb. 27. Vanessa Murtaugh. (SCSO) According to the indictment, the alleged victim was older than 13 and less than 18, and the offense allegedly occurred on January 10. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murtaugh had supervisory or disciplinary power over the victim by virtue of her job and used such position of trust or power to accomplish the sexual penetration, the indictment states. Murtaugh was chair of the Tennessee Inmate Disciplinary Oversight Board but has not been in that position for several months, said Michael Stahl, the boards executive director. FBI looking for more victims of East Memphis doctor The Tennessee Inmate Disciplinary Oversight Board reviews the grant, denial, and removal of inmate sentence credits. It was created in 2023 in response to Cleotha Abstons release from prison in before the murder of Eliza Fletcher in Memphis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will be no interruption to the Boards work and there will be no further comment at this time, Stahl said. The Shelby County District Attorneys Office also confirmed that Murtaugh was a former employee. To ensure impartiality, DA Mulroy recused himself from the case involving former employee Vanessa Murtaugh, whose appointment as a prosecutor was terminated in 2022 due to unrelated circumstances. While our office remains dedicated to reviewing all cases fairly and objectively, this decision removes any potential perception of bias that could affect the case, the office said in a statement. Jail records show Murtaughs $50,000 bond was paid Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Former interim Hinds County Sheriff Marshand Crisler has filed an appeal. On February 11, 2025, a judge sentenced Crisler, 55, to 30 months in prison for each count, which will be served concurrently. He was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine. Crisler will have to report to prison on April 11, 2025. Crisler was convicted by a federal jury in November 2024 on the charges of soliciting a bribe and providing ammunition to a convicted felon. He was previously denied a motion for a new trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The evidence at trial showed that shortly after becoming sheriff, Crisler solicited and accepted $9,500 in cash bribes from a convicted felon over three months, from September through November 2021. Jackson man sentenced to 16 years for fentanyl trafficking In exchange for that money, prosecutors said Crisler agreed to provide favors through his position as Hinds County Sheriff. These favors included sharing information concerning future criminal investigations involving the bribe payor, moving a jailed family member to a better place within the Hinds County Jail, and hiring the bribe payor to work at the Hinds County Sheriffs Office. According to prosecutors, these actions took place during Crislers previous unsuccessful campaign for Hinds County sheriff in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court documents also stated that Crisler gave ammunition to a person he knew to be a convicted felon. It is against federal law for a public official to solicit or accept bribes. Crisler pled not guilty to the charges against him. 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. WHITESBURG, Ky. (FOX 56) Counsel for the former Kentucky sheriff accused of shooting Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins alerted the court that theyre preparing an insanity defense. Court documents filed on Feb. 27 notified the court of their intention to present expert evidence relating to Shawn Mickey Stines mental state at the time of the shooting. Kentucky sheriff reportedly shoots judge: A look at the timeline, investigation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defendant intends to present a defense of insanity, as well as a defense of extreme emotional disturbance, Jeremey Bartley, attorney, wrote. However, Stines counsel doesnt intend to argue if hes able to stand trial. Bartley has stood by his argument that Stines was experiencing an extreme emotional disturbance since it was introduced in October 2024. In November, Bartley pointed to a deposition that Stines gave in the days before the shooting. He believes that it plays a key role in their case, specifically its timing. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that Mr. Stines demeanor prior to, during the deposition and after are going to be important things to look at, Bartley said. The substance of what the deposition dealt withor what other people may have been concerned that this deposition dealt withcan be important factors. Court documents state that the Commonwealth could request Stines be examined. A judge responded to the motion at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. JERUSALEM, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said on Tuesday that the naval commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Forces had been killed in an airstrike in southern Lebanon. According to the military, Khadir Sa'id Hashem, commander of Radwan Forces' naval unit, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Qana in Tyre district. The military said Hashem continued his military activities against Israel even after the ceasefire and played an extensive part in Hezbollah's maritime smuggling operations. Earlier, Lebanon's National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone launched an air strike targeting a vehicle in the town of Rechknanay in the Tyre district, resulting in one fatality. McDONALD COUNTY, Mo. A former southwest Missouri police officer is accused of stealing money intended for the DARE program. Kyle Kuhn was working for the Anderson Police Department in 2023 when he accepted a series of donations totaling more than $1,300. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had been told to give any DARE donations to the city clerk, but the office has no record of those donations. Court documents show Kuhn admitted to accepting them but used the money to train his dog. He left the police department in the summer of 2023. He has a court date scheduled for later this month. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Fired National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees held a rally outside NOAA Silver Spring headquarters against what they call illegal firings. Former NOAA workers said the firings will jeopardize public safety and the economy because it will risk the lives of Americans who depend on their work. Beyond the personal devastation that I experienced, I see how its blatantly illegal, former NOAA employee Sabrina Valenti said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats accuse DOGE of going after NOAA Valenti and other former employees are speaking out against the administrations mass federal firing, saying it puts American lives in danger. People are going to die during hurricanes because of inaccurate forecasts, Valenti said. They fire the people who make the good forecasts. People are going to drown in their homes because either they werent told to evacuate or when they tried to evacuate, they werent able to because the road wasnt there. Peoples homes are going to be leveled in tornadoes or in supercells because they didnt know there was a tornado coming. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined the protest to warn about how the firings put everyday Americans at risk. He said he sent a letter to the Department of Commerce Secretary warning that the firings were illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we need to do is fight this in the courts, Van Hollen said. Fight this in Congress and fight this in communities across the country. NOAA set to slash jobs imminently Meanwhile, Elon Musk has defended the firing of federal employees by his Department of Government Efficiency as common sense. If we dont do this, America will go bankrupt, Musk said. Thats why it has to be done. NOAA creates daily forecasts for 122 local offices across the country. DC News Now reached out to NOAA but did not hear back in time for publication. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) The former president of PTA for the Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District was accused of stealing thousands of dollars, according to court documents obtained by News 8 Tuesday. Between August 2, 2023, and January 29, 2024, Theodore Louis Trybus allegedly stole about $9,900 from the PTA. Investigators said he stole the funds by writing checks to himself, withdrawing funds for petty cash, and taking money from the 2023 Scholastic Book sale. According to prosecutors, the NYS PTA recognized the local organization had bills that were overdue or unpaid. An audit was conducted within the local PTA, where they discovered the alleged stolen funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trybus was charged with third-degree grand larceny. The Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District released a statement in response to this situation: The Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District is disappointed to learn of the allegations against the former PTA President. The district values its partnership with the PTA and the work they do to support our students, staff, and schools. The PTA operates as an independent non-profit organization with its own leadership, governance, and financial structure. Their funding is entirely separate from the districts budget and financial accounts. Trybus-inforDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HONOULULU (KHON2) A former Hawaii correctional officer has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing inmates while working at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu. Mural dedicated to high school student killed by speeding driver Mikael Rivera, 47, of Kapolei, admitted to sexually assaulting one inmate who did not consent and engaging in abusive behavior with two other inmates he was responsible for between 2014 and 2018. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Rivera, who was a correctional officer at the facility during that time, pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual abuse of a ward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rivera faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for each count. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news His sentencing is scheduled for July 3, where a federal judge will determine his sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PROVIDENCE Former U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha has landed a new gig as a partner with Nixon Peabody LLP, a Boston-based law firm with an international footprint. Cunha, who stepped down as U.S. Attorney last month at the direction of President Donald Trump, will focus on government investigations and white collar defense in Rhode Island and elsewhere. Im thrilled where I landed, Cunha said Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His colleagues include Brian Kelly, who led the federal governments cases against James Whitey Bulger and successfully defended a parent implicated in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, as well as other former federal employees. It will be Cunha's first role in private practice since his years attending George Washington University Law School, he said. Former U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. What to know about Cunha's long federal career Cunha began his career with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Eastern District of New York, where he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 2005 to 2008. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant corporation counsel for the City of New York, handling litigation on behalf of the city and its officials Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Massachusetts for five years before joining the Rhode Island office in 2013. There, he led the civil division for three years before being nominated as Rhode Islands top federal law enforcement officer in 2021. In that role, Cunha was involved in pursuing civil claims against the pharmacy giant CVS. Federal authorities accused CVS pharmacies nationwide of illegally filling opioid prescriptions and of violating the Federal False Claims Act by seeking reimbursement from federal health care programs for medications with no medical purpose. CVS has denied the allegations, characterizing the complaint as a false narrative. The office also reached a consent decree reached with the state Department of Children, Youth and Families over claims that children with behavioral and mental health disabilities were being illegally housed at Bradley Hospital for weeks, months and even more than a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cunha's successor has not been named. First Assistant Sara Miron Bloom, who joined the office in 2022, is serving as acting U.S. Attorney. No word on possible runs for office Cunha demurred when asked if he might be a contender for Rhode Island attorney general in 2026, as suggested via a social media post by sitting Attorney General Peter F. Neronha. My focus right now is on this transition, Cunha said. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Former U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha lands new job at private law firm NEW YORK Mayor Eric Adams bid to have his federal corruption indictment dropped is getting a legal boost from Michael Flynn, a controversial former adviser to President Trump. Flynn, who pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian government officials and was later pardoned by Trump, filed a so-called amicus brief in Adams case late Friday that argues the presiding judge cannot legally stand in the way of the Trump Department of Justices unusual effort to dismiss the mayors indictment. A notice posted on the docket Monday afternoon confirms Flynn submitted the amicus brief together with two conservative think-tanks he helps run. The document can only be officially considered as part of the mayors case if Manhattan Federal Court Judge Dale Ho approves its inclusion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steven Harfenist, an attorney representing Flynn, told the Daily News on Monday afternoon that his amicus proposal makes two points. First, it argues Ho didnt have the legal authority to appoint former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement as an independent counsel in the mayors case to provide adversarial arguments against the Trump DOJs attempt to quash it, Harfenist said. Second, Harfenist said the filing makes the case that Ho by law has to rubber-stamp the DOJs motion to dismiss given that both the mayor and the department are in agreement about dropping the prosecution. The court has no discretion to continue this case, Harfenist said in a phone interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alex Spiro, Adams criminal defense attorney, didnt respond to an email seeking comment. In appointing Clement to provide adversarial arguments, Ho made clear he wont make a final ruling on whether the mayors case can be dropped until mid-March at the earliest. Some legal advocates have called on Ho to appoint a special prosecutor to continue the case, though its unclear whether he has the authority to attempt such a move. Adams indictment, to which he has pleaded not guilty, alleges he took bribes and illegal campaign cash, mostly from Turkish government operatives, in exchange for political favors, including helping resolve a building safety issue at the countrys Manhattan consulate. Flynn, who was Trumps national security adviser during his first White House term, has his own connections to Turkey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After resigning from the White House in February 2017, Flynn launched a lobbying firm that picked up a wealthy businessman with extensive ties to the Turkish government as a client. In 2019, the co-founder of Flynns firm, Bijan Rafiekian, was convicted of criminal charges alleging he acted as an illegal agent of the Turkish regime in the U.S. Flynns bid to get involved in the mayors case comes as Adams faces calls to resign or be removed from office in light of the Trump DOJs move to drop his indictment. In a dismissal motion, the DOJ asked Ho to drop the case against the mayor with the understanding that it could be brought back for a new prosecution as soon as November. The DOJ wrote that it expects ending the case should enable Adams to play a bigger role in facilitating Trumps policies, including his efforts to target undocumented New Yorkers for deportations, a highly unusual caveat that both allies and critics of the mayor say has made him a hostage to Trumps political agenda. Adams has also filed a motion to have the case dismissed outright, with no possibility of the prosecution being reinstated. _____ Mayor Adams bid to have his federal corruption indictment dropped is getting a legal boost from Michael Flynn, a controversial former adviser to President Trump. Flynn, who pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian government officials and was later pardoned by Trump, filed a so-called amicus brief in Adams case late Friday that argues the presiding judge cannot legally stand in the way of the Trump Department of Justices unusual effort to dismiss the mayors indictment. A notice posted on the docket Monday afternoon confirms Flynn submitted the amicus brief together with two conservative think-tanks he helps run. The document can only be officially considered as part of the mayors case if Manhattan Federal Court Judge Dale Ho approves its inclusion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steven Harfenist, an attorney representing Flynn, told the Daily News on Monday afternoon that his amicus proposal makes two points. First, it argues Ho didnt have the legal authority to appoint former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement as an independent counsel in the mayors case to provide adversarial arguments against the Trump DOJs attempt to quash it, Harfenist said. Second, Harfenist said the filing makes the case that Ho by law has to rubber-stamp the DOJs motion to dismiss given that both the mayor and the department are in agreement about dropping the prosecution. The court has no discretion to continue this case, Harfenist said in a phone interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alex Spiro, Adams criminal defense attorney, didnt respond to an email seeking comment. In appointing Clement to provide adversarial arguments, Ho made clear he wont make a final ruling on whether the mayors case can be dropped until mid-March at the earliest. Some legal advocates have called on Ho to appoint a special prosecutor to continue the case, though its unclear whether he has the authority to attempt such a move. Adams indictment, to which he has pleaded not guilty, alleges he took bribes and illegal campaign cash, mostly from Turkish government operatives, in exchange for political favors, including helping resolve a building safety issue at the countrys Manhattan consulate. Flynn, who was Trumps national security adviser during his first White House term, has his own connections to Turkey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After resigning from the White House in February 2017, Flynn launched a lobbying firm that picked up a wealthy businessman with extensive ties to the Turkish government as a client. In 2019, the co-founder of Flynns firm, Bijan Rafiekian, was convicted of criminal charges alleging he acted as an illegal agent of the Turkish regime in the U.S. Flynns bid to get involved in the mayors case comes as Adams faces calls to resign or be removed from office in light of the Trump DOJs move to drop his indictment. In a dismissal motion, the DOJ asked Ho to drop the case against the mayor with the understanding that it could be brought back for a new prosecution as soon as November. The DOJ wrote that it expects ending the case should enable Adams to play a bigger role in facilitating Trumps policies, including his efforts to target undocumented New Yorkers for deportations, a highly unusual caveat that both allies and critics of the mayor say has made him a hostage to Trumps political agenda. Adams has also filed a motion to have the case dismissed outright, with no possibility of the prosecution being reinstated. Former UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has called the Trump administrations decision to halt military aid to Ukraine "tragic", warning that it poses global risks. Source: Shapps on X (Twitter), as reported European Pravda Tragic to witness the United Statesthe Home of the Freesiding with dictator Putin. This weakens Americas global standing, undermines Ukraines sovereignty & emboldens aggressors everywhere.https://t.co/i2gLbh8gSo Rt Hon Grant Shapps (@grantshapps) March 4, 2025 Details: Shapps made his statement on X (Twitter) shortly after multiple media outlets reported that Trump had ordered a pause on all military assistance to Ukraine. Quote: "Tragic to witness the United States the Home of the Free siding with dictator Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This weakens Americas global standing, undermines Ukraines sovereignty & emboldens aggressors everywhere." Background: Earlier, Shapps warned against a "peace" that would allow Moscow to claim victory, stressing that if Ukraine were forced to cede any territory, it must come with a fast track to NATO membership. Grant Shapps served as UK Defence Secretary from 2023 to 2024 under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Read his historic speech: "The era of the peace dividend is over. Moving from a post-war to a pre-war world". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Children from Gaza arrive at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing, Jordan, on March 4, 2025. A total of 29 Gaza children along with their families were evacuated to Jordan on Tuesday, the first batch of the 2,000 children who will receive medical treatment in the Kingdom. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) AMMAN, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A total of 29 Gaza children along with their families were evacuated to Jordan on Tuesday, the first batch of the 2,000 children who will receive medical treatment in the Kingdom. The Jordanian Armed Forces said the evacuation was coordinated by the army, the World Health Organization, and the Health Ministry as part of the Jordanian medical corridor initiative. During a press conference, Military Media Director Brigadier General Mustafa Al-Hiyari said that four children were evacuated via helicopters from the Royal Jordanian Air Force through the Marka Military Airport, and 25 children were evacuated via land in ambulances through the King Hussein Bridge, also known as the Allenby Bridge. According to Al-Hiyari, the total number of patients treated in Jordan's field hospitals in Gaza and the West Bank since the beginning of the Hamas-Israel conflict has exceeded half a million. A woman and a child from Gaza arrive at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing, Jordan, on March 4, 2025. A total of 29 Gaza children along with their families were evacuated to Jordan on Tuesday, the first batch of the 2,000 children who will receive medical treatment in the Kingdom. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) Ambulances carrying Gaza children and their families arrive at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing, Jordan, on March 4, 2025. A total of 29 Gaza children along with their families were evacuated to Jordan on Tuesday, the first batch of the 2,000 children who will receive medical treatment in the Kingdom. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) A woman and a child from Gaza arrive at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing, Jordan, on March 4, 2025. A total of 29 Gaza children along with their families were evacuated to Jordan on Tuesday, the first batch of the 2,000 children who will receive medical treatment in the Kingdom. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) A woman and a child from Gaza arrive at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing, Jordan, on March 4, 2025. A total of 29 Gaza children along with their families were evacuated to Jordan on Tuesday, the first batch of the 2,000 children who will receive medical treatment in the Kingdom. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) An injured child from Gaza arrives at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing, Jordan, on March 4, 2025. A total of 29 Gaza children along with their families were evacuated to Jordan on Tuesday, the first batch of the 2,000 children who will receive medical treatment in the Kingdom. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) A woman and a child from Gaza arrive at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing, Jordan, on March 4, 2025. A total of 29 Gaza children along with their families were evacuated to Jordan on Tuesday, the first batch of the 2,000 children who will receive medical treatment in the Kingdom. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) Children from Gaza arrive at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing, Jordan, on March 4, 2025. A total of 29 Gaza children along with their families were evacuated to Jordan on Tuesday, the first batch of the 2,000 children who will receive medical treatment in the Kingdom. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) State Rep. Don McLaughlin, who was mayor of Uvalde when a gunman tore through the towns peace and killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school, has filed a bill aimed at addressing some of the failures that plagued the police response to that shooting. House Bill 33, filed Monday by the freshman lawmaker, would mandate law enforcement agencies across the state to create crisis response policies, a provision that takes aim at the nearly 400 law enforcement officers who waited more than an hour before confronting the shooter who had barricaded himself in a classroom a decision that went against nationwide active shooter protocols. What happened that day was a failure of duty, leadership, and preparedness, McLaughlin said in a statement. Law enforcement hesitated, communication broke down, and innocent children and teachers were left defenseless. We must do what we can to ensure these mistakes are never repeated. The Uvalde Strong Act is about guaranteeing that when a crisis strikes, there is no confusion and no delayonly immediate, decisive action to save lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would require school districts and law enforcement to meet once a year to plan their response to an active shooter situation. It would also mandate annual multi-agency exercise drills on how to respond to an active shooter. Texas already requires individual officers to undergo training for active shooter incidents but it does not require annual exercise drills for law enforcement agencies. The bill would also provide grants for officers to train on how to respond to an active shooter incident. McLaughlins bill also would require the Department of Public Safety to enter into mutual aid agreements with local law enforcement agencies that would dictate how the agencies would share resources during a critical incident and how to coordinate the response. McLaughlin blasted DPS in the aftermath of the Uvalde shooting for not taking control of the shooting incident, in which federal, state and local police deferred to a local school police chief who was without a radio during the incident. Police officers would be required to take courses on setting up an incident command center during a critical event under the bill. After the shooting, state officials moved to address school shootings by setting aside funding to provide school police with bullet proof shields that would help protect them against shooters with high-powered assault rifles. Retired state Rep. Tracy King, a Democrat who represented Uvalde and who was succeeded by McLaughlin, also moved to change state law to bar people under 21 from purchasing, renting or leasing semi-automatic rifles like the one used in the shooting. The legislation came at the behest of some of the families of Uvalde victims but it failed to reach the House floor for debate after stiff opposition from gun rights advocates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McLaughlin, a Republican who succeeded King, does not support raising the age to purchase semi-automatic rifles and his proposed legislation focuses on the police response to active shooters. The bill would require police and emergency medical services providers who respond to an active shooter event to file a report detailing the event, how many staffers responded, how many deaths occurred and any problems encountered during the response, among other things. The preliminary report would be due no later than 60 days after an incident. As mayor, McLaughlin was critical of the law enforcement response to the Uvalde shooting and what he saw as obfuscation by police and state officials. The requirement for a preliminary report is aimed at giving the public speedier insight into mass shooting events, something that frustrated officials in Uvalde as well as the families of victims. The bill is among House Speaker Dustin Burrows priority bills, an indication that it has a high likelihood of passing the chamber. After the shooting, Burrows led an investigation into the massacre that detailed systemic failures and egregious poor decision making by nearly everyone involved. The inquiry detailed a police response that disregarded its own active shooter training and a chaotic, uncoordinated response by multiple law enforcement agencies that descended on the school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would require police to make available sufficient tactical equipment to allow officers to effectively respond to a critical incident. During the Uvalde shooting, police did not have tools to breach a door and did not rush into the room where the shooter was barricaded because they did not have bullet proof shields. The legislation lists weapons, breaching tools, bullet proof shields and bullet proof vests as part of the tactical equipment departments would be required to provide. The legislation also aims to provide mental health support for first responders before a critical incident by requiring training about what to expect in a mass casualty event. After responding to an event, the bill would recommend that local governments provide mental health counseling to the first responders, but it is not mandated in the bill. We cant wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 1315 in downtown Austin. Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education, the economy, health care, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and so much more. Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. The Heritage Homeowners Association in far north Fort Worth joined a lawsuit on March 3 against members of the Keller school board, alleging that they violated the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) when they met in private to discuss a plan to split the district. The goal of the suit is to stop the board from moving forward with the plan. Five of Kellers seven trustees support a proposal to break the district in half, using U.S. 377 as the dividing line. Residents in the district, particularly those on the Fort Worth side west of 377, have been vehemently against that. Members of the Heritage Legal Task Force, represented by Fort Worth-based Kelly Hart & Hallman, intervened in a lawsuit filed in January in Tarrant County District Court by Keller parent Matthew Mucker. His petition seeks to stop the school board from convening in any manner that violates TOMA. Mucker is listed as the plaintiff in court filings. The primary defendants in the original petition are all seven board trustees: President Charles Randklev, John Birt, Joni Shaw Smith, Micah Young, Chelsea Kelly, Chris Coker and Heather Washington. The Keller school district is a third-party defendant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The intervention brought forth by the Heritage group names only Randklev, Birt, Young, Coker and Washington as defendants. The intervenors are the Heritage Homeowners Association and residents Cary Moon, the chair of the legal task force, and Brian Black, the HOA president. The five defendants did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The boards attorney, Tim Davis of Fort Worth, declined to comment citing the pending litigation. Speaking at a press conference in the Heritage Homeowners Association clubhouse on Monday, Moon laid out the groups goals. The plaintiffs seek to prevent the board from taking any action in its plan to split the district. Further, it seeks a temporary restraining order, a temporary injunction and a permanent injunction that keeps the board from enforcing or taking any actions supported by violations of the open meetings act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also asks that the board be denied the right to protect communication with attorney Davis because his hiring was never noticed or approved by the board. Heritages intervention further alleges the five board members are spending funds derived from Keller school taxes to pay Davis. In addition to judgments against the five defendants, the intervention seeks to recoup attorneys fees and court costs. Moon said joining the suit as an intervenor as opposed to filing a new suit saves us precious time in procedural matters. The Heritage community is situated on both sides of Heritage Trace Parkway and comprises approximately 3,200 homes and 8,000 residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I felt shocked, betrayed and surprised, said Moon, a former Fort Worth city council member, recalling his reaction when he first heard about the proposed split. Moon said he has not reached out to the five school board members named in the lawsuit. Its a legal issue, he said, and he doesnt want to make it personal. Moons co-plaintiff Black moved to Heritage in 2003 specifically to be in the Keller school district, he said. His son is a fourth grader at Bette Perot Elementary School. His daughter graduated last year from Timber Creek High School. We want to make sure the Keller ISD operates in a lawful manner, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since residents announced the formation of the Heritage Legal Task Force on Feb. 11, the group has raised more than $65,000 to support its efforts to stop the split. Star-Telegram reporters Liz Campbell, Harrison Mantas and Cody Copeland contributed to this story. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. State emergency management officials remain weather aware 365 days a year, and they are asking you to do the same. During an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of Missouris Emergency Operation Center Monday, Katy Linnenerink with the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said the department is always ready for any type of disaster, especially weather-related events. File: Missouri Emergency Operations Center As we start to approach the spring and summer months, storms, tornadoes and flooding tend to be a bit more frequent, Linnenerink said. Though they can certainly happen any time of year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a message echoed by SEMA brass. Its incredibly important to learn about the risks and prepare before severe weather strikes, State Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Remillard said in a statement. Take time to understand the different hazards, have an emergency plan in place and review the steps youll take to stay safe. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News While the agency and its 82 employees are focused heavily on the four key aspects of emergency managementmitigation, response, recovery and preparednessthis week in Missouri is all about severe weather preparedness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We really take this week to encourage Missourians to educate themselves and inform them of some of the risks, she said. Just be prepared and have a plan and know how you will protect yourself and what to do to stay safe during severe weather. File: Missouri Emergency Operations Center With snow, rain and thunderstorms in the forecast this week, constantly monitoring the wild swings in Missouri weather is itself a full-time job for SEMA. SEMA is primarily a coordinating agency, meaning that we assist local emergency response when they become overwhelmed, Linnenerink said. So we help with the coordination of resources for local communities when needed, or is requested like during severe weather. But their role in public safety is multifaceted, with divisions specifically centered on the main foundations of emergency management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our mission is to help Missourians prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters, Linnenerink told FOX 2 News. St. Louis Mayoral primary results In conjunction with Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Missouri, SEMA is coordinating a statewide test of all outdoor warning sirens at 11 a.m. Wednesday. With all hazards in mind, the agency will also be hosting an upcoming earthquake summit in southeastern Missouri on March 18. SEMA also shared several tips regarding staying safe during severe weather: Follow local forecasts any time severe weather is anticipated. Have multiple ways to receive weather alerts in case one fails or severe weather strikes overnight. Create a family emergency plan to stay safe, and remember to include pets when building an emergency kit and stocking up on supplies. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so its also important to know how to contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place thats familiar and easy to find. A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible in the area. Its important to be ready to act quickly if it becomes necessary. A tornado warning means seek shelter immediately because a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar causing imminent danger to life and property. The safest shelter location for tornadoes is generally an interior room without windows on the lowest floor of sturdy structure, preferably in the basement. Do not seek shelter in a cafeteria, gymnasium or other large open room because the roof might collapse. Immediately leave a mobile home to seek shelter in a nearby building and never seek shelter under an overpass the dangerous wind tunnel effect combined with flying debris can be deadly. If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you. Leave elevated areas and avoid isolated trees. Seek shelter immediately in an enclosed building or vehicle. The safest place to be when there is high winds or hail is indoors. Avoid driving to prevent injuries or vehicle damage. Consider all downed power lines as live. Never drive into standing water, even if it appears shallow. As little as six inches of fast-moving water can cause a car to lose control or float. Rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and sweep it away. Murky water can hide hazards including dangerous debris and road damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For resources on how to prepare for severe weather, visit https://stormaware.mo.gov/preparing-for-a-tornado/. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. One of Fox News star hosts seemingly broke ranks after President Donald Trump paused all U.S. aid to Ukraine, stressing that Russian President Vladimir Putin is the bad guy. Can we all remember @KremlinRussia_E is the bad guythey invadedthey kidnap kids, Brian Kilmeade, who co-hosts the networks popular morning news chat show Fox & Friends, wrote Monday on X, tagging Putins official government account. Whatever happensUkraine can not loseeastern. [sic] Europe will be next. Can we all remember @KremlinRussia_E is the bad guy- they invaded - they kidnap kids - Whatever happens - Ukraine can not lose - eastern. Europe will be next Brian Kilmeade (@kilmeade) March 4, 2025 Trump ordered a pause to all U.S. military aid to Ukraine on Monday, days after he and Vice President JD Vance blasted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, bringing Americas relationship with its war-torn ally to a nadir. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An official told CNN on Monday that the halt on assistance could remain in place until Trump is satisfied that Zelensky is committed to peace talks, which could force him to negotiate with Putin over the threat of military and territorial losses. Zelensky and Ukrainian officials have frequently noted that Putinwho ordered an illegal invasion of their country in February 2022has a history of violating ceasefire and diplomatic agreements. Trump reiterated Monday that he believes Zelensky should show more gratitude for American support and, in a social media post, expressed fury at Zelenskys suggestion that the wars end is still very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also claimed while speaking to reporters that a ceasefire should not be that hard a deal to make and suggested that, if Zelensky doesnt negotiate to his liking, its possible he wont be around very long. Kilmeades Fox News colleague Bret Baier interviewed Zelensky on Friday after the Oval Office blowup with Trump and Vance, and asked the Ukrainian leader whether he owed his American counterpart an apology for the verbal dustup. President Trump said after your meeting that you disrespected him and the vice president and all of America in the Oval Office. Do you think you did? Baier queried. Zelensky did not directly address Trump but emphasized that he is very thankful to Americans for all your support... thankful to President Trump and to Congress bipartisan support. In a statement on social media, Zelensky built on his remarks to Baier: Its crucial for us to have President Trumps support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. Its a fight for our freedom, for our very survival. (Bloomberg) -- The French government backs extending taxes on the wealthy and aims to mobilize investors amid pressure to boost defense spending as it wrestles with a soaring deficit. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finance Minister Eric Lombard said a proposal by the previous French administration under Prime Minister Michel Barnier for a differential levy on high incomes was interesting. We wish to make this tax permanent but make sure its above all a contribution that fights against what we call fiscal over-optimization, he told Franceinfo radio on Tuesday. People who have significant savings must contribute to tax. Its what were considering. Lombard ruled out raising taxes on companies as this would weigh on jobs. The government is seeking ways to increase defense spending as part of European efforts to rely less on the US, which is pulling back security on the continent under President Donald Trump, and continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The minister said he wants to encourage investors, insurance companies and banks to contribute to funding defense programs, adding that he plans to meet with them at the Finance Ministry next week along with Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu. Lombard also said certain industrial sites that have had to shut or are at risk of closing could be converted to help boost military production. Lombard said money would not be diverted from areas such as health and education, and pledged social security spending would be maintained. We mustnt cut budgets, he said. We can on the other hand look at how the effort is shared among the French people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concerns over Frances public finances, political uncertainty that followed snap elections last summer, and a protracted parliamentary battle over this years budget left the country with higher borrowing costs that limit room for maneuver. This means the euro areas second-biggest economy spends more than 50 billion ($52.5 billion) annually on interest to holders of its debt, roughly the same amount as on defense, according to Lombard. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday the European Union plans to activate a mechanism that would allow countries to use national budgets to spend an additional 650 billion on defense over four years without triggering budgetary penalties. The EU will also propose extending 150 billion in loans. (Updates with comments from minister starting in sixth paragraph.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (WTAJ) Representatives from the Department of Revenue (DOR) will be traveling across Pennsylvania, with stops in Elk and Cameron counties, to offer free help to those who are filing for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. In 2024, the program delivered more than 522,000 rebates, totaling $319 million to eligible Pennsylvanians. Eligible applicants are required to submit a new application every year, as rebates are based on annual income and property taxes or rent paid during the prior year. DOR employees will be traveling to offer assistance with in-person filing. Those interested in attending are encouraged to call their preferred location ahead of time to verify availability and make an appointment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement $10M available for small, mid-sized Pennsylvania farms and food businesses Who is eligible for the property or tax rebates? Age Criteria 65 and older Income Criteria Widows and widowers 50 and older People with disabilities 18 and older In addition to age requirements, to qualify for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate, your household income must be $46,520 or less annually. More information about eligibility requirements can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue website. Here are the locations and times in Central Pennsylvania: Cameron County Driftwood Senior Center (7806 Bridge St., Driftwood, PA 15832) on March 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Elk County Bennetts Valley Senior Center (149 Plum St., Weedville, PA 15868) on March 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Johnsonburg Senior Center (430 Center St., Johnsonburg, PA 15845) on March 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. Marys Senior Center (104 Erie Ave., St. Marys, PA 15857) on March 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. What should you bring to your meeting? Tax information/income statements A photo identification card (drivers license, etc.) Social Security cards for themselves and their dependents Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. Dates and times of the events are subject to change, so you can keep up to date on the Department of Revenues website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that his administration would cut off federal funding to colleges that "allow illegal protests," in addition to threatening arrest, expulsion and deportation for student participants. While he did not divulge many more specifics in his post, it's clear from past statements that he's referring to pro-Palestine activism that has surged in wake of Israel's destructive invasion of Gaza. "Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter," he wrote on Tuesday. While the protests last year were already met with police crackdowns and punishment meted out by university administrators, the Trump administration's policies would represent an unprecedented escalation. Self-described Zionist groups like Betar have already offered to help the government compile lists of students to punish for "antisemitic behavior," heightening concerns that the Trump administration is leading a draconian campaign to suppress free speech while abetting Israel's ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's allies and other pro-Israel voices have claimed that these measures are necessary to fight hate against Jews. "Antisemitism and anti-Israel hate will not be tolerated on American campuses. Promises made, promises kept," tweeted Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Trump's pick for UN ambassador and a staunch Israel ally who has said that the country has a "biblical right" to annex the Palestinian West Bank. Using the antisemitism label to describe protests against war crimes and crimes against humanity, or attending a vigil for a five-year-old girl shot by Israeli forces a gathering Betar has claimed is a hotbed of hateful agitation is just a convenient way for Israel allies to erase political opposition, activists have said. Many civil rights lawyers agree that pro-Palestine activism is indeed protected speech and that the Trump administration's proposed crackdown violates the First Amendment. Withdrawing federal funding "is unlawful the government cannot condition receipt of federal funds on universities silencing protected speech," Jenin Younes, a civil liberties attorney, posted on X. "Criticizing a foreign nation is protected speech. Thanks for making it so obvious, Elise Stefanik. This makes the lawsuits MUCH easier to win." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's unclear when or how Trump will implement such a policy to full effect, or what he defines as "illegal" or a punishable offense, though the ferocious police response to initially peaceful protests and their reluctance to deal with violence by pro-Israel counterprotesters might shed some light. But even this ambivalence could deter protest activity or indeed any politically disfavored speech. "Peaceful protests, of course, are not 'illegal.' A government ban on peaceful protests would violate the First Amendment," wrote former U.S. Attorney Barb McQuade. "The goal here seems to be intimidation and fear to chill free speech." LUSAKA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- According to Zambian health authorities, 672,100 people in three districts battling a cholera outbreak have received oral cholera vaccines. Minister of Health Elijah Muchima said on Monday that the vaccination exercise was conducted in the districts of Chililabombwe and Kitwe in Copperbelt Province as well as Nakonde in the northern part of the country. "Vaccination has been another key pillar to our effective intervention, contributing to the reduction in cases being reported in these communities and reducing the severity of cholera cases being reported," he said during a press briefing. According to him, a total of 133,525 doses of oral cholera vaccine have been administered in Chililabombwe, 200,878 doses in Nakonde, and 337,697 in Kitwe, and the remaining 1,262,303 doses would be deployed to any identified hotspots. He said the government, devoted and resolute to the health and well-being of its people, is actively addressing the current cholera outbreak and other public health threats in the country. The cumulative number of cholera cases in Zambia has reached 301 following three new cases recorded from Feb. 26 to March 2, with two cases recorded in Lusaka, the country's capital, and one in Chililabombwe, said the health minister. He added that three patients were discharged during the same period, bringing the total discharges to 289, while the death toll stands at nine. The French government has stated that the US decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine, including the halting of arms deliveries, makes peace more distant as it strengthens the aggressor, Russia. Source: BFM TV, as reported by European Pravda Quote from Frances Minister Delegate for Europe Benjamin Haddad: "Basically, if we want peace, does a decision to suspend the supply of arms to Ukraine strengthen peace or push it further away? It pushes it further away because it would only strengthen the hand of the aggressor on the ground, meaning Russia." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The minister added that pressure must be applied on Russia, not on Ukraine, as has been happening in recent weeks. Background: Donald Trump has ordered a suspension of all US military aid to Ukraine until he sees that the Ukrainian leadership demonstrates "a good-faith commitment to peace". Trumps decision includes halting shipments of weapons that had already left US territory and were en route to Ukraines border. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! PARIS (Reuters) - Prosecutors have requested that a French police officer stands trial for murder after the deadly shooting of a teenager in 2023 that sparked violent protests across the country, the Nanterre prosecutor's office said on Tuesday. In a statement, prosecutors said they had concluded their investigation into the shooting of 17-year-old Nahel M. by a police officer on June 27, 2023 in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, an incident over which two officers were investigated. They requested that one of the officers faces a court trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is now up to a judge to decide whether a trial will take place. Murder complicity charges against the other officer were dropped. The police officer who was charged with murder fired at Nahel after the latter failed to comply with an order to stop his car. The boy of North African descent subsequently died from his wounds. The police officer's lawyer wasn't immediately available for comment. A video shared on social media, verified by Reuters, showed two police officers beside the car, a Mercedes AMG, with one firing his weapon as the driver pulled away. Nahel's death and the video were shared on social media, drawing widespread anger and provoking several nights of unrest in Nanterre and other cities across France. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the heart of the unrest were long-standing accusations by rights group of systemic racism in the police. The lawyer for Nahel's family wasn't immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Juliette Jabkhiro; Editing by Bernadette Baum) PARIS (AP) Frances prime minister decried the U.S. pause on providing military aid to Ukraine as unbearable on Tuesday, describing it as tantamount to abandoning Ukrainians and allowing for a possible victory by Russia. The word suspension fools no one, Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said, addressing French senators and mounting what was his second sharp criticism of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump in as many days. The suspension in war of assistance to an aggressed country signifies that the aggressed country is being abandoned and that one accepts or hopes that its aggressor wins, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its obviously unbearable, Bayrou said. The French premier, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, also argued against strong pressure that the White House is exerting on Ukraine to quickly negotiate an end to the fighting. Bayrou said that Ukraine needs to keep fighting for its very survival. If Russia stops fighting, the war stops. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine disappears," Bayrou said. Though the Trump administration announced the suspension in aid Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated later during his nightly address that his country had not received direct notification of the pause. He also said he stands ready to work with Trump on obtaining a lasting peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Macron, meanwhile, spoke by phone successively with Trump and Zelenskyy and reiterated "France's determination to work with all the parties to achieve a solid and lasting peace in Ukraine, his office said, without giving details of the discussion with Trump. Macron's prime minister, appointed in December, has become one of the sharpest French critics of the abrupt U-turn in Washington's policy on Ukraine that Trump has executed since he and U.S. Vice President JD Vance publicly berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an explosive meeting last week. In an address on Monday to France's lower house of parliament, the prime minister decried the Oval Office thrashing of Zelenskyy as a staggering show of brutality that aimed to humiliate Ukraines leader and bend him to the will of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking to lawmakers again on Tuesday, Bayrou argued that the U.S. suspension of military aid could have repercussions both on and off the battlefields for Ukraine, impacting not only supplies of munitions, intelligence and communications and other military assistance, but also Ukrainian morale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainians feel terribly abandoned and terribly alone, he said. Separately, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu posted a video of what he described as "dangerous behavior" by a Russian Su-35 fighter jet that he said buzzed a French Reaper drone that was conducting a surveillance mission in international airspace over the eastern Mediterranean on Sunday. "Three successive close passes, which could have led to the loss of control of the drone, demonstrated an intent to restrict free air circulation in shared spaces," the defense minister posted on X. This was a deliberate, unprofessional, and aggressive action that is unacceptable. ___ AP journalist Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed. The victims of a Northland crime spree on Friday have been identified by the Platte County Sheriffs Office. On Friday morning, police shot and killed George C. Manning III, 43, a suspect in two homicides and the abduction of his 5-year-old child, according to authorities. Mannings crime spree began with a fatal shooting about 11:15 p.m. Thursday in Riverside, where he allegedly shot and killed a woman at the Riverside Car Wash and stole her vehicle, according to the Platte County Sheriffs Office spokesperson Capt. Jeffrey Shanks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That victim has been identified as Katherine Bjorklund, 33, of Kansas City, according to Shanks. A GoFundMe has begun to bring Bjorklunds mom to Kansas City from San Antonio, the fundraiser stated. Officials believe this shooting was solely to steal Bjorklunds vehicle. Manning then drove the victims vehicle to a home in unincorporated Platte County, where he allegedly shot and seriously injured the mother of his daughter and shot and killed the mothers son before taking his daughter. The mother has been identified as Mercedes Ontiveros, 34. She is at a local hospital recovering from a gunshot wound. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her son has been identified as Giuliani Calderon, 12, who was a seventh grade student at Walden Middle School in the Park Hill School District. The Northland family victimized in the crime spree has already been affected by gun violence, as a loved one of the family revealed in an online fundraiser set up to support the family. In a GoFundMe set up by a family friend, it was revealed that the father of Giuliani and Ontiveross oldest daughter was also the victim of a mass shooting six years ago. Alfredo Calderon Jr. was one of four victims of a 2019 Kansas City, Kansas mass shooting. His obituary states he is survived by the mother of his children, Ontiveros, and his children, one of whom named Giuliani. Calderon is also survived by a daughter who was not involved in the crime spree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was described as a family man in previous reporting. The fundraiser says she is temporarily immobilized following this senseless act of domestic violence. Giuliani wasnt just her sonhe was her best friend, her firstborn, a light in all of our lives, the fundraiser said. Around 5 a.m. Friday, after an Amber Alert had been issued Manning released the girl to one of his family members. She was found safe and unharmed, Shanks said. Officials believe Manning fled to Kansas City, Kansas, and committed more crimes there before returning to Missouri. Around 7:30 a.m., officers spotted Manning walking along Northwest Vivion Road near Northwest Waukomis Drive, where he was shot and killed by police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proceeds from the GoFundMe will go to Ontiveros and her two daughters to help with time away from work, counseling services, and household expenses. More than $21,000 of the $30,000 goal has been raised as of Monday evening. In addition to the profound grief of losing her son, Mercedes is now confronted with the overwhelming challenge of adjusting to a life she never could have imagined, the fundraiser stated. SOMERSET, Pa. A Friedens-area man pleaded guilty to third-degree murder Monday in Somerset County court for fatally shooting his brother with a crossbow in 2024. Jury selection was scheduled to begin Monday in Travis Scott Shearers criminal homicide trial that was set to run all week. But Shearer, 32, instead entered the guilty plea before Somerset County Judge Scott Bittner at the Somerset courthouse. Shearer would be sentenced to two to five years in jail, plus 10 years of probation, if Bittner imposes the sentence recommended by Somerset County District Attorney Molly Metzgar and defense attorneys Matthew Zatko, Kevin Chernosky and Grant Shonesky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The June 14 killing stemmed from an argument between Shearer and his brother, Eric Miller, outside their neighboring homes in the Friedens area, police have said. The pair were drinking, and after the altercation became physical, Miller, 39, was struck in the sternum by a crossbow bolt. A first-degree murder conviction could have meant a life prison sentence for Shearer. The third-degree murder charge to which he pleaded guilty is a lesser offense that falls under the criminal homicide category. Recent court rulings on testimony and evidence that was usable in court played a key role in the cases sudden resolution, attorneys on both sides of the case said. Since Shearers arrest, his defense attorneys have maintained he was defending himself that night. A recent ruling would have permitted them to support their argument by offering testimony about past violent acts by Miller, attorneys on both sides said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was (Shearers) belief he could have been killed or suffered imminent bodily harm, Zatko said. In cases in which self-defense is argued, Chernosky said, testimony is permissible about specific incidents of violence by the person who was killed that the defendant knew about. Such testimony could allow defense attorneys to illustrate to jurors Shearers possible state of mind, or fear of harm, during the physical altercation with Miller, Chernosky said. Attorneys on both sides of the case called the death a tragedy. Seeking closure Metzgar told Bittner in court that there were mitigating factors that supported prosecutors decision to agree to the guilty plea to third-degree murder, and that Millers past acts of violence were a factor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors did not view the case as a matter of self-defense, arguing previously that Shearer had a chance to escape the confrontation, but instead returned with the crossbow. Metzgar said her office disagreed with some of Bittners rulings about material that was and wasnt admissible at trial, and she was prepared to appeal that Monday. But Shearers willingness to admit wrongdoing and plead guilty to third-degree murder instead allowed prosecutors to bring the case to a just conclusion, she said. Just as importantly, it allows a family torn apart by a homicide between siblings to begin moving on, Metzgar added. A trial could have brought Shearers relatives to the witness stand to testify for and against him, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An appeal to Pennsylvanias Commonwealth Court could have delayed the case another two years, she said. In working with the victims, closure seemed to be of the utmost importance, Metzgar said, adding that Millers death also left behind two grieving teenage children. Approximately 66 Somerset County residents arrived for Mondays jury selection process, but were instead sent home shortly after 11:15 a.m. That left court staffers and about half a dozen of Millers and Shearers relatives in court, some seated far apart, as Shearer stood before Bittner. One was their mother, who wrapped her arms around Shearer and hugged him tightly moments after he entered his guilty plea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shearer declined to comment Monday as sheriffs deputies escorted him into the back of a police car to return to Somerset County Jail. As agreed upon by attorneys, Shearer will be able to serve his sentence at the county level, rather than in state prison, Bittner said. Zatko said bringing the case to a speedy end was also important to Shearer, who has spent the last eight months in jail. Whether this ended with a conviction, a plea or an acquittal, nothing can undo what has already been done, Zatko said, adding that a family member died and our client will have to live with that the rest of his life. BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Florida State University Panama City students dove to the bottom of St. Andrews Bay Monday looking for evidence from a simulated crime scene. The exercise at the Panama City Marina tested their skills in underwater investigation and evidence recovery. It was part of their final exam for their underwater CSI certification in their underwater crime scene investigation class. The scenario involved a man who disappeared from his boat off the marina. Bay County commissioners prepare to finalize renaming of Thomas Drive Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Getting all of this cumulative knowledge, each piece together in these kinds of scenarios really makes the learning come alive. It also really prepares them for real-life events because something like this could happen any day of the week, Florida State University Panama City Dive Operation Director Mike Davis said. Students put on their diving gear and began assessing the scene for clues. Some students stayed on the dock to guide the divers. Students say the hardest part of the experience is the lack of visibility underwater. Not being able to see anything. Sometimes, though, its quite calming because you kind of just have to focus and navigate your way through it, but definitely the visibility aspect, Biological Science and Criminology major Madison Klick said. Divers retrieved a hammer and an air tank before finding the suspects body and returning it to shore. Klick says exercises like these prepare her for a career in criminal justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Movie night at Gulf Coast State College I want to take my degrees in science and criminology and mix them together. I would love to be an on-call crime scene investigator. I want to be immersed in the water and see what I could find down there. Theres so many things that are thrown in the water between cars and guns and knives to bodies, Klick said. After recovering the body, students headed back to the lab to determine a cause of death. To be certified, students must be medically fit, cleared as an advanced scientific diver, and tread water for 12 minutes. Students can apply this certificate or minor toward a criminal justice, biology, or similar degree. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MONTAGUE COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) More witnesses were called to testify for the defense in the murder trial of Joshua Thomas Fulbright on Monday afternoon, March 3, after the state rested its case earlier in the day. Joshua Fulbright in the 97th Judicial Courtroom (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Fulbright is facing up to life in prison if found guilty of the murder of 2-year-old Scarlette Olivia Newsom, who was hospitalized in Clay County before passing away four days later in Cook Childrens Hospital. A recap of testimony in Fulbrights trial can be found below: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The State of Texas is being represented by Katie Boggeman, 97th Judicial District Attorney and lead prosecutor of Fulbrights trial. Fulbright is being represented by Mark Barber, a defense attorney based in Wichita Falls. PREVIOUS STORY: State rests after calling final witness in Fulbrights trial Dr. Tasha Greenberg on the stand in the 97th Judicial Courtroom (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Testimony resumed on Monday afternoon, March 3, 2025, in the 97th Judicial District Courtroom in the Montague County Courthouse, with Judge Trish Coleman Byars presiding. The prosecution rested its case just before lunch after calling its final witness to the stand. Defense calls medical examiner of its own After a brief hearing outside of the jurys presence on Monday afternoon, Barber then called the next witness to testify on behalf of Fulbrights defense, Dr. Erik Christensen, of Salt Lake City, Utah, a retired forensic pathologist who works as a consultant. Dr. Christensen testified he has conducted a number of autopsies during his career. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Christensen testified he reviewed the records from the case of Olivia Newsom, including medical reports and reports from law enforcement. He testified that he agreed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma and the manner of death was a homicide. Dr. Erik Christensen on the stand in the 97th Judicial Courtroom (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Dr. Christensen testified that the development of the types of injuries Olivia Newsom suffered can take a variable amount of time to form. He testified that vomiting following a seizure can be indicative of an accidental injury to the brain. Dr. Christensen testified that he is unable to determine which blow caused the death of the child, and in his opinion, no medical examiner could. He also testified he could not determine whether Fulbright or Sarah Newsom, the childs mother, delivered the fatal blow. READ MORE: First witnesses testify in Joshua Fulbrights defense Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boggeman then cross-examined Dr. Christensen. Dr. Christensen testified that he reviewed all of the childs medical records from prenatal care until her death. He testified that he noted no indication of any type of condition that would cause low iron. Joshua Fulbright in the 97th Judicial Courtroom (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Dr. Christensen testified that nothing in the reported history of the child accounts for all of the injuries that were present when she was examined. Dr. Christensen testified that by the time the child arrived at Cook Childrens Hospital on Oct. 16, 2018, the childs injury had already done an extensive amount of damage. He testified that hed expect to see symptoms of that injury, such as seizures, soon after the injury was inflicted. Dr. Christensen testified that he expected the fee hed invoice the defense for his analysis and testimony would be around $7,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: State temporarily rests after penultimate witness in Fulbrights trial When Barber questioned Dr. Christensen further, he testified that he believed it was more likely that the injury occurred before Oct. 11, 2018, rather than on the actual date itself. Pediatric and adolescent psychiatrist testifies for defense Barber then called Dr. Bryan Wieck, a psychiatrist based in Wichita Falls, to testify on Fulbrights behalf. Defense attorney Mark Barber in the 97th Judicial Courtroom (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Outside of the jurys presence, a hearing was held regarding the contents of Dr. Wiecks testimony. Barber attempted to offer testimony from Dr. Wieck regarding the childhood mental health of Sarah Newsom, the mother of Olivia Newsom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boggeman objected, stating that Newsoms mental health diagnoses involving Dr. Wieck occurred when she was a child, not when she was 23, when her daughters alleged murder took place. Judge Coleman Byars sustained the objection. An additional hearing was held regarding the subjects of Dr. Wiecks testimony, which included broad explanations of certain psychological diagnoses and the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist. No objection as made from the state, and the jury was brought back into the courtroom at around 3:40 p.m. on Monday, March 3. READ MORE: Texas Ranger, Cook Childrens doctor take stand in Fulbrights trial Dr. Wieck testified that bipolar disorder is a condition in which a person experiences moments or episodes of depression as well as moments or episodes of mania. He testified that bipolar disorder has two different types, with bipolar type 1 being more severe than bipolar type 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Wieck then explained to the jury what anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder are. He explained that some of those diagnoses require medication, depending on the severity of the symptoms. Prosecutor Katie Boggeman in the 97th Judicial Courtroom (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) On cross-examination from Boggeman, Dr. Wieck testified that most personality disorders arent accompanied by medication for treatment. He testified that some personality disorders may be accompanied by mood disorders, such as anxiety disorder, and if those are treated by medication, it may reduce some of the symptoms of an individuals personality disorder. Potential defense expert testimony readdressed At around 4 p.m. on Monday, March 3, the jury was dismissed from the courtroom for the day. Before releasing them, Judge Coleman Byars told jurors not to be surprised if theyre kept later on Tuesday, March 4. With the jury dismissed from the courtroom, the issue of a potential expert witness that Barber intended to call on Fulbrights behalf, Dr. David Sabine, a psychologist based out of Wichita Falls, was brought back up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Mother takes the stand in toddlers murder retrial Boggeman reasserted her objection to Dr. Sabine being called as a witness regarding Sarah Newsom. Judge Coleman Byars sustained the objection, and Dr. Sabine will not be allowed to offer any testimony regarding Newsom. Joshua Fulbright in the 97th Judicial Courtroom (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Judge Coleman Byars did inform Barber that she would allow Dr. Sabine to take the stand and give general testimony regarding avoidant personality disorder. In order to ensure Barber doesnt overstep, Dr. Sabine will take the stand outside the jurys presence at 9 a.m. Testimony is set to resume on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in the 97th Judicial Courtroom in the Montague County Courthouse. Judge Coleman Byars told members of the jury not to be surprised if proceedings run long on Tuesday. This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. AUSTIN (Nexstar) Texas Senators passed legislation Wednesday toward creating the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), an initiative that will infuse $3 billion of state money over the next 10 years to find a cure for one of the most cruel diseases impacting Texans. Senate Bill 5 passed with bipartisan support. The legislation is a top priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, is carrying the bill and points out the elderly population in the United States is expected to double to 70 million by 2030. I believe this will touch the lives of almost every Texan, and so I cant think as a body, as a legislature, that we could make a wiser, more prudent, better investment for the people of Texas and for future generations of Texas than to make this investment, Huffman said before the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill now heads to the House. Lawmakers also passed a resolution to trigger a constitutional amendment election in November, where Texas voters would have to approve the creation of DPRIT at the polls. Texas emphasis on cancer and dementia DPRIT is modeled after the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, which lawmakers passed and voters later approved in 2007. Huffman even said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing she copied the revised bill that was used to create CPRIT. Secretary of State Jane Nelson was a lawmaker in 2007 and carried the bill that created CPRIT. She spoke in a public hearing last week about her work 18 years ago. It was one of, if not the most important piece of legislation I ever created, Nelson told the Senate Finance Committee. Even though we had universal agreement that we needed to step up the fight against cancer it was one of the toughest bills that I carried. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill faced questions about the funding mechanism and whether research was a core function of the state government. Voters and lawmakers eventually approved the initiative and have dedicated $6 billion of state money to CPRIT since then. Nelson said it was a great investment and made Texas one of the leaders in cancer research in the world. She believes the state should repeat history when it comes to dementia. She shared her personal story about the cognitive disease. Her mother was diagnosed with dementia. Its the cruelest disease, and then we lost her, Nelson said. She said it is especially hard for families to watch their loved ones slowly lose themselves. The National Institutes of Health reported in 2024 that Alzheimers and related dementia research has advanced in recent years but stressed more needs to be funded to keep finding new answers to a cure and prevention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This progress helps move us closer to developing effective prevention and treatment options that benefit all Americans, the NIH report reads. Real impact for Texas families Romi Lessig is excited for the idea of an institute in her home state that is dedicated to finding a cure for dementia, even though that cure will most likely not come in time for her mother. Im not naive enough to think we can do anything that will help my mom, Lessig said through tears. But she knows that in order for changes to happen, there needs to be action. Romi Lessig sits at her dining room table with a family picture from her youth (Photo Courtesy: Nexstar). Her mom, Vicki Matthews, is slowly losing herself. As a child in Florida, Lessig said her mom was a rock and always someone can rely on. She was the mom that everybody could call and talk to about things if they didnt want to talk to their own mom but they wanted to talk to somebody, Lessig explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the former librarian is now losing parts of herself. Lessig said her mom does not read anymore, even though she was avid reader when she was growing up, because she is having trouble remembering what she had just read on the previous page. She hopes the DPRIT is approved this year so work can begin as soon as possible to create a future where her kids will not have to go through the same thing. I want something more for them. I want them to have more happiness, more health, and its going to take time. We got to start now, Lessig said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) The future location of Hasbros new headquarters is still unknown. The toymaker first confirmed in September that it was considering leaving Rhode Island, but never specified where it would move. Pawtucket has pushed for Hasbro to keep its headquarters in the city, where it has been based for decades. Rhode Island officials have also proposed a move to Providence, while Massachusetts officials have been aggressively lobbying the business to move to Boston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the video above, Boston Globe columnist Dan McGowan joined Patrick Little on 12 News This Morning to discuss the toymakers future. MORE: Globe RI & 12 News Stories Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Nesi's Notes Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Georgia Senate Republicans approved a new version of the controversial religious freedom bill on Tuesday. Its been nine years since former Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed the controversial measure. Republicans insist the Religious Freedom Act, or RFRA, protects people of faith from unwarranted government intrusion. Democrats say it will allow people to discriminate against people they dont like under the legal cover of religious freedom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Acworth republican state Sen. Ed Setzler, the same lawmaker who wrote the heartbeat abortion law, introduced the latest version of RFRA, even as outside the Senate chamber, hundreds of LGBTQ supporters rallied in support of equality legislation. Every Georgian should be free to exercise their faith without unfair federal, state and local government intrusion, Setzler told Channel 2s Richard Elliot. RELATED STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Democrats pushed back hard, reminding Senators that Georgia does not have an underlying civil rights law which would protect Georgians from discrimination. It would legalize discrimination against Georgians across the state without any protection, State Sen. RaShaun Kemp said. Under RFRA, Atlanta Democratic state Sen. Jason Estevez said people could discriminate against anyone or any group under the legal cover of religious freedom. A restaurant owner can deny someone based on their religious belief. A Jewish couple could be denied a wedding venue based on the owners religious belief, and I think thats wrong, Estevez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Setzlers bill would prevent what he calls government intrusion into peoples religious beliefs, protecting them from government laws that he says might infringe upon them. He insists this law is different than the one vetoed by Deal in 2016. Its not a RFRA-plus. Its not a RFRA-minus. Its just a basic RFRA. Its the exact language in the federal statute. It protects people from unfair treatment from the federal government, and it provides the same level of protection from state and local governments and thats all it does, Setzler said. This bill now heads to the House where it could have a tougher road passing. WINDHOEK, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Namibia recorded a trade deficit of 2.7 billion Namibian dollars (about 145.7 million U.S. dollars) in January 2025, a significant increase from the 129 million Namibian dollar deficit observed in the previous month, the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) reported on Tuesday. The country's exports stood at 10.7 billion Namibian dollars in January, marking a 15-percent drop from December 2024 and a 7.9-percent decrease compared to the same month last year, NSA Statistician General Alex Shimuafeni said in the latest trade statistics bulletin. According to the statistician, imports rose to 13.4 billion Namibian dollars, up 5.7 percent from December 2024 but 2 percent lower year-on-year. South Africa remained Namibia's top trading partner, accounting for 22.8 percent of total exports and 29.5 percent of imports. The United States ranked second among export destinations with a 14-percent share, while China was Namibia's second-largest source of imports at 13.7 percent. "Non-monetary gold was Namibia's largest exported commodity in January 2025, accounting for 17.1 percent of the total export of goods that was solely destined for South Africa. Uranium came second on the list accounting for 13.1 percent of the total exports, exclusively destined for the U.S. market," the report stated. On the import side, petroleum oils and "copper ores and concentrates" took the first and second positions, both accounted for a share of 11.8 percent of total imports, followed by "aircraft and associated equipment" and motor vehicles for the transportation of goods with respective shares of 4.0 percent and 3.4 percent. According to the report, most of Namibia's goods were exported by sea, followed by air and road. Imports were also mainly transported by sea, with road transport accounting for 44.3 percent and air for 2.6 percent. Namibia was a net exporter of food items with a trade surplus of 264 million Namibian dollars, though it had a trade deficit of 161 million Namibian dollars in beverages. MARSHALL COUNTY, Miss. A group of shooters accused of putting the lives of multiple people in danger is on the run. Now, one law enforcement officer told WREG that if these people arent arrested soon, violence could strike again. These individuals shouldnt be taken lightly, Commander Kelly McMillen said. They shot these peoples house up. Theres no remorse for life. Commander McMillen said it happened February 12 just after 2 a.m. on Bonner Street in Holly Springs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have experienced multiple shootings here in Holly Springs and based on those investigations, what we understand and learned and developed, a lot of those individuals are either teenagers or very young adults, McMillen said. Armed juveniles accused of fighting Superlo employees Deputies said they found 15 to 20 shell casings inside the home. There was an elderly female who was in a wheelchair. When she started hearing the rounds coming inside the house, she abandoned her wheelchair and fell face first on the floor, McMIllen said. McMillen added that he was shocked that no one was hurt. Three other adults in the upstairs area inside the residence took cover and then one of those adults took a minor child and kinda covered him to keep him from being struck by gunfire, McMillen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators said they have some clues about the gunmen but not enough to arrest anyone. Woman, toddler injured after man shoots into home We believe that there is some gang activity involved in this, McMillen said. One of these incidents happened while vehicles were passing in the road. Its not like they target a central location; they target wherever they see these individuals at. McMillen said thats why its important for anyone who may know anything about the Bonner Street shooting or any of the other Holly Springs shootings to call investigators. Until we make some arrests, we do believe there could be other incidents that could take place, McMillen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have any information, you are urged to call Crimestoppers of Marshall County at 1-855-473-4658. Crimestoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects involved in this case. Remember, all calls are confidential. If you have a story that you would like for us to profile on Manhunt Monday, email us at manhuntmonday@wreg.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 WREG.com. SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) President Trumps new tariffs that went into effect on Tuesday, March 4, are going to impact gas prices in the United States. Here in Syracuse, expect prices to rise 5 to 10 cents. Syracuse Gas Prices For Syracuse, there will not be a major jump in price. For now, it will be a moderate uptick that we see this time of the year that could be enhanced by tariffs, said Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. There is a lot going on fluidly with this situation. Canada has promised retaliatory tariffs, which is something to keep an eye on. The bulk of the impact should avoid areas like Syracuse. With Central New York not relying heavily on Canadian oil compared to Western New York, other areas of the state will feel more of a hit instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Areas like Buffalo might be more susceptible because of their reliance on oil across the border, De Haan said. For Syracuse, there may be some residuals carry over than what youll see in New England. De Haan adds it will take a few weeks before tariffs impact gas prices. If you notice prices going up soon, its because of seasonal trends. Tariffs are not going to be the primary driver of gas prices. They may have low-level impact, he said. Over the next four to eight weeks, the seasonal trend is going to push gas prices more, one way or another. Even though theres no end in sight for these tariffs, De Haan believes the U.S. will still continue to rely on Canada for oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pipelines that carry more U.S. crude oil to US refineries dont necessarily exist because why fix it if its not broken? Thats the mentality, he said. Pipelines that carry more U.S. oil into the Midwest dont exist, and thats why refineries are still reliant on Canada. De Haan recommends downloading the GasBuddy app. It allows you to compare gas prices from gas stations in your area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR. CRAMERTON, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Several Gaston County fire departments are battling a woods fire in Cramerton. Crews responded Monday afternoon to the Stuart Ridge area and they are asking people to avoid the area. Emergency vehicles were seen stationed at fields behind Cramerton Christian Academy. According to Duke Energy, 32 customers are without power Monday evening in the area. Its expected to be restored by 11:15 p.m., and was caused by an object coming into contact with power lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Responding agencies include: Cramerton Fire Department, Community Fire Department, Belmont Fire Department, Ranlo Fire Department, New Hope Fire Department, Lowell Fire Department, Union Road Fire Department, South Point Fire Department, N.C. Forestry Services, and Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services. (Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services) The fire comes as an elevated fire risk is on place across the Carolinas. A large wildlife broke out near Myrtle Beach over the weekend, and others have been reported in Polk County, North Carolina, and Fort Mill, South Carolina. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Kentucky poet laureate Silas House said he grew up swimming and fishing in Kentucky, including in Laurel River Lake and Dale Hollow Lake. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer). FRANKFORT With the Kentucky River as backdrop, Kentucky poet laureate Silas House and other environmental advocates spoke out Tuesday against a bill that would limit state regulation of water pollution. House, a bestselling novelist and essayist, joined advocates and leaders from the Kentucky Waterways Alliance, the Kentucky Resources Council, the Kentucky Conservation Committee and the Kentucky chapter of the Sierra Club to speak against Senate Bill 89, sponsored by Sen. Scott Madon, R-Pineville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madon and other lawmakers have touted SB 89 as a way to relieve industry, ranging from coal mining to housing construction, of bureaucracy and permitting barriers required by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. Environmental advocates have warned the bill could open the door to more pollution of groundwater, small streams and wetlands. The secretary of the Energy and Environment Cabinet has expressed grave concerns about the legislation. House told those gathered along the river in Frankfort that he rejected the argument hes heard from SB 89 proponents that the bill would allow industry to pollute only ephemeral streams, or waterways that dont have running water year round. This bill would allow them to pollute any waterway because our creeks and rivers, no matter how small, are all connected, House said. Ask yourself: why would we want to pollute any stream? Those ephemeral streams matter too. They go into our groundwater and our drinking water. When polluted with toxic chemicals, they would jeopardize the health of everyone. Madon, when first presenting this bill in a legislative committee last month, said the bill would align state water regulation with the federal standard. Federal water protections were significantly curtailed by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2023, essentially limiting the federal governments ability to police water pollution for bodies of water and wetlands that dont have a continuous surface connection to larger, regulated waterways. That ruling led to the Biden administration weakening federal rules on water pollution. Opponents of Senate Bill 89 gather by the Kentucky River to defend state protections for Kentucky waters, including small streams, groundwater and wetlands. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer) SB 89 modifies the definition of waters of the commonwealth by removing all rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, ponds, impounding reservoirs, springs, wells, marshes, and all other bodies of surface or underground water, natural or artificial. The state definition is altered instead to refer to the federal definition of navigable waters. The bill also sets bonding requirements for coal companies seeking permits for long-term treatment of water leaving mine sites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Audrey Ernstberger, a lobbyist for the legal group Kentucky Resources Council, said SB 89 could come up for a vote before the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee during the committees regularly scheduled weekly meeting on Thursday. If the committee passes the bill, it could potentially be voted on by the entire House of Representatives and be sent to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear for his consideration. Ernstberger said shes hearing concern about the bill from some lawmakers and others in the Capitol who want to amend it. Instead of taking a complete sledgehammer to our current framework, approaching it with a more nuanced and delicate approach, Ernstberger said. Ernstberger said the current version of SB 89 impacts all water quality programs and regulation the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet oversees. A proposed change to the bill that the Kentucky Resources Council is floating to lawmakers, Ernstberger said, would change state law so that specific permits given to industry to allow discharges into state waters could rely on the weakened federal standard, but the definition of protected state waters would remain unchanged. That way, the cabinet could still step in and to protect waters in specific cases as long as the secretary finds that its needed to abate or alleviate direct pollution that will harm water or downstream communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It tries to address the overregulation problems that certain industries have cited, while also providing reasonable protections to our waterways, Ernstberger said. Opponents of the bill have also stressed SB 89 could be an economic burden on already struggling water utilities by adding costs of grappling with more water pollution. Senate Bill 89 would remove state protections for wetlands and align the definition of protected state waters to a weakened federal standard. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer) A fact sheet from the Kentucky Geological Survey states about 416,000 Kentuckians use water wells or springs and more than 1.5 million Kentuckians are served by over 100 public water systems that rely on groundwater. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency previously estimated 65% of Kentuckys 79,752 miles of streams and rivers are ephemeral or intermittent. Madison Mooney, a Martin County resident working for a nonprofit supporting Appalachian communities, told the gathered crowd she was always told growing up in Eastern Kentucky not to drink the local tap water or play in creeks or streams for too long. Now an adult, she said she understood how important it is to protect our waterways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parts of our Eastern Kentucky almost always get left behind. More water pollution means higher costs for all. The state, cities, water operators and consumers will have to pay more to ensure clean drinking water. Higher costs for treating water would double the struggle for funding our already failing water systems, Mooney said. Mooney told reporters about the challenges of trying to stay ahead of aging and failing drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in Martin County, especially after widespread flooding last month further damaged water infrastructure. Im sick of my county and my community and my people always fearing whats going to happen next and what is happening to our water at large, Mooney said. The crowd gathered at a boathouse that was co-founded by Gerry James, the deputy director of the Sierra Clubs Outdoors for All campaign and a Frankfort resident. James said the goals for the boathouse include being an environmental education center and an entry point into the river for paddle sports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SB 89, he said, threatens our pastimes such as paddling in the river. What Ive seen all across Kentucky is a passion for our water. People love recreating in our waters from fly fishing to paddling to just swimming, James said. If theres pollution upstream, its all coming downstream. Correction: The headline of this story previously misstated Senate Bill 89 as House Bill 89. (NewsNation) Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his 63-year-old wife, Betsy Arakawas digital footprint could play a role in determining a cause of death, a former captain with the Los Angeles Police Department told NewsNation. The fact that no one was there I would be looking for any digital evidence Jerry Rodriguez said on Morning in America. Jon Stewart accepts Elon Musk demands for Daily Show interview Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hackman, his wife and one of his dogs were all found dead inside their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Feb. 26. Since then, the two have tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning, and no external trauma was evident. What digital data could be used to find Gene Hackmans cause of death? Hackmans pacemaker data revealed the actors last event was on Feb. 17, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. He added that it is a very good assumption that Hackman was deceased for at least 9 or 10 days. When theres no obvious sign of foul play its really a joint effort. Law enforcement and the medical examiner. To determine the manner and cause of death. And I think that is where we are now, Rodriguez said. Law enforcement officials talk outside the home of actor Gene Hackman on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog were found dead in the home a day earlier. (AP Photo/Roberto Rosales) Rodriguez suggested using things like a video doorbell camera to determine when they were last seen coming and going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, we need to meticulously analyze and test all the gathered evidence he said. When will more evidence be released on Gene Hackmans death? It is unclear when more evidence will be released on Hackmans death. Rodriguez said that once more tests have been completed, more evidence could be released within a few weeks to a month. However, he knows the importance of taking the time needed during investigations like this. Freed Hamas hostages to meet with Trump at White House It is not in the best interest of law enforcement or the ME to rush it because once you put something out you can never retract it fully, Rodriguez told NewsNation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, may not have been particularly close with any of their neighbors, but the residents of the quiet neighborhood in which they died are remembering them fondly after the tragic discovery of their bodies late last month. While Bud Hamilton lived right next door to the couple for nearly twenty years, he and his wife only shared a single meal with them, shortly after they moved in. However, Hackman recalled that he was involved with the Cancer Foundation for New Mexico and donated one of his paintings for the foundation to auction off to raise money every year, up until last, according to new reporting from the New York Times. SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hackman's artwork was also on display in a local restaurant he had invested in, while his wife had co-founded a home goods store in the area, but the two were rarely seen out and aboutespecially after the Covid-19 pandemic. They didn't attend HOA meetings or neighborhood picnics, and, most recently, the only sign of their existence for neighbors was the movement of their trashcans back and forth for pickup. They have a gate, and we have a gate, and we just have never even seen each other, another neighbor, James Everett, told the publication. That seclusion is one of the draws of the area, though, and anytime the couple ran into a neighbor, it was a pleasant interaction. Helen Dufreche, a previous resident of the neighborhood, remembered the first time she met the beloved actor, who pulled up next to her and her dogs in his truck and complimented, What cute puppies! When one of her dogs, Payton, was announced as a finalist for The Santa Fe New Mexicans annual pet calendar, Arakawa stopped her to tell her that Hackman had recognized the pup in the paper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dufreche went home, she said, and told Payton, Gene Hackmans been talking about you. While carbon monoxide was one of the immediate suspicions in Hackman and his wife's deaths, it has been all but officially ruled out as a cause after their bodies tested negative for the gas. While their deaths have been labeled as "suspicious," investigators do not suspect foul play. The investigation remains ongoing. Next: Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa Seen During Final Public Appearance Year Before Death Oct. 2023 file photo. Demonstrators demand Georgia State University drop its affiliation with Israel following the outbreak of war in Gaza. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Rep. Tim Fleming. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Georgia college students who get into legal or disciplinary trouble in campus protests could also lose their scholarships, if a bill making its way through the state House becomes law. The bill is a reaction to last years widespread campus protests of Israels mass killing of Palestinian civilians following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To trigger House Bill 602, a student would need to be convicted or to plead guilty or no contest to certain crimes, or be found to have violated student code of conduct. If the transgression occurred while the student was engaging in materially and substantially disruptive conduct, the student would lose any state money for two years. This bill applies to students who receive state scholarships, loans, or grants, such as HOPE, to attend Georgias public and private post-secondary educational institutions, said the bills author, Covington Republican Rep. Tim Fleming. It says that if you are such a recipient and are convicted or found through the institutions student disciplinary process to have committed certain acts of violence, vandalism, and aggression, that you will lose that financial support for two years. Rep. Esther Panitch. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Were not talking here about punishing peaceful protests, he added. The conviction or disciplinary action must be fighting, violence, or similar unlawful behavior, damaging property, forcefully and physically violating other access to buildings and events on these campuses, significantly violating reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions, and engaging in harassing behavior. Sandy Springs Democratic Rep. Esther Panitch, the states only currently-serving Jewish state legislator, said she hears from Jewish students around the country reporting harassment and threats on campuses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im a parent, Ive paid college tuition for three kids, she said. I want to make sure my kids can access the school that I am paying for and not to be blocked and physically harassed by people in masks who dont even have the courage of their convictions to show their face to tell my students, my kids, that they cant go to class because theyre Jewish. Panitch was referencing a recent disruption inside a Columbia University classroom, in which students interrupted a class on Israeli history, reportedly chanting and handing out posters that said crush Zionism, a Jewish nationalist movement. Im a Zionist, she said. More than 90% of Jews around the world are Zionists. If there was a flyer that said crush Black people, crush Asians, you think any of us would accept that ever? No. Other Democrats were more skeptical, like House minority Whip Sam Park, a Lawrenceville Democrat, who said he worries about the bills free speech ramifications. Rep. Sam Park, left, debates Rep. Tim Fleming, right, about Flemings campus protest bill. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder I certainly understand where Rep. Panitch is coming from, but especially in this environment, I think its very important not to be taking action that in any way could potentially infringe upon or chill the free speech rights of students, he said. Isnt it true that Chancellor (Sonny) Perdue told the General Assembly that the USG schools handled campus protests so well that it made it nationally competitive? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But what this is doing is its giving them another tool for future issues, as were seeing across the country, Fleming said. You know, this is giving other tools in their belt. And its also letting students know that, hey, you have the right to protest. You have the right to have your voice heard, but if you cross that line, there will be additional consequences to your actions. Democratic state Rep. Edna Jackson of Savannah said the bill could have prevented Civil Rights era leaders from staging successful protests. Rep. Edna Jackson. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder In the 60s, we protested at my college, Savannah State College, because of some of the things that the students felt were not being given to them, she said. Those same students, had they gone through something like this would not have served in this Legislature (former state Rep.) Bobby Hill would not have become judges, would not have been mayors of our city (former Savannah) Mayor Otis Johnson and what have you. They were protests that were controlled by the students, the leadership on the campus. Maybe I need to go back and read what is in this document, but it seems like what youre trying to do is to silence the students and not giving them what they need. About a dozen members of the public spoke at the public hearing for the bill, all opposed. Some said university leaders could selectively apply the law to punish them for speech they disagree with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If school administrators have the ability to restrict based on content, which they do if they are allowed to dish out these consequences, however, then we know that existing biases against certain political viewpoints in education settings will become amplified, said Elijah Brawner, a theology student at Emory University, which saw arrests at protests last spring. They will know they can just get rid of these people, and then the university can become safe, and the university can become a hug box, where we only hear ideas that weve already heard before, he added. Thats not what we want to see. Others, like Blake Osborne, programming director at the nonprofit Joseph and Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice & Human Rights, described the nations history of disruptive protests. You cant have a non-disruptive protest, he said. That is the point of a protest, as has been mentioned by other speakers, to draw attention to something, to make you stop. Because if I dont disrupt you, you wont stop, you cant even hear me and listen to what Im saying. And I understand those who feel like they must be protected, because whats happening in some protests can be seen as harassment or violence, but it is not harassment to tell you youre wrong. It is not harassment to have dissent. And what this bill does, in your broad application of it, is it polices dissent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill was not scheduled for a committee vote, which it will need before it can go to the full state House. Thursday is Crossover Day, the deadline for a bill to pass one chamber if it is to have a smooth path to become law. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A northwest Georgia man is facing a slew of charges after a Walker County Sheriffs deputy found more than two dozen dead roosters in the yard of a Chickamauga home. Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said in a statement that the deputy was investigating a vehicle blocking a driveway when he found 26 dead roosters strewn about the yard on Garretts Chapel Road. While investigating the scene, the sheriffs office found other evidence leading the deputy to believe the roosters had died while cockfighting, such as leg tags, gaffs, spurs and medicine for wound care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A dog with a broken leg and four other dogs penned without food, water or adequate shelter were also found at the home. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: After the investigation, Daniel Keith Bradley was arrested and charged with 26 counts of aggravated cruelty to animals for the dead roosters and one count of aggravated cruelty to animals for the dog with a broken leg, all 27 counts of which are felonies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bradley was also charged with four counts of cruelty to animals for the four penned up dogs, though those charges were misdemeanors, according to the sheriffs office. While cockfighting is illegal in Georgia, current state statutes dont give it the same penalties as dogfighting. A bill filed in the Georgia General Assembly would make the two crimes have equal punishments and provisions. So far, Senate Bill 102 has passed in the Georgia Senate with the vast majority of the chambers approval. Its now making its way through the Georgia House of Representatives for potential passage. If it gains approval in the House and heads to the governors office for approval, it would take effect immediately upon being signed into law. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] TRIPOLI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday that 349 migrants were intercepted off the coast of Libya in the past week. "From February 23 to March 1, 349 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya," including 21 women and six children, IOM said in a statement. So far this year, a total of 4,204 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya, while 80 migrants died on the Central Mediterranean route, IOM added. Because of the insecurity and chaos in the country since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, many migrants, mostly Africans, chose to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya. Libyan Interior Minister Emad al-Tarabelsi recently said that Libya may resort to "forced deportation of illegal migrants" if the international community fails to support their voluntary return to their countries of origin. Applications are now open for Georgias new school voucher program. The Georgia Promise Scholarship will give up to $6,500 a year to some families to pay for private school tuition, home-school expenses or other education related expenses. Gov. Brian Kemp signed the law last year. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Saturday, the Georgia Student Finance Commission started to accept applications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 3,000 applications have been submitted as of Tuesday, according to the office. The first window will be open until April 15, 2025. There are several requirements that a family must meet for their student to be eligible. A student must attend a school on the states low performing list and must have attended the public school for at least two consecutive semesters or is entering kindergarten. The parent or parents must have been a Georgia resident for at least a year unless they are on active duty in the military. The law also states that priority goes to families who earn less than four times the federal poverty level. You can click here for more details on the requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school voucher program has been met with mixed reaction since its approval. There was also confusion over which schools were in the bottom 25% after the list was taken down multiple times before it was republished in February. RELATED STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Germany's anti-Semitism commissioner on Tuesday said US President Donald Trump's heavily criticized plan to rebuild Gaza and resettle Palestinians deserves a "closer look." "I don't think it's wrong to think radically and in a completely new way," Felix Klein told the Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung newspaper. The commissioner argued that Trump does not want to drive out Palestinians, but only to resettle them while Gaza is rebuilt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "After all, you don't sleep in your house while you're renovating it, and the massive destruction basically calls for the comprehensive construction of a completely new infrastructure," said Klein. His comments were immediately disowned by Germany's Interior Ministry, which Klein's office is a part of. Klein "did not speak for the federal government, but expressed his personal opinion," a spokesman for the ministry told dpa. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock both rejected Trump's controversial plan to take control of Gaza and turn the coastal territory into a "Riviera of the Middle East" while "resettling" the approximately 2 million Palestinians to Arab countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholz labelled the proposal a "scandal" contrary to international law, while Baerbock said that "Gaza, just as the West Bank and East Jerusalem, belongs to the Palestinians." Klein said on Tuesday that Israel has not succeeded in solving the problem militarily, even with its massive deployment during the recent 15-month conflict. "In this respect, I also consider the idea of an international administration for the area to be a sensible proposal that can be discussed," said Klein. The future of Gaza is currently the focus of intense negotiations, with the first phase of a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas having concluded last weekend without a clear path forward. Germany's central bank on Tuesday proposed reforms to strict constitutional rules on government borrowing, as the country searches for options to finance a major hike in spending on defence and infrastructure. The proposal by the Bundesbank, seen by dpa, would tweak the restrictions - known as the debt brake - to allow the next government greater room for manoeuvre. The debt brake was introduced under former chancellor Angela Merkel in 2009 and limits new budgetary debt to 0.35% of gross domestic product (GDP) every year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics believe the rules have hindered necessary investments in measures to protect the environment and in the country's infrastructure such as roads and railways. The Frankfurt-based Bundesbank has suggested that the brake should instead be tied to the ratio of government debt to GDP. If the German debt-to-GDP ratio amounts to less than 60%, a mark in line with EU rules set out in the Maastricht Treaty, the administration in Berlin would be allowed borrow the equivalent of 1.4% of GDP every year. However, if debt exceeds the 60% barrier, the Bundesbank proposal would limit annual government borrowing to 0.9% of GDP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan would grant the German government an extra 100 billion to 220 billion ($105 billion to $231 billion) per year by 2030, depending on the debt-to-GDP ratio. The ratio was at 62.9% in 2023, according to the German statistical office, with the latest figures from the third quarter of 2024 placing it at 62.4%. Political leaders in Berlin are currently scrambling to agree on how to finance a massive increase in military spending amid the dramatic shift in US foreign policy. Negotiations are under way between the conservative CDU/CSU bloc - made up of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) - and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) to form a coalition following elections last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next administration will either have to tackle the debt brake head on, or find creative solutions modelled on the 100 billion emergency fund for the German military that followed the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Both options would require a two-thirds majority in the lower house of the German parliament, the Bundestag. However, more than one-third of seats in the incoming Bundestag are set to be taken by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and The Left, two parties that the CDU/CSU bloc has ruled out working with. This has led to suggestions that conservative leader Friedrich Merz - the country's presumptive next chancellor - could call a special session of the outgoing Bundestag to rush through the reforms before the next parliament meets. However, the move would still require support from either the Greens or the free-market Free Democrats, leaving Merz with very little room for manoeuvre. Germany's conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD), who are in exploratory talks about forming a coalition, have agreed on billions of euros in loans and new debt for infrastructure and defence, they announced on Tuesday. The parties said that a special fund of 500 billion ($528 billion) will be created to fix Germany's ailing infrastructure, and the strict government rules on taking on new debt, the so-called debt brake, will be eased for specific defence investments. "In view of the threats to our freedom and peace on our continent, whatever it takes must now also apply to our defence," likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz told reporters in reference to Russia's war in Ukraine and a US rapprochement with Moscow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which with its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) topped a national vote last month, had spent much of the election campaign saying the debt brake had to stay. The CDU/CSU also agreed with the SPD to allow Germany's 16 federal states to access more loans. They therefore want to relax the debt brake for this purpose as well, Merz said at a joint news conference in Berlin. Tuesday's agreements were the first major deals during exploratory talks to form a two-way governing coalition by mid-April. 'Running on empty' The SPD were the largest party after the 2021 election and Olaf Scholz became chancellor, but he is taking no part in the discussions with Merz and his bloc after his party came third in February 23's vote behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SPD party chief Lars Klingbeil is leading the discussions for the centre-left group instead and said of Tuesday's agreement: "Our country is running on empty. A future government must stop the wear and tear on our nation." A row partly over the debt brake led to the collapse of Scholz's three-way coalition with the Greens and Free Democrats last year, with the latter leaving government over Scholz's wish for more debt. The CDU/CSU and SPD want to set up a commission of experts to develop a proposal for modernizing the debt brake, which is enshrined in the country's constitution, dpa has learnt after seeing a draft document. The modernization should enable additional long-term investment to strengthen Germany. "On this basis, we want to finalize the legislation by the end of 2025," the draft read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such a timetable would go against speculation the conservatives and SPD would try to pass the necessary amendments to the debt brake in the old parliament. This is because the centrist parties will no longer have the requisite two-thirds majority in the new parliament to change the constitution. The AfD and The Left party could block such an amendment. Reaction mixed FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Durr criticized the deal. "Debt for all sorts of things at the expense of the people of Germany is irresponsible in my view," Durr told dpa. The FDP will have no seats in the new parliament having failed to reach a 5% threshold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Greens, who came fourth in the recent election, reacted cautiously to the CDU/CSU and SPD deal on defence and infrastructure. "We will now take our time to look at the proposals," announced parliamentary group leader Britta Hasselmann. Bavarian Premier Markus Soder from the CSU said earlier on Tuesday that it was a "very, very important day," hours after the US announced it is temporarily suspending military aid to Ukraine. The decision followed a furious row between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House last week. While reaching a coalition deal in Germany usually takes weeks, if not months, negotiators are under huge pressure to find an immediate consensus as Europe scrambles to respond to the dramatic shift in US foreign policy under Trump. EU leaders are set to convene in Brussels on Thursday for talks. The outgoing German government must immediately release billions in aid for Ukraine, the Greens demanded on Tuesday. "Following the scandal in the White House and the reported announcement by the United States that it will freeze support for Ukraine, rapid aid from Europe is more urgent than ever," wrote the leaders of the party's parliamentary group, Katharina Droge and Britta Hasselmann. The pair were referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky being given a dressing down in front of the cameras in Washington last week by US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Reports say Trump has now suspended aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the letter to the departing Chancellor Olaf Scholz seen by dpa, the politicians urged Scholz to allow 3 billion ($3.2 billion) in aid to be transferred as soon as possible to Kiev as "concrete support for Ukraine's battle for freedom and a message of solidary and European strength." The 3 billion package became a major issue in Germany's election campaign earlier this year, with Scholz refusing to release the aid due to what he called budgetary constraints. Scholz's Social Democrats are now holding exploratory talks with the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union over the formation of a coalition, with the CDU's Friedrich Merz as chancellor. Negotiations are focusing on how to finance a massive increase in military spending amid the dramatic shift in US foreign policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Hasselmann said that the package of aid for Kiev should be passed as soon as possible, by calling a special session of the parliamentary budgetary committee. "Europe must act decisively. Germany must act," she added. "It is our responsibility to secure peace here in Europe." German police on Tuesday charged a man with double murder after he was suspected of driving a car at speed into pedestrians in the south-western city of Mannheim, killing two people and leaving 11 injured. The Mannheim public prosecutor's office said in a statement that the German national, 40, was also being charged with five counts of attempted murder alongside grievous bodily harm and 11 counts of actual boldly harm. "Items seized from the man, in his vehicle and in his home, such as a gun, written documents and digital data carriers, are currently being forensically examined and analysed," the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An 83-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man were killed in Monday's incident. Prosecutors have said the suspect displays evidence of a psychological disorder. He was transferred from hospital to police custody on Tuesday. Media reports said he received treatment after shooting himself in the mouth with a blank round as he was arrested. Investigators searched his flat in the nearby city of Ludwigshafen late on Monday and seized a number of items, dpa has learnt. The car involved is registered to him. Investigators were hoping that interrogation would provide information about the motive for the incident that occurred on Monday, which police called a targeted attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Handwritten notes have been discovered on the car's dashboard containing mathematical formulas for speed and braking distance. In 2010, the Mannheim public prosecutor's office brought a case against the man for the unauthorized carrying of a blank-firing gun. He was fined by a district court. The attack took place at the busy Paradeplatz square in central Mannheim, a city of approximately 320,000 people that lies about 80 kilometres south of Frankfurt. Witnesses reported seeing a car speeding down a major shopping thoroughfare before striking pedestrians. During a church service on Tuesday, the victims were remembered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are startled and at the same time petrified," said the deputy dean of the Protestant church, Anne Ressel. "The life of the city, the joy of Carnival, has been replaced by horror within minutes." Mannheim Mayor Christian Specht thanked a taxi driver of Pakistani origin who stopped the fleeing driver. "He behaved so courageously, drove after the perpetrator and ultimately blocked his vehicle to prevent further damage," he said. German police are set to interrogate on Tuesday the man suspected of driving a car into pedestrians in the south-western city of Mannheim, killing two people and leaving 11 injured. Investigators searched the 40-year-old man's flat in the nearby city of Ludwigshafen late on Monday and seized a number of items, dpa has learnt. The German national has been transferred from hospital to police custody and is due to be questioned later on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will question him today," said Andreas Stenger, head of the criminal police office in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, where Mannheim is located. Investigators hope that the interrogation will provide information about the motive for the incident on Monday, which police called a targeted attack. Police said there was evidence suggesting the suspect suffers from a psychological disorder. He reportedly shot himself in the mouth with a blank-firing pistol as he was being taken into custody. Handwritten notes have been discovered on the car's dashboard containing mathematical formulas for speed and braking distance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attack took place on Monday afternoon at the busy Paradeplatz square in central Mannheim, a city of approximately 320,000 people that lies about 80 kilometres south of Frankfurt. Witnesses reported seeing a car speeding down Planken street, a major shopping thoroughfare, before striking pedestrians near the square. An 83-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man were killed in the incident, with a total of 11 injured. Police in Hamburg have said 15 officers, including some who have since retired, are under investigation for sending and receiving racist messages in group chats. A total of nine apartments in the northern German city were searched early on Tuesday, with numerous electronic devices being seized as evidence. The investigations were launched after two officers reportedly sent and received messages that were "racist" and "glorifying violence and Nazism." The others under investigation "participated in the chats to varying degrees," police said. Disciplinary proceedings are under way against all 15 former and current officers. Police in Hamburg on Tuesday said 15 officers, including some who have since retired, are under investigation for sending and receiving racist messages in group chats. A total of nine apartments in the northern German city were searched early on Tuesday, with numerous electronic devices being seized as evidence. The investigations were launched after two officers reportedly sent and received messages that were "racist" and "glorifying violence and Nazism." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The others under investigation participated in the chats "to varying degrees," police said. Disciplinary proceedings are under way against all 15 former and current officers, between the ages of 44 and 61. They are reportedly from Hamburg's regular police branch, known as the Schutzpolizei, as well as from water police. The investigation is being conducted by the Hamburg police department responsible for complaints and disciplinary matters. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday called for closer cooperation between Germany and Chile, particularly in the field of green hydrogen. "For my country, Chile is an ideal partner for the restructuring of our energy landscape," Steinmeier said at the opening of a German-Chilean economic conference in Santiago, noting that cooperation on green hydrogen could benefit both countries. The president pointed to Chile's wealth of natural resources such as lithium, which is needed to manufacture batteries and holds potential for producing green hydrogen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steinmeier also called for supporters of free trade to stand together and criticized the daily new calls for tariffs and increasing protectionism. "Where are the forces that continue to place the strength of the law above the law of the strongest? Where are the forces that do not consider disorder a new principle for global restructuring? And where are the forces that still see free global trade as their goal and reject protectionism?" Steinmeier asked. "Here in Chile, we find a partner that stands for political stability and reliability," he said, emphasizing that these are the conditions that companies look for. Chile is the last stop on Steinmeier's almost week-long trip to South America, which also took him to Uruguay and Paraguay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, he is due to hold talks with Chilean President Gabriel Boric in Santiago. Other events on his agenda in Chile included a visit to the German School and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights in Santiago. The museum is dedicated to the victims of the military dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet from 1973 to 1990. During this time, there were around 3,000 political murders and more than 30,000 political prisoners in Chile. Steinmeier also met with those affected by, and experts on, the subject of Colonia Dignidad. The German lay preacher Paul Schafer moved with his followers from Germany to Chile in the early 1960s and founded a settlement near the city of Parral. For decades, he made the cult members work there without pay until they were exhausted, tore families apart and abused German and Chilean children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the military dictatorship under Pinochet, regime opponents were said to have been tortured and murdered at the settlement site. Today, the area has been renamed Villa Baviera and, among other things, a restaurant operates there. For years, there has been a struggle over the construction of a memorial for the victims of Colonia Dignidad in Chile. The German Institute for Human Rights (DIMR) has urged the future German government to maintain a special admission programme for particularly vulnerable people from Afghanistan, amid calls to abolish it. The DIMR statement, released on Tuesday, comes after a recent charter flight carrying 155 vulnerable Afghans from Pakistan to Berlin sparked criticism from Germany's conservative bloc, which is poised to lead the next government after winning the parliamentary election on February 23. According to the German government, more than half of the passengers on the flight were granted entry to Germany via the admission programme for particularly vulnerable people from war-torn Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government said five former employees of German institutions in Afghanistan were also on board with their relatives, along with people who had been granted entry under the so-called human rights list or other programmes. Members of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU), which won the election along with its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU), sharply criticized the flight. Christian Democrat Armin Schuster, the interior minister of the eastern state of Saxony, said: "We federal states have repeatedly called for an immediate stop to the admission programmes." Another flight is due to arrive in Germany on Wednesday, carrying around the same number of Afghan refugees, who will then be distributed across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the Islamist Taliban took power in August 2021, the German scheme has enabled vulnerable Afghans to seek refuge in Germany. The DIMR also called for faster processing of people who have been pre-selected for the programm. "These people have submitted all the documents and are waiting desperately," the statement said. Some 3,000 people have been assured admission to Germany under the programme for particularly vulnerable people who could be potentially targeted by the Taliban de facto government. Of those, 1,000 have entered the country so far. "Security is the top priority in the admission process," a spokesman for Germany's Interior Ministry. He said "detailed security inquiries" were part of the process and entry is denied if there are any indications of security concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DIMR also warned against deportations to Afghanistan. "We strongly advise against deportations to Afghanistan as long as the human rights situation there does not fundamentally change," the statement said. The German government has said that it intends to increase deportations to Afghanistan of people who have committed criminal offences. At the end of August, 28 men were deported from Germany to Afghanistan with the help of Qatar. Since then, there have been no further deportations to the country. (Bloomberg) -- Germany will unlock hundreds of billions of euros for defense and infrastructure investments in a dramatic shift that upends its ironclad controls on government borrowing. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday night that Germany would amend the constitution to exempt defense and security outlays from limits on fiscal spending and do whatever it takes to defend the country. He said that with the backing of his likely coalition partners he is also planning a 500 billion ($528 billion) infrastructure fund to invest in priorities such as transportation, energy grids and housing over 10 years. Europe needs to strengthen defense, said Merz, whose CDU/CSU alliance finished first in a federal election just over a week ago. The necessary decisions, especially with regard to the federal budget, can no longer be postponed after the recent choices of the American government. With the US looking to pare back its security presence in Europe, governments on the continent need to mobilize trillions of euros in additional defense funds to counter the threat of Russian aggression. President Donald Trump has already ordered a pause to all military aid to Ukraine, shifting a massive burden on Kyivs European allies. The euro surged to $1.0644, the highest since Nov. 13, and is on course for its largest three-day gain since late 2022 as investors bet the increased spending by Germany and others will boost the European economy. Yields on 10-year bunds surged 23 basis points as trading began, the biggest intraday move since June 2022. The benchmark securities now yield 2.73%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germanys equity benchmark DAX Index was up 2.7% at 9:13 a.m. in Frankfurt, with Siemens AG up 5.6%, Heidelberg Materials AG up 9.1% and Rheinmetall AG up 3.32. The MDAX index of mid-cap stocks was up 3.6%. The leaders of the new coalition have unveiled the biggest and fastest fiscal policy shift in post-unification German history, said George Saravelos, head of global FX strategy at Deutsche Bank, who is targeting a further rally in the euro to $1.10. The announcements exceed even our optimistic expectations. With hundreds of billions in additional defense spending potentially to come on top of the infrastructure money, the package dwarfs the 100 billion fund that Chancellor Olaf Scholz approved at the start of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, which he called a zeitenwende, or historic turning point, for Germany. The agreement in Berlin throws down a challenge to the EUs other 26 members before they gather on Thursday to discuss how to ramp up military spending across the bloc. With Berlin typically a powerful voice against increased outlays, the announcement is a game-changer for European defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The EU responded to Trumps aid halt by proposing 150 billion in loans to boost defense spending. After decades of underinvestment, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU also plans to activate a mechanism that would allow countries to use their national budgets to spend an additional 650 billion on defense over four years without triggering budgetary penalties. What Bloomberg Economics Says... The massive shift in fiscal policy likely gives the struggling German economy a shot in the arm. A jump in defence spending might provide a cyclical boost, the proposed infrastructure package could deliver notable potential output gains in the long run. Martin Ademmer, economists Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Politicians have understood that swift and decisive action must be taken now, Christiane Benner, the chairwoman of Germanys largest labor union IG Metall said in a statement. The speed and determination of the exploratory parties bodes well for the near future, she said. IG Metall represents just over two million workers in Germanys critical industry and metals sector. The parties are racing to push through a vote on the changes before the new legislature begins meeting three weeks from now because they likely wont have the two-thirds majority to change the constitutional borrowing rules. Merzs plan is counting on backing from the Greens, whove been calling for similar changes, but will almost certainly meet opposition from the far-right Alternative for Germany, which saw support surge in the Feb. 23 election. The AfD could potentially mount a court challenge to the plan. Officials from the Greens last night criticized Merz and the conservative bloc for what they see as political U-turn, but they didnt rule out supporting the plan in parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The package tackles several urgent challenges that are awaiting the next chancellor: it sends a message to Moscow and Washington that Germany is serious about European defense, and it could potentially deliver a jolt to the countrys struggling economy, which has barely grown for the past two years. Just over a week after Merzs party won the election, his Christian Democratic-led bloc and the rival Social Democrats are proceeding on key policy items rather than wait out a months-long process to form a governing coalition. Merz, who is expected to succeed Scholz, moved forward with negotiations days after the election win. Merz said earlier this week that he would aim to clinch a deal with the SPD on boosting defense spending before European Union leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday. Just what the doctor ordered, said Sander Tordoir, chief economist of the Centre for European Reform, a think tank. The one player that can step in to rekindle demand is the government. Germany has the fiscal space to do it and is now doing it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europes biggest economy faces a barrage of challenges. After two years of stagnation the economic outlook for 2025 remains muted and Trump is following through on promises to shake up international trade and challenge traditional alliances. The US leader imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China and has threatened to hit the EU as well. At the same time, he ordered a halt to all US military aid to Ukraine, throwing the support of Ukraines most powerful ally into doubt. Bolstering Germanys abilities to defend itself and support NATO allies has become more urgent following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiys clash with Trump at the White House Friday. We have the responsibility to invest in a strong and secure Europe, perhaps the most important task of my political generation, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil said. And looking at the White House and what happened there last Friday with President Zelenskiy, it has become clear that we need much more money for defense and security in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the weekend, leaders from across Europe, including Scholz, gathered in London to discuss new pledges for military investment and reiterated their ongoing support for Ukraine in its defense against Russias invasion. Merz has said that he wants to form a government by mid-April. Unlike in the US or UK, parties in Germany usually need to team up with another group to form a coalition that has a parliamentary majority. Those talks can drag on until party negotiators agree on a joint policy platform. We know we need to do more, Merz said. Europe needs to grow up and Europe needs to be able to defend itself. --With assistance from Blaise Robinson, James Hirai, Alexander Weber, Rachel Evans, Greg Ritchie, Zoe Schneeweiss, Naomi Kresge, Christoph Rauwald, Chad Thomas and Libby Cherry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Updates markets in the sixth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Germanys Friedrich Merz, poised to be his countrys next chancellor, said he thinks the explosive exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump on Friday resulted from a deliberate escalation by the U.S. At a press conference on Monday, Merz said he watched the interaction several times to reach that conclusion, according to multiple international news agencies translations of his remarks. In my opinion, it was not a spontaneous reaction to what Zelensky was saying, but obviously a deliberate escalation in this meeting in the Oval Office, Merz said, according to a translation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz was responding to the heated interaction between Trump, Vice President Vance and Zelensky, who was visiting the Oval Office to sort out a deal to give the U.S. access to Ukraines rare earth minerals. That deal appears to have stalled indefinitely after Zelensky challenged the American leaders over their approach to negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Trump and Vance both reprimanded Zelensky in response, calling him ungrateful and saying he didnt have the cards in the negotiation. The remarkable exchange was broadcast live on television. Merz said in his remarks that he was rather astonished at the tone of the conversation between Trump, Vance and Zelensky. He added that the incident appeared to fit a trend in U.S. foreign policy, as Trump has ramped up pressure on Zelensky while thawing relations with Putin. Merz also pointed to Vances recent address at the Munich Security Conference, where he stunned European leaders by attacking European values and calling for cooperation with far-right parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a certain sequence in a number of events in recent weeks and months, including the appearance of the American delegation in Munich at the security conference, and we are now seeing it from Washington, Merz said at the press conference. Merz, whose center-right party won Germanys recent elections, has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine and has criticized Trumps recent warming to Putin. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Germany has decided not to take part in a UN conference in New York to review a landmark treaty on nuclear weapons prohibition. "The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons dates back to a time before the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine," the Foreign Office told dpa in Berlin on Tuesday. "The intention and ambition of the treaty no longer reflect the current reality in security policy." The treaty was signed in 2017 and came into force in 2021. There are currently 94 signatories and 73 states parties, according to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany does not possess nuclear weapons but is allied with three nuclear powers in NATO: the United States, France and the United Kingdom. Berlin is not a signatory to the prohibition treaty, but it participated in previous conferences as observers. However, the Russian war in Ukraine has demonstrated "that nuclear deterrence is indispensable for our security," the Foreign Office said. The ministry pointed to Moscow's actions such as the adaptation of its nuclear doctrine, cancelling its commitment to disarmament and its development of new weapons systems such as the Oreshnik. This "poses challenges that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is not up to," the Foreign Office added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany instead continues to emphasize the importance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which was passed in 1968. "This boycott by the German government sends a fatal signal," said Hubertus Sonntag, board member of ICAN Germany. "It marks a dramatic step backwards in Germany's role as a proponent of international disarmament diplomacy and contradicts the goal of a world without nuclear weapons, which the German government has repeatedly stated." NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) Germanys development ministry said Tuesday it will suspend new financial commitments to Rwanda over that country's alleged support of the M23 rebels in neighboring eastern Congo. The ministry said Tuesday that, in consultation with partners, it will further restrict bilateral cooperation with Rwanda. It said that it will review existing development cooperation with Kigali, suspend high-level participation in development events organized by the Rwandan government and seek an appropriate reaction regarding multilateral programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany said Rwanda was informed of the decision in advance in a conversation in which the position of the European Union and expectations of Rwanda particularly withdrawal of its troops and an end to support for M23 were again underlined. Germany is the latest country to announce measures aimed at piling pressure on Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who previously has been defiant over his countrys efforts to secure its border with a largely lawless part of eastern Congo. Rwanda recently said similar restrictive measures introduced by the U.K. were doing nothing to help (Congo), nor do they contribute to achieving a sustainable political solution to the conflict in eastern (Congo). About 4,000 Rwandan troops are fighting alongside M23 rebels in eastern Congo, where the rebels now control the capitals of the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, according to a report by U.N. experts. M23 is the most powerful of the many armed groups vying for a foothold in Congos east, a region possessing trillions of dollars in largely untapped mineral resources crucial for global technology. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday denounced the Taliban regime in Afghanistan for restricting women's rights. "The Taliban are literally building a social dungeon for 50% of the Afghan population just because they are women," Baerbock said in Berlin. "Your actions are not and will not be without consequences." The foreign minister attended a conference organized to hold the Taliban accountable for violations of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Afghanistan is a party to the landmark treaty on women's rights, which was adopted in 1979. But the Taliban have overseen a crackdown on the rights of women and girls since returning to power in Kabul in 2021. Germany - along with Australia, Canada and the Netherlands - threatened in September to take the regime to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague over the issue. The Foreign Office invited representatives of Afghan civil society and international organizations to the conference on Tuesday. "My message to all of you out there in Afghanistan, to all the women and girls, to the teenagers, is we are not forgetting you," said Baerbock. "We hear you, and we stand by your side." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Germany does not recognize the Taliban, it "continues to provide the Afghan people with humanitarian aid, with food and basic health care," said Baerbock. However, she insisted that the aid is transferred through non-governmental organizations and does not involve cooperation with the regime in Kabul. "Our initiative is also about making clear to all the regimes out there, you will not get away with shutting [out] all the voices of women to consolidate your own power," she said. "We pay very close attention to where women's rights are violated because women rights are a yardstick for the state of a society." By Andreas Rinke, Riham Alkousaa and Sarah Marsh BERLIN (Reuters) -The parties hoping to form Germany's next government on Tuesday agreed to create a 500 billion euro infrastructure fund and overhaul borrowing rules in a tectonic spending shift to revamp the military and revive growth in Europe's largest economy. Friedrich Merz's conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD), who are in negotiations to form a coalition after a national election last month, will put their proposals to the German parliament next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany's likely next chancellor, Merz, has seized the moment after the return of Donald Trump to the White House put the transatlantic alliance in turmoil and underlined the urgency for Europe to strengthen its own defences. Trump froze military aid to Ukraine after a bitter clash last week with its President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, reinforcing fears he could strike a deal with Russia to end the war in Ukraine while disengaging from Europe. Economists and investors have urged Germany to reform its constitutionally enshrined state borrowing limits - known as the "debt brake" - in order to free up investment and support an economy that has contracted for the past two years. The reform would mark a rollback of borrowing rules imposed after the 2008 global financial crisis that many have since criticised as outdated and putting Germany into a fiscal straitjacket. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In view of the threats to our freedom and peace on our continent, whatever it takes must now also apply to our defence," said Merz, leader of the CDU/CSU conservatives. "We are counting on the United States of America to continue to stand by our mutual alliance obligations in the future. But we also know that the resources for our national and alliance defence must now be significantly expanded." The euro rose to its strongest level in nearly four months on Wednesday after the news. Euro zone bond yields jumped, with 30-year German yields on course for their biggest one-day rise since the late 1990s. Germany's blue-chip share index had jumped 2.6% by 0811 GMT to trade near a record high. European defence company shares have soared in recent days as momentum to ramp up spending across the region gathers pace. Defence stocks Rheinmetall and Renk were up between 1.3% and 5.5%, respectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A really big bazooka," wrote Berenberg economist Holger Schmieding, commenting on the German measures. "These proposals for an immediate loosening of Germanys fiscal rules will likely be enacted. They are a fiscal sea change for Germany." Merz said the CDU/CSU and SPD would submit a motion to the Bundestag lower house of parliament next week to amend the constitution so defence expenditure above 1% of economic output is exempt from the debt brake. A commission of experts will separately develop a proposal for modernizing the debt brake to boost investments on a permanent basis. According to a poll by INSA, 49% of Germans support loosening the debt brake while only 28% are against. But changing the debt rules and creating a special fund require a two-thirds majority in parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conservatives and SPD are rushing to get the moves passed in the outgoing parliament, given far-right and far-left parties will have a blocking minority in the new parliament after scoring strongly in last month's election. The radical Left party had already threatened a legal challenge if Germany takes on new debt to fund defence expenditure. The Greens party, whose support is needed to get the debt brake reform across the line, said it would look at the proposals but made no firm commitment. "If this succeeds, then the stagnation of the German economy is likely to be overcome quickly," said Sebastian Dullien of the IMK institute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Germany is once again economically and militarily capable of taking action." Merz said he would meet outgoing SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday to discuss additional aid for Ukraine, with more than 3 billion euros on the table. "Our country is running on wear and tear, and that is why it was important for us to invest, to invest massively, so that our country functions better again," SPD leader Lars Klingbeil said. The United States has repeatedly pressured Germany to increase its defence spending to overhaul a military that has felt neglected since the end of the Cold War and diverted weapons to support Ukraine in the war against Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Pending more clarity on this issue, and being mindful of some execution risk, we believe this is one of the most historic paradigm shifts in German postwar history," said Robin Winkler, chief economist at Deutsche Bank Research. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Riham Alkousaa, Sarah Marsh, Holger Hansen, Markus Wacket, Thomas Escritt; Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Lisa Shumaker and Toby Chopra) BERLIN (AP) The prospective partners in Germanys next government said Tuesday they will seek to loosen the nations rules on running up debt to allow for higher defense spending, an issue of growing urgency as doubts increase about the United States' commitment to European allies. They also said they will seek to set up a 500 billion euro ($533 billion) fund to finance spending on Germanys often-creaking infrastructure over the next 10 years to restore the economy Europe's biggest, which has shrunk for the last two years to a stable growth course. Whatever it takes: Strengthening defense Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Center-right election winner Friedrich Merz, who is trying to form a coalition government with the center-left Social Democrats of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said the two sides will propose exempting the spending of more than 1% of gross domestic product on defense from rules that limit the governments ability to borrow money. He said they will bring the proposals for that and the infrastructure package, which will be financed by loans, to Germanys outgoing parliament next week. Recent weeks have brought new urgency to efforts to further strengthen the country's long-neglected military. In view of the increasing threat situation, it is clear to us that Europe and with Europe, the Federal Republic of Germany must now very quickly make very big efforts, very quickly, to strengthen the defense capability of our country and the European continent, Merz told reporters. We are counting on the United States of America standing by our mutual alliance commitments in the future as well, he said in a reference to NATO. But we also know that the funding for the defense of our country and alliance must now be expanded significantly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merz cited the most recent decisions by the American government as one factor. He didn't offer specifics, but appeared to be referring to Washington's dramatically shifting stance on Ukraine. 'Whatever it takes' must also go for our defense now, in view of the threats to our freedom and to peace on our continent, Merz said. Merz has long been committed to the trans-Atlantic military and political alliance. After his Union bloc won Germany's election last month, he said an absolute priority would be to strengthen Europe so that we can really achieve independence from the U.S. step by step. He said Trump administration comments suggest the fate of Europe is largely indifferent to the Americans." Shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Scholz pledged to increase Germanys defense spending to the current NATO target of 2% of gross domestic product and announced the creation of a 100 billion euro special fund to modernize the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germany met that target thanks to the fund, but it will be used up in 2027. We are just as unsettled, and just as concerned, as large parts of our population, Bavarian governor Markus Soder, a leading conservative ally of Merz, said of the changing U.S. stance. Germany's debt brake Germany's "debt brake allows new borrowing worth only 0.35% of annual gross domestic product, though it can be suspended for emergencies that are out of the states control. It was suspended for three years after the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020. Both legislative proposals will require a two-thirds majority in parliament as the debt brake is anchored in Germany's constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That could be complicated in the newly elected German parliament, where the far-right Alternative for Germany and the hard-left Left Party have a little over one-third of seats between them. Alternative for Germany portrays itself as a staunch defender of the debt brake. The Left Party opposes it but is skeptical about military spending. But until the new parliament convenes, expected in late March, the old one remains in place. The prospective coalition partners will still need support from at least one of the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats to get their plans approved. The latter swiftly criticized plans to run up more debt. The Social Democrats' co-leader, Lars Klingbeil, said his party and Merz's conservatives also agreed in the longer term to rework the debt brake by the end of 2025 to enable more investment. Merz said the parties believe the planned infrastructure package will also trigger private investment on a large scale. He said quick improvements to Germany's competitiveness also will be needed. The two sides have to reach agreement on many other issues before they can be sure of forming a coalition, but there's no other politically plausible combination of parties that could form a new government. The Girl Scouts of Western Ohio (GSWO) is looking to reconcile their relationship with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as a new archbishop has been named, according to our media partners WCPO-9 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As previously reported by News Center 7, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati discontinued its partnership with the Girl Scouts in October 2024. In a letter to parishioners, former Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr said the decision comes after Girls Scouts of the USA embraced and promoted an impoverished worldview regarding gender and sexuality. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Archbishop Schnurr announced his upcoming retirement in February. According to a previous News Center 7 report, Pope Francis appointed Most Reverend Robert Casey, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago. The GSWO is now circulating a petition that calls for the two sides to mend their relationship. We welcome you to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. We ask your help with an urgent issue affecting thousands of Catholic Girl Scouts, a letter addressed to Archbishop-designate Robert Casey reads. Catholic Girl Scout troops have been given until December 2025 to leave their parishes, disband, or convert to American Heritage Girls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move would impact at least 200 local Catholic Girl Scout troops and about 4,000 local Catholic Girl Scouts, according to WCPO-9 TV. The petition is really asking the new incoming Archbishop Casey for an opportunity to, one, meet with him, and two, for a reconciliation of the decision that Archbishop Schnurr made, Incoming chair of the GSWO Catholic Committee Amy Armstrong Smith said. Armstrong Smith said she did not agree with Schnurrs characterization of the GSWO in the October letter. We feel that the mission of Girl Scouts and the Catholic Church are more aligned than not, Armstrong Smith told WCPO-9. The (implication) of this is that we have troops that are disbanding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Archdiocese spokesperson said they havent received a petition at this time. We have recently been in good faith dialogue with the Catholic Committee on Girl Scouts and are disappointed that they have chosen to go to the media in the midst of our discussions, the spokesperson said. Armstrong Smith said she knew it was time to build bridges after Archbishop Caseys first public address. Girl Scouts are very poignant about saying your faith development is very important (to) your overall development, right? she said. Armstrong Smith said GSWO troops have faced several hurdles in fulfilling their mission since the dissolution, WCPO-9 reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The impact of not being able to sell the Girl Scout cookies at the fish fries or the parish events is having an impact, she said. But once again, Ive asked people (to) think outside the box, right? Anyone interested in reading more, or signing the petition, can click here. According to the petition, the letter will be delivered to Archbishop Casey sometime after March 31, 2025. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] HONOLULU (KHON2) March 3 marks Girls Day in Hawaii, a day dedicated to wishing the health, happiness and success of girls. Audit reveals Honolulu rail system falls short of ridership goals The recognition stems from the Japanese holiday Hinamatsuri celebrated on March 3rd. Woman are said to celebrate each other and the day with festive treats and words of recognition. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You In Kalihi, Nisshodo Candy Store celebrated with mochi. Theyve been offering Chi Chi Dango, mochi and Manju since 1921. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said Girls Day is one of their busiest days and actually start preparing for it at the beginning of February. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news For those who cant make it on the 3rd, dont stress, theyre open again from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. to continue the celebration with even more mochi! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. For the second time in roughly 12 hours Tuesday morning, wireless devices across Los Angeles County blared with an emergency alert about a missing person out of Glendale. Titled a Public Safety Alert, the message read the following: Mannasseh Chibuzor Nwaigwe, Male African American 81 years old missing since this morning. The first alert sounded around 8 p.m. Monday, but users were not navigated to any further information when they clicked on or held down the message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ready Los Angeles County posted to X at 8:18 p.m., confirming that the message a Wireless Emergency Alert, was sent countywide around 8 p.m. to report a missing person. Please refer any inquiries to the City of Glendale. A Public Safety Alert sent to wireless device users across Los Angeles County from the Glendale Police Department is seen in this screenshot. March 2025. (KTLA) It was not clear if the message was intended for such a large swath of the county. As of Tuesday morning, neither Glendale Police nor the city had shared information on social media about Nwaigwes disappearance. A police watch commander, however, told KTLA that Nwaigwe has dementia, and no foul play is suspected in his disappearance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Reuters) -Alphabet's Google met with President Donald Trump's government last week and urged them to back away from a push to break up the search engine company, according to a person familiar with the matter. The U.S. Department of Justice is currently pursuing two anti-monopoly cases against Google - one over search and another over advertising technology. "We routinely meet with regulators, including with the DOJ to discuss this case. As we've publicly said, we're concerned the current proposals would harm the American economy and national security," a Google spokesperson said. The DOJ did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The department has laid out potential remedies in the search case, including making Google divest parts of its business such as the Chrome Web browser and ending agreements that make it the default search engine on devices like Apple's iPhone. The trial over which of the remedies are appropriate is scheduled to take place in April, with a final ruling expected in August. President Trump is expected to dial back on some of the antitrust policies pursued under the former President Joe Biden's administration, potentially including a bid to break up Google over its dominance in online search, industry experts have said. (Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru, Jody Godoy in New York and Juby Babu in Mexico; Editing by Arun Koyyur) (Bloomberg) -- Google is urging officials at President Donald Trumps Justice Department to back away from a push to break up the search engine company, citing national security concerns, according to people familiar with the discussions. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for the Alphabet Inc. unit asked the government in a meeting last week to take a less aggressive stance as the US looks to end what a judge ruled to be an illegal online search monopoly, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing the private deliberations. The Biden administration in November had called for Google to sell its Chrome web browser and make other changes to its business including an end to billions of dollars in exclusivity payments to companies including Apple Inc. Although Google has previously pushed back on the Biden-era plan, the recent discussions may preview aspects of the companys approach to the case as it continues under the Trump administration. A federal judge is set to rule on how Google must change its practices following hearings scheduled for next month. Both sides are due to file their final proposals to the judge on Friday. We routinely meet with regulators, including with the DOJ to discuss this case, Peter Schottenfels, a Google spokesperson, said in a statement. As weve publicly said, were concerned the current proposals would harm the American economy and national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Justice Department declined to comment. Googles argument isnt new, and it has previously raised these concerns in public in response to antitrust pressure from regulators and lawmakers. But the company is re-upping the issue in discussions with officials at the department under Trump because the case is in its second stage, known as the remedy phase, during which the court can impose sweeping changes on Googles business. After the Justice Department proposed its remedy in November, Kent Walker, Googles chief legal officer, said in a blog post that the department was pursuing a radical interventionist agenda that would harm Americans and Americas global technology leadership. In a separate post in January, unrelated to the departments case, Walker highlighted the companys work with the government in using artificial intelligence to police cybersecurity threats. Illegal Monopoly Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a landmark ruling last August, a federal judge found the company illegally monopolized the search and search advertising markets. The Biden administration move to seek a breakup of the company is Washingtons first since unsuccessful efforts to split up Microsoft Corp. two decades ago. During their meeting last week, company representatives argued that Googles critical importance to the US economy and national security requires a softer touch, according to the people. They didnt raise specific threats from the DOJ proposed changes, the people said. In November, the Justice Department asked US District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington to force Google to sell its popular web browser Chrome and license data to rivals, outlaw payments to Apple Inc. and others for pre-installing its search engine on their devices and curtail investments in AI companies, among other requests. Googles national security arguments echo recent statements from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, urging European Union regulators to back off from their approach to US tech giants. In a statement late last month the White House called out two European Union laws, the Europe Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act saying, Americas economy will not be a source of revenue for countries that have failed to cultivate economic success of their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And in 2022 Google and other major tech companies including Meta Platforms Inc., Amazon and Apple pushed back vociferously against an antitrust bill that would have required them to open up their networks to competitors, by arguing in part that they would cause the US tech sector to cede ground to China. AI Investments Acting Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Omeed Assefi will make the final decision on what the Justice Department will recommend later this week. Assefi is running the antitrust division until Trumps nominee Gail Slater is confirmed. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 20-2 last week to send Slaters nomination to the full chamber, but a vote hasnt yet been scheduled. The changes under consideration by the Justice Department include whether restrictions on Googles AI investments should be retroactive or forward-looking only, the people said. Under the current proposal Google would have to unwind its investments in companies including Anthropic, Bloomberg previously reported. Anthropic recently weighed in to address the threat to its business and contractual relationships with Google it says are teed up by the Justice Departments proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Separately, in recent weeks the two sides have been preparing for the April hearings, including a deposition late last week of Google CEO Sundar Pichai by government lawyers. Liz Reid, the companys head of search, is scheduled to be deposed this week. Employees from Microsoft Corp., OpenAI and Perplexity AI Inc. have also sat for depositions in the past several weeks, according to the people. --With assistance from Leah Nylen. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. An urgent plea by five former defense secretaries -- including Lloyd Austin, who stepped down in January -- for Congress to immediately hold hearings on the recent and unexplained firings of top military officers by the Trump administration appears likely to go unanswered. In the letter, the former top Pentagon civilian leaders said they were "deeply alarmed" by the firings, which they called reckless, and feared they were carried out for "purely partisan reasons" to politicize the military. Any hearings on the firings of the Joint Chiefs chairman, top Navy officer and others by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would likely be held by Congress' armed services committees, which are tasked with oversight of the military. But asked Tuesday about the former Pentagon chiefs' appeal, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said that he is not interested in holding hearings on the issue, despite the alarm rung by past defense secretaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: Hill Air Force Base Prepares to Scale Back Child Care Services Amid Mass Federal Firings, Resignations "The president's got the prerogative to have the people he wants leading the Pentagon," Rogers said. "He's the commander in chief." Meanwhile, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., declined to answer the question altogether, saying that he does not "have any response today" because "today is a day for me to step back." Wicker did not elaborate on why he could not respond Tuesday, a day when he was working and voting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disinterest from the powerful leaders of the two committees with the most jurisdiction over the matter signals Congress is unlikely to dig deeper into the firings. At issue is Trump's unprecedented firings last month of Gen. "CQ" Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Adm. Lisa Franchetti as chief of naval operations; Gen. James Slife as Air Force vice chief of staff; and the judge advocates general of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Neither Trump nor Hegseth has given any reasons for the firings. But both Brown, the second Black man to be Joint Chiefs chairman, and Franchetti, the first woman on the Joint Chiefs, were frequent targets of conservatives who have accused the military of turning into a "woke" hotbed of left-wing policies, including Hegseth before he became defense secretary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to the firings, last week, five former defense secretaries penned an "appeal to Congress" calling for hearings, The Associated Press first reported. Among the signatories were Austin, Hegseth's immediate predecessor under the Biden administration, and Jim Mattis, who served in the first Trump administration before splitting with Trump over the U.S. military presence in Syria. The other signatories were William Perry, who served in the Clinton administration, and Leon Panetta and Chuck Hagel, who both served in the Obama administration. In addition to calling for hearings, the former secretaries also implored the Senate not to confirm any Pentagon nominees -- including the retired lieutenant general Trump chose to replace Brown as Joint Chiefs chairman -- until his administration provides answers on dismissing the top officers. "Mr. Trump's dismissals raise troubling questions about the administration's desire to politicize the military and to remove legal constraints on the president's power," the former secretaries wrote. "We're not asking members of Congress to do us a favor; we're asking them to do their jobs." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Republicans have largely brushed off the firings as being within the president's power, Democrats have sounded the alarm. On Monday, every Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee sent a letter to Hegseth demanding he provide a legal justification for firing the judge advocates general, essentially the top legal officials for the service branches. Noting laws for each of the military services that say "no officer or employee of the Department of Defense may interfere with the ability of the Judge Advocate General to give independent legal advice," the senators said the firings appear to be a "direct violation of federal law." "By arbitrarily and baselessly removing duly selected and highly qualified JAG officers, the administration undermines the military justice system and has interfered with the independent legal counsel that uniformed attorneys provide to commanders and the department itself," the letter, organized by Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The firings, the letter added, create an "unmistakable chilling effect" and signal to judge advocates that their positions are contingent on "political or personal loyalty" rather than expertise or adherence to the law. Related: No More Female 4-Stars: Franchetti Firing Leaves Top Ranks Filled by Men The House GOP leaders responsible for launching an impeachment investigation into former President Biden have invited two key witnesses as their guests for President Trumps address to Congress. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-K.Y.) and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) will bring IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler as their guests to Trumps speech Tuesday night. Shapley and Ziegler were assigned to the team investigating Hunter Biden, saying the Justice Department slow-walked the case and failed to pursue the most aggressive charges against the then-presidents son. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amid the GOP investigation, prosecutor David Weiss was elevated to special counsel, ultimately bringing charges against Hunter Biden in California as the two IRS agents suggested. While Hunter Biden was convicted in a Delaware gun case brought by Weiss and pleaded guilty in the California tax case, his father pardoned him on his way out of office, ending the younger Bidens legal troubles. Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler embody the highest standards of the federal workforce. They are honorable public servants who risked their careers and livelihoods to expose misconduct and politicization in the federal criminal investigation of Hunter Biden, Comer and Jordan said in a joint statement Tuesday. In addition to concerns about the tax investigation, Republicans had also floated that both Bidens had allegedly accepted a bribe tied to their work in Ukraine. But the FBI informant who relayed that tip was later arrested and pleaded guilty on charges related to lying to the bureau after he fabricated the claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) says hes confident the derailed mineral deal between the U.S. and Ukraine will be signed in short order, despite the confrontational meeting between President Trump, Vice President Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that thwarted its finalization last week. We are 100% getting this train back on the tracks, Fitzpatrick wrote on X on Monday. This mineral deal will be signed in short order, which will lead to a strong long-term economic partnership between the United States and Ukraine, and which will ultimately and naturally lead to security assistance. Fitzpatrick, a co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said he had a productive discussion with Zelensky chief of staff Andriy Yermak to revive the proposal, which would provide financial compensation to the U.S. from Ukraines rare minerals in exchange for continued support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yermak also expressed optimism after they talked, writing on X that he and Fitzpatrick discussed the path toward a just peace and the Mineral Agreement with the U.S. There is mutual understanding, and we are moving toward a decision for our leaders to make, he wrote. Fitzpatrick has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine and previously said a deal shouldnt amount to victim extortion and that Ukraine shouldnt be forced into an agreement with no security guarantees. Fitzpatrick encouraged his followers Monday to stay tuned for further details. Europe will be required to step up and do its part, and there will be mandates for them to do just that, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a shouting match erupted in front of reporters on Friday, Zelensky was abruptly kicked out of the White House with no deal in place. But Trump on Monday also acknowledged that the proposal isnt dead, despite the fracas and blamed former President Biden for providing aid without compensation. Its a great deal for us, because you know Biden very, very foolishly, stupidly, frankly, gave $300 billion to a country to fight and to try and do things, he told reporters at the White House. And you know what happened? We get nothing. Trump has accused Zelensky of wanting to prolong the war and not showing enough appreciation for the U.S.s assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky has denied both assertions. It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible, the Ukrainian leader wrote on X on Monday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Related video: Fallout continues after Trump, Zelenskyy meeting (The Hill) First-term GOP Rep. Brandon Gill (Texas) has introduced a measure that would require all $100 bills to have President Trumps face on them. The legislation, titled the Golden Age Act of 2025, highlights a common sentiment from the president and his allies, which is that his second term will usher in the Golden Age of America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been no one who has done more to bring America into the golden age than President Trump, Gill said in a statement on Monday. Featuring him on the $100 bill is a small way to honor all he will accomplish these next four years. The lawmaker shared a photo of Trumps official photograph overlaid on a $100 bill and said Lets make history. If passed, the legislation would have the Treasury secretary release a preliminary design to the public for the bill no later than Dec. 31, 2026 and all bills produced after Dec. 31, 2028 to have Trumps photo. Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) is the co-sponsor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The measure comes just a few days after Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) said he was preparing legislation to feature Trump on a new $250 bill. Laws currently prevent a living person from appearing on U.S. currency. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BISSAU, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo said on Tuesday that the mediation mission from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) "will no longer be welcome in Guinea-Bissau" unless the organization's envoys comply with the country's laws. "The high-level mission recently sent by ECOWAS did not follow the rules, as it should have first presented its roadmap to me for review and approval before meeting with various political entities in the country," Embalo said in a press statement shortly after returning to Bissau from a European tour. "Guinea-Bissau is not a banana republic," he stressed, adding that he had ordered the expulsion of the ECOWAS mission due to the behavior of its members. The ECOWAS mediation mission stayed in Guinea-Bissau from Feb. 21 to 28, aiming to encourage political actors to resume dialogue and ensure a peaceful electoral process ahead of the legislative and presidential elections scheduled for Nov. 30, according to Embalo. Rep. Richard Hudson, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, encouraged House Republicans to do more virtual events over in-person town halls, according to multiple sources familiar with the meeting. The plea comes as multiple House Republicans have faced fiery constituents at recent in-person town halls concerning cuts to the federal workforce and the impact Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has had on communities. Hudson told members that communicating with constituents via Facebook Live, tele-town halls and other virtual avenues would be more effective, allowing them to screen questions and have better control over the events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Republicans who got an earful from constituents have message for Trump and DOGE "Chairman Hudson supports members reaching and helping as many of our constituents as possible, using technology makes this a heck of lot easier. Chairman Hudson opposes attention-seeking MoveOn and Indivisible activists hijacking these events," Will Kiley, NRCC's spokesman, told ABC News. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., claimed tele-town halls are "more productive than if you just go to an open forum right now," accusing Democratic activists, without evidence, of showing up to in-person town halls to portray Republicans in a negative light. "Look, these are their people who do this as a profession," Johnson said at the GOP press conference. "They're professional protesters. So why would we give them a forum to do that right now? The best thing that our members can do is communicate directly, frequently, consistently, with their constituents, and there are other avenues to do it than just going in to try to give the other side sound bites." PHOTO: Congressman Richard Hudson speaks at a press conference following elections for leadership positions within the House Republican Caucus in Washington, DC on November 13, 2024. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images) This comes after President Donald Trump made accusations, without evidence, that "paid troublemakers" were interrupting GOP town halls, not constituents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outside Tuesday's GOP conference meeting, Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., claimed she experienced safety concerns in her district, saying that virtual events were safer and more effective. "I've done many tele-town halls, and I think those are very productive and we can reach 1,000s more people than we ever could in person," she said. "And so, I think that that is a great strategy, but for me personally, it's just not safe to do an in person town hall because I don't know what to expect." MORE: Some Republicans hammered at home by constituents about DOGE, Ukraine Meanwhile, some Democrats said that if Republicans won't host town halls, they will. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said on Tuesday that he'd soon go out to red districts in his state to speak out against DOGE layoffs. "Starting March 24th, I will be going to three red districts in California to speak out against DOGE's mass firings and the Republicans' Medicaid cuts," Khanna wrote in an op-ed in The Prospect published on Tuesday. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, posted on X Tuesday morning that he'd host events in districts where Republican representatives won't meet constituents. "If your Republican representative won't meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will," he said. "Hell, maybe I will. If your congressman refuses to meet, I'll come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat 'em." GOP reps encouraged to do town halls virtually rather than in-person after fiery meetings with constituents originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said Monday that it sure seemed as though Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) violated the law when she hosted a webinar to inform immigrants of their rights in potential confrontations with deportation agents. Were supposed to uphold the Constitution, not tell people how, you know, to evade the Constitution, Scott said about the congresswoman, in an interview on The Benny Show podcast. The senator added that he didnt think it was part of my job description to tell people that Heres how you dont comply with the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, I think, it sure seemed like shes violating the law, Scott said. Scott said President Trumps border czar, Tom Homan, should prosecute Ocasio-Cortez if shes done something wrong. Look, we need to have equal protection and equal enforcement of the law, Scott said. And if shes done something wrong, I hope Tom Homan does his job and, you know, prosecutes her to the full extent of the law. In a series of news interviews last month, Homan suggested Ocasio-Cortez had violated federal laws by hosting the Feb. 12 Know Your Rights seminar, which shes characterized as offering practical guidance on how to interact with deportation officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day after the event, he said Ocasio-Cortez might be impeding the governments efforts to enforce immigration laws and said, Maybe AOC is going to be in trouble now, using the congresswomans initials. Homan also said hed sent an email to the deputy attorney general asking him to examine the episode. Ocasio-Cortez has fiercely defended her actions, saying they were well within her First Amendment rights to free speech a point she emphasized in a highly unusual letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi last week asking if she was in legal hot water. In the letter, the congresswoman defended her actions but said she was seeking clarity on whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) has yielded to political pressure and attempts to weaponize the agency against elected officials whose speech they disagree with. It has been 14 days since Mr. Homan first threatened to weaponize your agency, but I have not yet heard any referral from the federal government, she wrote. Homans actions undercut core Constitutional rights and further transparency is necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Republican members of the Senate Armed Services Committee led by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) grilled Elbridge Colby, President Trumps pick to serve as undersecretary of Defense for policy, over his evolving stances on Iran, Taiwan and NATO allies. Republican senators have privately raised concerns over Colbys past statements, specifically what they interpret as his past desire to shift U.S. national security focus away from the Middle East and Europe and toward Taiwan and China. Senate GOP sources say that Colbys nomination may get less deference from Republican senators now that the Senate has confirmed most controversial Trumps Cabinet picks, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GOP senators are particularly alarmed over Colbys past suggestion that the United States could tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran and that it would not be in the nations interest to launch military operations to destroy Irans nuclear weapons infrastructure. Republican members of the Armed Services Committee also pressed Colby on what some view as his softening stance on defending Taiwan, given what the nominee has called an emerging military capabilities imbalance between China, which now has the worlds largest maritime fighting force, and the United States, which faces defense spending cuts. Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, asked some of the most pointed questions at Colbys confirmation hearing Tuesday. I have some concerns about what youve said in the past, namely if we had to choose between hoping to contain a nuclear Iran and preventing Iran with military force from getting nukes that we should tolerate a nuclear Iran and try to contain it, Cotton told the nominee. You have prudently cited the view that, the only thing worse than the prospects of Iran armed with nuclear weapons would be the consequences of using force to try to stop them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats certainly not my view, but more important, its not President Trumps policy, Cotton declared. Cotton, a former U.S. Army captain who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, noted that Trump has said for more than a decade that Iran cannot be allowed to get nuclear weapons and stated in a national security presidential memorandum last month that a nuclear Iran poses an existential danger to the United States and cannot be allowed to acquire or develop such weapons. But the Arkansas senator acknowledged that Colby, in his written answers to the committee, now says the United States should deny Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon. Colby told Cotton that he would commit to providing Trump with credible and realistic military options to stop Iran from going nuclear, such as possibly providing U.S. refueling tankers and heavy bombers to strike Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the subject of Taiwan, Cotton asked the nominee why he had softened his stance on providing security guarantees for Taiwan. Over the past couple years, youve started to say that Taiwan is a vital interest, but its not [an] existential interest to us or its not essential to us. It seems that you have changed your thoughts somewhat in the last couple of years, Cotton said. Could you explain to us why in the last few years youve seemed to soften somewhat about the defense of Taiwan? he asked. Colby responded that he always has said that Taiwan is very important to the United States, but he argued its not an existential interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he said the change in the military balance between the United States and China has forced U.S. policymakers to reconsider the national security interest in defending Taiwan in an all-out conflict with China. Whats changed senator is the dramatic deterioration of the military balance, he said. Its different to engage in a futile, in an overly costly effort that would destroy our military, asserting that theres a lack of preparedness on our part to take on China in its own sphere of influence. And Colby argued that Taiwans defense spending is well below 3 percent of its gross domestic product and needs to boost that level to 10 percent of GDP. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) asked Colby about his views of U.S. membership in the NATO alliance, something that some Trump allies such as tech billionaire Elon Musk argue is no longer useful. Musk and Sen. Mike Lee (R) of Utah recently called for the United States to withdraw from NATO. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Are you a strong supporter of the NATO alliance? Sullivan asked. You still think thats a useful, important alliance for the United States? Colby told the committee: I do. Again, senator, I very much believe in NATO, but I believe it has to adapt. Colby pointed out that West Germany in 1988, which at the time was two-thirds the size of present-day Germany, fielded 12 active divisions while present-day Germany cant put a single division together now. Its not tenable. I think were seeing progress. Now the question is, how do we manage this dangerous period of transition? he said. Sullivan quickly interjected: I agree with all that, but its worth reforming because it does provide power and strength to the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Alaska senator, a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, then followed up on Cottons questions about his views of a nuclear-armed Iran. He cited an editorial published in the Wall Street Journal on Monday that criticized the nominee for describing the Middle East as a tertiary region and his suggestion that the U.S. could tolerate a nuclear Iran. That suggestion is no longer your view, correct? Sullivan demanded. Colby pledged, I believe we should not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon and, if confirmed, I would believe that its my responsibility to provide credible, good military recommendations for preventing that outcome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You believe that, personally? Sullivan asked. Colby backed away from his past statements, explaining, Ive been in the policy debate a long time. Not everything I said I would say again, he added. A lot of what I was arguing against at the time this conversation was 15 years ago a lot of the opponents I felt had a casual or in some cases even a flippant attitude toward the employment of military force. Thats a lot of what I was arguing against, he said. Was my wording always appropriate? Was my precise framing always appropriate. No, he said. Sullivan cut him off: Is Iran with a nuclear weapon an existential threat to the United States? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yes, Colby responded. I think we now have the leadership of the vice president, the secretary of Defense and ultimately the president who understand we need to be militarily strong but also understand the downside risks of the employment of military force. Vice President Vance made a special appearance before the committee to endorse Colbys nomination. He was also introduced by freshman Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Republican lawmakers are urging President Trump to salvage negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in hopes of reaching a peace deal that halts Russian encroachment and possibly gives the United States access to Ukraines rich mineral wealth. GOP senators say they hope Trump and Zelensky can put Fridays heated exchange in the Oval Office behind them, recognizing that continued U.S. support for Ukraine is critical to maintaining Kyivs leverage in peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The deterioration of that meeting was highly unfortunate given the stakes involved. There is no doubt that Putin was the aggressor in Ukraine and launched a brutal, unprovoked attack, said Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine), a leading Republican voice on national security issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do hope we can come up with a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, but we cant forget who started this war, she said. While some of Trumps closest allies want Zelensky to apologize to the president before receiving more U.S. support, other Republicans are trying to de-escalate the situation. They recognize the outcome of peace talks could have major implications for U.S. leadership of NATO and the nations long-standing policy of containing Russian power and influence. I just hope that they can get things back on track and that everybody will redouble their efforts. This is a historic opportunity, potentially historic agreement, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obviously, last week was a missed opportunity, he added. But I think if people are operating in good faith, I think we can get things back on track. Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) said Fridays meeting at the White House was disappointing to say the least, but he blamed Zelensky for not being more deferential to Trump in the Oval Office. I hope and pray we can get it worked out, he said, arguing the awkward situation was prompted wholeheartedly by Zelensky, not Trump nor Vice President Vance. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), on the other hand, had the harshest criticism of Trumps dismissive attitude of Zelensky, declaring the brutal putdowns of Zelensky by Trump and Vance in front of the world had left her sick to my stomach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week started with administration officials refusing to acknowledge that Russia started the war in Ukraine. It ends with a tense, shocking conversation in the Oval Office and whispers from the White House that they may try to end all U.S. support for Ukraine, she wrote on the social platform X. I know foreign policy is not for the faint of heart, but right now, I am sick to my stomach as the administration appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing Putin, a threat to democracy and U.S. values around the world. Republicans were surprised by another bombshell Monday when Reuters reported the Trump administration is working on a plan to ease sanctions on Russia as Trump hopes to restore ties with Moscow. It was only three years ago that Russia sanctioned multiple members of Congress for supporting Ukraine, including Collins and nearly 400 members of the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GOP lawmakers were also put on defense by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths order for the U.S. Cyber Command to stop offensive operations against Russia. While its not unprecedented for a president to ease up on hostilities during peace negotiations, Democrats accused Trump of disarming unilaterally. Donald Trump is so desperate to earn the affection of a thug like Vladimir Putin, he appears to be giving him a free pass as Russia continues to launch cyber operations and ransomware attacks against critical American infrastructure, threatening our economic and national security, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) said. It is a critical strategic mistake for Donald Trump to unilaterally disarm against Putin, he declared. Senate Republicans dont think Zelensky handled criticism from Trump and Vance well, but they dont want to let the setback obliterate the prospect of a peace deal that would allow Ukraine as much territorial sovereignty as possible and deter future Russian aggression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several GOP senators facing reelection next year warned that Putin remains a bad actor and aggressor, despite efforts by the Trump administration to thaw U.S.-Russia relations in hopes of bringing the Russian president to the negotiating table. Putin routinely throws people who disagree with him out of windows or blows up the planes they are in. He has not just invaded Ukraine. He is killing anyone who disagrees with him, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) posted on X. Cassidy told The Hill last week that Russias clearly the aggressor and quoted from the 1946 Nuremberg trials of senior Nazi officials to assert that starting a war of aggression is the supreme international crime. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who also faces reelection next year, acknowledged Russia is the aggressor but tried to defend Trumps entreaties to Putin by arguing he needs to play the role of dealmaker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia is the aggressor. Clearly, theyre the adversary in this particular case, but somebody has to stand in the middle and try to find a middle ground to get to a ceasefire to stop the killing, Rounds told NewsNations Chris Stirewalt on The Hill Sunday. I think thats where the president wants to be in this case. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Fridays Oval Office meeting obliterated the work he and others had done to set the table for a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal that could have given Trump more incentive to guarantee Ukraines security. But Trump appeared little inclined to make any security guarantees for Ukraine, and he suggested in the White House meeting that Zelensky could be risking World War III by pushing for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said a minerals deal with Ukraine and broader peace accord with Russia is still salvageable. Other Republicans said its time to pull the plug on U.S. military support for Ukraine. Ive argued for a long time that it doesnt make any economic sense to borrow money from China to send it to Ukraine, so Im glad that he stood up to him and let him know that really theres not an unlimited pile of money we can give him; its not good for our economy, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said. Ultimately, theres going to have to be a peace settlement. Had this been negotiated three years ago, I think Ukraine was in a stronger position three years ago. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox told lawmakers a week before the 2025 legislative session that he had given them a gift by pushing for the end of state taxes on Social Security. But in return for Cox making this proposal a cornerstone of his budget, the Legislature appears ready to present Cox with a pebble. On Monday, the Senate Taxation Committee advanced a bill that would eliminate the state tax on Social Security but only under the condition that bill sponsor Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, narrowed his bill substantially to fit within the socks and underwear budget this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, lawmakers are looking at another across the board income tax cut, and increasing the tax credit only slightly for Social Security recipients. Who is affected by a Social Security tax cut? In its current form, Harpers SB71 would build on Social Security tax credit expansions from 2021, 2022 and 2023 by completely removing the caps on income, which currently stand at $75,000 for households filing jointly and $45,000 for individuals. During the presentation of his fiscal year 2026 budget recommendations, Cox said it was an embarrassment that Utah is one of only eight states that plans to continue taxing a portion of Social Security payments in the upcoming year. This is, I would say, easily the most popular proposal that Ive made in the past four years, Cox told a room full of legislators in January, adding jokingly, I lament what will happen to you if you dont do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the policy change would give roughly 150,000 senior Utahns an average annual tax break of $950, doing so would cost the state an estimated $144 million in revenue for the upcoming fiscal year money lawmakers are unwilling to part with. In Mondays hearing, Harper acknowledged there wasnt enough in the budget to fully fund the governors proposal. But he said it was important to chip away at the Social Security tax to make sure individuals are not being taxed twice on money that was already taken out of their paycheck. Senate Taxation Chair Dan McCay, R-Riverton, spoke forcefully against Harpers bill, arguing that it would exacerbate the problem of consolidating wealth among those who are over the age of 65 in the country. I believe that this bill is morally wrong and we are hurting our children, McCay said in explaining his no vote. Is there room for more tax cuts in the budget? Budget committee members met in December to set aside new revenues to ensure theyd have enough for a fourth consecutive year of tax cuts. But the $231 million they set aside was placed under additional scrutiny when updated projections found that new revenues would be $100 million less than expected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite opposition from Democrats who have lamented the social services that will go unfunded, as in past years, legislative leadership have chosen to prioritize a blanket cut to income taxes. On Thursday, the House passed HB106, which would decrease the corporate and income tax rates for all Utahns from 4.55% to 4.5%, saving the typical Utah family around $45 a year. The bill was amended on the House floor to incorporate separate bills that would create a large tax credit for businesses that build child care facilities and that would expand the child tax credit to include children who are 5 years old and under the age of 1. The total cost of the new law, if it passes the Senate and signed by the governor, will be nearly $126 million in FY2026, leaving no room for Coxs elimination of the Social Security tax, according to legislative leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and Majority Whip Chris Wilson, R-Logan, said Harpers bill will likely be amended to increase the Social Security tax credit by $5,000-20,000, depending on how budget conversations go during the final week of the 2025 legislative session. Bill sponsor of the income tax cut Rep. Kay Christofferson, R-Lehi, told the Deseret News that he had originally planned to sponsor the bill to end the tax on Social Security benefits. He predicted that the Legislature would be able to find enough funding to remove the Social Security tax for all those making below $90,000-100,000. On Monday, Harper said that if the Legislature were to increase the income cap on the Social Security tax credit to $80,000 for joint filers, then it would provide tax relief to 60,000 Utahns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it were lifted to $90,000, then roughly 90,000 Utahns would be affected. At $100,000 around 98,000 would be impacted, and if the cap were totally removed a total of 152,000 seniors would no longer pay taxes on Social Security benefits. But Christofferson said lawmakers will continue to prioritize income tax cuts for all Utahns. We can cut programs, we can do things that make government more efficient and give people that money to be able to use how they see fit, Christofferson said. Mar. 3Gov. Janet Mills and most of the state's congressional delegation are urging President Donald Trump not to follow through on his plans to impose 25% tariffs on most Canadian goods. Energy resources from Canada will have a 10% tariff, the administration says. Mills said in a radio address that the tariffs, which Trump said would take effect on Tuesday, would increase prices on a range of goods in Maine, including heating oil and gasoline, more than 80% of which comes from Canada. The tariffs, which would also target China and Mexico, would increase the price for food and building supplies, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mills said the price increases will come "at a time we can least afford it." "These tariffs clearly will result in higher prices on everything from fruits and vegetables, flat screen TVs, and auto parts and building supplies," Mills said. "This will cost more than $1,200 annually in purchase power for the typical United States household. I would estimate more for Maine households given our interrelationship with Canada. "I can't be clear enough: The president's broad tariffs on Canada as well as China and Mexico will increase costs on Maine families and Maine businesses who can ill afford them, and they will cause great harm to our state's economy." Mills' statements echoed similar concerns expressed by Sens. Susan Collins, a Republican, and Angus King, and independent who caucuses with the Democrats, and Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, in a Feb. 28 letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The delegation wrote that Maine and Canada exchanged over $6 billion in two-way trade last year, which "propels" manufacturing and production in the state, providing for more than 60,000 good-paying jobs. They urged the administration to work with Canadian officials to resolve any disputes, rather than sparking a "tit-for-tat" trade war. "Given the deeply integrated nature of our economies, any tariffs on imports from Canada and any retaliatory measures by Canada in response may raise prices on gasoline, energy, groceries and much more," they wrote. "We acknowledge that targeted and strategic tariffs can be an important tool to address unfair trade practices. However, small businesses and families in Maine and across the country will be caught in the middle during a time when so many are struggling to put food on the table and keep the lights on." Rep. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, did not sign onto the letter. He has previously expressed support for tariffs, albeit at a lower level, as a way to encourage more businesses to make their goods in the United States. In a written statement last month, Golden said tariffs "push back against decades of free trade and globalization that prioritized low prices above all else." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was a race to the bottom that left America deep in trade debt and dependent on foreign nations and gutted our manufacturing sector, domestic supply chains and entire middle-class communities," Golden said. "By privileging our own production and industries something other countries already do tariffs can help us rewire our economy for production, not just consumption. We can incentivize job creation and manufacturing while leveling the playing field and rebalancing our trade. These tariffs are also a leveraging tool to help crack down on the deadly flow of fentanyl into our country." Golden said the federal government should use revenue from tariffs to offset costs for consumers and invest in American jobs and industries. Copy the Story Link LITTLE ROCK, Ark. On Monday afternoon Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that for the first time in history, education freedom is available to all families in the Natural State. According to a release from the Governor, Education Freedom Account (EFA) applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now open to every child in the state. Demand for Education Freedom Accounts spikes as more Arkansas families become eligible for funds Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The release said that the EFA program was created by the LEARNS Act in 2023 and provides funding for students to attend the school that best meets their needs whether it be private, public, parochial or homeschool. There is an education freedom revolution sweeping America and Arkansas is proud to lead the way by offering universal education freedom for every single child in the state, the governor said. The EFA program has been enormously successful over the past two years, helping thousands of Arkansas kids go to the school that meets their needs, and I look forward to thousands of others joining the program. Little Rock Central High students stage walkout to protest against Arkansas LEARNS Act voucher system Arkansas Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva said that the EFA program assisted over 14,000 students for the 2024-25 school year and expressed excitement that all students now have access. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know that a one-size-fits-all approach doesnt meet the needs of all students and families, Oliva said. Families deserve the opportunity to choose the best school for their child, no matter their zip code, and through the EFA program, they have that opportunity. For the 2024-2025 school year, the EFA program assisted more than 14,200 students with finding their school of choice, and we are excited to expand that opportunity to all families for the next school year. More than 20K school choice applications submitted in Arkansas in 2024 According to the governor, a recent poll in Arkansas revealed that 72% of parents support universal education freedom. A total of 5,548 students and 97 schools participated in the EFA program during the 2023-2024 school year. In the 2024-2025 school year, participation increased to 14,297 students and 128 schools. To be eligible for an EFA, students must be eligible to enroll in a public school and be a resident of Arkansas. To apply, visit ArkansasEFA.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Gov. Tim Walz criticized President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China at a Cannon Falls family farm on March 4, 2025. Photo by Michelle Griffith/Minnesota Reformer. Gov. Tim Walz criticized President Donald Trump on Tuesday for imposing steep new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China Minnesotas top three trading partners. Walz argued the additional tax on imports will hurt Minnesota farmers, businesses and consumers. Any trade war, wherever it is the ag community hurts the worst. Its the easiest one to target, and its the one that pinches people the hardest, Walz told a group gathered at a farm in Cannon Falls before a press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walz later told reporters that Minnesota farmers dont need more uncertainty. This is totally avoidable. And if I had some advice on this one President Trump can just claim victory. Well create an award here and award it (to) him that he won the trade war. Good for you, Walz said. But let us get back to the work of real economics, the growing of the food, making sure that were innovating for the future. The U.S. tariffs impose an additional 25% on almost all imports from Canada and Mexico and another 10% on imports from China, beginning Tuesday. A round of retaliatory tariffs are expected, and in some cases already begun. That means the prices of Minnesota products will rise, making it more difficult to compete with Canadian, Mexican and Chinese firms. Separately, Minnesota companies that import goods like Target and Best Buy will have to pay more, which theyll likely pass on to consumers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canada and Mexico are Minnesotas largest export markets, encompassing nearly half of Minnesotas total. In 2023, Minnesota exported nearly $7.1 billion in goods to Canada and over $3.3 billion to Mexico, according to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Cannon Falls corn and soybean farmer Danny Lundell said the tariffs will increase the price of potash a soil nutrient which is primarily imported from Canada. Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish last month said a 25% tariff on potash will cost farmers an additional $1.70 per acre for growing corn and $1.42 per acre for soybeans. (Trumps) ruled by chaos. He creates a lot of chaos, uncertainty. In the farming/ag community, theres a lot of nervousness going on right now, Lundell said. Trump in a social media post Monday said that farmers needed to prioritize selling their products inside the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun! Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. Danny Lundells wife, Mary Lundell, whose Cannon Falls farm has been in her family for nearly 160 years, said its not realistic to focus solely on selling to a domestic market. Were a global economy. I mean, you cant just focus on interior, in the U.S. only. Thats just not realistic in todays world, Mary Lundell said. Walz said that with the impact of tariffs and uncertainty at the federal government, the Minnesota Legislature should work together and get a budget done on time to help Minnesotans. It behooves all of us to provide some calm and certainty here, to reach some compromises, to get along together, get things done on time, Walz said. We dont want to add any more uncertainty. The post Government Officials for Announced Fyre Festival 2 Location Say Event Does Not Exist appeared first on Consequence. Billy McFarland has repeatedly insisted that Fyre Festival 2 is real while promoting the event, but officials for the Mexican island where its been announced to take place have said otherwise. In a recent interview with The Guardian, the tourism directorate of Isla Mujeres Edgar Gasca said, We have no knowledge of this event, nor contact with any person or company about it. For us, this is an event that does not exist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organizers didnt even bother to approach the authorities, he continued. Its very strange, because any manager knows that if youre going to hold an event, let alone a massive event, you need municipal authorization. According to Gasca, there are red flags all over the place, including the events exact location. If you go on their website and take the coordinates they provide, then put them in Google Maps, it takes you to the ocean between Cancun and Isla Mujeres. Municipal president of Isla Mujeres Atenea Gomez Ricalde added, People are trying to use the peace and tranquillity we have created here for their own benefit. In response, organizers for Fyre Fest 2 issued statements to The Guardian claiming they had been in contact with local authorities, venues, and hotels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UNIK Travel said the following: As a group, we have established contact with the municipal and state authorities to establish the certainty of a healthy event, and thus, obtained the respective official announces [sic] and collaborations that guarantee total compliance, support the local community, and offer responsibly a boutique event that raises the prestige and long-term value of the destination. Producers Lostnights added: Fyre Festival 2 has secured top-tier private venues and hotels in partnership with our local allies who have established communications with the corresponding authorities to ensure full compliance and flawless execution. In another red flag (besides McFarlands involvement), Fyre Fest 2 was recently pushed back a month to May 30th through June 2nd from its original date of April 25th through 28th. McFarland also hasnt announced any artists, simply saying they will be across electronic, hip hop, pop, and rock music. But hey, if folks are still interested in going after McFarland was convicted of multiple counts of wire fraud for the first iteration, thats on them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tickets are currently on sale, with options ranging from $1,400 for the Ignite general access pass to $12,500 for the Phoenix Platinum tier. However, the previously announced $1.1 million Prometheus package does not appear to be currently available for purchase. isla mujeres fyre fest 2 facebook statement Photo via Facebook Government Officials for Announced Fyre Festival 2 Location Say Event Does Not Exist Eddie Fu Popular Posts Subscribe to Consequences email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox. (Getty Images illustration) South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden has added an artificial intelligence chatbot and social media platform to the list of applications banned for use by state employees because the companies behind them are based in China. The bans cover DeepSeek, a ChatGPT competitor, and RedNote, an app similar to TikTok, which itself is an app barred from use by state employees on state-owned devices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My Administration will continue to defend South Dakota citizens from Evil Foreign Governments, including the Chinese Communist Party, Rhoden said in a press release on the decision. The bans came under Executive Order 2023-06, inked by former Gov. Kristi Noem in 2023 to ban a Chinese-owned app called WeChat. The order also empowered the commissioner of the Bureau of Information and Telecommunication to ban any other application, website, platform, service, or product whose use or access would be detrimental to state security. Similar to the bans on Bytedance, TikToks parent company, and Tencent, the ban blocks DeepSeek and RedNote from use on state devices, and blocks state employees from using them on their own devices during work. A complete list of banned apps is located on the Bureaus website. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX UNITED NATIONS, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Increased violence in the three easternmost provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is raising deep concern for civilians, including aid workers, a UN humanitarian official said on Tuesday. Bruno Lemarquis, the UN resident humanitarian coordinator for the DRC, voiced the alarm over the recent increase in targeted violence against civilians, including relief workers, and civilian infrastructure in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Lemarquis said in a statement that the attacks, including the abduction of dozens of patients from two hospitals, are serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. They threaten operations providing relief to millions of civilians. In Ituri province, local authorities report that more than 16,000 people fled clashes in the territory of Djugu since Thursday. The area has seen an escalation in clashes and attacks by armed groups, resulting in civilian casualties and displacement. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) issued a new report on displaced people returning to the eastern DRC. "They say that Congolese nationals fleeing the conflict, as well as those outside the country who originate from the area affected by the conflict, may need refugee protection under international and regional legal frameworks," Dujarric said. "Close to 80,000 men, women and children have fled to neighboring countries, including around 61,000 who arrived in Burundi since January." UNHCR said that around the North Kivu capital of Goma, about 17,000 people remain in displacement sites, schools and churches, while 414,000 people have been on the move for the past four weeks, encouraged by the de facto authorities to return to their villages of origin. The agency said that at least 209,000 people from the sites arrived spontaneously in Masisi, Nyiragongo, and Rutshuru territories, where basic services are not equipped for the sudden surge of people. Given the widespread insecurity in the provinces and surrounding areas, many more may need to cross borders to find protection and assistance. UNHCR called on neighboring countries to register all asylum-seekers from the DRC and provide them with documentation. The spokesman said UN peacekeepers reported the situation around Goma remains highly unstable. The M23 rebels, who invaded Goma over a month ago, continue consolidating its city control with checkpoints and patrols. "This, our colleagues say, continues to restrict the peacekeepers' freedom of movement and access to the airport in Goma," Dujarric said. The spokesman said that in Ituri, a patrol was deployed to Pimbo in the Djugu territory following an attack by members of the CODECO armed group in the area. He also said the UN mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, sent a peacekeeping patrol to Matate, northeast of the provincial capital of Bunia, in response to an attack by suspected members of the Zaire militia, which resulted in two civilians killed and one injured. BOSTON (WWLP) Governor Healey is also getting the national exposure this week on a bit of an unconventional stage. Laid off Springfield veteran to join Congressman Neal at Trumps address Healey is booked as a guest on The Late Show with Seth Meyers. Shes on the Wednesday night show, which airs on 22News, in the early morning hours on Thursday on the East Coast. In an interview with the New York Times, Governor Healey called on Senate Democrats to more aggressively resist President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Healey will also be joined by Wednesday nights other guest, comedian and actress Mindy Kaling, according to NBC Boston. Meyers grew up in New Hampshire like Healey, and Kaling was raised in Cambridge, where Healey attended Harvard and briefly lived. 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. RAMONA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) A gray fox that was injured in the Airport Fire last September returned to the wild after spending five months at San Diego Humane Societys Ramona Wildlife Center. According to a news release by the organization, the fox was brought under their care by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on Sept. 30, 2024. CDFW officials found the fox with second and third-degree burns on its paw pads. The fox was released in Orange County this past Sunday, not far from where he was originally found during the Airport Fire. The wildfire, which broke out Sept. 9 in the Trabuco Canyon, exploded by thousands of acres overnight and devastated over a hundred homes in both Orange and Riverside Counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The humane society said the fox had lost several of its digits, nails and paw pads during the fire, and needed daily treatment by the humane societys Project Wildlife medical team to survive. See the photos below. A gray fox was treated for injuries at the San Diego Humane Societys Wildlife Center in Ramona. (San Diego Humane Society) A gray fox was treated for injuries at the San Diego Humane Societys Wildlife Center in Ramona. (San Diego Humane Society) A gray fox was treated for injuries at the San Diego Humane Societys Wildlife Center in Ramona. (San Diego Humane Society) A gray fox was treated for injuries at the San Diego Humane Societys Wildlife Center in Ramona. (San Diego Humane Society) A gray fox was treated for injuries at the San Diego Humane Societys Wildlife Center in Ramona. (San Diego Humane Society) The medical and rehabilitation teams at Project Wildlife monitored him closely to determine if he could adapt to life in the wild again despite his permanent injuries. This animal was left defenseless with life-threatening wounds from the Airport Fire, said Alexis Wohl, the wildlife veterinary manager of the Project Wildlife program. His prognosis was guarded for a long time, but in the end, he ultimately overcame his injuries so he could return home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of the rehabilitation efforts included transitioning the fox from the indoor hospital to an outdoor enclosure and watching him regain his physical abilities to climb and jump toward the end of his recovery period, according to the release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Yet another protest against President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk occurred Tuesday outside of the Mississippi State Capitol Building, with more than 50 demonstrators voicing their concerns on the Trump administration's slashing in services, jobs and programs, along with broader concerns about the country's direction. Ahead of Trump's address to a joint session of Congress, people held a demonstration from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, before severe weather and tornadoes were expected to roll into the area, as part of the 50501 (Fifty-Fifty-One) Movement. The movement was organized through various social media platforms under the hashtag #50501, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states and one day. Tuesday's protest at the Capitol was the third demonstration to happen at the state capitol in Jackson. The first protest happened on Feb. 5. The second protest happened on Feb. 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tuesday protesters, carrying handmade signs that read "Are we great yet?" and "Trump is Putin's puppet," were determined to voice their opposition to Trump pausing aid to Ukraine after a dramatic Oval Office confrontation with Ukrainian's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and possible cuts in federal funding for Medicaid. Protesters could be heard chanting, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Trump and Musk have got to go" and "Love not hate, makes America great." Onlookers and what appeared to be security personnel watched the protest from the steps of the Capitol. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Ty Pinkins was one of the 50 or more protesters who stood in Tuesday's windy weather. Pinkins told the Clarion Ledger that he thinks "our country is at a crossroads." Hundreds attend Celebration of Life: Who was Hinds County Deputy Martin Shields Jr. of Mississippi? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have someone, Donald Trump, who literally wants to be a dictator. He told us that. And he's brought into his nucleus the richest man in the world, who is not an elected official, and given him the reigns, while at the same time capitulating to one of our longest standing enemies, Vladimir Putin," Pinkins said. "And so, I think now is the time for people to come out and exercise their first amendment right to assemble, to speak their voices to make our leaders understand that they're not in charge. We (the people) are in charge." Protester Roy Duhe, a 66-year-old retired college professor, mentioned that Tuesday marked the first occasion he and his wife felt compelled to protest publicly, driven by their belief that the Trump administration is actively working to suppress dissent and opposition. "I hate to see our nation being destroyed from within," Duhe said, adding the administration is using a variety of tactics to do so. "First, they are undermining the Constitution which every other president has sworn to defend. Second, they are alienating our allies and siding with our adversaries. And third, they are personally benefiting by funneling taxpayer money into their pockets, both directly and indirectly." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another protestor, Kaye Phillips, said this was her second time protesting at the Capitol. Phillips said she also participated in the Women's March on Washington on Jan. 21, 2017. The women's march occurred the day after Trump's first inauguration as president of the United States, spurred by his policy stances and rhetoric, which some perceived as misogynistic and threatening to women's rights. Man denied bond in Oxford murder case: Trial date set for Sheldon Herrington in Jimmie 'Jay' Lee murder case Mississippians gather to protest the Trump Administration in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Phillips stated one of several reasons led to her presence at the Capitol on Tuesday, with the recent clash between Trump and Zelenskyy being the latest catalyst. She stated she found the situation to be "ridiculous" on Trump's end. "There's a lot of things I'm upset about," Phillips said. "But the main thing is the USAID (United States Agency for International Development). They've nearly completely did away with the funding for it. It was started way back in the 1960s by John F. Kennedy, and it's been going all this time and then suddenly they're going to do away with it." This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: 50501 protest against Trump, Musk outside of Mississippi State Capitol A former Stoneham police officer will serve time in federal prison for a bribery and kickback scheme that netted millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts, the U.S. Attorney said. Joseph Ponzo, 51, of Stoneham, was sentenced to more than two years, or 27 months, in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement on Friday. Ponzo was also ordered to pay $115,528 in restitution and a $100,000 fine. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel Gorton handed down Ponzos sentence in federal court in Boston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joseph Ponzo was a sworn officer, who pledged an oath to uphold the law, not violate it. However, he chose greed over integrity, Foley said. Joseph Ponzos greed came at the cost of consumers who were left paying the bill. A prison sentence is the price he will now pay for taking bribes and kickbacks. In November, Joseph Ponzo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud; 24 counts of honest services wire fraud; one count of making false statements to government officials; and four counts of causing false tax returns to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service from 2016 to 2019. Joseph Ponzo was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023 along with his brother, Christopher Ponzo of North Reading. When an officer shrugs off his sworn oath and breaks the law to pad his paycheck like Joseph Ponzo did, he betrays the people of his community and all of us who wear a badge, Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs Boston Division, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every year, Massachusetts homeowners spend millions of dollars to fund energy conservation projects for consumers. Joseph Ponzo and his brother cheated them by shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars in a steady stream of bribes and kickbacks to an insider who steered contracts their way, ignoring all ethical boundaries, Cohen said. The Ponzo brothers were arrested on the charges in April 2022. Last month, Christopher Ponzo was sentenced to 27 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Christopher Ponzo was also ordered to pay a $300,000 fine. Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office, said in a statement that Joseph Ponzos sentencing demonstrates IRS-CIs commitment to routing out corruption from all levels of the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ponzo orchestrated an elaborate kickback scheme to improperly obtain contracts from a government backed program designed to aid the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Demeo said. Programs like Mass Save are designed to help all citizens of Massachusetts, especially the less fortunate, who otherwise would not be able to afford these upgrades to their homes. After the brothers were arrested in April 2022, then-U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins called the fraud scheme corruption at its core. Virtually every Massachusetts resident who uses energy is surcharged and pays for Mass Save, then-U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement at the time. These payments are mandatory and amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, Rollins said at the time. Defrauding the Mass Save program for millions of dollars means we are all left paying the bill. It is corruption at its core and will not be tolerated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From 2013 to 2022, the brothers conspired to bribe associates of a Mass Save lead vendor company that netted the pair millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts, prosecutors said. Mass Save is a program that is designed to help Massachusetts residents manage their energy and utility costs. Under the program, utility companies pick lead vendors to approve and select contractors to perform energy improvement work for residential customers. This contracting work performed by contractors at no-cost or reduced cost to the customer is then paid for by the lead vendor company with Mass Save funds. Prosecutors said the Ponzo brothers paid vendor company employees in home bathroom fixtures, a computer, free electrical work, and a John Deere tractor in addition to weekly cash bribes ranging anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000. In exchange, the brothers received a procurement of millions in Mass Save contracts with the vendor company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From 2013 to 2017, Christopher Ponzo paid one associate $1,000 in cash on a weekly basis, prosecutors said. At times, Christopher Ponzo paid that associate $5,000 to $10,000 in cash, telling the associate that the extra money was from Joseph Ponzo for his part in the bribery scheme. In return for these payments, the associate helped Joseph Ponzo set up a shell company, Air Tight, to do insulation work and get approved as a lead vendor contractor under the Mass Save program. Prosecutors said Joseph Ponzo put his spouses name on Air Tight incorporation documents and licenses to hide his involvement in the corruption. Joseph Ponzo collected over $7 million under the Mass Save program, despite having no professional experience in residential insulation work, prosecutors said. When that associate left the company in 2017, prosecutors said the Ponzos recruited another associate to the bribery-kickback scheme, paying them thousands of dollars in cash from approximately 2018 to 2022, and also hiring a relative of the second associate as part of the ongoing scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joseph Ponzo also filed false tax returns from 2016 to 2019 by claiming hundreds of thousands of dollars in false business deductions, prosecutors said. To disguise personal expenses as business deductions, Joseph Ponzo used his company credit card to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in purchases at The Home Depot, Lowes, and Staples, claiming to his tax preparers that charges at those stores were business-related, prosecutors said. In reality, Joseph Ponzo used the company credit card at those stores to buy gift cards that he and his spouse then used to make thousands of dollars in personal purchases. In April 2022, both Joseph Ponzo and Christopher Ponzo lied to federal agents when they denied making bribe payments to any company employees, prosecutors said. 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 GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) Green Bay Trinity Lutheran School students are helping fight hungerone cereal box at a time. The school participated in the Cereal Box Domino Challenge, where students collected boxes of cereal to build a domino train. Green Bay area chef brings taste of New Orleans for Fat Tuesday On Monday, they toppled the train and donated all the boxes to Pauls Pantry. We asked our students to do what they could, Principal Kerrick Sawyer said. Each class had their own goals that they set. And we thought, can we be a small but mighty school that can give back to our community in ways that we hoped our students learn to be generous and charitable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Want to escape the NFL Draft? Local airports adding outbound flights in late April The students collected more than 900 boxes of cereal. Now thats Positively Wisconsin. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Two hikers who called for help after getting lost on Larch Mountain were rescued by the Green Hornets in the early hours of Saturday, the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office said. The rescue began around 7:40 p.m. Friday night when a man called 911 to say his wife and a friend hadnt come back from a hike on Larch Mountain. The hikers were contacted by phone around 8:30 p.m. and said they didnt need any help. And then they did. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Search continues for missing Siletz 2-year-old Dane Paulsen Around 10 p.m., the hikers, whose names were not publicly disclosed, called deputies and said they were now lost and would wait for rescuers at the spot where they called. Their cell phone was pinged to a spot about a mile from Nesika Lodge on Larch Mountain, officials said. It took awhile for the Green Hornets to find the hikers. Around 1:15 a.m. the hikers were found and OK despite being cold and hungry. They arrived back with the rescuers around 3 a.m. where they were medically checked out and able to get back to their car at Multnomah Falls. The sheriffs office said the Green Hornets are a specialized team of MCSO deputies trained for fast foot searches and wilderness first aid. Many of its members are experienced backcountry trail runners and navigation experts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) An event to train people on how to stop and spot signs of human trafficking will be held in Mescalero in April. New Mexico State Police and the Human Trafficking Training Center will offer free training sessions that will teach law enforcement, prosecutors, medical professionals, and other advocates how to identify signs of human trafficking. The three-day training will focus on human trafficking interdiction, operations, and task forces. The training will be held at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero from April 1-3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Click here to register for the event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. When I was a teenager, a professor my parents knew heard that I wanted to major in physics. Because I am blind, he told my parents that wouldnt be possible: Physicists, he informed us, have to be able to write on blackboards. I went on to earn a physics degree from UC Berkeley, proving him wrong about blackboards. But his warning, meant to highlight the hurdles of inaccessible technology, inadvertently highlighted an even larger and more pervasive barrier: ableism. Ableism is the societal package of preconceptions, assumptions and negative stereotypes about disability that pervade our educational system, our hiring practices and our physical and digital infrastructure. My career as a scientist and an inventor of accessible technology for people with visual and other disabilities proved that while inaccessible technologies can be a huge barrier to success for people with disabilities, conquering them will not be the last battle that must be fought. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reason I didnt become a physicist was that I found a more interesting problem to focus on. During college and grad school in the 1990s, technologies designed for sighted students and scientists were a distinct pain in my blind butt. Print textbooks, inaccessible computers, visual data representations, ancient lab equipment the tools of physics were not designed for me. Time and time again, I had to cobble together and build my own accessibility systems and technology simply to do the things I needed to do. For example, in grad school I couldnt use the charts and graphs sighted students used. I had to write my own software to convert my data into sound and tactile graphics. By the time I graduated, it was clear that while there were plenty of physicists in the world, there werent enough blind designers of blindness technology. Improving accessibility became my first career: designing and building things that everybody can use and enjoy, including people with disabilities. Examples include talking computers, video captions and curb ramps at intersections. More than a billion people in the world live with some kind of disability. More than 250 million of us are blind or visually impaired enough to populate California more than six times over. And as the population ages, more and more people qualify for the club. Weve got a long way to go toward making the world more accessible for those billion people. And yet, every day around the world, people with disabilities are limited not principally by inaccessible technology but by ableist thinking. Kids are told they cant succeed because of their disabilities. Disabled job candidates are disproportionately turned away. And inaccessible technologies continue to be mass-produced. Shifting the needle on ableism will bring us a more accessible world, but theres so much more to it than technology. We will all benefit from a culture that understands disability more and fears it less. Its a big job, but we can start interrupting ableism by demystifying disability for ourselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My own career arc has shown the potential that can be unlocked when one gets a chance to disprove mistaken assumptions. After grad school I spent almost 20 years happily designing and prototyping accessible technologies for blind people at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute in San Francisco. Projects included specialized GPS apps, Braille street maps, a system for adding audio description to YouTube videos and talking STEM education tools. The work was incredibly fun and rewarding, but eventually I decided big tech seemed like the place to design for accessibility at scale. Every day, millions of blind people use products and services from companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft, and those companies are always looking for ways to make their offerings more accessible. After two decades in academia, I was ready to make the jump to industry. So I compressed my 20-page academic CV into a two-page business resume. It showcased my technical skills, project management experience, accessibility inventions, awards and academic publications in the field of accessible design. My next step was to send my resume and design portfolio to a recruiter recommended by a friend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was delighted by her quick response but unimpressed by her voicemail: Im fascinated by your story, but I dont understand what makes you think a blind person could possibly be a designer. I was disappointed but not at all surprised. She probably hadnt even looked at my portfolio of accessibility innovations, which would have demonstrated ways in which a blind person can be a designer. The recruiters assumptions of what a blind person could do didnt match up with her assumptions about what a designer does. She needed to think bigger seriously considering my proven record and seriously reconsidering design, which in this situation was not about choosing colors or font sizes. Instead, like the family friend from so many years ago who was hung up on blackboards, the recruiters preconceptions about blindness dictated why I couldnt, rather than being open to how I could. She, with her gentle ableism, was gatekeeping me from countless jobs I could have performed well. Of course, she was wrong. I got a great job at Amazon designing accessible devices. But how many millions of other people have been kept from realizing their potential because parents, teachers, recruiters and colleagues clung to mistaken assumptions about the limitations of people with disabilities? The solution will be not a technical fix but for all of us to think bigger to default to curiosity rather than ableism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The best way to learn about the reality of disability is from real disabled people. Be skeptical of books, shows and movies about disability based on the imaginings of people who are not disabled. They often perpetuate stereotypes and harmful myths. Theres no shortage of high-quality memoirs and essays about disability by disabled authors . There is even a growing body of film and video by disabled actors, directors and producers. Read them. Watch them. To help make the world a more accessible place, learn about disability from the source, and imagine how disabled people can, rather than why we cant. Joshua A. Miele, a blind designer and scientist in Berkeley, is a co-author, with Wendell Jamieson, of Connecting Dots: A Blind Life . If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. As the Eaton and Palisades fires raged in Los Angeles, more than a few Democrats and at least one Times columnist claimed President Trump would punish California rather than help it recover from the devastation. If the record-breaking cleanup of properties led by the administrations Environmental Protection Agency is any indication, those fears were drastically overblown. On Jan. 24, Trump signed Executive Order 14181 calling for the EPA to "expedite the bulk removal of contaminated and general debris" from the zones affected by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, in order to accelerate efforts to help the survivors recover and rebuild their lives. At the time, the EPA interpreted the order to mean that the initial cleanup of hazardous material had to be completed by Feb. 25. CBS News, reporting on the presidents ambitious one-month deadline, quoted anonymous government officials as highly skeptical that cleanup could be done that fast. In fact, most estimates were that debris removal would take at least three months and more than a year for some properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: 300 tons of hazardous waste removed in 28 days: EPA finishes first phase of Palisades, Eaton fire cleanup An EPA official on the ground described the expedited cleanup deadline to CBS News as bananas, while another former EPA official said it may be nearly impossible to meet this deadline, the CBS News report said. White House national security advisor Mike Waltz oversees interagency coordination related to disaster response efforts. Just three days after his inauguration, Waltz told me, President Trump was on the ground in Los Angeles, saw first-hand the devastation from the wildfires and vowed a historic sense of urgency from federal agencies. Thanks to the presidents decisive action, the Trump administration led a cleanup of hazardous materials at a pace never seen before. It was and still is a Herculean cleanup effort: For the Phase 1 cleanup, crews cleared properties by hand, searching for such substances as bleach, paint, weed killer and pesticides, as well as batteries, propane tanks and asbestos. More than 9,000 properties were searched and cleared (4,852 homes in Altadena; 4,349 in the Palisades) and more than 1,000 lithium-ion batteries were disposed of in just 28 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Jan. 29, five days after Trump signed the Los Angeles cleanup order, told me he is immensely proud of the dedicated men and women from the EPA who have worked tirelessly to complete the largest wildfire cleanup in the history of our agency. Read more: The EPA usually has months to clear hazardous waste from wildfires. In L.A., it has 30 days For a frame of reference on how quickly the Trump administration moved in Los Angeles, consider what happened following the 2023 fire that destroyed Maui, a place with far fewer properties. Phase 1 cleanup there took 112 days. An official with the EPA told me the Trump administration, working with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, essentially threw everything but the kitchen sink at the presidents cleanup directive. The effort required more than 1,500 people EPA staff, state workers, some members of the military in nearly 50 teams doing reconnaissance, hazardous materials removal and lithium ion battery work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State officials have praised Trumps L.A. effort as well. In a letter dated Feb. 26, Yana Garcia, California secretary for environmental protection, thanked Zeldin profusely for the EPA's historic collaboration with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to achieve this significant milestone." When we met in early February, prior experiences suggested that Phase 1 could take months. Yet the work was completed in a matter of weeks, Garcia wrote. Read more: Feds won't test soil after L.A. wildfire cleanup, potentially leaving contamination behind The Army Corps of Engineers was able to begin Phase 2 of the cleanup requiring more complicated efforts at 4,400 properties as Phase 1 was in progress, which again should help speed the work required to let residents rebuild. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The point is simple: The Trump administration is showing extreme governing competence in helping Los Angeles recover from the wildfires, and no signs at all of punishing a deeply blue state. There is widespread, bipartisan agreement that federal and local officials are working well together. And despite some clear political differences the president has with certain California policies, it has obviously not affected the vital work of the federal government helping local citizens get back on their feet. This was a massive test for Trump, and he passed it with flying colors. The pearl-clutching and political fear-mongering from Democrats was obviously overblown. Scott Jennings is a CNN senior political commentator and a former special assistant to President George W. Bush. If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. COLOMBO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's cabinet has approved the adoption of the ruling National People's Power (NPP) policy statement, "A Rich Country - A Beautiful Life," as the government's national policy framework, cabinet spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa announced Tuesday at the cabinet press conference. Jayatissa said the policy statement aims to drive sustainable economic growth and development by strengthening the manufacturing sector, with the goal of reaching a gross domestic product (GDP) of 120 billion U.S. dollars by 2030. The policy framework is structured around four key pillars: a fulfilling life - a comfortable country; an honorable life - a safer country; a modern life - a wealthy nation; and a dignified life - a strong country. Within these four categories, 40 sub-areas have been identified, each with specific policy principles and action plans, he said. All ministries, departments, state institutions, provincial councils, and local government bodies are required to align their plans and operations with this framework, he added. In 1998, four Latino Republicans were elected to the California Legislature. As the press secretary for a Republican legislative leader, I convened a news conference demanding an end to a discriminatory policy: The all-Democratic Latino Legislative Caucus should stop insisting on a political monoculture and allow Republicans to join. Twenty-five years later, Californias Latino Legislative Caucus still excludes Republicans. In contrast to states such as Arizona and Texas, whose Latino caucuses are bipartisan, Californias Latino Republicans remain excluded from an ethnic caucus that purports to represent them. This peculiarity mirrors the history of Latino political empowerment in the state. When the caucus was founded in 1973 by the late L.A. Assemblymember Richard Alatorre and others, it seemed inconceivable that any consequential number of Latino Republicans could be elected to serve in Sacramento. This proved accurate for decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But now, as the rightward shift of Latino voters has swept a record number of Republican Latino lawmakers into the Capitol there are now nine who have formed their own caucus the debate has been resurrected. This time, it feels different because Latino voters and identity are different. Read more: Why California's Latino voters are shifting toward Trump and Republicans Todays Latinos lack the defined ethnic and racial perspective of prior generations. New Latino voters are overwhelmingly U.S.-born, primarily English-speaking and more likely to see themselves as typically American than to associate with their countries of origin. And they are more likely than members of any other ethnic group to be unaffiliated with a political party. Latinos are becoming more populist and less partisan. Over the years since I was a bright-eyed, 20-something staffer, Ive come to doubt the practicality of a bipartisan Latino caucus, which now seems like a lost opportunity of the last generation. A bipartisan California Latino caucus could have focused on shared goals such as improving public education, increasing college attendance and graduation rates, making housing more affordable and preserving the upward mobility of working-class Californians all of which should have been Sacramentos priorities too. Instead, by nearly every social and economic metric, Latinos are worse off now than they were a generation ago despite the exponential growth of Latino representation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This failure unfolded in a time of increasingly blistering partisanship. Today a bipartisan caucus is no more likely to achieve a broad, productive consensus than our bipartisan Legislature. A truly representative Latino caucus seems incompatible with both major parties. Read more: This misunderstanding of the Latino vote may be biggest blind spot in American politics Each party certainly has a legitimate claim to representing aspects of the Latino community. Democrats are much more in line with Latinos on immigration reform, healthcare access and reproductive rights (despite what you may have heard about Latinos cultural conservatism). Republicans are much more in line with Latinos on border security, crime and building housing and economic opportunity. But the evidence that neither party has a hold on the hearts and minds of Latino voters is overwhelming. Democrats have no more claim to Latino identity than Republicans, and the idea that putting partisans from both camps under the same ethnic tent might bring about commonality on hot-button issues such as reproductive rights or mass deportations is nonsense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why? Because Latino politicians on both sides are far more interested in their partisan identity than they are in advocating for the priorities of the Latino community they claim to represent. Otherwise, Latino Democratic politicians would be greater advocates for tough-on-crime measures such as the recently passed Proposition 36, which Latino voters supported overwhelmingly . They would be much fiercer proponents for overturning extreme environmental and regulatory measures such as the California Environmental Quality Act, which has helped turn housing affordability into a generational crisis for the states Latinos, among others. And they would be doing a better job of holding the states Democratic-dominated government accountable for failing Latinos on a spectrum of issues. Republican Latino politicians, meanwhile, would have the courage to openly denounce President Trumps overt appeals to racism. They would also be more supportive of reproductive rights, investments in healthcare and a pathway to citizenship for the millions of immigrants our economy desperately needs. But expecting Latino politicians to put their communities ahead of their parties appears to be asking too much these days. Latino politicians, ironically, have matured to the point of being like other politicians: more focused on power and partisanship than on solving the problems of a community that has been clear about its priorities for decades. Perhaps an ethnic caucus cant effectively serve Californias largest ethnic group because the whole idea suggests Latinos are the sort of woefully underrepresented minority we no longer are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Latino voters are more moderate, independent and focused on day-to-day economic issues than any other ethnic group in the state. California and the country need politicians to be more like them. As our society is becoming more diverse, Californians are becoming less interested in our racial and ethnic differences than in their common economic struggles. Pocketbook issues are replacing identity issues. If Latino lawmakers were as preoccupied with those issues as Latino voters have been for many years, they would be working across the aisle to address them with no need for a caucus, bipartisan or otherwise. The two parties incessant need to fight about cultural issues has come at the expense of focusing on economic mobility. We dont need a bipartisan Latino caucus to get things done; we need a bipartisan Legislature solving economic problems that disproportionately affect Latinos. Thats the great opportunity for the emerging generation of Latino lawmakers: to assume leadership in both parties and make the entire Legislature work better. Latino politicians on both sides of the aisle need to start leading the parties instead of following them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mike Madrid is a political consultant and the author of The Latino Century: How Americas Largest Minority Is Changing Democracy. If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Fired federal workers. Medicaid recipients who could lose their health care under proposed budget cuts. A small business owner who may be affected by new tariffs. These are some of the people who will attend President Donald Trumps address to Congress on Tuesday night, brought as guests by Democratic lawmakers seeking to highlight the human cost of the administrations sweeping policy changes. For decades, lawmakers have used invited guests to put a human face on policy debates, underscoring the real-world consequences of decisions made in Washington. This year, as Trump touts what he calls a historic transformation of the federal government, Democrats are countering with stories of disruption and hardshipstories they hope will resonate beyond the chambers walls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read More: Why Trumps Speech Is Technically Not a State of the Union Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D, N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have urged Democrats to invite fired federal employees and average Americans who have been negatively affected by DOGEs cuts, according to a source familiar with the matter. Since taking office, Trump has moved aggressively to reshape the federal bureaucracy, slashing jobs, consolidating agencies, and asserting unprecedented executive control. With Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress, Democrats have few legislative tools at their disposal. But by elevating the voices of those affected, they are aiming to use Trumps speech to focus on the impacts of his second-term policies. Republicans will also utilize guests to send a message about their priorities. First Lady Melania Trump announced she would bring January Littlejohn, a Florida mother and parents right advocate who sued her school board after her child socially transitioned to a different gender identity. The First Lady also invited recently released prisoner Marc Fogel, an American history teacher who was held hostage by Russia and whose release came thanks to President Trump. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) shared a partial list of his invitees, including border czar Tom Homan and natural gas executive Ben Dell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are some of the notable guests who will be in attendance. Fired federal workers Alissa Ellman, a disabled veteran who was recently fired from her position at the Buffalo Veterans Affairs Office, and Tiffany Ramos, who was fired from her position at the Department of Agriculture, will be attending as guests of Schumer. Michael Missal, the former Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs who was dismissed by Trump (along with 16 other inspectors generals), will be attending as a guest of Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D, Conn.), the ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Jason King, a disabled veteran recently fired from the Federal Aviation Administrations safety division, will be a guest of Sen. Tim Kaine (D, Va.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew Lennox, a Marine veteran and former administrator officer at a VA hospital in Ann Arbor who was fired as part of the Trump Administrations cuts, was invited by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D, Mich.), who will be delivering the Democratic rebuttal to Trumps speech. Doug Kowalewski, a program director who lost his job at the National Science Foundation last month, will be a guest of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D, Mass.). Ashley Ranalli, a National Park Service ranger who lost her job, will be a guest of Sen. Mark Warner (D, Va.). Kyle Rahn, a disabled Army veteran who was recently let go from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, will be a guest of Sen. Ruben Gallego (D, Ariz.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jamie Werner, who was recently dismissed from the U.S. Forest Service, was invited by Sen. Michael Bennet (D, Colo.). Medicaid recipients Jessica Martinez and Ana Medina Garcia, cancer survivors and recipients of Medicaid, and Emma Larson, who received a lifesaving treatment for her spinal muscular atrophy due to a reimbursement from the National Institutes of Health, were also invited by Schumer. Cheri Byer, a Medicaid recipient who previously battled addiction and was able to access residential addiction treatment in part because she was eligible for Medicaid, will be a guest of Sen. Maggie Hassan (D, N.H.). Dominic Rampa, a Las Vegas teenager who has relied on Medicaid to help cover treatments for nine genetic disorders, including two immunodeficiencies and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, will be attending as a guest of Sen. Jacky Rosen (D, Nev.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, Calif.) will also bring a Medicaid recipient as her invited guest. Firefighters and other first responders Frank Lima, a Los Angeles City fire captain and firefighter union leader who was on the front lines and helped defend the Pacific Palisades wildfire in January, will be a guest of Sen. Alex Padilla (D, Calif.). Vincent Culliver, the captain of the Vandenberg Fire Department who was also on the front lines and helped fight the January wildfires, will be a guest of Sen. Adam Schiff (D, Calif.). Dave Williams, the fire chief of Chino Valley Fire District, will be a guest of Rep. Norma Torres (D, Calif.), to highlight planned cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeff Denard, a steel plant worker from Alabama who also works as a volunteer firefighter, will be a guest of the First Lady. Denard is an organizer who, along with his fellow steelworkers, helped the community during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Small business owners impacted by Trumps tariffs Allison Hope, the executive director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association, will be a guest of Sen. Peter Welch (D, Vt.). Hope says that Vermonts maple industry is bracing for the economic fallout of Trumps 25% tariff on Canada, which goes into effect on Tuesday. Rebecca Hamilton, a small business owner who runs a manufacturer of natural personal care products and cant afford to budget for Trumps tariffs, will be a guest of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D, N.H.). Israel-Hamas war victims Orna Neutra and Ruby Chen, the parents of two Israeli-American hostages from New York who were murdered by Hamas, will be guests of Schumer. Omer Neutra, 22, and Itay Chen, 19, were both taken hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noa Argamani, who was taken hostage by Hamas and rescued by Israeli forces in June, will be a guest of Speaker Johnson. Keith Siegel, the first American to be freed form Hamas captivity, will attend as a guest of Rep. Lisa McClain (R, Mich.). Victims of illegal immigration Olivia Hayes, a young widow from Louisiana whose husband Wesley was killed by an undocumented immigrant in a drunk driving accident, will also be a guest of Speaker Johnson. Scott Root, the father of Sarah Root, who was killed the night of her college graduation by an undocumented immigrant in a drunk driving accident, will be a guest of Sen. Joni Ernst (R, Iowa). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allyson and Lauren Phillips, the mother and sister of Laken Riley. Riley, 22, was murdered by an undocumented immigrant. Her name is on the first immigration bill Trump signed this year. They will be guests of the First Lady. Alexis Nungaray, a Texas mother whose 12-year-old daughter was killed by two undocumented immigrants who were released from Border Patrol custody before their attack. She will be a guest of the First Lady. Roberto Ortiz, a Border Patrol worker who has been shot by cartel members in Texas. Ortiz will also be a guest of the First Lady. Conservative personalities Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh, conservative political commentators with the Daily Wire, are expected to attend as guests of Speaker Johnson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Riley Gaines, a conservative activist and former swimmer who has advocated against allowing transgender women to compete in womens sports, will be a guest of Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R, Iowa). Trump recently signed an executive order banning transgender women from participating in womens sports. Ross Ulbricht, who operated Silk Road, the dark web marketplace where illegal drugs were sold, was invited by Rep. Thomas Massie (R, Ky.), according to Semafor. Ulbricht was pardoned by Trump last month after he was sentenced in 2015 to life in prison. Victims of violence The Comperatore Family, the family of the firefighter who was fatally shot by the gunman during the assassination attempt against President Trump in July 2024. Corey Comperatore is survived by his wife and two daughters, who will be a guest of the First Lady. Stephanie Diller, the widow of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, who was killed at a traffic stop in Queens, will be a guest of the First Lady. Students Haley Ferguson, a senior at Middle Tennessee State University who was the recipient of the Fostering the Future scholarship. The educational funds come from the First Ladys Be Best initiative. Ferguson will be a guest of the First Lady. Elliston Berry, a 15-year-old victim of deepfakes from Texas. She will be a guest of the First Lady, who on Monday called on the House to pass the Take it Down Actwhich aims to protect against non-consensual intimate images. Payton McNabb, a high school athlete who suffered from a brain injury due to an accident during a volleyball match. The blow that caused McNabbs injury came from a transgender athlete. McNabb is a guest of the First Lady. Skipping the address While there does not appear to be a widespread push among Democrats to boycott Trumps address, a few Democratic members are planning to skip it. Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, and Patty Murray of Washington will not be in attendance. Wyden will instead host an online town hall for his constituents to ask questions, share their ideas and offer their views. Murray said in a statement that she will be meeting with constituents who have been harmed by this administrations reckless firings and its illegal and ongoing funding freeze across government. A handful of House Democrats, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly of Virginia, Becca Balint of Vermont, Kweisi Mfume of Maryland and Diana DeGette of Colorado, announced that they would skip the address. Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland are planning to join other Democratic officials and progressive media figures for a prebuttal and live watch-along hosted by Democratic advocacy group MoveOn. With reporting by Eric Cortellessa. Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com. The White House has unveiled the guest list for Donald Trumps joint address to Congress this evening. The administration said the guests were everyday Americans and that Trump would tell their stories during his remarks in the House. You will see exceptional Americans with great stories, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Tuesday. The invitees highlight key areas for the Trump administration including immigration, manufacturing, and culture war issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They include Allyson and Lauren Phillips of Woodstock, Georgia, the mother and sister of Laken Riley, a nursing student whose killing by an unauthorized immigrant. Her death prompted conservatives to pass the Laken Riley Act in January, a stepped-up immigration enforcement bill targeting migrants with lower-level arrests for detention. Alexis Nungaray of Houston, the mother of a 12-year-old killed by an illegal immigrant, and Border Patrol agent Robert Ortiz, also from Texas, round out the list. Trump heads to Congress amid major shifts on Ukraine policy and U.S. tariffs (EPA) Keeping with the safety focus, Stephanie Diller of Long Island, New York, will also be in the audience. Her husband, NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, was killed during a 2024 traffic stop by an individual with a past criminal record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter who was killed during the 2024 assassination attempt against Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, will watch the speech, too. The guest list also reflects the Trump administrations focus on LGBTQ+ issues, which has involved denying government recognition to trans people and cutting off federal spending on gender-affirming care. The administration has invited January Littlejohn of Tallahassee, a parent who sued a Florida school district for allegedly withholding information about her childs gender identity transition, and a woman named Payton McNabb of Murphy, North Carolina, who the White House says suffered a brain injury while competing with a transgender woman in a high school volleyball game. Other guests reflect some of First Lady Melania Trumps policy initiatives around stopping bullying and supporting children, including Haley Ferguson, a former foster child and Tennessee university student on a scholarship from Trumps Be Best organization, and 15-year-old Elliston Berry of Alredo, Texas, a victim of deepfake cyberbullying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House has also invited Jeff Denard, an Alabama steel worker, and Marc Fogel, an American teacher who was freed from Russia last month, to attend. DOGE mastermind Elon Musk is expected to take in Trumps speech live as well. During the remarks, Trump is expected to hit on hot button world issues in addition to his domestic priorities, including the recent pause of military aid to Ukraine and the 25 percent tariffs against Mexico and Canada that took effect today. BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau (AP) Guinea-Bissaus President Umaro Sissoco Embalo said he will run for a second term in November, amid tensions with an opposition that refuses to recognize him as the countrys current president. Meanwhile, a delegation from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS that had been sent to Guinea-Bissau in hopes of resolving the country's political crisis departed Monday after what they said were threats of expulsion from Embalo. Embalo, who dissolved the opposition-dominated parliament in late 2023, told reporters he would run again Monday at the airport in the capital Bissau following his trip to Russia, Azerbaijan and Hungary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will be a candidate for my own succession, Embalo said. Guinea-Bissaus constitution sets the presidential term at five years, renewable once, and Embalo would be running for an allowed second term. But the details of his first term are complicated, and the opposition argues that his first term already has ended. Embalo's announcement risks escalating tensions in the small West African nation, which has endured multiple coups since gaining independence from Portugal over 50 years ago. Embalo won an election on Nov. 24, 2019 and was sworn in as president on Feb. 27, 2020, but the opposition contested the result and the Supreme Court did not recognize his victory until Sept. 4. The opposition says Embalos term should have ended on Feb. 27 of this year, but the Supreme Court has ruled that it should run until Sept. 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Embalo has set the election date for Nov. 30 and says that he should stay in office until then, but the opposition has refused since last week to recognize him as president. Opposition leaders have warned they will plan mass protests and strikes, but were waiting to see if the ECOWAS mission was successful. Embalo says he has survived two attempts to overthrow him in the last three years. After the most recent one in December 2023, which involved a shootout between the national and presidential guard, he dissolved the opposition-controlled parliament, accusing it of passivity. Last week, Embalo met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss potential economic and security ties as Russia has emerged as the security partner of choice for a growing number of African governments, displacing traditional allies such as France and the United States. (WHTM) HACC and Harrisburg University signed a reverse transfer articulation agreement. This transfer agreement allows students who have transferred from HACC to Harrisburg University without first completing their Associate Degree to apply for eligible Harrisburg University credits back to HACC. This allows these students to earn their Associate Degree while also pursuing their Bachelors Degree. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest I think what it shows is the benefit of having a Community College degree as well as a Baccalaureate degree, said John Sygielski, the President of HACC. Its all about achievement and so that these students can be rewarded for their dedication towards their subject, towards their discipline, towards their career. For more information, 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 ABC27. Three organizations filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the Trump administrations attempt to put an early end to Temporary Protected Status for people from Haiti and Venezuela living in the U.S. Last month, President Donald Trumps administration rescinded the TPS extension until February 2026 that was granted under President Joe Biden, requiring Haitians to return to their country by Aug. 3 and Venezuelans by April 2. Lawyers for Civil Rights, which is representing the groups and four people who are in the country under TPS, said the suit was the first filed on behalf of Haitians in the U.S. under TPS. Two lawsuits were quickly filed to challenge the administrations decision on behalf of Venezuelans last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TPS is a critical lifeline for immigrants who have fled extreme violence, political upheaval, and natural disasters in their home countries, LCR senior attorney Mirian Albert said in a statement. The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit. The Boston area is home to almost 50,000 Haitian people, according to The Immigrant Learning Center, making it one of the largest Haitian communities in the U.S. Paul Simon, a Haitian American in Boston, said he voted for Trump three times but did not believe Trump had the power to deport those under TPS before its allotted time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think hes going to fail at this, Simon, 52, said. Im a pro-Trump guy. But I disagree with that. If someones TPS is not going to expire till 2026, he shouldnt be able to boot them out until 2026. He added, He cant pre-emptively end something that has been granted to them. Three immigrant advocacy organizations Haitian-Americans United Inc., Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts and UndocuBlack Network and four affected individuals are challenging Trumps directive through the lawsuit. The decision to undermine TPS for Haiti and Venezuela is driven by racial bias and has no basis in the realities these communities face, Albert said in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint refers to an incident during Trumps first term in which he was reported to have called Haiti and African nations shole countries during a meeting with senators. Trump denied making such remarks but did say his talk about those countries was tough. Last year on the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly pushed the unfounded idea that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating the pets of the people that live there. The lawsuit contends that the administration does not have the authority to revoke an extension that has already been granted. Two plaintiffs, who are going by the pseudonyms Sydney and Marlene Doe, made Massachusetts their home in 2018. Sydney Doe is a real estate broker and business owner and Marlene Doe is a nurse, according to LCR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dieufort J. Fleurissaint, executive director of Haitian-Americans United Inc., said in a statement that the community is anxious about the sudden loss of legal status, the possibility of facing deportation to unstable conditions in Haiti, and potential difficulties in finding alternative legal pathways in the U.S. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Hatem Khaled CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) - Israel's block on deliveries into the war-stricken Gaza Strip has led to price increases and fears of food shortages, prompting punitive measures from the Hamas-run authorities against merchants, according to Hamas sources and witnesses. Members of the Hamas-run police force were deployed in local markets across Gaza, asserting their presence on the ground despite a 15-month Israeli aerial and ground offensive against the Palestinian militant group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They questioned and detained merchants, ordering them not to raise prices during a standoff over a ceasefire deal, and seized supplies that were later resold at lower prices, the four sources and witnesses said. Local authorities also urged residents to report misconduct by merchants, saying that food supplies in Gaza would last just two weeks. "Punishing junior sellers in markets is good, but Hamas must act against the big merchants who control what we eat," said one witness, asking not to be named for fear of retribution. Israel announced on Sunday that it was stopping the entry of goods into Gaza, citing a dispute with Hamas over how to proceed with the phased, U.S.-backed ceasefire that brought a halt to heavy fighting in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas has urged mediators to pressure Israel to begin talks on the second stage and reopen Gaza's crossings. Israel's foreign minister said on Tuesday that Hamas had been using aid to continue fighting Israel. Israel says Gaza has enough food for many months. Humanitarian agencies, however, say supplies for food, medicine and shelter in Gaza are limited and that stranded aid might spoil. RAMADAN MEALS Philippe Lazzarini, head of U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, said Israel's suspension of deliveries threatened lives among Gaza's 2.3 million population, exhausted by war. "Aid and these basic services are nonnegotiable. They must never be used as weapons of war," Lazzarini said in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a soup kitchen in Gaza's Khan Younis, where dozens of children holding pots lined up to receive soup, organizers said the suspension of deliveries would hit their provision of free meals for 20,000 people. The meals were meant to cover the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began on Saturday. But merchants had raised meat prices, meaning the menu had to change. "The kitchen's administration prepared a plan for the month of Ramadan, but the closure of the crossings has disrupted all the plans," said one of the organizers, Abu Omar. "On the first day of Ramadan, we served approximately 1,200 to 1,400 portions of meat and rice, but the closure of the crossings and the disappearance of goods in the markets led to us serving 'mujadara' (a rice and lentil dish) and soups today," Abu Omar told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The war began when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's campaign has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities, and displaced most of the population. Arab states met in Cairo on Tuesday to try to advance a longer-term plan for Gaza that would counter U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for a Middle East Riviera in the territory. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo and Hatem Khaled in Gaza; Editing by Aidan Lewis) COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) After the removal of the historic trolley inside the former Spaghetti Warehouse, another icon from the building is being saved. The bright red steam wheel that graced the one-time restaurants lobby has been extricated from the rubble and shipped to Tennessee, according to Columbus history buff Shawn Kenney. The giant antique has arrived at its new home in Chattanooga. (Video Courtesy/ Shawn Kenney) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A roof collapse in 2022 led to the recent razing of the brick structure at 397 W. Broad St. in Franklinton. Kenney, who is also the executive director of the Museum of Catholic Art and History, has chronicled the engines removal from the site on social media. On Saturday, he posted about freeing the heavy items from the wreckage. Finally, the ammonia pump from the old icehouse (Spaghetti Warehouse) is officially on its way to Chattanooga, Kenney shared in a caption with several photos and videos. The weight of the entire piece was about 42,000 pounds, the largest piece with the actual pump weighs 32,000 pounds. Unlike the trolley, the steam engine was an original part of the building, Kenney told NBC4. The machinery was used to pump ammonia to keep the brick structure cool when it functioned as an ice house. Kenney said building owner Jim Weiler, S.G. Loewendick Demolition and a team of volunteers helped salvage the 130-plus-year-old equipment. Removal of steam engine at former Spaghetti Warehouse (Photo Courtesy/ Shawn Kenney) Removal of steam engine at former Spaghetti Warehouse (Photo Courtesy/ Shawn Kenney) Removal of steam engine at former Spaghetti Warehouse (Photo Courtesy/ Shawn Kenney) Removal of steam engine at former Spaghetti Warehouse (Photo Courtesy/ Shawn Kenney) Removal of steam engine at former Spaghetti Warehouse (Photo Courtesy/ Shawn Kenney) In Chattanooga, the engine will become part of the personal collection of Coker Tire magnate Corky Coker. Coker, an antique car expert and Travel Channel reality star, operates The Coker Museum, 1309 Chestnut St., which boasts more than 100 vintage vehicles including cars and airplanes. The museum is open for tours and as a rental venue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. SINGAPORE, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean authorities have confirmed 187 cases of gastroenteritis following the distribution of ready-to-eat meals as part of a Total Defense exercise in February. Among the cases, 184 were from schools, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said Tuesday in response to parliamentary questions, adding that all affected individuals have recovered. During the parliamentary session, lawmakers raised questions about the cause of the symptoms, the microbiological and shelf-life studies of the product testing, the processes in place to vet suppliers of ready-to-eat meals for government programs, and whether any penalties would be imposed on SATS, the food solutions provider. Fu said that tests conducted by the Singapore Food Agency on collected meal samples did not detect any food-borne pathogens. She added that both the agency and the Ministry of Health are conducting a comprehensive investigation, and necessary enforcement actions will be taken if any lapses are detected. The food-poisoning incident first came to light at the School of the Arts, where 20 students developed symptoms of gastroenteritis after consuming the ready-to-eat meals. These meals were distributed between Feb. 15 and Feb. 28 as part of Singapore's 2025 Exercise SG Ready, a national preparedness exercise. In addition to schools, aging facilities also received the meals. A total of 150,000 meals were planned for distribution in the exercise, which "focuses on strengthening Singaporeans' preparedness for power disruptions caused by cyberattacks." HARTFORD, Ala. (WDHN) Hartford is once again searching for its next police chief, a week after the city council voted to appoint a Florida cop as chief. That officer, Scott Gaston Sr., was committed to taking the reins at HPD, but Sunday told the city leadership that he was in fact not taking the position. Gaston was selected for a job that pays over 60-thousand dollars, supported by a council who was confident in his role within a small community, plus years of experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only thing standing in Gastons way were Alabama certifications to become an officer in the state, which Hartford leaders say they had a plan in place to make the process smooth. Now, Hartford is back to essentially square one, looking for another chief, but they tell WDHN they are going back through old applicants that are qualified. While they go through those candidates, interim police chief Brant Parrish will continue serving in that role. Parrish replaced the chief before him, Pete Markow, who resigned just months after taking the job. In the past two years, the department has struggled with staffing shortages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But several lawmakers have said that is more geared towards cities like Birmingham and Montgomery. Which have over 200 open police officer positions and are dealing with high rates of crime And the interim will only answer to the governor and attorney general. Hartford officials say that this bill is not geared towards them because they dont have a high crime rate Mayor Wendel Nolen tells WDHN that he is going to meet with council members to see how quickly they want to move on filling the chief position. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) A Hartford man was sentenced to over 18 years in prison for stealing a car and striking the vehicles owner with the car while fleeing the scene, according to the division of criminal justice. Gov. Ned Lamont vetoes $43 million in Democrat-led spending Jhuge Arnold, 42, stole a car at the Shell gas station on Capitol Avenue from the owner, who had left the car running in the parking lot while she ran into the gas station. As the owner attempted to stop him, Arnold put the car in reverse and struck the owner, knocking her to the ground. He then proceeded to run her over and drive away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim sustained a traumatic brain injury in the assault and now uses a wheelchair because shes no longer able to walk. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HASKELL, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Haskell County is embracing the future of technology, positioning itself as a potential hub for cutting-edge energy solutions. The county could soon be home to microreactors designed to power data centers, including sites like Lancium in Abilene. Haskell County to host 30 microreactors for Texas data centers Last Energy, the company spearheading the project, plans to build 30 microreactors on 200 acres in Haskell County. These reactors would supply energy to data centers across Texas through a mix of private wire and grid transmission. Haskell Mayor Christina Isbell says the $100 million project could bring significant benefits to the West Texas town. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There could be anywhere from 3-500 people in the area working on all these projects. So when they come to Haskell and they shop at our stores, get gas here, eat at our restaurants, it helps our tax revenue, Isbell said. I know that is going to bring quite a few good jobs to our Haskell, somewhere between 70 and 80 full-time positions when its up and running. The Last Energy Haskell County Project is a proposed micro-nuclear power plant that would provide clean energy with a lifespan of 40 years. The facility is planned for a 200-acre site at the intersection of County Road 268 and Farm-to-Market Road 266. Haskell County Judge Kenny Thompson said the area has already benefited from clean energy projects like wind and solar. Its been a boost to the county. The part about the green energy coming here, its really helped on our budget and taxes. Weve kept taxes down to a minimum and not had to increase rates, Thompson said. Another major project in the works is the Cloud West Center, a proposed Google-owned data center. If both projects move forward, Mayor Isbell says the impact could be even greater than anticipated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its going to be called the Cloud West Campus, and it just talks about the energy and tech leadership. And I do know that theyve talked about that once that data centers open, thats probably another 50 jobs that would be out there, Isbell explained. MORE DETAILS: Abilene announced for largest AI infrastructure project with $500 billion+ investment Judge Thompson also addressed concerns about the microreactor project, emphasizing its safety. We think of nuclear energy as a scary thing somewhat. After reading about nuclear energy, its actually a more efficient way of producing electricity, Judge Thompson said. [Last Energy] told us the earliest would be summer 2029 and theyre working on getting a federal permit for nuclear energy. They will also have permitting from the state of Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The county granted Cloud West Center a 50% tax abatement, and some members of the Haskell community were required to sign NDAs regarding the project. For now, both projects remain in the planning stages. Thompson said, Its not a done deal yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) A man allegedly wielding a hatchet was arrested in a flood zone Sunday afternoon and charged with aggravated assault, the Washington County Sheriffs Office (WCSO) reports. WCSO: More than 12 ounces of meth seized, trio charged A release from the WCSO said Michael Ray Rose, 50, was arrested following the incident, which took place on Taylor Bridge Road. A heavy equipment operator was reportedly clearing flood debris in the 300 block of Taylor Bridge Road just before 4 p.m. Sunday when Rose approached him while holding a hatchet. Once the victim saw the weapon, he retreated back to his machinery for safety, the release states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies arrived and located Rose, who claimed he was trying to see what was going on in the area. The hatchet was found in Roses possession, the release said. Rose was arrested and transported to the Washington County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond, the WCSO reports. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WAIMANALO, Hawaii (KHON2) Officials in east Oahu are asking residents to keep an eye out for giant iguanas. Experts said there are ways to help mitigate their spread. Residents added that the lizards are not even the worst invasive species out there. Mulch mishap spurs corrective action in Oahu beetle battle The large lizards were first introduced to the Islands in the 1970s, most likely as an illegal pet that was released into the wild. A recent video shows a large male basking in the sun in some treetops in Waimanalo and the species is known to reach lengths of over six feet long. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 10 things to know about POTUS push to curb gun rights in D.C. Waimanalo is one of our major growing regions on Oahu. I think there should be a little bit of concern. Were seeing more of them lately, said Christy Martin, program manager of the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species. 10 facts about Kelly Slaters $16.5M Hawaii North Shore home for sale [Call] 643-7378, 643-PEST and depending on where it is and the staff availability, we will respond and and we will attempt to capture it provided that you know we can get access to the property that its on, said Hawaii Department of Agriculture Plant Quarantine branch manager Jonathan Ho. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The iguanas are certainly the largest invasive critter out in Waimanalo but local farmers told KHON2 that the unholy trinity, of coconut rhinoceros beetles, little fire ants and coqui frogs are the most detrimental. These three are, it could be end game if if we see these three get out of control and theyre at the point now where they they might be, said Taylor Piikea Campbell of Palaka Moon Farms. If we can not get control of the beetle, you wont see palm trees anymore. If you think about Hawaii and the iconic images of Hawaii, palm trees and sandy beaches, that could all be gone, the palm trees could be decimated, the ants could populate the beaches to the point where you cant sit on the sand anymore without getting stung. Tackling Oahus invasive coqui frog population Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The HDOA added the iguanas have mostly been contained to Waimanalo on Oahu, but the story is not the same with the so-called unholy trinity. Those particular organisms, you know, theyre not necessarily, I think, geographically limited, Ho said. Check out more news from around Hawaii I know the iguanas are exciting, and, and everyone wants to see one, but we need to be focusing on the ants, the beetle and the And the frogs, Campbell 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 KHON2. What was Marco Rubio thinking? That was one of the many questions swirling around Washington after last Fridays disastrous meeting in the Oval Office between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, alongside anticipation of an agreement to bring about the end of Russias war with Ukraine. As Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance engaged in an increasingly tense conversation with Zelensky while the White House press pool watched, Rubio sat next to Vance in silence, his body rigid, his face stony and indecipherable. Speculation about Rubios inner thoughts ran rampant on the internet afterward, even making its way into Saturday Night Lives opening sketch lampooning the meeting. Look at Rubio over there, fully dissociating, said actor James Austin Johnsons Trump. But for several advisers and supporters who have followed Rubio since his first days in the Senate, its no mystery. The new secretarys idle watch and subsequent defense of Trumps approach with Zelensky was another disheartening reminder of how far he has strayed from his original hawkish, Reagan-esque views on foreign policy. Now, as multiple former advisers have complained to me, Rubio looks like a mere bystander, a steward for a foreign policy of retrenchment that was once antithetical to his own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its an incredible disappointment, said Eric Edelman, a former ambassador and high-level Pentagon official who was among those named to Rubios list of national security advisers to his 2016 presidential campaign. This has been a long evolution, I would say. And you know, here weve arrived at this point its sort of indistinguishable from full on Trumpism. Rubio made clear that lack of distinction in a pair of TV interviews following Fridays Oval Office meeting. On CNN Friday night, just hours after the meeting, he presented himself as a dutiful agent of President Trumps foreign policy. At this moment, as secretary of state, my job working for the president is to deliver peace, to end this conflict and end this war, he told anchor Kaitlan Collins. Its an unsustainable, bloody war that has to come to an end, and right now, the only leader in the world that can even have a chance of bringing about an end to this is named President Donald Trump. And we need to give him the opportunity to try to do that. And on Sunday, in an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABCs This Week, Rubio cast the decision facing the United States as one between supporting a protracted, unwinnable war or negotiating for peace with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sooner everyone grows up around here and figures out that this is a bad war thats heading in a bad direction with death and destruction and all kinds of dangers surrounding it that can spiral into a broader conflict, the sooner people grow up and realize that, I think the more progress were going to be able to make, he said, with more than a flash of frustration at the administrations critics. For the hawks who once supported and worked for him, Rubios turn toward a Trumpian realism is all the more frustrating because of a sense that the former Florida senator knows better. What they saw in Rubios blank expression at the White House on Friday was perhaps recognition that this was not what the once-proud Reaganite had signed up for. Theres still, I think, maybe a part of him that understood how bad this was, Edelman said of Rubios reaction to the Zelensky meeting. While Rubios foreign policy eye has always been aimed more toward China and Latin America than to Europe, the 53-year-old Florida Republican had long been outspoken about the nature of Vladimir Putin and Russias designs on regional influence. In a speech in 2015, not long after declaring his candidacy for president, Rubio called Putin a gangster and an organized crime figure who controls a government and a large territory. He also named Russia as one of the top foreign adversaries of the United States. Even after Trumps election in 2016, Rubio staked out independence from the new president by declaring Russia a threat to global stability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More generally, his new support for Trumpism on the global stage-where personal relations between leaders matter more than idealistic principlesstarkly diverges from the foreign-policy vision Rubio espoused nearly 10 years ago in a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations. Arguing for a values-based approach to foreign relations, Rubio proclaimed that Americas power came not just from its capabilities but its superior aims. And he went after the Obama administration for failing to recognize how Americas moral leadership defines its global leadership. In recent years, the ideals that have long formed the backbone of American foreign policya passionate defense of human rights, the strong support of democratic principles and the protection of the sovereignty of our alliesthese values have been replaced by at best caution, and at worst, an outright willingness to betray those values for the expediency of negotiations with repressive regimes, Rubio said. But that was the old Rubio, and the old Republican party consensus on foreign policy. In 2025, Rubios words on CNN Friday reflect the true north star of the GOP: Trumps moral relativism. Im not going to fall into this trap of whos bad and whos evil, Rubio said. Like many who signed up with him at the time, the Rubio who was running for president a decade ago would have been appalled. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. HAWKINS, Texas (KETK) The City of Hawkins is still left with only one police officer after the mayor denied multiple motions made by council. This East Texas town relies on 1 police officer, sparking safety concerns A special city council meeting to discuss the reinstatement of three Hawkins Police Department officers ended in disagreement on Monday and the vote to re-hire them was called off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Mondays meeting, there were multiple motions on the floor to vote to grant the appeal and immediately reinstate the terminated officers, but the mayor refused to call the motions to a vote. Mayor Debbie Rushing repeatedly said it was an out of order motion. Hawkins mayor faces lawsuit, calls to resign amid allegations of misconduct According to the citys ordinance, the council is required to vote on new police officers, which did not happen in the case of the following three officers. The police officers who were terminated are David Morris, Dale Lundberg and Vernon Polk. Each officer was present at Mondays meeting with their attorneys. One attorney said during the meeting that the hiring of the officers was lawful but the mayor still denied their motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When council started arguing within themselves, the officers and their attorneys left the meeting. Rushing admitted she and the former police chief Paul Holland decided to let him hire officers. Hawkins police chief resigns, marking third chief to step down in 3 years Now Rushing wants to right that wrong. She said she did not interview and approve the officers when the special meeting was called. Hawkins resident, Amy Pack said she hoped the officers were reinstated but she is not surprised there wasnt a solution. Every time we think something is going to get done, she finds another loop hole, she finds another reason not too, she finds something again, Pack said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pack believes the council should not make any costly moves without the city having an attorney. Rushing declined to 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. The top special agent overseeing the FBIs largest field office has been forced to retire, according to an email he sent to colleagues and obtained by CNN. Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did, wrote James Dennehy, assistant director in charge of the FBI New York division. I was not given a reason for this decision. As CNN reported, Dennehy sent an impassioned message to the workforce last month amid reports of potential mass firings at the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own, as good people are being walked out of the FBI and others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy, Dennehy wrote last month, adding he was preparing to dig in. Dennehys departure announcement comes days after Attorney General Pam Bondi alleged that the FBIs New York field office withheld thousands of pages of additional documents related to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel last week, Bondi demanded an investigation into why the documents were hidden. In the message Monday announcing his departure, Dennehy wrote, in part: I have an immense feeling of pride to have represented an office of professionals who will always do the right thing for the right reasons; who will always seek the truth while upholding the rule of law Ive been told many times in my life, When you find yourself in a hole, sometimes its best to quit digging. Screw that. I will never stop defending this joint. Ill just do it willingly and proudly from outside the wire, Dennehy added. CNN has reached out to the FBI for comment. CNNs Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The top FBI agent in New York was ousted Monday, saying he wasnt given any explanation for the decision from Washington. James Dennehy, a US Marine Corps veteran who joined the bureau after the Sept. 11 attacks, announced his forced resignation in a letter to staffers at the FBIs New York Field Office. Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did. I was not given a reason for this decision, he wrote in the missive, obtained by The Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dennehy apologized for the abruptness of his resignation in the letter, in which he called his colleagues an office of professionals who will always do the right thing for the right reasons. New Yorks FBI chief James Dennehy resigned against his will on Monday. Bloomberg via Getty Images Dennehys departure marks the latest exodus from the Trump administration in recent days. REUTERS His final note to staffers included one of his signature top 10 lists, this one rattling off the things hell miss about working for the FBI, among them, the independence, he wrote, adding the timely message, We will not bend. We will not falter. We will not sacrifice what is right for anything or anyone. His departure marks the latest in a recent exodus from the bureau under the Trump administration. Dennehy had a high-profile battle with acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove last month, penning a defiant email to staffers urging them to dig in after officials tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 riots at the US Capitol were forced out of their roles. James E. Dennehy, assistant director in charge of the FBIs New York Field Office, exits the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse after attending a court hearing for New York City Mayor Eric Adams on February 19, 2025, in New York City. Getty Images Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own, as good people are being walked out of the FBI and others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy, the email read in part. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dennehy joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002, when he was assigned to counterintelligence cases in the NY Field Office. Over his storied career, he received numerous promotions, including in 2018 when he was named chief of staff to the executive assistant director of the National Security Branch at FBI headquarters. There, he was charged with overseeing counterterrorism, counterintelligence and weapons of mass destruction. In 2022, he was appointed Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office, where his priorities included cybercrime, health care fraud, civil rights violations, cybercrime and reducing shootings in coordination with law enforcement. Ive been told many times in my life, When you find yourself in a hole, sometimes its best to quit digging. Screw that. I will never stop defending this joint. Ill just do it willingly and proudly from outside the wire, his resignation letter to staff concluded. The SEIU Healthcare workers union and other advocates will hold a town hall forum next week focused on sparing Regional Hospital of Scranton from possible closure. Ads published recently in The Times-Tribune promoting a Save Regional Hospital town hall March 13 at 4 p.m. at Hilton Scranton & Conference Center, 100 Adams Ave., in Scranton, say SEIU hospital employees, patients and residents of the Scranton area are united in our commitment to save Regional Hospital. The ads contain over 1,400 names and an open letter to our elected officials that addresses the uncertainty the institution faces, saying, We must save Regional Hospital for this and future generations of Scranton area families. Those who will attend the the town hall are asked to sign up online at saveregionalhospital.org. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. and the event will be held in the Electric City Ballroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its the latest development regarding financial difficulties of the for-profit Commonwealth Health system, which is Regionals parent firm, that have clouded the future of both Regional Hospital and its nearby sister campus, Moses Taylor Hospital. Regional and Moses Taylor are separate facilities but operate under a single license following a 2022 merger with operations coordinated across the two campuses such that Regionals fate determines Moses Taylors fate. Last summer, a nonprofit called WoodBridge Healthcare announced plans to purchase Commonwealth Healths financially struggling hospitals from subsidiaries of Tennessee-based Community Health Systems Inc., which is Commonwealths corporate parent. That plan fueled cautious optimism among health care workers, patients and local elected officials. But its collapse in late November renewed concerns that Regional and Moses Taylor could close if not acquired by another buyer. Workers and other stakeholders voiced such concerns at a packed town hall forum in December, when officials revealed that other health care providers had expressed interest in the Commonwealth facilities. At that town hall, state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., expressed confidence that a new deal would arise to spare Regional, and possibly by the end of that year. State Rep. Bridget Kosierowski speaks the Electric City Ballroom of the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center in Scranton Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That did not come to pass. In January, Kosierowski, a longtime nurse and leader on the issue of health care access locally, said discussions were still ongoing and had the attention of Gov. Josh Shapiro; and she remained confident that Regional ultimately would be saved. In a phone interview Monday, Kosierowski said she looked forward to attending the upcoming town hall meeting and again said she believes Regional Hospital will survive. Several nonprofit entities have come forward as potential buyers and have received facilities assessments that they are reviewing, she said. These entities all continue to discuss a potential acquisition and transitioning away from Commonwealth Health, she said, noting she could not be more specific. But she expects that one of the suitors could soon emerge from the group as the successful buyer. Im anticipating an announcement very soon, Kosierowski said. I can say with certainty were not closing. This institution is not closing. Everyone is still at the table. The ad for the upcoming town hall said, The collapse of the proposed sale of Regional Hospital to WoodBridge Healthcare left many in our community worrying about what will happen to the hospital, but we must press forward and secure a future for this essential institution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other details in the ad included that Regional: Delivers 70% of the babies in Lackawanna County. Cares for 36,000 patients in the emergency department each year. Is the only hospital in the county with a level 3 neonatal intensive care unit and a geriatric behavioral health unit. Employs over 1,000 people and contributes nearly $150 million a year in local wages and family benefits. The loss of these jobs would be devastating to the families of Regional employees and to our local economy. Other local hospitals cannot absorb the number of workers who would be displaced, the ad says. It also says that other local hospitals already have emergency department wait times above the national average and simply do not have the capacity to take on all of Regionals patients. A closure of Regional would mean a severe reduction in access to care and a dangerous increase in travel time for patients seeking critical or lifesaving care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kosierowski also said a closure of Regional would be catastrophic for the local health care landscape. As a nurse I tend not to be an alarmist, but people will die babies and mothers are going to lose their lives if we do not keep these doors open, Kosierowski said. Meanwhile, Kosierowski also will host an unrelated public forum titled Hands Off Our Healthcare: A Town Hall on Medicare & Medicaid Cuts, on Monday from 6-8 p.m. at the Peoples Security Bank Theater at Lackawanna College, 501 Vine St. in Scranton. JAKARTA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia plans to launch up to 21 energy projects valued at approximately 45 billion U.S. dollars in the first phase this year, according to the country's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia. Lahadalia, who also serves as the chief of the country's task force on accelerating the downstream industry and strengthening energy resilience, made the statement following a limited meeting with President Prabowo Subianto and several other ministers on Monday. "We had a detailed discussion, including the names of the investment projects that we will undertake," Lahadalia said, adding that some projects will receive funding through Danantara, a super holding agency established to consolidate the management of state-owned enterprises and optimize dividends and investments. Danantara, which was launched to oversee more than 900 billion dollars in assets, is expected to help fund the country's downstream projects for 28 commodities valued at over 800 billion dollars. These commodities include nickel, coal, petroleum, crude palm oil, tin, and rubber, Lahadalia said. The minister noted that some of the key projects to be funded by Danantara include the construction of an oil storage facility on Nipah Island in the western province of Riau Islands and a project to convert coal into dimethyl ether as a substitute for liquefied petroleum gas. The Texas Department of State Health Services released its latest measles count Tuesday: 163 cases with 22 of those needing hospitalization. On Friday, there were 146 cases in the state. The count includes only one death, a school-age child in Gaines County. Most of the cases, 159, are in West Texas. On Friday, Travis County had its first measles case since 2019, an Austin infant, who was noted in an Austin Public Health news conference. That child was too young to be vaccinated and had traveled outside the U.S. when they became exposed. The infant's family were all vaccinated and are quarantining to prevent spreading the disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Measles is a concern because 90% of people exposed to the virus who have not been vaccinated or do not have natural immunity will become infected after being exposed. It is one of the most infectious diseases. The virus can live on the surfaces of a room for two hours after the exposure. Most of the cases are in and around Gaines County in West Texas, not far from Lubbock and the Panhandle, but the state issued a warning for people in San Marcos, New Braunfels and San Antonio about a possible exposure after a person who later tested positive for measles traveled to Central Texas on Feb. 14-16. The measles infection of the Austin infant is not related to the person who traveled to Central Texas from West Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most people don't know they are infected with measles before they have infected someone else, said Dr. Rama Thyagarajan, an infectious disease expert and an associate professor at the University of Texas Dell Medical School. The disease is not something primary care doctors are used to screening for or suspecting as a possible cause for the flu-like symptoms that begin a measles case, she said. "It is always a good idea with any respiratory illness to stay home," Thyagarajan said. Austin Public Health epidemiologist Flor Hernandez Ayala speaks in Spanish about the importance of vaccination to protect against measles during a news conference Friday. What are the symptoms of measles? After seven to 14 days of being exposed, measles starts with: Cough Runny nose Conjunctivitis Usually a fever of 103 to 104 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four days later: A rash starting at the head and working its way down the body appears. The rash can start as sore spots in the mouth. In severe cases: Inflammation of the lungs Pneumonia from a secondary infection Inflammation of the brain Years later: In some rare cases, measles can cause a fatal form of encephalitis, swelling in the brain, years after being infected. How long are you contagious with measles? People with measles are infectious four days before the rash starts and then four full days after the rash begins. They should isolate an additional 10 days. If you have been exposed and have symptoms, you should call your doctor first instead of showing up at an emergency room or doctor's office. When can I get a measles vaccination? The measles vaccine is known as the MMR vaccine: measles, mumps and rubella (the latter is also known as German measles). It is a live vaccine and should not be given to pregnant women and some people with autoimmune issues, including some people who are undergoing treatment for cancer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most children are vaccinated with the first dose when they turn 1. A second dose is given between ages 4 and 6. A second dose can be given as soon as 28 days after the first dose. A first dose of the vaccine can start giving someone some protection within 72 hours and can be used to fight a measles exposure. A first dose provides about 93% protection after two weeks. After the second dose, a person has 97% protection. For people who have been exposed, they can receive immunoglobulin within six days of an exposure to fight the virus. A first dose of the MMR vaccine can start giving someone some protection against measles within 72 hours and can be used to fight a measles exposure. What happens with babies who are not old enough for the vaccine? In some cases, you can give the vaccine to infants who are 6 months or older, especially if they have been exposed. Health officials have not made that recommendation for all infants 6 months or older, yet, said Dr. Desmar Walkes, the Austin-Travis County public health authority, but that recommendation might change if Austin does experience an outbreak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you do get your 6- to 11-month-old vaccinated, they would need a second shot at age 1 and then a third shot at age 4. Infants who have not been vaccinated need to be kept away from exposure in an outbreak, and the people around them should be vaccinated, Thyagarajan said. The same is true for anyone who cannot receive the vaccine because of health conditions such as cancer treatments or an organ transplant. How do I know if I have immunity? People who were born before 1957 are presumed to have immunity because of the amount of measles that was present during that time. People born after that time need to make sure they have been vaccinated with two doses. If you were born between 1957 and 1968, you might not have immunity because the vaccine at the time didn't use a live virus. Vaccine protection does wane over time. You can get a blood test to check your immunity level to be sure. If you have been pregnant in the last 30 years, you have already had your titer check for rubella, which is in the MMR vaccine and would have been told if you did not have immunity. How can I get vaccinated? For vaccinations, contact your primary care provider or you can go through Austin Public Health. You can get vaccinated as an adult if you have not been vaccinated previously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Austin Public Health offers vaccinations for free or at reduced rates for children and adults who do not have insurance, have Medicaid or are underinsured. The typical cost is $13 for children and $25 for adults. You can make an appointment at 512-972-5520 for either of the clinics at 405 W. Stassney Lane in South Austin or the 7500 Blessing Ave. location in Northeast Austin. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas measles cases climb to 163, including 1 Austin case In this aerial view, Mexican immigration officials and police escort deportees after they were sent back into Mexico on Jan. 22, 2025, as seen from Nogales, Arizona. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) LINCOLN Testifiers on Monday were about split for and against a measure that would require some 6,350 Nebraska employers to use an online verifying system to weed out undocumented workers or face suspension of their business license. Legislative Bill 532, introduced by State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, would require businesses with at least 25 workers to tap the E-Verify system or a government equivalent that checks an applicants eligibility to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Nebraska Labor Department says about 6,350 of the states businesses currently fit that bill. Some already use E-Verify: public contractors and employers that receive tax incentives from the state are mandated; some others use it voluntarily. Level playing field Kauth, during a public hearing for her bill before the Legislatures Business and Labor Committee on Monday, said E-Verify should help guarantee Nebraska businesses peace of mind and a level playing field. Yes, our jobs need to be filled, but weve got to make sure the people we have here who are citizens not just of this state but of this country are able to do those jobs first and foremost, she said. Susan Gumm testifies in support of a measure by State Sen. Kathleen Kauth to mandate the use of E-Verify for businesses with more than 25 employees. Kauth is seated in the background to the right. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) Among those who voiced support for the bill was Susan Gumm, who said E-Verify would protect Nebraska workers against unfair job competition and wage depression. We are a nation of laws and should have a legal workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She went on to cite two people whose deaths she asserts were entirely preventable since illegal aliens shouldnt even be in the country in the first place and couldnt remain here without jobs. The Internet-based E-Verify is set up to compare and match information provided by a job applicant with records available to the Social Security Administration and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. One key criticism is that workers using fraudulent or borrowed identities can evade detection. We want to be sure we don't create problems for business owners who are just struggling to stay afloat in a workforce-tight environment . Hunter Traynor, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dylan Severino of the American Civil Liberties Union, in opposing LB 532, described the system as seriously flawed with a 1.67% mismatch rate last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the headache of a mismatch does not only fall on the employee. Employers are bound by law not to discriminate based on citizenship status or national origin, he said, and need to to carefully resolve mismatches. Severino suggested that might deter employers from taking a chance on hiring someone that might be flagged. If youre an employer and you know that mismatches are usually caused by hyphenated names common in the Hispanic and Latino culture and transliterated names such as Arabic names maybe youll just decide to skip over candidates. Milking cows Kris Bousquet, executive director of the Nebraska State Dairy Association, also spoke in opposition of LB 532 for the Nebraska Farm Bureau, Nebraska Cattlemens Association, Nebraska Pork Producers and Renewable Fuels Nebraska. He said employers within the groups want to comply with all laws regarding workplace practices but believe that regulatory authority for the immigration issues should remain at the federal level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Requiring E-Verify at the state level requires another level of red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy, he said. Businesses can enroll in the E-Verify program on their own today. Shown is a screenshot from the Department of Homeland Securitys website for the program. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) Bousquet said many farm and ag jobs, such as milking cows, are incredibly demanding tasks. Finding people that are willing and able to perform these jobs is challenging enough, and if those jobs go unfilled our livestock producers are faced with serious production restrictions and animal welfare issues, Bousquet said. Hunter Traynor of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry spoke in a neutral capacity, and did so also for groups including the Nebraska New Car & Truck Dealers Association and Nebraska Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he said that some members use E-Verify and called it by no means a fool-proof solution. Given the potential of losing a business license over a system that has not been largely reliable in the past gives us some pause, Traynor said. We want to be sure we dont create problems for business owners who are just struggling to stay afloat in a workforce-tight environment, he said. Five people testified in support of the bill Monday; four were opposed; two spoke in a neutral capacity. Of those who submitted written testimony, 25 supported the bill; 22 were opposed and two were neutral. The committee took no action on whether to advance the bill to full Legislative debate. Random audits by Labor Department Kauth said at least one benefit to mandating E-Verify was that it could provide state officials a better picture of illegal immigration in Nebraska. State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Those who suffer the most from undocumented workers, she said, are young people looking for their first job, veterans trying to find a job outside of the military and people leaving the prison system seeking a job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you are getting out of prison and you need a fresh start, what better place than on a ranch or on a farm or somewhere doing something different than youve ever done, Kauth said. Milking a cow might not seem like the worst thing in the world because it is good, honest labor. A legislative fiscal analysis shows that implementing the measure would, in the first year, cost the state about $260,000 in new staffing requirements. Under the Kauth proposal: The Nebraska Department of Labor would develop and carry out random audit inspections and expose violators using a public-facing database. If the state labor commissioner detects noncompliance, the business has a certain amount of time to contest. Penalties include probation of a business operating license or, for repeat violations, suspension of the license. Employers that knowingly employ an unauthorized immigrant worker face suspension of their business license. The license can be reinstated if the employer fires the worker or pays the cost of either the Labor Departments investigation or $1,000. A business that in good faith uses E-Verify is presumed not to be in violation, subject to rebuttal by evidence. An employer who fires a worker to comply with the statute wont be subject to a civil action for wrongful termination of the employee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX There are many people in the United States with a direct link to Ukraine keeping a very close eye on the new developments and praying the current situation doesnt get worse. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30 p.m., the high-profile clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump is not something often seen in the Oval Office. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maria Steffe, who is on the board of the Ukrainian Society of Greater Dayton and an American Citizen, says watching the recent waning of federal support for Ukraine and its efforts to hold off a Russian invasion now three years in the making has been difficult. When you have two people that you respect so much, its hard to see them in that sort of conflict, Steffe said. She added that its much harder for those here legally seeking refuge. I have my family here, my obligations, and a lot of refugees that came here looking for a safe place. They do not feel safe at this moment, and I cannot but feel for them as well because they feel that their situation in the country is coming into question, and they dont know if they will have to leave and seek asylum or safety elsewhere, Steffe said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For many Ukrainian Americans following from afar, like Steffe, whose mother is still in Ukraine, the fear is now that financial aid to Ukraine has been paused by the White House Russia will officially take over land that is already occupied. I dont know if that can be avoided, but its just heartbreaking on every level, and peoples lives under occupation will be rather horrific because they will have to either throw away their Ukrainian identity or be under threat of repression, Steffe said. Steffe says local support for Ukrainian Americans and those seeking Asylum here has grown significantly in the last few years. Anyone who wants to learn more about the culture can attend the World AFair at the Greene County Expo Center in May. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Nicolas Cage's ex-wife, Christina Fulton, is calling out law enforcement for abandonment after her son, Weston Coppola Cage, allegedly attacked her. This comes just weeks after she filed a lawsuit against her ex-husband, accusing him of failing to intervene in their son's long-standing struggles with mental health and violence. Christina Fulton is speaking out after the alleged attack, which took place last year, claiming she has been left heartbroken by the ordeal. Nicolas Cage's Ex-Wife Says She Was Left Bleeding After Alleged Attack MEGA Fulton did not hold back about the pain she has carried for months as she returned to the court on Monday. "I have been heartbroken as a mother for a very long time. I've done this alone. I've been left alone, if not blocked," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She placed particular blame on the LAPD, claiming they failed her in her time of need. "I hold a lot of people responsible, especially the LAPD, who left me on the ground bleeding. I called you for help," she stated, recalling the aftermath of the alleged assault. Despite the harrowing situation, Fulton maintains that her actions stem from love. "I'm here again as a mother. I love my son, tough love," she shared. TMZ reported that she emphasized the seriousness of the issue, pointing to the broader mental health crisis affecting families nationwide. Fulton has filed a lawsuit against Weston, citing assault, battery, negligence, and emotional distress. Christina Fulton Accused Nicolas Of Failing Their Son Spread Pictures / MEGA Beyond the legal action against Weston, Fulton also turned her attention to Cage, making it clear that she holds him accountable for what she believes led to this moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She revealed that Cage has blocked her, further solidifying their deep divide. "He is his father," she stated, emphasizing her belief that he failed to intervene in their son's struggles before things escalated. While the legal battle continues, one thing is certain: Fulton is not backing down from holding accountable those she believes are responsible. Inside The Actress's Lawsuit Against Her Son's Father MEGA Last month, The Blast reported that Fulton has filed a lawsuit against Cage, accusing him of negligence, negligent supervision, and negligent undertaking. In court documents obtained, Fulton's lawsuit stated, "Nicolas has been aware of Weston's history and nevertheless failed to take action to prevent Weston from committing acts of violence and harming others." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fulton's lawsuit paints a picture of a parent who ignored warning signs. She claims Cage repeatedly bailed Weston out of jail after past incidents and even drank alcohol with him despite knowing about his history of substance abuse. Additionally, she alleges that the 61-year-old financially supported Weston without ensuring he received proper psychiatric care or any structure to prevent further violent episodes. Nicolas Cage Fires Back At Christina Fulton's Lawsuit Starbuck / AFF-USA.com / MEGA Through his legal team, the actor made it clear he will not be taking the blame. The "Leaving Las Vegas" star's attorney issued a firm response to the legal action, dismissing Fulton's claims as baseless. The statement read, "The allegations by Christina Fulton against Nicolas Cage are absurd and frivolous." The legal team went on to emphasize that Weston is an adult and is fully responsible for his own actions; his father has no control over his behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Weston Coppola is a 34-year-old man. Mr. Cage does not control Weston's behavior in any manner and is not responsible for Weston's alleged assault of his mother," the statement read. Weston Cage Loses Custody Of Twin Daughters MEGA Following his arrest for the alleged assault on his mother, Weston suffered another personal setback. The actor finalized his divorce from Hila Cage Coppola, but the outcome of their custody battle was far from favorable for him. The Blast reported that as part of their divorce settlement, Coppola was awarded sole legal and physical custody of their twin daughters, Cyress and Venice. She has full authority over all major decisions regarding their upbringing, including their education, health, and residence. Under the terms of the agreement, Weston was stripped of any visitation rights for the time being. If he hopes to see his daughters again, he will have to wait for a future court ruling to determine whether visitation will be granted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coppola also holds the right to apply for passports for their children without needing Weston's approval. However, the agreement prevents her from taking the twins out of the United States for more than two months at a time. With Christian Fulton standing her ground, this legal showdown is far from over. HEBRON Hebron town officials have prepared a timeline for the finalization of the 2025-2026 budget proposal. The budget includes general government operations, capital improvement projects, education for the primary grades at the Gilead Hill Elementary School and for the intermediate grades at the Hebron Elementary School, and the levy from the region for the education of middle and high school students from Hebron who attend either the districts RHAM High School or are tuitioned out to technical, vocational or special education programs. The Board of Finance and the Board of Selectmen will hold joint workshops through the month of March to review departmental requests, and then the Board of Finance will continue to meet into the month of April to finalize the budget. Although citizens are welcome to attend and speak at the weekly workshops and meetings, both the Board of Finance and the regional Board of Education will conduct public hearings to offer opportunity for further input from taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The budget for the region and the town are decided separately, but are put forth to a vote on the same day. The regional school district includes the towns of Andover and Marlborough; once the regional budget is approved by district voters, the levy to the three towns becomes a fixed part of the local budgets regardless of how the bottom line shifts for local expenses. The schedule of meetings is as follows: On March 4, the Boards of Finance and Selectmen will meet jointly to review the town managers recommended budget, as well as proposed capital improvements and open space acquisitions. On March 11, the joint boards will review presentations from different municipal departments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 18, the two boards will review expenditures for both local and regional education. On March 25, a public hearing will be held at the start of the meeting, followed by an overview of projected revenues. On March 27, the last joint workshop between the Boards of Finance and Selectmen will be held to finalize the budget proposal for capital improvements and general government. On April 1, the Board of Finance will begin a series of workshops to finalize the overall budget, continuing on April 8, and again on April 10. All of those workshops and meetings will take place in the community room at the Douglas Library of Hebron, located at 22 Main Street/Route 66, at 7 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile on April 7th, the regional school district eight board of education will conduct a public hearing on RHAMs expenditures and incomes, as well as out-of-district tuition and transportation costs. On May 5th, the RHAM board will host a tri-town meeting for a final review of the budget proposal before the vote. Both of those meetings will take place in the media center at RHAM High School, located at 85 Wall Street. The hearing begins at 6:30 p.m. and the district meeting starts at 6 p.m. The budget referendum, at which the local and regional budgets will be voted upon separately, will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hebron Elementary School, located at 92 Church Street/Route 85, on May 6th. Taxpayers who cannot attend a meeting but would like to submit questions or comments on the budget as the process unfolds can email hebronbudget@hebronct.com. The emails are reviewed by the Boards of Education, Finance, and Selectmen. The Pentagon will change the name of the Georgia military base Fort Moore back to Fort Benning, formerly named after a Confederate general, though this time it will honor a different man. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday signed a memorandum to restore the name of the Army base to Fort Benning after it was renamed Fort Moore in May 2023, one of nine military installations honoring Confederate generals that Congress mandated be changed. Hegseth said the new moniker pays tribute to Cpl. Fred G. Benning, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during World War I while serving with the U.S. Army in France in 1918. The base was originally named for Lt. Gen. Henry Benning, a Confederate general who opposed freeing slaves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This change underscores the installations storied history of service to the United States of America, honors the warfighter ethos, and recognizes the heroes who have trained at the installation for decades and will continue to train on its storied ranges, the Pentagon said in a statement. Hegseths order further fulfills a campaign pledge by President Trump, who vowed to revert bases back to their original names. The Pentagon in February switched the North Carolina military base Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg. In that case, Private First Class Roland Bragg, a decorated World War II veteran, was chosen as the namesake, in lieu of Braxton Bragg, another Confederate general. On his first official day at the Pentagon, Hegseth had signaled the changes were coming when he called Fort Liberty and Fort Moore by their previous names, Fort Bragg and Fort Benning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the largest military installations in the country, Fort Benning sits on Georgias border with Alabama and supports roughly 120,000 active-duty service members, their families, and civilian employees. Established during WWI, it is home to the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, U.S. Army Armor School and the U.S. Army Infantry School. It was renamed Fort Moore to honor Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife Julie Moore, who committed their lives to the service and helping Army families. While Hal was deployed during the Vietnam War, Julie became frustrated with how the news of the death of a loved one was delivered via telegram, leading her to personally deliver notices. Her efforts led to the establishment of survivor support networks and casualty notification teams that are still used today. Hegseth, though ordering the Moore name be replaced, also directed the Army to honor the Moores legacy in in a manner that celebrates their significant contributions to the local community and the Army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Steve Moore, one of the couples sons, last month wrote an essay in the War Horse, saying he was disappointed at Fort Braggs name change calling the decision so wrong. Those who advocate for changing the name to honor a person solely because they happen to be named Benning ignore the values and character of Hal and Julie Moore as well as their courage, competency, and dedication to the nation and Army families, he 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 The Hill. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday announced that he is renaming Fort Moore -- the name chosen to honor decorated Vietnam Army commander Hal Moore and his wife Julia -- less than two years after the base was scrubbed of its previous name honoring a Confederate general. The Army will return the famed Georgia base to Fort Benning, the name originally chosen in honor of Confederate Henry Benning. However, to keep the name and adhere to a law passed by Congress to eliminate names honoring Confederates, Hegseth chose a World War I junior noncommissioned officer, Cpl. Fred G. Benning, who served with valor and earned the Distinguished Service Cross, as the base's new namesake. The latest renaming comes after President Donald Trump opposed a bipartisan push by Congress during his first term to remove the names of Confederates, who fought against the U.S. during the Civil War, from bases and military property. Trump vetoed the legislation but Congress overrode the veto, and Trump has now started to roll back the renaming of nine bases in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: Defense Health Agency Director Ends 32-Year Career with Unceremonious, Abrupt Retirement The move Monday by Hegseth comes after the defense secretary ordered Fort Liberty, North Carolina, to return to Fort Bragg -- though like the former Fort Moore, the new name honors Pfc. Roland Bragg, a World War II paratrooper who earned the Silver Star while serving with the 17th Airborne Division, instead of its original Confederate namesake, The Georgia base was named in 2023 after Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, a Korean and Vietnam War veteran, known best for commanding 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley in 1965, which was among the first major engagements of the Vietnam War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The battle was immortalized in the book and movie "We Were Soldiers," and saw the first major use of contemporary air assault tactics, including soldiers being swiftly inserted into battle and the wounded being rescued with helicopters. Moore died in 2017. He was also a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. Moore's wife, Julia Moore, also served as the base's namesake. She transformed the military's approach to notifying the families of fallen service members. Her push for a more compassionate process led to the requirement that notifications be delivered in person by uniformed officers, replacing the cold, impersonal telegrams of previous wars. She died in 2004. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hal Moore was a trailblazer in pushing for racial integration in the Army, advocating for Black soldiers to serve alongside their white counterparts at a time of deep-seated resistance within the ranks. His tenure in South Korea as commander of the 7th Infantry Division laid the groundwork for what would later become the Army's equal opportunity policies. Benning is the center of gravity for much of the Army's ground combat training, serving as the home for basic training for infantry, cavalry scouts and tankers -- as well as the service's legendary Ranger school. In the 2021 defense budget, Congress mandated the renaming of nine U.S. military installations that bore Confederate names, a move driven by efforts to remove tributes to those who fought against the Union and on the side of slavery. A commission of civilian and retired military officials overseeing the renaming process made clear in its report that it deliberately avoided selecting new names that coincided with the Confederate honorees being replaced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cpl. Benning served in the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in France, according to a Pentagon news release. On Oct. 9, 1918, his platoon commander was killed and two senior noncommissioned officers were wounded. He earned the Distinguished Service Cross for leading the remaining 20 soldiers in his unit to capture an objective during the Meuse-Argonne offensive -- a significant battle on the Western Front that stretched to the end of the war in which some 26,000 Americans were killed alongside 35,000 French troops. The Army initially established Camp Benning in 1918. Henry Benning, the original Confederate honoree, said in a 1861 speech that his motivation to fight was squarely on preventing the freedom of slaves. "If things are allowed to go on as they are, it is certain that slavery is to be abolished," Henry Benning said. "By the time the North shall have attained the power, the Black race will be in a large majority, and then we will have Black governors, Black legislatures, Black juries, Black everything." Related: Fort Moore Was Named After My Parents. A Letter Mom Wrote Shows Why It Shouldn't Go Back to Benning PARIS, Tenn. (WKRN) The Paris Police Department has opened an investigation following a deadly pedestrian crash Monday morning. Paris police said a Henry County woman was crossing the road at a marked, lighted crosswalk at the south end of Hospital Circle near Henry County Medical Center when she was struck by a van. She was taken to the emergency room at Henry County Medical Center as soon as possible. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Though first responders tried to transport her via helicopter to a trauma center, she was ultimately pronounced dead. Paris authorities said they were reviewing the evidence and investigating the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The identity of the woman was not immediately released. Paris police said updates would be provided as they become available. 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. An inclusive morning meeting between students at a primary school and students from a school with disabilities in Western Kenya in 2018. Credit - Courtesy Inclusive Development Partners As the U.S. government endeavors to trim its spending, no agency has been as pared back as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). On Feb. 26, after 30 days of what was purported to be a 90-day review, the Trump Administration announced that 90% of the international aid projects the agency was funding were going to be canceled, ending an era of outsize dominance and generosity by the U.S. in foreign aid. These cuts include funding for medical, nutrition, educational and democratic initiatives that were sustaining and protecting millions of people. While foreign aid represented about half a percentage of the U.S. budget, it also represented more than 40% of the worlds foreign aid. The size and speed of the cancellations have reverberated around the world, with many experts suggesting that Americas reputation as a reliable and trustworthy partner has taken a hit simply because of the abruptness of the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that all foreign-aid projects must make Americans safer, stronger, and more prosperous. Valerie Karr, who has been working in disability rights for two decades, understands that impulse but is aghast at the cost to the people her small business served: disabled children in impoverished countries. For the last six years, Inclusive Development Partners (IDP) has helped implement plans to get children with disabilities around the world into schools and keep them there. Read More: Franklin Graham Thinks It's 'Very Good' to Take a Pause on Foreign Aid IDP was hired by other aid organizations to make sure the work they were doing included people with disabilities. In that way it was occasionally branded as a DEI project, but it was not one informed by identity. If an education program was being established, IDP helped train teachers on how to instruct disabled children. It also helped identify disabled children, who were often kept home, and provided them with the materials they needed to get to school, including wheelchairs and braille books. Now after the termination of its contracts, IDP is struggling to stave off bankruptcy. Karr, who as well as being president of IDP is an associate professor at UMass Boston, spoke to TIME about how this will affect disabled children, what Americans got out of USAID, and what she learned in the weeks since the foreign-aid freeze was implemented. What led you to found your organization? I got to attend the negotiations for the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I learned the value of the disability community having a voice and advocating for their rights at an international level. In 2018, my co-founder Anne Hayes and I realized that the task was no longer advocating for disability rights; it was, how do we achieve these rights? Im an academic and shes a practitioner. Academics aren't good at practice, and development practitioners aren't good at using evidence. So we were meeting in the middle: how do we do quality work, using the evidence base? How can we include kids with disabilities in education around the world? We had a really strong collaboration with USAID. As of Jan. 22 we had 17 programs to include children of all age ranges, from pre-primary all the way through workforce transition. What did your work actually look like? In northern Nigeria, we were working with the International Rescue Committee on a USAID activity called Opportunities to Learn. These kids were out of school. We know that children with disabilities are eight to 10 times more likely to be out of school than a child without a disability. We train teachers how to be inclusive and use something called Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which has been found to not only help children with disabilities learn better, but children who are malnourished, children of minority status, and children who have issues with chronic absenteeism due to child labor or having to support farming communities. In Bangladesh, we work with parents and communities on how to reduce stigma towards kids with disabilities, because kids with disabilities don't go to school for a variety of reasons. The classroom is not accessible. But also parents are scared to send their kids because their child is more likely to be hurt or harmed if they leave the household. We work with communities and schools to ensure kids ultimately get the access they need to an education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read More: They Were Promised Flights to the U.S. Now They're Stuck and in Danger What kind of disabilities are you dealing with? USAID started more with hearing and vision and physical disabilities, because those are obvious, but over timebecause we're using Universal Design for Learning, which meets the needs of all childrenwe realized we dont need to know the specific disability a child has. There's also something called a twin-track approach. You cant just build more inclusive spaces; kids need braille, kids need sign-language literacy, they need glasses or hearing aids. So we were providing both. In Kenya, 70% of children with disabilities are undiagnosed and in the mainstream classroom. We went in with remediation and after-school programs to help, as well specific universal pedagogy. That program, the Kenya Primary Literacy Program, just got canceled. It was in its first year. Teacher training sounds a bit amorphous. Its hard to know whether the teachers were applying it or not. Do you have a success story that you can say, well, here is an impact that we had? We worked a lot on the fact that there were no numbers, there were no resources, there was nothing in place at the time we started, so our progress is much more on intermediary goals. Weve been working to build assessment instruments, so that this type of data would exist. Its also what my guide for USAIDpublished in November and now removed from the webwas guiding other orgs to do: measure the impact of inclusion. Our data in Ghana showed that when you trained teachers in UDL, they implemented it and felt more prepared to include learners with disabilities. What would you say to people who say that Nepal and Bangladesh and Nigeria need to look after their own and ask why America should look after the disabled kids of other countries? Id say we do it to develop ties with communities. If you're a parent of a child with a disability, which my co-founder is, and you meet a parent of a child with a disability in a different country, you immediately have a very strong bond. That is a relationship that we have cultivated and really established. So we know that when we need to call on allies and friends, these countries are our friends. They are advocating for the American people as well. We also know that a more educated population has greater productivity. We know there's better economic outcomes and that we reduce migration. These education programs build resilient communities, they build stable political communities, and they build allies with the United States. And honestly, it's working. Nepal was graduating from a low-income country to a middle-income country in the next year or two, and that's because the investment of USAID has helped stabilize and build a system. And that, to me, is success. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read More: How Trump's Foreign-Aid Freeze Is 'Shaking the Whole System' Did you see this as Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work? Disability rights have actually always been politically a left and a right issue. Republicans say if you support people with disabilities while they're young, they can get a job, they can be income earners, and that helps the economy. The left has an equal-rights stance on disability inclusion. Honestly, we really became IDP under Trump's first Administration. Over time, we've benefited from DEI, and we, at our hearts, support everybody being included. For example, in our Nepal equity and inclusion in education program, our role was called the DEIA advisor. So we'd seen DEIA have an influence on disability, but they were really pretty different for a very long time. Have you heard from people who are asking where your service is? The harder, more pressing matter has actually been trying to pay people. So you know, we haven't been paid for some of our December work, and we definitely haven't been paid for most of our January work that we already paid out. So IDP had lost about $350,000 and we now are still owed over $250,000. Were a woman-owned small business. We've never actually generated profits because we work on grants and contracts, there's not actually profit in them. Every line item is accounted for. So we launched a GoFundMe and raised a little bit over $20,000 to avoid bankruptcy. I have employees with disabilities that need to be paid. We owe them money. But they're like, What do you need? Can I write a letter? Can I call my congressman? So I try to look at it that way, that if USAID has collapsed, it's catastrophic for my country and it's catastrophic for my work, but we're still going to all be pushing for inclusion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How much of your revenue came from USAID? Ninety percent. In hindsight, did you think, Oh, I really should have diversified my clients? Yeah. We were a group of consultants that decided it was better to work together, because when you're a partner, you're able to really build inclusive systems. When you're just a consultant by yourself, it's hard. It was a great business model to create the change we needed to see in these programs. But because the USAID programs went from one to two to four to 18, it was so much work for a very small staffwe're only 14 staff and nine international. It was really hard to keep up that pace and grow our systems; we were just running to catch up. I don't think anyone could see that a whole industry would fall. I kind of relate this to COVID, right, where we all went in the pandemic. In the first days, you just couldn't believe what was happening, that the world would halt. Is there one loss that keeps you awake at night? I'm kept up at night mainly for some of our international team members, because I know people live day to day on their income, and that means that you're very close to poverty immediately from this loss. I have been holding off the grief on what it means to the kids. I'll get too emotional at the thought of 10,000 kids not being able to go to school. I have a moral sense of responsibility and failure that we won't be able to do that. I know education isn't as stark as AIDS medication being stopped, or people starving. To me, it is really striking that the American people are like, Oh, I didn't know. There's a lack of consciousness over the atrocity that is happening here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had a friend from college contact me after one of my posts about USAID, and the summary of that was that kids in New Hampshire need you too. We ended up having a really good conversation. Politically they want us to fight. They want us to think that because I was working for a child with a disability in Nepal, that I was somehow robbing an opportunity from a child in New Hampshire with a disability. But we all care about kids with disabilities being able to have access. I know that a child in New Hampshire is just as important as a child in Nepal. But the money that is saved from USAID is not going to be given to New Hampshire children. They're cutting just as much out of education and Medicaid. This is not an either/or. This is not a red or blue. Everyone wants their kids to have an education and have opportunity. What is your plan going forward? Our plan is to try and avoid bankruptcy and make sure we can pay out all the people who have to leave, so they have as much money as they can to stabilize their homes for a little bit longer while they search for new jobs. We do have a little bit of U.N. programming and World Bank programming, and if we go bankrupt, we will lose those programs along with it, and that will put those programs in a bind, right? If we can survive, which I think we will, we'll be working on research and programs with other donors and continuing programs, which means we'll have to be small. We'll all go back to being consultants working small and part time and for limited hours, and we'll try and rebuild. We have a hope that the American people will see that aid is valuable, and maybe someday it'll come back, which would be great. Contact us at letters@time.com. HANOI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's agro-forestry-fisheries exports reached 9.38 billion U.S. dollars in the first two months of this year, up 8.3 percent year-on-year, local media cited the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment as saying on Tuesday. Of the total, agricultural products brought home 4.89 billion dollars during the cited period, up 4.5 percent while the contribution from animal farming was 72.2 million dollars, marking a 4 percent increase. Aquatic product exports saw a significant boost of 18.6 percent to 1.42 billion dollars, and forestry product exports rose 11.9 percent to 2.68 billion dollars, said the report. With 42.2 percent of the overall export value, Asia continues to be the largest market for Vietnam's agro-forestry-fisheries products. Vietnam targets 70 billion dollars in agro-forestry-fisheries export revenue this year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. In less than a month, Wisconsin voters will head to the polls for an election that will determine the state Supreme Court's partisan control, select who holds local offices and possibly elevate the voter ID law to the state constitution. Wisconsin's spring election is April 1. Candidates who advanced from the Feb. 18 primary will appear on the April ballot. There are plenty of deadlines to keep in mind before April 1, including when you can register to vote online, request an absentee ballot or vote early. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's a guide to what Wisconsin votes for in April and information you'll need to cast your ballot: What does Wisconsin vote for in April election? Wisconsin Supreme Court? Wisconsin schools superintendent? The April ballot includes a high-profile state Supreme Court race. There was no February primary since only two candidates are running: conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel and liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford. The winner will replace longtime liberal justice Ann Walsh Bradley, who's not running for reelection. If Crawford wins, the court will keep its liberal majority. If Schimel wins, the court will switch to conservative control. The candidates will debate March 12 on WISN. More: Just how partisan are the candidates for the Wisconsin Supreme Court? Here are the details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Voters will also choose Wisconsin's superintendent of public instruction. Jill Underly, a Democrat, is running for reelection. Education consultant Brittany Kinser is backed by conservatives. A third challenger, Sauk Prairie Superintendent Jeff Wright, did not advance from the primary. More: Wisconsin state superintendent voter guide for spring 2025 primary: What 3 candidates say about ICE, school police, referendums and more The April ballot also includes a statewide referendum question, asking if Wisconsin's law requiring voters to show photo identification should be enshrined in the state constitution. Republicans pursued the referendum in part to protect the law from being overturned by a liberal-controlled Supreme Court. Other local races on your ballot depend on where you live. Those may include spots on the city council, school board or judgeships. Many school districts also have funding referendums on the ballot. You can see what your ballot will look like ahead of time at myvote.wi.gov. When can I register to vote for the Wisconsin April election? There are a few ways to register to vote. If you want to register online at myvote.wi.gov, the deadline is March 12. That's also the deadline to register by mail by sending your clerk a completed voter registration form. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Or, you can register in-person at your local clerk's office until March 28 at 5 p.m. Wisconsin also has same-day voter registration, so you can register at the polls on April 1. With any of these registration options, make sure to bring a proof of residence document that shows you live at your current address. This could be a utility bill, paystub or lease, for example. When can I request an absentee ballot for the Wisconsin April election? The deadline for most voters to request an absentee ballot is March 27 at 5 p.m. Deadlines are slightly longer for indefinitely confined, military or hospitalized voters. If you've already requested an absentee ballot, your clerk must send it out by March 11. If you make a request after that day, your clerk must mail it out within two business days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You will need to provide a photo ID when requesting an absentee ballot, just like you would when voting at the polls. The Wisconsin Elections Commission has a full list of acceptable photo IDs. Examples include a driver's license, state ID card, tribal ID card or passport. How do I return my absentee ballot for the Wisconsin April election? If you want to send your ballot back through the mail, election officials generally recommend doing so at least a week in advance, or March 25. There are other ways to return your absentee ballot, including bringing it to your polling place or central count location on Election Day, your clerk's office or a drop box. It's a good idea to check your clerk's website to see if they have specific instructions for returning your ballot. When can I vote early in the Wisconsin April election? Clerks may hold in-person, absentee voting between March 18 and 30. It's up to each community to decide how many days and locations to offer early voting. You can check myvote.wi.gov or contact your clerk to ask about availability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keep in mind that Wisconsin doesn't allow voter registration on the Saturday, Sunday or Monday before an election. If you need to register or re-register, you can do so at early voting locations through March 28, or wait until Election Day to register at the polls. Where do I find my polling place on Election Day for the Wisconsin April election? You can find your polling place by typing your address into "Find My Polling Place" at myvote.wi.gov. Polls are always open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day in Wisconsin. If your city offers early voting locations, you can't just go to any of those on Election Day. You must go to your assigned polling place. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin April election: Supreme Court, register, absentee voting One of the main reasons people install solar panels is because one of their neighbors has already done it and now an innovative company is giving more customers that built-in level of trust as the "Reddit of solar." For over a decade, SolarReviews has been creating the largest collection of unbiased, verified reviews from real people about solar companies while also connecting homeowners with trusted solar installers in their area. "There are a lot of companies we don't [recommend] because they're scumbags," Andrew Sendy, who founded SolarReviews, told us. "We help expose them, we help bring the truth." Advertisement Advertisement In an exclusive conversation with The Cool Down, Sendy walked us through how SolarReviews vets partners, why it's a "no-brainer" to go solar right now, and how the company is getting rid of those solar "scumbags." Here's how it works In addition to its massive collection of verified customer reviews of solar companies and products (as well as expert ratings), SolarReviews offers customers a free calculator to get a sense of estimated costs, potential savings, and possible tax incentives. As you're using the simple calculator, you'll have the unique option to choose how many installers you want to contact you (most other platforms refer you to a lot of installers without discretion). "You won't have to worry about your phone being flooded by calls or texts," SolarReviews CEO Lachlan Fleet told TCD. "We work hard to find customers who are serious about going solar, and we aim to help solar companies grow their businesses with integrity," he added. "We'd rather be honest and lose out on a sale than be untruthful to installers or homeowners." Advertisement Advertisement Sendy told us the team only recommends companies that have been in business for a reasonable amount of time, usually three to five years, to ensure they're partnering "with companies that are in it for the long haul" and can support customers' needs for years to come. Many of these companies, he said, are mid-sized and family-owned businesses. Stopping scumbags and preventing "solar orphans" In an industry with more than a few bad actors and sometimes shady customer experiences, it's crucial to be totally transparent with users. "The solar industry is a weird industry in that it attracts both the best and the worst," Sendy said. Some solar businesses value their clients, do good work, and maintain service over a number of years, he mentioned. And then there are others that sell solar cheap and fold up their companies before any warranty issues start popping up. For the latter option, customers become what are called "solar orphans," getting stuck with panels that may have problems and no one to fix them similar to what can happen in a number of other industries (e.g., the roofing under the panels), which Sendy says is a big problem. Advertisement Advertisement Since you're only charged for a solar system once when it gets installed, Sendy says beware of choosing the lowest offer without taking all factors into account. "It really is worth getting somebody [who] build(s) that 20 years of service into their pricing. It's bad for the consumer and it's bad for the whole industry if people's solar systems don't work." SolarReviews' expert recommendations and consumer review system have created "the democratization of information," in the solar industry, as Sendy put it, which is "exactly what should happen it should be available, and people should be able to view it." While Reddit threads have started to pop up on solar companies, Sendy says the SolarReviews site offers far more expertise. "We understand solar products and different batteries and different panels and different inverters," he said. Why solar is a 'no brainer' in some parts of the US "If I was a consumer, I would be buying a solar system now if I didn't already have one," Sendy told us. "In some places, it's a financial no-brainer even if you don't care about the planet." Advertisement Advertisement Sendy explained the three main reasons for this: There's a 30% tax credit that's available to anyone, regardless of income level, for installing solar (and so far it is still active despite President Donald Trump's threats to pause new funding). Many states offer net metering, which allows customers to get paid for their excess solar energy by their utility company. Prices of solar panels could go up due to the Trump administration's tariffs on China, given that many of the highest-quality solar manufacturers are located in China. If you do decide to buy your own solar panels, Sendy recommended using "a local firm that operates in maybe only one state or one or two cities. I feel like it's much more difficult for [bigger companies] to manage customer service when you're selling 30-year assets like a solar system and you're selling them all across the country." The SolarReviews origin story Twenty-five years ago, Sendy was a corporate lawyer in Australia. He started SolarReviews Down Under to grow the solar market there in 2008, with a mission to prevent customers from getting ripped off. Advertisement Advertisement In fact, he still remembers helping an elderly woman who came into his office almost 20 years ago after having received a quote for solar that was $20,000 more than it should have been. "I guess she had a bent toward doing what was good for the planet and didn't have access to good information," he explained. Sendy helped her get out of the contract it was another proof point that motivated him to build a platform that could bring more integrity to the industry. "It pained me some of the scumbags that were getting into solar," he said. "You know how it sort of just riles you up when people get into something because they think they can take advantage of people? So that was the thought behind SolarReviews a site that could educate people and effectively police the scumbags out of the industry." After building a successful business in Australia, Sendy decided to expand to the U.S. in 2012. Sendy estimates that about 5 million Americans have gone through their platform over the last 12 years and over a million solar systems have been purchased through it. Advertisement Advertisement "Probably 20% of people who have bought solar in America have gone through our platform," he told us. 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. This story has been updated with new information. BAT CAVE - Jim and Marcie Kane moved to Bat Cave in August 2024, having fallen in love with the Hickory Nut Gorge community. Just over a month later, they were hiking up Grant Mountain to escape Tropical Storm Helene flooding, past where a waterfall had wiped out the road, they said. In a little house 30 feet above Hickory Creek, the couple said they thought they'd "be fine." Though they were blessed not to get any flooding in the house, the river "took out the road instead," Marcie Kane told the Citizen Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jim Kane, 84, reminisced on how they had pictured themselves driving the three or so miles to Chimney Rock to grab dinner, or ice cream, or to simply walk amid the beauty of the surrounding peaks. Despite their still-standing house, there's a lot of loss, he said. "Chimney Rock was our community to get to know. The other day, I just realized, we got some isolation now because we've lost that community. I think they're going to build back, but for the time being ...," Kane trailed off, shaking her head. The North Carolina Department of Transportation held public meetings in Bat Cave and Lake Lure at the end of February to receive public input on the agency's proposed plans to reconstruct U.S. 74 Alternative, U.S. 64 and N.C. 9. All three are vital throughfares to bring visitors and business to towns in the Hickory Nut Gorge east of Asheville that rely on tourism spending, after Helene wiped away the fall season right before its peak. More: 'Don't forget us': Bat Cave residents decry 'disaster tourists,' comment on recovery plan The road to Chimney Rock State Park NCDOT engineers are working to restore access to Chimney Rock State Park. The Town of Lake Lure mentioned in a recent newsletter that Lago Vista Road may be extended to reach the park road within six months, but DOT spokesperson David Uchiyama said Lago Vista is not eligible for emergency response funding because its a secondary entrance and had not been previously maintained by the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state department's engineers are evaluating options for temporary structures to connect U.S. 64/74A and Chimney Rock State Park Road by the time the park is ready to open, which could serve as the new temporary pathway for park visitors, and a much-needed economic boost. "The park is hoping to reopen by Memorial Day, so those (bridges) are certainly going to be a priority," said Brian Burch, senior project manager with HNTB and lead on the U.S. 74A project. N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation spokesperson Kris Bonifacio said it is a "top priority" for the agency to reopen the park as soon as possible. Given the "number of unknowns at this time," the division is not marking a specific date they anticipate the park to reopen but will announce a date when they feel confident with the projected timeline, Bonifacio said. In the meantime, NC DOT is temporarily paving U.S. 74A now "all the way through" to Chimney Rock to restore safe access to the tourist town, according to Uchiyama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(DOT) almost has the temporary road completed, and they hope to open it up to traffic in March, and I think that's when things will get a little bit back to normal," said Mike Patton, DOT resident engineer leading the U.S. 64 construction. Dec. 14, 2024; The closed off entry way to the Chimney Rock Park. Credit: Stephen J Heaslip-USA TODAY After the temporary structure is built, NC DOT engineers have proposed four possible permanent options for replacing the bridge to the park, which was destroyed by the Broad River during Helene. Replace both the Chimney Rock Park Road and Southside Drive bridges where they stood. Build one bridge to serve both the park and Southside Drive, near where the Southside Drive bridge used to be, either with a roundabout or an intersection. Build one bridge near where the original Chimney Rock Park Road used to be, either with a roundabout or an intersection. Rebuild the Chimney Rock Road bridge where it used to be, to serve both the park and Southside Drive. This option would require a review under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, which could take up to a year. More: Sneak peek at I-40 reopening through Pigeon River Gorge after Helene: expect delays Will bike lanes be included along the Broad River? The French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization has asked NC DOT to consider adding biking accommodations to U.S. 74A, according to Burch. Pointing to the proposed road concept, Burch said they would add 2-foot paved shoulders wherever possible on each side of the road, expanding it to 11 feet wide from Bat Cave to Chimney Rock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Which is not really a bike path, but it does improve safety," Burch said. A commercial truck drives on a portion of U.S. 74A on February 24, 2025, which is now reduced to a one lane gravel road after Tropical Storm Helene decimated the roadway. Since these are emergency response projects, Burch said there are some limits to funding. The Federal Highway Administration will reimburse the state for replacing the road that was there before. Since there was no multiuse path along the highway before, there would be some funding challenges to making the road multimodal. "It's possible we may be able to build something back that Federal Highways would agree is prudent and they would reimburse the state for that," Burch said. "We're not far enough down the road yet to know that, but I know Chimney Rock Village is certainly interested in that and the DOT is interested in that." NC DOT's projected timeline A view of where Main Street once was in Chimney Rock, October 7, 2024. Travel on the three main highways through the area remains limited to locals only. Construction is scheduled to begin March 3 for U.S. 64, which will be the "lifeline" for the area, according to Patton. Since the roadway wasn't as badly damaged, they hope to finish U.S. 64 as soon as possible, and use the two-lane road to bring staffing, material and equipment in to reconstruct U.S. 74A. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal, Patton said, is to get U.S. 64 back to two lanes within five or six months. The contract for the project ends in September 2026. The bridge on Chimney Rock Road in Bat Cave was heavily damaged during Tropical Storm Helene, making it impassable. Once reconstruction starts on the Gerton section of U.S. 74A sometime in March, the project could take 18 to 24 months to complete, depending on how long they can close the road for heavier construction periods, according to Burch. If closures are extremely limited, it could add as much as a year to the project, he said. Burch said they are expecting to start work on both the Chimney Rock bridges and U.S. 64 bridge in the summer, with remaining work on 74A in Chimney Rock to start late in the summer or early fall. Both NC DOT's projects are currently in the public comment period. Comments for 74A Chimney Rock can be submitted online at https://publicinput.com/US74AChimneyRock or via email at US74AChimneyRock@publicinput.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Information on the 74A project in Bat Cave and Gerton can be found at publicinput.com/US74AGerton The public can submit comments on the webpage or by emailing US74AGerton@publicinput.com. Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Hickory Nut Gorge after Helene: road construction, Chimney Rock Park Violence is just part of the job. Every nurse and health care worker experiences it at some point. Sentiments like this echo across American hospitals and health care facilities, capturing a disturbing and growing reality. Though Americans think of nursing as the most trusted profession, we often fail to see that its also one of the most dangerous. An alarming 8 in 10 nurses face violence at work. As a result, health care workers are more than four times as likely to be injured by workplace violence than workers in all other industries combined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite these staggering numbers, the full extent of this epidemic may not be fully understood because nurses and other health care workers chronically underreport violent encounters. The American Nurses Association estimates that only 20% to 60% of incidents are accounted for. Additionally, there is no agreed-upon definition for workplace violence or clear way of tracking it on a national level. As a practicing bedside nurse, I have experienced my fair share of workplace violence. My work shows that violence has become a normalized but underreported part of working in health care and that it affects the care patients receive in pervasive ways. What really counts as workplace violence in health care? When people think about workplace violence, they often imagine dramatic physical assaults. Assaults do happen, but violence directed at workers can take many other forms, including verbal threats, intimidation, sexual aggression and bullying. What makes defining and measuring workplace violence especially difficult in health care settings is the range of people involved. Violence may stem from patients, their families, co-workers or even disgruntled members of the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nurses and health care staff work with people during incredibly stressful moments in their lives. Sometimes patients are experiencing medical conditions that may cause them to act out or be confused, such as dementia, delirium, psychosis or even postoperative reactions to anesthesia. Some health care organizations use vague definitions, such as workplace violence is any violent act or threat of violence, while nursing organizations advocate for tiered definitions delineating between perpetrator and intent. Although not all employees can recite their organizations official definition of workplace violence, ask a nurse whether they have ever experienced a threatening situation at work and they will likely have stories at the ready. In my 14 years of nursing practice, nurses shared many different types of threatening encounters. They reported being screamed at by distraught visitors and having their hair and wrists grabbed by patients who are trying to bite or spit at them. I have personally experienced having objects thrown at me from across the room and being threatened with retribution by patients family members. Nurses also shared more extreme experiences in which they or their co-workers were injured in the course of trying to simply deliver care. Many described the emotional impact of watching a co-worker hurt badly enough to require medical attention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From my observations, its not just the major incidents but the countless small threats or insensitive behaviors that add up over a nurses career. These seemingly less-threatening events are much harder to document, and many nurses shrug them off, but the small infractions take a toll when they happen repeatedly. Breaking the culture of silence A culture of silence makes such incidents hard to track. The medical-surgical nursing unit at the hospital where I did my project has a healthy and supportive culture. Yet in my ongoing doctoral work, which will be published in May, of the 74% percent of staff that acknowledged experiencing workplace violence in the past year, only 30% reported the event. When nurses stay silent, whether from fear, futility or institutional pressure, violence becomes an accepted part of the job. Without accurate data, health care facilities dont understand the true extent of the problem, cant implement effective safety measures, and struggle to support their workers in meaningful ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are common themes as to why nurses underreport violence. Some nurses think reporting does not make a difference. Others find the lack of clarity in defining workplace violence or reporting policies demotivating and confusing. Nurses also report a lack of support from management, a fear of reprisal or a sense of shame when reporting. Commonly, many nurses simply find reporting tools to be too difficult and time-consuming to use. Nurses are the largest segment of the health care workforce in the U.S. Frazao Studio Latino via Getty Images The hidden costs to health care For health care workers, the consequences extend far beyond physical injuries. Workplace violence in all its forms contributes to anxiety, depression or PTSD, as well as job dissatisfaction. Dangerous workplace violence trends are a contributing factor in 55% of health care workers feeling burned out and 18% of newly licensed registered nurses leaving the profession within the first year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is a huge problem, considering that the United States is projected to have 193,100 nursing job openings per year until 2032, yet will produce only roughly 177,400 new nurses in that time frame. This also has vast repercussions for patient care. During my nursing career, I observed my peers developing complex strategies to protect themselves while trying to provide compassionate care. Like me, they tended to carefully position themselves near doorways, maintained constant awareness of their surroundings and silently assessed each new interaction for potential risks. These invisible precautions reflect the far-reaching effects of health care violence. When nurses are hypervigilant about their safety, they have less emotional energy for patient care. When theyre rushing between rooms due to short staffing caused by violence-related turnover, they have less time for each patient. When they are worried about what the next patient encounter may bring, they are increasing their anxiety, fear and stress rather than focusing on delivering quality care. Creating safer health care together Each health care visit is a chance for patients and their families to improve nursing care for everyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you visit a hospital or clinic, try to understand the stress that health care workers are under and express your needs and concerns calmly. You never know what your nurse is dealing with in their interactions with other patients. They try to compartmentalize and give you their full attention, but they might also be experiencing a difficult and traumatic situation right next door. It also helps to share information that might be relevant to caring for your family member, such as whether their medical condition is causing them to act differently than normal. And you should speak up if you witness any forms of aggressive behavior. These actions might seem small, but they support health care staff and help prevent violence in health care settings. Nurses are trained to keep information private, to be problem-solvers and to bear the burden of the job, so they dont always seek support. If you have a nurse or health care worker in your family or circle of friends, let them know you care. Supporting their safety validates their work and leads to better care for everyone. 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: Jason Blomquist, Boise State University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Jason Blomquist is affiliated with the American Nurses Association, Idaho chapter as a member of the board of directors. This affiliation has not influenced or overlapped with the work described in this article. High Point University initially banned 49 diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI)-related words from its documents following a directive from the Trump administration, but later retracted the ban after legal consultation, according to the Charlotte Observer. The universitys decision came in response to a Dear Colleague letter from the U.S. Department of Education, which opposed DEI initiatives and threatened the loss of federal funding for non-compliance. High Point University distributed a list of banned terms, including equality, gender, and white supremacy, to be removed from various university publications. That is a very Orwellian list of censored terms that should be concerning for anybody who cares about higher education, said Kelly Benjamin, a spokesman for the American Association of University Professors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ALSO READ: Judge blocks ending of government support for DEI programs, citing free-speech rights After The News & Observer contacted High Point Provost Daniel Erb about the list, he sent an email to deans retracting the word ban. Erb stated that legal counsel clarified the priority should be on ensuring non-discrimination in program qualifications and requirements. The initial list of banned words also included a prohibition on faculty providing pronoun preferences in email correspondence. University spokesman Alex Abrams mentioned that the university has had a policy limiting email signatures to basic information for at least a year. The aggressive efforts by the Trump administration to eliminate DEI programming have drawn both praise and criticism. The AAUP and other groups recently won a preliminary injunction from a federal judge stopping parts of two Trump executive orders banning DEI efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erb explained that the federal letter left the university in a difficult position, as universities were given just 14 days to comply to maintain federal funding. He noted that the list of words was patterned after one used by the National Science Foundation, which also sought to comply with the directive. High Point Universitys retraction of the word ban highlights the complex challenges educational institutions face in navigating federal directives while maintaining their commitment to diversity and inclusion. VIDEO: Judge blocks ending of government support for DEI programs, citing free-speech rights Starting Floridas public high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. may be a plan that gets scrapped before it is ever implemented. Two years ago, Florida approved the start time rule to begin in the 2026-27 school year, setting up a major shift for the states public high schools, which on average ring the first bell at 7:45 a.m. and even earlier on most Central Florida campuses. But now the Florida Legislature has plans to reverse the law it enacted two years ago. A Senate education committee approved deleting the 2023 rule in a 6-to-1 vote Monday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The earlier law made sense, given numerous studies have shown students do better when high schools dont start classes as early as they do in Florida, several senators said. But it ran into practical realities, mostly that it would be cost prohibitive, said Sen. Jennifer Bradley, a Clay County Republican who is sponsoring this years law. Most districts use the same buses for all their students, staggering start times for their elementary, middle and high schools. If they pushed back high school start times, theyd have to buy many more school buses, an expensive proposition. Or they would have to start elementary schools earlier, in the current high school time slot, and that could mean young students waiting at bus stops at 6 a.m. in the dark, Bradley said. The feedback is overwhelming, she added, noting that most school administrators opposed the shift. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Numerous school officials, including those from Orange and Seminole counties, filled out cards at Mondays meeting indicating they approved of the new law (SB 296) that would axe the mandate for later high school start times. I did vote for the bill when it came through, and I do love the idea of having later start times for our older students, said Sen. Lori Berman, D- Boynton Beach. But members of the Palm Beach County School Board told her it was just impossible for them to be able to meet this mandate, she said. I wish we could figure out a way to make it work. As soon as the 2023 law passed, school district leaders said they worried they could not afford the switch the state wanted, even as they acknowledged the benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Researchers in Minnesota and Washington, among others, determined that pushing back high school start times to about 8:30 a.m. meant teenagers slept more, had better grades, test scores and attendance rates and got into fewer morning car crashes. The science is very clear, said Rep. John Temple, R-Wildwood, the 2023 bills sponsor, as it was discussed in a legislative committee that spring. Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, who sponsored a Senate version two years ago, on Monday said, I 100% believe in the science, as we all do. But even with a three-year glide path school districts could not make it work. I think weve heard the feedback. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state provides only about half a school districts transportation funding. To keep bus transportation costs in check, most Central Florida school districts stagger start times, typically opening high schools first, then elementary schools and then middle schools. That is the most efficient way to use available school buses and drivers, as many can make triple runs, dropping students at a high school, then an elementary school and then a middle school. The only way to keep costs the same and meet the laws requirements would be to start elementary schools in the earliest time slot, they said. In 2023, the Osceola County school district estimated that to start high schools later but leave elementary school schedules alone would mean buying 150 more buses and hiring that many more drivers. The cost for the buses alone would be about $22 million and finding the drivers would be challenging, officials said, as there is a statewide shortage that continues now. The only senator to vote against the bill was Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, though he did not share his reason. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Strong winds and possible thunderstorms moving into the area Tuesday night and Wednesday morning have prompted local officials to issue warnings in Middle Tennessee. According to the Nashville Weather Service (NWS), there is a high chance for thunderstorms, including a low chance of severe weather. The NWS said the best chance for severe weather will be along the Tennessee/Alabama state line. In the Nashville area, the main impact is expected to be damaging winds and heavy rain, according to the Nashville Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Want the forecast delivered directly to your inbox? Sign up for the News 2 Forecast Newsletter Strong winds will impact all of Middle Tennessee Tuesday night and into Wednesday, March 5, with gusts anticipated to reach between 35 and 50 miles per hour, and a medium chance gusts exceed 50 mph. These kinds of strong winds can blow away lightweight and loose outdoor objects, such as lawn furniture and trampolines, as well as down trees and branches and cause sporadic power outages. Nashvillians are urged to secure any outdoor objects now and use caution if driving Tuesdayespecially on east-west oriented roads. Winds this strong can also make driving difficult, particularly for high-profile vehicles such as box trucks and 18-wheelers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter, south winds up to 40 mph and gusts up to 60 mph are expected to hit in and around Cookeville. Significant wind gusts, strong storms move into Middle TN Tuesday, Wednesday He warned Putnam County residents that the increased winds could also mix with dry conditions to increase the fire risks in the area. According to Porter, the NWS said winds would relax slightly Tuesday night but could become gusty again Wednesday from the west. Officials with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) also issued notifications to drivers in the mid-state, assuring motorists that TDOT crews and equipment like chainsaws, skidsteers, and Gradealls were being readied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make sure you stay weather aware by following your favorite meteorologist and turn your phone location settings ON! Erin Ziegler, Regional Communications Officer for Region 3, said on X. According to News 2 Meteorologist Marcus Bagwell, the far eastern counties of Middle Tennessee have been upgraded to a high wind warning for gusts nearing 60 miles per hour, with the winds expected later Tuesday evening into the overnight hours. | READ MORE | Latest headlines from Nashville and Davidson County All areas should prepare for increasing wind gusts as the rain arrives this evening, he said. The wind has already seen some effects, with Dickson County Schools cancelling its after-school programming on Tuesday. Warren County officials warned of an increased fire risk due in part to the winds, coupled with low humidity in the area. The Centertown Fire Department announced a restriction on burning while the hazardous conditions continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Cheatham County, fire officials responded to a structure fire in Pegram. Officials told News 2 it appeared burning brush was blown into a Pegram home, catching it on fire briefly. Pegram and Kingston fire officials soon announced the blaze was under control. Dont forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. As detectives investigated 71-year-old Joseph Romanos disappearance, they found a key piece of evidence at a Riverview pizza place. Surveillance video from East Coast Pizza showed a Nissan Altima pulling up on the evening of Jan. 2. Romano got out of the front passenger seat. Joseph Schiliro was driving, according to court documents. The men went inside and left with a to-go box. Detectives believe Romano wasnt alive for much longer after that meal. Six weeks later, investigators found his dismembered body buried in the backyard of a Valrico home where Schiliro was living. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office announced last week that Schiliro, 45, Silviano Christman, 31, had been arrested on first-degree murder charges. Recently released court documents detail a complex investigation that authorities say shows Schiliro and Christman killed Romano and used saws and supplies from Home Depot to cut up and bury his body. Schiliro then sent himself text messages from Romanos phone to fabricate evidence, records state. In the weeks before the killing, records state, Schiliro siphoned away tens of thousands of dollars of Romanos money. A missing person, suspicious crypto records The investigation began Jan. 16 when a friend who hadnt heard from Romano since about New Years Day reported him missing, according to a 13-page arrest affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office listed Romano as missing and endangered because he had late-stage cancer and was dependent on medication. Romano lived alone at the Parian Luxury Apartments off U.S. 301 in Riverview. Surveillance video from the complex showed Schiliro retrieving mail from Romanos box on Jan. 14. On Jan. 27, detectives went to Schiliros address in the River Ridge Reserve subdivision. The homeowner told investigators that Romano was his cousin and Schiliro was his roommate and business partner. The homeowner said he introduced Schiliro to Romano about four months earlier and Romano had been paying Schiliro to drive him around and help with errands. Speaking to detectives, Schiliro said he helped Romano about twice a week and that the older man paid him $25 an hour in cash because he was old school. Schiliro claimed that he hadnt seen or spoken to Romano since Jan. 5. Schiliro said Romano told him he was going to Pennsylvania to visit his stepdaughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schiliro said the last text he got from Romano was Jan. 20, when Romano said he would be staying in Pennsylvania for a few more weeks. When detectives asked to see Schiliros phone, he obliged. Text exchanges with Romanos phone began on Jan. 2. Romano said he needed Schiliro to take him to the bank. Later that day, they were recorded together at East Coast Pizza. The next day, Schiliro texted Romano and said he would see him about 1:30 p.m. Romano called Schiliro at 1:48 p.m. Investigators believe Schiliro and Christman killed Romano sometime after he made that phone call. Using bank and cell phone records, surveillance video and other evidence, detectives put together a timeline that began in early October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators found several suspicious transactions from Romanos Chase bank account to Coinbase and Kraken, platforms to buy and sell cryptocurrency. Between early October and Christmas Eve, $89,870 was transferred from Romanos Chase account to Coinbase and Kraken accounts in his name, and then to a PayPal account in his name. Then the money was transferred to PayPal accounts in Schiliros name, his businesss name and Christmans name, according to the affidavit. The last in-person purchases Romano made using his Chase account were on Jan. 2, at East Coast Pizza and a Walgreens in Riverview. Surveillance video showed Romano and Schiliro together at both places. Detectives learned that Schiliro purchased a plane ticket for Christman to fly from New York to Tampa on Jan. 3 and return on Jan. 5. The killing and burial, records state, happened not long after Christman arrived in Tampa. Home Depot trips, a body found On the afternoon of Jan. 3, a neighbors Ring camera captured Schiliro and Christman going down stairs near Romanos apartment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About the same time, investigators believe, Schiliro used Romanos phone to text himself the message saying Romano would be traveling to Pennsylvania to see his stepdaughter. Later that day, cameras recorded Schiliro and Christman at Home Depot. Investigators found in Romanos apartment a crumpled receipt showing that Schiliro bought plastic wrap, gloves, duct tape, a reciprocating saw, extra sawblades and painters rags. That evening, the neighbors Ring camera again captured the two men leaving. Christman was wearing gloves and carrying a cardboard box secured with duct tape. The next day, Jan. 4, Schiliro and Christman went to a Home Depot in Sun City Center, where Schiliro bought a Ridgid miter saw. The same day, at an Ace Hardware in Riverview, Schiliro bought stretch film, safety glasses, a drop cloth and plastic wrap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 5, Schiliros phone received another text from Romanos phone that investigators believe Schiliro sent. Thank you for all your help the past few days, it said. Ill be back in a few weeks. I might need you to pick up my mail a few times while Im gone... Schiliro flew from Tampa to New York on Jan. 15 and returned Jan. 21. On the night of Jan. 20, investigators believe, Schiliro used Romanos phone to send himself the text that said he was going to stay in Pennsylvania a few more weeks. On the same day, Romanos phone connected to a cell tower near East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles east of where Romanos stepdaughter lives. Surveillance video from a gas station in East Stroudsburg that day showed Schiliro in a rental car with another man who was not Romano. Romanos stepdaughter told detectives that she hadnt been in contact with Romano since early January and he hadnt come to visit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in Tampa, Schiliro pawned a miter saw on Jan. 25, a reciprocating saw on Jan. 28,, according to the affidavit. Detectives who found the Ridgid miter saw at a Value Pawn in Brandon noted what appeared to be human tissue, hair follicles and a substance that tested positive for blood. The DNA on the saw matched Romanos. A forensic search of his apartment found possible blood in the threshold of the bathroom door and hallway. On Feb. 13, investigators searched the Valrico home and found a Home Depot bucket and an extension cord with a substance that tested positive as blood, along with green plastic wrap, duct tape, bleach-spotted towels, gloves and black plastic bags. They also found an owners manual for a Ridgid miter saw. In the backyard, investigators dug up two areas of disturbed dirt. In one, they found a black trash bag containing Romanos head, torso and pelvic area. In the other, a trash bag with his arms and legs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The body parts were clad in what appeared to be the gray pants, black sweatshirt and white shirt Romano was wearing in the video from East Coast Pizza. Along with murder, both men face charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, burglary with battery and fraudulent use of a deceased persons personally identifiable information. Schiliro has also been charged with money laundering, exploitation of a disabled adult and identity fraud. Christman is also charged with abusing a human body. Schiliro has been appointed a public defender. Christman had not been extradited to Florida as of Tuesday. A hearing on a motion filed by prosecutors to keep Schiliro in jail pending trial is set for Wednesday. BENTON, Ark. One of the Natural States oldest bridges is now in the process of returning to its original location. The Old River Bridge in Saline County will soon be part of the Southwest Trail, which connects Hot Springs to Little Rock. Construction began on the historical Old River Bridge began being in 1889 and still stood in 2017, but local officials closed it for the safety of others after it was damaged in 1974. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Renovations for Saline Countys Old River Bridge ahead of schedule Things changed when Brad Deaver of Mobley Contractors received the contract for the over $1 million restoration of the Old River Bridge. We were tasked with removing the bridge from its original location, we took it apart, identified all the pieces, and then in 2021, we took it up to Lansing, Michigan, Deaver said. Deaver and the 136-year-old bridge traveled to a historic bridge specialist, who began examining and restoring it to its glory. The bridge returned to Saline County in 2022, and the construction process began again at its original location on the Saline River. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the oldest bridges in Arkansas to return to original location after renovations Its pretty historically significant when we were out here last week and were able to see these cranes hoisting this bridge that has been reassembled, Saline County Judge Matt Brumley said. Deavers said its been an honor to work on this once-in-a-lifetime project for the county, but it has been a very delicate process. Each piece we have to be extremely careful with it, each piece goes in a specific spot, it cant be damaged, it cant be altered, Deaver said. We have one shot to get this right, and on the first span, we got it right, and we are very proud of that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brumley said that he hopes this will be a destination spot for many as it is part of the Southwest Trail, and the Arkansas River Trail runs along the bridge as well. The bridge is expected to be completed by May 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. A Hong Kong-based corporation announced plans on Tuesday to sell its stake in two Panama Canal ports to an investment group led by BlackRock a deal that would put crucial ports under American corporate ownership amid growing tensions between Panama and the Trump administration. The company, CK Hutchison, said in its announcement that it would sell the stakes as part of a larger deal with Blackrock, in which the American asset manager giant is poised to acquire control of 43 other ports in 23 countries. Since being reelected, President Donald Trump has demanded that Panama surrender the Panama Canal back to the U.S. over fears about China using the canal for military purposes and the countrys increased influence in Latin America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his inaugural address in January, Trump said: China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didnt give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and were taking it back. Trump has even threatened the use of military force to reclaim the waterway. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has not shown interest in putting the canal back under U.S. control, which the country has had sole control of since 1999. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama shortly after he was sworn in. BARCELONA, Spain, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. communications chair said on Monday that the EU tech rules are "excessive" and "incompatible" with American values, vowing to defend the interests of American tech companies. Speaking at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Brendan Carr, the new chair of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, expressed concern with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). For U.S. tech companies in Europe, the DSA was "something that is incompatible with both our free speech tradition in America and the commitments that these technology companies have made to a diversity of opinions," he said. "If there is an urge in Europe to engage in protectionist regulation to give disparate treatment to U.S. technology companies, the Trump administration has been clear that we are going to speak up and defend the interest of U.S. businesses," Carr said. The DSA, which became effective a year ago, regulates online intermediaries and platforms to prevent illegal and harmful activities online and the spread of disinformation. Companies violating the DSA can face fines of up to 6 percent of their annual global turnover. Thomas Regnier, a European Commission spokesperson, rebutted Carr's comments, saying the censorship allegations against the DSA are unfounded. Tensions between the EU and the United States have soared since President Donald Trump's return, with his administration slamming EU tech laws as "overseas extortion." Last month, Trump said he would impose retaliatory tariffs on countries that levy digital service taxes on U.S. tech companies. STAR-ADVERTISER Former Honolulu Managing Director Roy Amemiya Jr. (left ), former city Corporation Counsel Donna Leong and former Honolulu Police Commission Chairman Max Sword STAR-ADVERTISER Former Honolulu Managing Director Roy Amemiya Jr. (left ), former city Corporation Counsel Donna Leong and former Honolulu Police Commission Chairman Max Sword Honolulus former managing director, corporation counsel and police commission chairperson were formally charged with misdemeanor conspiracy by the U.S. Department of Justice today in connection with the $250, 000 retirement payment in 2017 to former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha, according to federal court documents. The charges are part of a. The single misdemeanor charge for each official is a departure from the felony charges secured against the former city officials more than three years ago. Michael Wheat, the special prosecutor handling the case from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of California, retired on Dec. 31. Federal prosecutors have not said why they decided to settle a case they took to a grand jury and secured felony indictments on Dec. 16, 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January 2022, former Corporation Counsel Donna Yuk Lan Leong, ex-Honolulu Police Commission Chair Max John Sword and then-Mayor Kirk Caldwells Managing Director Roy Keiji Amemiya Jr. entered not-guilty pleas in January 2022 to felony charges that they conspired to defraud the county and federal government by paying Kealoha to retire in 2017. At a 10 a.m. hearing Tuesday before Senior U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi, Sword and Leong will agree to pay a $100, 000 fine and serve one year of supervised release as part of their plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Leong and Sword each signed a plea agreement to the count in the forthcoming superseding information, with a sentence of time served, one year supervised release, and restitution, according to federal court records. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stay in touch with breaking 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. Amemiya entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors, according to court documents. The charge against Amemiya will be amended to a misdemeanor, and provided Amemiya abides by the conditions of the agreement, the charge against him will be dismissed as long as he is not convicted of a crime. Amemiyas compliance will depend on certification by the Governments office, restitution, and a community service component. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has to pay a $50, 000 fine and serve two years of federal supervised release. Amemiya tried to have the case in January 2022. Starting Dec. 1, 2016 and continuing until July 2020, Amemiya, Leong, and Sword, while acting under color of law, did knowingly and willfully combine, conspire, and agree together with each other and with others to deprive the residents of Honolulu, Hawaii, of the rights secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, namely, the right to procedural due process, according to the federal criminal information filed today. Amemiya, Leong and Sword are free on $50, 000 bonds. The trio was accused of conspiring to pay Kealoha with federal funds and money from the Honolulu Police Departments salary pool and avoiding City Council review and approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation for Kea loha and his then-wife, former Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha. Louis Kealoha was sentenced to seven years in prison and will have to pay back the $250, 000 settlement. Katherine Kealoha received 13 years in prison for leading the operations that defrauded her grandmother out of her home and framed her uncle for stealing the Kealohas mailbox. 35 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? . STAR-ADVERTISER Former Honolulu Managing Director Roy Amemiya Jr. (left ), former city Corporation Counsel Donna Leong and former Honolulu Police Commission Chairman Max Sword. STAR-ADVERTISER Former Honolulu Managing Director Roy Amemiya Jr. (left ), former city Corporation Counsel Donna Leong and former Honolulu Police Commission Chairman Max Sword. Honolulus former managing director, corporation counsel and chair of the Police Commission were charged with misdemeanor conspiracy by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday for their handling of a $250, 000 retirement payment in 2017 to former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha, according to federal court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The single misdemeanor charge against the trio is a departure from the felony charges secured against the former city officials more than three years ago. It is part of federal prosecutors revealed in February that ensures no time in federal prison. The deal signals an end to a long-running public corruption probe by federal prosecutors in California that began with the Kealoha case and expanded to examine the intersections between politics, business and law enforcement in Hawaii. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Wheat, the special prosecutor handling the case from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of California, retired Dec. 31. Federal prosecutors have not said why they decided to cut a misdemeanor deal after securing felony indictments on Dec. 16, 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have no comment at this time, Kelly Thornton, director of media relations for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of California, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking 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. Attorneys representing the three ex-city officials did not reply to Star-Advertiser requests for comment. In January 2022 former Corporation Counsel Donna Yuk Lan Leong, ex-Honolulu Police Commission Chair Max John Sword and then-Mayor Kirk Caldwells Managing Director Roy Keiji Amemiya Jr. entered not-guilty pleas to felony charges that they conspired to defraud the county and federal government by paying Kealoha to retire in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a 10 a.m. hearing today before Senior U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi, Sword and Leong will agree to pay a $100, 000 fine and serve one year of supervised release as part of their plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Leong and Sword each signed a plea agreement to the count in the forthcoming superseding information, with a sentence of time served, one year supervised release, and restitution, according to federal court records. That superseding information was filed Monday. Amemiya entered into a deferred-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charge against Ame miya will be amended to a misdemeanor, and provided Amemiya abides by the conditions of the agreement, the charge against him will be dismissed as long as he is not convicted of a crime. Amemiyas compliance will depend on certification by the Governments office, restitution, and a community service component. He has to pay a $50, 000 fine and serve two years of federal supervised release. Amemiya tried to have the case against him dismissed in January 2022. Starting Dec. 1, 2016 and continuing until July 2020, Amemiya, Leong, and Sword, while acting under color of law, did knowingly and willfully combine, conspire, and agree together with each other and with others to deprive the residents of Honolulu, Hawaii, of the rights secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, namely, the right to procedural due process, according to the federal criminal information filed Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amemiya, Leong and Sword have been free on $50, 000 bonds since January 2022. They were accused of conspiring to pay Kealoha with federal funds and money from the Honolulu Police Departments salary pool and avoiding City Council review and approval. The investigation led to prison sentences for Kea loha and his then-wife, former Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha. Louis Kealoha was sentenced to seven years in prison and will have to pay back the $250, 000 settlement. Katherine Kealoha received 13 years in prison for leading the operations that defrauded her grandmother out of her home and framed her uncle for stealing the Kealohas mailbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wheat and his team of assistant U.S. attorneys from San Diego tried to to prosecute former Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro, businessman Dennis Mitsunaga and Mitsunaga employees Terri Ann Otani, Aaron Shunichi Fujii, Chad Michael McDonald and Sheri Jean Tanaka. Federal prosecutors tried to prove that Kaneshiro prosecuted a former Mitsu naga employee in exchange for campaign contributions. A jury found. Following his acquittal, Kaneshiro told the Star-Advertiser the federal investigation against him and Mitsunaga and took eight years before a jury acquitted them in less than two days. Amemiya, Leong and Sword that they dodged City Council review and manipulated the Honolulu Police Department to pay part of Kealohas settlement with money meant for vacant funded positions and then made materially false and misleading representations and omissions to the City Council to get money to obtain a reallocation of city funds to cover the Kealoha payment, according to the original indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They allegedly persuaded HPD leadership to tell the Council that the departments request for additional 2017 fourth-quarter funds was caused by a salary shortfall prompted by the payout to Kealoha in the third quarter. Legal memos, letters and correspondence from the deputy corporation counsel in 2017 and San Francisco-based law firm Farella Braun and Martel, contracted by the corporation counsel, show that the process used to pay Kealoha was like separation agreements reached with other former city officials that did not require a Council review or vote. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) Representatives from Elevate Florida, a statewide residential mitigation program led by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, are hosting three program overview and application sessions in Sarasota County this week. Albert Jasuwan is one of the owners of JAS Builders and an approved contractor for the Elevate Florida program. Whats going to replace them if theyre condemned? Visitors question future of Bradenton Beach Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He explained that their demand to elevate homes has gone up exponentially since Hurricanes Helene and Milton. We used to get a few calls a month, now we get hundreds of calls a day, he said. News Channel 8s Nicole Rogers asked Jasuwan, Whats your first step? How do you begin to lift an entire house? Our first step is literally tunneling under by hand, he said. You may be wondering, how much does it cost to lift an entire home off of the ground and construct a sturdy support system? Jasuwan said the answer is hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our typical price in this neighborhood (Shore Acres) is about $350,000, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With many Floridians having to decide whether to sell or try to pay $350,000, for example, to raise their home, some said its an impossible decision. Thats where Elevate Florida comes in. If approved, the program could cover at least 75% of the cost to raise your home. To be eligible, you need to be 18 or older, a US citizen, and the legal owner of a residential property in Florida. Nancy Biddle applied for the program and is waiting to hear back. In the meantime, shes deciding to lift her rental properties in Shore Acres. It is not inexpensive to do this, but it is not inexpensive to have your house flood every year, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biddle said she was excited to hear about the Elevate Florida program. I was just thrilled to hear it, Biddle said. I mean, its hope, and a lot of people who live in Florida and love Florida Ive been here 36 years I love it. I dont want to live anywhere else, but you have to feel safe too, she concluded. The sessions will be happening from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday at Colonial Oaks Park in Sarasota. Representatives will be sharing in-person information on eligibility requirements and types of projects available. This will also serve as an opportunity for homeowners to get on-site assistance with their applications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Educational presentations will be held at noon and 5 p.m. daily. To RSVP (not required), click here. For more information on the program, click here. If youd like to send Nicole a tip, you can fill out the form below. Submit a form. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Democrats are inviting fired federal workers to President Trumps address to Congress tonight. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) is bringing Marine veteran Gabriel DAlatri, who was fired from the IRS as part of the Trump administration's cuts. They join Chris Jansing to share more on the impact of the Trump administrations changes. Police have arrested a San Francisco woman suspected of yanking a horse's tail and causing a young rider to be chucked off in a wild encounter that has since become a viral video. On Monday, Daly City Police announced that they had arrested Tomasa Panjojleon, 29, on suspicion of felony child endangerment in the tail-pulling incident that left a young boy with injuries. The charge is punishable by up to six years in prison under state law. The unexpected rumpus took place on Feb. 23 at the Thornton Beach Recreation Area when the boy was taking a riding lesson on a horse from Ocean View Stables. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Officers learned that, during a riding lesson, a juvenile rider fell from a horse after an unknown female subject approached the horse from behind and pulled its tail," the Daly City Police said in a statement. "The unexpected action startled the horse, resulting in the juvenile being thrown off." The culprit fled before police arrived but was later identified as Panjojleon, who was arrested Saturday and booked into San Mateo County Main Jail in Redwood City, police said. A family member said on social media that the fall left the boy with bruises all over his body and a limp, but fortunately he did not suffer a concussion as he was wearing a helmet. He injured his right ankle and was advised by a doctor to avoid walking for a week, the family member said. Read more: Thieves hit 'The Money Queen' influencer's Bel-Air home, wind up with fake cash Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My aunt will take time off to take care of him and bring him to his doctors check up appointments next week," she wrote on Sunday. "Thanks again for your prayers and support towards my cousin this is been a really tough week for us. But we will keep fighting for justice!!!" Caroline Reed, barn manager at Ocean View Stables, told local news station KRON that the incident took place during their normal pasture pony ride and that the horse, named Zeuss, was also injured, although she didn't specify what the injury was. "We take kids out on a little 10- to 15-minute ride to get them used to horses and comfortable, Reed told the station. "It was a very odd circumstance. You wouldnt think anyone would walk up to a horse and just yank its tail. Thats not really the normal thing for someone to do around an animal like that." Anyone with more information about the tail yanking is asked to contact the Daly City Police Department Investigations Division at (650) 991-8270. 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. State Rep. Ben Baker is a Republican from Neosho (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). The Senate Committee on Government Efficiency heard a bill Monday that would ban state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Sponsored by state Rep. Ben Baker, a Republican from Neosho, the bill would also bar state departments from mandating a DEI program in contracts with private organizations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bottom line is we as a state should not be allowing propaganda to creep into the workplace that pushes preferential and unfair treatment of our state workers, Baker said. Last month, Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order that forbids funding for DEI programs within state departments under the purview of the governor. Bakers bill prohibits the use of any state funding for DEI. Following the signing of Kehoes executive order, a letter was sent to state employees explaining the executive order. In the letter, the governor clarified that the order would not affect several key organizations like the Minority-Owned and the Women-Owned Business programs, which provide opportunities for companies that are majority controlled by either women or minority individuals to bid on state contracts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another carve out listed in the governors letter was the Model Employer Initiative which seeks to increase the participation of disabled Missourians in the workforce. The letter also makes it clear that recognition of Black History Month, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are not prohibited in the order. Baker said that his bill would have the same carveouts as the governors bill and that this would be further clarified in the language of his bill. He argued during the hearing that no money should be allocated towards DEI programs. According to the bills fiscal note, no state department would see increased or decreased revenue as a result of this bill. Baker said that there has been growing support for the removal of DEI, citing executive orders from both Kehoe and President Donald Trump. He also said the governor is in support of passing his bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baker also noted increased research opposed to DEI programs, citing a study conducted by the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy, a think tank based in Canada. This claim was challenged by Sen. Patty Lewis, a Kansas City Democrat. Its not just the research, Baker said. Theres also anecdotal stories where I have met people in our state government agencies that have had major issues with what is being done with DEI. Sharon Jones, a representative from the NAACP, spoke against the bill. Jones claimed that the language of the bill was too broad and could affect seemingly innocuous training sessions. This is a sledgehammer trying to aim at a very, very specific issue, Jones said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mary Byrne, a policy expert with The Heartland Institute and co-founder of the Missouri Coalition Against Common Core, spoke in favor of the bill. Byrne claimed that aspects of DEI programs have their roots in Marxism. The ideas of these matrixes are aligned to the tenants of critical race theory, Byrne said, a theory promoting race conflict as a proxy for Marxist economic class conflict to foster social revolution. This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online. House Minority Leader Rep. Mike Chippendale, seen at a joint oversight hearing on the Washington Bridge on Feb. 13, 2025, is declining an invitation to speak at this year's Providence Chamber of Commerce legislative luncheon. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Another sign of the abnormal state of the world, and state: Rhode Islands Republican House members announced Tuesday they are skipping an upcoming legislative luncheon even though it would have featured Minority Leader Mike Chippendale as part of a panel discussion. Its the first time the 10-member House Minority Caucus declined an invitation to attend the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerces annual event since Chippendale was elected in 2010, Sue Stenhouse, the caucus chief of staff, said in an interview on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many have jobs to attend to and better things to do with their time, the press release stated. The March 12 event, which brings together business and civic leaders with lawmakers, centers around a roundtable discussion between Laurie White, chamber president, and state legislative leaders. Chippendale is one of six state lawmakers scheduled to speak at this years event, along with House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, House Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, Senate Majority Leader Valarie Lawson and Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz. Chippendale, a Foster Republican, blasted the event in the caucus statement announcing all 10 members would not attend. I see no value in this event for anyone involved, legislators, attendees, or Chamber members, Chippendale said. It is just a fundraiser for the Chamber and nothing more. It has simply proven to be a waste of time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event cost $90 per ticket per person, or $1,000 for a company to reserve a table for eight people, according to the online registration. Rep. Brian Newberry, a North Smithfield Republican and former House Minority Leader, also criticized the event as a dog and pony show. The Chamber leadership has no interest in facilitating an actual debate, Newberry said. They just want to cozy up to the Speaker and Senate President and throw them some pre-selected softball questions to make them look good. White called the decision unfortunate. I have always enjoyed hearing from Leader Chippendale and Leader Newberry, White said in an email Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White said the event aims to inform Rhode Islands business community about public policy issues and encourage them to get involved in the legislative process. The legislators tell us all the time (and rightfully so): Show up. Let us know what you think. Dont sit on the sidelines. Get involved, White said. She said she works closely with House Republicans to include their policy priorities in the panel discussion. During last years event, White asked about a state inspector general and legislation that would let students in underperforming public schools transfer to another school because they were priorities of the House GOP. While said she plans to reach out to Chippendale directly, also offering to have another member of the caucus participate instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other House Republicans who will not attend are Minority Whip David Place, Rep. George Nardone, Rep. Robert Quattrocchi, Rep. Sherry Roberts, Rep. Richard Fascia, Rep. Marie Hopkins, Rep. Chris Paplauskas and Rep. Paul Santucci. Across the rotunda, Senate Republicans are not following suit. De la Cruz, one of the featured speakers, still plans to attend, along with the three other Senate Republicans Brandon Bell, the Senate Republicans chief of staff, confirmed in an email. Shekarchi, Blazejewski and Lawson will also be attending and participating as panelists. However, Ruggerio will not be present for the second year in a row due to illness, Greg Pare, a Senate spokesperson, said Tuesday. The Senate President was hospitalized last week at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital with pneumonia. He was transferred to the rehabilitation center at the hospital on Feb. 26, where he is scheduled to remain through March 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pare said Ruggerio was doing phenomenal, but confirmed his rehab stay will prevent him from attending the chamber event. Ruggerio will also miss the Senates legislative sessions today and Thursday, having already been absent from three Senate floor votes this year. The chambers 2025 legislative leadership luncheon is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, March 12, at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Attendees are asked to RSVP by Thursday, March 6. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WASHINGTON The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday passed a bill that would require the U.S. Postal Service to crack down on safety lapses involving its long-haul trucking contractors. The Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation spearheaded by U.S. Reps. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and James Comer, R-Ky., and would give Postal Service truck contractors and employees three days to report to the agency any crash they are involved in that results in injury or death. It also requires the Postal Service to maintain an internal database that includes comprehensive information related to injuries and deaths as well as provide a public annual report summarizing those injuries and deaths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contractors that fail to report a traffic crash within the deadline will be subject to fines, suspension of contracts, or termination of contracts. Comer Connolly The bill, which passed the chamber 402-16, now heads to the Senate for consideration. It is identical to a bill approved by the House last year. That bill was introduced by Connolly and Comer following an audit by the Postal Services Office of Inspector General (OIG). The audit, Contract Trucking Safety and Compliance, revealed that the Postal Service does not track accidents and fatalities involving its trucking contractors, and therefore auditors were unable to provide Congress with complete accident data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, analyzing incomplete data provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the OIG identified 373 accidents resulting in 89 deaths directly related to 43 on-duty contractors servicing Postal Service trucking contracts. The audit also found that 14 of the 15 contracting and administrative officers interviewed did not know when trucking companies hired for highway contract routes (HCRs) used a subcontractor. In addition, brokers for the agencys freight auction contracts used to purchase extra capacity when contractors cant fulfill HCRs were not required to obtain approval or inform the Postal Service of subcontractors they hire. The Postal Service relied on the broker to complete subcontractor authorization and vet the subcontractor, but those results are not required to be reported to the Postal Service, the audit stated. The onus is on the broker to ensure the subcontractor is in compliance with Postal Service policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stepped-up oversight of the Postal Services safety controls comes amid major service changes at the agency. Last week the agency announced it would be ending afternoon collections at a large swath of the nations post offices, adding another day to delivery times for some outgoing mail and packages as part of a multiyear transformation aimed at reducing inefficiency and financial losses. Related articles: Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher. The post House passes Postal Service truck crash reporting bill appeared first on FreightWaves. BUDAPEST, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's government voiced support on Tuesday for U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to suspend American military assistance to Ukraine, aligning with its own calls for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks. "The Trump administration suspended U.S. military aid to Ukraine," Zoltan Kovacs, international spokesman for the Hungarian government, said on social media. "The position of the U.S. president and the Hungarian government is the same: instead of arms deliveries and prolonging the war, an immediate ceasefire and peace negotiations are needed," Kovacs added. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto echoed the peace-focused message on Monday, defending Hungary's absence from a recent Ukraine-focused meeting in London. "We have no place at conferences of pro-war advocates," Szijjarto wrote on Facebook. "We do not want to prolong the war, we want peace, we want the war to end." Hungary has no reason to attend any meeting where the goal is to decide on extending the war. "We are on the side of peace," he also said. Western leaders, including more than a dozen European heads of state and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, gathered in London on Sunday for a defense summit to advance a peace plan for Ukraine. The remarks follow Trump's decision on Monday to halt all U.S. military shipments to Ukraine. According to a senior U.S. defense official, the pause will remain in place until Kiev demonstrates "a good-faith commitment to peace" with Moscow. The move includes a freeze on equipment already in transit, following a tense meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House last week. Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) on Monday defended the budgets and workforce cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs, as he said he cant guarantee veterans benefits and care would be immune from cuts. In an interview with CNNs Brianna Keilar, Murphy said the cuts are essential to reining in government spending and restructuring to ensure the agencies work efficiently for the American people. No, I cant guarantee anything, Murphy said when asked if he could guarantee that veterans benefits and care would not be affected by the cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the whole purpose, again, of restructuring is to make sure that that agency is efficient, he added. Murphy, who sits on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said the issue affects his district acutely. Look, I care for our veterans. One out of 10 constituents of mine are veterans. Its a real issue in eastern North Carolina, he said. But the real issue is also when somebody cant get benefits and theyve put off their doctors appointments for eight or 10 months when they cant get care. That is where an agency has failed. Were trying to get an agency that actually works for the people that its supposed to be taken care of, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murphy said hes been hearing from voters who are unhappy with the cuts but stressed that some pain is inevitable in the restructuring process. Sure, sure. I mean, were hearing voters, he said when asked what hes hearing from constituents. A lot are calling our offices, of course. Theyre calling all Republican offices, voicing concerns. He added: Is there going to be short-term pain? Is there going to be some issues? Absolutely, and this is what happens with restructuring. But we have to get government back to doing what its supposed to be doing, and thats working for the people. The interview comes as the VA has been subject to waves of workforce cuts that saw 1,400 employees axes last Monday after 1,000 workers were cut earlier in February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VA Secretary Doug Collins also announced the cancellation of up to 875 contracts last Tuesday, but the department paused that effort the following day amid outrage from Democratic lawmakers and veterans groups. Collins defended the workforce cuts last week, saying the recent wave would save the VA more than $83 million per year to be redirected back toward health care, benefits and services for veterans. These and other recent personnel decisions are extraordinarily difficult, but VA is focused on allocating its resources to help as many Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors as possible, Collins said in a statement last week. These moves will not hurt VA health care, benefits or beneficiaries. In fact, Veterans are going to notice a change for the better. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. House Republicans are being encouraged to avoid in-person town halls in favor of phone and livestreamed versions, advice that comes after constituents and activists rocked recent GOP events by expressing outrage about the Trump administrations dramatic moves to reshape the federal government. National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) told House Republicans at a closed-door conference meeting Tuesday morning that members should opt for tele-town halls or livestreamed events that can reach more people, rather than in-person town halls that can be hijacked by Democratic activists. The advice comes after a slew of people at GOP lawmaker town halls across the country raised concerns about actions taken by President Trump in the first few weeks of his administration, especially changes made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Those complaints were aired during town halls for GOP lawmakers across the country, including in Texas, Wisconsin and Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans have slammed the interruptions, attributing them to Democratic agitators. On Monday, Trump blamed Paid troublemakers for the viral moments. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said leadership advised Republicans to be more targeted when it comes to planning town halls. I think they just urged us to be more targeted and wheres, who were talking to, because its pretty clear that theyve got professional instigators, people that are showing up that are not even constituents, Burchett said. And its getting dangerous. Theyre going to peoples houses, theyre putting notices out, where do they live, where do they go to church, where do they eat they did that on me, he added. That kind of activity breeds a very dangerous situation for families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) echoed the advice when asked about whether Republicans should hold town halls in a press conference after the Tuesday meeting, telling reporters that leadership is advising its members to utilize various avenues for communication. Weve been encouraging our members to communicate directly with their constituents, and theyre anxious to do that. Theres lots of different ways and forums to do it, Johnson said. You can do it in telephone town halls. You can have small subgroups of people from different industries and segments of the community. We find that to be very, very productive, and more productive than if you just go to an open forum right now. Why? Because weve seen this movie before. George Soros-funded groups and others literally pay protesters. The best thing that our members can do is communicate directly, frequently, consistently, with their constituents, he added. And there are other avenues to do it, and just going in to try to give the other side sound bites. I mean, theyre doing this for the cameras. We all know it, and I think its wise not to play into it right now. House Democrats are poking at the Republicans for giving that advice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So House Republicans political strategy is see no families nor workers, hear no protesters, speak to no one and hope everyone gets less angry at them when they rip away Americans health care? Got it, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Viet Shelton said. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin accused Republican leaders of telling their members to hide from their own constituents. If Republicans had any courage or if they truly believed in the havoc theyre complicit in they would stand up in front of their voters to proudly defend what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing, he added. And House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) posted a video Monday responding to the allegation that Democrats are paying protesters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats wrong with yall? Jeffries said. We dont need to send paid protesters into your town hall meetings. The American people are with us, all across the country. People are rising up to push back against the assault on the economy, the assault on hard-working families, the assault on our democracy, and the assault on Medicaid. We dont need paid protesters, bro. Still, some lawmakers are already heeding GOP leaderships advice. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) who recounted instances of crazy activists showing up at her home said she does not feel comfortable holding in-person town halls. When in-person town halls are being funded by Soros operatives and theyre there to only disrupt and not truly get answers, then it really defeats the purpose of a town hall, Boebert said. Ive done many tele-town halls, and I think that those are very productive, and we can reach thousands more people than we ever could in person, and so I think that that is a great strategy. But for me personally, its just not safe to do an in-person town hall because I dont know what to expect, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Sean Stinnett is sworn in by House Speaker Pro Tem Dana Stein (D-Baltimore County) as the newest Democrat to represent the 41st District in Baltimore City. Stinnett was one of two new delegates sworn in Monday during back-to-back ceremonies. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) For the first time since the start of the 2025 General Assembly session in January, there was a chance Monday that all 188 names on the House and Senate vote boards could light up. Thats because the swearings-in Monday of Del. Sean Stinnett (D-Baltimore City) and Del. Kim Ross (D-Baltimore County) finally gives the House its full complement of 141 voting members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate got its 47th, and final, senator last month, when Del. Carl Jackson (D-Baltimore County) was elevated to the seat that had long been held by Kathy Klausmeier, who left the Senate to become Baltimore County Executive in January. With just five weeks left in the legislative session, the latest appointments end a long-running game of legislative musical chairs in Annapolis this session. Three senators left and their seats were filled by three delegates from their respective districts, creating three House vacancies in turn that needed to be filled. In Baltimore Countys 8th District, Ross was filling Jacksons seat, who had moved on to fill Klausmeiers seat. In the 41st District, Stinnett is taking the seat vacated by Dalya Attar, who replaced Sen. Jill Carter after she resigned to take a job on the state Board of Contract Appeals. And in District 30, Del. Dylan Behler (D-Anne Arundel) was sworn in last month to replace Shaneka Henson (D-Anne Arundel) after Henson was elevated to the Senate to fill the seat of Sarah Elfreth, who is now a member of Congress representing the states 3rd Congressional District. Del. Kim Ross (D-Baltimore County) delivers remarks after she was sworn in as the newest delegate in the House. Ross was the second of two new lawmakers sworn-in during back-to-back ceremonies Monday. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) They were just some of the new members who were appointed to vacancies in the legislature for this session. In the House, Dels. Teresa Woorman (D-Montgomery), Barry Beauchamp (R-Wicomico), Matthew Schindler (D-Washington) and LaToya Nkongolo (R-Anne Arundel) are all new to the legislature this year. In the Senate, Sara Love (D-Anne Arundel) was appointed in June to start in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a tally by the League of Women Voters of Maryland, 32 current House members and 16 senators about 25% of the General Assembly were initially appointed to their seats. While many of them were subsequently elected to the job they were holding, that puts a lot of authority in the hands of the political party central committees that make the appointments and takes power away from voters, said Nikki Tyree, executive director of the league. Tyree said that because voters will often only vote the top of the ticket and not bother with the names and races down-ballot, in whats known as undervoting, the central committee members making those legislative appointments rarely face scrutiny by voters. Tyree said that many of those appointed go on to do excellent jobs as legislators, but that the vast majority of Marylanders would prefer a special election be held to fill a vacant elected office, instead of turning the decision over to the local central committee to make an appointment. We can recognize that weve gotten some great legislators out of this, she said. But at some point, you either believe in democracy or you dont. And democracy means you have to let people vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate last week gave overwhelming approval to Senate Bill 2. It would require that anyone appointed to fill a vacancy in the first half of a four-year term, stand for special election to be held on the regular primary and general election dates of the midterm election. Anyone appointed in the second half of a four-year term could serve out the term. A companion bill has been filed in the House, but has not moved since getting a hearing in January before the House Ways and Means Committee. Tyree said that for the past several years, similar special election bills have stalled in House committees. Those thoughts were far from Mondays ceremonies, however. Stinnett, after running through a list of the communities in his district, called his appointment a win for us, while Ross said the seriousness of this moment weighs upon me. After taking the oath, they wear each mobbed by family and friends for extended rounds of hand-shaking and picture-taking. Stinnett will serve on the House Judiciary Committee and Ross has been assigned to the Health and Government Operations Committee. Lawmakers convene in a joint session in the Florida House of Representatives chamber to hear Gov. Ron DeSantis deliver the State of the State address on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) Kicking off a new era when legislative leaders are expected to exercise more independence from Gov. Ron DeSantis than in recent years, Floridas two Republican legislative leaders on Tuesday outlined priorities for the annual 60-day session. Although theyre pursuing different agendas, Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez both touched on the availability and affordability of homeowners insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conversely, DeSantis said in his State of the State speech that thehomeowners insurance market in Florida is stable, touting changes made by the Legislature in 2022 and 2023 and stressing the need to fund a state program for homeowners who harden their homes against hurricanes. House Democratic leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell said the governors remarks seemed out of touch. Many of his comments today about property insurance rates coming down and things are so great, that absolutely is not the feedback we get from our neighbors on the ground. Theyre concerned because their rates are going up. People need real relief and, frankly, the governor hasnt done enought about this, Driskell said. Perez, meanwhile, said the House would subpoena insurance company executives in light of a Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times story about a state-commissioned report showing that Florida insurers pleaded poverty while transferring billions of dollars to out-of-state affiliates. A couple of years ago, the insurance industry came to the Legislature and said [that] without sweeping reforms companies could not compete in Florida. We have since learned of the reports in existence at the time but not disclosed to the Legislature that may suggest some insurance companies were using accounting tricks to hide substantial profits while telling us they were in a crisis. Shock, Perez said sarcastically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he will empower the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee to place witnesses under oath, issue subpoenas, and hire outside legal counsel. His remarks were met with a spate of applause. Albritton also used his speech to address homeowners insurance saying, Well hold insurance companies accountable for the rates they charge and the services they provide when disaster strikes. They arent going to manipulate the system. And neither is any other industry. Not on my watch. Guardians of the taxpayers The Florida Legislature meets annually to conduct the states business, although lately the work has spilled over into special sessions, including one held only recently to assist in the Trump administrations efforts at mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While lawmakers will consider hundreds of proposals while in the capital city, they are only required to pass one piece of legislation: the General Appropriations Act, or state budget. Perez insisted he has no plan to impose his personal political priorities on the House, but he did stress the need to address homeowners insurance, fiscal responsibility, and curbing government spending. Senate President Ben Albritton delivers remarks to open the 2025 legislative session on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) We are the guardians of the taxpayers. We have rightly pushed back on local governments for allowing the growth in property taxes while congratulating ourselves for giving easy-to-fund nonrecurring tax holidays, he said. Albritton made clear his personal interest was agriculture, including protection of Floridas citrus industry, which has been in decline because of blight and competition with land developers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was born and bred in Florida citrus, and this vital industry is not going down on my watch, Albritton said. To those growers who are left in the business, hear me when I say, you are not forgotten, you are not alone, and Im running to this fight. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Information technology Among his other priorities were efficiency, echoing calls from the Trump administration and its DOGE initiative. Its not enough to know government is completing a task or providing a service, we need to know if that service is being provided well, which means we need to have new, innovative ways to measure performance, Albritton said, mentioning a focus on information technology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite everyones best efforts, we cant seem to get it quite right, Albritton said. There is no doubt in my mind, its time for IT to be a Cabinet-level agency. The House has a subcommittee focused on technology policy and budgeting. In the weeks leading to the 2025 session, the panel heard IT presentations from the state agencies that are requesting funding in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget to continue their efforts. Albritton also highlighted the initiative hes dubbed the Rural Renaissance, which would create an office dedicated to rural communities and provide grants to counties with declining population. The package would fund infrastructure projects, focus on housing accessibility, and incentivize teachers, doctors, and nurses to practice in rural areas. The price tag is $197.4 million. Collegiality Perez encouraged members to work with each other on legislation and not to be myopic and focused only on their own bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lean in and offer help, because thats how Im going to be spending my time over the next 60 days, he said. How do we make good bills great? How do we get great bills across the finish line and turned into laws together? We can produce policies that will matter to the real lives of the people of Florida. We are the House of Representatives. We are the tellers of the truth. Leaders from both chambers took time to acknowledge Sen. Geraldine Thompsons sudden death following complications from knee surgery, with Albritton breaking into tears. The Senate, he said, would honor Sen. Thompson next week. Albritton began his remarks by paying respects to his dear friend and called Thompsons passing a profound loss for the Senate. Im sure when Geri went home, she heard the words, Well done, my good and faithful servant, Albritton said. Note: This story has been updated to include comments from House Democratic leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE CHEYENNE Wyomings House of Representatives has opted against passing legislation to keep the University of Wyoming Lab School open, killing a bill that has sparked hours of debate in the Capitol. With 41 pieces of legislation scheduled for debate before a Friday night deadline, acting chairman Rep. Landon Brown, R-Cheyenne, noted that representatives spent an hour and 18 minutes debating Senate File 126, Establishment of a K-8 public lab school. Ultimately, the measure failed in a 32-24 vote. Some lawmakers gave impassioned pleas to keep the school, which has been a part of Wyomings history for more than 125 years, open. Others argued that passing SF 126 would be overstepping the bounds of state government, wading into a local issue that Albany County School District 1 Board of Trustees and University of Wyoming Board of Trustees have already decided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Tom Kelly, R-Sheridan (2025) Rep. Tom Kelly, R-Sheridan When this came into the (House Education) Committee, I was somebody who was on the fence about it, Rep. Tom Kelly, R-Sheridan, said. When I voted yes on it, it was because this is exactly the type of discussion this issue deserved. Kelly ended up casting another vote in favor of SF 126 Friday, but it was not enough. We are having trouble categorizing this, because the school is unique, Kelly said. But we are seeking to restore that historical and cultural gem to Wyoming. Is it the right thing to do? Absolutely. The Legislature was the last stop in a long effort to reestablish the UW Lab School as it once was, after an announcement last year from both managing educational institutions that this academic year would be the last for the lab school. For over 130 years, the lab school operated as a K-8 public school, many of those offering practicum and observational experiences for pre-service teachers and other UW students on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For around a decade, the school has been guided by a memorandum of understanding between the ACSD1 and the university, but the two educational bodies could not agree on a process to move forward while also meeting objectives both said they had for the school. Argument in favor: Decision makers have failed House Education Committee Chairman Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie, said the bill was not about saving a school, but promoting a Wyoming legacy. Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie (2025) Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie In recent years, decision makers have failed the very people they were entrusted to serve. Many feel the decision to unilaterally close the Lab School was made behind closed doors, without transparency and without input from parents, students and the Wyoming public, Andrew said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Tomi Strock, R-Douglas, urged her fellow lawmakers not to look at the decision as if it were about a normal school in a school district, because, in fact, the issue is one of school choice. Rep. Tomi Strock, R-Douglas (2025) Rep. Tomi Strock, R-Douglas I want to remind everyone that this is not the same kind of setup as in the school district, Strock said. Please quit looking at it as the same as all the other school districts, and as if we are taking over some local control. Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie, said he believes there were no bad actors that led the Lab School to where it is today. However, the issue has been divisive, and it has been tearing apart the community, Chestek said. He respects both the ACSD1 and UW trustees, but said he had to support keeping the school open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie (2025) Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie It breaks my heart to see these two entities, good institutions, at loggerheads, not agreeing on something that I think the community loves, Chestek said. This is tearing us up. Argument against: Not the role of the state Legislature Rep. Martha Lawley, R-Worland, said she could not support the Lab School bill, although she empathized with parents, teachers and students who desperately wanted to save the school. It is simply not the role of the state Legislature to come into a situation like this and make themselves, sort of, a court of last resort, Lawley said. A place for people to come when they are unhappy or dissatisfied with what has happened at the local level, and want us to enter into a space that includes a school district, our university and somehow be the arbiter of that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Martha Lawley, R-Worland (2025) Rep. Martha Lawley, R-Worland Rep. Art Washut, R-Casper, said he felt the bill was asking lawmakers to micromanage a local school, and that he could not support SF 126. Rep. McKay Erickson, R-Afton, said he had not found a person at the university or on the school board who wanted to continue the Lab School. It is, folks, tough to close schools for any district, Erickson said. But this would be getting into the weeds big time, if we go above their decision to close the school. That seems to just be clouded, extremely. (Photo: Clayton Henkel) Nonprofit housing and community development organizations face potential catastrophic funding disruptions due to the Trump administrations efforts to reshape the federal government, a coalition of North Carolina nonprofit leaders and supporters said over two recent Zoom meetings. Samuel Gunter (Photo: NC Housing Coalition) The first weeks of Donald Trumps second presidency have been fraught with uncertainty for the nonprofits. A flurry of executive orders, mass firings and funding freezes could have a devastating impact on housing and community development in North Carolina, coalition leaders said during the meetings, which took place Friday and Monday. An unprecedented situation Samuel Gunter, executive director of the North Carolina Housing Coalition, the affordable housing advocacy group that organized the meetings, said that until recently, hes never had to call an emergency meeting of his board of directors. Hes worked at the organization for 10 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the last week Ive had three [meetings with the board of directors], and most of the folks that Ive been talking to over the last couple of weeks, that is the case as well Gunter said. Housing and community nonprofit leaders are struggling to figure out what they have in the bank, whats supposed to be there that isnt, what federal dollars they were relying on that may not exist a couple of weeks from now, and what it all means for staff and programs, Gunter said. I wish I had solid answers for you, Gunter told the more than 100 people who attended Fridays virtual meeting. I do not right now, but I need us to know that we are all in the same boat. The more we can communicate with one another, the more that were going to be able to chart a course through this. Gunter said nonprofits housing and community development organizations must stick together and direct their energy at the folks that are shrinking the pie, rather than engaging in destructive competition over the depleted resources that remain. We are not each others enemies fighting over fewer and fewer resources, he said. Huge cuts that will be felt statewide Fridays Zoom meeting was attended by 79 organizations from more than 50 the counties. The attendees reported serving more than 96,000 families and receiving more than $165 million in public funding. They also reported being owed $7 million in funding as of Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, 207 organizations from more than 80 counties were represented on the call, the organizers said. The organizations reported serving more than 80,000 families, receiving $461 million in public funding and being owed $14 million by the federal government. The Trump administration has announced plans to cut the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by 50% as part of Trumps effort to shrink the size of the federal government. Gunter is especially concerned about a proposed 84% cut to HUDs Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD), which oversees disaster recovery, homelessness services and Community Development Block Grants and other programs. My guess is that the bulk of folks on this call, if you get resources that flow through HUD, they come through that CPD office, Gunter said. [An 84% cut to CPD would be a] catastrophic impact to the flow of resources. HUD Secretary Scott Turner (Photo: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) NC Newsline previously reported that housing advocates across the nation are concerned about HUD Secretary Scott Turners leadership because he supports policies that advocates believe will increase housing instability. Those policies include, for example, increasing the role of private equity in the rental market and opposing HUDs efforts to advance racial equity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner recently announced that he would revoke $4 million worth of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) contracts at HUD. The move is keeping with a Trump directive to stamp out such efforts in the federal government. Trumps executive order to end DEI initiatives could prove particularly troublesome for housing and community development advocates, Gunter said. The DEI backlash is responsible for recent cancellations of HUD contracts for nonprofit capacity building grants and technical assistance programs that support community groups across the nation (Section 4 Programs), he said. These contracts were not canceled because of performance issues. They were not canceled because of a shift in strategy, Gunter said. They were canceled because it was determined that their websites and or LinkedIn Profiles contain something related to DEI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Housing advocates say the decision to end the contracts will increase costs for families, stymie the creation of affordable housing and cost local jobs. Taken together, Section 4 and technical assistance programs provide a vital lifeline to communities across the country, Shaun Donovan, president and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, said in a statement late last month. Donovans organization is one of the nonprofits that received notification that HUD planned to cancel its capacity building grants and funding for its technical assistance programs that support community groups and housing providers across the country. The former HUD secretary and director of the Office of Management and Budget added: Both [capacity building grants and technical assistance programs] provide support for building and preserving affordable homes, a particularly urgent need as we face an unprecedented housing crisis. These programs, though, arent just about affordable homes. They allow urban, rural, and Tribal communities to assess their own needs and leverage private dollars to invest in senior housing, establish local health clinics, fund child care centers, and so much more. Its no surprise that both initiatives have long had deep, bipartisan support. Advocates, providers have no choice but to push back Meanwhile, Gunter said that when nonprofits receive communication from their federal counterparts that does not feel right, its easy to go inward and not talk about it and keep ones head down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What has been clear thus far in this administration, thats not going to be a winning strategy, Gunter said. There is no keeping our heads down hoping that we dont make waves and on the other end were going to get the resources and continue to do the work. He warned that funding for affordable housing programs and initiatives could lose out to GOP-prized tax cuts. We are in an existential crisis in affordable housing and community development, Gunter said. Gunter urged housing advocates to call their U.S. Senators and House members to let them know about their concerns. Its important, he said, to explain that the proposed cuts will cost people their homes and that waste and fraud are not the problem when it comes to affordable housing; the problem is inadequate resources. We are in a moment where we got to work because were looking at some scary numbers if the federal government pulls out more, or all of the affordable housing and community development investments that they make in North Carolina and across the country, Gunter said. ORANGE CITY, Iowa (KCAU) A Hull man is set to serve 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to three charges in relation to an Oct. 2024 stabbing incident in Hull. On Monday, March 3, Jorge Gomez-Badillo, 28, was sentenced to prison for third-degree arson, willful injury resulting in serious injury, and willful injury resulting in bodily injury. As part of the plea deal, eight other charges, including two counts of attempted murder, were dropped. 4 more arrested for fight at West Middle School, charged with participating in a riot Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges stem from an incident that occurred on Oct. 14, 2024 at the intersection of 5th and Division Street. Officials arrived at the scene to find two people with stab wounds. They were taken to a local hospital while Gomez-Badillo was taken into custody. According to the Sioux County Sheriffs Office, deputies later reported smoke coming from a home near the scene. Officials believe the fire was intentionally set prior to the incident. Gomez-Badillo will receive credit for time served. Ariel Pokett 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. PRAGUE, March 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine highlights the "urgent need for a fundamental shift in Europe's current policy," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Tuesday. "We must strengthen our economic and military capabilities and take full responsibility for our own security. This requires increased investment in defense. Ensuring our security also means intensifying our support for Ukraine," he said on social media platform X. "The era of relying on others to address fundamental international challenges on our behalf is over. Now is the time for Europe to move decisively from words to action," he added. Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration paused all military aid to Ukraine on Monday. The pause will remain in effect until Trump determines that Ukraine's leaders "demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace" with Russia, a senior Defense Department official was quoted as saying. Fiala has recently mentioned the need to increase his country's defense budget. He called for raising defense spending to at least 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and plans to present a relevant plan to the coalition government in the coming days or weeks. Last year, the Czech Republic met its commitment to spend 2 percent of GDP on defense in line with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) requirement, according to the country's defense ministry. With just a few weeks until the first official day of spring, you might be wondering when you'll hear hummingbirds chirping around Wisconsin again. A few birds have already started to arrive in the state for the spring, such as robins and red-winged blackbirds, according to Anna Pidgeon, a professor of avian ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Though hummingbirds are a little further behind, there are a few steps you can take in the coming weeks to encourage them to your yard later in the spring. Here's when Wisconsinites will start seeing hummingbirds and the best ways to observe them: A hummingbird looks for nectar in a magnolia tree in Bayside, Wis. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel captured this hummingbird using a Canon 1DX Mark II a with a 200mm lens set to ISO: 800, f/3.5 with a 1/5000 second shutter speed. Tuesday, July 25, 2017. - Photo by Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel More: What bird signifies spring for you? Let us know in this survey When do hummingbirds migrate? Hummingbirds typically start arriving in Wisconsin in the beginning of May, though a few outlier birds may arrive a bit earlier, Pidgeon said. Like most birds species, male hummingbirds will migrate first, with female birds following a few weeks later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're just at the very early vanguard now," Pidgeon said of the spring migration. "But over time, you'll see more and more birds, and then there'll be some territorial disputes, so trying to claim or move others off of prime territory, and then females will show up sometime after that." After a few warmer months in Wisconsin, hummingbirds will start migrating south again from April through October. Though some hummingbirds spend the winter on Florida's southern coast, the majority of hummingbirds will migrate farther south to areas of Central America, such as the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, Pidgeon said Map: hummingbird migration in Wisconsin As of March 3, hummingbird sightings in the U.S. have been reported primarily in Florida, Louisiana, Texas and California, according to Hummingbird Central. No birds have been reported in the Midwest yet. You can follow Hummingbird Central's live map throughout the spring and summer, as well as report your own sightings here. How to encourage hummingbirds to your yard The best way to encourage hummingbirds to your yard is to plant plenty of food resources for them, Pidgeon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Flowers that produce a lot of nectar and are native species that grow in Wisconsin, or used to grow in Wisconsin, are really best for habitat for hummingbirds and for all birds," she said. You should ideally grow a variety of nectar-producing flowers, with feeders to supplement when blooms are in short supply, according to the UW-Madison Department of Horticulture. The department also recommends staggering bloom times to make sure hummingbirds have a food source for the entire season, as well as providing a source of water and trees or tall shrubs for nesting and perching. Make sure to avoid using pesticides that kill small insects that hummingbirds regularly eat. Here are some of the best Midwestern plants to grow for hummingbirds, according to UW-Madison. There are many other plants that will also attract the birds, so find a longer list here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cuphea, especially "David Verity" cuphea plants Cardinals Coral honeysuckle Beebalm Texas or scarlet sage Blue anise sage Scentsation White is a new verbena variety that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Wisconsin birding hotspots Wisconsin has more than 300 birding hotspots, including wildlife areas like the Horicon Marsh and the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. To find a birding hotspot near you, click here to visit the Travel Wisconsin website. How to track bird sightings in Wisconsin Amateur birders can report and track their daily bird sighting on the following sites: This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Hummingbird migration in Wisconsin 2025: When will the birds be back? Hundreds of people braved rainfall in Daley Plaza on Tuesday afternoon for a pro-democracy rally and march, chanting, Trump isnt America, we are America in one of several planned protests ahead of President Donald Trumps address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. Many people held signs at the protest that read Power to the people, Save the civil service and Its so bad even the introverts are here. Some people also held Ukrainian flags to show support for Ukraine the day after Trump announced he would halt military aid to the country following a tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Chicagoans rally in support of Ukraine after Zelenskyys contentious meeting with Trump Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I see each one of you standing here today in this cold, rainy weather, my hope goes just beyond work, Litcy Kurisinkal, co-president of Illinois Democratic Women of Cook County, said to the crowd. My dear friends, when you stand here, you are the defenders of democracy. We are the warriors. Organizers led the crowd in songs at various points in the rally, singing everything from the national anthem to an American version of the anti-fascist song Bella Ciao, which was sung for the Italian resistance movement during World War II. We the people, the U.S. people, we are one, we are one, one, one, the crowd sang. The foundation of our government is being tested by those who seek to concentrate power in the hands of the gluttonous few instead of the will of the many, said Maggie OKeefe, a community organizer and voting rights activist. I ask you today: Will you stand by and watch as executive power expand unchecked? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No! the crowd of protesters roared back. Protesters also gathered in Connecticut, Utah and Alabama, according to organizers. The nationwide protests, named the March 4th for Democracy protests, were organized by the national 50501 Movement, a grassroots movement dedicated to pushing back against the actions of the second Trump administration. The first protests held by the 50501 Movement took place across the nation on Feb. 5. Shortly thereafter, the organization held a No Kings on Presidents Day protest on Feb. 17. Since taking office, Trump has taken numerous sweeping actions that have challenged constitutional and federal law, including signing an executive order to end birthright citizenship, freezing trillions of dollars on federal spending, firing National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox and 18 inspector generals from various federal agencies, among other actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters also condemned the firing of hundreds of federal workers across agencies by the Department of Government Efficiency, including firings at the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Health and Human Services. Hundreds protest Musk at Libertyville Tesla dealership: What Elon has done to the brand is just make it feel dirty Hes stomping all over Congress. Hes stomping all over the judiciary. Hes stomping all over immigrant rights. Hes stomping all over union rights, environmental protection, international rights, Constitution, the rule of law, parliamentarism you name it, Paul Street, an activist and historian who has taught at DePaul University. Following the rally, protesters marched through downtown, chanting, In the name of humanity, we refuse a fascist America and We say humanity first, Trump says America first. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) Hundreds marched and are protesting against the Trump administration at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg on Tuesday. Protesters waved American and Ukranian flags on the capitol steps and held posters, some of which read Arrest Musk Today, Tariffs tax the poor, and Impeact Trump and Vance. DOGE: Several government offices to close in Central Pennsylvania Other signs alleged fascist and pro-Russian ideology among the presidents administration. Tuesdays protest comes weeks after a group called 50501 organized protests across the country, including in Harrisburg, against the Trump administrations measures to cut federal funding through the Department of Government Efficiency, as well as Trump ending financial support for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 50501 stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one day. Tonight, Trump will deliver the first address of his second term to Congress. 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. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th) was one of several members of Congress who addressed a crowd of hundreds outside NOAA's Silver Spring headquarters Monday, just days after the Trump administration cut hundreds of jobs from the agency nationwide. (Photo by Jack Bowman/Maryland Matters) Hundreds gathered at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Silver Spring headquarters Monday morning in enthusiastic defiance of the Trump administrations layoff of an estimated 650 agency workers nationwide Thursday. Despite occasional vitriol directed at the administration, the hourlong rally was mostly peaceful, with those in attendance expressing support for the agency and its workers. The crowd, complete with a rapid response choir, grew as the protest went on by the end, some attendees had to stand on the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event was headlined by a procession of speakers, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th), Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-6th), Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th) and several NOAA scientists and officials. If you believe in facts, if you believe in science, if you believe in the truth, you need NOAA, Raskin said, to cheers from the crowd. NOAA, whose portfolio includes everything from weather forecasts to fisheries management, is just the latest federal agency to be hit by cuts as President Donald Trumps administration attempts to dramatically reduce the size of the federal workforce. Tom Di Liberto fell victim to Thurdays cuts just two weeks before graduating from probationary employee status that allowed the administration to fire him. He said that the reason people work at NOAA is because they want to help people, and that it had been a dream since his childhood to work for the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Di Liberto, the cuts leave the agency in a precarious position. Thats what makes these illegal firings so dangerous, Di Liberto told the crowd. We are less safe today than we were last Thursday. Some of the best were fired, and now were asking the incredible folks still working here to do more with less. Ivey echoed that sentiment in his own remarks, saying that while the stated goal of cuts is efficiency, the results put people in peril. By tearing down the government like this, Ivey said, hes making things dangerous and less safe for the country. As in the case of several other protests against federal layoffs, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency that he directs were targets of both the speakers and the audience. Many in the crowd hoisted signs with slogans such as leash that DOGE and save NOAA, stop DOGE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That Elon Musk-Donald Trump administration needs a little constitutional refresher, Raskin said. Elon Musk, you didnt create NOAA, Congress created NOAA, Raskin continued, saying that only Congress could dismantle it. As he has throughout the first few weeks of Trumps presidency, Raskin told the crowd that continuing to protest is a critical element of Democratic resistance. A rally a day keeps the fascists away, Raskin said, a message he has delivered at other demonstrations. Richard Spinrad, a former Biden-appointed administrator at NOAA, called Musk and DOGE a bull in a china shop. You know what happens when you have a bull in a china shop? You get a lot of broken china, and a lot of bullsh-t, Spinrad said to a huge round of cheers from the crowd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only tense moment came when a Department of Homeland Security officer interrupted, saying that someone had left a suspicious bag and directing the crowd to disperse. When people protested, attempting instead to find the owner of the bag, the officer told the crowd to let him do his job to which one member of the crowd responded by yelling, While you still have it! The bag was claimed, and the rally continued without incident. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) Calling all hunters in Texoma! The Northwest Texas Field and Stream Association will host a Hunters Education Course in just a few weeks. Any hunter born after Sep. 2, 1971, is required to have completed a Hunters Education Course to hunt in the state of Texas. The NWTFS Association will host a Hunters Education class on Saturday, March 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. All attendees must be 9 years or older on the day of the class. The location is 2005 Southwest Parkway, Wichita Falls, Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pre-registration is available on the Texas Parks & Wildlife website. Please bring a copy of the registration to the class; a $15 fee will also be due then. There will be a lunch break. You can either bring your own or leave and come back. For check-in, they ask that all participants arrive by 7:45 a.m. For questions and concerns, contact Hunters Education Instructor Frank Jones at (940) 782-0592. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. NEW RICHMOND, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in western Wisconsin released information about a possible homicide after a woman was found dead and her husband is being held at the county jail. According to the New Richmond Police Department, on March 2 around 1:45 p.m., police got a call for a possible domestic disturbance/welfare check of a 68-year-old woman. The caller reportedly told authorities that the womans husband made statements that led them to believe the woman may have been harmed. When authorities got to the residence, officers were able to find the husband, however, the woman was not found. The investigation later led to a rural area in Polk County, where the woman was found dead around 4 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wisconsin deputies arrest two in separate OWI incidents On March 3, the Ramsey County Medical Examiners Office provisional report indicated the death as a homicide. Police continue to investigate this incident. The husband is reportedly being held in the St. Croix County Jail. No additional information was provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Immigration officials arrested a once-deported undocumented immigrant convicted of robbery and insurance fraud following his release from jail, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) previously deported Elvin Joel Pacheco-Hernandez, 46, of Honduras, in 2015, documents said. Pacheco-Hernandezs criminal history in Clark County dates back to at least 2007, records said. In 2011, North Las Vegas police arrested Pacheco-Hernandez for an armed robbery at a convenience store, documents said. Pacheco-Hernandez and two others met a man in the stores parking lot to transfer iPhones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pacheco-Hernandez later pleaded guilty to a robbery charge. A judge then sentenced him to 2-6 years in prison. Records show the Nevada Parole Board granted his release in late 2014. Federal authorities removed Pacheco-Hernandez from the country in September 2015. In May 2022, Pacheco-Hernandez, who was back living in the Las Vegas area, was convicted of battery, records said. It was not immediately clear when he returned to the country. In November 2022, prosecutors charged him with insurance fraud and forgery. In that case, Pacheco-Hernandez submitted fraudulent medical records to obtain $60,000 in insurance money, the Nevada Attorney Generals Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pacheco-Hernandez failed to appear in court several times, records said. On Jan. 22, police arrested Pacheco-Hernandez on a bench warrant. Pacheco-Hernandez later agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of conspiracy to commit a crime and to serve 20 days in jail. ICE became aware of Pacheco-Hernandezs detainment in the Clark County Detention Center on Jan. 23, records said. It was not immediately clear who, if anyone, alerted the agency as Las Vegas Metro police will only alert ICE to an undocumented immigrant in their custody for violent crimes or crimes involving the Laken Riley Act. Pacheco-Hernandezs charges would not fall under that policy. ICE detained Pacheco-Hernandez at the North Las Vegas jail, officials said. He faces 20 years in federal prison for the new charge. ICE has not responded to requests about the number of arrests in the Las Vegas area since President Donald Trumps inauguration. Since January, 8 News Now has reported on two cases of men with multiple prior deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Haydi Torres of Movimiento Cosecha leads a rally outside the Elizabeth Detention Center on March 3, 2025. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor) ELIZABETH The recent announcement that a private prison company plans to open a 1,000-bed immigration detention center in Newark has reignited criticism of conditions at the states privately run immigrant jail in Elizabeth. Dozens of protestors from numerous advocacy groups gathered Monday in front of CoreCivics detention center in this Union County city, where hundreds of migrants are being kept in what advocates say are inhumane conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre looking at us not as humans, theyre looking at us as dollar signs, Ana Paola Pazmino, executive director of Resistencia en Accion New Jersey, said in Spanish. Thats why these detention centers exist, not because they want to get us out of here, but because they want to cage us, detain us, give us bad food and no medical care. New Jerseys immigrant community is grappling with the ramped-up immigration efforts under President Donald Trump, who has ordered the mass deportation of the nations undocumented immigrants. Family members of people recently detained shared stories Monday of confusion surrounding their loved ones locations. Fatima Mercedes said her partner was picked up by immigration enforcement officials on his way to work Feb. 7. She knows he was taken to the Elizabeth Detention Center for processing, but each time she calls the detention center, shes told he is not being held there. I cant sleep. I dont know what to do. Im totally desperate, she said in Spanish before breaking down in tears. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another woman said her husband has disappeared in the immigration system. She said hes been moved from facility to facility without any notice, and she has no idea where he is, adding the detainees are being treated like animals, much worse than criminals. During the two-hour rally, bilingual chants of No more CoreCivic and No papers, no fear echoed in the parking lot where activists gathered. One woman led the group in prayer in front of a flag showing the Virgin Mary with her hands tied being taken away by immigration enforcement. Organizers who visit migrants jailed inside the facility said the conditions are unsafe, and read messages from detainees reporting bad water, dirty uniforms, and no access to medicine or soap. Andre Burger of Movimiento Cosecha, an organization that visits detainees, said because the Elizabeth Detention Center is used as a processing center, inmates arent given some items like toothpaste until their third day jailed inside. Detainees who criticize conditions are retaliated against by having their visitation rights or communication access revoked, Burger said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021 signed a law banning immigrant detention, but CoreCivic sued the state to remain open. A federal judge in 2023 sided with the prison company and said the state cannot ban the federal government from contracting with private firms to detain immigrants. New Jersey officials appealed that decision, but until that appeal is heard and decided, New Jersey is forced to allow places like EDC to exist, said Burger. Protestors hold a flag showing the Virgin Mary being arrested by ICE at a rally in Elizabeth on March 3, 2025. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor) Last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials confirmed that private prison firm Geo Group plans to open a facility in Newark called Delaney Hall as the largest immigration facility on the east coast. The Trump administration touted the new immigrant jail as one that would help facilitate the presidents mandate to arrest, detain and remove illegal aliens from our communities. Geo Groups 15-year contract with ICE is worth about $1 billion. The Newark site may not be the only place ICE will house immigrant detainees in New Jersey. Documents obtained by advocacy groups last year revealed ICE is also looking to open an immigrant jail at the Albert M. Bo Robinson Treatment Center, a 1,000-bed facility in Trenton. President Trump also wants to begin holding undocumented immigrants at military sites like Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State and local leaders have condemned the move to house immigrants in Newark, but its unclear whether anyone can stop the building from opening. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka told NJ Spotlight News that Geo Group hasnt taken the proper steps to open the building. Advocacy groups say they want to see state lawmakers allocate more money to legal representation for undocumented immigrants and deportation defense funds, and to pass the Immigrant Trust Act. That bill would codify a 2018 attorney generals directive banning local police cooperation with federal immigration officials and prohibiting workers in places like public libraries from asking people about their immigration status. I think the priority at the state level is to make sure that cops do not share information with ICE, do not hand people over to ICE, and that that is the case with no exceptions, said Burger. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ST. LOUIS One of the most iconic group of soldiers in military history is being honored by the United States Congress. The U.S. Armys 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, better known as the Six Triple Eight, was the only all-female, predominately Black unit to serve overseas during World War II. The women, led by Major Charity Adams, redirected more than 17 million pieces of mail to soldiers waiting desperately to hear from their loved ones back home. The units motto was, No mail. Low morale. The servicewomen worked around the clock three eight-hour shifts a day, seven days a week. The military thought it would take them six months to tackle the massive backlog of mail, but they got the job done in three months. The battalion set military records in the U.S. Armys postal system in England and France. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They not only got letters, cards, and packages to soldiers fighting on the front lines of battle, but to all U.S. personnel, civilians, service members, Red Cross workers, and others involved in the European Theater of Operations. Congress is preparing to present the remaining members of the Six Triple Eight with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor the nation can bestow on a civilian. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Idaho Gov. Brad Little gives his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, on the House floor at the Statehouse in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) For years since voter-approved Idaho Medicaid expansion took effect in 2020, Republican state lawmakers have pointed to the programs rising costs as a reason for reform. Two weeks ago, as Idaho House lawmakers debated and narrowly passed a Medicaid expansion reform-or-repeal bill, many critics said it would effectively repeal Medicaid expansion because Idaho couldnt get federal approval for the proposed policy changes in time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill, House Bill 138, by Rep. Jordan Redman, would demand 11 policy changes to Idaho Medicaid. If the bill becomes law, Idaho failing to implement a single one of its 11 policy demands by July 2026 would trigger a repeal of Medicaid expansion in Idaho. Medicaid expansion, approved by nearly 61% of Idaho voters via ballot initiative, extended Medicaid coverage to a population commonly called the working poor that fell in a health care assistance gap. Idaho has already attempted or to some extent, already adopted five of the bills 11 proposed policy changes, an analysis by Idaho Voices for Children found. The remaining six would be new to Idaho. Other states failed to receive federal approval or never tried for many of them, the analysis found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ten of the 11 policy changes in Redmans bill require federal approval, the analysis found. Idaho already tried to implement two similar policy changes work requirements, and an option for the state-based insurance exchange which were not approved by the Trump administration during President Donald Trumps first term in office that ended in early 2020. On top of the mixed historical success states have had getting federal approval on similar policy changes as Redmans bill proposes, the bills timeline is too fast, critics say. Its simply not enough time to even go through the waiver process and public comment period not to mention implement at the state level by the deadline given, Hillarie Hagen, senior policy associate at Idaho Voices for Children, told the Idaho Capital Sun in an interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agreeing the bill would likely repeal Medicaid expansion, Senate Health and Welfare Committee Chairwoman Julie VanOrden, R-Pingree, has stopped the bill from advancing in the Senate. But on Thursday, Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls, unsuccessfully tried to schedule the bill for a hearing in committee citing the rising costs of Medicaid and the bills House passage. In her newsletter, Zuiderveld said shell continue trying to advance the bill this year. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rep. Redman says bill is aimed to reform, not repeal, Idaho Medicaid expansion Redman, a Republican from Coeur dAlene, says the bill is intended to reform, not repeal, Idaho Medicaid expansion by adding accountability to control the programs budget. Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur dAlene, on the Idaho House floor on March 25, 2024. (Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun) He says federal approval of his bills provisions is likely, suggesting that the new Trump administration is different. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As far as new things being done, I dont think weve ever seen an administration move as fast and do as many new things as were seeing this year, he told the Sun in an interview. Trump supported a congressional budget plan that critics say would massively cut Medicaid. All but one U.S. House Republican passed the plan last week, with a slim majority over the opposition of all Democrat U.S. House lawmakers, States Newsroom reported. But Trump has assured Republicans wont touch Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security. Speaking to reporters last week, Idaho Gov. Brad Little said he doesnt say what hell do with a bill until it arrives on his desk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor said hes in favor of controlling Medicaids costs, but he acknowledged Medicaid expansion was passed overwhelmingly by the public. He hadnt fully read the bill, he said, but Ive read enough of it to know Ive had concerns. But Little expressed optimism the new Trump administration would grant more Medicaid waivers. Last week, Redman and other Idaho lawmakers introduced a Medicaid cost-control bill without an expansion repeal trigger. House Bill 138 would remove tens of thousands of Idahoans from Medicaid If House Bill 138, the Medicaid repeal-or-reform bill, becomes law, Idaho successfully implementing all of the bills policies would mean kicking tens of thousands of Idahoans off Medicaid expansion. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the bills provisions would cap Medicaid expansion enrollment at 50,000 people, or less than all disabled and senior Idahoans on Medicaid whatever is lower. Asked how many disabled and senior Idahoans are on Medicaid by another lawmaker on the House floor, Redman said about 35,000 people. Medicaid enrollment can change over time. But if the bill took effect now, that provision alone would cut off Medicaid expansion access to more than half of Idahoans currently enrolled which is about 89,300 people, according to state health figures. Another provision in the bill would make people ineligible for Medicaid expansion after three years of being on the program. On average, Idahoans spend almost five years on Medicaid, state health data show. But Idahoans only spend about nine months on Medicaid expansion, on average, according to a report released late last year by Idaho Voices for Children. People are going to die if Idaho repeals Medicaid expansion, doctor says In 2016, before Idaho voters approved Medicaid expansion, Dr. Kenneth Krell told an Idaho legislative committee lawmakers had killed about 1,000 Idahoans over three years by refusing to expand Medicaid. Dr. Kenneth Krell, a former ICU director in eastern Idaho, advocated for Idaho Medicaid expansion after one of his patients died. He says her death was preventable. (Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun) Krell, a former ICU director in eastern Idaho, advocated for Idaho Medicaid expansion after one of his patients died. He says her death was preventable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Idaho repeals Medicaid expansion, a whole lot of people are going to die, he told the Sun in an interview. He isnt sure how many. But he says primary care doctors will feel how patients are impacted. Because suddenly those patients are unable to access the care theyve been receiving because theyre no longer funded, Krell said. And a lot of those patients are just going to quietly disappear. And he believes the Legislature knows the bill would end Medicaid expansion. It kind of gives them a quieter way to do that than a straight-forward repeal bill, Krell said. Research has found lower mortality rates in states that expanded Medicaid. A 2022 study found states that expanded Medicaid had lower mortality rates from any cause after Medicaid expansion than in non-expansion states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Debating the bill on the House floor, Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, said before Idaho expanded Medicaid, tens of thousands of Idahoans were in a coverage gap. People were dying of preventable illnesses, she said. It was not a magical wonderland here before we passed Medicaid expansion, where people just pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, and everybody had coverage, and everybody just worked that much harder, Rubel said. It was terrible. Idahos 2019 federal waiver for Medicaid work requirements is still pending In 2019, the Idaho Legislature passed a bill requiring Health and Welfare to seek a range of federal Medicaid waivers, including work requirements for able-bodied adults on expansion and giving expansion-eligible Idahans the option to receive tax credits for insurance on Idahos health exchange, Your Health Idaho. In August 2019, a month after Idaho submitted Idahos insurance exchange option waiver application, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS then under the first Trump administration denied it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idahos application contains no information to support a conclusion that the proposed waiver would not increase the federal deficit, CMS wrote. Fuhriman, the representative from Shelley, doesnt agree that waiver would actually increase costs for the federal government. To the federal government, 90% is less than 100%. Therefore, theyre not (deficit) neutral, he said. Pretty stupid, right? Idahos work requirement waiver is still listed as pending by CMS. Redmans proposed work requirement is more stringent than Idahos law that spurred the states pending work requirements application, the Idaho Voices for Children analysis says. If agencies dont work ahead, Idaho bill gives 10 months to implement policy changes If passed, Redmans bill would take effect in July. By October, Idaho state agencies would be required to submit to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, waivers for the bills proposed policies. If those policies arent in effect about 10 months later, by July 2026, Idaho Medicaid expansion would be repealed. Repealing expansion also requires federal approval, lawmakers say. Redman told the Sun his bill leaves a lot of the process in the hands of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. But he said the agency can package together many of the policies into one waiver. Lumping together the conditions into one waiver would add complexity and time needed for federal review, Hagen told the Sun. For something of that magnitude, youre likely looking at something a year and a half or more, she said. There is zero chance that every single one of them passes and meets rules to satisfy requirements, Hagen told the Sun. Redman understands the bills timeline is ambitious. But he thinks the federal government is moving at record speed. Weve never seen that. And good or bad, weve seen speed right now. We have seen efficiencies, and so I think thats what were going to see on these waivers, too, Redman told the Sun. Asked about how several of his bills policies havent been attempted, Redman said Idaho needs to take the lead. Were not the only state thats dealing with this, he told the Sun. So I think that (federal regulators) are highly likely to really approve these waivers and let this model play out in our state. Redman, a second-term North Idaho lawmaker, co-owns a health insurance company and several pharmacies. He told the Sun his insurance company only has one policy on Idahos insurance exchange saying the bills passage wouldnt impact him. Rep. Ben Fuhriman, R-Shelley (Courtesy of Idaho Legislature) Rep. Ben Fuhriman, a first-term Republican lawmaker from Shelley and a financial planner and health insurance agent, opposed the bill saying it would repeal Medicaid expansion. In my personal opinion, my belief there is 0% chance that all 11 of these waivers get approved and implemented in the timeline, he told the Sun in an interview. The day Fuhriman first saw the bill, he stayed up until 2 a.m., studying how CMS has reviewed states Medicaid waivers, he told the Sun. When Idaho lawmakers return next January for the 2026 legislative session, Redman says they could revisit the bill before the repeal trigger would take effect. Theres time to see what kind of movement we have on this. I mean, again, this is a goal to save the program. And Im willing to do whatever that takes to save the program, Redman told the Sun. I do want urgency from the federal side. I think were going to see that. The bill also requires several administrative changes to broader Medicaid policy not related just expansion to avoid triggering a repeal of expansion. Those elements of the bill have not been attempted before in other states and have a lot of legal questions, Hagen told the Sun. New Trump administration and changes to Medicaid program Hagen agreed the Trump administration is looking for new ways to change the Medicaid program. But she said Redmans bills proposed waivers are not necessarily creative or innovative. They simply just take people off of the program, she told the Sun. Several of those waivers, she said, violate federal rules that state these waivers (types) must expand coverage and increase access to the program or healthcare services. Even if the Trump administration has a desire to approve some of these requirements, they still dont meet waiver rules. And if approved, will likely end up in federal court, as many other state waivers have, Hagen told the Sun. Fuhriman said he doesnt think work requirements alone can be approved. The thing that people dont realize, I think, in this, is that this isnt the Trump administration that gives these waivers willy nilly. Its its law, Fuhriman said. And some of these waivers are built into the Affordable Care Act. The changes theyre trying to make the only way that they could approve those changes would be for Congress to come in and change the law. Idaho Gov. Brad Little gives a press conference after delivering his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, in the Lincoln Auditorium in the Idaho Capitol. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Speaking to reporters last week, Little, Idahos governor, seemed more optimistic about the prospect of federal approval. He said he guarantees there are going to be more Medicaid waivers. Asked how the Trump administration could grant waivers previously rejected, Little suggested federal legal interpretations might change. We shall see. The one thing I will tell you about Donald J. Trump is he doesnt mind pushing the envelope on some of those, Little told reporters. And I know thats a real shocker to everybody in this room. CMS, which evaluates states Medicaid waivers, did not reply to a request for comment from the Sun about the likelihood of Redmans bills demands receiving federal approval. A spokesperson for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare declined to comment on the likelihood of federal approval for the proposed waivers, saying the agency does not comment on pending legislation. Trump officials mass firings of federal workers, spurred by billionaire Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, led to layoffs of federal health officials, including at CMS, Politico reported. To Hagen, those layoffs are likely to extend the time needed to review waivers. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE * NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called the defense summit in London "a good meeting," saying "European countries are stepping up to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to fight for as long as necessary." * While the summit has pushed Europe toward greater security commitments, the region still faces divisions over whether to deploy troops to Ukraine under a peacekeeping framework. by Xinhua writers Zheng Bofei, Jin Jing, Larry Neild LONDON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Following last week's Trump-Zelensky White House clash, more than a dozen Western leaders gathered here Sunday to revive efforts for a Ukraine peace deal and propose a settlement to Washington. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the summit as a "once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe." Although the meeting could push the region toward greater self-reliance in security, many observers fear the measures may be too little and too late. WAKE-UP CALL Europe now finds itself at a moment of truth in its security strategy. Before Friday's diplomatic debacle at the White House, Russia-U.S. talks on the Ukraine crisis took place in Riyadh on Feb. 18, with neither Europe nor Ukraine given a seat at the table. Just one week later, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a plan to impose a 25-percent tariff on all goods imported from the European Union (EU), and justified the move by claiming that the EU was formed to "screw" the United States. Europe was in a "moment of real fragility," Starmer told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. This photo shows a scene during a defense summit in London, Britain, March 2, 2025. (Lauren Hurley/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua) Asked about the White House clash involving the duo of Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told BBC before the summit that the breakdown was a "wake-up call" for European nations, stressing that they must adopt a cohesive strategy for the Ukraine crisis and post-conflict arrangements. Stubb expressed frustration over shifting transatlantic ties, saying the U.S.-Europe relationship "is evolving," and "we're witnessing a more transactional United States, where the Trump administration -- rightly or wrongly -- is pursuing an 'America First' policy." This has led European leaders to explore their own security solutions. At the Munich Security Conference last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed for an emergency clause that would allow governments to increase defense spending without being constrained by the EU's strict budget deficit rules. After Sunday's summit, she reiterated that Europe must "step up massively" and forge a common security approach. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Sunday that European countries should boost their defense spending to between 3 and 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). His proposal came a few days after Starmer's announcement that Britain would increase its defense spending to 2.5 percent of its GDP by 2027 and to 3 percent in the next parliamentary term, which would mean by 2034 at the latest. Following a bilateral meeting with Ukraine on Saturday, Britain also agreed to loan Ukraine 2.26 billion pounds (2.84 billion U.S. dollars) to bolster its defense capabilities. Shortly after the summit, Britain further committed 1.6 billion pounds (2 billion dollars) in export finance, allowing Ukraine to purchase over 5,000 air defense missiles. More than eight years after Britain voted to depart from the EU, it has positioned itself at the forefront of European security efforts, trying to play the role of a "bridge" between Europe and the United States to secure a peace deal for Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (2nd R) at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) STRENGTHENED BOND After Sunday's summit, Starmer outlined a four-step plan to strengthen Ukraine and support peace: to maintain military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues and increase economic pressure on Russia; to ensure that any lasting peace guarantees Ukraine's sovereignty and security, with Ukraine at the table for any negotiations; to deter "any future invasion by Russia" in the event of a peace deal; and to establish a "coalition of the willing" to defend Ukraine and uphold peace in the country. The summit's outcome was welcomed by European leaders. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called it "a good meeting," saying "European countries are stepping up to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to fight for as long as necessary." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the importance of NATO and said on social media on Sunday: "In recent years, we have strengthened our alliance with new members and increased defense spending. This is the path we will continue to follow." However, doubts remain over whether Europe can fully safeguard a peace deal on its own. When asked how Britain plans to persuade more countries to join the "coalition of the willing," Starmer acknowledged that some countries may be reluctant to contribute militarily. "I strongly feel that unless some countries move forward, we will stay in the position we're in and not be able to move forward," he said, while admitting the goal to "stay in lockstep with the United States." Flags of European Union (EU) and Ukraine are seen at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) TRANSATLANTIC DISAGREEMENTS The EU and the Trump administration have a range of disagreements on the settlement of the Ukraine crisis, while the U.S. provision of security guarantees for Ukraine is foremost among the discussions. Within a week before the London summit, both Macron and Starmer visited Washington to seek U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine or Europe, but failed to persuade Trump in this regard. Trump sidestepped the question of security guarantees, expressing confidence that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, would "keep his word" if an agreement is reached. He also ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine's NATO membership has been a focal issue in the crisis. Earlier on Sunday before the summit, Starmer announced that Britain, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States. He named three essential points to achieve "lasting peace" -- a strong Ukraine, a European element with security guarantees and a U.S. backstop, with the last one being the subject of "intense" discussion. After the announcement of the four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine at the summit, the participating leaders also agreed to meet again soon to sustain the momentum behind these efforts. "Europe must do the heavy lifting," Starmer said, emphasizing that the agreement needs U.S. backing. Iain Begg, a research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told Xinhua: "The real question is whether this will be enough to sway the White House. We've seen time and again that Washington can reverse its stance overnight." Also on Sunday, Macron told a French newspaper that he was "trying to make Washington understand that disengaging from Ukraine is not in America's interest." While the summit has pushed Europe toward greater security commitments, the region still faces divisions over whether to deploy troops to Ukraine under a peacekeeping framework. For now, some major European countries, including Germany, Spain and Poland, remain hesitant to commit troops to Ukraine, with Britain and France taking the lead in potentially sending military forces. Meanwhile, the EU is still in the early stages of developing a defense budget plan. Some experts noted that Europe's efforts to build its own defense capabilities may still have a long way to go. David Galbreath, a professor of international security at the University of Bath, pointed to the U.S. military's capabilities: "The U.S. provides far sharper military capabilities, such as long-range strikes, sophisticated anti-tank systems and advanced surface-to-air missiles, than anything coming from Europe." (Video reporters: Liu Yuxuan, Ma Ruxuan, Xia Yuanyi, Wu Lu, Zhang Boning, Jin Jing, Zheng Bofei; video editors: Hong Yan, Wei Yin, Wang Han) Mar. 3IDEA Public Schools is proud to celebrate a historic milestone: 25 years of delivering a college-bound, tuition-free education to thousands of students from underserved communities. On March 3, 2025, IDEA Public Schools marked its 25th anniversary preparing students for college and in life. Since 2000, IDEA has grown from a small school of 150 students in the Rio Grande Valley to 145 schools serving 87,000 students across Texas, Ohio, Louisiana, and Florida. "For 25 years, IDEA has transformed lives by reaffirming our mission to ensure that every student, regardless of their background, has the tools and support needed to prepare them for success in college and in life," Jeff Cottrill, CEO and Superintendent of IDEA Public Schools, said in a news release. "We are immensely grateful to our teachers, staff, students, families, and community partners who have contributed to our legacy, as we renew our commitment to shaping a brighter future for generations to come." From its humble beginnings, IDEA has become a national leader in college access. For the past 17 years, IDEA has achieved nearly 100% college acceptance among seniors and enrolls 95% of graduates in college, more than twice the national rate for low-income students. So far, IDEA has supported over 13,000 graduates in their journey to & through college and will have supported nearly 50,000 graduates by 2030. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the core of IDEA's mission is the commitment to create opportunities and provide access to high-quality education to every student. Through the unique curriculum and college support model, IDEA aims to close the opportunity gap and increase levels of achievement by preparing students for success. IDEA is committed to a mission of "College for ALL children," ensuring more students from low-income backgrounds, students who would be the first generation in their families to attend college, and students who come from groups historically underrepresented in higher education, have access to realizing their dreams. As IDEA Public Schools commemorates its 25th anniversary, schools across the network are celebrating in a variety of ways, including spirit days, read-a-thons, or essays and art contests. More importantly, the celebrations will include demonstrations of gratitude to teachers, staff, students, families, and community partners for being part of the journey. IDEA encourages its alumni, families, and community members to join us in celebrating this milestone by sharing their IDEA stories on social media, attending campus events, and supporting IDEA's mission to expand educational opportunities for all. While IDEA Public Schools has many reasons to celebrate, here is a list of some of the significant accomplishments over the past 25 years: College Acceptance: Nearly 100 percent college acceptance among seniors for 17 consecutive years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement National Recognition: Enrolling 95 percent of graduates in college, more than twice the national rate for low-income students. Academic Excellence: Recognized among the top high schools in the nation, IDEA continues to set the standard for academic excellence, with 22 high schools ranking in the top 8% nationwide in 2024, by the U.S. News & World Report. Student Enrollment: Currently, IDEA serves 87,000 students in 145 schools in Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Florida. Health Recognition: In 2024, 133 IDEA campuses were honored on the Alliance for a Healthier Generation's list of "America's Healthiest Schools." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Energy Efficient: In 2024, the White House named IDEA Public Schools as a national leader in Efficient and Healthy Schools Program Broad Prize Winner: IDEA Public Schools was named the 2016 Broad Prize Winner, a prestigious award in public education that recognizes strong student academic achievement to prepare students for college. College Signing Day: In its longstanding tradition, IDEA Public Schools has celebrated thousands of graduating seniors as they reveal the college of their choice to classmates, families, teachers, staff, and community members. Watch the magic here. Top Rankings: IDEA Public Schools has been recognized in national rankings for The Washington Post and the U.S. Department of Education's list of Blue Ribbon Schools. As IDEA Public Schools looks ahead, the organization remains committed to expanding its reach, developing innovative educational practices, and further strengthening its college-readiness programs to serve even more students across the nation. Editors note: This story will be updated as the mushers advance in the 2025 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Check back for more details. Richard Arlin Walker ICT Mushers Jessie Holmes and Matt Hall and their dog teams were within four miles of each other at 8:20 a.m. Alaska Time on Wednesday, March 12, as they approached within 200 miles of the finish line in the 2025 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Holmes and his team were at mile 928 on the Norton Sound coast and picking up their pace to 8.4 mph. Hall was at mile 924 and resting, but had maintained an average moving speed of 7.4 mph. Paige Drobny and her team were resting at mile 908 but had maintained an average moving speed of 8.0 mph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Past Iditarod champion Ryan Redington, Inupiaq, had moved up to sixth at mile 864 and was racing at 9.7 mph with an average moving speed of 8.1 mph. Three-time past champion Mitch Seavey was behind him at mile 861. Children in Grayling, Alaska, follow musher Jessie Holmes and his dog team as they arrive on March 9 in the 2025 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. By March 10, Holmes had retaken the lead. (Photo courtesy Iditarod Insider) The front three are heading to Koyuk (mile 958), then Elim (mile 1008) and White Mountain (mile 1,057), where all mushers and teams are required to take an eight-hour rest. Then, they move on to Safety (mile 1,106) and then the finish in Nome at mile 1,128. Its really exciting we have three teams that are this close, Iditarod Insider commentator Bruce Lee said March 11, adding that it could be close all the way to the finish line. Lee and fellow commentator Greg Heiser were glad to get to the Norton Sound coast. Some 785 miles of the race were along the Yukon River, where mushers and dog teams encountered cold wind, mushy trail conditions and not much else. It was a lonely stretch at one checkpoint, a cabin was the only dwelling and Lee said the monotony of the race along the Yukon made the race feel like it was 2,500 miles, uphill both ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norton Sound and the Bering Sea coast is one of the places in Alaska that I love the most, summer and winter, Lee said on Iditarod Insider. When I ran the Iditarod, I used to say that I ran all the other miles just to get to the Bering Sea coast striking scenery, different Native culture. It feels like dog-mushing country. Holmes, Hall and Drobny are experienced, formidable competitors. Holmes has competed in seven Iditarods, finishing third in 2024, fifth in 2023, third in 2022, ninth in 2020, and seventh in 2018, his rookie year. Hall has competed in six Iditarods, finishing second in 2024, fourth in 2023, and sixth in 2019. Drobny has competed in nine Iditarods, placing fifth in 2024 and seventh in 2019 and 2020. Matt Hall (#4), of Two Rivers, Alaska, mushes down Fourth Street during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, March 1, 2025. Hall took over first place in the race on Monday, March 10. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman) Holmes, Hall and Drobnys teams were looking strong at 900 miles well-fed and rested. Theyve camped off trail and stopped at checkpoints for three or four hours in addition to the required 24- and eight-hour rests all mushers and teams are required to take. Holmes stopped in Unalakleet (mile 866) at 7:03 p.m. March 11 only to check in and receive the Ryan Air Gold Coast Award for being the first musher to arrive at that checkpoint: one ounce of gold nuggets valued at more than $1,500 and a wood-carved loon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were feeling good, Holmes responded when asked how he and his dog team were doing. Its hard to not be energized with all this awesome energy around. Other first-musher-in awards Holmes has received in this race: in Kaltag, the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Fish First Award of 25 pounds of Bristol Bay salmon filets, $2,000, and an art piece by artist Apayuq Moore, Yupik; in Grayling southbound, GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award, $3,000 in gold nuggets and a perpetual trophy made of Alaskan birch and marble; and in Grayling northbound, the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award, beaver-fur mushers mitts with beadwork on moose hide, handmade by Loretta Maillelle, Athabascan; and a beaver fur hat made by Rosalie Egrass, Athabascan. Thirty-three mushers and teams left the starting line on March 3 in Fairbanks. Seven mushers two Iditarod veterans and five rookies have since scratched. Rookie Daniel Klein dropped out in Galena (mile 369) on March 7 after one of his dogs, Ventana, collapsed. Efforts to revive Ventana were unsuccessful and she died, the Iditarod Race Committee reported. Two board-certified veterinary pathologists in Anchorage conducted a necropsy. At this time, the only unexpected finding was that Ventana was pregnant, Iditarod race marshal Warren Palfrey reported on March 8. Further testing at the laboratory is being performed as per race protocol for thorough investigation to complete the necropsy study. Day 9, March 11 Matt Hall and his team pushed ahead of Jessie Holmes at Kaltag (mile 785) early March 11 as Holmes and team took one of the two eight-hour rests that are required in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hall, who took his 24-hour rest in Galena (mile 369) and his eight-hour rest in Shageluk (mile 631), arrived at the Kaltag checkpoint at 4:45 a.m. Alaska time and departed at 4:57 a.m., turning west off the Yukon River onto the Iditarod National Historic Trail for the 81-mile trek to Unalakleet (mile 866) and the Norton Sound coast. Unalakleet is 262 miles from the finish line in Nome. All but one of the top 10 mushers and teams have taken their required 24-hour and eight-hour rests. A second eight-hour rest is required at White Mountain (mile 1,057), so each mushers run-rest-run strategy from here will be interesting to watch. Six-time champion Dallas Seavey, who is not competing in the Iditarod this year, liked to take a wide early lead to force other mushers to cut their rests short and catch up. In one Iditarod he rested his team out of view off-trail and other mushers pushed on, thinking he was still racing. They cut their rests short to chase a ghost. Hall arrived in Kaltag roughly 7 hours 15 minutes after Holmes. Halls dogs last rested for two hours in Grayling (mile 659) but likely took rests in between checkpoints en route to Eagle Island and Kaltag, so hell be contending with a Holmes team that is freshly fed and rested. Holmes and his team left Kaltag at 5:28 a.m., a half-hour after Hall. At 5:51 a.m., Hall and his team were at mile 790 and moving at 6.3 mph. Holmes was at mile 787 and closing in at 7.8 mph. Paige Drobny and her team were at mile 785 and taking a break. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rounding out the top 10: Nic Petit at mile 751 (7.9 mph), Michelle Phillips at mile 748 (7.2 mph), Mille Porsild at mile 738 (9.2 mph), Bailey Vitello at mile 735 (7.8 mph), three-time Iditarod champion Mitch Seavey at mile 725 (7.6 mph), Travis Beals at mile 722 (8.7 mph), and Ryan Redington resting at mile 715. Redingtons average moving speed has been 8.2 mph. Redington, Inupiaq, won the race in 2023. He is the only Alaska Native musher in the 2025 Iditarod. Holmes was the first musher to arrive at Kaltag and received the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Fish First Award 25 pounds of Bristol Bay salmon filets, $2,000, and an art piece by artist Apayuq Moore, Yupik. Earlier, Holmes received the GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award for being the first musher to reach the Grayling checkpoint, at mile 582, the halfway point of the 2025 race. He received $3,000 in gold nuggets and a perpetual trophy made of Alaskan birch and marble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was also the first to reach Grayling the second time on the return up the Yukon River and won the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award: a pair of beaver fur mushers mitts with beadwork on moose hide, handmade by Loretta Maillelle, Athabascan, and a beaver fur hat made by Rosalie Egrass, Athabascan. Day 8, March 10 Jessie Holmes had a 20-mile lead ahead of his closest competitor at 6 a.m. Alaska time on Monday, March 10, after passing the halfway mark in the 2025 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Holmes and his team have maintained an average moving speed of 8.3 mph and was resting his team at mile 699 on the Yukon River enroute to Eagle Island and Kaltag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matt Hall and his team passed Paige Drobny at mile 678 as she rested her team; Hall was running at 6.9 mph. Mitch Seavey, a three-time past champion, and his team were at mile 660 and running at 5.9 mph. Past champion Ryan Redington, Inupiaq, and his team were at mile 634 and in ninth place. They were running at 8.2 mph. Redington is the only Alaska Native in the race. Related: Just one Alaska Native competitor for Iditarod This Iditarod, the 53rd running, is 1,128 miles, the longest in the races history. The race officially began March 3 in Fairbanks. Thirty-three mushers and teams left the starting line, and five have since dropped out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From Fairbanks, mushers and dogs traveled 456 miles along the Yukon River to Kaltag, then turned south on a 329-mile loop to Shageluk and back. Upon returning to Kaltag, mushers and dogs will head west on an 81-mile run along Iditarod National Historic Trail to Unalakleet, and then traverse the Norton Sound coast on the 262 miles to the finish line in Nome. Drobny received the Feast on the Yukon Award a locally sourced gourmet dinner prepared by a chef on March 6 for being the first musher to arrive at the Galena checkpoint on the Yukon River, roughly the one-third mark at mile 369. Holmes received the GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award on March 8 for being the first musher to reach the Grayling checkpoint, at mile 582, the halfway point of the 2025 race. He received $3,000 in gold nuggets and a perpetual trophy made of Alaskan birch and marble. Holmes also was the first to reach Grayling the second time March 9 on the return up the Yukon River and won the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award. He received a pair of beaver fur mushers mitts with beadwork on moose hide, handmade by Loretta Maillelle; and a beaver fur hat made by Rosalie Egrass. Maillelle, of Grayling, and Egrass, of McGrath, are Athabascan. Day 7, March 9 Inupiaq musher Ryan Redington and his team remained in the top 10 in this years Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Sunday, March 9, reaching the halfway point of Grayling (mile 582) at 5:08 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Redington chose to take his mandatory eight-hour rest there. Ahead of him are past champion Mitch Seavey in seventh, Bailey Vitello in sixth, Nic Petit in fifth, Michelle Phillips in fourth, Matt Hall in third, Paige Drobny in second and Jessie Holmes in first. By noon, Holmes and Drobny had reached Shageluk, the terminus of the southern spur in the route, and were heading north where theyll revisit Grayling, Eagle Island and Kaltag and then turn west onto the Iditarod National Historic Trail to Unalakleet (mile 866) and the Norton Sound coast. Mushers and teams then travel the often frigid, windswept coastline to the finish line in Nome. This Iditarod, the 53rd running, is 1,128 miles, the longest in the races history. The race began officially on Monday, March 3, in Fairbanks. Thirty-three mushers and teams left the starting line; five have since dropped out. Redington is the 2023 Iditarod champion and the only Alaska Native in this years race. He has four top-10 Iditarod finishes and is also a two-time winner of the Kobuk 440 in Kotzebue and the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Northern Minnesota. Redington and his team took their required 24-hour rest in Galena (mile 369), with additional rests and feedings as needed, and have maintained an average moving speed of 8.6 mph. Their speed slowed to 5.26 mph on the 70-mile run from Kaltag to Eagle Island, the previous checkpoint, and Redington was counting on fresh snow to make the trail easier on the return north along the Yukon River to Kaltag. Grayling is a good stop for my team, he told Iditarod Insider as his team rested. It was a tough trail to get into Eagle Island You couldnt fall asleep on the runners, you had to pay attention the whole time. It took a lot of effort by the dogs and the mushers. The snow were getting now will make it a lot better. Of the competition, he said, I havent seen Jessie for a while. Mitchs team is really impressive in how they eat and their attitude. There are a lot of really nice-looking teams. Its exciting for me to watch that. Its a pretty cool race. Day 6, March 8 Paige Drobny leapfrogged ahead of Jessie Holmes at mile 495 early on Saturday, March 8, in the 1,128-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race as Inupiaq musher Ryan Redington remained in the top 10. At 8:15 a.m. Alaska time, Drobny and her team were at mile 506 and Holmes was close by at mile 500. Rounding out the top 10 at that time: Matt Hall at mile 493; Michelle Phillips at mile 481; Mille Porsild at mile 477; past champion Mitch Seavey at mile 473; past champion Ryan Redington, Inupiaq, at mile 471; Riley Dyche at mile 464; and Nic Petit and rookie Emily Ford at mile 456. Paige Drobny, of Cantwell, Alaska, mushes through downtown Anchorage during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on March 1, 2025. The race officially started in Fairbanks on March 3. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman) Iditarod Insider commentator Bruce Lee, an Iditarod veteran, said in a livecast early March 8 that the top 5 teams were looking really strong and traveling faster than he expected. If he were a betting man, he said, hed favor Drobny or Phillips to win a finish that would add to the history of this race. Commentator Greg Heiser said that would make this Iditarod one of the greatest in its 53-year running. The route is usually 975 to 998 miles; this year its 1,128 and the longest ever. And should Drobny or Phillips win, they would be the first female Iditarod champion since Susan Butcher in 1990. Lee commented on the mental challenges of this years race. This race follows the Yukon River for 785 miles, then turns west onto the Iditarod National Historic Trail to Unalakleet (mile 866) and the Norton Sound coast. Lee said the usual route which lacked snow this year has transitions that are lacking in this race: the Alaska Range, the interior Athabascan villages, the open tundra, and the coast. This race is river, river, river, and coast. It contributes to how long this race already feels, Lee said. Twenty-eight mushers were still in the race as of morning March 8. Five mushers including 2024 fourth-place finisher Jeff Deeter - have dropped out in the interest of their dogs since the official start of the race on March 3 in Fairbanks, the Iditarod Trail Committee reported. Jessie Holmes (#15), of Alabama, mushes down Fourth Street during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, March 1, 2025. By Day 7 of the race, on Sunday, March 9, Holmes was trading the lead with musher Paige Drobny. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman) The top eight teams Saturday morning had taken their required 24-hour rests; Petit, Ford and their dog teams were taking their required 24s in Kaltag (mile 456). Fords team is energized; she has fed and rested them for least four hours at most checkpoints and when running has maintained an average moving speed of 7.6 mph to stay in contention. All mushers are also required to take two eight-hour breaks at checkpoints one of them at White Mountain (mile 1,057) but mushers give their teams additional rests and feedings based on dog performance and trail conditions. As the teams approach the halfway point, each mushers rest-and-run strategy becomes clearer. Drobny moved ahead of Holmes as he gave his team an additional break at mile 495 and she and her team accelerated to 9 mph to take a nine-mile lead before Holmes and team again took up the race. The route turns south at Kaltag and mushers and teams follow the Yukon River to Eagle Island (mile 526). The musher finds his constant battle with cold winds on the Yukon River about half over, but its still a long 65 miles to the next checkpoint, according to the Iditarod Trail Committee. Ralph Conatsers cabin, the only dwelling in Eagle Island, is the checkpoint. When mushers and dogs reach the next checkpoint, Grayling (mile 582), theyve passed the halfway point in the race. The route continues south to Anvik and Shageluk, then loops north and returns to Grayling. The first musher to reach Grayling 2 (mile 659) will receive a pair of beaver fur mushers mitts with beadwork on moose hide, handmade by Loretta Maillelle, Athabascan. Mushers and teams stop a second time in Eagle Island (mile 715) and Kaltag (mile 785) and then turn west onto the Iditarod National Historic Trail to Unalakleet (mile 866). This is part of the route used in the 1925 Serum Run, in which mushers and dog teams delivered a diphtheria antitoxin to rural communities to fend off an epidemic. The first musher to Unalakleet receives $1,500 in gold nuggets and a carved ivory sculpture of a sled dog team. In Unalakleet, mushers and dog teams enter the often frigid and windblown Norton Sound coastline and are 262 miles from the finish line in Nome. Theyll stop in Shaktoolik (mile 908), Koyuk (mile 958), Elim (mile 1,008), White Mountain (mile 1,057), and Safety (mile 1,106) before those final 22 miles to the finish line. Redington is the only Indigenous Alaskan in this years Iditarod. His grandfather, Joe Redington Sr., who was non-Native, founded the race in 1973 to celebrate the heritage of the Alaska sled dog. The race was won by Alaska Natives in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2011, 2019 and 2023. The top three finishers in 1974 and 2023 were Alaska Natives. And 2011 champion John Baker, Inupiaq, is the sixth-winningest Iditarod musher of all time, with a total of $602,658 in earnings in 22 races. Day 5, March 7 The strategies are becoming clearer, the field is winnowing down, and the race is changing by the day. Jessie Holmes and his dog team moved into the lead on Friday, March 7, in the 2025 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, opting to take their required 24-hour rest in Kaltag (mile 456). Holmes is hoping the lead hes built will push other competitors to cut their rests short and play catch-up. Holmes and his team arrived at 12:42 a.m. Alaska time, clocking 8.28 mph in the run from Nulato (mile 420). Nic Petit and his dogs arrived in Kaltag some 7.5 hours later and were resting late morning. Four mushers, among them three-time champion Mitch Seavey, were in Nulato feeding and resting their dogs. 2023 champion Ryan Redington, Inupiaq, was in ninth place and resting his team in Galena (mile 469). He told Iditarod Insider, the Iditarods online program, that he decided to rest his team in Galena for 24 hours so they could eat well and sleep out the warm daytime temperatures. He told Iditarod Insider he wanted to let them bounce back and enjoy a good [rest]. The temperature in Galena is expected to peak at 25 degrees Fahrenheit on March 7 with occasional snow showers, according to the National Weather Service. The 53rd annual Iditarod got underway at 11 a.m. on March 3 in Fairbanks. Some 33 mushers and teams embarked on the 1,128-mile journey to Nome, which incorporates part of the route used in the 1925 Serum Run, in which mushers and dog teams delivered a diphtheria antitoxin to rural communities to fend off an epidemic. Two mushers dropped out in Tanana (mile 202): rookies Brenda Mackey on March 5 amd Charmayne Morrison on March 6, both in the best interest of their teams, the Iditarod Trail Committee reported. Inupiaq musher Ryan Redington remained in the top 10 on Day 7, March 9, 2025, of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Here, Redington, who won the 2023 race, tells Iditarod Insider on March 6 that he decided to rest his dog team in Galena, Alaska, for 24 hours. (Photo courtesy Iditarod Insider) Mushers and their dog teams are required to take one 24-hour rest and two eight-hour rests during the race, but they take additional rests as needed off trail or at checkpoints. Timing and length of rests, as well as knowing when to pick up the pace or ease off based on dog performance and trail conditions, factor into strategy. Grayling (mile 582) is the next checkpoint after Kaltag and Eagle Island. In Grayling, the route continues south to Anvik and Shageluk, then loops north and returns to Grayling. The first musher to reach Grayling 2 (mile 659) will receive a pair of beaver fur mushers mitts with beadwork on moose hide, handmade by Loretta Maillelle, Athabascan. The first musher to Unalakleet (mile 866) will receive $1,500 in gold nuggets and a carved ivory sculpture of a sled dog team. In Unalakleet, mushers and dog teams enter the often frigid and windblown Norton Sound coastline and are 262 miles from the finish line in Nome. Redington is the only Alaska Native in this years Iditarod. His grandfather, Joe Redington Sr., who was non-Native, founded the race in 1973 to celebrate the heritage of the Alaska sled dog. The race was won by Alaska Natives in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2011, 2019 and 2023. The top three finishers in 1974 and 2023 were Alaska Natives. And 2011 champion John Baker, Inupiaq, is the sixth-winningest Iditarod musher of all time, with a total of $602,658 in earnings in 22 races. Day 4, March 6 Inupiaq musher Ryan Redington and his sled dogs were among the five teams in front of the field on Thursday, March 6, in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Redington, the 2023 champion, and his well-rested team were moving at 8.4 mph at 8:30 a.m. Alaska Time, some 348 miles into the 1,128-mile race, according to an Iditarod GPS tracker. Paige Drobny and her team were in the lead at mile 369, with an average moving speed of 8.7 mph, and had built up enough distance to afford her team a rest. Matt Hall and his team were in second at mile 361, with an average moving speed of 7.6 mph. Jessie Holmes and his team were in third at mile 356, having picked up their pace to 8.7 mph in an attempt to close the gap. Michelle Phillips and her team were in fourth at mile 355 and looking to move up, with an average moving speed of 8.6 mph. The front five is a formidable group. Drobny placed fifth in 2024 and is a veteran of nine Iditarods with three top 10 finishes. Hall placed second in 2024 and is a veteran of six Iditarods with three top 10 finishes. Holmes, an ultramarathoner and outdoorsman known for his appearances in NatGeos Life Below Zero, placed third in 2024 and has five top 10 finishes in seven Iditarods. Phillips is a veteran of 12 Iditarods, her career-high finish being 11th in 2021. Drobny was the first musher to reach Ruby, mile 319, the home of 1975 Iditarod Champion Emmitt The Yukon Fox Peters (1940-2020). The first musher into Ruby receives a gourmet dinner prepared by chefs from top locally sourced restaurants. Another honor awaits the first musher into Kaltag, the checkpoint at mile 456: a check for $2,000 and 25 pounds of Bristol Bay salmon. Mushers and their dog teams are required to take one 24-hour rest and two eight-hour rests during the race, but they take additional rests as needed off trail or at checkpoints. Timing and length of rests, as well as nutrition and pace, are part of the strategy. Bruce Lee of Iditarod Insider reported a few mushers told him they expected to take their mandatory 24-hour rests on Kaltag or Grayling, roughly midway into the race. In Grayling (mile 582), the route continues south to Anvik and Shageluk, then loops north and returns to Grayling. The first musher to reach Grayling 2 (mile 659) will receive a pair of beaver fur mushers mitts with beadwork on moose hide, handmade by Loretta Maillelle, Athabascan. The first musher to Unalakleet (mile 866) will receive $1,500 in gold nuggets and a carved ivory sculpture of a sled dog team. In Unalakleet, mushers and dog teams enter the often frigid and windblown Norton Sound coastline and are 262 miles from the finish line in Nome. Redington is the only Indigenous Alaskan in this years Iditarod. His grandfather, Joe Redington Sr., who was non-Native, founded the race in 1973 to celebrate the heritage of the Alaska sled dog. The race was won by Alaska Natives in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2011, 2019 and 2023. The top three finishers in 1974 and 2023 were Alaska Natives. And 2011 champion John Baker, Inupiaq, is the sixth-winningest Iditarod musher of all time, with a total of $602,658 in earnings in 22 races. Day 3, March 5 Past Iditarod champion Ryan Redington, Inupiaq, and his sled dogs were the eighth team to leave the checkpoint in Tanana on Wednesday, March 5, departing at 3:12 a.m. after a six-hour rest. Redington and his team averaged just under 6 mph into Tanana, but by 9:30 a.m. they had picked up their pace to 9.7 mph on the Yukon River ice and were at mile 245 and closing in on leader Paige Drobny, a three-time, top-10 finisher. Mitch Seavey, the only other past Iditarod champion in the field, was at mile 230 and in 11th place. The next checkpoint: Ruby, mile 319 in the 1,128-mile race. This town of 187 residents has special significance in the world of mushing. This was the home of 1975 Iditarod Champion Emmitt The Yukon Fox Peters (1940-2020). Ruby was also home for many of the mushers who carried mail for the Northern Commercial Company from Tanana to Ruby, according to information provided by the Iditarod Trail Committee. Dog team mail ended here in 1931. The first musher to reach Ruby will receive a gourmet dinner prepared by chefs from top locally sourced restaurants. Other awards to be presented to the first musher to reach specific checkpoints: in Kaltag (mile 456), a check for $2,000 and 25 pounds of Bristol Bay salmon; and in Grayling (mile 582), a trophy and $3,000 in gold nuggets or a new smartphone with a year of free service. In Grayling, the route continues south to Anvik and Shageluk, then loops north and returns to Grayling. The first musher to reach Grayling 2 659 miles into the race will receive a pair of beaver fur mushers mitts with beadwork on moose hide, handmade by Loretta Maillelle, Athabascan. The first musher to Unalakleet (mile 866) will receive $1,500 in gold nuggets and a carved ivory sculpture of a sled dog team. Thirty-three teams are competing in this years Iditarod, which is taking place during the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Serum Run, when mushers and dog teams delivered diphtheria antitoxin to remote Alaskan villages to ward off an epidemic. This years mushers and dog teams will retrace much of the route used in 1925. Theyll travel the Yukon River to Unalakleet on Norton Sound, and will travel along an often windy, frigid coastline for 262 miles to the finish line in Nome. Redington, a veteran of 10 Iditarods with one championship and four top-10 finishes, told Iditarod Insider in Tanana that he was focused on keeping his team happy and not running them too far without a break 55 miles or less at 9.6 to 9.7 mph. As for how hes staying in the zone: Im just listening to music and enjoying the race, he told Iditarod Insider, the races online channel. Im enjoying the beauty of the race and the country that were in here. Its never boring. Day 2, March 4 Eight-time Iditarod veteran Jason Mackey held a narrow lead Tuesday, March 4, in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. But past champion Ryan Redington, Inupiaq, was within six miles of Mackey and closing at 8 a.m. Alaska Time. The 1,128-mile race officially began March 3 in Fairbanks. Sled dogs on the team of Michelle Phillips (14), of Canada, run during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, March 1, 2025. The official start of the race began March 3, 2025, in Fairbanks. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman) Mackey whose father and two brothers were Iditarod champions and his dog team were resting in Manley Hot Springs, 137 miles into the race, according to the Iditarod GPS tracker. Redington and his dog team were fresh off a rest 107 miles into the race, near the confluence of the Tenana and Tolovana rivers, and had resumed racing at an average speed of 9.7 mph. Matt Hall, who finished second in 2024 and fourth in 2023, was at mile 123 and in sixth place; he and his dog team were racing at 8.4 mph. Jessie Holmes of Life Below Zero, who finished third in 2024 and fifth in 2023, was at mile 120 and in 10th place; he and his team had picked up their pace to 10.4 mph. Mitch Seavey, the only other past champion in the race, was at mile 115 and in 12th place; he and his dog team were racing at 10.2 mph. Thirty-three teams are competing in this years Iditarod, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Serum Run of 1925, when mushers and dog teams delivered diphtheria antitoxin to remote Alaskan villages to ward off an epidemic. This years mushers and dog teams will retrace much of the route used in 1925. Theyll follow the winding Yukon River for 785 miles, head west on the Iditarod National Historic Trail to Unalakleet on Norton Sounds, and then traverse an often windy, frigid coastline on their final stretch to Nome. Day 1, March 3 Thirty-three mushers and dog teams set off from Fairbanks to Nome on Monday, March 3, in the 53rd Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. This years race is unique in many ways. Here are some highlights. Serum Run: The 2025 Iditarod takes place during the 100th anniversary of the Serum Run of 1925, a relay of mushers and dog teams that fended off a diphtheria epidemic by delivering antitoxin to remote Alaska communities. The sled dog had been part of Alaska Native life for centuries, but thanks to coverage in newspapers and on radio the Serum Run of 1925 cemented the Alaska sled dog in the worlds eyes as a symbol of grit and tenacity. Family ties: The Iditarod was founded in 1973 to keep alive the heritage of the Alaska sled dog, which was being supplanted by snow machines (snowmobiles, to you lower 48ers). This years race features several mushers with family ties to the first Iditarod: past champion Ryan Redington, grandson of race founder Joe Redington Sr.; three-time champion Mitch Seavey, whose father Dan competed in the first and 40th Iditarods, and several other in between; Jason Mackey, whose father Dick raced in the first Iditarod and won the race in 1978; and Brenda Mackey, Dicks granddaughter and Jasons niece. All told, six Mackeys, six Redingtons and six Seaveys have raced in the Iditarod. The Mackeys have produced three champions, the Seaveys two, and the Redingtons one. Climate change: This years race casts the spotlight, as it has in past years, on a changing climate in Alaska. An estimated 114 Alaska Native communities face some degree of infrastructure damage from erosion, flooding or permafrost melt, the Associated Press reported, quoting a January 2024 report from the Alaska Native Health Tribal Consortium. Thawing permafrost is causing riverbank loss along the Kuskokwim and the Yukon rivers. Several pre-Iditarod mid-distance races were canceled or rescheduled this year because of unusually warm weather and lack of snow; the Iditarod was also affected. The race usually starts in Willow and ends in Nome, a distance of 975 or 998 miles, depending on a route that alternates between odd and even years. But because of hazardous trail conditions resulting from lack of snow, this years race start was moved to Fairbanks. The race distance increased by about 130 miles. Mushers and dog teams will check in at Nenana, Manley, Tanana, Ruby, Galena, Nulato, Kaltag, Eagle Island, Grayling, Anvik, Shageluk, Unalakleet, Shaktoolik, Koyuk, Elim, White Mountain and Safety before reaching Nome. Total distance: 1,128 miles, according to the Iditarod Race Committee. Ryan Redington, Inupiaq, and his team enter a portion of trail that crosses sea ice on March 13, 2023, enroute to Koyuk, Alaska, in the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Redington is the only Indigenous musher in the 2025 Iditarod. (Screenshot courtesy of Iditarod Insider) Strategy and endurance: Mushers and dog teams are required to take one 24-hour rest and two eight-hour rests, although mushers generally feed and rest their teams as needed off-trail or at checkpoints. Training, nutrition, pace and timing of rests are all part of a teams strategy. But that was upended with the move of the race start to Fairbanks. The route from Fairbanks to Nome is flatter than Willow to Nome, and mushers may decide to travel farther before taking their required 24-hour rest. But theyll have to contend with conditions along the Yukon River. If youve been on the lower Yukon River, where that river is a mile wide, if theres a wind its just like being on the Bering Sea coast, Iditarod veteran Bruce Lee said on Iditarod Insider. The trail blows in and it can be very challenging, physically and mentally, for both mushers and dogs. Representing the underrepresented: Ryan Redington, Inupiaq, is one of six Alaska Natives to win the Iditarod but is the only Indigenous Alaskan in this years race. A retired Iditarod veteran, Mike Williams Sr., Yupik, said in earlier interviews that the cost of flying in food and supplies and taking time off from work to travel to good training grounds is expensive for rural Alaska Native mushers. Another musher, 2019 champion Peter Kaiser, Yupik, said hes taking a break after a tough training season made tougher by lack of snow. Alaska Native mushers were once a dominant force in the Iditarod. The race was won by Alaska Natives in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2011, 2019 and 2023. The top three finishers in 1974 and 2023 were Alaska Natives. And 2011 champion John Baker, Inupiaq, is the sixth-winningest Iditarod musher of all time, with a total of $602,658 in earnings in 22 races. Williams said he hopes the Alaska Native presence in the Iditarod will rebuild. For him, its a culturally significant event: sled dogs have been part of Alaska Native life for centuries, he said, and in the Iditarod mushers travel ancestral routes the way their ancestors did. Iditarod rookie Emily Ford is African-American, an Alaska transplant from Duluth, Minnesota, and a veteran of several challenging mid-distance races. Shes mushing in the Iditarod because I want to continue to represent Black people in cold places. She noted in her Iditarod biography the influence of Black cold-weather pioneers, among them North Pole expeditioner Matthew Henson, and Iditarod finishers Becca Moore and Newton Marshall. With an understanding and drive to show that anyone can adventure and everyone deserves to discover the outdoors, regardless of race, gender identity or upbringing, I continue to seek adventure and represent the underrepresented in outdoor spaces, Ford said in her bio. A look at the competition: The field of 33 mushers includes 17 veterans and 16 rookies from four countries (Canada, Denmark, Norway, U.S.) and seven U.S. states (Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Wisconsin). Three mushers are well-known from reality TV: Lauro Eklund, Mountain Men; Jessie Holmes, Life Below Zero; and Quince Mountain, Naked and Afraid. Two mushers are past Iditarod champions: Ryan Redington, 2023; and Mitch Seavey, 2017, 2013, 2004. Nine have finished in the top 10, three are past second-place finishers. Seavey is by far the most seasoned musher, having competed in 27 Iditarods with 18 top 10 finishes. Redington has completed 10 Iditarods and has four top 10 finishes. Several 2025 Iditarod competitors tested their mettle in respected mid-distance races in January and February. Redington finished second in the Joe Redington Sr. Memorial Sled Dog Race, an annual 200-mile race that starts in Knik. Holmes won the Copper Basin 300, an annual 300-mile race that starts in Glennallen. Michelle Phillips won the 450-mile Yukon Quest, an annual race that starts in Teslin. No small task: Competing in the Iditarod is a logistical feat. Mushers drop food bags and bales of straw for dog beds at each checkpoint before the race. Volunteers staff checkpoints, make coffee, log musher and dog teams arrival and departure times, and do veterinary health checks. BY THE NUMBERS Heres a look at some of the numbers, from the Iditarod Trail Committee. *Pounds of dog food: 180,000 *Dog booties: 100,000 *Bales of straw: 1,200 *Cups of coffee: 25,000 *Number of volunteers: 1,500 *Clarification: The story has been changed to clarify some directional references along the trail that had been included in earlier updates, and to note that Greg Heiser is a commentator for Iditarod Insider. His name was incorrect in an earlier version of the story. Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICTs free newsletter. FORT CAVAZOS, Texas (FOX 44) Soldiers from the III Armored Corps will be attending the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as part of the Armed Forces Appreciation Day in Houston on Wednesday. III Armored Corps will have over 1,400 soldiers and families in attendance. There will be multiple static displays, including a flyover of Boeing AH-64 Apache Helicopters, an M109A7 Howitzer (Paladin), a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, an M1126 Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle, and a Veterinarian Clinic at various locations throughout the Houston Rodeo grounds. An enlistment ceremony will occur after the opening ceremony. Service members from across the Armed Forces will be in attendance, with Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral, the commander of the III Armored Corps, issuing the oath of enlistment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Fort Cavazos Media Center, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the largest livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world with over two million visitors every year. It generates over $800 million in total economic impact. For more information, you can contact Sgt. Tanner Dibble, Public Affairs NCO, at (254) 423-3116, or by email at usarmy.cavazos.13-esc.mbx.publicaffairsoffice@army.mil. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. CHICAGO (WGN) Illinois Reps. Mike Quigley, Jan Schakowsky and Sean Casten wont be attending President Trumps joint address to Congress on Tuesday evening. While the speech is not officially called the State of the Union, a title reserved for a presidents annual address to Congress during other years of an administration, it is an opportunity for Trump to lay out his priorities for the year. The White House said the theme will be the Renewal of the American Dream. But after a tumultuous six weeks into Trumps second term, several legislators have decided to skip it. Trumps speech to Congress comes as he wields vast power almost daring lawmakers, courts to stop him Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps address to Congress: What to know This president has set flame to every democratic norm and principle of our government, Rep. Quigley said in a statement. His statement continued: I cannot in good conscience adhere to the norm of attending his joint address. From starting a coup attempt on January 6, 2021, to appointing an oligarch to assault government services, and blatantly ignoring the separation of powers, Donald Trump has undermined our democracy every day since taking office. I plan to spend this time working on behalf of my constituents and focusing on making government work better to address the pressing problems facing Chicagoans including increasing prices for groceries, housing, and health care; public safety; and climate change. In her written statement, Rep. Schakowsky called her action a boycott of a MAGA love fest, saying: We are living in unprecedented times. We have a President of the United States who thinks he has unilateral power and is breaking our laws and violating our constitution day in and day out. This is not business as usual and I refuse to normalize his egregious language and behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Sean Casten said he was skipping the address to not give the wrong impression of his intentions. To attend tonights Joint Session of Congress might be mistakenly assumed to imply I have respect for Donald Trump, Speaker Johnson, or the rest of Trumps enablers, he said. To attend and be disruptive might be mistakenly assumed to imply I do not respect the office of the Presidency or the Congress of the United States. As such, I have chosen not to attend at all. WGN will broadcast and livestream Trumps remarks, slated to begin at 8 p.m. CT. Of the Illinois lawmakers attending, whos on their guest list? Many of the lawmakers attending the presidents address will be accompanied by invited guests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what we know: Sen. Tammy Duckworth will be joined by Lauri Morrison-Frichtl, Executive Director of Illinois Head Start Association Sen. Dick Durbin will be joined by Dr. Elizabeth Sokol, a pediatric oncologist and researcher from Lurie Childrens Hospital in Chicago Rep. Robin Kelly will be accompanied by Dr. Lisa Green, the CEO and a provider at Family Christian Health Center (FCHC) Rep. Chuy Garcia will be joined by disabled Army veteran and 4 th district constituent Eric Rodriguez, who lives in West Lawn and works at Hines VA Hospital Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi will be accompanied by Steve Powell, President of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 881 Rep. Brad Schneider will be joined by Adam Mulvey, an Army veteran and 10 th district constituent who was recently fired from Lovell Federal Health Care Center amidst DOGE cuts Rep. Bill Foster will be joined by Joe Jackson, the Executive Director of Hesed House Rep. Nikki Budzinksi will be accompanied by Lisa Quandt, a special education teacher from Belleville Rep. Eric Sorensen will be joined by James Diaz, a resident of Monmouth, Illinois. Diaz is a disabled veteran who served overseas during the Gulf conflicts of the 1980s and 1990s. He was unexpectedly laid off in February 2025 as a result of actions taken by the Trump administration and Elon Musk. Rep. Darin LaHood announced his intention to attend but has not indicated a guest WGN does not have specific information about Reps. Lauren Underwood, Mary Miller, Danny Davis, Mike Bost, Delia Ramirez and Jonathan Jackson. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Even in a country grimly accustomed to negative news, the headlines that Ukraine woke up to on March 4 still came as a shock the U.S. is freezing military aid. "It hurts to watch it unfolding," Volodymyr Dubovyk, the head of Odesa National University's Center for International Studies, told the Kyiv Independent. "We can scrap everything that we previously knew about U.S. foreign policy." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump on March 3 reportedly ordered a suspension of all military aid to Ukraine, with a senior Defense Department official telling Bloomberg it is on hold until Trump determines that Ukrainian leaders are making a genuine effort toward peace. Neither Washington nor Kyiv have officially confirmed the freeze. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the reports the Polish government gets from the Ukrainian-Polish border confirm the freeze. The move is the latest from the White House as it escalates pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky, just days after a heated exchange in the Oval Office cast doubt on U.S. support for Kyiv, and ended in the canceling of a planned mineral deal between the two countries. The Trump administration's strong arm tactics against Zelensky are being felt especially painfully in Ukraine as the Kremlin appears to be getting a free ride from a White House which by the Kremlin's own admission is now largely aligned with Russia's interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It looks as if Trump is trying to cut a deal with Russia at the cost of the weaker party, which is Ukraine," Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker and chair of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, told the Kyiv Independent. "I dont see that Trump is using leverage against the aggressor, he is using leverage against the victim of the aggression. To stop military aid to Ukraine right now means to help Russia kill Ukrainians with impunity." Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support us Trump has long-promised he could swiftly end the war in Ukraine as soon as he took office, though his original pledge of "24 hours" was amended to "100 days" shortly before his inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his first week in office, Trump appeared to come out on the side of Ukraine, putting the onus on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and threatening "high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions" if he didn't "make a deal." But in the weeks since, and after a phone call between Trump and Putin, the rhetoric coming from the White House towards Ukraine has been increasingly hostile and has, at times, resembled that coming from the Kremlin. Trump has accused Ukraine of starting the war, described Zelensky as a "dictator," and questioned his legitimacy, with some Republican lawmakers this week calling for him to resign. U.S. President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C., U.S. on Feb. 28, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, lawmaker for the Holos (Voice) party, told the Kyiv Independent that even though the tone has changed, he believes Trump's more recent actions still align with his original stated goal of ending the war swiftly but regardless of the cost for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think that its a continuation of Trumps policy to end the war as soon as possible by effectively giving up on Ukraines interests," he said. "Because based on the logic of his and his administrations statements, their goal is peace at any cost. But for Ukraine, such an option is not acceptable." The directive to freeze U.S. military aid reportedly goes into effect immediately, impacting over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition. The pause affects not only future aid but also weapons already in transit, including shipments on aircraft and ships, as well as equipment awaiting transfer in Poland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm full of anger," Bart, a Special Operations Forces sniper fighting in the hot spot near Pokrovsk, told the Kyiv Independent. "America has sided with Russia, North Korea, and Iran, they have chosen the side of darkness. If the U.S. has chosen to play the role of world policeman, it is its duty to protect world democracy." Read also: Ursula von der Leyen announces ReArm Europe plan to boost European defense capabilities Yet despite the anger and the future of weapons supplies in doubt, Ukrainian soldiers who spoke to the Kyiv Independent remain confident in their ability to fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no panic in the army," "Fuko" who serves with Ukraine's 66th Prince Mstyslav Khorobyi Brigade said, adding: "We are ready to keep going as long as it takes. "Moreover, the weapons supply crisis can be avoided if our European allies respond quickly and help us with the supply of the most important weapons." Bart acknowledged the aid freeze "will have some impact, but not a critical one." "Europe is helping us, we will break through Russia is running out of steam, and we need to push on," he added. As Ukraine increasingly looks to Europe for support, there were signs on March 4 that Brussels was preparing to step up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We must urgently find an alternative because civilians will die if we run out of missiles." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the ReArm Europe plan aimed at strengthening the defense capabilities of the EUs countries, which could unlock close to 800 billion euros ($842 billion). "Europe is ready to assume its responsibilities," von der Leyen said, adding: "This is a moment for Europe and we are ready to step up." Whether or not Europe can step up in time to fill the potential hole left by the U.S.' withdrawal remains to be seen, and Ukraine will be assessing which areas of its defense could be impacted the most. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our main challenge is air defense which depends on U.S. support," Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Krotevych told the Kyiv Independent. "We must urgently find an alternative because civilians will die if we run out of missiles." Krotevych added that the Trump administration needs to understand this too, otherwise they are "setting themselves up for prison sentences." "When? Whether it happens after his current term or through impeachment is for the American people to decide," he added. Yurii Bereza, former commander of the National Guard battalion Dnipro-1, highlighted how the military aid freeze could have a detrimental effect on the U.S. economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The aid (from) America is primarily for the payment for American goods," he told the Kyiv Independent. "(This money) would be used to pay for the work and production of ammunition and equipment from American (defense) companies." Meanwhile in Russia, officials have openly praised Trumps stance, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling him "the first, and so far, the only Western leader" to acknowledge what Moscow considers the true cause of the war. "I have the impression that Trump is giving dictatorial countries an incentive to start World War III," Ukrainian lawmaker Ruslan Gorbenko told the Kyiv Independent. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. In his address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump will have a chance to talk about the sweeping, controversial efforts he has made to reshape the federal government, chip away at civil rights and formalize a new understanding of who belongs in the country. Trump returned to office six weeks ago, empowered by Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives. The 19th asked six Americans to talk about their concerns and the potential impact of his actions on their lives, their families and their communities. The caregiver Janae Stevenson Janae Stevenson is 24 and a caregiver to her 70-year-old grandfather, an Air Force veteran who has severe dementia. He moved in with her and her mother in December 2023, and the two of them took over the challenging job of managing his care. Stevensons grandfather receives health care through a mix of federal and state support services tied to his veteran status. But he also relies on Medicaid, the state-federal program that provides health care to nearly 80 million Americans. Medicaid helps pay for his enrollment in an adult day care program and respite care assistance that allow Stevenson and her mother to take breaks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Trump has said publicly that he does not intend to reduce Medicaid spending, he has also indicated support for Republican-backed plans that call for cuts to the program. If Medicaid services are cut, Stevenson believes either she or her mother will need to quit their jobs to take care of her grandfather full-time. It makes me angry, said Stevenson, who works as a community organizer. I think about my grandfather, what he has gone through as someone who has served this country. The proposed cuts across the board to Medicaid, thats a slap in the face for veterans. Thats a slap in the face for our elderly who have invested their time and years into the economy. Its disrespectful to the workers who provide these services who will be out of jobs. Stevenson said policymakers are not considering the intricate and delicate balance here. The effects of Medicaid cuts and cuts to other social services will impact us for generations, and some families might not come back from that, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stevenson voted for Kamala Harris for president. Still, she has been alarmed by the scope of Trumps actions in the first month back in office, particularly executive orders that are harmful to marginalized communities. And she doesnt believe its just because of her political leanings. Stevenson said an immediate family member who voted for Trump last November expressed regret about the vote after the presidents first executive orders targeted immigrants and transgender people. Hes someone who likes to consider himself a person of faith, Stevenson said of this family member, whom she declined to identify beyond gender. The discrimination, the racial tension, the sexist tension, the gendered tension all of those things that came following the executive orders was not something that he had anticipated or wanted for people in his life. As a Black queer person who grew up advocating for the issues she cares about, Stevenson believes positive change can come from everyday Americans responding to whats playing out in Washington, D.C. That also means staying informed about whats going on in their local community and state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first step is keeping our elected officials accountable, she said. Barbara Rodriguez The business owner Trish Walker Trish Walker, a Black business owner from Boise, is a fourth-generation descendant of Black Idahoans who relocated to the state after being freed from slavery. According to the most recent census survey, Black people amount to 1.4 percent of Boises population a small community that Walker has worked hard to uplift. Her activism began in 2020, when she founded the Idaho Black Community Alliance (IBCA), a nonprofit that provided resources for Black-owned businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. Over time, as more people reached out to her and showed interest in social events, IBCA expanded its reach, becoming a source of support for everyone in Boise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walker and her colleagues have had to find creative avenues to access funding for the alliance because of anti-diversity ideologies that Trumps administration has rallied behind, including by using new language to define its more inclusive mission and, with that, grow its support. It hasnt been easy, though. Idaho residents, like many people across the country, face economic obstacles. Many people are losing their jobs and homes as they struggle with their financial security. If raising money was already tough before Trump made diversity, equity and inclusion a target, she and others in her community worry about what will happen next. A lot of the conversations are changing because people are, for lack of a better word, afraid, Walker said. The political climate is the same in Boise, all over Idaho [and] nationwide. Were all [thinking], Whats going to happen? What do we do? How do we do it? How do we continue on? Instead of the politics and the climate impacting one group, its impacting us all. Eden Turner The LGBTQ+ family Jeff Walker Jeff Walker, whose 17-year-old daughter is transgender, said his family felt the impact of Trumps executive orders immediately. An onslaught of orders targeting trans people, especially youth, has left his daughter, Harleigh, anxious and scared for her future and caused him to worry for her safety. Their family is reconsidering her college choices and whether their daughter will still have access to gender-affirming care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The way that the administration talks about transgender members of the country as though they dont or shouldnt exist just dehumanizing. Weve really struggled to keep our heads above the noise and not just succumb to the rhetoric, he said. The new administrations policies are hurting everyone, Walker said. Meanwhile, the government is blaming DEI initiatives, LGBTQ+ people and immigrants and that rhetoric puts a target on his daughters back. Here in Alabama were seeing real consequences of these executive orders and initiatives against our largest employer in the state UAB Hospital and locally impacting our researchers at Auburn University. Gas, more expensive. Groceries, more expensive. Cost of living going up, stocks and retirements impacted. Job loss is starting to trend up as federal workers are terminated. All of this leading to a consequence that will hurt everyday people. He continued: What Im seeing is that people are starting to feel some of the consequences of their votes and are confused why they are impacted. Its strange to see people think, This is a mistake, hes not supposed to be coming after me or my job or my loved ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Im afraid of is that were still within the first month-and-a-half of this administration and the direction were going, what were seeing is going to further gap between the ultrawealthy and the hand-to-mouth Americans. What will happen when he continues to blame all of these issues on the immigrant community or LGBTQ community? When people are desperate and they need to lash out, theyll see these groups as the reason for their woes. What happens when all of the rhetoric escalates to violence against people like my daughter? Walker said. He has wondered if she might end up on the receiving end of transphobic attacks. This administration wont step in to help or protect people. Im worried who will. Orion Rummler The college student Paeton Smith-Hiebert As a disability advocate, a sexual violence survivor and a student who uses financial aid to attend Haverford College, Paeton Smith-Hiebert is very worried about the actions by Trump so early in his second term, in particular his rollback of key parts of Title IX, a 1972 civil rights law prohibiting federally funded schools from practicing sex discrimination, including against survivors. A junior English major, she co-founded the Haverford Survivor Collective, a sexual violence prevention initiative, and is also the students with disabilities caucus chair for Its On Us, a nonprofit focused on college sexual assault prevention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administrations decision to revert back to the 2020 [Title IX] rules, as opposed to the 2024 rules, was very disappointing. Theres a lot of things about those 2020 regulations that would discourage me from seeking to participate in the Title IX process at my institution in the event that I was victimized. Also, I do some work in the disability access and inclusion space, so the recent executive orders that address diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) funding and those programs at certain institutions going under review or being dissolved have also been very disheartening to witness. I experience an overlap of my disability access and inclusion work with my survivor advocacy. I am someone who very much relies on resources that the Department of Education provides. Im a student who makes use of financial aid, who seeks accommodations in both my academics and my housing. So, just from my perspective, its incredibly scary to think about things that I rely on day-to-day just to further my education or, honestly, just to exist in certain spaces, going away. Every time I see news that something may happen to the Department of Education, my heart sinks. Smith-Hiebert is wary of the appointment of Linda McMahon as education secretary. One reason is that she does not have a strong background in education. Another is the misconduct allegations against her since McMahon would help shape policy that directly impacts survivors of sexual abuse on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump was found liable for sexual [abuse] in a court of law. Many of his Cabinet picks have allegations of similar behavior, she said. Imagine how disheartening it is for survivors to see these people rise in the ranks of the U.S. government. Nadra Nittle The optimistic military spouse Deborah McGee Deborah McGee is a retired military spouse, a Blue Star mom with two active-duty sons and a business owner who employs 200 people, 85 percent of them military spouses and veterans. Her husband retired 15 years ago after serving more than three decades. McGee, 63, who lives in Huntsville, Alabama, said shes optimistic about the state of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think theres a lot of opportunity about to happen, to be honest with you, she said. Theres people out there that are scared. Changes are happening. But being the owner of a small business and a military spouse, I know life is always changing. Were used to change. We embrace it as a new opportunity, a new challenge. McGee moved 22 times over the course of her husbands military career, and she did so while raising three children and working as a CPA for Big Four accounting firms, she said. She celebrated when Trump gave military spouses an exemption to returning to work in person in February as other federal workers were mandated back to the office. McGee said she sees Trump as a huge win for military spouses. My husband came in at the post-Vietnam era when the country hated the military we couldnt even rent an apartment for goodness sakes, McGee said. And Reagan came in and changed that. He changed patriotism and how people thought of the military, and I think Trump is going to do a lot of that for our military as well. Mariel Padilla The wary military spouse Julie Eshelman Julie Eshelman, a 38-year-old military spouse and mom, is experiencing the impact of the new administrations mass layoffs and hiring freeze first-hand. Eshelmans husband is in the Army Reserve, teaching for the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program at a university. His team was designed to have eight service members, but was already understaffed when President Donald Trump took office. When the hiring freeze kicked in, a new team member who was in the middle of onboarding was abruptly let go. Now, the team is operating with just three people. Theyre all picking up extra weight, Eshelman said. Before moving to Virginia, Eshelman said, her family was stationed in Pennsylvania and her husband held a demanding role with long hours. She was looking forward to seeing him more and getting family time back with his new assignment. Talking to other military spouses whose husbands have been working in the ROTC programs, its supposed to be a lot of family time, fairly good hours, you get your weekends, Eshelman said. And that hasnt been the case. Its been a lot of long hours and stressful days. Eshelman is not too optimistic about what the Trump administrations impact will be on the military. She pointed to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths plans to cut 8 percent of the Pentagons budget. One of her main concerns is that the cuts will impact the quality of services provided to military families, like child care, because they could move from the hands of federal workers to those of private contractors. As military families, weve seen how privatization leads to us being treated like shit, Eshelman said. Thats what happened in the past and makes me nervous looking forward. Mariel Padilla The post Its impacting us all: Six Americans on how Trumps second term is reshaping their lives appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. PRAGUE, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Oil supplies from Russia's Druzhba pipeline to the Czech Republic have been halted again, the Czech oil pipeline operator Mero said on Tuesday. Acknowledging the interruption of oil supplies, Mero stated that they are contacting all partners and trying to resolve the problem. Despite the disruption, the operator excluded significant restrictions on the oil supply to refineries in the Czech Republic. It emphasized that state material reserves could cover short-term shortages of oil and oil products for up to 90 days. Czech Industry and Trade Minister Lukas Vlcek confirmed the halt to the Czech News Agency but assured that domestic oil needs remain unaffected. "We are aware of the situation and are addressing it. Refineries in the Czech Republic are well-prepared for this situation," he said. The Czech Republic relies on two primary sources of crude oil: the Druzhba pipeline and the German IKL pipeline, which connects to the Italian TAL pipeline. Last December, oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline were interrupted for several days. TAIPEI (Reuters) - The United States cannot abandon the Indo-Pacific because the region is part of its "core national interests", Taiwan's Defence Minister Wellington Koo said amid concerns about U.S. security commitments to Taiwan. The White House clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump, which plunged ties between Kyiv and its top military backer to a new low, has renewed concerns in Taiwan about Washington's security commitment at a time when China is ramping up its military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims over the democratic island. "We indeed noticed the fast-changing and tricky international situation and deeply understand that we can't just talk about values but not national interests," Koo told reporters at a briefing on Monday when asked whether the U.S. is still a reliable security partner for Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So we must ask: keeping the peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region including the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, is that a core U.S. national interest?" Koo asked. "I think it is impossible for the United States to retreat from the Indo-Pacific because it is its core national interest." Koo said "using deterrence and strength to achieve peace" has been the long-standing consensus between Taipei and Washington, and that stability in the region is important for the United States, both economically and geopolitically. The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taiwan, which strongly rejects China's sovereignty claim, enjoyed support from the first Trump administration. But Trump unnerved Taiwan on the campaign trail by calling for it to pay more for U.S. security guarantees. (Reporting by Yimou Lee; Editing by Stephen Coates) BRECKENRIDGE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Walking into the Breckenridge Animal Shelter, visitors are greeted by eager dogs looking for their forever homes, a clean and updated facility, and improved intake policies. The Animal Control Department, operating under the police department, currently has three animal control officers and one part-time employee dedicated to maintaining the shelter. Chief of Police Blake Johnson says the goal for 2025 is to streamline operations, benefiting both the animals and the community. I have a new manager thats assigned to the facility, hes just recently started. Hes got an extensive amount of experience as a supervisor in corporations, and he brings a lot of experience in putting a lot more dogs out over at shelters. Weve been working with Operation Kindness out in Carrollton. We just recently started working with, I think its the SPCA in Abilene, and theyre working with us on taking some of our dogs as well, explained Chief Johnson. However, operations werent always this smooth. In the spring of 2024, the animal shelter faced public scrutiny when a cat, after spending five days in city care, was released about 10 miles outside of town on city-owned land at Lake Daniel. Many residents spoke out against the decision, calling it inhumane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City of Breckenridge to hold special called meeting after releasing cat out at lake The shelter faced overcrowding and limited staff, but that began to change with partnerships with local animal organizations. These collaborations have helped alleviate overcrowding and increase adoptions, giving more animals a chance at finding their forever homes. Our population was so high that we were having to control population. So unfortunately, in some cases we were having to put down animals for various reasons and so we havent had to put down dogs for housing and months its been its been great, added Chief Johnson. Other changes include reinforcing aggressive and dangerous dog policies, new intake protocols, and more funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, we were at $128,000, which was our total budget was. That year, we were looking at $110,000 as what we were looking at for wages and compensation for employees. So, youre looking at running the shelter for about $18,000, explained Chief Johnson. This year, weve expanded the number, I believe, is $155,000. Breckenridge officials plan change for animal control following cat abandonment issue Johnson stressed that the shift in change was to hold themselves accountable for keeping track of how many dogs enter the shelter. They created a new intake policy where every dog has a file with information about vaccines, how many times it has returned to the shelter, and more. One of the things that was important was we had to have accountability, and that was something that we had talked about earlier, when I first got in, was lets make sure that we have documentation of each of the dogs, because we do run into a lot of the dogs over and over again, added Chief Johnson. So, what we were able to do is maintain a folder that we can show the history of the dog. So, each of the dogs that come in, theyll start a folder, and the dog will be identified. If we know the name, itll be on there. A lot of times well give them names so that theyre easier, more identifiable for us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This organizing system helps hone in on vicious and dangerous dogs in the area. Johnson stresses safety is always at the forefront. My first identifying concern was public safety, because the amount of calls of dogs not only running loose but also being aggressive and dog bites, and some of these issues do fall in where animal cases can be criminal cases. Having the ability to send an officer out and work with the animal control, we have the ability to identify what the issues are. If its a code enforcement issue, well do that and if its a law enforcement issue, then well make the case as well, added Johnson. Breckenridge Animal Shelter raises concerns from residents over practices Johnson emphasized that much of their success is thanks to the community. The department has received numerous inquiries from people wanting to help, along with donations of food and blankets. Currently, the shelter is in need of puppy food and stainless-steel pet bowls. Those interested in donating can drop off items at the Breckenridge Police Department at 210 East Dyer Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Johnson believes there is still a long way to go, he is proud of the progress made so far. The shelter has been actively sharing animals on social media to help reunite them with their owners and promote adoptions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Shreveport, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The Department of Education has removed two crucial applications for student loan borrowers. Recently, the department abruptly shut down the online application portals for income-driven repayment (IDR) plans and debt consolidation. IDR plans have enabled millions of borrowers to make payments based on their income, while debt consolidation has combined multiple student loans into one with a single monthly payment. The change was in response to a federal court ruling that extended a block on lower payments and student loan forgiveness. Jack Wallace, director of Government and Lender Relations for Yrefrys, an educational consultant company in Phoenix, Arizona, said borrowers should stay in touch with their service provider because they can assist them with the necessary steps quickly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wallace has worked as a financial advisor with the U.S. Department of Education under President Reagan, President Bush, and President Clinton. He provided insight into the future of student loans and the next step for borrowers. HBCU grad, LA Tech doctorate, NASA leader meet Dr. Justin Rice The most important thing is to check the Department of Education website, which is www.studentaid.gov on a regular basis. Also, they need to look for e-mails from their servicer because everybodys supposed to be in repayment. Even if you are on one of these programs, that would be making a zero payment. Wallace believes there has been mass confusion over the last four years regarding student loans: I think there was a lot of false hope over the four years of the Biden-Harris administration of promising people left and right. If you want to get something done, propose legislation, get it to the House and the Senate, and then sign it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wallace expressed a lack of optimism when asked about the possibility of the courts decision being overturned. However, he believes that active legislation will emerge from both the House and the Senate concerning amendments related to higher education. He also discussed several other topics, including K-12 funding, which he expects will be allocated at the state and county levels. Wallace is expected to meet with members of the House, Senate, and the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. to further discuss the issues. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. Indiana's data center boom requires a lot more power, and it risks saddling customers with the cost. State lawmakers are considering a bill to put tech companies on the hook for 80% of project costs. Data centers may need more power than all of Indiana's 7 million residents combined. When President Donald Trump in January announced a deal with a billionaire in Dubai to build data centers across the US, it immediately raised alarm bells in Indiana. Trump said the state and seven others were part of the first phase of the $20 billion foreign investment plan. It could add to Indiana's growing fleet of data centers under construction by companies including Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, which need huge amounts of computing power for the artificial intelligence boom. The growth risks saddling residents with hundreds of millions of dollars in additional costs through higher energy bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation has set off a debate in Indiana over who should foot the bill for the new power plants and transmission infrastructure needed to serve data centers. A bill moving through the Indiana legislature would require tech firms like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google to cover 80% of project costs, which, if enacted, would make it the first state to do so. At the same time, the bill would allow Indiana utilities to try and pass the costs of building smaller nuclear reactors to customers. Tech companies hope these early-stage energy solutions could someday supply cleaner, around-the-clock power to data centers. It's a mixed bag for Indiana residents that consumer advocacy groups oppose, and underscores a dilemma many states across the country are confronting: how to hold tech firms accountable for their power-hungry data centers and their promises that AI will be powered by green energy. So far, fossil fuels like natural gas and coal plants are expected to meet the demand. "If companies want to build a data center here, and we have to build new power generation for them, then they need to share in that risk," Indiana Rep. Ed Soliday, a Republican who authored the bill, told Business Insider. "There are a couple of data center folks that have said, 'Oh no, that's not fair.' Yes, it is. Grandma down the street shouldn't have to pay for your dreams." Aaron Tinjum, vice president of energy at the Data Center Coalition, a trade group, said in a statement that the industry is committed to paying its full cost of service. He said state utility commissions are best positioned to ensure costs and rates are allocated fairly across all customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The data center industry will continue to lean in as a collaborative partner with utilities, grid operators, policymakers, regulators, and other stakeholders at this transformative moment to advance and accelerate grid modernization and energy infrastructure to support economic growth and competitiveness," Tinjum said. Indiana courts power-hungry data centers While Indiana doesn't top the list of major US data center hubs, the Rust Belt state is emerging as another player for many reasons. Indiana has a reliable power supply from coal and natural gas and can draw electricity from two regional grids. That state has a low risk of natural disasters that could disrupt that supply. Indiana lawmakers in 2019 exempted data center equipment and energy use from sales taxes. Land is also cheaper than other parts of the country. Those perks have attracted large data centers to northern Indiana. Last year, Amazon Web Services started construction on an $11 billion data center campus in New Carlisle. Google announced plans to build a $2 billion data center in Fort Wayne. Microsoft is planning a $1 billion data center in LaPorte; Meta is investing $800 million in a campus in southern Indiana that could operate by 2026. Projects in the pipeline could consume more electricity than the nearly 7 million residents in Indiana combined by 2035, according to forecasts by state utilities analyzed by the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana, an advocacy group that opposes data center development in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The coalition has called for a moratorium on new data centers until state leaders can study their potential impact on the electric grid and utility bills. But as more projects enter the pipeline with support from state officials, the coalition last year intervened in negotiations between a utility and the data center industry including Amazon Web Services, Google, and Microsoft aimed at ensuring the companies pay a fair share for their energy use and associated power grid infrastructure upgrades. The parties in November reached an agreement aimed at shielding Indiana customers from some of the extra costs by requiring large data centers each month to pay at least 80% of their contracted electricity use, even if they don't use it. New transmission infrastructure and power generation to serve data centers could cost up to $1 billion, the agreement said. Indiana regulators approved the settlement in February. The utility, Indiana Michigan Power, initiated the changes to what its big industrial energy users pay after forecasting that data centers could increase peak electricity demand by 150% by 2030, to more than 7,000 megawatts. That's equivalent to power for about 4.6 million residents in the state or two-thirds of Indiana's entire population. And that's just one utility's service area. The Northern Indiana Public Service Company's latest forecast shows data centers could double its energy demand by 2035. Andrew Williamson, Indiana Michigan Power's directory of regulatory services, said in written testimony that the magnitude of demand for electricity was unprecedented and unlike any previous energy load additions the utility had ever experienced. 'More harm than good' Rather than striking deals utility by utility, consumer advocates said a statewide law could better protect Indiana residents from rising energy bills associated with new data centers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the bill moving through the state legislature falls short, said Ben Inskeep, program director of the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana. He said the bill contains a loophole, in that it doesn't cover special contracts utilities can negotiate with data centers for electricity rates. The bill also would create an expedited process for approving new power generation by a utility that wants to connect large energy loads like a data center, which Inskeep worried wouldn't allow enough time for public input. The coalition also wants lawmakers to eliminate provisions allowing utilities to seek permission from state regulators to recover up to 100% of the costs of building small nuclear reactors from customers. "We need state policymakers to be thinking about these issues in a comprehensive way," Inskeep said. "But we want to make sure what they do doesn't create more harm than good." Indiana Gov. Mike Braun told News 10 in February that he supported nuclear power but that utilities should shoulder the costs. "I'm hesitant about putting that solely on the back of the ratepayers," Braun said, adding that the utility companies will have to absorb those costs through "capitalism." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They are out there as investor owned, and some of that is going to have to be the risk that they take," Braun said. The bill passed the House on February 13 and was referred to a Senate committee. The Indiana legislature is in session through April. Meanwhile, the data center boom shows no signs of slowing in Indiana and across the US, including from foreign investors eager to get a stake in the AI race. Hussain Sajwani, a real estate tycoon dubbed the "Donald of Dubai," has business deals with Trump and Elon Musk. Whether Sajwani's planned $20 billion investment in data centers is getting underway in Indiana is unclear, but for Inskeep, it wasn't surprising. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Oh, here comes another one," Inskeep said of his initial reaction. "At this moment in time, we're just seeing so many data centers flood into Indiana that's a bit overwhelming. And it's really hard to fathom the magnitude of the impacts." Google declined BI's request to comment, Microsoft didn't respond, and Amazon did not send a comment by the time of publication. Do you have a story to share? Contact this reporter at cboudreau@businessinsider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider By Manoj Kumar NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian exports are facing mounting pressure from aggressive trade policies by partners such as the United States and the European Union, a senior trade ministry official said on Tuesday. Citing the U.S. decision to raise import tariffs and initiatives like the CHIPS Act, Santosh Sarangi, head of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), said it was "high time India also looked at our trade and industrial policies comprehensively". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to impose reciprocal tariffs from early April on trading partners including India is worrying Indian exporters in sectors ranging from autos to agriculture, with Citi Research analysts estimating potential losses at about $7 billion a year. Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal started on a trip to the United States on Monday to pursue trade talks, ahead of Trump's planned tariff measures. Limited integration into global value chains, high import tariffs on raw materials, and technological disadvantages in certain manufacturing sectors are hurting India's export ambitions, Sarangi told business leaders in a virtual address. "India needs an average growth of 14.4% per annum to achieve the target of $2 trillion in overall exports by 2030/31," he said, calling the goal "daunting" given that overall goods and services exports have grown at an average of just 5.2% annually over the past decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Total exports rose to $682.59 billion in the first ten months of 2024/25 fiscal year through January, up 7.2% year-on-year, from $636.69 billion a year earlier, while imports hit $770 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $87.47 billion, commerce ministry data showed. The European Union's carbon tax and growing use of protective non-tariff measures are also hurting Indian exports, Sarangi said. "While exports are growing, India continues to experience a trade deficit, suggesting a need to boost export competitiveness and diversify export markets," he added. (Reporting by Manoj Kumar; Editing by Angus MacSwan) BENGALURU, India (AP) Rows of small factories line the streets of a dusty suburb in Bengaluru, where workers weld and cast Indian-made steel into everything from car parts to kitchen sinks. Here, U.S. President Trumps announcement to impose high trade tariffs on steel imports has some unexpected supporters. Many industry workers and experts expect that the result of tariffs will be that cheap steel gets dumped in places like India. That's because the announced 25% tariff will make it too expensive for many companies in countries like China and South Korea to keep exporting to the U.S. For B. Praveen of Sun Techpro Engineering, which makes products from steel metal sheets, it means his wafer-thin profit margins will probably grow as the steel he buys gets cheaper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For thousands of companies like mine, this can be a good thing, he said. Businesses such as Praveen's employ over 200 million Indians and are key drivers of India's economy. But cheaper steel in India isn't good for everyone. In February Naveen Jindal, the president of the Indian Steel Association, which represents all Indias steelmakers, said that he was deeply concerned, especially since India is one of the few major markets without any trade restrictions, making it a target for potential steel dumping. And the increased competition could impact efforts by India to produce its own steel more cleanly. The current production of most Indian steel releases high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, which cause climate change. Reduction efforts could be cut in the interest of keeping profits up. India's steel industry is big and dirty and is set to keep growing India is the worlds most populous nation and one of the fastest-growing major economies. Steel demand is rising rapidly due to fast-paced urbanization, infrastructure, and industrial growth, and the government expects steel production to increase from 120 million tons to 300 million tons in the next five years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, up to 12% of India's greenhouse gas emissions come from steelmaking according to the Global Energy Monitor, an organization that tracks energy projects around the globe. It found this could likely double in five years if more steel is produced as per the government's plans. Henna Khadeeja, a research analyst with GEM, explained that unlike China, Europe, or the United States, Indian steelmakers still mostly use coal-based blast furnaces to make steel, which are more high-emitting. In September last year, the Indian government said it would invest $1.72 billion to help the steel industry transition to cleaner methods of steelmaking. But Khadeeja said all the new steel expansion plans that have been announced are for coal-based steel production facilities. Right now, the focus is mostly on producing as much steel as possible. The strategy is mostly to retroactively decarbonize the steel once the capacity is built in place," she said. Cleaning up steel is vital for India's future Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Building more coal-based blast furnaces make it more difficult for India to export its steel in the future, particularly to Europe, said Easwaran Narassimhan of the New Delhi-based think tank Sustainable Futures Collaborative. The European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a tax on carbon emissions that Europe will begin charging for all products imported to the bloc from next year, would likely turn off any buyers from steel made with coal-based blast furnaces. Chinas steel production is less emissions-intensive, which means its going to face a lesser impact from European carbon taxes, said Narassimhan. Any amount of short-term pain today is going to be worth in the long run." India too has ambitious climate goals and wants to produce 500 gigawatts of clean power enough to power nearly 300 million Indian homes by the end of this decade. The South Asian nation recently crossed the milestone of installing 100 gigawatts of solar power, most of which was installed in the last 10 years. India also aims to go net zero that is to stop adding planet-warming gas to the atmosphere, either by preventing the emissions in the first place or removing an equivalent amount through natural or technological means by 2070. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indian steelmakers said they recognize the need to emit less but are apprehensive about how much it'll cost them. If you're not financially viable, you cannot exist as a business, said Prabodh Acharya, chief sustainability officer at JSW Group, one of India's biggest steel companies. Steel is essential for the growth of society and economy. We need to find the right balance between growth, economy and decarbonization, he said. ___ A previous version of this report incorrectly gave the name of Sustainable Futures Collaborative as Sustainable Futures Collective. ___ Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Warning: This report contains details of sexual assaults. Reader discretion is advised. Armed forces in Sudans ongoing civil war are perpetrating systematic sexual violence against young children, with one-year-olds the youngest survivors of rape, according to a new report from UNICEF, the United Nations (UN) childrens agency. The UNICEF report, released Tuesday, said that at least 221 cases of child rape had been recorded since the beginning of 2024, along with an additional 77 reported cases of sexual assault against children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four one-year-olds were among those who survived sexual assaults, while another 12 survivors were children under the age of 5, according to the report. Of the rape survivors, 66% are girls and 33% are boys. The data, compiled by gender-based violence service providers in Sudan, only represent a small fraction of the total child rape cases, UNICEF said, noting that survivors, their families and even frontline workers are often unwilling or unable to report the crimes due to challenges around accessing services, cultural stigmas and the fear of retribution from armed groups. The report, which detailed firsthand accounts of sexual violence against children from December 2024 and January 2025, found that children were sexually abused during invasions of cities, while fleeing danger, while being held against their will or in detention and sometimes in exchange for food or other essential supplies. Sudan has been gripped by war for nearly two years, as forces loyal to two rival generals fight for control of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, who heads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have viciously competed for territory in a country still reeling from the massacre of tens of thousands of people in the early 2000s and the displacement of millions more. Since April 2023, more than 28,700 people have been killed according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data initiative, and more than 11 million have been forced to flee their homes. An 11-year-old rape survivor holds his mothers hand after visiting a psychologist and social worker who are helping him deal with the trauma of rape. - Tess Ingram/UNICEF UNICEF received firsthand reports of armed men storming homes and demanding at gunpoint that families surrender their girls, often while violently attacking the family members or raping the girls in front of their loved ones, according to the report. Frontline workers have seen an increase of violence against internally displaced people living in shelters or who are sheltering at informal sites, UNICEF said, noting that the risk of sexual violence is high within these communities, especially against children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN has contacted both the SAF and RSF for comment. One rape survivor, a woman who asked to be called Omnia, told UNICEF that she was detained by armed men for 19 days. She said that she became suicidal after hearing young girls being raped every night. After nine at night, someone opens the door, carrying a whip, selects one of the girls, and takes her to another room. I could hear the little girl crying and screaming. They were raping her She is still just a young child. They only release these girls at dawn, and they return almost unconscious, Omnia said. Catherine Russell, UNICEFs executive director said the testimonies should shock anyone to their core and compel immediate action, adding that widespread sexual violence in Sudan has instilled terror in people, especially children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report noted that violence is not limited to only one part of Sudan and that cases of child rape were reported in nine states across the country. The SAF controls the eastern and northern parts of the country, according to the British government, while the RSF controls western, southern and central Sudan including the Darfur region. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Emma Farge and Nafisa Eltahir GENEVA/CAIRO (Reuters) - Children under five, including babies, are among victims of sexual violence in the war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to findings shared on Tuesday by U.N. children's agency UNICEF. The U.N. agency cited a database compiled by Sudan-based groups helping survivors of sexual violence which showed that of 221 cases involving children registered since last year, 16 were under five years old, including four one-year-olds. About one-third of victims were male, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The database includes cases from across the country, but aid workers and rights groups think it represents just a fraction of the cases because stigma, fear of reprisals and lack of access to medical facilities limit reporting. Some of the survivors cited by UNICEF say they fell pregnant as a result of the assaults, resulting in rejection by relatives and additional hardships. One woman who was held in captivity with other women and girls was quoted saying, "After nine at night, someone opens the door, carrying a whip, selects one of the girls, and takes her to another room. I could hear the little girl crying and screaming." "They only release these girls at dawn, and they return Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement almost unconscious." UNICEF did not say who was responsible for the child rapes, calling on both sides to respect international law. Neither the RSF nor the army immediately responded to requests for comment. "Children as young as one being raped by armed men should shock anyone to their core and compel immediate action," UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement sent to journalists. War erupted in April 2023 from a power struggle between the army and the RSF ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule, triggering huge displacement and hunger crises. A U.N. fact-finding mission has described levels of sexual abuse as "staggering". The majority of known cases were perpetrated by the RSF and its allies, the mission said, noting it was more difficult to report in army-controlled territories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuters has reported on women who said they were gang raped in ethnically targeted attacks by the RSF and allied Arab militiamen. U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk said last week that over half of reported rape cases in Sudan were gang rape, "an indication that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war". The RSF has previously said it would investigate allegations and bring perpetrators to justice. (Reporting by Emma Farge and Nafisa Eltahir; Additional reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Editing by Aidan Lewis) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Tattoo artists in Tennessee will soon have a new training requirement to recognize and help stop human trafficking. The Tennessee General Assembly has passed the Ink of Hope Act, sponsored by State Rep. Mary Littleton (R-Dickson). The measure passed the House of Representatives on Monday, March 3, following passage in the Senate on Feb. 20. The bill now heads to Gov. Bill Lee for his signature. The soon-to-be law requires tattoo shop operators and artists to complete up to one hour of training on recognizing and reporting signs of human trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS: The Ink of Hope Act adds anti-human trafficking training to TN tattoo artists Traffickers often brand their victims with tattoos and The Ink of Hope Act ensures tattoo artists are educated and equipped to report vital information to authorities without intervening themselves, Littleton said. Im grateful to my colleagues in the general assembly for supporting this potentially lifesaving legislation. Starting Jan. 1, 2026, tattoo artists renewing their licenses will be required to watch a short, accredited video on the signs of human trafficking and how to safely report it to authorities. The act also includes protections for artists, ensuring they are not held liable by the state or courts for their decision to report or not report human trafficking, according to Littleton. Tennessee is the first state to pass such legislation requiring a formalized training program like this, though Nebraska and Wisconsin have awareness programs in place, according to Littletons office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom According to Littleton, the inspiration for the legislation came from her work on the Human Trafficking Advisory Council, the Second Look Commission and multiple conversations with nonprofits like Thistle Farms, which helps survivors rebuild their lives. We are beyond grateful to the survivors and advocates whose lived experience influenced this legislation and to Rep. Littleton, Sen. Massey, and the entire Tennessee General Assembly for their sweeping support of The Ink of Hope Act, Thistle Farms CEO Tasha Kennard said. This bill is one more way that Tennessee will continue to lead the nation in the fight against human trafficking, letting the world know that we believe every persons dignity matters. Once signed into law, tattoo artists will be responsible for completing the training for all renewals beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. SUNFLOWER COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) An inmate, who was serving a life sentence for capital murder, escaped from the Mississippi State Penitentiary (MSP). According to the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), Nevin Whetstone escaped from Parchman on Tuesday, March 4. Brandon man arrested for sexual battery Whetstone is serving a life sentence for capital murder committed in Lee County and one year for escape from the Sunflower County Jail. Nevin Whetstone (Courtesy: MDOC) He was sentenced on December 14, 1984. Advertisement 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. BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. company Illumina, Inc. has been banned from exporting gene sequencers to China, the Ministry of Commerce announced Tuesday. The measure, effective immediately, follows China's move to add the company to its unreliable entity list on Feb. 4, according to the ministry. The statement noted that the measure was introduced to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and in line with relevant laws and regulations. China added the company to the unreliable entity list after the company was found to have violated normal market trading principles, terminated regular trade with Chinese companies, and adopted discriminatory measures against Chinese companies, thus causing serious harm to their legitimate rights and interests. The Aspire of Washington nursing home. (Photo via Google Earth) An Iowa nursing home run by an out-of-state company with a long history of regulatory violations has been hit with $64,750 in state fines tied to 28 state and federal violations. The state fines against the Aspire of Washington nursing home are currently being held in suspension while the federal government determines whether any federal penalties should be imposed in the case. The suspended fines include two separate sets of penalties that were tripled in size due to the repeat nature of the offenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The violations stem from a January investigation, conducted by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, into a backlog of six complaints at the facility, four of which were substantiated. Some of the allegations are tied to alleged abuse, although the state did not specifically cite the facility for resident abuse or failing to report allegations of abuse. According to the state inspectors, one worker reported that a certified nursing assistant treated residents terribly, saying things like, Get out of my face, Im sick of you, Stop your boo-hooing, Im sick of it, and, Stop your crying, its all you do. The worker said she had worked in health care a long time and never heard someone be so awful to those residents, inspectors alleged. A second employee of the home reported the same concerns with the same CNA, alleging the aide told residents to shut up all the time, and would say, Im sick of you, stop your whining, youre driving me crazy. The second worker told inspectors she had informed the administrator it was abuse, and added that the CNA would tell residents she wouldnt come to their rooms anymore because she was sick of taking care of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the other problems cited by DIALs inspectors in a 190-page report of deficiencies: Food and nutrition: The staff was not providing eating assistance to residents who needed the help. The home was also cited for failing to intervene in cases where residents had sustained a severe, unplanned weight loss. Medical care: The staff failed to complete a baseline care plan for residents within 48 hours of their admission. In one instance, a care plan still hadnt been developed for a resident 39 days after he arrived at the home by ambulance. Dental care: One quadriplegic resident who was admitted with a painful broken tooth had not been taken to the dentist despite repeated requests for dental care. The staff also failed to brush the womans teeth, despite her complete dependence on the staff for oral care. A male resident with broken teeth told inspectors he had not been offered dental care at the facility and had talked to the administrator about the problem but never heard anything back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Management: The home was cited for failing to have an administrator who enabled the home to use its resources effectively and efficiently, as evidenced by a lack of prompt and thorough responses to allegations of abuse; a failure to update the license registration for a resident-transport van whose tags had expired in 2023; and a failure to ensure narcotics were consistently counted. Daily living: The home failed to provide at least two baths or showers per week to residents, with one resident going four to six weeks without a shower or bath. The director of nursing reportedly told inspectors it was difficult to provide showers and baths because sometimes they only have two aides on second shift. The home was not cited for insufficient staff. Interventions: The home failed to provide effective pain management or treatments and failed to ensure timely assessments of wounds. One resident was hospitalized as a result, and another experienced a worsening of a bone fracture, inspectors alleged. The home also failed to monitor a residents blood sugar after a recent hospitalization that was related to life-threatening blood-sugar levels. Immediate jeopardy: The home failed to implement adequate pain management with a resident who had fallen at the home, was crying out in pain, and reported pain at a level of 10 on a scale of one to 10. This failure resulted in immediate jeopardy to the health, safety, and security of the homes 35 residents, inspectors concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Competent staff: The home was cited for a lack of competent nursing staff, with one nurse failing to conduct neurological assessments on a resident after a fall. The home was also cited for failing to ensure the staff had the necessary skill to address the needs of residents with mental health disorders. One aide reportedly told inspectors the staff intended to ask the administrator if they could take a class online or have someone come in to provide instruction on how to help residents. Lawsuit: Homes owe $1.8 million in rent Aspire of Washington is a for-profit home that is owned and operated by Beacon Health Management, a Florida company run by businessman Bruce Wertheim of Tampa. Beacon owns at least seven other Iowa care facilities. Until late last year, the Iowa homes were managed by a Beacon affiliate called Black Hawk Healthcare, also run by Wertheim. Black Hawk was the legal tenant of the seven facilities, while the real estate itself was owned by a network of companies run by Ryan Scates and North Cape Investments of Georgia, which acted as the landlord. In November 2024, Scates companies went to court to have the management of the facilities placed in the hands of a receiver. At the time, Scates claimed Wertheim and his companies owed more than $1.8 million in past-due rent on the Iowa homes and were in a dire financial position, with insufficient cash available to continue to operate, according to court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court appointed as receiver Michael Flanagan, a Kansas-based businessman who specializes in receiverships and has taken over dozens of financially distressed nursing homes around the nation. Flanagan declined to comment on the matter Monday. Court records show that in 2021, Beacon acquired the Iowa homes when it purchased the Pearl Valley chain of facilities for $24.2 million. At the time, the entity that brokered the deal said the homes were generating $35 million in annual revenue, with cash profits totaling $3.5 million per year. According to federal data compiled and analyzed by Propublica, Beacon facilities now have almost three times the national average of serious regulatory violations, have significantly higher staff turnover and lower than average staffing levels. Over the years, several of the Beacon-owned Iowa facilities have failed to make their legally required payments to the State of Iowa in the form of quality assurance assessment fees intended to produce higher wages for front-line caregivers. Collectively, the homes owed the state $1.8 million in 2024. Last year, the Aspire of Washington facility agreed to make an escalating series of 18 monthly payments, beginning in April 2024, to repay the $580,175 it owed to the State of Iowa for its share of the unpaid fees. Other Aspire facilities agreed to similar payment plans. Mar. 3Maine high schoolers with intellectual and developmental disabilities are urging lawmakers to support the creation of more inclusive higher education opportunities. More than a dozen students, advocates and higher education leaders spoke Monday at a public hearing in front of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee to support LD 46, a bill sponsored by Rep. Kelly Murphy, D-Scarborough. The bill would create Inclusive Post Secondary Education, or IPSE, programs at five Maine colleges through $100,000 grants. These programs, housed at traditional colleges or universities, are designed for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities or autism, which have their own admissions process and special support systems. The bill would also provide scholarships for students. A similar bill passed the House and Senate last year but didn't receive funding from the appropriations committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For so many students with intellectual disabilities or who are on the autism spectrum, formal education most often ends with their high school diploma," Murphy said while introducing the bill. "This proposed legislation could change that, in alignment with educational opportunities already being offered in other states." Laurel Huntsberger, a senior at the Ecology Learning Center charter school in Unity who has Down syndrome, said she wants to go to college like her peers but is unsure what opportunities she has in Maine. "I don't know what's next for me after graduation. I fall into a gap. I haven't found programs that meet my needs, interests and abilities," Huntsberger testified. "This bill offers a solution that supports many young people who are capable and eager for college but need some extra support to be successful in that setting." Maine has one program, founded in 2023, for intellectually and developmentally disabled students at Saint Joseph's College in Standish. There's also a new program in the works at the University of Maine at Farmington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kate Worden, a senior at Deering High School in Portland who takes both special education and mainstream courses, testified about the economic benefits of creating postsecondary opportunities for intellectually disabled students. She said students who participate in IPSE programs have three times the employment rate of their disabled peers who do not. "Peer models help us achieve academic and social goals. We build relationships, increase our networks, and most importantly, we acquire independent skills," Worden said. Higher education professionals from several Maine institutions also spoke in support. Audrey Bartholomew, a University of New England professor of education, said Maine educators already have an interest in creating IPSE programs. "The expertise, the energy and the commitment are already here. What's missing is the initial investment to get these programs off the ground. This bill provides a critical first step," she said. "A modest amount of funding can serve as a catalyst for a new movement in Maine, allowing colleges and universities to develop inclusive higher ed programs and, most importantly, provide scholarships." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sarah Howorth, an associate professor of special education at the University of Maine, testified in support of LD 46 on behalf of the state's public university system. She said expertise on intellectual disabilities, and education for students with them, already exists within the system, and she echoed ideas about the broad economic benefits of increasing higher ed opportunities for those students. "A transition to meaningful employment is a way that many young people find fulfillment in early adulthood, and advances the goal in the state's 10-year economic strategy of increasing labor force participation, including among individuals with disabilities," Howorth testified. "It's also important to remember that the services and supports that are offered to students with autism and intellectual disabilities on college campuses, like peer mentors, will help all students." Copy the Story Link STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) The Stafford County Sheriffs Office (SCSO) said a man caused a car crash because he was intoxicated over the weekend. On March 1 at around 12:47 p.m., deputies responded to the Warrenton Road and Interstate-95 area for a car crash. PHOTOS: Driver has to be cut out of car after crash in Stafford County A Honda had rear-ended a Volkswagen, causing both cars to be totaled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SCSO said deputies found out that the Volkswagen had stopped at the red light when the driver of the Honda crashed into them. Deputies said the Honda driver, 35-year-old Joseph Hall Jr., who was driving a child, was showing signs of intoxication. He admitted to drinking, and it was discovered that his license had been revoked due to his previous DUI offenses. Stafford deputies: Off-duty federal officer discharges gun, killing 61-year-old man during incident Hall is being charged with driving under the influence second offense within five years with a blood alcohol content above .2 with a child present, driving with a revoked license, child neglect, following too closely and having an expired registration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is being held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail without 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC. MANNHEIM, Germany (AP) The suspect in a car-ramming in the German city of Mannheim that killed two people gave no information about his motive Tuesday as he appeared before a judge who ordered him held pending a possible indictment, investigators said. The 40-year-old German man was arrested shortly after the car-ramming Monday at around noon on a busy pedestrian street in downtown Mannheim in southwestern Germany. Eleven people were injured, five of them seriously, and the latter were still being treated in hospitals on Tuesday. Mourners laid flowers in the city center to honor the victims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mannheim prosecutors and state police said a district court in the city ordered the man kept in custody pending possible formal charges on suspicion of two counts of murder, five of attempted murder and 11 of bodily harm. The investigators said in a statement that the suspect gave no information in his appearance before a judge, so that his motive for the act is still unclear. A search of his apartment in nearby Ludwigshafen also turned up no clues as to a motive. The investigation so far points to mental illness, the statement added. The suspect is believed to have acted alone. Prosecutors and police said that objects the man had in his car and his home including a blank gun and written documents were being evaluated. The suspect tried to kill himself by shooting himself in the mouth before he was arrested, Tuesday's statement said. He was initially taken to a hospital but subsequently handed over to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said on Monday that they had no indication of an extremist or religious motivation. Prosecutors have said the man, whose identity was not revealed in line with German privacy rules, has previous convictions. He served a short prison sentence for assault more than 10 years ago and was convicted for drunken driving. He had also been investigated for a hate speech offense on Facebook in 2018, for which he was fined, prosecutors said without giving further details. Cars have been used as deadly weapons in other acts of violence in recent months in Germany. Last month, a 2-year-old girl and her mother died two days after they were injured in a car-ramming attack on a union demonstration in Munich. A 24-year-old Afghan man who came to Germany as an asylum-seeker was arrested. Prosecutors said he appeared to have an Islamic extremist motive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December, six people were killed and more than 200 injured when a car slammed into a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg. The suspect is a 50-year-old doctor originally from Saudi Arabia who had expressed anti-Muslim views and support for the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative For Germany party. ___ Dazio reported from Berlin. Associated Press writers Geir Moulson and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report. KILGORE, Texas (KETK) Investigators are seeking help to identify a Jane Doe who was dead for nearly two years before her body was found in a wooded area near Kilgore in December of 2000. Investigative Genetic Genealogists with the DNA Doe Project are currently working to identify the woman who was found over 24 years ago in a wooded area five miles northeast of Kilgore. Former East Texas teacher celebrates 100th birthday in Tyler Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators said she would have been around 30 to 50-years-old, between 4 feet, 10 inches to 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighing about 115 pounds. It is believed that the woman was dead for up to two years before she was found in 2000. Courtesy of NamUs. The DNA Doe Project began working on this case in fall 2021, which was previously worked on by the team at Parabon Nanolabs. The case was taken on by a group of four genetic genealogists and six support staff members. Investigators have worked to build a family tree based off the womans DNA, however research has been hindered due to many of her distant relatives being adopted and her heritage being 100% Amerindian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tyler ISD elementary students get artsy ahead of Big Art Day Its a tough road building a family tree that traces back to Central America the records are hard to access and the databases we use dont have a lot of matches we can work with, Lance Daly, team co-leader on the Kilgore Jane Doe case said. We need more people of Guatemalan and Central American heritage to upload DNA profiles to GEDmatch, FamilyTreeDNA and DNAJustice. Daly also acknowledges that its not how long ago the body was discovered that makes the case difficult but instead its the lack of quality DNA matches. How cold the case is doesnt really present that much of a difference. This is pretty typical that we get cases this old, it really just depends on quality of the DNA matches, Daly said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, a facial reconstruction along with a phenotyping analysis of the DNA was conducted. The reconstruction aligns with the observations made by authorities at the time her remains were recovered. Courtesy of NamUs. Team co-leader and Indigenous Liaison for the DNA Doe Project Trish Bird said that they must find some kind of match in the database to be able to identify the woman. Someone out there is missing this woman, Bird said. We wont give up our work to bring her home to her family and community, but we need to see that close relative match in the database to find her name Anyone who may have any information about this woman is encouraged to reach out to the DNA Doe Project at case-tips@dnadoeproject.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. DES MOINES, Iowa Iowa Senate Republicans advanced legislation at the beginning of the first funnel week that would prohibit a person from administering a gene-based vaccine to another in the state. Gene-based vaccine is defined in the bill as a vaccine developed using messenger ribonucleic acid technology, modified messenger ribonucleic acid technology, self-amplifying messenger ribonucleic acid technology or deoxyribonucleic acid technology. To simplify, this definition means mRNA vaccines, like those developed for COVID-19. A lot of people commented on the public forum of the bill, expressing their concern with it moving forward. The bill advanced by a vote of 2 to 1, with both Republican Senators voting for it: Sen. Campbell and Sen. Guth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would not allow a person to administer a gene-based vaccine to another, while classifying the penalty as a simple misdemeanor and a $500 fine per incident. Lots of medical professionals and people lobbying for organizations and associations in the medical field were very frustrated with the legislation. Legislation has no right to take away patients individual choice, to be vaccinated or not, said Dr. Patrick Keating, MD a child and adolescent psychiatrist. ISU student accused of sexually exploiting minors on social media Our students want no part of practicing here with bills like this on the table, said Dr. Johnathan Crosbie, a physician and assistant professor at Des Moines University. You are chasing them off. So you go ahead, pass it, chase off the best and brightest, by all means go ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that these tools need to be in the toolbox for innovation, to fight different diseases, said Jessica Hyland, the Executive Director for the Iowa Biotechnology Association. Criminalizing the practice of medicine and the practice of pharmacy on a vaccine that is voluntarily received and sought after by a patient, Kate Walton, a lobbyist for the Iowa Pharmacy Association. Even some people that spoke in favor for the bill were not fans of the penalty mechanism that the bill outlined. These are gene therapy products, intent on altering a persons body. With that being said we do not like the mechanism of enforcement for this bill, or an outright ban, said Lindsey Maher with Informed Choice Iowa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some for the bill shared anecdotal stories about their injuries or illnesses after taking some variant of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is a non issue, the issue at hand is what is being injected into humanity and nobody in Washington, D.C. is going to do anything, nobody in the FDA, said Dan Twelmeyer, from Des Moines. Sen. Campbell said at the end of the subcommittee that he would be filing an amendment to the bill, which may end up changing it in its entirety. He briefly mentioned to members of the media that he would look at companies manufacturing the vaccine to drop liability protections in order to sell the vaccine in the state. That amendment is not filed yet so the details around what changes could come are not clear. Iowa News: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) A father whose son gave the gift of life to five people is letting people know about the importance of organ and tissue donations. The Rotary Club of Sioux City welcomed John Jorgensen from the Iowa Donor Network on Monday. According to the Iowa Donor Network, there are over 500 people on the waiting list for donations in Iowa, with over 100,000 patients nationwide. Jorgenson shared his personal story with Rotary Club members, emphasizing how easy it is to become a donor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its such a need, he said. The kidney list is, about 82 percent of those people waiting for organs are waiting for kidneys, and the rest are between all the others and its just a thing thats needed Okoboji Middle School teacher receives regional 2025 Iowa STEM Teacher Award Jorgensen said he hopes that the number of people waiting on lists goes down as donations go up. Its important for people to donate so we can help that list shrink down so people waiting on a list arent dying, he said. The one statistic shows 70 people die waiting for that. I think itd be great if that number was zero. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information about organ and tissue donation in Iowa and how to register, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Fresh vegetables at a farmers market. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa House Health and Human Services Committee voted 14-6 to advance a bill that would allocate $1 million to the Double Up Food Bucks program, if federal food assistance for Iowans is limited to healthy food purchases only. Most food insecurity groups opposed the bill and urged lawmakers to separate the funding for the Double Up Food Bucks program, which allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to double their spending on fruits and vegetables. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Rob Johnson, D-Des Moines, urged his colleagues to vote no on the bill and to separate the Double Up Food Bucks allocation from the restrictions on SNAP. I do not believe that this bill will accomplish what we are trying to accomplish, Johnson said. I really urge us to take a step back on this one. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX House Study Bill 216 would conditionally grant $1 million to the Double Up Food bucks program, if the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services can get a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to limit SNAP eligible foods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The version of the bill House lawmakers advanced last week from subcommittee had a specific list of real foods that would be on the waiver and prioritized whole foods. The bill was amended Monday to remove the specified list of foods and instead direct DHHS to seek a waiver to limit SNAP eligibility to healthy foods based on necessary nutrition for good health according to Rep. Carter Nordman, R-Panora, who managed the bill. Nordman said the bill incentivizes healthy eating habits and noted Iowas obesity and child obesity rates and the associated risk factors. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is present in nearly 38% of Iowans, and approximately 15% of youth in Iowa have obesity, according to the State of Childhood Obesity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This bill is not about policing what people are eating its about helping those who are in need, with taxpayer dollars, while ensuring what is being purchased is nutritional, necessary and appropriate, Nordman said. Luke Elzinga, policy and advocacy manager with Des Moines Area Religious Council and board chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition, said even with the vague amendment, he still believes the bill would be policing peoples food options. Rep. Tracy Ehlert, D-Cedar Rapids, opposed the bill and recalled her personal experience relying on SNAP as a single mother while finishing her college education and working multiple jobs. I cant imagine having to try to work around the parameters that are in this bill, the extra time, the extra planning, the potential embarrassment at the checkout counter, Ehlert said. SNAP is not a handout. It gives people like me and my family a hand up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the subcommittee on the bill, lobbyists from grocery store associations brought up the difficulty many stores would have in complying with the restrictions if they differed from the federal regulations. Elzinga said the extra hassle could lead some stores to stop accepting SNAP all together. Ehlert also noted the difficulty of feeding special needs children who she said will often only eat very specific, sometimes unhealthy options. Nordman said the bill still allows for things like chicken nuggets, grilled cheese and mac and cheese. The idea that this is so limited and theres going to be so few options, I think, is false, Nordman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill will be safe from the first funnel deadline on Friday. A Senate bill that would appropriate $1 million for the Double Up Food Bucks program, without the conditional SNAP eligibility waiver, has also advanced out of committee. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A legal dispute between the City of Davenport and Iowa Auditor Rob Sand has now spread into a dispute between Sand and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird. The city is trying to block a subpoena issued by Sand for closed session minutes and recordings of city council meetings related to nearly $2 million in separation agreements with former City Administrator Corri Spiegel and two former city assistants. Sand is criticizing the Iowa Attorney Generals office for not legally supporting his office in the dispute. Sand has now asked the court to remove the Attorney Generals office as counsel for the subpoena fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The evidence to this point shows that the former Davenport City Attorney authorized nearly $2 million in settlements without approval from the Council, and now wants to hide behind attorney-client privilege, Sand said. The Attorney General doesnt want the Auditors Office to argue we should get this evidence of waste, fraud, and abuse, because that could lead to us getting evidence about other waste, fraud, and abuse in other cases. Attorney General Brenna Bird backed the brief filed by her office in a statement to OurQuadCities News: Iowa law makes clear that it is the job of the Attorney Generals office to represent the State in court, not the Auditors. Bird added. We have checks and balances for a reason. As we have thoroughly discussed with the Auditors team, our brief makes the most sound and strategic arguments to help the State win its case in 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 WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. DES MOINES, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds honored STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) programs from across the state at the Capitol on Monday. Among the honorees were six educators, who were given STEM Teacher of the Year awards. The recipients are: Alex Spooner, 8 th grade math teacher and STEM Director at Okoboji Middle School Tara Gray, agriculture science teacher at Marshalltown High School Dan Kuchera, science teacher at Clarksville High School Dustan Kern, STEM teacher at Lewis Central Middle School Maddie Kampf, science teacher at Irving Elementary Chuck Tonelli, science teacher and STEAM Academy Coordinator at Metro Alternative High School Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the awards ceremony, the Capitol rotunda was packed with students from across the state, eager to talk about STEM and what it means for their futures. For me STEM is a place where I am able to be myself and be able to connect to other people and help me find the person that I want to be in the future, said Sam May, junior at Metro High School. Sam added, Im going to be an engineer and maybe a foreman, hopefully in construction and also hopefully start my own robotics team. Quinlan Akin, a senior at Metro High School, said I would like to be a software programmer, so that is my plans for the future. Eventually go to college, get a degree in software programing and become a software programmer. Eight STEM BEST programs and 10 STEM Scale-Up programs were on display throughout the event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. WASHINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Trump administration on Monday paused all military aid to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported. The pause, which Trump ordered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to execute, will remain in effect until President Donald Trump determines that Ukraine's leaders "demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace" with Russia, a senior Defense Department official was quoted as saying. All U.S. military equipment not currently in Ukraine, said the official, will be paused, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or those waiting in transit areas in Poland. The move comes after Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky turned into a tense shouting match at the White House on Friday, leading to the cancellation of an anticipated bilateral materials deal. The draft deal, as U.S. media reported, included the establishment of a fund to be jointly owned by Ukraine and the United States, to which Ukraine will contribute 50 percent of its revenues from the future monetization of natural resources, including critical minerals, oil and gas. Earlier on Monday, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that the United States "will not put up with" what he perceived as Zelensky's hesitancy about reaching a U.S.-brokered peace deal with Russia. "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy," Trump said in the post in which he included a link to a report by The Associated Press quoting Zelensky as saying late Sunday that the end of Ukraine's conflict with Russia "is still very, very far away." But Trump also hinted on Monday that a deal to open up Ukraine's minerals to U.S. investment is still on the table despite his frustration with Kiev. DUBAI/ANKARA (Reuters) -Iran and Turkey's foreign ministries summoned their envoys after a diplomatic spat over Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's warning of Tehran against undermining Syria's stability. Fidan last week gave an interview to Qatar's al Jazeera in which he said Iran's foreign policy relying on militias was "dangerous" and needed to change. "If you are trying to cause anxiety in a third country, other countries can also disturb you by supporting groups in your own country," Turkey's foreign minister added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran's foreign ministry summoned Turkey's ambassador over Fidan's comments, state TV reported on Tuesday. The Iranian foreign ministry published a statement saying that a meeting took place on Monday between ambassador Hicabi Krlangc and Mahmoud Heydari, the Iran foreign ministry's Director General for the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. "The common interests of the two countries and the sensitivity of regional conditions require avoiding wrongful comments and unreal analyses that could lead to differences and tensions in our bilateral relations," Heydari said. A day after Iran's move, Turkey summoned Iran's charges d'affaires in Ankara. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iranian officials have been voicing criticism of Turkey more often in public recently, Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said. "Foreign policy matters should not be used as a tool for domestic politics in any case. In this context, we prefer to convey critical messages to another country directly. We followed this path today," Keceli said, adding that Turkey attaches great value to its relations with Iran. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said earlier on Monday that Tehran and Ankara disagreed over some issues. "We highly value our bilateral relations with Turkey. Unfortunately, the words repeatedly heard (from Turkey) were highly unconstructive, and it was necessary for Iran to decisively and clearly state its position in that regard," Esmaeil Baghaei said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Perhaps it is necessary for our Turkish friends to think more about the Zionist regime's (Israel) policy in Syria and the region." (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom, Huseyin Hayatsever in Ankara, editing by Ed Osmond) Credit: TASNIM_Military Iran has unveiled a new miniature jet-powered stealth fighter drone that it says can carry out bombing and reconnaissance missions. Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corpss (IRGC) naval wing, said: With its high speed, the JAS 313 can efficiently carry out its missions. He introduced it during a ceremony onboard the Shahid Bagheri, the Iranian navys drone carrier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Footage showed the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which is a smaller version of Irans Qaher 313 prototype stealth fighter, dwarfed by the carriers runway as it took off for flight tests. According to Mr Tangsiri, the drone was designed specifically for taking off from such runways and is expected to be fully operational soon. [The] JAS drone performs both reconnaissance and bombing missions for the IRGC Navy, he said. However, some Iranian social media users mocked the tiny aircraft, with one saying, you could find a cheaper and more efficient one on Amazon. The new fighter drone has a jet engine, allowing it to travel at high speed Last week the US imposed sanctions on entities in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland that were accused of facilitating Tehrans acquisition of parts for its drone programmes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, said: Iran continues to try to find new ways to procure the key components it needs to bolster its UAV weapons program through new front companies and third-country suppliers. Iran has invested heavily in its drone development in recent years and 1,000 new UAVs were delivered to the army in January. Iranian drones have been used across the region in Syria and Yemen, and Russia has made heavy use of Iranian-developed Shahed attack drones to bombard Ukrainian cities. Last month, a drone launched by Russia struck the protective shell covering the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian media released images of the UAVs engine, which appeared to be from a Shahed. Iran is bracing for more showdowns with Israel and the United States, particularly following Donald Trumps maximum pressure campaign on Tehran. 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. Iran and any agents acting on its behalf are to be declared a security threat and forced to register their activities in the UK or face five years in jail. Dan Jarvis, the security minister, said on Tuesday that the whole Iranian state including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its intelligence agency will be placed in the highest category of a new foreign influence register. In a statement to the Commons, Mr Jarvis said this would include any proxy group or individual directed by Iran to conduct activities on behalf of Iran such as criminal recruits previously caught carrying out surveillance in the UK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also announced that Jonathan Hall, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, will look at whether there should be a new proscription mechanism for hostile states like Iran and bodies such as the IRGC linked to them. The list of proscribed groups is currently restricted to terrorist groups with the Government having previously resisted demands to ban the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. Mr Jarvis said the list would continue to be kept under constant review. Mr Jarvis said Iran had become increasingly emboldened, asserting itself more aggressively to advance their objectives and undermine ours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to disrupt and degrade the threats that we face from Iran. Dan Jarvis, the security minister, said the UK had thwarted 20 plots since 2022 - Heathcliff O'Malley He said the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) was a critical disruptive tool for the UK for the state, its agents and criminal proxies. They will face a choice: expose their actions to the Government or face jail, he said. All police forces in the UK are being offered training by counter-terror police in how to spot state threat incidents, Mr Jarvis told MPs. This will mean that when any front line officer encounters a suspected state threat incident they will know what to do, and what to look for to ensure our communities are kept safe, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Jarvis revealed that the UK intelligence and police had thwarted 20 plots since 2022 that presented potentially lethal threats to British citizens or UK residents. Iran is the first country to be publicly placed on the enhanced tier of FIRS, which is targeted at hostile states where anyone carrying out any activity who fails to register will face up to five years in jail. Mr Jarvis refused to be drawn on whether China would also be included in the enhanced tier although ministers have previously rejected calls for the Communist state to be declared such a security threat. The minister told MPs that the announcements on other countries such as China and Russia would be made in due course. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Government intends for the FIRS scheme to be up and running by the summer. 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 Irish government has approved an additional aid package for Ukraine worth 100 million, which will be used to purchase non-lethal military equipment. Source: RTE News, citing Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine Details: "Tanaiste Simon Harris said the funding would be allocated for non-lethal military equipment and support," RTE News said. RTE News noted that "as the Cabinet gathered this morning to discuss ways to aid Ukraine, the Taoiseach said there is no doubt the US President's decision to pause military aid to the country is a very, very serious development". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin described it as a "serious setback" and called for "continued engagement between everybody". Background: The Irish government also approved a bill that removes the need for UN approval to deploy the country's peacekeeping troops abroad. Earlier, Bloomberg reported that the Irish government plans to change its rules regarding the deployment of troops abroad. This is expected to be related to the country's potential involvement in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! In the 18 days since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, his department has postponed or canceled two major vaccine advisory committee meetings, hes pledged to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule and he downplayed the seriousness of a measles outbreak thats resulted in the first death from the disease in this country in a decade. Citing those moves and others including an opinion piece from Kennedy on the measles response published by Fox News Sunday Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, sent a letter demanding the secretary clarify his intentions regarding vaccine policy. These are dangerous times for public health, Warren wrote in the letter, sent Monday night and obtained exclusively by CNN. She cited not just the measles outbreak in Texas, but the worst flu season in 15 years and the risk posed by H5N1 bird flu. Your irresponsible and reckless efforts to undermine the nations vaccine policy threaten to fan the flames of disaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy wrote in his op-ed about the measles outbreak that all parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR [measles, mumps, rubella] vaccine, adding that the decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons, Kennedy wrote. It was a stronger statement on vaccination than Kennedy, a prominent anti-vaccine advocate, had personally made so far, but stopped short of explicitly recommending vaccination amid the deadly outbreak something his predecessors at HHS did during previous measles emergencies. Kennedys statement on measles vaccination also appeared in the piece after a paragraph emphasizing treatment, such as vitamin A, for people who are sick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warren, in her letter, noted Kennedys op-ed failed to include a strong call for vaccination, instead claiming that good nutrition remains a best defense against most chronic and infectious diseases. Do you believe good nutrition is a better defense against measles than the MMR vaccine? Warren wrote. The senator, a member of the Senate finance committee, one of two that grilled Kennedy over his history of anti-vaccine views and financial interest in vaccine litigation during his confirmation hearings, also asked the secretary whether he would change course and tell American parents to vaccinate their children to protect against measles. Yes or no? Warren wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senators questions also covered Kennedys plans for the vaccine advisory committees to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and US Food and Drug Administration, whose meetings were postponed or canceled, as well as his intentions to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule and reevaluation of a government contract with vaccine maker Moderna to develop a potential vaccine against bird flu. The mission of the agency you lead is to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans, Warren wrote. You are already failing to do so and you must reverse course immediately. She asked for a response from Kennedy by March 10. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com CAIRO (Reuters) - Israel criticized a plan put forward by Arab states for Gaza's reconstruction on Tuesday, while Palestinian militant group Hamas welcomed it. Shortly after a summit of Arab leaders in Cairo, the Israeli foreign ministry said the reconstruction plan "failed to address" the realities of the situation following Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel. "Hamas' brutal terrorist attack, which resulted in thousands of Israeli deaths and hundreds of kidnappings, is not mentioned, nor is there any condemnation of this murderous terrorist entity," the foreign ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas, however, called for providing the means to ensure the plan's success and considered the summit a "step forward" for Arab and Islamic support behind the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian Islamist group urged Arab leaders to compel Israel to commit to its ceasefire agreement with Hamas. "We value the Arab stance rejecting the attempts to displace our people," Hamas added. Representatives from Arab states met in Cairo on Tuesday and adopted Egypt's plan for Gaza's reconstruction that would cost $53 billion and avoid resettling Palestinians. Israel meanwhile reiterated support for U.S. President Donald Trump's idea, which aims to displace Palestinians and relocate them to Jordan and Egypt, saying Arab states had rejected it without giving it a chance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel also criticized the statement's reliance on the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA, which it said had previously "demonstrated corruption and support for terrorism". The Arab statement condemned Israel's latest decision to halt the entry of aid into Gaza, called for an end to Israel's "aggression" in the West Bank and affirmed the vital role of UNRWA in Gaza and the West Bank. (Reporting by Jaidaa Taha, Muhammad Al Gebaly and Nidal Al-Mughrabi, writing by Jaidaa Taha; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Stephen Coates) Israel is facing immense global backlash after blocking all aid from entering Gaza as a method of warfare a move reminiscent of the military offensives earlier stages and one that international humanitarian law unequivocally says is a war crime. On Sunday, the Israeli government stopped the entry of all food and other humanitarian assistance into the decimated Palestinian territory after the first phase of Israels ceasefire agreement with Hamas expired. Israeli officials warned Hamas of additional consequences if the militant group didnt accept a last-minute ceasefire extension that deviates from the previously agreed-upon deal. Israels 16-month military campaign in Gaza has razed the territory and shredded the social and physical fabric, Volker Turk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We must above all make sure the fragile ceasefire in Gaza holds, and becomes the basis for peace. Any solution to the cycles of violence must be rooted in human rights, including the right to self-determination, the rule of law and accountability, he continued. All hostages must be freed; all those detained arbitrarily must be released; and humanitarian aid into Gaza must resume immediately. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk delivers a speech at the opening of the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Feb. 24, 2025. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images The ceasefires first phase took place on Jan. 19, allowing humanitarian groups to bring a significantly larger amount of aid into Gaza for Palestinians facing extreme hunger, exposure to the elements, limited health care and unsanitary conditions. Aid workers and Hamas officials claimed that Israel was not allowing the agreed-upon number of trucks in, with aid coalition Oxfam saying the amount was a drop in the ocean. Israeli officials have denied the accusation. The World Food Program said the ceasefire had allowed the aid group to reach a million Palestinians with food assistance, including by restocking bakeries and providing nutrition packs to small children and pregnant and breastfeeding women. Because so much territory is decimated including agricultural land millions of Palestinians are both homeless and jobless. The WFP began providing cash so that families could start reviving the local economy. The risk of starvation had been pushed back, thanks to the ceasefire and the significant influx of aid it allowed. This threat could return quickly if the agreement collapses, however, the WFP said on Friday. Two days later, the agency said it is urgently seeking clarification from Israeli authorities on the new blockage of aid. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid line up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on March 2, 2025, after Israel suspended the entry of supplies into the Palestinian enclave. AFP via Getty Images Hamas has called to negotiate the deals second phase, which was supposed to start a month ago and would have meant Hamas releasing the surviving hostages it kidnapped during its deadly October 2023 attack in return for Israeli troops withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon after the first phases expiration, however, Israel said it supported a new proposal by the United States that would extend the ceasefire through Ramadan which began over the weekend and Passover, which ends on April 20. The proposal requires Hamas to release half the remaining hostages on the first day and the rest when mediating parties reach an agreement on a permanent ceasefire, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There will be no free lunches, the prime minister posted on X. If Hamas thinks that it will be possible to continue the ceasefire or benefit from the terms of the first stage, without us receiving hostages, it is sorely mistaken. Israel cut off aid to Palestinians in hopes it would force Hamas hand in agreeing to the new proposal. Key mediators Egypt and Qatar claimed Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war, and Hamas accused the occupying power of derailing the truces second phase. Gazas food prices have spiked since then, according to Doctors Without Borders. Israels decision to block aid to over 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as Ramadan begins is a reckless act of collective punishment, explicitly prohibited under international humanitarian law, Oxfam said on Sunday. Humanitarian aid is not a bargaining chip for applying pressure on parties, but a fundamental right of civilians experiencing urgent need in challenging and life-threatening circumstances. Palestinians queue to receive food aid from an UNRWA distribution center at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on March 3, 2025. Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images According to the International Criminal Court, intentionally depriving civilians of items necessary to their survival including food and other relief as a method of warfare is a starvation-related war crime under the Geneva Conventions. COGAT, the Israeli government agency that oversees aid entering Gaza, did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The intentional blockage of aid is central to both the ICCs November arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and South Africas case before the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide. Though the case now supported by multiple countries is ongoing, the ICJ has ordered Israel to ensure an appropriate amount of aid is delivered to Gaza. Global rights groups like Human Rights Watch,Amnesty International and the U.N. have also concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza stressing that Israel, as an occupying power, is required under international law to facilitate humanitarian relief regardless of a truce. Israel and its biggest supporter, the U.S. has repeatedly rejected the claim. The defense of human rights requires persistent pressure. Governments are always tempted to violate human rights, former HRW Director Kenneth Roth told Democracy Now! And our job in the human rights community is to push back, to change the cost-benefit calculus of repression. OTTAWA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Canada will impose 25-percent tariffs on U.S. goods from Tuesday if the Trump administration proceeds with its planned tariffs on Canadian products, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday. "Should American tariffs come into effect tonight, Canada will, effective 12:01 a.m. EST tomorrow, respond with 25 percent tariffs against 155 billion Canadian dollars (107 billion U.S. dollars) of American goods," said Trudeau. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly also said on Monday that Canada is ready to hit back at U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs right away. "We know this is an existential threat to us. There are thousands of jobs in Canada at stake. Now, we've done the work, we are ready, should the U.S. decide to launch their trade war," Joly said. Canadian officials made a month-long diplomatic push to avoid the U.S. tariffs. Joly said Canada has responded to Trump's concerns about the border, including naming a new "fentanyl czar" and listing Mexican cartels as terrorist groups. Canadian Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Monday that Canada and the United States are no longer trade partners as before even if the tariffs are removed. "I don't think we are going back there even if the tariffs are removed," said Wilkinson. Trump said Monday that 25-percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday. On Feb. 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25-percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with a 10-percent tariff increase specifically for Canadian energy products. On Feb. 3, Trump announced that the additional tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada would be deferred for one month, allowing more time for negotiations. According to this decision, the relevant tariff measures are set to take effect on March 4. JERUSALEM Two Israeli companies announced last weekend the establishment of defense factories in the United States that are planned to produce jet and rocket engines for the U.S. military market. The first to announce the move was Israeli public company Bet Shemesh Engines, which specializes in the production of jet engines and their components for the civilian market. The firm is joining up with German company JetCat, which is already active in the military market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The joint plant will develop and produce small jet and rocket engines with the goal to penetrate the U.S. military market in order to supply jet engines for small airborne platforms, the Israeli company said. Bet Shemesh Engines and its German partner will also establish another subsidiary that will develop similar products for the Israeli defense market. The Israeli government company Rafael, meanwhile, announced a few hours later the establishment of a plant for solid-fuel rocket engines, which it will build in partnership with Kratos for $175 million. The plant is set to be headquartered on an approximate 500 acre site near U.S. Navy and Army facilities in Crane, Indiana, under the name Prometheus Energetics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rafael is already known to the U.S. military and specializes in missiles. Some of Iron Dome and Davids Sling capabilities, for example, come from their solid-fuel engines. The jet and rocket engines from Rafael and Bet Shemesh are supposed to meet mainly a requirement for cruise missiles at a time when the U.S. Department of Defense is working to encourage competition in order to lower prices of military procurement. Bet Shemesh Engines and Rafael declined to elaborate on their plans. Correction: This article was updated on March 5 to correct a translation error in a statement by Bet Shemesh Engines about the scope of their product lineup. The last image Oran Almog saw before losing his sight was dead bodies covered in glass five of them, members of his own family. A suicide bomber had detonated an explosive belt at a Haifa restaurant, killing Almogs father, brother, grandparents and cousin. I remember us sitting down, ordering something to eat. And the next thing I remember is myself lying on the ground, Almog told CNN in an interview. The terrorist attack killed 21 people and wounded 60, including Almog, who was blinded on October 4, 2003. Now, more than two decades later, the man who dispatched the bomber Sami Jaradat has been released from Israeli prison as part of the ceasefire and hostage release deal reached between Hamas and Israel in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is among 1,735 Palestinian prisoners released during the ceasefire agreement in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages. While most prisoners released have not been convicted of any crime and just one-third were convicted of murder or attempted murder, the Israeli government and media typically refer to all prisoners as terrorists, which has driven public perceptions around the deal in Israel. The news of Jaradats release left Almog stunned and speechless. I never imagined that he would go out from the jail I was speechless. It was giving really deep pain for me. Not angry, not disappointed, only feeling something was broken in my heart, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But soon afterwards, Almog began to realize what he called the price of this deal, and believed it was one worth paying. I understood if Sami Jaradat will stay in the jail forever, my family who was murdered in the terror attack, they will never return alive. But living Israeli hostages still can come back, so this is what was important for me, he said. Almog penned an op-ed in Israeli newspaper Haaretz shortly after he learned Jaradat would be released, urging Israelis to put aside the disagreements over the price, and focus on the main thing referring to the release of hostages. Protesters opposition Jaradat and 109 other Palestinians were freed from detention on January 30 following the release of Israeli hostages Arbel Yehoud, Gadi Moses and Israeli soldier Agam Berger, who were taken captive during the October 7 attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almog said it reminded him of the moment his cousin Chen Almog-Goldstein, who was also taken hostage by Hamas with her surviving children on October 7, was released during the first short-lived ceasefire and hostage release deal in November 2023. I will never forget this evening when they got the first hug from our family I understood the joy and happiness of Israelis coming back home, he reflected. But Almogs perspective is not one shared by all Israelis. Many, including a small number of hostage families that belong to the right-wing Tikva Forum and Gvura Forum, have opposed a ceasefire from the get-go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Days after the deal was announced on January 15, hundreds of protesters belonging to the two forums took to the streets in Jerusalem, chanting, Dont make a deal with the devil! and Sinwar was also released in a deal! They recall how Yahya Sinwar, the late leader of Hamas and architect of the October 7 attacks, was released from Israeli imprisonment along with 1,027 Palestinians in exchange for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011. Yehoshua Shani, the father of an Israeli soldier killed on October 7, invoked that history and called all Palestinians being released vile murderers. The price of this deal has already been written, we just dont know who will pay the price, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Israelis oppose the release of Palestinians from Israeli jails and instead insist that defeating Hamas through strong military action should be the top priority for Israel and is the best strategy to bring back the hostages. Under the first phase of the ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas, which lasted 42 days and concluded last weekend, leaving the truce hanging by a thread, 33 Israeli hostages were released in exchange for 1,735 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. A bargaining chip According to information from the Israel Prison Service and the Palestinian Prisoners Society, the majority of those cleared for release were detained without charge and were not put on trial or given an opportunity to defend themselves. Of the 1,735 Palestinians, about 15% were convicted of killing Israelis, including civilians and soldiers. Most of them were imprisoned during the first and second intifadas, uprisings by Palestinians against Israels military occupation of the West Bank. Another 18% were convicted of attempted murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly two-thirds of the total were being held without trial, including 1,000 Palestinians detained in Gaza during the war, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society and the Israel Prison Service. The remainder were convicted of lesser charges like being affiliated to an outlawed organization or incitement, a vague charge that has been used to jail Palestinians over social media posts, including those expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. That nuance is often lost on the Israeli public, political analyst and Haaretz columnist Dahlia Scheindlin told CNN. Israelis believe that a Palestinian thats being held in Israeli detention by virtue of being held in Israeli detention must be a terrorist, she said. Freed Palestinian prisoners are greeted by a crowd as they arrive in the Gaza following their release on February 1. - Jehad Alshrafi/AP Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank fall under the jurisdiction of Israels military court system, where rights groups say the conviction rate is over 99%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human rights organizations have denounced the system as a means to maintain Israels control over Palestinians. Theres no question that many people were arrested, detained, both in Gaza and in the West Bank, for the purpose of having them as a bargaining chip. And some of those people probably didnt commit any act, maybe some of them didthe problem is that Israelis are not willing to look at both of those types of prisoners, Scheindlin said. Still, despite equating the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to the release of terrorists, Israeli polling suggests a majority of Israelis overwhelmingly support the ceasefire and hostage release deal. Like most Israelis, Almog has come to prioritize the lives of Israeli hostages held in Gaza over the price of freeing Palestinian prisoners convicted of killing Israelis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he will not forget that price, nor what it has delivered. To understand the price, that my pain brings the Israeli hostages home is really important to me, Almog said. I dont know, maybe someday I will meet Agam, Gadi and Arbel and feel the full meaning, the full importance of this deal and this price to me. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich left for high-level talks in the U.S. on Tuesday, leaving behind a growing coalition crisis with ultra-Orthodox parties who say they have been denied promised 2025 budget allocations. The parties, which could bring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government down if they left the coalition, say the funds were agreed on with Smotrich but the full amount was not added to the main, long-delayed 2025 budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smotrich could not immediately be reached for comment. The cabinet was slated later on Tuesday to discuss part of the 2025 budget, which has passed an initial parliamentary vote but needs final approval by a March 31 deadline to avoid the risk of early elections. The budget, containing a mix of spending cuts and tax hikes to fund wartime outlays, only narrowly passed its first vote in December due to a rebellion from one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right partners - Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his six-seat ultranationalist Otzma Yehudit party, which had voted against the budget. Last year, all three international credit rating agencies cut Israel's rating due to massive war expenses incurred since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas that pushed the budget deficit to some 7% of GDP in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jewish ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, parties, which represent communities heavily dependent on government support, have demanded more than 1 billion shekels ($277 million) for their seminaries and other favoured areas. Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, said on Tuesday none of the budgets for the Haredi community have been settled as agreed. "I call on my fellow party leaders to take note of this and ensure that the Haredi community is not left behind," he said. "We must insist that these budgets be arranged without delay and in accordance with the coalition agreements we signed." In an X post with an in-flight photo, Smotrich said he would have talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington to strengthen economic cooperation between Israel and the U.S., promote joint economic initiatives and deepen the strategic alliance between the countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In my meetings, I will emphasise Israel's determined stance in the fight against terrorism and the need for clear American backing for the continuation of our security activities in the war," said Smotrich, who was to meet Bessent on Wednesday. In response, Goldknopf said he expected Smotrich to "prevent the economic crisis that is plaguing the Haredi education system and the yeshiva world". He added: "It is important that the partners with whom you are promoting initiatives in the U.S. know that you are a person who respects agreements." Until a budget is approved in 2025, the 2024 budget will be divided into 12 parts with 1/12 allocated each month. (Reporting by Steven Scheer; editing by Mark Heinrich) By Emily Rose JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's top security agency ignored signs Hamas would attack in October 2023 and was fooled into believing the militant group did not want all-out war, the agency reported in its own inquiry into one of Israel's most devastating security failures. The Shin Bet's report was published on Tuesday, five days after the military released the result of an investigation saying it had drastically underestimated Hamas' capabilities and "failed in its mission to protect Israeli civilians". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas fighters from Gaza stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. More than 48,000 people have been killed in Israel's war on Gaza since then, according to Palestinian health officials, with the small enclave largely demolished and most of its 2.3 million people displaced, humanitarian agencies say. Around 400 Israeli soldiers have also been killed. A fragile ceasefire has held in Gaza since January 19. A published summary of Shin Bet's investigation said that if it "had acted differently in the years preceding the (Hamas) attack and on the night of the attack..., the massacre would have been prevented". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is not the standard that we expected from ourselves and the public from us," the report said. Both investigations were published as calls grow from within the Israeli opposition and civil society for a national inquiry into the government's failures on the deadliest single day in modern Israeli history. Soon after the start of the war, Israel's military and its main intelligence agencies admitted they had failed to foresee the lightning attack by thousands of Hamas-led gunmen. The Israeli military's findings focused on tactical, battle and intelligence failures before, during and in the days after October 7. The armed forces chief of staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, announced his resignation in January, taking responsibility for the army's failure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the political establishment has so far avoided a reckoning despite repeated calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold a full national inquiry. In a fiery parliamentary debate on Monday, Netanyahu said an inquiry would be held eventually but it must be "objective..., balanced and not dependent" on predetermined findings. Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has said he will step down and has taken responsibility for failures to protect Israeli civilians. Some Israeli media outlets said the Shin Bet's findings had been submitted to Netanyahu's office, which did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. (Reporting by Emily Rose; editing by Mark Heinrich) It's been an up-and-down year for cryptocurrency since President Trump took office, pledging to make the U.S. the "crypto capital of the planet." So when he made his latest pro-crypto announcement, posting on Sunday that the U.S. government would purchase and hold digital tokens in a "Crypto Strategic Reserve," prices briefly surged. So did the blowback. There were questions over why a reserve was needed, whether it would benefit only crypto holders and if it presented anther conflict of interest for Trump, who has selected a friendly regulator for the industry he and his family are invested in. Trump said on social media that a crypto reserve would include lesser known and more volatile cryptocurrencies like XRP, solana and cardano. He later posted that bitcoin and ether two of the oldest and most prominent digital currencies would join. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There aren't many details on how the reserve would work or how the government would acquire the assets. A bill introduced in Congress directs the government to buy one million bitcoins over five years, The New York Times reported. That would be worth about $92.6 billion at today's prices, per The Times. Trump pledged on the campaign trail last year to support a "strategic national bitcoin" stockpile. Crypto "might not be exciting, but its going to make a lot of money for the country," he told reporters in January as he signed an executive order to boost the development of the industry. Supporters say diversifying the government's holdings would benefit taxpayers, but critics say crypto is too volatile. As social media buzzed over Trump's news, prices fell on Monday afternoon back to where they were before his announcement, The Associated Press reported. There is just genuinely no economic or policy argument for this, Jordan Weissmann, a consumer affairs reporter at Yahoo Finance, posted on X. Its a pure transfer of wealth to certain crypto holders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others noted that Trumps "crypto czar," David Sacks, owns a venture capital firm that may hold stakes across crypto firms and tech companies that stand to benefit from increased crypto valuations. Sorry poor people, no money left for your Medicaid, Bloomberg columnist Matthew Yglesias posted on X, we had to give it to David Sacks so he can use it to manipulate the crypto market for the benefit of handpicked insiders. This is a direct transfer of wealth from the U.S. treasury to David Sacks and other crypto barons, investigative journalist Ryan Grim wrote. The railroad and coal tycoons of the 19th century could never have dreamed of this level of heist. The startup and investor crowd didn't seem impressed, either. For what purpose? How is it strategic at this moment in time to own crypto as opposed to say health care, closing the border or lowering the debt? angel investor Jason Calacanis posted. This will be the issue that derails [Trumps] second term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who said in his first administration that crypto's "value is highly volatile and based on thin air," reversed course last year and portrayed himself as the savior of an industry the Biden administration had cracked down on. Crypto donors spent over $130 million on Trump and other pro-crypto candidates' campaigns. After Trump nominated crypto advocate Paul Atkins to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission, the agency that oversees the industry, Bitcoin prices soared to over $100,000 for the first time. Crypto prices have been up and down since Trump took office. As they slid last week, Trump's son Eric posted "Buy the dips!!!" on X. Trump and his sons are promoters of World Liberty Financial, a crypto trading business they started last fall with Steve Witkoff, a co-chair of Trump's inaugural committee and Middle East envoy. The Trumps are not owners or employees of the platform but can receive a cut of the sales of its cryptocurrency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Days before his inauguration, Trump and wife Melania launched their own meme coins. The highly volatile digital currencies generated billions of dollars for the president, at least on paper, and prompted criticism from some in the crypto community who viewed them as a gimmick. The SEC said last week that meme coins are more like collectibles than securities, and won't face regulatory oversight. Trump's social media company might need approval from his administration as it launches a financial services firm. Some of its financial products, such as bitcoin ETFs, need approval from the SEC before they can be created, listed and traded. Trump said he will host a "Crypto Summit" at the White House on Friday for industry leaders. The summit will be chaired by Sacks. AMES, Iowa An Iowa State University student has been accused of sexually exploiting minors on social media. DMPD shares video in deadly January 24th officer-involved shooting According to the Iowa State University Police Department, the investigation began in February when law enforcement agencies in Texas informed the ISUPD about a student communicating with minors on social media and chat applications. The conversations contained sexual messages and included details about sex acts with minors, the ISUPD said. On Monday the ISUPD arrested 43-year-old Patrick A. Connerley in connection to the case after he arrived at a location in Ames to meet with a minor, ISUPD said. Connerley has been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, enticing a minor under 16, and grooming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ISUPD was assisted by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Rains County, Texas Sheriffs Office, the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Central Iowa Drug Task Force. Iowa News: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) An Ithaca man who was involved in the March 2024 shoplifting and assault incident that left a member of the Chemung County Sheriffs Office severely injured has been convicted. Dominick J. Haley pleaded guilty to assault on a police officer (a class C felony), second-degree assault (a class D felony), and petit larceny (a class A misdemeanor), according to the Chemung County District Attorneys Office. Haley faces a minimum of 3.5 years and a maximum of 15 years in prison, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14. Haley was arrested on these charges on March 29, 2024, after an incident in Big Flats. Haley attempted to leave Target without paying and was stopped by the stores loss prevention department. Haley abandoned the merchandise and made his way to a vehicle police say was driven by Fatiuna A. Massaline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigator Mike Theetge chased Haley, and the pair slid across the vehicles hood. Massaline is accused of accelerating and jerking the wheel, causing Theetge to fall and Haley to land on top of him. Theetge suffered a skull fracture and brain bleed as a result of the fall. Theetge had to be airlifted to a trauma center and undergo months of treatment after the incident, and he is still undergoing recovery. Haley attempted to run away after the fall and was arrested a short distance away. Massaline was arrested the following day, and she is scheduled to appear in court during the week of March 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) A South Dakota public official has shared his travel expense vouchers for the past two years. DOGE website lists more closures in South Dakota In a news release, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, a Republican, shared 111 pages of receipts and state auditor vouchers for mileage, fuel, public transportation, meals and lodging both in South Dakota and out-of-state. The 37 vouchers totaled $7,242.54 and Jackley said hes releasing the travel expense records because of an open records request by Steve Roberts of Washington D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can view the vouchers attached below. AG-VouchersDownload Government transparency and protecting taxpayer dollars are important to me. That is why I am releasing my vouchers to the media, and not just to the person who made the request, Jackley said in a news release. I do not have a state-issued credit card, and I see no reason to ask for one. Jackleys travel expenses are much different than the records of former Republican Gov. Kristi Noem. Noems state credit card with First Premier Bank from late February 2024 to late March 2024 includes $29,774.08 in purchases and charges; $13,418.10 of that total were charged at the Westin DC Downtown in Washington D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the time period beginning on Oct. 30 2024, South Dakota taxpayers paid for hotel rooms for the governors security detail in several states, including Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada and Wisconsin. The public information that several news organizations including KELOLAND Media Group have been reviewing about how Noem used two state government credit cards during her six years as governor resulted from Dakota Scout suing to get the records. KELOLAND News will have more coverage on Noems credit card statements Tuesday on-air and 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 KELOLAND.com. JACKSONVILLE, Ark. Police in Jacksonville arrested a man who is accused of shooting his neighbor after an argument. According to the Jacksonville Police Department, officers were called to a shooting Monday evening on Plummer Street. Little Rock residents react to uptick in homicides compared to 2024 Police said 65-year-old Herman Williams shot his neighbor twice after an argument. The victims injuries were non-life-threatening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams is facing charges of first-degree battery, three counts of terroristic act and possession of controlled substance schedule VI. Two Homicides five weeks from each other at Labette Manor Drive apartments in Little Rock Williams is being held in the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility without 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 KARK. KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The counter-narcotics police have discovered a huge quantity of illicit drugs including 15 kg heroin and arrested 12 individuals on the charge of involvement in black business in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province, provincial police spokesman Mullah Assadullah Jamshid said Tuesday. The contraband, which includes 15 kg heroin, 689 kg hashish and objects used in manufacturing heroin and hundreds of intoxicant tablets, has been recovered during a series of operations over the past two days, the official said. Police also destroyed 8 acres of poppy farms during the operations, the official added. The Afghan interim government, which has outlawed poppy cultivation, drug production and drug trafficking, has vowed to fight the drug menace until the once-poppy-growing Afghanistan becomes a drug-free nation. Empower, a ride reservation service, has been hounded by Washington, D.C., regulators since it began its operations in 2020. The D.C. Attorney General has threatened to request that Empower CEO Joshua Sear be arrested for civil contempt if he refuses to comply with the Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) cease and desist order by Wednesday.* Mayor Muriel Bowser has the power to direct the DFHV to rescind its order, which would allow Empower to continue operating in the city. Sear founded Empower in 2019, not as a transportation company but as a software company that serves independent professional drivers. Empower differs from the flagship ride-share services in multiple ways. Unlike Uber and Lyft, drivers who use Empower do not receive 1099 formsthey are not contractors, but customers, according to the company. The company also does not collect a percentage of every fare, nor does it set them; its drivers set their own rates by adjusting their minimum and base fares, per minute, per mile, and surge prices as they see fit. They then pay Empower a flat monthly fee of $349.99 for access to the D.C. Monthly Platinum plan, which "provides drivers with unlimited access to Empower's software and support services." Empower's suggested rates are "set so that drivers make 20% - 25% more on average than they would if they were driving on behalf of Uber/Lyft [and] riders also save 15-20% on average." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Empower also does not provide its drivers with commercial insurance, to the chagrin of the DFHV. Instead, drivers who use the app are responsible for securing this insurance themselves. Empower provides a link to Research Underwriters, a specialty insurance broker for the transportation industry, on its FAQ for drivers who would like to get a quote. Uber and Lyft, meanwhile, both provide their drivers with over $1 million in third-party auto liability coverage and, for drivers with qualifying personal auto insurance, cover the cost of car repairs or its cash value (after a $2,500 deductible). Those two ride-share companies, unlike Empower, are registered with the DFHV as vehicle-for-hire businesses and, as such, not only maintain required levels of commercial insurance for their drivers but also deliver 6 percent of drivers' gross revenue to the department. Empower challenged the DFHV's November 2020 cease and desist order. In February 2024, the D.C. Court of Appeals reversed the Office of Administrative Hearings' (OAH) upholding of the DFHV's order but upheld the OAH's classification of Empower as a private vehicle-for-hire business. The DFHV issued another April 2024 cease and desist order, which the D.C. Superior Court upheld in November 2024 on the grounds that Empower refused to register with the DFHV while acknowledging that it "'is a vehicle-for-hire company subject to the DFHV's regulation.'" Despite the Superior Court ordering Empower to immediately cease operations, its operations have expanded: Roshn Marwah, Empower's chief of staff, tells Reason that the app facilitates 120,000 rides and $2 million worth of fares per week. On February 28, around two dozen independent drivers and riders gathered in front of Lulu Vere Childers Hall at Howard University, where Bowser was delivering remarks at the university's 158th Charter Day Convocation. Protesters were chanting "Drivers' rights are civil rights" and "support drivers, not Uber," hoping to persuade Bowser to direct the DFHV, which falls under her authority, to rescind its cease and desist order. Protesters explained to Reason how shutting down Empower would reduce driver earnings and autonomy and increase prices for riders. Fred, a 33-year-old Cameroonian immigrant, tells Reason that, when using Empower, "you really are in controlyou feel like [you're] really working for [yourself]." Fred argued that, just as Airbnb is not the employer of homeowners who use its platform, neither is Empower drivers' boss. Sam H., a 55-year-old federal employee who drives to earn additional income, says Uber doesn't tell drivers the payment or the destination when arranging pickupthe price ultimately paid by riders is withheld from drivers, who Sam says are discouraged from speaking to riders about prices. Kayla, a 33-year-old who frequently flies in and out of Baltimore for work, described Empower as "the only really affordable ride share.Lyft is not really competition, just preference." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prohibiting vehicle-for-hire operators from directly registering with the DFHV benefits incumbent ride-share companies at the expense of riders and independent drivers. If Empower is forced to shut down its D.C. operations on Wednesday, lower-income riders and working-class drivers will bear the cost for no discernible benefit to the public. *CORRECTION: The original version of this article misstated the conditions under which Joshua Sear would be arrested. The post Jail Time for Cheap Rides? appeared first on Reason.com. ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) The Missouri House of Representatives will vote on a bill that would raise the daily reimbursement to county jails for housing inmates that will be transferred to state prisons. Missouris local jails are paid $24.95 per day for each inmate they hold before they are transferred to a state prison. Missouri SB 50 sponsored by Senator Rusty Black (R-District 12) states that if an individual is sentenced to imprisonment in a correctional center, the Department of Corrections will reimburse the county jail for the number of days the inmate spent in their custody at a cost which does not to exceed $37.50 per day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, the state spent about $50 million to reimburse counties for the cost of holding inmates. On average it costs approximately $45 per day to house inmates who should be in a state prison. Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett says in more high-crime areas, that cost runs as high as $80 to $100 which is why SB 50, if passed, would be beneficial. It would be better for jails to help recoup some of those costs than the $23 we're currently getting, Puett said. It's expensive to run a jail and things as simple as a mattress cost well over $100; uniforms, shoes, all those basic necessities that have to be provided by law. As costs go up as we all see in our homes, the same thing happens here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Buchanan County jail has been fortunate, not suffering from the inadequate rate paid to local jails as much as other counties and has maintained funding from utilizing additional sources, including tax dollars and the inmate commissary. SB 50 was presented for a second reading by the Missouri House of Representatives on Feb. 10. SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) Wheres Bunny Ware today? She was at Ramah Junior Academy with WSAV News 3s Kim Gusby as she read to students to honor Dr. Seuss birthday and Read America Day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. (WJET/WFXP) A Jamestown, NY man will be spending the next several years in prison after receiving his sentence in federal court. Rocco A. Beardsley, 39, of Jamestown was sentenced to 300 months (25 years) in prison for leading a drug ring in the Jamestown area that sold fentanyl to another resident which led to their fatal overdose in 2019. Oil City man facing 460 charges related to child sexual abuse material Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between late 2018 and March 2020, Beardsley and seven others sold methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other controlled substances, making the fatal sale to the victim identified as J.A. on April 9, 2019. During their investigation into Beardsley sold drugs to undercover officers five teams leading to a search warrant being served at his home. That search led to police finding approximately 100 grams of meth, 66 grams of fentanyl, 28 grams of cocaine, 4 grams of crack cocaine, a 12-gauge shotgun, and drug paraphernalia. Jamestown man arrested for second burglary in two months This marks Beardsleys third sentencing for drug-related offenses after being convicted in felony court in 2007 of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine where he was sentenced to 57 months in prison and was convicted of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell in New York State Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DEA, ATF, Jamestown Police Department, Town of Ellicott Police Department and New York State Police were all involved in the investigation into Beardsley. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Bloomberg) -- Japans lower house passed the budget for the year starting in April, checking off a key item on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishibas to-do-list for shoring up his leadership ahead of a national election in the summer. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lower chamber of parliament approved the 115.2 trillion ($771 billion) budget in a plenary session Tuesday, clearing the way for its likely enactment before the new fiscal year begins. Ishibas ruling coalition is operating with a minority in the lower house, making the budget passage a key test of his ability to push through policy. The budget now moves to the less powerful upper house house where the coalition enjoys a majority, essentially guaranteeing that the spending plans will be approved before the end of the month. The budget plan was revised last week, trimming the earlier 115.5 trillion proposal after incorporating opposition demands. This marks the first time in 29 years that a budget was revised after cabinet approval. The passage of a smaller-than-originally proposed budget shows that Ishibas government has played off opposition parties without allowing outlays to balloon. Ishiba has achieved this without sliding into the political instability seen in France, Canada and South Korea, where minority governments have run into trouble sparked partly by budget disagreements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social security costs for the aging nation make up the biggest expenditure set out in the budget at 38.3 trillion, followed by debt servicing at 28.2 trillion, a reflection of its large debt load. Defense spending accounts for 8.5 trillion, an increase of around 9.7%, as Japan responds to increased security tensions in the region. To win sufficient support for the budget, Ishibas coalition revised the spending plans by boosting subsidies for households with high school students at the request of opposition party Ishin, also known as the Japan Innovation Party. The coalition also maintained a cap on out-of-pocket expenses for high-cost medical care, a step pushed by the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Even with the increase in spending items, Ishiba managed to scale back overall outlays by 343.7 billion through reductions in reserve funds and tax allocations to local governments. Separately, the revised budget also raised the tax-free income threshold to 1.6 million, beyond the originally proposed 1.23 million. Another opposition party, the Democratic Party for the People, had originally proposed increasing the minimum income tax threshold to 1.78 million, but negotiations with the ruling coalition reached an impasse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each party will likely look to use the budget outcome to make a case for their influence on policymaking in the Upper House election in July. --With assistance from Takashi Hirokawa. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Jay-Z filed a lawsuit Monday against big-name Houston attorney Tony Buzbee and a woman who previously accused the hip-hop artist and Sean Diddy Combs of raping her when she was 13 years old in 2000. The suit, filed in Alabama, comes almost a month after the woman, identified as Jane Doe, voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit against Diddy and Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter. In Carters new lawsuit against the woman, the artist accuses Doe of conspiring with multiple attorneys, including Buzbee, to make false and defamatory statements against him. Jay-Z (left) is suing attorney Tony Buzbee. Associated Press Doe was one of hundreds of people whom Buzbee has been representing in lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual misconduct. However, hers was the only one that named Carter, alleging that he and Combs raped her in New York City after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards while an unnamed female celebrity watched. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Combs has denied all wrongdoing in multiple lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct as well as a federal sex trafficking case against him. Carter also denied Does allegations, and she dismissed her lawsuit with prejudice, meaning she cannot file it again. In Carters lawsuit, obtained by HuffPost, Carter accuses Doe, Buzbee and David Fortney, another attorney at the firm, of being soullessly motivated by greed. Carter claims they attempted to extort him in November through a menacing private demand letter. However, when the letter failed to yield any financial results, Doe amended her lawsuit against Combs to include Carter. The artist claims that since Doe filed her lawsuit against him, he has suffered emotional distress along with a $20 million loss from his record label, Roc Nation. The lawsuit alleges that the woman told Buzbee that Carter did not sexually assault her, but her attorney pushed her toward going forward with a false story for a payout. Carter alleges that Doe at one point voluntarily admitted directly to his representatives that he did not assault her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buzbee told HuffPost in a statement that the quotes attributed to Doe in Carters lawsuit are either completely made up or Carters representatives spoke to someone else. He said Carters filing holds no merit and that Doe stands by her allegations. Shawn Carters investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story. She hasnt, and wont, Buzbee wrote, claiming Carters investigators have been caught on tape offering to pay people to sue him and his firm. Related... Jay-Z is certainly going to make sure he gets the last say in the legal battle against rape claims coming from a mysterious Jane Doe Diddy accuser. His latest move is a countersuit...against the woman herself. The rapper, legally named Shawn Carter, filed a complaint in Alabama federal court Monday (March 3)against the Jane Doe who stirred up all this controversy. The woman was represented by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee in a lawsuit that accused Sean Diddy Combs and Jay-Z of rape. The Jane Doe claimed she was 13 years old when she went snooping outside Radio City Music Hall trying to get into the VMAs, per the lawsuit. However, the suit says the then-teen got scooped up by one of Combs associates and brought to his mansion party where she was allegedly drugged and then raped by both rappers, per court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Originally, Jay-Z was listed as an anonymous celebrity in the suit but was later identified, resulting in a fiery legal back-and-forth between the rapper and attorney Buzbee. However, in fear of retaliation, Doe dismissed her lawsuit and also admitted to inconsistencies in her account, according to her anonymous interview with NBC. Though, in a statement, Buzbee told Rolling Stone there was much more behind pulling out of the lawsuit. Shawn Carters investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story. She wont, Buzbee said. Instead she has stated repeatedly she stands by her claims. [This] same group of investigators have been caught on tape offering to pay people to sue me and my firm. This is just another attempt to intimidate and bully this poor woman that we will deal with in due course. We wont be bullied or intimidated by frivolous cases. Jay-Zs suit now accuses Buzbee and attorney David Fortney of pursuing an evil conspiracy to extort him on the completely fabricated and wildly horrific claim that he raped the Jane Doe. The suit also claims Does admission of inconsistent story details was an admission to lying about the whole thing. Doe has now voluntarily admitted directly to representatives of Mr. Carter that the story brought before the world in court and on global television was just that: a false, malicious story, Jay-Zs lawsuit reads. She has admitted that Mr. Carter did not assault her; and that indeed it was Buzbee himself whom she met for the first time at a coffee shop in Houston on the day of her maliciously false NBC News interview who pushed her to go forward with the false narrative of the assault by Mr. Carter in order to leverage a maximum payday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jay-Z still has a pending lawsuit against Buzbee himself, claiming the attorney should be sanctioned for not properly laying out the facts of Jane Does story. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Jay-Z in December 2024 in Los Angeles - Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Jay-Z has filed a new defamation and malicious prosecution lawsuit against the Alabama-based Jane Doe who publicly accused him of a sexual assault involving Sean Combs but then later admitted inconsistencies in her story and voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit last month. In his new lawsuit filed Monday and obtained by Rolling Stone, Jay-Z says the woman and her lawyers including Tony Buzbee engaged in an evil conspiracy to extort him with the completely fabricated and wildly horrific claim that he raped Doe alongside Combs in 2000. The woman first stepped forward in an October lawsuit that claimed Combs and an unidentified male celebrity took turns raping her at an afterparty for the MTV Video Music Awards when she was 13 years old. A revised version of her lawsuit filed in early December named Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, as the male celebrity. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Carters new lawsuit, representatives for the Grammy-winning rapper made direct contact with Doe recently. The complaint alleges Doe voluntarily admitted that the claim about Carter was false and that she felt pressured by her legal team to repeat it during an on-camera interview with NBC News in mid-December. That NBC interview maintained Does anonymity but exposed several notable discrepancies in her account. For instance, while the woman claimed she met musician Benji Madden at the same party, it turns out Madden was in another state on tour at the time. Does father also disputed her claim that he picked her up in a vehicle after the alleged assault. The father said he lived far upstate at the time and would have remembered driving more than five hours to retrieve his daughter. Doe has now voluntarily admitted directly to representatives of Mr. Carter that the story brought before the world in court and on global television was just that: a false, malicious story, Carters new lawsuit claims. She has admitted that Mr. Carter did not assault her; and that indeed it was Buzbee himself whom she met for the first time at a coffee shop in Houston on the day of her maliciously false NBC News interview who pushed her to go forward with the false narrative of the assault by Mr. Carter in order to leverage a maximum payday. In a statement to Rolling Stone, Buzbee says the new lawsuit has no legal merit. Shawn Carters investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story. She wont. Instead she has stated repeatedly she stands by her claims, he says. This is just another attempt to intimidate and bully this poor woman that we will deal with in due course. We wont be bullied or intimidated by frivolous cases. The new lawsuit claims Buzbees firm failed to adequately vet Jane Doe. Without naming her, the filing says that less than 90 days before the demand letter was issued, Doe had been in court on mental health-related issues and charged with assault in the second degree. It further alleges she has several mental health disorders and takes multiple medications according to testimony from her psychiatrist laid bare in public court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a sworn statement filed Monday in Carters separate extortion and defamation lawsuit against Buzbee in California, the Jane Doe confirmed she was approached by investigators at her home on Feb. 21, 2025. The new declaration said Doe declined to sign an affidavit proposed by Carters investigators exonerating the rapper. In a follow-up statement Tuesday, Buzbee addressed his clients voluntary dismissal of her claims. She has health issues. She has seizures. She withdrew her case, he said in an Instagram post. They FALSELY claimed she recanted. She didnt. She hasnt. She wont. Buzbee previously denied any wrongdoing in court filings in the California extortion case. A prominent Texas lawyer who says hes collected more than $10 billion in damages for his clients, Buzbee made a splashy entrance into the fray of civil litigation against Combs last September. At a press conference streamed online, he announced he had more than 120 clients with allegedly credible claims against Combs who went through a stringent vetting process. He has since filed more than two dozen lawsuits against the Bad Boy Records founder whos currently in federal custody fighting criminal charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. (Combs has vehemently denied all accusations of sexual assault and criminal conduct.) Carters new lawsuit repeats the allegation that Buzbees firm sent him an extortionate demand letter on Nov. 5, 2024, requesting a private mediation ahead of a planned lawsuit. Carter claims the letter threatened financial and personal devastation if he didnt work out a deal to silence Doe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, a Los Angeles judge said he was on the verge of dismissing Carters extortion claim against Buzbee unless Carter could produce additional evidence. It wasnt immediately clear Monday if the alleged new statement from Doe, collected by Carters investigators, would be admissible in that case. The California judge said Carters related defamation claim against Buzbee appeared strong enough to proceed toward a trial. The judge promised a ruling soon on what claims would be allowed to move forward. In a sworn statement filed in the Los Angeles case last month, Carter said it was no exaggeration that he viewed Buzbees promise to name him in the rape lawsuit as an existential threat to his reputation, career, and family. I felt that Mr. Buzbee was placing a gun to my head that I either bow to his demands or endure personal and financial ruin. His actions caused me mental anguish about the ticking time bomb and what it would do to me, my family, and my hard-earned reputation, he wrote. It was incredibly painful for my wife and me to sit down with our children, one of whom is at an age where her friends would surely see the press and ask questions about these claims, and explain this. I mourn this loss of innocence for my children, including one who is around the age that the female minor claims to have been when she falsely claims that these heinous acts happened. I am heartbroken that my children have to endure hearing these things about their father, especially at their young age. Carter claimed that after Buzbee went public with the false accusations, his company Roc Nation lost contracts worth $20 million per year. He also questioned the timing of the amended complaint filed in early December. I was harshly criticized by others for accompanying my daughter to the premiere of her movie (Mufasa: The Lion King) a day after Mr. Buzbee filed the Jane Doe lawsuit against me. Media outlets reported that Disney was hesitant over my attendance at the premiere because of the accusations, Carter said. I feel that Mr. Buzbee purposely filed this lawsuit on the eve of my daughters premiere to put me in the position of having to choose between supporting my daughter or hiding to avoid the negative press coverage. In his new lawsuit filed in federal court in Alabama, Carter again mentioned damage to his family and reputation as well as the alleged $20 million in lost business for Roc Nation. He also included claims for abuse of process and civil conspiracy and is seeking real and punitive damages with the new complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defendants acted with malice in pursuing and initiating the meritless lawsuit against Mr. Carter, the filing reads. Defendants devised and executed their plan to accuse Mr. Carter of sexual assault and used national news and media outlets to disseminate the fabricated accusations to millions despite the falsity of the accusation. Defendants actions were willful and purposeful in order to maximize the reputational harm to Mr. Carter and induce Mr. Carter to pay them. At a minimum, they initiated the lawsuit with a reckless disregard for the falsity of the allegations. This story was updated March 4, 2025, with a new statement from Tony Buzbee Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. By Andrew MacAskill and John Irish LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President JD Vance denied on Tuesday disrespecting Britain and France by describing a planned peacekeeping force in Ukraine as 20,000 troops from some "random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years". Vance's comments about the planned British- and French-led European peacekeeping force caused politicians and veterans in both countries to say he was dishonouring hundreds of troops killed fighting alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance said it was "absurdly dishonest" to suggest he had criticised British or French troops in his comments, made in an interview with Fox News on Monday. "I don't even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond," he said on X. Only Britain and France have publicly committed to a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Vance said on Tuesday he was referring to other potential countries in what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called at the weekend "a coalition of the willing" that would contribute to any post-war peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past 40 years, British and French troops have fought alongside U.S. troops in Iraq and in Afghanistan. James Cartlidge, the British opposition Conservative Party's spokesman on defence, called Vance's comments "deeply disrespectful". Johnny Mercer, a British veteran and a former junior defence minister, called Vance a "clown". French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in parliament: "We respect the veterans of all the allied countries. We will make sure that our own veterans are respected." French President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party on X said: "The French and British soldiers who died fighting terrorism, who fought and sometimes died alongside American soldiers, deserve better than the disdain of the American vice president." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nigel Farage, the leader of the British right-wing populist Reform party and a friend of U.S. President Donald Trump, said: "wrong, wrong, wrong" when asked about Vance's comments. Taylor Van Kirk, a spokesperson for Vance, said after the criticism of Vance that no country in Europe has the military resources to meaningfully deter Russia without American assistance. "Many of these countries have served valiantly in support of American and NATO missions in the past, but its dishonest to pretend those contributions amount to anything comparable to the mobilization that a hypothetical European army would need, she said. Vance told Fox News on Monday that the best way to ensure peace in Ukraine was to open up Ukraine's minerals to the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you want to actually ensure that (Russian President) Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine," he said. "That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years." (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and John Irish; Editing by Alistair Bell) Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum attends a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, March 4, 2025. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that there was no justification for U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico and her government would respond with tariff and non-tariff measures. Sheinbaum made it clear that following the United States' decision to impose tariffs on Mexico, under no circumstances will any form of subordination or interventionism be allowed. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua) MEXICO CITY, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that there was no justification for U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico and her government would respond with tariff and non-tariff measures. Sheinbaum made it clear that following the United States' decision to impose tariffs on Mexico, under no circumstances will any form of subordination or interventionism be allowed. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum gestures during a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, March 4, 2025. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that there was no justification for U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico and her government would respond with tariff and non-tariff measures. Sheinbaum made it clear that following the United States' decision to impose tariffs on Mexico, under no circumstances will any form of subordination or interventionism be allowed. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua) Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, March 4, 2025. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that there was no justification for U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico and her government would respond with tariff and non-tariff measures. Sheinbaum made it clear that following the United States' decision to impose tariffs on Mexico, under no circumstances will any form of subordination or interventionism be allowed. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua) Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, March 4, 2025. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that there was no justification for U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico and her government would respond with tariff and non-tariff measures. Sheinbaum made it clear that following the United States' decision to impose tariffs on Mexico, under no circumstances will any form of subordination or interventionism be allowed. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua) After a weekend in which he faced public anger over his role in the clash between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, Vice President JD Vance is speaking out about the historic moment. In an interview with Fox News Sean Hannity that was broadcast Monday, Vance described last weeks tense exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy as great TV. Vance then identified the moment when the discussion went off the rails. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the reporters in the room asked Trump to respond to those concerned that he aligns himself too much with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a U.S. adversary. Trump dismissed those worries, saying it was actually Zelenskyys hatred for Putin that was impeding a potential ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine. Vance jumped in after Trump completed his answer to note his belief that the strategy of former President Joe Biden to unequivocally support Kyiv had failed and that the right path forward would be for the U.S. to engage in diplomacy led by Trump. Something about my answer just really set Zelenskyy off, Vance told Hannity of that moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy, though, simply pointed out that Putin cannot be trusted. In turn, Vance accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful to Trump. There was a lack of respect. There was a certain sense of entitlement, Vance told Hannity. Vance added that Zelenskyy showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process Trump has been promoting and seemed to suggest the Ukrainian leader cant afford to oppose Trumps strategy. I think hell get there eventually, Vance said. He has to. Trump has since suspended U.S. aid to Ukraine, in an effort to pressure Zelenskyy to negotiate ending the war. Throughout the interview, Vance emphasized Trumps desire to end the three-year conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only thing that is in the best interest of America, of Russia, of Ukraine and of Europe is to bring this thing to a close, Vance said. Zelenskyy has long said U.S. security guarantees would be a crucial part of any future peace deal to prevent against future Russian aggression, which, so far, the U.S. has not committed to providing. Vance claimed the rare earth minerals deal Trump and Zelenskyy were originally due to sign last week before the Oval Office clash prompted the Ukrainian leaders abrupt departure is actually the guarantee Ukraine is asking for. If you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine, Vance said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre not going to do that if you come to the Oval Office, insult the president and refuse to follow his plan for peace, he continued. During a family ski trip to Vermont on Saturday, Vance was met with a sea of signs calling him a traitor over his attitude toward Zelenskyy. Related... House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called for Democrats to have a strong, determined and dignified presence at President Trumps address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. The decision to attend the Joint Session is a personal one and we understand that members will come to different conclusions, Jeffries wrote in a Dear Colleague letter sent Monday. However, it is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber, the Democratic leader continued. The House as an institution belongs to the American people, and as their representatives we will not be run off the block or bullied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeffries said he and other members of Democratic leadership will attend the speech to make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance on the excesses of the administration. The presidents address to Congress is often an opportunity for the minority party to show resistance either by boycotting the speech altogether, by wearing symbolic garb or by booing at strategic moments in the speech. This year, Democrats are planning a more measured approach and are hoping to highlight what the mass layoffs of federal workers by Elon Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Seated in the audience will be lawmakers, as well as numerous former federal workers whom Democrats are bringing as their guests. Its a strategy that represents just the latest piece of a broader campaign to highlight the real-world effects of Trumps early policy moves on Americans who live far outside the Beltway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeffries, in his letter, called on Democrats to continue to elevate the stories of everyday Americans who are being harmed in real time by House Republicans and the Trump administration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Johnson City physician charged with raping a patient UPDATE: Atif Atyia posted a cash bond and was released Wednesday morning, according to court documents. Atyia is set to appear in court on June 16 at 9 a.m. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) Johnson City police charged a physician with aggravated rape and three counts of sexual battery Tuesday after a patient reported he had raped her during an office visit. A Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) news release states Dr. Atif Atyia, 68, was being held under a $50,000 bond at the Washington County Detention Center following the arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson City Police Departments (JCPD) special victims unit began investigating Atyia on Feb. 19 following the patients complaint. The unit executed a search warrant on Atyias practice on West Market Street, after which police investigators and the First Judicial District Attorney Generals office worked swiftly on the case and presented it to the Washington County Grand Jury this week, the release says. Due to the circumstances surrounding the crime, the JCPD is asking any other potential victims to contact Sgt. Shane Williams with the JCPD Special Victims Unit at (423) 434-6110 or Crime Stoppers at (423) 930-6535. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. The H.L. Neblett Community Center was like a second home for Michael Johnson when he was growing up in Owensboro, and the late Larry Chick Owen was one of his mentors during that time. So when Johnson was approached about filling the Neblett Centers senior activities coordinator position the role Owen held at the time of his death last year it was a full-circle moment. Im very excited about it, and I have a lot of great things planned for our seniors, Johnson said. Were excited about getting them engaged and active, and we want to let them know they matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to make sure they thrive in our community. Johnson had been assisting Owen with the duties, so Martiza Meeks, executive director of the Neblett Center, said he was the obvious choice to build on Owens legacy. I would say (hes been a) godsend in a few ways, she said. Ive kind of watched from the background for the past year, and he assisted Mr. Chick over the past year, so I felt like it was a natural progression. I was just happy he made time in his schedule for it because I know hes pretty busy. Johnson, who retired from the U.S. Navy following a 20-year career, has been active in the community, including being president of the nonprofit Truth Outreach Inc., which focuses on helping the homeless and lower-income families. Hes also chairman of the Audubon Community Care Clinic board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im always in the community helping folks of all ages, and the seniors especially, because they need a lot of help now more than ever, as we see things happening around them that are impacting their lives, Johnson said. Its a very scary time for them. They need more assistance now than ever, and guidance. We want to protect them from scammers. We see seniors get caught up in these type of issues, so we want to make sure we do all we can to help them to stay engaged in the community. Johnson said hes proud of the many ways the Neblett Center engages with community members and the programs it offers. I love people, and I want to see people thrive and be helpful, and I always wanted to do something impactful, impact somebodys life; so what better way to do that than being involved with the Neblett Center, which has a lot of great programs that are available for all ages, he said. We have to be able to be welcoming and engage them and let them know theyre important. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of times we see seniors kind of fall by the wayside because they dont think they matter anymore, but we want to let them know they do matter, and we love them and we care about them at the Neblett Center. We want to do everything we can to keep them healthy and strong. Johnson said the activities offered for seniors are focused on improving their physical, educational, moral and social welfare, which can be through the fine arts, social and culture programs or other avenues. The programs that we do are like fitness chair exercises, he said. Once a month we take special trips, and we do special events. And we have the Morning Joe Coffee & Fellowship the fourth Tuesday of every month, and we bring the seniors in and we have discussions about the community and different things that may be going on, and we also invite special speakers to come in and talk. While the Neblett Centers youth programs get much of the attention, Meeks said the facilities goal is always to engage everyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are proud we have programs (for those ages) 6 weeks to seniors, she said, and we like to make sure we hit every aspect of the family. Johnson said hes appreciative for the opportunity. It fits in quite nicely, because Im already working with a lot of folks in all walks of life, he said. Im just honored and blessed that the Neblett Center, Executive Director Martiza Meeks and the board, put their confidence in me to lead these seniors. A resolution to push back on same-sex marriage was tabled on Monday morning. (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan) A Senate joint resolution to oppose same-sex marriage and the 2015 Obergefell decision was tabled in the bodys Judiciary committee on Monday morning. Republicans in the legislature sought to pass a formal resolution that Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court case that codified same-sex marriage into federal law, was at odds with the Constitution of the United States and the principles on which the United States was established. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Same-sex marriage became legal in Montana in 2014. Senate Joint Resolution 15, brought by Sen. Rob Phalen, R-Lindsay, did not pass on a 4-4 vote, with Republican Sen. Sue Vinton of Billings joining Democrats in opposition. The Senate Judiciary committee then tabled it on a 6-2 vote. The resolution had support from Republican leadership both in the House and the Senate. It was opposed by more than 20 people who spoke, including SK Rossi, who was speaking on behalf of the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and themself. I dont even know where to start, Rossi said. The state Capitol is a time machine, because I honestly feel like weve gone back 20 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rossi added: I would say this issue is settled. I know that some people in this room dont agree with that, but thats the case. Rep. Zooey Zephyr, D-Missoula, also lent her voice to the discussion and spoke against the resolution in testimony. Zephyr, who is married to a woman, talked about her wedding. She started reading her vows, that very sacred moment where someone who loves you dearly makes a promise in all the ways that they will love you for the rest of your life. That is the most special moment in my life Ive had so far, said Zephyr, who is openly transgender. And when the I dos happened and we kissed, my 9-year old stepson said that moment was the happiest he ever was, because that was the moment I became his stepmom for real. Montana voters in 2004 approved Initiative 96, which amended the state constitution and banned same-sex marriage in the state. A federal court struck down the law in 2014, but Obergefell would supersede the state constitutional initiative regardless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MassResistance, which is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, had representatives speak in support of the resolution. The organization is based in Massachusetts. There is no evidence that individuals are born homosexual, said Arthur Schaper, a representative of MassResistance. In fact, the normalization of same-sex relationships has brought serious public health problems. Research from the American Psychological Association has consistently shown being queer is not a choice and people cannot be turned straight. Suggesting that non-straight people are responsible for health problems is language dating back to fear-mongering about HIV, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Data from the Center for American Progress has shown the LGBTQ+ community is disproportionately impacted by certain diseases and has dealt with decades of healthcare discrimination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Derek Oestreicher, an attorney for Montana Family Foundation, spoke in support of the resolution. The Supreme Court has effectively vetoed the will of Montana, Oestreicher said. Many Americans and religious institutions hold deep faith-based convictions about marriage, and Obergefell led to increasing conflict between religious freedom and government mandates. Phalen ended the defense of his bill by reading John 3:16, a Bible verse that essentially says Jesus died for everyones sins. He then told the crowd that God does love them. He proceeded to suggest children with gay parents were worse off than theyd be if they had heterosexual parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Redefining marriage has made fathers and mothers optional, and the children suffer as a result, Phalen said. Homosexual conduct is inherently destructive and a misuse of organs, like the shoving of a straw up ones nose to drink or using ones elbows to scratch ones ears. While same-sex couples can experience discrimination, studies have shown theres little evidence the gender makeup of parents has much of an impact on their ability to parent. In favor if the resolution were Republican Sens. Barry Usher of Billings, Vince Ricci of Billings, Theresa Manzella of Hamilton, and Dan Emrich of Great Falls. Opposing the bill were Vinton and Democratic Sens. Andrea Olsen of Missoula, Cora Neumann of Bozeman, and Laura Smith of Helena. (The Hill) Jon Stewart is rejecting Elon Musks criticism that hes a propagandist, and added that hes game for an interview with the tech billionaire if he agrees to appear as a guest on The Daily Show. The 62-year-old comedian made headlines last week after injuring his hand during a segment on the Comedy Central show while criticizing Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). We are DOGEing in the wrong place if we really want to change the system, Stewart said as he railed against sweeping cuts to the federal workforce made by the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Republicans advised to avoid in-person town halls amid protests Following Stewarts remarks, Musk expressed a willingness to appear on The Daily Show, writing on X, I will do it if the show airs unedited. But the Tesla CEO then wrote days later, Jon Stewart is much more a propagandist than it would seem. Stewart responded on Mondays edition of The Daily Show. Musk tweeted, or Xd, I guess, that he would like to come on here and talk to me as long as the show airs unedited, Stewart told the audience. After thinking about his offer, I thought, you know, hey, thats actually how the in-studio interviews normally air, is unedited. So, sure, wed be delighted, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stewart then extended an offer to sweeten or unsweeten the deal, saying the interview could likely last as long as Musk wanted. Ill be honest, I dont think this network makes any other programming, Stewart joked. So I am game. I think it would be a very interesting conversation, he added. Stewart then turned to Musks propagandist comment, as well as Musks allegation that Stewart is not as bipartisan as he used to be. The guy who custom-made his own Dark MAGA hat that he wears to opine in the Oval Office with the president, who he spent $270 million to elect, thinks Im just too partisan, Stewart told the audience. Im really not sure what he thinks bipartisan means, but its generally not I support Donald Trump and also Germanys AFD Party. Thats not bipartisan. Thats just the same s, Stewart said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Daily Show host then addressed Musk directly, again implying that Musk is a hypocrite for calling him partisan. Look Elon, I do have some criticisms about DOGE. I support, in general, the idea of efficiency and delivering better services to the American public in cheaper and more efficient ways. And if you want to come on and talk about it on the show, great. If you dont want to, sure, Stewart said. But can we just drop the pretense that you wont do it because I dont measure up to the standards of neutral discourse that you demand and display at all times? Because, quite frankly, thats bulls. You know it, I know it. Bulls. Canadian premier says he will cut off electricity exports to US with a smile on my face Stewarts remarks come amid DOGEs efforts to drastically cut spending, with Democrats concerned that the agency is slashing funding and federal jobs without fully understanding where the money is indented to go, or what those jobs entail. Many pointed to a recent incident in which the government tried to bring back fired employees who worked on nuclear weapon programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics are also concerned over DOGE seeking to allow its staffers to access Americas most sensitive information, such as Social Security data and Veterans Affairs data. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. FORT PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) A circuit judge has denied a motion to dismiss charges against a former state government employee accused of stealing more than $1.7 million from the South Dakota Department of Social Services. Lonna Carroll allegedly took the money over the course of 12 years from the state Office of Child Protection Services. Man arrested after shooting at Highway Patrol The South Dakota Office of Attorney General contends that Carroll was allowed to both submit requests and approve them, then transferred funds to her personal account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her attorney, Timothy Whalen, puts the blame on the department however, arguing in court on Monday that someone should have stopped her. Im not saying shes a saint, Whalen said. Whalen based his dismissal motion on the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in United States v Lovasco and the South Dakota Supreme Courts decision in State v. Stock, arguing that delaying indictment was intentional and gave prosecutors a tactical advantage. Circuit Judge Christine Klinger however ruled that Whalen hadnt presented evidence on Monday supporting those claims. Whalen brought in three witnesses. Merlin Weyer, who as associate director supervised Carroll from 2010 when the thefts allegedly began through his June 2018 retirement. Weyer, who worked 43 years in the department, repeatedly answered questions saying that he didnt know. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connie Watts, an employee in the departments finance section who was hired in October 2022 and found evidence of the thefts in October 2023. She reported them to her supervisor later that year. Logan Aukes, a CPA hired by the defense to review the departments internal control structure. He concluded from his examination that the FACIS system for logging requests was poorly designed and supervisors gave weak attention to monitoring employees, leading to a highly elevated risk of fraud. But state Attorney General Marty Jackley asked Aukes whether he came across any information indicating that the department had knowledge of Carrolls alleged crimes prior to Watts discovery in October. Replied Aukes, I dont have any evidence they knew about it before that date. State prosecutors called one witness, Matthew Glenn, a supervisory special agent in the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Glenn said DCI received information from the department in February 2024, conducted an investigation and took the case to a grand jury, which issued indictments against Carroll in July 2024. A pre-trial meeting will be held on Wednesday. Her trial is scheduled to begin on April 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Mar. 3A federal judge Monday afternoon denied a request by a former Manchester High School West teacher charged with attempted sex trafficking of a minor in November to move back into his home in Hudson with his wife and stepchildren. Stacey Lancaster, 46, of Hudson, had initially been released to his mother's home in Raymond after being arrested during a sting operation on a charge of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Federal prosecutors argued at the time he should remain in custody because he poses a danger to the community and is a flight risk. U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrea K. Johnstone said she was not satisfied that the defense "adequately or thoroughly addressed all the stressors" that prompted the request to move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The parties need to explore their options," she said. "I'm not saying I am opposed to a housing change." Johnstone said it would be impossible for the U.S. Probation Office to enforce other conditions of release with two minor children in the home, including a 7-year-old daughter full-time and a 10-year-old son who is there every other weekend. Johnstone did allow Lancaster to have a smartphone to be able to better check in with probation officers. The phone with not have general internet access and will be monitored. According to an affidavit, Lancaster offered to pay $100 to have sex with a 12-year-old during the sting in November. An undercover Homeland Security Investigations officer arrested him at an unnamed hotel in Manchester. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lancaster oversaw the West High Naval Junior ROTC program and has served as a liaison between the U.S. Navy and the school district, according to school district. No students were involved. Lancaster wore a blue suit and held the hand of his wife, Tamires, as he arrived at the U.S. District Court in Concord Monday afternoon. Lancaster's lawyer, Charles Keefe, said the living arrangement with his mother didn't work out for a number of reasons, including a "history of not the best relationship." Keefe worked out a deal with U.S. probation to live at Motel 6 in Nashua at a rate of $89 a day. Keefe mentioned Lancaster was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy and considered disabled with PTSD, anxiety, sleep apnea and physical ailments. He slept on the floor of his mother's home because of back pain, Keefe said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Being able to return home would have physical and mental benefits," he said. Keefe said finances are tight with a mortgage, condominium fees, car payments, personal loans and child support. "The father of the children, who is aware of the charges, has no objection," Keefe said. "The emotional toll is becoming incredibly detrimental." Lancaster now has a job in Londonderry and his wife needs to pick him up in Nashua and drive him to work because the family only has one car. Prosecutor Matthew Vicinanzo told Johnstone he can't force Lancaster's mother to allow him to live with her. He pointed out the seriousness of the allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We cannot support a position where he is living with minor children," he said. "It is impossible for probation to monitor the no contact with children order." Matt Senesi, a location monitoring specialist with the U.S. Probation Office, said Lancaster is allowed to go grocery shopping on Tuesday and attend a Bible study at a church in Pepperell, Mass. He spoke with the pastor, who is aware of the charges against Lancaster and the order to have no contact with minor children. Johnstone noted the initial conditions were put in place over Vicinanzo's objection. She suggested Lancaster work with probation to find alternative transportation or housing. A trial set for the charges is expected to be moved from April to July, Keefe said. A lawsuit against Oklahoma's governor filed by Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City, was dismissed Monday. Fugate is pictured at an interim study Oct. 21 at the state Capitol. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY An Oklahoma County judge dismissed a lawsuit against Gov. Kevin Stitt over his executive order returning all full-time state employees to return to in-office work environments. Judge Brent Dishman on Monday dismissed the lawsuit filed by Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City. An attorney representing Fugate said he plans to appeal the decision on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dishman said he only knew of one case where an individual legislator brought a case against a governor. He said it would be too chaotic if every lawmaker could bring a case against the governor everytime they disagreed with an action taken, according to a transcript of the dismissal. Fugate had alleged violations of the separation of powers in the lawsuit. He said ending remote work for all state employees was not within the power of the governor, but was instead the responsibility of the Legislature and individual state agencies. He filed his lawsuit and announced it Feb. 21 at the Capitol. In March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stitt authorized remote work that balances the safety and welfare of state employees with the critical services they provide. His December executive order ended this authorization and ordered employees to work in person. A few state agencies closed some of their physical office locations to save money as employees were working remotely, meaning there may not be enough physical office space for all of the employees returning to offices. In January, the Oklahoma State Department of Health estimated it would cost $400,000 to expand its office space and parking in downtown Oklahoma City in order to return employees to in-person work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fugate said he plans to continue to press this case in the courts and his attorney, Richard Labarthe, said hell appeal the decision to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The Legislature is a body of co-equals. Each of us in the House represents 40,000 constituents, Fugate said in a statement. While the Speaker is first among equals, that should not diminish the rights and legislative authority of individual members, especially when it comes to actions to preserve those rights. This was just the first step in the process. Stitt celebrated the dismissal and said he was glad it was done quickly to save taxpayer dollars from the cost of further litigation. My order was just common sense taxpayers are better served when the state employees who work for them are in the office, ready to work, Stitt said in a statement. This lawsuit was a political stunt to grab headlines and try to get the court to legislate from the bench. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House leadership had differing opinions of Fugates lawsuit Thursday. House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, said he wasnt sure if Fugate had the standing to sue as a member of the Legislature and believes the order was within Stitts authority. Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, said while she and her caucus were not involved in the lawsuit, she supported Fugate and wanted to hear from the courts on whether or not the return to work order was within the governors power. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE OTTAWA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that his country will not back down from a fight against the trade war initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trudeau told a press conference that there is no justification for the trade war Canada and the U.S. are entangled in and Canada will challenge Trump's moves. "So today, the U.S. launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend," said Trudeau who repeated Canada's retaliation. The Canadian government hit back with an initial 30 billion Canadian dollars (21 billion U.S. dollars) in tariffs on U.S. goods, with the promise to add another 125 billion Canadian dollars more in 21 days' time. Trudeau vowed that American families, and Trump, will soon feel how damaging the tariffs are. Speaking to the camera, Trudeau addressed Trump directly saying that "This is a very dumb thing to do". Trudeau accused Trump of wanting to "see a complete collapse of the Canadian economy", believing that's the reason Trump is moving ahead so aggressively. "Because that will make it easier to annex us, is the second part of his thought," said Trudeau, "That is never going to happen." He called the president's claims the tariffs are needed because of fentanyl seeping across the border from Canada to the U.S. "unjustified and false excuse". Canadian officials made a month-long diplomatic push to avoid tariffs and has responded to Trump's concerns about the border. Canada named a new "fentanyl czar" and listed Mexican cartels as terrorist groups. On Feb. 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with a 10 percent tariff increase specifically for Canadian energy products. On Feb. 3, Trump announced that the additional tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada would be deferred for one month, allowing more time for negotiations. Trump said Monday that 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday, March 4. A Cook County judge has dismissed a lawsuit alleging a company violated the terms of a lucrative state contract in ways that included failing to inform the state that a pair of political insiders profited from the deal. In a one-page order issued without commentary on Feb. 21, Judge Jerry Esrig dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning it cant be amended or refiled. The whistleblower lawsuit involved a state program started more than a decade ago that allowed certain contractors to buy up unpaid bills from the state, then collect the late fees. One of the companies that got in on the program was the Vendor Assistance Program owned by Brian Hynes, a longtime political insider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit, filed by a Chicago attorney acting as a whistleblower for the state, alleged that Hynes company and associated trusts purchased $5.7 billion in receivables through the state program but assigned many of them to a vast network of third parties and granted profit participation rights to individuals never disclosed to the state. An initial lawsuit was previously dismissed, but the plaintiff last year filed an amended complaint that included allegations that former Democratic state Sen. James DeLeo and veteran Republican lobbyist Nancy Kimme were undisclosed recipients of profits from VAPs contract with the state. The amended complaint has now also been dismissed. In response to an earlier complaint and motion to dismiss, Esrig said all counts should be dismissed in part because the allegations were too similar to claims that had been publicly disclosed by outlets such as the news media, and that the plaintiff was not the original source of information presented in the suit. The judge also said at the time that the complaint failed to allege any damages to the state under the relevant law. Michael Forde, the attorney whose firm filed the complaint and a former lawyer for former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, did not respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lawyer for the defendants, Benjamin Haskin, declined to comment Monday on the dismissal. In a statement, a spokesperson for the VAP said Monday that the suit was a waste of taxpayer money and the courts time. The Vendor Assistance Program also became a major issue during the recent testimony of former Ald. Daniel Solis, who worked undercover for the FBI, in the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Solis sister, longtime Democratic operative Patti Solis Doyle, who co-founded VAP with Hynes, paid her brother more than half a million dollars over a period about about seven years, much of which was never reported on Solis tax returns, according to testimony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats more, Soliss sister was recorded by the FBI telling the alderman to revise financial records in his tax filings and claim the $230,000 shed paid him in 2016 as capital gains on a prior investment which was not true. Solis acknowledged on the witness stand hed done no work for VAP in return for the money. He also said he generally did not understand how taxes work and was acting on his sisters recommendations. Did you realize that your sister was recommending tax fraud? Madigans attorney Dan Collins asked. No, Solis said. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. A Spanish Lake man remains behind bars for now for sexual misconduct on a MetroLink train for the second time. Deangelo Covington was in court Monday, asking a judge to reduce his $50,000 bond for charges of sexual misconduct on a MetroLink train. The first thing we do is we start pulling video. So in this particular case, were able to provide very detailed, very descriptive video, Kevin Scott, Bi-State Development General Manager of Security, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St. Louis Mayoral primary results According to court documents, security cameras caught Covington having sex with a seat on the train for 10 minutes at St. Louis Airport Terminal One Station last month. Allegedly, the same day he exposed himself to someone at the UMSL South Metrolink Platform. One passenger told FOX 2 Monday shes never seen anything like that and normally feels safe riding the train. Sometimes I do, but theres a lot that goes on on the train, Latoya Simms said. In court Monday, it was revealed Covington had drugs in his system at the time of arrest and is diagnosed as bipolar and schizophrenic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prosecutor on the case said she was extremely opposed to the bond reduction, pointing to a number of past convictions. Rare low pressure system to hit St. Louis; causes increased headaches and joint pain Last May, Covington was convicted of sexual misconduct involving a child under 15, where he was accused of exposing himself to a child. Then, last June, Covington was caught for the first time having sex with a MetroLink seat at the St. Louis Airport terminal. He pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual misconduct in that incident on Dec. 9, 2024, and was sentenced to 173 days in jail but was credited with time served. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, prosecutors say it has happened again. This individual is on that exclusionary list, and as a result of this act on the 13th of February, (he) will receive a lifetime ban as well, Scott said. The judge denied the bond reduction request. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Mar. 4OREGON An Ogle County judge will render a decision in April on whether to grant a defense motion to move a 2016 murder/arson jury trial out of the county. Judge John "Ben" Roe told attorneys he would review written motions and oral arguments they made Thursday, Feb. 27, and announce his decision April 23. Duane Meyer, 42, of Stillman Valley, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated arson and one count of concealment of a homicidal death in connection with an Oct. 19, 2016, Byron house fire in which Meyer's ex-wife, Margaret "Maggie" (Rosko) Meyer, 31, was found dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple's 3-year-old son, Amos Meyer, who also was home at the time of the fire, was later pronounced dead at a Rockford hospital. Meyer has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and has been held in the Ogle County Jail since his arrest on Oct. 9, 2019. Meyer's attorney, Christopher DeRango of Rockford, filed the motion in January to move the trial out of Ogle County, just three weeks before the jury trial was scheduled to start Feb. 3 and expected to take the entire month. In his "change of place of trial," motion, DeRango argues that because of "heavy" media coverage of Meyer's numerous pretrial hearings since 2016, Meyer "cannot obtain a fair trial in Ogle County, Illinois." He has also claimed that derogatory comments on social media pages about his client are also prejudicial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A change of venue motion typically asks the judge to move the trial to a different location. Those motions usually cite reasons that the filing party believes would prevent a fair trial in the county in which the case was filed. Pretrial publicity often is listed as a reason for a change of venue motion. A change of venue survey is one of the tools that can be used by defense attorneys before filing a motion for a change of venue. DeRango said a survey, paid for by Meyer's parents, asked Ogle County residents from December 2024 through January 2025 about the case. In that survey, DeRango said 34% of respondents recalled the fire and 59% had preformed an opinion regarding the defendant's guilt. He did not say how many people responded to the survey. On Thursday, Ogle County State's Attorney Michael Rock and his assistants replied to the defense motion, calling the survey "flawed" and arguing that the trial should stay in Ogle County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The survey shows that this defendant will absolutely receive a fair trial," Assistant State's Attorney Allison Huntley argued. Huntley said just because someone is aware of a pending case does not mean they have formed an opinion as to innocence or guilt. She said the pretrial publicity was primarily updates about the case as it moves through the court system. And, she argued, potential jurors could be eliminated during voir dire the Latin phrase meaning "to speak the truth" used to describe the process where potential jurors are asked questions by attorneys and the judge before being selected to serve as jurors. "There is no evidence that the pretrial publicity in the Meyer case is so pervasive and prejudiced that juror responses to voir dire questions concerning potential bias are unreliable," the state's motion reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state's motion goes on to cite reasons in detail including "flawed methodology" as to why the survey should be discounted and the trial should not be moved. "Pretrial publicity is to be expected," Huntley argued. "We expect our residents to know something about a case as interested citizens. Not everyone reads the newspaper, watches TV or engages in social media." She also questioned the "expert" status given to the survey company by DeRango. "Where are their credentials?," she asked, noting only 184 residents had been questioned, less than 1% of the county's total population. At a December hearing, DeRango said the company conducting the survey had to "adjust their methods" because of Ogle County's smaller population size. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no reason to change the venue in this case," Huntley argued. DeRango disagreed, arguing that the results of the survey indicate "reasonable apprehension" that Meyer cannot get a fair trial in Ogle County. "Reasonable apprehension exists," DeRango said. "My client simply cannot get a fair trial in this county." Roe said he had reviewed written motions made by the defense and the state and would now review their oral arguments. "I will have my response on April 23," Roe said. Maggie Meyer was a teacher at the Chana Education Center at the time of her death. She filed for divorce in 2014, and court records show the divorce was finalized in September 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors have argued that their evidence will show Duane Meyer planned to end Maggie's life. In previous hearings, DeRango and prosecutors have said numerous cellphone records and data will be part of the evidence presented. DeRango has argued that text messages sent by Duane Meyer before the deaths were only part of a "contentious" divorce and not indicative of anything nefarious. Prosecutors disagree. Roe remanded Meyer to the Ogle County Jail. The next motion hearing is set for 3 p.m. April 23. A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump administrations firing of a federal employee appeals board member was unlawful. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled in favor of Cathy Harris, who chaired the three-person Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) during the Biden administration. He indefinitely reinstated her to her post on the board, writing that federal law prevents presidents from removing members of the MSPB without cause. The Presidents attempt to terminate Harris was unlawful, Contreras wrote in a 35-page decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order allows Harris to return to her post, granting her full access to the benefits of her office while barring the Trump administration from recognizing any other person as a member of the MSPB in her position. Harris was fired via a one-sentence email from the Presidential Personnel Office last month. She had four years left in her seven-year term on the MSPB, from which the president can only remove members for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Contrerass order dictates Harris will continue to serve as a member of the board for the duration of her term unless shes removed for one of those reasons. During a hearing Monday over injunctive relief, Justice Department lawyer Jeremy Newman said the Constitution vests in the president sole authority and duty over the executive branch, including over firings. The president must be able to remove at will principal officers who exercise executive power, he argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nathaniel Zelinsky, a lawyer for Harris, called the governments theory of the case breathtaking, suggesting it amounted to empowering the president to fire anyone in the executive branch while Congress cant do anything about it. The plaintiff deserves relief in this case, he said. Contreras ruled that the MSPB falls within the scope of Supreme Court precedent giving Congress the power to specify the length of members terms and determine under which circumstances the president may remove those members. The President thus lacks the power to remove Harris from office at will, the judge wrote. Because the President did not indicate that he sought to remove Harris for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office, his attempt to terminate her was unlawful and exceeded the scope of his authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harriss is one of several lawsuits challenging firings of independent federal agency leaders with statutory removal protections. The head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), plus Democratic appointees to multimember commissions such as the National Labor Relations Board and Federal Labor Relations Authority, have also challenged their firings. A different federal judge ruled Saturday that Trumps firing of OSC Director Hampton Dellinger was unlawful, which the Justice Department quickly appealed. That case already reached the Supreme Court, though the justices punted on the Trump administrations request to wipe the lower courts temporary reinstatement of the official. The challenge will likely return there soon. Contreras acknowledged Monday that his ruling would likely be appealed to the high court in short order, as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats where all of us are heading, the judge quipped. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BOISE, Idaho (AP) An Idaho judge is warning attorneys to quit filing so many sealed documents in the murder case of a man accused in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students. Bryan Kohbergers defense attorneys and prosecutors have made secrecy the norm rather than an exception, 4th District Judge Steven Hippler wrote in a court order on Monday. This runs counter to the public's First Amendment rights to know what is going on in its courts, Hippler wrote. He ordered the attorneys to use the least restrictive steps necessary to protect confidential information in the case, such as redacting some lines or using initials instead of an individual's full name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kohberger is charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, students who were killed in the early morning of Nov. 13, 2022, at a rental home near their campus in Moscow, Idaho. When asked to enter a plea last year, Kohberger stood silent, prompting a judge to enter a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if Kohberger is convicted. Hipplers directive came as a flurry of new motions were filed ahead of the August trial, including a sealed defense motion to take the death penalty off the table that cited autism spectrum disorder. Other sealed motions include one on whether the terms psychopath or sociopath can be used during the trial, and one from prosecutors about the presence of immediate family members in the courtroom during the trial. Some of the currently sealed documents will be redacted and made public, and others will remain sealed, the judge ruled. A trial is expected to begin Aug. 11 and last for more than three months. Mar. 3A jury found a 26-year-old Manchester man guilty of 14 out of 15 charges against him in connection to a violent 2023 attack on a young homeless woman while out on bail for another crime, according to the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office. The verdicts were issued against Justin Hart after a trial that lasted four days earlier this month, according to court records. Sentencing is set for April 3. Hart was convicted on two counts of assault, six counts of stalking and four counts of witness tampering, according to a news release. Other charges included possession of fentanyl and breach of bail. He was acquitted on a second-degree assault charge that alleged he had applied pressure to the victim's neck to impede her breathing, according to the news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Testimony at trial established that Hart punched a young homeless woman in the head more than 10 times and grabbed her by the neck, the news release said. Prosecutors Nicholas Anderson and Shawn Sweeney showed evidence that he made hundreds of phone calls and sent hundreds of emails to the victim in violation of a protective order. Anderson and Sweeney showed the jury video of the victim jumping out of Hart's car and running into a local fitness center seeking help. "The defendant is shown on video chasing the young homeless woman around the gym before going back out to the parking lot where he was arrested by Detective Dylan Naylor of the Manchester Police Department," the news release reads. Hart was represented by attorney William Dolan, who did not return a request for comment last week. Erie, PA (WJET/WFXP) The case for the man accused of killing a pregnant Amish woman in Sparta Township a year ago will soon be heading to trial. Shawn Cranston, 53, will face a jury in little over a week and that jury will go on to decide if Cranston is guilty of the murder of Rebekah Byler and her unborn child on Fish Flats Road in February of last year. According to Crawford County Common Pleas court officials, jury selection will start on March 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case is now being prosecuted by the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office. That change was made in October due to a lack of staffing in the Crawford County District Attorneys Office. Cranston has been in prison without bond since he was taken into custody. Related Stories: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Out of the Hollywood spotlight, actor Gene Hackman painted, did Pilates and rode his bike in the Santa Fe, N.M., community where he and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were woven into the fabric of the local community. Friends said Hackman came to cherish the simpler life away from paparazzi and hype of the show business machine. In Santa Fe, he made friends, took part in community events and dined at the local eateries. "He was a pretty low-key individual even though he was someone who had amazing stories to tell about Hollywood and other celebrities," longtime friend Stuart Ashman said. "He was just a regular guy." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this peaceful anonymity did not follow the Oscar winner into death. Last week, Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found dead in their home, along with one of their three dogs. Investigators have ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning, but are awaiting toxicology results. They are working to rebuild a timeline of the couple's final days through phone records, emails and other means. On Tuesday, the sheriff's office said that a "minuscule" gas leak was discovered within a stove burner in the home, but it was not a lethal amount. Still, the information was passed along to investigators. The couple were described as private but neighborly by those who got to know them over the years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ashman was one of those people befriending the two-time Oscar winner nearly 30 years ago after the two ended up sitting next to each other at a community arts meeting. Ashman was director of the New Mexico Museum of Art at the time, while Hackman had a seat on the board of the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, on which he served from 1997 to 2004. "He told me his name and I said, 'Of course I know who you are,'" Ashman said. "He just smiled that big smile of his and our friendship went from there." For two years, Ashman was Hackman's part-time egg supplier, gifting him the occasional dozen from the chickens he was raising. One day, Hackman returned the favor with a painted landscape of a tree-lined river. When Ashman initially declined to take it, Hackman politely insisted. "Gene tells me, 'You've been giving me eggs for two years. I think a painting is a fair trade,'" Ashman recalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two would also chat it up between Pilates classes, where they shared the same personal instructor. "She would say, 'Gene, are you here to work or do you want to visit with Stuart?'" Ashman said, laughing. Ashman said Hackman years ago discussed renting a home in the Florida Keys in the winter and possibly meeting up after their vacations, but then the pandemic happened, and the men drifted apart. Read more: My golden memory of photographing Gene Hackman in 2001, and the memento he left behind Longtime friend Doug Lanham didn't think of Hackman as a movie star, but as one half of Gene and Betsy, the couple that was always helping in the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their friendship also started out of happenstance. The couple went into his restaurant, Jinja Bar & Bistro, in the early 2000s, and ended up chatting with Lanham and the other owners, Lanham said. The topic of Arakawa's cooking skills came up. Lanham invited Arakawa to come by the next day, when the kitchen would be tasting some new recipes. Arakawa apparently had some ideas of her own. "The next day, here comes Betsy just looking so wonderful and confident," Lanham said. "And here comes Gene behind Betsy, lugging a cooler with all the food that Betsy was going to prepare for everyone to sample." Eventually, the couple put a financial stake in the restaurant. Over the years, Hackman contributed his artworks that now hang inside, including one large piece that occupies much of a 5-by-13-foot wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially, Hackman was intimidated by the scale of that piece, Lanham said. "You did all these movies that are great, and we got this little wall that we want to just put a piece of art on. I never heard you say you can't do anything," Lanham said he teased Hackman over a few beers. But three weeks later, Hackman called the restaurant owners up to his artist studio. There they found a bunch of tropical leaves hanging from wires on the ceiling that he used as models and on the back wall a large triptych painting of a woman looking out on a sunset in a South Pacific setting. While Arakawa marveled at the piece once it was shown, Hackman was much more subdued, Lanham said. The reaction from customers was overall positive, but there were also critics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You see them crossing their arms and looking at the mural and going, 'It's kind of a Gauguin, look at the color. And then I'd go, 'Oh, this is a go-Gene. Look at this color,'" Lanham said. The couple slowed down in the last few years, according to news reports. Arakawa and Hackman's friends Daniel and Barbara Lenihan, along with their son Aaron, told People magazine that Hackman was "essentially kind of homebound" and had stopped riding his bike around his neighborhood. He had been showing his age in the last few months while his wife was "in perfect health," the family told the magazine. She tried to keep him active and engaged, including doing puzzles and yoga over Zoom. "They seemed like real life partners, really, really close to each other, and they were both incredibly kind," Aaron Lenihan told People. "They were reserved, but they were real, [and] a lot of fun." 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. Action News Jax is following up on a story from Friday when Putnam County deputies broke up what they called a sex offender cesspool. A large group of registered sex offenders were found living in the CCM Trailer Park before it was shut down. Now, Putnam County deputies said about a dozen of them are living in tents on property outside the Putnam County jail. This is after they were transported there by law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Action News Jax Shanila Kabir spoke to several registered sex offenders and predators who said they are now looking for new homes. They said their first choice was not to live in a tent behind a jail, especially after already spending years in prison. RELATED: Predators paradise: Neighbors speak out after Putnam County removes sex offenders from trailer park This was like a dream you never thought could happen. One man living in one of those tents believes this is another sentence on top of just being released from prison back in October after serving 8 1/2 years. He asked to remain anonymous since he is sleeping feet away from the Putnam County Jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People arent showering here. There are food problems. The living arrangements are bad and its just rough living in a tent. RELATED: Putnam County Sheriffs Office: Cesspool of sex offenders cleared out of local trailer park They feel they were targeted by the community to get them out of that trailer park. However, the CCM Trailer Park on Balsam Street in Putnam County exclusively houses registered sex offenders. The owner, Julie Martin, said she began offering housing to these people back in July 2024. Martin said all 14 registered sex offenders were legally living on the property, with up-to-date mapping and frequent visits from their probation officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont understand why the sheriff thought it was so important to make them vacate homes and put them in tents so quickly instead of giving us time to correct the issues, said Marin. STORY: St. Johns County Airport Authority board member wants policy review after claims of statute breaches The Putnam County Sheriffs Office said 11 out of the 14 mobile homes on the property had code violations. Several sex offenders told Action News Jax this trailer park was the best option in the area for people like them. They called it a safe haven and said law-enforcement was included, never called to this park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were sex offenders and predators but here, we didnt go by that. We go by were human and were making a restart of our life. They relied on the CCM Trailer Park because there are so many restrictions on where sex offenders are allowed to live, which includes living a certain distance away from schools and churches. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] In addition, they said it is often difficult to find landlords like Julie Martin who are willing to rent out to registered sex offenders. Registered sex offender Arnold Marchione said he lives in one of the three trailers that were not condemned at the CCM trailer park on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of the sheriff, the community put a target on our back and put us in harms way even though we are rightful citizens here in Putnam County, said Marchione. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Marchione adds he refuses to live in one of the tents if he is asked to leave as well. I have been down that road and it is not a pleasant life to live to be homeless and to be living in a tent. That is not a life to live. Its very depressing, said Marchione. The Putnam County Sheriffs Office said there are currently 13 sex offenders living inside the tents on the property. On Tuesday, PCSO posted a Q & A about CCM Park on its Facebook page. Here is the text of that post: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE CONTEXT ON BALSAM STREET TRAILER COMPLEX March 4, 2025 Since Friday there were a lot of questions posted on different pages and groups, were here to provide more context ... Below you will see who was registered in the Balsam Street complex. Weve included the charges and where each of the sexual predators and offenders were convicted so the community is fully aware of who chose to reside in that park. Here are the assumptions and facts weve seen to date: 1. Not all of the sex offenders/predators commit crimes against children Partially true. Youre right, we made one mistake. The one that didnt commit a crime involving a child (minor) committed his crime against a disabled person or mentally handicapped person Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2. They have to go somewhere - isnt it better for them to be in one location? As you will see all but two offender/predator were charged and covicted (sic) outside Putnam County. Out of those two, one received additional charges later ... that part about not reoffending, but well address that further down. The overwhelming majority (more than 90 percent) of sex offenders and predators who have listed the mobile home park as their address are from outside Putnam County. 3. Where did they go? Now theyre just out there loose. We know where they are at, especially those who are supervised. Some have gone back to the places they came from. Some have found alternate housing. Others while still securing housing are staying at the sheriffs office compound because they are working with the department of corrections probation and have ankle monitors that need to be charged. They also must notify either us if theyre in Putnam or the county they move to within 3 days to stay compliant with registration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4. Sex offenders and predators are less likely to re-offend. Six of the people listed below have re-offended or failed to register. 5. You just wanted to kick them out for any reason. Nope. We have roughly 440 sex offenders and predators in our community. We check on them regularly and they have lived in our community for years. However, we are not going to put out the welcome mat and encourage a pilmigrage (sic) of those who prey on children (see point 1) to make Putnam their destination. 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. The Justice Department on Monday filed a highly unusual motion stating its intent to review a state-level conviction of a Trump ally who was sentenced to nine years in prison for leading a security breach of her county's elections computer system following the 2020 presidential election. Former Mesa County, Colorado, clerk Tina Peters was sentenced last October for giving an individual affiliated with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, an ally of President Donald Trump who amplified false election claims, access to election software she used for her county. Screenshots of the software later appeared on right-wing websites that in turn used it to further promote baseless claims of voter fraud. Early last month, Peters filed a motion with the federal district court in Colorado seeking to challenge her guilty verdict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, the senior acting head of the Justice Department's Civil Division, Yaakov Roth, filed a statement of interest with the court, urging a judge to give "prompt and careful consideration" to concerns Peters' counsel has raised about her case. MORE: Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for election tampering "Reasonable concerns have been raised about various aspects of Ms. Peters case," Roth said in the filing. "Accordingly, the United States respectfully submits that the concerns raised in the Application warrant at the very least prompt and careful consideration by this Court (and, at the appropriate time, the Colorado appellate courts)." PHOTO: Candidate Tina Peters speaks during a debate for the state leadership position, Feb. 25, 2023, in Hudson, Colo. (David Zalubowski/AP, FILE) The Justice Department does not have the legal authority to unilaterally overturn state-level convictions. However, some critics have expressed concerns that such intervention highlights a troubling willingness by Trump-appointed officials at the Department of Justice to aid allies of the president, while also raising the prospect of retribution against his political opponents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roth's filing further states that Peters' case fits into a broader review underway at the Justice Department of "cases across the nation" that the filing argues may be "abuses of the criminal justice process." "This review will include an evaluation of the State of Colorados prosecution of Ms. Peters and, in particular, whether the case was 'oriented more toward inflicting political pain than toward pursuing actual justice or legitimate governmental objectives,' the filing stated. "Nothing about the prosecution of Ms. Peters was politically motivated," Mesa County District Attorney Daniel Rubinstein said in response to an ABC News request for comment. "In one of the most conservative jurisdictions in Colorado, the same voters who elected Ms. Peters, also elected the Republican District Attorney who handled the prosecution, and the all-Republican Board of County Commissioners who unanimously requested the prosecution of Ms. Peters on behalf of the citizens she victimized." "Ms. Peters was indicted by a grand jury of her peers, and convicted at trial by the jury of her peers that she selected," Rubenstein said. Justice Department says its reviewing state election tampering conviction of Trump ally originally appeared on abcnews.go.com People walk past a sign displaying the dollar exchange rate at a bank branch in Mexico City, Mexico, on March 4, 2025. The 25-percent U.S. tariffs, which took effect at midnight between Monday and Tuesday, have already impacted Mexico's financial markets. The Mexican peso depreciated nearly 1 percent on Tuesday, reaching 20.90 per U.S. dollar in interbank trading. Analysts attribute the decline to concerns over escalating trade tensions, warning that further U.S. tariff hikes could follow. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua) MEXICO CITY, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Mexico will unveil retaliatory tariffs against the United States on Sunday, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Tuesday, condemning the U.S. tariff hike as "unjustified." Sheinbaum, who had called for "temperance, serenity and patience" ahead of the tariff enforcement, reaffirmed that Mexico would not tolerate subordination or foreign intervention. She also accused Washington of violating the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and rejected White House claims linking her government to organized crime, calling them "offensive and baseless." Despite the ongoing tensions, Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico remains open to dialogue while preparing countermeasures to safeguard its economic interests. The 25-percent U.S. tariffs, which took effect at midnight between Monday and Tuesday, have already impacted Mexico's financial markets. The Mexican peso depreciated nearly 1 percent on Tuesday, reaching 20.90 per U.S. dollar in interbank trading. Analysts attribute the decline to concerns over escalating trade tensions, warning that further U.S. tariff hikes could follow. With roughly 80 percent of Mexico's exports heading to the United States, analysts warn that the dispute poses significant challenges for both economies. A woman walks past a sign displaying the dollar exchange rate at a bank branch in Mexico City, Mexico, on March 4, 2025. The 25-percent U.S. tariffs, which took effect at midnight between Monday and Tuesday, have already impacted Mexico's financial markets. The Mexican peso depreciated nearly 1 percent on Tuesday, reaching 20.90 per U.S. dollar in interbank trading. Analysts attribute the decline to concerns over escalating trade tensions, warning that further U.S. tariff hikes could follow. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua) A five-hundred Mexican peso banknote is pictured with one-hundred U.S. dollar bills in Mexico City, Mexico, March 4, 2025. The 25-percent U.S. tariffs, which took effect at midnight between Monday and Tuesday, have already impacted Mexico's financial markets. The Mexican peso depreciated nearly 1 percent on Tuesday, reaching 20.90 per U.S. dollar in interbank trading. Analysts attribute the decline to concerns over escalating trade tensions, warning that further U.S. tariff hikes could follow. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) Mexican peso banknotes and coins are pictured in Mexico City, Mexico, March 4, 2025. The 25-percent U.S. tariffs, which took effect at midnight between Monday and Tuesday, have already impacted Mexico's financial markets. The Mexican peso depreciated nearly 1 percent on Tuesday, reaching 20.90 per U.S. dollar in interbank trading. Analysts attribute the decline to concerns over escalating trade tensions, warning that further U.S. tariff hikes could follow. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) KANSAS CITY, Mo. An unusual assault case in Kansas City, Missouri. Police arrested a naked man they say stabbed his neighbor with a martial arts weapon. Jackson County prosecutors on Sunday charged 33-year-old Zachary Triplett with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Man, woman charged in connection to shooting of Chillicothe teen Court documents say on Sunday morning, Triplett went to his neighbors house armed with a three-pronged knife called a sai. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Triplett allegedly stabbed his neighbor when he opened the door. The neighbor was able to wrestle the knife away before calling police. He was then taken to a local hospital in critical condition. When officers arrived, police say Triplett began throwing flaming trash before trying to run away while naked. He was then taken into custody and soon after, the Kansas City Fire Department extinguished a fire in his apartment. Court documents say officers observed three puncture wounds on the victim, including a puncture wound on his right arm, left side of his upper chest and top of his head. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers also observed part of Tripletts hair burned off on the left side of his head and he was completely naked, according to court documents. According to court records, Triplett was convicted in Jackson County back in 2020 for second and third-degree domestic assault. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A Kansas City man is facing three felony charges in Jackson County court after being accused of stealing a city bus Sunday and assaulting a police officer in the process. Shahid R. Pratt, 49, was charged Monday with second-degree assault, stealing a motor vehicle, and first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle. Pratt allegedly stole the bus by forcing open the drivers window of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority bus as it sat at a stop near 75th Street and Prospect Avenue, according to court documents. After climbing through the window, he locked the bus from the inside and drove away on Prospect, security footage from inside the bus shows. No one else was inside the bus at the time, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bus emergency brake system kicked in around 77th and Prospect, where the Kansas City Police Department responded to the alleged theft around 6:20 a.m. Sunday, court documents read. Responding officers allegedly told Pratt to leave the bus multiple times before trying to unlock the doors from the outside. Pratt then allegedly reached through the window and hit one of the officers on the arm with a metal bar, before banging around the inside of the bus with the bar, according to court records. Officers used a Taser and pepper spray on Pratt while arresting him, according to court documents. Pratt has previously been charged in Missouri with eleven felonies including assault, battery, aggravated robbery, attempted drug trafficking and illegal weapon possession, according to court records. He was most recently charged with trespassing on Feb. 24. Pratt is being held in the Jackson County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Fire crews in Kansas are on high alert, concerned that high fire danger and strong wind gusts could create a damaging situation. KSN looks into what fire departments are doing to prepare. Mulvane Fire Captain Lowell Ester explains the brush trucks they use to go through tough terrain when battling fires. It is set up with water and foam. And it also can we also have the capability of a stretcher on there to carry patients out, said Captain Ester. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He says Mulvane Fire has been dealing with brush fires all last week and is concerned theyll have a busy week. The grass is dead, and we have 60-mile-an-hour winds possible tomorrow, said Captain Ester. We get these high winds, once we get a fire started there, that theyre almost impossible to contain. Storm Track 3 Forecast: High winds, severe storms, heavy snow begin tonight Derby Fire Captain Kyle Gasaway has another concern. We start talking about tree limbs coming down on power lines and then the sparks coming down and starting the grass on fire because everythings still dormant, said Captain Gasaway. I feel like were going to find some find some loose ends and burns that havent been checked and fully extinguished. And I think thats going to be a problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Captain Gasaway says Derby Fire will also work with Mulvane and other rural fire departments with their mutual aid agreements. Were part of a couple different wildland task force. Were part of Sumner County and Sedgwick County, said Captain Gasaway. Kansas Forest Service says they are ready to assist fire departments with all their available resources. If we do run into a situation where state response is needed, that we can have that coordinated and ready to assist those departments, said Dennis Carlson, Assistant Fire Management Officer at Kansas Forest Service. All advise the public to be on alert and call 911 immediately if you see a fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. TOPEKA (KSNT) State health officials in Kansas have issued a warning to healthcare providers this week as measles cases climb across the nation. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued an alert on Monday, March 3 regarding cases of measles which are being reported in several states. Citing a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the KDHE said just over 160 cases of measles have been identified in the following states with the most coming out of Texas: Alaska California Georgia Kentucky New Jersey New Mexico New York City Rhode Island Texas Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tax agents seize two Kansas Mexican restaurants for failure to pay $200,000 While no measles cases have been identified yet in Kansas, the KDHE warns that healthcare providers should be on watch for patients who are displaying symptoms of measles. Doctors should also be on the alert for patients who have traveled recently or who have frequent contact with unimmunized people in settings like daycares. Measles (rubeola) is a highly contagious viral illness that can cause severe health complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and death, especially in unvaccinated individuals. Measles is charactered by a prodrome of fever (as high as 105F), cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis (three Cs), malaise, and, in some cases, pathognomonic enanthema (Koplik spots), followed by a maculopapular rash. In a typical presentation, which might be seen in under or unimmunized individuals, the rash spreads from the head to the trunk, and then out to the arms and legs. Measles in vaccinated individuals may present mildly, with low-grade or no fever and atypical rash. KDHE health alert excerpt People infected with measles can infect about 12 to 18 others on average in a susceptible population. Typical measles cases take about 11-12 days to incubate with a rash appearing around two to four days after the first symptoms become apparent. The KDHE said the best protection against measles is vaccination. KTA pushes for nationwide KTAG compatibility Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. Kari Lake was sworn in Monday as special adviser for the U.S. Agency for Global Media after President Donald Trump originally chose her to a government entity that his senior adviser Elon Musk has since suggested should be dismantled. The former Phoenix TV broadcaster who lost a run for Arizona's governor and U.S. Senate seat posted Monday that her swearing-in ceremony happened earlier that morning. "Looking forward to serving America, streamlining the United States Agency of Global Media and everything it oversees," Lake wrote on the social media platform X. Advertisement Advertisement Her appointment was shared last week by Voice of America, a branch of the Agency for Global Media and the pro-American news network that Lake originally was appointed to be the lead. I got sworn in today Looking forward to serving America, streamlining the United States Agency of Global Media and everything it oversees. pic.twitter.com/cqDSGEC6VA Kari Lake (@KariLake) March 3, 2025 In February, Musk suggested the closure of VOA-affiliated organizations. "Shut them down," Musk said on X, which he owns. Arizona politics: RFK Jr.'s ideas about health are influencing Arizonans. Here's how VOA reported that Lake's appointment to head the news agency languished as Trump's pick to head the Agency for Global Media, L. Brent Bozell III, awaited confirmation from the U.S. Senate. An internal staff announcement on Lake's appointment shared Lake's rhetoric to "streamline" the agency, according to the VOA. Advertisement Advertisement The agency's Office of Public Affairs told The Arizona Republic in a written statement: "Kari Lake has been sworn in as the Trump Administrations Senior Advisor of USAGM, VOA, and OCB. In this capacity she will oversee and advise agency leadership on Administration priorities as well as implement the policies and strategies needed to streamline the agency, its networks, and its grantees." OCB stands for the Miami-based Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which runs Radio and Telvision Marti, which broadcast into Cuba. The Agency for Global Media operates with taxpayer dollars and is required to submit a Congressional Budget Justification report that describes the goals and financial needs of VOA and other government media outlets. Reach reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@gannett.com. Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake sworn in as special adviser to US Agency for Global Media Kansas City Manager Brian Platt was not only seemingly willing to lie to the news media and exaggerate the citys accomplishments on things like street repaving goals, he once ordered his communications team to erase critical comments from the citys social media accounts. Those were the main points of the testimony that the citys former communications director, Chris Hernandez, gave Monday at the start of the second week in the trial of the civil lawsuit that Hernandez brought against the city. Hernandez claimed in that lawsuit that he was demoted from that job in August 2022 because he challenged Platt on several occasions when he felt Platt had crossed ethical lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The jury that will decide the case later this week has heard repeated testimony about a Jan. 3, 2022 meeting between Platt, Hernandez and three other communications staffers in which Platt allegedly suggested that it was ok for city officials to lie to the news media and exaggerate the citys accomplishments. Hernandez called the meeting about one year into Platts tenure as the citys top administrator to see if he and his staff were meeting expectations. Platt had ordered a restructuring of the citys communications staff. And he had put a higher emphasis than his predecessors on promoting his and the citys accomplishments, rather than simply providing unadorned factual information, Hernandez said. Different philosophy Mr. Platt came in with a different philosophy, Hernandez said. ...more in the direction of less information and more fluffy stuff, more promotional. In his testimony last week, Platt denied suggesting that the communications staff lie to the news media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Hernandez said Monday that he believes Platt was 100% serious when in that Jan. 3 meeting Platt allegedly asked why it would be unacceptable to lie to news reporters. After Hernandez said it would hurt the citys credibility if reporters learned they had been lied to, Platt told a story about a former mayor in Jersey City, New Jersey where Platt had worked before who made up statistics at public events and reporters never challenged him on those numbers. Hernandez and two other former staffers who attended that meeting testified that they were shocked and demoralized by Platts attitude. It revealed something about his character that just sickened me, Hernandez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evidence and testimony show Platt began the process to get rid of Hernandez around the time of that meeting. His testimony Monday included two other instances in which Hernandez alleged that Platt and his top lieutenant, Assistant City Manager Melissa Kozakiewicz, had made suggestions that he considered improper and unwise. Neither has been reported before. Dumpster fire idea Hernandez told a story about an instance a couple of weeks after that Jan. 3 meeting three years ago. Platt and other city officials held a press conference to announce a new program to help the homeless. They felt they were being compassionate by offering secure storage for the belongings of people who live on the street and had no place for their stuff when they had to see a doctor, apply for a job and other reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But activists and others called the city clueless about how City Hall went about it. Officials rebranded 70 rolling garage containers as Heart Carts. People could put their belongings in those trash carts and the city would keep an eye on the carts while they were away. As it turned out, the optics were terrible. Critics savaged Platts idea on Twitter and other social media platforms as being disrespectful. Trash cans? More like heartless cart, was one of the more typical responses. An actual, rolling dumpster fire idea! said another. Platts response to the PR nightmare? Hernandez said Platt ordered the citys PR staff to eradicate all critical comments on its social media posts and bar further comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we were being told is turn it off, take it down, get rid of it, Hernandez testified. He told Platt that deleting the post and negative comments would create even more unfavorable reactions and possibly violate the states Sunshine Law, as even social media posts are considered public records when they are on the citys official account. In another fresh revelation, Hernandez testified that Kozakiewicz recommended that the city end the practice of announcing on social media when the city website was off line due to some glitch. Kozakiewicz said she felt doing so was calling attention to the citys failures for the tens of thousands who followed the citys account on Twitter, now X, when only a few hundred people were inconvenienced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kozakiewicz was Platts top assistant in Jersey City and followed him here in May 2021. Before arriving, she studied the citys official social media accounts, Kozakiewicz testified last week and felt they did not celebrate the city as much as she felt it deserved. Platt had a similar philosophy, Hernandez said. And when Platt pushed him out as communications director, he put Kozakiewicz in charge of citywide communications. He said Melissa shared his vision more than I did, Hernandez said. Hernandez filed suit as a whistleblower complaint yet did not report Platts perceived ethical lapses to the city ethics hotline or other authorities. The citys attorneys have challenged his lawsuit for that reason. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After being forced out as communications manager, he found another job at City Hall that had fewer responsibilities and ultimately had little work to do. He took early retirement as of Oct. 1, 2023. His lawsuit seeks compensation for the paychecks he missed out on and to make up for the lower monthly pension checks he is receiving than he might have received had he left his job when he planned, in his 60s. He was 58 when he quit the city. He turned 60 last month. Attorney Alexander Silvert, author of The Mailbox Conspiracy, joins producer/host Coralie Chun Matayoshi to discuss charges in the original and superseding indictments, how to prove a conspiracy, evidence of the charges, elements of the plea agreements, and why each side was willing to strike plea deals and end the Kealoha conspiracy saga. Q. Its been 3 years since former Corporation Council Donna Leong, Police Commission Chair Max Sword and City Managing Director Roy Amemiya were indicted for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States in connection with police chief Louis Kealohas $250,000 severance payout. What were the three defendants charged with in the original indictment on December 16, 2021? The defendants were charged with Conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. Section 371, which is a felony because the purpose of the conspiracy was to knowingly and without authority convert $5,000 or more from a program receiving federal funding [18 U.S.C. Section 666(a)(1)(A)] or obtain funds under false pretenses [18 U.S.C. 1343], both of which are felonies, and conceal the source of the funds from the Honolulu City Council and public. Felony conspiracy is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Q. What is a conspiracy? A conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime at some time in the future. Conspiracy is a separate offense than committing the crime itself. For example, one who conspires with another to commit Burglary and in fact commits the burglary can be charged with both conspiracy to commit burglary and burglary. The law seeks to punish conspiracy as a substantive crime separate from the intended crime because when two or more persons agree to commit a crime, the potential for criminal activity increases, and as a result, the danger to the public increases. Therefore, the very act of an agreement with criminal intent, along with an overt at is considered sufficiently dangerous to warrant charging conspiracy as an offense separate from the intended crime. It is not necessary to show actual loss by government as a result of defendants actions. Q. What kind of evidence did the federal prosecutor have to prove the charges? The three defendants allegedly manipulated the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) to pay for part of Chief Kealohas settlement with funds that were supposed to be used for vacant funded positions. They then allegedly made materially false and misleading representations and omissions to the Honolulu City Council to reallocate city funds to cover the Kealoha payment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They allegedly persuaded HPD to tell the City Council that their request for additional fourth-quarter funds was because of a salary shortfall. When HPD refused to pay for the settlement out of their budget, Leong allegedly told HPD that City Council approval could be circumvented by falsely claiming HPD had used the money to hire new employees, then request additional money from the Department of Budget and Fiscal Services (DFS) to cover the shortfall. DFS could then fill the alleged shortfall without City Council approval. The City Council would only have to be notified of the monetary transfer by DFS. Funds would also be split into three parts to fall below the $100,00 level that would require City Council approval. When the City Council asked Sword whether the payment was going to be presented to the full Council for a vote Sword allegedly replied that the settlement was primarily based on Kealohas employment and retirement concerns and did not solely or primarily concern the use of federal funds. HPD leadership continued to push back saying they could not afford the payment without slashing services and asked why they needed to make payment to Kealoha. Oh, the reason its very simple, Sword allegedly said, according to the indictment. So you dont have to go to the seven bananas, I mean nine bananas up at the Council. The indictment indicates that Amemiya was not involved in the decision regarding Chief Kealohas severance but allegedly told acting Chief Cary Okimoto that he was burning bridges by objecting to pay the settlement out of HPDs budget and not to raise the topic of the payment at the upcoming Council meeting. Q. A superseding indictment filed on March 17, 2022, contained some additional charges. What were they? Former Corporation Council Donna Leong was charged with 5 counts of making materially false and fictitious and fraudulent statements to the FBI regarding her secretly taped conversations with the Acting HPD Chief concerning the Kealohas payout agreement in violation of U.S.C. 1001. Q. All three defendants initially pled not guilty, and several trial dates were set before a plea agreement was worked out to avoid trial and draw the case to a close. What did the defendants agree to? Leong and Sword will plead guilty to misdemeanor conspiracy to deprive the residents of Honolulu of their rights, and each pay a fine of $100,000 and serve one year of supervised release. Charges against Amemiya will be reduced to same deprivation of rights misdemeanor and he will enter into a deferred prosecution agreement that requires two years of supervised release, community service, and a $50,000 fine. Charges against him will be dismissed as long as he is not convicted of a crime and abides by all the terms of his supervised release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The total the three defendants will pay is $250,000. The same amount lost to the taxpayers by the payout to Chief Kealoha to retire. All three are due in federal court on March 4 for a waiver of indictment, arraignment and plea, and Leong and Sword will also be sentenced that day. Q. Why do you think both sides were willing to enter into a plea deal and why did it benefit both parties? This was a case where it appeared the verdict could have gone to either party, which is unusual in a federal criminal trial where the prosecution usually has built a very solid case. Each defendant had a viable defense: Sword could have argued that he was only a civilian following the legal advice of the chief civil attorney for the City and County: Leong. Amemiya could have argued that all he did was follow the direction of the mayor by getting Kealoha to retire but had no idea as to how the $250,000 payment was going to be made. Leong could have argued that she was only following the advice given to her by the chief of the Department of Budget and Financial Services who had told her this is how the City and County had done this kind of thing before. And, if Sword and Amemiya were found not guilty, then there was no conspiracy no matter what the jury believed about Leongs intent because a conspiracy requires an agreement between two or more people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given these defenses and the uncertainty of gaining convictions against all three defendants, the government was willing to negotiate. Entering into the plea agreement where all three of the three defendants admitted wrongdoing, with two being convicted of lessor charges was the compromise that worked for both parties. Moreover, the agreement assures that the three defendants will pay back the $250,000 that was given to Kealoha through the wrongful actions of the defendants. To learn more about this subject, tune into this video podcast. Disclaimer: this material is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The law varies by jurisdiction and is constantly changing. For legal advice, you should consult a lawyer that can apply the appropriate law to the facts in your case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) Two Kentucky police officers and one former officer were indicted Tuesday for alleged civil rights violations while acting as troopers. The Department of Justice said former Kentucky State Police Trooper Thomas Czartorski, 34, and current KSP troopers, 29-year-old Jarrod Lewis and 30-year-old James Cameron Wright, were all charged with using unreasonable force. Wright was also charged with perjury related to false declarations made under oath. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Czartorski, Lewis, and Wright are scheduled for court appearances on April 3. If convicted, Czartorski faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Lewis faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and Wright faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. The FBI Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force is 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 FOX 56 News. As a physician assistant (PA-C) with 14 years of experience, an educator and a leader in Kentuckys PA community, I am deeply frustrated by the persistent resistance to modernizing PA practice laws in our state. Recent discussions surrounding Senate Bill 88 (SB 88) in the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee have once again highlighted the influence of a small but powerful group of physician leaders who, despite lacking firsthand experience working with PAs, continue to misrepresent our profession. Their opposition is largely driven by the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA), backed by the American Medical Association (AMA), and their so-called "scope creep" campaign. This misleading effort implies that PAs are attempting to practice beyond our training, when in reality, we are simply asking to practice at our full scope exactly as we were educated and trained to do. We are not seeking independent practice; we are seeking a collaborative, team-based approach that mirrors how health care actually functions in hospitals and clinics across the country. Many physicians and health care organizations in Kentucky do understand the value of PAs. Institutions like Kroger Health, Norton Healthcare, CHI, CCA and AARP support expanding PA practice laws, recognizing the essential role we play in patient care. I have worked alongside numerous physicians who have directly expressed their appreciation for PA training and expertise. In fact, 90% of physicians nationwide agree that PAs enhance health care delivery, and 86% say PAs expand access to care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: I refuse to stand by while KY lawmakers try to gut protections for workers Yet, KMA continues to push a narrative that is out of touch with reality. Only 15%-18% of U.S. physicians are even AMA members, and that number has plummeted from 75% in the 1950s. I would be curious to know what percentage of that small group has actual experience working with PAs or truly understands our training. Yet, we are expected to accept that this minority of physicians speaks with authority on PA capabilities and scope and that their stance represents the majority opinion of physicians nationwide. Kentucky ranks last in physician assistant practice laws Kentucky has consistently ranked worst in the nation for PA practice laws. We are the only state where PAs cannot even prescribe or order Schedule II medications despite many of us being trained and experienced in emergency and critical care settings. This restriction is not only outdated but harmful to patients in need. At a time when Kentucky is facing a severe health care shortage, the only solution KMA and AMA offer is more physicians. But where are these physicians? Medical school pipelines take years to produce new doctors, and many leave the state after training. Meanwhile, we have a ready, capable and highly trained PA workforce eager to step in and help but were being blocked by unnecessary regulations. Kentucky Medical Association made false claims about PAs During a recent SB 88 committee hearing, KMA representatives made numerous false and uneducated claims about PAs. One argument is that PAs are seeking independent practice. This is false. Senate bill 88 seeks to change supervision language to collaborating to better reflect true health care practices with a collaborative approach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: We're on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but we agree on these KY bills Another key argument from KMA is that moving to a collaborative agreement would increase liability for physicians. A study in the Journal of Medical Regulation found the opposite: Moving to collaborative practice laws actually decreased medical malpractice claims against physicians and had no impact on PA claims. Furthermore, more than 90% of Kentuckians support updating PA laws to allow health care systems to fully utilize their workforce. The public wants better access to care and PAs are a crucial part of the solution. The path forward includes SB 88 SB 88 is not a final solution, but it is a step in the right direction. If passed, it would help keep PA graduates in Kentucky instead of pushing them to states with better practice environments. More importantly, it would improve patient access to timely, high quality care something we should all agree on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The real "scope creep" is not coming from PAs it's coming from organizations that prioritize physician exclusivity over patient needs. Kentucky lawmakers have an opportunity to break free from outdated, self-serving narratives and move toward a modern, team-based approach to health care. Its time to put patients first. Agree or disagree? Submit a letter to the editor. Abbey Hardy Abbey Hardy, DMSc, MHS-PAS, PA-C is a PA currently practicing in Emergency Medicine in Louisville and also serves as program director of Sullivan University PA Program. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KY physician assistants are blocked by unnecessary rules | Opinion CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Extra security was called to a Charlotte high school on Monday following a fight on campus, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools confirmed. The altercation happened Monday morning, March 3, at Mallard Creek High School, in the schools cafeteria. Students said a fight broke out among a group of girls, with one reportedly getting injured. New pilot program could help improve parking in two Charlotte neighborhoods Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taleeya Daise said she was the target of the fight. In an interview with Queen City News, she said the incident started as a result of something with which she was not directly involved. She said the fight left her with a concussion, and her briefly wearing a neck brace after someone put their foot on her neck. All these girls had just (come up), one of them just hit me in my face, said Daise. So then, Im trying to defend myself at this point. And then a whole bunch of girls just start hitting me. And I got to the floor, and they kept punching my head and they kept kicking my head. Daise said the resulting fight, even though she said she was the apparent target, led to a 10-day suspension for her and the others involved. CMS officials said they could not comment on student disciplinary actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charlotte man found guilty of wifes death by neglect: DA Below is the message sent to Mallard Creek families on Monday: Good morning Mallard Creek High families, this is Principal Thompson reaching out to inform you about a fight that occurred in the cafeteria this morning. This behavior is disruptive to the learning environment and is a violation of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Code of Student Conduct. All students involved will be disciplined accordingly. I have requested extra security personnel on campus for the duration of the day. The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority. Families, we ask that you continue to partner with us in creating a safe learning environment for all students by speaking with your child(ren) about appropriate behavior at school and reminding them about the consequences of their actions. Thank you for your continued support of Mallard Creek High. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. There was an unexpected visitor in the Formula 1 paddock last week in Bahrain, with Dmitry Mazepin, the Russian billionaire and father of former F1 driver Nikita Mazepin, checking out pre-season testing. Mazepins presence raised eyebrows as it reignited memories of the oligarchs controversial stint in the sport as a partner Haas. Once a prominent figure through his company Uralkalis sponsorship of the US outfit in 2021, Mazepin had faded from the F1 spotlight after geopolitical events and EU sanctions forced his and his sons exit. Yet, here he was, mingling with Mercedes and Alpine in Bahrain, with no at Sakhir able to reveal how he had secured a paddock pass, a credentialed privilege in F1s tightly controlled environment. However, a spokesperson for Mazepin downplayed the visit, insisting it was personal. Dmitry was on a personal visit. He has remained friends with many people in the Formula One family and was happy to see them in Bahrain. Still, the ambiguity of his access fueled speculation and curiosity. The Hitech Connection While Mazepins F1 legacy is inextricably linked to his son Nikitas brief tenure at Haas, his involvement, however, extended beyond the American team. He had been a significant supporter of the Hitech junior team, where Nikita also competed, forging connections that lingered even after his F1 exit. That history resurfaced in Bahrain when Mazepin crossed paths with Alpine team principal and Hitech founder Oliver Oakes. The Briton inevitably faced questions from the media about the encounter, offering a mix of warmth and restraint in his responses to the media. Yes. Ive said hello to him, I havent met him, said Oakes. Yes, hes a friend of mine, yes I used to be together with him in Hitech. He was here catching up with another friend of his. Its nice to see him. Im not going to go into that, the worlds a crazy place. The Alpine chiefs comments hinted at a personal rapport but stopped short of explaining Mazepins broader intentions. Whispers of Alpines Future Mazepins visit to Alpines garage sparked inevitable speculation, especially given rumors about the teams future that just wont go away. Some suggest that Renault CEO Luca de Meo is still seeking to offload Alpine, with executive advisor Flavio Briatore tasked with brokering a deal. Mazepin, with his wealth and past F1 involvement, could theoretically be a player in such a scenario. Yet, Briatore has firmly dismissed such talk. No, there is nothing for sale, he told Autosport last year. Everything, we buy. If we had the opportunity, we [would] buy another one team and I put a managing director in. Something is very clear. Luca de Meo never wants to sell the team. Question finito. Briatores words leave little room for doubtat least publicly. For now, Dmitry Mazepins paddock appearance remains an enigma. Was it truly just a nostalgic catch-up with old friends, as his spokesperson claimed, or a calculated step back into F1s orbit? His visits to Mercedes and Alpine, combined with the mystery of his credentials, suggest theres more to the story than a simple social call. As Oakes put it, the worlds a crazy place, and Mazepins cameo in Bahrain is a fitting reminder of that chaos. Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook By Richa Naidu and Khalid Abdelaziz LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) - Gum arabic, a vital ingredient used in everything from Coca-Cola to M&M's sweets, is increasingly being trafficked from rebel-held areas of war-torn Sudan, traders and industry sources say, complicating Western companies' efforts to insulate their supply chains from the conflict. Sudan produces around 80% of the world's gum arabic, a natural substance harvested from acacia trees that's widely used to mix, stabilise and thicken ingredients in mass-market products including L'Oreal lipsticks and Nestle petfood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), at war since April 2023 with Sudan's national army, seized control late last year of the main gum-harvesting regions of Kordofan and Darfur in western Sudan. Since then the raw product, which can only be marketed by Sudanese traders in return for a fee to the RSF, is making its way to Sudan's neighbours without proper certification, according to conversations with eight producers and buyers who are directly involved in gum arabic trading or based in Sudan. The gum is also exported through informal border markets, two traders told Reuters. Asked for comment, a RSF representative said that the force had protected the gum arabic trade and only collected small fees, adding that talk of any lawbreaking was propaganda against the paramilitary group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, the RSF signed a charter with allied groups establishing a parallel government in the parts of Sudan it controls. In recent months, traders in countries with lower-gum arabic production than Sudan, such as Chad and Senegal, or which barely exported it before the war, like Egypt and South Sudan, have begun to aggressively offer the commodity at cheap prices and without proof it is conflict-free, two buyers who have been approached by traders told Reuters. While the acacia trees that yield gum arabic grow across the Africa's arid Sahel region - known as the 'gum belt' - Sudan has become by far the world's biggest exporter due to its extensive groves. Herve Canevet, Global Marketing Specialist at Singapore-based supplier of speciality food ingredients Eco-Agri, said it was often difficult to determine where gum supplies are coming from as many traders would not say if their product has been smuggled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Today, the gum in Sudan, I would say all of it is smuggled, because there's no real authority in the country," he said. The Association for International Promotion of Gums (AIPG), an industry lobby, said in a January 27 public statement it "does not see any evidence of links between gum (arabic) supply chain and the competing (Sudanese) forces." However, five industry sources said the opaque new trade in gum risked infiltrating the procurement system of global ingredients makers. Companies like Nexira, Alland & Robert, and Ingredion buy a refined version of the amber-colored gum, turn it into emulsifiers and sell it to big consumer goods firms. Contacted by Reuters, Ingredion said it works to ensure that all supply chain transactions are fully legitimate and has diversified sourcing since the start of the war to include other countries such as Cameroon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nexira told Reuters the civil war prompted it to cut its imports from Sudan and take proactive measures to mitigate the impact of the conflict on its supply chain, including broadening sourcing to ten other countries. Alland & Robert, Nestle and Coca Cola did not comment. M&Ms maker Mars and L'Oreal did not return requests for comment. CHEAP GUM FOR SALE Mohammed Hussein Sorge, founder of Khartoum-based Unity Arabic Gum, which served global ingredients makers before the war, said he was offered gum arabic in December by traders in Senegal and Chad. He said the Chad-based traders wanted $3,500 per tonne for hashab gum, a more expensive variety of gum arabic primarily produced in Sudan, for which he would normally expect to pay more than $5,000 per tonne. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sellers could not provide a Sedex certification, which ensures buyers a supplier meets sustainable and ethical standards, Sorge also told Reuters. Sorge did not buy the gum because he feared the low price and lack of documentation was an indication it had been stolen in Sudan or exported via informal RSF-affiliated networks. "Smugglers manage to smuggle gum arabic through the RSF because the RSF controls all production areas," Sorge said. Sorge, who fled to Egypt after RSF forces stole his entire gum supply in 2023, shared WhatsApp messages with Reuters showing these gum traders had reached out on five separate occasions, including as recently as January 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since October, the RSF banned exports for 12 goods to Egypt, including gum Arabic, in retaliation for what it said was Egyptian airstrikes against the militia. Asked for comment, the paramilitary said it banned what it called smuggling to Egypt because it was not benefiting Sudan. A buyer, who declined to be named for safety reasons, recounted how he also was approached by shadowy gum traders. "I have (acacia) seyal cleaned open quantities ready for shipping," read one WhatsApp message, reviewed by Reuters and offering a load of seyal gum, a cheaper gum arabic variety. In subsequent WhatsApp messages, the trader proposed to schedule shipping every two months at a negotiable price of $1,950 per metric tonne, lower than the $3,000 per tonne the buyer said he would expect to pay for this kind of load. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a different WhatsApp conversation with the same buyer, reviewed by Reuters, a different trader said that trucks carrying gum arabic had crossed the Sudanese border into South Sudan and Egypt. In all instances, the gum traders could not provide a Sedex certification, the buyer said, adding that he declined the offers for fear the gum came from RSF-affiliated networks. CHANGING ROUTES Before the Sudanese civil war, the raw gum would be sorted in Khartoum and then trucked to Port Sudan, on the Red Sea, to be shipped via the Suez Canal around the world. Since late last year, however, RSF-affiliated gum Arabic started to appear on sale at two informal markets on the border between the Sudanese province of West Kordofan and South Sudan, according to a buyer based in an RSF-controlled area, who declined to be named due to safety concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The buyer, a major trader in the West Kordofan area, said traders collect gum from Sudanese land owners and sell them to South Sudanese traders in these markets for U.S. dollars. All of this happens with RSF protection, which the traders pay for, the buyer added. Abdallah Mohamed, a producer who owns acacia groves in West Kordofan, also told Reuters the RSF takes a fee from the traders for protection. The paramilitary group has diversified its interests into gold, livestock, agriculture and banking. South Sudan Information Minister Michael Makuei, who is also the government's spokesperson, told Reuters transport of gum through South Sudan was not the government's responsibility. Calls and messages to Joseph Moum Majak, the minister of trade and industry for South Sudan, went unanswered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The RSF also takes the product to the Central African Republic through the border town of Um Dafoog, the buyer said, adding that some goes to Chad. A wholesale buyer, based outside Sudan, told Reuters the gum was now being exported through Mombasa in Kenya and South Sudan's capital Juba. Arabic gum of illicit origin has also appeared on sale online. Isam Siddig, a Sudanese gum processor who is now a refugee in Britain, told Reuters his warehouses in Khartoum had been raided by the RSF after he fled in April 2023 with three suitcases of gum in tow. A year later, his gum products appeared on sale, still in his company's branded packaging, in an online Facebook group according to a screenshot shared with Reuters. (Reporting by Richa Naidu in London, Khalid Abdelaziz in Dubai; Additional reporting by Edwin Okoth in Nairobi and Nafisa Eltahir in Cairo; editing by Matt Scuffham and Lisa Jucca) Youre not imagining it. This winter season has been a difficult one for respiratory illnesses, primarily the flu, with young kids being most impacted. The percentage of emergency department visits in Michigan for this seasons three main culprits the flu, RSV, and COVID-19 have been highest for newborns and those 2-4 years of age. As a new parent, protecting your kid from infectious diseases may seem daunting, but there are simple, doctor-approved methods to keep your baby safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts emphasized the importance of preventative steps, including talking to your doctor about how to avoid respiratory illnesses this season. And it is never too late to get both yourself and your kids vaccinated against illnesses, especially the flu. If your kid is already sick and is exhibiting any of the symptoms listed below, seek emergency care immediately. For milder cases, experts recommend over the counter meds, among other options for identifying a virus and treating its symptoms. When to go to the emergency room The flu needs to be taken seriously, said Rachel Klamo, a family physician at Henry Ford Health. In 2024, there were 200 pediatric deaths from the flu in Michigan. This year, there have already been five. This is not the common cold that you brush off, Klamo said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its important for parents to know the emergency warning signs for the flu and other respiratory illnesses that can have severe outcomes in this especially vulnerable population. According to the Centers for Disease Control, seek immediate medical care for your child when any of the following are present: Fast-paced breathing or trouble breathing (This might manifest as trouble eating, drinking, or speaking in full sentences due to shortness of breath) Bluish in the face or lips Ribs that suck in towards the back with each breath, known as retractions Chest pain Severe muscle pain (For example, if a child cant walk) Dehydration (No urine for eight hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying) Lack of alertness or interacting when awake Seizures Fever above 104 degrees that doesnt go down with fever-reducing medicine; In children younger than three months, any fever necessitates immediate medical care. Fever or cough that improves, but then returns or worsens If you have a child not showing any of the above signs, but exhibiting other symptoms, combination COVID-19/flu tests are a great first step to identifying what virus they may have, said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, an infectious disease expert and Michigans chief medical executive. She suggests testing everyone in the family who is symptomatic. Bagdasarian also recommends ensuring kids take in a lot of fluids and said over the counter medicines like Tylenol and ibuprofen (on a full stomach when possible) are good fever reducers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Give those medications around the clock, so that youre scheduling the doses rather than waiting for the fever to come back, she said. IN THE ER: Michigan flu, RSV, COVID surges wreak 'havoc' in Corewell emergency departments Little ones most impacted Of the three main respiratory illnesses, the flu has dominated this season, while COVID-19 and RSV have been milder than in years past. These illnesses have impacted young children especially, because their immature immune systems are more susceptible to infection. The state is not yet past its peak for these respiratory illnesses as trends continue upward, particularly for the flu, according to Dr. Joseph Fakhoury, a pediatric hospitalist in Kalamazoo and president of the American Academy of Pediatrics in Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bagdasarian flagged two other illnesses parents should speak to their doctors about. The first is pertussis, known as whooping cough, on the rise in Michigan. The illness can severely impact babies and young kids. In 2024, there was a major increase in the number of cases of whooping cough, close to 2000 cases when on average weve seen less than 100 cases per year. This is a massive increase, Bagdasarian said. I expect 2025 to be the same. The second is measles, which had previously been declared eliminated from the United States because cases were so low. But due to steadily decreasing vaccination rates in the country, outbreaks have recently occurred, most recently in West Texas where the outbreak resulted in the death of one unvaccinated school-age child. Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate As a parent herself, Bagdasarian said she understands the overwhelm and distress of having a sick kid. But, she said she wants parents to know that the tools to protect their babies from these illnesses are available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate, said Debra Langlois, a pediatrician at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. This is the single most important way to keep your baby safe and healthy, and also reduce health anxiety, according to doctors and health experts. The bottom line: its never too late to get vaccinated against this seasons respiratory diseases, according to Veronica McNally, who founded the I Vaccinate campaign after losing her 3-month-old daughter to whooping cough in 2012. If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about getting the Tdap (which protects against whooping cough among other illnesses), flu, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines. In order to give your baby a circle of protection, those around the baby should be vaccinated against respiratory illnesses including the flu, whooping cough, and COVID-19. Protection coming from mom and dad and those who will be around the baby is tantamount, said Dr. Kevin Dazy, a pediatrician at Childrens Hospital of Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For newborns, the RSV antibody shot is available as determined by your doctor based on maternal vaccination status, and your newborn can begin to get their whooping cough vaccines, known as Dtap, starting at 2 months of age. At 6 months old, your baby can receive their first COVID-19 and flu vaccine. You can find a full list of essential vaccines for yourself and your children by age at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules. In Michigan, vaccination rates overall, including for all types of pediatric vaccines, are far below what we would consider ideal, according to Klamo. The lower vaccination rate is not the result of barriers to access but is instead most often the result of health misinformation. Where were struggling is patients who have information thats just widely off the mark and theyre not necessarily sensing the value of the vaccines, Klamo said. Bagdasarian acknowledges that everything has some level of risk, but for vaccines the benefits far outweigh potential risks. Many of the vaccines, including for the flu, have been around for decades and have a long track record of safety, she said. While no vaccine is 100% effective, vaccines effectively prevent and minimize severity of illness, said McNally. The more people vaccinated, the lower the chance of transmission a concept known as herd immunity. When you get vaccinated, youre protecting your whole community, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: What are the symptoms of the measles, and what do I do if I've been exposed? Practice good, common-sense hygiene Cleaning hands regularly, covering mouths when sneezing or coughing, wearing a mask in high risk situations, and keeping good air circulation in the home are all simple actions with big payoffs, Klamo said. Hand washing cannot be overemphasized, she said. Langlois advises parents to avoid crowded areas during this time of higher prevalence of illness. She also suggests limiting sick family members contact with your child. Dont kiss baby on the face, she said. For parents with children in a daycare setting, Dazy acknowledges that there is inherent risk of spread in these group child settings, but said parents can ask providers questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make sure you feel confident that your childrens caretaker is doing everything in their power to decrease the spread and that they are vaccinated against these illnesses, Dazy said. And dont spread germs yourself. You dont want to send your child to school or daycare if they are ill, said Fakhoury. Beki San Martin is a fellow at the Detroit Free Press who covers childcare, early childhood education and other issues that affect the lives of children ages five and under and their families in metro Detroit and across Michigan. Contact her at rsanmartin@freepress.com This fellowship is supported by the Bainum Family Foundation. The Free Press retains editorial control of this work. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: My kid has a fever. When to go to the ER, other tips for new parents VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Rep. Jen Kiggans said that while she supports much-needed federal government reform, there is a critical need to prevent any cuts from the Department of Defense from unduly hurting veterans or national security, calling any such cuts unacceptable. Kiggans sent a letter Monday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlining those concerns, and said many of those veterans live in the Second Congressional District, an area home to the U.S. Navys Atlantic fleet and which has the second-largest veteran population in the United States. Letter-To-SecDef-3325Download Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She called on Hegseth to prioritize veterans in any job cuts that they are not disproportionately affected by these layoffs, provide timely support for veterans transitioning into other jobs and use veterans to strengthen national security. The Defense Department announced Feb. 21 it would be reevaluating its probationary workforce in the wake of President Trumps initiative to reform the federal workforce. According to data from the Office of Personnel Management, there are more than 330,000 veterans employed by the Defense Department in fiscal year 2020, with Virginias Second Congressional District home to 196,000 veterans and 180,000 active-duty military and Defense Department employees. Our community in Hampton Roads is deeply connected to the military, with many veterans who have served our country now serving in civilian jobs at DoD that directly support the defense of our great nation, Kiggans said in a statement. As a former Navy helicopter pilot and a commonsense conservative, I believe we can responsibly rein in waste while ensuring DoD personnel with prior military service remain in positions where they can continue to contribute to our national security. Any reductions or reforms to the size and scope of the federal government that risk weakening our defense capabilities, particularly as we face increasing global threats, are unacceptable. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Killeen, Tx (FOX 44) Killeen police are seeking a suspect in a weekend shooting that has left a man in the hospital. While the victim is recovering, detectives are still gathering information and seeking anyone who might be able to provide help in identifying who fired the shots early Saturday morning. Police were called to the 2300 block of East Central Texas Expressway at 4:12 a.m. On arrival they they found the 29-year-old male victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim was transported to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center with what were described as non-life-threatening injuries. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. SEOUL, March 4 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's influential sister said Tuesday that the deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier to South Korea would compel Pyongyang to bolster its nuclear arsenal and ramp up military provocations. The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson and its strike group docked at a naval base in the southeastern city of Busan on Sunday, the first carrier visit under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. "As soon as its new administration appeared this year, the U.S. has stepped up the political and military provocations against the DPRK, 'carrying forward' the former administration's hostile policy," Kim Yo Jong said, using the official acronym for North Korea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim said the United States has been deploying strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula at a "constant" level and denounced the carrier's visit as "hostile and confrontational." "The action-accompanied hostile policy toward the DPRK pursued by the U.S. at present is offering sufficient justification for the DPRK to indefinitely bolster up its nuclear war deterrent," Kim said. The USS Carl Vinson and its carrier strike group arrived in Busan on Sunday in a show of Washington's commitment to the region, the U.S. Navy said. Photo courtesy of South Korea Ministry of Defense "The DPRK is also planning to carefully examine the option for increasing the actions threatening the security of the enemy at the strategic level," she added. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff called Kim's criticism "nothing more than sophistry aimed at justifying nuclear missile development and building pretext for a provocation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "North Korea's nuclear weapons are absolutely unacceptable and the only way for North Korea to survive is to abandon its obsession and delusion about nuclear weapons," the JCS said in a text message sent Tuesday to reporters. "If the North conducts a provocation using legitimate and defensive South Korea-U.S. military activities as an excuse, we will respond overwhelmingly," the JCS added. The visit by the USS Carl Vinson underscores Washington's commitment to the region, the U.S. Navy said in a press release Sunday. "An aircraft carrier port visit demonstrates our commitment to the alliance between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea," Rear Adm. Michael Wosje, commander of Carrier Strike Group One, said. "Our alliance remains the linchpin of peace and security in Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Vinson's visit was the first by a U.S. aircraft carrier since the nuclear-powered USS Theodore Roosevelt arrived in June. It comes ahead of the U.S.-South Korea Freedom Shield joint military exercise, scheduled to kick off this month. Pyongyang regularly condemns the allies' joint drills as rehearsals for an invasion. North Korea has maintained its belligerent rhetoric toward the United States, despite speculation that Trump may look to revive nuclear negotiations with Kim Jong Un. During Trump's first term, the two leaders held a pair of high-profile summits and met briefly a third time at the DMZ. The diplomatic outreach failed to result in a nuclear deal, however, and Pyongyang has accelerated the development of its weapons programs in the intervening years. Last week, the North test-fired strategic cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea in a demonstration of what Pyongyang called its "counterattack capability in any space and the readiness of its various nuke operation means." SEOUL, South Korea (AP) The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened Tuesday to launch high-profile provocations in response to the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier in South Korea and other U.S. military activities, which she slammed as confrontation hysteria of the U.S. and its stooges. The warning by Kim Yo Jong implies North Korea will likely ramp up weapons testing activities and maintain its confrontational posture against the U.S., though President Donald Trump has said he would reach out to Kim Jong Un to revive diplomacy. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong accused the U.S. of clearly showing its most hostile and confrontational will" to North Korea with the deployments of the USS Carl Vinson and other powerful U.S. military assets and U.S.-South Korean military drills this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DPRK is also planning to carefully examine the option for increasing the actions threatening the security of the enemy at the strategic level to cope with the fact that the deployment of U.S. strategic assets in the Korean Peninsula has become a vicious habit and adversely affects the security of the DPRK, she said, using the acronym of North Koreas official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Her statement suggests North Korea may test-launch powerful missiles designed to strike the mainland U.S. or American military bases in the region, observers say. South Koreas Defense Ministry warned later its ready to repel any provocations by North Korea based on a solid military alliance with the U.S. A ministry statement called Kim Yo Jongs warning sophistry meant to justify her country's nuclear development and future provocations. On Sunday, the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group arrived in South Korea, the latest temporary deployment of a U.S. strategic asset aimed at displaying the firmness of the U.S-South Korean military alliance in the face of North Korean threats and boosting interoperability of the allies combined assets. The U.S. carriers arrival came four days after North Korea conducted cruise missile tests, its fourth missile launch event this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Korea views arrivals of such powerful U.S. military assets in South Korea as major security threats and often responds with missile tests. North Korea hasnt directly responded to Trumps overture but alleged U.S.-led hostilities against North Korea have intensified since the start of Trumps second term in January. Experts say Kim Jong Un wont likely embrace Trumps outreach anytime soon as he is now focusing on his support of Russias war against Ukraine with supply of weapons and troops. They say Kim could consider returning to diplomacy with Trump when he thinks he cannot maintain his countrys current booming cooperation with Russia Kim and Trump met three times from 2018-19 during Trumps first term to discuss the future of North Koreas nuclear program. Their high-stakes diplomacy eventually collapsed due to wrangling over U.S.-led economic sanctions on North Korea. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A man who called himself the King of Coke and brought cartel hitmen into San Diego was sentenced Monday to 17 years and six months in federal prison. Rodolfo Rudy Benjamin Silva, 44, was a long-time drug distributor based in San Diego, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of California. Silva even facilitated bringing in Mexican assassins known as sicarios into the San Diego area, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexico says it will impose retaliatory tariffs on US with details coming Sunday On one occasion, Silva hired a sicario from Mexico to come to San Diego where that individual attempted to fatally shoot one of Silvas rivals, the statement said. Silva worked closely with traffickers in Mexico to receive international shipments of narcotics intended for distribution in the U.S., authorities added. In his plea agreement, Silva admitted to threatening, directing or using violence as part of his drug trafficking activities. In October 2022, Silva provided a courier with a shipment of drugs intended for transport to Indianapolis. The shipment which authorities later found out contained 114 pounds of methamphetamine and a kilogram of fentanyl was interdicted by federal agents in Oklahoma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Silva was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He faced a maximum penalty of up to life in prison plus a $10 million fine. San Diego-based agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with help from authorities in Indiana. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The fatal shooting of an armed man by a Knox County deputy has been declared justified by the Knox County District Attorney General. The investigation in to the case has been closed and no charges will be filed. DA Charme Allen said on Monday her review of the case file for the death of Bryan Testerman Jr., 57, was complete. In a letter to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Allen concluded the shooting was necessary to thwart the threat involved and that the shooting was constitutionally sound under the principles outlined by the United States Supreme Court and Tennessee state law. Body found after fire in Harrogate leaves restaurant a total loss Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 6:35 a.m. on October 7, 2024, KSCO deputies responded to a call about a possible prowler in the 8000 block of Isherwood Lane. Shots were heard in the neighborhood moments later according to the sheriffs office. At the scene, deputies found an armed man, identified as Testerman, and SWAT and negotiators were called. A short time later, Testerman was shot by a deputy. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Lawsuit: Alabama couple claims they were illegally arrested by Sevierville Police TBI special agents investigated the circumstances leading up to the shooting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) Knox County Schools celebrated the continuing progress it has been working toward and more than a dozen KCS schools being designated by the Tennessee Department of Education as Reward Schools on Tuesday. Knox County Schools met 27 out of its 37 goals for the 2023-2024 school year, they reported during a conference Tuesday. They highlighted some of their improvements including an approximately 3.3% increase in the graduation rate, an increase of 9% in third and fourth grade reading proficiency and an increase of 6% in third and fourth grade math proficiency compared to three years ago. Tennessee DOE releases school letter grades: How did your school do? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KCS also revealed other accomplishments including: A 14.3% increase in graduation rates for English language learner students from three years ago A reduction in classroom vacancies from 78 the previous school year, to six at the beginning of this one An increase in math and reading proficiency of 1.4% and 1.2% in math and reading for students with individual education programs compared to the previous year We will not waver in our efforts to improve outcomes for every student, said Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk. We made tremendous progress on our four priorities in 2023-24, but well continue to move the goalposts to set the example for the next generation in our classrooms. Im proud of the tremendous work by our teachers, staff, and students to achieve these gains, and I look forward to continuing this momentum in the future. Mother sues Cocke County Sheriffs Office over daughters death Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the conference, they also celebrated their state-recognized Reward Schools. These are schools that demonstrate high levels of performance or improvement. A.L. Lotts Elementary Bearden Elementary Blue Grass Elementary Bonny Kate Elementary Career Magnet Academy Farragut Intermediate Gap Creek Elementary Gibbs Elementary Hardin Valley Elementary Karns Elementary L&N STEM Academy Mt. Olive Elementary Northshore Elementary Pleasant Ridge Elementary Sequoyah Elementary Shannondale Elementary South Knox Elementary West Valley Middle Statewide, 377 schools were considered reward schools for the 2023-2024 school year. See the full list including many from East Tennessee. In 2024, the state designated KCS as a satisfactory district. In 2022, it was listed as in need of improvement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. By Danilo Masoni and Samuel Indyk MILAN/LONDON (Reuters) -Europe's rush to boost funding for military spending has sent defence stocks on a tear, though investors are now wondering how much more they're willing to pay for exposure to the region's biggest rearmament buildup since World War Two. Shares in arms makers including Britain's BAE Systems and Germany's Rheinmetall had a volatile day on Tuesday, briefly extending Monday's surge, which followed the clearest sign yet Europe's leaders were racing to boost spending and help secure peace in Ukraine. Monday's surge lifted several defence shares by over 20-30% at one point, with the force of the rally surprising several fund managers. The move followed an already record run for the sector, which has more than doubled in value since Russia invaded its neighbour more than three years ago. As a result, many defence stocks now trade a record-high valuation multiples, in some cases surpassing those of their American peers and moving closer to those more traditionally associated with high-growth sectors, such as luxury or tech. Investors bet European governments could lift defence spending more permanently to 3% of gross domestic product from the current NATO target of 2%, helped by Brussels loosening its fiscal rules. Some members, such as Italy and Spain, are still below that 2% threshold. Meanwhile, German leaders may reform the so-called "debt brake", which limits borrowing, during the current legislature that ends this month. This would pave the way for a big injection of new funds into a 100-billion euro fund already set up in Europe's biggest economy. Recent developments have seen investment banks scrambling to raise their profit estimates and ratings, which looks justified given the significant boost to expected spending. But among fund managers some prudence is creeping in. Rory Dowie, portfolio manager at Marlborough, wants to understand the earnings impact and sustainability of increased defence spending, particularly if a Russia-Ukraine resolution emerges under the Trump administration. "We would be cautious to chase the rally," he said. The STOXX Aerospace and Defence index rose as much as 1.6% to a new record high before turning lower on Tuesday. By 1553 GMT, it was down 1.5%. The index is now worth $514 million in market cap, having risen around 170% since the invasion of Ukraine. PAYING THE PREMIUM According to Nordea senior strategist Hertta Alava, aggressive buying of defence ETFs might have contributed to Monday's surprise rally and given how high valuations are, a pullback was possible. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) A Knoxville grandmother has been trying for months to get corrected birth certificates from the state for her two grandchildren. Marian Ellis officially adopted her grandsons last year. With the adoption, she needed updated birth certificates, so the children could receive state benefits. Birth certificates have to be accurate. But, the ones Ellis received were not. Shes been trying for four months to get the corrected ones. Ellis and her husband completed the adoption of her two grandsons, Zeke Ellis and his younger brother Viktor Ellis on July 24. She expected birth certificates with the boys new information on them within weeks. Months later she was disappointed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I received this envelope with the adoption papers in it, but no birth certificate, said Ellis. Body found after fire in Harrogate leaves restaurant a total loss TennCare wanted proof of the name change on Zeke, his birth certificate and social security card so that he can keep his TennCare, said Ellis. I just needed the birth certificate, so I can get the new social security card for him. Ellis then went to the Knox County Health Department to vital records, where she filled out papers for the birth certificates. She was pleased to get the certificates from the office, but she discovered some mistakes when she got home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I needed my husbands name corrected because my husbands name is James Ellis, not James Mullins, said Ellis. Knox County Sheriffs Office to investigate house fire on Millertown Pike The zip code on Zekes certificate was also wrong. So, she returned to the Knox County Health Department months ago and was given further directions. That was months ago. I had to contact Nashvilles Vital Records, let them know what was going on, said Ellis. She was told the corrected birth certificates would be mailed out within a couple of weeks. However, they have not yet arrived from Nashville. It totally bothers me because the only thing we want is to take care of the children, adopt the children, give them a stable home, but we cant get what we need to take care of them, said Ellis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 6 News contacted the state Health Department and asked when the boys corrected certificates arrive. Within days, Ellis received a call from the state. They are going to correct them, process them and send them out in the mail, said Ellis, who added that they are expected within the next 30 days. Very happy that we are finally going to get the birth certificates. Lawsuit: Alabama couple claims they were illegally arrested by Sevierville Police The state health department contacted 6 News on Monday, saying the birth certificates are on their way. Birth certificates are state-issued documents. The certificate verifies your identity, who your parents are, where you were born, and your date of birth. The certificate also has to have an embossed stamp on it. There was a time when parents were given a duplicate copy of their childs birth certificate without the stamp, but theyre not accepted anymore. You need a birth certificate to get a drivers license, a passport, registering for school, and applying for benefits, which is what Ellis needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. Some call them modern-day shamans, others might call them faith healers. The South Korean followers of musok call them mudang, and they act as the link between the followers of the musok religion and its deities. The rituals they perform are meant to entertain the gods through song and dance, food and drink and storytelling. But dont let the rituals themselves fool you; their interaction with spirits can seem over-the-top but Korean believers take the practice very seriously and there are many gods in the pantheon of this ancient folk religion. Lithography by Joseph de la Neziere from lExtreme Orient en Image published in 1903. Wikimedia Commons. South Korea is a relatively new country, but the Korean people have been around for a long time and their culture has clashed with the onset of rapid change. The mudangs werent exempt from this. When their world collided with the arrival of the United States and U.S. troops, the shamans of musok began to channel one of Americas most recognizable leaders: Douglas MacArthur. Mudangs have been around long before Douglas MacArthur ever came to Korea. This Korean kind of shamanism (for lack of a better term) actually predates Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taosim. The introduction of these religions converted Koreans from musok, but it never really died out. It more or less simply adopted some of the practices and beliefs of these new arrivals. Even when the Japanese invaded Korea and tried to replace it with Shinto, the folk religion endured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Korean Peninsula after World War II was no different. Mudangs survived the war and the subsequent Korean War, but after the partition of Korea into North and South, the shamans fled North Korea and settled primarily into cities. But their followers were persecuted under South Korean President Syngman Rhee and Park Chung-Hee until Park was assassinated in 1979. President Park Chung-hee and his wife descend from a Pan Am 707 at NAS Moffett Field. Wikimedia Commons. Gods or spirits in the pantheon of musok are as varied as the shamans who call upon them. Jesus and the Buddha are both available for believers to appeal to. And in the 1970s, as pro-American sentiment began to rise significantly in the government and among the people of South Korea, a towering figure emerged as a popular deity: U.S. Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The general had been a bedrock of post-World War II culture in the Pacific region, managing the occupation of Japan and famously leading the counterattack against North Korea until he was fired by President Harry Truman in 1951. But despite the famous generals assertion that Old soldiers never die, they simply fade away, old soldiers do, in fact, die. MacArthur died of kidney and liver failure in 1964 at age 84. Though his body died, his spirit lived on and not just in the hearts of the U.S. Army or the American people. It lived on through the mudang in South Korea. In the 1970s it became a popular trend for even female shamans to summon MacArthur, going so far as to don his trademark corncob pipe and sunglasses to really get into the role. These days, Korean shamanism has made a comeback. Koreans widely consult their local mudangs for advice in important decision making, special events and general fortune telling. Its said that even South Korean politicians look to the shamans for advice on critical political matters. If war with North Korea ever breaks out again, it might be appropriate to revive Gen. MacArthur once more and let him call the shots for a while. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) In her State of the State Address, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek made it clear housing is her top priority. She voiced support for House Bill 2138 which would expand where housing can be built. On Monday, Kotek held a press conference before the first public hearing on the bill that, according to the governors office, allows for more housing options across the state, cuts red tape, and incentivizes developers to build affordable, accessible homes. Hillsboro breaks ground on first year-round shelter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters of the bill filled the press conference, including those who need an affordable place to live to builders who want regulations streamlined to get more housing units finished quicker. The bill would allow middle housing, like duplexes and triplexes, in more places including unincorporated land in rural areas. Oregon needs to build almost 30,000 homes a year to make up for its housing shortage, according to the states chief economist. Kotek said this bill will help. There is criticism the measure would take away some local control by cities and counties, such as banning traffic impact studies. Kotek dismissed that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont believe this will substantially increase traffic, but what it will do is get us quicker to permitting, quicker to construction time, the governor said. I believe we will still have safe, livable neighborhoods. At the first public hearing on the bill, opponents told lawmakers they dont think this is the best way to help make housing more affordable for more Oregonians. Brad Dennis with the North Albany Neighborhood Association said cities need more control, such as to allow cities to deny multi-housing petitions based on inadequate infrastructure. Both supporters and opponents agree on one thing: There will be many changes to this bill before its voted on by Oregon lawmakers this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama of East Portland and House Majority Leader Ben Bowman representing parts of Beaverton, Tigard and Metzger joined Eye on Northwest Politics. At that time, Jama, a former chair of the Senate Housing Committee, stressed the implications of HB 2138 and related bills. The goal this coming session is actually doubling down on that scenario. About making sure that we have the resources to build more housing, but also support people when they are struggling, and make sure that they have shelters that they can sleep at night whether its cold or hot or inbetween. he said in January Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Dmitry Antonov MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Tuesday that pausing U.S. military aid to Ukraine would be the best contribution to the cause of peace, but cautioned that Russia needed to clarify the details of the move by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week, a White House official said, deepening the fissure that has opened between the one-time allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who spoke to Putin on February 12 and says he wants to be remembered as a "peace maker", has upended U.S. policy on the war in Ukraine which he says risks igniting World War Three. Trump also says Kyiv has no cards left to play. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was cautious on reports of a pause in U.S. aid and said the details needed to be seen. "If this is true, then this is a decision that can really encourage the Kyiv regime to (come to) the peace process," Peskov said. "It is obvious that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far. If the United States stops being (an arms supplier) or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peskov said that Russia welcomed Trump's statements about his wish for peace in Ukraine. "We hear his statement about his desire to bring peace to Ukraine, and this is welcome. We see certain things and receive certain information about the proposed actions in this direction. This is also welcome. But we will continue to see how the situation develops in reality," Peskov said. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022, triggering the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the depths of the Cold War. The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in 2014 after a pro-Russian president was toppled in Ukraine's Maidan Revolution and Russia annexed Crimea, with Russian-backed separatist forces fighting Ukraine's armed forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia currently controls just under a fifth of Ukraine, or about 113,000 square km of Ukraine while Ukraine controls about 450 square km of Russia, according to open source maps of the war and Russian estimates. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark Trevelyan/Andrew Osborn) (Reuters) - The Kremlin said in remarks published on Tuesday that the next round of Russia-U.S. talks on ending the war in Ukraine is unlikely to happen before the embassies of both countries resume normal operations. "Unlikely," Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of President Vladimir Putin, told RIA state news agency in response to a question whether the negotiations could start before the two countries' embassies fully reopen. Operations have been curtailed since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine after his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week, deepening the fissure that has opened between the two allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before Trump began his second term as U.S. president in January, ties between the two nuclear superpowers of Russia and the United States had plummeted to their lowest in decades following Russia's invasion. Trump, who has promised a quick end to the war, has upended U.S. policy swiftly to open talks with Moscow, including calls and meetings that have alarmed Washington's European allies and Kyiv. At the end of February, Russia and U.S. teams held hours of talks in Turkey, narrowly focusing on restoring normal functioning of their embassies, and Putin said initial contacts with Trump's new administration had inspired hope. Last week, Russia said it was sending a new ambassador to Washington, the latest sign of a thaw between the two countries, but it remains unclear when the full work of both embassies will resume. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peskov also told RIA that it was too early say where the next round of talks between Russia and the United States might take place. (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Gerry Doyle) U.S. President Donald Trumps heated Oval Office meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky signals a major shift in U.S. foreign policy, one that a Kremlin spokesman says "largely aligns" with Russias interests. Trumps recent stance on Ukraine, including his public rebuke of Zelensky and reported halt on U.S. military aid to Kyiv, has drawn praise from Russian officials while raising concerns among European allies. Since taking office, Trump has distanced the U.S. from its traditional role as Ukraines primary supporter, instead questioning Kyivs commitment to peace and implying that Ukraine shares blame for the ongoing war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His administrations position has prompted Russian officials to express optimism about a potential thaw in U.S.-Russia relations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television on March 3 that "the new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations," calling the shift a positive development for Moscow. Read also: As Trump and Moscow align their vision, battle to stabilize Donetsk front rests on a knife edge During the Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28, Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of failing to show gratitude for U.S. support and warned that his refusal to negotiate with Putin could escalate into a broader conflict. In response, European leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine, denouncing Russias invasion and calling for continued Western military aid. The divergence in approach has raised questions about the future of U.S. support for Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian officials have openly praised Trumps stance, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling him "the first, and so far, the only Western leader" to acknowledge what Moscow considers the true cause of the war. Other Kremlin figures, including the deputy chair of Russias Security Council, applauded Trump for taking a harsher tone toward Zelensky, even labeling Ukraines leader a "dictator." Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that once the war ends, Washington and Moscow could pursue "potentially historic economic partnerships," including cooperation on Arctic development and rare earth mining. Read also: Why doesnt NATO open its doors to Ukraine? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) The KRQE Weather Academy was at Colinas Del Norte Elementary School where Meteorologist Liz Fellenger spoke with a group of young students about New Mexicos diverse climate. The KRQE Weather Academy is a community initiative to give kids throughout the metro the chance to learn all about the weather in New Mexico. The students get to interact with KRQE News 13 meteorologists and learn all about weather terminology and facts. The Weather Academy is full for this school year and is not accepting any requests for the 2024-2025 school year. However, KRQE is now accepting requests for the 2025-2026 school year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teachers interested in bringing the KRQE Weather Academy to their students, fill out the form here. Also, at this time, the Weather Academy is only available for 2nd 6th graders in the Albuquerque-Metro area. Sponsored content disclaimer: The information and advice displayed in this story are those of individual sponsors and guests and not Nexstar Media Group, inc. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. The Los Angeles City Council voted against reinstating Kristin Crowley as its fire chief on Tuesday after she was fired by Mayor Karen Bass in the wake of the Palisades and Eaton fires. The city council upheld Crowley's firing by a vote of 13-2. Crowley appealed the mayor's decision nearly a week after her firing. The LA City Council held a hearing Tuesday where Crowley spoke and answered questions, but the council was not swayed to vote in her favor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Los Angeles removes fire chief in wake of massive wildfires The fire chief denied Bass' allegations that she refused to conduct an investigation into the fires. "I said that the LAFD is not capable, nor do we have the proper resources, to adequately conduct an after-action report for the Palisades Fire due to the sheer magnitude, scope and complexity of the incident. We are already understaffed, under-resourced, under-funded, and based on my knowledge of the LAFD's resources and capabilities, I recommended simply to collaborate with Gov. [Gavin] Newsom's already selected and funded agency, Fire Safety Research Institute," Crowley told the city council on Tuesday. PHOTO: Former Los Angeles Fire Dept. Chief Kristin Crowley attends a city council meeting, March 4, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Damian Dovarganes/AP) Crowley also said 1,000 firefighters were sent home the morning of the fires because LAFD did not have enough apparatus for them, denying another allegation made by Bass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We did not have enough apparatus to put them on. Because of the budget cuts and lack of investments in our fleet maintenance, over 100 of our fire engines, fire trucks and ambulances sat broken down in our maintenance yards, unable to be used to help during one of the worst wildfire events in our history," she said. PHOTO: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass waits to speak during a news conference in Los Angeles, Jan. 24, 2023. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP, FILE) MORE: Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley appeals her dismissal over deadly fires Crowley also denied that she did not inform the mayor of the dangerous weather event. "The LAFD engaged in all of its standard communications, including emailing two separate media advisories, conducting multiple live and recorded media interviews about the predicted extreme weather and fire danger, and also notifying city officials about the upcoming weather events. The Emergency Management Department also plays a key role in notifying the mayor's office and city officials. And the mayor's office itself also set out multiple media messages prior to the fire's warnings," Crowley said. PHOTO: Firefighters spray the rubble of fire-ravaged homes in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 15, 2025, that were demolished by the Eaton Fire. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images, FILE) Bass said she did not know the weather forecast before leaving for Ghana for a planned diplomatic trip before the fires broke out, saying the fire chief did not call to warn her. Bass has faced backlash for not being in the city when the fires broke out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While she was removed from her position, Crowley will stay with the department, according to the LA Mayor's Office. Crowley exercised her civil service rights to stay with the department at a lower rank with duties to to be assigned by the new interim chief, the mayor's office said in a statement. LA City Council votes not to reinstate fire chief fired by mayor originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The Los Angeles Times has launched a feature driven by artificial intelligence (AI) that will appear with some opinion content to help readers identify potential bias, owner and Executive Chair Patrick Soon-Shiong announced Monday. The purpose of Insights is to offer readers an instantly accessible way to see a wide range of different AI-enabled perspectives alongside the positions presented in the article, Soon-Shiong wrote in a letter to readers, touting the move and other initiatives as the next evolution of the L.A. Times to better engage with our audience. I believe providing more varied viewpoints supports our journalistic mission and will help readers navigate the issues facing this nation, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new tech tool, which has been referred to as a bias meter, faced backlash when the plan was first discussed in December, but Soon-Shiong defended the plan. Somebody could understand as they read it that the source of the article has some level of bias, the billionaire health care mogul, who bought the newspaper in 2018, told CNN commentator Scott Jennings last year. According to Mondays email, the new tool will only be applied to the Timess Voices content, which includes opinion articles and pieces that provide a personal perspective, including news commentary, criticism and reviews. A disclaimer on the AI-driven effort, dubbed L.A. Times Insights, notes that the analysis it provides is not created by the editorial staff of the Los Angeles Times and makes no judgment on the quality of any piece of journalism or the viewpoint it espouses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An opinion piece the Times published Monday from political commentator Matt K. Lewis about President Trumps approach to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia after an explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week includes the new Insights feature at the bottom of the article. The AI tool determined that the article generally aligns with a Center Left point of view. It also provides four summary points with citations offering deeper context and four points providing alternate views on the issue. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Los Angeles Times removed its new artificial intelligence feature from one of its articles on Tuesday only 24 hours following its debut after it shared a perspective downplaying the Ku Klux Klans racist history. Local historical accounts occasionally frame the 1920s Klan as a product of white Protestant culture responding to societal changes rather than an explicitly hate-driven movement, minimizing its ideological threat, the AI-generated note read. The note was added by Insights, the name of the Times new AI tool, to a Feb. 25 article on the 100th anniversary of Anaheim removing KKK members from its city council. Writer Gustavo Arellano said the historical decision was an example of how to combat tyranny and white supremacy and also that the work is never really done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It added another bullet point, saying critics argue that focusing on past Klan influence distracts from Anaheims modern identity as a diverse city, with some residents claiming recent KKK rallies were isolated incidents unreflective of current values. A representative for the LA Times did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment. The Insights note was added to the story under a section titled different views on the topic. A day earlier, LA Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong said Insights would offer readers a quick way to see a wide-range of different AI-enabled perspectives that may differ from the point-of-view in a particular story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe providing more varied viewpoints supports our journalistic mission and will help readers navigate the issues facing this nation. Insights will be added to opinion stories and articles included in the Times Voices stories, which include news commentary, reviews and criticism. It will also show readers where a story falls on the political spectrum spanning from the left, Center Left, Center, Center Right, and Right. The tools political grades are being generated in partnership with Particle.news, a Bay Area-based AI company, and the Times is also using Perplexity AI to identify the ideas expressed in a Voices article, the paper said in its explainer on Monday. Interestingly, Insights insights are not reviewed by editors or journalists before they are published, the Times said on Monday; reader feedback will be incorporated to produce better, more accurate results over time, LAT said on Monday hinting that Insights was removed from the KKK story after reader outcry. Despite being pulled from Arellanos article, Insights remains active on other Voices stories. The New York Times Ryan Mac was the first reporter to spot the AI-generated KKK notes. The post LA Times Pulls AI Tool One Day After Launch for Downplaying KKK appeared first on TheWrap. By Casey Hall and Sophie Yu MAOTAI, China (Reuters) - In the Chinese village of Maotai, the local firewater named after the town is not only a key source of income, it's a barometer of the country's battered consumer market and the economic misfortunes of its home province. In the weeks before Lunar New Year, tourists traditionally flock to the town, nestled in the mountains of the southwestern province of Guizhou, to buy the baijiu, or white spirit, as gifts - this year, those crowds were notably smaller. The premium spirit made locally by Kweichow Moutai has for decades been a fixture at weddings, business dinners and state functions, but its sales in the past two years have been hit by poor consumer and business confidence. Victor Shih, a professor of political science at the University of California San Diego, says Moutai's strong cash flows have been "an important part of the strategy to help Guizhou's government repay debt that is constantly coming due". That means any contraction in Moutai's profit constitutes a problem for the government, which "needs that money to repay their debt and to run the government," he added. Shanghai-listed Kweichow Moutai is majority-owned by Moutai Group, in turn wholly owned by Guizhou, China's second-most indebted province. Its contribution to Guizhou's economic development is enormous, not only as a major employer but also as a vehicle for the province to raise revenue and pay down debt. Long considered a bellwether of Chinese consumer demand, its retail performance has been squeezed in recent years by wider deflationary pressures. "Before, people would fly from Beijing to buy bottles of Moutai for more than 3,000 yuan ($412) several times per year," said a shopkeeper at one of the many liquor stores lining the river in Maotai village. "Now you can get a bottle for as little as 1,699 yuan, but the environment is so bad, no-one wants to buy." Kweichow Moutai, the world's largest alcohol company and until last year China's most valuable listed firm with a market value as high as $400 billion, makes its clear spirit from sorghum and has a special place in the nation's history. Premier Zhou Enlai toasted U.S. president Richard Nixon with Moutai on his landmark 1972 China visit. But a persistent slump in sentiment has taken the wind out of Kweichow Moutai's share price and the price consumers are willing to pay for the product. The firm's value has fallen by almost half since hitting a record high in 2021, and the market price of a 500 ml bottle of its flagship 53% proof Feitian "Flying Fairy" last year dropped as much as 22% from 2,700 yuan at the start of 2024. Sarah Simpson, director of legal affairs for the Indiana Board of Animal Health, asks lawmakers to maintain her agency's jurisdiction in a lab-grown meat labeling bill while testifying in committee on Monday, March 3, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) An Indiana Senate committee skeptical of lab-grown meat advanced labeling legislation Monday in an 8-1 vote, with edits expected on the chambers floor. To produce cultivated meat, manufacturers sample animal cells and multiply them in sealed vats, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The agency has allowed lab-grown meat sales since 2023, when it gave final approval to chicken-derived products by two California companies, Reuters reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All I really want is for consumers to know what theyre consuming, Rep. Beau Baird, R-Greencastle, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle as he left the Senate Agriculture Committee hearing. His House Bill 1425 defines cultivated meat products and distinguishes them from insect- or plant-based alternative meat products. It would require manufacturers to label lab-grown items with the following: This is an imitation meat product, and would outlaw labeling that doesnt clearly indicate a product is lab-grown. The labeling requirement split committee members. Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, introduces a lab-grown meat labeling bill in its authors stead on Monday, March 3, 2025. She is the second listed Senate sponsor. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, sought a more specific term than imitation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said Hoosier consumers already understand imitation and alternative meats as plant-based, and noted cultivated products are derived from animal cells. We actually define cultivated meat product in this bill, but then the label is going to say something different, Yoder said. A Washington, D.C.-based alternative proteins think tank told the panel the labeling requirement, as it stands, is simply inaccurate. Good Food Institutes Jeremy Eltz said the legislation could lead to successful definition-based litigation. He asserted that state-specific labeling requirements could discourage companies from entering Indiana, reduce consumer choice, hamper an emerging industry, and limit related jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others pushed to use the word fake on labeling. Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, said thats easily understandable for a consumer shopping for chicken legs at the grocery store or ordering a burger at a restaurant. (When) they see the word fake, they know exactly what theyre holding in their hands, he said. And so, if we have to put that in as our definition fake and on the labels, seems like its a whole lot easier than coming up with all these other terms and making it real sticky. The Board of Animal Health said its more comfortable with the word imitation over fake. I just know we need to be cognizant of our federal audits, Legal Affairs Director Sarah Simpson said. She wanted to stay consistent with federal authorities who consider lab-grown product meat and wasnt sure if using the word fakewould cause the agency problems. Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, argues that lab-grown meat should be labeled as fake in committee on Monday, March 3, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Some were confused why Bairds bill gives the agency jurisdiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not an animal. I dont understand where that is in your realm, Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, told Simpson. She said that products derived from muscle tissue are considered meat under federal law, so her agency must follow suit. We essentially mirror the USDAs Food Safety Inspection Service, Simpson said. Under our agreement with them, we follow suit. If they regulate, we regulate. The agency is neutral on the bill, per Simpson, and primarily wants to ensure its given authority to oversee cultivated meat production. Bairds bill also tasks the Indiana State Board of Animal Health with inspecting mislabeling complaints and authorizes it to impose penalties of up to $10,000 per mislabeling violation per day. The agency could also sue to stop repeat offenders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple lawmakers were confused about what cultivated meat products are and are not throughout the hearing. Are there any chicken cells in it? Sen Blake Doriot, R-Goshen, asked Good Food Institutes Eltz. Committee leader Sen. Jean Leising, the bills first Senate sponsor, said Baird didnt get the memo that his bill was on Mondays agenda. A second Senate sponsor and the House author of related legislation introduced House Bill 1425 to the committee instead. Baird was present to offer closing comments, jokingly thanking Indiana State Police for not pulling me over. He said the legislation doesnt hinder innovation while offering protections for the food supply, consumers, farmers and ranchers. Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, in committee on Monday, March 3, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) He expressed concerns about the production process and told the panel, If I had my ultimate way, I would completely ban this product. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida has banned cultivated meat. Several lawmakers said theyd support that. Some also suggested holding the bill for edits. Leising resisted, noting that the committee only meets bi-weekly. Sen. Brett Clark, R-Avon, pushed for a vote, saying, If we get this moved, at least we can continue the discussion. If we do not and kill this, you will have nothing. After advancing the legislation and adjourning the meeting, Leising told the Capital Chronicle she was open to ideas from her colleagues for floor amendments. The committee may soon return from the conversation. Similar legislation dealing with health officer authority over insect- and plant-based alternative meat products was re-assigned to the group mid-meeting Monday, to lawmakers surprise. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SACRAMENTO, California Californias powerful Labor Federation is channeling George Orwell in its latest fight to influence how and where surveillance tools are deployed in the workplace. The goal: keep big bosses (and Big Tech) from becoming Big Brother. We need guardrails and we need regulation that applies to everybody, Labor Fed President Lorena Gonzalez told POLITICOs California Decoded newsletter in an exclusive interview laying out the groups 2025 priorities. It doesn't matter where you work. You should have that right to privacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Labor Fed has for years been a regular driving force behind workers rights legislation in the nations most populous state, though it has also faced political headwinds from Californias homegrown, lucrative tech industry, which often has the ear of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Gonzalez said the group is sponsoring three first-in-the-nation bills in Sacramento this year that could inspire efforts in other states as well, aimed at limiting how companies can use AI-powered monitoring systems to track their employees movements. Its a notable strategy shift for the Labor Fed. The group of 1,300 unions representing more than 2.3 million workers has previously thrown its weight behind AI bills on issues within a specific sector like call centers or trucking. That approach was mostly a dud last year: Only one of the five bills in the Federations tech and AI package became law. Two of those measures Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Currys bid to stick human safety operators in driverless trucks and Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas proposal to limit the number of self-checkouts in grocery and retail stores are back this year to round out the Labor Feds broader, five-bill package on AI and automation, though both are scaled back compared to their 2024 counterparts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The labor group is hoping the new approach could improve its odds with Newsom after he rejected the autonomous trucks bill and a handful of other ambitious AI measures last year, citing a need to balance safety concerns with the states emphasis on bolstering innovation. I don't think anyone can argue innovation should outweigh the right to be able to use the restroom or eat your lunch in private without being watched and surveilled by your boss, Gonzalez said. I don't think the governor is going to have that argument, but if somebody wants to, we're happy to have that. That's a winning issue. She cited tools like Ciscos Spaces, which can enable managers to track workers location in an office space. And Walmart has considered using facial recognition to identify unhappy customers, according to Bloomberg. Gonzalez acknowledged Newsom could still foil this years efforts, citing the trucking bill and others that have breezed through the Legislature only for the governor to tank them. But shes optimistic that privacy is a salient issue that could galvanize workers and capitalize on Democrats growing mistrust of Big Tech as high-profile leaders cozy up to President Donald Trump. A Pew Research poll from 2023 found voters overwhelmingly opposed employers using AI to track employees movements while at work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For a long time in California, Democrats were lulled into believing that the Silicon Valley, venture capitalist tech bros were their friends, and I think it's very clear now that they're not, she said. They care about becoming billionaires at the expense of working people. Nobody's privacy is ensured. The Labor Fed could face pushback from business groups its faced before, with companies like Cisco arguing its tech already offers privacy protections in compliance with state and national laws, as well as Europes more stringent data security rules. And there are still plenty of unknowns on the table. Just one of the three bills in the Labor Feds privacy package is public so far: Assemblymember Sade Elhawarys effort to stop companies from monitoring off-the-clock employees. The Los Angeles Democrats bill would bar employers from using AI systems or other tracking tools, like devices that record workers biometric data, to monitor employees while theyre outside the office or in off-duty spaces like break rooms and cafeterias. The other two AI surveillance bills from Assemblymember Isaac Bryan and state Sen. Jerry McNerney are still placeholder measures with scant details. Gonzalez declined to share specifics before the full texts drop but said Bryans legislation will seek to restrict companies use of employee data gathered through AI surveillance tools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryan, a Los Angeles Democrat, told California Decoded his bill reflects worker concerns that employers are using personal data collected without consent to unfairly put decision-making outside of the hands of managers and real people. McNerney spokesperson Bob Gammon said the Stockton Democrat and former representative was still working on language for his bill and declined to share details. Like this content? Consider signing up for POLITICOs California Decoded newsletter. WASHINGTON, D.C. (WWLP) A war veteran who was recently laid off from his job at the Springfield Vet Center will be Congressman Richard Neals guest for President Trumps address Tuesday night. Massachusetts officials to support literacy in underfunded districts at Holyoke event Neals office announced the Congressman will be joined at Tuesdays speech by Michael Slater. Slater served four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and until recently worked as a Program Support Assistant with the Springfield Vet Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was one of more than 1,000 VA employees who lost their jobs in mid-February. Many congressional democrats are bringing recently fired federal workers to Tuesdays speech. When our servicemembers enter the service, we make them a promise: you protect us, and well take care of you. The VA is central to the obligation we have of fulfilling that promise, which is why we saw historic investments under President Biden with the enactment of the PACT Act. Now, this administration is turning their backs on our veterans at a time when they need our help the most, said Congressman Neal. Like many VA employees, Mike has dedicated his career to serving our nation first in the military and most recently with the VA. The suggestion from the administration that nobody from the VA who interacts with veterans has been let go is simply not true, and Mike is a testament to that fact. The notion that we are going to cut programs like Medicaid and SNAP and terminate jobs with the VA, IRS, FAA, and other federal agencies all to support a tax cut for the top two percent is absurd. That is why I am proud to host Mike as my guest for the Presidential Address to Congress and share the stories of those that have been wrongfully terminated without cause. No VA employee who answers the phone or has face to face contact with veterans has been terminated. This was the statement from VA Secretary Collins, and it could not be further from the truth. As the Program Support Assistant at the Springfield Vet Center, I was the first face or voice to interact with veterans seeking services at our community-based Mental Health Outpatient Clinic. In the last two weeks, roughly 60 Program Support Assistants were terminated across the nation. This position had been a priority hiring due to its critical role in the success of each individual clinic. However, the push to hire led to a large number of probationary hires, making these employees a targeted demographic during the current downsizing of our federal employee footprint, said Michael Slater. The care of our veterans is and should always be an issue that crosses the proverbial aisle of American politics. The VA is not perfect, but a chainsaw is not the tool to fix it. There must be a surgical approach, one that ensures the minimal disruption of services to those who have carried the weight of freedom and who have worn the uniform to defend this nation from all enemies foreign and domestic. I ask that Congress stand for Americas veterans and the system that provides so much more than simply health care for veterans before it is pushed beyond the point of saving. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A New Holland man was sentenced to prison for a slew of offenses, including grabbing a police officers butt while in a holding cell, according to the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office. Nathan D. Taylor, 39, of New Holland, was sentenced to two and a half to five years in state prison after pleading guilty on Feb. 27 to multiple offenses committed over two days in 2023. Taylor, a registered sex offender in Vermont and Massachusetts, also received five years of probation, per the DAs office. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania On April 7, 2023, Taylor was involved in a hit-and-run crash at the intersection of East Chestnut and North Lime Streets in Lancaster County. The DAs office said the victim told police that Taylor ran a red light, struck their vehicle, and continued driving. Police determined Taylor was driving with a suspended license. The DAs office said police attempted to pull Taylor over two days later in the 2100 block of Lincoln Highway East in East Lampeter Township, but he fled. Taylor led the police on a four-block chase before pulling over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, while in a holding cell in the 2200 block of Old Philadelphia Pike, Taylor grabbed an East Lampeter Township Police officers butt without their consent, according to the DAs office. Police discovered Taylor was a registered sex offender who was staying at a hotel in East Lampeter Township without notifying police, the DAs office 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 ABC27. ST. LOUIS The Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of the City of St. Louis (LCRA) began its condemnation process for dozens of properties in north St. Louis on Feb. 28, the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) announced in a press release today. LCRAstaffed by SLDCsent letters to buy owners underused properties with the intention of redevelopment. According to the press release, LCRA will be offering more than $1 million for about 87 private sites. If the owners decline the offer, LCRA will file legal proceedings with the court to declare the fair market value of the property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a North City native, this is the kind of action we are forced to take to spur economic development for the residents in these neighborhoods, SLDC President and CEO Neal Richardson said in the press release. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News According to SLDC, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones signed legislation, which allowed the use of limited eminent domain power in the north of St. Louis. Alderman Rasheen Aldridge sponsored that bill, targeting underused land in neighborhoods such as Jeff-Vander-Lou, St. Louis Place and Carr Square, which are in close proximity to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency headquarters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We gathered a lot of feedback from North City residents on how they wanted to see this process, Aldridge said. This is about ensuring North City residents have a say in how they want to see problem property owners held accountable. LCRA looks to continue sending out more offer letters to owners for their property in North City. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) News of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration layoffs of hundreds of workers has sparked pushback in communities across the nation, including right here in Colorado. More than a thousand community members came out to tell fired NOAA workers, they are not alone. Upside-down American flags hung as hundreds protest US Forest Service cuts at RMNP People lined both sides of Broadway in Boulder Monday, showing support for hundreds of NOAA workers that have been laid off around the nation, including in Boulder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well I know that there have been layoffs at NOAA, there have been layoffs with the national weather service, and we dont know for sure the impact on the boulder labs at this point but Im sure that will be coming out in the news soon, said Kim Lord, a neighbor in Boulder. Supporting workers like Paul Hemmick. He said he was one of dozens of workers let go in Boulder last week. He recently retired from active duty with the agency for about 20 years to take a federal desk job at NOAA. Its just termination by email. Its cold, its heartless, there is no severance by the way. We get nothing, nothing. We had one hour, from what Ive heard from others, they had 20 minutes. To get our stuff out, turn in our cards, and get out: get the hell out. Nothing, nothing, Hemmick said about the firings. Unfortunately, we have no power. Nothing, no power, unfortunately we are powerless. The only power you saw was out here today. The people coming out and speaking out against it, Hemmick added. And me talking to you, Im going to get a lot of heat for this. But guess what, I dont care. I do not care because as Ive told you, Ive dedicated 20 years of my life to this agency and I know the important work that we do. And Im not going to lay down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Who are the Colorado guests invited to President Trumps speech to Congress? While the layoffs are fresh, some retired NOAA workers who came out to support the newly dismissed workers say this is not the first time layoffs have hit the agency, but they are worried about what could happen to the agency in the future. We have so many things that allow us to be healthy, to be safe, because we have science. So if NOAA is gone and its privatized, my fear is if I want to know the temperature in Boulder, I will have to pay for that one piece of information, said Cecilia Girz, who worked at NOAA for 30 years. We do not know how many people have been impacted by the recent firings, Hemmick estimates somewhere between 30 and 50 people in Boulder were impacted. Some said it worries them about what else could be changing in our nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive never honestly worried about our democracy as I have now. I started marching when I was in a childrens home when I was 10 years old. At 99 this year Im still marching because I cant give up on this, said Dorothy Rupert, a former state lawmaker and longtime activist. Some protesters told FOX31 they gathered last week as well but the turnout was not anywhere close to what they saw Monday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Clark County has threatened to suspend, revoke, or not renew the business license for apartment houses after the 8 News Now Investigators investigated the property. Tenants at Avenue 965, located next to UNLV, told the 8 News Now Investigators they did not have hot water or working plumbing for weeks and their requests for help went unanswered. Its unbelievable, tenant John Dudley said during an interview in January. Dudley said he showered at a fitness center and had to leave his home to use the bathroom. His neighbor, a veteran and UNLV student who did not want to be identified, also said he was unable to use his bathroom. It takes a toll, he said. Clark County has threatened to suspend, revoke, or not renew the business license for apartment houses after the 8 News Now Investigators investigated the property. (KLAS) When the 8 News Now Investigators visited the apartment management office, an employee said she had just gotten back from vacation before she asked the news crew to leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 8 News Now Investigators also reached out to Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, who represents the neighborhood where the apartments are located. Segerblom said the 8 News Now Investigators seemed to expose a loophole. I thought this would be simple, right, Ill just make a couple of phone calls, call the health district, call the water reclamation, somebody to get their attention and when I called them, they said no, we dont deal with this kind of an issue because its private, Segerblom said. This ought to be what government does, right is we protect citizens who are in a lawful place thats licensed by the county, theyre paying their rent, so there is no question about that and the fact that they would have to hire a private lawyer just to have hot water just seems wrong. Segerblom did not give up. Three days later, the county sent the property owner a notice to appear and show cause. A hearing is scheduled for March 20, in which the owner is expected to prove why they should not lose their business license. Tenants at Avenue 965, located next to UNLV, told the 8 News Now Investigators they did not have hot water or working plumbing for weeks and their requests for help went unanswered. (KLAS) The notice listed areas of concern including a notification from the Southern Nevada Health Department that the pool was not in compliance with health permit requirements and the business was in arrears with their department last December, and in January alone, a complaint detailing unsanitary conditions in January, a notice of violation issued in January, and information from the Clark County Water Reclamation District, also known as CCWRD, about a sewer blockage that is the responsibility of the owner to fix. The apartment maintenance workers responded that the property owner did not want to spend any more money on the property, the notice stated. CCWRD noted that without proper corrective action, the matter is of a public health and safety concern. Avenue 965 is owned by Nitya Capital, a Texas-based real estate investment firm. Dudley said he made multiple requests for repairs through the company portal and by phone. Dudley said he had hot water and working plumbing approximately 10 days after the 8 News Now Investigators visited the property. The 8 News Now Investigators have reached out to Nitya Capital to ask whether tenants like Dudley will be refunded any rent money. Nevada state law requires property owners to provide essential services like hot water and functioning plumbing. The 8 News Now Investigators also reached out to Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, who represents the neighborhood where the apartments are located. Segerblom said the 8 News Now Investigators seemed to expose a loophole. (KLAS) To learn more about tenant rights, visit Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. To reach investigative reporter Vanessa Murphy, email vmurphy@8newsnow.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man with prior felony convictions was sentenced to 26 years in prison on Monday for two 2016 pawn store robberies and an assault on a federal officer, according to a release from the Department of Justice. Wyatt Scott Peterson, 42, pleaded guilty to one count each of commerce by robbery, possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, felon in possession of a firearm, and assault on a federal officer. According to court documents, on Dec. 12, 2016, Peterson went into an EZ Pawn in Las Vegas and demanded keys to a jewelry case. During the robbery, he brandished a gun to intimidate employees to comply with his demands and fired the gun into a display case, documents showed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peterson stole at least $40,000 before leaving the store. Nine days later, on Dec. 21, 2016, Peterson went to a Super Pawn in Las Vegas and once again demanded keys to the jewelry case. He stole 29 rings, three pairs of earrings, and five bracelets with a combined worth of more than $20,000. According to the release, Peterson has prior felony convictions, including identity theft in Colville, Washington; possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver in Spoke, Washington; and attempt carrying concealed firearm or other deadly weapon in Clark County, Nevada. Peterson is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Dec. 2016, Peterson was charged in the armed robbery case and was housed at Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, Nevada. While he was in custody, Peterson confronted a detention officer in a stairwell and punched him. Peterson was sentenced to 26 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Elon Musk arrives on Jan. 20, 2025, in the U.S. Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C., for the inauguration of President Donald Trump. (Pool photo by Kenny Holston/Getty Images) DOGE wreckage Columns from and by Kansans about the gutting of services for a rural, red state. Two weeks ago, my wife was fired from her job with the federal government. We were playing a board game and having a beer when her phone rang. A colleague asked if she had got the email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having left her work phone at the office, she had no way of knowing. We bundled into the car and raced across town. After a few minutes inside, she emerged from her office and gave me a thumbs-down as she walked toward the car. Fired, she said, clicking her seatbelt into place. Unbeknownst to us, tens of thousands of probationary federal employees those within their first one to two years of service had received the same email that evening. The message itself was blank, just a Word document attached with five short paragraphs. The fourth read: The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the suddenness of the firing and its financial impact werent enough, the baseless claim of poor performance added insult to injury. My wife was an archaeologist working out of Hays under the National Resource and Conservation Services wing of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was a dream job and one she had worked and studied for years to achieve. She engaged with Native American tribal groups, local communities, and farmers to ensure the preservation of cultural resources across the plains. I suspect a lot of people might think that the federal government has no business employing archaeologists, but their work is vital. They document and protect irreplaceable cultural heritage not just Indigenous histories but also the lives of the settlers and pioneers who shaped the landscape we live on today. They ensure that historical sites and artifacts, from ancient campsites to century-old homesteads, are not lost to development or neglect. But it wasnt just archaeologists who were fired. Biologists, soil scientists, water conservation specialists, public health workers and forest service employees were all swept away in the same mass termination. One commenter on a subreddit dedicated to the recently fired employees voiced his frustration with the new administrations priorities : Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know Ill bounce back and land another job. I am grateful that Im young and that I have support, and Ill be OK. The thing I cant get over is that the richest man in the world directed my firing. I make $50k a year and work to keep drinking water safe. The richest man in the world decided that was an expense too great for the American taxpayer. Compensation for the entire federal workforce made up just 4.3% of the federal budget in 2024. If the entire federal workforce was eliminated today it would barely put a dent in our national debt, which sits at $36 trillion. This comes alongside plans for further tax cuts from the Trump administration. Some analysts suggest these cuts could add as much as $4.8 trillion to the national debt in the next decade. Given the relatively minor impact that these job cuts will have on U.S. spending, it is frustrating and vexing to see jubilant celebrations at the elimination of jobs that protect and preserve history, national parks, drinking water, soil health, forests, and environmental and public safety. The fact that Elon Musk and DOGE chose to begin their scrutinization of government expenditures here rather than starting with the Defense Department and programs like the F-35 fighter jet a decade behind schedule and $183 billion over budget speaks volumes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a naive belief that the private sector will absorb responsibility for these services. It is dubious. Many federal agencies exist to preserve and protect history, health, and nature. The private sector lacks sufficient incentive to care for these areas or, worse, has incentives to disregard them. My wifes (former) agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, was established in 1935 as the Soil Conservation Service in response to the Dust Bowl. Its primary goal was to help farmers and landowners implement practices that prevent soil erosion, improve land productivity, and promote sustainable agriculture. Over the years, the agency expanded its focus to include water conservation, wildlife habitat preservation, and more recently the preservation of cultural resources through archeology. Small farms and ranches across the state of Kansas appear to be struggling to adapt to new changes in federal funding, while large corporate farms stand poised to absorb them. As the NRCS hemorrhages employees and funding, I wonder which private firm plans to step in to mitigate the effects of soil erosion, nutrient runoff and water contamination? Which start-up company will emerge to look after waterfowl and other wildlife? My wife and three close friends are among those who were fired without notice and without severance. My wife and I will be okay. We have a strong support network, and while we may have to sell our house, we will find a way through this. Other friends of ours are single or have children and are far more reliant on this one job for their financial security. They will feel the impact of this shock for years to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As close friends tighten their belts, prepare to move back in with their families or sell their homes, Elon Musk appeared at the CPAC conference in Washington with a chrome -plated chainsaw, a celebratory talisman of the evisceration of the federal workforce. The callous indifference to the struggles of fired civil servants and the history, nature, wildlife and people that they work to protect should be an affront to every reasonable American. Sam Foglesong is a scholar of African Studies and a writer who lives in Hays. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here. The Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent). A bill targeting foreign-manufactured drones drew opposition Monday from Missouri law enforcement officials and public utility representatives. State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, said the crux of his legislation is to ban future purchases of Chinese drones by law enforcement. Concerns he cited in the Senate Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety include a Chinese balloon spotted above the U.S. in 2023 and TikTok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is basically the modern-day Trojan horse to be able to utilize this technology, this sort of software, in use with and by our own forces to utilize against our country, Brattin said. John Yeast, an executive member of the Law Enforcement Drone Association, argued the bill is not about data security but lobbying efforts by domestic drone manufacturers aiming to ban non-U.S. drones for financial gain. A stipulation of the bill would allow the Missouri Department of Public Safety to implement a small, unmanned aircraft system replacement grant program to provide funds to public entities impacted by the bill. Eric Schmitt, chief of police in Branson, argued against the grant provision. Quite honestly, when I read this bill, even the grant funding replacing basically, the value of the drones and with what this would buy, would not suffice and would force communities to choose either to violate the law in order to save lives or not participate, Schmitt said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Barton, fire chief of High Ridge Fire District in Jefferson County, said his department doesnt fly over nuclear power plants or military bases. Instead, it flies over areas of the county that are just as visible from Google Maps. Another point Barton made included specifying the difference between hardware and software. Apple publicly stated that 90% to 95% of its hardware is manufactured in China, Barton said, but the software that runs on top of that hardware is made by an American company. The same can be said for these drones. The hardware is manufactured in China. Thats true, Barton said. However, we do not use the software released by the Chinese drone manufacturer to fly our drones. We use a software called DroneSense, which is founded and operated by a company out of Texas. Many gave examples of drone uses for public safety and advancing law enforcement abilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James Harris, a lobbyist for the State Armor Action, testified in favor of the bill, citing government agencies, such as the FBI, that warned of the dangers that Chinese drones pose. People want to say that American drones suck, and Chinese drones are significant, Harris said. In this country, whenever we put our manufacturing will to something other than French and Italian wine I would say we make the best. This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online. By Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Private equity investor Blackstone has pulled out of the race to pick up a minority stake in the snacks business of India's Haldiram's over valuation concerns, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday. Rival bidder Temasek remains in the race to acquire a minority stake in the business, said a third source with direct knowledge of discussions. Blackstone had spent seven months on the deal, but there is "no turning back" now from a decision to end talks, one of the first people said. Haldiram's, which also has restaurant operations, is estimated by Euromonitor International to hold a near 13% share of India's $6.2 billion savoury snacks market, and its snacks business has proved a tempting asset for many foreign investors. But valuation has been a sticking point in the deal talks between Haldiram's and Blackstone, which was initially keen on a majority stake but later agreed to go for a smaller share, Reuters reported in November. While Blackstone wanted around a 15% stake at a valuation of roughly $8 billion and to work with management in the future, Haldiram's was only keen to get them onboard as a financial investor and at a higher valuation of $10 billion, said the first source. Haldiram's CEO Krishan Kumar Chutani declined to comment. Blackstone did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, and Temasek declined to comment. There was also a disconnect over a potential IPO timeline. While Blackstone wanted Haldiram's to consider an IPO within three years of investment, the Indian company was pushing for five years. Haldiram's started in 1937 with a tiny shop in the city of Bikaner in the western desert state of Rajasthan. One of Haldiram's most popular snacks is "bhujia", a crispy fried Indian snack made with flour, herbs and spices and sold for as little as 10 rupees (12 U.S. cents) in mom-and-pop stores. (Additional reporting by Aditi Shah and Dhwani Pandya; Editing by Jan Harvey) (NewsNation) As President Donald Trump ramps up border enforcement, smugglers are becoming more creative and aggressively utilizing minibuses to transport people illegally into the country on whats been called the smugglers highway. The highway stretch on Interstate 10 in Arizona was targeted under a special operation by the Pinal County Sheriffs Office, which says migrants have become more aggressive in the weeks since Trump took office. Sheriffs told NewsNation theyve had more hot pursuits on the smugglers highway in recent weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crisis at the Border: On the Frontlines Deputies say under the Biden administration, migrants who were caught would pull over knowing that they werent going to be locked up and deported, but now, they keep driving out of fear. One migrant told deputies he paid $8,000 for his minibus ticket to cross illegally, while another was found crossing with more than $140,000 in cash. The money was wrapped in small bags, and the man carrying it couldnt explain how he got it. Law enforcement said the money likely came from drugs or that the man was a smuggler and had been paid by some of the migrants in cash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. New Jersey will see six days of early voting beginning this June, doubling the previous early-voting period in non-presidential years. (Photo by New Jersey Monitor) Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday signed a bill that will expand early in-person voting in New Jersey primaries, starting with Junes gubernatorial and Assembly races. The bill, which passed both chambers of the Legislature in bipartisan votes in late February, allows for six days of early voting in New Jersey primary elections, beginning one week before Election Day and running through the Sunday before Election Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Millions of voters in New Jersey have taken advantage of in-person early voting since its establishment just four years ago. This bill will give voters ample time to go to the polls to ensure their voices are heard by Election Day, Murphy said. The expansion follows a swell of early in-person voting in the 2024 general election after years that saw little voter enthusiasm to cast ballots early and in person. Nearly 1.2 million residents cast machine ballots ahead of Election Day in November, compared to just 213,919 early in-person votes the prior year. Under previous law, New Jersey allowed three days of early in-person voting in most primaries, with five days allotted in presidential election years. The states nine-day early voting period for general elections is unchanged. The three-day early voting period allowed for May municipal elections also remains the same. The lengthened early voting period will be in effect for the primaries on June 10, when voters will select nominees for governor and all 80 seats in the General Assembly. Six Democrats and at least five Republicans are vying for a spot on Novembers ballot to succeed Murphy, who cannot seek a third term this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Jersey first allowed early in-person voting in 2021s general election under a bill signed that year. This law reflects our unwavering commitment to strengthening voter access and modernizing our election system, and I am proud to see it become a reality for the people of our state, bill sponsor Sen. Brian Stack (D-Hudson) said in a statement. The law appropriates $6 million for the early voting expansion and allows the Treasury to appropriate additional funds as needed to meet local and county governments early-voting expenses. Christopher Meloni has a bold sense of hope for Donald Trump's impending tariffs as rumblings of a stock market crash take hold online. The Law & Order star took to X on the morning of Tuesday, March 4, as "Great Depression" and "Stock Market Crash" became trending terms on the social media platform following an announcement from Trump on March 3, via his Truth Social platform: "To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun!" SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox Trending terms on X on the morning of March 4, 2025Screenshot via X "I hope the tariffs bring down the price of eggs soon," Meloni quipped, nodding to the president's Day One promise to lower the cost of groceries. I hope the tariffs bring down the price of eggs soon Chris Meloni (@Chris_Meloni) March 4, 2025 According to the Associated Press, Trump said on Monday that the 25 percent taxes on imports from Mexico and Canada would kick in even soonerstarting today, March 4, and sparking renewed concern over a trade war between countries. Following his remarks, the stock market's S&P 500 index dropped two percent, per the publication. At the time of writing, it had dropped another 1.2 percent on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday, per the publication, that there is no justification for the move and affirmed his plan to retaliate with a 25 percent tariff on American goods. In response, other social media users suggested it was "once again time to bring back the lesson on tariffs from Ferris Bueller," sharing a clip from the hit film starring Matthew Broderick. Apparently it is once again time to bring back the lesson on tariffs from Ferris Buellerpic.twitter.com/Yhxh3kyFdV Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) March 3, 2025 Many also posted an alleged screenshot from Trump's Twitter account circa November 2012, which read, "If the Dow drops 1,000 points in two days the President should be impeached immediately!" Snopes has been unable to confirm nor deny its legitimacy, but it's not the first time the screenshot has made the rounds, with internet users also flooding the social media platform with it after the Dow dropped 1,378 points during Trump's first presidency. According to PBS, the Dow dropped nearly 650 points on March 3. By the time of writing on March 4, it had dropped another 563 points. Next: Candace Cameron Bure Responds to Rumor About Working for the President Sen. Casey Crabtree, R-Madison, speaks on the South Dakota Senate floor on March 3, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) South Dakota voters will decide next year whether to continue requiring Medicaid expansion if federal support for the program declines. The state Senate voted 31-3 on Monday at the Capitol in Pierre to support a resolution that will send the question to voters. The House had already approved the measure, which does not require a signature from the governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The question will appear on the ballot in the November 2026 general election. Medicaid is government-funded health insurance for people with low incomes, and for adults and children with disabilities. In 2022, South Dakota voters expanded Medicaid eligibility to adults with incomes up to 138% of the poverty level, to capitalize on a 90% federal funding match included in the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. The expansion is part of the state constitution and can only be altered by voters. The resolution approved Monday will ask voters to authorize the termination of Medicaid expansion if federal support falls below 90%. Speculation about a reduction in federal Medicaid expansion funding has been swirling as the Trump administration and a Republican-controlled Congress look for spending cuts. Sen. Casey Crabtree, R-Madison, sponsored the resolution in the Senate. He said if the federal government reduces its support to 70%, the state would be responsible for an additional $72 million to sustain Medicaid expansion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Dakotans at that point would have to consider whether they want cuts to other programs, including public safety, education and others, Crabtree said. Nearly 30,000 South Dakotans have enrolled in expanded Medicaid coverage so far. Sen. Liz Larson, D-Sioux Falls, unsuccessfully argued against the resolution. She said Medicaid expansion has saved lives in South Dakota. People shouldnt die because they cant afford to live, Larson said. Last fall, South Dakota voters authorized state officials to consider imposing work requirements on people covered by Medicaid expansion. The state has not yet applied for federal permission to impose those requirements. EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated with a correction to reflect that the resolution first passed the House, then the Senate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The coastline in Steinhatchee remains covered in debris on Oct. 3, 2024, following Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) Insurance could prove the issue that dominates Floridas 2025 legislative session, given that lawmakers have filed dozens of bills aimed at reining in homeowners insurance premiums and once again hope to repeal the requirement to carry no-fault car insurance policies. Property taxes Sen. Blaise Ingoglia Photo credit: Christine Sexton Florida Phoenix Positioned as one of the most important lawmakers when it comes to insurance is Spring Hill Republican Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, who chairs the committee dealing with that industry. The Gov. Ron DeSantis ally has multiple proposals tackling home hardening against hurricanes and floods and reversing some of the legislative gains won by insurance companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are still a bunch of bills that have been filed, so were going to be going through the bills diligently, Ingoglia told Florida Phoenix on Monday. We want to make sure that any bill that winds up being heard in committee is holding insurance companies accountable, but making sure that we are doing everything that we possibly can to reduce premiums for homeowners. His most recently filed bill, SB 1740, would require carriers applying to conduct business in Florida to hold reserves of at least $35 million more than they need to cover obligations to policyholders. Directors, officers, or attorneys of insurance companies that cant pay their debts would be barred from joining another insurance company in that capacity if they were in their position within five years before the insurer becomes insolvent. Under Ingoglias proposal, the states hurricane mitigation grants of up to $10,000 would go toward improvements that would result in a property insurance credit or discount. Republican newcomer Yvette Benarroch of Marco Island is sponsoring the House companion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senator also wants the Legislature to assume authority to freeze property taxes for homeowners who elevate and in other ways make their homes more resistant to winds and flooding. Two-thirds passage of that resolution, SJR 1190, in the Legislature would put that question in front of voters in 2026, and it would require 60% approval at the polls. If voters want to make that change to the Florida Constitution, another bill, SB 1192, which Ingoglia filed on Feb. 25, would freeze property taxes for 20 years for homeowners who elevate their homes. Pinellas Republican Reps. Adam Anderson and Kimberly Berfield filed the House companions. Reports and more reports Demands for more information and transparency are a common thread among the bills lawmakers have filed on property insurance this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the insurance market upheaval following Hurricanes Irma and Michael, insurers raised premiums to cover their losses while their affiliate companies made billions, according to a recent investigation by the Tampa Bay Times. The affiliate companies increased their profits by overcharging the insurers for basic services. A 174-page proposal, SB 1656/HB 1429, which Tampa Republican Jay Collins and Miami Lakes Republican Tom Fabricio filed on Friday, requires insurers to turn over to the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) documentation about fees paid to affiliates. The bill also requires the companies to tell residential property policyholders how the costs of litigation, reinsurance, and affiliate fees influence the rate the customer pays. Sen. Don Gaetz (Photo/Florida Senate) Former Senate President Don Gaetz the Republican is once again representing the far western Panhandle in the upper chamber is taking a similar approach with SB 554. His proposal, sponsored in the House by fellow Panhandle lawmaker Alex Andrade, requires OIR to create a report detailing the financial relationship between insurers and affiliates with at least 10% common ownership and another delving into insurance executives compensation. Gaetz and Andrade also want to reinstate Floridas old one-way attorney fees, which traditionally awarded litigation costs to homeowners who successfully sue insurance companies. In 2023, the Legislature required both parties to pay for their own attorneys fees, one of DeSantis priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the aisle, Democrats have filed bills limiting property insurance rate increases and creating a trust fund to help people who cant pay for their insurance. Meanwhile, Democratic House Leader Fentrice Driskell requested that House Speaker Daniel Perez and DeSantis investigate why the state concealed for two years the information the Tampa Bay Times reported. PIP tussle Personal injury protection (PIP) is a type of car insurance that pays for medical expenses, lost wages, and other related costs of drivers and passengers injured in automobile accidents, regardless of which driver causes the accident. Florida drivers are required to carry a $10,000 in PIP coverage on their insurance policies under Floridas no-fault automobile insurance system, which also requires drivers to purchase $10,000 in property damage liability insurance. Those are minimum requirements and drivers can purchase additional coverage on top of those mandated requirements. The state's no-fault automobile insurance laws ban injured parties from bringing lawsuits against at-fault parties to recover noneconomic damages, although there are some exceptions (if a person suffers a permanent loss of an important bodily function; a permanent injury; a permanent scar or disfigurement; or death.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles just under 6% of the drivers on Florida roads were uninsured as of February. The Florida Justice Association, which supports a PIP repeal, notes that a Forbes analysis of automobile insurance rates shows that Florida is the most expensive state for car insurance in the nation. To meet the requirements of the law costs an average $1,529 annually. The Legislature agreed in 2021 to repeal the no-fault system and the minimum mandated coverages and return to a fault-based system, but Gov. DeSantis vetoed the bill (SB 54). In his veto letter, DeSantis stated at the time that although the PIP system has flaws, repeal could have unintended consequences for the market and the consumer. Perez, who was vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee at the time, voted for the repeal at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fast forward to 2025 and theres another concerted effort to repeal the PIP system, and Perez is speaker of the House of Representatives. The vehicles are SB 1256 by Sen. Erin Grall and HB 1181 by Rep. Danny Alvarez. The bills would abolish PIP and instead require drivers to carry $25,000 in bodily injury coverage for one person and $50,000 for two or more people per incident plus $10,000 in property liability coverage. Florida Justice Reform Institute William Large is lobbying against the repeal. Large, whose group advocates for lawsuit restrictions, says lawmakers should allow the states no-fault laws and PIP to remain in place for at least another three years while lawmakers gather market data. He says the pause would allow the state to ascertain whether elimination of one-way attorney's fees reduced the costs of automobile insurance. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Lawmakers cant make up their minds about what role the lieutenant governor should play in cleaning up voter rolls and overseeing gubernatorial elections. A Senate committee rejected House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbees comprehensive voter roll cleanup bill on Monday, even after she removed the most controversial provision which would have required the lieutenant governor to end the states contract with the Electronic Registration Information Center. Also on Monday, a different Senate committee gave the go-ahead for a bill that would allow the lieutenant governor to hand off her election oversight authority to the attorney general if a dispute arises in an election that the lieutenant governor is running in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three days earlier, the House unanimously passed a separate bill that would allow the creation of a temporary position each election cycle to do the exact same thing if there were questions that needed to be resolved in the lieutenant governors race. Will Utah leave ERIC? Lisonbees bill, HB332, originally would have forced Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson to exit ERIC by July 6, with a list of requirements for entering into an agreement with another state or third-party contractor. Lisonbee, R-Clearfield framed the bill as a direct response to a December audit that found 1,400 deceased individuals on Utah voter rolls. However, she started working on the bill much earlier when a wave of Republican states left the voter roll management system after it was accused of doubling as a Democratic voter outreach program. The bill also clarified best practices and outlined new requirements for the Lieutenant Governors Office, which is responsible for providing guidance to county clerks. The bill would have required the lieutenant governor to: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Report every other year to the Legislature on its efforts to maintain the accuracy of voter rolls Ensure that voter rolls are compared to death certificate information 90 days before even-year elections and twice in odd-numbered years. Register with a federal program that allows states to check an individuals immigration status with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Update the voter registration process to ensure that individuals who cannot prove their citizenship do not receive a ballot for state elections. Despite Lisonbees clear concessions to gain Senate approval, there was little explanation given by members of the Senate Business and Labor Standing Committee before they rejected HB332 in a 3-4 vote that hinged on Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper, who chimed in at the last minute to vote no. While Lisonbees bill will not make it to a Senate floor vote, it is just one of several that would impact the lieutenant governors oversight of elections in the state of Utah. Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, left, greets Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swenson and then Salt Lake County chief deputy clerk Lannie Chapman during early voting at the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Does the LG have a conflict of interest? During the 2024 election cycle, former gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman alleged foul play because of a perceived conflict of interest with Henderson, as the states chief election officer, overseeing her own reelection as the running mate to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lieutenant Governors Office does not administer any elections or count any ballots. All election administration is conducted by county clerks, who are directly elected in partisan races. This legislative session, there are multiple bills seeking to address concerns about the perceived conflict of interest with the states system for election oversight ahead of the 2028 gubernatorial election in which Henderson has been rumored to be a prospective candidate. On Monday, a Senate committee unanimously approved a bill that would authorize the lieutenant governor to delegate specific oversight responsibilities to one or more county clerks if the governor is seeking reelection or if the lieutenant governor is seeking another office. The bill would also allow the state attorney general to act with the authority of the lieutenant governor to resolve disputes over election law, determine which records can be released and investigate allegations if there are complaints about the lieutenant governor having a conflict of interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sponsor of SB0341 , Election Modifications, Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, told committee members that the bill aims to enhance election confidence while respecting the results of a recent Sutherland Institute survey that found that three-quarters of Utah voters prefer the person who oversees elections to be elected. This is one of the least controversial election bills this session, said McKell, who is the brother-in-law of Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. Another bill, passed unanimously in the House on Friday, would dovetail with McKells to remove the lieutenant governor from conflicts of interest. But the original version of the bill was set to become one of the most controversial election bills of the session. Utah residents cast their votes in Draper on Tuesday Nov. 5, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Will Utah get a new chief election officer? Rep. Ryan Wilcoxs HB369 initially sought to transfer all election responsibilities from the Lieutenant Governors Office to a newly created elections director position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the previous version of the bill, the states new chief elections officer would be appointed by a committee of five county clerks who had previously been selected by the governor, state auditor and legislative leadership. After failing to gain consensus among stakeholders across the political spectrum, HB369 was drastically changed. The bill would now allow the attorney general, auditor and treasurer to appoint an individual to serve as a conflict of interest election officer for one election cycle. The individual must be familiar with state election law but must not be a currently elected official or public employee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similar to McKells proposal, Wilcoxs bill would allow the temporarily appointed officer to respond with the authority of the lieutenant governor to any controversy in connection to a race in which the governor or lieutenant governor is running. Looking forward to larger reforms, Wilcoxs bill would also create the temporary election oversight task force which would be tasked with recommending changes to the states current system of election oversight and administration. The task force would be comprised of seven members designated by statewide officials, legislative leadership and the Utah Association of Counties. The Utah Legislature created the office of lieutenant governor in 1976 to replace the secretary of state position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Utah and Alaska are the only states in the country where the role of chief election official is held by a lieutenant governor. In 33 states, the chief election official is elected. In the remaining 17 states, and the District of Columbia, the chief election official is appointed by the governor, state legislature or a board or commission. Strains of the spiritual Oh Freedom! reverberated throughout the rotunda of the state Capitol last week as a small crowd honored the 15 enslaved people who were forced to help construct the Tennessee State Capitol. Fifteen enslaved men were rented by the state to work on construction of the Capitol building between 1845 and 1859. They were forced to quarry limestone and carve out the buildings cellar, while for their labor, a man named A.G. Payne was paid $18 per month. Only 12 of their names are known: Lewis, Daniel, Robert, Nelson, John, Parker, Dang, Bill, John G, John, Andrew, and Jim. A memorial ceremony honoring the work of the enslaved men took place Thursday, organized by Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville. Rep. Justin Jones speaks during a commemorative ceremony in honor of the people who were enslaved and helped build the Tennessee state Capitol, in the rotunda at Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Men who had no freedom were building a monument to freedom that they did not enjoy, said Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis. "What kind of society conducts business like that? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceremony took place in the Capitol rotunda, in front of the bust of Rep. Sampson W. Keeble, the first Black representative to the Tennessee legislature, elected in 1873 to represent Davidson County. On display were limestone pieces exhibiting the material quarried, and a record book loaned for the event by the Metro Nashville Register of Deeds documenting purchase and sale of human beings at a slave market located at the time just blocks from the Capitol site. Three human beings are listed in this book as property, bought and sold to pay off debt. The book is filled with these transactions in human flesh, Metro Nashville Register of Deeds Karen Johnson said. In 2018 the people of our city elected me to run that office a place where people like me were once recorded as property, like a piece of land overgrown. Hon. Karen Johnson, speaks during a commemorative ceremony in honor of the people who were enslaved and helped build the Tennessee state Capitol, in the rotunda at Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. These transactions are part of our history. Part of who we are, Johnson said. If we are ever to reckon with racism, we must reckon with this original sin the enslavement of these people and tens of thousands like them. Their lives matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To close the memorial, Gwendolyn Brown, a professor of music at Fisk University, led the crowd in a rendition of "This Little Light of Mine." Jones sponsored a resolution honoring the work and legacy of those 15 men, and recognizing the bitter irony of enslaved people forced to construct a building meant for the purpose of democracy. Jones resolution found bipartisan support, and passed both House and Senate chambers unanimously last month. But there is currently no monument or memorial in the Capitol honoring their work. Jones wants that changed. Theres nothing honoring them here, Jones said. This is the start of that conversation. Caroline Randall Williams reads on of her poems during a commemorative ceremony in honor of the people who were enslaved and helped build the Tennessee state Capitol, in the rotunda at Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Leadership considering permanent memorial A bipartisan effort toward a permanent memorial recognizing everyone we know that constructed the Capitol is underway, led by Hardaway, Republican Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, and Rep. Harold Love Jr., D-Nashville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three plan to sponsor a proposal this year requesting Gov. Bill Lee and the State Capitol Commission designate entry of the Motlow Tunnel on Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd., as the Heritage Gateway Entrance. Rep. G.A. Hardaway D- Memphis during a commemorative ceremony in honor of the people who were enslaved and helped build the Tennessee state Capitol, in the rotunda at Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. If successful, the legislature would ask the State Capitol Commission to place a plaque or bronze monument at the Motlow Tunnel entrance honoring the work of the enslaved men, prisoners, and stonecutters who constructed the building, listing names of all who are known. We need to honor the people that built our Capitol, Faison told The Tennessean, and this is the right time to do it. Faison was inspired by a visit to Emancipation Hall in the U.S. Capitol with former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Chattanooga, during the National Prayer Breakfast this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, who voted in the Senate for Jones resolution honoring the enslaved people who worked on the Capitol, is open to considering a permanent recognition. Lt. Governor McNally was proud to vote for the resolution belatedly recognizing the work of the enslaved people who helped build our beautiful state capitol and is open to discussing other ways to recognize their important and invaluable contributions, McNally spokesperson Adam Kleinheider told The Tennessean in an email. Speakers listen as Rep. Justin Jones D- Nashville speaks during a commemorative ceremony in honor of the people who were enslaved and helped build the Tennessee state Capitol, in the rotunda at Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Separately, Jones said he and and colleagues are working on a formal proposal for a memorial to be placed in the Capitol rotunda alcove where a bust of Confederate general and early Ku Klux Klan leader Nathan Bedford Forrest once stood. Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, said she supports the effort. We have a perfect empty space to build a monument to honor these enslaved men and recognize them in a continued way in this Capitol building, said Jones, who led protests against the Forrest bust before he became a lawmaker. Today is not the end but the beginning of continuing to tell their story. The South must recognize its true heroes. So we say their names, and we honor their legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee lawmakers honor 15 enslaved men who built state Capitol PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Two state lawmakers are pushing for change after a mistake made during a routine medical procedure two years ago caused the death of a Lincoln womans dog. Reps. Thomas Noret and Jon Brien have introduced legislation in direct response to the death of Princess Freckles, a St. Bernard puppy who died after a veterinarian left a pair of hemostats and medical-grade gauze in her abdomen. RELATED: Lincoln family sues vet after surgical tools found in dogs abdomen Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Princess Freckles owner, Kristen Breton, filed a lawsuit against the veterinarian who spayed and performed a gastropexy on the dog, who fell gravely ill and was humanely euthanized last spring. Princess Freckles (Courtesy: Kristen Breton) Breton is seeking compensatory damages since state law generally regards dogs as personal property. But Noret and Briens legislation would create a cause of action for the intentional or negligent injury or death of a pet. Our pets are so much more than mere property, Noret said. They are members of our family. Anyone who has suffered the loss of a pet knows just how deeply that grief can be felt. When your pet dies because of the negligence of somebody else, the law should provide a better remedy than the valuation of property, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Shekarchi seeks to change state laws that regard pets as property The legislation would make liable anyone who injures or causes the death of someones pet. Those found liable would be ordered to pay up to $7,500 to compensate the owner for the loss of the society, companionship, love and affection of their pet. Whether it is medical professionals or the public at large, there is a standard of care that must be met, Brien said. We cannot simply replace a pet like an appliance or a piece of furniture. Our pets are not just objects that we own, but rather they are an integral part of the family. Noret and Brien both strongly believe that the legislation will allow the courts to consider the grief and loss caused by intentional or negligent conduct toward pets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is advocacy at its best, Brenton said. We always want to do things better, and thats what laws are for. But not everyone is on board with the proposal. Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association President Dr. Joyce Gifford warned that the legislation could have unintended consequences, such as an increase in the cost of care to cover litigation risks. Elevated costs translate to fewer services, worsened patient outcomes and increased likelihood of suffering among pets whose owners can no longer afford their care, Gifford explained. The method proposed will invariably lead to a pattern of financial escalation that could force veterinary care into crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brenton believes the legislation isnt about the cost and more about whats at stake. Right now, everybody whos in animal care should have the highest standards and should not be negating that pets are valuable, she said. In fact, they should agree that [pets are] worth it. The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee discussed the legislation Tuesday evening, though no vote was taken. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the new 12+ smart TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley talks about charges filed against 11 prison inmates on April 23, 2024, at the Law Enforcement Center in Sioux Falls. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) The South Dakota House of Representatives handed one loss and one victory to Attorney General Marty Jackley in his quest for an ethics reform package on Monday at the state Capitol in Pierre. The House voted 38-31 to strip the possibility of felony penalties from a bill that would punish state employee supervisors who fail to report misbehavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Larry Rhodens team has argued against felony penalties originally embedded in Senate Bill 62, even while working with Jackley and State Auditor Rich Sattgast to craft the attorney generals legislative response to a host of investigations into state employee misconduct over the past year. The defendant at the center of one of those cases, Lonna Carroll, was in court Monday for a motions hearing. The former Department of Social Services employee faces felony theft charges for allegedly engaging in a yearslong pattern of writing and approving fake financial assistance requests. Shed pocketed the $1.8 million over the years to support an overactive retail shopping habit, court documents allege. Her lawyer tried unsuccessfully to convince a judge to dismiss the case Monday. Her trial is set to begin April 1. Governors office dislikes felony penalties Some of the conduct a supervisor would be tasked with reporting to the attorney general under the bill, including engaging in low-dollar conflicts of interest, amount to misdemeanor crimes. A supervisor should not have a felony charge levied for not turning in misdemeanor behavior, the Rhoden administration has said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the House floor, Rep. Tim Reisch, R-Howard, moved to amend the bill so that a failure to turn in misbehaving employees would be a Class 1 misdemeanor. Crimes in that category are punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. A Class 1 misdemeanor is not a slap on the wrist, Reisch said. Fort Pierre Republican Rep. Will Mortenson said he likely wouldnt support the bill without the amendment. He pointed out that as written, the bill threatened penalties for failure to turn in unethical behavior. We could be talking about something thats not even a crime, and a supervisor doesnt report it to the attorney general. Now that supervisor is a felon, Mortenson said. I think this amendment really saves this bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opponents to Reischs idea characterized it as unfriendly to the attorney generals vision of deterrence through the threat of stiff penalties. Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, said there are already some crimes on the books that could net misdemeanors for supervisors who stay silent about the criminal behavior in their agency. Im not a guy that wants to add a bunch of felonies, but I think in this case its necessary, Odenbach said. As amended, the bill passed 66-3. Because it passed the Senate in a different form, a conference committee with members from both chambers will be formed to reconcile the differences if the Senate doesnt approve the amended version. That committees compromise would then need sign-off from the full House and Senate. We look forward to continuing the conversation and need for government accountability in the Senate/House conference committee, Jackley said in a statement about SB 62. Internal Control Board changes removed Senate Bill 61 is meant to strengthen the role of the states Internal Control Board, so it can better monitor the activities of state agencies, accept and review annual performance measures and write rules on codes of professional conduct for state employees. The House State Affairs Committee changed SB 61 from the version approved by the Senate. The committee voted to put the state treasurer on the board, moving the state auditor from a group member to its chair, and nest the entire operation under the Auditors Office. Its currently a part of the Bureau of Finance and Management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Les Heinemann, R-Flandreau, offered a successful amendment to the bill on the House floor to undo the committee changes. He told House members the committees version of the bill put too much authority in the hands of an elected official, the auditor. He also opposed having the treasurer, who approves payments from the state coffers, on the board, and of putting the board under the auditor, a move he said would require the hiring of additional staff at the auditors office. The Internal Control Board, he argued, should have balance between elected officials and career public servants. Under the amendment passed by the House, the head of the Bureau of Finance and Management would serve as chair. Jackley had wanted the changes in the Heinemann amendment and issued a statement praising its 60-9 passage with them added. Jackleys office had backed the Senate version. Other bills Two other Jackley anti-corruption bills have already passed the House and Senate. Senate Bill 60 would give the state auditor greater authority to access state agency financial records, and Senate Bill 63 would implement new protections for government whistleblowers. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX By Scott Murdoch and Zoey Zhang SYDNEY (Reuters) -Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD said on Tuesday it had raised $5.59 billion in a primary share sale that was increased in size, making it the largest of its kind in Hong Kong in four years. The company said it sold 129.8 million primary shares in the deal, up from the original 118 million shares planned when the deal launched on Monday. BYD's Hong Kong shares opened down 8% on Tuesday, in line with the discount the stock was sold at in the deal, while the Hang Seng Index was off 1.5%. BYD said the transaction was the largest equity follow-on offering globally in the automotive sector in the past decade. The United Arab Emirates-based Al-Futtaim Family Office was a key investor in the share sale, and the two firms were planning on forming a strategic partnership, BYD said. It did not say how much the family had invested. Most Chinese automakers have eyed the Middle East to grow their overseas sales in recent years but the market is considered small compared to the domestic Chinese market. Leveraging its competitive lineup of affordable battery-powered vehicles, BYD has emerged rapidly to be Chinas largest automaker since 2022. Over 90% of BYDs total sales of 4 million cars in 2024 were in China, where it accounted for more than a third of the total sales of pure electric and plug-in hybrids in the world's largest auto market. BYD sold the shares at HK$335.20 ($43.11) each, a 7.8% discount to the stock's closing price of HK$363.6 on Monday. The shares were marketed in a price range of HK$333 to HK$345 per share each in the accelerated book build. BYD's share sale is the largest of its kind in Hong Kong since 2021, when Meituan raised $6.9 billion, according to LSEG data. The deal reflects increasingly positive sentiment in Hong Kong and China, especially in the tech sector following a high level summit of tech executives led by Chinese President Xi Jinping. China policymakers have also signalled a higher level of support for the country's business private sector. BYD's Hong Kong shares have risen 36.38% so far this year while its Shenzhen-listed listed stock has rallied 27.4% on the back of the improved tech sector sentiment. The company plans to use the proceeds to invest in research and development, expand overseas businesses, supplement working capital, and for general purposes. The automaker has been accelerating its expansion to add production facilities and is hiring more workers as it targets to sell 5 million to 6 million cars in 2025, on par with General Motors and Stellantis globally. BYD said it had nearly 1 million employees as of early September, more than Toyota and Volkswagen AG each had. ACADIA PARISH, La. (KLFY) The start of crawfish season has seen crawfish thefts on the uprise. Farmers are wary of those looking to steal crawfish this season. Scott Stein, of Lawtell, was arrested for his connection to two separate incidents that occurred in the community of Ebenezer and north of Crowley. Officials said they responded to reports of crawfish being stolen from a field that was being harvested at the time of the theft. Sacks of crawfish were stacked to be picked up by other farm hands as the person fishing the fields continued his work. However, multiple sacks were stolen from the field road where they were placed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, officials said they located and identified Stein as the suspect in thefts in St. Landry Parish. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Stein was sent to an Acadia Parish jail and charged with two counts of theft. There is no bond information currently released. Scott Stein Latest news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. Mar. 3Lawyers for Adam Montgomery, who was convicted in February 2024 of second-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and other charges related to his daughter Harmony's death, are appealing his murder conviction. Montgomery was sentenced to 56 years to life on top of a minimum 32-year sentence for prior firearms convictions. He is serving his sentence in a Virginia prison, former Manchester police chief Allen Aldenberg told the Union Leader in an email, but state Department of Corrections officials have thus far declined to confirm where Montgomery is serving his sentence. During a three-week murder trial in February 2024, prosecutors presented evidence that Montgomery beat Harmony to death after she accidentally wet herself in their car in December 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Montgomery went to great lengths to cover up his crimes, including threatening and beating his wife, Kayla, the prosecution said. Harmony's remains have yet to be found and Montgomery refuses to say where they are. A spokesman for the Attorney General's Office said they would not comment on an active appeal. That appeal, filed by Montgomery's attorney Pamela E. Phelan, asks the state Supreme Court to reverse the convictions on three grounds. The appeal argues that Montgomery should have received a separate trial on charges he assaulted Harmony in July 2019, five months before she was killed, instead of the single trial for the assault and murder charges he faced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The appeal also argues the court shouldn't have allowed testimony from Kayla Montgomery, Adam's estranged wife, who reached a plea deal to testify against him. Kayla Montgomery served time in prison for lying to a grand jury about the case. The appeal also mentions a body-camera video shown to jurors of a 2021 interaction between Adam Montgomery and Manchester police just days after officials learned Harmony was missing. A judge ruled prior to the trial that jurors would not be allowed to hear audio from the footage. "The video invited the jury to infer that the police had reason to believe Montgomery caused H.M.'s disappearance given how they interacted with him and that he did not offer any information to help find her," the appeal states. "What the police believed about his guilt and Montgomery's lack of cooperation were not proper matters for the jury to consider. Further, the inferences about Montgomery's lack of cooperation carried a significant risk of arousing a sense of horror that he was not assisting in locating his daughter." The sentences Adam Montgomery received for second-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and other charges related to his daughter Harmony's death are on top of a minimum sentence of 32 years for his previous firearms convictions. Montgomery faced charges for being in possession of a Hi-Point semi-automatic handgun and an "AR-style rifle with a silencer" while being a convicted felon. Montgomery was convicted on six felony weapons charges in August 2023. Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Aurelia Giacometto holds a press conference on July 1, 2024, at the Denka neoprene plant in LaPlace, La., to speak against a new EPA rule she says is unfair to the company. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) More than three quarters of state employees polled at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said morale at the agency worsened last year, and nearly half had negative views about LDEQ leadership, according to the results of a workplace culture survey the Louisiana Legislative Auditor published Monday. Louisiana Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack surveyed 712 LDEQ employees last July and received responses from 377, or nearly 53%. Waguespacks office initiated the review at the request of state lawmakers. Their directive followed reports of resignations and turmoil at the agency, with some employees complaining of harassment from LDEQ Secretary Aurelia Giacometto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The survey questions covered the period from January through June 2024, gauging LDEQs workplace culture during Giacomettos first six months at the helm. An overwhelming 78.2% of the respondents reported that morale at LDEQ worsened over that six-month period. More than one-third said they work in a toxic environment, and a roughly equal number have personally experienced or witnessed retaliation. Just over half, or 55.7%, reported being satisfied with their job, and less than one-fourth, or 22.3%, agreed or strongly agreed that LDEQ executive leadership treats them with respect and appreciation, according to the report. Nearly 14% of the sampled employees reported feeling pressured to do something against the law, in violation of department policy or in violation of state Civil Service rules. Their concerns included being pressured to disregard regulations or policies related to site closures, completing inspections, grant requirements and agency contracts. Some employees also mentioned issues with a temporary directive from Giacometto to not communicate with outside agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Waguespacks office shared the survey results with Giacometto, she responded with a letter criticizing the auditors procedures and dismissing the findings outright. You have admittedly (and inexplicably) chosen not to abide by Governmental Auditing Standards in issuing the report, and the report contains a lot of data, some of which is not particularly useful or relevant to the operations of LDEQ, she wrote in the letter, which is included in the report. Giacometto was referring to a sentence in Waguespacks report that states it is an informational report intended to provide more timely information than standards-based performance audits: While these informational reports do not follow Government Auditing Standards, we conduct quality assurance activities to ensure the information presented is accurate. Jenifer Schaye, general counsel for the Legislative Auditors Office, explained in a phone call Monday that government auditing standards do not apply to these kinds of workplace culture surveys. Nevertheless, the auditors went to great lengths to choose the most objective and unbiased questions, Schaye said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An appendix to the report notes that the auditors met with LDEQ ahead of time to discuss the project and obtain feedback from Giacometto. When they provided draft survey questions and asked for feedback, LDEQ responded that it had none, according to the appendix. Alongside the survey, the auditors personally interviewed a subset of staff from all LDEQ sections and of various job titles and hire dates, ranging from newer employees to those with more experience. Additionally, an independent auditor with specialized training conducted a non-response bias analysis to ensure the respondent sample was representative of LDEQs staff population, the report notes. Giacometto noted in her response letter that the business community has rated LDEQ under her leadership as good as, and in some cases better than her predecessor Chuck Carr Brown, under former Gov. John Bel Edwards. What Giacometto called the business community was actually five industry representatives auditors spoke with to gain their feedback on recent changes at the agency. The rating she referred to is based on a sentence in the report that states, Industry stakeholders we interviewed stated that LDEQ performance from their perspective was either as good as, or in some cases better, over the past six months (January through June 2024). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LDEQ did not answer specific questions about the report when asked for comment Monday, instead providing the letter Giacometto sent to Waguespack. Among the other survey findings, roughly 47% of the sampled employees indicated that they either disagree or strongly disagree that LDEQ executive leadership models qualities of accountability, professionalism, integrity, respect, empathy and leadership, with a larger share choosing the strongly disagree option. Nearly one-third were neutral, saying they neither agree nor disagree. The sampled employees had far more positive feelings about their immediate supervisors than they did about LDEQs executive leadership. More than 75% said they either agree or strongly agree that their managers, supervisors and administrators model those same leadership qualities. Similarly, 76.3% of respondents said their supervisors treat them with respect and appreciation, while only 22.3% said the same about LDEQs executive leadership. More than 40% reported having personally seen unprofessional behavior such as yelling, demeaning comments, harassment or intimidation either sometimes, often or always during the first half of 2024. Another 33.7% reported having personally experienced or witnessed retaliation at LDEQ, and almost 59% of the staff reported they rarely or never personally experienced or witnessed unprofessional behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In concluding her letter to Waguespack, Giacometto indicated she was unswayed by the surveys findings. I, as Secretary, am very proud of the hard working employees of the LDEQ and their dedication to the mission, she wrote. And I am not going to allow some disgruntled employees to undermine the great work of this agency. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX MEMPHIS, Tenn. As measles cases continue to rise across the United States, including a major outbreak in Texas that has led to one childs death, health experts at Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital in Memphis are closely monitoring the situation. So measles is very, very contagious. It is the most contagious viral illness, said Dr. Sandy Arnold, Le Bonheur Division Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. If somebody with measles is in the same room with you, you have a very high chance of catching measles if you are not immune. Dr. Arnold said that the measles vaccine is recommended for all children after their first birthday. Because of the way the measles vaccine works, it can be inhibited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Student caught with drugs at Memphis high school: MPD The largest outbreak so far this year has been in Texas, but cases have been reported in a number of other states as well. On Tuesday, Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital told WREG there have been no reported measles cases in Memphis and Shelby County. Doctors recommend that children and even older adults make sure theyve had the measles vaccine. So first of all, if you were born before 1956, you are presumed to have had measles and are considered protected because pretty much everybody got measles at that time, said Dr. Arnold. If you attended school in the State of Tennessee, and you did not receive any vaccine exemptions that you know of, youre probably vaccinated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MS inmate sentenced for tasing jailer last year Doctors said that if you forget your vaccination history, you can take a simple blood test, or you can get another measles vaccine shot to help protect yourself and others. So, if you are unsure and cannot get any data on whether you are vaccinated or not, you can get a vaccine because theres no harm in having more than two, and thats the easiest thing, because otherwise youre going to have to get a blood test, wait for the results and then get a vaccine, said Dr. Arnold. The CDC says measles is far more contagious than COVID-19. For example, if one person gets measles, they can spread it to up to 9 out of 10 people around them if those people are not vaccinated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) At least five people in varying states of undress were captured on a hidden camera tucked in the ceiling of a bathroom at Rhode Island College, according to police records obtained by Target 12. The new details came to light after Providence police detectives served RIC employee Dean Faiola with a search warrant to inspect his phone the day after a student spotted the camera. During the review, a phone application called Look Cam was discovered, Detective Raymond Majeau wrote in the report. Upon opening the application, investigators discovered 5 video clips of varying lengths in the applications video library. The videos showed the camera was pointed down in the direction of the toilet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The clips captured both male and female subjects using the toilet and some of the videos captured their genitals, Majeau wrote. The bathroom is a single stall and unisex. Faiola, 49, of Cranston, was arrested and charged with one count of felony video voyeurism, which can come with a sentence of up to three years in prison. Faiola declined to comment when Target 12 tried to question him following his arraignment Wednesday. In the police report, Majeau wrote the video files were dated November 2024 but noted that the date/time accuracy could not be determined. Faiola is a $82,000 per year assistant director of dining at the college. A spokesperson for RIC confirmed he was first hired in 2007 as a senior cook and was the executive chef before assuming his current role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Taraborelli, a spokesperson at RIC, confirmed on Tuesday that Faiola was terminated. A judge also issued a no-trespass order for the campus. The police report also provides more details on how a student worker at Donovan Dining Center discovered the camera. Detectives noted the students 67 height likely helped him spot the camera tucked next to a sprinkler head in the drop ceiling of the bathroom. The student told police he was putting on his sweatshirt when his hand hit the sprinkler head, and thats when he spotted what appeared to be a lens, then used his phone to light it up and record video of it, according to the police report. Dean Faiola booking photo The student told police he informed Faiola and let other staffers at the dining center know about his discovery, warning them not to use the bathroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When he returned to the bathroom 20 minutes later, he told detectives the camera was gone. He pulled Dean aside and asked him if he did anything about the camera, he stated that Dean brushed it off and said it was weird, according to the report. Concerned about Faiolas reaction, the student then went to two other adult staff members who immediately called campus security. Faiola told police the student had notified him about the camera, but he was busy and failed to look into it. Michael Auletta, President of USA Bug Sweeps a private investigative firm that specializes in hidden devices said hidden cameras are becoming a growing problem as the technology gets smaller and more affordable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were just seeing a large increase in different types of cameras being used to spy on people, Auletta said. Its becoming more and more prevalent. He said information technology departments at institutions have to be vigilant because the devices often use a buildings own Wi-Fi to connect to the perpetrators phone. Controlling access to the networks is really the best line of defense right now because thats what people are most comfortable exploiting, Auletta said. There are going to be a series of known devices in any setting that will be the same all the time. Its the new devices popping up that should cause pause for any IT department that is trying to secure their spaces. Detectives also obtained a search warrant for Faiolas Cranston home where they seized several pieces of digital evidence and a large black metal rifle safe last Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Faiola was arrested at his home that day. When questioned by detectives about the content found on his phone, he declined to speak further with detectives, according to the report. Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the new 12+ smart TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) At least three lawmakers were injured on Tuesday, one of them seriously, after chaotic scenes in Serbia s parliament, during which smoke bombs and flares were thrown, further fueling political tensions in the Balkan country. Lawmakers were scheduled to vote on a law that would increase funding for university education, but opposition parties said the ruling majority was also planning to approve dozens of other decisions. They said that was illegal and that lawmakers should first confirm the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and his government. Chaos erupted about an hour after the parliamentary session started, with opposition lawmakers blowing whistles and holding up a banner reading Serbia has risen so the regime would fall! Hundreds of opposition supporters rallied outside the parliament building during the session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video footages from the assembly hall showed clashes between lawmakers and flares and smoke bombs being thrown. Serbian media said eggs and water bottles also were thrown. Officials later said three people were injured in the disturbance, including lawmaker Jasmina Obradovic who was taken to hospital. Parliament speaker Ana Brnabic, who accused the opposition of being a terrorist gang. Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic described those behind the incident as a disgrace to Serbia. The vandalism of opposition MPs has exposed the nature of their personalities and the essence of their political agenda, Gasic said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Serbias populist President Aleksandar Vucic visited Obradovic in hospital. Jasmina will win, Serbia will win, Vucic said in a post on Instagram, showing him holding the lawmaker's hand in an emergency room. Demands by protesting students The incident reflects a deep political crisis in Serbia where monthslong anti-corruption protests have rattled a populist government. Vucevic resigned in January as the government faced protests over the collapse in November of a concrete train station canopy in the Serbias north that killed 15 people and which critics blamed on rampant corruption. Parliament must confirm the prime ministers resignation for it to take effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A rise in education funding has been one of the demands by Serbias protesting students who have been a key driving force behind almost daily street protests that started after the Nov. 1 canopy collapse in Novi Sad. Call for transitional government Opposition parties have insisted that the government has no authority to pass new laws. Leftist lawmaker Radomir Lazovic said the opposition was ready to support the passing of the student-requested education bill, but not the other decisions listed at the assembly agenda. Lazovic said we can only discuss the fall of the government." He said the only way out of the current crisis would be a transitional government that would create conditions for a free a fair election, a demand that the ruling populists have repeatedly rejected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vucic and his ruling right-wing Serbian Progressive Party have imposed a firm grip on power in the past decades despite formally seeking European Union membership. Many in Serbia believe the fatal canopy collapse was the result of sloppy work and a disregard of safety regulations because of government corruption. - Associated Press writer Dusan Stojanovic contributed to this report. BEIRUT (AP) Lebanons president ended a visit to Saudi Arabia Tuesday where he discussed regional affairs with the kingdoms crown prince after which both countries said Israeli troops should withdraw from south Lebanon and only the Lebanese state should have weapons. The visit by Joseph Aoun, the first by a Lebanese head of state to the oil-rich kingdom in eight years, improves ties between the two countries that have been cold for years over Irans influence in Lebanon. Aoun visited Saudi Arabia several times when he was army commander, and many in Lebanon hope that his visit as president will open the way for lifting a ban on imports from Lebanon as well as allowing Saudi citizens to travel to Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aoun was received Monday night by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Yamama Palace in the capital, Riyadh, where they discussed the situation in Lebanon and boosting relations between the two countries, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Aouns visit comes after the Iran-backed Hezbollah suffered severe blows during a 14-month war with Israel that left many of its top political and military officials dead and ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in late November. Israel withdrew many of its troops from Lebanon in mid-February but left five posts inside Lebanon, which Lebanese officials have described as a violation of the ceasefire deal. A joint statement issued after the summit said that only state institutions in Lebanon should have the right to have arms and that the Lebanese army should be supported. It added that Israel should withdraw from all parts of Lebanon. Aoun last week told Saudi Arabias Asharq News that Riyadh would reactivate a $3 billion package for the Lebanese army. In 2016, Saudi Arabia announced it was halting deals aimed at equipping and supporting the Lebanese army and police forces in retaliation for the tiny countrys siding with Iran amid the Sunni kingdoms spat with the Shiite power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement added that both sides agreed to study the obstacles that are facing the resumption of Lebanese imports to Saudi Arabia and measures needed to allow Saudi citizens to visit Lebanon again. They also agreed that the Lebanese economy should come out of its historic crisis and that Beirut should implement reforms demanded by the international community. It said Aoun invited the Saudi crown prince to visit Lebanon, adding that Crown Prince Mohammed welcomed the invitation. Aoun was elected in January after more than two-year vacuum in the countrys top post, while diplomat and former head of the International Criminal Court Nawaf Salam was named prime minister. Both Aoun and Salam have said they will work on improving relations with Arab countries and implementing reforms. The election of Aoun and Salam was seen as major blow to Hezbollah. Cold War hero Lech Waesa has condemned the Trump administrations increasingly hostile stance toward Ukraine. In a message posted to Facebook, Waesa, a leader in the 1980s Solidarity campaign that helped usher out his countrys communist government, said he watched last weeks chaotic White House meeting between Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky with horror and disgust. During the talks, Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful, while Trump taunted the Ukrainian leader, telling him: You dont have the cards right now with us. Polish leader joined a group of former Communist prisoners in condemning the Trump administration stance on Ukraine (AP) In the message, signed by several other activists, Waesa said the meeting reminded him of hostile encounters with Soviet-backed forces in Poland, where prosecutors and judges, commissioned by the all-powerful communist political police, also explained to us that they held all the cards and we had none. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gratitude is due to the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed their blood in defense of the values of the free world, he said. The Polish activists also pointed to the long history of the U.S. opposing totalitarian forces in Europe during WWI, WWII, and the Cold War. Donald Trumps meeting with Zelensky in the White House was met with widespread condemnation (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) We do not understand how the leader of a country that is a symbol of the free world cannot see this, the group wrote. The message to Trump was posted before the most dramatic U.S. break with Ukraine yet, however. Later Monday, the administration suspended all military aid to Ukraine. And in an interview with Fox News, Vance called on Zelensky to sign a deal for U.S. interests to access rare minerals in Ukraine and show he had a serious proposal for how he was going to engage in the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance continued to chastise the Ukrainian leader, saying: You're not going to do that if you come to the Oval Office, insult the president and refuse to follow his plan for peace. He added: There are details that really matter, that we're already working on with the Russians. Continental allies of Ukraine have suggested Europe could increase defense support to Ukraine, and place a European peacekeeping force in the country to prevent further Russian aggression. A view of Chamberlain and the Missouri River on Sept. 20, 2024. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight) A state House panel shut down a bill that would have created a place to set aside cash for water projects across South Dakota. The bill earned the support of the state Senate, but floundered in front of the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on Tuesday at the Capitol in Pierre. It failed 10-3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 202 wouldve created a water infrastructure development fund, but wouldnt have put any money in it. Several committee members worried aloud that simply creating a fund presents a risk of its use as an excuse to plan for projects before those projects earn the support of lawmakers. Some committee members referenced the incarceration construction fund to make their point. That fund, set up three years ago and now worth more than $600 million, was created to fund a new prison. This year, lawmakers rejected the states plans to open up the fund for use in building an $825 million mens facility in a controversial Lincoln County location. Rep. Richard Vasgaard, R-Centerville, said hes no longer certain that taxpayers trust the value of specialty savings accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Holland Republican and Committee Chair Marty Overweg, meanwhile, said previous legislatures had built governmental monsters by setting up such accounts. Now were having to feed them, Overweg said. Backer: We need a piggy bank Sen. Helene Duhamel, R-Rapid City, did indeed bring Senate Bill 202 in hopes that future legislatures would feed it. Her take, however, is that doing so would be a smart way to leverage federal dollars and protect South Dakotans access to clean drinking water. As envisioned, water infrastructure project managers would be able to request grants worth up to 10% and loans worth up to 50% of a projects cost. The idea would be for the fund if lawmakers chose to put money in it to earn interest and be large enough to match any federal dollars that might come available. With talk from the Trump administration of bumping up state and local governments share of funding in a range of areas, the state could benefit from such a setup, Duhamel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We may, as a state and as local governments, need to come up with more money for these projects in the future, she said, referencing changes at the federal level without mentioning Trump by name. The state Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources opposed the idea from the start, though. The Board of Water and Natural Resources, which would distribute dollars from the fund, already has a process for requesting water project funding. The bill creates a carve-out for projects to go around an established process, according to the departments Andy Bruels. Bruels told lawmakers the department oversees the disbursement of around $180 million in water funding through various channels each year. Federal COVID-19 pandemic relief added around $700 billion to those typical dollar amounts in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Duhamel has argued that the rapid gobble-up of federal COVID relief dollars for water projects across the state over the past few years is proof that the state needs a piggy bank for water. Every year, everything we have is spent, Duhamel said. The bills supporters included an economic development lobbyist from Rapid City and a representative from Black Hills Energy. Western Dakota project earns committee backing Duhamel had pointed to large-scale water projects for South Dakota as proof of the need for a fund. Just after shooting down that idea on Tuesday, the ag committee endorsed one of those projects. Senate Joint Resolution 501 asks lawmakers to agree with a decision by the states Water Resources Board to grant the Western Dakota Regional Water Systems permit for the use of Missouri River water in its pipeline plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The water allotment in the systems pipeline application is large enough to trigger a clause in state law requiring legislative approval. The system wants to reserve 20,765 acre-feet of Missouri River water annually for use in 19 western South Dakota counties nearly 7 billion gallons per year. The system will take decades and significant federal investment to complete, ag committee members heard Tuesday morning, but all of it would hinge on SJR 501. The committee sent the resolution to the House floor with a do pass recommendation on an 11-2 vote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX By Adam Jourdan, John Revill, Victoria Waldersee and Giselda Vagnoni LONDON (Reuters) -European companies, from Swiss chocolatiers to German car parts makers, are preparing their "plan Bs" to adapt to U.S. trade tariffs that became a blunt reality on Tuesday, with a second barrage specifically targeting the region expected next month. U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20%, moves which could upend nearly $2.2 trillion in two-way annual U.S. trade. Many European companies, while not directly affected yet, are being forced to scramble because of their exposure to North America while a second barrage of tariffs in April looms, with Trump threatening a 25% "reciprocal" rate on European goods. Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli is set to ship to Canada directly from Europe rather than its factories in the United States to avoid the impact of Trump's tariffs and any countermeasures. "The volumes that we source currently for Canada can all be shifted to Europe," CEO Adalbert Lechner told reporters. "So far, we have a Plan B to avoid these tariffs in Canada." German tire and auto parts maker Continental AG, which has plants in Mexico, said it was "monitoring" the situation and would "optimize" its supply chain to get best value for its clients. "We are in talks with all of our customers. We cannot yet say whether this tariffs issue could lead to production lines being relocated," Continental chief financial officer Olaf Schick told Reuters. The firm has seven plants in Mexico, one of which is being closed. Schick said 90% of its truck tires and half of car tires sold in the United States were made there domestically, with the rest imported mainly from Europe, but also from South America and Mexico. "Our position is that we cannot absorb additional tariffs. As far as our suppliers are concerned: we generally source locally," Schick said. NEXT WAVE TO HIT EUROPE While tariffs have dominated corporate America's discussions for some time, European companies are now not becoming increasingly concerned about potential tariffs impacting cars and other exports in early April. Cristiano Fini, president of Italian farmers lobby CIA, said possible tariffs on Europe could cause "billions of dollars of damage" to the Italian food sector, hitting producers of items from Parma ham to Prosecco sparkling wine. "Those exports to the United States are worth more than 2.4 billion (euros), a wealth for Europe as well," he said. A wildlife passage beneath U.S. Route 97 south of Bend, pictured here, has reduced wildlife and vehicle collisions by 90% on the highway, according to data from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. (Photo by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife) Adding a 4% tax to the sale of new car tires in Oregon could generate up to $20 million a year for public transit, reducing tire pollution and building wildlife crossings, according to lawmakers proposing the new tax. But ahead of its first public hearing, hundreds of Oregonians have submitted testimony in opposition, claiming they will disproportionately bear the burden of the tax. The tax proposed in House Bill 3362 would apply to new car tires for passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks, such as an Amazon delivery van. It would add about $6 to the cost of each new tire bought by the average Oregonian, according to state Rep. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, who is sponsoring the bill, along with Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale. In exchange, the state transportation department would get reliable funding for projects that it otherwise has had to fight to fund with money from the states general fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tire tax would be in addition to a state gas tax Oregonians pay everytime they fill their tanks about 40 cents a gallon that goes to the Oregon Department of Transportation for road maintenance, bridges and other statewide transportation costs. That money is restricted and not often able to cover projects such rail and wildlife crossings. Helm said the proposed tire tax is a low tax that will be felt equally among most Oregonians. When we have explored other taxes in the past, we have attempted to adopt ones that are experienced broadly over a large number of people in the state, and at a low rate, so that we try to minimize that cost, and this is one that follows that formula pretty well, he said. Helm needs three-fifths of Oregons House and Senate to approve it. Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, a trucking company owner and Republican from Albany, said shes concerned that the tax could be increased in years ahead. If everybody in this building said, Its just a little tax, dont worry about it. Its only $25. Its only $125, those add up. And all of a sudden youre paying thousands of dollars extra just to live in this state so these people can get their pet projects, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 1,200 pieces of written testimony have already been submitted ahead of the first public hearing on the tax Tuesday. About 90% of those express opposition to the bill. Among those who submitted written testimony was state Rep. Bobby Levy, R-Echo, who said the tax would unfairly penalize rural Oregonians and industries in her district in eastern Oregon. Unlike urban residents, many eastern Oregonians drive long distances daily for work, school, medical appointments, and essential services. Our roads are often rougher, our weather more extreme, and our livelihoods whether in agriculture, ranching, or small business depend on vehicles in good working condition, she wrote. This tax would unfairly penalize rural Oregonians, who already face higher transportation costs due to fuel expenses, vehicle maintenance and limited public transit options. The tax would not apply to tires on semi trucks or tractors and other farm equipment. Helm said heavy duty truck owners already pay a state tax based on their mileage and the weight they carry per mile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three-quarters of the tax revenue would support the Department of Transportations public transit and rail projects. It would also support collaborative projects between the transportation department, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Environmental Quality to curb water pollution from tire compounds that are leaching into waterways and threatening the health of salmon in the Northwest. The other 25% of revenue would go toward projects that help animals safely cross and get around major roads. Helm said those projects need support outside of the general fund. Helm has advocated for state funding for wildlife crossings for several years, and he said theyre making a difference. As an example, he said, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife tracked progress at the Lava Butte wildlife crossing, an underpass beneath U.S. Route 97 south of Bend, and found that since 2013 it has reduced wildlife and vehicle collisions by 90%. Helm said the large amount of testimony in opposition to the proposal so far shows there is a cognitive dissonance between what people want when it comes to protecting wildlife and vehicles on roads, and what theyre willing to do to pay for it. Pew polling data from 2020 showed 86% of Oregon voters want the state to build more wildlife crossings, and that 75% also support increasing fees and funding to achieve it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CORRECTION: Polling data on Oregonians support for wildlife crossings was not commissioned by Rep. Helm, as reported in an earlier version of this story, but by The Pew Charitable Trusts. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX LEMON GROVE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) The City of Lemon Grove has been exclusively granted $8.4 million in state funding to combat homelessness along the 94 Corridor. This endeavor is a collaboration between the city and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, which will help utilize initiatives to help get people into housing. The housing as I understand it right, it will be already existing housing in the communities, its just helping the people get from where they are at this moment in time to where they need to be to get into permanent housing, said Lemon Grove Mayor Alysson Snow. A lot of that is addiction services, mental and behavioral health services thats what a lot of money will go towards is to do that service work and to do outreach to meet people where they are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An estimated 300 people are homeless on the streets, according to Snow, and thats not including the families living in their cars. She says the goal is to move 102 people into permanent housing within a year. We are leveraging existing funding that we have and initiatives that we have that are highly successful, said Tamera Kohler, CEO of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, and that includes roommate matching and shared housing. Nearly half of the people unsheltered living along the 94 Corridor are chronically homeless and facing barriers to transportation and healthcare, according to a statement from the city of Lemon Grove. Some residents worry more money will be spent with no results in the long run and are asking for an oversight committee to help manage and steer the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have done this over and over again. Its like a bad nightmare. Weve gotten hundreds of millions of dollars to help California residents in general with their homeless population and nothing to show for it, said resident Stephanie Klein. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. The current efforts by Elon Musk, with the full-throated support of the Trump administration, to extinguish the U.S. Agency for International Development is wrong on a number of fronts. The proposed elimination of funding and personnel from areas in dire need of a wide range of support would not only have deadly consequences for our brothers and sisters throughout the world, it is also short-sighted and would be detrimental to the interests of the U.S. If we abandon the humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts of the USAID, we create a relational vacuum. Our lack of involvement and influence in these areas of need would create opportunities for entities such as Russia, China, Iran, the Islamic State and Al-Qaida to fill that void of involvement and relationship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USAID issue is just one of many that the current administration has created, not considering the potential negative consequences of its actions. This president and his minions continue to create self-inflicted wounds to the social fabric and the respected leadership of our nation. It doesnt have to be this way. Daniel Buckley Spring Township CARTERVILLE, Mo. After hundreds of complaints and repeated inspections, a Carterville company receives a letter of warning about an odor coming from their facility. In January, The Missouri Department of Natural Resources received multiple complaints about a foul odor drifting into Webb City from the Carterville area. An investigation by DNR found strong odors coming from C&L Grease and Wastewater Services. According to the warning sent to C&L, the odor was strong enough for DNR to issue a compliance violation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During their investigation, DNR officials said the strongest odor near a wastewater storage tank on the property. The warning requires C&L to fix the problem and reduce the odor coming from the business. We reached out to Larry Wald Jr., owner of C&L, who declined to comment. DNR officials say at least 43 odor investigations were conducted in 2024 in the Carterville and Webb City area. None of those resulted in a violation. Missouri Department of Natural Resources Letter of Warning 1-30-25_Missour-DNR-Issues-Letter-of-Warning-to-CL-Grease-and-Wastewater-Response-RequiredDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. To the editor: It is time for California's elected leaders to have a serious discussion about how Californians can withhold our federal tax dollars. ("How California schools, colleges are responding to Trump's DEI crackdown," Feb. 25) Enough is enough. When Democrats were in office, they didn't cut off money to Florida and other red states that banned certain books in schools or banned abortion. How dare the Trump administration threaten to cut funds to our public schools because we recognize that curriculum and policies that recognize and teach about the diverse communities in our state are important? When we went to college in the late 1970s and '80s, there were hard-fought struggles to create women's studies, African American studies and other programs recognizing that the history of the world is not just about white men. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Individual California taxpayers send more than $230 billion to the federal government, about 15% of the national total. We pay for the services provided to less wealthy red states that would be happy to have us punished for our values. Enough is enough. Leslie Simon and Marc Bender, Woodland Hills This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Doyle McManus, who began penning his column 16 years ago, is leaving The Times. (LA Times file photo) To the editor: I read with dismay that Monday's column by Doyle McManus would be his last weekly piece for The Times. Without sounding like a character from "Misery," I've been a huge fan of his for years. Know that he has informed, inspired and provoked much soul-searching in this and many other households. Sharie Lieberg-Hartman, Manteca .. To the editor: The article supposes that public disapproval and distress at the disruption caused by Elon Musks actions will eventually result in negative consequences for President Trump in the midterm elections ("Trump is cheering Elon Musk now, but if anything goes wrong it will be the presidents problem," March 3). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The key to that assumption is that Trump cares about the public. In my opinion, all of his actions to shape each segment of the government to be as subservient as the Republican Senate and Congress will lead to an inevitable attempt to establish himself as president-king for life. Phillip DeLao, Long Beach .. To the editor: Doyle McManus presumably a beneficiary of the 1st Amendment of course defends a liberal European political community intent on rigid elimination of any speech opposing their views ("Column: Trump says he wants to end Russias war on Ukraine. But hes acting like Putins wingman," Feb. 24). He also apparently supports an enormously expensive war that has no discernible ending and cares less about thousands of Ukrainians and, in fact, Russians, dying on a daily basis. Finally, it is the very politicians that McManus has long endorsed who put the United States in the position we face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kip Dellinger, Santa Monica .. To the editor: While many Americans are shocked by President Trump's assertion that Ukraine started the war with Russia, maybe the leader of the free world is on to something. Perhaps we should send inspectors to Ukraine. Not to look for yellow cake uranium you can only do that once but instead to search for a massive magnetic device that somehow pulled all those Russian tanks and artillery into Ukraine. Joe Kevany, Mount Washington .. To the editor: Like so many others, Doyle McManus omits the fact that NATO like all alliances is a two-way street. When the U.S. invaded Iraq in response to 9/11, troops from the United Kingdom and other NATO countries supported us. Never mind the fabricated pretense for the invasion; our allies stuck by us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Douglas Hileman, Valley Glen .. To the editor: McManus did not address that virtually all Republican senators have sat silently on the sidelines totally subservient to Trump as he abandons principles that America has held dear for over 75 years. These senators should be demanding that their counterparts in the House impeach Trump for putting our nation's security at risk, but don't count on it. They are driven more by fear of Trump than concern over danger to our nation and to our allies. David Michels, Encino .. To the editor: No one should be surprised by Trumps move to negotiate with one party and not getting anything in return. He has a history of doing that. In Israel, he moved the embassy, left the Palestinians out and got nothing. In Afghanistan, he left out the central government and again, nothing in return. Now Russia is in, Ukraine is out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tony Schaffer, Los Angeles .. To the editor: The U.S. is far from turning its back on Ukraine. We are seeking a constructive end to the war, while continuing to support Ukraine militarily. This, despite all of our presidents heckling. With all due respect, McManus appears old enough to remember our 1973 exit from South Vietnam. That was abandonment utter, plain and simple. I served two years in that war. Jeff Denker, Malibu .. To the editor: We love you, Doyle, and we will miss you. We will miss you along with the traditional Sunday Opinion section. The Chandlers must be so proud to see The Times return to its roots as a Republican Party mouthpiece. Charles Crawford, San Diego This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. To the editor: Can a distinction be drawn between antisemitism and negative feelings and opinions about the actions taken by the state of Israel ("Trump administration antisemitism task force says it will visit UCLA, USC," Feb. 28)? It seems the protesters at UCLA were objecting to what they considered immoral actions taken by the Benjamin Netanyahu regime against Palestinians in Gaza rather than actions based solely on the religious status of people who support that state action. Before 1948, such protests would have been characterized as anti-Zionism instead of antisemitism. I suggest the same distinction exists today; the former is a form of protected political speech while the latter is simply unlawful discrimination. Noel Johnson, Glendale Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement .. To the editor: It's about time the Department of Justice looks into antisemitism at UCLA. The so-called protesters were detaining Jewish students from going to classes and destroying campus property. In fact, it should be taken a step further suspend and revoke student visas (when applicable) of any student caught involved in the chaos. Neil Snow, Manhattan Beach .. To the editor: "Antisemitism task force to visit UCLA, USC" is a very misleading headline. A more accurate one would be listing this federal group as a Pro-Zionist task force. There were plenty of Jewish students and members of the Jewish Voice for Peace demonstrating at those campuses for an end to Israel's genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. John Zavesky, Riverside This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Linda McMahon, the new secretary of Education, sent out the agencys final mission message to staffers after her confirmation vote on Monday, previewing President Trumps plans to roll up the department. In her message, McMahon said she is ready to take on one of Trumps most momentous campaign promises to families and send education back to the states. Trump has repeatedly expressed desire to eliminate the federal Education Department, saying before McMahons party-line Senate confirmation that he had told her to put herself out of a job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The message focused on the departments new era of accountability and how the upcoming months of cutting bureaucracy from the agency will lead to big changes. This restoration will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the Department. In coming months, we will partner with Congress and other federal agencies to determine the best path forward to fulfill the expectations of the President and the American people. We will eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy so that our colleges, K-12 schools, students, and teachers can innovate and thrive, McMahon said. She laid out the three convictions staffers will need to have: parents should choose their childrens education; taxpayer-funded schools are for math and reading, not divisive DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] programs and gender ideology; and postsecondary education should be for creating well-paying jobs useful to the workforce. Removing red tape and bureaucratic barriers will empower parents to make the best educational choices for their children. An effective transfer of educational oversight to the states will mean more autonomy for local communities. Teachers, too, will benefit from less micromanagement in the classroom enabling them to get back to basics, McMahon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new Education secretary also mentioned Trumps executive orders promoting school choice and ridding schools of critical race theory and DEI programs. The message comes after dozens of staffers have already been put on administrative leave and millions of dollars in federal education contracts have been canceled as Trump and Elon Musk move to dramatically reshape and reduce the federal government. While the future is uncertain for Education Department employees, McMahon said, every staff member of this Department should be enthusiastic about any change that will benefit students. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Linda McMahon wasted no time in announcing plans to eliminate bureaucratic bloat at the Department of Education on the day she was sworn into office. McMahon was sworn in as Education Secretary Monday and it was swiftly followed by her plans to carry out President Donald Trumps vision for the department abolishing it. Trump has repeatedly said he wants McMahon, estranged wife of WWE mogul Vince McMahon, to put herself out of a job and shut down the department. My vision is aligned with the Presidents: to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children, McMahon said in a message sent to staff Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She warned that the overhauling of the department will profoundly impact staff, budgets and agency operations. We must start thinking about our final mission at the department as an overhaula last chance to restore the culture of liberty and excellence that made American education great, McMahon said. On Day 1, Education Secretary Linda McMahon warned that the overhauling of the department will profoundly impact staff, budgets and agency operations (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The department sends federal money to public schools, manages student loans and oversees college financial aid. The federal agency does not decide what is taught in public schools and, as of September, its workforce had approximately 4,200 employees, according to the New York Times, making it the smallest of the 15 cabinet executive departments. McMahon acknowledged that she would need the cooperation of Congress to dismantle the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, dozens of Education Department employees were put on paid leave in response to an executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the federal government, the Associated Press reported. Most of the workers dont work in DEI but had taken an optional diversity course promoted by the department, according to a union that represents department staff. Trumps order called for government DEI officials to be fired to the maximum extent allowed by law. McMahon, pictured during her Senate confirmation hearing last month, said she plans to eliminate bureaucratic bloat at the department (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) In her statement, McMahon also lashed out at DEI initiatives and said that taxpayer-funded education should refocus on meaningful learning in math, reading, science and historynot divisive DEI programs and gender ideology. Democrats sounded the alarms about the proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im highly concerned that her interest in destroying the Department of Education will mean children with special needs will not be able to access individualized education plans, that our lower-income students will be able to afford college and higher education, and that our school districts will lose out on critical funding to meet the needs and well being of their students, New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told ABC News. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state branded McMahon another unqualified billionaire who doesn't understand the Department she's tasked with leading, while Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Independent on the Senate Education Committee, added: We must make the Department of Education stronger and more efficient, not to dismantle it as Trump has proposed. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Due to the possibility of severe weather on Tuesday, March 4, some schools will be dismissed early. Central Mississippi Ambition Prep : 1:15 p.m. Belhaven University: 1 p.m. Brookhaven School District : 12:30 p.m. Canton Public School District Elementary schools: 12 p.m. Middle schools: 12:30 p.m. Canton High School: 12:45 p.m. Clinton Public School District Clinton Park, Northside, Eastside: 12:00 p.m. Lovett, Clinton Junior High School, Clinton Success Center: 12:45 p.m. Sumner Hill, Clinton High School: 1:30 p.m. East Central Community College : 2 p.m. Hinds Community College : Will transition to virtual classes and work at 12:30 p.m. Hinds County School District BEEMS, GRE, GRI, RE/CMS, MSRC and UEMS: 11:15 a.m. BMC: 12:00 p.m. RHS and THS: 12:30 p.m. Jackson Public School District Elementary Schools: 12:00 p.m. Middle Schools: 12:30 p.m. High Schools: 1:20 p.m. Jefferson County School District: 12 p.m. Kosciusko School District KLE, KME, and KUE: 1:10 p.m. KJHS and KHS: 1:30 p.m. Lawrence County School District : 12:30 p.m. Lincoln County School District : 12:30 p.m. Madison County Schools MCS Preschool: 10 a.m. Elementary schools: 11:30 a.m. Shirley Simmons Middle School: 11:45 a.m. Middle schools: 12:15 p.m. Academic Options Center: 12:15 p.m. Rosa Scott School: 12:20 p.m. High schools: 12:30 p.m. McComb School District Kennedy Elementary: 11:55 a.m. Summit Elementary: 12:05 p.m. Otken Elementary: 12:05 p.m. Higgins Elementary: 12:10 p.m. Denman Junior High: 12:45 p.m. McComb High: 12:40 p.m. Mississippi College Classes , including MC Law, will shift to remote learning beginning at 12:30 p.m. Natchez-Adams School District Susie B. West Gilmer McLaurin: 10:30 a.m. Morgantown: 10:55 a.m. Natchez Early College: 11:10 a.m. Natchez Middle, Natchez High and Natchez Options: 11:35 a.m. Rankin County School District Dismissal times will vary by school based on location. Parents must check ParentSquare for specific dismissal times for your childs school. The Redeemers School : 12:30 p.m. Scott County School District : 2 p.m. Simpson County School District : 12:45 p.m. SR1 College Preparatory and STEM Academy Bus riders: 11:30 a.m. Car riders at 11:45 a.m. Vicksburg Warren School District Elementary schools: 11:45 a.m. Junior High Schools: 12:30 p.m. High schools: 12:45 p.m. Pine Belt Columbia Academy : 11:30 a.m. Columbia School District : 12:30 p.m. Covington County Schools : 2 p.m. Forrest County Agricultural High School : 2:15 p.m. Forrest County School District Rawls Springs: 1:15 p.m. Earl Travillion: 1:25 p.m. North Forrest Elementary: 1:55 p.m. South Forrest: 2:00 p.m. North Forrest High: 2:05 p.m. Dixie Attendance Center: 2:10 p.m. Hattiesburg Public Schools Lillie Burney: 1:20 p.m. STEAM & Burger Middle: 1:30 p.m. Elementary Schools: 2:00 p.m. Hattiesburg High: 2:30 p.m. Laurel School District Nora Davis: 11:45 a.m. Oak Park: 11:55 a.m. Laurel Magnet: 12:05 p.m. Laurel Upper: 12:15 p.m. Laurel Middle: 12:45 p.m. Laurel High: 1:20 p.m. LEC: 1:00 p.m. Petal School District Elementary schools (PreK-6 grade): 12:30 p.m. Secondary schools (7-12 grades): 2 p.m. Richton School District : 2 p.m. Walthall County School District Tylertown Primary: 12 p.m. Tylertown Elementary: 12:15 p.m. Tylertown High: 12:30 p.m. Salem Attendance Center: 12:30 p.m. Dexter Attendance Center: 12:30 p.m. Wayne County School District : 1 p.m. William Carey University : 2 p.m. Yazoo County School District: 12 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Click here to keep up with the Storm Team 12 forecast. This list will be updated if other school districts decide to dismiss early or close on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Weather Forecast Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Gianluca Lo Nostro and Michal Aleksandrowicz (Reuters) -Eutelsat is in talks with the European Union to supply additional internet access to Ukraine, it said on Tuesday, amid a two-day surge in its shares on the prospect that OneWeb satellites could replace Elon Musk's Starlink there. Shares of the Franco-British satellite group have more than tripled in value over the past two days, adding over 1 billion euros ($1.05 billion) to their market capitalisation. The rally follows Friday's clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump that raised to question Starlink's future in Ukraine. Since then, leaders from major European economies have agreed to ramp up defence spending and the European Commission proposed a 800 billion euro defence plan for the region. A White House official said anonymously on Monday that Trump would pause all military aid to Ukraine, paving the way for Europe to step up its efforts in supplying the country. "We are exchanging with the EU as to how we can contribute to enhancing Ukraine efforts," a Eutelsat spokesperson told Reuters, adding the company also has geostationary (GEO) satellite capacity suitable for some applications there. The EU had reportedly already been talking with Ukraine about Govsatcom as a possible Starlink alternative. Eutelsat runs 35 GEO satellites and has expanded its low earth orbit (LEO) network to up to 600 satellites after its acquisition of Britain's OneWeb in 2023. OneWeb's LEOs are the same as those used by Space X's Starlink, whose fleet of about 7,000 satellites provides internet access to 125 countries. Eutelsat says it offers the same capabilities as Starlink in terms of coverage and latency in Europe. "We are actively collaborating with European institutions and business partners to enable the swift deployment of additional user terminals for critical missions and infrastructure," it added. The company had on Monday doubled down on its commitment to boosting Europe's satellite autonomy and providing internet access to Ukraine. "Yesterday's remarks by Eutelsat ... highlights Eutelsat's importance for European defence capabilities," ING analyst Jan Frederik Slijkerman said. Until recently, the prospects of the European satellite industry were questioned due to strong U.S. competition, despite a strong commitment by the European Commission towards the planned IRIS satellite constellation, Slijkerman added. ($1 = 0.9481 euros) (Reporting by Michal Aleksandrowicz and Gianluca Lo Nostro in Gdansk; additional reporting by Supantha Mukherjee; editing by Milla Nissi) The Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has wreaked havoc ever since forming under Donald Trumps second presidential term. The agencys extensive layoffs within the federal government had have damning consequences. Now, publications like The New York Times and ProPublica have identified dozens of DOGE employees. Here are some of Musks workers who have no problem carrying out his dirty work. Brad Smith, Health Official Photo: Alex Brandon (AP) Smith served in numerous health-related policy roles during the first Trump administration before leading DOGE (alongside Steve Davis) during the presidential transition. He is also a friend of Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law. Amy Gleason, Acting Administrator Image: LinkedIn/Live 5 News Gleason was a part of the first Trump administration where she worked at the United States Digital Service (which was later absorbed by DOGE). She also worked with Brad Smith at an investment firm focused on health companies before being named the administrator of DOGE. Adam Ramada, Education and Labor Departments Liason Photo: X/Twitter Ramada possesses a background in finance start-ups. In lawsuits, he has identified himself as the lead when it comes to Education and Labor Department issues. Ramada has also been referred to as a liaison between Elon Musks engineers and political officials. Tom Krause, Senior Treasury Official Photo: Daily Mail Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Krause will help lead DOGEs efforts to gain access to sensitive federal payment systems to help Musk identify and get rid of wasteful spending. According to the Treasury Department, Krause and his team have read-only access to the agencys Fiscal Service payment system, which processes payments for vital programs like Social Security and Medicare. Marko Elez, Software Engineer Photo: X/Twitter Elez is a one of Musks former X employees, who now has access to the Treasury Departments payments system as part of the DOGE team. A series of racist social media posts led him to resign from the agency last month, but Elez was immediately rehired after JD Vance defended him. Joe Gebbia, Adviser Photo: Reuters (Reuters) This billionaire Airbnb cofounder once supported Democrats in the past, but now is a Trump supporter. Gebbia also is an ally of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He shared on social media that his first DOGE project would be improving the slow and paper-based retirement process. Michael Grimes, Commerce Department Adviser Photo: The Wall Street Journal Grimes background includes overseeing tech investment banking at Morgan Stanley. He played a crucial role in helping to finance Musks $44 billion takeover of Twitter in 2022. Steve Davis, Aide Photo: The Wall Street Journal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davis has been a close friend of Musk for two decades. He has worked with Musk at SpaceX, X and the Boring Company. Davis was also one of the first people to be reportedly associated with DOGE last year. Chris Young, Political Adviser Photo: Instagram Young is not only a former lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry, but he also once worked for Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal. Last year, Musk reportedly hired Young to start a grassroots political organization focused on voter turnout. Amanda Scales, Chief of Staff, Office of Personnel Management Photo: Washington Program-UC Davis Scales first received attention in the first week of Trumps presidency over a memo barring diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the federal government (she served as a point of contact for questions). She used to work at xAI, Musks artificial intelligence company, and will help restructure the federal workforce. Jeremy Lewin, DOGE Liaison, State Department and U.S.A.I.D. Image: ProPublica Lewin is a Harvard Law School graduate who oversees grants across government and works as DOGEs agency lead for the State Department and U.S.A.I.D. He plays a crucial role as Musk destroys U.S.A.I.D., stripping countries of valuable life-saving resources. Austin Raynor, Lawyer Photo: UVA Law Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Raynor is DOGEs lawyer who previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He was once a member of the conservative Federalist Society and worked on the Virginia Law Review. Raynor believes Trump has the legal right to challenge the concept of birthright citizenship. Jennifer Balajadia, Assistant Photo: ProPublica According to records reviewed by ProPublica, Balajadia is Musks assistant. She had previously worked as the operations coordinator at The Boring Company for seven years. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has embarked on a radical transformation of the federal government, implementing widespread funding freezes and withdrawals, cutting tens of thousands of federal employees, and canceling a series of programs and grants that it sees as being linked to "DEI" (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). There remains confusion over the scale of the cuts, enacted in part by the "Department of Government Efficiency" led by billionaire Elon Musk, with limited information being provided by the government as to where layoffs are happening and to what extent. There are also ongoing battles in the courts over the Trump Administration's seemingly illegal move to freeze or cancel funding previously appropriated by Congress. On Friday, Feb. 28, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison joined a second lawsuit against the "illegal" funding freeze, saying that despite previous restraining orders, he and 21 other Attorneys General have found the administration continues to withhold essential funding, and that states, grantees, and programs are continuing to experience a significant lack of access to funds, putting lives and jobs at risk." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This includes "hundreds of millions of dollars in FEMA grants," he added. Angela N., Flickr This all comes before Congress fills in the details on its budget blueprint that will cut $2 trillion-worth of federal spending, which many have pointed out will almost certainly mean cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Here's the latest running list of institutions, organizations, and nonprofits that have been impacted by ongoing federal funding cuts, layoffs and freezes. If your organization has been impacted, let us know by emailing news@bringmethenews.com. Federal building lease cancelations It's emerged in the week of Mar. 3 that Musk's DOGE is terminating the leases on hundreds of federal facilities across the U.S., including 11 in Minnesota. Among the offices seemingly set to be kicked out is the Indian Health Services center in Bemidji. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more here. The Food Group The New Hope-based anti-hunger nonprofit had a grant from the USDA frozen by the federal government, subsequently creating a cloud of uncertainty for not only providing for those in need but also its staff. Read more here. Mississippi National River and Recreation Area The Mississippi Park Connection, a nonprofit that provides programming at the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area in St. Paul, says that 3 out of 20 staff at the local National Park Service unit have lost their jobs. The nonprofit says it's also affected by the ongoing federal funding freeze. Read more here. Playwright Center The south Minneapolis theater nonprofit said on Feb. 14 that it was told to withdraw its "DEI" (diversity, equity and inclusion policies) or lose its grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The theater group refused, and doubled down on its DEI policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more here. National Weather Service Sweeping job cuts at the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration appeared to have started on the week of Feb. 24, impacting some Minnesota offices. There has been no confirmation at this time of the number of staff affected in the Upper Midwest, but there has been at least one staff member cut at NWS Aberdeen, which covers part of Minnesota, and NWS Grand Forks on the North Dakota/Minnesota is reportedly now considered "critically understaffed." Read more here. Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge The Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge say two staff members at the refuge have been laid off, including a biologist and a park ranger. The organization says the cuts will have a significant impact on programming at the refuge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more here. State of Minnesota While details of the exact toll federal funding freezing are having on Minnesota, AG Keith Ellison said on Feb. 28 that "the funding that remains frozen includes hundreds of millions of dollars in FEMA grants to essential state programs that are responsible for wildfire prevention response, cybersecurity, flood mitigation, and emergency management." University of Minnesota-Twin Cities The University of Minnesota has lost a Teacher Quality Partnership grant to train special ed teachers, per the Sahan Journal. The university could also be hugely impacted by cuts to science funding implemented by the Trump Administration, while the freeze on grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) could cost the school "billions in research funding over the coming years," according to MinnPost. University of St. Thomas The St. Paul university has lost two teacher-training grants to train special ed and elementary teachers, apparently due to the "DEI" cuts implemented by the Trump Admin. These comprise a $6.8 million SEED grant canceled by the U.S. Department of Education and a $2.8 million Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) grant, which affects more than 200 students in total. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more here. U.S. Forest Service Minnesota Again, total numbers are not known, but there has been at least one worker at the Voyageurs National Park who has lost their job since broad cuts of the Forest Service were reported: park ranger Kate Severson, who has been invited by Sen. Tina Smith as her guest at President Donald Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday, Mar. 4. The Star Tribune also reported on at least one firing from Superior National Forest, which it says was already considered chronically understaffed. Read more here. Victims groups A coalition of victims services providers held a press conference last week, detailing the impact that federal funding freezes are having on their predominantly-federally funded organizations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The groups included the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Minnesota Indian Womens Sexual Assault Coalition, Violence Free Minnesota, Mending the Sacred Hoop, Minnesota Alliance on Crime and Minnesota Childrens Alliance. The Fargo Forum reports that their funds are still being frozen, grants stalled, and "funding portals ... taken down." Bloomington-based Cornerstone Advocacy Service said their federal funding was cut off the week of Feb. 24. Governor DeSantis Gives 2025 State of the State Address to the Florida Legislature https://t.co/eg6pxmm2f6 Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 4, 2025 As state lawmakers return to the Capitol Tuesday for the annual 60-day legislative session, it's anyone's guess as to what this year's overriding issue will be. The fight over illegal immigration seems to have resolved in the last special session, though there's more coming on that front. Now, there's sure to be debate over cutting or getting rid of property taxes, lowering the cost of home insurance and allowing guns on college campuses. The first order of business, after legislative leaders deliver opening remarks to their members, is Gov. Ron DeSantis' State of the State address to lawmakers, setting the tone for the session and providing a strategic vision. Expect him to focus on accomplishments from the past year, emphasizing the state's economic growth and an array of conservative policy wins. The USA TODAY Network Florida will share highlights (and odds and ends) below of the legislative session's opening day, so check back often. Gov. Ron DeSantis gives brief remarks during the swearing-in ceremony for Attorney General James Uthmeier at the Florida Historic Capitol on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. State of the State: That's a wrap 12:05 p.m. The governor's speech lasted roughly 31 minutes. We'll post his remarks as prepared as soon as we get them. Gov. Ron DeSantis gives his State of the State Address on opening day of the Florida legislative session, Tuesday,March 4, 2025. Governor has begun the State of the State 11:23 a.m. Gov. Ron DeSantis has started his State of the State address, mentioning accomplishments over the last year, including what he said were insurance cost decreases, giving a nod to lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also mentioned the state's recent 180th birthday, crowed about Florida's lowest per capita state debt and low taxes, saying he is proposing more tax holidays, including a Second Amendment Summer on guns and ammo. DeSantis is also taking aim at property taxes, saying homeowners "need a break." He's backing a constitutional amendment for the 2026 ballot to increase the homestead exemption. Session in pictures 11:05 a.m. Photojournalist and visual storyteller Alicia Devine is documenting the opening day of the 2025 legislative session. A gallery of her work is below and also will be updated. Waiting for the governor 10:31 a.m. Lawmakers are parked in neutral till 11 a.m., when they'll get together in the House chamber to hear the governor's address under a joint resolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both legislative leaders also delivered remarks to their members in the lead-up to the State of the State. In written excerpts released Tuesday, Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said, "... We have an important theme going here. Agriculture matters. ... I was born and bred in Florida citrus and this vital industry is not going down on my watch. To those growers who are left in the business, hear me when I say, you are not forgotten, you are not alone, and Im running to this fight." Albritton, a citrus grower, is backing a "rural renaissance" this session. "Research and new technologies are offering a new hope for the future of Florida citrus. Were on the edge of something special. Florida Citrus is making a comeback, one tree at a time. This Florida legacy will live on. ... Together these initiatives will provide the chance for rural communities to prosper, in a real and honest way, and grow as they see fit. Weve seen tremendous economic growth in urban areas of Florida, and as Ive said before, its rural Floridas turn." Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami (left) and Florida Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula (2024 file photos). House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said he wouldn't have an overarching theme or priority: "When I spoke to you from this rostrum in November at Organization Session, I said I would be foregoing the traditional presiding officer game of defining the work of session around a set of my own personal priorities; that this process needed to be less about 'me' and more about 'we.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In nearly every interaction Ive had with the press or any appearance Ive made before a group since that date, Ive been asked the same question: what are MY priorities this session? "Members, if you look online, you will see there is no House Bill 1 filed. Nor is there a House Bill 3 or 5 or 7 or 9. I will not find meaning for my Speakership in personal priorities. The mission of my Speakership is to have this House be the most engaged, vibrant, and dynamic legislative chamber in the country." Both chambers are in session 10:05 a.m. The House and Senate have officially gone into session, with House Speaker Daniel Perez marking the passing of two members of the Legislature, Geraldine Thompson and Lincoln Diaz-Balart. Thompson, a Windermere Democrat, died last month after complications from knee surgery, her family said. She was 76, and was a state senator when she died but had been a member of both chambers over the years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diaz-Balart, a Miami Republican and "fierce advocate for Cuban democracy and immigrant rights," had been a state representative and senator and also was a member of Congress for 18 years. He was 70. Meet the press: DeSantis to 'gaggle' with reporters 9:46 a.m. The governor's office sent a notice to the news media that he would "gaggle" with reporters immediately after his State of the State speech, scheduled to start at 11:15 a.m. So what's a gaggle, besides a group of geese? It's generally understood in this context to be an informal but still on-the-record meeting between a politician or other newsmaker and members of the press. (If you're a Wall Street Journal subscriber, read more about the word's evolution here.) 2025 Session: A calm, and then a storm? Legislators have already held three sessions this year, but theres still some heavy-hitting legislation that could impose more immigration laws, lower restrictions on guns and cut property and business taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday the House and Senate will meet at the Florida Capitol again for the regular 60-day legislative session, and although Gov. Ron DeSantis and GOP legislative leaders agreed to a compromise on immigration enforcement measures, it came after a war of words. Now, a panoply of contentious issues guns, insurance and taxes, even immigration again, to name a few could produce more clashes between DeSantis and his fellow Republicans. Read the rest of the story here. Lawmakers arrive, businesses thrive: Downtown Tallahassee gears up The Florida legislative session begins Tuesday, which means the capital soon will be flooded with lawmakers, lobbyists and busloads of out of town activists all providing an essential boost for Tallahassee's dining businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ashley Chaney, owner of Hayward House across from the Capitol, refers to the scheduled 60-day convergence as the restaurant's "Super Bowl," prompting her and other businesses to gear up for the influx of customers who will network, cut deals and be seen. "There's an electricity downtown when the Legislature is in. There's people from all over the state that come to visit Tallahassee to do the state's business," Chaney said. Read more here. 5 questions as DeSantis, lawmakers find new balance of power The last time Florida lawmakers gathered for a regular session, Gov. Ron DeSantis was still running for President and dominating the legislative agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, as lawmakers prepare to kick off another 60-day regular session Tuesday, Donald Trump is President, having elbowed DeSantis out of the GOP primary, and the governor is fresh off a bitter fight with Republican legislative leaders over stricter immigration enforcement. That fight ended with the Legislature passing many of DeSantis proposals but leaving out several key pieces, such as restrictions on money illegal immigrants send back to their home countries and removing his power to transport the undocumented to other states, such as Massachusetts. Keep reading here. This is a live blog and will be updated throughout the day. It may contain material previously published by USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network Florida. Jim Rosica is a member of the USA TODAY Network's Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jrosica@tallahassee.com. Follow him on X: @JimRosicaFL. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Live updates: Florida Legislative session begins with DeSantis speech President Trump touted his administrations early accomplishments, laid into the previous administration and provided some sweet moments with invited guests in the first address to Congress of his second term. Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the Golden Age of America. From that moment on, it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action to usher in the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country, he said. Many Democrats lodged protests throughout. Minutes after Trump began his address to Congress on Tuesday night, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) heckled the president. Speaker Mike Johnson had Green removed from the chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speech, his fifth to Congress, comes against the backdrop of newly levied tariffs on the nations closest trading partners, Canada and Mexico. The tariffs, which went into effect in the wee hours and drew sharp rebukes from those nations leaders, may be short-lived, though. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in late afternoon that a deal to end them could be announced as soon as Wednesday. It comes just 10 days before a potential government shutdown. Efforts to try to avert it will ramp up Wednesday, with both Trump and Elon Musk expected to talk to Republicans. Follow along for more on these stories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man accused of attempted murder threatened to kill several people and himself moments before a shooting, witnesses told police in documents 8 News Now obtained. On Saturday, Jan. 25, at around 5:20 p.m., officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to the 2800 block of East Charleston Boulevard, near East Fremont Street, after reports of a shooting. Arriving officers found a white BMW SUV engulfed in flames. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Surveillance video from nearby businesses showed a man, later identified as Dedre Hines, 33, arrive in the SUV. Video showed Hines take a large handgun from the vehicle and put it in his pocket or waistband as he walked into a convenience store, according to an arrest report. He attempted to make a purchase but left when he was turned away. He then entered a gaming bar connected to the convenience store. An employee at the bar told police Hines walked toward two men sitting in the corner of the business and said, Do you want some? You want some? [Redacted], Ill kill you and then Ill kill myself, the report stated. The men did not respond to Hines so he approached the counter and the employee told him he was not allowed to have a gun in the bar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The employee told police that Hines responded, Says who? and pointed the gun at the employees face, saying, Ill kill you too, and then Ill kill myself, the report stated. Hines then slammed the gun on the counter and said, All I want is a pack of cigarettes, before picking up his gun and leaving, according to the report. Another employee saw Hines with the gun and heard him say the word kill several times and called 911. After he left, she saw the SUV on fire outside and called 911 again, the report stated. Hines returned to the convenience store and tried to make another purchase but was once again unsuccessful, the report said. Surveillance video showed him holding out the gun before entering the store again before leaving for a final time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hines then realized his vehicle was engulfed in smoke and flames, entered the drivers door to grab something and walked away. The arrest report did not say how the SUV caught fire, but did say two additional people were in the vehicle with Hines when he arrived. Police found a receipt with Hines name on it inside the burnt SUV, according to the report. Photos on a social media profile belonging to Hines matched surveillance footage of the incident. A woman driving in the area said she saw a man, Hines, crossing Charleston Boulevard on foot and it looked like he was holding a gun. She told police she quickly maneuvered around him. After she passed him, she saw the man pointing the gun at her car in her rear-view mirror, saw a flash from the firearm and heard a gunshot. She drove around the corner so she could park and call 911. There were three children in the vehicle with her, the report stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police located and arrested Hines on Feb. 28, more than a month after the shooting, at an apartment in the 2800 block of Sunrise Avenue, less than half a mile away from the location of the shooting. When Hines was shown a photo from the surveillance video at the gaming bar, he said he did not know who it was, started laughing, and then asked for a lawyer. Police took Hines to the Clark County Detention Center, where a judge ordered him held on a $50,000 bail. He faces the following charges: Attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon Two counts of assault with the use of a deadly weapon Three counts of child abuse or neglect Burglary while in possession of a firearm or deadly weapon Discharging a gun at/into an occupied structure/vehicle/craft Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Records show his next court appearance was scheduled for March 11. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Britain will slash public expenditure to pay for an increase in defence spending, the Chancellor has suggested, as Britain and Europe scramble to bolster their security. The Chancellor hinted that ministers will prioritise making efficiency savings over tax rises as part of the Governments pledge to boost Britains military budget. Rachel Reeves pointed out that this was the approach taken last week, when Sir Keir Starmer announced a cut in foreign aid to fund the increase in defence spending to 2.5pc of GDP by 2027. An ambition to reach 3pc within the next parliament was also confirmed, a move that would cost an extra 14bn a year in todays prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That has prompted speculation that Ms Reeves will be forced to dip into voters pockets after launching a record tax raid on businesses in her October Budget. But asked whether households should be bracing themselves, Ms Reeves said: I will never play fast and loose with the public finances, and I will always explain where the money is going to come from. But I think you should note that it was through spending reductions elsewhere that we were able to fund this increase in defence spending. That was the choice that we made, rather than increasing taxation. Her comments come amid speculation that the Government is preparing to cut the ballooning sickness and disability benefits bill, which is forecast to rise from 65bn to 100bn by the end of this decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to manufacturers on Tuesday, Ms Reeves described the worklessness crisis as a stain on our country. Official data published last week showed almost 1m young people are out of work with many thought to be behind rising claims for mental health benefits. Ms Reeves said: [It] should be the best time of their life to get skills, to make friendships, to build their confidence but instead theyre sitting at home often doing nothing. Over the weekend, Alison McGovern, the employment minister, also signalled that cuts to sickness benefits were coming as she said the UK could not afford the spiralling bill. Meanwhile, across the Channel, French ministers suggested they pay for higher military expenditure by levying higher taxes on the wealthy and investors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric Lombard, the French finance minister, said: People who have significant savings must contribute to tax. Its what were considering. We mustnt cut budgets. We can on the other hand look at how the effort is shared among the French people. Britain and its Nato allies are scrambling to ramp up defence spending following warnings from Donald Trumps US administration that Europe must shoulder more of the burden for its own security. Mr Trumps decision to give Ukraine the diplomatic cold shoulder and cut off military aid following a blazing row with president Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House has also sent shock waves through the Continent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has prompted calls for higher defence spending at home, but also for an increase in support to Ukraine, as it battles Russian forces without American assistance. However, there are signs that doing so could be painful for European countries struggling under mountains of debt, prompting calls for changes to EU budget rules to allow looser spending. France is now spending around 50bn (41bn) per year on debt interest payments, about the same as it spends on defence, according to Bloomberg. On Tuesday, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, set out plans to activate a mechanism that would allow countries to use national budgets to spend an additional 650bn on defence over four years without triggering budgetary penalties. The EU will also propose extending 150bn in loans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britain has separately proposed a bomb bank that European countries could pay into to collectively finance rearmament across the Continent. 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. WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) Jefferson Community College announced that family-run Lowville company Zehrs Flowers and Landscaping has invested heavily in its staff by enrolling seven employees in JCCs CDL Class A training. Zehrs reaffirmed its commitment to staff development and business expansion by contributing more than $63,000 to the project. Jefferson Community College hosting Instant Admit week Samantha Widrick, CEO of Zehrs, emphasizes the importance of workforce investment: It is very important to invest in your employees because they are your team! They are the face of a business, and they need to feel invested in to keep their inspiration going strong for the company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Widrick explains that operations of Zehr will be substantially enhanced by having additional CDL-certified drivers because it will ease the burden on their scheduling department. She continues by saying that when some vehicles can only be driven by a small number of personnel, scheduling becomes challenging. This investment in employees will allow Zehrs to take on more work and eventually increase the profit from these jobs, according to Widrick. The college says Lewis County JCC Education Center in Lowville hosted JCCs CDL Class A training, which was provided in collaboration with The CDL Schools. The rigorous, 192-hour program ran Monday through Friday from February 3 to February 28, 2025, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The curriculum covered the following topics: Classroom instruction; Lab work; Learning management system instruction; Entry-level driver training theory certification; Commercial learners permit preparation; Behind-the-wheel vehicle training; Proficiency requirements for the class a CDL skills test ; Training on a manual transmission vehicle; and Test scheduling. Parents demand answers from Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District board members Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This curriculum is essential training to meet Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirements, according to JCC. At Jefferson Community College, we are committed to strengthening our local workforce by providing high-quality training and facilitating accessible funding opportunities for individuals seeking to enhance their skills, said JCC President Daniel J. Dupee, II. Zehrs Landscapings investment in employee development through our CDL Class A program exemplifies the kind of employer partnership that drives economic growth and workforce sustainability in our region. We applaud their dedication to investing in local talent and encourage other businesses to take advantage of the resources available at JCC to build a stronger, more skilled workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is expected to increase by 4.6% between 2023 and 2033, generating nearly 102,000 jobs during the decade. This growth is being driven by rising demand for freight transportation across the country. As of May 2023, the median annual wage for these drivers was $54,320, demonstrating the professions stability and earning potential. Zehrs invests in CDL Class A training to position its workers to capitalize on these opportunities, ensuring they are well-prepared for a booming and well-paying sector. This strategic move benefits employees while also strengthening the companys operational capabilities in a competitive market, according to the college. Local Students show off skills at Odyssey of the Mind Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CDL Class A training will be held at JCCs Watertown campus from May 19 to June 16, 2025, and at the Lewis County JCC Education Center in Lowville from July 14 to August 8, 2025. Classes meet Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Seating is limited, so employers should secure spots for their team members now. For more information, you can contact the JCC Workforce Solutions office at 315-786-2233, or email ced@sunyjefferson.edu. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com. HONOLULU (KHON2) On March 3, President Donald Trump announced that 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will go into effect the next day. However, products from China also have an added tariff, which is concerning to many local businesses. China hits US with retaliatory tariffs While importers and exporters were invited to learn more about market opportunities in the region at a trade seminar on March 3 at Pier 9, the White House announced an additional 10% tariff, doubling the current tax on Chinese goods. This also brings up the additional concern of a possible reciprocal tariff on goods coming from Hawaii. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think this tariff, we still need time to figure everything out, including policies and implications toward exports and imports, but Im sure with the eager demand for Hawaiian products we will continue to navigate and find a way to solve this, said Cedric Wan of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Jeff Lau of the Hong Kong Business Association, Hawaii shared concerns, but believes that Hawaii will still be able to thrive, given the quality of the islands exports. In the short run, it might be difficult as the presidents negotiations go forward, but hopefully in the long run things will balance out and bring prosperity to Hawaii, Lau said. I believe Hawaii is a place that produces a lot of good and high quality products, and it will be a growing market in Asia especially with Hong Kong as the superconductor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, trade between Hawaii and Hong Kong stands at about $11 million, with the exchange of tech and agricultural products being the focal points. Hong Kong will host a food expo and beverage fair later this year to provide new market opportunities to local businesses hoping to reach Asian consumers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WCBD) A statewide burn ban remains in effect Monday, and local crews are preparing for the possibility of new fires. Firefighters across the Carolinas are continuing to battle multiple brush and wildfires amid dry, windy conditions that forced some residents to temporarily evacuate. The South Carolina Forestry Commission issued the ban Saturday evening for all counties. It prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning, and campfires in all unincorporated areas of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colt Roy, the assistant chief of Central Berkeley Fire and EMS, said the agency has responded to five or six calls per day related to people burning outside since Thursday. He urged residents to take the ban seriously. This ban covers any outside open flames, Roy said. Thats burn pits, burn barrels, piles of leaves, stumps, sticks, yard debris, whatever you have. Do not do it. A new wildfire started Monday afternoon at Wass Lane in Moncks Corner, but officials said the blaze was fully under control. Though conditions are expected to improve over the next few days, local agencies are preparing in case additional fires spark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mount Pleasant Fire Department has positioned its brush fire units at the Carolina Park and Dunes West stations and increased staffing. In the meantime, Roy said people should call 911 immediately if they see an open flame outdoors. The conditions are such that an ember from that fire under the right circumstances could cause a very, very big problem, not just for the fire department but for the community itself, he said. A map of active wildfires in South Carolina can be found on the forestry commissions website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2. China advances manned lunar program for 2030 moon landing 08:35, March 04, 2025 By Zhao Lei ( Chinadaily.com.cn This photo shows the exterior design of China's moon-landing spacesuit during the third Spacesuit Technology Forum in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, Sept 28, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua) China is making steady progress in its manned lunar exploration program, with all research and construction work advancing as planned to achieve the goal of sending Chinese astronauts to the lunar surface by 2030, according to the China Manned Space Agency. The agency said in a news release on Monday that key components of the ambitious project, including the Long March 10 heavy-lift carrier rocket, Mengzhou manned spacecraft, Lanyue lunar lander, Wangyu lunar suit and Tansuo crew rover, are currently in the preliminary prototype development phase, and the design work is proceeding on schedule. Meanwhile, construction of new testing and launch facilities is underway at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province. The overall design plans for ground systems like tracking, telemetry, command and landing site infrastructure have been finalized, and construction work is set to begin imminently, according to the release. Once realized, China's manned lunar program will make the country the second nation to land astronauts on the moon, significantly boosting its global space standing. The United States successfully made six Apollo crewed missions in the 1960s and 1970s, bringing 12 Americans to the silver celestial body. The country's roadmap for its first manned lunar expedition involves two Long March 10 launches from the Wenchang spaceport to transport a Lanyue lunar lander and a Mengzhou manned spacecraft to lunar orbit. After reaching their preset orbital positions, the Lanyue lander and the Mengzhou vessel will rendezvous and dock. Two crew members will enter the lander, which will then undock and descend toward the lunar surface for an engine-assisted soft landing. On the moon, the astronauts will drive a Tansuo rover to carry out scientific tasks and collect samples. Upon completion of their assignments, they will return to the Lanyue module, which will fly them back to their spaceship waiting in lunar orbit. In the final stage, the astronauts will carry the samples into the Mengzhou spacecraft, which will then undock and carry the crew back to Earth. To prepare for this challenging adventure, China has selected its fourth group of astronauts, who are currently training for lunar landing and surface operations. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WJBF) The burn ban is staying in effect in South Carolina, as wildfires continue across the Palmetto State. Thats why local fire departments are keeping an eye on the danger and staying alert. We spoke with Sergeant Daniel Smith with North Augusta Public Safety. The state for the past few days has been burning inward from both ends, from the coast and the upstate. So, its always great to take heed when things like that are happening around youbecause it can just as easily happen here, said Smith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state fire marshal confirmed over the weekend there are more than 175 wildfires with ongoing operations. North Augusta Public Safety responded to a brush fire over the weekend, but they say there are no active wildfires in the area. While the CSRA is not in the danger zone, fire officials say the air quality is cause for concern. Fortunately at this exact moment, the majority of the wind is pushed through, but were looking for moisture to come back in our area to keep the volatility with any debris wanting to burn. In times like this when the humidity is extremely low and such a dry air mass is in place, it heightens the chances for any controlled burn to get out of control very quickly and spread to unwanted areas, Smith said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Burn Ban was put in place on March 1st, prohibiting all outdoor burningincluding yard debris, prescribed burning, and campfires. Any synthetic material shouldnt be burned. The South Carolina Forestry Commission does a great job of explaining what yard debris is, and what is allowed to be burned. A reminder for the city of North Augusta that debris burning is not allowed by city ordinance, said Smith. As Public Safety continues to keep an eye on weather conditions, theyre also making sure the community is doing their part by heeding the warnings. Were just pushing out to the public to look out for your open burning right now. The community does a great job of taking care of things like that. So, for the department specificallywe can continue doing business as normal, because this is a great community to serve, Smith added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor McMaster has said the burn ban will stay in effect until further notice. Firefighters are warning the community to avoid any burning at all costs, and call 9-1-1 if there are any immediate threats. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. POLAND, Ohio (WKBN) The Western Reserve Joint Fire District welcomed a new fire truck to its fleet. The new truck, a 2025 Sutphen Pumper, took three years to build. It pumps about 1,500 gallons of water per minute and can carry an additional 1,000. The new truck cost about $715,000. Fire Officials say theyve been saving money over the last several years to pull off the purchase. It replaces an older engine that was getting difficult to service and find parts for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The biggest thing was that our old vehicle was a 1997. Its just a matter of getting parts. This is much more reliable and much more efficient. It will help us serve the community in a more practical way, said Chief David Comstock Fire officials say they plan to sell the engine to another 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 WKBN.com. (Reuters) - U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin said on Tuesday it completed an initial flight test integrating a long-range anti-ship missile (LRASM) weapon system onto the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet. The upgrade will allow the F-35 fighter jet to carry Lockheed's AGM-158 strike systems - the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). Integration of the AGM-158 strike systems family delivers increased reach and lethality against heavily protected, strategic targets, Jon Hill, vice president, Air Dominance and Strike Weapons at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The test, conducted in collaboration with the F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force, marked the inaugural flight of the F-35B with advanced weapons. The F-35 program contributes about 30% of the company's revenue. However, it has been facing delays in rolling out a technology upgrade known as Technology Refresh 3, which aims to improve the jet's displays and processing power. (Reporting by Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid) NEW LONDON, Conn. (WTNH) A New London man was arrested on Feb. 28 for alleged sexual assault against a minor, according to police. Woman dies after crashing in New London Peter Travisana, 35, was arrested by warrant for a reported incident of crimes against a child. He was charged with sexual assault in the first degree and risk of injury to a minor. This is an ongoing investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. New London Sitting on a fifth-grade classroom carpet inside the Regional Multicultural Magnet School on Monday, Carey Redd II stepped away from his job as the citys head of parking and transportation and into the role of historical guide. Redd paged through the book Sit-in: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down, by Andrea Davis Pinkney, the story of four Black men who took part in the 1960 Woolworths lunch counter sit-in in North Carolina that helped lead to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling prohibiting segregation. Rapt students chimed in with comments and questions. Redd was one of a dozen volunteer readers pulled from the community and city leaders, lawmakers, firefighters and residents for the K-5 charter schools first African-American Read-In event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In-between his reading of book passages, such as, At first, they were treated like a hole in a donut invisible, Redd, a Black man and self-described child of the '60s, added his own recollections of the segregation era. We did a lot of this stuff, he said, encouraging his young listeners in the multicultural classroom to voice their own interpretations of the books narrative. Redd said he hoped to re-emphasize to students the concept that separate isnt equal. I do think weve turned a corner in this country compared to the 1950s and 1960s, he said. But its a never-ending battle that requires us to collectively focus and be accepting of differences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other readers included state Rep. Anthony Nolan, D-New London; Recreation Director Joshua Posey; New London police Officer Christina Nocito with wellness canine Traveler; community booster Curtis Goodwin; and retired U.S. Navy sailor Raymond Mosley. Books included "The Year We Learned to Fly" by Jacqueline Woodson and Roda Ahmed's "Mae Among the Stars, about a Black girl's dream of becoming an astronaut. Mosley, a Norwich resident whose first assignment in 1971 was on the World War II-era diesel-powered submarine USS Clamagore, said, instead of reading, he planned to speak of his experience as the only Black sailor among a crew of 93. It was challenging and there was some conflict, but nothing too extreme, said Mosley, 71. You share a space the size of a sub, you learn to get along. I learned that in order to get along with people, you need to learn about them. Principal Mariana Reyes said the event, the schools first, was part of a national effort to celebrate Black authors through guest readers, many of them also Black. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want the students to know their identification matters, Reyes said. Im hearing a lot of rhetoric that identification doesnt matter, thats its not important and that diversity isnt valued. I hope this re-affirms that thats not how we feel at this school. Reyes, who comes from a large Costa Rican family, the last of whom immigrated to the U.S. in 1991, said the day after President Donald Trump was re-elected, she was confronted by student tears and worries. They were worried theyd be taken away, or that their parents would be, Reyes said, adding the school serves a large Hispanic population. And as a school who depends on federal funding, were unsure about a lot of things, too, like our grant funding. For city firefighter Lt. Al Mayo, the event was a chance for Black students to see someone who looks like them in an admirable position. And hopefully in 20 years, theyll come down to the firehouse, he said. My motto is Get em while theyre young. j.penney@theday.com A Long Island teenager has been arrested and charged with fatally shooting another teen he had previously quarreled with, police said Monday. Jeremias Ferrufino-Rodriguez, 18, was accused of killing Jefferson Mancia-Fernandez, 19, in a brazen daytime shooting Saturday in Hempstead, Nassau County police said. Ferrufino-Rodriguez was formally charged with one count of second-degree murder and two gun crimes. Both the suspect and the victim lived in Hempstead. Investigators said Mancia-Fernandez was helping his mother move apartments and walking down a neighborhood street when Ferrufino-Rodriguez spotted him, Newsday reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cops said Ferrufino-Rodriguez then pulled up in his vehicle and shot Mancia-Fernandez once in the chest, according to News 12 Long Island. These two individuals knew each other; this was a targeted event, Nassau County police officer Stephen Frederick told Newsday. Apparently, theres some friction between them from the neighborhood, and on that particular day they ended up in the same location at the same time. Authorities said the shooting was not related to any street gangs, according to Newsday. Officers executed several search warrants in the area, leading to Ferrufino-Rodriguezs arrest at his home on Sunday morning. The weapon used to kill Mancia-Fernandez has not yet been recovered, authorities said. Ferrufino-Rodriguez had no prior criminal record. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Sheri Jones has announced her retirement after almost 37 years of bringing all of us the news on WLNS TV 6 in Lansing. Joness contributions to broadcasting have earned her a well-deserved place in the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, solidifying her status as a respected journalist. Sheri is respected and beloved by the Mid-Michigan community for her warm, steady, and compassionate presence. Her dedication to journalism is further evident through her multiple accolades and memberships in prestigious organizations. Sheri Jones She is an inductee of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and a member of the Silver Circle with the Michigan chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her commitment to excellence has also garnered her Emmy nominations and accolades from the Associated Press and the Michigan Association of Broadcasting. Beyond her professional achievements, Jones has ventured to places like Japan as part of Lansings Sister City program, contributing to cultural understanding and international relations. Jones also spent time in China taking part in economic development efforts on behalf of the city of Lansing and the state of Michigan. Over the years, her spirit has shone through with her involvement with Habitat for Humanity Capitol Region, where she led a team to Kenya, Africa, to build a home for a deserving family in Homa Bay. Sheri Jones In Lansing, Jones has championed causes such as the opioid crisis, mental health, gun safety, and sex trafficking through her role at the station. Jones has also taken the lead in organizing station initiatives, hosting debates and telethons, and fostering community engagement and awareness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 1994, Jones has been the spokesperson for Mid-Michigan Crime Stoppers, producing segments that have aided in the capture of many of the areas most wanted fugitives. In 2018, Crime Stoppers had an 80% success rate in taking fugitive felons off the street. Sheri Jones is a dedicated journalist, a global ambassador, and a compassionate advocate, leaving an indelible mark on both the field of journalism and the communities she serves. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Barbara Hugghins, a longtime member of the Cherokee County Child and Family Services Board, has retired. Hugghins, who served more than 30 years, began her association with the board as a foster parent. She said she had one foster daughter from second grade through high school graduation, a couple of teen boys through graduation and several short-term placements. As a foster parent, the board helps you and that was the way it started, Hugghins said. You have to work closely with CPS because youre supervised by a caseworker. I worked with Child Protective Services and the child welfare board and then Court Appointed Special Advocates and I dont remember when I was officially elected to the board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said seeing children able to return to their families or find adoptive homes were positives she witnessed during her tenure with the board. One change shes seen over the years is kinship care, where children are placed with relatives in this area, which enables them to remain in their own communities and schools. Among the highlights of her tenure and things Hugghins said the board did well were the annual appreciation banquets, the childrens Christmas party and the Rainbow Room, a storage closet -available to caseworkers around the clock that provides necessities for caseworkers and foster parents. Hugghins not only served on the local board, but the regional board serving 23 East Texas counties and the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hugghins said she wanted the public to know the CCCFSB is appointed by the county judge and it seeks representation from the various parts of the county. Whoever is on the board is very conscientious about the needs of the children, about working with CPS caseworkers and investigators, she said. There are about 15 members on the board and they are very faithful in their service. Hugghins cited her age as the reason for her resignation from the board. I didnt do anything spectacular, she said. We all worked together. Hugghins said she will continue to volunteer as a hostess at Loves Lookout and the food pantry at First Methodist Church. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Cherokee County Child & Family Services board would like to thank Barbara for her many years of service, generosity and commitment to the foster children of Cherokee County, and wish her all the best as she enjoys her well-deserved retirement, said Jaclyn Tyler, CCCFSB Chairwoman. The CCCFSB is a nonprofit organization that helps ensure appropriate services are provided to all abused, neglected, and at-risk children in Cherokee County. If interested in volunteering or to learn more, visit www.CCCFSB.org. CCCFSB meets at 4:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at the Jacksonville Public Library. Meetings are open to the public. To be included on the agenda, contact Jaclyn Tyler at 903-284-3860 at least 30 days prior to meeting. LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) A Longview nonprofit will be hosting a grand reopening celebration on Saturday. A little over a month after One Love Longview announced they would be shutting their doors due to lack of funding, the nonprofit will be returning to Longview in a new location as One Love World. Im sorry, Im really sorry,: One Love Longview closing doors after 5 years The celebration will be held to introduce the public to their new facility, their current staff and the nonprofits plans to expand their operation. The event will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 907 Reel Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) Heres a look at some of the events scheduled at the state Capitol for Tuesday, March 4, the 31st working day of the 2025 session of the South Dakota Legislature. House Taxation at 7:45 a.m. CT in room 464 considers three bills, including whether to require a public hearing prior to a vote to impose an excess tax levy. Bill barring eminent domain passes through committee Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Agriculture and Natural Resources at 7:45 a.m. CT in room 414 considers two bills, including whether to create the water infrastructure development fund. Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources at 10 a.m. CT in room 423 considers four bills, including whether to provide that equine dental maintenance not constitute the practice of veterinary medicine. House Transportation at 10 a.m. CT in room 413 considers two bills, including whether to require that an individual registering as a voter when applying for a driver license be a resident of this state for the purposes of voting. Senate State Affairs at 3 p.m. CT in room 414 considers four resolutions and four bills, including whether to establish a moratorium on construction of carbon pipelines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other committees meeting on Tuesday include Senate Judiciary, House Appropriations, Senate Education, House Health and Human Services, Senate Commerce and Energy, House Local Government, and Joint Appropriations. The Senate and the House of Representatives convene their general floor sessions at 2 p.m. CT. The Senate debate calendar has 12 House bills and one resolution. The House debate calendar has six Senate bills. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BOCA RATON The Shadowood Square shopping center west of Boca Raton is about to get a major makeover. The owners of the site at State Road 7 and Glades Road will demolish the shuttered Shadowood 16 movie theater which seated nearly 3,000 people and a communication tower and then gut three other buildings. Six new buildings will be constructed to accommodate 50,000 square feet of retail stores and restaurants, all with outdoor dining. The new venues will also include a fitness center, a car wash and a tire store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palm Beach County commissioners on Feb. 27 approved the zoning changes that will allow the reconfiguration of the shopping center to move forward. Boynton Mall update: Mall owner purchases Macy's building - what does it mean for future? Makeover plans for shopping center in suburban Boca Raton South Carolina-based Edens, a national retail real estate developer, acquired the 339,343 square-foot shopping center in August 2023. It said the population growth in suburban Boca Raton had created an increased demand for "modern and relevant retail experiences." The movie theater opened in 1987 and closed in January 2023 after its owner, Cineworld, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It had a reputation built over decades for being one of the few spots to see smaller independent films alongside blockbusters. The matinees once drew crowds to the shopping center and it served as the plaza's anchor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County Commissioner Maria Sachs called Shadowood, which is located in her south county district, an "iconic development that has been a real community meeting place." She urged Edens to consider using part of the 35-acre parcel for housing and to find a book store to replace the Barnes & Noble that closed last year. Edens' agent, Scott Backman, responding to Sachs, said efforts are under way to bring in a book store and possibly housing as well. An Edens spokesperson declined to say what retail tenants would be moving into the new center. Edens also redeveloped the Lakeside Centre complex at Glades Road and Florida's Turnpike about 2 miles east of Shadowood Square. Developer hopes stores, restaurants revitalize suburban Boca area Edens expects the project to revitalize the Glades Road and State Road 7 corner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Redevelopment plans will draw on our deeply rooted placemaking philosophy to deliver a curated and elevated destination to the Boca community," Edens said in a news release issued when it bought the shopping center for $88.4 million from a partnership led by Miami attorney Evelyn Langlieb Greer. In documents submitted to the county, Edens said available land for commercial retail is limited and that it would be desirable to redevelop existing older commercial centers such as Shadowood. It noted that the county's zoning code encourages such redevelopment. When the work is completed, there will be parking for 1,356 cars, 13 more than what is required. Plans call for reconfiguring of parking areas near the new buildings, as well as for paving and drainage, water and sewer improvements. The county is requiring that landscaping along Glades Road contain one 12-foot native tree every 30 linear feet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The makeover will reduce the building square footage on the property by about 4,000 square feet, according to documents submitted to the county. After the makeover is completed, the square footage will actually be reduced by about 4,000 square feet, according to documents submitted to the county. Shadowood is an exciting addition to EDENS Florida portfolio," said Nicole Shiman, senior vice president at EDENS when it purchased the shopping center. She said the company hopes its plans "will resonate with the local community." Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and issues impacting homeowner associations. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today. : This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Shadowood Square plans new stores, restaurants in west Boca Raton Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is facing a political minefield as he seeks to avoid a government shutdown in just 10 days, with both Republicans and Democrats complicating the path to keep the lights on in Washington. Democrats, whose support will be needed to keep agencies running, are pushing for assurances in the stopgap to make certain that President Trump will direct the funds as appropriated by Congress while Republicans are opposed to putting limitations on executive authority. Partisan tensions are heating up. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Sunday accused GOP lawmakers of having walked away from the negotiating table. House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) responded in a Monday statement, My chair hasnt moved I remain at the negotiating table, charging that some Democrats would rather risk and leverage a shutdown than work in sincerity to reach a feasible solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans, meanwhile, are putting pressure on the Speaker from multiple sides, with moderates slamming the idea of yet another stopgap, defense hawks raising concerns about the impact a continuing resolution would have at the Pentagon, and hard-line conservatives pressuring Johnson to incorporate some of the Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) cuts into the bill. The multifront battle is sure to create headaches for Johnson as he juggles those competing priorities while working to stave off a government shutdown during Trumps first 100 days in office which would be a black eye for the entire Republican trifecta. Government funding is always bipartisan. You have to have partners on both sides of the aisle to do it, Johnson said on NBCs Meet the Press over the weekend. And we need our Democrat colleagues to come to the table and be reasonable about that. Johnson, for his part, lowered the chances of a shutdown over the weekend when he dismissed calls from hard-line conservatives to have DOGE cuts reflected in funding legislation. In appearances on a trio of Sunday talk shows, he endorsed President Trumps call for a clean continuing resolution (CR) until Sept. 30, the end of fiscal 2025 a change from what he said on CNN last week, when he entertained trying to include some adjustments based on DOGE actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were looking to pass a clean CR to freeze funding at current levels to make sure that the government can stay open while we begin to incorporate all these savings that were finding through the DOGE effort and these other sources of revenue that President Trumps policies are bringing to the table, Johnson said on Meet the Press. Cole said the ultimate CR will include a number of anomalies, referring to spending tweaks, but not anything reflecting DOGE cuts a sign that the GOP is looking to forge ahead in a bipartisan fashion. There need to be no poison pills, no effort to achieve victories at the expense of our friends on the other side of the aisle, Cole said. That plan, however, runs the risk of angering some hard-line conservatives who have been calling for any stopgap to reflect the dramatic changes to the federal workforce implemented by DOGE and the Trump administration, such as gutting the U.S. Agency for International Development and canceling federal contracts, even as these actions are challenged in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) told The Hill last week, for instance, that he would have a real hard time voting for a clean CR after everything that weve seen out of DOGE. But House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) put his stamp of approval on the CR plan. DOGE has to keep on going and quantify very specifically before we put it in budgetary terms or appropriations terms, said Harris, who is a House Appropriations subcommittee chair. Even if he gets uniform support from hard-liners, Johnson is not in the clear on the other ideological end of the spectrum in the House GOP conference. A clean funding stopgap is also getting pushback from more moderate and centrist members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) stated plainly that he will vote against the continuing resolution. I am a NO on the CR, Gonzales said Sunday in a post on the social platform X. Congress needs to do its job and pass a conservative budget! CRs are code for Continued Rubberstamp of fraud, waste, and abuse. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) also voiced criticism, raising concerns about a CRs potential impact on the military and national security. The military has never operated under a yearlong CR. A continuing resolution (CR) is bad for our military and weakens our national security. A CR means new weapons programs cannot get started. A year-long CR means we are not serious about building a military that will deter China, Russia and Iran, Bacon posted Sunday on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats, however, could be a much bigger problem for Johnson and Trump as they seek to keep the government open. Because of the Senates 60-vote threshold, their support will be needed to pass a CR and with GOP defections likely in the House, Johnson, who is managing a super-slim majority, could need their support in the House. The decision by GOP leadership to leave the DOGE cuts for another time is likely a welcome development for Democrats. Last week, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, slammed the idea of codifying DOGE efforts in a continuing resolution. Still, it remains unclear if Democrats will continue their push for language in the stopgap that would limit Trumps powers to spend the money appropriated by Congress a demand that is a nonstarter among Republicans. Jeffries, in addition to accusing Republicans of walking away from negotiations, also said there has been zero outreach from the Trump administration and reiterated the partys priorities for the funding measure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the recent budget resolution vote made clear, there will be no support for partisan legislation that fails to protect the quality of life of the American people, most importantly with respect to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, Jeffries said, alluding to some of the Democrats asks. Unfortunately, it appears that Republicans, who control the House, the Senate and the presidency, are once again determined to shut the government down and hurt everyday Americans. Asked about whether Democrats could support the funding bill being crafted, Cole said they would likely need to see the legislation first and alluded to Republicans in the House trying to pass a bill without their support. If our people will stick together, we can get it out of here, Cole said. Youre going to have to have Democratic support in the Senate. Thats above my pay grade, Cole said. But I hope people understand its better to keep the government open than to shut it down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A Los Angeles County man was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for his role in a scheme that involved forging and depositing over $1.2 million in fraudulent money orders. Sterlyn Lee Smith Jr., 49, of Lancaster, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay over $432,000 in restitution. From July 2013 to February 2019, Smith and multiple accomplices altered money orders purchased at U.S. Post Offices in California and Nevada, inflating their values before depositing them into bank accounts under other peoples names, according to the United States Department of Justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group would then withdraw funds before banks could detect the forgeries, officials said. In total, Smith and his co-conspirators deposited or attempted to deposit more than 1,200 forged money orders. Smith eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud, one for each bank he defrauded. This case highlights the importance of investigating and prosecuting financial fraud that targets banking institutions and the public, said Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the official law enforcement agency of the Postal Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who suspects mail fraud is urged to report it by calling the USPS Fraud Complaint Hotline at 1-800-372-8347 or visiting www.usps.com/postalinspectors. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Aunt Cecelias ashes used to be over there, in a wooden box on the shelf. Her niece steps gingerly across the charred rubble of this house that used to be and points to the exact spot. So this was the end of the wall, Angel Baltazar says. The box was set right here. A small clump of ashes buried in a sea of ash. Baltazar begins to cry as she talks about caring for her sick aunt and the thought of losing the cremated remains to a wildfire that swept through this Altadena neighborhood in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were going to take her out to the ocean and release her, she says. We hadnt done it yet. Now, on this gray February morning, there is a sliver of hope in the form of volunteer archaeologists who have arrived from Northern California. Employing techniques otherwise used to excavate ancient burial sites, they can search for human remains in the ruins of burned houses. It still seems impossible to Baltazar as she leads a team from the Alta Heritage Foundation onto the property. Everyone is dressed in masks, gloves and hazmat suits. Team leader Risa DeGeorgey explains what happens next. Were going to move carefully, she tells Baltazar. Were going to peel back the layers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then she calls in the dog. Commercial archaeologists spend much of their time preparing reports for developers and government agencies that want to build near historic sites. They ensure that no cultural artifacts will be disturbed. DeGeorgey and her husband, Alex, own a Santa Rosa consulting firm that has focused on such work for more than a decade, but when wildfires swept across their hometown in 2017, destroying thousands of houses, a colleague needed something different. He lost the cremated remains of both his mother and father, Alex says. He was concerned that he could not follow through with their final wish, which was to be scattered in a special place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DeGeorgeys called a friend who had searched for Amelia Earharts remains on the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro. He told them rescue dogs that find bodies at disaster sites can also be trained to detect the fainter scent of a person who had been dead for years, even someone who had been cremated. Volunteer archaeologists Elyse Mallonee, left, Julia Granato, Parker Sheriff and Risa DeGeorgey of the Alta Heritage Foundation search for cremated remains in the rubble of an Altadena house that burned during recent wildfires. Cremains, as they are known, differ from burnt wood, glass or plastic in that they feel grittier, look sandy or even rosy and often stay clumped in roughly the shape of their urn, even if the container has shattered or burned away. Also, they usually include a fireproof ID medallion that crematory operators attach to the body before burning. Armed with this knowledge and help from a canine search-and-rescue group the DeGeorgeys found the remains for both of their colleagues parents. I was shocked, Alex says. The local newspaper wrote a story and other wildfire victims began calling, desperate for help. Quincy cannot wait to get started. The 3-year-old British Labrador shiny black, a bit small for her breed scurries onto the burn site, pushing her nose into piles of ash, moving from one spot to another, wagging her tail the whole time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shes not altruistic, handler Karen Atkinson says. She wants the reward at the end. Hunting and herding dogs have a primal instinct for what is called historic human remains detection. Because traces of human scent are scattered throughout the debris, they must survey the entire area, then determine where the smell is strongest. Quincy, a 3-year-old English Labrador, can sniff out cremated remains buried under ash and rubble so volunteer archaeologists know where to start digging. Not far away, on what used to be the doorstep, Baltazar waits beside her friend Nyangu Chipembere. This is actually Chipemberes house; Baltazar left Aunt Cecelias ashes here while moving. The women talk quietly. Its killing me, Chipembere says. My kids grew up in this house. Volunteer archaeologists Elyse Mallonee, left, and Parker Sheriff carefully sift through ash and rubble while looking for cremated remains in the ruins of an Altadena house. They watch as Quincy, one of many working dogs at the Institute for Canine Forensics in Northern California, circles an area near the back of the house, where Baltazar had originally pointed, then abruptly lies down. This is known as the alert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre all done, Atkinson chirps to her dog, marking the spot with a small flag. Im going to play ball with you. One of the volunteers says: Now the hard work begins. A fireproof ID medallion, often attached to bodies before cremation, helps archaeologists confirm they have recovered cremains lost in burned homes. There have been so many disastrous wildfires in California and Oregon over the last eight years, so many people in need. The DeGeorgeys have worked 19 burn sites, including the Woolsey fire area, recovering cremains from more than 300 homes. Its been a long process, Alex says. Weve definitely gotten better along the way. Their foundation separate from their business never charges a fee, relying instead on donations and help from a network of professional and student archaeologists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twenty or so volunteers have signed up for what figures to be the first of numerous Southern California visits after the Eaton and Palisades fires. Preparing for three days of digging at 35 locations, they gather in the parking lot of a Pasadena strip mall for a tutorial. Archaeologists like their screens, they like to screen dirt, Alex says beforehand. We cant do that here. Its a useless method. Angel Baltazar, second from left, wipes away tears as volunteer archaeologists from the Alta Heritage Foundation find the ashes of her cremated aunt. The remains were lost in the January fire that swept through Altadena. Shoveling techniques must be altered and the potential for toxic waste requires that everyone take care in wearing protective gear. The crash course addresses another unusual aspect of this work. Archaeologists normally operate on their own, toiling at some remote dig or surveying land in the wilderness. This time, relatives of the deceased will be looking over their shoulders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past, some families have picnicked on site, taking snapshots, drinking wine as they watch the dig. More often, husbands or wives or children collapse in tears when the cremains are found. Alex divides his volunteers into four teams and sends them off with a warning: Were going into, basically, a war zone. Its a very emotional situation. Be respectful. Somehow the flames skipped over a patch of grass next door, giving Quincy the perfect spot for a game of fetch while Risa and her team begin work. Starting from a radius of 3 feet, they gently dig toward the marker from all directions, using shovels and then switching to pointed trowels to scoop debris into dust pans for closer inspection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is much rubbing of ash between fingers and squinting to gauge the color. Elyse Mallonee, an archaeologist from Hollywood, calls to Risa: Can you look at this? But it is just scorched building material. A burnt horseshoe found in the rubble is more promising as a probative clue. The team summons Baltazar and Chipembere, who confirm that it was kept near the urn. Same with a white crystal and a decorative ceramic lid. A small blue flag marks the spot where a trained dog detected cremated human remains at a fire-ravaged house in Altadena. As the excavation resumes, Baltazar finds a metal bowl in the driveway that has collected rain and, dipping her hand in the water, carefully wipes soot from the crystal. A volunteer pauses to walk over, asking: Are you all right? Baltazar nods. It takes another half-hour to isolate a distinct pile of ash about a foot from the marker. The oatmeal color looks about right and when Risa picks at it with her trowel, the surrounding black and gray debris falls away, revealing the rough outline of a boxs edge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im pretty confident this is it, she says. Still, the team keeps inching the rest of the way to the marker, to be sure. Eight years and hundreds of digs at wildfire sites have taught the DeGeorgeys something about this peculiar type of archaeology. Families need something to hold on to, they say, a very personal artifact from their lives before the disaster. As the search for Aunt Cecelias remains now focuses on the light-colored pile near the marker, it will be impossible to keep some burned drywall and insulation out of the mix. "I hope she liked the house," Risa says. "Because a little bit of the house is coming with her." Carefully scooping the ashes into a zip-lock bag, Risa uncovers a piece of charred wood that looks like part of the box, then another and another. Eventually she hits confirmation the etched medallion. Baltazar crouches for a better look. Thank you, thank you, she says. This is a blessing. Volunteer nurse Jenny Sims, in white, hugs Nyangu Chipembere as Angel Baltazar looks on. The cremated remains of Baltazar's aunt were lost in a house that burned during the recent Altadena wildfire. The entire process takes about two hours, after which everyone walks back to the street, dusting themselves off, giving hugs. Lots of hugs. The site was dampened by recent rain, so Risa suggests spreading the ashes on a cookie sheet and allowing them to dry a bit, before scattering them in the ocean. Baltazar still seems astonished, saying again: I didnt think this was possible. She clutches Aunt Cecelia to her chest, giving the ashes an occasional squeeze, patting them gently with her hand. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A mysterious "boom" shook houses and surprised residents in a rural Minnesota community over the weekend. Andrew Montag, a resident of St. Thomas in Le Sueur County, supplied the above video showing a bright light followed by a loud boom, with sparks then seen on the upper sides of the video frame. He told Bring Me The News said "many neighbors in the area experienced a loud boom and houses shaking." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Le Sueur County Sheriff's Office says it was called on a report of "two large explosion/bang noises" at about 9:15 p.m. Saturday. A police report states that a sergeant searched the area in question and didn't "observe anything unusual." Montag suggested it may have been a meteor strike, but a spokesperson for the National Weather Service said they had not received any reports regarding meteor strikes and can't confirm this incident as such. Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcements latest version of events, and may be subject to change. Gov. Jeff Landry holds a copy of state laws as he speaks in the Louisiana House of Representatives on the opening day of a legislative special session, Nov. 6, 2024, at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate, Pool) Science frequently takes a backseat in Louisiana, with politics or religion often steering state leaders instead and not in a good, Jesus, take the wheel way. The latest instance involves Gov. Jeff Landrys choice to single out students who were evidently instructed to write to him for a school assignment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landry went on social media Feb. 18 to share emails received from three students. Screen captures showed two submissions from Tangipahoa Parish and one from a West Baton Rouge student, although the governor said they came from a single school. Look at the emails we received from students at a school in Hammond, Landry wrote. A teacher required students to email our office to complain about climate change. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The governors office concealed the students names and their school from his Facebook post. My editing is minimal on the comment forms they submitted online to the governors office: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My teacher says climate change is bad, sorry to bother you, one Tangipahoa student wrote. [M]y teacher made me sent (sic) this to you, the other Tangipahoa student wrote. [I]t for a grade, add more vet for cat and dog, and stop make power plant because it hurt earth. The West Baton Rouge student wrote: idk my teacher is making me do this but I mean you need to fix the whole cancer ally (sic) thing. Landry didnt specify whether he received more messages with this tone, but three was apparently enough for him to make broader assumptions. As I stated in my inaugural address, our education system is too focused on indoctrination instead of education, the governor said. It is NEVER the job of a teacher to push a political agenda. We are committed to bringing common sense education back to our classrooms! Common sense, or at least the governors version of it, apparently ignores broad scientific consensus that greenhouse gas emissions contribute to global warming. Sea level rise and more frequent severe weather events are the evidence staring Landry and the rest of Louisiana square in the face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would hope the governor would actually look into the specifics of things before he starts just badmouthing teachers, badmouthing school systems and using students to score political points. Brett Duncan, Tangipahoa Parish School Board Its inconceivable that Landry would disregard the abundant data that prove climate change is indeed real. But if he did accept that premise, it would mean he couldnt go after an unidentified teacher and three students to score political points with those who are either uninformed or in blissful denial. Its notable that Landry used redacted public documents to make his point, given his history of seeking exemptions from the states sunshine laws for his own records. That includes when he was attorney general and sued a reporter to keep her from receiving records that revealed one of his top assistants had sexually harassed coworkers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One parent at last weeks Tangipahoa Parish School Board meeting wasnt pleased with the recent governors tactics, according to a report from The Daily Star. He said his son wrote one of the messages Landry highlighted, and he had a problem with the governor using his son as a political pawn. He and other students were just following an assignment that involved science and civics, the unidentified parent told board members. Instead of wanting to engage students, [Landry] wants to vilify a teacher and use the child as a political pawn, the parent said. Im OK if theres a handful of liberal teachers in our schools, he continued. Its fine. We shouldnt be narrow-minded in one direction. We shouldnt read exactly what the politician says were supposed to read. That is really anti-American and anti-education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parent had at least one ally in school board member Brett Duncan, who said he didnt appreciate being blindsided by the governor. Duncan said Landry didnt reach out to the board to learn more about the assignment or teacher in question before their Feb. 25 meeting. In the future, I would hope the governor would actually look into the specifics of things before he starts just badmouthing teachers, badmouthing school systems and using students to score political points, Duncan said. Thats pretty good advice, though its not likely the governor will follow it. That would require him to accept certain facts that might not jive with his political stances. This episode is even more disappointing when you hold it up against Landrys justifiable pride in his mothers work as a career educator. However, he seems to hold little regard for her profession based on his jump to uninformed conclusions on Facebook. At the very least, we should expect our governor to be above using disgruntled adolescents to gain political mileage. For that lesson, he deserves a failing grade. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE By Ahmad Ghaddar, Olesya Astakhova and Alex Lawler LONDON (Reuters) -OPEC+ has decided to proceed with a planned April oil output increase, the group said on Monday, a move that follows U.S. President Donald Trump renewing pressure on OPEC and Saudi Arabia to bring down prices. The increase is the first since 2022 from OPEC+, which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, plus Russia and other allies. Oil was trading 2% lower towards $71 a barrel at 1900 GMT. Eight OPEC+ members that are making the group's most recent layer of output cuts held a virtual meeting on Monday and agreed to proceed with the April increase, OPEC said. The increase is 138,000 barrels per day according to Reuters calculations. "This gradual increase may be paused or reversed subject to market conditions," OPEC said in a statement. "This flexibility will allow the group to continue to support oil market stability." Oil has been trading in a range of $70-$82 a barrel in recent weeks in anticipation of major changes to U.S. sanctions on large oil producers Iran, Russia and Venezuela as well as U.S. tariffs on China that could reduce demand. Trump has renewed pressure on OPEC to bring down prices, which rallied to multi-month highs above $82 a barrel in January after Trump's predecessor Joe Biden slapped new sanctions on Russia. Since then prices have fallen on hopes Trump would help clinch a peace deal in the war between Russia and Ukraine and boost Russian oil flows. However, his plans to cut Iran's oil exports to zero and the cancellation last week of a Chevron license to operate in Venezuela prevented prices from falling further. The combination of those bullish and bearish factors made decision-making for April extremely complex, OPEC+ sources have said. They added that Trump's plans for global tariffs could complicate the outlook even further. OPEC+ has been cutting output by 5.85 million barrels per day, equal to about 5.7% of global supply, agreed in a series of steps since 2022 to support the market. In December, OPEC+ extended its latest layer of cuts through the first quarter of 2025, pushing back the plan to begin raising output to April. The extension was the latest of several delays last year. Based on the plan, the gradual unwinding of 2.2 million bpd of cuts - the most recent layer - begins in April with a monthly rise of 138,000 bpd. (Reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar, Olesya Astakhova, Alex Lawler and Dmitri Zhdannikov, editing by Tomasz Janowski and Nia Williams) President Donald Trump could reduce the 25 percent tariffs that he imposed Tuesday on Canada and Mexico, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in an interview on Fox Business Network, less than 18 hours after the duties went into effect. "Both the Canadians and Mexicans were on the phone with me all day today trying to show that they'll do better" on reducing fentanyl flows into the United States, Lutnick said. "So I think [Trump] is going to work something out with them." "It's not going to be a pause none of that pause stuff," he continued. "But I think he's going to figure out, 'You do more, and I'll meet you in the middle some way.' And we're probably going to be announcing that tomorrow." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So somewhere in the middle will likely be the outcome. The president moving with the Canadians and the Mexicans," Lutnick said, adding that he did not expect immediate tariff relief for China since it continues to subsidize fentanyl production that is killing Americans. Trumps tariffs on Canada and Mexico sent tremors throughout world capitals Tuesday and helped drive down financial markets in New York, shortly before the president is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress. Business leaders and farm state Republicans called for a quick end to the trade war, amid alarm about their bottom lines and a return of surging inflation. One senior Republican aide, who was granted anonymity to discuss a politically sensitive matter, said the White Houses apparent retreat from the hours-old tariffs hasnt been communicated to us but called the dizzying set of announcements juvenile." Lutnick indicated Tuesday afternoon that Trump could tie tariff reductions to the implementation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that his first administration negotiated to replace the decades-old North American Free Trade Agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president is considering giving you relief if you live under those rules, Lutnick said. If you havent lived under those rules, well, then you have to pay the tariff. That suggests that the tariff could be eliminated or reduced for some sectors, such as autos, if they are abiding by the USMCAs tough rules-of-origin that govern how much of a cars parts need to come from within the region. However, it was not immediately clear what Lutnick actually meant by those remarks, and the White House did not respond to a request for comment. The United States, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to engage in an extensive review of the North American trade agreement next year, although the Trump administration has indicated they want to accelerate the timetable for that review. Lutnick said Tuesday that Trump ultimately wants Canada and Mexico to clamp down so hard on fentanyl shipments that there are no more fentanyl deaths in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fentanyl deaths are just not declining the way we expected, Lutnick said. Theyve just got to end. Even if the fentanyl issue is completely resolved, Canada and Mexico could face a new tariff threat in early April under Trumps reciprocal tariff plan, Lutnick added. Canada has a 5 percent sales tax. What is that? Lutnick said, suggesting that it constitutes a kind of trade barrier. Its just being sneaky. Canadas dairy market access barriers and its digital services tax are two more policies that Trump could counter with his reciprocal tariffs, the Commerce secretary said. Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this story Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will hold talks with the French president in Paris on Wednesday at the invitation of Emmanuel Macron, ahead of an important EU defence summit. Source: This was reported to the Hungarian news agency MTI by the Prime Minister's Communications Department, European Pravda reports, citing Telex Details: The main topic of the talks between Macron and Orban will be the war between Russia and Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, 2 March leaders or diplomatic representatives of 18 countries met in London under the leadership of UK PM Keir Starmer and French President Macron to discuss EU security issues. This followed a fierce verbal exchange between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday and the subsequent announcement that America would cut off military aid to Ukraine. The Hungarian prime minister did not attend Sunday's meeting. Orban later said that London had decided to continue the war in Ukraine. Background: European leaders reacted to the news of the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine by presenting the ReArm Europe programme, which could mobilise up to 800bn for defence, by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. On 6 March, EU leaders will gather for a summit dedicated to strengthening Europe's defence. On the eve of the summit, Hungary threatened to block the inclusion of a reference to support for Ukraine in its final statement. The Hungarian government supported the decision of the US President Donald Trump's administration to suspend all military aid to Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Attorney General Pam Bondi covered quite a bit of ground in her latest interview with Fox News Sean Hannity, but she specifically took a moment to reflect on one of her early experiences after being sworn in as the nations chief law enforcement official. After noting that she had visited assorted floors at Main Justice, Bondi explained that she also stopped by national security offices on the seventh floor. They still had a picture of Joe Biden on the wall and Kamala Harris, the attorney general said. Thats how bad it was. So, I, personally, took those off the wall. It was, to be sure, a brief anecdote, and as a rule, agencies replace presidential photographs relatively quickly after the torch is passed. That said, Bondis comments got me thinking about the larger context and the degree to which the Trump administration has prioritized wall art over the last six weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, the day after Donald Trumps second inaugural, NBC News reported that the Pentagon had taken down a portrait of retired Gen. Mark Milley, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who had become a frequent target of Trump condemnations. Soon after, the Defense Department also took down a different Milley portrait, which recognized him as a former chief of staff of the Army. Soon after, CNN, The Washington Examiner and Stars and Stripes, among other outlets, reported that the Pentagon also had taken down a portrait of former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who had repeatedly clashed with his former boss as well. (After working side by side with Trump, Esper concluded that the president was unfit for office, a national security threat and a threat to democracy.) In case that werent quite enough, after Trump met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House last month, reporters noticed that a framed copy of a New York Post cover, featuring the presidents mug shot taken after his criminal indictment in Georgia, had been placed on a wall just outside the Oval Office. (White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino later confirmed the presence of the photo in a social media video.) Ive followed plenty of presidents and their teams over the years, but I cant remember the last time there were quite so many stories about wall decor emanating from a new administration. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com While most Americans probably dont carry $100 bills, they exist, and they feature Benjamin Franklins face. At least, that is, they currently feature Benjamin Franklins face. As The Hill reported, Republican Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas, one of Congress newest and youngest members, has proposed legislation to redesign the C note. First-term GOP Rep. Brandon Gill (Texas) has introduced a measure that would require all $100 bills to have President [Donald] Trumps face on them. The legislation, titled the Golden Age Act of 2025, highlights a common sentiment from the president and his allies, which is that his second term will usher in the Golden Age of America. The congressman added in a written statement that altering the currency on Trumps behalf would be a small way to honor all he will accomplish these next four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Or put another way, Gill isnt prepared to celebrate Trumps actual record so much as he wants to put the presidents face on $100 bills in honor of accomplishments that havent yet happened. The legislation which, incidentally, is quite real and not something I made up to make members of Congress appear foolish has already picked up two co-sponsors: Republican Reps. Troy Nehls of Texas and Lauren Boebert of Colorado. In case this werent quite enough, the same afternoon, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California announced that hes nominating Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize. The GOP congressman didnt say why, exactly, he was doing this, though its likely that the president, who has long lobbied for the honor, will be pleased. Issa is also the co-sponsor of legislation, introduced last week, that would create a $250 bill, and its Republican authors also want to feature Trumps face. (Existing federal law prohibits any living person from being depicted on U.S. currency, but the bill would create a one-time exception to the legal prohibition.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As we discussed last week, there is a temptation to ignore silly congressional efforts like these, which will almost certainly go ignored. There is, however, a larger pattern thats worth appreciating. A few weeks ago, for example, Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York introduced legislation to make Trumps birthday a federal holiday. The GOP congresswoman, in apparent seriousness, argued that such a move would recognize him as the founder of Americas Golden Age. That bill came on the heels of a bill intended to carve Trumps face into Mount Rushmore, which came on the heels of a measure to allow Trump to seek a third term. There are also pending bills to rename Washington Dulles International Airport after Trump, as well as legislation to expunge Trumps first two impeachments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As The New York Times recently summarized, A competition of sorts has broken out for whom the Republican base will see as the most pro-Trump member. From the article: The rush of flattering legislation, some of which even the lawmakers concede is unlikely to pass, stands apart from merely carrying out Mr. Trumps agenda. ... It shows the power that Donald Trump has within the Republican Party these days, and that Republican members want to stay on his good side, said Sean M. Theriault, government professor at the University of Texas at Austin. A lot of these people are in really safe districts, but theyre also thinking about what their next step is. And so if they have designs on being in the Senate or running for governor or even a position in the administration, then theres no better way to get on his good side than to do these over-the-top moves toward him. This was published before the $250 bill proposal, the $100 bill proposal, the proposal related to Trumps birthday, and Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Im reminded once again of the response to the Ogles bill from Filipe Campante, a professor at Johns Hopkins University: The reason why this is bad is the very fact that its transparently ridiculous: It shows how this is becoming a Kim Jong-Un-style cult of personality, where the sycophants try to outdo one another in their groveling to get the attention of Dear Leader. That competition, alas, is apparently intensifying. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The NBC affiliate in Denver ran a strange story last week about a group of Republicans in Colorado who came up with an unusual request for the Trump administration. According to the local report, these GOP officials envision a scheme in which the White House agrees to block funding for the Rocky Mountain State until Colorados Democratic governor, Jared Polis, agrees to pardon a convicted criminal named Tina Peters. It was, to be sure, a bizarre pitch, which will not and cannot happen, but it was a timely reminder that for some on the far-right, Peters case remains highly relevant. In fact, The New York Times reported that even Donald Trumps Justice Department has apparently taken an interest in the matter. The Justice Department said on Monday that it would review the conviction of the former clerk of Mesa County, Colo., who was found guilty of state charges last summer of tampering with voting machines under her control in a failed attempt to prove that they had been used to rig the 2020 election against President Trump. The decision was the latest example of the Justice Department under Mr. Trumps control seeking to use its powers to support those who have acted on his behalf and to go after those who have criticized or opposed him. While the Times report hasnt been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, the developments are not the subject of rumor or scuttlebutt: The article specifically noted that the acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Departments civil division unexpectedly filed a brief in federal court this week, declaring that reasonable concerns have been raised about various aspects of Ms. Peterss case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this point, some readers might be thinking, Her name sounds familiar, but Im not quite sure who Tina Peters is. With this in mind, lets take a stroll down memory lane. Peters was a county clerk in Colorado who eagerly embraced Trumps lies and conspiracy theories about his 2020 election defeat, but thats not all she did. Peters also acted on those lies and conspiracy theories, using someones security badge to allow a Mike Lindell associate to access county election equipment. The apparent point of the endeavor was to leak election machinery data in pursuit of a conspiratorial plot that never existed in reality. Not surprisingly, Peters was caught and indicted. She pleaded not guilty, but after she and her attorney struggled to present a compelling defense, a Colorado jury convicted Peters, finding her guilty of three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, one count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failing to comply with the secretary of state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of sentencing, Peters showed no remorse. A judge ultimately sentenced her to nine years behind bars. This was a state official, charged with state crimes, by state prosecutors, in a state court, with a state jury, overseen by a state judge. What did the case have to do with federal law enforcement? Literally nothing. And yet, six weeks into the Trump administration, the Republican-led Justice Department is nevertheless taking an interest in the case The scrutiny of Peters case, according to Yaakov Roth, the acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Departments civil division, was an extension of the presidents executive order related to ending the weaponization of the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this turns reality on its head. The Justice Departments unwarranted intervention in this case serves as a timely reminder that, in 2025, federal law enforcement is focused on the interests of Trumps friends and allies. The brazenness is so plainly ridiculous, the Republican administration is hardly even trying to keep up appearances, and theres every reason to believe this will get worse in the coming days, weeks, months and years. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The more Donald Trump allies the United States with Vladimir Putins Russia, the more democracies around the world recoil. The reactions in Moscow, however, are predictably different. The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared over the weekend. This largely aligns with our vision. The apparent fact that Russia is pleased hardly comes as a surprise. No modern White House has been so overtly eager to kowtow to Moscow the way Trump and his team have, so of course the Kremlin is delighted by the new Republican-imposed alignment. It was against this backdrop that a reporter asked the American president directly for his reaction to Peskovs comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially, Trump dodged the question entirely, so a few minutes later, during the same Q&A at the White House, a different reporter followed up, effectively re-asking the same question, and adding whether Americans should be concerned about the administrations approach. Trump didnt challenge the premise, though he largely dodged the question again. It was an unsatisfying response to one of the worlds most important lines of inquiry, but the presidents evasiveness was ultimately inconsequential: The facts of the Republicans alignment with Russias wishes are so painfully obvious, and theyre part of a series of events that appear to be intensifying. NBC News reported: The Trump administration is pausing military aid to Ukraine, according to two U.S. officials, following last weeks public clash between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well, a White House official said Monday. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. In case this isnt obvious, the more the White House halts support for Ukraine, the more likely it is that Ukraine will no longer be able to protect itself against Russian aggression. This is, in other words, exactly what Russia wanted to see from the American administration. But just as notably, it was the latest in a series of developments in which the White House also delivered exactly what Russia wanted to see from the American administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consider what all of these recent moves have in common: And did I mention that Senate Republicans, at Trumps behest, confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as the nations director of national intelligence, despite her habit of echoing Russian propaganda? Because that happened, too. Whats more, this list might yet grow. Reuters reported that the Republican administration is also eyeing an overhaul to existing U.S. sanctions on Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Imagine a hypothetical scenario in which Putin spoke privately to Trump and provided the American president with a to-do list. Would it look much different than the White Houses agenda from the last six weeks? This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Donald Trump was only in the second week of his second term when his revenge tour arrived at the FBIs headquarters: The Republican president and his allies ousted senior bureau officials, including the assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. Several days later, Trump told the public that he intended to fire even more FBI personnel, accusing agents without evidence of being corrupt. It was an early reminder that Trump is determined not just to fundamentally change the bureau, but also to destabilize federal law enforcement. A month later, another shoe fell. NBC News reported: The head of the FBIs New York field office was forced out Monday, a month after he urged his employees to dig in after the Trump administration removed senior FBI leaders and requested the names of all agents who worked on Jan. 6 cases, five sources familiar with the matter told NBC News. In an email to FBI staff members in New York on Monday, James Dennehy confirmed that he had been ordered to leave. The backstory on this makes the developments all the more striking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early February, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove a former Trump defense attorney rewarded with a powerful position in the Justice Department made an outrageous request: Bove wanted the FBI to turn over the names of every employee who worked on Jan. 6 cases. Given the number of investigations into alleged and convicted Jan. 6 criminals, such a list wouldve been enormous. Just as importantly, it also raised the prospect of thousands of firings across the rank-and-file FBI staff, because assorted agents had the audacity to do their jobs in the wake of insurrectionist attack on the U.S. Capitol. Dennehy balked. Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own as good people are being walked out of the FBI, Dennehy wrote in an email to his staff after receiving Boves demand. And others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added, Time for me to dig in. In other words, Dennehy, confronted with an apparent abuse, took a stand in support of FBI agents who had done nothing wrong. NBC News report noted, It is widely believed inside the FBI that the resistance by Dennehy along with the acting director, Brian Driscoll, and the acting deputy director, Rob Kissane prevented a mass firing of thousands of FBI officials who worked on the Jan. 6 cases. A month after writing that email, Dennehy, a Marine Corps veteran who joined the bureau after the Sept. 11 attacks, was told that he could either resign or be fired. Dennehys removal is likely to reignite fears of mass retaliation, NBC News report added. That seems like a safe bet. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Its been nearly eight years since Donald Trumps summit with Russias Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, which was one of the ugliest low points of the presidents first term. After a private meeting with the autocratic leader, in which the American president took an interpreters notes for reasons that were never explained, the Republican held a disastrous press conference in which Trump defended an American adversary, took cheap shots at his own country, and sided with Putin over the judgment of American intelligence professionals. Soon after, The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence officials were unanimous in saying that they and their colleagues were aghast at how Mr. Trump had handled himself with Mr. Putin. One official summarized a consensus view, concluding that it was clear whose side Trump was on and it isnt ours. As regular readers might recall, in the aftermath of the event, Axios spoke with one of Trumps own former National Security Council officials who described the situation as a total [effing] disgrace, adding: The president has lost his mind. Sen. John McCain, a month before his death, called it one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory. The Arizona Republican added, The damage inflicted by President Trumps naivete, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the days that followed, the Trump White House tried to quickly move on, hoping the world would stop talking about the fiasco. Nearly eight years later, the same Republican president was responsible for a related debacle Fridays Oval Office shouting match with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy but this time, the White House is leaning into it. In fact, by all appearances, Team Trump is proud of the disgraceful event, even bragging about it and hoping to build on its foundation. With this in mind, Fox News reported that the White House expects the Ukrainian leader to go in front of cameras in order to make an explicit public apology for the way he behaved. Its not altogether clear exactly what Zelenskyy did that was so offensive it apparently has something to do with his body language and fashion choices but the bottom line remains the same: The White House doesnt just expect the Ukrainian president to go along with administrations agenda, it expects Zelenskyy to grovel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Fox News report hasnt been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, we need not rely on not-for-attribution comments from the West Wing. On the contrary, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz made multiple on-air appearances, insisting that Team Trump expects Zelenskyy to express regret, adding that this is what we need to hear. As for the vice president who helped instigate Fridays fracas, NBC News reported on JD Vances expectations for the road ahead. Vice President JD Vance said tonight that Zelenskyy can return to the White House when he has a serious proposal for peace between his country and Russia. There are details that really matter, that were already working on with the Russians. Weve already talked to some of our allies. He needs to engage seriously on the details. I think once that happens then, absolutely, we want to talk, Vance said in a taped interview with Fox News Sean Hannity. The closer one looks at the comments, the worse they appear. To hear the Ohio Republican tell it, the White House has worked with Russia on details surrounding Ukraines future. He now wants Zelenskyy to come up with some kind of proposal, too. In effect, Vances line is Tell us what youre prepared to give Russia, in response to Russia invading your country, and well tell you whether or not we deem it serious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This need not be complicated: Russia could end the war at literally any time. Putin started the conflict when he sent his military into a neighboring country without provocation, and Putin could reverse course at will, restoring peace. If Vance is looking for a serious proposal, there it is. Russia can withdraw from Ukraine, at which point the violence would end. That outcome, evidently, is not in line with the White Houses expectations. Rather, Trump, Vance and their team have a different vision in which Ukraines president begs for forgiveness on camera, abandons its NATO ambitions, turns over access to his country's rare-earth resources to the United States, and rewards Russia with territory. No wonder Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy struggled to get along. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Todays edition of quick hits. * A burgeoning trade war: China and Canada moved swiftly on Tuesday to retaliate against newly imposed U.S. tariffs, announcing their own levies on U.S. goods that could further disrupt the United States trade with its top three trading partners. A 25% U.S. tariff on almost all goods imported from Canada and Mexico took effect Tuesday just after midnight, along with an additional 10% tariff on goods from China. The three countries together accounted for more than 40% of total U.S. imports last year and are also the top three U.S. export markets. * On a related note, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in comments directed at Americans, said, We dont want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally, and we dont want to see you hurt either, but your government has chosen to do this to you. He added, in reference to Donald Trump, Even though youre a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Its probably best not to look at your investment portfolio right now: The S&P 500 fell 1.7% Tuesday, officially erasing all the gains it had accrued since Donald Trump was declared winner of the 2024 presidential election in November. ... A total of $3.4 trillion in value has now been wiped out since Nov. 6, the day after the election was held, according to data from Bloomberg. * I couldve sworn it was just last week when Vance emphasized the need for countries showing gratitude toward allies: Vice President JD Vance has struck a nerve with key allies in the U.K. and France after arguing that a U.S.-Ukraine critical minerals deal is a more practical deterrent against Russian President Vladimir Putin than a peacekeeping force for postwar Ukraine that includes some random country. * Despite McMahons obvious lack of qualifications, she faced literally zero Republican opposition: The Senate voted 51-45 on Monday to confirm Linda McMahon as Education secretary to lead a department that President Donald Trump has instructed her to dismantle and eventually close. * Doesnt Hegseth have better things to do? Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth continued his efforts to revive the Confederate names of military bases, announcing on Monday that he is re-renaming Fort Moore, whose previous name honored the confederate general Henry Benning. The base, which is in Georgia, will again be called Fort Benning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * The White House has already claimed victory in this case, but the dispute isnt over: The Associated Press is asking a federal judge for a second time to immediately restore its access to presidential events, arguing that the Trump White House has doubled down on retaliating against the news outlet for its refusal to follow the presidents executive order that renamed the Gulf of Mexico. * File this away for future reference: President Donald Trumps pick as NATO ambassador reassured senators at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday that the Trump administrations commitment to the military alliance was ironclad. See you tomorrow. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The head of the FBIs New York field office was forced out of his job Monday after several clashes with the Department of Justice, much to the delight of MAGAworld. James Dennehy told coworkers on Monday that he was asked to leave, according to The New York Times . NBC was the first to report the news on Monday. His departure followed weeks of tension with Justice Department officials after he refused to heed an order to hand over the names of those who investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did, Dennehy reportedly wrote in an email to colleagues. I was not given a reason for this decision. Regardless, I apologize to all of you for not being able to fulfill my commitment to you. Here is the full text of James Dennehys message to colleagues after he was forced out of his job leading the FBIs New York field office. All, Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did. I was not given a reason for this Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) March 3, 2025 For Trumpworld, Dennehys forced resignation didnt come soon enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are allowing criminals to retire with pension and benefits instead of arresting them. Great, MAGA influencer Joseph Pino wrote in a post on X. Last month, Dennehy vowed to dig in to defend his colleagues after the Justice Department demanded that FBI staff fill out a questionnaire about their involvement in investigations into the Capitol riota move that employees saw as a precursor to mass firings. Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own, as good people are being walked out of the FBI and others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy, Dennehy wrote in an email to staff at the time. Im sticking around to defend you, your work, your families, and this team we call the Flagship. Time for me to dig in. Dennehys department also faced accusations of withholding files on notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. As Attorney General Pam Bondi faced heat even from the MAGA baseabout the lack of new information in a much-hyped release of Epstein files, she pointed the finger at the FBIs New York field office in a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kash Patel is cleaning house at the FBI and its about time, conservative account Stop Socialist Tyranny wrote. Epstein documents should be released to the public, no more cover-ups or secrecy. Kash Patel is cleaning house at the FBI and it's about time FBI needs to be transparent and accountable to the American people Dennehy's resignation is just the beginning, expect more heads to roll as the truth comes out Epstein documents should be released to the public, no Stop Socialist Tyranny (@endlibtyranny) March 3, 2025 Conservative commentator Jacob Creech , better known by his online username Clandestine , hailed Patel and Bondi for identifying the Deep State rats standing in their way. Kash and Bondi are addressing the situation and everyone needs to be patient, he wrote on X. The Deep State is fighting back, but the wheels are moving. On the other side of the aisle, Andrew Bates, a former White House spokesperson for President Joe Biden and an adviser to the Unlikely Allies group that opposed Patels nomination as FBI chief, slammed Trumps new, dangerously corrupt FBI leadership for forcing out Dennehy, a Marine veteran. Why? Because he supported law enforcement instead of the rioters who attacked our Capitol and assaulted police officers, Bates said in a statement to the Daily Beast. The corruption that the Trump Administration is jamming down the countrys throat is un-American and makes every one of us less safe. Starbucks named a new chief financial officer on Tuesday as part of a larger turnaround strategy. Cathy Smith, who has been Nordstroms CFO since 2023, will join Starbucks in the next month, Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said in a letter to employees. Smith previously served as the chief financial officer of Target and Walmart International. Smith will replace Rachel Ruggeri, who is leaving the company. Niccol said Smith brings extensive experience in retail, global operations and corporate turnarounds. Ruggeri will stay at Starbucks for a period of time to assist with the transition, he said.. Over her nearly 20 years at Starbucks, Rachel has held many important roles, always leading with integrity, a focus on results and a strong belief in the importance of our culture, Niccol wrote. He said Smith brings extensive experience in retail, global operations and corporate turnarounds. Niccol is trying to reinvigorate Starbucks' sluggish sales with faster service times, a less complicated menu and others moves he says are intended to restore a community coffeehouse feel to the company's stores. In January, the company reversed its open-door policy and said only customers who bought something would be allowed to hang out or use the restroom at a local Starbucks. Niccol, who joined Starbucks last fall, also has been reshaping the companys executive ranks in an effort to streamline decision-making and make leadership more accountable. In January, the president of Starbucks North America division stepped down after her job was split into two; Starbucks now has one executive in charge of existing stores and another in charge of store development. Late last month, Niccol announced a plan to lay off 1,100 corporate employees globally. CHEBANSE, Ill. (WCIA) A Mahomet man was cited for a Scotts Law violation after Illinois State Police said he hit a stopped squad car over the weekend. The crash happened on March 1 near Chebanse. Officials said a State Police trooper responded to I-57 just before 2 p.m. after a report of debris in the road. The trooper parked their squad car in the right lane, turned on their emergency lights and removed the debris. The trooper had just finished removing debris from the roadway, officials said, when their squad car was hit in the back by a Lincoln SUV that failed to move over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tilton man arrested after DUI crash in Westville Sunday night The trooper was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Officials said the driver of the SUV, 66-year-old Harold McComb of Mahomet, was also transported to the hospital with injuries. McComb was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and for a Scotts Law violation. State Police officials said that since the start of 2025, their agency has dealt with three Move Over Law-related crashes. In 2024, there were 27 Move Over Law-related crashes that hurt 12 troopers and killed one Trooper Clay Carns in Will County. The previous year, seven troopers were hurt in 21 Move Over Law-related crashes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 16-year-old dead after truck flips upside down in Coles County Anyone who violates Scotts Law faces a fine between $250 and $10,000. If the violation results in an injury, the violators drivers license could be suspended for six months to two years. State Police reminded the public that the Move Over Law, also known as Scotts Law in Illinois, requires drivers to move over when approaching any vehicle with emergency or hazard lights 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 WCIA.com. Mar. 3Child care workers in Maine were planning to strike Tuesday morning to show their opposition to proposed budget cuts targeting a state stipend program that day care operators say has allowed the industry to stabilize. As of Monday afternoon, as many as 200 early childhood education workers were planning to participate, and at least 15 child care centers from Saco to Oxford said they would close for at least part of the day. The workers were set to gather in the State House rotunda at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. The stipend was created in 2021 and provided an extra $200 a month to all child care workers. It has grown since then into a tiered system that provides between $240 and $540 a month based on education and experience. Day care operators say it has allowed them to raise starting wages for teachers and work toward full staffing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Janet Mills proposed cutting that program in half in her biennial budget this year after warning last year that expansions couldn't be sustained. She has proposed returning to the 2022 level of funding, as well as eliminating a newer $2.5 million program that covers child care tuition for people who work in the industry. The Legislature's Appropriations and Finance Committee last week heard and read testimony that overwhelmingly opposed the cuts. The Health and Human Services Committee is set to vote on them Wednesday. That's where plans for the strike arose, according to Heather Marden, with the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children. "When we are taking a bold step to intentionally invite programs to do this, it's because we do understand that a moment-in-time disruption will be worth it if we can convince lawmakers not to create a much bigger disruption down the road," Marden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Day care centers in Portland, Gorham, Brunswick, Scarborough, Saco, Cape Elizabeth and Oxford all planned to close for at least part of the day for the strike, Marden said. Hannah Marshall, program director for Windham-Raymond School Age Child Care in Windham, said the center wouldn't open until Tuesday afternoon so that 11 staff members can travel to Augusta and participate in the rally. "Since the stipends have been rolled out, our staff retention has increased, our interest in individuals pursuing credentials or higher education has increased, and we've just been able to keep a more reliable and qualified workforce," she said. Marshall said some families have been frustrated at the short notice SACC was only able to notify families Monday morning because the strike was planned so quickly but others have been supportive of the cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A one-day inconvenience to families is significantly less of a burden than what we will be faced with if these cuts go through," she said. "We'll either be looking at raising tuition rates significantly on families that we know can't afford it, or losing staff and having to reduce our enrollment numbers or close centers. "A one-day, half-day strike is inconvenient and is very hard for families, but the detrimental impact that could happen if these cuts go through would be far more damaging to the families." Youth and Family Outreach, a day care center in Portland, is staying open out of concern for the families it serves, but Executive Director Camelia Babson-Haley said she has called in substitute teachers so seven employees can go to Augusta and participate in the protest. "If these budget cuts go through, classrooms will close and centers will close. It's not a matter of if they will," Babson-Haley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But she said it has been inspiring to see child care workers come together to share that message with legislators. "We know firsthand what the impacts of these budget cuts are going to be. We know firsthand how hard it's been to get people into early childhood jobs and keep them," she said. "The idea of trying to keep them in the field at even lower wages is unfathomable. There isn't a contingency plan for this." Copy the Story Link (KRON) A San Francisco man with five warrants was found with stolen merchandise at a Colma mall, according to the Colma Police Department. Colma police officers made contact with a man in the back of the Metro Mall Shopping Center around 7:10 p.m. on Sunday. Police said the man, later identified as San Francisco resident Robert Sims, gave police his name and date of birth, and then walked away. Officers discovered Sims had four misdemeanor warrants and one felony warrant for his arrest. Colma PD said officers saw Sims walking in the Colma parking lot 30 minutes later and ordered him to stop due to his warrants. Sims, according to police, did not stop walking and a short pursuit ensued. Photo: Colma PD Watch: Hayward police officers quick actions save choking baby Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sims was later detained. Police found merchandise with the security sensors in a plastic bag on Sims. According to Colma PDs investigation, Sims stole $1,451.43 worth of merchandise from a store in the Serramonte Mall in Daly City. Sims, 40, was arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail for obstructing/resisting arrest and his felony and misdemeanor warrants. Colma PD said Sims grand theft charge has been referred to the San Mateo County District Attorneys Office for prosecution. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Killeen, Tx (FOX 44) Killeen police say a 23-month old child was slapped and slammed for not giving a good night kiss. Killeen police say they were called to the 200 block of West Anderson Avenue on a domestic violence complaint. They were told that a child refused to give a man a good night kiss. The man is accused of slapping he boy on the cheeks, back, and buttocks, and dragging him to his bedroom. He is further accused of slamming the child onto the bed, pinning him down and preventing him from reaching the person who ended up reporting the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caregiver accused of taking $9,000 from patients account The suspect was identified as 41-year-old Craig Lamont Jones, who was arrested on charges of assault causes bodily in jury family member and injury to a child with intent bodily injury. He remained in the Bell County Jail Monday with his bond set at $82,500. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)- A man accused of firing a gun shot through a West Side window pleaded not guilty in court last week. Vittorio Petrillo, 27, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to a charge of improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation, a second-degree felony. Petrillo was arrested in October after police were called to the 2800 block of Noel Avenue for a report of gunfire. When they arrived, a man there told police he knew Petrillo, who came to the house and banged on the door several times before firing a shot through a window before walking away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police saw security camera footage of Petrillo firing a shot, reports said. The bullet was also found in the broken window, reports said. Petrillo was found walking a short distance away on DeCamp Road and taken into custody there. When he was searched, police found a .38-caliber revolver, reports said. Petrillo appeared in court on Monday. He has no future upcoming court dates listed in court records. Joe Gorman contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. A 52-year-old man is facing several charges, including murder, after deputies said he went on a shooting spree in a metro Atlanta neighborhood. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Just before noon on Saturday, Paulding County dispatch received several calls from neighbors in the Fox Ridge subdivision regarding shots being fired. When deputies arrived, they learned two residents at two separate homes had been shot in the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Paulding County Sheriffs Office said other residents at the home held the suspect, later identified as Jody Thomas Wales, 52, down until deputies arrived. TRENDING STORIES: Officials said two victims, identified as Larry Thomas Wales, 73, and Jason Scott Muncher, 47, were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Larry Wales later died from his injuries and Muncher remains in critical condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senseless violence in our community will not be tolerated; we are thankful for the men and women who help keep our county safe on a daily basis, Sheriff Ashley Henson said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Jody Wales was arrested and booked into the Paulding County Jail where he is currently being held without bond. Hes charged with the following: Felony murder Malice murder Five counts of aggravated assault Aggravated battery Two counts of burglary Two counts of criminal damage to property in the first degree Possession of firearm during the commission of a felony The motive in the shooting remains unclear. The sheriffs office did not say if the suspect knew the victims or the relationships between them. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the PCSOs tip line at 770-443-3047 or send a message via the Paulding Sheriff mobile app. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A man has been arrested and booked into the Taylor County Jail on the charge of sexual performance involving a child. Landon Moseley In March 2024, the Abilene Police Department responded to a call for child indecency. According to court records, officers spoke with the suspects mother, who showed police a cell phone used by the suspect, Landon Moseley. That phone reportedly contained messages with girls aged approximately 14 to 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Documents indicate that forensic analysis revealed messages of a sexual nature, as well as explicit images. Moseley was booked into the Taylor County Jail on February 28, 2025, with a bond set at $100,000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Starbucks CFO Rachel Ruggeri is exiting stage left as CEO Brian Niccol continues to shake up the company. On Tuesday, Niccol shared that 20-year veteran Ruggeri plans to leave the company in a letter to employees. While no end date was specified, Ruggeri will stay on in the near term to help with the transition. Taking her spot is retail veteran Cathy Smith, who has been Nordstrom's CFO since 2023 and previously served as CFO for Target and Walmart International. Smith will report to the Seattle headquarters, which is the same city as Nordstrom's headquarters. This is the latest C-suite change following Niccol taking the helm on Sept.9. Ruggeri served as interim CEO following the departure of previous CEO Laxman Narasimhan. Earlier in 2025, Starbucks named longtime Taco Bell executive Mike Grams as chief stores officer and former Taco Bell executive Meredith Sandland as chief store development officer. Most recently, Sandland served as CEO of delivery meal company Empower Delivery. With that announcement, Sara Trilling, who served as president of Starbucks North America, left the company. Arthur Valdez, who served as chief supply and customer solutions officer, also stepped down. Last fall, he tapped Tressie Lieberman as global chief brand officer while Starbucks North America CEO Michael Conway, 58, announced plans to retire. Starbucks Coffee in a shopping center in Krakow, Poland, on Feb. 7. (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto via Getty Images The new executives will play a role in Niccol's "Back to Starbucks" plan. In the latest quarter results, Niccol told investors on an earnings call that "the first quarter in 2025 results met our expectations, clearly show[ed] some signs of progress ... we still have much work to do." He added the company saw a positive response across all ages in its Back to Starbucks plan, which calls for a focus on core coffee products, better pricing, and faster service. Revenue was flat year over year at $9.4 billion, versus estimates of $9.32 billion. Earnings per share of $0.69 were a 23% drop compared to the same quarter a year ago but higher than the $0.66 expected. The company alluded to "heightened investments" for Niccol's turnaround plan as part of the reason for the earnings decline. Global same-store sales and foot traffic declined 4% and 6%, respectively, the fourth straight quarter of such decline. The average ticket size grew 3%. North America and US same-store sales fell 4% year over year while foot traffic dropped 8%, partially offset by a 4% jump in average ticket. Brooke DiPalma is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@yahoofinance.com. Click here for all of the latest retail stock news and events to better inform your investing strategy EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 60-year-old man was arrested on Sunday, March 2 for allegedly organizing a cockfighting event after deputies found several dead roosters at a residence in Fabens, according to the El Paso County Sheriffs Office. The Sheriffs Office says Isidoro Martinez Amparan, 60, was the organizer of a cockfighting event and is facing a charge of cockfighting. The Sheriffs Office says deputies and the Animal Welfare Unit responded to a complaint at around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, regarding possible cockfighting at the 15600 block of North Loop Drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon arrival, deputies found several dead roosters and instruments that are associated with cockfighting. A search warrant was executed and led to the collection of cockfighting paraphernalia and the safe relocation of 16 roosters and 27 hens, according to the Sheriffs Office. Martinez Amparan was arrested and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility under a $10,000 bond. The Sheriffs Office urges citizens to report any suspicious activity regarding animal cruelty to local law enforcement and also reminds the community that organizing, participating in, or even attending a cockfighting event is illegal under Texas law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. MERCER COUNTY, WV (WVNS) A man was arrested after a reported incident at the dorms at Bluefield State University. According to a criminal complaint, 21-year-old Malachi Ruffin was arrested for domestic battery and battery after an incident at the dorms at Bluefield State University. Nicholas County man charged with First-Degree Murder The criminal complaint stated that members of law enforcement were dispatched to the dorms at Bluefield State University on Thursday, February 27, 2025 for a reported fight involving multiple people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, they met with the on-duty security officer who reportedly saw the incident on the video cameras. A member of law enforcement spoke with the two women who were the alleged victims of the incident. One of the two women reported that Ruffin, who also lived in the dorms and was a man she was intimate with in the past, allegedly came to the room and hit both her and her roommate. According to the criminal complaint, the incident was said to have happened because Ruffins current girlfriend allegedly harassed them over the phone. After Ruffin arrived at the womens room and knocked, he allegedly hit the roommate when she opened the door before continuing into the room and attacking the other woman. Illinois woman pleads guilty to marriage fraud and perjury in West Virginia Video footage taken by witnesses at the scene reportedly showed the two women trying to defend themselves against Ruffin, who was seen on video punching the roommate in the face and grabbing his ex by her hair and trying to hit her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Ruffin left the room and went into the hallway, the women were seen on video closing the door. Ruffin reportedly tried to get back inside the room to get his shoes. The criminal complaint stated that the ex opened the door and walked into the hallway, and video footage showed Ruffin smacking her in the face multiple times, grabbing her by her hair, hitting her head against the wall, and grabbing her by her throat, allegedly leaving scratches on her neck. According to the criminal complaint, Ruffin was arrested for domestic battery against his ex, as well as battery against the roommate, after video footage, evidence, and statements were collected. One victim was reportedly seen by EMS for injuries from the incident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PIQUA, Ohio (WDTN) A months-long drug investigation led to the arrest of a man in Piqua and the seizure of cocaine and paraphernalia. The Miami County Sheriffs Office and Piqua Police Department executed a search warrant in the 700 block of Young Street on Feb. 28. The warrant was issued after a months-long investigation into local drug trafficking. Person wanted for murder charges in El Salvador arrested in New Lebanon: DHS Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the search, several items were seized, including cocaine, drug manufacturing equipment, drug paraphernalia and U.S. currency. A 31-year-old man from Piqua was taken into custody and is now in the Miami County Jail. He has been charged with two counts of trafficking in narcotics and one count of manufacturing narcotics. Investigation is ongoing, with additional charges pending. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Police announced Monday that officers arrested a man for throwing rocks into the windows of a Northeast D.C. school, leaving thousands of dollars in damages. According to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), on two separate occasions, Dec. 11, 2024, and Feb. 21, 2025, officers responded to Sela Public Charter School in Northeast for reports of someone destroying the schools property. Judge denies TikToks motion to dismiss lawsuit filed by DC Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon investigation, officers said they learned that the suspect, later identified as 35-year-old Michael Gregory Shane, of Northeast, would travel to the school on foot, pick up large rocks and throw them into the schools windows before fleeing the area. Police said that since December, Shane had destroyed around $11,000 worth of windows at the school. As a result, on Feb. 27, officers arrested Shane, charging him with destruction of property. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The man accused in a deadly crash that killed an Endicott police officer will be arraigned on Tuesday. Prosecutors say Keoma Duarte was so drunk the night before Thanksgiving that officers could smell the alcohol on him as they worked to free him from his crumpled Tesla on Interstate 95 near Newbury. Duartes Tesla had slammed head-on into a car that Endicott College Police Sgt. Jeremy Cole was driving, killing the 49-year-old husband and father of four as he drove home from work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duarte, 40, was arraigned on vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges from his hospital bed in December. He spoke only once, acknowledging he could hear the judge. Jeremy Cole was a police sergeant at Endicott College. News of his death shook the close-knit community of students and staff. Many turned out Monday to light candles and write messages of love and support to his family. New Hampshire State Police said Duarte was spotted entering the parking lot of the NH Liquor & Wine Outlet along the northbound side of I-95 before he got on the highway in the wrong direction. The outlet was closed at the time. Prosecutors also said that Duarte had a blood alcohol level of 0.19 at the time of the crash. Thats more than double the legal limit of 0.08. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges, Duarte faces additional civil infractions for wrong-way driving and speeding. 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 WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)- A Masury man who is accused of killing his sister did not enter a plea on Tuesday during his arraignment. Read next: 2 killed in Springfield Twp. crash John Zanolli is charged with aggravated murder. Police say the victim, Janice Zanolli, was found Saturday in a house on 3rd Street with a gunshot wound to her head, and was dead for several days. Investigators are still trying to determine what led to the shooting, but say there were some probate issues after the 2024 death of their father, who owned the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zanolli is being held without bond and will be back in court March 11. Brian Oehleck 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. KANSAS CITY, Mo. A 49-year-old man is facing charges after allegedly stealing a Kansas City Transportation Authority bus and assaulting a Kansas City police officer. Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced on Monday that Shahid Pratt is charged with second-degree assault, stealing a motor vehicle and first-degree tampering. KCFD says all Cloverleaf Apartment tenants relocated, complex closed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court documents say KCPD officers responded to the area of E. 75th Street and Prospect Avenue on Sunday, just before 6:30 a.m., regarding a stolen KCATA bus and saw Pratt in the drivers seat. Pratt was given multiple commands by officers to exit the bus and he refused, according to court documents. While officers attempted to unlock the bus doors, Pratt allegedly reached out through the drivers window and struck an officer in the arm with a metal bar. KCPD officers were eventually able to detain Pratt. Court documents say Pratt also used the metal pole to strike the interior of the city bus several times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives recovered security video from the stolen KCATA bus and saw Pratt forcing the drivers window open, climbing through and stealing the bus by driving it away from the bus stop. Court documents say Pratt refused to provide a statement to detectives and requested an attorney. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android Pratt has 11 felony convictions, including assault, aggravated robbery, robbery, felon in possession, possession of controlled substance, burglary, shoplifting and probation violation. Pratt is being held on a $50,000 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A Brentwood man was arrested Monday after he reportedly admitted to making multiple threats to attack a federal building in downtown Nashville. The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said Alexander F. Thompson, 35, was charged with felony terrorism and felony false reporting following an investigation by the MNPD Specialized Investigation Division. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Metro police received a notification Sunday evening from a representative with the Tucker Carlson Network, stating that the network had received an email from Thompson claiming his intent to firebomb the Fred D. Thompson Courthouse and Federal Building within the next two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Executions to start in May following completion of lethal injection protocol review, TDOC says Officials added threats were also posted on an X account, which is believed to have been utilized by Thompson. One recent post reportedly showed the production and testing of a device that resembled a Molotov cocktail. Thompson was arrested Monday at his workplace in Goodlettsville. While speaking with an MNPD officer and mental health co-op crisis intervention member, Thompson allegedly said, You read the email, I was going to bomb the building. I couldnt change the system from the outside and I needed to be arrested to effect change from the inside. Alexander F. Thompson (Metro Nashville Police Department) According to the DOJ, investigators executed a search warrant at Thompsons residence that same day and found multiple empty jars, wicks, and wax, which were all consistent with the items shown in multiple X posts. Authorities added an assembled Molotov cocktail was also found at the residence with a missing fuel source. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee Thompson was charged with making threats in interstate commerce and making a threat in interstate commerce to damage or destroy a building or property by means of fire or an explosive, per the DOJ. Booking records show he is being held in Metro Jail on a $100,000 bond. If convicted, Thompson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. 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. WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, New York (PIX11) A man facing charges of criminal possession of a firearm escaped police custody in Manhattan on Tuesday morning, according to authorities. Eric Cruz, 29, ran out of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in Washington Heights at 8:45 a.m., police say. More Local News He was under arrest for criminal possession of a loaded firearm near a school as well as unlicensed vending. Cruz was taken into police custody on Monday at 168th St and Amsterdam Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz is 61 tall and was last seen wearing a hospital gown while leaving the hospital. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 ordered to remove waste he illegally dumped in a village in North Yorkshire, a county in England. The trash included refrigerators, wood, and other materials from demolition sites as well as various items made of plastic. According to the U.K. Environment Agency, the waste risked polluting a nearby water channel or even starting a fire. Oliver Henry Alexander King initially failed to comply with the order, later pleading guilty in court. He also received a notice to clear waste from the site as well as a fine over 5,000 and was sentenced to 110 hours of unpaid work. "King was given a number of opportunities to clear the site of waste, but failed to comply with the instructions from our officers," Ian Foster, an EA area environment manager, said, per the BBC. Foster reiterated that dumping waste can impact the environment and the local community. It's estimated there are nearly 100 million tons of illegally dumped waste in the world, and the United States accounts for 1.5 million tons. This metric does not account for smaller discarded things such as cigarette butts or other frequent litter, including plastic bags. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, people often dump waste illegally to avoid paying fees or so they don't have to expend the time and effort required for proper disposal. Sara Popescu Slavikova believes there is a shortage of legal disposable options. As the co-founder of Greentumble, a platform geared toward educating people on living more sustainably, she also thinks people need to be made aware of available disposable options and calls on authorities to be better monitors, as well. "A waste disposal system has to be simple and accessible for common people," Slavikova said. "Prices for disposal cannot be too high that they discourage people." 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. Trina Higgins, Of Counsel, Wilson Sonsini (Photo: Business Wire) Higgins Is the First Woman to Serve as a Presidentially Appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah Bolstering the Firms Expanding Litigation and Appellate Practices, She Joins as Of Counsel SALT LAKE CITY, March 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, is pleased to announce that Trina Higgins, former United States Attorney for the District of Utah, has joined the firm as Of Counsel in its litigation and appellate practices. Based in the firms Salt Lake City office, she will draw on her distinguished background in public service and leadership to strengthen the firms capabilities in complex regulatory and enforcement matters, criminal and civil. Prior to joining the firm, Higgins served as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah, making history as the first woman to hold this esteemed position. Nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in April 2022, she earned recognition for her exemplary leadership, dedication to upholding the rule of law, and efforts in prosecuting financial crimes. Furthermore, she played a pivotal role in addressing issues such as environmental justice, firearm and fentanyl trafficking, and violent crime. Before her tenure as U.S. Attorney, Higgins spent over two decades as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, where she handled a wide range of criminal cases and held various leadership roles, including Senior Litigation Counsel and Chief of the Violent Crime Section. She also served as the Mediterranean Regional Legal Advisor at the U.S. Embassies in Valletta, Malta, and Nicosia, Cyprus, helping train foreign governments on investigating international money laundering, terrorism financing, and corruption. "We are thrilled to welcome Trina to Wilson Sonsini, where she joins an exceptional group of former prosecutors who counsel our clients on their most pressing enforcement and regulatory matters," said Doug Clark, managing partner at Wilson Sonsini. "Her strong relationships within the Salt Lake business and legal communities will be an invaluable asset to our clients, enhancing our litigation and appellate practices in Utah and across the firm." As U.S. Attorney, Higgins led several impactful initiatives to enhance public safety and uphold justice. Under her leadership, the office founded the Utah Drug Overdose Task Force in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration to tackle the fentanyl crisis, started an Environmental Justice Initiative, and took proactive measures by appointing an Election Officer to protect the integrity of the 2024 general election. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A man was hit and killed by a vehicle while running across Interstate 5 early Sunday morning, California Highway Patrol reports. The collision happened at 1:41 a.m. Sunday on northbound Interstate 5, just south of Old Town Avenue, in San Diego. Pursuit of vehicle with six teens inside ends in crash at Camp Pendleton California Highway Patrol (CHP) says a man was reportedly running across the traffic lanes of I-5 when he was hit by a Nissan Pathfinder. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities have not released the identity of the man, pending family notification. Family of Vista man killed in hit-and-run seeks publics help for justice CHP says the driver of the SUV stayed at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, and that alcohol and/or drugs do not appear to be a factor. CHP is investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision. Any witnesses are asked to call the CHP San Diego Area office at 858-293-6000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CHICAGO A death investigation is underway after a man was found dead inside a home on the citys Northwest Side. Police said a 54-year-old man was discovered unresponsive around 11:50 p.m. Monday in a residence on the 4400 block of West Irving Park Road in the Irving Park neighborhood. The victim was pronounced on scene and there were no apparent injuries, according to police. Mom of Highland Park shooter asserts sons innocence after courtroom outburst Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Area Five 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Police are investigating after a man was found dead on North Williams Avenue late Monday night. According to Portland Police, just before 11:30 p.m. officers responded to a shooting report in North Portland and when they arrived they found a man dead at the scene. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Portland police. Just 20 minutes earlier, a shooting happened nearby on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In both incidents, police said no arrests have been made. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) The New Orleans Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting in the Hollygrove neighborhood. According to the NOPD, around 10:32 a.m. on Tuesday, March 4, officers responded to the 2800 block of Monticello Avenue on a call reporting an abandoned vehicle in the area. New Orleans Fire Department captain dies on duty Upon arrival, an unresponsive man was found inside suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Orleans Parish Coroners Office identified the victim as 19-year-old Aidan Edsall. No further details are available at this time. Arrest made in Franklinton area shooting that wounded five The NOPD is in the process of gathering evidence and information to determine a possible suspect and motive. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO. A judge sentenced a former construction worker who admitted that he fled after running over a Pinellas County sheriffs deputy with a front-end loader to 12 years in prison Tuesday, punctuating an emotionally charged criminal case that became a flashpoint in the national controversy over immigration. Juan Molina-Salles, a Honduran immigrant who was in the U.S. illegally, pleaded guilty last month to leaving the scene of a collision that killed Deputy Michael Hartwick. You ran from what you did, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Pat Siracusa told Molina-Salles. The person that died is a person that would have run to what you did. You did the exact opposite of what the deputy would have done. You ran away because you got scared, and I have to punish you today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molina-Salles, 34, clutched tissues and wept as he listened to a Spanish translation of Tuesdays testimony. Spectators, many of them law enforcement officers, packed each of seven rows of courtroom benches behind him. The construction company Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture drew scrutiny for employing Molina-Salles and several of his co-workers, none of whom were legally authorized to work in the U.S. Molina-Salles was using the false name of Victor Vasquez. He and several of his co-workers face federal charges related to their use of fake identities. Hartwick was working off-duty the night of Sept. 22, 2022, helping to direct traffic at a construction site for the Gateway Expressway, along Interstate 275 near Roosevelt Boulevard. He had stepped out of his patrol car and was standing near the roads shoulder when Molina-Salles, operating a front-end loader, drove up at about 20 mph and ran over him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molina-Salles kept driving. One of his co-workers, Allan Gomez-Zelaya, who was driving a truck behind the loader, took the witness stand Tuesday and testified through a Spanish interpreter. His voice quavered as he recalled seeing an object in the road and thinking it was a trash bag. I looked and I saw that it was a body, he said. I stopped. I got out. I didnt touch the body because I saw that the body was not moving. It wasnt alive. He spoke with Molina-Salles moments later by phone and told him hed hit a police officer. He went in shock and started crying, he said. Molina-Salles met up with another co-worker, who took his hard hat and construction vest, before taking off on foot. An overnight manhunt ensued. Deputies found him the next morning, muddy and wet, hiding in nearby brush. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State prosecutors played a video from a body-worn camera that recorded the moments that Cpl. Brian Hirschman responded to a call of a fellow deputy who needed help. The footage showed Hirschman dashing over a concrete barrier and across the interstate lanes, where cars sped along. Lurid pulses of light from a fire truck and emergency vehicles illuminated the ground where Hartwick lay with his face against the asphalt. I got a deputy down, Hirschman said into a radio. We need to shut this road down. Hirschman pulled Hartwicks gun from its holster before paramedics turned him on his back. I got no pulse, someone said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fire lieutenant approached Hirschman. He whispered something. The deputy began to quietly sob. Seated behind prosecutors in the courtrooms first row, Hartwicks mother, Barbara Newman, wept as the video played. Photographs displayed in court showed the back of Hartwicks uniform shirt with white tire-tread marks running across it. His entire torso was crushed. The loader weighed more than 30,000 pounds. Detective John Syers, who investigated the case as a homicide, testified that Molina-Salles spoke with him and another detective after his arrest. He said Molina-Salles told him he had not noticed he had hit the deputy. The detective, who had experience operating heavy equipment in the military, did not believe him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not reasonable to me to believe you could hit a man-sized object and not notice, Syers said. The detectives analysis of videos from nearby semitrucks and GPS data from the loader indicated that hed stopped driving for about two minutes after the collision. During that time, he made a call to Gomez-Zelaya. Prosecutors asserted that Molina-Salles fled because he feared deportation. A Border Patrol agent testified that about two years before the deputys death, hed been turned away while trying to enter the country in Texas. Assistant State Attorney Elizabeth Constantine said that Molina-Salles actions reflected a lack of respect for the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defendant in this case expressed no concern for anyone out there that night, least of all Deputy Hartwick, Constantine said. The defense presented testimony from his family members, who spoke by videoconference from Spain. They described a hardworking man who grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Honduras. He dropped out in his second year of high school and started working part time in construction, a trade he learned from his father. He has a wife, a daughter and a son. He left his native country about 10 months before he got in trouble, when the economy turned bad. He lived with a brother in Tennessee, working construction, and sent money to his family in Honduras. Hed worked for Archer Western for about three months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gomez-Zelaya and another co-worker, Laura Caudill, said the flashing lights atop the deputys patrol cruiser made it difficult to see. Hartwick was in full uniform, but did not wear a reflective safety vest, making it harder to see him at the construction site, the witnesses testified. Hirschman said the agencys policy does not require deputies to wear vests unless they are directing traffic. His sister, Juana Molina-Salles, said her brother called her within a day of his arrest. She later spoke with him periodically by phone. She was asked how her brother was emotionally when she talked with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Destroyed, she said. Molina-Salles chose to let the judge decide his sentence after efforts to negotiate a deal with the state failed. He pleaded guilty last month with the understanding that the maximum penalty he could receive would not exceed 20 years in prison. State prosecutors objected to that sentencing cap, having sought a sentence closer to the 30-year maximum. While not excusing his conduct, defense attorneys emphasized the accidental nature of the collision and Molina-Salles' lack of knowledge about the possible consequences. They asked for a sentence between the four-year minimum mandatory penalty and the 10 years suggested by state guidelines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no dispute that this is a terrible, tragic accident, Assistant Public Defender Maria DeLiberato said. But if he had turned around and walked back, he would not have been charged with a crime. Before he was sentenced, Molina-Salles stood and read from a prepared statement. I am very sorry for leaving the scene of the accident where Deputy Hartwick died, he said. I was afraid. Not because I was afraid of being deported, but because I was afraid that no one would believe me or understand that it had been an accident. I just needed time to think and pray so I ran and hid. ... I know I should have waited, that it was wrong to leave, and I would like to be able to take it back. After he is released from prison, Molina-Salles will be deported. He said he will not return. AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A township man accused of failing to report a death last year was sentenced Monday to probation in Mahoning County Area Court. Jamey Neeld, 44, received the sentence from Judge Scott Hunter after pleading guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse, a second-degree misdemeanor and failure to report a death, a fourth-degree misdemeanor. He was originally charged with felony abuse of a corpse, but a grand jury instead indicted him on the misdemeanor and the case was remanded back to county court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neeld was originally arrested after police were called July 23, 2024, to an apartment building at 850 N. Meridan Road for a report of a woman lying in a stairway unresponsive. Reports said when police arrived, the woman was cold to the touch and not breathing and an ambulance crew said she was dead. A witness told police they were walking down the stairway and saw Neeld drag the woman out of an apartment by her feet into the hallway. The witness said he helped Neeld move the womans body and then call police. Police reports do not list the cause of death for the woman but foul play is not suspected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports said Neeld told police he and the woman had dated on and off, reports said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. JACUMBA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Authorities searched the home of a man suspected of assault with a deadly weapon Monday, uncovering firearms, explosives and booby traps. Ross Warren, 40, was arrested after being found hiding inside a wall of his Jacumba property, Lt. Jeff Ford with the San Diego County Sheriffs Department said in a news release. Around 6 a.m., deputies served a search warrant for a home in the 42000 block of Old Highway 80 in regard to an investigation of a Feb. 22 assault with a deadly weapon incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When authorities located Warren hiding in the wall, they also found a firearm, pellet gun and imitation firearm inside the wall with him, the sheriffs department said. A gun found during a search warrant of a home in Jacumba on March 3, 2025. (San Diego County Sheriffs Department) A gun found during a search warrant of a home in Jacumba on March 3, 2025. (San Diego County Sheriffs Department) Police respond to hotel after 2 shot in Mission Valley: SDPD Multiple fabricated explosives were found inside the home, while improvised booby traps were scattered around the exterior of the home, per SDSO. Explosives found during a search warrant of a home in Jacumba on March 3, 2025. (San Diego County Sheriffs Department) Booby traps found during a search warrant of a home in Jacumba on March 3, 2025. (San Diego County Sheriffs Department) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Booby traps found during a search warrant of a home in Jacumba on March 3, 2025. (San Diego County Sheriffs Department) Warren was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, child endangerment, possessing/deploying booby traps and multiple counts of possessing/manufacturing destructive devices. He was booked into the San Diego Central Jail. Warrens live-in girlfriend, 38-year-old Brenda Beltran, was arrested on suspicion of obstructing/delaying a peace officer. She was cited and released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. A young man posing as a wealthy transfer student has been banned from all Gwinnett County schools after buying luxury items for teenagers and sneaking into a high school, officials said. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The unidentified man convinced multiple students at Seckinger High School that he was a new student from Korea before meeting them at the Mall of Georgia, where he purchased expensive perfumes and paid for their food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He came, he met them at the mall and came and purchased all four of them luxury perfumes and colognes, paid for all of their food, offered to give them money, said Lydia Clark, whose daughter encountered the man over the weekend. Clark says she didnt learn until later that the new student her daughter told her about was someone over the age of 18 who just had a run-in with law enforcement at the campus. If this person is this manipulative and able to convince all of these kids with very viable information, theres no telling what else hes capable of convincing them of, Clark told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson. Seckinger school officials discovered the man on campus Friday after he was let in through a side door by a student he had convinced of his story. School resource officers issued him a criminal trespass warning, banning him from all Gwinnett County Schools property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark says the most unnerving aspect of the situation is not knowing the motives behind the behavior. Its scary, and it feels like there might be some kind of triangle of people that are trying to do this, she said. Because if hes got a personal driver, and if he has these elaborate stories of these students that are at these schools and photos of them, it just feels very weird. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Principal Jimmy Fisher sent a letter to parents on Tuesday, alerting them to the situation and urging families to discuss online safety with their children. School Resource Officers are actively investigating the situation and are working closely with other local law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of all our students, Fisher wrote. Authorities say the man has been contacting students on social media for months, building relationships by sharing information about mutual friends and claiming to be extremely wealthy. Clark warns other parents to be more vigilant about their teenagers online activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a wake-up call for a lot of parents to really pay attention to what your teenagers are doing and the names that theyre saying when theyre going to hang out with people, she said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Hall County schools have also encountered the young man. Hall County Schools Director of Communications Stan Lewis sent the following statement to Channel 2 Action News: An individual matching the description of the male who was issued a criminal trespass warning by officials at Seckinger High School tried to enroll at one of our high schools yesterday. When school officials noted he did not have the proper documentation and that he was not the appropriate age, he was directed by the principal to go elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local Law enforcement and our school SROs have been notified. All of our schools been advised to keep watch for this individual and to contact law enforcement immediately should he show up on any of our campuses. Additionally, we have reached out to all families in the district and encouraged parents to speak to their students about the dangers of communicating with unknown individuals online. They were asked to remind students to report any suspicious activity to a trusted adult. Additionally, anyone can report a concern to our anonymous tip line on the district web page. East Lyme Stephen Nicholson, the man arrested and jailed by East Lyme police on assault, kidnapping and stalking charges but later released because of a flawed police investigation, notified the town Monday he's planning a lawsuit. Lawyers for Nicholson allege police detective Mark Comeau, who was originally the lead investigator, manufactured the criminal case against Nicholson because Comeau was infatuated with the alleged teenage victim, Claire Killin. It further alleges he later helped her hide evidence when the case was being re-investigated. The notice of intent to sue was filed Monday by the New London-based Strafaci Law Firm and targets not only Comeau, but the town, the police department and the Board of Police Commissioners. Attorney Joe Strafaci said evidence that will be provided in an upcoming lawsuit will reveal multiple levels of police misconduct and violations of trust." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicholson, 35, was arrested in March 2024 and faced 11 criminal charges, including felony kidnapping, for allegedly threatening, stalking and assaulting Killin, who was his former co-worker at Dunkin in East Lyme. Nicholson was held on a $250,000 bond and spent 49 days in jail before his defense attorney, Michael Miller, raised questions about the credibility of the investigation. In addition to a personal relationship between Comeau and Killin, who used to be neighbors in The Orchards neighborhood in East Lyme, Strafaci said some of the allegations that led to Nicholson's arrest were simply untrue. Killin on Monday said she continued to be shocked by the allegations of an inappropriate relationship with Comeau and said aside from being neighbors, the relationship was always professional. She focused on her fears of Nicholson. "There was no personal relationship. He spoke to me as a detective on this case and did his duties as an officer," Killin said. "They're turning it into something it's not." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State prosecutors dropped their prosecution of Nicholson last November. New London Superior Court Judge John Newson, in court, referred to it as a "troubling case in that certain people did not do their job and honor the trust we should have in them." The dropped charges led the Board of Police Commissioners to hire an outside investigator to probe the handling of the case. That investigation by the Daigle Law Group, the same law firm investigating East Lyme Police Chief Michael Finkelstein and the circumstances of how the department handled multiple allegations of domestic violence by Finkelstein's wife, is ongoing. Strafaci said he continues to gather evidence that shows Nicholson was the victim of a "targeted campaign, initiated and perpetrated by Detective Mark Comeau and member(s) of the East Lyme Police Department with the assistance of private parties, including Killin, to falsely arrest and charge him for serious felony crimes..." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calls and late night visits In addition to an undisclosed "inappropriate" relationship between Comeau and Killin, Strafaci said there were numerous phone calls between the two and that Killin would also make late night visits to Comeau's home. After Comeau was pulled from the case, Strafaci alleges Comeau instructed Killin to buy a new phone to hide past interactions between the two and hide evidence. East Lyme police confirmed the case was re-assigned to another officer. Killin, in an interview from her home in the United Kingdom on Monday, said she thinks some of the information about her visits come from a former landlord and are untrue. "It's completely false made up. They're trying to make something out of nothing," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Killin also said that her phone was seized and analyzed as part of the investigation. By the time the new detective was assigned to the case, Killin said she had upgraded to a new phone but all of the information from her old phone remained. Strafaci described Nicholson as a man with cognitive limitations who was vulnerable to being taken advantage of by Killin, who was his friend, and Comeau. Nicholson was buying Killin clothes and paying her bills, Strafaci said. Additionally, Strafaci said Nicholson has experienced gender dysphoria and spent a period of time identifying as a woman. Strafaci said Comeau went out of his way, when preparing an arrest warrant, to include facts about Nicholson's gender identity seemingly to imply he was a sexual predator. He also made derogatory comments during his arrest, which is the reason, Strafaci said, that the impending lawsuit will focus on "intimidation based on bigotry and bias." "There's multiple allegations in the arrest warrant that are inconsistent with forensic evidence that and Comeau's apparent obsession with Stephen's gender identity is just bizarre," Strafaci said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motivation for targeting Nicholson was "Claire's desire for money and designer clothes/items and Det. Comeau's infatuation with Claire, as well as his personal animus towards Stephen," the notice alleges. Killin said Nicholson's gender identity came into play during the investigation because Nicholson had worn some of the women's clothing she purchased using Nicholson's money. Killin said she has evidence that was turned over to police that shows Nicholson threatened her so she would buy certain items that he would then wear. Strafaci said the purpose of the upcoming lawsuit, in addition to financial reimbursement, is Nicholson's desire to have what he called the "real story" become public. "Stephen has been the victim of a false arrest, false allegations and because he's faced criminal charges, he's basically been unable to tell his side of the story. Part of this is to bring his story to light and bring about some justice for all of the wrongs that have been done to him over the course of a year, Strafaci said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York attorney Christopher Berlingieri, who represents Killin in a federal civil rights lawsuit against Dunkin, declined to comment. East Lyme First Selectman Dan Cunningham and Board of Police Commissioners Chairman Dan Price did not return calls seeking comment. Comeau could not be reached to comment. g.smith@theday.com KANSAS CITY, Mo. A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection to a 2022 shooting that left his cousin dead at a family gathering in Independence. The Jackson County prosecutors office announced Tuesday that Jordan Huff, 26, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the shooting death of 25-year-old James P. Robertson. Blizzard warning issued for KC area; goes into effect Tuesday night Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The killing happened Oct. 1, 2022, at an apartment building near East 39th Street and South Redwood Drive in Independence while a group was eating and playing card games. Independence police officers were called to the apartment just after 9:30 p.m., where they found Robertson in the living room with multiple gunshot wounds. According to court records, multiple bullet holes were found inside the apartment, some going through the drywall and into a bedroom where three children were located. Bullet holes were also found in an adjacent apartment building. The prosecutors office said Tuesday that Huffs sentence was recommended to the court after mediation involving input from the victims family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement View the latest headlines from Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas at fox4kc.com The sentence agreement was a direct result of our office working closely with the victims family, ensuring their voices were not only heard, but central to shaping a resolution, Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said in a statement. Our office is committed to seeking justice, while taking into consideration the victims familys input on what appropriate accountability looks like. While we understand this agreement does not fully heal the wounds caused by this incident, I am proud our collaborative process delivered a resolution that respects the familys wishes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Medha Singh and Kanchana Chakravarty (Reuters) -Shares of U.S. companies were under pressure after the latest escalation in Washington's trade war, with new tariffs on Canada and Mexico expected to hit earnings in several sectors, including automobiles, aerospace, retail and housing. Economically sensitive stocks such as airlines and banks led declines on Wall Street's main indexes on Tuesday on the new tariffs. Monday, the benchmark S&P 500 suffered its worst day of this year after the U.S. tariffs were confirmed. [.N] U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, effective Tuesday. The action covers more than $900 billion worth of annual U.S. imports from the two countries. Trump also doubled duties on Chinese imports to 20% to punish Beijing over the U.S. fentanyl overdose crisis. The cumulative duty comes on top of up to 25% tariffs imposed during his first term. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking just hours after the U.S. tariffs took effect, announced immediate 25% tariffs on C$30 billion ($20.66 billion) of U.S. imports, with the potential to target an additional C$125 billion in 21 days if necessary. China also responded with additional tariffs of 10%-15% on certain U.S. imports from March 10, while Mexico is poised to swiftly retaliate against its long-standing ally. AUTOMOBILES Shares of U.S. automakers Ford and GM lost 1.9% and 1.6%, respectively, on Tuesday, as the sector is heavily exposed to tariffs due to the integrated nature of auto manufacturing between the three North American nations. S&P Global estimates the new duties on imports from Mexico and Canada could cost affected U.S. carmakers on average 10%-25% of their annual EBITDA. Trump's 25% tariffs on imported steel and aluminum would also increase costs for the industry, which accounted for 15% of net shipments of iron and steel in 2024, S&P Global said in a note. J.P. Morgan analysts also expect automakers to bear the brunt of direct cost from tariffs on Canada and Mexico, with some pain to be shared with suppliers, dealers and consumers. This could cost General Motors about $14 billion (or substantially all of the earnings before interest and taxes it guides to globally this year) and Ford about $6 billion (or ~75% of the EBIT it guides to globally this year), they said. Ford has three plants in Mexico. It exported just under 196,000 cars to North America in the first half of 2024, with 90% going to the U.S., according to Mexico's AMIA. Stellantis makes 39% of its North American vehicles in Mexico or Canada, while General Motors and Ford Motor make 36% and 18% there, respectively, according to a November report from Barclays. A previously homeless man has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for an unprovoked racially motivated assault on an Asian American woman in Culver City. Jesse Allen Lindsey, 38, pleaded guilty in December to a federal hate crime charge for the 2021 attack. Around 1 a.m. on June 14, 2021, Lindsey started following a woman as she walked to work, hurling racial slurs in her direction and telling her, You dont belong here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then punched her in the side of the head, knocking her to the ground as he yelled, You hear what I said, [N-word]? I said good morning, b****! Jesse Lindsey is seen punching a woman in Culver City in June 2021. (Culver City PD) Jesse Lindsey is seen punching a woman in Culver City in June 2021. (Culver City PD) The bloodied victim suffered injuries to her head and ear that required stitches, was unable to work for a month and experienced years of psychological trauma, the United States Department of Justice said. Lindsey eventually fled the state after the attack made headlines. He was ultimately arrested years later after he was found to be already in custody on an unrelated crime. Hes been in federal custody for the assault since July 2024, DOJ officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During an interview with law enforcement, Lindsey admitted to striking the woman, but claimed it was in self-defense, continuing with the racial epithets and stereotypes and calling the victim a mouthy, little Asian person that looked like a gangbanger. He also apparently told authorities that he pre-emptively attacked the victim so she couldnt pull some Jet Li [expletive], referencing the famed Chinese martial arts actor. Images of a violent unprovoked attack on an Asian American woman in Culver City released June 15, 2021, by the Culver City Police Department. The DOJ emphasized that not only was the victim a middle-aged woman, but Lindsey is a foot taller than her and more than twice her weight. Prosecutors said he has a long criminal record, including 13 prior convictions for firearms and narcotics offenses, domestic battery, and attempted extortion. Hes also been arrested or contacted by law enforcement at least 19 times, and has 14-times violated his probations or pretrial release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sentencing judge said his serious criminal record was considered when determining a punishment for the shocking and horrible crime. Ultimately, he was sentenced to 51 months in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI with substantial assistance from the Culver City Police Department. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) The man who admitted to murdering a Masury woman will spend at least 23 years behind bars. Andrew Reedy was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to charges of aggravated murder and aggravated burglary Tuesday afternoon. Hell also be classified as a violent offender. The change in plea comes a little less than two weeks before he was scheduled to stand trial for the December 20, 2024 death of Jane Payton. Andy, I just want you to know that youre a coward, Susan Honel, Paytons sister, said. You murdered a beautiful soul whod never hurt anyone. Prosecutors say Reedy had been evicted from Paytons home on Lucy Street but went back to the house, broke into it, and killed Payton with a shotgun. It led to a roughly 22-hour standoff where at one point Reedy shot himself. Id like to apologize to Janes immediate and extended family, Reedy said. I am genuinely sorry for Janes death. Jane Paytons family continues to mourn her loss. We will never forget Jane. Jane was taken away from us from a con man, a cold-blooded murderer and someone that is not willing to take responsibility for his actions until this day in court, John Donner, Paytons brother said. Jane never stood a chance after you pulled that trigger. What a cold-blooded murderer you are, Paytons sister Susan Honel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reed stated in court that he takes responsibility for his actions. My careless, negligent and unlawful actions that caused her death and I take full accountability, Reed said. Judge Ronald Rice questioned how he could call it negligent action. You murdered her. Let me hear you say, I murdered her,' Judge Rice said. I murdered Jane, Reed said. You deserve to get the death penalty but I am good with you spending the rest of your life in prison thinking about what you did. I know your true justice will be spent in eternity in Hell when you die, Honel said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) A man was accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando and swallowing the evidence. On Feb. 26, Jaythan Lawrence Gilder, 32, impersonated a person representing an Orlando Magic player in order to gain access to the pricey jewelry, according to an arrest report from the Orlando Police Department. Cruise ship with 158 norovirus patients docks in Florida Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said Gilder forced his way out of the store with earrings totaling $769,500: a pair of 4.86 carat diamond earrings worth $160,000 and a pair of 8.19 carat diamond earrings worth $609,500. He was also accused of stealing a ring worth $587,000, which was later recovered. Gilders car was stopped on Interstate 10 in Washington County, where he was arrested on a charge of resisting, as well as 48 outstanding warrants out of Colorado. A body scan conducted at the jail appeared to solve the mystery of the missing earrings; they were spotted in his stomach, according to the arrest report. These foreign objects are suspected to be the Tiffany & Co earrings taken in the robbery but will need to be collected by WCSO after they are passed through Gilders system prior to confirming, the arrest report stated. Gilder spontaneously asked jail staff if he was going to be charged with whats in my stomach, according to the arrest report, and the arresting trooper reported hearing him say, I should have thrown them out the window. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was charged with first-degree grand theft and robbery with a mask. A search of Gilders criminal history revealed he was charged with robbing another Tiffany & Co. store in Texas in 2022, police said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Mar. 3A man and a woman are facing charges after they allegedly kidnapped a 12-year-old and assaulted him, including pouring bleach on his face. Reka E. Jarmon, 33, of Cincinnati, and DeMarcus Pleasure, 37, of Dayton, were each indicted in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court on charges of kidnapping and abduction, both felonies, as well as one misdemeanor charge of assault. At time of writing, Jarmon is in the Montgomery County Jail, and a warrant has been issued for Pleasure's arrest. Jamon is scheduled to be arraigned March 6, while Pleasure is scheduled to be arraigned March 18. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dayton police were dispatched to a house in the 800 block of W. Hillcrest Ave. at 1:37 p.m. Feb. 22 for a kidnapping report, according to an affidavit filed in Dayton Municipal Court. The boy's father told police that Jarmon and Pleasure had taken the boy by force, hitting him multiple times before forcing him out the front door and into a vehicle known to be driven by Jarmon, the affidavit said. The pair took the boy to a house in the 200 block of Lexington Avenue that matches Pleasure's address in court documents. At the house, they attacked the child further and poured liquid bleach on his face, the affidavit said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 12-year-old sustained injuries to his face and eyes, investigators said. After the assault on Lexington Avenue, someone called emergency services to say that the boy was at the residence and needed help. Police and emergency crews responded, found the boy and took him to Dayton Children's Hospital. KANSAS CITY, Mo. A Chillicothe man and woman are facing charges after investigators said they were connected to a shooting that left an 18-year-old hospitalized on Sunday. According to court documents, 19-year-old Kaliah Nichole Wilson has been charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and Colin Andrew Reed-Allen has been charged with one count of tampering with physical evidence. KCFD says all Cloverleaf Apartment tenants relocated, complex closed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initial reporting said that on Sunday, March 2, officers with the Chillicothe Police Department were informed of an 18-year-old male who had been shot and taken to Hendrick Medical Center. The extent of the teens injuries has still not been released; however, he is still in the hospital and receiving treatment. It was reported that an acquaintance of the victim, later identified through court records as Reed-Allen, was taken into custody at the hospital. Additionally, a woman, identified through court records as Wilson, was arrested after police reportedly found evidence in her car in connection to the shooting. After Livingston County released the charges, more details surrounding what led up to the shooting, as well as the two suspects, have been addressed in court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to two probable cause statements, Chillicothe police said a sergeant had pulled over Wilson and found her infant son in the front passenger seat without a seatbelt. It was reported that she did not have a valid drivers license and had just dropped off her boyfriend at the hospital after he had been shot. Raymore man sentenced to 25 years for deadly shooting at Blue Springs park Court records said Wilson told the sergeant she didnt know what led up to the shooting or where it took place. She also told police that Reed-Allen had awakened her and told her about the shooting. In a statement to police, Reed-Allen said he had been asleep in a chair in the living room when the shooting happened. However, after Wilson was taken into custody, it was later revealed that Reed-Allen had told her to lie to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson continued speaking with police, telling them that the 18-year-old had accidentally shot himself in the kitchen after he and Reed-Allen had been smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. Both men are underage and were holding a handgun, according to court records. Wilson told officers that she had turned her back to the men and then heard a gunshot. When she turned around, she reportedly saw the teen suffering from a gunshot wound. According to both probable cause statements, Wilson gave police consent to search her phone. Photos were found of Reed-Allen and the teen posing with marijuana and a pistol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the initial investigations, police got a search warrant for a home near Walnut and Ann Street. During the search, officers found that the crime scene had been cleaned up and that evidence had been tampered with. It is believed, according to court records, that Reed-Allen had cleaned up the scene and after the shooting, refused to contact emergency services. Now, both Wilson and Reed-Allen are facing charges in connection to the crime. It was also revealed that Wilson is facing an additional charge, unrelated to the incident, regarding a March 2024 incident at Chillicothe High School. Lees Summit man facing charges in August Kansas City homicide Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said Wilson, who was a student at the time, had allegedly posted a threatening video on TikTok toward her high school. She has now been charged with one count of first-degree terrorist threat. Both Wilson and Reed-Allen are being held in a Livingston County jail. No bond has been posted for either defendant. Police said Wilsons infant son is now in the custody of another relative. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAVANNAH, Ga (WSAV) The Trump Administration announced that they are eliminating more than 90% of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) contracts and $60 billion in U.S. assistance. WSAV first told you about MANA Nutritions struggle with government contracts and potential shutdowns back in January, now owners said that it continues to get more complicated and confusing. A stop work order in January, a cancellation of a contract last week and then a reprieve this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has certainly been a rollercoaster ride, and we arent confident that were off that ride, David Todd Harmon, chief operating officer said. Twelve million dollars in products already boxed and ready to send out. The bulk of that nutritious food waiting to be shipped from right here in Savannah. Last week, it looked like it would sit in the warehouse, after they got a termination letter from USAID on Wednesday. Most of it was what we had in stock, already made, Harmon said. And so that was big news. We immediately quite making additional product. We switched over to a product for other customers around the globe, but not for USAID. And made that switch quickly because they couldnt afford to make additional product that wouldnt be purchased. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week, their contract was reinstated, but its not business as usual. Harmon surveyed the potential damage this could have caused both to employees and the 2 million children they feed every year. The Fitzgerald facility employs around 110 people while the Pooler warehouse employees nearly 80 contractors and will eventually house the same operations as Fitzgerald. Weve not laid off anyone yet and dont anticipate now these orders being reinstated, Harmon said. the folks that ship this, the folks that distribute this and warehouse this its still intact to get these products to the folks that need it. Thats broken, thats going to have down the road some serious implications for us. He said the organization was facing nearly $13 million in unpaid USAID funds and will be left to depend on customers like UNICEF to prevent their operations from coming to a complete halt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If USAID goes away, it does thrust us into the arms of these customers to say, Hey, is there interest there? and I think there is some interest enough to keep us around, keep us alive. But it would be a much different path than we thought we were on just three days ago when these orders were not in question. Harmon said it took Georgia leaders like Representative Buddy Carter and Senator Raphael Warnock, political leaders from both sides of the aisle, to advocate on their behalf and keep them in business. They said they hope the administration, the American people and Congress will just lean in and make this a priority going forward. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. The reelection of Donald Trump brought Republicans a chance to realize their long-held dream of drowning bureaucracy in a bathtub. Since the Reagan era, many have tried; none have succeeded. But when Trump announced that Elon Musk would serve as cutter in chief and set up a Department of Government Efficiency , many believed the moment had at last arrived. So in November, I posed a question to management and policy experts: Could Musk's history of ruthlessly slimming down his companies and making them wildly successful give him the experience he needs to sniff out and cut Washington waste? They predicted that Musk would have less unilateral power to enact his will than he does in the headquarters of X or Tesla . The federal government is not ruled by a king, after all, let alone an unelected "special government employee." But they didn't doubt Musk, given that he gutted Twitter's staff and defying expectations that the platform would break somehow kept it alive. As the Columbia Business School professor Michael Morris told me, sometimes it takes "creative destruction" to make radical changes to large organizations. On the whole, the experts were cautiously hopeful. That was the fall, when all anyone could do was speculate. Today, six weeks into DOGE's existence, we have a lot of data. DOGE has created a dizzying tornado of news. Musk has used it to test the limits of the law, such as by dismantling USAID, a move that many legal experts have called unconstitutional. Tens of thousands of federal workers have been hastily fired; some, such as those who regulate the nation's food supply, were rehired once their necessity was recognized. Engineers loyal to Musk have infiltrated government IT systems . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So I went back to the experts and asked for their assessment of how things are going so far. For the most part, their hope had morphed into serious concern. They described DOGE's tactics as "clumsy," "wrongheaded," and full of "political recklessness." "The arrogance of the whole thing is pretty stunning even for someone with an ego as large as Elon Musk," Linda Bilmes, a senior lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, tells me. "It appears as if the objective is just to blow things up and hope something better emerges." Bilmes says Musk's approach thus far has been a huge "missed opportunity." In November she told me she hoped Musk would seek counsel from those who know best where government waste is, including the Government Accountability Office, the inspectors general, and federal workers themselves. DOGE has barely interacted with the GAO , which last week released its latest road map to improving government efficiency. Trump has fired more than a dozen inspectors general as part of the purge of government workers. And Musk has painted federal workers as his enemies rather than his partners. For two weekends in a row DOGE has sent an email to all federal workers asking for a list of their weekly accomplishments; if DOGE deems them lacking in productivity, they could be terminated. Last month, onstage at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Musk wielded what he called "the chainsaw for bureaucracy." But if Musk were truly interested in understanding the government to root out inefficiencies, Bilmes says, the memelord would have led with an image of a giant ear or telephone. "The wrongheadedness of the approach can be summed up in the image of the chainsaw," Bilmes added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two business school professors I talked to said the imagery harked back to "Chainsaw" Al Dunlap. In the 1990s, Dunlap wiped out thousands of employees at the toilet-paper giant Scott, facilitated the sale of the company, and walked off with a $100 million paycheck. Dunlap then took his brutal methods to the appliance maker Sunbeam, where share prices soared in anticipation of his plan to halve the company's staff. But that alone couldn't save Sunbeam. After several quarters of disappointing profits and a scandal involving falsified accounting documents, Dunlap was fired. Sunbeam went bankrupt, and Dunlap was hit with a shareholder lawsuit accusing him of inflating stock prices to acquire two other brands, as well as fines by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which accused him of misrepresenting Sunbeam's financial results. (He settled both.) All that chainsawing left a trail of destruction. "He substituted one kind of trauma for another kind of trauma," Morris says. Musk is jogging memories of Chainsaw Al because his tactics aren't about simply cutting back on government waste, which can be achieved through things such as killing the penny (Trump did order this), getting rid of unoccupied office space, and telling the Pentagon that its days of lobster dinners are no more. It's about pushing the federal workforce to the brink and expanding the power of the executive branch. "I'm both appalled and hopeful," Morris says. "Letting young kids who don't know anything about the context just gain access to all kinds of records that it's not clear they're legally allowed to be looking at, that opens the door to privacy issues, to espionage, to all kinds of problems." On the other hand, Morris maintains some optimism that Musk's wrecking-ball approach may still be the best bet yet to break through entrenched government waste. "Bureaucracies grow because politicians make calculated moves based on the constituencies that they're trying to keep for the next election. You have inertia, you have this snowballing bureaucracy, and that's part of the problem," he says. "It's relatively rare to have an administration and an administrator like Elon Musk with complete political courage, political recklessness even." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The world's richest man doesn't answer to voters, and he even said during Trump's campaign that Americans should expect economic "hardship" as a result of his slicing of government programs and workers. And Trump is only giving Musk more power, requiring agencies to create a centralized system managed by DOGE where they record and justify payments. He has even said he'd like for Musk to " get more aggressive ." Morris says that when bold figures like Musk try to bring about rapid change in business, they create shocks to the system that usually lead to blowback. And that blowback is building. On Thursday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the firing of probationary employees at some agencies. DOGE is drawing ire not just from federal workers and Democrats but from within the MAGA movement. Steve Bannon has called Musk a "truly evil person" and last week told an interviewer that Musk "wants to impose his freak experiments and play-act as God without any respect for the country's history, values or traditions." Recently, federal workers were sent a now notorious email asking them what they accomplished in the past week . They had little time to respond, with the threat of termination hanging over them if they left the email on read. Chaos ensued. Federal workers felt harassed and intimated , and many mulled resignation. Management experts largely told my colleagues that this type of leadership was harmful and could hurt worker morale. Then another email hit workers' inboxes, asking for a list of accomplishments to be sent every Monday. The emails are just the latest example of the ways DOGE and the Trump administration have wreaked psychological havoc on government workers, and Bilmes described them as "total nonsense." Many workers in the government are focused on preventing bad outcomes, such as the spread of disease or terrorist attacks that work doesn't necessarily lend itself to ideals of efficiency. Joseph Fuller, a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, says that DOGE's tactics largely show that "at the root of what they're trying to do, they're trying to get the data." That could allow the government to push toward automating more tasks of its office workers. "In some ways, what they're trying to do is get a better map of how these places work so that they can start using tech to reduce costs and reduce deficits," Fuller says. But the disarray and confusion created by DOGE's tactics could outweigh any benefit. "The extent to which that agenda is overthrown by this kind of almost comically clumsy initiative might be something they regret," he says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fuller says tactics similar to the accomplishments emails happen in the corporate world in companies "under pretty significant financial duress." "It's a little bit of a 'break glass, pull lever' mechanism," he says, that "can be useful to allow you to make rapid cuts, which might cause you to live to fight another day in a corporate setting." The federal workforce is heavily unionized. The sources of funding are not controlled by a CEO. The government is not a company that needs to make it through the next quarter in hopes of being acquired. It needs the resources to carry on in perpetuity. DOGE did not respond to questions about whether it plans to work with the GAO as it continues to recommend spending cuts going forward. The federal government isn't Sunbeam. Or Twitter. Or Tesla. Or SpaceX. When you cut half the people who work at Twitter, it glitches even if it eventually recovers. When you eliminate USAID, people can die. How are we to measure the efficiency of programs that keep the country safe from terrorist attacks or nuclear disasters? The purge of employees can lead to gaps in systems we can't afford to break now and fix later. The US government is not a corporation. And it's not a startup, the vast majority of which fail. Some are acquired, which is seen as success. Few turn out like Tesla and SpaceX. Their founders move on to try again, to come up with something new and take it back to investors for another go. The government cannot be put to the same tests what it does is too important. Amanda Hoover is a senior correspondent at Business Insider covering the tech industry. She writes about the biggest tech companies and trends. Read the original article on Business Insider MANCHESTER, Conn. (WTNH) Manchester Animal Control is searching for a person who possibly abandoned a dog in a carrier. Manchester Animal Control said the dog was left in a black carrier on the sidewalk in front of Summit Street around 10:55 a.m. Friday. Courtesy of Manchester Animal Control The person believed to have abandoned the dog was seen with a black carrier and dog in Windsor around 9:57 a.m. They were seen entering a white Toyota believed to be an Uber, according to Manchester Animal Control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is asked to call 860-645-5516 or email ACO Fisher at fisherb@manchesterct.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 WTNH.com. U.S. manufacturers rely on more than 30,000 small industrial boilers to make a large number of things: foods, drinks, paper, chemicals, clothes, electronics, furniture, transportation equipment, and more. The vast majority of these smaller boilers burn fossil fuels mostly gas, but sometimes coal or oil. Their emissions contribute not only to climate change but to smoggy skies and elevated asthma rates, too. Swapping out such boilers for electric industrial heat pumps would be a quick win for communities and regulators looking to improve air quality, said Hellen Chen, industry research analyst at the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, or ACEEE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only about 5% of process heat in industry currently comes from electricity, but industrial heat pumps are gaining some momentum. They've already been installed in at least 13 American factories, helping reduce pollution from brewing beer, pasteurizing milk, and drying lumber. Kraft Heinz, the famed ketchup and mac-and-cheese maker, plans to install heat pumps at 10 factories by 2030. Oat-milk producer Oatly is considering one at a New Jersey plant. And policymakers in Southern California passed a rule last summer to phase out industrial boilers, a move that will likely boost heat-pump replacements. Industrial boilers spew a panoply of air pollutants as byproducts of combustion, including nitrogen oxides, or NO x . NO x is harmful in itself but also contributes to the formation of ozone, a key ingredient of smog that can inflame airways and cause a range of respiratory problems, especially in children whose lungs are still developing. To identify opportunities to clean up air quality, Chen and ACEEE colleagues recently mapped areas where ozone levels exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard, the number of small industrial boilers in each area, and the fuel they use. In total, they found that more than 5,400 boilers currently burn in 174 counties. The team focused on smaller industrial boilers, defined as having capacities up to 50 million British thermal units per hour, because their emissions are often overlooked, yet the equipment is the easiest to switch out for heat pumps, Chen said. In areas where the baseline community pollution burden is already high, there is a really important opportunity, Chen said. Heat pumps are a cleaner and more efficient technology that is ready for adoption today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Depending on the boiler size, fuel type, and other aspects, the reduction in onsite NO x emissions from swapping just one industrial boiler for a heat pump is equivalent to taking 400 to 10,000 cars off the road, by Chens calculation. The industrial emissions reductions would add up. Some counties host large stocks of these smaller boilers: Cook County, Illinois, has 297; Philadelphia County, 127; Harris County, Texas, 123; and Los Angeles County, 111, per the ACEEE map. Heat pumps are available now for low-temperature industrial processes, making them well-suited to industries like food and beverage manufacturing, which relies almost exclusively on heat below 266 degrees Fahrenheit (130 degrees Celsius). Low-temperature heat also plays a significant role in areas like chemicals and paper production. The upsides of industrial heat pumps Industrial heat pumps, which were first developed in the 1980s, are wildly energy efficient and can use just one-third to a quarter as much energy as boilers. Depending on the relative prices of gas and electricity, that superior efficiency can deliver lower operating costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heat pumps can also improve product quality by providing more precise temperature control. Back in 2003, the Department of Energy found that heat pumps produce higher-quality dried lumber. Plus, heat pumps can have a smaller physical footprint than boilers with similar capacities since they dont store fuel, making them advantageous for facilities with limited floor space. Since theyre modular, they can be installed in parallel to meet heat demands as needed, Chen said. Added up, these and other co-benefits can save facilities another 20% to 30% on top of reduced energy costs. The major impediment to switching out combustion boilers, which can last 20 to 40 years or more, is the upfront cost. The payback period for an industrial heat pump retrofit is typically on the high side between five and seven years, Chen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, many companies are looking for very short ROIs [returns on investment] of under three years, Chen said, making the business case difficult even if the lifetime savings are great. In new facilities, heat pumps can cost the same as gas boilers to install, she noted. Policy support can make it more logical for a business to take on these upfront costs. At least one air quality regulator is beginning to push industries to decarbonize. Last year, Californias South Coast Air Quality Management District passed a first-in-the-nation measure that aims to gradually phase out NO x emissions from 2026 to 2033 from more than 1 million large water heaters, boilers with capacities of up to 2 million British thermal units per hour, and process heaters in the area, which will necessitate the switch to electric tech. Chen hopes to see more regulators follow the districts lead as well as tackle what is to her the biggest hurdle to electrification in the U.S.: the relatively high cost of electricity compared with gas, known as the spark gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spark gap, the ratio of average electricity price to fossil-gas price (each in dollars per kilowatt-hour), varies from state to state. A ratio of less than about three to four typically makes switching to a heat pump more economically feasible without additional policy support because industrial heat pumps are about three to four times as efficient as gas boilers and thus can lower operating costs, Chen noted. Electric utilities and regulators could redesign rates to make the electric equipment more attractive. The idea has precedent for home heat pumps, though hasnt been realized for industrial ones yet, as far as Chens aware. State and federal programs are also helping to defray the capital costs of electrifying. California provides $100 million for electric upgrades at factories through the Industrial Decarbonization and Improvement of Grid Operations program. Colorado offers competitive tax credits up to $168 million in total for industrial facilities to install improvements that reduce greenhouse gases. Under the Biden administration, about $500 million was granted to Kraft Heinz and others for projects cleaning up emissions from process heat, part of a $6 billion windfall for industrial-decarbonization demonstration projects. But the fate of the awards is unclear as the sweeping federal funding freeze ordered by President Donald Trump in January has, so far, failed to fully thaw. With momentum growing for zero-emissions equipment like heat pumps, were hoping that more facilities will see them as a viable technology that's ready to go, Chen said, and that companies will be more confident about applying this technology within their own facilities. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Days after 10 tornadoes ripped through Middle Tennessee, satellite images were taken of the damage. The two most powerful tornadoes caused impacts from Nashville to Cookeville. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) put together an interactive map of the areas impacted on March 2nd and 3rd, 2020. CREDIT: NOAA An EF-3 tornado with maximum winds of 165 mph impacted Davidson and Wilson Counties. Causing destruction in the most populated parts of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Remembering the tornadoes of March 2-3, 2020 in Middle TN The tornado first dropped down west of Nashville. One of the first locations it impacted was John C. Tune Airport. The satellite images taken show airplanes tossed off the tarmac and hangars destroyed. At this point the tornado was an EF-2 with winds between 111 and 155 mph. CREDIT: NOAA CREDIT: NOAA CREDIT: NOAA The tornado then moved through West Nashville, Germantown, and East Nashville. As it moved into East Nashville it strengthened to an EF-3 with winds between 136 and 165 mph. This caused roofs and top floors to be completely ripped off residential houses. The tornado briefly weakened as it moved into Donelson and Hermatage. As it moved into Mt. Juliet it strengthened back into an EF-3. Entire factories had their roofs removed and 18-wheeler trailers were tossed across parking lots. CREDIT: NOAA CREDIT: NOAA CREDIT: NOAA CREDIT: NOAA After impacting Lebanon, the tornado lifted off the ground. The same storm dropped another tornado as it moved into Putnam County. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com This tornado rapidly strengthened into an EF-4 with maximum winds of 175 mph. The tornado went from ripping off roofs, to tearing houses from their slabs. Some neighborhoods west of downtown Cookeville were destroyed. As the tornado moved toward Tennessee Tech in downtown Cookeville, it weakened and lifted. CREDIT: NOAA CREDIT: NOAA CREDIT: NOAA CREDIT: NOAA After Cookeville, the same thunderstorms dropped two more tornadoes in East Tennessee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. As the second half of Indianas legislative session picks up steam, the Gary Common Council is weighing the creation of a new legislative committee to track bills moving through the Statehouse that could soon become law and impact the city. The political landscape has shifted locally, too. Council member Marian Ivey has stepped into the 4th District seat vacated by former council President Tai Adkins, now the Calumet Township trustee. A Democratic caucus will be held this month to fill Iveys vacant at-large seat. Meanwhile, the fate of the closed Beckman School is in limbo after residents spoke out against a proposed redevelopment at the site, prompting the citys zoning board to reject the plan. That decision now heads to the council. Heres a look at some important public meetings scheduled in Gary in March 2025: Meeting Calendar Date: Tuesday, March 4 and 18 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Location: City Hall, 401 Broadway Time: 6 p.m. CST Contact: (219) 881-1315 * Biweekly on the first and third Tuesdays of each month * Broadcast on Facebook Live Date: Tuesday, March 11 and 25 Location: Hudson-Campbell, 455 Massachusetts St. Time: 10 a.m. CST Contact: (219) 886-7099 ext. 36900 * Meetings are held at 10 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month Date: Wednesday, March 5, 12, 19, and 26 Location: City Hall, 401 Broadway, in the Cleo Wesson Lounge on the second floor Time: 2 p.m. CST Contact: (219) 881-1310 * Weekly on Wednesday * Broadcast on Facebook Live: Date: Thursday, March 13 Location: City Hall, 401 Broadway Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Time: 3 p.m. CST Contact: (219) 881-1300 * Monthly on Thursday of the second week * Broadcast on Facebook Live Date: Thursday, March 13 Location: Gary Area Career Center, 1800 E. 35th Ave. Time: 5 p.m. CST Contact: (219) 881-5466 * Monthly on Wednesday of the second week * Broadcast on Facebook Live Date: Wednesday, March 19 Location: City Hall, 401 Broadway Time: 4 p.m. CST Contact: (219) 886-1531 * Monthly on Wednesday of the third week Date: Thursday, March 20 Location: City Hall, 401 Broadway Time: 3 p.m. CST Contact: (219) 886-1531 (Residents are encouraged to call before attending to ensure meeting isnt canceled) * Monthly on Thursday of the third week Date: Thursday, March 20 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Location: Second floor of the Gary Housing Authority Central Office, 578 Broadway Time: 6 p.m. CST Contact: (219) 881-6400 Date: Tuesday, March 11 Location: 2293 N. Main St., Commissioners Court Room/Council Chamber, 3rd Floor, Building A Time: 10 a.m. Contact: (219) 755-3280 Date: Friday, March 7 and 21. Location: 3600 West Third Ave. Time: Noon Contact: (219) 944-0595, x1816 What meetings are you looking forward to this month? See anything missing that we should have highlighted? Email Capital B Garys Government and Politics Reporter Calvin Davis at calvin.davis@capitalbnews.org. The post March 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary appeared first on Capital B Gary. A crowd marches around Virginia's state capitol in Richmond on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, before a rally near the bell tower. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury) Clad in a red cloak and a white bonnet, Christie Epperson stood among hundreds of demonstrators gathered for a march between Richmonds Monroe Park and Virginias Capitol, a chilling symbol for the dystopian feature she fears is inching closer. (America) can be Gilead, Epperson said, referencing The Handmaids Tale, Margaret Atwoods novel about a totalitarian state where women lose all autonomy. A few more steps and were there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Epperson, a Bedford County resident, joined a coalition of more than 300 people in Virginias capital Tuesday to push back against policies that she and others see as an erosion of womens rights as well as a general pushback to President Donald Trump and Republican majorities in Congress. The protest was part of a national effort under the banner March 4th Democracy with rallies in all 50 states. A focus of Tuesdays event was womens rights in the context of the present as the U.S. Supreme Courts conservative majority, cemented by Trumps judicial appointments, led to the overturning of abortion rights. Across the country, Republican-leaning efforts to restrict access to reproductive healthcare ranging from contraception to vitro fertilization have only heightened activists fears. As protesters prepared to march to the state capitol, organizer Violeta Vega took the microphone, reminding the crowd that progress has never come without a fight. The rights women have won in this country, those in power didnt give those things to us willingly, Vega said. It was through a struggle of working class people, of organized working-class people emphasis on the organized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vegas speech underscored the long history of resistance, from the womens suffrage movement more than a century ago to the continued fight for equality today. While white women secured the right to vote in 1920, women of color had to fight for decades more to achieve the same. Another major concern raised at the rally was the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, a Republican-backed measure in Congress that would require people registering to vote or updating their voter registration to present documents like passports or birth certificates to prove citizenship. Supporters say the legislation would prevent immigrants without legal status from voting despite the fact that it is already illegal and rare. The proposal has sparked backlash from voting rights groups, including the League of Women Voters, which warns that it could disproportionately affect married women whose last names sometimes may not match across all legal documents. Thats really scary, said Kienan Chung, one of the event organizers. So today were sort of highlighting womens rights, but what were going to be doing going forward is highlighting a different issue at each different protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesdays gathering was part of state-level organizing with the 50501 movement shorthand for 50 protests, 50 states, one day. Chung described it as a growing wave of political activism that has gained traction since Trump took office. She anticipates the next demonstration will focus on transgender healthcare. For Richmond resident Nancy Curry, broader healthcare and retirement benefits were top of mind. Having worked decades, she has paid into Social Security and Medicare federal programs designed to support retirees with stipends and healthcare. At the same time, she has friends who benefit from Medicaid, which provides coverage for low-income individuals and those without employer-provided insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its really scary to me the number of people in our country who dont understand that everyone who has worked pays into the system, Curry said. Though Trump has repeatedly stated he wouldnt touch Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security, skeptics like Curry arent convinced. The presidents push for tax cuts has raised concerns that reductions in federal revenue could lead to spending cuts including to healthcare programs. In January, Trump announced a federal funding freeze, and while a memo asserted that Medicare and Social Security would be unaffected, Medicaid was notably absent. Around the same time, several states including Virginia experienced temporary suspensions of Medicaid portals, affecting access for more than 630,000 Virginians. More recently, House Republicans passed a budget resolution that proposes at least $880 billion in spending cuts over the next decade, a move that could put Medicaid on the chopping block. The measure still faces hurdles in the U.S. Senate before reaching Trumps desk, but for those relying on these programs, the uncertainty remains unsettling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How are (people) going to make payments? Making choices between medicines and food its atrocious, said Curry, voicing frustration over the financial strain healthcare costs place on everyday Americans. Tuesdays rally in Richmond came just ahead of Trumps first joint congressional address in his second term. With midterm elections next year offering the first nationwide test of Trumps leadership, Virginia voters will have their own high-stakes decision to make this year electing a new governor and determining the fate of all 100 seats in the House of Delegates. While some rally goers, like organizer Vega, expressed frustration with the two-party system, Epperson saw a reason for optimism. No matter whos the Democrat running, she said, things can be better for Virginians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A goat farm owner, Epperson brought along Mimi, one of her goats, who alternated between munching on grass and soaking up attention from passersby. As she looks ahead, Epperson hopes people stay engaged both online and in real-life activism. And Mimi, she added, will be back for future rallies. Mimi, a goat from Its All Goode Farm in Bedford County, attends a political rally at Virginias state capitol on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury) SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Lowville United Methodist Church will host a free Stone Soup Dinner on Thursday, March 6 at the church located at 7618 North State Street. The meal is served drive-thru and will begin at 5 p.m. with a dinner comprised of chili, coleslaw, corn bread and a dessert. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) If youre looking for something to do in between Summit League games or just on our nicer March weekends, multiple local businesses have come together for a shopping event. Seasoned Style on the corner of 10th Street and Walts Avenue in Sioux Falls is just one of 14 stores customers can check out this month for a March Madness Shop Hop. DTSF offering free rides to Summit League Tournament Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a retailer, I have noticed that not only have sales been down recently but also just traffic in general has been down, Christi Petersen, owner of Seasoned Style, said. So, I was trying to think of some ways to build up some excitement and maybe get some foot traffic. So, I thought of the Shop Hop adventure so that everybody has an experience to do while theyre out shopping. Participating in the Shop Hop is simple all you have to do is visit the 14 stores, get the card stamped at each and then bring it back for a chance to win a grand prize. You dont have to have a purchase to get the stamp, Petersen said. We just really want you to visit all the locations. Theyre all around Sioux Falls, some in Hartford, some in Harrisburg. At Seasoned Style you can find vintage home decor and furniture, but there is a wide range of offerings between all of the participating Shop Hop stores. Theres some clothing boutiques, some gift boutiques, home decor stores, bakeries. We have a wellness, like a juice bar, so all different types of businesses for you to explore, Petersen said. AMC Collective along Minnesota Avenue is also on the list. AMC Collective is a marketplace for artists, makers and crafters to sell their items. So, its kind of like a year-round craft show, Carrie Thompson, owner of AMC Collective, said. Both Petersen and Thompson hope the Shop Hop allows customers to experience something new. Just find the new little hidden gems. See all the different things that maybe you didnt know were around and just check out different stores, Thompson said. When you get a punch card all filled out, you can return it to any of the participating stores to be entered into the drawing for the grand prize, which Petersen says includes something from each of the 14 stores. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Get your beads and King Cakes out! Mardi Gras is officially upon us! The annual celebration is one of the most iconic cultural events in the United States, known for exuberant parades, festive music and indulgent foods. Fat Tuesday, the grand finale, marks the culmination of weeks of revelry and excitement. But why do we celebrate? Let's take a closer look at the rich history behind this lively holiday, which stretches back centuries to ancient traditions and French colonial influences. When is Mardi Gras? When is Fat Tuesday 2025? Mardi Gras is a weeks-long celebration that culminates on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fat Tuesday, often seen as the final burst of excitement before the solemn preparations for Easter, is today, March 4. Why is Mardi Gras celebrated? The Carnival season, or Mardi Gras season, officially begins on Epiphany, Jan. 6, and lasts through Fat Tuesday. Its a time for celebration and is seen as a final burst of excitement before the solemn observances of the Easter season, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The origins of Carnival trace back to ancient times, rooted in pagan festivals that celebrated the arrival of spring. In the 4th century, these festivals were adapted by Christians and incorporated into the liturgical calendar as a period of indulgence before the penitential observance of Lent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back then, people celebrated Boeuf Gras, meaning fatted calf," according to USA TODAY. Its a time for people to enjoy things such as fatty foods, sugar, alcohol and other items considered decadent. Theyd give themselves until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, or what is often called Fat Tuesday, to indulge. The tradition then made its way through the colonies, and around 1699, French Canadians arrived in what is now Mobile, Alabama, according to USA TODAY. Mardi Gras' origins can be traced back to France and Italy, but today, New Orleans is the largest and most famous place for the event. Do other countries celebrate Mardi Gras? While New Orleans has made a name for itself in terms of Mardi Gras, other countries also celebrate the event, including France, Italy, Brazil, Germany, Trinidad and Tobago and Belgium, each with their own distinct traditions and festivities. Does Texas have any Mardi Gras celebrations? While Louisiana is home to one of the worlds most renowned Mardi Gras celebrations, Texas embraces the Carnival season on a smaller scale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike the citywide revelry of New Orleans, most Texas cities host localized events at private venues and businesses. However, the most notable celebrations take place in coastal towns near the Louisiana border. For instance, Beaumonts annual Mardi Gras Southeast Texas festival, which ran from Feb. 28 to March 2, draws thousands of visitors each year. Texas is also home to the nations third-largest Mardi Gras celebration Mardi Gras! Galveston. Now in its 114th year, the festival attracts more than 350,000 visitors annually, according to Visit Galveston. The two-weekend event kicked off on Feb. 21 and will host final events today. This story was updated to add a photo gallery. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Mardi Gras 2025: When is Fat Tuesday? Why it's celebrated, origin The Marine Corps announced a pilot program last month that will allow senior enlisted Marines to reenlist to the end of their service limitation without having to submit recurring -- and often burdensome -- extension packets. The Enlisted Career Designation Program, announced Feb. 20, is aimed at keeping experienced Marines in the Corps by reducing the administrative hassle and uncertainty associated with extending their service. Marines with the rank of master sergeant, first sergeant, master gunnery sergeant and sergeant major with at least 15 years of service and an end of contract date before Sept. 30, 2026, can voluntarily apply for the program beginning on June 1 of this year, according to the service message in which the pilot was announced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: Defense Health Agency Director Ends 32-Year Career with Unceremonious, Abrupt Retirement When Marines decide to reenlist, they often do so in four-year increments "that may not align with their duty assignments or career aspirations," the message said. It also comes with an often cumbersome administrative process that involves conferring with career counselors, assignment monitors, command teams and other personnel sections, then submitting a hefty paperwork request, only to wait for the Marine Corps to determine whether it is accepted or not. "We want to do away with that. You are clearly a career Marine and our top talent," Maj. Erick Lallemand, a force management officer with the service's Manpower and Reserve Affairs, said during a recent interview with Military.com about senior enlisted Marines who are eligible for the pilot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We already know these Marines. We've invested in them. We've retained them, and we want to retain them to continue further service," he said. "So why do we want them to keep having to do the same process every four years when we can just eliminate it, streamline it, and better manage our talent across the force?" Master sergeants and first sergeants can serve up to 27 years on active duty, while master gunnery sergeants and sergeants major can stay for 30 years in the active service. Marines with those ranks could already have two decades of service under their belts, Lallemand said. Under the pilot program, those senior enlisted Marines will incur an automatic two-year obligation but can decide to separate or retire from the service once that initial commitment is up -- and they don't have to submit another reenlistment package if they choose to stay longer. "Get on the program, and you don't have to worry about that administrative burden ever again," Lallemand said. An additional benefit to the program is that it will free up career planners, monitors and command teams to process other reenlistment packets since senior Marines in the program will be exempt from submitting their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that Marines who opt for the program will still be able to take advantage of bonuses that can come with certain high-demand jobs, though those often carry their own additional service obligations. Lallemand said that the service will review the pilot's effectiveness to see how it needs to be adjusted or even expanded to staff sergeants or gunnery sergeants. One of the most significant factors the service will assess is the "take rate" -- or how many senior enlisted Marines decide to join the pilot, he said. There are roughly 1,800 Marines who would be eligible for ECDP pilot, and a key part of measuring its success will be seeing how many not only apply for the program but stick it out to their maximum service limit, Lallemand said. "There's gonna be a lot of different things that we can analyze once we have the data after the program's gone live to see the success or failures of the program, and then where we might need to tweak it and make improvements so that we can eventually get it ready, perhaps, to those other staff NCO-level ranks," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lallemand said that officials looked at similar programs the other services offer -- such as the Army, which allows staff sergeants with 10 years or more in experience to reenlist in the same way -- and curated this pilot to match the "unique" retention environments of the Marine Corps. "We decided that it was time, though, to look at a way to show our career Marines we are committed to them," he said. Marines who are not qualified to reenlist -- due to misconduct or ongoing legal proceedings, for example -- will not be eligible to enroll in the pilot. Those who are eligible will go to their career counselors and request to be placed in the ECDP program, submitting their final reenlistment package, should they be accepted to the pilot. When asked whether the service has identified any risks or concerns related to the pilot, Lallemand said that the Marine Corps has prioritized messaging to its senior ranks and career counselors to ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page and informed. Once the program starts, he noted, it will be imperative to make sure no technological bugs hamper its rollout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Now, granted, you're never going to be able to plan for everything, so there may be minor hiccups here and there that will adjust fire on as they come up," Lallemand said. "But overall, I think that the program -- it's very good. It's going to have great results." The ECDP pilot is associated with the Marine Corps' Talent Management program, a 2021 initiative meant to prioritize retaining top talent and experience, rather than the old "recruit and replace" model that saw Marines leaving the service at a "remarkably high turnover rate," it said. A key part of that talent management is making it easier for senior Marines -- who "have all the knowledge, they have all the experience," Lallemand said -- to stay in the services and use their institutional maturity to mold the next generation. "So if we can manage to maintain a high-quality talent population past 20 years," Lallemand said, "we're strengthening the Marine Corps, we're strengthening our career Marine population, and we're ultimately making a better Marine Corps, holistically, from our most junior ranks to our most senior ranks." Related: How the Marine Corps Is Changing to Keep Talented Marines in the Service YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Some of Youngstowns $82 million of American Rescue Plan money can now be seen at work. A new park is being built at the intersection of Market Street and Indianola Avenue. It will be called Market Street Park, and when finished, there will be tables and a gazebo. It was the idea of 6th Ward Councilwoman Anita Davis. She hopes it will help with the redevelopment of the Uptown, where the Buckeye Pace Senior Center and Clinic will soon open across the street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a park. Its not a playground. Its a gathering place, and I hope to have a lot of events and things going on in that Uptown area, Davis said. The cost of the park is $400,000. Davis said she hopes to eventually also put a fountain in the park, with the money for that being raised separately. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. As marriage and fertility in China continue to decline, some employers tried taking a hardline approach with workers who are single. They were told to get married or lose their job. The memo was later withdrawn, revoking and abolishing the provisions proposed in the notice. But it shows the concern of shrinking populations and lack of family formation at a time when many countries, including the United States, have lower birth rates and are concerned about fertility. The New York Times reported that one company, Shandong Suning Chemical Group, told its unmarried workers they have until Sept. 30 to wed if they want to continue to work there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you cannot get married and start a family within three quarters, the company will terminate your labor contract, per the memo that spread on social media after it was sent to workers ages 28 to 58. Those receiving it included workers who were divorced. Marriage in China fell 20% last year compared to 2023, according to the Times, the fewest since the government began releasing statistics in 1986. Chinas population has fallen for three straight years." The notice, translated into English, reads in part: Not responding to the call of the country and not getting married and having children is disloyalty; not listening to the words of parents and making the elderly worry is unfilial; not being able to get along with a partner after several attempts is unkindness; not listening to the advice of comrades and making workers worry is unrighteousness. The notice, which also called out a specific worker in a troubled marriage, apparently violated provisions of the Labor Law and the Labor Contract Law. Yinan County Human Resources and the Social Security Bureau said it would track whether personnel are dismissed and the Labor Supervision Brigade will handle it according to law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Times reported that the Chinese government has embraced some tactics that encourage marriage and starting a family. It cites, for instance, the supermarket chain Pangdonglai, whose founder said he would forbid bride prices, which is basically a dowry payment to the family of the future bride. Critics of the practice, including the government, have argued that it makes marriage unaffordable for many men. He also said that the guest list for weddings would have to be pared to a certain length so that couples could afford the wedding. A district in China is reportedly considering issuing guidance on a three-child policy, which is certainly different from the one-child policy that held for many years throughout China and apparently contributed to the population woes. Chinas far from alone in worrying about falling birth rates. Shrinking fertility Around 2055, a first is expected to take place: The world population will peak and then start declining and its likely to happen at a rapid rate, according to Deseret News coverage of a talk on fertility by Jesus Fernandez-Villaverde, an economist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, who was addressing a Harvard University audience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre going to be the first generation in human history that is going to see the population of the planet fall in a systematic way, Fernandez-Villaverde said. Both developed and developing countries are part of the trend of record-low total fertility rates. The replacement rate where the population basically stays level is 2.1 births per woman over her lifetime. Some countries are far below that, including South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, where the average is less than 1.5 children per woman. As Deseret News separately reported, U.S. women are starting families later and having fewer children, some forgoing having kids entirely. Those are among the factors contributing to news that in 2023, the U.S. total fertility rate hit its lowest point, falling to a record 1.62 births per woman, well below the replacement rate of 2.1 births. According to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 3.59 million births in 2023 in the U.S. was a 2% drop from the previous year and the lowest number since 1979. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two things can stabilize population size: more births than deaths and immigration. Fernandez-Villaverde said the U.S. would need to have about 4 million immigrants a year to keep its population stable if the trend in declining births continues. Why lower fertility could be trouble Many demographers, government officials and others believe a shrinking population could crimp economic growth and usher in other problems. As Deseret News reported last year, Fertility is a roadmap to aspects of the future that have great bearing on most peoples lives in one way or another, though they may not recognize it. Population change impacts schools, economies and social programs, experts say. It can impact whether you can cash out the equity in your house or how many holes the social safety net might have as you grow old. There are also concerns that trends like delaying marriage may mean women ultimately do not have the number of children theyd like to have. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Forbes, declining births drive major global shifts in power over coming decades. ... Many countries like China and Japan have been trying to encourage people to have more kids and a birth rate below the replacement rate signals major demographic shifts on the horizon. In particular, it portends sluggish growth, an aging population and an economy that one day may struggle to find enough workers to fill jobs and pay the taxes required to maintain the state and care for a large elderly population, whose health and other needs often require far more expenditure per capita than younger people." Attempts to bolster births The Cato Institute produced a report for National Review, published in 2023, that outlined Congressional proposals to support families and make having children a bit easier. Lawmakers have pondered subsidies for families and children, in vitro fertilization coverage, subsidized child care and direct payments to children in the form of a child allowance, among other things. Unfortunately, outcomes of fertility initiatives abroad suggest that U.S. policy-makers are unlikely to meaningfully boost fertility through government programs or increased social spending. By 2015, more than 50 countries stated that their goal was to raise fertility. Yet there are no modern examples of a developed country raising fertility to replacement levels and sustaining it there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The article cites Hungary, which has spent 5% of its GDP on boosting fertility, but wont reach replacement level by its goal of 2030. Notably, although Hungarys total fertility has grown in recent years, fertility in neighboring countries has grown similarly over time, without major interventions. While the Cato piece is not particularly hopeful that fertility initiatives will make a huge difference, albeit at high fiscal cost, the report says that several current policies make being a parent harder than it needs to be, which could depress fertility and are thus ripe for reform. Among policy changes that could help, they cite remote or flexible-schedule work options, price reforms for family essentials like housing, food and child care and commonsense policies on childbirth choice and free-range parenting as regardless of their impact on fertility, reforms listed (that) would benefit families. The declining global birth rate is nothing new, though some believe it has sped up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Countries with low levels of fertility have for many years made efforts through policy to boost the birth rate. In 2017, the United Nations reported that 28% of governments have adopted policies, including 66% of European countries, and 38% of Asian countries. Theyve tried a variety of measures, including baby bonuses, family allowances, maternal and paternal leave, tax incentives and flexible work schedules. In a report for IZA World of Labor in 2014, Elizabeth Brainerd of Brandeis University noted that government policies can have a modest effect on raising fertility, but that the broader social changes that are lowering fertility have greater impact. These policies seem only modestly effective in countering the impacts of widespread social changes, including new work opportunities for women and stronger incentives to invest in education. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A suspect with a history of fleeing crime jurisdictions, who is wanted in the murder of two men in southeast Columbus, has been arrested in Detroit by federal marshals. According to Columbus police, Abdou Seye, 33, was charged with two counts of murder Monday after being identified as one of two suspects accused of killing Antwan Lewis, 42, and Harold Forest III, 31. Two men convicted in large Columbus drug ring receive federal sentences Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victims were found the afternoon of Feb. 26 in the 4100 block of Blakewell Lane West, just north of Groveport. Officers found Lewis dead at the scene, and Forest died shortly after at a hospital. Police have not released details of the shooting. Two days later, Brandon Colbert, 32, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder. He was arraigned Monday in Franklin County Municipal Court and issued a $500,000 bond. Agents with SOFAST, a U.S. Marshals Service task force that stands for the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team, located Seye in Detroit, where detectives traveled for an interview. He was arrested and awaits extradition to Franklin County. It is not the first time Seye has faced extradition to or from Ohio. In 2017, Seye was accused robbing one bank in Wheeling, West Virginia, on March 17; three in Evandale, Sharonville, and Montgomery, Ohio, between March 30 and April 29; and one in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in May 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fairfield massage parlor investigated for human trafficking Court documents out of the Southern District of Florida say Seye was arrested in July 2017 near Atlanta and extradited to Florida, where courts agreed to transfer their cases. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for an aggravated robbery out of Miami in June 2017. Colbert, who was once a victim of a stabbing in 2016, has previously served five years in prison for aggravated robbery in 2016 and an additional 12 months in 2023 on a weapons charge. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress for the first time in five years on Tuesday, delivering a speech six weeks into his administrations dramatic realignment of American policies and priorities. Democrats who represent Maryland will use the event to highlight Trumps firing of federal workers, bringing as guests those who have either been terminated or who are leading national efforts against the layoffs. Officials have warned that the firings will have devastating impacts on Marylands economy and workforce. At least one Democrat, U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, will skip the speech altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donald Trump and Elon Musk are destroying the state of the union. So, I dont need to be there to watch him claim otherwise, Mfume, a Baltimore Democrat, said in a statement. U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, the states only Republican in Congress and the leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, did not respond to a request for comment about his guest during the speech. But like other supporters of the president, Harris has stood firmly behind Trumps actions on everything from eliminating the U.S. Department of Education to pulling back on the countrys support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Inside the U.S. House chamber Tuesday night, Harris and other Republicans, who have narrow majorities in both the House and Senate, are likely to give Trump routine standing ovations as Democrats sit quietly or vocally protest parts of his speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guests in the U.S. House gallery, meanwhile, will in some cases make statements just with their presence. I think, more than anything, its just to maybe give a face to who our government workforce is, said Matthew Fessler, a Frederick County resident who was fired from his role at the Baltimore County-based Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last month. Fessler, 35, will attend the address as the guest of U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney, a freshman Democrat who represents 35,000 federal employees in her district that stretches from Montgomery County through Western Maryland. As a health insurance specialist at the agency, Fessler said his job was focused on identifying improper payments within Medicare a longtime issue that has become a top priority for both Trumps cost-cutting measures and congressional Republicans attempts to complement those efforts. Fessler said he spent about a decade working on Medicare analysis and investigations before joining the actual government agency last June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fessler said he was brought on to expand on what we consider improper payments not just typical investigative measures like ensuring documentation matched up in a way that indicated proper coverage of prescriptions but also ensuring that different parts of Medicare didnt erroneously cover prescriptions. After receiving a complimentary performance review at the beginning of January, his termination email that hit his inbox on Feb. 14 claimed his performance was inadequate and that he didnt have the knowledge, skills or abilities to benefit the agency, he said. Two hours later, he was locked out of his government-issued computer. Its hard to make sense of it and understand the rationale, Fessler said. McClain Delaney said Fesslers story stood out among those from the thousands of other people who have contacted her office since Trump began dismantling agencies and freezing federal funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His job was actually to help protect taxpayer dollars and to preserve the Medicare and Medicaid programs, McClain Delaney said. What I hope is there is a recognition of the incredible value of these public servants. U.S. Reps. Johnny Olszewski, Jr., a Baltimore County Democrat, and Jamie Raskin, a Montgomery County Democrat, also each invited a fired federal worker. Raskins guest will be Lauren McGee, a Maryland resident and biologist at the National Institutes of Healths National Cancer Institute who was researching a rare malignant bone cancer affecting both children and dogs. Studying the cancer in dogs could help develop treatment for children, Raskins office said in a statement. In a statement shared by Raskins office, McGee said it was her dream job within NIH. However, Raskins office said she was terminated as a probationary employee even though she had been promoted and worked in the same lab for more than a year. I was so excited to finally be able to help patients and their families while also working to find treatments for mans best friend, McGee said. I hope sharing my story helps in the fight against these illegal mass firings disrupting peoples lives and hurting medical research. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Maryland Democrats plan to bring leaders in whats become an expansive legal fight to stop Trumps targeting of the workforce. Democracy Forward, a nonprofit group that has launched lawsuits on behalf of workers, will be represented as guests of both U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Rep. Sarah Elfreth Democrats who have hosted several events with the organization to provide resources and information to impacted workers. Elfreths guest will be Rob Shriver, a former U.S. Office of Personnel Management official in the administrations of presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Van Hollens guest will be Skye Perryman, Democracy Forwards president and CEO, who the senator said is on the front lines of the efforts to fight back in court against the torrent of illegal actions by Trump and Musk. We will continue to stand up and speak out against the havoc they are wreaking on our workers and Americans they serve, Van Hollen said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks will bring one of the union officials representing thousands of the roughly 160,000 total federal employees who live in Maryland Ottis Johnson Jr., a national vice president at the American Federation of Government Employees. McClain Delaney said it was vital for her and her Democratic colleagues to rally the public by sharing stories like Fesslers. She pointed to the potential effects on workers in Maryland and on the services they provide to millions of people around the country from the administrators of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security in Baltimore County to the scientists who work on predicting weather at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Silver Spring. The average American, I dont think, realizes the impact it will have on their everyday life, McClain Delaney said. Their lives will be impacted in every way. --------- BALTIMORE Marylanders with developmental and intellectual disabilities are remaining firm in their fight against $200 million in proposed cuts to the agency that supports them. In the six weeks since cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration were first announced, the community has made clear their opposition through a rally and advocacy day, both of which drew hundreds to Annapolis. Theyve also spoken out on social media, flocked to lawmakers offices and testified at budget hearings. On Monday, people with developmental and intellectual disabilities took matters into their own hands, organizing an action night to show lawmakers the impact the funding cuts could have on their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Columbia resident Dominique Palmer cant drive to her job as an advocacy specialist for The Arc Maryland, relying on her support staff to get her to work every day. The proposed cuts, however, could take them away. If I dont have my staff, my employment staff at work, then I wont be able to accomplish all the great things that I usually do, she said. Democratic Gov. Wes Moores budget proposes cutting more than $200 million from DDA funding in fiscal 2026 reductions that shocked and scared lawmakers, as well as people with developmental disabilities, their families and the people who care and advocate for them. Budget leaders and the Moore-Miller administration recently agreed to restore nearly all of the proposed reductions for the current fiscal year. This delays eliminating a geographical differential rate and pushes off impacts to wages and more individualized residential supports for people with higher-intensity needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though services are temporarily stable through the end of June, steep funding reductions for fiscal year 2026 still loom for the community. Its unclear how much the proposed cuts could change throughout the session. Ande Kolp, executive director of The Arc Maryland, is still relieved by the fiscal 2025 funding restoration. Its just the time we needed to try to get more data, to talk to more people, and now we can put something else on the table, she said in an interview Monday night. Thats what were doing right now. Were trying to figure out whats going to hurt the least. Palmer wants lawmakers to carefully consider the impacts the budget cuts could have on the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want them to know that every person with [disabilities], were not all the same, she said. We look different and feel differently and have different thoughts, so you need to think about everything. The proposed cuts could also impact Tracy Wrights job as deputy director of People On the Go Maryland. Wright has been receiving DDA services for about 18 years, and the slashes could impact her staff, employment, and ability to keep her home. I have staff thats been with me over a decade, but they unfortunately because I cant tell them whats going to happen theyve already started looking for jobs, she said. Not because they want to leave me, but they rely on their income to pay their own bills and be able to live. Wright fears the cuts could mean people with developmental or intellectual disabilities would return to institutional care, which she feels would be more expensive for the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uncertainty at the federal level, including plans to cut Medicaid, also worries Wright and the disabilities community. Because of everything going on with the federal government, we need the state to stand strong as Maryland has always done, and support our community so we can continue to live, work and participate in our communities fully, Wright said. ---------- Appalled by President Donald Trumps actions during his first few weeks in office, Marylanders from across the state protested in Annapolis Tuesday ahead of his address to Congress. I want to say thank you on our behalf because you being out here today is what we fought for, Neil McCanon, a military veteran from Baltimore, told a crowd of more than 100 people at a Free State Coalition MD 50501 rally on Lawyers Mall. I hear a lot of fear out there that the military will be used against our people. I think I speak for many of the veterans here when I say we know what is in a legal order. We swore our oath to the Constitution, not to a man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marylanders from different walks of life gathered outside the State House in Annapolis Tuesday, brandishing Ukrainian flags and signs admonishing Trumps alliance with tech billionaire Elon Musk. They also railed against the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency and its cuts, the presidents handling of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the public reprimand he waged against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. No king! No dictator no fascism, one sign read. I would rather be a Zelenskyy Democrat than a Putin Republican, read another. A person in a pink hat synonymous with the 2017 Womens March on Washington, D.C., held a sign that said Putins puppet! Rallygoers chanted and sang protest songs, including This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie and the spiritual Down by the Riverside, and participated in call-and-response chants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement America has no king! one organizer yelled into the microphone. America needs no king! rally attendees shouted back. Judy Redmond, a Prince Georges County native and retired Calvert County teacher, said that character education classes were part of her second-grade curriculum about how bullies have problems, too, and the best way to help them is to show empathy. Redmond also reminisced about the lessons in government she taught, summarizing two main points: We have three branches of government, and No man or no person is above the law not even the president. I dont understand how hes doing what the heck hes doing, Redmond said of Trump to the crowd. Its horrible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maryland lawmakers have also been dealing with the repercussions of the second Trump presidency, which has complicated the states already fraught budget season and left their constituents concerned about their access to health care and legal statuses, among other issues. Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, said Tuesday that a lot of whats to come regarding how Maryland balances its budget in the face of a $3 billion deficit will be determined Thursday when the Board of Revenue Estimates gives its newest projection. What we suspect are the first impacts of the Trump-cession, or the the impacts of what is happening at the federal government, he said. On the House floor Monday evening, Del. Linda Foley, a Montgomery County Democrat, stood to recall the 2022 session, during which the House and Senate chambers unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution expressing solidarity with the people and government of Ukraine. After its passage, Maryland lawmakers and officials joined former Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, for a tribute in solidarity with Ukraine outside of the State House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite recent events, I just wanted to stand up tonight and say I still proudly stand with Ukraine, its president and its people, and Im sure many of you do, too, Foley said. Slava Ukraine. Ferguson said Tuesday morning that, though he doesnt ever want to touch international issues, what he saw from Trump and Vice President JD Vance as they met with Zelenskyy was a moment of absolute embarrassment for America. There are ways to go about unwinding and adjusting because elections have consequences, but to withdraw all aid in the face of states passing unanimous resolutions supporting the people of Ukraine is abhorrent, Ferguson said. Well see what happens tonight with the State of the Union, but I think its really important to remember and look at the specifics of what we said and what we agreed on a bipartisan basis three years ago about this invasion and remember that it was Russia that started this war. America deserves better, he said. _____ A Northborough man will serve time in federal prison for embezzling more than $366,000 from a nonprofit group that helps people with developmental disabilities, and then using that money to build a house, the U.S. Attorney said. Kyriakos Kapiris, a/k/a Rick Kapiris, 38, was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for wire fraud and money laundering, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. Kapiris was also ordered to pay $371, 088.97 in restitution. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret Guzman handed down Kapiris sentence in federal court in Worcester on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kapiris pleaded guilty in June 2022 to two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. From April 2015 to May 2020, Kapiris worked as the Information Technology Manager at Venture Community Services, a nonprofit organization in Sturbridge that services developmentally disabled members of the community, Foley said. The organization provided Kapiris access to two company credit cards to buy equipment and services as needed in his role as IT manager. Beginning in 2016, Kapiris used the two company credit cards to purportedly buy equipment from two vendor accounts on the web app Square and one account on Amazon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In reality, Kapiris created the three vendor accounts to embezzle the funds and fabricated sales invoices for purportedly purchased equipment to conceal the scheme, the U.S. Attorney said in her statement. Kapiris used the names of legitimate Massachusetts companies for the two Square accounts and created the Amazon account in the name of a company that he controlled, NetworkingPlus, prosecutors said. Kapiris linked the three vendor accounts to several of his own personal accounts at Bank of America into which he transferred the fraudulent monies, prosecutors said. Kapiris then used the stolen funds for personal expenses, including to build a house. The house was forfeited by the government and sold, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At sentencing, the court noted that Kapiris had been previously convicted of stealing from a previous employer. He was on probation for that offense at the time of his theft from Venture Community Services, prosecutors said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A Malden man has pleaded guilty to his role in distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine in local neighborhoods while his brother who is also charged remains a fugitive, the U.S. Attorney said. Logan Pierre, a/k/a LO, 33, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine, 40 grams and more of fentanyl and cocaine, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. U.S. District Court Judge Brian Murphy scheduled sentencing for June 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June 2024, Pierre was charged along with his brother, Isaiah Pierre, who remains a fugitive, Foley said. In the fall of 2023, an investigation began into drug trafficking activities conducted by Logan and, allegedly, Isaiah Pierre. Investigators allege that the Pierre brothers were actively selling methamphetamine in the greater Boston area, Foley said. Between October 2023 and May 2024, Logan Pierre and, allegedly, Isaiah Pierre sold or arranged the sale of a pound methamphetamine on at least five separate controlled purchases, prosecutors said. A search of Logan Pierres apartment yielded an additional 1,000 grams of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine, 40 grams and more of fentanyl, and cocaine, Logan Pierre faces a sentence of a mandatory minimum term of 10 years and up to life in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. 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 Authorities executed search warrants at an Ohio massage parlor and the home of the parlors owner Monday as part of a human trafficking investigation. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Fairfield County Sheriffs Office, in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations Task Force, served a search warrant at Elegant Massage in Carroll, our news partners at WBNS reported. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The operation was part of an investigation into reports of suspected human trafficking, labor exploitation, and other illegal activities at the parlor. Investigators found evidence related to illicit operations, including financial records, electronic devices, and other materials indicative of human trafficking during the searches, WBNS reported. Some individuals who were found in the business at the time of the search were believed to be victims of human trafficking. WBNS reported that those people were given information about victim services and resources for their well-being. No arrests have been made at this time. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Subscribe here: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Overcast | Pocket Casts Progressive ideas around race, gender, and immigration are under scrutiny by both the Republican-controlled federal government and Democrats chastened by the loss of the 2024 election. In this modern context, its easy to forget how persuasive these ideas once were. In 1995, just 25 percent of Democrats identified as liberal, while 46 called themselves moderate. Twenty years later, a sea change in public opinion had happened: In 2015, 45 percent of Democrats called themselves liberals. Two political scientists and a researcher found that from 2011 to 2020 the attitudes of Democrats and independents became notably more liberal on racial inequality and immigration. But even looking after the period of anti-woke backlash that has characterized much of the past few years, attitudes among all Americans (including Republicans) are noticeably more liberal than they were in 2011, according to their research. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats not to say that every part of what has been called wokeness was popular or even persuasive to the most liberal of poll respondents. But I think in the next few months and years, well come to see the anti-woke glee that has permeated through the first month of the Trump administration to be out of step with public opinion. Todays episode is a conversation I had last August with The New York Times Michelle Goldberg about a column she wrote, Wokeness Is Dying. We Might Miss It. The words she wrote then ring truer even now: There are aspects of the New Progressivismits clunky neologisms and disdain for free speechthat Ill be glad to see go. But however overwrought the politics of 2020 were, they also represented a rare moment when there was suddenly enormous societal energy to tackle long-festering inequalities. The following is a transcript of the episode: Jerusalem Demsas: A few weeks ago, Darren Beattie was appointed to a senior role at the State Departmentacting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beattie is a known quantity. He was fired by the last Trump administration after it came out that hed attended and spoken at a conference with white nationalists. But this experience doesnt seem to have rattled him, in the following years he made many controversial remarks on twitter including that Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work. Just watching the first few weeks of the new Presidents term indicates that curbing wokeness and cultural liberalism is top of mind for the administration. Its remarkable to look back on polling that shows that the economy, not the war on wokeness, was the top issue for Trump voters. But from directing removal of trans Americans in the military to rolling back DEI initiatives throughout the government, the Trump administration has made anti-wokeness a core focus. [Music] My names Jerusalem Demsas, Im a staff writer at the Atlantic and this is Good on Paper, a policy show that questions what we really know about popular narratives. These past few weeks have had me thinking back to a conversation I had with New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg last year about whether Americans would miss wokeness when it was gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one, including myself, will defend every part of a movements form. There were many ridiculous DEI trainings, offensive instances of language policing, and stupid and counterproductive overreactions. But, as Goldberg wrote last year: however overwrought the politics of 2020 were, they also represented a rare moment when there was suddenly enormous societal energy to tackle long-festering inequalities. Im excited to revisit this episode with you all today. Michelle, welcome to the show. Michelle Goldberg: Thanks for having me. Demsas: I read an article you wrote a few months ago, and it was called, Wokeness is Dying. We Might Miss It. And its been something Ive been reflecting on myself because I think that theres a conventional wisdom thats been built up in traditional mediaand then just a lot of our public discoursethat the backlash of the progressive tilt of the 2010s is a good thing, and that were seeing a good correction of a time period that went too far. And I thought that your article was a really interesting take on that idea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But before we get into all that, I wanted to ground us in what were even talking about. When we talk about wokeness, what are we talking about when you use that term? Goldberg: Well, its a hard term to define. I actually rarely use it except in quote marks because its one of those terms that wasobviously started out in Black vernacular and then was appropriated by people who are really hostile to it. Basically, any time someone uses woke, you assume that theyre using it as an insult. Very few people actually identify their own politics that way. But how I often describe it, even if its a little clunky, is like a style of social-justice politics that is extremely focused on changing the world by changing the way we talk about the world. Demsas: Its funny because as I was preparing for this episode, I was just looking back at before the 2010s, and it feels like we had a version of this before then. People would complain about political correctness all the time. And I wonder how you distinguish the two eras. Is this just a piece that has always been in our politicsit just changes forms and maybe the specific issues it cares about? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Or is it actually something completely separate and different? Goldberg: No. I think its basically a replay of the political correctness and the political-correctness backlash of the 1990s, which also came about at a time when you were seeing a lot more ethnic-studies, womens-studies, area-studies programs in universities; some academic language starting to filter out into everyday life, a lot of people feeling really annoyed and alienated by that; and then a right-wing backlash, which was out of proportion and was so much more damaging to progressive politics than any gains that they might have made through the evolution and language that people were pushing at the time. Demsas: So when you chart the beginning of thisI think its hard because its fuzzy. I was looking back to see when people really started talking about this. Matt Yglesias has this piece in 2019 in Vox where he coined the term the Great Awokening, and he charts it then as beginning with the 2014 protests in Ferguson after Michael Brown was shot by a police officer. He looks at the increase that you see in polls in concern for racial inequality and discrimination and the simultaneous divergence of the Democratic Party, where you see racially conservative Democrats leave the party. And his story is very focused on race and immigration there. I think there are other people who would go even earlier, and then others who think it really takes off with Hillary Clinton. What time period are you really thinking about? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goldberg: Its interesting that Matt Yglesias says that. I felt that was also maybe the year that this style of politics became really dominant in certain circles, if not in the culture at large. And I wouldnt just limit it to the debate about race and policing, because I think some of it comes out of Tumblr culture and just the perverse incentives of social media, the perverse incentives of left-wing politics. I wrote a piece in 2014 for The Nation, where I was a writer at the time, called, Feminisms Toxic Twitter Wars. And it wasnt about quote, unquote, wokeness. I dont remember if people were actually using that word at the time. But it was about this really destructive style of competitive self-righteousness. And one of the texts that helped me make sense of what was going on was an essay by a feminist writer named Jo Freeman from the 70s called, The Tyranny of Structurelessness, that was about howwhen you have ostensibly horizontal, leaderless organizationspeople do, in fact, fight for power and leaders emerge, but they do it through passive-aggressive and emotionally manipulative means. And so, this has always been an issue on the left; its just that social media supercharged it. Demsas: Yeah. Ive been thinking about how much of this is a story about technology, right? Social media, as you sayto unpack a bit, theres obviously an incentive to move to the extremes. People often only think about this in terms of talking about politics, in terms of, Oh, people are saying radical things. But if you scroll through TikTok or anythingand Im sure youve seen this stuff, tooyou see pretty shocking content in general: people doing weird things with food, really bizarre things with different toys and things in order to just get the viewer confused and really fixated. (Laughs.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goldberg: (Laughs.) Right. Social media does two things: On the one hand, it just incentivizes extremism because you need to catch peoples attention. And extremism can also serve as a form of novelty. But it alsoand Ive written about this, as wellthere used to be this idea that the problem with social media was that it kept people siloed in quote, unquote, filter bubbles, and I dont think thats the problem. I think the problem is that it exposes you to some of the most obnoxious examples on the other side, so it ends up furthering this negative polarization. Demsas: Lets turn to the piece that you wrote. You titled it, Wokeness Is Dying. We Might Miss It. Why is wokeness dying, and why do you miss it? Goldberg: Obviously, I dont miss all of it. As I write in the piece, there was tons of it that I have always foundIm kind of a cranky Gen-X person. I didnt like these clunky neologisms. I find some of the language, like the people-first languageIm trying to think of even Demsas: Like saying person without housing, or saying unhoused instead of homeless? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goldberg: Right. I do understand some of it. And thats the problem, that all of this you can understand in certain instincts. I do understand that theres certain language that can be really stigmatizing, and that theres reason for language to evolve. Im watchingmy kids are super into 30 Rock right now, and theyre constantly saying things on 30 Rock that my kids are like, Oh, my God. You cant say that! Demsas: (Laughs.) Goldberg: And that showI dont remember at the time feeling particularly provocative. And so the natural evolution of language is often a good thing. The forced evolution of language in a way that feels like it comes down from some really sanctimonious, prissy commissar is not a good thing. Although I just said that, we have to remember that there actually was no commissar. People, I thinkin reaction to stuff that really annoyed them, the kind of people who made their identity around opposition to wokenessthey almost had to inflate its danger to match the scale of their annoyance. Rather than something that, like, really bugged them or really seemed obnoxious, it had to be totalitarian. It had to be something that was remaking all of the systems of our society, which I just dont think was ever really true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But anyway, there was this very laudable attempt to correct systemic injustices in our society, systemic injustices that were really thrown into high relief for a lot of people by the election of Donald Trump. And one of the reasons I dont like this approach to politics is that changing the way you talk about things is one of the easiest things to do, as opposed to making concrete, material change. But nevertheless, its a step. It was a good thing that people felt less comfortable using certain kind of slurs. Let me put it this way: It was a good thing that when J. D. Vance was writing to one of his left-wing classmates, who I believe he had described as a lesbian, but they were trans, and wrote (these emails have now leaked) this sensitive email that, you know, I love you. Im sorry if I misgendered you. I hope you know it was coming from a place of respectI think it was good that conservative men, or all sorts of people, felt the need to be a little bit more thoughtful and sensitive. Obviously, there was plenty of places where it veered into self-parody, and those places were exaggerated and amplified by a social-media panic, which has now led to a really ugly right-wing backlash. Demsas: The definition you gave for wokeness, tooit really speaks to the idea that its about language and discourse policing in a way. And I wonderbecause it seems almost like a definition that has been won by the opponents of it, right? Because I would imagine the people in the 2010s who are really parts of these movementswhether theyre part of #MeToo movement or theyre part of racial-justice movementsthere were very specific policy ideas and things that they were upset about. And many of them were very popular. Police brutality becomeseven amongst independents and, in some polls, even with Republicans, you see support for measures that would rein back police. Of course, the prosecution of people like Harvey Weinstein was very popular. And then, of course, something like abortion, which is seen as now the best issue for Democrats, is something thats obviously an issue about womens rights and feminism. But theres a way in which weve bifurcated these two things that Im not really sure how to think about. Because, at one point, I totally agree with you: There is clearly an increased focus on what types of things people are saying, but that seems it was at least intended by some people to be a way to get people on board with a policy agenda. But those two things seem difficult to also separate. If youre looking for who your allies are and youre like, Whos misgendering trans people? That tells you whos part of your political movement. And I wonder how you think about how weve bifurcated the policy goals of these movements from the discourse policing, and were those two things really necessary to be together? Goldberg: Its a complicated question. But I would agree with you that the intention of a lot of people was to make real-world change, not just to change the way people talk about things. Do you remember, at a certain point on the internet, there was this taboo against quote, unquote, tone policing? Demsas: Yeah. Goldberg: Which meant, in turn, that it was almost impossible for the left to either make or listen to any kind of critique of its rhetoric or the way it approached people who might be partially on board but not fully on board. And it ended up really alienating a lot of people outright and then creating this rumbling, subterranean resentment that was then able to be harnessed by really sinister forces. And I think its easy to say, Well, if you were attracted to fascism because you dont like being told what to say or because youre angry about some new terminology, then thats on you. And that shows that you always had these inclinations. But people have lots of different inclinations. And its the job of a social movement to, I think, meet people where they are and draw out the parts of them that you want to encourage. Demsas: Well, it seems in your piece that youre skeptical about the framing that wokeness has won in any way. And I wonder why you think that, because, from my perspective, I mean, its obviously hard. People can point to different areas in which different movements have been successful or not. But when you look at attitudes amongst the general public on many progressive issues, theyve shifted dramatically to the left. And, of course, a lot of that is being driven from people moving really far left within the Democratic Party. But even independents on these issuestheyve moved people left on these things. And I think theres also material gains that have happened. People dont talk about these a lot, but in the year after the murder of George Floyd, for instance, half of U.S. states passed legislation in at least one of the following categories: use of force; duty for officers to intervene, report, or render medical aid in instances of police misconduct; or policies relating to law-enforcement misconduct reporting. Goldberg: Well, can I just sayI dont think we should tar all. Again, I feel like this category of wokeness is so unstable and amorphous. But I definitely would not want to put criminal-justice reform under that auspice, right? When Im saying that I think this style of politics is dead, I certainly dont mean all left-wing politics, and I dont mean all criminal-justice reform. Whats dead isnot only is the Democratic Party trying to memory-hole calls to defund the police, but there was a social pressure to get on board with that language that is completely gone. And so Im talking about something a little bit more hard to pin down, but something that a lot of people felt and responded to. The reason I say its deadand I wrote this piece in response to a book by Nellie Bowles called the Morning After the Revolution. It was sort of satirical, but it was also so exaggerated that it was kind of ridiculous. Like at one point she says, I heard people saying that roads were racist. And that didnt come from some asshole teenager; that came from Robert Caro writing about Robert Moses. But I think that, in part, just to either justify her project or to inflate its importance, she said, This movement hasnt calmed down because it lost; its calmed down because it won. And I think that for some people that means they have to go to various HR workshops or whatever. But lets just look at the evidence: You see company after company dismantling their DEI initiatives, states banning DEI in colleges. One of the examples I gave in that column was a school named after a Confederate general that had changed its name and then decided to change it back. Target, for example, responding to these right-wing backlashes, taking Pride merchandise out of a lot of its storesthere was a sense, at one point, that corporate America wanted to ride the social-justice train. And it might have been hypocritical, but it also suggested that they saw these views as ascendant and something that they wanted to latch onto for their own purposes. I dont think they see things like that anymore. [Music] Demsas: All right. Were going to take a quick break. More with Michelle when we get back. [Break] Demsas: I just want to run my theory for you why there was such a focus on discourse policing and on language versus these policies. I think that oftenand I found that it felt a little disingenuous sometimesyoud ask people, Hey, it seems like your organizations really focused on these language things. Why are you policing whether someone says theyre Latino or Latinx, or something like that. And they would say, Well, were actually focused on all of these issues that impact people on the material level. And its like, Yeah, but what are you tweeting about? What is it that youre actually talking about in public constantly? What is your driving ethos? And so, when I see this, I dont think of it as disingenuous. I think a lot of people have read this as sort of a disingenuous thing, that people dont actually care about changing the material reality of people that theyre working for. But I think its actually just that the structures of movement organizations have changed so dramatically, such that movement building is now both really easy and really hard. Any individual person can put up a flyer or an Instagram graphic and say, Hey, were gonna do a protest here. And that doesnt require an organizational capacity to really get someone out and be a part of a group. And that means that people are just showing up for somethingor not showing up for somethingand its completely unrelated to whether theyre being drawn into a broader group. In the past, you had an NAACP that could speak credibly and say, We actually have organized the groups and the individuals who care a lot about racial justice in this country. And if you dont vote X or Y way on a bill, that means that were going to turn up and were going to protest you. But now they cant credibly say, No one will protest you if you do X or Y, because anyone can do it. And in many ways, thats great. Goldberg: Did you read this booka great book by my colleague Zeynep Tufekcicalled, Twitter and Tear Gas? Demsas: I have not, but Ive heard its a great book. Goldberg: Thats what the book is about. Demsas: Can you tell us about it? Goldberg: So the bookI mean, she could obviously speak to it better than I could, but the book is basically about how before social media, your ability to muster a large protest was an outward sign of your organizational capacity, right? It meant that you had members. It meant that you had people working on all the stuff that it takes to get people out, and that you were building relationships. And you also had to build an internal structure just in order to get this stuff done, and that structure would be there after the march was over. Now you have these protests that come together very quickly and virally. But theres nothing to buttress them. And then the issues that I mentioned earlier, with The Tyranny of Structurelessness, come up. Because, especially in left-wing spaces, theres often an aversion to hierarchy, which makes sense to a point, but you need some lines of organization in order to keep something going. When you dont have that, you do still have people emerge as leaders, but the way that they emerge as leaders is either about cultivating celebrity or shivving other people for not being radical or committed enough. Demsas: Yeah. I think the horizontal nature of a lot of social movements now, it leads to the point where it becomes actually quite difficult to be a credible partner to or credible bargaining-table member with politicians. Because if they say, Well do what youre asking us, but that means you have to mobilize your people in support of it, and if you cant credibly do that, then it becomes politically disadvantageous for any politician to work with you. And that doesnt mean I agree with that. I think they should just do what they think is right. But at the same time, what ends up happening then is the places where you can see a lot of pressure is just around virality and around these issues where you dont actually need to work through the formal systems of political power or electoral power. You can work discursively. Goldberg: I also should say: Somebody whos deep into progressive organizing once told me that they saw this also as just a form of work avoidance. And maybe people dont mean this, but its just the path of least resistance. The easiest thing to do is to complain about the word somebody is using. Demsas: But the most cynical argument that I think has been advanced by, especially, a lot of people who are on the right or in the center is that a lot of the movement on liberalization on these views has come from white Democrats, a lot of whom are materially advantaged already. So you have, for instance, people who are maybe homeowners in, or live in, really high cost-of-living cities, and they make a lot of money. And maybe they dont want to see material changes happen, because that would actually affect their lives. For instance, I do a lot of reporting on the housing crisis. And its clear that a lot of people who consider themselves progressives, who fight for a lot of these causes and seem very genuine and caring about that sort of thing, often will revolt if you say, I think that you should allow for affordable housing to exist in your community. And I think that theres some people who take that dynamic and attribute it largely and say, Yeah, the reason theyre focusing on whether youre saying the right words is because they dont want to focus on the sorts of material changes that would require something actually being taken from them. Goldberg: I dont think its that intentional. I find it very hard to imagine that somebody is saying, I dont want zoning reform in my suburban neighborhood, so Im going to distract people with a fight over whether its ableist to say that were standing up for ourselves. I just dont think thats how people work. I do think that people who both went to elite colleges, where these concepts are really prevalent, and are highly verbal and work in fields where communication is a central part of the work they doits not that surprising that they default to questions of communication when theyre involved in politics. And so I think that people have blind spots. But, again, I think the right-wing version of this is often that its a conspiracy to deflect from real challenges to the material privilege of rich, white liberals. And I dont think its a conspiracy. Demsas: Yeah. I think your previous frame is more likely correctthat it is more a path-of-least-resistance argument. But that also, I think, still implicates people in this, Why is it the path of least resistance for you not to want to allow people who make less money than you to live in your neighborhood? Why is that so difficult to mobilize people around? And maybe its not intentional, but that is just a harder thing to do. And so you see organizers at the local leveltheyre often like, Well, we can get people to sign onto an agreement to get the city to raise a Pride flag, but we cant get people to change the school-boundary lines near them to make it more inclusive to lower-income kids where they go to school. So there is a reason why I think progressive activists get pushed in a direction. And I do think that theres probably some truth to the idea that the material changes would be much less politically popular. But I want to turn a little bit because a lot of your writing is about feminism that Ive followed for years now. And you wrote an article called, The Future Isnt Female Anymore, and thats very much in line with what were talking about today, so Im hoping you talk a little bit about that piece. In it, you cite a poll from the Southern Poverty Law Center that asks respondents whether they agree that feminism has done more harm than good. And you write that while only four percent of Democratic men over 50 thought feminism was harmful, 46 percent of Democratic men under 50 did. And nearly a quarter of Democratic women under 50 agreed that feminism has done more harm than good. And so you see this split here, where you have older Democrats still towing the familiar line that feminism is, of course, on net, beneficial, and then younger folks increasingly feel that their feminism has done more harm than good. And thats among Democrats. Whats happening there, and why is this space really polarizing people? Goldberg: I dont think its younger folks. I mean, yeah, there is a section of women, but, in general, I think its younger men. I remember when I quoted that poll, a lot of people were suspicious of it, and you can always have one poll thats an outlier, but theres been a few polls since then that show that young men, specifically, are moving to the right. And theres a growing political chasm between young women and young men that was really showing up a lot in the polling around the upcoming election. And I also just think there was a broader backlash. Itll be interesting because were at a different inflection point now. When I wrote that, there was a backlash to the idea of the girl boss. It had suddenly become really embarrassing to a lot of people, which, on the one handa backlash against unfettered ambition and burnout-inducing devotion to your careerI get that. But it came along with the rise of tradwives and stay-at-home girlfriends and these old forms of female subservience in hip, new clothing. And you see this again and again in the history of feminism, right? Because its hard to work. Its hard to work and be a parent and fulfill all the expectations of ideal womanhood. People will look at being a kept woman of various guises and think that thats an out. You saw this with Susan Faludis Backlash, and then you saw it with a whole bunch of articles about women stepping back from the workplace. Demsas: And who is Susan Faludi? Goldberg: Susan Faludi wrote one of the classics of modern feminism in a book called Backlash, which came out in the early 1990s and was about basically a decade of backlash propaganda telling women that feminism had made them miserable and that women wanted to return to cocooning and wanted to return to domesticity. And what you see when you actually look at the people who are pushing this message is either that theyre not doing it themselvesyou know, Martha Stewart was certainly never a homemaker, but neither was Phyllis Schlafly, right? These are professional women with high-powered careers. Or else you see women who do do that and then find themselves in really precarious situations if it falls apart. And so, again, there was this moment where, We dont need girl-boss feminism. We want a soft life. You know, dont we all? (Laughs.) Demsas: (Laughs.) Goldberg: But there was a refusal to see the traps that generations of feminists have identified in that life. Now were at a different moment because youre starting to see women get really, really excited about the prospect of a female president again and getting really, really angry about patriarchy. Obviously, the Dobbs decision that ended Roe v. Wade was a big turning point for that. The Kamala Harris campaign is a big turning point. It was interesting because when Hillary Clinton ran for president, there was always a dearth of organic enthusiasm compared to, say, Barack Obama. But there were people who were really, really excited about Hillary Clinton and were really, really excited about having a woman president. But a lot of them felt really embarrassed and afraid to admit that publicly. I remember going to some of the places after Donald Trump was elected, going to some of the suburban communities where these women who hadnt been very political before had suddenly gotten really political because they were so outraged and disgusted. And often they were like, I didnt even realize there were other Democrats on my street. And so there was this sheepishness. And now that sheepishness is totally gone. Its pretty new, but this is the first female campaign for president that is being really carried aloft on a tide of very vocal popular excitement. Demsas: Yeah. Well, when I think about the wokeness message, the presidential candidate that tried to do this the most was Ron DeSantis, and it didnt really work out for him. He obviously is not the presidential nominee for the Republican Party, but he also flamed out in a way that I think people were not expecting. There was a ton of enthusiasm after he won his race by around 20 electoral points in Florida, when he ran for re-election for governor. And he was very clear on the national, at the local, at the state level that he was fighting a war on woke. But then you saw this message falter. You saw it falter in the Republican Party. People were much less interested in polls for voting for someone whos fighting wokeness than they were for people who were following traditional economic messaging. And obviously he himself did not do well there. Goldberg: Although, lets rememberlets look at who the Republicans chose as their vice president. J. D. Vancehe gave a speech at the National Conservatism Conference in 2021 that was called, The Universities Are the Enemy, and it was all aboutI dont know how much he used the word wokeness, but thats basically what it was about. And he is obsessed with this stuff. Its part of what makes him weird. Demsas: I agree with you. I think its interesting because it seemed like, at the end, Trump was between the North Dakota governor, Doug Burgum, whos a much more traditional Republican, and he ends up picking J. D. Vance, who I think is part of this wing of the party thats defined themselves by wokeness. During the Olympics, Imane Khelif, who is an Algerian boxer, beat an Italian boxer Angela Carini at the Paris Olympics, and it sparks this conservative outcry. Khelif is a cis woman; she was assigned female at birth and continues to identify as such. But people have really turned on her as being a man. J. D. Vance literally tweeted that Khelif was a grown man pummeling a woman. He called it disgusting and blamed Kamala Harriss ideas about gender. This is obviously a very small vignette in a bunch of different areas in which youve seen the right radicalize in this space. But, to me, while of course Trump did pick Vance, it doesnt seem like this is actually a message thats a winning message for voters. I think a lot of people feel that this is actually going in the same way that maybe wokeness harmed the Democratic Party in some waysthat this version is actually not palatable to even Republican voters, but definitely not to independents or swing voters. Theres pollingthis is when Biden was the presumptive nominee, from Mayby Data for Progress that asked 1,200 voters whether they think Joe Bidens woke. And 21 percent said they didnt know what that meant. Twenty-seven percent said they didnt care. And 22 percent were the only people that said he was woke and that was a bad thing. So how much of this is just a fight thats really happening but is not actually electorally relevant or even electorally desirable? Goldberg: Well, I dont think its super electorally relevant in that, yes, vanishingly few people, if you ask them, What are the issues that are important to you? are going to say any version of wokeness. Where I think its relevant is around the edges. I think that people really underestimate just how much of politics is about emotion and how much of it is about how candidates make you feel. And so whether the language that candidates use resonates with you or is alienating to you really matters. Again, this is where I say that a lot of these linguistic changes, I feel like, are irritating and alienating, but thats very different from saying that theyre part of some totalitarian conspiracy, which is often how the anti-woke side comes off. And so I think its why even voters, again, to the extent that theyre even aware of these arguments over linguistic conventionsand I think they are in a vague way. Demsas: Especially at the office, if you have DEI training or something like that. Goldberg: Right, or even just when I would go to Trump rallies, the thing I would hear over and over againI remember in 2016, I would try to draw them out. You know, Did a factory close around here? Are you having trouble getting a job? But mostly it was like, No. But you just cant say anything anymore. There was just so much anger. And then sometimes you would ask them what they wanted to say, and youd be like, Oh yeah. You definitely cant say that. (Laughs.) And you shouldnt be able to say that. But I do think that it grates on people. But theres a difference between it grating on people and it being an all-consuming fixation. Demsas: Yeah. Well, how do we then understand the nascent Kamala Harris campaign? Because youve been doing some reporting about her campaign. And her candidacy, as you said, its a historic candidacy. Shes the first Black woman and South Asian woman presumptive nominee for a major party ticket. She will be only the second woman to achieve that, after Clinton. One thing I think thats interesting is Clinton really leaned into her identity as a woman. And theres some reporting that indicates she was trying to follow the mold of Obama, who clearly made that a part of his historic rise and tapped into that first energy to build momentum. Harris seems to be tackling that quite differently. I know you said that youre seeing this energy finally out in the open, of women getting to be excited publicly for the first female potential president. But, at the same time, it seems like theres not as much attempt on the part of her and her teamat least so farto really lean into that. Are you seeing that? Goldberg: Right. And she doesnt need to. Well, no, she doesnt need to. And I dont see any reason why she should. The people who are excited about it are getting excited about it. Demsas: But why not? Why not lean into it? Goldberg: First of all, because most people I think who are really, really excited to vote for the first woman candidate for president, the first Black woman candidate for president, the first Asian American woman candidate for presidentthose people are mostly voting for Harris. She doesnt really need to remind them of the historic nature of her candidacy. And she does in some ways, right? She speaks to the AKAs, the other members of her Black sorority. But I just think that, for the people that she needs to win over, she needs to convince them that shes going to make their lives better in some tangible, material way, rather than achieving a symbolic victory for certain identity groups. Look, obviously the identity component is there. You see people self-organizing these huge Zoom calls. But I guess the difference is that it would have been a big mistake for the Harris campaign to take the lead on doing that kind of stuff. People want to do it themselves. You can see that thats really powerful. Demsas: I also think that because she avoided a primary, it was much less important to base mobilization that that rhetoric would sometimes be used. Youd encourage it in that case, right? I think Warren and Harris both leaned into this during the 2020 presidential primariestheir historic nature of their candidacy. There were lots of references to Shirley Chisholm in Harriss 2020 primary. Goldberg: Oh, yeah. And I saw people wearing Shirley Chisholm shirts at the Harris rally in Atlanta. People are obviously really aware of it. I think youre right about the primary. She didnt need to distinguish herself in that way in a primary. And the fact that there was (a) no primary and (b) that so many Democrats feel like they were saved from near-certain doom means that the fissures that are usually left over after a really bruising primary just arent there. Demsas: Well, thank you so much, Michelle. Ive been reading your work for years, and Im so glad to have you come on the show. Goldberg: Oh, thanks for having me. Demsas: I want to ask you our last question, which is: Whats an idea that seemed good at the time but ended up being only good on paper? Goldberg: Im going to say communism. Demsas: Oh, okay. Tell me more. Goldberg: I mean, Im honestly surprised that anybody answers anything else. (Laughs.) It just seems so obviousit just seems obvious to me that, at a time when industrial capitalism was so brutal and exploitative, along comes this utopian theory promising human equality, gender equality, the brotherhood of man, the end of poverty, right? I dont know if you have kids, but my kidsand I think a lot of people have this experiencewhen they first learn about communism, theyre like, Yeah, that sounds great. It does sound great. It just has not worked. Demsas: Yeah. Well, that is the most one-word-only-needed good on paper weve heard so far. (Laughs.) Goldberg: (Laughs.) Demsas: Usually it does require a lot more explanation. Communismgood on paper. Thank you again for coming on the show. Were so excited to have you on and continue following your work as you write about this issue on the campaign trail. [Music] Goldberg: Thank you so much. Demsas: This episode of Good on Paper was produced by Jinae West and Rosie Hughes. It was edited by Dave Shaw and fact-checked by Ena Alvarado. Erica Huang and Rob Smierciak engineered this episode. Rob Smerciak also composed our theme music. Claudine Ebeid is the executive producer of Atlantic audio. Andrea Valdez is our managing editor. And hey, if you like what youre hearing, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Im Jerusalem Demsas, and well see you next week. Article originally published at The Atlantic ST. LOUIS Mayor Tishaura Jones is vowing to take legal action to stop the proposed state takeover of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has strongly supported a bill that would shift control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to a state-appointed board. Meanwhile, Jones feels the plan is unconstitutional. The bill, House Bill 495, sponsored by State Rep. Brad Christ (R-St. Louis County), would create a five-person board to oversee SLMPD in August. The board would consist of the St. Louis mayor and four commissioners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saint Louis Zoo exchanges resident polar bear for twins Supporters argue that changing control of SLMPD would tackle challenges with crime, public safety and officer retention, while opponents see it as an unnecessary shift away from local governance. The push comes as the St. Louis police union reports a chronic staffing shortage of about 30%, more than 350 officers below authorized strength. Jones says the plan also comes with an estimated $40 million price tag for taxpayers. She also feels the proposal lacks a clear strategy to address the ongoing staffing crisis. We are making plans to fight for control of our police department, period, said Jones. Show me how youre going to recruit more officers to a field where nationwide every major city is trying to recruit officers to the tune of even offering bonuses of up to $100,00 and they still cant recruit more officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News For more than a century, control of the St. Louis Police was under similar oversight proposed by Rep. Christ: A Board of Police Commissioners consisting of the mayor and a group of commissioners appointed by the governor. That Civil War-era arrangement was overturned by voters during the 2012 election, and the City of St. Louis has retained exclusive authority over the department since 2013. If the plan is approved, commissioners who qualify for the board must have lived in the City of St. Louis for at least three years and cannot hold any other public office. The governor would have sole discretion over one appointment, while the remaining three would be selected based off recommendations from the mayors office, St. Louis Police Officers Association and Ethical Society of Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill has cleared the Missouri House chamber and is currently in the fiscal oversight stage in the Senate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) An emergency warming center in downtown Binghamton will now be available to homeless people 7 days a week using federal funds allocated by the city. Mayor Jared Kraham announced a total of $81,000 to go toward homelessness prevention services. Roughly $49,000 of that will support the UP Comfort Center operated out of United Presbyterian Church on Chenango Street by the Addiction Center of Broome County. ACBC previously opened up the center with 42 beds from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday night through Thursday night. This additional funding allows it to be open Friday and Saturday nights as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre going to have less people potentially dealing with the Binghamton Police Department, youre going to have less people breaking into vacant homes to stay warm, youre going to have less issues where people are not getting the services that they need. We know that these warming centers, in contact with homeless service agencies, can be a pipeline to help find help with substance use disorder, mental health issues, Kraham said. $16,000 will go to the Family Enrichment Networks Caring Homes program which provides short-term rental assistance. $8,000 will go to Volunteers of America for its rapid rehousing program. And the Institute for Community Alliance will receive 8 thousand for a homeless management information system. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34. TOPEKA (KSNT) Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla joined Inside Kansas Politics to weigh in on some of the most pressing issues, after announcing he wont seek re-election. Inside Kansas Politics co-host Rebekah Chung sat down with Padilla one-on-one to talk about the citys budget deficit, Hotel Topeka, and much more. And later in the show, Associated Press reporter John Hanna joined Chung and co-host Rob Hughes to break down current bills and heated debates. He also commented on the scuffle between two lawmakers in the House and how its unfolding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas bans kids from transitioning as controversial bill becomes law, activist speaks out You can watch Inside Kansas Politics at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings only on KSNT (check your local listings). To get the latest news on Inside Kansas Politics, check out our X account, or follow us on Facebook. If you have a story you think we should cover, email us at ikp@ksnt.com. For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Get the latest in weather alerts by downloading our Storm Track Weather App. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. (Reuters) -Measles cases in Texas increased from 146 to 159 on Tuesday, a week after an unvaccinated child died of the disease in one of the largest outbreaks that U.S. has seen in the past decade. Gaines county, the center of the outbreak, reported 107 cases compared to 98 cases last week and in this period, the state's health department said hospitalizations rose to 22 from 20. "Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities," the department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An unvaccinated child died of measles on February 26, the first in the U.S. since 2015. The child had no known underlying conditions, the health department said on Tuesday. The child's death and the rising hospitalizations in Texas have put U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's vaccine views to the test. Public health experts have said the Trump administration should be encouraging vaccination at the national level. Kennedy has said the government is providing resources, including vaccines, to tackle the outbreak. Of the 159 cases, 53 patients are aged between 0 and 4 years, while 74 are between 5 and 17 years of age, according to the health department data. It said 80 of the known patients were not vaccinated and 5 were vaccinated with at least a dose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said vaccines provide the best protection against measles, a serious airborne disease caused by a virus that can lead to severe complications and death. "The investigations into the cases who are currently classified as vaccinated are ongoing," the state health department said, adding the remaining 74 patients whose vaccination status was "unknown" were also being looked into. (Reporting by Puyaan Singh and Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru ; Editing by Arun Koyyur) KENTUCKY (FOX 56) The illness declared eliminated in the United States 25 years ago has healthcare officials on high alertand you should be too. It is so contagious that you get one case, and we get very anxious because it doesnt take much for it to take hold in a community, Nicholas Van Sickels, M.D. at UK Healthcare, said. The first U.S. measles death in a decade came last week in Texas, pairing with Kentucky seeing its first confirmed case in two years: a man who worked out at Planet Fitness in Frankfort after traveling abroad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With one case that has been seen in Kentucky, its a great time to think about, Am I or my children at risk for a measles infection?' Sean Mctigue, M.D. at Kentucky Children Hospital. Measles outbreak sickens dozens of kids in Texas: Whats Kentuckys vaccination rate? This illness can linger in the air for two hours. Those infected can see symptoms like a fever, cough, and runny nose, but the giveaway is a rash. Youre very contagious a few days before the rash and about four days after the rash starts, Sickels said. Healthcare officials said those who have had the measles, mumps, or rubella vaccines (MMR) have a 97% chance of fighting off any chance of sickness; those without it have a nine out of 10 chance of losing this fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before 57 (1957), protected by just the prevalence of measles and how easily it spreads. 63 to 68, a little bit of a gray zone, we had a vaccine that wasnt as effective. 68 and 89, you probably got one dose if youre born here and got your childhood vaccines, and after 89, if you got the childhood vaccines, you should have gotten two doses, Sickels said. Kentucky public health confirms measles case in Frankfort Doctors encourage those who may not have gotten the vaccine to get it. The normal recommendation is for children to get the first dose at age one, but if Kentucky becomes a higher-risk area, doctors said that recommendation could drop to six months. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. First lady Melania Trump took a swipe at Democratic lawmakers for their low attendance at a roundtable on deepfakes and revenge porn legislation in what marked her first public remarks since President Trump was sworn in to his second term. The first lady told the roundtable at the Capitol she was heartened to learn Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) unified to prioritize this fundamental matter. I must admit, however, I expected to see more Democrat leaders with us here today to address this serious issue, she added. Surely as adults, we can prioritize Americas children ahead of partisan politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The roundtable was centered on the Take It Down Act, a bill sponsored by Cruz and Klobuchar that would make it a federal crime to knowingly post or threaten to publish realistic, computer-generated pornographic images and videos that attempt to show identifiable, real people on social media and elsewhere online. The bill passed in the Senate last month and heads to the GOP-controlled House. The measure also passed the upper chamber last session and was included in an original end-of-year funding plan in the House but was later taken out amid funding negotiations. The co-leads of the House and Senate versions of the bill were invited to the roundtable. Neither Klobuchar nor Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) the House versions co-lead attended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When reached for comment, Klobuchar thanked the first lady for shining a light on this important issue and said she welcome[s] her support for the bill. We must provide victims of online abuse with legal protections when intimate images are shared without their consent, especially now that deepfakes are creating horrifying new opportunities for abuse, she added. Im grateful for the first ladys support, and Im thankful to work with a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers on a commonsense bill that will better protect Americans and meaningfully regulate AI, Dean said. As AI becomes more ubiquitous in our lives, it is essential that we safeguard survivors of explicit deepfakes and non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) that often devastate girls and women, Dean added. Whether their attackers used deepfake technology or a simple camera, victims deserve federal protection and the peace of mind that these images are removed from the Internet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) was the only Democrat present for the event. While not a co-lead on the House bill, the California Democrat has spoken out in support of the measure in the past. Republicans present included Cruz, House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (La.), House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (Mich.), Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), House Republican Policy Committee Chair Rep. Kevin Hern (Okla.) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (Ky.). The first lady said she hoped the roundtable boosts awareness of the harms caused by nonconsensual image posting and the approval of the Take it Down Act in Congress. The widespread presence of abusive behavior in the digital domain affects the daily lives of our children, families, and communities, Melania Trump said. Addressing this issue is essential for fostering a safe and supportive environment for our young people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first lady pointed to the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), adding it is heartbreaking to see teenagers grapple with the challenges posed by intimate imagery online. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape, she said. Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themselves freely without the looming threat of exploitation or harm. During her husbands first term, the first lady spearheaded a youth initiative called Be Best, which focused on combatting issues facing children with regards to well-being, online safety and opioid abuse. She has reportedly expressed interest in bringing the initiative back and referenced it in her remarks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can think of no more important issue for our first lady to lead on than protecting children online, Cruz said as he introduced Melania Trump. Online safety advocates, including survivors of nonconsensual intimate imagery, were given the chance to speak on their experiences and call for the passage of the measure in the House. If youre a victim of revenge porn or AI generated explicit imagery, your life changes forever, Cruz said during opening remarks. Most likely, youve been targeted by someone you know, and youre likely struggling to have that material removed from the internet. Disturbingly, many of these victims are teenagers at American high schools who are facing a surge in AI-generated sexual images. Cruz said the Take It Down Act would empower victims across the U.S. and requires leading technology companies to have a notice of takedown process to speed up the process of getting distributed images removed from the internet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Texas senator ended the roundtable thanking Khanna for his attendance and noted the bipartisan support the bill has in the Senate. Senator Klobuchar is the lead Democrat author, he said, adding, Im confident there are issues that divide us on partisan bases, but this should not be one of them. This should be one that we all come together and say, Look, we need to protect our kids. We need to keep them safe,' Cruz continued. Updated at 6:46 p.m. EST Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. First Lady Melania Trump was surprised and frustrated that Democratic lawmakers ignored a roundtable meeting on Capitol Hill on Monday discussing a bill making its way through Congress that would criminalize the sharing of intimate photos online without the subject's consent. The bill, called the "Take It Down Act," would criminalize the sharing of intimate photos on the internet without the subject's consent, which is colloquially known as "revenge porn." Victims of revenge porn have experienced having their nude or otherwise private photos shared widely online. It's unclear if the Take It Down Act would have stopped Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene one of the most vocal cheerleaders for Donald Trump from sharing nudes of Hunter Biden in front of Congress without his consent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than calling out a member of Congress for engaging in the very actions she's advocating to criminalize, the First Lady instead expressed her disappointment that more Democrats didn't attend the roundtable. According to a report by The Hill, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna was the only member of his party in attendance. Melania Trump walks to a meeting to urge passage of the Take It Down Act by the US Senate. The act would seek to protect victims of real and deepfake "revenge pornography" by criminalizing their publication (AFP via Getty Images) "I was heartened to learn that Senator [Ted] Cruz and Senator [Amy] Klobuchar unified to prioritize this fundamental matter, but I must admit, however, I expected to see more Democrat leaders here today to address this serious issue. Surely, as adults we can prioritize America's children ahead of partisan politics," the first lady said on Monday. Klobuchar, a Democratic senator who co-led the Senate version of the bill, was not in attendance, according to The Hill. We must provide victims of online abuse with legal protections when intimate images are shared without their consent, especially now that deepfakes are creating horrifying new opportunities for abuse, Klobuchar told the outlet, adding that she "thanked the first lady for shining a light on this important issue." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz, who was in attendance, said that the bill was inspired by a visit to his office by Elliston Berry and her mother. Berry reportedly had to fight for a year to have an AI-generated nonconsensual graphic image of her removed from Snapchat. In addition to criminalizing the nonconsensual sharing of intimate images, the bill also contains language criminalizing nonconsensual creation and sharing of AI-created intimate images, commonly referred to as "deep fakes." We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape, the first lady said. Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themselves freely without the looming threat of exploitation or harm. On Monday, the first lady wrote on X that she was headed to Capitol Hill to "urge Congress to pass this important legislation to safeguard our youth." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill has already passed the Senate with a 100-0 vote. "This crucial legislation will protect ALL Americans, especially teenagers and young women. We need to get this done!" Cruz wrote on social media. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) First Lady Melania Trump is going after deepfake porn in her first official event of the new term. On Monday she joined lawmakers for a roundtable in support of the Take It Down Act, which is intended to crack down on non-consensual sexual images that are posted online. Texas teen Elliston Berry was at the roundtable to share her personal experience. She says she was the victim of deepfake porn and her school and social media sites failed to help her. I was just 14 years old. When a classmate created, AI nudes of me, from an innocent social media picture, Berry said. We need to hold big tech accountable to take action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First Lady Melania Trump called Berrys story heartbreaking and urged lawmakers to pass the Take It Down Act in response. Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themselves freely, without the looming threats of exploitation or harm. Trump said. The Senate recently passed that legislation, which would make it a felony to publish non-consensual sexual images and would require platforms to take down those images within 48 hours. One of the sponsors of the bill, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas.) is urging his House colleagues to pass it too. Everyone has a right to get these disturbing images taken offline immediately, Cruz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, some say the legislation is problematic. India McKinney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation says the goal of the bill is great but argues the definitions in the legislation are too broad and threaten free speech. It incentivizes platforms to take down more content and it does not provide any safeguards for bad faith requests, McKinney said. Specifically, she says the bill prioritizes speed over verification. If you want something that is going to be fast, youre going to end up taking down information that should not be taken down. And that has a cost as well, McKinney said. So shes urging lawmakers to reconsider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pushing back against this censorship when it shows up even when it comes in a sympathetic package is sometimes an uncomfortable legislation, but its necessary for democracy. McKinney said. The bill does have bipartisan support and House leaders say they plan to pass it 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC. First Lady Melania Trump made her first public appearance on Monday, the same day as her husband and President Donald Trump, where she advocated for a bill that would make revenge porn a federal crime. The widespread presence of abusive behavior in the digital domain affects the daily lives of our children, families and communities, she said during a roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill. Its heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content like deepfakes. This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Take It Down Act, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz last year, makes it illegal to knowingly post consensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated NCII, and require social media and similar websites to have in place procedures to remove such content upon notification from a victim, according to the 2024 press release. The bill passed the Senate on February 13. Trump asked for the House to pass the bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated he is ready to shepherd the bill past the finish line. As the dark side of technology advances, these unspeakable evils become part of the culture the law has to keep up, he said. We were anxious to put it on the floor in the house, to get the President Trumps desk for signature, because weve got to do what we can to stop this. Several members of Congress joined Trump, including Cruz, R-Texas, and Reps. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., Lisa McClain, R-Mich., and Kevin Hern, R-Okla. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., was the only Democrat in the room, according to pool reports. Trump called out the left for not leaning into the bipartisan issue of digital protection and privacy. I must admit, she said, I expected to see more Democrat leaders with us here today to address this serious issue. Surely as adults, we can prioritize Americas children ahead of partisan politics. The roundtable also featured victims, including Elliston Berry, a 15-year-old. A year ago, doctored sexually-explicit images of her began circulating online. Shock and disgust were just some of the many emotions, she said. I came here today to not only promote this bill but to fight for the many survivors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz said he learned about the case through Berrys mother, who had attempted to get the images taken down from a social media app, Snapchat, but failed. I turned to my staff in my office that afternoon, and I said, I want you to get the CEO of Snapchat on the phone today, Cruz said, adding the pictures were taken down within a few hours. But, he said, it should not take a sitting senator or sitting member of Congress picking up the phone to get a picture down or a video down. WASHINGTON (NewsNation) First lady Melania Trump pushed for legislation to protect American children from AI-generated deepfakes and revenge pornography in her first solo public event since returning to the White House. The widespread presence of abusive behavior in the digital domain affects the daily lives of our children, families and communities, she said Monday during a roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill. Its heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content like deepfakes. This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape. Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm, the first lady added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deepfakes which are deceptive videos, images or audio recordings powered by artificial intelligence have proliferated online. A study by the nonprofit Thorn found that 1 out of 8 young people personally knew someone who has been the target of a deepfake pornographic image. What state laws protect kids against AI-generated deepfakes? More than a month into her second tenure as first lady, Trump joined half a dozen lawmakers including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas to discuss the Take It Down Act. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Cruz and Democratic Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, would criminalize the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), including AI-generated NCII (or deepfake revenge pornography) and require social media and other websites to place procedures to remove NCII, pursuant to a valid request from a victim, according to a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the legislation were to pass, websites would be required to remove deepfake pornography of children within 48 hours of being notified by the victim. The first lady admitted Monday that she had hoped to see more visible Democratic support for the bill. I expected to see more Democrat leaders with us here today to address this serious issue. Surely as adults, we can prioritize American children ahead of partisan politics, she said. I urge Congress to prioritize the passage of the Take It Down Act. This legislation is essential for addressing the growing concerns related to online safety, protecting individual rights, and promoting a healthier digital environment. Trump has vowed to expand her commitment to her Be Best campaign, which aims to teach children online safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The East Wing said Melania Trump will travel back to Capitol Hill tomorrow for President Donald Trumps address to a joint session of Congress. She has invited Elliston Berry, a Texas high school student who was a victim of deepfake revenge pornography, to watch the address with her from the first ladys viewing box. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MERCER, Pa. (WKBN) Mercer and Lawrence counties are considering merging their 911 centers. Were at the very, very beginning of this. Basically, whats happened is the commissioners are all agreeing that we would like to have a study done, said Mercer County Commissioner Bill Finley. Commissioners for the counties plan to soon apply for a grant from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. The grant would pay for a study to look at if and how a merger between the centers would work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyll have to evaluate the call volume and all the things that both centers do, and then develop a plan of what it would take to put those together from one location, Finley said. He says talks started after a county commissioners conference where they saw a presentation on places that have successfully joined dispatch centers. The decision isnt being based solely on cost benefit. Its being based on the delivery of 911 services to our residents, Finley said. The countys public safety directors say currently, it costs about $4 million a year to operate Mercer Countys dispatch center and $2.5 million a year to operate Lawrence Countys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Technology is probably outpacing even the labor costs and for one example, a lot of the software thats utilized now in 911 centers is all subscription-based. So Lawrence County is paying for subscriptions for the same exact software that Mercer County is paying for subscriptions for, Finley said. Finley says they hope to hear by the end of the year if they will receive funding for the study. Were going into it with very open minds. Theres no preconceived opinions of how it should operate or where it should operate, he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. The Metropolitan Polices crime intelligence staff are to go on strike in the latest dispute to hit the force over working from home. More than 350 of the staff who are responsible for supporting investigations and analysing crime are to take strike action for two weeks from the middle of this month in protest at the Mets decision to order them back into the office for at least three days a week. They will walk out from March 17 to 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will be the second time that Scotland Yard has been hit by strike action by its workforce because of a dispute over work-from-home rules. Staff in officer vetting and referencing took action last month after managers threatened to deduct pay for anyone who worked from home. The 359 Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union Met Intelligence members provide analytical reports of where crime is being reported so resources can be strategically deployed. Since 2021, many civilian staff have enjoyed generous hybrid working arrangements with some spending as few as two days a week in the office. As part of a drive across the Met to better support front-line officers and improve public trust and confidence in the force, Sir Mark Rowley, the Commissioner, asked staff to reduce the amount of time they spent working from home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff with operational duties were told they would need to be in the workplace for a minimum of four days a week, while those doing support roles would have to be present on at least three out of five days. In December, the PCS union balloted members and voted to take industrial action short of strike action. But earlier this month, Scotland Yard bosses warned staff they faced being docked pay for the days they refused to come into the office. PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: This strike is a masterclass in dispute mismanagement by the Met Police. Their strongarm tactics have spectacularly backfired, successfully escalating a dispute that could have been resolved by negotiating with us. There is no reason why our highly skilled and hardworking members need to come into the office. They dont have public-facing jobs and have been working very efficiently from home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We call, once again, on managers to meet with us and resolve this dispute to the benefit of us, them and the wider London public. A Met Police spokesman said: The vast majority of our hardworking staff are complying with the new hybrid working policy. We are aware the union has announced its intention for a further strike and we are currently working through the impact this may have on the organisation. Public services like call handling and other front-line roles will not be affected but, as you would expect, we will have full contingency plans in place. We have been engaging with our staff and trade unions for over a year on this policy, which is in line with many other organisations. Ultimately, this is about our commitment to delivering a better service for Londoners. We remain committed to continuing discussions with PCS to resolve the dispute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scotland Yard has more than 11,000 civilian staff who perform a wide range of functions to support warranted officers. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The Metropolitan Police Department reinstated two officers who were pardoned by President Donald Trump after they were involved in covering up a mans death. MPD officers Terrance Sutton and Lt. Andrew Zabavksy were convicted for their involvement in covering up 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Browns death along with the details of the fatal incident. DC police officers sentenced in unauthorized chase that ended in fatal crash and subsequent cover-up Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sutton and Zabavksy had engaged in an unauthorized chase back in 2020, which ended in a crash that killed Hylton-Brown. Sutton was convicted and sentenced to 66 months in prison for Hylton-Browns death, and Zabavksy was sentenced to 48 months for conspiracy and obstruction of justice. DC Police Union expresses dismay over Trump pardons of Jan. 6 rioters In January of this year, Trump approved pardons for the two officers, granting them clemency. On Monday, March 3, MPD confirmed to DC News Now that Sutton and Zabavksy had been reinstated. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a statement Tuesday, calling the move an affront to public safety in the District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monica Hopkins, Executive Director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia, said, in part: A pardon from President Trump may come as no surprise, but Police Chief Pamela A. Smith reinstating these officers, who were foundbeyond a reasonable doubtto have participated in murder and a cover-up, is shocking. For years community members sought justice in this caseonly to have the unanimous verdict overturned and these officers be reinstated. How are D.C. communities supposed to trust law enforcement when officers can abuse their power and not face consequences? Monica Hopkins, Executive Director Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Sweeping tariffs imposed Tuesday by President Trump are sending shock waves through global supply chains, roiling markets and shaking the very foundations of the more than three-decade free trade regimen that made Mexico, Canada and the United States a unified commercial colossus. Beginning with the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, the three-nation bloc embraced the principle that duty-free commerce was a winning strategy and a hedge against competition from Asia, Europe and elsewhere an assumption that now seems very much under threat. As of Tuesday, Washington began levying a 25% tax on all products imported from Mexico and Canada, with the exception of Canadian oil and gas, which are subject to a 10% tariff. Trump also imposed a new 10% tax on imports from China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canada and China swiftly announced retaliatory taxes on U.S. goods, and Mexico said it would soon announce its own counter-tariffs. Today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, describing a plan to start taxing more than $100 billion of American goods over the course of three weeks, said Trump's economic attack on Canada and Mexico was a troubling realignment of foreign policy. Today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend," Trudeau said at a news conference. "At the same, they are talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who has repeatedly spoken of Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state, replied in a social media post: Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount! To justify his tariffs, Trump has cited the trafficking of fentanyl, but he has also named illegal immigration and a desire to lure manufacturing back to the U.S. U.S. stocks fell over fears that the tariffs would trigger a wider trade war, precisely what NAFTA and its successor, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement signed during the first Trump administration were meant to avert. "It's the very idea of free trade in North America that has been thrown out the window," said Juan Carlos Moreno-Brid, an economist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. A relationship based on cooperation instead of competition, he said, "has been invalidated." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supply chains built up over decades manufacturing a wide array of products including automobiles, computers and TVs, many produced with components that cross borders many times are being thrown into disarray. "We're heading full bore into the buzz saw," said Jerry Pacheco, director of the Border Industrial Assn., a trade group based in Santa Teresa, N.M., who added that the mere threat of tariffs had already had a chilling effect on cross-border business. "I'd hate to be a supply chain manager right now," he said. "I don't think the Trump administration understands how integrated we are." However, others say that Trump who casts himself as the consummate deal-maker isn't likely to scrap entirely the notion that North America is stronger economically if its nations work together, and is well aware of the higher prices for U.S. consumers that could result from a trade war. "This is a stumbling block, especially for Mexico," Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary of Mexico, said of the tariffs. "But I think the basic thrust of North American integration will continue." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ex-diplomat compared the predicament faced by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum with Trump's tariff pledges to that of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who was told by Trump last week that he doesn't have "the cards" to play in trying to end Russia's war against his country. "Mexico also has few chips to play," Castaneda said. While Mexico has already gone out of its way to placate Trump, Castaneda said, Washington is likely to demand more possibly additional Mexican troops stationed permanently along the northern border, U.S. inspectors posted at Mexican seaports to help stop trafficking of precursor chemicals used in production of fentanyl, and a reduction in the growing Chinese investment in Mexico. Sheinbaum "has no choice" but to do what Trump demands, Castaneda said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three decades ago, Mexico jettisoned its historically protectionist policies to embrace free trade and become largely export-dependent. The United States is now the destination of more than 80% of Mexico's exports, with a quarter of its economy depending directly on trade with the United States. But there were always skeptics who argued that Mexico should not put too many of its eggs in the U.S. basket, and should instead seek to broaden its trading horizons. Today, those warnings seem prescient. Analysts said the tariffs, if prolonged, could send Mexico's already shaky economy into recession. "The tariffs come at the worst possible time," said Rodrigo Aguilera, an independent economist who has warned that if work becomes scarce in Mexico, more people without proper documentation will seek to enter the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's measures threaten to upend the global economy and were expected to drive up prices for U.S. consumers, with some effects being felt almost immediately. Read more: The '51st state'? Canadians say no, thanks. They don't want U.S. products either Sheinbaum said Tuesday that Mexico will also retaliate but said her government will hold off on revealing which products Mexico plans to target until a public event Sunday in Mexico Citys central plaza. Her response suggested that Mexico still seeks to avert a full-blown trade war. Sheinbaum said she hopes to speak with Trump in coming days. There is no motive, reason or justification that supports this decision that will affect our people and our nations, she said at her daily news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also highlighted all that Mexico has done on immigration helping to bring illegal border crossings to the lowest levels in years and drug trafficking. Mexico has increased seizures of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that has caused tens of thousands of U.S. deaths. Last week, Mexico handed over to the United States 29 drug trafficking suspects, including Rafael Caro Quintero, the alleged mastermind of the 1985 slaying of Enrique Camarena, an undercover U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent in Mexico. Read more: How Trump tariff threats might plunge Mexico into recession and stoke immigration Mexico, Canada and China are the top trading partners of the United States, accounting for more than 40% of all U.S. imports. They supply the U.S. with food, medicine, cars, timber and electronics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts say American consumers may find higher prices for fresh vegetables, fruits and other perishable imports in a matter of days. For other products, prices may start to increase only as inventories are depleted. Car prices will almost surely go up. U.S. auto manufacturing is deeply intertwined with Mexico and Canada, with parts crossing the border many times. Now, those parts will be taxed 25% every time they enter the U.S. Read more: This French film about Mexico has 13 Oscar nominations. Why 'Emilia Perez' is tanking in Mexico Gas prices are also likely to rise, particularly in the Great Lakes and Rocky Mountain West, which depend on Canadian oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new 10% tariffs on China add to duties that Trump imposed on Chinese imports last month, and during his first term. They are expected to hit American households because China is a big supplier of a broad range of consumer items. Trump has acknowledged that the new tariffs could cause pain for consumers, but he has argued that they are worth it to draw manufacturing back to the U.S. and rebalance trade with the impacted countries, each of which sells more goods to the U.S. than it buys. "Come make your product in America, he told companies in a speech via video at the World Economic Forum this year. If not, he said, then very simply you will have to pay a tariff. The tariffs upend the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which Trump himself negotiated and which, in 2020, he praised as the fairest, most balanced and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law. 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. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) It has been a busy start to the year for New Mexicos Attorney General, Raul Torrez. Hes embroiled in a legal battle brewing at a New Mexico university, proposing changes in state law during the legislative session, and now tackling national politics in court. This week on the New Mexico News Insiders Podcast, AG Torrez joins Chris and Gabby to explain legal actions hes filed to push back against some of the work efforted by President Donald Trumps Administration. Torrez also details what he believes lawmakers should prioritize this session. With regard to the Children Youth and Families Department and other crime bills making their way through the legislative session, Torrez said, I say this as a leader within the Democratic Party we had better stop ignoring the common sense, basic requests of people when it comes to crime, public safety, public accountability, how were using taxpayer dollars. We need to put the voice of everyday citizens front and center and not the special interest groups that dominate inside that building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How do some of New Mexicos federally funded programs stand to change under DOGE and Trump? What are some of the main bills Torrez is backing this legislative session? Is a rehaul of CYFD in the states future? Those questions and more are discussed in the full episode above. Stay informed with the latest news by subscribing to the New Mexico News Insiders Podcast wherever you listen. Download new episodes of the New Mexico News Insiders every Tuesday, starting around 5:30 a.m., Mountain time. Episodes are available on most podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podbean, among others. You can also watch our podcasts in video form both on-air or online. Tune in to an abbreviated version of the New Mexico News Insiders podcast on broadcast television every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. on Fox New Mexico. Full video episodes are posted on KRQEs YouTube page at youtube.com/krqenews13. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having trouble finding the show? Try searching your favorite podcast player with the term KRQE or New Mexico News Insiders (without the quotes). You can also use the links above to find the podcast on each service or listen to the audio player at the top of this post. If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for who should be interviewed on the podcast, let us know! Email your hosts at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KMID/KPEJ)- A man wanted for first-degree murder was taken into custody on March 3, 2025, during Operation Route 66, a targeted crime suppression effort by the New Mexico State Police (NMSP). Authorities identified the suspect, 58-year-old Dennis Wallace, after spotting a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and running its registration through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). The system flagged Wallace as the registered owner and confirmed he had an active warrant for first-degree murder. Undercover agents tracked Wallace to an apartment complex on Carlisle Boulevard and confirmed he was the motorcycles driver. Once he entered the residence, officers maintained surveillance and secured a search warrant to enter the apartment and make the arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Specialized units from the NMSP Special Operations Bureau executed the warrant, taking Wallace into custody without incident. He was later transported to the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he remains booked on the outstanding murder charge. The New Mexico State Police will continue to collaborate with the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office and our other law enforcement partners to remove dangerous criminals from our streets and create a safer environment for everyone in New Mexico, an NMSP spokesperson wrote. Operation Route 66 is part of a larger initiative aimed at reducing violent crime, tracking fugitives, and enhancing public safety across the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. A majority of the Supreme Court appeared prepared Tuesday to shut down a lawsuit from the Mexican government alleging American gun manufacturers should be held responsible for cartel violence on the Southwest border. The justices debated the high-profile case in their quiet, ornate courtroom as relations between Washington and Mexico City were fraying in real time. President Donald Trump allowed a 25% tariff on Mexican goods to take effect and the president of Mexico vowed to impose retaliatory duties within days. Mexico sued Smith & Wesson and six other major US gun makers in 2021 for $10 billion in damages, alleging that the companies design and market their guns specifically to drug cartels that then use them in the killing and maiming of children, judges, journalists, police, and ordinary citizens throughout Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the Supreme Court both conservatives and at least some of the liberal justices peppered the lawyer for Mexico with questions indicating they were concerned with the prospects of allowing the lawsuit to go forward. And the broader diplomatic context was clearly on the mind of several members of the court. Mexico says that US gun manufacturers are contributing to illegal conduct in Mexico, Justice Samuel Alito, a conservative, said at one point. There are Americans who think that Mexican government officials are contributing to a lot of illegal conduct here. Suppose, Alito pondered, a US state decided to sue Mexico for what it viewed as aiding and abetting crime in the United States. Would Mexico, he asked, be willing to litigate that case in the courts of the United States? Part of Mexicos argument is that American gunmakers are manufacturing and marketing guns that appeal to cartels and that theyre selling them to distributors that are known to deal with organized crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Chief Justice John Roberts questioned whether Mexico had cleared the legal bar it needs to by pointing to products like the Super El Jefe pistol. Those are all things that are not illegal in any way, said Roberts, a conservative. There some people who want the experience of shooting a particular type of gun because they find it more enjoyable than using a bb gun. Not a Second Amendment fight The case does not center on the Second Amendment, but gun-control and gun rights groups are nevertheless closely engaged in the fight. The gun industry defendants are trying to use this case to rewrite the law and dramatically expand their immunity to include actions that break the law, David Pucino, legal director with the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence told CNN. The Supreme Court should reject that dangerous invitation to shut the courthouse door on victims of gun violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mexican government argues that between 70% and 90% of guns recovered at crime scenes in its country are made in the United States. There is only one gun store in all of Mexico, its lawyers said, and yet the nation is awash in guns. The Supreme Court is facing a choice: Hold the American gun industry accountable for fueling organized crime at the southern border or give American manufacturers near total immunity, Hudson Munoz, executive director of Guns Down America, told CNN. But even some of the Supreme Courts liberals, who have tended to side with gun control groups in the past, said they were concerned about Mexicos position. What Mexico is asking for, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said, appeared to amount to different kinds of regulatory constraints that Im thinking Congress didnt want the courts to be the ones to impose. NRA slams Mexicos suit Gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association, say that the lawsuit is an effort to destroy the American firearms industry by making it easier to sue for huge sums, despite a 2005 law meant to protect gun makers from an increasing number of lawsuits filed by Democratic governors and mayors nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act generally shields gunmakers from liability for crimes committed with their products. An exception permits those suits when theres a close connection between the harm in this case, the use of guns in Mexico and the companies actions. Mexico has extinguished its constitutional arms right, the NRA told the Supreme Court in a brief. Now (it) seeks to extinguish Americas. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a member of the courts conservative wing, picked up on that position during the arguments, questioning what would stop all sorts of lawsuits against companies that make products that wind up being used illegally. Thats a real concern, I think, for me about accepting your theory, he told the lawyer for Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexico also argues the gunmakers have resisted design changes to their products such as making serial numbers harder to tamper with that would make the guns less appealing to gangs because the weapons could more easily be traced. The manufacturers, Mexico said in court documents, advertise the guns as military-grade and design special-edition products like the Super El Jefe pistol the country says are targeted for sale to gangs. A federal district court backed the gun makers, but the Boston-based 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals concluded Mexicos suit could go forward. The gun companies appealed to the Supreme Court in April. Guns, cartels and social media Some of the argument Tuesday focused on a decision it handed down just two years ago in a case dealing with the social media company now known as X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Twitter v. Taamneh, the family of a victim killed in a 2017 terrorist attack in Turkey tried to sue the social media giant for contributing to the attack because it hosted content helping ISIS recruit followers and raise money. In a unanimous decision, the court said the connection between the content at issue and the attack wasnt closely related enough to allow the family to sue. Its a point the gun manufacturers are quick to highlight in their written arguments. The short version, according to the companies, is that they have no control over what people do with the guns they make. This court has repeatedly held that it requires a direct connection between a defendants conduct and the plaintiffs injury, the gun manufacturers told the high court in their appeal. In its zeal to attack the firearms industry, Mexico seeks to raze bedrock principles of American law that safeguard the whole economy. But the appeals court ruling in favor of Mexico, which was also unanimous, said that the gunmakers conduct may have been something more than what was alleged against X. All three appeals court judges who reviewed Mexicos case were appointed by Democratic presidents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are not mere passive observers of the buyers illegal activity, the three-judge panel wrote, but more akin to a calculated and willing participant in the supply chain that ends with a profitable illegal firearm market in Mexico. This story has been updated following oral arguments. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com There is only one gun store in the entire country of Mexico, yet America's southern neighbor is awash in violent crimes perpetrated with millions of firearms made in the United States. In a historic case on Tuesday, the Supreme Court will consider whether American gun manufacturers, including Smith & Wesson, Glock, Beretta and Colt, can be held liable for allegedly "aiding and abetting" the illicit flow of weapons across the border. The high court has never before taken up the issue of the sweeping gunmaker immunity found in a 2005 federal law aimed at protecting the industry. Its decision could have a significant impact on firearm companies and the victims of gun violence pursuing accountability. PHOTO: Weapons seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection during southbound inspections are displayed at the Port of Nogales, Ariz. Undated file photo. (CPB/DVIDS) MORE: Federal appeals court strikes down ban on handgun sales to teens Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government of Mexico is seeking $10 billion in damages and court-mandated safety mechanisms and sales restrictions for U.S.-made guns. The justices will decide whether the case can move forward under an exception in the law. "Between 70-90% of the crime guns in Mexico are illegally trafficked from the U.S.," said Jonathan Lowy, an attorney representing the Mexican government. "Essentially, Mexico's gun problem and the problem of armed cartel violence is almost entirely a result of this crime -- a gun pipeline from the U.S. gun manufacturers ultimately to the cartels." The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005 broadly bars lawsuits against any gun manufacturer over the illegal acts of a person using one of a manufacturer's guns. But it does create an exception for claims involving a gun company's alleged violation of rules governing the sale and marketing of firearms. Mexico alleges the manufacturers have for years knowingly marketed and distributed their weapons to border community dealers who participate in illegal gun trafficking into Mexico. PHOTO: Weapons seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection during southbound inspections are displayed at the Port of Nogales, Ariz. Undated file photo. (CPB/DVIDS) MORE: Supreme Court finds 'radical agreement' in employment discrimination case Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The law is clear that any person or company can be responsible for the foreseeable consequences of their actions and, in this case, of their deliberate actions," Lowy said. The gun companies, which declined ABC News' request for an interview, said in court documents that the exception does not apply and the case should be dismissed, in part, because the alleged link to crimes in Mexico is too diffuse and far removed. "Mexico's alleged injuries all stem from the unlawful acts of foreign criminals," the gun companies argued in their Supreme Court brief. The court has "repeatedly held that it requires a direct connection between a defendant's conduct and the plaintiff's injury," the companies claimed. "Thus, the general rule is that a company that makes or sells a lawful product is not a proximate cause of harms resulting from the independent criminal misuse of that product." PHOTO: A view of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, July 19, 2024. (Kevin Mohatt/Reuters, FILE) MORE: Crackdown on do-it-yourself firearm kits is curbing ghost guns. Will it last? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 160,000 people in Mexico were killed by guns between 2015 and 2022, according to an analysis by Everytown for Gun Safety. A large majority of guns involved in the shootings came from U.S. border states. More than 40% of illegal guns seized in Mexico over a five-year period came from Texas, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report. In 2023 alone, more than 2,600 firearms were seized going south into Mexico, up 65% from the year before, according to the Department of Homeland Security, and 115,000 rounds of ammunition were captured headed the same direction, up 19% from 2022. "In its zeal to attack the firearms industry, Mexico seeks to raze bedrock principles of American law that safeguard the whole economy," the companies wrote in their brief. "It is the criminal who is responsible for his actions, not the company that made or sold the product." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal district court dismissed Mexico's case in 2022 citing the PLCAA protections. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision in early 2024, saying Mexico had made a plausible case for liability under the law's exception. PHOTO: Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum looks on during her daily press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on Feb. 28, 2025. (Alfredo Estrella/AFP/Getty Images) MORE: Crackdown on do-it-yourself firearm kits is curbing ghost guns. Will it last? The Supreme Court will decide whether to affirm that judgment and allow the case to continue toward what would be a first-of-its-kind trial. Mexico, in the meantime, announced it will expand its lawsuit after the Trump administration designated six Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You will also see an expansion of this lawsuit for the complicity of those who sell weapons, which are [then] introduced into our country," Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters last month. In essence, Mexico will argue that American gun manufacturers aren't just enabling ordinary gun crime but terrorism, by the U.S. government's own characterization. The Supreme Court is expected to deliver an opinion in the case, Smith & Wesson Brands v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, by the end of June. ABC News' Matt Rivers and Patty See contributed to this report. Supreme Court battle spotlights guns trafficked from US into Mexico originally appeared on abcnews.go.com After years of treatment, former Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) is no longer responding to treatment for a form of brain cancer, according to her family. In a statement posted to Loves social media account over the weekend, Loves daughter shared that her mothers cancer is progressing. We have shifted our focus from treatment to enjoying our remaining time with her, Abigale Love wrote, adding that she would like followers to share pictures, videos and memories with her. I am building an archive of special memories with Mia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mia Love, the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2022. She was given up to 15 months to live, but she surpassed the odds of the aggressive brain cancer. The 49-year-old told CNNs Jake Tapper that in August 2023, she began receiving immunotherapy as part of a clinical trial at the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University. It hasnt been an easy journey, but I share it because I want my journey to give others hope, Love said on Facebook shortly after sharing the details of her diagnosis. Whether you are facing a cancer diagnosis yourself, or fighting a different battle, there is hope! For me, that hope comes from my faith and my family. Both have been a source of immeasurable strength, peace, love, and support. Every day, I thank God for my life and a family who give that life beauty and meaning. Love, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, was elected in 2014 to the U.S. House of Representatives, where she served for two terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2016, Love became one of the few Republicans to announce that she would not support then-candidate Donald Trump for the presidency following the release of the Access Hollywood tape where he bragged about groping women without their consent. His behavior and bravado have reached a new low, Love said at the time. Love continued to clash with Trump after his 2016 victory, distancing herself from his immigration and trade policies and blasting him for describing countries including her parents birthplace as shole countries. The [presidents] comments are unkind, divisive, elitist, and fly in the face of our nations values, Love said at the time. The President must apologize to both the American people and the nations he so wantonly maligned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Love narrowly lost her seat in 2018 to former Salt Lake City Mayor Ben McAdams (D). Soon after, she joined CNN as a commentator. Trump took credit for Loves loss. Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost, Trump said. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia. Utahs political leaders have offered their support for Love and her family following Abigale Loves post. Mia Love has served Utah with integrity, and her strength and grace continue to inspire us, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox posted on social media. Our hearts are with Mia and her family during this difficult time. Utah stands with you. Lee Zeldin, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator and a former House member, reflected on serving at the same time as Love. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mia and I were elected to Congress together in 2014 and she has been one of my closest friends in life ever since, Zeldin posted on social media. Shes an amazing and courageous fighter and the Zeldin Family has nothing but love for her forever. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 city of Miami firefighter was hospitalized Monday night after falling through the floor of a building that he and his colleagues were clearing while extinguishing a fire, the department said. Firefighters began battling the blaze at 1348 NW First Avenue around 6:50 p.m., finding heavy smoke and flames on all three levels, said Lt. Pete Sanchez, with Miami Fire Rescue. As multiple units worked to put down the flames, other firefighters were checking the building, which is under renovation, for people, Sanchez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 20 minutes into the operation, one of the firefighters fell through the second floor, prompting a Mayday call, said Sanchez. His colleagues rescued and took him to the hospital, where, as of Monday night, he was listed in stable condition, according to the department. At this point, the incident was upgraded to a second alarm, dispatching even more units, Sanchez said. Aerial ladders began flowing water onto the roof, and within two hours, the fire was brought under control. Sanchez said another firefighter was also hospitalized to be treated for second-degree burns to the ear and forearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The building, which was under renovation, was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and no other injuries were reported, Sanchez said. The Miami Fire Investigation Unit is looking into the cause of the fire, and the Miami Building Department has been requested to evaluate the structural integrity of the building, said Sanchez. MADISON A former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who cost taxpayers millions of dollars while conducting a fruitless review of the 2020 presidential election is refusing to testify before a state disciplinary board in a case alleging he violated rules governing attorneys' behavior. The state Office of Lawyer Regulation filed a motion Friday to compel former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to sit for a deposition in two weeks after Gableman canceled with short notice on a previously agreed upon meeting in February. Instead of seeking an order to limit or stop the deposition, Gableman "simply had his attorney send an email saying he would not attend the deposition because of '5th Amendment concerns,'" violating state discovery laws, according to the motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Audit concludes all votes cast in Wisconsin's 2024 presidential election were counted accurately He instead sought to meet privately with the board attorney to "resolve" the matter. Wispolitics.com was first to report on the ORL motion. Donald Schott, an attorney for the board, argued in the motion that Gableman could invoke 5th Amendment privileges when facing criminal charges based on the allegations against him but cannot use the 5th Amendment to avoid sitting for a deposition before the state board. Gableman is seeking to resolve the matter privately and is trying to raise money for his legal defense, according to Schott. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gableman, who served one 10-year term on the state's high court starting in 2008, was hired by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in 2021 to review the previous presidential election. The probe catapulted him to a national platform with election conspiracy theorists and made him a favorite of Republican former President Donald Trump, who was reelected in November. But Vos has since said he regrets hiring the former justice. Taxpayers paid more than $2.3 million for the investigation, which yielded a steady drumbeat of explosive court hearings and rulings in lawsuits over his desire to jail election officials and mayors who refused to be interviewed behind closed doors, and his decision to ignore requests from the public for records related to his probe. The OLR board filed a disciplinary complaint in November after the board received more than one complaint, including from Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington following a 2022 court hearing in a lawsuit filed over Gableman's review during which Gableman shouted at Remington and refused to testify. The complaint from OLR alleges violations of the Wisconsin Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the OLR complaint, Vos and Gableman discussed that the review's objective was to gather facts about the administration of recent elections and suggest potential legislative changes for the Assembly to consider. The review never revealed any evidence of significant fraud or new facts related to the election not previously known. The 2020 election was run unlike previous contests because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some polling locations changed. Voters turned to absentee voting in unprecedented numbers, and ballots were mailed to nursing homes instead of being delivered by special poll workers who could assist residents. Joe Biden beat Trump by nearly 21,000 votes out of 3.3 million, or 0.6 percentage points. Recounts and state and federal courts confirmed his victory. The OLR complaint alleges that Gableman: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Filed petitions containing false statements when he attempted to seize property from the mayors of Green Bay and Madison. Made false statements to and withheld information from a state Assembly committee regarding the responses from Green Bay and Madison's mayors to subpoenas issued to them. Engaged in "disruptive behavior" at a June 2021 court hearing. Made false statements about the integrity of a judge. Made "false, derogatory and demeaning public statements" about opposing counsel. Violated the state's open records law. Accepted his role in the probe without disclosing conflicts of interest. Abandoned his duty to former clients by publicly promoting efforts to recall Vos. Submitted a false affidavit to OLR. Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Michael Gableman refusing to testify before lawyer disciplinary board GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is calling on Michigans Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court decision that the states anti-terrorism statute was unconstitutional. Last month in a case out of Wayne County, the Court of Appeals upended a 2002 state statute that made it a crime to make a terrorist threat or false report of terrorism, saying the law was facially unconstitutional. It set off a domino-effect in lower courts like Kent County Circuit Court, where a judge dismissed two May 2024 charges against Jacob Tyler Vanderkooy, who police say threatened to kill people at a Rockford restaurant where he once worked. Kent County mans charges tossed after terrorist threat law ruled unconstitutional Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an amicus brief Monday, Nessel wrote that the Court of Appeals decision is clearly erroneous. She disagreed with the reasoning behind the ruling that the law doesnt require proof that the defendant acted recklessly or understood that statements were considered threatening. Instead, Nessel argued that in cases of terrorism threats, prosecutors already must prove that charged defendants intended to intimidate or coerce people or government. She urged the Michigan Supreme Court to reinstate the law or delay its effect while the Court reviews the case. Without swift action, the ruling could leave courts and prosecutors in uncertainty, according to a release from the AGs office. The release says the AGs office has eight cases pending under the statute and its overturn may cause dismissal of other cases across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Striking down this crucial law hinders my offices ability and the ability of prosecutors in all 83 counties from doing their jobs to hold those who threaten our communities accountable, making Michigan less safe, wrote Nessel. She requested a Michigan Supreme Court ruling by April 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Heres a look at March 3, 2025, results for each game: Winning Daily 3 numbers from March 3 drawing Midday: 1-7-5 Evening: 7-1-7 Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Daily 4 numbers from March 3 drawing Midday: 3-8-6-8 Evening: 3-7-0-7 Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Lucky For Life numbers from March 3 drawing 10-15-21-27-45, Lucky Ball: 01 Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Poker Lotto numbers from March 3 drawing QH-3C-3H-10H-6S Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from March 3 drawing 06-09-21-24-30 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 07-21-27-28-39 Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Daily Keno numbers from March 3 drawing 01-05-07-15-16-27-28-31-32-36-37-42-44-46-50-59-68-73-76-77-78-79 Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here. Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results Are you a winner? Heres how to claim your lottery prize All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lotterys Regional Offices. To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michigan Lottery Attn: Claim Center 101 E. Hillsdale P.O. Box 30023 Lansing, MI 48909 For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a drivers license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2. If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325 Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325 Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325 Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325 Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325 Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325 For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery's prize claim page. When are Michigan Lottery drawings held? Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m. Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for March 3, 2025 LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Soldiers assigned to the Michigan Army National Guards (MIARNG) 745th Ordnance Company, based out of Grayling, are set to be deployed to the Middle East to support Operation Spartan Shield. The Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs says this is their fourth deployment since 9/11. The units last deployment was in June 2020 to the CENTCOM Theatre in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve. The Soldiers are anticipated to be deployed for up to a year. (Michigan Army National Guards 745th Ordnance Company) Their mission will focus on safely identifying, disarming and disposing of hazardous explosive devices and conducting concurrent training with partner nations, said U.S. Army Maj. Megan Breen in a news release sent to 6 News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our military families sacrifice a lot during these long separations and their support is crucial to the success of our Soldiers as they deploy overseas, said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Ravindra Wagh in a news release sent to 6 News. The Michigan National Guard Family Programs Office provides support and care for service members and families of the Michigan National Guard. They may be reached at 1-888-MICH-FAM. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) In light of a recent canine distemper virus (CDV) outbreak at the Kermit Animal Shelter, Midland Animal Services is urging all pet owners to ensure their dogs are up-to-date on vaccinations. Canine distemper is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease affecting dogs respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems. Symptoms include nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy, and neurological signs. Proper vaccination is the most effective defense against distemper. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends the following vaccination schedule for puppies and adult dogs: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Puppies (6-16 weeks): Administer at least three doses of the combination vaccine (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parvovirus) every 2-4 weeks, starting between 6 and 8 weeks of age. Adult Dogs (older than 16 weeks): Two doses of the combination vaccine, 2-4 weeks apart, followed by a booster within one year, and subsequent boosters every three years. To safeguard our communitys pets, Midland Animal Services is implementing the following measures: Vaccination Clinics: Encouraging pet owners to visit their local veterinarian to ensure pets are up-to-date on vaccinations. For low-cost options, Fix West Texas offers drive-thru vaccination services from 10 a.m. to noon on March 5-7, 14-19, and 24-30. Public Education: MAS is distributing educational materials to raise awareness about the importance of vaccinations and to help pet owners recognize the early signs of distemper. Shelter Protocols: To minimize the risk of outbreaks, MAS is enhancing biosecurity measures within its facilities. Call to Action: Midland Animal Services strongly encourage all pet owners to: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Review Vaccination Records: Ensure your pets are current on all vaccinations, especially the distemper vaccine. Limit Exposure: Avoid contact with unvaccinated or unknown-status dogs, particularly in communal settings. Monitor Health: Be vigilant for symptoms such as nasal discharge, coughing, or lethargy, and consult a veterinarian promptly if concerns arise. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. Mar. 3A 42-year-old Midland woman was killed Friday night after being struck by a SUV on FM 1936. According to a Texas Department of Public Safety report, Jessica Jo Gatlin was crossing FM 1936 from west to east when she rode into the path of a Suzuki Grand Vitara being driven by a 46-year-old Odessa resident near Blair Street around 7:40 p.m. Gatlin was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- An 18-year-old Midland woman was arrested after allegedly assaulting her ex-boyfriend with a metal pipe during a domestic dispute. According to an affidavit, around 4:06 p.m. on February 28, authorities responded to a home on South Marshall Street after receiving a 911 call from 18-year-old Makenzie Grace Luxford Martinez, who reported an altercation with her former partner. Martinez claimed she had been shoved to the ground multiple times while trying to retrieve her dogs from the backyard and also admitted to striking the man during the confrontation. Upon arrival, the officers interviewed both parties involved. According to the ex-boyfriend, the incident began when Martinez became upset over pet supplies he had purchased, and an argument ensued. After leaving the house briefly, Martinez allegedly returned to take her dogs, leading to a physical altercation over a kennel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Midland woman faces felony charge after child injured in high-speed crash Authorities reviewed video footage that appeared to show Martinez striking her ex-boyfriend multiple times before he pushed her away. The footage also reportedly captured Martinez picking up a metal pipe and striking the mans left forearm. The man, who had visible scratches, bruising, and swelling on his arm, declined medical assistance but stated that he was in pain. According to the arrest affidavit, a witness also told authorities that he saw Martinez repeatedly hitting the victim and picking up the pipe but was unsure if the blow landed. Another officer on the scene confirmed that Martinez admitted to using the pipe during the altercation. Given the evidence, including video footage, witness statements, and the injuries sustained, Martinez was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martinez was taken to Midland Memorial Hospital for medical clearance before being booked into the Midland County Detention Center, where she remains as of Monday afternoon with a $100,000 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 Yourbasin. HENRIETTA (KFDX/KJTL) Midway Future Farmers of America will host a Fish Fry and Silent Auction to benefit their chapter. This event will take place on Saturday, March 29, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Midway AG Shop. Admission is $20 at the door and $15 in advance. The Midway FFA Booster Club will host this fish fry and silent auction to help raise money for their FFA Chapter. The funds raised will help students competing in competitions pay for travel expenses, hotel stays, meals, and anything else that can keep their FFA chapter going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FFA is a national organization geared toward kids interested in agriculture. Through it, students can showcase their skills and knowledge in agriculture. These students invite the public to their fish fry and silent auction, which will feature live music. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. Ed Miliband is facing a Cabinet backlash led by Rachel Reeves over his net zero plans, amid concerns they risk hampering growth and will threaten thousands of industrial jobs. The Energy Secretary is understood to have received pushback from ministers including Ms Reeves, the Chancellor; Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary; and Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, following recent clashes over electric vehicle sales targets and the closure of a major oil refinery. Behind the tensions are fears that Mr Milibands department is pushing too hard to cut carbon emissions, which is hurting the competitiveness of key industries such as steel, carmaking and chemicals, according to sources in business and Whitehall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery, in Falkirk, will lead to the loss of nearly 500 jobs in April and has partly been blamed by owner PetroIneos on an upcoming ban of new petrol cars from 2030. Elsewhere, a string of chemical plants have been closed or put at risk by rising energy prices with those in Britain the highest of any developed economy. Calls to relax the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which forces a rising proportion of carmakers sales to be electric, have created another flashpoint. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, is among the Cabinet critics of Ed Milibands policies - Andy Rain/Shutterstock It comes amid mounting concerns about Britains anaemic growth with a sharp slowdown since Labour came to power and unease around the speed of the switch to net zero compared to other countries such as the United States. Dash for growth Mr Miliband is reportedly at risk of losing his job in an upcoming Cabinet reshuffle. It has been suggested that Sir Keir Starmer will sideline net zero in a dash for growth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Whitehall source stressed that the Cabinet disagreements were not personal and amounted to a genuine intellectual debate about how to ensure the switch to green energy was used to boost the economy. They said: Its about competing priorities. There is a jobs-first group of people who very much believe that the point of the green transition should be to reindustrialise Britain. But theres another group that is less concerned about where things are made and more with cutting carbon. Ed has a mandate to cut carbon but others have a mandate to grow the economy and boost manufacturing the question is how you square that circle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They claimed that the concerns about manufacturing jobs were also shared by officials in Downing Street, including Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Ministers chief of staff. A source close to Mr Miliband declined to comment on internal conversations. However, they said the Governments actions demonstrated continued support for its green energy mission, including increased budgets for the energy department and 200m of funds to support workers made redundant at Grangemouth. This Governments policy is to use decarbonisation opportunities to drive investment, the source said, arguing that Grangemouth shut due to global factors, not net zero. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its the UKs net zero policy which will actually create jobs and investment on the site, they added, referring to hopes that Grangemouth could be repurposed for the production of sustainable aviation fuel. The source also pointed to a recent report by the Confederation of British Industry that argued there was no trade-off between economic growth and climate policies. But that view has been challenged by other businesses and experts, with an analysis by Peel Hunt this week warning that a slide in living standards appeared to be closely linked to the shift towards net zero. Labours election manifesto promised a Green Prosperity Plan that would create 650,000 jobs across the country by 2030, the year Mr Milland has vowed to deliver a clean power system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has promised this will involve backing our proud manufacturing, coastal and oil and gas communities with good jobs, skills and private sector investment. However, a report by Sir Tony Blairs think tank last month raised doubt about the jobs claim, arguing the green energy industry was only likely to employ 425,000 people by 2050 in a best-case scenario. The Cabinet disagreements underline what businesses say is a growing tension between net zero policies and competitiveness in certain parts of British manufacturing, particularly those most exposed to gas and electricity prices. North Sea oil and gas operators are also facing a ban on new drilling licences, which experts say will accelerate a decline in production. Rising energy costs risk industrial extinction Elsewhere, The Telegraph disclosed last month that chemicals manufacturers have warned ministers that sky-high energy costs are pushing their industry to breaking point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Companies including Ineos, Dow, Johnson Matthey and Croda warned that further plant closures were inevitable unless the UK became more competitive, in a letter coordinated by the Chemicals Industries Association. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner of Ineos and Manchester United, has warned of industrial extinction unless action is taken to make the UK and Europe more attractive. Labour ministers are also under pressure from their union supporters to explain how jobs threatened by net zero will be replaced. Gary Smith, the leader of the GMB, has warned green policies are hollowing out working class communities, while Derek Thomson, the Scottish regional secretary of Unite, said the closure of Grangemouth raised questions about the Governments plan to ensure a just transition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Thomson told The Telegraph: For a just transition to take place, we have to protect workers and transition in a way that allows us to create new jobs. If you close [the Grangemouth refinery] now, does it actually contribute much to global emissions? Becoming an import-only country, thats a devastation of manufacturing. And there is no plan to start building wind turbines in Scotland. Theres no plan to do steel. Theres no plan to do anything to replace that manufacturing base. A spokesman for Mr Milibands department insisted claims of a division were untrue. She added: Our mission to become a clean energy superpower is the economic opportunity of the 21st century and one of the Prime Ministers five missions, which the whole of Government is united behind delivering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We received a boost of 35pc, or 3.6bn, in last years Budget, one of the largest annual increases in the history of the department and its predecessors and announced a multi-billion-pound investment to kickstart growth in carbon capture and lead the world in a ground-breaking clean energy technology. In addition, the Prime Minister made a transformational commitment to the Grangemouth community, announcing an additional 200m to support investment in the long-term future of the site. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Ed Milibands plans to impose zonal pricing on energy would be a nightmare that could add 300 to bills, analysts have warned. A review into Britains energy pricing could see the country divided into zones, each with its own wholesale market proposals that have been heavily endorsed by the bosses of Ofgem and Octopus Energy. Labour is understood to be seriously considering the plans as part of the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements started by the Conservatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But experts have warned that the scheme would create a postcode lottery that would only benefit households in Scotland and northern parts of England, while those in the South would see their bills surge. Wholesale rates in Scottish regions would fall by almost 8 per megawatt hour (MWh) under zonal pricing, while rates on the south coast would surge by 10 per MWh, ultimately costing southern households hundreds of pounds more a year. As it stands, there is already some disparity in the rates paid by households for energy due to the way the energy price cap is calculated by the regulator, Ofgem. Under the current system, those in north Wales and Mersey pay around 90 more a year than those living in the South due to regional differences in standing charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Northern regions also pay an inflated rate for the energy they use compared to southern households. This is because households in the North are further apart, so it costs more to transport power between them despite most of Britains energy being generated in the North. But zonal pricing would see that system inverted, so that regions with high numbers of turbines and substations will enjoy lower prices, while zones with higher demand will tend to have higher prices. A zonal model would see Britain divided into 12 zones, and modelling by consultancy firm LCP found that wholesale prices in 2035 would be significantly lower in northern Scotland, where electricity demand is low and infrastructure is already abundant. By contrast, LCP said average wholesale prices in the rest of the country would be higher under zonal pricing compared to national pricing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The higher price areas account for 97pc of the demand across the country, meaning that nearly all consumers will be paying increased wholesale prices for their energy, the report found. Potentially disastrous consequences Alistair Phillips-Davies, of energy company SSE, which commissioned the report, said Britain was on the cusp of the greatest transformation since the Industrial Revolution as it moved towards achieving clean power by 2030. However, Mr Phillips-Davies warned that a shift to zonal pricing would be a political and economic nightmare that would jeopardise the net zero transition and create a postcode lottery for billpayers. He said: In countries where zonal pricing exists, some customers find themselves paying 200-300 more than an equivalent household for energy based solely on where they live. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A number of countries including Australia, Sweden, and Denmark use zonal pricing. A zonal system is also in place in Norway, whose government collapsed in January after EU green energy laws backfired and drove up bills for millions. Mr Davies warned that zonal pricing would not address the fundamental realities of energy infrastructure, adding that large-scale solar and wind farms cannot be built in urban centres. The policy appears unpopular with the public, according to a survey by onshore renewables firm OnPath Energy, which found that 85pc of respondents thought a zonal pricing model was not very fair. Richard Dunkley, of OnPath Energy, said: Ultimately, consumers and businesses will be paying the price for years to come if we get this wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zonal pricing, Mr Dunkley continued, could have potentially disastrous consequences for investment and jobs, and that billions of pounds worth of planned renewable projects may have to be put on hold or re-worked if the policy were given the green light. He added: For zonal pricing to work, it has to have winners and losers, which would result in damage to critical areas of our industrial base and also higher bills for millions of consumers. Last week, Ofgem announced that in April the energy price cap would rise by 6.4pc so that a typical household will pay 1,849 for their power use, reigniting the debate around zonal pricing. More than 50 companies penned a joint letter to the Government urging it to abandon zonal pricing, alongside a group of 16 trade bodies. Cheaper fairer energy Among zonal pricings defenders is Greg Jackson, the chief executive of Octopus Energy, which recently overtook British Gas to become the countrys biggest energy supplier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Jackson said this week that households would remain exposed to skyrocketing bills if Britain did not overhaul its outdated pricing system. He added: Zonal unlocks massive savings by encouraging energy to be used nearer to where its produced, and at those times it is plentiful, rather than wasted. With the potential to ease any burdens in infrastructure delays, the Government can embrace a modern system that delivers cheaper, fairer energy while also protecting us from shocks further down the line. Greg Jackson, chief executive of Octopus Energy, is among zonal pricings defenders - Andrew Crowley A report by LTI Consulting, commissioned by Octopus Energy, claims zonal pricing could lead to 54.9bn in net consumer benefits. The report suggested that data centres and electrolysers could be incentivised to set up in northern areas to take advantage of lower prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of Ofgem, is similarly supportive of a zonal pricing model. Appearing on Martin Lewiss Money Show last month, Mr Brearley said: People in Scotland would get lower bills when the wind is being generated in Scotland. We are quite supportive of that change, so all of us want to see a system where were no longer paying wind farms to turn off in the same place where energy charges are high. A government spokesman said: In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect consumers from future energy price shocks is by moving towards home-grown power. We are considering reforms to Britains electricity market arrangements, ensuring that these focus on protecting billpayers and encouraging investment. We will provide an update in due course. 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. Construction is underway at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport on a modern air cargo terminal that local officials say will make it easier for Wisconsin businesses to move goods domestically and internationally, but ultimate success still hinges on attracting one or more cargo airlines that can provide airlift. The speculative project will redevelop a significant portion of a former U.S. Force Reserve base into a 337,000-square-foot dedicated cargo building with parking for up to five Boeing 747-400 freighter aircraft and enhance adjacent taxiways to improve accessibility for widebody jets. An all-new airfreight facility in Milwaukee will be cheaper and more efficient for shippers in the region than having to truck goods 70 miles south to Chicago OHare airport, which is often congested and has high user fees, according to Milwaukee County officials and the developer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When this project is complete, builders and suppliers will be able to transport their raw materials and finished products in and out of Wisconsin more quickly and efficiently, said Airport Director Brian Dranzik in a news release on Thursday. At a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said the four largest shippers in the state GE Healthcare, Rockwell Automation, packaging giant Amcor and Mercury Marine, a manufacturer of boat engines are interested in utilizing Milwaukee airport (MKE) for air transport. I love the fact were taking business from Illinois, he said in a short speech during the event, which was recorded by a local TV station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Illinois airports Crowley alluded to are Chicago OHare and Chicago Rockford. OHare is one of the largest gateways for international cargo. Chicago Rockford is a secondary airport much closer to the Wisconsin border that has successfully created a cargo friendly alternative to OHare, with logistics companies renting terminal space and arranging scheduled freighter services with widebody aircraft. Many businesses located in southeast Wisconsin, including newly established tech firms, ship goods through Chicago Rockford, but the vast majority rely on feeder trucks that connect the region to Chicago OHare, according to local logistics experts. Crow Holdings, a privately held real estate investment and development firm with $33 billion of assets under management, is financing and managing the air logistics center in exchange for a 50-year ground lease. The facility, estimated to cost $80 million, will have high ceilings, wide open areas to facilitate storage and sorting, 68 truck docks, and stalls for 75 trailers. It is scheduled for completion in 2026. Grants from the Federal Aviation Administrations Airport Improvement Program, for the taxiway improvements, and the state of Wisconsin will cover $11.2 million of the total bill, according to the airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The project involves tearing down a vacant business park on the former campus of the 440th Airlift Wing, extending the aircraft apron to add parking for an additional freighter and reconstructing a portion of the taxiway that doesnt meet standards. The discovery that the taxiway needed replacement slowed planning and resulted in a larger footprint than the originally planned 288,000 square feet. Developers assumed the Air Force had maintained the taxiway with overlays, but the thickness was only about 11.5 inches compared to a 19-inch subbase needed to support large cargo aircraft, said Jack Rabben, Crows vice president of industrial, in an interview. Laying the concrete deeper meant a wider footprint was needed to achieve a minimal slope, resulting in more space that could accommodate a larger building, he explained. Existing infrastructure power, water, sewer, fiber optic cable and roadways and the sites proximity to the main runway attracted Crow because development costs will be much lower than a greenfield facility. And those savings will pass through to users, said Rabben. Key to monetizing the infrastructure, he said, is getting a critical mass of interested shippers and logistics providers that make it economically viable for a cargo airline to offer service at MKE. Crow is also engaging cargo agents for interest in running the cargo warehouse and handling truck-to-air transfers on behalf of airlines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All those shippers are currently flying products into other airports in Illinois. Obviously, it doesnt make sense to fly things into Illinois only to ship them up to Milwaukee in a truck, Rabben said. Officials said the metro area has the third-highest-per-capita manufacturing base in the country. He said shippers will save close to 60% by operating out of MKE instead of Chicago OHare because of the lower ground rent, building rent, taxes, landing fees and trucking costs. Unlike facilities at many airports that are antiquated and functionally obsolete, the MKE cargo terminal will be built to the latest industry standards for efficient processing. Rabben said Crow will deliver a building shell that can easily be customized for a wide range of needs, including cold storage for pharmaceuticals and perishable foods, as well as live animals. County officials said the cargo facility also has the potential to attract passenger airlines by lowering the overall operating cost for all airlines at MKE. Finding customers The new southside cargo facility will function in addition to an existing one where FedEx and UPS support a limited number of flights per week. The age of the legacy facility raises questions about how long it is serviceable, but MKE spokesperson Summer Hegranes said that there are no plans at this time to relocate existing cargo tenants or to make any changes to their space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Convincing cargo airlines and logistics companies to establish operations at non-major airports is a tall order because the habit to move shipments through large metropolitan airports is ingrained and difficult to change. Southeast Wisconsin has a strong manufacturing and distribution base that could support additional air cargo service in Milwaukee, but capturing business from OHare will be a challenge, consultant Michael Webber said two years ago when Crow first floated the project. I think theyre in a position to certainly pick up overflow from that Chicago market, but OHare has an overwhelming advantage as an international gateway with a mix of cargo carried by passenger aircraft and freighters, Webber explained. Freight forwarders like using airports with a wide range of traffic from around the world because it gives them more shipping options and the ability to create specialized routes for their customers when direct flights arent available. Secondary airports typically secure freighter services when a logistics company has a key client, or two, with enough volume to justify chartering dedicated flights to locations where they can enjoy priority treatment, said Webber, who once studied the cargo market for the MKE airport authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. RELATED STORIES: UPS getting more elbow room at Gary/Chicago airport Kuehne+Nagel moves into new cargo facility at Birmingham airport The post Milwaukee airport building facility to lure cargo from Chicago area appeared first on FreightWaves. For more than 25 years, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office has maintained a list of law enforcement officers who have been accused of dishonesty, bias or crimes. Often known as the "Brady list," it is meant to help prosecutors fulfill their legal obligation to turn over evidence that could help defendants. But a joint Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin Watch and TMJ4 News investigation found that the list is inconsistent and incomplete, raising questions about how useful it is in practice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know about Brady lists. What is a Brady list? The Brady list is a compilation of law enforcement officials who have been accused of lying, breaking the law, or acting in a way that erodes their credibility to be a witness. Its also sometimes known as the do-not-call list or the Brady/Giglio list. The name comes from the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court case Brady v. Maryland, which ruled that prosecutors cannot withhold material that might help the defense at trial. What kind of behavior gets you on the Brady List? The type of misconduct that can land a law enforcement officer on the Brady list is broad, ranging from violent crimes to workplace issues. An officer does not have to be found guilty of a crime or even charged with a crime to be placed on the list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the names on Milwaukee Countys Brady list, the majority involve criminal cases. Roughly a quarter involve internal investigations. The offenses range from crimes like domestic violence or drunken driving to integrity issues like falsifying police documents or cheating on police training tests. How does the District Attorney's Office find out about potential Brady material? The District Attorney's Office is responsible for prosecuting crimes. If a law enforcement officer is referred for potential criminal charges, prosecutors would know about it because they make charging decisions. But if an officer is facing an internal violation and not a criminal charge, it is up to the officer's law enforcement agency to report the information to prosecutors, according to Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Lovern. Do police agencies have written policies for telling prosecutors about Brady material? Not all of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The media organizations sent records requests to 23 law enforcement agencies in the county asking for any policies governing how to handle Brady material. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office and six other agencies provided a written policy. The Milwaukee Police Department and eight other agencies in the county said they do not have a written policy. The remaining agencies did not respond or the request remains pending. If an officer is on the Brady list, does that mean they can't testify? No. Being placed on the list only means that prosecutors have to disclose that officer's history to the defense. If defense attorneys wish, they can raise the officer's credibility issues with the judge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At that point, it is up to the judge to decide whether or not the officer is credible enough to testify. In rare cases, the district attorney's office has determined an officer could never be relied upon to testify. Lovern said that has only happened two or three times in the past 18 years, and those officers are no longer employed as law enforcement. If an officer is put on the Brady list, can they stay on the force? Yes. Just because a law enforcement officer is on the list does not mean they are necessarily prohibited from testifying. That means they can still be useful as police officers, officials say. Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball say they carefully consider the facts and severity of each case before deciding whether to keep an officer on the force. Where can I find Wisconsins Brady list? In Wisconsin, there is no single Brady list. District attorneys offices in each county are responsible for maintaining their own lists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But there's no consistency to how prosecutors in Wisconsin maintain Brady lists. In an investigation last year, Wisconsin Watch filed records requests with prosecutors in each of the states 72 counties. Many denied the records request or said they didn't keep track. The counties that replied disclosed a list of about 360 names. How many people are on Milwaukee Countys Brady List? You can find Milwaukee County's Brady list here. Nearly 200 current and former law enforcement officers are on the list, which dates back about 25 years. Some are accused of multiple offenses. Of those on the list, the majority are from the Milwaukee Police Department, but nearly every suburban police department is represented. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What is Milwaukee Countys police Brady list and why does it matter? The Milwaukee County Chief Medical Examiner will no longer allow timely access to preliminary reports on deaths like homicides, fatal car accidents and other causes. The medical examiner's decision, announced last week, was criticized by transparency advocates and is a significant shift in the office's handling of public records. In practice, it will mean residents of Milwaukee will be left waiting weeks, months or longer to learn basic information of the deaths of other residents and of other basic public safety situations. The change comes amid a broader trend among public agencies in Milwaukee to withhold any preliminary information which officials say could contain inaccuracies until final reports are concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I write to advise that my office will no longer share narrative reports relating to any death my office investigates until after we have concluded our investigation and closed our case, said Milwaukee County Chief Medical Examiner Wieslawa Tlomak in an email to local media. I understand my decision to hold back these draft reports represents a significant change in past practice. In recent years, these preliminary reports from the medical examiner's office have filled a vital information gap after the Milwaukee Police Department curtailed information it releases quickly about significant crime incidents in the community. In 2023, the city's police stopped sharing gender and racial information for victims of crimes, prompting praise from LGBT advocates and criticism from government transparency advocates, and reporters are asked to send all questions to a department spokesperson. This latest change from the area's authorities raised concerns to government transparency experts like Bill Lueders, the president of the of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, a nonpartisan state group that works to protect access to public meetings and record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Government offices must weigh records requests on a case-by-case basis, he said. "There is no categorical exemption in our public records law for reports from investigations that have not been completely concluded," Lueders said. Tlomak's usage of "draft report" in her email appears to indicate the office considers the preliminary reports to be exempt from state public records law. Wisconsin law does not consider "drafts" to be records. This step by the medical examiners office is a step backwards for transparency and open government, said Greg Borowski, executive editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. All this will do is leave the public more in the dark when it comes to vital public safety matters in our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public officials should be looking to provide more information, not less. In an email, Tlomak said the office made the change in consultation with county lawyers and would continue to assess records requests on a "case by case basis." She said the office was not creating a new exemption in public records law with the change and framed it as a change in "its handling" of the reports. "We are leaning into respect for the deceased and their loved ones through all practice improvements the Medical Examiner's Office is undertaking," she said. Whether the preliminary narrative reports would qualify as drafts under state law is something that should be reviewed, Lueders said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In short, I think the office's past practice might be more in keeping with the spirit and the letter of the law than this new way of doing things, which might put the office at risk of legal challenge," he said. Matt Topic, of Chicago law firm Loevy & Loevy, said the change comes as public bodies have a general overuse of exemptions for drafts. This significant change away from disclosure warrants more explanation than the short justification has been provided, Topic, who specializes in government transparency, said in an email. Milwaukee County Medical Examiner, Dr. Wieslawa Tlomak, comments during a press conference on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025 Narrative reports are particularly illustrative when compared to other available public information. Both the Milwaukee Police Department and the medical examiner's office share data publicly through online dashboards. The information provided in those, however, is spare raw counts of crimes or only basic identifying information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details like if a driver ran a red light or if a homicide occurred following a heated argument are not available from other sources, barring requesting information in what can be a time-consuming process for media and families alike. For instance, the narrative reports have provided critical context in high-profile deaths in recent years, such as the case of D'Vontaye Mitchell, a Milwaukee man who died after being held down by security guards for a Hyatt hotel last year. In that case, speculation swirled about the circumstances around what happened before the incident with security. The report offered some details on what transpired and showed he had drugs in his system when he died, while finding the cause of death to be from "restraint asphyxia", or the inability to breathe from a position a person is held in. The office shares the narrative reports following the release of demographic reports, a document that contains biographical information of the deceased. The demographic reports are typically released within 24 hours of the office beginning a death investigation, while narrative reports can be released at the same time, weeks later or in some cases, like Mitchell's, over a month later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together, the documents are used by media to report on deaths in Milwaukee. Demographic reports on "unnatural deaths" will still be shared within a 24-hour window of the offices involvement, Tlomaks email said. Tlomak's decision to continue to release demographic reports in a timely fashion was a "smart move" that would increase public trust, Lueders said. A spokesperson for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said public records requests would continue to be evaluated in conjunction with county lawyers. "Overall, the administrations primary focus is to ensure that accurate, verified, and finalized information relevant to death investigation cases are shared in a way that protects the privacy of the grieving families of any decedent," the email said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supervisor Justin Bielinski, who chairs the county's Committee on Judiciary, Law Enforcement and General Services, said he was not familiar with the policy change until alerted by media. He hoped exceptions to the policy change could be made in incidents of a police shooting. I think thats the case where the timeliness could make a big difference, he said. Thursday's policy change followed the retirement of Karen Domagalski from the office on Feb. 19. The prior office operations manager, Domagalski was the department's contact for media and sent out records from the office. "With new leadership comes new practices," Tlomak said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County Medical Examiner changes policy on releasing reports Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) More than a thousand people demonstrated Monday outside the Boulder offices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in protest of President Donald Trumps mass layoffs at the federal weather agency. Around 800 NOAA workers nationwide, most of them probationary employees who had recently been hired or promoted, were terminated last week, part of a wave of mass firings across the executive branch carried out by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, an initiative spearheaded by Elon Musk, the worlds richest person and a Trump megadonor. Thousands more could be at risk from an impending reduction in force initiative that aims drastically downsize the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Addressing the crowd gathered just outside the NOAA research center that bears his name, former Democratic U.S. Rep. David Skaggs, who represented Boulder in Congress for 12 years before his retirement in 1999, hailed the show of solidarity with public servants all around the country. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX We feel the loss here at NOAA because it affects us personally, our friends and our neighbors, Skaggs said. Of course, we know this is just the Boulder example of the mindless culling of civil servants whose work is little understood by Musk or the president. NOAA employs more than 10,000 people across dozens of sub-agencies and offices, including the National Weather Service and its network of 120 local weather forecasting stations nationwide. The agencys Boulder facility, housed in the David Skaggs Research Center, includes the offices of NWS Boulder, the national headquarters of the agencys Space Weather Prediction Center and laboratories used by the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, a partnership between NOAA and the the University of Colorado. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ernie Hildner, a solar physicist who led the Space Weather Prediction Center for nearly 20 years before his 2005 retirement, said he was outraged by the Trump administrations sudden, sledgehammer firing of a whole class of employees regardless of their contributions or quality of performance. Even among current and former NOAA employees, he said, information about the extent of the layoffs has been hard to come by. Government spokespersons have said the firings will not affect NOAAs functions. Im here to tell you that cant be true, Hildner told the crowd. When 10% of the staff are dismissed abruptly mostly younger, newly trained folks suddenly laid off, and mostly older, very experienced folks pushed into unexpected retirement (that) will certainly reduce NOAAs effectiveness. And thats got to be true across the other federal agencies with similar layoffs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus, named for former U.S. Rep. David Skaggs, is pictured on March 3, 2025. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Ernie Hildner, a solar physicist and former head of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, addresses demonstrators protesting mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration outside the agency's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Former U.S. Rep. David Skaggs addresses demonstrators protesting mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration outside NOAA's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Efforts to slash federal spending by DOGE and the executive branchs Office of Management and Budget during Trumps first weeks in office including attempted shutdowns of congressionally established agencies and a freeze on certain federal funds that has persisted in defiance of court orders run contrary to long-settled separation-of-powers principles in the U.S. Constitution. After the NOAA layoffs were announced last week, U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse of Lafayette wrote to officials in the U.S. Department of Commerce, which oversees the agency, raising concerns about Trump and Musks ongoing efforts to dismantle it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The work our scientists and civil servants do at NOAA is essential to U.S. national security, as well as the personal safety and daily lives of Americans, the lawmakers wrote in their letter. Dismantling NOAA or compromising its capabilities would put Americans across the country at great risk. Skaggs read a message to the crowd from Neguse, who he said was traveling back to Washington. Former Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Wirth, who represented Colorado in the Senate for one term ending in 1993, also briefly addressed the demonstrators. A third former member of Congress in attendance was former Republican Rep. Claudine Schneider, who served five terms representing Rhode Islands 2nd District in the 1980s. Schneider, now a Colorado resident, was one of six current or former Republicans who sued in 2023 to block Trump from the presidential ballot under a Civil War-era insurrection clause in the Constitution, an effort ultimately rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. Schneider told Newsline she was nearly brought to tears by the size and diversity of the crowd that showed up to Mondays protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It makes me hopeful that Coloradans and this nation will stand up, she said. The people cannot be ignored. Thats why its essential that we stand up, speak up and be heard, and that includes Republicans. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE (KRON) A military veteran was recently fired from his job in California working as a scientist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose), the scientist is one of many federal workers who were unfairly terminated by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency and President Donald Trump. I am calling attention to the mass firings of federal employees by Donald Trump and Elon Musk from science, agricultural, and research agencies, Lofgren said. The scientist was based in the Salinas Valley, an ag region in Monterey County known as Americas Salad Bowl. He requested anonymity to prevent retaliatory actions against his family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lofgren said Musks DOGE is carrying out mindless firings against federal employees. The scientist received positive job performance reviews last year while working for the USDAs Sam Farr United States Crop Improvement and Protection Research Center. On February 14, the scientist and some of his co-workers received an email stating, The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment would be in the public interest. For this reason, the Agency informs you that the Agency is removing you from your position of (science technician). Video: Rep. Lofgren to bring fired scientist as guest to Trump address The firings went into effect the day before the layoff emails were received by USDA employees in Salinas. With billionaire Musk by his side, Trump is in the process of firing thousands of federal workers. Elon Musk, accompanied by U.S. President Donald Trump, and his son X Musk, speaks during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump signed an executive order implementing the Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) workforce optimization initiative. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Lofgren said the veteran-turned-scientist will be her guest Tuesday in Washington, D.C. for Trumps address to Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I heard from this particular Salinas scientist and U.S. Air Force veteran, I knew I had to reach out to this public servant and invite him to DC, as his situation represents one of the many mindless firings by Trump and Musk that undermine our countrys science and innovation prowess, Lofgren said. Brise Tencer, director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation, said publicly funded agricultural research is essential for helping Americas farmers adapt, innovate, and thrive. Tencer said recent layoffs at USDA jeopardizes critical work and disrupts long-term projects that enhance soil health and crop resilience. Lofgren said, Monterey County agriculture pumps more than $1.3 million into the local economy each hour of every day. USDA scientists, like my guest, conduct important research and development projects that boost American innovation and help keep food on our tables. The United States will no longer be the envy of the world if Co-Presidents Trump and Musk keep firing smart, capable public servants advancing Americas best interests, the Congresswoman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Congresswoman is a ranking member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is currently surveying the impact of the Trump administrations mass firings of federal employees from science agencies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Norma Izaguirre speaks at a news conference announcing a civil lawsuit with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights against her former employer, Absolute Drywall, for sex discrimination and illegal retaliation on March 4, 2025. Izaguirre was raped by a co-worker while working on a construction site in Eagan. (Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer) The Minnesota Department of Human Rights joined a civil lawsuit against a drywall contractor for sex discrimination and retaliation for firing a female worker after she reported sexual harassment and rape on the job. Norma Izaguirre, who first shared her story publicly with the Reformer in 2022, faced repeated unwanted sexual advances by a fellow worker while employed by Absolute Drywall cleaning up dust and other debris on construction projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The harassment culminated in rape in May 2021 when the co-worker, Juan Diego Medina Cisneros, came up behind Izaguirre and attacked her as she was cleaning a bathtub in the Viking Lakes apartment complex, a sprawling development built by the owners of the Minnesota Vikings around the teams training facility in Eagan. Izaguirre said she threatened to call the police but Medina Cisneros told her no one would believe her and she would be fired. She reported the harassment and assault to supervisors anyways, but the company told her they determined it was a consensual relationship, and owner Dan Ortega fired Izaguirre soon after. Izaguirre then reported the assault to law enforcement and the state Department of Human Rights with the help of the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters union, which also assisted Absolute Drywall workers in reporting wage theft on the Viking Lakes development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lawyer for Absolute Drywall did not respond to a request for comment, but in a six-page response to the complaint Izaguirre filed with the state in 2022, Absolute Drywall accused Izaguirre of creating a hostile work environment by refusing to do cleanup work and instead demanding other kinds of work. According to the company, Izaguirre was fired because there wasnt any scrapping work that she demanded, not because she reported being sexually assaulted. Juan Diego Medina Cisneros leaves the Dakota County Government Center in Hastings after pleading guilty to felony sexual misconduct on Feb. 13, 2025. (Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer) That statement is striking given Medina Cisneros has since admitted to raping Izaguirre. Last month, the 31-year-old pleaded guilty to a felony charge of criminal sexual conduct and will serve 36 months in prison followed by 10 years probationary release under an agreement with the Dakota County Attorneys Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medina Cisneros was charged in July 2022, but he wasnt arrested until last June when border agents apprehended him trying to reenter the United States from his native Mexico at the Gateway International Bridge in Texas. Following the guilty plea, Izaguirre filed a civil lawsuit in Dakota County District Court last week against Absolute Drywall for sex discrimination and illegal retaliation. She is seeking monetary damages including for lost wages and emotional distress with an amount to be determined at trial. The Minnesota Human Right Department joined the lawsuit after the agencys independent investigation substantiated Izaguirres story and determined the company violated her civil rights. The agency, which is being represented by the Minnesota Attorney Generals Office, agrees with Izaguirre that she was illegally fired for reporting the abuse. In its legal filing joining Izaguirres suit, the Minnesota Human Rights Department also said Absolute Drywall didnt have any policies or procedures in place to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault. In joining the suit, the state is asking a judge to make Absolute Drywall implement policies and training to ensure workers civil rights arent violated. The state is also seeking oversight of Absolute Drywall to monitor the company for other reports of harassment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to make sure that what happened here does not happen to any other employee in any other workplace in Minnesota, said Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero at a news conference announcing the lawsuit on Tuesday with Izaguirre, members of the carpenters union and Attorney General Keith Ellison. Izaguirre, speaking in Spanish through an interpreter, said she was grateful for the states support in her case. This is an acknowledgement of not only my truth, but also the unacceptable reality that women like me, Latina women, too often face sexual harassment and assault in the construction industry, Izaguirre said. I hope that by standing up for myself and speaking out, other women feel empowered to tell their stories and employers who are abusive to their workers are held accountable. Even after Izaguirre went public with her story in 2022 and Absolute Drywall was cited for wage theft by state authorities, the company has continued to win contracts on public projects and affordable housing developments by large general contractors, including Eagle Building Company, Ebert and Amcon Construction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eagle Building Vice President Nick Williams said in an email that the company will respect the legal process and assess their relationship with Absolute Drywall when its resolved. Eagle is committed to maintaining a safe and ethical work environment. We have a rigorous program in place to identify and prevent worker abuses on our job sites, he said. The other general contractors did not respond to emails asking if they had implemented any protections to ensure workers are victims of wage theft or sexual assault on their job sites. *This story has been updated with comment from Eagle Building. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Tax cuts and finding funding for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) are key issues during the 2025 Legislative Session. The House and the Senate have passed their own tax reform bills with major differences. The Senate recently passed a $358 million tax cut bill, which includes lowering the state income tax. I think everyone in this building would love to get to a 0% income tax, no income tax, essentially. But were going to be more gradual about it. We want to we want to look at numbers as we go. We want to be more. I think thats a more fiscally responsible approach because we dont know what the state is going to look like in in four years from now, said State Senator Jeremy England (R-District 51). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What are the important 2025 Municipal Primary Election dates in Mississippi? House lawmakers passed House Bill 1 at the start of the session with a plan to completely eliminate income taxes. Officials said the plan would bring about $1.1 billion in tax cuts over the next 10 years. House Minority Leader Robert Johnson III (D-District 94) believes lawmakers should sit down and have conversations with economists and experts about tax reform. And included in that would be an income tax cut and a grocery tax cut if necessary. But youd find a way to make it revenue neutral and still take care of the things you need to take care for the people of the state of Mississippi, Johnson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tax cuts will likely require joint negotiations and possibly a special session before a final plan is hammered out. 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. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Childrens of Mississippi patients and their families will be taking to the airwaves March 6-7 during the 24th annual Mississippi Miracles Radiothon. Broadcasting from the Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower at Childrens of Mississippi, the event features on-air personalities from 13 New South Radio stations. How springing forward to daylight saving time could affect your health and how to prepare Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The generosity of Mississippians during Mississippi Miracles Radiothon has a profound impact on Childrens of Mississippi and patients at the states only childrens hospital, said Jen Hospodor, senior director of strategic partnerships at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). Every year, our Miracle Giving Club members, New South Radio and the many businesses that make this event possible raise funds to support the care and comfort of our patients. Last years Mississippi Miracles Radiothon raised $335,981. Since the first Mississippi Miracles Radiothon in 2001, the annual event has raised more than $8 million for Childrens of Mississippi. Mississippi Miracles Radiothon donations can be made online or by texting GROW to 51555 now through March 7. To give during the Mississippi Miracles Radiothon, call 888-681-5437 from 6:00 a.m. March 6 to 6:00 p.m. March 7. Close Advertisement 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. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) As of March 4, there have been 22 fire deaths in Mississippi in 2025. According to the State Fire Marshals Office, there were no working smoke alarms in at least 15 of those cases. Compare that to the 72 residential fire deaths in 2024, when there were no working smoke alarms in 44 of the cases. Inmate serving life for murder escapes from Mississippi prison Daylight saving time on Sunday morning is a good reminder to test smoke alarms and talk to your family about what to do if there is a fire, said State Fire Marshal and Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. If you need a smoke alarm but cant afford one, please call your local fire department. They may be able to install alarms for free. You should also sit down with your family members, especially children and the elderly, to ensure everyone knows how to escape a home fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mississippi State Fire Marshals Office recommends the following safety tips: Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button. Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond. Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. Replace the smoke alarm immediately if it doesnt respond properly when tested. Smoke alarms should be placed in every sleeping area and common hallways and on every level of the home. Large homes may need extra smoke alarms. A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet from the stove. Create an escape plan and make sure all family members know where to meet once out of the home. Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Photo illustration by Getty Images. Democratic State Sen. Ellie Boldman of Missoula pleaded guilty to a driving under the influence charge after sleeping in her car while intoxicated on Saturday night. Boldman, an attorney and seven-term legislator, appeared in Helena Municipal Court on Monday and entered a guilty plea for a misdemeanor DUI offense. The DUI charge was first reported by Montana Public Radio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Boldman called the incident the biggest mistake of my life, and apologized for her actions. State Sen. Ellie Boldman, D-Missoula. According to a police report, Boldman was sleeping in a vehicle obstructing the roadway, parked near Park Avenue and Placer Avenue. A blood alcohol test showed a blood alcohol content of .149 higher than the legal limit to operate a noncommercial vehicle of .08. Boldman had attended the Democratic Partys Mansfield Metcalf dinner at the Lewis and Clark County fairgrounds on Saturday night and then went out with friends where she had too much to drink, according to her statement. She said she called for an Uber and waited for it to arrive in her car. She turned the car on to keep warm and fell asleep until a police officer knocked on her window, and asked if she had been drinking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I immediately admitted I had but explained I had no intention to drive, she said in her statement. While I had no intention to drive, I am a licensed attorney and I know the law is clear that despite not driving, I was in actual physical control of my vehicle because the car was running and I was intoxicated. I know that DUIs are serious offenses, and I do not intend to make any excuses for my actions. Boldman was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine with $300 suspended and sentenced to 180 days in jail, all suspended. Under the conditions of her suspension, Boldman is prohibited from entering bars or casinos for six months and will undergo a chemical dependency evaluation. The case is over. I am committed to getting back to the work of the session, completing the necessary penalties, and I will make sure that anything like this will never happen again, Boldman said. I take full responsibility for what happened, and I appreciate the respectfulness of law enforcement through the entire incident. Senate Democratic Leadership released the following statement about the incident: We are disappointed in her lack of judgment that evening. However, we are happy that she has taken responsibility for her actions both publicly and before the court. Earlier this legislative session, lawmakers introduced a bill that would have provided a new definition of actual physical control of a vehicle in DUI laws. Senate Bill 196 would have excluded instances when an individual is seated in any seat other than the drivers seat when the engine is running but the vehicle not in a propulsion gear. The bill was tabled in the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which Boldman is not a member. PLATTE CITY, Mo. The Children Services Tax in Platte County has a new twist. Democratic House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City and Platte County resident, has filed a bill that she says would close a loophole the county commission used to avoid implementing the quarter cent sales tax. It was aimed at helping children with their mental health in the county. 56 percent of the voters in the county supported the tax in November of 2024. The commission ended up not implementing the tax. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KCFD says all Cloverleaf Apartment tenants relocated, complex closed Platte County Republican Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker had not heard of what Aune had done when FOX4 reached out to him Monday morning. Aunes office came out with a news release about this issue Monday. She filed the legislation Thursday. The three-member county commission said that because of the way state laws worded, counties may implement a Children Services Tax, but they dont have to if they dont want to. Aune says her bill clarifies that if a countys voters approve of establishing a tax like the one Platte County residents did in November of 2024, it must be implemented. FOX4 wasnt able to talk to Aune on camera Monday. When voters agree to tax themselves to protect the welfare of children, their wishes must be respected, Aune said. Elected officials who dont like an electoral outcome should have no ability to thwart it. My legislation simply closes a legal loophole to guarantee the will of voters is carried out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Besides Aunes bill, supporters of the Platte County tax have sued the county to try to get them to implement it. Both actions are intended to placate the base, Fricker said about both the lawsuit and the legislation. Their base is screaming about this, so I understand that they need to do something, and the other similarity is that neither one really has much of a chance of success. Fricker pointed us back to a study the Platte County Health Department came out with in January. Frickers opposition on this issue, Dennis Meier of the mental health agency Synergy Services said that in January, the improvement of the mental health of the children in Platte County was very small. Family releases statement after boy killed in Platte Co. crime spree Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monday, Fricker said theres no mental health crisis in the county. Its in my view, a manufactured problem, Fricker said. Really? FOX4 replied. Yes, its a manufactured problem, Fricker said. Even though the majority of the voters would disagree with that? FOX4 replied. The majority of the people who voted on that day obviously disagree with that, Fricker said. I represent everybody in Platte County, and most people dont vote as we all know. Fricker said Platte County already sends $3 million a year to the Clay, Platte, Ray Mental Health Board of Trustees. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. State Rep. Darin Chappell of Rogersville speaks in March 2024 during Missouri House floor debate (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications). A Missouri House budget subcommittee slashed more than $300 million from agency budgets Monday, which the chairman said is intended to align spending authority with actual spending. Another budget subcommittee, also meeting Monday, cut $59.5 million more in general revenue from several agencies, earmarking the money instead for local projects that include several that were vetoed last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Subcommittee on Appropriations Agriculture, Conservation, Natural Resources and Economic Development went first and state Rep. Darin Chappell, the chairman, said most of the cuts target lapsed funds money appropriated but not actually spent and should have no impact on agency operations. Other cuts, he said, target earmarked funds that agencies say they do not need and did not request. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Our job is to go through and find out where the money is being spent, where its actually going, and what its returning on the investment, said Chappell, a Republican from Rogersville. There is no ability for us to exercise legislative oversight if the budget is so muddied that we cannot see where the funds are actually going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The subcommittee was the first of five that are recommending changes to the $53.7 billion budget submitted in January by Gov. Mike Kehoe. When they are finished, the full House Budget Committee will decide whether to accept the changes as part of the spending plan sent to the House for debate. Subcommittees meeting Tuesday will make recommendations for funding education, social services and health programs, among others. The budget, which must be completed one week before the session ends, is moving faster than many recent years. The House gave first-round approval Monday to a $2 billion supplemental spending bill for the current fiscal year, which includes $14 million for Area Agencies on Aging, which could run out of funds for senior meals and transportation by the end of the month. Both subcommittees meeting Monday made cuts based on lapsed funds. Unlike Chappells subcommittee, which did not spend its cuts in other areas, the Subcommittee on Appropriations Public Safety, Corrections, Transportation and Revenue redirected most of its cuts to earmarks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During fiscal 2024, which ended June 30, lawmakers appropriated $52.4 billion for day-to-day operations of state government but agencies only spent $41.1 billion, or 78.4% of the total. The cuts approved in Chappells subcommittee include: $280 million from Department of Natural Resources water and energy projects. Most of the cut, $250 million, is from water infrastructure grants and loans, where between $405 million and $695 million has been unspent in each of the past three years. $15 million from the Department of Economic Development, with $9.6 million from a program to promote pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing and $5.4 million from a program to promote semiconductor manufacturing. Both items were added as earmarks in last years budget. $20 million from administration at the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The water infrastructure grants and loans are financed with dedicated funds that cannot be spent anywhere else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is DNR ok with this or not? state Rep. Jim Kalberloh, a Republican from Lowry City asked Chappell. Probably not, Chappell replied. Ive talked to them, and Im sure Ill be talking to them very shortly here. The $15 million cut to the Department of Economic Development was on a list of items, totaling $144 million, that Chappell said the agency did not request or want. Theyve been moved around the budget, and Im going after all of them, Chappell said. The $9.6 million grant was included last year for the University of Missouri-St. Louis to partner with a not-for-profit to develop processes for making pharmaceutical ingredients that are mainly made overseas. The $5.4 million was directed to the universitys Columbia campus to promote computer chip manufacturing in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When departments point out places where they have excess spending authority or unwanted earmarks, the subcommittees job is easier, Chappell said. If the departments would bring me the squishy stuff, Im happy to not dig into the heavier stuff if I dont have to right away, he said. The general revenue cuts made in the second subcommittee to meet, chaired by Republican state Rep. Donnie Brown of New Madrid, were generally less than $1 million from any single budget line. The exceptions include $30.7 million for rail grade crossing improvements and $4 million from a transportation cost-share program. The 32 earmarked items added include $1.15 million for grants to 16 volunteer fire departments, as well as $37.5 million for projects vetoed last year, including $8 million for a police training facility in OFallon and $5 million for the New Madrid Port Authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The subcommittee also tapped the state Highway Fund to earmark $88 million for improvements to U.S. Highway 412 in the Bootheel and $100 million for rural routes. Browns subcommittee also recommended a major change in the language controlling how $1.4 billion of state tax funds are used for highway improvements. When first set aside in 2023, the money was part of a $2.8 billion plan for widening Interstate 70. The language change, proposed by state Rep. Don Mayhew, a Republican from Crocker, would make the money generally available for any road project. Very little of the $1.4 billion has actually been spent because current work is being financed with bonds. The original set-aside has grown by $40 million because of accrued interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The change means the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission may keep the money in the I-70 project or redirect it, Mayhew said. We have a new (federal) highway act that will be coming out in the next couple of years, and we will need significant match money to be able to achieve some of the things, the goals that are going to be directed to us, Mayhew said. In an interview after the subcommittee meeting, Chappell said he will continue to push to reduce lines where a substantial amount of money isnt being spent. When I see it year over year over year, theyre clearly not spending it, and that budget should reflect what were actually doing, Chappell said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the subcommittee meeting, Chappell said he will listen if departments show why the money should remain in the budget. If I see any department that has lapse year over year over year, and I suggest that half of that be pulled away in appropriation authority, its not the equivalent of me trying to sacrifice somebodys child on the courthouse steps, he said, but Im open to discussion when the hearing is over. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Colorado's justices escalated their frustration on Monday with the existing framework for evaluating race-motivated dismissals of jurors in criminal trials, months after the state Supreme Court also invited lawmakers to do their part to fix the problem. State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman discusses legislation during a House committee hearing in 2024 (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent). The Missouri Senate Education Committee discussed legislation Tuesday seeking to ban materials deemed explicit from digital libraries and hold library boards responsible for the content made available to minors. State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, an Arnold Republican, filed legislation applying safety measures to digital library catalogs after hearing about explicit material available on a state-subsidized application used by public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her bill adopts the states current definition of pornographic for minors, which includes has a tendency to cater or appeal to a prurient interest of minors. Sora, an app school districts provide to students through a program run by the Missouri Secretary of State, allows students to check out books digitally. But Coleman said some resources have inappropriate content and link out to explicit material. It provides access to a really broad variety of titles, many of which are fantastic, and allows educators to provide books they otherwise couldnt afford, Coleman said. Unfortunately, there are a lot of other materials that are available, including sexually explicit material. She contacted both the Secretary of States office and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education last year. Both told her it was a problem for school boards to handle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2003, libraries have been responsible for blocking access to pornographic content on their computers and internet terminals. Colemans bill would add digital resources, which can be accessed from home, to the existing statute and create accountability measures. Schools would have to publish a list of required reading materials on their websites and allow parents access to digital library resources. Parents would be able to challenge resources as inappropriate, with results of such claims available online. They could sue school personnel, including librarians, for not following the law as a result of gross negligence or intentional conduct. Coleman said school districts should stop using Sora if they cannot thoroughly monitor its catalog. Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, left, and Thomas More Society attorney Mary Catherine Martin stand together on the steps of the Missouri Supreme Court following oral arguments in a case involving the states abortion-rights amendment (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent). Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with conservative law firm Thomas More Society, said she helped draft the legislation to put the onus on schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we need is an enforcement mechanism that requires school districts to get ahead (of the content) and gives them the obligation of screening things before they hand them to the children, she said. State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican and chair of the education committee, said some content is definitely not G-rated. To me this is no different than if a school district just left a gun laying somewhere and then wants to act dumb, he said. The committee also heard a bill sponsored by state Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, that would hold library board members accountable for material accessible to children. The bill would add board members to a 2022 law that makes providing explicit sexual material to a minor a class A misdemeanor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the law was passed in 2022, some expressed concerns that it would lead to book banning and suppression of LGBTQ+ literature. Schroer said his bill would protect the innocence and integrity of childrens learning environment. The legislation would keep the existing definition of explicit sexual material, which only applies to visual material. Brattin, who helped draft the bill, said it didnt include literature because of opposition. I think this is just a common sense approach to things, he said. The American Library Association included Schroers legislation in a list of 98 adverse bills. The organization noted a legislative push in recent years to impair librarians from providing diverse materials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These bills come less than two years after a rule by former Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft that requires libraries to create policies preventing minors from accessing obscene materials. Thousands of public comments opposed the rule, calling it censorship. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) The Missouri State Teachers Association hosted a forum for candidates running for School Board. All six candidates were in attendance at the Troester Media Center, where they were asked seven different questions about issues affecting the St. Joseph School District and education, currently. Vision for the district Candidate Jennifer Kerns mentioned creating a successful district for families to move to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have so much potential to thrive in this community, I think we could do it, said Kerns. Candidate Brian Kirk said his vision, is for SJSD to create a healthy environment for both students and teachers. Create an environment where teachers feel affirmed and resourced to do the best job that they can possibly do, said Kirk. ...And where we created a learning environment where every child reaches their greatest potential. Candidate Kim Millers vision was for more community involvement and candidate James Mrkvicka wants to be able to prepare students properly to thrive in real world jobs. Candidate Kenneth Reeder wants to expand Hillyard Technical College, saying, college isnt for everyone and we could have a mecca for developing a workforce throughout the entire region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Specific goals for success in SJSD Kirk, Miller and Mrkvicka said pouring into staff as they are the keys to success would help better foster improvement throughout the district. Reeder was quick to list off other goals to make the district successful, mentioning improvement with attendance, no right-sizing of schools and not scaring kids into thinking their school is going to close down. Kerns cited paying closer attention to academics. Both Kerns and Veale suggested also providing more resources for monitoring big behaviors in the classroom. When you have a child thats acting out in class, that teacher is having to stop what theyre doing, address the child, come back and then address the rest of the children in the classroom that witnessed the bad events that occurred, said Veale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Receiving input from stakeholders while giving teachers needed support A majority of candidates agreed on hearing opinions from SJSD staff and creating more spaces where the St. Joseph community can come and voice their opinions in front of the School Board. Mrkvicka also mentioned rotating school board meetings every once in a while, so residents throughout St. Joseph can also contribute to BOE meetings. Kirk suggested to talk to students throughout the district to see if they have suggestions and opinions for whats working and whats not. Potential dismantle of the Department of Education Reeder was the only candidate who was in favor of the dismantlement of the Department of Education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yeah, its overreach... said Reeder. Its become a total bureaucratic mess. I get a hard time figuring out what is that piled and that mess. Other candidates cited mis-management and performing an audit to see where money is actually being spent in the department. Kerns said, Reform needs to happen with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer, when it comes to improving the Department of Education. Veale cited the Department provides needed research and resources for school districts throughout the country. School choice With open enrollment and no hard boundaries in St. Joseph, a majority of candidates were not in favor of kids choosing where they attend school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Veale said most kids get the opportunity to choose between private or public schools. However, the choice creates disparity in districts, especially as state-funding follows kids where they go. Kirk said having the option treats education as more of a commodity, where kids with more advantages get the opportunity. Mrkvicka said, although its a disadvantage to lower income families, it could be something worth trying. Reeder was the only candidate who was completely in favor of kids choosing where they go. If you had the opportunity to go to a school that is achieving and your in an under-achieving district, why should you be forced to go to the underachieving district, said Reeder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two-high school system Regardless of the outcome of Proposition Two, only five of the candidates were in favor of the right-sizing of schools and the two high school model throughout SJSD. Reeder was the only candidate in opposition, citing the act as an, ill-hatched plan. I want to build a new school, but lets stop trying to make it the North and South and all this type of stuff, said Reeder. ...Leave Lafayette and Benton alone... Mrkvicka cited the two-high school model would be good for the shrinking population of SJSD. Miller said the equity and the opportunities provided to all students in regards to academics and athletics would help with the two-high school model. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kirk brought up how the districts resources should be used to educate students, currently. Nostalgia about these buildings is good, and I understand it, said Kirk. But the number one question about how we use these buildings, should be, Whats best for the kids were educating today, in this time? District strengths and improvements When it comes to the strengths of SJSD, all candidates recited teachers, staff and administrators as such. In regards to improvements, some of the candidates had their own opinions. Mrkvicka and Reeder both said teacher recruitment and retainment is something the district can improve upon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While, Kerns cited academics and Miller, attendance. Kirk said, Creating an environment where teachers want to stay for their career. Veale highlighted getting district positives out in the community and celebrating those wins. When an Arab parent is on the phone with family overseas and asks their child if they want to say hello, theres no real choice in the matter. The phone is already being handed over. And privacy? Thats another flexible concept. While many young adults in Western cultures move out as soon as they turn 18, Arab parents are quick to remind their children that living with family is nothing to be ashamed of while continuing to disregard personal space. Such small yet familiar moments are part of what makes Mohammed Mo Amers Netflix series, "Mo," resonate so deeply with many Arab and Muslim Americans, including those in Michigan. The semi-autobiographical comedy-drama doesnt just entertain, it reflects the realities of immigrant and refugee families while exploring themes of identity, grief, resilience, intersectional relationships, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He presents a really authentic portrayal of Arab Americans, one that's relatable," said the director of the Arab American National Museum, Diana Abouali. The show's impact was recognized on Feb. 21 at the museum's 20th anniversary celebration in Dearborn. Mayor Abdullah Hammoud honored Amer, a 43-year-old stand-up comedian and actor, with a framed tribute for his contributions to storytelling and representation. Mo Amer, a Palestinian-American stand-up comedian and actor, visited Dearborn on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. He was honored at the Arab American National Museums 20th anniversary celebration, where Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud presented him with a framed tribute. "The way that you have shattered stereotypes has opened up doors for us as public servants, as people who want to give back to the community," Hammoud said to Amer. "Oftentimes, it does take the comedian; it does take the notable actor; it does take the individual who's speaking to our narrative, who understands our narrative because they grew up in it, stewed in it, and understand it better than anyone. So, on behalf of the entire city of Dearborn, I want to say thank you and welcome home." The second and last season of "Mo" was released in late January and continues Amers heartfelt storytelling, following a character heavily inspired by his own life. Like Amer himself, the character speaks English, Arabic, and Spanish and was born in Kuwait to displaced Palestinian parents. His family was forced to flee Kuwait during the first Gulf War, seeking asylum in Houston, Texas a journey that parallels Amers own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, settling in the U.S. didnt mean automatic stability. Like his character, Amer spent years in limbo, considered stateless, with no country recognizing him as a citizen. It took more than two decades for him to obtain a U.S. passport, a grueling process he brings to life in "Mo." Throughout the series, Mo is often seen carrying a small bottle of his mothers homemade olive oil. Some people carry hot sauce, I carry olive oil, he quips. But beyond the joke, the bottle is a symbol of his Palestinian heritage and the traditions that anchor him, even as he struggles to find his footing. The show strikes a delicate balance between humor and the harsh realities of the Palestinian and asylum-seeking experience. Even in a detention center, the main character tries to lighten the mood though his antics sometimes land him in even more trouble. "I had this vision ever since I was like a nine year old kid," Amer said. "It really started to evolve for me pretty rapidly once I saw that there (were) no Arab American stories on television, certainly not Palestinian stories on American television, or anywhere outside of the Middle East." How 'Mo' breaks the mold Rarely do Arab Americans see themselves realistically represented on a mainstream platform like Netflix, said Betoul Ajin, a 23-year-old Palestinian-American who grew up in Ann Arbor and is a fan on Amer's work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So often we're depicted so negatively in Western media. Either our stories are about war, or we're the enemy. But I think this show depicted what it's like to grow up with the trauma of understanding the family history of occupation and war, but also trying to find happiness," Ajin said. "You don't see a lot of Arabs in popular media being happy or laughing, but the show did that really well letting you laugh, but also reminding you of the struggle of what it means to be Palestinian, but also the beauty." Ajin told the Free Press she related to the show on a profound level. Her mother was born in Palestine and grew up amid the Israeli occupation, while her father, born in Kuwait, experienced the Gulf War and was forced to flee to Jordan with his family. Eventually, each of her parents made their way to Michigan, where they met, got married, and started their own family. In 2017, Ajins father, who had been living legally in the U.S., was detained during one of his bi-weekly meetings with immigration in Detroit as he worked toward becoming a naturalized citizen. He was required to attend these meetings after his green card was revoked more than 15 years earlier due to two minor offenses. Despite the circumstances, he was not deported; instead, a judge granted him a rare waiver allowing the father of four to stay and take care of his family. "My dad was in this country legally, never missed a meeting with immigration," Ajin said. "After Donald Trump became president, in his first term, my dad was arrested during one of his meetings and put into an ICE detention center for about a month. Through the community's support and a lot of letters to a judge, my dad was released and became a U.S. citizen (shortly) after his release." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: How UAW benefits shaped an immigrant family While it may be uncommon to see stories like Ajin's father's humanized on a large scale in Western media, the experience itself is not unusual. Khadega Mohammed, a Sudanese American who immigrated to the U.S. in 2007 and now works at the Arab American National Museum, has seen firsthand how the legal process has taken a toll on her husband, an asylum seeker from Mauritania. "My husband came to this country similar to Mo, seeking political asylum, but now he is stuck in that limbo; he cannot get his paperwork, he cannot be American, nor can he leave and go back to Mauritania," Khadega, 25, said. "And he can't go back because it's not safe for him to go back, so we're constantly living in fear. You're scared to do anything, scared to get caught even if you're doing everything legally." In addition to navigating these challenges, Khadega said she felt a strong connection to Mos trip back to Palestine, as her own recent visit to her homeland helped her rediscover herself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When I went back to Sudan, it felt like I was relearning who I am and discovering myself," she said. "I saw my family all around me, people who look just like me. It's something we really miss this kinship, this connection to family that the show beautifully presented." A mix of drama, comedy and representation The series delivers plenty of drama, with painful twists that highlight the struggles of being a refugee seeking asylum, facing job loss, dealing with relationship issues, and more. But it doesnt dwell on hardship alone; humor plays an equally important role. From inappropriate hand gestures to Arabic and Spanish curse words and inside jokes, the comedy reflects the everyday quirks of blending cultures. These diverse influences make the storytelling feel authentic and relatable to a wide audience. "He is able to portray these universal stories in a very humanistic way, and I think that's why people respond to him, whether they're old or young, Arab or non-Arab," Abouali said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mo's Palestinian roots and Houston upbringing are reflected in everything from his attire and wit to the show's soundtrack, which blends Arabic, country, and hip-hop music to capture the fusion of cultures shaping his world. "What Mo is doing, he's demonstrating the need for Arabs to be in every facet of every industry, of every sector. And when you're in that space, you're able to then share the stories and to build bridges of cultural connections with others," Hammoud said. "What he has done on an international scale really just elevates the community standing (and) provides a narrative that is oftentimes missing in the mainstream media, and he's done it so beautifully." "Mo" has two seasons, each with eight episodes, and is available on Netflix. This push for greater representation is also mirrored by the work of the Arab American National Museum, the first and only museum dedicated to telling Arab American stories in the country. The museum showcases art that explores the portrayal of Arabs in the media over the years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You're seeing, in this new generation, that we're out here trying to carve a new one," Hammoud said. More: Netflix political thriller 'Zero Day' is well-crafted series about the search for truth Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: nrahal@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1. Editor's note: This story has been updated to add a quote from Mo Amer's speech at the Arab American National Museum. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mo Amer's Netflix show strikes a chord with Arabs, Muslims in Michigan Captain Florent A. Groberg is a French-born American who served in the United States Army from 2008 to 2015. After becoming a U.S. citizen in 2001, he enrolled at the University of Maryland. There, he earned a bachelors degree in criminology. Groberg enlisted in the Army in 2008. Following that, he entered Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He served as the Personal Security Detachment Commander with the Task Force Mountain Warrior, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. U.S. Army 1st. Lt. Florent A. Groberg, officer in charge for personal security detail, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division enjoys the view from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter traveling over the Kunar province July 16, 2012. This photo was taken just one month before the attack in which he displayed gallantry in action. U.S. Army photo. Groberg earned a Medal of Honor for his service in Afghanistan during the War on Terrorism. Action in Afghanistan In August 2012, Groberg served as the task force commander charged with transporting Afghan National Army personnel. Their journey started at Forward Operating Base Fiaz and took them to a compound in Kunar, Afghanistan, to the east. The escort mission required the convoy to cross a narrow bridge over the Kunar River near the border of Pakistan. However, all did not go as planned. As the convoy crossed the river, Grobergs team encountered two motorcyclists approaching them from the opposite direction. Suddenly, the cyclists hopped off their vehicles and turned back on foot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keeping watch, Groberg noticed an unidentified person walking over the bridge toward the convoy. As the pedestrian got closer, Grober realized the pedestrian had on a suicide vest. Without delay, Groberg ran toward the suicide bomber and tackled him. At this point, Sergeant Andrew Mahoney ran forward to assist Groberg. The three began to scuffle, but Grober and Mahoney successfully pulled the suicide bomber away from the convoy formation. While in Grobergs grasp, the suicide bomber detonated his device. The explosion propelled Groberg into the air, and he landed nearly 20 feet away. President Barack Obama applauds retired U.S. Army Capt. Florent Groberg during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House in Washington, Nov. 12, 2015. (U.S. Army photo by Eboni L. Everson-Myart) No time to rest Following the initial blast, a second undetected bomber detonated his vest as well. According to the Army, the second bomber activated his device early, realizing that Groberg had ruined the enemy assault. As a result, Grobergs swift action prevented the bombers from reaching the center of the convoy formation and killing countless military personnel. Groberg himself lost nearly half of the muscle in his left leg because of the explosion, and he sustained a minor brain injury. He was flown to Walter Reed National Medical Center, where he spent the next three years in recovery. He retired from the military in 2015. On November 12, 2015, President Obama presented Captain Groberg with the Medal of Honor for his bravery in 2012. Groberg was the first foreign-born soldier to receive the prestigious award for fighting in the War on Terrorism. Though he retired from active service, Groberg went on to work as a civilian employee at the Department of Defense. Captain Grobergs extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty at the risk of life are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect credit upon himself, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and the United States Army. Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more about Grobergs remarkable life here. U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Florent A. Groberg, of Supply, N.C., the platoon leader of 4th platoon, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Lethal, patrols the city streets of Asad Abad, Afghanistan, Feb. 9. The unit was there to perform a pre-meeting security check of the area. U.S. Army photo. How to support the Medal of Honor mission Learn more about the Congressional Medal of Honor Society at cmohs.org or find them on Instagram |Facebook Participate in Medal of Honor Day on March 25 by sharing a recipients story Support veteran hiring and transition programs in your workplace Teach younger generations about the values of courage, sacrifice, and service Medal of Honor Month isnt just about recognizing history. Its about keeping the mission alive for the future. Observe Medal of Honor March on We Are The Mighty here. Keith Holt, center, president of the Maryland LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, gives remarks March 3 at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) They were gathered in the cold outside the State House, but the message Monday from lawmakers and supporters of the Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus was directed more at the White House: Our rights are not up for debate. On the first day of his second term in office, President Donald Trump (R) revoked dozens of former President Joe Bidens (D) executive actions, including orders calling for an end to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, and limiting federal policy to two sexes, male and female, as a step toward doing away with gender ideology extremism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump officials are going to do everything they can to try to stop us from living our truly authentic selves, and they are going to do everything that they can to make sure that our lives can be a living hell from day to day, said Del. Kris Fair (D-Frederick), chair of the caucus. But in Maryland, we can make that different. With just five weeks left in the legislative session, the caucus summarized some of its legislative priorities. Those include bills Senate Bill 491 and House Bill 699 that would provide benefits to veterans discharged based on an incident relating to post-traumatic stress disorder, a traumatic brain injury, or experienced sexual trauma. The bills are sponsored by Sen. Dawn Gile (D-Anne Arundel) and Del. Nick Allen (D-Baltimore County). Another measure, HB 1059, sponsored by Fair, seeks to establish a state medical assistance program to help people who need help with health care costs associated with services and benefits provided under State law that are subject to federal restrictions. Fair is also sponsor of a joint resolution to ensure the states public schools acknowledge the importance of a culturally diverse curriculum. The resolution was heard Monday by the House Rules and Nominations Committee. A Senate version sponsored by Sen. Karen Lewis Young (D-Frederick) will be heard Friday by the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Speakers Monday included Keith Holt, president of the Maryland LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, became the first person of color to hold that position when he took over in January. Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery), a member of the caucus, had some direct words for the administration and Elon Musk, an adviser to Trump. The occupants of the White House, President Musk and Vice President Trump, are doing everything in their power to erase the history, the contributions and the presence of queer folks, Acevero said. But like every person whos tried that before those bigots will quickly realize that we aint going no damn where, we are right here. Well continue to be here. U.S. Attorneys office gets a new leader for now Kelly O. Hayes was sworn in Monday as the interim U.S. Attorney for Maryland, taking the place of former U.S. Attorney Erek Barron, a Biden-administration appointee who stepped down Feb. 12. Interim U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes takes over for Erek Barron, a Biden appointee who resigned on Feb. 12. (Photo courtesy U.S. Attorneys Office) Its not clear how long Hayes will serve in the interim role. Ultimately, a permanent replacement will be nominated by President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hayes has been with the federal prosecutors office in Maryland since 2013, when she joined as an assistant U.S. attorney. She has served as deputy appellate chief for the district, deputy chief for the districts southern division, principal deputy chief and, since, 2021, chief of the southern division in Greenbelt. In that role, she oversaw all criminal investigations and prosecutions in the southern division. In a statement from the office Monday, Hayes said she was beyond honored to lead this office. Raised in Montgomery County, Hayes attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. After school, she clerked for Judge Janis L. Sammartino in the Southern District of California before joining the U.S. Attorneys Office here. Barron, a former legislator from Prince Georges County, served as U.S. attorney from Oct. 7, 2021, until his Feb. 12 resignation. As an appointee of former President Joe Biden (D), his resignation was widely expected after Trumps election. Developmental Disabilities advocates are not done yet They have had one win this session, but advocates for the developmental disability community are not about to rest on their laurels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So they were back in Annapolis on Monday evening, trying to explain to House members why lawmakers should oppose millions in funding cuts to a state agency that oversees funding for their care. Advocates urge lawmakers to oppose cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration in fiscal year 2026, which starts July 1. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) We need to make sure that the rest of the legislature is aware of what the proposed $457 million cut for FY 26 [fiscal year 2026] will do to the Developmental Disabilities Administrations services, said Mat Rice, executive director with People on the Go Maryland. Were really talking about something that could potentially turn back the clock for civil rights. Gov. Wes Moores (D) budget initially included a series of cost containment for the Developmental Disabilities Administration, as the agency has experienced unsustainable growth in recent years. Initially, he proposed cutting $200 million from the DDA at the end of fiscal 2025 with more to come in the next fiscal year. It was one of the largets single cuts at the state tries to close a $3 billion gap in the fiscal 2026 budget. But after hundreds of advocates gathered on Lawyers Mall in Annapolis, amid other advocacy efforts, the administration said announced plans to postpone the immediate cuts that would have occurred at the end of this fiscal year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think through the conversations weve had with the governors office, they have really stepped up and said that theyre committed to restoring as much of the funding as they can, Rice said. He said that while the state is in really dire fiscal straits lawmakers have to hold the line on funding the DDA amid federal funding uncertainty. Advocates are hopeful to push back against the cuts that are still slated for the fiscal 2026 budget. Theres always strength in numbers, said Ken Capone, an advocate with developmental disabilities. Never too early to start thinking reelection Sen. Sara Love and Del. Marc Korman, both Montgomery County Democrats, announced plans to run for reelection as a team Monday almost 20 months before the 2026 general election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The District 16 lawmakers sad they have worked well together as a team for the district and hope to convince voters to let them continue doing so. I look forward to four more years of collaboration on behalf of our District 16 constituents, Korman said in the press release announcing their plan to run together. Sen. Sara Love and Del. Marc Korman, both Anne Arundel County Democrats, said they would run as a team for reelection almost 20 months from now. (Photo courtesy That release was packed with prepared quotes from other Democrats on the local, state and federal level praising the two lawmakers. What the release did not include were the names of the two other lawmakers representing District 16, Democratic Dels. Sarah Wolek and Teresa Woorman. The statement said only that, At this time, no decisions have been made regarding other campaign team members. In a statement Monday, Woorman said lawmakers only get 90 days a year to legislate, and there will be plenty of time for politics after the session. My job is to serve the residents of District 16, listen to their concerns and make thoughtful decisions that will truly benefit our communityand thats exactly what Im doing, Woormans statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wolek was appointed to the House in 2023, to fill a seat vacated by Ariana Kelly. Woorman was appointed in 2024 to fill the seat vacated by Love when she was elevated to the Senate, after Kelly left. Love was first elected in 2018. In the House, she served on the Environment and Transportation Committee, where she chaired the Motor Vehicle and Transportation Subcommittee. She is a member of the Judicial Proceedings Committee in the Senate. Her bio says that she was a leader in the House on privacy issues, sponsoring the countrys strongest online data privacy protection law, among other issues. Korman, now in his third term in the House, serves as chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee. He has also served as House Majority Leader and in a leadership role on the House Appropriations Committee. He wrote Marylands dedicated funding for the Metro system, among other proposals. This story was updated on Tuesday, March 4, to add Woormans statement and to correct Loves and Kormans District 16 to a Montgomery County district. A postcard of the Montana's Governor Mansion which was built in 1959 and is located at 2 Carson Street in Helena. If a Montana governor chooses not to live in the governors mansion owned by the state, Sen. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena, believes it should be used by others that term, such as legislative workers with disabilities. Dunwell presented a bill this week to create a policy for how the 12,000-square-foot house at 2 Carson Street is used if a governor opts to live in his own home, as Gov. Greg Gianforte does. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dunwell said she was open to amendments on her bill, which would make the residence available for rent by temporary employees of the Legislature during the interim and legislative sessions, with preference to those with disabilities. Generally, Dunwell said, her interest is in not having the building vacant, as it has been for at least three years. Proponents of Senate Bill 496, including a beloved former Senate staff member who uses a wheelchair, said the space shouldnt sit empty given its potential, and state buildings shouldnt be wasted resources. It just baffles my mind, actually, that we would have a substantial, very nice residence thats not being used and sitting empty without plans as to what is supposed to happen to it, said Ann Brodsky, a Helena resident in support of the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the house, however the state wants to use it, will require a lot of work, said Stephen Baiamonte, with the General Services Division of the Department of Administration. He described it as being in a tremendous state of disrepair, and even sitting empty, he said its costing the state an estimated $100,000 a year. Tuesday, the Senate State Administration committee voted to table the bill after voting it down 3-6, but Sen. Janet Ellis, D-Helena, said the Department of Administration wants a study bill to review the best use for the building instead, and she likes that idea too. Other senators said a plan for it might be best addressed by the Capitol Complex committee. In 2019 and 2021, the Legislature appropriated $2.3 million for upgrades to the house, built in 1959, Dunwell said. But earlier bids came in at more than $1 million over budget, and the project stalled, according to earlier reporting by the Daily Montanan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dunwell told the committee she had met with Department of Administration Director Misty Ann Giles, who said said she would ask her engineering team to come up with some options to use the building and present them to the Legislature. I have not heard that thats been done, Dunwell said. The Department of Administration did not respond Tuesday to questions about the status of the request to engineers or options for the Legislature to consider by press time. Ellis later said the DOA indicated a study would be helpful. But the longer the wait, the less that $2.3 million is worth, Dunwell said, and in the meantime, she argued a use policy is sensible because three years have gone by without a plan for the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In my opinion, senators, its a waste, Dunwell said. Its an inefficiency in government. And its up to us to make sure we do away with some of that waste and inefficiency. She said the property would work well for people who have disabilities because it has a lot of parking and plenty of space for people to handle medical equipment or navigate with wheelchairs. Charles McKay, the CEO of Aspen Adult Services, agreed. McKay said when President Donald Trump took office and pointed out federal buildings werent fully occupied, many civilians found it egregious. McKay said unused space still needs to be heated and maintained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea that that is happening in the city here, not two blocks over this way, is just really interesting to me, McKay said. McKay said his organization serves more than 100 disabled adults, and it houses 35 staff in office space that totals less than 6,000 square feet, half of the executive residence. He said the structure could accommodate six residents. As a representative for the disabled in Helena, I really would like you to consider utilizing that space to take care of the people who really do need it, McKay said. Jack Racicot, who worked as a Senate committee staff member and uses a wheelchair, said he had to commute last session from Whitehall to the Capitol because he couldnt find suitable options for accessible rentals in Helena. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the governors residence sat vacant, an underutilized asset that could be put to far better use, Racicot said. He said the bill is a commonsense solution. If the governor isnt living in the executive residence, why not use it as short-term housing for legislative employees? Racicot said. Its proximity to the Capitol makes it for an ideal location, and instead of letting a valuable state property sit empty, this bill ensures it benefits both taxpayers and those who serve our great state. SB 496 states the Department of Administration, in consultation with the Legislative Services Division, shall adopt rules to set the occupancy limits, rental fees, and other details to implement the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Denise Hayman, D-Bozeman, wanted to know if the building was even safe, and Baiamonte, with General Services Division, said getting the house up to snuff again would take time and money. He said it needs a new electrical system, roofing, plumbing, potentially work on ADA compliance, and repairs to a failing front porch. In response to a question from Sen. Jacinda Morigeau, D-Arlee, Baiamonte said mothballing the structure would cost less than the estimated $100,000 the state spends now. However, he said the state of Montana wants to be a good neighbor, so it maintains the grounds and ensures the casual observer cant tell its vacant. He also said it would be expensive to take down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morigeau also requested the bills fiscal note, but it hadnt been posted with the bill at the time of the hearing. Tuesday, when the committee met again, Ellis said she learned the fiscal note would estimate a cost of $8 million to implement the bill. In response to a question, Brodsky said Gianforte owns a couple of mansions in Helena, including one he said he would donate, but she didnt know if any contracts had been drawn up for such a donation. In January 2024, the Governors Office announced the Gianfortes had purchased the historic Hauser Mansion and planned to donate it to the state following my service. Gianforte won re-election in November 2024, and his second term runs through the end of 2028. Chairing the meeting, Sen. Wendy McKamey, R-Great Falls, wanted to confirm there had been no discussions to date about any contracts about building exchanges or donations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baiamonte said he didnt know the status of any donation, and no plan was in the works for the official executive residence. We dont have any plan right now for the residence until we see what happens in the session, Baiamonte said. McKamey also wanted to know how long it would take to get the building into shape, and Baiamonte estimated it would take about two years, but it would depend on the scope of work. The only opponent of the bill, Mickie Imberi, said it was a bad idea because it raised questions about who would process applications, do maintenance, and manage the property. It doesnt sound like its a good idea from a landlords point of view, Imberi said. On Monday, Ellis suggested a study bill might be in order given all the interest, and McKamey said it was a good idea, but the timeline might be too tight for the current session. But one thing I really do value is that that building be used, McKamey said. I think its a real shame that it isnt used. Its not simply because its a large area, but because its the CEOs residence that needs to be occupied. When residences are not occupied, they just deteriorate. Editors note: This story has been updated with the results of committee action Tuesday afternoon and financial information provided then. Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another edition of Rent Free. This week's stories include: One major victory (and one defeat) for private property rights in Montana. DOGE-inspired termination of federal grants to fair housing groups. A new report on the promise of single-stair reforms. In Montana, One Victory for Private Property Rights On Monday, a judge in Gallatin County, Montana, roundly rejected single-family homeowners' legal challenge to a suite of four new zoning and planning reforms passed in 2023 to increase housing production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reforms, dubbed the "Montana Miracle", received wide bipartisan support in the Montana Legislature and were enthusiastically championed by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte. But they attracted the opposition of some single-family homeowners organized under the group Montanans Against Irresponsible Densification (MAID), who sued to stop the implementation of the new laws in late 2023. By preempting local zoning restrictions on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and duplexes but leaving similar private covenants in place, MAID alleged that the new laws violated the Montana and U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection guarantees. The group also claimed that the state violated substantive due process protections by arbitrarily lifting local zoning restrictions without any legitimate government interest in mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a 55-page decision, Gallatin District Court Judge Mike Salvagni rejected most of MAID's arguments. The state's decision to reform local zoning codes while leaving private covenants untouched did not violate Equal Protection guarantees given the inherent differences between local laws and private contractual relationships, he ruled. "A covenant is a contract and an ordinance is not," wrote Salvagni. "A restrictive covenant is not a provision of a zoning code." This is a surprising reversal on Salvagni's part. In December 2023, he granted MAID's request for a preliminary injunction against Montana's ADU and duplex laws on the grounds they would likely succeed on their equal protection claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Montana Supreme Court reversed that injunction in September 2024 while still allowing the lawsuit to go ahead. Contra MAID's claims that the new laws were completely arbitrary, Salvagni ruled that "clearly, housing affordability is a legitimate governmental concern and the new laws at issue relate to that concern." Salvagni did side with MAID's challenges to Montana's new planning law, which limits citizens' ability to challenge local approvals of individual projects and site plans. Those limitations violated the Montana Constitution's public participation guarantees, he ruled. Supporters of Montana's zoning reforms cheered Salvagni's Monday decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Today's ruling by Gallatin District Court to uphold critical pro-housing reforms is a victory for all Montanans striving for affordable, attainable housing," Gianforte said in a post on X. My statement on the pro-housing district court ruling out of Gallatin County: pic.twitter.com/KmpnmVXxw0 Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) March 3, 2025 While MAID's lawsuit was playing out, the rest of the state was generally moving ahead with the 2023 reforms. Local governments in places like Missoula, Montana, have been incorporating the changes into local laws. That allowed David Kuhnle, a Missoula landlord whose ADU project had been stalled by Salvagni's initial decision enjoining the ADU and duplex laws, to move ahead with his development. "We have walls, and the truss is on last week," says Kuhne, who with the help of Pacific Legal Foundation had intervened on the side of the state in the MAID lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're all facing these problems of housing costs and housing affordability. Hopefully, it helps having more options for more people," Kuhnle adds. "I think the whole NIMBY approach was just a bunch of curmudgeon people that didn't want to share in the view that we have more people in the world every day and they have to live someplace." And One Defeat In less happy news, a bill that would have protected Montana property owners from all manner of zoning restrictions narrowly failed in the Legislature. In a narrow 2426 vote in mid-February, the Montana Senate failed to advance the Private Property Protection Act, sponsored by Sen. Becky Beard (RElliston). The bill would have required that any property use restriction adopted by any unit of state or local government be "demonstrably necessary and narrowly tailored to fulfill a compelling governmental interest in public health or safety." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Private property owners would be entitled to sue a government body that tried to impose or enforce use conditions that weren't narrowly tailored to achieving some health or safety goal. In effect, this would have created First Amendmentstrength protections for private property owners from zoning laws. Kendall Cotton of the Frontier Institute (which had been instrumental in passing the state's "Montana Miracle" reforms) says that he's hopeful the Legislature will take up the bill again in the 2027 session. DOGE Slashes HUD Grants to Fair Housing Groups The Associated Press reported on Friday that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has begun canceling hundreds of "private enforcement" grants awarded to fair housing groups. The cancellations are coming at the direction of President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The groups use these grants, which typically total $425,000, to investigate landlords for violations of the Fair Housing Act, as well as to file administrative complaints and civil lawsuits against landlords to enforce the law. About three-fourths of fair housing complaints are initiated by private parties. According to the Associated Press, nearly half of the 162 active private enforcement grants have been canceled so far. HUD told grantees that their awards are being canceled as part of DOGE's efforts. As Reason has reported, fair housing groups have a history of using these grants to fund investigations and litigation with the goal of effectively creating new housing regulations. The text of the Fair Housing Act explicitly prohibits landlords from discriminating across a range of protected characteristics, including race, sex, national origin, and disability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court decisions and federal regulations have reasoned that facially neutral real estate practices that have a "discriminatory effect" or "disparate impact" can also amount to Fair Housing Act violations. These grants have funded investigations, complaints, and lawsuits alleging that landlords' policies of not renting to people with criminal convictions or past evictions have a discriminatory effect and are therefore illegal. In these suits, fair housing groups will claim as damages the federally funded work they put into establishing that a real estate practice has a discriminatory effect. In 2022, the real estate listing company Redfin agreed to pay $4 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that its policy of requiring homes they listed be above a minimum price had an illegal discriminatory effect on black homesellers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics argue these lawsuits raise costs for housing providers while exposing landlords to nebulous liability. "There's no way to really know that you're going to be facing potential liability down the road," attorney Ethan Blevins of the Pacific Legal Foundation told Reason back in 2023. "It does put landlords in a really tough position, and it's tough to know what a court will find legitimate." Study Finds Single-Stairway Apartment Buildings Safe, Affordable The Pew Charitable Trusts has a lengthy new report on single-stairway apartment buildings, a form of housing that's common in much of the developed world but comparatively rare in the U.S., where building codes typically require multi-unit buildings to have two staircases. The exhaustive report's topline finding is that "single-stairway buildings as tall as six stories are at least as safe as other types of housing. And allowing the construction of such buildings could provide much-needed housing, including homes for people with modest incomes." Reforms that would allow larger apartment buildings to be built with just one staircase are under consideration in over a dozen states and localities. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis championed these reforms in a recent interview with Reason. Read the whole report here. Quick Links Some systems are even more restrictive than zoning. A new report from the pro-housing Centre for Cities in the United Kingdom urges England to ditch its discretionary planning system (where officials have the ability to deny any development) for a more predictable and permissive by-right zoning regime. The Trump administration has axed the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, which required federal housing grantees to produce lengthy reports showing that they were taking actions to further fair housing. The administration's new rule will allow grantees to self-certify that they are furthering fair housing. Speaking of self-certification, a new California bill would allow homeowners to defer mortgage payments if they claim they've been financially impacted by the recent wildfires. Boston zoning officials have blocked a neighborhood birthing center from moving ahead in the city's historic Moreland District. Who says that NIMBYs just don't want more people around? In New Mexico, a Senate committee has advanced a bill that would allow cities to adopt their own rent control policies. The post The 'Montana Miracle' Vindicated in Court appeared first on Reason.com. The Great Falls Public Library photographed on June 7, 2023. (Photo by Nicole Girten/Daily Montanan) The Senate Education and Cultural Resources Committee on Friday tabled two bills seeking to put limitations on public libraries. The bills, both sponsored by Sen. Daniel Emrich, R-Great Falls, would have put stricter rules around how the states public libraries handle sexually explicit material and prohibited libraries from offering services not related to their core function. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a hearing on Feb. 27, Emrich described how sad he was that his local library was bereft of books and no longer focused on library related things, which prompted Senate Bill 451. My local library has decided that they would rather, you know, become a resource for offering homeless people, you know, getting them signed up for public services. That sort of thing really has nothing to do with the library, Emrich said. This bill just says, get back to being a library and quit trying to be a public outreach for services that are otherwise covered by other, government organizations or governmental entities. No one spoke on behalf of his bill but critics decried the insinuation that libraries should strictly stick to books and information. Susan Gregory, director of the Bozeman Public Library, wrote in testimony read in committee that a librarys services vary from one community to another, depending on local choices and patron requests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some examples of these services include providing test proctoring, notary and passport services, partnering with local food banks to provide free lunches for children who dont have access to free and reduced hot lunches, Gregory wrote. Last year, six Montana libraries worked to address the epidemic of loneliness by hosting artists and residents that offered classes to lonely seniors, offering free health and wellness classes. And the Belgrade community library supports wellness through a fitness library. Susie McIntyre, director of the Great Falls Public Library, also opposed the bill and added that she welcomed Emrich to visit the library and see the work they do in person. The mission of the Great Falls Public Library is that we serve as a connection point, she said. We empower the community and enhance the quality of life by providing individuals access to information and social, cultural and recreational resources. We work to serve our community based on our community needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One example McIntyre provided was when a retired nurse asked if the library could find a way to support families dealing with dementia. The library applied for a grant and began hosting educational workshops on Alzheimers, and monthly social spaces for people experiencing dementia and their caregivers. This falls in line with our mission of connecting people to the resources that they need, she said. Emrich pushed back against his critics, saying the bill was worded to describe a core function of a library as accessing information, including printed, digital and onsite information. Thats pretty darn broad, and could cover anything, Emrich said, but noted that the bill was meant to put some guardrails in place, eliminating uses such as healthcare and fitness. Childcare has never been a function of a library in any stretch of the imagination. Thats an extracurricular that really has nothing to do with a library being a library. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The library seems to have forgotten what their purpose is, Emrich said. If we fund them as libraries, people expect them to be libraries. The committee tabled SB 451 in an 8-6 vote. Emrichs other bill, Senate Bill 396, would have required libraries to house materials of a sexual nature within the adult or young adult collections, even if theyre intended for a younger audience, and directed chief librarians to develop cataloging standards for materials. But opponents to the bill said it infringed on the local control of library boards and discounted the expertise of degree-carrying librarians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local library boards and professional librarians already established policies to ensure that materials of any subject in any section of the library contain the resources that are appropriate for that sections target audience and subject, said Danny Hess, on behalf of the Montana Library Association. These policies are grounded in professional standards and best practices and also outline the process by which patrons can challenge books in their libraries. Two proponents for SB 396 are current trustees of the Flathead County Library, which went through several years of turmoil after the conservative-leaning board ran off multiple library directors and attempted to censor the librarys collection. The trustees argued that the bill is in the best interest of families and kids. Placing sexually explicit material in the adult section, as this bill demands, empowers parents and caregivers to choose whether to expose their children to the material or not, said trustee Dave Ingram. It also creates childrens and teen sections where all parents can let their children wander freely, knowing that no child will encounter sexually explicit content until the parents decide to expose them to it. Many librarians testified against the bill, including Bozeman Public Library childrens librarian Ellie Newell, who said the law could have unintended consequences with its definitions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bills fault lies in its overly broad and incorrect description of public library materials of a sexual or graphic nature, Newell said. Historically, such language has been used to exclude materials that discuss anatomy and physiology, puberty, consent and sexual abuse. While these topics may cause discomfort for some people, my experience is that many Montana families need and value age-appropriate material on these subjects from their public library. The committee tabled the bill in a 9-5 vote. A Monticello man that was taken into custody in Pulaski is now facing federal drug charges. Stevie W. Gregory, Jr., 46, received an indictment last week from a federal Grand Jury from the U.S. District Court in London. He has been charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture Containing Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of a Mixture Containing Methamphetamine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court documents show that Gregory has a co-defendant, Jennifer A. Coffey, who has been charged with the same counts. No further information on Coffey is available at this time. Gregory was arrested in Science Hill in January by the Pulaski County Sheriffs Office. Detective Tan Hudson reported that while conducting surveillance in the area of Ky. 1676, he observed a car operating at a high rate of speed. He and Deputy Grant Bryant conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, after which Deputy Dylan West and K-9 Rocky arrived to do a walk-around of the vehicle. The walk-around led PCSO personnel to search the vehicle, where they stated they found around 242.2 grams of methamphetamine under the passenger seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PCSO identified Gregory as the person who had been sitting in that seat. PCSO was assisted at the scene by the Kentucky State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. If convicted of the federal charges, both Gregory and Coffey face between five and 40 years in prison. Readers are reminded that a charge is an accusation only, and that all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. CAIRO (AP) Children in conflict-ravaged Sudan as young as a year old have been raped since the beginning of 2024, according to the U.N. children's agency Tuesday, which said sexual violence is being used as a tactic of war. UNICEF said 221 children, including boys, were raped by armed men, according to records compiled by gender-based violence service providers in the North African nation. The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between the military and its rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces with battles in Khartoum and around the country. Since then, at least 20,000 people have been killed, though the number is likely far higher. The war has driven more than 14 million people from their homes and pushed parts of the country into famine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right groups say that atrocities, including sexual violence and forced child marriages, have been committed by both sides. An estimated 61,800 children have been internally displaced since the war began, UNICEF reported last month. On Tuesday, the agency reported documented cases involving children who were raped during attacks on cities. More than 30% of the child rape victims were boys, UNICEF said. The victims include 16 children under the age of 5 and four infants. The cases were reported in the states of Gedaref, Kassala, Gezeira, Khartoum, River Nile, Northern State, South Kordofan, North Darfur and West Darfur. Of the 221 children raped, 73 cases were conflict-related and 71 were not, while the others were unidentified, Tess Ingram, a spokesperson with UNICEF, told The Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a culture of really serious social stigma and at a time when access to services has been severely hampered, the fact that this group came forward tells us that it is only a small sample," she said. It is only the tip of the iceberg of what are undoubtedly hundreds more children who have been raped. Survivors are often reluctant to report that they were subject to sexual violence due to social stigma and fear of retribution from armed groups and rejection from family. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in the report that sexual violence, including rape, is being used as a tactic of war in violation of international law and laws protecting children. The SIHA Network, a nonprofit organization that documents violence against women and girls, said last month that around 23% of the conflict-related sexual violence it documented since the war began involved girls. In South Kordofan, a boy was raped at gunpoint and several children, including a 6-year-old, were also raped. They were all out picking fruit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ingram, who was in Sudan in December, said she met with victims who endured horrors that no person would want to experience in their lifetime, and in the aftermath of those horrors, their suffering doesnt stop. She said many of them dealt with physical injuries and serious psychological scars,, including a girl who experienced seizures linked to her trauma and others who told Ingram they attempted suicide. A girl from Omdurman who gave recorded testimony to UNICEF, which was shared with AP, said she moved multiple times looking for shelters as some displacement centers would turn her away after learning that she got pregnant by her rapist. An unidentified woman abducted by armed men recounted in a video testimony harrowing details of her 19 days of captivity in a room with four other women and girls. She was severely beaten and along with the others forced to cook and clean for the men detaining them. She said she was extremely depressed while held in captivity and wanted to kill herself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She recounted how one of the girls, a 15-year-old, was detained after being kidnapped by two men who forced her to swallow pills. The girl would often be transferred to another room for rape by random men. I heard her screams, while she was getting raped. Every time she was raped and came back to our room she was covered with blood, the woman said while crying and hyperventilating. ____ Follow APs Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa You are the owner of this article. FORT RILEY (KSNT) Additional personnel based out of a Kansas Army post are heading to the southern border to help enforce security between the U.S. and Mexico. U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) announced on Saturday, March 1 that more troops are moving south to enhance border security operations. This includes members of Fort Rileys 19th Public Affairs Detachment who will provide support to the continuing operations at the border with their media relations capabilities. These deployments will bring additional agility and capability to further efforts to stop the flow of illegal migrancy and drugs at the southern border, said Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander, United States Northern Command. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tax agents seize two Kansas Mexican restaurants for failure to pay $200,000 Fort Rileys personnel joined 500 troops from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Stewart in Georgia who will provide support with the movement of personnel, equipment and supplies, along with providing aerial medical evacuation services. This recent deployment brought the total troop count at the border up to 9,000. The Department of Defense (DoD) announced on March 1 that a Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) and General Support Aviation Battalion would be sent to the border as well. This deployment alone added more than 5,000 troops to the border. Romantic connection in Fort Riley soldiers murder arrest Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two hundred Kansas soldiers with the 977th Military Police Company and 41st Combat Engineer Company-Armored deployed to the border to assist with efforts to increase security there following directives by the Trump Administration. President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border on Jan. 20, claiming the sovereignty of the country was under attack. Fort Riley is the home of the 1st Infantry Division or Big Red One and is located in the Flint Hills. It boasts about 15,000 active-duty service members with thousands of veterans and civilian employees living near the post. 27 News has reached out to Fort Riley to learn more about its current presence at the border. More information will be added here or in a follow-up story as it becomes available. Fort Riley makes changes after Trump executive order Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Last week, FOX4 told you about a KC business owner who claimed his water bills went from around $100 to $2,000 in September and October of last year. Since then, FOX4 has heard from multiple other KC Water customers who claim to have the same bill increase issues and no leaks. Our last bill we paid was $440 in November, and then in December, it jumped to $22,000, said Aaron Armentrout, who owns a 6-unit apartment building. There are no bathtubs, theres only showers and I dont think anybody even has a washer and dryer at this moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Armentrout said the bill in December showed almost a million gallons of water used. He also claims that professionals found no leaks. KCFD says all Cloverleaf Apartment tenants relocated, complex closed With a million gallons of water, this (building) would probably be collapsing at this point. So weve had plumbers come out, weve had the city come out. Everybody has looked for leaks. Theyve checked the water meter, and the water meter doesnt read. They said thats the problem. So theyre estimating the charges, Armentrout explained. Armentrout said its been challenging to get answers from the water department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The KC Water website says that periodically, they are unable to obtain electronic or manual reads. When that happens, customers will see an estimated bill message in red on their bills. A KC Water Department spokesperson said KC Water is unable to comment on any specific customer accounts due to state law. They also told FOX4, KC Water is not experiencing widespread issues with the departments advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. If a customer has a concern about their meter, they should call 816-513-1313. KC Water employs a Meter Field Services (MFS) divisionstaffed by servicers and utility officerswho conduct in-person inspections to assess the meter and address concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mark Litwack claims that over the last few months, his water bills more than doubled from his usual price of $60 a month. Litwack said Leak Stoppers did not find any leaks. He said hes been trying to get answers from the water department since he first noticed the increase in January. While we were working on this story Monday, a KC Water servicer stopped by Litwacks hosue to fix his meter. Today, they fixed the meter before they were trying to convince me that, No, you have a leak youre not aware of. But today, the person I spoke with paid attention, and I got action. But Im hearing Im not the only one. So theres a bigger issue, Litwack said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android There are a couple of ways to report concerns with KC Water. Call (816) 513-1313 and click option one or 311/submit a request through the MyCivic app. Residents can go to Billing Questions KC Water for an FAQ page as well as an online form under other billing questions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough revealed Marco Rubios soul-crushing moment during Fridays intense brawl between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Secretary of State Rubio went viral after he was seen sinking into the couch as JD Vance and Trump both reeled into Zelensky, seemingly uncomfortable at the aggressive ordeal. As the show unpacked the hostile meeting, Scarborough couldnt help but focus on Rubios reaction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was when the question was asked about the suit, it really was, you can see that was a soul-crushing experience for a life-long Russia hawk. During the meeting, Zelensky was chastised by conservative journalistand Marjorie Taylor Greenes boyfriendBrian Glenn, who mocked the Ukrainian presidents choice of clothing while speaking to Trump. Zelensky is forgoing the typical suit-and-tie attire until the war is over. So many deeply-disturbing things about that meeting, but, you dont have to take that from me, Scarborough said. Just look at Marco Rubio: slouched on the couch. Rubio, who at one point supported Ukraine, remained mum during the meeting as Trump and Vance drastically shifted away from the countrys supportive stance on Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We saw Marco Rubio look like he wanted to disappear into the couch itself because, to Joes point, hes someone whose whole career has been someone who has tried to stand up to Russia, Jonathan Lemire, who sits on Morning Joes panel, said. In that moment, he had to go along with the president. Despite the extremely public battle between the leaders in the Oval Office that stunned viewers, Rubio stood by Trumps side after Zelensky was reportedly kicked out of the White House. Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before," he posted on X. Thank you for putting America First. America is with you! Since Friday, Trump has doubled-down on his Zelensky attacks, even going as far as saying that the Ukrainian president doesnt want there to be Peace." By Ahmed Eljechtimi RABAT (Reuters) - A Moroccan appeals court on Tuesday increased a jail sentence to one year against Moroccan activist Said Ait Mehdi, who led protests criticizing the government response to a devastating earthquake in September 2023, his lawyer said. Ait Mehdi, who had been sentenced to three months in a first instance verdict, stood the trial behind bars on charges including spreading fake news and defamation in a lawsuit filed by local authority officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 6.8 magnitude earthquake, Morocco's deadliest since 1960, killed more than 2,900 people and damaged vital infrastructure in the Atlas Mountains. It destroyed many hamlets with traditional mud brick, stone and wood houses, specific to the Amazigh-speaking Atlas Mountains. Ait Mehdi is the leader of a group of quake victims which denounced dysfunction in aid distribution. The verdict "will deepen the wounds and the suffering of the victims who undergo severe climate conditions of snowfall, rain, and cold, following the September 8 earthquake of 2023 and who are still sleeping in plastic tents," Ait Mehdi's lawyer Mohamed El Ghalloussi told Reuters. Earthquake victims have been receiving 2,500 dirhams ($250) per household, and 35,214 homes are being made ready, according to a prime minister's statement in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the first anniversary of the earthquake, the government said only 1,000 homes were rebuilt out of 57,000 destroyed in the quake. Overall, Morocco plans to spend 120 billion dirhams on a post-earthquake reconstruction plan that includes the upgrade of infrastructure over the next five years. Economic losses from the quake accounted for 0.24% of Morocco's GDP in 2023, or 3 billion dirhams, according to a study by the Policy Center for the New South. (Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi) State investigators plan to do a thorough analysis of the deadly trench collapse in Catonsville last week, Maryland Occupational Safety and Health confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Tuesday. The investigation will take about six months from the collapse, meaning a report could be available to the public by the end of August. The two construction workers identified as Emerson Amestica, 24, and Wilmer Barzallo, 32, were pronounced dead on the scene Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just after 11:30 a.m., county police officers from Wilkens Precinct responded to the 500 block of Academy Road for a rescue call. Upon arrival, officers, along with the Baltimore County Fire Department, were informed that two subjects were trapped underneath a concrete wall that had collapsed. Both men were recovered by fire personnel but did not survive. Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich. (Bloomberg) -- Mozambiques government is in a bind as it comes under pressure from protesters demanding that it tackle high living costs while the International Monetary Fund presses it to rein in spending. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Daniel Chapo, who was inaugurated in January after a bitterly contested election and months of demonstrations, has sought to cool tensions by extending value-added tax exemptions on basic goods. But the concession threatens to further erode government revenue and runs counter to a program it had agreed with the IMF that could secure it almost $120 million in financing. A team from the Washington-based lender arrived in the southeast African nation on Feb. 19. Protests flared countrywide during its visit which ended Tuesday, with citizens remonstrating against rising food costs and ratcheting up pressure on the government. They are quite constrained in terms of what they can offer the populace, which is experiencing a cost-of-living crisis, said Yvonne Mhango, Africa economist at Bloomberg Economics. Theyre in a tough position. Venancio Mondlane, the runner-up in the presidential vote, in January paused protests against what he said was a rigged election outcome and civil unrest has subsided in recent weeks although sporadic outbreaks have persisted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The economic wreckage stemming from the upheaval has been staggering. Gross domestic product shrank by 4.9% in the final quarter of 2024, dragging down full-year growth to 1.9% the worst outcome since 2020. The growth rate is expected to rebound this year to about 3%, while annual inflation should stabilize at 7%, the finance ministry said in a statement Tuesday. The unrest has cost the government an estimated $664 million in lost revenue. The Treasury is now considering swapping local-currency debt due this year for longer-maturity securities, according to S&P Global Ratings. Protests after the October 2024 elections have exacerbated fiscal pressures, S&P analysts including Director Ravi Bhatia said in a presentation last week. Wage-bill reforms are being hampered by strikes and payment delays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The finance ministry has yet to respond to questions seeking comment on its interactions with IMF. The funds resident representative and mission chief also didnt respond to queries. Program Payments Mozambique was struggling to meet its IMF targets even before the vote. A penultimate review of the program due in September would have unlocked almost $60 million, but it never took place. A similar payment was scheduled for disbursement on March 15. Both reviews are now happening simultaneously, the finance ministry said. The country may need to extend its IMF program and adjust the targets to reflect its current economic situation, according to Mhango. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Samantha Singh-Jami, Africa strategist at Rand Merchant Bank, also envisions the government needing additional financing. In all likelihood, the IMF will continue supporting Mozambique in a financed program, even if there are further delays of disbursements, she said. Given current foreign-exchange liquidity constraints, generally more funding is needed. (Updates with finance ministrys economic growth estimate in the seventh paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Memphis Police Department is praising members of its harbor patrol for rescuing two women from the Mississippi River just hours apart last week. According to MPD, on February 26 at 11:23 a.m., the harbor patrol was monitoring the marine radio and responded to a call about a woman jumping from the I-40 Bridge. MPD Harbor Patrol (MPD) MPD Harbor Patrol (MPD) Police said they worked with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to pull the woman from the water and get her medical attention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The West Memphis Police Department said the woman parked her car on the bridge and jumped into the river. Woman jumps off I-40 bridge into Mississippi River Later that afternoon, another woman had a mishap with a boat. Police said an officer at North Main Station heard a woman calling for help in the river. Water rescue on MS River on Feb. 26. Courtesy: MPD They said the officer immediately alerted the harbor patrol, and Officers Schmedes and Nelson quickly rescued a woman who had capsized her boat. MPD shared a video on Facebook of the officers rescuing the boater. Police said the woman who jumped from the bridge was transported to the hospital in critical condition and would undergo a mental evaluation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Two Marshall County, Mississippi residents were arrested on Monday for their part in a COVID-19 pandemic relief scheme, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Bridget Davis and Joey Davis are accused of conspiring to fraudulently obtain government funds intended to protect employees of endangered businesses during the global pandemic through the Payroll Protection Program and the U.S. Small Business Administration. See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South. Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. They were each charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, as well as money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering by participating in wire transfers involving proceeds of the fraud scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If they are convicted, they face a total of 30 years behind bars for the conspiracy and wire fraud violations and 20 years for the money laundering charges, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. The federal investigative agencies that assisted with this investigation emphasized their ongoing commitment to hold accountable those citizens who seek to fraudulently and unfairly profit from federal pandemic relief programs, said the U.S. Attorneys Office in a statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MSNBC has hired The Washington Posts Jackie Alemany as a Washington correspondent and co-host of The Weekend. Alemany, who made the announcement this morning on Morning Joe, will be joining Jonathan Capehart and Eugene Daniels on the weekend show. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hiring of Alemany is the latest as MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler looks to build up a news division in preparation for a spinoff from parent Comcast later this year. Alemany will begin her hosting duties on The Weekend in the coming months, and will start as correspondent this month. She is currently part of the Posts White House team, and she previously covered congressional investigations. She also had a central role in the Posts coverage of the January 6th attack on the Capitol. That coverage won a Pulitzer Prize. She previously worked as a White House reporter for CBS News. The current co-hosts of The Weekend Symone Sanders Townsend, Alicia Menendez and Michael Steele are moving to a nighttime slot at 7 p.m. ET, taking the place of Joy Reids show. Reid left the network last week. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (COLORADO SPRINGS) For veterans struggling to find employment after service, Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center offers assistance to job seekers transitioning into civilian life, including quarterly job fairs connecting participants to public and private-sector employers. RELATED STORY: Protesters rally outside Jeff Cranks office to criticize Trump and Musk It could be years since someone has been interviewed for a job, particularly military members transitioning out of service, said Jon Dix, director of transition and employment services at Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center. Sometimes, its a young dependent who needs help landing that first role. We also know that military spouses are underemployed because of the frequent moves and the absence of a professional network, so we help there as well. Our goal is to provide all the tools military families need to find meaningful work, so if you are job hunting, come see us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to job fairs, Mt. Carmel offers help creating federal and civilian-style resumes, as well as developing interview and networking skills. Mt. Carmel is proud to celebrate 10 years of serving our military and veteran community, said Dix. In the past decade, weve developed key resources and partnerships that help make finding a job easier. Thanks to this collaborative effort, we have successfully filled 4,700 positions. The next job fair is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 30 at the centers headquarters, located at 530 Communication Circle, near West Cimarron Street and South 8th Street. In addition to employment assistance, Mt. Carmel offers behavioral health services, finance classes, and basic needs support for those facing housing and food insecurity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN) From Putnam to Wilson County, communities across Middle Tennessee are remembering the solemn anniversary of the 2020 tornado outbreak. A total of 25 people were killed in the storm. In Wilson County, three lives were lost. I know this is a day of remembrance, but this is not a day I want to remember, said Scott Hefner, a Mt. Juliet commissioner. Five years later, Scott and his wife, Cheri, are sharing their story with News 2. The family said they took cover in a closet as the storm moved through their neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 5 years ago: Tornadoes of March 2-3, 2020 in Middle Tennessee I gave into the fact that this was it. We were going to see the Lord. And I remember thanking God that we were all together, recalled Hefner. Scott said while his familys lives were spared, two of his neighbors did not survive. As I walked across the street, I watched them put caution tape around the Eatons house. And my hearts go out to their family members, said Hefner. On Monday, city leaders honored the three lives lost in Mt. Juliet by holding a ceremony where the tornado tore through, which destroyed West Wilson Middle School and Stoner Creek Elementary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mt. Juliet couple dies side-by-side in March 2020 tornado, city honors their life Its important to remember what happened that night, but its equally important to remember the way that this community responded. They way this community came together, said Mt. Juliet Mayor James Maness. Scott and Cheri told News 2 that their home sustained significant damage, adding that they still struggle with survivors guilt knowing that many of their neighbors lost everything. I heard people yelling and screaming out for their lives, crying out for help. I was emotionally just a wreck, I was torn, Scott said. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Now, five years later, he said the community is still impacted, but remains stronger than ever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just cant thank the citizens of Mt. Juliet enough that came out to help us. Church families, just random strangers walking into our yard asking if they can lend a hand, and if they can help in any way. There were people bringing us food that we didnt even know. This community is just absolutely amazing, expressed Scott. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. A group of Democrats is skipping President Trumps congressional speech Tuesday night and planning an alternate event, according to a press release. The press release from Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) states that the Vermont House member, Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Vt.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and others are going to be a part of programming that will provide real time fact-checking, a Democratic pre-buttal and live reactions on YouTube with an 8:15 p.m. start time. I watched as the President swore an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution. I wont sit and watch him lie to the American people again, Balint said in the press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I attended the inauguration because I believe in the peaceful transfer of power, but Trump spewed lies, stoked division and fear and made no effort to unify our country, she added. There is no doubt tonights presidential address will be more of the same. My conversation tonight will be the best way I can use my voice for Vermonters. They are sick of the lies and Trumps complete and utter disregard for our Constitution. Trumps address is set for Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST, with the president speaking to members of both parties from both the House and the Senate. On Monday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called for Democrats to have a strong, determined and dignified presence at Trumps address. However, some Democrats in both chambers plan not to attend the speech. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday that she was not going to the address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not going to the Joint Address. I will be live posting and chatting with you all here instead. Then going on IG Live after, the New York Democrat posted on Bluesky. Sen. Martin Henrich (D-N.M.) said he will attend the Presidents speeches to Congress when he starts following the law. Instead of attending Trumps SOTU, Im speaking with constituents of mine like Scott, a disabled veteran who worked at VA helping to house homeless veterans, Washington Sen. Patty Murray (D) posted on the social platform X. Elon fired Scott. Ill be sharing his story along with many others. The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A local author has a new book detailing history in Dayton. Sara Kaushal is a historian and author from Dayton, with a new book on the citys history. Kaushals third book, Murder in Victorian Dayton: The Tragic Story of Bessie Little, tells a story of deception and murder in late 1800s era Dayton. I feel like it really shows what Bessie went through, and what she endured in both life and death, and Im hoping it does her justice, said Kaushal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information on the book, visit Kaushals website or visit the bookstore at Carillon Park. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. A man serving life in prison for killing one person and shooting three others was sentenced to additional years in prison for stabbing an inmate multiple times at Sacramento County Main Jail, the Sacramento County District Attorneys Office said on Monday. Christopher Manuel Berger, 27, was sentenced in December 2023 to 133 years and four months to life in prison for a drive-by shooting that targeted rival gang members, authorities have said. Alex Cardona, a 27-year-old Citrus Heights man, died in that incident reported on Aug. 24, 2020. Berger was among at least two other inmates accused of stabbing an inmate in the downtown Sacramento jail five to six times with a shank, authorities said. Berger attacked an inmate during recreation time in January 2024, according to the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim suffered severe injuries after he was stabbed in the head, shoulder and hands, prosecutors said in a news release. Berger was convicted Feb. 5 of assault with a deadly weapon, and allegations that he used a deadly weapon and caused great bodily injury. Court records show three others were charged in the incident. Two of the inmates did not have future hearings in their cases, according to court records, while another person is due back in Sacramento Superior Court April 11 for a hearing about their probation status. Berger was sentenced to eight years in prison consecutive to his murder sentence, prosecutors said. US billionaire Elon Musk, who is close to US President Donald Trump, has stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should be offered "amnesty" in a neutral country in exchange for "transition back to democracy in Ukraine". Source: European Pravda with reference to Musk on X (Twitter) Details: Musk shared a post from a Trump supporter, who called Zelenskyy a dictator and claimed that the Ukrainian president does not want talks to end the war because he fears losing the elections and his power, which in turn could allegedly lead to his prosecution for "money laundering". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk added his own comment to the repost: "True. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine." True. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine. https://t.co/ZpF6nLIDtw Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2025 Details: On the evening of 3 March [in the afternoon, US time], Trump suggested that the Ukrainian president "wont be around very long" if he does not want to reach a peace agreement. It later became known that Trump had paused all military aid to Ukraine. Background: In recent weeks, US President Donald Trump has referred to the Ukrainian president as a dictator multiple times and stated that Zelenskyy must act quickly if Ukraine wants to survive as a country. However, the day before Zelenskyy's visit to the US, Trump stated that he "cannot believe" he had called him a "dictator". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! BERKELEY, Calif. (KRON) An East Bay community is coming together to show support for a Muslim-owned business that was vandalized over the weekend. Dozens of people turned out for a vigil on Monday night. Pictures shared with KRON4 show Saturdays vandalism at Negeene Mosaeds health clinic, Berkeley Community Physical Therapy. Pro-Palestine posters were scratched out with black ink, and Islamophobic language was painted on the wall. Mosaed is Iranian-American and says her business was attacked because of her stance on the Gaza-Israel conflict and her cultural background. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suspects strike officers, drive wrong way in East Bay chase And this time we were on high alert, she said. And I was definite in my mind that this was a hate crime directed against Palestinians and Middle Eastern people and of course the othering of justifying a genocide, its called the Palestine exception. On Monday night, an anti-hate vigil was held in South Berkeley. Someone doesnt just randomly vandalize a store out of the blue. Its because of a dehumanization of a group of people that has been taking so long, said a man named Hesham. Hesham is from Syria and says he knows all too well about racism. He says the vigil was a chance for Palestinian and Arab voices to speak out against hate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unfortunate that the event took place. It gives me hope that a lot of people have shown up, and I just hope that more people continue to show up for these causes and are able to make that connection, Hesham said. Later in the evening, the City of Berkeleys Peace and Justice Commission held a meeting. Last year, the commission passed a ceasefire resolution. Mosaed and community members like Matt OBrien are asking the Berkeley City Council to do the same. Mosaed hopes that Berkeleys new mayor and council members hear their message and put a ceasefire resolution on the citys next agenda. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MOSCOW (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin was holding talks on Tuesday with the head of Myanmars military government, who seeks to cement cooperation with Moscow as he faces isolation and sanctions from the West. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing was on his fourth trip to Russia since his army seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Western nations have imposed economic and political sanctions in response to the takeover and the violent repression of opposition, which has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and given rise to an armed conflict widely seen as civil war. At the start of the Kremlin talks, Putin noted growing bilateral trade and close cooperation in the international arena, and thanked the Myanmar leader for sending six baby elephants to Moscow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia, along with China, is a major supporter and arms supplier to Myanmar. Russian-made fighter jets are used in attacks on territory under control of ethnic minority groups, many of them allies with pro-democracy resistance forces. Russia defends Myanmars military government in international forums, and the ruling generals generally support Moscows foreign policy agenda. The countries have held joint military drills and signed a pact on developing nuclear power. The countries signed agreements to outline cooperation around Moscow building nuclear power plants in Myanmar and recognize academic qualifications. Ming Aung Hlaing emphasized his military governments support for Russias military action in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia is a key backer of the Myanmar military, said Morgan Michaels, a Singapore-based analyst with the International Institute of Strategic Studies. In addition to diplomatic and symbolic support, it plays a vital role in enhancing and sustaining the regimes warfighting capacity. Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for Myanmars main opposition National Unity Government, said the military leader is in desperate need of international recognition and willing to trade the countrys resources in exchange. So, to maintain his power, he will go to countries that will recognize him and provide him with some kind of assistance," Nay Phone Latt said Monday in a text message to the AP. ___ Associated Press writers Grant Peck and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report. A slender, partially covered naval ship that recently emerged in Washington state is the Defiant, a new medium-sized uncrewed surface vessel (USV) designed from the keel up to operate without any humans ever onboard. Developed under the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agencys (DARPA) No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program, Defiant could be an important stepping stone for the U.S. Navys ambitions to add larger and more capable USVs to its fleets. DARPA confirmed to TWZ that construction of the Defiant, also known by the hull code USX-1, was completed earlier this month. As noted, the first indications that the vessel had been launched came from residents in Washington state who spotted it being pushed by a tug through the Saratoga Passage in Puget Sound north of Seattle. This area of the Sound is also just a few miles from the U.S. Navys Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island. User @IntelWalrus on X was first to bring this to our attention. The USX-1 Defiant seen being moved from the shipyard to the water earlier this month. DARPA The USX-1 Defiant seen after its launch.DARPA The 180-foot-long, 240-metric ton Defiant is now set to undergo extensive in-water testing, both dockside and at sea and is scheduled to depart for a multi-month at sea demonstration in spring 2025, according to DARPA. It is unclear where exactly the vessel is currently docked. Serco Inc. is the primary contractor for the USV, which it has been developing since 2020. The company has told TWZ in the past that the core Defiant USV without any add-on mission systems has an approximately $25 million price tag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. military has historically categorized uncrewed vessels like Defiant with lengths under 200 feet and displacements under 500 tons but that are larger than ones with speedboat and jetski-type designs, as medium USVs (MUSV). Large USVs (LUSV) have been defined as ones up to 300 feet long and that displace up to 2,000 tons. A picture of Defiant in the Puget Sound, as well as additional images DARPA has now released, show much of the vessel literally still under wraps. However, the overall hullform, along with the mast at the center sporting various commercial navigation radars and other antennas, is in line with models and computer-generated renders of the design shown in the past. An additional smaller mast with more radars and other antennas is also present on the bow. A view of the USX-1 Defiant with the vessels main mast and the smaller mast at the bow visible. DARPA A previously released rendering of the Defiant design. DARPA Other details about Defiant as it exists now are limited and TWZ has also reached out to Serco for more information. NOMARS program requirements DARPA released in the past called for designs capable of long-duration open-ocean operation with distributed hybrid power generation, podded propulsors, and high-capacity batteries, as well as a high-degree of hydrodynamic efficiency. The NOMARS program has also put an emphasis on a concept called graceful degradation wherein individual equipment to fail over time by having enough system-level redundancy to meet full system requirements at speeds of at least 15 knots after one year at sea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As designed, Defiant has large open spaces on top of its deck in front of and behind its main mast for add-on payloads. Secro has shown models loaded with standard shipping containers, which could hold an array of different mission systems, as well as general cargo. The company has also shown how the USV might be armed using what BAE Systems is now marketing as the Adaptable Deck Launching System (ADL). The ADL is a modular angled launcher designed to fire missiles from the same canisters used with the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) found on many U.S. and foreign warships. As such, ADLs can launch a variety of surface-to-air, anti-ship, and land-attack missiles, as well as anti-submarine rockets. A model of the Defiant with a standard 40-foot shipping container behind the main mast and an ADL at the bow end. Joseph Trevithick An ADL fires a missile during testing on land. BAE Systems Defiant, at least initially, is intended primarily as a testbed to demonstrate the ability of such a vessel to operate autonomously for extended periods without any humans ever being onboard, even just to monitor systems and provide extra margins of safety. The NOMARS program aims to challenge the traditional naval architecture model, designing a seaframe (the ship without mission systems) from the ground up with no provision, allowance, or expectation for humans on board, DARPA says on its website. By removing the human element from all ship design considerations, the program intends to demonstrate significant advantages, to include: size, cost, at-sea reliability, greater hydrodynamic efficiency, survivability to sea-state, and survivability to adversary actions through stealth considerations and tampering resistance. Last year, DARPA, in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, conducted a successful test of an at-sea refueling system developed to support the NOMARS mission. Two Navy USVs, the Ranger and the Mariner, which are converted offshore support vessels that retain the ability to operate in crewed mode, were used to demonstrate the refueling system. The US Navys USVs Mariner, at rear, and Ranger, in front, sail together in 2023. USN Fueling at sea (FAS) for USVs presents a problem that needs to be solved as current FAS solutions use personnel to handle lines and hoses on the platform being refueled, according to a press release DARPA put out in December. Requiring personnel on the USV for the operation adds significant constraints on USV design and operations, as the vessel must then be designed with considerations for safety of the humans on board, even if for a short period of time. It can also be risky and sometimes dangerous to transport personnel to a USV in rough seas or high winds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the recent test, USV Ranger carried a receiving station representative of the system that will be on the NOMARS USV Defiant, and USV Mariner carried a refueling mini-station, custom-designed by NOMARS prime contractor Serco Inc, the release added. While there were personnel aboard both vessels during the event, no people were involved with operations on the receiving side. A picture DARPA released from the NOMARS fueling-at-sea test last year. DARPA However, Serco has already been actively pitching Defiant as at least a pathway to a range of operational capabilities, including new armed USVs and ones capable of acting as uncrewed logistics platforms. The company has already been working on a larger USV concept called Dauntless leveraging the work done under NOMARS, which could be armed with up to four ADLs, as well as carry other payloads. A model of the Dauntless USV concept depicted with four ADLs. Joseph Trevithick Defiant was also designed with ease of production in mind and Serco has previously told TWZ that the USVs could be produced outside of traditional shipyards, including by railworks, if needed. This could make the design, or future variants or derivatives thereof, very attractive to the U.S. Navy, which has been facing increasingly worrisome struggles to acquire traditional crewed warships. That has come amid broader concerns about U.S. shipyard capacity, or the lack thereof, for building new naval vessels and maintaining existing ones. The U.S. shipbuilding industry continues to be grossly outpaced by that of China, Americas current chief global competitor, despite efforts to narrow the gap in recent years. Earlier this year, the Navy announced plans to simplify its USV acquisition strategy to focus on smaller, simpler, and more interchangeable designs rather than larger and exquisite ones. The service had previously been working toward fielding distinct fleets of MUSVs and LUSVs. The Navys Mariner and Ranger USVs sail together with a Japanese Mogami class frigate. USN The designs already exist, and we must not over-spec this, Rear Adm. William Daly, head of the Navys surface warfare division (N96), told an audience, including TWZ, at the Surface Navy Associations annual symposium in January. Weve also had sufficient funding and experimentation to date to know what we need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the payloads are ready and tested. [Concepts of operation] are coalescing, Daly added. Lets move faster. This is efficient, this is effective, and this is scalable. DARPAs NOMARS program, especially now with Defiant about to head off for its first at-sea demonstrations, looks set to be another important part of the U.S. militarys uncrewed naval future. Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com HONOLULU (KHON2) The Hawaii State House of Representatives marked Womens History Month today by unveiling a portrait of House Speaker Nadine Nakamura, honoring her groundbreaking role in state politics. Former Disney star under fire for touching honu Nakamura, the first woman to hold the position of House Speaker and the first Asian American woman to do so in the United States, now has her photo displayed in the House chamber. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You I think women have to stay strong, we have to be focused, we have to look at the opportunities to move our society forward and do great things for our nation, especially at this time, where theres so much uncertainty, Nakamura said during the unveiling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 10 facts about Kelly Slaters $16.5M Hawaii North Shore home for sale March is recognized as Womens History Month, a tradition that began in 1981 when Congress passed legislation designating the week starting March 7 as Womens History Week. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news In 1987, the week expanded to a full month to honor and celebrate the contributions and achievements of women across the country. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Rep. Erin Healy, D-Sioux Falls, speaks on the South Dakota House floor on Jan. 21, 2025. She sponsored a bill that would have renamed the Department of Corrections. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) The South Dakota Department of Corrections will remain the Department of Corrections. On Monday at the Capitol in Pierre, the state House of Representatives voted 55-14 to defeat a bill that would have changed the agencys name to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 192 previously sailed through the Senate without a single dissenting vote. The bill wouldnt require any immediate changes. Instead, it would update references and things like uniforms and agency letterheads whenever those updates or reorders wouldve happened without the bill. Resistance in the House began in its State Affairs Committee, where the bill passed 8-5 despite worries about potential hidden costs and the bills failure to make more than symbolic change. Doubts on the idea overshadowed arguments in support on the House floor. Rep. Tim Reisch, R-Howard, told his fellow lawmakers about his time as DOC secretary in the early 2000s to explain his opposition. The state had a boot camp for kids when he took the gig in 2003, but the DOC was in the process of reworking its operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The facility in Custer was renamed as the State Treatment and Rehabilitation Academy, or STAR Academy. If Id just changed the name to STAR Academy and kept the boot camp, wed be doing the same thing were doing here, Reisch said. The legislation was proposed in the Senate by Jamie Smith, a Sioux Falls Democrat. Rep. Peri Pourier, D-Rapid City, called the bill virtue signaling at its finest. We have to change the way we do corrections in South Dakota to earn a name change like this, Pourier said. But Rep. Erin Healy, D-Sioux Falls, the bills prime sponsor in the House, said a state thats debating a new prison and the role of rehabilitation in its correctional frameworks ought to name its prison system accordingly. This is a change that starts a conversation, Healy said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Elon Musk has been something of a thorn in NASA's side since long before he became an unelected government official but it sounds like anger is now bubbling over at the space agency. According to former NASA astrobiologist Keith Cowing, who for years since his service at the agency has documented its internal politics and drama online, a "round of boos was heard" upon mention of Musk's name during an all-hands meeting at the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland yesterday. Those jeers, Cowing wrote on his NASA Watch blog, were in response to mention of Musk's newly reiterated directive demanding all government employees explain what they did the week prior in bullet points to justify their jobs or risk being fired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the weekend, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent a second threatening email to federal employees, instructing on Musk's behalf that they explain what they did at work last week to keep their jobs. While that first missive was amended to say that the demand was "strictly voluntary," this new one has no such language. "The NASA administrator will not be providing any further guidance to NASA employees regarding the latest [five] bullet email that everyone got over the weekend," Cowing wrote, "so NASA employees are pretty much left to make a personal choice." During the meeting, the NASA staffers were also warned that the youthful hatchet men from Musk's Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have badges to enter the facility at any time they choose, without needing to inform anyone of their entrance. That's not all the bad blood Musk has kicked up at NASA lately. The billionaire also enraged a cadre of former astronauts last month by issuing repeated digs, including the erroneous claim that Boeing Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams had been left stranded on the International Space Station for "political reasons." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When you finally get the nerve to climb into a rocket ship, come talk to [us]" former NASA astronaut and senator Mark Kelly tweeted in response to the world's richest man amid insults about his colleague, former ISS commander Andreas Mogensen, and his twin brother and fellow astronaut Scott Kelly. And even actions at NASA that aren't directly tied to Musk, like reports of leadership at the space agency ordering employees to throw out their LGBTQ pride swag, feel tightly bound up in his ideological mission to crush "wokeness" out of the federal government. All told, it's an extraordinary villain arc. Just a few years ago, Musk's work at SpaceX was a shining example of NASA working with the private sector to push the frontiers of America's space capability. Now, it seems that a mention of his name at a NASA meeting is enough to draw heckling. More on Musk cuts: Even NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Is Getting Its Budget Slashed NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) There are concerns over the future of Nashvilles branch of the Social Security Administration after a recent disclosure from the Department of Government Efficiency. DOGEs Wall of Receipts lists a number of government contracts, grants and real estate the department is cutting, or plans to cut, to save federal tax dollars. On that list is Nashvilles 4,133 square-foot Social Security Administration office. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts According to DOGE, closing the office would save $712,885 over five years. On Monday, News 2 visited the office in Nashvilles Metro Center. The office appeared to be operating with people walking in and out, making appointments and waiting inside the lobby at the Athens Way building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News 2 obtained documents suggesting the closure may be at another office building in the area, but News 2 could not find any sign of Social Security there. Instead, there appeared to be other government agencies, which also appeared to be operating. We are working with GSA to review our leases and ensure they are used efficiently. Most of the leases we are not renewing are for small remote hearing sites that are co-located with other Federal space. As the majority of our hearings are held virtually, we no longer need as many in-person hearings locations. In fact, in FY24, twenty percent of these offices held no in-person hearings. Other offices are non-public facing, being consolidated into nearby locations, or we had planned to close. Social Security continuously monitors and evaluates the use of our office space to maximize efficiency for the American taxpayer. Please contact GSA if you have further questions. Statement from a Social Security Administration spokesperson Read todays top stories on wkrn.com DOGEs Wall of Receipts also includes the IRS national office in Franklin and the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Gallatin. News 2 reached out to Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) for more details on the possible SSA office closure, but as of publication, there has been no response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) The National Racial Justice Network will hold a press conference in North Charleston to address the recent officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of a mentally ill individual. The incident occurred Friday, Feb. 28, at an apartment complex in unincorporated Dorchester County. The press conference will take place on Tuesday at noon in front of the North Charleston Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NRJN officials are advocating for enhanced law enforcement training to better handle situations involving individuals with mental illnesses. The victims family will also be in attendance. The North Charleston Police Department released a statement in regards to the press conference, stating, We respectfully decline to comment due to the ongoing investigation by SLED. As previously reported, Dorchester deputies received a request from the Department of Mental Health around 9:30 a.m. on Friday, asking for assistance in escorting a subject to a mental health facility. Deputies responded to the Waverly Place apartment complex, where they attempted to take the individual into custody. A fight later ensued and the subject assaulted a deputy with a hatchet, according to Sheriff Sam Richardson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident evolved into a barricaded suspect and deputies requested North Charleston officers to assist. A few hours later, the subject attempted to leave the residence through a window, armed with a hatchet in each hand. Officers commanded the subject to drop the weapons as they approached the outer perimeter, but the subject did not reply, according to North Charleston Police Chief Ron Camacho. North Charleston officers then discharged their weapons to prevent further threat to the surrounding public, Chief Camacho explained. The subject was struck. Officials say authorities immediately rendered aid and the subject was taken to a nearby hospital, where they died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division was requested to investigate the officer-involved shooting, per standard protocol. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ANYONE WHO EXPECTED DONALD TRUMPS foreign policy in his second term to look essentially like his foreign policy in his first term must have been shocked over the past few days. First, on Friday, at what was supposed to be the prelude to a formal signing of an agreement exchanging privileged access to Ukraines mineral resources for more American military support, President Trump and Vice President Vance suddenly turned on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of ingratitude and intransigence in negotiations and dismissing him from the White House without any deal being signed. The same day, the New York Times reported that previously approved American military aid to Ukraine has slowed to a trickle and that new tranches of aid have not been approved. Then, on Monday, Axios reported that Trump is planning a White House meeting with Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and other unnamed senior officials on the future of U.S. aid to Ukraine, but before that meeting even happened, the White House announced the predetermined outcome Monday evening. If I have a bias concerning Russia and Ukraine, it was earned honestly over a career spent working with our European allies to deter, and if necessary defeat, Russian (or Soviet) aggression, or fighting alongside Ukrainiansnot in their wars but in ours, in both Iraq and Afghanistan. It was deeply concerning to see Trump and Vance try to shift the narrative against Zelensky by painting him as ungrateful for American aid. For one thing, the accusation is false. Zelensky thanked Trump and the American people for the aid multiple times on Friday alone; he had previously thanked Americans and American political leaders dozens of times. But the accusation of ingratitude is also strategically dangerous: Indications are that this rhetoric is contributing to weakening the Western alliance, emboldening Americas adversaries, and threatening the very foundation of NATOs mission of collective defense. Join the best pro-democracy community on the internet and get access to members-only newsletters, podcasts, and live events by becoming a Bulwark+ member. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some suggest the entire Oval Office blowup at Zelensky was a ploy designed by the Trump administration to justify and message its wavering support for Ukraine. If so, this manipulation ignores the fact that for three years, Ukraine has been at the forefront of the greatest military conflict in Europe since World War IIa war that directly impacts U.S. strategic interests. American support for Ukraine is not charity; it is an investment in global stability and deterrence against adversaries who seek to dismantle the international order. Putin and his government have been as clear as ice-cold vodka: Their real enemy isnt Ukraine, but NATO and the United States. The Ukrainians are fighting the Russians so we, and others, dont have to. This Oval Office engagement was supposed to be about two things: the potential exploitation by the United States of Ukraines raw materials in exchange for the promise of continued contributions to the future security of Ukraine. Ukraine possesses significant deposits of lithium, titanium, and rare earth elementsessential resources for the global transition to renewable energy and advanced industrial and military technology. Securing reliable access to these elements is as geopolitically important now as access to oil was in the twentieth century, as Western nations look to secure supplies independent of China and Russia. In fact, one possible motive for Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago may have been to gain access to those minerals so that it might grow to be more than, as the late Senator John McCain said, a gas station masquerading as a country. A significant factor in Ukraines long-term security is not just retaining possession of these vast reserves, but negotiating the trade of these minerals for continued battlefield and economic support. Ideally, Ukraine wouldnt have to submit to neocolonial mineral concessions in exchange for its rights and sovereignty being respected. And ideally, the president of the United States would recognize that every dollar sent to Ukraine in aid saves many times as much by weakening one of Americas most potent adversariesand that doesnt even count the money spent in the United States on manufacturing and upgrading the defense industrial base. Share FOR THREE YEARS, ZELENSKY HAS SHOULDERED the enormous burden of leading a nation at war, fighting against one of the worlds largest militaries while simultaneously navigating international diplomacy and raucous domestic politics. Long wars weigh heavily on leaders, and Zelensky is no exception. His physical, mental, and moral fatigue is evident. He has endured assassination attempts, relentless Russian offensives, and the emotional toll of witnessing the destruction of his country and the death of not just his soldiers but also his citizens. Yet, he continues to lead, understanding that any sign of weakness could further embolden Russia. I believe his actions will someday provide a case study of effective strategic leadership in wartime, comparable to Churchill or Roosevelt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sitting next to him in the Oval Office was President Trump, who suggested hypothetically and without proof during his re-election campaign that Russias invasion of Ukraine would have never happened on his watch, and then proclaimed he would end the war in 24 hours. Add to these remarks the previous troubling engagements with Zelensky that led to Trumps first impeachment, and the continuous mis- and dis-information about the war coming from the Trump administration, and it is obvious why Ukraines president might not have been optimistic about the new administration. Then, within weeks of being confirmed, Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the American press reported on President Trumps multiple phone conversations with President Putin. To Zelensky, all this is not only demoralizing but also sends a clear message: American commitment is wavering. Even those who had once been strong backers of UkraineRubio, Waltz, Senator Lindsey Graham, and othersall spun like ballerinas to support Trumps posture, national security be damned. Share EUROPEANS KNOW THAT ANY EFFORT to negotiate with Russia will result in broken promises and more Russian aggression. The longstanding Kremlin strategy is known to anyone who studies Putin: Wait for fatigue to set in, then exploit a lack of understanding or confusion or distraction, then dictate terms favorable to Moscow, or else create different facts on the ground. If, as appears all but certain, the Trump administration continues to diminish support for Ukraine, it will threaten the sovereignty of Ukraine as a critical partner, condone the thousands of war crimes committed by Russia, send a signal to both our friends and our foes about the new whipsaw strategy practiced in the United States, and also open the door for Russia and China to exert control over valuable natural resources. While the loss of these materials to hostile actors would compromise the United Statess strategic autonomy, particularly in defense manufacturing and energy independence, they are just one element of the deal. A Ukraine that remains aligned with the West ensures that these resources are available to NATO allies rather than adversaries who seek to leverage economic dependency as a geopolitical weapon. Trump, Vance, et al. are clearly desperate to get Americans not to think about the strategic and national-security implications of their policies, but to view international politicspeace and waras a soap opera filled with petty personalities and fragile egos. As someone who spent a career serving in Europe, and a few years working with the Ukrainians, I find it appalling that political narratives are being shaped to undermine Ukraine, rather than focusing on the continued existential threat posed by Russia and our inappropriate responses to defending sovereign nations. The Trump administrations attempts to frame Zelensky as ungrateful are not just misguided; they actively harm U.S. national security. Every time an American politician questions whether the United States should support Ukraine, Putin benefits. The Kremlins whole strategy is based on the assumption that if the West falters in its commitment, Ukraine will fall. And if Ukraine falls, the entire structure of European security is threatened, inviting further aggression that could require direct U.S. military involvement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Again: The United States does not provide aid to Ukraine as a handoutit does so to uphold a world order that prevents wars and ensures prosperity. To abandon Ukraine is to betray our values and undermine decades of U.S. national strategy designed to contain threats before they reach our borders. This is not a time for partisan games or ridiculous requests for apologies. It is a time for strategic clarity. Weakness invites aggression, and solidarity deters it. Our support for Ukraine is not about gratitudeit is about ensuring that authoritarian regimes cannot dictate the future of international security. This has never been just Ukraines fight. This is a fight for global stability and for the safety, prosperity, and freedom of the United Sates. Share A worker at the National Weather Service is warning of the devastating impact recent mass firings at the agency could have when the next natural disaster strikes. I think people are nervous and very scared to see what happens next, a general forecaster at the agency told HuffPost. Hurricane season really starts to pick up midsummer, and were looking at a potentially very unfortunately active season coming ahead. The employee, who has requested anonymity over fears of retaliation, was referring to last weeks mass firings of federal probationary workers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the NWS. More than 800 workers, including weather forecasters, scientists and technicians, were fired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands of federal workers have already been fired since President Donald Trump took office. Unelected billionaire Elon Musk, who now heads the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, has vowed to gut the federal government of its power and much of its workforce. That includes perhaps crippling a critical government service tasked with keeping the public informed of dangerous weather events. Everything people see on TV or hear from The Weather Channel, all that information comes from the National Weather Service, the employee said. The alert popping up on your phone saying theres a tornado warning, that comes from us. Were the ones behind the scenes that you may not see. As a general forecaster, the source said, their job includes releasing weather balloons to collect vital data and tracking data in real time from the Doppler radar during severe weather events. Among the firings were electrical technicians whose job is to fix the radar if it stops working. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres so many different parts of the National Weather Service, and everyone is essential to making sure it can function, the source said. At an agency that a congressional analysisfound to be understaffed last year, the cuts to the NWS could jeopardize its future efficiency. The NWS operates more than 120 offices across six regions and is staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year. One office already does so much that having to help other offices is going to become so much more work, they said. I think everyone is worried about what this is leading to, and its quite intimidating and scary. Keith Meier, who worked nearly three decades for the NWS in Montana, echoed a similar concern to news station KTVQ. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im really worried [that], especially in Montana, we would dispatch a meteorologist to support wildfire-fighting efforts across the state, and we would have to backfill those positions in our office, Meier said. Adding to the low morale at the NWS was a directive from Trump to root out diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. That included removing Slack channels such as #women and #people-with-disabilities, a screenshot shared with HuffPost showed. And last month, Musk issued a Saturday afternoon email to more than 2 million federal workers demanding they list what they accomplished in the previous week or face termination. The demand led to mass confusion, including questions about who would sift through the emails and who would ultimately determine a workers worth. Trump then mocked the nations civil servants in a social media post. The president posted a meme of the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants looking at a list of what he accomplished. The list included Cried about Trump and Cried about Elon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Trump and Musk] are laughing at us on social media, while I come in every day to do my duties, the source said. Why should I be sitting here proving my worth to someone whos making fun of us with a SpongeBob SquarePants tweet? Musks team sent another email to federal workers last week demanding they again list what they got done and were told they should expect to send an email every week going forward. NOAAs Vice Admiral Nancy Hann sent a separate email to employees telling them to send the list to their supervisors. The guidance remains the same as last week to please submit to your first-line supervisor a list of 5 bullet points relating to your activities from the previous week, the email, obtained by HuffPost, said in part. While Musk has bragged about and grossly overestimated the amount of money DOGE has saved by culling jobs, the NWS costs each U.S. resident approximately $4 a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For one cup of coffee a year, theyre getting so much out of it, the worker said. Theyre getting all this information from people who truly love their job. We are here to protect lives and property. We love what we do because we want to keep people safe. HuffPost readers: Do you have information related to this story? Tell us about it: Email Sebastian.Murdock@HuffPost.com. Second part of four-part Diagnosis: Columbus, looking at expansion projects across central Ohios major health systems as they respond to the regions population growth and job expansion. Read the first part on OhioHealths $1 billion expansion by clicking here. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Its not just a clever or convenient name: Nationwide Childrens Hospital is building a truly national profile. In 2024, nearly 1.8 million patients visited from all 50 states and 44 countries. We are, in fact, a nationwide childrens hospital and the reason we pursue that is not because we want to be nationwide, but because we want to attract the specialists who need patient populations, Nationwide Childrens Hospitals Senior Vice President of Strategic and Facilities Planning Patty McClimon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement International manufacturer announces it will invest millions in Licking County McClimon has worked at the hospital for her entire career, spanning more than three decades. For most of that time, the hospital campus has been a constant construction zone. Were not building buildings to build buildings, she said. What we found was that our campus was so old that the ability to retrofit spaces into todays technology didnt exist. That led to the biggest investment in the hospitals history: a 14-story tower for acute care. Its projected to cost $1.27 billion and will be constructed as a fraternal twin of the existing tower which is now a decade old. The new building is expected to be completed in 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its been great to think about the building as a twin and we can really look at whats working well in the existing building and what are the little things that we could tweak to make it better, Nationwide Childrens Hospital Manager of Design and Construction Ed Cheshire said. CEO resigns from Ohio based Kroger amid personal conduct investigation The new building will house the hospitals most ill patients. Services will include emergency and critical care, oncology, a three-floor neonatal intensive care unit, and expanded surgical space. Once the project is complete, more than 430 new beds will be housed there. The new tower will merge into some of the existing facilities in the current building, most notably the emergency department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want the look and feel to be seamless as you go from the old to the new, Chesire said. I dont want there to be haves and have-nots. So that building, I want staff to be comfortable working in either side of that line. We learn not only from what weve built but what other childrens hospitals have built, so were out there talking and communicating, really thinking about best practices about what were building and how. Cannabis industry stakeholders say Ohios marijuana bill defies voters will The tower will further enhance the massive, vertical growth of Nationwide Childrens campus and will become a significant part of the Columbus skyline as drivers move along Interstate 70 in Downtown Columbus. Were very proud of the fact that weve impacted the skyline, but were most proud of the fact that we are making children into healthy, healthy adults, McClimon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Peace talks are stalled following President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys heated Oval Office meeting Friday, as the U.S.-Ukraine deal remains unsigned. But NATO leaders, excluding the U.S., came to a four-part agreement in London, Sunday, to step up support for Ukraine in the war. European countries and Canada will maintain Ukraine aid and sanctions on Russia, participate in peace talks that guarantee Ukraines sovereignty, support Ukraine post-peace and deploy their own troops and equipment to join in the fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, in the U.S., opinions vary widely on what kind of involvement the U.S. should have moving forward in the war. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Fox News that a change in Ukrainian leadership would ultimately benefit the country. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called Grahams statement a horrific suggestion on Sundays Meet The Press. Zelenskyy is leading a country, trying to defend democracy against an authoritative dictator, (President Vladimir) Putin, who invaded his country. And I think millions of Americans are embarrassed, are ashamed that you have a president of the United States who says Ukraine started the war, that Zelenskyy is a dictator. Hes got it exactly backwards, Sanders said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanders also said the U.S. has a responsibility, as the democratic leader of the world, to continue to support Ukraine in the war against Russia. Similarly, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer told British Parliament, Monday, the U.K. will increase economic pressure on Russia, ensure lasting peace includes Ukraines sovereignty and boost military aid. Starmer added that the U.K. will back Ukraine with boots on the ground and planes in the air. He added, Europe must do the heavy lifting, but to support peace in our continent and succeed, this effort must have strong U.S. backing. Trump Cabinet members push back on European plan On the same day as the Oval Office meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on CNN and criticized this approach, which he believes bolsters Ukraine with no exit strategy from the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were three years into a war that has no end in sight and no exit strategy. The EU doesnt have an exit strategy, Rubio said. The only person on the planet who is actively trying to bring an end to this conflict is named Donald Trump, the president of the United States, and we should be helping him to achieve it. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, told Bloomberg on Friday that the minerals deal the U.S. was pursuing could be the kind of exit strategy needed to end the war. He believes it would have acted as a signal to Russia that the U.S. and Ukraine are economically intertwined and united. However, Its very difficult to do an economic deal with a leader who doesnt want to do a peace deal, Bessent said. Bessent was several seats away from Trump and Zelenskyy on Friday, and he said he was shocked with how Zelenskyy interacted with U.S. leadership. If the Ukrainian president were to come back to the deal, Bessent believes it would take a lot of repair. Where are Zelenskyy and Trump on the deal now? Referencing Sundays emergency NATO summit in London, Zelenskyy said, We are talking about the first steps today, and therefore, until they are on paper, I would not like to talk about them in great detail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the Ukrainian president added, An agreement to end the war is still very, very far away, and no one has started all these steps yet. After Zelenskyys comment was published by The Associated Press on Monday morning, Trump posted to Truth Social, This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump continued, It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking? But where does this leave Ukraine and the United States? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the summit, Sunday, Zelenskyy said if Trump invited him for a constructive dialogue, to solve real problems, for serious issues and real, decisive actions and answers I will arrive, per the National Post. NATO leaders are likely to discuss next moves at another emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday. Members of Colorado's second-highest court told lawyers and judges on Thursday what they are looking for when a convicted defendant argues they are entitled to relief for reasons beyond the typical array of trial-related errors. Naval Hospital Jacksonville announced Monday that it is reducing its hours. The hospital, previously a 24/7 operation will now only be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning March 10, the hospital posted on its Facebook page. Patients arriving after these hours are advised to go to the nearest hospital, the Facebook post states. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< The hospital, located at 20280 Child St., Jacksonville, did not state why it is reducing hours. Action News Jax has reached out to hospital officials and is awaiting response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hospitals Facebook post states: Beginning March 10, the Naval Hospital Jacksonville Emergency Room will have new operating hours from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Patients arriving after these hours are advised to go to the nearest hospital. We anticipate these hours of operation could continue through the summer, but will provide updates if we can safely continue 24/7 operations. We sincerely hope our patients understand as we continue to strive to provide best care for all. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) Before President Donald Trump addresses Congress for the first time during his second term in office Tuesday night, North Carolina Democrats and Republicans are looking for two very different messages. Trump won North Carolina in the 2024 election with 51% of the vote. Anderson Clayton, the chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, said shes hearing from people who voted for President Trump who are concerned about their own futures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think what we need to hear tonight from the president is somebody whos going to speak to the fact people are scared theyre going to lose their jobs, she said. Im getting emails from folks that voted for Trump saying theyre on SNAP benefits and asking if its going away, Clayton said. And we dont know. Matt Mercer, the chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, said hes anticipating hearing about the administrations achievements over Trumps first month in office. Hes also anticipating hearing more about the administrations focus on North Carolina. Its been one of the most active first six weeks or so of a presidential administration in history, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Trumps] first visit to western North Carolina was his first trip out of the White House since he became president, said Mercer, referencing the area devastated by Hurricane Helene last September. Both parties are looking to hear about areas the administration has focused on since January. In information given exclusively to CBS 17, the Democratic National Committee points to data showing since Trump has been back in office, over 15,000 North Carolinians have filed for unemployment. The Trump administration has been vocal about cutting federal jobs. In North Carolina, the DNC says two of USAIDs largest contractors were impacted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans have said the job cuts are slashing unnecessary government funding that has gone unchecked for years. Everywhere DOGE, led by Elon Musk and others, has looked, theyve seen inefficiencies, Mercer said. Theyve seen really a re-imagining of how government can work better. Trumps second presidency has also brought Medicaid coverage into question. In North Carolina, 2.8 million people use Medicaid. The DNC points to data showing Medicaid also covers around 41% of children in the state. [Trumps] MAGA lackeys are advancing a budget plan that would take money out of the pockets of working North Carolinians, kick millions off of their health insurance, and take food off the table of low-income families in order to finance a massive tax handout to the richest 1%, DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans say the administration is cutting wasteful spending and identifying people who are potentially abusing the system. These agencies look for the ways fraud and abuse, Mercer said. If you look at the budget bill, it does not mention Medicaid. But thats not to say there arent some improvements that can be made with that. Trump will make his address to Congress at 9 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 CBS17.com. an image of a young person inhaling smoke Image: AdobeStock A state task force that studies the reasons behind child and infant deaths is asking the legislature to address a wide ranging list of health and mental health issues from vaping to social media algorithms. The state Child Fatality Task Force submits a report to the governor and the legislature each year that suggests new laws or a refinement of existing laws. In its 2025 report, the task force suggests raising the legal age for tobacco purchases from 18 to 21 to align with federal law and requiring licenses for tobacco retailers. The report notes that North Carolina is one of seven states to not have raised the age for purchases to 21, and is one of nine states to not require a license or permit for tobacco retailers. The lower legal age makes it easier for people younger than 18 to use e-cigarettes, the report said. And, without licensing, its harder to convince retailers to follow the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Products containing CBD from hemp are legal in the state and carry no age restrictions. The task force recommends prohibiting the sale of intoxicating cannabis or hemp products to people younger than 21, requiring child-resistant packaging and package warnings, and requiring retailers to obtain permits. According to state hospital data, emergency room visits for cannabis ingestion increased more than 600% from 2019 to 2023 for youth 17 and younger. For 1517-year-olds alone, the increase was more than 1000%. Last year, the legislature was close to passing a law that would have set a minimum age of 21 for buying edibles containing hemp CBD. The bill was derailed when the Senate added legalization of medical marijuana to it. While the Senate passed the measure, it stalled in the House. Other task force recommendations: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allow Medicaid reimbursement for doula care. North Carolinas infant mortality rate is 10th highest in the country, and Black babies are three times more likely to die in infancy than white babies. Doulas offer non-clinical support during pregnancy, labor, and after babies are born. A 2022 study found that doula support decreases the likelihood of cesarean sections and postpartum depression among women who used Medicaid, NC Newsline has reported. A 2013 study found that mothers with low incomes were more likely to have healthy babies, less likely to have birth complications and more likely to initiate breastfeeding when they had doula assistance before giving birth. North Carolina has been thinking for years about making doula services available to people who use Medicaid. Former Gov. Roy Cooper included Medicaid reimbursement in his recommended 2022-23 budget, but the General Assembly did not fund it. Pass a law making it easier for counties to set up Fetal and Infant Mortality Review teams that study infant deaths and ways to prevent them. Fund education and outreach to prevent sleep-related infant deaths. More than 100 infants die each year from unsafe sleep environments, the report said. Babies die accidentally when they are smothered between couch cushions or when they share a bed with another person. Funding to prevent unsafe sleep runs out in June 2025. The task force wants an ongoing appropriation of $250,000 a year. Address the states child care crisis. Between January and August of last year, 191 child care programs closed. The average yearly cost of infant care is $9,480. Child care teachers earn an average of $14 an hour. Low wages and lack of benefits contribute to a teacher shortage. The states child care subsidy only pays half what the service costs to deliver, the report says, and parents cannot afford to pay an amount that would allow teachers to make a living wage. Support student physical and mental health by paying for more school nurses, social workers, counselors, and psychologists. Endorse an effort to limit social media companies use of minors data so it cant be used in algorithms or targeted ads. A 2023 House bill addressing this issue had bipartisan support, but it did not get a vote in the full House. Pay for the firearm safe-storage educational campaign and strengthen the law meant to prevent children from finding loaded guns. Support changes to the child passenger safety law to reduce motor vehicle injuries and deaths. The report also includes data on child deaths from 2023. The child mortality rate dipped slightly from 2022 to 2023. The 2023 rate is the second highest since 2009. Motor vehicle-related injuries are the leading cause of death. (New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute screenshot) People with disabilities make up nearly a third of New Hampshires impoverished, according to a new study from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute. The study, by researcher Jessica Williams, also examined other demographic groups more affected by poverty. In total, around 7.2% of people in New Hampshire were impoverished in 2023, according to the study. Thats 98,000 people more than the populations of Claremont, Concord, Laconia, and Portsmouth combined. Almost 20,000 of those were children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among people identifying as Hispanic and Latino in the state, the poverty rate is nearly double: 13.8%, or about 8,250, the study found, using a five-year average ending 2023. Black people had a poverty rate of 11.2 percent (2,170 people) while Asian and non-Hispanic white people had rates of 6.1% (2,110) and 6.7% (79,780), respectively. People identifying as two or more races had a poverty rate of 10% (7,400 people). White people, because theyre the majority, comprised 82.7% of New Hampshires impoverished. Families with more children, who likely have more expenses and higher poverty thresholds, were more likely to be living in poverty. Based on five-year averages ending in 2023, New Hampshire families without any related children experienced a poverty rate of about 2.6%, according to the study. Those with one or two children experienced almost double that: 6.5%. Meanwhile, families with three or four related children had a poverty rate of 9.7 percent, almost four times the rate of families with no related children. Families with single mothers were 18 times more likely to experience poverty than families with married parents. More than 1 in 4 such families experienced poverty, while about 13% of single-father families experienced poverty, according to the study. Coos and Sullivan counties, rural parts of New Hampshire, experienced the highest poverty rates from 2019 to 2023 in the state: 12.9% and 10.8%, respectively, per the study. Hillsborough and Rockingham counties had the largest total number of impoverished people due to their larger population sizes, but they experienced the states lowest poverty rates during that five-year period, at 6.9% and 4.8%, respectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study used the federal governments Official Poverty Measure as the threshold to define poverty. For the contiguous U.S., that was $15,852 for a single person under 65 years old, $24,526 for a family of three with one child, and $30,900 for a family of four with two children in 2023. Those interested in reading more, can visit www.nhfpi.org/resource/who-is-experiencing-poverty-in-the-granite-state/ online. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) A metro neighborhood is full of people fatigued and frustrated after theyve been constantly hearing a loud noise every day and night for the past month. Kristen and James Perry moved into Southfork at Surrey Hills eight years ago and it was a quiet, peaceful neighborhood until things changed about a month ago. Were not sure what it is, but theres a generator that runs that runs 24/7, said Perry. Its nonstop, all day long and all night long. Their kids arent sleeping. Theyre not sleeping. Couples are getting angry and its just its just unnerving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Perrys live approximately 100 yard away from the neighborhood swimming pool and two gas wells. There isnt a room in my house that I cant hear this noise. It wakes me up in the middle of the night, and were very concerned about it because its just irritable. The generator causing an uproar in the entire neighborhood. The stress level in the community has become almost unmanageable at times, said Perry. Oklahoma photographer accused of ghosting clients, arrested for DUI, other charges Another resident, Katherine Kent, lives even closer to the noise. There is no escaping it. You cant turn everything off in your house. Theres no peace and quiet. The walls are vibrating, said Kent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We went to talk with the company that owns the wells and they told us they are selling gas to a local Bitcoin mining company, but are aware of the loud noise interrupting the neighborhood. As discussed, United Production Company does own the well in question, the Standard Life 1-28. The previous gas purchaser removed their sales meter, due to damage incurred to their gas gathering line that services this well. Unfortunately, a contractor ruptured the takeaway line during construction, which was the only option to sell our gas. Although we have tried, persistently, to have the sales meter reinstalled by the gas company and the take-away line repaired, our efforts have been unsuccessful. As the operator, we are required to produce a well within a reasonable time of it coming offline, or plug the well, according to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC). The OCC was nice enough to grant us a handful of extensions to turn the well back online while we came up with a reasonable solution. The only reasonable solution at this point for us was to produce and sell our gas to power a local bitcoin mining company. While the tract that our well sits on is not part, nor subject to the HOA, United is making considerable efforts (at our own cost) to mitigate the noise levels of the generators required to power the bitcoin mining equipment. So far, we have placed walls around the generators inside the tank facility and are currently adding wood picket fencing to the existing fence around the outside of the tank facility, to further reduce the noise. Although we are not part of the neighborhood, we have been in contact with the HOA president throughout this process and will continue to communicate in good faith. United Production Company Residents said they just want their neighborhood back to how they remember it. It needs to be moved somewhere, you know, off the off the main path, where we can have some peace and quiet and enjoy the things that we work hard to pay for here, said Kent. News 4 reached out to the City of OKC to ask if the noise violated any ordinances. We are waiting to hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks at a news conference in support of anti-price-gouging legislation on September 10, 2024 in the Michigan Capitol Building. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined an emergency application to Michigans Supreme Court seeking to overturn an appeals court decision that struck down the states anti-terrorism statute as unconstitutional. Nessel filed an amicus brief Friday in support of the emergency application filed by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy after the Michigan Court of Appeals determined a 2002 state statute that made it a crime to make a terrorist threat or false report of terrorism was facially unconstitutional because it didnt require prosecutors to prove a defendant acted recklessly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At issue was the prosecution of Michael Kvasnicka of Grosse Ile, who was charged under the statute after sending a social media message to a Trenton Public Schools student in September 2023 threatening to come to your school and shoot it up or blow it up like [C]olumbine. Nessel argued that the Court of Appeals decision was clearly erroneous, noting in the brief that the statute already requires prosecutors to prove intent on the part of defendants to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or to influence or affect government conduct through intimidation or coercion. There is no doubt that the anti-terrorism law has stopped threats that disrupt our state and has saved lives, Nessel said. It has been instrumental in prosecuting threats against schools, law enforcement, and judicial officers. Striking down this crucial law hinders my offices ability and the ability of prosecutors in all 83 counties from doing their jobs to hold those who threaten our communities accountable, making Michigan less safe. Nessel asked for the states highest court to decide by April 1 to either grant peremptory relief to immediately reinstate the law or grant a stay of the decision while the Court reviews the case. She warned that without quick action courts and prosecutors will be left with uncertainty as her office is currently prosecuting eight cases under the statute, while additional cases throughout Michigan jurisdictions could face dismissal. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Gov. Gavin Newsom is ordering thousands of California state workers to return to their offices four days a week, augmenting a broader post-pandemic push. Newsoms directive, announced on Monday afternoon, adds to an accelerating movement toward in-person government work that has stretched across levels of government and party lines five years after the pandemic pushed many workers out of the office. President Donald Trump has sought to compel more federal workers back to their desks, as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has done for his citys employees. In-person work makes us all stronger period," Newsom said in a statement. "When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order for state employees widens Newsoms 2024 directive that required them to resume in-person work at least two days a week. It would affect some 95,000 workers and allow for case-by-case exemptions. The Covid-19 pandemic upended the cadences of work for Californias hundreds of thousands of state employees, many of whom are unionized. Some labor leaders representing state workers have pushed back in the past on the governors efforts to bring more workers back into the office. The Newsom administration has long taken a hands-off approach that gave individual agencies the autonomy to set their own remote work policies. But the governor has increasingly pressed for a return to the pre-pandemic status quo, with his administration lamenting the wide variation between different state entities. Newsom's order noted that both public entities and a growing number of private employers have summoned workers back, calling a broader return to work an "operational necessity." It also argued Trump's efforts to shrink the federal workforce could redound to California's benefit, saying the elimination of federal jobs would "create opportunities to fill unmet needs in the State workforce." (FOX 5/KUSI) California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Monday that will require state employees to return to in-person work at least four days per week starting this summer. The order mandates that the new hybrid policies take effect by July 1. Included in the order are instructions for CalHR to make it easier for certain former federal employees to begin working for the state of California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands of state employees began working from home permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic and many have transitioned into a hybrid work model, with some agencies requiring in-person work at least one or two days per week, or every other week. A news release issued by the governors office states that more than 224,000 people are employed by the state, with more than half of them working some sort of hybrid model. The states human resources agency, CalHR, will issue more guidance, including for employees who have since moved farther away from their state office or who were hired with an agreement to work remotely. In light of recent firings at the federal level brought on by the Department of Government Efficiency, Newsoms order also directs the state human resources agency to streamline the hiring process for former federal employees in certain sectors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governors office statement says that the directive is for key positions in firefighting, extreme weather forecasting climate resilience, and water management rolesin addition to other critical fields such as medical and mental health care. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Monday directing state workers to return to the office four days per week, shifting California government away from a post-pandemic model that allows roughly 95,000 government employees to clock in remotely for most of the week. The change, which is expected to take effect July 1, comes after President Trump called many federal government workers back to the office last month and as corporations continue to retract remote work options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In-person work makes us all stronger period," Newsom said in a statement. "When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases. That means better service, better solutions, and better results for Californians, while still allowing flexibility. California has more than 220,000 full-time state employees and about 60% work in positions, as janitors and highway patrol officers for example, that already require them to report in-person daily. The policy change is expected to apply to about 40% of the workforce who are currently required to report to an office at least two days per week. Newsoms order does not apply to workers who were hired under agreements to exclusively work from home. The move could place the Democratic governor at odds with powerful public sector labor unions, who represent state workers in California. Newsom has gradually adjusted his return to the office work policy since concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and government imposed restrictions subsided. The governor originally advised agencies and departments to set their own policies before his administration mandated that workers report in-person at least two days per week last summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SEIU Local 1000, the largest public sector union in the country, has resisted sweeping return to the office mandates and argued last year that any policy changes from departments and agencies must be collectively bargained. Labor unions have also disputed the contention that requiring people to commute to work again increases productivity. The societal shift back to in-person work has been embraced by local officials, who blame remote work policies for the degradation of downtown districts that have experienced restaurant and business closures due to a shortage of patrons. Sacramento County has nearly 90,000 state workers and the most in California, followed by Los Angeles County with 20,000, according to data from the State Controller's Office. Newsom's order also calls for the state to "streamline the hiring process for former federal employees seeking employment" to fill vacant state disaster response and emergency roles, including in firefighting, forest management, and weather forecasting. 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. Mar. 3A New Hampshire man and former executive of the defunct crypto firm Safemoon who in September asked the federal court to dismiss his criminal charges in an international crypto-currency scheme that prosecutors said defrauded investors out of millions of dollars is now pleading guilty. Thomas "Papa" Smith, 36, of Bethlehem, pleaded guilty on Feb. 20 in U.S. District Court of Eastern New York to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Smith formerly served as the chief technology officer at SafeMoon LLC, a company that focused on creating digital assets crypto currency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) through a public blockchain, defined as a transparent and secure way of recording transactions on a digital ledger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, SFM tokens were digital assets first issued in March 2021 by SafeMoon on a public blockchain. Through the operation of SFM's smart contracts, every transaction in SFM was automatically subject to a 10% tax, meaning, for example, if a holder of SFM transferred 10 SFM to another user, 1 SFM would automatically be retained from the transfer as a tax, and the remaining nine SFM would be received by the other party. As marketed to SFM investors, the proceeds of SFM's 10% tax were split into two 5% tranches (or pieces), the proceeds of which were supposed to benefit holders of SFM in specific ways. The first 5% tranche of the tax proceeds would be "reflected" back to, and distributed among, all SFM holders, in proportion to their current SFM holdings, increasing the total quantity of SFM held by every SFM investor automatically. The remaining 5% tranche of SFM tax proceeds would be deposited into designated SFM liquidity pools. The larger the SFM liquidity pool, the greater the liquidity in the market for SFM. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the months after its launch in March 2021, SFM grew to have more than one million holders and a market capitalization of more than $8 billion. Prosecutors claim Smith and others at Safemoon misrepresented to investors various material aspects of the SFM offering, including that SFM relied on "locked" liquidity pools that would automatically increase in size due to a 10% tax imposed on every SFM transaction; that the "locked" SFM liquidity pool prevented the defendants and other insiders at SafeMoon from being able to "rug pull" a type of crypto fraud SFM investors by removing liquidity from the SFM liquidity pool; that tokens in the liquidity pool would not be used to enrich the SafeMoon developers, including the defendants; that the defendants would manually add token pairs to the SFM liquidity pool when transactions of SFM occurred on specific centralized exchanges; and that the developers were not holding and trading SFM for their own benefit. In reality, Smith and others allegedly retained access to the SFM liquidity pools and used that access to intentionally divert and misappropriate millions of dollars' worth of tokens from the SFM liquidity pools for their personal benefit. In addition, "although they publicly denied that they personally held or traded SFM, the defendants repeatedly bought and sold SFM for their personal benefit, including at the height of SFM's market price, which generated millions of dollars in profits," federal prosecutors claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The defendants masked their movement of the fraudulent proceeds via numerous private un-hosted crypto wallet addresses, complex transaction routing, and pseudonymous centralized exchange accounts," prosecutors said in a statement. "The defendants used some of these proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles and real estate in New Hampshire, Utah, and Florida. Smith, for example, using cryptocurrency addresses he controlled, sent 2,900 Binance Coin worth more than approximately $860,000 and traceable to the SFM liquidity pool to a third party's cryptocurrency address in order to purchase a custom Porsche 911 sportscar and non-fungible token." Smith's sentencing date has yet to be scheduled. After Denver Public Schools sued the Trump administration on Wednesday seeking to overturn a new policy giving immigration authorities greater latitude to operate in schools, the case was assigned to the lone, first-term appointee of President Donald Trump on Colorado's federal trial court. Nicole Shanahan, the Silicon Valley philanthropist who helped fund Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign and served as his running mate, has a new cause: recalling Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Shanahan is listed as a major funder of the effort in a disclosure on the campaigns new website and had previously met with proponents of Bass' ouster. Opponents of the mayor see her as more vulnerable than ever due to her handling of the January wildfires in Los Angeles, which ignited when she was on a diplomatic trip to Ghana. "Nicole Shanahan is dedicated to restoring California to its former greatness and made a generous contribution to help launch this effort," said Gerald Sirotnak, the lead consultant for the recall. "She firmly believes Angelenos have the right to hold Mayor Bass accountable for her failures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shanahan, a San Francisco Bay Area entrepreneur previously married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, posted a message supporting the recall on X Tuesday. Los Angeles has endured enough, Shanahan wrote. Once a city of hope, its now overrun with crime, chaos, and suffering. Today, we begin the effort to revive the City of Angelsfor the people. First step: recalling Karen Bass. Her post included a slick campaign ad featuring a video of Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong expressing regret that his paper endorsed Bass and a clip of the mayor silently looking down as a Sky News reporter grilled her on her way back from Ghana. It will take a flood of funding to take out Bass, even as she has taken flak for the Ghana trip and for sacking the fire chief who was in charge during the response effort. Her opponents would have to collect around 330,000 signatures, representing 15 percent of Los Angeles registered voters, in four months to initiate a recall. Her term ends in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They will also have to overcome associations with the Republican party in a heavily Democratic city. Paperwork filed with the city on Monday indicated that several backers with ties to the GOP are involved in the attempt, the Los Angeles Times reported. They include Sahil Nandwani, a real estate agent who has donated to the party and Republican candidates and Sirotnak, former executive director of the San Diego Republican Party. Sirotnak told POLITICO Shanahan will not be involved in the day-to-day operations and cast the effort as bipartisan. This recall belongs to the people," Sirotnak wrote in an email. "The residents of Los Angeles deserve the opportunity to remove failed leadership." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bass campaign team emphasized the campaign's ties to Republicans when blasting the recall attempt. It's nothing more than another extreme right wing political stunt designed to divide Los Angeles when we need to move forward, said Bass campaign strategist Doug Herman. We should not be spending millions of dollars on an unnecessary recall, when that time, money and focus could be better spent on rebuilding. Shanahan donated to Democratic candidates in the years leading up to RFK Jr.'s presidential bid, in which he ran first as a Democrat and then an independent before dropping out and endorsing President Donald Trump. She has remained politically active since then, threatening to fund primary challenges against senators opposing RFK Jr.'s confirmation as Health and Human Services Secretary. And she has taken preliminary meetings with the architects of a long-shot attempt to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to Randy Economy, a leader of that campaign. Shanahan did not immediately comment through a spokesperson. New Mexico Tech Associate Professor Mostafa Hassanalian and graduate students Darion Vosbein, Joel Opoki and Samuel Maimako pose for a photo with their taxidermy drones and Dan Schatzman, a member of the NewSpace Nexus Advisory Board, at the New Mexico Legislature on Aerospace and Aviation Day on March 3, 2025. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) From the late-night talk show circuit to the halls of the Roundhouse, this fake turkey has seen it all. At first glance, it looks like any taxidermied poultry. Look closer, and one will find an entire mechanical system integrated into the bird, including motors that allow it to flap its wings, while the drone inside of it actually flies using its rotors. This is ThanksGoblin, a creation of mechanical engineering students at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Naturally, we know that turkeys dont fly, said Samuel Maimako, a first-year graduate student. But the idea here is just dream high, and youll fly high. Maimako and fellow New Mexico Tech students Darion Vosbein and Joel Opoki joined their professor, Mostafa Hassanalian, Monday morning in the Rotunda at the New Mexico Legislature to show off their work for Aerospace and Aviation Day. While most of the researchers drones have practical purposes like search and rescue, monitoring wildlife and weather monitoring the one dressed up to look like a turkey is just for fun, Hassanalian, an associate professor at New Mexico Tech, said. The taxidermy robotics lab has quite a few nature-inspired designs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One drone can drop a package of sensors inspired by an ostrich egg. Another weighs just 10 grams and is inspired by dandelions, which Hassanalian said can fly up to 100 miles on the wind. Yet another is more simple: a stationary pigeon with a camera hidden under its chin. Drones normally make a lot of noise, which scares animals away, making it impossible to monitor them, Hassanalian said. To solve that problem, the group affixed taxidermied birds to the drones and made their wings flap at a realistic rate and with enough lift for flight. After technology website Gizmodo featured the New Mexico Tech researchers work, ThanksGoblin even made an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Lawmakers hear concerns on federal slashes Members of New Mexicos congressional delegation last week forewarned about the impact potential cuts to Medicaid would have on the state, which has the highest proportion among U.S. states of residents on the government healthcare program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their concerns follow the U.S. House GOPs budget resolution, which Democrats predict will include cuts to Medicaid. Members of the state Senate Finance Committee on Monday heard more about how federal cuts could impact the state, albeit with many caveats. Theres a lot of uncertainty right now, Legislative Finance Committee Deputy Director Jon Courtney told legislators, who noted that while federal cuts were likely to hit Medicaid and food support programs, the range of what that impact would be will depend on the decisions that are going to be made in Washingtonover the next few months. LFC Chief Economist Ismael Torres laid out some of the risks in a presentation, such as New Mexicos vulnerability to tariffs we are the second most vulnerable state in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That being said, Torres also emphasized the unknowns in the discussion. I really wanted to highlight what this discussion represents and what it doesnt represent, he told lawmakers. And really, this presentation is a very high-level discussion of risks. It does not represent in any way a detailed analysis or expectation of outcomes. Several cabinet secretaries and higher education representatives also weighed in on the potential impact of unknown federal cuts to their agencies. Health Secretary-Designate Gina DeBlassie said that the health department is very dependent on federal funding, particularly for grants in its public health division. Specifically, she said, the budget for public health is $266 million, and most of it is related to federal grants, she said. That work includes outreach, she said, and epidemiological surveillance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On that note, she added, I can tell you that now, with the measles outbreak that we had in New Mexico, we have been in contact with the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], and theyve been extremely supportive. We hadnt had anything fall through the cracks there. Torres presentation also noted New Mexico has the 6th highest concentration of federal employment in the country, but said the state has not seen a notable increase in unemployment claims thus far in the aftermath of federal firings. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Cleared the floors The House powered through eight bills Monday, sending them all to the Senate for committee assignments and a floor vote there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives unanimously voted to pass House Bill 41, which would set aside more than $6 million for drinking water projects, $2 million for local government planning and $5 million for cultural affairs facilities; House Bill 145, which would levy a 3.75% tax for every megawatt hour of large-scale renewable energy production starting in 2026; House Bill 199, which would allow some tax data to be shared with the Legislative Finance Committee, which could use it for program evaluation; and House Bill 174, which would require some health insurance plans to cover medication dispensing fees. House Bill 19 passed in a 56-4 vote. It would allow state agencies and local governments to partner with private businesses to finance and build trade port projects. Representatives passed House Bill 291 in a 68-2 vote. The bill would allow smaller land grants access to larger amounts of money from the Land Grant-Merced Assistance Fund. House Bill 20 passed in a 54-3 vote and would create a new division in the Economic Development Department that would support and promote technology and innovation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 181 passed in a 57-3 vote and would add more evaluation and accountability guardrails to the Government Results and Opportunity fund. Over the weekend, the House passed a handful of bills, including changes to limit housing discrimination against renters, addressing leadership at higher education and expanding solar for tribal and rural communities. The Senate passed four bills Monday afternoon. This included a 26-16 vote on Senate Bill 57, which would create an exemption for public sector abortion providers in the states sunshine law. Basically, what [the Inspection of Public Records Act] is being used for is to target providers and [it] puts those providers and their contacts at risk, said Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe), one of the bill sponsors on the floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wirth emphasized the narrowness of the exemption and said it was needed given the uncertainty and violence thats involved in this area. On Monday, the Senate also approved: Senate Bill 142, which would require two state agencies to work together to modernize the states electric grid, and passed unanimously 39-0. Senate Bill 113 in a 28-12 vote. The bill would extend the sunset dates for various state boards to 2032. Senate Bill 417 passed in a 38-1 vote. It would allow parents of children born through assisted reproduction to use the courts to confirm their parentage and adopt the child. Bill watch Senate Bill 16, which would allow decline-to-state voters to participate in primary elections without having to change their registration, advanced Monday through its first House committee. The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs committee passed it on a 5-4 vote. The bill now heads to the House Judiciary. It will still need to pass a full floor vote and the governors sign-off before becoming law. Last Friday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to table a bill to modernize New Mexicos police training. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Curious about Chris Hayes future at MSNBC? His recent absence from a key broadcast sparked speculation, especially amid the networks major lineup changes and high-profile departures. With shifts in primetime slots and the exit of prominent hosts, questions about Hayes role have been circulating. From MSNBCs restructuring to Hayes response to Joy Reids exit, heres everything you need to know about his status at the network. Is Chris Hayes leaving MSNBC too? Chris Hayes is not leaving MSNBC. Despite speculation fueled by his absence from his colleagues broadcast last week, he returned to host All In with Chris Hayes on Tuesday. The recently announced MSNBC programming lineup confirms that Hayes will continue to host his show from Tuesday to Friday at 8 p.m. ET. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speculation regarding his departure arose as MSNBC undergoes a significant lineup overhaul. Joy Reids The ReidOut has been canceled, and she left the network. Alex Wagner is also losing her primetime slot but will remain as a senior political analyst. Additionally, Jose Diaz-Balart and Katie Phangs shows are ending, but they will stay with MSNBC in different roles. MSNBCs programming changes include Jen Psaki moving to the 9 p.m. slot from Tuesday to Friday, with Rachel Maddow continuing her Monday show. A new ensemble news program featuring Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez will replace Reid at 7 p.m. The network is also restructuring its weekend lineup, with Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin taking new hosting roles. (via The Hollywood Reporter) Hayes addressed the departure of his colleagues, calling Reids exit a devastating blow (via The Daily Beast). He expressed confidence that Reid will continue to be a central voice in American politics and acknowledged the contributions of Alex Wagner, Jonathan Capehart, Ayman Mohyeldin, and Katie Phang. He emphasized the importance of the behind-the-scenes staff and reassured viewers that MSNBC remains committed to delivering news coverage. MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler confirmed these changes in a staff memo. The network is consolidating operations in New York and Washington, D.C., closing its Miami-based production. These adjustments are part of MSNBCs strategy to strengthen its future coverage across television and digital platforms. The post No, Chris Hayes Is Not Leaving MSNBC appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The puzzle over tax cuts during the 2025 legislative session is taking shape, and one of Utahs top budget chairs is now solidifying that the legislature will not eliminate the state portion of income tax on social security benefits but will cut it some. There will be a tax cut on Social Security, but it will not be an elimination of the social security tax, Sen. Jerry Stevenson (R- Layton), who chairs the powerful Executive Appropriations Committee (EAC), told reporters Monday. S. B. 71, a bill run by Republican Sen. Wayne Harper (R West Jordan), would have eliminated that tax for seniors. It passed out of committee earlier in the day, but it was agreed upon that there werent enough funds (about $144 million) to cut the tax altogether. The sponsor said ultimately, the cut would be made at whatever level the EAC budgeted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legal professionals protest against bills that seek to reshape Utahs judicial branch Currently, seniors making $75,000 or less dont pay social security tax in Utah. Sen. President J. Stuart Adams (R Kaysville) told reporters theyre looking to raise that threshold to between $80,000 to $100,000. During the committee, Sen. Lincoln Fillmore (R South Jordan) argued that since the majority of retirees already dont pay the tax, eliminating it would only help about 20 percent of the states seniors. He took issue with the fact that the wealthiest seniors would get the most help. Why would you prefer that the small minority of your most wealthy members get a very large tax cut instead of everybody in your coalition getting a tax cut (and) leaving the vast majority with no help at all? he said, pushing back on the AARP who spoke in favor of eliminating it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fillmore noted that if the legislature can raise this social security income cap and cut the income tax like they plan to do, that would help everyone. Sen. Dan McCay took a harsher tone, saying the committee was moving forward a bill that consolidated wealth for people over 65, and he found it morally wrong. Gov. Spencer Cox has pushed the full repeal of the social security tax, calling for it in his proposed 2025 budget. In a lean fiscal year, the EAC had already set aside a total of $165 million for some sort of tax cut (which was supposed to go toward the cuts from Amendment A). So far, a proposed income tax rate cut, expanding the child tax credit, and enacting a nonrefundable corporate and individual tax credit for businesses to provide child care would cost the state around $103 million. That means theres roughly $62 million left over for this social security tax cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My commitment is whatever we get this funded at, thats what the bill will run as, Harper said, arguing that the committee should pass the bill, but it will be changed later. On Friday, the EAC outlined the states roughly $28 billion budget, but tweaks are still possible through Wednesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. NORWALK, Conn. (WTNH) No one was injured in a house fire on Bartlett Manor Monday in Norwalk, according to the fire department. A total of 34 personnel responded to the fire, which started on the back patio. The large volume of fire melted the siding on the back of the house, which began to catch fire as well. It was extinguished in under 10 minutes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HULL, Iowa (KCAU) Authorities said that no one is injured after a Hull house fire. The Sioux County Sheriffs Office said that a structure fire was reported Sunday at 4:47 p.m. in the 800 block of Hull. Domestic violence services ending in Vermillion The Hull Fire Department arrived to the scene to find the back porch engulfed in flames. No one was injured, the release said. However, there was a significant amount of fire and smoke damage to the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hull Ambulance, Rock Valley Fire Department and the Sioux County Sheriffs Office assisted the Hull 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. The "big, beautiful bill" approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in a late-night vote in February included a tease for U.S. workers: seeking $4.5 trillion in tax breaks. Eliminating taxes on overtime was one of several popular promises made by President Trump on the campaign trail, which included not only no taxes on overtime pay, but also no taxes on tips and no taxes on Social Security benefits. While the resolution seeks $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts over the next 10 years, what it does not have is any policy or bill to end taxes on tips, overtime wages and Social Security benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what is happening and what it might mean to you. Trump: Eliminating taxes for overtime provides incentive for people to work During his campaign, Trump said he would support legislation to eliminate taxes on overtime pay, saying it could provide more people with the incentive to work. "The people who work overtime are among the hardest working citizens in our country and for too long, no one in Washington has been looking out for them," he said during a rally in September 2024. Then-Vice President-elect JD Vance also said in September 2024, both income and payroll taxes would be eliminated on overtime pay for hourly workers. No taxes on overtime? Does that mean more money for workers? Without taxes on overtime, workers have the potential to take home more of their total pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most employees who work more than 40 hours in a seven-day workweek must be paid overtime. Overtime pay must be at least 1.5 times the employee's regular hourly rate. Overtime pay in most cases is not required for hours worked over eight in a single day, however. What is Florida law for overtime pay? Florida's overtime laws are based on the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires non-exempt employees be paid overtime for working more than 40 hours in a work week. To calculate overtime, regular pay is multiplied by at least 1.5. On Jan. 1, most salaried workers who make less than $1,128 per week (or $58,656 per year) became eligible for overtime pay. Can no taxes on overtime pay really happen? Trump hasnt provided many details, and the House budget plan does not include specific language about removing taxes on overtime pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, the budget resolution actually is a blueprint to guide Congressional action on budget-related legislation and does not provide funding for federal programs or change tax law, according to the Congressional Budget Office Passing the House budget resolution is one of the first steps for Trumps tax-cut priorities, which include extending his 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security benefits, according to Reuters. However, many people, including firefighters, police officers, and military personnel who often earn additional income working overtime, could benefit if a plan is implemented, said Lisa Greene-Lewis, CPA and TurboTax expert. Certified public accountant Richard Pon told USA TODAY the proposal will likely be abused. Some (people) get overtime at double or even triple time so there will be an incentive for employers, including business owners, to classify their income as overtime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In previous interviews, Trump has said his plan would include unspecified "guardrails" that could limit these behavioral effects. Senate approves its own budget plan. Now it's time for Congress to compromise on final plan The House narrowly passed in a 217-215 vote its budget plan, but it doesn't mean it goes into effect immediately. The Senate approved a competing resolution earlier in the month and now a compromise bill needs to be worked out, a process that in the past has taken so long it causes a government shutdown. Would the government lose money by not taxing overtime? The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated not taxing overtime would reduce government revenue by $250 billion to $1.4 trillion and by $1 trillion to $5 trillion if all workers eligible for the tax cut switched to hourly, according to a report from September. Contributing: Joyce Orlando, Medora Lee, Maria Francis, USA Today Network This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Overtime tax continues. Here's what Trump said; Florida rules NORTH AUGUSTA, SC. (WJBF) North Augusta City Council held its second reading on Monday on Ordinance 2025-05, but others came out worried about the traffic these new developments could bring. The council paused issuing permits and approvals for new multifamily developments, like apartments and subdivisions. It was assured that this will not affect apartments that are part of planned developments like the Hive, Riverside Village, and The Parker since they have been approved. However, it will affect future standalone apartment complexes and multifamily dwellings, allowing them to have a plan to see what fits best into North Augusta. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But people who came out for the meeting are more worried about traffic, which these developments like the Hive could bring to an already congested area. Right now, if youre coming off old plantation road trying to get down to Martintown road, it looks like youre playing frogger, said George Stickler, North Augusta Resident. The traffic coming up the hill to the gas station coming off I20, and theyre doing probably 50,55 miles an hour, and then once they come around the corner by Hammond pine going towards I20, its like a free for all They had their first vote on Ordinance 2025-08 to approve the general development plan for the Hive on the east side of West Martintown Road between Knobcone Avenue and I 20. Youre right, we are aware theres some challenges were going to have to address, said Mayor Briton Williams, North Augusta. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor said there are plans to have a light at Knobcone Road to help with traffic flow. People I spoke to hope they continue listening to the community members concerns. I hope that they keep listening to the people on the West side of Martintown road and take that into consideration for when they start timing the lights, said Stickler. The second reading for the commercial development on the east side of West Martintown Road will be at the next council meeting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. North Carolina lawmakers are considering legislation to permit the investment of state funds in cryptocurrencies. (Photo illustration by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) North Carolinas treasurer could invest state dollars into Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies under a bill being considered in the House. House Bill 92, backed by House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell), would expand the states portfolio to include a range of digital assets. The state treasurer Brad Briner, a Republican could invest up to 10% of state funds in those assets if he chooses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The whole investment field has changed over the last few years, Rep. Stephen Ross (R-Alamance), a co-sponsor of the bill, told members of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee on Tuesday. Over the last ten years, this has gone mainstream. Under the bill, the state could not directly invest into a specific currency. Rather, the money could be put in the crypto equivalent of mutual funds. And although the bill outlines a range of eligible digital assets including stablecoins and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) it specifies that the invested assets must have a market cap of over $750 billion, effectively limiting it to Bitcoin. That takes away any risk involved in trying to invest in some small, off the wall cryptocurrency, said Ross. A staffer for Briner signaled his offices support for the legislation during a committee hearing Tuesday, saying it was in line with (Briners) principles for how he wants to run the department. Briners predecessor, Dale Folwell, offered a much more conservative approach to pension fund investments. But committee members on both sides of the aisle expressed some skepticism about the proposal and asked to displace the bill and hear directly from the state treasurer before taking any votes a plea to which committee co-chair, Rep. John Sauls (R- Lee), agreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont understand as clearly as I wish I did to make a good decision, said Rep. Julia Howard (R-Davie), who also serves as senior chair of the House Finance Committee. Ive tried to get my arms around, what is this stuff? Where is it? Wheres it come from? And apparently more is being created, and supply and demand is going to affect the price, said Rep. John Blust (R-Guilford) in sharing his own confusion about the industry. Republican sponsors have touted the legislation as an opportunity to improve gains for the states pension fund. A representative for the State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC) pushed back on that assertion, saying it could damage benefits for workers. Asking people who are directly affected to trust this type of investment is a stretch right now, said SEANC lobbyist Flint Benson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple Democrats also voiced opposition to the bill. Rep. Bryan Cohn (D-Granville) said he had invested in some digital assets, but warned against the states involvement. I believe this industry is too immature for the state of North Carolina to put its assets into any fund, Cohn said. Legislators across the U.S. push crypto bills Halls proposal is among a new national crop of pro-crypto legislation as lawmakers on the state and federal levels look for ways to tap into the industry. Investing in digital assets like Bitcoin not only has the potential to generate positive yields for our state investment fund but also positions North Carolina as a leader in technological adoption & innovation, Hall said in a February statement introducing the bill. North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) speaks to reporters after the legislative sessions opening day on Jan. 8, 2025. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline) President Donald Trump has embraced the issue, saying Sunday he wanted the U.S. to purchase and hold crypto assets as part of a strategic reserve. And he has aligned himself closely with tech leaders who have been among the most vocal advocates of crypto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those advocates have touted crypto as both a versatile currency of the future, and an investment opportunity divorced from government and institutional control. They point to major, decade-long growth of top currencies, like Bitcoin. (BTCs price sits at around $83,000; its market cap totals $1.56 trillion.) Skeptics and opponents have warned that the industry is historically volatile, poorly regulated and heavy on energy usage. The 2022 collapse of major crypto exchange FTX and subsequent jailing of its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried is a top exhibit for those arguments. The new bill is not North Carolina lawmakers first venture into crypto legislation. Last year, the General Assembly passed a bill banning the state from accepting payments using central bank digital currencies. Those currencies are similar to crypto, but have a fixed value tied to a central bank. Theyve yet to be established in the U.S. Former Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the bill, arguing that it was premature, but was overridden by the GOP-led legislature. (WGHP) The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency has claimed millions in savings from terminating federal office leases in North Carolina alone, according to data provided on the departments website. DOGE, as the department is called, was created by President Donald Trump with input from billionaire Elon Musk, though Musk does not technically work for DOGE, in order to cut government spending. It has been busy at work slashing jobs and funding across a huge swath of the federal government, impacting everyone from NOAA weather researchers to local Veterans Affairs offices. It touts billions of dollars in savings from these cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Available data indicate that the termination of leases held by the federal government across the nation are part of the calculated savings, including 20 buildings that were held here in North Carolina. You can view the full list of North Carolina's terminated leases here: Ultimately, DOGE touts that terminated leases in North Carolina will save the government $3,414,203 dollars, with locations here in the Triad totaling $978,749. The largest facility in North Carolina to be impacted is the Nature Resources Conservation Commission in Greensboro, a 30,123-square-foot facility, followed in a distant second by the IRS office in Wilmington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts and critics have pointed out that the department's claims that DOGE has saved the government $65 billion to date is murky and hard to verify, according to reporting from NPR. DOGE has been accused of inflating or misrepresenting the savings by including money no longer being spent on contracts that have already been completed or terminated. The full nationwide list of leases reportedly terminated by DOGE can be seen below: It is unclear if any of the lease terminations represented in DOGE's "wall of receipts" also represent layoffs at those locations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina state Senate Republicans advanced a disaster recovery measure Tuesday to direct $533 million in additional spending to meet still-pressing needs from Hurricane Helenes historic flooding and destruction last fall, but it also locates more relief funding for earlier storms. The legislation that cleared the Senate's budget-writing committee is wider in scope than a $500 million relief package approved unanimously last week by the House that focused on Helene's destruction in western North Carolina. Spending provisions within the Senate proposal locates an additional $217 million to complete lingering home construction projects for victims of Hurricanes Matthew in 2016 and Florence in 2018 in eastern North Carolina. The package also lays the groundwork to assist farmers who suffered agricultural losses last year not just from Helene but also from drought and tornadoes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We feel that we need to move with urgency to get this bill across the finish line, said Sen. Brent Jackson, a Senate Appropriations Committee chairman. Citizens across all our 100 counties faced disasters in 2024. A Senate floor vote on the chamber's bill was expected Wednesday. While House Republicans also are advancing agricultural assistance and Matthew and Florence relief in other measures, top House and Senate leaders later Tuesday said they believed they could agree upon a final supplemental disaster relief bill quickly possibly by the end of the week then send it to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein's desk. Everybody wants the same thing to get people help, said state Rep. John Bell, who has been shepherding the House's $500 million measure. Last month, Stein offered his own $1.07 billion proposal for additional Helene relief. The amount would double the money already appropriated or made available by the General Assembly for Helene recovery activities since late last year. But GOP legislators seek to spend less now, saying they want to be careful about maximizing federal matching funds and avoiding mistakes after previous storms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Carolina state officials reported over 100 deaths from Helene, which caused a record $59.6 billion in damages and recovery needs. More than five months later, over 5,700 households in western counties are still receiving temporary housing assistance and more than 200 public roads in the region remain closed or just partially opened, according to state data. Legislative leaders and Stein agree that more money will be allocated for Helene relief later this year in the state budget because the needs are so great, even with billions arriving from Washington. The underlying message I want to leave with people is were making progress but its just a start, Stein said of Helene recovery at the monthly meeting of statewide elected officials earlier Tuesday. This work is long term and its going to be hard, and we all have to be there together. Like the House legislation, the Senate proposal emphasizes repairs for damaged homes, private bridges and roads, assistance to farmers and rebuilding infrastructure adjacent to small businesses. The Senate plan omits a House provision that would allow $15 million to go to nonprofit organizations that could then offer grants to small businesses. Stein and fellow Democrats have pleaded for direct grants to help businesses already weighed down with loans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate plan does provide money although not as much as Stein sought for local school districts that closed for many weeks due to Helene to offer summer school instruction. The House plan left out the program. Republican lawmakers have been angry with delays in the Florence and Matthew housing reconstruction program, which was created by then-Gov. Roy Cooper's administration and funded with federal dollars. While about 3,300 home construction projects have been completed through the state Office of Recovery and Resiliency, state funds are now needed to complete another 1,000 that remain in various stages of construction. Office leaders blamed the delays on the COVID-19 pandemic, rising construction costs, labor shortages and ultimately management mistakes. The agency's chief operating officer left her job in November. Both the Senate measure and a separate House bill also approved Tuesday in another committee provides the $217 million, but each bill requires significant monitoring and oversight requirements in how its spent. Language in both bills would ultimately shut down the Office of Recovery and Resiliency. Steins administration is handling Helene-related home reconstruction through a new agency. In late February, hackers breached the Dubai-based Bybit, one of the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchanges, and stole about $1.5 billion of Ethereum. It was the largest hack in cryptos Bitcoin. Specifically, the firm builds open-source software that companies like Bybit use to create online wallets to store their crypto. The wallets are akin to bank vaults that need multiple keys to be unlocked. Bybit used Safe to safeguard at least $1.5 billion of Ethereum, the worlds second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. Any time an employee from Bybit wanted to move the exchanges Ethereum to another location, he or she signed into Safes website. Because Safes software is open-source, the company and Bybit had no formal business relationship, Stefan George, one of the original developers behind Safes technology, told Fortune. Malware download Even as Bybit was placing stores of Ethereum in Safes digital vault, North Koreas group of elite hackers lay in wait, watching their moves. They prepared it over a very long period of time, like definitely more than a month probably many months, George said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then they pounced. The Safe team has about 30 engineers, and a handful of them are sys admins, or system administrators. Sys admins are senior developers who are able to update Safes live website and code. North Korean hackers targeted one admin in what was likely a phishing attack, George said, probably by tricking them into downloading an application or divulging personal info. The FBI has called the tactic North Korean hackers use TraderTraitor. George wouldnt disclose any more details about how a Safe employee was tricked, citing an ongoing investigation. Site update After hackers duped the Safe system admin, they used their access to the persons controls to download malware to the developers machine, which gave North Korea control over the admins computer, George said. From there, hackers updated Safes website with a snippet of code designed exclusively for Bybit, like a virus that activates when in contact with the right host. In late February, the dormant code detected that a Bybit employee had opened its Safe account and was about to authorize a transaction. At the last moment, hackers swapped in a new command to drain Bybits crypto holdings. The employee unknowingly authorized the command, and North Korea was suddenly flush with $1.5 billion in crypto. Two minutes after the heist, Safes website was updated to hide the hackers tracks and erase the code snippet, according to a security investigation Bybit commissioned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation into how North Korea compromised a Safe developers computer is still ongoing, George told Fortune. Goldberg, the CEO of Chaos Labs, told Fortune that the hack of Bybit is indicative of a broader problem in software. The vast majority of programmers use code from other programmers, who reference apps built by yet another batch of developers. We're building on houses of cards, and you know what you build, he said. You dont know whats going on underneath. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Last week, a group of hackers reportedly backed by North Korea pulled off what has been determined to be the biggest heist in history. According to a report from The Independent, hackers stole about $1.46 billion worth of digital currency from Bybit, one of the world's most popular crypto exchanges. In a matter of minutes, the hackers funneled the money across the internet to anonymous wallets, marking the biggest heist of any kind in history. Previously, the largest theft of all time was widely believed to have been carried out by Saddam Hussein when he stole nearly $1 billion from the Iraqi Central Bank on the eve of the 2003 Iraq War. This heist was worth nearly $500 million more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lazarus Group, which has been linked to North Korea since its inception in 2009, is believed to be behind the theft as the strategies used closely mimicked attacks the group has carried out in the past. As one security expert pointed out, the Lazarus Group made use of a loophole in the Bybit security system. A security system is only as strong as its weakest link. In Bybits case, there was a security loophole when Ledger [a hardware wallet] and Safe{Wallet} [a digital wallet app] were used together, Shahar Madar, vice president of security and trust at blockchain platform Fireblocks, told The Independent. Hackers likely used malware to secretly modify what users saw on the Safe{Wallet} interface. Users thought they were approving a normal transaction, when in reality, they were approving a different, manipulated one. Ledger required users to approve transactions without showing full details (known as 'blind signing'). This meant users couldnt see what they were actually approving, making it easy for hackers to trick them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While cryptocurrency uses blockchain to provide a record of every transaction, the hackers used a process called "layering," quickly moving funds from wallet to wallet to help conceal their transaction record, giving them time to liquidate the assets before they were caught. North Korea's Lazarus Group is the most sophisticated and well-resourced launderer of cryptoassets in existence, continually adapting its techniques to evade identification and seizure of stolen assets, blockchain analytics firm Elliptic wrote in a blog post . The transparency of blockchains means that this transaction trail can be followed, but these layering tactics can complicate the tracing process, buying the launderers valuable time to cash-out the assets. While some of the assets have already been seized, the massive scale of the theft made it difficult for authorities to local all the stolen assets. North Korea could have more nuclear weapons than the UK by 2035 thanks to technical assistance from Russia, analysts have warned. The country currently has an arsenal of around 50 nuclear warheads but that could surge to 300 within a decade as Russia pays back Kim Jong-un for the troops that Pyongyang sent to fight the war against Ukraine. North Korea could very probably already detonate a nuclear weapon over a US city and its alliance with Moscow means that it is only going to increase its offensive capabilities, according to Ankit Panda, an expert on North Koreas development of nuclear weapons at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Panda told Radio Free Asia: The area where I think the Russians can really help them is with guidance computers, cruise missile manoeuvring, cruise missile control and potentially even countermeasures. He added that this would just improve the reliability of North Koreas manufacturing standards for missile systems. Mutual vulnerability Mr Panda said it is likely that Kim, the North Korean dictator, will continue to modernise and expand his nuclear forces to reach a condition of mutual vulnerability, whereby Kim feels sufficiently confident that in a crisis the US and its South Korean ally will not be able to eliminate all his nuclear weapons. To reach that level of stable deterrent, Mr Panda said it will mean an increase from the estimated 50 warheads that Kim presently possesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Panda said: I think by the mid-2030s, we might be looking at a North Korea with 300-plus nuclear warheads. In comparison, the UK is believed to have 225 warheads at present, France has around 290 and the US approximately 5,800. Russia is the greatest nuclear power at present, with some 6,375 weapons, but China is understood to be investing heavily in nuclear weapons. Mr Panda added that Moscow is also probably cooperating with Pyongyang in the area of space launch technologies, which would give the North greater satellite reconnaissance capabilities. He added: I think the Russians will be very, very eager to help the North Koreans out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The analysis coincides with Rafael Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, accusing the North of carrying out enrichment of uranium at two facilities, which would be a clear breach of UN Security Council resolutions. In a statement to the board of the agency in Vienna on Monday, Mr Grossi said work is continuing at the Kangson plant near Pyongyang and at Yongbyon, to the north of the capital. He added that a light water reactor at Yongbyon also appears to be operating and that further development of the site has been observed. In January, Kim visited the previously undeclared enrichment facility at the Kangson complex and demanded that scientists over-fulfil the plan for producing weapons-grade nuclear materials. In Europe, governments have requested that Britain and France replace the nuclear umbrella that was, until recently, provided by the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Friedrich Merz, the incoming German chancellor, has said that Europe needs to ensure its independence from Donald Trumps America as he increasingly sides with Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, over the future of Ukraine. 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. Mar. 3GRAND FORKS Area Democrats elected new leadership Saturday while reporting record turnout during the biennial meeting. The Northern Valley Democratic-NPL elected new party chairs for three of the five North Dakota districts represented by the group, chair Sarah Grossbauer told the Herald. More than 140 people attended Saturday's meeting, which Grossbauer said was the highest turnout for the meeting she'd seen in her time with the party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attendance at "reorganization" meetings is usually closer to 80, she said. "People we've never engaged before were getting engaged," Grossbauer said. "It was really powerful to see that people are willing to step up and push back on what's going on in our state and nationally." In North Dakota, Democrats and Republicans are required by state law to hold party caucuses in each legislative district and elect leaders every two years. Democrats in five legislative districts in and around Grand Forks districts 17, 18, 20, 42 and 43 hold these reorganization meetings all at once, under the banner of the Northern Valley Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Catherine Benton was elected as the Democratic chair of District 17, while Kyle Thorson was elected chair for District 18 and Mark Patterson was elected to chair District 43. District 20 Chair Phyllis Kadrmas and District 42 Chair Melissa Gjelltad retained their respective seats. Among the Northern Valley districts, Democrats currently hold one seat in the Legislature, the District 43 House seat occupied by Minority Leader Zac Ista. Grand Forks' GOP leadership does not appear to have scheduled reorganization meetings for their district parties yet. Unlike the Democrats, local Republicans hold their district caucuses separately, according to Bruce Gjovig, who chairs District 18 Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gjovig said his district party had not yet scheduled a meeting and he was unaware of any other GOP district leader scheduling their caucus. A review of public notices in the Herald and on the North Dakota Newspaper Association's public notice database did not turn up notices for caucuses issued by GOP district parties in the last two months. District parties are required by law to provide 10 days' public notice of a planned caucus in a local newspaper. Gjovig said his caucus is looking for a weekend in March or April to hold a reorganization meeting, "where all the legislators can be here" amid the legislative session. Legislative district parties must hold their caucus by May 15, under state law. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) With severe weather coming in, counties in Northwest Arkansas are looking to stay ahead and make sure theyre prepared if and when the danger strikes. Melody Kwok with Benton County said the emergency management team proactively approaches potential severe weather, keeping contact with the National Weather Service, bringing in extra personnel, and keeping first responders on standby. As the weather moves in, we have our emergency crews on standby. We will bring in extra dispatchers if we think that the need is there, said Kwok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to preparing for storms, it is a team effort no matter what county youre in. Washington County released a statement about their preparation status for the severe weather, showing how many teams go into being ready for whatever comes their way. The statement said: Our Department of Emergency Management, Road Department, and all our partner agencies; Fire, EMS, and law enforcement prepare for response to severe weather events. We have prepped all our relevant equipment and are prepared for whatever outcomes this line of storms brings. Washington County Communications Director Tad Sours Benton and Washington counties expressed their Departments of Emergency Management are up for the task, especially after last years Memorial Day tornadoes caused extensive damage in the Benton County area. We have always prepared for severe weather, but after the May tornadoes, were just making things a little more heightened, said Kwok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rogers City Council deems Waffle Hut a public hazard This includes an updated dispatch center and two additional locations that can serve as Emergency Operation Centers. We can bring in county officials, we can bring in our EMS, we can bring in our city officials and just have that be a hub in case of emergency, Kwok said. However, the level of teamwork doesnt end at county borders. We dispatch for over 30 agencies. So we have quite a lot of ground to cover. And then we also can pull assistance from Bentonville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Washington County, said Kwok. During the May tornadoes, Kwok said that they were getting hundreds of calls every hour, with several calls being rolled over to those partner agencies due to an overload of the countys system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the counties look to stay as ready as possible, Kwok said Benton County has also taken time to make sure its residents are well aware of the impacts of severe weather. Were also doing a bigger, stronger push for safety in Benton County. Its going to continue this week, but its going to be the whole season, said Kwok, And, were just constantly going to be sharing tips and pushing for people to please be prepared because the more prepared you are, the safer that youre going to be. Benton County suggests several ways you can be severe weather prepared: Make an emergency preparedness kit: This includes things you may not think you need outside of just food and water to last up to three days, such as games for kids, medication, and a leash for your pets. Register your storm shelter: You can register your shelter through the countys emergency management website. By doing this, first responders will know to clear debris where your shelter is located in the case of storm damage and potential entrapment. Get the weather reporting system: This is an alert system through Benton County that will give you notifications through email, call or text about the weather you should be aware of. Secure a second way to get notified of the weather: Getting something like a battery-operated weather radio provides a beneficial way to get those updates if you lose power or your phone is dead. Remember that tornado sirens are meant to warn people outside, not those inside. Find your safe space following D.U.C.K.: Go DOWN to the lowest level, get UNDER something, COVER your head, and KEEP in shelter and away from windows and large objects Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information on how you can be weather prepared, visit the Benton County website or the Washington County 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 KNWA FOX24. Norwich A 40-year-old Norwich man was charged Tuesday for spray painting swastikas at several locations across the city last month. David Dionne, of 93 Briar Lane, is charged with breach of peace and third-degree criminal mischief, Norwich police said Tuesday. Police said investigators used surveillance video and interviews to find out who spray-painted swastikas on Route 82-Salem Turnpike and on banners hung from the I-395 highway overpass at Exit 11 on Feb. 21. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A large swastika was painted in black with the word TRUMP in white block letters under it on Old Salem Turnpike at the intersection with Route 82. Photos were posted on social media of the image, and a concerned citizen sent a photo to city officials. The Beth Jacob Synagogue and offices for the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut are located nearby on New London Turnpike. City police are still seeking information about this incident and can be reached at 860-886-5561. "Beyond the intangible value of honoring the dignity of those served, the economics of long-term care are a positive in the Granite State, with the nations second-oldest population." (Getty Images) In a speech given last year on the elderly, Pope Francis quoted Psalm 71:9: Do not cast me off in my old age. Too often with the elderly, he noted, we lose sight of the value of each individual and people are then judged in terms of their cost, which is in some cases considered too high to pay. Devaluation of the elderly occurs in budget decisions at the state and federal levels. Longevity carries a price. I see this in my own work with facility-based care and through that of my wife, who works in home health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, beyond the intangible value of honoring the dignity of those served, the economics of long-term care are a positive in the Granite State, with the nations second-oldest population. It is estimated that long-term care facilities in New Hampshire generate over $2 billion in economic activity. And home health is estimated to have a total impact of $329 million on state labor income, a figure that will only grow as our population ages, though, with home health, it is also important to acknowledge all the unpaid support provided by family members. You can see this economic impact everywhere. The two nursing homes in the small town of Milford, for example, paid $108,033 in property taxes in 2023, while employing 87 people full time. They also were among the nursing homes that paid over $40 million that year in what is called the Nursing Facility Quality Assessment (NFQA), which is a way to draw additional federal funds to the state to fund nursing home care. Yet the future is very challenging. A 2017 New Hampshire Employment Security report found that around 8,000 workers had been employed by nursing homes as of 2014 data, and rosily projected this New Hampshire workforce would grow by 24.5 percent, adding over 3,700 new jobs by 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, chronic Medicaid reimbursement shortfalls, coupled with a competing red-hot service economy unconstrained by Medicaids limitations, had already combined to reduce the states nursing home workforce to 6,412 workers by February 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June 2024 data, even that pre-pandemic number had not been recovered, and our states 74 nursing homes had only 5,911 workers. This workforce atrophy has occurred even as federal data shows that wages for nonsupervisory workers in nursing and residential care facilities have risen 35% since the pandemic started. Far from being competitors, home health and facility-based care are interconnected. My wife, for example, has had three home health clients enter nursing home care. And, upon rehabilitation from injury or sickness, nursing homes very often discharge patients into home health care. In New Hampshire the relationship between the sectors has been collaborative, with joint efforts to improve Medicaid funding for all. And that paid off in the current biennial budget, with years of funding neglect partly made up for with a historic Medicaid investment. Alas, instead of continuing that progress I fear we might retreat. The state budget is challenged by a revenue shortfall and the cost of new initiatives. At the federal level, it makes my blood boil to hear U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana refer dismissively to Medicaid as hugely problematic because it has a lot of fraud, waste, and abuse, citing an unsubstantiated figure less than one-seventeenth of what his budget framework might cut. Reportedly, under some pretext of abuse, his caucus wants to attack vital, longstanding Medicaid funding mechanisms like our NFQA, and similar ones that benefit hospitals and, in our state, county nursing homes. Federal cuts to Medicaid would be wildly unpopular. Polling shows only 19% of Americans think we spend too much on Medicaid. Similarly, Granite Staters are not likely to be sanguine about state Medicaid funding neglect that imperils access to quality long-term care. In this perfect storm of uncertainty for anxious long-term care providers and recipients alike, let us hope the admonition of Psalm 71:9 prevails among federal and state policymakers. Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, speaks on the Senate floor March 4, 2025, in Charleston, W.Va. (Will Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography) Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, one of two Democrats in the Senate, is calling out Gov. Patrick Morrisey, claiming the governor is telling Republican Senators to vote down any amendments sponsored by Democrats. Its an overreach of power, Woelfel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are separate, co-equal branches of government. Were not some errand boys and girls for people downstairs, Woelfel, D-Cabell, said Tuesday on the Senate floor. We are all here to work for the common good of the people of the state of West Virginia. Woelfels comments follow some House of Delegates members complaints that Morrisey has taken a heavy-handed and at times threatening approach to getting his policy priorities through the legislature. Theres a virus that is spreading in this building, and Im going to stop it, Woelfel said. In response, Drew Galang, deputy press secretary for Morrisey, told West Virginia Watch that, The governor has never told the Legislature to vote against Democrat policies, although thats probably sound advice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woelfel called Galangs response childlike and a lie. His fiery comments to Senators followed a committee meeting where lawmakers discussed a measure that would create a universal professional and occupational licensing reciprocity in West Virginia. The bill was requested by Morrisey, and Woelfel said his proposed amendment wasnt considered due to interference from the governor. We have always been respected in this chamber. Our amendments have been respected, you win some, you lose some No hard feelings, Woelfel said. Senate President Randy Smith told the Parkersburg News and Sentinel that he was unaware of any pressure coming from Morriseys office regarding Democrats amendments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just talked to a couple of my committee chairs, and they said that no one has contacted them, said Smith, R-Preston. Woelfel also acknowledged that Smith and other senators werent to blame for the pressure. Gov. [Jim] Justice left us in a pile of crap, it was not a rocket ship ride, Woelfel said. I respect the new governor. I want to work with the new governor, but the people of West Virginia are in dire straits, and we have no wiggle room for Washington politics. Morriseys legislative-session-governing style is different from his predecessor Justice, whose absenteeism at the Capitol largely left lawmakers to set their own priorities. The GOP-heavy Legislature last year didnt pass Justices key piece of legislation, a gender definition bill dubbed the Womens Bill of Rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, Morrisey has been seen physically present in the Capitol during the session and working behind the scenes. His approach has ruffled feathers, particularly in the House, after representatives from Morriseys office allegedly threatened Republican lawmakers with primaries if they didnt get behind the governors push to repeal the states Certificate of Need health care law. The House of Delegates Health Committee voted down Morriseys Certificate of Need repeal bill, in part, because of Morriseys heavy-handed push in the whole thing. While several House members maintain that the governors office made a delegate cry while trying to force votes, Morrisey denies their accusations, saying hes still hopeful the bill can make it through. Woelfel said that should Morriseys interference continue in the Senate, he will request that the Senate Clerk read full bill texts on the Senate floor beginning Monday. Lawmakers usually hear a summary of the bill before voting instead of hearing what could be hundreds of pages of legislation read in full. If I have the perception we are going to have two classes of Senators the Ds and the Rs then were going to read bills on Monday, and were going to read bills every day, Woelfel said. Im going to need assurances not from anyone in this chamber that were going to have a government for all West Virginians. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE At 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, the United States plans to move forward with levying taxes against Mexico and Canada. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] President Donald Trump claimed last week that the move was a response to the two countries not doing enough to stop the flow of illegal drugs and migrants into the United States. However, economists are worried about the impact of the tariffs and the recent economic policy at home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that the tariffs that are going to come into effect on Tuesday are going to play a huge role in our economic expectations moving forward, economist and Emory professor Tom Smith said. Those tariffs are going to absolutely be met with retaliatory tariffs. The tariffs also come after the Department of Labor released its weekly report on unemployment claims, showing the numbers jumped around 20,000 people higher than expected. The unemployment rate is one of these best barometers of our economy condition, Smith said. When you get a number that is quite different from anticipated, thats what sets the alarms off. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, while numbers are up nationally, in Georgia, the numbers paint a different picture. The report found initial unemployment claims were slightly down from the previous week. The number of continued claims seems nearly identical to where they were a year ago. I think Georgia has been insulated because our industry mix is so diverse, and our economy is very robust, Smith said. Smith warns that recent layoffs at places like the CDC may not be reflected in the current numbers. Also, he believes it may take weeks, if not months, to understand the impact of tariffs on Georgia businesses. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] (Photo by Daniel Pierce Wright/Getty Images) When Rep. Susie Lee, a Democrat from Nevada, attends President Donald Trumps address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, shell be paying close attention to what the President doesnt say in his address, which is how kids with disabilities will suffer without special education programs while billionaires get tax breaks. Lee, who routinely prides herself for her bipartisanship, is hoping to stick it to Trump by bringing along Michelle Alejandra Booth, an education advocate and mother of an autistic child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevada received $97.2 million in federal funding for more than 67,000 special needs students in the last fiscal year, according to Lee, who said in a news release that Trumps cuts would devastate special education programs in Nevada. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), like Lee, is focusing on Trumps threatened cuts to education funding and bringing Jason Shipman, principal of a high-achieving school for low-income students in Sparks, to Trumps speech. As schools across the country face the potential cuts to critical federal funding, I wont abandon our educators, she said in a news release. Im proud to work with Nevada leaders like Principal Shipman to ensure our students have everything they need to thrive. Cortez Masto says shell be looking for Trump to put his money where his mouth is I want to hear real plans for how he is going to lower costs for families. In the first month of Trumps second term, she said in a statement, families have seen their cost-of-living skyrocket, and new taxes on food, energy, and cars are on the horizon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Jacky Rosen announced Monday shell bring Dominic Rampa, a Las Vegas resident who has relied on Medicaid since he was a child to pay for treatments for genetic disorders, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions. Hell be accompanied by his mother, Rebecca Ennis. Without Medicaid, Rampa would lose the health care coverage he needs to live, which at a minimum comes out to around $200,000 per year, the news release said. More than 350,000 children are enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP in Nevada. Rep. Dina Titus, a Democrat, did not respond to the Currents request for comments. Rep. Mark Amodei, a Republican, also did not respond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Democrats, according to news reports, are planning to be accompanied by veterans and others recently severed from their federal government jobs by Elon Musks figurative chainsaw, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Unlike 2017, when Democrats viewed Trumps electoral college victory as an aberration, and used his address to Congress as a platform to voice their resistance, 2025 presents a new challenge how to wave the progressive flag in the face of a majority electorate that voted, with eyes wide open, for Trump. The president is on a mission to wreak chaos and cruelty, says U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, a Democrat from Nevada. A part of it is to distract us while they work on their tax giveaway scam for the rich and the billionaires. But its also to dismantle the very institutions whether its education, health care, or our Veterans Affairs system that so many people rely on, Horsford said when asked about Trumps endgame. Hes about tearing it down, and he does not care, because for him, this is about doing one thing giving tax breaks to himself, Elon Musk and the billionaire friends who were in the front row of his inauguration and to whom he has all but abdicated our federal Government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week the House of Representatives voted by a slim margin of 217-215 in favor of Trumps budget resolution to gut government spending. The House Republican budget is a Screw America plan that will devastate essential health services, including Medicaid in Nevada, Horsford said during an interview Monday. It not only cuts $2 trillion on the backs of working people, the most vulnerable, it increases the deficit over $4 trillion to do what? To leave us carrying the bag and give tax breaks to big corporations, tech tycoons, and billionaires. That is the Donald Trump way. Billionaire wealth increased by $1.4 trillionor $3.9 billion per dayin the U.S. alone in 2024, and 74 more people became billionaires, according to OXFAM International, a global organization dedicated to ending poverty and injustice. Horsford said Monday that hell be accompanied to Trumps speech by Yolanda Garcia, a Las Vegas hospitality worker who earned $2.13 as a subminimum wage employee before moving to Nevada, where the practice of paying tipped earners less than non-tipped workers is illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is a Jim Crow-era policy from post-slavery, and 70% of those workers are women and people of color, Horsford said, adding Garcia can speak to how life changing it is to escape the poverty trap of being paid a subminimum wage, a practice endured by some 6 million tip earners in 29 states. These employers are actually skimming off of these workers by not paying them a livable wage. Unlike Trumps no tax on tips bill, which would deliver a modest savings of about $35 a week to about 60% of tipped earners, Horsfords bill seeks to also eliminate subminimum wages. I believe women and all people deserve to get paid a livable wage, and that one job should be enough, he said, adding that employers are actually skimming off of these workers by not paying them a livable wage. His bill, he adds, has guardrails so that millionaires cant cheat the system. Horsford is one of two Democrats to serve on the Department of Government Efficiency caucus, a position he says he volunteered for in order to ward off debates on cuts to Medicare, Social Security, and more recently, Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I chose to participate so that I could be in the room and defend my constituents from those cuts, Horsford said. Elon Musk is an unelected bureaucrat who is trying to get richer off of the American taxpayer, and his actions around the mass firings are illegal. The data breach, the largest in U.S. history, is illegal. And the dismantling of federal agencies, and unilaterally deciding what grants or contracts to pay or not is illegal. Horsford says Democrats are working within the Congress and with groups outside to use the legal process to hold him and his hackers accountable for their illegal activity. He says he still has faith in the judicial system. As for the DOGE caucus, which has met twice, Horsford says hell begin the search for fraud with Elon Musks (government) contracts, and corporate subsidies to Big Oil and Big Pharma. The New York State Police said Monday they have opened an investigation into the death of a Harlem man in an upstate prison following a reported altercation Saturday with correction officers as the now 14-day old wildcat guards strike continued. Messiah Nantwi, 22, was serving a five-year sentence at Mid-State Correctional Facility for a gun possession conviction stemming from a 2021 shootout with police. His was the fifth death that has taken place during the strike. Nine inmates alleged to the New York Times that Nantwi was beaten by a team of correction officers as members of the National Guard deployed to the prison during the strike watched. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement by the state police came Monday afternoon, raising the possibility that criminal charges could eventually be filed. Earlier, state Correction Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said he had placed 11 officers involved on administrative leave. Any death in custody is certainly a tragedy, Martuscello said, declining further comment. Gov. Hochul called the case deeply troubling and was analyzing the early reports. The actual cause of death is not known, but it is my highest priority to get to the bottom of this and find out exactly what happened, she said. Advocates immediately drew parallels between Nantwis death and that of Robert Brooks, who was beaten to death allegedly by officers Dec. 9 in an incident at Marcy Correctional Facility that was caught on video. Ten officers have been indicted for Brooks death, including six on murder charges. Marcy and Mid-State are located in sight of each other in Marcy, N.Y., 200 miles from the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stan German of the public defender organization that represented Nantwi in criminal cases said Nantwis dysfunctional violent upbringing left him with significant mental health challenges but an unbroken spirit. New York States Department of Corrections has been allowed to descend into a state of perfect corruption, one replete with disdain for human life, said German, executive director of New York County Defender Services. True, he was incarcerated, but he was still entitled like all of us, to basic human dignity and safety. Instead he suffered a violent senseless death at the hands of state corrections officers. In addition to the gun conviction, Nantwi was also facing a pending murder charge in Manhattan for the gang-related shooting death of Jaylen Duncan, 19, in Harlem in April 2023. The murder spawned the retaliatory killing of a 26-year-old man by a rival gang, the Manhattan DAs office said in October. In February 2021, Nantwi was in a gunfight with cops who had caught him spray-painting graffiti on a wall in the Bronx. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sergeant and two officers tried to arrest him and a second man. As his accomplice fled, Nantwi allegedly turned and fired three shots with a .22-caliber pistol. The officer fired 31 times, striking Nantwi multiple times. He was treated at Lincoln Hospital and survived. He was later released after posting $30,000 or a $300,000 bail. The bail decision led Mayor Adams to call Nantwi a poster child for recidivism after he was charged with the murder of Duncan and a second man, Brandon Brunsen, 36, in a separate incident in a Harlem smoke shop in April 2023. On Sunday, Messiah Ramkissoon, a youth counselor and activist, said in a video on social media the police wanted to paint him as a menace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Messiah was a young man who I met when he was 16, 17 years old. He had a brilliant young mind, just a beautiful young brother, Ramkissoon said. He would always find me in the office, and he would just read all this literature. He would always want to build his mind. Meanwhile, the weekend saw a decline in the size of the strike as Martuscello told reporters the number of facilities on strike dropped from 38 to 32 of the 42 total prisons in the state. The reduction still meant thousands of officers still had not returned to work. A large number of staff across the state continue to remain on strike with more staff returning each and every day, he said. Jackie Bray, commissioner of state Homeland Security, said fewer than 10 officers had been terminated as of Monday and the state was following through in ending health insurance for striking officers and their dependents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She estimated the strike has cost the state $25 million to date and would cost roughly $106 million a month should it continue. Of 7,000 members of the National Guard who were mobilized, 5,300 were deployed to prisons. The key issues for the strikers appear to be safety and work hours where 24-hour tours have been common amid a staffing shortage. They have demanded that the state repeal elements of the HALT ACT which limits solitary confinement to 15 days. But Martuscello said beyond agreeing to a 90-day pause of some elements of HALT which the state did in a mediation consent agreement reached Friday, neither he nor Gov. Hochul could repeal the law. Those are things I have no ability to change, he said. That will require the Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No officers have been arrested for going on strike, but the attorney generals office began civil contempt proceedings Monday against striking officers, Bray said. Visits remained suspended with Martuscello saying he would conduct a facility-by-facility review to determine when they would be allowed again. He issued a memo late Sunday tightening visitor search rules. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whos considering a run for mayor, declared in her State of the City speech Tuesday that the public has lost trust in local government and vowed to turn the tide on that trend by standing up to President Trump and fighting to boost funding for libraries, parks and child care. The speakers annual address, delivered at the Jazz at Lincoln Center concert hall in Manhattan, came less than a week after she filed paperwork last Wednesday to open a campaign account allowing her to start raising money for a primary challenge against Mayor Eric Adams in Junes Democratic primary. Her team said last week she expected to make a final decision on a run after Tuesdays speech, an expedited timeline that comes as ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo has emerged as a front-runner in the race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the roughly 45-minute speech, the speaker, whos not related to the embattled incumbent, didnt directly address her mayoral plans. But she took shots at what she described as the mayors lack of action and vision on key issues while suggesting his federal corruption indictment and surrounding scandals have left city government in a vulnerable place. New York City is bigger than one person, and our city deserves leadership that prioritizes its people over individual glory or interests. We need solutions more than slogans, service rather than saviors, and partnership over patriarchy, she said to cheers from the crowd of fellow elected officials and some top members of the mayors administration. The dignity and trust in government leadership has been shaken in our city, and it must be restored. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In talking about Trump, she also sought to draw a sharp distinction with the mayor, who has made a commitment to not publicly criticize the president as the Justice Department seeks to drop Adams indictment with some unusual strings attached. The Trump administrations cruel crusade against immigrant families, within a nation of immigrants, is threatening our democratic values. New Yorkers are already feeling the consequences of Trumps mass deportation plans, the speaker said before noting that some businesses in immigrant-rich Queens communities have reported 50% drops in sales since Trumps return to the White House. Employees and customers are staying home out of fear. None of this helps our city. She continued: In his quest for power, Trump is willing to burn everything in his way, but a house built on ashes will fall. Weve been through the fire before. Well make it through again by defending our city and fighting for each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayors typically attend Council speakers State of the City addresses. Eric Adams has attended each of the speakers previous three. But the mayor didnt attend Tuesdays address, Adrienne Adams last as speaker. Welcome to my grand finale, she said upon taking the stage. Instead, the mayor traveled to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday ahead of his expected Wednesday testimony before a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing focused on scrutinizing New Yorks sanctuary protections for immigrants. The mayor, who has pushed to roll back some local sanctuary protections, didnt have any public appearances in the capital listed on his Tuesday schedule. His office declined to say if he planned on meeting with anyone in particular in the capital on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a written statement provided by his office in response to the speakers address, the mayor said his team and the Council have worked to pass key legislation, including the City of Yes housing plan. I look forward to a continued partnership with the speaker and the Council to better the lives of New Yorkers, his statement said. In addition to her potential mayoral run looming, the speakers speech came just as Council Democrats are expected to this week officially start negotiations with the mayors office on this years city budget, typically a contentious affair. On the policy front, the speaker in her speech ripped the mayor for standing in the way of the Councils reforms seeking to expand access to CityFHEPS, a program that heavily subsidizes rent for low-income New Yorkers. The mayor, citing cost concerns, vetoed the reforms in summer 2023, prompting the Council to override him to force the measures into law, but he did not enact them anyway, triggering a legal battle that remains ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration has refused to implement them, and homelessness remains at record highs. Every day without action is another eviction, and another family stuck in the shelter system, the speaker said. The purpose of government is to work through our most pressing challenges. Why lead if your default is to insist that something is too hard, or that we just cant do it? Why not try to help New Yorkers? The speaker also laid out a proposal for restoring seven-day-per-week service at 10 libraries that had to scale back their open hours last year due to budget cuts pushed through by the mayor. In another sign of her priorities for the upcoming budget fight, she said she will fight for restoring funding for the city Parks Department, one of the few agencies that didnt see a full reversal of cuts enacted by the mayor last year. On the legislative end, the speaker announced a proposal to expand access to vouchers subsidizing child care for families with kids younger than 2. She also floated a plan to make it easier for young New Yorkers to get City University of New York degrees by providing them with new tuition discounts. Throughout my time in office, Ive been labeled a moderate in peoples attempt to make sense of who I am, but my focus has always been public service, which has no political label, she said. How we gauge policy solutions should be based on their effectiveness in improving the lives of New Yorkers. NEW YORK (PIX11) Two cases of measles have been reported in New York City this year, health officials said, amid a growing outbreak of the highly contagious virus in Texas. An unvaccinated child died from measles in Texas, the first death from the disease in the U.S. in over 10 years, according to officials. There are nearly 150 confirmed cases in the state alone, health officials said. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last time New York City saw an outbreak of measles was in 2019, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. There were 605 confirmed cases of the virus in the city, leading former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to declare a public health emergency for parts of Brooklyn. It was the largest measles outbreak in nearly 30 years, according to city officials. Around 73% of measles cases were in unvaccinated people, city data showed. Interactive map shows where to get your measles vaccine in NYC At least 80% of cases were reported in children under the age of 18, according to city data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Columbia University study of the 2019 measles outbreak cited low vaccination rates and measles parties as factors that spread the virus. You can find the study by clicking here. 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. NEW YORK Mayor Eric Adams, facing calls to resign amid controversy over the Trump DOJs move to dismiss his federal corruption indictment, defended himself Monday against accusations he used racially insensitive language in recent comments about fellow Black politicians and said hes being targeted by a political lynch mob. In a press conference at City Hall, the mayor was asked why he thought it was appropriate last week to label Black politicians who have urged him to resign Negroes in need of saving from God. Well, those Negroes knew they were wrong, Adams replied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor, who made the remark in question at a Black History Month celebration at Gracie Mansion last Tuesday, suggested theres nothing offensive about the phrase. Why are we trying to classify the term Negro as being a derogatory term? he said, noting there are organizations with names that include the term, such as the United Negro College Fund. Conversely, Adams said the outrage should actually be about the mounting calls for him to resign or be removed from office. Those who are elected in office who are aware of the rules are saying, He needs to be removed, he needs to step down thats what we should be angry about, he said. Where is the process that were supposed to follow instead of this sort of lynch mob mentality? Thats what we should be angry about, we have witnessed a lynch mob mentality before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and other prominent Black elected officials said late last month that he should step down. The demands come as President Trumps Department of Justice is seeking to dismiss the mayors corruption indictment with the understanding that it could be resurrected as early as November, an unusual caveat that both critics and allies say make him beholden to Trump. Adams has said there was no quid pro quo with the Justice Department. In a formal dismissal request, which is pending approval from a federal judge, Trumps DOJ wrote that the president expects quashing Adams criminal case will enable the mayor to help facilitate Trumps agenda, including his vow to target undocumented New Yorkers for mass deportations. Adams controversial comments came at last Tuesdays Gracie Mansion event, where he said he was going through a biblical moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Jesus was on the cross, he said, God forgive them for they know not what they do. All these Negroes who are asking me to step down, God forgive them, he said. Black leaders, including Harlem pastor and civil rights advocate Johnnie Green, said last week the mayors use of the racial phrase in that context was deeply insensitive. Merriam Webster, the dictionary, labels the phrase Negro as dated and often offensive. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a vocal Adams critic who is Black, said his reference to a lynch mob Monday was likewise offensive. The second Black mayor in our history is actively undoing the decades of progress it took to elect even the first. Its deeply disrespectful to both the leaders who worked to get us here and people who hope to carry us forward, Williams said. _____ NEW YORK Mayor Eric Adams is leaning toward naming controversial attorney Randy Mastro as his next top deputy at City Hall, two sources familiar with the situation told the Daily News. A third source, who like the others spoke on condition of anonymity, said a formal appointment of Mastro to become first deputy mayor could come as early as Wednesday. Mastro, a onetime top official in Mayor Rudy Giulianis administration and attorney who has championed conservative causes in court, didnt return calls and messages Tuesday. Spokespeople for Adams didnt immediately return a request for comment, either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mastros expected return to City Hall comes after Adams last year nominated him to become the city governments corporation counsel. In a stinging setback for the mayor, Mastro withdrew his nomination for the top municipal legal role after City Council Democrats made clear in a grueling confirmation hearing that they would not vote to approve him due to concerns about his legal record and work for Giuliani. Unlike the corporation counsel role, Mastro does not need Council confirmation to serve as first deputy mayor. The News previously reported that Mastro became a front-runner for the first deputy post after Frank Carone, a longtime adviser to Adams who served as his first chief of staff, mounted a behind-the-scenes push for Mastro. Another official who has been under consideration to become the next first deputy is Jacques Jiha, Adams budget director. If appointed, Mastro will replace Maria Torres-Springer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Torres-Springer and three of her fellow deputy mayors Meera Joshi, Anne Williams-Isom and Chauncey Parker submitted their resignations last month after voicing concern about Adams ability to lead the city. Those concerns came amid the Trump Department of Justices effort to drop Adams federal corruption indictment without prejudice, an arrangement many say makes Adams beholden to Trump. The four deputies committed upon submitting their resignations that they would stay in their roles until Adams appointed their successors. The departures prompted stepped-up calls for Adams to resign or be removed from office, though Gov. Hochul, the only official who has that power, said late last month shes holding off on taking any such action for now in favor of seeking new state oversight of his administration. It was not immediately clear who will replace Joshi and Williams-Isom. Sources have said the mayor is likely to name NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Operations Kaz Daughtry to replace Parker, the deputy mayor for public safety. EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11) A $4 million boost for arts programming is what hundreds of New York City public schools received on Monday, but even as its distribution was announced, some of the people whod secured the funding said that much more is needed and that the city needs to devote more effort to supporting arts programs in schools. The increased revenue was the result of actions by the New York City Council, in conjunction with the advocacy groups Support for Arts Instruction and the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They formally announced the funding package at a news conference in front of P.S. 38, a 3K through 5th-grade school that has a strong reputation for visual arts instruction. Lourdes Roman is the art teacher at the East Harlem school. On Monday, she showed PIX11 News some of the many art displays that adorn the walls of the three-story school building. She said that arts instruction blends well with other aspects of the elementary school curriculum. One display she spoke about featured a childrens book on shapes that first graders had read and the drawings that the students had been inspired to make after reading the text. Im trying to make connections with literacy by reading a book, and also about learning about geometric shapes that they see in math class, Ms. Roman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young authors bring their stories to life in NYC public school program She said that shes taught art in public schools for 19 years. Over that time, funding of arts in New York City public schools has declined. While Mondays announcement marks a change in the overall trend, some of the new funding advocates expressed frustration along with gratitude for the influx of art money. Four million dollars needs to be ten [million]! declared Dionne Thornton, director of ArtsConnection, at the late morning news conference. She not only called for more funding but also said that more schools need to benefit. The funding package covers arts programs for 239 schools across the city, with each school receiving $16,527. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its certainly not a fortune, but school leaders on hand at Mondays announcement said that theyll willingly take it. More Local News Carlina Santos-Barton is the principal of P.S. 38, where the news conference took place. The schools visual arts program has a partnership with the Guggenheim Museum, in which students work is displayed at the world-renowned venue. Santos-Barton said that the additional money will allow her school to expand into other aspects of art, led by partner organizations that can come into the school to run different programs. These funds allowed us to bring in dance, to bring in theater, Santos-Brown said, for students who want to sort of explore other forms of art to express themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most schools, however, dont have nearly the level of arts programming that P.S. 38 does. Also, with the new funding going to 239 schools, it means that nearly 1,500 other schools across the city are not receiving any of the money. Community demands answers after school board denies author visit Those facts led Councilmember Justin Brannan, the chair of the city councils finance committee and the sponsor of the legislation that led to the funding being made available, to say that much more arts funding needs to be available in next years budget. He called on City Hall to make that move. When budgets are tight, even though they shouldnt be, with a $35 billion D.O.E. budget, said Brannan, when budgets get tight, art gets cut. And were trying to make it essential. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. New Yorkers are searing mad over an absurd bid by Texas to rename the New York strip steak. The beef between the two states was heating up Monday, with New York meat purveyors getting rubbed the wrong way by the Lone Star States proposal to call the steakhouse-favorite beef cut the Texas strip. Remember the Alamo? What happens to the Alamo will happen to [Texas Lt. Gov.] Dan Patrick if he messes with our steak, a fired-up Todd Shapiro, owner of War Room steakhouse in Albany told The Post in reference to the Texas lieutenant governors meat-headed move. Texas may rebrand the iconic New York strip steak as the Texas strip steak to promote its local beef. James Keivom I plan on filing a million-dollar lawsuit against the state of Texas if they want to take the New York strip off my menu, Shapiro said, arguing the proposal, if approved, could have an economic impact since the strip is the restaurants top seller. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You hear dont mess with Texas? Well, dont mess with New York. Ill make you an offer you cant refuse, he said, channeling Don Corleone from The Godfather. Alan Rosen, owner of Juniors Restaurant in Brooklyn, also stepped in to defend the longstanding name for the prime cut of beef and to rib the lieutenant governor for his impertinence. This guy should find something else to do with his free time we have more pressing issues in our country. Are we going to call New York cheesecake Athens cheesecake now? Rosen said in a reference to the desserts origins in Ancient Greece. We have a Texas I mean New York strip steak at our Las Vegas location. New York has a better ring to it, he quipped. Alan Rosen, owner of Juniors Restaurant, defended the New York strip steak name. LP Media The Big Apple-centric name for the flavorful cut of beef from a cows short loin, generically called simply strip steak, dates back nearly 200 years to Delmonicos, a classic New York City steakhouse that first opened its doors in 1837. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legend goes Delmonicos dubbed their strip steak the New York strip on their menu and the name took off from there, eventually becoming nearly synonymous with the cut, according to Chowhound. Our historic restaurant pioneered these cuts of steak, which are still found on menus and in butcher shops across the US, Delmonicos said in a statement to The Post, adding they have no plans to change what they call the famous menu item no matter what Texas does. The New York strip steak name originated at Delmonicos steakhouse in Manhattan. Stefano Giovannini The name pays homage to a culinary tradition that dates back to the 1800s. You can change the name to whatever you want, but theres a genuine history behind these steaks that we will continue to honor, the Delmonicos rep said. Other meat-slingers were more ambivalent about the proposed change, like Dean Poll, owner of Gallaghers Steakhouse, who told The Post he couldnt care less about Patricks bluster, calling the whole thing meaningless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People call different cuts of meat different things all over the place, so its actually meaningless, he said, noting his famed restaurant calls it New York sirloin on their menus. Gene, manager of Sparks Steak House, said he hadnt heard about Patricks proposal, but that the legendary dining spot calls their New York strip the prime sirloin steak anyway. Why change it to Texas strip? It wouldnt really sound good in New York. A manager at Empire Steakhouse which has three New York locations said no matter what people call the cut of meat in question, the Big Apple does it best. We cook the strip steak better than [Texas]. They produce it, but we know what to do with it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That sentiment was echoed by Robert D., 47, a diner leaving Keens Steakhouse Monday afternoon when he stopped to weigh in. They might be able to change that down in Texas, but no way Jose are they going to get everyday New Yorkers to call a New York strip Texas strip, he said defiantly. Were some of the most prideful people on Earth. You couldnt take it from us if you tried. Patrick announced on social media this week that the Texas state senate would be filing a resolution to formally change the name of the New York strip steak, arguing that the Lone Star should have first dibs on the name since it has more beef cattle than any other state in the US at 12.2 million. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said that liberal New York shouldnt get the credit for the cut of beef. Bloomberg via Getty Images Just because a New York restaurant named Texas beef a New York Strip in the 19th century doesnt mean we need to keep doing that, the lieutenant governor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liberal New York shouldnt get the credit for our hard-working ranchers, he whined. We promote the Texas brand on everything made or grown in Texas because it benefits our economy and jobs, Patrick added, noting he hopes to see the new name catch on across the country and around the globe. Additional reporting by Caitlin McCormack An NYPD commanding officer facing criminal charges for trying to cover up an off-duty drunk-driving crash involving a cabbie has been fired from the force, the Daily News has learned. NYPD officials confirm Deputy Inspector Paul Zangrilli was fired in late December following a departmental trial. Police sources say he was pushed out 18 days before he could retire with a full pension. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch signed off on Zangrillis termination, department officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zangrilli, 44, is still facing criminal charges for allegedly trying to cover up an Aug. 16, 2022, crash with a city cabbie following a night of binge drinking with his girlfriend Nikole Rupple, 35, in Manhattan, officials said. The couple spent about three hours at the Midtown bar American Whiskey before getting into the inspectors NYPD-issued vehicle and heading home, prosecutors said. At the bar Zangrilli downed five shots. Rupple had seven shots and three beers but the 19-year NYPD veteran allowed his girlfriend to drive the city vehicle, Manhattan prosecutors said. As the couple drove past the corner of W. 30th St. and 10th Ave. just a few blocks from the bar Rupple crashed into a yellow cab and fled the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple switched seats a few minutes after the crash and Zangrilli kept driving north on 10th Ave., authorities say. The cabbie caught up with the couple at a red light on W. 33rd St. and flagged down a uniformed officer, who pulled over the NYPD vehicle, according to prosecutors. The cab driver suffered minor back and neck injuries in the crash and claimed Zangrilli was drunk but the responding officer sent the inspector on his way, telling the cabbie to file an accident report at an NYPD precinct. Zangrilli allegedly offered the cab driver $500 and then $1,000 to avoid an insurance exchange, both in front of the responding officer and after she left, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then personally called the owner of the bar and asked him to delete the security video of him and Rupple drinking. The footage was erased but during an investigation the NYPDs Internal Affairs Bureau was able to recover it. Zangrilli was arrested on June 12 and charged with tampering with physical evidence, falsifying business records, offering a false instrument for filing, obstructing governmental administration, official misconduct and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Rupple faces charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. The deputy inspector was released without bail after his arrest. Hes expected to return to court on the criminal charges on March 19. Zangrilli joined the NYPD in January 2005. He was the commanding officer of the Fifth Precinct in Chinatown when the crash occurred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was suspended a few days after the crash. When his suspension ended, he was reassigned to the Queens Court Section, NYPD personnel records show. Calls to Zangrilli and his attorney, Eric Franz, were not immediately returned Tuesday. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) The suspects accused of torturing and murdering Sam Nordquist are facing upgraded charges, including first-degree murder and child endangerment. Seven people have been arrested in the investigation. The suspects Precious Arzuaga, Thomas Eavrs, Kimberly Sochia, Jennifer Brooklyn Quijano, Kyle Sage, Patrick Goodwin, and Emily Motyka will be arraigned in Ontario County Court. According to the DAs Office, the seven suspects were charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree conspiracy, first-degree aggravated sexual abuse, endangering the welfare of a child, acting in concert with each other to bring about the death of Sam Nordquist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arzuaga is also facing a first-degree coercion charge. It was alleged she forced two children 7 and 12 years old to engage in this conduct. Investigators confirmed he was subjected to violence starting around January 1, 2025, until he was killed on February 2, 2025. The DAs Office said Nordquist was physically and sexually assaulted, denied proper nutrition and hydration, and physically restrained him, among other allegations. He was fed feces. He was forced to drink urine, and chew spit. They physically restrained him, they forced him to obey their commands, treating him like a dog. They covered his face with towels and shirts and fabric. They used duct tape, and they poured bleach on him, said Kelly Wolford, Ontario County First Assistant District Attorney. His body was found wrapped in a bag in a field in Yates County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What human being could do what happened to Sam? Well never make sense of this case, but I will tell you everyone standing in this room and every investigator, every child advocate, every member of the Department of Social Services, every member of law enforcement worked together to get to this point, said Kelly Wolford., If convicted, the suspects could face life in prison without the possibility of parole. Despite Nordquist being a transgender man, the DAs office said there was no indication of a hate crime. Full News Conference (Warning: Graphic details) The full press conference can be viewed in the video player 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 RochesterFirst. (NewsNation) Former Fox News host Bill OReilly says President Donald Trump is deliberately avoiding criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a calculated strategy to secure a peace deal in Ukraine. Trump knows that Putin is never going to stop murdering people, unless Putin can walk away with some kind of victory, some kind of saving face, OReilly said Monday on NewsNations On Balance. Thats why Trump isnt attacking him. Thats why Trump even patronizes him to a certain extent, not condemning him. OReilly said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fails to understand basic negotiation tactics, saying a 10-year-old would recognize that if your enemy is more powerful than you, and you want the enemy to stop murdering your people, you have to make some accommodations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paul Manafort: Peace is not in Zelenskyys interest OReillys comments followed Trumps contentious Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy, and Mondays announcement that the Trump administration is halting U.S. weapons aid to Ukraine. Zelenskyy is going to lose some territory at wars end, OReilly said. Despite criticizing Zelenskyy for being in way over his head, OReilly defended the Ukrainian presidents intentions, saying, I believe that Zelensky wants the best for his country. Hes just out of his league. He doesnt understand the danger that surrounds him. OReilly concluded by expressing optimism that Trump would eventually secure a deal, though he acknowledged Democrats would likely criticize any agreement reached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) Students at an Oakland high school walked out of their classes Monday morning to protest the Trump administrations immigration policies. The protest was part of a larger movement known as A Day Without Immigrants, aimed at sending a message to the federal government and President Donald Trump. I walked out today for immigrants and also my family who came here, said Cristal Barrosojuarez, a participant in the rally. Its been very difficult and hard and hurtful. Especially the deportations of family. Children being ripped away from their families just for wanting a better life, Barrosojuarez added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement San Francisco woman arrested in horse tail pulling incident that injured child Since taking office in January, President Trump has advocated for the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants and has increased efforts to limit immigration and enhance border security. Following the initial rally outside the school, the group of approximately 50 students marched down MacArthur Boulevard and held a second rally near Lake Merritt. The students demonstration highlights the ongoing concerns within immigrant communities about the impact of federal immigration policies on families and individuals seeking a better life in the United States. All facts from this article were gathered by KRON4 journalists. The article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KRON4 staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said she will not attend President Trumps address to the joint session of Congress Tuesday night. She said she will be posting live about the speech on social media instead. Im not going to the Joint Address. I will be live posting and chatting with you all here instead, the New York Democrat said in a post on the social platform Bluesky. Then going on IG Live after, she added, using a popular shorthand for the social media platform Instagram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump will head to the Capitol for the first joint address of his second term on Tuesday night. The president is expected to tout his sweeping efforts to reshape the government, crack down on immigration and reorient U.S. foreign policy on the heels of an Oval Office spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The presidents address to Congress is often an opportunity for the minority party to show resistance either by wearing symbolic garb, by booing at strategic moments or by boycotting the speech altogether. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), in a Dear Colleague letter Monday, called for Democrats to have a strong, determined and dignified presence at the address, but added, The decision to attend the Joint Session is a personal one and we understand that members will come to different conclusions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, it is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber, the Democratic leader continued. The House as an institution belongs to the American people, and as their representatives we will not be run off the block or bullied. Jeffries said he and other members of Democratic leadership will attend the speech to make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance on the excesses of the administration. Still, several other Democratic lawmakers said they are planning to skip Trumps address to Congress including Sens. Patty Murray (Wash.) and Martin Heinrich (N.M.) and Reps. Becca Balint (Vt.), Gerry Connolly (Va.), Don Beyer (Va.) and Kweisi Mfume (Md.). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) If you ask the Ocean Beach community, what happened over the weekend was nothing short of an answer to their prayers. After many months of worrying about its future, the Methodist Church in Ocean Beach will not be sold to developers after all. Its a big load lifted off our shoulders, Ill tell you that much. We were concerned that we were going to lose this facility. Its a victory for the community right now, thats the way were looking at it. We dont know what the future is going to hold for us here, but right now were very optimistic, were super happy at the decision by the church, said Eric DuVall. Pacific Beach residents rally to block high-rise development plans Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If things had gone the other way, community programs like the Monday morning food bank would have been history. For almost 100 years, this property has been the cornerstone of this community, serving the people in ways that most are not aware. Including the food bank, the OB historical society, and two schools for people with severe disabilities, said Kathleen Grove. The church itself, however, has been without a congregation since Christmas Eve of last year. Group fights against proposed 5G cell towers in La Jolla Thats when the leadership of the First United Methodist Church of Mission Valley decided to close it down, invite everyone into the Mission Valley campus, and explored selling the property in Ocean Beach to a developer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A concept that was voted on and rejected over the weekend by the Church Council. If you can imagine this corner at Saratoga (Ave) and Sunset Cliffs Blvd with 80 new units, no parking It would have been ridiculous, said DuVall. But some kind of housing is still possible at this site. The church also owns the lot next door where the tiny homes could be torn down and apartments could go up. Environmental groups threaten to sue SeaWorld over fireworks pollution in Mission Bay Now that the church itself will not be sold to the highest bidder, the Ocean Beach community is looking forward to the possibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im really happy that maybe theres a prayerful pause that allows the community to be in conversation with the church, and to be able to sustain the vital ministries that are here now, said Grove. Rev. Dr. Dottie Escobedo-Frank, Resident Bishop of the California-Pacific Conference, said in a statement to FOX 5/KUSI, The California Pacific Conference and United Methodist Church are pleased with the churchs decision and the continued opportunity for a ministry presence in that community. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Odessa Police Department arrested two people last weekend after a teen whod run away early in February was found living with a convicted sex offender. Anita Newton has been charged with Harboring a Runaway and Michael Gene Linthicum has been charged with Harboring a Runaway as well as Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Requirements Previous Conviction and Failure to Identify as a Fugitive from Justice. According to an Odessa Police Department report, in early February, the family of a 14-year-old girl sought help after the child ran away from home. The investigation into her whereabouts intensified late last week after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued an alert for information in partnership with Ring Neighbors App, a feature that reaches millions of users providing real-time assistance in locating missing children. On February 28, the teen contacted her loved ones from a phone belonging to Linthicum, which prompted a search of his property. At the home on Golder Avenue, investigators said they found the 14-year-old and learned that shed been staying with Newton and Linthicum since she ran away from home on February 1. Records showed that Linthicum was convicted of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl in 1985 and had also been arrested on multiple occasions for failing to comply with sex offender registry requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Newton and Linthicum were charged with harboring a runaway, which is a crime in Texas that is punishable by a fine of up to $4,000 and or one year in jail. What is harboring a runaway child? Harboring a runaway child occurs when someone shelters a minor without the consent of their legal guardian The minor may have escaped from a detention facility, probation officer, or peace officer The minor may be voluntarily absent from home without their parent or guardians consent Parents and guardians can press charges against anyone who harbors their child without permission. Both suspects were arrested at the scene and taken to the Ector County Law Enforcement Center where they both remained awaiting bond as of Tuesday afternoon. The teen was reunited with her family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. Final call for your favorite Frappuccino, if it's even still available at your local Starbucks. The coffee chain announced last week that 13 of its items were set to be retired from its menus beginning Tuesday, March 4. "This will make way for innovation, help reduce wait times, improve quality and consistency, and align with our core identity as a coffee company," Starbucks said in a statement explaining the cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starbucks also announced that its spring menu will be available at all locations in the U.S. beginning the same day. Here's which drinks are no longer available and which drinks are here for a limited time. See list: Frappuccinos, other 'less popular' beverages cut The Royal Breakfast Latte, White Hot Chocolate and nine Frappuccino blended beverages make up the retired beverage selections: Espresso Frappuccino Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino Java Chip Frappuccino White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino Chai Creme Frappuccino Caramel Ribbon Crunch Creme Frappuccino Double Chocolaty Chip Creme Frappuccino Chocolate Cookie Crumble Creme Frappuccino White Chocolate Creme Frappuccino White Hot Chocolate Royal English Breakfast Latte Iced Matcha Lemonade Honey Almondmilk Flat White Why is Starbucks cutting these drinks from its menu? "These items arent commonly purchased, can be complex to make, or are like other beverages on our menu," the company said on its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Were simplifying our menu to focus on fewer, more popular items, executed with excellence. This will make way for innovation, help reduce wait times, improve quality and consistency, and align with our core identity as a coffee company." Starbucks releases springtime menu. See new, returning items Four drinks are featured on the coffee chain's springtime menu: Iced Cherry Chai: features black tea infused with cinnamon, clove and other warming spices combined with milk and ice, finished with a cherry cream cold foam and a sprinkle of cherry crunch topping. Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha: Features Starbucks smooth and creamy matcha and oatmilk, served over ice and topped with lavender cream cold foam. Iced Lavender Latte: Made with Starbucks Blonde Espresso, creamy oatmilk, ice, and floral notes of lavender; Also available hot . Lavender Creme Frappuccino Blended Beverage: Blends sweet and subtle floral notes of lavender with vanilla syrup, milk, ice, and topped with a swirl of whipped cream. According to Starbucks, customers can also customize almost any beverage with new Cherry Cream Cold Foam or Lavender Cream Cold Foam for a limited time, while supplies last. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jalapeno Chicken Pocket also announced to the chain's permanent food menu and is stuffed with diced chicken, charred poblanos, green jalapenos, three-chile-pepper cheese and jalapeno cream cheese, wrapped in a toasted chile lavash flatbread, Starbucks said in a news release. How many Starbucks are there in Florida? There were 17,011 Starbucks locations in the U.S. as of Dec. 31, 2024, according to ScrapeHero, a data company. There were 914 Starbucks in Florida as of Dec. 31, the third most of any state, according to ScrapeHero. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Starbucks has started getting rid of these items: See list of drinks The Trump administration has withdrawn a proposal that would have required industrial operations to monitor and reduce "forever chemicals" in wastewater discharges. What's happening? The draft rule, which would have set limits on the release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, was sent to the Biden White House for review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2024. However, the new administration has withdrawn this proposal amid an executive-order freeze on any new federal regulations, North Carolina-based StarNews Online reported. Why is this change concerning? StarNews outlined the particular impact that this could have in North Carolina, where high levels of PFAS chemicals were discovered in the Cape Fear River eight years ago, explaining that a lack of federal guidance has hampered the state's progress in the regulation of these contaminants. But PFAS pollution isn't confined to North Carolina. In fact, one study found that more than 20% of Americans may be exposed to PFAS-laced tap water. These chemicals have been linked to an array of health problems, including decreased fertility, increased risk of certain cancers, and reduced ability of the body's immune system to fight infections, per the EPA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These compounds can also harm wildlife. In fact, scientists from the Environmental Working Group released a map in 2023 that shows that more than 600 species are susceptible to the potential harm caused by PFAS. For instance, researchers in Australia found that turtles exposed to PFAS passed these chemicals on to their offspring, and these hatchlings suffered a "concerning" level of deformities. What's being done about PFAS? Emily Donovan, co-founder of Clean Cape Fear, a grassroots community environmental organization, told StarNews that North Carolina lawmakers can still move forward with regulatory action. "State regulators have the power and authority to set strong limits on PFAS releases," she told the publication. "We have not seen [the Department of Environmental Quality] take a clear and strong initiative in their most recent permit writing efforts and that's a problem worth addressing." Meanwhile, scientists are hard at work looking for new ways to help break down PFAS, which are notoriously persistent in the environment. For example, a University of Illinois team found a way to remove the full spectrum of PFAS from water in a single process. Plus, scientists at the University of Rochester are doing similar work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can help reduce your exposure by seeking out PFAS-free brands, opting for nonstick cookware, and limiting your purchases of stain- or water-resistant clothing. 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. Utility corruption graphic generated by Open AIs Dall E, Feb. 26, 2024. This monthly newsletter round-up was originally published by Canary Media. Welcome to Ohio Utility Watch, a monthly newsletter tracking developments in Ohios ongoing public-corruption saga, often referred to as the House Bill 6 or HB 6 scandal. Im Kathiann Kowalski, a contributing reporter for Canary Media based in Ohio, and Ive been following utility efforts to secure bailouts for over a dozen years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If youre new to the subject, here is an overview I wrote last summer on the fifth anniversary of the legislation. Common Cause Ohio also has a helpful timeline. In brief: HB 6 is at the heart of the largest public-corruption scandal in Ohio history and among the largest utility scandals in U.S. history. Utility companies used dark money groups to route roughly $60 million in bribes to pass and protect legislation mandating more than $1.5 billion in ratepayer subsidies to aging, uneconomical coal and nuclear power plants. To sign up for this newsletter, please email krawczyk@canarymedia.com. What are we following? Major questions about accountability and transparency remain unresolved as courts, politicians, regulators, ratepayers, and advocates grapple with Ohios ongoing House Bill 6 saga. Heres a list of some of the people and cases weve been tracking with this newsletter: Criminal cases In July 2020, a federal grand jury indicted former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, former Ohio Republican Party chair Matt Borges , veteran political strategist Jeff Longstreth , and lobbyists Juan Cespedes and Neil Clark on racketeering charges related to HB 6. Longstreth and Cespedes pleaded guilty in October 2020. Clark was found dead in March 2021. Householder and Borges were convicted in March 2023 and have both filed appeals. In February 2024, a state grand jury indicted former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio chairman Sam Randazzo and former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling on bribery, money laundering, and other charges related to HB 6 fraud. Randazzo died by suicide in April 2024. Jones and Dowlings cases remain in pre-trial. In January 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Jones and Dowling on additional racketeering charges, alleging they participated in bribery, money laundering and obstruction to increase the companys stock and enrich themselves.* FirstEnergy Corp. also faced federal wire fraud charges but in July 2021 agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and pay a $230 million penalty in exchange for deferred prosecution. Civil cases Starting in September 2020, law firms announced class-action lawsuits against FirstEnergy and American Electric Power alleging securities fraud and seeking damages for investors. Claims against AEP were settled in July 2024. Litigation against FirstEnergy is ongoing. Another set of lawsuits, known as shareholder derivative cases, accused FirstEnergy and American Electric Power management of breaching fiduciary duties to the companies. Both have settled those cases. FirstEnergy and Energy Harbor, its former generation subsidiary, also faced a class-action lawsuit seeking damages for ratepayers. That case was settled in July 2023 when the companies agreed to reimburse customers a combined $49 million. FirstEnergy, Householder, Jones, and others also face state civil claims, which are on indefinite hold until the criminal cases are resolved. Regulatory First Energy and AEP have each settled claims with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission related to communications with investors.* Jones still faces a civil lawsuit from federal financial regulators alleging he committed fraud against the companys shareholders. PUCO has several active dockets related to FirstEnergy and HB 6: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A corporate separation audit to determine if FirstEnergys distribution and generation companies acted independently. Evidentiary hearing set for May 13.* Customer rider audits to assess whether money was improperly collected or spent. One rider has already been found unlawful but not refundable. Evidentiary hearing set for May 13.* A review of political and charitable spending to ensure HB 6 activity wasnt funded with customer money. The PUCO also audits spending under the HB 6 coal plant subsidies, including challenges to those charges. One case is on appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court. Legislation House Bill 15 and Senate Bill 2: Bills would repeal HB 6 coal subsidies and eliminate electric security plans, among other things. Both bills are currently in committee.* Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Updates in this months newsletter Bills would end coal subsidies and rider plans House Bill 6 mandated ratepayer subsidies of roughly $1 billion for two former FirstEnergy nuclear plants over the course of six years and more than half a billion dollars for two 1950s-era coal plants. Other provisions let utilities recession-proof their income by guaranteeing revenue even if electricity sales declined. The 2019 law also gutted Ohios standards for energy efficiency and renewable energy, which is still the case today. Lawmakers repealed the nuclear subsidies and revenue guarantees in 2021, but the coal subsidies remain on the books. Utility customers have already paid more than $400 million for the subsidies, according to the Office of the Ohio Consumers Counsel. And ratepayers are on track to pay roughly $80 million more for just the first half of 2025, says a December 2024 analysis from the consulting firm RunnerStone. The total could top $1 billion by 2030, the analysis adds. Multiple companies and groups testified before the Ohio House and Senate Energy committees this month in support of ending those subsidies. Unlike earlier attempts, House Bill 15 reportedly has the approval of Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman. Senate Bill 2 is HB 15s companion bill, although there are some differences. Gov. Mike DeWine has also said he hopes to end the coal subsidies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Current versions of the bills would let utilities keep charging for the coal plants until their current rider plans expire. That could range from 2026 to 2028, so thousands of consumers might get only a year or two of relief before the coal subsidies otherwise end in 2030. HB 15 and SB 2 would also end so-called electric security plans, a regulatory construct that has allowed utilities to impose various riders without the benefit of a full ratemaking case. Read more: Regulatory case update The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio will hold a hearing on March 13 on Fifth Amendment claims by several witnesses who previously refused to answer questions under oath. Regulatory staff says the witnesses might now agree to answer if ordered by the PUCO. An outstanding question has been whether an Ohio law granting immunity would cover potential federal charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consumer advocates, business groups and others have been pushing for more than four years for rate adjustments, penalties, or other relief in four regulatory cases related to the HB 6 scandal. FirstEnergys objections to turning over massive amounts of documents led to delays, and then the cases were stalled for a year and a half after a request by the Department of Justice. Part of one corporate separate case had an evidentiary hearing in the fall, but the rest of the cases remain unresolved. Collectively, the cases question the legitimacy of hundreds of thousands of dollars in ratepayer charges. FirstEnergy also could face more than $1 billion in civil penalties. Although document production has continued, stakeholders are still waiting for FirstEnergy to turn over an internal investigation. The PUCO so far has not required it in the regulatory cases, but a federal judge ruled it should be produced in shareholder litigation. FirstEnergys challenge to that order is pending in federal court. For now, the PUCO plans to start an evidentiary hearing for three of the regulatory cases on May 13. One case deals with HB 6related questions in a corporate separation case, including an alleged side deal between FirstEnergy and Randazzo back in 2015 that is also relevant to a rider in another case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Audits in that other case found FirstEnergy failed to properly track spending for one of the charges. Customers paid roughly $450,000 before that charge was ultimately held unlawful. Although the court refused to allow a refund, parties in the rider case have asked for FirstEnergy to be charged more than $1 billion in civil penalties. A third third regulatory case deals with improper spending under another rider, which was supposed to be for capital costs. The fourth case deals more generally with whether FirstEnergy unlawfully used ratepayer money for political or charitable purposes. An evidentiary hearing date has not yet been set there. Read more: New charges against FirstEnergy execs The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio filed charges against former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling in January. The Jan. 15 indictment marks the first federal criminal charges against individuals who allegedly paid bribes to others in the HB 6 scandal. FirstEnergy, as a company, already paid a $230 million penalty under a deferred prosecution agreement in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same day the federal indictment against Jones and Dowling became public, Gov. DeWine announced the appointment of former Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to serve Vice President JD Vances unexpired term in the U.S. Senate. The executives dined with DeWine and Husted roughly seven years earlier, on Dec. 18, 2018. Earlier that day, Jones and Dowling met with Randazzo. And later that night, FirstEnergy finalized its plan to pay $4.3 million to a company controlled by Randazzo. Six weeks later DeWine picked Randazzo to chair the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. FirstEnergy later admitted it paid the money with the expectation that Randazzo would help it on HB 6 and other matters. Randazzo also faced criminal charges in federal and state court when he died of an apparent suicide last spring. Read more: AEP settles securities charges On Jan. 17, American Electric Power announced it had agreed to a $19 million civil penalty to resolve allegations by the Securities and Exchange Commission that it made material misstatements of fact about HB 6related payments, omitted important information from securities filings, and otherwise failed to maintain proper records on the payments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To date, no criminal charges have been brought against the company or its executives. According to the SECs cease-and-desist order, the company contributed funds to a nonprofit organization it controlled, which in turn gave approximately $1 million to dark money groups designated by Householder to help pass and protect HB 6 and then to help him stay in office beyond Ohios term limits. Among Ohio utilities, AEP owns the largest share of the Ohio Valley Electric Corp., which runs the two HB 6-subsidized coal plants. One is in Ohio, and the other is in Indiana. Read more: SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The case for the woman accused of starting the Highland Lakes fire last year was placed on a mental health stay Monday because of concerns about her competency. Lowa Tillitt, 77, also referred to as Lacey Tillitt in public records, was arrested Jan. 16 for allegedly starting the Highland Lakes fire Oct. 28. Tillitt faces one charge of felony arson endangering more than $1 million in property. Law enforcement at the time stated that the fire burned 166 acres northwest of Divide and caused more than 700 households to be evacuated. Tillitt appeared to Teller County court on Monday in custody for her preliminary hearing where her attorney, Andrew Brown, informed the court he was requesting a continuance. Brown stated that the reason for continuing the hearing was due to concerns over Tillitts competency to proceed. Brown said that Tillitt is undergoing a competency evaluation in her open misdemeanor case, and he felt it was best to trail the results of the competency evaluation in that case before proceeding. In her misdemeanor case Tillitt faces two charges harassment and obstructing a peace officer, firefighter or emergency medical service provider. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by The Gazette, sheriffs officers were dispatched to Tillitts home on June 7, 2024, for a welfare check because Tillitt had made over 17 phone calls to the Teller County Department of Human Services. Ralph Parsons, with Teller DHS, told law enforcement that Tillitt abused the hotline and tied up the lines for a period of over four hours, and that Tillitt threatened suicide and was hostile and rude to DHS workers during the phone calls. Records show that after the fire, Tillitt failed to appear to two court dates for her misdemeanor case, one in December and another in January. She is set to return to court in her misdemeanor case March 10 for a review hearing. Featured Local Savings According to Brown, the first evaluation found Tillitt competent to proceed and a second evaluation ordered by Tillitts defense has yet to be completed. Tillitt will return to court for her arson case March 31. Prior to the end of the hearing Tillitt informed Judge William Moller that she hasnt heard any of this (Browns plans regarding the continuance of the preliminary hearing), but that it was whatever. Brown, who appeared to court virtually via WebEx, informed Tillitt that he would be reaching out to her after the hearing. According to an arrest affidavit previously obtained by The Gazette, Tillitt allegedly told investigators she had been burning carboard boxes inside her house in her wood-burning stove. When she opened the oven to burn more material, the flames escaped, lighting the couch on fire. Tillitt told law enforcement that she tried to put the couch fire out, but was unsuccessful. During law enforcements investigation, they discovered the estranged relationship Tillitt had with her insurance company, American National, and learned the residence was set to foreclose, according to the arrest affidavit. The relationship with Tillitts insurance company became so woeful after the cancellation of her plan that according to her arrest affidavit she made approximately seven statements of setting her residence on fire. In the days leading up to Oct. 28, the day the fire broke out, Tillitt allegedly called several times claiming she was going to die. Tillitt is described as being hysterical, yelling and screaming in these calls, according to the arrest affidavit. The day after the fire broke out, Tillitt called American National, informing them her house had burnt down. Investigations revealed her home was originally set for foreclosure Sept. 9, but kept getting delayed until Oct. 30, two days before the fire started. Tillitt appeared in court Monday from the custody of the Teller County jail; she faces a $50,000 bond to be released. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) The Ohio Building is putting together a big event to help you celebrate St. Patricks Day. On March 15, The Ohio Building is throwing an event for St. Patricks Day to help you indulge in the Irish spirit. The event will feature a traditional Irish meal as well as traditional Irish music. The event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the meal will feature five courses. The meal will begin with fresh Irish soda bread with whipped Irish butter, then feature a dish of fried bacon and cabbage with onion and parsley. After that you will be served a potato and leek soup with chives, black pepper, and sour cream. The fourth and main course will be Guinness beef stew with Irish mashed potatoes. The meal will end with a classic Irish apple cake filled with warm spices with a sweet custard sauce on top. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Early tickets for the event are available until March 14 and cost $59 per ticket with a $1.48 service fee. Tickets the day of will cost $65 with a $1.63 service fee. This will be the second event like this since The Ohio Building hosted their Valentines Day event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. (Photo by Morgan Trau, WEWS.) Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has officially asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to approve Medicaid work requirements. Under the proposal, Ohio Medicaid expansion recipients would need to be at least 55 years old, employed, be enrolled in school or a job training program, be in a recovery program, or have a serious physical or mental health illness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of our work to empower people to reach their full potential, we have a responsibility to make sure as many Ohioans as possible are on a pathway toward financial independence, DeWine said in a statement. Reinstating our work requirement will promote self-sufficiency, it will give more people the purpose and pride that comes with a job, and it will improve the well-being of Ohios workforce. Medicaid offers health coverage to households making at or below 138% of the poverty line $44,367 a year for a family of four. About 92% of U.S. adults under age 65 and eligible for Medicaid are already working or are exempt from requirements due to caregiving responsibilities, illness or disability, or school attendance, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Hundreds of Ohioans submitted comments to the Ohio Department of Medicaid opposing the requirements, and Ohio medical professionals argued that extensive research has shown that work requirements wont increase employment but they do limit access to care to people who need it. DeWine sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. asking to approve the work requirements on Friday. Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman and Ohio Senate President Rob McColley also signed the letter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will now review Ohios waiver and then the federal agency will have a 30-day comment period, said Ohio Department of Medicaid Spokesperson Stephanie OGrady. Once those steps are completed, Ohios Medicaid department will begin talks with the federal agency about setting up state terms and conditions, OGrady said. We are dedicated to delivering high-quality healthcare to millions of Ohioans every day, empowering them to take control of their own health, ODM Director Maureen Corcoran said in a statement. By encouraging them to seek employment, we not only enhance their quality of life, but also contribute to healthier communities and a thriving economy in Ohio. The proposed Medicaid work requirements mean more than 61,000 Ohioans could lose their health insurance according to estimates from ODM. The two goals of the requirement are promoting economic stability and financial independence; and improve health outcomes by encouraging individuals to be engaged with their health and healthcare, according to ODM. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohios 2023 budget requires the state Medicaid department to re-apply with the federal government under the new presidential administration for permission to impose work, drug testing, and/or education requirements for adult Medicaid health coverage recipients. ODM received more than 450 comments on the proposed Medicaid work requirements and an overwhelming majority opposed the requirements with many sharing about their personal experiences with Medicaid. Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX An Ohio lawmaker wants to require oil companies drilling in state parks to disclose the chemicals they're using. Rep. Sean Brennan, D-Parma, introduced a bill to require the owners of oil and gas companies that drill in state parks to tell the state the chemical components used in drilling. The Oil and Gas Resources Management chief would then publish the information on the organization's website. Ohio authorized fracking in state parks in 2023. Fracking refers to hydraulic fracturing, the process of sending pressurized chemicals, water and sand into wells to extract oil and natural gas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opponents of fracking are concerned about the process's effects on the environment and on public health. Some researchers have found evidence that air pollution is associated with drilling sites, according to the National Institutes of Health. Companies drilling in state parks are already required to disclose the type of products or fluids used in drilling and the volume used. The bill is assigned to the House Natural Resources Committee. There has not yet been a hearing or any cosponsors signed on to the bill. To be passed, the bill would need to make it through the Republican-controlled House and Senate and signed by Gov. Mike DeWine, who signed the legislation authorizing fracking in state parks. Where has Ohio allowed fracking? The Oil and Gas Land Management Commission approved hundreds of acres for fracking in 2024, including two more parcels in Salt Fork State Park, northeast of Cambridge and about 62 acres in Leesville Wildlife Area in Caroll County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Companies can now apply to lease the land for fracking. Erin Glynn is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio lawmaker wants to require companies to disclose fracking products HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) An Ohio man will spend 45 years in prison after admitting Monday to strangling his ex-girlfriend to death while they were on a trip to Myrtle Beach in 2023. Blake Linkous, 20, of Blue Rock, pleaded guilty shortly before his murder trial was set to start, the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office said. He had no previous criminal history and was facing 30 years to life at trial. Linkous former girlfriend, 18-year-old Natalie Martin of Roseville, Ohio, was found inside a Maison Drive home on June 6, 2023. They were in Myrtle Beach as part of a group trip after high school graduation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The evidence showed he was very controlling, insecure, and jealous person during their approximately three-relationship, Chief Deputy Solicitor Scott Hixson said. Although they were broken up and agreed to see other people, he became mad at her for texting another boy. Many friends and family of Martin and her family drove from Ohio to Conway for the trial this week and attended Mondays hearing, officials said. We were ready to prosecute the case during trial this week, but Mr. Linkous decided to admit his responsibility in Ms. Martins death, Hixson said. We are glad the family was spared a trial and they accepted his guilty plea and sentence. * * * Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. A voter at a ballot maker machine. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.) A bill just introduced in the Ohio Senate would create partisan elections for candidates in State Board of Education and local school district board of education races. Ohio Senate Bill 107, introduced by state Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, would require candidates in State Board of Education and local school district board of education races, along with races for education service center governing board members, to be required to run in political party primary elections and appear alongside political party affiliations in general elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under current law, education board candidates are on nonpartisan ballots, alongside municipal, county and common pleas court judges. In 2021, Ohio Republican lawmakers added party labels to Ohio Supreme Court races and have won every state supreme court contest since. Brenner told the Senate General Government Committee in introducing his new bill that the nonpartisan nature of school board elections may lead people to believe we are keeping politics out of the classroom. However, nonpartisan elections do not mean the candidates running in these races are nonpolitical, Brenner claimed. Instead, nonpartisan elections can hide political beliefs from voters, leading to a mismatch between board members and the communities they are meant to represent. The bill sponsor said the legislation is about transparency of candidates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know that there are people that think that it should remain nonpartisan, Brenner said. But if you take a look at all these races, I think all of these races in general are partisan because the people who are running are coming from one political persuasion or another, and I think that adding party labels will help, Brenner said. Independent candidates qualification will require a nominating petition, with the petition indicating the political party if any that will appear on the ballot, according to the language of the bill. A candidate may request, at the time of filing, that the candidate be designated on the ballot as a nonparty candidate or as an other-party candidate, or may request that the candidates name be placed on the ballot without any designation, the bill states. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill also allows a political partys central committee to fill a ballot vacancy in the case of a candidate withdrawal, disqualification, or death. The new bill would change current law with regard to the number of signatures State Board of Education candidates need. To enter primary races, the number of signatures drops from the current requirement of 100 elector signatures down to 50 electors in a given party. Independent candidates would be required to receive signatures equivalent to 1% of the votes received by the governor in the state board district for which the candidate wants to run. For city school district boards of education, signature requirements are based on the district population in the last federal census count. S.B. 107 would require signatures from 25 electors in the chosen political party in a district with a population of less than 20,000, and 50 for districts with more than 20,000 or more. Independent candidates for local school boards will also be required to collect 25 signatures in districts where fewer than 5,000 voters participated in the last gubernatorial election, or collect the equivalent of 5% of the vote, whichever is less. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Candidates looking to be on the independent ballot in districts with more than 5,000 voters in the last governors race will be required to collect signatures equivalent to 1% of the governor election vote total. The Ohio School Boards Association is opposed to the bill, as it continues to oppose any legislation that would transition local school board elections from nonpartisan to partisan or introduce primary elections for these roles, according to Scott Gerfen, spokesperson for the association. Such changes would shrink the pool of qualified candidates willing and able to serve their communities, Gerfen told the Capital Journal. Gerfen said regulations like those in S.B. 107 would unnecessarily restrict participation in local school board elections for federal and state employees, for example, because they are barred from running for partisan office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A similar Republican-led bill was introduced in 2023, focusing specifically on state board races. State Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur, R-Ashtabula, introduced House Bill 235, which not only sought to add partisan affiliations to state board races, but also endeavored to make the board an all-elected group, instead of the 11 elected positions and eight appointed by the governor. Fowler Arthur argued that partisanship would give voters the opportunity to get out and vet their candidates more thoroughly and give a more balanced perspective, likening the potential change to the board of elections candidacy. The bill didnt make it out of the Ohio House Primary and Secondary Education Committee in September 2023, and died with the end of the General Assembly term in 2024. If passed, S.B. 107s changes would apply 120 after the law takes effect, so if the law is enacted after Jan. 5, 2026, the changes wouldnt take effect before the May 5 primary election, and elections for school boards would be nonpartisan until 2028. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A rally in Parma, Ohio in support of Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of George Jaskiw.) It was standing room only at a weekend rally in Parma, Ohio, home to the largest Ukrainian American population in the state. The huge parish hall of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral was packed with hundreds of citizens of Ukrainian descent grappling with the unthinkable: A Russia-aligned America voting against democratic Ukraine at the U.N. and the public humiliation of its president at an appalling White House beat-down. They clutched Ukrainian flags and listened to fiery political speeches from local, state, and federal leaders. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, co-chair and co-founder of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, spoke passionately about Americans standing firm in their support of the Eastern European country courageously defending democracy (against barbaric Russian aggression) even as she acknowledged her audience may feel weak or depressed about what happened recently over at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an earlier statement, the Toledo Democrat blasted the Friday Oval Office belittlement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by a condescending Donald Trump and insulting J.D. Vance: Lots of congratulatory vodka is being spilled in Communist Russia as Dictator Vladimir Putin and his henchmen celebrate his illegal invasion of a sovereign and democratic European nation. Ganging up on President Zelenskyy, as Mr. Trump, a 5-time draft dodger, yelled at Ukraines valiant President for Liberty that he should concede security for mineral rights. Mr. Vance, who recently declared, I dont really care what happens to Ukraine, ambushed President Zelenskyy with practiced taunts. Today, the Statue of Liberty hangs her head in shame. U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) The choreographed set-up of a visiting head of state during a routine photo-op in the White House customarily a brief interlude of performative statesmanship with smiling leaders fielding a few media questions began decently but quickly devolved into a disgusting pile-on of Zelenskyy. The weary democratic ally, in the fourth year of a devastating and unprovoked war with Russia, seemed disorientated at first. He attempted to placate the Putin-loving Trump and his circus monkey hurling practiced taunts. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Zelenskyy, who is not fluent in English, couldnt disarm incoming hostility with fact-based diplomacy. Even his appearance was ridiculed as Vance chortled. Since the war began, Zelenskyy has regularly worn standard-issue field uniforms in solidarity with his troops. A right-wing outlet asked Zelenskyy if he owned a suit. Streaming the mockery to giddy Muscovites back home was a Russian state-owned news agency (TASS) allowed in the Oval over the prohibited Associated Press and Reuters. Ive never seen anything like this before, said a shaken Dr. George Jaskiw, president of the United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio, a nonpartisan coalition of more than 50 groups in the state with the sixth biggest community of Ukrainian Americans in the country. I cant get into the minds of anybody in that room, but Im just stunned at how it began so cordially and changed so rapidly. I cant explain that. Jaskiw hopes cooler heads prevail going forward and both President Trump and President Zelinsky come to see theres a great deal of common ground and interests that go beyond just the transaction for rare earth minerals. A prosperous and secure Ukraine will be good for the security and prosperity of the U.S. But the psychiatrist and professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland braces for what may be. In one week, the U.S. joined Russia in opposing a United Nations resolution condemning Moscow for the Ukraine war and the leader of the free world denigrated one of the worlds most staunch defenders of democracy as cameras rolled. Ohio Republicans in Congress posted approvingly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-4). Thank you President Trump and VP Vance for standing up for America! Rep. Michael Rulli (OH-6). Ukraine has taken hundreds of billions of dollars of our money and never even said thank you. (untrue on both counts) Rep. Warren Davison (OH-8). Zelenskyy is a rude, entitled tyrant. (hes a popular democratically elected leader) Sen. Bernie Moreno. Finally we have a president who will speak the TRUTH and stand up against Washingtons endless wars. (by ceding Ukraine to Russia?) Sen. Jon Husted. President Zelenskyy did not help himself with the comments he made. Decades-old alliances built on shared democratic principles and values can no longer bank on the United States to have their backs when Trump trusts murderous dictators on the march and maligns allied democracies. Yet many in Ohios conservative Ukrainian diaspora still view the president as a savvy, unorthodox negotiator with an unusual style that gets results. Well see, said a clearly worried Jaskiw. With the Russian Federation there is no trust. There is only verify and have the strength to back it up. Putin wants to rewrite the world order to his favor. Any peace with Ukraine without security guarantees enforced by a credible deterrent will be useless. Putin will go back. He will rebuild. He will rearm and start again. Without security buttressed by the power of the U.S. military Putin will not be deterred. If the dream of the Russian administration that the U.S. abandons Ukraine comes true, Jaskiw fears, it will be a great loss to our security, it will attenuate our prosperity and it will certainly change the minds of Europe and our allies in the east, like Japan and Taiwan, about our diplomacy, about our interests, about our credibility. Which has already been blown by a tag-team of mendacious nihilists on the wrong side of history. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Oil prices have continued to drop after U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly suspended military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reported on March 4. The news from the U.S. comes after a spat between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week. Neither Washington nor Kyiv have officially confirmed the freeze. Brent crude oil futures fell 54 cents, or 0.75%, to $71.08 per barrel. In the meantime, futures for U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil decreased by 36 cents, or 0.53%, to $68.01 per barrel, according to the news agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The market perceived the distancing of the U.S. and Ukraine as a signal of a possible easing of the war, subsequently leading to the loosening of sanctions against Russia and the return of additional volumes of Russian oil for purchase, Reuters reported. Yet Goldman Sachs analysts noted that Russian oil exports are now more limited by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quotas than by sanctions, so even if sanctions are eased, a significant increase in supplies is not guaranteed. OPEC's decision to extend the planned increase in production by 138,000 barrels per day, the first increase since 2022, also puts pressure on prices. A day earlier, oil prices fell by about 2%, hitting a 12-week low, amid news about Ukraine and concerns that new U.S. tariffs will hurt global economic growth, according to Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will come into effect on March 4, with energy products from Canada subject to a 10% duty, while tariffs on Chinese goods will rise from 10% to 20%. Read also: Trumps Oval Office clash with Zelensky killed diplomacy Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (WKRG) The Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office is asking for the publics help after two shootings occurred in local neighborhoods. No injuries were reported, but bullets hit cars, a mailbox and a trash can. Investigators said both incidents happened in the early morning hours two days apart. WEATHER ALERT: Damaging winds and tornadoes possible Fat Tuesday evening The first shooting happened on Saturday, March 1, around 2 a.m. near Shrewsbury Road and Bryn Athyn Boulevard in Mary Esther. A deputy at Santa Rosa Mall heard the gunfire and responded. He found multiple shell casings near the intersection and damage to property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second shooting was reported March 3 around 1:25 a.m. near Elaine Avenue in Fort Walton Beach. Deputies found shell casings scattered across a front yard, driveway and under a car. A driver reported his car was hit while driving, but he was not injured. Everyones seen the horror stories where bullets have gone through homes, struck people that were sleeping in their beds, and killed them, Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office Public Information Officer Michele Nicholson said. So this is not anything for people to be taking lightly. This is serious. Somebody could end up dead as a result of these shootings. Deputies are working to determine if the shootings are connected. No arrests have been made. Authorities are urging residents to report any suspicious activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pensacolas Graffiti Bridge painted in support of terminated National Park Service employees If you hear anything that you think is gunfire, you need to call 911 immediately, call the sheriffs office, Nicholson said. The quicker we can get out there, the more out we are to find whos responsible. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office or submit an anonymous tip through Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma health experts are raising concerns about the rise in whooping cough cases. Since October, doctors say theyve been seeing an increase in cases. This is the largest whooping cough outbreak Oklahoma has experienced in 69 years, said Dr. George Monks, former president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association. According to the CDC, so far for 2025, there has been 77 cases of whooping cough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, there were 469 total cases and in 2020, the state only saw 20 cases. A lot of people missed their vaccinations during the pandemic, a lot of missed well-child checks and then also, theres more and more vaccine hesitancy, said Dr. Monks. Doctors say whooping cough can be prevented if you are vaccinated. The illness starts out like a common cold, then progresses into an uncontrollable high-pitched cough. Okla. Human Services offering program and support to lead a healthier life Infants can have severe complications. Our biggest risk for hospitalization is in our babies that are less than six months of age and about a third of kids under 12 months who get whooping cough will actually have to be hospitalized, said Dr. Stephanie DeLeon, associate chief medical officer, Oklahoma Childrens Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It can be fatal; the infant death rate is 2%. Babies that havent gotten their first vaccine are at risk for something called apnea, which means they will stop breathing, said Dr. DeLeon. Expecting mothers can get the vaccine, while pregnant. If you have a baby not old enough for the vaccine, doctors say before anyone comes in contact with them, they should have an up-to-date vaccine. Adults should get the vaccine every ten years. It is readily available with your health care provider or local pharmacy. We also reached out to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, who sent the following statement. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is monitoring pertussis activity closely and is actively working with public health partners to increase awareness about pertussis prevention strategies OSDH Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. About a thousand people, many of them retirees who had worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, gathered Monday in Boulder to protest last week's firings of federal government employees. The protesters were at the intersection of Broadway Street and Rayleigh Road, near the NOAA office in Boulder. A group of armed guards kept the protesters from crossing into NOAA property, as Boulder police kept watch. People lifted cardboard signs with messages like "NOAA saves lives. Tornadoes are apolitical." They also chanted, "Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Research makes our country go." Some carried upside-down American flags and delivered speeches over a bullhorn. Cars passing by could be heard honking their horns. One man's shirt proclaimed "I'm a scientist. Back off." About 50 people were fired from NOAA in Boulder on Thursday, according to current employees who took time out from lunch to join the protesters, despite the risk they said they faced by being seen with them. Since Thursday, when Paul Hemmock was given an hour to collect his things and leave his office after being fired, he's felt shock, grief and now anger, he said. He was still on probation after four months as a safety officer at NOAA, and he said he was terminated by email with no notice in what some called a "sledgehammer" firing. "I was kneecapped. Told to get out," he said. On Monday, the sea of people who turned out to protest the firing of dozens of scientists, forecasters, budget analysts and software engineers gave Hemmock a boost of confidence that "someone really does care," he said. On Friday, Colorado Democratic lawmakers demanded an investigation into the terminations. Nationwide, cuts at NOAA appeared to happen in two rounds 500 employees and then another at 800, according to Craig McLean, a former NOAA chief scientist who said he got the information from someone with first-hand knowledge. Thats about 10% of NOAAs workforce. The first round of cuts were mostly probationary employees, McLean said. There are about 375 probationary employees in the National Weather Service, which conducts day-to-day forecasting and hazard warning. NOAA, which forecasts hurricanes and supports climate related research, is the latest agency to face layoffs in what the Trump administration described as efforts to reduce "waste, bloat and insularity in the federal bureaucracy. Featured Local Savings The White House earlier told agency heads to initiate "large-scale reductions in force," targeting offices that don't perform functions mandated by law and emphasizing "diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives." Not everyone believes the latest terminations are a bad thing. "These are regrettable but overdue changes," said Jon Caldera, president of the Independence Institute, who lives in Boulder. "NOAA is a scientific organization. The science of paying people with money that just doesnt exist is bad science." Trump's administration has argued that the federal government is too bloated and too much money is lost to waste and fraud. The government has some $36 trillion in debt and ran a $1.8 trillion deficit last year, and both sides of the political agree on the need for changes. In one memo, the White House said agencies should eliminate positions that are not statutorily mandated and focus on ways to efficiently deliver services. Members of Colorado's Republican congressional delegation have said they broadly support the Trump administration's approach. President Trump has made his priorities clear to cut the waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government, said U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank, a Colorado Springs Republican, in a statement issued earlier this month. I trust that this administration is working for the benefit of the American people. Hemmock said that he is not afraid to speak out about how he got fired. Many others who lost their jobs were "hunkered down," said Ernie Hildner, who retired 10 years ago from his job as director of the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Weather Service and NOAA. Hildner said it's hard to know exactly who was fired and who may be next. John Tayer, president and CEO of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, said that information is trickling in but he doesn't know how the loss of dozens of professional salaries would affect Boulder's economy. "They're making it difficult to find out," he said. Hildner said he was "proud to work with these passionate people. To call them lazy is aggravating beyond words." Hildner said his weather scientists worked three shifts, 365 days per year, and now are "just boom. Gone." Scientists who work at the University of Colorado in partnership with NOAA and were among the protesters said they are bracing for the possibility of future funding cuts. KANSAS CITY, Mo. The Olathe Police Department is searching for a missing 38-year-old man who disappeared from a residential neighborhood on Monday morning. According to officers, Jordan Yust was last seen leaving the area of West 141st Street and South Widmer Street at around 11 a.m. Monday. He was said to be wearing a green Columbia coat and blue jeans. Police describe him as a 5-foot-7, 175-pound man with brown eyes, a brown beard and a bald head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man, woman charged in connection to shooting of Chillicothe teen He left the Olathe neighborhood in a silver Honda Odyssey with a Kansas license plate that read 056RRA. Police said Jordan is endangered because he had made statements related to self-harm. If you or anyone you know has information regarding the disappearance of Yust, police ask that you call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at (816) 474-8477. 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 FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. An Olympia timber company was fined roughly $115,000 for child labor violations after the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) said a teen was hurt on the job. The investigation into MVR Timber Cutting Inc. began in May 2024. L&I said they received a report that a 17-year-old worker fractured his foot jumping from one tree stump to another. According to L&Is Child Labor Unit, the injured teen was working as a choker setter. They said his job was to wrap a thick cable around a fallen tree, which is connected to other equipment to lift the tree and carry it to a landing area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State regulations prohibit teens under 18 from working a job where safety regulations require more extensive personal protective equipment than boots, gloves, and safety glasses. They also cant work in hard hat zones. Logging is an incredibly high-injury industry, and teens under the age of 18 are strictly prohibited by federal and state regulations from working in logging occupations because of that danger, said Bryan Templeton, Employment Standards program manager. In January, L&I fined the company for allowing the teen to work in logging operations upwards of 56 times while under the age of 18 and in an environment where a hard hat is required. State youth employment laws also limit the hours when a teen under the age of 18 can work and how many hours they can work per day and week. L&I said it fined the company for violating hours-of-work regulations for minors, too. The company has appealed the citation. For the first time in the 22-year history of Preservation Chicagos annual ranking of the citys seven most endangered buildings, a former McDonalds restaurant has cracked the list sort of. No, its not a classic golden arches burger joint, but rather a shuttered first-floor McDonalds restaurant that may be threatening plans to renovate and repurpose a 150-year-old Loop office building, which tops the endangered list for 2025. The Delaware Building at 36 W. Randolph St., an eight-story, Italianate-style building that was among the first to rise from the ashes of the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, is nearly vacant, deteriorating and stuck in redevelopment limbo. McDonalds, which closed the restaurant during the pandemic and never reopened, has a half-century remaining on a 99-year lease, which the Chicago-based chain has yet to relinquish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It just seems like various plans have fallen through because of the McDonalds space, said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago. Theyre making it very hard for the repurposing of this building. A McDonalds spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Designed by architects Wheelock & Thomas, the ornate Delaware Building features a cast-iron base topped with a concrete facade. It was completed between 1872 and 1874, with an 1889 remodel by architect Julius H. Huber, adding two floors to the top and a dramatic steel-framed interior atrium. The Delaware Building was listed on the National Register in 1974 and designated a Chicago Landmark in 1983, offering protection against demolition. That hasnt prevented underutilization and decay, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plans to convert upper office floors to residential or perhaps sell the building have been stymied by the ongoing McDonalds lease for the first two floors, Miller said. He is hoping the Chicago-based fast-food giant will step up in a spirit of civic responsibility and give up its former space. Wed like to see McDonalds open to the idea of turning over their lease, realizing this is a landmark building in downtown Chicago, Miller said. The other Chicago landmarks that made the groups most endangered list this year: 2. Clarence Darrow Memorial Bridge Designed by famed Chicago architectural firm Burnham and Root, the bridge, originally known as the Columbia Drive Bridge, has spanned Jackson Parks lagoon since 1880, offering picturesque views and passage to the lakefront. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It predates the nearby Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, whose building was part of the 1893 Worlds Columbian Exposition. In 1957, the structure was renamed for famed Chicago attorney Clarence Darrow, a Hyde Park resident who frequented the bucolic bridge while contemplating cases. Jackson Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and the bridge also falls within the boundary of the 1994 Chicago Landmark designation for the Museum of Science and Industry. But the stone bridge has fallen into disrepair, with the Chicago Department of Transportation cordoning it off to pedestrian traffic in 2013. Renovating and reopening the bridge while preserving its historical elements has proved elusive to date, especially for CDOT, Miller said. He is hoping a new Jackson Park neighbor, the Obama Presidential Center, which is set to open next year, will take up the cause. Itd be wonderful if an entity like the Obama Presidential Center, which is building very close by, would participate in helping to fund this in a very sensitive way, Miller said. It needs to be sensitively addressed and very carefully restored. 3. J.J. Walser House Built in 1903, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed single family home in the Austin neighborhood, is at an unusual location the only one of its kind on Chicagos West Side and an exemplary representation of the architects Prairie style. But it has fallen on hard times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tucked within a narrow urban lot, the modest home has been lauded for its simplicity, free-flowing efficiency and organic naturalism. The home, which has been sold a dozen times, has been remodeled by various occupants over the years, but was essentially preserved with only minor changes under its last owner for more than 50 years. Since the passing of that owner, Anne Teague, in 2019, the house has been unoccupied and deteriorating. The property is in foreclosure and burdened by a reverse mortgage, which has hampered efforts to find a new owner to restore and preserve the house, Miller said. Designated a Chicago Landmark in 1984, the property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 for its significant design by Wright. The vacant house is protected from demolition, but not from harsh Midwestern winters and occasional vandalism, Miller said. Preservation Chicago is looking to get the house out of foreclosure and sell it to an owner that would commit to its restoration. The complicated financial situation may take a year or more to navigate, Miller said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its really sad to see a Frank Lloyd Wright structure like this in such disrepair, Miller said. 4. Olivet Baptist Church Located in the Bronzeville/Douglas neighborhood, Olivet Baptist Church houses one of the oldest African American congregations in Chicago. Built in 1876, the Gothic Revival church has long been a cultural landmark, but the building itself at 3101 S. King Drive never achieved that formal status. Clad in rough ashlar veneer, trimmed in Joliet limestone and topped with a 160-foot steepled tower, it nonetheless remains a prominent architectural feature with a storied history. But as the congregation has dwindled during the new millennium, the building has begun to deteriorate. Preservation Chicago is recommending the the church pursue designation as a Chicago Landmark as a first step towards restoring the building to its historic glory. 5. Central Manufacturing District Clock Tower For more than a century, an 11-story, red brick and terra cotta tower has stood watch over the brawny Central Manufacturing District, the nations first planned industrial development along Pershing Road in McKinley Park on the citys Southwest Side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Financier and railroad magnate Frederick Henry Prince created the Central Manufacturing District by his Chicago Junction Railway switching yard and the South Branch of the Chicago River. It began to take shape in 1902 with the construction of the U.S. Leather Co. building and expanded west along Pershing Road, ultimately covering more than 350 acres. At its height, more than 250 companies, from Wrigley to Westinghouse, operated out of the buildings. Activity dwindled as tenants fled to suburban industrial parks that sprung up along interstate highways, turning the manufacturing district into a memory and the buildings into targets for redevelopment and preservationists. Like many buildings in the development, the Clock Tower is vacant and deteriorating. The Central Manufacturing District and its buildings have been on the most endangered list several times over the last decade. Recent effort to sell the buildings have proved unsuccessful. And last year, the 104-year-old Continental Can Building fell to the wrecking ball. Preservation Chicago is recommending Chicago Landmark status for the Clock Tower to incentivize its preservation and restoration. 6. Western Boulevard Industrial Buildings Eight historic buildings along Western Boulevard in the Back of the Yards neighborhood form a century-old industrial corridor designed by some noted architects. Original occupants included Inland Steel, Whitney & Ford, Grinnell and O-Cedar. Some of the buildings are in use by new tenants, while others are unoccupied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mostly two- to four-story red brick buildings, some feature ornamental stone and terra cotta elements, original signage and rooftop water towers, once a standard requirement in the wake of the Great Chicago Fire. While all of the industrial buildings are part of the National Register-listed Chicago Park Boulevard System Historic District, many are showing their age. In addition to keeping the buildings in operation and addressing needed repairs to restore the historic elements, Preservation Chicago is recommending a Chicago Landmark designation to prevent demolition or changes that would destroy their character. 7. St. Martins Church The former St. Martin de Tours Church at 5848 S. Princeton Ave. in the Englewood neighborhood is returning to the list and still in danger. Originally built for the German Catholic community, the church closed in 1989, reopened as an Evangelical Black congregation in 1998 and shuttered in 2017. The century-old Gothic church building is deteriorating after years of deferred maintenance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Distinctive features include a 228-foot stone steeple, limestone exterior and original stained glass windows, although much of the churchs interior wood-carved details have been lost. Preservation Chicago is hoping a new congregation might move in and restore the church, or the building could be repurposed as a community center, among other potential adaptive reuses. As with other endangered structures, Preservation Chicago is recommending it be designated a local landmark to prevent demolition and encourage restoration. Missing from this years list after three years at the top are the Century and Consumers buildings, a pair of century-old Loop skyscrapers that were threatened with demolition by the federal government, which acquired them in 2007 as a buffer and potential office expansion for the adjacent federal courthouse. The vacant buildings in the 200 block of South State Street, among the last vestiges of the Chicago School of Architecture, were earmarked for demolition in 2022 after a proposal for a $141 million mixed-use redevelopment was shot down over security concerns raised by neighboring federal judges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But after years of efforts by preservationists, the General Services Administration, which manages the government-owned buildings, determined they should be saved from the wrecking ball and repurposed, with development teams submitting proposals for adaptive reuse in January. We at Preservation Chicago are grateful for this determination, and we look forward to working with the GSA towards any type of revisioning, reuse of these buildings with whatever team they pick, Miller said. rchannick@chicagotribune.com As the Chateau Marmont staff this morning were cleaning up after Jay-Z and Beyonces annual post-Oscars Gold party, the Empire State of Mind superstar was doubling down against the Jane Doe and the lawyer who accused him and Sean Diddy Combs of raping her as a minor in a now-dismissed case. Defendants devised and executed their plan to accuse Mr. Carter of sexual assault and used national news and media outlets to disseminate the fabricated accusations to millions despite the falsity of the accusation, proclaims the defamation and malicious prosecution complaint filed Monday in federal court in Alabama against the now middle-aged Jane Doe, as well as attorneys Tony Buzbee and David Fortney. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Using terms like evil conspiracy, the filing say the trio were soullessly motivated by greed, in abject disregard of the truth and the most fundamental precepts of human decency in claiming Jay-Z a.k.a. Shawn Carter participated in repeatedly raping her after the 2000 MTV VMAs. After a graphic October 20 lawsuit named the much accused and currently incarcerated Combs for the alleged rape of the then 13-year-old with mention of a male Celebrity A and a female Celebrity B, an Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan-represented anonymous celebrity and public figure who resides in Los Angeles went after the Buzbee for extortion in LA Superior Court on November 18. On December 8, the Houston-based lawyer refiled his initial suit claiming that Jay-Z was the Celebrity A in question. Decrying the claims as heinous in nature Jay-Z revealed himself in early December as the figure who resides in LA. Months of fighting the rape claims in federal court in NYC and failing to get the matter tossed out saw a lot of bitter finger pointing with claims of bribery, shady probes and lying from all sides, to varying degrees. Things certainly got shaker for Jane Doe after a mid-December NBC News interview in which she appeared to cut the legs out from several aspects of her own case. The sudden February 14 dismissal of the self-undermined allegations by Jane Doe herself were in many ways the end of the beginning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement posted that day on his Roc Nations X feed, Jay-Z tellingly said: I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed. Around the time the rape case was tossed out, Jay-Z claimed in court filings that the accusations were incredibly painful for he and Beyonces family and scarred his reputation, personally and professionally. Claiming Buzbee was trying to get a big payout from him, the Roc Nation founder added that the allegations cost his company up to $20 million annually in deals too. In that context, on February 26, a tentative ruling by LASC Judge Mark H. Epstein stripped Jay-Zs extortion claim against Buzbee from the West Coast case. However, Judge Epstein left in the defamation claim and the real possibility of a trial. Full of those same family shame themes and the lost $20 million, todays jury trial seeking move by the 99 Problems rapper in federal court in Alabama opens up the aperture of such defamation claims, and tries to flip the spotlight. Doe has now voluntarily admitted directly to representatives of Mr. Carter that the story brought before the world in court and on global television was just that: a false, malicious story, Jay-Zs unspecified damages seeking filing in Jane Does resident state says. She has admitted that Mr. Carter did not assault her; and that indeed it was Buzbee himself whom she met for the first time at a coffee shop in Houston on the day of her maliciously false NBC News interview who pushed her to go forward with the false narrative of the assault by Mr. Carter in order to leverage a maximum payday, the complaint, which also has claims of abuse of process and civil conspiracy, adds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaving no stone unturned, the filing also claims that Jane Doe takes a number of medications for several mental health disorders. For his part, Tony Buzbee isnt exactly feeling all Marquess of Queensberry rules either. This new case which alleges the same thing as another one he pieces together and filed in Los Angeles also has no legal merit, the Lone Star state lawyer said in a statement Monday. Shawn Carters investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story, Buzbee asserted. She wont. Instead she has stated repeatedly she stands by her claims. These same group of investigators have been caught on tape offering to pay people to sue me and my firm. This is just another attempt to intimidate and bully this poor woman that we will deal with in due course. We wont be bullied or intimidated by frivolous cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In terms of other cases, Sean Combs is facing dozens of assault and abuse civil suits from Buzbee-represented plaintiffs and others. The Bad Boy Records founder remains behind bars at Brooklyns Metropolitan Detention Center where he has been since his September 16 arrest on criminal charges. Failing on multiple occasions to get released on $50 million bail , Combs is set to go to trial on racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution charges starting May 5. If found guilty, the 55-year-old All About the Benjamins performer is looking at a potential sentence of life in prison. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. BEAVER DAM, Wis. (WFRV) One month after an Amber Alert was issued for 16-year-old Sophia Franklin, authorities continue their search to locate her. Franklin is believed to have been taken from her home by 40-year-old Gary Day, who is reportedly the father of her unborn child. Wisconsin officials investigating officer-involved death after pursuit ends in fatal crash We continue to investigate this case and follow up on all leads, the Beaver Dam Police Department said in a statement. It is our priority to bring Sophia home to her family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities believe the two may still be traveling in a black 2014 Buick. However, Day is known to collect license plates and may have changed them. Waushara County man arrested after Fond du Lac drug bust, police chase Officials urge anyone who sees Franklin or Day to contact law enforcement. If it is safe to do so, witnesses are encouraged to take a photo and submit it with a tip to local authorities. No additional details were provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. For his second presidential term, Donald Trump stacked his health team with men who disdain the medical consensus. Mehmet Oz, who awaits Senate confirmation as the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), promoted hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 (it doesnt work this way) and once faced a Senate panel over his hawking of miracle weight-loss cures (they didnt work either). Dave Weldon, Trumps nominee to lead the CDC, has a long history of anti-vaccine comments. So does Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now secretary of Health and Human Services. These perspectives are worrisome and divisive. Nonetheless, the incoming administrations skepticism of entrenched health-care groups, if properly channeled, could help address a specific problem in the nations medical system: changing how Medicare pays health-care providersin particular, specialists and primary-care physicians. In a recent executive order creating a Make America Healthy Again Commission, the president wrote of protecting expert recommendations from inappropriate influence. And HHS recently affirmed the administrations aversion to outside views when it curtailed public comments on policy changes, which are often dominated by interest groups. By reexamining the priorities of doctors and hospitals groups, the Trump health team could do the miraculous: improve care and save money. In the United States, physicians work is measured in relative value units (RVUs), which account for the time, technical skill, and mental effort involved in any office visit, test, or treatment. Those RVUs determine how much Medicare pays for specific services. Medicare payment also serves as the model for all other insurers, and thus influences most physician payments nationally. Doctors pay isnt necessarily determined by RVUs alone, but for many physicians, compensation is closely tied to the number of RVUs someone working in their specialty is expected to generate. Even doctors who are paid a salary are often expected to meet certain RVU goals, and are paid bonuses for exceeding them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The RVU system is biased in its very design. CMS relies on an American Medical Association committee to propose adjustments each year to RVU allocations. That committee is made up of 32 doctorsoverwhelmingly specialistsand other health-care professionals. Those physicians have an inherent conflict of interest: They are in effect setting their and their colleagues pay. The committee estimates time spent for various types of work in part by surveying just a few dozen physicians, who, according to a 2016 report by the Urban Institute, give inflated guesstimates. CMS accepts more than 90 percent of the AMA committees recommendations. As a result, surgeries, scans, and other medical procedures are consistently assigned higher RVUs than office visits or interactions in which a doctor, say, talks to a patient about smoking or regularly taking medications for their chronic diseaseso-called cognitive patient encounters. A cardiac surgeons time and effort for an hours-long triple-bypass operation clocks in at about 40 work RVUs. A dermatologist applying liquid nitrogen to freeze benign skin growthsa simple, low-risk procedure that takes less than five minutesamounts to about 1.11 work RVUs. Meanwhile, a primary-care doctor spending 40 minutes with an established patient who has diabetes, kidney problems, and a heart condition generates only 1.8 work RVUs. This visit is not comparable to removing benign skin growths. And while a primary-care visit might take less time than the surgery, it is not 20 times less valuableespecially because good primary care can prevent the need for the surgery to begin with. The AMA has made some adjustments to address these problems. In a statement, the association said that its RVU committee is working within the bounds that the government requires: For instance, its work is limited to determining the work value of different codes, not their value to patients. And the group pointed out that nine committee members have a background in primary care. The association also noted that its recommendations are nonbinding, and that its committee has worked with CMS to increase the value of cognitive patient encounters and approved those increases knowing that they would require cuts in other codes, because of Medicares budget-neutrality rules. But these adjustments are clearly insufficient, and fail to accurately reward high-value physician interventions. Indeed, the higher RVUs for specialty-related procedures mean specialists are paid more, whether or not that reflects the value of the work to patients overall health. A 2019 study published in JAMA found that increasing the number of primary-care physicians improved life expectancy more than increasing the same number of specialists by more than 2.5 times. It is clear that primary-care physicians deliver life-saving careand deliver it efficiently. But their compensation does not reflect this utility. By one estimate based on tax returns, the average orthopedic surgeon or dermatologist earns roughly three times as much as the average primary-care doctor. And those pay differences mean that fewer medical students and residents will train to become primary-care physicians, which endangers Americans health. The AMA likes to emphasize that its committee provides invaluable expertise and engages thousands of physicians in giving uncompensated advice to the government. This all may be true, but no advice is free. If the federal government disregarded the AMA committees advice, it could improve the system through three important reforms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, a committee made up of medical experts, health-policy and health-economics experts, actuaries, and othersunaffiliated with the AMA and free of conflicts of interestcould reevaluate the few hundred medical codes that account for the lions share of medical costs. They could reassign RVUs based not on physicians time, but on health benefit, cognitive skills, and difficulty, when possible. Second, if still relevant, the time that a given procedure takes could be determined by data from electronic health records, as opposed to physicians self-reports. Finally, payments to physicians could be adjusted based on both quality and cost savings. For instance, Medicare could weigh physicians success in taking care of diabetes patients by the proportion of patients who have their blood sugars, blood pressure, and cholesterol controlled, and pass annual examinations tracking complications with their eyes and feet. Then, the program could adjust payments going forward: Physicians who achieve or maintain results above a certain threshold would be eligible for higher levels of payment. Similarly, surgeons should be bonusedor penalizedbased on surgical-site infections, unexpected emergency-room visits, unscheduled post-procedure hospital admissions, and other quality metrics. These types of changes could usher in improved care, potentially in just a few years. In its statement to The Atlantic, the AMA said that its committee does rely on medical records to inform its work when possible, but needs those data sets to meet certain criteria. The association also underlined that it supports alternative payment models, including value-based models, if theyre voluntary for physicians. Still, under the banner of more physician autonomy without financial penalties, the AMA and other medical societies have also frequently opposed payment programs or made them impossible to evaluate because they are voluntary and thus biased. But payment programs could help improve the nations health quickly, and could allow CMSsoon to be led by Oz, if hes confirmedto focus on chronic illnesses, particularly high blood pressure, the nations most common and deadly chronic disease. Just under half of American adults have hypertension, and fewer than a quarter of them have their blood pressure controlled. We know how to treat this problem. Since the 1950s, more than 100 cheap, effective medications that lower blood pressure have been developed, and some medical systems and physicians have achieved blood-pressure control for 80 percent or more of their hypertensive patients. These systems all rely on care teams rather than the work of individual physicians, diagnose a patient in their home (where blood-pressure measurements tend to be more accurate), prescribe combination pills that contain two blood-pressure medications, encourage lifestyle changes, and have patients connect to a team member every two to four weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2015, the AMA did launch a trademarked blood-pressure-control programTarget: BP, which shares some of these same insights. But despite all of these efforts, blood-pressure control has not improved, according to the CDC. Financial incentives could change that. Judging by previous experiments, those incentives would need to be large. For instance, Covered California, the California exchange, made blood-pressure control one of four quality measures for insurers, and penalized insurers who failed to meet targets with escalating reductions in premiums. In 2023, the first year the program ran, the penalty was a 1 percent reduction; blood-pressure control improved a remarkable 12 percent. Adopting this approach, CMS could make achieving a certain threshold of successful treatment of hypertension the dominant measure for the quality assessment of Medicare Advantage plans, and link that measure to bonuses. CMS could also penalize those achieving less than 50 percent control. Faced with such reformswhich could lower hospitals and doctors bottom linethe medical lobbying groups would, no doubt, rebel. The AMA, for one, has long had an aversion to what it calls scope creep: proposals enabling nonphysician providers to take some clinical responsibility for patients that is essential to team-based care. The association claims that scope creep results in worse quality and more expensive care. At the same time, physicians and health-care organizations would likely claim they cant take an approach that requires more intensive contact with patients, because they arent paid enough to spend the time. Plus, those threatened by penalties for their poor performance would likely claim they have sicker and noncompliant patients. Perhaps an administration filled with people willing to dismiss such self-interested pronouncements would be better at addressing chronic illness, as the president has said he intends to with the Make America Healthy Again Commission. If Kennedy and the rest of the administration focus on delegitimizing vaccines and defluoridating water, the nations health will suffer. But Trumps Cabinet could also ignore special pleading by the medical establishment and fix physician payment and hypertension. Thats certainly a better prospect than more measles deaths. Article originally published at The Atlantic Crypto prices are on a veritable roller coaster ride as president Donald Trump's initiatives and deregulation embolden crypto whales to funnel billions into digital currency a space that advocates say is poised to become the legitimate business they've long predicted, but which keeps attracting scams and crime. And not all crypto-criminals are hiding behind a computer screen, a lesson that famed OnlyFans creator Kaitlyn "Amouranth" Siragusa found out the hard way on Sunday, when she says home invaders dragged her out of bed at gunpoint. They weren't there to boost cash or electronics, but apparently to nab the password to Siragusa's phone holding her crypto wallet: the only thing standing between them and a potential $20 million payout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They beat me before this video and pistol whipped me the pummeling felt like it would never end," she wrote after the ordeal. "They brought duct tape and masks and were armed with handguns." The popular streamer claimed to have shot one of the assailants in a series of erratic posts on X-formerly-Twitter. "I believe I shot one of them they wanted crypto is what they were yelling they pulled me out of bed," Siragusa wrote. "They kept shooting my bedroom door and then finally kicked it in." The police in Houston later acknowledged the incident, calling for "any information about this aggravated robbery / home invasion." Given the gang-like nature of the attack and the fact that the robbers apparently made Swiss cheese of Siragusa's bedroom door it's a miracle the streamer was able to live-post the attack on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's unclear whether the assailants got what they came for, but the brazen attack is just one of many to plague the ever-tumultuous world of digital currency as IRL crimes become increasingly commonplace. Assuming one takes the proper precautions, blockchain currency can be very secure from outside actors. Instead of a few centralized banks holding huge sums for customers in juicy bank vaults, crypto custody is spread among individuals. Unfortunately, that's driving thieves to seek more personal avenues of approach, a practice crypto-nerds call "wrench attacks" a fun way to say "no password is safe from physical violence." In all of 2024, there were 24 reported wrench attacks, according to reporting by Fortune. In January 2025, there were eight alone. If this pace keeps up throughout the year, the figure could approach a hundred armed crypto heists in 2025. One of those was the shocking kidnapping of French crypto mogul David Balland, along with his wife, by a gang of armed thieves. Balland, a cofounder of the billion-dollar crypto hardware company Ledger, was held as ransom in exchange for a $100 million Bitcoin ransom, a grisly point made clear when Ledger cofounder Eric Larcheveque received Balland's severed finger in the mail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Balland and his wife were found alive after the French police and crypto industry bent over backward to find the multi-millionaire and save Larcheveque's crypto holdings, smaller-time crypto holders may not be so lucky. Case in point, Siragusa, also a multimillionaire in digital holdings though with decidedly less political and industry influence was likely targeted after flashing her crypto wallet full of millions in Bitcoin and Ethereum. As crypto enthusiasts of all kinds enjoy a heightened market thanks to the White House's exceedingly visible hand, savage crypto crimes like these may just be the tip of the iceberg. More on crypto crime: Someone Hacked Paul Krugman's Twitter and Made an Entire Fake Website for the New York Times to Shill a "New York Times Coin" Scam Coin TRENTON, N.J. (PIX11) Standing up for women who have served is a woman who served in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Army veteran Lucy Del Gaudio isnt just using her voice, shes taking action to help women vets with YWCA Northern New Jerseys Operation Sisterhood. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State A program like ours could basically help them navigate the system, find the right resource for the right issue they might be facing, said Del Gaudio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Launched just months ago with the goal of supporting women veterans transitioning back to civilian life, Del Gaudio says difficulty in accessing mental health services is among the biggest concerns among female veterans in New Jersey, along with underemployment and lack of knowledge of VA services. So far, it serves women vets in Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, and Morris Counties. On Monday, Del Gaudio came to Trenton to speak to the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee to ask lawmakers to consider how Trenton could help them expand. We are seeking targeted statewide funding that would allow us to directly expand our housing support, job training, and trauma-informed services for women veterans, Del Gaudio testified to the committee. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the lawmakers on the committee say they hadnt heard of Operation Sisterhood but are glad to have heard their story, and will keep their conversation going in Trenton. [Veterans]Theyre the reason, they served, they put their life on the line for the freedoms that we have, said Sen. Lathan Tiver (R-NJ 8th District). While its disheartening, it was unsurprising to hear the accounts of the challenges that female veterans face in transitioning to civilian life after their military service, said Sen. Raj Mukherji (D-NJ32nd District). Its on us to smooth the path for them. The next steps would involve lawmakers proposing a budget appropriation for the group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Sen. Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, is recovering from surgery after being diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. The first-term senator announced on the Senate floor last week that she's battling the disease. About 5,500 women and men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in Colorado, she said. "Today, I have joined those ranks," she said. Her voice breaking, she said the month has been filled with emotion and an endless barrage of tests. "I'm a really private person, and I don't share this information lightly," she said. Frizell said before surgery that her announcement was out of respect for her constituents in Senate District 2. "I am accountable to them and always want to be transparent. I want to be clear to all that I am not going to stop fighting for the good people in Senate District 2, while I simultaneously fight this new battle. I am not going anywhere, and Im going to be fine, she said. Frizell also encouraged everyone to get a mammogram. At stage 1, she's at the level where breast cancer is the most treatable. Featured Local Savings "I'm going to beat cancer," she said. I have a heart of gratitude that my cancer has been caught early because of a routine screening, and this is my public service announcement today. Get a mammogram every year. Do it even though it is inconvenient and intrusive. Do it because it can save your life," she told her colleagues. Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, said Frizell is a fighter. "She wins for her constituents, she wins for the Senate Republican team, and we are confident she will swiftly beat this personal challenge, he said. On the other side of the Capitol, House Republican leaders also offered their support. House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs and Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter, R-Trinidad, said their hearts are with Frizell and her family. "And we stand beside her in unwavering support. Our prayers and positive thoughts are with her," they said. Frizell served one term in the state House before joining the state Senate last November. She previously served as Douglas County assessor and has been a major voice on the issue of property taxes. As the White House attempts to drastically reshape the U.S. government, alarm bells are ringing for those of us whose careers have focused on Americas national security. In the Trump administrations zeal both to radically curtail the size of government and to pay back his perceived enemies, we fear that many of these efforts are undermining the very safety of the country. This is not the government reform that is required we would applaud such measures, as there is significant waste and redundancy in government that should be eliminated. Instead, this is taking a sledgehammer to government without any consideration for short or long-term effects to critical national security institutions that keep Americans safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was recently reported that the government demanded a list of probationary CIA officers sent over an unclassified server to the Office of Management and Budget. This is ostensibly part of the administrations goal of reducing the size of government agencies, but many of us who saw the news thought the order must have come from a Chinese operative who had hacked the system. While the names were reportedly sanitized to show only a first name and last initial, any decent intelligence program can connect the dots through social media, data leaks and other avenues to figure out who these individuals are. Many of these officers are conceivably a part of the CIAs invigorated efforts against China, which intelligence experts agree is Americas most formidable geopolitical adversary. If the reporting is correct, this email potentially compromised the safety of these junior officers, made them counterintelligence targets and wasted untold amounts of money the U.S. has invested in keeping their identities and activities secret. Congress should seek answers about how this could happen. Nearly as unsettling is the potential purge underway at the FBI, where thousands of special agents may be targeted for political firings, despite assurances from FBI Director Kash Patel that he would not permit political retribution at the bureau. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is essential to point out the dangers that go beyond the obvious fact that losing a large number of federal law enforcement officers many of whom with decades of experience and contacts makes America less safe. But what becomes of these individuals is also deeply concerning from a counterintelligence perspective. While FBI special agents are some of the most patriotic public servants, many will face economic pressures from losing their jobs leaving them as prime targets for foreign spies. Intelligence agencies like the Chinese are adept at commercial approaches for example on LinkedIn and use subtle methods of tradecraft that dont turn someone fully into an agent but collect just enough information to make them useful. Counterintelligence officials in the U.S. government are surely concerned about the potential for thousands of national security personnel to be summarily dismissed. While the damage that a purge could do to the FBI is concerning, if one does commence, the confirmation of Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence has been discomforting, even if this damage will likely be harder to gauge. The position is extraordinarily important in its central role in coordinating sensitive intelligence, and our allies are almost certainly troubled that a partisan without the requisite experience is now in this job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabbards views on Russia in particular are alarming and our allies are less likely to share their most sensitive intelligence regarding Russia with us as a result. Her previous visit to Syria to call on Bashar Assad also surely causes concern let us not forget that the U.S. government reportedly ran a years-long security assistance program to help the Syrian opposition. And finally, her inability to condemn Edward Snowden as a traitor causes discomfort throughout the intelligence community. Gabbard will be hard-pressed to win the respect of those she leads, given these multiple instances of behavior entirely inconsistent with U.S. national security. In the world of intelligence, human sources are the linchpin to understanding the plans and intentions of ones adversaries. And our allies share a great deal of their own human intelligence collection with us, which has helped the U.S. to thwart terrorist attacks, catch spies in our midst and interdict nuclear proliferation networks. Responsible foreign intelligence services may now carefully scrutinize what they will share and how they share it and a track record of both reciprocity and protection of sources is essential. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How are our allies to trust that a DNI who has a track record of sympathy for some of the worlds worst dictators is someone they can trust with information when lives are on the line? It is a difficult but fair question to ask. Again, Gabbard must reassure our foreign allies that she is a trustworthy partner. The U.S. suddenly becoming an unreliable ally doesnt end in a flawed DNI pick or a mercurial and unpredictable president. The worlds richest person, Elon Musk, is leading a cabal of young techies as they seemingly pillage some of the countrys most sensitive financial information in the Treasury system. These inexperienced youngsters are a foreign spys dream no matter how tech-savvy they are and a U.S. counterintelligence officers nightmare. Our allies surely watch this all with great alarm. Finally, while the excesses of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives might have needed curbing, the blaming of seemingly all of societys ills on this movement is counterproductive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the CIA, diversity isnt about hitting metrics to show how multicultural and inclusive the agency is. Its about taking a best athlete approach to using the right officer to obtain the intelligence that the agency needs. Sometimes that means theoretically utilizing a female case officer working in the Middle East wearing an abaya to take advantage of cultural norms to move about while drawing less attention. An entire generation of young people is potentially being turned off by the government loudly saying that diversity doesnt matter at all. Diversity is our greatest strength, even if Secretary of Defense Hegseth doesnt think so. For many of us, its the previously unthinkable behavior toward our allies that is most upsetting. One hundred fifty-eight Canadians died in Afghanistan in a war that was started when America was attacked on 9/11, and which featured our northern neighbors immediately rallying to our side. As our president needlessly and seemingly gratuitously insults Canada by saying he will turn it into the 51st state, how many Canadians will rally to our side, should we need them again? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same is true in Europe, where our allies of many decades shake their heads and marvel at the rhetoric coming from Trump about clearing Gaza for a U.S. takeover, which would make the U.S. an even bigger terrorist target than it already is. The list of how we may be becoming less safe even after only four weeks of this administration continues. The gutting of USAID and the soft power benefits it brings, the defunding of the science and health institutions that help us understand the threats of climate change and potential pandemics the list seemingly grows daily. All administrations should be given a chance to carry out their goals. And reform and new approaches must be welcome; the government always moves too slowly in instituting change. But those of us who have devoted our lives to American national security need to speak up loudly about the approach that the administration has taken as we fear that we are becoming less safe by the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marc Polymeropoulos worked at the CIA for 26 years and retired in 2019. Jeremy Hurewitz is the author of Sell Like a Spy and the head of Interfor Academy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 shining city upon a hill in the words of John Winthrop and Ronald Reagan, America has long been a nation guided by principle and purpose. To uphold this legacy, we cannot fail the simplest of tests: recognizing, condemning and deterring international aggression. Russias war on Ukraine will end when Moscow stops waging it. Yet, three years in, political discourse in Washington has muddied what should be obvious to a child: the war cannot be resolved with a handshake or a simple deal. This is an unprovoked war of aggression a criminal act. Only the Russian invader which kidnaps children, beheads prisoners of war, deploys North Korean troops and procures ballistic missiles from Iran can end it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A third world war looms, and the sole force holding it back is Ukraines unyielding courage the willingness of Ukraines bravest sons and daughters to sacrifice everything for freedom. We cant ask more of Kyiv, but we can and must demand more from Moscow. Russia has responded to every diplomatic overture with unceasing violence. If Vladimir Putin wanted peace, why did Moscow unleash a record 267 drones on Ukraine just days after the Trump White House extended an olive branch through talks between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov? This stark display of duplicity and disrespect is a wake-up call that Washington must not ignore. Moscow could terminate its war in Ukraine today if it chose. Withdrawing forces from the territory of a sovereign state would not weaken Russia or threaten its security. If NATO were truly a threat, Moscow would be reinforcing its defenses along the Finnish border, not betting everything on a craven attempt to recolonize a peaceful neighbor. America won the Cold War but, contrary to the Kremlins shameless spin, no one lost. In fact, the world stepped back from the brink of nuclear apocalypse, red terror came to an end, and Russians, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Moldovans, Armenians and countless others had their first real chance at freedom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putin, a wanted war criminal, refuses to see it, but the collapse of the USSR was not the greatest calamity of the 20th century. It was the downfall of a brutal, extractive empire and it could have been a historic opportunity for the Russian people. But, alas, after briefly flirting with democracy in the 1990s, the Kremlin swiftly crushed all Russian dreams of freedom. Now, the predatory state under Putin is working to drag the world back into the darkness of colonial conquest. The America I know does not stand by as tyrants redraw borders by force recall the success of Desert Storm, when U.S. leadership earned global respect. The America I know does not betray friends or stab allies in the back, does not kick the victim of a vicious attack in the gut while that victim is fighting for survival, does not negotiate with terrorists. And when we see nations willing to fight and die for freedom, America stands with them. Transatlantic unity and American leadership should make tyrants and revanchists afraid again. Because if Russia succeeds in unraveling the post-Cold War order, it will not stop with Ukraine. Other authoritarian states be they in Tehran, Pyongyang or Beijing are watching. They see that Russia has faced few consequences for launching an unprovoked war, for slaughtering civilians in broad daylight, for violating the long European peace established in 1945. If we fail Ukraine now, we will have opened the door to a world where every nation ours included is less safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Reagan put it, The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated. The America I know is a generous place that stood on the right side of history more often than not. Our economy is strong the envy of the world. If our federal budget were a dollar, the support we give to Ukraine would amount to half a penny. Ukraine didnt ask to be invaded, and it shouldnt have to beg for aid. Americas prosperity and security rest on the fragile balance established after the Cold War. If Moscow profits from belligerence, it will unravel the credibility of U.S. deterrence. Russias war is a neo-imperialist campaign that must be stopped. Our tomorrow will be shaped by the choices we make today. This war must end. But not with concessions, another frozen conflict or a victory for the aggressor. Putin can and will tear down this war if America demands it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew Chakhoyan is an academic director at the University of Amsterdam. He previously served in the U.S. government at the Millennium Challenge Corporation and studied at Harvard Kennedy School and Donetsk State Tech 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 The Hill. President Trumps war on diversity, equity and inclusion policies is making America weaker, less secure and less just. Trumps recent firings of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown, who is Black, and the female leaders of the Navy and Coast Guard illustrate the harm caused by his anti-DEI campaign. The president seems to believe that straight white men without disabilities advance in their careers based on merit, while everyone else is often unqualified and advances despite poor performance because of DEI mandates. Its as if, in Trumps mind, DEI stood for didnt earn it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A look at the records of Brown and the two fired female service chiefs Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan shows all three are highly qualified and earned their leadership positions based on their records, not race or gender. They should never have been fired. DEI policies right the wrongs of the past. For example, it would have been impossible for Black people and women to become senior military leaders during most of our nations history. Black men have served in all of Americas wars, but their roles were limited for no reason other than racism. Our armed forces were racially segregated until 1948. While women served as cooks, nurses and in other non-combat roles to support our military early in U.S. history, they werent allowed to join our armed forces in significant numbers until World War I. It wasnt until 2015 that all roles, including ground combat, opened up to women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement America is unquestionably better off and more secure because of the contributions and sacrifices Black people, women and all people of color have made in our armed forces and throughout society. Yet DEI polices have been mischaracterized and demonized to appear to be unfair discrimination. DEI policies dont discriminate against anyone. They simply enlarge the pool of applicants considered for jobs by expanding recruitment efforts, ensure everyone is treated fairly and gets equal consideration for assignments and promotions, make reasonable accommodations for employee success and make people of all backgrounds feel valued and included on the job. For example, allowing employees to work from home some or all of the time makes it easier for parents of young children and people with disabilities to hold jobs. Providing training opportunities to help employees work with a diverse workforce and overcome unconscious biases improves performance. Refusing to tolerate harassment or discrimination at work benefits everyone. DEI policies dont detract from employee performance. They enhance it. By taking advantage of the talents of people of all backgrounds they benefit the government, businesses, organizations and our nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown, Franchetti and Fagan worked to implement President Joe Bidens policies supportive of DEI when Biden was commander in chief. This was their duty. This and the fact that none is a white man cost them their jobs. A four-star general who has served in the Air Force since 1984, Brown was appointed our nations top military officer in 2023 for a four-year term now cut short by Trump. Before that, he had been appointed by Trump in 2020 to lead the Air Force. Earlier, he had been a fighter pilot with more than 2,900 flying hours, including 130 hours in combat. Browns recording of a four-minute video in 2020, following the police murder of George Floyd an unarmed Black man reportedly angered Trump. In remarks meant to educate non-Black members of the military, Brown recounted obstacles he has faced over the course of his life because of his race. He said later that he recorded the video after his son asked him what he was going to say about Floyds murder. Franchetti was fired Feb. 21 along with Brown. The four-star admiral was the first woman to lead the Navy and, like Brown, had been appointed by Biden to a four-year term in 2023. She joined the Navy in 1985, going on to command a guided missile destroyer, a destroyer squadron and two aircraft carrier strike groups. She also served as vice chief of naval operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fagan, who had become the first female Coast Guard commandant and the first woman to head any military service branch in 2022, was fired one day after Trump returned to the White House. The four-star admiral joined the Coast Guard in 1985. She was evicted from Coast Guard housing with only three hours notice because the president wants her out of quarters, a source told NBC News. Theres no question that Brown, Franchetti and Fagan were casualties of Trumps war on DEI. Before he became defense secretary, Pete Hegseth then a Fox News weekend host complained that DEI policies, which he characterized as woke, weaken the military and make it less able to fight wars. Questioning why Brown became head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hegseth wrote in a book: Was it because of his skin color? Or his skill? Well never know, but always doubt. And in a November podcast interview, Hegseth said of Brown: First of all, youve got to fire the chairman of the joint chiefs Any general that was involved, general, admiral, or whatever that was involved in any of that DEI woke shit has got to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth called Franchetti a DEI hire in 2024 and another inexperienced first. Yet the new Defense secretary is far less experienced. He was five years old when Franchetti joined the Navy. He ended his service in the Army National Guard in 2021 with the rank of major. Support for DEI also cost Fagan her career. A senior official in the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Coast Guard told Politico Fagan was fired for an excessive focus on DEI that diverted resources and attention from operational imperatives, and for failing to deal with border threats, cost overruns and delays in some programs. We should all be able to agree that all Americans who volunteer for military service and risk their lives in defense of our nation are patriots who deserve our gratitude and respect. Brown, Franchetti and Fagan are among them. They represent the best of America and their purge over DEI hysteria is a national disgrace. Trumps war on DEI needs to come to an end, though I dont expect hell ever declare a cease-fire. This war against our own citizens hurts us all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donna Brazile is a political strategist, a contributor to ABC News and former chair of the Democratic National Committee. She is the author of Hacks: Inside the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Mega-billionaire and DOGE chief Elon Musk told Joe Rogan last week that he believes Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time and suggested the program is wracked by fraud. Thats ironic coming from a plutocrat who is peddling false savings to provide cover for his project to hobble the federal government. It was also ironic because Social Security is a highly functioning, universal and exceptionally efficient part of the American social safety net. Its the opposite of a Ponzi scheme. Which is why the overwhelming majority of Americans oppose cutting it. In a Ponzi scheme a scam artist lures investors into a fake investment project, pockets a lot of the cash and uses new investors to funnel cash to the older ones until new recruits slow down and the whole thing collapses. Everyone is being lied to, and nobody is really getting returns on their investment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social Security, which has been around since the 1930s, is politically toxic to touch precisely because it does pay everybody out. It is not some kind of black box in which money sloshes around mysteriously but a simple pay as you go program, wherein current workers, via the payroll tax, fund payouts for retirees and disabled people. In 2024, about 1 in 5 U.S. residents received Social Security. As the Social Security Administration explains, In 2025, when you work, about 85 cents of every Social Security tax dollar you pay goes to a trust fund. This fund pays monthly benefits to current retirees and their families and to surviving spouses and children of workers who have died. About 15 cents goes to a trust fund that pays benefits to people with disabilities and their families. And as the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities notes, in part because Social Security is universal and isnt means-tested, its extremely cost-effective: Managing the program costs less than 1% of the revenue that funds the program. Social Security isnt unreliable almost all retired Americans pay into it and draw from it. And, as the CBPP explains, Social Security is most workers only source of guaranteed retirement income that is not subject to investment risk or financial market fluctuations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musks argument that Social Security is some kind of scheme to defraud the public rests in part on misinformation about dead people getting payouts. In the interview, Musk repeated a claim about tens of millions of people incorrectly being marked as alive in the Social Security database. But experts have debunked this claim by explaining that Musk has conflated Social Security number figures with actual beneficiaries and said theres no evidence of widespread fraud. The SSAs inspector general found in 2024 that only 0.84% of the trillions of dollars disbursed from 2015 to 2022 were improperly allocated. Most of those improper payments were overpayments, and some of them were recovered. The other thing Musk cites as evidence that Social Security is a scheme are the numbers that show Social Security obligations exceed projected tax revenue. Thats true and universally acknowledged and not remotely scandalous. With people living longer lives and the birth rate decreasing, there will need to be a change to Social Security funding in order to keep the program working at the level it currently works at. There are a number of strategies for dealing with this that have to do with changing the way taxes fund Social Security. The only people in American politics who are likely to pull the rug out from under retirees is todays Republican Party. Musks misinformation about Social Security, his and President Donald Trumps constant claims that it needs to be probed for a nonexistent mass waste and fraud problems and massive cuts to the Social Security Administrations workforce are themselves the red flags that should have American taxpayers whove paid into the system worried about being taken for a ride. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com On Valentines Day, I received a note that upended my life. Due to the restructuring and changes to USDSs mission, USDS no longer has need for your services, it read. As a cybersecurity professional for more than 30 years, I was aware that I was taking a risk when, the night before, I sent a call for volunteers to speak at a rally being organized by the group Federal Workers Against DOGE, to a private list of current and former U.S. Digital Service workers. I dont regret my decision. This is not a time for federal workers to be making safe, self-preserving choices. If ever there was a time for dedicated civil servants to act courageously, that time is now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By writing this, Im incurring even more risk. I have spent the past few days trying my best to scrub my data from the internet, out of concern that the wealthiest man on Earth might send his minions after me. I am writing this anyway, because I hope that in doing so I can contribute in some way to saving our country from people who want to destroy it. This is not idle rhetoric things are as bad as you think, or worse. I left the private sector to join USDS in 2023 because I believed in its mission, to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people in the greatest need, and its founding idea of bringing private-sector technical expertise into public service to modernize government systems and make them more effective. Given my cybersecurity and engineering background, I was assigned to the Department of Veterans Affairs, where I provided information security oversight for the departments flagship website, VA.gov. At Veterans Affairs, I joined an organization staffed by capable and dedicated public servants not the caricatures of laziness and incompetence that President Trump and Elon Musk would have us imagine. The biggest challenge facing VA wasnt the quality of its people, but the fact that there werent enough of them. And now there are even fewer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency on his first day back in office, he grafted it onto the side of USDS like a tumor. According to an executive order, the D in USDS now stands for DOGE. Trump also signed an order exempting members of the DOGE team from the mandatory background checks and drug testing to which all other federal employees and contractors are subjected before they can access sensitive data and systems. DOGE installed a Singapore-based telemedicine startup founder, Justin Fulcher, at VA. At 32 years old, Fulcher is wizened by the so-called departments standards. But besides loyalty and shared ideology, he has no discernible qualifications for the job. Well apparently never know whether he could pass a background check. The day before I was fired, he fired 1,000 VA staff for unspecified performance reasons. Just like that, the agency with the massive responsibility of making good on the countrys promises to its veterans an agency that was already understaffed and overworked became much more so. With my departure the following day, they lost the only government employee overseeing VA.govs cybersecurity. And under yet another recent executive order, the VA (and all federal agencies) can only replace any one of us after first firing four others. Look at the path DOGE has taken. Beginning with the Office of Personnel Management, it has gone on to slash staff and gain unwarranted privileged access to the Treasury Department, the IRS, the Social Security Administration and now the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The people on this smash-and-grab tour through the federal government received no votes, no congressional vetting, not even a background check. Yet they now have access to extremely sensitive private information about almost every American, and an unknown level of control over all government payments, staffing and internal security controls. You may have already suspected that there is nothing efficient about this, and you probably dont need my cybersecurity expertise to realize this represents a massive risk to our collective security. In spite of all this, I would return to the Department of Veterans Affairs (although not to the U.S. DOGE Service) in the unlikely event that I were invited to do so, because I still believe in its mission. Someone needs to do it why shouldnt it be me? But for now, I can at least say something I couldnt say publicly when I still hoped to be part of the bulwark against DOGE on the inside: If you are a federal employee and you are asked to do something that violates the oath you took to uphold the Constitution, please dont. You didnt take an oath to Musk, Trump, a political party or a worldview. This is not the time to play it safe, to wait and see, or to hope for the best. Be brave, stick to your principles and stand up for our democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Someone needs to do it; why shouldnt it be you? Jonathan Kamens is a public servant and engineer with over 30 years of cybersecurity experience. On Feb. 14, he was fired by DOGE from his position at the Veterans Administration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 disruptive president bent on reshaping federal government operations pushed and even broke longstanding constitutional and legal norms. It created confusion and worry in the public and the halls of Congress. The president even selected one of the wealthiest individuals in the U.S. to head a newly created government entity, under questionable legal authority. No, were not talking about President Trump, but about Woodrow Wilson. In 1917, he established the War Industries Board and named Wall Street financier Bernard Baruch to head it. Baruch was given sweeping powers to oversee material production for the war effort, all under a newly formed entity not authorized by Congress. Wilson would not be the last president to utilize what became known as White House czars executive branch officials appointed by the president without Senate confirmation but given significant decision-making authority to affect spending and administer or coordinate programs, departments and agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We say this not to provide evidence that what is currently happening in the federal government with Elon Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency is normal only that czars represent a larger phenomenon to give presidents more independence from Congress and unilateral control over government operations. Many are surprised by the way the Republican-controlled Congress has acquiesced and even supported DOGEs activities. But this is not the first time that Congress has done little or nothing to challenge presidential authority to create offices, usurp legislative power or otherwise centralize power in czar positions. Under Wilson, a Democratic Congress enabled the presidents unprecedented use of power. Under President Franklin Roosevelt, another Democratic Congress voiced little objection as he unilaterally established the Office of Production Management and other czar positions. In 1943, Congress tried to rein in Roosevelts free-wheeling use of presidentially created entities by seeking to require Senate confirmation for certain executive positions. Although the bill died in the House that year, Congress later passed a law that denied funding to any presidentially created entity that had been in existence for one year and lacked a clear statutory basis to exist. Despite the law, czars keep being appointed. Both political parties have at times objected to them. Republican lawmakers and conservative pundits loudly objected to the President Barack Obamas use of czars. Today, we see Democratic and liberal groups not only questioning Musk but also suing in federal court to challenge DOGEs constitutional and legal authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is bipartisan support for improving government efficiency. Such thinking is not new academics, lawmakers and even presidential staff members have been highlighting the systemic design problems in the federal government for decades. Various presidentially created commissions have studied and developed plans to overhaul the executive branch, with all concluding that our governments structure is outmoded and ineffective. Going back to the early 1970s, a commission created by President Richard Nixon recommended consolidating the existing 12 departments (now 15) into four super-departments, to maximize efficiency and coordination. That did not happen, but the commissions general conclusion remains valid: The expansion of government structures and personnel in a piecemeal fashion created inefficiencies and management challenges at the federal level. Despite the consensus that the federal government needs to be reformed, the approach of using a single, high-profile individual such as Musk to spearhead sweeping reforms unilaterally such as cutting spending and firing employees is not the most thoughtful or effective solution. As with any large organization, the federal government is a complex system with a long history and many interrelated parts that need to be studied and analyzed before beginning the process of redesign. This complexity requires any effort to overhaul the system to be methodical and nuanced. Unilateral actions, driven by a czar with no expertise in government or in the particular functions of the many departments and agencies, risk overlooking important interconnected aspects or causing unintended consequences that could exacerbate the very inefficiencies being targeted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk represents a pernicious feature of the modern presidency, born in hubris and conceit, that the executive has all the answers and need not be constrained by supposedly outmoded constitutional and legal considerations. Congress must wake up from its slumber and take the lead in addressing these governance challenges. This need not be partisan. Republicans in Congress protested Obamas czars. In now embracing Trumps vastly more expansive use of this position because they might like the policy outcomes, they are setting a precedent for a future Democratic president to do the same to advance policies they detest. Congress needs to get back to checking presidential overreach in use of executive powers, without regard to fear or partisan favor. Mitchel A. Sollenberger is professor of political science at University of Michigan-Dearborn. Mark J. Rozell is dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. They are co-authors of The Presidents Czars: Undermining Congress and the Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In July 1970, when he was proposing the creation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, President Richard Nixon wrote to Congress, We face immediate and compelling needs for better protection of life and property from natural hazards, and for a better understanding of the total environment an understanding which will enable us more effectively to monitor and predict its actions, and ultimately, perhaps to exercise some degree of control over them. If you live in hurricane territory, as I have most of my life, then you know that the ability to predict when and where natural hazards might happen has life and death consequences. And you also know its reckless for President Donald Trump (or is it Elon Musk?) to be haphazardly slashing the agency that does that important work. How many more people might have died during Hurricane Katrina, for example, if the National Weather Service, an office of the NOAA, hadnt issued whats been called a doomsday warning. How many people might die in the future if these cuts in personnel 800 as of Thursday afternoon degrade the agencys ability to predict deadly weather and warn those who are at risk? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bringing NOAA to heel was an expressed goal of Project 2025 (the Heritage Foundations de facto blueprint for Trumps second term), which has described the agency as one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry. Slashing NOAAs workforce, then, is Trump putting American lives at risk to own the libs. Libs, in this context, means anybody who dares report what climate data shows. In that sense, the move is reminiscent of Sharpie-gate. On Sept. 1, 2019, as Hurricane Dorian moved across the Atlantic Ocean, Trump tweeted that Alabama was among the states that will most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Ten minutes later the National Weather Service office in Birmingham, reportedly responding to needlessly panicked Alabamans, tweeted, Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian. And Alabama wasnt impacted. Even so, Trump altered a map with a black marker rather than admit hed been wrong regarding the latest news of the storms potential path. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it obviously wasnt the most significant scandal of Trumps first term, Sharpie-gate stands out as one of his more cartoonish attempts to portray himself as the expert on all things and to retaliate against those who do have the relevant knowledge. What do you think the National Weather Service should have done? Inform people who werent at risk that the president was wrong or remained cravenly silent? You wont have to guess Trumps position. Then-acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney sent Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross an after-hours email saying it appears as if the NWS intentionally contradicted the president. And we need to know why. He wants either a correction or an explanation or both. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NOAAs communications chief later told the Commerce Department inspector generals office that shed been told by a Commerce Department official that there are jobs on the line. It could be the forecast office in Birmingham. Or it could be someone higher than that. Five days after the Sept. 1 tweets, the NOAA issued an unsigned statement: The Birmingham National Weather Services Sunday morning tweet spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time. That may have satisfied Trumps ego. But it was an embarrassing capitulation for an agency we should expect to prize facts over the presidents feelings. After an investigation, the Commerce Departments inspector general concluded, Instead of focusing on NOAAs successful hurricane forecast, the Department unnecessarily rebuked NWS forecasters for issuing a public safety message about Hurricane Dorian in response to public inquiries that is, for doing their jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In case youd forgotten Trumps modus operandi, the first few weeks of his second administration should have reminded you. One of the overarching themes of this term is the meaningless of expertise. Not only has Trump staffed his Cabinet with people who lack the experience and qualifications to perform their jobs, but he has also been ridding the federal workforce of people who do have experience and qualifications. It seems that in every situation, if Trump has a choice between hiring someone who knows what theyre doing but doesnt grovel before him, and someone who grovels but doesnt know what theyre doing, hes going with the groveler. Even if it leaves the United States and its people worse off. Slashing the staff of NOAA because the agency has published data about climate change isnt going to stop Americans from suffering the brunt of climate change. It will only mean the United States government is abdicating its responsibility to do something about it. And if those cuts impact the National Weather Service, then we already know what might happen. Forecasts of life-threatening weather risk becoming less about data and more about whatever satisfies Trump. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Mar. 4I was humbled and gratified by the APS Board of Education's recent decision to extend my contract as superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools through June 2028. Still, I want our customers parents, students and taxpayers to understand I have no intention of slowing down or breathing a sigh of relief. For one thing, it's not about me. The job of superintendent is about improving student outcomes while also supporting our employees. That will be the guidepost throughout my tenure, no matter how long it is. I also know this: While I believe the board's decision gives us continuity and allows us to build on the momentum we've created in eight months, I know we still have much work to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's the big picture: We have made important improvements in elementary school reading; middle school math; college and career readiness; and skills, habits and mindsets. Those gains are critical because they are proof we can improve. I believe they'll give our students, teachers and administrators confidence as we go forward. However, I'm also excited by the restructuring we've been able to accomplish because over time it will make us better, more nimble and less reliant on old formulas. We are reconfiguring the way we operate at almost every level taking a hard look at our many structures to see if they actually benefit students or are simply archaic or nonfunctional. That includes the way we allocate state and federal funds. It includes the way we test our students and provide professional development for our teachers and administrators. It even includes the way we communicate. I liken all this to renovating the house while still living in it. There's dust, plenty of inconvenience and more than a few headaches as the process continues. It's never completed as quickly as you'd like. Yet when we're done, I believe you'll see a more modern, efficient and successful school district. This is a big organization, and I won't kid you it will be difficult to make massive improvements overnight. However, I reject the notion that we're "the same ol' APS." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's why: When the Board of Education created four goals and a variety of guardrails and paired them with a strategic plan created by APS administration, it gave the district an aspiration and clarity it may have lacked for a very long time. Improving student outcomes is at the very heartbeat of all we will do for the next several years. It's simply central to our existence, and I make it my job to keep that vision clear. We will make mistakes along the way. We've already made a few. Yet I tell our staff that we should emulate our students: We may stumble, but we will pick ourselves up and try again. We'll also learn from our missteps and get better. I visit our schools several times a week, and I try to keep in touch with our community, business and political leaders as often as possible. I'm often asked, "Do you still like the job?" The truth is, I love it, mostly because it gives me a chance to give back to my hometown. When I hear that we have dozens of National Merit Scholar semifinalists, or when four teachers (out of 336 nationally) receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, or I learn that Ventana Ranch Elementary is a Blue Ribbon School, I am thrilled to be associated with that success. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I also know we must make those triumphs more uniform and universal. That's our challenge and it's why I'm so eager to continue." Gabriella Blakey is the superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools. Recent months have seen several Republican-led states and Republican legislators embrace a controversial push to mandate inoffice work for government employees. The evidence suggests that this move prioritizes partisan political agendas over evidence-based decisionmaking, especially given its alignment with the Trump administrations federal in-office mandate. Rather than rely on hard data that shows remote work can be as effective as or even more effective than traditional office arrangements, leaders in Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin are issuing or promoting return-to-office orders that many argue are little more than political theater. In Nebraska, where nearly 2,250 state employees in the largest agencies already work remotely or on a hybrid basis, Gov. Jim Pillen (R) has issued a full-time return-to-office order. Pillens move, which remains mired in a years-long legal dispute over labor contracts, has stirred a political firestorm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Who cares where our IT application developers are working as long as their assignments are done on time. said Justin Hubly, executive director of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, which represents over 8,000 workers. Hubly argues that many state jobs could be performed remotely and laments how the issue has been needlessly politicized. His frustration echoes a broader national debate where every aspect of government work has become a partisan flashpoint. Ohios Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has also ordered state employees to return to their offices. In Oklahoma, GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order mandating full-time office attendance. And in Wisconsin, Republican lawmakers and House Speaker Robin Vos have introduced proposals to force pre-pandemic office attendance levels even as Democratic Gov. Tony Evers threatens to veto any such requirement. Even states that once championed remote work are rethinking their approach. In Utah, former Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, who in 2019 famously called himself a televangelist for telework, is now reevaluating his states remote work framework. Whereas Cox once credited remote work with saving taxpayers millions and improving air quality, his recent comments underscore that remote work, though beneficial, requires proper oversight and support a nuance that many red state mandates fail to acknowledge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By prioritizing partisan posturing over data-driven decisionmaking, these leaders are sidelining compelling evidence that remote work saves money, reduces overhead and enhances employee retention. The political narrative has shifted remote work into a culture war issue rather than a strategic efficiency tool one that could jeopardize the federal and state workforces in the long run. Studies and surveys consistently demonstrate that remote work yields substantial benefits. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, telework has saved agencies millions in operating costs while maintaining or even boosting productivity levels. Yet although these findings point to a more efficient, agile workforce, several red state governors are clinging to outdated ideas. Executive orders mandating full-time office attendance seem less rooted in genuine concerns about public service performance and more in a desire to symbolically return to normal and trim government headcount a political ploy reminiscent of earlier conservative attempts to weaken public-sector unions. The damage from forcing employees back into the office is not just theoretical. Just two years ago, former President Bidens more moderate in-office work mandate which required federal employees to return to their offices at least 60 percent of the time triggered a substantial increase in turnover among senior and highly skilled employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A groundbreaking study by Mark Ma and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh, using data from Revelio Labs, provided clear evidence of the losses incurred by this policy. In March 2022, the hybrid return-to-office directive caused turnover rates among senior employees (directors, supervisors or higher) to spike by 26 percent, as leaders with decades of institutional knowledge left for the private sector. Highly skilled employees experienced an even sharper 32 percent increase in turnover, leaving many departments struggling to maintain efficiency and continuity. The current return-to-office policies being pushed in red states are even more stringent than Bidens. They risk replicating or even outpacing the disruption caused by previous mandates without delivering any clear productivity benefit. A recent study by Alessandra Fenizia of George Washington University and Tom Kirchmaier of the London School of Economics reveals significant productivity gains associated with work-from-home arrangements in the public sector. Their research analyzed detailed administrative data on employees alternating between home and office work. The findings showed that employees working remotely achieved a 12 percent increase in productivity compared to their in-office performance. This boost is attributed primarily to there being fewer distractions at home fewer interruptions, less informal chatter and reduced office-based inefficiencies. Critically, the study debunks the myth that remote workers are less accountable or diligent. Data showed no decline in the quality of work completed at home. In fact, remote employees handled more cases per day without any measurable increase in errors. The research also suggests that hybrid work models where employees alternate between home and office offer the best of both worlds. Workers enjoy the productivity boost of remote work while still reaping the benefits of periodic in-office interactions that foster team cohesion and collaboration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decisions affecting public sector work models should be driven by evidence, not ideology. Data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and independent studies all indicate that remote work, when implemented thoughtfully, enhances productivity, reduces costs and improves employee retention. The painful lessons from Bidens hybrid mandate demonstrate that even moderate in-office requirements can have disruptive consequences. In contrast, flexible, hybrid work models have proven successful across numerous sectors and geographies; they allow governments to leverage the best of both worlds without sacrificing efficiency. Additional international examples support this approach. While some U.S. states are scrambling to force government workers back into crowded offices, the European Central Bank recently extended its remote work policy for another two years for its public servants, citing improved work-life balance and sustained productivity levels. In an era when data-driven decision making is more critical than ever, red states insistence on a full return to the office seems to be driven more by political theater than by solid evidence. The experiences of the federal workforce marked by significant turnover among senior and skilled employees under Bidens moderate mandate and the robust productivity gains documented in recent public sector studies suggest that flexible work models improve efficiency, thus saving taxpayers money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the sake of government performance and the well-being of millions of workers, public policy should prioritize evidence over dogma and adopt work models that truly enhance public service. Gleb Tsipursky, PhD, serves as the CEO of the hybrid work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts and authored the best-seller Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Reading the paper over breakfast a few days ago, my 2-year-old son anxiously looking over my shoulder for any pictures of an airplane, I was struck by the article Judge Blocks Migrant Raids in Some Places of Worship from The New York Times. Plaintiffs have provided evidence that the willingness of their congregants to attend worship and participate in ministry services is presently being chilled, the judge wrote in his order, which temporarily prevents ICE from entering the plaintiffs places of worship. Just the night before, my brother, a missionary in the United States, told us during a family group call about people he is teaching who felt scared to come to church. Another brother, who is active in his church congregation, said that a member had been scared to leave his house to participate in his faith communitys obligations to God. For religious Americans everywhere, alarm bells are ringing. The Trump administrations decision to reverse guidance that limited immigration enforcement in sensitive areas such as schools, hospitals and churches is a crystalline threat to religious liberty because it chills individuals participation in their church communities. Courts have previously clarified that the religious liberty rights enshrined in the First Amendment apply to people living in the U.S. regardless of immigration status, so when a member is scared to come to church because of the potential for an ICE raid, he is experiencing an unconstitutional attack on his religious freedom. And, so, by extension are we; it affects each of us and our overall worship as a faith unit when anyone is missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In my own faith tradition, leaders have suggested that we, the faithful, will sometimes need to work to change laws that prevent us from living out our religious lives by invoking the First Amendments free exercise clause. It seems that now is a profoundly important time for all Americas faithful to rise together and challenge the Trump administrations policy because it is impairing our immigrant brothers and sisters right to live out their faith. Several religions in the United States have robust legal teams who could do this work well, perhaps together. I also know from my time as an associate at an international law firm that attorneys are ethically obligated to minimize risk for their corporations. Thus, this kind of litigation may strike legal teams as too risky. In going up against such a vindictive administration, they may worry about the potential consequences for their temple, mosque, synagogue or church in the United States. Those are valid concerns. However, it may be time that we allow moral considerations to take precedence. I want to know that when I attend my local church where three non-English language congregations meet each Sunday, which most likely include a significant number of members lacking permanent legal status that it is an oasis for all members. I want to know that each one of the faithful can come and engage their religious duties and responsibilities without fear. The Old Testament prophet Micah envisioned this freedom when he said, But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid, which also happens to be a favorite scripture of George Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This Sunday because some religious groups had the courage to litigate, six Quaker meeting houses, a Baptist church in Atlanta and a Sikh temple in Sacramento were just such a place for their congregants. Their buildings provided a refuge from the storm, where immigrants could rest in an oasis of safety to fulfill their religious duties and obligations, protected by the Constitution because their faith leaders stood up to those who would impair that pursuit. It is time for all American faiths to join them. Last week, Trump-appointed special envoy Steve Witkoff called Ukraines NATO ambitions a threat to the Russians, implying that this is what provoked the war three years ago. The war didnt need to happen it was provoked. It doesnt necessarily mean it was provoked by the Russians, Witkoff said on CNN. His message is clear: Russia was backed into a corner, forced to act in self-defense when it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The evidence, of course, tells a different story one of imperial ambition, not self-preservation. The claim that NATO expansion triggered the war is nothing new. Western leaders, including those in the Biden administration, France and Germany, have long voiced concerns about Ukraines membership, often out of fear of escalating tensions with Russia. But what President Trump is doing is qualitatively different, and far more dangerous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previous administrations sought to prevent an all-out NATO-Russia conflict, but they never endorsed the idea that Ukraine was to blame for the war. Their hesitation was a strategic calculation to avoid another world war. Witkoffs comments, however, go much further: they directly echo Russian propaganda, arguing that Ukraines pursuit of security guarantees was reckless and that NATO ambitions caused the war. With these remarks, the U.S. has now officially embraced one of Russias biggest lies. If NATO expansion were truly the trigger, why did Vladimir Putin wait until 2022 to invade? Why not in 2008, when Ukraine first sought membership, or in 2014, when NATO discussions resurfaced after Russia seized Crimea The truth is that Ukraine was nowhere near joining NATO. There was no Membership Action Plan, and key NATO members had made it clear they were unwilling to admit Ukraine any time soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraines NATO aspirations were not a provocation. They were a response to Russian aggression: the illegal annexation of Crimea, the Russian proxy war in Donbas, and Moscows long-standing efforts to control Ukraine politically, economically and culturally. In his Feb. 21, 2022, speech justifying the war, Putin barely mentioned NATO. Instead, he fixated on Ukraine as an artificial state, an accident of history, a wayward part of the so-called Russian world. His argument had nothing to do with military threats or self-defense; it was an assertion of imperial entitlement. It echoed his 2021 essay, On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians, which outright denied Ukraines legitimacy as a sovereign nation. Russias pre-invasion demands further expose the hollowness of the NATO excuse. Moscow didnt just insist that Ukraine never join the alliance it demanded NATO withdraw from Eastern Europe entirely, rolling back security guarantees for Poland, the Baltics and other frontline states. This was never just about Ukraine. It was a broader push to reassert Russian dominance over its former empire. Russias pattern of aggression is the clearest refutation of the NATO expansion myth. Georgia, attacked in 2008, was not on the verge of NATO membership. Ukraine, invaded in 2014, had no realistic path to joining the alliance. Russia was not and is not defending itself against NATO it is targeting neighbors seeking independence from its grip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Witkoffs disgraceful parroting of Kremlin propaganda is not diplomacy in pursuit of peace. It is a demoralizing attempt to undermine Ukraine and weaken Europe. By framing any defensive posture as a provocation against Russia while excusing Russian aggression as self-defense, he legitimizes the very logic used to justify war and subjugation. Oleh S. Ilnytzkyj is a professor emeritus at the University of Alberta. He was editor of Canadian Slavonic Papers and East/West: Journal of Ukrainian Studies. His latest book is Nikolai Gogol: Ukrainian Writer in the Empire: A Study in Identity. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Trump administration is looking to sell or cancel the leases on thousands of empty federal buildings. The timing is right because there are developers looking to buy empty office buildings and turn them into apartments and condos. Maybe we can get a win-win solving the dual problems of a surplus of empty federal office buildings and the housing shortage. The General Services Administration (GSA), which manages federal buildings and other real assets, owns or controls a lot of property. According to the agency, GSAs portfolio has grown to about 370 million square feet of space across the U.S. and eight territories. That includes 1,700 owned and 6,700 leased assets of office buildings, courthouses, land ports of entry, laboratories, and other workspaces. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the government spends about $2 billion a year to operate and maintain the buildings it owns, and another $5 billion a year to lease office space. These buildings are all over the country, not just in Washington, D.C., or a few major cities. The problem is most of that office space is empty or only partially occupied, and much of it is poorly maintained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, GAO claims that in early 2023, 17 of the 24 federal agencies used on average an estimated 25 percent or less of the capacity of their headquarters buildings. Other agencies averaged between 39 percent and 49 percent utilization. Once the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) wrecking ball gets through knocking down the federal workforce, those percentages will likely be even lower even if federal employees are required to return to the office most or all of the time. As a result, the Wall Street Journal reports, The Trump administration is considering selling two-thirds of the federal governments office stock to the private sector. Its also considering canceling many of its leases. News outlets have reported that developers have been buying empty buildings, especially those located downtown or near to it, and turning them into apartments and condos. That has allowed people who work downtown or who want to be near the downtown social life to find housing. Which, in turn, has encouraged small businesses that had thrived downtown but couldnt continue during the pandemic to return. If federal buildings become available at reasonable prices, we may well see developers step in and buy those buildings and put them to productive use. But a couple of things need to be kept in mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, the government should put the buildings up for auction with little or no reserve. In other words, dont let a high asking price quash the deals. Some may argue that an auction may mean the government will receive less than the fair market value for a property. But that misunderstands economics. What the highest bidder is willing to pay in a well-advertised, fair and open auction IS the fair market value even if the sales price strikes some people as too low. Some of the federal buildings may require extensive improvements and costly renovations to make them suitable and attractive to people looking for housing. So, developers might be unwilling to take the financial risk unless they get an attractive purchase price. Second, by selling the property, Washington would end a costly liability and turn it into an asset for state and local governments, which will be able to collect property taxes from the private sector owners. Third, progressives will almost certainly push for government subsidies and a heavier regulatory hand. For example, the left-leaning Center for American Progress published a paper last July Converting Vacant Office Space into Housing that encouraged the Biden administration to step up its efforts in promoting office-to-apartment conversions, but with government support and comprehensive planning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather, the feds and state and local governments should minimize the regulatory roadblocks that hinder progress, like requiring developers to hire union-affiliated workers who demand higher wages and imposing affordability mandates. If state and local governments want to provide some tax breaks or other economic incentives to encourage developers to take the risk, thats their business. But the federal government should sell the properties and be done with it. Selling federal office buildings has been tried in the past with limited success. But if the sales are handled correctly, the effort could end up saving the government money while helping millions of Americans find the affordable housing they so desperately need. Merrill Matthews is a public policy and political analyst and the co-author of On the Edge: America Faces the Entitlements Cliff. Follow him on X@MerrillMatthews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. I was preparing dinner, as my wife, my 18-year-old son, Nico, and his developmental therapist sat in the family room. Nico is autistic and has Down syndrome; he communicates beautifully with sounds, signs, tech and actions, but each mode requires a lot of work, and its only in recent years that hes begun to make real gains in verbal speech. So, as I chopped vegetables and listened to a podcast, they were working on using an app that would say words out loud to prompt Nicos verbal utterances. Suddenly, my wife called to me, telling me to listen as Nico pressed the screen and made the tablet said, My dads name is David. I stopped chopping and turned off the podcast. Nico smiled, and prompted by the therapist, verbally said, Day-ve. That was good enough for me, but the therapist reminded him to say the final d, pointing to it on the screen. Nico looked mischievous as he took a moment to do the full motor planning, his jaw and tongue twitching behind closed lips. Then, he said, Day-vi-duh. I teared up. I had never heard him say my name. Im tearing up now as I write this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These kinds of moments dont just happen. They take work, mostly from my son, but also from family, friends, teachers, therapists, doctors, aides and others. That support system has been forged from a combination of laws and government-funded programs that guarantee my sons rights, provide him resources and offer him opportunities. The laws are federal. Much of the funding for the programs are federal. This infrastructure has generally enjoyed broad bipartisan support over the past few decades until now. When it comes to work, communication, education and health care, not to mention basic human dignity, the Trump administration is ready to abandon kids like my son. As the first month of the Trump administration comes to a close, attacks on disabled people are emerging on all fronts. The new Make America Healthy Again campaign reads as a targeted attack against support for conditions such as autism or mental illness, not to mention chronic diseases of all sorts. As they did during the last Trump regime, Republicans are seeking to gut Medicaid. Looming closures of Social Security Administration offices around the country will make it much harder for recipients of disability insurance and benefits under the program to apply, get approved and contest denials. Then there is the Education Department. Though the Senate confirmed Trumps nominee for education secretary, Linda McMahon, by a 51-45 vote Monday, the White House is still attempting to abolish the department by executive order. For decades, federal funding has been absolutely crucial for special education programs. The Office of Civil Rights in the department provides the means for disabled students and their families to demand accountability and compliance with the law. Terminating the department could also accelerate the devolution of public education into state voucher programs for private schools, which are not legally required to accept disabled students. Even if the department survives, theres no reason to think McMahon is committed to or even understands her departments critical role in protecting access to education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I always am eager to look at policy and how it impacts peoples lives, but this story about the collapse of a great bipartisan consensus around disability extends beyond policymakers in Washington. Attacks on disabled Americans and the policies we rely on lie at the core of so much of MAGA culture. By chance, the day before Nico said my name, Trump held a press conference about the horrific collision of an army helicopter and a commercial airliner in Washington that killed all 67 passengers and crew. He opened by talking about disability, saying you need to be a special genius in order to be an air traffic controller, but then blamed the Federal Aviation Administration for a targeted disability hiring program that includes hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability and dwarfism. For the record, disabled workers had nothing to do with the crash. Also for the record, many disabled workers are entirely capable of being air traffic controllers. There are no controllers with intellectual disabilities, but plenty of people with other conditions can handle this high stress job as well as anyone else. The FAA, like most federal employers, has worked hard to live up to the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act and hire more disabled workers. It is, after all, not only federal law, but also a competitive advantage that is good for businesses. If all this wasnt enough, when conservatives yell on social media, they increasingly like to use the word retard. Trump used it at Joe Biden in the fall before his aides talked him out of it. In early January, Elon Musk tweeted it at a Finnish researcher who had criticized the billionaire. Subsequently, use of the slur tripled on his X platform. Musk now uses it all the time and it's spreading beyond social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This particular right-wing assault on a marginalized population is new. In 2012, conservative pundit Ann Coulter referred to President Barack Obama using that same offensive word, and faced backlash that was immediate, bipartisan and swept across the airwaves. When Fred Trump III, the presidents nephew, reached out to Republican leaders during the first Trump administration in order to shore up support for disabled people like his son, he found lots of allies. Normal Republicans want to help. Over the years, Republicans and Democrats have often disagreed about who counts as disabled and the amount of financial support these programs deserve, but they still preserved a basic consensus on the importance of the ADA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Medicaid. Those basic guardrails around work, education and health care are now broken. When Fred Trump III approached his uncle in the spring of 2020, the current president said it might be better if Freds son the presidents grandnephew just died. I believe it. At the FAA briefing the other day, the president talked about people who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agencys website. Can you imagine? These are people that are actually their lives are shortened because of the stress that they have. Thats false. The lives of people like my son are shortened because they dont have health care. Because they cant get jobs. Because they cant find accessible housing. Because when a wildfire rages, no one communicates the threat in a way they can understand. And all of these threats can be ameliorated because the disability rights movement has haltingly, with many setbacks and disagreements forced or convinced politicians and policymakers to support basic human dignity. An insufficient but real enforcement mechanism can be found in nearly every federal agency, often located in civil rights wings. Alas, these are the very things now being gutted by the new administration. Its easy to miss the human side of policy, legal compliance, the nitty gritty of efficient government. To get caught up in slogans about fraud or waste. Thats what Musk and Trump are counting on right now as they install their vandals throughout the federal government. And yet my son said my name. I see, and hear, the human side every time my son says Hi, Daddy! or now even, My dads name is David. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The vast majority of college and university presidents have retreated into silence or vague abstractions in the face of the Trump administrations edicts. This is the wrong lesson for educators to impart. President Trump and his top lieutenants, Vice President JD Vance and tech mogul Elon Musk, have mounted a multi-front attack on higher education and academic research. They have sought to kill billions of dollars in federal support for biomedical and other scientific research, freeze a wide range of grants and loans, gain access to sensitive student personal and financial data and shut down campus programs promoting racial diversity and inclusion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance captured the spirit behind this offensive in a keynote address he delivered at a conservative political conference in 2021 titled, The Universities Are the Enemy. The Ohio State and Yale Law School graduate did not call for merely reducing so-called woke culture or nurturing right-leaning perspectives. Rather, Vance, at the time a candidate for Senate, demanded destruction. If any of us want to do the things we want to do for our country and for the people who live in it, we have to honestly and aggressively attack the universities in this country, he said. Having now done just that, the Trump administration has encountered little in the way of open pushback from the most prominent universities or their leaders. Schools and educational associations have filed lawsuits seeking to reverse funding cuts and preserve diversity initiatives, so far with mixed results. The legal battles will play out in the courts over the coming months and possibly years, with the very real danger that the administration will defy judicial orders it doesnt like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Already, officials at the National Institutes of Health are refusing to obey a federal court order as they continue to block scientific funding to ensure compliance with Trumps executive orders banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs and woke gender ideology. Meanwhile, university leaders are largely failing to articulate publicly and in plain language the reasons its so dangerous for the government to imperil life-saving research and punish institutions of higher education that seek to broaden opportunities for members of vulnerable populations. One of the leading exceptions to this cowardly tendency, Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University in Connecticut, forthrightly called the Trump administration and its supporters animosity toward higher ed un-American and McCarthyite during a Zoom interview with me. Echoing a recent piece he wrote for Slate and an interview with The Washington Post, Roth said that some Trump rhetoric has been authoritarian and that the administrations policies are eroding free speech and undermining science. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While some other universities are scrubbing their websites of references to DEI, Roth defended his schools diversity initiatives and spoke strongly in support of immigrants and transgender students. As educators, he added, we need to say what we believe in. Roth argued that leaders of many prestigious schools are hiding behind an exaggerated version of institutional neutrality, a doctrine championed by the University of Chicago and based in part on the premise that, by refraining from speaking out on politics themselves, university presidents will encourage more free speech on campus. Roth, an intellectual historian, notes that there is no empirical evidence to back this notion. While he doesnt advocate that he and his peers become partisan pugilists, weighing in on every passing political debate, Roth told me that when their core mission is threatened, educational leaders must forcefully defend their prerogatives. Controversy in 2024 over Israels war against Hamas in Gaza has influenced many university leaders to assume a defensive crouch, he explained. Called on by pro-Palestinian students to take a position on the war, campus presidents invoked institutional neutrality. Now that response has carried over to the challenge of responding to Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a way of staying out of the crossfire, he said. The news outlet Inside Higher Ed recently reported that it had contacted 10 universities with institutional neutrality policies, all among the wealthiest in the nation, with multibillion-dollar endowments. Only one, Yale, provided a statement to the outlet, though some others shared prior messages from their presidents to their campus communities regarding the federal funding freeze and Trump attacks on DEI. Inside Higher Ed added, Of those messages, none directly connected their concerns to the Trump administration or said what was driving federal actions. Yale said in its statement that it remains committed to the mission, to the principles of free expression and academic excellence and to supporting the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roth, who is 67 and has been president of Wesleyan for an unusually long 17 years, emphasized that hes no firebrand. Smiling, he said that many students on his generally liberal campus view him as a conservative. He has long acknowledged that elite universities need to cultivate more conservative perspectives. But that doesnt make these schools the enemy or legitimate an attempt to destroy them. It is past time for other university presidents to emulate Roth and summon the courage to justify, in strong terms, what they do for a living Paul M. Barrett is the deputy director of the Center for Business and Human Rights at New York Universitys Stern School of Business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. At last weeks joint press conference in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump along with Vice President JD Vance aped Russian propaganda, lied about the war and berated his guest. The meeting ended acrimoniously, without an agreement on mineral mining rights that was the ostensible reason Zelenskyy traveled to Washington. Americas leaders presented not as peacemakers, let alone as Ukraine supporters, but as advocates for Russia. It left no doubt that the United States has switched sides. Trump recently denounced Ukraines freely elected president as a dictator something he has never said about Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia this whole century and falsely blames Ukraine for Russias invasion. When Trump talks about peace, he calls for Ukraine to make concessions to Russia but never says what Russia must do. Not a word about how to make a settlement last, let alone to make it just. In the White House meeting, Trump told Zelenskyy his position was weak and warned youre gambling with World War III. Vance instructed Zelenskyy to get a ceasefire, and when Zelenskyy pointed out that Putin broke the last one an unambiguous fact Vance snapped that its disrespectful to try to litigate this in front of the American media. A phone call could have told Zelenskyy the mineral deal wasnt happening, but apparently Trump and Vance wanted to make Zelenskyy fly across the ocean to pull the rug out from under him in public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lets be very clear. The phrase gambling with WWIII is Russian propaganda. Russia typically threatens nukes when anyone stands up to Putins bullying, as if its the victims responsibility to avoid risk of escalation by doing whatever Russia tells them to. As the 19th century Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz wrote, the aggressor is always peace-loving. ... He would prefer to take over our country unopposed. The right response to Russian threats of World War III is deterrence, not appeasement or surrender. America has nukes, too, and mutual deterrence has prevented World War III for decades. Russia fears nuclear war just like everyone else, as demonstrated by Russias refraining from attacks outside Ukrainian territory, even as NATO countries send Ukraine weapons to target Russians. Giving in to Russias nuclear threats would just encourage more. Probably not coincidentally, fear of World War III was also among Elon Musks rationales for refusing Starlink internet services to Ukraine when it wanted to execute a sea drone attack on Russian ships in 2023. Ukraine later pulled off a similar attack without using Starlink, and Russia didnt start World War III; it just kept attacking Ukraine. Musk has never acknowledged how wrong he was. When Trump and Co. assert Russian propaganda like this, critics often say theyve been compromised, that Putin has something on them. But that lets them off the hook. It implies they dont want to take this stance but have been reluctantly coerced into it. Except theres no sign of that. They push Russian talking points with enthusiasm. Theyre choosing it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubbing that in, the head of Russias national security council, Dimitry Medvedev, reacted to the White House meeting by cheering what he called Zelenskyys getting a proper slap down. Repeating the propaganda that Trump aped, Medvedev posted on Elon Musks X: the Kiev regime is gambling with WWIII. As this suggests, Trumps call for concessions to Russia undermines his stated goal of ending the war. Ukraine has been under Russian attack for three years 11 years, really, going back to when Russia seized Crimea in 2014 and wont forfeit independence just because Trump tells it to. Meanwhile, theres no sign Russia is interested in negotiating a deal except for Ukrainian surrender, and Putin is unlikely to accept a partial victory right as Ukraines most powerful backer is withdrawing support. Strength couldve forced Putin into real negotiations. Weakness probably wont. But at the White House meeting, Trump told Zelenskyy that he has to make a deal with Putin or the United States is out, then ended the press conference. Afterward, a U.S. official told CNN that relations look irreparable if Zelensky remains president. A few days later, Trump stopped U.S. military aid to Ukraine, reportedly because Ukraines leaders didnt, in his mind, demonstrate a commitment to peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Americas stance is now the same as Russias: regime change in Ukraine. The proposed minerals deal, even the most exploitative version, was never real. Zelenskyy is in a desperate situation as Russian forces slowly advance on the ground and repeatedly attack Ukrainian cities from the air. Itll be harder to counter that without U.S. support, and peace without U.S. security guarantees is less likely to last. So Zelenskyy appealed to Trumps transactional nature, agreed to a modified mining deal with revenue from minerals going into a U.S.-Ukraine jointly managed fund and went to the White House to sign it. Trump has demanded $500 billion in rare-earth minerals from Ukraine even though allocated U.S. military aid is worth about $123.9 billion aid actually sent is even less and most of the money went to American companies, as the United States gave Ukraine older equipment the Pentagon had wanted to replace and bought upgrades. Trump told Zelenskyy at the White House that security guarantees for Ukraine would be Europes responsibility, reiterating a stance Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined a few weeks ago in Brussels. That makes the proposed mineral deal nonsensical. Access to resources isnt worth much if it isnt secure. Even if the Europeans are willing to uphold a peace agreement on their own unlikely, since Trump cut them out of talks about ending the war itll be weaker without U.S. backing or at least the possibility of U.S. support if Russia attacks European peacekeepers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current U.S. government goal is to get Putin spoils that the Russian military has been unable to take. Ukraine is better off if everyone faces that reality rather than pretends everything is OK. In particular, Europe needs to recognize that America has switched sides not only in the war, but in the world and build up defense materiel and structures accordingly. Prioritizing Russian interests in Ukraine might seem like it contradicts Trumps slogan America First, but its consistent. Actually putting America first would be standing with U.S. allies and partners, advancing U.S. interests against U.S. rivals. But the slogan America First came from Nazi sympathizers during World War II and originally meant just let Hitler take over Europe. By trying to help an anti-American dictators aggression against a U.S.-partnered European democracy, Trump has merely updated that slogan for the 21st century. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The first thing we do, lets kill all the lawyers is one of William Shakespeares most famous lines. President Trump hasnt called up Seal Team Six to kill any yet, but he has fired a lot of them and gone after still more. Justice John Paul Stevens, in a 1985 opinion, noted that the line is uttered by a rebel, not a friend of liberty, and that Shakespeare insightfully realized that disposing of lawyers is a step in the direction of a totalitarian form of government. Trump doesnt like lawyers, at least ones he isnt retaining to defend him in court. In Trumps first term, government lawyers repeatedly advised him that he could not do the things he sought to do. In Trump 2.0, the lawyers who might say, You cant do this, Mr. President have been given their walking papers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has sacked the upper echelon of career lawyers in the Justice Department in an orgy of termination, even as he filled the leading posts with his own former defense attorneys. He sidelined the departments venerated Office of Legal Counsel, bypassing its traditional role of vetting draft executive orders and appointing no acting chief. Last month, Attorney General Pam Bondi added to the purge, sacking the top lawyer at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a 23-year veteran of the agency. This metastatic purging of lawyers has also spread to the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the top judge advocates general. As three-star lawyers in uniform, JAGs give independent and nonpolitical advice about the laws of war and domestic legal constraints that Congress has imposed on the armed forces. Trump doesnt like judges either; the ones who decide against him are just woke lawyers in robes. His attacks on the judiciary dangerously undermine the rule of law. Trumps allies dont like judicial decisions adverse to the administration either. After a New York judge issued a temporary restraining order barring Elon Musks access to Treasury Department systems, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) declared, This has the feel of a coup not a military coup, but a judicial one. Temporary restraining orders and injunctions are hardly revolutionary. We teach about them in every law school in the country. Such orders freeze the status quo for a short time, so that the judge can get the information he or she needs to make a more considered decision about whether a further stay during the pendency of the case is merited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk, cruder than Lee, takes things a step further. He calls on judges to be impeached just because he doesnt like their decisions. Then, in a transparent effort to destabilize the judiciary, he calls for judges to be fired, ignoring the fact that the Constitution gives them life tenure. Federal judges do not serve at the pleasure of Musk. Musk is now obsessed with the idea of impeaching judges, posting about it constantly on his social media site: The only way to restore rule of the people in America is to impeach judges. No one is above the law, including judges. This is utter nonsense, but it is dangerous nonsense. What set Musk off is that a federal judge in Maryland issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Department of Education and the Office of Personnel Management from sharing sensitive records with his DOGE outfit. Later, another judge gave the government until March 10 to provide information about DOGEs problematic activities at the Treasury Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are about 100 active lawsuits currently challenging Trumps torrent of executive orders. Many of these have resulted in temporary injunctions or restraining orders, and there are certainly more to come. Trump wants to investigate everyone in sight, and an inquisition requires a Torquemada. Enter Ed Martin, a 2020 election denier, now acting and soon to be Trumps nominee for U.S. Attorney in Washington. Martin took to his job with a political relish that could not escape attention. He sacked some 30 attorneys who had worked January 6 Capitol riot cases, then ordered some of his remaining prosecutors to investigate their own colleagues for potentially committing an unspecified crime by prosecuting those defendants in the first place. What crime did these lawyers conceivably commit, except to uphold their duty to the Constitution and the rule of law? And the icing on the cake was yet to come. Martin vomited a post on Musks X about how former Special Counsel Jack Smith had received $140,000 in free legal services from the august D.C. law firm of Covington and Burling, growling, Save your receipts, Smith and Covington. Well be in touch soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shocking! But what is the crime? Trump readily gave his blessing, stating that hed be seeking vengeance on Covington, nullifying its security clearances and government contracts. No good deed goes unpunished. Justice Robert Jackson, while FDRs attorney general, delivered an oft-quoted speech on Dec. 1, 1940, called the Federal Prosecutor. His words have become an article of faith. Jackson totally rejected the weaponization of the justice system, saying, If the prosecutor is obliged to choose his cases, it follows that he can choose his defendants. Therein is the most dangerous power of the prosecutor: that he will pick people that he thinks he should get, rather than pick cases that need to be prosecuted. It is here that law enforcement becomes personal, and the real crime becomes that of being unpopular with the predominant or governing group, being attached to the wrong political views, or being personally obnoxious to or in the way of the prosecutor himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And its not just the judges and the lawyers. Already the Trump administration has come for non-lawyer federal employees, transgender people, immigrants, the press, epidemiologists, scientists and more. Maybe one day soon they will come for you. James D. Zirin, author and legal analyst, is a former federal prosecutor in New Yorks Southern District. He is also the host of the public television talk show and podcast Conversations with Jim Zirin. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Donald Trump is a president at the height of his political power and well aware of it. After a month spent disrupting federal agencies, laying off thousands of veterans and publicly humiliating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, Trump clearly feels untouchable. But as recent MAGA history so often reminds us, Trumps most overconfident moments tend to precede his most spectacular missteps. After all, it was a reckless and questionable phone call to Zelensky that landed Trump his first of two impeachments. Now, his ego-driven fumbles risk further inflaming an already divided and unstable world order. Some Golden Age. Trumps sense of invincibility is sure to be on full display tonight when he addresses Congress, likely to become one of the most closely analyzed speeches in history. With world capitals still reeling from Fridays Zelensky debacle and the federal government just over a week from a costly shutdown, leaders from Kansas City to Kyiv are looking to Trump for leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get ready to be disappointed. While voters may see Trump speaking from the Capitol on Tuesday, it will be deputy chief of staff Stephen Millers words they hear. Miller has been Trumps ideological voice since the latters entry into politics, and Millers views formed the backbone of what Trump would eventually adopt as MAGA ideology. Trump has granted Miller a sweeping remit in his White House role, and writing portions of tonights address amounts to a victory lap for Millers extreme policy views. Trumps speech will reflect Millers policy fixations, especially their shared passion for peddling anti-immigrant hate. Expect Trump to tout the recent extradition of Mexican drug cartel members to the United States as proof of his total victory on the southern border despite deportations under Trump lagging behind the Biden and Obama administrations. That inconvenient truth is a major sore spot for Trump, who has demanded White House insiders give him a made-for-television stunt to distract from his struggling immigration policy. In Mexico, government leaders worry Trumps stunt might look an awful lot like a series of high-profile American military strikes on northern Mexico. Those worries are now bubbling to the surface as a budding international incident, with the word invasion creeping into Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaums recent public speeches. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also suggested that Trump was prepared to deploy American troops into Mexico unless Sheinbaum clamped down on cartel crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That kind of fist-swinging swagger is already the norm for Trumps foreign policy, but Trumps speech will also mark a low point for Americas relations with the European democracies we once considered allies. The relationship between Trump and the heads of Europe was already strained by his threats to leave NATO and the blanket tariffs he approved last month. His treatment of Zelensky has now thrown relations into a deep freeze, to the point that European Union leaders are actually allowing themselves to envision a national security future without the United States center stage. To say that would reshape global foreign affairs is the understatement of the century. It would be a wrecking ball to American global influence at a time when we desperately need that influence to counter the rapid rise of Chinese power in Africa and Latin America. Trumps new vision for America will also be present in the things he doesnt talk about in his speech, like our new alignment with the gangster regime in Moscow. Earlier this week, Hegseth ordered the Pentagon to stop all offensive cyberoperations against Russia, one of the worlds most prolific cybercriminal states. Meanwhile, global markets are betting on Trump ending Russian economic sanctions, effectively offering the pariah state a critical financial lifeline. As Trumps vision for America leads us ever further away from other liberal democracies, our own homegrown democracy will wither as well. As we embrace autocracies like Russia, we will begin to resemble them. Thats a dangerous path for a fragile democracy to walk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump begins his remarks tonight, he can do so knowing with certainty that he is the most consequential man in the world, a dominant force not only in America but in world politics. We can assume he wont take the opportunity to reflect on what that immense power means and its awesome power to shape and destroy on a vast scale. Instead, Trump will take his mandate to govern as a mandate to rule. The vision he shares with the American people this week will be bombastic and presented in full spectrum technicolor, but it masks the devils bargain Trump is making with Americas future. Trump is about to overstep again. This time, hes taking the whole world with him. Max Burns is a veteran Democratic strategist and founder of Third Degree Strategies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. President Trump turned the history of the Western world upside down last week. As we all learned in high school, the worst example of a weak, naive and dangerous foreign policy occurred in September 1938. Thats when British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain flew to Munich to meet with German Chancellor Adolf Hitler. After which, ignoring Hitlers build-up of the German army and plans to seize territory from neighboring nations, Chamberlain flew back to England and bragged that he had secured peace for our time. Six months later, Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia and World War II was soon underway. Ever since, historians have talked about the Lessons of Munich that no matter how nicely you treat him and no matter how many promises he makes, you cant trust a dictator. Only a fool would try. Appeasement doesnt work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It seems that everyone learned that lesson except Donald Trump. From now on, historians wont be talking about Neville Chamberlain anymore. Instead, history books will focus on the worst example of appeasement in our lifetime: Friday, Feb. 28, when President Trump lured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into the Oval Office and used the occasion to put the United States squarely in the camp of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Of course, this wasnt the beginning of Trumps love affair with Putin, its just the latest, crowning episode. It started with developer Donald Trump trying to build a new Trump Tower in Moscow a project, as former Trump fixer Michael Cohen testified, he pursued even while running for president in 2016. Throughout his first term, Trump praised Putin as a genius, very smart and a savvy player on the world stage. Most cringe-worthy was Trumps joint news conference with Putin in Helsinki in July 2018. When asked about reports that Russia had deliberately interfered in the 2016 election, Trump said he trusted Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies. I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today, Trump told reporters. He just said its not Russia. I will say this: I dont see any reason why it would be. At the time, Trumps faith in Putin was immediately condemned by many Republican members of Congress, including then-Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), who called Trumps remarks one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in history. You have to wonder what McCain would say today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that was just the warm-up to last weeks three-stage, total surrender to Putin. First, Trump attempted to rewrite history and defy reality by calling Zelensky a dictator and accusing Ukraine, not Russia, of starting the war in Ukraine. In Trump world, all that video of Russian tanks crossing the border and cruising to Kyiv, all those cities destroyed and some 13,000 civilians killed by Russian troops, is nothing but fake news. Second, at Trumps direction, the United States voted against a United Nations resolution condemning Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine and supporting Ukraines territorial integrity. Breaking with our long-time democratic allies around the globe, the U.S. voted with anti-democratic Russia, Belarus, Sudan, Hungary and North Korea. The third stage was Trumps disgraceful ambush of Zelensky in the Oval Office, where Trump not only treated him with disrespect and berated him for not yet winning the war (against a far superior and larger Russian military), but demanded that he accept a ceasefire on Putins terms by ceding large swaths of western Ukraine to Russia thereby giving dictator Putin exactly what he wants. In effect, Trump told Zelensky: Too bad, chump. For the last three years, weve been on your side. But now, were on Vladimir Putins side. Move over, Neville Chamberlain. Donald Trump just took your place as the Great Appeaser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the United States, its total surrender. And for the Republican Party, its a total reversal. Even long-time Putin critics and once-ardent Ukraine supporters like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and former senator, now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio have joined Trump in switching sides. From democracy to dictatorship. From Zelensky to Putin. That loud rumble you hear from California is Ronald Reagan, who famously called Russia the evil empire, rolling over in his grave. Bill Press is host of The Bill Press Pod . He is the author of From the Left: A Life in the Crossfire . Follow him on BlueSky @BillPress.bsky.social . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Trump administrations decision to freeze and reduce foreign aid weakens national security, creating a vacuum that China is rapidly filling through strategic lending and infrastructure investments. China leverages this influence to counter American interests, strengthen authoritarian regimes, and extend its military reach. China has cultivated close ties with political elites and citizens in the Global South, securing influence through direct financial incentives. While Chinas reputation may have declined in Western nations, it remains a favored development partner in many regions. It strengthens ties by directly funding projects in leaders home regions, reinforcing political loyalty. Studies show that Chinese-funded infrastructure projects are significantly more likely to be allocated to the birth regions of African presidents, reinforcing Chinas strategic relationships. Beyond economic ties, Chinas development projects directly influence host nations foreign policy decisions. Research has linked Chinese aid to shifts in United Nations voting patterns, with democratic nations being more susceptible to Beijings influence than autocratic ones likely because autocracies are already aligned with China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In some cases, promised infrastructure projects have even persuaded countries to sever ties with Taiwan. Costa Rica, for instance, received Chinese funding for a national stadium just months after ending its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. Chinas financial assistance extends beyond diplomacy; it also provides access to critical infrastructure that could serve military purposes. By 2024, Chinese entities controlled stakes in 129 ports worldwide, raising concerns about their potential use by the Chinese military. This influence extends to defense relationships, as demonstrated by Chinas military engagements in Africa. Between 2008 and 2016, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) conducted 294 engagements across 40 African nations, including working visits, naval port calls and military exercises aimed at strengthening defense ties. Unlike Western aid, which often supports civil society and non-governmental organizations, Chinese foreign assistance primarily funds state-driven infrastructure projects. This approach provides governments with highly visible political wins that boost their domestic standing. In many instances, governments first seek help from the U.S. and Western institutions, such as the World Bank and IMF, only to be rejected over concerns about profitability allowing China to step in and gain long-term influence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A notable example is Sri Lankas Hambantota Port. The Sri Lankan government first approached the U.S. and India for funding, citing positive feasibility studies from Canadian and Danish analysts. After being turned down, Chinas Export-Import Bank financed the project, and a Chinese firm secured the construction contract. This pattern repeats worldwide, as China fills the investment void left by Western institutions. As U.S. foreign aid programs contract, China is stepping in. Countries like Nepal, the Cook Islands and Colombia report that China has already offered financial assistance to compensate for reduced U.S. aid. If this trend continues, Chinas ability to shape global politics will only grow stronger. The U.S. must reassess its foreign aid strategy. While promoting democracy remains crucial, infrastructure investments with visible economic benefits will be key to countering Chinas rising influence. Aid programs that prioritize visible, high-impact projects can help foster goodwill and economic stability in developing countries. Moreover, U.S.-funded projects should set a high standard for labor rights and environmental sustainability demonstrating that democratic governance and economic development can go hand in hand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than relying on rhetoric, the U.S. should focus on delivering practical benefits that directly improve the lives of people in the Global South. By aligning its development assistance with the priorities of recipient countries, the U.S. can bolster its influence and protect its strategic interests against Chinas growing dominance. Anita R Kellogg is an assistant professor of National Resource Studies at the Eisenhower School of the National Defense University. She is also the host of Kelloggs Global Politics podcast. The opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not reflect the official policy or position of the National Defense University, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Its been four years since President Donald Trump last addressed a joint session of Congress, and you can bet that tonights speech will not focus on unifying our nation through measured, bipartisan policy proposals. Instead, I anticipate an address full of dubious bluster designed to elate his base, unnerve the left and deflect attention away from one of his most glaring broken promises thus far. My educated guess is, generally, that we will be in for a long night. (I wouldn't be surprised if he surpasses President Bill Clinton's impressively long 90-minute State of the Union in 2000.) To begin, I expect Trump to spend at least some time relitigating his last four years out of office. Think of this as the, I was wronged portion of the evening. This is where he is likely to go off the prompter and attack former President Joe Biden, rant about the Department of Justice and insult former special counsel Jack Smith. At the end of this section, look for some sort of mention of retribution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, I predict, he will transition to achievements from his first six weeks in office, especially on the topic of immigration. According to early data, illegal border crossings along the U.S. border with Mexico have dropped dramatically, a legitimately big win for the Trump administration and something he will absolutely emphasize. Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is also a key part of Trumps 100 days agenda, albeit a much murkier one. There are many questions swirling around the amount of savings actually achieved by DOGE, and its inexcusable, sloppy firings of federal employees. But Trump isnt going to acknowledge any of that, of course. Expect him instead to tout Musks crusade against government waste real or imagined as he did at CPAC a couple of weeks ago. On the foreign policy front, our America First president will be unable to avoid discussing the very public White House blowup he had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. Again, the base seems to love Trumps chest-thumping bravado, but keep an eye out for any Republicans tempering their applause. Trump loves to threaten his perceived rivals, and the Ukrainian debacle has given him a whole new reason to go after the European Union and our allies abroad. Zelenskyy was welcomed with open arms by European leaders over the weekend, and there is very little doubt that Trump will take this as a snub. Its even possible Trump will announce some new form of punishment, tied to NATO or tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats the kind of moment that the base loves but leaders on both sides of the party dread, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Which brings us to a topic I will be watching very closely: How Trump handles the economy. Once considered one of his biggest assets, this kitchen table issue is looking increasingly like a liability. According to a recent Reuters poll, Americans who think the economy is on the wrong track rose to 53% in mid-February, which is up from 43% at the end of January. On the campaign trail, Trump often said that he would start his Oval Office tenure by lowering the price of groceries on day one. He even held a press event next to tables filled with food items oddly focused on breakfast foods like cereal to rally against the rising costs of food. These days, however, Trump is virtually silent on pricing, preferring to bring up DEI or transgender issues to deflect from his failure to reverse the trend. Distraction is a tried-and-true tactic for Trump, and distraction is what Im expecting in spades. From impugning enemies to flirting with potential new trade wars, the more noise Trump generates, the harder it is to focus on any one issue. Like, for example, the very real cost of eggs. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The events of Feb. 28, 2025, generated a sense of shock and dread that resonated with the reaction to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot a feeling that something terribly wrong and irreversible had just happened to America. The public confrontation between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, fomented by Vice President Vance, appeared to be a calculated decision by Americas commander in chief to berate and humiliate a strategic partner at war with a foreign invader. The clash was all but inevitable, given the irreconcilable geostrategic positions of Zelensky and Russias president, Vladimir Putin. Putin wants to conquer and subjugate Ukraine, Zelensky wants to keep his country whole, free and aligned with the West. And Trump has been open about his sympathy for Russia since his election. What was unprecedented about the meeting, however, was the totally public venue arranged by Trumps White House a prolonged discussion before a roomful of officials and journalists armed with television cameras and recorders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under normal circumstances, after a half-hour of polite conversation between the parties, the public part of the meeting would have ended, the media would have exited, and it would have progressed to closed-door discussions allowing for franker exchanges. Instead, the U.S. hosts kept the conversation going with cameras and recorders still running. Then, before the event was about to wrap up, Vance suddenly spoke up and the tone of the talks changed. Vance told Zelensky, without irony and as if following a script, I think its disrespectful of you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. He repeated the accusation twice more in the next several minutes. Zelensky interjected, You think if you will speak loudly at which point Trump interrupted, his own volume increasing, Hes not speaking loudly. By then, the staging was obvious. Taking his cue from Vance, the president picked up on the disrespectful theme and reprimanded Zelensky, Without us, you have no cards. Perhaps no more chilling and shameful message has ever been made by an American president than Trumps warning to Zelensky to, essentially, sign his minerals deal or else. Youre either gonna make a deal, or were out, said Trump. And if were out, youll fight it out and I dont think its going to be pretty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The seemingly shocked Zelensky, using his left-than-fluent English, tried unsuccessfully to fend off the two-sided attack. He was then asked to leave the White House. Trump ended the ordeal by saying, I think its a good thing for the American people to see whats going on. Its gonna be great television. The U.S.-Ukraine rupture was enthusiastically welcomed by Putins regime. Dmitri Medvedev, the one-time place-holder president to whom former President Obama whispered assurances of U.S. flexibility, said of the Trump-Vance tag-team attack on Zelensky, The insolent pig was finally slapped down in the White House. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) said after the meeting had concluded that he had warned Zelensky not to take the bait. The tragedy of the sorry episode, of course, is not Ukraines alone. Trumps disdain is not confined to Ukraine but to the overall NATO project: collective defense against Soviet/Russian aggression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The entire rules-based international order, which avoided major war among the great powers for 80 years after World War II, is now on the verge of disintegration. Not only Putin, but also Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, the Ayatollah and despots everywhere rejoice at the potential allied breakup. Trump has done more to hasten that result than any other president since NATO was founded. Now, with the active support of Moscow, he is dangerously close to achieving that end. Joseph Bosco served as China country director for the secretary of Defense from 2005 to 2006 and as Asia-Pacific director of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief from 2009 to 2010. He is a nonresident fellow at the Institute for Corean-American Studies, a member of the advisory board of the Global Taiwan Institute and member of the advisory board of The Vandenberg Coalition. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Tuesday updated its guidance to department heads that demanded the firing of federal workers, adding that its up to the agency on whether to boot their hires. The slight shift in the memo updates a Day 1 order from the OPM directing all government agencies to pull together a list of employees still in their probationary period, meaning those who were either hired or promoted within the past year or two a period that varies by agency. Please note that, by this memorandum, OPM is not directing agencies to take any specific performance-based actions regarding probationary employees. Agencies have ultimate decision-making authority over, and responsibility for, such personnel actions, the OPM wrote in the Tuesday update. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tweak comes after unions scored a court victory Thursday after suing over the Trump administration plans to fire probationary workers OPMs revision of its Jan. 20 memo is a clear admission that it unlawfully directed federal agencies to carry out mass terminations of probationary employees which aligns with Judge Alsups recent decision in our lawsuit challenging these illegal firings, the American Federation of Government Employees said in a statement Tuesday. Every agency should immediately rescind these unlawful terminations and reinstate everyone who was illegally fired. While the suit was only brought on behalf of employees at six agencies, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the OPM to rescind the memo, finding the termination of the employees was likely unlawful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [The] Office of Personnel Management does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe, to hire and fire employees within another agency, Alsup said. The agencies could thumb their nose at OPM if they wanted to, he added. Its not clear whether the updated memo complies with the judges order, which calls for the memo to be rescinded. OPMs January 20 memo, February 14 email, and all other efforts by OPM to direct the termination of employees, he wrote, listing the six agencies, were unlawful, invalid, and must be stopped and rescinded. Its not the first time the OPM has had issues with Alsup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Government Executive noted, the OPM had denied directing government agencies to fire probationary employees. Beyond the Jan. 20 memo directing agencies to organize a list of probationary employees, the OPMs order for agencies to carry out the firing was widely reported in February. OPM did not direct agencies to terminate probationary employees, based either on performance or misconduct, acting OPM Director Charles Ezell wrote in a sworn statement submitted in court. Court filings also include a Feb. 14 email from the OPM saying that we have asked that you separate probationary employees that you have not identified as mission critical. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) A University of Oklahoma law student has started an online petition calling for an adjunct professors removal following a Supreme Court decision on Richard Glossips case. Last week the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a majority that Glossip, although previously convicted and sentenced to death for the 1997 murder of his boss Barry Van Treese, should get a new trial because of prosecutorial misconduct. The decision tosses out the conviction and death sentence. Connie Smothermon, an adjunct professor at OU law and Oklahoma City University law, was the leader prosecutor on the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SCOTUS tosses out Richard Glossips murder conviction The SCOTUS ruling on the case said Smothermon, the prosecution, knew her star witness, Justin Sneed, had lied under oath. The ruling also notes that the State of Oklahoma admitted the alleged false testimony combined with other unspecified cumulative errors warrant post conviction relief. They introduced knowingly false statements on the stand and failed to correct those, said OU law student Travis Handler, when asked for his insight on the ruling. And we also know, although the Supreme Courts opinion does not really address this as much, that there were some, theyre called Brady violations. So failure to turn over evidence that might have been favorable to the defense. Handler published an online petition February 27 calling for Smothermons removal as an adjunct professor at both of the universities she teaches. News 4 spoke with several OU law students on Monday who said they were either aware of the petition or previous information tied to Smothermons role in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think something needs to be done, said OU law student Emma Spotanski. But again, I mean, you hear the decision from the Supreme Court saying what you did was wrong. I think thats some accountability there by itself. Smothermons OU bio says she came to the college of law in 2004 and also previously worked for the Oklahoma County District Attorneys Office heading the Domestic Violence Prosecution Unit. Theres no making Richard Glossip whole, said Handler. Theres no fixing, frankly, what happened to Barry Van Treese and his family, which is horrendous, but within our control is ensuring that the people who teach here are accountable and that they adhere to the same principles that we respect, which is justice and fairness and the rule of law. Handler said much of the misconduct discussed in the ruling has been far from secret on the OU law campus, touching on a report released in 2022 by international law firm, Reed Smith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was released at that point that there had been several really really troubling allegations about the prosecutions conduct during that trial, said Handler. The report concluded that crime scene evidence was destroyed, naming Smothermon. It also said that no reasonable juror would have convicted Glossip in the murder case. Handler says the campus culture he experienced in the reports aftermath was to just accept it; but he felt a shift with the Supreme Court opinion being released. I sort of figured that it was a good time, momentum wise, to try and do the right thing, at least in some small amount, said Handler. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Handler says he doesnt want to malign the administration noting that OU Dean of Law Anna Carpenter inherited this problem. He says generally adjuncts are brought on for very brief terms and situations like these can raise questions as to whether or not the review of Smothermons background was as exhaustive as it need to be. I think regardless of her being an adjunct, this case is an exception because it was so well documented, because you had the Reed Smith report in 2022, said Handler. It is hard for me, and again, not maligning anybody here, I want to make that clear. It is hard for me to understand how anybody could have not known about this and they allow her to stay on. News 4 reached out to a source Monday in attempt to make contact with Smothermon. That source confirmed Smothermon received News 4s request for comment but as of the date of publication News 4 never heard back. News 4 reached out to the University of Oklahoma for comment. A spokesperson confirmed the university is aware of the SCOTUS decision but said the university did not comment on personnel matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its also important to note during a news conference last week Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced he does not plan to pursue criminal charges against the prosecution tied to Glossips case. Drummond and Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behennas office are collaborating to decide the best way to move forward after the SCOTUS decision. Handler says that doesnt mean he believes Smothermon shouldnt be held accountable. I think electing to keep her on choosing to keep her on would be inconsistent with a lot of those principles that make me so proud to be a student here, said Handler. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. There have been 16 home fire deaths in the state of Illinois this year. Five of those were in Central Illinois. The latest was a woman who died Sunday night in her home. It happened on North Griffin and Lape Street in Danville. Theresa Pundt was 67 years old. PREVIOUSLY: Woman found dead inside burning house in Danville Danville Fire Chief Aaron Marcott said when crews got there, they could see flames in the living room. It took them about an hour to put the fire out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Its] really tough because its the outcome that nobody wants for their citizens and for the firefighters. Its just like most tragedies; some things cant be prevented, Marcott said. We do tell people all the time, make sure you have a working smoke detector, take the precautions in your home. Its really important to have your home checked and updated and things like that, so you dont have these types of incidents. The best thing we can do is not have them occur in the first place. He said right now, the cause of death and the fire are 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 WCIA.com. By Brad Brooks BOULDER, Colorado (Reuters) -Over 1,000 protesters gathered outside a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration building in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday, decrying Trump administration layoffs of what two current employees said were upward of 10% of scientists there. The protest was organized by former U.S. Congressman David Skaggs, a Colorado Democrat for whom the NOAA building in Boulder is named. He said amid the boisterous demonstration that he had expected perhaps 100 people to show up, but police at the rally put the figure at over 1,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skaggs said the far larger turnout represented the angst Americans are feeling as President Donald Trump's administration abruptly remakes the federal government, cutting staff and costs across the bureaucracy. "I was in church yesterday and I wept for my country, it is overwhelmingly sad and distressing," Skaggs said. "We need to take a deep breath and gather our courage and stand up for what we know is right." The Trump administration last week fired over 800 NOAA workers, according to Congressional sources. At the rally in Boulder, two current NOAA employees who have not been fired estimated that 10% of the roughly 800 NOAA employees in Boulder were dismissed last week. The two employees asked not to be named, citing fears that they would lose their jobs. The two and other scientists say cuts to NOAA put into jeopardy the quality and timeliness of everything from space weather forecasts used to predict disruptions to satellite operations and power grids, among other things, to life-saving wildfire, tornado and hurricane warnings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Susan McLean, a retired manager at NOAA in Boulder, was at the protest and said the summary dismissal of NOAA workers would make it more difficult to attract talented scientists to federal jobs. "We used to attract people even with our lower pay because we had a good mission and it was a mission valued by the public," McLean said. McLean said that she was at NOAA during the last serious effort at downsizing the federal workforce, under former President Bill Clinton. At that time, the cutbacks were done in tandem with managers at the various federal agencies and carried out over a number of years to avoid disruptions to vital services. "Those cuts were done with a scalpel," McLean said. "This is being done with a wrecking ball. It's indiscriminate and it's without thought." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor's seat and both houses of the state legislature in Colorado are controlled by Democrats, and 76.5% of Boulder County voters picked former Vice President Kamala Harris versus 20.8% Trump in last year's election. "This protest is a manifestation of how frustrated people are," said Brenna Raeder, a demonstrator holding a "National Weather Service Saves Lives" sign. "It's completely insane that we would defund these vital services, including the wildfire forecasts that save lives right here in Colorado." Demonstrators said the defense of science against the Trump administration's aggressive cuts in the federal workforce should be a bipartisan cause. NOAA did not reply to an emailed request for comment on the layoffs nor how many people at its Boulder offices had been fired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Project 2025, a series of detailed conservative policy proposals whose ideas and thinkers have surfaced repeatedly as the Trump administration takes shape, says NOAA "has become one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry and, as such, is harmful to future U.S. prosperity." Project 2025 called for NOAA to be broken up and downsized. In Silver Spring, Maryland, at another NOAA location, another 1,000 protesters were asking for the reinstatement of fired NOAA scientists. "NOAA is critical to safe seafood that we eat, to weather forecasts involving dangerous hurricanes. A million different ways NOAA is a critical part of our lives and we need to keep this agency strong," demonstrator Mike Tidwell said. (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Colorado; editing by Donna Bryson and Sandra Maler) The number of overweight trucks crossing the creakiest section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway has been more than halved by the installation of overweight vehicle sensors, city transportation officials announced Tuesday. Beginning in November 2023, the city has used automated sensors on the Queens-bound side of the BQE triple cantilever in downtown Brooklyn to assess fines to overweight trucks. An analysis of a years worth of data shows that overweight crossings of the triple cantilever have fallen by 60% since the automated fines began an average of 3,041 overweight trucks each month, down from 7,920 a month prior to the program beginning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I hope our productive partnership with legislative leaders and the governor to bring weigh-in-motion to New York City, and the results it has yielded, can serve as a national model for other cities and states, including the rest of New York State, city Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement. Some 130,000 vehicles traverse the BQE each day, according to city data, a number that includes roughly 13,000 trucks. The route includes the aging triple-cantilever structure that skirts Brooklyn Heights a stacked set of roadways that has long been in need of serious repair. Weight sensors were first installed along the Queens-bound lane of the structure, and were authorized by lawmakers in Albany to interface with license plate cameras and automatically issue fines to trucks carrying more than the allowable per-axle weight or gross vehicle weight. The Department of Transportation had initially planned to install the system on the Staten Island-bound side by the end of 2024, an upgrade officials say is coming this year. But the automated ticket systems authorization is set to expire Dec. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Transportation officials called Tuesday on Albany to reauthorize and expand the program, allowing for it to be used on other sections of road under DOTs auspices. As previously reported, work to overhaul the triple cantilever is expected to begin in 2028. PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) A man has been charged after leaving his dog in the Cleveland Metroparks last month, Parma Heights police reported. First responders were called to the area of Big Creek Parkway in Parma Heights after a dog was spotted next to a snowy pond by a passing motorist on Feb. 20. Want to talk to your pet? Device helps animals communicate with owners Photo courtesy Brooklyn & Parma Hts Animal Control/Facebook Photo courtesy Brooklyn & Parma Hts Animal Control/Facebook Photo courtesy Brooklyn & Parma Hts Animal Control/Facebook Photo courtesy Brooklyn & Parma Hts Animal Control/Facebook The Rottweiler mix was subsequently found by Parma Heights officials and was taken in by the Brooklyn & Parma Heights Animal Control. Officials said they thought the dog had been exposed to extreme temperatures (below 20 degrees) for at least 10 hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police also said they found a leash strapped to a tree in the park, evidence they said shows the dog was abandoned. Now, police announced theyve identified the dogs owner as Michael Abbot, 34. He has been charged with animal abandonment and prohibitions concerning companion animals, police said. Watch: Police use grappler to end pursuit; sovereign citizen arrested The dog is doing extremely well and is currently thriving in her foster home, police said in an email to FOX 8. That foster is expected to be adopting her once able. Take a look at photos of the dog now: Photo courtesy Parma Heights police Photo courtesy Parma Heights police The case is being heard in Parma Municipal Court at a later date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. By Mushtaq Ali PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Overnight clashes between Pakistani and Afghan security forces at the main border crossing between the countries caused thousands of people to flee their homes but the situation had calmed down by Tuesday morning, residents and officials said. The conflict started on Monday, the first working day of Ramadan, when food imports from Pakistan usually peak in Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 15,000 local residents fled to Landi Kotal due to the clashes, an official said. Afghan border guards had opened fire without warning, targeting government buildings and civilians, and causing widespread panic. "The tensions between the two countries and continuous closure of the border has been causing multiple problems to the people of the border area. People are very poor and dependent on their businesses related to the border," Ali Shinwari, who lives in the border town, told Reuters. Relatives and tribesmen in a nearby town have been hosting dozens of relatives since the border closure, he added. The Torkham crossing has been shut since February 21 due to a dispute over the construction of a border-area outpost by Afghanistan, Pakistani officials said on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for a comment. The Taliban-run Afghan Interior Ministry said on Monday one Taliban fighter was killed and two injured, while Pakistani security officials reported that members of their forces had also been wounded. The Torkham crossing is the main transit artery for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. Trade between the countries was worth over $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistan's foreign office. The closure has stranded 5,000 trucks filled with essential goods and caused at least $15 million in losses, said Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan's Khyber district where the Torkham crossing is located. (Reporting by Mushtaq Ali in Peshawar ; writing by Ariba Shahid in Karachi, editing by Ed Osmond) CAIRO (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday he welcomed an Egyptian plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip and urged U.S. President Donald Trump to support such a plan that would not involve displacing Palestinian residents of the enclave. Speaking at an Arab League summit that aims to counter Trump's "Gaza Riviera" plan, Abbas also said he was ready to hold presidential and parliamentary elections if circumstances allow, adding his Palestinian Authority was the only legitimate governing and military force in the Palestinian Territories. Abbas said that he would issue a general amnesty for all those dismissed from the Fatah movement which rules the West Bank. (This story has been refiled to fix the spelling of Abbas in paragraph 1) (Reporting by Nafisa Eltahir and Yomna Ehab; Editing by Gareth Jones) Panamas attorney general is calling on the countrys Supreme Court to declare a contract with port operator Panama Ports Company unconstitutional, in a move signaling a potential ending of the partnership. Attorney general Luis Carlos Gomez sent the opinion in the wake of a government audit into the company, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, in late January. Panama Ports Company has operated the countrys Balboa and Cristobal ports on both sides of the Panama Canal since 1997. The parties re-upped their deal in 2021, which with a 25-year contract extension through 2047. More from Sourcing Journal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both the audits and Gomezs call to the court have been spurred on by the wider narrative at play, in which U.S. President Donald Trump has been vocal about his concerns of Chinese influence over the Panama Canal. Trump has falsely asserted that China operates the 50-mile trade artery, and has stated his desire to take it back under U.S. sovereignty due to his allegations. But Trumps rhetoric is an extension of some of the concerns shared by several allies of his in Congress. Those apprehensions are tied to Hutchison itself, which is subject to Chinese state oversight under Hong Kongs broadly defined national security law. To kick off February, two Panamanian attorneys filed suit challenging the Hutchison contract extension, being the original to cite that it violates Panamas constitution. That complaint also accuses Panama Ports Company of not paying taxes and social security contributions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the two lawyers, the contract would violate at least 10 articles of the Panamanian Constitution. Gomez submitted the opinion to the court on Feb. 19 in support of the litigation. The attorney general asserts that the partnership carries a lack of justification in the public interest, is economically unbalanced toward Panama and affects competition. He also said the deal improperly agrees to transfer exclusive rights of the Panamanian State. Long-term contracts with foreign actors have been ruled unconstitutional by Panamas highest court in the past. In November 2023, the Panama Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a 20-year contract for a Canadian business to operate a copper mine in the country was unconstitutional. That ruling came just a month after the new contract was signed. In response to weeks of public protests against that deal, Panamas government enacted a bill to ban all new mining concessions and extensions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This likely prevented the two parties from being able to come to a new contract. Norman Castro and Julio Macias, the two lawyers filing the complaint against the Panama Ports Company partnership, cited the mining contract in their lawsuit. A Bloomberg report said the Panamanian government was looking into scrapping the partnership with CK Hutchison, which would be one measure to possibly get on the good side of the Trump administration. Several members of Panamas government including President Jose Raul Mulino, as well as the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss relations between the countries, and the future of the canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After that meeting, Mulino confirmed that the country would not renew its participation in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, making Panama the first Latin American country to leave the foreign infrastructure investment program. Additionally, the ACP said it planned on optimize the transit priority of U.S. Navy vessels through the canal. While the State Department initially claimed Panama had agreed to free transit for American warships, Mulino debunked the comments as lies and falsehoods. This prompted Rubio to retreat from the position, but he called it absurd that the U.S. would have to pay fees to transit the zone. Aside from the U.S.-related drama, Panama also is preparing the canal against any other potential climate concerns. The ACPs board of directors approved plans to build a new reservoir in the Indio River watershed to help mitigate impacts from future drought conditions. Construction will begin in 2027 and is expected to cost $1.6 billion, including both the costs to build the reservoir and the investments in local communities impacted by the project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That project should add make room for 11 to 13 more daily transits through the canal. The Panama Canal hosts an estimated 5 percent of global trade, according to the ACP. More than 76 percent of the cargo that goes through the canal originates or is destined for the U.S. The canal accounts for 46 percent of the total market share of containers moving from Northeast Asia to the U.S. East Coast, according to the Department of Commerce. A Senate committee on Tuesday killed a bill that would have reduced the penalties for those convicted of a first offense for cockfighting. (Getty Images) (This image cannot be republished unless you have a Getty subscription.) OKLAHOMA CITY A Senate panel on Tuesday killed a bill that sought to reduce the penalty and fine for those convicted of cockfighting on a first offense. Senate Bill 1111 would have reduced the penalty for hosting or participating in cockfighting from a felony to a misdemeanor and removed the term of imprisonment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also would have reduced the fine to $500 from up to $25,000 for first-time offenders. The Senate Public Safety Committee voted 3-4 against the measure by Sen. Tom Woods, R-Westville. In 2002, voters approved State Question 687 by slightly more than 56% of the vote to make cockfighting a felony offense. Sen. Michael Brooks, D-Oklahoma City, suggested it might be more appropriate to send the proposed change to a vote of the people. The state question also made it a felony to own, possess, keep or train birds for cockfighting. Woods bill would have narrowed the language in the law to criminalize only active participation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Felony convictions can permanently hinder a persons ability to find employment, contribute to society and join the military, Woods said. By making a first offense a misdemeanor, Senate Bill 1111 allows individuals a chance to move forward without the burden of a life-long felony record. He said it would reduce the burden on courts and prisons. Repeat offenders face escalating consequences, including substantial fines and potential imprisonment, Woods said. First-time offenders deserve a second chance, Woods said. Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, said a person could have an eight-ball of methamphetamine and not go to prison yet owning one of the birds that later is used in cockfighting outside of the United States carries prison time. Weaver voted against the measure, saying it went too far. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Parents awarded $25M for childs drowning in defective pool design: Records WARREN COUNTY, Mo. The parents of a toddler who drowned in an above-ground pool almost six years ago in Warren County were given $25 million Friday in a lawsuit against the company who manufactured the pool, according to court records. The Eastern District of Missouri presented the money to Kyle and Annaleah Justice, who were the parents of a 2-year-old girl when she drowned in a Bestway above-ground pool at her grandparents house. Photo courtesy of the Eastern District of Missouri Court documents place blame on Bestways design of the pool and Rural King in the county for their advertisement of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 3, 2019, the 2-year-old girl approached the pool. The ladder was 11 feet away from the pool to prevent her from being able to get in, however, there was a nylon strap just over a foot above the ground that went around the pool. Records state that she used that nylon strap to step on and gain access to the pool, as photos also displayed muddy footprints of a small child above the strap. Saint Louis Zoo exchanges resident polar bear for twins Bestway designed the pool in the manner that created a nylon ledge barely one foot off the ground to save the few dollars or cents per unit it would have taken the render the pool reasonably safe. In so doing, Bestway showed complete indifference to or conscious disregard for the safety of others and engaged in conduct that was so egregious that it was tantamount to intentional wrongdoing because the natural and probable consequence of the conduct is death of a toddler by drowning, the lawsuit said. Additionally, it said that Rural King sold and advertised the pool despite their knowledge of the defect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bestway and Rural King were accused of several counts of a wrongful death. (Fridays) verdict delivers justice by holding Bestway USA accountable for the wrongful death of a bright and beloved two-year-old. The jurys decision affirms that Bestways defective nylon strap directly led to this heartbreaking tragedy. While no verdict can undo their loss, we are honored to have stood by the Justice family and hope this brings them some closure and drives safer design to prevent future harm, attorney for the Justice family Jake Plattenberger said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. DEWITT, N.Y. (WSYR) There was barely a seat to be had at the Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School auditorium as parents demanded answers from the school board on a series of safety concerns. This district prides themselves on being very transparentyet, when you have a concern and address the superintendent or you address the building, the principalthey just deflect everything, Shanna Zeckzer, a parent of two J-D students, said. But for the first time, Superintendent Peter Smith publicly addressed the issue of the status of a student with a violent history, including a detailed threat of killing a teacher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family has allowed the district to share that their child will not return to school this year. Im unable to expand on or share additional details beyond that, Smith said. Several parents addressed the board with demands for transparency, metal detectors, and mental health awareness. Im terrified, Meghan Fahley, a parent to a J-D student, said. My student, who is here at the middle school, has had nightmares and doesnt want to come to school and I dont think shes the only one. Upset parents walked up to the podium with lists of concerns. Mental health people need to be in the room, Peter Ashworth said. This needs to happen, not in eight months, this needs to happen now because we know how long it takes districts to enact these policies Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parents also brought up the topic of a change in leadership. Dr. Smith is currently serving as acting superintendent until his retirement at the end of the 2024-2025 term. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR. (NewsNation) Paul Manafort, former campaign manager for President Donald Trump, claimed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy survives by having a country at war after a contentious Oval Office meeting between the two presidents. Zelenskyy is imperial, Manafort told NewsNations CUOMO on Monday. His office has expired. Hes a martial law president, and thats fine. I mean, thats a legitimate position to be in, but his popularity in Ukraine is not very high. Manafort, who previously advised former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, said Zelenskyy has political motivations for prolonging the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump pauses aid to Ukraine amid clash with Zelensky Im not saying he likes war, but he survives by having a country at war, and so its in his interest to find ways to stop the fighting, but not necessarily reach peace right away, until he can get strengthened politically, Manafort said. His comments come after Fridays Oval Office photo op where Trump berated Zelenskyy in front of cameras, calling him disrespectful after the Ukrainian leader pressed Vice President JD Vance on diplomatic solutions with Russia. According to Manafort, Trump had developed a peace plan that included European partners and a peacekeeping force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Zelenskyy was warned it probably was not a good idea to come to Washington but insisted on the visit. Second email to federal workers comes with caveat Manafort alleged Democratic lawmakers met with Zelenskyy before the White House meeting and got him all juiced up, saying they werent looking for peace, they were looking for political issue. When asked about Trump pulling all aid to Ukraine, Manafort described it as purely a pressure tactic rather than a genuine threat. Putin is ready to come to the table, Manafort said, adding that Trump has a plan for negotiations. The Friday meeting was originally scheduled to discuss an agreement for U.S. access to critical minerals in Ukraine, which Trump has argued would boost the Ukrainian economy and help recoup U.S. aid to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, following its annexation of Crimea in 2014. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PEGRAM, Tenn. (WKRN) Authorities responded to a brush fire Tuesday that spread, severely damaging a Pegram home in the process. Seaboard Lane reopens after gas leak halts traffic in Franklin According to Chief John Sullivan with the Pegram Fire Department, a brush fire had been burning nearby when a neighbor saw it had spread to a Scenic View Drive home and called 911 Tuesday morning. The Kingston Springs Fire Department was called to assist the Pegram Fire Department to help attack the blaze. The homeowners and their pets escaped the fire unharmed. (Courtesy: Pegram Fire Chief) (Courtesy: Pegram Fire Chief) (Courtesy: Pegram Fire Chief) Sullivan said high winds have area residents on edge, adding this is the second fire Pegram units have responded to within the last week. Sullivan encouraged residents not to burn without a permit and to be extra vigilant when burning things; the Kingston Springs Fire Department received a separate call Tuesday afternoon for a brush fire on Sneed Road due to a burn pit that got out of control, according to Cheatham County Dispatch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Significant wind gusts, strong storms possible Tuesday, Wednesday Cheatham County is not the only place in Middle Tennessee to experience these high winds or fires. The Lawrence County Emergency Management Agency told News 2 that Lawrence County Fire and Rescue units have asked all volunteer firefighters not already on call to report to their respective stations as there have been at least six brush fires due to dry and windy conditions. Further, White County crews have worked to contain a wildfire. News 2s Knoxville sister station, WATE, reported East Tennessee crews have also worked to contain a 50-acre wildfire near Tellico Plains. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (WBRE/WYOU) The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced Monday there will be lane restrictions on Interstate 81 in Susquehanna County. In a release, PennDOT says there will be lane restrictions on Interstate 81 North and Southbound from Exit 206, Glenwood/Lenoxville, to Exit 223, New Milford/Lakeside, in Susquehanna County for tree trimming and removal. Work will happen from Tuesday, March 4, to Thursday, March 6, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Middle school program helps students learn healthy communication, reduce violence PennDOT urges drivers to travel the posted speed limit, pay close attention to signs and flaggers, turn on their headlights, and avoid all distractions. You can stay up to date on speed limit restrictions, road conditions, and closures on 511PA.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 PAhomepage.com. (WHTM) The Pennsylvania Army National Guard is receiving the first of more than 600 new or upgraded armored vehicles. The National Guard announced they are receiving 324 upgraded Stryker vehicles and 300 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) to modernize their 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest The upgraded Strykers now feature a double-V hull, which is replacing the brigades legacy flat-bottom-hull Strykers, and the JLTVs are replacing the brigades soft-skin M1097 HMMWVs, colloquially known as humvees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Col. Christopher Costello, 56th SBCT Commander, said the transition from flat-bottom hull to double-V hull design was initiated in response to vulnerabilities against improvised explosive devices during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He says the new hull will deflect explosive forces away from the vehicle, drastically reducing the risk of damage and injury to soldiers inside. Combat experience in Afghanistan showed that double-V hull Strykers significantly reduced casualties and injury severity compared to flat-bottom hull models, said Col. Costello. Soldiers often walked away from IED attacks on double-V hull vehicles or returned to duty quickly, a stark improvement over flat-bottom hull performance where casualties were higher. Costello added that the new JLTVs will provide several upgrades over the current humvees, as well. Courtesy of the PA Army National Guard Courtesy of the PA Army National Guard Courtesy of the PA Army National Guard Courtesy of the PA Army National Guard Courtesy of the PA Army National Guard The JLTV combines improved protection, mobility, and payload capacity while addressing the limitations of the older Humvee in modern combat environments, Costello said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Col. Jeremy Coleman, the Pennsylvania Army National Guards Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, says the first 25 Strykers will come to Fort Indiantown Gap, where they will be used for training, or G4. All of the JLTVs will come to Fort Indiantown Gap before going out to their units. It has not yet been determined if the remaining Strykers will also come to Fort Indiantown Gap first or if they will be sent directly to the units. This is a great opportunity for the state, 28th Infantry Division, and 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team to modernize our legacy equipment, Col. Coleman said. The National Guard says this modernization program will help the brigade be better prepared for its combat role when called upon in the future, Costello added. There will certainly be challenges, but based on the performance of the Soldiers and units during their deployments, I am sure we will be successful, Costello said. The level of training required for the deployments also encourages me that despite the focus on fielding so much equipment, the Soldiers, if called upon, would be ready to support civil authorities and/or conduct their war time missions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. (WHTM) Governor Josh Shapiro wants to close several correctional facilities to save money, as he argues theyre no longer needed. Lawmakers in both parties have questions about safety and whether this would save money. The Shapiro administration has zeroed-in on closing Rockview SCI, the Quehanna Bootcamp, and correctional centers in Berks and Greene counties. Pennsylvania prison closures: New details revealed in proposed shut downs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a hearing on Monday, State Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa (R-Fayette) asked Secretary Laurel Harry of the PA Department of Corrections whether she had concerns that more prisoners in fewer facilities will increase levels of violence and jeopardize the safety of the staff and the inmates. Secretary Harry concedes prison violence did tick up last year but insists data from previous closures show a decrease. An average of one less inmate-on-inmate assault and an average of three less inmate-on-staff assaults, Secretary Harry answered. Pennsylvania Corrections Officers union, lawmakers reacts to prison closure plan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Eckenrode, the President of the Correctional Officers Union, was in the hearing and heard Harry say closures will not mean overcrowding. I heard one of the most ridiculous statements Ive ever heard, said Eckenrode. When she said that closing prisons make it safer for staff. We will still be at below 90% capacity for our male facilities and below 80% capacity for our female facilities, said Harry. I think that you can manipulate numbers to make it look however you want to look, Eckenrode retorted. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania State Rep. Eric Nelson (R-Westmoreland) thinks this does not look good. SCI Greensburg, in his district, closed back in 2013. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is still sitting as a big chunk of blighted property, said Nelson. Weve wasted over a hundred acres over a decade, and we still dont have a solution. Were just trying to figure out where is the cart and wheres the horse, said Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin). Many Rockview employees live in Rep. Benninghoffs district. He says neither he nor they got a heads up, and the process is being rushed. That kind of upheaval and uncertainty has been very, very difficult on the families that are employed there, said Benninghoff. The corrections department says the closures will save $10 million this year and $120 million by next fiscal year. Benninghoff has his doubts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont want to be penny wise pound foolish, as the old saying is, added Benninghoff. Several lawmakers said theyre less concerned about saving money than the states recidivism rate. According to DOC statistics, two out of three inmates tend to re-offend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) New art work on Graffiti Bridge in Pensacola is drawing attention to a national movement. UPDATE: SS United States enters Port of Mobile This is part of a nationwide movement to bring awareness about whats happening to our National Parks and public lands and kind of stand in solidarity with those public lands and the employees who were wrongfully terminated, Philip Iversen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Philip Iversen is a former biological science technician at Gulf Islands National Seashore. He received an email alerting him of his termination last month. Iverson, who volunteered at the park before interning and ultimately working at the park, said the email stated he was unqualified and unfit to do his job, and not performing as he should be. He said his employee assessments said otherwise. Its really just kind of a kick in the gut after working all this time doing everything I was told was the right thing, Iversen said. City of Milton hires new police chief Iversen is one of about about 1,000 National Park Service employees terminated as part of the Trump administrations effort to cut federal spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the National Park Service, more than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for Americas 431 national parks, working to help preserve local history and create recreational opportunities. I think that the government does need to be cut back there has been excessive spending and that kind of thing, but I feel like there are ways to do that without compromising our morals and especially compromising something like the national parks and public lands, Iversen said. As part of the art on Graffiti Bridge, signs are painted asking for people to speak out to their representatives and to donate to the National Parks Conservation Association. As Iverson searches for a new job, he said he will continue to volunteer at the park and hopes to see people continue to stand up for our National Parks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fairhopes second Wawa, 5th in Alabama opening this week what to know I hope that people go out to the parks this summer. I really do. I hope they go out and support the rangers are still there and support these natural, historic and cultural resources that we have because they are so important to what it is to be an American, Iversen said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. The Pentagon, in initial work with Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has found some $80 million in what its deemed wasteful spending, according to the buildings top spokesperson. In a video posted to X Monday evening, Press Secretary Sean Parnell read from an unreleased list detailing funding devoted largely to diversity, equity and inclusion programs and climate change research. This stuff is not a core function of our military. . . . This is a distraction, he said. We believe that these initial findings will probably save $80 million in wasteful spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the targeted initiatives was $1.9 million for DEI training in the Air Force, $6 million to the University of Montana to strengthen American democracy by bridging divides, $3.5 million at the Defense Human Resources Activity for support to DEI groups, and $1.6 million to the University of Florida to study social and institutional detriments of vulnerability and resilience to climate hazards in the African Sahel, Parnell said. He added that Mondays actions are just the start, with more to come this week. Since its formation, DOGE has aimed to reduce expenditures within federal government agencies and slash the civil servant workforce. But critics have said the alleged savings have been grossly overblown, with inaccurate data on its digital wall of receipts. DOGE officials first visited the Pentagon on Feb. 14, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcoming the agency with open arms. Last month he said that there is waste, redundancies, and headcounts at headquarters that need to be addressed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Pentagon declined to provide the list Parnell read off of to The Hill, and would not say how many programs, initiative or contracts it had identified that made up the $80 million. We have nothing to provide beyond the video at this time, a spokesperson said. An initially claimed $80 million in savings also seems paltry compared to the total Pentagon budget of $850 billion, making up less than 0.001 percent of that. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Pentagon has denied that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a halt to cyber operations against Russia, Bloomberg reported on March 4, citing an unnamed senior defense official. The Record previously reported that U.S. Cyber Command was ordered to suspend offensive cyber and information operations against Moscow. The news coincided with President Donald Trump's efforts to negotiate an end to Russia's war in Ukraine under terms that critics argue favor Moscow. Cybersecurity experts had warned that such a move would benefit one of America's most persistent cyber adversaries, potentially weakening U.S. leverage in both cyber and conventional military operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian hacker groups have engaged in various forms of cyber warfare throughout the full-scale war, including cyberattacks against Ukraine, hacks of civilian infrastructure in Europe, and interference in foreign elections. But according to a source quoted by Bloomberg, Hegseth did not cancel or suspend cyber operations against Russia. Nor has he issued any orders to reverse this priority, the source said. The U.S. Cyber Command oversees 135 teams of "cyber mission forces." The units involved in offensive operations are cyber combat mission teams, according to Bloomberg. Read also: BREAKING: Trump halts military aid to Ukraine, Bloomberg reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. President Donald Trumps pick to lead policy for the Pentagon wouldnt say that Russia invaded Ukraine, making him the second top Defense Department nominee in a week to equivocate on the question in a confirmation hearing. The president and the vice president have been very clear that words matter, and I dont think its appropriate for me to be commenting on these delicate topics, said Elbridge Colby, a former Pentagon official nominated to be the undersecretary of defense for policy, during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. Colbys repeated hesitancy to acknowledge the fact came a week after billionaire investor Stephen Feinberg also wouldnt do so in his confirmation hearing to be deputy defense secretary. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has similarly refused to publicly acknowledge Russias 2022 invasion, saying it wouldnt help end the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reluctance comes amid a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward the war in Ukraine. The White House on Monday night paused all remaining military aid to Kyiv, holding up hundreds of millions of dollars in ammunition and other equipment. The deliveries had been staggered before Trump returned to the White House to maintain a steady supply of arms for Ukraine for months ahead. Prompting the choice was a disastrous visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. Rather than signing a deal to share rare earth minerals in exchange for U.S. support, Zelenskyy ended up in a spat with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who publicly berated him. In a social media post Tuesday, Zelenskyy called the meeting regrettable and said Ukraine wanted to start negotiations as soon as possible. The breakdown was sure to grab attention at Colbys hearing, since hes been an outspoken critic of U.S. military aid to Ukraine, and Vance, a longtime friend, introduced him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It goes without saying that the elephant in this hearing room today is the recent developments with regard to Ukraine and Russia, said Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. At one point, in response to questioning from Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Colby said that Russia sending troops across the border into Ukraine three years ago was a factual reality. Still, he declined to call that act an invasion when prompted by other Democratic senators, many of whom, like Wicker, wore Ukrainian flag pins to the hearing. Colbys core argument is that the U.S. military is overextended and that the country risks losing a war abroad unless it trims its foreign commitments. Most forcefully, hes argued America should redirect military assets from Europe and the Middle East toward Asia to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. His opinions contrast with those of traditional Republican defense hawks, many of whom argue instead that the U.S. needs to surge the defense budget to meet its needs around the world. Wicker, in particular, has called for a dramatic rise in military spending and gently countered Colbys arguments early in Tuesdays hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cannot simply pivot our attention and resources from one threat to another, Wicker said. Colbys willingness to argue against the establishment of his own party resulted in testy questions from other Republicans on the committee, and at times, the nominee hedged on past positions. Despite previous ambivalence on the topic, Colby agreed with Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., that Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon would be an existential threat to America. At Wickers prompting, Colby also distanced himself from other Pentagon policy officials who have argued the U.S. has little interest in the Middle East or should halt a defense buildup with countries around China. Thus far, the Pentagons top priority under Hegseth has been a surge of military equipment and personnel to the U.S.-Mexico border most recently including a brigade equipped with Strykers, armored vehicles heavily used in past wars in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked whether that was the right way to prioritize Americas scarce military resources, as he has called for, Colby said he would continue to push for a focus on China. I would certainly make it a real priority to make sure that those rightful efforts to ensure our territorial integrity and secure our border dont detract from our prioritizing the China threat, which is the biggest kind of external state threat that we face as a country, he said. The Pentagon is sending up to 5,050 additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border even as unlawful border crossings have sharply fallen in recent weeks. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a Stryker brigade combat team (SBCT) and a general support aviation battalion to bolster military support in securing the U.S. Mexico border, Pentagon press secretary Sean Parnell said in a statement Saturday. Each SBCT consists of approximately 4,400 soldiers, while the aviation battalion has roughly 650 troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The forces will arrive along the nearly 2,000-mile border in the coming weeks, the official added. They did not say where the troops would be sent specifically. This deployment comes after President Trump, immediately upon entering office in January, declared a national emergency at the southern border and signed a number of executive orders intended to crack down on illegal crossings. As part of the effort, he has turned to the military to bolster security in the region, fly migrants out of the United States and house them at bases. Trump had already ordered 1,600 Marines to the border in January, joining 2,500 service members already there prior to the new Trump administration. The newest deployment could swell the number of service members on the ground at the border to just less than 10,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The recent deployments come as illegal crossings at the southern border are down 94 percent from the same period last year, Mike Banks, chief of the Border Patrol, told CBS News last week. And Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last week revealed that Customs and Border Protection had apprehended only 200 people at the southern border on Feb. 22, the lowest single-day number in more than 15 years. Such figures seem to be at odds with messaging from the Trump administration, with officials insisting the situation at the southern border is an invasion. Attorney General Pam Bondi, in an immigration policy memo issued when she took office early last month, wrote that unlawful border crossings and illegal migration into the United States have reached record levels, resulting in a substantial and unacceptable threat to our national security and public safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A testy hearing for the Pentagon policy chief nominee on Tuesday underscored the increasingly public schism in the GOP over the administration's treatment of Ukraine. Elbridge Colby, who has for years supported shifting resources away from Europe and the Middle East to focus on China, sought to defend that perspective hours after President Donald Trump froze aid to Ukraine. But he faced pushback from the more traditional wing of the party that advocates continued American involvement in those regions. The tension spotlighted the challenges some Republicans face in reconciling their views with Donald Trumps unorthodox efforts to remake global alliances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It goes without saying that the elephant in this hearing room today is the recent developments with regard to Ukraine and Russia and this administration, Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said. I was disappointed and dismayed as I watched the televised meeting involving the president of the United States and President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy. Wicker warned the U.S. cannot simply pivot militarily between regions of the world, arguing China would see a pullback elsewhere as an opportunity. Beijing is not pivoting between theaters or among theaters, he said. Significant American withdrawal in Europe, Africa, South America or the Middle East will allow the Chinese Communist Party to overcome us. Colby, a former Pentagon official during Trumps first term, was the primary architect of the 2018 National Defense Strategy, which refocused the military on competition with Russia and China. He has spent more than two decades in policy roles at the Pentagon, State Department and intelligence community, and is known for his realist approach to foreign affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And hes a key figure in the White Houses America First worldview. The Trump administration is increasingly at odds with the Republican Partys defense hawks, viewing them as barriers to policies more in line with American interests. Trump officials, in the weeks leading up to the hearing, sought to ensure the divisions didnt disrupt Colbys confirmation. That continued Tuesday when Vice President JD Vance, in a rare move, introduced the nominee. Vance noted his views have alienated both parties but argued he saw around corners that very few other people were seeing around. He told senators that Colby is the type of perspective that we need so desperately at the Department of Defense. Colby defended his priorities, arguing the U.S. couldnt focus on everything at once at least without putting the defense industrial base on steroids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't want to abandon the Middle East; I don't want a nuclear Iran; I don't want Russia to run roughshod over Europe; I don't want North Korea to take over South Korea, he said. But if we know as a factual, empirical matter that we can't do all those things on even remotely concurrent timelines, don't we need to have a credible plan for how to do so? But some Republicans have struggled with the administrations reprioritizing, especially its advances toward Russia and Trumps criticism of Zelensksyy. While the hearing was still going, news broke that Zelenskyy had made conciliatory remarks aimed at Trump following their Friday Oval Office blow up. Wicker read the comments in full before the proceedings ended. "Friends get over it, friends decide to move on, and I think we're seeing that process today I hope to heaven that is the case, Wicker said. Armed Services Democrats repeatedly pushed Colby on whether he would acknowledge Russia started the war in Ukraine. He wouldnt bite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a very delicate diplomatic time, he said in an exchange with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). I would hate to be in a position of disrupting or inhibiting progress on peace. But he did say Russia invading Ukraine was "a factual reality that is demonstrably true." Democrats called Colby a hypocrite. The problem is you tell us youre going to tell truth to power," Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said. The most obvious truth is that Russia invaded Ukraine. And you wont say it here today because it appears that you dont want to offend the president. Lawmakers also challenged Colbys past views favoring containment over intervention in Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who critics accused of trying to tank Colbys confirmation, confronted the nominee over his previous views that the U.S. might be able to tolerate and contain a nuclear-armed Iran as opposed to trying to prevent the country from obtaining nuclear weapons at all. Colby agreed Iran could evolve into an existential threat due to its work on intercontinental ballistic missiles. He said he would provide the president credible, realistic military options instead of, as Cotton said, simply saying we can give Israel some bombs and they can take care of it. Cotton also pressed Colby over his softened stances on Taiwan. Colby had previously called for U.S. security guarantees for Taiwan and then reversed that stance, saying the island isnt an essential interest. Colby agreed that his view had evolved based on a worsening military balance with China and called for Taiwan to increase its defense spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I've always said that Taiwan is very important to the United States, but as you said, it's not an existential interest, Colby said. The core American interest is in denying China regional hegemony." Colby did manage to find common ground with defense hawks when he called for revamping and restoring defense manufacturing as part of a broader reindustrialization. The Pentagon's top doctor pledged Monday to defend the military health system's $61 billion budget but said more could be done to balance resources and improve medical care. Dr. Steve Ferrara, the Defense Department's acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, told an audience at the AMSUS Society of Federal Health Professionals that the system, which serves 9.6 million beneficiaries, is a "force multiplier" that meets Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's priority to strengthen U.S. operational forces. In his role as acting assistant secretary, Ferrara said he would show Hegseth how the military health system, or MHS, budget, which accounts for 7% of the Pentagon's top-line, is "100% worthy." The press was barred from the conference, despite reporters having access for years, but Military.com reviewed a recording of Ferrara's speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read Next: Hill Air Force Base Prepares to Scale Back Child Care Services Amid Mass Federal Firings, Resignations "I show him how we take that 7% -- which has been obviously jealously fought over, whether it's going to be for bullets or bombs or submarines or tanks or airplanes -- and use that 7% to make the force more lethal, more fit to fight and win," Ferrara said during the speech. The military health system has undergone a vast transformation in the past decade, with military treatment facilities, medical logistics, information technology, acquisitions, the Tricare health program for nonuniformed beneficiaries, and other services consolidated under the Defense Health Agency, while active-duty health care, uniformed medical professional training and development became the responsibility of the services' medical commands. The reforms were designed to save money by eliminating triplicate functions within the Army, Navy and Air Force medical commands and streamlining the Pentagon's health organization. But they have left many military hospitals and clinics understaffed and patients leaving for -- or being forced on -- the private sector, jeopardizing the system's balance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, turmoil has demonstrated itself with delays in patient care as the result of a change in Tricare management contractors and billing processors, and on Friday, the head of the Defense Health Agency, Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, resigned unexpectedly without explanation. Ferrara, a retired Navy interventional radiologist and former CIA chief medical officer who is married to a Navy pediatric nephrologist, said a functioning, quality health care system is vital to the readiness of the U.S. armed forces, an "ethical imperative" the nation must honor. Ferrara said his priorities are to "support, sustain and strengthen" -- supporting the warfighters, sustaining professional medical skills, and strengthening the chain made up of the generations of providers who have served and will join in future. To ensure satisfaction, he said, the system must work for everybody, including the soldier wounded on the battlefield, the sailor training at home, the service members who need embedded mental health providers, and the family members who get ill or injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The last thing that a family or that service member needs is to be worried about whether their family is getting adequate or high-quality care," Ferrara said. In a separate speech at the AMSUS conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Navy Surgeon General Rear Adm. Darin Via said that Navy medicine is roughly 10% below its total manning capacity, a shortfall felt most at the military treatment facilities. "That is felt most with access to care. When it comes to the sailor, the Marine and their families, where that is impacted most is when someone has an [anterior cruciate ligament] injury. If you're a professional athlete, you'd [get surgery] as soon as the swelling goes down in a couple of weeks," Via said in a copy of the speech reviewed by Military.com. "From the MTFs, it is whenever the orthopod can get OR time within the schedule, which is already limited because there's not enough anesthesiologists, there's not enough nurses or there's not enough [surgery] techs." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ferrara said that to make improvements, the system must ensure that its priorities and resources are intertwined, seeking out any "mismatches" and treading new ground, looking at improved partnerships with the Department of Veterans Affairs, academic health centers and foreign allies. According to Ferrara, the Pentagon needs to fix its military hospital system; maximize the value of the Tricare health program and "simplify the Tricare experience;" and leverage technology, including doubling down on telehealth to expand capacity and using artificial intelligence. Ferrara added that this review is an "all-hands-on-deck" initiative, calling for those who work daily within the military health system to voice their ideas. "I'm hoping you can help me solve my problems, and so I thank you in advance," Ferrara said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump has nominated former CIA medical director Keith Bass, a retired Navy officer, rehabilitation counselor and health administrator, for the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs position. Bass has not issued any public comments on the future of Defense Department health care. He served as the head of the White House medical unit from 2017 to 2019 and, at the time of his nomination, was the medical center director of the West Texas VA Health Care System. Bass' confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee has not been set. Related: Tricare to Allow Patients in Tricare West Region to Receive Specialty Care Without Preapproval Saikat Chakrabarti, who previously served as chief of staff for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., last month announced a primary challenge against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., citing frustrations with Democratic leadership stifling the voices of some of the party's most compelling young talent. The co-founder of Brand New Congress which helped launch "The Squad of progressive lawmakers in Congress and a longtime progressive activist, Chakrabarti spoke to Salon about the divide he sees among Democrats, not along ideological lines but between those willing to fight for change and those looking to preserve the status quo. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Salon: I was hoping to speak with you because of your primary challenge to Nancy Pelosi. But, more broadly, you're the founder of Brand New Congress, which lives on through the Justice Democrats. You were the chief of staff to one of the most high-profile insurgent House Democrats in recent years, and now you're a primary challenger to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. I was hoping you could explain your philosophy when it comes to primary challenges and what you see as their role and purpose from a voters perspective, in terms of getting politicians to take action on issues that people care about. Chakrabarti: My view is, I think there's these huge problems that most Americans have been facing for decades now. You look at most Americans' wages, they've been stagnating or barely climbing up for three or four decades, and at the same time the kind of big things people used to plan their lives aroundbuying a house, raising a family, having childcare, getting a good education, going to the doctorthose essentials have just been skyrocketing in price. And so this is culminating in creating this huge squeeze on a big part of the American population, and people are still really stuck. And they also feel like the country is completely stuck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The country can't build two miles of subway in New York without taking 40 years, and we see stuff like we're millions of houses short to build affordable housing, that seems impossible. So what ends up happening is people keep voting for change. That's Obama in 2008 and Trump in 2016 and 2024 and people are open to what the change looks like, but they just keep voting for change. And so, my big thing, I've been trying to push the Democratic Party to be since I started Brand New Congress and the Justice Democrats the Democratic Party needs to have a transformative economic agenda that'll actually convince people in America that itll improve their lives. I'm talking about at a scale of what we saw post World War II, when we created the middle class. People could come out of school with a high school degree and get a $50-an-hour job at a factory. And I think the Democratic Party I can go into their offices right now and I don't think they see it this way. Or they sort of see this as we just have to figure out which issues to put some small positions out on and the pendulum will keep swinging back and forth between Republicans and Democrats. That's sort of how politics works. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But I think we're just like in a completely new era where there's this Republican Party that's trying to do a coup of the federal government. So I think the purpose of these primary challenges back in 2018 when we were doing them, it was a bit more to try to push the party towards more action. I see the divide in the party as not being left versus center, but really about doing something versus doing nothing, or like change or status quo or action versus inaction. But now that the party has aged so much, and the people in charge are so out of touch that I really think we need to rebuild the party. The party's brand is in the dumpster right now. It's underwater by nine points amongst Democrats. To fix this trust issue, the party actually needs to have some people in it to be a new party, so that people can trust it again and get credibility again. Why do you think people have been hesitant to launch these sorts of primary challenges in the past? You saw some of that in 2018 and saw a little bit of that in 2020, but I'd be curious to hear your opinions on how that project is going. Because there's been some success, but I don't think there's been the sort of sweeping success that some people envisioned could come to the party in that moment, six, seven years ago. I think there's a bunch of reasons why people don't do primary challenges. I think usually the people who tend to run for Congress normally are career politicians. They're assumed that they're gonna be city council members or other elected officials, and they don't want to theres just sort of this conveyor belt, like a Congress person retires, and then the next in line gets it, and there's a reshuffling of decks on what right now is the sinking Titanic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And no one wants to ruffle any feathers amongst the serious politician class. So then you're talking about trying to get non-politicians to run for office. And that was what the project was with Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats. Most non-political people don't I mean, if they're doing something important and serious in their lives, why would they run for Congress in a seat that they're probably going to lose, and if they're already doing something that's valuable and worth their time. Even if they win, it's one person in Congress. You kind of know once you get in, you're not going to go make systemic change, and the whole process of running sounds awful, and you're going to get attacked. You get smeared. So the only way we got people to run in 2018 was we did this project that was a national project, trying to recruit people all around the country. And, you know, then they got courage from each other. They saw each other run. We thought people seeing other people running, and making the connection that if we get in there together, maybe we can push for some real change together, and that might be more important than whatever I'm currently doing in my life. But I think the better question is, why would anybody run for Congress, if you're currently a productive, serious person in society? As a follow-up question, I'm wondering, what in your experience, including your experience as chief of staff for AOC, has informed your decision to run? I think the main experience I got from my time in there was that I got to see the culture of the Democratic Party up close, and described it kind of like a mix between this culture of extreme caution and big company bureaucracy. We had these chief of staff meetings every Friday, and this is when Trump was president. Something crazy was happening every week. And instead of the substance of what's going on, what the response should be, what we should be trying to do with our offices, it would be things like: The members are complaining that there are too many staffers going to the members on the elevator. So remember, staffers don't go into the elevator. Its like TPS report style stuff from Office Space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other thing I remember really thinking is that the Republicans have the strategy of just being on the attack all the time. They're going on every show. They're not afraid to go out there and state their case and pitch their view of how the world works. And they pitch a story, you know, they pitch a whole story to tell Americans: Your house is too expensive right now, you're losing your job. All this is happening because immigrants are coming in and taking the houses and taking the jobs. And, you know, they tell a story of American decline, whereas on the Democratic side, I think what you're seeing right now in real time, the fear is, if you ever say something, that something might get used against you, you know. And the more of a swing seat that you're in, the more you're scared of ever saying anything because everyone just has this idea of the attack ad that'll get run against them. So the best course of action is to say nothing, not trying to pitch any sort of vision and hope the Republicans self-immolate. Maybe that'll work right now, and maybe we'll have a free and fair election in two or four years. But in this moment, I just really felt like that whole strategy isn't going to cut it. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. I'm curious what you think of Democratic leadership in this moment, and whether or not you think they're up to the task in front of them? I don't think they are. You know that if I thought they were, I wouldn't be running this primary challenge. But no, I don't think they are. Here's another thing I've learned from the first time Trump was in office: They operate on these sort of set procedures and rules of how they do stuff. So Trump comes up and says something crazy, he's gonna buy Greenland, or take over the Panama Canal. They set a press conference for a week later to address it, that no one pays attention to. It's so hard for them to change that habit of kind of doing this proceduralism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, right now, the Democratic leaders aren't thinking in the same way. They're still thinking in terms of we're gonna just let Donald Trump become unpopular by doing stuff, because their view is, if you do stuff, you become unpopular and then we'll sit back and win from the backlash in the midterms. But are they thinking through the Republicans taking over county election boards across the country? So what happens in 2026 or 2028 when, say, the Republicans lose by five seats and the seats are close? What happens if they say, Actually, the election can't certify there's fraud. Are the Democrats writing a plan for that? Look at the way the Republicans made Hunter Biden's laptop, a complete nonissue, into a story that everyone heard about all around the country. Or Hillary Clinton's emails. They picked something, and they hammered it for weeks and weeks and weeks, and everyone hammered it and it broke through. And the Democrats, they sometimes try that, but with a terrible message. They should pick something that's actually salient. Find people whose actual lives are being affected by this stuff because they have so much actual fodder. There are real people getting affected by what Trump and Elon are doing, and then take one and go on the attack, and go out your bubble. That's the other thing. Democrats are so afraid of going outside of the media ecosystem that they're comfortable in. So, you know, they're not going on Joe Rogan still. Even though everyone was discussing, should Kamala go on Joe Rogan? Theyre still not doing it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know, they're not going on all the YouTube channels. They're not going on Fox News. They're not going outside their bubble trying to actually persuade this other part of the country. But, I think there's this other piece that Ive alluded to. Republicans, they look at the points of implementation. I wish I had a better phrase, but they kind of go with the places where the rubber meets the road. You know, Elon Musk takes over OPM and he goes straight for the Treasury disbursement system to stop payments where they happen. Republicans, they take all these county election boards to stop the elections, where they get counted. They don't rely on the courts. They know the courts move slowly. They dismantle USAID, and they know that by the time that whatever lawsuit blocking that goes through, everyone from USAID is gone. Theyre not going to be able to hire back up. The agency is functionally defunct. They're doing the same thing with NLRB, the CFPB. I think the Democrats could be doing a bit more, and put the Republicans in the position of having to sue to get their way. So, one example I thought of when it happened, when Elon took over OPM, he put an email server in OPM to blast out an email to all the federal workers to start giving them orders based on the executive orders. And the funny thing was, when they put that server in, they actually didn't do the security right, so anyone could email every federal worker anything they wanted. So imagine if in that moment when the funding freeze happens, for example, if the congressional Democrats wrote a very official sounding email also to all the federal workers, saying, You guys are authorized by Congress. You are not allowed to stop working. People who are in charge of the IT systems, you're not authorized to hand over the keys to Elon Musk and for an illegal order. Then they create a gray area, and make the Republicans sue to get their way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know, they're playing a different game. And the Republicans, unfortunately, are going faster. They're moving too fast for them. I'm wondering what you think the optimal message would be? Part of the reason I'm curious here is because the Democrats spend a lot of time discussing their messaging but less time discussing the content of that message. I'm wondering what you think the relationship here is and whether or not this sort of messaging problem that they like to talk about is downstream of the sorts of policies that they're willing to support? I think there's two things here. So there's one form of messaging, which is, what to attack? How to message? What Trump and Elon are doing, what they're attacking, what's actually going on, and whats the strategy around that. One of the policies Democrats have is they do a Democratic caucus meeting and come up with a message in this top-down way, like quid pro quo, you know, something that half the country probably is like, What are you talking about? But they'll call it a quid pro quo for what Trump did with Ukraine and it doesn't really hit. I think the better way to do that for the attack messaging is, you see what's already working. Everyone says there's no, like, left-wing version of the right-wing YouTube and podcast channels. But there are all these people on social media and you can see what messages are taking off. You can see whats sticking and that's what the Republicans do. They have this blogosphere and podcast sphere, and those people like Steve Bannon and our new deputy secretary for the FBI. They're messaging, and they see what sticks, and then it kind of filters up, and it ends up on Fox News, and then it goes from Fox to all the other right-wing stations, and then the politicians start using it. So that's a good way to get bottom-up messaging that will actually work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the attack, the strategy right now, I think, is that you go after a bunch of Republicans who are starting to get nervous. You know, you look at the current budget deal that's going through, a bunch of Republicans are publicly getting nervous about these deep cuts they want to make to Medicaid. So the Democrats should be working nonstop to get the attack messaging into those Republican districts right now, while working on those Republicans in the caucus to start peeling them off and start getting them to not be going along with this takeover. You know, are you really willing to go along with an executive power grab? The executive power taking over all the powers of Congress, throwing out checks and balances. That would be an effective way in this moment to fight back but in the long run, I agree with you. I think the problem the Democrats have is with doing a message on what they're actually going to do. You know, their vision is downstream from fact that they it's not just that they don't have policies. If they don't have a real idea or vision of what they even want to accomplish, they don't have a coherent story. They don't have a story to tell Americans for why their lives are the way they are? And part of this is that I don't think they believe there's a problem. Step one here is even acknowledging that in the lives of a vast majority of Americans, they are feeling stuck. And there's a legitimate reason for people to want change. And I think that we saw that at the end of Biden's term, where there was this big debate in the Democratic Party on the economy. Are people just whining for no reason? That's kind of what the argument was about the Democratic Party. But yes, I think that's downstream from the fact that Democrats actually need to acknowledge what the problems are and come up with a vision. Then downstream from that to figure out the messaging and how to deliver that to the American people President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed Ukraines defense minister, intelligence chiefs, and diplomats to reach out to the U.S. to clarify the future of American military aid, he said during his evening address on March 4. "People should not be guessing. Ukraine and America deserve a respectful dialogue and a clear position of each other," Zelensky said in his address. His call comes after reports that U.S. President Donald Trump ordered an immediate halt to more than $1 billion in U.S. military aid to Ukraine on March 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuters reported later on March 4 that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to announce the signing of the US-Ukraine minerals agreement during his upcoming address to Congress. In his evening address, Zelensky mentioned that military aid was briefly paused in late January before being restored, referencing a Reuters report from February that tied the pause to policy debates within the White House. "This is not 2022; now our resilience is higher, and we have means of defense, but normal partnership relations with America are important for us to really end the war," he said. Zelensky also warned that Moscow had not changed its stance, asserting that Russia would demand a reduction of Ukraines army, a renunciation of territories, and a significant weakening of Ukraines political structure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker Mike Johnson said on March 4 that the suspension of aid is a "temporary pause" and linked it to the fallout from Zelensky's Oval Office exchange with Trump. The meeting on Feb. 28 ended without signing a planned U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement. U.S. officials have increased pressure on Zelensky, with some calling for an apology for the White House dispute. Zelensky earlier called the fallout "regrettable" and reaffirmed Ukraine's readiness to sign the mineral and security agreement "at any time and in any convenient format." Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. MOSCOW From where President Vladimir Putin is sitting, it looks like Russia is now winning a yearslong struggle with the United States and the West. And the result may be more war. President Donald Trumps announcement overnight that the United States would immediately halt military aid to Ukraine was welcomed by the Kremlin on Tuesday, and his decision appears to vindicate Putins visceral dislike of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, the White Houses growing differences with NATO, the 32-member U.S.-led military alliance set up to counter the Soviet Union after World War II, and apparent rapprochement with Russia are fracturing the Western liberal order that for decades contained Putins ambitions. The fight is by no means over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hours after Trump's announcement on Ukraine, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to strengthen Europes defense industry and increase military capabilities by freeing close to 800 billion euros ($841.4 billion). Were living in the most momentous and dangerous of times, she said in a statement. We are in an era of rearmament. President Donald Trump and Russian President Putin at a summit in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang in 2017. Putin himself hasnt commented on the recent events exposing the deepening fissures between the U.S. and the liberal coalition it has led for decades. Others in the Kremlin have been guarded, if positive. The West has begun to partially lose its unity, Putin spokesman Dimitry Peskov said Monday, calling the moment Zelenskyy was publicly berated by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance a fragmentation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russias TV network bosses, whose coverage mirror Kremlin talking points, agreed, and Fridays Oval Office spat and interviews with Trump administration officials have run constantly on Russian television. Peskov quickly reworked the Kremlins long-standing anti-Zelenskyy talking points to fit the moment. Zelenskyy largely demonstrated a complete lack of diplomatic skills, Peskov said. And in blaming Ukraines refusal to acknowledge the real situation on the ground, he repeated another popular Russian propaganda point. Zelenskyy was at the White House on Friday to sign a deal with Trump that would grant the U.S. access to rare earths and other critical minerals in Ukraine after the war with Russia ends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has said the deal would serve as a security guarantee for Ukraine against a future Russian invasion, like the one that started the war in February 2022. Zelenskyy pressed for more explicit guarantees, saying that Putin could not be trusted to live by any agreement he signs. The deal remained unsigned after the extraordinary encounter. But a deal with Russia is also moving slowly, despite warming ties with the U.S. under Trump, including a 90-minuted conversation between Putin and Trump and a meeting between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Saudi Arabia. The latest U.S.-Russia talks in Istanbul were narrowly focused on re-establishing diplomatic relations, with Putin likely seeing an opportunity to gain more on the battlefield in Ukraine. And last week, the U.S. extended sanctions against Russia an indication that the Trump administration wants a ceasefire before any economic normalization. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy departs the White House after meeting with Trump on Friday. In 2014, after Putin occupied and annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula, the international community slapped sanctions on Russia. Russia followed this by invading in 2022, and subsequently occupying 20% of Ukraine, which has prompted further sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sign that the current turnaround in relations with the U.S. is about much more than Ukraine is the appointment last month of Kirill Dmitriev as Moscow's special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation. Dmitriev, whose role is to focus on removing sanctions and opening up trade with America, attended talks in Saudi Arabias capital Riyadh in February. After the Trump-Zelensky spat, Dmitriev wrote one word on X: Historic. Meanwhile, Putin is closer than ever to his war aim of removing Zelenskyy from power. An interview that Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., did Sunday with NBC News Meet the Press," in which he suggested that Zelenskyy needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country to do that, has been replayed on Russian media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And national security adviser Mike Waltz and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also suggested that Zelenskyy might need to step down to secure a ceasefire. Polling in Ukraine, however, shows that the democratically elected Zelenskyy remains popular among his own people. He was also greeted warmly by European leaders, some of whom met him at a summit in London on Sunday. After the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced billions in support for Ukraine, including a loan of 2.2 billion British pounds ($2.8 billion) to support the country, funded through the freezing of Russian assets. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday thanked British Foreign Secretary David Lammy for his countrys role in encouraging Europe to provide for its own defense and push for peace in Ukraine, the State Department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starmer has said he is ready and willing to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to help guarantee its security as part of an international effort to support a peace deal. Ukrainian soldiers fire artillery at Russian positions in the direction of Pokrovsk on Feb. 17. Europe, under pressure to unify and deal with an emboldened Russia, is unlikely to quickly make up the difference after U.S. military aid stops flowing to Ukraine and without a U.S. so-called backstop or security and military guarantees to enforce any deal with the Kremlin. Europe is considering using 200 billion euros ($211 billion) in seized Russian assets to aid Ukraine. For Russias government, this most likely looks like an opportunity to widen the split in the Atlantic alliance, another key war aim. The Kremlin posted a picture of the European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Germanys outgoing chancellor, Olaf Scholz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are leaders who are organizing opposition to Trump and Putin, read a caption underneath. In an interview with the state-run Tass news agency on Sunday, Lavrov said the U.S. openly says it wants to end the conflict in Ukraine, but Europe insists on keeping the party going in the form of war. Putin will be determined to capitalize on the warming of Russian relations with the U.S. while knowing his own negotiations with Washington are just beginning. Russian officials will also be wary of an unpredictable Trump administration determined to get its own way. Putin, meanwhile, is signaling he will not retreat on the battlefield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So even as the U.S. pauses military support for Ukraine, the Kremlin remains focused on fighting, and Trump's promise of a quick ceasefire looks less likely than ever. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com LIMA, Peru (AP) Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo went on trial Tuesday charged with rebellion, grave abuse of authority and perturbing public tranquility in a case that has polarized the South American nation. The charges stem from a failed effort by Castillo to declare a state of emergency and dissolve Perus Congress as legislators prepared an impeachment vote against him in December 2022. Castillo failed to get the militarys support for his move, and was swiftly deposed by Congress and arrested after prosecutors accused him of trying to promote a coup. But the removal of Castillo, Perus first Indigenous president, sparked large protests in the south of the country, in which at least 49 people were killed in the weeks following the presidents ouster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Castillo was replaced by then-Vice President Dina Boluarte, who now leads a conservative government and has built alliances with legislators from the nation's traditional parties. The former presidents trial is taking place in a police base, where he has been held since he made his unsuccessful attempt to dissolve Congress and call for new elections. Prosecutors have said they are seeking a 34-year prison sentence against Castillo, a former union leader and rural school teacher who won Perus 2021 election with a surprise victory over the nations political establishment. The left-wing politician showed up at the trial half an hour late and in an opening statement he denied being guilty of rebellion. All I did was express the wishes of the people through a speech," Castillo said of his effort to dissolve Congress. On Dec 7, 2022, Castillo read out a decree on national television in which he attempted to dissolve Congress and call for new elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Castillo did not bring a lawyer to the trail, which he has described as a farce on his social media accounts, and was instead appointed a public defender. The former president has tried to get one of the judges overseeing the trial removed, arguing she has already expressed her views on his attempt to dissolve Congress. Castillo is also facing a separate investigation for corruption in which he has been accused of irregularly providing promotions to members of the military and avoiding standard procurement practices to grant a contract for a bridge. Castillo had survived two impeachment votes before his unsuccessful attempt to dissolve Congress in late 2022. He and his supporters have argued that conservative parties in Congress were blocking his policy initiatives and making it impossible for Castillos government to carry out efforts to increase government spending and bring education and infrastructure to neglected rural areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Castillos opponents have accused him of corruption and of undermining democracy through his attempt to dissolve Congress. A similar move to shut down Congress by President Alberto Fujimori in the early 1990s led to several years of authoritarian rule. Castillo's removal from office has also created a rift between the government of Peru and left leaning administrations in Colombia and Mexico, where Castillo's family sought refuge after he was deposed. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a longtime ally of Castillo, wrote on his X account Tuesday that Peru's former president is being tried for rebellion because "he is poor and from the left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Colombian president, whose government no longer has an ambassador in Peru, said authorities in Peru are mocking" voters who elected Castillo in 2021. Peru is scheduled to hold elections next year. President Boluarate has said that as the former vice president, she is obliged to serve out the rest of Castillo's term. ____ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america The ongoing bird flu outbreaks ravaging the country could now pose a real danger to domestic, indoor cats. Wild Coast Raw, an Olympia, WA-based pet foods company, is recalling its frozen Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula raw cat food in 16 and 24 ounces. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the recall went into effect on March 1 "because it has the potential to be contaminated with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 also known as bird flu." The virus can be transmitted to animals eating the contaminated product. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The products in question were distributed to pet food retailers in Washington State and Oregon. Per the FDA, "the product is frozen in a small round white plastic container with a green label. There are six affected lots, each identified by a sticker on the lid with a Best Buy date of 12/25. Pet owners are advised to be on the look out for symptoms of bird flu, including fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological sings like tumors, stiff body movements, seizure, lack of coordination, or blindness. Pet owners are urged to rush their felines to a vet if they exhibit these symptoms. Related: New Bird Flu Strain Claims First Victim While no human infections have been identified among people handling raw pet food products, the FDA warns that people can become infected if the virus gets into a person's eyes, nose, or mouth. People are advise to wash their hands and sanitize contact surfaces such as countertops, refrigerators, bowls, or utensils after handling the raw product. Symptoms of the bird flu for humans include eye redness, or irritation, cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, seizures, rash, diarrhea, nausea, and/or vomiting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The recall comes just days after two domestic, indoor cats in New Jersey tested positive for the bird flu after possibly coming into contact with wild birds, and at least one of the cats had to be humanely euthanized due to the severity of the illness. "This is a difficult situationwe love our pets, and it's devastating when they fall ill," said Dr. Zac Turner, a Washington State Department of Agriculture field veterinarian. The pet food recall comes nearly a month after a report claimed the bird flu may have already infected at least some of the half-million New York City stray cats amid an increased risk due to contact with poultry or dairy cows on farms, or exposure to sick or deceased wild birds. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is making his first TV appearance since the January inauguration Tuesday night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The former secretary and former South Bend mayor, who lives in Michigan with his husband and children, will do so following President Donald Trump's first address to Congress Tuesday after winning a second term in office. Buttigieg, sources say, is taking a serious look at running for a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 2026. The topics he and Colbert will discuss after Trump speaks to a joint session of Congress have not been revealed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know about watching Buttigieg. What day does Pete Buttigieg appear on The Late Show? Tuesday, March 4, is when Buttigieg will appear on The Late Show, according to an announcement Colbert made last week and a news release by CBS. Watch Colbert announce Buttigieg as a guest What time is The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on March 4, 2025? The Late Show on CBS airs Monday through Friday, 11:35 p.m. to 12:37 a.m., ET/PT and is available to stream on Paramount+. Check your local TV listings for the channel to watch on CBS. Trump claimed Buttigieg 'was a disaster' as South Bend mayor. Data suggests otherwise After an air tragedy in January in which a passenger plane collided with an Army helicopter in Washington, leaving no survivors, Trump used part of a press conference to blast the leadership skills of Buttigieg, claiming he was a "disaster" as the mayor of South Bend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previous reporting by IndyStar shows that not to be the case. Buttigieg's eight-year stint as mayor was mostly lauded by local government officials, political experts, neighborhood activists, business leaders and tourism officials. Buttigieg, in a post on X, responded at the time, calling Trump's comments despicable. "As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying," he wrote. "We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch. President Trump now oversees the military and the FAA. One of his first acts was to fire and suspend some of the key personnel who helped keep our skies safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Time for the President to show actual leadership and explain what he will do to prevent this from happening again," Buttigieg added. More about Buttigieg: Trump claims Buttigieg 'was a disaster' as South Bend mayor. Data show the city grew Who is Pete Buttigieg? Buttigieg, 43, a Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, served as former President Joe Biden's transportation secretary. Buttigieg was born in South Bend, Indiana, in 1982. He earned a bachelor's degree in history and literature from Harvard University. The Army veteran also studied philosophy, politics, and economics at Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar, according to Ballotpedia. What are Buttigieg's ties to Michigan? He owns a home in Traverse City with his spouse, Chasten, and children and currently resides there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buttigieg is taking a "serious look" at a run for an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 2026. Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring at the end of his term, leaving the seat vacant. Presidential aspirations Buttigieg ran as a Democratic candidate for president in 2020. Buttigieg won the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses, but later suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed Joe Biden. IndyStar trending reporter Katie Wiseman contributed to this article. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Pete Buttigieg on 'Late Show with Stephen Colbert' after Trump address Mar. 3WASHINGTON, D.C. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, introduced legislation and announced a hearing for this Tuesday to examine how foreign terrorist organizations use the internet and emerging technology to recruit, radicalize, and inspire attacks in the homeland. Pfluger introduced the "Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act," which would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct annual assessments on terrorism threats to the U.S. posed by terrorist organizations like ISIS and al Qaeda, utilizing generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) applications for terroristic activity. This Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence will hold a hearing entitled "The Digital Battlefield: How Terrorists Use the Internet and Online Networks for Recruitment and Radicalization." Witnesses for the hearing will be announced here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "With a resurgence of emboldened terrorist organizations across the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia, emerging technology serves as a potent weapon in their arsenal. More than two decades after the September 11 terrorist attacks, foreign terrorist organizations now utilize cloud-based platforms, like Telegram or TikTok, as well as artificial intelligence in their efforts to radicalize, fundraise, and recruit on U.S. soil," Chairman Pfluger said. "Tragically, the radicalization of Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who took 14 innocent lives in New Orleans on New Year's Day, illustrated the deadly impact of terrorist propaganda. As a former fighter pilot who fought against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, bolstering our nation's security posture remains my top priority and I know it's a top priority for Texans. I am proud to lead this effort to stay ahead of an evolving terror threat landscape before it endangers Americans." Earlier this year, Chairman Pfluger also reintroduced the "Countering Online Radicalization and Terrorism Act," to require DHS to conduct annual assessments on terrorism threats posed to the United States by terrorist organizations like ISIS, al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, and others, utilizing foreign cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging applications like Telegram. GenAI is a rapidly emerging technology that can produce numerous kinds of content, such as text, images, or audio, when prompted by a user. Foreign terrorist organizations are actively seeking ways to exploit GenAI to support a variety of violent extremist tactics, techniques, and procedures, such as using AI-powered chatbots, to interact with potential recruits. For example, just last year, a group affiliated with al Qaeda launched a workshop to enhance skills in using AI and related software. Foreign cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging applications like TikTok and Telegram have allowed their platforms to become a breeding ground for radical extremism. FTOs like Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, al Qaeda, and others frequently use these mobile and desktop applications to recruit new members, fundraise, provoke others to violence, and coordinate terrorist activity. ISIS has even urged its supporters to connect with ISIS contacts on Telegram to discuss matters like travel and plans for carrying out terrorist attacks against Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, millions of TikTok users viewed videos glorifying Osama bin Laden's "Letter to America," which attempted to promote and justify al-Qaeda's terrorist attack against the United States on September 11, 2001. Pro-ISIS TikTok accounts have also been found celebrating a recent attack in Paris, where a man who had allegedly videotaped a pledge of allegiance to ISIS killed a man and hurt two others using a hammer and a knife. Homeland Republicans continue to sound the alarm on heightened threats to the homeland from homegrown violent extremists inspired by foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS. In a briefing earlier this year on the terrorist attack in New Orleans, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed the ISIS-inspired attacker. However, they have not found any evidence that he was directed or tasked by ISIS or any other foreign actor. In videos posted just before the attack, the attacker pledged allegiance to ISIS ideology. In the wake of the attack, the Committee released an updated "Terror Threat Snapshot" assessment, highlighting the persistent terror threat to America. From April 2021 to January 2025, there were more than 50 prosecuted cases of Jihadist extremism in the U.S. Chairman Pfluger also recently cosponsored Rep. Morgan Luttrell's (R-TX) "Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act," to require DHS to evaluate the threat posed to the United States by individuals in Syria with ties to FTOs or a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization (SDGT). JOHNSTOWN, Pa. Students in Greater Johnstown High Schools Key Club are shaping clay and decorating ceramic dishes as they prepare for the 14th annual Empty Bowls dinner in a little more than a month. Students gathered in art teacher and club co-adviser Cindy Maloys classroom Monday to help create roughly 400 bowls for the fundraiser, scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. April 24 at Bottle Works in the Cambria City section of Johnstown. Being in a community like Johnstown, where theres a higher rate of unhoused people and people who are experiencing food insecurity, its nice to know were helping, said sophomore Jackson Synan, who is in his third year in Key Club and his second year helping with the Empty Bowls dinner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PHOTO GALLERY | Greater Johnstown High School Key Club Empty Bowls Fundraiser The fundraiser supports the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Altoona-Johnstown, the Cambria County Backpack Project and the Womens Help Center. I specifically love that its our community and we get to choose where the money goes, Synan said. We know the people its affecting. Empty Bowls was started by a Michigan art teacher in 1990 as a way to raise awareness of food insecurity and to allow artists and students to make a difference. Spinoff fundraisers have sprouted across the U.S., including in Johnstown, with proceeds going back to the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I think about when we started this venture to where we are now, its hard to believe wed be this successful after 14 years, Maloy said. She said the opportunity to help the community is paramount, and so is showcasing students good work. As of Monday, Maloy had 47 students making bowls, with plans for more than 75 to assist this year. We have a lot of new students who have picked this up, which is awesome, she said. Key Club students from the middle school chapter are also being tapped to help out with glazing bowls. Delanie Kiser, a Greater Johnstown senior, described the dinner as a great opportunity for the community, adding that she enjoys making the bowls. She has made about 30 bowls so far in her third year of helping with the event and being a Key Club member. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im so grateful to be part of it, she said. Its so great to see the money raised go back to the community. A new addition this year is the Soup R Bowl event at Made in Johnstown to raise proceeds for Empty Bowls. The pottery challenge will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, with money from registration fees being donated to the Key Club. Made in Johnstown has also donated the clay for the event and will provide the bowls for the dinner April 24. Getting more community members involved is exciting, Maloy said. This is here and this is just beautiful, Key Club co-adviser Luigina Magistro said. Empty Bowls was her introduction into being a club adviser and is a fundraiser she is passionate about, Magistro said. She added that shes always excited to see the students do positive work and support their community. The 2025 Carnival season is under way across Europe and the Americas. These pre-Lent festivals, often a blend of local pagan and Catholic traditions, usher out winter and welcome the coming spring. Gathered below are images from the past week of Carnival celebrations around the world, including photos from Bolivia, Angola, Spain, Greece, Brazil, Italy, the United States, and more. To receive an email notification every time new photo stories are published, sign up here. Article originally published at The Atlantic UPDATE: Pittsburgh police said that Deniece Staton-El was found safe. ________________________ Initial coverage: Pittsburgh police detectives are asking for help locating a woman they say needs medical attention. Detectives are trying to find Deniece Staton-El, 72, who was last seen on Monday at her home on the 4400 block of Centre Avenue. Stanton-El stands 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. If you see her, police say you should call 911. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). A region of small-hold farms and understated towns, Mexicos southern states remain truest to the countrys Indigenous roots. There are settlements here that have endured for more than 5,000 years. Those who visit the vast valleys of Oaxaca and the jungles of Chiapas today can glimpse authentic insights into the day-to-day lives of their first peoples. Both Oaxaca and Chiapas were distinct centres of civilisation long before the Aztec Empire arose in central Mexico around 1300 CE. Each sustained its own grand, hidden city Oaxacas mountaintop Monte Alban flourished from 500 BCE to 850 CE, while Chiapass forest-shrouded Palenque was at its height in the sixth and seventh centuries CE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The influence of each kingdom is palpable in the streets of both states main cities today. Buskers in the zocalo, or central plaza, of Oaxaca de Juarez (Oaxaca City for short) sing in Zapotec, a language descended from one spoken by Monte Albans founders, while Maya women running market stalls in Chiapass cultural capital San Cristobal de las Casas chat in a tongue similar to that carved on the walls of Palenque. Its typical to see locals trekking up mountain roads wearing voluminous, woven skirts, while behind char-scented screens of smoke, food vendors work from recipes perfected centuries ago. Beyond the rich culture of the cities and the remnants of the states regal histories are unspoilt natural landscapes, ripe for exploring. The immense jungles of southern Chiapas, soundtracked by crashing waterfalls and hooting monkeys, are home to the elusive jaguar. While in Oaxaca youll find vertiginous hiking trails in the central mountains, pastel-hued pools at the top of a petrified waterfall and sea turtles congregating on sweeping white beaches. On the Guatemalan border is Mexicos own under-the-radar Lake District, Lagunas de Montebello National Park. While travel in the south can still be a raw experience, the massive investments the nation is making in its tourism infrastructure means this part of Mexico is easier than its ever been to explore. Introduced at the end of 2023, an 11-hour train now runs straight from Chiapass lost city of Palenque to the resort town of Cancun in Quintana Roo, while new highways connect sleepy shoreside towns to major cities and their airports. With the country slowly opening its hidden heartlands to the outside world, this is the moment to see the south before its inevitable transformation. Itinerary 1: Oaxaca Start point: Oaxaca City End point: Lagunas de Chacahua Distance travelled: 321 miles Average length: Seven days Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Little changed in the past 50 years, Oaxacas sleepy valleys and misty mountains remain resolutely agricultural, the corn and agave fields punctuated mostly by pueblos (small towns) with cobbled streets flanked by low-rise buildings. Each lane invariably contains a cantina serving smoky mezcal and blasting out corridos, Mexicos traditional ballads, and stalls selling local produce displayed with care on streetside tarpaulin. This route starts out in the state capital, Oaxaca City, with time to explore within the mottled yellow walls and stare at its meticulously carved church facades. One of Mexicos most beloved destinations, it is fiercely opposed to outside influence or intervention. Local brands and produce dominate, the cuisine is entirely unique to the state, and the language youll hear people speaking in the street, Zapotec, exists almost nowhere else. Next, use the local bus network or a pre-booked tour to reach the relics of the hidden cities hand-hewn by the forebears of Oaxacas locals, in the states mighty mountains. Stop in on small towns sitting slopeside in fertile valleys before a last hurrah on the Pacific coastline, a sun-soaked stretch of golden sands peppered with laid-back beach communities. 1. Oaxaca city The Mexican city of your minds eye is probably Oaxacas state capital, famed for its unique cuisine, Indigenous culture and raucous parades. Almost all its highlights are within walking distance go cafe-hopping in the mural-adorned Jatatlaco quarter, meet mezcal-sipping cowboys in the cantinas and stop for street food. Finish by catching the 20-minute bus to the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban, spectacularly situated on a levelled-off hilltop overlooking the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2. San Agustin Etla Oaxacas small towns epitomise the states essential character, and this one, sitting in the leafy foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains, has become a creative haven. Its key attraction is the Centro de las Artes de San Agustin (CaSa), a former textile factory turned innovative arts centre that hosts eclectic exhibitions by painters and sculptors from across the state. 3. Mitla A sacred Zapotec and Mixtec burial ground used until the 16th century for ritual sacrifice, the Zona Arqueologica de Mitla is filled with ruins engraved in geometrical patterns. Explore its storied relics before catching a colectivo (shared taxi) 45 minutes to Hierve el Agua, a rare example of a calcified waterfall. Take in sweeping views over the valleys while soaking in its mineral-stained pools. The travertine rock of Hierve el Agua (The Water Boils) forms natural infinity pools. Photograph by Anna Bieniek, Alamy Photos 4. San Jose del Pacifico The mountains that tower over this small and friendly town are so tall that even the clouds dont reach the peaks but some of the higher vistas can be easily accessed without a guide. Follow the well-marked 20-minute trail to the lookout, or embark on the more challenging, 10-mile out-and-back San Jose to San Mateo Rio Hondo trail, hiking through tall forest and over vertiginous bridges. Overnight at Cabanas Rancho Viejo. 5. Mazunte Populated by surfers and sun-seekers, this laid-back town attracts a more hippyish crowd than its famous neighbour Puerto Escondido. Mazunte is Oaxacas only coastal pueblo magico (magical town, government-recognised for its beauty), and its golden sands are fringed by palm groves. Watch the shoreline to see turtle hatchlings scurrying to the sea, and the horizon to spot migratory humpback whales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 6. Lagunas de Chacahua Wildlife thrives in this tranquil enclave, a national park known for its secluded lagoons and off-grid beaches. Its straightforward to arrange a tour of the mangroves, either from nearby Puerto Escondido or one of the shorefront hotels in the tiny town of Chacahua. Spy egrets, iguanas and crocodiles by day, or set out after dark to swim among bright blue bioluminescent plankton. Itinerary 2: Chiapas Start point: San Cristobal de las Casas End point: Lacandon Rainforest Distance travelled: 475 miles Average length: 10 days The dense jungles of southern Mexico grow thickest in Chiapas, one of the heartlands of the mighty Maya civilisation. Home to centuries-old Mesoamerican cities as well as traditional villages where Mayan languages are still spoken and pre-Catholic sacrificial rites continue to be practised, Chiapas is fiercely proud of its cultural heritage. To this day, many in the state do not recognise Mexicos authority, declaring themselves citizens of the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas. Conserved by their Indigenous caretakers since the earliest days of civilisation in the Americas, the states natural highlights are as diverse as they are dramatic: sweltering jungles and soaring canyon walls join mist-cloaked pine forests, pooling lagoons and secluded waterfalls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement San Cristobal de las Casas is the gateway to the state, but those who venture no further miss out. This route takes in the lost city of Palenque as well as small towns little changed in centuries and a national park largely overlooked by international visitors, taking travellers deeper into Chiapass hidden worlds. 1. San Cristobal de las Casas A centre of both Indigenous artisanal crafts and colourful colonial-style architecture, lively San Cris is the most visited place in Chiapas for good reason, and most tours of the state depart from the city. Browse amber gem stones and handwoven garments at the many markets lining its narrow, sloping streets before heading to its ochre-coloured cathedral especially atmospheric at sunset. 2. Sumidero Canyon When Spanish conquistadors finally overran Chiapas, the last standing resistance fighters are believed to have flung themselves into the Sumidero Canyon rather than accept defeat. The story is especially resonant when you first clap eyes on its soaring cliffs, which descend dramatically to the murky Grijalva River, home to numerous snapping crocodiles. Boat tours cruise through the canyon, culminating at the charming town of Chiapa de Corzo. 3. San Juan Chamula In this Indigenous Maya village, Spanish is a foreign tongue, and native traditions and spirituality thrive. Pick up fresh fruit, roasted corn or a saintly statue in the market, before heading to the so-called chicken church. If you do visit, be respectful of the pre-Columbian rituals (absolutely no photographs, except of its whitewashed exterior), which may include offerings a two-litre bottle of Coca-Cola, or the sacrifice of live fowl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4. Lagunas de Montebello Chiapass first national park, the Lagunas de Montebello features a mighty 59 pools, separated by thin strips of forest. Take a tour along loose dirt trails to get close to their pellucid waters and reach scenic viewpoints. Guided trips depart from the city of San Cristobal de las Casas and stop at El Chiflon, a series of towering waterfalls cascading into a pristine, tree-shaded river that has many prime spots for wild swimming. The Temple of the Inscriptions is the largest pyramid at the ancient Maya site of Palenque. Photograph by Rodrigo Torres, Getty Images 5. Palenque Ensnared by the tendrils of the Lacandon Rainforest after it was abandoned around 800 CE, the city of Palenque still hides many secrets. Explore the archaeological park, whose highlights include the Palace complex and Temple of the Inscriptions. Halls once walked by Maya aristocracy are still adorned with stucco figures, while the citys rise and fall is described in ornate hieroglyphs carved into limestone walls. 6. Lacandon rainforest Its not only rare animals that prowl Chiapass rainforest floor adventurous travellers take to the same trails, with local guides easing their path to crashing waterfalls concealed by the jungle. Travel over the shadowy waters and through the low-growing mangroves of the Lacanja River, listening out for the calls of howler monkeys. Published in the March 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only). ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Abilene police are searching for a vandal accused of spraying graffiti on a high school over the last month. In February, a man was caught on Abilene High Schools surveillance video spraying graffiti on the schools wall. The video shows him approaching the school, holding his phone and spray paint, as he starts tagging the wall. Anyone with information on this mans possible whereabouts or identity is asked to contact Abilene Crime Stoppers at (325)676-8477 or download the P3 app on your smartphone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All tips are guaranteed anonymous, and good information could lead to a cash reward. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland will review its Recovery and Resilience Plan with a view to redirecting funds towards defence and economic resilience, Polish Funds Minister Katarzyna Pelczynska-Nalecz said on Tuesday. The minister said last month that EU funds should be redirected from the EU recovery facility to security. The EU's recovery facility provides Poland with nearly 60 billion euros ($63.1 billion) in grants and cheap loans. Prime Minister Donald Tusk later said Pelczynska-Nalecz had told him that she was working on releasing up to 30 billion zlotys ($7.6 billion) to shift these funds to "broadly understood defence and defence industry". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This will require urgent and full cooperation of other ministries," Tusk said ahead of a government sitting. He also said works on a bill on public investments in defence needed to speed up and that the bill could possibly be adopted by the government next week. ($1 = 0.9512 euros) ($1 = 3.9509 zlotys) (Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Pawel Florkiewicz, editing by Ed Osmond) (Bloomberg) -- Polands nationalist presidential candidate took aim at Volodymyr Zelenskiy, saying the Ukrainian leader was to blame for Donald Trumps decision to halt military aid to the war-battered nation. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the result of President Volodymyr Zelenskiys lack of gratitude and inability to conduct international politics, Karol Nawrocki, the candidate of Polands opposition Law & Justice party, told broadcaster Polsat on Tuesday. Although Nawrocki, a historian supported by the former nationalist ruling party, is polling a distant second, the remarks show how Trumps reversal of US support for Ukraine is shaking up Europes political landscape. Poland has been a staunch ally of Ukraine and Law & Justice rushed to provide aid to Kyiv when it was in power at the start of Russias invasion three years ago. But the nationalists, who were ousted in 2023 by Prime Minister Donald Tusks liberal coalition, have become increasingly critical of Zelenskiy and his handling of the war. Part of that is the partys alignment with far-right voters in Poland, who have taken a skeptical view of benefits to Ukrainian war refugees and oppose sending troops to the country. Trumps order to pause all military aid, turning up the heat on Zelenskiy days after an Oval Office blowup prompted the collapse of an impending agreement over natural resources, is bad news for the region, Nawrocki said. But the Ukrainian presidents handling is at the root of the developments, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments were a break with most European leaders, who have lined up behind Zelenskiy to pledge continued support for his war aims. Following Zelenskiys altercation with Trump and US Vice President JD Vance on Friday, European capitals have raced to come up with plans to keep Ukraine supplied with weapons and draw up plans to provide a peacekeeping force for a deal. Nawrocki, who led Polands Institute for National Remembrance, took aim at Zelenskiy earlier this week, saying the wartime leader behaved indecently during the Oval Office fallout. He said the Ukrainian leaders claims belied Polands backing since the first stages of the war. We should support Ukraine, said Nawrocki, who is trailing the candidate supported by Tusks party, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, ahead of the May 18 presidential contest. I, as president of Poland, will also support it but Ukraine must treat us as partners. --With assistance from Maxim Edwards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) Officials with the Prince William County Police Department (PWCPD) said three teenagers were arrested for sexually assaulting a girl in early February. PWCPD said the assault happened at a home in the 2200 block of W. Longview Drive in Woodbridge on Feb. 8. Investigators learned the victim who is under the age of 18 was sexually assaulted by multiple people. The suspects involved reportedly also recorded the assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Metropolitan Police Department reinstates 2 Trump-pardoned officers after murder conviction, cover up She was eventually able to leave the home and went to a local business where an employee helped her contact the police. She was treated at a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Between Feb. 13 and March 2, PWCPD said they arrested and charged the following teenagers for their roles in the assault: 18-year-old Jeferson Aldair Levia Castro: Charged with rape and forcible sodomy 19-year-old Gerson Chavarria Sibrain: Charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of production of child pornography 18-year-old Alixon Mota De Paula: Charged with rape, forcible sodomy and production of child pornography Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with further information is asked to contact PWCPD at (703) 792-7000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LONDON The British actor who played Princess Dianas love interest in the Netflix series The Crown said he had been summoned for questioning by police after he attended a pro-Palestinian rally in central London. Khalid Abdalla, who played Dodi Fayed in the popular show, said in a statement posted to his social media channels that London's Metropolitan Police Service had sent him a letter requesting he attend a formal interview, in relation to the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign protest Jan. 18. It remains to be seen if this will result in charges, added Abdalla, who also starred in United 93 and The Day of the Jackal. He added that the right to protest was under attack in the the United Kingdom. Khalid Abdalla played Dodi Fayed in season 5 of "The Crown." Abdalla was among tens of thousands of people who attended the demonstration, which was held the day after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the war in the Gaza Strip, which has claimed the lives of more than 48,000 people, according to health officials in the Palestinian enclave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel launched its military campaign after the Hamas terrorist attacks Oct. 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and saw around 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli officials. The Metropolitan Police confirmed to NBC News via email that it had arrested 77 people on suspicion of breaching protest conditions after some of them broke through a police line that day. It added that 21 people had been charged so far. As part of the ongoing investigation, the force said it had invited a further eight people to be interviewed under caution at a police station. British police typically do not confirm the identity of anyone under investigation. Abdalla, 44, has attended several pro-Palestinian rallies in the past and has publicly called for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Addressing the crowds at the Jan. 18 rally, Abdalla said, Tomorrow phase one of this ceasefire begins. It remains to be seen if the ceasefire will hold, or if the blood shed since it was announced augurs what it will become. In February, he was one of the signatories to an open letter written to the BBC by the advocacy group, Artists for Palestine UK, which criticized the broadcaster for pulling a documentary on Gazas children. The Palestine Coalition, the activist group that organized the rally, condemned the letter sent to Abdalla in a statement issued Monday, accusing police of carrying out an apparently coordinated attack against the Palestine solidarity movement. The force, it said, was endeavoring to halt public protest on the issue through harassment of those involved in the movement, and through increasingly draconian restrictions on demonstrations. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods have been recovered from two storage units in Baldwin Park, according to police. In a post to Instagram on Monday, the Baldwin Park Police Department said a search warrant was executed at the storage units on Jan. 28 and 29. The units were connected to an organized theft group, police said. Inside, authorities found stolen property connected to more than 20 cases across Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties. The value of the stolen goods was estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Baldwin Park Police Department shared photos of allegedly stolen goods recovered from storage units. Police said the value of the goods was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Baldwin Park PD) Police said the suspects targeted warehouses and loading bays. They allegedly stole items off of pallets and items left near rolling doors. The suspects used a white Toyota Sienna. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Items such as projectors, translator earbuds, tablets and clothing were seen in photos shared by Baldwin Park PD. It wasnt immediately clear if any arrests were made in the case. Authorities said they were searching for more victims. Anyone who believes they may be a victim of the crime should contact the Baldwin Park Police Department Detective Bureau at 626-960-1955 ext. 418. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. JEFFERSON COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) A Reynoldsville man is facing charges after he allegedly fired shots into an attic after he claimed he heard someone moving around and people talking about hurting his family. Sean Yoder, 41, is facing over 20 charges after officers with the Reynoldsville Borough Police were called to a home for reports of shots being fired, according to a criminal complaint. On Feb. 27, officers arrived at the home to find Yoder and a female exiting the residence. The woman told officers that Yoder had been the one to fire shots, and he was taken into custody. Yoder insisted to officers that a person was inside his attic, but no one was found during the search of the home. Officers did find two spent .22 casings in the hallway and a hole where Yoder allegedly fired into the attic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Somerset man charged after photos, videos found of naked woman on device The woman told officers that Yoder had been telling her that someone was in the attic and that she suspected substance abuse was to blame for the paranoia. When questioned by officers Yoder allegedly admitted to having used methamphetamine the night before. In an interview with police, Yoder said that he heard movements in the attic and heard a couple of people talking about hurting his family. He said that he told two other people about what he was hearing and that they both did not believe him. In the affidavit, he said he told the officer he shot into the ceiling. The two witnesses told officers that Yoders behavior started two years earlier and that while no drugs had been seen, it was increasingly evident that abuse was taking place. Police noted in the complaint that Yoder has a previous conviction that makes him a person not to possess a firearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the witnesses told police that earlier that day, they had seen Yoder with an AR-15 and had taken it from him. They believed that they had also secured the rest of the guns. Yoder is in the Jefferson County Prison with bail set at $75,000. Hes facing over twenty charges of recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and disorderly conduct. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 11. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. An APD prisoner transport vehicle sits in front of the Bernalillo County Public Safety Center in Downtown Albuquerque in late August, 2021. (Photo by Shelby Kleinhans for Source NM) Almost everyone who goes to prison in New Mexico will return home at some point, but the support provided to them on their way out depends largely on where they were incarcerated. That conclusion comes from a report published by the New Mexico Justice Reinvestment Working Group last November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In state prisons, New Mexico Corrections Department policy establishes that each prison form its own reentry committee, and members of those committees say reentry planning depends on whether someone is being released under state supervision. In county jails, reentry practices depend on local priorities and available resources, the report found, because not all jails staff positions that are devoted to reentry planning. In an attempt to fill this gap, a legislative proposal, Senate Bill 54, would consolidate and standardize reentry practices across the state, rather than rely on the existing patchwork of differing policies. In an interview with Source NM, San Juan County Sheriffs Capt. Kevin Burns, who chairs the working group, said its 19 recommendations to state lawmakers focus on reframing substance use disorder and mental health issues away from the criminal legal system and into the healthcare system. He said the largest share of criminal sentences impact people with convictions for third- and fourth-degree felonies, most of which are drug-related. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once you start to get those individuals plugged in with resources, then it allows law enforcement to then focus more on violent offenders, Burns said. Burns said police are overwhelmed by calls for help related to property crimes, drug use and mental health issues. The report notes that the overall crisis call volume in New Mexico increased by 73% between May 2022 and May 2024, with most of those calls dealing with suicide or substance use. SB54 is sponsored by Sen. Katy Duhigg and Rep. Janelle Anyanonu, both Albuquerque Democrats and members of the working group. The bill is the result of the majority of the policies that came out of the working groups meetings, Duhigg told the Senate Judiciary Committee in January. The bill adds two new duties to the New Mexico Sentencing Commission, a research institute at the University of New Mexico created in 2003. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first, Duhigg said, requires the Sentencing Commission to coordinate reentry efforts for people being released from prisons and jails; foster collaboration among stakeholder groups working on reentry issues; and establish minimum standards for reentry, including pre-release assessments, behavioral and physical health continuum of care, employment, housing and basic needs. We want to have statewide standards that, when people are being released, are going to set them up to be productive members of our communities, rather than folks who are going to be unproductive members who go right back into detention, Duhigg said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The bill also requires the commission to create a public crime data dashboard on its website in conjunction with the state Department of Public Safety. Making the Sentencing Commission a central repository of data is another important part of the working groups recommendations, Burns said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 28 voted 6-3 along party lines to pass a substitute version of SB54, with Republicans in opposition. The legislation awaits a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee. At the suggestion of the New Mexico Association of Counties, the substitute requires county jails to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to incarcerated people experiencing withdrawal, Duhigg told the committee. It also makes the requirement contingent on local, state or federal funding. Duhigg said counties need money to start MAT in jails where it isnt already being provided. Helping people going home could reduce recidivism According to Duhigg, the state tasked the Crime and Justice Institute, a national criminal justice research and policy organization, under a grant from the Department of Justice, with helping to develop data-based public safety policy, and they convened the working group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burns said some other bills going through the Roundhouse this session have similar goals around recidivism, including House Bill 514, which would require the Corrections Department to implement a system of graduated sanctions as alternatives to incarceration for parole violations. The working group report states that in 2022, approximately half of community supervision violations occurred within the first four months of release from prison or jail. Burns said more staff at drug courts in New Mexico, along with appropriate monitoring and accountability of defendants, could help prevent them from returning to jail. Thats where we feel like our recidivism is coming from, Burns said. We would really like to see these individuals receive skills training so that when they re-enter society, theyve got different skill sets on top of a more tailored and more structured approach to support them, to prevent recidivism. HB514 was scheduled for a hearing in the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burns said New Mexicos high crime rate isnt just a criminal justice issue, but also a socioeconomic one. Its going to take our communities to help individuals avoid being involved with substance abuse, to avoid them going down that road of property crime to support their drug habit, Burns said. An earlier version of this story inaccurately stated that the Crime and Justice Institute is an offshoot of the federal Department of Justice. Source regrets the error. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Authorities responded to a hotel in Mission Valley Monday after at least one person died in a shooting, police say. The call about a shooting was reported around 8:20 p.m. from the Handlery Hotel San Diego, located at 950 Hotel Circle North, the San Diego Police Department confirmed to FOX 5/KUSI. Surveillance footage captures moments leading up to El Cajon pursuit The person being administered CPR was shot twice in the chest, while another was shot in the arm, according to law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 11 p.m., FOX 5/KUSI captured on video a SWAT team taking one person into custody. It is unknown if that person was a suspect. Check back for updates on this developing story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Authorities said they have found a pickup truck that was involved in a deadly hit-and-run crash Monday evening in South Nashville. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), a dark, possibly black Toyota Tacoma struck a man on an electric scooter on Old Hickory Boulevard near the Interstate 24 interchange. Man charged with threatening to attack federal building in Downtown Nashville Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just before 7 p.m. Monday, the victim identified as semi-truck driver Charles A. Fountain, 65, of Jacksonville, Florida reportedly pulled out of a Dollar General parking lot and began driving the scooter down the shoulder of Old Hickory Boulevard toward the truck stop where he parked his tractor-trailer. When he attempted to cross to the other side of the road, the Tacoma struck him and he became trapped under the vehicle. According to police, witnesses said they could see sparks coming from below the Tacoma as it dragged the scooter more than 900 feet away to Firestone Parkway. It was just a mess in here: Teens accused of throwing party in empty East Nashville house, leaving homeowner to clean up Officials said once Fountain was freed from underneath the truck, the vehicle left the scene on Old Hickory Boulevard in the direction of Murfreesboro Pike. Fountain was pronounced dead after the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the MNPD announced that officers found the truck abandoned at an apartment complex along Edmondson Pike after receiving a Crime Stoppers tip. (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department) (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department) Anyone with information about the Toyotas driver is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Callers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward. 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. Los Angeles Police Department officers shot a man experiencing a mental-health crisis in Echo Park Monday afternoon. Just before 4 p.m., Hector Alanizs mother called police to report that her son was suffering from mental illness and may be a danger to others, police said in a news release. When officers arrived to the 2400 block of Bellevue Avenue, they found Alaniz and told him to surrender, though he instead fled the location, leading officers on a short foot pursuit eastbound Bellevue Avenue from Coronado Street, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers saw that he had what appeared to be a black pistol, and as he entered a driveway, he pointed the gun at officers, prompting the use of a 40 mm less-lethal launcher and at least one officer to open fire, police said. Despite the suspect being struck by both gunfire and 40mm [less-lethal] projectiles, he again continued to flee until an officer discharged a TASER, incapacitating Alaniz, allowing officers to take him into custody without further incident, police said. Alaniz was treated at a local hospital for a gunshot wound to his right arm, and police say they located a black airsoft gun that looks like a Glock pistol 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 KTLA. Polish Cold War hero Lech Waesa, who helped topple his Communist government in 1989, and dozens of former Polish political prisoners rebuked President Donald Trump on Monday for berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid Russias ongoing invasion. Trump and Zelenskyy were set to sign an agreement Friday to allow U.S. access to Ukrainian rare minerals but that did not happen after a contentious televised Oval Office meeting in which Trump barked at Zelenskyy for not being thankful enough. Waesa and 38 of his countrymen wrote in a letter on Facebook that Trumps expectation was insulting and that any current gratitude should be reserved for the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed their blood in defense of the values of the free world not for Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have been dying on the frontline for more than 11 years in the name of these values and independence of their Homeland, which was attacked by [Vladimir] Putins Russia, a translation of the Polish letter continued. Waesa, who led a nationwide Solidarity movement at the height of the Cold War and helped topple Polands Communist government, added in the letter Monday: We do not understand how the leader of a country that is the symbol of the free world cannot see it. Those who signed the letter noted in it that they watched Fridays televised meeting with fear and distaste as the hostile atmosphere in the Oval Office reminded them of Security Service interrogations and Communist courts where unflinching authorities warned they hold all the cards. They deprived us of freedom and civil rights because we did not agree to cooperate with the authorities and did not show them gratitude, the Polish letter explained. We are shocked that you treated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a similar way. The televised meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shocked many world leaders. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Getty Images Leaders around the world reacted in horror at the way Trump admonished Zelenskyy, who had asked Friday for U.S. assistance in protection against Russia and reminded the U.S. president that Putin has violated previous ceasefire agreements with Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You dont have the cards right now! Trump yelled at Zelenskyy during their meeting. The blowup came after more than 40 minutes of cordial conversation, after which point Trump argued Zelenskyy had selfishly dismissed prior peace deals and wasted U.S. taxpayer dollars on continuing the conflict, and shouted, Youre gambling with World War III! A former shipyard worker in Gdansk, Waesa was imprisoned in 1981 for 11 months after founding the pro-democracy Solidarity movement. Waesa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983. In 1989, he negotiated with the Russia-backed government for Poland to hold elections and shepherded Poland into a democracy during his presidency from 1990 to 1995. Related... Illustration of a hand refusing a red shopping bag The concept of voting with your dollars is nothing new, but Americans are using their wallets to make a political splash with renewed fervor since President Donald Trumps second term began. On Feb. 28, millions of consumers participated in an economic blackout inspired by the organization Peoples Union USA. Shoppers were asked to refrain from buying fast food, gas, or products from mega-retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy. Some consumers took the opportunity to specifically avoid companies that have rolled back DEI initiatives, while others made the mission as simple as Shop local and use cash. The purpose of it all? Peoples Union USA called the blackout a symbolic start to economic resistance, a day where we show corporations and politicians that we control the economy. With divisive political actions like President Trumps latest tariffs, worries about how the Department of Government Efficiency will impact services like Social Security, and plans for cutting healthcare for the poorest Americans to fund tax cuts for the richest, those who participated did so in hopes of hurting the bottom line of major companies who support policies (and politicians) that help the wealthy and hurt the average citizen. How effective was the Feb. 28 economic blackout? So did shoppers restraint make any difference? Numbers from analytics firm Momentum Commerce (as reported by Forbes) show that while Amazon sales turned out to be a bit softer from the average Friday during the peak hours of Feb. 28, Jeff Bezoss behemoth retailer ended the day with about 1 percent more sales than on the eight Fridays prior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The digital marketing company Similarweb, however, did find that overall web traffic to the 100 most popular online shopping sites was down 6 percent on Feb. 28 as compared to one year earlier and down 4 percent compared to the previous Friday. There was a slight impact year over year, a Similarweb analyst told USA Today. I wouldnt necessarily call it a huge impact, since negative 6 percent is not unheard of, but it is still a weakness. One of the retailers that saw a traffic drop was Target, which has been prominently criticized for rolling back its DEI policies. As compared to Feb. 14, on Feb. 28 the company saw visitors to its website fall by 9 percent, while traffic on its app dropped by 14 percent. And things could get worse from here: a 40-day Target boycott, which was spearheaded by Atlanta pastor Jamal Bryant, began on March 5. Were asking people to divest from Target because they have turned their back on our community, Bryant said. And thats far from the only boycott planned for the very near future. Another economic blackout is scheduled for March 28, and activists are pushing retailer-specific boycotts, too, like a call for not shopping on Amazon between March 7 and 14. See a list of all the upcoming economic boycotts right here. With so much consternation about what it means to support a particular retailer in todays political climate, we turned to an informed group to take their temperature on it all: the well-informed readers of our daily newsletter. Below, find out which companies these consumers are targeting, where theyre shopping instead, and why they feel so passionately about taking action. How are Wake-Up Call readers changing their shopping habits to vote with their dollars? I participated in the boycott and continue to refrain from shopping at Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, McDonalds, and Hobby Lobby. I have given up Coca Cola products. Rather than ordering things on Amazon, I am looking for other sources. I hope the recent stock market losses will wake up corporations to the damage being done to Americas economy by the current administrations reckless executive orders and tariffs. Heather G. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am a gay married man with queer children. I want to vote with my dollars by shopping retailers who support DEI. I was happy for Costcos and Apples continued support of DEI and disheartened by Targets and Amazons rollback on DEI policies thus, we have decided to not shop at these retailers. We ended our retail subscriptions through Amazon. We also have media streaming subscriptions through Amazon that we intend to eventually purchase directly from the streaming services vendors. It just takes time to make the change. Roger S. Before I read anything about the boycotts, I decided to minimize my relationship with Amazon. I was disappointed by Jeff Bezoss responses to Washington Post editorials both before and after the election. I renewed my library card and started using their app for digital and audio books. Prior to this I was purchasing two to three books on Kindle regularly, as well as subscribing to Audible. I know this wont break Jeff, but I feel its something that I can do. Susan S. Im avoiding Walmart, Amazon, Target, Publix, and Home Depot and using the Goods That Unite Us app to determine retailers who support ethical politics. Rethinking my Kindle addiction and Amazon Prime subscription. Cancelled WaPo. Developing a curated news feed composed of newsletters and Substack authors with varying opinions directed towards a news-centric email account I have created. No longer watching news. Off all social media except BlueSky. Using my money and spending patterns to leverage my power. Jeanne J. The blackout happened on our 55th wedding anniversary, and we always celebrate on that day until this year. Stayed home and did not spend money at restaurant or buy anything. We plan to support the two-week Amazon ban as well, and anything that can impact corporate America to take stop supporting this insane, immoral president. Susan U. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I no longer shop at Target. Cancelled my RedCard and told them why. If they dont believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion, I wont be buying from them. I stopped shopping at Walmart years ago because of how they treat their employees (lack of benefits and fair compensation). Instead, I am buying more from Costco. Nancy S. Ive tried as much as possible to order my goods directly from the vendor. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my regular coffee supply was actually cheaper from the vendor than from Amazon, and they didnt charge for shipping! Jeanne S. Im in the affluent group that surveys say are still spending despite many Americans struggling, so Im trying to change my habits to only buy things that I or my family needs everything from clothes to a new car. Really dialing back my purchases on Amazon and going in person to Costco instead. Americans have so much and we really buy too much stuff! And I am very guilty of this waste. Sherry H. I have started purchasing dog food through Chewy, which is a Democrat-affiliated business. I have not purchased from Amazon for a good three weeks and will continue to do so. Holding my funds in place. Jolene H. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve stopped watching CBS Mornings with Gayle King since her recent announcement of affiliation with SpaceX. During these scary times, we feel that its imperative to do whatever we can to make our voices heard and fight for our democracy. Anne D. Wouldnt buy a Tesla if you paid me. Love Sheryl Crow! Kitty S. I am Canadian, and I will try as hard as possible to cut as many American products from my roster. I was already avoiding Amazon, Walmart, Twitter, and Tesla before this Trump nonsense, but Ill make a more-concerted effort to avoid as many American companies as possible. We will avoid American travel and go to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe instead. For now Ill continue to tune in to Katie Couric Media, but if things really go sideways, I am prepared to cut off all my U.S. media. Cheri H. I participated in the boycott, and I plan to participate in the upcoming planned boycotts. I honestly dont know what else to do when our country is in such a scary place. I am also making the 5 Calls as often as possible. Diane V. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im trying to change. Im considering dropping my Prime subscription havent yet, but am trying to do basic purchasing elsewhere. Still use Facebook for news and information but refuse to click on ads and wont purchase anything via a Facebook ad. Beth R. Im Canadian. Im definitely trying to buy less goods and food from the U.S. Ive also decided to cancel our annual trip to drive to Florida next winter. We typically spend over $15,000 in the U.S. No more. Trump wants a fight with Canada, we will give him one. Liz P. I have decided to not buy from Amazon and support local business. I plan to use eBay for book purchases, along with the library. Its a small change, but maybe others will do the same. Rhonda P. The positive turn of events from being very conscious of my purchasing power is using Etsy to support small businesses. A recent purchase of kites for my grandchildren led me to meet a most delightful British kite maker; were sharing thoughts on the state of events and their impact on his life in the UK. The nastiness of this administration, cabinet, and Trumps cronies may be a challenge for a while, but light will follow this darkness. Goodness will prevail. Patti M. The post Are Politics Changing How Americans Shop? appeared first on Katie Couric Media. POLK COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) The effort to put out a more than 500-acre of wildfire continued in Polk County, Monday. Residents said the fire could have been much worse if it wasnt for the firefighters. The Melrose fire was sparked Saturday afternoon by a downed powerline, in the fires path was Niclas Wojteckais property, near Highway 176. The valley filled with smoke approximately 2:25 p.m., the local police department showed up and asked us to evacuate, so we took everything that mattered to us very quickly and evacuated, Wojteckai said. We decided to actually come back up here and get another truck load of stuff because there was a fire line, just to the west, heading towards our place and we thought we were about to lose everything. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luckily Wojtecktais worst fear didnt happen, his home was spared but a large portion of his property was scorched. We arrived back with the hills around us on fire and shortly after, all of the crews showed back up, dispersing throughout the area here, Wojteckai said. They also called in a helicopter to attempt to stop the fire spreading. The fire darkened the forest bed around Wojteckais property, as flakes of ash could be seen falling from the sky. What you are seeing behind me here, goes for another 100 yards that is technically our property and obviously much further beyond that, Wojteckai said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wojtecktai said what prevented this scene from looking much worse is the brave men and women fighting the fire. The professional that Jason and his crew showed made me personally feel that we going to be just fine because they said it was going to burn to the line you see and it would not burn any further and that was exactly what happened, Wojteckai added. This fire would have gotten completely out of control and ravaged all the way to 26 without their understanding of how this fire was going to react. This whole valley would have been decimated worse than it has already been because of Helene. The evacuations that were in place Saturday have been made voluntary. North Carolina Forest Service said the fire is currently 63% percent contained and crews from a dozen different counties have been working to contain the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. PONCA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) An Oklahoma mom is hoping you can help bring her missing son back home. No one has seen or heard from him in almost two months. Jeremiah Moneta was last seen at the intersection of N Pine St and W Cleveland Ave in Ponca City on January 17. While police say they dont have much information to go off of, and every lead has turned up empty, Jeremiahs mother believes someone had to see something and she hopes they come forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No mother should have to go over a month without knowing where her kid is, without hearing him, without being able to say I love you, or just hug him one last time, said Jamie Hansen, Jeremiahs mother. Unfortunately, its reality for Hansen, who says she hasnt heard from her son in 44 days. The last time they talked was two days before he disappeared. Telling me that he had to work on Saturday, so we would just have to reschedule to go to Walmart, just get the rest of his stuff for his apartment, Hansen said. She says they were in the process of moving Jeremiah into his own apartment. He had just bought a new phone and work was going well. Then, the first sign of trouble showed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, he tried to befriend the wrong people and they turned on him, said David Cordell, Jeremiahs stepfather. Hansen says the day her son vanished, she got a strange call. OKC contractors work to fix 3-foot deep sinkhole A lady called me Friday night, the Friday night that he went missing saying that she found his inhaler and his old phone, Hansen said. I just shot a text to his new phone saying, hey, this lady found your phone and your inhaler. And I was like, thats weird, we couldnt get a hold of him. She says there was no sign of him at his apartment, and no sign of a struggle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She made calls to police, the hospital and jails trying to locate Jeremiah, but they all came up empty. So, they tried his new phone again. We would call, they had pick it up and hang up on us, Hansen said. We would text, we could see that they would read it and then no response. After telling this to police, she says the woman who had the phone claimed Jeremiah sold it to her for $20. That wasnt true, and if it was true, she would have said hey, he sold me this phone,' Cordell said. Ponca City police declined to do an on-camera interview, citing the ongoing investigation, but did say they believe people in the community know what happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They, along with Hansen, hope someone comes forward soon. All Im asking for is that somebody can just give me that closure, Hansen said. Hansen says they are offering a $2,000 reward to the person who can lead them to her son. Ponce City police ask you to give them a call if you have any information on what happened to Jeremiah, or where he is. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Joshua McElwee VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - As Pope Francis has battled double pneumonia in hospital for nearly three weeks, talk of the 88-year-old pontiff's death or resignation has become almost commonplace. Some newspapers have published articles informing their readers about what to expect during the papal funeral. A few senior Catholic cardinals are talking openly about the possibility that Francis could follow his predecessor Benedict XVI and resign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet Francis is alive, with the Vatican's most recent updates indicating his condition may be improving, although he had a setback on Monday. And, reading the signs coming from Rome's Gemelli hospital, where he has been treated since February 14, the pope doesn't appear to have plans to resign any time soon. "He's always been a fighter," said Elisabetta Pique, a personal friend and biographer of Francis. She said the former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, elected pope in 2013, doesn't have any plans to step down. "He doesn't give in under pressure," said Pique, a correspondent for the Buenos Aires-based La Nacion newspaper. "The more pressure they put on him, the more likely he won't give in." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speculation about the pope's possible resignation started a few days after his hospitalization. Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, a retired prelate not known as close to the pope, suggested in a February 20 radio interview that Francis might renounce the papacy. French Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, sometimes listed as a possible successor to Francis, when asked about the possibility of resignation at a Vatican press conference, responded: "Everything is possible." 'DISTANT HYPOTHESIS' Francis, who has shunned much of the pomp and privilege of the papacy and has sought to open up the often staid Catholic Church to the modern world, has laughed off speculation about his fate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a February 19 meeting in hospital with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italy's Corriere della Sera reported that he told her: "Some have been praying for the pope to go to heaven, but the Lord of the Harvest thinks it best to keep me here." Austen Ivereigh, who co-wrote a book with the pope in 2020, said that comment may have been light-hearted, but it said something serious. "What he's saying is actually this is about God's will, not anybody else's," said Ivereigh. "In other words, you may want a new pope - but, look, I'm still alive, I'm still here." The pope has ruled out resigning in the past, calling it in 2024 a "distant hypothesis". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like several popes before him, Francis has said he signed a letter of resignation shortly after his election in 2013, meant to be used only if a severe mental issue made it impossible for him to carry out his duties. It is unclear how or if such a letter could ever be used. Church law has no procedure for determining if a pontiff has become incapacitated. It also specifies that a pope's resignation must be "made freely and properly" by the pontiff himself. 'HE'S STILL THE POPE' Francis, known to work himself to exhaustion, has continued leading the Vatican from hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff appointments needing his approval are being announced at their regular daily pace. He has continued signing official messages to Vatican offices, with notes added at the bottom to say they are being sent "from Gemelli hospital". The pope has met twice in hospital with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's number two official, to discuss pending matters. The Vatican has said the meetings are "audiences", the official term for an encounter with the leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church, no matter where the pontiff is. Ivereigh, who has written two biographies of Francis, said the pope is sending a clear signal from hospital that he is the one governing the Church. "He's a man of governance who understands authority," said Ivereigh. "It's important for him that we know that he's present and still in charge. He's still the pope." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doctors have not said when the pope, who has a history of serious lung infections, will be released from hospital. Many Catholics will be familiar with the image of a frail pope. The late Pope John Paul II was seen in public suffering from Parkinson's disease for years before his death in 2005. "He has a tranquillity of doing what God asks of him," Pique said of Francis. "His big weapon is always prayer, and good humour." (Editing by Crispian Balmer and Janet Lawrence) March 4 (UPI) -- The Vatican on Tuesday called the health condition of Pope Francis "guarded" and "complex" as he remained in a stable condition with double pneumonia, according to Vatican officials. The pope "is no longer using the non-invasive mechanical ventilation," the Vatican's press officer Matteo Bruni reported. Francis received the Eucharist in the morning and spent the day alternating between rest and prayer, the Vatican added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His overall clinical condition "remains stable," including his heart, kidney and blood values, according to a Vatican official. However, the prognosis remains "guarded" and the overall situation is "complex." The 88-year-old pontiff suffered two episodes of acute "acute respiratory failure" Monday night due to mucus buildup and was back on a ventilator as he remained hospitalized with double pneumonia symptoms. Faithful attended a Rosary prayer on Feb. 24 for the health of Pope Francis who remains hospitalized with pneumonia, in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City.Photo Provided By Alessandro Di Meo/EPA-EFE In the morning, officials said Francis "slept through the night" on his 19th evening "and now continues to rest" at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where he was taken off a ventilator mask. Francis has lead the Catholic Church since 2013. The 88-year-old Pope Francis (C, seen at Christmas Eve mass 2024 at The St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican) suffered two episodes of acute "acute respiratory failure" Monday night due to mucus buildup and was back on a ventilator. In the morning, officials said Francis "slept through the night" on his 19th evening "and now continues to rest" at Gemelli Hospital in Rome where he was taken off a ventilator mask. File Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI "Today the person is a slave and we have to free ourselves of these economic and social structures that make us slaves," Francis said not long after his enthronement, as he encouraged followers to "get involved in politics because politics is one of the highest forms of charity because it seeks the common good." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was first admitted to Gemelli on Feb. 14 diagnosed due to a "worsening of his bronchitis." But he was "alert, cooperating with therapy and oriented" on Tuesday and underwent a "high-flow oxygen therapy and respiratory physiotherapy." A spokesman says the pope was getting "high-flow oxygen" via nasal tube in what appeared to be a good sign after recent days, but overnight he is expected to resume noninvasive mechanical ventilation into Wednesday morning "as planned." On Monday, Cardinal Robert Prevost, the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops, presided over a prayer service attended by cardinals, bishops and scores of religious faithful as he invited those to "remain in prayer with Mary, Mother of the Church, for the health of the Holy Father Francis." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This was my only night off from work and I didn't want to be anywhere else," a 24-year-old Argentinian named Jose told the National Catholic Reporter on Friday. "Francis cannot die," he added. Meanwhile, officials said there will be a new medical report update on Francis in the evening. Pope Francis' condition appeared on Tuesday morning to stabilize after Monday's medical intervention amid two episodes of "acute respiratory failure," Vatican sources told ABC News. The pope, 88, was taken off non-invasive mechanical ventilation and resumed receiving supplemental oxygen through a nasal tube, Vatican sources said Tuesday. He was no longer wearing a mechanical ventilation mask, a device that pumped oxygen into his lungs, the sources said. PHOTO: People attend as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, leads the recitation of the Holy Rosary for Pope Francis' health in St Peter's Square at the Vatican, Monday, March 3, 2025. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP) MORE: Pope suffers 2 episodes of respiratory failure, Vatican says Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Vatican's press office, the Holy See, had earlier on Tuesday said the pontiff had "slept all night" and that he "now he continues his rest." The episodes on Monday were caused by a "significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm," the Vatican said. PHOTO: A person stands next to the statue of late Pope John Paul II outside Gemelli Hospital, where Pope Francis is admitted for treatment, in Rome, Italy, March 4, 2025. (Yara Nardi/Reuters) According to doctors, acute respiratory failure indicates the pope was not responding to oxygen therapy. Endobronchial mucus means there is mucus and fluid in the deep parts of the lung or lungs, causing a bronchospasm, also known as a coughing attack, doctors said. The pope's prognosis "remains reserved," the Vatican said in its Monday evening update. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Francis, who has led the Catholic Church since 2013, was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14 and was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. The 88-year-old pontiff had a bronchospasm attack on Friday, church officials said. ABC News' Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Pope Francis' condition stabilizes following Monday's acute respiratory failure, Vatican sources say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Pope Francis suffered two episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency on Monday, according to a statement from the Vatican, as the Catholic Church leader continues to fight pneumonia. Today, the Holy Father suffered two episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency, caused by a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm, the statement read. The Vatican further said two bronchoscopies were performed on the Pope, who was also put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The popes prognosis remained guarded, per the statement, which indicates he is not out of danger. The Holy Father remained alert, oriented and cooperative at all times, the statement said. It described the Popes clinical condition as complex, saying, further crises such as those that occurred this afternoon are possible. The pope, 88, has been hospitalized since Feb. 14. He has not been seen in public since being admitted to the hospital last month. His health has been up and down, according to regular updates from the Vatican. Dr. John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, told The Associated Press the use of bronchoscopies on Monday suggested a worrying level of mucus and phlegm in the lungs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes taking little steps forward and then steps back, said Coleman. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Corrects typographical error in word 'battling' in first paragraph. The error occurred in a previous story in the series) By Joshua McElwee VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia in hospital, remained stable throughout the day on Tuesday and did not have any new respiratory crises, the Vatican said. Francis, 88, had suffered two episodes of what the Vatican described as "acute respiratory insufficiency" on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest detailed medical update on his condition said the pope had suffered no similar problems on Tuesday. "Throughout the day, the Holy Father's clinical condition has remained stable," it said. "He has remained without fever, always alert, collaborating with his treatment, and well-oriented." Francis has been in Rome's Gemelli hospital for more than two weeks. He was admitted on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection that triggered other complications. The bulletin was the second cautiously upbeat report of the day, after the Vatican press office said earlier that the pope's condition had stabilised overnight Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the pope had stopped using non-invasive mechanical ventilation to help him breathe during the day on Tuesday, the latest update said he would return to using ventilation overnight Tuesday. Doctors said his prognosis is "guarded", meaning the pope is not out of danger. Francis has not been seen in public since entering hospital, his longest absence from view since his papacy started in March 2013. His doctors have not said how long his treatment might last. The pope's public absence has stoked speculation, even from senior cardinals, that he could choose to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Benedict XVI and resign the papacy. But biographers and friends of the pontiff describe him as a "fighter", with no plans to resign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monday's setback followed two days of relatively upbeat statements about his condition. The Vatican said the two respiratory episodes on Monday were caused by "a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus". The pope, it said, had suffered a bronchospasm, akin to an asthma attack, and had required two bronchoscopies, or procedures to inspect his air passages. A Vatican official, who did not wish to be named because he was not authorised to discuss the pope's health, said on Tuesday that the pope's doctors believe the respiratory episodes have been part of his body's normal response in fighting infection. Francis has experienced several bouts of ill health over the last two years and is prone to lung infections because he had pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Double pneumonia is a serious infection in both lungs that can inflame and scar them, making it difficult to breathe. (This story has been refiled to say 'battling,' not 'batting,' in paragraph 1) (Reporting by Joshua McElwee, editing by Alvise Armellini, Andrew Heavens, Alexandra Hudson, Crispian Balmer) (Bloomberg) -- Portugals biggest opposition party said it wont exclude the possibility of proposing a censure motion against Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, whos been facing questions about potential conflicts of interest related to a family-owned company. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this moment the focus should be on determining the truth, Socialist leader Pedro Nuno Santos said on Monday night in Lisbon. The Socialists would only present a censure motion when it considers its the adequate moment. The opposition party will request a parliamentary inquiry, he said. Questions about Montenegros family-owned company have been adding pressure on the prime minister, whose minority government took office in April with a weak position in parliament. The Socialists have often helped Montenegro, by letting the 2025 budget pass in parliament and voting alongside the government to defeat a censure motion in February. Last months censure motion was presented by Chega, a far-right group that demanded an explanation about the premiers firm in order to put an end to suspicions about a potential conflict of interest. The Communists have announced a new censure vote, and the Socialists have already said they wont back that motion, helping the government survive once again. Separately, the Socialists have said they wouldnt back Montenegro if he were to present a confidence motion. The governments major plans for this year include privatizing state-owned airline TAP SA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prime Minister Montenegro, 52, said on Feb. 21 that he set up the family-owned company, called Spinumviva, when he wasnt active in politics and that its absurd to consider that owning a stake in the firm generates a conflict of interest. Hes said he never took any decision that involved a conflict of interest. The prime minister said on Saturday night that the company will now be totally owned and managed by his children. Solverde, a Portuguese operator of casinos and hotels, told newspaper Expresso that its paid Spinumviva 4,500 ($4,732) a month since July 2021 for services related to compliance and personal data protection. The prime minister, who worked as a lawyer earlier in his career, has said he wont take part in decisions involving companies that he has links to. For example, the government may have to take decisions about the Algarve and Espinho casino concessions, which end in 2025 and are currently held by Solverde. Montenegro reaffirmed on Monday night that he complied with all requirements to disclose his assets, according to an emailed statement from the prime ministers office. Anonymous reports sent to the prosecutor-generals office can be an opportunity to remove any doubts about legality that have been raised, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minority governments in Portugal have tended to be short-lived in 50 years of democracy, only two have survived a full four-year term. The Socialists and Montenegros center-right PSD party, which is the senior partner in the governing AD coalition, have dominated Portuguese politics in those five decades. Fiscal discipline has been a focus for successive administrations since the euro-area debt crisis, when the country needed a bailout. The premiers AD coalition got a narrow win over the Socialists in an early election held in March last year. Before the 2024 election, another snap vote was held in January 2022. Portugals president has the power to call elections. A poll published by TVI on Feb. 3 showed the ruling AD coalition leading with 33% support, followed by the opposition Socialists with 27% and far-right party Chega with 17%. (Adds Socialist partys position about a possible confidence motion in fifth paragraph, details on opinion poll in 12th.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (FOX40.COM) Law enforcement in Northern California is investigating a possible infant found dead inside of a dumpster Monday afternoon. Around 3:40 p.m., the Stanislaus County Sheriffs Office and medical personnel responded to a report of a potentially deceased infant found outside a business in the 800 block of South 9th Street in Modesto. Governor Newsom orders California state workers to return to office Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When first responders arrived at the scene, they discovered what appeared to be the remains of a fetus. SCSO said it identified a person of interest and is in the process of questioning them. The Stanislaus County Coroners Office also responded to the scene and will conduct an autopsy to determine whether the remains are those of a baby. If so, the coroner will assess the gestational age. Trump pauses aid to Ukraine days after heated meeting with Zelensky SCSO sent a reminder to the public about safe surrender options available throughout the county. Citizens who are unable to care for a newborn may anonymously surrender their baby at designated Safe Baby Surrender locations without fear of prosecution, SCSO said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information on safe surrenders visit www.csa-stanislaus.com. Anyone with information related to the incident can call Detective Rodriguez at 209-525-7114. Information can also be reported anonymously through Stanislaus County Area Crime Stoppers at 1-866-60-CRIME. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. Get ready to pay more for avocados, maple syrup and well almost everything. The U.S. officially imposed new 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on March 4, 2025, following through on a long-delayed pledge from President Donald Trump. American consumers and businesses are now bracing for higher costs and potential supply disruptions. Although tariffs, or taxes on imports, are a pillar of Trumps economic policy, the move still surprised many observers, since Mexico and Canada are among the U.S.s traditional allies and top trading partners. The administration further rattled global supply chains by doubling existing tariffs on Chinese goods to 20%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As an economist who studies global trade, I wanted to know how the 25% import duties on Canada and Mexico would affect different parts of the country. So I conducted a state-by-state impact analysis. What I found is alarming: The U.S. economy could face an annual loss of US$109.23 billion. This shortfall would mean rising costs of everyday goods for American families and would disproportionately affect certain states. My analysis focused exclusively on the effects of U.S. tariffs, so it didnt take retaliation from Canada or Mexico into account. If it did, the losses would be even greater. Unequal burdens for states, higher prices for families Imagine your grocery bill surging by 17.5% to 25%, car parts costing hundreds of dollars more, and your favorite local restaurant raising prices as imported ingredients become unaffordable. Because tariffs drive up consumer prices, these scenarios, or others like them, will soon become reality across the U.S. But not all Americans will be affected equally, I found. States that are deeply connected to North American supply chains will suffer the biggest economic blows. Texas, with its strong trade ties to Mexico and key role in energy, would lose $15.3 billion. Californias diverse economy would take a $10.2 billion hit. Michigan, heavily reliant on auto manufacturing, would face a $6.2 billion blow over 1% of its gross domestic product. The biggest losers from the policy on a per-capita basis would be smaller, trade-dependent states that lack the flexibility to absorb such a shock. New Mexico, Kentucky and Indiana would be among the hardest hit, with projected GDP losses ranging from 1.12% to 1.48%. These states rely heavily on manufacturing and specialized industries, making them particularly vulnerable to rising costs and supply chain disruptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Take New Mexico. While it may not experience the largest total economic loss, it would bear the highest per-person burden. That $1.73 billion hit to its economy would translate to $822 for every resident a devastating blow in a state where incomes are already below the national average. Indeed, the likely effects of tariffs will be felt especially hard by American families. For example, a family of four in New Mexico would see an estimated $3,288 additional annual costs, equivalent to three months of grocery bills or an entire years utility expenses. Families in Kentucky and Indiana would also bear heavy financial burdens, paying an extra $3,120 and $2,836, respectively. Even in wealthier states such as Texas, the added annual costs would reach over $2,000 per household. For middle- and lower-income families, these arent trivial costs. They represent difficult trade-offs, forcing households to cut back on essentials, delay major purchases or dip into savings to make ends meet. A truck crosses the Ambassador Bridge, a border crossing between Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and Detroit, Mich., on March 1, 2025. Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images Where industry will face a tough hit Perhaps no industry would suffer more than the auto sector, particularly in states such as Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky. These regions rely on a highly integrated North American supply chain, where components cross borders multiple times before a final product reaches consumers. Tariffs would disrupt this delicate balance, leading to price increases, reduced production and job losses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My conservative estimate shows that such disruptions could cost the industry approximately $28.2 billion, putting around 680,000 jobs at risk across manufacturing, parts production and sales operations. And the ripple effects would extend beyond automakers to suppliers, dealerships and local economies. But the pain wouldnt stop there. Manufacturing, which plays a critical role in 17 of the top 20 states most affected by tariffs, would also face rising costs and shrinking profit margins. The agricultural sector vital in at least 10 states would endure higher input costs and potential retaliatory tariffs from Mexico and Canada. Past trade disputes have shown that American farmers often bear the brunt of such policies, with lost export markets and declining revenues. During the U.S.-China trade war of 2018-2019, for example, American farmers suffered over $27 billion in losses, with soybean exports dropping by 71% and states such as Iowa, Illinois and Kansas losing billions in GDP. The federal government paid affected farmers more than $23 billion to offset these losses. Similar and possibly worse challenges loom now. Retaliation from Mexico and Canada could deal a heavy blow to agricultural exports including corn, beef and dairy that anchor local economies, especially in Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin. Both countries have threatened countermeasures targeting key U.S. exports, raising concerns among farmers and agribusinesses. Retaliatory tariffs could shrink profit margins, further disrupt supply chains, and create uncertainty for producers relying on these markets. Looking at the bigger picture The new Trump tariff regime represents a fundamental shift in how the U.S. engages with its closest economic partners. While ostensibly meant to strengthen American industry, the tariffs on offer have serious side effects that will likely cause widespread disruptions for businesses, consumers and entire state economies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trade isnt just about numbers on a spreadsheet. Its about real people, real businesses and the intricate economic fabric that connects the nation. Changes to this system can come at a high price. Safeguarding American jobs and ensuring economic stability entails recognizing the realities of global trade and considering the trade-offs of instituting new policies. While tariffs are one method of disrupting the status quo, they are far from the only way. Indeed, reform is also possible through targeted policies including negotiated trade agreements, investment incentives and workforce development programs that address trade concerns without altering deeply integrated supply chains. Bedassa Tadesse 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. DUFFIELD, Va. (WJHL) Leaders at Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD), a non-profit that focuses on agriculture, say two of their programs are in jeopardy due to President Trumps proposed freeze on some federal funding. The Appalachian Harvest Food Box Program provides food boxes full of fresh fruits, vegetables, locally sourced meat and milk to nearly 40 food pantries and food banks in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. In addition, as many as 200 families pick up boxes each week at ASDs location in Duffield, Virginia. But, Sylvia Crum, the Director of Development for ASD, says this week may be the last week they can afford to provide the boxes without federal funds from the USDA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crum says the USDA funds a large portion of the program and has told ASD leaders that the federal reimbursement grants for the program may be delayed or reduced. The way the food box program works is, is that we use our money to purchase, produce and if available, local milk and local meat to put into the food boxes, Crum said. We then submit a reimbursement form to the federal government to get reimbursed for those funds. Because of this hold right now and because were waiting to hear from the USDA, we are not sure that we have enough money basically to float this program. We have probably enough money to do one more weeks worth of food box distribution. The food box program not only serves those in need, it supports several local farmers who produce the food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So were fighting food insecurity and were impacting economic development because were buying all that stuff from local and regional farmers that we work with, Crum told News Channel 11. The other impacted program is ASDs Agroforestry program. In an email to News Channel 11, Katie Commender, the Director of ASDs Agroforestry, provided the following statement: In February, ASDs Agroforestry and Appalachian Harvest Herb Hub programs learned that three federal grants totaling $1.25 million dollars across five states from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) were impacted by the federal funding freeze. These federal grants enable ASD to provide essential resources and services that farming communities throughout Central Appalachia rely on. This includes on-farm and virtual agroforestry technical assistance, financial assistance to offset agroforestry establishment costs, marketing, processing, aggregation and distribution (MPAD) support for high-value medicinal herbs, seed to sale training and certification, and much more. Katie Commender, Agroforestry Director at Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD) Crum added that ASD is asking food assistance recipients to speak up so that the funding for both programs can continue. Were asking people just to get involved, reach out to your representatives. Let them know how you feel about this issue, said Crum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a link on ASDs website to voice concerns about the funding freeze. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. More than a thousand people were without power Tuesday morning after high winds and snowfall caused outages throughout the city Tuesday morning. Tuesday 12:45 p.m. update: Power is restored to all but about 15 Colorado Springs Utilities customers after outages in several locations were reported overnight and into Tuesday morning, according to Utilities' website. More than 1,000 customers were affected at various junctures. Tuesday noon update: The highest wind gust reported in the region was 66 mph near Springfield in Baca County, followed by 64 mph at the Colorado Springs Airport, according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo. Winds reached 58 mph at the Pueblo Airport and 55 mph near Ellicott. A high wind warning is in effect until 5 p.m. Tuesday for Colorado Springs and much of the southeastern and east-central parts of Colorado. U.S. 24 was closed in both directions from Cimarron Hills to Limon on Tuesday morning from Interstate 70 at mile marker 376 to mile marker 315, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Part of U.S. 24 opened up from Colorado Springs to Falcon as of 11:30 a.m. U.S. 24 remained closed from Cotton Tail Drive near Falcon, two miles east of Colorado Springs, to mile marker 315 in Limon. As of Wednesday morning at 7 a.m. U.S. 24 was completely open. Colorado 94 is closed because of a crash near Edison Road, about 10 miles east of Ellicott, according to CDOT. Other road closures: U.S. 40 just west of Kit Carson at mile marker 444 because of a crash and U.S. 385 between between County Road LL north of Granada and County Road W north of Sheridan Lake from mile marker 100 to mile marker 128. Tuesday 9 a.m. update: The Black Forest area saw 5 inches of snowfall overnight from 7 p.m. Monday to the early morning hours Tuesday, according to the Weather Service. Meteorologists said there is near zero visibility in blowing snow due to the high winds. Monument also got 2 inches of snow as of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, per the Weather Service. Woodland Park was the snow winner recording 6 inches of snowfall as of 8:54 a.m. Tuesday. Several schools and colleges, including Academy District 20 and District 49, closed or delayed start times for Tuesday. Military bases, including Peterson Space Force Base, also announced delays. Click here for the latest list of delays and closings. The flight to Dallas at 8:25 a.m. from the Colorado Springs Airport and four flights departing from Dallas bound for Colorado Springs were canceled Tuesday due to a tornado watch in Dallas. Wind gusts are widespread in the 50 mph range in the Pikes Peak region, according to KOAA Meteorologist Casey Dorn. They may increase this morning to 60 mph, and to 70 mph over the eastern Plains. Several power outages have affected more than 1,000 residents throughout the Colorado Springs area due to the winds, per Colorado Springs Utilities. To view a live map of outages visit here. 228 residents on the west side of Colorado Springs reported outages at 1:41 a.m. and crews had it restored by 8 a.m. 613 residents in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood reported outages at 1:27 a.m. and crews had it restored by 9:30 a.m. 171 residents off Pikes Peak Avenue and North Circle Drive lost power at 1:31 a.m. Crews got most of these residents back their electricity but 14 are still without power. Crews say it should be restored by noon. Two residents by Palmer Park reported outages this morning and crews have not yet given them a time of power restoration. As of 9:30 a.m. they are still without power. Six residents south of Fountain near Clear Springs Ranch reported outages at 6:27 a.m. and crews had it restored by 9:30 a.m. Nine residents by Stratmoor off South Academy Boulevard reported outages at 7:55 a.m. and crews say it should be restored by 11:45 a.m. U.S. 24 was closed in both directions from Cimarron Hills to Limon this morning from Interstate 70 at mile marker 376 to mile marker 315, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Part of U.S. 24 opened up from Colorado Springs to Falcon as of 11:30 a.m. U.S. 24 is now closed from Cotton Tail Drive near Falcon, two miles east of Colorado Springs, to mile marker 315 in Limon. Snow began to fall in Colorado Springs city limits around 6 a.m. Tuesday. According to Dorn, a few light snow showers may fall through the afternoon, but the main snow event has moved east. Blizzard warning A blizzard warning was issued Monday for northern El Paso County by the National Weather Service in Pueblo. The warning is scheduled 7 p.m. Monday through 3 p.m. Tuesday. A high wind warning is also in effect through 5 p.m. Tuesday in the city of Colorado Springs, per a social media release from the city. Dangerous travel conditions are expected for the Tuesday morning commute through the evening commute, especially from the Interstate 25 corridor east to the plains, the Weather Service said in a social media post. Total snow accumulations between 4 and 10 inches are expected along with winds gusting as high as 70 mph in areas along the Palmer Divide including Black Forest and Monument. Visibilities may drop below a quarter mile because of blowing snow. "Whiteout conditions will be possible which will make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening," according to the Weather Service. The city of Colorado Springs issued a full call out of snow plows at midnight in anticipation of snow removal. Earlier Monday, Colorado Springs was forecast to reach a high of 59 degrees with many areas in the Pikes Peak region under a red-flag warning for high fire danger until 7 p.m. "Most accumulations from the storm will be above 6,000 to 6,500 feet, with a sharp cut off between little to no snowfall and very high totals," said Alan Rose, meteorologist with Gazette news partner KOAA. According to Rose, downtown Colorado Springs may only see a few inches of snow while the north side of the city could see as much as 4 to 8 inches, and even larger snow totals at higher elevation. Heavy snow, with accumulations of up to 17 inches and gusts as high as 50 mph, will affect the mountain passes, according to the Weather Service. "It will also be very windy and colder on Tuesday, with gusts around 50-60 mph in Colorado Springs during the first half of the day," Rose said. "A relatively calm day will follow on Wednesday with our high in the middle to upper 40s." Preparing for the storm Evening crews with the city of Colorado Springs were preparing their snow and ice equipment Monday and ready to deploy when snowfall begins, officials said in an email. A full callout of crews was scheduled begin at midnight Tuesday. Forecast Here's the four-day forecast from the National Weather Service: Tuesday: A 50% chance of snow showers before 11 a.m. Areas of blowing dust before 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 41. Windy, with a north wind 25 to 35 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 47. Light and variable wind becoming south southeast 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Thursday: A 30% chance of showers, mainly after 5 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Breezy, with a west wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Friday: A 50% chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. North wind around 10 mph. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) The Trump administrations new tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as increased tariffs on China, could soon have an impact on the agricultural industry here in Siouxland. The new and increased tariffs took effect early Tuesday morning. Imports from Canada and Mexico will now be taxed at 25%, with Canadian energy products subject to 10% import duties. Meanwhile, the 10% tariff that Trump placed on Chinese imports in February has been doubled to 20%. Residents voice concerns about Sioux City Human Rights Commission budget cut Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tariffs are expected to have impacts across a wide range of consumer products, everything from fresh produce to toys and car parts. However, there could be significant impacts for farmers in particular, including right here in Siouxland. The U.S. imports more than 90% of the potash used for fertilizer, and more than 80% of those imports come from Canada, according to a February report from the University of Illinois. We shouldnt expect domestic production to be able to meet demand right away, either. The same report indicates the U.S. was responsible for less than one percent of global potash production in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, potash costs average around $450 a ton, according to the most recent Iowa Production Cost Report from the USDA. Under the 25% tariff on Canadian goods, that could send prices up by more than $100 a ton. However, farm-related products entering the U.S. arent the only place we could see impacts on Siouxlands agricultural industry. Candidates announced for North Sioux City government election Soon after the increased tariffs were announced, China responded with extra tariffs on major American farm exports. Those include an additional 10% on soybeans, pork and beef, as well as 15% on corn and chicken entering China from the U.S., among others. The retaliatory tariffs are currently set to take effect on March 10. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. STANTON, Ky. (FOX 56) Powell County Detention Center staff has said their goodbyes to an inmate they said became family. Melvin was an inmate for 15 months, according to the detention center. Read more of the latest Kentucky news Since arriving on December 1, 2023, Melvin became an integral part of PCDC, working alongside staff on countless projects and making a lasting impact that wont be forgotten, the Powell County Detention Center wrote on Facebook. His dedication, work ethic, and positive spirit made him more than just a resident, he became family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melvin has since been granted parole, but he didnt leave before saying goodbye. Watching him leave felt like sending a loved one off to college, full of hope and promise for the future, the Powell County Detention Center said. We have no doubt that Melvins next steps will be filled with success, and we are incredibly proud of all he has accomplished. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Powell County Detention Center staff say goodbye to a beloved inmate (Powell County Detention Center) Powell County Detention Center staff say goodbye to a beloved inmate (Powell County Detention Center) Powell County Detention Center staff say goodbye to a beloved inmate (Powell County Detention Center) We wish him nothing but the best as he moves forward, knowing he has the strength and determination to build the life he deserves, the post concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Snow falls at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) The opposition was striking. Conservative and progressive groups alike fought it fiercely. Even a Republican lawmaker resisted it. Still, a newly unveiled bill that would create a powerful new state body called the Beehive Development Agency survived its first legislative hurdle on Monday. The Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee narrowly voted 3-2 to advance it to the Senate floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the fervor against it, SB337 also has heavyweight support. Its being pushed by Gov. Spencer Coxs office, and was supported by top Republican legislative leadership, including Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton. Its envisioned as a way to coordinate economic development as well as housing incentives for projects of statewide importance. Utah needs to enhance its ability to respond quickly and efficiently to significant economic development opportunities, the bills sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy. That could be a wide variety of things. It could be potentially a nuclear plant. It could be large manufacturing. Or it could be really grand scale, mixed-use developments. It wouldnt be for a regular development not a new subdivision and a Walmart, Cullimore said, but things that have large, significant impact on the state of Utah. He pointed to a slate of new tools Utah lawmakers have passed in recent years meant to encourage cities and developers to build more affordable single-family homes, but also expressed a need for the state to consolidate all of these efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Primarily thats what this is doing, is looking at the various things that weve done in the state of Utah over the last couple of years to boost economic development, boost housing opportunities, and really we need somebody that can come in and coordinate all of these efforts, Cullimore said. What would be the point of a Beehive Development Agency? Under SB337, the Governors Office of Economic Opportunity would have a new tool called the Beehive Development Agency, which would be an independent nonprofit that would have ultimate planning power with broad bonding, land use and taxing authority. Its meant to accomplish statewide strategic objectives by facilitating and streamlining significant community impact project areas. Cullimore said a key thing that he removed from the original version of the bill was local preemption, or measures to usurp local control over development decisions. Thats completely removed, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though he acknowledged the bill was unveiled with less than nine days to go until the conclusion of the 2025 session, Cullimore said its been worked on for a while, with the governors office and other stakeholders, and its gone through a lot of iterations. A previous version of the bill would have totally preempted cities and counties local control by allowing the Beehive Development Agency to designate up to three significant community impact project areas in a city each year regardless of consent from local officials. Last week, Cullimore told reporters that provision of the bill was subject to a lot of negotiations, and over the weekend he worked with groups including the Utah League of Cities and Towns and the Utah Association of Counties to address their concerns. What resulted was the new version Cullimore proposed in Mondays committee, which would require a city or county council to consent or not consent to inclusion in one of the Beehive Development Agencies significant community impact plans within 45 days of the agencys commissioner proposing a draft plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If they consent, SB337 specifies that decision would be irrevocable. The bill would also require the Beehive Development Agencys commissioner to coordinate with a list of other powerful, previously created agencies (many of them controversial) that also have broad land, bonding and taxing use authority, including: The Beehive Development Agency would become the mother of all development authorities or the one authority to rule them all, as The Salt Lake Tribune put it when it first reported on Cullimores bill. Bill narrowly survives committee hearing Sen. John Johnson, R-North Ogden, was reluctant to support the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think I have a major problem when government kind of takes over, he said. While Cullimore said the new version of the bill doesnt preempt local governments, Johnson questioned how creating a new state agency actually gets government out of the way. Cullimore said its more about consolidating government to better coordinate all of these efforts and bring this together so we dont have one group over here working on something, and then maybe the appropriate tools over here, and nobodys actually putting those things together. Sen. Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, who is sponsoring a proposed constitutional amendment related to citizen initiatives, speaks in favor of his legislation during an interim committee meeting at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Ryan Starks, executive director of the Governor Office of Economic Opportunity, spoke in favor of the bill, arguing we think its actually a very positive thing for the state of Utah in terms of where we want to go economically. We have a lot of competition, and we still have a lot of growth within the state. And if we want to stay ahead of the curve, we need to be able to position ourselves to attract large-scale projects in energy and housing and business, Starks said. As we meet with site selectors and companies, theyre looking for this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starks also pointed out that the bonding, taxing and land use tools that would be granted to Beehive Development Agency are not new tools. These are tools that already exist with other agencies, but yet these are tools that the Governors Office of Economic Opportunity currently lacks. Elaine Oaks, who serves on the South Davis Water District board but said she spoke on behalf of herself, was the first to speak against the bill during Mondays committee including its latest version. Beehive Development Agency or B-A-D for short undermines our constitutional framework of local governance, transfering power from elected officials to an unaccountable, private entity with statewide power, Oaks said. It removes planning authority from municipalities and transfers it to BAD a super planning authority. Oaks added that it imposes taxation without representation (by) consolidating power to an unelected, private board, creates a shadow organization controlled by the governor with little to no public oversight or checks on its power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Creating BAD is a bad idea, Oaks said, urging lawmakers to kill this bad bill. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Steve Waldrip, the governors senior housing policy adviser, spoke in favor of the bill, seeing it as a tool to help Utah fix its housing crisis by creating a consolidated spot for all of our housing policy to be decided as a state. so we dont have a mismatch between job creation and our housing needs. Zachary Frankel, executive director of the Utah Rivers Council, begged lawmakers to oppose the bill, which he described as very bad governance. He noted HB337 would also allow the Beehive Development Agency to create a public infrastructure district for what it deems is a significant community project area. That could include massive, multibillion-dollar water projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This bill fast tracks multibillion-dollar water projects by exempting local land use controls and trying to expedite the permitting, Frankel said. That is bad utility planning. Notably, representatives from conservative groups including the Utah Legislative Watch and Utah Eagle Forum and even a leader of the Utah County Republican Party spoke against the bill, warning it could be a final straw for Utahns already distrustful of their government. Im viewing this bill as a tipping point, said Maryann Christensen, executive director of Utah Legislative Watch. Confidence and trust in the Legislature is at an all-time low, and I think this bill will tip a lot of people over the edge. Its too much of a power grab. Chistensen also warned that many Utahns shes talked to have been frustrated that you guys up here are not responsive to their concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They want local control, she said. They dont want a new entity they want freedom from their government. Cameron Diehl, executive director of the Utah League of Cities and Towns which has been engaged in negotiations over the bill said the League was very concerned and opposed to SB337s first iteration, but hadnt yet taken a position on the new version of bill as of Monday morning. However, he said the new version was in a better place, in large part because it removed provisions to preempt local authority. Senate Minority Whip Karen Kwan, D-West Valley, urged lawmakers to slow the bill down, saying its very late in the session to propose such a big change in policy. Im not comfortable with the idea of the bill to begin with, she said. Let us know what you think... Johnson, the North Ogden senator, said he sees the need for it, arguing that local governments should really wake up and start realizing that one of the reasons why theres things being passed to override their local control, is that they dont think much about being reasonable or even being willing to work towards solutions that might help us on things like housing. However, Johnson ultimately voted against the bill, adding that he worries were losing credibility with the public that thinks we rush into things and we dont listen. And that bothers me. Cullimore said that the concerns about government overreach are legitimate and real concerns. However, he argued the land use and tax authority tools are already available through other agencies. What this is doing is bringing these together, he said, while also requiring local consent. The Senate president, Adams, cast a rare vote of support during Mondays hearing, urging his colleagues to support it. Adams told reporters in a media availability later Monday that he sees a need to coordinate all of the states major project areas. You need somebody to start controlling this, he said. I think there needs to be at least another set of eyes looking and overseeing whats happening. That control I think is something thats really important. Adams also addressed criticisms that legislators arent listening. He pointed to other controversial bills this session including one that would have originally drastically restricted voting by mail that has been changed multiple times in order to respond to public concerns. We are listening, he said, and were making changes, but we understand the perception is not necessarily reality, and the reality is were listening. The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A teacher accused of having an inappropriate relationship with one of his students has been formally charged. Preble County court documents show 31-year-old Garrett Stringer-Smith has been indicted on 10 counts of sexual battery by a Preble County Grand Jury. Central State officer off duty until further notice Authorities began an investigation into the alleged relationship earlier this year. The Preble County Sheriffs Office says the 17-year-old student involved explained that communication first began in January 2024, with the relationship turning sexual last October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stringer-Smith was arrested in February at his home following the investigation. Authorities say they seized several items related to the investigation during the arrest. Law enforcement says investigation revealed the relationship took place at several locations including the school building. Investigators do not currently believe there are any additional victims. Twin Valley Schools removed Stringer-Smith from his position and barred him from school property following his arrest. School officials say they are conducting their own internal investigation alongside law enforcement. Stringer-Smith is due back in court on March 21. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) President Donald Trump will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress. Republican and Democratic lawmakers will be in attendance. The address offers the president a chance to sell the American people on his domestic and foreign policy agenda that has sparked endless headlines in recent weeks. President Trump makes his triumphant return of course, said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson says the speech will highlight work already done. President Trump has signed a record 76 executive orders ramping up deportations, banning DEI programs, rolling back environmental regulations and with the help of Elon Musk making sweeping cuts to so-called waste across the federal government. In Texas we have this thing called spring cleaningundo the waste and the fraud, said Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas.). White House border czar Tom Homan says President Trump will call on Republicans to do their part in the upcoming budget. We need Congress to step up and give us the funding we need, said Homan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats warn the spending cuts endanger programs like Social Security and Medicaid. Trump and Elon Musk dismantling the services that families rely on, while steering more taxpayer dollars to themselves and their billionaire friends, said Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.). Democrats also say newly announced tariffs on Mexico and Canada will make matters worse. Its going to cost people and its going to hurt our country, said Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.). The president says he will also speak about the future of Ukraine following a spat with Ukraines president last week The administration froze military aid to Ukraine Monday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. While President Donald Trump's approval ratings have been steady during his first month of his second term, many are wondering if his recent actions could impact his rating. The nation had mixed emotions watching as Trump and Vice President JD Vance's spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday. Following the meeting, Trump said he's "determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved." Zelenskyy abruptly left the White House at Trump's demand, according to a White House official, without signing a deal for the U.S. to receive revenue from Ukraine's minerals in exchange for military assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was reported this week the Trump administration had paused military aid to Ukraine. White House officials confirmed to USA TODAY the administration wants to ensure military aid is contributing to a resolution to the conflict and it will be reviewed with that goal in mind. Days later, Trump announced on Monday the 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico would go into effect beginning Tuesday, March 4. Trump also doubled tariffs on some Chinese goods from 10% to 20%, according to USA TODAY reports. "They're going to have to have a tariff. So what they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs," Trump said at the White House on Monday. Have these actions affected his ratings? Here's what to know about the president approval rating and how they are calculated. What is Donald Trump's approval rating? Here are the latest approval ratings released about Trump's administration: Emerson College: More respondents disapproved of Trump's job by 5 percentage points. (Poll conducted March 2 - 3; 1,000 adults; margin of error 3 percentage points) "73% of Republicans approve of the Presidents handling of the war, while 76% of Democrats disapprove, Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said. Reuters/Ipsos: More respondents disapproved of Trump's job by 6 percentage points. (Poll conducted Feb 21 - 23; 1,029 adults; margin of error 3 percentage points) Some 38% of poll respondents said they had a favorable view of Elon Musk while 57% said they viewed him unfavorably. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement YouGov/TheEconomist: More respondents approved of Trump's job than disapproved by 3 percentage points (poll conducted Feb. 23 - 25; 1,601 registered voters; margin of error 3.2 percentage points). The poll found that 48% of Americans approved of Trump, with more than half of that figure being men. The poll also found that 45% of Americans saw Russia as an enemy, along with 27% regarding it as unfriendly to the United States. Morning Consult: More respondents approve of Trump's work by 1 percentage point (poll conducted Feb. 28 -March 2; 2,229 registered voters; margin of error 2 percentage points). Amid his government-wide cost-cutting efforts and news of potential safety net cuts from Capitol Hill, voters are for the first time more likely to disapprove than approve of Trumps handling of Medicare and Social Security (44% to 43%), they note. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gallup: More respondents disapprove of Trump's job overall by a 6-point margin (poll conducted Feb 3 - 16; 1,004 adult respondents; margin of error 4 percentage points) His support is highly partisan, as the poll shows the gap between Democrats who approve of Trump and Republicans who approve of Trump is 89 percentage points, the highest Gallup has measured for any president. Echelon Insights: More Americans approve of Trump's job, 52% to 46%, (poll conducted Feb. 10-13; 1,010 likely electorate; margin of error 3.6 percentage points) The survey also showed that voters do not approve of Elon Musk's current role with the federal government by an 11-point margin. How does Trump's approval rating compare with his first term? Trump ended his first term in 2021 with a final approval rating of 34%, the same as former presidents George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His approval average was 41%. How does Trump's approval rating compare with past presidents? Joe Biden - 40% Donald Trump (first term) - 34% Barack Obama - 59% George W. Bush - 34% Bill Clinton - 66% George H.W. Bush - 56% Ronald Reagan - 63% Jimmy Carter - 34% Gerald Ford - 53% Richard Nixon - 24% What goes into a president's approval rating? Data agency Gallup notes that these approval ratings are a "simple measure, yet a very powerful one that has played a key role in politics for over 70 years." A presidents approval rating reflects the percentage of American polled who approve of the presidents performance. Anything can impact a president's rating, such as legislation passed, actions and elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to ABC News, an approval rating doesn't just represent how well the administration is doing for the general public, but could determine the outcome of an upcoming election for a politician or how much they get done during their time in office. When did approval ratings for presidents start? Presidential approval rating where first conducted by the founder of the American Institute of Public Opinion, George Gallup, around 1935 to gauge public support for the president of the United States during their term. While Gallup has tracked presidential approval for 70 years, other organization release their own polls as well, including Ipsos and Morning Consult. Project FiveThirtyEight also finds averages of these polls, highlighting the specific issues citizens are most concerned about. For example, they found Trump's most polled-on issue area was immigration. Are presidential approval ratings accurate? While these ratings are easy to understand, Quorum says some analysts believe they are not as useful as they once were due extreme partisanship and the polarized political climate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Presidential approval ratings have always been partisan, with members of the presidents party offering more positive assessments than those in the opposing party, according to the Pew Research Center. But the differences between Republicans and Democrats on views of the president have grown substantially in recent decades. Contributing: Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Donald Trump's approval rating: See what recent polls are showing WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) The president says time has run out for Americas largest trading partners to make a deal to avoid tariffs. No room left for Mexico or for Canada. No, the tariffs. Theyre all set, President Donald Trump said Monday. New 25% import taxes on goods from Canada and Mexico start tomorrow, after a month delay. President Trump says he wants the countries to do more to stop the flow of drugs and illegal immigration at the borders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just so you understand, vast amounts of fentanyl have poured into our country, President Trump said. The presidents tariff plan also imposes an extra 10% on China. Some lawyers expect the plan to be challenged by importers. International Trade Law Attorney and Partner at Wiley Rein LLP, Tim Brightbill, says there is a law that lets presidents impose remedies in an emergency, but those are typically sanctions, not tariffs. This is arguably an aggressive, but defensible use of the law, Brightbill said. Some warn the tariffs could raise prices for consumers. A recent analysis by the Peterson Institute for International Economics says households could pay an extra $1,200 a year because of these tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brightbill says its hard to say what the effects will exactly be, since the tariffs arent for specific items. Arguably, were in uncharted territory here, Brightbill said. So the question is whether or not those kind of economic effects might become more pronounced when they are broad based as opposed to specific. The president says tariffs will spur domestic manufacturing and help balance the trade deficit. Tariffs are easy. Theyre fast. Theyre efficient, and they bring fairness, President Trump said. Monday, he touted a new $100 billion investment from a private company to build chip manufacturing plants in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president says additional reciprocal tariffs will begin April 2. Those aim to match the tax rate other countries charge the U.S. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) President Donald Trump is gearing up for his joint address to Congress Tuesday night. At the White House Monday, the president promised major announcements in his speech, including an update on the Ukrainian minerals deal that fell apart last week. Ill let you know tomorrow night, President Trump said. Republicans in Congress also expect to hear more concrete plans for their key priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To strengthen our economy, to make our streets safer and our nations healthier, said U.S. Rep. John Joyce (R-Pa.). House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) posted some preparations for the joint address on X, saying, Its going to be BIG! Its going to be a MAGA pep rally, not a serious talk to the nation, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told CNNs State of the Union Sunday. Donald Trump is going to spew a series of lies. While Murphy said he will skip the speech, other Democrats plan to attend to put a face on what they call the Trump administrations harmful funding freezes and firings. You would think Mr. Musk might say, Hey, you know what, this is a great nation that has provided me these great opportunities. How about we care for them?' asked U.S. Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Larson will bring the mother of a cystic fibrosis patient as his guest to highlight medical research he said Elon Musk and DOGE want to cut. The presidents speech starts at 9 p.m. ET. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) President Trumps long-threatened tariffs against Canada and Mexico have gone into effect, kicking off a trade war with Americas neighbors. Senate negotiators look at dueling options to avert government shutdown After a months delay, President Trumps new tariffs went into effect just past midnight on Tuesday morning. These new tariffs are going to impact goods imported from Canada and Mexico. Trump also placed an additional tariff on China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Imports from Canada and Mexico will now be taxed at 25% while the tax on imports from China has doubled to 20%. In addition to that 25% tax on imports from Canada, there is also a 10% import tax on Canadian energy production, and experts say due to that tax, gas prices might be the first to go up. The U.S. imports nearly half of its crude oil from Canada every year, according to the Energy Information Administration. This would not only increase prices at the pump but also cripple Canadas top export. Top imports for the United States from both Canada and Mexico include cars and trucks, auto parts, and oil. The tariffs were originally presented as a way to get Canada and Mexico to increase border security, but President Trump has also said that the fees would only go down if the U.S. trade imbalance closes. Experts say its hard to predict just how long that would take. While these tariffs go into effect, both China and Canada have retaliated, placing their own sets of tariffs. China has placed a tariff of up to 15% on a wide variety of exports including 15% taxes on chicken, wheat, corn and cotton. A 10% tariff on fruits and vegetables, dairy, fish, beef, and pork. Beijing is also filing a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization over the new 10% tariff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canada has also placed their own tariffs. of up to 25% on over $100 billion of American goods and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said part will take place immediately and the rest over the next three weeks. President Trump threatened these tariffs as a way to try and stop the illegal flow of fentanyl and illicit drugs into the U.S. Trudeau says while Canada already contributed to less than one percent of drugs coming across the border, they invested billion into security, dropping it even further. Mexico is expected to announce their response Tuesday morning. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. President Donald Trump has threatened a stoppage of federal funds to any college or university "that allows illegal protests." The brief post from Trump on Truth Social, which doesn't spell out what constitutes an "illegal protest," also saw the president threatening to imprison or deport "agitators." Both actions would almost certainly draw First Amendment challenges through the courts. "All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests, Trump wrote. "American students will be permanently expelled, or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes at a time the University of Minnesota is the subject of a federal investigation for alleged on-campus antisemitism after it was the scene of pro-Palestine protests last year. The university is one of ten institutions that will have a federal task force visiting school grounds, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Related: U of M one of five universities subject of antisemitism probe by Trump Administration The U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protects the freedom of speech, the press, religion, assembly and petition. It also prevents the government from establishing a national religion. However, the Trump Administration is currently testing the power of the judiciary in the United States, ignoring orders from district judges concerning his administration's freezing or cancellations of federal funding and grants. The investigations by the DOJ follow an executive order signed by Trump in January, which orders federal authorities to "investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its announcement, the department says it followed "the explosion of antisemitism on American campuses following the Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023." Too many universities have tolerated widespread antisemitic harassment and the illegal encampments that paralyzed campus life last year, driving Jewish life and religious expression underground. The Biden Administrations toothless resolution agreements did shamefully little to hold those institutions accountable, Craig Trainor, acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, said in a statement at the time. The protests that occurred on the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus included some protesters occupying the university's Morrill Hall, causing damage as they barricaded themselves inside the building using bike locks and patio furniture. DivestUMN, Instagram The protests were in response to the school's continued investment in Israeli companies and policies limiting how protesters can organize on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hamas-led terrorist incursion on Oct. 7, 2023, saw more than 1,100 Israeli people killed. The swift and brutal response by the Israeli military has since killed more than 46,000 Palestinians. The Al Jazeera Media Network reports that more than 18,000 of those deaths are children. Protests in favor of a free Palestine have often been conflated with antisemitism in the past 19 months, even though, in the majority of cases, the main criticisms are directed toward Benjamin Netanyahu's Israeli regime and not the Jewish faith as a whole. The U of M protest did involve the refrain of "From the river to the sea/Palestine will be free," which pro-Palestinians see as a call for unity and peace. However, many in the Jewish faith see it as an antisemitic call for Israel's destruction. U of M President Rebecca Cunningham didn't cite any examples of antisemitic acts when condemning the protests, instead criticizing the protesters 11 of whom were arrested for risking the safety of employees and causing property damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These actions crossed the line into illegal activity when they actively threatened our employees' emotional and physical safety," Cunningham said. "The safety, security, and well-being of our staff, students, and faculty are our highest priority." Bring Me The News reached out to the U of M for comment on Trump's recent comments but haven't received a response. Yellowstone National Park turned 153 years old Saturday and some folks celebrated by rallying at the park in opposition to the Trump administrations sweeping job cuts. "We have to stop this hostile takeover of public lands and mistreatment of their government stewards, Yellowstone Wolf Tracker demanded in a video post from Yellowstones North Entrance. Unjustified and unforgivable. About 1,000 National Park Service employees were fired abruptly on Feb. 14, leaving 63 national parks and more than 400 national park units with seemingly critical staffing shortages in advance of the busy season. More recently, the Trump administration announced plans to end NPS leases and close 34 offices that that currently serve as museums, visitor centers, and law enforcement headquarters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protest rallies were held across the country. But the Yellowstone gathering held special significance because of the parks role in the creation of the national park system and protection of public lands. Yellowstone is the nations first national park. It was established by an act of Congress signed into law on March 1, 1872, by President Ulysses S. Grant. So perhaps its reasonable to wonder, given the merciless cuts at all agencies involved in the stewardship of public lands, if the U.S. would have any national parks if past presidents were of the same mindset as Donald Trump. Can you imagine Trump signing the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law, sparing more than 2 million acres of pristine wilderness from development? Roosevelt Arch at Yellowstone's North Entrance Do you think any Congress as divided as the current legislative body could work together toward formulating such an act? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters of mass terminations might argue that parks can get by with smaller staffs, without as many rangers, without as many employees to maintain trails, man visitor centers, clean and stock restrooms, plan and conduct activities designed to enhance the visitor experience. The parks, one person complained to me recently, are resilient and can take care of themselves. Interestingly, that was the thinking when Yellowstone was created. But it quickly became evident that the park required money and staff to prevent a rapid erosion of its natural splendor. Grand Canyon of Yellowstone From the nonprofit Yellowstone Forever: Those urging Congress to officially protect Yellowstone believed it could be done at no expense to the government. This concept was quickly disproven when the first unpaid superintendent saw the consequences of having no funds to protect park wildlife and other resources. Poachers, vandals, and squatters ran rampant in the newly formed park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1886, after Congress declined to appropriate funds, the U.S. Army became Yellowstones protector. Troops patrolled the interior and guarded top attractions, such as fragile thermal features. Troops also cracked down on poachers who threatened to exterminate animals such as the bison, according to the park website. One highly publicized poaching incident sparked a national outcry that persuaded Congress to pass the National Park Protection Act, which boosted the Armys authority. By then, however, 14 other national parks had been established and it became apparent that all parks should be administered by one entity. That happened when Congress passed the National Park Service Organic Act, which was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on Aug. 25, 1916, establishing the National Park Service. Yellowstones first park rangers, which included former Army veterans, were put to work in 1918. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year the park, which has already begun to plow roads in advance of spring, expects to accommodate roughly 4 million tourists. It will do so with a smaller staff, likely fewer trained rangers, and possibly fewer available facilities than in past seasons. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Trump also targets National Park Service leases Three months after reacting with giddiness that Donald Trumps mass deportation campaign promise would make them boatloads of money, private prison executives are as optimistic as ever and theyre licking their lips at a potentially massive immigration enforcement budget from the Republican-controlled Congress. We believe the scale of the opportunity before our company is unlike any weve previously experienced, David Donahue, the CEO of GEO Group, said on a quarterly earningscall Thursday. GEO Group is the largest private contractor for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ive worked at CoreCivic for 32 years, and this is truly one of the most exciting periods in my career with the company, Damon Hininger, CEO of CoreCivic, another major private prison player, said in that companys earningscall last month. Advertisement Advertisement The optimism from the prison executives comes as Congress could dramatically increase the money that Trump can use to arrest, jail and deport undocumented people. Recentdatashows that the pure numbers behind Trumps deportation record are, so far, actually pretty similar to those during former President Joe Bidens tenure. Still, Trump has tremendous power to detain and deport far more people than he did in his first term but the details of how hell do so are still fuzzy. I dont doubt that theyre going to grow this detention system a lot, said Silky Shah, executive director of Detention Watch Network, a coalition of advocacy groups campaigning for the end of immigration detention in the United States, ahead of GEO Groups call Thursday. The unanswered question, she added, is the scale of what they can do. Execs See Detention Bed Demand Quadrupling As of Feb. 27, there were 43,759 undocumented people in ICE custody, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, or TRAC, an independent organization that combs through federal data. Thats the highest number since the first Trump administration, when it reached 55,654. Advertisement Advertisement Early last month, CBS News reported that ICE had hit around 42,000 people in its custody, forcing the agency to release dozens of people a day due to lack of space. Numerous observers havedecried poor reporting and record-keeping by ICE, making numbers difficult to verify. The detainees are held by a mix of federal immigration facilities, private contractors, and state and local facilities that lease space to the feds. The Trump administration is also reportedly using federal prisons for immigration detention, raising serious legal and ethical questions. And on Feb. 1, Trumps Border Czar Tom Homan told the National Sheriffs Association that he was working on lowering detention standards so that local jurisdictions like sheriffs offices could jail ICE detainees without adhering to national standards. If thats good enough for a U.S. citizen in your county, its good enough for an illegal immigrant detained for us, Homan said. We need your bed space. We need your 287(g) agreements, he added separately, later, referring to local law enforcement helping ICE with immigration enforcement. But driven by the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the jailing of undocumented people even if they are simply accused of a crime as minor as shoplifting, and Trumps campaign promise of a mass deportation effort, Congress could choose to significantly increase funding for immigration detention meaning a big payday for the prison contractors. Advertisement Advertisement On the private prison companies earnings calls, executives cited pressreports on ICE estimates that the new law would require 60,000 to 110,000 new detention beds to jail everyone who fits its extremely broad language. They added an estimated 100,000 additional beds supposedly needed to meet Trumps existing demands for mass deportation, both at the border and in the interior of the country. In all, Hininger said, It feels like 150,000 to 200,000 is where theyre going to end up. We believe that an increase of between 100,000 and 160,000 beds will require a wide range of solutions, GEO Group founder and Executive Chairman George Zoley said on that companys call. The Trump administration has not been transparent with its plans, but reports indicate theyre aiming high when it comes to immigration detention. In December, Homan said hed need 100,000 beds minimum because we got a big population to look for. And a couple days after Trumps inauguration, The Washington Post reported on briefing documents stating ICE was preparing to more than double its detention capacity, through a mix of four new 10,000-bed facilities and 14 other sites with between 700- and 1,000-person capacity. Advertisement Advertisement GEO Group and the Trump administration announced plans last week to reopen a 1,000-bed facility in New Jersey, which will be the largest such facility in the New York metro area, The City reported. And CoreCivic announced Thursday that it had modified existing contracts with ICE to add capacity for over 1,000 additional ICE detainees across four existing facilities. And other detention facilities remain idle, ready to reopen if needed but real questions remain about where Trump proposes to put immigrants detained by his administration. Military bases are one option. One internal proposal would use up to 11 military bases around the country to hold thousands of detainees, NPR reported recently. And the administration is already using Guantanamo Bay to jail hundreds of migrants. As with most immigration detention, the line between public and private resources is blurred at Guantanamo Bay. Akima, the private conglomerate with numerous other detention contracts across the country, was contracted by the Trump administration to run its Guantanamo operation, as well. It was previously contracted for the same job by the Biden administration, though on a smaller scale. The Guardian recently reported on allegations of use of force and health and safety violations at the companys facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Navy personnel are also involved in increasing Guantanamo Bays Migrant Operations Center capacity up to 2,000, according to a military press release. Trump has spoken about holding as many as 30,000 people at the site; even if hes exaggerating, getting anywhere near that number would be a huge expansion of the United States immigrant detention machine. It also brings troubling human rights concerns. Already, detainees are experiencing terrible conditions, severe isolation, limited access to legal counsel, and false allegations from the U.S. government that they are gang members, according to mediareports and multiplelawsuits from the ACLU and other groups. Congress Could Fuel Mass Detention, Deportations The Trump administrations deportation goals rely to some extent on its budget. Without more money for more beds, travel and agents, mass deportation is just a slogan. And that all depends on Congress, which is controlled by Republicans in both chambers. Advertisement Advertisement The Senate last month approved a ten-fold increase in the budget for ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agencies concerned with interior and border immigration enforcement, respectively. Still, the budget will take time to complete. And without specifics, projections are difficult. When we look at all numbers together what theyve proposed at Gitmo, what theyve proposed here in the U.S. so far, at the military bases, et cetera its a tripling of the detention capacity already, which is roughly the same as the number of people who were in internment camps in World War II, around 120,000, Shah said. Its hard to say what to anticipate, the announcements have all been so bananas, she added. But I can see them adding another 10-, 20,000 beds this year, I dont know. Compared to the first Trump administration, Shah noted, Theyre much more focused on interior arrests. And though theyre the minority, its also unclear whether Democrats plan much opposition to the immigration enforcement expansion. Advertisement Advertisement Twelve Democrats in the U.S. Senate voted for the Laken Riley Act, which massively expands ICEs mandate to jail undocumented people. And the immigration reform deal that the Biden administration pushed which Trump ultimatelysabotaged, stopping it in its tracks would have provided funding for 50,000 beds in immigration detention, and it conceded a slew of right-wing priorities. Politico called the bill the most stringent immigration bill endorsed by a Democratic president in recent memory. The New Jersey detention center that recently reopened did so after the Biden administration solicited proposals for a New Jersey-area detention facility last year, and only after they took CoreCivics side in a lawsuit against a New Jersey law against private immigration detention, The City noted. The private prison executives said they were closely watching budget negotiations. The timing of government actions on new contracts is always difficult to predict, CoreCivic CFO David Garfinkle said on that companys earnings call last month. Advertisement Advertisement I think the timetable on that is kind of March, maybe early April, Hininger added later, referring to congressional budget negotiations. Being captain obvious: Fundings gonna be key here. That funding wont all go to detention. Immigration enforcement money will also fuel new hiring, deportation flights to take people out of the country or between detention facilities, and alternatives to detention programs, such as GPS monitors and phone apps that track people outside of physical custody. A GEO Group subsidiary controls the only current alternatives to the detention contract. We are ramping up our inventory of ankle monitors at our Boulder, Colorado, facility, Zoley said. Earlier, he repeated a line from the companys November earnings call: Between digital and body-worn surveillance, the company was ready to scale the program up from a couple hundred thousand participants to, potentially, millions. Related... JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. A Republican lawmaker from northwest Missouri is rallying legislators from both sides of the aisle to change who can serve on the states Clean Water Commission. House Bill 488 would require all members of the governor-appointed Clean Water Commission to have an interest in and knowledge of conservation and the effects and control of water contaminants. The measure also specifies that at least two of the seven members shall be knowledgeable concerning the needs of agriculture, industry or mining. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the main focus of the measures sponsor, State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, R-Andrew County, is to ensure water people are on the board that The reason for the bill is to get more people that are knowledgeable about clean water on the commission, Van Schoiak said. It says at least one person shall be knowledgeable in that field. So that means it could be more than one person. St. Louis Mayoral primary results There is currently no requirement that mandates the governor pick a certain numberor any members of the water industry, including hydrologists or retired citizens who worked in water works. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission, which is under the purview of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), exists to ensure all 2,800 public water systems in Missouri provide safe drinking water. The appointed-board is also charged with advising the DNR on various drinking water issues. The Missouri Clean Water Commission was established in 1972, the same year President Richard Nixon spearheaded the effort to create the federal Clean Water Act. The early 1970s were also a time where other environmental causes were sweeping through the country under Nixon: the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the adoption of the Clear Air Act. The current board consists of three Democrats and four Republicans. Van Schoiack said that includes members of the public, agriculture, mining but only one person who is a professional in the field of clean, reliable drinking water. At a hearing this week, water utilities including Missouri American Water as well as the Metropolitan Sewer District testified in favor of the bill, citing concerns that members of the board are political appointees and not people who are experts in the field. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News The proposal even got some support from environmental organizations like the Sierra Club, who testified that the intent of the bill is something they support. The only caveat from the Sierra Clubs representative was specific language related to a water-related board member who was also concurrently working in the industry. But despite this objection to some of the language, the representative from the left-leaning organization told the committee that the crux of the bill is needed. lawmakers seemed poised to advance the bill onto the next stage of the policy process. Per House rules, HB 488 still needs to be heard and voted out of another committee before it can be taken up for perfection on the House floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If approved by members of the House, the bill will be sent to the Senate for consideration. Unlike the lower chamber, bills in the Senate only need to be heard in one committee before it can go to the floor. Lawmakers are now halfway through the legislative session, with spring break set for next week. For more information on Missouris Clean Water Law, 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 2. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Ohio public school students may soon be spending more time in the classroom. Ohio requires public school students, grades 7-12, to be in the classroom for 1,001 hours per school year, putting Ohio behind some other states: Kentucky: 1062 hours Michigan: 1098 hours Texas: 1260 hours Wisconsin: 1050 hours Ohio lawmakers want to increase the required number by 53 hours, bringing the total requirement up to 1,054 hours in the classroom per school year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would say that most of the schools are probably already there, Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond) said. And so, the intent of the bill is not to allow further slippage in the wrong direction. We care about kids getting good educational outcomes and we see that Ohio is lagging behind our competitive peers here, not only in the Midwest, but across the nation and across the world, Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) said. Parents like Sam Shim, who has an 11th grader in a central Ohio public school system, said their school currently is in session longer than is required, but he worries about that changing. In theory, our superintendent has said our kids can be out of school at the beginning of April, Shim said. They dont do that. But its a concern that the hours have been reduced so much that if a school district is in distress, that they can cut hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bird said even with this bill, the number of hours in the classroom will still not be where we were back in 2014, but said it is a step in the right direction. The point is the time matters, Bird said. Bird was a superintendent at a middle school during the COVID-19 pandemic and said students still need to make up for that lost time in school, and parents like Shim agreed. I am worried that students are still behind so this may be a great opportunity to catch up, Shim said. So how will schools make up the extra time? The legislation does not prescribe that, and as it stands, that decision would be up to local districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Simply extending the school day a little bit more may do it, Williams said. One less field trip may be able to add to that instructional time. One less professional development day may be able to accomplish some of those hours. We dont have to add weeks, months at the end of the school year. Theyve increased spring break, Bird said. Theyve now added a fall break. Theyve now added a lengthier winter break, and there are more three-day weekends. And so, I want to stop the decline. The Ohio Education Association has some concerns. In a statement, the organization said it has not yet seen the full language of this bill, so we are still working to analyze its potential impacts. That said, OEA is concerned by any proposal to create another large unfunded mandate on Ohios public schools especially when many Ohio districts face a large decrease in state funding in the state budget, House Bill 96. Bird said the cost really should not be too much and points out the millions of dollars that are being considered, but not yet enacted, for school transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you have a teacher workday, as opposed to an instructional day with students, its not going to cost you any more in paying that teacher, Bird said. Youre going to pay the teacher the same whether theyve got students in front of them or not. Whats going to cost you a little bit more is the transportation, perhaps the food service of that day. Williams said more time in the classroom could help students who struggle to get homework done after hours. Instead of giving five sheets of paper to go home for the kid to do at home when theyre struggling to eat, when theyre struggling to deal with abuse thats in the household, how about an extra half an hour in front of a teacher who can help them with their homework, Williams said. Bird said this legislation will help make sure students who are away from their campus, for valid reasons like 4-H programs or religious release, also do not fall behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As far as union agreements go, Bird said teachers will be able to carry out their current contracts and maximum teaching hours, for now. We are, at some point, going to introduce an amendment that would make sure that this bill does not come into conflict with any current collective bargaining agreement with teacher unions, Bird said. Any current collective bargaining agreement can continue and when that expires, then they would have to comply with the bill. Shim said he does not expect his student, or others, to be too thrown off by an extra hour requirement if it becomes law. He said it is very reasonable but it will also be about making sure students are informed that things wont change too much. Not disrupting your extracurriculars, he said. Its just restoring some of the standards that used to be in place in Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill has not yet been assigned a number or Ohio House committee to be heard in. Read the language proposed for the bill below. Hours-in-School-YearDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A bipartisan bill aims to regulate the vape industry and protect children in Tennessee, but some vape retailers call it a big tobacco bill that would put them out of business. The proposed legislation would create a universal carding requirement, a 10% tax on open system vape products where users add their own liquid to the cartridge, and a ban on products that arent FDA-approved or approval pending. Sen. Ken Yager (R-Kingston), the bills Senate sponsor, told reporters several judges in his district are concerned about the youth vaping rate and the safety of the products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of these products being sold in these containers are not FDA approved, Yager said. In fact, theyre being made in China and sent here, and I just dont want to see our children poisoned by these toxins that are being imported by the communist Chinese government. The bill would also establish a state registry of products that can be sold in Tennessee, which would include the 34 FDA-approved vape products and the 400-some others in the FDA approval pipeline. Classroom cellphone ban bill passes TN House of Representatives The market is being flooded with illicit vapes that are overwhelmingly manufactured and exported from China, Rep. David B. Hawk (R-Greeneville), the bills House sponsor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, vape industry experts testified to lawmakers the bill would require them to pull 99% of the products they sell off the market and would put them out of business. An outright registry and a ban on our products is not proper, Danny Gillis, president of the TN Smoke Free Association said. Its actually a prohibition, and its going to cause harm in our statehealth harm. Gillis argued he has thousands of customers who have used vapes to quit smoking. He said the 34 products currently approved by the FDA are all owned by big tobacco. Hes concerned the bill would enable the big tobacco companies to take control of the vape industry, which is meant to reduce harm. When they implement such regulation or opposing tax structures, it drives people back to smoking or goes straight into a black market, Gillis said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During testimony in the House Government Operations Committee on Monday, March 3, the Tennessee Smoke Free Association (TSFA) argued the products they sell already go through a review process by the FDA. The FDA, if they ban products, which they do all the time, theyre taken off distribution. The labs are closed; they stop the imports, Gillis said. The FDA is already doing exactly what this registry is trying to accomplish. It is going to be a burden on this state, and it is going to be a burden on stores to try to know what is available to sell, and were going to strand our customers to the black market. Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom TSFA Vice President Chris Lautz said states that have enacted similar registry legislation suffered negative financial consequences and saw increased smuggling rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Massachusetts was one of the first ones back in 2020. They ended up seeing a $135 million loss in revenue; smuggling went from 19.9% to 37.6%; the state lost an additional $224 million annually, Lautz said. California did the same thing in 2023. Theyre looking at a $150 to $200 million tax shortfall because of this bill. Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, these are just some of the states that passed this, but every one of these states has had a massive negative impact, not only on taxes, but small business support; a lot of these businesses are closing. Lautz told lawmakers Louisiana saw 100-plus store closures after approving a similar registry bill, which represents 25% of vape retailers in the state. However, Yager called the concern over businesses closing a false issue. That is not the intention of this bill to put anybody out of business, and under the terms of this bill, it will not put anybody out of business, Yager said. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Lawmakers pointed out that while Lautz and Gillis are responsible vape retailers who do it the right way, thats not the case for all vape stores in Tennessee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For everyone thats doing it the right way, like these gentlemen, theres thousands that arent doing it the right way, and its harming our kids, Hawk said. The House version of the bill was rolled to the next Government Operations Committee hearing due to timing issues. Hawk hopes proponents of the proposed legislation will testify at the next hearing, scheduled for March 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. The federal investigation into the Karen Read murder case is over, special prosecutor Hank Brennan announced during a Tuesday pretrial hearing, confirming what 25 Investigates first reported last week. Read, 44, of Mansfield, is accused of hitting John OKeefe with her Lexus SUV in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die in a snowstorm after a night of drinking. The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying OKeefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home and dragged outside. The Norfolk County District Attorneys Office was contacted by the U.S. Attorneys Office. Let me make crystal clear, they made clear that I could inform the court there is no longer any federal investigation into the investigation of John OKeefes death or any related matters, Brennan said. It is closed, it is over. BREAKING: As #25Investigates first reported and 4 other reporters also confirmed, the federal investigation of the Karen Read case is OVER. Hank Brennan just said on the record and in open court that the Feds gave him permission to announce that.#boston25 Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) March 4, 2025 Boston 25s Ted Daniel was the first to break the news on the federal probe coming to an end, noting that no charges would be filed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canton Police Chief Canton Police Chief Helena Rafferty released a statement following Brennans announcement, writing, I recently spoke to and was informed by the U.S. Attorneys Office, that ALL ASPECTS of the federal investigation, initiated by her predecessor and related to the death of John OKeefe, have been completed. The investigation is no longer active and will be closed. Due to ethical limitations, I cannot comment further. As 25 Investigates reported in December 2023, the federal probe was run by the U.S. Attorneys Public Corruption Unit and agents from the Boston FBI office assisted with it. It was focused on widely publicized allegations that Read was framed for OKeefes death by law enforcement and those she and OKeefe had been drinking with in the hours before OKeefe was found unresponsive outside 34 Fairview Road in Canton on the morning of January 29, 2022. Multiple people were questioned before a federal grand jury, including the state police detectives who arrested Read, along with witnesses for the prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal government provided 3,074 pages of documents from their investigation of Reads case before her trial last April in Dedhams Norfolk Superior Court. The documents included Trooper Michael Proctors offensive text messages about Read, grand jury testimony from prosecution witness Brian Higgins about the destruction of his cell phone, and findings from ARCCA, an engineering consulting firm that concluded that OKeefes injuries did not appear to come from a vehicle strike. Read is charged with second-degree murder and other charges. The Norfolk DAs office alleges she struck OKeefe with her SUV while driving in reverse. The conclusion of the federal probe comes one month after new U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Leah Foley was appointed to replace Josh Levy, who resigned on Jan. 17, 2025. Brennan asking for a gag order on all attorneys Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) March 4, 2025 After informing the court of the closure of the federal investigation, Brennan requested that a gag order be imposed on all of Karen Reads attorneys, saying that their ongoing, deliberate, purposeful poisoning of the potential jury pool needs to come to an end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Commonwealth asks the court to consider sanctions so that we can have a fair trial. What I suggest is that from now until trial, all pleadings submitted by the defense should be under seal, Brennan said. No more symposiums on the courthouse stairs, no more interviews with national media, no more statements to press privately behind the scenes over a coffee and putting out information, often times inaccurate, to sell the story before the trial starts so we can have a trial based on fact. Brennan added, There should be a gag order on all of these attorneys...And the Commonwealth will not speak either...In light of the inability for the defense to restrain themselves, in light of their purposeful, intentional, and obvious efforts, in order to best try to maintain a fair jury in this case, is to impose those sanctions. Brennans gag order request comes after the defense filed a 147-page motion to dismiss the case against Read based on the basis of extraordinary governmental misconduct, accusing the Commonwealth of destroying exculpatory evidence, withholding exculpatory evidence, and interfering with the jury. It also comes after Read, sitting alongside attorney Alan Jackson, told Boston 25s Ted Daniel that she has nothing to hide and that shes been framed for murder in an exclusive one-on-one interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the case was last in court last week, one of Reads attorneys, Robert Alessi, responded in court after special prosecutor Hank Brennan accused the defense of essentially lying about dealings that they had with ARCCA crash reconstruction experts. Alessi told the court that there was nothing shady about their interactions with accident reconstruction specialist Dr. Daniel Wolfe and biomechanical engineering specialist Dr. Andrew Rentschler, accusing Brennan of misleading Cannone. Wolfe and Rentschler both testified on behalf of Read in June 2024 and stated that injuries to Reads Boston police officer boyfriend werent consistent with a vehicle strike. Brennan has alleged that the defense hid communications with ARCCA and a more than $23,000 payment they allegedly made to the engineering consulting firm initially hired by federal authorities to look into Reads case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alessi confirmed that Reads legal team did pay for the ARCCA testimony and Brennan maintained that the information should have been shared publicly. Of course, any attorney, unless they want to risk malpractice, is going to make a communication with that expert, which was perfectly legal, Alessi argued. Brennan responded, It is the bias, the relationship that is critical, and that was hidden from the court. Cannon ended the hearing without deciding if the defense would face any consequences, however, she previously suggested that this could have profound effects on the future of the case. In new court filings Monday, Reads defense sought to clarify statements made in documents for the previous hearing, specifically a motion that states the ARCCA crash experts were not hired or paid by the defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Karen Read case will shift to federal court on Wednesday as the defense seeks to get her charges dropped based on the double jeopardy argument involving jurors from her first trial who reported that she was acquitted. Karen Read's case will head to federal court tomorrow as the defense seeks to get her charges dropped based on the double jeopardy argument involving jurors from 1st trial who report that she was acquitted. AJ says he's ready to come back to Judge Cannone's courtroom after the Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) March 4, 2025 Cannone declared a mistrial in July 2024 after finding jurors couldnt reach a unanimous verdict on all three charges. Last month, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts denied Reads bid to dismiss her charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a deadly crash for double jeopardy reasons. Reads attorneys had argued that their clients double jeopardy protections were violated because several jurors who came forward after the mistrial indicated that Read was found not guilty of the two charges in question. Cannone later rejected a motion to dismiss the charges, prompting the SJC appeal. After the SJCs denial, the Read legal team said it would consider their legal options, including federal habeas corpus relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both the defense and prosecution are slated to return to Dedhams Norfolk Superior Court on Wednesday for additional proceedings after the federal hearing wraps. The retrial of Read is slated for April 2025. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW ***Prior coverage in video player above*** DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Prosecutors Office has made motions to transfer two juveniles to adult court in relation to a police chase that ended in a fiery crash in February. Two juveniles, 16-year-old Khaiere Williams and 16-year-old Sloan Davenport are facing several charges and could be tried as adults after stealing a vehicle and leading police on a pursuit before crashing on Feb. 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Driver reaches 140 MPH while fleeing police, crashes into multiple vehicles Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. has filed the motions to transfer both minors to adult court for their several indictments. Court records show that on the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 5, the defendants left a group home in a stolen Chevy Equinox. Dayton police officers saw the vehicle and attempted to stop it, but the driver fled, prompting a chase. As the driver, identified as Williams, attempted to flee, police say he hit an unmarked police car and accelerated towards two uniformed police officers, striking one in the food as she tried to flee the path of the vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers pursued the defendants, with speeds reportedly reaching 100 miles per hour. The pursuit ended at the intersection of Germantown Pike and Gettysburg Avenue when the stolen vehicle crashed into a truck and then struck a utility pole, flipped upside down and burst into flames. Both defendants were taken into custody and are now facing several charges. Defendant Williams is charged with: Defendant Davenport is charged with: Two counts of Felonious Assault police officer One count of Failure to Comply with the Order or Signal of a Police Officer One count of Grand Theft motor vehicle One count of Vehicular Assault One count Grand Theft motor vehicle Prosecutor Heck reports both juveniles have prior convictions, including aggravated assault, aggravated menacing and felonious assault, in various jurisdictions throughout Tennessee and Ohio. These 16-year-olds were out of control and had absolutely zero regard for the safety of anyone, including the police officers, pedestrians, and other drivers, said Heck. We will not tolerate teens who steal vehicles, flee from police, and endanger the public with their reckless actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heck has filed the motions to transfer both minors to be tried as adults. 2 NEWS will continue to follow this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. A Ugandan conservationist working to preserve the African golden cat won the second-ever Emerging Conservationist award from the Indianapolis Prize. Mwezi Badru Mugerwa will receive a $50,000 award for his work within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda. He founded Embaka, a community-based organization to help the African golden cat, and established a first of its kind conservation program to combat poachers targeting the cat. The Emerging Conservationist award is part of the biennial Indianapolis Prize and recognizes an early-career conservationist under the age of 40. A prize committee chose Mugerwa from a pool of 10 finalists from around the globe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Indianapolis Prize, a globally recognized honor for dedicated conservationists working to save animal species. Since it began, the Prize has awarded more than $7 million to support the critical work done by individuals and groups around the globe. Mwezis passion for involving the local community in conservation efforts is what makes him so worthy of receiving this award," Rob Shumaker, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, said in a statement. The African golden cat is an elusive species only found in the forests of equatorial Africa, and Mugerwa first began his work by setting up camera traps to take black and white photos of the cats in the wild. Community members near where the golden cat lives helped Mugerwa understand how poaching was tied into the livelihood of the locals, who would trap them for bushmeat. Mwezi Badru Mugerwa is the second-ever the Winner of the Indianapolis Prize's Emerging Conservationist Award. Mugerwa founded Embaka in 2015 and has focused on involving communities in conservation efforts. The organization also offers programs including free oral healthcare and livestock in return for pledging to no longer poach the golden cats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once youre in the communities and you understand the problem: I need money to pay my dentist bills. Well, what if I brought you a dentist? Once you explain that, it connects really well," Mugerwa said in the statement from the zoological society. "The communities hold the solutions, but if you dont talk to them, you wont know. African Golden Cat (Caracal aurata aurata) grey morph male in rainforest, Kibale National Park, western Uganda. Mugerwas work doesnt stop with the African golden cat. He also serves as the president of the Society for Conservation Biologys Africa region as well as the president-elect for Conservation Biology Global. The Indianapolis Zoological Society awarded the inaugural Emerging Conservationist award in 2023 to Fanny Cornejo. Cornejo works to protect the yellow-tailed wooly monkey in Peru and is the executive director at Yunkawasi, which helps endangered species and engages rural and indigenous communities to protect and sustainably manage habitat. Mugerwa and the Indianapolis Prize winner, who will receive $250,000, will be honored at a gala Sept. 27 in downtown Indianapolis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Finalists: Conservationists have shot at $250k for their work to save endangered animals IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy Zoo names African golden cat protector as Emerging Conservationist PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Protests kicked off across the Pacific Northwest hours before President Donald Trumps speech to Congress Tuesday night. A crowd formed around Portland City Hall around noon and marched a 2-mile loop across Hawthorne Bridge back to Pioneer Square, where community members shared speeches alongside performances from local musicians. 2-year-old Siletz boy still missing as search enters third full day Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of those in attendance were from around the area. But Emily Vandereems, in Portland on vacation from Rochester, New York, joined in. What better way to spend the time off? she said. I have advocated something that I feel strongly about. Im angry and sad and confused and frustrated, said Haili Vandereems of Portland. I just want to stand up for those things. Another Portland protester, Andrea McDaniel, said she was a veteran who is concerned for her country. I am afraid about our democracy, she said. Im really worried. So thats why Im here. I think when people come out and they speak, and they show up and they allow the news and the world to see how they feel about whats going on, said Portlander Judith Baker. I think that has an impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marches also took place in Vancouver and Salem all linked to the 50501 movement. The 50501 movement which claims to represent 50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement is made up of independent volunteers who oppose the Trump administrations executive overreach. We need to speak up against it at the time to speak up against this, said Matt Gilbert, an independent volunteer organizer. Now its just going to keep getting worse and worse. Protests kicked off in downtown Portland ahead of President Donald Trumps speech to Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (KOIN) Protests kicked off in downtown Portland ahead of President Donald Trumps speech to Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (KOIN) Protests kicked off in downtown Portland ahead of President Donald Trumps speech to Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (KOIN) Protests kicked off in downtown Portland ahead of President Donald Trumps speech to Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (KOIN) Protests kicked off in downtown Portland ahead of President Donald Trumps speech to Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (KOIN) (KOIN) Since taking office, President Trump has issued several executive orders that range from designating English as the official language of the U.S. to eliminating DEI initiatives that protect those who have been discriminated against based on factors like race, gender, or disability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has also created the Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by billionaire adviser Elon Musk, to cut back on staffing and government spending related to waste, fraud, and abuse, according to the DOGE website. Tuesday also marks the first day of the presidents tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, putting a 25% tax on products making their way into the U.S. This comes after he put a 10% tariff on imports from China in February, which have since doubled to 20%. KOIN 6 News reached out to Oregon Republican lawmakers, who declined to 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 KOIN.com. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Hundreds of people gathered outside Michigans State Capitol today to protest the Trump administration. Protests have been held across the country in response to thousands of federal government work layoffs. A 6 News reporter spoke to several of the protesters, some said they were there fighting against DOGE, and others were accepting donations to help the homeless and those facing food insecurity. MI Resist hosted the event, and organizers say the purpose is to fight against the oligarchy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters say theyre fed up with Musk, the current oligarchy and Trumps treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I did have a personal friend who recently just lost their job. They are a federal government worker, and they had to do the Lets put out our five things and lets see what you actually do, and they lost their job, said Sarah Morr, protester. Morr is one of countless protesters showcasing their resistance to the current administration. She says President Trump and Musk are harming the nation. We need these jobs, and theyre just getting cut. Musk, his group is putting out that were saving all these billions of dollars on all these programs. People are losing their jobs every day because of what hes doing and were not actually saying any money, said Morr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laura Freedman and Janice Dannunzio say Musk was not elected into office and has no business there. When he uses his symbol, a chainsaw, thats telling you that these are not careful cuts, these are destructive cuts, and they are going to destroy our safety net in this country that already is very porous and not what we need, said Freeman. Theyre not even thinking things through. Theyre hurting us with every step they do. Im just not with this program at all, added Dannunzio. Dee Jones, a protester from Grand Rapids, was disappointed after learning that Trump paused military aid to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel like Donald Trump is disregarding the people of Ukraine and not caring if someone attacks that country, and theyll need those funds to defend themselves, said Jones. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. All products featured on Teen Vogue are independently selected by Teen Vogue editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Conde Nast may earn an affiliate commission. Every day when I arrive at work, I pass through metal detectors and undergo searches, with security sometimes asking, Whats in your bag? Some days I use the employee entrance, where I am still asked if I work there. And every day, at the end of the day, I get to go home. No, I dont work at the airport I am walking into the Los Angeles Superior Court of Pasadena to begin my day as a client advocate. I, a woman of color, am often reminded of what a unique privilege I carry. When I arrive at the courthouse, I see many other people walking through the same doors, intimidated and frightened by the weight of an open case. The advantage I hold in coming and going freely for my job is a reminder of my responsibility to advocate for justice and equity for the people I support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am not an attorney, but I work inside public defense, helping to reshape the idea of public safety by redefining how we think about individuals ensnared in the criminal legal system. I work with Partners for Justice a fellowship program that places early-career professionals with public defender offices nationwide and I am, I hope, through my placement with the Los Angeles County Public Defenders Office, helping to bring about the future of public defense. From very early on, I was drawn to the social services field. I was born and raised in Los Angeles as a first-generation American, and the opportunity to uplift individuals from communities similar to mine felt more like a dream than work. Like many first-generation kids from marginalized backgrounds, I witnessed our systems fail the people around me. I saw loved ones and community members cycle through the legal system. My father and other male figures in my family missed out on precious years with their children due to incarceration. I had friends drop out of school and turn to gangs in search of belonging. And I lost family members to substance abuse because the only solution offered to them was incarceration not the support they truly needed. The pain of watching these things unfold shaped my profound belief in the inherent dignity and worth of people, reinforcing the idea that everyone deserves access to opportunities. One of the best parts of my job is that I can help individuals access the support and rehabilitation they need. Yet the journey to get there is never the same. Some days I help people get to work, stay housed, feed their kids by securing food benefits or drivers licenses, navigate community resources, or lock in thousands of dollars in rental assistance. The goals change daily, and much of what I do is tied to a clients case or overall well-being, but nothing is ever off the table. When I meet a client, my first question often is, What do you need? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The truth about this countrys criminal legal system is that it is not designed to meet needs; it is designed to punish. I have had clients who wanted to do the right thing, such as completing court-ordered classes, but had to overcome roadblock (no access to a computer) after roadblock (the 12-week course is cost-prohibitive) after roadblock (there is a free version of the course, but it is in English only and the client doesnt speak English). The system did not provide a solution. But I could. I arranged to meet with my client every week so they could use my computer, and I translated everything in English, ensuring that they could complete the course, gain valuable interpersonal skills, and retain their freedom. Through shared learning, cultural taboos sometimes fall away; feelings rise to the surface, and healing begins. And every time we bring someone home, were proving that the prison system wasnt the solution the community needed that we can move forward without it. As an advocate, my work is fundamentally rooted in restoring autonomy to individuals, empowering them to manage their lives as they see fit. Many of my clients are facing years in prison, years I am trying to help redirect in favor of a brighter future. Often the small things many of us take for granted can make big differences, like finding a Christmas tree for a family or helping a parent find transportation so they can bring their child a sweet treat. I am far from alone in this work: I am one of more than 100 client advocates who have brought this collaborative defense approach to 20 states and 45 locations nationwide. My fellow advocates and I come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, but we are united by our drive to assist individuals in navigating the carceral system to find both liberation and success. Together, by reducing the legal systems reliance on prisons and jails, were making public defense an engine of opportunity, safety, and wellness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Working directly with people has brought me immense fulfillment. When clients see a woman of color sitting across from them, it sparks curiosity. They sometimes ask, How did you get into this role? Other times they want to know how they can translate their current situation into a future that puts them in my position. Through these conversations, I can represent a different pathway. In the first moments when I meet someone, I try to stay honest and realistic. I do not promise miracles, but I do assure them that I am accessible and we will work together to find success. My colleagues and I are often reminded that we can't help everyone, but this work extends far beyond the individual it creates ripple effects. As I finish my workday, one of my favorite things to do is check in with clients. I work with about 50 individuals at a time, and I try to check in with all of them weekly. Sometimes the conversation is simple, beginning with How are you? We talk, reflect, and plot paths forward. We prove every day that, even within this system, humanity is worth fighting for. Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more criminal justice coverage? Leaders with different unions around Pueblo held a silent protest during the Pueblo County Commissioners meeting on Feb. 25, 2025, outside of the Pueblo County Government Building. (Courtesy of Brad Riccillo) The Pueblo Board of County Commissioners approved an additional $20,000 to go toward legal fees for the local sheriff in a lawsuit he filed against the union representing his deputies. Pueblo Sheriff David Lucero, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit in December that argues a county sheriff is not included under Colorados statutory definition of a county, as sheriff is its own elected constitutional office. The 2022 Colorado law granting collective bargaining rights to government employees in many counties therefore does not apply to his office, Lucero argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment rejected that argument once in an administrative proceeding and again after Lucero appealed, ruling that he must bargain with members of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local 837, the state-recognized union for Pueblo Sheriffs Office employees. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Pueblo County had already allocated $25,000 for outside counsel for Lucero, meaning that with its Feb. 25 decision to provide more money the county has approved a total of $45,000 to back the sheriffs lawsuit. In a statement, Lucero said he appreciates the boards support. This is something that affects all the Sheriffs, not just Pueblo County, Lucero said in a statement. I have never been anti-union, but there are holes in this legislation and questions that need to be answered, and Im hoping the courts can answer those questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Feb. 18, the Colorado attorney generals office filed a partial motion to dismiss Luceros lawsuit, arguing the court does not have the jurisdiction to determine whether the law applies to the sheriffs office and deferred to the Colorado Administrative Procedures Act. Lucero filed the lawsuit in Denver District Court, where Judge Andrew McCallin is overseeing the case. The next step is for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to file a response to the initial complaint. Brad Riccillo, president of the IBPO Local 837, said hes encouraged that the attorney general continues to stand up for workers and workers rights, and theyre pretty committed to defending this law. He said several unions from around the county participated in a silent protest outside of the county commissioner meeting when they voted to approve the additional $20,000 in legal fees. Lucero said the protest had a lack of support, which he said didnt surprise him given their declining membership and false narratives about me suing my deputies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that meeting, commissioners voted 2-1 in favor of additional funding, with Commissioner Miles Lucero, a Democrat with no relation to the sheriff, voting against the measure. I knew that this was going to be difficult, but I never thought I would get this much pushback ... I never thought I would have the sheriff name my union in a lawsuit. I never thought two out of three county commissioners who were 'law enforcement-friendly and supporters' would be so hell bent to see us fail. Brad Riccillo, president of the IBPO Local 837 Both Republican commissioners, Paula McPheeters and Zach Swearingen, argued that the board needs to support their county sheriff and that the lawsuit will help provide clarity on how the law applies to sheriffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the end, public safety is the focus here. Not squabbles between the union and what they believe their role should be, McPheeters said. I want clarification so we can move on and do the work of the county. This is to me a distraction, its created division in the sheriffs department, and I would just like to see it resolved so that we can move on. There is a union, they can negotiate, but there needs to be some understanding and the only way we get it is legally. Miles Lucero said he agrees with the need to support the sheriff in defending against unfair labor practices, but thats not what the $20,000 the board approved is for, since the sheriff pursued the lawsuit. If I thought the sheriff was on the defensive and he needed our financial support, thats a different story, Miles Lucero said. Thats not the case for this particular matter. Some testified to commissioners that the union continuously filing unfair labor practice complaints leads to more county time and money spent fighting those complaints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The way that I feel about that is if you continue to break the law, were going to continue to hold you accountable for it, Riccillo said. Riccillo said hes been personally attacked at the county commissioner meetings by non-union members and other staff at the sheriffs office. Jesus Burgos, a deputy sheriff, testified that hes supportive of the sheriff and that any job is what you make it, and anyone unhappy in their position needs to look at what youre doing, not only what your employer is doing. He said the union is trying to bully. Personally I would like to see the union thrive, but I dont believe its going to happen fairly or ethically until theres different people running it, in my opinion, Burgos said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the ongoing legal battle, Riccillo said the union and the sheriffs office have made progress in the bargaining process. He said theyve temporarily agreed on about half of the articles needed to finalize a contract. Riccillo said leading the union through the bargaining and legal processes has been the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. I knew that this was going to be difficult, but I never thought I would get this much pushback, he said. I never thought I would have the sheriff name my union in a lawsuit. I never thought two out of three county commissioners who were law enforcement-friendly and supporters would be so hell bent to see us fail. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) The Norfolk SPCA Adoption Center & Veterinary Clinics is asking for help with donations after a litter of puppies were abandoned in North Carolina. Donate today The puppies mother and sibling were shot and killed and the remaining litter were left to fend for themselves. One of them was shot in the leg and had bullet fragments shattered throughout his left rear ankle. Every donation goes to their medical treatments to help rehabilitate the canines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please, consider making a donation today, a release states. These puppies have already suffered so much, but with your support, we can help them recover and find the loving homes they deserve. Authorities in North Carolina are looking into the case to determine any suspects. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (Bloomberg) -- Russia agreed to assist US President Donald Trumps administration in communicating with Iran on issues including the Islamic Republics nuclear program and its support for regional anti-US proxies, according to people familiar with the situation. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump relayed that interest directly to President Vladimir Putin in a phone call in February and top officials from his administration discussed the matter with their Russian counterparts at talks in Saudi Arabia days later, people said, declining to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. A White House official, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations, said Russia offered to do the outreach without being asked to play that role. Discussions are in their initial stages and its not clear whether any talks between the US and Iran would yield any progress. President Trump made clear by renewing his Maximum Pressure order just days into his second term, the United States will not tolerate Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon or their support of terror in the Middle East and around the world, White House spokesman Brian Hughes said. The Trump Administration will talk to our adversaries and allies alike, but he will always do so from a position of strength to defend our national security. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to questions sent by Bloomberg that Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations and that Moscow is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman for Irans foreign ministry, when asked if Russia had offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington, said it was natural for countries to offer their assistance. Given the significance of these matters, its possible that many parties will show goodwill and readiness to help with various problems, the spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, said during a televised press conference Monday in Tehran. The ministry didnt respond to questions from Bloomberg News. Since taking office about six weeks ago, Trump has tried to restore relations with Putin, which the US severed after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As Trump seeks to broker an end to that war directly with Putin including a Feb. 12 phone call between the two leaders both sides have signaled theyre open to cooperating on other geopolitical interests, including trade routes and resources in the Arctic. Top US and Russian officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, discussed Washingtons interest in Moscow helping with Iranian issues during a Feb. 18 meeting in Riyadh, according to people with knowledge of the situation, asking not to be identified as not all details of those talks have been made public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russias Lavrov later shared details about the US meeting with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi when they met in Tehran, Araghchi said in a televised press conference after the meeting. On Tuesday, Russias Interfax news agency cited Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov as saying Russia and the US discussed Iran during the Riyadh meeting and agreed to separate discussions on the matter. Ushakov said there had been no further signals from the US, according to Interfax. The US has long suspected the Islamic Republic of using a decades-old civilian nuclear program to shield a covert military dimension. Iran has repeatedly denied it wants weapons and insists its atomic work is for peaceful means including power stations that are partly financed by Russia. Iran and the US agreed a landmark nuclear deal in 2015 during the administration of President Barak Obama. Brokered by the EU and also involving China and Russia, it imposed strict limits on Irans atomic activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump abandoned it during his first term, setting off an economic crisis in the Islamic Republic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since returning to the White House, Trump has sent mixed signals about Iran. He said he wants to revive his first-term maximum pressure policy of tough sanctions that also targeted Iranian security forces, including killing a top general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. But hes also said he wants to immediately start working on a verified nuclear peace agreement with Iran. Russia and Iran both heavily sanctioned by the US have also significantly deepened cooperation on trade and energy since the start of Moscows invasion of Ukraine. Iran is also supplying drones to Russia, which its used in the war. Both the United States and Iran are trying to find channels of communication, productive ones which would mark the start of a dialogue, said Nikolay Kozhanov, an associate professor at Qatar Universitys Gulf Studies Center. Any agreement between the US and Iran would be a complex one with the US offering sanctions relief and Iran agreeing to contain its regional ambitions, Kozhanov added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Complicating matters further is the fact that Iran is locked in a bitter shadow war with top US ally Israel. Tehran has vowed to keep fighting despite Israel having severely weakened key proxies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Both groups are designated terrorist organizations by the US and other countries. Transactional Deals Irans response to Russian mediation will ultimately depend on top decision-maker Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Last month he said Tehran wont be strong-armed to the negotiating table and said Trump was untrustworthy and dangerous because he jettisoned the Obama-era nuclear deal and continues to sanction Iran. Furthermore, suspicion toward Russia based on a troubled history still looms large for many Iranian officials and allies of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian are likely to question Moscows motives and whether theyre aligned with Irans interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont see them being viewed by Tehran as the most helpful mediator, especially as Russia and the US may be involved in lots of transactional deals and Iran may be afraid that itll be sold out in the process, said Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa program at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Khamenei also appeared to weigh in on last weeks public spat between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House. A day after the confrontation, he wrote on X that Ukraines reliance on US support was a warning shot: like Afghanistan, Kyiv now finds itself abandoned by the country it depends on the most. Still, theres a growing chorus of voices who want to see Washington and Tehran work out their differences. Iran has been steadily ramping up uranium enrichment, way beyond limits set by the defunct 2015 pact that Trump abrogated. The United Nations nuclear watchdog on Monday said the US and Iran should begin talks, and that it was holding high-level discussions with the White House on the issue. That follows its warning last week that Tehrans stockpile of near-bomb-grade fissile material had surged more than 50% since Trumps election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Iranian officials are under intense pressure to deliver economic relief to a population exhausted by an acute cost-of-living crisis thats been compounded by US sanctions under both Trump and President Joe Bidens administration. --With assistance from Arsalan Shahla, Annmarie Hordern, Golnar Motevalli, Ilya Arkhipov and Stephanie Lai. (Updates with US response in third and fourth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Russia has agreed to assist the administration of US President Donald Trump in engaging with Iran on issues related to the Islamic Republics nuclear programme and its support for anti-American proxies in the region. Source: Bloomberg, as reported by European Pravda Details: Trump directly conveyed his interest in this matter to Vladimir Putin during a phone call in February. Sources in Moscow familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic, revealed that a few days later, senior officials from his administration discussed the issue with their Russian counterparts in negotiations in Saudi Arabia. Neither Russia nor Iran has publicly confirmed or denied the request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, responding to Bloombergs inquiry, stated that "Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations" and that Moscow "is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this". A representative of Irans Foreign Ministry, when asked whether Russia had offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington, replied that it is "natural" for countries to offer their assistance. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shared details of the meeting with US officials in Saudi Arabia with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, during their meeting in Tehran, Araghchi said at a televised press conference afterward. Background: Upon returning to the position of US president, Trump has been sending mixed signals regarding Iran. He stated his intention to return to the "maximum pressure" policy of his first term, including reinstating sanctions and targeting Irans security forces. However, Trump also expressed his desire to "immediately" begin working on a "verified nuclear peace deal with Iran". As two nations under strict US sanctions, Russia and Iran have deepened their cooperation in trade, energy and security, including Russias use of a significant number of Iranian drones in its war against Ukraine. However, it remains unclear how receptive Tehran will be to any US proposals relayed through Russia. Many hardliners dominating key Iranian institutions, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the judiciary, have publicly opposed engagement with Washington. Last month, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that Trump could not be trusted, citing his withdrawal from the Obama-era nuclear deal during his first term. At the end of February, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi ruled out the possibility of direct negotiations with the United States regarding his countrys nuclear programme. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously emphasised that under Trumps presidency, Iran would not acquire nuclear weapons. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Iran is considering a request from Vladimir Putin to start direct talks with Donald Trump, The Telegraph has learned. A senior Iranian official has revealed that the Kremlin has contacted the Islamic Republics supreme national security council to facilitate direct talks between the two arch-enemies. On Tuesday, Russia confirmed that it had agreed to help facilitate talks between Mr Trump and Iran, including on Tehrans nuclear programme and its support for regional anti-US proxies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iranian officials, however, are reluctant to accept the offer as hardliners have become increasingly opposed to the talks following the row between Mr Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House last week. Officials from the Kremlin contacted the supreme national security council and said Putin wants to mediate and hes ready to facilitate direct talks between Iran and America, an Iranian official told The Telegraph from Tehran. They said Trump wants to talk and is preferring it over war but, here, there is a big uncertainty around it after what happened in the White House last week. The offer feels like being stuck on a two-way road [where] one path leads to war and destruction and the other leads to humiliation. Yet, no one here wants to reject any offer from Putin yes, its a difficult situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations and that Moscow is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this. A billboard in Tehran reads reliance on the wind as regime supporters say the humiliation of Zelensky became a lesson for those seeking negotiations with the US The report, picked up by Russian state media, quoted Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, as saying that Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations and that Moscow is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this. Mr Trump is thought to have gained leverage with Putin in recent weeks by taking a hard line on Ukraine and pushing for peace talks that appear to be on favourable terms to Russia. The Islamic Republic is in its weakest position since the 1979 revolution that brought the clerical regime into power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israels attacks on Hezbollah and the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria have significantly damaged Irans regional influence. Its ability to threaten Israel through Hamas and Hezbollah has been crippled, and it has lost Syria as a weapons smuggling route. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is also under pressure from hardliners to lift a ban on building nuclear bombs. In response to a question asking whether Russia had offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington on Monday, a spokesman for Irans foreign ministry said it was only natural for countries to offer their assistance. Esmaeil Baghaei said: Given the significance of these matters, its possible that many parties will show good will and readiness to help with various problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: From this perspective, its natural that countries will present an offer of help if its needed. However, a spokesperson for president Masoud Pezeshkians administration said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic will not negotiate under maximum pressure. Mr Trump has sent mixed messages on Iran since returning to the White House. He has expressed a preference for making a deal with Tehran but has also made it clear that he is considering US military action if negotiations fail. Trump blocks Iran nuclear weapon Last month, Mr Trump restored his maximum pressure campaign on Iran, including efforts to stop it from obtaining a nuclear weapon by driving its oil exports down to zero. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he has also expressed interest in quickly negotiating a verified nuclear peace agreement with Iran. Negotiations with the Trump administration now appear to be off the table in Tehran, according to Iranian officials. One official said that since Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskys row in Washington, moderates in Tehran who have been calling for talks with the US are sidelined and hardliners are getting dominance. He said: Anyone with any trace of moderation is not even allowed to discuss any level of negotiation with America. If someone dares to bring it up, they will be called clowns like Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: Since last week, hardliners seem to have gained new life, as if fresh blood has been poured into their veins they are now the dominant force. Tehran municipality put up billboards with images of Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump, with the slogans Reliance on the Wind and #The-Lesson-of-Ukraine warning Tehran against engaging in talks with the US. A hardline newspaper in Tehran described any negotiations with the Trump administration as treason. Kayhan, with its editor directly appointed by Ayatollah Khamenei, wrote on Monday: Talking about negotiations with the United States and presenting them as a solution to the countrys domestic problems is certainly not a rational approach if not outright treasonous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran is seeking ways to revive the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from in 2018, while the US is pushing for complete disarmament. Mr Trumps second term has begun with ambitious diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving several major international conflicts before reaching his first 100 days in office. The new administration has launched peace efforts across multiple fronts simultaneously, beginning with the Gaza conflict, then to Ukraine, and now engaging with Iran. Russia and Iran, both heavily sanctioned by the US, have strengthened ties in trade, energy and security. Russia has relied on Iranian drones in its war against Ukraine. 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. Russian President Vladimir Putin could not be happier that Donald Trump announced Monday he is pausing U.S. military funding to Ukraine, a once unbelievable move Russia couldve only dreamed about. If the pausing of aid is true, then this is a decision that can really encourage the Kyiv regime to [come to] the peace process, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said of the announcement, Reuters reported. It is obvious that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far. If the United States stops being [an arms supplier] or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace. Trump made the shocking announcement following a horrific meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week, in which he and Vice President JD Vance yelled at Zelenskiy for being ungrateful, told him he was gambling with World War III, and then proceeded to kick him out of the White House, an embarrassing and devastating act from Ukraines crucial ally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immediately following the meeting, Russian officials couldnt contain their excitement. The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is gambling with WWIII, deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev wrote on X following the meeting. Now Russias perverse goal is even closerthe U.S. has been Ukraines largest supplier of defense aid since Russias invasion in 2022, and Trumps aid withdrawal is a nightmare for the war-torn country. Putin and Russia are still awaiting details, but they are no doubt celebrating Trumps stupidity behind closed doors. We hear (Trumps) statement about his desire to bring peace to Ukraine, and this is welcome. But we will continue to see how the situation develops in reality, Peskovs statement concludes. (Bloomberg) -- Myanmars military chief Min Aung Hlaing met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday as the junta shunned and sanctioned by the West turns to a major international backer to aid in its ongoing conflict with ethnic armed groups. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ties between our two countries are developing progressively, Putin said during their talks in the Kremlin broadcast on state television. We have very good potential. Myanmars military ruler praised Russia as a friendly country. Myanmars ruling State Administration Council said in a statement ahead of meeting that the two would discuss strengthening economic and security cooperation. Bilateral agreements on energy, science and technology sectors will likely be signed, it added. Myanmar is one of Russias closest partners in Southeast Asia and the juntas leaders have relied on weapons from the Kremlin in recent years. The junta has unsuccessfully tried to stem a widespread rebellion unfolding since Min Aung Hlaing seized power in a 2021 coup and toppled a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. With Myanmars economy in a tailspin, questions have been raised over how long the generals can retain power, especially as ethnic armed groups make gains across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Revival of a long-stalled Dawei special economic zone could be a topic of discussion between the leaders after the two sides signed a pact to build a port and oil refinery during a visit last month to Myanmar by a top Russian official. The project could provide Russia a strategic alternative to the Strait of Malacca. Russia and China have been the main suppliers of advanced weapons systems to the Myanmar military, accounting for over $400 million and $260 million respectively since the coup, a United Nations rights expert said in May 2023. The junta has been using Russian fighter jets for airstrikes on resistance strongholds, the Washington Post and others have reported. Since the coup, the junta has killed at least 6,366 civilians, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The US and its allies in Europe imposed multiple rounds of sanctions against the junta and key business entities in response. The meeting comes after Putins government last week sent top security aide Sergei Shoigu to Indonesia, Malaysia and China to enhance cooperation with long-time partners in Asia. This is Min Aung Hlaings fourth visit to Russia since the coup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Updates with the meeting happening, and comments in the second paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The Kremlin has commented on media reports that US military aid to Ukraine has been suspended, calling it the "best contribution" to the supposedly "peaceful" settlement of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Source: Putins press secretary Dmitry Peskov at a briefing, as reported by RIA Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet Quote from Peskov: "If the United States ceases to be [the main supplier of military aid to Ukraine ed.] or stops these supplies, this will probably be the best contribution to peace." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Putin's spokesman added that Russia sees that "some European countries say they will continue to provide comprehensive assistance" to Ukraine. "That is, they will probably somehow try to compensate for the decreasing volumes of ammunition and everything else," Peskov said. He reiterated that supposedly "the largest volume has been provided by the United States so far". "Well, we'll see. There is a lot of scattered information now. Mostly it comes with references to sources. And of course, we need to see how the situation on the ground develops. But the fact that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far is obvious," Peskov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If this [the suspension of US military aid ed.] is true, then this is a decision that can actually encourage the Kyiv regime to engage in a peace process," Putin's spokesman concluded. Why this is important: Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his trust in Putin and promised to deepen economic cooperation with Russia if a "peace deal" could be reached to end the war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, in recent weeks, the US president has called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator multiple times and stated that Zelenskyy must act quickly if Ukraine wants to survive as a country. The US and Russia have also held two rounds of talks: in the United Arab Emirates and Turkiye. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the key agreement reached during the negotiations in Riyadh was "to ensure the swift appointment of ambassadors from Russia to the US and from the US to Russia". Meanwhile, during the negotiations in Istanbul, US and Russian delegates agreed to "remove irritants in bilateral relations" and continue working on preparing talks regarding Russias war against Ukraine. On 27 February, Putin praised Donald Trumps administration for its "pragmatism" and "realistic view of things," noting that initial contacts with US representatives "give certain hopes". Background: Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! NEW YORK (PIX11) Lawmakers are considering a new proposal to crack down on double-parked cars in New York City. The $35 million pilot program is being steered by Queens Assemblyman Steven Raga, who explains how the program would operate on PIX11 Morning News. Watch the video player for the full interview. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Mar. 3GRAND FORKS It remains unclear whether combining the Grand Forks County Sheriff and the Grand Forks County Correctional Center under the sheriff would save money following a second committee meeting Monday afternoon. Earlier this year, Grand Forks County formed a committee to study merging the two departments as a way to save money. The committee last convened in February, where it heard from the Cass County sheriff, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement who said a combined department could result in efficiencies in Grand Forks. On Monday, the committee discussed transportation at length as a likely place for efficiencies and savings but even that is still hypothetical, given the many unknowns of combining departments. "I'm confused. I thought the purpose of this gathering was that there were efficiencies and duplication of services," Bret Burkholder, the jail administrator, said to the committee. "I'm not hearing anything really along those lines that are efficiencies from my perspective." Both the sheriff's office and the jail do transportation of defendants to and from the facility. Where the sheriff's transportation duties end and the jail's begin is often hazy. In general, the sheriff's office handles high-risk defendants who may need armed transport and trips that require far travel; the jail handles many of the day-to-day trips to court, including virtual court appearances from the jail, medical appointments and some transportation stemming from warrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In discussions with other sheriffs across the state, the thoughts on transportation vary, according to Sheriff Andy Schneider. "A couple of sheriffs see it as a large safety liability to have correctional officers that are not armed transportation people, especially for these emergency medical appointments," Schneider said. "But you can also look at it from the perspective of 'well, we've been doing it this way since (1983),' so it's not like all of a sudden we're going to flip the switch and say 'oh no, (officers are) going to start getting attacked because they don't have a gun (because) the sheriff's in charge.'" Among counties in North Dakota, Grand Forks is one of the few that have the two separated, as state law usually requires the sheriff and jail to be one. The county has operated as two separate departments since 1983, following an attorney general's opinion. Since then, the law has changed and eliminated that option, and Grand Forks has operated as a regional correctional center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The departments are also the two biggest budget items for the county a combined $16 million and four times the size of the next largest department, the state's attorney. Additionally, switching to have more correctional officers being licensed peace officers would increase employee costs given the additional licensing and education required. "Even with the county needing to cut money, our two departments are the highest liability (and) they have to be in the county," Lt. Jodi Hilde of the correctional center said. "Be cautious to start cutting when a lawsuit down the road could cost us more than keeping some of the employees would right now." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Terry Bjerke said that nothing is off the table as the county looks to save money and the prospect of a 3% cap on property taxes looms large. "We're already on the Titanic," Bjerke said. "We've got to figure something out, as far as I'm concerned. What I'll bring to (Finance Director Debbie Nelson) is everybody's getting a haircut, and some are going to get crew cuts." Given the different ways the sheriff and jail do their budgets especially personnel, as they use two different salary scales Bjerke also said that he would still want them budgeted separately. The committee decided that the transportation numbers need to be clarified since the jail and sheriff track them differently and the next stop is getting full County Commission input on the proposal, likely in the last half of March. Rhode Island General Treasurer James J. Diossa has announced the forgiveness of $7 million in medical debt since a new program launched last fall. 'I hope to wipe out even more debt soon,,' Diossa said Monday, March 3, 2025. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current) About 3,000 Rhode Islanders have had $7 million in medical debt forgiven since the launch of a debt relief program last October, the states General Treasurer has announced. This program provides crucial relief to many who are burdened with medical debt, and I hope to wipe out even more debt soon, said Rhode Island General Treasurer James A. Diossa in a statement Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres no enrollment or application process for the program. The program administered by New York-based nonprofit Undue Medical Debt identifies, purchases and cancels the debts of eligible Rhode Islanders. Debts of $600 and up can be forgiven, and theres no maximum amount, although debts must be equal to at least 5% of a persons annual income. Any amount of debt can be forgiven for people earning less than 400% of the federal poverty level. No action is needed on the consumers part. People whose debt is forgiven will receive a letter in the mail that identifies the amount erased. The treasurers office calls the forgiven debt a no-strings-attached gift that does not qualify as earned income. Theres no obligation for people to repay the debt. Legislation in the 2024 session created the program. The Rhode Island General Assembly allocated $1 million for the program in the fiscal 2025 budget. About $50,000 of the $1 million allotment has been used so far, according to Diossas announcement. The program uses bulk-purchasing power to buy debt from health care providers and collection agencies at a discounted price. There are more than 20 city, county and state governments nationwide that offer such programs, including Connecticut. The Rhode Island Treasury collaborates with the New York-based Undue Medical Debt to buy debt from providers like hospitals and physician groups as well as debt collectors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About a third of the fiscal 2025 allotment, around $370,000, covers overhead for Undue Medical Debt. The nonprofit was founded by ex-debt collectors in 2014 and has helped forgive about $15 billion in medical debt across the country since then. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rahm Emanuel, a former Chicago mayor and most recently the U.S. ambassador to Japan, is not ruling out making another bid for the citys top job or even seeking the Illinois governorship but stressed both the city and the Democratic Party in which hes long been a leading voice have a lot of work to do. Emanuel, who was mayor from 2011 to 2019 after serving two years as chief of staff to President Barack Obama, said Monday that the city will remain his home and that he wants to take some time to think about what Im going to do. But he said he hoped to be an instrument for the citys growth and the states growth. Speaking before the Economic Club of Chicago in a downtown hotel ballroom packed with more than 600 people, Emanuel gave his stock answer to the question of whether he would try to make a mayoral comeback in 2027 amid widespread public disapproval over first-term Mayor Brandon Johnsons chaotic tenure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive said it before. Im gonna say it again. Im not done with public service and I hope public service is not done with me, Emanuel told the moderator, Chris Jones, the editorial page editor of the Chicago Tribune. The question received robust applause from an audience representing the citys business community, which was always a staunch supporter of Emanuel while he was mayor. Prompted by Jones that Emanuel didnt say, no to running again for mayor, Emanuel responded, Its not a yes, either. Emanuel said the same answer essentially applied to whether he would seek the Democratic nomination for governor next year if two-term Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker opted not to seek re-election. But, Emanuel added, JBs been a great governor. If he seeks re-election Im going to back him up 100%. Pritzker has not announced his intentions for 2026. Previously a powerful Clinton White House aide and then three-term Northwest Side congressman, a well-funded Emanuel was elected outright as mayor in 2011 with 55% of the vote. But he was forced into a runoff four years later before defeating current U.S. Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia with 56% of the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emanuels popularity suffered hits over his move to close 50 public schools in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods because of declining enrollments, increasing gun violence and, in the end, his one-year delay in releasing the video of the 2014 fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald, a 17-year Black youth who was shot 16 times. White officer Jason Van Dyke was later convicted of second-degree murder in McDonalds death. Always viewed nationally by older Democrats as a political guru, particularly after his tenure as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee when Democrats picked up 30 seats in 2006, the blunt, hard-charging and often profane Emanuel has always held a center-left ideology that has increasing bristled the Democratic left as the party has moved more progressive. Since his return from Japan in January, hes become a CNN commentator and has appeared on TV and podcast talk shows. During those appearances, hes contended that the party and Democratic mayors of big cities have focused too much on woke personal identity ideology at the expense of larger all-encompassing working-class issues such as education, housing affordability and health care. Hes said that all contributed to Kamala Harris loss to President Donald Trump in 2024. Emanuel said Trump and his Make America Great Again supporters want Democrats to focus on woke culture discussion because youre missing everything else thats happening at the kitchen table and the data is pretty clear that people think thats all we care about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Emanuel said it was a misnomer to think its one election that caused voters to reject Democrats last year. Rather, he said, it is a political process that has played out over the past 30 years. Politics is addition, not subtraction and weve been doing subtraction really well, really well, he said. He said the vision of achieving the American Dream of owning a home, saving for your kids education and your retirement has become inaccessible, its unaffordable. And for the Democratic Party, thats unacceptable that the American Dream is only allowed for people above $300,000 a year. Thats wrong. At the same time, Emanuel said governmental mandates and restrictions implemented during the pandemic put the coat of the establishment on Democrats. Saying we closed schools, we closed places of worship longer than they had to be, Emanuel said, Weve broken faith with you. Theres nothing thats working democratically or economically to give people confidence in the establishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pandemic classroom restrictions basically consciously, globally, subjugated a generation to failure, and not just in eighth-grade math and eighth-grade reading, he said. So therefore we have to ameliorate it, not just to make up for what happened in COVID, to make up so they have a chance. In the end, Emanuel said, Over the last 30 years, both the political and economic system, and were all part of it, Im part of it, we have failed the American people, and theyre pissed off. And guess what? Theyre in the right to be pissed off. As for Chicagos future, there was no mention of Johnson, who is scheduled to be on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to answer questions about the citys sanctuary welcoming ordinance against Republican criticism. Instead, Emanuel told the audience: We have our work cut out for us, and its all on us. Weve got to work. We have great strengths and weve got to keep building on those strengths to stay a global city, at your airport, cultural institutions and your academic institutions, your global headquarters and companies in your workforce that has the capacity to compete when in the global arena, he said. So you gotta invest in that. Rain is returning to Southern California this week. Here is what you need to know. Forecast The first storm is expected to move through the area Wednesday into Thursday, with the next cold front coming Thursday. Theres a one-two punch where well have periods of light to moderate rain for most of the area on Wednesday and then Thursday will have more moderate rainfall, said National Weather Service meteorologist Robbie Munroe. Light to moderate rain and mountain snow is likely for Southwest California Tuesday night into Thursday. There is a slight chance of a thunderstorm with this system, which brings the threat of gusty winds, lightning and small hail. pic.twitter.com/MZhuouSSeL NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 4, 2025 There will also be enough cold air and instability that there is a 10% to 20% chance of thunderstorms Wednesday night into Thursday evening, according to Munroe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On X, the NWS said forecasters were monitoring the "remote possibility" for "small, weak, brief" tornadoes on Thursday, Conditions The San Gabriel Mountains and surrounding mountain towns, including Wrightwood, could see significant snowfall, according to Munroe. Between 6 to 12 inches of snow is possible at elevations 5,500 feet and higher. Latest on the rain and mountain snow chances. Some snow/ice related mountain travel delays possible Sunday into Monday. Otherwise, rain impacts will be minor. #cawx #larain pic.twitter.com/1fOxasdtCQ NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 28, 2025 The heavy rain could be a concern for recent burn scars, which could lead to minor flooding and shallow debris flows. The most recent rainstorm forced the indefinite closure of Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Pacific Coast Highway and Grand View Drive. Long-term forecast Theres the potential for two to three more storms next week, with the first expected Sunday night into Monday and the second around Thursday, Munroe said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In terms of rainfall amounts and snow amounts, its a pretty average system, Munroe said about this weeks upcoming storm. Its nothing too out of the ordinary. 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. Critics of the Trump Administrations immigration and deportation policies rallied at Plaza Fiesta in Brookhaven on Monday night. This plaza has a huge immigrant population that comes and shops here, Alan Martinez told Channel 2s Courtney Francisco. Plaza Fiestas website describes it as the heart of the Latin American community. This is an epicenter of activity for immigrant communities, Tasfaia Jahangar said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rally was designed to magnify a national boycott during the day known as A Day Without Immigrants. Organizers encouraged supporters to skip work, school, and spending to show the impact mass deportations could have on the economy. Like us or not, they need us, Martinez said. Martinez participated in the protest but said his immigrant parents chose not to for fear of retaliation. On the other side of the debate, Georgias GOP leader, Josh McKoon said the new administrations policies will not damage the economy. We dont want people being victimized and taken advantage of. We want people to receive an honest days pay for an honest days work, and thats really what its about. We dont want our country built on people being paid black market wages, McKoon said. We can definitely get along with American citizens doing jobs that need to be done here in this country. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Martinez said Plaza Fiesta, a spot filled with immigrant-owned shops and customers made sense as far as location for a demonstration Monday night. Police stood watch over the rally and security kept it off property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A shopping center that has thousands of immigrants that primarily come here is not allowing an immigrant rights rally to happen on their property, Martinez said. Channel 2 reached out to Plaza Fiesta for a response. Were waiting to hear back. Demonstrators said they dont know where the next gathering will be or when, but they said they will keep showing up. Were going to continue doing our rallies and doing our town halls to explain to people the rights they have against ICE and police, said Martinez. Monday nights demonstration ended with no arrests. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) Marches and rallies are happening Tuesday across the country as part of a national push to enhance education funding. Hundreds of people are participating outside Gateway Community College in New Haven, walking down to the New Haven Green. Veterans, VA employees rally outside VA Hospital in West Haven Advocates want greater funding and protections on the federal level but are also calling for the state to take action. They want lawmakers to fully fund public education, ensure equitable resources for students, and protect vulnerable populations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They say education must be a priority as budget discussions are underway. Stay with News 8 for the latest developments. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ABC Kimberley of Australia recently reported that a local ranger group had found the unfertilized egg of a night parrot, a species of bird once thought to have been extinct for about a century, with live birds later rediscovered in 2013. As night parrot researcher Nick Leseberg noted, "It's a critical part of their recovery." He explained that the decline in population of the night parrot was first observed around the end of the 1800s and that the species was considered to have disappeared by the early 1900s, with only a handful of claimed sightings for about 100 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leseberg attributed the decline in the bird's population to colonization. Colonization and the introduction of invasive species, often by human activity, can disrupt local ecosystems, using up resources and competing with native species for food and territory. The invasive species will often reproduce rapidly, lacking natural predators in the environment. This gives them an advantage over native species, a pattern that can lead to the eventual extinction of those native species. Indigenous Protected Area coordinator Christy Davies told ABC Kimberley that finding the egg was an emotional discovery. Protecting the night parrot and other native species is critical to maintaining a natural ecosystem. Finding this unfertilized egg can fuel optimism for researchers and IPA rangers, who are instrumental to the region's preservation efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leseberg underscored that improving our knowledge of the bird's breeding patterns can support the resurgence of its native population. The rangers are working to learn about the night parrot's behavior, and the newly discovered egg can help. When we understand and protect native species, we can help to preserve native ecosystems. As The Cool Down's Abby Jackson has noted, "Ecosystems are delicately balanced when one plant or animal is harmed, it can endanger the rest of the environment." This can also place an economic burden on an area as it attempts to recover. How can we help? Getting involved in local conservation efforts is an excellent way to contribute to the health of natural ecosystems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The discovery of this rare egg offers hope, and we can draw inspiration on it from around the world. 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. Texas rapper G$ Lil Ronnie and his 5-year-old daughter died tragically in a shooting on Monday, and part of the horrific attack was caught on video. As TMZ reported, the 30-year-old rapperwhose legal name is Ronnie Smithand his daughter, R'Mani, were sitting inside his car at a car wash in the Fort Worth suburb of Forest Hills at 10:45 a.m. on March 3 when two men exited a white four-door Kia and approached the vehicle, opening fire. SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said they are currently reviewing the surveillance footage that began circulating online shortly after the attack, which shows the gunmen chasing Ronnie around the car wash before the rapper was seen on the ground next to a red car. While officers arrived minutes later, both Ronnie and R'Mani were pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement officials believe the attack was targeted and have issued a murder warrant for one of the shooters that they identified. "Currently, we are not ready to release the suspect's name as the investigation continues," Forest Hill said in a news release shared with local ABC affiliate WFAA. Ronnie's aunt, Stella Houston, told WFAA that her nephew had no known enemies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He was a good kid. He was," Houston said. "He didnt bother nobody." Related: '80s Rocker's Fiancee Dead After Tragic At-Sea Incident In an Instagram post from just a few weeks ago, Ronnie and R'Mani posed alongside the little girl's friend at a school Valentine's Day celebration. "My BabyGirl Couldnt Stand The Fact Her Friend Was Sad This Morning Her Daddy Couldnt Make it to Donuts With Daddy This Morning So Yu Know We Let Her kno its Ok 2 Join us & She Can Snap it Up & That Changed her Whole Mood My Lil Valentines Literally ," the post's caption read. In the comments on the post, fans mourned the loss of the father and daughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is just terrible. Senseless and Terrible the mom in me I cannot shambles. Straight shambles after@seeing this post," wrote one person. "This baby didnt deserve that ," another agreed. "Yall better find out who did this bs," someone else wrote in part. The business, which was later identified as Slappy's Car Wash, told local reporters that it is "shocked, appalled, and deeply troubled by the senseless and violent events that occurred today." "Right now, there are more questions than answers. Thankfully, law enforcement and medics responded quickly and worked to secure the area, protect and treat the victims as well as our people who were working early this morning," the statement continued. Slappy's Car Wash said it would be closed for at least two days following the fatal shooting. Next: R&B Singer Angie Stone Dead at 63 Following Car Crash Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin (Md.) and Jasmine Crockett (Texas), both members of the House Judiciary Committee, have launched a probe into the Department of Justices (DOJ) moves to drop federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D). The lawmakers wrote a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Sunday, accusing the DOJ of trying to cover up a quid pro quo in which the charges against Adams would be dropped in return for his assistance to the Trump administration in implementing its immigration policies. Not only did the Department of Justice (DOJ) attempt to pressure career prosecutors into carrying out this illegal quid pro quo, it appears that Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove was personally engaged in a cover-up by destroying evidence and retaliating against career prosecutors who refused to follow his illegal and unethical orders, the two members wrote in the letter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We write to demand that you immediately put an end to the cover-up and retaliation and provide documents and information about these disturbing accounts to Congress, they said. Raskin and Crockett described efforts to rescue Adams as a blatant and illegal quid pro quo to secure the Mayors loyal assistance in executing the Trump Administrations mass arrest and deportation policies. Several DOJ officials recently resigned from their posts after receiving a directive to drop federal corruption charges against Adams. Adams was slated to stand trial in April on charges of bribery, wire fraud and soliciting illegal campaign contributions, but a federal judge overseeing the criminal case indefinitely delayed the trial as he considers the effort by the DOJ to drop the charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Feb. 10, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove sent out a memo ordering prosecutors to ice their case against Adams, citing integrity issues and an interference with his ability to serve as mayor. According to Bove, the department reached this conclusion without assessing the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which the case is based. He denied that his move was part of a quid pro quo arrangement. Following President Trumps election win, Adams appeared unusually friendly with the new administration for a member of the opposing party, jointly working with the presidents border czar Tom Homan to implement immigration policies. In January, before Trump was sworn in, Adams visited with him at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, before later attending his inauguration in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week, a White House official said, deepening a fissure that has opened between the one-time allies. Here are reactions to the move. UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER DENYS SHMYHAL "Our military and the government have the capabilities, the tools, let's say, to maintain the situation on the frontline." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will continue to work with the U.S. through all available channels in a calm manner." UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, ON X: "We remember that Germany is the leader in supplying air defence systems to Ukraine and plays a crucial role in ensuring our financial stability." OLEKSANDR MEREZHKO, HEAD OF THE UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: "On the surface, this looks really bad. It looks like he is pushing us towards capitulation, meaning (accepting) Russia's demands. To stop aid now means to help Putin." KREMLIN SPOKESMAN DMITRY PESKOV: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the pausing of aid "is true, then this is a decision that can really encourage the Kyiv regime to (come to) the peace process. It is obvious that the United States has been the main supplier of this war so far. If the United States stops being (an arms supplier) or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace." "We hear (Trump's) statement about his desire to bring peace to Ukraine, and this is welcome." "But we will continue to see how the situation develops in reality." U.S. SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN, TOP DEMOCRAT ON THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By freezing military aid to Ukraine, President Trump has kicked the door wide open for Putin to escalate his violent aggression against innocent Ukrainians. The repercussions will undoubtedly be devastating." EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN "We are living in the most momentous and dangerous of times. We are in an era of rearmament. And Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending." GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANNALENA BAERBOCK, ON X: "Two things are now essential for peace through strength: additional aid - military and financial - for Ukraine, which is defending our freedom. And a quantum leap to strengthen our EU defence." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement POLISH PRIME MINISTER DONALD TUSK, ON X: A sovereign, pro-western Ukraine which can defend itself, means a stronger and safer Poland, Tusk said, adding: "In the political turmoil and growing chaos, this is what counts most. Whoever questions this obvious truth contributes to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's triumph." BRITISH GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON: "We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so." BENJAMIN HADDAD, FRENCH JUNIOR MINISTER FOR EUROPE: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Fundamentally, if you want peace, does a decision to suspend arms to Ukraine reinforce peace or does it make it more distant? It makes it more distant, because it only strengthens the hand of the aggressor on the ground, which is Russia," Haddad told France 2. DANISH DEFENCE MINISTER TROELS LUND POULSEN, TO RITZAU NEWS AGENCY: "There are some things that the Ukrainians are completely dependent on with regards to the Americans. These include the missiles used in the Patriot air defence system, which is American. So this will put Europe in a situation where we now really need to do more ourselves to help Ukraine." CZECH PRIME MINISTER PETR FIALA, ON X: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europe must "take full responsibility for our own security. This requires increased investment in defence. Ensuring our security also means intensifying our support for Ukraine. We cannot allow Russias aggressive policy, which threatens us all, to succeed." "The era of relying on others to address fundamental international challenges on our behalf is over." HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: "The U.S. president and the Hungarian government share the same stance: instead of continuing weapons shipments and the war, a ceasefire and peace talks are needed as soon as possible." (Compiled by Michael Perry and Bernadette Baum; Editing by Kim Coghill and Andrew Heavens) Sitting inside a conference room at Reading Hospital, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis said every Pennsylvanian deserves to be safe and feel safe in their communities. But the simple fact is gun violence is a serious and growing problem across the nation, the state and Berks County. And thats why Davis visited the West Reading hospital on Monday. The lieutenant governor led a roundtable discussion with local leaders aimed at finding ways to stem the tide and reduce gun violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its really important to recognize that gun violence is something we can and we must do something about here in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, he said. We are here to highlight some of the successes you have made to reduce the number of homicides in Berks County, but I also know that one act of gun violence is one too many. Weve been making progress on the issue, but there is still much more work to be done. Davis, who leads the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, said Gov. Josh Shapiros administration is taking a comprehensive approach to tackling the issue. That means partnering with lawmakers to support law enforcement and invest in community organizations working on the ground to help survivors heal from trauma. All of this is about creating ladders of opportunities for folks to succeed, he said. It also means making sure those on the front lines of the fight against violence have the resources they need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davis said the current state budget allocates $45 million through Violence Intervention and Prevention grants to support programs that work to curb violence. The governor is advocating for an additional $10 million for grants in budget negotiations. We know these programs work and we need to get them into more communities, which is why we need to increase our investment, he said. Reading Hospital is a recipient of one of those grants, getting $622,649 to expand its violence recovery program. It will provide resources to prevent gun violence and community education. Anthony Martin, trauma program manager at Reading Hospital, said the funds will be used to hire and train a trauma violence recovery specialist to provide support and referral services to hospitalized victims of violence. It will also help cover costs to operate the program and fund support staff in violence intervention education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The violence recovery program, which was launched in 2004, provides targeted services to survivors and works to reduce risk factors such as substance misuse and unemployment while promoting protective factors such as social support and educational attainment. Its all about breaking that cycle of violence, Martin said. So we look at how we might be able to address some immediate needs and then build on that to make lasting changes through workforce development or relocation services. Lt. Gov. Austin Davis talks about gun violence prevention along with state Sen. Judy Schwank, left, and state Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz during a roundtable discussion at Reading Hospital about gun violence prevention on Monday, March 3, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) The violence recovery program is, unfortunately, desperately needed as incidents of gun violence continue to increase in Berks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In terms of gun violence this last year, once every three days someone came in with a gunshot wound, said Dr. Brian Lahmann, chair of the department of emergency medicine for Tower Health. And that was a dramatic increase from the year before. Lahmann said gunshot victims reach across all demographics. For instance, he noted there were three children under the age of 10 who were admitted in the past month. Dr. Brian Lahmann, left, chair of the department of emergency medicine at Reading Hospital, and Dr. Eugene Reilly, vice president and chief medical information officer at Tower Health, participate in a roundtable discussion at Reading Hospital about gun violence prevention on Monday, March 3, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) I think the two biggest pieces to prevention are decreasing access to these complex firearms and educating those who own guns about how to properly use them, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Eugene Reilly, chief medical information officer for Tower Health, agreed. We are talking about violence recovery, but even better would be if it never happened in the first place, he said. And I think its important to hammer home again and again that you are more likely to die from your own gun than someone elses. This concept of this maligned stranger coming into your life and that you need to be protected from that entity has really captured the imagination of a lot of people. But thats not really what we see. What we really see is people who are lawful gun owners that have fits of passion or poor judgment. Those fits of passion and poor judgment often turn into incidents of domestic abuse, which has an undeniable link to gun violence, Safe Berks CEO Beth Garrigan told the lieutenant governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anthony Martin, trauma program manager at Reading Hospital, and Beth Garrigan CEO of Safe Berks, participate in a roundtable discussion at Reading Hospital about gun violence prevention on Monday, March 3, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) In many cases its someone that you love who is using their gun, she said. In 2024, there were 104 people killed by domestic violence in Pennsylvania and in 65% of those deaths firearms were used. So its a very big problem. Garrigan said that even when a gun is not used to kill, it is often used to threaten and intimidate. Legislative solutions Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams shared with Austin that the county has three task forces focused on getting illegal guns off the streets, and he believes it is having a real impact on the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He noted the county saw a dramatic decline in the number of homicides committed last year compared with the number committed over the last several years. There were 12 in the county eight of those taking place in Reading. Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams participates in a roundtable discussion at Reading Hospital about gun violence prevention on Monday, March 3, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) But, he added, there is more work to be done. When asked by Davis what changes to legislation he would like to see to address gun violence, Adams said there are three laws he would like to see enacted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first would make possession of glock switches a felony. These devices are used to modify handguns to shoot like machine guns, which amplify the impact of gun violence. The second would increase penalties for gun owners who fail to report a stolen firearm. And he would like to see funding allocated for the creation of youth detention centers. He noted that Berks is in the process of partnering with Dauphin and Lehigh counties to reopen and operate the former youth detention center in Bern Township, which closed its doors in 2012. Many counties in the state do not have a place to put these juveniles who commit gun offenses, he said. This is a problem that needs to be addressed now because so much of the gun violence we see is being committed by young people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Judy Schwank said that during her time in office she has worked with colleagues to advance legislation that can reduce gun violence. The Wyomissing Democrat said more can be done but pointed to one specific source of pride a bill that took firearms away from individuals who have a protection-from-abuse order against them. One of the messages that we have to get out is that its not about taking away the firearms you are using for legitimate purposes, its about keeping everybody safe, she said. State Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz said its going to take everyone in the community to address gun violence. The Reading Democrat said there needs to be a return to a time when neighbors looked out for neighbors and kids were afraid to do something wrong because they knew the adults in their neighborhood would snitch on them. This is going to take everyone from those who are hanging out on the block to the bodega owners to the business owners to the church leaders, she said. Its going to have to be each one looking out for our young people as a collective. Reach out If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse, contact the 24-hour Safe Berks hotline at 844-789-SAFE (7233) or text SAFE BERKS to 20121. REAL IDs are marked with a star in the right upper-hand corner of the ID. Time is running out to get your Real ID; just two months are left before the long-delayed deadline arrives. Beginning May 7, 2025, everyone will need to have a Real ID or another approved federally-issued ID to board commercial flights, or to enter certain federal buildings, military bases or nuclear power plants within the United States. Here's what you need to know about the identification cards, including how to get yours - if you haven't already - so you don't miss your next flight. What is a Real ID? Real IDs are not a new idea. In fact, the idea been around for at least 20 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official concept of a Real ID was established by the Real ID Act of 2005. Since then, the enforcement deadline for Real IDs has been kicked down the road for decades, leading us to the May 2025 date when Real ID requirements actually go into effect. A Real ID is a driver's license or state-issued identification card denoted by a small star in the top right-hand corner. These cards have enhanced security standards including anti-counterfeiting technology, to prevent insider fraud, and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a person is who they claim to be, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Real IDs are issued in Tennessee and all other U.S. states, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. Are Tennesseans required to get a Real ID? No, Real IDs are not mandatory unless you plan to take a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tennessee drivers still can opt to get a traditional driver's license or ID with fewer required documents. However, the Real ID and normal driver's license cost exactly the same. At what age will you need a Real ID to fly? Anyone age 18 or older will need a Real ID to get on a commercial flight starting in May. What do you need to get a Real ID in Tennessee? In order to get your Real ID in Tennessee, you'll need to present proof of citizenship or legal presence, proof of your Social Security number and two proofs of Tennessee residency. Anyone who has changed their name must provide certified legal documents supporting the name change. There are many different documents that could fulfill the requirements of proof of U.S. citizenship and/or Tennessee residency. A full list of acceptable documents to bring is available at tn.gov. Where can I get a Real ID in Knox County? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Find more locations and information at the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security website. How much does a Real ID cost in Tennessee? Getting a Real ID costs around $28, the same rate as that of a standard Tennessee driver's license or photo ID. Are you required to have a Real ID to vote in Tennessee? No, A Real ID will meet the identification requirement for voting, but voters also can use a standard state-issued driver's license or ID card to cast their ballots in Tennessee or any other state. Similarly, the traditional, non-Real-ID license or ID still will be accepted for purchasing alcohol or tobacco, applying for federal benefits or accessing hospitals, post offices, banks and federal courts, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Securitysaid in a news release. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How to get a Real ID in Tennessee? Consider this a two-month warning Brookline Police are seeking the publics help in identifying a suspect caught on video who is accused of defacing Tesla vehicles with Elon Musk decals. Police on Tuesday publicly posted a video showing the man, who was riding a bike and wearing a helmet, on social media. The suspect was filmed while riding around on his bike on Sunday afternoon and defacing Tesla vehicles in the Brookline Village area, police said. At least three victims have reported to police that their cars were targeted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are looking to identify this suspect who was seen tagging Tesla vehicles with Elon Musk decals, police said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday. When confronted the suspect claimed he has the right to deface the property of others because its his free speech, police said. Wed like to speak with the suspect so we can educate him on the difference between free speech, and vandalizing property belonging to others, police said in another post on Facebook, citing state laws. In the short video shared by police, unidentified bystanders confront the bicyclist, as he circles them on his bike, about his apparent tagging of Tesla vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why do you think you have the right to do that? one bystander asks the bicyclist. Its my free speech, the suspect replies. Free speech? Not on your car. Yeah? That doesnt matter. Its not up to you to decide anything, the bystander says. To do what? the bicyclist replies. To put a sticker on other peoples car, the bystander says. We are looking to identify this suspect who was seen tagging Tesla vehicles with Elon Musk decals. When confronted the suspect claimed he has the right to deface the property of others because it's his free speech. Contact Detective Ryan McCarthy 617-730-2710 with any info. pic.twitter.com/OWLXPJI9Bb Brookline PD (@BrooklineMAPD) March 4, 2025 A third voice, that of a woman, is heard in the video saying, You ruined my car. Then take it off, the bicyclist says. You guys can get a better car, if you can afford that car, the bicyclist says to the bystanders. Its not up to you to say anything, the male bystander says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like I said, we have a difference of opinion, the bicyclist says at the end of the short video. Adam Choi took the cell phone video after he saw the man vandalizing the Teslas. I understand he wants to express his opinions, but freedom of speech has nothing to do with defacing a car, said Choi. I was a little scared somebody threaten us by driving this car, said Ashely Park, who owns a Tesla. Park says she found two Elon Musk flyers on her Tesla in Brookline on Sunday too. It talks about Elon Musk and Elon Musk is threatening like society and it says sell your car, sell all your stocks in Tesla, said Park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel like their anger has been misdirected, said Choi. Choi says many Tesla owners bought their cars for economic and safety reasons well before Elon Musk was in charge of DOGE. You dont know what my views are, you dont know why I bought the car, if you disagree with what Elon does, you can protest whatever but dont vandalize my car, said Choi. And now I just feel like how can I protect my car? I park it on the street and Im scared somebody would not just put a sticker on maybe they would key my car maybe theyll slash my tires I dont know whats gonna happen next. Anyone with information is urged to contact Brookline Police Detective Ryan McCarthy at 617-730-2710 or via email at rmccarthy@brooklinema.gov. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brookline Police shared their post one day after officials said several Tesla charging stations in Littleton were likely intentionally set on fire. The reported vandalism in Massachusetts comes as demonstrators have gathered outside Tesla stores across the U.S. in recent days to protest the automakers billionaire leader, Elon Musk, The Associated Press reported. FILE - A person protesting Elon Musk's actions in the Trump administration holds a sign outside a Tesla showroom in Seattle, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes, File) Protesters are targeting Musk over his push to slash government spending on behalf of President Donald Trump. We can get back at Elon, Nathan Phillips, a 58-year-old ecologist from Newton, who was protesting in Boston on Saturday, the Associated Press reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We can impose direct economic damage on Tesla by showing up at showrooms everywhere and boycotting Tesla and telling everyone else to get out, sell your stocks, sell your Teslas, Phillips told the AP. 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 Students work in an art class at Wasatch Junior High School in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) With about 80% of school choice voucher recipients being homeschooled in the Utah Fits All programs first year, the Utah Legislature has passed a bill restricting funding for extracurriculars and decreasing awards for students learning at home. HB455, sponsored by Rep. Candice Pierucci, R-Herriman, was updated in the Senate Education Committee last week to reduce the amount that homeschool students can receive, bringing down the $8,000 annual scholarship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, homeschooled Utah Fits All students 5 to 11 years old would have access to $4,000 a year, while those 12 to 18 years old could get $6,000. Private school students are still eligible for $8,000 a year to help cover their tuition or other expenses. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX We made that change, Pierucci said on the House floor on Monday. It will open up a minimum $16 million in the current existing appropriation, so that that money can be reallocated to more students. The bill passed both the House and the Senate and now only awaits the governors signature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a public hearing, many spoke against the change in scholarship amounts. Madeline Ogborn, who has two children in the program, said it would be devastating to lose 50% of her budget to educate them. Were, I guess, confused, disappointed, worried about being treated equally, she said, adding that she has tried to be thoughtful about her expenses, but still, one of her students is already over that $4,000 limit for this school year, she said. However, Pierucci defended the scholarship amount cut, arguing that while she acknowledges that homeschool learning can work in many ways, with different expenses, she heard concerns about the program encouraging frivolous spending with the $8,000 amount. Let us know what you think... She struggled with the cut, she said, because it could send a message that homeschooling is less than. But, the change is to allow more students into the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school choice scholarship, which detractors call school vouchers, has been controversial and even faces a challenge in court with a lawsuit questioning its constitutionality. But, it has also been highly sought after in the state, with a lengthy waitlist of those vying to get state dollars for education expenses including private school tuition and fees, homeschooling, tutoring services, testing fees, materials and other expenses. Pierucci said lowering the scholarship amount could potentially allow some of the more than 17,000 students on the waitlist to get into the program. And, more Utah students may also have access to the money in the coming year, as a new request for appropriations was included in the states budget recommendation for the 2025 fiscal year, leaving some Democratic lawmakers frustrated. Currently the Utah Fits All is allocated $82.5 million in taxpayer funding a year, used to serve about 10,000 students. A request to almost double that amount was met halfway in the budget, which adds $40 million more in ongoing money for the program. The legislation also establishes more guardrails and clear guidelines for the program manager, strengthening residence requirements and adjusting the priority for families with an income from 200% of the federal poverty level to 300%, to make sure were truly capturing low income and middle class families before it is available to all families in Utah, Pierucci said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also includes a provision that has been very unpopular among recipients a 20% cap for extracurriculars and physical education, and the clear exclusion of ski passes, furniture, musical instruments, apparel and others from the allowable expenses. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE "Profoundly misguided" is how one voter described state Sen. Doug Campbell, Republican District 30 representative from Mason City, at a contentious legislative forum held at the Mason City Public Library on Saturday. The event was set to feature Campbell and state Rep. Christian Hermanson, R-Mason City, and Jane Bloomingdale, R-Northwood. Bloomingdale did not attend. As the meeting began, a woman called out, "You let us down, Christianson." Hermanson jumped on the mistake. "If you knew my name, you could actually have an opinion on that," he responded. He repeatedly asked her if she was a resident of House District 59 as other audience members falsely shouted that she had been bused in. The woman told the Globe Gazette she lives in House District 60 and is represented by Bloomingdale. Voters asked about SF 418, a bill to remove protections for transgendered Iowans from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. The passed both chambers Thursday and was signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday. Attendees also asked about the education savings accounts commonly referred to as school vouchers and SF 360 and a bill to ban mRNA vaccines in Iowa. That bill was submitted to the Legislature by Campbell on Feb. 18. In the Montana Legislature, the same bill was submitted Feb. 7. According to Campbell, the bill to ban mRNA vaccines is a "placeholder." "That was placed as a title and a topic only," Campbell told voters. "The only purpose to put that in, the way that it was, borrowed from Montana, was that got the ball rolling." Campbell was booed by members of the audience when he said the bill starts off banning mRNA vaccines. Campbell claimed vaccine production is rushed and producers are "neglecting to take out the genetic material, the mRNA, the DNA, there's just a lot in there," he said. Carol Schutte taught biosciences at North Iowa Area Community College for over 25 years. She countered Campbell's claim by saying mRNA vaccines had been in development long before COVID-19 hit the United States. "The mRNA that codes for the antigens that will stimulate the immune system is programmed to be broken down quite quickly. I'd like to say I believe the COVID vaccine saved millions of lives," She said to applause. "I'd also like to stand for basic scientific research, because if we hadn't been working on mRNA for 20 years, we wouldn't have been able to develop it so quickly." Other mRNA vaccines currently being researched target influenza, zika virus, respiratory syncytial virus, HIV, cytomegalovirus and some cancers. Most mRNA vaccines being studied are in phase 1 clinical trials, with a few in phase-2 and 3 trials. Retired Mason City resident John Dean asked the legislators about school vouchers. Campbell said, "Let me answer that very directly: Vouchers in Iowa do not exist. There are no vouchers." That response sparked an uproar from the audience. After the crowd had settled down, Campbell expanded on his remarks. He said a school voucher system exists when a parent receives money and pays it to the school of their choice. In Iowa, payments are made directly from the state to the education provider. Campbell also defended private schools' ability to refuse to accept any child. After opening the meeting, Hermanson read a prepared statement regarding the passage of SF 418 on Thursday. There are 23 states, including Iowa, with protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. SF 418 removed protections for transgendered Iowans from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Iowa became the first U.S. state to remove gender identity protections from its civil rights code. "The federal government has never explicitly recognized gender identity as a civil right and fewer than half of states include it in their civil rights laws," Hermanson said in a prepared statement. "Gender identity has always been protected under the U.S. Constitution's equal protection clause, the 14th Amendment." Mason City parent Kaylara Hoadley gave an impassioned speech to legislators and the audience. Hoadley had been in the gallery at the Capitol during debate on the amendments to SF 418. She was there to witness North Iowa legislators vote to approve a bill that stripped protections for her 14-year-old trans child. More than 2,500 people protested in the rotunda and outside the Capitol building. Hoadley said she livestreamed on social media the debate and votes on amendments that would have allowed passage of the bill without stripping all legal protections from transgendered residents. "This is my child," Hoadley said through tears as she held up an 8x10 school photo of the 14 year old for Hermanson and Campbell to see. "This is not a political debate." "They are a human with real lived experiences who have already experienced bathroom beatings in the men's room by cis white males." Campbell agreed with the audience the need to protect women and girls is because the majority of crimes committed against them are committed by men. Hermanson told Hoadley her child has "the same rights to be free of assault as anyone else does." Protesters gathered outside the door to the Mason City Room, holding signs and silently greeting voters as they left the building. The next legislative forum is scheduled for 10 a.m. April 5 at the Mason City Public Library. Jay-Z is lying and reeks of desperation, says the lawyer representing the Jane Doe who accused the Grammy-winning rapper and the incarcerated Sean Diddy Combs of repeatedly raping her in 2000. In an already pugilistic case that was dismissed by the plaintiff on Valentines Day after it was played out in court and in the press for months, Tony Buzbee today claims things have turned even more nasty in recent weeks. Pay attention here: They wanted a headline so in that new case they FALSELY claimed she recanted. She didnt. She hasnt. She wont, Buzbee said today in a post on social media. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for Jay-Z did not respond to request for comment on Buzbees latest comments and the accusations they contain. Two days after Jay-Z and Beyonce hosted their annual post-Oscars Gold Party at Los Angeles iconic Chateau Marmont, the superstars Roc Nation was also silent today about Buzbees claims. Perhaps they are recalibrating. The online missive by the Houston-based Buzbee comes a day after Jay-Z sued Jane Doe and her attorneys in federal court for fabricated accusations in the dismissed case. In that filing seeing a jury trial and unspecified damages, Jay-Zs lawyers bluntly claimed that Doe has now voluntarily admitted directly to representatives of Mr. Carter that the story brought before the world in court and on global television was just that: a false, malicious story. The complaint goes on to say: She has admitted that Mr. Carter did not assault her; and that indeed it was Buzbee himself whom she met for the first time at a coffee shop in Houston on the day of her maliciously false NBC News interview who pushed her to go forward with the false narrative of the assault by Mr. Carter in order to leverage a maximum payday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As you can see in the IG post from Buzbee, with its accompanying photograph of Oscar Wilde, the lawyer calls BS: They found my client who had filed suit, Buzbee said in the Instagram post this morning. They threatened and harassed her. They harassed her family and friends. She has health issues. She has seizures. She withdrew her case. Among the allegations against Combs for vile and violent misconduct, this particular case started with a graphic October 20 lawsuit named Combs in the alleged rape of the then 13-year-old, with mention of a male Celebrity A and a female Celebrity B, after the 2000 MTV VMAs. On November 18, an Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan-represented anonymous celebrity and public figure who resides in Los Angeles sued Buzbee for extortion in L.A. Superior Court. With rumors of the superstar identity of Celebrity A swirling and more and more assault cases filed against Combs, on December 8, Buzbee refiled his initial suit claiming Jay-Z was Celebrity A. Condemning the accusations and the assault of more than 20 years ago as heinous in nature, Jay-Z also revealed himself in early December as the figure who resides in L.A. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After months of bare-knuckle legal and media fighting from Jay-Zs longtime lawyer Alex Spiro and Buzbee, the whole thing came to a sudden end February 14 at least that part of it. But not for long. Building on his statement of February 14 that the trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed, and his supposed loss of $20 million annually in business from Jane Does career-ending claims, Jay-Z and his legal team soon went on offense. As Buzbee details in his post today: They then sued her, and me again, for defamation. (They had already sued me for defamation and most of that case is also being thrown out.) Kinda. On February 26, a tentative ruling by LASC Judge Mark H. Epstein stripped Jay-Zs extortion claim against Buzbee from the West Coast case. However, the judge left in the defamation claim and likelihood of a trial if the parties dont settle soon-is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Todays online retort by Buzbee is very much in line with the statement he put out Monday after Jay-Z filed his suit in federal court in Alabama, where Jane Doe resides. This new case which alleges the same thing as another one he pieces together and filed in Los Angeles also has no legal merit, Buzbee said Monday. Shawn Carters investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story. She wont. Accused in a new filing this week of attacking and assaulting a woman at the Jay-Z-owned Times Square hotspot 40/40 Club in 2006, Combs continues to face nearly 30 assault and abuse civil suits from Buzbee-represented plaintiffs and others. The Bad Boys Records founder is behind bars at Brooklyns Metropolitan Detention Center, where he has been since his September 16 arrest on criminal charges. Falling short on multiple occasions to get released on $50 million bail, Combs is set to go to trial on racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution charges May 5. Diddy, who has pleaded not guilty, is looking at life in prison if convicted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BTW, if the photo of Wilde in Buzbees post has you confused by its inclusion, let me put forth a theory. The lawyer did make an explicit explanation, but I doubt youd lose a bet if you put your money on the connection being drawn to the sex scandal and brutal persecution that the Divine Oscar, often viewed as the wittiest man to ever live, suffered in the 1890s from the wealthy and well-connected Marquess of Queensberry. You connect the rest of the dots. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. An Xcel Energy refund plan, if approved by regulators, will deliver $318 million back to Minnesota customers, the utility announced Monday. The proposed refund would mark the first time customers see savings from the federal tax credits on energy generated by Xcel's nuclear fleet. "Were committed to supporting our states economic growth, investing in our communities, delivering reliable and resilient electricity, all while keeping customers bills as low as possible," stated Ryan Long, president of Xcel EnergyMinnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tax credits on nuclear energy generation produce savings for our customers, providing another way for our carbon-free, always-available nuclear fleet to create value for our customers and state," Long continued. Xcel Energy's nuclear plant in Monticello, Minn.Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Flickr According to Xcel Energy, the nuclear energy tax credits would make up $176 million, or 55%, of the overall $318 million refund. Savings from lower fuel costs make up $94 million, or 30%, of the overall refund amount and $48 million is related to a 2011 outage at the companys Sherco coal plant. If approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Xcel Energy estimates that the average residential customer will receive a total refund of $81 - reducing their monthly bills through March 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xcel Energys operates nuclear power plants in Monticello and Prairie Island, together accounting for nearly 25% of the electricity used by customers across the companys five-state Upper Midwest system. Xcel Energy recently received federal approval to extend the operating life of its Monticello nuclear plant, and the company plans to seek a similar extension for its Prairie Island plant. It's also planning to embark on another major investment in renewable energy that it says will keep energy bills lower in the future, as it continues its shift away from fossil fuels. Related: Xcel reveals major investment in renewables, will meet carbon-free target 5 years early Illustration by Niyazz | iStock / Getty Images Plus Since 2023, Arizonas Republican legislators have faced a roadblock as theyve tried to push through their unpopular, fringe agenda: Gov. Katie Hobbs veto stamp. But they havent let that stop them from attempting to remake Arizonas elections in ways that will only benefit them. One tool they have frequently used is legislative ballot referrals. Doing so bypasses the governors desk and places a proposed change to state law directly onto the ballot. It has quickly become the Republican majoritys favorite way to attempt to pass their most deceptive, anti-democratic policies because it not only avoids a veto, but it shifts the responsibility to voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX While this may seem reasonable on its face, it becomes unreasonable when their reckless referrals create a two-sheet ballot as happened last year that costs Arizona taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and was a contributing factor in delaying Arizonas election results this cycle. In 2024, Arizonas ballot spilled onto two sheets of paper thanks to 11 statewide legislative referrals, leaving voters to decipher confusing proposition after confusing proposition. Republicans, incapable of engaging in any kind of negotiation with Hobbs, attempted to trick Arizonans rather than govern. Arizonans largely saw through it, overwhelmingly rejecting Propositions 133, 134, 136, 137 and 138. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The overwhelming failure of these ballot measures not only proves that the Republican majority who supported these are out of touch but also leaves us with important questions: Where is the accountability? Why are these reckless legislators allowed to simply force us to use our own tax dollars to vote on whatever pet project they want us to? Then, when we reject it, legislators are just allowed to get away with forcing us to waste our own money? Its time for that to change. The financial burden of paying for ballot referrals falling on Arizona taxpayers who are not asking to pay for this or wanting it is unacceptable. With the state already in a massive budget shortfall, Arizona Republicans are gearing up to waste even more dollars because preparing a ballot referral requires significant taxpayer-funded resources. State agencies like the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) must allocate time and money to research and evaluate each referral for fiscal impact. The impact is also logistical staff, legal, and administrative support are all diverted from important legislative work to move ballot measures through the process by which they are finalized and placed on the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any legislator who voted for the glut of referrals that failed overwhelmingly, which were designed to avoid a veto, cannot be seen as a good steward of taxpayer money. Republicans in the legislature may argue that sending matters to the ballot offers a direct line to the will of the voter, providing Arizonans with an opportunity to unequivocally weigh in on a policy change. The concept of referring matters to the voters is intended to increase direct democracy, but this legislature is turning the process into a hyper-partisan method of policymaking. They are used out of sheer laziness by a legislative majority that refuses to even attempt to compromise with the governor. Its time to hold these legislators accountable for recklessly referring unpopular, deceptive policies to the ballot time and again and shifting the responsibility of what they were elected to do govern onto the shoulders of the voters. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE (Photo by Jen Lobo/Getty Images) This article was first published by KNKX and Cascade PBS. Unionized REI employees are calling on members of the outdoor retail co-op to vote no in this years board of director elections after the company excluded two union-backed candidates from the ballot. The two were Tefere Gebre, chief program officer at the international environmental advocacy group Greenpeace USA, and Shemona Moreno, a Seattle climate activist who leads the nonprofit 350 Seattle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who has an active REI membership can vote in its board elections. Members can also nominate themselves to run for a board seat, but bylaw changes in the early 2000s gave the existing board final say over who gets on the ballot. At a press conference and rally outside the Seattle REI store on Monday, union members and labor organizers said the election process has grown undemocratic, and that the restrictive board rules are reflective of REIs shift away from its co-op roots. REI gamed the rules so they can keep anyone they dont like off members ballots, said Sarah Cherin, chief of staff at UFCW 3000, which represents unionized REI workers in Bellingham. We are sending REI a message by voting no in their board election and demanding that REI respect the rights of its members and workers. The labor-backed candidates, Moreno and Gebre, ran extensive social media campaigns and gathered signatures from thousands of members asking the board to let them on the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when the board released its approved list of candidates for three open seats on Monday, March 3, Gebre and Morenos names were conspicuously absent. The board nominated three candidates, which means this years election will be noncompetitive. Two of the candidates PolicyLink CEO Michael McAfee and Elizabeth Huebner, former senior vice president and CFO for Getty Images are incumbent board members. The third candidate is Monica Schwartz, executive vice president and chief digital officer of BJs Wholesale Club. Moreno acknowledged in a January interview with Cascade PBS and KNKX that her odds of making it on the ballot were low. The board lists a preference for candidates with high-level business experience at similarly sized organizations, which Moreno doesnt have. REI also said they did not receive her application, which Moreno disputes. Gebre was slightly more optimistic about his chances. In addition to his current role at Greenpeace, Gebre formerly worked as vice president of the AFL-CIO. Hes also a former board member of United Way U.S.A. I feel like I was really well-qualified, Gebre said in an interview Monday. Ive served in a lot of big organizations; I felt like from the way they were describing the way they wanted to form the board, I felt like I would fit in there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement REI didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on why Gebre wasnt included on the ballot. Gebre thinks its because hes outspokenly pro-union. I was not apologetic in saying why I wanted to be on the board, and that was that I wanted to represent the workers and I want to make sure that the workers are heard by the board and not seen as disposable, Gebre said. Its clear from their decisions that they dont want that voice inside the board. Workers at 11 REI stores across the country have voted to unionize since 2022, but the unions have yet to reach a contract with the company. Workers have accused REI of union-busting and retaliating against employees trying to organize by withholding raises and bonuses, a claim the company denies. It really feels like green vests are no longer valued, said Tini Alexander, a senior shop mechanic at the REI in Bellingham. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alexander and other workers at the news conference on Monday spoke of problems with low wages, short staffing and a lack of training for new employees. They also expressed frustration about the boards recent decision to sign a letter supporting U.S Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, a Trump-administration appointee who has been criticized by environmental activists for supporting oil and natural gas drilling on public lands . This is the kind of profit-over-people playbook that we would have expected from a corporation, from a big polluter, but not from a member-owned co-op, said Ben Smith, senior strategic partnerships advisor at Greenpeace who spoke at the rally on Monday. Our message to REI is simple: Respect your workers and get back to your co-op roots. REI members have until midnight on May 1 to cast ballots in this years election. They can choose to either vote for or withhold. The union is asking members to select withhold on all three candidates. If the number of withhold votes is greater than the number of for votes in an uncontested election, the seat the candidate was running for will be considered vacant, according to the REI board bylaws . The remaining directors would then fill that vacancy by appointing a director, chosen from a slate of potential candidates nominated by the Nominating and Governance Committee, to a term expiring at the next annual meeting of members, the bylaws say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boards rules are very arcane, said Matt McIntosh, an REI member and organizer with UFCW 3000 who attended the rally on Monday. After the news conference, McIntosh and other organizers distributed pamphlets with information about the election to midday shoppers at the Seattle REI store. A lot of people said they didnt know an election was happening. Overall, people seemed super-receptive to the idea of voting withhold, McIntosh said. It takes five minutes online and people like to vote, McIntosh said. People are upset right now for good reason about a variety of things, so its an easy thing that people can do to make their voice heard. CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) Throughout the month of March, WTAJ is honoring Remarkable Women whove made a positive impact in their community. In Centre County, Cindy Kolarik has helped bring countless smiles to kids through The Jared Box Project. The Jared Box Project was started in 2001 by the children of Our Lady of Victory School in State College, Pennsylvania, to honor their classmate and friend, Jared McMullen. McMullen was diagnosed with an incurable brainstem tumor in 1999 and passed away on Nov. 12, 2000. Funny, gregarious, outgoing, and wise beyond his years, little guy. And hes known for carrying a backpack filled with toys to many hospital visits, Kolarik said. He noticed that other kids were maybe sad or bored or lonely, and offered to share his toys with those kids. Cindy Kolarik. After he died, his classmates created boxes filled with toys to share with other children to help pass the time during hospital stays. It was intended to be a one-time project, but it became a nationwide movement through the Jared Box Project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were now in all 50 states and have over 550 hospitals. A couple of years ago, we surpassed one million boxes, Kolarik said. She keeps that same spirit of sharing and caring alive. Just last year in Centre County, over 2,500 boxes were carefully packed with love. This year, she hopes to top that. The Jared Box Project is a Give Local project where the boxes are made and delivered in the same community. The boxes we make here today in State College, right after the meeting, Ill be delivering them to Mount Nittany Medical Center here in State College. So tomorrow a group might be making them in Pittsburgh, and theyll drop them to the Pittsburgh Childrens Hospital and so forth, Kolarik said. She says the program she founded over 20 years ago couldnt continue without support from volunteers across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I say at every event, this is powered through the kindness of others. But if it werent for folks like Rotary Club and different businesses that want to make the boxes, we wouldnt have this tremendous impact, she said. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. Since the project was launched, theyve collectively made more than a million boxes. The smiles theyve brought are too many to count. But its all in memory of one little boy who knows how kindness can bring a little comfort when its needed most. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) A mother to two, grandmother to four, and a heart for service. Born and raised in Darmstadt, Diane Shaw now lives in Evansville with her husband and dog. The alarm goes off at 5, and after a morning walk, she heads to work at the family business, Bauers Tents and Party Rentals. Vice president by day, and social media director by night, Shaw balances her time between the family business and volunteering with Honor Flight of Southern Indiana. Find out about more Remarkable Women in the Tri-State Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have had people tell me that I am their cheerleader, said Shaw. Because veterans are very dear to my heart I feel like we all owe them so much. And as they get older in their life, they dont seem to get that remembrance of what they did for this country. Shaw went on EVV 5 in October of 2016, as a guardian. And she says the rest is history. Before serving as social media director for the organization, she served as its vice president from 2017 to 2022. She has gone on every flight since then, except for one. Shaw interviews each veteran on Facebook Live so their families can watch. The coolest thing was, I had a granddaughter who had not seen for a few years, she was on Live. And she sent me a message saying please find grandfather and she told me his name so I am running around he got emotional, and I got emotional, the guardian, which was his son, got emotional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scott Zoll got to know Shaw through Honor Flight. He says there is no one like her. Crazy blonde and hair on fire, said Zoll. And I say that because literally she does the commentary when we are on the flight day, and all the meet and greets. Shaws heart is at more places than just honor flight. She helps at a variety of other organizations, including Feed Evansville. Feed Evansville founder, Lisa Vaughn says Shaw is more than just a friend, and she treats everybody like family, going above and beyond to help. What makes her remarkable in my eyes though is that she takes the time to get to know who you are, said Vaughn. It is not about the transaction, its not sometimes even about the cause, even though that is at the center of her thoughts she wants to know how my kids are. She has picked up my kids from school for me. She has wiped tears, she has given me hugs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont feel like what I do is outstanding, I feel like I am passionate, Shaw says. I am very passionate about the organization, and the veterans. But I am just one person of a big village. But what I do, I give a 110 percent. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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). BAY MINETTE, Ala. (WKRG) This March, we are highlighting Remarkable Women along the Gulf Coast. These women were nominated by those of you who recognize their service to our community. One of four finalists is Barbara Brown, former Director of Light of the City in Bay Minette, Alabama. Her work with the after-school and summer programs resonated years beyond her retirement. WEATHER ALERT: Damaging winds and tornadoes possible Fat Tuesday evening Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She worked as a teacher in the Baldwin County School System for over 25 years. Before that chapter ended, unaware to her, she was already writing a new chapter in her life. During her years as a teacher, she pursued a masters degree. Slightly uncertain of how she would use the degree, Brown continued. I said I didnt want to be a principal, Brown said. And what I didnt know was God was preparing me for Light of the City and being the director of the summer camp because all of those skills they taught me while obtaining my masters led to what I needed for Light of the City. While many choose to set sail on a cruise or relax after retiring, Brown celebrated differently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I flunked retirement because I have always worked with the community throughout and working with children since I was a child, and it just seemed natural to continue with that, Brown said. Light of the City, a tutoring and summer camp program affiliated with Volunteers of America, serves underprivileged children ages 5 to 14 in Baldwin County. She worked with Light of the City for over 12 years, but after having an aneurysm, she could no longer continue. However, her impact still stands strong today. Current Light of the City Director Barry Hurst described how Brown helped make the program what it is today. She wrote grants and helped get a playground, a walking track and pavilions. Her tenacity to get this camp as looking the way it is now because when we first started, it did not look as nice as it look now, Hurst said. But because of her dedication and her efforts to get it It was just once she saw something. You know, vision or something. She made sure that it happens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Arnold Cox is a lifelong friend and colleague of Brown. He nominated her for the Remarkable Women Award without any hesitation. Cox stated that Brown has had a lasting impact on the community. Ms. Brown has always embodied being a remarkable woman, Cox said. So I wanted to be able to give her her roses while she could smell them for all her labor she put in over here at Light of the City. Zion Harvey, one of her former students, reminisced on the impression Brown made on him when she was at Light of the City. She was fun and nice, Harvey said. She joke a lot, and she understands you when youre down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown hopes the children will remember the lessons she taught them, but in the end, she said she received much more in return from them. She reflected on her life and stated, Being a mom, being the Director of Light of the City and being a classroom teacher, I would say Ive had the best life. The best life. Brown discussed what it felt like to learn that she was nominated for our Remarkable Women Award. UPDATE: SS United States enters Port of Mobile Her exact words were, Honored and humbled that my classmate, Dr. Arnold Cox, would actually think of me, let alone nominate me. While Brown doesnt like to be credited for all the hard work she put in with the children, theres no doubt she had a remarkable influence on countless young peoples lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) For Stefanie Tuzman, leading Jewish Nevada isnt just a job. As president and CEO of the more than half-century-old nonprofit, she says its a calling. Still, despite the hectic schedule of leading the nonprofit that supports approximately 76,000 Jewish people in the Silver State, Tuzman tries to foster a welcoming and engaging environment at the Las Vegas headquarters. We have a movie club, a book club, she said. Ive worked really hard to build relationships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuzman said her mission is to make sure Jewish people in Nevada feel safe, connected, and engaged. The organization achieves that by developing numerous programs, including initiatives to combat antisemitism and expand security services. Tuzman played a key role in securing the passage of a Holocaust education bill in Nevada. Even with that success, Tuzman acknowledged the most challenging aspect of her job. Theres never enough to go around, Tuzman said. However, despite the demands of her role, Tuzman finds time for what she says matters most: her family. I also love that I get to teach my children, she said. Even on the nights and weekends when I have to work, I know one day my kids will be really proud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With her 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Tuzman said she remains passionate about her work and proud of her Jewish heritage. You dont need to know it all, you dont need to know how to do it all, she said. In addition to Jewish Nevadas other missions, the nonprofit provides essential services, including a food pantry and other emergency aid. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Editor's note: Letters to the editor reflect the views of individual readers. Scroll to the bottom to see how you can add your voice, whether you agree or disagree. We welcome diverse viewpoints. The past couple of weeks I have emailed Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles (District 5) twice, asking him to hold some town hall meetings. I was not surprised that I did not hear back. Representative Ogles, R-Williamson County, continues to be unresponsive to voter needs, ignores the needs of the largest population he represents, Nashville, and was embroiled in an investigation concerning financial irregularities and campaign finance issues. U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, gives his victory speech after defeating Metro Nashville Council member Courtney Johnston at Stan's Restaurant in Columbia, Tenn., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Editor's note: Federal prosecutors recently asked a court to withdraw from the criminal investigation into Ogles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress members like him are a huge part of what is wrong with our House of Representatives. So many representatives and senators are more in tune with what the wealthy want, but not so much everyday Americans want and need! Opinion: Tennessee GOP Rep. Andy Ogles wants a third term for Trump to advance his career My hope is that at some point his constituents will ultimately see this and not elect him to another term in 2026. We need public officials who represent us, not lobbyists and the wealthy. Take our survey: How would you rate Tennessee's members of Congress? David Huebner, Spring Hill 37174 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agree or disagree? Or have a view on another topic entirely? Send a letter of 250 words or fewer to letters@tennessean.com. Include your full name, city/town, ZIP and contact information for verification. Thanks for adding to the public conversation. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee members of Congress should hold town hall meetings | Letters Gene Beasley has hit the ground running since becoming director of the Danville Adult Detention Center this past fall. Although it has been just more than four months since he took the helm, he has already made significant changes at the facility. And he has plans for more. The facility has a great foundation of practices and many experienced staff with decades of experience, Beasley, 52, told the Danville Register & Bee. I took some time to assess the operation and to make sure I had a strong understanding of the operation and how we could improve. Since starting as director Oct. 16, he has implemented a higher standard for sanitation, prohibited smoking inside the facility, began a smoking cessation program for inmates and initiated a five-year plan for repairs and upgrades. When a prison is well-maintained and orderly, it indicates that the staff have a strong grip on security and discipline, shows we are effectively managing the inmate population and demonstrates staff authority within the institution, Beasley said. In addition, a new booking tool to identify needs of inmates will enable the facility to structure its programs appropriately, he said. Also, we are going to fine tune some of the existing practices/policies and provide programming opportunities, additional mental-health resources, drug-abuse-related classes/materials and focus on release preparation initiatives for the inmate populations, Beasley said. Were looking to make a harder push to get these types of programs in here, he said during an interview at his office Monday morning. He replaced Frank Mardavich, who retired in May. Beasley brings 25 years of experience with the Federal Bureau of Prisons to his new position at the adult detention center. He had retired from the bureau May 31, 2022. Afterward, he worked as the director of school safety and security for a regional office of education close to his hometown of Marion, Illinois. But law enforcement and corrections had gotten into his blood. After working so long in corrections, I realized my work in this area was not done, he said. I missed working in the law-enforcement community, specifically corrections, and made the decision that I was going to explore finding a warden position closer to my wifes aging parents. Beasleys wife has family in the Martinsville and eastern Virginia areas, he said. He has been the warden at two federal correctional complexes in the past, he said, and it was two of the best positions I have ever held. Danvilles adult detention center appealed to him because it is operated by the municipality. The attraction to the Danville Adult Detention Center is that it was a city-operated facility and not part of a larger politicized machine, Beasley said. I was attracted to the fact that the facility houses sentenced inmates with shorter sentences, from the community, and there would be opportunities to bring 25 years of various experiences to the table with hopes of making a positive impact within the very community we would be living. Beasley began his career with the FBP as a correctional officer in May 1997, going on to make 10 moves with the agency to take on positions of increased responsibility. He earned a bachelors degree in administration of justice from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. His past positions have included associate warden at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, Louisiana, and later at the Federal Medical Center in Carswell, Texas. He has worked at other facilities including those in Grand Prairie, Texas; Forest City, Arkansas; Allenwood, Pennsylvania; Stockton, California; and Washington, D.C. In Washington, he was deputy director for the FBP, overseeing operations of 122 institutions, six regional offices, central office, two staff training centers and more than 20 residential re-entry offices. Beasley, who was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, came of age in an area Marion, Illinois that provided opportunities for a career in criminal justice. The area I grew up in had many prisons and colleges that offered strong administration of justice programs, he said. In addition, he loves people. I have always been a people person and was looking for job security, Beasley said when asked what attracted him to the profession. Danville Police Chief Chris Wiles praised Beasleys experience and his vision for improving the adult detention center. We are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to select Gene Beasley to serve as our next director of adult detention, Wiles said in a statement to the Register & Bee. With over 25 years of considerable experience in correction operations, management and executive leadership, Gene brings fresh perspective that is actively enhancing Danville adult detention. Beasley started the smoking cessation program for inmates and put a stop to inmate smoking inside the facility on Jan. 6. This provides a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone, Beasley said. The facility has also enhanced its security to ensure contraband does not enter into the center, he said. Moreover, staff are constantly vigilant in finding and/or removing any contraband within and outside the secure perimeter, Beasley said. Our staff have done an absolutely outstanding job in this area. Also, he made adjustments in the facilitys leadership to ensure a consistent line of communication and to provide a better utilization of supervisory staff, he added. That has included scheduling changes to allow leadership more daytime hours at the facility. This will allow for better oversight of our operation and free up some of our seasoned leadership staff to engage in a more program-based approach, Beasley said. We are taking the approach that everyone who works at the ADC is responsible for not only the security and orderly running of the facility, but has a societal obligation to provide our offenders with the opportunity to return to their communities as a productive member of society. The inmate booking tool asks inmates a series of questions to determine how to design programs to help them become productive members of society upon their release. Re-entry initiatives start on the very first day of incarceration, Beasley said. This past week, representatives from Virginia Cares started meeting with inmates to have group discussions and talk about ways to better prepare them for release, he said. Virginia Cares is a program that focuses on re-entry initiatives to help inmates re-enter the community as productive citizens. Also, the Danville Police Departments Incarceration Doesnt Define Us program graduated its first group in early February exclusively from the detention center. The eight-week program provides help with housing, job readiness, education options, interview skills, filling out resumes and job applications, budgeting, and other skills. The police department established the program in September 2021. It has been offered to anyone who has been previously incarcerated and is also provided under substance abuse programs. The ADC started its second IDDU program on Feb. 18, and it has 15 participants, Beasley said. To reduce idle time among inmates and provide wellness opportunities, the ADC has also established an inside recreation area, he said. Also, we have created numerous additional inmate job assignments within the facility to help with this initiative, thus, allowing inmates to earn money for commissary items, teach job responsibilities and reduce idle time throughout their sentence, Beasley said. The goal is for every inmate to have a job or complete a productive activity each day, he said. As for facility upgrades, he has kicked off the five-year plan with modernization projects including security fobs for 10 administrative doors, upgraded security doors, fencing and making sure all of the centers security cameras are operating, he said. Enhancements also include upgrading the facilitys commissary kiosks where inmates will be able to place orders and manage their accounts from the housing units, he said. This will alleviate some of the workload on our staff, Beasley said. We are working with a vendor to establish the use of tablets for the inmate population that can be used for video visiting, email communication, leisure books and possibly a law library. Built in the early 1960s, the adult detention center houses roughly 70 inmates with a rated capacity for 120. Beasleys plans also include partnering with local businesses to conduct job fairs both mock and real to create employment opportunities for inmates upon their release. Staff at the center have assigned jobs to inmates in the facility, he said. That includes food service in its cafeteria, where they learn about food safety including hygiene, sanitation and contamination and can earn a certificate, Beasley said. In addition, Beasley said he is focusing on continuously training staff so we have a strong bench to fill leadership positions at the center. That training includes starting a two-week institution familiarization program for new correctional officers, he said. It entails teaching them the basics of corrections and the facilitys policies and partnering new staff with seasoned team members before they assume a post, Beasley said. U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth this week asking for restraint in layoffs affecting veterans and national security. In the letter, the Republican congresswoman asks Hegseth to prioritize keeping veterans in their jobs and ensuring they are not disproportionally laid off by cuts to the federal workforce. She also asked that veterans get access to other federal positions in areas focusing on national security, writing that cuts could be weakening (the United States) defense capabilities. Hegseth directed the Pentagon in February to cut about 8%, or $50 billion, from the military budget. The Department of Defense has also announced it would review staff members still in their probationary periods for layoffs, according to a recent news release. This means about 5,400 probationary workers will be released from their jobs, followed by a hiring freeze across the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kiggans noted Virginias 2nd Congressional District, which she has represented since 2023, is home to tens of thousands of servicemembers and veterans. She said Hampton Roads is especially vulnerable to cuts in military and federal workforce. As a former Navy helicopter pilot and a commonsense conservative, I believe we can responsibly rein in waste while ensuring (Department of Defense) personnel with prior military service remain in positions where they can continue to contribute to our national security, Kiggans said in a statement. Any reductions or reforms to the size and scope of the federal government that risk weakening our defense capabilities, particularly as we face increasing global threats, are unacceptable. Hampton Roads is home to the worlds largest naval station and more than a dozen other military bases. According to the Department of Defense, more than 100,000 active-duty and reserve personnel are employed in the region in addition to about 40,000 civilian personnel employed on Hampton Roads military bases. Kiggans letter comes as Hampton Roads residents have become more vocal in their opposition to some of President Donald Trumps policies. Twice in the last month, protestors have demonstrated outside Kiggans Virginia Beach district office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Are you a Hampton Roads federal worker who has been fired? We want to hear from you. The (Department of Defense) has laid off thousands of employees, many of whom are veterans who have dedicated their careers to serving our country, Kiggans said in her letter. These layoffs are not just a loss of jobs but also a loss of the skilled workforce that is essential to ensuring our defense readiness. President Trump pledged that he would work to minimize job losses for veterans. I hope the (Department of Defense) is following that promise. Since cuts began earlier this year, Democrats have amplified outrage from constituents. Sen. Mark Warner told reporters he has received an overwhelming number of calls from Hampton Roads residents concerned about their jobs. He also said the loss of government contracting jobs could be a recipe for disaster for the region. U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News, invited a veteran who was laid off from her federal jobto be his guest to Trumps joint address to Congress on Tuesday. Retired Army Staff Sgt. Alexzandria Hunt was a supply technician at the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center before getting laid off on Feb. 25. Other Democratic congress members are also bringing federal workers who have lost their jobs to Tuesdays address. Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com (WPRI) Reports of the Trump Administrations plan for cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has some Rhode Islanders concerned. Rep. Seth Magaziner and Save The Bay hosted a roundtable discussion on Monday to discuss potential impacts. There is word that NOAAs workforce will be slashed by 50%. The federal agency supports thousands of jobs in the Ocean States fishing and aquaculture industry, as well as funds research into ocean conservation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BACKGROUND: Hundreds of weather forecasters fired in latest wave of DOGE cuts Lawmakers say they are worried about potential layoffs and what it could mean for weather forecasting and ocean research. When were looking at storm preparedness at the state level, whether it be at DEM or DOT or Emergency Management Agency, we rely very heavily on the weather service for information to keep people safe, Rhode Island Department of Information Director Terrence Gray said. DOGE also plans to slash 30% of NOAAs budget as it continues its mission to cut government spending. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the new 12+ smart TV app. Follow us on social media: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Ocean, Bay & Beach 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 WPRI.com. AUSTIN (KXAN) Investigators believe Austin Wayne Mullins, 31, stole 9 laptops from the Travis County District Attorneys Office last week, according to an arrest warrant filed. On Thursday, Feb. 27, an employee with the office told a courthouse deputy the building was burglarized the day before just after 4 a.m. The total estimated value for the nine laptops is $14,550.75. KXAN has reached out to the DAs Office to ask about security measures as well as the contents of the stolen laptops. We will update this story when we receive a response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is being investigated as a state jail felony, which is the lowest-level felony. According to online jail records, Mullins was not in custody as of 3:45 p.m. Monday. How did the suspect get in? Unclear According to Mullins arrest affidavit, he was seen walking in the alley behind the DAs office near the Sally Port dock area. Below is an excerpt from the affidavit. As his attention was focused on the dock door, he was observed turning to his right and walking towards the dock door. This was not an area open to the public, and the dock door remains locked unless keyed from the outside. Only four employees had keys to unlock this door, and they were all accounted for. It is unclear exactly how the subject made entry into the building, but it is believed the subject may have pulled the door hard enough to defeat the locking mechanism. Austin Mullins affidavit for warrant of arrest A security camera caught him allegedly entering the loading dock area, walking up the ramp, and placing items from a box into his bag. He then took two laptops and left. About two hours later, the subject was seen on camera again, walking in the alley, and re-entering the loading dock area, where court documents state he took the remaining laptops that were there. Deputy recognizes Mullins from the courthouse Once the information was released internally about this case, a courthouse deputy reported that he had seen the person in the surveillance images go through the entrance screening at the Travis County Courthouse on February 26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Online court records show Mullins was due in court on the 26th for a hearing related to a burglary case from early February, although that hearing ended up getting re-set. That hearing was set for 9:30 a.m., which was about 5 hours after Mullins warrant said the crime occurred. Mullins records also show multiple drug and burglary arrests, including two jail sentences. In 2023, Mullins was charged with disorderly conduct after police say he tried to break into homes in an east Austin neighborhood, threatening people with what turned out to be an air rifle. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) Two juveniles broke into a Spartanburg school, set off fire extinguishers, stole iPads and used school computers to watch pornography, according to police. According to a report from Spartanburg Police Department, on Monday a Spartanburg police officer was dispatched to Spartanburg County Adult Education on Skylyn Drive after the school resource officer reported the school had been burglarized over the weekend. According to the police report, two juvenile suspects broke into the school via an unsecured roof hatch which leads into a school office early Saturday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SRO told police while inside the school, the suspects reportedly stole two iPads and a web camera, drew smiley faces on multiple areas and set off two fire extinguishers, creating a mess in rooms and hallways. The SRO also said the juveniles logged into school computers to visit pornographic websites and less desired websites. The resource officer said security video showed the suspects went from one end of the school to the other to rummage through rooms. The suspects have not been identified, though the report stated one of them appeared to be a white male juvenile wearing a light colored sweatshirt with stripes and a bandana covering his face from the nose down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the investigation into the break in, the school was examined for photographs and fingerprints. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Reports said a student caught Friday with a gun at Chaney Middle School said he needed it because he was threatened over a girl. The gun was found about 9:55 a.m. by a deputy with the Mahoning County Sheriffs Office who was working a metal detector at one of the entrances to the school, reports said. Reports said the gun was in a book bag and the eighth-grade student tried to take the bag from the deputy after the deputy noticed the gun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports said the student told authorities the gun belonged to his father. It was a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun loaded with a 16-round magazine. The gun also had a flashlight/laser attached to it, reports said. The student said he needed the gun because he was threatened by another student because of a dispute they were having over a girl, reports said. The student was arrested on a charge of illegal conveyance of a weapon onto school grounds and taken to the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice 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 WKBN.com. US President Donald Trump has temporarily suspended military aid to Ukraine, according to US media reports. The move comes just days after Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. US broadcaster Fox News, citing an unnamed high-ranking government official, said it was not a permanent suspension of aid, but rather, a pause. The New York Times reported support would be resumed once Trump had determined Ukraine was committed to peace negotiations with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was initially no official statement from the White House. Under Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, the US was Ukraine's largest and most important supporter in the defensive struggle against Russia. Once again, Republicans are asking the American public to forgo the evidence of their eyes and ears. Republican lawmakers were met with fire and fury over the weekend as their constituents hounded them for failing to intervene in a budget resolution that will result in billions in cuts to Medicaid, as well as refusing to speak out against Elon Musks unchecked dissolution of federal agencies and, with it, thousands of federal jobs and popular social programs. But at least one Republican has decided the best option is to threaten criminal charges for Americans who dare to dissent against Donald Trumps agenda. Speaking with the Meg Ellefson Show on Friday, Wisconsin Representative Derrick Van Orden likened his constituents to Nazis, claiming that only Communists and fascists would protest their lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People who associated with the Communist movement and the National Socialism movement used to get their way politically, isthey would do stuff like this, and they were called agitators, Van Orden told the podcast. Fact check: It was notoriously unsafe to speak out against the government in Soviet Russia, as well as in Nazi Germany. Under the Nazi regime, Germany shuttered anti-Nazi newspapers, controlled what media appeared in newspapers and on the radio, banned books that the Third Reich determined were un-German, and by 1934 had made it officially illegal to criticize the Nazi government, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Freedom of speech and the right to protest, on the other hand, have been cornerstones of American democracy since the country was founded. Van Orden then said that if protesters came to his town halls and acted in an unlawful manner, or if they were disrupting or refusing to leave a venue, then he would have them arrested and charged with a class B misdemeanor. Van Ordens outlandish comments preceded instructions by the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, who on Tuesday directed party members to stop holding in-person town halls to avoid the backlash. House Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed the order later Tuesday, washing his hands of lawmakers upset constituents by watering them down as professional protesters. Meanwhile, Trump explicitly threatened to violate the Constitution on Tuesday, pledging to prosecute protesters and withhold federal funding from universities or schools if attendees choose to express their First Amendment rights. One of President Trumps most obvious lies of the 2024 presidential campaign was just exposed by a Republican congressman. Project 2025, the nearly one thousand page blueprint for a potential Trump administration, became a lightning rod during the campaign cycle when Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris and her allies pointed out it contained a series of shocking and extreme policy proposals designed to aggressively expand the limits of presidential power and impose a right wing social agenda. Faced with the criticism, Trump repeatedly insisted he had nothing to do with Project 25. However, now that Trump is in office, Rep. John Rose (R-TN) has essentially admitted that was not true at all. In fact, Rose credited Project 2025 with helping Trump hit the ground running with a spate of executive orders that mirror many of the authoritarian and retrograde ideas presented in the document. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How do you think the president was prepared to issue all these executive orders? Rose said in an interview with the Tennessee publication the Williamson Scene. How do you think they were prepared to make all of these appointments in such quick succession after he got into office? Project 2025. Roses comments last week came just before he launched a gubernatorial campaign in his home state. His office and the White House did not immediately respond to TPMs requests for comment. Of course, Trumps efforts to distance himself from Project 2025 were always laughable. The Heritage Foundation-led effort, which included a database of possible hires along with the policy blueprint, was packed with Trumps associates and staffers from his first administration. Since his victory in last years election, Trump has also built out his current team with a bunch of Project 2025 authors and contributors. The roster of Project 2025 alums in the second Trump administration includes Russell Vought, who authored a chapter detailing a plan for the executive branch and is now leading the powerful Office of Management and Budget, which was a core part of his vision for the White House. Naturally, Trump and the many Project 2025 alums in his administrations have, thus far, implemented an agenda that closely matches the right-wing blueprint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres nothing surprising about Roses remarks. Whats notable is that he said the quiet part out loud. The Best Of TPM Today Dems Who Want Assurances Trump Will Respect Fed Funding And GOP Hardliners Oppose Clean CR USAID Whistleblower Boldly Drops Truth Bomb On Trump Trump And Vance Ambush Zelensky In Prelude To Betrayal Yesterdays Most Read Story They Only Have One Move What We Are Reading Stocks Post Biggest Loss of the Year on Trumps Tariff Plans Top FBI official forced out after criticizing Trump pursuit of agents who investigated Jan. 6 Spending bill text expected over weekend, Republicans say WASHINGTON House Republican leaders on Tuesday told rank-and-file lawmakers not to hold public meetings to avoid getting yelled at by their constituents. Republicans have been stung by voters at town halls complaining about billionaire Elon Musks attacks on federal agencies and Republican proposals to cut Medicaid benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) claimed the angry constituents at Republican town halls over the weekend and during a recess last month are not actually constituents, but rather paid provocateurs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrat activists who dont live in the district very often will show up for these town hall events, and theyll go in an hour early and fill all the seats, and so the constituents and the people from the community that are actually represented dont even get the seat, Johnson said at a press conference Tuesday. There are people who do this as a profession. Theyre professional protesters, Johnson said. So why would we give them a forum to do that right now? The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that in a party meeting before the press conference, National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) had told Republican lawmakers that none of them should be doing town halls. Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), who faced hecklers at a town hall in January, told HuffPost last week that senior lawmakers had advised him not to hold such events but that there hadnt been a formal directive from party leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unlikely that anybody protests at town hall events as an actual profession, but its true that liberal groups like Indivisible and MoveOn can organize people to attend town hall meetings. Indivisible co-director Ezra Levin told HuffPost that if Republicans dont hold town halls, local Indivisible chapters will organize their own empty chair events in lawmakers honor. Levin and Republicans themselves agreed the spectacle of town hall protests recalls the anti-Trump backlash that occurred in 2017, the first year of Trumps first term, which preceded a Democratic takeover of the House in the following years midterm elections. Johnson said Republicans should still meet with constituents, just not in person. Weve been encouraging our members to communicate directly with their constituents, Johnson said. Theres lots of different ways and forums to do it. If you can do it in telephone town halls, you can have small subgroups of people in different industries and segments of the community. We find that to be very, very productive and more productive than if you just go to an open forum right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Responding to the GOP directive online, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) called it a shame. If your Republican representative wont meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will. Hell, maybe I will, Walz wrote. If your congressman refuses to meet, Ill come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat em. Viet Shelton, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, mocked the town hall avoidance plan. So House Republicans political strategy is see no families nor workers, hear no protesters, speak to no one and hope everyone gets less angry at them when they rip away Americans health care? Got it. David Fahrenthold, New York Times Investigative Reporter, Eddie Glaude, Princeton University Professor and Charlie Sykes, MSNBC Columnist and Contributor join Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House to discuss the growing backlash elected Republicans are feeling from their voters as the continue to capitulate to Elon Musk as he and his team toy with Social Security. Out of the thousands of pieces in the Avicia Thorpe collection a Danville woman who lived to be 112 years old theres one thing that stands out. Robin Marcato, the executive director of the Danville Historical Society, had gone through her house multiple times. She was back for another trip. Thats when she saw a dress stuck between two others. And I just fell in love with it, she told the Register & Bee on Sunday at a celebration event for Thorpe at The Vintage Boutique in downtown Danville. I just had this moment of I have to take this to the historical society. Marcato told her story to Joe Scott, who also works for the nonprofit. Thats when Scott darted off to the back to find a photo. It was a picture of Thorpe with her husband in the same dress. We think this is like an anniversary photo, Marcato said. Theres something special going on. The photo was likely taken in the early 1940s, perhaps dating the dress to the same era. Items from the collection were on display Sunday afternoon most for sale at the downtown Danville store that caters to fashions of yesteryear. The historical society, which was gifted the items from Thorpe after she died Dec. 24, 2020, contacted Lisa Jones, who owns the boutique, about selling the pieces. Oh, wow, was the reaction of Jones. We were ecstatic because we love honoring women in the community. Given the extensive nature of the clothes, jewelry and just about any other items imaginable, Jones came up with the idea to call it 100 Years of Fashion in conjunction with Womens History Month. This is not even all of it, Jones said, taking the Register & Bee on a tour around the store. This dress is the beat all, end all, Jones said, referencing the same one that struck Marcato as the most significant. And then to have the picture to document it. Thorpe made that pink dress herself, according to Marcato. The society still hasnt pulled everything from the home, even after spending months to organize items there. She was the best kind of hoarder, Marcato said, explaining how her home was stuffed with pieces of the past. Normally, collections have a specific item. For example, someone may collect stamps or coins that would be worth money. The value of this is the story that it tells, Marcato told the Register & Bee while looking through items on show Sunday. She clearly loved this area, she continued. She loved her community, and she gave back to it constantly. Marcato pointed out a coat that from the outside may not have held a special meaning. Its not until looking at the lapel to see that its from Rippes a womans fashion store in downtown Danville from the 1960s that its local meaning shines. Stuffed in nearly every pocket of coats and dresses were napkins, Marcato pointed out. Thorpe was the oldest living Virginian at the time of her death. The lifelong educator was also a poet and community leader. Her great-niece, Adele Allen, donated Thorpes belongings to the society. Born in 1908, Thorpe was the last of 10 children. She outlived her parents, siblings, spouses of siblings and more many of their children. That left Thorpe as executor of estates, which is how her collection grew so expansive. Three of her siblings lived to be more than 100 years old. As a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha, the society gave those materials back to the sorority. It was the same with items she had collected from her church, Trinity Baptist. The Vintage Boutique is only getting a small percentage of the sale to cover the costs, Marcato stressed. The store waived a larger percentage that was offered. It is indeed a privilege and honor to have Mrs. Thorpes things displayed at The Vintage Boutique, Rosyln Preston, a partner at the store, said Sunday. Although neither Preston nor Jones knew Thorpe, they both feel a special connection with her now. As I was going through her stuff, I developed a kindred spirit with Mrs. Thorpe and I dont even know her, Jones said. I never met her. The items will remain on display through this month and until all are sold. The Danville Historical Society wont get any of the proceeds. The money raised will go to Allen. In the hours before President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance ganged up on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker met with Zelensky. Wicker is an ardent supporter of Ukraine and regularly wears a lapel pin with both the American and Ukrainian flag on it. But as Punchbowl News reported, shortly after the row, Wicker deleted his tweet about the Ukrainian president. On Monday the Mississippi Republican remained mum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He and other Republican supporters of Zelensky in the Senate, however, appeared to remain steadfast in their concern and support for Ukraine. But that was shortly before the latest dire development by Trump, who suddenly paused military aide to Ukraine President Donald Trumps clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left Republican defenders of Ukraine scrambling. (AFP via Getty Images) Ive decided not to do interviews today, Wicker tersely told The Independent. The Senate has long been a bastion for support for Ukraine even before Russian Vladimir Putins invasion three years ago. After the United States voted against a United Nations resolution to condemn the invasion, Wicker told The Independent that he wished the United States had voted for it and Senate Majority Leader John Thune said: I'm pretty clear about who I think started the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the Trump administrations tack toward being actively hostile toward Ukraine and Zelensky has put supporters of Ukraine in a tight spot. Sen. Roger Wicker, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stayed silent the Monday after the blow-up. (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina told The Independent that the United States and Ukraine could get back on the same page. I'm hoping that we can lower the temperature and get back to an agreement that's good for Ukraine, good for the US, and frankly, not that good for Russia, he said. But Tillis said he was not bothered by Trumps refusal to say that Ukraine started the war. In fact, Trump has blamed Zelensky for the war and called him a dictator. All I'm focused on is exactly what we need to do, to do right by Ukraine and actually address the risk for the American people, [and] our allies in Europe, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tillis words come as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom Tillis voted to confirm, paused offensive cyberoperations against Russia by U.S. Cyber Command. Trump also assailed European leaders strongly backing Ukraine, including British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. In addition he insisted that Zelensky doesnt want peace. Trump has focused heavily on ending the war in Ukraine and has been loath to criticize Putin both during his first term in office and ever since. Maine Senator Susan Collins said that the exchange was unfortunate. There is no doubt that Putin is the aggressor in Ukraine and launched a brutal and unprovoked attack, Collins told a gaggle of reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do hope we can come up with a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, but we cant forget who started this war, she said. As chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Collins controls the spending in Congress, including whether to set aside more money to Ukraine. Another potential issue is whether Trump and Zelensky could come to an agreement about the future of Ukraines rare earth minerals. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he thinks that Trump and Zelensky can also get back to working together in the future. I think so, he told The Independent. In order to have peace, we need to have that minerals deal done. I think everybody wants to see it move forward. We want peace, but we also want Ukraine to be protected. But the Senate GOPs hope for the impasse to end might be a long time coming, particularly now that Trump has paused military aid to the war-torn country. WASHINGTON Congressional Republicans are again being advised against holding in-person town halls after several instances of lawmakers being berated by attendees went viral. The chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is the Hill committee that works to get Republicans elected to the House, told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning that there were more efficient ways to reach constituents than in-person town halls, according to two sources in the room. The chairman, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., compared the moment to 2017, when a series of GOP town halls made headlines after angry attendees confronted lawmakers. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., at a hearing on Capitol Hill in 2023. The committee's communications director, Will Kiley, said in a post on X that Hudson "supports members reaching and helping as many of our constituents as possible, using technology makes this a heck of lot easier." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Chairman Hudson opposes attention seeking Move On and Indivisible activists hijacking these events," he added. Later Tuesday, Hudson told reporters that "in-person town halls are no longer effective because Democrat activists are threatening democracy by disrupting the actual communication at town halls." Progressive groups have previously pushed for their supporters to attend town halls, but it is unclear whether those initiatives influenced the attendees who raised issues with the lawmakers to join the events. Separately, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that House Republicans were encouraging members to communicate directly with their constituents in telephone town halls and small groups rather than open forums. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre professional protesters, Johnson said, though there is not evidence to back up that claim. So, why would we give them a forum to do that right now? The best thing that our members can do is communicate directly, frequently, consistently with their constituents, and there are other avenues to do it. Hudson also claimed without evidence that the disruptions were by paid protesters. His and Johnson's cautions against in-person town halls are just the latest warnings by top Republican leaders about participating in the events, which give constituents the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns. NBC News previously reported that House GOP leaders have urged lawmakers to stop engaging in town halls, according to a GOP aide. Party leaders have also suggested that lawmakers instead participate in tele-town halls or vet attendees, according to GOP sources. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., faced strong criticism from attendees at a town hall at a Kansas hospital last weekend who were angry with the Department of Government Efficiency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In videos obtained by NBC News, Marshall argued that DOGE employees had been vetted, prompting boos and jeers from the crowd. Later, Marshall argued that the audience has been "fed so much information," prompting another outburst from the attendees. Shortly before the end of the town hall, one attendee criticized the job cuts, including the firing of veterans. Sweeping federal worker cuts have affected veterans, who comprise about 30% of the federal workforce, according to publicly available data. Marshall then left the town hall, citing other obligations. As he left, attendees booed and yelled that he had not completed the full hour he said he would stay. Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, also faced criticism at a Saturday town hall. A video posted to X by the Collin County GOP showed attendees booing Self and chanting, "Vote you out." Collin County GOP attributed the scene to Democrats, but the party of the attendees is unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats criticized Republicans' cautions against in-person town halls. So House Republicans political strategy is see no families nor workers, hear no protesters, speak to no one and hope everyone gets less angry at them when they rip away Americans health care? Got it, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Viet Shelton said in a statement. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin took aim at Marshall's town hall as well, saying in a weekend statement that "it comes as no surprise that Republicans like Roger Marshall are hiding from their own constituents, because Americans are rightfully furious about what's happening in Washington right now." President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the town halls, claiming in a Monday post to his social media site, Truth Social, that people were being paid to cause trouble, although there is no evidence to suggest that. Marshall later reposted Trump's comment, writing, "can confirm." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill are cautiously awaiting updates on negotiations to end the Ukraine-Russia war after talks blew up between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. After the tense exchange in the Oval Office ended abruptly with no progress on peace talks, Zelenskyy said he is ready to make things right and finds it regrettable the way his and Trumps meeting played out on Friday. The statement comes after Trump ordered a pause to military funding on Monday to review the funds and ensure they are contributing to a solution. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians, Zelenskyy said in a statement on Tuesday. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although it was not a fully issued apology, which Trump and his administration had demanded, many of the presidents allies such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., approved the statement as a step in the right direction. Well see how it ends, said Graham, who called on Zelenskyy to apologize for his behavior in the White House or to step down. Other pro-Ukraine Republicans also called Zelenskyys negotiation olive branch a very positive sign, with several lawmakers being careful to comment on the situation until they see how talks progress. I think that its incumbent on people like me to take a deep breath, to let the process take place as it appears to be doing and to refrain from saying anything that might interfere with that, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said. Theres been too much rhetoric, and so I think its time for me to be silent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, some Republicans have warned if a temporary aid pause lasts too long, it could embolden Russia to continue its advances into Ukraine. Too bad Iran, North Korea and China are not pausing their military aid and economic support. There is an invader and a victim, there is a democracy and a dictatorship, there is a country who wants to be part of the West and one who hates the West, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., told the Deseret News. We should be unambiguously for the good side. Others suggested that a Russian advance would only serve to disadvantage the Kremlin, arguing Trump would not allow such a move. Hopefully, Russia understands that Donald Trump does not suffer nonsense, and he does not suffer fools, Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., told the Deseret News. I would think Russia pushing their advantage would be an exceptionally bad idea, not just for Ukraine but for Russia. Johnson called Zelenskyys offer to return to negotiations good news, arguing the countries cannot reach lasting peace if we dont have President Zelenskyy at the table. WASHINGTON (AP) Republicans in Congress are taking aim at four cities often called sanctuary cities over their policies limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement with a hearing this week that comes as President Donald Trump presses ahead with his campaign of mass deportations. Mayors Michelle Wu of Boston, Brandon Johnson of Chicago, Mike Johnston of Denver and Eric Adams of New York are set to appear Wednesday in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Theres no strict definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities, but the terms generally describe limited cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE enforces U.S. immigration laws nationwide but seeks state and local help, particularly for large-scale deportations, requesting that police and sheriffs alert them to people it wants to deport and hold them until federal officers take custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But some cities and states say cooperating with ICE means victims of crime and witnesses who arent in the U.S. legally wont come forward. And, to varying degrees, officials argue that they want their localities to be welcoming places for immigrants. Courts have repeatedly upheld the legality of most sanctuary laws. But Trump administration officials have targeted sanctuary policies right out of the gate in his second term, seeing them as a key impediment to deporting people in the large numbers he wants. The administration has sued Chicago and Illinois as well as New York state over various immigration laws. Here's a look at the immigration policies and migration trends of the cities whose mayors will appear Wednesday: Boston Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city's Trust Act generally restricts how much the police can cooperate with ICE, although it does allow some cooperation with a division called Homeland Security Investigations when it comes to such issues as combating human trafficking or drug and weapons trafficking. The city also must follow a 2017 ruling by the states highest court that forbids Massachusetts authorities from holding a person otherwise entitled to release from custody based solely on a federal request. Those requests, called detainers, typically ask federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to give at least 48 hours notice before suspected immigrants are released from jail or to hold them for up to 48 hours after they would normally be released so ICE can pick them up. Otherwise, ICE must go out into the community to arrest them. Trumps border czar, Tom Homan, hammered Bostons police commissioner and promised to go to Boston and bring hell" with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That has not sat well in Boston. Wu, a Democrat up for reelection this year, said that it was clueless and insulting for Homan to attack the police commissioner and that she wants Boston be a welcoming place for immigrants. Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said handing over defendants makes it harder to gain cooperation from immigrants when investigating crimes. Chicago Chicago has some of the countrys strongest immigrant protections, barring cooperation between federal agents and city employees, including police. The nations third-largest city became a sanctuary location in the 1980s and has amped up its policies multiple times since. That includes a 2012 ordinance that bars federal agents from accessing city resources in assisting with immigration operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City officials beefed up protections after Trump first took office in 2017 and again in 2020, when it required police to document requests for assistance from federal agents. Illinois also has protections allowing anyone, regardless of immigration status, to get a driver's license. Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office in 2023, inherited a migrant crisis his first year. Short on shelter space, Chicagos leaders used police station lobbies, airports, parked buses and hotels to house asylum-seekers. At its height, roughly 15,000 migrants lived in dozens of temporary shelters, although the city has shuttered those as the number of people arriving decreased. There have been a handful of City Council attempts to weaken Chicagos sanctuary protections, but they have been unsuccessful in the Democratic-leaning city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson has defended the policies. We welcome all individuals and families who want to work, live and thrive here in our beloved city, Johnson said in late January. Denver Denver became a hub for immigrants coming across the U.S.-Mexico border, with the city seeing arrivals of 43,000 over the last two years. Mayor Mike Johnston struggled to cobble together the resources to house and feed them, gouging parts of the city budget and pleading with the federal government alongside other mayors for funding, which only partially came. The spotlight ratcheted up when a video of armed men in an apartment building in the Denver suburb of Aurora went viral, prompting then-candidate Trump to claim that the city of some 400,000 people was overrun by a Venezuelan gang. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea was swiftly repudiated by local officials, but the limelight stayed on Colorado. In early February, heavily armed federal agents in masks and armored vehicles appeared across the metro area. The results of the operation are unclear, and Homan said news media leaks hindered the raids. The mayor has repeated that he wants Denver to be a welcoming place while drawing the line at those who commit violent crimes. Last month, Denver Public Schools became the first district to sue the Trump administration over its policy allowing ICE immigration agents in schools. New York In New York City, an estimated 231,000 immigrants have arrived since 2022 at a cost that the city estimates to be more than $7 billion for shelters, food, security and legal support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, the city sued the Trump administration over $80.6 million in reimbursements for congressionally approved immigrant aid after officials paid the money and then clawed it back. As in other cities, New York's immigrant arrivals have fallen dramatically over the past year. Mayor Eric Adams continues to voice support for policies that ensure all residents have access to social services regardless of immigration status. But Adams wants to roll back policies prohibiting city employees from working with immigration enforcement, saying he wants to remove dangerous people from our streets. He's also called on the City Council to make changes allowing New York to honor ICE detainer requests to hold people in jails beyond their release dates. And he's invited ICE agents to work out of the Rikers Island city jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams critics, including those running for mayor, say his desire to work with the White House is an effort to wriggle out of federal corruption charges. Adams said ahead of the hearing that he hoped for a civil conversation with the representatives around a very complex topic that many cities have inherited. ___ Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York, Jesse Bedayn in Denver, Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Michael Casey in Boston contributed to this report. GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WIVB) Kelli Swagel has been working with dogs for more than 18 years. She told WIVB News 4 shes decided to restructure her business Rescue Buffalo, which is located on Grand Island by closing its municipal sheltering portion due to New York State changing a law in December. The rise of animal cruelty, animal abandonment, strays is getting really scary around here, Swagel said. Theres a lot of dogs coming from out of state too, and as much as we know that we need to help those high-kill shelters, its forcing New York to have to make decisions for space, which is something we will never align with. Swagel, the president and founder of Rescue Buffalo, as well as The Pit Chic, said the business will go back to its roots while continuing to work with local animal controls and local rescues and work with animals and their behaviors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we will be able to do is take those dogs that are at risk and we will be able to put them through a board and train program whether we prepare them for our rescue, or prepare them for another rescue, and then get them adopted that way, Swagel said. Swagel is hoping to have all of the dogs that are currently sheltered there adopted by the end of April. They are dropping adoption fees by 50%, and if you would like to adopt you can visit their website. Latest Local News Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. Alicia Hash spent her first seven years as a principal leading Cotswold Elementary in Charlotte, North Carolina. The majority white school boasted an award-winning International Baccalaureate program and was the reason many parents with young children bought homes in the neighborhood. Roughly a mile away, the demographics at Billingsville, another K-5, sat in stark contrast. Located in the Grier Heights neighborhood an old farming community founded by a former slave Billingsville was a high-poverty school serving an all-Black student population. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter We operated in silos that I never understood as a principal, Hash said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portable classrooms on Cotswolds overcrowded campus were evidence of the schools popularity, while Billingsville occupied a brand new building with room to spare. In 2018, the two schools became part of a unique experiment that was unlike any student assignment plan families had ever been part of. The schools would merge, but instead of moving into one building, the early grades would occupy Billingsville, and Cotswold would serve grades 3 through 5. Related The Fight Continues: As Segregation Grows, White House Honors Brown v. Board Almost immediately, under the new arrangement, Billingsville went from having one white student to being 40% white, Hash said. Both schools now offer the rigorous IB program and have a more racially and socioeconomically balanced population. Across both schools, less than half of the students live in poverty, 41% students are Black, about 17% are Hispanic and 34% are white. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our school looks like the world. Our school looks like Charlotte, Hash said. The student assignment method, called a pairing, is not new. In fact, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg district employed the same design in the 1970s following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that required the district to desegregate. But the model has been underutilized as an integration strategy, experts say. Now, new research shows that such mergers could reduce racial and ethnic isolation by as much as 60% in 200 large school districts nationwide. At the same time, the method would increase parents commute to school by only a few minutes not a small matter for families managing busy drop-off and pick-up schedules. What were trying to do is highlight how student assignment policy changes might help produce environments that can reduce the concentration of different forms of disadvantage, said Nabeel Gillani, an assistant professor at Northeastern University in Boston, and the lead researcher on the project. Disadvantage can prevent young people and their families from reaching their potential. Nabeel Gillani and Madison Landry Under a 2007 Supreme Court decision, schools are no longer permitted to consider race when pursuing integration goals. But blending schools with different socioeconomic profiles can still result in more racially diverse schools. In a moment when leaders of the ruling party in Washington want to end multiculturalism and argue that diversity is not our strength, Gillani urges districts not to back off efforts to create more integrated schools. He said he hopes that the Trump administrations warnings against any emphasis on racial diversity will light a stronger fire under more districts to consider pairing, instead of scaring them away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with the research paper, released Tuesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Nexus journal, Gillani and doctoral student Madison Landry created an online tool that shows how pairing, and sometimes tripling, would change school demographics in communities across the country. For example, in Plano, Texas, 26% of the students at Shepard Elementary are non-white, according to 2022 data, while 83% of students at Sigler, about six minutes away, are non-white. Pairing the two schools would more than double the percentage of students of color at Shepard and decrease the percentage at Sigler to 52.9%, bringing both closer to the districtwide figure of 65%. The photo on the left shows the current demographic makeup of Shepard and Sigler schools in Plano, Texas, The pale purple shade illustrates that 26% of the students at Shepard are non-white. If the district merged the attendance boundaries, the racial makeup of both schools would be more balanced. (Nabeel Gillani) A desired racial balance Across the country, data shows that schools have grown increasingly divided by race, ethnicity and family income. A 2022 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office showed that more than a third of students attended schools in 2020-21 where 75% or more students were of a single race or ethnicity. Research, however, shows that students who attend integrated schools have higher test scores and lower dropout rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2017, Billingsville earned a D rating from the state. Now the combined Billingsville-Cotswold earns a C, but also met its academic growth target, a measure that captures progress from year to year. Such results are one reason why the Biden administration in 2023 took steps to encourage districts to implement strategies like pairing. The U.S. Department of Education awarded $14 million to states, districts and charter networks working to create more integrated schools. Gillani has advised one of the recipients, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in North Carolina, as it develops a redistricting plan. While the plans dont involve pairing, leaders are still redrawing boundaries with an eye toward reducing socioeconomic isolation across the district. Other recipients included a Rhode Island charter network, the Oakland Unified School District in California and the Maryland Department of Education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A department spokeswoman said she had no information about whether the program would continue, but one advocate for school integration doubts it, considering the administrations opposition to diversity efforts. Related Feds Award Millions to School Districts to Address Tricky Issue of Integration I think its unlikely that they would run another competition for that grant under this administration, said Halley Potter, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, a left-leaning think tank. In fact, the departments Feb. 14 dear colleague letter warned districts against taking steps to achieve a desired racial balance or to increase racial diversity. But socioeconomic diversity has its own independent value, said Richard Kahlenberg, director of housing policy at the Progressive Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank. There is a wealth of research to suggest that students benefit from attending a mixed-income school even if there is zero impact on racial diversity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court has also upheld race-neutral policies. Within the past year, the court has declined to hear two cases, one from Boston and one from Fairfax County, Virginia, that challenged efforts to create more diversity in highly selective schools. The judiciary will almost surely uphold socioeconomic integration plans at the end of the day, Kahlenberg said. Related SCOTUS Passes on Hearing Affirmative Action Case Involving Elite Boston Schools Even though the federal grant program was small, Potter said she hopes the efforts would offer some important proof points for how to encourage integration at a time when many districts are considering mergers because of declining enrollment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There really is a chance to have a win-win situation when its structured right, she said, and when theres community engagement to work through these hard conversations. Why are they changing everything? One benefit of pairing over a typical redistricting plan that reassigns students to new schools is that it doesnt split up peers from the same grade level. They might relocate to a different building, but they stay with their friends. That doesnt make it easy, however. Families often have multiple children in the same elementary school and arrange afterschool programs and child care around that location. Our first reaction was Oh gosh, why are they changing everything? said Brantley Alvey, whose oldest daughter, now in seventh grade, went through the merger. Her youngest is in fifth grade at the school. When we bought our house, we said We love that our kids are going to walk to elementary school for six years. Brantley Alvey, right, a parent whose two daughters have attended Billingsville-Cotswold, is pictured with Principal Alicia Hash. (Courtesy of Brantley Alvey) Parents also had questions over how the makeup of their childrens classrooms would change after the merger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Would they be the only child of color or would they be the only child that wasnt of color? Hash recalled. Those were real conversations that we had to tackle. To help parents manage morning and afternoon routines, the schools have staggered bell schedules. The district also spent the entire 2017-18 school year preparing families for the change. Hash organized campus beautification days and concerts to help families from the two schools get to know each other. She said she had to view the merger of communities not just from an instructional and management perspective, but with a micro-political lens. You have to lean in with how were alike versus how were different, she said. This is a model that can be replicated across the United States, not just in Charlotte. Hash is the principal for both campuses, dividing her time between the two. Because of the pairing, Alvey said, the school has benefited from more resources like two full-time art teachers, and more playground equipment and library books. For parent leaders, however, organizing carnivals and other family events has often been labor intensive, she said. Were constantly feeling like we have to duplicate our efforts on two different campuses. The pairing between Billingsville and Cotswold allowed both schools to offer the rigorous International Baccalaureate program. (Billingsville-Cotswold PTA/Instagram) While the positives, she said, have outweighed the negatives, the one-school, two-campus model wont be in place much longer. New construction projects will eventually bring all K-5 students together in a newly built Cotswold, while the Billingsville site becomes a district Montessori school. Grier Heights families will be able to choose which school they want their children to attend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Alvey said the pairing has benefited her children and helped to break down barriers between the two neighborhoods especially since both schools feed into the same middle and high school. Its not just low-income kids that benefit from diversity; its the higher income kids as well, she said. We want our kids to be comfortable with people from different backgrounds and different cultures. Thats only going to better prepare them to be good citizens of the world. PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) Residents fled a border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan after forces from both sides clashed into the early hours of Tuesday, a Pakistani official said. It was the second consecutive day of tit-for-tat gunfire at Torkham, a key crossing between the two countries that has been closed since Feb. 21 because of a dispute between the two neighbors. The Pakistani official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak with the media, said that gunfire overnight Monday spread fear and panic among residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They fled to safer locations as security forces on both sides shot at each other with light and heavy weapons. The situation remains tense and security is on high alert, the official said. Three Pakistani security personnel were wounded in the latest clash. There were no civilian casualties. One person waiting to cross into Pakistan was Sana Gul. He said drivers, patients, passengers and traders were all in trouble because of the prolonged closure and that Torkham should not be shut over minor incidents. In Kabul, Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said Tuesday that authorities would continue their efforts to resolve the issue through talks. Both countries have in the past closed Torkham and the southwestern Chaman border crossing, most often over deadly shootings and crossfire. The crossings are vital for trade and travel between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) Multiple San Angelo citizens voiced their concerns over a recent policy change that was enforced at the San Angelo Animal Shelter, which has caused an increase in dogs being euthanized. During a city council meeting held on Tuesday, March 4, city council heard from multiple concerned citizens as they shared their opinions about a policy change referred to as capture and kill. The policy change, which took place on Feb. 26, 2025, caused an uproar in the community as it removed barriers for owner surrender. It also changed the intake policy, causing an increase in stray dogs being picked up and brought to the shelter. Now, dogs can be euthanized for space after being held at the San Angelo Animal Shelter for 72 hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Animal Services director gives insight in wake of policy change Ashley Swider shared during the public comment section of the meeting that this change is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. With the policy change, Swider stated that San Angelo is repeating history and reverting back to when the city had one of the highest euthanasia rates in the state. Why should dogs have to pay for the mistakes of an owner that they never chose, she said. Mary Wilson took to the stand after Slider to voice her concerns about the new policy change. I love San Angelo but today Im ashamed I live here, she said. In the almost 60 years Ive lived here, the City of San Angelo has never considered animal welfare a priority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mary stated that it was the Citys duty to maintain a humane shelter and that this new change would increase the number of stray animals as citizens would rather their dog run free than risk being euthanized if surrendered to the shelter. It is past time for the city to care, she said. CVPAWS responds to animal shelter policy change Jenie Wilson, the director of Concho Valley PAWS, questioned why their organization had not been included in discussions in regard to the policy change. Our entire mission is to save shelter pets, Jenie said. She further voiced her concern that this decision was made unilaterally and that despite previous invites, city council members had denied or ignored discussion options, models and other ideas with Concho Valley PAWS and their national partner, Best Friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We deserve to have a seat at the table, she said. Multiple comments questioned the Citys reasoning for not enforcing city ordinances. City Manager Daniel Valenzuela also spoke during public comment at the city council meeting. While addressing the audience and city council, Valenzuela shared his concern for stray dogs that roam San Angelo. He noted that stray dogs can cause attacks and carry rabies. It was also shared that there has been an increase in car wrecks due to roaming dogs. This is not a decision taken lightly, he said. I want to make sure, again, that our streets are safe for our citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To watch the city council meeting, 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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) In February, Sioux Citys city council voted to reduce the Sioux City Human Rights Commissions budget by $140,000, a cut of about 40 percent. On Monday, that decision was questioned repeatedly by the public. Council members pointed to recent tax law changes passed by the Iowa Legislature, decreasing the amount of money funneled from the state to cities. According to council member Alex Watters, it was a more than $3 million hit. However, that did little to subdue the concerns of those supporting the commission. Iowa House committee unanimously advances bill requiring feminine hygiene products in public schools Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This budget cut is not just a line item. Its a direct attack on the most vulnerable members of our community, said Shannon Kennedy, a citizen in opposition to the budget cuts. It sends a clear message that Sioux City does not prioritize human rights and equality. Cutting funding for human rights is just irresponsible, concerned citizen Gary Lewis said. Were going to start getting hit with all sorts of things, and I understand you have to go, but this is really important. The vote to cut the Human Rights Commissions budget in February was three to two. Council member Alex Watters was one of the three yes votes approving the cut. Nonetheless, he said he is a supporter of the commission, at one time pushing to upgrade a part-time administrative secretary position in the department to a full-time. Okoboji Middle School teacher receives regional 2025 Iowa STEM Teacher Award Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I understand the work they are doing. But I also understand the budget constraints, and things change, Watters said. The state ripped away $3.3 million this year. The city must certify its next fiscal budget by April 30. Council members also approved a second reading of an ordinance that will raise garbage rates by an average of 38 cents. The biggest change comes with the 95-gallon: a 53-cent hike up to $18.38. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. DENVER (KDVR) The restaurant owners who have testified in favor of a tipped wage bill at the Colorado Capitol have been threatened and doxxed, according to the bills sponsors. Rep. Alex Valdez, a Democrat representing downtown Denver, said hes been working to contact opposition to the bill, but so far has not been able to sit down with anyone. He called the statements made against restaurant owners who testified in support of the bill vile. I have never seen it this bad: Colfax restaurant to close after rising costs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Colorado House Democrats also released information about flyers distributed in the Capitol, saying they were alarmed and disturbed by the distribution of a deeply disrespectful flyer targeting a member at the Capitol and by attacks on the business who testified in support of legislation in recent days. We want to make it clear that these actions are unacceptable, Speaker Julie McCluskie and House Majority Leader Monica Duran said in the release. They said the flyers and statements will have a chilling effect on the public and legislative process. They did not provide details on what was said on the flyers. The bill in question is dubbed the Restaurant Relief Act and would require local governments with a minimum wage that exceeds the state minimum wage to provide a tip offset for tipped employees that is equal to the tip offset amount described in the state constitution, which is $3.02, according to the bills summary. The bill would put all tipped workers in the state at a minimum wage of $11.79. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once we had our first committee hearing, we obviously heard a lot of emotional testimony but what happened afterwards was that the folks that are in opposition to the bill decided to take to doxxing a lot of the restaurant owners who came and testified, Valdez told FOX31 on Monday. The language was vile, the things that they said were vile, he added. Kjersten Forseth is with the Colorado AFL-CIO, which opposes House Bill 1208. We havent organized any tactics like that and we certainly dont support hateful or offensive tactics, Forseth told FOX31 on Monday night. Were seeing a lot of passion around this bill because tens of thousands of Coloradans are worried about their wages being cut. Thats money they count on for rent, groceries, utility bills and other every day expenses. As the cost of living skyrockets, we hope the legislature will reconsider cutting wages and instead prioritize saving people money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colorado AFL-CIO said it has requested time with Valdez and other sponsors of the bill. DPS: Lincoln Elementary student died of bacterial meningitis Valdez said that because of this, the House Finance Committee (which was scheduled to discuss the bill on Monday afternoon) would only hear from restaurant owners whose businesses have already closed, so that they dont fall victim to the progressives who are getting on their websites and their ratings for their restaurants and saying horrible things about the owners. Valdez said that Denver has lost 22,000 jobs in the restaurant industry thus far, noting data from the past three years, and said the rate of job loss has accelerated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What were really trying to do right now is throw a lifeline to an industry that is so critical to my district. I represent downtown Denver, and a lot of the area where a lot of our restaurants are, Valdez explained. Its evident whats going on, to me. And to not try and do anything about it is really just to throw our hands up and allow Denvers restaurant scene to completely disappear, which Im not happy with. Xcel is selling Denvers Zuni power plant. History advocates worry it will be demolished He said the bill has faced a lot of opposition. Valdez also said that he expects amendments to the bill in committee, but worries that the bills opposition will not make themselves known. Weve never had a meeting with the opposition. Weve asked them to come to the table they never did, Valdez said. This is kind of a new experience, I havent been a part of a bill where we really couldnt engage the other side. I also havent been part of a bill where you saw instances of doxxing either. I think its indicative of just how ugly politics can be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. First Lady Melania Trump appeared in front of Congress on Monday to lobby to take on revenge porn. In her first solo public appearance since she resumed the role of first lady, Trump met with Congress to advocate for the Take it Down Act which would make it a federal crime to knowingly publish or threaten to publish intimate imagery online without an individuals consent. The act would also include any deepfake content generated by AI that resembles an identifiable person. During a roundtable discussion, the First Lady spoke of the threat the issue poses for young women and girls.Its heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content, like deepfakes, Trump said. Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm. Do all states protect against it? While there is no federal law addressing revenge porn, nearly all statessave for South Carolina have laws around the issue. However, the laws and penalties vary widely from state to stateand not all laws extend to cover AI generated images. What are some high-profile examples? Many revenge porn cases are beginning to go to court as more states adopt laws criminalizing non-consentual pornography. In 2024, a Texas woman was awarded $1.2 billion dollars after her boyfriend posted intimate photos of her online after their breakup. In the first two cases to be tried under New Yorks 2019 revenge porn law the plaintiffs were awarded $1.5 million and $2 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many female celebrities have found themselves victims of deepfake porn. In 2019, Scarlett Johansson spoke out about the dangers of the practice after her face was grafted onto explicit videos. More recently, sexually explicit deepfakes of Taylor Swift bypassed moderation filters on Xrecieving over 27 million views and more than 260,000 likes in 19 hours before the account that posted the images was suspended. Why does Melania Trump care about it? During her first term, the First Lady launched a youth initiative called Be Besta pillar of which focused on tackling online safety for youth. Melania Trump appears to be working to revive the initiative as part of her return to the White House. Digital privacy experts, meanwhile, have warned that, while progress needs to be made to combat real and deepfaked non-consensual intimate imagery, the bills lack of guardrails could threaten user privacy and freedom of expression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its current form, the bill creates a notice and takedown (NTD) mechanism that would result in the removal of not just nonconsensual intimate imagery but also speech that is neither illegal nor actually NDII, a group of digital privacy organizations including the Center for Democracy & Technology and the Electronic Frontier Foundation wrote in a letter to to the Senate earlier this month. This mechanism is likely unconstitutional and will undoubtedly have a censorious impact on users free expression. Write to Simmone Shah at simmone.shah@time.com. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Its been more than four months since Joshua Burns was shot outside of a Halloween party in Antioch. Now, a reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for any information leading to an arrest in connection to his murder. The shooting happened at approximately 1:15 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in the 4700 block of Terragon Trail. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Burns is believed to be the unintended target of a drive-by shooting. OCT. 2024: Man dies after Antioch shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burns was reportedly shot in the head and was taken to Skyline Medical Center, where he died days later as a result of his injuries. He was 29 years old. They took somebody really valuable to this family, Burns mother, Adra Glenn, told News 2. They really hurt us. They hurt us, but Im going to continue to pray for him or them and their family because were going to get justice. On March 3, the police department announced that the family was offering a $5,000 reward for any additional information regarding Burns murder. Glenn told News 2 she plans on giving back to animal shelters and creating a scholarship for arts students as Burns had a passion for both animals and the arts. Additionally, Glenn hopes the younger generation will be the one to end gun violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee I dont think children nowadays really understand the decision that they make, Glenn added. It doesnt just affect them; it trickles down to the whole family. The familys reward is in addition to another $5,000 reward, which is offered to those who call Crime Stoppers. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7462. Callers can remain anonymous. No additional details have been released about the 2024 shooting. You can follow this link to donate to a GoFundMe for the Joshua Burns Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. (NewsNation) Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, urged people to consider getting vaccinated as measles cases have been reported in 10 states, with the outbreak now spreading to New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. All parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine. The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons, Kennedy said in an op-ed at Fox Digital. The New Jersey Department of Health issued an alert Friday confirming its third case of measles in the state. An unvaccinated person from Bergen County contracted measles after returning from a trip overseas and spread it to two other people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexicans warned not to travel to Texas over measles Two measles cases have been confirmed in New York City, and one case has been confirmed in the state of Pennsylvania. Last week, Texas health officials announced an infected child had died, becoming the first registered measles death in the U.S. in a decade. The outbreak in the state has infected more than 140 people. Measles cases have also been reported in Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Mexico and Rhode Island. What is causing your spring allergies and what can you do to prevent them? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a total of 164 measles cases across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Measles is an extremely contagious airborne disease. It spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes and can cause severe illness and even death. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body. Anyone not vaccinated against measles is at risk. Young children and pregnant women are at a higher risk of severe complications. The best way to prevent measles is by getting vaccinated against it. The MMR vaccine is most effective at two doses and provides lifelong protection. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s focus on vitamin A use to combat a growing measles outbreak in Texas is raising concerns among public health experts, who fear he is sending the wrong message about preventing the highly contagious disease and distracting from the critical importance of vaccination. Kennedy, who in his years as an anti-vaccine activist criticized measles shots and boosted vitamin A as a treatment, is now using his government position to tout the vitamins accepted benefits. The Department of Health and Human Services has directed the nations top public health agency to add similar language to its guidance for caring for measles patients. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is also our responsibility to provide up-to-date guidance on available therapeutic medications. While there is no approved antiviral for those who may be infected, CDC has recently updated their recommendation supporting administration of vitamin A under the supervision of a physician for those with mild, moderate, and severe infection, he wrote in an opinion piece that appeared on foxnews.com on Sunday night. Studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality. His op-ed does not mention vitamin As risks. Experts acknowledge that vitamin A can be beneficial after someone has gotten sick, but they say it is not a replacement for vaccination to prevent measles. Vitamin A is considered supportive care and typically used in countries where children are malnourished and have vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency in the United States affects less than 1 percent of the population, according to a nutrition report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Anti-vaccine activists have long touted vitamin A as an alternative to immunization, concerning public health experts and doctors, who worry that Kennedys public statements will legitimize that view. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, relying on vitamin A instead of the vaccine is not only dangerous and ineffective, but it puts children at serious risk, Sue Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in a statement Monday. Taking too much vitamin A can cause serious health problems, including liver damage. In the op-ed Sunday addressing the outbreak, Kennedy said vaccines protect children and contribute to broader immunity in the community. The op-ed also states that before the measles vaccine, nearly every child in the United States contracted the infection, and that there was an average of one death for every 1,205 cases from 1953 to 1962. We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them, the op-ed said. While Kennedy won praise from some public health experts for mentioning the benefits of vaccines, some said he should have explicitly recommended vaccination as the safest and most effective way to prevent measles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 6-year-old unvaccinated child died in Texas last week, the first U.S. measles death since 2015. At least 159 people have been infected in the West Texas outbreak. Of the cases for which vaccination status is known, 80 were unvaccinated and five were vaccinated, according to state data. Kennedy recommended that parents consult with health-care providers about the shot, saying, The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Kennedy outlined the use of vitamin A as supportive management under the supervision of a physician for people with mild, moderate and severe infections. But public health experts and medical studies warn that excessive use of the supplement can lead to liver failure and death, which the op-ed does not mention. You can have excess amounts of vitamin A, said Patsy Stinchfield, a past president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. It can be dangerous for you. Giving high doses can give you everything from dizziness, nausea, headache, even to coma, if you took too much vitamin A. Experts say limited studies have shown a potential beneficial effect when vitamin A is given as part of physician-led supportive care. The World Health Organization recommends the vitamin to help protect against measles complications such as pneumonia, vision loss and death, largely based on studies in countries where the virus is endemic and malnourishment is more common. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Summer Davies, a pediatric hospitalist in Lubbock, Texas, who has cared for nearly a dozen measles patients, said vitamin A is not offered as a front-line treatment because much of the data supporting it is based on malnourished children. Theres not enough information there to say, Yeah, this is great, this will cure you. And its not a wonder drug and miracle drug, Davies said. So its not going to make measles go away. And it may prevent some complications, but were not giving it to every child in the hospital because the evidence just isnt there. On Friday, the CDC added a section on vitamin A to its measles webpage saying that the supplement may be given to infants and children under the supervision of a health-care provider as part of supportive management. The language states that children with severe measles, such as those who are hospitalized, should be managed with vitamin A and provides dosing recommendations. The one mention of risk states: Inappropriate dosing may lead to hypervitaminosis A - referring to high levels of the vitamin that can be toxic and lead to liver failure and death. Yet the guidance has no warnings about such risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While vitamin A has its place as a treatment for hospitalized children, it should not be deployed as a public health strategy to contain measles, said Peter Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at the Texas Childrens Hospital. It could lead to the impression of a false equivalency: To make the best decision for your children, you can either vaccinate or give vitamin A, said Hotez, who has written about the anti-vaccine movement. And that would be highly misleading. In a statement, an HHS spokeswoman said the measles outbreak is a top priority for Kennedy and referred to the Sunday op-ed. The CDC is actively supporting Texas state health officials and will be on the ground Tuesday working with the frontline health care providers, said senior counselor and principal deputy chief of staff Stefanie Spear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HHS has directed that 2,000 doses of the measles vaccine be sent to Texas and has provided lab support to better track the virus, Kennedy said Friday. HHS is also working on sending a shipment of vitamin A to Texas, Lara Anton, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services, said Monday. During a hearing Monday before state lawmakers, Texass top health official said that global data backs including vitamin A in patient care, but more research is needed to understand whether its use is as effective in the United States. Its not preventing it, said Jennifer Shuford, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. Its after youre already ill. In Gaines County, Texas, the center of the measles outbreak where 107 out of 159 confirmed cases have been reported, residents, including in the Mennonite community - a group that has been disproportionately affected - have embraced vitamin A and cod liver oil, which is rich in the nutrient, as a crucial way of getting through the surge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a recent breakfast hour in a Mennonite-owned pizzeria in Seminole, the county seat of Gaines, a waitress touted the vitamin as a great way to help children stricken by the disease as she casually talked to diners. A mile away at Health 2 U, a Mennonite-owned health food and supplement store, the supply of vitamin A products has been running low as demand has soared since the outbreaks start. Theyll do cod liver oil because its high in vitamin A and D naturally, food-based, said Nancy Ginter, the stores owner. Some people come in before they break out because theyre trying to just get their kids immune system to go up so they dont get a secondary infection. Ben Edwards, a doctor in Lubbock who treats patients skeptical of modern medicine, said on a recent podcast episode that people will weather measles if they are good stewards of their immune system with nutrient-rich produce. He has expressed concerns about the side effects of measles vaccinations and said natural immunity is preferable, a view being cited by vaccine skeptics that is considered fringe by medical organizations. In an interview with The Washington Post, Edwards highlighted the studies showing a significant drop in measles deaths in malnourished children who take vitamin A. Thats the kind of thing I want to educate my patients: Hey, youre not severely malnourished. Youve got an immune system, Edwards said. Now you need to be feeding it real food. You need to nourish it, steward it, get some sunshine, get some good oxygen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - - - Caitlin Gilbert and Elana Gordon contributed to this report. Related Content NIH reels with fear, uncertainty about future of scientific research After Trump threats, Hong Kong firm to sell stake in Panama Canal ports Who is the real Hank Azaria? For a while, even he didnt know. March 3 (UPI) -- A top spokesman in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services abruptly resigned over reports of internal clashing over the management by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and escalating health emergencies. "I want to announce to my friends and colleagues that last Friday I announced my resignation effective immediately," Thomas Corry, who served as U.S. assistant secretary of public affairs at HHS, announced Monday via LinkedIn. The quick exit was prompted due to growing dissent over RFK Jr.'s management style and the influence of his new principal deputy chief of staff, Stefanie Spear, Politico reported. Spear is a longtime Kennedy aide and press secretary during his ill-fated 2024 presidential run in which he bowed out to endorse Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To my colleagues at HHS, I wish you the best and great success," Corry said. He served in the first Trump administration in similar roles at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as senior adviser and director of communications. Corry reportedly grew uneasy with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's (L, seen Feb. 25 in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C.) hushed response to a growing Texas measles outbreak which, so far, has infected 146 and saw its first U.S. death from the virus in at least 10 years. Measles was eliminated in the United States by 2000, according to the CDC. However, Kennedy said last week in a Cabinet meeting that a measles outbreak is "not unusual." Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI Corry resigned less than two weeks after his appointment. He wrote last month after he was sworn in again that he was "thankful that I'll be part of the team that is going to work to make America healthy again, and on making healthcare more affordable and accessible." But he reportedly grew uneasy with Kennedy's hushed response to a growing measles outbreak in Texas which, so far, has infected at least 146 people and saw its first American death from the virus in at least 10 years, according to Politico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Measles was eliminated in the United States by 2000, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, Kennedy, a longtime skeptic of vaccines despite admissions that he kept his own kids vaccinated, said last week in a Cabinet meeting that a measles outbreak is "not unusual." That arrived amid a spike in the highly contagious disease in the United States and Canada, primarily among unvaccinated individuals. On Thursday, New Jersey health officials announced two new measles cases in addition to a known case. "Parents play a pivotal role in safeguarding their children's health," Kennedy wrote Sunday in a Fox News op-ed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy said that a measles vaccine is protective to children and others but suggested families consult with a health provider. "All parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the [measles, mumps, rubella] vaccine," he continued. "The decision to vaccinate is a personal one." Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s embrace of vitamin A as a course of treatment amid a deadly measles outbreak has sparked concern among health experts, The Washington Post reported Tuesday. In an op-ed published by Fox News Sunday, Kennedy touted the recent update to CDC guidance on therapeutic medications. Last week, a new section outlining the benefits of using vitamin A was added to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions online resources about measles treatment. While the section mentioned the risk of inappropriate dosing, it failed to mention that vitamin A can lead to liver failure and death. Studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality, Kennedy wrote in his op-ed, but he also made no mention of the health risks of vitamin A. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, he described the decision to vaccinate as a personal one. But health experts have taken issue with Kennedys push for vitamin A, which can be used to treat patients who are already sick but does nothing to prevent the spread of measles. In fact, relying on vitamin A instead of the vaccine is not only dangerous and ineffective, but it puts children at serious risk, Dr. Sue Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, told the Post Monday. Taking too much vitamin A can cause serious health problems, including liver damage. Summer Davies, a pediatric hospitalist in Lubbock, Texas, told the Post that there wasnt enough data to support the governments decision to push vitamin A as a treatment for measles. Theres not enough information there to say, Yeah, this is great, this will cure you. And its not a wonder drug and miracle drug, Davies said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of the data supporting claims of vitamin As effectiveness is based on malnourished children, Davies explained. So its not going to make measles go away. And it may prevent some complications, but were not giving it to every child in the hospital because the evidence just isnt there, Davies said. Peter Hotez, the co-director of the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, was concerned that the Health and Human Services Departments lean on vitamin A to ensure public health would present as an alternative to vaccination. It could lead to the impression of a false equivalency: To make the best decision for your children, you can either vaccinate or give vitamin A, Hotez told the Post. And that would be highly misleading. Last week, Kennedy said during a Cabinet meeting that measles outbreaks were not unusual, despite the fact that measles had been declared eliminated in 2000, according to the CDC. The same week, an unvaccinated child in west Texas died of measles. This week, Kennedys leading spokesperson resigned over disagreements about his response to the deadly outbreak. Millions of pounds of squid is landed in Rhode Island each year. A longfin squid is shown. (Photo by National Undersea Research Center/ University of Connecticut) The head of squid research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) Narragansett Bay facility is among the hundreds of agency employees nationwide who are no longer on the job, according to one of NOAAs former administrators. Former National Marine Fisheries Service Administrator Janet Coit said Monday that about 20 employees from NOAAs Rhode Island office and the facility at Woods Hole Village in Massachusetts were recently dismissed by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Coit shared the revelation during a roundtable discussion hosted by U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.) at Save the Bays headquarters near the Port of Providence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coit, who directed the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) from 2011 to 2021, called the firings sudden, irrational and indiscriminate. The circumstances are dire, she said. The impact will be felt in a cascading and ripple effect across many different coastal communities. NOAA began firing employees Feb. 27 as part of the latest wave of cuts from DOGE to shrink the federal workforce. NOAA employs some 12,000 people nationally 94 of whom work in Rhode Island, according to the latest figures available from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. NOAA was a specific target in Project 2025, the conservative blueprint for the second Trump term. The document contained a call to break up NOAA, criticizing the agency as one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry. DOGE plans to eliminate up to 50% of the agencys staff, according to Magaziner, who is a member of the House Natural Resources Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the Ocean State, it is a direct attack on our character and our quality of life, Magaziner said. And we need to fight back. NOAA spokesperson Scott Smullen did not immediately respond to request for comment on the proposed cuts. The circumstances are dire. The impact will be felt in a cascading and ripple effect across many different coastal communities. Janet Coit, former administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service, a branch of NOAA, on significant budget cuts imposed by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency NOAAs Narragansett Bay facility has 41 employees currently listed on its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhode Island also houses two flagship federal research vessels, based out of the Newport Naval Station and the U.S. Maritime Resource Center in Middletown: the 209-foot fisheries vessel Henry B. Bigelow and the 224-foot Okeanos Explorer, which conducts research and operations including seafloor mapping. NOAA is also in the midst of opening a $150 million marine research base in Newport. The agency also plays a role in removing marine debris from Rhode Islands waterways, such as the rusty steel barge taken out of the Providence River on Feb. 5. We really value the ability to collaborate with experts at the federal level to look at the challenges that happen right here in Rhode Island, DEM Director Terry Gray said. U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), center, ponders as a panelist speaks during a roundtable discussion at Save the Bays headquarters on March 3, 2025. At left is Janet Coit, former administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service. At right is Bob Rheault, executive director of the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) The initial layoffs led by DOGE have primarily targeted probationary employees those with a year or less on the job. But Coit said the term probationary can be a bit of a misnomer since it can include staffers who were recently promoted or briefly worked somewhere else before returning to the federal workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That includes the founder of the Squid Squad, Coit said, along with the people who run the Narragansett Bay facility. You cant really run a lab if you dont have the folks, she said. NOAA also provides oversight of the National Weather Service, which has a station in Norton, Massachusetts, and a staff of 21 people, according to its website. A meteorologist at the Norton office declined to comment whether any layoffs had occurred. Nor did NWS spokesperson Susan Buchanan, who said the agency does not discuss internal personnel matters. NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nations environmental and economic resilience, Buchanan said in an emailed statement. We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fred Mattera a retired fisherman who is the president of the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation said he relied heavily on federal weather data to keep his crews safe during his 40 years working on the sea. To lose that its not realistic, its not common sense, he said. Mattera also spoke of the importance of NOAA-funded research and maps of sea populations particularly squid, which he said have changed their seasonal movement patterns in recent years. Should the Trump administration move forward with its planned cuts, there wont be as much squid coming into Rhode Island whether its to use as bait to catch tuna or to turn into calamari. We lose our squid, Point Judith is a ghost town, Mattera said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Correction: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is not a branch of NOAA. It is their facility in the Village of Woods Hole that is being impacted by federal cuts. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) The Rhode Island Medical Debt Relief Program, which launched last fall, has already forgiven more than $7 million worth of unpaid medical debt, General Treasurer James Diossa announced Monday. Diossa said more than 3,000 Rhode Islanders have benefited from the initiative, which purchases, cancels and forgives qualifying medical debt. So far, the initiative has leveraged approximately $50,000 to purchase medical debt from health care providers. The state treasury teamed up with Undue Medical Debt to launch the program, for which the R.I. General Assembly allocated $1 million, back in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: Rhode Island launches new medical debt relief program Many Rhode Islanders face significant challenges due to medical bills, which can prevent access to necessary treatment, Diossa said. This program provides crucial relief to many who are burdened with medical debt, and I hope to wipe out even more debt soon. Undue Medical Debt is a national charity that specializes in purchasing medical debt from healthcare providers and debt collectors. To date, the charity has abolished nearly $15 billion worth of medical debt nationwide. Rhode Islanders whose medical debt has already been forgiven will receive Undue Medical Debt-branded notification letters in the mail this week detailing the amount of debt forgiven and the former debt holder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LEARN MORE: Rhode Island Medical Debt Relief Program Medical debt forgiven through the initiative is considered a no-strings-attached gift that does not count as earned income or incur taxes. There is no application process for the program, and qualifying debt will automatically be canceled as it is identified and acquired. Rhode Islanders are eligible for relief if their medical debt equals 5% or more of their estimated annual income or if their estimated annual income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty line. Diossa plans on making subsequent announcements as more medical debt is acquired. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the new 12+ smart TV app. Follow us on social media: Advertisement 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. The upcoming Renters Rights Bill brings an end to no fault evictions leaving landlords worried about removing problem tenants. The bill is currently moving through the House of Lords and will likely become law at some point in 2025. It is a more comprehensive version of the Renters Reform Bill which was brought to parliament under the previous government. But there are still ways to remove troublesome tenants, even after the bill is passed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is what you need to know in order to legally evict a rogue tenant, once Section 21 has been abolished. In this article, we will cover: What are the current eviction rules? Until now landlords have been able to use Section 21 to evict renters at the end of their tenancy without providing justification, as long as they give them two months notice. Now tenants will benefit from a twelve month protection period during which landlords cannot evict them in order to move in or sell the property. When using these grounds, landlords will need to provide four months notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landlords can still use Section 8 to get rid of tenants who wreck the property or stop paying rent. However, this involves going to court, which can take months. A problem tenant is any landlords worst nightmare, costing potentially thousands of pounds in damage or unpaid rent in the past Telegraph Money has heard of rogue tenants who set up cannabis farms in the loft and others who filled the house with rotting trout. During the pandemic, the government imposed a ban on evictions. Ever since this was lifted in 2021, there has been a surge in landlord possession claims and evictions, according to the Ministry of Justice. Over 30,000 landlords applied for accelerated possession orders last year, as landlords rushed to regain control over their properties before Section 21 was scrapped. These resulted in 11,373 evictions. Evicting problem tenants after the Renters Rights Bills There are still ways you can evict problem tenants even after the Renters Rights Bill comes in. Those include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anti-social behaviour Property damage Unpaid rent Anti-social behaviour Currently, landlords can only end a tenancy over anti-social behaviour if there is a conviction. The new proposals would remove the requirement for a conviction, meaning an eviction could be obtained by a landlord on evidence alone. James Wood, of the National Residential Landlords Association, said anti-social behaviour is notoriously difficult to prove. Most of the victims will be the immediate neighbours or other tenants, who are understandably scared of providing evidence in court. If there are reports of anti-social behaviour, give the other tenants and neighbours a channel to report the information confidentially. Ideally, they should keep an evidence log of when and where incidents occur, as this will strengthen your case if it goes to court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reporting the behaviour to the police or local authority could also help here. You should warn the tenant that their behaviour is not acceptable, without identifying the informer. If the behaviour persists, then you will have to serve a possession notice. Read more on these below. Property damage Some wear and tear is to be expected over the length of the tenancy. But if the tenant has caused damage to the property, the cost can be deducted from the deposit. There is a clear difference between natural wear and tear and property damage. Scratches on the wall and appliances that have broken down are examples of natural wear and tear, whereas cigarette burns on a carpet, a broken chair, or an overloaded plug socket constitute damage. Before renting out the property, it is best to complete an inventory report with the items in the property but also the condition of those items. If deducting costs from the deposit, this must be on a like-for-like basis. You cannot charge a tenant for the cost of a new premium mattress if they damaged a cheap one. Unpaid rent Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, said that if a tenant stops paying rent, the landlord should get in touch as soon as possible. Hopefully, the problem is only temporary and you can compromise. Mr Shamplina said: A good tenant doesnt turn rogue overnight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, if a compromise cannot be reached, and if the rent goes unpaid for more than two months, the landlord can decide to serve a Section 8 notice. This gives the tenant 14 days notice to pay. If the rent still has not been paid, the landlord would have to apply to the courts for a possession order and a money order. Mr Wood said: Alternatively, landlords can apply via Money Claim Online for a judgment for just the arrears if they still want the tenancy to continue. Money Claim Online is an online portal, operated by HM Courts & Tribunal Service, which allows claims to be made for up to 100,000. Mr Shamplina added: If at this point the tenant still does not pay, the landlord would have to instruct bailiffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government is increasing the mandatory threshold for eviction from two to three months arrears and increasing the notice period from two weeks to four. How to legally evict a tenant You must give your tenant appropriate notice that you wish for them to leave the property. With Section 21 abolished, you must use Section 8 notice under the Housing Act 1988. How to use Section 8 Section 8 can be used where the landlord has grounds for eviction including property damage, rent arrears or anti-social behaviour. However, you will need to have evidence to back up your claim if your tenant takes you to court. Mr Wood said: Because of the lack of certainty in this route, most landlords prefer to use Section 21 to deal with cases where the tenant is in arrears or is anti-social. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You must fill in a Notice seeking possession of a property let on an assured tenancy or an assured agricultural occupancy. On this form you should specify what terms of the tenancy have been breached. You should give between two weeks and two months notice, depending upon which terms you are relying. How to make a possession order If your tenant refuses to leave after receiving notice then you can serve a possession order. This requires you to fill in a Form N5 claim for possession and N119 particulars of claim for possession. In theory, a landlord should be able to get a bailiff 14 days after they receive a possession order. 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. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and business leaders across New England are warning of the potential impact resulting from President Trumps 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. President Trump said those tariffs, as well as an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, are set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Governor Healey is predicting energy bills and gas prices for Massachusetts consumers will skyrocket. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the cost a 25% tariff on petroleum and natural gas imports from Canada would be approximately 20 cents per gallon in extra costs for gasoline and home-heating oil. According to Governor Healey, that would add up to $910 million annually for Massachusetts consumers and over $2.5 billion for the New England region. For five of the six New England states, Canada ranks either the first, second, or third biggest trading partner for any overseas trade, said John Gulliver, President of the New England-Canada Business Council. 8 out of 10 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel sold at the pump every day going into tanks of cars of every American here in New England come from Canada. Gulliver said 90 percent of the jet fuel at Logan Airport also comes from Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the current trade between New England and Canada is $42 billion dollars per year. This kind of needless, disruptive imposition of a tariff is going to have ripples and consequences some of which we dont know yet and will be hard to imagine because we havent dealt with something like this before, he added. President Trump said the tariffs are necessary to prevent illegal drugs like fentanyl from coming into the country and to stop illegal immigration. According to the President of the New England-Canada Business Council, last year, 0.2% of fentanyl entering the U.S. came from Canada, and only 1.5% of the illegal immigrants came across the northern border. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW PORTIS, Kan. (KSNW) Planned road construction in northwest Kansas will create a 75-mile detour. Starting Monday, March 17, the Kansas Department of Transportation will close just a 3.5-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 281 between the U.S. 24 Junction and Portis. Traffic will be detoured onto U.S. 24 or U.S. 36 Highways via U.S. Highway 183. Tracking Kansas wind speeds amid crashes, trees blown over This creates a detour of over 75 miles because there are no paved county roads that can be used as a bypass around the construction. The road will remain closed until at least late November, when work is scheduled to be completed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement King Construction of Hesston is the primary contractor for the $18.9 million project, part of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Mar. 4ROCHESTER A pair of housing developments is seeking to help first-generation homebuyers start building wealth, rather than continuing a cycle tied to paying monthly rent. "The program is a means to obtain sustainable social and economic wealth," said David McGee, executive director of Build Wealth Minnesota. The Minneapolis-based nonprofit has spent 20 years creating programs that help struggling families and others take control of their finances in an effort to help them start building multi-generational wealth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We've been serving people from all over the world," said McGee, a former banker who initially started teaching people in financial services and expanded to serve struggling families. In 2014, Build Wealth MN started building homes in North Minneapolis as a way to help families invest in their futures, and McGee said the projects planned in Rochester are the organization's first outside the Twin Cities metro area. "Our hope is to model this and move throughout the state to other locations and do the same thing," he said. In Rochester, Build Wealth is working on plans to build 34 for-sale homes in what is dubbed the Flowing Brook Valley development, west of the Gillette Pepsi facility near U.S. Highway 63 in southwest Rochester, as well as 50 for-sale homes along Sixth Ave. SE, between 8 1/2 and 10th streets, which is being called the London Brooke Ponds development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both projects involve building a mix of duplexes and triplexes to keep costs down, with plans to sell to people who have completed the Build Wealth MN course and are on a path toward improved financial status with a greater awareness of the requirements for homeownership. "Our goal is to make sure everybody has a credit score above 650 at some point and that everybody has a savings strategy," McGee said of the 10-module training course that helps participants prepare for homeownership. "We also try to make sure people are gainfully employed and earning what they are worth," he added. Build Wealth MN's plans for the two Rochester developments go beyond building homes. McGee is planning to create small apartment complexes at each site 12 units at Flowing Brook and 11 at London Brook to provide the ability for some residents to transition from renting to homeownership as they work on their financial strategies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, he said the Flowing Brook units could be used to temporarily house speakers and ministers for events at a community center being planned alongside the new housing. A planned community center is expected to have a small retail space, a nondenominational worship area and other amenities for the new community being built in an area neighboring wetlands and environmentally sensitive areas. McGee said the natural area neighboring the site makes it an ideal location for his limited development plan with the ability to give new homeowners natural views within the city. "I think it would be a tragedy to build 500 homes there," he said of the full 95-acre site, adding that much of the area cannot be developed due to protected environmental conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the London Brook site, plans call for adding community space inside the 11-unit apartment complex, instead of building a separate center, but McGee said the development is expected to include a daycare, with the potential of serving 40 under school-age children, which will provide services to new residents and the rest of the community. He said both projects are designed to create new neighborhoods as soon as homeowners move in, which will provide added levels of support for the first-time homeowners. The projects don't come without some concerns, Neighbors of both sites are raising concerns about water runoff and housing density at both sites. "I do not think what they are proposing is compatible with the existing neighborhood," nearby Southtown Heights Drive resident Sarah Clayton told the Rochester Planning and Zoning Commission last week as it reviewed a request to rezone nearly 8.3 acres to allow construction of the apartment complex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't think that it is going to help our property values with the impact on traffic and also the environment," she added. The commission voted 5-3 to recommend approval of a zoning change, with member Zach Pagel-Irvine suggesting the possibility of scaling back the zoning change, since it's not needed for the community center project and could open the potential for changing plans to create more housing density. Mark Welch, a principal engineer at G-Cubed, said work continues on development approvals, which include the construction of the center. Additionally, he said efforts to address concerns for both projects are ongoing, with a second Flowing Brook neighborhood meeting planned for 5 p.m. March 4 at Elcor Construction, 123 Carlton St. SW. McGee said he hopes the projects can fit into the communities where they are built, adding the intent is to help more people invest in homes in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To make the new housing affordable, McGee said plans call for working with various programs to provide down-payment assistance. Home construction is expected to cost $420,000 based on current expenses, but he said similar projects in the metro area have helped owners purchase the properties for $350,000, which would put them within a target set by the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing in efforts to address housing affordability and homeownership disparities among BIPOC residents. JoMarie Morris, the coalition's executive director, said the group formed by the Rochester Area Foundation, the city of Rochester, Olmsted County and Mayo Clinic, has had discussions with Build Wealth MN representatives but is waiting to see what assistance the city can provide before taking action. McGee said the city support will be crucial for the projects to succeed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taryn Edens, Rochester's assistant director of economic growth, said Build Wealth's projects are being considered for the city's Homeownership Creation Program, which could cover approximately $20,000 of a home's construction cost through the Economic Vitality Fund created with a recent sale-tax extension. The program requires at least 50 homes to be constructed for upfront funding, so it's unclear whether the Flowing Brook project would qualify. Edens said the projects could also seek tax-increment financing support, which could provide up to $10,000 in support for potential down-payment assistance on each home built. She said both projects hit on city housing priorities, which include creating homeownership opportunities and developing housing diversity. Additionally, she said the creation of a daycare at the London Brook project would meet another city need. If required approvals and financial support are received, Welch said the projects could see housing construction start this year, with new homes ready for sale and occupancy as early as 2026. Mar. 3ROCHESTER The city of Rochester is seeking applications for three seats on its Ethical Practices Board. The board consists of seven citizen members and serves to address complaints and other concerns related to the city's code of ethics for elected officials and staff. Members serve a three-year term and may serve up to two consecutive terms. Meetings are typically held once a month during weekday hours with administrative staff provided by the City Attorney's Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Responsibilities of the board include: * Review and make findings concerning any alleged violation of Rochester Code Chapter 2-16 by any public official. * Make notifications, extend deadlines, conduct investigations, make findings of fact, conclusions of law and order, review allegations, and conduct hearings as needed to decide specific cases in which a violation of Rochester Code Chapter 2-16 is alleged. * Report its findings regarding any complaint to the person's appointing authority and to the city administrator. * Issue ethics opinions to public officials regarding the propriety of any matter within the board's jurisdiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Conduct a preliminary investigation of a filed complaint, or of any circumstance or situation of which the Board may become aware that appears to violate any provision of Rochester Code Chapter 2-16. * Cooperate with the city's Human Resources Department in the design of ethics education seminars, and to promote the city's ethics program and high ethical standards in city government. * Make recommendations for changes to the Code of Ethics or the governing ordinance which the board believes would enhance their purpose. Rochester residents are encouraged to apply for one of these volunteer positions through the end of business on March 28, 2025, and can do so on the city website. LOVES PARK, Ill. (WTVO) The holidays were always a joyous time at the Betts household in Machesney Park. The familys four kids, 21-year-old Debby, 19-year-old Earl, 18-year-old Gary and 16-year-old Louise enjoyed their time together on Christmas 1976. At 16, youd think youd have the world by the tail, going out and doing things, Gary Betts said about Louise. She was the youngest of fourcarefree and fun-loving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1976, Louise Betts did have the world by the tail. She was in her junior year at Harlem High School, where she played the clarinet and busied herself with typical teenage activities. Youd ride your bicycles everywhere, anywhere you want to, anywhere you wanted to go, Betts said. You stayed out until your parents called you in. Louise also frequented the Meadow Mart Mall in Loves Park, a popular teen hangout at the time. There, she and her friends shopped, socialized and talked about boys. Her mother dropped her off at the shopping center dozens of times, and Louise would always find her way home. At two ends there [were] a Piggly Wiggly and Jewel, I believe it wastwo grocery stores, Betts said. And, in between there were all sorts of little stores. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gary Betts did not know it at the time, but Christmas 1976 would be the last time hed ever see his younger sister. He returned to his Army base in Kentucky after the holidays where, several months later, hed receive some horrific news. The platoon sergeants coming up to me, he said. And thats when he told me they found Louises body. Louises mother dropped her off at the mall Sept. 27, 1977, expecting to see her later that night. But Louise never came home. Apparently she was going to hitchhike to another friends house, Betts said. But Louise did not make it there either. Initially treating Louise as a runaway, police had no clues where she may have gone. And as time passed, the likelihood of a safe return continued to wane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A mother knows, Betts said. And Mom knew she wasnt [a runaway]. Somethings wrong. Days turned to weeks and weeks to months. Then, on March 30, 1978, the search for Louise Betts was over. A local farmer made the grisly discovery. The farmer was plowing his cornfield in Boone County, right out here, Betts said. Because Louise had been exposed to the elements for so long, the medical examiner was not able to determine her exact cause of death. But, a suspect with a violent history soon emerged with a detailed and gruesome confession. The horror she felt, how she fought back, Gary explained. He strangled her. He jumped on her. She got up and ran. He chased her down, strangled her some more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The matter-of-fact confession came from 23-year-old Curtis Brownell, a local man who detailed how he picked Louise up while she hitchhiked on North Second Street before raping her and strangling her to death. I then checked her pulse again, Gary said, reading from a portion of Brownells confession. I listened to her heart on her chest. I left her on her back. I then got her purse out of the car and threw it in her direction. Brownell said Louise could have been alive when he left her in the cornfield. He said after dumping her, he went to a local bar, had a few drinks and put what he had just done out of his mind. He told police because he hadnt heard any news reports about Louise over the next two weeks, he thought everything was all right and that she didnt report it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brownell also took one of his own children to the cornfield months after he killed Louise. According to his confession, he didnt find the body there because he didnt search deep enough into the field. Those close to the case say the most frightening thing about Curtis Brownell is that he appeared to be a regular person. He had a good job at local factory, a family and was living an ordinary suburban life. He was a real quiet neighborwould do anything to help in the neighborhood, said Kathi Kresol, a historian and author who has written about the Betts case. Some of the local teenagers would babysit for the family. And while he didnt prey on his babysitters, Curtis Brownell had other victims. In January 1978, he abducted a pregnant woman from a Rockford laundromat, raped her, and then ran her over with his car. The woman and the baby survived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He couldnt stop himself, Kresol said. He had to keep doing it. Police started to look at Brownell after he was identified as the suspect in the laundromat attack. Brownell police he also knew it was only a matter of time after the discovery of Louises body that hed be arrested for her murder. Thats when he confessed to an Episcopalian minister and his wife. A person later identified as an informant was credited with the tip that led to Brownell. Wading through the pain of losing his baby sister who the press at the time was calling a sex slayer has not been easy for Gary Betts. He says he still experiences everything from anger to sadness and has even blamed himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All kinds of different scenarios come up in your mind, he said. With me, [its] not being a good brother, or, you know, other thingsall kinds of things. Gary says the horrible picture of how his sister met her fate nearly 50 years ago may never leave his mind. But he says hell always remember Louises smile and carefree innocence. But even that is tremendously hard sometimes. The stress of this killed my mother at 56, he said. And then dad lasted six more years. But once Mom died, he gave up. Curtis Brownells initial death sentence was later reduced to a term of 100 to 300 years in prison. He is now eligible for parole every three to five years. He was last denied in 2024, his fifteenth attempt at early release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now 70, Brownell is scheduled to be in front of the parole board again in 2028. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The District Attorneys Office announced Monday afternoon another Romanian man has been arrested for EBT theft. 23-year-old Bogdan Boceanu was arrested at the Wells Fargo in Delano with 36 cloned EBT cards and $4,030 stolen cash, according to the District Attorney. The evidence Boceanu was found with fits the description by investigators handling the case of Norbert Karaba. Testifying Friday in the case against Karaba, a different Romanian, lead investigator Michael Brummett with the Kern County District Attorney said thieves hand write the PIN and balance on stickers. Then, the stickers are placed on the cards used to make the fraudulent withdrawals. This way the transactions are made fast and back to back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This theft also fits the pattern of the other two EBT theft cases involving Romanians, withdrawing money from an ATM the first day of the month, all listed as transients. Shoot like MADD fundraiser benefits DUI crash victims This is not the first time Boceanu is alleged to have done this. Back in July of 2024, Boceanu was arrested after he was allegedly found with access cards and a scanning device. That felony case is still pending and hes been out on bail. Fast forward eight months, he is rearrested and faces charges including grand theft, identity theft, and counterfeit transfers of EBT benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DAs office also released numbers for EBT thefts in February. Kern County lost just $159,008 dollars in stolen benefits. Boceanu would be the fifth Romanian national accused of EBT theft in Kern County in the last four months. The District Attorney has not confirmed if there is a Romanian or international crime ring operating in Kern. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News. The man accused of shooting and killing a Roswell police officer last month was denied bond on Tuesday morning. Channel 2s Sophia Choi was in the courtroom for the bond hearing that she says lasted a matter of minutes. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Edward Espinoza is accused of killing Officer Jeremy Labonte on Feb. 7 after flashing the gun at the Ace Pickleball Club near Market Blvd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Espinozas attorney argued that he needs extreme mental healthcare that the Fulton County Jail is not capable of providing to him. The attorney argued that Espinoza should be given an ankle monitor and released to a mental health facility. After the shooting, Channel 2 Action News obtained police records of other incidents involving Espinoza in which they expressed concern for his mental health. RELATED STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the hearing, prosecutors argued that Espinoza was mentally aware in his interview with police after the shooting and had the mental capacity to buy an illegal ghost gun while out on bond, as well as fire more than a dozen shots at the Labonte. His first two rounds go into the upper part of the officer not covered by the officers vest. The officer falls. So then at that point, this defendant walks carefully around leaning over him and fires more than a dozen shots into the officer, prosecutors described. The judge ultimately determined that Espinoza is both a flight risk and a danger to the community, so he was denied bond and sent back to jail. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Mar. 3LIMA Accessability improvements in the Lima community and the changes in how society has accommodated those with disabilities in the past were the topics of discussion at Monday's Lima Rotary Club meeting at Veterans Memorial Civic Center, with the Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities giving this week's presentation. Monday's visit comes as the board marks Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month for the month of March. "Changes in rules and regulations over the years as human rights advocacy, and just changing attitudes, have led to a shift in where people with disabilities are spending their time," Allen County Board of DD Superintendent Renee Kohler said. The Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities received approximately $600,000 in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act in December 2023, a large sum aimed at addressing a variety of issues in this area, according to Kohler. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As much as our system and services used to be isolated and siloed in our own little corner of the world, there is no way that leadership at the Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities would've applied in December of 2023 for nearly $600,000 in grant funding without the confidence of knowing that the relationships and partnerships that have been built over the years would mean that we could successfully bring that amount of money into Allen County that would lead to some pretty amazing projects," she said. The board has partnered with 18 local businesses and organizations to bring accessibility improvements to Allen County, such as door openers, wheelchair accessible doorways, and universal changing tables. "Accessibility and inclusion is for all," community relations coordinator Sierra Weltmer said. The board also dedicated to funds to over 70 individuals for various community experiences that they otherwise wouldn't experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Individuals with disabilities had very few choices and opportunities other than living in institutions or staying in the family home before the 1950s. Around this time, county boards were established as schools by parents who wanted educational opportunities for their children. "Prior to that effort, a lot of children, just by virtue of a disability, may have been sent to an institution, or kept at home isolated from their communities," said Kohler. As children attending these schools grew older, workshops began to emerge, offering adults with disabilities somewhere to go during the day. Workshops then turned toward residential options, forming group homes. "A lot of people would live locally as an alternative to sending them to an institution," said Kohler. "In many cases [group homes] provided an opportunity for people who had been sent away to come back to their communities closer to their families and friends." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the month, the Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities will take part in 23 countywide school readings, a bingo event, silent disco night and movie night on March 20 and a partnership luncheon on March 27. "It's not about the buildings, but more about supporting people in their communities to live their best lives as independently as possible," Kohler said. Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351. Featured Local Savings A novel type of jet propulsion, a rotating detonation engine (RDE), has been successfully tested by Pratt & Whitney. The development could be highly significant for the U.S. military, with RDE technology at the center of the project called Gambit, which aims to provide a propulsion system for a mass-producible, low-cost, high-supersonic, long-range weapon for air-to-ground strike. Artwork the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has previously released related to the Gambit project. DARPA RTX of which Pratt & Whitney is a business unit announced today that a series of tests on the RDE has been completed at the RTX Technology Research Center in Connecticut. Previously, RDE propulsion systems had only been run in the form of small prototypes. Next, the company says it will move on to integrated engine and vehicle ground tests to be conducted with the U.S. Department of Defense in the coming years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our testing simulated aggressive assumptions for how and where the rotating detonation engine needs to perform, Chris Hugill, senior director of Pratt & Whitneys GATORWORKS development team, said in a media release about the latest campaign. This testing validated key elements of Pratt & Whitneys design approach and provides substantiation to continue RTX vehicle and propulsion integration to accelerate future capabilities for our customers. In terms of how they operate, RDE propulsion systems have significant differences compared to a traditional turbojet or turbofan engine and hardly require any moving parts. In turbojet or turbofan engines, air is fed in from an inlet and compressed, and then is mixed with fuel and burned via deflagration (where combustion occurs at a subsonic rate) in a combustion chamber. This process creates the continuous flow of hot, high-pressure air needed to make the whole system run. In an RDE, the combustion (which happens at a supersonic rate) occurs in an enclosed, annular (ring-shaped) chamber. During flight, fast-moving air is sucked into the chamber and a mixture of fuel is injected into it. The injection ignites a flame-like detonation wave that travels around the ring for as long as fuel is injected, in a thermodynamic cycle, providing propulsive thrust. 1. Combustion in the enclosed, ring-shaped chamber. RTX 2. In flight, fast-moving air is drawn into the chamber, and fuel mixture is injected. RTX 3. Injection ignites a flame-like detonation wave that travels around the ring for as long as fuel is injected. RTX The advantages of an RDE include high thermal efficiency and more power, which means the engine can also be smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective. After all, most longer-range air-to-ground missiles today require scaled-down jet engines that are single use, making this a much less cost-effective propulsion setup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a practical application, such as a missile, since an RDE is more compact than a traditional engine, there is more space for fuel, giving longer range. Additional capacity can also be used to house sensors, warheads, or other payloads. A video provides a more detailed walkthrough of the rotating detonation engine concept: Pratt & Whitneys current work on the RDE is based on a contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), which called upon Raytheon (now RTX) to develop this kind of propulsion for effectors primarily missiles. The initial work was conducted by the RTX Technology Research Center, which then teamed up with Pratt & Whitney to mature the technology. Ultimately, the RDE is planned to power a new generation of effectors, including missiles designed and developed by Raytheon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experimentation with RDE concepts dates back to the 1950s, but actually creating a workable engine of this type had proved elusive until very recently, at least publicly. According to RTX, there were two main technological hurdles to overcome before the RDE could be successfully demonstrated. The first challenge involved the fuel injection component. Simply put, the balance of air and fuel in the chamber has to be perfect, consistently, to ensure an effective detonation wave. The second challenge, RTX says, was designing and manufacturing parts that relied on advanced techniques, including additive manufacturing and physics-based modeling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall, RTXs work on the RDE is closely related to a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project called Gambit. The main aim of this effort is to develop and demonstrate a novel rotating detonation engine propulsion system that enables a mass-producible, low-cost, high-supersonic, long-range weapon for air-to-ground strike in an anti-access/area denial (A2AD) environment. Gambit was launched in 2022, and the following year, Raytheon secured a contract from DARPA to develop and demonstrate a practical RDE for the Gambit project. While RTX talks about the potential for the rotating detonation concept to be harnessed in the broad category of effectors, it would appear to be of greatest significance for future missiles, like the ones envisioned under DARPAs Gambit project. Missiles using this kind of propulsion arrangement would achieve greater efficiency and lighter (and potentially smaller) missile bodies, which in turn would allow for enhanced performance especially in terms of range and/or payload capacity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Future missiles that are able to achieve efficient sustained supersonic speed over long distances would be of considerable importance in terms of time-sensitive mission requirements. Above all, any future high-end conflict in the Pacific, such as one against China, would automatically involve all sorts of operational demands across a broad area, much of it covered in water. The government is looking for missiles that go faster and fly farther, Beata Maynard, an associate director in Advanced Military Engines at Pratt & Whitney, said in a media release today. Combining Pratt & Whitney propulsion technology with a Raytheon vehicle could result in a weapons system that addresses warfighters immediate needs. A rendering of a notional rotating detonation engine-powered missile that the AFRL has previously released. USAF/AFRL via Aviation Week RDE is not the only exotic propulsion system thats being considered to power future missiles, effectors, and even aircraft. There are also ramjets and dual-mode ramjets (the latter also using RDE technology), which can confer hypersonic performance. Hypersonic speed is defined as anything above Mach 5. While theres clearly an appetite for the kinds of advantages that a rotating detonation engine would confer on a variety of future missiles, it should be recalled that this technology is very much still in its infancy. There will be plenty more hurdles to overcome before propulsion systems of this kind find their way into actual missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, once mastered, this technology promises to significantly help lower the cost and accelerate the production, on top of the various performance advantages. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by Glamour editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Conde Nast may earn an affiliate commission. Ron Chaffin Who is Ruby Franke, the woman at the center of Hulus new docuseries, Devil in the Family? Before you hit play, heres what you need to know about the Franke familys storyfrom their YouTube channel 8 Passengers to all that came after it. Trigger warning: child abuse. Who is Ruby Franke? Franke, a Mormon mother of six, launched a YouTube channel called 8 Passengers in 2015, documenting life in a family of eight along with her husband, Kevin. As the channel grew past two million subscribers, the parents came under more scrutiny for sharing intimate details about their childrens lives and their strict, some would say severe, punishments for misbehavior. In 2021, Utah Child Protective Services visited the family home after receiving a complaint of neglect but didnt file any charges, per Forbes. Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke Kai Pfaffenbach Who is Jodi Hildebrandt? At some point the Frankes enlisted the help of Mormon therapist Jodi Hildebrandt for an issue with their son Chad, but the relationship soon became very intense, with Hildebrandt moving into the family home in 2021, counseling all of the children, and pushing Kevin out of the house. Hildebrandt ran a counseling business called ConneXions, and Ruby Franke began training in the program. What did they do to the kids? Early examples of the ConneXions style of parenting, which were documented online, included withholding meals and making a child sleep on a bean bag chair instead of a bed for months. However, what wasnt filmed was much more horrific. By the time of the rescue, the oldest Franke children had already left the house, but the four remaining kids were all found malnourished and reported brutal conditions meant to exorcise them of demons. Per Time, one child recalled being forced to stand in the hot sun while tied to weights, forced to jump on a trampoline, and forced to run through the desert. Their resulting injuries were treated with ineffective at-home remedies. Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke Kai Pfaffenbach Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How were the Franke kids rescued? In August 2023 the Frankes 12-year-old son escaped from a window in Hildebrandts house and ran to a neighbor for help. The neighbor, noticing that the boy was malnourished and injured, called the authorities. The boy went to the hospital while the police searched the house, per E!. Franke and Hildebrandt were both arrested, and both have since pleaded guilty to child abuse. Where are Ruby Frankes kids now? The four younger children are in the custody of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services. Kevin is seeking custody, per People, and is working on repairing the familys relationships. Chad Franke is a realtor and Shari published a memoir about her experiences. Heres more about where the Franke kids are now. All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by Glamour editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Conde Nast may earn an affiliate commission. News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where Are the Franke Kids Now? The Oldest Speak Out in Hulus New Docuseries, *Devil in the Family* Ruby Franke was arrested in 2023 on charges of child abuse. All three episodes of Devil in the Family are now streaming on Hulu. Originally Appeared on Glamour Two of Ruby Franke's kids participated in a new docuseries about her. The former vlogger was convicted of child abuse and sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. Shari Franke says she'll never speak to her mother again; Franke's son Chad still has love for her. One of the most harrowing parts of "Devil in the Family," Hulu's new docuseries about the downfall of former mommy vlogger Ruby Franke, happens minutes before it ends. Shari Franke, her eldest daughter, was an internet personality as a child alongside her five younger siblings Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve, who were all featured on their mother's popular YouTube channel "8 Passengers." Shari participated in Hulu's series alongside her father, Kevin Franke, and her younger brother, Chad Franke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview near the end of the third and final episode, Shari reflects on her fractured current relationship with her mother as she watches old footage of herself as a child with her mother. It's a dark moment for Shari. The now 21-year-old saw her family, presented for years as idyllic and perfect, crumble in the public eye. Ruby Franke, who started her YouTube channel in 2015, was convicted on four counts of child abuse and sentenced to between four and 30 years in a Salt Lake City, Utah, prison. Before that, she'd become controversial in 2020 over her parenting style, which some viewers called abusive. The true depth of her crimes was uncovered in 2023, when her younger son, one of the two kids she abused, escaped from the home of Franke's friend and collaborator Jodi Hildebrandt and told authorities he and his sister had been subjected to horrific abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's where Ruby Franke's six kids are now, amid their mom's imprisonment. Ruby Franke's 4 youngest kids are being kept out of the spotlight Ruby Franke with five of her kids in an early YouTube video circa 2015. 8 Passengers/YouTube (via Hulu) Ruby and Kevin Franke's four youngest children are still minors. Though they were prominently featured in their mother's YouTube channel and on her Instagram for years and even had "official" individual Instagram accounts managed by their parents their identities were concealed in footage shown in the Hulu docuseries. The kids' faces were blurred out in old videos, and they weren't named. In legal documentation related to Franke's trial and conviction viewed by Business Insider, the four youngest were also referred to by their first initials. The two youngest kids, "R." (Russell) and "E." (Eve), were 12 and 10 at the time of Franke's arrest and were the ones subjected to physical abuse. The abuse stemmed from Franke and Hildebrandt's belief that they were possessed by the devil, and that their "deviance" needed to be addressed with harsh punishments. Those punishments, chronicled in Franke's detailed journal about the abuse made public by authorities during the trial, included withholding food for days, making them stand in the hot sun for hours, and having them run shoeless in the Utah desert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the docuseries recounts, the two middle sisters, Abby and Julie, did not appear to be physically harmed at the time Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested in August 2023. All four kids were taken into the custody of Utah's Department of Child and Family Services when Franke was arrested; their father, Kevin Franke, alleged in the docuseries that he had been pressured to leave the family home and cut off contact with all his children for over a year by his wife and Hildebrandt. Kevin Franke's attorney told Today.com in September 2023 that he was "focused on doing what is best for his kids" and was "making an effort to rebuild and bridge these relationships." Kevin filed for divorce that year and has been seeking to regain custody of his four youngest children. It's unclear whether the kids are still in the custody of the state, in Kevin Franke's custody, or elsewhere, as the status of his guardianship case isn't publicly accessible. As of a June 2024 filing in Kevin Franke's lawsuit against Hildebrandt, viewed by BI, all four kids were residing in separate homes while in the state's custody. When reached via email, a representative for Utah's DCFS declined to comment further on specifics of the case or the whereabouts of the Franke children "in order to protect the integrity of the necessary working relationships with those we serve, and to respect the privacy of children and families." Chad Franke still has love for Ruby Franke despite her crimes Chad Franke. Kai Pfaffenbach/Disney Chad Franke is Kevin and Ruby Franke's second-eldest child and eldest son. He and his older sister Shari, who are now both adults, participated in the Hulu docuseries where they opened up about their family's vlogging career and their mother's abuse case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the docuseries, Shari and Chad recalled how the two of them were the most popular of the Franke siblings among viewers, remarking that photos with the two of them in the thumbnail tended to perform best on "8 Passengers." Chad in particular became something of an internet celebrity in his own right, and he said he played into the charming goofball character. Kevin admitted in an interview for the docuseries that he was living vicariously through preteen Chad, who was much cooler and more confident than he ever was, and said he and his wife exploited that for monetary gain. At its peak, Kevin said they were making over $100,000 a month in YouTube revenue. As a teen, Chad started to act out, culminating in his expulsion from school. At that point, the Frankes brought in Jodi Hildebrandt, a therapist referred by a family friend, to help keep Chad in line. He was sent to the Anasazi Foundation Wilderness Therapy Program, a troubled teen program. In the docuseries, Chad said he didn't mind working with Hildebrandt at first, as she mostly focused on trying to get him to be more spiritual. He even grew to love her, despite her encouragement of Kevin and Ruby Franke's harsh punishments. It was Chad's revelation in a 2020 YouTube video that he'd had his room taken away and was made to sleep on a bean bag chair in the basement for seven months that kickstarted the backlash against the Franke family and precipitated their downfall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chad was ultimately kicked out of the family home by Franke and Hildebrandt, who'd moved in with them, when he was 17 for admitting to watching pornography in the house. He went to live in an apartment nearby and didn't have contact with his parents or siblings for a year. He recalled in the docuseries finding out about his mother's arrest when someone at his lifeguarding job saw it on the news and told him. Initially, Chad still believed that his punishment and his siblings' treatment were appropriate and that Hildebrandt and Franke had been acting as "God's chosen people." It was only after his father finally realized they'd both been lied to and told Chad that he realized the extent of the abuse. In the docuseries, Chad said it was "heartbreaking" seeing his mother on trial. He admitted that his feelings about her are complicated, though he believes she belongs in prison at least for now. "I miss a mother figure. I miss how she was when I was very young. But I think what she's going through is deserved," he said. "I don't think she should get out, at least until the kids, all the kids, turn 18 years old. But that doesn't mean I don't have love for her." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chad now works as a real estate agent in Utah. He's also started his own influencing career, growing his personal following on Instagram and TikTok, where he posts videos with his girlfriend. Shari Franke says she'll never speak to Ruby Franke again and is lobbying against family vlogging Shari Franke. Kai Pfaffenbach/Disney In the docuseries, Shari and Chad recalled how their mother grew her following by forcing all the kids to constantly create content for the channel, which began when Shari was a preteen. Shari managed to break away before the situation deteriorated, leaving the family home to attend Brigham Young University in 2020; Shari says Franke kicked her out of her room two weeks before she left for college in order to move Hildebrandt in. She recalled being immediately suspicious of Hildebrandt and found negative reviews of her online that said she'd destroyed other families and even had her license revoked. Shari told her mother, but Franke didn't listen. Ultimately, Franke cut Shari off after Shari refused to stop contacting her father Kevin and brother Chad from college. In the docuseries, Shari and a family friend who was her former teacher recalled going to the Franke home to confront Franke, who was unmoved even as Shari cried and begged Franke not to cut her off. From that point, Shari didn't have contact with her family, but neighbors would keep her updated on the situation with her siblings amid their father's absence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, they alerted Shari that Franke appeared to be gone for hours at a time, leaving the younger kids home alone. Shari placed a call to the Springville Police Station in September 2022 asking for a welfare check; a case opened by the DCFS was eventually closed because according to documentation previously viewed by BI, there was no evidence of wrongdoing. Shari addressed cutting ties with her family on a podcast in 2023, months before Franke's arrest, saying that they'd left her "spiritually drained." When Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested that August, Shari reacted to the news on Instagram, sharing a photo of a police car with the word: "Finally." "Today has been a big day," Shari said in another post. "Me and my family are so glad justice is being served. We've been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up." She also appealed to her followers and former "8 Passengers" fans to help her crowdsource "questionable or concerning" video evidence against Franke and ConneXions, the controversial group started by Hildebrandt that Franke had joined, shortly after the arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, Shari is an outspoken critic of family vlogging, testifying at an October 2024 Utah Senate committee hearing in favor of laws to protect child influencers. In her speech, she called herself a "victim of family vlogging" and said "there is no such thing as a moral or ethical family vlogger." "If I could go back and do it all again, I'd rather have an empty bank account now and not have my childhood plastered all over the internet," Shari said. "No amount of money I received has made what I've experienced worth it." She also published a memoir, "The House of My Mother," in January ahead of the Hulu docuseries, about her family life with Franke. "Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke" is streaming on Hulu. Read the original article on Business Insider Moscow has pledged to help Washington in dealing with Iran over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program and its support for regional anti-American proxies, Bloomberg reported on March 4, citing its undisclosed sources. Since returning to the White House, Trump has been trying to restore relations with Russia, which were severed under the previous administration when the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Trump voiced his interest in negotiations with Iran to Putin during a phone call in February. A few days later, the U.S. and Russian delegations discussed this issue during talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moscow has long been partners with Tehran, but their cooperation only intensified after the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022. Iran has provided Russia with thousands of Shahed drones used in attacks against Ukrainian cities, as well as short-range ballistic missiles. With Iran's assistance, Russia has begun producing its own variants of Shahed drones called Geran-2. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Russia believes the U.S. and Iran should "resolve all problems through negotiations," and Moscow is "ready to do everything in its power to achieve this goal." When asked whether Russia offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington, Esmail Baghai, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that it was "natural" for countries to offer their assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Given the importance of these issues, it is quite possible that many parties will show goodwill and willingness to help in solving various problems," Baghai said during a televised press conference in Tehran on March 3. "From this point of view, it is only natural that countries will offer assistance if it is needed," he added. Since taking office, Trump has distanced the U.S. from its traditional role as Ukraine's primary supporter, instead questioning Kyiv's commitment to peace and implying that Ukraine shares the blame for the ongoing war. Russian officials have openly praised Trump's stance, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling him "the first, and so far, the only Western leader" to acknowledge what Moscow considers the true cause of the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Kremlin figures, including the deputy chair of Russia's Security Council, applauded Trump for taking a harsher tone toward President Volodymyr Zelensky, even labeling Ukraine's leader a "dictator." Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that once the war ends, Washington and Moscow could pursue "potentially historic economic partnerships," including cooperation on Arctic development and rare earth mining. Read also: America sided with Russia, North Korea, and Iran Ukraine reacts to US military aid freeze Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A top Ukrainian official said Russia beat its 2024 recruitment goal and is still doing so in 2025. That's after Moscow already raised its goal to 430,000 troops last year. It comes as Russia has poured cash into sign-up bonuses and passed laws to recruit crime suspects. The deputy chief of Ukraine's military intelligence said Russia is exceeding its recruitment targets, affirming Moscow's earlier claim of hiring over 440,000 soldiers in 2024. That recruiting success is set to continue in 2025, Maj. Gen. Vadim Skibitsky said in an interview published by the news agency RBC Ukraine on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In January, they fulfilled their recruitment plans by 107%," said Skibitsky. "This issue remains relevant, and the Russian authorities have no problem with staffing their troops and filling losses." Skibitsky said Russia initially set a hiring target of 380,000 troops in 2024 but raised it to 430,000 recruits. And beat that goal, he added. In December, Dmitry Medvedev, the chairman of Russia's security council, said Moscow had signed contracts with 440,000 new soldiers in 2024. Skibitsky confirmed that number in his Monday interview and said that Russia officially plans to recruit another 343,000 soldiers in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "But based on the experience of 2024, we know that these plans inevitably change, in the upward direction," he said. Recruiting at that scale is allowing Russia to continue fighting intensely in Ukraine, Skibitsky said. "It is important to understand that almost 80% of those recruited under contract are used to replace combat losses," he told RBC Ukraine. These reported figures come as the Kremlin has poured cash into one-time recruitment bonuses for the military just one of many ways it's pushing its economy and spending toward defense. In July, Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed a decree that more than doubled the baseline sign-up bonus from 195,000 rubles to 400,000 rubles for the rest of 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 400,000 ruble payout is worth about $4,450 now. But some regions upped their bonuses to nearly 2 million rubles last year, putting them on par with the US military's sign-on payments. "For the Russian Federation, these are very large sums," Skibitsky told RBC Ukraine. Federal statistics from the Russian government in December cited the average monthly wage in the country as 86,500 rubles. Ukraine expects Russia to also significantly ramp up the number of soldiers it recruits from prisons or criminal trials. With Russia already actively recruiting from prisons, Putin signed a bill in October allowing those who face criminal charges to avoid their trials or convictions if they enlist in the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skibitsky said Russia's plans for 2025 include 30% of its forces being made up of "special contingents," which describe units fielding inmates or soldiers who signed up to avoid charges. That's up from 15% of its forces involving such troops last year, Skibitsky said. "This issue is already arising for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation what to do with these people and how to work with them," he said. Analysts from the Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War wrote that Russia likely increased its recruitment target in 2024 because that's when it stepped up the intensity of its assaults in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moscow has, over the last year, started throwing thousands of men daily at Ukrainian positions in ground assaults, sustaining high casualties but also pressuring Kyiv's tired forces on the front lines. ISW analysts wrote that Russia will likely have to raise its recruitment quota again this year to maintain that strategy. "Continued Western military aid would help Ukrainian forces inflict additional losses on the Russian military that would likely intensify Russia's economic and military issues and force Putin into making concessions during meaningful negotiations in 2025," they wrote. Read the original article on Business Insider By Vladimir Soldatkin and Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia's President Vladimir Putin hailed expanding ties with ally Myanmar at talks with its military junta chief on Tuesday and thanked him for gifting Moscow six elephants. Military analysts have dubbed the present, which coincided with Russia's completing delivery of six fighter jets to Myanmar, as part of "elephant diplomacy" between two governments viewed dimly in Western capitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Myanmar has been in turmoil since 2021 when its military ousted the administration of Nobel peace prize winner leader Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering a civil war. "This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the declaration on the foundations of friendship between our countries," Putin told Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's prime minister, at a meeting in the Kremlin. "Relations between our countries are indeed developing steadily," he added, noting bilateral trade rose 40% last year. The two sides signed an agreement on construction of a small-scale nuclear plant in Myanmar. Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear power corporation, said the plant would have a capacity of 100 megawatts with the possibility of trebling that capacity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putin also announced that a military unit from Myanmar would take part in the military parade in Moscow on May 9 marking the 80th anniversary of the World War Two victory over Nazi Germany. He said Min Aung Hlaing would also attend. Like China, Russia backs Myanmar's military and is developing cooperation, including between their air forces. "And of course, I cannot but thank you for your very warm gift: you brought us six elephants last year, and they have already been given to the Moscow Zoo," Putin said. Min Aung Hlaing, 68, who rarely travels abroad, praised the quality of Russian military hardware his nation receives and said he supported Putin in the Ukraine war where he believed Moscow would soon be victorious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ALLIES The junta is struggling with internal conflict, an economy in tatters, widespread hunger and a third of the nation's 55 million people in need of aid, according to the U.N. Russia was one of the first countries to back the junta after the 2021 coup when it was being condemned around the world for using lethal force against opponents. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said he saw good prospects for expanding cooperation in areas including agriculture, nuclear energy, transport and infrastructure. "Despite the illegitimate sanctions against Russia and Myanmar, our trade and economic cooperation is developing successfully, and mutual trade is growing," Mishustin said, according to the Interfax news agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian companies plan to invest in Myanmar's special economic zone in Dawei, Mishustin said, without naming firms. The long-delayed Dawei project on the Andaman Sea is intended to be a major hub for industry, technology and transport. Russia and Myanmar have long been talking about building a small nuclear power plant in Myanmar. The junta plans an election this year, but critics deride that as a sham to keep the generals in power through proxies. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow; Additional reporting by Martin Petty; Writing by Andrew Osborn in London; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Ron Popeski, Alexandra Hudson) Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War have pointed out that Russian forces are increasing the number and effectiveness of drones and missiles to suppress Ukrainian air defence. Source: ISW Quote: "Russian forces continue to innovate their strike packages and leverage larger numbers of Shahed and decoy drones in an attempt to penetrate Ukraine's air defence umbrella." Details: Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, said that Russian forces are launching missiles from several different directions. Moreover, the Russians launch 150-200 drones in nightly attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skibitskyi noted that previously, Russian forces launched missiles from one direction and used an average of 20 to 30 drones during a single nighttime series of strikes. He said that Russian forces alternate between missiles and drones in order to overwhelm Ukrainian air defence systems. Skibitskyi added that Russian forces begin launching drones in the evening so they can reach Ukraine by 23:00 and that strikes continue until morning. Quote: "ISW observed reports that Russian forces began launching between 80 and 100 (or more) Shahed and decoy drones as part of their larger strike packages in October and November 2024 and have been launching between 100 to 200 (or more) Shahed and decoy drones in February 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian forces most likely use large numbers of Shahed and decoy drones to detect and overwhelm Ukrainian air defence and mobile fire groups." Details: Analysts noted that the increase in the number of drones in Russian nighttime attacks indicates that Russia is likely not currently facing domestic constraints on the production of Shahed or decoy drones, nor are there any limitations on Iranian components for Shahed production. However, the review adds, it remains unclear whether Russia will be able to produce or obtain sufficient components to avoid drone production restrictions in the long term. Also, according to the data analysed by the ISW, Russian missile production has not increased significantly, but Russian forces appear to be prioritising the production of missile and drone variants that are more effective against Ukrainian air defence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skibitskyi said that Russia slightly increased its missile production by 1.2-1.5 times during 2024 and is redistributing its production capacity. Quote: "ISW previously assessed that Russia likely intended to further increase its production and use of Shahed drones and other Shahed-variants following the signing of the Russian-Iranian Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement in January 2025." To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 3 March: Ukrainian military intelligence indicated that about 620,000 Russian soldiers are operating in Ukraine and Kursk Oblast, an increase of about 40,000 personnel compared to late 2024. Russian authorities reportedly exceeded their recruitment quotas in 2024 and January 2025, likely in part due to increased financial incentives for recruits and prison recruitment efforts that are unsustainable in the medium- to long-term. Russian forces continue to innovate their strike packages and leverage larger numbers of Shahed and decoy drones in an attempt to penetrate Ukraine's air defence umbrella. Russian missile production has reportedly not significantly increased, but Russian forces appear to be prioritising production of missile and drone variants that are more effective against Ukrainian air defences. Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk, and Russian forces recently advanced near Velyka Novosilka and in Kursk Oblast. The Kremlin continues to promote its "Time of Heroes" veterans' programme as part of efforts to militarise the Russian government and society. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! (Bloomberg) -- The amount of Russian crude oil thats stuck at sea is rising as Joe Bidens farewell sanctions on Moscow continue to snarl the nation's petroleum trade. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While exports from the countrys ports jumped to a three-month high, Indias refiners are so far refusing to accept cargoes that have been moved on sanctioned tankers, even if only for part of their voyage. Some Chinese ports appear to be taking the same approach. The Indian decision has effectively closed off the south Asian nation as a destination for crude from the Arctic and from projects off Sakhalin Island in Russia's Far East, which all rely on specialized shuttle tankers blacklisted by President Biden on Jan. 10. The reluctance of some Chinese ports has left tankers idling for weeks, unable to offload their cargoes. That could all change if President Donald Trump reverses the Biden measures. In January, the outgoing Biden administration announced wide-ranging restrictions against Russia, including designating 161 tankers tied to the countrys oil trade, including all the shuttle tankers used in the Arctic and by the Sakhalin 1 and 2 projects off Russias east coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 7.7 million barrels of crude from the two Sakhalin projects have been held on tankers for more than two weeks. Prior to the latest sanctions they would typically be delivered to refiners in about a week. A further 12 million barrels from the Arctic have gone on far longer voyages than originally planned, leaving the oil at sea for months. The move has also seen the premium shipowners are charging to haul Russias flagship oil soar. The cost of transporting 1 million barrels of Urals crude from Russia's Black Sea port to the west coast of India has increased to $7.9 million, up from $5.6 million at the end of last year. Despite the difficulties in delivering cargoes, a surge in shipments from the Black Sea last week saw four-week average crude flows from Russian ports in the period to March 2 rise to 3.09 million barrels a day, the highest since the period ending Dec. 1. Delivery Difficulties and Covert Transfers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before Bidens Jan. 10 sanctions package, India was the destination for about 60% of Russias Arctic crude exports, taking about 64 million barrels last year. It was also the landing place for about 14 million barrels of Sokol crude from the Sakhalin 1 project in the first nine months of 2024, equivalent to almost 30% of total shipments in that period, though that trade dried up in the final quarter of last year. Arctic crude loaded after Jan. 10 has started to arrive in the Arabian Sea, close to the ports on Indias west coast that were initially identified as their destinations in shipping data seen by Bloomberg. But instead of being delivered, it has been transferred covertly onto other ships off the coast of Oman. Those ships, where its been possible to identify them, appear to be heading for China. Thats stretching the supply chain for Moscows Arctic grades even further, boosting the amount of Russian crude on the water and forcing Indias refiners to seek alternatives. No cargoes of Russias Arctic crude loaded after Jan. 10 have been delivered to India, vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Pacific, only five of 19 cargoes of Sakhalin crude loaded since the latest ban have been delivered. Three of those were discharged into storage tanks at Yangshan port near Shanghai, tracking data show. The facility isnt connected to any of Chinas refineries, and the move could simply be designed to hide the true origin of the barrels. Shuttle tankers are continuing to transfer Sokol cargoes onto other vessels in Nakhodka Bay, with satellite imagery revealing another switch taking place today. But even after they have been transferred, Pacific cargoes are not proving easy to discharge. A supertanker that took about 2 million barrels of Sokol crude through similar transfers in the first 10 days of February is still holding its cargo after failing to discharge it at Yantai in China. Crude Shipments Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A total of 32 tankers loaded 24.71 million barrels of Russian crude in the week to March 2, vessel-tracking data and port-agent reports show. The volume was up from a revised 20.62 million barrels on 28 ships the previous week. Daily crude flows in the seven days to March 2 jumped by about 580,000 barrels, or 20%, from the previous week to 3.53 million. The increase reversed almost all of an 18% drop seen the previous week. Shipments of Russian crude from Novorossiysk surged to six cargoes, while flows from the Baltic slipped. Exports from the Pacific were unchanged from the previous week, while Arctic shipments rose. Less volatile four-week average flows were up by about 120,000 barrels a day from the previous week, to 3.09 million barrels a day, the highest level in three months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One cargo of Kazakhstans KEBCO crude was loaded during the week from Novorossiysk. Export Value The gross value of Moscows exports jumped by about $210 million, or 16%, to $1.52 billion in the week to March 2. Export values of Russian Urals crude fell by about $2.10-$2.50 a barrel, while the price of key Pacific grade ESPO dropped by about $2.10/bbl. Delivered prices in India were down by about $1.40, all according to numbers from Argus Media. On a four-week average basis, income rose in the period to March 2 to about $1.35 billion a week, up from a revised $1.31 billion in the period to Feb. 23. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flows by Destination Observed shipments to Russias Asian customers, including those showing no final destination, rose to 2.91 million barrels a day in the four weeks to March 2, bringing them 8% below the average level seen during the most recent peak in October. Turkey is now the only short-haul market for shipments from Russias western ports, with flows in the 28 days to March 2 recovering the previous weeks drop to average about 180,000 barrels a day. Turkeys biggest refiner confirmed it has halted purchases of Russian oil after earlier signaling that it would restrict them to avoid falling foul of US sanctions. NOTES Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story forms part of a weekly series tracking shipments of crude from Russian export terminals and the gross value of those flows. The next update will be on Tuesday, March 11. All figures exclude cargoes identified as Kazakhstans KEBCO grade. Those are shipments made by KazTransoil JSC that transit Russia for export through Novorossiysk and Ust-Luga and are not subject to European Union sanctions or a price cap. The Kazakh barrels are blended with crude of Russian origin to create a uniform export stream. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine, Kazakhstan has rebranded its cargoes to distinguish them from those shipped by Russian companies. Bloomberg classifies ship-to-ship transfers as clandestine if automated position signals appear to be switched off or falsified a tactic known as spoofing to hide the two vessels involved coming together to make the cargo switch. Vessel-tracking data are cross-checked against port agent reports as well as flows and ship movements reported by other information providers including Kpler and Vortexa Ltd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you are reading this story on the Bloomberg terminal, click for a link to a PDF file of four-week average flows from Russia to key destinations. --With assistance from Sherry Su and Rakesh Sharma. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Russia on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with reports of the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine, saying it could lead to a peace process. According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "we have yet to figure out the details but if its true, then this is a decision that really can push the Kiev regime towards a peace process." Russia has repeatedly accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of having no interest in peace negotiations and preferring to continue the war. US President Donald Trump recently echoed the Russian argument, to the dismay of other Western states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky, however, has consistently emphasized his desire to end the war. He has however insisted on security guarantees - especially from the United States, which Washington, under the Trump administration, has so far been unwilling to provide. Trump announced on Monday that the US administration is temporarily suspending its military aid to Ukraine, which has been under attack from Russia for more than three years. The White House stated Trump had made it "unambiguously clear" that the president's "focus is on peace." Russia on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with reports of the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine, saying it could lead to a peace process. According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "we have yet to figure out the details but if it's true, then this is a decision that really can push the Kiev regime towards a peace process." Russia has repeatedly accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of having no interest in peace negotiations and preferring to continue the war, started by Moscow in February 2022. US President Donald Trump recently echoed the Russian argument, to the dismay of other Western states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky has consistently emphasized his desire to end the war. He has however insisted on security guarantees - especially from the United States, which Washington, under the Trump administration, has so far been unwilling to provide. Trump announced on Monday that the US administration is temporarily suspending its military aid to Ukraine, which has been under attack from Russia for more than three years. The White House stated Trump had made it "unambiguously clear" that the president's "focus is on peace." It comes after the Trump administration launched bilateral talks with Moscow last month to negotiate an end to the conflict, as well as potentially normalizing ties between the two nations which have been strained since before the war. Peskov on Tuesday stressed the need for Washington to lift sanctions imposed on Russia before the relationship could be restored. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We consider them to be illegal," the Kremlin spokesman said of the punitive measures, some of which were implemented during Trump's first term, before being substantially expanded amid the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Moscow is particularly keen on ending sanctions on its financial sector. Russia has also suggested resuming flight traffic with the US, after both countries closed their airspace to the other side following the beginning of the Ukraine war. Peskov also reiterated criticism for an EU debate on using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, warning such a move would have negative effects on the investment climate in the bloc by signalling to investors that assets could be subject to unlawful confiscation. On Monday, Peskov announced Moscow would take legal action against such a move. By Steve Holland and Vladimir Soldatkin WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has offered to mediate between the United States and Iran, a source briefed on discussions told Reuters on Tuesday, as the Kremlin vowed to do everything possible to facilitate a peaceful solution to tensions over Tehran's nuclear program. Russia's state-run Zvezda media outlet reported earlier on Tuesday, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, that President Vladimir Putin had agreed to mediate between Tehran and Washington in talks over nuclear weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source briefed on the discussions, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Russia had offered to act as an intermediary, but Moscow was not asked to serve in such a role. Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York declined to comment. The development comes after U.S. President Donald Trump upended U.S. policy after taking office in January, taking a more conciliatory stance towards Russia that has left Western allies wary as he tries to broker an end to Moscow's three-year war in Ukraine. Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that Iran was Russia's partner and ally and Moscow would continue to develop relations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "President Putin believes and is convinced that the problem of Iran's nuclear dossier should be solved solely by peaceful means," he said. "Of course, Russia, being an Iranian ally, will be doing all what is possible to facilitate the peaceful solution to the problem." Trump last month restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran in a bid to stop Tehran from building a nuclear weapon. But he also said he was open to a deal and was willing to talk to Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian. "The Trump administration will talk to our adversaries and allies alike, but ... from a position of strength to defend our national security," Brian Hughes, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said on Tuesday. SANCTIONS 'SNAPBACK' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran has denied wanting to develop a nuclear weapon. However, it is "dramatically" accelerating enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% weapons-grade level, the U.N. nuclear watchdog has warned. Western states say there is no need to enrich uranium to such a high level under any civilian program and that no other country has done so without producing nuclear bombs. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful. "The United States will not tolerate Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon or their support of terror in the Middle East and around the world," Hughes said. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, conveying "that he anticipates close coordination in addressing the threats posed by Iran and pursuing opportunities for a stable region," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran agreed a deal in 2015 with Britain, Germany, France, the U.S., Russia and China - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - that lifted sanctions on Tehran in return for restrictions on its nuclear program. Washington quit the agreement in 2018 during Trump's first term as president, and Iran began moving away from its nuclear-related commitments. Britain, France and Germany have told the U.N. Security Council that they are ready - if needed - to trigger a so-called "snap back" of all international sanctions on Iran to prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon. They will lose the ability to take such action on October 18 next year when the 2015 U.N. resolution on the deal expires. Trump has directed his U.N. envoy to work with allies to snapback international sanctions and restrictions on Iran. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Katharine Jackson and Daniel Wallis) Russian attacks against Ukraine killed two civilians and injured 11 others over the past day, regional authorities reported on March 4. Russian forces launched 99 drones from the Russian cities of Orel, Kursk, Bryansk, Millerovo, and Primosk-Akhtarsk at Ukraine overnight, according to Ukraine's Air Force. Ukraine's air defense shot down 65 drones over Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Odesa, Kirovohrad, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, the Air Force said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another 32 drones disappeared from radars without causing any damage, according to the statement. Drones that disappear from radars before reaching their targets are often decoys that Russia launches alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense. In Donetsk Oblast, a Russian attack killed a person in the town of Pokrovsk, while another Russian strike injured a person in the village of Nova Poltavka, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian forces attacked the village of Omelnyk with a glide bomb, killing a 49-year-old man. His wife suffered injuries in the strike, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. In Kherson Oblast, Russia targeted 30 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson, over the past day. As a result of the attacks, five people were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Odesa Oblast, four people were injured in the attack against the regional center of Odesa, according to Governor Oleh Kiper. Three people suffered shrapnel wounds and broken limbs, while another person suffered a concussion. Read also: Why doesnt NATO open its doors to Ukraine? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Russian drone attack targeted energy infrastructure in southern city of Odesaovernight on March 4, causing power outages across the city and disrupting heating systems, according to local authorities. At least four people were injured in the attack, according to State Emergency Service. Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram that a strike has damaged energy infrastructure, and confirmed that parts of the city were experiencing power cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 0:00 / 1 Odesa Mayor Hennady Trukhanov reported that the attack had knocked out three boiler plants, forcing officials to urgently search for alternative power sources to restore heating to residents. Odesa, a port city on Ukraines Black Sea coast with a population of around 1 million, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks throughout the full-scale war. On March 1, a Russian ballistic missile struck the Odesa port, damaging its infrastructure as well as a foreign civilian ship flying the flag of Panama. Two port employees were injured as a results of the attack. Read also: A tragedy Russia strikes Ukrainian military training ground during exercises, Drapatyi says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Russian Su-35 fighter jet engaged in a dangerous provocation against a French Reaper drone over the Mediterranean Sea on March 2, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu reported on March 4. "The Russian Su-35 fighter jet behaved dangerously toward the French Reaper drone... Three consecutive approaches could have led to the loss of control of the drone," Lecornu posted on X. The incident occurred on March 2 while the French drone was conducting an observation mission in the eastern Mediterranean. Dimanche, un avion de chasse SU-35 russe a adopte un comportement dangereux a legard dun drone Reaper francais, en mission de surveillance dans lespace aerien international au dessus de la Mediterranee orientale. Trois passages successifs a grande proximite, qui auraient pu pic.twitter.com/sAmMBNNjyU Sebastien Lecornu (@SebLecornu) March 4, 2025 Lecornu condemned the maneuver as "intentional, unprofessional, and aggressive," calling it unacceptable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "France will continue to take measures to protect freedom of navigation in international air and sea space," he said. This is not the first such incident involving Russian military aircraft. A Russian fighter jet forced down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea on March 14, 2023. In December, two Dutch F-35 fighter jets intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea, according to the Netherlands Defense Ministry. Russian military aircraft frequently operate without transponders or flight plans over the Baltic and Black Seas, maneuvers often seen as testing NATO's response capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Ukraine strikes Russian military facility in Kursk Oblast, kills up to 30 troops, General Staff reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian forces in the Kharkiv sector of the front line have suffered more irrecoverable losses than wounded over the past month, Volodymyr Degtyaryov, spokesperson for Ukraine's "Khartia" brigade, said on March 4. "If you look at the enemy's losses in February, you can see an interesting trend more dead than wounded. Perhaps this is due to the fact that they have less movement and more (personnel) concentrations," Degtyaryov told Ukrainian media Suspilne. He noted that Russian forces rarely use vehicles, as Ukrainian troops have established a "dead zone" extending 10 kilometers into Russian-occupied areas, allowing Ukrainian forces to maintain control over the sector from the air. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. "Of course, they have offensive potential, but we are doing everything we can to prevent them from doing so," Degtyaryov added. The situation in Kharkiv Oblast as of March 4, 2025. The area marked in red is the territory occupied by Russia. (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps) Kharkiv Oblast, which shares a direct border with Russia, remains a major flashpoint in the ongoing war. Moscow launched an offensive in the region on May 10, 2024, advancing up to 10 kilometers (6 miles) before Ukrainian defenders halted the push at the first line of defense. During the first month of the offensive, Russian forces suffered around 4,000 casualties, including both killed and wounded, according to Ukraine's military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite their losses, Russian troops still control several villages on two axes in Kharkiv Oblast one near Lyptsi and the other near the embattled town of Vovchansk. Read also: US sided with Russia, North Korea & Iran Ukraine reacts to Trumps military aid freeze Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A local government official in the Russian region of Altai in southern Siberia has been fatally shot, the Russian Investigative Committee announced in a statement on Tuesday. The head of the Zavyalovsky administration, Nikolai Onishchenko, was killed while leaving a cafe in the village of Zavyalovo, according to the statement. A 45-year-old local resident has been detained, the committee said, adding that it had launched an investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee, which is Russia's main federal investigative agency, said the crime could be related to the suspect's dismissal from a management position. Onishchenko had been head of the Zavyalovsky administration since 2022. Russian oil deliveries to the Czech Republic via the Druzhba pipeline have been halted, Czech news channel CT24 reported on March 4, citing Industry and Trade Minister Lukas Vlcek. "We control the situation and are prepared for such circumstances. Refineries in the Czech Republic are well prepared, and the state material reserve system is reliable, so I can assure everyone that there are enough oil reserves for both households and businesses," Vlcek said. No mention was made of the cause for the halt in deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline transports Russian oil to Europe through two main branches: the southern route supplies Central Europe, and the northern route serves Northern Europe. This is not the first disruption to Druzhba's oil flow. In early December 2024, supplies were temporarily halted but resumed after two days. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced in January that Prague intends to completely stop Russian oil imports via Druzhba. The country plans to rely instead on the Transalpine Pipeline, which has been modernized to boost supply volumes. The European Union imposed an embargo on Russian oil and oil products in June 2023, though the southern branch of Druzhba was temporarily exempted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That exemption expires in June 2025, after which recipient countries must find alternative supply routes. Read also: Oil prices continue to decline amid growing tensions between US, Ukraine, Reuters reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. NAIROBI (Reuters) -Rwanda is asking Britain for a 50 million-pound ($63.62 million) payment over a cancelled asylum deal, a source close to the government in Kigali said on Tuesday, after London paused some bilateral aid to the African country over the war in Congo. On taking office last July, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer scrapped the prior Conservative government's asylum plan, under which Rwanda would have been paid to take in migrants who had illegally arrived in Britain. Incoming Interior minister Yvette Cooper said that month that the plan had already cost UK taxpayers 700 million pounds ($890 million). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A British government spokesperson said in an emailed statement Cooper had been clear that the Rwanda asylum partnership had wasted tax-payer money and should not continue. "As stated clearly in notes verbale between the UK and Rwanda, no further payments in relation to this policy will be made and Rwanda has waived any additional payments," the spokesperson said on Tuesday. A source close to the Rwandan government told Reuters that Kigali was asking for 50 million pounds over the cancelled agreement. Yolande Makolo, Rwanda's government spokesperson, said the demand was driven by Britain's stance towards Kigali, including what she described as inflammatory comments by Britain's Minister for Africa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The UK had asked Rwanda to quietly forego the payment based on the trust and good faith existing between our two nations," Makolo said in a post on X late on Monday. "However, the UK has breached this trust through the unjustified punitive measures to coerce Rwanda into compromising our national security," she added. Last week, Britain said it would pause some bilateral aid to Rwanda and impose other diplomatic sanctions over its role in the conflict in neighbouring Congo, a move Kigali called "punitive". Rwanda is facing global pressure over accusations that it supports the M23 rebel group which, since January, has captured swathes of eastern Congo including the cities of Goma and Bukavu, and valuable mineral deposits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kigali denies backing the group but says its own troops are acting in self defence against hostile groups based in Congo. Under the asylum deal, Britain was due to make payments of 50 million pounds to Rwanda in April this year and next, parliament's spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) said last year. The NAO said Britain or Rwanda could activate a break clause that would take effect three months later. This meant Britain would not have to make further payments, apart from covering costs associated with people who were relocated, the NAO said. Britain only sent four people to Rwanda under a voluntary scheme. ($1 = 0.7860 pounds) (Reporting by George Obulutsa and Ammu Kannampilly in Nairobi, and Sachin Ravikumar, Andrew MacAskill and Paul Sandle in London; Editing by Sharon Singleton) (Bloomberg) -- Rwanda wants Britain to pay it 50 million ($63.5 million) over an abandoned migrant deportation plan, after the UK censured the East African nation for supporting rebels fighting in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement British Prime Minister Keir Starmer last year scrapped the controversial plan of his predecessor Rishi Sunak to relocate asylum-seekers to the East African nation at an estimated cost of 170,000 per person. The UK had asked Rwanda to quietly forego the payment based on the trust and good faith existing between our two nations, government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said on X. However, the UK has breached this trust through the unjustified punitive measures to coerce Rwanda into compromising our national security. We are therefore following up on these funds, to which the UK is legally bound. Britain suspended most financial aid to Rwanda last week over its backing for the M23 rebel group, which has seized large swathes of mineral-rich territory in eastern Congo. President Paul Kagames government has repeatedly denied the allegations. --With assistance from Helen Nyambura. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (Reuters) - Rwanda said on Tuesday that Canada's position on the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was "shameful", adding that measures announced by Ottawa against Kigali would not solve the conflict. Late on Monday, Canada announced it had suspended the issuance of permits for the export of controlled goods and technologies to Rwanda, as well as suspending pursuing new government-to-government business and trade missions with Rwanda, and support to private-sector business development activities. It also said it would review Canadian government participation at international events hosted by Rwanda in the future. Canada joins the European Union and the United Kingdom that have also announced plans to suspend bilateral aid to Rwanda. The U.S. also announced sanctions against James Kabarebe, a Rwandan state minister for foreign affairs. The Tutsi-led M23 rebel group entered the city of Goma at the end of January and have since made an unprecedented advance into eastern Congo, capturing territory and getting access to valuable minerals. Their ongoing onslaught, which started in late December, is already the gravest escalation of a long-running conflict rooted in the spillover into Congo of Rwanda's 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of Congo's vast mineral resources. Congo, U.N. experts and Western powers accuse Rwanda of backing the group. Rwanda denies this and says it is defending itself against ethnic Hutu-led militias bent on slaughtering Tutsis in Congo and threatening Rwanda. On Monday, Canada's Foreign Affairs, International Development; and Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development ministers repeated the accusations against Rwanda while announcing the suspensions. (Reporting by George Obulutsa in Nairobi; Editing by Ammu Kannampilly and Lincoln Feast.) LYTTON, Iowa (KCUA) UPDATE (3/5): The Sac County Sheriffs Office says a teenager that was reported missing Tuesday has now been found safe. PREVIOUS: Authorities are looking for a missing teenager from Lytton, Iowa. The Sac County Sheriffs Office said they were alerted Tuesday morning that the person was missing. They were last seen Monday around 4:45 p.m. in Lytton. The last contact with them was Monday at 6 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information of the missing persons location is asked to call the the Sac County Sheriffs Office at 712-662-7127. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Heavy rain and flooding have hit the third-largest island in the Canaries, Gran Canaria, covering streets with mud, sweeping away cars and closing beaches. By Tuesday evening, there were no longer any weather warnings in force in the Canary Islands. Earlier in the day, eastern, southern and western Gran Canaria was put under a significant risk orange weather warning, cautioning that 30mm of rain could accumulate in one hour. Carnival season occurs between February and March in the Canary Islands. Several parades, dances and events are scheduled in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria during the current weather warning period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Santa Cruz Carnival suspended its performances on Monday afternoon due to the adverse weather conditions, however, the evening performances went ahead as planned. Telde, one of the areas of Gran Canaria hit hardest by the rain, has seen residents join forces with emergency services to clean the streets, which have been coated in layers of mud following floods. On Monday, eyewitness footage captured cars stranded on flooded streets, while one video saw a car being swept out to sea in fast-moving waters. A car is dragged into the sea off Salinetas beach (Lily Ash via Reuters) The harsh weather comes months after flooding devastated homes, communities and businesses in areas such as Valencia and Malaga due to a powerful storm in Spain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November, thousands of residents had to evacuate, flights were cancelled, train services were halted and roads were closed after flash flooding brought on by torrential rainstorms impacted the country. Over 200 people died as a result of the flooding. Will my flight be cancelled? On Tuesday, Gran Canarias airport closed due to water accumulation on the runways, however, one runway was back up and running within half an hour, Spains airport group Aena said. By early afternoon, Gran Canaria Airport had both runways in operation and flight proceedings were running as planned. Many arrivals due at the airport were diverted to Tenerife and Fuerteventura, while others eventually landed with a delayed arrival time, some landing hours after they were meant to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Departures on Tuesday afternoon also were significantly delayed in taking off from Gran Canaria, while two flights were cancelled, data from FlightRadar shows. By Wednesday morning, flights appeared to be running relatively smoothly. What are my rights if my flight is cancelled? Simon Calder, travel correspondent at The Independent, says: Whatever the cause of a cancellation, and regardless of the amount of notice that is given, you can insist upon replacement transport: the airline must get you to your destination as soon as possible if that is what you want. The UK Civil Aviation Authority says that means if a flight is available on the original day of travel, the passenger must be booked on it even if it is on a rival carrier. Telde has been one of the worst-hit areas of the flooding (REUTERS) However, cash compensation may not be available, as the airlines may claim the extreme weather means that meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned, which means that the cancellation was not the airlines fault. Where has it flooded in the Canary Islands? On Monday afternoon, southern, eastern and western areas of Gran Canaria were under an orange weather alert due to a storm cell, producing 30mm of rainfall in one hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Videos of the town of Telde, Gran Canaria showed a car being swept out to sea by muddy floodwaters engulfing streets. Local Telde police said since Monday they have received calls about flooding in houses and other buildings, lifting of sewer manholes, and residents who could not leave their homes due to the flooding. Citizens are urged to take extreme caution, avoid travelling and pay attention to the official communication channels of the City Council to stay informed of any changes that may occur, as well as to follow the instructions given by the security forces and contact 112 in the event of any incident that requires it, a Telde City Council spokesperson said Tuesday. The council also said that it has closed access to its beaches due to danger risk after heavy rains. La Garita, Hoya del Pozo, Playa del Hombre, El Barranquillo, Melenara, Salinetas and Eyes of Heron are affected by the restriction, until further notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 80 people were also waiting to leave a supermarket in Guimar, Tenerife after their cars became trapped in an underground car park that was flooded, Canarian Weekly reported. People helping clean mud after heavy rain in the Salinetas neighborhood in Telde, Gran Canaria, Spain on 3 March (Reuters) Yellow warnings had been in place for much of the Canary Islands on Monday morning, while Aemet had warned on Saturday of widespread and abundant rainfall across the islands lasting until Wednesday. Snow also started falling on Teide, Tenerife on Monday, with access to some roads closed due to ice patches. Is more rain on the way? A car that was swept away by the rain in Telde (Reuters) Aemet said the rainfall would last until at least Wednesday 5 February. On Tuesday night at 10pm, the weather service reported that there are no longer any warnings in force in the Canary Islands. What is the government travel advice? As of Wednesday 5 March, the UKs Foreign Office has not issued any travel warnings on the heavy rain and flooding in the Canary Islands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Canary Islands Government updated the situation to a pre-alert for rain starting 8pm on Tuesday 4 March for the entire archipelago. Gran Canaria had been under a rain alert earlier that day, while the rest of the archipelago was still on a pre-alert. It said there still could be local heavy precipitation, including snow on the peaks of La Palma and Tenerife, while showers are expected on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. The government also put the islands on a pre-alert on Saturday in anticipation of the heavy downpour. The Canary Islands Government is carrying out this extraordinary monitoring of the weather situation due to the coincidence of the Carnival festivities, with events on the different islands that will bring together a large number of people on the public roads, both during the day and at night, although the forecasts do not include storms or wind in the coming days, only moderate rain that could be locally heavy on the islands of greater relief, the government said on Saturday ahead of the heavy rainfall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement General Directorate of Emergencies recommends that the population act with caution when travelling and doing outdoor activities and stay informed through official sources of possible changes in the weather situation and new warnings that may be issued by civil protection authorities, it added. People clean mud with the help of a firefighter in the Salinetas neighbourhood in Telde (Reuters) During a period of heavy rain, the Canary Islands Government also advised to avoid driving and, if absolutely necessary, take extreme precautions, maintain a safe distance between vehicles, moderate speed and drive preferably on main roads or motorways, avoiding forest tracks or secondary roads. Before making journeys, people are also advised to check the weather forecast and the state of the roads before making any journeys. Can I cancel my holiday and get a refund? As the Foreign Office has not warned against non-essential travel to Spain, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so its best to contact them if youre looking to postpone. There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim travel insurance due to safety concerns unless the Foreign Office advice changes. In terms of travel insurance, some policies include natural disaster cover for an event that prevents you from reaching your holiday destination. Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand. For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) A group of transgender women said they will attempt to attend womens night at a bathhouse in San Francisco on Tuesday despite the spas policy prohibiting people who were assigned a male gender at birth. Archimedes Banya is a Russian bathhouse on the shores of the San Francisco Bay. The bathhouse offers spa services inspired by ancient traditions of Greek saunas, Turkish hammams, and Russian banyas. Archimedes Banyas owners said they strive to create an environment where everyone can relax, restore, and feel supported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The owners said they are committed to honoring both the needs of religious and cultural communities who require gender-segregated spaces, as well as providing a gender-affirming space for both transgender and cis-gender patrons. A cool plunge pool is seen at Archmides Banya on December 10, 2018 in San Francisco. (Photo By Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) Banya holds two monthly events. One of called Inclusive Womens Night, and its open to all individuals who identify as women, regardless of sex assigned at birth or gender expression, the spas website states. Inclusive Womens Night is designed to be a welcoming and affirming space for all women. The second monthly event is called, Cultural & Religious Womens Night. It is designed to provide a space that aligns with the needs of women from religious or cultural backgrounds who observe practices requiring a female-only environment based on sex assigned at birth, the spas website writes. On all other days, Archimedes Banya is open to everyone for health, relaxation, and connection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of the transgender community and allies said they will gather at the spa Tuesday night to protest what they are calling transphobic policies. Organizers claim that the bathhouses owner wrote an email stating, We decided to restrict trans women with mens parts. Archmides Banya, a Russian bathhouse in the Bayview, is seen on December 10, 2018 in San Francisco. (Photo By Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) Organizers told KRON4, Transphobic and transmedicalist ideologies are discriminatory. Tonight, trans patrons will attempt to access services at the spa. If denied, they are prepared to pursue legal action for discrimination. The trans community refuses to accept partial inclusion or segregation. The bathhouse was recently hit by a wave of negative Yelp reviews from people who expressed outrage over discrimination. Archimedes Banya also hosts monthly Men Only Nights that only allows patrons who were assigned a male gender at birth. So far, no controversy has stirred over mens nights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spas website states, We are deeply committed to fostering a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive space for all members of our community. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. When wildfires break out, fire crews count on fire-spotting technology and computer models to help them understand the rapidly changing environment. That technology has evolved over the years, yet some techniques are very similar to those used over 100 years ago. I have spent several decades studying combustion, including wildfire behavior and the technology used to track fires and predict where wildfires might turn. Heres a quick tour of the key technologies used today. Spotting fires faster First, the fire must be discovered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Often wildfires are reported by people seeing smoke. That hasnt changed, but other ways fires are spotted have evolved. In the early part of the 20th century, the newly established U.S. Forest Service built fire lookout towers around the country. The towers were topped by cabins with windows on all four walls and provided living space for the fire lookouts. The system was motivated by the Great Fire of 1910 that burned 3 million acres in Washington, Idaho and Montana and killed 87 people. Before satellites, fire crews watched for smoke from fire towers across the national forests. K. D. Swan, U.S. Forest Service Today, cameras watch over many high-risk areas. California has more than 1,100 cameras watching for signs of smoke. Artificial intelligence systems continuously analyze the images to provide data for firefighters to quickly respond. AI is a way to train a computer program to recognize repetitive patterns: smoke plumes in the case of fire. NOAA satellites paired with AI data analysis also generate alerts but over a wider area. They can detect heat signatures, map fire perimeters and burned areas, and track smoke and pollutants to assess air quality and health risks. Forecasting fire behavior Once a fire is spotted, one immediate task for firefighting teams is to estimate how the fire is going to behave so they can deploy their limited firefighting resources most effectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire managers have seen many fires and have a sense of the risks their regions face. Today, they also have computer simulations that combine data about the terrain, the materials burning and the weather to help predict how a fire is likely to spread. Fuel models Fuel models are based on the ecosystem involved, using fire history and laboratory testing. In Southern California, for example, much of the wildland fuel is chaparral, a type of shrubland with dense, rocky soil and highly flammable plants in a Mediterranean climate. Chaparral is one of the fastest-burning fuel types, and fires can spread quickly in that terrain. For human-made structures, things are a bit more complex. The materials a house is made of if it has wood siding, for example and the environment around it, such as how close it is to trees or wooden fences, play an important role in how likely it is to burn and how it burns. Weather and terrain Terrain is also important because it influences local winds and because fire tends to run faster uphill than down. Terrain data is well known thanks to satellite imagery and can easily be incorporated into computer codes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weather plays another critical role in fire behavior. Fires need oxygen to burn, and the windier it is, the more oxygen is available to the fire. High winds also tend to generate embers from burning vegetation that can be blown up to 5 miles in the highest winds, starting spot fires that can quickly spread. Today, large computer simulations can forecast the weather. There are global models that cover the entire Earth and local models that cover smaller areas but with better resolution that provides greater detail. Both provide real-time data on the weather for creating fire behavior simulations. Modeling how flames spread Flame-spread models can then estimate the likely movement of a fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scientists build these models by studying past fires and conducting laboratory experiments, combined with mathematical models that incorporate the physics of fire. With local terrain, fuel and real-time weather information, these simulations can help fire managers predict a fires likely behavior. Advanced modeling can account for fuel details such as ground-level plant growth and tree canopies, including amount of cover, tree height and tree density. These models can estimate when a fire will reach the tree canopy and how that will affect the fires spread. Forecasting helps, but wind can change fast All these tools are made available to firefighters in computer applications and can help fire crews as they respond to wildfires. However, wind can rapidly change speed or direction, and new fires can start in unexpected places, meaning fire managers know they have to be prepared for many possible scenarios not just the likely outcomes they see on their computer screens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, during a fire, firefighting strategy is based on human judgment informed by experience, as well as science and technology. 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: John W. Daily, University of Colorado Boulder Read more: John W. Daily receives funding from the Department of Defense for wildland fire research. He is affiliated with the Combustion Institute and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is a Fellow of both organizations. Former Georgia U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler is now the head of the Small Business Administration and insists she supports Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. The SBA is critically important to small businesses, especially those damaged in the hurricanes that hit Georgia last year. Its giving the loans. But Loeffler also said the SBA has to be efficient. Well, Richard, as you know, I come out of the private sector over 30 years, and this is a dream job for me, Loeffler told Channel 2s Richard Elliot on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump picked Loeffler to head the SBA at a critical time, when SBA loans are essential to help small Georgia businesses recover from the devastating hurricanes. Having started on a small Illinois farm to heading large companies, Loeffler said she wants to bring that corporate sensibility to a federal agency. TRENDING STORIES: Coming into a new company, buying new companies, you always evaluate what you have versus what you need. What should you be doing? What are your priorities? Loeffler said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And thats why she told Elliot that she fully supports Musk, DOGE, and the thousands of federal job cuts weve seen over the past few weeks. She doesnt think it will hurt the SBAs ability to do its job. Im so excited about supporting the DOGE effort and working closely with our DOGE partners. Ive spoken with Elon at length about it, Loeffler said. Not far away, Georgia Democratic U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams held a rally sharply criticizing DOGEs job cuts at agencies including the CDC and the FAA, insisting the cuts are hurting those agencies ability to serve the people. They are real people whose lives have been impacted by these cuts. Im hearing from families every day who are afraid of what will happen if these actual cuts go through, Williams said. Loeffler made a visit to the General Assembly on Monday where she also hired away GEMA director Chris Stallings to head an emergency response department within the SBA. HAMPTON The Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission will conduct a public hearing on a complaint concerning the Hampton Board of Education. Hampton resident and school board member Juan Arriola is alleging the board violated the Freedom of Information Act. According to a letter Arriola sent to the Freedom of Information Commission, Arriola said the board improperly held an executive session during a meeting. CLEVELAND (WJW) A Cleveland school bus crashed into a box truck with 25 students on board Tuesday morning. Watch: Police use grappler to end pursuit; sovereign citizen arrested According to the Cleveland Division of police, the crash happened in the area of Triskett and Warren Roads, just east of Kamms Corners. Flames shoot from roof of local office building It is unclear at this time what led to this crash. No injuries have been reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. A school bus driver in Ohio is speaking out after saving 15 students from a burning school bus. Dorian Pace, a driver for the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, said he was driving students on a bus to Monticello Middle School on the morning of Feb. 27 when he heard a loud boom coming from underneath the bus. "I actually felt like the bus was about to blow up," Pace told "Good Morning America." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An 11-year veteran driver, Pace said he never experienced a situation like what happened that day. He also said the bus evacuation drills he does a couple times a year came in handy. "When I pulled [the bus] over, I actually heard another boom and I saw smoke coming from the right rear tire. And then I saw flames," Pace recounted. PHOTO: School bus driver Dorian Pace rescued 15 students from a burning school bus on the morning of Feb. 27. (ABC News) Pace said once he saw flames erupt, he went into what he called "bus evacuation mode." "What was going through my mind was, 'I can't lose any kids,'" Pace recalled. "So I quickly got everybody off the bus. We all exited through the regular front door because the fire was coming from the right rear." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hero bus driver safely evacuates students from fire According to Pace and the students, some were unaware how serious the fire initially was before it quickly spread throughout the bus. "We were all scared. We called our parents," Britt Mosby, a seventh grader, recalled previously to ABC Cleveland affiliate WEWS. "It was like a couple of booms. Then, when we got somewhere, I forgot exactly where it was, the bus driver said, 'Everybody get off the bus.'" Local residents who witnessed the dramatic incident unfold said they were also scared. "I heard a big boom. I looked out the window and I saw flames coming from the side of the bus," Maureen Ottman told WEWS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hero bus driver saves 9 kids before school bus goes up in flames Pace and all of the students on board the bus escaped unharmed. Pace has been hailed a hero in the wake of the harrowing incident. PHOTO: Dorian Pace is a school bus driver for the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District and her been driving for the past 11 years. (ABC News) "I would feel such a level of comfort putting my kids on one of your school buses, knowing that there are men and women of this character," said Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, speaking to Pace. Davida Russell, the vice president of the Cleveland Heights City Council, added, "Thank you so very much for making all bus drivers across this state proud." Pace said his prayers were answered that day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I pray on the bus every day. I try to pray before I pick up the kids and God just answered my prayers," said Pace. Pace has since returned to driving, going back to work the Friday following the incident. Authorities said they suspect the fire sparked somewhere behind the wheel well but the exact cause is still under investigation. The school district also said the bus passed its annual inspection two weeks before the incident, but now, they plan to re-inspect the district's entire bus fleet out of an abundance of caution. School bus driver speaks out after rescuing 15 students from burning bus originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com A school safety bill introduced in response to the Apalachee High School shooting in September got a major change after advocates warned that it would unfairly criminalize children. Senate Bill 61, authored by state Sen. Greg Dolezal, a Republican from Forsyth County, was initially written to add both terroristic acts and terroristic threats against a school to the list of charges that would mean a juvenile will automatically be tried as an adult. At Mondays Senate Judiciary Committee meeting, Dolezal announced that terroristic threats would no longer be included in the bill, although terroristic acts and other charges will. We recognize that there is actually a difference between people who actually commit these crimes and minors who are unwisely threatening but perhaps without an intent to ever actually follow through on it, Dolezal said during the hearing on Monday morning. Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal, seen last month at the state Capitol, authored Senate Bill 61. (Jeff Amy/Associated Press) The bill is expected to be introduced and voted on Thursday, the last day new legislation can be introduced this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its original form, the bill drew criticism from youth advocates and attorneys like Randee Waldman, director of the Barton Juvenile Defender Clinic at Emory University School of Law. Waldman, who has defended many juvenile clients, said that most of her terroristic threat cases stem from momentary outbursts where a student acted out of frustration and immaturity. The research tells us, and the U.S. Supreme Court has told us, that deterrence does not have the same impact on young people as it has on adults. Young people dont think about the long-term consequences of their actions, she said. Juveniles in Georgia are regularly tried as adults, especially for certain crimes. A 2024 report from The Sentencing Project found that 11% of all people sentenced to over 50 years or life without the possibility of parole in Georgia were under 18 at the time of their offense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Black kids, like Black adults, bear the burden of biased policing and sentencing practices. In Georgia, 80% of all people serving life sentences for a crime they committed as a child are Black. Not much is different in schools, where Black students are disciplined more harshly and more frequently than students of other races. Atlantas public schools are 72% Black, but Black students made up 90% of disciplined students in 2024, according to data from the Governors Office of Student Achievement. When people develop these policies, I want to believe that the intention is to make schools safer. But if were going to do that, we should more directly address the issue creating harsher punishment does not directly address the issue, said Fatima Brunson, an assistant professor for education at Spelman College. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, Brunson said, lawmakers should work with schools and educators to develop policies that are more student-centered. She suggested that schools make sure that each student is formally connected to a faculty member who can give them mentorship and create a sense of community. Lola Gee, an advocate for behavioral intervention for kids that need help with emotional regulation, is worried SB 61 could do more harm than good. Im a mother of a little Black boy with special needs, and we know that those children will be disproportionately impacted by this bill, she said. Schools need to do more on a day-to-day basis to provide support to children with behavioral problems, she said. If they gave more children behavioral intervention plans, it would help them avoid getting into trouble down the road, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though the bill no longer includes terroristic threats, it still would expand the list of crimes that mean sending juveniles to adult court. Under SB 61, aggravated assault and aggravated battery would become charges that automatically send a juveniles case to superior court, where they would be tried as an adult. Previously, those charges would only be under superior court jurisdiction if the victim was a police officer. Also added to the list of charges that would lead to juveniles being charged as adults under SB 61 are criminal conspiracy and criminal attempts. SB 61 would also allow district attorneys to downgrade a case to juvenile court before an indictment. After indictment, only a judge could send the case to juvenile court. The juvenile system is built around a rehabilitative ideal, Waldman said. The adult system does not have the capacity to provide the support and services that students who act out in this way need, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The final section of the bill seeks to address school safety by requiring each public school to annually work with law enforcement to assess the threats on its premises, including unlocked doors, unsecured vestibules, and other vulnerabilities. Law enforcement would then be responsible for creating a safety plan based on the assessment. According to Dolezal, this and other ideas from the bill came from conversations he had between local sheriffs, judges, district attorneys, and superintendents after the shooting at Apalachee High School. After the Apalachee shooting, there were over 100 kids arrested across the state for making threats against their school, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This story has been updated. The post School Safety Bill SB 61 May Send More Black Kids to Adult Court appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta. "The tip of the iceberg" is a phrase that suggests there is more to a situation than meets the eye. But ice shelves are also hiding secrets underneath the ocean's surface. A team of international scientists used a submersible to map the underside of Antarctic ice, and the presence of dips, swirls, and interesting shapes in the glacier astounded the researchers. "We were surprised we had to double check it was real," Anna Wahlin, professor of physical oceanography at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, told the BBC. "But we realized, it really does look like this there are these shapes. There is a landscape of ice down there we had no idea about before." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aside from being a fascinating insight into the world below the freezing waters, the discovery also has significant scientific implications. It increases our understanding of how meltwater from thawing ice can impact the structure of an ice shelf and demonstrates the direction of this water's flow. This means that scientists could improve predictions on how melting sea ice will affect coastal cities across the globe as water levels rise. The researchers pointed to the Thwaites Glacier as an example of the perils of shrinking ice structures. As Alex Brisbourne, a glacier geophysicist at the British Antarctic Survey, told the BBC, this body of ice melting completely would lead to sea levels rising by 65 centimeters, which would have a global impact. "Over the last 30 years, Thwaites' [melt rate] has pretty much doubled and we know that's accelerating," Brisbourne added. "We think it's going to keep accelerating, and at some point it could get much quicker." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A warming planet as a result of human-caused pollution is speeding up the rate of glacial melting. While this can increase sea levels and the frozen buttresses that are ice shelves hold land-based ice from entering the ocean and beginning to melt, per the BBC it can also significantly affect the ocean ecosystem. With melting increasing and occurring much earlier in the year, phytoplankton blooms are increasing in biomass. While this can have benefits, since this marine algae plays a massive role in carbon sequestration, it could also have consequences for the ocean food chain since it is a foundational food source. Among the fears is that the disappearing of ice will shift the cycle of phytoplankton blooms, and changing ocean chemistry and mixing scenarios could also negatively affect the process including in certain ways that could stop phytoplankton from blooming, according to the researchers. This all demonstrates how changes in our environment can lead to significant knock-on effects. But it also suggests that minor alterations in our lifestyle can also have a positive impact later down the line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reducing our polluting impact by saving energy, avoiding gas-guzzling cars when possible, and eating more plant-based meals, among other actions might not feel like much, but the benefits for the planet can be profound. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. A woolly mouse compared with a normal mouse, at Colossal Biosciences labs. Credit - Courtesy of Colossal Biosciences Extinction is typically for good. Once a species winks out, it survives only in memory and the fossil record. When it comes to the woolly mammoth, however, that rule has now been bent. Its been 4,000 years since the eight-ton, 12-foot, elephant-like beast walked the Earth, but part of its DNA now operates inside several litters of four-inch, half-ounce mice created by scientists at the Dallas-based Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences. The mice dont have their characteristic short, gray-brown coat, but rather the long, wavy, woolly hair of the mammoth and the extinct beasts accelerated fat metabolism, which helped it survive Earths last ice age. Both traits are the result of sophisticated gene editing that Colossals scientists hope will result in the reappearance of the mammoth itself as early as 2028. The Colossal woolly mouse marks a watershed moment in our de-extinction mission, said company CEO Ben Lamm in a statement. "By engineering multiple cold-tolerant traits from mammoth evolutionary pathways into a living model species, we've proven our ability to recreate complex genetic combinations that took nature millions of years to create." Woolly mice at Colossal Biosciences lab. Courtesy of Colossal Biosciences Colossal has been working on restoring the mammoth ever since the companys founding in 2021. The animals relatively recent extinctionjust a few thousand years ago as opposed to the tens of millions that mark the end of the reign of the dinosaursand the fact that it roamed the far north, including the Arctic, means that its DNA has been preserved in multiple remains embedded in permafrost. For its de-extinction project, Colossal collected the genomes of nearly 60 of those recovered mammoths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recreating the species from that raw biological material is relatively straightforward in principle, if exceedingly painstaking in practice. The work involves pinpointing the genes responsible for the traits that separate the mammoth from the Asian elephantits close evolutionary relationediting an elephant stem cell to express those traits, and introducing the stem cell into an elephant embryo. In the alternative, scientists could edit a newly conceived Asian elephant zygote directly. Either way, the next step would be to implant the resulting embryo into the womb of a modern-day female elephant. After 22 monthsthe typical elephant gestation periodan ice age mammoth should, at least theoretically, be born into the computer-age world. But speedbumps abound. The business of rewriting the genome takes extensive experimentation with hundreds of embryos to ensure that the key genes are properly edited. The only way to test if they indeed are is to follow the embryos through gestation and see if a viable mammoth pops out; the nearly two years it would take for even a single experimental animal to be born, however, would make that process impractical. Whats more, Asian elephants are highly social, highly intelligent, and endangered, raising intractable ethical obstacles to experimenting on them. Enter the mouse, an animal whose genome lends itself to easy manipulation with CRISPRa gene-editing tool developed in 2012, based on a natural process bacteria use to defend themselves in the wild. Whats more, mice need only 20 days to gestate, making for a quick turnaround from embryo to mouse pup. In the current experiment, researchers identified seven genes that code for the mammoths shaggy coatidentifying distinct ones that make it coarse, curly, and long. They also pinpointed one gene that guides the production of melaninwhich gives the coat its distinctive gold colorand another that governs the animals prodigious lipid metabolism. Relying on CRISPR, they then took both the stem cell and zygote approach to rewriting the mouses stem cell to express those traits. The next steps involved more than a little hit and miss. Over the course of five rounds of experiments, the Colossal scientists produced nearly 250 embryos. Fewer than half of them developed to larger, more-viable 200- to 300-cell embryos, which were then implanted in the womb of around a dozen surrogate females. Of these, 38 mouse pups were born. All of them successfully expressed the gold, woolly hair of the mammoth as well as its accelerated lipid metabolism. The Colossal scientists see the creature theyve produced as a critical development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The woolly mouse project doesn't bring us any closer to a mammoth, but it does validate the work we are doing on the path to a mammoth, Lamm tells TIME. [It] proves our end-to-end pipeline for de-extinction. We started this project in September and we had our first mice in October so that shows this worksand it works efficiently. Theres plenty still to accomplish. A mammoth is much more than its fur and its fat, and before one can lumber into the twenty-first century, the scientists will have to engineer dozens of other genes, including those that regulate its vasculature, its cold-resistant metabolism, and the precise distribution of its fat layers around its body. They would then have to test that work in more mouse models, and only if they succeed there try the same technique on an elephant. "The list of genes will continue to evolve, says Lamm. We initially had about 65 gene targets and expanded up to 85. That number could go up or down with further analysis, but that's the general ballpark for the number of genes we think we will edit for our initial mammoths. Woolly mice at Colossal Biosciences lab. Courtesy of Colossal Biosciences Colossal scientists see all of this work as just a first step in developing a more widely applicable de-extinction technology. In addition to the mammoth, they would also like to bring back the dodo and the thylacineor Tasmanian tiger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our three flagship species for de-extinctionmammoth, thylacine, and dodocapture much of the diversity of the animal tree of life, says Beth Shapiro, Colossals chief science officer. Success with each requires solving a different suite of technical, ethical, and ecological challenges. The work cant start soon enough. The company points to studies suggesting that by 2050 up to 50% of the Earths species could have been wiped out, most of them lost to the planets rapidly changing climate. The Center for Biological Diversity puts the figure at a somewhat less alarming 35%, but in either case, the widespread dying could lead to land degradation, loss of diversity, the rise of invasive species, and food insecurity for humanity. Arresting climate change and the loss of species that will result is a critical step away from that brink, but one that policymakers and the public are embracing only slowly. Restoring the species that will vanishor fortifying the genetic heartiness of those that are endangered to help them adapt to a changing worldis one more insurance policy against environmental decline. We do not argue that gene editing should be used instead of traditional approaches to conservation, but that this is a both and situation, says Shapiro. We should be increasing the tools at our disposal to help species survive. Write to Jeffrey Kluger at jeffrey.kluger@time.com. Dozens of Democratic congresswomen are planning to wear pink to President Donald Trumps Joint Address to Congress on Tuesday night as part of a coordinated protest against the Presidents policies. New Mexico Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, who chairs the Democratic Womens Caucus, confirmed exclusively to TIME on Monday that the pink attire is meant to signal our protest of Trump's policies which are negatively impacting women and families. Pink is a color of power and protest, she says in an interview. Its time to rev up the opposition and come at Trump loud and clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps return to the Capitol marks his first formal address to Congress in five years. Such high-profile speeches have historically served as a prominent stage for the party not in power to showcase its opposition to the sitting president. During Trumps first term, Democratic lawmakers were vocal in their dissentsome booed, others staged walkouts, and many used their attire to make political statements. At Trumps 2020 State of the Union, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi made headlines when she tore up a copy of his speech while seated directly behind him on the dais. Read More: Trumps Strategy For His Speech to Congress: Craft Viral Moments, Blame Biden The Democratic Womens Caucus, which has 96 members, has long used fashion as a form of protest. In previous years, they donned white as a tribute to the suffragists who fought for womens voting rights, and at last years State of the Union Address to highlight their advocacy for reproductive freedom. This year, the group is opting for a new strategy, choosing pink to reflect a shift in tone as they address what they see as a critical moment in American politics. Women have worn pink in opposition to Trump before, and we will do it again, Leger Fernandez says. Democratic congresswomen dressed in white at President Donald Trump's most recent State of the Union address on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. Andrew HarrerBloomberg via Getty Images She cited a range of concerns with the Trump Administration, from his tariffs on Canada and Mexico that could increase prices on goods to pushing for a budget that would cut Medicaid, which is the largest single payer of maternity care in the U.S. and covers more than 40% of U.S. births. She argued that policies advanced by his Administrationon reproductive health and social programsare disproportionately and negatively affecting women, particularly those from working-class backgrounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of those are falling on women's shoulders especially hard, Leger Fernandez says. Women in my district are terrified and are also losing their jobs with the indiscriminate, inconsistent, chaotic, mass firings. When a woman loses her job, she loses the ability to care for her family. But beyond symbolism, Democrats are looking to use the address as an opportunity to highlight the real-world consequences of Trumps policies. Many lawmakers are bringing guests who have been directly impacted by his administrations initiatives, including union leaders, federal workers affected by widespread cuts, and others who have felt the effects of a government funding freeze. Unlike in previous years, there does not appear to be a widespread push among Democrats to boycott the address. Instead, many lawmakers say they want to be visibly present, highlighting their opposition through a striking visual contrastDemocratic lawmakers seated in stony silence as Republicans rise in applause. I think it's important that Trump, my Republican colleagues, and the nation see the faces and the pain that he is inflicting on America and on the services we depend on, Leger Fernandez says. Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com. A passenger at Boston Logan was stung by a scorpion while retrieving her luggage in the baggage claim area of customs, according to police. The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Sunday evening while she was at Logan Airport Terminal E picking up her bags after flying back from Mexico when she was suddenly stung on her finger by a scorpion, according to statements from the Massachusetts State Police and Boston EMS. MORE: Dead woman's body found in trunk of car driven by her son after police chase Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was taken to a nearby hospital for immediate treatment, according to the police and Boston EMS. Authorities did not immediately disclose her condition following the sting and it is unclear how the scorpion ended up on her bag at the airport. MORE: Woman caught trying to plant explosive devices at Tesla dealership PHOTO: A passenger at Boston Logan was stung by a scorpion while retrieving her luggage in the baggage claim area of customs, according to police. (Massport) MORE: Online content creator arrested after videos surface of her urinating on grocery store products dating back 4 years While most scorpion stings are not serious, medical attention may be needed for pain management and wound care, including preventive tetanus vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. Young children may be more likely to develop neurologic symptoms and need urgent treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scorpions are not typically found in the Boston area but over 2,000 species of the predatory arachnids exist worldwide, according to the Mayo Clinic. MORE: Search for man missing for nearly 2 weeks in national park intensifies Scorpions can be found on every continent except Antarctica but are most commonly seen in subtropical and tropical areas of the world, the CDC says. Scorpion stings often cause intense pain and redness, but venom from some species can cause severe illness, affecting the heart, nervous system, and other organs. Manifestations include agitation, arrhythmias, bleeding and other coagulation disorders, pancreatitis, uncontrollable muscle spasms, shock, and even death. Scorpion stings woman at Boston baggage claim as she picked up luggage after flight from Mexico originally appeared on abcnews.go.com St. Vladimirs Ukrainian Church asked for adult cold medicine, childrens melatonin and vitamins for Ukraine. A year later, just a week following of the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the church is involved in a global initiative to send over $250,000 worth of medical supplies in a shipping container leaving from Louisville, Kentucky. * Fr. Myron Myronyuk has conversation in a conference room in the Urban Co-works office in Scranton Monday, March 3, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Fr. Myron Myronyuk holds up a flag in support of Ukraine in a conference room in the Urban Co-works office in Scranton Monday, March 3, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Fr. Myron Myronyuk blesses the goods being sent to Ukraine in a conference room in the Urban Co-works office in Scranton Monday, March 3, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Fr. Myron Myronyuk applauds during a Zoom meeting in a conference room in the Urban Co-works office in Scranton Monday, March 3, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Joe Riccardo, of the Rotary Club of Scranton, hosts a Zoom meeting with supporters in a conference room of the Urban Co-works offices in Scranton Monday, March 3, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Alex Groysman, of the organization Scranton for Ukraine listens to a Zoom meeting with Ukrainian supporters in a conference room of the Urban Co-works offices in Scranton Monday, March 3, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Fr. Myron Myronyuk has conversation in a conference room in the Urban Co-works office in Scranton Monday, March 3, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) The timing is important, following a tense White House meeting between Ukraines president Vladimir Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance on Friday. The meeting erupted into a bickering match over Ukraines war with Russia, leaving the future of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia uncertain. A barrage of missiles attacked Dnipro on Monday, making the medical supplies even more valuable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Rev. Myron Myronyuk at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Scranton. (TIMES-TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO) The Dnipro region has come under heavy bombardment by both drones and missiles, reported Joe Riccardo, of Scranton. Riccardo serves on the International Service Committee of the Scranton Rotary Club, who were instrumental in the donation project. They purchased the humanitarian items by holding a series of fundraisers during the past year, and additionally utilizing matching grants. Thisll go to hospitals that service children and their families that are affected by the war, said Riccardo. The containers next stop will be New York City, followed by Warsaw, Poland, where it will be driven on to the Dnipropetrovsk, in Southeast Ukraine by volunteers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monday, Pastor Myron Myronyuk of St. Vladimirs Ukrainian Church and a small assembly of people involved in the project gathered in Scranton to prepare the container for its voyage with a blessing. Send down your Holy Spirit with a blessing from above, Myronyuk asked of his God at Urban Co-Works on North Washington Avenue in Scranton. A small group who gathered in Louisville, watched and participated virtually over Zoom. FILE President Donald Trump meets with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower, Sept. 27, 2024, in New York before his return to the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File) Among the Louisville contingent were the Rev. Benjamin Hart, the rector at Saint Lukes Episcopal Church in the Anchorage area of Louisville, Kentucky, whose parish was instrumental in the donation efforts, sending thousands to help secure the medical supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With one passing of the plate, our church gave $8,000, Hart said. He also blessed the container, alongside Pastor Myronyuk. Thank you for these resources youve given us and for the groups that made the sending of these medical supplies possible, Hart said. Today we ask a special blessing over these medical supplies. Myronyuk feels the hardship of his fellow Ukrainians. War takes the best of the nation, strongest guys, he said. These children will never see their daddy who was a hero. Myronyuk recently lost a friend who was a solider in special forces in Ukraine, and said It happens every day. His own brother relocated to America from the Ukraine after over a year of the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes safe, hes in America, Myronyuk said, adding that he is keeping in touch every day with his soldiers, and trying to help as much as he can. Riccardo said the children in the hospitals there need their spirits lifted, so they are additionally sending teddy bears that have get well cards attached to them, made by students at Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School, led by their teacher, Zlata Korniichuk, who came to the United States from Ukraine shortly after the war started there, Riccardo explained. We stand with you, and you are in my thoughts, are among the messages that sit in the container, attached to 200 bears, written by students in the Cyrillic alphabet. This has really been a global project, Riccardo added, citing help received from a sister Rotary Club in Heerlen, in the Netherlands, who sent $5,000 Euro for the medical supply securement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The medical equipment and supplies were purchased from an international humanitarian organization that secures gently used medical equipment, at discount prices, from hospitals in the U.S. and ships the equipment to underdeveloped and war-torn countries. Scranton-based humanitarian efforts will continue, with ultrasound machines about to be purchased, which will join the supplies about to leave for Ukraine. The container was scheduled to leave Monday, but has been postponed for a week, due to logistical complications. Riccardo has some concerns that the container may be intercepted or not allowed to leave port, and hopes that the efforts of the many involved will not be stymied. Were ordinary people, just trying to do our best, he said. GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) Convicted child pornography producer Sean Williams officially appealed his conviction Monday, a week after U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer sentenced the 53-year-old to 95 years in federal prison. Mark Brown, who defended Williams during a November 2024 trial on three counts, filed the appeal. Williams was convicted of three counts of enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of manufacturing child pornography. Greer sentenced him to the maximum 30 years on each count, with an additional five-year sentence for an escape charge that a jury convicted Williams on in July 2024. Any aspects of his conviction or sentencing Williams wishes to appeal will now be lodged at the 6th District U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. That court would give Williamss case a case number and Brown, or whoever represents Williams at the appellate level, would submit a brief outlining his argument. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Attorneys Office would then file its response and the appeal process would play out from there, former Federal Defender Tom Wright told News Channel 11. Williams proclaimed his innocence of the child exploitation charges during his sentencing on Feb. 24. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) If youre stranded in one of New Mexicos mountains or lost in the wilderness and call 911, New Mexico Search and Rescue advocates said under current laws, they might not hear about it for hours or even days. Thats why legislators are proposing a bill to make sure, should the worst happen, the right resources get to you right away. That family is still missing their loved one, said Teal Harbin, New Mexico Search and Rescue Advocate. She remembers 80-year-old Jose Orozco, who went missing in Santa Fe in early January and still hasnt been found. Its hard to tell them that their death or the injuries that theyve experienced could have maybe been prevented if we were called sooner, said Harbin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bill to increase taxes on e-cigarette products draws mixed opinions A simple call thats what Harbin and legislators backing a search and rescue bill said could change everything. Time is of the essence when somebody is in a wilderness situation, and theyre injured or lost. And its really about speed and dispatch, and thats what this bill seeks to do, said Sen. Jeff Steinborn. Under the current law, advocates said, there is no guarantee that search and rescue will be dispatched alongside other resources. Theyve found that even when they are contacted, its usually hours to days later. It has resulted in unnecessary death and harm to those that are hurt out in the wilderness, said Harbin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would amend the New Mexico Search and Rescue Act, which gives state police the power to send out response groups with specific skill sets. The problem, advocates said, is that dispatchers arent contacting state police right away. Anti-distraction bill moves through Roundhouse What we realized when looking at the issue is, of course, its not really any fault of any agency. Its not like anyones purposely delaying calling us out. Really, it comes down to unawareness, said Harbin. Harbin said the amendment provides clear criteria of what constitutes a possible search and rescue mission and what would require a phone call to the New Mexico State Police. And then from there, the New Mexico State Police dispatch their experts in being able to determine if search and rescue is needed or not. They will take it from there, said Harbin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harbin said search and rescue teams arent being called statewide. She worries about the future of search and rescue in the state but hopes this is just the beginning: Its the first step in trying to guarantee that we have that safety net, that New Mexico Search and Rescue will be there, and the outdoor recreation economy can continue to grow, says Harbin. The bill is set to be heard in the Senate Tax Committee Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The Caddo Parish District Attorneys Office says a man was sentenced to life in prison for murder. According to a press release, 25-year-old Darius Persley, was convicted in February for his part in the December 2021 slaying of Chavez Parker, was sentenced February 24 to life in prison at hard labor by District Judge Chris Victory. Persley was convicted of second-degree murder in Judge Victorys court February 13, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DA says Persley murdered 29-year-old Parker, 29, on December 21, 2021 outside Parkers home in the 6600 block of Melara Avenue. Persley arranged to meet Parker at his home under the pretext of smoking marijuana. However, Persley and Quinton Peace, also convicted of the murder in November 2023, planned to rob Mr. Parker. Parker was shot four times once in the temple, once in the cheek, once in the neck and once in a shoulder. Officials say his sentence must be served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) The second half of the Indiana legislative session is underway as lawmakers headed back to work Monday, following a week-long break. One of the most important pieces of legislation on their plate is still not where the governor wants it. During a roundtable discussion in Anderson on Friday, Governor Mike Braun said he was disappointed lawmakers removed a provision that would have reset property tax rates to what they were in 2021. The Governor said he wants local governments and schools that say his property tax plan could hurt them financially to prove it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TH Mayor, Lt. Governor debate property taxes on social media Im going to be able to see every county, every jurisdiction who did and who didnt, and then I think, theyll have to probably answer to their own constituents and make the case why they wouldnt be for something that is that reasonable, said Gov. Braun. The House Ways and Means Committee will have its first discussion on the senate property tax bill on Wednesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. House Ways and Means Vice Chair Jheanelle K. Wilkins (D-Montgomery), left, speaks about her vote in support of amended education bill during a March 3 committee markup session. Committee Chair Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Howard) listens. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) A second House committee voted Monday to reject cuts proposed by Gov. Wes Moore (D) to the states sweeping education reform plan, setting up a likely floor fight with Republicans this week and a showdown with the Senate in coming weeks. The vote by the House Ways and Means Committee mirrors action Friday by the House Appropriations Committee, restoring funds to increase collaborative time for teachers and preserving funding for community schools located in low-income communities. Those are critical parts of the Blueprint for Marylands Future, the states multiyear, multibillion-dollar schools reform proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governors Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act had proposed delaying those programs in the Blueprint to help the state cope with a projected $3 billion deficit in the fiscal 2026 budget. It took about five minutes for the committee, which voted along party lines, to vote to keep community schools, collaborative time and per pupil funding intact. The committee also voted to maintain the states current Grow Your Own teacher initiative and not provide grants to institutions of higher education. Del. Kevin B. Hornberger (R-Cecil) was one of three Republican co-sponsors on the House measure, but he asked to have his name removed after voting against the amended version of the bill Monday. I supported this bill because I thought there were some cost permits in there that were necessary for the financial implementation of program, he said. However, its been heavily amended, and ask that my co-sponsorship be removed as one of the amendments. Del. Eric Ebersole (D-Baltimore County), a former teacher, voted in favor of the amended bill, saying he appreciates the dedication that this legislature is showing to the Blueprint. Its a long-range plan and were staying the course. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ways and Means Chair Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Howard) said after Mondays voting session that the amendments from both committees are slated to be combined as one bill that could be read on the House floor as early as Tuesday, with debate possibly taking place Wednesday. Moore administration officials said during a Feb. 19 hearing on the bill that a pause in implementation is needed because a current teacher shortage would make it all but impossible to hire the 15,000 additional teachers that would be needed to deliver the program. While speaking with reporters Friday after the Appropriations vote, Moore said he remains committed to the Blueprint plan, to addressing the states teacher shortage and to public school education overall. But it has to be sustainable, Moore said. We need to have the best public education system in the country. I support the tenets of the Blueprint, he said. Im looking forward to working with them [state lawmakers], but I know weve got to be able to invest in the Blueprint in a way that were actually going to make it work, and in a way that its going to be sustainable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least two top education leaders, state Superintendent Carey Wright and state Board of Education Chair Joshua Michael, have spoken in support of the governors plan and several senators have been much more sympathetic to the administrations reined-in version. Those include Senate Majority Leader Nancy J. King (D-Montgomery), who said a pause on collaborative time is needed at a time when the state needs more teachers. The Senate committees that will be taking up the issue Budget and Taxation and the Education, Energy and the Environment Committee were part of last months joint public hearing on the bill with the two House committees. Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard), chair of the Budget and Taxation Committee, said Monday evening his committee could vote on the Senate version next week. Riya Gupta, interim executive director with Strong Schools Maryland, who attended the Ways and Means voting session Monday, said she hopes the Senate will follow the Houses lead and restore funding and timelines for the Blueprint. Its something to be proud of that both House committees stood strong on their promise, she said. The House has set a high standard for education in Maryland. Well see if the Senates going to do the same thing. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Constituents of Rep. Tom McClintock once again gathered outside his 15th street office to express concerns about the Republicans support for the Trump administration and the activities of the Department of Government Efficiency. Around 50 people congregated in front of the office at 10 a.m. Monday, waving signs and some carrying prepared statements to give to McClintocks staff. Office hours scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 25, in Modesto, Riverbank and Oakdale were canceled about six and a half hours after the original email was sent the day before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colby Zavala, who helped organize both last weeks and this weeks protests, said he and some of the other protesters plan to continue to show up at McClintocks office until he responds. We were here last week to meet with McClintocks staff, we did that, and later that day he shut down all of his constituent meetings he had scheduled, Zavala said. The people that didnt get to speak to him that day wanted to come back. On Monday, protesters came into the building through the back entrance because the front of the building was locked. Matt Reed, McClintocks deputy chief of staff, said he didnt know why the office was locked but would ask the landlord. Reed heard the complaints in groups of five people while another staff member took notes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After being heard for a minute each, protesters then went to the corners of J and 15th streets. There were some younger adults and children at the protest, but like the week before, many in the group were older. Protesters said they felt ashamed by the actions of President Donald Trump at his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. Vice President JD Vance and Trump told Zelenskyy to say thank you, incorrectly claiming that Zelenskyy had not expressed gratitude for U.S. support. Donna Endsley of Turlock was standing in front of a chair with a cardboard cutout of a person that read Tom McClintock, where are you? She referred to McClintock as her cardboard representative. Donna Endsley of Turlock protested with a cardboard cutout of a person that read Tom McClintock, where are you? Caroline Byerly of Modesto said she sent an email asking for an in-person town hall after attending virtual town halls. She said they were not helpful and mainly consisted of the representative talking at, rather than with, his constituents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He needs to be more accessible and more accountable, she said. She said she also is concerned about proposals by the House budget committee, on which McClintock sits. His constituents cannot bear those cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, she said. Debbie Fong of Modesto said she came back for the second protest because she feels overwhelmed by whats going on in the federal government. Im letting people know that our representatives need to stand up to Trump, and if they are not willing to do that, they need to get out of office so we can get somebody who can. Some protesters said McClintock appears to have no interest in representing them. They cited recent redistricting that has McClintock representing a large area he hasnt reached out to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Feb. 18, McClintock posted a column titled Musk and Democracy in which he states that concerns around democracy and Elon Musk are hysterics. Bob Jackson, 72, is originally from the Bay Area but moved to Waterford about five years ago. He needs to be a good representative, not a good Republican, he said. He has to come home sooner or later. Michael Ruhland and his wife, Patty, from Hughson said they hoped their representative would stand up to Trump. Were not overly confident about that because theyre from the same party, he said. Some drivers at the intersection honked in support, but others flipped off protesters or cursed at them. One yelled, All you Karens are anti-American. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elena Bush, a protester who spoke with Reed in McClintocks office, read aloud a 2013 speech McClintock gave against the abuse of executive power, directed at then-President Barack Obama. She encouraged McClintock to stand by the statement, which reads in part: The Constitution makes very clear that only Congress may make laws, and that the principle responsibility of the executive is to take care that those laws be faithfully executed. Yet the executive has increasingly asserted sweeping powers to unilaterally nullify laws that it dislikes, to pick and choose who must obey the law and who need not, and even to impose entirely new laws that Congress has explicitly refused to enact. Its not right that they are closing out the constituents, not speaking with them just because they dont like the topics and dont like what our concerns are, Zavala said. He still represents the whole district, he needs to hear us. The Bee reached out to McClintocks media representative but did not hear back in time for publication. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Sedgwick Countys election commissioner testified in Topeka on Monday about a bill that limits special elections. Laura Rainwater supports the bill that restricts special elections to one day in March, as well as during the primary and general elections. Sedgwick County has four special elections on three days in the first half of this year. Rainwater says that this many elections can confuse voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You cannot imagine how many emails and phone calls we got from people that show up to wrong polling places because we couldnt get the polling place for that special election or even early voting places where theyre normally go and vote early and that polling place was not available for this special election and then they get mad at us for not opening it as a special poll, as an early voting site, said Rainwater. City solution for abandoned homes not working as planned She says making the change not only saves tax dollars but could also lead to an increase in turnout. Its going to reduce the number of provisional ballots on Election Day because everybody that gets temporarily reassigned for these special elections they get a letter, but how many people open those? And we still have voters show up at their everyday polling place for the primary and general and then have to vote provisionally, said Rainwater. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No decision was made on the bill. You can watch Rainwaters full testimony below: For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A figure skater who lost her father and brother in the American Airlines flight that collided with a military helicopter in January received a standing ovation from the audience at "Legacy on Ice" in Washington, D.C., over the weekend. Isabella Aparicio knelt down on the ice after she finished her routine at the event on March 2, which was held to support the families of the victims of the crash, plus first responders and aviation professionals who worked after the tragedy took place. After her performance, Aparicio was met with a rapturous applause by the crowd, as seen in a TikTok posted by NBC Olympics & Paralympics. She put her head in her hands as fans got on their feet to give her a standing ovation, before she got up and skated off of the ice. Isabella Aparicio skates during the "Legacy On Ice" figure skating benefit on March 2, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Aparicio's father Luciano and brother Franco were among the 64 passengers and crew aboard American Airlines flight 5342 that collided mid-air with an Army Black Hawk helicopter as it was on its final approach to land at Washington's Ronald Reagan International Airport on Jan. 29. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All 64 people aboard the plane, plus three others aboard the helicopter, died in the collision. Twenty-eight people on board the aircraft were members of the figure skating community returning from a development camp held in Wichita, Kansas 11 of which were between the ages of 11 and 16. "Legacy on Ice" took place on Sunday, March 2. All proceeds from the event will be equally distributed to the U.S. Figure Skating Family Support Fund, Greater Washington Community Foundations DCA Together Relief Fund and DC Fire & EMS Foundation. Nathan Chen, Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano and Peggy Fleming were among the skaters who took part in the event. The group sat down with TODAY's Stephanie Gosk in an interview that aired on March 3 to discuss why it was important for them to get involved. This one just felt so unfair and different because its children. And its coming from the development camp, which means that theyre the promise, 1984 Olympic gold medalist Hamilton said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The loss is significant, but at the same time, the other kids in that training camp will remember these skaters forever, 1988 Olympic gold medalist Boitano said. The skaters reflected on why it was important for the community to come together about a month after the crash. I think this is a really important time for us all to be together as a community, 2022 Olympic gold medalist Chen said. Its a big part of our identity, is we fall down, we get up. We get injured, we get up, Hamilton said. And we help each other get up, you know? Boitano added. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Mar. 3The Trump administration is planning to put tariffs on some of the country's and Maine's biggest trade partners. A 10% tax on Canadian energy imports and a steeper 25% tax on all other goods from the country is expected to go into effect Tuesday. Goods from Mexico would also be hit with 25% tariffs. The move comes about a month after President Donald Trump postponed his initial tariff threats against the United States' neighbors at the last minute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a 10% levy on all imports from China that did go into effect last month will rise to 20% Tuesday. The tariffs are intended to protect American industries and pressure countries to negotiate on key issues such as border security. But they threaten to trigger a trade war that will strain U.S. businesses with operations in those countries and drive up the prices American consumers pay for various products. Maine is more reliant on Canada than the rest of the U.S., with over 70% of the state's imports last year coming from its northern neighbor compared to 13.5% nationally. Maine brought in $4.4 billion of goods from Canada in 2024, the vast majority being fuel and oil, with wood pulp and wood products like lumber next on the list, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maine is less reliant on China and Mexico, which accounted for 2.7% and 1.3% of the state's imports in 2024, respectively, compared to 13.5% and 15.6% of all U.S. imports. Still, China has been Maine's second biggest trading partner for all but one of the last 10 years (the exception was 2023, when Germany topped China). The total value of imports from China has dropped substantially during that period, from $466.8 million in 2015 to $164.6 million last year. Mexico, the No. 1 trade partner of the U.S. as of 2023, is lower down on Maine's list but still consistently in the state's top 10. A total of $77.8 million worth of footwear, machinery, textiles and other goods came to Maine from Mexico last year. Copy the Story Link Maine's groundfishing industry is in decline. Saving it is complicated. Auburn On Tap cancels beer-tasting without explanation The legendary SS United States, once the fastest ocean liner in the world, made a rare appearance off the Palm Beach County coast on Feb. 26 before heading to Alabama for a final cleaning. At nearly 1,000 feet long, this Cold War-era vessel was a marvel of engineering, built for both luxury and military use. Now, after decades of dormancy, it is set to become an artificial reef off the Florida Panhandle. This visual story explores the ships remarkable past, from record-breaking transatlantic voyages to its transformation into a new home for marine life. See the SS United States off Palm Beach County's coast The huge, historic, SS United States cruised by Palm Beach County. Where is it headed? The historic SS United States ocean liner cruised by Palm Beach County's coast early Wednesday, Feb. 26, on its way to Alabama for a cleaning before being sunk off the Florida Panhandle to create an artificial reef. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read the full story here: The huge, historic, SS United States cruised by Palm Beach County Diamond Walker is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at dkwalker@gannett.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Pictures: SS United States off South Florida coast heading to Alabama In the Commons on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer was asked about rumours that America was about to suspend military aid to Ukraine. I have not seen reports of the United States withdrawing support for Ukraine, and, as I understand it, that is not its position, he replied. It is astonishing that just a few days after his apparent diplomatic triumph in Washington, wooing the notoriously capricious American president, that he should have been blindsided about such a momentous decision. Sir Keir was also asked whether the US could any longer be considered a reliable ally. He replied: The US and the UK have the closest of relationships; our defence, security and intelligence are completely intertwined. No two countries are as close as our two countries and at a time like this, it would be a huge mistake to suggest that any weakening of that link is the way forward for security and defence in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It may be dawning on the Prime Minister that the link is being weakened, or even severed, not here but on the other side of the Atlantic, whatever honeyed blandishments he received from Mr Trump during his talks. The evidence is compelling. Arguably, the most important event last week was not the humiliation of Volodomyr Zelensky in the White House but the vote in the UN on the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. America voted against a resolution condemning Russia, siding with North Korea and Belarus in doing so. This might have been considered a signal of US intent, unless we are to believe everything Trump does is some sort of clever ruse designed to discombobulate his opponents. Instead of searching for some secondary meaning perhaps we should consider that what he says and does is what he believes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sir Keir is adamant that Trump remains committed to Nato and to the Article 5 all for one and one for all provision. Really? Would anyone trust the US under its current president to come to the aid of, say, Estonia if the Russians invaded? The words of Bismarck come to mind: that the Balkans are not worth the bones of one Pomeranian grenadier. Trump thinks the same about the Baltics and a single US marine. It is ironic, however, that the only time in its history that Nato has invoked Article 5 was on behalf of the United States after 9/11. The geopolitics of the post-Cold War era are being turned upside down as, indeed, are all domestic assumptions. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Western democracies salivated at the prospect of spending the money previously allocated to defence and security on welfare, health and education. History was over, the West had won, there were no real threats in Europe anymore. Russia was even admitted to the top table as a member of what became the G8. We could afford to hand out benefits never previously imagined. Parents would get free nursery care; pensioners free TV licences, triple locks and winter fuel allowances; welfare budgets ballooned with millions able to live a life of dependency on the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If a threat did reappear in Europe, Uncle Sam was always ready and willing to lend a hand and give the offender a good hiding. Nato was the vehicle and the Americans the principal driver. Thats all gone now. The freeloading is over as it should have been years ago. Now, from London to Warsaw the talk is all about spending more on defence. Sir Keir Starmer has raided the countrys foreign aid budget in order to push the military budget up to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027 but this is nowhere near enough. Nor is a vague promise of moving to 3 per cent some time in the next decade. It is not as though the money is not there. What is missing is the political will to prioritise defence over all the other spending programmes on which people have come to rely. Not only do we need to spend more on our own security but there is now a pressing need to fill the void left by US isolationism. The case for seizing 250 billion of Russian assets frozen by sanctions is, therefore, stronger than ever. There has been talk of doing so almost from the moment the first Russian tank crossed the border in 2022 but no one is able to agree on what to do. It came up at the weekends summit in London, but again a common position could not be found. Germany is among the countries raising objections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polands prime minister Donald Tusk has been pressing the EU to expropriate the assets of the Russian Central Bank, which are mostly held in Belgium. So far only the revenues from the interest have been used. At the weekend Rachel Reeves authorised a 2.26 billion UK-Ukraine bilateral loan agreement taken from the profits generated on sanctioned and frozen Russian sovereign assets. Reeves said: Its Russia that has to pay for the damage and the devastation its caused in Ukraine. In that case, why not confiscate the assets rather than use them for speculation? Opponents say the money is Russias sovereign property protected by international law. But legal considerations did not stop Russia invading its neighbour or continuing to strafe its towns and cities almost daily with missiles and drones. Even if there is a peace agreement, Russia should pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Why should Western taxpayers fund work to repair the damage caused by the aggressor when we have 250 billion of its money under our control? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another argument against confiscation is that the Kremlin will retaliate. But if the Americans are really disengaging from Europe, it would be perverse to hand back huge amounts of money that Moscow could then spend on weapons to be used against us. Asset confiscation will be on the agenda for the G7 meeting in Canada in June, but the way things are going will America even turn up? The hosts are preparing a plan for seizure but it is by no means clear that agreement can be reached. In the Commons Sir Keir Starmer said it was a very complex issue and would not commit to supporting the idea. This dithering must end. Trump may consider Vladimir Putin to be a potential ally but he behaves like our enemy and should be made to pay. 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. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Sen. Jerry Moran was away from Washington on Monday. Instead, he hosted Northrop Grummans CEO at Spirit AeroSystems and NIAR. The senator is hoping to bring more work to Wichita. During that tour at Wichita State University, several people gathered outside the Innovation Campus to protest recent actions by the federal government. They are also upset that Sen. Moran does not hold town hall meetings with his constituents. We want you to listen to us, and when you get upset with that and you dont like it, you need to figure out how to do it. Youre our leader. You need to figure out how to talk to us, Siobhan McIntyre, a protestor, told KSN News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moran said that it is difficult to have meetings right now. I understand the value of town hall meetings. I dont imagine theres anybody whos had more town hall meetings in Kansas than me, but in this current environment, its become a spectacle, not something that is easily, you know, an education, Moran told KSN News. Kansas Senators contentious town hall met with boos, applause KSN also questioned Sen. Moran about the United States relationship with Ukraine amid the clash on Friday between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In my view, the world is a safer place, and most particularly, the United States is safer whenever we are aligned with our allies, and were in a continued effort to push the Russians and Putin out of Ukraine, Moran said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moran added that there is no doubt in his mind that Russia unjustifiably invaded Ukraine. On Monday evening, President Trump directed a pause on U.S. assistance to Ukraine. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing to make child care more affordable for parents by providing tax credits for businesses that provide options for their employees. The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act, being introduced in the Senate this week, seeks to update current tax provisions to make child care more affordable while also creating a program to boost the number of child care workers. Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, has signed on to the bill as a cosponsor, calling the proposal a practical, commonsense solution to support working families. Its becoming increasingly difficult to raise a family, due in large part to the high cost of child care. Quite frankly, parents deserve better, Curtis said in a statement. By updating tax credits that help cover child care costs and supporting businesses that provide caregiving benefits, our bill puts money back into the pockets of hardworking parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill is being led by Sens. Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Tim Kaine, D-Va. The bill would bolster the Employer-Provided Child Care Tax Credit to further encourage businesses to provide child care to their employees, particularly small businesses. The proposal would increase the maximum credit from $150,000 to $500,000 and increase the percentage of covered expenses from 25% to 50%. Those incentives would be larger for small businesses by increasing maximum credit to $600,000 and would allow small businesses to enter into joint applications to pool resources. The legislation would expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to make it partially refundable, allowing lower-income families with out-of-pocket child care expenses to benefit from the credit for the first time, according to the legislation. In doing so, the tax credit would expand maximum benefits to $2,500 for families with one child and up to $4,000 for families with multiple children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The expansion would be the first update to the tax credit program in more than two decades, during which child care costs have risen by more than 200%, according to lawmakers. The proposal would also strengthen the Dependent Care Assistance Program to allow families to deduct up to $7,500 more in expenses. The DCAP would then be decoupled from the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to benefit middle-income families with high child care costs but do not have access to the latter due to income restrictions. This commonsense proposal is about more than just addressing our child care crisis it is a direct investment in the hardworking families and local small businesses striving to achieve their American Dream across our nation, Britt said in a statement. Im proud of this effort to empower parents, which ultimately opens the door to more opportunities for their children and tackles our nations urgent workforce needs to help unleash a new era of American prosperity. The same legislation has already been introduced in the House, led by Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and Salud Carbajal, D-Calif. Similar bills have been introduced in previous Congresses but have not been passed through both chambers to be enacted. Mar. 3The public library in Republic, Washington, missed out on a funding opportunity after a group of residents complained about a pride flag and the library board declined to remove it. State Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, said she pulled her support for a state appropriations request for a new library building until the controversy is resolved. The intersex-inclusive progress pride flag, which includes a purple circle representing intersex people, hangs vertically over a corner door in the Republic Public Library's young adult section. The flag is left over from a Pride Month display last June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the library building is owned by the city of Republic, it is managed by North Central Washington Libraries, which oversees 30 branches across five mostly rural counties. Republic is a remote mountain town with about 1,000 people about an hour south of the Canadian border. "Our responsibility as a library district is to make sure all community members feel represented and included," NCW Executive Director Barbara Walters said. Other NCW libraries have pride flags, but it has only been controversial in Republic, she said. The board received more comments supporting the flag than against it. A group of residents calling themselves the Republic Library Changemakers asked the board to write a flag policy to only allow the U.S. and Washington state flags to be displayed at the library. Members of the group could not be reached or declined to comment for this article. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At previous board meetings, members of the group said the pride flag is a political statement and it makes them feel "unsafe" and "unwelcome." Because the library district doesn't own its buildings and by extension their flagpoles, the board on Feb. 20 approved a general display policy rather than a flag policy, Walters said. Republic Public Library does not have a flagpole, but an American flag prominently hangs from a wall mount on the library's front porch. The new policy gives library staff discretion to curate displays that represent the diversity of their communities and recognize marginalized voices. It was informed by the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read and Freedom to View statements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Displays are designed to promote intellectual freedom, reflect diverse viewpoints, and foster lifelong learning," the policy says. After the board approved the policy, Short announced that she would not support the $772,500 state funding request for the design phase of the library's expansion project. "With great reluctance, I have decided not to pursue a capital budget appropriation for the Republic Library for the 2025 legislative session," Short said in a statement. "I have long been a supporter of strong libraries in our communities. However, a local controversy regarding the year-round display of a 'Gay Pride' flag has proven extremely divisive, and until this is resolved, action on our part in Olympia to expand this facility would only deepen local frustration with library management." Short said there might have been a way forward if the flag had come down at the end of Pride Month and called the library district to develop a better process for the public to request policy changes. She said she believes the library "can find a way to serve marginalized communities without making a political statement that many patrons find offensive," and she hopes to reconsider the proposal next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dream to build a new library began with a land donation to the Friends of the Republic Library a few years ago. Since then, the group has spearheaded an ambitious plan to build not only a new library, but also a community center and day care in the same building. If fully realized, it would cost about $18 million, said Friends member and building committee co-chair Emily Burt. The library alone would be about $6 million. The project has raised about $1 million so far through public and private sources. For the last couple of years the Friends were successful in landing funding through state Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber, a Republic resident. With Maycumber's leaving the House early this year, the Friends made a new request to Short. Burt said Short was initially supportive until she heard complaints about the flag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burt said it was "disappointing" because the Friends have nothing to do with NCW Libraries policy. Members of the Friends have diverse views about the pride flag, but are united in their goal to build the new facility. They are still committed to moving forward. The current library has everything cramped into one room. A new library would provide more space for expanding the library's collections, adding staff rooms, and separating the children's story time area, maker space and computer lab. Burt said there is no licensed child care facility in the county or within an hour's drive of Republic. The lack of child care limits an already limited local workforce, she said. The town also lacks a large community meeting space, so the meeting room could be used for many purposes. "We want to provide for this community what most of America has already," Burt said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republic Mayor Gabe Becklin said the city is neutral about the flag issue, but is fully supportive of the new building project. "I hope the hubbub doesn't hold up the new library progress," he said. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell visited the library in August and has requested $2.8 million in rural development appropriations from Congress for fiscal year 2025. Members of the Ferry County Gay-Straight Alliance traveled to the NCW Libraries board meeting in Wenatchee last Thursday to speak in support of the Republic library. The gay-straight alliance had nothing to do with adding the flag to the library, but the group was formed in direct response to the Changemakers' hateful comments against the gay community, alliance member Crystal Strong said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "From our perspective it is not just about the flag, it is about human rights and visibility in our community," Strong said. The library is one of the few safe spaces for everyone, she said. Strong has lived in Republic with her wife for 20 years. It is generally a welcoming community with a focus on tourism, she said. Editor's note: This story has been updated to include the full names of Barbara Walters and Crystal Strong on first references. James Hanlon's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor. Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, attends a news conference in the Senate Lounge at the state Capitol on Feb. 13, 2025. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY A settlement agreement to resolve a landmark mental health lawsuit against the state cleared its final hurdle Tuesday with Senate approval. House Concurrent Resolution 1004 goes to the Secretary of State to be filed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2023 federal lawsuit, Briggs v. Friesen, alleged that the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services violated the rights of mostly indigent defendants declared incompetent to stand trial by failing to provide timely court-ordered competency restoration services. The plan calls for reducing the wait times to constitutionally appropriate levels of competency restoration treatment. It requires the state to create an appropriate and effective in-jail restoration treatment program. The state must increase training for forensic health care professionals and reduce the number of people inaccurately declared incompetent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, called it a responsible path forward, adding that it ensures those in custody serve their sentence while receiving treatment, without costly legal battles. It protects taxpayers from exorbitant costs, Paxton said. Gov. Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and the Oklahoma House have already approved the settlement agreement. Drummond said its passage was a major victory for Oklahoma. I am grateful we can move forward on improving the states restoration services and administering long-overdue justice, Drummond said. Senate passage was the final hurdle to finalize the consent decree. Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, said that so far an estimated $339,535 in legal fees had been spent. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) Applications are now open for the Georgia Promise Scholarship which helps families of students at underperforming schools afford private school tuition or home school. This gives eligible families $6,500 for private school tuition or home school expenses. The money goes to the parent to use it for whatever purpose they want to use it as it relates to that childs education, State Rep. Karlton Howard said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Governors Office of Student Achievement released a list last month of public schools that qualify for new vouchers which were created by the State Legislature last year. It passed last year; it was designed to help 21,000 students in Georgia. But there was some semantics in the language that were challenged in court, and as it turns out, now there are 400,000 students that qualify for the same funds, Rep. Howard said. Those students are from schools that are in the lowest 25th percentile calculated by the College and Career Ready Performance Index individual scores from previous school years. And it includes dozens of Richmond County Schools. Of the state average scores, then that school qualifies any student at that school qualifies for the $6,500 dollar scholarship. But theyre again like I said but the issue became, now if there is only one school in the school system that is a failing school in the lower 25 percentile, the whole system qualifies, Rep. Howard said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also says he believes this could make it hard for public schools especially some in Richmond County. That QBE Formula has not been addressed or modified in over 40 years about 40 years. Which means schools are not being funded properly, first of all, and if theyre properly funded, I think we can do better. Teachers need more pay, there need to be more facilities up to date, they need to have more security. And theres a lot more they can do if they had more funding. If your student attends one of the schools on the list you can submit an application for the Georgia Promise Scholarship by the April deadline. To find out if your student is eligible just visit. If you would like to learn more about Senate Bill 233: Georgia Promise Scholarship Public School List Calculation Guide2.pdf Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To view the list of eligible schools visit: Georgia Promise Scholarship Public School List.pdf For further information visit: Georgia Promise Scholarship Public School List FAQs.pdf Richmond County School System Interim Superintendent Dr. Malinda Cobb says, Monday, in a statement: We strongly believe that our schools have outstanding educators and students who have grown greatly over the past few years. Weve achieved historic increases in our graduation rate, had several schools exit federal improvement lists, and released information about CCRPI that shows widespread improvement across elementary, middle, and high schools for all measured components in career and college readiness for the third year in a row. Weve made great strides and understand that we have more progress to make in closing gaps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, sought to ban payroll deductions for teacher union dues with Senate Bill 62. The bill failed in the Senate Education Committee. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY A Senate committee on Tuesday struck down a bill that attempted to ban a common way teacher unions collect dues from their members. The Senate Education Committee passed a similar bill last year to prohibit payroll deductions for teacher union dues, but this time the panel voted 7-3 against the idea in a bipartisan decision. Republican lawmakers and state leaders have tried multiple times over the past decade to prohibit teachers from paying for professional organization membership through payroll deductions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, refiled the legislation this year as Senate Bill 62. He equated these paycheck deductions to taxpayers subsidizing far-left teacher unions. Bergstrom said teachers still could join unions under his bill, but a school couldnt submit their due payments through payroll. Anyone can contribute to whatever organization they want to on their own, he said during the committee meeting. Outlawing all automatic deductions is just a step too far, Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, said. Rader ended up casting one of the three votes in favor of the bill after Bergstrom struck title, which means the author would have more flexibility to make changes to it. The bill also had support from the committees chair, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, and vice chair, Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, who wrote similar legislation last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bills failure in its first committee hearing prompted celebrations from union leaders after the vote. Hopefully, it means lawmakers wont pursue it again next year, said Torie Pennington, president of the Oklahoma City chapter of the American Federation of Teachers. Banning automatic due payments would create a burdensome task for teachers, Pennington said, and it would consume more of the organizations time that is better spent supporting schools and educators. Oklahoma City-AFT President Torie Pennington attends a Public Schools Day rally on Feb. 25 in front of the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) Im proud of the committee members who voted no and realize that having unions is just a benefit for the schools, a benefit for the teachers and a benefit for the students, ultimately, Pennington said after the committee vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eliminating automatic payments to teacher unions has been a longtime objective of some conservatives. In 2015, former Gov. Mary Fallin signed into law a prohibition on payroll deductions from state employees to unions that collectively bargain under federal law. But, the law doesnt stop these payments from going to organizations that negotiate under state law or to groups that dont collectively bargain at all, according to a 2023 opinion from Attorney General Gentner Drummond. The attorney general issued the opinion after state Superintendent Ryan Walters expressed interest in banning the practice and after lawmakers requested clarity on existing state law. Drummond found the 2015 law was intended to block state employees payroll deductions from going to national, out-of-state unions. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE CONNECTICUT (WTNH) The Senate confirmed Connecticuts Linda McMahon to lead the Department of Education. Senate confirms McMahon to lead Education Department as Trump pushes to shut it down McMahon previously served as the head of the Small Business Administration during Trumps first term. Now, she will be working with him to wind down the education department, which Trump has vowed to dismantle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMahon spent a year on Connecticuts State Board of Education and ran for Senate against Richard Blumenthal in 2010 and Chris Murphy in 2012. Both voted against her confirmation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Senate Democrats have sent the Trump administration a letter pressing them on their plan to economically assist farmers as the tariff plan is implemented. The letter, signed by Ranking Member for the Agriculture Committee Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and 14 other Democrats, was addressed to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins. As you work to establish priorities for the coming weeks and months, we urge you to move forward as quickly as possible on providing disaster relief for farmers, the senators said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trumps 25 percent tariff plan for Mexico and Canada went into effect on Tuesday, marking a shift in relations between the neighboring countries. Experts warn that higher prices, particularly on food, will be hitting Americans in the coming days. The senators highlighted a prominent concern among farmers with the tariffs: their fertilizer usage. Without the timely delivery of economic and disaster assistance, farmers face the prospect of reducing plantings or liquidating assets to remain in business as they head into another potentially difficult growing season, they said. Early last month, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) urged Trump to exempt potash from the Canadian tariffs. Potash is a key component of fertilizers and a source of potassium that has a critical role in crop growth and yield quality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senators asked the USDA to engage with farmers and make the forthcoming processes easier on them. The senators said they look forward to working with the Trump administration to help make sure American farmers succeed. On Monday, just before Trumps tariffs took effect, he noted the changes headed toward American farmers in a post online. To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States, he posted. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Top appropriators are still in search of a deal to fund the government with 10 days until a shutdown deadline, as talk in the Senate turn to two possibilities for stopgap spending bills. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) on Monday told reporters that negotiators are working on dual tracks: either a full-year continuing resolution (CR) lasting through the end of September or a monthlong measure to give appropriators more time to hammer out a yearlong overall deal. The remarks come after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said over the weekend that he was planning on the first option, which has also won the support of President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This, however, has led to increased grumbling from Senate Democrats who are displeased with the possibility and are accusing Republicans of shutting them out of talks as the clock ticks to the March 14 deadline. That is a surrender, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said. To walk away from the possibility of a bipartisan discussion giving us the appropriations bills is surrendering the opportunity is there. Durbin added that there need to be some developments for a shutdown to be avoided. Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Appropriations panel, also threw her weight behind a short-term measure to give members more time to hammer out a deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are looking at a number of different things, she told reporters at a press conference, pointing specifically to a short-term item. The only one who wants a shutdown right now is Elon Musk. Hes tweeted he wants one. Nobody else wants a shutdown. We are all working to get this done. That possibility would also give defense hawks a shot in the arm as they have long been critical of funding the government through repeated continuing resolutions, which they view as harmful to the military and defense capabilities. To some top Republicans, the entire goal is simply to avoid a costly shutdown as the party looks ahead to its push to pass Trumps ambitious tax agenda via budget reconciliation in the coming months. Had [Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)] not refused to bring appropriations bills to the floor last year, we wouldnt be in this situation, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told The Hill. My goal is to keep the government open, and thats the Republican goal as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the Capitol, top House Republicans are hoping to release text for the pending CR this weekend in order to comply with the chambers 72-hour rule to allow members adequate time to review the text. House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said the bill would not include any cuts proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with some of those being eyed for 2026 spending proposals instead. He also noted that the Democratic push to include language that would assure them that the Trump administration will fully use the funding included in any new spending bill is a no-go. Democrat leadership remains laser focused on restricting presidential authority. Its a non-starter and battle they lost to the American people, Cole said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No matter how Republican leaders slice it, they will need Democratic votes in both chambers to fund the government. In the House, where the GOP maintains a one-vote edge, multiple Republicans, including some moderates, have already indicated they will not vote for a full-year measure. And Democratic votes would be needed to overcome the Senate filibuster. For now, negotiators are still trying to find their way out of the funding maze they remain stuck in, with Johnson seemingly set to move ahead on the full-year push. Thats certainly an option thats out there, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) 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. Sen. Antonio "Moe" Maestas speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Jan. 29, 2025 in Santa Fe. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) A proposal to revamp New Mexicos police training received a failing grade from a powerful Senate panel at the end of last week, but the lawmaker backing the bill says hes not giving up. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday tabled Senate Bill 50, which backers say would bring New Mexico up to evolving national standards, reduce police use of force, improve evidence collection and support the prosecution of serious crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Antonio Maestas (D-Albuquerque), the bills sponsor, told the committee the existing standards do nothing to advance the careers of the officers in the field, and [do] not necessarily make us more safe. Kris Michaelis supported the bill on behalf of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples New Mexico and Santa Fe branches. She said people of color are disproportionately singled out as potentially dangerous and as suspicious, and SB50 would allow New Mexico police to be trained to understand the boundaries between addressing suspicious behavior and over-policing. We wouldnt expect surgeons to use 20-year-old procedures in the operating room when new techniques have been discovered and effectively used to heal the sick, she said. Similarly, it is unfair to law enforcement to be expected to know best practices in keeping our citizens safe without updated training and education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state Department of Public Safety, the New Mexico State Police and the New Mexico Police Chiefs Association opposed the bill because, according to them, Maestas didnt consult them on it. We would have preferred to have worked in the interim on some of this legislation and we didnt really have that opportunity, DPS Cabinet Secretary Jason Bowie told the committee. Sen. Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte) said she would feel more comfortable with the bill if it had more stakeholder engagement. Maestas said he gave initial drafts to police before introducing the bill and received input from Indivisible SOS Santa Fe, a women-led advocacy group that four years ago adopted improving professional education for police as a strategy to improve public safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rachel Feldman, the chair of the organizations Civil Rights & Law Enforcement Reform Committee, helped draft the bill. She is also the Law Enforcement Standards and Training Councils appointed citizen-at-large, though she was not representing them in the hearing. Everything in this bill has been included because the needs have been expressed by law enforcement leadership in a number of venues, Feldman told the committee, including interviews, focus groups and meetings with over 100 police leaders in New Mexico, along with discussions in council meetings. Sen. Debbie OMalley (D-Albuquerque) called the bill a step in the right direction and said there is a difference between police chiefs and rank-and-file officers. My understanding of this is that you want law enforcement to be successful, and thats what Im getting from this bill, she told Maestas. Youre not trying to take away from the basic training that needs to happen with officers but youre looking at how we do all these other things so we dont have the conflict between community and law enforcement that we continue to have. Training study Feldman pointed the committee to an independent study of New Mexicos police training from last year that showed there is moderate risk that the state could face legal liability for failing to train police to the level required to uphold the constitutional rights of people with whom they come into contact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, researchers found that most of the academys basic training tests have remained static and unchanged for years, and mostly test cadets abilities to memorize information rather than their ability to apply knowledge to realistic situations they would encounter on the job. The study was conducted by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training and sent to the academy last August. The researchers noted that the last statewide job task analysis done by the academy happened more than 24 years ago. Part of SB50s purpose is to upgrade the training over the course of five years to create career paths and curriculum for all law enforcement in New Mexico, Feldman said. After Feldman spoke, New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler told the committee he wanted to correct all this talk about 25-year-old training. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have some of the best training in the country and so I just want to correct any assumption we might have had from some of the previous speakers on that, Weisler said. Judiciary chair tears apart bill Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces) said he couldnt support the bill because he found many examples of meaningless language in it. Really, throughout this whole thing, theres so much that really could be subject to any number of different interpretations, could never really be defined or applied as a law, so I couldnt support it with all of that, he said. Sen. Katy Duhigg (D-Albuquerque) chairs the Senate Rules Committee, through which appointments must pass before a full Senate vote. Duhigg said she opposed SB50 because the original version would have removed the Senates power over appointments to the Law Enforcement Certification Board and the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training Council. Maestas said the bill no longer does that, and that language was a drafting error. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the vote, Maestas told the committee hell try again this session to modernize police training and continuing education standards, but wont pursue other provisions in SB50 related to the two boards. The bill also adds safety agencies dispatchers to state retention programs and other funding mechanisms. Carter Bundy, on behalf of AFSCME, supported the bill and told the committee fully staffing 911 centers would improve police and fire response times. Weisler said including dispatchers in the Law Enforcement Retention Fund without also adding more money to it wouldnt help and could adversely affect public safety retention statewide. SB50 also includes language intended to clarify the relationship between DPS and the Law Enforcement Certification Board, which Maestas previously said has been the subject of confusion due to the departments failure to complete tasks necessary for an administratively attached agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I may not take a lot of time but Im going to take a little bit of time to see if thats possible, and see if in fact this bill can fit the standards of statutory construction and the majority of this committee, he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) Four years after South Dakota voters decided to expand eligibility for Medicaid, Republican lawmakers now want a crack at taking it away. The state Senate decided on Monday to ask voters if they want to let the Legislature someday repeal it. The 31-3 vote split perfectly along political party lines, with every Republican senator present saying yes and every Democrat saying no. Benefit to assist SD Air Guard members cancer journey Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Republican-dominated House of Representatives had previously voted 59-7 for House Joint Resolution 5001. Approval by both legislative chambers means the proposed constitutional amendment will be on the 2026 general election ballot. Specifically, HJR 5001 asks whether the Legislature can repeal Medicaid benefits for people with household incomes between 100 and 138 percent of the federal poverty level but only if the federal cost share ever drops below 90 percent. Republican lawmakers had rejected Medicaid expansion more than a dozen times since the Democratic Obama administration won approval at the federal level in 2010 as part of the Affordable Care Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A coalition of South Dakota groups gathered signatures and put the expansion question on the statewide ballot in 2022. Constitutional Amendment D passed that November 192,057 to 149,616. Medicaid eligibility would return to 100% of the federal poverty level if the expansion would ever be rolled back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. CHEYENNE On the heels of an unfavorable district court decision on K-12 public school funding last week, state lawmakers restored the full $66.3 million external cost adjustment on Friday. The funding was brought through an amendment introduced by Senate Majority Floor Leader Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, to a school recalibration bill, after the Wyoming Senate nixed the supplemental budget in an unprecedented move Wednesday night. Nethercotts amendment to House Bill 316, School finance-model recalibration-2, restored the full $66.3 million cost adjustment to the K-12 block grant, after legislative appropriators had cut it down to $48.8 million in the supplemental budget. Lawmakers were told last fall the $66.3 million would put the state back on track to fully funding its K-12 public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As we know, this past week we received some information suggesting that it would be prudent to fully fund the (cost adjustment), Nethercott said. ... I strongly suggest we do. Lawmakers faced external pressure to fully fund Wyomings public schools after a Laramie County district court judge dropped a bombshell 186-page decision Wednesday, finding that Wyoming has unconstitutionally underfunded its K-12 public school system. The Court notes, because 2025 is a recalibration year, there is an excellent window of opportunity to address these issues, District Judge Peter H. Froelicher wrote in his decision. Nethercotts amendment passed by a vote of 19-12. The bill passed the Senate 29-2 and must now pass a concurrence vote in the House of Representatives. If House members concur with the Senates amendments, the bill will go to the governors desk for his signature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Child development funding Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, also attempted to tack on $4 million for child development centers to HB 316. This money was originally a mirror amendment in the supplemental budget meaning it passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate and it funded half of the original $8 million request by the Wyoming Department of Health. Since the budget was nixed, this money for special education preschools was discarded with it. I do want to reiterate how important these centers are, Landen said. Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper (2025) Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper Representatives from child development centers, including STRIDE Learning Center in Cheyenne, have long told legislators theyre at risk of permanently shutting their doors due to insufficient state funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the Senate announced it would not pass the supplemental budget, lawmakers quickly worked to find homes for budget items through amendments to various bills. However, some lawmakers pushed back against these amendments, arguing it violated legislative procedure. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Tim Salazar, R-Riverton, who is a strong supporter of child development center funding, said Friday he regrettably could not support Landens amendment, because it was not germane to the bill. Sen. Tim Salazar, R-Riverton (2025) Sen. Tim Salazar, R-Riverton Everyone here knows how I feel about this issue. I fought tooth and nail for this in the budget, Salazar said. But I need to be intellectually honest I am concerned about the germaneness of this, in this bill. It has nothing to do, as you all know, with how I feel about this issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landens amendment failed to pass the Senate, but a similar approach is taking place down the hall. Rep. Elissa Campbell, R-Casper, made a similar attempt, adding the $4 million child development center appropriation to Senate File 22. Although her amendment failed, Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, told the WTE there could be more attempts to add child development center funding to Senate bills in the House next week. As for the Senate, Landen told the WTE he would not be making any more amendments. I am disappointed with todays vote, but I will continue to fight for the work our (child development centers) do, Landen said in a text message. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) The man who killed a Pinellas County deputy with a front-end loader in 2022 will spend over a decade in prison. Juan Ariel Molina-Salles, 32, who is from Honduras, was working on a construction site in the area of I-275 and Roosevelt Boulevard on Sept. 22, 2022, when he struck Deputy Michael Hartwick with the front-end loader, killing him instantly. Juan Molina-Salles (Credit: Pinellas County Sheriffs Office) Hartwick was working an off-duty assignment helping traffic and protection at the time of the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Sheriff Michael Hartwick Molina-Salles handed over his vest and helmet to another man before fleeing the scene instead of checking on the deputy and calling 911. Prosecutors said the defendant was only concerned about himself and was worried he would be deported. Molina-Salles is from Honduras and previously entered the country illegally and was deported in a separate case, before he reentered the United States before this incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the sentencing hearing, a coworker of the defendant told the court he was following Molina-Salles in a pick up truck at the moment he hit the deputy. Alan Gomez and Molina-Salles were both in the country illegally and using assumed names and false identification. Gomez stopped when he saw the deputy hit, Molina-Salles never slowed down before or after hitting the deputy. Gomez said he immediately called Molina-Salles. I told him there was a body of an officer, and he went in shock and started crying, Gomez said. However, Molina-Salles didnt come back. He hid from an intense search by deputies for nine hours until he was arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Brian Hirshman, a friend of the victim, said he was one of the first to the scene. They rolled him over and I got a look from the Lieutenant or Captain, like it was nothing they could do, Hirshman said. A Pinellas County detective investigating the accident said Molina-Salles told him that he never saw the deputy and never knew he hit him. The detective told the court he has extensive experience operating the same type of equipment that Molina-Salles was driving that night, and he told the judge its virtually impossible that the defendant didnt know he ran over a human-sized object. Jeff Snyder a friend of the victim told the court that the loss of Michael Hartwick is great. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He always did what was right at the right time for the right reason, nothing motivated him more than to do something for someone else, Snyder said. Judge Pat Siracusa then sentenced Molina-Salles to 12 years in prison, with two and a half years credit for the time hes spent in jail before the trial. You ran from what you did, Siracusa said. The person who died is a person who would have run to help people. You ran away because you got scared and I have to punish you for that. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Its been exactly five years and one month since President Trump last addressed a joint session of Congress, and the biggest story of the week back then wasnt about anything he said in his one hour, 18 minute stem-winder. Maybe thats not a surprise. Such speeches in presidential reelection years are always more campaign kick-off than policy prescription. But what grabbed attention in the first full week of February 2020 was certainly about the speech. Yes, that was the episode of the original Trump Show when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ripped up her copy of presidents speech and held up the remains like a trophy. That came after Trump appeared to snub Pelosis offer of a handshake when he reached the rostrum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ah, the majestic pageantry of the republic. The larger context, though, was that the speech took place at the conclusion of Trumps first impeachment trial in the Senate, one day before his inevitable acquittal. Trump had been impeached for trying to squeeze the then little-known president of Ukraine for something to use against former Vice President Joe Biden, who had been the front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. I say had been because the day before Trumps big speech, Biden laid an enormous egg with a dismal fourth-place showing in the Iowa caucuses. Pelosi had counseled her party to resist the urge to impeach Trump ever since Democrats took control of the House after the 2018 midterms. But she had to acquiesce once a whistleblower revealed Trumps request in the summer of 2019 that a newly elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky do him a favor. The impeachment was doomed since there was no way the Republican-controlled Senate was going to find 67 votes for conviction, but Pelosi couldnt hold her members back. They were still smarting from Trump escaping any serious consequences from a two-year-long federal probe into Russian efforts to help him win the 2016 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Things were looking pretty good for Trump in those days. The impeachment had, as Pelosi feared, backfired, and the president was reaching his highest job approval rating yet. Democrats party-line vote to impeach Trump on a matter related to Russian intrigues helped him start the election year with momentum instead of the dissatisfaction that might have otherwise met an incumbent at the end of a tumultuous first term and with a stagnating economy. A straight-line projection on the day of Trumps 2020 speech to Congress would have pointed to pretty rosy chances for his reelection. He had survived an all-out assault on the legitimacy of his presidency and the economy was growing, even if slowly. Better still for Trump, his opponents were a shambles. Biden seemed unlikely to resuscitate his campaign, and the initially preferred choice of the Democratic establishment, Kamala Harris, had flamed out before a single vote had been cast. When Republicans looked at their potential general election opponents, they saw avatars of a Democratic Party teetering out of balance: the former mayor of the fourth-largest city in Indiana and two radically progressive senators from New England. With a job approval rating climbing close to 50 percent and the strong historical track record for incumbent presidents seeking reelection, Trump was hardly a lock, but you would have had to call him a heavy favorite. In that context, Pelosis speech-shredding looks like a fit of pique by a frustrated opposition leader, but not a matter of any real import. Right? Lolz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a media business always looking for emotional blabber for clickbait to lure addicts of brain-dead partisanship, the Trump v. Pelosi melodrama was treated as major news. Trump and Pelosi, of course, each added to the furor, with Trump accusing Pelosi of a crime by ripping up the speech and Pelosi taking multiple victory laps. Who tore up what and who refused to shake which hand wouldnt have been a matter of any lasting consequence regardless of what happened in the intervening 61 months, but it seems even smaller still, once one considers what actually ended up being the most important news story of that week. Wedged onto the front page of The New York Times the day before the State of the Union address, next to coverage of the Kansas City Chiefs first Super Bowl win since 1970, was a dispatch from the city of Wuhan, China a place then almost unknown to Americans about an illness that has sickened more than 4,100 people and killed 224 in their city alone. On the day the article came out, Trumps Department of Homeland Security ordered enhanced screening for all flights from China. The move even merited two sentences, deep into Trumps big speech: We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China. My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pandemic would go on to kill more than a million Americans and alter nearly every aspect of our national life. Almost a year later, when Trump was again being impeached and tried that time for sending an angry mob to the Capitol to try to prevent the certification of his defeat in the same election he once looked so certain to win lawmakers were still wearing masks, and the nation was still eight months away from having access to an effective vaccine. Which is all a very long way of saying that whatever gestures are deemed ennobling or ignoble at tonights speech, or whatever emotionally fraught melodramas have currently consumed the medias attention, the forces that will mostly decide the course of the next five years are probably taking place far outside the glare of the bright lights in the House chamber. A big address is like what Trump said of his Oval Office rhubarb with a very different Zelensky from the one who flattered him on a perfect phone call in 2019: This is going to be great television. But great TV doesnt usually change the world. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Serbian MPs were injured after smoke bombs and tear gas canisters were hurled inside the countrys parliament on Tuesday. The chaotic scenes came amid growing fury at the government over a railway station roof collapse that killed 15 people, some of them children, last year. Opposition MPs threw the devices in anger at ministers and in solidarity with demonstrators, many of them students, who have taken to the streets on an almost daily basis in recent months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the chamber filled with smoke, some opposition MPs lit flares and fought with security guards, while others unfurled a banner that read: Serbia will rise to bring down the regime. They also waved Serbian flags and held signs saying: Your hands are bloody and Fulfil the students demands. At least three MPs from the governing Serbian Progressive Party were injured, including one who suffered a stroke and was reported to be in a critical condition. The scenes marked an escalation of the discontent that has swept the country and presented a stiff challenge to Aleksandar Vucic, the countrys nationalist president. At least three MPs from the governing Serbian Progressive Party were injured in the protests - National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia/AFP Hundreds of thousands of Serbs have taken part in demonstrations following the station disaster in Novi Sad, the countrys second-largest city, in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters, including students, teachers, judges and farmers, have blamed the tragedy on shoddy construction standards, a lack of oversight and corruption within the government. They have marched in towns and cities across the country, demanding the full release of documents relating to the construction work. The collapse of the railway station canopy has acted as a lightning rod for discontent with the presidents increasingly autocratic rule. Outside parliament, demonstrators held 15 minutes of silence one minute for each of the victims. Meanwhile, the protests inside took place on the opening day of the parliaments spring session. The proceedings had been due to confirm the resignation of Milos Vucevic, Serbias prime minister, who announced in January that he was stepping down in an effort to calm tensions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, opposition MPs accused the president of trying to deflect blame for the tragedy by using the resignation as a distraction. Opposition politicians hold up signs in their protest against the government - Darko Vojinovic/AP The clashes inside parliament further inflamed tensions, with Ana Brnabic, the parliaments speaker, describing opposition politicians as terrorists. Prosecutors have charged 13 people over their alleged involvement in the disaster, including the former minister for construction and transport, but protesters want the investigation to be broadened. Campaigners have called on the public to join another anti-government rally in Belgrade on March 15. Mr Vucic, a former information minister in Slobodan Milosevics brutal Yugoslav regime, became prime minister in 2014 before taking up the role of president three years later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has blamed foreign agents, including Western intelligence agencies, for stoking the protests. Freedom House, a pro-democracy NGO, characterises Serbia as only partly free despite it being a parliamentary democracy with competitive multi-party elections. The NGO said in recent years the countrys ruling party had steadily eroded political rights and civil liberties, putting pressure on independent media, the political opposition and civil society organisations. 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. Seth Meyers said Monday that Sen. Lindsey Grahams (R-S.C.) astonishing 180 on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is evidence of how spineless and amoral the Republican Party has become. The Late Night comedian urged viewers to watch the transformation of Donald Trump acolyte Graham from two weeks ago, when he effusively praised Zelenskyy, to Friday when he called on Zelenskyy to resign following the latters blowout Oval Office meeting with the U.S. president. Meyers aired one clip of Graham telling Zelensky, I want to tell you and your people: Youre the ally Ive been hoping for all my life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then broadcast a second in which Graham said: I dont know if Zelenskyy can ever get you to where you want to go with the United States. Either he dramatically changes or you need to get somebody new. Meyers called the GOP response dispiriting. But the lack of one from Democrats was almost as bad, he added. Watch Meyers full monologue here: Related... LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR) On March 3, the Lynchburg Police Department announced the arrest of several drug and violent crime offenders during a coordinated law enforcement on February 27. LPD said that on Thursday, a joint operation with the Virginia State Police and the Central Virginia Drug and Gang Task Force resulted in the arrest of seven wanted criminals for various violent offenses. The operation was part of the departments ongoing efforts to address violent crime in the area. During the operation, the following people were arrested: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kevon Wilson, 30, of Lynchburg Attempted Breaking and Entering Destruction of Property Christopher Smith, 43, of Lynchburg Domestic Assault and Battery Strangulation Animal Cruelty Protective Orders Violations (Smith was apprehended with the assistance of a K9 unit.) Lynchburg Police investigating death of newborn Felicia Floyd, 31, of Lynchburg Probation Violation Antonio Charlton, 53, of Lynchburg Bond Revocation for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance Julian Venable, 53, of Lynchburg Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule I/II Controlled Substance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Devon Bailey, 20, of Lynchburg Strangulation Obstruction of Justice Probation Violation (Possession of a Firearm by a Felon) Marcus Hamlett, 38, of Lynchburg (Taken into Custody 03/03/2025) Assault on a Family Member Threat in Writing Possession of Ammo by Convicted Felon Breaking and Entering Occupied Residence Breaking and Entering Dwelling Assault on Family Member (3rd Offense) Possession of Schedule 1 or 2 Drugs Prevent/Delay Communications Sent Through Wireless Device Property Damage We appreciate the publics patience and understanding as this operation may have caused temporary disruptions, including road closures. Our priority is always the safety of the community, and we thank residents for their cooperation during this time. A special thank you to the City of Bedford Police Department and the Bedford County Sheriffs Office Tactical Unit for their assistance. The Lynchburg Police Department remains committed to proactively addressing violent crime and ensuring the safety of our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have any information related to this operation, please contact the Lynchburg Police Department at (434) 455-6054. You can also leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at (888) 798-5900, online at http://p3tips.com, via the P3 mobile app, or by texting CVCS to 738477. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. (FOX40.COM) Several flights headed to Sacramento International Airport were diverted Monday morning. A component of our instrument landing system was unavailable this morning and eight flights ended up diverting before eventually landing at SMF, the airport said in a statement. The system was unavailable for less than an hour while it was foggy and then when the fog lifted normal operations resumed. Northern California deputy fired after fentanyl overdose, investigation reveals Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear where the flights were diverted to before landing. Southwest was one of the airlines impacted. We had a few diversions this morning because of the foggy weather in Sacramento, a Southwest Airline spokesperson said in a statement. Our flights resumed as normal once the weather cleared up. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. Four local cities have received liability grants from the Kentucky League of Cities grant program. It was announced this week that Somerset, Ferguson, Burnside and Eubank have received the grants. The City of Somerset received a $3,000 grant. Somerset Mayor Alan Keck, who is also an executive board member for KLC, said the grant would go towards buying equipment for the police department and the water department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By supporting the purchase of gun safes for our police department and additional radio read meters for our water team, KLC is helping us build a safer and more efficient Somerset through its liability grant program, Keck said. We deeply appreciate KLCs partnership and commitment to improving local communities. Mayor Robert Lawson of the City of Burnside had this statement about receiving the grant: We are honored to be selected as a recipient of one of KLCs many city-first funding initiatives. The KLC Liability Grant allows my employees to feel more prepared to serve their community and develop a progressive skill set for future training opportunities. We utilize many of KLCs offerings to run our city, including but not limited to their training courses, insurance services, legal department, and legislative voice. The City of Burnside is grateful to be a member of KLC and we look forward to many more years of collaboration. The City of Ferguson received a $1,500 grant, which City Clerk Kristi Phillips said would go towards sidewalk repair. The grant received by the City of Eubank was put towards the purchase of a body camera for the Eubank Police Department, said City Manager Bobby Dawes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eubank received a $1,500 grant. We just thank the Kentucky League of Cities for what they do for smaller cities, Daws said. KLC Executive Director/CEO J.D. Chaney congratulated each city for their dedication for improving their communities. The Kentucky League of Cities is proud to provide our members with liability grants, Chaney said. Collaborative efforts between the League and our members are vital to promoting community safety and enhancing the quality of life in Kentucky cities. KLC stated that it has awarded more than $6.5 million to city members since 1999 to help fund initiatives that reduce liability. A registered sex offender was arrested on Sunday, accused of taking photographs of an unsuspecting woman in the shower at a gym. Abidan River, 42, of Brockton, is charged with photographing, videotaping, or electronically surveilling someone nude/partially nude, or sexual intimate parts. He was arraigned on Tuesday, where a judge set bauk at $10,000 with GPS monitoring if he were released. According to East Bridgewater Police, officers were dispatched to the YMCA on Plymouth Street Sunday to investigate a report of a suspicious man taking photos or video of a woman in the shower. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators determined Rivera was a suspect and also learned he was a Level 2 Sex Offender. He was eventually identified through video surveillance and an eyewitness, according to police. Authorities secured a warrant for his arrest and Rivera was taken into custody at his workplace in Middleborough on Monday. In addition to the $10,000 bail, Rivera was also ordered to stay away from the YMCA and the victim. Boston 25 News has reached out to the YMCA for comment. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) Two suspects who San Francisco police said robbed a business at gunpoint near the Laurel Heights neighborhood on Thursday were found by officers in possession of an assault rifle and arrested, authorities announced Tuesday. The San Francisco Police Department responded at 6:48 p.m. to the 2600 block of Geary Boulevard on the report of an armed robbery at a business. Arriving officers learned two suspects stole merchandise before fleeing the area in a vehicle. Child was still sitting in vehicle stolen in Oakland: police Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, police investigators identified 34-year-old Joseph Baus and 49-year-old Matthew Rabbitt as suspects in the armed robbery. The suspect vehicle used to flee the scene was located in the area of 16th Street and Potrero Avenue. SFPDs Citywide Plainclothes Team began surveillance of the vehicle and identified two of its three occupants as Baus and Rabbitt, police said. Officers took action to disable the vehicle, after which the three suspects fled on foot, according to SFPD. All three were taken into custody following a pursuit. An assault rifle and a loaded magazine were discovered in the suspect vehicle, police said, along with additional evidence. (San Francisco Police Department) Baus and Rabbitt were arrested and booked into San Francisco County Jail on charges of: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robbery Possession of an assault weapon Felon in possession of a firearm Possession of a silencer Possession of ammunition False imprisonment Conspiracy Rabbitt faces additional charges of possession of methamphetamine and having a controlled substance while armed. The third person who fled from the suspect vehicle was identified by police as Danielle Edwards, 43, of San Francisco. Edwards was charged with resisting arrest and an outstanding warrant. No injuries were reported in the armed robbery incident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) The Sioux Falls Police Department confirmed they are involved in the search for a missing baby and an arrest warrant for kidnapping was issued Tuesday afternoon for a 38-year-old woman believed to involved. Jackley shares $7,242 worth of travel vouchers Chosen Butler, 7 months old Chosen Butler, a 7-month-old baby, was reported missing on February 28 and last seen February 27. His description on the South Dakota Attorney Generals Missing Persons website says Chosens race is white and he has blue eyes and brown hair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an emailed update to KELOLAND News, SFPD spokesman Sam Clemens said an arrest warrant for kidnapping was issued Tuesday afternoon for Betty Jewel Cross, a 38-year-old woman from Sioux Falls. Chosen was temporarily placed in Bettys care but she is refusing to relinquish custody, Clemens said. During Tuesdays police briefing Tuesday morning, Clemens said they are not able to release much information about the report or go into detail about comments circulating on social media. Suffice to say were looking for him, Clemens said. But I dont believe the best I can say is theres no safety concerns at this point in time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We believe hes safe, were just looking for him, Clemens added. If anyone has information, they are asked to contact the police or local law enforcement. The Sioux Falls Police Departments number is 605-367-7000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Chinese internet users flooded the social media account of the US embassy in Beijing on Tuesday to mock President Donald Trump and the US government, after it posted about Trump's fiery meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The post included a screenshot of an earlier statement by Trump on social media. "We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It's amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don't want advantage, I want PEACE," Trump wrote online. Advertisement 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. "He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace." The posts also included clips of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio from interviews with CNN and ABC, in which he repeated Trump's stance and said Trump "wants [the war] to end". He said Trump was "the only person on Earth" who was capable of bringing Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiation table. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 7,000 comments had been left on the embassy's WeChat account by Chinese internet users, most of them critical. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Shame day for the US" was one of the more common comments by Chinese netizens. "The president and vice-president are not civilised at all," one person remarked, adding they were the "shame of the US". "The US not only sold Ukraine, but the reputation of the US - the beacon of light - for 200 years," another person wrote. But others jokingly speculated that there could be an amusing ulterior motive at work. The US embassy must be deliberately using the Chinese public to target the American president, because in the past it had never opened up its social media comments section. "The account must be controlled by Democrats," wrote another user. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the clash between the two leaders on Friday, Beijing maintained an official silence over the weekend. On Monday, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that China would continue to play a constructive role for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and the realisation of peace. Chinese state media, meanwhile, has played up the Russian response, quoting Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia's Security Council, as saying Trump did not berate Ukrainian leader Zelensky enough. The confrontation in the Oval Office has also sparked a surge in trending hashtags. On Weibo, one of China's biggest social media platforms, a hashtag written in Chinese, that translated to "American journalists witness argument in White House for the first time" had attracted roughly 250 million views as of Tuesday afternoon. 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. Mar. 3Listen to "Talk-Line: Lucas Pauley, Dixon Main Street" on Spreaker. The TALK-LINE interview for March 3 featured Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Dixon Main Street Marketing Director Lucas Pauley discussing upcoming events on the calendar including a March "Business After Business" networking event, a candidates' forum for the upcoming April consolidated election, a career fair at Dixon High School and the "Best Of Dixon" event in April. Like what you hear? Be sure to visit WIXN, part of Shaw Local Radio. We're also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. COLUMBIA COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) A Sheriffs Office in Wisconsin is celebrating the career of one of its K9 units who officially retired on Tuesday. Columbia County Sheriffs Office K9 Artus has experienced an unfortunate decline in his health over the past several months, prompting numerous discussions with veterinarians and his handler Sergeant Tyler Henriksen, leading to the decision to have K9 Artus retire. Incredible Teamwork in Action: Fond du Lac police release footage of drone tracking of suspect who ran from traffic stop Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement K9 Artus joined the Columbia County Sheriffs Office from the Czech Republic and was assigned to Sgt. Henriksen. Both were trained through the American Police Canine Association, Jessiffany Canine Services LLC and Steinig Tal Kennels. Columbia County Sheriffs Office Columbia County Sheriffs Office Columbia County Sheriffs Office Columbia County Sheriffs Office Columbia County Sheriffs Office Columbia County Sheriffs Office The duo worked on many shifts in the area, including presentations at schools, churches and community events, helping to protect the people in attendance. K9 Artus was deployed over 400 times in his career, resulting in numerous arrests and seizures of narcotics, paraphernalia and weapons. The Columbia County Sheriffs Office thanked Sgt. Henriksen for the work he and K9 artus did together, as well as for their time at events and fundraisers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Department of Natural Resources asking Wisconsinites to submit den locations to help black bear research We wish K9 Artus a happy retirement, Lieutenant Jordan Haueter wrote in the post. Thank you for a job well done! According to the Columbia County Sheriffs Office, there are still four active K9 units in the 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. CONVIS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) Authorities say a drone helped them find a man who was believed to be lost in the woods north of Marshall Monday night. Around 9:30 p.m. Monday, deputies responded to a report of a man yelling in the woods in the area of 17 Mile Road and Q Drive N. in Convis Township, according to a release from the Calhoun County Sheriffs Office. When they arrived, deputies say they found a Houghton Lake woman, 47, sitting in a car at the dead end of Q Drive. She told deputies that she and her boyfriend, a 48-year-old Clio man, were heading home from Mississippi and had stopped to take a break. She said her boyfriend had gotten out of the car but never returned, and she believed he was lost in the woods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To help with the search, the Battle Creek Police Department deployed a drone, according to the release. What a federal ban on Chinese-made drones would mean for GRPDs program About an hour after the 911 call, and after just 10 minutes of flight time, deputies say the man was found lying in tall grass about 250 yards north of the car. He was alert, according to the sheriffs office. After he was escorted back, the man was taken to the hospital to be checked out. The Calhoun County Sheriffs Office thanked the Battle Creek Police Department for using its drone, which, the office said, was critical in locating the individual on a cold 30-degree night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Gaston County Sheriffs Office invited the Gaston community to a meet-and-greet with its newest K-9 deputy, Dunkin. Dunkin, a Red Labrador Retriever, is Gaston Countys newest narcotics detection K-9. Sheriff Chad Hawkins introduced Dunkin to the community on Wednesday morning at the Gastonia Dunkin Donuts on N. New Hope Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The four-legged crime fighter was born to a litter in 2023 that was donated to Highland K-9, a Harmony service and police K-9 training facility, according to a press release. Dunkin is a non-apprehension narcotic K-9, meaning he is trained to track illegal substances and vulnerable missing persons, according to the Gaston County Sheriffs Office. READ: Church plans to create new facility for substance abuse in Gaston County Police say Dunkin will be a valuable member of the countys Project Lifesaver program, which works to locate individuals with cognitive conditions such as Alzheimers, dementia, and autism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement K-9 Dunkin will spend most of his time working at the Gaston County Detention facility with his handler Deputy William Linkous, according to GCSO, to ensure a secure and drug-free facility. The Gaston Gazette reports that Dunkin has already found fentanyl residue in a cell block. WATCH: Church plans to create new facility for substance abuse in Gaston County Last month, Southern University student Caleb Wilson tragically died after an off-campus fraternity event. Wilson was just 20 years old at the time of his death. It was initially reported that he suddenly collapsed but now, a local Louisiana news outlet has reported a shocking development in the case. Sources told WAFB on Tuesday, March 4 that the story about Wilson collapsing at a Baton Rouge park was false. Those same sources stated that Omega Psi Phi, the fraternity associated with Wilson, were actually at a warehouse and that Wilson was allegedly punched in the chest shortly before he collapsed. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The sources claimed that nine pledges stood in a line during an unapproved fraternity ritual where each one was punched in the chest. When Wilson was struck, they continued, he fell to the ground and began having a seizure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Wilson was transported to the hospital, the fraternity brothers allegedly gathered at an unknown location to discuss what happened to him. The sources also said that the brothers decided to say Wilson collapsed at a park even though they were allegedly never there. Wilson was a junior at Southern University who majored in mechanical engineering. He was also a member of the institutions band known as the Human Jukebox. In a statement obtained by NBC affiliate WDSU, Wilsons family thanked everyone who has offered their love, support and prayers during this incredibly difficult time. The family also said they are committed to seeking the truth about the circumstances surrounding Calebs passing and ensuring that no other family has to endure such a tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initial autopsy results did not reveal a cause of death. Currently, further testing is being conducted. In a statement, Southern University condemned hazing. We support punishment to the fullest extent of the law for anyone committing an act of violence that impedes a student from safely and successfully matriculating at Southern, the school said. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. PERKINS TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) Perkins Township police say five people were arrested after several gunshots were fired following a baby shower on Saturday evening. The shooting happened outside a business on Hayes Avenue. According to Perkins Township Police Detective Joseph Rotuno, an argument started between the father-to-be and an uncle of the babys mother. The argument escalated and several shots were fired in the parking lot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man found dead in Cuyahoga River after crash: Police Police say about 50 people attended the shower. There were about 100 cars in the parking lot, Rotuno said. So you had not only people involved in the baby shower, but you had other people there for other events. Rotuno said two people were given a citation and released. Three others were taken to the Erie County jail. Christopher Robinson, 40, was shot in the foot during the shooting. He is also facing several criminal charges including felonious assault. He was taken to the hospital for treatment, and then transported to the jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man indicted on stalking, accused of installing cameras at victims homes, work Dondi Bassir is also facing a felonious assault charge. His brother, Shakur Bassir, the father-to-be, is facing a charge of complicity to felonious assault. Police say about a dozen shots were fired and they are thankful no one was seriously injured. The case remains under investigation and additional charges could be filed. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Perkins Township police detectives at 419-627-0824. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The Shreveport Mayors Office released a statement on the passing of former City Council member Larry Ferdinand. Shreveport Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor hosts meeting for district concerns Mayor Tom Arceneaux and the City of Shreveport are deeply saddened by the passing of former Councilman Larry Ferdinand, a dedicated public servant, community leader, and dear friend to many, the press release stated. His legacy of service, leadership, and commitment to the people of Shreveport will not be forgotten. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the release, Ferdinand served on the Shreveport City Council for six and a half years and as the Director of Community Development for four and a half years. He was appointed by multiple Governors of the State of Louisiana to serve on several key boards and commissions, including the Southern University Board of Supervisors, the Red River Waterway Commission, the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, and the Louisiana Board of Housing. Additionally, Ferdinand was appointed as the Louisiana Statewide Solutions to Poverty Coordinator, a role he served in for 21 months. He also served as President of the Shreveport NAACP. Larry and I served on the Shreveport City Council together for six and a half years. He was not only a great leader but also a true friend, said Mayor Tom Arceneaux. His wisdom, kindness, and deep love for this city made him a remarkable leader and an even better person. Source: Shreveport Mayors office The City of Shreveport extends its deepest condolences to Larry Ferdinands family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched, the release stated. His contributions will be remembered, and his impact will continue to be felt throughout our community. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. A potential government shutdown looms large as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night -- where hes sure to face a divided audience following his sustained effort to slash the U.S. bureaucracy. Top congressional leaders have not yet struck a deal to keep the lights on in the nations capital ahead of the March 14 deadline to fund the federal government -- and time is running short. As Democrats look to defend civil servants from mass firings, its leaders have pushed for language to be inserted in a government funding bill to ensure the Trump administration properly directs funds appropriated by Congress, an effort to push back against Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: DOGE website says it's now saved $105 billion, though it's backtracked on some of its earlier claims But Republicans have made clear they wont accept those demands -- calling them unprecedented. PHOTO: President Donald Trump arrives to speak to members of the media in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Mar. 3, 2025 in Washington. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) To illustrate the gargantuan gulf between them, many Democrats are bringing recently fired federal workers to attend Trumps address to showcase the impact of Musks slashing of federal agencies. Of his five guests, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., invited two fired federal workers, including a USAID worker and a disabled Army veteran. Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona invited Kyle Rahn, a disabled Army veteran who served three tours in Iraq before working at the Department of Homeland Security, from which he was fired last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois invited Adam Mulvey, a 20-year Army veteran who served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was fired from his role at Lovell Federal Health Care Center in Spring Grove, Illinois, on Feb. 13. House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that DOGE cuts should be part of fiscal 2026 government funding negotiations -- kicking the proverbial can to another year. MORE: Senate Democrats slam Social Security job cuts, attack Musk calling it 'Ponzi scheme' But the speaker said the GOP-controlled House is eyeing a short-term clean government funding bill that would extend current spending levels through the end of September 2025, but the specifics of his strategy remain unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A short-term measure would make sure that the government can stay open while we begin to incorporate all these savings that we're finding through the DOGE effort and these other sources of revenue that President Trump's policies are -- bringing to the table, Johnson argued on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. Trump endorsed this plan last week, calling for a clean continuing resolution -- even as hardline Republicans pressure Johnson not to band together again on a bipartisan bill with Democrats, who aren't inclined to help Trump with anything. Some Republicans have already raised concerns, including Texas GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales, who says he is a no vote on any continuing resolution. I am a NO on the CR. Congress needs to do its job and pass a conservative budget! CRs are code for Continued Rubberstamp of fraud, waste, and abuse, Gonzales posted on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Stocks fall as Trump says tariffs on Mexico, Canada will go into effect Nebraska moderate GOP Rep. Don Bacon raised concern about a clean measure since military funding would be held flat. A continuing resolution (CR) is bad for our military and weakens our national security. A CR means new weapons programs cannot get started. A year-long CR means we are not serious about building a military that will deter China, Russia and Iran, Bacon said on X. Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican if all members are present and vote and will almost certainly need to rely on Democratic votes to avert a shutdown. Eighty-two Republicans voted against the current 3-month funding measure thats set to expire in less than two weeks, illustrating the patently obvious need for bipartisanship on the brink of a shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Republicans of walking away from negotiations -- rejecting the speakers characterization of the situation. House Democrats are committed to funding the government in a manner that promotes the economic well-being, health and safety of everyday Americans, Jeffries said in a statement Sunday. Backdrop for Trump's speech to Congress is a potential government shutdown originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Comatose patients often have a questionable prognosis. Family and doctors are left to ask, what are the chances a loved one will awaken? A team from Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian discovered signs of hidden consciousness can be detected using electroencephalography (EEG) scans by running tests at a more unusual time: at night, when a patient's brain might typically be asleep. While comas are often compared to a deep sleep, unresponsive brains don't tend to go through typical wake-sleep cycles. Yet by catching signs of brain patterns called sleep spindles, researchers believe they can be confident regions of the brain that play vital roles in consciousness are still functional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EEG scans have been used before in forming a prognosis on comatose patients, but the tests can be tricky to carry out, and the results aren't always reliable. Monitoring brains for other clues that correlate with these more difficult tests is an approach that's potentially more straightforward and even more accurate. In the patients where spindles were detected, recovery was more likely. (Carroll et al., Nature Medicine, 2025) "We're at an exciting crossroads in neurocritical care where we know that many patients appear to be unconscious, but some are recovering without our knowledge," says Columbia University neurologist Jan Claassen. "We're starting to lift the lid a little bit and find some signs of recovery as it's happening." The researchers monitored electrical activity in the brains of 226 patients with acute brain damage in a number of regular overnight sessions. They also ran cognitive motor dissociation (CMD) tests on the same group: the more complex EEG-based analysis, where behaviorally unresponsive individuals are asked to respond to instructions to physically move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sleep spindles were identified by the researchers as predictors of whether or not someone would regain consciousness. These bursts of brain waves typically occur when conscious brains are in non-REM sleep, bouncing back and forth between areas of the thalamus in what's regarded as a process of sensory and memory consolidation. What's more, they often appeared before signs of CMD, suggesting sleep spindles can predict recovery earlier. Further down the line, the researchers think manipulating brain waves during sleep could even improve the chances of consciousness returning. "Spindles happen normally during sleep and they're showing some level of organization in the brain, suggesting circuits between the thalamus and cortex needed for consciousness are intact," says Claassen. Sleep spindles weren't a fully accurate way of predicting someone coming out of a coma, but they could provide some big clues. Just over 40 percent of unresponsive patients with both well-formed sleep spindles and CMD recovered consciousness before leaving hospital, with more than three-quarters regaining neurological function within a year of the study period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The researchers think sleep data could be combined with other related tests to detect signs of consciousness. It's an area we're making progress in: recent studies have also identified improved methods for detecting CMD, and found links between brain cell activity and consciousness. "Families of my patients ask me all the time, will my mother wake up? How is my mother going to look in three, six, or 12 months?" says Claassen. "Very often we cannot guide them very precisely, and it's crucial that we improve our predictions to guide their decision making." The research has been published in Nature Medicine. Related News SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) A Sioux City man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for drug crimes. According to a release from the Department of Justice, Shannon Ivory, 43, was sentenced to 125 months in prison on February 27. 4 more arrested for fight at West Middle School, charged with participating in a riot Ivory pleaded guilty to his crimes, including four counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, on July 31, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evidence presented during Ivorys trial showed that Ivory had been arrested on March 202, 2023, by federal agents as a fugitive on Iowa charges. During his arrest, officials discovered many different drugs in Ivorys possession, including more than 26 grams of pure methamphetamine, more than 15 grams of crack cocaine, more than four grams of powder cocaine, and 25 morphine pills. Ivory admitted to possessing the drugs and received his prison sentence. In addition to 125 months in prison, Ivory will have to serve a five-year supervised release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Messiah Washington, 18, was just a few steps away from his apartment unit when he was gunned down inside an elevator. Described as a big teddy bear, Washington was his fathers best friend. He took care of his father and loved to cook for him, trying to perfect every meal, the victims sister, Kiara Deas, told The News Tribune on Monday. He was there a lot for our dad and at a young age. He was doing a lot of the things that most kids arent doing at his age, Deas said. He was an easy-going guy, and I think he just got taken advantage of. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington was shot Feb. 22 in his apartment building near the 1100 block of South L Street. He died at the scene after Tacoma Fire personnel attempted life-saving measures, The News Tribune reported. No arrests have been made. Deas said Washington almost made it to the apartment unit that he shared with their father before the shooting. Their father was inside the unit when about five guys wearing hoods knocked the door. When their father looked out, he saw the guys get on the elevator. Next thing he knew, he heard gunshots. I think his intuition told him to go check, because usually, you know, when you hear gunshots, youre not going to go out and check. Something about the situation made him go in out there and go check to see what was going on, she said. Deas said their father watched his son take his last breath. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes definitely on the inside, hes definitely struggling, not really sleeping at night, she said. I think our main thing is really just figuring out who did this. Deas said her dad did not see the guys faces, and she hopes the buildings cameras will help identify the people who might have killed her brother. Right now, she said, her family is focusing on getting the word out of her brothers killing and keeping his story relevant so someone might come forward. In my opinion, I feel like this is not the first time that whoever did this, I dont think this is the first time that theyve done something like this, and we just really want to get them off the streets, Deas said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deas said her family would like to put something together to help other young men that might fall in the wrong crowd to make different choices. I think that [Washington] got caught up in something that he just didnt know how to get himself out of. And I think that having guidance for other young men and showing them like, Hey, you dont have to do this, just having that voice will help other people, she said. Deas said her brother was a student at Willie Stewart Academy, and his long term plan was taking care of their dad. Messiah Washington, 18, was his fathers best friend and helped take care of him before he was killed on Feb. 22, 2025. Kiara Deas My dad raised my brother. Him and my dad were together every day, she said. He was very respectful, like you never would hear him being disrespectful to any adult. He had a lot of family around him, and we have a lot of people who loved him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deas said she believes nothing is worth a life. People are just losing their life and taking other life over nothing, she said. We just have to stop the gun violence. A GoFundMe has been set up to raise funds to support Washingtons family as they take the time to grieve. Nathan Kessler, tax policy adviser at Kansas Action for Children, said a Kansas Senate bill removing tips from calculations of state taxable income would lead to inequities in the workplace and have a limited impact economically. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Legislatures YouTube channel) TOPEKA Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association president Adam Mills appreciated thinking behind a Kansas Senate bill exempting tips from state income taxes because it could put cash in the pocket of some food service industry employees. Mills just didnt believe the idea went far enough to strip away tax or regulatory barriers undermining the societal value placed on work. The state should move to exempt overtime pay from income tax, he said. Kansas needed to embrace reform that helped youth to more easily join the workforce. The bill before the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee should be amended to address the unfairness of singling out certain employees at a restaurant for the tax break, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Work is a good and decent virtue that leads to personal integrity and societal respect, Mills said. Serving and bartending is a legitimate profession. The work they do is important, but they cant do it alone. Its a total team effort to provide great food and service for our dining public. Under Senate Bill 277 introduced by Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, the annual cost of the state income tax exemption would be an estimated $13.2 million. That figure could change if the bill was amended or if taxpayer behavior shifted so more Kansans worked in tipped positions. The proposed tax break would apply to tips reported on federal tax returns, which were the basis for determining state taxable income for Kansans. The state tax benefit would start in the 2026 tax year and an individual would be limited to a $25,000 exemption annually. The Internal Revenue Services views all tips as income subject to taxation. President Donald Trump has endorsed the idea of repealing the federal tax on tips. There have been conversations in Congress about exempting tips, but the new U.S. House budget resolution didnt mention tips or overtime compensation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, predicted a federal exemption could pass Congress by June as part of the presidents agenda to drive domestic prosperity. A federal tax break might be included in future legislation, but absence of progress on the national level led states to consider exempting tips from state taxable income. During the Kansas Senate committees hearing on the bill Monday, no one offered testimony in favor of the legislation. Kansas Action for Children did raise concerns. Nathan Kessler, tax policy adviser at Kansas Action for Children, said economists and tax experts across the political spectrum regarded eliminating the income tax on tips as poor public policy. He said issue of fairness existed because tips provided a waitress would be exempt, while tips to a teacher wouldnt. The distinction was likely to compel lobbyists for all sorts of industries accountants, doctors to educators to seek inclusion of their clients in the tip exemption, he said. Kansas Action for children recognizes the real need for cost-of-living relief, especially for low-income households, Kessler said. If the goal is to put more money in the pockets of tipped workers there are much better ways to do that. The most efficient would be to raise the minimum wage for those workers in Kansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February, Gov. Laura Kelly and Democratic leadership in the House and Senate proposed the Legislature raise the states minimum wage to $15 per hour. The $7.25 minimum wage in Kansas hasnt been increased since 2010. In Missouri, the minimum wage stands at $13.75 per hour. Kessler said the Senate legislation would capture about 2.5% of the states workforce if every bartender, waiter, food server, host, hairdressers, stylist, cosmetologist, manicurist, pedicurist and concierge was included. The Kansas Department of Labor estimated the median annual income for these Kansans was approximately $29,350. Many of these workers do not actually have a tax liability or it is so small that exempting their tipped income will offer little meaningful relief, Kessler said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) The State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Dorchester County that left a 35-year-old man dead. Deputies with the Dorchester County Sheriffs Office responded to the Waverly Place apartment complex on the morning of Feb. 28 after the Department of Mental Health requested help transporting a patient to a mental health facility. According to SLED, the individual later identified as Robert Rose was sitting inside a parked car outside of the building armed with a hatchet when deputies arrived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An altercation ensued, during which Rose assaulted a deputy with the weapon, injuring the deputys hand. The deputy was treated at a nearby hospital and later released. The situation evolved into a barricaded suspect incident, and additional agencies were called in to assist, including the North Charleston Police Departments SWAT team. 20-year-old charged for attempting lottery fraud at Mount Pleasant gas station North Charleston Police Chief Ron Camacho said the incident escalated when Rose exited the residence through a window, armed with a hatchet in each hand. Despite clear and repeated commands from our officers to drop the weapons, the subject did not comply. As a result, our officers discharged their weapons to prevent further threat to the surrounding public, Camacho said in a Feb. 28 statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rose was taken to Trident Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 4:30 p.m., according to the Dorchester County coroner. No one else was injured during the standoff, authorities said. DCSO requested that SLED investigate the incident, per standard protocol. This was the sixth officer-involved shooting in South Carolina 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 WCBD News 2. SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) A woman was arrested for allegedly tampering with lottery tickets at a convenience store in Spartanburg. According to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Ramilabahen S. Patel, 44, was arrested on February 20. Surveillance video, officials said, showed Patel at Janci Food Mart on Blackstock Road, pulling and scratching off lottery tickets in a case on the store counter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators said Patel removed some of the tickets she scratched and replaced others. She then took some of the tickets in the case. Patel was charged with attempting to influence a game by coercion and tempering with lottery tickets. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. WAUKESHA - Morgan Geyser's efforts to be conditionally released from a mental health institution now faces a last-minute pushback following a sealed petition that asserts new concerns. A motion hearing will be held Thursday to determine whether Geyser, now 22, can move out of the Winnebago Mental Health Institute as was decided at a January hearing, when Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Michael Bohren concurred with three medical experts that a conditional release was warranted. That changed Friday, Feb. 28, when Bohren determined that there was probable cause to now deny Geyser's release into a transitional facility. Morgan Geyser appears in a Waukesha County courtroom Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Waukesha, Wis. Morry Gash / Pool via USA TODAY Network In 2017, Geyser was found not guilty by reason of mental defect in the stabbing of her 12-year-old friend Payton Leutner in 2014. Bohren later issued a four-decade commitment order for treatment. Geyser had petitioned three previous times for conditional release, citing her progress in treatment at the Oshkosh facility. Geyser gained support from ongoing caregivers this year in a reversal of earlier mental health evaluations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The full details prompting the hearing on Feb. 28 aren't known. That's because the court sealed a petition by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Geyser's attorney Tony Cotton and Waukesha County Deputy District Attorney Abbey Nickolie both revealed some elements of the petition filed by Wisconsin Department of Health Services officials. The new concerns centered around Geyser's contact with an older man and books she has read. It's not clear what books have drawn concern or why. Geyser's failure to disclose certain information tied to both concerns were a factor in the petition to reconsider her conditional release. Thursday's hearing is expected to include testimony and reports from the same medical evaluators to discuss the new information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Their theory that was discussed in court is that Morgan has read certain books which they believe are concerning," Cotton said in an emailed response to the Journal Sentinel Monday. "Its worth noting that Morgans reading has never been restricted by the treatment team at Winnebago and any information the release planning committee has received has come from Morgan directly." As for her contact with the unnamed man, "Morgan herself asked for a no contact with this person," Cotton added. Before the petition, Geyser was scheduled for a March 4 hearing to approve the conditional release plan. That hearing was nixed as a result of the DHS petition, and a new review hearing has been scheduled for March 6. Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at james.riccioli@jrn.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Morgan Geyser conditional release on hold in Slender Man case update Newly elected Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan will deliver her partys response to President Donald Trumps joint address to Congress on Tuesday, as Democrats work to define the partys future following tough losses last fall. Slotkins remarks will be Democrats opening volley as the party searches for a compelling, united answer to Trump and the administrations actions so far amid Republican control of Washington. The speech will give a high-profile platform to Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who in November held off an experienced Republican challenger in a state that voted for Trump. Congressional Democratic leaders views her as up-and-coming in the party and believe her ability to win a Senate seat in a state Trump won is evidence of her broad appeal to voters Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called Slotkin a rising star in our party, telling reporters the American people are going to love what she has to say. Shes just great on both economic and national security. Slotkin acknowledged to CNN last fall that the Democratic Party has struggled to communicate its message to voters. We also got to get that message out, and we havent always been great at that. Thats on us, she said. The Michigan Democrat has said that her goal will be to level with the American people during her speech on Tuesday. The public expects leaders to level with them on whats actually happening in our country. From our economic security to our national security, weve got to chart a way forward that actually improves peoples lives in the country we all love, and Im looking forward to laying that out, she said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slotkin has warned that Trumps tariff policy could set off a trade war that would be a gift to foreign automakers. Protecting the US auto industry was a central concern for voters in battleground Michigan, where Slotkin and other Democrats argued that Trumps trade policies and opposition to bolstering electric vehicle production would threaten the critical American industry. Her Tuesday night delivery comes with high-expectations and risk. GOP Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama faced a backlash after her response to then-President Joe Bidens State of the Union address last year. Britt told a story of a sex-trafficked woman as she criticized former Bidens immigration policies, but later acknowledged that the incident did not occur during Bidens presidency. At 48 years old, Slotkin is the youngest Democratic woman elected to the Senate, but she has entered less as a disruptor and more as a potential swing vote on key issues like immigration. In one of her first votes as a senator, she joined Republicans to pass the Laken Riley Act, a GOP-led bill to require detention of undocumented migrants charged with certain crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her November win kept a crucial Senate seat in Democratic hands in Michigan, where President Donald Trump defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris by more than 80,000 votes. Slotkin, who had previously won competitive House races to hold onto a Lansing-area seat, defeated former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers to win her Senate seat in November by a slim margin of about 19,000 votes. Slotkin campaigned on key Democratic issues, like abortion access and gun control, while also making an effort to reach out to Republican voters. You will always have an open door in my office. You will always have a place at the table, because I want to hear from you, Slotkin said in a direct appeal to conservatives during one of her debates against Rogers. Slotkin asked voters throughout her campaign to join us on team normal, casting herself as a commonsense problem solver focused on the concerns of a broad coalition of voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before serving in the House for six years, Slotkin worked as a CIA analyst and in national security roles under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. As a graduate student in New York City at the time of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Slotkin said that fateful day changed the trajectory of her career and led her to a life of public service. I did not go into graduate school thinking I would choose national service as a career, she had told CNN, reflecting on what was her second day at Columbia. By the end of that day, I knew national service was what I was going to do. This story has been updated with additional details. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com INDIAN LAKE, Ohio (WDTN) A solar power project in Logan County, which received considerable backlash from the community, has been canceled. On Friday, the Grange Solar Project pulled its application from the Indian Lake area, following a recommendation from the Ohio Power Siting Board to deny it. Indian Lake residents told 2 NEWS they are thankful that the Grange Solar project is no longer in the county, even if that means losing potential job opportunities and millions of dollars of investment in the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want the beauty of the lake, we dont want any disturbance to the lake, said John Ford, Indian Lake resident. Sixteen of the 17 townships in Logan County voted against establishing solar projects in the county, asking for the commissioners support. Indian Lake is a resort community, and we get lots and lots of summer activities there, said Mike Yoder, Logan County Commissioner. We felt that it was going to hurt that particular industry. The Texas-based Open Road Renewables proposed the Grange Solar Project in October, aiming to bring clean energy and economic benefits to Logan County. The project would have delivered over 500 megawatts of renewable energy across 2,000 acres in several townships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company says a lot of misinformation was spread about the project and thats why it failed. Youre saying that solar is somehow going to poison your water or kill all the wildlife, things that are just blatantly untrue, said Doug Herling, vice president of Open Road Renewables. Folks have relied on things that have been refuted 40 or more times around the state on other projects, to continue to oppose projects. But Yoder says this misinformation was a two-way street. Those that were against the project were also talking about how Open Roads was not giving them accurate information about what was going on, said Yoder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents like John Ford say the promises made by Open Roads seemed too good to be true. They keep saying that itll be great for sheep grazing and stuff like that, said Ford. But if you actually drive around the solar farms, theyre torn up. Since the Grange Solar project was withdrawn, the Ohio Power Siting Board has canceled all related hearings. Logan County commissioners say theyll continue opposing all future solar power projects, as this reflects the views of the community they represent. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 solar storm risks triggering blackouts across the UK and would cost the global economy an estimated $2.4 trillion (1.9 trillion), a study has warned. On Tuesday, Lloyds of London said that extreme space weather entering Earths atmosphere would wreak havoc with the satellites that underpin the global economy leaving planes grounded, ships stalled and the global banking system frozen. Homes and hospitals would also be left in darkness because the storm would likely damage critical energy grids around the world, the insurer warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The doomsday scenario, published alongside the Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies, predicts that the global economy would be exposed to losses of $2.4 trillion over a five-year period from the knock-on impact of the storm. In the most extreme scenario, the global economic losses from a solar storm would total $9.1 trillion equivalent to 1.4pc of global GDP. The UK economy alone would suffer a $113bn loss because of its heavy reliance on GPS-style tracking systems, which would be knocked out by a storm. The risk of solar storm is increasing as the Suns magnetic fields reach a peak in high activity - Victor Habbicks Visions/Science Photo Library RF Although rare, the likelihood of extreme space weather has increased in recent years because the Suns magnetic fields are reaching a peak of high activity meaning there is a greater risk of a solar storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A solar storm occurs when a sudden burst of radiation from the Sun affects the weather in space around the Earth. If large enough, the bursts of light known as solar flares interact with the Earths magnetic field and create geomagnetic storms which disrupt digital systems underpinning the global economy. If this occurred, critical infrastructure such as satellites orbiting in space would be damaged leading to a knock-on impact on the digital and communication networks and a potential internet blackout, Lloyds warned. Such is the danger that space weather threats have been placed on the National Risk Register, a public register of hazards based on the Governments classified National Security Risk Assessment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lloyds provides a market in central London where brokers can come and buy insurance for their commercial insurance. It has become one of the worlds largest insurance markets for space cover, selling policies for nearly a third of all global space risks globally including protection for satellites. Rebekah Clement, of Lloyds, said: Historically, extreme space weather has been rare. However, by equipping businesses, governments and insurers with data-based models, were encouraging effective preparation and stronger collaboration. 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. STURGEON BAY, Wis. (WFRV) Christiana Trapani, owner of the beloved Door County Candle Co., has been showing unwavering support for Ukraine for the past three years as the war rages on. Over the weekend, she saw a spike in sales for her Ukraine candle, bringing more attention and awareness to the cause. Want to escape the NFL Draft? Local airports adding outbound flights in late April Im Ukrainian. I am second generation, so I was born here, but both my grandparents were from Ukraine, Trapani said. Its my first language, and I grew up really proud of my heritage and my family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Door County Candle has raised more than $1.6 million to support those impacted by the war, donating 100% of the proceeds from its Ukraine candle. We have been able to donate over a million dollars, and then last year we donated an additional $18,000more than $18,000, Trapani said. Its been really incredible. Trapani and her team have worked tirelessly to provide substantial monetary and in-kind donations. Weve also sent just over 10,000 tin candles to Ukraine two years ago, she said. Those candles were for soldiers fighting, to provide light in their bunks and help with the smell. Theyre also used as memorial candles for fallen soldiers and family members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trapani told Local 5 that the Ukraine candle marked the beginning of her philanthropic journey, and she has since contributed to numerous other causes. Click here for more news, weather, and sports She plans to continue finding new and creative ways to show her love and support, utilizing the resources she has to make a positive impact. Donations can be made online at Door County Candle Co.s official 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Legendary Polish anti-Communist Lech Waesa has slammed Donald Trumps Oval Office attack on Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky, comparing it to Soviet secret police tactics. Waesa, 81, signed a letter along with 38 other Poles who had been held captive by the Communist regime, telling Trump that the Friday spectacle filled them with horror and distaste. The former Polish president previously revealed that he met Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 2010, and attached a photo of the two of them to the letter, which he posted on Facebook on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter was signed by Waesa and 38 former Polish political prisoners, who said the atmosphere in the Oval Office reminded them of Security Service interrogations and from the courtrooms in communist courts. Prosecutors and judges, commissioned by the omnipotent communist political police, also explained to us that they had all the cards in their hands, and we had none, they write in the letter, referencing President Donald Trumps comment that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not in a position to negotiate. Lech Walesa, pictured in his native Gdasnk in 1983, became one of the best-known faces of Eastern European anti-Communism through his leadership of Poland's Solidarity union. / Wojtek Laski / Getty Images You dont have the cards right now, he told Zelensky during their tense Oval Office meeting. Waesas and the other signatories said they were shocked by Trump treatment of Zelensky, drawing parallels between the meeting and their own experiences under Polands former communist regime. In particular, they condemned Trump and Vice President J.D. Vances demands that Zelensky express more gratitude for the material assistance the U.S. has given Ukraine while it defends itself against Russias invasion, calling it insulting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gratitude is due to the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed blood in defense of the values of the free world. They are the ones who have been dying on the front lines, they said. We do not understand how the leader of a country that is the symbol of the free world cannot see it. Taki tekst podpisalismy: Szanowny Panie Prezydencie, Relacje z Panskiej rozmowy z Prezydentem Ukrainy Woodymyrem... Posted by Lech Waesa on Monday, March 3, 2025 Waesa was a founder of Polands pro-democracy Solidarity movement when he was a shipyard worker in the port city of Gdansk. When martial law was declared in 1981, he was imprisoned for 11 months. In 1989, he negotiated with the Moscow-backed communist regime for Poland to hold parliamentary elections, which eventually led to the peaceful ouster of communism from Poland. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Price in 1983 and presided over the countrys transition to a free market liberal democracy during his term as president from 1990 to 1995. Among the other signatories were democracy activist and historian Adam Michnik, journalist Seweryn Blumsztajn, and politician Wadysaw Frasyniuk. LA MESA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Police evacuated a hotel in La Mesa Tuesday morning after a solo-vehicle crash led to a gas leak and power outage in the area. The crash was first reported around 6:12 a.m. in the 9500 block of Murray Drive. According to the Heartland Fire Department, the driver of a vehicle crashed into the gas line, a fire hydrant and a power pole after losing control of the vehicle for unknown reasons. No injuries were reported in the initial crash. An investigation by the La Mesa Police Department remains ongoing into the crash, but drugs and alcohol have already been ruled out as factors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least one person shot dead in Mission Valley Due to the crash, power was shut off to more than 400 San Diego Gas & Electric customers in the area as a precaution while crews work to address the gas leak. Guests staying at a nearby Best Western Hotel were similarly evacuated out of an abundance of caution. A road closure was put in place along Murray Drive as crews work to clear the gas leak. Traffic is expected to be heavily impacted over the next few hours. Grossmont High School, which is located down the street from the scene, has been notified of the crash and the impacts to the surrounding area, but no modifications to its schedule have been made at this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. PIERRE A request to dismiss a court case involving the alleged embezzlement of $1.78 million in state and federal funds by a former South Dakota state employee has been denied. Tim Whalen, an attorney representing Lonna Carroll, an Iowa woman and former project assistant for the South Dakota Department of Social Services, asked Sixth Circuit Court Judge Christina Klinger to dismiss the grand jury indictment against Carroll. He argued that the department did not follow proper procedure for approving checks, which enabled Carroll to defraud the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Klinger denied Whalen's motion. This will allow Carroll's case to proceed to a jury trial scheduled for April 1. Carroll had purportedly requested funds in the form of checks meant to provide resources to clients of Child Protective Services, a sub-agency within DSS. Carroll is accused of abusing her department's financial controls by installing herself as the supervisor of her own requests and approving them. She then allegedly intercepted the checks and deposited them in one bank before immediately withdrawing the cash funds, which she would later feed into her personal account at a different bank. The former state employee was traced to more than 500 illicit transactions made between Jan. 1, 2010 and March 24, 2023 in Hughes County, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley told reporters during an Aug. 27 press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carroll was charged with two felony aggravated grand theft charges. She has entered not guilty pleas on both. A pretrial conference is set for Wednesday. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota $1.8M embezzlement case moves to jury trial SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's Acting President Choi Sang-mok said on Tuesday that the government, parliament and the private sector should be united to respond to the U.S. "trade war". During a cabinet meeting, Choi said South Korea and the United States had agreed to form a consultative group to discuss tariff measures and cooperation on shipbuilding. (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies) AUSTIN (KXAN) Southbound lanes are back open after a semi-truck ran into a bridge on Interstate 35 at Braker Lane, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The report of the crash came in from the Austin Police Department around 3:30 p.m. Then, TxDOT previously said traffic was being diverted onto the frontage road. Around 4:30 p.m., TxDOT said all lanes were back open. KXAN reached out to TxDOT for more information about the crash, and a spokesperson for the agency said, Anytime a vehicle strikes a bridge, we close the roadway until one of our bridge inspectors can assess damage. They determine whether there is structural damage and a plan of action. Our inspector was dispatched shortly after the bridge strike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. BERESFORD, S.D. (KELO) South Dakota is in need of health care workers, especially in rural areas. One way the state and other organizations are trying to help increase the workforce is through the Build Dakota Scholarship. Landen Kroger didnt exactly know where he wanted to go to college after graduating from Beresford High School in May 2024. Benefit to assist SD Air Guard members cancer journey Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I spent 95% of my day in the guidance counselors office and she was like, did you know about the Build Dakota Scholarship? And I was like, no, shes like, you can apply for it,' Landen said. Landen was awarded Build Dakota Scholarship and started school at Southeast Technical College in the fall of 2024. For me, it was a sigh of relief because I knew, being a single mom, that I wasnt in the position to necessarily be able to bail them out if something happened, Casey said. Each year hundreds of people are awarded the opportunity to get an education at a state technical school for free, in exchange for working in that field in South Dakota for at least three years after graduation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially, Landen wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. However, after losing his grandmother and aunt to cancer in 2019, his interest shifted towards nursing. I helped take care of my grandma when she had cancer. So I would go over there every day at like after school and help do things around the house, Landen said. It was a hard year. They passed away three months exactly from each other, Casey Kroger said. His mom says Landen has always had the natural ability to help others. So hes always been that kid that wanted to make sure everybody was okay. Like someone was getting picked on at school, like he wanted to check on him, Casey said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently Landen is finishing his first year at Southeast Technical College, as well as working at Avera Health on the oncology floor, the same hospital his grandma would go to for treatments. Landen believes hes able to bond with the patients because of his personal experience with cancer. Its a sense of comfortability kind of. Ive seen it so Im comfortable around the situation and its like, its kind of my comfort zone now, Landen said. DTSF offering free rides to Summit League Tournament Dustin Pepper is one of the instructors at the nursing program Landen will attend at Southeast Tech. In cases like Landon had where its a family issue and that made a big impact, theres oftentimes a reason why, its a difficult profession. So having that reason why is a big step for for being successful in completing the program and being a great nurse, Pepper said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And his mom agrees Landens why will make him a good nurse. He genuinely cares. He wants to make sure that youre good. He understands, the quality over quantity aspect of life. Casey said. Theyre in the hospital, it is serious. But theres also times where like, you need a light enough to mood a little bit, Landen said. After graduating from the LPN Program Landen plans to eventually become a licensed registered nurse. The deadline for this years Build Dakota Scholarships is March 31. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. The Space Forces primary acquisition organization is bracing for impact as the Trump administrations orders aimed at cutting the size of the federal government begin to take effect. Based in Los Angeles, California, Space Systems Command manages the process for buying and building most of the satellites, sensors and ground systems the Space Force operates. Speaking with reporters Monday, SSCs Commander Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant said the compounding effects of the new administrations workforce reduction orders, combined with the prospect of a yearlong continuing resolution which freezes funding at prior-year levels and stalls the start of new programs is incredibly challenging. There is a lot of concern, Garrant said during a media roundtable at the Air Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colorado. As a command and as a commander, we are going to focus on how can we continue to deliver the mission with the human resources that we have. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump and his team have issued a slew of orders aimed at significantly reducing the size of the federal civilian workforce. On Jan. 28, the Office of Personnel Management, or OPM, offered employees a voluntary deferred resignation program that would allow those approved to leave their government job but receive a paycheck through Sept. 30. OPM has also directed many agencies to fire probationary employees most of whom carry that designation because theyve been in their positions for less than one or two years and plans to implement a sweeping reduction in force across the federal government in the coming months. Garrant said SSC had a considerable number of employees apply for the deferred resignation program, which is being implemented this week. The command also has a number of probationary employees who could be affected, and SSC is expecting those cuts to take effect in the next week or two. An SSC spokesperson did not respond by press time to a request for details on the number of affected employees. The intent is to decrease the size of the federal government, Garrant said. As the commander of SSC, Im committed to executing the administrations direction and vision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garrant said SSC is planning ahead as much as possible for what he described as a rapid offramp of personnel. The goal of the plan is twofold to make sure affected employees are taken care of and to ensure that the work they were doing is absorbed elsewhere in the command. Just because someone leaves doesnt mean that work doesnt get done. It just means the billet that they were sitting on goes away, he said. Were being pretty deliberate in our planning, to the extent we can, to minimize those impacts. In a separate briefing with reporters, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said he worries about the impact of workforce cuts on a service thats still growing. However, he added, the service is designed to be flexible and has performed its mission with fewer personnel than it has today. Im always worried about making sure we have the right workforce to do the positions that weve been given, he said. The good news is we were to be lean and agile. So, if you start cutting back, we kinda know how that works. SpaceX announced Monday its plans to launch Starship from Kennedy Space Center later this year while building out more support infrastructure in Florida to support two launch sites. SpaceX has been building out a launch tower for the massive rocket at KSC Launch Complex 39-A while also pursuing the right to build out a Starship pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations Launch Complex 37. We plan to complete the Starship launch pad at Pad 39-A this year, and pending the completion of environmental reviews, SpaceX intends to conduct the first Starship launch from Florida from Launch Pad 39-A later this year, said SpaceX commentator Dan Huot during the companys latest test launch attempt from Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both the KSC and Canaveral sites are under environmental impact reviews. Canaverals SLC-37 was previously used by United Launch Alliance, but that company performed its final Delta IV Heavy launch last year. SpaceX has been given a limited right of entry for Pad 37 to conduct further due diligence at the site in order to move forward with the environmental impact study thats being led by the Department of the Air Force, Huot said. Ultimately, we will have production integration, refurbishment and launch facilities in both Florida and Texas. One major infrastructure build happening in both Texas and Florida is a processing facility SpaceX is calling gigabay. The gigabay will be 380 feet tall with about 46.5 million cubic feet of interior processing space and 815,000 square feet of work space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In comparison, KSCs Vehicle Assembly Building is 525 feet tall. As the name implies, will allow us to process more Starships at the same time over our current megabays, Huot said. Environmental impact studies for both Florida sites were started in 2024, but expected to be complete this year. SpaceXs plans are to build up infrastructure in Florida and potentially other launch sites to get to hundreds and eventually thousands of Starship launches a year, part of Musks goal of creating a colony on Mars. It's been known that Starship would eventually launch from Florida, but now SpaceX is saying it may happen as early as the end of this year as SpaceX ambitiously confirmed they are pushing to launch from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A by the end of 2025. This news was publicly announced during the webcast of the March 3 Starship launch attempt from the Boca Chica, Texas, Starbase. Christopher Gebhardt from SpaceX communications spoke about the upcoming Starship plans during the Monday evening broadcast. We plan to complete the Starship launch pad at Pad 39A later this year, and pending the completion of the environmental reviews, SpaceX intends to conduct the first Starship launch from Florida Pad 39A later this year, said Gebhardt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The project includes at least $1.8 billion of SpaceX capital investment and will bring an estimated 600 new full-time jobs in the Space Coast by 2030, the governors office said. "With 600 new full-time jobs and the historic addition of Starship launches from Florida, this expansion strengthens our economy, grows our aerospace workforce, and solidifies our leadership in the next generation of space exploration," said U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos. "This investment is a testament to SpaceXs confidence in Floridas central role in spaceflight, and we are proud to support the groundbreaking missions that will lift off from our shores. While SpaceX acknowledges the Space Force and Federal Aviation Administration environmental reviews are not set to be released until later this year, construction of the giant Gigabay at KSC, which will be used to stack and finalize the 232-foot-tall Super Heavy boosters (lower-stages) before flight, could begin as soon as next month. Also, the Starship tower standing on Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A will be finalized. The proposed SpaceX Gigabay will be an addition to SpaceX's current Robert's Road facilities on Kennedy Space Center. In addition to continued infrastructure development at Starbase, Texas, where SpaceX is headquartered, SpaceX is expanding its Starship operations in Florida, bringing Starship production and launch capabilities to the Space Coast https://t.co/PYket6ALNO pic.twitter.com/akKEL6rXaA SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 3, 2025 Starship launch from Florida SpaceX has always said it plans to launch its massive rocket from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A and after development of a tower on the site, also from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 37. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SpaceX's Starship towers over 400-feet-tall larger than any rocket ever in existence. It's 33 engines give off 16 million pounds of thrust upon liftoff. For reference, the Saturn V moon rocket was only 363 feet tall and gave off 7.6 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Starship is not only planned to be SpaceX's next workhorse rocket, the upper-stage is also being tapped by NASA to act as a human lander for the Artemis III mission, aimed at returning humans to the lunar surface no earlier than 2027. Should the plan remain the same with the new administration, Starship will dock to the Orion spacecraft in lunar orbit, taking astronauts down to the surface. SpaceX has also repeatedly stated hopes of launching an uncrewed Starship to Mars by late 2026, when the planet will be close to Earth. This has been stated to be a goal not only of CEO Elon Musk, but of the Trump administration, as during President Trump's inauguration speech he spoke of putting the stars and strips on Mars. Should an uncrewed Starship to Mars in 2026 happen, a crewed mission could follow in 2028. This timeline all depends on how soon Starship can be running smoothly, as while the previous flight saw a successful booster catch, the ship was lost less than 10 minutes into flight. It broke up over the Turks and Caicos Islands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It remains to be seen how Starship improves on the upcoming Flight 8, which was scrubbed Monday due to a booster issues. Starship Gigabay at Kennedy Space Center In this ambitious announcement, Gebhardt spoke of Florida's Gigabay after speaking about another Gigabay coming to Texas. "But Gigabay isn't just for Texas. If that weren't exciting enough, we're also further expanding Starship operations into Florida, bringing production and launch capabilities to the Space Coast as Starship flight testing, development, and launch cadence continues to pick up pace at Starbase in Texas," said Gebhardt. As for the Gigabay in Florida, construction could begin as soon as April. The 380-foot-tall structure would fall short of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building, which stands at 525-feet-tall. But at that height, it would still make the Gigabay a recognizable feature looming in the distance on approach to Cape Canaveral. This would give the general public a glimpse of SpaceX's new generation launch system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida Governor Ron DeSantis welcomed SpaceX's announcement Monday night. Florida is the present and future of the space industry with leading space companieslike SpaceXinvesting in the Free State of Florida. We welcome SpaceXs Starship to our state," said Governor Ron DeSantis, who has also lobbied for NASA to move its headquarters to the Space Coast. Like the SpaceX Megabay in Texas, the Gigabay would be used to stack and finalize the 232-foot-tall Super Heavy boosters (lower-stages) before flight. Once fully stacked on the launch pad, Starship stands more than 400-feet-tall. When is the next Florida rocket launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, Starship has not reached an orbital flight from Texas, or successfully returned the ship (upper-stage) to the launch pad. As of January, SpaceX has caught the first-stage booster twice with the launch tower's "chopsticks". Full return and reusability is planned for future flights. The results of the upcoming Flight 8 remain to be seen in the coming days, and a return of the Starship to the launch pad could come as soon as Flight 9. SpaceX has not publicly announced when crewed flights are estimated to begin, or an exact date of when Starship will launch from the Space Coast. Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX: Starship to launch from Florida by end of the year WASHINGTON (Reuters) -SpaceX on Monday called off its eighth Starship test flight from Texas over an unspecified issue on the rocket system's core, delaying for at least 24 hours the company's attempt to deploy mock Starlink satellites in space for the first time. The test mission would have been the first Starship launch since a January mission ended eight minutes into flight when Starship, atop a rocket booster, exploded over the Caribbean, sending fiery debris streaking over the Turks and Caicos Islands and prompting a federal probe. The postponement, or "scrub," occurred during a pause to the launch countdown 40 seconds before liftoff that was triggered so SpaceX employees could investigate an issue on the rocket, according to a company live stream. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot said the company could try to launch again at the same time on Tuesday, depending on the issue. "Too many question marks about this flight," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on his social media platform X. "Best to destack, inspect both stages and try again in a day or two." (Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by Chris Reese and Gerry Doyle) SpaceX said it will try again on Wednesday to launch its Starship spacecraft from Texas. The company on Monday hoped to launch its Super Heavy rocket that will send Starship into space, but called a scrub. When the mission finally does get underway, it will mark the giant rockets eighth flight test. SpaceX would like things will go better on this mission. In mid-January, Starships seventh flight test exploded over the Caribbean, causing debris to rain down near Turks and Caicos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But SpaceX has noted upgrades made over the past several weeks. After completing the investigation into the loss of Starship early on its seventh flight test, several hardware and operational changes have been made to increase reliability of the upper stage, the company said on its official website. READ: DeSantis welcomes future SpaceX Starship mega rocket launches from Floridas Space Coast The upcoming flight will follow a similar path. Liftoff on March 5 is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. After the launch, SpaceX will attempt to catch and recover its Super Heavy booster. To learn more about Starships upcoming eighth flight test, click HERE. Now targeting to launch Starship's eighth flight test as soon as Wednesday, March 5 https://t.co/alyJTRtOIP pic.twitter.com/4U1zIl3QrH SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 4, 2025 Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. (Bloomberg) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez agreed to hand over control of borders and migration to Catalonias security forces, in a major win for that regions separatists. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanchezs Socialist party and Catalan pro-independence group Junts per Catalunya announced the agreement Tuesday and said theyve filed a draft bill in parliament, which needs to approve it. Under the deal, Catalonias police force will guard airports, ports and critical areas in cooperation with the national armed forces. The regional administration will also manage migration and deportations. The deal was a long-standing demand of separatists and serves to bolster support for Sanchez in parliament, where he needs to negotiate with about eight parties whenever he seeks to pass legislation. The premier has made a long series of concessions to Junts and ERC, another separatist group, since a hung election in mid-2023 left him leading a minority coalition government that relies heavily on their votes. The deal with Junts has sparked outrage from the opposition, with conservative Peoples Party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo calling it an unprecedented humiliation. Spain has one of the worlds most decentralized administrations, with power over areas including health care and education devolved to the regional governments. Some regions, like Catalonia and the Basque Country, have had more powers devolved than others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. WASHINGTON (AP) House Speaker Mike Johnson is encouraging Republican lawmakers to skip town halls that have been filled with protesters decrying the Trump administration's slashing of federal government, echoing the president's claims that the demonstration's are fueled by professional protesters. The speaker's advice Tuesday comes as GOP lawmakers often find themselves at a loss to explain the cuts, led by billionaire Elon Musk'sDepartment of Government Efficiency, that are leaving federal workers suddenly out of jobs in communities from coast to coast. Democrats are jumping in to shine a bright light on what is happening. Weve seen this movie before, Johnson said at a news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre professional protesters, Johnson added. So why would we give them a forum to do that right now? Johnson was repeating President Donald Trumps claim posted on social media on Monday that Paid troublemakers are filling the GOP town halls to which the House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded: "We dont need paid protestors. The American people are with us." The Republicans are finding themselves in an unusual spot defending the deep budget cuts they have campaigned on for years, but have rarely been able to accomplish because the reductions cut into federal programs and services Americans in their districts rely on. Trump and Musk's DOGE have fired tens of thousands of federal workers as they tear through the federal government in search of what they call waste, fraud and abuse. It's spiraling at a pace the Republicans in Congress could only imagine when the party swept control of the White House, House and Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans are feeling the heat back home. Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas was confronted over the week by spirited residents questioning him about the firings of veterans from the federal workforce. Marshall, too, echoed claims of paid protesters. Can confirm, Marshall posted alongside Trump's comment. The scenes at the town halls are reminiscent of past moments from the Obama-era health care battles, when tea party Republicans fought against the Affordable Care Act, and also the George W. Bush era, when Democrats and others protested his proposed changes to Social Security. But more immediately the town hall outbursts resemble the Trump-era protests of 2017 and 2018 when Republicans tried and failed to repeal Obamacare, and then approved sweeping GOP tax cuts and Democrats campaign against them, sweeping the midterm elections and reclaiming control of the U.S. House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speaker protecting his thin-as-ever majority advised his lawmakers to choose other forums smaller community gatherings or telephone town halls to discuss the issues with voters. Theyre running away from the people because they know how badly people have been hurt by what theyre doing, said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, and the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus said, I think many House Republicans have to make a choice about whether they want to fulfill their job title as representative, where they can have a town hall and actually speak honestly to their constituents, or whether they want to change their job title to Elon Musk employee. As Trump and Musk bulldoze through the federal government, Republican leaders are looking to cut even further, enshrining the reductions and other changes to Medicaid, food stamps and other programs into law as part of the budget process. They are hoping to reach some $2 trillion in cuts to help finance some $4.5 trillion tax breaks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outside groups, including Indivisible, which led powerful demonstrations during the first Trump turn, are organizing in communities nationwide as voters opposed to the president's agenda seeks ways to show their discontent. It has all left rank-and-file Republicans struggling to keep pace with the onslaught. Asked in recent days what they have to say to fired federal workers, the GOP lawmakers have not always had a ready response. No pain, no gain, Marshall told the Associated Press last week. Marshall the senator from Kansas said voters understand that the U.S. government is running a nearly $2 trillion deficit, piling onto the debt load and that changes need to be made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think a lot of people understand that theres going to be some short term pain for the opportunity for long term gain," he said. "I think people overall very happy to see the cut, in the federal spending. Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming said she's supportive of Musk and his team, but I still feel sorry for people who are losing their jobs. Her message to those fired federal workers was to think about the other Americans who are also struggling to get by. Youve got to think about the people who are paying for all this government," she said. We have too much government. Republican Sen. Rick Scott said, Thats what President Trump got elected to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked about his message to those whove been fired and are out of work, Scott said that I'll do everything I can to be helpful to them. Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas said he supports DOGE, as a concept." But he said, "I think you got to be careful as to how you do it. His advice to fired federal workers? "Just be patient. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said while government funding remains important in particular areas, for cancer research and the National Institutes of Health, I think Elon Musks leadership and Doge has been terrific." "It has been refreshing. It has been desperately needed, and I am cheering him on each and every day. A combination of driving under the influence of drugs and speeding resulted in a fiery Cybertruck crash that killed three college students and injured a fourth in Piedmont last year, according to the California Highway Patrol. Shortly after 3 a.m. on Nov. 27, a Tesla Cybertruck speeding along Hampton Road east of Sea View Avenue veered off the roadway, jumped a curb and bounced off a tree. The impact caused the truck to veer to the left, where it smashed into a retaining wall and caught fire, according to the CHP report. Three people Soren Dixon, 19, Jack Nelson, 20, and Krysta Tsukahara, 19 suffered major burns and blunt-force trauma and were pronounced dead at the scene. Their deaths were caused by asphyxia due to inhalation of smoke from the car, with burns being a "significant condition" in the fatalities, according to autopsy reports obtained by The Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dixon, who authorities say was driving the Cybertruck, had a blood-alcohol content of 0.195%, more than twice the legal limit for drivers of legal drinking age, according to his toxicology report. Cocaine was also detected in Dixon's, Nelson's and Tsukahara's blood, the toxicology reports show. The CHP report does not specify whether the vehicle's self-driving features were in use at the time of the crash. Read more: USC student among three young adults killed in Tesla crash in Piedmont A fourth person, Jordan Miller, was pulled from the vehicle after the crash by a witness. Miller, 20, suffered major burns and internal injuries but survived, according to the CHP report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The students were 2023 graduates of Piedmont High School who were home from college visiting for Thanksgiving. Dixon was a sophomore biological sciences major at USC. Nelson was a sophomore at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and Tsukahara was a sophomore at the Savannah College of Art and Design, according to their families. It is not clear what caused the Cybertruck to catch fire. The CHP's Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team will conduct its own investigation of the crash in the coming months. That probe likely will be finished in roughly four to six months, said CHP spokesperson Sgt. Andrew Barclay. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has previously investigated deadly crashes involving Teslas partially automated vehicles, has not opened an investigation into the crash, an agency spokesperson told The Times on Monday. In the hours before the crash, Dixon, Nelson, Tsukahara and Miller had been at a "get-together" with some other friends, according to the CHP report. At the event, Dixon "consumed approximately eight alcoholic beverages ranging from beer and vodka," the report states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Officials piece together what happened in Cybertruck crash in California that killed 3 college students After leaving the gathering, the group went to Dixon's house so he could pick up the Cybertruck. They were on their way to Miller's house when the crash occurred. Another friend who was driving separately, a few minutes behind the group in the Cybertruck, saw the crashed vehicle and used a tree branch to break the vehicle's right passenger window to rescue Miller. The person tried to break the other windows to help the rest of the occupants, but the fire quickly spread through the rest of the vehicle, according to the CHP report. Piedmont Police Chief Jeremy Bowers said at the time of the crash that dispatchers got an iPhone alert from a passenger in the Cybertruck about 3:10 a.m. The Tesla was engulfed in flames by the time officers arrived at the scene, according to Bowers. 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. Mar. 3SPENCERVILLE A residential fire resulted in an evacuation but no injuries Sunday in Spencerville. The Invincible Fire Co., of Spencerville arrived at a residential structural fire scene at 123 Oakland Ave. around 11 a.m. Sunday morning. According to photos on the Inv A second alarm was called, and crews from Buckland, Delphos, and American Township fire departments assisted with the fire. The American Fire Department also posted about its response to the fire on its Facebook page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Invincible Fire Co. Chief Doug Lowry, the fire was under control within 30 minutes to an hour. Residents were inside the home at the time of the fire and were safely evacuated when agencies arrived. According to the Invincible Fire Co., of Spencerville Facebook page, crews were back on scene around 3 p.m. Sunday after the fire rekindled. According to photographs posted on both fire departments' Facebook pages, fire damage is visible on an upper floor of the structure. The cause of the fire and the estimated value of loss will be determined Monday. According to the Allen County Auditor's Office, the residence is owned by Donal and Martha Caudill. Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351 Featured Local Savings Florida is a popular travel destination for spring break, and it might be the most popular state to visit if you happen to live in Indiana. The Indianapolis International Airport is expecting a "tremendously busy spring break and summer" this year in large part because of Florida travel, officials said. By mid-February, passengers had booked more than a thousand March flights from Indianapolis to the Sunshine State, according to numbers requested by IndyStar. Here's what you should know if you're flying from Indianapolis to Florida this month. When is Spring Break 2025? Spring break for high schools in most of central Indiana begins mid-March the earliest (Greenfield-Central Community Schools) starting March 10. Spring break will end for most other central Indiana high schools by April 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State schools, such as IU Bloomington and Purdue University, will have spring break from March 16-23. What spring break Florida cities are popular in 2025? Here in Indiana, were seeing Hoosiers making spring break travel plans for Florida as well as the Caribbean, Europe and Asia, said Christina Griffiths, spokesperson for AAA Hoosier Motor Club in a February news release. Four of the top ten domestic spring break locations in 2025, writes AAA, are Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Tampa. Story will continue after photo gallery. How many people fly from Indianapolis to Florida during spring break? A lot. By mid-February, passengers had booked upwards of 177,000 scheduled seats on 1,043 flights to Florida at Indianapolis International Airport in March, representing a third of all total departures. That's only slightly less than what airport officials observed in 2024, considered a record-breaking year for spring break travel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "March 2024 remains the highest scheduled capacity month of all time to Florida," an airport spokesperson said in a message to IndyStar. The spokesperson said 181,000 scheduled seats were booked for that year. Visiting Florida: Is it the Gulf of America or Gulf of Mexico? It's both, depending on where you live. Americans traveling this year to the Sunshine State will do so presumably to enjoy Florida's many theme parks or to swim in the Gulf of America. President Donald Trump's decision to rebrand the body of water became official last month. Store continues after photo gallery from Spring Break 2024. Popular online map applications such as Google, Apple and Bing have since updated their maps to the Gulf of America unless you're navigating by MapQuest, then it's still the Gulf of Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gulf name will appear differently for people in other countries, Google explained in a social media post, saying: "When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. Where can I park at Indianapolis International Airport? There are several places to park at Indianapolis International Airport, which a multilevel parking garage close to the terminal, an economy lot with shuttle service to the terminal, valet parking and a cellphone lot, allowing a place for people to park until passengers have landed and claimed baggage. Airport officials recommend doing this these things before your flight: Always check your flight status with the airline before you arrive at the airport. Arrive a full two hours ahead of the departure time to get checked in, through security, and to the gate in plenty of time before boarding call. Download the airlines mobile app for all pertinent travel update. Use a mobile boarding pass or print boarding passes ahead of time. Download the MyTSA app for 24/7 access to the most frequently requested airport security information, including helpful tips for preparing for security, including a searchable database of items that can and cant go in checked or carry-on bags. Pack smart check for prohibited items and follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule. Learn more at: tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/refresh-your-memory-liquid-rules. When is the first day of spring 2025? Thursday, March 20, is the first day of spring this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More about spring: Indiana's winter needs to chill out. What day does spring start in 2025? John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Flying to Florida from Indiana for spring break? Expect a crowded flight SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) The iconic clock tower in Springfield was added to the Endangered Historic Resources list. This clock tower has been something that has added to the citys skyline for decades. The Campanile has been out of working order for a long time, but the Springfield Preservation Trust hopes that awareness will result in state funding. Auditor refuses meeting with Senate committee The 275-foot clock tower needs over $25 million to restore the building to working order. This would include repairing the crumbling stone and fixing the inoperable bells and clocks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 22News spoke with the president of the Springfield Preservation Trust, Erica Swallow, who explained why they decided to spotlight the Campanile. This is an iconic building in the Springfield skyline, Swallow said. Something thats close to the heart of the city, so we feel that its a structure that we should be trying to prioritize. Swallow also said this new budget could allow for an observation deck and a learning center to be added to the clock tower, to teach visitors about Springfields history. The Campanile joins 13 other buildings on the endangered list. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) A thought-provoking discussion was held Monday night during Springfield Colleges 12th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture. The panelist featured state senator Adam Gomez, president of Mount Holyoke College Danielle Holley, and Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services CEO Shannon Rudder. The discussion covered a wide variety of topics related to MLK Jr. and his legacy. The guest speakers were also asked to reflect on the current social and political climate under the new presidential administration, especially as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives disband nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You cannot celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King and not believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion, says Honey. To me, this kind of Santa-Claus-ification of Dr king is something that when we celebrate the holiday. We have to fight actively against that, I encourage people to read more than just, I want my children to be recognized for the content of their character and not the color of their skin. The lecture also celebrated the 61st anniversary of Dr. Kings commencement address to Springfield College back in 1964. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Tariffs on Mexico and Canada begin Tuesday, March 4, along with an increase for tariffs on China. The tariffs, you know, theyre all set, President Donald Trump said. They go into effect tomorrow. President Trump said he has decided to move forward with 25% tariffs on nearly all goods imported from Mexico and Canada. The 10% tariffs already on China will also go up to 20%. Im against the tariffs, said Springfield resident Ida Moncrief. I think that its going to raise everything so high. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Total Wine & More building Springfield superstore Moncrief said she is worried about how these tariffs will impact people on social security like herself. This is not the first time that tariffs have been used in our governments, said Springfield resident Tracy Thomas. Thomas believes if there needs to be a rebalance, then it should take place. Its a complicated subject because our economies are interwoven, Thomas said. On the other hand, the burden cant only be borne by the United States. Trump also announced incoming tariffs on steel and aluminum that would increase the price of items like cars and appliances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We already support our government and the tariffs arent going to help anybody but the rich, Moncrief said. And thats not fair to the normal Americans like us who work for a living or have Social Security. Its not fair. We cant afford it. Whataburger opens in Branson, hiring 65 local employees Some things may go up, some things may come back down, Thomas said. Other manufacturing may be stronger in the U.S. on those things that we presently depend on, Mexico, for example. So I think we can expect a rebalancing. Trump said the countries trying to take advantage of the United States will be punished by these tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a very powerful weapon that politicians havent used because they were either dishonest, stupid or paid off in some other form, Trump said. And now were using them. 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum are planned to take effect on Wednesday, March 12. Trump also announced tariffs on external agriculture products that would begin in April. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Twenty-one Springfield Public Schools educators have been selected as recipients of the 2024 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching awards, recognizing their outstanding contributions to students, schools, and the community. The award winners will be celebrated during the Springfield School Committee meeting on April 10, and later at a regional banquet at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on May 13. Six Holyoke educators awarded for excellence in teaching Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The annual awards, presented by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, honor educators across western Massachusetts who demonstrate dedication, innovation, and leadership in their schools. The initiative is supported locally by the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, among other community partners. We are grateful to the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation and the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation for their unwavering support, which has made this award a lasting tradition within Springfield Public Schools, said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sonia Dinnall. To the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Class of 2024 congratulations! Your dedication fuels the belief that every student has the power to succeed. This honor reflects the impact you make every day. Embrace it with pride, knowing that you are educating to empower and inspiring the future. 2024 Springfield Public Schools Award Recipients: Gina Lamoureux, Elias Brookings Elementary School, Grade 1 Special Education Stephanie Roszko, Elias Brookings Elementary School, Math Instructional Leadership Specialist Patricia Clark, Frank H. Freedman Elementary School, Grade 3 Classroom Teacher Grace Ribeiro, German Gerena School, Grade 5 ELA Teacher Anne Carmichael, Hiram L. Dorman Elementary School, Grade 5 ELA Teacher Jared Leone, John J. Duggan Academy, Grade 11/12 History and Law Teacher Lisa Gagnon, Liberty Elementary School, K-2 Special Education (LINKS) Megan Kieselback, Lincoln Elementary School, Grade 2 Classroom Teacher Jennifer Jones, Lincoln Elementary School, Grade 1 Classroom Teacher Laura Rapa, Rebecca M. Johnson Elementary School, Grade 3 Classroom Teacher Jamie Pirog, Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, Geography Teacher Yaveiska Alicea-Figueroa, Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, ELA Teacher Erika Cruz, Special Education Department, K-12 Behavioral Specialist Kathryn Hakanson-Stacy, Springfield Central High School, MLL Algebra Teacher Michael Bagge, Springfield Central High School, AP Biology Teacher James MacKay, Springfield Central High School, Algebra I Teacher Emma Giordano, Van Sickle Academy, Grade 8 ELA Teacher Morgan Healy, Van Sickle Academy, Grade 7 Adjustment Counselor Sandra Robinson, White Street School, Grade 5 Classroom Teacher Takara Weir, William N. DeBerry Elementary School, Grade 2 Classroom Teacher New Teacher Awardee: Natalie Rauh, Hiram L. Dorman Elementary School, Grade 3 Classroom Teacher Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each award recipient will receive a $250 check, an engraved plaque, and additional benefits such as tuition incentives from several local colleges and universities, including: Elms College American International College Bay Path University Mount Holyoke College Springfield College Western New England University Westfield State University University of Massachusetts Other perks include a WGBY membership, providing access to a wide range of digital educational resources, and a complimentary three-month membership to the Springfield Jewish Community Center or a regional YMCA. The awards program, now a longstanding tradition in the district, is made possible through the support of several local organizations and sponsors, including American International College, Arrha Credit Union, Country Bank, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These educators are making a lasting difference in the lives of their students and the success of Springfield Public Schools, Dinnall said. Their hard work and dedication continue to inspire us all. 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. March 3 (UPI) -- The decommissioned luxury liner SS United States, dating back to 1952, completed its final journey Monday from South Philadelphia to Alabama, where it will undergo preparations before it is sunk in the waters off Florida's Gulf Coast to become the world's largest artificial reef. The massive 72-year-old ship, which was retired in 1969, will be submerged after more than six months of work in Mobile to insure that the vessel is environmentally safe, Okaloosa County wrote in an email to UPI. The work will include removing old fuel, paint and wiring and will be done in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Environmental Protection. The ship, which is made entirely of metal, is expected to be submerged about 20 nautical miles south of Destin-Fort Walton Beach in Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are proud to continue the story of this historic vessel as an artificial reef along with the land-based museum," Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon said Monday. "I applaud the Destin-Fort Walton Beach team in their efforts to succeed in this important next step and look forward to the immense impact she will continue to have on the lives of those who appreciate her history." The SS United States, which remains the largest passenger ship ever built in the United States with the capacity to hold 1,984 passengers, will provide a "much-needed habitat for a variety of marine species like grouper, snapper, mackerel and tuna." The plan is to cut holes throughout the ship to make sure it lands upright and to provide openings for marine life. It will also become a "worldwide hub for divers." The SS United States, which once held the transatlantic speed record between the United States and Europe at an average speed of more than 41 mph, departed South Philadelphia nearly two weeks ago and was towed by several tugs along the Atlantic Coast and around the southern tip of Florida. It arrived in Alabama on Monday. Photo courtesy of Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department The luxury liner, which measures 990 feet long, will provide diving opportunities for both beginners and technical drivers. The depth of the reef is expected to be 180 feet to the bottom and about 55 feet to the upper deck. "As the World's Largest Artificial Reef, the story of the SSUS will be told to thousands of divers from around the world as they explore her unique design and features," the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department said in a news release last month. "She will also benefit her surrounding ecosystem and become home to countless marine species that will thrive from the presence of her structure." A tugboat pulls the SS United States as it travels from South Philadelphia to Mobile, Alabama, where it arrived Monday to undergo preparations to become the world's largest artificial reef off Florida's Gulf Coast. Photo courtesy of Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department The SS United States, which once held the transatlantic speed record between the United States and Europe at an average speed of more than 41 mph, departed South Philadelphia nearly two weeks ago and was towed by several tugs along the Atlantic Coast and around the southern tip of Florida to Alabama. Its journey was delayed last year after Coast Guard officials questioned its seaworthiness amid storm activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among its esteemed passengers during its 17-year run, were comedian Bob Hope, actor John Wayne, Princess Grace of Monaco, artist Salvadore Dali, actress Rita Hayworth and former President Harry Truman. The ship had spent the last 29 years docked on the Delaware River in Philadelphia after falling into disrepair. Onlookers watch as the decommissioned luxury liner SS United States, dating back to 1952, makes its final journey from South Philadelphia to Alabama, where it will undergo preparations before it is sunk in the waters off Florida's Gulf Coast to become the world's largest artificial reef. Photo courtesy of Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department The SS United States' two smoke stacks remain the world's tallest at 65 feet each, which is about the size of a six-story building. The two funnels will be removed before its sinking and will be placed in an onshore museum, which will also house other artifacts from the ship. The entire project -- which includes acquiring the luxury liner, getting it ready to be submerged and building the museum -- is expected to cost $10.1 million. ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WKRG) When it comes to sinking things in the Gulf Weve sank dredges and ships and barges and tugboats and all kind of stuff David Walter, owner of Walter Marine in Orange Beach, is the go-to-guy. He has done it more than two dozen times from Texas to Florida. But sinking a ship is not as easy as you might think, The most difficult part is planning to sink it. First, it has to be cleaned. It is an enormous job they have ahead of them. It has to be cleaned well enough to eat off, Walter said. Mobile woman charged with manslaughter after deadly crash: MPD Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2013, the 270-foot freighter the Yokuma docked at Walter Marine to begin the process of removing oil, and any asbestos, stripping any lead paint, any and everything to make it safe for sinking. The same will have to be done for the SS United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is a big ship going in there and cleaning all that out. A lot of the cabins have all been stripped but down in the engine room you still got the engines and all that and its going to be difficult, said Walter. When it comes to the actual sinking, Walter uses a more controlled method by cutting holes in the hull and sides that can be unplugged once she is out to sea. You have to get the hull full of water before the top goes down and if that is not planned properly it could turn over or land on its side, said Walter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sinking of the Yokuma, renamed The Lulu, was the best-case scenario. She sits upright, a little more than 55 feet below the surface and is full of sea life. With any luck, the SS United States will join her in about a year or 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 WKRG News 5. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) SSM Health St. Anthony hospital leaders announced the groundbreaking ceremony of a 22-month construction project for a new west entrance to be named the Love Family Entrance. According to the hospital, the entrance will improve accessibility to the hospitals services for patients, guests, physicians and employees while also starting the next phase of the SaintsForward capital campaign that seek to expand the hospitals Mission in the thriving Midtown area. SSM Health St. Anthony hospital breaks ground on Love Family Entrance, Image courtesy SSM Health St. Anthony hospital To jumpstart the philanthropy effort hospital officials say the Love family gave $5 million to fund the SaintsForward campaign in making the Love Family Entrance a reality. Additionally, Toms parents, F.C. and Margaret Love, were notable volunteers and benefactors of the hospital, says SSM Health St. Anthony leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Loves Travel Stops Co-founder Judy Love passes at 87 We are grateful for the decades of support and visionary leadership of the Love Family. The Love Family has a legacy of supporting our Mission to bring health, hope and healing to Oklahomans, especially those who are most vulnerable. As such, the Love Family pledged the single largest donation to the St. Anthony Foundation in its 62-year history. We appreciate the additional donors who are following the Love Familys lead, including The Chickasaw Nation, among others. Joe Hodges, Regional President, SSM Health Oklahoma SSM Health St. Anthony hospital breaks ground on Love Family Interior Entrance, Image courtesy SSM Health St. Anthony hospital Founder of Loves Travel Stops dies in Oklahoma at age 85 SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital and Bone & Joint Hospital President Tammy Powell acknowledged the impact of the new entrance saying, Great attention has been given to every detail associated with the Love Family Entrance project, including features of comfort and safety, she stated. South of the new entrance will be an outdoor courtyard and spacious lawn to serve as a respite for patients, families or staff who want to enjoy a welcoming outdoor experience. We have been thoughtful about what is needed to move Saints forward into the future and mindful of being good stewards of the funds donated to us for this purpose to have a lasting impact for our patients and community. St. Anthony hospital still seeks the communitys help and support to raise the remaining $1.5 million, with giving everyone a transformative opportunity to give, after a generous $2 million challenge grant from the Mabee Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you are looking for a way to make a lasting impact on SSM Health Oklahoma hospitals future, ensuring a space for patients, families, and caregivers consider a gift by contacting 405-272-7070 or visit givetossmhealth.org/WestEntrance 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. SAINT ALBANS, Vt. (ABC22 FOX44) People in the City of Saint Albans will have a big decision to make tomorrow. A more than $14 million budget is in front of them, which supporters say will help battle growing crime and drug use. This budget puts public safety above everything else. My feeling about it is that were really aligned with council and community priorities, and Im hopeful the voters will see it that way tomorrow, said Saint Albans Director of Finance, Sarah Macy. Last summer, hundreds of people gathered at public forums, demanding more be done to address increasing crime in Saint Albans. Over the past year, Macy says, the city has combined its police force with the Town of Saint Albans and has added a fully staffed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement street crimes unit. The current budget, she says, will allow the city to continue those efforts and expand the police force. Kaylie Collins, who works at the Saint Albans Free Library, will be voting in support of the budget on Tuesday. She says the library was subject to multiple breaks-in and burglaries over the summer. I feel like theyre definitely on the right track, but there are still issues remaining with drug use and we still have had a few thefts. I feel like they need more resources, they need our support, she said. Justin Gautier, who moved to Saint Albans in January, says he hopes his financial support will allow the city to offer resources to those who need it most. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Help the homeless, help the people in need. They need help. If voters approve the budget, roughly 5 million dollars will come from property taxes, costing people roughly $188 more for the year. Saint Albans residents will be able to vote at the city hall on March 4 from 7 a.m. until 7 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 ABC22 & FOX44. ST. LOUIS A man accused of multiple robberies from Facebook Marketplace meetups in St. Louis this year is now behind bars. Jerod Scott, 27, of St. Louis, has been charged with 10 felonies and two misdemeanors in connection with a series of robberies linked to online transaction, according to the St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office. New legal trouble for St. Louis Sheriff over alleged false arrest According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, Scott robbed at least four victims, including at least three at gunpoint, after setting up bogus transactions on Facebook Marketplace. Scott reportedly robbed victims of items such as a cell phone, a lamp, shoes and two electric fireplaces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The robberies occurred at various locations in the City of St. Louis between Jan. 25 and March 2. After the latest robbery, police executed a search warrant at Scotts home, where they discovered multiple firearms, some loaded, and two unattended three-year old children. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Scott was arrested on Monday and booked into jail in St. Louis without bond, per Missouri court records. The Circuit Attorneys Office charged Scott with three counts of first-degree robbery, three counts of armed criminal action, three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of stealing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. ST. LOUIS A St. Louis man appeared in criminal court Monday and pleaded guilty to several charges in connection with a 2023 rape in the citys Old North St. Louis neighborhood. Octavius A. Whittaker, 33, was scheduled to go to trial this week at St. Louis Circuit Court. He pleaded guilty to first-degree rape, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, and two counts of armed criminal action. The Circuit Attorneys Office dismissed seven other charges as part of a plea agreement. The violent attack happened just after 10 p.m. on Jan. 17, 2023. The victim was at a bar in the 1300 block of St. Louis Avenue with her twin sister when she stepped outside to get something from her car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As she leaned into the passenger seat, a masked Whittaker pointed a gun at her head and demanded her car keys. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News When the victim said she didnt have her keys, Whittaker forced her to a nearby alley at gunpoint and raped her. After the assault, Whittaker told the woman to walk away without looking back at him. She went back into the bar, where she told her sister and contacted the police. According to detectives, a rape examination revealed DNA belonging to Whittaker. About two weeks prior, Whittaker held another woman at gunpoint, just a mile from the bar. In that investigation, police said Whittaker a woman into an apartment on Preservation Place near North 16th in St. Louis. He grabbed the womans keys and phone but dropped everything and fled after discovering another person in the apartment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court records also show Whittaker was convicted in 2017 for felony aggravated battery in St. Clair County, Illinois. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A 37-year-old St. Paul man has been sentenced to three years of probation for exchanging a flurry of gunshots with another man outside a White Bear Lake bar in 2023. Charles Edward Stevens-Thigpen was shot in the thigh and turned himself in to police two days after the shootout at Docs Landing, telling them it followed an argument over a spilled drink. The charges say Kardell Baraka Otae Jackson fired off a shot at Stevens-Thigpen, who had rounded the corner of the bar, barely missing him. The two men fired 13 rounds at each other in the parking lot, including one that grazed a 48-year-old man who was sitting in the bar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A bullet was found lodged in a dart machine, and three bullet holes were discovered in the bars roofline. In July, Stevens-Thigpen pleaded guilty in Ramsey County District Court to second-degree assault. Jackson, 51, of St. Paul, faces the same charge and also two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. His case is scheduled to go before a jury March 19. Surveillance video According to the charging documents, officers were called to the bar along White Bear Avenue just north of Interstate 694 shortly before 1 a.m. Sept. 24, 2023. The shooters had fled but were soon identified as Stevens-Thigpen and Jackson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Surveillance video showed that Stevens-Thigpen and Jackson got into a heated dispute inside the bar. At one point, Jackson held a pool cue as if he was going to strike Stevens-Thigpen with it. Two women and a man intervened and blocked Stevens-Thigpen and Jackson from one another. Jackson ran to his Chevrolet Tahoe with Stevens-Thigpen following a few seconds behind with a pistol in his hands. Jackson fired off a shot at Stevens-Thigpen, who took cover behind a Tesla, and the two men exchanged gunfire, the charges say. Stevens-Thigpen nearly shot a woman who ran toward the Tahoe. Jackson helped her get into the SUV before he again shot at Stevens-Thigpen. Stevens-Thigpen grimaced and began to favor his right leg, the charges say. As Jackson and the woman fled the parking lot, Stevens-Thigpen fired three to four more rounds at the Tahoe. He ran to a GMC Denali and also fled. Turned over gun Police say a man called 911 to report he was trying to drive to the hospital after he had been shot in the leg. Officers tried to make contact with the caller, but he didnt answer their return calls. The phone number was associated with Stevens-Thigpen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stevens-Thigpen voluntarily went to the police department two days later, turning over a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun to police when he arrived. Stevens-Thigpen told police he was at the bar when he bumped into a table, knocking a glass of soda onto his ex-girlfriends sister. He said that caused an argument with the woman, who was Jacksons girlfriend, and Jackson intervened. The man told me that he got something for my (expletive) ass and hes gonna pop me, Stevens-Thigpen said at his July 8 plea hearing. Stevens-Thigpen said he went to his Denali to get his 9mm as a precaution. He said when he saw Jackson in the parking lot, Jackson fired at him. He returned gunfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe four shots were fired before I fired my first shot, Stevens-Thigpen said at his plea hearing. He said he went to a doctor the next day because of severe bleeding from his injury, and that his family convinced him to talk to police. Jackson was arrested Sept. 27 in the parking lot of his workplace. His Tahoe had three bullet holes to its passenger side. He denied firing a gun at the bar. Officers executed a search warrant on his Tahoe and recovered a Glock 9mm handgun, the charges say. Imperfect self-defense Stevens-Thigpen entered a straight plea to the felony charge, meaning there was no agreement between the defense and the prosecution on the terms of his sentence. Related Articles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A conviction carries up to seven years in prison. Since he had no previous felony convictions, the state guideline sentence was a three-year prison term. In arguing for a downward departure, his attorney, Alex Kyes, told Judge Andrew Gordon the offense is substantially less serious than the typical offense as it constituted imperfect self-defense because his client was not the initial and primary aggressor. He noted he cooperated with law enforcement. Gordon imposed a stay of imposition, meaning the conviction will become a misdemeanor as long as he follows conditions of his three years of supervised probation. The prosecution did not object to the departure. LYONS, Kan. (KSNW) A staff member at a central Kansas school is being accused of misconduct with a student. The Rice County attorney told KSN News that the case involved a Lyons High School employee and a juvenile. The case of an alleged incident between a minor and an employee at the high school is currently under review and awaiting additional evidence in this case, said Rice County Attorney Remington Dalke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senator Roger Marshall booed at northwest Kansas town hall The districts superintendent, Bill Day, says there is no evidence the reported misconduct happened on school property or during school hours. The staff member, whose name has not been released, is on leave. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, 4 March. Starmer had spoken with US President Donald Trump on the phone the day before, 3 March. Source: a UK government spokesperson, as reported by European Pravda, citing Sky News Details: Starmer welcomed Zelenskyy's "steadfast commitment to securing peace", Downing Street said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He briefed Zelenskyy on his discussion with Trump the previous night, emphasising that it was "vital that all parties worked towards a lasting and secure peace for Ukraine as soon as possible". "Underscoring that any peace for Ukraine needed to be lasting and secure, the prime minister said no one wanted peace more than Ukraine," the spokesperson noted. Zelenskyy noted that he and Starmer had discussed "the current developments" and exchanged visions of the next steps. "We are coordinating our positions and doing everything to achieve guaranteed peace as soon as possible and bring an end to this war. Peace is needed for all of us. A just peace with clear security guarantees. Together with the leadership of the United States and all of Europe, this is absolutely achievable," Zelenskyy wrote on X (Twitter). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also expressed gratitude to Starmer "for the advice and support during this challenging time". "We will always remember everything the British people have done for Ukrainians and our shared security," Zelenskyy tweeted. Background: Starmers conversation with Zelenskyy came after the Ukrainian president tweeted that he was ready to "work under President Trump's strong leadership to achieve a lasting peace". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump to discuss Ukraine on 3 March. Source: Starmers spokesperson, cited by Sky News, as reported by European Pravda Details: The spokesperson said that Starmer and Trump share the same goal ensuring a secure and lasting peace in Ukraine. However, the spokesperson declined to answer whether Trump had informed Starmer of his plans to halt military aid to Ukraine. Background: On 4 February, US media reported that Trump had ordered a halt to all military aid to Ukraine until he sees that its leadership "demonstrates goodwill toward peace". His decision also affects weapons shipments that had already left US territory and were en route to the Ukrainian border. Later, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed reports of the US halting aid to Ukraine, citing information from the border and the US assistance hub in Jasionka. WSJ reported that Trumps decision to freeze aid to Ukraine was supported by all his top advisers, and the US president made the move after hearing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy say the war could last a long time. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! New Jerseyans were not pleased when black bear hunting season opened in October and December. What's happening? The annual proceeding allows the killing of up to 11,000 bears, but conservationists say proponents' claims that they're protecting human life are disingenuous, ABC News reported in October. "Bear hunts are not necessary to reduce the number of bear-human interactions," former state Sen. Ray Lesniak said in a public meeting in 2022, regarding the initial reinstatement of the annual hunt after a multiyear ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are restrictions. Hunters can only kill one bear, they cannot hunt an adult bear in the presence of cubs or near bait, and a targeted bear must be at least 75 pounds. Why is this important? The number of black bears in New Jersey has increased since the 1980s, ABC News reported, and populations increased significantly between 2019 and 2020, according to the news outlet, based on New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection data. But Gov. Phil Murphy campaigned on banning bear hunts, which were not allowed in his first four years in office. The hunt in 2024 marked the third straight year of the sanctioned season. Similar dubiously successful hunting programs exist in other states, including Alaska, where the helicopter hunting of bears and wolves could be reinstated, ostensibly to protect moose and caribou. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While bears and other wildlife do attack people and interact with communities, those events can largely be attributed to habitat destruction, the changing climate, and animals' natural instincts, the BBC reported. That's why it's important to know what to do if you encounter a black bear. (Be loud, don't run, and slowly back away, according to the New Jersey DEP.) In general, it's best to stay away from fauna, their offspring, and their food and practice responsible behaviors, such as cleaning up campsites of food, so bears and other creatures can remain wild and don't become dependent on humans for survival. What's being done about black bears in New Jersey? "Analysis of data from New Jersey reveals no correlation between the number of bears killed and human safety," Wendy Keefover, Humane Society senior strategist for native carnivore protection, told ABC News. "Instead, researchers know that the most effective way for reducing conflicts with bears is to reduce access to human-food attractants." Keefover said residents should use bear-resistant trash cans and remove bird feeders. It's also best to keep pets on leashes and practice safe composting, among other guidelines provided by the state DEP. 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. UPDATE (4:17 PM, March 4) State Police say that the driver of the pickup truck 62-year-old Sebastian Domenico Jr. of Rome has turned himself in voluntarily. Domenico was issued tickets for: Operating a motor vehicle without an inspection certificate, Leaving the scene of a property damage accident, Moving from the lane unsafely, and Driving on the shoulder of a controlled access highway. WESTMORELAND, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) New York State Police are asking for the publics help in a hit-and-run accident in Westmoreland last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers responded to the accident on Route 233 in the Town of Westmoreland just before 5 pm on Thursday, February 27. Further investigation found that the pickup truck shown in the picture above was traveling southbound on Route 233. The truck attempted to pass a vehicle that was turning right into the post office on Route 233. As it passed on the western shoulder, the truck struck the vehicle. According to officers, the other vehicle suffered damage to its passenger side quarter panel and headlight. Police say the truck then pulled into the Westmo Car Wash a short distance away, and a middle-aged white male stepped out to inspect the damage. The driver exited the parking lot, continuing southbound on Route 233 without contacting the other vehicle. According to police, the truck has no license plate and the rear plate is obscured by dirt. As shown in the picture, the truck features a red tailgate with the letters MAGA in white lettering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If anyone has any information on the incident, they are encouraged to contact the headquarters of Troop D of the New York State Police in Oneida at 315-366-6000. When contacting the New York State Police, you are asked to refer to case number #NY2500166577. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com. NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) A man from Arizona was arrested on I-91 in Northampton after allegedly driving erratically with speeds of approximately 80 miles per hour. Massachusetts State Police Sergeant Gregory Jones told 22News that Tuesday morning, the Northampton Police Department called for assistance to I-91 north at the 35-mile marker for a vehicle travelling in and out of all lanes erratically. Connecticut man arrested for driving with dog tied to vehicle Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Northampton officers were able to use stop sticks to make contact with the vehicle in an attempt to stop the driver who was allegedly speeding approximately 80 MPH in a Toyota Prius. The suspect, identified as a 57-year-old man from Rimrock, Arizona, was taken into custody and brought to the hospital in an ambulance for evaluation. Snapshot from video sent to 22News from Jonathan Cooper Snapshot from video sent to 22News from Jonathan Cooper State police say that they cannot confirm if he had a weapon at this time. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. UPDATE @ 8:25 a.m. A busy road is back open after being closed for several hours overnight after a car crashed into a utility pole. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) troopers responded at 11:35 p.m. to reports of a crash on State Route 235 and Hilltop Road. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SR-235 from Ludlow Road to US 68 was closed for several hours while crews repaired a utility line. Dispatchers told News Center 7 that the road was reopened after the Ohio Department of Transportation made repairs. A car crashed into a power pole and caused lines to come down. The crash remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby, will hold a town hall Friday in Joplin to discuss utility rates and the impact of a bill that just passed the Missouri Senate on how rates are set across the state. Rising utility costs, reliability issues and the future of our energy these are real concerns for our community, Carter said in a Facebook post announcing the town hall meeting. In just four days, were bringing everyone to the table, including representatives from Liberty Utilities and the Office of the Public Counsel. This is your chance to ask questions, share concerns and get straight answers. Lets tackle these challenges together. The Office of Public Counsel represents ratepayers before the Missouri Public Service Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting is set for 6:30-9 p.m. at the Anderson Justice Center at Missouri Southern State University, 3950 Newman Road in Joplin. The Missouri Public Service Commission opened an investigation Feb. 26 into Libertys billing practices and customer service across the companys electric, natural gas and water businesses in Missouri. The commission instructed its staff to look into issues after receiving complaints over numerous cases coming before the PSC over several months. Carter said the meeting had been in the works before the PSC announced its probe and was prompted by the Senate passing Senate Bill 4, which would make numerous changes to how rates are determined and how utilities are reimbursed for the investments they make into plants and utility infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That bill passed the Senate and was sent to the Missouri House on Wednesday. Theres a lot of fear that its going to raise rates and its going to change the dynamics of calculating cost of infrastructure and all kinds of things, Carter said Monday. It is a reworking of utilities and how they function in our state. Carter said she invited Liberty officials to her office to meet and discuss the Senate bill and concerns of constituents. They came to her office Feb. 25, and she asked if the utility would be willing to come to a town hall to help customers with their bills. Carter said she voted against the bill, which passed the Senate on a 22-11 vote, but she wanted to help inform her constituents about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well have the Office of Public Counsel there, who is working behind the scenes with me on this utility bill and making it better, Carter said. I think they will be able to answer a lot of questions in regards to what utilities look like in the future for Missourians. Liberty representatives will be there to help with the bills. I have not got confirmation that a spokesman for Liberty will be there to speak with people. Liberty communities and marketing director Kelli Price said Monday the utility will have a team at the event to assist customers and will have a representative on the stage with Carter and the others to share information and respond to questions. Liberty also is asking the PSC to approve a rate increase that would increase customers electric bills by a little more than $31 for a customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month. The monthly bill for that customer would go from $167.40 to $198.68. The rate case originally filed Nov. 6, 2024, sought a $92 million revenue increase. The utility amended that request in early February to merge its fuel adjustment charge into the base rates and increase the annual revenue request to $152 million. The Office of Public Counsel and the staff of the PSC have challenged that amended request. No public hearings have been held yet on Libertys latest rate hike request. The Massachusetts Court System on Tuesday set a date for the start of jury selection in the retrial of Karen Read, the Mansfield woman who is accused in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend John OKeefe. The second murder trial in the states case against Read is scheduled to begin with jury selection in Dedhams Norfolk Superior Court on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, according to a MassCourts spokesperson. Read is accused of hitting OKeefe with her Lexus SUV in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die in a snowstorm after a night of drinking. The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying OKeefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home and dragged outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July 2024, Judge Beverly Cannone declared a mistrial after jurors in Reads first trial deadlocked. After the trial, Reads attorneys had argued that their clients double jeopardy protections were violated because several jurors who came forward after the mistrial indicated that Read was found not guilty of two of the three charges she faces, second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a deadly crash. Cannone rejected a subsequent motion to dismiss the charges, prompting an appeal to the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. The appeal to drop Reads charges was denied by the Bay States highest court in February. She is also charged with manslaughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reads attorneys next plan to appeal the SJCs ruling in federal court. In an exclusive one-on-one interview on Super Bowl Sunday, Read told Boston 25s Ted Daniel that she has nothing to hide and that shes been framed for murder. RELATED: Prosecutor in Karen Read case confirms federal investigation is over, asks for gag order for defense Get caught up with the latest developments in the Read case Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Floridians will eventually see lower property taxes, business tax cuts, budget cuts and new restrictions on petitions for constitutional amendments if lawmakers follow Gov. Ron DeSantis agenda for the legislative session. DeSantis laid out his proposals in a 30-minute State of the State speech to the Legislature on Tuesday, the first day of the 60-day regular legislative session. He touched on an array of previous legislative victories, careful to note the GOP-led Legislatures role. DeSantis enters this session after signing a new law last month to stiffen immigration enforcement by state and local law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the legislation was passed after a battle with Republican legislative leaders, House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula. Working together, we have amassed a record that is without peer anywhere else in the entire country, DeSantis said. He urged lawmakers to cut property taxes, eliminate a tax on business rents and roll back restrictions on firearms. Gov. Ron DeSantis gives his State of the State Address on opening day of the Florida legislative session, Tuesday,March 4, 2025. Perez and Albritton, along with their Republican members who enjoy a supermajority in the Legislature, will likely accommodate many of his recommendations. But DeSantis agenda could meet some resistance in a Legislature that is more prepared to push back on his plans than in recent years. For instance, DeSantis urged lawmakers not to meddle with the changes to property insurance laws they passed in December 2022, removing one-way attorney fees for those who successfully sue their insurer. He pointed to 11 new companies coming to the state while some have received small rate reductions as proof the reforms worked to stabilize the insurance market that saw skyrocketing premium hikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact is this the Florida Legislature has devoted more time and effort to address insurance reforms over the last few years than in the entire history of the state, DeSantis said. I hope that the Legislature continues these efforts. But Perez scolded insurance companies, pointing to a study, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times, that was done in 2022 but withheld from lawmakers, showing some companies moved profits to other sister entities to avoid scrutiny from regulators and the Legislature. He said hes ordering House committees to issue subpoenas and requiring industry witnesses to give testimony under oath during meetings. We have an obligation to make sure that government works for the people and it isnt the playground for a group of insiders, Perez said earlier in remarks to the House. We are the publics watchdogs. Senate President Ben Albritton calls to order the senate during the opening day of the Florida legislative session on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Albritton, too, pledged to hold insurers to greater scrutiny amid higher rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well hold insurance companies accountable for the rates they charge and the services they provide when disaster strikes, Albritton said in his own remarks in the Senate. They arent going to manipulate the system. And neither is any other industry. Not on my watch. Democrats also are seeking more oversight of insurance carriers. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of Tampa wrote to Perez and DeSantis last week asking for investigations of insurers in light of the study. She also slammed DeSantis' rosy picture of the property insurance market. "Many of his comments today about property insurance sounded like he was in a different state. He talked about property insurance rates coming down," Driskell said Tuesday after the speech. "That absolutely is not the feedback we get from our neighbors on the ground." DeSantis also wants to see more sales tax holidays on specific items, including one this summer for firearms and ammunition. Perez, though, warned against a proliferation of sales tax holidays and instead urged his members to find more meaningful, longer lasting tax cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And on gun laws, DeSantis asked lawmakers to reverse laws passed after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in Parkland in 2018 that left 17 dead, including 14 children. The Legislature banned rifle sales to those under 21. We need to be a strong Second Amendment state so lets get some positive reform done for the people of Florida, DeSantis said. Some GOP lawmakers have filed bills to repeal that provision in recent years, but they havent passed. Moreover, Albritton has said he opposes a move for open carry allowing firearms to be carried openly in public because law enforcement officials are against it. DeSantis, though, has said hell sign such a bill if it passes the Legislature. At a press conference immediately after the State of the State speech, DeSantis said he wanted to re-evaluate the state's red flag law, for example. It allows law enforcement to remove guns from someone who is deemed a threat to themselves or someone else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeSantis said he has a problem when the law puts the burden on the person to convince a court they are not a threat. The burden should be on the government, he said: "I think it's a huge due process violation." For Democrats, though, that would be reneging on a bipartisan deal after the Parkland massacre that beefed up school safety measures along with the gun control provisions. "It seems to me that were breaking our promise to the parents and students of Parkland," Driskell said. "You heard the Governor wanting to walk that back. I dont think anything he mentioned would make Floridians safer." DeSantis also called the state's homestead exemption "not adequate" to protect taxpayers and backed putting a referendum on the 2026 ballot for property tax cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, has filed a bill (SB 852) requiring a study of getting rid of property taxes altogether and making up the difference with budget cuts and sales tax increases. "We can't set price control and say, 'Okay, you know, we're going to say eggs are $1 a dozen.' If I could do that, I would. That's just not the way it works," DeSantis told reporters. "But the taxes, that's solely in control of government and 'we the people' to be able to decide how that's going. So I'm excited about the prospect of providing relief." (This story was updated to add new information.) Ana Goni-Lessan contributed. Gray Rohrer is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at grohrer@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @GrayRohrer. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: State of the State: Gov. DeSantis on property taxes, insurance Zalmai Afzali, an internal medicine doctor in n ortheast ern Virginia, had to complete a residency program in the U.S. after having already finish ed one in Afghanistan. He supports new state laws dropping a requirement that physicians who completed residency training in an other countr y go through a second residency in the United States. (Photo: Roya Qaemi) A growing number of states have made it easier for doctors who trained in other countries to get medical licenses, a shift supporters say could ease physician shortages in rural areas. The changes involve residency programs the supervised, hands-on training experience that doctors must complete after graduating medical school. Until recently, every state required physicians who completed a residency or similar training abroad to repeat the process in the U.S. before obtaining a full medical license. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2023, at least nine states have dropped this requirement for some doctors with international training, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards. More than a dozen other states are considering similar legislation. About 26% of doctors who practice in the U.S. were born elsewhere, according to the Migration Policy Institute. They need federal visas to live in the U.S., plus state licenses to practice medicine. Proponents of the new laws say qualified doctors shouldnt have to spend years completing a second residency training. Opponents worry about patient safety and doubt the licensing change will ease the doctor shortage. Lawmakers in Republican- and Democratic-leaning states have approved the idea at a time when many other immigration-related programs are under attack. They include Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump has defended a federal visa program that many foreign doctors rely on, but they could still be hampered by his broad efforts to tighten immigration rules. Supporters of the new licensing laws include Zalmai Afzali, an internal medicine doctor who finished medical school and a residency program in Afghanistan before fleeing the Taliban and coming to the U.S. in 2001. He said most physicians trained elsewhere would be happy to work in rural or other underserved areas. I would go anywhere as long as they let me work, said Afzali, who now treats patients who live in rural areas and small cities in northeastern Virginia. I missed being a physician. I missed what I did. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It took Afzali 12 years to obtain copies of his diploma and transcript, study for exams, and finish a three-year U.S.-based residency program before he could be fully licensed to practice as a doctor in his new country. But a commission of national health organizations questions whether loosening residency requirements for foreign-trained doctors would ease the shortage. Doctors in these programs could still face licensing and employment barriers, it wrote in a report that makes recommendations without taking a stance on such legislation. Erin Fraher, a health policy professor at the University of North Carolina who advises the commission and studies the issue, said lawmakers who support the changes predict they will boost the rural health workforce. But its unclear whether that will happen, she said, because the programs are just getting started. I think the potential is there, but we need to see how this pans out, Fraher said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Afzali struggled to support his family while trying to get his medical license. His jobs included working at a department store for $7.25 an hour and administering chemotherapy for $20 an hour. Afzali said nurse practitioners at the latter job had less training than him but earned nearly four times as much. I do not know how I did it, he said. I mean, you get really depressed. Many of the state bills to ease residency requirements have been based on model legislation from the Cicero Institute, a conservative think tank that sent representatives to testify to legislatures after proposing such programs in 2020. The new pathways are open only to internationally trained physicians who meet certain conditions. Common requirements include working as a physician for several years after graduating from a medical school and residency program with similar rigor to those found in the U.S. They also must pass the standard three-part exam that all physicians take to become licensed in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who qualify are granted a restricted license to practice, and most states require them to do so under supervision of another physician. They can receive full licensure after several years. About 10 of the laws or bills also require the doctors to work for several years in a rural or underserved area. But states without this requirement, such as Tennessee, may not see an impact in rural areas, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Rand Corp. argued in the New England Journal of Medicine. In addition to including that condition, states could offer incentives to rural hospitals that agree to hire doctors from the new training pathways, they wrote. Lawmakers, physicians, and health organizations that oppose the changes say there are better ways to safely increase the number of rural doctors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barbara Parker is a registered nurse and former Republican lawmaker in Arizona, where the legislature is considering a bill for at least the fourth year in a row. Its a really poor answer to the doctor shortage, said Parker, who voted against the legislation last year. Parker said making it easier for foreign-trained physicians to practice in the U.S. would unethically poach doctors from countries with greater health care needs. And she said she doubts that all international residencies are on par with those in the U.S. and worries that granting licenses to physicians who trained in them could lead to poor care for patients. She is also concerned that hospitals are trying to save money by recruiting internationally trained doctors over those trained in the U.S. The former often will accept lower pay, Parker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is driven by corporate greed, she said. Parker said better ways to increase the number of rural doctors include raising pay, expanding loan repayment programs for those who practice in rural areas, and creating accelerated training for nurse practitioners and physician assistants who want to become doctors. The advisory commission recently formed by the Federation of State Medical Boards, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and Intealth, a nonprofit that evaluates international medical schools and their graduates published its recommendations to help lawmakers and medical boards make sure these new pathways are safe and effective. The commission and Fraher said state medical boards should collect data on the new rules, such as how many doctors participate, what their specialties are, and where they work once they gain their full licenses. The results could be compared with other methods of easing the rural doctor shortage, such as adding residency programs at rural hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the benefit of this particular pathway relative to other levers that they have? Fraher said. The commission noted that while state medical boards can rely on an outside organization that evaluates the strength of foreign medical schools, there isnt a similar rating for residency programs. Such an effort is expected to launch in mid-2025, the commission said. The group also said states should require supervising physicians to evaluate participants before theyre granted a full license. Afzali, the physician from Afghanistan, said some internationally trained primary care doctors have more training than their U.S. counterparts, because they had to practice procedures that are done only by specialists in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he agreed with the commissions recommendation that states require doctors who did residencies abroad to have supervision while they hold a provisional license. That would help ensure patient safety while also helping the physicians adjust to cultural differences and learn the technical side of the U.S. health system, such as billing and electronic health records, the commission wrote. Fraher noted that doctors in programs with supervision requirements need to find an experienced colleague with the time and interest in providing this oversight at a health facility willing to hire them. The commission pointed out other potential hurdles, such as malpractice insurers possibly declining to cover physicians who obtain state licenses without completing a U.S. residency. The commission and the American Board of Medical Specialties also pointed to the issue of specialty certification, which is managed by national organizations that have their own residency requirements. Physicians who arent eligible to take board exams could lose out on employment opportunities, and patients might have concerns about their qualifications, the board wrote. But it said a majority of its member boards would consider certifying these doctors if states added requirements it recommended. Lawmakers plans to use these new licensing pathways to increase the number of rural doctors will require the foreign-trained doctors to navigate all these obstacles and unknowns, Fraher said. Theres a lot of things that need to happen to make this a reality, she said. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF. Subscribe to KFF Health News free Morning Briefing. This article first appeared on KFF Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCDB) The statewide burning ban issued Saturday by the South Carolina Forestry Commission is still in effect for all counties. The SC Forestrys Burning Ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning, and campfires in all unincorporated areas of the state. Officials say failure to comply could result in a fine, and/or jail time. Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Sunday due to wildfires burning across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This State of Emergency ensures that our first responders, who are working tirelessly and risking their lives to protect our communities from these wildfires, have the resources they need, said McMaster in a news release. Dangerous wildfire conditions require that a statewide burning ban remain in effect until further notice. Those who violate this ban will be subject to criminal prosecution. Firefighters across the Carolinas are continuing to battle multiple brush and wildfires amid dry, windy conditions that forced some residents to temporarily evacuate. Conditions are expected to improve over the next few days, but local agencies are preparing for the possibility of new fires. One recent incident occurred Monday afternoon on Wass Lane in Moncks Corner, where officials reported that the blaze was quickly contained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mount Pleasant Fire Department has positioned its brush fire units at the Carolina Park and Dunes West stations and increased staffing. A map of active wildfires in South Carolina can be found on the forestry commissions website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) will honor International Womens Day with a community event on Wednesday, focused on this years theme, Accelerate Action. Open to students, faculty, staff, and the public, the event aims to celebrate the achievements of women while creating space for empowerment, networking, and engagement. City of Springfield provides update to South Main Street development plan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The featured event of the day, a workshop titled Telling Your Narrative, will be led by Marjorie Rodriguez, assistant director of Student Access and Support at Westfield State Universitys CARE program. The workshop will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Rodriguez will guide attendees through the art of storytelling, offering strategies on how to share their personal and professional journeys effectively. Attendees will also have the chance to connect with local, female-owned businesses set up at the event and celebrate members of the campus community making a difference. STCC will present Community Leadership Awards to a faculty member, staff member, and student who have shown a strong commitment to service, engagement, or volunteerism on campus. The International Womens Day event is sponsored by Lead, STCCs Female Leadership and Mentoring Program, along with the colleges Inclusion Series. The event will run from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will be held in the Top of Our City Conference Room in Scibelli Hall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement STCC officials said the celebration is an opportunity to recognize the contributions of women while encouraging action toward gender equity. 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. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is set to continue his South America trip in Chile on Tuesday. Steinmeier plans first to open a German-Chilean economic conference and visit the German School in Santiago. Additionally, a visit to the Museum of Memory and Human Rights is on his agenda. The museum is dedicated to the victims of the military dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet from 1973 to 1990. During this time, there were around 3,000 political murders and more than 30,000 political prisoners in Chile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A meeting with current President Gabriel Boric is not scheduled until Wednesday. The previous day, Steinmeier met Paraguayan President Santiago Pena in Asuncion. In Santiago, Steinmeier will also meet with those affected by, and experts on, the subject of Colonia Dignidad. The German lay preacher Paul Schafer moved with his followers from Germany to Chile in the early 1960s and founded a settlement near the city of Parral. For decades, he made the cult members work there without pay until they were exhausted, tore families apart and abused German and Chilean children. During the military dictatorship under Pinochet, regime opponents were said to have been tortured and murdered at the settlement site. Today, the area has been renamed Villa Baviera and, among other things, a restaurant operates there. For years, there has been a struggle over the construction of a memorial for the victims of Colonia Dignidad in Chile. Mar. 4STERLING A Sterling Public Schools program is going the extra mile to attract and retain new teachers. SPS University is a cost-share program that helps pay for SPS staff, such as teacher's aides and custodians, to start or complete the post-secondary education needed to teach in Illinois. In return, those staff members sign a contract agreeing to work at an SPS school for a designated number of years and pay a small portion of their education fees, which they can put financial aid toward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sterling Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Sara Dail said SPS University was created to address a decline in the number of teachers applying to work at Sterling schools. SPS went from averaging more than 90 applications per open position in the early 2000s to just 20 or fewer applications in the last several years. To make matters worse, Dail said SPS experiences an average of 19 retirements/resignations each year and is currently projecting 76 open positions over the next four years. "It speaks to the true teacher shortage," Dail said. "The reason that I wanted to look into another option is because going to job fairs and posting our openings wasn't doing the trick. It's not bringing candidates in. So, my goal was to think outside of the box." Dail started reviewing SPS employees and determined some had no college education and would need to start their associate's degree, some had an associate's degree but needed their teaching degree and some individuals had a bachelor's degree in something else but needed a teaching certification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I started brainstorming and looking for programs that could help us pay for each of those types of individuals," Dail said. "I shared our data with our Board of Education and asked them to commit $50,000 per year to pay for some of our employees to get their teaching degree." Dail opens applications for the program to SPS staff each spring and said that so far, the program has had enough money to cover everyone who has applied. "I meet with them all individually and we also have an interview team," Dail said. "Then we talk about where their education is and what program options would fit best for them. Then they draft a contract, like a promissory note. So, if we paid for the portion of their degree, and they were to not come and work for us, they would only have to pay the district back what we paid for them." But Dail is not worried about people leaving once they get through the program. She said more people have been asking about open teacher's aide positions as a way to get into SPS University since it started in the fall of 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They are ecstatic about this because their kids go to our schools and they're already invested in our community," Dail said. "This is where they're staying. So the fact that they are getting the majority of their schooling paid and a contract to teach is great on their end and I'm getting guaranteed employees." Dail said another program SPS has partnered with to complement SPS University is BloomBoard, designed for staff with an associate's degree who need two more years of education to receive their teaching degree. The program allows them to continue working as a teacher's aide while working toward their degree; allowing them to use what they are already doing in the classroom for their assignments. Their required student teaching is spread out over two years so they do not have to take a full semester off work to complete it. "It's been life-changing for our staff who've gone through this because they can do it while they have little kids and still bring home an income," Dail said. "The other partner that's been instrumental is Sauk Valley Community College. They developed an entire set of classes for our staff to get an associate's degree that was all online." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BloomBoard also helped Dail work with her local workforce board, run through Best Inc., to secure reimbursement funding typically meant for traditional apprenticeship programs. "BloomBoard helped Sterling Public Schools become a business recognized under this grant," Dail said. "So, I was able to fill out an application and for this on-the-job training program of ours, I'm getting 50% reimbursement for SPS University every semester." Dail said SPS has already hired several educators through the program with several more currently on-track to follow. COMPANY NEWS: Teradata (NYSE: TDC ) today announced Teradata Enterprise Vector Store, an in-database solution that brings the speed, power and multi-dimensional scale of Teradatas hybrid cloud platform to vector data management, a crucial element for Trusted AI, with future expansion to include integration of NVIDIA NeMo Retriever microservices, part of the NVIDIA NeMo Retriever microservices, part of the NVIDIA AI Enterprise . Featuring the ability to process billions of vectors and integrate them into pre-existing enterprise systems, with response times as quick as in the tens of milliseconds, Enterprise Vector Store is designed to cost-effectively deliver the sophistication required for getting real value out of complex, multifaceted business challenges. Designed for cost-effective, sub-second response times at all data volumes, the new offering can solve multi-dimensional, complex problems by combining structured and unstructured data The offering creates a single, trusted repository for all data and builds on the strong support Teradata offers today for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), while working towards dynamic agentic AI use cases, such as augmented call center (see example below). Vector stores are foundational for any organisation looking to leverage agentic AI, but most vector stores require trade-offs that make it prohibitively hard or expensive to use in solving the most challenging (and potentially the most lucrative) business problems. They can be fast, but only for small data sets. Or they can manage vector volumes, but not at the speed that agentic AI use cases require. The real magic happens when organisations can apply both lightning-fast speed and massive compute to unstructured datasets that hold real value when combined with mission-critical structured data. Vector stores are at the root of how we bind truth to generative AI models and agentic AI. They are essential to any data management practice, but their impact is limited when they are slow or siloed, said Louis Landry, Teradatas CTO. Teradatas long-standing expertise in high concurrency and linear scale, as well as the critical ability to harmonise data and support RAG, means Teradata Enterprise Vector Store delivers on the dynamic, trusted foundation large organisations need for agentic AI. Teradatas Enterprise Vector Store is designed to be a performant way to enable use cases that require vector capabilities and RAG applications. With cost-efficient scaling and near seamless integration built-in, Enterprise Vector Store is expected to help enterprises maximise value and insight from unstructured data while reducing spend. Given Teradatas advantage in hybrid, Enterprise Vector Store is a natural choice for organisations that want to scale flexibly across cloud and on-premises environments, building towards an agentic AI future while making the most of current infrastructure. By managing unstructured data in multi-modal formats text, video, images, PDFs, and more Teradatas Enterprise Vector Store unifies structured and unstructured data for holistic analysis. It also: Engages with the full lifecycle of vector data management, from embedding generation and indexing to metadata management and intelligent search Processes this work within the existing Teradata system, which thrives in flexible deployment options including cloud, on-premises, or hybrid Supports industry-leading frameworks like LangChain and RAG, along with the comprehensive data management and governance practices needed for Trusted AI Adds planned temporal vector embedding capabilities, which is designed to boost trust and explainability by tracking changes to data over time, improving accuracy and decision making. A scalable, in-database vector solution built with NVIDIA AI Teradata Enterprise Vector Store is expected to integrate NVIDIA NeMo Retriever to provide a leading information retrieval solution with high accuracy and data privacy, enabling enterprises to generate business insights in real-time. Developers can fine-tune NeMo Retriever microservices in combination with community or custom models to build scalable document ingestion and RAG applications which can be connected to proprietary data wherever it resides. NVIDIA NeMo Retriever extraction is designed to enable customers to use information and insights from unstructured data sources such as PDFs, enabling developers to build RAG-based applications which leverage real-time knowledge appended with information from across the corporate IT estate. Data is essential to accurate inference for AI applications, said Pat Lee, Vice President of Strategic Enterprise Partnerships at NVIDIA. Teradata Enterprise Vector Store, integrated with NVIDIA AI Enterprise and NVIDIA NeMo Retriever, can unlock the institutional knowledge stored in PDFs and other unstructured documents to power intelligent AI agents. Use Case: Augmented Call Center The augmented call center use case demonstrates how the Teradata Enterprise Vector Store uses agentic AI and RAG to transform customer service to be faster, more efficient and tailored to each customers needs. AI agents also enable upsell and cross-sell opportunities during customer interactions. For example, an insurance company stores contracts for its millions of customers in PDF format in an object store. It also uses a hybrid data platform for mission-critical customer 360 data. When a customer calls in, a multi-agent system uses lightning-fast access (as low as tens of milliseconds) to harmonised data to provide precise, context-aware answers to each individual customer. Hello, how can I help you today? Customer Interaction Agent communicates in real time with the customer using a natural language interface which is powered by popular LLMs running as NVIDIA NIM on NVIDIA accelerated compute. Im traveling to Malaysia. Does my insurance cover medical expenses? Should I add anything? Contract Analyser Agent quickly retrieves coverage details from the PDF copy of the contract using RAG with Enterprise Vector Store, which has extracted the information from PDFs and stored as embeddings using NVIDIA NeMo Retriever in Teradata Enterprise Vector Store. Insurance Advisor Agent uses reasoning and decision making to recommend adding dental coverage for the duration of the trip, using a propensity-to-buy model and Teradatas trusted predictive and explainable AI capabilities. Ok, lets add dental please. Actions Agent uses operational analytics and customer 360 (structured) data in Teradatas hybrid environment to create a contract for customer signature. Availability Teradata Enterprise Vector Store is now available in private preview, with general availability expected in July. Employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are being toyed with as Donald Trumps administration continues to hogtie the federal agency responsible for refunding more than $20 billion to defrauded consumers from greedy corporate malefactors. These administrative games are happening as a federal judge weighs a case brought by CFPB union members challenging the Trump administrations efforts to dismantle the agency. Judge Amy Berman Jackson Monday was already showing impatience with the administration publicly weighing her options from the bench to ensure that CFPB isnt choked out of existence before I get to rule. Shutting down the CFPB has been a joint obsession of Trumps de facto head of government, Elon Musk, and Russ Vought, an architect of the reactionary policy playbook known as Project 2025, who is now a member of Trumps Cabinet. As Musk, the head of Trumps so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), was tweeting CFPB RIP on Feb. 7, Vought took over as the acting head of the bureau and promptly shut off its source of funding. On Feb. 10, Vought issued a directive to employees to stop any work tasks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of the professional staff has since been idled on administrative leave. (Vought also went ahead and ousted the agencys probationary employees, who are either recent hires or had been recently promoted and therefore entitled to few worker protections.) A union representing the idled CFPB staffers has fought back, suing Vought, alleging that the work stoppage was an unlawful attempt to thwart Congress decision to create the CFPB to protect American consumers. Vought sure looks like a man on a mission to kill the bureau. He has also dropped significant lawsuits, letting Capital One off the hook after CFPB had alleged the company cheated consumers out of nearly $2 billion in interest payments, as well as a suit against a subsidiary of Berkshire-Hathaway that CFPB had accused of trapping consumers in unfavorable mortgages. On Tuesday, he spiked another suit against three of the nations biggest banks for allowing fraud to flourish on their peer-to-peer payment system, Zelle. As the Monday court proceedings were looming, Voughts legal team at CFPB engaged in what looked like a mop-up job with staff. A Sunday memo was issued by Mark Paoletta, the agencys new chief legal officer and forwarded to staff by Adam Martinez, the agencys chief operating officer. (That Paoletta a Trump loyalist and close friend of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is tasked to CFPB is another sign of the administrations hyper-focus on the agency.) Paolettas memo posed as if there had been an unfortunate confusion created by Voughts stop-work order of Feb. 10. It pointed to a caveat in a previous Vought email that had mentioned employees continuing to perform duties required by law. Paoletta insisted that guidance was still in effect. Many of you understood this, Paoletta wrote, but he added: It has come to my attention, however, that some employees have not been performing statutorily required work. Let me be clear: Employees should be performing work that is required by law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So cool. Back to work? Not so fast. This supposedly clarifying guidance was almost immediately re-obfuscated in another directive, issued Monday, while court was in session. Rolling Stone has received a copy of a memo written by Cassandra Huggins, a director of CFPB staff. Huggins told her reports: We have requested and received clarification that [Paolettas] message was not intended to authorize reinstatement of supervision/examination activity, even though the Bureau is required by law to carry out these activities. [Emphasis in the original.] It instructed CFPBs examiners that they should not resume any functions and were to continue on administrative leave. Rolling Stone reached out to Paoletta, Martinez, and Huggins seeking clarification of the confounding and seemingly contradictory memos. We did not hear back. (Huggins memo was first reported on by Bloomberg.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In affidavits before the court, CFPB employees have called out Martinez for making representations to the court regarding exceptions to the work stoppage that ranged from misleading to blatantly false. The Huggins memo is only adding fuel to that fire as the newsletter Popular Information reports. Court hearings on this case will resume next Monday, March 10. Bring popcorn. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Multiple storms will continue to swing in from the Pacific, travel across California and through the interior southwestern United States into next week, AccuWeather meteorologists say. Each storm will bring mountain snow and soaking showers that may help to turn the corner on or slow down building drought in some areas. However, they may also lead to flooding and snow-clogged roads. " Through next week, the weather pattern in the West [and especially the Southwest] will be more active with multiple storms coming through," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr said, "This means multiple opportunities to add to the snowpack and groundwater." Coastal areas from south of San Francisco to San Diego can pick up a general 1 inch or so of rain from through Thursday. However, two to four times that amount can fall on the west- and southwest-facing slopes of the Coast Ranges. This is enough rain to trigger urban flooding and lead to mudslides and other debris flows, especially in recent burn scar locations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Snow levels will lower substantially through Friday in the Sierra Nevada. From several inches to a couple of feet of snow can fall on the ridges and peaks in the mountain range from the storm into the end of the week. 4 to 8 inches of snow is likely to fall on Donner Pass, California, along Interstate 80. "Some of the cold and snow will be able to get down to the Transverse Ranges in Southern California before the end of the week, where there hasn't been a lot this winter," Zehr warned. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Roads may be slippery and snow-covered for a time in the Southern California passes, including the Grapevine and the Interstate 5 corridor. Freezing levels will rise during the weekend with a break in the storms and then plummet next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More storms will follow next week with one system due to roll in and reach central and southern parts of California from later Monday to Tuesday. A stronger storm is forecast to quickly follow along much of the West Coast by the middle of the week. "The storm from next Wednesday to Thursday looks to be the most substantial or most moisture-packed of the bunch," Zehr said, "There's a substantial risk for heavy rain and mountain snow from it through the West Coast states with snow levels much lower than what has occurred for much of the winter season." Drought conditions have been building in the southwestern U.S. since the fall when rain failed to return in earnest. The stormy pattern may help ease the dry brush and low soil moisture which has been so problematic with wildfires in recent months. 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. Mar. 4Malfunctioning railroad crossing gates near Woodfords Corner in Portland have been disrupting sleep, snarling traffic and creating public safety hazards for months. The clanging goes on for hours, residents say, most recently in the predawn hours Monday. If the gates get stuck during daylight hours, traffic backs up for blocks and grinds to a halt on Forest Avenue/Route 302. Frustrated drivers sit and wait for trains that aren't coming, then gingerly drive around the jammed gates, breaking the law and risking a collision and bodily harm. The rail line owned by CSX Corp. has been upgraded recently, so freight and passenger trains can go faster, including five round trips daily by the Amtrak Downeaster traveling between Boston and Brunswick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than drive around the gates, railroad and public safety officials say, residents should report signal malfunctions to CSX. But residents who live near the tracks say they've done that and it hasn't helped. "I've called it in a few times," said Nicholas Metrano, who lives near the crossing on Woodford Street. "The dinging is relentless. Sometimes it goes on for hours." Gate malfunctions often affect traffic lights at Woodford Street and Forest Avenue, clogging traffic at one of the region's busiest intersections. More than 20,000 vehicles pass through Woodfords Corner each day. "One time the gates were down so long, the police came to direct traffic through the intersection," Metrano said Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GATE PROBLEMS REPORTED TO POLICE Gate malfunctions in the Woodfords Corner area have been reported several times in the last month, said Portland police Maj. Jason King. The related traffic and safety issues create added tasks for patrol officers. "Our patrols are often needed to direct traffic in the area during these times," King said in an emailed statement. "These incidents can often result in longer wait time for calls for service within the city. We are hoping the matter can be resolved soon." There are at least seven railroad crossings near Woodfords Corner, and it's unclear which ones have experienced gate malfunctions in recent months. CSX didn't respond to specific questions about which gates have been affected or what it is doing about the problem, although residents say they have seen CSX trucks in the neighborhood recently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spokesperson Sheriee Bowman said CSX closely monitors its crossing signals and urged people to call the company's public safety center at 800-232-0144 (choose option 2) whenever gates or other devices are activated and no train is in the area. "Winter weather conditions, such as snow, ice and salt accumulation on sensors, can impact the normal operation of warning devices at grade crossings," Bowman said in an emailed statement. "We encourage the general public to report any grade crossing issues as quickly as possible so corrective action can be taken." Once the company is alerted, it can investigate the activation and conduct full operational testing, she said. Moreover, Bowman said, it's never safe to drive around lowered gates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The motoring public should always assume a train is coming and remember that trains can run on any track, in any direction, at any time," she said. DAILY LIVES DISRUPTED The finicky gates have made untold travelers late for school, work, medical visits and other appointments. They've also foiled Uber drivers, including one who was scheduled to pick up Jason Rubalcaba at his home in Woodfords Corner about a month ago. He ended up being late for his job at a Gorham pizza joint. "We were texting back and forth," Rubalcaba said. "He said all the gates were down near my house. I had to cancel the ride because he couldn't get to me." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Businesses in Woodfords Corner also have noticed an impact. Jim Merrill, owner of Merrill's Seafood at 681 Forest Ave., has seen traffic backups last an hour or more. "It's a pain when the gates get stuck," Merrill said. "Traffic here is much heavier than it used to be, so something like that doesn't help." SAFETY HAZARDS MOUNT Metrano and other locals are familiar with side streets in the densely populated neighborhood over 9,000 people live within walking distance of Woodfords Corner so they know how to get around traffic tie-ups when the gates malfunction. But he's concerned about frustrated drivers speeding down narrow residential side streets or choosing to cross the tracks at the wrong time. He noted other recent railroad collisions, such as one last month in Waterville, where a driver failed to stop at crossing gates and narrowly escaped injury when her vehicle was struck by a CSX freight train. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which operates the Downeaster, said she was unaware that crossing gates were malfunctioning in Woodfords Corner. But like Bowman, she advised residents and motorists to report signal issues to CSX, which posts contact information at crossings. It's not only unsafe to drive around malfunctioning gates, she said it's illegal. "I understand people's frustration," Quinn said, "but if there's a problem, they really should call and report it." Copy the Story Link CHICAGO A student is recovering in the hospital after she was shot while walking to school on the South Side on Tuesday morning. According to police, the incident unfolded around 7:40 a.m. outside of Perspective Leadership Academy in the 8500 block of South Lafayette Avenue. Officers said the victim, a 15-year-old girl, was walking in the area when a black sedan approached and two unknown male suspects exited and opened fire on the teen, just 20 minutes before the 8 a.m. bell rang. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The teen suffered a gunshot wound to her left thigh and was taken to the hospital in fair condition. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines This is safe ground. This should be a safe ground. She should be able to walk here. She shouldnt be in the hospital suffering, the victims cousin, Pam Bosley, said. Bosley said she is hurting knowing that her teen cousin was doing the right thing on Tuesday morning when she was shot. She got out of the car to come into the school, and everybody was walking at the same time. She got caught in the crossfire, Bosley said. The teen was the only person injured in the shooting, but Bosley said the incident draws flashbacks to when her own son was killed in 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My son Terrell, at the age of 18, was shot at 116th and Halsted. He got caught caught in the crossfire, Bosley said. The shooting sparked a soft lockdown at Perspective, with parents receiving texts from the school instructing them to come pick up their children. I just came to pick my son up. You know, we just want our kids to be safe and protected, Perspective parent Karen Evans said. Evans was one of several parents who were concerned about the incident and what it meant for their child. As a parent, you know, it is very concerning because this is seeming to be something thats almost typical going on in the world, which is very unfortunate, parent Thea Handy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials from Perspective confirmed that the injured teen girl is a student at the school. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Community activist Pastor Donovan Price was at the school on Tuesday to offer support to families and students and voice his anger over the violence that will cause long-lasting trauma. The fact of the matter is their lives will never be the same, Price said. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident and an investigation is now underway. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact CPD Area Two Detectives at 312-747-8273 or dial 911. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. University of Louisville students spoke with the committees chair, Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, after the meeting. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley) FRANKFORT College students said their voices werent heard during a tense Tuesday morning House committee meeting on a bill that would eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Kentuckys public universities. In a party line vote, lawmakers on the House Committee on Postsecondary Education voted 11-4 in favor of the Republican-backed House Bill 4 at the end of the one-hour meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, and Michael Frazier, the executive director of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition, addressed the committee for nearly 45 minutes through testimony and questions. Four speakers, including two students, had about 10 minutes total to voice their opposition. Honestly, its just quite frustrating for my existence to be used as a talking point against the systems created to mobilize and motivate our students towards higher education and higher opportunities, said Kelsey Raymer, a University of Louisville student. And it sucks that the chair refused to hear us out. Deckers bill would eliminate DEI offices or employees from Kentuckys public universities and colleges. It also seeks to increase oversight of the institutions to ensure that dollars are not being spent on DEI policies. Raymer and three other UofL students spoke with the committees chair, Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, after the meeting, saying the bills backers appear to be trying to ram it through without real debate or listening to students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Democratic lawmakers called for more input from opponents during the hearing. Rep. George Brown Jr., D-Lexington, turned in his seat while Frazier was talking to face Tipton and ask why the presenters had a majority of the meeting time. Tipton said after the committee convened at 8 a.m. Tuesday, some committee members had another meeting at 9 a.m. This is not to be a debate between the presenters and the members, Tipton said after gaveling down Browns comments. Soon after the meeting adjourned, a woman approached still-seated lawmakers at the front of the room, challenging them on how the bill would impact her academic work. Tipton called for Kentucky state troopers to remove her. Whats in the bill Decker filed HB 4 on Feb. 12. At the time, she said in a statement that supporters of the bill seek to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, color, or national origin, and ensure that our university campuses are free from the failed and misguided DEI policies that have proven only to make higher education less attainable for Kentuckians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decker carried legislation last year that sought to curb DEI initiatives in Kentuckys public universities, but it ultimately failed to pass. After the General Assembly recessed, the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University closed their DEI offices. The initial version of the bill included policies from the past House and Senate proposals, though the substitute version the committee adopted Tuesday had several changes. They include striking language that would allow individuals to sue if they feel their rights have been violated and adding that the state auditor of public accounts must complete compliance audits of universities every four years to see if a university spends money on DEI initiatives. The bill also now includes a definition of indoctrinate, which it says is to imbue or attempt to imbue another individual with an opinion, point of view, or principle without consideration of any alternative opinion, point of view, or principle. During the hearing, Decker and Frazier argued that despite DEI policies in place in higher education, underrepresented students are still left behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If education is to be the great equalizer in the commonwealth, the opportunity to obtain a college degree in our state must be equally available and affordable to all, Decker said. So far, the bill has 19 Republican co-sponsors. It received the first of three required readings on the House floor Friday. Tuesdays committee hearing came on the heels of student-led protests against the legislation at Kentucky public universities last week. The U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for DEI initiatives to come under Republican scrutiny after overturning affirmative action policies in universities in 2023. Shortly returning to the White House in January, Republican President Donald Trump took several steps to eliminate DEI policies, including signing an executive order that directed his administration to identify potential civil compliance investigations of corporations, nonprofit organizations, some higher education institutions and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill now goes to the House for a full floor vote. If the Republican-controlled General Assembly passes Deckers measure this session, it will likely become state law. With supermajorities in the House and Senate, GOP lawmakers could easily override any veto issued by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. Hes repeatedly signaled support for DEI policies. Decker is not the only Kentucky Republican to file a bill this session aimed at rolling back DEI initiatives. Sen. Lindsey Tichenor has filed two pieces of legislation that would eliminate DEI policies in K-12 public schools and state and local governments. Both have been assigned to Senate committees, but had not been given a hearing as of Tuesday morning. UNL student Peyton Schoone speaks at an event for the 2025 cohort of the Intern Foundry program that was boosted financially from internship funding steered by Aksarben, a contracted, state-funded program that supporters would like to see continued. (Courtesy of Intern Foundry) LINCOLN College student Livia Ziskey figured she would be on the same path as many friends who graduate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, packing up to start a career outside of her native state. But she told a legislative panel Monday that a recent internship opportunity had changed her perspective, and now shes thinking shell be part of the states brain gain, not brain drain. UNL student Livia Ziskey speaks to members of the Legislatures Business and Labor Committee. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) What begins as just an internship evolves into meaningful connections, mentorships and a sense of belonging that holds us here after graduation, the Omahan studying journalism, advertising and psychology told the Legislatures Business and Labor Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ziskey and classmate Peyton Schoone, who also is with UNLs Intern Foundry Program, were among those who testified Monday in opposition to Legislative Bill 423 which would eliminate the state-funded internNE program. The two students internships at the Foundry were funded by the $20 million the state invested in internNE two years ago. The question isnt whether you can afford this program, Ziskey told the committee. The question is whether you can afford to lose more young talent. Cumbersome to administer As it turns out, State Sen. Christy Armendariz of Omaha, who introduced LB 423 on behalf of Gov. Jim Pillen, told the committee Monday that the bill is no longer needed, because the Legislatures Appropriations Committee has recommended a budget that would accomplish the same goal: ending the internship program and shifting any remaining dollars toward addressing the states budget shortfall. State Sen. Christy Armendariz of Omaha. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska News Service) When Pillen announced the $20 million internNE project two years ago, he described it as a workforce strategy to keep next-generation Nebraskans in high-paying jobs on their own turf. He said the program to match students with in-the-field job experiences was to be administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and managed by the non-profit Aksarben Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Armendariz told the committee, the program has been cumbersome to administer and didnt reach its full potential as evidenced, she said, by the amount of funds still left in the contract period with Aksarben that expires in March. About $11 million remains in the fund, officials said. To date, DED has awarded about $8.6 million in grants to businesses, funding nearly 1,500 paid internships across the state. Some obligations are still outstanding and have yet to be paid. The Pillen and Appropriations Committee plans would direct what remains in the internship fund toward the state budget shortfall. There are so many other ways that the Legislature can help internship opportunities in the state, and I look forward to partnering with all of you on those projects, Armendariz, a member of the Appropriations Committee, said Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DEDs K.C. Belitz previously told the Nebraska Examiner that the Pillen administration still views student internships as a good tool, but said any future state-funded program similar to internNE would be folded into the Nebraska Department of Labor. Currently there is no specific replacement or alternative for internNE in the works, he said. Call to keep program alive Armendarizs request to indefinitely postpone action on LB 423 did not stop people from airing opinions. No one spoke in favor of the bill during the public hearing. Bryan Seck, executive director of Lincoln Literacy, was among the half-dozen people who testified against eliminating the fund. He believes such programs help retain talent and grow the state. He said clients at his agency have benefited from internNE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked by a committee member if participation was cumbersome, Seck said that for his nonprofit: Its really not burdensome. Bryan Slone, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (Courtesy of Nebraska Governors Office) Bryan Slone, CEO and president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he represented his statewide chamber and numerous local chambers across the state. He said a state-funded program the size and scope of internNE was needed to move the needle on Nebraskas competitive ability to reverse brain drain, and he would like it to remain alive. On any given day, Slone said, the state is short at least 50,000 workers. This is a priority. This should be the least thing we cut from the budget this year, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln cited the Blueprint Nebraska report and its proclamation that once internships are launched and the student is planted, they start to grow roots and stay in Nebraska. Whats going to happen with that money being gone? Slone said data shows that Nebraskas chances of retaining students improve when they have local experiential learning opportunities, including internships. Holding the purse strings Schoone, a UNL student aiming to be a lawyer, said 25% of participants in her Intern Foundry program, which received a financial boost from internNE, have continued with the business or organization with which they were paired. She said, for example, one later started working with the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, and another got a job with the Nebraska Department of Labor. To address brain drain is vital, said the Minden native. State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska News Service) Ziskey said her participation as an intern instilled a love for working with nonprofit community agencies, and she said she likely would broaden her job search beyond traditional journalism and remain in Nebraska after graduation next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Raybould encouraged her and other proponents to take their case to the Appropriations Committee, which on Wednesday afternoon is to hear the proposed biennial budget for DED, which has administered the internNE program. They hold the purse strings, Raybould said. Of those who submitted written comments, four were in favor of the bill to eliminate the fund and 12 were opposed. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A recent study found Arkansas at 49 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in opportunities for women. The consumer finance site WalletHubstudy ranked Arkansas low in womens economic and social well-being rank and at the absolute bottom in womens health care and safety ranking. He was leaning over us looking at us North Little Rock woman says she was woken up by home invader Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Womens economic and social well-being ranking took in factors such as the percentage of women-owned businesses, where Arkansas ranked 50 out of 51, and the percentage of women who voted in the 2020 presidential election, which was a second 50 score. Womens health care and safety ranking looked at such things as the female homicide rate, where Arkansas tied at the absolute bottom with Wyoming, Oklahoma and Alaska. It also scored abortion policies and access using figures from the Guttmacher Institute, which gave Arkansas a zero ranking due to its complete prohibition. WalletHub analyst Milvionne Chery Copeland said the study represented an overall gender gap nationwide. Despite improvements the U.S. has made over the years, women still lag behind men when it comes to economic prospects, executive positions and political representation, Copeland said. On top of tackling these important issues, the best states for women also ensure that they have access to high-quality health care, receive the same educational opportunities as men, and live in safe communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2024 WalletHub study ranked Arkansas at 46, and a 2023 study ranked it at 48. Arkansas among most dangerous states for online dating: study The 49th-place ranking for Arkansas put it ahead of only two states: Oklahoma, ranked 50th, and Mississippi, ranked 51st. The first-place ranking went to Massachusetts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A study released Tuesday shows the potential impact of tariffs on Arkansas could reach billions of dollars. The study by the consumer finance site LendingTree shows Arkansas is 26th out of the 50 states for the amount it imports but ranks 18th for the potential impact of retaliatory tariffs. The study used data from the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau USA Trade online data. US tariffs take effect and Mexico, Canada and China retaliate with their own tariffs on the US Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The studys authors show that 16.8% of imports to Arkansas are from Canada, a $1.15 billion exchange. Mexico accounts for 13.3% of Arkansas imports, costing $912 million. China represents 13% of Arkansas imports, at $890 million. The three countries make up 43.1% of Arkansas imports. Retaliatory tariffs, however, have a potentially more significant impact, as Arkansas exports $6.46 billion globally. Canada receives $1.64 billion in trade from Arkansas, making up 25.4% of the states exports. Mexico receives $1.1 billion in trade from the state, making up 17.1% of its trade capacity. Data on exports to China show $348 million in trade, at 5.4% of Arkansas exports. For exports, the three countries make up 47.9% of the states exports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump trade war intensifies as tariffs go into place The study also found that nearly three in four Americans believe tariffs will increase prices, with 74% of survey respondents saying they think tariffs will lead to an increase in the prices of goods. Two-thirds, or 67%, of Republicans say so, as do 85% of Democrats and 73% of independents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) Two suicide bombings breached a wall at a military base in northwestern Pakistan before other attackers stormed the compound and were repelled in violence that killed at least 12 people and wounded 30 others, according to officials and a local hospital. A group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in Bannu, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and said that dozens of members of Pakistani security forces were killed. The military didn't immediately confirm any casualties, but Bannu District Hospital said that at least a dozen people were dead. The two suicide bombers blew themselves up near the wall of the sprawling military area, a security official said on condition of anonymity, because he wasnt authorized to speak with reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a breach in the wall, five to six more attackers attempted to enter the cantonment, but were eliminated, the security official said. The attack happened after sunset, when people would have been breaking their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Jaish Al-Fursan claimed responsibility for the attack, the third militant assault in Pakistan since Ramadan started Sunday. In a statement, the group said the source of the blasts were explosive-laden vehicles. Plumes of gray smoke rose into the air and gunshots continued after the two explosions, police officer Zahid Khan said. Four of those killed were children, hospital officials said. The victims lived close to the scene of the blasts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman for Bannu District Hospital, Muhammad Noman, said that the evening blasts badly damaged homes and other buildings. The roofs and walls collapsed and that's why we are receiving casualties," he said. Hospital director Dr. Ahmed Faraz Khan said: So far we have received 42 victims, 12 dead and 30 injured. A few of them are critical, but most are stable. All doctors, particularly surgeons and paramedical staff, have been called for duty as a medical emergency has been imposed. The blasts caused the roof of a nearby mosque to collapse while a number of worshippers were inside, rescue workers and provincial government spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rescue workers trying to free people from underneath the rubble said that they had retrieved the body of the mosque's imam. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and expressed his grief over the loss of life. The chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, ordered an inquiry. Militants have targeted Bannu several times. Last November, a suicide car bomb killed 12 troops and wounded several others at a security post. In July, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden vehicle and other militants opened fire near the outer wall of the military facility. Sydney-based startup EvenBetter.ai has today launched the "worlds first AI-driven platform to help businesses move beyond gender pay gap reporting and take real, data-driven action in the workplace". Co-founded by media and tech veterans Sorrel Kesby and Ayal Steiner, the launch coincides with the release of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) report, which now publicly discloses the gender pay gaps of over 9,000 Australian companies. Where conventional pay gap reporting captures a single company level measure, it overlooks key factors like talent availability, market conditions, and seniority. EvenBetter.ai unpacks the underlying pay gap drivers to deliver actionable insights, empowering businesses to reduce their gender pay gap in the most effective way. "The gender pay gap in Australia is above 20%, and while thousands businesses go through a time-consuming process of collecting and reporting their gender pay gap they struggle without the specialised technology to drive insightful actions from it, said Ms Kesby. Companies that ignore their gender pay gap will be left behind by those that take action. The businesses that move early send a clear message - to both current and future talent - that they are committed to building a fairer, more equitable workplace." We are a technology company; we have no social agenda other than helping companies do the right thing, by women and men alike," added Ayal Steiner, Co-founder of EvenBetter.ai. There is currently no platform that collects, analyses, and delivers clear, data-driven recommendations for closing the pay gap. We delve much deeper to uncover the true drivers behind gender pay disparities, empowering businesses to take informed, strategic action. The tech behind it: EvenBetter has developed a unique AI model to organise and standardise raw pay data, leveraging proprietary market benchmarks to deliver high-precision, personalised analysis within the relevant context. Data-driven insights and suggestions are generated using EvenBetter.ais world-class methodology that factors multiple dimensions such as: Market talent structure to analyse availability by gender to analyse availability by gender Diversity analysis to identify representation gaps to identify representation gaps Leadership addresses disparities in career progression addresses disparities in career progression Pay equality pinpoints inequities with actionable solutions. EvenBetter.ai has already secured its first customers in property giant Knight Frank and FujiFilm Australia. "EvenBetters approach to gender pay management is exactly what we need," said Knight Frank Chief People Officer Kristin Hay. "It costs our business significantly to create basic reports that are immediately out of date. We need timely, targeted insights to make the best decisions for our business." Industry experts have also praised EvenBetter.ais methodology for delivering clear, evidence-based solutions. "EvenBetter implements a robust and sophisticated methodology to analyse and interpret Gender Pay Gap data," said Professor Geni Dechter from UNSWs School of Economics. "They developed a unique capability to identify and quantify the drivers of a company's gender pay gap by isolating factors such as market talent availability, hiring and promotion biases, and pay equality issues." "Every company wants to do the right thing and reduce their gender pay gap," said Jacqueline Chow, director at Coles, NIB and Charter Hall. "But I have seen many businesses resort to decisions that are not data-backed and hence are ineffective or even counterproductive. EvenBetter's platform arms leadership teams with data and insights to put them on the optimal path to reducing the gender pay gap." About EvenBetter.ai Founded by former media executives Sorrel Kesby and Ayal Steiner, EvenBetter was born to help companies tackle pay inequality in the workplace. Determined to drive real change, they launched the first solution designed to measure and decode the gender pay gap, uncovering its true drivers and equipping businesses with the insights needed to build even.EvenBetters data-driven platform goes beyond simply identifying pay gaps - it provides organisations with clear, actionable recommendations to address inequities at their root. By leveraging market data and benchmarks, EvenBetter helps businesses move from awareness to meaningful action, ensuring they build fair, sustainable workplaces for the future. About Co-Founders, Sorrel Kesby and Ayal Steiner Sorrel Kesby and Ayal Steiner, Co-Founders of EvenBetter.ai, bring a wealth of experience in scaling and transforming global technology businesses. Sorrel, with extensive expertise in operations, strategy, and market expansion, has held leadership roles at GumGum, Conversant Media, and Audience Republic, where she drove successful global integrations and market launches. She also serves as an industry mentor and advisor across multiple tech sectors. Ayal, previously Executive Vice President at Outbrain, led the company's APAC growth and global revenue expansion, contributing to its NASDAQ IPO and surpassing $1BN in revenue. With 25+ years in startups, Ayal's expertise lies in data-driven business scaling and innovation. Together, Sorrel and Ayal founded EvenBetter.ai to address workplace inequities through AI-driven solutions, combining their shared passion for growth, technology, and positive change. POTSDAM, N.Y. (WWTI) SUNY Potsdams Law Enforcement Training Institute has launched its spring police academy training earlier this week. The St. Lawrence County Sheriff/Police Chiefs Board of Directors welcomed 21 newly-hired police recruits from various area law enforcement agencies on Monday. SUNY Potsdam is hosting the additional academy for newly hired officers to support local agencies this spring, at their request. SUNY Potsdam officially opens new Carson Commons Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are the agencies participating: Franklin County Probation Department (1 recruit) Franklin County Sheriffs Department (1 recruit) Malone Village Police (1 recruit) Massena Village Police (1 recruit) Norwood Village Police (3 recruits) Ogdensburg City Police (5 recruits) Potsdam Village Police (1 recruit) St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Department (5 recruits) St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police (1 recruit) SUNY Potsdam University Police (1 recruit) Tupper Lake Village Police (1 recruit) The six-month program will run through the spring semester and throughout the summer, concluding with the final day of field training on Sept. 20. As a New York State-accredited police academy, SUNY Potsdams Law Enforcement Training Institute offers in-service training for agencies throughout St. Lawrence County using top-of-the-line simulators, simulation tools, and facilities designed to improve decision-making skills through reality-based training. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The yearly police academy offers instruction in defensive tactics, emergency medical services, emergency vehicle operation, applying field sobriety tests, processing crime scenes and a plethora of other training topics. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/appliedlearning/lawenforcement. The colleges Law Enforcement Training Institute is a collaboration between SUNY Potsdam University Police, the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, and the Lougheed Center for Applied Learning. The SUNY Potsdam Criminal Justice Studies Program provides a broad interdisciplinary liberal arts orientation, with course requirements in philosophy, politics and sociology, and the opportunity for students to elect to study courses in anthropology, chemistry and psychology. The SUNY Potsdam Department of Sociology offers both a major and a minor in criminal justice studies. For more information, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/AAS/Soci. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A new rapidly growing chicken-based chain of restaurants is expanding into Salt Lake City. Starbird, a super-premium fast food concept, announced on Monday it would be opening five locations in the Salt Lake City area, with the first openings expected in late 2025 and early 2026. The California-based restaurant said Salt Lake City was chosen for its thriving food scene and demand for modern dining options. It is currently unclear where exactly in the Salt Lake Valley the Starbird locations would be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fast-food chain is known for its crispy chicken menu, including salads, bowls, wings, and breakfast options. Starbird also boasts its nine house-made dipping sauces and its unique proprietary recipe of gluten-free flours and spices for its chicken. Dutch Bros has a new menu item thats only available in Utah (and one other state) In addition to the five locations in Salt Lake City, Starbird also announced five restaurants in Chicago, Illinois. As we continue expanding into new markets, were looking forward to collaborating with operators who share our passion for unmatched food and operational excellence, said Starbird Founder and CEO Aaron Noveshen. Their experience and dedication will be instrumental in successfully bringing Starbird to these regions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noveshen did not say who would be operating the Salt Lake City-based franchises, only saying they bring decades of experience of operating successful restaurant brands. Along with the new Salt Lake City and Chicago locations, Starbird recently announced new locations in Denver, Colorado. The chain said it also has franchise opportunities in Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Illinois and Florida. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. The Supreme Court gravitated toward the American firearm industry Tuesday in its fight to end a $10 billion lawsuit brought by the Mexican government over claims the gunmakers are fueling cartel violence. The case has become a major battle over the scope of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which has provided broad immunity to gunmakers for two decades despite gun control activists attempt to repeal it. At oral arguments Tuesday, the justices posed piercing questions to Mexicos attorney about claims the countrys lawsuit falls under an exception to the 2005 law, raising concerns that accepting that position would cause a flood of litigation against the gun industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How is your suit different from the types of suits that prompted the passage of PLCAA? Justice Clarence Thomas asked. It wasnt only the courts conservatives, like Thomas, who pressed Mexico. Im just wondering whether the PLCAA statute itself is telling us that we dont want the courts to be the ones to be crafting remedies that amount to regulation on this industry. That was really the point of the entire thing, said Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, one of the courts three Democratic appointees. And so to the extent that were now reading an exception to allow the very thing that the statute seems to preclude, Im concerned about that, she continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexico originally sued seven American firearms manufacturers and one wholesaler in 2021, alleging they aided and abetted violence in Mexico by not doing more to stop their guns from falling into cartels hands. Most of the companies have since been dismissed from the lawsuit on other grounds, but two remain. The companies appealed to the justices after a lower court found Mexicos lawsuit is covered by a narrow exception to PLCAA, which permits lawsuits when a company knowingly violated firearms laws and the violation proximately harmed the plaintiff. Petitioners arguments would rewrite PLCAA and proximate cause law far beyond this case, said Catherine Stetson, who represented Mexico, at Tuesdays arguments. Although everyone agrees some guns have ultimately turned up at Mexican crime scenes, several justices raised concerns about a lack of specificity in the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You havent sued any of the retailers that were the most proximate cause of the harm, noted Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative nominated to the court by President Trump. What you dont have is particular dealers, right? asked Justice Elena Kagan, another of the courts liberals. Its a pretty theres a lot of dealers, and youre just saying some of them do. But which some of them? I mean, who are they aiding and abetting in this complaint? Mexico doesnt allege the companies were aware of any particular unlawful sale, but the lawsuit claims the industry is liable because of downstream dealers making illegal sales that end up in Mexico. The companies cast Mexicos argument as an eight-step causal chain, insisting it is too attenuated to claim the exception. With respect, theres not a single case in history that comes close to that, said Noel Francisco, who served as solicitor general during the first Trump administration and represents the firearms companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The firearms companies are backed by gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), various Republican lawmakers and 27 Republican state attorneys general. Mexico, meanwhile, is backed by various Democratic members of Congress, gun control groups and 16 Democratic state attorneys general. A decision in the case, Smith & Wesson Brands v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, is expected by early summer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court seemed likely Tuesday to block a $10 billion lawsuit Mexico filed against top firearm manufacturers in the U.S. alleging the companies have fueled cartel gun violence. Both liberal and conservative justices appeared skeptical that the claims could clear hurdles in U.S. law that largely shield gun makers from lawsuits when their products are used in crime. Big-name manufacturers like Smith & Wesson appealed to the justices after a lower court let the suit go forward under an exception for situations where gun companies are accused of violating the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An attorney for Mexico argued the case over economic harm linked to gun violence is still in its early stages and should be allowed go forward. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, though, pointed to arguments that many products, from baseball bats to prescription drugs, can misused, and a flood of lawsuits could hurt the U.S. economy. That's a real concern, I think, for me, about accepting your theory, he said. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said it appeared that the lawsuit ultimately seeks changes to the firearm industry of the kind that the shield law was aiming to forestall. Justice Samuel Alito raised questions about whether U.S. states could file suit against Mexico for illegal conduct it links to activities there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The arguments coincidently come as President Donald Trumps long-threatened tariffs against Mexico and Canada go into effect. Trump has said the tariffs are aimed in part on forcing the two U.S. neighbors to step up their fight against fentanyl trafficking and stop illegal immigration. The case began four years ago, when the Mexican government filed its blockbuster suit against some of the biggest gun companies, including Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Colt and Glock Inc. Mexico has strict gun laws and has just one store where people can legally buy firearms. But thousands of guns are smuggled in by the countrys powerful drug cartels every year. The Mexican government says at least 70% of those weapons come from the United States. The lawsuit claims that companies knew weapons were being sold to traffickers who smuggled them into Mexico and decided to cash in on that market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The companies reject Mexico's allegations, arguing the country comes nowhere close to showing they're responsible for a relatively few people using their products to commit violence. A federal judge tossed out the lawsuit under a 2005 law that protects gun companies from most civil lawsuits, but an appeals court revived it. They found it fell under an exception to the shield law for situations in which firearm companies are accused of knowingly violating the law in their sales or marketing. That exception has come up in other cases. The victims of the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook, for example, argued it applied to their lawsuit because the gun maker had violated state law in the marketing of the AR-15 rifle used on the shooting, in which 20 first graders and six educators were killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court's eventual ruling, expected by late June, could also affect other similar lawsuits stemming from mass shootings. That aspect of the case didn't appear to be a heavy focus during oral arguments, however. Smith & Wesson attorney Noel Francisco said in a statement that the exceptions aren't relevant because Mexico can't show a direct connection between the companies business practices and cartel violence. ___ Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court. The Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared likely to block a historic $10 billion lawsuit against U.S. gun makers as both conservative and liberal justices raised concerns about allowing the government of Mexico to hold firearm manufacturers liable for cartel violence south of the border. Federal law grants broad immunity to the gun industry, in part to protect companies from costly litigation that could drive them out of business. Mexico alleges the law creates an exception for "aiding and abetting" the illicit sale and trafficking of guns, which the companies deny. Mexico has only one gun store but is awash in millions of American-made weapons, most funneled into the country by straw purchasers in the United States. The country claims the companies, including Smith & Wesson, Glock, Beretta and Colt, knowingly distribute and market their guns to be trafficked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By one estimate, at least 200,000 guns flow south of the border each year. The country is seeking $10 billion in damages and court-mandated safety requirements around the marketing and distribution of guns. "The laws broken here are designed to keep guns out of criminals' hands. Those violations put guns in criminals' hands and those criminals harmed Mexico," Cate Stetson, Mexico's attorney, told the Supreme Court. "These acts were foreseeable," she added. "This court need not vouch for Mexico's allegations, but it must assume they are true. ... Mexico should be given a chance to prove its case." PHOTO: Weapons seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection during southbound inspections are displayed at the Port of Nogales, Ariz. Undated file photo. (CPB/DVIDS) MORE: Federal appeals court strikes down ban on handgun sales to teens Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the justices seemed unconvinced by Mexico's case should be allowed to move forward. Justice Sonia Sotomayor suggested the alleged harms from cartel violence roiling Mexico are too far removed from the manufacturers' decisions to distribute their products. "We have repeatedly said mere knowledge is not enough [for liability]," Sotomayor said. "You have to aid and abet in some way. You have to intend and take affirmative action to ... participate in what they're doing." Justice Elena Kagan questioned what she perceived as a lack of specificity in Mexico's allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are lots of [gun] dealers. And you're just saying [the gunmakers] know that some of them [engage in trafficking]. But which some of them? I mean, who are they aiding and abetting in this complaint?" Kagan said. After Stetson alleged deliberate marketing of guns to cartels, Chief Justice John Roberts voiced skepticism of the claim. "I mean, there are some people who want the experience of shooting a particular type of gun because they find it more enjoyable than using a BB gun," he said. "And I just wonder exactly what the defendant, the manufacturer, is supposed to do in that situation. You say no, he shouldn't be marketing a particular legal firearm because they're going to go into Mexico at a higher percentage than others?" PHOTO: The Supreme Court in Washington, June 30, 2024. (Susan Walsh/AP, FILE) MORE: Supreme Court finds 'radical agreement' in employment discrimination case Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised concern about the broader implications of a decision allowing Mexico's suit to go forward. "What do you do with the suggestion on the other side ... that your theory of aiding and abetting liability would have destructive effects on the American economy in the sense that ... lots of sellers and manufacturers of ordinary products know that they're going to be misused by some subset of people?" he asked. "They know that to a certainty, that it's going to be pharmaceuticals, cars, what -- you can name lots of products. So that's a real concern, I think." Stetson replied, "If you have a product manufacturer of a dangerous product that is alleged to have done all of the things knowing who they're selling to and what is being done with that product, then and only then, I think, that product manufacturer ... has a problem." More than 160,000 people in Mexico were killed by guns between 2015 and 2022, according to an analysis by Everytown for Gun Safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A large majority of guns involved in the shootings came from U.S. border states. More than 40% of illegal guns seized in Mexico over a five-year period came from Texas, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report. In 2023 alone, more than 2,600 firearms were seized going south into Mexico, up 65% from the year before, according to the Department of Homeland Security, and 115,000 rounds of ammunition were captured headed the same direction, up 19% from 2022. A federal district court dismissed Mexico's case in 2022 citing immunity under federal law. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision in early 2024, saying Mexico had made a plausible case for liability under the law's exception. The Supreme Court is expected to decide by the end of June whether or not a liability case can move forward. Supreme Court likely to shoot down Mexico's $10B lawsuit against US gun makers originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The Supreme Court dealt another blow to federal environmental protections on Tuesday in a major water pollution case. In a 54 ruling in City and County of San Francisco v. EPA, the justices held that the Environmental Protection Agency could no longer hold certain polluters responsible when the cleanliness of American waterways fell below minimum acceptable standards. Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote for the court, ruled that the agency had gone beyond what the Clean Water Act allowed. We hold that the two challenged provisions exceed the EPAs authority, he wrote. The text and structure of the CWA, as well as the history of federal water pollution legislation, make this clear. And resorting to such requirements is not necessary to protect water quality. In a dissenting opinion, Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote that the majority had badly misread the text and history of the Clean Water Acts provisions at issue. (The courts three liberal justices joined her.) But she also argued that her colleagues had done so in pursuit of a specific outcome that was at odds with what Congress had written. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Really, the Courts argument reduces to the broader policy concern that it may be difficult for regulated entities to comply with receiving water limitations and that they may lack adequate notice of a violation, she wrote. Those polluters could bring other types of legal challenges in those cases, Barrett explained, but these concerns do not speak to the relevant question here, which is whether receiving water limitations comport with the Act. The case represents yet another victory in the Roberts court for polluters, who have again persuaded five conservative justices to adopt stilted readings of environmental laws to reduce their regulatory burdens. The plaintiff in this caseone of the most environmentally conscious cities in the nationis an unusual one. But the author of the majority opinion was not. Tuesdays ruling is also a victory for Alito himself, who appears almost eager to rewrite the Clean Water Act more narrowly whenever the opportunity presents itself. At issue in the case is how the Clean Water Actand, through it, the EPAregulates offshore water pollution. The question is particularly important for San Francisco. Like many other major U.S. cities, it handles stormwater and wastewater through the same sewage system. That system is able to treat both types of water without issue under normal circumstances. When it rains or snows more than usual, however, the citys sewer system discharges some of the overflow into the Pacific Ocean. That overflow typically consists of an untreated mixture of wastewater, stormwater, and various urban pollutants. That would violate the Clean Water Act, which generally prohibits the disposal of such pollutants into the nations waters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the EPAs tools to combat water pollution under the Clean Water Act is to issue permits for facilities that routinely discharge pollutants into American waterways. Those permits allow the EPA to set certain requirements for would-be polluters to ensure that their outflows meet minimum safety and sanitary thresholds. In exchange for their compliance, permittees are immunized from public or private environmental lawsuits for the duration of the permit, relieving them of the expenses of litigation and short-term regulatory changes. San Francisco is challenging its current permit requirements on multiple grounds. The one that reached the high court in this particular case centered on what Alito called the permits end-result requirements. In addition to meeting certain minimum requirements at the outset, the EPA also can also levy penalties against permittees if the relevant body of waterwhich the court calls the receiving watersfalls below minimum quality standards. Alito concluded that the Clean Water Act gave the EPA no authority to impose such end-result requirements on would-be polluters. The law allows the agency to impose any more stringent limitation that is necessary to meet state and federal water quality standards established by law or by federal regulation. Alito argued that the term limitation only allowed restrictions before the fact, not afterward. A provision that tells a permittee that it must do certain specific things plainly qualifies as a limitation, he wrote. Such a provision imposes a restriction from without. But when a provision simply tells a permittee that a particular end result must be achieved and that it is up to the permittee to figure out what it should do, the direct source of restriction or restraint is the plan that the permittee imposes on itself for the purpose of avoiding future liability. In other words, the direct source of the restriction comes from within, not from without. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barrett was not persuaded, to say the least. Limitation, she wrote, is simply a synonym for a restrictive condition. She noted that limitations based on end results were common in everyday life, like a college limiting scholarships to students who maintain a minimum GPA or an employer who limits bonuses to workers based on performance standards. The end-result requirements, Barrett explained, give practical effect to water-quality standards by making them enforceable. She also emphasized that the plaintiffs would still not be without options to challenge those conditions under her reading of the law. There is no getting around it: The receiving water limitations are limitations, she wrote. If they are vague or unreasonable, they are vulnerable to challenge on one or both of those grounds. But even a vague or unreasonable limitation is still a limitation. Barretts reference to Alitos broader policy concerns when it comes to the Clean Water Act is a familiar one. Two years ago, in Sackett v. EPA, he wrote the majority opinion in a decision that sharply limited what types of wetlands count as the waters of the United States, the key term for the acts jurisdiction. Alito held that only wetlands with a continuous surface connection to larger bodies of water fell under the Clean Water Acts terms. In that instance, Justice Brett Kavanaugh dissented from the courts new interpretation, which he argued was at odds with the statutory text. The Courts test narrows the Clean Water Acts coverage of adjacent wetlands to mean only adjoining wetlands, he wrote. But adjacent and adjoining have distinct meanings. Kavanaugh warned at length that the courts misreading of the statutory text will leave some long-regulated adjacent wetlands no longer covered by the Clean Water Act, with significant repercussions for water quality and flood control throughout the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a separate dissent, Justice Elena Kagan agreed with Kavanaugh and argued that Alitos misreading of the law was driven by his own policy preferences. She pointed to his own phrasing choices that depicted the EPA as a heavy-handed brute and ordinary Americans as its hapless victims. Congress, [Alito] scolds, has unleashed the EPA to regulate swimming pools and puddles, wreaking untold havoc on a staggering array of landowners, she wrote. Surely something has to be done; and who else to do it but this court? It must rescue property owners from Congresss too-ambitious program of pollution control. As evidence of his policy views, Kagan cited Alitos references to crushing consequences for those caught in the EPAs web. Alitoperhaps intentionally, perhaps notused the same adjective in Tuesdays ruling. When a permit contains such requirements, he wrote in the San Francisco ruling, a permittee that punctiliously follows every specific requirement in its permit may nevertheless face crushing penalties if the quality of the water in its receiving waters falls below the applicable standards. (Emphasis mine.) Alitos opinion only carries the force of law because four of his colleagues agreed to it. At the same time, the opinions in Sackett and San Francisco speak volumes about the courts priorities and sympathies. Alito hypothesized at one point about a city that devise[d] a careful plan for water quality, diligently implement[ed] that plan, and still faced dire potential consequences if it failed. The EPA is presumed at every turn to be an onerous, malevolent creature; American cities and companies are well-meaning actors who humbly seek the regulatory relief that only the Supreme Court can offer. Alito and his colleagues are all too happy to provide it, even when the Clean Water Act itself doesnt. The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Tuesday that the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) rules for the city of San Francisco under the Clean Water Act on raw sewage discharge are overly vague, siding with the city after it appealed a lower courts decision. San Francisco appealed the case to the Supreme Court after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the EPA 2-1. In oral arguments before the court last October, the city argued the EPAs discharge regulations could leave the city liable based on factors beyond its control. They might as well have said: Do not violate the Clean Water Act, Tara Steeley, an attorney for the city, told the court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the ruling, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the statute requires the agency to outline specific limits on sewer overflows, rather than the generic limits that prompted San Francisco to sue. Determining what steps a permittee must take to ensure that water quality standards are met is the EPAs responsibility, and Congress has given it the tools needed to make that determination, Alito wrote. If the EPA does what the CWA demands, water quality will not suffer. Justice Amy Coney Barrett sided with the courts liberal bloc, Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson. In a partial dissent, Barrett called the majority conclusion puzzling, writing [i]t is commonplace for limitations to state that a particular end result must be achieved and that it is up to the [recipient] to figure out what it should do. For example, a company could impose spending limitations by requiring each branch to spend no more than its allotted budget, while still leaving branch managers flexibility to determine how to allocate those funds, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling marks the courts first ruling on a case pertaining to EPA authorities since it struck down the long-standing Chevron doctrine, which held that federal agencies rather than courts have broad latitude in interpreting ambiguities in the language of the law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. (WPRI) A Cumberland man has been charged with breaking into a North Smithfield business back in October. Troy Stone, 39, was arrested on Feb. 20, North Smithfield police said Monday. Police allege Stone broke into Lindys Tavern on School Street on the night of Oct. 2, 2024, and stole several items. Stone was arraigned on felony charges of breaking and entering of a business and larceny over $1,500. He was initially held on $5,000 surety bail, but court records show that was amended to $5,000 personal recognizance with a no-trespassing order. Stone is due back in court on May 8. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the new 12+ smart TV app. Follow us on social media: Advertisement 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. The staff at The Paramount in South Boston opened the restaurant Friday morning to find someone had broken in overnight. Surveillance video shows the suspect ransacking their office. Manager Dan Conlon says the thief got away with cash from the registers, and he stole their service tips. Seeing that is just very unsettling, and we hope this can help prevent further break-ins in our neighborhood, said Conlon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conlon says the suspect broke through the glass of their back door and ran downstairs to the office. Thats where he tried using his crowbar to break the security cameras and to try to open their safe. He thought he was destroying his evidence, but luckily we got him, said Conlon. Luckily they were able to recover the footage, showing a clear picture of the suspect even though he destroyed some of their security system and Wi-Fi routers. Conlon says the suspect even left and came back a second time with a shovel to try to open the safe, but he still had no luck. Were taking preventive measures that we can to prevent this in the future and we hope other businesses do the same because this can happen to anyone, said Conlon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Paramount is back to business as usual, and Conlon says hes thankful for the support from the community. Now he hopes this surveillance will help police find this suspect. There has been break-ins to the left of us and to the right of us very close by, so this is the third one in our neighborhood, so could be the same person, could not, but at least we got a good look at him, said Conlon. Boston Police say this is still under investigation and if you happen to recognize that suspect, give them a call. 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 BRISTOL A Michigan man is accused of setting fire to a residence in a mobile home park. Christopher Williams, 38, is charged with arson as a Level 4 felony and intimidation as a Level 6 felony. Police say he set fire to a residence in the Timberbrook Manufactured Home Community in September. He was arrested on a warrant issued following a police investigation into the Sept. 8 incident. Williams was booked in the Elkhart County Correctional Facility on $50,000 bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents: Police and firefighters converged on 712 N. Hawthorn St. after a fire was reported at around 10:16 p.m. The Bristol Fire Department found the bathroom of the master bedroom in flames, and after extinguishing the fire determined that the interior of the residence was a total loss. Police learned that three people were in the home before the fire was set. Williams showed up in a black SUV at around 9:45 p.m. and started moving items out of the residence. He allegedly threatened to burn this b--- down and to shoot anyone who left the residence. The three occupants fled in fear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They returned after seeing Williams SUV leave the area and discovered that the bathroom had been set on fire. Police say they found security camera footage of a black SUV in the area of 712 N. Hawthorn St. before the fire and heading away afterward. Officers responding to a noise complaint earlier that evening also spotted a black SUV in the driveway of the residence. The license plate of the vehicle was traced to a relative of Williams in Michigan. The relative was contacted and confirmed that he had been driving the vehicle, according to police. Police say Williams requested legal counsel when he was contacted. 100 years ago, March 4, 1925 TOLEDO An inquest will be held today by the coroner today over the body of William Grubb, 45, who died at his home near this village on Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. after he had been shot in the breast by Sheriff Ryan Monday night. The tragedy is the result of an attempted arrest of Grubb by the sheriff. The latter had a search warrant for Grubb's automobile, as Grubb was suspected of whisky running and bootlegging. At the time of the shooting, Grubb and a companion, "Wes" Stewart, were in the automobile in front of Stewart's home, a half mile south of town. Sheriff Ryan, accompanied by Elmer Keller, Toledo marshal, drove up the two and halted them. After a short pause the men got out of the car and started to walk away, when Sheriff Ryan commanded both to halt. According to Sheriff Ryan, Grubb stopped and, turning, said "You don't want to hold us up out here this way, do you?" "I most certainly came here for that purpose!" replied the sheriff. 50 years ago, 1975 CHARLESTON Paul R. Cross was back in jail Monday after using the identity of another prisoner to escape. Cross, 20, of Charleston was being held in the Coles County Jail in Charleston on charges of burglary and criminal damage to property when he was mistakenly released Sunday evening. He was recaptured at noon Monday by Charleston police. According to Sheriff Paul B. Smith, Cross escaped from the jail after convincing the lone jailer that he was another prisoner due to be set free as part of a work-release order. Cross passed himself off as Charles Bolen, an inmate housed in the same cellblock, Smith said. Bolen, under a work-release order, is incarcerated in jail only on weekends, Smith said. He customarily turns himself in at the jail at 6 p.m. every Friday and is released at 6 p.m. Sunday...MATTOON The city may issue $1.8 million in industrial revenue bonds for a construction project at the Anaconda plant. The Mattoon Metal Hose plant is in the process of adding approximately 29,000 square feet of floor space to the present building. Anaconda, located east of Illinois on Route 16, produces a complete line of flexible metal hose and tubing...CHARLESTON A new escalating water rate agreement has been reached between Charleston and EIU officials. The 55-month agreement which ends the recent dispute over university water and sewer costs is scheduled for a vote at tonight's city council meeting. The dispute had originated after the city raised Eastern's water rates from 79 cents to $1.31 per 1,000-gallons, an increase that went into effect Dec. 1. 25 years ago, 2000 MATTOON Some of the area's top artistic talent is working with Mattoon schools through the Mattoon Arts Council to add to the elementary school curriculum during March. A subcommittee of the arts council and school art teachers organized the programs, with at least two different artists going to each building at various times. The artists include violinist soloist Tom LeVeck, Highland bagpiper Gary Rollings, the EIU Latin Percussion Group, EIU dance group, Kaskaskia River Dancers Native American dancing, storyteller Sandy McKibben and airbrush artist Pat Gaines...NEOGA With the site secured for the new elementary school building, architects have proposed a floor plan conducive to the property that can accommodate future growth. The Neoga school district recently purchased 54 acres of land from two landowners for $235,000. The new school that voters approved is planned to be located east of the Neoga Junior-Senior High School. The new district property extends to Interstate 57 on the east side and from the Neoga (Four-Mile) Road north to the railroad tracks...SPRINGFIELD A Windsor man who earlier pleaded guilty to having a methamphetamine manufacturing facility at his home was sentenced to 90 months in prison Friday in a U.S. District Court. George Songer, 45, must also serve 8 years of supervised release after he serves his time in prison. Songer pleaded guilty to manufacturing of methamphetamine during what was to be his final hearing. Songer had testified against at least one of the people who were arrested for the manufacturing of meth. Songer and his wife Corinna Songer, 35, of Windsor, were among seven people arrested following a "no knock" search warrant executed on their property during the raid. A brazen thief got away with nearly $ 800,000 worth of luxury jewelry from the Tiffanys store at the Mall at Millenia. Orlando Police say the suspect, Jaythan Gilder pretended to be a representative for an Orlando Magic player, and he was ushered to a private viewing area. Thats when police say he grabbed the jewels and took off in a car outside of the mall. Police say he made it all the way to Washington County, where state troopers pulled him over for a traffic violation. When he was caught, police say he swallowed the jewelry. You can see some of the jewels in body scans taken shortly after his arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gilder remains in the Orange County Jail. Police say theyve since learned the suspect is accused of a similar robbery at a Tiffanys store in Texas in 2022. He will eventually be extradited to Colorado, where he is wanted on 48 outstanding warrants. Channel 9 reached out to Tiffanys and its director of communications in New York and they had no comment. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. (KRON) Two suspects were arrested for allegedly leading police officers on a chase through the East Bay on Sunday night, a post on the City of Oakleys Facebook said. A male driver is accused of striking officers with his car and driving the wrong way on a Brentwood street. After 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oakley Police officers were told of a theft at a Brentwood Walgreens. The suspect car fled, and the officers spotted a car that matched the description parked at a 7-Eleven at 2001 Laurel Road in Oakley with two people tending to the trunk. The officers turned on their lights and walked towards the car. The suspects got into the car and abruptly reversed, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement San Francisco woman arrested in horse tail pulling incident that injured child The cars open passenger door struck one officer in the chest, and the other officer was hit by the back of the car, the City of Oakley said. Neither officer suffered major injuries. The suspect car drove the wrong way on Laurel Road towards the Highway 4 bypass. The officers chased after it and eventually saw it on Highway 4 driving west towards the A Street exit. The suspect continued his attempted escape, taking the L Street off-ramp and turning onto Lemon Tree Way in Antioch. The driver eventually got out of the car, and the passenger stopped it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The passenger was arrested. Police chased the driver on foot until he fell. Fearing he had a weapon, officers struck the suspect before arresting him, the City of Oakley said. The suspects were identified as Essence Thompson, 33, of Sacramento and Antioch, and Terrance Coleman, 40, of Brentwood. Coleman drove the vehicle as officers chased it. Police are looking to charge him with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon against a peace officers, evading on the wrong side of the road, and evading with willful and wanton disregard for others. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Kinda Makieh and Suleiman Al-Khalidi DAMASCUS/AMMAN (Reuters) -Syrian security forces searched for suspects in the city of Latakia on Tuesday, residents said, after two defence ministry members were killed in an attack blamed by state media on remnants of Bashar al-Assad's ousted government. The coastal region of Latakia area has emerged as one of the main security challenges for Syria's Islamist-led government as it works to consolidate control after seizing power in Damascus in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assad drew support from among the region's Alawite minority, to which his family belongs. The Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a security source, reported that two members of the defence ministry had been killed in the Datour area of Latakia by "groups of Assad militia remnants", and that security forces had mounted a campaign to arrest them. Bursts of gunfire were heard through the night as government security forces deployed in the Datour district of Latakia. A senior security official in the area told Reuters there had been an increase in hit-and-run attacks on security patrols and checkpoints in several towns in Latakia province over the last two weeks, blamed on former army personnel in hiding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Datour resident told Reuters there had been heavy gunfire in the early hours and that security forces in numerous of vehicles had surrounded the neighbourhood, before the situation calmed down in the morning. "They have plenty of challenges, this is one of the big ones, not necessarily because there's an insurgency - it seems marginal - but because it will drain resources if they have to keep running around these villages tamping down unrest," said Aron Lund of the Century International think tank. The senior security source blamed attacks in the Latakia region on a proliferation of arms in the hands of former security and army personnel who had refused to enter into reconciliation agreements with the new authorities. The source said that Alawite elders have in some cases cooperated with security forces to hand over former personnel suspected of committing crimes during the Assad era, keen to stave off crack downs and potential civil unrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, a police station was attacked during confrontations in Assad's ancestral town of Qardaha, located in the mountains some 25 km (16 miles) to the east of Latakia. Qardaha residents and activists said that the incident began when members of security forces tried to enter a house without permission, sparking opposition from residents. One person was killed by gunfire, with locals accusing the security forces of the shooting, two residents and Alawite activists said. A statement issued at the time by the Latakia security chief made no mention of the shooting. It accused groups whom it said opposed the imposition of security of trying to prevent security forces from setting up a check point and attacking the police station. Community sheikhs and notables from Qardaha issued a videoed statement after the incident accusing "strangers" of trying to "exploit gaps between the people of Qardaha and the authorities with the aim of disrupting" security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They declared support for any step taken by the authorities with their agreement to preserve security and lives. (Additional reporting by Timour Azhari, Khalil Ashawi, Firas Makdesi and Tom Perry; Writing by Tom Perry, Editing by Angus MacSwan) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Taiwan needs to dramatically hike defense spending to around 10% of gross domestic product in order to deter a war with China, President Donald Trump's nominee to become a top Pentagon policy advisor said on Tuesday. Elbridge Colby, the nominee to become under secretary of defense for policy, admonished Taiwan for doing too little now, saying its defense spending was "well below" 3% of GDP. "They should be more like 10%, or at least something in that ballpark, really focused on their defense. So we need to properly incentivize them," Colby said at his Senate confirmation hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The remarks come as tensions climb between the United States and China, the world's two largest economies, which edged deeper into a trade war on Tuesday as China retaliated following steep tariffs imposed by Trump. China and the United States are also competing for military influence in Asia. For years, China has been steadily ramping up its military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims over the democratic, self-governed island that is home to a critical chip manufacturing vital to the global economy. The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colby told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Washington had important national security interests in Taiwan, even if the island's status was not "existential" to the United States. "Losing Taiwan, Taiwan's fall, would be a disaster for American interests," Colby said. He cautioned the military balance of power between China and the United States had "deteriorated dramatically" in China's favor. Reversing that trend would be among his top priorities. "It would be essentially my number one, or one of my very top priorities, if confirmed, to try to get us prepared as quickly as possible, and then over the medium and longer term as well," Colby said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has said his government would aim to increase defense spending to 3% of its GDP this year, but the island's parliament has passed budget cuts that could hit defense outlays. That has triggered concerns in Washington, where officials and lawmakers have regularly said the U.S. cannot show more urgency over Taiwan's defense than the island itself. Colby said he was "profoundly disturbed" by the chance that Taiwan could cut its defense spending. Nonetheless, Taiwan is exploring buying arms worth billions of dollars from the United States, sources briefed on the matter have told Reuters, hoping to win support from the Trump administration as China continues to apply military pressure on the island. (Reporting by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Michael Martina; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Taiwans defense minister says the island is planning to boost military spending in the face of the rapidly changing international situation and the escalating threats from adversaries. Wellington Koo gave no figures but said President William Lai Ching-te was working with the ministry in consideration of enemy threats and urgent readiness needs, a reference to Chinas threats to invade the island, which it considers its own territory. Those would increase the proportion of the defense budget in relation to GDP, Koo said, in comments Monday that were embargoed until Tuesday. Taiwan currently spends about 2.45% of its gross domestic product on its military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, in coordination with national security and foreign policy, the military will continue to deepen cooperation with the United States and other allied nations, expanding multilateral military exchanges to jointly uphold regional peace and stability," Koo said. Taiwan sees a growing threat from China, which regularly sends ships and aircraft into areas near Taiwan. China is expected to announce its annual defense budget on Wednesday. Xinhua, Chinas state-run news agency, reported that senior Chinese official Wang Huning during an annual meeting about Taiwan had called for China to take the initiative in cross-strait relations and push toward the reunification of the motherland. The government in Taipei condemned Chinas military exercises on Thursday after Beijing designated an area to conduct shooting drills off the self-governed islands southwest coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with the latest equipment, the military is seeking funds to increase retention of service people through higher pay, and will need additional funds to accommodate a lengthening of compulsory national service from four months to one year. United States President Donald Trump has also demanded the self-governing island democracy that relies on the U.S. for much of its cutting-edge weaponry, increase defense spending to up to 10% of GDP, a proportion well above what the U.S. or any of its major allies spend. China's actions have also unsettled neighbors in the South China Sea and other parts of the Indo-Pacific. Leaders in Australia and New Zealand also said China should have given them more warning before its navy conducted an unusual series of live fire exercises in the seas between the two countries last month, forcing flights to divert on short notice. NUUK, Greenland (AP) Greenlanders have been pushed into the global spotlight in the weeks since U.S. President Donald Trump said America could take over their Arctic homeland. Most say they dont want to be American. Many are worried and overwhelmed by the comments and the attention. But also hopeful. They say Trumps comments have ignited unprecedented interest in full independence from Denmark a key issue in a parliamentary election on March 11. Heres a look at various elements of Greenlands remarkable circumstances: Why the keen interest in Greenland? Greenland is vital to the world, though much of the world may not realize it. The U.S and other global powers covet its strategic location in the Arctic; its valuable rare earth minerals trapped under the ice needed for telecommunications; its billions of barrels of untapped oil. Theres also potential for shipping and trade routes as the ice that covers most of Greenland keeps retreating because of climate change. If that ice melts, it would reshape coastlines across the globe and potentially shift weather patterns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenland is massive about one-fifth the size of the United States or three times the size of Texas. Its land mass is part of North America, and its capital city is closer to New York than to Copenhagen. Who lives on the worlds largest island? Most of the 57,000 Greenlanders are Indigenous Inuit. They take pride in a culture and traditions that have helped them survive for centuries in some of the most rugged conditions. In their close link to nature. In belonging to one of the most beautiful, remote, untouched places on Earth. Many in this semi-autonomous territory are offended by Trumps threats to seize control of their homeland, even by force, because he says the U.S. needs it for national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why is Denmark involved? Denmark colonized Greenland 300 years ago and still exercises control over foreign and defense policy, though Greenland won self-rule in 1979 and runs itself through its parliament. Trumps comments about Greenland set off a political crisis in Denmark. The prime minister went on a tour of European capitals to garner support, saying the continent faced a more uncertain reality, while her country moved to strengthen its military presence around Greenland. Greenlands economy depends on fisheries and other industries as well as on an annual grant of about $600 million from Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aka Hansen, an Inuk filmmaker and writer, is suspicious of Trumps intentions but still thanks him for turning the worlds attention to her homeland. Like many other Greenlanders, she wants her homeland and people to be respected and she doesnt want to be ruled by another colonial power. But she feels Trumps rhetoric has increased the momentum for independence from Denmark. Denmark has been accused of committing abuses against Greenlands Inuit people, including removing children from their families in the 1950s with the excuse of integrating them into Danish society and fitting women with intrauterine contraceptive devices in the 1960s and 1970s allegedly to limit population growth in Greenland. Has Trump visited Greenland? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No, but his son, Donald Trump Jr. did landing in Nuuk, the capital city, in January in a TRUMP-emblazoned plane. And journalists from all corners have descended on Nuuk, asking locals what they think of Trumps words. Pro-Trump media influencers known as the NelkBoys arrived handing out MAGA hats and $100 bills to children in Nuuks streets. In his first term as president, Trump began to talk about acquiring Greenland from Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally. Back in 2019, most dismissed it. But it had a ripple effect and he revived the topic soon after starting his second term in January. By Ahmed Rasheed, Maha El Dahan and Nerijus Adomaitis BAGHDAD/DUBAI (Reuters) - Talks to speed a resumption in oil exports from Iraqs semi-autonomous Kurdistan region have been delayed until Thursday because of disagreements over terms between oil companies and the oil ministry, three sources told Reuters. The meeting had been scheduled for Tuesday but initial talks on Sunday ended without agreement on key issues including how foreign companies operating in the region would be paid, forcing the two-day postponement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting was called after repeated statements by Iraqi oil minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani and his government said that the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, which has been shut for two years, would resume exports soon. But the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), which groups eight companies representing 60% of production from the region, said last Friday that there had been no formal approach offering any clarity on commercial agreements and guarantees of payment for past and future exports. Iraq has come under U.S. pressure to allow Kurdish oil exports via Turkey, thereby boosting supply to the global market at a time when Washington wants to reduce Iranian oil exports as part of efforts to curb Iran's nuclear programme. Seven sources told Reuters a meeting had taken place on Sunday with no agreement made and that one of the main sticking points had been written guarantees on payment for past and future exports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Iraqi oil ministry source said that oil companies had demanded clarification on how debts accumulated between 2022 and 2023 would be repaid but were told that the meeting was held to discuss future exports and not past payments. Other sticking points included pricing and payment mechanisms, the sources said. The Sunday meeting, which took place at the oil ministry headquarters in Baghdad, included the international oil companies operating in Kurdistan and Kurdish regional energy officials. Oil companies and the Kurdish officials will confer with the Kurdistan Regional Government before relaying their final position to Baghdad, said one Kurdish official briefed about the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another key lingering issue is companies seeking guarantees over their contracts, the seven sources said. Reuters reported last week that the Iraqi government had made a fresh attempt to deem all Kurdish production-sharing oil contracts illegal through filings to a Baghdad court. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad, Maha El Dahan in Dubai, Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo and Anna Hirtenstein in London; Editing by David Goodman) WIMAUMA, Fla. (WFLA) A quarter of a million dollars is missing from a Wimauma girls special needs trust and her family wants to see those responsible held accountable. I would love to think that maybe all of this was just poor money management, said Ashley McDowel, Mias mom. I would love to think that. But McDowel believes otherwise. A federal bankruptcy judge found Pinellas County businessman Leo Govoni liable for $120 million in missing money. Families who entrusted Govoni with their money wonder if theyll ever see any of it back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mia is 7 years old. Her mom said theyre in jeopardy of losing everything. Mia may end up in a group home without access to the missing trust fund money. Now, they want answers from the man they trusted to keep it. Youre looking at the person that called why do you think the AG got involved? It was me, said McDowel. When McDowel wasnt getting any answers into her daughters special needs trust, she knew something was wrong. An allergic reaction put Mia into cardiac arrest for 22 minutes, leaving her with severe brain damage. McDowel said she settled a federal medical malpractice lawsuit two years ago. Mia was awarded half a million dollars. We started a trust with the Directed Benefits Foundation back in 2023, I thought everything was fine, said McDowel. But soon, she realized everything was not fine. The Directed Benefits Foundation administers disability trusts. Its Leo Govonis not-for-profit thats missing millions of dollars. Its also known as the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration. He was at the closing table for my settlement, said McDowel. I had sat down with. Ive had dinner with this person. I truly trusted him and I think thats how some of us have gotten victimized because we never saw it coming. In this lawsuit filed in May, the Florida Attorney Generals office accuses Govoni, and his associates of stealing $142 million from victims just like Mia. Know that there are those throughout this state that want to make sure that we are protecting the most vulnerable and those that would take advantage of them need to be held accountable, said Ashley Moody, Former Florida Attorney General. With Moody appointed to the Senate, McDowel is calling on the new Attorney General to act fast. Take this with a fine tooth comb and audit everything because it reeks that theres something shady going on, said McDowel. While Govoni is at the focus of an FBI investigation, he has not been charged with a crime. Investigative Reporter Brittany Muller asked Govoni: What would you say to the disabled people who relied on you? Govoni had no response, but the quarter of a million dollars in missing money has left very few options for the McDowels. I might have to put her in a group home because I have to be able to work, said Mias mom. I have to be able to figure something out. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) New tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. are now in place, as of Tuesday, March 4. What are tariffs and how do they work? As trade tensions heat up, China and Canada are retaliating. 10 On Your Side spoke to locals in the area about the tariffs. One shopper says hes not surprised. Trump trade war intensifies as tariffs go into place I dont think theres going to be any recovery, I think everything is going to go down. Prices are going up, things are just bad here, said local shopper, John Murphy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Imports from Canada and Mexico are now taxed at 25%. As a result, groceries, apparel and gas will cost more. What are the goods facing Trumps tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China? Canadian energy products are looking at 10% import duties. For the U.S., this will impact oil and auto parts. In retaliation, Canada vowed tariffs up to 25%. For China, originally, President Trump issued a 10% tariff on Chinese imports. Since February, that number has doubled. This will impact cell phones, toys and games. Beijing has retaliated with tariffs up to 15% on several U.S. farm exports. Mexico hasnt specifically said what their retaliatory measures include, however, the tariffs will impact auto parts and computers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grocery Shopper John Murphy doesnt believe that prices will go back down because of the state of America. I dont see it coming down, I think its not going to come down. I think that this America that we live in is going down. Theyve always been going up, so I dont see what difference tariffs are going to make, I dont really pay that any mind, because truthfully my trust is in the Lord, said Murphy. President Trump says the tariffs will help strengthen national security. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) President Donald Trump said Monday that a 25% tax on imports from Canada and Mexico would be put into effect on Tuesday, so what does that mean for your wallet? He actually imposed the 25% goods tariff from Canada and Mexico and then in addition to that he put a 10% extra surcharge or tariff on goods that had already been tariffed into China, said Maryville College Political Science Professor Mark OGorman. What are the goods facing Trumps tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly a month ago, President Trump granted Mexico and China a reprieve after reaching agreements with both nations regarding border security. The idea with the tariffs is by putting a surcharge basically on goods coming into the United States, youre actually getting tax money and that increases the revenue that the United States federal government would take in. Tariffs are a big dollar amount but a small percentage of the overall revenue that comes in, OGorman said. More tariff money means more resources for the government, so I think theres a fiscal strategy that the Trump administration and President Trump are doing. Businesses like KaTom Restaurant Supply in Sevier County are keeping tabs on their products and prices. Is it going to be on product that hits when it does hit the ports, but then theres a deeper story here, KaTom CEO Patricia Bible said. That story is the componentry that is coming in, whether it is metals or parts, will also probably have that additional tariff on that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bible hopes these tariffs will not have a significant impact on the companys customers. Political science professor breaks down ramifications of international tariffs Believe it or not there are negotiations that can be made around this, so were busy doing that on every front that we possibly can to keep those increases down as small as possible, Bible said. OGorman believes these tariffs will impact your wallet in someway. Youre going to feel it both in terms of those small ticket item, but also bigger ticket items, OGorman said. Bigger ticket items where there are a lot of parts together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Gantz, a fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy, told the Associated Press that the tariffs pose an existential threat to North American auto production. See more top stories on WATE.com Canada, Mexico, and China have announced plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on American goods. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) joins Jose Diaz-Balart to discuss the consequences of President Trump ordering a pause in aid to Ukraine and to share why he will not be attending Trump's address to a joint session of congress tonight. The battle against the Palisades and other fires may be over, but the war of words over affordable housing in the fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades has only begun. As detailed in the Los Angeles Times, billionaire developer and past mayoral candidate Rick Caruso has expressed concerns about a push for more affordable housing to be created out of the ash and ruins of the Palisades Fire. Now is not the time for outside groups with no ties to the area to slow down the ability of people to rebuild their homes by trying to impose their agenda, Caruso told the Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of Carusos associates, however, took things a bit further on X, formerly Twitter. Joe Lonsdale, a founder of data analytics company Palantir Technologies and board member of Carusos wildfire foundation Steadfast LA, shared a headline from the conservative outlet Washington Examiner that claimed that due to L.A. law, rebuilt residences in the Palisades would require the inclusion of affordable housing. Sorry guys, no rebuilding your fancy houses that burned down by the ocean in LA until theres a new crack den installed right in the middle of the neighborhood, he quipped. How affordable housing, rent control and stabilization, and other housing-crisis-related matters will be handled is yet to be seen, with local and state officials working on the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the administration of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, her recovery czar, developer Steve Soboroff, told the Times that while more apartments in the Palisades is something he could support, it wasnt his focus. Were not rethinking, Soboroff said. Were rebuilding. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. As the old saying goes, sometimes looks can be deceiving. Such was the case on the evening of Feb. 27 inside the Elevator Building, located on Franklin Street within the Rivertown Warehouse District. The vibrant, energetic, focused action taking place in two spaces, produced by 31 youths varying in age from 13 to 17 as they prepared to present an upcoming play, surely reflected the efforts of young people that have been serious about theatre and acting for a long period of time? Well, not exactly. And that begins to explain the magic of Teen HYPE, a Detroit-based nonprofit organization that has been committed to developing young leaders for nearly 21 years by incorporating some of the most unique and authentic methods imaginable. Actors from Teen HYPE laugh as co-director Henri Franklin talks about a rehearsal scene at the Teen HYPE offices in Detroit on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Franklin and fellow co-director Cherry Sparks went though various scenes for the play Two Detroits written by Mallory Childs. When the kids come to the program, many of them arent into acting, but we get them to do it and when you see them out there, youre so proud, said Cherry Sparks, who true to her words looked mighty proud that Thursday evening as she had an up-close seat during the rehearsal for the upcoming play titled Two Detroits, which Teen HYPE participants will perform March 13 and 14 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn. Everyone doesnt want to be an actor. They do it because of the program and this is one of the biggest things they do in the program each year. Because of that, they come together, they put on a show; and do you know how many kids have come out of this program to go on to New York and California, and theyre acting now! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, to see the kids up there on the stage during the performance is just a beautiful thing and I get choked up every year. Two days earlier inside the Elevator Building, during the calm of the morning when there was no programming for youths taking place, Ambra Redrick, Teen HYPEs CEO and co-founder was still able to match Sparks exuberance as she talked about what her nonprofit means to her hometown through ongoing programming, which has touched more than 35,000 young people since 2004. I think the word that would best describe the vibe we have here is inspired, said Redrick, a 1990 graduate of Cooley High School, who also earned bachelors and masters degrees in social work from Wayne State University. Our young people are the ones in our community that are still very brave. And when they come in during the evening it feels like magic! Dancers from Teen HYPE rehearse part of their dance routine for the play Two Detroits at the Teen HYPE offices in Detroit on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. A visit to the Leadership section of the Teen HYPE website shows the organizations leadership members in superhero garb, representing the Marvel and DC universes just about equally, with a few outside characters thrown in. Redrick says one of her nonprofits greatest superpowers as a whole is its ability to create a safe and comfortable space where young people with resources, as well as young people that may be under resourced can come together as equals and thrive together. And as it turns out, spaces were on the mind of Teen HYPE participants when they were deciding on issues they wished to tackle in a play because Two Detroits calls attention to gentrification in their community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our young people were emphatic about addressing gentrification, said Redrick, whose nonprofits mission is to empower young people through educational programs that honor their voices, foster personal growth and promote leadership skills. I think about when I was growing up in Detroit as a teenager: we had Northland (mall), we had Fairlane (mall), we had roller skating, you could go to Hart Plaza. There were places and spaces in the community where teenagers could grow up together, and that doesnt exist now. We have taken away the safe spaces for young people to meet, grow up together, develop and just be themselves. The places that we explored dont exist anymore. And the places that do exist have signs that say, Teenagers are not welcome. So we havent done our due diligence as a community to bring teenagers in and to welcome them in spaces where they can know they belong here. In some ways, our teenagers have been pushed to the side, so I think this play will be a reminder of what we think about when we think about space. Co-directors Henri Franklin, left, and Cherry Sparks direct actors from Teen HYPE practicing for the play Two Detroits at the Teen HYPE offices in Detroit on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. To ensure that Two Detroits came to fruition, Redrick, a successful and respected leader of youths, proudly turned to someone she helped to mentor, 18-year-old Mallory Childs, a Teen HYPE alumna, freshman student at Spelman College, an aspiring social justice advocacy lawyer, and now a playwright after writing the script for Two Detroits. For Childs, writing the script for Two Detroits is the continuation of her Teen HYPE journey, which she began a little sooner than most participants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I was in the seventh grade, my dad (William Childs) was always researching programs and he came across Teen HYPE, said Mallory Childs, who spoke Tuesday morning by phone from the Spelman campus in Atlanta. When I went in for the interview, they were asking me different questions and then they asked me my age. I knew I wasnt quite old enough for the program, but I felt that this was something good and a place I should be, so I told them I was 13 and Im pretty sure I was 11. Childs says she was rewarded for her eagerness by having an opportunity to explore and develop various skills and talents that interested her, including singing, writing, production management and more. In explaining her approach to writing the script for Two Detroits, Childs said it boiled down to putting her community first. In all of the topics that we pick for Teen HYPE productions, all of our members share personal stories, explained Childs, who wrote the script while she was home from college during Spelmans holiday break. But the topics we select for our productions are also topics that are affecting our entire community, so its not just looking from an I perspective. Our shows mean so much to us, but they mean so much to the community as well. That Thursday evening, Two Detroits co-director Henri Franklin made it crystal clear that he did not want too much information about the play to get out before the March 13 and 14 premiers. But after finally reaching a point during the rehearsal where Franklin felt a break was in order, the energetic, and always encouraging co-director did reveal some thoughts in a general sense regarding what audiences can expect when they see the play. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Detroiters, its definitely going to be a story that is familiar to you maybe not necessarily your family, but a family you know, said Franklin, an award winning SAG-AFTRA actor, who graduated from Wayne State Universitys Theater program. And it really speaks to the humanity and the journey of being a human. Sometimes we are faced with things that we didnt ask for, that we dont like, and it doesnt seem fair. But life provides that to us anyway. And we have a unique opportunity to grow from that and learn healthy and positive ways to manage, cope and then overcome. "Once we learn those skills, we can pass them on to the next generation, because life is going to life. Programming that prepares Detroit-area youths for the world What: Teen HYPE, founded in 2004. CEO and Co-Founder: Ambra Redrick Vision Statement: We have succeeded at our mission when: All youth are given the support they need to succeed. Upcoming special events: Two Detroits, a play presented by Teen HYPE with a night performance open to the public on Friday, March 14 at 7 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn 48126. Day performances for educators and students also are scheduled for Thursday, March 13 and March 14. Learn more: For more information about Teen HYPEs programs and upcoming events, please visit teenhype.org Scott Talley is a native Detroiter, a proud product of Detroit Public Schools and a lifelong lover of Detroit culture in its diverse forms. In his second tour with the Free Press, which he grew up reading as a child, he is excited and humbled to cover the citys neighborhoods and the many interesting people who define its various communities. Contact him at stalley@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @STalleyfreep. Read more of Scott's stories at www.freep.com/mosaic/detroit-is/. Please help us grow great community-focused journalism by becoming a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Teen HYPE's upcoming 'Two Detroits' play 'bravely' looks at 'spaces' MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) Police are searching for four suspects after two teenagers were attacked and robbed in Manhattan on Feb. 17. It happened inside the Dyckman Street subway station around 3 p.m., according to the NYPD. The victims, a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, were standing on the southbound platform when they were approached by the suspects, police said. More Local News The suspects were accused of punching, kicking and using a scalpel to slash the victims, according to authorities. The 15-year-old boy was slashed on his nose and lip while the 16-year-old boy suffered slashes to his head, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 16-year-old victims cellphone and Nike Jordan sneakers were stolen, according to authorities. The group was also accused of stealing a Nike Jordan sneaker from the 15-year-old victim, police said. More Crime News Police described the first suspect as a boy around 16 years old who was last seen wearing a dark green Canada Goose coat with a hood, gray sweatpants and black sneakers. The second suspect was last seen wearing a black winter coat with tan fur on the hood and blue jeans. Police did not give descriptions of the other two suspects. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 bill passed with bipartisan support in the Tennessee House requires schools to ban cell phones during instructional hours.(Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) The Tennessee House overwhelmingly approved a measure Monday requiring schools to ban cell phone use when teachers are instructing students. House Bill 932, sponsored by Republican Rep. Rebecca Alexander of Jonesborough, passed with bipartisan support on an 80-10 vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although some school districts have had cell-phone policies for years to avert classroom distractions, Alexander said the states school superintendents association asked her to sponsor the bill. She explained that school districts will have to adopt a policy but will have the discretion to determine whether the ban is in effect during class time or the entire school day. Some Democrats raised concerns that students wouldnt be able to contact their parents during emergencies such as shootings. But others, including Democratic Rep. G.A. Hardaway of Memphis, said scientific studies show that constant use of cell phones causes childrens brains to develop differently, affecting their ability to grow up naturally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another Democrat, Rep. Caleb Hemmer of Nashville said he has received positive feedback from teachers and counselors in his childrens schools since they enacted a cell phone policy. The bill, which also applies to tablet and laptop computers and gaming devices, authorizes teachers to let students use wireless communication devices for educational purposes during instructional time and during emergencies or to manage their health. Students also would be permitted to use cell phones if theyre included in an individualized education program, typically for special education students. District policies also must set a procedure for parents and guardians to be contacted during emergencies. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency will affect a dozen Tennessee offices leased by the federal government. (Photo by Getty Images). Among hundreds of leased federal offices targeted for closure by the Trump Administrations Department of Government Efficiency is a Nashville Social Security Administration space. The list, posted on the DOGE website, gives no specific address for the Social Security office or information about its operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A statement from the Social Security Administration said that the agency is working with the federal General Services Administration to review our leases and ensure they are used efficiently. Most of the leases we are not renewing are for small remote hearing sites that are co-located with other Federal space, read the statement. Other offices are non-public facing, being consolidated into nearby locations, or we had planned to close. The statement did not address questions about the specific purpose of the Nashville location slated for closure, but the spaces size about 4,000 square feet suggests it is not a public-serving office, said Chris George, a Nashville attorney who specializes in Social Security claims. Theyre all much larger than that, said George, who noted that the administration also maintains regional administrative offices in Tennessee, often with a handful of employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social Security operates both administrative and public facing offices large spaces where individuals seeking to claim retirement, disability or survivor benefits turn for help with applications or questions about their benefits. Last week, the Social Security Administration announced it would be reducing the number of its regional administrative offices from 10 to four. Closing the Nashville Social Security office would save $712,000 annually in lease payments, according to the DOGE website. A dozen other federal offices are also targeted for lease terminations in Tennessee. They include a 135,000 square-foot-national office of the Internal Revenue Service in Franklin, and a 17,000-square-foot Internal Revenue Service space in Chattanooga; a 1,000-square-foot Department of Homeland Security border patrol field operations office in Chattanooga, a Occupational Health and Safety Office in Nashville, Food and Drug Administration offices in Memphis and Nashville and a Mine Safety Health and Administration office in Knoxville. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Tennessee Supreme Court set execution dates for four people on death row on Monday. It has been five years since Tennessee has put a person to death and months since the state finalized a new lethal injection protocol to kill the condemned with the drug pentobarbital. The state's highest court set execution dates for four people who had impending execution dates before Gov. Bill Lee paused capital punishment in the state over concerns with how the state was carrying out its lethal injection protocol. The pause was lifted when the Tennessee Department of Correction announced it had finalized the new protocol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court set the following dates: Oscar Franklin Smith, execution date May 22 Byron Lewis Black, execution date Aug. 5 Donald Ray Middlebrooks, execution date Sept. 24 Harold Wayne Nichols, execution date Dec. 11 Smith was 30 minutes from being put to death when Lee off his execution. Smith, 74, was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder in the 1989 killings of his estranged wife, Judith Robirds Smith, 35, and her sons from another marriage, Chad Burnett, 16, and Jason Burnett, 13. Black, 68, was sentenced to death after his convictions for the 1988 murders of his girlfriend, Angela Clay, 29, and her two daughters, Latoya Clay, 9, and Lakeisha Clay, 6, in Nashville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Middlebrooks, 62, was convicted for the 1987 "torture-murder" of 14-year-old Kerrick Majors in East Nashville. The Tennessee Supreme Court initially reversed the death sentence in 1992 and sent the case back to trial court for resentencing. Nichols, 64, pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of Karen Pulley, 21, a Chattanooga college student, in the late 1980s. A jury sentenced him to death for the slaying. Nichols had chosen to die by electric chair before his execution was delayed because of Lees announcement. Because all were convicted of crimes committed before 1999, they must choose whether to die by electrocution or lethal injection. Attorney argues clients should have time to challenge new protocol Assistant federal public defender Kelley Henry, who represents Smith, Black and Middlebrooks, said her clients should have more time to challenge the new execution protocol, which she argues was created in secret. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The new protocol is shocking in its lack of transparency and detail," a statement from Henry reads in part. "They should be permitted to conduct these challenges without the unfair pressure of expedited execution dates." The state attorney general's office in May 2022 said it would not oppose a stay of Middlebrooks' execution if a new date was set before his lawsuit challenging the state's previous execution protocol wrapped up, a court filing obtained by The Tennessean shows. In that filing, the state said it would give Middlebrooks 90 days to amend his complaint in that lawsuit after a new protocol is finalized. Middlebrooks' lawsuit is ongoing, and he has not filed an amended complaint as of Monday. "We certainly hope that they and the Governor will stand by their word," Henry said. "Moreover, that agreement should extend to the other men whose dates were set today." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith and Nichols have already challenged their executions on competency grounds and cannot raise those challenges again. If Black and Middlebrooks plan to make that challenge, their lawyers must file petitions alleging incompetency between May 27-29 for Black and between July 7-9 for Middlebrooks. Gary Wayne Sutton, the fifth person who was scheduled to die before Lee's 2022 announcement, did not have his execution date set. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently requested the court set execution dates for five other people on death row. A message was sent requesting comment to Lee's office, the Tennessee Attorney General's Office and Nichols' attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Have questions about the justice system? Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him with questions, tips or story ideas at emealins@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Execution dates set for four people on Tennessee death row TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) Concerns are rising about the resurging threat of measles in Texas, but according to a local doctor if you were immunized as a child you have very little to worry about. The caveat is people that are immunosuppressed. says Dr. Dallas Bailes, Medical Director at Texarkana Emergency Center & Hospital, People with HIV, people on immunosuppressives with an organ transplant, certain types of autoimmune diseases where theyre hit with high dose steroids and immunosuppressives, those patients can certainly lose their immunity and they will need to be tested to see if they have titers and may require a booster in their adult years. The disease has a mortality rate of 1-in-1,000, but the rate is even higher for infants under one year old. The first dose of the MMR vaccine is typically given at 12 to 15 months so there is some reason for parents to be cautious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Which is interesting because why do we start the vaccine at at age one if the higher its a higher mortality rate. Its up to 3%, or 1-3% under age 1. says Dr. Bailes, The reason is because it is a live virus, and so babies still have antibodies from their mom, up to about 6 months. So in high-risk areas, its still recommended they start vaccinating at 6 months, but they dont get near as much of a response from it because some of the moms antibodies will attack the live virus. Aside from the vaccine the community as a whole can also be safe as long as most people take precautions. When you have herd immunity, which is over 95% of the population in any given area that is vaccinated, your chance of getting measles in the area is almost zero, so the fact that weve had lower vaccine rates recently is whats leading to these outbreaks. Texas students can be exempted from immunization for reasons including religious and personal objections. According to data from the 2023-24 school year by the Texas Department of State Health Services, in Bowie County Leary ISD and Red Lick ISD are the only two public school districts with higher than 5% of their students with conscientious exemptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. Texas lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban nearly all forms of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Texas Senate Bill 3 is backed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and seeks to tighten regulations around THC products sold in convenience stores and vape shops. Patrick first launched the bill in December, calling for the ban of all consumable tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) being sold. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at the 2024 Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on May 23. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune The commercialization of hemp products with trace amount of non-intoxicating Delta 9 THC was legalized by House Bill 1325 in 2019, with the intention of strengthening Texas agriculture. The law allows the production, manufacture, retail sale and inspection of industrial hemp crops and products in Texas, granted that they stay at 0.3% or less delta-9 THC level. This also includes products for consumable hemp products that contain cannabidiol (CBD), as well as other edible parts of the hemp plant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The year before, the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the list of controlled substances, legalizing it at the federal level and making it eligible for federal farm programs. Marijuana laws in Texas are confusing. Here's a guide to know what is and isn't legal Supporters: Bill would 'keep unsafe products off our streets' Supporters of Senate Bill 3 claim the previous legislation created a loophole to sell dangerous products to adults and children alike. Patrick now argues retailers used a loophole to sell dangerous products to adults and children alike. State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, wrote the bill and echoed this sentiment with the aim to "keep these unsafe products off our streets." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If they are really honest with you, most of them will tell you without the THC products, they cant be profitable, and so the gig is up," Perry said during Monday's meeting. "Weve tried to let the industry regulate itself theyve proved they cant, they dont want to and wont. Its time to fix it." If passed, the ban would not include cannabis-infused products such as cannabidiol (CBD) or cannabigerol (CBG). However, the purchase of CBD would be restricted to those 21 and older. There is currently no minimum age requirement for CBD in Texas, but some licensed retailers may ask if the customer is 18 or older. The bill would also create harsher penalties related to consumable hemp products. Possession would be punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of $4,000. Manufacturing the products themselves would become a third degree felony, which carries a prison sentence of two to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000. More on Senate Bill 3: Proposed Texas bill would ban sale of all THC products, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Opponents: Bill would hurt thousands of business, 'mostly mom and pops' Senate Bill 3 has its share of opposition. KXAN reports that while many who oppose the bill agree that regulations should be tighter, they worry about the impacts a complete ban would have on businesses. This includes Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who supported the 2019 Hemp Bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm kind of torn between because we have never wanted recreational marijuana. And that's basically what this is," Miller said. "But now, you got 8,000 businesses, mostly mom and pops, that have put their life savings into opening these new businesses. And we might put them out of business." Before Senate Bill can reach Gov. Greg Abbott's desk to be signed into law, it must first pass through the Senate committee and then the full Senate and House. Is cannabis legal in Texas? The Lone Star State has not broadly legalized cannabis in any form. While recreational marijuana remains illegal, medical marijuana is permissible in certain circumstances. In 2015, Texas passed the Compassionate-Use Act, which allowed the first legal use of low-THC cannabis products in the state for patients with intractable epilepsy. It was expanded in 2019 and 2021 to include other conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chapter 169 of the Texas Occupations Code states that patients suffering from the following are allowed to use low-THC cannabis products: epilepsy seizure disorders multiple sclerosis spasticity amyotrophic lateral sclerosis autism cancer post-traumatic stress disorder an incurable neurodegenerative disease Marijuana remains illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA). It is listed as a Schedule I controlled substance, under strict regulations by the federal government, and has "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." USA TODAY Network reporter Brandi D. Addison contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas THC ban may become law in 2025. What to know about Senate Bill 3 Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) wants to reclaim one of Americas most popular cuts of beef to acknowledge the Lone Star States cattlemen: New York strip, meet the Texas strip. Liberal New York shouldnt get the credit for our hard-working ranchers, Patrick said in a statement on X touting a state resolution that would make the name change official in Texas. We promote the Texas brand on everything made or grown in Texas because it benefits our economy and jobs. Patrick, a Baltimore native who is running for a fourth term in Texas next year, said he ran the idea by Texas cattle feeders and raisers last week to beef up his plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I asked why we didnt call it a Texas Strip because New York has mostly dairy cows, he said. Just because a New York restaurant named Texas beef a New York Strip in the 19th century doesnt mean we need to keep doing that. The strip steak already goes by multiple names that vary geographically. The North American Meat Processors Associations Meat Buyers Guide notes that different regions refer to the strip loin steak as Kansas City or New York. But Patrick said hes hoping that with enough promotion the Texas strip moniker will take over. We ask restaurants to change the name of this strip of meat the next time they reprint their menus, and grocery stores to do the same, he said. We want this to catch on across the country and around the globe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a world filled with serious issues that we address every day at the Texas Capitol, this simple resolution will help better market Texas beef, he added. New Yorkers dont seem to be buying it, though. The New York Times surveyed some of the citys restaurateurs who scoffed at the idea. I guess the lieutenant governor is looking for some P.R., but a New York steak is a New York steak, one told The 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 The Hill. SEMINOLE, Texas (AP) Measles had struck this West Texas town, sickening dozens of children, but at the Community Church of Seminole, more than 350 worshippers gathered for a Sunday service. Sitting elbow-to-elbow, they filled the pews, siblings in matching button-down shirts and dresses, little girls hair tied neatly into pink bows. Fathers shushed babbling toddlers as their wives snuck out to change infants' diapers. A little girl in this mostly Mennonite congregation was among those whod fallen ill with the highly contagious respiratory disease, senior pastor David Klassen said but shes doing fine, and she happily played through her quarantine. He heard that at least two Mennonite schools shut down for a bit to disinfect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What he hasnt heard: Any direct outreach from public health officials on what to do as the number of those sickened with measles has grown to 159 and a school-age child has died. And though Klassen is a trusted church and community leader, his congregants havent asked about whether they should vaccinate their kids and he wouldnt want to weigh in. With this measles situation, I can honestly just tell you we havent taken any steps as a church, he said. We did leave it up to the mothers. As measles a preventable disease the U.S. considered eliminated in 2000 spreads through West Texas rural expanse, Klassen is sticking to an approach on vaccines that is a key tenet for Mennonites. Family leaders are the top decision-making authority not outside recommendations, certainly not government mandates. Alongside measles in this region, where voters overwhelmingly supported President Donald Trump, theres another outbreak: one of misinformation about vaccines, distrust of local public health officials and fear of governmental authority overruling family autonomy. And on the national stage, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the countrys top health official and an anti-vaccine activist, dismissed the Texas outbreak as not unusual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do I trust all the vaccines? No, Klassen said. And I get from (Kennedy) that he doesnt trust all the vaccines, either. And he is very well educated in that; Im not. In an opinion piece for Fox News Digital, Kennedy wrote about the value of the vaccine but stopped short of calling on families to get it, saying the decision is a personal one. He urged parents to speak to their health care providers about options. Vaccine skepticism has also been spurred by state lawmakers who this year filed more than a dozen bills that would strengthen or expand vaccine exemptions, which Texas already allows for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief. Doctors on the front lines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At hospitals in Lubbock, 80 miles to the north and on the front lines of the outbreak, babies with measles are struggling to breathe. Dr. Summer Davies, a Texas Tech Physicians pediatrician, said she has treated about 10 of the outbreaks patients, most very young or teens. She said children have had to be intubated, including one younger than 6 months old. Others come in with such high fevers or severe sore throats that they refuse to eat or drink to the point of dehydration. Its hard as a pediatrician, knowing that we have a way to prevent this and prevent kids from suffering and even death, she said. But I do agree that the herd immunity that we have established in the past isnt the same now. And I think kids are suffering because of that. In Lubbock County, 92% of kindergarteners are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella shots, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Thats lower than the 95% threshold experts say is needed to prevent measles from spreading. Gaines County, which includes Seminole, has an 82% MMR vaccination rate, though rates for homeschooled or private school students may be much lower. The vaccine series is required for kids before entering kindergarten in public schools nationwide. Many Mennonite families dont send children to public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of the children admitted with measles to Covenant Childrens Hospital in Lubbock were unvaccinated, officials said last week. Dr. Lara Johnson, the hospitals chief medical officer, told The Associated Press that Covenant has seen more than 20 patients, including children, teens and pregnant mothers, since the outbreak began in late January. News of a measles case in Seminole, population 7,200, put doctors on a shared high alert, said Dr. Martin Ortega, a family physician for Texas Tech Physicians in Odessa, about an hour away. The small towns of West Texas may look completely isolated on a map, with little between them beyond oil and gas facilities and sprawling desert. But the region is connected by its people, who regularly travel long distances to grocery stores, hospitals and houses of worship. Many doctors are seeing measles cases for the first time in their careers. In Lea County, New Mexico, 30 minutes west of Seminole, nine measles cases with no clear connection to the Texas outbreak, rattled doctors and parents. An unvaccinated infant in Austin also tested positive for measles after an overseas vacation. Its a little bit surreal, said Dr. Rumbidzai Mutikani, a pediatrician at Nor-Lea Hospital Districts Hobbs Medical Clinic. Parents were so concerned our phones were just ringing, Mutikani said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katherine Wells, director of Lubbocks public health department, said West Texas' rural landscape is a major challenge, not just in getting to patients and transporting test samples, but also in getting the word out. A lot of the messaging is word of mouth, she said, but they are working on public-service announcements featuring trusted Gaines County residents, putting up billboards about measles, handing out flyers and posting in WhatsApp groups. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of distrust in public health and government requirements, Wells said. On Facebook, people have accused her of making up the measles outbreak. They hope her department loses its funding. Its really hurtful stuff, she said. Were really working to help encourage vaccines for our community and help those kids that are infected to make sure they get medical treatment so that we dont end up with another death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pro-Trump, but 'not anti-vaxxer The reality on the ground can be nuanced, however. Brownfield Mayor Eric Horton is pro-Trump, he said, but also pro-MMR vaccine. His county was hard-hit by COVID-19, Horton said, with nearly 90 deaths. So when measles cases came to his town of 8,600, Horton feared for his community. He said the local hospital has been busy administering vaccines since the outbreak started. Out here on the south plains of Texas, we are conservative people, but we also are not anti-vaxxers, he said. Across the region, people echoed this sentiment about routine childhood vaccinations in interviews with the AP and The Texas Tribune. Often, though, they are less supportive of COVID-19 and flu shots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its frustrating that (Mennonites) dont vaccinate, and they put other peoples families and children at exposure for it, said Stephen Spruill, a 36-year-old trucker from Seminole. But "this is America. People have the right to choose. Macey Lane, 31, of Hobbs, said: I do support Donald Trump. I dont support not requiring vaccines. All of Lanes kids are vaccinated. Praising Sen. Mitch McConnells vote against Kennedys nomination, she said the fact that the only Republican that went against RFK was a polio survivor says a lot. But she said she voted off other issues: her religious beliefs, stance on abortion and who would be best for the regions oil and gas industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As far as RFK being an anti-vaxxer, this is the most important thing: People have to make a decision for themselves and be as informed as they possibly can, Horton said. But in doctors' offices throughout the region, pediatricians see the consequences of that stance. Mutikani, the Hobbs pediatrician, said shes seen vaccine hesitancy increase in recent years as parents come to her with worries that line up with whats trending on social media. Virulent misinformation is especially worrisome in rural areas with few news sources or where many people who dont regularly see doctors live, she said. And having these really big, respected public figures openly going against the grain, going against research and what we know, it makes it really, really difficult, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Texans are still vaccinating their kids, including Jennifer Sanchez, a 26-year-old Odessa resident. She took her 6-year-old and 1-year-old to the local public health department last week to get the measles vaccine. She is disinfecting her house out of an abundance of caution, wishing she had more information on how to stop the spread. The government needs to give us more tools so we can protect ourselves, she said. ___ AP journalists Mary Conlon and Julio Cortez contributed to this report. ___ This story is part of a collaboration between The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to promoting civic engagement, and The Associated Press. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Texas health commissioner told lawmakers Monday they are still trying to determine the origin of a South Plains-Panhandle measles outbreak more than a month after the first patients reported symptoms. I cannot link this particular outbreak, Dr. Jennifer Shuford, who oversees the Texas Department of State Health Services, told the House Committee on Public Health. We dont know what the link is. During Mondays hourlong discussion the first time the Legislature has meaningfully addressed the outbreak in a hearing since the first case was reported in January Shuford fielded questions about the states response, as well as those posed by Republican lawmakers about vaccine risks and whether the cause of the outbreak was due to illegal immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Texas leaders quiet amid the biggest measles outbreak in decades] While Gaines County is the center of this outbreak, infections have spread to eight other surrounding counties. Shuford told lawmakers Monday that the number of cases from the outbreak has increased to 158 and that four other measles cases two in Harris County, one in Rockwall County and one in Travis County have also been reported but linked to international travel and unrelated to the ongoing outbreak. State Rep. Mike Olcott, R-Fort Worth, asked Shuford repeatedly if the West Texas outbreak could be tied to the influx of undocumented immigrants into Texas. Have you all considered the possibility, because of the enormous surge of foreign nationals coming into this country recently, many of whom, maybe even most of whom, are not vaccinated, that could have been the source of the outbreak? Olcott said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shuford said she had no data pinpointing how the outbreak started. For this particular outbreak we dont know the individual who introduced it into the community or what the risk factor was for bringing it in, Shuford said. Rep. John Bucy, D-Austin asked why the biggest outbreak in years was happening now in Texas. Shuford explained that the elimination of measles depends on a community having an immunization of at least 95% to keep the disease from spreading. At 95%, we have whats called herd immunity, she said. We know when those vaccine levels get lower than 95% that theres enough unprotected people together to cause an outbreak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What happened in Gaines County, she said, was that measles was able to latch onto a community where there were lower immunization rates. One of the countys local public school districts with only 143 students, according to 2023-24 school year data, has the highest school vaccine exemption rate in the state 48% of Loop school district students have conscientious exemptions from required vaccinations. In 2023-24, less than half of all Loop kindergartners 46% were given the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, according to state data. Theres been some decreased interest or decrease in trust in vaccines and thats caused a decrease in vaccination rates, she said. Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, zeroed in on the amount of vaccine doses at least 72 an American child receives by the time they reach their 18th birthday, at the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He questioned whether health agencies should provide better communication about the risks of some vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Too often, he said, those who question vaccine risks are painted unfairly. Take every one or youre an anti-vaxxer, he said. He also said vaccine manufacturers bear no risk if someone has an adverse reaction to the shots. We dont do anything other than to tell people you need to get the vaccine, and, oh by the way, the pharmaceutical company has no liability because we have waived that, Frank said. Its a great business model, right? They get to manufacture it. You require it. Shuford conceded that it was up to the public health community to better inform the public about vaccines by laying out risks for different risk groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that it does make sense and were considering ways to communicate about vaccines. Clearly there are so many questions around it and rightfully so, Shuford said. And part of it is on us in public health not being able to communicate well about it. We cant wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 1315 in downtown Austin. Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education, the economy, health care, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and so much more. Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. A shooting at a North Texas car wash Monday killed a 5-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man who was reportedly local rapper G$ Lil Ronnie. Police said two suspects opened fire at the victims shortly before 11 a.m. in Forest Hill, a suburb about 30 miles west of Dallas. Officers performed life-saving measures but both victims were pronounced dead at the scene at Slappy's Express Car Wash on Forest Hill Drive. A preliminary investigation found that the suspects fled the scene in a white four-door Kia after approaching the victim's vehicle, according to the Forest Hill Police Department. Both suspects were described as Black males wearing blue jeans and gray sweaters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police have identified one suspect in connection to the shooting, who is now the subject of an active capital murder warrant. Names of the suspects have not been made public. A witness at the scene said they heard around 20 to 30 gunshots, CBS News Texas reported. Police believe it was a targeted shooting. An investigation has been opened and is being led by the Texas Rangers. The Forest Hill Criminal Division, Fort Worth Police Department, Everman Police Department, Kennedale Police Department and Tarrant County Sheriff's Office are also involved. The shooting marks the fourth and fifth homicides in Forest Hill this year compared to none in 2024, the police department said. Aunt said shooting victim had no known enemies Friends and family have identified the man killed as rapper Ronnie "Lil Ronnie" Smith, also known as G$ Lil Ronnie, according to local stations WFAA and CBS News Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith's aunt, Stella Houston, said her nephew had no known enemies that she knew of, WFAA reported. "He was a good kid. He was," Houston told WFAA. "He didnt bother nobody." Smith had around 40,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. His highest streaming track was "Hoodfame Killuminati," off a 2018 collaborative project with Go Yayo, whose real name is Kyrin Xavier Peters. Peters posted a photo of the two on his Instagram story Monday and wrote "Life or death 4 u big brudda." The Forest Hill Police Department is urging anyone with information on the shooting or the suspect's whereabouts to call 817-531-5250 or email policeinvestigations@foresthilltx.org. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: North Texas rapper G$ Lil Ronnie, daughter killed in car wash shooting AUSTIN (Nexstar) As the Texas A&M Forest Service projects extreme or very high wildfire for a vast majority of the state on Tuesday, legislators met in Austin to discuss how to prepare Texas for the future of firefighting. On Monday morning, the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs discussed a bill to create a database of the inventory of firefighting equipment that is available for use in responding to wildfires. The inventory is to be maintained by the Texas A&M Forest Service. This is using technology that we already own, its just doing a better job, more complete listing in real time of all of the things available during emergencies, said the bills author Sen. Kevin Sparks, R-Midland, whose district was affected by about 90% of Texas wildfires around this time last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal comes after a Texas House of Representatives report on the handling of the 2024 Panhandle wildfires, fires which burned over a million acres and claimed three lives. The report said although volunteer firefighters fought valiantly to contain the wildfires, response efforts were inhibited by a lack of properly positioned, readily available, and timely dispatched air support on top of ineffective communication and coordination among agencies, local governments, and responders due in part communications equipment that lacked interoperability. Sparks proposed bill is intended to help curb that communications gap. The ability to do this will improve our ability to respond quickly in a coordinated and efficient manner, and that is a key part of being able to respond to these incidents and bring them under control, Pflugerville Fire Chief Nick Perkins told the committee. Bill Gardner, a representative from the State Firefighters and Fire Marshals Association of Texas, also spoke in support of the bill. The association represents 17,000 volunteer Texas firefighters. Perkins said 85% of the state is covered by a volunteer fire department of some makeup today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a multitude of things we can do to increase our statewide coordination and this [bill] certainly adds to that, Gardner said. State Sen. Charles Perry, R Lubbock, also said theres $192 million dedicated in the Senate Finance Committee to bolster the states firefighting equipment. Sometimes it takes an event to clean-up where we shouldve been already, Perry said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai court on Tuesday accepted a class action lawsuit against food giant Charoen Pokphand Foods for causing environmental damage from the rapid spread of an invasive fish species, a lawyer for the plaintiffs told Reuters. CP Foods is part of agro-industrial conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group, which owns the country's second-largest mobile network and largest convenience store operator. The case is being brought by 10 fishermen from Samut Songkhram, a province by the Gulf of Thailand, known for its fishing industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The class action, a rare legal procedure in Thailand, centres around the blackchin tilapia, a fish native to West Africa, which was brought to Thailand a decade ago. They prey on shrimp and snail, disrupting Thai aquaculture industry and native ecosystems. The action is seeking 2.4 billion baht ($70.9 million) in damages, lawyer Sittiporn Lelanapasak said. The plaintiffs allege that CP's actions linked to the import of the invasive species created environmental damage, diminishing the ecosystem that subsequently negatively impacted the fishermen livelihoods CP Foods denies the allegations. "The companys operations are not the source of the issues raised...the determination of the companys guilt or liability will be made after thorough examination of the evidence in court," it said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court accepting the class action was seen as a positive sign and could encourage legal action from other farmers, Sittiporn said. The company's shares were down 2.08% against a benchmark drop of 0.90%. (Reporting Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Mar. 3A third person has been arrested in connection to what has been called a racially-motivated attack against a Black man last year outside a Portsmouth diner in Nov. 2023, State Police said Monday. On Saturday, Shannon Goodwin, 39, of Dundalk, Maryland, turned herself in on a warrant issued by State Police for three misdemeanor charges of simple assault and a disorderly conduct violation. Goodwin was arrested and processed after surrendering at the Newington Police Department. She is scheduled to be arraigned March 24 in Portsmouth District Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May 2024, Shannon Goodwin's husband, Kevin Goodwin, also of Dundalk, Maryland, turned himself in to police on charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct in connection with the same incident. In March 2024, Aaron Goodwin, 45, of Eliot, Maine, Kevin Goodwin's brother and a former Portsmouth Police sergeant, turned himself in to State Police on the same charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct in connection with the alleged assault, which occurred the night before Thanksgiving 2023. Aaron Goodwin pleaded guilty last year to assaulting Mamadou Dembele, a Black man who is a vice president at a local bank. Aaron Goodwin received a suspended 30-day jail sentence for his role in the confrontation, which Dembele claims was racially motivated. A disorderly conduct charge was dropped. Aaron Goodwin was also ordered to take part in anger-management classes and to perform community service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was fired from the Portsmouth Police Department in 2015 after he was accused of influencing an elderly woman to leave roughly $2 million of her estate to him. A probate court blocked Goodwin's inheritance. Dembele has filed a federal lawsuit against the three Goodwins for the assault, citing negligence, battery, assault, false imprisonment and infliction of emotional distress. "(The) defendants' conduct is the actual and proximate cause of physical, mental, psychological and other harms and injuries Mr. Dembele suffered," the lawsuit states. "As a proximate result, Mr. Dembele incurred pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment, past and future medical and mental health treatment expenses, temporary and possible permanent disability, past and future lost time from work and lost earnings, and has incurred other expenses." The Goodwins have filed motions to have the lawsuit dismissed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the lawsuit, Dembele went to Gilley's Diner the night of Nov. 22, 2023, where he encountered Aaron Goodwin and two others identified by law enforcement as Kevin and Shannon Goodwin while waiting for his food order. The complaint says Dembele spoke with Aaron Goodwin shortly after 10:30 p.m. and offered him a cigar "as a sign of friendship and goodwill on this Thanksgiving eve." "Defendant Kevin Goodwin reacted angrily to this," the AG's complaint reads. "He asked Defendant Aaron Goodwin why he was talking to 'this f---ing moron,' and stated that M.D. was too poor to afford a good cigar. Defendant Kevin Goodwin further stated that the cigar was a 'blunt,' which he explained was when Black people mix tobacco with marijuana and smoke it." Kevin and Shannon Goodwin became hostile and began insulting Dembele, the complaint alleges. After Dembele left Gilley's with his order, the confrontation continued outside, the complaint says. pfeely@unionleader.com A 16-year-old girl has turned herself in after she was wanted for her alleged involvement in a deadly shooting in Atlanta. She is the third person related to the shooting who has been taken into custody. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Jan. 25, at approximately 1:09 a.m., Atlanta police responded to reports of a shooting at 1200 Gun Club Road NW. When they arrived, officers found a 29-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Feb. 25, a 17-year-old boy was taken into custody for his involvement in the shooting. That teen is charged with murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm under the age of 18, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On Feb. 27, Israel Byrd, 18, surrendered at the Atlanta police headquarters. Byrd is charged with murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. On March 2, a 16-year-old girl surrendered at the Atlanta police headquarters. She is charged with murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm under the age of 18. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] North Carolina U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (File Photo: Screengrab from C-Span) Compromise in politics is something that is as old as human civilization itself. Anyone who aspires to serve in an elected position understands this simple truth and the fact that, in many instances, compromise is an absolute requirement for those who want to stay in office. Many are the well-meaning politicians down through the centuries whove legitimately pondered the question: How can I do the most amount of good by standing on principle and risking some or all of the power and influence I have, or by compromising and living to fight another day? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, for others, such questions never occur. These are the weak, corrupt and morality-challenged individuals who simply blow with the wind and say whatever they think will work to their personal advantage at all times. Anyone who has ever walked the halls of Congress or a state legislature for any length of time can readily spot these on-the-make individuals in both parties. Theyre the ones to whom lobbyists for predatory industries and other slimy causes invariably turn to carry their bills and represent their snake oil claims. But for most American politicians, there remains a wellspring of fundamental human decency a floor below which they are unwilling to sink, along with some basic principles to which they will adhere, no matter what the cost. North Carolinas senior senator, Republican Thom Tillis, has always given the impression of being someone who fits or at least aspires to fit into the more honorable category. Tillis has helped enact many arch-conservative policies through the years several of which he no doubt truly believed in but as anyone whos ever watched or listened to the man speak in unscripted circumstances can attest, hes not a fire breathing reactionary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down bans on same-sex marriage thus overturning a state constitutional amendment he had helped enact as state House Speaker Tillis spoke openly and publicly about the inevitability of the nation embracing marriage equality. Hes also worked on and endorsed before backing down to Trump, anyway middle ground immigration reforms that would create paths out of the shadows for the millions of the nations unauthorized immigrants. Most recently, there was Trumps absurd nomination of former Congressman Matt Gaetz to serve as U.S. Attorney General. Tilliss exasperated reaction to reporter questions made clear his obvious (and accurate) belief that Gaetz was a desperately unqualified scoundrel. Now, however, thanks to Trumps latest outrageous action one of the most execrable and un-American deeds of any U.S. president in the nations history Tillis (like several other Republican officials) has arrived a make-or-break moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After all, its one thing to disagree with your partys leader about taxes, or the size of government, or even interpretations of the Constitution, and still remain allied. Its quite another when that leader abandons two-and-a-half centuries of history as a global champion of democratic government and freedom and affirmatively aligns the United States with a committed opponent of both the murderous Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. President Donald Trumps shameful attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy an act so low that former Republican and longtime New York Times columnist David Brooks rightfully described it in a national television appearance as nauseating and vile demonstrated once and for all who and what Trump is. Trumps support of Putin is not an act of hardboiled realpolitik, nor as some have suggested derogatorily, appeasement of the kind British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain thought he was practicing toward Hitlers Germany prior to World War II. Trump isnt trying to control Putin, hes affirmatively teaming up with the war criminal as a partner and as Brooks put it, working to create a world a world thats safe for gangsters. He is, in short, betraying the most important things for which our nation has at least tried to stand for 250 years, and joining the other side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And if this act doesnt constitute a Rubicon moment for Tillis and other patriotic Republicans whove held their noses for so long at Trumps serial dishonesty, megalomania and criminality, its hard to fathom what could possibly do so. Tillis recently gave a passionate and impressive Senate speech in support of the Ukrainian cause, and he clearly seemed sincere. But theres simply no way that any person with a measure of self-respect could give a speech like that, believe what he said, and still remain allied with someone like Trump and his Russian partner. Sure, a break would be supremely difficult. A formidable Trump-backed primary opponent next year would be a sure thing. And thugs loyal to Trump might even make ominous threats as they have toward other politicians whove dared to cross their Dear Leader. But as Tillis must also be acutely aware, if he backs down here and fails to back his words with action, he will have no chance of ever being taken seriously again or remembered as anything other than the Washington punchline hes fast becoming. And whats the point of being a senator in those circumstances, other than to cash a paycheck? In short, Trumps treachery has made Ukraine the defining issue of the moment and maybe of our time. And it has provided Thom Tillis with what is likely his last chance to define himself as a moral and honorable leader. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Energy companies are on high alert as the Kansas City area gets ready for another winter storm system. This time, its not subzero temperatures the company is most concerned about. The extreme winds are the greatest threat to power outages. Stay at least 30 feet away from any downed power line; always assume its still energized call Evergy report it and if its an emergency call 911, Courtney Lewis said, a spokesperson for Evergy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis said workers will be closely monitoring the storm as it heads toward the metro. Joes Blog: Massive(!) spring/winter storm to hit region (MON-3/3) We go where the outages are and this is kind of looking like it could be a good chuck of our service area, Lewis said. She said theyll call in contractors to help if they need more hands but theyre hoping thats not the case. Throughout the year, Lewis said the company has invested in modernizing equipment to help prevent outages. An example of that is when we replace those large transmission poles that carry the power from our substations to communities we will replace them with steel instead of wood, Lewis said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said steel poles are meant to withstand winds as strong as 100 mph. Still, its important to have an emergency kit ready to go just in case. Batteries flashlights a charged cell phone bank if you have it, a first aid kit, Lewis added. As for the threat of snow, Kansas Citys Public Works Department said they do not plan on pretreating roads Tuesday because the rain would wash all the salt away. But they will be ready to plow Wednesday as needed. View the latest Weather Alerts in the Kansas City region on FOX4 Because of the possibility of debris flying, like tree limbs, make sure your cars are in a safe spot and anything thats not secure outside gets brought in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can check and report on outages through Evergys website and by downloading the app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) On Monday evening March 3rd,around 11:45 P.M., Washington County deputies, in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Corrections, made arrests related to an attempted contraband drop at Washington State Prison in Davisboro. While on patrol, a deputy was alerted to a package that had been dropped onto the prison grounds. Shortly after, the deputy stopped a vehicle for speeding and, during the stop, detected a strong odor of marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following a brief investigation, it was determined that the suspects were involved in the drop. Authorities recovered 15 pounds of tobacco, 5 pounds of marijuana, drone-related items, and other evidence from the drop. Two firearms were also seized from the suspects, though its believed they were not intended for the drop. Authorities arrested and charged are the following suspects: Tristin Butler, 18 of Ellewood, Ga. Is charged with Possession with intent to distribute Marijuana, Possession of a firearm during commission of a crime, Unauthorized use of unmanned aircraft, Items prohibited without authorization Marijuana, Items prohibited without authorization tobacco, Crossing guard lines with contraband, and Trading with inmates. Tristan Butler Corey Woods, 24, of Atlanta, Ga. is charged with Possession with intent to distribute Marijuana, Possession of a firearm during commission of a crime, Possession of firearm by convicted felon, Unauthorized use of unmanned aircraft, Items prohibited without authorization Marijuana, Items prohibited without authorization tobacco, Trading with inmates, Crossing guard lines with contraband, and Possession of Marijuana. Corey Woods Josue Rafeal Batista, 22, of Conyers, Ga. is charged with Possession with intent to distribute Marijuana, Possession of a firearm during commission of a crime, Unauthorized use of unmanned aircraft, Items prohibited without authorization Marijuana, Items prohibited without authorization tobacco, Trading with inmates, Crossing guard lines with contraband and Possession of Marijuana. Josue Rafeal Batista Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. LORDSBURG, N.M. (KRQE) Three people were killed in an 11-car pileup west of Lordsburg on Thursday, according to New Mexico State Police. The weather was a contributing factor, with heavy dust leading to a lack of visibility. One of the victims killed in the crash, 45-year-old Joseph Malley, was from Lordsburg. The other two victims, 52-year-old Douan Fernandez and 37-year-old Alexander Acosta, were both from Florida. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to New Mexico State Police, the crash occurred at around 8 a.m. on eastbound I-10. As a result, I-10 was shut down in both directions between Lordsburg and the Arizona border for the majority of the day on Thursday. Drivers were diverted onto U.S. 70 from Lordsburg, but cameras on NMRoads.com showed that many drivers were stuck on I-10 while crews worked to clear the crash. I-10 Lordsburg at 9:13 a.m. on Thursday, February 27, 2025 | Courtesy of NMRoads Lordsburg I-10 closure February 27, 2025 | Courtesy of NMRoads Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) The Holyoke Police Department arrested three persons last Friday and recovered a stolen vehicle after receiving reports of open-air drug dealing in the area. Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan said that at approximately 9:30 a.m., an officer was surveilling the Elm Street area due to drug dealing complaints from residents. A vehicle that had been reported stolen was observed conducting suspicious activity that was believed to be drug-related. State Police: Spike strips used to stop erratic driver on I-91 in Northampton Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, which contained five individuals. Three of the occupants, including the driver, tried to flee but were caught by the Holyoke officer and Hampden County Sheriffs Deputies that provided assistance. All five occupants were detained when police noticed empty and used crack cocaine vials inside the vehicle. The driver of the stolen vehicle, 24-year-old Ricardo Serrano-Acumulado of Holyoke, was arrested. The two passengers that did not attempt to escape were also arrested. When police searched 43-year-old Jesus Jauridez of Holyoke, they recovered approximately 12 capsules of crack cocaine and seven bags of heroin and fentanyl. Police later searched Jauridezs motel room and found illegally owned ammunition, which officers said will be added to his charges. 41-year-old Vanessa LaFlamme of Springfield was arrested due to having outstanding warrants and crack cocaine allegedly found in her possession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ricardo Serrano-Acumulado is charged with: Receiving a Stolen Motor Vehicle Jesus Jauridez is charged with: Possession of a Class A Drug Possession of a Class B Drug Receiving a Stolen Motor Vehicle Vanessa LaFlamme is charged with: Possession of a Class B Drug Arrest Warrant (Default) The two other individuals who were detained have been released. The Holyoke Police Department will continue their efforts to curb drug dealing in the Elm Street, Appleton Street, and Suffolk Street areas. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. WOONSOCKET What would you do if you had $5 million? For Matthew Roman, the chief operating officer of Thundermist, the answer is easy: prevent 150 employees of the community health center from being laid off last September due to financial troubles. In Romans case, the question is not just hypothetical. Thundermist lost $5 million last year in potential revenue due to drug makers skimping on a federal program designed to help safety-net providers that care for low-income patients. Advertisement Advertisement Last year alone, Thundermist lost $5 million because of the pharmaceutical restrictions. Guess what that $5 million would have done? We would still have 150 employees here, Roman said at an event at Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket last week. Rhode Islands community health centers, which provide primary, dental and behavioral care for one in five Rhode Islanders, have been struggling financially. Over half of their patients are on Medicaid, and reimbursement rates have not kept up with rising costs of supplies, services and salaries. Matthew Roman, chief operating officer of Thundermist, speaks at a health care event in Woonsocket. There is another significant pain point: the 340B Drug Discount Program. What is the 340B program? Created by Congress in 1992 through the Veterans Health Care Act, the 340B program was designed to help health care providers who serve low-income or uninsured patients buy drugs at a discounted rate. This allows organizations like community health centers to make drugs accessible to patients who may otherwise not be able to afford them. Advertisement Advertisement It also serves as a source of income. Health care providers buy drugs at discounted rates and earn the difference between what they paid and the reimbursement. The program requires this revenue to be reinvested into the organization. Those dollars are often referred to as access dollars because the organizations reinvest them into services to provide additional access. That could be in the form of community health workers where there's not enough funding to support them, Roman explained. Safety-net providers have relied on revenue from the 340B program to supplement low reimbursement rates, but in recent years, drug makers have imposed restrictions on which pharmacies are included in the program, cutting their earnings. This has had a drastic effect on the bottom lines of community health centers. Since 2020, six of the eight community health centers in Rhode Island have seen their revenue from the 340B program decrease by $16 million, according to the Rhode Island Health Center Association. (This figure does not include Thundermist or Blackstone Valley Community Health Care.) Criticism of the 340B program The 340B program is not without its critics. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found in the past that some hospitals participating in the program prescribed more expensive medications. There is evidence, too, that some hospitals strategically adjust their status to qualify for the program and target wealthier communities. Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, GAO recommended that the Health Resources and Services Administration, which oversees the program, scrutinize which organizations qualify for it. GAO also recommended that more stringent oversight be given to prevent organizations from receiving duplicate discounts from federal programs. Legislation aims to regulate drug makers who restrict 340B program Two bills in the General Assembly are seeking to regulate drug makers who put restrictions on the 340B program. House bill H5634 sponsored by Rep. Jon Brien an Independent from Woonsocket and North Smithfield and a sister bill in the Senate S0114 sponsored by Bridget Valverde a Democrat from North Kingstown, East Greenwich and South Kingstown would prohibit drug makers from restricting which pharmacies can participate in the 340B program in Rhode Island. The bills would also prohibit them from reimbursing organizations participating in the 340B program at rates lower than those paid to organizations outside the program. Similar bills failed to pass last year, but the community health centers and hospitals in Rhode Island are hoping to get a win this legislative session. Part of their argument is that the drug makers, not the state, would bear the cost of the 340B program. Advertisement Advertisement Its one of those things where, pass the legislation, it does not cost Rhode Island one cent, Roman said. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Bills aim to regulate drug makers who restrict 340B drug program in RI With UNC Greensboro and N.C. A&T State University facing the potential loss of millions of dollars in annual federal healthcare funding, Republican NC Auditor Dave Boliek has cautioned their chief financial officers to take extreme care in reporting financial statements. The Trump administrations National Institutes of Health unveiled Feb. 7 and effective immediately a financial change that would reduce to 15% how much the university can spend on administrative overhead expenses, or what it terms as indirect costs. However, a federal judge issued Feb. 10 a temporary restraining order at the request of 22 Democratic attorneys general, including North Carolinas Jeff Jackson. According to NIH, that money typically goes to cover administrative costs and personnel, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance and research equipment, but also can include depreciation on buildings and interest on debt associated with certain buildings. Linda Birnbaum, former director of NIHs National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, said the average university administrative overhead costs are about 27%. For biomedical research, such as that done at UNC Chapel Hill, N.C. State University and East Carolina University, Birnbaum said the overhead is 50% to 60%. Since the 2009-10 fiscal year, UNCG has received $93.5 million in NIH grant funding, N.C. A&T $41.4 million, Winston-Salem State University $7.5 million and Appalachian State University $3.51 million. The state Auditors Office disclosed Monday that Boliek sent a memo last week to UNC System members chief financial officers and finance leaders. Our financial statement audits stick to the numbers, and thats exactly what our universities need to be doing, Boliek said in a statement Monday. The last thing we want to report are findings that could have been avoided. Given the NIHs new guidance for its research grant policy, which states that there will be a standard rate of 15% across all federally funded NIH grants for indirect costs, (the state Auditors Office) recommends universities that receive NIH funding take extreme care in reporting upcoming financing statements. While the policy is currently in the judicial process, implementation of the new standard indirect rate will result in varying changes to operating revenues at affected public universities in North Carolina. N.C. A&T deferred comment on the memo Monday to the Auditors office, while UNCG could not be immediately reached for comment. NIH reasoning NIH didnt indicate how research universities were to fill the funding gap with a 15% administrative overhead cap. The focus of the cap appears to be on universities with billions of dollars in endowment funds, such as Harvard ($69 billion), Yale ($67 billion) and Johns Hopkins ($63.7 billion). The implication is that research universities should be using more of their endowment funds to help with administrative costs for its health-focused research. Last year, $9 billion of the $35 billion that the National Institutes of Health (funds) granted for research was used for administrative overhead, what is known as indirect costs, according to NIHs Feb. 7 post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Today, NIH lowered the maximum indirect cost rate research institutions can charge the government to 15%, above what many major foundations allow and much lower than the 60%-plus that some institutions charge the government today. This change will save more than $4 billion a year effective immediately. As of June 30, Wake Forest Universitys endowment was listed at just under $2 billion, with Wake Forest University Health Sciences representing $859.1 million and the main Reynolda campus at $1.14 billion. Why it matters Jackson said in a statement that the temporary restraining order was necessary because the NIH attempt to slash funding for research awards that already have been granted violates the law and would cost North Carolinas public universities hundreds of millions of dollars every year going forward. Jackson and the other 21 attorneys general said that without immediate relief, lifesaving and life-extending clinical trials would have been suspended, research would be disrupted, labs would close, and hundreds of North Carolinians would be laid off. Federal law prohibits categorical and indiscriminate changes to NIH indirect cost reimbursements, Jackson said. The court was right to stop this federal overreach, and Ill keep fighting to protect our states economic future. Birnbaum said the funds dedicated to administrative overhead costs isnt like optional stuff. Its not like this is stuff that (anyone) can just do. You have to have animal quarters that have to be paid for, she said. You have to have people who are involved in cleaning the equipment. You have to have maintenance agreements on the equipment. You have to have people who process all the information. Birnbaum said that in order to pay for the things that need to be done, to do the research, that now has to come out of my grant. All of a sudden, theres not going to be any money to do the science, or its going to be significantly cut, she said. Wake Forest impact In terms of the Triad, Wake Forest University and Wake Forest University Health Science could face the biggest financial blow from the 15% cap. Some research institutions dedicate up to 70% of their annual NIH funding to those costs. In recent years, Wake Forest University Health Sciences has been dedicating up to 55% of its annual NIH funding to administrative overhead costs, according to research reports. Since the 2009-10 fiscal year, WFUHS has received just under $1.7 billion in NIH grant funds, including $140 million in 2023-24 and $151.2 million in 2022-23, the most granted to the school during the 15-year period. For example, of the $140 million NIH funding WFUHS received in fiscal 2023-24, as much as $77 million could have gone to cover administrative costs. But with a 15% maximum, WFUHS would have been limited to about $21 million. We are reviewing the recent executive orders and assessing any potential impact to our organization, WFHUS said in a statement. Wake Forest University received a separate $50.6 million in NIH funding over the same 15-year period. A Winston-Salem oncology research group Southeast Clinical Oncology Research Consortium received $42.25 million over the 15-year period. The group declined to comment about the potential impact from the NIH administrative overhead spending cap. Two people in Mississippi died in weather-related incidents Tuesday, the governor said, as severe storms struck the region and knocked out power to tens of thousands of people. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves expressed his condolences and asked residents to join he and his wife, Elee Reeves, in prayer after the two storm-related deaths. A social media post by the governor announcing the two deaths did not provide further details on the circumstances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storms prompted high wind warnings for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and for New Orleans as revelers in those cities and elsewhere celebrated Mardi Gras, but no major damage was reported. Two EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Caddo Parish, including in North Shreveport, shortly after 9 a.m., the National Weather Service said. Peak winds for both were estimated at 93 mph, it said. No injuries were reported. Millions of tourists and locals bedecked in beads, costumes and purple, yellow and green flocked to New Orleans to revel in raucous Fat Tuesday festivities, including iconic parades, music and food. Two of the biggest parades the Zulu and the Rex started earlier than normal and on shorter routes because of the weather. Meanwhile, all carnival parades in Jefferson Parish were canceled because of high wind concerns. A dust storm in El Paso, Texas. Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng called the decision difficult. "This is disappointing, but our top priority is ensuring the well-being of everyone in our community, and we must always prioritize safety above all else," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In New Orleans, some took the weather in stride. We from New Orleans, so we out here anyways; it dont even matter. Rain or shine, were outside, a participant told NBC News Jesse Kirsch. New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick expressed her joy that the main parades were able to go on successfully, albeit earlier than usual, calling the cooperative weather "an answered prayer." Canceling the parades would have been the easier decision, but leadership doesnt always mean an easy decision. ... When we cooperate we can make things happen, she told NBC affiliate WDSU of New Orleans on Tuesday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of the country was under alerts Tuesday because of a major March storm. Blizzard warnings covered the Kansas City, Missouri, area as well as parts of Iowa early Wednesday, and most of Wisconsin was under a winter storm warning. High wind advisories covered a huge section of the country, from Dallas, Texas, to Raleigh, North Carolina, and from Georgia to Ohio, according to the National Weather Service. By late Tuesday, more than 296,000 electricity customers were without power in Texas and parts of the South, according to outage tracking website poweroutage.us, with Alabama and Texas the hardest hit. Strong wind hit Lewisville, in North Texas, on Tuesday morning and partly collapsed a Benjamin Moore Paints warehouse. Officials were still working to confirm whether the damage was caused by a tornado. In Parker County, near Fort Worth, three RVs were overturned because of severe weather and high winds, and one was destroyed. One person sustained minor injuries, Parker County Emergency Services District No. 1 said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city of Ada, Oklahoma, reported that the severe storm caused significant damage to structures, power lines, gas lines and trees. One person was reported to have been injured, and 24 families were displaced. Dust storms created nearly zero-visibility conditions in parts of New Mexico and west Texas on Monday. There, a high wind warning was in effect through the evening. The weather service in Midland and Odessa warned that widespread potentially damaging wind gusts up to 65 mph were expected and that winds and blowing dust may be dangerous to drivers. On Wednesday, the storm is forecast to sweep into the East Coast, creating severe risk from Florida to Pennsylvania and bringing heavy snow to parts of the Midwest. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com At the first Dolton Village Board meeting since Mayor Tiffany Henyard lost the Democratic primary for reelection, a sense of peace washed over many attendees. Henyard was absent from Mondays meeting at the Dolton Park District Field House, leaving Trustee Jason House, the Democratic nominee for mayor, to lead. He guided the approval of settlements of several lawsuits brought against Henyard and the village, as well as contract agreements with union workers. This board is about making sure that we listen to the residents and we are able to actually take things and put them into action, House said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The board members in attendance Tammie Brown, Stan Brown, Brittney Norwood and Kiana Belcher expressed their support for House and excitement for the villages future. House received 3,896 votes, or 88%, to 536 votes for Henyard, according to unofficial results from the Cook County clerks office. The winner of the Democratic primary will face independent candidate Casundra Hopson-Jordan in the April 1 election. Eighty-eight percent is an avalanche, not a landslide, Belcher said, to a chorus of laughter and applause. Norwood led a field of seven candidates running for three Village Board seats with 3,554 votes, while Belcher had 3,414 and former Trustee Edward Ed Steave had 3,335 votes, according to unofficial results. All are members of Houses Clean House 2025 slate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trustee candidates running with Henyard were well behind, with Joslyn King at 653 votes, Linda Terrell at 618, and Vanessa R. Wesco with 536 votes, unofficial results show. Henyard has not spoken publicly since losing the Dolton primary, but in social media posts has written that she is going to keep winning. Trust the process. Watch my comeback. Stay tuned, Henyard wrote Thursday on Facebook. Wait yall thought I was finish hell no. Henyard has been under federal investigation, with subpoenas delivered to Dolton Village Hall and Thornton Township offices last spring. Henyard is township supervisor but faces a challenge in getting elected to a full term, having been blocked from being part of the Democratic caucus that instead chose state Sen. Napoleon Harris as its candidate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Henyard did not immediately respond Tuesday to requests for comment from the Daily Southtown. In unanimous approvals, the board designated certain village property Class 8, intending space for commercial business, as well as approved bargaining agreements with the firefighters union and Police Department record technicians. Dolton firefighters Local 3766 has spoken out about working without a contract during Henyards tenure, citing a dysfunctional negotiation process. They also filed a lawsuit the board settled Monday to resolve all pending grievances and matters before the Labor Relations Board. The board agreed to settle two other lawsuits that together will cost the village close to $100,000. In a Freedom of Information Act case brought by Nexstar Media, the village agreed to pay a judgment of about $52,000. In another case brought by Karen Johnson, the village settled for $35,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The board also overrode a veto from Henyard that prevented it from issuing a liquor license to Pablos Cafe and Bar on Sibley Boulevard. Village attorney Michael McGrath said House was given court approval to issue the license due to Henyards unwillingness to comply with court orders. Unfortunately, the next board (is) going to be faced with cleaning up a number of matters that were inherited from the current administration, McGrath said. House agreed with this sentiment and encouraged Dolton residents to remain engaged in government affairs beyond Henyards controversial tenure. He said he was encouraged by voter turnout in the Feb. 25 primary, which saw about 4,500 votes compared with about 2,900 in 2021. A more engaged community brings more dollars, and Lord knows were going to need some of those, House said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An array of speakers congratulated House and his slate during public comment, and expressed hope for a clean slate in Dolton village government. Resident Elaine Wheatley called House a man of character and encouraged the community to rally behind him while throwing away all unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment toward Henyards administration and its supporters. Let us not esteem past discrepancies, unlawful actions and unwise leadership, Wheatley said. Let us believe that the atmosphere has shifted and the light is shining brightly over Dolton. ostevens@chicagotribune.com CHIPPEWA FALLS U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany has reintroduced legislation that would eliminate most subsidies for solar and wind energy projects on farm land. The measure is titled Future Agricultural Retention and Management (FARM) Act. Tiffany, R-Minocqua, said he doesnt want land that is producing food to be taken out of production so it can instead produce energy. Taxpayer dollars shouldnt be used to sacrifice farmland for green energy boondoggles, Tiffany wrote in a press release last week announcing the bill. The FARM Act ends corporate welfare for unreliable energy sources and ensures agricultural land is protected for future generations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill, H.R. 1754, has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. farmland acreage has decreased more than 20 million acres between 2017 and 2022. Between this same period, all but five states (Alaska, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, and Rhode Island) lost farms. Tiffany said he has heard from numerous constituents who fear too much farmland is being taken away. Instead of forcing taxpayers to underwrite generous green energy giveaways that often take farmland out of production, the Farm Act would protect family farms for generations to come, save American farmland, and safeguard long-term food security, the press release states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FARM Act does not prevent developers from building wind turbines or solar panels. However, it does prevent taxpayer funds from tipping the scales in favor of wind and solar development at the expense of food production. According to a report by the Office of Tax Analysis at the Treasury Department, renewable subsidies including wind and solar will cost taxpayers $424.6 billion over the next decade. Tiffany first introduced this legislation in 2022. He explained at that time that utility companies who are putting solar and wind projects on farm land are driving up the price for renting property, because they are getting the subsidy they use to pay for the land. Because of the subsidy, it is distorting the marketplace, Tiffany said at the time. Tiffany said it is important to keep all farm land in production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Growing our own food is going to be one of the most important things for our countrys national security, Tiffany told the Leader-Telegram. Im alarmed we are going to take productive farmland out of production. With Republicans now controlling both the U.S. House and Senate as well as the presidency, the bill has a stronger chance of becoming law this time. The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Ben Cline (VA-06), Warren Davidson (OH-08), and Roger Williams (TX-25). Tiffany, who represents the Seventh Congressional District that covers northwest Wisconsin including most of Chippewa County except for Chippewa Falls, was elected in May 2020, replacing Sean Duffy, who is now secretary of the Department of Transportation. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) offered to host town halls in districts where Republicans are now refusing to hold them. Thats a shame, Walz said, responding to the GOP news. If your Republican representative wont meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will. Hell, maybe I will, he continued in a post on social platform X. If you congressman refuses to meet, Ill come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat em. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) advised House Republicans to avoid in-person town halls with constituents and instead to host phone or livestreamed events. The advice comes after constituents and activists shook up GOP events, expressing frustration about the recent actions from the Trump administration to overhaul the federal workforce. Some events in Texas, Wisconsin and Georgia were disrupted by people who have shown growing concern about the administration and its Department of Government Efficiency slashing federal spending. GOP lawmakers say the disruptions are stemming from Democrats and Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have suggested that they paid troublemakers, who were looking to go viral. Democrats criticized the advice and questioned if Republicans strategy was to shut out those who opposed with their action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So House Republicans political strategy is see no families nor workers, hear no protesters, speak to no one and hope everyone gets less angry at them when they rip away Americans health care? Got it, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Viet Shelton 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. President Donald Trump will be addressing Congress for the first time in his second term this evening to lay out his plan for the next four years of his administration. A senior administration official said the theme of Trumps speech will be the renewal of the American Dream, per NBC News. He is reportedly expected to discuss tariffs, immigration, and the Department of Government Efficiencys recent downsizing of various federal agencies, headed by Elon Musk. There will be a lot of surprises and a lot of made-for-TV moments, an administration official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump will also be joined this evening by several guests, including Musk, Marc Fogel, who was imprisoned in Russia, and the family of firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed in the attempted assassination on Trump in July 2024. Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin will provide a rebuttal airing directly after Trumps speech. Trump also teased in a TruthSocial post, TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE BIG. I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS! This speech marks Trumps fifth presidential address to Congress. When is Trumps speech today? Photo: Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images President Trump will address Congress Tuesday, March 4, at 9 p.m. ET. How to watch Trumps speech: Viewers at home will be able to watch Trumps speech tonight live via various media outlets, including Fox, USA Today, Associated Press, CBS News, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PBS News will also be providing live coverage of the event starting at 6 p.m. ET. ABC News will also air the speech live with additional special coverage from 9 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and ABC News Live, which is also available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu. UPDATE 3/4/2025 The Camden County Sheriffs Office has released the name of a two-year-old girl who was found dead in Lake of the Ozarks. CCSO says Iszabella Obryan was reported missing at around 4:40 p.m. on March 3 and was reported missing from the area of Irontown Road in Roach. Obryans body was found in the lake at around 8:10 p.m., according to CCSO. The circumstances surrounding the childs death are under investigation by CCSO, with help from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Original story: ROACH, Mo. A two-year-old girl was found Monday night after going missing in a small town near Lake of the Ozarks. The Northwest Fire Protection District of Camden County posted on social media that they were dispatched around 4:45 p.m. to search for a missing toddler. The search was being conducted in the area of Roach, Missouri. Crews searched the home, wooded areas, nearby shoreline, and elsewhere. After several hours, the girl was found unresponsive. CPR began immediately, the fire department says. The child was unable to be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death has not been announced, nor has the location where she was found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several area departments assisted in the search, including Missouri State Highway Patrol, Camden County Sheriffs Office, Camden County EMA, Linn Creek Police Department, Sunrise Beach Fire Protection District, Gravois Fire Protection District, Osage Beach Fire Protection District, Missouri Department of Conservation and the Lake West Ambulance District. The search included the use of K9s, drones, boats, and thermal imaging cameras. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. MADISON Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is accusing Republicans who control Congress of abdicating their responsibility to protect the Badger State's economy from the effects of President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Evers said he expects the 25% tariffs imposed early Tuesday to affect the state's signature industry, which he said would be "crushed" by losing the chief buyers of Wisconsin dairy products as a trade partner. "Let's just talk about cheese. We won't be able to sell there and on top of that, we'll be punished for not doing that. Now, is that a big deal for Wisconsin? Not everybody eats cheese, right? But it's a $1.8 billion industry, and it's going to be just crushed," Evers said following an event Tuesday in Madison hosted by Wispolitics.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Trump's tariffs expected to hit Wisconsin businesses and consumers. Gas and grocery prices could rise Evers said Wisconsin Republicans in Congress should be advocating for dairy farmers and other players in the state economy that will be affected by the tariffs, including consumers. "There is no legislative branch," Evers said of Congress. "At the end of the day, we've got to get Congress to do something. That's what they're getting paid for. They're doing absolutely nothing. Is there anybody in the Republican side that believes what's happening in D.C. is appropriate? I think there are a whole bunch of them ... they're just afraid to come out and talk about it." Some Republicans express wariness about Trump tariffs A number of Republicans on Capitol Hill, including some in Wisconsin, have expressed uneasiness with the sweeping 25% tariffs on the countrys two largest trading partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has accused the countries of not doing enough to clamp down on drugs like the opioid fentanyl entering the U.S. and says tariffs will boost U.S. manufacturing and prevent other countries from taking American jobs. U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Oshkosh, said this week he was concerned about the tariffs that went into effect after midnight on Tuesday. Other members of Wisconsins delegation have questioned just how long the tariffs will be implemented. Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman told the Journal Sentinel Tuesday he thinks there are some countries taking advantage of the U.S. But he added: We just have to make sure these tariffs dont go overboard. "If they become damaging, Im sure Congress will have a say," Grothman said in response to Evers' criticism. "Obviously, trade wars are expensive for everybody. Theres probably some countries taking advantage of us and hopefully President Trump will show urgency in wrapping this up." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked if he thinks the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico were overboard, Grothman said: Well, it depends how long they last. Scott Fitzgerald, a Republican who represents the 5th Congressional District and battled with Evers in the state Legislature as Senate majority leader before being elected to Congress, said he believes Trump's tariffs will ultimately benefit the state's economy in the long term. Fitzgerald said it's "ironic" Evers is concerned about Congress' work given job losses in Milwaukee and within the state's manufacturing sector. "Since he took office, Milwaukee County alone has lost over 19,000 jobs, while our states vital manufacturing sector has shed nearly 9,000 jobs and seen 436 manufacturing plants shut down," Fitzgerald said in a statement. "Unlike Governor Evers, I trust that President Trumps tariff negotiations will ultimately benefit American citizens, workers, and businesses.""For too long, what we thought was free trade under NAFTA became an erosion of American jobs into Canada and Mexico our manufacturing base simply disappeared, and thats not acceptable," he said. "I wish it hadnt reached this point, but President Trump has made it clear that countries like China, Mexico, and Canada must stop the flow of fentanyl into our country. I stand with him in the fight to get fentanyl off our streets. U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, a Republican who represents Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District, dismissed Evers' criticism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "President Trump and Congressional Republicans were overwhelmingly elected in November to cut reckless federal spending, put America first, and get our countrys fiscal path back on track," Wied said in a statement. "Instead of focusing on Congress, Governor Evers should stop insulting women by changing the term mother to inseminated person, listen to his constituents, and address the economic issues facing our great state. U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat representing the 2nd Congressional District, said, "The governor is right." "The Republican leadership in Congress has ceded all of their Constitutional authority to President Trump and Elon Musk," Pocan said in a statement. "Republicans should grow a spine and stand up for their constituents and take their power back and stop getting steamrolled by Trump. Johnson, Republican U.S. Reps. Derrick Van Orden, Bryan Steil and Tom Tiffany did not respond to requests for comment. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, both Democrats, also did not react to Evers' comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evers said the tariffs and federal cuts will affect the state budget-writing process, which is under way and set to wrap up this summer. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said "no" last week when asked if he expected cuts under way to the federal workforce would affect the state's budget process. Evers says the state will reach out to fired federal workers Evers said his administration would be using outreach to connect fired federal workers living in Wisconsin with available jobs within state government. "It's a day that will live in infamy when we decided to take our neighbors and say we're gonna stick it to you, and then they stick it to us and and here we are. You know, we're obviously right in the middle of a budget season, and it's going to make it very difficult to plan," Evers said. "The steps that are being taken by the administration in Washington, D.C. They're going to impact everybody's life." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim Hjelmgaard of USAT TODAY contributed. Molly Beck and Lawrence Andrea can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com and landrea@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers slams Republicans on Trump tariffs WASHINGTON The head of the FBI's New York field office was forced out Monday, a month after he urged his employees to "dig in" after the Trump administration removed senior FBI leaders and requested the names of all agents who worked on Jan. 6 cases, five sources familiar with the matter told NBC News. In an email to FBI staff members in New York on Monday, James Dennehy confirmed that he had been ordered to leave. "Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did," Dennehy wrote. "I was not given a reason for this decision." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two of the sources said Dennehy was given a choice to resign or be fired. Last month, Dennehy wrote an email to his staff after the Trump Justice Department, led by acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, demanded a list of all bureau employees who had worked on criminal cases against Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own as good people are being walked out of the FBI, Dennehy wrote. And others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy. Time for me to dig in, Dennehy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dennehy was referring to the ouster of eight veteran FBI leaders, including the head of the Washington field office, who played roles in the criminal investigations of President Donald Trump while he was out of office. Trump administration officials also requested the names of all agents who had worked on Jan. 6 cases. It is widely believed inside the FBI that the resistance by Dennehy along with the acting director, Brian Driscoll, and the acting deputy director, Rob Kissane prevented a mass firing of thousands of FBI officials who worked on the Jan. 6 cases. Dennehys removal is likely to reignite fears of mass retaliation. James Dennehy, then the assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York field office, at a news conference in New York on Sept. 16. Role in Adams investigation Dennehy also praised the federal corruption investigation of New York Mayor Eric Adams. After Adams was indicted on federal corruption charges last year, Dennehy said at a news conference that corruption by public officials was particularly corrosive because it undermines public trust in government. The indictment of a sitting mayor is not just another headline, he said. It is a stinging reminder that no one is above the law or beyond reproach, and it serves as a sobering moment for all of us who place our trust in elected officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Trump administration officials ordered federal prosecutors in New York to drop the corruption charges against Adams. In a stunning public rebuke, seven federal prosecutors in New York and Washington resigned and refused to follow the order. They accused the new administration of agreeing to a quid pro quo whereby the charges against Adams would be dropped if he agreed to support Trump's immigration policies. Trump Justice Department officials and Adams' lawyer denied that any such agreement had been reached. In his farewell email to colleagues Monday, Dennehy urged FBI employees to act with integrity, maintain the independence of the FBI and not allow politics to play a role in criminal investigations. "As I leave today, I have an immense feeling of pride to have represented an office of professionals who will always do the right thing for the right reasons; who will always seek the truth while upholding the rule of law," he wrote. "Who will always handle cases and evidence with an overabundance of caution and care for the innocent, the victims, and the process first; and who will always remain independent." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dennehy spent six years in the Marine Corps before he joined the FBI after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. At the bureau, he specialized in weapons counter-proliferation and spent time in management roles in both the Washington and New York field offices before he took over the FBI's field office in Newark, New Jersey, in 2022 and then was promoted to lead the New York office last year. Unease in the FBI Dennehy's ouster comes amid intense unease in the bureau. Trump has promised to fire some FBI agents who he said, without citing specific evidence, were corrupt. Trump, who pardoned all Jan. 6 defendants after he took office, has ignored norms put in place at the FBI after longtime director J. Edgar Hoover had agents surveil and smear political groups he viewed as subversive. To prevent the FBI from meddling in politics, FBI directors have been appointed to 10-year terms since then and expected to conduct criminal investigations independent of political pressure. Legal experts fear that Trump will politicize the Justice Department and the FBI and use them to retaliate against his perceived enemies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's new FBI director, Kash Patel, is a former federal prosecutor, congressional staffer and national security official who campaigned for Trump throughout the 2024 election. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Patel testified under oath that all FBI employees will be protected against political retribution. The following day, multiple officials FBI were ousted. The new deputy director, Dan Bongino, is a pro-Trump podcaster and former Secret Service agent and New York City police officer who has accused the FBI of staging the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. Agents expressed shock that Bongino would become the first deputy director in its 117-year history who was not a career agent with knowledge of the bureau. On Friday, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin, another Trump loyalist, demoted several top officials, including high-ranking prosecutors who had worked major cases against Jan. 6 rioters. Trump has nominated Martin a "stop the steal" organizer who was on the grounds of the Capitol on Jan. 6 and represented several Capitol attack defendants to permanently run the U.S. attorney's office in the nation's capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the conclusion of his farewell message, Dennehy vowed to continue to fight for the FBI's independence. "I will never stop defending this joint," he wrote. "Ill just do it willingly and proudly from outside the wire." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) It is National Consumer Protection Week, and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a list of the top ten consumer complaints Michiganders sent to her office last year. The Department of Attorney General has a Consumer Protection Team that enforces consumer protection lawsand investigates allegations of people and businesses breaking them. According to Nessel, they receive more than 10,000 written complaints and 20,000 phone calls from Michiganders each year. In 2024, they received 10,423 written complaints. 8,596 of them were related to the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Internet: Involves online purchases, computer communications and technology, and internet service providers. Retail: Includes purchases that involved late deliveries or products that were never delivered. Other complaints include the purchases of appliances, furniture and other items that were defective or did not work as advertised. Motor Vehicle/Automobile: Includes complaints against used car dealers, auto repair shops, new car dealers, and passenger car rentals. Credit/Financial Concerns: Includes debt collection and reporting, credit repair, payday lending, and mortgage brokering. Personal Service Providers: Covers dating services, beauty companies, fitness facilities, spas, home security, and tax preparation services. Health Service Providers: Includes health service providers like doctors, dentists, hospitals, and medical clinics. Landlord/Tenant: Involves disputes between renters and apartment owners or property management companies, mobile home parks and site operators, as well as condominium associations. Gasoline/Fuel/Energy: Includes complaints against utility companies, gas stations, and propane providers. Contractors: Covers residential building construction services, snow removal and landscaping services, plumbing, heating and air conditioning services, and special trade contractors such as those providing emergency tree services. Telecommunications/Cable/Satellite TV: Includes complaints against wireless communications, cable and satellite TV services, with most of the reports being billing and service issues. I am incredibly proud of the work my Consumer Protection Team does every year to help Michigan residents resolve complaints and fight back against fraud, says Nessel. I want to thank the thousands of Michiganders that reached out to my office in an effort to hold bad actors accountable. Our efforts are making a real difference. If you think youve been scammed, please do not hesitate to contact us. The attorney general has a website dedicated to consumer protection where you can find resources on consumer alerts, data breaches, scams, and more. You can file a complaint with the attorney generals office online by calling 517-335-7599. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi discussed the state of the Middle East, including the situation in Gaza, during a call on Monday, according to the U.S. State Department. "They discussed the state of the region, including the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the need to secure the release of all hostages, efforts to sustain assistance flows into Gaza, Syrias political future, and the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. (Reporting by Jasper Ward; Writing by Ryan Patrick Jones) A total of 59 combat clashes have occurred on the battlefield since the beginning of the day. The most intense fighting took place on the Pokrovsk front, where the Russians launched 12 attacks, and in Russias Kursk Oblast, where they conducted 14 assaults. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 16:00 on 4 March Quote: "In Russias Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian defenders repelled 14 Russian attacks. The enemy also carried out 8 airstrikes, dropped 13 guided bombs and conducted 183 artillery strikes. Currently, combat clashes are ongoing in nine locations." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: On the Kharkiv front, the Russians attempted to advance twice near the town of Vovchansk but were repelled. On the Kupiansk front, Russian forces launched three attacks near the settlements of Petropavlivka, Pishchane and Bohuslavka. Two combat clashes are still ongoing. On the Lyman front, the Russians attacked nine times near the settlements of Novomykhailivka, Hrekivka, Nove, Yampolivka and Dibrova. Fighting continues in two locations. On the Toretsk front, Russian troops carried out seven attempts to improve its tactical position near the settlements of Toretsk and Dachne. Three combat clashes are ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Pokrovsk front, since the beginning of the day, the Russians have attempted 12 times to push Ukrainian defenders out of their positions near the settlements of Promin, Lysivka, Serhiivka, Andriivka and Oleksiivka. Ukraine's defence forces are holding back the Russian assault and have repelled all Russian attacks. The Russians also launched an airstrike near the settlement of Orikhove. On the Novopavlivka front, Russian units attacked Ukrainian positions four times near the settlement of Kostiantynopil, with one attack still ongoing. The settlements of Yanvarske, Novopavlivka, Oleksiivka and Ivanivka were struck by guided bombs. On the Huliaipole front, the Russians attempted to attack Ukrainian positions once near the settlement of Pryvilne while also launching airstrikes on Komyshuvakha, Huliaipole and Zaliznychne. On the Orikhiv front, six combat clashes have occurred. The Russians are trying to advance towards the settlements of Nesterianka and Kamianske, with three combat clashes still ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Prydniprovske front, Russian troops conducted one unsuccessful attack and launched an airstrike on the settlement of Lvove. On the Siversk and Kramatorsk fronts, the Russians are not conducting active offensive actions but are attacking Ukrainian positions and settlements, using attack drones and conducting reconnaissance. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Following a severe earthquake in the Tibetan highlands around Mount Everest at the beginning of the year, authorities have reopened the area around the world's highest mountain to the public. China's official news agency Xinhua reported that at the start of March, eight vehicles with 19 visitors drove back into the area. Before this, authorities had examined the area in order to rule out safety risks such as glacier fractures or avalanches. On January 7, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake killing 126 people when it shook Dingri County in the Chinese region, an important transit point on the route to the 8,849-metre-high summit of Mount Everest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The authorities subsequently closed the national park located in the earthquake zone, which is also home to a base camp. Mountaineers usually choose either the northern route via Tibet or, more frequently, the standard route via Nepal to climb the world's highest peak. Although the northern route has logistical advantages, it also harbours more dangers or risks of failure on the ascent to the summit due to the weather conditions there. Despite costing tens of thousands of dollars to climb, Mount Everest continues to attract climbers from around the world. In the spring of 2024, Nepal issued 419 permits for Everests southern route, while in 2023, a total of 478 permits were granted, excluding local guides, according to Department of Tourism data. Since the first successful ascent by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953, more than 12,000 summits have been recorded, according to the Himalayan Database. Mar. 4Editor's note: Every Sunday Josh Sweigart, editor of investigations and solutions journalism, brings you the top stories from the Dayton Daily News and major stories over the past week you may have missed. Go here to sign up to receive the Weekly Update newsletter and our Morning Briefing delivered to your inbox every morning. The Trump administration recently announced it is ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants. This has huge ramifications for our region, as the Springfield area is home to an estimated 12,000-plus Haitians, many of whom are on TPS. This story reported on the order ending TPS, why federal officials say its time for it to end, and the initial reaction from Haitian residents in Springfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are five things to know from our coverage 1. Few options: Reporter Avery Kreemer talked to immigration experts about what options exist for those affected. Here is the story on what he found, including and explanation of TPS and other immigration programs available to Haitians. 2. Economic impact: The end of TPS for Haitian immigrants threatens to have ripple effects across the region's economy, leaving gaps in the workforce and reducing household incomes as Haitian workers lose work permits and are forced to leave. Here is an analysis on that from reporter Jessica Orozco. 3. Changing narrative: Jessica also recently covered how local Haitian advocacy groups are trying to support the population. Here is that story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4. 'I got sucked in': Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said on a podcast last week that one of his regrets from last year's presidential campaign was getting "sucked into" the false claim that Haitians were eating pets in Springfield. Here is video of Walz's comments. 5. Meeting minutes: Springfield residents expressed differing opinions on the announced early end of TPS for Haitian residents at the city's regular commission meeting last week. Read more about that here. Loading... TYLER, Texas (KETK) As East Texas battles the storms, some roads have been shut down due to flooding, damages or car crashes. LIST: East Texas school districts announce closings, delays due to severe weather KETK has compiled the following list of road closures: Angelina County Lufkin: As of 9:45 a.m., Davisville Road by the railroad tracks and the 1900 block of Paul Ave. are shut down due to trees blocking roadways. Gregg County Kilgore: Highway 135 and Highway 31 are shut down for power lines across the roadway. People are asked to find alternative routes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Longview: As of 8:40 a.m. the following roads are closed or flooded according to the City of Longview: Green/Nelson is flooded Tree down in 1400 block of Pine Tree Green Street overpass flooded S. Spur/ W. South St is flooded 200 block of Hollybrook is flooded High Street overpass is flooded Reel/Buccaneer is flooded Tree down at the Airline/Hollybrook intersections Lights out at MLK/Birdsong Harrison County Harrison County: As of 9:20 a.m. the following roads are closed due to damage: FM 1997 @ Old Lee Island Rd. has a tree on powerline. Hwy 80@ Pumpkin Center Rd. has a tree in the roadway. Interstate 20 @ 602MM has a tree down on shoulder of roadway. FM 1793 has a tree in roadway. Smith County Smith County: Smith County Emergency Services District 2 is on the scene of several fallen trees blocking the roadway to Owens Elementary on County Road 168. They remind residents not to drive over power lines and turn around if necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tyler: A power line was down at the intersection of Old Jacksonville and Loop 323 near the old Red Lobster. According to officials, a car got tangled into the power line causing the pole to come down. Oncor is on the way to the scene to assess the situation. According to Tyler Police Department, a live power line is down on the 1400 block of Rice Road causing the road to be closed. Arp: According to Arp ISD, a tree is down on CR 246 north of the high school and junior high completely blocking the road. Van Zandt County Wills Point: The City of Wills Point said Fourth and Fifth streets are closed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is highlighting a traffic stop that lead to a fentanyl bust in Tulsa. According to OHP, troopers seized 2.2 pounds of fentanyl last week after a traffic stop in Tulsa. Deputies confirmed the amount seized is enough fentanyl to kill more than 500,000 people. Severe Weather Expected Overnight/Early Tuesday OHP reports seizing 2.2 pounds of fentanyl. Image: Oklahoma Highway Patrol OHP says the driver was in the country illegally, moving the drugs under the direction of a drug cartel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma Governor Stitt chimed in on social media platform X saying, Bidens open-border policies let cartels flood our country with fentanylthat ends now. OHP troopers seized enough fentanyl to kill 500,000 Oklahomans. The suspect, in the country illegally, will be prosecuted and deported under Operation Guardian. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Authorities on Tuesday announced that the remains of 73-year-old hiker Thomas Irwin were located during an off-trail grid search at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado following an exhaustive search and rescue operation that began more than a year ago. According to the National Park Services, the Indianapolis, IN., man set off to hike the famed Petroglyph Point Trail on Jan. 15, 2024. The trail is near the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum, and it's a 2.4-mile loop that takes approximately two hours to complete. The hike is said to follow "a foot-worn trail of the Ancestral Pueblo people into the forested Spruce Canyon landscape and along a sometimes steep, rocky path to the canyon's rim." The trail is also described as "narrow, rugged, and rocky, with several steep drop-offs along the canyon wall on the way to the petroglyph panel." Petroglyphs, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. (Photo by: Universal Images Group via Getty Images) UniversalImagesGroup/Getty Images When he didn't return from his hike the next day, Irwin's family contacted park rangers, who launched a search and rescue operation. Though his cell phone was reportedly found and turned over to authorities, Irwin could not be located following an extensive, initial 10-day effort. Related: Hiker Dead After Plunging Over Waterfall in National Park Park officials say they didn't let up in their search efforts over the last year, which led to the Feb. 28 discovery of Irwin's remains . Officials say the discovery came with the help of a human remains detection dog. Irwin's remains were located within the original search area during an off-trail grid search, officials say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We sincerely appreciate and recognize the dedication of the Mesa Verde Resource and Visitor Protection Team and other park staff who continued the search for Mr. Irwin," said Mesa Verde Superintendent Kayci Cook. "We are glad this provides some closure for his family." The National Park Service warns those visiting the famed trail to "remain on the trail and avoid walking alongside unstable cliff edges," remain hydrated, and avoid hiking during the hottest part of the day. Former NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez and his father, Salvador Hernandez, will receive honorary doctorates from Stanislaus State during the universitys 65th commencement ceremonies this May. The father-son duo will be the first Latinos to receive honorary degrees from Stan State, and only the second parent-child pair to receive such honors in the history of the California State University system. Jose Hernandez, who worked in Central Valley fields as a child before reaching space aboard NASAs Space Shuttle Discovery, will receive an honorary doctor of science degree May 27 during the College of Sciences graduation ceremony. The following day, May 28, Jose will join Stanislaus State President Britt Rios-Ellis to present Salvador Hernandez with an honorary doctor of humane letters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both ceremonies will take place at 8 a.m. in the universitys outdoor amphitheater on its Turlock campus. The honorary doctorate is the highest honor awarded by the CSU Board of Trustees and Stanislaus State. Recipients are selected for their exceptional service, achievements or embodiment of the values upheld by the CSU system. We are thrilled to honor Salvador and Jose Hernandez an incredible father and son whose journeys reflect the lived experiences of so many of our students and their families, Rios-Ellis said in a press release. Growing up in Stockton, Jose worked alongside his parents in the fields of the Central Valley, where Salvadors unyielding support and belief in his sons dreams paved the way for him to reach unimaginable heights literally and figuratively. Salvador Hernandez immigrated to the United States from Michoacan, Mexico, as a teenager, working in the fields and raising his children in Stockton, where Stanislaus State now has a satellite campus. Although Salvador had limited access to formal education, he instilled in his children a recipe for success, emphasizing vision, preparation and perseverance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jose overcame the challenges of growing up as a migrant farmworker, learning English at age 12 and being rejected by NASA 11 times before finally achieving his dream of becoming an astronaut. Jose went on to earn bachelors and masters degrees in engineering, co-develop mammography technology and spend more than a decade at NASA. In 2009, he flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist. After leaving NASA, Jose founded an aerospace engineering consulting firm, wrote three books and became a motivational speaker. Together, he and Salvador also built their family vineyard, Tierra Luna, Spanish for Earth Moon. He also serves as CEO of Tierra Luna Engineering, a consulting firm where he advises clients on satellites and various aspects of the rapidly growing private spaceflight industry. The firms work also spans renewable energy, manufacturing and several other sectors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2012, Jose was the Democratic nominee in the 10th Congressional District race, losing to Jeff Denham. Their path from the fields to business leadership and to the stars is a testament to resilience, determination and the power of education. Jose represents his ancestors wildest dreams, proving that with perseverance and opportunity, and fueled by family, anything is possible, stated Britt Rios-Ellis. The father-son dynamic duo represents what strong family ties, steadfast love and commitment, and a strong dose of the sueno Americano can mean for a familys success. We are so proud to honor the legacy of generations and the recipe that made the Hernandez father-and-son duo legendary! The Hernandezes story was depicted in the 2023 Amazon Prime film A Million Miles Away, starring Michael Pena as Jose and Julio Cesar Cedillo as Salvador. Stanislaus State plans to screen the film on campus during Hispanic Heritage Month later in the year. The message there is that its OK to dream big as long as youre willing to work hard and convert that dream into reality, Hernandez told The Bee in 2022 about the movie. Former NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez, middle, with his father Salvador, right, and brother Gil, left, in Acampo, Calif., on Monday, September 5, 2022. Mar. 3Luke Boisvert of Nashua, a 13-year-old transgender male, said a proposed ban on minors receiving hormone treatments or puberty blockers could trap him in a prepubescent life because he suffers from Turner's syndrome. "Physically I can't go through puberty without these treatments," Boisvert told the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee Monday. "I was just a little boy who didn't know how to say I was a boy." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luke's mother, Jennifer, said lawmakers have no business adopting these mandates. "My child's health care is my child's health care. Nobody in the government has any right to legislate that," Boisvert said. Over more than seven hours of testimony, transgender youths and their supporters opposed the bills, one to block the hormone treatments for minors (HB 377), and the other (HB 712) to outlaw breast surgeries for those under 18 except to "treat malignancy, injury, infection, or malformation." The ban on puberty blockers would make providing that treatment a Class B felony that could carry up to a three and a half-to-seven-year term in state prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical providers who gave minors breast surgery services under the second bill could be subject to professional discipline. Rep. Lisa Masur, R-Goffstown, said her bills would protect minors as studies have shown nearly 90% of youths who explored transition decided to remain in their biological sex. "I have spoken personally with these families who have been devastated by these treatments, parents who thought they were only doing what their children wanted only to find they later suffered greatly," Masur said. "They need time and compassionate care, not radical medical intervention." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Linds Jakows, co-founder of 603 Equality, a transgender advocacy group, said both bills violate the 2018 statute that outlaws bias based on gender identity. "These bills cruelly single out this care when it is performed for the purpose of a gender transition, although non-transgender young people also sometimes need the same exact care. That's discrimination," Jakows said. Masur said it's hypocritical for the state to allow minors to have these procedures. "We don't let minors get tattoos, go to tanning salons, buy cigarettes or consume alcohol because we know they lack maturity needed to make decisions," Masur said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Why then would we let them make irrevocable medical choices that will affect their health and happiness all of their lives?" A.J. Coletti, a member of the N.H. Youth Movement, said it took him more than two years to get the double-mastectomy top surgery last Jan. 14 at age 19. (Top surgery is a procedure that reshapes the chest for a more masculine or feminine appearance.) "Despite the popular idea that these procedures are easy to get, getting approved by insurance and scheduled for elective surgery takes a long time," Coletti said. Rep. Erica Layon, R-Derry, maintained the medical community refuses to take a stand against these procedures for children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In any other area of medicine, they would go the other way on this but look around, it's scary to talk about this because, A, they will be told they hate transgender people which isn't true and, B, they are afraid of the repercussions they will face if they speak publicly about this," Layon said. Online, 2,582 people registered opposition to both bills while 197 supported them. Diana George is the mother of a 23-year-old transgender man who had breast surgery at age 16. "As a registered nurse, I know that what they prescribed was evidence-based, best-practice care that is validated by every major medical association," George said. "It's chilling to think about parents like me, who only want the best care for their teenager, being criminalized." klandrigan@unionleader.com DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A local woman was recently recognized by the West Carrollton Police Department for her generosity and kindness to people in need. During the Feb. 25 West Carrollton City Council Meeting, West Carrollton police recognized Kathi Parker with the Citizen Recognition Award. Private citizens are awarded the CRA for their achievement or action that benefits the community or department in an exceptional manner. According to the department, Parker has operated the South Dayton Emergency Response Team for roughly 6 years. The SDERT provides assistance to individuals and families who are in need or crisis, especially those who are homeless or their place of living is damaged or destroyed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the 2024 Christmas season, Parkers organization collected and distributed gifts and household items for over 150 families, which includes 447 children. SDERT also provided places for people who are in need places to stay outside of the cold. Parker is said to distribute food from restaurants and private donors to the homeless population. She also frequently gives warm clothes, socks and shoes to those in need. According to police, the SDERT distributed the following on a single day in November 2024: 420 packages of hand and foot warmers 139 hats and pairs of gloves 76 homeless bags with emergency food and toiletries 42 blankets 30 scarves 23 coats 19 boxes of food 7 tents 2 sleeping bags Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organizations operator was also recently contacted by Sub Zero Mission in northern Ohio, a nonprofit group which helps homeless, especially veterans, stay warm. SZM contacted Parker wanting to partner with her, as they heard what her organization has been doing and called her a tremendous resource to the community, according to 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 WDTN.com. MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) The trial of one of three men, accused in the death of a mother of two, has started in Mecklenburg County court. Adonis Smith was 17 years old when prosecutors allege he was involved in a shootout that left Kendal Crank, an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire, dead in March 2019. The incident occurred along East 28th Street and North Tryon Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Queen City News previously reported at the time, Crank was on her way to nursing school when she was shot and killed. The first two days of the trial have focused on opening statements and the state presenting its case. They kept kicking my head: Fight at north Charlotte school causes injury, suspensions Porchia Jordan, a friend of Cranks, took the stand Tuesday morning. Jordan was in front of Crank as the shootout happened. Through tears, she described what transpired at the intersection and recalled seeing blood on Cranks dashboard, and Crank herself slumped over into the passenger seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities say Crank was shot in the head during the shootout. Tychius Dobie and Marquis Smith are also facing charges in Cranks death. A judge had previously ruled that all three men would not face the death penalty in this case. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM Crime & Public Safety Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. The matriarch of the family that ambushed and killed a Lake County deputy in August will be sent to a state hospital for mental health treatment after a judge determined shes incompetent to stand trial. Julie Sulpizio, 49, faces the death penalty on the charge of being a principle to the murder of Master Deputy Bradley Link, who was shot leading a team of deputies into her familys Brookside Drive home in Eustis. Her husband and two daughters were waiting inside the house as she tried to lure in neighbors to kill, saying they were acting on Gods behalf. A psychological evaluation of Sulpizio resulted in two diagnoses: psychotic spectrum disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorder. In an order signed Friday to place her in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, Circuit Judge Brian Welke said she is in imminent danger of harm to herself or others and neglect of self-care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means the trial is on hold at least for now. In addition to the murder charge, Sulpizio is accused of being a principle to the attempted murder of three other deputies and conspiracy to commit murder. Deputies were called Aug. 2 to Brookside Drive after neighbors complained Julie Sulpizio was accosting people and trying to get them to go to her house. When authorities arrived, they found two dead dogs in the front yard. A group of deputies led by Link went inside only to be confronted with gunfire by her husband, 49-year-old Michael Sulpizio, and daughters Cheyenne, 23, and Savannah, 22. Link shot back as he was trapped inside, allowing other deputies to escape while he was killed in the shootout. A SWAT operation to rescue Link whose body-worn camera continued recording as the situation unfolded failed after two deputies, Harold Howell and Stefano Gargano, were shot multiple times. They survived their injuries. The standoff ended after the Sulpizios inside the house were found dead. According to court records, Links recording captured one of the women contemplating suicide before three gunshots rang out. Autopsy reports obtained by the Orlando Sentinel document Cheyenne and Savannah Sulpizio were killed by gunshots to the center of their foreheads while Michael Sulpizio was shot on the side of his head suggesting he killed his daughters before killing himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the medical examiners report said the Lake County Sheriffs Office was investigating the womens deaths as homicides, it concluded manners of death for all three Sulpizios were undetermined. Sheriffs Office investigators said the family claimed to have been inspired by God in their attempts to lure neighbors they believed were pedophiles to the house to kill. Inside the home they found a stockpile of weapons along with anti-government propaganda and conspiracy theory-related media, Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said. The contents of that material have not been released. Link, remembered as a hero who long dreamed of working in law enforcement, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and Purple Heart. (Photo: Shauneen Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom) From securing funding for Indian Health Services and ongoing water settlements to increasing investments in infrastructure, education and law enforcement, many Indigenous leaders and organizations are raising the alarm about the devastation that federal funding cuts could bring for Native Americans. More than 60 tribal leaders and organizations from across Indian Country testified over three days to a U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations subcommittee on the federal funding needs of Indigenous people and their communities nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know theres never enough funding to go around, Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said, and he appreciates how the subcommittee has consistently set aside several days to hear Indian Countrys funding priorities. It is the process that starts the funding decisions for tribal programs, staffing and priorities for this administration, he added. Tribal leaders and organizations gave five-minute testimonies to the subcommittee from Feb. 25 to Feb. 27. Lewis used his five minutes to discuss the Trump administrations actions and their impact on his community. There is real fear within tribal communities about what is happening in Washington, D.C., he said, referencing the freezing of federal funding and the mass firing of federal employees across the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis said that many may applaud the slashing of federal funding because they have been convinced it is fraught with waste and abuse, or even those who see federal employees as a new enemy. I doubt you will hear a tribal leader argue that the federal government cant be made more efficient or that there arent places where cuts could be made, he said. After all, we have been dealing with the federal government longer than any other group in this country. However, Lewis said the chainsaw approach of indiscriminately cutting employees, taken by President Donald Trump and billionaire businessman Elon Musk, who has been directing the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, will not create efficiencies or save billions of dollars. He added that the cuts are being made without considering how they will impact services. Rather than making the government more efficient and effective, it is creating a federal workforce that is paralyzed by fear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis called the administrations actions destabilizing and said they will have a disproportionate impact on Indian Country. The government-to-government relationship is only as strong as our federal partner, he said. And right now, there is a real concern that the federal side of this partnership has the real potential of being dismantled. Lewis said that reforms can be and should be made. But, he said, they should be made in a way that provides insight, dignity and consultation with tribal governments and among those with the experience and knowledge of tribal programs. It is up to this committee to make those decisions, he said, ensuring certainty among Indigenous peoples that the essential programs they depend on wont be cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Certainty that our tribal sovereignty will be upheld and honored, he added. Treaty and trust obligations Multiple tribal leaders and organizations urged the subcommittee to help them hold the administration accountable for the federal funding allocated to Indigenous peoples and their communities. Tribal programs are not DEI initiatives, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community President Martin Harvier said, referring to the Trump administrations efforts to eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government. They are a fulfillment of treaty and trust obligations and must not be subject to arbitrary reductions or freezes. During the three-day subcommittee hearing, tribal leaders and organizations emphasized their communities various needs, highlighting issues ranging from insufficient law enforcement to the necessity of sustainable roads on tribal land to the importance of urban Native programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indian Country continues to struggle with generations of crumbling infrastructure, limited access to health care, underfunded law enforcement and an ongoing fight for clean water, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said. These issues arent just numbers in a budget. Nygren said it is the everyday realities of Navajo and Native families throughout Indian Country. As an example, he told the subcommittee about the Navajo Nations dire need for emergency medical services support, highlighting how people needing an ambulance often wait 45 minutes or longer. If an ambulance is even available, he added, noting that Navajo EMS answers roughly 20,000 calls a year and their funding has not been increased in decades. This is a matter of life and death, he said. We ask for dedicated funding for our tribal EMS, including a $4 million allocation specifically for the Navajo Nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Funding needs for public safety were a big concern for many tribal leaders, including the San Carlos Apache Tribe. San Carlos Apache Chairman Terry Rambler shared that the San Carlos Apache Police Department has only 19 officers and would need at least 75 to adequately patrol their large tribal land area. Rambler said San Carlos Apache police officers work 12-hour shifts, patrol over 360,000 miles per year and endure extreme situations made worse by the lack of an adequate facility. Our police department is severely underfunded and public safety is severely compromised, he said. Our police department cannot compete with other places that offer higher salaries and better benefits. Other jurisdictions actively recruit away our officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson, a Republican from Idaho, acknowledged the importance of keeping police officers and firefighters in Indigenous communities rather than allowing the community to serve merely as a training ground for them to move on to areas with better pay and benefits. Those are important issues weve got to work on, he said. Tohono Oodham Vice Chairwoman Carla Johnson shared with the subcommittee that there are over 700 miles of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) roads on her reservation, and they are all in poor condition. The BIA road maintenance program has been underfunded for years and has a huge backlog, she said. Only 13% of BIA roads nationwide are in acceptable condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson said that more funding must be provided for the BIA roads program because the roads within their community are how tribal citizens access essential services, how federal and tribal law enforcement engage in border security, and how EMS responds. This funding is critical for the safety of tribal members, law enforcement, emergency responders and all others using our reservation road, she added. The needs of Indigenous peoples do not stop at the boundaries of their tribal lands, and Urban Indian Health Institute Director Abigail Echo-Hawk used her testimony to remind the subcommittee that Indigenous peoples in urban areas deserve the same type of support. Echo-Hawk said that about 76% of Native American people live off their tribal homelands and reside in urban areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to remember the urban Indian population, she said. The treaty and trust responsibility for our health and wellness did not end when we stepped off the reservation. Echo-Hawk called on the subcommittee to support funding for the Indian Health Services and Urban Native Health Programs, essential resources and services for many Indigenous people. What I am asking you is to fight back with us, she said. Fight back to ensure that we have the resources and services as an Urban program to get the treatment for those coming to us. Senators and representatives call on administration Amid growing concerns about implementing the Trump administrations executive order on government workforce efficiency, over 100 Democratic U.S. senators and representatives signed a letter to Trump, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reminding them to uphold the federal governments commitments to tribal nations. The congresspeople noted that the U.S. government has trust and treaty responsibilities to tribal nations, which are implemented through various agencies to provide tribes with vital health care, education and social services. Your administrations recent executive actions undermine legally required commitments to sovereign tribal nations, existing federal law, and the federal-Tribal government-to-government relationship, they wrote in the letter. The letter was headed by Rep. Melanie Stansbury and Sen. Martin Heinrich, Democrats from New Mexico. In total, 113 elected officials signed the letter from the Senate and Congress, including both Nevadas senators and Nevada Reps. Steven Horsford and Dina Titus. A spokesperson for Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego said he joined his colleagues in urging the Trump administration to protect resources in Indian Country and fulfill the federal governments promises because he is committed to standing up for Native communities in Arizona. The recent funding freezes and mass firings within agencies like the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Services only jeopardize essential services and create chaos, the spokesperson said in a statement emailed to the Arizona Mirror. The letter focuses on the administrations executive order Implementing the Presidents Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimiation Initiative and its impact on Indian Country. The congresspeople indicate that the administration has abruptly fired thousands of federal workers across various government agencies. They have received reports of more than 2,600 at the Department of the Interior, over 100 at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, more than 40 at the Bureau of Indian Education and approximately 950 Indian Health Service employees. Beyond the legal questions surrounding the ability to fire employees without specifying performance or conduct issues, any unilateral attempts to disrupt existing services administered or funded by the BIA, BIE, IHS, or Tribal-serving entities would directly violate the trust and treaty obligations of the United States to Tribal Nations, the letter states. The leaders urged the administration to take immediate action to halt, exempt, and reverse any federal offices, services, or funding that serve Indian Country from existing or future executive actions. Tribal Nations are sovereign governments with a unique legal and political relationship to the United States, the letter states. These trust and treaty obligations in some cases predate both the establishment of all of the agencies in question as well as the United States itself. This story was originally published by Arizona Mirror. Mar. 3MORGANTOWN An arrest warrant for negligent homicide has been issued to the driver of a semitruck whom police say caused the crash on the Cheat Lake Bridge in January that sent Kevin Lataille's car spiraling into the frigid waters 80 feet below. Sukhjinder Singh, 37, of New York, was reportedly involved in a series of accidents on Interstate 68 during that snowy afternoon of Jan. 19, Monongalia County Sheriff Todd Forbes said including the fatal collision that knocked Lataille's car off the bridge. "Based on the findings of the investigation, law enforcement has determined that Sukjinder Singh was operating the suspect tractor in a reckless manner, striking multiple vehicles, including Lataille's, and driving at speeds unsafe for road conditions, " the sheriff said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Singh's reckless driving, " Forbes continued, "directly caused the fatal crash that resulted in Kevin C. Lataille's tragic death." Other charges could be forthcoming, the sheriff said, as the investigation continues. In addition to reports from several eyewitnesses, Forbes said sheriff detectives and members of the department's accident reconstructurist team viewed video footage showing "a large vehicle sliding on the bridge, throwing snow in the air, and a separate passenger vehicle falling from the bridge into the lake." With the assistance of a translator, Singh, who drives for Gurjaap Multani Transport LLC, of Riverside, Calif., told law enforcement that while he was behind the wheel at the time of the accident, he denied striking any other vehicles or driving recklessly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By definition, negligent homicide differs from other similar charges, given the implied lack of malice and intent. Meanwhile, Lataille, 59, a Rhode Island native and U.S. Navy veteran who relocated to Smithfield, Pa., several years ago, had just finished his shift at the Patteson Drive Eat'n Park that day. With lashing snow, low visibility and freezing temperatures, he knew his wife, Lisa, was home fretting about the weather. So he called to reassure her. "Hey, I'm leaving, " he said, making sure to tell her he'd be careful. In the hours and days that followed, police and even his friends on foot in extreme weather patrolled roadways where he may have traveled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was like he disappeared, " Lisa told The Dominion Post then. Drone footage revealed a car under the frozen surface of the lake. On Jan. 26, with the help of multiple first responders from Monongalia County and neighboring Pennsylvania, a crane hoisted the car back to the bridge roadway. Lataille was still in the driver's seat, still wearing his seatbelt. The accident team, Forbes said, reported that the damage to Lataille's car was "consistent " with such a collision, involving such a truck and trailer. Two days later, Singh was interviewed. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a frank message on Tuesday for his counterpart Donald Trump, telling him that the administrations 25 percent tariffs on its North American neighbors were a dumb course of action. Its not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you are a very smart guy, this a very dumb thing to do, Trudeau said during a press conference in Ottawa, the day Trumps 25 percent tariffs on Canada took effect. We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see." The comment was a reference to an editorial on Monday from the financial paper, accusing Trump of taking the Dumbest Tariff Plunge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conservative-leaning editorial board called the tariffs the dumbest in history, and added that, We may have understated the point. Trudeau also attempted to remind Trump of their past collaboration on matters like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade pact, the replacement to NAFTA Trump ushered in during his firm term. We should be working together to ensure even great prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world, Trudeau added. Canada plans to tariff $155 billion in U.S. goods if Trump doesnt call off trade war (AP) Financial markets had a similarly dour message for Trump, with major U.S. indices slumping throughout this week on the tariff news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Individual industries like auto production are expecting major disruptions and price increases for consumers, who ultimately pay for tariffs, despite Trumps incorrect insistence foreign companies and businesses do. You have engines and car seats and other things that cross the border multiple times before going into a finished vehicle, Scott Lincicome, a trade analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, told The Associated Press. You have American parts going to Mexico to be put into vehicles that are then shipped back to the United States. You throw 25 percent tariffs into all that, and its just a grenade. The countries impacted by Trumps tariff regime are all planning retaliatory measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canada is imposing up a 25 percent tariffs on up to $155 billion in U.S. goods over the course of this month, while individual provinces have suggested their own measures, including a threat from Ontario to cut off energy supplies to the U.S. and remove U.S. products from Canadian shelves. Mexico also plans to hit the U.S. back. There is no motive or reason, nor justification that supports this decision that will affect our people and our nations, Mexicos President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday. Despite these warnings, the administration has remained upbeat and announced further tariff plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know people worry about short-term, but we are going to bring jobs. You are never going to see the amount of production...that Donald Trumps going to bring back to America, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday on CNBCs Squawk Box. Trump has said new tariffs will hit agricultural imports early next month, calling on U.S. farmers to ramp up production in anticipation. To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun! the president wrote on Truth Social on Monday. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denounced President Donald Trump for launching a trade war with his country, saying that he wont back down from a tariff fight with the United States. Today, the United States launched a trade war against Canada. At the same time, theyre talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense, Trudeau said in Ottawa. Canadians are reasonable and we are polite, but we will not back down from a fight, not when our country and the well being of everyone in it is at stake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trudeau pledged relief to Canadian workers caught in the trade wars crosshairs, and told the American people that his quarrel was not with them. We dont want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally, and we dont want to see you hurt either, but your government has chosen to do this to you, he said. Trudeau reserved his bluntest remarks for the president. Its not in my habit to agree with The Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though youre a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do, Trudeau said. We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prime minister lauded his at-times productive partnership with Trump dating to 2016 including a renegotiated free-trade deal that Trump once called the fairest, most balanced, and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law. But at the same time, Canada on Tuesday also imposed a 25 percent tariffs on billions of dollars in goods. Still speaking directly to Trump, Trudeau urged a different tack: We have done big things together on the world stage, as Canada and the U.S. have done together for decades, for generations, and now we should be working together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world. In a social media post after Trudeau spoke, Trump shot back at Trudeau, suggesting that he will levy reciprocal tariffs "by a like amount" on Canada when they impose "retaliatory tariffs." Introduction AKI complicates up to 20% of hospitalizations, affecting over 2 million North American individuals per year.1,2 Although previously considered a self-limiting syndrome, the long-term consequences of AKI are now well established, including progression to CKD, cardiovascular events, and death.37 Current international clinical practice guidelines recommend evaluating patients 3 months after AKI8; however, there is little information regarding which patients should receive follow-up and limited evidence on strategies that can improve quality of care and patient outcomes. Data from a population-based cohort in Ontario, Canada, suggested a 24% lower incidence of death for patients with severe AKI who received nephrology follow-up in the 90 days after hospital discharge compared with those who did not, although differences in care were not characterized.9 Targeted follow-up for patients at risk of CKD after AKI may optimize use of evidence-based therapies for reducing kidney disease progression and cardiovascular consequences, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and statins.10,11 However, only a subset of patients who experience AKI will progress to CKD,12 suggesting it is neither cost-effective nor feasible for all patients with AKI to have follow-up with a nephrologist. A risk-based approach to follow-up care may be a more efficient approach to improve management after hospital discharge. This multicenter randomized controlled trial compared the effect of a risk-stratified follow-up care strategy with usual postdischarge care on processes of care for CKD among survivors of a hospitalization with AKI. Methods Trial Design The After AKI trial was a parallel-group, patient randomized, pragmatic controlled trial evaluating a risk-based, transition of care intervention for people hospitalized with AKI. The trial was conducted in four acute-care hospitals in Alberta, Canada, and data were collected prospectively by study coordinators and through linkage with provincial electronic health databases maintained by Alberta Health Services to ascertain study outcomes, which included hospital admissions, physician claims, laboratory tests, and medication prescriptions. The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the protocol was approved by the Health Research Ethics Boards of the Universities of Alberta and Calgary. A detailed description of the design and methods has been previously published.13 Participants Trial participants were recruited from medical and surgical units in four tertiary or quaternary care hospitals in Alberta. Participants were 18 years or older, had Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 2 or greater AKI defined by a two-fold or greater increase in serum creatinine during hospitalization or receipt of KRT, had a primary care physician, and had no outpatient nephrologist follow-up arranged at the time of hospital discharge. The most recent serum creatinine within 7365 days before hospital admission was used as the reference value to determine AKI.14 Exclusion criteria were preadmission eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 based on the 2009 Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation,15 receipt of maintenance dialysis before admission, receipt of a kidney transplant, poor prognosis defined as not expected to survive beyond 6 months, and residence or planned transfer to a nursing home facility. Potentially eligible patients were identified by clinical staff and discharge coordinators on the participating hospital units using a web-accessible dashboard that accessed serum creatinine test results for hospitalized patients across Alberta and identified patients with AKI on each hospital unit. This was supplemented by a review of potential discharges at morning patient care team meetings and identification of patients with AKI who had been signed-off before the date of planned discharge by the nephrology consultation service in each hospital. Trial Procedures Participants who met the eligibility criteria and provided informed consent were randomized to the risk-based care intervention or usual care at the time of hospital discharge. The intervention assignments were allocated equally between groups (1:1) using randomly generated permuted blocks of 8 and 12, stratified by center, and delivered using a central web-based application to ensure allocation concealment. Blinding of patients and study coordinators was not possible because of the nature of the intervention. Intervention The intervention consisted of a risk-stratified, transition of care plan initiated on the day of hospital discharge. First, the predicted risk of severe CKD, defined as category G4 or G5/G5D within 1 year of discharge, was determined for each patient in the intervention group using a validated prognostic prediction model (Supplemental Figure 1).12 Participants were then stratified into three risk groups: low (<1% risk of severe CKD), medium (1%10% risk of severe CKD), and high (>10% risk of severe CKD), which guided their care plan. All participants in the intervention group (including the low-risk group) received an educational pamphlet about AKI. For patients at medium risk, their community primary care provider was sent additional discharge information documenting their patient's AKI episode, risk of severe CKD, and guidance for follow-up care after AKI, which included a weblink to a provincial online CKD clinical pathway (https://ckdpathway.ca/) designed to assist primary care providers with the diagnosis, medication management, and referral of adults with CKD in Alberta. Participants stratified as high risk received a follow-up appointment with a nephrologist within 90 days of discharge, focused on assessment of further risk of AKI, volume status, BP, and use of evidence-based therapies including ACE-I or ARBs and statins according to the recommendations in the provincial CKD clinical pathway. Usual Care Participants allocated to the usual care group received usual hospital unit discharge protocols without risk stratification. Any additional appointments or specialist referrals were left to the discretion of their hospital or community primary care teams. All trial participants received a laboratory requisition for serum creatinine, electrolytes, and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) testing to be completed at 90 days after hospital discharge. Outcomes The prespecified primary outcome of the trial, defined based on adherence to the management recommendations in the provincial CKD pathway, was a composite of ACE-I/ARB treatment for those with urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) >300 mg/g or diabetes, statin treatment, and nephrologist follow-up if sustained eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2, ascertained among people meeting criteria for CKD at 90 days after hospital discharge. For this analysis, CKD was defined by an eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 for 3 months or UACR >30 mg/g during follow-up. Where urine protein-creatinine ratio was tested instead of UACR, a urine protein-creatinine ratio >150 mg/g was considered equivalent to an UACR >30 mg/g. After completion of the trial, the potential bias of defining the primary outcome conditionally on recognition of CKD at 90 days after randomization was recognized, and the analytical approach was amended to include all participants recruited into the trial at the time of discharge. The new primary outcome was defined as the composite of ACE-I/ARB treatment, statin treatment, and nephrology follow-up within 90 days of discharge for all trial participants irrespective of whether they had CKD or an indication for ACE-I/ARB or statin treatment or nephrologist follow-up. The three individual components of the composite outcome were also examined as secondary outcomes among subsets of participants who met each of the management recommendations in the provincial CKD pathway at the time of hospital discharge, defined as ACE-I/ARB treatment for those with UACR >300 mg/g or diabetes, statin treatment for those with eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or UACR >30 mg/g, and nephrologist follow-up for those with eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2. These analyses were also stratified by risk of severe CKD at the time of discharge. Other process of care outcomes within 90 days of discharge were (1) proportion with serum creatinine/eGFR testing, (2) urine ACR/PCR testing, and (3) a follow-up visit with a primary care provider. Safety outcomes assessed up to 1 year from discharge were (1) readmission with AKI, (2) readmission with a kidney diseasespecific ambulatory care sensitive condition,16 (3) hyperkalemia (serum potassium result >6 mmol/L), (4) any eGFR result <15 ml/min per 1.73 m2, (5) maintenance dialysis, and (6) mortality (Supplemental Table 1). The eGFR at 1 year was ascertained based on the last serum creatinine measurement obtained between discharge and 1 year. Patient experience was measured by a telephone survey 90 days after discharge. Statistical Analysis Analyses of primary and secondary outcomes were based on the intention-to-treat approach. Binary outcomes were compared between groups using generalized estimating equations to estimate absolute risk differences (RDs) and relative risks with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using binomial regression models with identity and log links, respectively, and with adjustment for center. Modification of the intervention effect on individual component outcomes by CKD risk group was explored using models with an interaction between treatment group and CKD risk strata, with corresponding results reported by low-, medium-, and high-risk strata. Participants without records in administrative health data were considered not to have experienced the outcome because of the population-based nature of the provincial health databases for the province of Alberta. For analyses of survey responses and eGFR at 1 year, only patients with these measures were included. All statistical analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc.). On the basis of previous Alberta Health data, 60% of patients meeting the trial eligibility criteria were anticipated to meet criteria for CKD by 90 days and 32% of these were anticipated to achieve the prespecified composite primary outcome under usual care. We hypothesized a 20% absolute increase could be achieved with the intervention. To detect this difference, we determined that enrollment of 166 patients would provide the trial with 90% power at a two-sided significance level of 0.05. Results Recruitment and Randomization Recruitment of patients began in March 2018, halted from March 2020 to May 2021 because of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic restrictions, and ended after the launch of a new clinical information system began in the last health region in November 2022. This study assessed 325 patients for eligibility; 154 patients did not meet the eligibility criteria, 16 patients declined to participate, and 155 patients were included (Figure 1). Seventy-nine patients were randomized to the risk-based care intervention and 76 to usual care (Figure 2). Figure 1: Flow of participants through the trial. ACE-I, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; admin, administrative health; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blocker. Figure 2: Proportion of patients hospitalized with AKI with treatment indications for ACE-I/ARB, statin, or nephrologist follow-up at discharge who received the recommended treatment within 90 days of hospital discharge, overall and stratified by CKD risk. All models were adjusted for center to account for stratified randomization by center. The recommended treatment was ACE-I or ARB treatment for patients with UACR >300 mg/g or diabetes, statin treatment for patients with eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or UACR >30 mg/g, and nephrologist follow-up for patients with sustained eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 at hospital discharge. CKD risk was the risk of severe (category G4 or G5) CKD defined as eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or receipt of KRT for 3 months during the year after hospital discharge. Absolute differences are not presented for strata that contained groups without any outcome events. CI, confidence interval; UACR, urine albumin-creatinine ratio. Patient Characteristics The mean (SD) age was 60 (15) years, and approximately 60% of participants were male. The most common documented reason for AKI was a pre-renal cause or acute tubular necrosis, and baseline mean (SD) serum creatinine was 1.1 (0.5) mg/dl. Over half of participants had Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stage 3 AKI, 62% had eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or UACR >30 mg/g at discharge, and over a quarter had a >10% risk of severe CKD at 1 year. Age, sex, comorbidities, and diagnoses during admission were similar in the two groups (Table 1). Slightly fewer patients in the intervention group were receiving ACE-I/ARB treatment at the time of discharge. Table 1 - Baseline characteristics of patients hospitalized with AKI Baseline characteristics of patients hospitalized with AKI Characteristic Risk-Based Care Intervention (n=79) Usual Care (n=76) Age, yr, mean (SD) 60 (15) 59 (16) Sex, No. (%) Male 48 (61) 43 (57) Female 30 (38) 32 (42) Cause of AKI, No. (%) Prerenal/acute tubular necrosis 45 (57) 36 (47) Interstitial nephritis 1 (1) 1 (1) No cause documented in chart 14 (18) 16 (21) Othera 19 (24) 23 (30) Baseline serum creatinine, mg/dl, mean (SD) 1.0 (0.4) 1.1 (0.6) Max serum creatinine during hospitalization, mg/dl, mean (SD) 4.7 (3.0) 4.4 (2.6) Maximum AKI stageb, No. (%) Stage 2 36 (46) 33 (43) Stage 3 43 (54) 43 (57) Dialysis, n (%) 9 (12) 8 (10) Serum potassium at discharge, mmol/L, mean (SD) 4.0 (0.8) 4.0 (0.5) Nephrologist consult during hospitalization, No. (%) 29 (37) 30 (40) Albuminuria/proteinuria at dischargec, No. (%) Normal (UACR <30 mg/g or UPCR <150 mg/g) 71 (90) 61 (80) Mild (UACR 30299 mg/g or UPCR 150499 mg/g) 7 (9) 11 (14) Heavy (UACR 300 mg/g or UPCR 500 mg/g) 1 (1) 4 (5) Serum creatinine on date of discharge, mg/dl, mean (SD) 1.5 (1.0) 1.6 (1.2) CKD criteria at discharge 47 (60) 47 (62) eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 and ACR >30 mg/g 6 (8) 6 (8) eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 only 39 (49) 32 (42) ACR >30 mg/g only 2 (3) 9 (12) BP at discharge, mm Hg, mean (SD) Systolic 120 (34) 114 (44) Diastolic 70 (20) 66 (28) Systolic BP >140 or diastolic BP >90 mm Hg, No. (%) 17 (21) 14 (18) Risk of severe CKD at discharge, No. (%) <1% 29 (37) 30 (40) 110% 29 (37) 25 (33) >10% 21 (27) 21 (28) Comorbidities, No. (%) Diabetes mellitus Type 1 5 (6) 2 (3) Type 2 26 (33) 34 (45) Cancer Present 11 (14) 10 (13) Past 5 (6) 6 (8) Congestive heart failure 18 (23) 11 (14) Myocardial infarction/coronary artery disease 13 (17) 17 (22) Severe liver disease 11 (14) 8 (10) Cerebrovascular disease 6 (7) 5 (6) Peripheral vascular disease 4 (5) 4 (5) Osteoarthritis 5 (6) 12 (16) Hypertension 42 (53) 45 (59) Contributors to AKI during admission, No. (%) Parenteral contrast procedure 4 (5) 1 (1) Infection 35 (44) 29 (38) Acute decompensated heart failure 10 (13) 6 (8) Hypovolemia 25 (32) 17 (22) Hypotension 17 (21) 13 (17) Bleeding requiring transfusion 14 (18) 10 (13) Medications on admission, No. (%) ACE-I or ARB 30 (38) 29 (38) Statin 25 (32) 29 (38) Diuretic 19 (24) 15 (20) NSAID 5 (6) 3 (4) Medications at discharge, No. (%) ACE or ARB 28 (35) 33 (43) Statin 29 (37) 31 (41) Diuretic (loop, thiazide, or potassium-sparing) 23 (29) 17 (22) NSAID 4 (5) 3 (4) ACE, angiotensinconverting enzyme; ACE-I, angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitor; ACR, albumin-creatinine ratio; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blocker; NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; UACR, urine albumin-creatinine ratio; UPCR, urine protein-creatinine ratio. aOther causes of AKI included vascular disease, GN, and urinary tract obstruction. bAKI was staged according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes serum creatinine criteria. cProteinuria was preferentially determined by ACR; PCR was used when ACR was not measured. Twelve (15%) participants in the risk-based intervention group and seven (9%) in the usual care group did not have any records in administrative health data within 90 days of hospital discharge, and one patient in each group had no records within 1 year of discharge. Forty-four (28%) participants completed the patient experience survey at 90 days after discharge. The proportion of participants who met criteria for CKD was 62% versus 66% at 90 days after discharge, and 70% versus 72% at 1 year in the intervention and usual care groups, respectively. Outcomes among All Participants The proportion of participants with the primary composite outcome of treatment with an ACE-I/ARB, statin, and nephrologist follow-up within 90 days of discharge was 28% in the intervention group versus 3% in the usual care group, for an absolute RD of 25% (95% CI, 15% to 36%); (risk ratio, 9.33; 95% CI, 2.58 to 43.62) (Table 2). ACE-I/ARBs were prescribed in 54% of all participants in the intervention group and 49% of those in the usual care group (RD, 5%; 95% CI, 10% to 21%), and statins were prescribed in 63% of participants in the intervention group and 50% of those in the usual care group (RD, 13%; 95% CI, 2% to 29%). Nephrologist follow-up occurred for 29% of participants in the intervention group and 9% among those in the usual care group (RD, 20%; 95% CI, 8% to 31%). Table 2 - Proportion of patients hospitalized with AKI who received treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker, statin, and nephrologist follow-up within 90 days of hospital discharge Proportion of patients hospitalized with AKI who received treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker, statin, and nephrologist follow-up within 90 days of hospital discharge Outcome Risk-Based Care Intervention, n=79, No. (%) Usual Care, n=76, No. (%) RDa (95% CI) Risk Ratioa (95% CI) Primary composite outcomeb 22 (28) 2 (3) 0.25 (0.15 to 0.36) 9.34 (2.58 to 43.62) Secondary outcomes ACE-I/ARB treatment 43 (54) 37 (49) 0.05 (0.10 to 0.21) 1.11 (0.82 to 1.51) Statin treatment 50 (63) 38 (50) 0.13 (0.02 to 0.29) 1.26 (0.96 to 1.67) Nephrologist follow-up 23 (29) 7 (9) 0.20 (0.08 to 0.31) 3.17 (1.45 to 6.95) The median (interquartile range) time to first outpatient prescription dispensing was 3 (039) days after hospital discharge for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blockers and 10 (044) days for statin prescriptions. ACE-I, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blocker; CI, confidence interval; RD, risk difference. aModels were adjusted for center to account for stratified randomization by center. bThe primary composite outcome was defined as treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker, statin, and nephrologist follow-up within 90 days of hospital discharge. Outcomes among Participants with CKD Pathway Management Recommendations Among patients meeting the criteria for treatment with ACE-I/ARB, or statin at discharge, the overall proportions of participants who received each of these components of the management recommendations did not significantly differ between the risk-based intervention and usual care groups (Table 2). However, when stratified by risk of severe CKD at discharge, the effect of the intervention on these outcomes varied by risk group and was significant among participants with predicted risk >10% but not among those with predicted risk <1% or 1%10%. Among patients in the high CKD risk strata, ACE-I/ARBs were prescribed as recommended among all participants with UACR >300 mg/g or diabetes at discharge in the intervention group and 60% of those in the usual care group (RD, 37%; 95% CI, 6% to 67%), and statins were prescribed as recommended among all participants with eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or UACR >30 mg/g at discharge in the intervention group and 64% of those in the usual care group (RD, 30%; 95% CI, 5% to 56%). Among participants in the high-risk strata with a sustained eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 at discharge, all participants in the intervention group received nephrologist follow-up versus 23% among those in the usual care group (RD, 78%; 95% CI, 56% to 100%). The proportion of participants who achieved the prespecified primary outcome of the trial based on adherence to the management recommendations for ACE-I/ARBs, statins, and nephrologist follow-up among people with CKD at 90 days of hospital discharge was significantly greater in the intervention than usual care group (59% versus 24%, RD, 35% [95% CI, 17% to 53%]) (Supplemental Table 2). Other Processes of Care Outcomes Other processes of care outcomes within the first 90 days after discharge were similar in the two groups (Table 3). Serum creatinine/eGFR was measured in 85% of participants in the intervention group and 78% of those in the usual care group (RD, 7%; 95% CI, 5% to 19%). Proteinuria was quantified in 56% of participants in the intervention group and 53% in the usual care group (RD, 3%; 95% CI, 13% to 19%). Primary care visits occurred in 77% of participants in the intervention group and 79% of participants in the usual care group (RD, 2%; 95% CI, 15% to 11%). Patient experience did not significantly differ between the two groups, with 79% in the intervention group versus 65% in the control group being satisfied or very satisfied with the care for kidney disease they received after discharge (RD, 14%; 95% CI, 5% to 32%). Table 3 - Process of care outcomes within 90 days of hospital discharge for patients hospitalized with AKI Process of care outcomes within 90 days of hospital discharge for patients hospitalized with AKI Outcomes Risk-Based Care Intervention, n=79, No. (%) Usual Care, n=76, No. (%) RD (95% CI) Risk Ratio (95% CI) Serum creatinine/eGFR measurement 67 (85) 59 (78) 0.07 (0.05 to 0.19) 1.09 (0.94 to 1.27) UACR or UPCR measurement 44 (56) 40 (53) 0.03 (0.13 to 0.19) 1.06 (0.79 to 1.41) Primary care physician visit 61 (77) 60 (79) 0.02 (0.15 to 0.11) 0.98 (0.83 to 1.16) Serum creatinine/eGFR was measured at a median (interquartile range) of 44 (575) days after hospital discharge. Urine albumin-creatinine ratio or urine protein-creatinine ratio were measured at a median (interquartile range) of 69 (2887) days after hospital discharge. CI, confidence interval; RD, risk difference; UACR, urine albumin-creatinine ratio; UPCR, urine protein-creatinine ratio. Safety Outcomes Hospital readmission with AKI was the most common adverse event and was recorded in 25% of participants in the intervention group and 16% in the usual care group (RD, 10%; 95% CI, 3% to 22%) (Table 4). More patients in the intervention group had hyperkalemia detected in the year after hospital discharge, with an incidence of 15% of patients in the intervention group and 5% in the usual care group (RD, 10%; 95% CI, 9% to 19%). There were no differences in hospital readmission with kidney diseasespecific ambulatory care sensitive conditions, kidney failure based on eGFR <15 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or maintenance dialysis, or mortality within 1 year of discharge between the two groups. Table 4 - Safety outcomes within 1 year of hospital discharge for patients hospitalized with AKI Safety outcomes within 1 year of hospital discharge for patients hospitalized with AKI Outcome Risk-Based Care Intervention, n=79, n (%) Usual Care, n=76, n (%) RD (95% CI) Risk Ratio (95% CI) Readmission with AKI 20 (25) 12 (16) 0.10 (0.03 to 0.22) 1.60 (0.84 to 3.05) Readmission with kidney diseasespecific ambulatory care sensitive condition 12 (15) 12 (16) 0.01 (0.12 to 0.11) 0.96 (0.46 to 2.01) Hyperkalemia 12 (15) 4 (5) 0.10 (0.09 to 0.19) 2.89 (0.97 to 8.56) eGFR result <15 ml/min per 1.73 m2 11 (14) 15 (20) 0.06 (0.18 to 0.06) 0.71 (0.35 to 1.44) Maintenance dialysis 3 (4) 2 (3) 0.01 (0.04 to 0.07) 1.14 (0.25 to 8.40) Mortality 12 (15) 8 (11) 0.05 (0.06 to 0.15) 1.44 (0.62 to 3.33) Kidney diseasespecific ambulatory care sensitive conditions included hospitalizations with a most responsible diagnosis of congestive heart failure, volume overload, hyperkalemia, or hypertensive emergency. Hyperkalemia was defined as any serum potassium result 6.0 mmol/L. Nine patients in the intervention group and two patients in the usual care group were hospitalized within 2 days of hyperkalemia. All participants with eGFR results <15 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or maintenance dialysis were in the high-risk (>10%) group for severe CKD at hospital discharge. CI, confidence interval; RD, risk difference. Outpatient eGFR was obtained between the date of discharge and 1 year in 73 patients in the risk-based intervention group and in 71 patients in the usual care group. The mean (SD) eGFR based on the outpatient measurement closest to 1 year was 61 (30) ml/min per 1.73 m2 in the intervention group and 71 (28) ml/min per 1.73 m2 in the usual care group (mean difference, 10; 95% CI, 19 to 0 ml/min per 1.73 m2). Discussion This randomized trial found that a risk-based, transition of care intervention for survivors of AKI increased use of medical therapies for cardiorenal risk reduction among patients at high risk of severe CKD within 90 days after hospital discharge and increased the likelihood of nephrology follow-up among those with a sustained eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2. There were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups in assessment of kidney function in the postdischarge period or in rates of hospital readmission for kidney diseaserelated conditions, kidney failure, or mortality within 1 year; however, hyperkalemia was identified more frequently during follow-up in the intervention group. Previous research suggests that significant care gaps exist for AKI survivors in the postdischarge period.9,17 A previous evaluation of AKI survivors with CKD in Alberta, Canada, found that only 60% had a serum creatinine assessment within 90 days after discharge, with fewer still having albuminuria measured.18 Less than 30% of patients with AKI who had been treated with dialysis were seen by a nephrologist in the year after hospital discharge, including only 11.9% with preexisting or new-onset CKD.9,17,18 Despite observational data suggesting better outcomes with the use of guideline-recommended therapy for CKD after AKI, these therapies were only prescribed for half of AKI survivors with CKD in the year after hospitalization.10,11 Barriers to follow-up care include under recognition of AKI by health care providers, insufficient patient and health care provider knowledge about AKI and its attendant risk, the competing priorities of care for comorbidities, a lack of evidence for effective interventions to improve outcomes after AKI, and limited timely access to nephrology care. The creation of post-AKI clinics has been one approach to address these barriers; however, a recently published randomized trial of early nephrologist follow-up care through such clinics versus usual care in Ontario, Canada, (FUSION trial) identified several issues with the feasibility of such a model as only 25% of eligible patients agreed to participate.19 Hospitalization-related fatigue, a reluctance to add more physicians to the care team, and the burden of travel to attend in-person specialty clinics were stated as reasons for declining to participate. Another feasibility trial of follow-up care for survivors of AKI in Thailand randomized 98 patients to comprehensive multidisciplinary nephrology care (five visits) versus standard care for 12 months postdischarge. This trial reported better BP control and lower urine ACR in the nephrology care group but no difference in mean eGFR or other kidney outcomes between the two groups at 1 year.20 More than 50% of eligible patients were excluded from the trial because they did not want to attend follow-up clinics after hospital discharge. Our trial used a risk-based approach to guide follow-up and stratified patients at moderate risk to follow-up with primary care physicians and only those patients with high risk of severe CKD to follow-up with nephrologists. Using this strategy, only 21 of 79 (26%) patients randomized to the intervention arm were identified as needing nephrologist follow-up based on their 1-year risk of severe CKD after AKI. Our finding that substantially more participants randomized to the intervention in the high-risk stratum received the recommended care by 90 days suggests that the use of a risk stratification tool can be effective in targeting improvements in follow-up nephrology care to those who need it the most. Our study was able to demonstrate high rates of adherence to recommendations for use of ACE-I/ARBs for patients with albuminuria or diabetes, statins for patient with CKD, and nephrology follow-up for those with sustained eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 among high-risk patients in the intervention arm. This was accompanied by a higher risk of hyperkalemia and lower eGFR and a trend toward a higher risk of rehospitalization with AKI in the postdischarge period in the intervention group, which may have resulted from greater ACE-I/ARB use among high-risk patients. These findings are consistent with results of previous observational studies, which report associations between reinitiation or initiation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition after a hospitalization with AKI and higher risks of hyperkalemia, despite lower mortality and progression to CKD.11,21 AKI is well established as a risk factor with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition; in this high-risk cohort, reinitiation of these medications may require additional interventions, including the incorporation of strategies to mitigate risks for hyperkalemia, increased efforts to ensure laboratory testing to monitor kidney function, and sick day guidance. In our study, laboratory testing after discharge did not improve with the intervention, suggesting that additional strategies should be tested in future studies. There were several limitations to our study. First, although our study was designed to use a combination of electronic and manual processes to identify potentially eligible patients with AKI for the trial, we encountered delays in recruitment: first because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic that restricted study coordinators access to clinical areas and second because of deployment of new a provincial electronic health record system, which superseded the preexisting electronic AKI identification system. Although our final sample size was slightly smaller than we initially intended, the effect size of the intervention was larger than projected, resulting in sufficient power to detect differences between treatment groups in the primary outcome. Second, we acknowledge that outcome ascertainment was intentionally pragmatic for this trial, and we did not measure clinical variables such as BP control, and because we relied on prescription dispensing data, we cannot determine whether medications were taken or stopped for any reason. Third, we did not collect information on the prescribing doctor to know whether care recommendations were implemented by primary care providers or nephrologists; however, the observation that the effect of the intervention was due to changes in the high-risk group, all of whom received care by nephrologists, suggests that the majority of changes were likely facilitated by nephrologists. Finally, it should be noted that over half of otherwise eligible patients approached for the trial could not be enrolled because they did not meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The primary drivers of ineligibility were planned follow-up with a nephrologist, transfer to an alternate level of care (nursing care facilities), and absence of a primary care physician. Future intervention studies will need to address barriers to the continuity of postdischarge care provided by primary care providers and mechanisms for care of patients without a primary care provider in the community. Future studies should also address additional contemporary, evidence-based medical management for CKD, including the use of sodium-glucose transport protein 2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists that were not included in the management recommendations for this trial. In conclusion, this randomized controlled trial of a risk-stratified, transition of care intervention for AKI survivors demonstrates that such an approach is feasible and can improve recommended care for cardiorenal protection in high-risk patients while efficiently using nephrologist resources. Larger trials are needed that scale this approach to survivors of AKI at the time of hospital discharge and evaluate whether it improves patient-centered and clinical outcomes. Within weeks of returning to office, Donald Trump has tossed Americas greatest alliances in favor of a rocky relationship with Russiaand world powers have taken note. The battered relationships are partially the result of Trumps spontaneous trade war, threatening Americas economic relationships with a handful of its longest allies, including Canada, Mexico, the U.K., and a collection of European nations. The presidents controversial tariffs went into effect first thing Tuesday, imposing 25 percent levies on Canada and Mexico as well as a 10 percent tariff hike on Chinese goods. In return, Canada and China slapped the U.S. with equal tariffs, while Mexico promised to do the same with further details to come Sunday. The spontaneously unpaused levies immediately followed reports that Trump had directed administration officials to draft a proposal that would lift sanctions on Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In doing so, Trump has morphed Americapreviously understood to be the strongest global powerinto an international pariah. Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used profoundly strong language in describing what he believed to be Trumps plan to dismantle Canadas economy in order to annex its land as a potential fifty-first state. I can tell you that every country is very, very aware that if the American government is willing to do this to their own closest ally, neighbor, and friend, Trudeau said, then everyone is vulnerable to a trade war. Trudeau continued that the international focus has extended not just to the Trump administrations movements but to the American publics reaction to the fracturing of these alliances as the president continues to align U.S. policy with Moscow (a detail that Trump has repeatedly failed to deny.) Trudeau: "Every country is very aware that if the American government is willing to do this to their own closest ally, neighbor, and friend, everyone is vulnerable to a trade war." pic.twitter.com/qJiTRODHpK Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 4, 2025 What do the American people think? Trudeau said. How do Americans feel about jettisoning ones friends and allies in favor of a country that has never wished Americans well, and continues to act in ways that harm the global economy and, specifically, the American economy and American values and principles? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking directly to the American public, Trudeau added that Canadian citizens still view the southern nation as their neighbor and partner. This is a policy decision by the American government designed to go after the Canadian economy. This is a trade war, yes. But Canadians are hurt. Canadians are angry, Trudeau said, adding that the countrys residents would continue their boycotts of American goods and services. Were probably going to keep booing the American anthem, Trudeau said. But let me tell Americans, were not booing you; were not booing your teams or players. Were booing a policy that is designed to hurt us. Trudeaus missive echoed similar comments made by a top European diplomat following Trumps disastrous meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday, which in just a handful of minutes effectively tanked peace talks with the war-battered nation while elevating Kremlin talking points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. Its up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge, said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in reaction to Trumps performance. Former Polish President Lech Waesa wrote a letter to Trump on Monday describing how Poland had watched the U.S. leaders treatment of Zelenskiy with horror and distaste, likening the White Houses ruthless bullying of a beleaguered wartime leader to the Soviet Unions Communist courtrooms. The history of the 20th century shows that every time the United States wanted to maintain a distance from democratic values and its European allies, it ended up being a threat to itself, the letter read. President Woodrow Wilson understood this, deciding that the United States would enter World War I in 1917. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt understood this, deciding after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 that the war in defense of America would be fought not only in the Pacific, but also in Europe, in alliance with the countries attacked by the Third Reich. Waesa also scorned Americas sudden decision to reverse course on its signed treaties, calling on the U.S. to honor the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which America and the U.K. mutually agreed to defend Ukraines borders in exchange for its surrender of nuclear weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These guarantees are unconditional: there is not a word about treating such aid as economic exchange, Waesa wrote. The letter was signed by Waesa as well as 38 other Polish activists who were imprisoned under Polands USSR-backed regime prior to the fall of communism in 1989. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau directly addressed the American people in a pleading appeal on Tuesday after Donald Trump followed through on his promise to implement 25 percent tariffs on goods from Canada. I want to speak first directly to the American people. We dont want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally. And we dont want to see you hurt either, but your government has chosen to do this to you, Trudeau said in a press conference from Ottawa. The normally cheery Trudeau was stone-faced and somber as he warned Americans about the economic consequences of taxing Canadian products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Your government has chosen to put American jobs at risk at the thousands of workplaces that succeed because of materials from Canada, or because of consumers in Canada, or both, Trudeau said, further warning of rising prices on groceries, gas, cars, and homes. What do the American people think? How do Americans feel about jettisoning ones friends and allies in favor of a country that has never wished Americans well and continues to act in ways that harm the global economy and specifically the American economy and American values and principles? Trudeau asked, referring to Trumps recent overtures to Russia on Ukraine. Last month, Trump paused his plans to implement 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexicothe top U.S. trading partnersamid international backlash and the threat of retaliatory actions from both countries. On Monday, however, the president announced the tariffs would begin on Tuesday, a backstabbing blow to Americas northern ally that Trump wants to annex and make the fifty-first state. The president claims the tariffs will protect U.S. manufacturing and prevent illegal immigration, but they will ultimately just drastically raise costs for both American and international consumers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canada has already responded with 25 percent tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. imports, effective immediately, Trudeau announced Tuesday. Anti-American sentiment has skyrocketed in Canada since Trump took office, and support for the wildly unpopular Trudeau and his Liberal Party has grown for the first time in years amid a wave of country-wide nationalist sentiment. Trudeaus speech makes it clear that hes given up all hopes of rational communication with the Trump administration and that Americas betrayal is a dire warning to the rest of the world. Every country is very aware that if the American government is willing to do this to their own closest ally, neighbor, and friend, everyone is vulnerable to a trade war. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed President Trumps tariffs on his country, reiterating a message from The Wall Street Journals editorial board that the taxation plan was dumb. Now, I want to speak directly to one specific American, Trudeau said Tuesday in an address. Donald, in the over eight years you and I have worked together, weve done big things. We signed a historic deal that has created record jobs and growth in both of our countries. Weve done big things together on the world stage, as Canada and the U.S. have done together for decades, for generations. And now, we should be working together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world. Trudeau then highlighted a recent op-ed from the Journals editorial board that said Trumps tariff plan was the dumbest tariff plunge that is hurting the countrys friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not in my habit to agree with The Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though youre a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do, Trudeau said. The Prime Minister urged the U.S. president to see that the neighboring, allied countries fighting is exactly what international adversaries want to see. Trudeau then addressed his fellow Canadians, who will experience economic disruption as the flow of goods between countries will spike prices. I wont sugarcoat it, this is going to be tough, even though were all going to pull together because thats what we do, he said. We will use every tool at our disposal so Canadian workers and businesses can weather this storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trudeau promised that the Canadian government will protect its citizens and Canadian businesses from attacks and takeovers from the tariffs. We will stand up for Canadians every single second of every single day, because this country is worth fighting for, he said. Speaking directly to the American people, Trudeau warned that prices would rise because of the Trump administrations actions and said there is absolutely no need or justification for the tariffs on allies. We dont want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally, and we dont want to see you hurt either, but your government has chosen to do this to you, he said, later adding, They have chosen to launch a trade war that will, first and foremost, harm American families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump responded to Trudeau in a post on the presidents Truth Social site, using his familiar nickname suggesting that the prime minister would be Canadas governor if the country is acquired by the U.S. Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount! Trump said. Trump last month signed off on reciprocal tariffs for any country that planned to put its own on the U.S. Updated at 1:03 p.m. EST Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. President Donald Trump is set to deliver his joint address to Congress on Tuesday with a speech focusing on the renewal of the American Dream, according to the White House. Political commentator Chris Cillizza predicts how Trump will address the mixed audience and how Democrats will respond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. By Bo Erickson, Steve Holland and Joseph Ax WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A triumphant President Donald Trump told Congress on Tuesday that "America is back" after he reshaped U.S. foreign policy, ignited a trade war and ousted tens of thousands of government workers in six tumultuous weeks since returning to power, drawing jeers from some Democrats who walked out in protest. The primetime speech, his first to Congress since taking office on January 20, followed a second day of market turmoil after he imposed sweeping new tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 100 minutes, the speech was the longest presidential address to Congress in modern U.S. history, according to The American Presidency Project. World leaders were watching Trump's speech closely, a day after he paused all military aid to Ukraine in a stark reversal of U.S. policy. The suspension followed an Oval Office blowup in which Trump angrily upbraided Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in front of TV cameras. The pause in aid to Ukraine has threatened Kyiv's efforts to defend against Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion three years ago, and further rattled European leaders worried that Trump is moving the U.S. too far toward Moscow. Trump devoted only a few minutes of his speech to foreign policy. He signaled a willingness to press ahead with a minerals deal with Ukraine that was set aside after last week's disastrous White House meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Simultaneously, we've had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace," Trump said. "Wouldn't that be beautiful?" And he repeated his promises - though without adding detail - to bring peace to the Middle East and expand the Abraham Accords, deals signed during his first term that established relations between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors. While Trump has appeared to fault Ukraine for starting the war, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found 70% of Americans - including two-thirds of Republicans - say Russia was more to blame. Trump vowed to balance the federal budget, even as he urged lawmakers to enact a sweeping tax cut agenda that analysts say could add more than $5 trillion to the federal government's $36 trillion debt load. Congress needs to raise the nation's debt ceiling later this year or risk a devastating default. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speech shared some of the hallmarks of Trump's campaign rallies. Trump repeatedly assailed his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden, attacked immigrant criminals as "savages" and promised to ban what he called "transgender ideology," all while peppering his remarks with exaggerated or false claims. DEMOCRATIC PROTESTS "To my fellow citizens, America is back," Trump began to a standing ovation from fellow Republicans. "Our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed, and perhaps will never witness again." Democrats held up signs with messages like "No King!" and "This Is NOT Normal," and about half the Democrats had walked out by the end of the speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Texas congressman, Al Green, was ordered removed after he refused to sit down. Trump, a political brawler by nature, reveled in the disagreements. "I look at the Democrats in front of me, and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud," he said after Green's ejection. The speech took place in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers huddled in fear for their lives four years ago while a mob of Trump supporters ransacked the Capitol in an unsuccessful effort to overturn Biden's 2020 victory over the then-incumbent Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democrats chose to give their rebuttal speech to moderate U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin who invoked an iconic Republican president in criticizing Trump. "As a Cold War kid, I'm thankful it was Reagan and not Trump in office in the 1980s. Trump would have lost us the Cold War," Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who won election in Michigan in November even as Trump carried her state, said, referring to President Ronald Reagan. "Donald Trump's actions suggest that, in his heart, he doesnt believe we are an exceptional nation." MORE TARIFFS COMING Trump praised billionaire businessman Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, which has downsized more than 100,000 federal workers, cut billions of dollars in foreign aid and shuttered entire agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president credited Musk with identifying "hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud," a claim that far exceeds even what the administration has claimed so far. Musk, seated in the gallery, received ovations from Republicans. Trump reiterated his intention to impose additional reciprocal tariffs on April 2, a move that would likely roil financial markets even more. "Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it's our turn to start using them against those other countries," he said. On this point, many Republicans remained seated, a signal of how Trump's tariffs have divided his party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, two of the country's closest allies, and an additional 10% on Chinese imports deepened investor concerns about the economy. The Nasdaq Composite is down more than 9% from its record closing high on December 16. Trump, who has often taken credit for market increases, did not mention this week's downturn. He also barely addressed stubbornly high costs, blaming Biden for the price of eggs and saying he would bring down inflation via increased energy production. Just one in three Americans approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll, a potential danger sign amid worries his tariffs could increase inflation. Trump called on Congress to pass a sweeping $4.5 trillion plan that would extend his 2017 tax cuts, tighten border security and fund massive deportations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump noted that his administration had already launched a border crackdown, citing February's record-low total of 8,300 migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border. Those arrests are often used as a proxy to estimate illegal crossings. The Republican tax proposal calls for $2 trillion in spending reductions over a decade, with possible cuts to education, healthcare and other social services. The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that Trump's full tax agenda, including elimination of taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security benefits, could cost between $5 trillion and $11.2 trillion over a decade. (This story has been refiled to edit the wording in paragraph 18) (Reporting by Bo Erickson, Erin Banco, Gram Slattery, Andrea Shalal, Steve Holland and Gabriella Borter; Additional reporting by Nandita Bose, Kanishka Singh, Jasper Ward, Ted Hesson, Jason Lange, Richard Cowan, Trevor Hunnicutt and Tom Westbrook; Writing by Joseph Ax and Steve Holland; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Scott Malone and Howard Goller) President Donald Trump is set to deliver his joint address to Congress on Tuesday with a speech focusing on the renewal of the American Dream, according to the White House. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., discusses why he believes Trumps speech will be a funeral for the Democratic Party. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The Trump administration is dropping a yearslong legal battle with Idaho over the right to an abortion in a medical emergency one day ahead of a major hearing reversing its stance in one of the highest-profile cases it inherited from the Biden administration. The Boise hospital network St. Lukes said in a court filing Tuesday that the Justice Department informed the network that it is moving to dismiss the case. In that same brief, St. Lukes, which sued the state in January because it expected the Trump administration to bow out, pleaded for a temporary restraining order ahead of a scheduled hearing tomorrow to ensure that emergency abortions dont become illegal again while the court deliberates. Even a short period without an injunction would require Idaho hospitals to train their staff about the change in legal obligations, distracting them from providing medical care to their patients, and would once again require them to airlift patients out of state should a medical emergency arise so that those patients can consider the full spectrum of medically indicated care, including termination of pregnancy, the hospitals lawyers wrote. A TRO is necessary to avoid that harm to patients and their families as well as to St. Lukes and its staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho U.S .District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill an appointee of President Bill Clinton granted the temporary restraining order Tuesday night, writing that Attorney General Raul Labrador and his deputies are barred for now from prosecuting any medical provider who provides abortions for patients experiencing medical emergencies. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. The Idaho attorney generals office did not respond to questions about its plans for the case. The Biden administrations lawsuit against Idaho a case the Supreme Court weighed and punted to lower court judges last year, saying it took up the issue prematurely argued that Idahos enforcement of its near-total abortion ban during medical emergencies violated Ronald Reagan-era patient protections known as EMTALA. The case cited several instances of Idaho women refused care or flown out of state while miscarrying because doctors feared their interventions would be considered abortions in violation of the states ban, even in cases where the pregnancy was nonviable. Idaho health care providers have been able to provide emergency abortions since the Supreme Court sent the case back to lower courts, but that could now change because of the Trump administrations move. The Trump administration has not yet indicated whether it also plans to rescind the Biden administrations 2022 guidance that hospitals must render stabilizing care in an emergency, including abortions when necessary, regardless of state bans. The Heritage Foundations Project 2025 encouraged the new administration to do so and also called on President Donald Trump to end all of the Biden administrations EMTALA investigations into hospitals that have turned pregnant patients away. The Trump administration threatened Monday to pull more than $50 million in government contracts it has with Columbia University pointing to the Ivy League schools alleged inaction to get a handle on anti-Israel protests that have targeted Jewish students. Federal officials announced they were considering placing Stop Work Orders on $51.4 million worth of contracts and reviewing more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments tied to the Big Apple university to ensure the rights of Jewish students are being met. Anti-Semitism like racism is a spiritual and moral malady that sickens societies and kills people with lethalities comparable to historys most deadly plagues, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. Protestors in support of Israel gather near a pro-Palestinian encampment on the lawn of Columbia University after a deadline was issued on April 29, 2024. James Keivom The looming warning to the school is part of an ongoing investigation into possible civil rights violations and comes after President Trump formed the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism when he got into office in January to fight against vile hate being carried out on college campuses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newly minted Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement Monday that since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Americans have watched in horror as Jewish students have been assaulted and harassed at elite colleges. Unlawful encampments and demonstrations have completely paralyzed day-to-day campus operations, depriving Jewish students of learning opportunities to which they are entitled, she said. Columbia said it was reviewing the federal governments message and hoped to work with the White House to fight antisemitism. Columbia is fully committed to combatting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and we are resolute that calling for, promoting, or glorifying violence or terror has no place at our University, the school stated Monday night. Pro-Palestine protest seen outside of Columbia University. Matthew McDermott Columbia has been the center of abhorrent demonstrations in opposition to Israel since Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack on the Jewish state that erupted into a wider conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters camped out on the campus green and even occupied a school building last spring both times requiring NYPD action. Masked students also stormed a Columbia class on modern Israel and tossed around hateful leaflets in January. At least two Barnard students were expelled following the disruption, an anti-Israel group said. Columbia has been the center of abhorrent demonstrations in opposition to Israel since Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack on the Jewish state that erupted into a wider conflict. William C Lopez/New York Post The co-founder of Columbias Jewish Alumni Association, Ari Shrage, told The Post that Columbia hasnt done enough to discipline student protesters who have upended the campus life for Jewish pupils. Now the government is showing Columbia that they mean business, Shrage said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only question is if Columbias leaders will finally take action or make matters worse by ignoring the discrimination that Jewish students have faced for the past year and a half. Columbia senior Eliana Goldin also welcomed the growing federal pressure. Im not a fan of government intervention, she said. But when nothing else works, I can appreciate the strategy. Liora Rez, founder of the private advocacy group StopAntisemitism, said the organization expects this to be just the first of many long-overdue actions to root out the vile Jew-hatred festering within elite institutions like Columbia University and Barnard College. From the Board of Trustees, to administrators, to members of the faculty, these so-called leaders have utterly betrayed their Jewish and Israeli students and colleagues, allowing antisemitism to flourish uncheckedindeed cultivating and encouraging it, Rez said. Since antisemitism is a cancer that destroys a society from within, the American taxpayer must never fund the destruction of our great country. We applaud this intervention, we welcome the actions of the various agencies and the Task Force, and we look forward to real, lasting change. Enough is enough! WASHINGTON (AP) The State Department on Tuesday reinstated the foreign terrorist organization designation for Yemens Iran-backed Houthi group, fulfilling an order announced by President Donald Trump shortly after he took office. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the department had restored the designation, which carries with it sanctions and penalties for anyone providing material support for the group. Since 2023, the Houthis have launched hundreds of attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as U.S. service members defending freedom of navigation and our regional partners," Rubio said in a statement. "Most recently, the Houthis spared Chinese-flagged ships while targeting American and allied vessels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthis have targeted more than 100 merchant vessels in the critical trade corridor with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023. In January, the group signaled that it will limit its attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships after a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip but warned wider assaults could resume if needed. Trumps first Republican administration had similarly designated the Houthis in its waning days, but the designation had been revoked by President Joe Biden's Democratic administration over concerns it would badly affect the delivery of aid to Yemen, which was considered to be facing one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. Rubio suggested in his statement that such a concern was not an issue anymore, saying that the U.S. would no longer tolerate any country engaging with terrorist organizations like the Houthis in the name of practicing legitimate international business. Besides the foreign terrorist organization announcement, the State Department's Rewards for Justice program announced that it would pay up to $15 million for information that leads to the disruption of Houthi financing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United Nations said last month that it suspended its humanitarian operations in the stronghold of Yemens Houthi rebels after they detained eight more U.N. staffers. The rebels in recent months have detained dozens of U.N. staffers, as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the once-open U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemens capital. None of the U.N. staffers has been released. The Houthis have been fighting Yemens internationally recognized government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition, since 2014, when they descended from their stronghold in Saada and took control of Sanaa and most of the north. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed at the time by the U.S., in an effort to restore the internationally recognized government to power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The war has killed more than 150,000 people including civilians and combatants, and in recent years it has deteriorated largely into a stalemate. The U.N. has projected that more than 19 million people across Yemen will need humanitarian assistance this year as many deal with climate shocks, malnutrition, cholera and the economic effects of war. The discovery of the APOL1 risk variants (G1 rs73885319 and rs60919145, G2 rs71785313) and their effect, in a autosomal recessive fashion, on the disproportionate rate of kidney disease (KD) affecting individuals of African ancestry revolutionized the field of nephrology.1,2 However, most studies exploring these high-risk variants have focused on populations of African descent living in the United States rather than on populations living in Africa, leaving critical gaps in our knowledge of real prevalence and effect of APOL1 KD in West Africa.3 The recent study by the H3Africa KD Research Network (H3Africa-KDRN)4 finally filled this void by examining 8355 individuals from West Africa (mostly Ghana and Nigeria). This work not only offers the largest clinically characterized series from West Africa to date but also provides critical insights into allelic frequencies and the risk of KD conferred by both biallelic and monoallelic APOL1 genotypes that significantly expand our understanding of APOL1 KD and pave the way for future studies. We here provide a brief overview of APOL1 genetic variation and the risk of KD imparted by the G1 and G2 variants as estimated from worldwide populations, compare these with the recent H3Africa-KDRN results, and discuss implications about differences in risk estimates observed between West African and US populations. APOL1 Risk Variants and Effect on KD Predisposition in Worldwide Populations from the African Diasporas Populations from Africa dispersed throughout the world through different diasporas: Over 10 million individuals were deported to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries with the horrific Atlantic slave trade; similarly, several million Africans were transported to Asia, islands of the Indian Ocean and in India periodically between the 8th and 19th centuries. The APOL1 G1 and G2 variants, therefore, can now be found at higher frequencies in the United States, the Caribbean, lower frequencies in South America, and some areas of South Asia, while appearing exceedingly rare in Europe (Figure 1).5 Biallelic APOL1 risk variants have been associated to very high risk for developing nondiabetic kidney failure or FSGS with odds ratio (OR) of 7.3 and 10.5, respectively, in Black Americans from the United States in the discovery study1 and 10.9 and 17.0 in other case-control studies.6 These estimates of risk contrasted the paradigm of common genetic variants usually imparting small-to-moderate effect on human disease predisposition. APOL1 risk variants also represent an exception because they cause toxic gain-of-function, whereas recessive inheritance typically involves biallelic loss-of-function variants leading to a global reduction in function, or even absence, of the encoded protein. While an additive effect would be more conceivable from a standard genetic theory perspective, many studies have failed at demonstrating a robustly quantifiable effect for monoallelic, heterozygous G1 or G2 variants.5,6 Figure 1: Insights from the H3Africa-KDRN findings for APOL1 KD. (A) Shows the study population of the H3Africa-KDRN. (B) Integrates the current knowledge about APOL1-HR genotypes distribution with the previous studies. (C) Reflects one of the most relevant findings of the study, i.e., that the risk of developing CKD is higher in heterozygous G1 or G2 genotypes. H3Africa-KDRN, H3Africa Kidney Disease Research Network; HR, high risk; KD, kidney disease; NA, not available. Created in BioRender.com (A) Shows the study population of the H3Africa-KDRN. (B) Integrates the current knowledge about APOL1-HR genotypes distribution with the previous studies. (C) Reflects one of the most relevant findings of the study, i.e., that the risk of developing CKD is higher in heterozygous G1 or G2 genotypes. H3Africa-KDRN, H3Africa Kidney Disease Research Network; HR, high risk; KD, kidney disease; NA, not available. Created in In West Africa, Frequency of APOL1 Two-Risk Allele Genotypes Is High and Variable, Effect on KD Is Smaller, but One-Risk Allele Genotype Is Also Pathogenic The study by H3Africa-KDRN is the first adequately powered study entirely conducted on West African individuals to determine APOL1 risk alleles and genotype frequency and to robustly quantify their effect on KD predisposition.4 They analyzed a cohort of 8355 individuals, including 2777 healthy controls, with detailed clinical data including demographic and laboratory findings, including proteinuria, kidney function parameters, hemoglobin A1c, sickle cell, and HIV status. Moreover, they reported biopsy data in 866 individuals. We here focus on three important findings of this study: First, the APOL1 risk variants and genotypes varied significantly across ethnolinguistic groups. Monoallelic and biallelic risk genotypes had an average prevalence of 43.0% and 29.7%, respectively, with frequency of APOL1 biallelic genotypes as low as 11.4% in the Hausa/Fulani group in Ghana and as high as 50.1% in the Igbo group in Nigeria (Figure 1). Second, the work showed an overall much lower than expected effect size on the risk of KD based on studies conducted in non-African countries. In fact, the OR for CKD comparing individuals carrying two risk alleles versus the ones carrying one or none was only 1.34 (adjusted 1.25), with the highest estimates for G2/G2 against G0/G0 genotypes (OR=2.25, adjusted 2.05). Even more striking was the association with FSGS, with OR of 1.87 (adjusted 1.84) when comparing APOL1 biallelic with nonbiallelic genotypes. Similarly, highest point estimates were observed when comparing G2/G2 with G0/G0 individuals (OR=5.93, adjusted 5.62). Finally, robustly and for the first time, this study reported a quantifiable risk for KD and FSGS in individuals with heterozygous risk genotypes, with effect sizes only marginally smaller than for biallelic genotypes: OR=1.17 (adjusted 1.18) and OR=1.24 (adjusted 1.61) for CKD and FSGS, respectively. Implications of the H3Africa-KDRN Findings for APOL1 and Non-APOL1 KD The differences in risk estimates for KD and FSGS between studies in Americans of African descent and the recent H3Africa-KDRN study raise important considerations regarding the biological, epidemiological, evolutionary, and environmental factors influencing the variable penetrance associated to APOL1 risk alleles. The observed lower effect size of APOL1 risk genotypes in West African populations might be related to multiple factors that might be at play simultaneously. First, survival bias, where individuals who may be more susceptible to KD may not survive long enough to be included in the study cohort would lead to overrepresentation of individuals with lower susceptibility in this study. Another factor can be the presence of a higher and more heterogeneous overall burden of KD in Africa that could dilute the apparent effect of APOL1 variants when analyzed with other forms of CKD. This would point toward fundamental differences in the genetic and biological bases of CKD and FSGS, that are yet undiscovered, in West Africans. But another likely explanation may lie in geneenvironment interactions: The genome of individuals in Africa has coevolved with trypanosome and other infections over tens of thousands of years and has been shaped to optimize resistance to infection while mitigating risk for disease. The same forces did not operate in Europe, therefore, among the possible explanations, it is plausible that the admixture observed in the United States and other countries brought genetic variants of European origin that were not selected against during evolution and now enable the full kidney toxicity capabilities of APOL1 risk variants. In such scenarios, the interaction of APOL1 variants with other genetic modifiers is likely to be more complex than what is known at the present. Such genetic modifiers, either outside or within the APOL1 locus (e.g., the recently described APOL1 p.N264K M1 protective variant79), are likely to play a significant role in the geospatial shaping of APOL1 KD.79 Going beyond the known biallelic risk, the H3Africa-KDRN reported a quantifiable risk for KD in individuals with heterozygous risk genotypes. In a moment where therapies are emerging,10 understanding who might benefit from intervention is key, and this study opens the door for clinical trials in symptomatic individuals with heterozygous genotypes, which represent an immense population worldwide, when integrated with a precise map of APOL1 allelic and genotypic frequencies across the globe. Conclusions The discovery of APOL1 risk variants as main drivers of the genetic risk difference between individuals of African and non-African ancestry has significantly and rapidly advanced our understanding of KD pathogenesis, leading to target therapies, but disproportionally in the US population. Nearly 15 years from the first report of APOL1 implications for KD, the H3Africa-KDRN landmark study now finally provides us with significant insights from the population where the G1 and G2 variants arose and coevolved with humans, providing critical insights into the complex interplay of genetics, environment, and health disparities within West African populations. With average prevalence of 43.0% and 29.7%, respectively, for monoallelic and biallelic variants in Ghana and Nigeria, and a combined population of 264 million people, more than half of this population is at risk of APOL1 KD. Now more than ever, we have the responsibility of using these results and infrastructure for comprehensive genomic and geneenvironment interaction studies to develop targeted diagnostics and treatments that decrease health inequities in West African and worldwide populations. A federal task force created by President Donald Trump to combat antisemitism could pull more than $50 million in contracts between Columbia University and the federal government, over the schools ongoing inaction in the face of relentless harassment of Jewish students, three federal agencies said in a joint news release Monday. It is the latest installment in whats been a turbulent time at universities across the country and follows a yearslong spate of high-profile incidents at Columbias campus in response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Antisemitism kills like historys most deadly plagues, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, the censorship and false narratives of woke cancel culture have transformed our great universities into greenhouses for this deadly and virulent pestilence, he said in the release. In response to the announcement, Columbia said its fully committed to combatting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and we are resolute that calling for, promoting, or glorifying violence or terror has no place at our University. We look forward to ongoing work with the new federal administration to fight antisemitism, and we will continue to make all efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff, the statement continued. The government task force will also review more than $5 billion in grant commitments to Columbia to ensure the university is in compliance with federal regulations, including its civil rights responsibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The General Services Administration will facilitate the review, according to the release. Institutions that receive federal funds have a responsibility to protect all students from discrimination, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said. Columbias apparent failure to uphold their end of this basic agreement raises very serious questions about the institutions fitness to continue doing business with the United States government. Minouche Shafik, the universitys president, resigned at the start of the fall semester in August following a tumultuous school year marked by protests, an encampment on school grounds, a building occupation and the mass arrest of more than 100 demonstrators. A week before, three deans resigned after they were removed from their posts over what the school labeled very troubling antisemitic text messages. Shafik had been plagued by a vote of no-confidence and was under intense scrutiny for her handling of campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war and her congressional testimony on the subject. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, the Anti-Defamation League released an updated report card assessing how US colleges combat antisemitism and protect Jewish students. Some Jewish and Muslim students nationwide said they were intimidated, harassed or physically assaulted, CNN previously reported. Harvard University received a C, moving up two grades from an F the year before, while two of its Ivy League peers the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University each received a C, up from a D. Columbia University remained at a D. Forty-five percent of the schools evaluated in the last academic year improved, while only 9% declined a positive sign for combating antisemitism on campuses, the civil rights advocacy group said. In total, 36% of schools received an A or B grade, up from 23.5% the year before. Just under 10% of schools received an F, which was slightly below the percentage that received an F in the last report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While many campuses have improved in ways that are encouraging and commendable, Jewish students still do not feel safe or included on too many campuses, Jonathan Greenblatt, the chief executive of the ADL, said in a statement Campus clashes continue On January 21, several individuals disrupted the first day of a History of Modern Israel class at Columbia by handing out flyers with what the university called violent imagery. It was the first day of Professor Avi Shilons class, and students had only just been introduced to the course when protesters whose faces were covered and appeared to be wearing keffiyehs, a traditional Middle Eastern scarf often identified as a symbol of Palestinian identity entered and distributed anti-Israel leaflets, student Elisha Baker told CNN at the time. One flyer shows a burning Israeli flag underneath the words Burn Zionism to the Ground, and another depicts a large black boot about to stomp on the Jewish Star of David and reads Crush Zionism, according to pictures taken by Baker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And last Wednesday, a small group of pro-Palestinian student demonstrators occupied a building at Barnard Colleges Manhattan campus, clashing with staff and sending one employee to the hospital, the school, which is affiliated with Columbia University, said. The demonstration, organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest, was part of a week of action demanding the reinstatement of two students expelled for disrupting an Israeli history course in January. Nearly 100 students from Barnard and Columbia University staged a sit-in at Barnards Milbank Hall, Columbia University Apartheid Divest said on social media. The protests were not taking place on Columbias campus and Barnards leadership and security team were assessing the situation, Columbia said in a statement on its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disruption of academic activities is not acceptable conduct, the statement said. We are committed to supporting our Columbia student body and our campus community during this challenging time. CNNs Jeff Winter, Emma Tucker, Lex Harvey, and John Towfighi contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com NEW YORK (PIX11) Elon Musk, the worlds wealthiest person, who is also a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, is now setting his sights in recent comments on the Social Security Administration (SSA). Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time, said Musk. More Local News But in front of the local SSA office in Harlem, resident Steve said Musk is something else a threat. Im going up in there right now. You gotta be concerned. Dont know where hes going. Hes going left when hes supposed to go right. Elon Musk, we dont know what hes up to. No, I dont know him to trust him, said Steve, when asked if he trusts Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musks comments coincide with real action from the Trump administration, with Fridays announcement of 7,000 planned cuts from the SSAs workforce. Trump spoke last month on his plans to root out incompetence and fraud within Social Security. We have one person who is listed at 360 years of age an all-time record. And our country is 250 years old. Under our administration, there will be no tolerance for Social Security fraud. We will not allow anyone to cheat our seniors, Trump said. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State Nancy Altman, president of the advocacy organization Social Security Works, said the 7,000 staff do not include a number of reported voluntary departures from the SSA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not an exaggeration to say its such a brain drain. Its about a thousand years of collective experience. So things together paint a very clear picture that Donald Trump and Elon Musk want to steal our Social Security. They want to destroy it, said Altman. A spokesperson for the American Federation of Government Employees told PIX11 News its analysis shows SSA staffing is at a 50-year low, while the number of beneficiaries increases by 10,000 a day. Advocates said the answer is to fix Social Securitys funding mechanism, a night and day difference from the Trump administrations view, which is the SSA needs to downsize in order to improve its financial health. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. The Trump administration announced Monday it is reviewing contracts and grants associated with Columbia University over antisemitism allegations against the Ivy League school. The Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education and the General Services Administration said in a joint statement the review is happening due to the schools ongoing inaction in the face of relentless harassment of Jewish students. As part of the federal governments Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, which was created by one of President Trumps executive orders, the agency will be considering cancellation or stop work orders for $51.4 million in contracts for the university. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group will also look over some $5 billion in federal grant commitments to ensure the university is in compliance with federal regulations, including its civil rights responsibilities. The announcement comes shortly after Barnard College, an affiliate of Columbia, saw pro-Palestinian protesters hospitalize an employee as part of their efforts to get into an academic building. Last spring, Columbia students were among the most prominent participants in the nationwide pro-Palestinian protests that saw encampments on dozens of campuses across the country and more than 2,000 arrested. Americans have watched in horror for more than a year now, as Jewish students have been assaulted and harassed on elite university campuses repeatedly overrun by anti-Semitic students and agitators. Unlawful encampments and demonstrations have completely paralyzed day-to-day campus operations, depriving Jewish students of learning opportunities to which they are entitled, said Linda McMahon, Trumps new secretary of the Department of Education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Institutions that receive federal funds have a responsibility to protect all students from discrimination. Columbias apparent failure to uphold their end of this basic agreement raises very serious questions about the institutions fitness to continue doing business with the United States government, she added. The Hill has reached out to Columbia 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. Alina Habba, counselor to President Donald Trump, had a dismissive response Tuesday when asked about the veterans who have been abruptly fired from the federal government over the first weeks of Trumps second term. Without providing any evidence, Habba claimed that some who served in the U.S. military and went on to take government service jobs were not doing the work. As you know, we care about veterans tremendously. Thats something the president has always cared about, she told reporters gathered outside the White House. But at the same time, we have a fiscal responsibility to use taxpayer dollars to pay people that actually work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That doesnt mean we forget about our veterans by any means, she went on. We are going to care for them in the right way. But perhaps theyre not fit to have a job at this moment, or not willing to come to work. Some 6,000 veterans have been fired by the Trump administration so far, according to estimates by House Democrats. I wouldnt take money from you and pay somebody and say, Sorry, you know, theyre not going to come to work, Habba said, without providing any additional information. Habba, who once asserted that she could fake being smart and would rather be pretty, previously served as a personal lawyer to Trump. She represented him over the course of writer E. Jean Carrols defamation case that resulted in an $83.3 million judgment against Trump, which he is still appealing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the fired veterans, Gabriel DAlatri, told MSNBC that he had indeed been showing up at his job making sure IRS facilities in Connecticut were running properly amid peak tax season. Cant really do that job from home, DAlatri said. Disabled veteran Chelsea Milburn who was fired from the Education Department Trump wants to shutter permanently told CNN that the governments decision feels like a betrayal. Many fired federal employees received emails announcing their termination that cited supposedly poor performance. I served my country for 11 years, nine of them on active duty ... I was gone when my mom passed away. And I missed that to serve my country, Milburn told the network, battling tears. And I was excited to continue serving in this capacity. And they not only tore that out from under my feet, but couldnt even just grant me a layoff, and instead placed the blame on me ... Ive got nothing but positive reviews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So I feel very much like the message is that my service isnt valued, she added. Some Democratic lawmakers have invited fired federal employees, including veterans, as their guests to Tuesday evenings joint presidential address before Congress. Related... President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened colleges federal funding for allowing illegal protests and said American students will be expelled. All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter. The social media post comes after a federal task force on antisemitism last week announced it would visit 10 college campuses that had antisemitic incidents since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The institutions include: Columbia University, George Washington University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northwestern University, the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Minnesota and the University of Southern California. Several of these institutions had high-profile anti-war protests in the months following the attack and faced intense scrutiny from Republicans in Congress. Trump has already signed an executive order directing the Justice Department and attorney general to take immediate action to prosecute antisemitic crimes like vandalism and intimidation as well as investigate anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities. The Departments of Health and Human Services, Education and the General Services Administration on Monday also announced a comprehensive review of Columbia Universitys federal contracts and grants because of an ongoing Title VI investigation into the school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All schools that receive federal funds must comply with Title VI, a federal law that bars discrimination based on shared ancestry, ethnic characteristics or national origin. Schools who violate the law could be at risk of losing funding. Columbia is at risk of losing $51.4 million in federal contracts for ongoing inaction in the face of relentless harassment of Jewish students, according to a press release that said the government is considering stop work orders for those contracts. The task force also said it will conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia. Institutions that receive federal funds have a responsibility to protect all students from discrimination, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. Columbias apparent failure to uphold their end of this basic agreement raises very serious questions about the institutions fitness to continue doing business with the United States government. Prosecutor Kelly Hayes has been appointed interim U.S. attorney for Maryland after first joining the office in 2013, according to a news release from the Maryland U.S. Attorneys Office. I have spent over a decade witnessing the incredible and impactful work my colleagues do every day, and I am beyond honored to lead this Office as we continue to serve and protect the people of Maryland and the United States, Hayes said in the email. She said shes confident the Maryland office will work tirelessly and zealously to combat criminal activity that harms the people of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I thank the President and the Attorney General [Pam Bondi] for placing their confidence in me. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve in this role, Hayes said. Former Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein, who served as Trumps deputy attorney general during his first term, described the decision as a superb appointment by President Trump and Attorney General Bondi. A brilliant lawyer with great integrity, Kelly will restore morale and rebuild federal law enforcement in Maryland after indictments plunged to a record low, falling from 1,012 in 2011 to just 461 in 2023, Rosenstein said in an email. Hayes was appointed chief of the U.S. Attorneys Offices Southern Division for the District of Maryland in 2021. A news release announcing her appointment at the time said that, in her previous work as an assistant U.S. attorney, Hayes had coordinated identity theft and health care fraud prosecutions, and prosecuted a variety of cases, including carjacking, Hobbs Act robbery, production of child pornography, wire, bank and health care fraud, as well as fatal overdoses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelly graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland, College Park, and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The White House and the U.S. attorneys office did not respond to requests for comment about who might take the position following the interim appointment or whether Hayes might be appointed and go before the Senate for approval. Its not common to have an interim U.S. attorney serve all four years of a presidential term, said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond School of Law professor. Traditionally, the first assistant U.S. attorney takes over during the transition period, and then the president formally nominates someone, followed by a Senate confirmation vote, he said. Its possible Hayes could serve as a placeholder or later be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, Tobias said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats the tradition not to have interim people but sometimes you cant avoid that, he said. He added that it can be more difficult working with the U.S. Department of Justice as an interim appointee than as one confirmed by the Senate. The offices of Marylands two U.S. Senators, Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen both Democrats did not respond to requests for comment about whom they would support for U.S. attorney if a nominee were brought before the Senate. Prior to Hayes appointment, Phil Selden served as acting U.S. attorney. He previously served as first assistant U.S. attorney. Others who have expressed interest in the Maryland U.S. Attorney position include Dan Cox, a former Republican state delegate who Trump endorsed for his 2022 gubernatorial run, and Andrew White, who represented former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh amid her federal conspiracy and tax evasion charges. Cox did not respond to a request for comment, and White declined comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Maryland, Cox previously stirred controversy for questioning the results of the 2020 presidential election. He previously told The Sun that having transparent elections is important and wants to ensure everyone knows that their rights to vote will be upheld equally. Its possible Cox might be controversial for Democratic Senators and might give them some heartburn, Tobias said. Hayes appointment comes shortly after Erek Barron resigned from the position. Barron was Marylands first Black U.S. attorney and the first Democrat presidentially appointed to the position in two decades. ________ Maybe its just a coincidence that Jeff Bezos, whose company gave $1 million to Donald Trumps inauguration and paid $40 million to license the First Ladys story, had dinner with the president the night before he dropped his bombshell on the Washington Post staff. Just months after overruling his editorial team's decision to endorse Kamala Harris, the Washingtons Posts billionaire owner has announced that his newspaper will only publish opinion pieces that reflect his personal ideology of personal liberties and free markets. Maybe its also a coincidence that Bezos various companies have billions of dollars at stake in government contracts. The last time Bezos was forced to explain his interference with his newspapers editorial independence, he acknowledged the complications posed by his myriad business interests, writing in an op-ed that you can see them as a web of conflicting interests. Only my own principles can tip the balance from one to the other. We now know those principles will tip the balance of the Washington Posts opinion pages towards the personal views of a man who is very rich and very afraid of upsetting a volatile and vindictive president. The Posts woes mirror those of the LA Times, whose billionaire owner Patrick Soon Shiong has gone to great lengths to reshape his papers coverage to be more MAGA-friendly, driving away scores of staff and subscribers in the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a shame to see a venerable news institution reduced to a billionaires plaything. Bezos and Soon Shiong own these newspapers and can do with them as they see fit. But to own a media outlet is to own more than its printing presses, web servers, or TV cameras. Media ownership carries a public obligation to certain principles which, at this exact moment, are under direct attack by the president of the United States. If youre not willing to be in the business of defending press freedom, you shouldnt be in the news business at all. Its not just the billionaires though. Many of the corporate owners of media organizations, conglomerates with diverse business interests, are failing to stand up for the values of a free, diverse, and robust press. Too often they seem to be letting their other (more profitable) business interests override the public interest of their media holdings. To no ones surprise, Donald Trump has launched multiple legal attacks against major media outlets, both personally and via weaponized government agencies. He forecasted this plan throughout the campaign. More surprising is how many media organizations are bowing to the pressure, even when legal experts agree they shouldnt have to. ABC parent company Disney agreed to pay Trump over $15 million to settle a case it almost certainly would have won at trial. Disney has taken more than its fair share of lumps from the MAGA movement and perhaps concluded it wouldnt be worth fighting it out. CBS parent company Paramount is reportedly considering a similar settlement with Trump over his baseless claim that 60 Minutes improperly edited an interview with Kamala Harris. Worse still, the president has enlisted his chief censor, FCC Chair Brendan Carr, to launch an official inquiry into the matter. The case is a headache that CEO Shari Redstone does not need as she pursues a high-stakes sale of the company, a deal the FCC itself could squelch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some media organizations are standing up for themselves and for the broader principles at stake. The Associated Press is suing to overturn its ban from White House events. Gannett and the Des Moines Register are rebuffing Trumps absurd lawsuit claiming a poll he didnt like was consumer fraud. But these are media organizations first and foremost, not major conglomerates with ample resources to throw at their legal defense. If massive companies like Disney and Paramount can be so easily bullied, wont their viewers wonder if their newsrooms might be instructed to start pulling punches to avoid further legal aggravation? And what message does it send to future targets of MAGA hostility, particularly the small, independent, and local outlets without limitless means to defend themselves? Maybe none of that really matters if readers can just go online to find any viewpoint their heart desires. Thats one of Bezoss rationales for axing diversity of thought in the opinion section. But for a man who owns a significant chunk of the internet already, he really should understand the inherent problem here all too wellBig Tech oligarchs are actively imposing their ideology to control the flow of information. Most people get their news online from social media, as the White House noted when it invited independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators to occupy the front row of the press briefing room. But social media is a terrible place to get reliable information, not least of all because it lacks any transparency whatsoever. Even the engineers who work on social media algorithms cant tell you exactly why a particular piece of content makes it to the top of your feed. And thats before their owners put their thumbs on the scale. Xs algorithm punishes journalism by promoting its antithesis in fake news and rumor mongering. Elon Musk himself uses the platform to denigrate journalism and censor journalists who criticize him. He also turned the website into an even greater cesspool of misinformation and hate speech by gutting content moderation. Meta is no better. Mark Zuckerberg only recently announced hed be following Musks lead to jettison fact-checking on Facebook, but his companys antagonism towards journalism goes way back. Having already robbed the news industry of billions in revenue, his social media sites long ago made the decision to deplatform news, from deliberately burying it on Threads to completely banning it on Facebook in Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The internet, as currently constructed, is not an adequate substitute for robust and pluralistic news media. Tech companies have a financial incentive to promote low quality information over journalism and are using their chokehold over online spaces to control the flow of information. We should be reining in their power, not turning to them for all our news. So that brings us back to obligations of media ownership in our present moment. Press freedom is often treated as a subset of broader freedom of expression, but it is distinct from basic free speech. Yes, press freedom is the right to publish unfettered by undue government intrusion. It also entails ethical obligations on the part of the news media itselfobjectivity, fairness, and transparency, to name a few. Journalists know this because its what they signed up for. Their corporate overlords should learn it too. And not for nothing, but if they dont defend the conditions of media freedom that have historically enabled their businessesand American democracyto grow, what will remain for them if Trump destroys the free media ecosystem? Everywhere you look right now, the space for journalism is being constricted. The World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders each year shows press freedom in global decline. Outlets are laying off reporters or closing down. Governments are jailing journalists and raiding newsrooms. Big Tech companies are putting their boots on the necks of the media. The people with the greatest means to invest in journalisms future the ones who literally own its present shouldnt be piling on. (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trumps heated meeting with Ukraines leader has prompted Taiwan to start rethinking how it deals with the US, according to Taipeis top defense official. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have deeply recognized that one cannot discuss values without also addressing national interests, Defense Minister Wellington Koo said at a media briefing on Monday, just before Trump ordered a pause to all military aid to Ukraine. In remarks that referenced Trump and aggression from Chinas armed forces, Koo said that facing the rapidly changing international situation and escalating threats from the enemy, we cannot rely on the goodwill of others to maintain peace. The comments show the urgency confronting security officials in Taipei and other places that rely on US military backing to counter Beijing, including Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. Theyll have to work out new strategies for dealing with the US leader after witnessing the stunning Oval Office blowup with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Highlighting the seriousness of their concerns, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that the US is pausing all current military aid to Ukraine until Trump determines the countrys leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Taiwan appealed to democracies around the world to help it stand up to China, which wants to bring the democracy of 23 million people just off its shores under its control someday, by force if necessary. While Taiwan may continue that campaign, Koos comments suggest it will also search for more concrete ways to ensure it has Americas backing. Taiwan has already announced it will step up military spending as a share of its economic output following Trumps prodding, and has said it could buy more American energy and agricultural products and weapons to cut into its trade surplus with the US, which hit a record last year. And on Monday, Taiwans biggest company, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., announced plans that support Trumps goal of increasing domestic manufacturing, saying it would invest an additional $100 billion in US plants that will boost its chip output on American soil. China has been ramping up its campaign of intimidation against Taiwan since President Lai Ching-te took office in May last year, most notably by holding several rounds of major military drills in nearby waters. Last week Beijing used tougher new language that signaled more intimidation tactics were on the way, while also launching a smaller set of exercises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Koo said the latest maneuvers showed the Chinese military was the major destabilizing factor and the trouble maker in the Indo-Pacific region. Taiwans annual military exercises, known as Han Kuang, would be extended this year to 10 days from five days, he added. (Updates with Koos comments on Taiwan drills.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Hello and welcome to Eye on AI! In this edition...Meta pilots AI business agents; Anthropic raises a fresh $3.5 billion at $61.5 valuation; huge bank loans for AI data centers; a new vision model from Cohere's nonprofit arm. Last week, I met with Kyunghyun Cho, a prominent AI researcher and professor of computer and data science at New York University. Cho is highly regarded for his work that led to the development of the Transformer architecture, which serves as the foundation of OpenAIs ChatGPT. He is also well-known for his research into the use of AI in health care, including improving breast cancer screenings. At Chos Manhattan office, just one floor above that of Meta chief scientist and NYU professor Yann LeCun, we discussed a topic that LeCun and other AI leaders have been speaking out on: how proposed budget cuts and recent layoffs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) will impact the future of academic research in AI. The U.S. seems set on destroying its public research funding system, LeCun posted on LinkedIn last week, pointing out that many U.S.-based scientists are looking for a Plan B. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While an executive order by President Trump in January saying U.S. policy is to sustain and enhance Americas global AI dominance, Cho said AI research will be hurt by the Trump administrations move to cut billions of dollars in funding from the NSF and NIH by putting an immediate cap on so-called indirect costs, which include infrastructure, facility maintenance, and staff salaries. In response, 22 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the policy, resulting in a temporary restraining order that blocks the NIH from implementing the cap in those states pending further hearings. Two University of Chicago professors, Rebecca Willett and Henry Hoffmann, wrote last week that Americas leadership in the global AI and computing ecosystem is at risk; competitors are quickly gaining ground as they aggressively ramp up government-funded research programs. Cho said the funding cuts will impact everything that is being done at universities, hospitals, or any kind of nonprofit research organization, pointing out that AI research will not get any special carve-out. Instead, the costs of research infrastructure supports the entire university research ecosystem. Even non-federal research grants, such as from private foundations or tech companies, will be impacted since they often follow the same rate of reimbursing indirect costs as federal grants, he added. For Chos PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, their salaries are also on the line. Universities often pay a small percentage of academic researcher salariessometimes only 5-10%. The remaining salary is covered by research grantsprimarily from federal agencies like the NSF and NIH, which are now facing major funding cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This may well lead to even more PhDs abandoning academia for industry roles, he said, at a time when more are needed to work in essential AI research areas like health care. Its definitely going to discourage people, Cho said. We need a lot of people to work on [AI in health care], particularly in hospitals, because thats where the actual action is and where you want to be in order to know what kinds of problems need to be solved. Of course, attracting and retaining AI researchers for socially impactful areas like health care, climate science, and fundamental research has been growing more challenging for years. With top AI talent recruited with high six-figure salaries by Big Tech like Google and Meta, and hot startups such as OpenAI and Anthropic, Cho said it's already a battle to keep AI researchers working on the most pressing problems in health care and drug discovery. When people ask him why the federal government reimburses universities for billions of dollars in indirect costs for research infrastructure, facilities, and salaries, Cho points out that if they didn't, the research might not happen at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The one thing they forget is that universities often dont have to work on this federally-supported research, he said. Without the support, he explained, universities might abandon research in favor of simply using tuition to fund teaching students. In a way, the reimbursement of costs to universities is a way to build up the whole society, to encourage universities and institutes that are not directly tied to revenue or profit to work on these research ideas, he said. While Cho said his own research will continue because it has to, he emphasized that federally-funded science has worked well overall and should continue. But there is unfortunately an anti-science sentiment that has gone up to the very top level of the federal government, he said. With that, heres more AI News. Sharon Goldman sharon.goldman@fortune.com @sharongoldman This story was originally featured on Fortune.com President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, six weeks into his historic return to the White House. During the speech, Trump said "America is back" and defended the tariffs on key U.S. trading partners. He touched on immigration and the mineral deal with Ukraine, but neglected to go into detail on his economic plan. The speech was also met with protests and disruptions from Democrats. Latest Developments Mar 4, 11:36 PM Slotkin encourages concerned Americans not to despair and organize Slotkin discussed the despair that many Americans are feeling and their anger over leaders who have not stood up to Trump and his administration. "Hold your elected officials, including me, accountable. Watch how they're voting. Go to town halls and demand they take action. That's as American as apple pie," she said. The senator also pushed Americans to organize. "Pick just one issue you're passionate about and engage. And doomscrolling doesn't count. Join a group that cares about your issue and act. And if you can't find one, start one. Some of the most important movements in our history have come from the bottom up," she said. Mar 4, 11:23 PM Slotkin: Reagan 'rolling in his grave' over Trump's foreign policy approach Democrat Elissa Slotkin slammed Trump over last week's Oval Office dust-up between Trump, Vance and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying Ronald Reagan "must be rolling in his grave." "We all want an end to the war in Ukraine. But Reagan understood that true strength required America to combine our military and economic might with moral clarity," she said. "And that scene in the Oval Office wasn't just a bad episode of reality TV. It's summed up Trump's whole approach to the world." Slotkin said Trump "believes in cozying up to dictators like Vladimir Putin and kicking our friends like the Canadiens in the teeth." Mar 4, 11:20 PM Slotkin slams DOGE, Trump over mass firings of federal workers Slotkin criticized DOGE and Trump for the "mindless" mass firings of federal workers, only to hire some of them back days later. "No CEO in America could do that without being summarily fired," she said. Mar 4, 11:19 PM Slotkin criticizes Musk's power in government "Is there anyone in America who is comfortable with him and his gang of 20 year olds using their own computer servers to poke through your tax returns, your health information and your bank accounts?" Slotkin asked while delivering remarks on economic security. While she agreed that America needs a more efficient government, she argued that there is "no oversight" with Musk's efforts. Mar 4, 11:16 PM Slotkin starts with economy, says Trump talked a 'big game' Trump didn't discuss the economy much during his speech, other than defending his new tariffs and blaming President Joe Biden for inflation. Slotkin, by contrast, started her speech by homing in on the economy. She said America needs to bring down costs on groceries, housing, health care and bring back good-paying jobs. "Look, the president talked a big game on the economy, but it's always important to read the fine print. So do his plans actually help Americans get ahead? Not even close," Slotkin said. Mar 4, 11:18 PM Elissa Slotkin begins Democratic rebuttal Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin is now delivering the Democratic response to Trump's address. She is speaking from Michigan, a key swing state that went for Trump in 2024. PHOTO: Sen. Elissa Slotkin delivers the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's addresses a joint session of Congress, from Michigan, Mar. 4, 2025 in Washington. (ABC News) Mar 4, 11:03 PM Trump wraps speech: 'Fight, fight, fight' One of his last messages for the room was a callback to his immediate response after being shot in Pennsylvania. "We will stand up and we will fight, fight, fight for the country our citizens believe in and for the country our people deserve," he said. PHOTO: President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Mar. 4, 2025 in Washington. (Win Mcnamee/Pool via Reuters) The final words of Trump speech: "Get ready for an incredible future because the golden age of America has only just begun. It will be like nothing ever seen before. Thank you. God bless you and God bless America." Mar 4, 11:06 PM More Democrats leave as speech continues More Democrats are trickling out of the chamber including Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Ilhan Omar, Jardee Huffman and Nydia Velazquez around 10:40 p.m. Reps. Mark Takano and Joaquin Castro left when Trump brought up Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Reps. Judy Chu and Mark Pocan left at approximately 10:48 p.m. PHOTO: Seats are empty on the Democratic side of the aisle as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, March 4, 2025. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP) -ABC News' Lauren Peller Mar 4, 11:20 PM Trump talks about Butler assassination attempt Trump, who survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign, talked about the shooting at his Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. "A sick and deranged assassin unloaded eight bullets from his sniper's perch into a crowd of many. My life was saved by a fraction of an inch. But some were not so lucky," he said. He then shared a few words about Corey Comperatore, whose family is in the room for the speech. Mar 4, 10:59 PM Marc Fogel, American teacher released from Russian prison, attends speech Marc Fogel, an American history teacher who was released from a Russian prison last month after four years detainment, is in attendance at tonight's speech. PHOTO: Marc Fogel, recently brought home to the US after being held in a Russian prison, stands as he is recognized by President Donald Trump during an address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2025. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said he promised Fogel's mother "that we would bring her boy safely back home." "After 22 days in office, I did just that," he said. Click here to read the rest of the blog. Editor's note: This article was updated on March 5 to include a statement from the U.S. European Command. President Donald Trumps freeze on weapons is alarming Ukrainians, who look to U.S. air defense to stave off the worst of Russia's missile attacks. A White House representative on March 3 announced a pause on U.S. weapons aid to Ukraine following an ugly encounter between Trump, his Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the U.S. European Command told the Kyiv Independent that on March 3 they had paused delivery of weaponry initially sent via the Presidential Drawdown Authority, the last package hold over from the Biden administration. The directive is reportedly immediate and affects $1 billion in weapons aid, including whats already in transit, mostly through Poland. The details of what weapons exactly are affected by the decision are not entirely clear. Most U.S. shipments of lethal weapons and artillery to Ukraine have already been delivered. A number of U.S. vehicles remain under repair in Europe, but shipments have already slowed down radically in recent months, and Ukraine has moved on from U.S. dependence. For much of the weaponry that Ukraine needs to continue fighting, Europe could stand in for U.S. weapons, especially given the new political will to rearm the EU. But for air defense that protects Ukrainian cities from deadly Russian aerial attacks, nobody can replace the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think it will be sorely unpleasant, but thats not to say that this is stuff without which well lose the war tomorrow, says Serhiy, a drone pilot stationed in Kharkiv whose last name is not being disclosed for security reasons. But the situation in the rear will be noticeably worse since the big air defense covers the cities. It means more pressure on the cities and civilians. Air defense helps protect Ukraines local weapons production. It also keeps Russia from hitting power plants and civilian homes at will. Itll be harsh times, but well handle it, says another soldier by the callsign of Artem, whose real name is not being disclosed. It means more pressure on the cities and civilians. Civilians leave the site after a Russian ballistic missile hit the city center in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 20, 2024. (Vlada Liberova/Libkos/Getty Images) Per the State Department, the Biden administration oversaw the delivery of three Patriot and 12 NASAM air defense systems after the start of the full-scale war, along with a slew of other cheaper surface-to-air missiles and anti-drone weaponry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Patriot system, in particular, is the only viable defense against Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. The U.S. alone makes it, and can stop any deliveries from other countries who already have them. Securing a supply of Patriot missiles is our vulnerable spot, Dmytro Zhmailo, a Ukrainian military analyst, told the Kyiv Independent. Our mobile groups are demonstrating high efficiency with our, roughly speaking, small arms in shooting down drones, Zhmailo said. But Russian ballistic missiles, especially those that reach our cities within minutes, are still being intercepted by Patriot systems. Given stockpiling and replacement sourcing, Ukrainian officials are much more confident in their abilities on the front line than in aerial defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky took to Twitter on March 4 calling on Trump to make a deal in which the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Some observers are not so optimistic about Ukraine's capabilities on the front but still consider the military has months of stock. I would say that the impact of the U.S. suspension of military aid will be noticeable at the front in a month or two at the latest, estimated Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. A suspension of intelligence cooperation and/or a decision to turn off Starlink services would have much more immediate and serious military effects. Its a threat that has been reported on previously but later denied by Elon Musk, the owner of company SpaceX that makes Starlink satellites. Patriot launcher modules pictured in a open field on Feb. 18, 2023 in Zamosc, Poland. (Omar Marques/Getty Images) U.S. intelligence on Russian movements, including the flow of information on missile launches and targeting of military sites, would also be tough to replicate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source told CNN that the U.S. will continue to share intelligence with Ukraine despite Trump's decision, but whether that could change in the future is unclear. Trump's relationship with intelligence agencies is known to be frosty. The pause has, however, yet to graduate to a full stop. House Speaker Republican Mike Johnson called it temporary while speaking in D.C. on March 4. The pause appears to be mostly political pressure from Trump, who is eager to force Zelensky to make concessions in pursuit of a peace deal. But the Ukrainian president has continued to push for a deal that contains firm security guarantees for Ukraine in the event Russia launches a future attack. Trump is consequently playing off a potential rather than actual impact of a sudden cut in weapons shipment, says Ron Farkas, who runs logistics for weapons systems, including the F-16 through Poland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would argue there hasnt been equipment coming in for some time. Theyre talking about cutting things that arent happening. Everyones out of stuff, Farkas told the Kyiv Independent. Im not saying that theres not deliveries coming into Ukraine, Im just saying its a slow trickle. If things were ending, Id start getting CVs in my inbox. I have not received a single stop work-order, says Farkas, comparing the cuts to USAID last month. The U.S. defense contractors looking to sell their weapons also have more weight over the current administration and Republicans in Congress. I find it very difficult to believe that theyll come in and cut Lockheed Martin contracts or cut Boeing contracts. Or (Musks) Starlink contracts, Farkas said. Representatives for the U.S. State Department in Ukraine and for Ukrainian air defense declined to comment. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry did not return requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: We cannot survive without foreign weapons, say Ukrainian soldiers fearing looming Trump cuts Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (NewsNation) President Donald Trump plans to review his first weeks in office and discuss the future of at least three major topics in Tuesdays address to both houses of Congress. A White House official tells NewsNation that Trumps address will focus on the renewal of the American Dream and hinge on four main tenets: First month in office The economy Conflicts abroad Immigration Trump said on social media he intends to tell it like it is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his Joint Address to Congress, President Trump will celebrate his extraordinarily successful first month in office while outlining his bold, ambitious, and common sense vision for the future, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. Melania Trump urges Congress to act on deepfake porn When is Trumps speech? Trump will go to Capitol Hill with first lady Melania Trump in the evening, with remarks slated to begin just after 9 p.m. ET mere hours after he paused aid to Ukraine and enacted hefty tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico. How to watch Trumps Congress address You can watch the full joint address to Congress on NewsNation on TV, online at newsnationnow.com or on the NewsNation apps for your television or phone. Not sure how to watch NewsNation? Find your channel here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NewsNation is also available to stream on YouTubeTV, Hulu, FuboTV, Vidgo, Sling and DirecTV Stream. You can also download the NewsNation app by clicking here or going directly to your phones app store. Who is attending Trumps joint address to Congress? More than just lawmakers will attend Tuesdays event. In addition, members of the U.S. Supreme Court and Trumps Cabinet will be in attendance. The president typically invites guests to view the address from the balcony above the House floor, next to the first lady. One such guest is January Littlejohn, a self-described mom fighting to protect children and families from the harms of gender ideology, Leavitt announced on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Littlejohn claims she saved her daughter from a school that tried to help her young daughter socially transition changing name, pronouns and appearance. Trump has addressed the topic during his campaign and in the Oval Office, attempting to withhold federal funds from institutions that provide gender-affirming care for minors, among other executive orders. The first lady has also invited more than a dozen everyday Americans to attend Tuesdays address. Notable guests include the family of Corey Comperatore, the fire chief killed during an attempt on Trumps life at a rally in Pennsylvania, and Alexis Nungaray, whose daughter Jocelyn was sexually assaulted and killed in Houston last summer. Two Venezuelan nationals who were in the U.S. illegally have been charged in her death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate negotiators look at dueling options to avert government shutdown Lawmakers are not going to Trumps address alone each gets to bring a guest. More than a dozen Democrats are inviting recently fired federal workers, multiple media outlets reported. Just last week, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer urged rank-and-file lawmakers to issue those invitations. Another confirmed guest is Jennifer Hegseth, wife of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who will be attending with Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn. Is Trumps speech a State of the Union address? Technically, a State of the Union address is usually delivered in January or February, and it covers both the previous years accomplishments and the upcoming years plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Trump has only been in office six weeks, Tuesdays event will be simply an address to a joint session of Congress. Tariffs an expensive game to play: Powerteam International CEO According to the American Presidency Project, the impact of these first-year speeches should be considered to have the same heft as the State of the Union addresses that follow in subsequent years. And, just like the State of the Union address, the opposing party gives a brief speech in response, which, like the presidents remarks, is televised. This years speech will be delivered by Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. President Donald Trump will address Congress Tuesday night, but it's technically not the State of the Union address. He will be addressing a joint session of Congress for the first time in this term on Tuesday, March 4, after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, invited Trump to make an address this week via a letter. It is my distinct honor and great privilege to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, to share your America First vision for our legislative future," read the letter provided to USA TODAY. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Media reports indicate that Trump is expected to talk about the first two months of his second and last term, along with discussing plans for the next four years. Pause in aid: Trump pauses aid to Ukraine | The Excerpt When is the State of the Union 2025? Typically, the State of the Union address occurs during the first few months of the year and is a time for presidents to deliver an annual report to Congress informing them about the state of play in the U.S., including goals, accomplishments, and plans for the year ahead. It is also usually broadcasted for everyone in the country to watch. But usually there isn't one that happens just after a president takes office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's address on March 4, is not considered a true State of the Union address due to him only being in office for a less than two months. It isn't the first time a president has done an address like this either. Ronald Regan also addressed Congress just months after being voted into office. He was the first and since then other presidents have given a similar address, according to the American Presidency Project, a non-profit and non-partisan website created and managed by the University of California in 1999. Here's which other presidents have had these speeches: Ronald Regan (Republican) - 1981 George H.W. Bush (Republican) - 1989 Bill Clinton - (Democrat) 1993 George W. Bush - (Republican) 2001 Barack Obama - (Democrat) 2009 Donald Trump - (Republican ) 2017 Joe Biden - (Democrat) 2021 When did presidents start giving the State of the Union address? The State of the Union Address is written into the Constitution, but it wasn't something that always happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first two presidents of the United States, George Washington and John Adams, both gave annual addresses to Congress, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. But when Thomas Jefferson took office, he stopped the practice and chose to write the address instead. It wasn't until 1913 when the verbal practice was brought back by former President Woodrow Wilson. At this time, Wilson shifted the focus of it to cover the nations priorities, achievements and future legislative plans. The first televised address was former President Harry Truman's in 1947. Where can I watch Trump's speech to Congress on Tuesday, March 4? Trump is set to speak to Congress at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USA TODAY will livestream the speech on its YouTube channel and you can also watch it below. Trump's speech will also be covered by multiple other media outlets including ABC, Fox News, NPR, PBS and more. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Is Trump giving a State of the Union address? Not quite. How to watch I am thrilled that President Donald Trump has so courageously stood up for the English language here in the United States. For the first time in our history, an American president has declared by executive order that English is the official language in the United States. The move came after what Trump said has been an onslaught of immigrants bringing their foreign languages to our shores. We have languages coming into our country, Trump explained. These are languages its the craziest thing they have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. Its a horrible thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, we have a president with cojones who will not take a laissez-faire attitude when it comes to standing up for our English language from all these persona non grata. No longer will they have carte blanche to offend us with their foreign words, coming here en masse, like a human blitzkrieg, with their modus operandi of disrespecting English. Bon voyage, invaders. Were kicking you and your foreign ways of speaking out of here. And were doing it pronto. If you are on terra firma here in the U.S., youd better start learning English. The status quo of putting up with other languages in this country is over. Kaput. You have some chutzpah to think were going to tolerate your languages, year after year, ad nauseam. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: DeSantis gets Washington FOMO, creates his own misery-spreading Florida DOGE So, we say, Sayonara! Hasta la vista, baby! Sure, a lesser president would have just regarded multi-culturalism as a fait accompli in America, taking a que sera sera attitude about it. But Trump knows that the U.S. must remain a bastion of our mother tongue, from Coeur dAlene, Idaho to Boca Raton, Florida. And immigrants must realize that their languages are verboten here. And if they want to become the creme de la creme of American society they need to stop disrespecting our only language, and realize that speaking English is a quid pro quo for their continued presence here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida has already gone mano a mano with these multi-cultural invaders by so powerfully declaring English the states official language way back in 1988. Opinion: Social media is becoming a more influential player in America's political process So, caveat emptor if you think you can go to Hialeah and start speaking Spanish with the hoi polloi there. That would be a bad faux pas. Now that Florida has so effectively banned the speaking of foreign languages here Have you noticed? You never hear anything but English in Florida! its time for the rest of the country to adopt a clean slate, a much needed tabla rasa, to support the English language. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, lets thank President Trump who has the gravitas to come up with another wonderful executive order that shows what a mensch he really is. Touche, Mr. President. Frank Cerabino is a news columnist with The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network - Florida. He can be reached at fcerabino@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump makes English US language, says 'adios' to others | Opinion A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. Trumps Campaign Of Retribution Reaches Colorado The Trump Justice Department is urging a federal judge to give prompt and careful consideration to the long-shot bid by former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters to overturn her state conviction for Big Lie-related voting-machine tampering. It is highly unusual for the Justice Department to intervene on the side of a criminal defendant convicted on state charges. Making matters worse, the Trump DOJ revealed in its new filing that it is reviewing Peters case as part of its larger campaign of retribution against those who prosecuted Jan. 6 cases and any other cases deemed anti-Trump even though the Justice Department was not involved in the Peters prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This review will include an evaluation of the State of Colorados prosecution of Ms. Peters and, in particular, whether the case was oriented more toward inflicting political pain than toward pursuing actual justice or legitimate governmental objectives, the Justice Department said in a filing by Yaakov M. Roth, the acting assistant attorney general overseeing the Civil Division, quoting Trumps so-called Ending the Weaponization executive order. While serving as a local election official, Peters was involved in cockamamie scheme to break into a Dominion Voting Systems machine months after the 2020 election in hopes of finding evidence of manipulation that would bolster Trumps claims that the election was stolen from him. Peters was sentenced last fall to nine years in prison for her role in the scheme. Top FBI Agent In NYC Forced Out James Dennehy, the top FBI agent in the NYC field office, was forced to retire, he told colleagues in a farewell email. Its not clear who is directly responsible for pushing out the senior agent, but it comes after Dennehy urged colleagues in January to dig in and resist the DOJs purge of FBI agents involved in the Jan. 6 investigations. More absurdly, Dennehy was told to file his retirement papers the day after Attorney General Pam Bondi complained that the FBIs New York office had not been sufficiently eager to participate in her right-wing PR stunt of releasing the Jeffrey Epstein file. Down The Memory Hole! The U.S. Mint has removed from its website gold commemorative medals honoring the police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, bronze duplicates of which were previously available for purchase by the public. Too Far Even For Trump DOJ? Acting D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin has reportedly been stymied in his effort to launch a corrupt criminal investigation of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Martin has been agitating to present evidence to a federal grand jury that Schumers 2020 remarks about Supreme Court justices amounted to a threat. Higher-ups at the Justice Department have rebuffed Martin, the NYT reports. IMPORTANT TPMs Kate Riga: DOJ Pushes For Immediate Trump Takeover Of Agency Flooded With Fired Worker Appeals Simply Insane The Trump administrations evisceration of NOAA and the National Weather Service is a singular example of the lawless madness of the purges, cuts, and eliminations currently underway: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Verge: The US faces devastating losses for weather forecasts, federal workers say Axios: DOGE moves to cancel NOAA leases on key weather buildings DOGE Watch CNBC: Former Social Security administrator warns that DOGEs attack on systems and processes is going to result in the interruption of benefits within 30-90 days and recommends people start saving now in preparation. Politico: DOGEs elimination of nearly 750 office leases is sowing confusion throughout the federal government. NYT: Struggling With Errors, DOGE Deletes Billions More From List of Savings WSJ: Treasury Department lawyers temporarily lost access Friday to PACER because the credit card used to pay for it was frozen. Kate Shaw: There Is No Musk Exception in the Constitution RFK Jrs Spox Quits In Protest Politico: The top spokesperson at the Health and Human Services Department has abruptly quit after clashing with Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his close aides over their management of the agency amid a growing measles outbreak, two people familiar with the matter told POLITICO. Senate Dems Block Anti-Trans Bill Senate Democrats successfully filibustered a Republican ban on trans women in school sports. Government Shutdown Watch House Democrats are stiffening their resistance to rescuing Republicans from the looming government shutdown of their own making. Trumps Tonkin Gulf Incident President Trump is now using his Oval Office ambush of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as a pretext for cutting off military aid to the embattled U.S. ally, a move he had long wanted to make anyway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of the news coverage of Trumps decision to abandon Ukraine though hes styling it as a pause is treating it not as pre-textual but as a result of the public Oval Office breach, playing right into the hands of those seeking to blame Ukraine for both Russias invasion and Trumps pro-Russia tilt. The reductive news coverage eagerly portrays this as a personality-driven conflict because thats easier to see and understand than the age-old context of Russias grand imperial ambitions in eastern Europe, Ukraines tortured history with its more powerful neighbor, and Russias post-Cold War clamber to reclaim some vestige of its former superpower status. The most credulous reporting continues to take at face value Trumps preposterous claims that he is merely seeking peace and trying to drag Ukraine to the negotiating table with Russia. Ukraine is not fooled. If the Tonkin Gulf incident was the pretext for greater direct U.S. involvement in Vietnam, the Oval Office ambush looks like a chance to shift the blame and the resulting press coverage from the historic abomination of taking Russias side against erstwhile U.S. ally Ukraine and to blame Zelensky for his own fate because he failed to show sufficient fealty to Trump. TPM Now More Than Ever TPMs annual membership drive kicks off today. If you havent already joined, please consider supporting our work. If you already are a member, please help spread the word. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hard work of independent journalism has never been more critical. The need for communities of like-minded folks nourishing and supporting each other in these grim times has never been more essential. With TPM, you get both. Please join now. Happy Mardi Gras! Crowds filling a street, and a balcony, to watch the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1875. The image is one half of a stereoscopic image . (Photo by Theodore Lilienthal/Graphic House/Archive Photos/Getty Images) I went looking for the oldest photograph of New Orleans Mari Gras that I could find in our Getty photo archive, and this 1875 shot is what it yielded. Enjoy the day, even if only vicariously. Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know! Stock markets were down Monday as President Trump confirmed the plan for tariffs on Canada and Mexico were still set to go into effect Tuesday. Trump also increased Chinas tariffs to 20% for not adequately addressing concerns about fentanyl coming into the U.S. NewsNation Washington correspondent Kellie Meyer joins 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 NewsNation. When President Donald Trump speaks to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, the audience with the most sway over his second-term agenda won't be the lawmakers. It's the Supreme Court justices. Trumps blitz of early executive actions have triggered a tsunami of more than 100 lawsuits many of them heading toward the high court. Two of those actions have already made it to the justices, and their looming rulings could strike at Congress power to control federal spending and the independence of executive branch watchdogs. Trumps muscular moves to crack down on legal and illegal immigration, fire tens of thousands of government employees, shutter the U.S. Agency for International Development, end diversity, equity and inclusion programs and strip the rights of transgender people all raise significant questions about the legal limits of executive power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a presidents agenda relies on unlawful actions, a lot of the action is going to be in the courts, said Elizabeth Goitein of New York Universitys Brennan Center. Theres no question that all of this is going to be challenged. This will be a true test of the Supreme Court in many, many ways. Chief Justice John Roberts and a few other justices typically attend State of the Union addresses, though the full bench doesnt always show up. The justices sit in the front row of the House floor, typically putting on their best poker faces while the members of Congress around them cheer and jeer. In previous years, even subtle reactions by the justices have stoked controversy. And this time, the speech will be occurring while the court is facing two imminent decisions that could affect the trajectory of Trumps term. The two major disputes about Trump's assertions of presidential power at the high court have the potential to deliver another jolt to his rocky relationship with the conservative justices, including the three he appointed in his first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One involves Trump's ability to fire executive branch officials despite laws Congress passed to protect those appointees from removal without cause. The other revolves around Trumps authority to oversee an abrupt and sweeping freeze on billions of dollars in foreign aid. Trump is likely to discuss in his remarks Tuesday some of these efforts as part of his administrations work to shrink the federal bureaucracy. At the heart of both cases is Trumps desire to test and stretch the outer boundaries of executive power and whether Trump can bypass laws meant to limit his ability to fire people and curtail programs he doesnt like despite Congress funding them. The two cases have another thing in common: They have zoomed to the court on the so-called shadow docket, where the justices handle emergency requests. And more requests are likely given the scores of pending challenges to Trump policies. Trumps penchant for executive action driving much of the litigation stems from his desire to be seen as getting stuff done and his impatience with process and congressional negotiations. Its also born out of necessity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks to a razor-thin GOP margin in the House and the effective veto that the Senates filibuster rule hands to Democrats, the prospects for Trump passing much in the way of legislation are minimal. In crudely partisan terms, Trumps policies may stand a better chance with the six-justice conservative majority he cemented in his first term than they do across the street at the Capitol. During his first term, Trump repeatedly trashed judges who ruled against him. His invective against the judiciary grew so pointed that Roberts issued an extraordinary statement disputing the presidents description of a jurist who ruled against the administrations asylum policies as an Obama judge. We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them, Roberts declared. During Trumps first term, his policies got a mixed reception at the Supreme Court. The court largely upheld his pro-business environmental policies and allowed him to spend billions of dollars on his border wall project despite failing to get funding for it through Congress. On the other hand, the court rejected Trumps effort to end the program for so-called Dreamers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of his highest-profile and most controversial moves the travel ban dubbed a Muslim ban by critics was effectively slowed and watered down by litigation. The high court ultimately let part of the ban take effect and ultimately upheld the presidents authority to issue it. Sometimes, if you listen to the mainstream media, you'd think that the court handed him everything on a silver platter, which isn't true. But I think [they] went his way more often than not, said Curt Levey of the conservative Committee for Justice. At least some of the justices didn't seem crazy about Trump. If you were predicting it based just on ideology, probably more would have gone Trump's way. But there seemed to be a certain desire to push back against Trump, right? Until I see otherwise this term, I'll just assume that it's going to be the same. As his first term came to a close, Trump was bitterly disappointed that none of the justices including his three picks: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett backed any of the legal challenges to his loss in the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court, they rule against me so much, Trump told the crowd at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021. He also complained that the justices were too worried about their standing on the social circuit. And the only way they get out is to rule against Trump. So, let's rule against Trump. And they do that. So, I want to congratulate them, he said sarcastically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Trump was mounting his bid to return to the White House, he often groused about the justices. In 2022, when the court refused to step in to prevent his tax returns from being turned over to a House committee, he made his bitterness clear. Why would anybody be surprised that the Supreme Court has ruled against me, they always do! he wrote on Truth Social. The Supreme Court has lost its honor, prestige, and standing, & has become nothing more than a political body, with our Country paying the price. They refused to even look at the Election Hoax of 2020. Shame on them! At other times, Trump has been almost effusive about the court, particularly on the role the justices he appointed played in overturning the federal constitutional right to an abortion after nearly half a century. With the help of six very wise and brave Supreme Court Justices, I was successful in terminating Roe v. Wade - Something which few thought was possible to do! Trump wrote. (Only five justices actually joined in the decision to end Roe. Roberts, an appointee of President George W. Bush, did not sign onto the majority opinion when the court took that momentous step in 2022.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, but for a couple of key wins at the high court last year, Trump wouldnt be speaking to Congress or advancing any government agenda because he may never have returned to the presidency. In March, the justices unanimously rejected a bid to knock Trump off the ballot in Colorado due to his role in fomenting the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. And in July, the high court split largely along ideological lines as it upended special counsel Jack Smiths prosecutions of Trump by ruling that presidents enjoy broad criminal immunity for acts taken while in office. The justices ruling helped fuel Trumps narrative that he was being unfairly persecuted by his enemies. Trumps conflicted view of the court and his tendency to harbor perpetual disappointment in the justices was at its clearest in 2023 as he addressed a National Rifle Association convention in Indianapolis. They dont help me much. Ive got to tell you that. They vote against me too much, Trump said. Its one of those little things in life, right?....They are outstanding people and great scholars, brilliant. And theyve done a very good job, I always say-except for me. TOL urges Pinoys: discover, be proud of Palawan Tagbilaran City, Bohol - Reelectionist Senator Francis 'TOL' Tolentino is calling on Filipinos to consider the island-province of Palawan as their next travel destination. "I urge our kababayans, those who have the means, to visit Palawan, and to post about how beautiful it is," Tolentino said in a radio interview in Tagbilaran City. "More visitors means more income for its local economy and tourism," added the senator, while noting that this could also help counter false claims in Chinese social media about Palawan's history. "Palawan has always been, and will continue to be part of the Philippines," Tolentino stressed. He cited some of the renowned tourist spots of Palawan, including the Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park - both UNESCO World Heritage sites - as well as Honda Bay, El Nido, and Coron. Palawan also covers the municipality of Kalayaan, the largest island in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) - where authorities regularly report the large presence of China coast guard and militia vessels. Tolentino is the principal author of the landmark Philippine Maritime Zones Act (RA 12064), which strengthens the country's territorial integrity, including the assertion of its rights over the West Philippine Sea in line with international law. Every morning before school, Xander Parker does what he calls the Miss Taylor dance. He swings his arms around and shakes his hips, singing his love for his favorite teacher, Taylor Yaussi. Each morning, the preschool student wakes up energized and excited to spend the day with Yaussi. He looks forward to school and walks through the classroom doors with a smile on his face. But, it wasnt always that way. Mornings used to be hard. Drop-offs were often traumatizing. Outbursts were common. Child care centers kicked him out for bad behavior. He rarely woke up dancing and smiling like he does now. Xander had been labeled the naughty kid, said his mother, Mindy Parker, who recently adopted the soon-to-be 5-year-old from foster care. He's just had a rough first four and a half years, she told the Journal Star. Nobody seemed willing to take the extra time to make him feel accepted, to understand why he was behaving the way he was. Nobody took the additional step to show Xander that school could be fun, that he was loved and appreciated there. Nobody, until Yaussi. In the past seven months since Xander started at Kooser Elementary School in August, his world has been completely changed for the better. He used to argue with his classmates, but hes now making friends. He used to get frustrated, but hes now patient and calm. His personality has started to shine through. Hes happier, healthier and more outgoing and its all because of Yaussi, Parker said. She's just the first one in his little life outside of us that has just met him where he's at, and just really seen life through his lens and got on his level and connected with him to where it has completely changed his entire stance on going to school, Parker said. She's helped pave that path for success for him moving forward in school, she added. ... She's just been amazing. She's that extra piece his little life needed. Yaussi is one of five teachers being honored with the annual Thank You Teacher award this year based on a nomination letter submitted by Parker. The winners were set to be honored at a ceremony at the Governor's Mansion on Tuesday morning, where nominators read their letters. For Yaussi, a Lincoln native who originally went to college to become a nurse, teaching has opened her eyes to a passion for education and helping students achieve their goals. The second-year teacher at Kooser set out in her educational career to lead with love and compassion above all else and trust the rest will all fall into place, she said. The progress displayed by Xander since he started preschool last year has only helped solidify her belief that giving students grace and the time to adjust to life in the classroom can make all the difference. It's a value that she plans to continue to hold close throughout her teaching career, she said. Underneath all of that struggle was this beautiful, beautiful, small human being. And I adore and love him so much. I feel so blessed and thankful that I am able to be a part of his life, Yaussi said. The awards, sponsored by radio stations KFOR and KFRX, the Lincoln Education Association and the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools, honor teachers in five different categories for their exemplary work annually. Each award winner receives a $1,000 prize from the Foundation for LPS. This year, about 300 teachers across LPS were nominated by students, staff and parents. WASHINGTON (AP) Dr. Marty Makary rose to national attention by skewering the medical establishment in books and papers and bashing the federal response to COVID-19 on TV. Now the Johns Hopkins University surgeon and researcher has been nominated to lead the Food and Drug Administration. The agency responsible for regulating products ranging from toothpaste to vaccines is famously understated, issuing carefully worded statements devoid of opinion or scientific speculation. That's the opposite approach of Makary, whose sweeping rhetoric and biting criticism often veer into hyperbole, according to a review of recent speeches, interviews and podcast appearances by The Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Makary has called the U.S. food supply poison, says the federal government is the greatest perpetrator of misinformation about COVID-19 and regularly suggests that pesticides, fluoride and overuse of antibiotics may be to blame for rising rates of infertility, attention deficit disorder and other health conditions. Hell appear Thursday before a Senate panel considering his nomination. Makarys views align with those of the man who would be his boss: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. health secretary who built a following by sowing doubts about vaccines, ultraprocessed foods and fluoride. Notably, Makary has never embraced Kennedys discredited idea that vaccines might cause autism. Experts who have worked with Makary say his contrarian approach could be useful at FDA but only if hes able to resist political pressure from Kennedy and others on hot-button issues like vaccines. He has this reputation of being someone who cares about evidence and transparency, said Dr. Reshma Ramachandran of Yale University, who was part of an informal research group with Makary. The question is whether hes going to preserve and defend the integrity of the agency or is he going to fall in line with the administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Makary did not respond to an AP interview request. Makary reached a new audience on TV as a critic of COVID-19 measures Trained as a pancreatic surgeon, Makarys initial work focused on uncontroversial topics like hospital costs and surgical checklists. In 2016, he made headlines with a paper stating that medical errors were the third leading cause of death in the U.S. That conclusion was quickly disputed by other experts, who said the papers death estimate was ten times higher than more rigorous reviews. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Makary reached a much broader audience as a regular on Fox News, where he opposed vaccine mandates and called the FDA broken and mired in politics and red tape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Makary often directs his harshest criticism toward the medical hubris of fellow doctors, as in his latest book Blind Spots, which catalogues a number of cases where experts got the science perfectly backwards. For example, he examines early recommendations that parents delay giving babies peanut-based foods due to allergy risks. Today, pediatricians generally recommend earlier introduction to prevent food allergies. Many researchers view such examples differently. These are cases of people doing the best they can with evolving information and needing to make decisions along the way, said Dr. Aaron Kesselheim of Harvard Medical School. As commissioner, hes going to have to be OK with making decisions based on evolving evidence and some of those decisions might be wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tying health problems to food and pesticides Like others in Kennedys Make America Healthy Again movement, Makary says many of the chronic health problems afflicting Americans may be related to food additives, pesticides and other chemicals. How about research on the pesticides that have hormone effects in children that may explain the declining fertility and lowering age of puberty? Makary asked, in a September podcast with Dr. Drew Pinsky. New York University food researcher Marion Nestle says Makarys questions are extremely difficult to settle, because theres no way to ethically do the type of research needed to reach a firm conclusion: give one group of children food with pesticides and compare them with a control group getting food not grown with pesticides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I sympathize with his frustration and think we would be much better off with a lot fewer pesticides in our food supply, but I tend to view these issues more cautiously, Nestle said. Nutrition experts also say its overly simplistic to declare all ultraprocessed foods harmful, since the category includes an estimated 60% of U.S. foods, including granola, peanut butter and ice cream. They are not all created equal, said Gabby Headrick of George Washington University. It is much more complicated than just pointing the finger at ultraprocessed foods as the driver of chronic disease in the United States. Attacking COVID-19 boosters Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The greatest perpetrator of misinformation during the pandemic has been the United States government, Makary told House lawmakers during a 2023 roundtable hosted by Republicans. Among the many COVID-19 policies Makary attacked was the recommendation for booster shots in teens and young adults, particularly boys and young men. That group received particular attention because early vaccinations showed a higher rate of myocarditis, a rare form of heart inflammation that is usually mild. Complicating the issue was the fact that COVID-19 itself also caused cases of myocarditis that were usually more severe. A 2022 paper coauthored by Makary concluded that requiring booster shots in young people would cause more injury than benefit. None of the authors specialized in studying infectious diseases or vaccine reactions. They made mistake after mistake and every time it either minimized the vaccines benefits or exaggerated the risks, said Dr. Robert Morris of the University of Washington, who published a critique of the work. This paper really fed the whole notion that the vaccine is worse than the disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Makary's conclusion contradicted that of U.K. experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimated the booster prevented 114 hospitalizations for every seven it caused in young people. Despite such pushback, Makary told Congress that CDC and FDA lied to the American people about the need for boosters and other COVID measures. Dr. Paul Offit, an FDA vaccine adviser, says the Biden administration made missteps in rolling out boosters, including announcing plans to make them available for all age groups before outside experts had weighed in. But, Offit said, Makarys language has damaged public trust in health institutions, including the one hes been picked to lead. Its rhetoric thats purposefully inflammatory to win over a certain crowd, which is part of todays zeitgeist of disdaining public health agencies, Offit said. So hes offered the position at FDA because he has disdain for the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ___ AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this story. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Election experts are sounding the alarm over the Trump administrations wide-reaching changes to the federal bureaucracy, which is impacting the cybersecurity agency responsible for protecting the nations critical cyber and physical infrastructure. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has paused its election security work while it conducts a review of all election security related funding, products, activities, and personnel. Election experts say service interruptions and changes could compromise the safety and security of U.S. elections. David Levine, a senior fellow at the University of Marylands Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement and a former election official, said the administrations recent moves make U.S. elections more vulnerable to attacks by malign actors, including foreign adversaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My concerns are that the recent efforts by the administration to dismantle federal election efforts raise questions about our ability to protect elections, our ability to combat disinformation, our ability for the federal government to provide security resources to state and local partners, to give specialized assistance and to be able to coordinate efforts to manage risk with election infrastructure, Levine said. CISAs mission is to defend the countrys most important infrastructure, including election infrastructure. It was established in 2018 and is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CISA not only helps defend election infrastructure but has also worked to tackle election disinformation and misinformation, though Trump and the agency havent always seen eye to eye. Its first director, Chris Krebs, was fired after officials, include a top official at CISA, declared the 2020 election was the most secure in American history and that there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised. The second Trump administration, with the help of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has looked to reduce the size of the federal workforce to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, and has landed its sights on agencies like CISA. The Associated Press reported last month that 17 CISA workers who were either regional election security specialists or those involved in its Election Security and Resilience team were placed on administrative leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CISA is also pausing its election security activities pending completion of a review. As the Administration has made clear, CISA will refocus on its mission starting with election security, a DHS spokesperson told The Hill in a statement. The agency has completed an initial review of its election security mission with a particular focus on work related to mis-, dis-, and malinformation in accordance with a Trump order aimed at ending censorship and is taking appropriate actions regarding employees found to have participated in these activities. This is a critical part of a larger assessment of the election security work that the agency is undertaking to review all election security related funding, products, activities, and personnel. CISA has strategically paused all elections security activities pending the results of this review, the spokesperson said. The Trump administrations posture toward CISA was not entirely unexpected. Newly confirmed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said during her Senate hearing last month that CISA is far off-mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre using their resources in ways that was never intended, Noem, a staunch Trump ally, continued. The misinformation and disinformation that they have stuck their toe into and meddled with should be refocused back onto what their job is, and that is to support critical infrastructure and to help our local and small businesses and critical infrastructure at the state level to have the resources and be prepared for those cyberattacks that they will face. In the meantime, election officials and groups are urging DHS to consider the value of CISA services. The National Association of Secretaries of State in a Feb. 21 letter to Noem stressed that CISA has long helped state and local election officials defend against national security threats, including sophisticated cyber threat actors. The bipartisan groups letter pressed DHS to continue a number of valuable CISA services and information-sharing mechanisms that officials regularly utilize, ranging from physical security assessments to support for the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim Wyman, a former Republican secretary of state in Washington state who also served as a senior election security adviser for CISA during the Biden administration, said one of the immediate consequences of pausing election security efforts and placing related staff on leave was a complete loss of communication between state and local election offices and the federal government. These relationships that all these local officials have been able to build over the last eight years with not only CISA, but through CISA, with the FBI and with the intelligence community in particular there was a lot of information that was shared through vehicles like the EI-ISAC, Wyman added. EI-ISAC, a partnership with CISA, the Center for Internet Security (CIS) and the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council, offered state and local officials cyber defense tools, threat monitoring and other services, but the recent CISA changes have choked off the initiative. The DHS spokesperson told The Hill that CISA terminated federally funded activities supporting EI-ISAC after determining it no longer effectuates Department priorities, though it noted the CIS is not prohibited from managing the EI-ISAC on its own. The move also doesnt impact funding for the Multi-State Information and Analysis Center, a similar information-sharing group with a broader cybersecurity focus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A notice on the CISs website, though, reads that it no longer supports EI-ISAC operations due to the DHS funding cut. Elections are primarily run by thousands of local offices across the country, many with small staffs who dont have necessarily dedicated IT expertise, dedicated cyber security expertise, dedicated physical security expertise, all of these things that make sure that our election process is safe and secure against both foreign and domestic threats, said Derek Tisler, counsel in the Elections and Government Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. And especially since 2016, when election security was thrust into the spotlight more following more high-profile attempts by foreign adversaries to intervene in the process, the federal government has stepped in to fill this role. That means even small changes to election security work at CISA could have big impacts on local and state systems, which are already weathering high turnover among workers, harassment on the job and other strains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Faced with limited resources, state and local election officials across the country rely on CISAs expertise, nonpartisan election watchdog Verified Votings president and CEO Pamela Smith said in a statement calling on DHS to keep CISAs essential election security work in place. Any reduction in these critical resources could make our elections more vulnerable and leave officials with fewer tools to protect our democratic process. Election security is national security something every American has a stake in. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Donald Trump has paused U.S. aid to Ukraine a few days after berating the war-torn countrys president, Volodymyr Zelensky, for not beingin his viewsufficiently thankful for U.S. support. The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well, a White House official said in a statement, according to The Hill. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. Bloomberg News was the first to report on the sudden pause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Fridays meeting, which resulted in the cancellation of a press conference and the anticipated signing of a deal linking Ukrainian minerals for U.S. financial support, Trump insisted Zelensky could return to the White House when he is ready for peace. Trumps allies have been pressuring Zelensky to alter his approach to Trump, who has claimed to want to quickly end the war. Earlier Monday, Trump criticized his counterpart for suggesting late Sunday while in London that the wars end is likely still very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump wrote on Truth Social. Zelensky better not be right about that, Trump told reporters during a White House event later Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long, he added. That person will not be listened to very long. Zelensky, as he did after Fridays contentious meeting to emphasize his gratitude, then took to social media to say that it is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible. The decision to pause military aid was made at a White House meeting that included Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, according to The Washington Post. Hegseth last week ordered the U.S. Cyber Command to pause offensive operations against Russia. (Bloomberg) -- Supply Lines is a daily newsletter that tracks global trade. Sign up here. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US President Donald Trumps objective is to destroy Canadas economy so he can annex the country, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a fiery news conference about the start of a trade war between the countries. Trump put the tariffs in place on Tuesday, saying Canada and Mexico have not done enough to crack down on drug trafficking. But in Canadas case, thats just a pretext for tariffs the US president planned to impose anyway, Trudeau said. The excuse that hes giving for these tariffs today of fentanyl is completely bogus, completely unjustified, completely false, Trudeau said. What he wants is to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy because thatll make it easier to annex us. Trump has repeatedly said that Canada can avoid tariffs if it becomes the 51st US state. Canadian officials initially dismissed the remark as a joke, but it took on a more menacing tone in January when Trump pledged to use economic force to overtake the country. Trudeau told a group of business leaders last month that he believes the threat is real. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow The Big Take daily podcast wherever you listen The president slapped 10% tariffs on Canadian energy products and 25% duties on everything else the country buys from Canada and Mexico. Trudeaus government hit back with levies targeting C$30 billion ($20.8 billion) in American products including cosmetics, appliances, tires, fruit and wine. If Trumps levies stay in place, Canadas tariffs will be expanded in three weeks to a broader range of goods worth C$155 billion in annual imports from US producers. The second phase will hit American-made vehicles as well as aluminum and aerospace products. Trump responded Tuesday with a social media post that referred to Governor Trudeau and said that with Canadas retaliation, our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount! Trump intends to impose so-called reciprocal tariffs on products from nations around the world on April 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to retaliatory tariffs, Trudeau said his government will file dispute resolution claims at the World Trade Organization and through the free trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada. Both federal and provincial governments are also in discussions to pursue non-tariff measures that will demonstrate that there are no winners in a trade war, he said. Canadas economy is heavily reliant on the ability to sell goods and resources to the US, and many of its businesses and consumers also depend on American-made imports from machinery to food. If the tariffs remain in place, the country appears certain to fall into recession, with economists seeing as much as a 4 percentage-point hit to gross domestic product. The trade war comes at a politically challenging time in Canada. Trudeau will step down soon after his Liberal Party elects a new leader to replace him on Sunday. A general election is also expected in the months ahead. The Parliament is currently suspended until March 24, but some business leaders and politicians are now pushing for an emergency session to pass relief measures for businesses and workers. Political and policy uncertainty is the last thing the country needs at this moment, said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre slammed Trudeau for shuttering the legislature, and said the government should immediately slash taxes and regulations to fuel growth in Canada. Poilievre said revenue collected from retaliatory tariffs should go almost entirely to cutting taxes, with a small sum set aside for targeted relief to workers hardest hit by the trade war. New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh also called on Trudeau to recall Parliament to enact assistance for Canadian workers. Amid the parliamentary vacuum, provincial government leaders have stepped up to craft their own response to US tariffs. Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened a 25% export tax on electricity exports to the US and announced plans to pull US alcohol from government-owned liquor stores. British Columbia Premier David Eby said liquor from Republican states would be yanked from shelves, and that BC products an suppliers would be favored in government procurement. Forever Changed The first phase of tariffs are about spurring more actions to stop of the illicit flow of fentanyl and are not a trade war, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday on CNBC. Canada will face another phase of tariffs on April 2 when the Trump administration will reset trade policy, Lutnick said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trudeaus government has unveiled a C$1.3 billion border security plan to increase aerial surveillance and personnel at the crossing, even though less than 1% of the fentanyl seized by US border agents was captured at or near the Canadian border. Trump repeated a claim Tuesday that US banks are not allowed to do business in Canada. That isnt true: US banks had C$113 billion in Canadian assets as of Nov. 30, a figure Trudeau cited at the news conference. Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp. and others all operate in Canada. American banks are alive and well and prospering in Canada, Trudeau said. Unions in the US and Canada said the tariffs will hurt both economies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadian and American workers are not in competition we build goods together, said United Steelworkers International President David McCall. These tariffs will hurt manufacturing, drive up costs and kill jobs on both sides of the border. Unifor President Lana Payne agreed, saying Trump has misjudged how damaging this trade war will be for American workers. She called on Canadians to build a more resilient economy. Today our trade relationship forever changed with the US. Trudeau opened his news conference Tuesday by stating that the US has launched a trade war against its closest ally while talking about working positively with lying, murderous dictator Russian President Vladimir Putin. Make that make sense, Trudeau said. The prime minister also spoke directly to Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Your government has chosen to put American jobs at risk, he said. Theyve chosen to raise costs for American consumers on everyday essential items like groceries and gas, on major purchases like cars and homes and everything in between. He also had a message for Trump: This is a very dumb thing to do. --With assistance from Stephanie Lai and Christine Dobby. (Adds comments from Trump and Canadian politicians starting in paragraph seven.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. UPDATE (March 4, 2025, 1:26 p.m. ET): After Tuesdays hearing, NBC News reported that the Supreme Court appeared likely to rule against the Mexican government over a lawsuit seeking to hold U.S. gun makers accountable for an epidemic of violence that officials in Mexico say can be traced to their products. While President Donald Trump has made a point of going after drug cartels, the Mexican government says U.S. gunmakers should be held liable for violence caused by their weapons in Mexico. The Supreme Court is about to hear arguments over whether Mexico can press its novel $10 billion claim. Its not a Second Amendment case before the court, which has sided with gun rights in recent years, but Mexico might face a skeptical bench all the same Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legal questions presented to the justices are: Whether the production and sale of firearms in the U.S. are a proximate cause of alleged injuries to the Mexican government stemming from violence committed by Mexican drug cartels. And whether that production and sale amounts to aiding and abetting illegal firearms trafficking because firearm companies allegedly know that some of their products are unlawfully trafficked. Represented by Noel Francisco, a former Trump solicitor general, the gunmakers argue that Mexicos claim is too attenuated because its based on an eight-step causal chain peppered by independent criminal actors and derivative sovereign harms to try to link the lawful production and sale of firearms within the United States to the chaos ravaging Mexico courtesy of its drug cartels. On the aiding and abetting point, they say the lawsuit is simply a challenge to routine business practices. But Mexico argues that the gunmakers deliberately sell their firearms in large quantities to known red-flag dealers and cultivate a market for their firearms in Mexico through design and marketing decisions. And rather than simply arguing against routine business practices, Mexico alleges the companies engage in unlawful behavior by intentionally facilitating the unlawful export of their firearms into Mexico through red-flag dealers and abnormal sales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The companies appealed to the justices after they lost in the federal appeals court. In that ruling last year, a panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Mexicos lawsuit wasnt barred by a federal law that otherwise insulates the firearms industry. The panel noted that Mexico has strict gun laws but that gun violence increased there after the U.S. ended its assault weapons ban in 2004. Mexicos complaint against seven manufacturers and one distributor detailed a steady and growing stream of illegal gun trafficking from the United States into Mexico, motivated in large part by the demand of the Mexican drug cartels for military-style weapons, the appellate ruling recounted. In turn, Mexico says it has suffered increased costs for medical, mental health and other services for victims and their families; increased costs for law enforcement and its judicial system; and diminished property values and business revenues. Even the appellate ruling in Mexicos favor emphasized that it was only deciding that that governments case was legally sufficient to move forward at a preliminary stage of litigation, and that whether the country could ultimately support its claims remains to be seen. But ahead of Tuesdays oral arguments in Washington, it remains to be seen whether Mexicos case can move forward at all. Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in Donald Trumps legal cases. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The United States ordered a halt on all shipments of military support to Ukrainea move that drives a deeper wedge between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. The Trump administration no longer wants to feed the Nazi mutt in Kyiv, crowed Putin official Dmitry Medvedev. President Donald Trumps decision to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in arms and ammunition for Ukraine has emboldened Russia while pushing Kyiv further to the brink. Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko called the move a catastrophe, while Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the foreign affairs committee, said it appeared Trump was pushing us towards capitulation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To stop aid now means to help [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, Merezhko told Reuters. On the surface, this looks really bad. It looks like he is pushing us towards capitulation, meaning [accepting] Russias demands. The decision is the latest setback for Ukraine, which is still reeling from a tense Oval Office press briefing Friday, where friction between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky boiled over. Kremlin officials were quick to celebrate. The Trump administration no longer wants to feed the Nazi mutt in Kyiv, said Dmitry Medvedev, a top Russian official and former president. Putin spokesman Dmitry Leskov added that the move can push the Kyiv regime toward a peace process but did not acknowledge Russias role as the aggressor in the war. Is Trumps move illegal? In the U.S., the decision sparked backlash. Pennsylvania Rep. Madeleine Dean, whose district includes a large Ukrainian-American population, condemned the move as illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress appropriated these funds to support our allies in Ukraine, she wrote. Trumps disrespect for the rule of law is disgraceful and un-American. Trump campaigned on ending the war but has so far leaned on Kyiv to accept territorial concessions without securing Russian guarantees in return. No concessions from Russia Unlike President Biden, who strongly backed Ukraine, Trump has distanced the U.S. from Kyiv, casting himself as a neutral mediator. Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Russian officials in the highest-level U.S.-Russia meeting since the war began. A day later, Trump labeled Zelensky a dictator and echoed Moscows claims that Ukraine provoked the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has also reportedly instructed his cabinet to explore lifting U.S. economic sanctions on Russia and ordered the Pentagon to halt cyber operations targeting the country. Yet, despite these overtures, Russia has made no concessions. Musk floats exile for Zelensky As Trump moves away from Zelensky and toward closer ties with Russia, some of his allies have sought to justify the shift. While Trumps MAGA base largely supports Putin over Zelensky, most Americans still view Putin as an authoritarian who has imprisoned or killed political opponents. Tech billionaire Elon Musk added to the controversy Monday by suggesting that Zelensky be offered exile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine, Musk wrotea statement that, critics noted, would make more sense if applied to Putin and Russia instead. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com The Trump administration has reportedly paused all military aid to Ukraine. The decision, reported by Bloomberg News, comes after a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday descended into chaos amid a larger fraying of the U.S.-Ukraine alliance. The president is reportedly reviewing whether Zelensky is willing to engage in good-faith efforts at making peace with Russia, a Defense Department official told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," a Trump administration official told Fox News. The decision will pause more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition for Ukraine thats been ordered or is in the production process, The New York Times reports. It will also halt hundreds of millions of dollars of arms tied to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, in which Ukraine uses U.S. funds to buy gear from American defense firms, per the paper. Trump administration has been pushing Ukraine to adopt a friendlier tone towards Russia, while Ukraine has sought security guarantees to keep Vladimir Putin from annexing further parts of the country (AFP via Getty Images) President Trump is the only leader in the world right now who even has a chance at bringing an enduring and lasting end to the war in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement on Monday evening, though he didnt directly address the aid pause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any major, long-term change in the flow of U.S. military support to Ukraine could have disastrous impacts on the countrys defense, given that officials have said Ukraine only has supplies to keep fighting Russia at current levels until the summer. A Trump official told The Associated Press they want to see that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is committed to reaching a peace deal with Russia, and fast. The official added that the dramatic move is meant to ensure continued support is contributing to a solution. Just days ago, the U.S. and Ukraine looked set to ink a rare minerals deal that would give America access to Ukrainian resources, which both sides hoped would deepen ties between the countries as part of the larger peace process to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the tide quickly turned during the televised Friday meeting, with the Republican administration accusing Zelensky of overstepping and being ungrateful when he began discussing the need for deeper security guarantees to deter further aggression from Russia. The Ukrainians were then asked to leave the White House, and Trump allies soon began calling for Zelenskys resignation. Things got even worse at the beginning of this week, after Zelensky expressed his view that a peace deal was very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump wrote on Truth Social this morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraines European allies have suggested making up for waning U.S. support and installing a peacekeeping force inside of Ukraine backed by some form of U.S. guarantees. The aid pause is something of a flashback to the first Trump administration, in which the Republican attempted to withhold military aid to Zelensky to pressure the country into announcing an investigation into Trumps 2020 election opponent, Joe Biden. By Mike Stone and Erin Banco WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has frozen military aid to Ukraine, just days after publicly confronting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House and accusing him of being insufficiently grateful for Washington's backing. The halt to U.S. military aid does not only have significant implications for the three-year-old war between Ukraine and Russian invasion forces. It will also impact the U.S. defense industry. Here's how: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HOW MUCH HAS THE U.S. SPENT ON MILITARY AID FOR UKRAINE? The United States has pledged and spent at least $65 billion on military aid for Ukraine since Russia's full-blown February 2022 invasion. Primarily, that assistance has been allocated through two tools: the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). WHAT IS THE PRESIDENTIAL DRAWDOWN AUTHORITY? More than $31 billion worth of weapons and equipment has been pledged to Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the president to approve rapid transfers to foreign countries from U.S. military stockpiles, without having to seek congressional approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than $20 billion worth of weapons and equipment has already been shipped this way, according to a Reuters analysis. Ukraine is still awaiting a large shipment of armored vehicles that are not set to be delivered until mid-2025, said a Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity. They are currently being refurbished at depots in Europe. WHAT IS THE UKRAINE SECURITY ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE? The U.S. has bought nearly $33.2 billion worth of new arms and military equipment for Kyiv directly from U.S. and allied defense contractors. That money was allocated by Congress. The USAI is a longer-term approach to arming Ukraine. It will take years for all these weapons to be manufactured and shipped to the battlefield. This category of weapon provides Ukraine a sustained pipeline of modern weaponry and simultaneously sustained revenue for manufacturers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amount of aid that still needs to be delivered from the American contracts is "significantly less than 15 percent", a Ukrainian official said. Some of the weapons still to be delivered include advanced rocket launchers and missiles. HOW DOES THIS AFFECT U.S. COMPANIES? The halt to USAI not only impacts current orders, but also future production plans and investment decisions for U.S. companies such as L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin Corp, RTX Corp and General Dynamics. It's unlikely that the U.S. government would cancel the orders for Ukraine that have not yet been delivered. It could decide to keep those weapons for itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington needs to replenish its own stocks and - instead of placing new orders - could instead keep the weapons that were bound for Ukraine, essentially reducing the future amount of new contracts on offer to U.S. companies. WHAT WEAPONS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED TO UKRAINE? Among the weapons and equipment provided during the war are U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, long-range ATACM missiles, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), short-range air defense interceptors, replacement vehicles, air-to-ground munitions, and artillery. (Reporting by Mike Stone and Erin Banco; writing by Michelle Nichols; editing by Mark Heinrich) By Erin Banco, Max Hunder and Olena Harmash WASHINGTON/KYIV (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he received a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in which the Ukrainian leader expressed willingness to come to the negotiating table over the Russia-Ukraine war. "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians," Trump said in an address to Congress on Tuesday while quoting from the letter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also said he had been in "serious discussions with Russia" and had "received strong signals that they are ready for peace". "Wouldn't that be beautiful?" he said. "It's time to stop this madness. It's time to halt the killing. It's time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars you have to talk to both sides." Trump was expected to further outline his plans for Ukraine and Russia in the speech to Congress, but did not reveal any further details on how he plans to end Europe's biggest conflict since World War Two. Trump said Ukraine was ready to sign a minerals deal with the U.S., which Washington says is crucial to secure continued U.S. backing for Ukraine's defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four sources told Reuters that the Trump administration and Ukraine plan to sign the deal in return for military aid, which Trump has paused. But later on Tuesday U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News, "There is no signing planned," according to a post on X by a Fox reporter. Trump gave no further details on the minerals deal, leaving its fate unclear. Early on Tuesday, Zelenskiy pledged to repair relations with the U.S. after what he described as a "regrettable" Oval Office clash with Trump last week. Zelenskiy said he wanted to "make things right" and was ready "any time and in any convenient format" to sign the minerals deal, which he left on the table during a visit to Washington after the Oval Office argument with Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His statement came a day after Trump halted military aid to Ukraine, his latest move to upend U.S. policy and adopt a more conciliatory stance toward Russia. "My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," Zelenskiy said in his statement on X. The statement made no mention of the pause in U.S. military supplies. Zelenskiy's statement was clearly aimed at stressing Kyiv's gratitude following the explosive confrontation at the White House, at which Trump and Vice President JD Vance scolded Zelenskiy as insufficiently appreciative. "We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence," Zelenskiy wrote. "Our meeting in Washington ... did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskiy outlined a path towards a peace agreement, which he said could begin with a release of prisoners and a halt to air and sea attacks, if Russia did the same. "Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree a strong final deal." GEOPOLITICAL SHIFT Earlier, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine's forces could hold their own on the battlefield against Russian troops, but that Kyiv would do everything possible to continue cooperating with the U.S. "We will continue to work with the U.S. through all available channels in a calm manner," Shmyhal said. "We only have one plan - to win and to survive." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Moscow, the Kremlin said cutting off U.S. military aid to Ukraine was the best possible step towards peace, although it was waiting to confirm Trump's move. U.S. Democrats have raised an outcry over Trump's abrupt pivot towards Russia, the most dramatic geopolitical shift in generations for Washington, where governments under both parties since the 1940s have prioritized defending Europe from a hostile Moscow. PRESSURE ON EUROPE The pause in U.S. military aid puts more pressure on European allies who have publicly embraced Zelenskiy since the Oval Office blow-up. Britain and France, whose leaders both visited the White House last week, have offered troops to help guard a potential ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Germany's conservatives and Social Democrats announced proposals to set up a 500 billion euro ($531 billion) fund to help ramp up defence spending. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled proposals to mobilise up to 800 billion euros for EU defence spending. The 27-nation bloc holds an emergency summit on Thursday. French President Emmanuel Macron's office said the president had spoken with both the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders and welcomed Zelenskiy's will to re-engage with Trump. But French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou was sharply critical of Trump's move to pause military supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Suspending aid during a war to a country under attack means abandoning the country under attack and accepting or hoping that the aggressor will win," he said during a parliamentary debate. Ukrainians were stunned and many described Washington's move as a betrayal. Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said it looked like Trump was "pushing us towards capitulation". "Yes, it is betrayal, let's call it like it is," said lawyer Olena Bilova, 47, in Kyiv. "But let's hope that American civil society and the elites of the European Union will not leave us alone." ($1 = 0.9418 euros) (Reporting by Olena Harmash and Yuliia Dysa, Andrea Shalal, Gram Slattery; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali, Erin Banco, Steve Holland, Lidia Kelly, Mike Stone, Jasper Ward, Patricia Zengerle and Pavel Polityuk; Writing by James Oliphant, Peter Graff, Alex Richardson, Nia Williams and Michael Perry; Editing by David Gregorio and Stephen Coates) President Donald Trump on Monday evening hit pause on all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, a show of force following last weeks dressing down of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office aimed at pressuring him back to the negotiating table. President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace, a White House official told POLITICO. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. That directive came just hours after Trump told reporters that hed yet to even discuss such a pause and three days after the presidents remarkable berating of Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. Trump and Vice President JD Vance took issue with what they said was a lack of gratitude by Ukraines president who, as Trump put it to his face, doesnt have the cards to prevail over Russia without continued assistance from the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump also made clear in public comments Monday that the economic agreement Zelenskyy had come to Washington to finalize remains on the table. The carrot and stick approach is about forcing Zelenskyy into a bigger negotiation to end the war with Russia. One administration official close to the process, granted anonymity to discuss internal matters, said that Trump and his senior team continue to believe that a relatively quick end to the war that Russia started three years ago remains possible and are eager to push Zelenskyy to tamp down his own rhetoric so they can draw both sides into negotiating. Theres a potential window with Russia, the official said. You wont get Putin to the table if you call him names. But as much as Trump may want to broker a historic peace, his own ego remains a factor. On Monday, some aides continued to suggest that there would be no deal, no matter the high stakes, until Zelenskyy took ownership for Fridays flap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we need to hear from President Zelenskyy is that he has regret for what happened, hes ready to sign this minerals deal and that hes ready to engage in peace talks, said Trumps national security adviser Mike Waltz during an appearance on Fox News Channel on Monday. Significant barriers remain to rescuing the U.S.-Ukraine relationship. They include demands that Zelenskyy, though viewed as a victim by allies in Europe and many in the U.S., apologize to Trump. And it is becoming increasingly clear that even if Zelenskyy swallows his pride and apologizes to Trump for perceived insults, the profit-sharing deal on rare earth minerals is unlikely to lead immediately to peace talks or to deter Trump from drawing closer to Russia. Still, administration officials worked over the weekend to hold backchannel conversations to rescue the deal, while allies publicly urged Zelenskyy to make a public show of begging for forgiveness. And Trump, despite his strong anti-Zelenskyy rhetoric, left just enough daylight in his comments Monday to keep European and Ukrainian hopes alive. Pro-Ukraine lawmakers, increasingly swimming against a tide of Republican opposition to Zelenskyy and the war, are working to repair the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), a pro-Ukraine moderate, expressed confidence following a conversation with Zelenskyys chief of staff that the minerals pact would be worked out in short order and lead to longer-term economic and security agreements. We are 100% getting this train back on the tracks, Fitzpatrick wrote in a post on X. In his own remarks Monday afternoon, the president also struck a much more conciliatory posture than he conveyed Friday and even earlier Monday, when he blasted Zelenskyy on social media. During a back-and-forth with reporters in the Roosevelt Room, Trump talked up the benefits of a deal to split profits with Ukraine for the countrys rare earth minerals and tempered his attacks on Zelenskyy. I just think he should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin, Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump ducked a question about whether hes discussed canceling additional defense aid for Ukraine, reiterated the security benefits for Kyiv of an American presence there and praised European leaders for expressing a willingness to increase defense spending. Just hours after attacking Zelenskyy over a comment suggesting the wars end was very, very far away, Trump eased up, questioning whether the remark was accurate and not naming Zelenskyy as he urged him toward peace talks. But Trump is hardly in Zelenskyys or Europes camp. And his eagerness to build a relationship with Moscow is putting pressure on Europe. Asked whether talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin were in the offing, Trump said on Monday that were going to do deals with everybody. Lawmakers from both parties expressed concern about Trump's move on Monday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Too bad Iran, North Korea and China are not pausing their military aid and economic support," said Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, told POLITICO. "There is an invader and a victim, there is a democracy and a dictatorship, there is a country who wants to be part of the West and one who hates the West. We should be unambiguously for the good side." Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told reporters that Trump's decision comes at a critical time for Ukraine on the battlefield. "I do not think we should be pausing our efforts," she said. "It's the Ukrainians who are shedding blood." The looming prospect of Trumps reconciliation with Putin is giving greater urgency to European efforts to draft their own plan to take a bigger role in protecting Ukraine if and when it reaches a deal to end the war. Europe has a short amount of time to go all in and ensure a full rapprochement between the Americans and the Russians doesn't happen, said Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer in his Monday morning email to clients. Otherwise, they are left without a realistic strategic option. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bremmer also said there was chatter that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, both of whom came to Washington last week, might return in hopes of repairing ties, resurrecting the minerals deal and promoting a European cease-fire plan. But Trumps interest in normalizing relations with Moscow could cloud these plans and prompt him to make more demands of Zelenskyy, whose country has been under attack from Russia for three years. Earlier Monday, Trump blasted Zelenskyy on social media, attacking his comments about the prospect of a longer war as the worst statement that could have been made. This guy doesnt want there to be Peace as long as he has Americas backing, Trump wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were among many comments that echoed the Kremlin, so much so that Dmitiri Peskov, Putins spokesperson, crowed in an interview with state television Sunday that Americas foreign policy largely aligns with our vision. Like Trump, he blamed Ukraine for dragging out the war that Russia launched without provocation three years ago. "The Kyiv regime and Zelenskyy do not want peace, Peskov said. Zelenskyy sought to smooth that tension with his own social media post aimed at Trump emphasizing his desire for peace as soon as possible. Europes show of support for Zelenskyy this weekend and discussions of separate peace proposals made clear that he is not alone and may have sufficient backing to fend off Russian attacks for some time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump and Vice President JD Vances berating of Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday has riled the presidents political base, which could complicate any rapprochement with Ukraines president. The presidents political allies have celebrated his humiliation of Zelenskyy as in keeping with his America First mantra. And some have leaned in even harder, urging the president to abandon Ukraine and European allies altogether. Elon Musk, the tech billionaire Trump has empowered to slash the federal bureaucracy, called for the U.S. to withdraw completely from NATO, the alliance of 32 nations formed in the aftermath of World War II in a post on X, his social media company. And MAGA-oriented members of Congress, including Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Ana Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), issued similar statements. But continuing to play to his own base could cost Trump the historic peacemaking opportunity he says he seeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is driving Ukraine toward Europe. And it will take everything Europes got to keep them going, said Ivo Daalder, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO under President Barack Obama. But when you refuse to give them any security guarantees, when you insult them, youre actually giving away your leverage. Because, like it or not, Ukraine is going to have a say in any peace deal. Meredith Lee Hill, Nahal Toosi, Robbie Gramer and Dasha Burns contributed to this report. President Donald Trump is selling America, literally. The administration's latest immigration proposal is something that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called the "Trump gold card" a visa for wealthy foreigners willing to spend $5 million for a pathway to U.S. citizenship. When Trump delivers his first address to Congress on Tuesday night, he will likely frame this idea as a matter of economic pragmatism, although research shows these golden visa programs typically contribute no more than 0.3% of the gross domestic product and have a negligible impact on growth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it's more insidious than that. This new proposal is in keeping with Trump's idea of America as one of exclusion, not inclusion. At the same time that he wants to sell citizenship to the highest bidders, Trump is seeking to remove people who are already here. In his first term, he separated families of migrants who had crossed the border illegally and sought to ban travelers from six Muslim majority countries. In his second term, he's outsourced deportations, used Guantanamo Bay as a migrant detention site and sought to make it easier for immigration agents to enter places of worship. The "gold card" proposal is the flip side of this dark record. More than just a policy, it's a wholesale rewrite of what it means to be an American. In Trumps vision, citizenship is no longer about building a shared national project; it is an asset reserved for those who can afford it, as it is in countries with "golden visa" programs such as Malta and Cyprus. Being American would become a high-end commodity, available only to the wealthy. The proposal exploits the growing disillusionment of working-class Americans in urban and suburban communities who feel the ground crumbling beneath them. Theyve spent their lives working hard, only to see their jobs shipped overseas and their communities hollowed out. As prices rise and making ends meet becomes harder, opportunity feels like a winner-takes-all scenario. When local programs lose funding, factories shut down and jobs disappear. When communities feel the surge of illegal immigration and see government resources misallocated, resentment festers. And when families who have lived in these neighborhoods for generations struggle while new arrivals seek a better life, frustration turns to division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But immigrants dont weaken America, they strengthen it. Families who come here to work, build and contribute are the very people who keep the countrys promise alive. Democrats, meantime, are failing to meet the moment. It is not enough to call Trumps immigration policies inhumane. They are that but they are also something more dangerous: a seductive narrative about who deserves to be here and why. And as Trump spins this narrative, Democrats remain unable to articulate a compelling vision of what American citizenship should mean. Democrats had the chance in 2024, and they blew it. Instead of making a forceful argument for immigration as a system of order, security and national strength, they hedged and waffled. Instead of calling Trumps bluff pointing out that his party has no real plan beyond exclusion they let the debate be defined on his terms because of border influx that the Biden administration failed to address and on out-of-touch ideas that presidential candidates floated in 2020. America has never been just a marketplace. It has always been a national project of people and heritage something greater than GDP, something defined not just by who gets in, but also by what those people contribute and how they become part of a shared culture and set of values. That is the difference between citizenship and consumerism, between a nation and a business deal. And it is that idea that Democrats must champion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American dream isnt just an abstraction, its what has driven generations to work night shifts, to build something better, to believe in endless possibility. And that dream can only survive if America remains a place that rewards effort, not just privilege. That is the vision Democrats need to fight for, not a country where citizenship is auctioned off to the highest bidder, but one where longtime residents and immigrants alike are given a fair shot. A serious Democratic vision for immigration cannot just respond to Trumps daily theatrics. It must be a common-sense approach that upholds both security and strength, stops the flow of illegal immigration, fights crime and recognizes immigration as a cornerstone of the American project not a problem to be managed, not a privilege for the rich, but an opportunity to strengthen the nation. If Democrats fail to make that case, they will once again find themselves on defense against a movement that has already decided what America should be. Trump's address should be a warning. His immigration agenda is not just a policy, but it's also a vision for Americas future. If Democrats do not counter it with one of their own, they will have lost the fight before it even began. Subscribe to Trumps First 100 Days newsletter for weekly updates on and expert insight into the key issues and figures defining his second term. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters enters the courtroom during her trial in Grand Junction on the morning of Aug. 12, 2024, when her defense team and prosecutors delivered closing arguments. (Sharon Sullivan for Colorado Newsline) President Donald Trumps Department of Justice said in a court filing Monday that it will conduct a review of Colorados prosecution of Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk who was convicted of participating in a breach of secure voting equipment in an attempt to prove Trumps lies alleging widespread fraud in the 2020 election. In a statement of interest submitted as part of a pending lawsuit filed by Peters in the U.S. District Court of Colorado, attorneys with the DOJ and the office of the U.S. District Attorney for Colorado wrote that the court should give prompt and careful consideration to Peters request for her immediate release from a Colorado jail, where she is serving part of a combined nine years behind bars in a sentence handed down by a Mesa County judge last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Reasonable concerns have been raised about various aspects of Ms. Peters case, said the two-page filing. These concerns relate to, among other things, the exceptionally lengthy sentence imposed relative to the conduct at issue. The filing was signed by Yaakov Roth, acting assistant attorney general in the DOJs Civil Division; J. Bishop Grewell, the acting U.S. attorney for Colorado; and assistant U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly. Peters was convicted by a Mesa County jury in August 2024 on a variety of criminal charges, including felony counts of attempting to influence a public servant and conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation. The charges stemmed from her role in a scheme to allow an unauthorized person to enter the Mesa Countys elections department she oversaw, in order to make copies of election system software and capture images of passwords. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Matthew Barrett sentenced Peters to eight and a half years of prison time in addition to a six-month stint in jail, citing the immeasurable damage that Peters had done to local elections and trust in the electoral process, her lack of remorse and other factors. She was transferred to the Larimer County Detention Center in December after expressing concerns for her safety in a Mesa County jail, and she is due to be transferred to Colorado Department of Corrections custody to serve her prison sentence. Last month, Peters filed a federal lawsuit against Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen, asking the court to issue a writ of habeas corpus and order her immediate release. The Trump DOJs review of the Peters case comes amid an unprecedented effort by the new administration to contravene criminal justice proceedings related to the presidents election conspiracy theories and the Jan. 6, 2021, assault by a pro-Trump mob on the U.S. Capitol. That effort has included blanket pardons of roughly 1,500 people convicted in the Capitol attack and purges of prosecutors who handled many of those cases. A spokesperson for Weiser said his office could not comment on an active case. The office of the U.S. attorney for Colorado also declined to comment. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE President Donald Trumps Justice Department is going to bat for an avowed election denier whos in prison for tampering with Colorado voting machines after the 2020 election. In a highly unorthodox court filing, senior Justice Department officials encouraged a federal judge to consider releasing former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters from state prison, saying that reasonable concerns have been raised about the case and that its reviewing whether the state prosecution against Peters was motivated by a desire to inflict political pain. This is the latest example of the Trump administration wielding federal powers to go after the presidents opponents or to rush to support an ally even though theres no public evidence of partisan wrongdoing in Peters case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peters was found guilty last year of participating in a data-breach scheme that hoped to prove Trumps false claims of mass voter fraud in 2020. She was sentenced to nine years in prison and is currently at the Larimer County Detention Center. Peters lawyers filed a petition in federal court last month that asked a judge to release her because they believe her constitutional rights were violated. They argued that she should be free while appealing her conviction, and that the judge gave her an overly severe prison term and violated her rights at sentencing by calling her a charlatan who cannot help but lie. But its extremely rare for the Justice Department to step into a state case like this, and its unclear what federal officials can do to scrutinize a state prosecution of state crimes. Yaakov Roth, the acting assistant attorney general for DOJs Civil Division, submitted a brief in Peters federal case saying the Justice Department was concerned about the judges comments and the exceptionally lengthy sentence imposed relative to the conduct at issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another point of concern for federal prosecutors is whether the decision to deny Peters bail while she appeals her sentence was arbitrary or unreasonable under the US Constitution. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. The Colorado attorney generals office also declined to comment. It has previously said Peters conviction was crucial to protecting democracy because the 2020 data breach, as well as her nonstop lying about voting machines, put the safety of our elections at risk. Ms. Peters was gratified to learn about the DOJ filing, her lawyer Patrick McSweeney told CNN. The judge and the prosecution proceeded with the avowed purpose of punishing her for her views on the verified concerns about the unreliability of computerized voting systems. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump kept the door open to signing a minerals deal with Ukraine despite his feud last week with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, adding to hope in European capitals that the agreement can be salvaged. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a great deal for us, Trump told reporters Monday, adding that Ill let you know tomorrow, when he addresses a joint session of Congress. He said Zelenskiy should be more appreciative of the billions in US assistance his country has received to fight Russias invasion. Trumps relatively optimistic assessment could revive prospects for the deal, which Zelenskiy had flown to the US to sign but was scrapped after an Oval Office meeting between the leaders as well as US Vice President JD Vance descended into testy exchanges. Trumps latest comments also tracked with hopes shared by the UK and France that the two sides can reconcile, signing a deal on critical minerals and then beginning peace talks. Leaders Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron are drawing-up a temporary ceasefire proposal to present to Trump that will allow detailed talks for a durable long-term peace plan to start, three years on from Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Their cautious optimism, based on private conversations between the leaders and other members of the US administration, stems from their belief that Trump is trying to mount pressure on Zelenskiy to apologize and sign the minerals agreement, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing the deliberations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UK and France are privately urging Zelenskiy to repair relations with Trump and believe the US leader is still committed to a peace deal, they said. European allies believe that Zelenskiy may need to grovel to Trump because a simple apology is unlikely to suffice, one of the people said. The UK-France plan involves an initial truce between Russia and Ukraine to allow allies to work on a durable peace plan with a coalition of European troops backed by US security guarantees. It would also allow time to see whether Russia is serious about ending its aggression toward Ukraine, the people said. Challenges remain. Earlier Monday, Zelenskiy expressed a willingness to meet with Trump again, despite Fridays open confrontation at the White House, if the US president invites him for a serious encounter. But Zelenskiy also was quoted as predicting that the end of Ukraines war with Russia is very, very far away. This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump said in a social media post. He said this guy doesnt want there to be Peace as long as he has Americas backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In yet another of their exchange of posts, Zelenskiy responded: Ukraine, Europe, the United States only together can we restore security for all our people, and this is really possible. Zelenskiys clash in the Oval Office on Friday with Trump and Vance left attempts to keep the US administration on Kyivs side in tatters. It also set off a scramble among Europeans to get the two leaders back to the table as they tried to demonstrate broad support for Ukraine at a security summit in London. We are worthy of an equal dialog, Zelenskiy said on Sunday after attending the summit. If the US president invites him for a constructive dialog, to solve real problems, for serious issues and real, decisive actions and answers I will arrive, he said. Despite Zelenskiys defiant tone, he said that his country was ready to accept a natural resources deal with the US. The accord was left unsigned after the Oval Office bust-up that marked the most serious crisis between Ukraine and its biggest military supporter since Russias invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holding such a conversation in public wasnt a good thing for either the US or Ukraine, the Ukrainian president said, declining a reporters request to switch to English to avoid any misinterpretation. But in a clear attempt to turn the page on the dispute, he added: I am convinced that the situation will pass and more important things are ahead. Zelenskiy has repeatedly argued that Russia cant be trusted to respect the terms of a potential truce unless its backed by security guarantees from western allies. Last month, he said he provided Trump with a list of 25 ceasefires that Moscow broke since its initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014. European leaders led by Prime Minister Starmer and President Macron spent the weekend in a diplomatic whirlwind as they tried to mend the break with the US. They also fast-tracked efforts to improve their own defense capabilities in the wake of Trumps outreach to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine potentially over their heads. Whats at Stake as Trump Attacks Ukraines Zelenskiy: QuickTake Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UK and France are seeking to build what Starmer called a coalition of the willing to participate in a peacekeeping force and help reassure Kyiv about the durability of any peace. Britain, France and one or two other countries will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, Starmer said Sunday. Macron told Le Figaro newspaper after the gathering that the EU should provide 200 billion ($208 billion) to boost its military capabilities, a topic that will be discussed by leaders at an emergency summit in Brussels on March 6. Kremlin Responds The Kremlin, in its first official response, said on Monday that the unprecedented flare-up at the White House between Trump and Zelenskiy showed that Western unity is starting to fall apart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskiys stance means it will be much harder to reach a settlement of the Ukraine conflict, said Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, according to Interfax. The Kyiv regime and Zelenskiy do not want peace, they want the continuation of the war, he said. --With assistance from Aliaksandr Kudrytski and Piotr Skolimowski. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. When President Donald Trump imposed his long-threatened 25 percent tariffs on most goods from Canada and Mexico last night, the White House declared the trade barriers are necessary "to combat the extraordinary threat to U.S. national security, including our public health," caused by "the flow of contraband drugs like fentanyl into the United States." The stock market promptly plummeted. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada would respond with 25 percent tariffs of its own on $155 billion worth of goods from the U.S. (In a post on Truth Social, Trump fired back: "our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount!") China declared that it would impose tariffs of up to 15 percent on U.S. agricultural imports, and President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico said her country would impose retaliatory tariffs as well. Trump originally announced the new tariffs last month, but he agreed to pause their implementation when Canada and Mexico agreed to step up their border enforcement. (That order also imposed tariffs on China, which were not paused.) The White House noted in this week's announcement, "While President Trump gave both Canada and Mexico ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country, they have failed to adequately address the situation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If tariffs are a poor method of collecting revenue or strengthening trade, they're even less effective at stopping the flow of illegal drugs across a border. Indeed, if the tariffs are primarily intended to halt fentanyl, then it's strange to include Canada in the first place. Of the 7,793 pounds of fentanyl seized in the U.S. since September, the BBC reports, citing U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics, 98 percent "was intercepted at the southwest border with Mexico. Less than 1% was seized across the northern US border with Canada. The remainder was from sea routes or other US checkpoints." "While less than 1 per cent of the fentanyl intercepted at the U.S. border comes from Canada," Trudeau commented in a statement, "we have worked relentlessly to address this scourge that affects Canadians and Americans alike." Just last week, his country's border-control agency announced Operation Blizzard, "a targeted, cross-country initiative aimed at intercepting illegal contraband arriving and leaving Canada, with a focus on fentanyl and other synthetic narcotics." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, expecting Mexico to make the fentanyl trade stop or else is a fool's errand. The majority of the fentanyl that crosses either the northern or southern border is transported in small quantities concealed in passenger vehicles. As Reason's Jacob Sullum wrote last month, "Finding those small amounts among the hundreds of thousands of cars and trucks that cross into the United States from Mexico and Canada each day is a daunting task, and even attempting it in a serious way would impose intolerable burdens on international travel and trade." There is no clear rationale for imposing tariffs on Canada in response to fentanyl coming across the northern border, and placing tariffs on Mexico will have little or no impact on its importation. But that might not be the real point. Fentanyl might simply be Trump's excuse for doing what he wanted to do anyway: impose tariffs on friend and foe alike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariff," Trump said in October, "and it's my favorite word." In the Oval Office on January 31, he added, "We were at our richest from 18701913; that's when we were a tariff country." ("There were a lot of causes to America's rise. Tariffs were not the reason," the economist Chris Meissner told MarketWatch.) Clearly, Trump is a fan of import duties. In 2018 and 2019, during his first term, Trump imposed tariffs on $380 billion worth of goods, largely from China. As the Tax Foundation economist Erica York noted on X this week, Trump has now put tariffs on "$1.4 trillion of imports, mainly from allies, over the course of a month." On its face, Trump's new trade war directly violates the United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA)a deal Trump championed during his first term. But as Reason's Eric Boehm wrote in January, the USMCA "included a clauseguaranteeing each country the right to apply new tariffs for 'the protection of its own essential security interests.' If Trump sets up his tariffs as a national security issue, the U.S. could claim the USMCA allows it." This justification would require Trump to declare a national emergencyand indeed, his February announcement alleged that "the extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl, constitutes a national emergency" under the requisite statute. Trump loves tariffs. Fentanyl is just an excuse. The post Trump Loves Tariffs. Fentanyl Is Just an Excuse. appeared first on Reason.com. President Trump continues to criticize Ukrainian President Zelenskyy after their argument during a Friday meeting. Meanwhile, there are concerns that fighting between Israel and Hamas will restart if an agreement isnt reached about phase 2 of their ceasefire deal. White House Deputy Middle East Envoy Morgan Ortagus discusses both issues on The Hill. Regarding Ukraine, Ortagus says Trump is the only person who can bring Russia and Ukraine together to negotiate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. March 3 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump ordered a temporary "pause" on military aid to Ukraine on Monday, according to White House officials, following Friday's heated Oval Office exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," one unnamed official told CNN, ABC News and The New York Times. Another official said the temporary pause applies to $1 billion in military equipment that is on order. On Friday, a 45-minute White House meeting between the two leaders, to sign an economic deal on natural resources from Ukraine in exchange for continued U.S. support and the eventual end of its three-year war with Russia, ended with no signing, no lunch and no joint news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vice President JD Vance called Zelensky "disrespectful" for trying to negotiate the deal before the media and not thanking Trump publicly. "The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy," Vance said, to which Zelensky fired back, "What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you speaking about?" After the meeting Trump said, "This is going to be great television. We'll see about putting a deal together." On Saturday, Zelensky thanked the United States for supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia and called for a minerals deal. "I'm thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support and the American people," Zelensky wrote in a post on X. "Ukrainians have always appreciated this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The differences between the two leaders in the negotiations stem from Zelensky's demand that any peace agreement include security guarantees by the United States, which Trump has declined to provide. "It's not enough," Zelensky said. "We need more than that. A cease-fire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine." As Zelensky talked to European leaders Saturday, following the contentious Oval Office meeting, he found more support. The Ukrainian president secured a $2.8 billion loan from the Britain during a weekend meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to pay for weapons production. Zelensky also attended a European summit in London on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Europe's unity is at an exceptionally high level, one that has not been seen in a long time," Zelensky said. "We are discussing with our partners security guarantees and the conditions for a just peace in Ukraine. A series of important meetings and decisions are being prepared for the near future." Despite receiving strong support from Europe, Zelensky said over the weekend that the end of Ukraine's war with Russia remains "very, very far away." Trump called Zelensky's statement "the worst" in terms of showing strength against Russia. "This guy does not want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing, and Europe in the meeting they had with Zelensky stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the United States," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to White House officials, the decision to pause military aid is part of a pressure tactic on Ukraine to resume peace negotiations. The Trump administration is also seeking a public apology from Zelensky before renewing talks on the minerals deal. Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, condemned the move Monday night and urged the administration to release its hold on Ukraine's military aid. "My Republican colleagues, who have called Russia President Vladimir Putin a war criminal and promised their continued support to Ukraine, must join me in demanding President Trump immediately lift this disastrous and unlawful freeze of Congressionally appropriated assistance to Ukraine," Meeks wrote in a statement. "If President Trump were truly concerned with securing a just and sustainable peace deal for Ukraine, he wouldn't have conceded every piece of leverage the United States, our allies and Ukraine held before even beginning negotiations," Meeks added. "And he certainly wouldn't be forcing Ukraine into surrender, while claiming it's a deal." The Trump administration is pausing military aid to Ukraine, according to two U.S. officials, following last week's public clash between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well," a White House official said Monday. "We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move by the Trump administration comes after an explosive meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance told Zelenskyy that he hadn't shown enough gratitude for the billions of dollars in U.S. aid provided to his country in the three years since Russia invaded. After the meeting, Trump said on Truth Social that Zelenskyy had "disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office." He also told reporters that Zelenskyy had overplayed his hand and was looking to continue fighting over seeking peace. Ukrainian soldiers fire artillery in the direction of Chasiv Yar in January. The State Department said in January that the United States had provided $65.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022. Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the weeks leading up to Friday's White House meeting, Trump had falsely said Ukraine was responsible for Russias invasion, arguing that Kyiv could have made a deal to avoid the conflict. He also referred to Zelenskyy as a "dictator" after Zelenskyy suggested that Trump was being influenced by Russian disinformation. Zelenskyy said Sunday that he is still willing to sign a deal that would allow the United States access to Ukraines rare-earth minerals and that he believes Ukraine's relationship with the United States could be salvaged after last week's White House meeting. The Trump administration had indicated that Zelenskyy would sign the minerals deal during last week's visit. Asked Monday about pausing military aid to Ukraine, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters, Thats his decision, referring to Trump. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, criticized the move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a critical time for Ukraine, and I managed the Ukraine supplemental last year that provided additional help to Ukraine, and I do not think we should be pausing our efforts, Collins said. Before plans of the pause became public, Senate Republicans had expressed hope that a deal could still be reached to continue U.S. assistance to Ukraine and facilitate a peace deal with Russia. I just hope that they can get things back on track and that everybody will redouble their efforts, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters, calling the heated Oval Office meeting a missed opportunity. Earth and minerals are loaded onto trucks at an open-pit mine in Donetsk, Ukraine on Feb. 26. Some European leaders intensified their support of Ukraine following Zelenskyy's visit to Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday announced a $2.8 billion loan to back Ukraine and said Britain, France and Ukraine had agreed to map out a ceasefire effort to be presented to the U.S. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X that Zelenskyy was "never alone." "We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace, she wrote. French President Emmanuel Macron also offered his support, saying on X that it was crucial to respect the Ukrainians' fight "for their dignity, their independence, for their children and for the security of Europe. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com (Bloomberg) -- Ukraines military can keep up the fight against Russian forces for at least a few more months despite President Donald Trumps decision to pause US arms supplies, according to allied officials, but key munitions could begin to run short sooner. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the weapons that European allies cant make up are several kinds of air-defense missiles, as well as those used in the HIMARS launchers that have helped Ukraine strike deep behind Russian lines, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing matters that arent public. Stepped-up Russian attacks could complicate the situation sooner, one of the officials said. If we talk about the ammo, the biggest problem is lack of air defense, Andriy Biletskyi, Commander of the 3rd Assault Brigade, said on Ukrainian radio NV. First of all Patriots and NASAMS, he added, referring to two systems supplied primarily by the US. Trump shocked allies and Kyiv with the announcement late Monday that the US would pause all supplies in an effort to pressure Volodymyr Zelenskiy agree to US terms for starting peace talks. The Ukrainian president Tuesday struck a more conciliatory tone, describing as regrettable the angry televised blow-up with Trump in the Oval Office last week. US officials said Washington is still open to a resources deal with Kyiv that Trump has proposed to tighten economic links between the two going into talks with Russia on an end to the fighting. Trump wants to convey to him that we are a critical partner in your war, said Dara Massicot, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. My concern is that this is not happening in the context of ceasefire; its happening in the context where Russia continues to attack every day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A former senior US official said the pause wont cause a collapse on the battlefield but its impact will be consequential, particularly in the signal it sends to the Kremlin about potential Ukrainian weakness. Since Russias full-scale invasion began just over three years ago, the US has sent more than $66 billion in military aid. Ukraine survived a previous pause in US shipments when Republicans in Congress held up a new package for about six months, but the delay was costly as Russian forces advanced and its missiles and drones battered Ukraines cities and infrastructure. At the time when Russia could fire ten artillery shells to every single one by Ukraine, drones became the key strike weapon for Kyiv as they are mainly domestically-produced. Army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said last month that 66% of all Russian equipment losses in January were inflicted by drones. It was also thanks to drones superiority that Ukraine recently succeeded in halting Russian advances around the strategic city of Pokrovsk in the easter Donetsk region. Their production increased significantly and was ten times higher in January than at the same time last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Choke-Points President Joe Biden rushed arms supplies to Ukraine in the waning weeks of his administration, but its not clear how many were delivered before Trumps pause order took effect. Those shipments included air defense and other missiles. Europe doesnt produce anything like those, said Ben Barry, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. They have had some effect in terms of striking Russian HQs, logistics, choke-points, both in Ukraine in the Russian occupied territories and in bits of Russia near to Ukraine. Artillery and tank shells, which had been in short supply earlier in the conflict, are more widely available now, according to allied officials. But if the pause in US supplies drags out, Europe would be hard-pressed to produce enough to make up the gap. If the US suspension lasts, Europe would need to almost double its supply of arms and ammunition, Barry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All that spooling up of industrial production cant be done very quickly, he said. So far, the Trump administration hasnt cut off intelligence sharing or the Starlink internet service, both of which have been critical to Kyivs war effort. We seriously depend on the US intelligence, satellite and radio and electronic communication, said Biletskyi, the assault commander, noting that some units rely exclusively on Starlink for communications. If the data exchange will be stopped, it will be very negative for the battlefield. Europe has only three big wing intelligence planes, all owned by the UK, while the US has 17, according to the IISS. Some European countries operate smaller ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement --With assistance from Courtney McBride and Daryna Krasnolutska. (Adds details on drones starting in eighth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. LONDON President Donald Trumps decision to pause American military aid to Ukraine is handing Russias Vladimir Putin the upper hand on the battlefield and in geopolitical negotiations, former officials and experts warned Tuesday. The White House said the defense assistance was being reviewed to make sure it was contributing to the administrations goal of being focused on peace. Military analysts say that withholding Ukraines defensive lifeblood will be crippling in a matter of months as it tries to hold back the Russian war machine and defend its cities being bombed nightly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will also deepen the chasm between the Trump administration and Washingtons longtime European allies, who are already scrambling to fill the void left by a U.S. government pursuing a rapprochement with their chief antagonist in Moscow. Michael McFaul, Washingtons ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama, likened the move to President Franklin D. Roosevelt losing the 1940 election to an America Firster who then had the U.S. switch sides in World War II. ... Wed all be speaking German now. Thats why this current moment feels like, he wrote on X. Three years into a war between an imperialist dictatorship with autocratic allies and a democracy, Trump just switched sides. Ukrainian servicemen load artillery before firing toward Russian positions in Donetsk in January. On the battlefield, "Ukraine is not going to run out of bullets tomorrow," said Michael A. Horowitz, a geopolitical and security analyst who is the head of intelligence at the Le Beck consultancy. "But a suspension of military aid would have a very noticeable impact on the conflict that would become visible in the coming months." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States has given $65.9 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. That's far more than any other country (second is Germanys $13 billion, according to the Kiel Institute think tank.) In fact, the U.S. contributions are so large that they roughly equal all other nations aid put together. A significant part of the American aid has been to supply Ukraine with air defense missiles, which not only protect Kyiv's military positions but also civilians in cities, which have been targeted by the Russian military. It is also crucial in giving Ukraine artillery, which it has used to slow Russian advances over the winter. And it has been central in training the Ukrainians how to use the equipment, maintaining and repairing it and providing transport. Europe could pick up some of the slack, but it will be nearly impossible to do so completely, Horowitz said. And while moves to remove American support would not cause issues immediately, in time "they will become quite crippling," he added. Likewise, though Ukraine receives some ammunition from Europe, "uncertainty about future U.S. aid shipments could lead Ukraine to begin rationing ammunition," said Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a Philadelphia-based think tank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately that "will lead to higher casualties for Ukrainian forces," he told NBC News. In the skies, Ukraine relies on the United States to supply the interceptor missiles for its Patriot air defense systems. "Without them, Ukraine will have more difficultly protecting its cities from Russian missile strikes," Lee said. It also has no effective replacement for the multiple guided missiles, which the U.S. supplies for its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, which have been used to great effect against Russia. Added to that, "Ukraine already faces a manpower shortage, so the loss of U.S. aid will pose greater challenges for Ukraine," Lee said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a tense meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday. The decision to pause aid comes after a meeting between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy descended into a shouting match Friday. They berated Zelenskyy for not being grateful enough for their support and said he was not ready for peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Ukraines European allies do not see arming Ukraine as altruistic or something deserving of gratitude. Instead, they see the war as the front line of a wider conflict already raging between Russia and the West, one that Putin will only seek to expand possibly into other European countries if he emerges with a win in Ukraine. Cutting aid to Ukraine would not achieve a sustainable peace that Trump and his team say they want, so this argument goes, but rather allow the Kremlin to regroup ready for its next aggression knowing that the United States no longer has the appetite to punish it. The Europeans, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, have touted their own version of what they call "peace through strength." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That involves helping Ukraine pressure Russia on the battlefield to gain favorable conditions on the negotiating table. Arming Ukraine offers the United States great leverage in peace negotiations, according to an analysis the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington defense think tank, published Monday before the news emerged. "A suspension of ongoing U.S. military assistance to Ukraine would encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to continue to increase his demands and fuel his conviction that he can achieve total victory through war, it said. The realization that Washington is no longer willing to underwrite European and Ukrainian security has prompted the Europeans to make moves of their own. While news of Trump's Ukraine aid hiatus was reverberating across the continent, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set out proposals that could raise some 800 billion euro in defense spending (around $840 billion) almost double European's collective annual defense budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are living in the most momentous and dangerous of times," she said in a speech. "I do not need to describe the grave nature of the threats that we face. Or the devastating consequences that we will have to endure if those threats would come to pass." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com President Trump has ordered a pause on U.S. aid going to Ukraine in its war against Russia, a consequential move as he clashes with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the path to ending the conflict. The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well, a White House official said in a statement. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The pause applies to all military aid not already on the ground in Ukraine and will affect munitions, anti-tank weapons and other materials the U.S. has provided to Kyiv since Russia invaded roughly three years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump took office with nearly $4 billion in drawdown authority available from previously approved congressional funding for Ukraine. That funding now appears poised to go unused. The move is likely to increase the pressure on Zelensky to get back in Trumps good graces or risk losing ground in the war. It is also likely to put the spotlight on European nations seeking to rally more support for Kyiv. As of the end of fiscal 2024, Congress had approved nearly $183 billion in Ukraine aid, according to a federal government oversight office. The European Union has contributed roughly $145 billion in total assistance to Ukraine since the war began. Trump campaigned on a pledge to end the war in Ukraine. Since taking office, he has spoken with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tensions have been heightened between Trump and Zelensky in recent weeks after the U.S. president called the Ukrainian leader a dictator without elections who had done a terrible job. Trump recently suggested Ukraine was to blame for the start of the war with Russia. Zelensky responded at the time that Trump was living in a disinformation space. The tensions appeared to culminate at a confrontational meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, after which Trump said the Ukrainian leader was not ready for peace. Zelensky had arrived at the White House last week expecting to meet with Trump and sign off on a deal that would give the U.S. access to Ukraines critical mineral supply. Trump had touted the deal as a way for the U.S. to recoup some of the aid it had provided to Ukraine in its war against Russia, while boosting Ukraines economy in the long term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump called off peace talks, and the deal was left unsigned after the Oval Office blowup. Trump said earlier Monday that the minerals deal was not dead, and that Zelensky could restart talks by showing appreciation for U.S. assistance. Updated at 7:49 pm EST Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. US President Donald Trump has ordered the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine, increasing pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a spat at the White House. Source: Bloomberg with reference to a Pentagon official; CNN with reference to a White House representative Details: An unnamed US Department of Defense official said "the US is holding up all pending military assistance until Trump determines Ukraines leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official stated that the supply of all American military equipment not currently in Ukraine would be halted, including weapons en route by plane and ship or waiting in transit in Poland. Bloomberg noted that Trump had instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to enforce this pause. Bloomberg added that it remains unclear exactly how much US aid is affected by Trumps order. Quote from Bloomberg: "Even before Trump suspended Ukraine aid on Monday, it was unclear whether his administration would use the US$3.85 billion in funding Bidens administration left behind, particularly given that US weapons stockpiles are running low and need to be replenished." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The freeze on aid already en route to Ukraine includes the delivery of critical munitions, hundreds of guided multiple launch rocket systems and anti-tank weapons and other capabilities. Cutting off existing contracts with industry may also require the US to pay some form of cancellation fee to companies that have started filling the orders." Quote from a White House representative: "The President [Donald Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution." Background: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the White House ahead of schedule on Friday, 28 February after a spat with Donald Trump and JD Vance. In response, Trump claimed that the Ukrainian president had "disrespected" the United States and that Zelenskyy was "not ready for peace". On Monday, 3 March Trump stated that he had not yet discussed halting military aid to Ukraine, saying that it depends on what happens next. The Trump administration has recently stopped funding the purchase of new weapons for Ukraine and is considering freezing another type of aid the supply of weapons from US stockpiles. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! President Donald Trump is ordering a pause on shipments of US military aid to Ukraine after his heated Oval Office argument with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, a White House official told CNN Monday. The halt in aid, which came after Trump held a series of meetings with top national security officials at the White House, could have dire effect on Ukraines war-fighting abilities, officials and analysts said. It will remain in place until Trump determines Zelensky has made a commitment to seeking peace talks, one official said, essentially forcing Ukraine to a negotiating table by threatening further losses on the battlefield. The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, the White House official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After more than a week of open hostility between Washington and Kyiv, Mondays pause was the most material sign of how far the relationship has deteriorated since Trump took office. In recent weeks, Trump has echoed Russian President Vladimir Putins talking points, falsely claiming Ukraine started the war and accusing Zelensky of being a dictator, but his decision to halt the delivery of military aid is a move that could have real consequences for the balance of the conflict and strengthen Putins hand. The pause will apply to all military equipment not yet inside Ukraine, officials said, and amounts to a direct response to what Trump views as Zelenskys bad behavior last week. Ukraine could likely sustain its current fighting pace for several weeks perhaps until the start of the summer before a US pause would begin to have a major effect, Western officials said in the wake of the decision. The Biden administration rushed shipments of weapons to Ukraine in its waning days, providing the country with large stockpiles of advanced weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is those sophisticated weapons including the long-range ATACMS missiles that have allowed Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory, a strategy that could suffer if those weapons remain paused. While European nations may be able to replace US shipments of artillery, supplemented by Ukraines own growing defense industry, the most advanced weapons used by Kyiv come from the United States. Impact could be crippling The impact is going to be big. I would call it crippling, said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies who has closely followed the war. Cancian estimated that Ukraine would feel the impacts of the pause in aid within two to four months, as aid from European countries helps Kyiv remain in the fight for now. Thats why they dont fall off a cliff, but when your supplies get cut in half, eventually that shows up on the front lines, Cancian said. Their front lines would continue to buckle and eventually they would break and Ukraine would have to accept an adverse even catastrophic peace settlement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Cancian warned the Trump administration has more forms of aid to Ukraine that can be paused or canceled altogether, including intelligence sharing and the training of Ukrainian forces. There might be a way out of this, but its going to be extremely humiliating for Zelensky, Cancian said. The White House made the decision to pause military aid to Ukraine for now as officials seek an acknowledgement from Zelensky about the breakdown in relations following Fridays blowup in the Oval Office. According to several officials, Trump and his senior aides are seeking an acknowledgement from Zelensky potentially in the form of a public apology before moving ahead with a deal on Ukraines rare earth minerals, which had been close to agreement before Fridays meeting, or a discussion on continuing foreign aid. The decision to halt the aid was made later on Monday, one person said, and is part of a pressure strategy on Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly called for Zelensky to apologize for Friday in an interview on CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The halt puts Trump even more clearly at odds with the United States traditional European allies like Britain and France, who made clear their support for Zelensky at a summit in London on Sunday. There is a capability gap that Europe cannot fill alone, one US official said. A European official called the Trump administrations decision to pause military aid to Ukraine petty and wrong. The official said it will immediately deepen distrust in the US government among the Ukrainian people. The official also predicted it will cause unnecessary civilian casualties, as Ukraine will not be able to defend against Russian air attacks after they run out of air defense missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im beyond disappointed, the official told CNN Since the start of the war, the Biden administration announced 74 separate packages of military aid pulled directly from US inventories, allowing the critical munitions and supplies to flow quickly to Ukraine. The largest of these packages was nearly $3 billion, though most were far smaller. Zelensky has repeatedly thanked the US for the weapons on social media, as well as in calls and meetings with American officials. The pause comes one day after a defense official told CNN that military aid to Ukraine announced by the Biden administration was still flowing. Those shipments included critical munitions such as anti-tank weapons, thousands of artillery rounds, and rockets. Those shipments were expected to continue for several weeks, but the decision from the Trump administration freezes the aid that was en route. DoD is also providing other capabilities, such as armored vehicles, as soon as required repairs are completed, the defense official said on Sunday. The US had set up facilities in Poland to repair Western equipment damaged on the battlefield before sending it back to the Ukrainian military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are also multiple longer-term contracts between arms manufacturers and the US to send weapons systems and air defense systems to Ukraine. Mixed reaction from Republicans Republicans in Congress, where the party holds majorities in both chambers, have been split on continuing aid to Ukraine amid its three-year war with Russia. Earlier Monday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a Trump ally, said he thought the US obligation to Ukraine only goes so far, saying, the American taxpayers are tired of funding this war, and theres no end in sight. I dont believe that any of us sitting here believes that Ukraine can win this war, and the president is saying, Lets bring an end to it, the Oklahoma Republican continued, adding that if Zelensky wants the US to continue negotiating peace, then we will. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he warned if Zelensky doesnt want to negotiate peace, then its not our job to make the taxpayers continue to fund an endless war. GOP Sen. Susan Collins, however, denounced the pause on Monday night, arguing that the US needs to continue backing its ally. This is a critical time for Ukraine. And I managed the Ukraine supplemental last year that provided additional help to Ukraine, and I do not think we should be pausing our efforts. Its the Ukrainians who are shedding blood, the Maine Republican said. Collins acknowledged that Congress may not be able to do anything to ensure Ukraine continues to receive aid from the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of it is linked to the presidents drawdown authority, she noted, pointing to accusations during former President Joe Bidens term that he had slow walked aid. Unfortunately, weve seen this movie before, and I remain convinced that its not only in Ukraines interest but our interest to back Ukraine because Putin is not going to stop there, she said. House Foreign Affairs Chair Republican Rep. Brian Mast told CNN he knew it was an option for the Trump administration to pause all US military aid to Ukraine. I think people can assume that everything is on the table with Ukraine right now, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story has been updated with additional developments. CNNs Kaitlan Collins, Morgan Rimmer, Annie Grayer, Ali Main, Manu Raju and Sarah Davis contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Aid to Ukraine paused: Following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump has decided to pause all military aid to Ukraine. "President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace," a White House official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution." NEWS: Trump admin pausing and reviewing military aid to Ukraine WH tells FOX "President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a https://t.co/QYKb31oHfh Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) March 4, 2025 "The official said the decision could be reversed if Zelensky demonstrates a good-faith effort to participate in peace talks," per The Washington Post. "Ukrainian officials have bristled that the Trump administration did not seek early buy-in on negotiations and were surprised by the decision to exclude them from last month's meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia." This ain't it: A lot of the MAGA right is now acting like Zelenskyy is more villainous than he is in reality; I don't believe he wants a "never-ending graft meat grinder" so much as he wants to defend Ukraine's sovereignty and not be forced to redraw his country's borders every decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A much more defensible critiquelobbed his way by J.D. Vance in that now-infamous Oval Office meetingis that Zelenskyy has a manpower problem, and his forcible conscription of military-aged men is wrong; that he has suspended certain press freedoms and ought to hold elections even during wartime; that he is fighting a losing battle at great cost to his people and that negotiating a deal that cedes some amount of territory is the best move he has available to him. It shouldn't be hard to engage in measured critiques, or to lob some criticism Europe's way, vs. impugning his motives. Zelensky wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil. https://t.co/FVaEkIm7Gq Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2025 One of the influencers to whom the Epstein binders were given chimed in with this: Zelensky knows if the war ends, his power ends Elections will resume and he'll lose Then his adversary will investigate his money laundering and he'll be sent to prison Zelensky is sending innocent Ukrainians to die in his meat grinder so he can stay in power Dictator https://t.co/TU6s1gjr6f DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) March 3, 2025 "True," added Musk, quote-tweeting Draino. "As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine." As I said: There are lots of critiques of Zelenskyy that can reasonably be offered. This is something else entirely. Still, for U.S. taxpayers who no longer want their money to be funding Ukraine, this pausea drastic step toward reevaluating American support of Ukrainian defenseis surely welcome. But the souring of relations, without clear assurances that Europe will step up their support for Ukraine, makes Zelenskyy look pretty doomed to failure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tariffs go into effect: A month ago, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, ostensibly to punish all of them for their roles in allowing fentanyl to flow into the United States. At the time, Mexico and Canada successfully persuaded him to hold off until March, but he went ahead and imposed a 10 percent tax on imported goods from China. Well, now it's March. Today, a 25 percent tariff on Mexican and Canadian goods went into effect, and the tariff on Chinese goods was raised from 10 percent to 20 percent. Canadian energy products will incur a 10 percent tariff. Expect the prices of tons of goods to rise: Cars, computers, cellphones, avocados, tequila, lots of produce, beef, maple syrup, lumber. The easier thing to do might be to list the products that won't be affected. Retaliatory tariffs have also been imposed. China announced "15% tariffs on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton imports from the US" per CNN, as well as 10 percent on "sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyway, this is not good at all. Here's the only silver lininga beautiful morsel of art: I put the Curb Your Enthusiasm music to the stock market falling in real time as Trump announces his tariffs. My masterpiece lmao pic.twitter.com/syNwWAgIv2 Armand Domalewski (@ArmandDoma) March 4, 2025 "Canada and Mexico accounted for 28 percent of all imports to the U.S. last year," Reason's Eric Boehm noted last week. "If the costs of Trump's tariffs are fully passed down the supply chain, consumers could be facing $225 billion in higher costs, according to an estimate by the American Action Forum (AAF). The energy and manufacturing sectors figure to be the hardest hit, thanks to the deeply integrated North American supply chains for products ranging from crude oil to critical minerals like cobalt and zinc." Not to mention: "Mexico is America's largest source of agricultural imports, according to the USDA. That includes 63 percent of U.S. vegetable imports and 47 percent of U.S. fruit and nut imports. All of that would be affected by the new tariffs. If Trump is hoping that Americans won't notice the consequences of higher tariffs, he's deluding himself." For more on this, read Boehm's "Trump's Theory of Tariffs Makes No Sense." Scenes from New York: New York City public schools have been rolling out their "black studies" curriculumwhich teaches about the Black Panthers and has children read Ta-Nehisi Coates' "The Case for Reparations"in likely defiance of the Trump administration's new rules barring diversity, equity, and inclusionfocused curricula. QUICK HITS "Earlier this year, Meta pulled the plug on its US fact-checking program. Google now refuses to add fact-checks to Search and YouTube. Nearly a decade of workhundreds of millions of dollars spent, thousands of people hiredis gone, essentially overnight, and for good reason," writes Pirate Wires' Lauren Wagner. "My interviews with 20 trust and safety workers at Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Google, and other major social media platforms reveal how a cottage industry of fact-checkers ballooned after 2016, bankrolled by tech companies' donations to nonprofit fact-checking networks. This fact-checking regime was not about truth. Instead, it evolved into a desperate stopgap and PR tactic that was doomed from the start." Relevant to this is the latest Just Asking Questions episode with Matt Taibbi: Blood donor extraordinaire dies. The full story is really awesome, of a blood donor with antibodies in his blood that were able to help prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN), something that can cause stillbirth if untreated. Anyway, upon discovering these antibodies, he made it his mission to donate blood as often as possible. "For all the talk about cutting government waste and fraud, the DOGE-Trump team seems mostly animated by rooting out leftist culture politics and its practitioners in Washington," writes Veronique de Rugy for Reason. "It feels that it is less about smaller government than it is about political transformation. While the two intersect, this strategy could fall short." Andrew Cuomo, former governor of New York who is now running for mayor, ought to remain bedeviled by his twin scandals: Horrifyingly poor management of the state's COVID policyincluding bad decisions about how to handle COVID-positive nursing home patients which allowed the virus to claim a far greater death toll than it otherwise would haveand groping, kissing, harassing, and asking to play strip poker with his many female aides. More from The Atlantic on how the pervy "love Gov" hopes to reinvent himself. (I, for one, hope he fails.) lol: "I'm a huge fan of Ronald Reagan but he was bad on trade," says Trump just now Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) March 3, 2025 The post Trump Pauses Military Aid to Ukraine appeared first on Reason.com. (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump ordered a pause to all US military aid to Ukraine, turning up the heat on Volodymyr Zelenskiy days after an Oval Office blowup with the Ukrainian president left support from his countrys most important ally in doubt. Most Read from Bloomberg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US is holding up all pending military assistance until Trump determines Ukraines leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, according to a senior Defense Department official, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. It will also review the aid to make sure its contributing to a solution to the conflict. Follow The Big Take DC podcast wherever you listen. The impact was felt immediately along the Polish border with Ukraine at a key aiport, one that serves as a transit hub for the transport of weapons and medical supplies. This of course is putting Ukraine and Poland in a more difficult situation, said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a statement. But we have to cope with this situation. So there is no point in being offended by reality here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order applies to all US military equipment not currently in Ukraine, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland. While the extent of the affected weapons isnt immediately known, Trump had inherited from former President Joe Biden the authority to deliver $3.85 billion in weapons from US stockpiles. Trump is eager for a quick deal to end the war triggered by Russias full-scale invasion of its neighbor three years ago. But when Zelenskiy pushed last week for security guarantees to ensure Russia doesnt violate any agreement, Trump angrily told him to come back when hes ready for peace. A mineral-resources deal that was seen as a possible precursor to a ceasefire was left unsigned. The freeze on aid en route to Ukraine includes the delivery of critical munitions, hundreds of guided multiple launch rocket systems and anti-tank weapons and other capabilities. Ukraine relies on the US for its air defense as Russia bombards its former Soviet partner with missiles and drones. Only US Patriot missile-defense systems are capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles, including the Kinzhal. The US move blindsided European allies, who were not consulted, according to Polands Foreign Affairs Ministry. Senior British officials were unaware of the plan as of late Monday, despite a series of phone calls between members of the UK and US cabinet in recent days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats at Stake as Trump Attacks Ukraines Zelenskiy: QuickTake The Ukrainian parliaments national security and defense committee held a closed-door meeting to discuss the halt of US military aid, RBC-Ukraine news wire reported, citing lawmaker Fedir Venislavskyi. The main task now is to find ways to substitute US-supplied air defenses as well as American precise long-range artillery, he said. European allies have been racing to come up with plans to keep Ukraine supplied with weapons, as well as to provide peacekeeping forces for a deal. Yet Europe lacks many of the arms and other capabilities that the US now provides. Allied officials have said supplies of weapons are likely to last only until summer. The European Union is meanwhile proposing extending 150 billion ($158 billion) in loans to boost defense spending, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Brussels on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A key factor left out of the conversation is that there is no indication Russian leader Vladimir Putin has any serious intention to negotiate a realistic peace settlement, European officials say. His red line is that Ukraine is neutral and it remains unclear whether he would countenance western troops on the ground in the country, despite Trumps comments that he would. It isnt obvious how the US, Ukraine or Europe could agree to those terms, they say. The Kremlin said the Trump administrations move to cut off aid could push Ukraine to the negotiating table. We have yet to learn the details, but if this is true, this really is a decision that could encourage Kyiv toward the peace process, Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Interfax news agency. He also said it was too early to speak about a potential easing of US sanctions on Russia. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who hosted Zelenskiy and fellow European leaders at the weekend and has been in regular contact with Trump, was asked earlier Monday about the prospect of the US withdrawing military aid from Ukraine. Starmer told the House of Commons that he had not seen such reports about the Trump administrations plans and that as I understand it, that is not its position. The move is a setback for hopes of detente between the US and Ukraine. Earlier on Monday, Trump had kept the door open to signing the minerals deal, and European leaders expressed hope it could be salvaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a great deal for us, Trump told reporters, adding that Ill let you know tomorrow, when he addresses a joint session of Congress. He said Zelenskiy should be more appreciative of the billions in US assistance his country has received to fight Russias invasion. Vice President JD Vance, who took part in the sharp exchanges with Zelenskiy at the White House last week, told Sean Hannity on Fox News Monday night that the Russians are going to have to give up stuff. The Ukrainians are going to have to give up stuff. Vance added, When theyre willing to talk peace, I think President Trump will be the first person to pick up the phone. Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are drawing up a temporary ceasefire proposal to present to Trump that would allow detailed talks to begin for a durable long-term peace plan. Perhaps counter-intuitively, the aid pause could be part of Trumps calculus. Vance, however, was dismissive of the European troop plans in his Fox interview. Defense stocks rose for a second day on the prospect of a surge in spending by European countries. The sector is up nearly 20% so far this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UK and France are privately urging Zelenskiy to repair relations with Trump and believe the US leader is still committed to a peace deal, they said. European allies believe that Zelenskiy may need to grovel to Trump because a simple apology is unlikely to suffice, one of the people said. The UK-France plan involves an initial truce between Russia and Ukraine to allow allies to work on a durable peace plan with a coalition of European troops backed by US security guarantees. It would also allow time to see whether Russia is serious about ending its aggression toward Ukraine, the people said. The problem with all these discussions is no ones told me how you get the Russians to the table to negotiate anything or to make any concessions on what their maximal goals are at this point, said Thomas Graham, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. I think we are a long way away from any type of deal, any type of ceasefire. Zelenskiy has expressed a willingness to meet with Trump again, if the US president invites him for a serious encounter. But Zelenskiy was also quoted as predicting that the end of Ukraines war with Russia is very, very far away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! Trump said in a social media post. Earlier: Trump Keeps Door Open to Ukraine Deal With Europe Now Optimistic Even before Trump suspended Ukraine aid, it was unclear whether his administration would use the $3.85 billion in funding Bidens administration left behind, particularly given that US weapons stockpiles are running low and need to be replenished. Stopping support for Ukraine would jeopardize the stability of Europe and the free world, Representative Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, said on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement --With assistance from Samy Adghirni, Iain Marlow, Akayla Gardner, Sangmi Cha, Jon Herskovitz, Daryna Krasnolutska, Kateryna Chursina, Milda Seputyte, Alex Morales, Blaise Robinson, Ellen Milligan and Alex Wickham. (Updates reflect impact felt in Poland throughout.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. March 3 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night as he lays out his vision for a second term. While the speech is not referred to as a State of the Union, which is the presidential address given during subsequent years in office, Trump is expected to discuss the state of his first six weeks since his inauguration as his administration cracks down on illegal immigration, cuts wasteful spending and works to broker an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. The president will address members from both chambers of Congress, as well as Supreme Court justices and his Cabinet. Trump has invited other guests, including Elon Musk, who is in charge of cutting government spending through the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency. The speech begins at 9 p.m. ET, with most networks airing it live or streaming it online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Ky., invited Trump to speak before Congress in a letter delivered shortly after his inauguration. "It is my distinct honor and great privilege to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March, 4, 2025, in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, to share your America First vision for our legislative future," Johnson wrote Jan. 25. On Monday, Johnson warned lawmakers to be "on their best behavior" during Trump's address. "We ought to maintain decorum," Johnson told reporters, despite Republicans controlling both the House and the Senate. "It's an important event for the country and everybody needs to be on their best behavior. So, I am praying that's true." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he and Democratic leaders will attend "to make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance on the excesses of the administration." Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., a first-term senator, is slated to deliver the Democratic response following Trump's speech. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., will deliver the Spanish language response. On Monday, the White House called Trump's joint address -- which it titled The Renewal of the American Dream -- "must-see TV." "President Trump has accomplished more in one month than any president in four years -- and the renewal of the American dream is well underway. In his Joint Address to Congress, President Trump will celebrate his extraordinarily successful first month in office while outlining his bold, ambitious and common sense vision for the future," the White House wrote in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's address to Congress comes one day after he ordered a "pause" in military aid to Ukraine following a contentious exchange Friday in the Oval Office with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. It also comes the same day proposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada are scheduled to go into effect. "Preparations are underway to welcome POTUS for his joint address to Congress," Johnson wrote Monday in a post on X. "It's going to be big!" US President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress, delivering a speech on "The Renewal of the American Dream" in which he will outline his plans for the nation and his future foreign policy actions. Source: Fox News Details: Regarding foreign policy, Trump is expected to outline his plans "to restore peace around the world". A White House official told Fox News Digital that Trump will present his plans for ending the war in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He will also focus on his administration's efforts to free all hostages from Gaza. The speech is scheduled for Tuesday evening at 21:00 local time at the Capitol. Representatives of the US Democratic Party are considering ways to disrupt Trumps speech in Congress. Background: In a post on his Truth Social platform on 3 March, Trump declared that his speech "will be big". Trump has ordered the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine until he sees Ukraine's leaders "demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed she had the facts to back up Donald Trumps trade warlaunching tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China but stopped short of saying anything actually true. During an interview with Fox News Monday night, host Sean Hannity opined that people werent talking enough about the tariffs as a rhetorical tool in negotiations with foreign countries, and instead were too focused on how bad, bad, bad they are. Why dont people understand the president is a never-ending negotiator? Hannity asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes a never-ending negotiator, its the art of the deal, Leavitt replied. But also, the president has proven, as he did in his first term, that tariffs can bring good-paying jobs back here to the United States of America. They protect critical industries here at home. And President Trump is serious when he says he wants to make America the manufacturing superpower of the world, she continued. So, even Trumps chief propagandist seems a little confused about whether the tariffs are a masterful bluff or a legitimate economic policy. Leavitt seemed intent on painting the tariffs as bothcarefully eliding the fact that Trumps so-called negotiations might better be understood as a global trade war that will inevitably affect the lives of everyday Americans. Its also important to note that the tariffs that Trump levied during his first term didnt actually demonstrate any of what Leavitt claims, so her rationale for his newest round of tariffs falls completely flat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first Trump administration placed tariffs on Chinese goods, solar panels, washing machines, steel, and aluminum. And ultimately, this had little impact on the economy, positively or negatively. The tariffs certainly never delivered on Trumps promise of more factory jobs. This time, Trumps 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican exports and 10 percent tariff on Chinese exports are likely to have a greater impact because they will restrict a wider range of products than his previous tariffs, which were placed on industrial, rather than consumer, products. During her appearance on Fox News, Leavitt gushed about Trump and claimed to have the statistics to back up his masterful tariff plot. So, theres no spin, its all truth. We have the facts on our side, you know, in explaining these tariffs, right? Most people would run away from that argument. But we have the truth, and the statistics, and the facts on our side, and everything the president does is backed by whats right for the American public, Leavitt said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately for Leavitt, its not enough to simply claim facts; one must actually provide them. China, Canada, and Mexico have already retaliated against Trumps steep tariffs, placing their own tariffs on U.S. exports. A retaliation clause Trump included in the order he signed last month promises that the U.S. will hit back at any tariffs other countries levy with, you guessed it, more tariffs. Earlier this month, conservatives were aglow after Trump backed off imposing his tariffs on Mexico, claiming that theyd agreed to send more troops to the Southern border (which the country had already agreed to do). This appeared to prove that the threat of dangerous tariffs hed been wielding was just that: a threat. In reality, Trump seemed to be responding to the stock market plummeting as he announced tariffs on Americas biggest trading partners. Now his threat has become all too real, sending the stock market sinking once again. While the United States is withdrawing its military support for Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that he is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a peace deal for the war-torn country at a defence summit with world leaders in London on Sunday. The prime minister announced last week that UK defence spending will rise to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, with an aim to hit 3 per cent by the end of the next term; saying that "tyrants" like Russian president Vladimir Putin "only respond to strength". US president Donald Trump has indicated that he wants to force a deal to end Russias war in Ukraine, warning that if [Ukraine] didnt have our weapons, this war would be over in two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a fiery exchange between Mr Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday has left peace talks hanging in the balance. And today, the Trump administration suspended delivery of all US military aid to Ukraine, worth billions of dollars. Following the explosive meeting, Sir Keir and European leaders have doubled down on commitments, with the UK, France and others saying they would commit troops to support a peacekeeping plan. In response to the potential mobilisation of Nato troops in Ukraine, Sergei Lavrov, Russias minister of foreign affairs, said: This is unacceptable to us. Relations with Russia are at their worst since the Cold War period, and military experts believe that European countries need to be prepared for conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But is the UK ready to put boots on the ground; and how do Britains armed forces compare now to 40 years ago, in 1984, when the UK was engaged in a stand-off with Russia? The state of affairs The Ministry of Defence has just released its latest figures on military equipment, accurate as of April 2024. The army increased its number of Challenger II Main Battle Tanks from 213 to 219 in the past year to April,. Ministry of Defence figures show that the army also has some 128 Ajax armoured fighting vehicles, though reports suggest delivery of the vehicles only begun in January this year, after eight years of delay. The UK also added four new F-35 fighter jets, also known as Lightning, bringing the total to 35 according to latest figures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of Typhoon jets (137), submarines (10), destroyers (6), and frigates (12) remained the same as the previous year. UK military capacity compared to the Cold War in ships, submarines, tanks, and war planes. (IISS/ Ministry of Defence / The Independent) In terms of personnel and ships, the UKs capacity is substantially lower than in 1984, primarily because the UK is in peacetime and equipment needs have evolved. Technology has evolved significantly since the 1980s, in particular when it comes to air defence and tanks. This means that some equipment will be fewer in number but of a much higher quality. While jet fighters of the 1980s were technologically advanced for their time, the newest aircraft are more akin to flying supercomputers. Submarines are designed to evade ever more complicated detection equipment and warships have to tackle missiles which travel several times the speed of sound. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet the numbers can matter when engaged in direct combat, experts explain, since losses are all but certain. Some equipment is not in service, is on loan, or is due for repairs, said defence acquisition expert Stuart Young, a former engineer officer in the Royal Navy and visiting fellow at Cranfield University. The Challenger main battle tank is currently in service, and thats being upgraded. But the challenge is, as those go in to be upgraded, the number of main battle tanks is going to go down until they come back out of that upgrade cycle. Many of these supplies have not been updated in decades, meaning in some cases the UK is still relying on the same equipment built in the Cold War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, the majority of the armys armoured fighting vehicles are from before the 1990s, and some come from as far back as the Sixties, according to a defence committee report in 2021 which called the lack of new acquisitions deplorable. The navy faces similar challenges. The oldest type-23 frigates are well over 30 years old now, and the replacement was due originally in around 2010. Those ships were designed for an 18 to 21-year life, Mr Young said. If Britain enters into war, it is not clear that the country will be able to get stockpiles and numbers to the levels needed in a timely manner. The UK has met and exceeded its Nato minimum defence spend of 2 per cent of total economic output, or GDP, with levels currently estimated at 2.3 per cent; and set to rise to 2.5 per cent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But James Black, assistant director at security research group Rand, said 2 per cent of GDP was a politically derived number that was common in a post-Cold War setting. In the Cold War, countries were spending routinely a lot more than 2 per cent, spending three, four or five, he said. So we shouldnt think that 2 per cent is a magic number at which you are automatically spending enough money that you are well defended against all threats. Sir Keir Starmer and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (Carl Court/PA) (PA Wire) A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the governments first budget including an increase in defence speaking to almost 3bn, clearly illustrating our commitment to national security and ensuring we have a military force fit for the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement National security is a foundation of this governments Plan for Change, which is why we will set out a pathway to spending 2.5 per cent on defence in the spring. But several military experts worry that this is not enough, arguing that 3 per cent of GDP a 0.7 per cent increase of some 16.4bn a year is necessary to replenish stockpiles and prepare the UK for a possible allied conflict against aggressors such as Russia; while Trump has called for 5 per cent spending in Europe. With the impact of Ukraine and the general tightening of government spending, were in a catch-up situation. I think spending has to go up to 3 per cent or more, to actually give you the increase in capability needed to meet the increasing threat that we have at the moment, Mr Young said. Sir Keir has now confirmed that defence spending will meet 2.5 per cent in the next two years (by 2027), yet his target of 3 per cent has a longer timeframe of nearly a decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Mr Young said he believed that matching the 2.5 per cent promise wouldnt represent any material improvements for UK defence. Type 23 frigates like HMS Lancaster are coming to the end of their lives (PA) (PA) Instead, Mr Young estimates that this figure will be just enough to play catch-up with stockpiles and demand. We havent invested in stockpiling missiles and ammunition and things like that, Mr Young said. In July, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence acknowledged that the armed forces have faced resource cuts in the past few years. We know we face serious challenges after years of hollowing out of our armed forces and our Strategic Defence Review will assess the threats we face and the capabilities needed to address them in order to secure our nations defences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The war in Ukraine has also hit the UKs military budget and supplies, along with other Nato members. The UK has pledged 7.8bn in military assistance to Ukraine since February 2022 and, like other allied countries, has even donated equipment directly from UK defence stockpiles including tanks and missiles. This means that equipment numbers could be even lower than shown in the official statistics, last updated in September 2023. As a result, if Britains defence forces receive an influx in capital, it could take four or five years to replenish supplies of equipment and weaponry, Mr Young suggested. The new armed forces minister [Luke Pollard] said we want to buy as much defence equipment from the UK as possible. Well, the UK doesnt have that capacity any more. Dwindling troop numbers Britains armed forces also have a big recruitment problem, exacerbated by budget cuts; which may present a challenge if forces are deployed. We need to increase recruitment, especially if we are looking at peacekeeping activities in Ukraine, which needs boots on the ground. The problems we had six months ago have just been exacerbated further by recent events, Mr Young said. The number of people in the armed forces is 45 per cent lower than it was in 1984, at approximately 180,000 personnel, according to the MoD at January 1 of this year. Within this, only 127,000 are full-time trained personnel, while approximately 53,000 are untrained or reserves. Training takes time, money and, most importantly, retaining personnel, Mr Young said. In the current job market, army pay is no longer competitive before even considering how many young people are willing to commit to the hours, lifestyle, and risk of military service. But Mr Young warned that the biggest problem may be the loss of expertise, as higher trained officials are abandoning the military for private sector jobs. In particular, the quality of accommodation and other resources for military families has been in decline, which he points to as a reason for older personnel with dependents leaving the military. Mr Young said the UK couldnt afford to lose these highly trained groups in the armed forces, especially as equipment becomes more and more technically complex. Weve got people leaving the armed forces because of the living and working conditions, so then youre losing expertise and talent as well, he says. So, switching on the tap today in terms of recruitment doesnt give you an instant solution. Its going to be another three or four or five years or more before you get the fully trained people that you need, and then youve got to retain them. Theyve now got skills which are attractive to civilian employees. Lessons from Ukraine: the long haul Rands Mr Black said Britain and other Nato members needed to be taking lessons from the war in Ukraine to improve longevity capabilities in combat. The war in Ukraine has exposed that a lot of Western militaries have been assuming that any high-end war against someone like Russia would be very lethal, but would also probably be very quick. A kind of short, sharp, horrible flurry of violence. And then the situation would be resolved. The Uk relies heavily on its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons, build by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. (Getty Images) However, the ongoing war in Ukraine now three years long has shown that this assumption is flawed. And if Britain were to engage in a longer period of war, the armed forces are not prepared to last more than a few months, according to a defence committee report in February. Former committee chair Sir Jeremy Quin told MPs that the military was unable to devote sufficient training and resources to high-intensity warfighting. Mr Black warns that the existing focus on higher quality, complex machinery does not necessarily work for long combat, with challenges such as refuelling, rapid replacement and stockpiling. How do I replenish my stockpiles when Ive fired all my missiles or dropped all my bombs? And that is partly a military question but also an industrial question. Do we have the industrial base to rebuild in the first place? The News President Donald Trump is ratcheting up pressure on Ukraine following Fridays Oval Office clash by pausing military aid while also leaving open both the revival of a minerals deal with Kyiv and looser sanctions on Russia. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution, a White House official told Semafor. Trump met with top Cabinet officials and advisers on Monday to discuss their next steps after Fridays on-camera verbal skirmish ended with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy being asked to leave the White House; hours later, Bloomberg first reported the pause on military aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But during remarks earlier Monday, he stayed vague about the possibility that his administration would loosen sanctions on Russia as part of a peace deal, declaring: Were going to make deals with everybody to end the war. Trumps handling of his next steps when it comes to Russias war in Ukraine is a major test of his approach to foreign policy, which turns more on domestic issues and less on foreign assistance and US influence abroad. Trump campaigned against new Ukraine aid and never warmed to Zelenskyy, so his antipathy toward Kyivs leader isnt entirely unexpected, but blowing up the decades-old US legacy of Russian antagonism could become a domestic political liability for him. There are a lot of people who want to get to a good outcome. And I think the first among them is President Trump, said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who said the minerals deal is still salvageable. Still, he warned: We cannot make a deal on Ukraine look like a win for Putin. Thatd be a disaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps advisers notably dont see the war as their problem to fix. Administration officials, in part incensed over Zelenskyys discussion of security guarantees during Fridays meeting, view the minerals deal that the two men were supposed to sign as an unofficial guarantee in its own right. Ukraine and America going into an official economic partnership in itself is a security guarantee, a second administration official said. By signing this mineral deal, [it] means that America has a vested economic interest in Ukraine. Will Russia strike if America has economic interests in that country? Probably not. But its unclear to most players involved what exactly Ukraine needs to do to get talks back on track. In the minds of some Trump advisers, Zelenskyy just needs to sign the minerals deal and demonstrate that he actually wants lasting peace, as that second official put it. But other Trump allies signaled that theyre expecting a public apology from the Ukrainian leader before discussions about the deal can move forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy screwed up. You dont bite the hand thats feeding you. He was trying to bite the hand that was feeding him, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Semafor. Know More Other Republicans who positioned themselves as friends of Ukraine are trying to put the proposed mineral deal back on course. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., even backchanneled with Zelenskyys chief of staff in a bid to keep the pact alive. And rather than trash Zelenskyy, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., called the mineral deal a potentially historic agreement, and obviously last week was a missed opportunity. He and other Republicans urged the US and Ukraine to try again. What President Zelenskyy should focus on is the minerals deal and getting that back on track, Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., told Semafor. He declined to entertain potential concessions to Russia: We should just start with getting back to the minerals deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Trump said Monday that Zelenskyy just should be more appreciative and seemed to hint at the possibility that the Ukrainian president might need to resign for a deal to get done. Several congressional Republicans have more openly suggested that, too. It should not be that hard a deal to make, Trump said. It could be made very fast. Now, maybe somebody doesnt want to make a deal, and if somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long. Still, Mullin and Tillis ruled out any effort to force Zelenskyy out. Mullin said its not our place to get a new leader there. The people of Ukraine get to make that decision. Another pressing question facing Washington: Can the mineral deal even be revived? Trumps Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said Sunday that Zelenskyy has thrown off the sequencing and the White House seems prepared to pivot to other policy issues if talks dont resume soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second White House official said the balls in their court on next steps. The View From Europe European officials are still hoping that Zelenskyy will find a way to work things out with Trump, though theyre not entirely sure about what the White House needs. I hope the Ukrainians will really try hard, one European official told Semafor. Another European official suggested that Zelenskyy needs to make some kind of concession, either by apologizing publicly or offering up a scapegoat like top adviser Andriy Yermak, who had frustrated Trumps team. Yermak spoke to Fitzpatrick on Monday and said we are moving toward a decision for our leaders to make on the mineral deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And European leaders arent necessarily waiting for a thaw. Over the weekend, they offered a public show of support for Zelenskyy and started laying plans for the unthinkable: supporting Ukraines defense without help from the US. The US decision to pause assistance to Ukraine puts immediate pressure on European leaders to fill the void. Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the former commanding general of US Army Europe, told Semafor that European nations would be forced to redirect military aid they had committed to other parts of the world to Ukraine. Obviously there would be a gap, and Europe would have to step forward and fill that gap, Hodges said of a proposed US pullout. But he added: Im not prepared to say, Oh my God, without the US, there is no way. Notable President Trump this week pushed back against criticism from voters at recent town halls with Republican members of Congress, claiming with no evidence the backlash came from 'paid troublemakers.' The number of Americans hedging their options by applying for British citizenship soared to a record high last year as President Donald Trump was voted back into office. A total of 6,131 U.S. nationals applied for U.K. citizenship in 2024, up 26% from 2023, according to Home Office data published last week. The figure spiked during the last quarter of the year when Trump won the election and the U.K.s Labour government announced tax changes that could prompt Americans to get their citizenships sooner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A significant portion of the Americans reflected in these statistics will probably have already had the right to become British for many years. But given their views on the political climate, some of them may have felt now is the time to upgrade to citizenship, Ed Wanambwa, partner at law firm Russell-Cooke, specializing in U.K. immigration law, told Fortune. [Some] Americans are now looking for a way to come here short of citizenship, to at least get into the country and leave the U.S., he said. Wanambwa added that Americans have long been drawn to the U.K.s education system and shared British history as a reason for moving there. More recently, political events may have also been a significant contributing factor to this spike in Americans applying for citizenship, he said. While the initial searches may have been dismissed as a knee-jerk reaction to Trumps return to the Oval Office, interest has remained steady. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Government data points to a consistent increase in the number of American applicants for U.K. citizenship since late 2022. That trend emerged noticeably since November when Google searches and legal inquiries into emigrating began to soar. Canada, U.K., and Japan topped the list of countries receiving the most interest, according to a study conducted by Casino.org. Parts of Europe, which have been attractive destinations for digital nomads and tourists, also experienced sharply increased inquiries when Trump clinched the election victory. Bureaucracy.es, an immigration firm in Spain, saw a more than 300% jump in client consultations for the countrys visa processes following the U.S. election, according to CNN. Trump has a hard-line stance on immigration. Mass deportation and a crackdown on illegal immigration have been hallmarks of his campaign. But he has also vowed to end birthright citizenship for children born on U.S. soil to people who are in the country illegally (the move has been blocked by three federal judges so far). Flocking to the U.K. Gaining British citizenship depends on several criteria, including how long people have lived there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While more Americans applied for British citizenship than usual last year, they were far from being the leaders on a competitive list of applicants. The number of citizenship applications across all nationalities also hit a record high, climbing 6% to just over 251,000 last year. The maximum number of applications came from Pakistani nationals. The U.K.s policies may have contributed to attracting American interest. The ruling Labour Party announced plans to scrap the countrys non-dom system, a tax status that benefits individuals whose permanent home is outside the U.K. While the framework will be abolished in April, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has hinted at considering a two- to three-year longer transition period for people holding that status. The change may have prompted wealthy Americans to become citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wanambwa pointed out various routes U.S. nationals pursue to move to the U.K., ranging from student visas to work visas. Until three years ago, the Tier 1 Investor Visa made it easy for affluent Americans to invest 2 million or more in the U.K. and allowed them to settle there. However, after it was scrapped to prevent abuse, the options were limited. However, given Trumps plans for a gold card visa that offers permanent residency in exchange for a $5 million investment, the U.K. Investor Visa doesnt sound like old news anymore. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would withhold federal funds from schools, colleges and universities that allowed what he called illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/ or permanently sent back to the country from which they came, Trump said in a social media post. U-M students set up encampment for Gaza at the Diag in Ann Arbor on Monday, April 22, 2024. Trump also said that American students would be permanently expelled or, depending on ... the crime, arrested. The post did not define an illegal protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Free Press has reached out to several universities in Michigan requesting comment. Several court cases now pending in Michigan turn on whether some Gaza-related protest activity violates a local, state or federal law, or is constitutionally protected free speech. Seven people face felony charges, accused of obstructing police who attempted to clear a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the Diag on the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus last year. They are scheduled to return to court Monday for a judge to determine if there is enough evidence to send them to trial. U-M also is being sued by protesters who claim their constitutional rights were violated by trespassing tickets they say effectively ban them from campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The push by Trump to defund schools over illegal protests is the latest one targeting university funding. Last month, the administration notified research universities that it was capping at 15% the amount of overhead they could charge to federal research grants from the National Institutes of Health. Most of the schools had negotiated much higher rates to cover the costs of debt on lab buildings and other costs associated with conducting medical research. Michigan's top research universities estimated that move could cost them more than $200 million. Twenty-two state attorneys general, including Michigan's Dana Nessel, have sued to stop the cuts. That lawsuit is pending. Contact John Wisely: jwisely@freepress.com. On X: @jwisely This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump plans to defund schools that allow 'Illegal protests' In a escalation of tensions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that Washington's patience with Kiev may be running out. His remarks came in response to Zelensky's comments in London, where the Ukrainian leader told reporters that a peace deal to end the war remained very, very far away. "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" He went on to accuse Zelensky of deliberately prolonging the conflict, adding, It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US - Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?" Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. There was an uproar during Zelensky's visit to Washington last week. Trump and his Vice President JD Vance intensely criticized Zelensky in the Oval Office, accusing him, among other things, of a lack of gratitude. On Sunday, Western leaders meeting in London decided that a group of countries led by the United Kingdom and France should work with Ukraine on a peace plan, which would then be discussed with the US and, ideally, implemented. Trump sidesteps aid question Trump later sidestepped questions about whether the United States might completely withdraw its support for Ukraine. Trump left several reporters' queries unanswered during an appearance at the White House. "We'll see what happens," the Republican responded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, the US was Ukraine's largest and most important supporter in the defensive struggle against Russia. However, Trump is openly threatening to abandon Ukraine. The US president again said that Zelensky should show more appreciation, as the US "has stuck with them through thick and thin." He stated that it was time for the US to act smartly and not simply provide Ukraine with billions in aid without something in return. Trump's administration had been seeking a raw materials agreement with Ukraine in recent weeks, which, among other things, involved US access to rare earth minerals stored in Ukraine. So far, the Ukrainian government has not agreed. When asked if the deal was dead or could be revived, Trump pointed to his upcoming speech in the US Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 78-year-old is set to made his State of the Union address before both chambers of Congress on Tuesday evening. He hinted that he would address the matter there. Zelensky pleads for 'a just, fair peace' In response to Trump, Zelensky has called for a quick end to the war with Russia and an acceptable peace. "We need peace, a just, fair peace and not an endless war," he said in his evening video message. The base scenario, he said, was to hold current Ukrainian positions on the front line and thus create the conditions for "real diplomacy." Zelensky again insisted on security guarantees for his country. "Indeed, the lack of security guarantees allowed Russia 11 years ago to begin with the occupation of Crimea and the war in Donbass," the head of state emphasized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, which began in 2022 and continues to this day, is also the result of a lack of security guarantees. "And the whole world sees and acknowledges this," Zelensky stressed. Trump's interpretation of Zelensky's insistence on mainly US guarantees before a ceasefire was seen as a lack of interest in peace with Russia. Following the escalating dispute between the two heads of state last Friday, Kiev risks losing the support of one of its most important allies. For more than three years, Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion with the help of the West. Pat Lopez, who spent her career in public health and led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, died Sunday at home after a brief illness. Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird said she was heartbroken by the death of a dear friend and trusted colleague. Pat was a steadfast protector of our community, a source of wisdom and strength in our most challenging moments, and a public health champion whose legacy will endure for generations, she said. Through the pandemic and beyond, Pat was my partner in guiding Lincoln through unprecedented times. Lopez never sought the spotlight, Gaylor Baird said, but her impact was profound. "She gave everything she had to this community, not out of duty, but out of care." Lopez, who was 72, first joined the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department in 1975 and spent the next 29 years working to improve the health and well-being of residents, particularly those most vulnerable, city officials said in a news release. Lopez, who grew up in Omaha and earned her nursing degree from Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota, started at the health department as a public health nurse who coordinated health clinics and did home visits in underserved areas. She developed health care programs for Medicaid recipients and was managing the departments community health service division when she retired in 2004. While at the department, she earned her masters degree in public health nursing and administration from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and after her retirement remained active in public health at the state and national level. As president of the Public Health Association of Nebraska, she played a key role in establishing Nebraskas statewide public health system. She also helped local health departments become nationally accredited. "In public health a lot of the stories are untold," said Eric Gerrard, a lobbyist who worked with Lopez. "One of the untold stories is of Pat and her influence on every public health law or statute in Nebraska." Rich Lombardi, a lobbyist who worked with Lopez to get local health departments established statewide, said she was instrumental in the work, including establishing funding. Lombardi and Gerrard said she was a great listener, very grounded in public health, politically savvy and very strategic. Her work continues to influence, Gerrard said. "When I'm reading statutes now related to public health, Pat is still the first person I think of," he said. Her experience proved indispensable when a global pandemic reached Nebraska. In 2019, newly elected Gaylor Baird appointed Lopez as interim director of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, a temporary appointment that became permanent in August 2020, at the height of the pandemic. The mayor appointed her shortly before the death of Shavonna Lausterer, who served as director for about 20 months, then asked her stay on when a search for a permanent director didn't yield any candidates she wanted to hire. During the pandemic, Lopez played a key role in instituting policies in Lancaster County that helped keep the local death rate among the lowest in the state, as well as having one of the highest vaccination rates. City officials said her ability to bring everyone to the table experts within the health department, hospitals, schools and businesses was one of her strengths. A mask mandate and other health directives got significant pushback, which included an effort to remove Lopez because she was an interim director until the city and county appointed her permanent director and unsuccessful attempts to recall the mayor and City Council members. Lopez has said one of the things she was proudest of during that time was that Lincoln's schools remained open, and one of the best days was the first vaccine clinic at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Later, before her retirement, she spearheaded initiatives including the Youth Substance Use Prevention Project and the Family Connects program, which provides newborns and families with access to public health nurses. Perhaps her most important role was as a mother, wife and grandmother. She and her husband, Joe, have one daughter, Nicole Lopez-Schaecher, and two grandsons. "I think it's important that people know she was my mom, a wife, a sister, an aunt, a "nana" that every single one of us looked up to," said her daughter. Lopez-Schaecher followed her mom's footsteps and went into community health, then became a nurse. Despite her commitment to her work, she said, her mom always put her family first. Her boys, she said, used to tell people how proud they were of their "nana" because she was on TV, saving lives. Gaylor Baird said Lopez gave everything she had to the community. "Her steady hand, deep compassion and unwavering commitment to the well-being of our residents saved lives and strengthened our city," she said. "I will always remember the long hours we spent together, weighing impossible decisions, finding solutions and supporting one another in the face of adversity. Kerry Kernen, who took over as director when Lopez retired in September, said her death is a loss not just for Lincoln and Lancaster County, but for Nebraska. Pats passion for public health was evident throughout her 50-year career, as was her commitment to this community, Kernen said. We were fortunate to have her at the helm of the Health Department, especially during the pandemic, and we will honor her memory as we continue doing the work she loved so much. Survivors include her husband, her daughter, two grandsons, two sisters and three brothers. Funeral services will be March 11 at St. Teresa's Catholic Church, 735 S. 36th St. Time and visitation details are still to be determined. Donald Trump is scheduled to speak with several Cabinet members Monday regarding Ukraine policy and the possibility of ending military assistance to the beleaguered Eastern European nation. That could include withholding equipment, such as ammunition and radars, as well as limiting the amount of intelligence shared with the Ukrainian military, according to a U.S. official who spoke with The Washington Post. The meeting will involve Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, and special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, the last of whom met with Russian officials last month regarding a potential peace deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a White House press conference earlier Monday, Trump repeatedly ducked reporters questions as to whether his administrations actions had aligned U.S. policy with Moscow. Rather than saying no, Trump went on a breathy rant claiming that the war never would have happened if he was in office at the onset of the conflict. I wanna see it end fast. I dont want to see this go on for years and years. Now, President Zelenskiy supposedly made a statement today in APIm not a big fan of AP, so maybe it was an incorrect statementbut he said he thinks the war is gonna go on for a long time, uh, and he better not be right about that, thats all Im saying, Trump said. Russian forces crossed the Ukrainian border on February 24, 2022, which Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to justify by falsely claiming that he needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine. The U.S. and Russia opened discussions at a meeting in Saudi Arabia last month, seeking a conclusion to the three-year war, but the assembly conspicuously excluded Ukrainian leadership. When asked whether he had discussed the ending of military aid to Ukraine, however, Trump said that things were happening as we speak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I havent even talked about that right now, Trump told reporters. I mean, right now, well see what happens. A lot of things are happening right now, literally as we speak. On Friday, Trump and JD Vance overtly showed where their loyalties lie: Seated in front of the press in the White House, the pair refused to let Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speak, allowed a conservative reporter to mock Zelenskiys wartime attire, and effectively leveraged the critical meeting for measly political gain by defending Putin at the cost of denigrating former American officials. And in doing so, they challenged Americas strongest alliances while ceding the world stage to its adversaries. WASHINGTON The first month of President Donald Trumps second term in the White House has been a nonstop assault on the authority of Congress as an equal branch of government, with the president asserting unprecedented control over lawmakers power to control spending. While Democrats have cried foul, filing numerous lawsuits that are slowly making their way through the courts, Republicans have by and large cheered his efforts to accomplish what theyve long failed to do through legislative means: eliminate large swaths of the federal government. On Tuesday, theyll stand and clap for him some more when he addresses a joint session of Congress for the first time as the 47th president of the United States. President Trump is coming in a triumphant return to Congress to address us as the president once again, and in the first month of office, he has accomplished so much that it could fill three hours, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) gushed on Fox News on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has empowered Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, to rip through federal agencies in search of waste, fraud and abuse, resulting in mass firings of federal workers and the wholesale dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, even though Musk and his underlings have uncovered almost zero waste, fraud or abuse. Their actions have led to widespread chaos and confusion across the government, with some critical employees later having to be rehired, and billions of dollars in foreign assistance put on hold or canceled. The implosion of USAID, in particular, has been swift despite no congressional action on the matter. As the Congressional Research Service has explained, because it was created by Congress, the President does not have the authority to abolish it; congressional authorization would be required to abolish, move, or consolidate USAID. Federal courts have said the Trump administration overstepped its authority with the USAID cuts, but the Supreme Court last week paused a lower courts order that the administration unlock foreign aid funds while the legal battle plays out. The Trump administration has also tried to stop financial assistance grants from going out of federal agencies, and Trump last month threatened to block all federal funding in Maine if the governor refuses to cooperate with Trumps efforts to keep transgender athletes out of girls sports. On Friday, the federal government discontinued a grant program that benefited Maine fisheries; it was unclear if similar grants to other states would be affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has been very illegally not spending money, Bobby Kogan, a budget policy expert at the liberal Center for American Progress, said on a press call this week. This is the most illegal set of budgetary actions that any president in U.S. history has ever taken. The presidents selective approach to federal law goes beyond budgets, of course. For instance, the Treasury Department announced Sunday it wouldnt enforce an anti-money laundering statute enacted during the Biden administration, the Justice Department dropped a corruption case against New York Citys mayor after he cozied up to Trump and also announced it would not enforce a ban on TikTok, and the Securities and Exchange Commission dropped a civil case against a crypto mogul who invested in the presidents crypto company. Trump empowered Musk by putting him in charge of a new federal initiative known as the Department of Government Efficiency, a title Musk contrived in order to spell DOGE, a once-popular internet meme and cryptocurrency inspired by a picture of a Shiba Inu dog. Republicans embraced the DOGE project without knowing about the meme or having any clue what Musk would do. A few Republicans have criticized DOGE, most notably Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who has complained about layoffs in her state and said Musk should learn about the jobs hes trying to cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we in the legislative branch allow ourselves to be kind of rolled over or ignored ... it certainly weakens us. I dont think that that is right and that is appropriate, Murkowski said Tuesday. We need to look inward here. Its not all about taking potshots at Trump or DOGE or Elon Musk. Its about the Senate saying, no, actually, we have a role here when it comes to determining the direction of spending. Speaker Johnson and many other Republicans have hinted that any significant cuts to the federal budget have to come from Congress, not a bureaucrat in the White House. But theyre in no rush to get in Musks way. Were going to need a few more weeks, maybe a month or more, to qualify and quantify and then codify what Elon Musk and the DOGE effort is all about, and that is eliminating fraud, waste and abuse in the government, Johnson said Sunday, using the word codify to suggest lawmakers would write a law enacting cuts Musk has suggested. Democrats, meanwhile, have warned that the country is on the precipice of a constitutional crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This principle of checks and balances only works if people dont voluntarily remove their spine, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) told HuffPost. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she planned to skip Trumps speech entirely because he is spitting in the face of the law by freezing congressionally approved spending. There are farms and small businesses across Washington state and America who are on the verge of collapse because Trump and Elon are illegally blocking federal dollars they are owed, Murray said. There are thousands of fired federal workers, many of them veterans, who have been carelessly laid off by Trump and Musk with no consideration for the services they provide and how that might harm millions of Americans, whether thats VA patient safety or the timely disbursement of Social Security checks. Viewers can expect President Trump to speak for well over an hour when he addresses lawmakers in the Capitol on Tuesday, if he sticks to his track record. Trump will take to the House floor at 9 p.m. for the first joint congressional address of his second term after being out of office for four years. A presidents first address to Congress at the start of a new administration isnt considered a State of the Union speech. Trumps annual congressional speeches averaged about an hour and 20 minutes during his first term from 2017 to 2020 the longest for any president since at least the 1960s, according to The American Presidency Project at the University of California Santa Barbara. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His first joint address to Congress eight years ago was his shortest, clocking in at one hour and 10 seconds. His longest was in 2019, when he spoke for one hour, 22 minutes and 25 seconds. Online oddsmakers have put the betting line for the length of Trumps upcoming speech at one hour and 24.5 minutes. President Biden spoke, on average, an hour and seven minutes when he addressed Congress the past four years, according to the projects researchers. President Obamas speeches over his two terms averaged little more than an hour, while President George W. Bushs yearly addresses clocked in at about 52 minutes, on average, during his back-to-back terms. On the campaign trail and at official events, Trump has been known to go off script and continue speaking at length. His inaugural address in January, which lasted about 30 minutes, was twice as long as the speech he gave after he was sworn into office in January 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is expected to tout the sweeping moves hes made during his first month and a half back in office, with no shortage of topics linked to his successful reelection campaign, including immigration and border issues, international conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine and efforts to overhaul the federal government and increase tariffs. The federal government also is barreling toward a shutdown, with no spending plan in place past March 14. Thousands of federal employees have faced job losses as the White Houses new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), championed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, has sought to cut government waste. Border crossings are down, and deportations of migrants who have been in the country illegally are up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week sent international shockwaves with a threat to the U.S.s continued support for Ukraine in its war against Russias invasion. Trumps recent tariff hikes on goods coming from Canada, Mexico and China have prompted retaliatory increases on some goods coming into the U.S. Trump, a former reality television star, has plugged the address in recent days, urging people to watch. A recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS found 47 percent of Americans approve of the job Trumps done so far since returning to the White House. Trumps first speech in 2017 was noted for having a more unifying tone than his populist campaign and dire inaugural address. About 48 million people tuned in to watch on television, with more streaming online. At the time, Trump was facing sagging approval ratings and adjusting to his first time in elected office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart, he said after recognizing Black History Month and the path toward civil rights and the work that still remains. By contrast, he spent his much of his 2024 campaign denouncing efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion. Trump also used his 2017 address to describe his hopes for 2026, when America celebrates its Sesquicentennial, or 250th year. It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world, Trump said of the milestone then nine years in the future. But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since taking office this year, Trump has again brought up big plans to celebrate the independence anniversary next year. Presidential addresses to Congress often have produced outside spectacles that made news and occasionally added time. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) infamously ripped up a printed copy of Trumps speech as she stood behind him five years ago after its delivery, and female Democratic lawmakers have dressed in white for Trumps addresses in the past. Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (Colo.) repeatedly interrupted Bidens 2022 State of the Union address, and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) made headlines when he shouted, You lie, at Obama during his 2009 address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. US President Donald Trump is standing firm on the announced tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada. "Theyre all set. They go into effect tomorrow," Trump said on Monday in Washington, in response to a question about whether there was still a chance for an agreement. He stated that there was no room for the two neighbouring countries to find a solution. After a 30-day pause, Trump said tariffs of 25% are set to come into force on Tuesday for goods from Canada and Mexico. Energy resources from Canada will have a lower 10% tariff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, the US president also said that additional tariffs of 10% on goods from China are to be imposed on Tuesday as well. Later on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, should US tariffs come into effect, Canada would introduce matching 25% tariffs on up to $155 billion ($107 billion US) in imports from the US. "Canada will not let this unjustified decision go unanswered," Trudeau said in a statement. Canada would start with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately, with tariffs imposed on the remaining $125 billion on American products in 21 days' time, Trudeau said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our tariffs will remain in place until the US trade action is withdrawn, and should US tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures," he added. He urged the US administration to reconsider its tariffs and said Canada "remains firm" in standing up for its economy, jobs and workers. He warned that the tariffs imposed by the US would mean Americans would pay more for groceries, gas and cars, and potentially cost thousands of jobs. "Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship. They will violate the very trade agreement that was negotiated by President Trump in his last term," Trudeau said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early February, the White House said the tariffs were in response to Canada, Mexico and China allowing illegal drugs to enter the US. Trump then conceded to demands from the neighbours just hours before the threatened punitive tariffs were due to come into effect. This averted a North American trade war with uncertain consequences for the global economy, at least for the time being. However, the US government imposed additional tariffs of 10% on imports from China. Beijing countered with reciprocal measures. Donald Trump paused all military aid to Ukraine to pressure Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to a ceasefire with Russia. The extraordinary move came after Mr Trump launched a fresh attack on the Ukrainian president, who he said wont be around very long if he does not end the war soon. It leaves Ukraine, which is already suffering from a weapons and manpower deficit, facing the prospect of scaling down operations when attrition rates on the front line are the highest since the war began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A White House official said late on Monday night: President [Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. The US wants Mr Zelensky to offer an immediate ceasefire and hardliners in the Trump administration, including Elon Musk, blame the Ukrainian leader for prolonging the war. Halting weapons is seen as a way to force Mr Zelensky to agree to a ceasefire on Mr Trumps terms or face losses on the front lines. It could also effect Ukraines ability to defend its cities from Russian airstrikes. The move also puts significant pressure on European allies to come up with a plan for peace in Ukraine that Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, can accept. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday morning, Australia said it may be willing to join a coalition of the willing proposed by Sir Keir Starmer, with troops on the ground in Ukraine. However, Mr Zelensky has expressed doubts about whether he would accept Western soldiers in Ukraine as part of a peace deal. Mr Trumps order could have an immediate effect on Ukrainian stockpiles, although some have estimated that the country has enough weapons to keep fighting until the summer at the current intensity. The order also halts funds for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows US dollars to buy new hardware. Ukraine could become more vulnerable if supplies dwindle before the next spring offensive - SERGEY DOLZHENKO/Shutterstock Key figures in the Trump administration are also considering curtailing intelligence-sharing and training for Ukrainian troops and pilots, according to the Washington Post. Meanwhile, the White House is signalling closer relations with Putin and, on Monday, Mr Trump ordered treasury officials to draft a list of sanctions that could be eased on Russia. On Sunday, the Pentagon chief ordered US spies to halt work countering Russian cyber threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JD Vance, the US vice president who clashed with Mr Zelensky in the White House on Friday, piled further pressure on Ukraine in an interview late on Monday. Speaking on Fox News, he said the Ukrainian president showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process sought by Mr Trump. The vice president said: But I think hell get there eventually. He has to. Trumps approach to Ukraine has sparked rallies outside US embassies around the world - WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP Mr Vance said the minerals deal was the only realistic means to bring an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years, he said, seemingly referring to British and French plans to install a peacekeeping force in Ukraine to ward off Russian invasions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the day, Mr Trump had said: If somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long. Because I believe that Russia wants to make a deal. The military aid cuts follow a meeting between Mr Trump and senior members of his administration including Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, and Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary. The White House is said to be split behind the scenes over how much pressure to exert on Mr Zelensky and Ukraine. Members of Mr Trumps administration earlier briefed that the Ukrainian president must publicly apologise for his part in last weeks Oval Office shouting match and declare that he wants peace before he can resume talks with Mr Trump. 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. Donald Trumps tariff plan is already spurring tremendous pain in American markets. The presidents controversial tariffs went into effect first thing Tuesday, imposing 25 percent levies on Canada and Mexico as well as a 10 percent tariff hike on Chinese goods. In return, Canada announced a retaliatory tariff of 25 percent on nearly $100 billion of U.S. imports, while China announced tariffs of 10 to 15 percent on a range of U.S. products. Mexico also said it would retaliate, with details to come on Sunday. That will raise electronics prices by roughly 10 percent and clothing prices by 8 percent for American consumers, according to Ernie Tedeschi, director of economics at the Yale Budget Lab and former White House chief economist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Americans are still grappling with the rising prices of groceriesspecifically eggs, which saw the cost of a dozen jump to $8.42 in the Chicago exchange. But thats just the beginning of a very long road, according to Trumps own administration. The Agriculture Department announced last week that the current cost of eggs could rise by more than 40 percent before the end of the year. To alleviate the crisis, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled a $1 billion investment by the federal government to tighten up biosecurity measures on American farms amid an outbreak of avian flu. Rollins also proposed stripping regulations from the egg industry to further dampen the rising price tag and on Tuesday pitched that Americans should just buy chickens to supply their own eggs. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned that Americans would share the brunt of the tariff costs. Americans will lose jobs. Americans will be paying more for groceries, for gas, for cars, for homesbecause we have always done best when we work together, he said during a press conference Tuesday. Now that [Trump has] moved forward with tariffs, were going to see the real impact of a trade war between our countries. And that impact will be to hurt American families. Trumps previous tariff proposals are predicted to affect just about every product under the sun, from ground beef and bananas to liquor and gas. An executive order signed by Trump in February reinstated his 2018 tariff on steel and aluminum, raising tariffs for both to 25 percent. That regulation is slated to take effect March 12. Once it does, production costs for Americas automakers are likely to jump, as will costs for the countrys construction industry, which is already struggling to meet the demands of a historic nationwide housing crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has leaned into tariffs as a key component of affording an extension to his 2017 tax plan, which overwhelmingly benefits corporations and is projected to add as much as $15 trillion to the national deficit. But experts believe that a trade war would be to the overwhelming detriment of American consumers and its allies abroadand that the self-inflicted pain could only serve to benefit U.S. adversaries around the globe. The EUs top diplomat Kaja Kallas warned last month that if the U.S. and the European Union were to enter into a trade war, then the one laughing on the side is China. At 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, President Donald Trump moved ahead with a plan to put tariffs of 25% on goods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico and Michigan stands to be one of the hardest hit states in the nation, depending on what happens next and how long a potential trade war drags on. Canada and China, which was also hit with new tariffs, already announced retaliatory measures as Trump imposed the new taxes on imported goods, a move most economists believe will increase prices for Americans. Trump has also said that next month he will impose worldwide tariffs on any country that taxes the import of U.S. goods. Here's some key points to know: Why is Michigan so vulnerable to these tariffs? Michigan sees billions in imports from both countries, as well as from China, which Trump hit with an additional 10% tariff on top of the 10% tariff he had already imposed. From Canada, Michigan imports billions of dollars worth of oil and gas, as well as iron, steel and machinery. Mexico provides billions worth of electrical equipment and components. And like other states, Michigan gets dairy and lumber from Canada and agricultural products from Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the real hit is to the auto industry, which is vital to Michigan's overall economy, and the domestic auto companies' counting on a supply line that sees components crossing borders many times on the way to vehicles' final assembly. If those parts and pieces are taxed every time they cross a border, it could add as much as $9,000 or more to the cost of many popular vehicles. That, in turn, could slow sales and lead to plant closures and layoffs. It's not just the auto sector that could be hit, however. Already, there have been reports that Michigan farmers could be forced to pay more for supplies, as tariffs hit providers of plant nutrients, for example. Nationally, too, there have already been indications that Trump's tariffs are souring consumer sentiment, which could further result in people buying less, potentially sparking an economic downturn. Why is Trump imposing tariffs? In the cases of Canada, Mexico and China, which are the nation's largest trading partners, Trump argues that illegal drugs from China, namely fentanyl, are pouring across the Northern and Southern borders into the U.S., killing people. When he first announced the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, he also said those countries weren't doing enough to stem illegal immigration, but he has largely dropped that as a reason with numbers of undocumented immigrants coming into the U.S. declining. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Customs and Border Protection statistics show that of all the illegal drugs captured by authorities in the last fiscal year, 275,000 pounds came across the Southern border, compared to less than 12,000 pounds that came across the Northern border. But Trump still maintains drugs are the reason he's targeting Canada as well as Mexico. Trump has made comments, including on Monday, that suggest the real reason he's pushing tariffs is his belief that the U.S. has been taken advantage of by other countries that level tariffs against American goods or otherwise manipulate their currency or have tax systems that make it harder for the U.S. to compete worldwide, leading to trade deficits. "Tariffs are easy, they're fast, they're efficient and they bring fairness," he said Monday. Trump has also argued that by raising tariffs, companies will relocate manufacturing to the U.S. and there is some evidence that is happening: This week, Honda announced it would start making its popular Civic model in Indiana and Trump announced a $100 billion investment by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. Apple last month announced it would spend $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. How are other countries responding? Canada, Mexico and China are America's three largest trading partners, meaning much of what is imported into the U.S. is now facing additional taxes (though Trump's tariffs on energy from Canada is 10% not 25%). Economists say those additional levies are ultimately passed on to customers, raising prices. Meanwhile, other countries are expected to respond by raising their own tariffs on American goods in retaliation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'On Monday night, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the Trump tariffs unjustified and said his country would enact tariffs on billions of dollars worth of American exports to his country, including cars, steel and other products. The Chinese government also responded to Trump's tariffs by adding taxes on American food imports including chicken, pork and beef, a move expected to hit American farmers. Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump tariffs go into effect, Michigan poised to see effect President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs on Mexico and Canada, the United States' largest trading partners, have taken effect. The 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada were imposed Tuesday, alongside an additional 10% tariff on Canadian energy exports. Existing tariffs on Chinese imports were hiked 10%, doubling the tax imposed in February. "President Trump is taking bold action to hold Mexico, Canada, and China accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country," the White House stated in a fact sheet about the tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa would respond with 25% tariffs on more than $20 billion worth of U.S. imports, with tariffs on an additional $86 billion worth of goods set to take effect in three weeks. On Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned that his province could "shut off" energy exports to the U.S., with Minnesota one of the top three states for energy imports from Ontario. He hasn't gone that far, but instead has imposed a 25% tariff, with Canadian energy used to supply hundreds of thousands of homes in Minnesota. View the original article to see embedded media. Gas Buddy has said some U.S. regions will see an increase in gas prices over the coming weeks, with the most significant expected in the Northeast, where it should rise by 20-40 cents per gallon by mid-March, while in the Midwest it could rise by 5-20 cents over the same period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also said Mexico will impose retaliatory tariffs. Beijing has responded with plans to impose additional 10-15% tariffs on U.S. agricultural imports such as chicken, pork and soy. Photo courtesy of Unsplash. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is scheduled to visit a corn and soybean farm in Cannon Falls on Tuesday afternoon to highlight the impact of Trump's tariffs on Minnesota farmers. Higher prices are expected to be passed on to consumers beginning in the coming days. In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Target CEO Brian Cornell said the retailer could be forced to raise prices on fruits and vegetables as soon as this week as Target relies heavily on Mexico for produce during the winter months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Minnesota companies with complex global supply chains, such as 3M, Cargill and Ecolab, are expected to face significant impacts. Related: How Trump Admin tariffs on products from Canada could impact Minnesotans Well before President Donald Trump returned to office, his supporters boasted that he would start the second term with a flurry of executive actions. The new president exceeded expectations with an avalanche of pardons, orders, and edicts on matters great and small. Wide-ranging in their scope, the orders "encompassed sweeping moves to reimagine the country's relationship with immigration, its economy, global health, the environment and even gender roles," noted USA Today. Some should be welcomed by anybody hoping for more respect for liberty by government employees. Others extend state power in ways that are worrisome or even illegitimate. All continue the troubling trend, over the course of decades and administrations from both major parties, for the president to assume the role of an elected monarch. Because executive branch officials interpret and enforce thickets of laws and administrative rules under which we try to live, guidance from the boss is powerful. Interpreted one way, a rule regulating unfinished gun parts leaves people free to pursue their hobbies; interpreted another, those owning the parts are suddenly felons. The president can push interpretations either way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Executive orders are basically interoffice memos from the boss to executive branch agencies. That doesn't sound like muchand at first, historically, they weren't. Executive orders evolved into their modern form from notes and directives sent by the president to members of the Cabinet and other executive branch officials. Nobody tried to catalog them until 1907. "If it seems as if more recent presidents have had more power than even Washington or Lincoln, it's not an illusion," Harvard Law School's Erin Peterson wrote in 2019. "The last three presidents in particular have strengthened the powers of the office," including through executive orders. President Joe Biden, who took office in 2021, was told to "ease up on the executive actions, Joe" by even the sympathetic editors of The New York Times after a flurry of executive orders that set a new record up to that point. "These directives," the Times editors wrote, "are a flawed substitute for legislation." Sympathetic to his policies, they pointed out the orders could be reversed by a future executive. Inevitably, and understandably, many of Trump's actions upon assuming office for the second time have involved reversing Biden's orderssome of which had themselves nullified Trump's first-term actions. It's a battle of government by decree with the advantage going to whoever currently holds the presidency and a pen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of Trump's executive orders are very welcome, indeed, for those of us horrified by federal agencies pushing the boundaries of their power. "The vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end," Trump said in his inaugural address regarding an order intended to punish politically motivated use of government power. "I also will sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America," he added of another. But other orders seek to exercise power beyond the boundaries of presidential authorityor even the power of the federal government. One executive order purports to redefine birthright citizenship so as to exclude those who are born to foreign parents illegally, or legally but temporarily, in the United States. "This is blatantly unconstitutional," argued George Mason University law professor Ilya Somin, since the 14th Amendment "grants citizenship to anyone 'born.in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.' There is no exception for children of illegal migrants." The issue has also been addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court in the past, which found that the provision applies to anybody subject to American lawbasically, all nondiplomats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Likewise, wrote Somin, Trump's plan to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to deport immigrants who commit crimes runs afoul of the fact that the U.S. is "not in a 'declared war' with any foreign nation." These issues will be hashed out in court. But flaws in these ideas could have been exposed during congressional testimony and debate. It's especially difficult to justify many of these orders given that Republicans hold the majority in both houses of Congress. But even if the legislature was divided or controlled by Democrats, the federal government consists of three branches intended to slow action and encourage deliberation. Trump is on firm and even welcome ground when he uses his presidential power to rein in executive agencies and undo the excesses of his predecessor. But making policy and passing laws is supposed to be difficult and should be left to the messy channels established by the Constitution. The post Trump Tests the Limits of Executive Orders appeared first on Reason.com. US President Donald Trump has threatened Canada with a further escalation in the trade war, following Washington's introduction of 25% tariffs on goods from the neighbouring country. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had in response announced counter-tariffs of the same amount on certain US goods. In a post on his network Truth Social, Trump once again mocked the neighbouring country's prime minister as "Governor Trudeau" - relegating the country to the status of a US state. "Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the US, our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount!" Trump said. Trudeau, in a speech, rallied his country for a trade war with the United States and threatened Washington with further tough measures in the tariff dispute. He also personally addressed Trump: "Now it's not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you're a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do." President Trump on Tuesday threatened to add additional taxes on Canada if the U.S.s northern neighbor Canada retaliates with its own, after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed Trumps newly implemented tariffs. Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount! Trump said on Truth Social, using his familiar nickname suggesting that the prime minister would be Canadas governor if the country is acquired by the U.S. The Trump administration imposed 25 percent tariffs on most imports from Canada and Mexico and a new 10 percent tariff on imports from China, which all went into effect on Tuesday at midnight. The moves have intensified a trade war, with those countries quickly moving to retaliate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump last month signed off on reciprocal tariffs for any country that planned to put its own on the U.S. Trudeau, in an address on Tuesday, promised that the Canadian government will protect its citizens and Canadian businesses from attacks and takeovers from the tariffs, warning American citizens that prices would rise. The outgoing prime minister, who announced his intent to resign in January, also spoke directly to Trump in his address, saying, we should be working together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world. He also highlighted a recent op-ed from the Wall Street Journals editorial board that said Trumps tariff plan was the dumbest tariff plunge that is hurting the countrys friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump had delayed implementation of the 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico by a month as the result of negotiations with Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Both countries had agreed at the time to more measures to secure their borders with the U.S., but the president said Monday that there was no room for more dealmaking. Sheinbaum warned on Tuesday that she will announce retaliatory tariffs on Sunday. China also threatened to impose up to 15 percent tariffs on imports of certain goods. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. After ordering the federal government to review its grants and federal contracts with Columbia University, President Donald Trump has threatened to revoke federal funding for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests, and to deport or imprison participants in pro-Gaza demonstrations. In a Truth Social post on today, the president wrote: All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! The Trump administration on Monday ordered several federal agencies to review their financial dealings with Columbia University, and consider cutting off over $50 million in contracts and grants with the school. The university was singled out by Republicans last year over pro-Gaza student protests, which led to the establishment of a large encampment at the school and the occupation of a campus building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., one of the administrators tasked with reviewing the schools grants, wrote on X that anti-Semitism like racism is a spiritual and moral malady that sickens societies and kills people with lethalities comparable to historys most deadly plagues, adding that making America healthy means building communities of trust and mutual respect, based on speech freedom and open debate. Kennedy linked to an HHS statement noting that it is teaming up with the General Services Administration and the Department of Education to conduct a review in light of ongoing investigations for potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The encampment at Columbia sparked a nationwide wave of student protests in opposition to Israels assault on Gaza. Columbia administrators allowed the NYPD to enter the campus breaking with decades of precedent to aggressively shut down the protest and arrest students. Republicans accused student protesters of being Hamas sympathizers, described the protests as inherently antisemitic, and demanded the Biden administration crack down on the protests. At several schools, law enforcement officials brutalized protesters or stood by as vigilantes attacked students. Despite most participants being American citizens, the Trump administration has as is their default made hay about punishing or deporting any foreigners who participated. In July, the Republican National Convention adopted a party platform that included a promise to deport pro-Hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and his administration love to play chicken with constitutional law, but few things in the founding documents are clearer than the right to protest against the government. It should go without saying that lauding the principles of free speech and open debate while holding federal funds hostage and threatening to imprison protesters is a deeply disturbing contradiction. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Trump administration is threatening to yank $50 million in Columbia University's federal funding, accusing the school of failing to address claims of antisemitism amid pro-Palestinian protests. On Monday night, the U.S. Education Department, Department of Health and Human Services, and General Services Administration announced a federal review of more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments at the Morningside Heights university. As part of the probe, a federal task force on antisemitism will consider stop-work orders for $51.4 million in current federal contracts at Columbia, according to a press release. No contracts had been canceled at the time of the announcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Institutions that receive federal funds have a responsibility to protect all students from discrimination, read a statement Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, who was confirmed Monday. Columbias apparent failure to uphold their end of this basic agreement raises very serious questions about the institutions fitness to continue doing business with the United States government. Last week, the task force announced it would visit 10 college campuses, including Columbia and New York University, as part of its antisemitism probe. Columbia became the epicenter for pro-Palestinian protests last spring when a campus encampment supporting Gaza inspired copycat tent cities across the country. The demonstration came to a head in April when protesters occupied an academic building, Hamilton Hall. _____ In yet another attack on the Constitution, President Donald Trump is threatening to pull funding from schools, colleges, and universities that allow illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Tuesday morning. NO MASKS, he added, to boot. Trumps threat is a direct assault on the First Amendment, which protects the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances, a core pillar to the functioning of a peaceful democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear what exactly Trump considers an illegal protestbut this is just the latest move in his crackdown on school funding and institutional neutrality in higher education. In January, he signed an executive order on combating antisemitism on college campuses, a clear response to the wave of monthslong protests on college campuses against Israels deadly attack on Gaza. A fact sheet that accompanied the order specifically targeted pro-Palestinian international students. To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before, the fact sheet read. Also in January, Trump signed a sweeping executive order that would defund schools that teach any kids about critical race theory or gender. And on Monday, the Trump administration announced it would review federal grants and contracts with Columbia University over allegations of failure to address antisemitism, despite the school taking strict disciplinary actions against pro-Palestinian protesters, including calling the New York Police Department on protesters to arrest students and, most recently, the expulsion of two students from Barnard College. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A total of $5 billion in grant commitments will be reviewed by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the General Services Administration. We look forward to ongoing work with the new federal administration to fight antisemitism, and we will continue to make all efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff Columbia said in a statement in response to the announcement. President Trump said Tuesday that he will seek to block the federal funding for colleges and universities that allow illegal protests on their campuses. All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came, the president wrote in a Truth Social post, though he did not specify an enforcement mechanism. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter, Trump added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The presidents post comes a day after multiple federal agencies announced they will be reviewing contracts and grants with Columbia University and deciding whether to continue them due to allegations of antisemitism on its campus. Trump has previously made similar statements about deporting foreign students who engage in protests. One thing I do is, any student that protests, I throw them out of the country. You know, there are a lot of foreign students. As soon as they hear that, theyre going to behave, Trump said at an event to donors, sources told The Washington Post. His latest post came days after Barnard College, an affiliate of Columbia University, saw pro-Palestinian protesters injure an employee, who later went to the hospital, as they tried to get into a building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. China has vowed to fight till the end after US President Donald Trump escalated his trade war by doubling tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20%. Beijing hit back at Trumps levies by imposing retaliatory tariffs of up to 15% on selected American goods, expanding export controls to a dozen US firms and filing a lawsuit at the World Trade Organization. It also sent a stern warning to the Trump administration: Chinese people will never bow to hegemony or bullying. Pressure, coercion and threats are not the right ways to engage with China. Trying to exert maximum pressure on China is a miscalculation and a mistake, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for Chinas Foreign Ministry, told a regular news briefing Tuesday afternoon. If the US insists on waging a tariff war, trade war, or any other kind of war, China will fight till the end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The barrage of retaliatory measures and fiery exchanges came as Chinese leader Xi Jinping is preparing to hold a major political gathering designed to project confidence in his countrys ability to stay the course and weather external headwinds. As thousands of delegates convene in the Chinese capital for the countrys two sessions annual meeting, Xi and his officials are set to use the highly choreographed spectacle to broadcast China as a major power steadily advancing its tech prowess and global rise. That escalating rivalry between the two powers will be in the spotlight on Wednesday morning in Beijing, when Trumps first address to Congress will roughly coincide with a state-of-the-union-like speech delivered by Chinas No. 2 official Li Qiang at the opening meeting of the Nationals People Congress (NPC), which rubber-stamps decisions already made behind closed doors. There, Li is expected to announce Chinas yearly targets for economic growth and military spending and lay out how Beijing plans to continue its economic growth and transformation into a technological powerhouse in the face of mounting pressure from the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the challenges, analysts arent bracing for any major policy surprises or U-turns from the roughly weeklong meetings of both the NPC and the countrys top advisory body. True decision-making power lies with the Chinese Communist Party, whose authority cannot be challenged in the country and Xi, the partys most powerful leader in decades. The increased tariffs and the threat of more economic and tech controls to come are casting a long shadow over Chinas two sessions, which observers will also be watching for signs on how Beijing will continue to address its rumbling economic difficulties at home. And signs point to Beijing staying the course on its leaders strategies to bolster innovation, industry and self-sufficiency to steel itself against frictions ahead: all while projecting that, in China, its business as usual. We must face difficulties head-on and strengthen confidence amid growing external challenges, the Communist Party journal Qiushi quoted Xi as saying in an article released Friday thats meant to set the tone for the gathering. High-tech prowess China is entering this years two sessions buoyed by a surge of confidence and national pride in its tech sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, privately owned Chinese AI firm DeepSeek stunned Silicon Valley with the breakout success of its latest open-source large language model. Adding to that milestone: Beijings long-term plans for achieving global dominance in green technologies have borne fruit, with its top electric vehicle maker rivaling Elon Musks Tesla. Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, whose app is pictured above, stunned Silicon Valley with the release of its breakthrough large language model earlier this year. - Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images Chinas leaders are expected to continue to prioritize investment in innovation and making the worlds second-largest economy self-sufficient in high tech. Xi and his cadres see high-end chips, quantum computing, robotics and AI as critical to powering economic growth and upgrading Chinese manufacturing. China needs to find a new engine for its economic development. The old model, the big infrastructure, constructiondriven (one), is probably not going to work and (the high tech sector) is the most feasible path China has, said political scholar Liu Dongshu of the City University of Hong Kong. China will prioritize this and US pressure makes this more urgent. Last month, Washington said it was considering expanding restrictions on US investment in sensitive technologies in China and would continue to restrict Chinese investment in strategic American sectors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But its not all negative pressure, Liu added, as China sees an opportunity to replace the United States in some parts of the world order. China may think that since (DeepSeeks success) it can be the leader in global AI over the US, or similarly in areas like climate change, where electric vehicles might be Chinas signature policy to solve the climate change problem, he said. Observers will also be watching closely what steps Beijing may take to unleash private industry to advance innovation as it gears up for the potential of more restrictions from the US. Xi sent a strong signal that China needed its entrepreneurs to step up in this fight last month, hosting the countrys top tech executives in Beijing, where he proclaimed it was prime time for private enterprises to give full play to their capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing followed the meeting with steps to improve market access for private firms and discussion of a Private Economy Promotion Law, which could be passed in the months, if not the days, ahead seen as a significant course correction following a years-long, sweeping regulatory crackdown on private industry. Doubling down The two sessions gathering is also set, as in past years, to reflect Xis increasingly tight grip over Chinas political system. The leader used the 2018 NPC meeting to pave the way for him to stay in power indefinitely, with the removal of the presidential two-term limit in the Chinese constitution. Last year, the scrapping of a longstanding annual press conference led by the countrys second highest-ranking official was widely seen as another sign of Xis control over the official narrative and eliminated a rare chance for journalists to interact with a top Chinese official. The event is not expected to resume this year. This year, the gathering is expected to again highlight how united the political apparatus is around his vision for the future, despite the countrys economic hurdles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NPC this year will really be in the context of continuing to derisk Chinas rise and really hardening its posture against global uncertainties, including in Beijings relationship with the US and Europe, said Nis Grunberg, a lead analyst at MERICS think tank in Germany. As China doubles down on this approach, deepening the role of the party and the core of the party Xi Jinping to steer this whole process is more important than ever to the leadership, he said. Chinas slowing economy has been roiled by a property sector crisis and high local government debt, while foreign investment has cratered, consumption has flagged and young people struggle to find jobs. China earlier this year reported 5% economic growth in 2024, a figure viewed with heavy skepticism by many external observers, and analysts say its likely to float a similar number for its GDP target this year. Signs for how Beijing plans to address these challenges will also be closely watched, after a raft of policy adjustments since last summer were seen as falling short. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the days ahead, Beijing may unveil new efforts to boost consumer spending through stimulus or social welfare benefits. US tariffs make this even more urgent, observers say, as Chinas manufacturers may need to rely more on the domestic market. Xi linked weak demand to Chinas economic security during a key Communist Party economic meeting late last year, according to his speech published Friday in Qiushi in a signal of the increasing importance of addressing the issue. But even still, analysts see little sign of a departure from Xis primary focus on bolstering support for industry. Chinese soldiers march outside Beijing's Great Hall of the People ahead of the start to this year's two sessions. - Andres Martinez Casares/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Beijing is likely to release policies to make sure that at least the big and some of the medium-sized industrial producers can survive additional (US) tariffs, according to Victor Shih, director of the University of California San Diegos 21st Century China Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing is counting on its subsidized companies being able to weather those tariffs, given the dependency of US industries on Chinese goods and to have its own firms ultimately come out dominant. So in a sense theyre not afraid of (them), he added, of US tariffs. In the short term, such industrial support could create more friction with the US and Chinas other trade partners. The countrys reliance on exports as an agent of growth propelled it to a nearly $1 trillion trade surplus with the rest of the world last year a driving factor for Trumps tariff push. For China, that fits in with the wider message its expected to send in the coming days: even as headwinds mount, its confidently staying its course and ready to be seen as a champion of global trade and order. CNNs Hassan Tayir contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Let me paint you a vision of a new era. Donald Trump and JD Vance mean everything they say. They mean it when they say Russia isnt a threat. They genuinely believe that the US should leave Nato and they want one way or another to take Greenland. That only China, Russia and the US count. Britain is treated as a quaint exception to Europe. Sovereignty of others doesnt matter. Might is right. Oppressing opponents, judges and the free press is acceptable in the cause of America First. Facts are fiction and fiction are facts. Putin and Trump sign mineral extraction deals in the occupied Donetsk region. Five Eyes intelligence is shared not with Britains friends but our enemies. The US withdraws from European bases and pulls the drawbridge up. America First means payback. Maga believes every piece of fake news from Tucker Carlson, Alex Jones and multiple social media platforms. If America turns insular, ask yourself: who benefits? Who will be cheering a fractured Nato alliance? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I assure you the US blue collar worker wont benefit, nor will anyone else in the West. The real beneficiaries of such outcomes are Russia, China and extremists around the world who have seen the US as their number one target for decades. It isnt Europe they are after, its Uncle Sam. Putin, a man who has spent his whole life fighting the West, hasnt suddenly decided Donald Trump is his new best buddy. Nor has he and his inner circle forgotten their thirst for revenge for 30 years of humiliation after the defeat of the Soviet Union. For over a decade now Russia has been stoking the divisions we see being played out today. During the Black Lives Matter riots of 2020, Russian troll factories deliberately magnified both extremes of the debate on social media. Division was what they encouraged and division is what they got. Across another Ocean, China will be gleeful at the potential dismantling of the old world order. All the things that really made America great and rich since the end of the Second World War are potentially on the bonfire. Theres not much now standing in the way of a clear run across the Taiwan Strait. Now I dont know if this worst case scenario will come to pass. We must all hope it doesnt. Maybe Donald Trump realises that everybody loses if America First is just another phrase for isolationism. That branding all your friends free riders and demanding payback creates wedges between allies that will be hard to mend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I also hope that we on this side of the Atlantic dont forget that America is more than one single President and that hurtful as it is to hear such ill informed attacks from JD Vance, it is not what the majority of Americans think. But these are worrying times. We seem such a long way away from the days of Reagan and Maggie. The danger for us all is that the new occupants of the Oval Office are not very well travelled. JD Vances statements are wildly inaccurate and seem to suggest he believes everything he reads on social media. I was recently told by a US tech billionaire that the UK and US wont have a Special Relationship because we are trying to regulate social media. I pointed out that it was the refusal of US social media platforms such as Twitter to help the UK authorities when I was Security Minister that led to so many being recruited to ISIS and Al Qaeda. The irony is that the very social media platforms that Maga seeks to use to make America great are actually the platforms that make it weaker and divided. Instead of undermining his own Governments policy perhaps Peter Mandelson could help enlighten Maga and some of the office holders in the new administration of the facts. This is vital work to be done behind the scenes, not on the TV screens of America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe that while many of us have the freedom to express our anger at what is being done by Donald Trump to our friendships Sir Keir Starmer is right to take a softer approach. Trump 2.0 needs to be gently educated not berated. Let us now judge Trump on his actions, not the bold and sweeping statements that always mark the beginning of any Government. We must hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. WASHINGTON (AP) Columbia University has become the first target in President Donald Trumpscampaign to cut federal money to colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war. Federal agencies are considering orders to stop work on $51 million in contracts with the New York City school, according to a Monday announcement from the departments of Education and Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration. Theyre also reviewing whether Columbia should be eligible to continue receiving more than $5 billion in federal grants. Trump said on social media that federal funding will be stopped for any school or college that allows illegal protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came, posted Tuesday on social media, adding that American students will be expelled. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, confirmed Monday by the Senate, said in the announcement that Columbia appears to have failed in its duty to protect Jewish students from discrimination, raising very serious questions about the institutions fitness to continue doing business with the United States government. Columbia said it will work with the administration to fight antisemitism. We are resolute that calling for, promoting, or glorifying violence or terror has no place at our university, the school said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the campaign trail, Trump promised to cut federal money to colleges that fail to stop antisemitism and to deport foreign students who were at pro-Palestinian demonstrations on U.S. campuses. In the first weeks of his second term, he ordered federal agencies to use all available and appropriate legal tools to end campus antisemitism, including the removal of foreign students and staff deemed security risks. Columbia was one of five colleges that came under new federal antisemitism investigations after Trumps order, and its one of 10 being visited by a task force in response to allegations that the colleges have failed to protect Jewish students. Others under investigation include the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Minnesota; Northwestern University; and Portland State University. The review of Columbias federal grants and contracts will evaluate whether the school is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which forbids discrimination based on race or national origin. Colleges found in violation of federal civil rights laws can face penalties up to a total loss of federal money, through that punishment has almost never been dealt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joseph Howley, a professor of classics at Columbia who has spoken in support of pro-Palestinian protesters, warned that universities should not change their policies in the face of the Trump administrations threat, which he described as unsurprising. Its no secret that the MAGA-Trump movement hates universities and wants to destroy them, Howley said. Theyre coming for our funding either way. Under President Joe Biden, the Education Department opened more than 100 investigations into allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in the wake of Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests. Some schools rushed to reach resolution agreements before Biden left office, provoking outcry Republicans who said the Democrat was letting school off the hook. Columbia has been at the center of the protest movement that swept across U.S. campuses last spring. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up an encampment in April and inspired a wave of similar protests. Protesters at Columbia went on to seize a campus building, resulting in dozens of arrests when police cleared the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, pro-Palestinian protesters pushed into a building at Columbias Barnard College and assaulted an employee, according to the school. They left later in the night after officials warned of additional, necessary measures to protect the campus, the school said. Turmoil at Columbia contributed to last years resignation of President Minouche Shafik. She was among several high-profile university presidents called before Republicans on Capitol Hill in a series of hearings on campus antisemitism. Republicans accused Shafik of failing to deal sharp discipline to students and professors. The hearings also contributed to resignations of presidents at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. A December report coordinated by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson found that colleges across the U.S. had failed to stop antisemitism, highlighting cases at Columbia, Harvard and the University of California, Los Angeles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It called on the executive branch to aggressively enforce civil rights laws, saying colleges that fail to combat antisemitism and are unfit stewards of taxpayer dollars should be treated accordingly. ___ Associated Press writer Jake Offenhartz in New York contributed reporting. ___ The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. President Donald Trump wants to increase logging in national forests and on public lands, including by bypassing endangered species protections. To do that, the federal government would have to activate a seldom-used committee nicknamed the God Squad because it can approve federal projects even if it leads to extinction of a species otherwise protected by the Endangered Species Act. But experts say there are strict procedural requirements and no provision under law to proactively use the committee to bypass protections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know: What does Trump want? The president on Saturday signed actions to increase domestic lumber production in national forests and other public lands, directing federal agencies to look for ways to bypass protections for endangered species. Upon taking office in January, Trump declared a national energy emergency and directed the committee to convene at least quarterly to either consider exemptions or, if there are none, to identify obstacles to domestic energy infrastructure related to the Endangered Species Act or the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Endangered Species Act makes it illegal to harm or kill protected species and has led to restrictions on logging, mining and oil and gas development. The Marine Mammal Protection Act bans killing and harassment of marine mammals with some limited exceptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the God Squad? Officially called the Endangered Species Committee, it was established in 1978 as a way to exempt projects from Endangered Species Act protections if a cost-benefit analysis concluded it was the only way to achieve net economic benefits in the national or regional interest. In the case of logging, the analysis also should determine if the benefits of cutting trees outweigh the economic value of watershed and other protections provided by standing timber, said Patrick Parenteau, an emeritus professor at the Vermont Law and Graduate School who helped write criteria for the God Squad. The seven-member committee is led by the secretary of the Interior and includes the secretaries of Agriculture and the Army, administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. Affected states also would be represented with one vote total, meaning multiple states would each get a fraction of a vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five votes are required for an exemption. When can the God Squad be convened? The secretary of the Interior can convene the committee only for a specific project and only if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service after a required environmental review concludes the project would jeopardize survival of a protected species, Parenteau said. Otherwise, there is no basis to convene the God Squad, he said. Contrary to what Trump has been talking about, you dont convene this committee to grant exemptions prospectively. That is not legal. Theres no jurisdiction for the committee to even be convened to do that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What has the committee done in the past? Only twice in its 47 years has the committee issued exemptions. The first allowed construction of a dam on a section of the Platte River considered critical habitat for whooping cranes. But a negotiated settlement won significant protections that led to overall ecosystem improvement and a rebounded crane population. The second exemption, during the George H.W. Bush administration, was for logging in northern spotted owl habitat. But the Bureau of Land Management under President Bill Clinton withdrew the request after environmental groups sued, arguing that the committees decision was political and violated legal procedures. ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. In mid-February, Donald Trumps interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin, emailed his staff to tell them he was impressed by the great work in the office and with our awesome team, before sharing some great news: He has been authorized to hire 20 new assistant U.S. attorneys. We are on it and hard to get job postings up so that we can fill those positions asap! he wrote in an email reviewed by Rolling Stone. He added that amid Trump and Elon Musks hiring freeze and mass ongoing purge the office would likely be approved to hire more support staff, too. Despite being supposedly impressed by his awesome team, Martin soon demoted seven top prosecutors in his office to low-level jobs. Some had been involved with cases related to the violent Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sources who know Martin say he is aware that his office is full of staff who really do not like him and leak on him regularly. As The New York Times has reported, members of his staff refer to Martin as keyboard warrior for his many email missives. Ever since Trump returned to power in late January, the twice-impeached president and his lieutenants have gone into overdrive to purge the federal government including the Justice Department and FBI of suspected anti-Trump subversives and stack the so-called Deep State with MAGA loyalists and enforcers who dont flinch at Trumps increasingly autocratic demands. Trump, according to sources whove spoken to him about the Department of Justice in recent weeks, views Martin as a vital cog in that machine. Martin whom Trump nominated last month to remain in the role permanently has made his loyalties and priorities clear. As an attorney who not only promoted Trumps anti-democratic lies about the 2020 election but also defended Jan. 6 rioters, Martin is at the forefront of the second Trump administrations efforts to rewrite the history of the Capitol attack. He is also one of Team Trumps primary blunt instruments in their openly corrupt mission to wield the powers of the state to bully and investigate their political enemies for completely bogus, frivolous reasons. Since taking control of the office, Martin has publicly cozied up to Elon Musk, whos leading Trumps so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In emails reviewed by Rolling Stone, Martin has pledged to protect DOGE and described his team of prosecutors as President Trumps lawyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has also publicly threatened to investigate Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) over a speech he gave in 2020, as the Supreme Court was considering an abortion rights case. Schumer warned conservative justices that they had released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You wont know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions. Martin has chosen to interpret those words as threats in need of investigation. Hes done the same with Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), who had said that voters want Democrats to bring actual weapons to this bar fight and more forcefully respond to the efforts by Musk and DOGE to purge the federal workforce and block funds to government projects that he and Trump dont like. Martin claimed in a letter to Garcia that these words could be interpreted as a threat to Mr. Musk, and also complained that Garcia had called Musk a dick. According to The New York Times, Martin has sought to present evidence against Schumer to a grand jury regarding his comments, but has been rebuffed to this point by the Justice Department. Martin has notably failed to express concern about Musk repeatedly joking during the 2024 campaign about someone assassinating then-Vice President Kamala Harris or President Joe Biden. Martins office also conspicuously refused to sign off on an arrest warrant for Florida Rep. Cory Mills, a staunch Trump ally, after the U.S. congressman was accused of assaulting a 27-year-old woman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin does not want to target Trumps enemies and critics alone. For weeks, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation, Martins allies have sifted through resumes and shortlists of sufficiently MAGAfied candidates and attorneys to fill the roles that Martin announced in his office email, and to fill the positions that will inevitably be vacated through firing or resignation. Several of the names on these lists the source mentioned are mainstays in the right-wing legal universe, and have made Trump-adulating appearances on conservative media, including Fox News and Fox Business. Two sources familiar with the matter say that some staff and lawyers in Martins office ones who arent enthralled by the Trump personality cult, as well as some who were demoted are already beginning to flee or are strongly considering doing so soon, as they do not think they can have any meaningfully moderating influence and do not want to be part of a Trumpist project of vengeance and intimidation. Some staff believe theyre likely to be purged anyway. One of the two sources describes Martins office as in the process of suffering a drain of personnel who arent on the Trump train. The thought process is, Why should I stick around to pervert the system to punish a Democratic elected [official] who says something mean about Elon or Trump? the source says. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The world watched in disbelief as Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump clashed on live television, an unfiltered spectacle that laid bare the absurdity of modern geopolitics. Allies watched. Adversaries watched. Millions of ordinary peopleacross continentswatched. This was not diplomacy behind closed doors, nor was it a carefully curated narrative spun by governments. It was raw, unscripted, and embarrassingly human. What does this mean for humanity? Is our access to real-time political chaos going to bring us together, or will it rip us apart? Will it force the worlds leaders into accountability and reason, or will it amplify division and destruction? We now have access to knowledge and tools like never before. The exponential advance of artificial intelligence, computing, robotics, and sensors has accelerated this transformation, making it possible for people at every level of society to tap into capabilities once reserved for the elite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few weeks ago, when I was in India, a beggar approached me asking for money. I told him I didnt have any cash. He grinned, whipped out his smartphone displaying a QR code, and asked me to send it digitally. I stood there for a second, unsure whether to be amused or impressed. Here was someone who probably didn't have a home, yet he was fully integrated into the digital economy. He was more financially savvy than some government officials I've met. The poorest of the poor in the developing world now have access to the same advanced technologies as the wealthiest in the West. Digital payments, instant communication, and limitless information have collapsed barriers that once separated classes and nations. For centuries, power was maintained through secrecy and control of information. Today, that control is slipping. The Zelensky-Trump fiascowhether it leads to Ukraines destruction or forces a peace dealwas witnessed by the world in real time. It exposed the weaknesses of leaders and the dysfunction of global diplomacy. Adversaries who watched now have leverage. Allies who watched now have doubts. Could this radical transparency also be a force for accountability? Could it push leaders beyond their egos and ambitions to do what is right? Trump, for all his bluster, may now have leverage over Putin. If he can humiliate Zelensky so publicly, what does that mean for Russias strongman? Will he be willing to risk the same fate? Will it push him toward a reasonable negotiation? The balance of power is shifting in unprecedented ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have faced similar moments in history, but never with such visibility. When the Berlin Wall fell, the world saw it through television cameras. When the Arab Spring unfolded, social media amplified the voices of protestors. Today, the interconnectedness of information is even more profound. Anyone with a smartphone can document, broadcast, and influence global events. A single viral clip can shift public opinion or expose corruption in ways that once took decades. In The Driver in the Driverless Car, I asked whether technology would lead us toward a utopian or dystopian future. We are now facing that choice, but at a scale that transcends industries and economiesit is a choice for all of humanity. The same tools that connect us and allow a beggar to receive money through a mobile transaction can also be used to spread propaganda, incite violence, and manipulate reality. AI-generated deepfakes, misinformation campaigns, and algorithmic echo chambers distort truth and sow division. Yet these same technologies can empower individuals, hold governments accountable, and foster innovation. Blind trust in leadership, institutions, and media narratives is over. People are no longer passive observers; they are active participants in shaping reality. Leaders can no longer operate in darkness without consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This new reality demands discernmentthe ability to sift through noise and find truth. It demands responsibilityto use our access to information wisely rather than succumb to manipulation. And it demands courageto push for the world we want rather than accept dysfunction. The Trump-Zelensky confrontation may feel like just another episode in an ongoing geopolitical drama, but it is a symptom of something much larger. The world is changing. Power is shifting. The structures that held nations together are fracturing under the weight of new realities. The poorest of the poor now have tools they never had before. The most powerful can no longer hide their flaws. We are at a crossroads. The choice is ours. Do we use this moment to forge a better future? Or do we allow ourselves to be consumed by the very technologies that were meant to liberate us? The best part is that transparency doesnt just expose dysfunctionit creates the possibility for reinvention. The same technologies that disrupt governments also empower visionaries in the most unexpected places. AI, biotechnology, and decentralized finance are no longer the domain of the privileged; they are tools for anyone bold enough to solve real problems. A single entrepreneur in a remote village can now develop breakthroughs that once required entire institutions. This is our moment to reclaim controlto use technology not as a weapon of division but as a force for unity and progress. The forces that challenge us can also be the ones that propel us forwardif we have the wisdom and courage to seize them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Attorneys for President Donald Trump, appealing Trump's New York hush money conviction, argued in a court filing Tuesday that their appeal should be moved into federal court because prosecutors relied on evidence related to his official acts as president. Trump was convicted last year on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York State Supreme Court, but he is trying to move his appeal into federal court. On Tuesday, Trump's attorneys argued in a filing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit that prosecutors in the Manhattan's district attorney's office invited removal by introducing evidence about Trump's official acts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Trump hires new lawyers, files notice of appeal for hush money conviction "Significant categories of DANY's trial evidence -- including testimony about President Trump's Oval Office communications with the Attorney General and the White House Communications Director about matters of public concern -- clearly fell on the official-act side of the line," Trump's appellate attorneys wrote, using an acronym for the Manhattan district attorney's office. The filing cited portions of testimony from former Trump attorney Michael Cohen and testimony by former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks about her Oval Office discussions with Trump during his first term in office. Prosecutors said both witnesses were discussing what was essentially a private scheme that occurred before Trump took office. PHOTO: President Donald Trump announces a $100 billion U.S. investment by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, in Washington, DC, March 3, 2025. (Samuel Corum/POOL/EPA via Shutterstock) Prosecutors have also argued Trump waited too long to file for post-trial removal, but his attorneys called that "absurd" because "his campaign was upended by multiple shocking events, including a near-miss assassination attempt and President Biden's exit from the race." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump was found guilty last May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election. Following Trump's reelection, New York Judge Juan Merchan sentenced him to an unconditional discharge -- without prison, fines or probation -- in order to protect "the office of the president." Trump had twice tried to move the Manhattan DA's case into federal court, but a district court judge denied it, deciding the conduct at issue had nothing to do with the job of president. Trump's attorneys argue his New York hush money appeal should be moved into federal court originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Linda McMahon says the Department of Education needs to be overhauled. The newly confirmed education secretary described the task ahead as a "historic final mission." President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for the department to be shut down. The newly confirmed education secretary, Linda McMahon, told staffers on Monday that the department must embark on a "momentous final mission" as it undergoes a "historic overhaul." "This review of our programs is long overdue. The Department of Education is not working as intended," McMahon wrote in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Business Insider reviewed McMahon's email, titled "Our Department's Final Mission." McMahon was confirmed as education secretary on Monday, and the email was posted on the Department of Education's website late Monday evening. In her email, McMahon asked Department of Education staff to apply "dedication and excellence" to the agency's "historic final mission." "As I've learned many times throughout my career, disruption leads to innovation and gets results. We must start thinking about our final mission at the department as an overhaul a last chance to restore the culture of liberty and excellence that made American education great," McMahon wrote. "True change does not happen overnight especially the historic overhaul of a federal agency," she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMahon called for the removal of "red tape and bureaucratic barriers" and an "effective transfer of educational oversight to the states." She also outlined three department "convictions," one of which says that parents should be the primary decision-makers in their children's education. In another, she wrote that education should focus on math, reading, science, and history instead of "divisive DEI programs and gender ideology." McMahon also wrote that postsecondary education should result in a "well-paying career aligned with workforce needs." Her stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion aligns with the Trump administration's broader move to clamp down on diversity-related initiatives. In January, Trump signed two executive orders: one aimed at expanding school choice by redirecting federal funds, and the other focused on prioritizing "patriotic education" in classroom curricula. Education policy experts previously told BI that Trump's proposals could put the public education system at risk. Trump has called for the elimination of the Department of Education Then-President-elect Donald Trump announced McMahon's nomination as education secretary in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMahon, who was the WWE's CEO from 1997 to 2009, was part of the first Trump administration and headed the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019. While on the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly called for the Department of Education to be shut down. "We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on November 19. In 2017, during his first term, Trump proposed a $9 billion cut to the department's budget. "I told Linda, 'Linda, I hope you do a great job and put yourself out of a job.' I want her to put herself out of a job," Trump told reporters on February 4 when asked about McMahon's nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Education manages the $1.7 trillion student-loan portfolio, along with key grants and loans for low-income students and school districts. It also collects data on student outcomes and investigates civil rights complaints at K-12 schools and colleges. McMahon, and some GOP lawmakers, have previously suggested those responsibilities could be shifted to other federal agencies if the Education Department is dismantled. During her confirmation hearing on February 13, McMahon said the department could be abolished only with congressional approval. "It is set up by the United States Congress, and we work with Congress. It clearly cannot be shut down without it," McMahon told the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions during the hearing. After being asked if she supports Trump's vision to abolish the Department of Education, McMahon wrote in a response to a group of Democratic lawmakers following her confirmation hearing that she "wholeheartedly" supports Trump's vision that "the bureaucracy in Washington should be abolished so that we can return education to the states." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMahon's confirmation was met with differing responses from some education groups. The National Education Association's president, Becky Pringle, criticized the confirmation, saying in a statement that "there is no evidence to believe she will use her position to focus on strengthening public schools so every student can thrive." Jason Altmire, the president of Career Education Colleges and Universities a group that represents for-profit colleges said in a statement that McMahon's "diverse background and skill set will serve as an asset in shaping policy that balances the education and career goals of students with the needs of employers." McMahon, the White House, and the Department of Education did not respond to requests for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trumps pick as NATO ambassador reassured senators at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday that the Trump administrations commitment to the military alliance was ironclad. The U.S. commitment has been called into question by Trumps scathing criticism of European allies and his eagerness to build ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Matt Whitaker, an acting attorney general in Trumps first term, told senators that a key part of his mission would be to push the 32 NATO allies to meet Trumps demand to increase their own defense spending Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump sent chills through the alliance with his comment during the campaign that Russia should do whatever the hell it wants to NATO members that dont meet military spending targets. He has played down the threat from Russia and threatened to end U.S. support for Ukraine as it fights off Russia's invasion. In the aftermath of Trump's contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week at the White House, European NATO members have been scrambling to assess their defense arrangements, while insisting there is no thought of going it alone without the United States. Whitaker evaded Democratic senators prodding for a more detailed discussion of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Asked if he agreed that Russia started the war by invading Ukraine, Whitaker cited Vice President JD Vances statement that that was the case. Whitaker, however, spoke positively of NATO. He was asked specifically about the U.S. commitment to the alliance and its bedrock Article 5, by which NATO countries pledge to treat an attack against one as an attack on them all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will be ironclad," he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. U.S. administrations have long complained about European allies and Canada relying too much on the United States in NATO. Trump has taken that further, questioning the value to the U.S. of being in the bloc. NATO leaders say Trump's criticism in his first term, and the Ukraine war, have led to a majority of NATO states meeting the alliance's target of spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product on building up their militaries. Trump recently upped that demand to 5% of GDP. Democratic lawmakers at Tuesday's hearing noted the U.S. spends about 3.4% of its GDP on its military. NATO countries bordering Russia spend the biggest share, including Poland, at 4%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitaker framed getting allies to meet Trump's 5% goal as a primary mission for him at NATO. I have no concern that our European allies and Canada can do more and want to do more, Whitaker said. I fully expect they will do whats necessary to continue to make NATO the strongest alliance ever in the history of the planet. It's a good decision, says Kremlin's spokesman, following the U.S. pausing of all aid to Ukraine. "The details remain to be seen, but if this is true, it is a decision that could indeed push the 'Kyiv regime' towards a peace process," said Dmitry Peskov. Russia has been open about what it would require to begin peace talks: Ukraine's Crimea and four Ukrainian oblasts Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson none of which Moscow controls in full. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a suspension of all military aid to Ukraine overnight on March 4. The directive reportedly went into effect immediately, impacting over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Major!" wrote Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of Russia's state-run Direct Investment Fund, who became a vital link between the Kremlin and the White House. Dmitriev was one of the three top Russian officials taking part in the Feb. 18 U.S.-Russia negotiations in Riyadh. The move to suspend aid to Ukraine came on top of other Kremlin-friendly steps recently taken by the U.S. The Trump administration has also been considering lifting sanctions imposed against Russia for its brutal all-out war against Ukraine that killed hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, Trump has also been aggressively attacking Ukraine and its leadership, which Russian officials and propagandists cheered. They backed Trump after he and Vice President J.D. Vance berated Zelensky in the Oval Office. Peskov said the U.S. policy now "largely aligns" with Russia's interests. 'Firewall is abolished' Since President Trump began speaking favorably of Russia, often parroting Kremlin talking points, Russian officials and propaganda have drastically changed their rhetoric. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If earlier a common theme on Russian television was an open threat to use nuclear weapons against the U.S., now state-run media outlets are talking more and more positively about the U.S. while continuing to issue xenophobic statements against Ukraine. "Firewall between the U.S. and Russia is abolished. New America starts to reestablish relations with Russia. The new concert of two great powers with very similar anti-globalist illiberal ideologies is quite possible, but not certain," ultranationalist Alexander Dugin, a fervent supporter of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, wrote prior to Zelensky's meeting with Trump on Feb. 28. Russian political philosopher Alexander Dugin attends a memorial for his daughter Daria Dugina in Moscow, Russia, on Aug. 23, 2022. (Contributor/Getty Images) Russian officials and propaganda praised the U.S. vote against a Ukrainian resolution at the U.N. General Assembly, calling Russia an aggressor state. They also spoke in favor of Trump's controversial appointments and continued to spread false claims about Zelensky's legitimacy, which were picked up by Washington. In most of his recent posts, Russian propaganda mouthpiece Vladimir Solovyov has called Zelensky a "former Ukrainian president, recognized as an illegitimate head of state." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We were waiting for Trump not because he is pro-Russian but because he is pro-American," Solovyov said. Peskov welcomed the U.S. policy shift, saying on Feb. 26 that it was "impossible to (even) imagine" and that restoring relations would take a "long way to go." Trump backers The shift in Russian reaction became evident following Trump and Zelensky's altercation at the White House. Following the scuffle, Russian officials and propagandists jumped to Trump's defense. Their defense was paired with attacks against Zelensky and Europe. Solovyov said that Zelensky was "chastised for rudeness" and "disgraced himself." Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev praised Trump for telling "the truth," calling the argument "a livid reprimand" delivered to an "ungrateful" Zelensky. Dmitry Medvedev attends a plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 27, 2024. (Artem Priakhin/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) He reiterated Trump's claim that Ukraine "is gambling with World War III" and said that military aid to Kyiv should be stopped. It stopped three days later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medvedev, currently a deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, has made numerous inflammatory statements on social media platforms and has openly challenged Ukraine's right to exist as an independent nation. Overall, Trump is enjoying a wave of support in Russia, which sees the U.S. president as a tool that would help force Ukraine into a peace deal beneficial to the Kremlin. "Whoever in the U.S. attacks Putin and Russia today attacks Donald Trump," wrote Dugin. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. OSLO (Reuters) - Finland's foreign minister said on Tuesday that Washington's pivot towards Russia is unlikely to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, and that President Donald Trump would likely discover this in the end. Elina Valtonen said she was "a little bit concerned" by a recent U.S. order to pause offensive cyber operations against Russia during negotiations aimed at ending the Ukraine war. "This is probably part of the grand strategy that the White House has chosen to see if this course of action can lead to peace, effectively appeasing Russia and putting some pressure on Ukraine," Valtonen said when asked about the cyber pause at an event in London. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In my personal view it should be exactly the other way around, and I trust that President Trump and his team will notice in due course that this probably doesn't work," Valtonen said at a public meeting at the Chatham House think tank. Trump upended U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia upon taking office in January, opening talks with Moscow in a reversal that culminated in an explosive confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House on Friday. Trump has now paused military aid to Ukraine following the clash with Zelenskiy, a U.S. official has said. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Ros Russell) Trump's tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China are now in effect. The Trump administration is imposing a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico. Trump doubled the US's additional tariffs on China from 10% to 20%. President Donald Trump's new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China are here. Tariffs of 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico went into effect on Tuesday. Energy imports from Canada are subject to a lower 10% tariff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump had initially announced tariffs on both countries in early February, but he reached a deal with the leaders of Mexico and Canada to delay the tariffs by a month. Also on Tuesday, Trump doubled the tariff on goods from China from 10% to 20% in an effort to push for strengthened drug policy, particularly surrounding the flow of fentanyl into the US. The president's initial executive order placing tariffs on the three countries said the tariffs would remain in place "until the crisis is alleviated," referring to border and drug policy. US stocks were little moved in premarket trading, with futures underlying the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 almost flat, and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.2%. The three indexes had closed 1.5%, 1.8%, and 2.6% lower on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement European stocks were broadly in the red as of 4:25 a.m. ET, with Germany's DAX index down 1.8%, France's CAC 40 down 1.1%, and the Euro Stoxx 50 down 1.6%. BMW shares fell 4.1%, Deutsche Bank shares fell 3.6%, and Siemens, Adidas, BASF, and Volkswagen were all down between 2% and 3%. Responses from China, Mexico, and Canada Beijing retaliated swiftly against Trump's additional tariffs, announcing that China will impose additional tariffs of 10% to 15% on some US imports starting March 10. According to the Commerce Ministry, they include 10% tariffs on US soybeans, pork, and beef imports and 15% tariffs on chicken and cotton imports. US farm imports into China were also targeted by Beijing when Trump started the trade war in his first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing is also banning Illumina a California-based biotech firm from selling gene sequencing products in China to "safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests," the country's Commerce Ministry announced separately. Beijing also added 10 US companies to a list of unreliable entities and imposed dual-use item export controls on 15 US entities. Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said in a statement on Monday night that if the White House followed through, his administration would retaliate with 25% tariffs on $155 billion of US goods. "Canada will not let this unjustified decision go unanswered," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement said Ottawa plans to roll out the retaliatory measures over 21 days, with immediate tariffs on an initial $30 billion tranche of US goods. Trudeau added that his government is discussing other "non-tariff measures." Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said on Monday that she would wait to see the scale of the new tariffs before announcing any retaliation. The US imports a range of key goods from Canada, Mexico, and China, including crude oil, car parts, and electronics. Some companies, like Walmart, have said they will raise prices if tariffs go into effect. Trump wrote on Truth Social in February that Americans will feel "some pain" with tariffs, but "it will all be worth the price that must be paid." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider President Donald Trumps administration imposed long-awaited 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico early Tuesday, a move that's expected to increase prices for consumers on a slew of everyday products. The new tariffs took effect at 12:01 a.m. EST, along with a doubling of tariffs on Chinese imports. Trump initially announced a 10% tariff in February, with Tuesday's move bringing the tax on some Chinese goods to 20%. China and Canada immediately announced retaliatory tariffs against the U.S., according to USA TODAY. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moreover, Trump also signed an executive order last month implementing a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports beginning March 12. If these tariffs go into effect, consumers could expect to see price spikes on products ranging from kitchen appliances to automobiles. Many local breweries in Wisconsin are also expecting a rise in production costs. As the newly announced tariffs on Canada and Mexico take effect, here's a list of products that could become more expensive for Wisconsinites: What items from Canada could be impacted by Trumps tariffs? The following common products imported from Canada to the U.S. could be affected by tariffs, according to the Bureau of Industry and Security and economic data website Trading Economics: Wood Charcoal Aluminum Iron and steel appliances Cereal, flour, starch and milk products Rubbers Alcoholic beverages Carpets and other textile floor coverings Wool, animal hair, horsehair yarn and fabric Umbrellas, walking-sticks, seat-sticks, whips Cotton Photographic or cinematographic goods Cork products Printed books Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wisconsin gas prices may also spike as a result of the Canada tariffs, Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told the Journal Sentinel in January. The 25% tariffs could increase the price of Canadian crude oil from about $63 per barrel to $80, according to De Haan. The refineries that serve Wisconsin rely primarily on Canadian crude oil, so within a few days of the tariffs kicking in, prices at the pump could rise between 20 and 50 cents a gallon. "There could also be an economic slowdown if these tariffs are implemented," De Haan said. "So that potential economic calamity could partially offset the 25% tariff, meaning that if the economy slows down, demand for oil and other products will also likely drop." DeHaan said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that prices in some states were likely to begin rising as soon as Tuesday. ALERT: Gasoline and diesel prices in ME, CT, VT, MA, RI, NH are likely to begin rising today- pace will vary- but by mid-March could be 20-40c/gal higher. Jumps may stretch into NY as well. Wholesale prices- the price stns pay- has already started to rise in this area. Patrick De Haan (@GasBuddyGuy) March 4, 2025 More: Here's what Trump's Mexico and Canada tariffs would mean for Wisconsin gas prices What items from Mexico could be impacted by Trumps tariffs? Similarly, dozens of items the U.S. imports from Mexico could be affected by new tariffs, according to Trading Economics and the Observatory of Economic Complexity: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cereals Paper products Processed fruits and nuts Tropical fruits Tomatoes, onions, lettuce and cabbage Pickled foods Fruit juice Fertilizers Dairy products, eggs and honey Cotton Beer and hard liquor Coffee, tea, mate and spices Meat, fish and seafood Sauces and seasonings Baked goods Avocados Raw sugar Kim Hjelmgaard, Rick Barrett and Jordyn Noenning contributed to this report. More: Wisconsin braces for impact of steel and aluminum tariffs More: 'We can't just not can beer': Milwaukee brewery owners concerned about tariffs' effect on industry This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How Trump's Canada, Mexico tariffs will affect Wisconsin By Tom Polansek JACKSONVILLE, Illinois (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on imports from Mexico carry an outsized risk for farmers in Jacksonville, Illinois, as retaliation by Mexico could prompt corn buyers in that country to turn to rival growers in South America. Mexico, the world's top corn importer, is a crucial market for U.S. farmers, at a time when grain prices have slumped and costs are rising for seeds and chemicals needed to produce crops Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farmers around Jacksonville, a city of about 17,000 people, benefit more than most from Mexican demand. They live near a grain facility that loads corn onto railcars before it travels more than 1,000 miles to livestock producers south of the border. The farmers drive from up to 60 miles away to make sales to the facility owned by privately held crop handler Bartlett, which growers said often pays higher prices for their harvests than other buyers do. Trump's new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada have fed fears Mexico may respond with duties that could reduce its demand for American goods, such as corn. China already retaliated on Tuesday against fresh U.S. tariffs, with hikes to import levies covering $21 billion worth of American agricultural and food products. Lower grain prices from reduced shipments to Mexico threaten all U.S. farmers, though those in Illinois would be hit particularly hard. About 60% of all corn exports to Mexico were by train last year, and 40% of those train movements originated in Illinois, according to U.S. government data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We need their markets and I hope that they need us, but it's a competitive world," said Marty Marr, 70, who farms with his sons and plans to plant corn on about 2,000 acres near Jacksonville this spring. Marr said he worries that tit-for-tat tariffs may prompt Mexico to buy more corn from South American suppliers and less from the U.S. That would be painful. About 36% of total U.S. corn export commitments are for sales to Mexico in the marketing year that ends in August, U.S. government export sales data show. "It's so important that we maintain good relations with them," Marr said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's trade policies and tariffs on China during his first term damaged American farm sales. U.S. farmers never fully recovered the market share they lost for soybean exports when China focused tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods in retaliation for Trump's levies. Illinois is a top supplier of U.S. corn to Mexico because it is the No. 2 corn producing state, and a rail hub in Chicago connects farmers to buyers south of the border. Overall, about a third of the corn grown in Illinois is exported, said Collin Watters, director of exports and logistics for the Illinois Corn Growers Association. By contrast, top producer Iowa exports about 15% of its corn, according to the Iowa Corn Growers Association. "The direct rail access into Mexico, it's a real advantage for us," Watters said. "But the flipside is that there's a lot of uncertainty right now." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacksonville farmer Dale Hadden, 61, sells corn to Bartlett during the autumn harvest, when growing supplies generally pressure prices. Bartlett often offers higher prices than other handlers for its purchases to supply Mexico on the Kansas City Southern railway, he said. "They have the best bid," Hadden said. Bartlett employees declined to comment at their South Jacksonville facility, where railcars were parked on tracks in a long line. The company's website says it is a leading U.S. exporter of grain to Mexico. Less than 10 minutes away by car, shoppers in downtown Jacksonville could hear train whistles blowing while they browsed at clothing and record stores around a historic square with a towering Civil War monument. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents of the 200-year-old city said they are worried that tariffs on Mexico and Canada will raise prices for goods sold in the U.S. Still, they said Trump should have time to pursue his plans. About 65% of voters in Jacksonville's county chose Trump in the 2024 election. "He's trying things that have been very unorthodox but at least he's not in the same rut doing what everybody is telling him to do," said Sue Fox, 68, who supported Trump and runs Times Square Sewing Complex in Jacksonville. Many farmers said they want to avoid the type of extended trade disruptions that led Trump to pay them billions of dollars in aid to offset lost exports to China during his first term. "That is absolutely not what the farmers want," said Dan Newton, 64, a farm manager in Jacksonville. (Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Simon Webb and David Gregorio) NEW YORK (AP) U.S. President Donald Trump's long-threatened tariffs are here, plunging the country into an escalating trade war with China, Canada and Mexico. Trumps 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico went into effect Tuesday, along with a heightened 20% levy on Chinese goods. In response, all three countries announced retaliatory measures. Experts say consumers and businesses will be the hardest hit. Companies big and small will face higher costs on the goods they buy from other countries and could have little recourse but to hike prices themselves. For consumers, that will likely mean more expensive price tags on everything from cars, appliances and other big-ticket items to smaller, everyday purchases including electronics, gasoline and groceries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How are Canada, Mexico and China responding? Canada, Mexico and China all declared on Tuesday that they would impose retaliatory taxes on many U.S. products. China is imposing tariffs of up to 15% on a wide array of key U.S. farm exports, including American-grown chicken, pork, soy and beef. It also expanded the number of U.S. companies subject to export controls and other restrictions by about two dozen. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his country would slap tariffs on more than $100 billion of American goods over the course of 21 days. And Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country will respond with its own retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. Unlike Canada or China, however, she said she would not announce specific tariffs until Sunday possibly indicating that Mexico still hopes to de-escalate the trade war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of the economies involved in the tariffs will see a loss in their real GDP (gross domestic product) and increasing consumer prices in general," said Wendong Zhang, an assistant professor of applied economics and policy at Cornell University. Canada and Mexico will suffer considerably more than the U.S. because of the U.S. economys size and strengthening dollar, Zhang added. For the U.S., the combined tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico could result in about a 0.4% GDP loss, amounting to over $100 billion, he said. The tariffs may be short-lived if the U.S. economy suffers. But Trump could also impose more tariffs on additional countries such as India or EU nations, and more products such as computer chips and pharmaceutical drugs. The president has injected a disorienting and unpredictable volatility into the world economy, leaving it off-balance as people wonder what he will do next. What is the impact on US businesses? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Manufacturing companies and retailers for a wide array of goods will feel the impact. International trade is critically important to our business and industry," Best Buy CEO Corie Barry said on an earnings call Tuesday. The consumer electronics supply chain is highly global, technical and complex. China and Mexico remain the No. 1 and No. 2 sources for products we sell, respectively. At Target, sales and profits slipped during the crucial holiday quarter as customers held back on spending, and there will be meaningful pressure on the company's profits in early 2025 because of the tariffs and other costs, CEO Brian Cornell said at the companys annual investor meeting Tuesday. Car companies supply chains that cross the borders of the U.S., Canada and Mexico could be disrupted in addition to auto parts that come from China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What impact will the tariffs have on consumers? Tariffs on China could impact a variety of consumer products, including cellphones, childrens toys and clothing that Americans buy every day. Some companies have been working to delay or lessen the blow on consumers by stockpiling what they can or shifting manufacturing and suppliers back to the U.S. or other countries not impacted by the new levies. Still, its easier to stock up on some goods than others. And even some made-in-USA products may contain plastics or packaging from China, for example. Wider supply chain shifts are also complicated and far from easy to carry out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to consumer electronics, We expect our vendors across our entire assortment will pass along some level of tariff costs to retailers, making price increases for American consumers highly likely, Best Buys Barry said. And with the U.S. spending billions on fruits and vegetables imported from Mexico and Canada each year, shoppers could face additional sticker shock in the grocery aisle. The new tariffs could also hike prices of tequila, mezcal, whiskey and other spirits made in those countries. Tariffs add another mental calculus for consumers on top of other price pressures today such as soaring egg prices due to avian flu, Zhang says. He adds that shoppers will need to watch prices for everyday items more closely. When will customers see prices go up? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Exactly when consumers will see prices rise isnt clear, but perishables will likely get hit first. Especially during colder months, retailers rely on foreign imports for fresh fruit and vegetables, and long-term storage isn't an option. Shoppers could start seeing the prices of produce such as avocados, which come from Mexico, go up industrywide as early as in a few days, Targets Cornell told reporters on Tuesday. But he added that the extent to which prices will increase depends on how things play out over the next few weeks. I think things are unfolding so quickly, Cornell said. We will watch this carefully and understand, are these long-term tariffs? Is this a short-term action? How will this unfold over time? I think all of us are speculating, and I think were going to listen and learn and make sure that we can control the things we can control. But we dont want to overreact right now to one day and one headline. ___ Associated Press writers Anne D'Innocenzio in New York and Paul Wiseman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. The Trump administration on Monday announced it is suspending U.S. aid to Ukraine in an effort to force Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into a negotiation with the U.S. on ending the war a long-standing demand of Donald Trump. The move, which seemed to confirm Kyiv backers worst fears after Trumps November victory, comes just days after the U.S. president clashed with his Ukrainian counterpart in the Oval Office. The problem is Ive empowered you to be a tough guy and I dont think youd be a tough guy without the United States, Trump told Zelenskyy on Friday. Youre either going to make a deal or were out. And if were out youll fight it out. I dont think its going to be pretty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy has since acknowledged that his White House visit did not go the way it was supposed to, adding that he is prepared to work with Trump to bring lasting peace to his country. America has been Ukraines single biggest aid contributor since the war started, raising profound questions about what the absence of U.S. aid would mean for the countrys ability to defend itself on the battlefield. Malcolm Chalmers, the deputy director general of the Royal United Services Institute, an independent think tank focused on defense, security and international affairs, said, Ukraine will not collapse they already experienced an aid cutoff last year, but the effect will be cumulative. Doug Klain, a policy analyst for Razom, a pro-Ukraine advocacy group, echoed Chalmers, telling HuffPost that last years pause in U.S. military assistance during that supplemental fight in Congress put Russia in one of the best positions thats been on the battlefield since the beginning of the invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If that happens again, the Russians will have no incentive to engage in any kind of real ceasefire or peace process, Klain said. It should come as no surprise that the recently announced aid freeze has been welcomed by the Kremlin. If the U.S. suspends these supplies, it will make the best contribution to peace, Dmitry Peskov, Putins spokesperson, said, according to The Associated Press. Chalmers said Trump appears to believe Putin is prepared to engage in talks, while Zelenskyy is standing in the way of the potential deal the U.S. president desperately wants. Chalmers warned that the freeze risks further emboldening Putin to make more demands on Kyiv, including demilitarization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recent estimates suggest that only 20% of total military hardware supplied to Ukrainian forces is now from the U.S., Chalmers said. 55% is home-produced in Ukraine and 25% from Europe and the rest of the world, but the 20% is the most lethal and important. What will ultimately matter more, he said, is whether Europe is prepared to step up in a meaningful way to fill the void left by the U.S. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday announced that Europe is ready to massively boost its defense spending to respond to the challenges facing Ukraine as well as the long-term need for the continent to take more responsibility for its security without mentioning the U.S. aid freeze. We are in an era of rearmament, von der Leyen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Klain told HuffPost, Europe is doing more, but there is no replacement for the United States. Klain said the pause will have the greatest impact on air defense, long-range and precision fires, and potentially also intelligence sharing. Theres no alternative to Patriot defense systems, and that is what makes Kyiv one of the safest places in Ukraine, said Klain, who is also a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Councils Eurasia Center. Theres no alternative to HIMARS [High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems], which have become so famous. These are really critical systems that Europe cannot step in to fill the role. The news of the aid pause also prompted an emergency meeting in the Ukrainian Parliament to discuss the impact of the U.S. policy shift on Tuesday, according to The New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Zelenskyy has not commented on the U.S. aid freeze, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal offered reassurance about Kyivs ability to continue fighting in light of the apparent setback, noting that his country will continue to work with the U.S. through all available channels in a calm manner. Our military and the government have the capabilities, the tools, lets say, to maintain the situation on the front line, Shmyhal said at a press conference, according to Reuters. Still, Shmyhal and many European leaders have insisted that U.S. security guarantees are critical. The Trump administration has maintained that the rare earth minerals deal the U.S. president was scheduled to sign with Zelenskyy on Friday would be Ukraines best option to prevent future Russian aggression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine, Vice President JD Vance, who took part in the chaotic Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy, told Fox News. Zelenskyy on Tuesday repeated that he is prepared to sign the deal. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively, Zelenskyy said. Against this backdrop, Klain said he will be watching Trumps Tuesday night address to a joint session of Congress closely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its entirely likely that we might see some big Ukraine announcements there, Klain told HuffPost. Related... Russia's war machine has ramped up in ways that could threaten countries beyond Ukraine. A former US general said that stopping now "will give Mr. Putin a reprieve." Russia could leverage its active defense industry for a stronger position for future fights in Europe. Russia is hurting after years of fighting in Ukraine, but its war machine has dangerously ramped up. Taking the pressure off its army could set Moscow up to pick new fights in Europe, current and former ministers and retired military officers told Business Insider. On Monday, the White House said that President Donald Trump had ordered a pause to all US military aid to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A White House official told BI in a written statement that: "The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution." Meanwhile, Europe is worried about possible Russian aggression beyond Ukraine. "My belief is if we take our foot off the gas pedal now, it will give Mr. Putin a reprieve," retired US Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, a former commander of United States Army Europe, told BI last month, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "He can lick his wounds, rebuild his forces, see this as a win, and do it again as soon as he generates a newly mobilized, newly equipped force," Hertling said. "That's what scares me." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia's defense industry is rapidly rearming the country's military and cranking out bombs and drones that it has found useful in its ruthless offensives against Ukraine weapons that could be turned against others in Europe should Ukraine fold. Russia's war machine Russia's military has suffered heavily in Ukraine, failing to take the whole country swiftly and instead getting stuck in a grinding, brutal fight in Ukraine's east. Russia has lost hundreds of thousands of troops, and it has hemorrhaged weaponry. But Russia's defense spending and production have soared. In 2025, Russia plans to spend 6.3% of its GDP on national defense. A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies last month found that Russia's defense spending in 2024, in terms of purchasing power parity, outpaced Europe's. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia does not produce clear or reliable data on its military production, but a 2024 study found Russia had significantly grown its production of key weaponry types, including the types of aircraft that it found most useful in Ukraine. A Russian Sukhoi Su-57 jet fighter performs at an airbase in Russia's Moscow region. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov Much of Russia's newly produced weaponry has been funneled into Ukraine, though Russia has kept some of its most advanced gear safe, potentially for a future conflict. The fear is that without Ukraine, Russia's stockpiles and military would grow rapidly and be ready to use. Many European countries have long seen Ukraine's fight as one that is protecting the rest of Europe. In 2023, Lithuania's then-prime minister, Ingrida Simonyte, described Ukrainian soldiers to BI as people who were dying for European security. She advocated for Ukraine's allies to give it more weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine is Europe's second-largest country in terms of landmass. Its loss or subjugation could allow battle-hardened Russian forces to expand the country's confrontation with the West. Ukraine, however, may not be able to continue its fight if it loses out on critical aid at this pivotal moment. Trump is also pushing for a negotiated cease-fire and does not appear to be seeking one that would stop Russia from pursuing further aggression via security guarantees. Trump's Ukraine envoy has said that Europe would not have a seat at the table for cease-fire talks, and Trump has long criticized aid to Ukraine. He's also been deeply critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means the kind of cease-fire Europe wants, which includes continued support for Ukraine and economic pressure on Russia, may not happen. France and the UK are proposing their own truce between Russia and Ukraine, but it's not clear how successful that proposal would be. Troels Lund Poulsen, the defense minister of Denmark, one of Ukraine's closest partners, told BI that support for Ukraine should not stop even if there's a cease-fire. Even if there's a cease-fire, "we have still to help our friends in Ukraine," he said, adding: "it's not the time to slow down." Russian armed forces during combat drills at the Kadamovsky range in the Rostov region. SERGEY PIVOVAROV/REUTERS Gabrielius Landsbergis, who until late last year served as the foreign minister of Lithuania, a NATO member that borders Russia, told BI that "there is no other way" but to keep supporting Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Russia is "rebuilding, and if we allow them, they will only get strong." Europe's fears There is concern in Europe that Russia will attack elsewhere on the continent. That's one reason why many nations are investing heavily in new weaponry and capabilities. But more needs to be done, European leaders say, to rebuild their defense industrial capacity. The continent has tremendous problems manufacturing sufficient quantities of weaponry, with huge backlogs even when countries are willing to spend. That makes Europe more vulnerable, especially if the US cannot be relied upon as an ally. Europe's efforts to strengthen itself against potential aggression from Russia could also be hamstrung by Ukraine's military demands, which it may have to bear without the US. US President Donald Trump with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. Brian Snyder/REUTERS Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a defense expert and former commander for the UK's Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear forces, told BI that his concern over a cease-fire without conditions is that "the Russian war machine is spun up at the moment." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That pause would allow Russia to keep making more tanks and aircraft, and also take steps to improve its military, like training, that it hasn't been doing while fighting Ukraine, he said. Hertling, the retired US general, described Western aid to Ukraine as "a continuing pressure campaign to show Putin that he has failed in doing this." Dropping that campaign without security assurances risks giving Putin a reprieve to rebuild his forces and re-attack. Hertling described Russia as having multiple "different frozen conflicts in Europe," including Transnistria, a Moscow-backed breakaway province of Moldova that borders Ukraine's southwest. Putin could turn back to those places if his military is freed up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helping Ukraine allows the West to minimize the threat of Russia, Kyiv has repeatedly argued. Many in Europe agree. Hertling told BI last month that he really believes "that Russia is in very bad shape, not just from their military, but also their economy." He said that "this is by far the worst time to take away support from the Ukrainians." Read the original article on Business Insider It's not unusual to not be feeling well with a fever or a tickle in your throat and feel the need to bypass a traditional doctor's office and run to an urgent-care center for a flu or strep test or just get a diagnosis from the nurse practitioner. That likely cannot be said if you are feeling anxious or depressed. Getting treatment for mental health can be much more complicated. That's not the case anymore as a Ridgeland-based company that is generally considered to fall into the urgent care category is making a change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TrustCare Health is expanding its healthcare offerings with the introduction ofTrustCare Mental Health and Wellness Services. This new line of care will provide accessible, mental health support for adolescents and adults, bringing resources to Central Mississippi and the surrounding area. The need for comprehensive mental health services has never been greater. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults in the U.S. experiences a mental health condition each year, and mental health concerns among adolescents have reached crisis levels. Anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges have only been exacerbated by social, economic, and pandemic-related stressors. Mississippi, like much of the country, faces limited access to mental health providers, leading to wait times as long as six months and detrimental gaps in care, Warren Herring, TrustCare CEO told the Clarion Ledger. TrustCare is committed to filling this void by offering convenient, high-quality mental health services with minimal waiting times, if not same-day appointments. The addition of mental health services means TrustCare Mental Health and Wellness Services will provide: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Therapy and Counseling Individual and family therapy for adolescents and adults dealing with anxiety or bipolar disorders, ADHD, depression, stress, or life transitions. Mental Health Evaluations and Medication Management Evaluation and treatment options for those who may benefit from medication support. Telehealth and In-Person Appointments Convenient access to mental health professionals through both in-person visits and secure virtual appointments. Integrated Approach to Care Mental health providers collaborate with primary care physicians and urgent care providers to offer holistic, whole-person care. Best bourbon? Ever wonder what the most popular bourbon is in Mississippi? We have the Top 10 list New development: Madison, MS, development to include new restaurant location and office space. Get details We recognize the urgent need for accessible, high-quality mental health care in Mississippi, said Philip Coburn, Chief Operating Officer at TrustCare Health. Through this launch of mental health and wellness services, we are removing barriers to care and giving our patients the support they need." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coburn said this new line of care will be available initially at TrustCares Lake Harbour location in Ridgeland, with plans for future expansion based on patient needs. 200 new jobs: This company is undergoing a major expansion in MS. See where New development: Retail, restaurant development coming up across from Amazon Data Center near Madison, MS At the clinic level, TrustCare Mental Health and Wellness will be administered by Thomas Howington. He is an experienced psychiatric mental health provider with more than 17 years in the medical field. For nearly half of his career, he has provided primary care to children and adolescents with a history of Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, depression, mood disorders, and developmental delay. He received his Master of Science in Nursing with a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner major from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TrustCare has built a reputation for convenient, high-quality, patient-first healthcare and our approach to mental health will be no different, Howington said. By combining experienced providers, cutting-edge technology, and a strong referral network, first-rate mental health care will at last be readily accessible in this region. TrustCare Health operates urgent care clinics in Jackson, Ridgeland, Madison, Flowood, Brandon, Clinton, and Hattiesburg. The company also operates TrustCare Kids pediatric primary and urgent care clinics in Gluckstadt, Madison, and Brandon as well as a primary care clinic in Madison. Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1. TrustCares Lake Harbour location in Ridgeland, Mississippi. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Trustcare Health adding mental health treatment to portfolio Mar. 3ROUND ROCK The Texas State Troopers Association (TSTA) has announced that the application period for the 2025 TSTA Scholarship Program has opened and will run through May 30. This year, TSTA will award 10 scholarships of $500 each to deserving students pursuing higher education. The scholarship program is open to students entering or currently enrolled in an accredited college. Applicants must be sponsored by a TSTA member to be eligible. Application requirements: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Applicants must be entering or currently enrolled in an accredited college. A letter from the applicant's TSTA member-sponsor, which may include a parent. College transcripts for applicants already enrolled or high school transcripts for incoming college freshmen. A description of applicant's participation in academic, honorary, civic, or extracurricular activities in college or in high school for incoming freshmen. An essay about the applicant's relationship with their TSTA member-sponsor, current education goals, and future aspirations in their subject/training area. Two to three letters of recommendation from the past year written by high school or college faculty, employers, or other appropriate references unrelated to the applicant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are proud to support the educational goals of students in our TSTA family," Rohnnie Shaw, Executive Director of TSTA, said in a news release. "Investing in education is investing in the future, and we are honored to help these young men and women pursue their dreams." The application is available for download from www.texasstatetroopers.org/scholarship. Any employee of the Department of Public Safety who is not yet a member but is interested in joining TSTA can visit www.texasstatetroopers.org or contact TSTA's office at (512) 450-1814 with questions. Completed applications and supporting documents must be submitted by May 30, 2025, via mail to TSTA attn: Scholarship Applications, 2261 Gattis School Rd., Ste 250, Round Rock, TX 78664, or by email to [email protected]. TODAY: Storms clearing out this afternoon. Windy. Highs in the lower 70s. Winds S becoming W at 25 mph. TONIGHT: Mostly clear skies. Breezy. Lows in the mid 40s. Winds NW at 15-20 mph. WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny skies. Breezy. Highs in the upper 50s to near 60. Lows in the upper 30s. Winds NW at 15-20 mph. THURSDAY: Partly cloudy skies. Highs in the mid 60s. Lows in the low to mid 50s. Winds SE at 10 mph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FRIDAY: Partly cloudy skies. Breezy. Highs in the upper 70s. Lows in the lower 50s. Winds SW at 10-15 mph. SATURDAY: Partly cloudy skies. Breezy. A 20% chance of showers. Highs in the lower 60s. Lows in the lower 40s. Winds NW at 15 mph. SUNDAY: Mostly sunny skies. Highs in the mid 60s. Lows in the mid 40s. Winds NW at 5-10 mph. MONDAY: Mostly sunny skies. Highs in the low to mid 70s. Winds S at 5-10 mph. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Control over Congress and White House eases path to changing directions at ATF FBI Director Kash Patel has been named acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) Despite committee votes, resolutions and fiery speeches, pro-gun rights lawmakers last Congress were stymied when it came to rolling back Biden-era firearm regulations. House Republicans voted to overturn a rule that cracked down on firearms with stabilizing braces, only to have Senate Democrats reject the effort. One long-shot bill to abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives never made it out of committee. And although the House proposed policy riders in funding legislation attacking firearm regulations, those provisions were not included in a package negotiated with Democrats. Now, with control over Congress and the White House, Republicans are well positioned to spike Biden gun regulations and exert their will over the agency tasked with regulating firearm dealers that has long been a target of conservative ire. Rep. Robert B. Aderholt, R-Ala., a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said former President Joe Biden was not going to sign an appropriations bill with certain language that went after his own administration's gun rules. ..... A leaked draft law, reportedly prepared by Turkey's ruling party, could criminalize behaviour that does not align with traditional gender roles, opposition and rights groups have warned. According to the document, seen by dpa, individuals who "encourage, praise or promote" actions against "biological sex and general morality" could face up to three years in prison. The draft law also proposes jail terms of up to four years for same-sex couples who hold symbolic wedding ceremonies. Same-sex marriage is illegal in Turkey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further restrictions on gender reassignment measures could include raising the minimum age to 21 from 18, the draft states, in addition to requiring court approval and a psychological assessment. The proposal is justified as protecting the "institution of the family," a key theme for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-conservative ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Gokce Gokcen warned that the law's vague wording could criminalize actions as minor as men wearing skirts or nail polish. Local LGBTQ+ rights group Kaos GL condemned the proposal as unconstitutional, arguing it would effectively criminalize people's identities. It remains unclear if or when the draft law could be submitted to parliament. An Istanbul district mayor from the main opposition party was arrested and removed from his post on Tuesday over tender rigging charges, the Turkish Interior Ministry said. Beykoz Mayor Alaattin Koseler was detained last week, along with 20 other suspects, as part of a corruption investigation into alleged bid-rigging. His main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) condemned the arrest as politically motivated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The arrest comes amid recently increasing legal actions against opposition mayors, including the potential presidential runner Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Several CHP and pro-Kurdish DEM Party mayors have been deposed and some were replaced by politicians appointed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan's ruling party and allied candidates suffered significant losses in major cities in March 2024 local polls. NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) Hampton Roads has a rich history, and theres no more memorable battle than the one between the Monitor and the Merrimac. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The turret of the USS Monitor is in the middle of preservation, and has been in a tank for several years. Visitors receive rare chance to view historic USS Monitor turret at Mariners Museum and Park Its a tight squeeze, but take a look inside a tank that sits a piece of Naval history, as 10 On Your Side got a special look inside the Civil War battleship. The Monitor story really is a Hampton Roads story, said Will Hoffman of the Mariners Museum. Its a story of technology. The story of the Navy is a story of shipbuilding. Its a story of people. The turret sits upside down inside the tank thats normally filled with a solution meant to help preserve it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were draining it to do some visual inspection of the turret and shifting around some artifact, Hoffman said. And were really draining it to clean the clutch chemical system thats on the surface of the object. Launched out of New York in January 1862, it fought the CSS Virginia to a draw in the Battle of Hampton Roads in March of that same year. Later in December, while in tow, it sank in rough waters, 16 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras. While the ship didnt have a long life, it left an impact thats still being felt today. That turret is the first turret that fought in combat in world history, Hoffman said. Every turret on a ship, you know, from gun battleships all the way through now with autonomous lidar you see on modern ships, all that comes from the turret thats sitting in that tank behind me. This is an actual artillery shot from the battle of Hampton Roads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through 3D imaging done in 2016, they can tell where every dent and ding came from, and which battle it came from. Some are in old photos of the ship. These dents are those dents up there, Hoffman said. The hope one day is to flip that turret right-side up. Thats our next big phase of the tour is turning it over, Hoffman said, so that that can set the stage, ultimately, to finish the object and get it out on display. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Popular left-leaning political streamer Hasan Piker was kicked off of Twitch on Monday, days after saying Republicans would kill Florida Sen. Rick Scott if they cared about government waste. If you cared about Medicare fraud, or Medicaid fraud, you would kill Rick Scott, okay? Piker said on Feb. 28. Piker, who has 2.8 million subscribers on Twitch and another 1.5 million on YouTube, where his account is still active, made the comment while commenting on a clip of House Speaker Mike Johnson speaking to CNNs Kaitlan Collins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear how long Piker is suspended from Twitch. Visitors to his page are greeted with a message that says the account is temporarily unavailable due to a violation of Twitchs Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. Representatives for Piker and Twitch did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment. The reason why Im saying if you care about Medicare or Medicaid fraud youd kill Rick Scott and not make him a prominent part of the Republican party is because he, to this day, is still, also known as committing the largest medicare fraud in U.S. history, Piker added a moment later. Leftist YouTube & Twitch star Hasan Piker (@hasanthehun) repeatedly tells his audience that if Republicans really cared about ending fraud, they would "kill Rick Scott." He then has to Google what office @SenRickScott holds, because he is very well informed. pic.twitter.com/Thwq8H4Ks3 Brad Polumbo (@brad_polumbo) March 3, 2025 Piker was referring to Columbia/HCA, the healthcare company Scott founded, being fined $1.7 billion for defrauding federal programs like Medicaid and Medicare in the 1990s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Scott said he, like President Donald Trump, was the victim of political persecution during that affair. By the way, I saw this. It happened to me, Scott said. I fought Hillarycare, and guess what happened when I fought Hillarycare? Justice came after me and attacked me and my company. On Monday, Piker responded to the suspension on X, saying next time he would call for MAX PUNISHMENT for Scott. im sorry! ill choose my words carefully next time & say if mike johnson cares abt medicare fraud (since he wants to cut 800m from medicaid/medicare) hed call for MAX PUNISHMENT for current fl gop senator/former gov rick scott- who has done the most medicare fraud in us history! https://t.co/o2kl21usXy pic.twitter.com/1pI5Xjhi8q hasanabi (@hasanthehun) March 3, 2025 Piker was recently profiled by Slate, which described him as proPalestinian liberation, pro-immigrant, pro-trans, pro-choice, and unapologetically himself. Some of this has brought accusations of antisemitism and more, all of which he strongly denies but has lately found Piker in an uncharacteristically defensive posture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has been critical of Israel following the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023, calling it a country that is based on an ethno-nationalist, supremacist ideology. Piker also recently helped raise more than $100,000 for a fundraiser tied to the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, which said it provides food to Gazans. This was not the first time Piker has found himself in hot water for what he said while streaming. Notably, in 2019, he was criticized for saying America deserved 9/11, dude. F it, Im saying it. The post Twitch Streamer Hasan Piker Kicked Off Platform After Viral Kill Rick Scott Comment appeared first on TheWrap. MORGAN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) Two drug bust led to a Huntsville mans arrest with charges stemming from two different agencies. On February 27, agents with the Morgan County Sheriffs Drug Enforcement Unit conducted an operation in the southwest side of Decatur near Flint. During the operation, agents seized nearly four pounds of methamphetamine and two ounces of cocaine. While at the scene, agents made contact with Jaquine Tuakei Love, of Huntsville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon further investigation, it was determined that Love had additional quantities of narcotics at a home in Huntsville. Morgan County Agents coordinated with Agents assigned to the North Alabama Drug Task Force (NADTF) in an effort to recover those additional quantities in Huntsville. Shortly thereafter, authorities arrived at the home in northwest Huntsville, where they found nearly two pounds of methamphetamine inside. Download the WHNT News 19 App to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WHNT News 19 newsletters to have news sent to your inbox. According to authorities, Love was the transported to the Madison County Jail where he was arrested for trafficking in methamphetamine due to the narcotics recovery that happened in Huntsville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was booked into the Madison County Jail and was issued a $1,500,000 bond. During the operations, agents determined that Love tried to have another individual relocate another quantity of methamphetamine in Decatur. Agents with the Morgan County Sheriffs Office then responded to the 2800 block of Sandlin Road where they made contact with an individual and found approximately eleven ounces of methamphetamine associated with Love. After his release from Madison County Jail, Love will be charged in Morgan County with two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine and one count of trafficking in cocaine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He will then be transported to and booked in the Morgan County Jail with a bond of $750,000. In total, agents seized over six pounds of methamphetamine and two ounces of cocaine. The illegal use and abuse of Narcotics continue to harm families, neighborhoods, and communities, but they are not limited by city or county lines. Because of that, we are thankful for the ongoing collaboration and mutual aid between agencies across north Alabama. Morgan County Sheriff Ron Puckett Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) Police announced Monday that two suspects were arrested for fatally shooting 37-year-old Antoine Lavale Parker inside his Montgomery County apartment last summer. Shortly before 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 22, 2024, officers with the Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) responded to an apartment complex in the 18500 block of Boysenberry Drive. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man fatally shot inside his Montgomery County apartment Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There, they found Parker inside his home suffering from gunshot wounds. He died there. Over five months after the fatal shooting, MCPD said 65-year-old Erick Darryl West and 45-year-old Daryl James Howard were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A man and woman were arrested after police reportedly discovered methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop at a Midland gas station. Ricky Garrett Amber Gough According to the arrest affidavit, on February 26, around 2:35 a.m., officers were patrolling the 3200 block of Franklin Avenue, an area known for high narcotics activity, when they observed a woman, later identified as 36-year-old Amber Gough, walking away from a residence suspected of drug-related activity. Moments later, a vehicle exited the driveway and followed her. Crime: Hidden in the floorboards: CBP officers uncover 27-pound cocaine stash at Presidio port Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police noted that the vehicle had a defective brake light and later stopped in the middle of the road, where Gough entered the car. Officers followed the vehicle to a gas station on South Midkiff Road, where both Gough and the driver, later identified as 38-year-old Ricky Garrett, quickly exited and went inside. Officers observed Garrett engaging in a conversation with an unidentified male, who reportedly pointed in the direction of the patrol car multiple times before walking away. Garrett then sat inside his vehicle, looking at his phone, while Gough remained inside the gas station. According to the affidavit, as officers approached the vehicle, Garrett exited and began walking back toward the store. When officers activated emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop, Garrett allegedly continued walking and positioned himself between the officer and the vehicle. While being given commands to stop, Garrett reportedly dropped an object near the front passenger-side tire, which made a metallic clanking noise. He later retrieved the item and showed officers a torch. Garrett was detained, and police obtained consent to search him. Inside his bag, officers reportedly found a bundle of small clear plastic baggies, a digital scale, and a plastic baggie with methamphetamine residue. Officers then requested Gough to exit the vehicle, and both were questioned about their activities that early morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, Garrett admitted to being at the Franklin Avenue residence, which he referred to as hot due to frequent law enforcement surveillance. Both suspects denied possessing any narcotics inside the vehicle, but Garrett reportedly told officers that a meth pipe was located under the drivers seat. Upon searching the vehicle, officers reported detecting a strong odor of marijuana. They later discovered multiple clear plastic baggies, a digital scale, and a large bag of methamphetamine near the front passenger-side tire, the same area where Garrett had allegedly dropped an item earlier. The substance was later confirmed to be 6.44 grams of methamphetamine, an amount exceeding typical personal use. During questioning, Gough told officers that Garrett had given her the methamphetamine to hold and instructed her to act as a lookout. She further claimed that Garrett frequently sold narcotics and had a supply connection, stating that he often purchased meth in seven-gram increments and could sell it within as little as 30 minutes. As officers transported the suspects to the Midland County Detention Center, Garrett allegedly admitted that the drugs were his but initially denied selling them. Later, he reportedly confessed, stating that he had intended to sell the narcotics but was stopped by police before he could do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garrett was arrested and charged with Manufacture or Delivery of a Controlled Substance, a first-degree felony. He also had multiple outstanding warrants, including fictitious vehicle registration, failure to maintain financial responsibility, and failure to appear in court. Garrets bond was set at $50,000. Gough was also arrested and charged with Manufacture or Delivery of a Controlled Substance, a first-degree felony. Her bond was also set at $50,000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. ANDERSON COUNTY., S.C. (WSPA) Two teenagers are in custody charged for attempted murder. Originally, we had one teenager in custody, 19-year-old OBryan Miller. Since then, for a couple of days now, weve been searching for Davion Taylor. Thankfully, as of Monday, he is in custody. Hes inside of our detention center, said the Public Information Officer for the Anderson County Sheriffs Office, Shale Remien. According to the Anderson County Sheriffs Office, there was a shooting at a small house party on February 7, on McAllister Drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was supposed to be a small gathering at a house, and then the address of his house got pushed on social media, causing a bigger crowd to come in. The homeowner is going from having a small gathering to where all these people are coming from? said Remien. The homeowners brother told everyone to scatter and thats when deputies said Taylor grabbed a rifle from the car and shot at him. Deputies said the man went to the hospital and is expected to be okay. The hand of one is in a crime, is the hand of all in a crime. For example, you have OBryan Miller who was driving the car during the time of the shooting, then you had Davion Taylor, who we were looking for a couple days now, said Remien. Who, ultimately, was the one who opened fire at that small gathering you know, turned large gathering. Deputies said chaos didnt stop there and that the two teenagers crossed over into city limits, and opened fire on East Reed Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office said detectives spent the past few weeks interviewing several eyewitnesses and looking at surveillance footage. When you have that many people involved, its a lot for detectives to sort through when you have such a large crowd like that, said Remien. There are so many people to interview. Thankfully, theres eyewitnesses. Just a scary situation for so many people to hear, to see. Were grateful that both of them are behind bars at this point. Taylor is also facing possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Miller was denied bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. TYLER, Texas (KETK) Longtime supporters of Tyler Junior College were honored for their philanthropic giving during last Thursdays TJC Board of Trustees meeting. Longview dispatcher dies from cancer after 22 years of service Jim and Margaret Perkins were honored on Thursday for supporting TJC through charitable giving like their recent contribution of a property in Rusk, their hometown. The 6,700-square-foot building located on South Henderson Street will help enhance the education of TJC students. The Perkins name is associated with paying it forward, and we truly appreciate and celebrate all that they do on behalf of others. The Colleges main plan encompasses our entire service area, and very important to our work is how we better serve the southernmost part of our region, specifically Rusk and Jacksonville, and their surrounding areas, said TJC President and CEO Dr. Juan E. Mejia said, Communities need champions, and the Perkins family came forward and gifted the property to the TJC Foundation, and today it is being transferred to the Tyler Junior College District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mejia also recognized the previous contributions that Perkins has made to TJCs success over the years. Including when the couple won the Texas Higher Education Distinguished Service Award for the positive impact theyve had on the state. Where to buy fabric in East Texas now that JOANN is closing Jim Perkins spoke about his and his wifes recognition and how the couple will continue to work to support TJC as the college continues to serve the community. When you receive an honor like this, the best thing about it is to be around people who work hard and embrace our efforts to make our communities stronger and stronger, Perkins said. Ive said before that, to me, Tyler Junior College is the best junior college in the United States. I thank the TJC Board, the TJC Foundation and the college community for their steadfast commitment to Rusk. Were going to stay fully behind it and ensure that TJC continues to be a leader in meeting the needs of our communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. March 4 (UPI) -- Mexico and Canada on Tuesday responded to tariffs imposed by the United States with retaliatory levies. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that the tariffs inflicted on imports from her country by the United States are not justified, and that retaliatory tariffs will be declared this weekend. "We have decided to respond with tariff and non-tariff measures that I will announce on Sunday," Sheinbaum said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that his country would respond with 25% tariffs against $155 billion of American goods. Tariffs on $30 billion of American goods took effect at 12:01 a.m. EST Tuesday, with the remaining tariffs due to take effect in 21 days' time. President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico took effect Tuesday. The tariffs, imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, were initially delayed while negotiations with Canada and Mexico about border security and drug trafficking continued, but the administration announced Monday night that the tariffs would take effect as scheduled Tuesday. "While President Trump gave both Canada and Mexico ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country, they have failed to adequately address the situation," the White House statement said. "Our tariffs will remain in place until the U.S. trade action is withdrawn, and should U.S. tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures," Trudeau said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House's statement highlighted the trafficking of fentanyl across both borders. "Last year's northern border fentanyl seizures, though smaller than Mexico's, could kill 9.5 million Americans due to the drug's potency -- proof of Canada's growing role in this crisis," the Trump administration said. Trudeau's statement highlighted his country's efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking, including a $1.3 border plan and the appointment of a fentanyl czar. "Because of this work -- in partnership with the United States -- fentanyl seizures from Canada have dropped 97 percent between December 2024 and January 2025 to a near-zero low of 0.03 pounds seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection," he said. Trump's tariffs also included a 10% increase on existing tariffs on goods imported from China. Beijing announced it would respond with 10% to 15% tariffs on imported U.S. goods including chicken, wheat, corn and cotton products. The U.S. Embassy in Somalia issued a warning to Americans on Tuesday saying there is "credible information related to potential imminent attacks" around the East African nation. Authorities didn't provide details about the potential attacks, but the embassy in Mogadishu said it is tracking threats against multiple locations, including the capital's Aden Adde International Airport. All embassy personnel there have been told to cancel all movements, according to the warning posted on the embassy's website. "The U.S. Embassy in Somalia reminds U.S. citizens that terrorists continue to plot kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks in Somalia," the embassy said in its warning. "They may conduct attacks with little or no warning, targeting airports and seaports, checkpoints, government buildings, hotels, restaurants, shopping areas, and other areas where large crowds gather and Westerners frequent, as well as government, military, and Western convoys." A view of Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Feb. 12, 2022. / Credit: YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images A level four travel advisory issued by the State Department warning people to not travel to the country has been in effect since July 2024, and the embassy said it remains in effect due to multiple threats, including crime, terrorism and civil unrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent weeks, following President Trump's return to the White House, the U.S. stepped up military strikes in Somalia to target terrorists. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Feb. 1 strikes, the first major military operation of Mr. Trump's second term, killed multiple ISIS operatives and no civilians were harmed. Since then, U.S. Africa Command said it conducted several other airstrikes in coordination with the government of Somalia to target ISIS and al-Shabab militants, hitting the vicinity of Al-Kowsar, Ceel Baraf, Dadar and Bulo Burti. The number of ISIS militants in the country is estimated to be in the hundreds, mostly scattered in the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntland's Bari region, according to the International Crisis Group. Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean, died at age 82. Here's a look back at their love story Federal employees received a new email about weekly tasks. Here's how agencies responded. "Anora" wins 5 Oscars at 97th Academy Awards March 4 (UPI) -- China on Tuesday announced retaliatory tariffs of up to 15% on some U.S. imports and restrictions on dual-use exports to 15 American companies. Beijing's Ministry of Finance said it will impose a 15% tariff on 29 U.S. chicken, wheat, corn and cotton products, such as fresh or frozen chicken, wheat flour and combed and uncombed cotton. A 10% tariff will also be imposed on 711 U.S. sorghum, soybean, pork, beef, seafood, dairy and fruit and vegetable products, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In conjunction, the commerce ministry announced the restrictions on dual-use exports to 15 American companies, including Leidos, General Atomics Land Systems, while adding 10 U.S. firms to its "unreliable entities" list. The tariffs go into effect on March 10. China's retaliatory tariffs were announced as U.S. tariffs against China, Canada and Mexico took effect, with Ottawa and Mexico City being hit with tariffs with 25% on their goods. Trump has long used tariffs in an attempt coerce nations into conceding to his demands, having imposed tariffs on approximately $380 billion during his first term. Before he was inaugurated on Jan. 20, he threatened to impose them on Washington's three largest trading partners over drugs and migrants entering the United States. He has also vowed to impose reciprocal tariffs against countries such as India and those in the European Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American president initially imposed the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico early last month but then shelved them amid negotiations. U.S. officials have said that both countries have made efforts to curb drug imports, but not enough to stop illegal migration. Regarding China, Trump has continued to chastise it for failing to stop the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals to criminal cartels in Mexico, who turn them into the deadly drug and smuggle it stateside. China has repeatedly rejected the accusation and on Tuesday lambasted the Trump administration while defending itself as "one of the strictest and most thorough enforcers of anti-narcotics policies in the world." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Beijing's commerce ministry said the United States imposed the tariffs despite China having engaged in "extensive and in-depth cooperation" with Washington that has led to "significant results." "However, the U.S. has once again shifted blame," it said, adding the tariffs "will not solve U.S. domestic issues" but instead will damage bilateral relations. "This action disregards the facts, ignores international trade rules and global concerns and represents a typical act of unilateralism and bullying," it said. Trump's tariffs and the ensuing trade war are expected to have negative impacts on the U.S. economy and American consumers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics states that tariffs from the three countries will cost the typical U.S. household more than $1,200 a year. Meanwhile, the Tax Foundation found they will reduce the United States' gross domestic product by about half a percentage point. According to the Tax Foundation, if Trump makes good on all his tariff threats, the average tariff rate on all imports would be the highest since 1939. "We estimate that average tariff rate on all imports would rise from its baseline level of 2.5% in 2024 to 13.8%," it said. Along with China, Canada and Mexico have vowed to respond with tariffs of their own. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would impose a 25% tariff on $30 billion in goods and on another $125 billion 21 days later. A 10% tariff will also be imposed on Canadian energy. Mexico has also vowed to respond with retaliatory tariffs. America has supported Ukraine with military aid transfers since the beginning of the war. No longer: Trump has prevented Biden-era defence authorisations from being fulfilled, cutting off Kyiv from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative which allows Ukraine to purchase hundreds of millions of dollars of weaponry from US defence companies. Barring a reversal predicated on humiliating grovelling from Zelensky, Americas underwriting of the war effort has ended. Understandably, Ukraine views Trumps devastating cut-off of military assistance as an act of betrayal. Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of Ukraines Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, claimed that Trump was trying to force Ukraine to capitulate to Russia, warning the cut-off was an even worse foreign policy disaster than the 1938 Munich Agreement, as no-one then claimed that Czechoslovakia was the aggressor against Nazi Germany. While Ukrainians have every right to be outraged by Trumps decision, Americas abandonment of Ukraine was set into motion long ago: indeed, it was baked in from the first days of the invasion. For years, the West has given Ukraine enough military equipment to avoid defeat but not the tools that it needed to win the war. A succession of half-measures created countless missed opportunities for Ukraine and enabled a potential ceasefire on President Vladimir Putins terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most striking manifestation of the Wests half-hearted support for Ukraine transpired during the fall of 2022. In five days in September 2022, Ukraines counter-offensive in Kharkiv forced Russian troops to ignominiously withdraw from all positions west of the Oskil River. Ukraine capitalised on this success with victories in Izyum, Lyman and Kherson. Russias manpower shortages forced Putin to announce a chaotic partial mobilisation drive and war materiel deficits necessitated imports of Iranian drones. A severe rift was also festering between the Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Russian Ministry of Defence. Russias invasion of Ukraine was on the verge of implosion, but how did the West respond? With weakness and indecisiveness. While Ukraine lobbied for airtight sanctions against Putins war machine, Europe continued to purchase Russian gas and the US left nuclear energy giant Rosatom off the sanctions list. Zelensky urged the West to supply Ukraine with Nato-class tanks, long-range missiles to strike Russian targets and F-16 fighter jets. We refused to accede to these urgent requests and caved to Putins nuclear bluffs. Although the West eventually provided all these technologies to Ukraine, it was too little, too late. By the time Ukraines counter-offensive began in earnest in June 2023, Russia had built impenetrable fortifications in Zaporizhzhya, conscripted hundreds of thousands of soldiers and sanctions-proofed its military supply chains. Ukraines dreams of victory were chimeric and by late 2023, Ukraines soon-to-be-ousted Armed Forces chief Valery Zaluzhnyi was forced to concede that the war had become a stalemate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even as Russia made incremental gains at a staggering human cost in 2024, the West refused to change tack. According to a recent Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air report, Europe spent more on Russian energy (21.9 billion euros) than on financial aid to Ukraine ($18.7 billion euros). Biden waited until the final days of his presidency to greenlight Ukrainian ATACM strikes on Russias Kursk region and even the arrival of North Korean forces on the frontlines did not lead to Ukraine securing long-range cruise missiles. The US and Europe favoured a long-term attritional war that would gradually weaken Russias economy and military capabilities. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin admitted this in April 2022 when he claimed that We want to see Russia weakened to the degree that it cant do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine. While Trump has dealt a potentially terminal blow to Ukraines resistance to Russian aggression, the meat-grinder stalemate we see today was of the Wests creation. 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. Seven Ukrainian children have been returned home under the President of Ukraines initiative, Bring Kids Back UA, according to Daria Zarivna, Director of the initiative and advisor to the Head of the Office of the President. The children had been residing in the Russian-occupied territories and Russia itself. Since February 2022, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted from Russian-occupied areas and transferred to other Russian-controlled territories or to Russia, according to the Ukrainian national database, "Children of War." Among the returned children is a boy who, along with his parents, lived under occupation for an extended period, Zarivna wrote on March 3. "He endured forced passportization, psychological pressure at school, and a constant fear for his future," she added. "In an effort to provide him with the opportunity for an education in a free country, his parents decided to bring him to Ukrainian-controlled territory." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine considers the abduction of these children a war crime and argues that these actions meet the U.N.s legal definition of genocide. Russia, however, claims that the children are being relocated for their protection from conflict zones. Ukrainian authorities, including Childrens Ombudswoman Daria Herasymchuk, estimate that up to 300,000 children have been unlawfully deported, while the figure put forth by Lubinets, the Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner, stands at 150,000. The Ukrainian government has managed to return 1,233 children so far, according to the Ministry of Reintegration. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children's Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, citing their involvement in the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children. Russia dismissed the ICCs decision as "outrageous and unacceptable." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Russia seized boats, harassed volunteers, concealed gravesites Kakhovka Dam explosion investigation Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Seven more children have been brought back from Russia and the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Source: Dariia Zarivna, Adviser to the Head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine, on Telegram Quote: "Among them is a boy who lived under occupation with his parents for a long time, endured forced passportisation, psychological pressure at school and fear for his own future. His parents, wishing to give him a chance for education in a free country, decided to take him to the territory controlled by Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We also managed to evacuate a mother and daughter who had long been under the supervision of the occupation authorities due to the familys pro-Ukrainian stance. After the father's detention, the mother understood that any delay could become dangerous." Details: Zarivna noted that the children were brought back within the framework of the Ukrainian president's initiative Bring Kids Back UA. She thanked the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner of Ukraine and the State of Qatar for their assistance in organising the rescue missions and helping to bring Ukrainian children back. Background: On 11 February, four children aged 10 to 17 were rescued from occupied Kherson Oblast and brought back to Ukrainian-controlled territory. Some of them had been threatened by the Russians with forcible removal from their families. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! DroneUA, a Ukrainian distributor of unmanned systems, has started supplying robots to NASA, the company announced on March 4. The first test batch has already been sent to Virginia for trials, where experts will determine the most effective applications. NASA initiated the partnership, and DroneUA hopes it will lead to long-term cooperation. "Testing our solutions in the United States paves the way for lasting collaboration with NASA. This proves that Ukrainian innovations are shaping the future," said Valerii Iakovenko, DroneUAs co-founder and managing partner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company sees this partnership as an opportunity to strengthen Ukraines economy and expand its presence in global markets. Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov welcomed the development, emphasizing the importance of Ukrainian manufacturers supplying equipment abroad. "Ukrainian technologies are effective everywhereon land, in water, and even in space. I am proud of our most talented developers. You are creating an innovative future," he wrote. Fedorov noted that Russia's war has rapidly advanced Ukraines defense tech sector, accelerating technological innovation at an unprecedented pace. In February, DroneUA officially registered its trademark in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company supplies drones, robots, and sensors for agriculture, energy, geodesy, and the oil and gas industry. It also develops technological solutions for data processing and unmanned system servicing. Read also: Defense Ministry building testing ground for new AI-powered demining tech Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. US President Donald Trump is seeking $500 billion (477 billion) worth of Ukraines rare earth and critical minerals in negotiating a peace deal, to compensate US military aid to Ukraine during the war. More importantly, securing these resources aligns with his strategic plan to rebalance the USs global trade position, particularly against China. However, peace talks remain at a stalemate as the US decided to pause all military aid to Ukraine after a blowout conversation between Trump and Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump has been dedicated to making America great again since his first term, targeting China with tariffs to protect the domestic manufacturing sector. However, given Chinas long-established supply chain system and manufacturing infrastructure, the US faces challenges in overturning trade relations, particularly the reliance on Chinas supply of critical minerals for its high-tech industry. This makes the peace talks a crucial turning point in Trumps tariff plan for whether he will be able to escalate measures against Chinas exports. How much does the US reply on Chinas critical minerals? The US president has doubled the import levies on Chinese goods to 20%, while he is proceeding with the 25% duty on the two largest trading partners today. Some may be wondering why Trump has not hit China with more aggressive tariffs like what he does to Mexico and Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US heavily relies on Chinas supply of critical minerals, which are vital resources for making electric devices, battery-powered cars, aircrafts, and defence equipment. According to TD Economics, China dominates the global production of more than half of the 50 critical minerals outlined by the US government in 2022. Additionally, it holds a near-monopoly in refining capabilities, processing 90% of rare earth elements. From 2020 to 2023, Washington imported 70% of its rare earth metals from China, according to multiple sources. This makes securing an alternative source from Ukraine a key component of Trumps strategic plan. In December of 2024, China enacted an export ban and restrictions on several critical minerals to the US, following the USs fresh curbs on chip exports to China one day earlier. Beijing halted exports of antimony, gallium, germanium, and super hard materials, and tightened rules for shipping graphite products to Washington. Gallium is a reliable and durable element used in the defence industry, while graphite is essential for making electric vehicles and nuclear reactors. How could a Ukraine mineral deal benefit the US? A Ukrainian Geological Survey state agency estimates approximately 5% of the worlds critical raw materials are located in Ukraine, including millions of tonnes of reserves of graphite, a third of European lithium deposits, and 7% of Europes titanium supplies. The country also holds significant reserves of critical metals, such as copper, zinc, silver, nickel, and cobalt. Rare earth metal that comprises 17 elements has also been found in Ukraine. However, Russia may have occupied some major sites of Ukrainian mines and rare earth deposits since the war started in 2022. Additionally, the lack of investment in Ukraine may prevent the country from producing the output Trump envisions, particularly in terms of refining capabilities. Industry experts also question whether Ukraine truly possesses the rare earth reserves Trump expects. According to Argus Media, an independent energy and commodity research firm, global rare earth estimates range between $4 billion (3.8 billion) and $12.5 billion (12 billion). This makes the $500 billion (477 billion) valuation of Ukraines mineral reserves hard to justify. The International Chornobyl Cooperation Account will allocate 400,000 to study the damage to the New Safe Confinement, which is located above the destroyed reactor Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Unit 4. Source: Svitlana Hrynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Quote: "This is the first step towards our cooperation with partners to restore the New Safe Confinement to normal operation after the Russian attack on 14 February. The funds will be used for an expert assessment of the consequences of the Russian UAV hitting the protective shell of the Confinement." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The minister also noted that the early results of the damage assessment and further steps to restore the functioning of the New Safe Confinement were discussed during the meeting. "Today, the main thing is to conduct a qualitative analysis and unite our donors for further development. Restoring the functioning of the Confinement is a huge challenge. There is a possibility that dealing with the consequences of Russian aggression will require more funds than are currently available in the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account," she added. Background: The countries contributing to the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account announced the allocation of about 7 million for the development of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. On the night of 13-14 February, a Russian attack drone with an explosive warhead hit the shelter over Chornobyl NPP Unit 4. The background radiation level did not increase. On 19 February, Ukrainian emergency workers were still dealing with the aftermath of the Russian UAV strike on the Chornobyl plant. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The Ukrainian government has launched a T-shirt fundraising effort seeking to capitalize on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys now-infamous Oval Office meeting Friday with President Trump and Vice President Vance. The meeting, which unraveled to such an extent that a joint press conference between the two sides scheduled for afterward was canceled, included multiple moments that went viral, such as when Zelensky was criticized for not wearing a suit. He has dressed in more military-themed garb since Russia invaded his country three years ago. United24, a Ukrainian state-sponsored platform that raises funds amid the ongoing war, is raffling off 100 T-shirts with Zelenskys response: Ill wear a costume when the war is over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Ukrainian, the word costume is used as a translated term for suit. The raffle is open to those who donate $24 or more toward Kyivs defense efforts. Theyre emphasizing the words of our President a reminder that there is a time and place for everything, United24s online post reads. There will be a time when we can all wear suits. Right now, it is time to help Ukraine finish this war. You have all the cards to support Ukraine its time to play them. Donate to help Ukraine finish this war and win something to wear instead of a suit, it concluded. During Fridays Oval Office spat, Zelensky tried to tell Trump of the brutality endured by his citizens amid the war. Trump urged his counterpart to show more gratitude for American dollars fueling Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont tell us what were going to feel. Youre in no position to dictate that. You dont have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards, Trump said in front of cameras. Youre gambling with World War III, and what youre doing is very disrespectful to the country this country that has backed you. The president and members of his administration have called on Zelensky to apologize for the meeting. Tensions have risen between Trump and Zelensky in recent weeks after the former called the latter a dictator without elections who had done a terrible job. Trump also recently suggested Ukraine was to blame for the start of the war with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Trump, who has been pressuring Ukraine to sign a a deal that would give the U.S. access to Ukraines critical mineral supply, paused American military aid to Kyiv. Updated at 4:07 p.m. EST Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ukraine's Air Force struck a military facility near Troitskoye in Russia's Kursk Oblast on March 4, destroying dugouts and firing positions, and killing up to 30 Russian military personnel, according to Ukraine's General Staff. The facility was reportedly used for planning attacks, including launching first-person-view (FPV) drones at Ukrainian positions. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims. "Ukraine's Defense Forces remain ready to continue operations targeting Russian military facilities until the Russia ceases its armed aggression against the Ukrainian people," the statement read. Map showing Ukrainian-controlled territory in Russias Kursk Oblast as of March 4, 2025, with captured areas marked in blue. (DeepState/OpenStreetMap) Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, initially capturing about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Ukrainian forces have lost roughly half that area since, they recently advanced 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) in a new offensive. Over six months of fighting in the region, Russian casualties have reached nearly 40,000, including over 16,000 killed, Ukraine's General Staff reported in February. Ukraine is likely using its foothold in Kursk Oblast as leverage in potential peace talks. President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that the offensive disrupted Russia's ability to conduct large-scale operations in northeastern and southern Ukraine. Russian forces in Kursk Oblast have been reinforced by North Korean troops, deployed last fall to counter Ukraine's cross-border operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Russian forces in Kharkiv sector suffer more fatalities than wounded, Ukraine says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. US President Donald Trumps administration and Ukraine may sign the minerals agreement on Tuesday, 4 March. Source: Reuters, citing four people familiar with the matter, as reported by European Pravda Details: Three sources said Trump has told his advisers he wants to announce the deal in an address to Congress on Tuesday night. However, they cautioned that the deal has not yet been signed and the situation could change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. Nor have the Ukrainian President's Office in Kyiv and the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington issued statements. US officials are said to have been in touch with their counterparts in Kyiv in recent days about signing the agreement despite Fridays Oval Office spat. According to one source familiar with the matter, they have urged Zelenskyy's advisers to convince the Ukrainian president to issue a public apology to Trump. Background: On Tuesday, Zelenskyy tweeted that Ukraine was ready to sign the agreement, calling the Oval Office spat "regrettable". Reuters noted that it is not unclear whether the agreement has changed from the version that was due to be signed on Friday. On Monday, Trump indicated that his administration remains open to finalising the deal. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Key developments on March 4: US suspends Ukraine military aid to pressure Zelensky into talks, Trump adviser says US, Ukraine plan to sign mineral deal on March 4, Reuters reports Zelensky says White House clash 'regrettable,' proposes steps for peace Ukrainian drones reportedly strike oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast Ukraine strikes Russian military facility in Kursk Oblast, kills up to 30 troops, General Staff reports Kremlin says Trump policy shift 'largely aligns' with Russias interests The U.S. has suspended military aid to Ukraine as part of a pressure campaign to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky toward negotiations with Russia, U.S. President Donald Trumps senior adviser Jason Miller told CNN on March 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "President Trump is the only person, the only person talking about stopping the killing, and sometimes leaders can use the carrot, sometimes they can use the stick," Miller said. Several media outlets reported that Trump ordered an immediate halt to all military aid to Ukraine on March 4, affecting over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries. Miller claimed that Trump was using strong tactics to reinforce his demand for peace talks and that he expects Zelensky to "get back to the table." Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that American military aid had indeed been suspended, citing Polish border reports. "This is an emergency," Tusk said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pawel Wronski added that the U.S. had not consulted with any of its NATO allies before suspending the aid. The move follows a heated Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28 between Trump, Zelensky, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, which ended with the cancelation of a planned U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement. Since the meeting, some U.S. officials and Republican lawmakers have escalated their criticism of Zelensky, with some even suggesting he should resign. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the U.S. has provided $119.8 billion in aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, including $67.1 billion in military aid, $49 billion in financial aid, and $3.6 billion in humanitarian support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: US military aid freeze to Ukraine temporary, linked to Zelensky-Trump clash, Mike Johnson says US, Ukraine plan to sign mineral deal on March 4, Reuters reports The U.S. and Ukraine are preparing to sign a mineral deal on March 4, according to Reuters, citing sources familiar with the matter. The sources indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to announce the agreement during his upcoming address to Congress. However, they cautioned that the situation remains fluid and could still change. President Volodymyr Zelenskys Feb. 28 visit to the White House was originally intended to finalize the long-debated agreement on jointly developing Ukraines mineral resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting instead turned into a public clash, with Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance berating Zelensky. The Ukrainian president later left the White House without signing the deal. Following the talks, Trump accused Zelensky of "disrespecting" the U.S. in the Oval Office and said the Ukrainian president "is not ready for peace." Zelensky later called the fallout "regrettable" and reaffirmed Ukraines readiness to sign the mineral and security agreement "at any time and in any convenient format." The report comes after Trump reportedly ordered an immediate halt to more than $1 billion in U.S. military aid to Ukraine on March 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the dispute, some Republican lawmakers have ramped up criticism of Zelensky, with some suggesting he may need to step aside. Zelenskys White House visit was preceded by weeks of tense negotiations as Ukraine rejected the initial two draft proposals, arguing they imposed one-sided obligations on Kyiv without any security commitments from Washington. The final agreement is expected to establish a fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50% of the proceeds from the future monetization of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure. Zelenskys refusal to sign the initial draft, presented by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv on Feb. 12, prompted the U.S. President to lash out publicly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump denounced Zelensky as a "dictator," falsely accusing him of refusing to hold elections and echoing Kremlin disinformation about his legitimacy. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us Zelensky says White House clash 'regrettable,' proposes steps for peace President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 4 that his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House "did not go the way it was supposed to be," calling the fallout "regrettable." The statement follows days of mounting pressure from Washington, with senior U.S. officials signaling that Zelensky should apologize for the heated Feb. 28 Oval Office exchange with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting ended without a planned U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement being signed. Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to sign the agreement on minerals and security "at any time and in any convenient format." "We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively," he posted on X. Zelensky also responded to Trump's latest criticism of his comments on March 2, in which he described peace negotiations as being in the earliest stages and a final deal as "very, very far away." Trump seized on the remarks as alleged proof that Zelensky does not want peace, posting on Truth Social that "America will not put up with it for much longer." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians," Zelensky said. He suggested that the initial steps toward de-escalation could include prisoner of war (POWs) releases, a "truce in the sky" banning missiles, long-range drones, and bombs targeting civilian infrastructure, as well as a "truce at sea." "Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree a strong final deal," Zelensky added. The remarks come as several media outlets reported that Trump ordered an immediate freeze on all military aid to Ukraine on March 4, halting over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's senior adviser, Jason Miller, told CNN that the aid suspension is part of a pressure campaign to push Zelensky into negotiations with Russia. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told Fox News on March 3 that Washington expects Zelensky to show "regret" for the Oval Office dispute and commit to signing the mineral deal. Read also: US sided with Russia, North Korea & Iran Ukraine reacts to Trumps military aid freeze Ukrainian drones reportedly strike oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast Ukrainian drones attacked an oil refinery in the city of Syzran in Russia's Samara Oblast overnight on March 4, Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, said. The first explosions occurred around 3 a.m. local time, according to local residents. A fire broke out at the facility as a result. Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev later said that drones attacked "one of the Syzran industrial enterprises" without providing more details. Russian forces downed drones, and there were no casualties, Fedorishchev claimed. The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims. Drones attacked Russian Syzran oil refinery in Samara Region, locals report an explosion. A year ago, drones hit the same site, sparking a fire. No official details on the latest incident yet. pic.twitter.com/I0hJs85WW4 Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel) March 4, 2025 The Syzran Oil Refinery, lying around 700 kilometers (430 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border, was opened in 1942 and belongs to the Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft. The refinery has a capacity of 8.9 million tons of oil per year. It produces fuel, aviation kerosene, and bitumen, as well as processes crude oil from Western Siberia and Samara Oblast, according to Kovalenko. Drones earlier attacked the Syzran Oil Refinery on Feb. 19. Ukraine considers Russian oil facilities to be valid military targets, as fossil fuel profits supply Moscow's war machine. The Ukrainian military has launched repeated attacks against Russian refineries with long-range drones. Read also: Trump cuts to US weapons aid likely to hit Ukrainian civilians before front line Ukraine strikes Russian military facility in Kursk Oblast, kills up to 30 troops, General Staff reports Ukraine's Air Force struck a military facility near Troitskoye in Russia's Kursk Oblast on March 4, destroying dugouts and firing positions and killing up to 30 Russian military personnel, according to Ukraine's General Staff. The facility was reportedly used for planning attacks, including launching first-person-view (FPV) drones at Ukrainian positions. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims. "Ukraine's Defense Forces remain ready to continue operations targeting Russian military facilities until the Russia ceases its armed aggression against the Ukrainian people," the statement read. Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, initially capturing about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory. While Ukrainian forces have lost roughly half that area since, they recently advanced 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) in a new offensive. Over six months of fighting in the region, Russian casualties have reached nearly 40,000, including over 16,000 killed, Ukraine's General Staff reported in February. Ukraine is likely using its foothold in Kursk Oblast as leverage in potential peace talks. President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that the offensive disrupted Russia's ability to conduct large-scale operations in northeastern and southern Ukraine. Russian forces in Kursk Oblast have been reinforced by North Korean troops, deployed last fall to counter Ukraine's cross-border operations. Read also: Ukraine to boost gas imports due to Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, Bloomberg reports Kremlin says Trump policy shift largely aligns with Russias interests U.S. President Donald Trumps heated Oval Office meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky signals a major shift in U.S. foreign policy, one that a Kremlin spokesman says "largely aligns" with Russias interests. Trumps recent stance on Ukraine, including his public rebuke of Zelensky and reported halt on U.S. military aid to Kyiv, has drawn praise from Russian officials while raising concerns among European allies. Since taking office, Trump has distanced the U.S. from its traditional role as Ukraines primary supporter, instead questioning Kyivs commitment to peace and implying that Ukraine shares blame for the ongoing war. His administrations position has prompted Russian officials to express optimism about a potential thaw in U.S.-Russia relations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television on March 3 that "the new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations," calling the shift a positive development for Moscow. During the Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28, Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelensky of failing to show gratitude for U.S. support and warned that his refusal to negotiate with Putin could escalate into a broader conflict. In response, European leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine, denouncing Russias invasion and calling for continued Western military aid. The divergence in approach has raised questions about the future of U.S. support for Kyiv. Russian officials have openly praised Trumps stance, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling him "the first, and so far, the only Western leader" to acknowledge what Moscow considers the true cause of the war. Other Kremlin figures, including the deputy chair of Russias Security Council, applauded Trump for taking a harsher tone toward Zelensky, even labeling Ukraines leader a "dictator." Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that once the war ends, Washington and Moscow could pursue "potentially historic economic partnerships," including cooperation on Arctic development and rare earth mining. Read also: 5 ways you can support Ukraine even if your government doesnt want to Note from the author: Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended an olive branch to President Donald Trump and said he regrets last weeks showdown in the Oval Office. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way, Zelensky said in a post on X Tuesday. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Zelensky said he was ready to work under Trumps strong leadership to get a peace deal in the social media post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same, Zelensky wrote. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. The Oval Office meeting between U.S. President Trump, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance erupted into a public shouting match. But, now Zelensky said he is ready to work with Trump to find peace and end the war with Russia (AP) The meeting at the White House between Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and the Ukrainian leader escalated into a shouting match in front of the press. The meeting appeared to turn contentious when Vance suggested Trump had been engaging in diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a comment Zelensky took issue with, noting the years-long history of peace deals that Russia violated. He then pressed the vice president: What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you talking about. What do you mean? Vance then accused the Ukrainian president of being disrespectful for coming to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats when Zelensky asked if the vice president had ever been to Ukraine, insisted he visit. Vance didnt directly say hes never set foot the war-torn country, but instead replied: I've actually watched and seen the stories and I know what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President. Trump later suggested: You're right now, not in a very good position. You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now with us. Zelensky pushed back: Im not playing cards right now, Im very serious Mr. President. I am a wartime president. The now-infamous meeting took place three years after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The meeting appeared to turn contentious when Vance suggested Trump had been engaging in diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a comment Zelensky took issue with (AFP via Getty Images) Following the contentious meeting, the scheduled joint press conference was canceled and the minerals deal was called off, with Trump writing on Truth Social that Zelensky is not ready for Peace...He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hours later, appearing on Fox News, the Ukrainian president underscored he believed his relationship with Trump could still be salvaged. Its more than two presidents. The historical relations, strong relations, between our people. This is the most importantand of course [were] thankful to the president and to Congressbut first of all to your people, Zelensky continued. Your people helped to save our people. Days later, Trump escalated the situation further when he announced Monday that the U.S. would temporarily pause more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition for Ukraine that has been ordered or is in the production process. The president hit out at the Ukrainian leader after he told reporters in London over the weekend that a deal to end the war is still very, very far away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump did not agree, writing on Truth Social that Zelenskys words represent the worst statement that could have been made by the Ukrainian leader. He also said that Zelensky should be more appreciative because America has stuck with them through thick and thin. Ukraine's Armed Forces drone units carried out strikes on several key targets in Russia on the night of 4 March 2025, including oil refining and gas transport infrastructure used to supply the Russian forces. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Quote: "In Russias Rostov Oblast, an oil pumping infrastructure facility used to supply the invading army was hit. Powerful explosions and a fire were recorded at the target site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was also a strike on production facilities at the Syzran oil refinery in Samara Oblast. The enemy actively countered the attack using electronic warfare and air defence systems. A fire was reported at the facility." Details: Explosions were also reported near the Sokhranovka Line Production Directorate of the main gas pipelines in Rostov Oblast. Further details on the scale of the damage are being established. The General Staff stated that Ukraines defence forces continue to systematically destroy Russian military and strategic infrastructure to weaken its military-economic potential and force it to end the aggression. Background: Earlier, Russian social media channels reported that drones had attacked an oil refinery in Syzran, Samara Oblast. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! By Olena Harmash KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine is "firmly determined" to continue cooperation with the United States, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday following the news that Washington paused its crucial military aid. Shmyhal said Ukrainian forces could hold the situation on the battlefield as they fight Russian troops despite the pause in U.S. supplies. President Donald Trump stunned Ukrainians by pausing the supply of U.S. military aid that has been critical for Kyiv since Russia's 2022 invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shmyhal said that U.S. military assistance was critical for Ukraine and that it had helped save thousands of lives. Kyiv hoped to continue working with Washington pragmatically and was ready to sign a deal that would give the United States access to Ukraine's deposits of rare earth and other critical minerals, Shmyhal said. "We are looking for these opportunities for pragmatic cooperation based on the economy, in particular in the agreement to create jointly an investment fund. We are ready to sign it and move in this direction," he told a news conference. "It is important to maintain this partnership and find ways to work together. We are working to ensure the support continues until a peace agreement is reached, but I stress that it will be on Ukraine's terms as a victim country." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian officials said the United States was supplying about 40% of Ukraine's weapons. Europe covered about a third. Last year Ukraine covered about 30% of its weapons needs with domestic production and planned to increase output this year to cover up to 50%, Shmyhal said. He said Ukraine planned to increase its drone production to about 2.5 million this year from some 1 million produced in 2024. The country would also increase production of artillery and other ammunition, he said, providing no absolute figures. Ukraine depended critically on the U.S. for air defence systems to repel Russian missile strikes, Shmyhal said. The Ukrainian military said last month that Russia launched over 8,000 missiles at Ukraine since its invasion in February 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shmyhal said there was a risk for the repair, maintenance, and general supplies for U.S. Patriot air defences that he described as the only system capable of repelling Russian ballistic missile strikes. Residents in the capital Kyiv said the government needed to redouble its diplomatic efforts towards the United States. "I think a dialogue between the president's office and Donald Trump's administration will solve this issue sooner or later," Natalia Borysenko, 38, public servant, told Reuters. "There will probably be a pause, but then it will be sorted somehow." Shmyhal gave no time frame for when the minerals deal could be signed. The agreement with the United States was cast into doubt after President Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last Friday descended into acrimony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump hinted on Monday that the deal could still be agreed despite his frustration with Kyiv. "We have no choice... So I am not considering a 'plan B'. We have a 'plan A' - our victory," Shmyhal said. (Additional reporting by Yuliia Dysa and Anna Voitenko; Writing by Tom Balmforth/Olena Harmash; Editing by Jon Boyle and Peter Graff) Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal noted that Ukraine is grateful to the United States for its significant military assistance, which has saved tens of thousands of lives and helped the country withstand Russian aggression. This support is ongoing, and Kyiv hopes it will continue in the future, he stated. Source: Shmyhal at a briefing in Kyiv on 4 March, cited by Interfax-Ukraine Details: "This support is present in Ukraine today, and it continues," the prime minister said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regarding discussions about the possibility of halting US military aid, Shmyhal emphasised that Ukraine will "calmly and consistently continue diplomatic efforts through all available channels" with the US, Congress and President Donald Trumps administration to ensure that Ukraine and the US continue their joint fight for a just, lasting, and stable peace. Quote: "Today, Ukraine is firmly committed to continuing cooperation with the United States, and I am confident that support from the US as a global leader and one of our biggest partners, which has stood by us for three years will continue." Background: Earlier on Tuesday, 4 March, international media reported that Trump had ordered a halt to all military aid deliveries to Ukraine. Bloomberg, citing a senior Pentagon official, revealed that the US would suspend all ongoing military assistance to Ukraine until Trump determines that the countrys leadership is demonstrating a sincere commitment to peace. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukrainian drones attacked an oil refinery in the city of Syzran in Russia's Samara Oblast overnight on March 4, Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, said. The first explosions occurred around 3 a.m. local time, according to local residents. A fire broke out at the facility as a result. Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev later said that drones attacked "one of the Syzran industrial enterprises" without providing more details. Russian forces downed drones, and there were no casualties, Fedorishchev claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims. Drones attacked Russian Syzran oil refinery in Samara Region, locals report an explosion. A year ago, drones hit the same site, sparking a fire. No official details on the latest incident yet. pic.twitter.com/I0hJs85WW4 Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel) March 4, 2025 The Syzran Oil Refinery, lying around 700 kilometers (430 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border, was opened in 1942 and belongs to the Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft. The refinery has a capacity of 8.9 million tons of oil per year. It produces fuel, aviation kerosene, and bitumen, as well as processes crude oil from Western Siberia and Samara Oblast, according to Kovalenko. Drones earlier attacked the Syzran Oil Refinery on Feb. 19. Ukraine considers Russian oil facilities to be valid military targets, as fossil fuel profits supply Moscow's war machine. The Ukrainian military has launched repeated attacks against Russian refineries with long-range drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: BREAKING: Trump halts military aid to Ukraine, Bloomberg reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian forces have delivered a precision strike on a Russian training ground in the occupied part of Kherson Oblast, leaving about 30 Russian troops dead. Source: 14th Separate Regiment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems on social media Quote: "Operatives from the 14th Separate UAV Regiment have detected and, in cooperation with the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group, hit a cluster of enemy infantry at one of the Russian training grounds on the Kherson front." Details: The attack, carried out using cluster munitions, is reported to have killed around 30 Russian troops. Ukrainian forces have released a video of the strike. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine's Air Force has delivered a precision strike on a command post belonging to the 98th Guards Airborne Division of the Russian Armed Forces. Ukraine's Air Force has conducted a precision strike on a command post belonging to the 98th Guards Airborne Division of the Russian Armed Forces and a military facility of the 28th Rifle Battalion of the 60th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Source: Ukraine's General Staff Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The General Staff reported that the command post had been located in the village of Manzhykiv Kut (Kalinina until 2016) in the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk Oblast. The strike reportedly disrupted the command-and-control system of Russian forces, severely complicating the coordination of the airborne divisions military units. The General Staff also announced that Ukraine's Air Force had destroyed a Russian army facility in Russia's Kursk Oblast. On 3 March, Ukrainian warplanes carried out another successful strike on a military facility of the Russian Armed Forces' 28th Infantry Battalion of the 60th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade near Troitskoye in Kursk Oblast. The operation destroyed Russian dugouts and gun positions, killing up to 30 soldiers who were engaging in hostilities against Ukraine. This location was used to plan and carry out operations, including the launch of First-Person View drones against Ukrainian positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The Ukrainian defence forces are continuing to deprive the enemy of the ability to operate effectively on the battlefield, systematically destroying its command and logistics structures. This operation is another step towards crushing the aggressor's military potential and liberating Ukrainian land. Ukraine's Armed Forces will not stop until the occupation army loses its ability to wage war." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! President Trump announced on Monday a pause in the provision of billions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Ukraine aid that had been promised by former President Biden before he left office. It will affect deliveries of ammunition and other vital supplies as Ukraine fights to defend itself from Russia's ongoing, three-year full-scale invasion that has seen President Vladimir Putin's forces occupy roughly 20% of eastern Ukraine. The aid pause came after Friday's contentious Oval Office meeting that descended into an unprecedented televised spectacle as President Trump and Vice President JD Vance belittled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of failing to express sufficient gratitude and disrespecting the U.S. presidency. "The president has been clear that he is focused on peace," a White House official told CBS News on Monday. "We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That reaction by Mr. Trump is a nightmare scenario for Ukraine, and it could have real consequences not only for Zelenskyy's forces on the ground, but for all of Europe. It was a dramatic ratcheting up of Mr. Trump's campaign to pile pressure on Zelenskyy to pursue a peace deal with Putin but on terms that Ukraine has so far deemed untenable, with no offer of a U.S. guarantee to protect Ukraine from future attacks by its much larger, authoritarian neighbor. The announcement was met with immediate trepidation in Ukraine, but quickly welcomed by Moscow, where Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it "a decision that could actually push the Kyiv regime toward a peace process." "It is obvious that, until now, the U.S. has been the main supplier of this war," Peskov said. "If the U.S. stops that or suspends these supplies, this will probably be the best contribution to [achieving] peace." "Ukraine will still fight," but it needs help Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Ukraine, Mr. Trump's move sent shockwaves across the war-battered country. Asked if Ukraine stands a chance of repelling Russia's invasion without the support of the U.S. and Mr. Trump, Mykhailo Podolyak, a top advisor to Zelenskyy, declined to predict the outcome, but didn't waiver about Ukraine's determination to defend its sovereignty. "What I can say for sure is that Ukraine will still fight. But I will ask you a question," he told CBS News. "Would [the U.S.] be okay to stay on the sidelines when we need to stop Russian aggression? And what does Russia want to do? It wants to destroy the world that was built by previous American administrations." It's a world President Trump has never signaled clearly that he is willing to defend. But Ukrainian soldiers wounded on the battlefield told CBS News in a military trauma ward in Kyiv, that they are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oleksiy, a grandfather and volunteer soldier in his 50s, was being treated for shrapnel wounds to his legs and hips from Russian shelling. He also suffered a war wound to his arm a year ago, but he went back to fight. "Of course," he said, when asked if he would continue fighting when he healed, with or without support from Washington. "For the sake of my granddaughter." As Ukrainian leaders consider what to do next, they will have to turn increasingly to their partners in Europe, who already provide just over 50% of the military assistance Ukraine receives. European leaders have vowed in recent days to step up that support dramatically as Russia's assault rages on. Highlighting the importance of that support, Russian forces launched nearly 100 explosive drones at the Ukrainian cities of Sumy and Odessa overnight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Ukrainian official told CBS News the country could sustain itself militarily for up to six months without further U.S. military aid, but that would be dependent on the severity of Russian attacks. Ukraine's president has warned for years, even before Russia launched its full-scale invasion after insisting for months that it had no intention of doing so, that if Putin is not stopped in his tracks, he will keep pushing to claw back more of the territory Russia lost when the Soviet Union collapsed and the Russian autocrat has made no secret about his perception of both NATO and Europe as hostile entities. "We hear his [Trump's] statement about the desire to bring peace to Ukraine. This can only be welcomed," Peskov said Tuesday. "But we will continue to watch how the situation develops in reality." CBS News' Sohel Uddin and Emmet Lyons contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement War in Ukraine takes perilous turn after Zelenskyy, Trump Oval Office argument Trump approval rating at 51%, new CBS News poll shows Federal employees received a new email about weekly tasks. Here's how agencies responded. AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) The University of Massachusetts Amherst Fine Arts Center has been welcomed into Major University Presenters (MUPs), a prestigious national consortium of performing arts programs affiliated with leading research universities. Founded in 2002, the MUPs consortium now includes 22 major university presenters across the county who collaborate to strengthen their programming and promote the transformative power of the arts. Springfield clock tower named endangered landmark Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fine Arts Centers membership was approved by peer organizations within the group, joining fellow New England institutions such as ArtsEmerson at Emerson College and the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College. The Fine Arts Center is honored to join Major University Presenters, a consortium that reflects our deep commitment to championing the transformative power of the arts in higher education and society, said Jamilla Deria, director of the UMass Fine Arts Center. As we approach our fiftieth anniversary season, this membership strengthens our ability to collaborate with peer institutions, amplify diverse voices, and create meaningful connections between artists, students, and communities. Since opening in 1975, the UMass Fine Arts Center has been a hub for arts and innovation on campus and in the surrounding communities of western Massachusetts. Its work focuses on supporting artists, enhancing student learning, and providing inclusive programming that enriches public higher education and advances social progress. Through its membership with MUPs, the Fine Arts Center gains access to a network of colleagues dedicated to improving university-affiliated arts programming, sharing resources, and creating new opportunities for collaboration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The consortium facilitates partnerships in areas like marketing, development, and production while also exploring field-wide initiatives, such as mentorship programs and co-commissioning projects. MUPs also supports its members in advocating for the role of the arts in higher education and the broader community, with a shared mission to build more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable cultural spaces. Looking ahead to its 50th anniversary season in 2025-2026, the Fine Arts Center plans to use this new affiliation to continue fostering creativity, inclusion, and artistic excellence both on campus and beyond. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Europe and other regions are struggling to combat the spread of synthetic drugs, the UN's International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) said on Tuesday. The expert panel based in Vienna expressed great concern in its annual report about the rapidly growing market for artificial narcotics. They can be produced more covertly, flexibly and cheaply than agriculturally produced substances like opium or cocaine. Among the most used synthetic drugs is fentanyl, which is behind tens of thousands of annual overdose cases in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The INCB said that synthetic drugs are a pressing problem which regulatory authorities, law enforcement and public health systems are largely unprepared for. The panel added that Europe, for instance, is especially unprepared for nitazenes - a group of drugs marketed as "synthetic heroin." Due to significantly decreased opium production in Afghanistan and the anticipated shortage of heroin in Europe, the INCB anticipates a supply gap that could be filled by synthetic substances. It said that nitazenes are already leading to overdose cases in Estonia and Poland. These drugs have also been seized in France and Ireland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The rapid proliferation of highly potent synthetic drugs is a major threat to public health," INCB president Jallal Toufiq told a news conference. The board called on countries to develop coordinated strategies to combat these substances. From the experts' perspective, this includes standardized laboratory testing procedures, better information sharing and greater involvement of intelligence services. President Donald Trumps repeated threats to dramatically expand tariffs are now a reality. Tariffs of 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada went into effect Tuesday morning, alongside an additional 10% tax on Chinese goods. Its a move that affects trillions of dollars in trade and will reshape prices for everything from cars to medication while straining relationships with key U.S. trading partners. Imported goods are a key driver of the American economy, totaling $2.9 trillion in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau with China, Canada and Mexico accounting for more than 40% of that volume. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its these top trading partners that Trump has frequently criticized. The U.S. has a trade deficit, meaning it imports more goods than it exports. Tariffs could help close that gap by raising the prices of foreign goods and encouraging Americans to purchase domestic alternatives. In some cases, even the threat of tariffs might accomplish some of that by incentivizing manufacturers to move operations elsewhere. However, those operations wont necessarily be relocated to the United States. China was long the biggest exporter of goods to America. But its export total began to fall after Trump levied tariffs on the country during his first term, when companies began moving manufacturing from China to Mexico. As a result, Mexico surpassed it for total exports in 2023. Tariffs often lead to higher costs for consumers, as affected companies pass their new costs along. One economic study concluded that the costs of Trumps 2018 trade war were passed on entirely to U.S. importers and consumers. A 2019 report from the Federal Reserve concluded the 2018 tariffs led to U.S. job losses and higher consumer prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among all categories of goods, the most imported in the U.S. are machinery-related products, electronics and automotive products. Canada, China and Mexico account for a meaningful share of these imports, which means consumers could soon see prices ratchet up on everything from new cars to smartphones to bicycles. While tariffs will increase the price of consumer goods, Trump has hinted at reducing or eliminating the personal income tax with the new tariff revenue. If thats the case, it could ease consumer pain in the face of sky-high mortgages and rising prices on essentials including eggs and milk. However, income taxes make up most of the trillions in revenue the government collected last year. On the other hand, customs duties, aka tariffs while still a significant sum represent a slight fraction of national revenue. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com VINCENNES, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) The United Way of Knox County and Vincennes University have partnered to show a documentary on food insecurity in Indiana. The documentary is called Food Insecure and has a 30 minute runtime. The film was put together by the Indiana Working Hungry Project. This film was put together to help communities across the nation understand the real dilemma of not having enough food felt across the nation. According to the news release, 15% of Hoosier children are going hungry and 700,000 Hoosiers are dealing with food insecurity. The documentary will be shown for free in the Shircliff Auditorium on Vincennes Universitys Campus at 6 p.m. on March 27. The film will be followed by a conversation among the community members in attendance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. A water tower read Selma - A Nice Place To Live in Selma, Alabama on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. A new report from the University of Alabama recommends enhancing existing programs to help address endemic poverty in the Black Belt. (Will McLelland for the Alabama Reflector) University of Alabama researchers say federal, state and local officials must intensify their investments in the states Black Belt region to leverage ongoing improvements in roads and broadband. The findings came in Halfway Home and a Long Way to Go: Bridging Persistent Poverty Gap in Alabamas Black Belt, a brief published at the end of last month that is the first in a planned series. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We see addressing persistent poverty in the Black Belt as both a moral imperative, and an economic necessity for Alabamas future, said Stephen G. Katsinas, director of the Education Policy Center and professor with the College of Education at the University of Alabama, during a recent media briefing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Black Belt consists of 24 contiguous counties spanning the central portion of the state from Mississippi to Georgia. The counties combined comprise a majority Black population. The region has struggled with poverty for decades. In some Black Belt counties, poverty rates are more than 30%, almost three times the national average of 12%, according to an analysis by the authors using 2023 data obtained from the Federal Reserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, there are 21 counties in our state that are in persistent poverty. Nineteen are in the Black Belt, Katsinas said. The brief recommends targeted investments in the Black Belt to address poverty disparities between Blacks and whites and the stubbornly high rate of poverty among the youth. The authors also recommend enhancing programs that already exist that serve the area. The brief cited economic development projects that have spurred business growth. According to the brief, Mercedes-Benz contributed $1 billion for a new battery plant in Bibb County while Hyundai invested about $300 million for an assembly plant building electrical vehicles. Those enhancements were possible because of the infrastructure investments from the state for the past several years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to acknowledge the progress made by Gov. Kay Iveys administration regarding transportation and these plans to expand access in and out of the region, said Garrett Till at the media briefing, a graduate student at the University of Alabama. Among them is a construction project begun in 2021 to expand the West Alabama corridor to a four-lane highway in the Black Belt, starting in Thomasville in Clarke County and going north to Tuscaloosa. The state is also attempting to expand broadband access in the region with financial assistance from the federal government. Researchers have already identified a few candidates for projects as part of a grant that the university submitted to address poverty in the region. One would create campus-based technology programs to increase the number of electrical vehicle workers in the area for manufacturing plants based in the Black Belt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan also included virtual engineering coursework geared to serve suppliers of the automobile industry already in the region. A second set of programs were designed to help prepare adults for technology and vocational careers. This would prepare people for employment opportunities, particularly single parent heads of households and those who had been incarcerated. Much of the report centers on the persistent levels of poverty that residents of the Black Belt experience. It is especially stark among children. The poverty rate for Black Belt children younger than 5 years old was about 40% versus 18% for the rest of the U.S, according to 2023 Federal Reserve data. For children in the Black Belt aged five to 17, the poverty rate is 35%, compared to 16% for the same age group in the rest of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This creates a generational cycle of poverty, and it limits future workforce potential, said Joscelyn Peterson, an undergraduate researcher at the University of Alabama. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE LAS VEGAS (KLAS) University of Nevada, Las Vegas President Keith Whitfield announced his resignation from that post Monday evening, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned from a statement sent to students. Whitfield made the announcement at the universitys annual foundation dinner at the Bellagio Monday night. Whitfield is the first African American president in UNLVs history, according to the schools website. Whitfield, who held the top post during the deadly shooting on UNLVs campus in December 2023, began his tenure there in August 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 3 dead, 1 in stable condition after shooting on UNLV campus; suspect dead Whitfield said his departure was due to family reasons as he needed to tend to his mother and wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren. Now, I have to take my own advice and take care of some family issues. Family is a crucial part of our lives. More of my attention is needed to help my mother and make sure she has the best care possible. I also want to spend more time with one of my grandsons who currently has some health challenges of his own. These commitments will require more of my time and energy and prevent me from being your president, he said in his statement. UNLV presidents 4-year contract renewed, NSHE reports Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 8 News Now Investigators asked a UNLV spokesman for a comment on Whitfields future in the hours before the announcement, but that email was not returned. Monday afternoon, a spokesman for the Nevada System of Higher Education could not confirm or deny whether Whitfield was resigning. Subsequent emails after Whitfields announcement were not immediately answered. I know this news and the timing of it in the middle of the semester and state legislative session may come as a shock to some of you, but this is a decision I have been considering for a while now. Once my decision to leave was final, it did not seem fair to the university or any of you to draw out my departure. I have shared my decision with our senior leadership team at UNLV and believe they will rise to the occasion with no loss in the momentum we currently enjoy, Whitfield said in his statement. UNLV president reacts to controversial commencement speech At UNLVs State of the University address on Jan. 30, Whitfield boasted an enrollment of just under 33,000 students, an all-time high and six percent higher than the previous school year. He also set a goal of 40,000 by 2030. Whitfield said he expects UNLV to add new buildings on the Maryland Parkway campus to accommodate its goal of becoming a more prestigious research university. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitfields statement said in part: Since day one and every day since, I feel blessed to have been afforded the opportunity to lead our great university and be a part of the Rebel family. So much progress has been made because we took on challenges by working together. It is immensely rewarding to leave knowing that the foundation of UNLV has dramatically improved over the last five years. It has been an honor to serve as your president and be a part of this amazing community. I wish all of you the absolute best and thank you for your work, collaboration, and friendship. I always will be a Rebel! Whitfields four-year contract was renewed in March 2024. NSHE cited Whitfields handling of the Dec. 6 shootings on the campus. He created a Rebel Recovery Program to help guide UNLVs response. The Board of Regents also lauded Whitfields commitment to student success and community engagement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NSHE officials said graduation rates increased under Whitfields leadership and he focused on removing unnecessary roadblocks in student services, optimizing financial aid, and enhancing the enrollment process. NSHE also said he made significant strides in promoting campus diversity, contributing to economic and workforce development, and fostering interdisciplinary research. The website Transparent Nevada indicates Whitfield earned $488,500 per year, with benefits that increase his compensation to a total of $564,766. Whitfield said in his statement that the leadership transition is already in progress and Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Patricia Charlton is set to make an announcement on Tuesday. The Nevada Board of Regents convenes for its quarterly meeting on March 6-7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After DEI interview with UNLV president, school scrubs website of diversity scorecard In the wake of President Trumps executive order outlawing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives for any U.S. business or academic institution that receives federal funding, Whitfield defended his universitys hiring practices. Under questioning from the 8 News Now Investigators after Whitfields State of the University address, he said that job descriptions requiring faculty to demonstrate support for diversity, equity and inclusiveness and a document providing guidance on hiring diverse candidates with a score sheet do not properly articulate the universitys recruitment process. UNLV later removed a scoresheet from its human resources webpage intended to provide guidance for evaluating the diversity statements of potential faculty hires, the 8 News Now Investigators learned. Whitfields relationship with the Board of Regents has had a rocky history. Emails obtained by 8 News Now revealed a conflict between a board member and Whitfield centered around his response to antisemitic incidents on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An email Whitfield sent to the Board of Regents wrote, It is our/my duty to listen to all student and faculty voices. I think turning a blind [eye] might cause more conflict between groups involved in the conflict in Gaza. However, it is very unfortunate that our recent discussion with SJP was erroneously reported. Emails reveal conflict at NSHE over response to alleged antisemitism at UNLV The SJP stands for Students for the Justice of Palestine. They organized at least three protests at UNLV, and theyre rallying cry was for the university to disclose and divest from any investments with Israel. Whitfield also sent a memo to the board, detailing how he met with the student activists and stated, I made no commitment to this, but I did say, we would speak with the Investment Committee of the UNLV Foundation to better understand our investment strategies, and asset holdings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His memo drew a sharp rebuke from Board of Regents member Byron Brooks who told the board in response I am bewildered why he would invite the propaganda recruiting wing of a foreign terrorist organization into his office, and commit to continue working with their group. He has also met with campus Jewish student groups, and whenever protests occurred on campus, Whitfield responded with UNLV soundly rejects antisemitism and islamophobia. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented on March 4 the ReArm Europe plan aimed at strengthening the defense capabilities of the continent's countries. The announcement comes amid seismic geopolitical shifts as U.S. President Donald Trump upends Washington's long-standing policy on Ukraine and Russia while casting doubt on his commitments to transatlantic security. "The real question in front of us is whether Europe is prepared to act as decisively as the situation dictates, and whether Europe is ready and able to act with speed and with the ambition that is needed," von der Leyen said. The plan consists of five points designed to increase defense spending, as well as defense procurement and production. The first step is to unleash the use of public funding for defense at the national level. The European Commission is proposing to activate the National Escape Clause of the Stability and Growth Pact, which would allow member states to significantly increase their defense spending without triggering the excessive deficit procedure. If member states would increase their defense spending by 1.5 percent of GDP on average, this could create close to 650 billion euros ($684 billion) over a period of four years, according to von der Leyen. The second point is a new instrument that will provide 150 billion euros ($158 billion) of loans to member states for defense investments "to spend better and spend together." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're talking about pan-European capabilities domains like, for example, air and missile defense, the artillery systems, missiles and ammunition, drones and anti-drone systems, but also to address other needs from cyber to military mobility, for example," von der Leyen said. According to von der Leyen, with the new equipment, member states can significantly increase their support for Ukraine and provide military aid for it immediately. The third point of the plan is aimed at increasing investment in the defense sector. The European Union will therefore introduce additional opportunities and incentives for member states to decide whether they want to use cohesion policy programs to increase defense spending. The last two areas of action consider mobilizing private capital by accelerating the Savings and Investment Union and through the European Investment Bank, von der Leyen said. The ReArm Europe plan could mobilize close to 800 billion euros ($842 billion) of defense expenditures for a "safe and resilient Europe," the president added. "Europe is ready to assume its responsibilities," she said. "This is a moment for Europe and we are ready to step up." Read also: BREAKING: Trump halts military aid to Ukraine, Bloomberg reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Office of Personnel Management quietly revised a memo about firing probationary employees. The update, which says that OPM can't fire workers in other agencies, follows a recent court ruling. It's unclear if this affects the thousands of probationary employees who have already been fired. The Office of Personnel Management quietly revised a memo on Tuesday about the firing of probationary federal employees. The memo includes two new sentences indicating that individual agencies, not OPM, are responsible for terminating workers. Less than a week ago, a federal judge ruled that OPM doesn't have the power to fire employees in other agencies and had exceeded its legal authority. US District Judge William Alsup said in his ruling that OPM had to inform agencies it didn't have such power. The updates to the memo appear in line with that directive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The memo was first published on January 20, President Donald Trump's first day in office, and much of it remains unchanged, based on BI's comparison of the original and revised versions. Originally, the document directed agencies to send a list of all probationary employees to both a general OPM email and Amanda Scales, OPM's chief of staff who is associated with the White House DOGE office. The new version only says to send the list to the general email. The original version described probationary periods as tools to "assess employee performance and manage staffing levels," suggesting they could be used for workforce reductions. The revised memo drops the staffing management language, instead describing probationary periods only as a way to ensure employees "will be an asset to the Government." OPM sent agencies' chief human capital officers an email about the new memo, saying that it is "aware of recent litigation challenging the terminations of various probationary employees in different departments of the federal government," according to a copy reviewed by BI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The revised memorandum clarifies and confirms that OPM has not directed, and is not directing, your agency to take specific performance-based actions against probationary employees," the email says. It is signed by the "CHCO Council." Thousands of probationary employees typically people with less than two years of experience in their roles have already been fired. It's not clear whether they will be rehired under the new guidance. Representatives for the White House and OPM did not respond to a request for comment from BI. Read the original article on Business Insider SEOUL, South Korea A U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Sunday in a show of force, days after North Korea test-launched cruise missiles to demonstrate its counterattack capabilities. The arrival of the carrier Carl Vinson and its strike group at the South Korean port of Busan was meant to display a solid U.S-South Korean military alliance in the face of persistent North Korean threats, and boost interoperability of the allies combined assets, the South Korean navy said in a statement. It said it was the first U.S. aircraft carrier to travel to South Korea since June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deployment of the carrier is expected to infuriate North Korea, which views temporary deployments of such powerful U.S. military assets as major security threats. North Korea has responded to some of the past deployments of U.S. aircraft carriers, long-range bombers and nuclear-powered submarines with missile tests. Since his Jan. 20 inauguration, U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un again to revive diplomacy. North Korea hasnt directly responded to Trumps overture but alleged U.S.-led hostilities against North Korea have intensified since Trumps inauguration. North Korea said Friday it test-fired strategic cruise missiles earlier last week to inform its adversaries of its militarys counterattack capability and the readiness of its nuclear operations. After watching the launches, the Norths fourth missile testing event this year, Kim said the military must be fully ready to use its nuclear weapons Experts say Kim wont likely accept Trumps overture anytime soon as he is now focusing on his support of Russias war against Ukraine with the provision of weapons and troops. They say Kim could consider resuming diplomacy with Trump when he thinks he cannot maintain his countrys current booming cooperation with Russia Kim and Trump met three times from 2018-19 during Trumps first term to discuss the future of North Koreas nuclear program. Their high-stakes diplomacy eventually collapsed due to wrangling over U.S.-led economic sanctions on North Korea. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Donald Trump is not done with tariffs. Trump's top trade official said additional tariffs are coming on April 2. Wall Street sank on Monday after Trump imposed new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday said President Donald Trump's tariffs are just beginning. "If you want to talk about trade policy, that starts April 2," Lutnick said on CNBC. "These countries have used and abused us, and that is going to change." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has said that the next round of tariffs will include external agricultural products. Trump's first round of 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, and an additional 10% on Chinese imports roiled markets Monday afternoon. Canada, Mexico, and China have all announced plans to impose retaliatory tariffs. China took action immediately, imposing tariffs of up to 15% on US farm products and other goods. Lutnick said that the current tariffs are about Trump's continuing frustration with US opioid-related deaths. Last year, federal data showed a 12% decrease in overall-related overdose deaths. Researchers told The New York Times this was largely attributed to a drop in synthetic opioid-related deaths, which has been driven by fentanyl. Lutnick said too many Americans are still dying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Let's differentiate between today's tariffs, which are about saving American lives," Lutnick said. "China makes the opioid products, and then Mexico and Canada feed them into American and that's gotta end. They have done a nice job on the border, but they haven't stopped the flow of fentanyl." Mexican, Canadian, and Chinese officials have disputed that they are not doing enough to stop the flow of fentanyl, one of the Trump administration's stated reasons for the tariffs. According to US Customs and Border Protection, most of the fentanyl coming into the US originates in Mexico. Since last September, less than 1% was seized along the US-Canadian border. China is the leading source of the chemical products used to create the deadly opioid. The US has long chafed at Canadian restrictions on US agricultural products, especially dairy. Trump previously ordered a sweeping review of US trade deficits and other policies that most agencies must complete by April 1. He has said that he intends to then impose additional tariffs based on that review, though he will delay the action a day so as to not coincide with April Fool's Day. The fentanyl-related tariffs are linked to a separate emergency Trump formally declared last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USMCA left Canada's protectionist agriculture policies in place, which still allows it to impose high tariffs on US dairy, eggs, and poultry products to protect Canadian farmers despite broadly lowering borders to trade across North America. Read the original article on Business Insider The U.S. continues to share intelligence with Ukraine despite President Donald Trumps suspension of military aid, CNN reported on March 4, citing a source familiar with the matter. Since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion, the U.S. has provided Kyiv with real-time intelligence, including satellite imagery and sensitive information on Russian troop movements. As of the morning of March 4, this support remained unchanged, according to CNN's source. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report comes as multiple media outlets reported that Trump ordered an immediate halt to all U.S. military aid to Ukraine on March 4, affecting more than $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries. Trump's senior adviser, Jason Miller, told CNN that the aid freeze is part of a pressure campaign to push President Volodymyr Zelensky toward negotiations with Russia. "Sometimes leaders can use the carrot, sometimes they can use the stick," Miller said. The decision follows a heated Feb. 28 Oval Office meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, during which the two American leaders berated Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting ended without a planned U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement being signed. Since the confrontation, some U.S. officials and Republican lawmakers have escalated their criticism of Zelensky, with some even suggesting he should resign. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told Fox News on March 3 that the U.S. administration expects Zelensky to show regret and commit to signing the mineral deal. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with $119.8 billion since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, including $67.1 billion in military assistance, $49 billion in financial aid, and $3.6 billion in humanitarian support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: US sided with Russia, North Korea & Iran Ukraine reacts to Trumps military aid freeze Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. CNN has reported that the United States continues to provide Ukraine with intelligence information after US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend military aid to Kyiv. Source: CNN with reference to an informed source Quote: "The United States continues to share intelligence information with Ukraine as of Tuesday morning, a source familiar with the situation told CNN." Details: The news comes after US President Donald Trump ordered on Monday, 3 March, to suspend US military aid to Kyiv following his heated argument with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week in the Oval Office. Background: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed reports of the US halting aid to Ukraine, citing information from the border and the US assistance hub in Jasionka. Meanwhile, on 4 March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented a five-step plan for EU rearmament and support for Ukraine, which will allocate 800 billion for defence spending. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! An American investment giant has taken control of two major ports in the Panama Canal in a victory for Donald Trump, who has called for alleged Chinese influence to be curbed in the region. Wall Street group BlackRock has struck a deal to acquire two key ports in the canal from Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, which has controlled the terminals for nearly three decades. The sale to the company one of Americas largest financial groups will be seen as a significant win for the US president, who has criticised alleged Chinese influence in the region and has threatened to seize the waterway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December, before Mr Trump was sworn in as president, he alleged that there was too much Chinese control over the waterway and that fees paid by the US to access the canal were a rip-off. We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands! It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of co-operation with us and Panama, he wrote on his Truth Social platform. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question. CK Hutchison is controlled by Li Ka-shing, the Hong Kong billionaire, who has in the past faced accusations of political collaboration with the Chinese state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some analysts have suggested that CK Hutchisons management of the two canal terminals could be used by China to gather intelligence on maritime operations, although both Panama and China have denied this. CK Hutchison has not commented on the claims. Despite this, Mr Trump has argued the US will be taking [the canal] back. Last month, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, visited Panama and told its president, Jose Raul Mulino, that the influence and control of the Chinese Communist Party over the Panama Canal area is a threat to the canal and was unacceptable. The Panama Canal is considered one of the worlds most important routes for global trade because it connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Around 14,000 ships cross the canal every year with the US accounting for three quarters of traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two terminals being sold, in Balboa and Cristobal, sit at each end of the Panama Canal and are part of five ports in the region which control access to the major shipping route. CK Hutchison has run the ports under a concession with the Panama government since 1997. However, Americas historical involvement with the Panama Canal has made it a lightning rod for Mr Trumps America First policy. The canal was built by the Americans more than a century ago. In 1977, the then US president Jimmy Carter agreed to gradually hand the canal over to Panama by 1999 a move that Mr Trump has described as foolish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CK Hutchisons last contract extension, signed in 2021, extended its ownership until 2047 before Tuesdays sale to BlackRock, which will now run the port until 2047. Ahead of Mr Trumps re-election in November, Panamas government had reportedly been considering cancelling its contract with CK Hutchison to operate the ports. At the time, officials were said to be mulling the move to hand Mr Trump a significant concession and help the government of Panama curry favour with the new US administration. Announcing the sale on Tuesday, a senior CK Hutchison executive denied the sale was linked to Mr Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frank Sixt, the CK Hutchison co-managing director, said: I would like to stress that the transaction is purely commercial in nature and wholly unrelated to recent political news reports concerning the Panama Ports. The BlackRock consortium, which also includes UK group Global Infrastructure Partners, will acquire 80pc of the Hutchison Ports group, which operates 43 ports in 23 countries. The total value of the takeover, which includes the Panama Canal ports, is nearly $23bn (18.5bn). Larry Fink, the billionaire owner of BlackRock, made no reference to the US president when he unveiled the deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These world-class ports facilitate global growth, he said. We are thrilled our clients can participate in this investment. 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 US has returned 41 artefacts and antiques to China as part of a repatriation deal to help Beijing retrieve looted and smuggled relics. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York handed over the items to China's National Cultural Heritage Administration on Tuesday, according to state-owned broadcaster CCTV. The oldest artefacts date from the Neolithic period (around 10,000BC - 1700BC) while the newest are from the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). They include pottery, jade, bronzeware, and objects related to Tibetan Buddhism, according to CCTV. Advertisement 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 right thing to do to return these antiquities to their homeland," said Matthew Bogdanos, an assistant district attorney with the prosecutor's office, during the handover ceremony. CCTV said the 41 relics had been "illegally exported from China". The administration was informed through the Chinese consulate in New York that the Manhattan prosecutor's office had seized the 41 items while handling cases, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It added that the administration had worked closely with the consulate to return the items. According to the China Cultural Relics Academy, more than 10 million Chinese artefacts have been lost overseas since the mid-19th century, mostly due to wartime plunder and illegal smuggling. China and the US first signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to restrict illegal imports of Chinese cultural items in 2009. The MOU has been extended three times - in 2014, 2019, and 2024. Since the agreement was first signed, 594 artefacts have been returned to China, according to CCTV. In April, the US returned 38 cultural items to China under the deal, mostly dating from the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) to the Qing dynasty. They included rare ivory and wood carvings and mural fragments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The biggest batch of relics repatriated from the US to China was in 2019, when 361 cultural objects were retrieved. However, the illegal looting and smuggling of artefacts, antiques and artwork is still a major problem for China From 2011 to 2021, as many as 358 Chinese relics were stolen or lost, with most taken from Tibet autonomous region, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, and the provinces of Shaanxi and Henan, according to official data. Patriotic sentiment has grown in China in recent years as ties with the West have soured. This has brought new attention to relics lost during the colonial era. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, a video series titled Escape from the British Museum became a viral hit among Chinese internet users. It tells the story of a Chinese teapot's quest to escape the London cultural institution and return to China. 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. US House Speaker Mike Johnson has stated that the pause in US military aid to Ukraine is temporary and related to events at the White House last Friday. Source: Johnson during a briefing on Tuesday, 4 March, as reported by European Pravda Details: "This is a temporary pause," Johnson said in response to a question about the halt in US support for Ukraine. He stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy needs to "come and make right what happened last week, the shocking developments in the Oval Office". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And if he does that, I think this is the win-win-win scenario for everybody involved. I think its the best deal that could be offered, and it will assist the Ukrainian people, so I encourage him [Zelenskyy ed.] to do that," Johnson said, referring to the minerals deal. Johnson added that he is heartened that "President Zelenskyy has indicated that he does want to do this deal after all". Background: On 4 March, US media reported that Trump has ordered a halt to all military aid to Ukraine until he sees its leaders "demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace". His decision also affects weapons shipments that have already left US territory and are en route to the Ukrainian border. After numerous indications from the US that the President of Ukraine should apologise for the spat at the White House, Zelenskyy stated that it is regrettable that it happened. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! By Mike Scarcella and Nate Raymond WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A federal judge on Tuesday blocked Republican U.S. President Donald Trump from firing the Democratic chair of a U.S. agency that hears appeals by federal government employees when they are fired or disciplined. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington, D.C., ruled that Trump could not remove without cause Cathy Harris from her position at the Merit Systems Protection Board before her term expires in three years, saying the agency's "mission and purpose require independence." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal workers who lose their jobs can bring a challenge before the merit board, an independent three-member panel, seeking to be reinstated. That role could put it in a central spot as Trump moves swiftly to shrink the federal government's workforce. The judge had issued a temporary restraining order on February 18 that required Harris to be reinstated as the board's chair while he considered her claims that Trump had illegally fired her earlier that month. The Trump administration had argued that a ruling for Harris would encroach on the president's broad authority to remove "principal officers" who are exercising executive power at federal agencies. But Contreras, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, said the statutory protections the board's members enjoy from being removed without cause were constitutional under a 90-year-old U.S. Supreme Court ruling that has long limited a president's ability to fire certain agency heads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contreras said by law Harris could only be removed for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance. Absent those grounds, he said the Trump administration was barred from removing Harris from office or treating her as if she had been removed from her position. The Trump administration moved swiftly to appeal the ruling, which the Justice Department in court papers described as an "extraordinary intrusion into the president's authority." Harris in a statement said she was prepared to go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court "to vindicate our constitutional principles." "All I want to do is do the job the United States Congress asked me to do," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement POTENTIAL ROADBLOCK The merit board has proved to be a potential roadblock in the Trump administration's efforts to carry out mass firings of probationary workers, after having halted the firing of six such employees at the request of a watchdog agency whose leader Trump has also sought to fire, Hampton Dellinger of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. While last week's decision to stay the six employees' firings for 45 days only applies to a handful of the thousands of probationary federal employees recently terminated, their lawyers are working to expand the order to cover others. Dellinger on Tuesday said he had asked to the board to halt the firing of thousands of U.S. Department of Agriculture employees. More than 4,800 workers have filed complaints with the board since Trump took office, a massive surge for an agency with fewer than 300 employees. The board had received between 70 and 110 complaints each week in the months before Trump took office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legal experts have cautioned that some workers caught up in Trump's mass firings may be discouraged from pursuing legal action due to the lengthy and complicated administrative process before the merit board and the limited recourse the board can provide. Harris was appointed to the merit board in 2022 by Trump's Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, to serve a seven-year term. Trump fired her on February 10 and named Henry Kerner, a Republican, as acting chair of the board. Trump's removal of Harris had threatened to result in the board losing quorum and being unable to decide cases, as the term of its remaining Democrat, Raymond Limon, expired on Friday. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and Mike Scarcella in Washington; Additional reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Bill Berkrot) By Andy Sullivan and Tim Reid WASHINGTON -President Donald Trump's administration said on Tuesday it was considering selling some of the U.S. government's most iconic properties, including the headquarters of the Department of Justice, the FBI and the building that once housed Trump's luxury hotel. The General Services Administration, which manages federal properties, said it had identified 443 properties totaling more than 80 million square feet that "are not core to government operations" and could be sold off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The potential sell-off appears to be part of Trump's effort to slash the size of the federal government, led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. The downsizing drive has already led to 100,000 workers taking buyouts or being fired. Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has claimed that it has saved $105 billion so far, in part by cancelling leases on government properties. Budget experts have cast doubt on the reliability of DOGE's data. The GSA said in a statement it could "no longer hope" to secure the money to bring the properties up to date and said a sale could potentially save more than $430 million in annual operating costs. Some of the buildings on GSA's list, such as the Old Post Office, which formerly housed the Trump International Hotel, are newly renovated. Others, such as the FBI's crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building, are widely seen as outdated. The GSA said in 2023 it would build a new FBI headquarters in Maryland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was not clear how many of the buildings on GSA's list will eventually be put up for sale, or what sort of price they might bring. GSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Several agencies whose headquarters could potentially be sold off also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The list includes the headquarters for several major government agencies, including the Veterans Administration, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Federal Aviation Administration. GSA's own headquarters were also on the list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The list includes skyscrapers in Chicago, Atlanta and Cleveland, as well as several Internal Revenue Service hubs that process tax returns. The IRS said in an internal memo last week that it would sell those buildings starting in June, after the April tax filing season is complete. (Reporting by Andy Sullivan and Tim Reid; additional reporting by Leah Douglas and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Ross Colvin, Lisa Shumaker and David Gregorio) The pause in U.S. military aid to Ukraine is temporary and tied to the fallout from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's heated Oval Office exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson said on March 4. "It's a temporary pause," Johnson said during a press briefing when asked about the reported freeze on over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries. The move follows a heated Feb. 28 Oval Office meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, during which the two American leaders berated Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting ended without a planned U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement being signed. Since then, senior U.S. officials have repeatedly suggested that Zelensky should express regret for the confrontation. Johnson said Zelensky should "make right what happened last week, the shocking developments in the Oval Office." "If he does that (signs the minerals deal), I think this is the win-win-win scenario for everybody involved," he added. Zelensky, in a statement earlier on March 4, called the outcome of the Oval Office meeting "regrettable" and emphasized Ukraine's readiness to sign the minerals deal "at any time and in any convenient format." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's senior adviser, Jason Miller, told CNN that the aid freeze is part of a broader pressure campaign to push Zelensky toward peace talks with Russia. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz previously said Washington expects Zelensky to show "regret" for the Oval Office clash and commit to finalizing the deal. Read also: Zelensky says White House clash regrettable, proposes steps for peace Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Trump administration halted military aid to Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on March 4, citing Polish border reports, Rzeczpospolita reported. Several media outlets reported earlier that U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered the suspension of military aid, including the aid that was already on its way to Ukraine. "Today we have no reason to believe that these are just words. Reports coming from the border, from our center in Jasionka, confirm the statements of the American side," Tusk said. Tusk called the situation "an emergency" and insisted on full mobilization and concentration of joint efforts to resolve it. "The situation is serious and requires special concentration from the government. We will make decisions that will require the full solidarity of the state and your (Ukrainian) ministries," Tusk said. "The days and weeks are coming when it is absolutely necessary to stop empty discussions, prestige disputes, coalition disagreements, because we will have to make decisions in a mode that is, in a sense, extraordinary," he added. According to Pawel Wronski, Polish foreign ministry spokesperson, the U.S. has not consulted with any of its NATO allies about suspending military aid to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspension of U.S. military aid followed a spat between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump in the Oval Office last week. The argument between two leaders also resulted in the failure to sign a minerals deal. Since the meeting, some U.S. officials and Republican lawmakers have escalated their criticism of Zelensky, with some even suggesting he should resign. Read also: Im full of anger Ukraine awakes to a nightmare as US freezes military aid Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) The United States Navy Band is visiting Charleston for a free concert in celebration of its 250th anniversary. Officials say all of the U.S. Navy Band concerts are family-friendly events meant to connect community members across the country. Attendees can watch the concert for free at Charleston Southern University, Lightsey Chapel Auditorium on March 30 starting at 4:30 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The performance features a combination of three of the Navy Bands elite ensembles: the Concert Band, the Sea Chanters chorus, and the Cruisers popular music group. Audience members can look forward to a diverse selection of musical pieces, including traditional wind band repertoire, Broadway showstoppers, as well as pop and patriotic favorites. The United States Navy Band is touring Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida from March 11 to April 2. In 2025, the United States Navy will celebrate 250 years of defending freedom and safeguarding Americas interests globally. Organizers have stated that the United States Navy Band is honored to commemorate this historic milestone throughout the year. Their mission is to bring the Navy where ships cant go, share the Navys story, instill pride and patriotism, and represent the professionalism of over 330,000 active-duty Sailors serving around the world 24/7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To reserve your free tickets to see the concert, visit the bands website 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 WCBD News 2. By Andrea Shalal and Jasper Ward WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is pausing military aid to Ukraine days after U.S. President Donald Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the Oval Office, a White House official confirmed on Monday. The official said the U.S. is pausing and reviewing aid to ensure it is contributing to a solution. The pause will last until Trump determines the country's leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, according to Bloomberg and Fox News reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," Fox News quoted a Trump administration official as saying. Bloomberg reported that all U.S. military equipment not currently in Ukraine would be paused, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland. It added that Trump ordered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to execute the pause. The reports come hours after Trump told reporters at the White House that he had not discussed suspending military aid to Ukraine, but added that Zelenskiy "should be more appreciative" of Washington's support. Nearly three years into the war, Washington has committed billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine (Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Michael Perry) US nuclear weapons could be set to return to British soil almost two decades after Washington removed its last warheads, satellite images have revealed. The images, published in a report from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), indicate that 22 previously mothballed nuclear bunkers at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk have undergone extensive upgrade work. A decision to reactivate Lakenheaths nuclear capability for US aircraft was made as long ago as 2021, the report suggests, with the proposals gathering force following Russias invasion of Ukraine three years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Nato document published in 2023 publicly revealed that the UK had been added to a list of countries to receive upgrades to special weapons sites, while Pentagon procurement contracts last year confirmed plans for a new facility at Lakenheath. The FAS said the documents and images show that the United States Air Force (USAF) is re-establishing its nuclear mission on UK soil for the first time in nearly two decades. It said that the move appears to be a direct reaction to the worsening political and military relations with Russia, resulting from its invasions of Ukraine, frequent nuclear warnings and Russian deployment of increasingly capable long-range conventional weapons. Whether the Biden-era plan will survive under Donald Trump is unclear, though the FAS said a further six bunkers at Lakenheath were being upgraded, with the work ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bunkers comprise protective aircraft shelters, beneath which are underground vaults each able to house four nuclear warheads. A heavily protected surety dormitory for airmen is also being built and new tarmac was put down in 2023, according to the FAS. However, it said there were no known public indications that nuclear weapons have been deployed to Lakenheath and that the intention may be to provide capability for their rapid transfer there from more vulnerable locations further east in the event of a crisis. That would help improve the survivability of the Wests nuclear reserves and complicate Russias targeting strategy, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There may be around 100 US B61-12 gravity bombs stored across air bases in Italy, Turkey, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The bombs have a variable yield of up to 50 kilotons more than three times the power of the atomic weapon dropped on Hiroshima. The US removed its last nuclear weapons from the UK in 2008, judging that the Cold War threat from Moscow had diminished. Preparation for their return coincide with similar upgrades to air bases across Europe. The Kremlin stated when the plan first emerged that it would be viewed as an escalation and met with compensating counter-measures. Job descriptions have included Lakenheath as a possible location for USAF nuclear weapons specialists - Rob Bodman The FAS report said there was also evidence for a planned deployment to the UK contained in careers material. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A USAF careers plan for nuclear weapons specialists added Lakenheath to a list of possible assignment locations when it was updated in 2023. The first nuclear weapons in Europe were deployed to bases in Britain, including RAF Lakenheath, in 1954. The weapon storage and security system (WS3) currently being upgraded was developed in the 1980s and by the early 1990s featured 33 bunkers able to store 132 nuclear weapons. With the end of the Cold War nuclear arsenals were gradually reduced, with the last US weapons leaving Lakenheath and British soil in 2008, when George W Bush was in the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RAF Lakenheath remains the largest USAF-operated base in the UK and one of the largest in Europe, accommodating squadrons of nuclear-capable F-15E Strike Eagle and F-35A Lightning II fighters. The FAS describes itself as an independent think tank that fosters collaboration on mitigating global catastrophic threats. It was founded in 1945 as the Federation of Atomic Scientists by experts who built the first atomic bombs as part of the Manhattan Project. 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 Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling. Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday. "The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said. The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet. "The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias. Columbia said it was reviewing Monday's announcement by U.S. agencies. It has previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism. COLLEGE PROTESTS Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests. Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests. During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested. While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College. A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) The U.S. has suspended military aid to Ukraine as part of a pressure campaign to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky toward negotiations with Russia, U.S. President Donald Trumps senior adviser Jason Miller told CNN on March 4. "President Trump is the only person, the only person talking about stopping the killing, and sometimes leaders can use the carrot, sometimes they can use the stick," Miller said. Several media outlets reported that Trump ordered an immediate halt to all military aid to Ukraine on March 4, affecting over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller claimed that Trump was using strong tactics to reinforce his demand for peace talks and that he expects Zelensky to "get back to the table." Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that American military aid had indeed been suspended, citing Polish border reports. "This is an emergency," Tusk said. Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pawel Wronski added that the U.S. had not consulted with any of its NATO allies before suspending the aid. The move follows a heated Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28 between Trump, Zelensky, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, which ended with the cancelation of a planned U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the meeting, some U.S. officials and Republican lawmakers have escalated their criticism of Zelensky, with some even suggesting he should resign. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the U.S. has provided $119.8 billion in aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, including $67.1 billion in military aid, $49 billion in financial aid, and $3.6 billion in humanitarian support. Read also: America sided with Russia, North Korea, and Iran Ukraine reacts to US military aid freeze Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The U.S. and Ukraine are preparing to sign a mineral deal on March 4, according to Reuters, citing sources familiar with the matter. The sources indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to announce the agreement during his upcoming address to Congress. However, they cautioned that the situation remains fluid and could still change. President Volodymyr Zelenskys Feb. 28 visit to the White House was originally intended to finalize the long-debated agreement on jointly developing Ukraines mineral resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting instead turned into a public clash, with Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance berating Zelensky. The Ukrainian president later left the White House without signing the deal. Following the talks, Trump accused Zelensky of "disrespecting" the U.S. in the Oval Office and said the Ukrainian president "is not ready for peace." Zelensky later called the fallout "regrettable" and reaffirmed Ukraines readiness to sign the mineral and security agreement "at any time and in any convenient format." The report comes after Trump reportedly ordered an immediate halt to more than $1 billion in U.S. military aid to Ukraine on March 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the dispute, some Republican lawmakers have ramped up criticism of Zelensky, with some suggesting he may need to step aside. Zelenskys White House visit was preceded by weeks of tense negotiations as Ukraine rejected the initial two draft proposals, arguing they imposed one-sided obligations on Kyiv without any security commitments from Washington. The final agreement is expected to establish a fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50% of the proceeds from the future monetization of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure. Zelenskys refusal to sign the initial draft, presented by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv on Feb. 12, prompted the U.S. President to lash out publicly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump denounced Zelensky as a "dictator," falsely accusing him of refusing to hold elections and echoing Kremlin disinformation about his legitimacy. Read also: Zelensky says White House clash regrettable, proposes steps for peace Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The U.S. and Ukraine signaled Tuesday the minerals deal between the two countries is very much alive, despite continued fallout from the contentious White House meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky last week. Speaking to reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday morning, Vice President Vance said he was certain a deal could be reached. The mineral deal is an important part of the presidents policy. No. 1, the American people have got to get some payback for the incredible financial investment weve made in this country, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president is just trying to ensure that the American people get a fair deal while simultaneously making sure we have access to minerals and resources that are important to the economy of the future. An olive branch was also extended by Zelensky in a post on the social platform X. He called the Oval Office exchange last week regrettable and added Ukraine is ready to sign the deal at any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who has championed the mineral deal, commented on Zelenskys message with a thumbs-up emoji, writing Better days are ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance also said in an interview with Fox Newss Sean Hannity on Monday that the pact offered an implicit security guarantee that was stronger than a European peacekeeping force, which has also been discussed as part of a peace plan. The vice president said U.S. access to Ukraines critical minerals is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. He later clarified that he was not referring to the U.K. and France, who have been key allies in U.S. wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Trump said Monday that the proposed economic deal between the U.S. and Ukraine was still on the table, but he argued Zelensky needed to be more appreciative of U.S. support. Trump when asked if the deal was dead, said, No, I dont think so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fox News reported Monday night that Trump wanted a public apology from Zelensky before resuming talks on the natural resources deal. But Vance said Tuesday that wasnt important, and Zelensky stopped short of apologizing in his message later in the morning. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts, Zelensky wrote. We are ready to work fast to end the war, he added, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Trump has pitched the rare earths deal as a way for the U.S. to recoup some of the aid it had provided to Ukraine in its war against Russia, while boosting Ukraines economy in the long term. It could take decades for mines to become profitable, even if peace holds in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proponents of the minerals deal have suggested the economic partnership would give the U.S. a vested interest in protecting Ukraine against future threats from Russia. Critics have argued it amounts to the U.S. extorting Ukraine while also shutting Zelensky out of talks between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskys latest statement also comes hours after the U.S. ordered a pause on aid going to Ukraine for the war, a consequential move that applies to all military aid not already on the ground, including key aerial defense and anti-tank munitions. Vance told reporters that once Ukraine shows a commitment to peace negotiations, everything is on the table, including resuming U.S. military aid. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. US Vice President JD Vance said on Monday, 3 March that if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presents a "serious proposal" and if Ukraine is ready to engage, then the door to negotiations remains open. Source: Vance in an interview with Fox News, cited by CNN and Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Details: CNN notes that Vance's comments in the pre-recorded Fox News interview were made before the announcement of a pause in US military aid to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Vance: "He [Zelenskyy ed.] showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump has said is the policy of the American people and of their president." Details: When asked whether Zelenskyy could return to the White House if he stated his readiness to discuss a peace plan, Vance said that if Zelenskyy engaged "seriously with the details", the US would be willing to talk again. Quote from Vance: "I think that if he called and had a serious proposal for how he was going to engage in the process. Look, there are details that really matter that were already working on with the Russians. Weve talked with some of our allies, he needs to engage seriously on the details." Details: Vance said that if there was a real proposal and if Zelenskyy was ready to participate in the process, the US was already working on the details with the Russians and allies. He added that if Ukraine was willing to engage, the door remains open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Vance: "If you want real security guarantees, if you want actually to ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine." Details: Vance stressed that the Trump administration's position is clear: the US cannot and will not fund the war in Ukraine indefinitely. Quote from Vance: "European friends are doing a disservice to the Ukrainians. Their own populations are saying we are not going to fund this war indefinitely. And American people are saying we dont want to fund the war indefinitely. The only thing that is in the best interest of America, of Russia, of Ukraine and of Europe is to bring this thing to a close. You have Zelenskyy who goes to Europe, and a lot of our European friends puff him up. They say youre a freedom fighter, you need to keep fighting forever. Well, fighting forever with what? With whose money, with whose ammunition, and with whose lives?" Details: Vance also said that he is not sure whether the Russians are ready for a compromise, but this needs to be tested, and negotiations are the only way to find out. Background: On 28 February, Zelenskyy left the White House ahead of schedule after a spat with Trump and JD Vance. Later, Trump said that Zelenskyy had been disrespectful to the US and was not ready for peace. On 3 March, Trump said that he had not yet discussed stopping military aid to Ukraine, saying that everything will depend on what happens next. Trumps administration has halted funding for the purchase of new weapons for Ukraine in recent weeks and is considering the possibility of freezing the supply of weapons from US stockpiles. Read this analysis by European Pravda editor Sergiy Sydorenko on what this agreement means for Kyiv and Washington Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! On Feb. 28, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine had the most absolutely awkward and deeply frustrating Oval Office meeting in recent memory. It went so poorly that President Donald Trump has paused all military aid to Ukraine. The meeting was a collision of perspective and ego that missed an opportunity to clarify Americas role in ending the war that began with Russias invasion into Ukraine. Get over Zelenskyys appearance and mannerisms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian president showed up in his now-iconic military attire the same kind of outfit hes worn since Russian tanks rolled into his country in February 2022. For those who demand a tailored suit and polished rhetoric in the Oval Office, Zelenskyys carriage is that of a wartime leader, not a diplomat playing dress-up. His country is being blown apart. His people are dying every day. Many Americans agree with Trump and Vance's skepticism toward the war The explosive exchange occurred because Zelenskyy pointed out that the United States didnt address Putins encroachment during the Obama administration, and then Putin took more of Ukraine in 2022. Zelenskyy wanted to know what would prevent history from repeating itself. While the Ukrainian leader should have shut his mouth, inked a deal with Trump and posed for pictures, he makes a reasonable point: Putin simply cannot and should not be trusted. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance have been clear about their skepticism toward continuing American support for Ukraine, and many Americans agree with them. So when Zelenskyy didnt shower them with thanks or nod along to their demands for compromise with Vladimir Putin, the frustration was palpable from both sides. I cant recall a time where a foreign leader was so directly badgered to kiss the ring of an American president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy has repeatedly expressed his appreciation for American support of Ukraine. He did so before a joint session of Congress in 2022 and repeatedly since. After the ghastly meeting with Trump and Vance, he thanked Ukraines allies around the world individually just to make sure he was being sufficiently appreciative. I couldnt help but notice Alabama Sen. Tommy Tubervilles contribution to the ego-driven altercation. Alabamas senior senator posted on X, The best thing President Trump has done so far is kick that Ukrainian weasel out of the WH. Well done, Mr. President! He has taken advantage of the U.S. long enough. Tuberville certainly isnt the only paper tiger on social media carrying Putins water. Unfortunately, the counter-narrative seems to often be blind support for Ukraine regardless of American interests. Opinion: Is your Tennessee member of Congress representing you well? Take our poll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stop virtue signaling and name calling long enough to recognize a win when its right in front of us. America should make foreign policy decisions about Ukraine because they are morally righteous and aligned with our strategic interests, not because our thin-skinned political leaders feel sufficiently appreciated by Ukraines politicians. The best thing President Trump has done so far is kick that Ukrainian weasel out of the WH. Well done, Mr. President! He has taken advantage of the U.S. long enough. Peace through strength Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville) March 1, 2025 Minerals deal is crucial to American technology and national security Ukraines war against Russia isnt just about Ukraine. Its about the world we want to live in. Do we want to live in a world where autocrats can redraw borders by force? Where democracies are left to fend for themselves? Where American promises mean nothing? If the answer is no, then supporting Ukraine isnt about charity its about standing for the principles we hold dear as Americans. And rare earth minerals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement America needs those too. We should protect our interests in a way that serves both Ukraines immediate needs and Americas long-term security. One of the best ways to do that is through a rare earth minerals agreement. Opinion: Steve Bannon is a troll not a Nazi. Left's portayal of the right is ahistorical. Ukraine sits on valuable deposits of lithium, titanium and other critical minerals essential for modern technology and defense manufacturing. Many of the rare earth deposits are in regions of Ukraine directly impacted by the war. Rather than debating endlessly about aid packages, we should be securing long-term access to these resources, ensuring that American industry and defense isnt dependent on China or Russia. This is an arrangement that makes sense: We help Ukraine fight for its sovereignty, and in return, we strengthen our economic and technological security. Its a deal that benefits both nations without relying on eternal foreign aid. And most importantly, it sends a clear message to the world that America stands by its friends, not just with words but with meaningful actions and policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Americans are right to be concerned when American foreign policy largely aligns with the Kremlin, but Trump doesnt need to be Rocky to Putins Ivan Drago. Russia hasnt been able to dispatch Ukraine swiftly. The once global power is now Chinas gas station with an aging nuclear arsenal. Playing to Putins ego certainly feels repulsive, but it may be strategically useful. Cameron Smith, columnist for The Tennessean and the USA TODAY Network Tennessee Zelenskyy understandably hates Putin, and we shouldnt ask him to play nice with the thug who attacked his country. The Ukrainian president doesnt have to change out of his military fatigues to make American politicians feel comfortable. If were going to make decisions about supporting Ukraine, lets do it based on whats right not on how politely their president shakes hands or whether he plays along with American political theater. Its time to stop dithering. Make the deal. Secure the minerals. Help an emerging democracy maintain a positive course. Let the world know that America isnt retreating from the global stage in the face of a waning authoritarian bully. USA TODAY Network Tennessee Columnist Cameron Smith is a Memphis-born, Brentwood-raised recovering political attorney raising four boys in Nolensville, Tenn., with his particularly patient wife, Justine. Direct outrage or agreement to smith.david.cameron@gmail.com or @DCameronSmith on Twitter. Agree or disagree? Send a letter to the editor to letters@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Trump allies, Ukraine president should set aside ego contest | Opinion Bird flu, or H5N1, has disrupted the work of poultry farmers for years and began infecting dairy herds last year. (Photo by Lance Cheung/USDA) Federal officials have announced $1 billion in funding to support farmers responding to avian flu. Ohio has led states this year in the number of birds affected according to USDA data. With nearly 14.5 million birds culled as of Feb. 27, Ohio has seen more than double the cases of the second ranked state. Ohio farmers in five counties have reported flu cases in their flocks this year, but the vast majority of the viruss impact has been felt in Darke and Mercer counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has now given the green light to a five-part approach to addressing avian influenza, including greater prevention efforts, regulatory changes and funding to help farmers purchase new birds to replenish flocks. In a press release, though, Rollins put the emphasis on food prices. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX American farmers need relief, and American consumers need affordable food. To every family struggling to buy eggs: We hear you, were fighting for you, and help is on the way, Rollins said. The agency also signaled a willingness to consider vaccination for egg-laying flocks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That move could pit egg producers against farmers raising poultry for meat. Broiler chicken producers export more than 7 billion pounds of meat each year a market worth $5.53 billion. But many importers are reticent to accept meat from countries that vaccinate poultry because of fears that vaccinated birds could carry the virus into their country where it could begin to spread. In a statement, Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge expressed appreciation for the communication and additional support. These additional tools and funding will offer additional assistance to our farmers and help Ohio recover from (avian influenza), he continued. ODA looks forward to participating in continued discussions with our federal partners as we learn more about this new plan. The Ohio Poultry Association praised Rollins support as well. Executive Vice President Jim Chackeres reiterated its support for the deployment of vaccines, and said they appreciate USDAs work to define a comprehensive vaccination protocol, which is a critical tool to slow the spread of this lethal virus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The poultry farming community is fighting bird flu with all its resources, and we must use our collective knowledge to identify approaches to overcome this challenge. USDAs plan represents forward progress to combat (avian influenza). USDAs approach Half of the programs funding will go to bio-security efforts. The agency contends that 83% percent of avian influenza cases are transmitted by wild birds, and theyve had success minimizing cases by keeping wild birds away from domesticated flocks. In a press gaggle following a Cabinet meeting last week, Rollins highlighted a pilot program securing 150 egg -laying facilities. Only one has got the avian flu since the USDA came in and helped lock those barns down, she said. The agency will also ramp up audits of farms where bird flu is detected and offer them to nearby non-affected farms as well. The audits themselves are free, but farms have to address shortcomings to remain eligible for indemnification for future infections within this outbreak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $500 million earmarked for biosecurity will cover up to 75% of costs for addressing the highest risk biosecurity concerns identified in audits. The next biggest tranche of funding is $400 million to indemnify farmers forced to cull their flocks. USDA noted its working on streamlining the approval process so farmers can repopulate their flocks more quickly. As for reducing the price of eggs, the agency is aiming to increase supply through imports and lighter regulations. Rollins added that were talking to three or four countries right now about getting between 70 and 100 million eggs into the country in the next month or two. Which, of course, will help with supply and demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The secretary declined to identify which countries shes working with, but the countrys top egg import partners include Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, China, and Turkey. The USDA is also setting aside $100 million for potential new generation vaccines, therapeutics, and other innovative solutions. The agency granted the company Zoetis a conditional license for an avian influenza vaccine in January, but it remains unclear if federal officials will allow farmers to begin vaccinating their flocks. In 2016, for instance, USDA stockpiled bird flu vaccine doses and then never used them. Rollins emphasized the departments interest in treatments; is there a way to address the avian flu with therapeutics, not just vaccines? she asked rhetorically. Before we start sticking our chickens, we need to be sure and putting that into the food supply that we know exactly what were doing, Rollins said. Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Nick Evans on X or on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE (COLORADO) The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is kicking off National Consumer Protection Week with a warning about the dangers of imposter scams. USPIS said an imposter scam is when scammers work hard to convince someone they are a friend or relative or that they are from a legitimate source, such as a bank or government agency. The scammers will then take Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and use it to steal the victims money. USPIS Inspector in Charge (INC) Eric Shen of the Criminal Investigations Group said, but they all start with messages like, Im in trouble, I need, Youve won!, or I have a great offer for you! These scammers lull consumers into a false sense of trust, gain access to privileged information, and then drain financial accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a few simple tips, consumers can protect themselves from imposter scams, said INC Shen: Take your time to make financial decisions. Whether its investments or unsolicited offers, like the lottery or sweepstakes, dont rush into sending your money to someone you dont know. Is it really a representative from your bank sending that email or text? To be certain, call your bank at the number you were given when you opened your account. Dont call a number that you havent verified, and never click on any links in an email or text. Grandparents: Before sending money to help a grandchild who says theyre in a desperate situation, make sure its really them! Call them or their parents at a number you recognize to confirm they sent you a message. If you meet someone over the internet who professes their love for you right away but needs financial assistance to meet you, exit the conversation as quickly as you can. The Postal Service will NEVER send you an unsolicited text. Any text or email claiming you have a USPS delivery problem is designed to steal your PII. Delete these messages, but before you do, send the bogus text or email to spam@uspis.gov. Put your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry at 1-888-382-1222 or at www.donotcall.gov. If you are a victim of a scam or suspect fraud, report it: Submit an online report to the Inspection Service or call us at 877-876-2455. USPIS said remembering these simple tips will help keep consumers personal information and finances safe. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Election workers process ballots at the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) A hotly debated bill to phase out Utahs automatic voting by mail and to begin requiring voters to write the last four digits of their state identification number has undergone another round of changes. A new version of HB300 won approval from the Senate Business and Labor Committee on a 5-3 vote Monday evening, advancing the bill closer to its legislative finish line. It now goes to the full Senate for consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bills House sponsor, Rep. Jefferson Burton, R-Salem, acknowledged HB300 has changed a lot since its original version, which would have originally drastically restricted voting by mail and required most Utahns to return their ballots in person at either a polling place or a drop box manned by at least two poll workers while showing their government-issued ID. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Last week, the bill was largely scaled back through negotiations by Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, to instead require Utah voters to write the last four digits of their ID on their ballots return envelope beginning in 2026. It would have also slowly phased out Utahs current automatic vote-by-mail system by requiring all registered voters to opt in to receiving by-mail ballots by Jan. 1, 2028. Now, the latest version of HB300 provides even more time to implement those changes. Clerks will now have until Jan. 1, 2029 to rely solely on confirming the last four digits of voters ID on their ballots rather than using signatures to verify their identities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We did that to give voters time to be educated on this process (and) to help our election officials tackle the changes, Burton said, noting that HB300 would also use $2 million to start the education process so that the citizens know whats going on. The latest version of HB300 would do the following: Starting in 2026, require voters with a valid state ID to include the last four digits of their state ID when returning a ballot through the mail or in a drop box. For registered voters who cast their ballot without an ID number, clerks would confirm their ballots by matching their signatures. Phase out Utahs current automatic vote-by-mail system by 2029. In order to vote by mail, Utahns would be required to obtain a valid state ID by Jan. 1, 2029 and opt in to voting by mail. By that deadline, clerks would also be required to rely on confirming state ID numbers on ballots rather than signature verification. Allows Utahns who are eligible to register to vote that also sign an affidavit stating that theyre indigent to receive a state voter ID card free of charge. Beginning in 2029, voters who vote in person must present a valid ID, except in certain circumstances, in which a voter could sign an affidavit and present two forms of alternative ID (like a social security card, bank statement or paystub). By 2029, requires voters to opt in to receive by-mail ballots every eight years. Creates new ways for voters to opt in to voting by mail, including when renewing their drivers license, voting in person, or through an online portal. Restrict Utahs current deadline for by-mail ballots. Currently, Utah allows by-mail ballots to be postmarked by the day before Election Day in order for clerks to count them, but HB300 would require ballots to be in clerks possession no later than 8 p.m. on election night, regardless of their postmark. Enhances the lieutenant governors ability to investigate voter registration roll inaccuracies. Were doing everything we can to ensure were not limiting the vote for anyone who desires to vote, Burton said. Beyond helping the lieutenant governor maintain voter rolls, Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Wood Cross, questioned what is the primary problem HB300 is trying to fix. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burton acknowledged recent legislative audits did not find rampant voter fraud but rather a few issues with voter rolls. However, he said his aim is to add voter ID requirements. He pointed to a Pew Research survey that showed 81% of Americans believe and agree you should show your ID when you vote. We have a good system (in Utah), Burton said, but all this does is enhance an already good system so theres a certain level of confidence that some people may not have when they dont see people showing identification to vote. Citing an outpouring of concern expressed from his constituents, Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, told Burton, I need to ask you: Does this bill make it harder for my constituents to vote? Burton acknowledged that as changes are put in place from 2026 to 2029, Its probably going to be a bit challenging as they navigate that, but once they get on the cycle its going to be very simple. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What they need to know between now and (2029), is that theyll need to opt in to vote by mail, Burton said. However, clerks still expressed concerns with the bill. While many changes have been made, there are still substantial hurdles that this bill brings forward, Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman said, noting that in her county, more than 91% of voters have cast by-mail ballots. She also worried that the added requirements to review both the last four digits of voters ID, in addition to signature verification, will at a minimum, double the amount of time it will take for clerks to verify ballots. Were not quite there yet, Chapman said about the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iron County Clerk Jon Whittaker said clerks continue to have grave concerns about HB300, even though he said its in a better place than its original version. Through a tremendous amount of work, this bill has almost become palatable, he said. He also raised concerns about eventually dropping the signature requirement after 2029. I have my wifes social security number memorized, he said. Thats much easier to fake. Shelly Jackson, deputy director of elections with the lieutenant governors office, thanked Burton and other legislative leaders for negotiating with them on the bill, and while she said it still needs some work, we are supportive of the new version. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pro-democracy groups including the League of Women Voters of Utah urged lawmakers not to support the bill, arguing Utahs existing vote-by-mail system has helped increase voter turnout and election security. While the new version of HB300 is an improvement, Helen Moser, the groups director of voter services, argued it adds unnecessary hurdles to voting. HB300 would create immediate confusion for voters and clerks, by forcing new ID requirements and ballot verification steps, and youd have very limited time to educate the public, Moser said. Outreach would need to be significant to ensure all voters obtain the appropriate ID. Moser also warned that after it takes full effect in 2029, Utah will likely see a decrease in voter turnout. Rob Axson, chairman of the Utah Republican Party, advocated for the bill, to bridge divides between those who think Utahs election system is fine the way it is, and those who believe it needs improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a handout passed out to committee members, Burton also pointed to an election security scorecard by the Heritage Foundation the conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. that was behind Project 2025 and said his bill will bring Utahs score from 33rd out of 50 states to No. 9. What exactly is that? Vickers questioned. Burton said the Heritage Foundation is an organization that weve referred to while drafting the bill, and he said, Ive got several letters from them supporting the bill. Ultimately, the Senate committee narrowly approved HB300 on a 5-3 vote, advancing it to the Senate floor. But two Republicans Vickers and Weiler joined Sen. Stephanie Pitcher, D-Salt Lake City in voting against the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im concerned, first of all, that it makes it harder to vote, Weiler said. People will perceive this as taking away something that theyve enjoyed now for over a decade. Burton, while urging support of his bill, said trust in elections is foundational to a free republic. If a certain percentage of our population doesnt trust in the election process, then we have a problem, he said, adding that polls have shown Utah could make some changes to improve trust. Were not producing this bill in a vacuum or an echo chamber. What problem are we trying to solve? Voter confidence and really to clean up voter rolls. Those are two things that must be done. Senate committee rejects bill that would have originally removed Utah from ERIC Another lawmakers efforts to clean up Utahs voter rolls and make Utah the next state to break ties with a nonprofit thats meant to keep states voter rolls up to date appear to have hit a dead end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An earlier version of HB332 that won approval from the full House, sponsored by House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield, would have required Utah to end its membership with the national Electronic Registration Information Center, known as ERIC, a nonprofit that helps states maintain their voter rolls by sharing information across state lines. However, Lisonbee likely anticipating an uphill battle for her bill in the Senate changed her bill in Monday nights Senate committee to strip out that provision. A new version of her bill would have also sought to require Utahns to have proof of U.S. citizenship in order to vote in a state election. But even with the changes, the Senate Business and Labor Committee wasnt having it. After previously passing out Burtons HB300 which appears to be the flagship election bill both House and Senate leaders are backing during lawmakers 2025 session the Senate committee voted down Lisonbees bill without any debate. A motion to favorably recommend it to the Senate floor failed on a 4-3 vote, with a member of Senate Republican leadership, Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, joining Vickers, Weiler and Pitcher voting against it. Its not clear whether Lisonbee will try to revive her bill. A request for comment to a House spokesperson was not immediately returned Tuesday. The 2025 Utah Legislatures 45-day general session is slated to end at the end of the week, required by law to adjourn before midnight on Friday. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Keeping the Sundance Film Festival in Utah isnt the top priority, but it is one item Utah leaders are looking to include as they work this week to finalize a nearly $30 billion budget. The states proposed final budget includes $3.5 million for the festival in the 2026 fiscal year. How that money is to be used is not clear, but Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, told reporters Monday that the figure matches what Sundance leaders had asked for. Its also close to what its two competitors are reportedly offering should it be a regular payment. I want Sundance to stay, and Ive expressed that to them. I think many people have, he said. I dont think theyll have the same notoriety if they leave Utah. ... I think theyd make a big mistake by moving or leaving, but thats up to them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sundance Film Festival has been a Park City tradition for decades, but Sundance Institute officials announced last year that they would explore other options once their contract expires after the 2026 festival. Their decision ignited efforts from other U.S. cities to woo the prestigious festival, while Utah and local entities offered a proposal to split the festival between Park City and Salt Lake City. The event began as the Utah/United States Film Festival in 1978 in Salt Lake City before it was moved to Park City and the Sundance Institute took it over. Institute leaders narrowed the field in September 2024 to Park City/Salt Lake City; Boulder, Colorado; and Cincinnati, Ohio. They said they would make a decision sometime after the 2025 festival, which wrapped up on Feb. 2. Adams said Monday he doesnt expect the institute to make an announcement this week, which is the final week of the legislative session, but the decision could come at any time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Governors Office of Economic Opportunity had recommended $1.5 million in one-time funding and another $1.5 million in ongoing funding for the festival when it presented its budget request to the Economic and Community Development Appropriations Subcommittee on Jan. 24. Those would be tied, obviously, to the festival staying, said Kameron Dalton, the officers managing director of operations, at the time. I know leadership and others have had many discussions with that team, and were hopeful to keep that as a bright spot for Utah moving forward. Those funds would certainly help that to continue. Gov. Spencer Cox had reiterated earlier in January that he believes Sundance would be making a huge mistake by leaving Utah. He likened the situation to Outdoor Retailer, which bolted Salt Lake City for Denver only to return to Salt Lake City within a decade of the move. That came after he was asked about the up to $34 million in tax incentives that the Durango Herald reported Colorado lawmakers were willing to offer the festival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Colorado Sun explained that the measure would allocate $4 million to $5 million a year in incentives through 2030, and then $3 million a year through 2036, maxxing out at $34 million. WCPO in Cincinnati reported that the Cincinnati City Council approved $5 million toward its bid last year, which would be allocated over 10 years. The $3.5 million that the Utah Legislature approved isnt the only item within Utahs incentives package. A spokesperson for Salt Lake City confirmed to KSL.com there are other factors to the financial package, including a mix of public and private funding opportunities. Adams said Utah can also use the $3.5 million elsewhere in the state budget should Sundance leave. According to a report by Y2 Analytics, last years festival generated $106.4 million in out-of-state spending and $132 million in economic impact while supporting over 1,700 jobs. The economic impact of this years festival is still being calculated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local leaders have also said they believe Utah and Sundance are intertwined given the history together. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in September that she believes splitting the event between Salt Lake City and Park City could help the festival grow without moving. The place for Sundance is the state of Utah, she said at the time. What were offering is a new friendship, a new friendship between Salt Lake City and Sundance that hasnt quite existed in the past in a bigger way. A nurse administers a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to a patient in Utah. More states are loosening vaccine mandates, scaling back vaccine promotion efforts and taking other steps that likely will lower vaccination rates. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) More states are loosening vaccine mandates, scaling back vaccine promotion efforts and taking other steps likely to lower vaccination rates even as a major measles outbreak spreads in Texas. Meanwhile, public health experts worry that the confirmation of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services could add fuel to such efforts, leading to the resurgence of long-tamed infectious diseases. Kennedy has made numerous baseless or false claims about vaccines, including linking them to autism and cancer and saying there is poison in the coronavirus vaccine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which Kennedy now oversees, canceled the upcoming meeting of a scientific panel that was slated to discuss next years flu vaccines. Also last week, an unvaccinated child died of measles in Texas the countrys first measles death in a decade. The outbreak, which has spilled into neighboring New Mexico, has now grown to more than 130 cases. Already, vaccination rates are lower than they were before the pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives, but many Americans bristled at vaccine mandates, and disinformation and rapidly evolving public health advice undermined many peoples trust in scientific authorities. Changing attitudes have had an impact: Vaccination rates among children born in 2020 and 2021 declined by between 1.3 and 7.8 percentage points for recommended shots, compared with children born in 2018 and 2019, according to a September report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The anti-vaccination trend is the antithesis of public health, Dr. Scott Rivkees, a pediatric endocrinologist who served as Floridas surgeon general and health secretary from 2019 to 2021, told Stateline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The role of people in departments of health and the role of people in health care and medicine is to promote health and make sure the public is safe, Rivkees told Stateline. Theres such a rich history of legal precedent, such a rich history of public health precedent, saying that society benefits by having individuals vaccinated. In all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, children must receive certain vaccines to attend school. Every state offers an exemption for children who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. Thirty states plus the district allow families to skip the vaccinations for religious reasons, 13 states grant exemptions for religious or personal reasons, and two states Louisiana and Minnesota dont require people to specify whether their objection is religious or personal. Five states California, Connecticut, Maine, New York, and West Virginia dont allow nonmedical exemptions. Republican officials in more than a dozen states have introduced legislation to loosen vaccine rules or otherwise reduce their use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legislation in Arizona would make it easier to claim a school exemption, while GOP-sponsored bills in Connecticut, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon would limit or prohibit vaccine mandates for adults. In Idaho, a Senate panel last week debated a bill that would ban mRNA vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, for a decade. Montana and Mississippi lawmakers considered but defeated similar proposals. And in West Virginia one of the five states that currently does not allow nonmedical exemptions to school vaccine requirements lawmakers are advancing a bill that would allow religious and philosophical objections. Public health will always, to some extent, involve politics, because it requires resources, said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Offit serves on the FDA panel that was supposed to discuss next years flu vaccines. But it doesnt have to be partisan, which is what has happened. A shift in Louisiana Earlier this month, Dr. Ralph Abraham, Louisianas first-ever surgeon general, sent a memo to staff at the Louisiana Department of Health saying they should no longer recommend that Louisianans get any and all vaccines. The memo also said the agency will no longer promote mass vaccination. Instead, Abraham said, health workers should encourage residents to discuss the risks and benefits of vaccines with their doctors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The memo puts an end to the Louisiana health departments robust history of promoting vaccinations through local public health departments, community health fairs, and media campaigns. Vaccines should be treated with nuance, recognizing differences between seasonal vaccines and childhood immunizations, which are an important part of providing immunity to our children. Getting vaccinated, like any other health procedure, is an individuals personal choice, the memo states. The agency did not respond to multiple requests for comment via email and phone call. But in a letter posted to the departments website earlier this month, Abraham wrote that the state had made several missteps during the pandemic, including: promoting inaccurate and inconsistent guidance on masking, poor decisions to close schools, unjustifiable mandates on civil liberties, and false claims regarding natural immunity. Abraham wrote that vaccinations can be good for some, but can be harmful for others, and that for decades public health has been driven by an ideology that the sacrifice of a few is acceptable and necessary for the greater good. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We should reject this utilitarian approach and restore medical decision-making to its proper place: between doctors and patients, he wrote. Louisiana Republican lawmakers have embraced this sentiment, saying that after the COVID-19 pandemic, they want to see less government involvement in vaccinations. Im pleased that Dr. Abraham has taken this approach, said Republican state Rep. Kathy Edmonston, who last year authored laws prohibiting Louisiana schools from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations and mandating that they provide exemption information to parents. Im not against vaccinations. Hes not against vaccinations. Im for people being able to make up their own mind. Jill Hines, co-director of Health Freedom Louisiana, a group that opposes vaccine mandates, dismissed the significance of ending mass vaccination campaigns, because everybody should have a primary care physician if they want one, and nobody is really denied access to a vaccine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Kimberly Hood, former assistant secretary of the Louisiana Office of Public Health, noted that the state is largely rural, and many residents dont have easy access to a health care provider. Failing to promote vaccination may not sound like a huge deal, but it actually invalidates what we in public health have seen and learned for many, many years, which is that you have to make it easy, affordable, accessible, Hood told Stateline. Its not just stepping away from vaccination; were stepping away from our kind of obligation together, what it means to live together in a society. Staying the course in Mississippi But in neighboring Mississippi, which is also Republican-dominated, GOP leaders are staying the course at least so far. More than two dozen anti-vaccine bills have died in the Mississippi legislature in the past two years, including this years proposed ban on mRNA vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state struggled with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic, and in 2022 Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law a measure banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates. But for years, Mississippi maintained one of the highest childhood vaccination rates in the nation. The state slipped from first to third between 2023 and 2024, after a federal judge ruled that the state must allow religious exemptions. Its current childhood vaccination rate is 97.5%, well above the 91% national average but lower than the 99.3% rate it had in 2019. Our law is still in effect, and if you dont have a medical or religious exemption, then you must be fully vaccinated to attend school or go to day care in Mississippi, said Dr. Daniel Edney, Mississippis state health officer. The science is clear and in Mississippi we stand on the science. Edney said he hasnt faced any political pressure to reverse course. Unlike in Louisiana, where Republican Gov. Jeff Landry tapped Abraham a former three-term Republican congressman who co-chaired his transition committee as surgeon general, Edney was selected by the 11-member Mississippi State Board of Health. The governor chooses the members of that panel, but they serve staggered four-year terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have zero pressure from the governor or legislative leadership regarding our approach to vaccines, Edney told Stateline. Were not focused on politics. We dont blow in the wind based on what administration is in power. This story was originally published by Stateline, which like the New Hampshire Bulletin is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. A nurse administers a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to a patient in Utah. More states are loosening vaccine mandates, scaling back vaccine promotion efforts and taking other steps that likely will lower vaccination rates. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) More states are loosening vaccine mandates, scaling back vaccine promotion efforts and taking other steps likely to lower vaccination rates even as a major measles outbreak spreads in Texas. Meanwhile, public health experts worry that the confirmation of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services could add fuel to such efforts, leading to the resurgence of long-tamed infectious diseases. Kennedy has made numerous baseless or false claims about vaccines, including linking them to autism and cancer and saying there is poison in the coronavirus vaccine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which Kennedy now oversees, canceled the upcoming meeting of a scientific panel that was slated to discuss next years flu vaccines. Also this week, an unvaccinated child died of measles in Texas the countrys first measles death in a decade. The outbreak, which has spilled into neighboring New Mexico, has now grown to more than 130 cases. Already, vaccination rates are lower than they were before the pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives, but many Americans bristled at vaccine mandates, and disinformation and rapidly evolving public health advice undermined many peoples trust in scientific authorities. Public health will always, to some extent, involve politics, because it requires resources. But it doesn't have to be partisan. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia Changing attitudes have had an impact: Vaccination rates among children born in 2020 and 2021 declined by between 1.3 and 7.8 percentage points for recommended shots, compared with children born in 2018 and 2019, according to a September report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The anti-vaccination trend is the antithesis of public health, Dr. Scott Rivkees, a pediatric endocrinologist who served as Floridas surgeon general and health secretary from 2019 to 2021, told Stateline. The role of people in departments of health and the role of people in health care and medicine is to promote health and make sure the public is safe, Rivkees told Stateline. Theres such a rich history of legal precedent, such a rich history of public health precedent, saying that society benefits by having individuals vaccinated. In all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, children must receive certain vaccines to attend school. Every state offers an exemption for children who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. Thirty states plus the district allow families to skip the vaccinations for religious reasons, 13 states grant exemptions for religious or personal reasons, and two states Louisiana and Minnesota dont require people to specify whether their objection is religious or personal. Five states California, Connecticut, Maine, New York and West Virginia dont allow nonmedical exemptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican officials in more than a dozen states have introduced legislation to loosen vaccine rules or otherwise reduce their use. Legislation in Arizona would make it easier to claim a school exemption, while GOP-sponsored bills in Connecticut, Minnesota, New York and Oregon would limit or prohibit vaccine mandates for adults. In Idaho, a Senate panel last week debated a bill that would ban mRNA vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, for a decade. Montana and Mississippi lawmakers considered but defeated similar proposals. And in West Virginia one of the five states that currently does not allow nonmedical exemptions to school vaccine requirements lawmakers are advancing a bill that would allow religious and philosophical objections. Public health will always, to some extent, involve politics, because it requires resources, said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Offit serves on the FDA panel that was supposed to discuss next years flu vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it doesnt have to be partisan, which is what has happened. A shift in Louisiana Earlier this month, Dr. Ralph Abraham, Louisianas first-ever surgeon general, sent a memo to staff at the Louisiana Department of Health saying they should no longer recommend that Louisianans get any and all vaccines. The memo also said the agency will no longer promote mass vaccination. Instead, Abraham said, health workers should encourage residents to discuss the risks and benefits of vaccines with their doctors. The memo puts an end to the Louisiana health departments robust history of promoting vaccinations through local public health departments, community health fairs and media campaigns. Vaccines should be treated with nuance, recognizing differences between seasonal vaccines and childhood immunizations, which are an important part of providing immunity to our children. Getting vaccinated, like any other health procedure, is an individuals personal choice, the memo states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency did not respond to multiple requests for comment via email and phone call. But in a letter posted to the departments website earlier this month, Abraham wrote that the state had made several missteps during the pandemic, including: promoting inaccurate and inconsistent guidance on masking, poor decisions to close schools, unjustifiable mandates on civil liberties, and false claims regarding natural immunity. Abraham wrote that vaccinations can be good for some, but can be harmful for others, and that for decades public health has been driven by an ideology that the sacrifice of a few is acceptable and necessary for the greater good. We should reject this utilitarian approach and restore medical decision-making to its proper place: between doctors and patients, he wrote. Louisiana Republican lawmakers have embraced this sentiment, saying that after the COVID-19 pandemic, they want to see less government involvement in vaccinations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im pleased that Dr. Abraham has taken this approach, said Republican state Rep. Kathy Edmonston, who last year authored laws prohibiting Louisiana schools from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations and mandating that they provide exemption information to parents. Im not against vaccinations. Hes not against vaccinations. Im for people being able to make up their own mind. Jill Hines, co-director of Health Freedom Louisiana, a group that opposes vaccine mandates, dismissed the significance of ending mass vaccination campaigns, because everybody should have a primary care physician if they want one, and nobody is really denied access to a vaccine. But Kimberly Hood, former assistant secretary of the Louisiana Office of Public Health, noted that the state is largely rural, and many residents dont have easy access to a health care provider. Failing to promote vaccination may not sound like a huge deal, but it actually invalidates what we in public health have seen and learned for many, many years, which is that you have to make it easy, affordable, accessible, Hood told Stateline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not just stepping away from vaccination; were stepping away from our kind of obligation together, what it means to live together in a society. Staying the course in Mississippi But in neighboring Mississippi, which is also Republican-dominated, GOP leaders are staying the course at least so far. More than two dozen anti-vaccine bills have died in the Mississippi legislature in the past two years, including this years proposed ban on mRNA vaccines. The state struggled with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic, and in 2022 Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law a measure banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates. But for years, Mississippi maintained one of the highest childhood vaccination rates in the nation. The state slipped from first to third between 2023 and 2024, after a federal judge ruled that the state must allow religious exemptions. Its current childhood vaccination rate is 97.5%, well above the 91% national average but lower than the 99.3% rate it had in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our law is still in effect, and if you dont have a medical or religious exemption, then you must be fully vaccinated to attend school or go to day care in Mississippi, said Dr. Daniel Edney, Mississippis state health officer. The science is clear and in Mississippi we stand on the science. Edney said he hasnt faced any political pressure to reverse course. Unlike in Louisiana, where Republican Gov. Jeff Landry tapped Abraham a former three-term Republican congressman who co-chaired his transition committee as surgeon general, Edney was selected by the 11-member Mississippi State Board of Health. The governor chooses the members of that panel, but they serve staggered four-year terms. I have zero pressure from the governor or legislative leadership regarding our approach to vaccines, Edney told Stateline. Were not focused on politics. We dont blow in the wind based on what administration is in power. 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. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Credit: Fox News JD Vance has denied denigrating Britains war record after making comments suggesting that the UK and France had not fought a war in 40 years. The US vice-president wrote on X that it was absurdly dishonest to suggest he was speaking about France and the UK when he said that Americas minerals peace deal was way better than a security guarantee from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His initial comments caused a backlash, including from the former chief of the British Army, who accused Mr Vance of having become power crazy. On Tuesday morning, the US vice-president appeared to backtrack on what he said, writing on X: I dont even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years and beyond. However, he added: But lets be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful. This is absurdly dishonest. I don't even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. https://t.co/hrkb5pTV8p JD Vance (@JDVance) March 4, 2025 During a Fox News interview, Mr Vance commented on Donald Trumps minerals deal for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. More than 600 British troops were killed fighting alongside the US in Iraq between 2003 and 2011 and in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. Mr Vances remarks prompted Lord Dannatt, who was head of the Army during key years of the Iraq war, to tell The Telegraph: What planet is this guy on? Has he forgotten we deployed a division in both Gulf Wars and fought alongside US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan? He seems to have gone power crazy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A growing number of MPs and former MPs voiced dismay at Mr Vances comments. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, said: Nato Article Five has been invoked once on 12/9/01 by the USA, after 9/11. Britain and France came to their aid, deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including numerous parliamentary colleagues past and present. Its deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice. Johnny Mercer, a former soldier and Tory minister for veterans, dismissed Mr Vance as a clown and called on him to check his privilege. Referring to Mr Vances days in the Marines, where he spent his time writing articles and taking pictures, Mr Mercer said: Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own countrys crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helen Maguire, the Liberal Democrat defence spokeswoman, said: JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. I saw first-hand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didnt return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality. As the UKs representative to the US, Peter Mandelson should call on Vance to apologise for these comments. On Tuesday, Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, sought to stop Conservative MPs sharing their real-time views on the Ukraine conflict. Alicia Kearns, a shadow minister, had urged the King to withdraw Mr Trumps state visit invitation while Graham Stuart, another Tory MP, claimed the US president may be a Russian asset. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A text to all Tory MPs sent by Rebecca Harris, the Tory chief whip, and first reported by The Spectator, read: We understand that there are many concerns about the unfolding events around Ukraine and US involvement. We do not need to tweet all of our thoughts in real time. When it comes to defence and national security, we need to raise the threshold for what needs to be said publicly and ensure the facts are clear first. Mrs Badenoch said: I know JD Vance quite well. Ive looked at the comments, I dont think he actually said that. A lot of people are getting carried away. Theyre saying loads of things and getting quite animated. Lets keep cool heads America is our closest ally. I believe President Trump and JD Vance want peace. Theyre looking after their national interest we need to do so as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader who has closely aligned himself with the White House on the majority of issues criticised Mr Vance on Thursday. He said: JD Vance is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. For 20 years in Afghanistan pro rata, our size against Americas, we spent the same amount of money, we put the same number of men and women in, we suffered the same losses. We stood by America all through those 20 years putting in exactly the same contribution. And alright, they may be six times bigger, but we did our bit. So, on this one JD is wrong. Elsewhere in the Fox News interview, Mr Vance denied that he had planned to ambush Volodymyr Zelensky to harm relations between the US and Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event was intended to be the ceremonial signing of a minerals deal between the two countries before the tough talk of negotiating peace, he said. The US vice-president also doubled down on his criticisms of European leaders at the Munich Security Conference last month over free speech and suppressing fears about mass migration. He hit out at attempts by governments to silence and shut down their own citizenry, referring to the example of Adam Smith-Connor, a British man who was convicted for praying outside an abortion clinic. Mr Smith-Connor, who was name-checked in Mr Vances Munich speech, has previously told The Telegraph that Mr Vance was exposing the reality of censorship in Britain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decline in the number of medically-fit British troops has raised concerns about how well-placed they are to be sent to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force in the event of a peace deal. Mark Francois, the shadow armed forces minister, said: Alongside many other Nato nations, our Armed Forces face serious recruitment and retention challenges but this is amplified when we have thousands of serving soldiers who are not fully fit to fight. The Army, in particular, needs to urgently address this, in areas like dentistry and physiotherapy, especially in light of the situation in Ukraine and recent discussions about putting boots on the ground. 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. Vice President JD Vance on Monday knocked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a certain sense of entitlement during a clash with the Kyiv leader and President Trump in the Oval Office last week. Even when Zelensky was kind of needling him, even when Zelensky was saying things that I thought were untrue, the president just tried to be diplomatic, Vance told Fox Newss Sean Hannity. The vice president said the encounter really went off the rails during one of his own answers, which he contended really set Zelensky off. As we kept on going back and forth, I tried again to say, Well, maybe we should have this conversation in private. And the president was like, Nope, actually, I dont want to have it in private anymore. I want to have this actual conversation in public for the American people to see. And I do think that there was just a certain sense of there was a lack of respect, there was a certain sense of entitlement, Vance said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interview, recorded earlier Monday, aired shortly after news that Trump ordered a pause on U.S. aid going to Ukraine in its war against Russia, a major move following the confrontational meeting between the world leaders at the White House. Visiting with Trump in Washington last week, Zelensky was expected to sign off on a deal that would give the U.S. access to Ukraines critical mineral supply. But Trump called off talks, arguing Zelensky was not ready for Peace. Vance, during the meeting, argued it was disrespectful of the Kyiv leader to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. Zelensky has since moved to try and thaw relations, expressing gratitude for U.S. support, while Trump has doubled down on his criticism. The presidents pause on aid will likely put more pressure on Zelensky to soothe tensions with the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance on Hannity quipped that the Oval Office clash was great TV. A lot of our European friends puff him up. They say, You are a freedom fighter, and you need to keep fighting forever. Fighting forever with what? With whose money and whose ammunition and with whose lives? the vice president said of Zelensky. But Vance also underscored Trumps message that of course the door is open. So long as Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. US Vice President JD Vance has commented on the possibility of the Donald Trump administration pressuring Russia to bring the Kremlin to the negotiating table over the war it has been waging against Ukraine. Source: European Pravda, citing Vance in a statement to Voice of America Details: Vance was asked whether the United States was going to increase sanctions against Russia or take other steps to pressure both sides to come to the negotiating table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We do believe that it's in Russia's best interest, but also Ukraine and the United States's best interest to bring this conflict to a close. So we believe in applying pressure to everybody, to stop the killing, because that's what the president's policy is and that's what's in the best interest of the American people," Vance said. A journalist noted that there appears to be significant pressure on Ukraine but little on Russia. In response, he said, "I don't think that's right, actually". "I mean, we still have a number of sanctions that are placed on the Russians. We do believe that the Russians, economically are struggling because of this conflict," he added. Background: On 4 March, US media reported that Trump has ordered a halt to all military aid to Ukraine until he sees Ukraine's leaders "demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace". His decision also affects weapons shipments that have already left US territory and are en route to the Ukrainian border. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk later confirmed reports of the US halting aid to Ukraine, citing information from the border and the US aid hub in Jasionka. Vance stated that in order to resume aid deliveries, Ukraine must come to the negotiating table. Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, said the White House was using the "stick" approach to pressure Zelenskyy into agreeing to a peace deal. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! As U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly halted all military aid to Ukraine, Vice President JD Vance once again criticized President Volodymyr Zelensky in a March 3 interview with Fox News, claiming Zelensky has shown a "clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process" a policy Trump insists reflects the will of the American people. During the Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28, Zelensky, Trump and Vance held a 45-minute-long press briefing in the Oval Office which ended in a heated argument about American aid to Ukraine, and canceling of the planned signing of the U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement. Trump and Vance accused Zelensky of failing to express gratitude for U.S. support and warned that his refusal to make concessions to Putin was a dangerous gamble that could escalate into World War III. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the meeting, Trump said that Zelensky "is not ready for peace." "He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace," Trump posted on Truth Social on Feb. 28. Read also: Wrong approach, wrong time, wrong president Waltz reacts to Trump-Zelensky standoff Vance told Fox News' Sean Hannity that "what President Trump has said clearly and consistently is of course (that) the door is open so long as Zelensky is willing to seriously talk peace." "You can't come into the Oval Office or anywhere else and refuse to even discuss the details of a peace deal," he said. "This is not going to make anybody happy. The Russians are going to have to give up stuff, the Ukrainians are going to have to give up stuff. You can't come to the Oval Office and say 'give us security guarantees, we won't even engage with you about what we are willing to give up.' That's been the Ukrainian posture." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Hope is not a strategy. Throwing money and ammunition at a terrible conflict that is not a strategy," Vance said on the Biden adminstration policy on Ukraine. The U.S. has provided assistance worth $119.8 billion since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, including $67.1 billion in military aid, $49 billion in financial aid, and $3.6 billion in humanitarian aid, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Following the tense meeting with Trump, Zelensky told Fox News on Feb. 28 that Ukraine is "ready for peace but we need to be in a good position." "We want peace... that's why I visited President Trump," Zelensky told Fox News, adding that he hopes that Trump would show stronger support for Ukraine rather than positioning himself as a mediator in the war. He emphasized that Russia was the aggressor, having launched the invasion. "I want really him to be more at our side," Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance reiterated to Hannity that President Trump will be "the first person to pick up the phone" once Zelensky is ready to talk about peace. "The president is actually taking a much more realistic perspective in saying this can't go on forever, we can't fund this thing forever, the Ukrainians can't fight forever so let's bring this thing to a peaceful settlement." Read also: 6 silver linings of the Trump-Zelensky showdown Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Vice President JD Vance on Monday said Trump administration officials are already in talks with Russia to end the years-long war Russia launched against Ukraine, and warned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky needs to accept Donald Trumps terms for a mineral rights deal and enter negotiations with Moscow. Vances demand that Zelensky accept the U.S.-backed mineral rights deal follows the Ukrainian leaders ejection Friday from the White House after an Oval Office shouting match with Vance and Trump. It also comes just hours after the Trump administration announced it was halting some defense aid to Kyiv at a crucial time in the war as Zelenskys forces have fought to repel Russian invaders since 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity, Vance said the idea of having American economic interests on the ground in Ukraine would provide a superior security guarantee to putting American or European troops on the ground to guarantee any future ceasefire with Moscow. If you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine, he said. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years. The security guarantee, and also the economic guarantee for Ukraine, is to rebuild the country, Vance said. You're not going to do that if you come to the Oval Office, insult the president and refuse to follow his plan for peace. Asked whether Trump would welcome Zelensky back to sign the deal that was left on the table last week, Vance told Hannity that the Ukrainian leader would be allowed back if he had a serious proposal for how he was going to engage in the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are details that really matter, that we're already working on with the Russians. We've already talked to some of our allies, he needs to engage seriously on the details, he said. Vance also told Hannity that Trump has set a very clear goal for his administration regarding Ukraine, which is simply wanting the killing to stop without regard for whether any peace deal he brokers allows Russia to get away with changing European borders by force for the first time since the Second World War. Vance claimed that Zelensky had showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process that President Trump has said is the policy of the American people and of their president by refusing to accept Trumps desire to negotiate a peace plan on his countrys behalf. Vance added: I think Zelensky wasn't yet there, and I think, frankly, now still isn't there, but I think we'll get there eventually. He has to. US Vice President JD Vance has stated that in order for US aid to be resumed, Ukraine must "come to the table and start negotiating". Source: CNN, as reported by European Pravda Details: Vance added that US President Donald Trump remains committed to the rare minerals deal. Quote from Vance: "We want the Ukrainians to have a sovereign and independent country. We think the Ukrainian troops have fought very bravely, but were at a point here where neither Europe nor the United States nor the Ukrainians can continue this war indefinitely." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: That is why, Vance said, "its important that everybody comes to the table". "The President is trying to send a very explicit message, the Ukrainians have got to come to the table and start negotiating with President Trump for the mineral deal," Vance emphasised. Asked whether he believes the rare minerals deal is still possible, Vance replied: "I certainly do". "And I think the President is still committed to the mineral deal. I think weve heard some positive things, but not yet, of course, a signature from our friends in Ukraine," he said. Vance also accused Ukrainians of not being willing to "negotiate in good faith" and claimed that the US had not been treated fairly when it comes to aid to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its really ridiculous, and frankly, an insult to the American people, that the Europeans are getting a better deal than the American people," he said. Background: On 4 March, US media reported that Trump has ordered a halt to all military aid to Ukraine until he sees Ukraine's leaders "demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace". His decision also affects weapons shipments that have already left US territory and are en route to the Ukrainian border. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk later confirmed reports of the US halting aid to Ukraine, citing information from the border and the US aid hub in Jasionka. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trumps decision to freeze aid to Ukraine was supported by all his top advisers, and the US president made the move after hearing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy say the war could last a long time. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! I was impressed with J.D. Vance's eloquence and brilliance at the Munich Security Conference. Our vice president said nothing that was not true. His European audience of mostly old, white men many in uniform loathed being talked to as an equal by a first-generation, upstart, American millionaire. Too bad for them. More: JD Vance might be the pride of Middletown, but he's a national embarrassment | Letter Speaking truth to crony, old money is not easy, and Vance was exceptionally brilliant, composed and spot-on truthful. As a Catholic, I was particularly impressed with our fellow Buckeye ending his speech by quoting Pope John Paul II: "Do not be afraid!" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement God bless J.D. Vance for being a bold Buckeye, an all-American hero and a brave Marine. Semper fidelis. Brian Frank, Downtown This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Vance's Munich speech was fearless, brilliant, unapologetic | Letters Vice President Vance pushed back at a question Tuesday that suggested the U.S. wasnt putting pressure on Russia to end the war with Ukraine, days after he and President Trump sharply criticized Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in a stunning Oval Office meeting. As the vice president took questions from reporters at a Senate office building Tuesday, one reporter said there has not been that much pressure on Russia. Well, I dont think thats right, actually, Vance replied. I mean, we still have a number of sanctions that are placed on Russians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do believe the Russians economically are struggling because of this conflict. We believe it is Russias best interest and United States and Ukraine best interest to bring this conflict to a close. We believe applying pressure to everybody to stop the killing. Thats what the presidents policy is, Vance said. Trump and Vance have been accused by Democrats and other critics of doing Russias bidding in pressuring Ukraine into a deal that would see that country lose territory. That criticism has picked up in the last few days after Trump paused aid Monday evening to Ukraine, a decision that followed the White House blowup where the president accused Zelensky of not having any cards to play in a geostrategic game over Ukraines future. The fight with Zelensky before television cameras broadcasting to the world came after Vance accused Zelensky of behaving rudely and said he should be more thankful of U.S. support for Ukraine. Trump also jumped in, taking offense when Zelensky said the trouble with Russia could eventually come to U.S. shores. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public battle rattled allies of the United States, who have worked to try to find ways to support Ukraine if the U.S. completely pulls support. Most Republicans in Congress have backed Trump, with a handful of exceptions. Democrats have sharply criticized Trumps handling of the meeting and the issue of the war more generally. Vance also was asked about the explosive meeting, and said he certainly believes the mineral deal with Ukraine in which that country would give up some of its natural resources to the United States to repay its support during the war can still be reached. It had been expected that this deal would be signed last Friday, but any plans to do so were put off after the Oval Office clash. Vance also argued Zelensky needs to return to the private negotiating table instead of making public announcements and hosting meetings with other countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need the Ukrainians privately to come to us say, This is what we need, this is what we want, this is how were going to participate in the process to end this conflict, Vance said. That is the most important thing, and that lack of private engagement is what is most concerning to us, 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) showed that Vanderbilt University has made significant strides in addressing antisemitism on campus. The private school in Nashville was one of 135 schools addressed by the ADL in 2025, up from 85 schools the academic year prior. The organization uses 30 metrics such as Jewish life on campus and publicly disclosed administrative actions to assign letter grades A to F to each college in its Campus Antisemitism Report Card. After receiving a C rating in the 2024 report, Vanderbilt was assigned an A in the ADLs latest evaluation, making it one of 10 schools to move up two grade levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man charged with threatening to attack federal building in Downtown Nashville After the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, the ADL noted that members of the Vanderbilt Students for Justice in Palestine chapter set up a demonstration that depicted bodies in bags with blood. Additionally, the group reportedly built an Apartheid Wall exhibit on Rand Yard, and nearly 30 students on campus held a sit-in in protest of an administrative decision to remove a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)-related proposal from the student ballot. Based on Vanderbilts efforts to combat antisemitism on campus since then, it now finds itself among the ADLs top-eight performing universities in the country. We engaged in a really substantive dialog, said Eytan Davidson, regional director for the ADL Southeast chapter. Vanderbilt has just been terrific in terms of taking this issue very seriously, not just for Jewish students, but for their entire student body, and we believe that theyve really been leaders on this issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ADL told News 2 that more than 70% of the universities that were covered in the first round of the report card ended up engaging with ADL on ways that they could improve their campus climates. Bill would designate three months as the celebration of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in Tennessee I said it last year and Ill say it again: every single campus should get an A, this isnt a high bar this should be the standard, said Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive officer of the ADL. While many campuses have improved in ways that are encouraging and commendable, Jewish students still do not feel safe or included on too many campuses. The progress weve seen is evidence that change is possible all university leaders should focus on addressing these very real challenges with real action. According to the organizations latest report card, 45% of the schools previously evaluated improved, while only 9% declined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The improvement on campus is largely due to new administrative initiatives implemented in response to the campus antisemitism crisis, said Shira Goodman, ADLs vice president of advocacy. Were glad that improving the campus climate for Jewish students was a priority for many of these schools, and we hope all colleges and universities understand the importance of developing and enforcing strong policies and procedures to create a safe and welcoming environment for Jewish students and all students. To learn more, visit the ADLs 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 WKRN News 2. Pope Francis will need to sleep overnight with a mask for "mechanical ventilation," the Vatican said on Tuesday evening. Unlike the previous day, the 88-year-old has not experienced any further episodes of shortness of breath, but non-invasive ventilation with a mask over his nose and mouth is necessary. There was no mention of artificial ventilation in the Tuesday evening bulletin. The medical team at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome remains cautious in providing a prognosis for the further course of treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bulletin stated that Francis is still free of fever, alert, clear-headed and cooperating with the treatment. Throughout the day, he alternated between praying and resting in the hospital, it said. The head of the Catholic Church has been in hospital for two and a half weeks due to double pneumonia. Condition "stable" after setback On Monday, Francis suffered another setback, with the Vatican reporting "two episodes of acute shortness of breath." As a result, he had to be mechanically ventilated, where a mask covering both his nose and mouth is applied. On Tuesday, this therapy was temporarily suspended. According to the Vatican, he received additional oxygen through a nasal tube. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest bulletin mentioned that the use of non-invasive mechanical ventilation overnight was "planned" and would continue until Wednesday morning. The pope's general condition is described as "stable." It was also noted from Francis' inner circle that the overnight support was necessary to enable better rest. The Vatican typically reports on the pope's health every morning and evening. Concern among believers There is significant concern among believers worldwide in light of the news from the hospital in the western part of the Italian capital. Numerous people have been gathering daily in front of the Gemelli Hospital to pray for the pope's recovery. A group of believers from Argentina gathered in front of the hospital and prayed together. They also brought an icon of the Madonna of Lujan; Francis has, by his own account, a deep devotion to the statue from his homeland. Evening vigil for Francis in St Peter's Square Additionally, a vigil is being held every evening for Francis in St Peter's Square, where the Rosary is recited, led by high-ranking church officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Vatican, the pope continues to carry out his duties from hospital: He has appointed several new bishops and the new head of government for the Vatican City State. Furthermore, he sent greeting messages for events and appointments from the hospital. However, there was no mention of work in the latest bulletin. Instead, he reportedly rested and prayed. Since his admission to hospital, the public has not seen Francis. There are no pictures or videos of him. Other popes, such as Francis' predecessor but one, John Paul II, who died in 2005, were photographed in his bed in the Roman hospital. The Polish pontiff also had to be treated there multiple times during his papacy. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO-WAWV) The Vigo County School Corporation Board of Trustees addresses several issues. One dealt with the an update regarding a facilities study. Superintendent Chris Himsel said there are corporation buildings that need improvement. Gibraltar, an Indianapolis architectural firm, has helped the corporation look at different ways to address the facility needs. Himsel says the board is nearing the point where some decisions will need to be made regarding facilities. He said we have a history of keeping the debt service rate and the overall tax rate pretty level, but the corporation still has lots of needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve also learned that the amount of money to keep our buildings updated, we dont have enough money to do that between the property tax caps and other things that we have to follow, said Chris Himsel, superintendent VCSC. Himsel said all of the those things, plus a declining enrollment means the board will have to figure out a way to move forward. The board also discussed a book called The Hate You Give. Several teachers spoke about the book before the board. Himsel the board passed a policy to review curriculum, and the book is being reviewed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. TEXAS COUNTY, Okla. (KSNW) A wrongful death lawsuit was filed by the mother of Veronica Butler against the five people charged with her gruesome murder. The 32-page lawsuit was filed in Texas County, Oklahoma District Court, on Monday. Butlers mother is suing on 13 counts, including civil conspiracy, defamation, and child stealing. Much of what is written in the document is already known, but KSN is learning more about the alleged sexual abuse Tifany Adams says her grandchildren were subjected to by one of Butlers family members. The documents say all of that is false. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams was on the Cimarron County Hospital Board of Directors. The lawsuit alleges she used hospital resources and or personnel to falsify hospital records to push the narrative and submitted them as evidence to the court for the purpose of manipulating the proceedings as part of a scheme to gain full custody and control of the children. Previously: Hearing ends for suspects in Kansas murdered mothers case On March 18, 2024, Butler filed for extended visitation with her children, and 11 days later, Texas County prosecutors said she and Jilian Kelley were murdered. Butlers mom is suing for medical and burial expenses, mental pain and anguish, and grief and loss of companionship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams, along with Paul Grice, Tad Cullum, and Cole and Cora Twombly, are charged with Butlers and Kelleys murders. The two were reported missing on March 30, 2024, after they drove to Oklahoma from Hugoton to pick up Butlers children. Their bodies were found two weeks later, buried in a freezer. Cora and Grice entered a plea deal in the case and have agreed to testify against the other three. After waiving his preliminary hearing in December, Cole wrote on court documents details of a plea deal. However, when we reached out to the district attorneys office in February, no documents had been filed. To learn more about Butler and Kelleys case, click here. 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 KSN-TV. Negotiations to form the next German government have entered a third day, as prospective coalition partners seek to reach an emergency deal on how to finance a major bump in defence spending ahead of a key summit of EU leaders. Bavarian Premier Markus Soder said early on Tuesday that it was a "very, very important day," hours after the United States announced on Monday that it is temporarily suspending military aid to Ukraine. The centre-right CDU/CSU alliance - made up of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and Soder's Christian Social Union (CSU) - is hoping to form a coalition with outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SDP) after winning parliamentary elections last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While reaching a coalition deal in Germany usually takes weeks, if not months, negotiators are under huge pressure to find an immediate consensus as Europe scrambles to respond to the dramatic shift in US foreign policy under President Donald Trump. EU leaders are set to convene in Brussels on Thursday, with Germany's conservative leader Friedrich Merz - the presumptive next chancellor - hoping for a deal to be reached with the SPD by then. Under discussion in Berlin are two separate emergency funds - one on defence, and the other on infrastructure - in the three-digit billion range. The funds are reportedly modelled on the 100 billion ($105 billion) pot for the German military that was agreed shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The negotiating parties have promised to keep mum on the progress of the talks in order to build trust. SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil said early on Tuesday: "As you know, we have taken a vow of silence. And I'm sticking to it." SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) A woman who passed away from injuries during a shooting on Allen Park Road in Springfield has been identified. Woman dead after shooting on Allen Park Road in Springfield On February 27, the Springfield Police Department said officers received a report at around 3:00 a.m. regarding unknown trouble at the 100 block of Allen Park Road. When they arrived at the location and entered the home, two victims were found with gunshot wounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A woman died at the location of the shooting, and a man was brought to Baystate Medical Center to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Hampden District Attorneys Office Communications Director Payton North said that the female victim of the shooting has been identified as 54-year-old Leslie Westbrook of Springfield. The Springfield Police Department Homicide Unit is currently investigating the incident in conjunction with the Hampden District Attorneys Murder Unit. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) The Platte County Sheriffs Office identified the three victims from the double homicide, aggrevated assualt and child kidnapping case from last week. According to the Platte County Sheriffs Office Captain Jeffrey Shanks, the victims from the two homicides and aggravated assault on Thursday, Feb. 27 have been identified. The first homicide victim, who was shot and killed at a car wash near the intersection of Vivion Road and Northwest Hight Drive has been identified as Katherine Bjorklund, 33, of Kansas City, Missouri. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Platte County Sheriffs Office they have found no relationship between Ms. Bjorklund and her assailant, George C. Manning. The second homicide victim was shot and killed at a residence located in the 4400 block of Northwest 50th Street in Riverside, Missouri. Giuliani Calderon, 12, a resident of unincorporated Platte County. Giuliani was a 7th grade student at the Walden Middle School in the Park Hill School District. Giuliani was known by his assailant, George C. Manning, The Platte County Sheriffs Office stated. Finally, the third victim, who suffered aggravated assault from Manning by being shot at the residence located in the 4400 blcok of Northwest 50th Street has been identified as Mercedes Ontiveros, 34, a resident of unincorporated Platte County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms. Ontiveros is the mother of Giuliani Calderon. Ms. Ontiveros remains at a local hospital recovering from her gunshot wound. Ms. Ontiveros was known by her assailant, George C. Manning, The Platte County Sheriffs Office said. The Platte County Sheriffs Office is continuing to investigate the two homicides and the aggravated assault, releasing updates when they are available. News-Press NOW will update this story. LAKE COUNTY, Ill. (WGN) The surprise news of a guilty plea in the Highland Park parade shooting case on Monday was welcomed by people who lived through the trauma that day, relieved to be spared of reliving it in court. Ashbey Beasley was at the courthouse in Waukegan every day last week for jury selection in the trial against Robert Crimo III. As opening statements were set to begin Monday, she found herself holding her breath. When he said he was pleading guilty I just felt an immense amount of relief, Beasley told WGN. Man pleads guilty to Highland Park parade mass shooting charges Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mom of Highland Park shooter asserts sons innocence after courtroom outburst These are the victims of the Highland Park parade shooting WGN Full Coverage: Highland Park Parade Shooting & trial of Robert Crimo III Crimo, 24, withdrew his earlier not-guilty plea in the mass shooting that left seven dead, physically wounded dozens more and traumatized countless. His 11th-hour pivot includes 69 felonies three counts of murder for each of the seven killed and 48 additional counts of attempted murder. Beasley recalled how she talked her then 6-year-old son into attending the 2022 Independence Day in the community north of Chicago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then the bullets started flying. People had blood on them, people were tripping and falling, she said. Others were wailing. Ive never seen anything like it in my life. Everything melted away and it was the two of us, and I just had to make him know, like, very clearly: I will keep you safe. I will protect you, but we have to get home.' They did get home, physically unharmed. Mentally, its been a different story, particularly for the young boy. My family has spent over $60,000 in two years for therapy and therapeutic resources for an uninjured child. Thats unacceptable, Beasley said. The mom has since become a relentless advocate for stricter gun laws, both in Illinois and across the country. She said shes pushing legislation that would secure a federal terrorism charge on incidents like what happened in the North Shore community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I testified to pass the assault weapons ban in Illinois. I was next to Governor (JB) Pritzker when he signed it into law. Ive advocated at the federal level for an assault weapon ban and also for safe storage, she said. All of these things are critical to making sure things like this dont happen again. She added that Mondays about-face is a significant step towards healing in Highland Park. Every day we get further from July 4th of 2022 is another day we can heal, she said. Every day that we will get past this day and this plea is another day that we heal even more and have that closure. Crimo is scheduled to be sentenced in Lake County Circuit Court Judge Victoria Rossettis courtroom on April 23. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. The top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is skipping President Trumps speech to Congress on Tuesday night. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who represents a large number of government employees and federal contractors, said hell boycott the address in solidarity with those workers who have been laid off as part of the federal firing blitz thats been a leading feature of Trumps return to office. But that was just the start. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connolly said his protest is also designed to show support for other groups of people some domestic, some overseas who are in line to be harmed directly by Trumps policy agenda. The list includes military veterans who have been fired by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency; the children across the world who will starve as a result of Trumps decision to gut the U.S. Agency for International Development; the inspectors general across the agencies who have been laid off; the millions of Americans who could lose their health care if the Republicans Medicaid cuts take effect; the Ukrainians who have watched in horror as an American president turns his back on their fight for freedom and democracy; the police officers who were attacked by Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, then saw the president pardon even the most violent felons. And in solidarity with the American people who deserve a government that serves them, not the whims of billionaires, he concluded, I will not attend Donald Trumps address to Congress. With the announcement, Connolly appears to be the highest profile Democrat to boycott Trumps speech, which the president is scheduled to deliver to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber on Tuesday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter to fellow Democrats on Monday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) stopped short of asking lawmakers not to boycott the event. But he also made clear he wants to maximize Democratic attendance to demonstrate to the country there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance on the excesses of the administration. The decision to attend the Joint Session is a personal one and we understand that members will come to different conclusions, Jeffries wrote. However, it is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber. The House as an institution belongs to the American people, and as their representatives we will not be run off the block or bullied. Connolly said hes never missed a State of the Union address in his 16 years on Capitol Hill. But we have never seen our democracy so tested, he added. These are not normal times, Connolly said. The challenges my constituents face demand more than sitting in a chamber I revere, listening as if the person addressing our country is not unleashing chaos and cruelty on their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I cannot give audience to that. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. RICHMOND, Va. (DC News Now) The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus released a statement condemning Gov. Glen Youngkin for commuting a former Fairfax County Police Department sergeants sentence. Sgt. Wesley Shifflett was sentenced on Friday, Feb. 28, to serve three years in prison for fatally shooting Timothy Johnson during a police pursuit. He was accused of shoplifting at Tysons Corner Center. Legacy on Ice skating benefit raises over $1M for families, first responders impacted by deadly midair collision near DCA Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, March 2, Youngkin commuted his sentence, stating that it was unjust. I am convinced that the courts sentence of incarceration is unjust and violates the cornerstone of our justice systemthat similarly situated individuals receive proportionate sentences. I want to emphasize that a jury acquitted Sgt. Shifflett of the more serious charge of involuntary manslaughter, a conviction for which the sentencing guidelines recommend no jail time or up to six months incarceration, Youngkins statement read in part. The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus said on Monday, March 3, that Youngkins decision is reckless. Following Shiffletts conviction for the reckless handling of a firearm, Johnsons mother acknowledged that most Black and Brown families that find themselves in this situation do not get this far Todays verdict has provided Mr. Shifflett a second chance-a benefit that my son, Timothy McCree Johnson, was not afforded. Members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus believe this pardon is reckless and a gross misuse of power that threatens public safety. We will not allow him to use the chaos his friends are causing in Washington as cover to evade consequences as he places a recently convicted, violent criminal back in our communities. Virginia Legislative Black Caucus FOR-IMMEDIATE-RELEASE_-The-Virginia-Legislative-Black-Caucus-Condemns-the-Governors-Commutation-of-Former-Officer-Wesley-Shiffletts-SentenceDownload Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former NOAA employees protest illegal firings outside Silver Spring headquarters Melissa Johnson, Timothy Johnsons mother, said on Monday that she found out about the commutation from media reports, and the governors office had not reached out to her in advance of the announcement. It felt like I could hear my sons voice crying out from the dirt at Tysons Corner mall again, saying, Why did you shoot me? I didnt have anything. Thats what it felt like, she said. Shiffletts defense attorneys can still file appeals to have the conviction itself overturned. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. COLLEGE PARK, Md. (DC News Now) Tuesday is primary election day for the Prince Georges County special election and the last day to vote. Although thousands have already voted, many were still making their way to the polls Tuesday morning. Crime and education are some of the top concerns for voters casting their ballots at College Park City Hall on election day. I want to see them do something to improve the school system, because our children are the most important part of our future, and if we cant build a strong foundation for the kids, what kind of future do we have? said voter Nelson Standifer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Voters say they want to see change in Prince Georges County, especially during the many changes under the new presidential administration. Now weve got to deal with all the federal employees being laid off, and we have a lot of federal workers in our area, and thats going create a whole problem And Im looking forward to our elected officials doing whatever they can, said voter Donald Lewis Brown. There are 11 candidates running for county executive. The list includes former County Executive Rushern Baker, current Prince Georges County States Attorney Aisha Braveboy, At-Large County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins, radio personality Ron Hunt, Albert Slocum, Moisette Tonya Sweat and State Sen. Alonzo Washington (D-Prince Georges). For people living in District 5, seven candidates are running for the seat representing the district on the county council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every registered voter in the county received a mail-in ballot, and as of Thursday afternoon, more than 60,000 voted by mail, and more than 3,000 people decided to cast their vote in person. I just feel like Im being an active part when I come out and do it I made it a point to come past here this morning to, as my late father would say, do your civic duty, said Standifer. With Tuesday being the last day to vote, even county executive candidates like Alonzo Washington were headed to the polls. Crime is high, education is moving incrementally, we need new leadership and a new direction here in Prince Georges County, and thats what folks have been asking for, and thats why I decided to run, Washington told DC News Now outside College Park City Hall on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Election officials say, however you choose to vote, just make sure you do. Our staff is ready, the judges are ready in the different election centers we plan to open on time, and we are there until the last person is serviced thats in line by 8 p.m., said Dr. Demetra Hutchinson, deputy elections administrator, Prince Georges County Board of Elections. We want everyone to please get out and vote and make your voice heard. Where to vote for the special election? With the special election underway, nine voting centers are open across the county for residents to cast their ballots. Voting centers opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday and will remain open until 8 p.m. at the following locations: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement College Park City Hall 7401 Baltimore Ave., College Park, MD 20740 Kentland Community Center 2413 Pinebrook Ave., Landover, MD 20785 Lake Arbor Community Center 10100 Lake Arbor Way, Mitchellville, MD 20721 Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center 7120 Contee Road, Laurel, MD 20707 Rollingcrest-Chillum Community Center 6120 Sargent Road, Chillum, MD 20782 Southern Area Aquatics and Recreation Complex 13601 Missouri Ave., Brandywine, MD 20613 South Bowie Community Center 1717 Pittsfield Lane, Bowie, MD 20716 Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex 7007 Bock Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744 Suitland Community Center 5600 Regency Lane, Forestville, MD 20747 Voters head to the polls for Prince Georges County special election Where can I drop off my mail-in ballot? Eligible voters across Prince Georges County received a mail-in ballot for the election. All ballots can be dropped off at one of the following locations: Beltsville Community Center 3900 Sellman Road, Beltsville, MD 20705 Bladensburg Community Center 4500 57th Ave., Bladensburg, MD 20710 College Park Community Center 5051 Pierce Ave., College Park, MD 20740 Glenn Dale Community Center 11901 Glenn Dale Boulevard, Glenn Dale, MD 20769 Good Luck Community Center 8601 Good Luck Road, Lanham, MD 20706 Harmony Hall Regional Center 10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744 Kentland Community Center 2413 Pinebrook Ave., Landover, MD 20785 Lake Arbor Community Center 10100 Lake Arbor Way, Mitchellville, MD 20721 Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center 7120 Contee Road, Laurel, MD 20707 Patuxent Community Center 4410 Bishopmill Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 Peppermill Community Center 610 Hill Road, Landover, MD 20785 Prince Georges Board of Elections Office 1100 Mercantile Lane, Suite 115A, Largo, MD 20774 Rollingcrest-Chillum Community Center 6120 Sargent Road, Chillum, MD 20782 South Bowie Community Center 1717 Pittsfield Lane, Bowie, MD 20716 Southern Area Aquatic and Recreation Complex 13601 Missouri Ave., Brandywine, MD 20613 Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex 7007 Bock Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744 Suitland Community Center 5600 Regency Lane, Forestville, MD 20747 Temple Hills Community Center 5300 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Upper Marlboro Community Center 5400 Marlboro Race Track Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information about voting in the special election, 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC. SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) Voters in San Mateo County are showing up to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in a special election. If Measure A passes, it would give the countys board of supervisors the power to remove Sheriff Christina Corpus from office. Early results showed that voters are in favor of removing the sheriff. As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, 92,003 ballots had been counted. Of those, 85.22% were in favor of Measure A. The sheriff is facing allegations from within her department, including intimidating her staff, having an inappropriate relationship with an employee and making racist and homophobic comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Timeline: San Mateo County Sheriff Corpus scandal Corpus has refused calls to step down. Ive received death threats because of this For people just to do this to get me out of office is an all-time low, Corpus told KRON4 in a one-on-one interview. If voters approve Measure A, the supervisors would be able to kick the sheriff out of office for breaking the law related to the sheriffs duties, repeated neglect of duties, misappropriation of public funds, falsifying documents or obstructing an investigation. Four out of the five supervisors would have to vote in favor of removing the sheriff from office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters of Measure A, including the San Mateo County Deputy Sheriffs Association, say Corpus is putting public safety at risk. Opponents claim that Tuesdays special election is a power grab. The polls remained open until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. In public hearings, during Capitol floor debates and in rooms packed with their constituents, Texas lawmakers have pitched school vouchers as a tool that will primarily benefit low-income students and not just, as their critics argue, offer taxpayer dollars to families already sending their children to private schools. These are parents living paycheck by paycheck, said Gov. Greg Abbott at a recent private school event in San Antonio. Families supporting his top legislative priority, he added, do everything they can to provide the best educational pathway for their children. House Bill 3 and Senate Bill 2 the signature school voucher proposals filed this year by each lawmaking chamber would qualify virtually any family in Texas to receive taxpayer dollars through state-managed education savings accounts to fund their childrens private school tuition. If demand exceeds the $1 billion in proposed funding for the program, Republican lawmakers say they want to serve the most vulnerable Texans first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both chambers are prioritizing low-income and special needs students, creating the largest school choice launch in the nation, said Sen. Brandon Creighton, the Conroe Republican who leads the Senate Education Committee, in late February. School choice is a term used by voucher proponents who believe parents should have more options for where to send their kids beyond their local public school. But both proposals broad eligibility which would allow the vast majority of students in the state to apply has prompted questions from education policy experts and public education advocates about whether Texas will live up to its promise of prioritizing the neediest children. [School choice, vouchers and the future of Texas education] Early school voucher programs in other parts of the country limited eligibility to low-income students. But many of those programs have grown exponentially in recent years to allow applications from virtually any family hoping to participate. Now, many of the students currently benefiting from vouchers nationally had already attended private schools before signing up, meaning their families had previously committed to paying thousands of dollars in tuition without government assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas HB 3 seeks to prioritize families in the following order if more students apply than there are spots available: Students with disabilities from families with a yearly income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level, which includes any four-person household earning less than roughly $156,000, according to 2024 statistics Families at or below 200% of the poverty level, which includes any four-person household earning less than roughly $62,400 Families between 200% and 500% of the poverty level Families at or above 500% of the poverty level SB 2, meanwhile, would reserve 80% of spots in the program for students from two groups who exit public schools to attend private ones: children with disabilities and children from low-income families, which, according to the bills definition, include those with an annual income up to roughly $156,000 for a home of four. Roughly 79% of school-age children live in a low-income household as defined by SB 2, according to census data. The Senates definition of low-income families means the state would equally prioritize, for example, a family earning just over $40,000 per year Texas public schools definition of low income and a family making over $100,000 more annually. The remaining spots in the program would go to other applicants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Education advocates and experts say eligibility for the program is not the same as access. Access goes a step further by ensuring families not only qualify to receive money from the state but can actually enroll their children in a suitable schooling option and obtain positive outcomes, said Liz Cohen, policy director of FutureEd, a nonpartisan education think tank at Georgetown University. Neither the House nor the Senate bill requires private schools to take the same state standardized tests issued to public school students every year, a measuring stick Texas Republicans rely upon heavily to make decisions about public schools. Studies in multiple states have shown little evidence that vouchers lead to improved scores for low-income students. The Texas proposals do require that students take nationally recognized exams like the SAT or ACT and that the state include the results in an annual report. Voucher advocates often note that the benefits of the programs are best measured through parent satisfaction. The bills do not impose any admission or enrollment requirements on the private schools that choose to participate in the program, meaning they would face no state pressure to adjust their costs, ensure more racial and ethnic diversity, or accept students from different faith traditions. The average private school tuition in Texas sits at roughly $11,340, according to Private School Review, so vouchers may not fully cover the price at some campuses. Private schools in Texas host a predominantly white student population, a stark contrast to the majority Black and Latino student body in public schools. Many private schools also have a particular religious focus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, neither bill clarifies what would happen if a child makes it through the eligibility process but cannot find a private school in Texas to accommodate their needs. Advocates and experts say the bills broad definition of low-income families along with lawmakers unwillingness to require participating private schools to guarantee access to certain student groups will likely mean Texas voucher program, like in other states, will end up primarily serving families who are already paying to send their kids to private schools. Lawmakers are in a tough spot, the ones that really want to do this for real, for kids, said Josh Cowen, an education policy professor at Michigan State University and an outspoken critic of school voucher programs. What they're trying to do is craft a universal voucher bill to give a win to the governor and at the same time adhere to a message, and maybe even a policy, that's intended to help lower income and middle income families. And those two are conflicting goals. In a conversation with The Texas Tribune, Creighton dismissed those concerns. He remained adamant that the eligibility framework outlined in the proposal will prioritize students with disabilities and low-income families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Creighton also said he sees all families as worthy of benefiting from education savings accounts, regardless of their income. The Senates education chair said he doesnt think the state should impose public school strings on private schools. He also expressed confidence that families will ultimately decide what steps to take if they cant find a private school to accommodate their childrens needs. Some families are committed in a way where they will commute to the next private school opportunity that is available, Creighton said. They might consider the home school opportunities at the lesser amount that the ESA offers. Or they may decide that, even though they were awarded an ESA, they've searched around, and they found that the public school opportunity really was their preference, and they declined to use the ESA. And that frees up a spot for someone else to be able to have that opportunity. If the legislation passes this year, Creighton said lawmakers will have a chance in the next legislative session to review the consequences of our intentions. We've already won when we get this bill passed. I don't mean that we won't make adjustments. I just mean that we're winning because they are, he said, referring to families. I've heard their stories, I know their testimony and have really studied the success of what this has done in a powerful way for kids that need help the most. And so I already feel very optimistic based on that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The office of Rep. Brad Buckley, the Republican chair of the House Public Education Committee who authored that chambers voucher proposal, did not respond to an interview request. Buckleys committee has scheduled a public hearing for his voucher proposal next week. The Senate approved Creightons version of the bill in February. When asked by Democrats about the Senate bills broad eligibility provisions during a floor debate last month, Creighton reiterated that he does not want to exclude middle-class families with multiple children from accessing the voucher program, notably those with essential jobs like first responders and teachers. He has also called attention to a provision in both the House and Senate bills that would require the state to produce regular reports with details about the voucher program including the demographic makeup of the Texans it serves suggesting they would allow lawmakers to see whether the program unfairly benefits certain groups of students over others and take corrective action if needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that has not reassured public education advocates closely monitoring the two proposals. SB 2 would reserve most of the programs spots for students with disabilities and families it considers low income but only if those families attended a public school for most of the previous year. That provision is notable because budget officials recently predicted that only 24,500 of the states nearly six million public school students would leave for private schools in the programs first year. In their SB 2 analysis, budget experts predicted that half of Texas roughly 350,000 students currently enrolled in private schools would apply. Barring a mass departure of students from public schools which voucher supporters and budget experts predict wont happen some public education advocates worry students from families already with the financial means to afford private school will take most of the programs spots. Supporters of education savings accounts say the voucher program needs to offer expanded eligibility to ensure every child in the state including those from low-income families and students currently attending private school can receive government assistance and thrive in parents preferred educational setting. They also argue that not every child who currently attends a private school comes from a wealthy family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We're not going to force outcomes, but making it universal and prioritizing special needs and lower income families does mean that, to the extent applications exceed availability, we will ensure those folks are taken care of, said James Dickey, executive director of Liberty For The Kids, an organization that describes itself as dedicated exclusively to passing school choice in Texas. Dickey said if either of the House or Senate proposals passes into law and down the road the state finds that certain demographics of students are benefiting over others, he would absolutely support increased efforts to spread the word about the program to families not aware of it. The bills currently include language aligning with that goal. Nathan Cunneen, the Texas state director for the pro-voucher organization American Federation for Children, also said awareness plays a significant role in who applies to receive access to education savings accounts. He praised lawmakers for working to ensure the program wouldnt fully launch until the 2026-27 school year. We have a full year to educate the public that this option exists. We will be endeavoring. We will be doing everything we can to make sure that low-income students and special needs students are aware of the program, Cunneen said. And because of this detail, I feel very strongly that the vast majority of the roughly 100,000 slots available under a $1 billion program will be filled by priority category students. We cant wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 1315 in downtown Austin. Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education, the economy, health care, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and so much more. Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. Get the data and visuals that accompany this story A Walkersville resident whose job with the federal government was recently eliminated in a round of cuts will be U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaneys guest at President Donald Trumps address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. Matthew Fessler was fired from his job as a health insurance specialist at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, one of thousands of federal employees whose jobs have been eliminated by the Trump administration in what it has said is an effort to improve government efficiency. Fessler said he checked his computer on Feb. 15 after hearing reports of other federal workers whose jobs had been eliminated. He found an email saying his work performance was inadequate and his knowledge, skills, and abilities didnt meet the agencys needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of this despite the fact, according to an email from McClain Delaneys office, that he received a rating of Achieves Outstanding Results in a Jan. 6 performance review. Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who Trump put in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency, have said the cuts are to improve the accountability of the governments workforce. Fessler, who was a probationary employee, said he wasnt shocked to see the email, given the reports hed heard, but was sad to lose the job hed had since June. While he was relatively new to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, Fessler said his experience in the field goes back to 2010. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fessler said that at the centers Baltimore offices, he worked on analyzing samples of submissions for Medicare Part D, looking for things such as proper documentation, and to make sure that the amount of drugs prescribed was appropriate. Since losing his job, Fessler said, hes been applying for other positions. If his old position suddenly became available again, hed probably take it, he said. I really believe in the mission I served as a public servant, he said. McClain Delaney, who said her 6th Congressional District contains 17,467 senior citizens who use the Medicare Part D programs, said shes met many federal employees deeply committed to serving their country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said people may believe that employees on probationary status, such as Fessler, have that designation because they are young and inexperienced, which is not the case. The status often refers to someone who might have just changed jobs or come from another division, she said. While she agrees with the idea of running government more efficiently, theres a proper way to do that, by putting a bill through Congress, she said. The answer is not to simply push Congress aside and slash and burn whole divisions, McClain Delaney said. There are human stories behind the cuts, such as Fesslers, she said, and the moves are making government less efficient and safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If local clinics collapse without Medicaid services, people will go to emergency rooms, which are much more expensive, she said. Sen. Chris Van Hollen invited Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, an organization that advocates to protect federal employees, to Trumps speech. It was not clear on Monday who Sen. Angela Alsobrooks invited. Fessler said he looks forward to sitting in the balcony for Tuesdays speech, hoping to serve as a face for federal employees who lost their jobs. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), the Democratic vice presidential candidate for the 2024 cycle, said he would consider running for president in 2028. In an interview with The New Yorker published Sunday, Walz said a friend told him, Never turn down a job you havent been offered when asked about a possible presidential run. Im also, though, not arrogant enough to believe theres a lot of people that can do this, Walz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When pressed further, he said, Ill do whatever it takes. I certainly wouldnt be arrogant enough to think that it needs to be me. Walz said he does not have ambition for higher elected office, but added, you should have a desire to do it if youre asked to serve. Walz also discussed his views on former Vice President Kamala Harriss loss to President Trump in November. He said he disagreed with those who said the outcome of the election would have been different if former President Biden had dropped out of the presidential race earlier than he did. I dont think it works that way, he said. I think, as a party, we just need to do a better job of connecting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Democrats wrestle over how to rein in Trump weeks into his first term, Walz said its naive to search for compromise with the president. Hes not interested in finding common ground with us. He sees us as an impediment and an obstacle, and I think hell continue to move to remove those obstacles the best he can, Walz said of Trump. He also criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a fellow Minnesotan, saying Hegseth really worries him due to his revolting views on women. Hegseth has previously said women should not serve in combat roles in the military, but he walked those comments back during his Senate confirmation hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, Walzs spokesperson said the governor wont seek the open Senate seat being vacated by outgoing Sen. Tina Smith (D). Walz loves his job as Governor and hes exploring the possibility of another term to continue his work to make Minnesota the best state in the country for kids, according to his spokesperson, Teddy Tschann. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) A wanted person was shot by a deputy during an altercation over an arrest warrant on Tuesday, according to a Davidson County Sheriffs Office news release. Around 11:15 a.m., a Davidson County deputy went to a home in the Pilot community to execute an arrest warrant on a wanted person. While at the home, an altercation broke out, and the wanted person was shot by a deputy, according to the DCSO. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The wanted person and the deputy were both hospitalized. The DCSO is not naming anyone involved in the shooting at this time. Deputies have asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to look into the shooting. The investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP. A storm tracking well to the north pulled warm air along with it, raising the risk of flooding from rapidly melting snow near the United States and Canada borders through early Thursday morning, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. There is the likelihood of ice jam flooding, urban flooding and quick rises on some open streams and rivers in the region. Recent mild weather has reduced or wiped out snow cover and ice on rivers in some areas of the Midwest and Northeast in the past week. Deep snow or ice remains on some rivers from Wisconsin and northern Michigan to upstate New York, northern New England and the southern tier of Ontario and Quebec. It's these locations that will be most prone to flooding from the same storm that triggered a severe weather outbreak farther south in the U.S. this week. In some cases, such as in the Upper Midwest and the southern tier of Canada, heavy rain compensated for lower temperatures in the 30s to lower 40s F. In areas a bit farther to the east, in upstate New York and northern New England, only a light to moderate amount of rain will fall through early Thursday morning, but temperatures surged well into the 40s, 50s, and perhaps even near 60 with humid air accelerated the melting of the snow cover. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "One zone we are watching closely is from northern Wisconsin to northern Michigan for significant stream and river flooding," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette, Michigan, as well as Rhinelander, Wisconsin, are among the towns in the northern U.S. at risk for significant flooding. Ongoing rain and snow on the ground or where large piles of snow block storm drains can lead to urban flooding, with potentially deep enough water on some streets and highways to stall vehicles and block traffic. Canadian major metro areas such as Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto are likely to experience urban flooding problems from the thaw and storm. "The greatest concern is where there is enough runoff into area streams and rivers that are frozen to lead to ice jam flooding," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the flooding cycle may not be as rapid and severe as some flooding events in the past, there may be flooding along unprotected areas of rivers that can last for days after the storm has departed. Some roads and bridges may be blocked by high water. A sweep of cold air in the wake of the storm will follow from west to east during the latter part of this week and into the weekend. The cold air and freeze will slow and stop the runoff, but it will take a while for the rivers to respond. Large puddles, flooded areas and dampness on area roads will freeze. 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. A single storm in 2022 dumped enough snow on Greenland to replace 8 percent of ice lost that year. With warming, the Arctic is seeing stronger atmospheric rivers, which could deliver enough snow to slow the loss of ice, according to a new study. Atmospheric rivers, which ferry water vapor from the tropics to the Arctic, are growing more frequent and intense as the Arctic warms, raising fears of more intense rainfall that will hasten the loss of ice. But as the new study shows, atmospheric rivers can also produce huge volumes of snow. On the Norwegian island of Svalbard, the atmospheric river unleashed a torrent of rain that turned snow to slush. But in Greenland, it had the opposite effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When scientists from the University of Oulu in Finland traveled to Greenland to gauge the impact of the atmospheric river, they found it had left a thick layer of densely packed snow. The storm produced 16 billion tons of snow in total, they estimate, which may eventually harden into glacial ice. I was surprised by just how much snow was dumped on the ice sheet over such a short period, said study coauthor Alun Hubbard. The storm, he said, made a gobsmacking contribution to the growth of the Greenland ice sheet. Researchers say the layer of white snow also had a cooling influence. By reflecting sunlight, it delayed summer melting by 11 days. Their findings were published in Geophysical Research Letters. Sadly, the Greenland Ice Sheet wont be saved by atmospheric rivers, Hubbard said. But what we see in this new study is that, contrary to prevailing opinions, under the right conditions atmospheric rivers might not be all bad news. ALSO ON YALE E360 Rain Comes to the Arctic, With a Cascade of Troubling Changes Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) speaks during the testimony of U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought during his Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing in the Dirksen Senate Building on January 22, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images) U.S. Sen. Patty Murray will skip President Donald Trumps speech before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, saying in a statement he is spitting in the face of the law. Murray, a member of Senate Democratic leadership, is the highest-ranking member of Congress to announce shell skip the presidents address, his first before Congress in his second term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murray said she instead plans to meet with constituents harmed by the Trump administrations actions, including the firings of thousands of federal workers and the halting of federal funding. She said in a statement that the state of the union might be great for corrupt billionaires like Elon Musk as Trump guts our foremost consumer protection agency, and even for dictators like Putin, who are cheering on the dismantling of USAID and the betrayal of our allies. But the rest of the country is in a state of emergency as Elon fires the experts responding to bird flu or managing our nuclear weapons stockpile, all while Republicans sprint to tear apart Medicaid and kick families off their health care to pass massive tax giveaways for billionaires, Murray continued. In his first six weeks in office, Trump has moved to drastically widen the power of the executive branch, drawing alarm bells from Democrats who argue his actions are unconstitutional and numerous court injunctions. The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development and Trumps alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russias war with Ukraine are among the causes for concern Murray alluded to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy and Virginia Rep. Don Beyer are two other Democrats passing on the speech. Other lawmakers hope to make a statement with their invited guests. Some are bringing fired federal workers or those affected by funding cuts Trump has proposed. Dr. Paul Lange, a urologist who founded the Institute for Prostate Cancer Research at the University of Washington, will accompany Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell. His invite is meant to speak to the importance of maintaining federal dollars for the National Institutes of Health. Trump wants to cut what are called indirect costs that help institutions pay for facilities and other behind-the-scenes work that supports research. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cantwells office attributed declining prostate cancer death rates to the early detection tests he helped develop with the aid of federal funding. Lange said a cure for prostate cancer is now within reach. But cuts to federal support for medical research would delay lifesaving advancements for all medical diseases including all forms of cancer, Lange said in a statement. Specifically, if President Trumps administration cuts research funding for prostate cancer, the worlds dream of a cure will be impeded. There are men currently in their 20s and 30s men who could be saved by this cure who will die instead. Rep. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton, is bringing Ashley Jones, the president of the Washington Association of Birth Centers. Randall, who represents the 6th Congressional District, said in a statement they would make it clear to the President: keep your hands off our health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ashley and her team provide a vital resource to the people of Washingtons 6th, often serving as a bridge between our most rural neighbors and the vital pre- and postnatal health care they need, Randall continued. I will continue to fight back against this administrations chaotic and cruel attacks on Washingtonians access to health care. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, will be joined by a Yakima County commissioner, Amanda McKinney. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, is bringing a local teacher. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Medina, will attend without a guest. Other members of Washingtons delegation were expected to make announcements about their guests by Tuesday morning. Trumps speech, the first before Congress in his second term, is set for 6 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday. The premiere of a new documentary about legendary Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham was notable not for the prominent business leaders and politicians who attended the event held Sunday night at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts but for who didnt go: Any of the storied newspapers current leadership. The papers owner, Jeff Bezos, was in Los Angeles attending the 2025 Academy Awards. But current publisher and CEO Will Lewis also skipped the celebration for Becoming Katharine Graham, as did executive editor Matt Murray. According to the New York Times, Lewis was in fact specifically invited to the event, but told organizers no. Murray has not spoken publicly about his absence. The snub comes as the Post remains mired in a worsening crisis that is in many ways of Bezos and Lewis own making. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The paper was rocked by internal discontent when Lewis, a veteran of right wing British media owned by Rupert Murdoch, was hand-picked by Bezos for his current job. Thats in part due to concerns that he would seek to turn the Post into an American version of those papers fears that have largely come true and because he has been repeatedly implicated in the U.K. phone hacking scandal. NPR reported just last summer that Lewis even tried to kill its reporting on that story by offering them an exclusive interview. Things worsened during the 2024 election when, in late October, Bezos and Lewis overruled the Washington Post editorial board to kill its planned endorsement of Kamala Harris. Within 24 hours, the Post had lost a staggering 250,000 subscribers and the losses surpassed 300,000 by election day. And even despite an aggressive marketing campaign the company claims has brought in more than 400,000 new subscribers, NPR reported last week that since October the Post still sustained a net loss of more than 200,000 subscriptions. Those numbers dont include the more than 75,000 paying subscribers who bolted the paper last week after Bezos commanded the opinion section to exclusively promote his right wing views and forbade publication of opposing ones. Its a far cry from the Graham era. She became publisher of the Post in 1963 following the death of her husband, Phil Graham, and it was under her leadership that the paper entered its most influential and history-making period. Most notably, when Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein broke the Watergate scandal, exposing Richard Nixons blatant corruption and helping bring about the end of his presidency. She also presided over the companys transition to a publicly traded company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She died in 2001 and the Graham family sold the Post to Jeff Bezos in 2013 for $250 million. According to the times, Grahams son Don, himself a former Washington Post publisher, said while introducing the film that, The country, and the Kennedy Center, I gather, are in the hands of people whose ideas do not always comport with hers. The same appears true for the people running the paper her family owned for most of the 20th century. The post Washington Post CEO and Top Editor Skip Celebration of Legendary Publisher Katharine Graham appeared first on TheWrap. Rhode Island House Republican leaders are turning their backs on the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and calling the state's largest business organization "an incestuous group" that curries favor with ruling Democrats. The Chamber's annual legislative lunch is scheduled for next week and for years has featured a panel discussion including the House and Senate Republican leaders along with the House speaker, Senate president and majority leaders. But in a news release Tuesday, House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale said the event is "just a fundraiser for the Chamber," and a "waste of time" that he plans to skip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Greater Providence Chamber is allegedly supposed to speak for the Rhode Island business community,'" Chippendale said, "but the truth of the matter is that it is an incestuous group of top-level executives at the largest companies in the state, whose main goal is to not offend the Democratic leadership so they can get whatever legislative crumbs might get tossed their way." Michael Chippendale was nominated for Speaker of the House but K. Joseph Shekarchi was elected to run the House of Representatives. What are other Republican leaders saying about the Chamber? Rep. Brian Newberry, a former House minority leader who has participated in numerous Chamber panels over the years, also won't be going this year. I sat on that stage for six years and realized it was just a dog and pony show," Newberry said in the release. "The Chamber leadership has no interest in facilitating an actual debate. They just want to cozy up to the Speaker and Senate President and throw them some pre-selected softball questions to make them look good." Although the House Republican leader won't be taking the stage at the Chamber lunch next week, Senate Republican Leader Jessica de la Cruz said she will be there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Looking forward to speaking with business leaders to address the issues in our state," de la Cruz told The Journal Tuesday. Chamber calls the decision 'unfortunate' Greater Providence Chamber CEO Laurie White called the House Republicans' decision "unfortunate." "I have always enjoyed hearing from Leader Chippendale and Leader Newberry," White wrote in response to the GOP announcement. "We run the event for the Chamber membership to encourage them to engage in the legislative process and get informed on the big public policy issues affecting our state in particular our business community." White noted that she "worked closely" with GOP leader Chippendale's chief of staff last year to understand the caucus' legislative goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans hold 10 seats in the 75-member Rhode Island House, but after President Donald Trump's election, Chippendale said he is no longer going to hold back criticizing the state's elite. The Rhode Island House Republican move to ditch the Chamber event comes as GOP leaders across the country are advising their members to avoid in-person town hall events where they are likely to be asked about proposed budget cuts from voters and Democrats. When they attend, Republican Assembly leaders typically play second-fiddle at the Chamber lunch to Democratic leaders in control of the $14 billion state budget and tax policy. Two years ago, Bally's and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio used the Chamber lunch to propose bringing IGaming to the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year the Chamber helped lobby Democratic leaders in favor of tax changes expected to save Citizens Bank as much as $15 million per year. Chippendale's absence from the event means there are likely to be two fewer participants on the legislative panel with Ruggerio also expected not to attend due to health problems. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI House GOP says RI Chamber of Commerce group 'beholden' to Democrats COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Bricks from a three-story building in the Short North fell unexpectedly Monday afternoon and destroyed a COTA bus stop. The bricks fell from a building on North High Street and West 5th Avenue at around noon. No one was injured and the building was evacuated by Columbus fire officials as a precaution. Thurber House in Columbus opens for ghost tours and paranormal invtestigations City officials with building and zoning are continuing to investigate the cause of the partial collapse, causing a closure for eastbound lanes on 5th Avenue as pieces of the building could still potentially fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat who just joined the Senate in January, will get the chance to deliver her party's response to Republican President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night. Slotkin, who won the race to replace Democratic former U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow in last year's election, was announced last week by Democratic leaders in Congress to give the response. Her selection is notable, especially since she won a close race in a state which Trump also won. Come back to freep.com for coverage of Trump's speech and Slotkin's response. What time will Elissa Slotkin speak? U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin D-Mich. rehearses ahead of giving the Democratic response which will follow President Donald Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress, in Wyandotte on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. It's difficult to say exactly but it generally comes a short time after the president has left the U.S. House chamber. Trump is scheduled to give his speech which is technically not a State of the Union speech, since those generally come after a president has had a year to implement his plans beginning at 9 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How long that speech takes is anyone's guess but they generally last about an hour. During Trump's first term in office, his speeches to joint sessions of Congress averaged about an hour and 20 minutes long. Is Elissa Slotkin the only one giving a Democratic response? No, U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-NY, will also give a response in Spanish. Why is Elissa Slotkin giving the Democratic response? Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in announcing Slotkin as the response speaker that she is a "rising star" in the party. She not only defeated Republican former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-White Lake, in the Senate race last year, she is also a former intelligence officer who did tours in Iraq and a former acting Defense Department assistant secretary. Where can I watch Elissa Slotkin's speech live? Most cable news channels, including CNN, Fox and C-Span, will carry the speech and the response, as will a variety of online services. You can also watch here, on freep.com, live when the speech starts. Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Watch live: Elissa Slotkin's Democratic response to Trump BOSTON (WWLP) New filings were released in the Karen Read case ahead of her new trial set to begin in April. According to the filings, the defense is requesting a copy of surveillance video from the Canton Police Departments sallyport complete with metadata. New defense filings also double down on the subject of two accident reconstruction experts from forensic consulting firm ARCCA. SJC rejects bid to drop charges in Karen Read case Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read is accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend, John OKeefe, in January 2022. Shes pled not guilty, and alleges she was framed. Her first trial ended with a hung jury. Read and her team are due back in Norfolk Superior Court three times this week starting Tuesday. 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. The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday denied former L.A. Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowleys appeal of her dismissal in a 13-2 vote. Councilmembers Traci Park and Monica Rodriguez were the only two votes in favor of her reinstatement. Crowley needed 10 of the 15 council members to be reinstated, and the majority was unwilling to overrule the mayors statutory power to dismiss any appointee with or without cause. Mayor Karen Bass fired Crowley on Feb. 21, citing the best interests of Los Angeles public safety, and criticized her handling of the Palisades Fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Bass, Crowley decided to send about 1,000 firefighters home on the morning the Palisades Fire broke out on Jan. 7, despite dire warnings from the National Weather Service about extreme fire danger due to hurricane-force Santa Ana winds in the forecast. Bass also claimed Crowley refused to do an after-action report on the fire departments response. L.A. County Fire City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley speaks at a press conference addressing the fires in LA County, in downtown Los Angeles, on January 16, 2025. (Photo by Katie McTiernan/Anadolu via Getty Images) An aerial view shows the devastation left by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) An aerial view shows the devastation from the Palisades Fire on beachfront homes Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Firefighters watch as water is dropped on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) During Tuesdays hearing, Crowley denied those assertions and said they were part of the multiple false accusations leveled against her. Crowley said the LAFD did not have the resources to conduct an after-action report on the Palisades Fire due to the sheer magnitude, scope and complexity of the incident. She claims she recommended that the LAFD collaborate with independent investigators instead of performing its own investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I did not refuse to conduct an after-action report, Crowley said. Let me be clear: This is a false accusation. She also refuted accusations that she sent home about 1,000 firefighters and that she left 40 available fire engines unstaffed on the morning that the Palisades Fire began. Crowley stated that more than 100 engines and other vehicles were broken down at the time, and there simply was not enough apparatus to support the 1,000 firefighters. Tuesday mornings hearing was Crowleys first public appearance since her dismissal. Rodriguez, a vocal supporter of Crowley who has called her firing scapegoating, said it was the councils job to examine the reasoning behind Crowleys firing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not questioning whether or not the mayor has the authority to hire and fire general managers thats clear, she said. Just as an independently elected body of the legislative branch has the opportunity for us to consider the merits of the petitioning of this employee to overturn that decision. We also have a role Im not going to apologize for doing my job. Park, the other council member who voted to support the former fire chief, questioned the motive behind her firing before the completion of any investigations into the handling of the Palisades Fire. Accountability doesnt just stop with one person or one department, Park said. We need to let invested independent investigations guide our actions. Not the politics. Meanwhile, Councilmember Tim McOsker said he questioned how Bass and Crowley would be able to work together if the reinstatement went through. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a very, very, very heavy heart, I will say that I will put the goal of public safety and a function city in front of what might be more politically expedient for me. Because sometimes we need to risk our jobs to do our jobs, McOsker said. With a very heavy heart, Im going to support the power of the mayor in this matter and say that, very often, doing the right thing comes with a sacrifice. Councilmember Imelda Padilla shared similar sentiments. Its important that we remember that true public safety will require our mayor to be able to get along with all of her chiefs and all of her general managers, she said. Sometimes its okay to agree to disagree. Mayor Basss office issued a brief statement after Crowleys firing was upheld. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After testimony by the former Chief confirming she sent firefighters home on the morning of January 7th, her appeal was rejected 13-2 by members of the City Council, a spokesperson said. This is an issue of public safety and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department the City of Los Angeles is moving forward. Now, L.A. will conduct a national search for a new chief, and retired Deputy Chief Ronnie Villanueva is serving as the interim chief. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Gov. Ron DeSantis gave his State of the State address to a joint legislative session at the state Capitol Tuesday morning. Watch the entire speech below. Governor DeSantis Gives 2025 State of the State Address to the Florida Legislature https://t.co/eg6pxmm2f6 Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 4, 2025 Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The Karen Read murder case was back in Dedhams Norfolk Superior Court on Tuesday after a flurry of new documents were filed ahead of the highly-anticipated hearing. WATCH LIVE: Karen Read murder case back in court for highly-anticipated hearing. WATCH LIVE: The Karen Read murder case is back in court for a highly-anticipated hearing after a flurry of new documents were filed. Posted by Boston 25 News on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Good morning from the courthouse in Dedham, MA for a pre-trial hearing in the Commonwealth vs. Karen Read. We are underway -There are a number of outstanding motions that need to be discussed/ruled on before the scheduled 4/1 trial date including the new defense motion to Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) March 4, 2025 The federal investigation into the Karen Read murder case is over, special prosecutor Hank Brennan announced during Tuesdays pretrial hearing, confirming what 25 Investigates first reported last week. Brennan also requested that a gag order be imposed on the defense team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutor in Karen Read case confirms federal investigation is over, asks for gag order for defense PREVIOUS STORY Reads defense team is facing allegations of misconduct, accused by prosecutors of improperly working with and paying federal crash reconstruction experts for their testimony in Reads first trial, which ended in a hung jury. Defense attorneys maintain they have done nothing wrong and have not hidden their contact with experts, as prosecutors allege. Judge Beverly Cannone said she had grave concerns about the allegations two weeks ago. She heard rebuttal from Reads defense team the following week and could decide Tuesday if Reads attorneys acted improperly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In new court filings Monday, Reads defense sought to clarify statements made in documents for the previous hearing, specifically a motion that states the ARCCA crash experts were not hired or paid by the defense. The statement. was poorly worded and should have reflected, more specifically, that the defense did not hire, retain, or pay ARCCA, LLC, to engage in the reconstruction, analysis, and/or testing that was performed by ARCCA in connection with this case, defense attorney Elizabeth Little wrote in an affidavit. In a corresponding filing, Reads defense admits to paying ARCCA experts for their time and expenses after trial. According to the document, the payments included: Travel expenses and time associated with traveling to Norfolk Superior Court Less than 1 hour in calls with the defense to coordinate attendance and discuss the experts background Time spent testifying in court and the experts internal preparation for trial Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, defense attorney Robert Alessi told Judge Cannone that Reads team of lawyers had done nothing wrong. Of course, any attorney, unless they want to risk malpractice, is going to make a communication with that expert, which was perfectly legal, Alessi said. In another filing, an expert for Reads defense is asking a judge to reconsider a request to preserve forensically sound video evidence. IT forensic analyst Matthew Erickson claims the state may have additional video surveillance footage from January 29, 2022, that is being stored on the Canton Police Departments Video File System. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erickson says it is imperative that this additional source of information be preserved and dealt with in a forensically sound manner, as it may serve as another source of information related to the authenticity and integrity of the video surveillance at issue in this case. Reads defense alleges investigators may have deleted evidence and manipulated videos related to the investigation to frame Read. Prosecutors also filed a Notice of Discovery, outlining more than a dozen files, emails, and other evidence theyve turned over to Reads defense team for review. Cannone ended last weeks hearing without deciding if the defense would face any consequences, however, she previously suggested that this could have profound effects on the future of the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest scheduled hearing also comes after Reads attorneys filed a fresh 147-page motion to dismiss the case against their client, on the basis of extraordinary governmental misconduct. In the filing, the defense accuses the Commonwealth of destroying exculpatory evidence, withholding exculpatory evidence, and interfering with the jury. Prosecutors fired back in a 15-page opposition to Reads motion, arguing that it should be denied because the defenses claims do not raise any substantial issues. Read is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John OKeefe with her Lexus SUV on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die after a night of drinking. The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying OKeefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home and then dragged outside and left for dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The retrial of Read has been delayed until April 2025. Cannone declared a mistrial in July 2024 after finding jurors couldnt reach a unanimous verdict on all three charges of second-degree murder, leaving the scene of a crash, and manslaughter. In an exclusive one-on-one interview on Super Bowl Sunday, Read told Boston 25s Ted Daniel that she has nothing to hide and that shes been framed for murder. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) It is the latest advancement in law enforcement, and the Grappler Police Bumper played a major role in bringing a stop to a police chase in suburban Cleveland over the weekend. Police in Parma Heights say the pursuit was set into motion when an officer pulled over a car with dark tinted windows and a tag that read, Moorish National Republic Federal Government. Investigators say the driver refused to cooperate with the officer or even acknowledge his authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities would later conclude that the woman behind the wheel, 31-year-old Nia McLin of Chicago, is a so-called sovereign citizen. Theres not necessarily a dead giveaway but some of the things this officer noticed were her responses, citing that she did not recognize the officers authority. She was citing different titles and codes that were not Ohio law or law that the Supreme Court had ruled on, said Parma Heights Police Sergeant Eric Taylor. I was angry: Parents speak out after 7-year-old child left on local school bus What McLin did not know was that just before she fled from the traffic stop, an officer, suspecting that she might run, had placed a small device called a Terminator under one of her rear tires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tire quickly went flat, but that did not stop McLin from running from police on three tires. In response to the threat to public safety, Parma Heights police asked for help from neighboring Parma police because of a specialized piece of equipment they are using called the Grappler Police Bumper. The cutting-edge technology allows officers to deploy netting and straps from their bumper, that are directed under the rear wheels of the vehicle being pursued and bring it to a stop. On Sunday, the device worked as it was designed and brought a safe conclusion to the pursuit of McLins car. On police dash camera video obtained by FOX 8, McLins car is shown coming to a sudden stop and the officer then told dispatchers, good grapple, good grapple! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of the strategy is to stop them before they get too far into the pursuit. Stop them early before the speeds get out of hand, before it gets onto the highway, before it gets into the residential areas, Parma Police Chief James Blair told FOX 8. The longer it lasts, the more in danger the public is, the more in danger the officers are. I-Team: Wrong-way driver goes 15 miles on I-480 Police bodycam video shows McLin being ordered out of the car at gunpoint, and under the law that sovereign citizens refuse to acknowledge or obey, she was arrested and charged with fleeing and eluding. It doesnt matter whether youre somebody that has a sovereign citizen mindset or not, we treat everybody that we come into contact with the same across the board as an agency, said Sgt. Taylor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During an appearance in Parma Municipal Court, bond for the 31-year-old McLin was set at $100,000. We are told the case will be presented to a grand jury and prosecutors will be seeking felony charges. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. A rollover crash occurred on Washington Street late Monday night, leaving behind mangled street signs in the middle of the road. Dash cam video sent to Boston 25 by a viewer shows a white car speeding past on the left side of the road. Seconds later, the car is then seen in the center median just up the road on Washington Street. Several police cars are seen quickly arriving at the scene in the video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second piece of footage, shot from a cell phone, provides a close-up view of the aftermath. The white car is overturned, resting on its roof in the center median. In the video, officers are seen surrounding the car, guns drawn. The footage shows two individuals being removed from the vehicle. One of the people is seen lying on the ground, while the other is placed against the car. Boston 25 has reached out to police for more information on the details of the crash and are waiting to hear back. 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 Hill) President Donald Trump is set to address a joint session of Congress for the first time during his second term on Tuesday, outlining the goals of his administration and how he views the state of the country. The first address that the president gives to Congress is technically not referred to as a State of the Union, as those are only for the speeches given during the other three years in office. Instead, it is just called a joint address to Congress, though it functions similarly to a State of the Union. Trumps remarks are set to begin at 9 p.m. ET, and several networks are planning to air it live, including CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, Fox News Channel, NewsNation, CNN and MSNBC. The Hill will also stream the speech live online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president will address members of both parties from both chambers of Congress, along with Supreme Court justices and Cabinet members. At least one Cabinet member will be absent, as is customary, to serve as the designated survivor to ensure continuity of government in the case of any catastrophic event. Canadian premier says he will cut off electricity exports to US with a smile on my face Presidents and lawmakers also invite guests to attend and often reference them in their speeches, sometimes in connection with a policy proposal they are laying out. The guests sit in a balcony above the House floor, where the speech occurs. The speech will be followed by a Democratic response to the address from Sen. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.), which most networks also carry. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) will also give a Spanish-language response to Trumps address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The world will be watching closely for signals on Trumps plans for the Russia-Ukraine war, following the tense Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, and trade policy, as wide-ranging tariffs are set to go into effect on Mexico, Canada and China this week. The Associated Press contributed reporting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver a joint address to Congress on Tuesday evening, the first major speech of his second term as his administration continues to make drastic changes to the federal government and the global order. The speech begins at 9 p.m. ET and will air live on MSNBC, MSNBC.com, and MSNBC's YouTube channel. MSNBC hosts Jen Psaki and Ari Melber will lead coverage beginning at 6 p.m. ET. They will be joined by hosts Rachel Maddow, Lawrence ODonnell, Nicolle Wallace, Chris Hayes and Stephanie Ruhle at 8 p.m. ET. Readers can also follow our live blog at MSNBC.com for updates and analysis in real time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As this speech to Congress is happening so soon after taking office, it is not formally a State of the Union address. As The Associated Press notes, By tradition, a State of the Union address is intended as a look back on the prior year. After the address, Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan will deliver the Democrats rebuttal to Trumps speech. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that the freshman senator from Michigan will offer a bold vision of hope, unity, and a brighter future for everyone, not just the wealthy few at the top. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com President Trump will address a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, outlining his priorities for the coming four years and highlighting the accomplishments of his first weeks in office. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) invited the president to speak to the assembled House and Senate members, as well as Supreme Court justices and members of Trump's Cabinet. "TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE BIG. I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS!" the president wrote Monday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speech is akin to a State of the Union address, which in recent decades has taken place after a president has been in office for a year. But rather than dwelling on past accomplishments, the joint session typically lays out his agenda for the term. Still, Trump is expected to use the opportunity to summarize his early second-term accomplishments. Here's how to watch the president's speech: What time is it? The speech begins at 6 p.m. PST. Where does the speech take place? Trump will speak from the historic chamber of the House of Representatives in the U.S. Capitol. Where will it be aired? The speech will be carried live on C-SPAN, beginning with preshow programming at 5 p.m. PST. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most major television news networks also will carry the speech live, including CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, NewsNation, NPR, Fox and MSNBC. It will also be livestreamed at latimes.com. Who will give the Democratic response? Following the president's speech, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin will give the Democratic response. Oakland Rep. Lateefah Simon also is expected to give a response from the Democratic Party's progressive wing. Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Kuwait's Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdul Latif Al-Mishari (2nd R), Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Zhang Jianwei (C), and Liu Huailiang (2nd L), chairman of China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co., Ltd., attend a signing ceremony of infrastructure construction contracts at Public Authority for Housing Welfare in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait, on March 3, 2025. China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC) on Monday signed two major contracts worth a total of 557 million U.S. dollars with Kuwait's Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW). The contracts cover the construction and maintenance of road networks, infrastructure, irrigation reservoirs, and substations in South Saad Al-Abdullah New City, located about 25 kilometers southwest of the capital Kuwait City. [Photo/Xinhua] China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC) on Monday signed two major contracts worth a total of 557 million U.S. dollars with Kuwait's Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW). The contracts cover the construction and maintenance of road networks, infrastructure, irrigation reservoirs, and substations in South Saad Al-Abdullah New City, located about 25 kilometers southwest of the capital Kuwait City. According to the CGGC, the two projects are valued at 77.25 million Kuwaiti dinars (around 250 million dollars) and 94.88 million Kuwaiti dinars (around 307 million dollars), respectively. Addressing the signing ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Zhang Jianwei described the contracts as a fruitful outcome of China-Kuwait cooperation. He expressed his gratitude to the Kuwaiti side for its strong support, highlighting that the project would enhance the quality of life for Kuwaiti citizens. Meanwhile, Zhang reaffirmed China's commitment to continuing bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations, and encouraged more Chinese companies to explore opportunities in Kuwait, especially in the housing sector. Kuwait's Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdul Latif Al-Mishari described the contracts as "highly significant," calling them "a major achievement and among PAHW's largest contracts." He also expressed confidence in CGGC's ability to deliver the project on schedule. Liu Huailiang, chairman of China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co., Ltd., noted that the new contracts with the PAHW would further strengthen economic and trade ties between China and Kuwait, and contribute to the realization of Kuwait Vision 2035. Spanning approximately 64 square kilometers, the South Saad Al-Abdullah New City project is one of the key projects under Kuwait Vision 2035. It includes the construction of over 20,000 residential units and service facilities, aiming to accommodate around 150,000 residents upon completion. WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) A Waterbury man was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries following a shooting on Sunday, according to Waterbury police. The 21-year-old victim was shot in the leg in the area of Bucks Hill Road. Police investigating after a man was shot in Hartford Police responded to Waterbury Hospital at approximately 9:41 p.m. and are actively investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Waterbury Police Departments Detective Bureau at (203) 574-6941 or contact the anonymous Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (203) 755-1234. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) The Watertown City Council has approved two future flag raisings. In Monday nights meeting, the council approved raisings of the Irish flag and the Pride flag in front of Watertown City Hall later this year for their respective celebrations. City of Watertown makes changes to its flag policy Council members Lisa Ruggerio, Cliff Olney and Robert Kimball voted for the flag raisings while Mayor Sarah Compo-Pierce and Ben Shoen voted against the measure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the year, the council narrowly reversed its policy of flag raisings in front of City Hall. In May 2024, the council voted to only allow the American, New York State, POW-MIA and Tree City USA flags to be flown on the flag poles outside of City Hall. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com. SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) Storm Team 3 is tracking a system moving over the region now. As its moving through, it is brining the risk of strong storms and gusty winds. The storms are expected to be off the coast over the next hour or two with the severe risk diminishing. Some peek of sunshine are possible into this afternoon after the system moves through, but it will remain very windy through the day and into tomorrow. A Wind Advisory remains in effect until 6 p.m. this evening Local Timing & Impacts The line of storms is expected to quickly move toward the coast by lunchtime. Although the severe risk is dropping off, we are still tracking very gusty winds outside of storms into this afternoon and evening. The primary threat will continue to be damaging straight-line wind gusts in excess of 50-60 mph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local conditions will remain very breezy and gusty throughout Wednesday afternoon and evening after the line of storms moves off of the coast. Sustained wind is forecast to be 15-25 mph with higher gusts up to 30-40 mph at times. How To Prepare Since we are now heading into springtime when severe thunderstorms become more likely it is a good idea to think about what you would to in the even that a severe thunderstorm warning or tornado warning is issued for your area. Have a plan to get indoors and to the lowest level of a sturdy structure away from windows and doors. You also need a reliable way to receive critical weather alerts. A NOAA Weather Radio is a great tool to have in your home or place of work. They are dependable even when the power and cellular service may be disrupted. Another great tool to have ready is the WSAV Weather NOW app which can receive weather alerts directly to your mobile device anywhere you are. It is free and is available in the Apple App Store or Google Play. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Storm Team 3 will have you covered as conditions change, stay tuned for the latest forecast. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. Utah Supreme Court Justice Matthew Durrant speaks to a joint session of the House and Senate at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on the first day of the legislative session, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) A deal has been struck to solve one of the most contentious issues of the Utah Legislatures 2025 session. After weeks of outcry from Utahs legal community that Utah lawmakers were going too far by exerting their influence over the states judicial branch of government, the states top legislative leaders on Monday announced a compromise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, issued a prepared statement Monday saying an agreement had been reached with the judiciary on a suite of bills that the Utah State Bar and other legal professionals rallied against last week, describing it as legislative overreach. House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, and Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, listen to Utah Supreme Court Justice Matthew Durrant at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on the first day of the legislative session, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) The top Republican leaders said three controversial proposals will not proceed through the legislative process at this time. They include: HB512, which would give legislators a say in judicial retention elections. HB451, which would require a justice or judge to receive at least 67% of the vote to be retained. An unnumbered but not yet publicly drafted bill by House Majority Leader Jefferson Moss, R-Saratoga Springs, that would increase the number of justices on the Utah Supreme Court. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Adams and Schultz said four other bills including SB296, which would give the governor and the Senate control over picking the Utah Supreme Courts next chief justice, and three others sponsored by Sen. Brady Brammer, R-Highland (SB203, SB204, and SJR9) will continue to be considered and debated by the Legislature, with a position of neutrality from the Judicial Council. Our system of government was designed to ensure that each branch operates independently, yet also relies on one another to function effectively, Adams and Schultz said. At times, this dynamic creates natural and necessary friction between branches. However, we firmly believe that healthy debate and reform do not undermine democracy they strengthen it. Adams and Schultz said their aim is to preserve this legacy of excellence while improving transparency, efficiency and integrity within our courts. The proposed changes are procedural updates, not an attack on the Judiciary, the two legislative leaders added. The Utah Constitution entrusts the Legislature with a broad range of responsibilities in shaping the justice system including creating courts, determining the number of justices, setting forth how a chief justice is chosen, setting up the nominating commissions for judges, confirming judges and setting retention elections, among others. These actions are not overreach; they are the Legislature fulfilling its constitutional duties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal comes after Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew Durrant came to the Utah Capitol last week to meet personally with Adams and Schultz. He hand-delivered a letter that outlined Durrants concerns with legislative efforts that could potentially undermine the independence and integrity of the judiciary, but he only specifically called out one bill: HB512, sponsored by House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield. The previous day, more than 900 Utah attorneys signed on to a letter calling on the Utah Legislature to reject all of the bills. Durrants letter did not specifically mention SB296, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Chris Wilson, R-Logan, but in a Judicial Council meeting on Monday last week, both he and Justice Paige Petersen expressed concerns. That day, Justice Paige Petersen urged kill this silly bill. Theres absolutely no reason for (the governor and the Senate) to be meddling in how we pick the chief justice, she said, urging her colleagues to take a public position to oppose the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Drechsel, assistant state court administrator at the Administrative Office of the Courts, told a Senate committee last week the judiciary opposed Wilsons bill, expressing concern that it would be an unwise use of legislative authority. However, on Monday, Drechsel did not comment on SB296 in a House committee hearing, but Ron Gordon, the state court administrator, issued a news release later in the afternoon confirming the Judicial Council will take a neutral position on SB296. In order to address concerns with the other bill, Lisonbees HB512, the Judicial Council and the Legislature have engaged in discussions over the last several days and have found a mutually agreeable path forward, the news release stated. The Utah Constitution wisely created three independent branches of government, Durrant said in a prepared statement included in that release. At times, there is tension, but that will not prevent the Judiciary and the Legislature from working together to serve the people of Utah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The news release added that the judiciary remains committed to working with the Legislature to address several issues that lawmakers have grappled with during the 2025 session, including judicial performance standards and judicial retention in a way that provides information necessary for voters to make informed decisions; and the Judiciarys ability to operate as an independent branch of government. The Utah State Bar which previously opposed HB512 and SB296, along with previous versions of Brammers bills also issued a statement applauding the deal between legislative leaders and the judiciary after what it described as a tumultuous legislative session. The Bar is supportive of the Courts agreement, the Bar said, also expressing relief and gratitude that lawmakers withdrew from HB512, Lisonbees bill to create a legislative committee that would allow legislators to offer recommendations directly on the ballot as to whether voters should retain or not retain judges. The withdrawal of HB512 preserves the independence of the judiciary and maintains the Constitutions separation of powers between our co-equal branches of government, the Bar said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it previously opposed SB296, given the Judicial Councils shift of position, the Bar said it will also take a neutral position on this bill. The Bar wishes to thank the lawyers and law firms who put in so much time and effort to speak with legislators, write letters, hold press conferences, and conduct legislative meetings to express support for an independent judiciary, the Bar said, also thanking its commissioners and governmental relations committee for their work as well as specifically applauding Durrant, Dreschel and other court leadership. Legislators listened, and combined efforts made a difference, the Bar said. Specifically, the Bar also thanked Brammer, Rep. Jordan Teuscher, Lisonbee, legislative leadership, and other lawyer legislators who worked behind the scenes to find resolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bar is looking forward to facilitating any committees or work groups that are created to reach the goal that allows the branches to promote judicial access and assist the Courts in being able to be efficient and productive, the Bar added. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Several recently fired federal workers are set to attend Trump's joint address to Congress. They'll be there as the guests of Democratic members of Congress. BI spoke with one of them, whose job was to root out waste in Medicare. In February, Matthew Fessler was one of thousands of probationary employees fired by the Trump administration amid DOGE-driven cuts to the federal workforce. On Tuesday night, he'll be seated in the gallery overlooking the House chamber, attending President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress alongside several other former federal workers whose employment has been terminated in the early weeks of his administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of them are attending as guests of Democratic senators and House members who are using Trump's speech a nationally televised address akin to the State of the Union to highlight the impact of his administration's early moves to reshape the bureaucracy and freeze streams of federal spending. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is bringing two New Yorkers recently fired from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona is bringing a disabled veteran who was fired from his role as a security expert at the Department of Homeland Security. Rep. Ayanna Pressley is bringing a Massachusetts constituent who worked for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Elon Musk, the man leading much of the charge behind the firings as the de facto head of the White House DOGE office, will also be there. Fessler, a 35-year-old former health insurance specialist at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, will be the guest of Rep. April McClain Delaney, a freshman Democratic lawmaker from a Maryland district near Washington, DC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I ran on common sense, common ground, and I really agree that our government should run efficiently and effectively for the American people," McClain Delaney told BI in an interview on Monday. "But I think the Trump administration's actions thus far have been marked by confusion and chaos." For Fessler, there's a particular irony to his termination, which he says came after he was told he'd "achieved outstanding results" in an early January performance. His job was essentially to root out waste and fraud in Medicare Part D, the portion of the program that helps pay for recipients' prescription drugs, by keeping track of improper payments. "These are actually the people that you really need to achieve the things that they purport to want to be doing," McClain Delaney said. "But in fact, it's all smoke and mirrors." Fessler said that if he could send a message to Trump and Musk, it would be to "make sure you're aware of what the implications are for the actions that you're taking." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has broadly characterized the cuts as necessary to shrink a bureaucracy they view as bloated, and White House Spokesman Harrison Fields cast the Democratic lawmakers' effort as dishonest in a statement to BI for this story. "Exploiting the American people for political points is par for the course, but it is unsurprising coming from a party that would rather showboat than solve problems," Fields said. Read the original article on Business Insider ILLINOIS (WCIA) Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has released the top 10 consumer complaints his office received last year in recognition of National Consumer Protection Week. For the fourth year in a row, complaints related to home repairs and remodeling were at the top of the list. And for the second year in a row, complaints about identity theft were in the second spot. IL Republican lawmakers file batch of bills to boost relief for families Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consumer debt came in third, which Raoul said is particularly relevant, as he continues to defend the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) against efforts to defund and disband it. The CFPB oversees big banks, lenders, credit card companies and mortgage servicers. It also works to ensure that companies follow federal consumer protection laws. During National Consumer Protection Week, and throughout the year, I encourage Illinois residents to visit my offices website and social media channels to learn more about common consumer complaints and how to protect themselves from fraud and scams, Raoul said. Now more than ever, I am committed to defending the CFPB so it can continue to enforce federal consumer protection laws that protect our residents from fraud. In February, Raoul, along with 23 other attorneys general, filed an amicus brief, arguing that dismantling the CFPB would harm consumers. The next day, Raoul filed an amicus with the same coalition in support of CFPB workers who worked to return over $20 billion to defrauded consumers, slashed junk fees, and stopped predatory auto and mortgage lenders. Raoul said that anyone with a finance-related complaint can contact his office. Illinoisians who contacted Raoul in 2024 regarding home repair and remodeling work, often reported that they were disappointed with the quality of the work and the failure of companies to conduct work after receiving a down payment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois Tollway, Charleston PD warn residents of text scam Raoul said its important to research contractors before making any payments. Visit Raouls website for more tips to avoid home repair fraud. Consumers also complained about identify theft-related issues in 2024. Illinoisians raised concerns over disclosures and breaches of their information, having credit cards or other financial products taken out in their names, or having government benefits stolen by impersonators. Raoul said its important to change passwords often and to avoid using the same passwords for different accounts. Top 10 Breakdown The office received 18,901 written complaints in 2024, as well as tens of thousands of phone calls. The AGs Consumer Fraud Bureau saved consumers over $12 million through mediation and secured more than $48 million through enforcement actions. Category Number of Complaints Construction/Home Improvement (remodeling, roofs and gutters, heating and cooling, plumbing) 2,256 Identity Theft (credit cards, data breaches, utilities, government document fraud) 2,002 Consumer Debt (residential mortgage lending, banks/financial institutions, collection agencies) 1,840 Motor Vehicle/Used Auto Sales (as-is used cars, financing, advertising, warranties) 1,607 Promotions/Schemes (phone scams, work-at-home scams, lottery scams, investment schemes, phishing) 1,166 Internet/Mail Order Products (internet and catalog purchases, TV and radio advertising) 1,145 Telecommunications (cable and satellite TV, telemarketing, wireless phones, phone service and repairs) 859 Motor Vehicle/Non-Warranty Repair (collision, engines, oil changes and tune-ups) 705 Government Agencies (local agencies, state agencies, federal agencies) 538 Motor Vehicle/New Auto Sales (financing, defects, advertising) 511 Illinois residents who believe they have been the victim of any type of fraud can contact Raouls website or call one of his offices hotlines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Champaign Co. Chamber of Commerce welcomes new UI business Consumer Fraud Hotlines: 1-800-386-5438 (Chicago) 1-800-243-0618 (Springfield) 1-800-243-0607 (Carbondale) Spanish Language Hotline: 1-866-310-8398 Student Loan Helpline: 1-800-455-2456 Identity Theft Hotline: 1-866-999-5630 (TTY: 1-877-844-5461) Homeowner Helpline: 1-866-544-7151 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 is part of a collaboration between The Texas Tribune and The Associated Press. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. SEMINOLE Measles had struck this West Texas town, sickening dozens of children, but at the Community Church of Seminole, more than 350 worshippers gathered for a Sunday service. Sitting elbow-to-elbow, they filled the pews, siblings in matching button-down shirts and dresses, little girls hair tied neatly into pink bows. Fathers shushed babbling toddlers as their wives snuck out to change infants' diapers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A little girl in this mostly Mennonite congregation was among those whod fallen ill with the highly contagious respiratory disease, senior pastor Dave Klassen said but shes doing fine, and she happily played through her quarantine. He heard that at least two Mennonite schools shut down for a bit to disinfect. What he hasnt heard: Any direct outreach from public health officials on what to do as the number of those sickened with measles has grown to 146 and a school-age child has died. And though Klassen is a trusted church and community leader, his congregants haven't asked about whether they should vaccinate their kids and he wouldnt want to weigh in. With this measles situation, I can honestly just tell you we havent taken any steps as a church, he said. We did leave it up to the mothers. Dave Klassen, senior pastor at Community Church of Seminole, speaks to The Associated Press regarding the measles outbreak in Seminole on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez As measles a preventable disease the U.S. considered eliminated in 2000 spreads through West Texas rural expanse, Klassen is sticking to an approach on vaccines that is a key tenet for Mennonites. Family leaders are the top decision-making authority not outside recommendations, certainly not government mandates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alongside measles in this region, where voters overwhelmingly supported President Donald J. Trump, theres another outbreak: one of misinformation about vaccines, distrust of local public health officials and a fear of governmental authority overruling family autonomy. And on the national stage, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the countrys top health official and an anti-vaccine activist, dismissed the Texas outbreak as not unusual. Do I trust all the vaccines? No, Klassen said. And I get from (Kennedy) that he doesnt trust all the vaccines, either. And he is very well educated in that; Im not. In an opinion piece for Fox News Digital, Kennedy wrote about the value of the measles vaccine but stopped short of calling on families to get it, saying the decision is a personal one. He urged parents to speak to their health care providers about options. Vaccine skepticism has also been spurred by state lawmakers who this year filed more than a dozen bills that would strengthen or expand vaccine exemptions, which Texas already allows for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief. Doctors on the front lines At hospitals in Lubbock, 80 miles to the north and on the front lines of the outbreak, babies with measles are struggling to breathe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Summer Davies, a Texas Tech Physicians pediatrician, said she has treated about 10 of the outbreaks patients, most very young or teens. She said children have had to be intubated, including one younger than 6 months old. Others come in with such high fevers or severe sore throats that they refuse to eat or drink to the point of dehydration. Its hard as a pediatrician, knowing that we have a way to prevent this and prevent kids from suffering and even death, she said. But I do agree that the herd immunity that we have established in the past isnt the same now. And I think kids are suffering because of that. Dr, Summer Davies, a pediatric specialist with the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, on Feb. 25, 2025 in Lubbock. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez In Lubbock County, 92% of kindergarteners are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella shots, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Thats lower than the 95% threshold experts say is needed to prevent measles from spreading. Gaines County, which includes Seminole, has an 82% MMR vaccination rate, though rates for homeschooled or private school students may be much lower. The vaccine series is required for kids before entering kindergarten in public schools nationwide. Many Mennonite families dont send children to public schools. All of the children admitted with measles to Covenant Childrens Hospital in Lubbock were unvaccinated, officials said last week. Dr. Lara Johnson, the hospitals chief medical officer, told The Associated Press that Covenant has seen more than 20 patients, including children, teens and pregnant mothers, since the outbreak began in late January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News of a measles case in Seminole, population 7,200, put doctors on a shared high alert, said Dr. Martin Ortega, a family physician for Texas Tech Physicians in Odessa, about an hour away. The small towns of West Texas may look completely isolated on a map, with little between them beyond oil and gas facilities and sprawling desert. But the region is connected by its people, who regularly travel long distances to grocery stores, hospitals and houses of worship. A general view of Seminole on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune Many doctors are seeing measles cases for the first time in their careers. In Lea County, New Mexico, 30 minutes west of Seminole, nine measles cases with no clear connection to the Texas outbreak, rattled doctors and parents. An unvaccinated infant in Austin also tested positive for measles after an overseas vacation. Its a little bit surreal, said Dr. Rumbidzai Mutikani, a pediatrician at Nor-Lea Hospital Districts Hobbs Medical Clinic. Parents were so concerned our phones were just ringing, Mutikani said. Katherine Wells, director of Lubbocks public health department, said West Texas' rural landscape is a major challenge, not just in getting to patients and transporting test samples, but also in getting the word out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of the messaging is word of mouth, she said, but they are working on public-service announcements featuring trusted Gaines County residents, putting up billboards about measles, handing out flyers and posting in WhatsApp groups. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of distrust in public health and government requirements, Wells said. On Facebook, people have accused her of making up the measles outbreak. They hope her department loses its funding. Its really hurtful stuff, she said. Were really working to help encourage vaccines for our community and help those kids that are infected to make sure they get medical treatment so that we dont end up with another death. Pro-Trump, but 'not anti-vaxxer The reality on the ground can be nuanced, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brownfield Mayor Eric Horton is pro-Trump, he said, but also pro-MMR vaccine. His county was hard-hit by COVID-19, Horton said, with nearly 90 deaths. So when measles cases came to his town of 8,600, Horton feared for his community. He said the local hospital has been busy administering vaccines since the outbreak started. Out here on the south plains of Texas, we are conservative people, but we also are not anti-vaxxers, he said. Across the region, people echoed this sentiment about routine childhood vaccinations in interviews with the AP and The Texas Tribune. Often, though, they are less supportive of COVID-19 and flu shots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its frustrating that (Mennonites) dont vaccinate, and they put other peoples families and children at exposure for it, said Stephen Spruill, a 36-year-old trucker from Seminole. But "this is America. People have the right to choose. Brownfield Mayor Eric Horton hosts a morning radio show. Brownfield is about halfway between Lubbock and Seminole. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez Macey Lane, 31, of Hobbs, said: I do support Donald Trump. I dont support not requiring vaccines. All of Lanes kids are vaccinated. Praising Sen. Mitch McConnells vote against Kennedys nomination, she said the fact that the only Republican that went against RFK was a polio survivor says a lot. But she said she voted off other issues: her religious beliefs, stance on abortion and who would be best for the regions oil and gas industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As far as RFK being an anti-vaxxer, this is the most important thing: People have to make a decision for themselves and be as informed as they possibly can, Horton said. But in doctors' offices throughout the region, pediatricians see the consequences of that stance. Mutikani, the Hobbs pediatrician, said shes seen vaccine hesitancy increase in recent years as parents come to her with worries that line up with whats trending on social media. Virulent misinformation is especially worrisome in rural areas with few news sources or where many people who dont regularly see doctors live, she said. And having these really big, respected public figures openly going against the grain, going against research and what we know, it makes it really, really difficult, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Texans are still vaccinating their kids, including Jennifer Sanchez, a 26-year-old Odessa resident. She took her 6-year-old and 1-year-old to the local public health department on Monday to get the measles vaccine. Jennifer Sanchez wipes the face of her 1-year-old son Saul Escamilla after a vaccine at the Ector County Health Department in Odessa on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez She is disinfecting her house out of an abundance of caution, wishing she had more information on how to stop the spread. The government needs to give us more tools so we can protect ourselves, she said. AP journalists Mary Conlon and Julio Cortez contributed to this report. We cant wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 1315 in downtown Austin. Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education, the economy, health care, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and so much more. Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. West Virginia Gov. Patrick's Morrisey's bill to ban transgender women from single space places can't be enforced if the Legislature passes it because of Fourth Circuit Court ruling. (Vladimir Vladimirov | Getty Images) Gov. Patrick Morriseys gender definition bill is wasting everyones time. House Bill 2006 states it will reaffirm the longstanding meaning of sex, male and female in state law, and preserve womens restrooms, multiple occupancy restrooms or changing rooms, and sleeping quarters for women in facilities where women have been traditionally afforded privacy and safety from acts of abuse, harassment, sexual assault, and violence committed by men. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are no criminal penalties under this bill because doing so would be in violation of the ruling in Grimm v. Gloucester School Board, where the Fourth Circuit ruled that under Title IX protections, a student must be able to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity. This bill only comes into play if that ruling is overturned. This is similar to the inaccurately named Womens Bill of Rights that former Gov. Jim Justice pushed last year, but failed to go up for a vote on the final night of the regular session. The only difference is that Morrisey has added domestic violence shelters to the list of spaces. The West Virginia Coalition of Domestic Violence opposes this bill. Most of the women seeking shelter have been abused by their intimate partners, not men dressing up as women to gain access to vulnerable survivors, the coalition said in a press release. Protection for women and girls is best provided by recognizing that most forms of violence are perpetrated against them within their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the myth that Republicans try to sell straight men will dress up as women to enter these spaces and abuse women. In states with an LGBTQ non-discrimination law, theres no record of behavior like that increasing. The problem here is cisgender men, not transgender women. This bill targets the wrong people. Lets look at some of the wording in this bill: in facilities where women have been traditionally afforded privacy and safety from acts of abuse, harassment, sexual assault, and violence committed by men. Why arent women afforded safety from men in all facilities? Women cisgender and transgender all deserve to feel safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, thats not how the world works. Domestic violence shelters are necessary. And transgender people may be more likely to experience intimate partner violence than cisgender people. Banning domestic violence shelters from serving transgender women would be a death sentence, said Julie Britton, executive director of the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program in Charleston. There are no alternative facilities, and if we are not available, the only other option would be a homeless shelter or the streets, she told lawmakers. I dont know if were worried about womens safety putting trans women out on the street. Its clear that these shelters want to continue to help transgender women so why would the state prevent them from doing so? Its unnecessary government overreach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Republicans really cared about keeping women safe from harassment and violence, there wouldnt have been bills in both the Senate (which was withdrawn) and House trying to remove rape and incest exemptions from the states near-total abortion ban. How is it protecting a woman to make her give birth after a man forced himself on her and impregnated her? In West Virginia, a rapists parental rights can only be limited or terminated if theres a conviction. Nationally, only about 31% of sexual assaults are reported, and of those only about 2.5% of sexual abusers will go to prison or jail. Only about 12% of child sexual abuse is reported to the police. In about 8 out of 10 incidents, the woman knew her rapist, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN only about 19.5% of rapes are committed by a stranger, making it more difficult on the victim to report the incident for fear of more retaliation. Those incidents arent happening in womens locker rooms or womens bathrooms. Another bill that will put women in danger is Senate Bill 299, which aims to ban hormone treatment for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Children with gender dysphoria suffer from psychological distress because their gender identity doesnt match the gender they were assigned at birth. So much so, that they can sometimes feel suicidal. When doctors can prescribe hormone treatment, like puberty blockers, it relieves some of that distress. The medications temporarily pause puberty and are totally reversible. When the Senate discussed SB 299, they had virtual testimonies from people who tried to sell the story that minors receiving gender-affirming care are having major surgeries. They are not. A study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health network found little to no gender-affirming surgeries on transgender minors in the U.S. In fact, cisgender minors and adults had substantially more gender-affirming surgeries, such as breast reductions surgeries for males. Gender-affirming care is most often used by cisgender people. If you arent going to ban hair transplants and breast augmentation surgeries for cisgender people youre not serious about gender-affirming care. Youre only serious about hurting transgender people. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A 70-year-old New Richmond, Wis., man is charged with killing his wife, whose body was found Sunday in Polk County. According to New Richmond police, officers responded to the couples home around 1:45 p.m. Sunday for a possible domestic disturbance and welfare check of 68-year-old Mary Laakso. The 911 caller said Laaksos husband, Gordon Laakso, made statements that led them to believe he may have harmed her earlier in the day, police said in a Monday statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon arrival at the home in the 1300 block of Bluff Border Road, officers located Gordon Laakso but could not locate his wife nor reach her by phone. The investigation later led to a rural area in Polk County, where she was found dead about 4 p.m. On Monday, a Ramsey County Medical Examiners Office provisional autopsy report indicated the manner of death to be homicide, police said. St. Croix County Circuit Court records show Laakso is charged with three counts: first-degree intentional homicide, strangulation and suffocation, and hiding a corpse. Laakso made an initial court appearance on the charges Monday. Judge R. Michael Waterman set his bail at $1 million and he remains at the St. Croix County Jail ahead of a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laakso does not have a prior criminal history, Wisconsin court records show. His attorney, Michael Becker, when reached by phone Monday, declined to comment on the charges. An online search shows Gordon Laakso worked as a Farmers Insurance agent, based in Superior. Mary Laakso also worked for Farmers Insurance and previously as an office assistant at the Douglas County Courthouse in Superior, according to her Facebook page. Related Articles The administration of US President Donald Trump is temporarily suspending US military aid for Ukraine, the White House confirmed on Monday. Trump had made it unmistakably clear his focus was on peace, the White House told dpa. The move comes just days after Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. The New York Times reported support would be resumed once Trump had determined Ukraine was committed to peace negotiations with Russia. The suspension takes effect immediately, impacting more than $1 billion worth of weapons and ammunition already ordered or in the process of being delivered, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Washington Post reported that the decision was made during a White House meeting on Monday, where Trump discussed the matter with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Trump repeatedly threatened to cut aid During his election campaign, Trump had questioned the necessity of US aid to Ukraine. After a tense exchange with Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday, he openly threatened to withdraw all US support. Earlier on Monday, Trump warned that Washington's patience with Kiev may be running out. His remarks came in response to Zelensky's comments in London, where the Ukrainian leader told reporters that a peace deal to end the war remained "very, very far away." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" He went on to accuse Zelensky of deliberately prolonging the conflict, adding, "It is what I was saying, this guy doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing." "Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US - Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?" Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. On Sunday, Western leaders meeting in London decided that a group of countries led by the United Kingdom and France should work with Ukraine on a peace plan, which would then be discussed with the US and, ideally, implemented. Under Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, the US was Ukraine's largest and most important supporter in the defensive struggle against Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Biden's administration, which delivered more than $65 billion in military aid to Kiev, additional support included economic and humanitarian assistance, intelligence sharing, and training for Ukrainian fighter jet pilots. It remains unclear whether these forms of aid will also be affected by Trump's policy shift. Trump's administration had been seeking a raw materials agreement with Ukraine in recent weeks, which, among other things, involved US access to rare earth minerals stored in Ukraine. So far, the Ukrainian government has not agreed. When asked if the deal was dead or could be revived, Trump pointed to his upcoming speech in the US Congress. The 78-year-old is set to made his State of the Union address before both chambers of Congress on Tuesday evening. He hinted that he would address the matter there. Zelensky pleads for 'a just, fair peace' Meanwhile, Zelensky called for a quick end to the war with Russia and an acceptable peace. "We need peace, a just, fair peace and not an endless war," he said in his evening video message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The base scenario, he said, was to hold current Ukrainian positions on the front line and thus create the conditions for "real diplomacy." Zelensky again insisted on security guarantees for his country. "Indeed, the lack of security guarantees allowed Russia 11 years ago to begin with the occupation of Crimea and the war in Donbass," the head of state emphasized. He added that the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, which began in 2022 and continues to this day, is also the result of a lack of security guarantees. "And the whole world sees and acknowledges this," Zelensky stressed. Trump's interpretation of Zelensky's insistence on mainly US guarantees before a ceasefire was seen as a lack of interest in peace with Russia. For more than three years, Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion with the help of the West. The administration of US President Donald Trump is temporarily suspending US military aid for Ukraine, the White House has confirmed. Trump had made it unmistakably clear his focus was on peace, the White House told dpa. The aid will therefore be suspended until further notice. The move comes just days after Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. US Vice President JD Vance has stated that US President Donald Trump felt little respect from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which is why he insisted that their conversation on 28 February take place not in private, but in front of cameras. Source: The Hill; interview with Vance by Sean Hannity on Fox News Quote from Vance: "For the first 25 or 30 minutes, [Trump] tried to bend over backwards to be gracious and kind to Zelenskyy, even when Zelenskyy was kind of needling him...[and] saying things that I thought were untrue." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Vance added that the meeting "really went off the rails" during one of his own responses, which, as he said, "really set Zelenskyy off". "What I tried to do originally was try to defuse the situation a little bit. We are having this meeting, there are 100 television cameras here. As we kept on going back and forth, I tried again to say, 'Well, maybe we should have this conversation in private'. And the president was like, 'Nope, actually, I dont want to have it in private anymore. I want to have this actual conversation in public for the American people to see.' And I do think that there was just a certain sense of there was a lack of respect, there was a certain sense of entitlement," Vance said. Details: The Hill noted that this interview, recorded earlier on Monday, 3 March, aired shortly after the news emerged that Trump had ordered a suspension of US aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia. Background: On 28 February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his US counterpart Donald Trump, as well as US Vice President JD Vance, argued in the White House in front of television cameras and in raised voices about the war in Ukraine. Before that, Trump stated during the meeting with Zelenskyy that he is "for both Ukraine and Russia". Trump said that the Ukrainian president had "disrespected" the United States and that Zelenskyy was "not ready for peace". Zelenskyy left the White House ahead of schedule. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Donald Trumps firebrand press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said it was incredibly refreshing to watch her boss and his deputy publicly humiliate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in front of the whole world. Leavitt was present when Trump and Vice President JD Vance ripped into their so-called ally in the Oval Office on Friday. The rowdy meeting, which reportedly culminated in Zelensky and his entourage getting kicked out of the White House, sent diplomatic shockwaves around the world. Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 28 / Andrew Harnik / Getty Images In the United States, Trump and Vances behavior drew condemnation outside of Republican circles. But the MAGAverse, predictably, toed the party line and Leavitt, speaking to Fox News Sean Hannity on Monday, was no different. Frankly, it was incredibly refreshing to watch the president and the vice president stand up for America and to have that be before the world to see, she told the host. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the segment Leavitt claimed the brutal shut-down of the Ukrainian president was a natural response to his alleged ungratefulness for American aid in his fight against Vladimir Putins invasion. President Zelensky, unfortunately, was ungrateful to the American taxpayer, she said. This was also the claim made by Vance during the Oval Office showdown. Both he and Leavitt failed to clarify that the actor turned politician has publicly thanked the U.S. at least 33 times, according to CNN. And frankly, putting aside my job as President Trumps spokeswoman, as an American citizen, it was incredibly profound to watch our president actually stand up for us, for the taxpaying American, law-abiding citizen who is sick and tired of seeing hundreds of billions of dollars go out the door every single year when we have real problems in our country here, Leavitt said. Leavitt added: Unfortunately, President Zelensky is not in the mindset to negotiate peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her sentiment echoed that of Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, who also praised his boss on Fox News. He said that the shouting match inside the White House was one of the great moments in the history of American diplomacy. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised President Trump for scolding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their meeting last week, calling it an incredibly refreshing moment. Leavitt joined Fox Newss Hannity on Monday, where she was asked about the altercation in the Oval Office between the two leaders, which she was in the room for. President Trump wants to end this war. He campaigned on this. He talked about it at every single rally across the country, and unfortunately, President Zelensky is not in the mindset to negotiate peace, Leavitt said. And I think, frankly, it was incredibly refreshing to watch the president and the vice president stand up for America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her remarks come just days after Zelensky and Trumps White House meeting ended in a shouting match and a subsequent press conference with the Ukrainian leader was canceled. The two presidents were expected to sign a rare earth minerals deal during the exchange, considered a step toward ending the Eastern European nations three-year war with Russia. Trump and Vice President Vance claimed Zelensky was being disrespectful and did not show enough gratitude for U.S. assistance after he questioned Trumps conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and recent talks about a peace agreement that did not include Ukraine. Days after the explosive meeting, Trump paused aid to Ukraine, a significant move for the state of the war. Leavitt, who has made a name for herself as a fierce communicator of Trump and his agenda, argued that Zelensky appeared ungrateful to the American taxpayer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was incredibly profound to watch our president actually stand up for us, for the taxpaying American, law-abiding citizen, who was sick and tired of seeing hundreds of billions of dollars go out the door every single year when we had real problems in our country here, Leavitt said. She previously said she was confident in Trumps ability to strike a deal with Russia and end the war in Ukraine. She suggested an end to the conflict could have come as early as last week. That plan, however, was derailed after Zelensky was asked to leave the White House, thrusting the international community into action by rallying behind Ukraine and looking for a new way forward without the U.S. Still, the Ukrainian president over the weekend suggested it was imperative to have the Trump administrations support. GOP lawmakers have leaned on Trump to restore the relationship in order to salvage negotiations with Ukraine for access to its critical minerals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. March 4 (UPI) -- The White House on Tuesday released its list of guests expected to be seen at President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress. About 15 individuals will sit with first lady Melania Trump as invited guests as the president will address members from both houses of Congress, U.S. Supreme Court justices and members of Trump's Cabinet, as well as Elon Musk, who is working with the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency., according to the White House. In the Capitol building Tuesday night will be the family of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter killed by a gunman who attempted to assassinate Trump last July at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa. In addition to the mother and sister of Laken Riley, who was the Athens, Ga., college student killed about a year ago by a Venezuelan migrant and namesake of the Laken Riley Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fifteen-year-old Elliston Berry, a victim of computer-generated deepfake bullying, will join former foster child Haley Ferguson. Jeff Denard, a steel plant worker from Decatur, Ala., will sit near Stephanie Diller, the widow of New York Police Department officer Jonathan Diller, killed during a March 2024 traffic stop. Recently freed Russian prisoner Marc Fogel, an American history teacher from Pennsylvania, will be a guest along with his 95-year-old mother, Malphine Fogel. Mother and advocate January Littlejohn and former high school athlete Payton McNabb likewise are expected to join Alexis Nungaray, the mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, allegedly murdered by two migrants weeks before her birthday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump White House also invited U.S. Border Patrol agent Roberto Ortiz via Weslaco, Texas. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he and Democratic leaders will attend "to make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance on the excesses of the administration." "Democrats should not attend Trump's joint address to Congress tomorrow. No way," ex-GOP congressman and presidential candidate Joe Walsh said Monday on Bluesky. He said Democrats "must make a statement that none of this is acceptable" as he criticized Trump for "siding with Putin" and "siding against the free world." Freshman Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., a former CIA officer, is slated to deliver the Democratic response following Trump's speech, and a Spanish language response will be given by Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The speech begins at 9 p.m. EST, and while not referred to as a State of the Union speech, which is the presidential address given during subsequent years in office, Trump will outline his perceived accomplishments roughly six weeks into his second term and will also touch on immigration. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., invited Trump to speak before Congress in a letter delivered shortly after his inauguration. The joint address comes one day after Trump ordered a "pause" in military aid to Ukraine following a contentious exchange Friday in the Oval Office with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. It also arrived as proposed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada went into effect, with a possible price increase in U.S. consumer goods as a result as Canada and Mexican officials retaliated in what appears to be an escalating global trade war. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A local source of Old West history is turning new pages with updates and a new exhibit. Frontier Texas invited the public out to showcase some new features that the museum has to offer. One of those additions is a new exhibit hall, and Frontier Texass executive director, Jeff Salmon, explained how it will bring some added variety to the museum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, this space is designed to be able to allow our museum for the first time to really have temporary changing exhibits on an ongoing basis. Myself and our board have determined that were going to try to host about two to three exhibits in this space every year, Salmon shared. Pine Street Shootout reenactment in Abilene brings Wild West history to life Other additions include a renewed lobby area with longhorn cattle skulls from the official State of Texas Longhorn herd thatve died from natural causes, additional parking for museum goers, and a conversion of their open-air pavilion to a closed one to give visiting schools an additional space for learning tours. A point that the co-chair of the Abilene Chamber of Commerces Red Coats, Ashley Creager, said will help boost economic growth in Abilene. It has a major economic impact on Abilene with the tourism that does come in. Its not just Abilene that benefits from it. All of the surrounding and rural areas always bring their school kids over here to tour Frontier Texas, which is great to bring even more money into the economy. This renovation was much needed, Creager said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abilene pays tribute to Texas on anniversary of independence Another key improvement at Frontier Texas was the addition of an archive room, designed to better catalog and preserve the museums artifacts. This new space also creates ideal conditions for hosting traveling exhibits, expanding the museums offerings. Additionally, Frontier Texas plans to engage the public by inviting input and ideas for future exhibits in the new exhibit hall. We as an institution are really interested in hearing from the community about topics that they would love to see, and we like for that to come more organically from our community saying, Hey, we have a story that we think would be fascinating and other people would enjoy. Can we create an exhibit together based on that? Salmon shared. The total cost for the improvements at Frontier Texas was roughly $4.2 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of The View, called the heated Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky one of the most embarrassing exchanges shes ever seen. You know, that has to be one of the most embarrassing things Ive ever seen, she said in Mondays broadcast of ABCs The View. This is a leader of a sovereign nation, and you are doing theater with him, because youre trying to show that youre the hard guy. But I dont think anybody wanted you to be the hard guy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goldberg suggested people who voted for Trump might not have liked what they saw, as the heated exchange was broadcast live on television on Friday. I dont think you asked anybody how they felt, how people who voted for you. You didnt ask them how they feel about what youre doing. You didnt ask them if they want to be operatives of Putins government. You havent asked that, she continued. The firm condemnation comes after Trump lashed out at the Ukrainian leader in his Oval Office on Friday, calling Zelensky ungrateful for U.S. support and suggesting he didnt have the cards in negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Monday, Trump ordered a pause on U.S. aid going to Ukraine in its war against Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goldberg reiterated her support for the war-torn democracy, as the live studio audience applauded. And Im sorry, I do stand with you, Zelensky, because youve been fighting. Your countrys been fighting, and youve been doing it on your own, and youve been getting help, but I stand with yall, Goldberg said. Because nobody should ever be able to come into your country and say, This is my country. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Eight years ago, when President Donald Trump gave his first address to a joint session of Congress, Democratic women in the chamber wore white in a concerted effort to call attention to womens rights. This year they have expanded the dress code, adding pink. Some women will continue to wear white at Tuesday nights address by Trump. But New Mexico Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, who chairs the Democratic Womens Caucus, told Time magazine that wearing pink is meant to call attention to Trumps administration negatively impacting women and families. Women are claiming pink as a color of protest, as a color of power, and we are protesting what is happening right now, Leger Fernandez said during a news conference Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Women in Congress on the left have donned white almost every year since Trumps first term in honor of suffragists who fought to expand the right to vote a century ago. In 2018, some chose to wear black to reflect the #MeToo movement. LEFT: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez walks with her State of the Union guest Ana Maria Archila before President Trumps State of the Union address, on February 5, 2019. RIGHT: Reps. Mikie Sherrill, Abigail Spanberger, Elissa Slotkin, and Chrissy Houlahan ride to the Russell Building on February 5, 2019. (Tom Williams, Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images) The choice to wear white mirrors other prominent politicians who wore the color during key moments. Geraldine Ferraro wore white when accepting her nomination as the first woman candidate for vice president in 1984, as did Hillary Clinton when accepting her partys presidential nomination in 2016. On Tuesday night, the Democratic womens white and pink attire will once again draw a contrast with the typically dark suits in the rest of the chamber. The addition of pink to their now-normal white is meant to reflect a shift in tone, Leger Fernandez told Time. But the evenings bright colors come at a moment of friction between elected Democrats and their constituents. A February Quinnipiac poll showed 68 percent of surveyed Americans and 63 percent of women disapprove of the way Democrats have handled their job in Congress. They also found that Trump had a 60 percent disapproval rate among surveyed women. Democratic Representatives cheer as President Biden delivers his State of the Union address on March 7, 2024. (SHAWN THEWPOOL/AFP/Getty Images) Ahead of Tuesday nights address, most Democrats say they want to be present in the chamber to show that the president still faces organized opposition from their party. A handful may protest during the speech or not show up. Some members are bringing federal workers and military veterans recently laid off by the so-called Department of Governmental Efficiency, the cost-cutting effort led by Elon Musk, as their guests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members will also wear buttons that read Betrayed for Billionaires to draw attention to the proposed House budget cuts that Democratic critics say will disproportionately help lower tax rates for the rich at the expense of gutting public funding. Grace Panetta contributed to this report. The post Why Democratic women are wearing pink and white at tonights Trump speech appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania is an ardent opponent of Donald Trumps. She served as a manager for his second trial when Congress impeached him over the January 6 riot. Nevertheless, Dean says she will be coming to listen to Trumps first joint address to Congress since returning to the White House earlier this year. Dean wearing white, the color of the womens suffrage movement said she wants to stand up to the lies that he will tell. Some Democrats have made it a point to say that they will not attend Trumps address or say they will disrupt the presidents speech. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said they will hold livestreaming town halls instead of attending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for some, it was important for them to bear witness to it and to show visible opposition to his policies. On Monday evening, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sent a Dear Colleague letter saying that he will attend and stressing the need for a Democratic presence in the chamber. Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan said she is going to Donald Trumps joint address because the president's coming to our house (Getty Images) The decision to attend the Joint Session is a personal one and we understand that members will come to different conclusions, he said. However, it is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber. The House as an institution belongs to the American people, and as their representatives we will not be run off the block or bullied. Many Democrats, especially ones from swing states and districts, cited the fact Trump would speak at their place of work as a reason to go. The president's coming to our house, Hillary Scholten of Michigan told The Independent. He has taken a lot of actions that I strongly disagree with in his first term, and that impact my constituents in a negative way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholtens fellow Michigander Haley Stevens, a potential candidate for the states soon-to-be-open Senate seat, said she wanted to hear what Trump would say about the tariffs he has levied against Canada, which could adversely affect Michigan. So I want to know what we're doing about the tariffs on Canada that are wreaking havoc on my Michigan economy right now, Stevens told The Independent. She also mentioned threats to veterans care and Social Security. Democratic activists and constituents in nearly ever corner of the party in recent weeks have wanted to see a more robust form of resistance to Trump. But many Democrats particularly in the House represent states and districts that Trump also won. This is the case with Sen. Ruben Gallego, who won in Arizona the same night that Trump won the state. I represent the citizens of Arizona Democrat, Republican and independents, he told The Independent. I'm going to see what the president has to say, to report back to them and express my personal opinion on what he ends up doing or saying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Stevens, Gallego represents a state that could be hit by tariffs, except in his case Mexico more than Canada. People are going to be missing mortgage payments and tuition because the president over didn't think through all of his actions, he said. Other Democrats hope want to use their guests to highlight the potential harm caused by Trumps policies. Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey is bringing Kevin Nunez, who has cerebral palsy and who benefits from Medicaid. Democrats have warned that the one big beautiful bill that Republicans want to use to pass Trumps domestic agenda could risk Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can only speak for myself ... for me, I wanted to invite Kevin out here, and for him to be able to be somebody that can speak to this moment as he is concerned about Medicaid, Kim told The Independent. As a congressman, now-US Senator Andy Kim gained national attention for clearing up the mess left by pro-Trump rioters on January 6 (AP) In the hours of the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, Kim gained national attention for cleaning up the debris that pro-Trump rioters left. Now Democrats see attending Trumps speech as protecting their territory. Arizona companies are once again bracing for impact after President Donald Trump's new 25% tariffs on imports took effect Tuesday. Canada and China quickly announced retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. Trump has promoted the tariffs as part of a wider strategy to revive American manufacturing, and as a way to extract concessions from the U.S.' trading partners, adversaries and allies alike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No room left for Mexico or Canada," Trump said Monday in the White House's Roosevelt Room. The tariffs, they are all set. Theyre going into effect tomorrow. Here are answers to commonly asked questions about the tariffs. Why does Trump want tariffs on Canada and Mexico? Trump's threats to place tariffs on Canada and Mexico have focused on stopping the flow of fentanyl into the United States. He has argued neither country is doing enough to address the issue. The president originally had announced he would impose the tariffs in early February, but he delayed them by a month after both countries offered concessions. Trump hasn't laid out many specific demands beyond that. The idea of taxing Canada in particular left some analysts scratching their heads considering that country plays a minimal role in the flow of the drug across North American borders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump says his tariffs are already paying economic dividends: Also on Monday, Trump announced a $100 billion investment in Arizona by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. What tariffs have taken effect? The Trump administration has placed a 25% tariff on most imports from Canada and Mexico, with a 10% tax on Canadian energy imports such as natural gas and oil, and raised a tariff on some Chinese goods to 20% from 10%. When do the tariffs go into effect? The tariffs took effect just after midnight Eastern time on Tuesday, or about 10 p.m. Monday in Arizona. How will the tariffs affect Arizona? Tariffs were expected to generate both winners and losers in Arizona. On one hand, some in the business community have worried about the long-term impact that tariffs could have on Arizona, a border state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The promise of open trade with Mexico enshrined in Americas trade agreements with its southern neighbor has been one of Arizonas selling points when enticing companies to do business here. It has attracted manufacturers, particularly in the auto and aerospace sectors, who frequently ship parts back and forth across the border multiple times when assembling products. On the other hand, tariffs can be quite positive for companies that already lean heavily on U.S. supply chains. Plenty of those companies are located in Arizona, including several major semiconductor manufacturers, who have benefitted from both Trump and former President Joe Biden's efforts to target rival supply chains abroad. Can the tariffs be rolled back? Last month, Trump delayed tariffs on Canada and Mexico shortly before they were scheduled to go into place. He told reporters Monday afternoon that this time around, "they'll start." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was "no room left" for either country to make a deal to avoid the tariffs, he said. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency that oversees cross-border trade, sent out a memo on Monday officially informing importers of the tariffs, according to a copy of the letter shared with The Arizona Republic. Which consumer products will get more expensive as a result? Economists generally expect the latest round of tariffs would raise the cost of a range of products, from electronics to agricultural goods. The U.S. relies heavily on imported building materials such as wood, charcoal, aluminum, and steel from Canada, which economists believe could affect the cost of housing and construction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The country also imports lots of fresh produce and food products from Mexico, which could raise prices at the grocery store. The tariffs are also expected to upend the U.S.' auto manufacturing sector, which depends heavily on cross-border trade. Warren Buffett: Tariffs 'an act of war, to some degree' Famed investor Warren Buffett criticized Trump's approach to trade in a televised interview that aired over the weekend, saying tariffs hike the cost of goods in the long run. Tariffs are actually weve had a lot of experience with them theyre an act of war, to some degree, Buffett told CBS News. He joked: I mean, the Tooth Fairy doesnt pay em." This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump tariffs on Mexico and Canada: Here's what to know This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. In 2000, the CDC declared that measles had been eliminated from the United States. But now America is at risk of losing that status: A measles outbreak has sickened more than 150 people in Texas and New Mexico since late January. An unvaccinated school-aged child recently died from measles in Texasthe first known death from measles in America in about a decade, and the first child to die from the disease since 2003. I spoke with my colleague Katherine J. Wu, who covers science and health, about why vaccination is the only way to prevent the spread, and how a surge in illnesses that had previously faded from American life could reshape childhoods. Lora Kelley: Why is measles so reliant on vaccines to prevent its spread? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katherine J. Wu: Measles is arguably the most contagious infectious disease that scientists know about. Researchers have estimated that, in a population where theres zero immunity to measles, one infected person is going to infect roughly 12 to 18 other people. That is extremely high. In most cases, it is a respiratory infection thats going to cause fever, cough, and rash, but it can also restrict breathing, cause complications such as pneumonia, and be deadly. This is a disease that requires really, really high levels of vaccination to keep it out of a community, because its so contagious. Researchers have estimated that you want to see vaccination rates in the 95 percent range to protect a community. If you start to dip just a bit below that threshold, like even 92 percent or 90 percent, you start to get into trouble. Lower uptake creates an opening for the virus to start spreading. And the more unvaccinated people there are, the faster the virus will spread, and the more people will get seriously sick. Lora: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said last week that this recent outbreak is not unusual and pointed to past measles outbreaks. How do you view this current outbreak relative to other times when cases spiked, such as the 2019 outbreak in New York? Katherine: The current outbreak actually is not as big as the 2019 New York one yet. And we almost lost our elimination status for measles then. But there are ways in which I would argue that this one is worse than the 2019 outbreak. An unvaccinated kid has died. We havent had a reported measles death in this country in about a decade. If the situation worsens, that death might only be the first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lora: Could people who are vaccinated be affected by a measles outbreak? Katherine: The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, generally provides immunity from measles for decades. But there are kids who are not old enough to be fully vaccinated against measles (kids get one shot at 12 to 15 months and then again at 4 to 6 years old). And its rare, but some people, including immunocompromised people, might not respond well to vaccination and may not be protected by it. Also, as people get further from their vaccination date, they may be more vulnerable to the disease. The more measles is around, the more vulnerable even the vaccinated population will be. Lora: Measles hasnt been a big issue in this country for a long time. What tools does America have to fight this disease if it resurges in a big way? Katherine: Because this disease spreads so quickly, the main tool weve used to fight it is vaccination. And if people are letting that go, were in trouble. There are no antivirals for measles. Doctors generally just have to do what they can to manage the symptoms. Plus, health-care workers arent used to diagnosing or dealing with measles cases anymore, which makes it easier for outbreaks to get out of control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lora: How might the recent layoffs at federal agencies focused on public health and disease affect Americas ability to respond to outbreaks? Katherine: I do worry that a lot of the public-health workforce is slowly getting hollowed out, including at the CDC. Were going to lose our ability to prevent and stop epidemicswe saw resources that researchers rely on to track outbreaks temporarily disappear from the CDC website in January and February, for example. If peoples attitudes keep shifting away from childhood vaccination, a whole other host of diseases could creep in. In refusing the MMR vaccine, you are by definition also refusing protection against the mumps and rubella. And RFK Jr. has made rampant speculations about the MMR vaccine being more dangerous than the disease itself, which is completely untrue. This week, he published an op-ed on the Fox News website acknowledging the importance of vaccinating against measles but also framing vaccination as a personal choice, and described nutrition as a best defense against most chronic and infectious illnesses. I can promise that no multivitamin will work against measles as well as the MMR vaccine, which has been proved safe and effective at protecting people from disease. Measles, meanwhile, can kill. Lora: What would more frequent outbreaks mean for Americas kids and their childhood? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katherine: In the world kids live in now, when they get sick with a disease they catch from other children, its not that big of a deal most of the time. Measles outbreaks are just so different from the colds picked up from day care or the stomach bugs you catch at Disneyland. If we choose to let measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases come back, there will be more childhood mortality. Kids might get pneumonia more often. They might be hospitalized more often. Some might grow up with permanent brain damage. Childhood will not only be about whether a kid is going to get a good education or make enough friends. It will once more be about whether a kid can survive the first few years of their life. Related: Here are three new stories from The Atlantic: Todays News The Trump administration imposed 25 percent tariffs on most imports from Canada and Mexico, and doubled tariffs for China. In response, Canada put 25 percent tariffs on billions of dollars of American goods, Mexico will announce retaliatory tariffs on Sunday, and China will add tariffs on some American imports on March 10. Donald Trump will deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress tonight at 9 p.m. ET, in which he is expected to lay out his vision for his second term. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote that last weeks Oval Office meeting was regrettable and proposed a partial cease-fire with Russia to resume peace negotiations. Evening Read When America Persecutes Its Teachers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By Clay Risen Several states, most notably Florida, have ordered schools and colleges to restrict or eliminate courses on gender, while groups such as Moms for Liberty have rallied parents to police curricula and ban books from school libraries. Ideological battles over education may be proxies for larger conflictsCommunism in the 40s and 50s; diversity, equity, and inclusion today. But such fights are particularly fierce because of how important schools are in shaping American values. To control the countrys education system is, in no uncertain terms, to control the countrys future. Read the full article. More From The Atlantic Culture Break Focus Features Watch. Even the most mundane moments are riveting in the new deep-sea drama Last Breath (out in theaters), David Sims writes. Listen. A hugely popular podcast tries to prove that nonspeaking people with autism have supernatural powersbut it misses something more compelling, Dan Engber writes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Play our daily crossword. Stephanie Bai contributed to this newsletter. Explore all of our newsletters here. When you buy a book using a link in this newsletter, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic. Article originally published at The Atlantic After serving members of the military for the last 15 years, Operation Yellow Ribbon has announced that operations will be winding down. Members of this local charity have been sending packages to military men and women overseas. They've also hosted "Welcome Home Soldier" parties, bus-filling events and other donation drives to collect goods to fill care packages. "It is with a heavy heart but yet one filled with utter gratitude that all-volunteer 501c3 non-profit Operation Yellow Ribbon will be winding down its 'morale boosting care package business' operations over the months to come," the organization posted online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Barrington Mews sale delayed til next month: letter to tenants. Here's what else it said. The group's announcement cited rising costs of postage, rent, supplies and insurance as the reason they can't continue to send packages to those who have been deployed. They added that "some miracle and large generous donation" could help keep Operation Yellow Ribbon going, but founder and Marlton resident Dave Silver said he believes it still wouldn't be enough to keep the operations running. "It is simple economics and math. ... Everything keeps going up in price and support, donations and fundraising has significantly gone down year after year for the last four to five years," Silver said. "We are simply spending more each month than bringing in and unfortunately, we can no longer afford to do what we do. "It's just not worth the cost of an average care package as our average cost has more than doubled over the past (five) years." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Silver added that it's been an honor to accomplish what they've done for military members over the years. He expressed gratitude for the awards, recognition and "countless emails, handwritten letters, (American) flags and challenge coins we have received from our care package recipients." Cinnaminson resident and Marine veteran Andrew Einstein had experience with Silver and Operation Yellow Ribbon during his two tours overseas. "While it was great getting letters and packages from family and friends, for me, I always felt bad asking family to send things. They were already dealing with the hardships of being away, I didnt want them to feel pressured to buy anything," Einstein said. "So, when wed get packages from Yellow Ribbon, the socks and snacks were great, and the accompanying letters from complete strangers was a great reminder of why we were fighting." Einstein said he doesn't remember how many packages he and his fellow soldiers received during his time in Afghanistan and Iraq. But he added that he always looked forward to receiving a care package. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more about Einstein's journey here: This South Jersey vet struggled with post-war life until he met his pup, renewed purpose "In Iraq we definitely got more packages by proxy of being on a big base and being deployed at the end of the war," Einstein said. "Afghanistan was totally different. Mail convoys would constantly get hit, and during the second part of our deployment, we lived in the middle of a village which made it more difficult to get packages. But when we did, it was awesome!" Whenever Einstein needed a boost, he said receiving the packages always helped recharge his batteries and remind him of his purpose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that he'll never forget what Silver has done, calling him perhaps "one of the kindest human beings" on the planet. He noted that Silver once said something to him that he's carried with him ever since. Andrew Einstein during his deployment overseas "He said while he didnt necessarily support the war, his feelings didnt change his love for the American military and the support he knows (knew) they needed," Einstein said. "Dave put his opinions aside for a great cause. Thats something we rarely see today, but Ive carried that memory with me since 2012." Einstein also had a heartfelt message he wanted to share for Silver and the team at Operation Yellow Ribbon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I cannot thank Dave, and all of the Yellow Ribbon volunteers enough for everything they have done since its inception," he said. "From packages to welcome homes, they did it all. Thank you to each and every one of you. Youll always have a place in my memories, and my heart." Since 2012, Operation Yellow Ribbon has sent close to 700,000 items, including goodies and hygiene items, to give the troops abroad a taste of home. The Operation Yellow Ribbon website states that donation items, including Girl Scout cookies, will be accepted for care packages up until April 1. But Silver said "the lease for our packing warehouse ends May 31, so we will pack and ship as much as we can, spending down as much as we can during April and May." After that date, Operation Yellow Ribbon and Silver said it will remain open as a 501c just in case "by some miracle a corporate donor comes in to help resume operations." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Operation Yellow Ribbon will also continue to host "welcome home soldier" events and the volunteers will also direct anyone looking to continue to donate care package items to the troops overseas by putting them in touch with people at other charities who are doing similar work. Nick Butler is an impact reporter for the Courier Post, the Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times covering community news in South Jersey. Have any tips or stories? Reach out to NButler@Gannett.com. Subscribe to stay in the loop. This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Operation Yellow Ribbon is ceasing operations amid rising prices Editors Note: This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy. With its vivid turquoise, green and blue waters, its no surprise Lake Salda is often promoted as the Maldives of Turkey. Extraordinary to look at, peaceful and surrounded by an abundance of wildlife, its little wonder if has become a significant, if lesser-known attraction, located deep in the countrys southwest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But theres so much more to this gorgeous body of water and its white-sand beaches than just beauty to get tourists excited. According to scientists, Lake Salda is the only place on Earth thats analogous to the Jezero Crater on Mars. Its a fact that has piqued the interest in space scientists at a time when humankind is increasingly turning its attention to the Red Planet as a possible destination for a crewed mission. Its also helped increase environmental awareness around this fragile treasure, which is facing existential threats from pollution and decreasing water levels. Briony Horgan, a professor at Purdue Universitys Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, traveled to Turkey in 2019 with NASAs Perseverance rover team to study the mysterious lake, and was struck by its resemblance to a distant planet. This photo of a Martian vista in Jezero Crater, made from smaller individual images, was taken by NASA's Perseverance rover in 2021. - NASA/JPL-Caltech Its really just an incredibly unique place, she tells CNN Travel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And in many ways, it actually felt like standing on the shores of ancient Lake Jezero on Mars. In space exploration, a planetary analog is a place on Earth thats considered similar or comparable to the conditions found on another planet or moon. Horgan says finding a Mars analog here is particularly challenging because of the high levels of iron and magnesium that make up the composition of the Red Planet, and theyre very primitive. However, she says Lake Saldas basin is of that composition that was created at the bottom of an ocean when the oceanic crust ripped apart and made new crust straight out of the interior of the Earth. This process, says Horgan, is to credit for Lake Saldas Mars-like environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nurgul Balc, a professor in Istanbul Technical Universitys Geological Engineering Department, also took part in NASAs Lake Salda studies. In addition to helping scientists better understand Martian geology, she says the lake also offers insights into our own planets history. For instance, the microorganisms in the water have built microbial structures that are at least 2 million years old, some of which have been exposed due to decreasing water levels on the lake. These carbonate forms, resembling cauliflowers, hold crucial clues to our own origins. Salda contains a lot of information that can help us understand life that started and evolved 3.5 billion years ago, says Balc. Greater protections needed, say experts A general view of an exposed island of old microbialites in Lake Salda. - Umit Bektas/Reuters Last year, the International Commission on Geoheritage (IUGS) announced the inclusion of Lake Salda on its list of the worlds Top 100 geological sites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Balc was among the major contributors who presented evidence to support its addition to the list. We prepared a file (showing) that Salda contains important information about Mars and the early Earth and that if they are lost, we will have difficulty finding and understanding such information, she explains. In recent years, environmentalists and lawyers have been vocal about the need to increase protections and awareness about the value of the lake beyond its physical beauty. While some experts are optimistic that being on the IUGS list will have a positive effect on these efforts, others are still skeptical, like retired lecturer Erol Kesici of Suleyman Demirel Universitys Egirdir Water Resources Faculty. Founder of the Turkish Water Institute, Kesici is also a scientific advisor to two environmental associations, the Association for the Protection Of Turkeys Nature and the Nature and Sustainability Association. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite Lake Salda having numerous sensitive and protected areas, such as natural conservation areas and other conservation statuses, there are serious issues in practice, he says. The excessive pollution and contamination caused by the construction of ponds and dams are causing the lakes ecosystem, turquoise water, and (endemic) species to disappear gradually. Professor Horgan expressed similar sentiments, noting that Lake Salda is a wonderful location that I hope many people get to see. But its the kind of place we should make sure we appreciate responsibly. A treasure trove for nature lovers all year long Hikers explore the trails around Lake Salda. - Selcuk Oner/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Lake Salda is home to 301 plant species, two of which are endemic and grow in the lake basin, as well three endemic fish species, and over 30 water bird species, among more common animals like wild boars and foxes. These make Lake Salda among the best places in Turkey for nature photography and hiking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The best season to visit Salda is spring and early summer, notes Hasan Gulday, a tour guide based in western Turkey. The harmony of the green trees around, the white shores of the lake, and the turquoise color emerges best in this period. However, you can visit Lake Salda at any time of the year, including the winter. In fact, the road to the nearby Salda Ski Center offers the best panoramic view of Lake Salda and its surroundings, so stunning many assume images taken there were photoshopped. If you plan your journey around July and early August, you can admire the purple lavender fields southwest of the lake, where locals make lavender-scented soap and fragrances, some of the best souvenirs to bring back home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People are permitted to swim in the lake, and many do, but opinions on how to best protect the body of water from these visitors are mixed. I want time restrictions and capacity limits to be set for activities like swimming, says guide Gulday. Scientific advisor Kesici, meanwhile, is entirely against people getting into the water because its a closed lake, all waste remains within (it). Also, he says some people take mud baths, believing it can help heal some skin conditions, but this can damage the lakes delicate ecosystem as well. Exploring the area Lake Salda is located in Burdur, close to the city borders of Denizli, which hosts another gem of Turkey, Pamukkale only about a 1.5-hour drive northeast. The region is referred to as the Turkish Lake District or Turkish Lakeland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gulday also recommends visiting the ancient cities of Kibyra and Sagalassos, both of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. Kibyra is a settlement that dates back to the early Iron Age, about a 1.5-hour drive south of Salda. The city has been at the crossroads of important trade routes for centuries, and Hellenistic, Roman, Lydian, and Pisidian cultures influenced the settlement. Sagalassoss history dates back some 12,000 years, and it was left to its fate after the 6th century due to epidemics, raids and natural disasters, such as earthquakes. Its one of the best-preserved archeological sites in Turkey because its remote location prevented it from looting, and the settlement was quickly covered by vegetation and soil due to erosion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Getting there: Many travelers opt to rent a car to better explore the areas scenic drives. The trip from Antalya to Lake Salda takes about 2.5 hours. Tour companies also offer tours of the area, including the lake. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com US President Donald Trump has gone all in with his effort to strongarm Kyiv into peace negotiations with Russia, suspending US military aid to Ukraine with immediate effect. The move has sent shockwaves through the Western world and left Ukraine and its allies scrambling. Trump didnt explain his decision beyond saying that he believed that Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky doesnt want peace. His advisers told CNN the pause will remain in place until Trump determines Zelensky has made enough of a commitment to seeking peace talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky indicated on Tuesday that he was willing to go that way, saying Ukraine was ready to come to the negotiating table and that my team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. Addressing a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Trump said he appreciated getting a letter from Zelensky telling him he was ready to come to the negotiating table. Heres what we know. What does this mean for Ukraine? Trumps order will have a direct impact on Ukraines ability to defend itself against Russias unprovoked aggression. Oleksiy Melnyk, an international security expert and former Ukrainian defense ministry official, told CNN that US military aid currently accounts for around 30% of Ukraines weapons and ammunition needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is it critical? Yes, he said, pointing to Ukraines persistent weapons and ammunition shortages. Kyiv has been outgunned and outmanned by its much bigger neighbor since the opening salvos of Russias full-scale invasion, and the situation has become worse whenever Western deliveries have dwindled. Having in mind the shortage of ammunition and weapons, even 1% is critical. Thirty percent is definitely critical. Is it tragic? What we are hearing from different sources, Ukraine will be able to sustain this level or about the same level of violence density for about six months, Melnyk said. It will have significant consequences, but the Russians are not likely to break through immediately or in the coming months, said Kateryna Stepanenko, the Russia deputy team lead and analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, a US-based conflict monitor. A Ukrainian serviceman of 141st Separate Infantry brigade fires a US-made Mark 19, 40mm automatic grenade-launcher near Zaporizhzhia. - Andriy Andriyenko/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images The Ukrainians will be able to hold a defense, as we had seen them do in the past during the previous problems with aid, she added, pointing to last year when deliveries from the US slowed down as Congress stalled on the next aid package. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN military analyst and retired US Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton said that some munitions are being delivered with short notice, shipped to where they are most needed at any given moment. As a result, some of the effects could be felt almost immediately on the front lines. The Ukrainians will have to ration their use of certain munitions and that could spell trouble for their efforts to hold on to places like Pokrovsk, he said. An important logistics hub, Pokrovsk has been the prime target of Russias offensive in eastern Ukraine since the summer. Despite expectations that the city could fall within weeks, Kyivs forces have managed to hold Russian troops at bay in part thanks to the steady deliveries of US military aid. Which aid has been suspended? The US had been providing Ukraine with artillery ammunition, tanks, armored vehicles, howitzers, Patriot air defense batteries and long-range rocket and missile systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the pause spans beyond just hardware. US officials have confirmed on Wednesday that the US has paused intelligence support as well weapons shipments to Ukraine. A senior US military official said the US has already curtailed some intelligence sharing, including carrying out fewer intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flights that could impact both offensive and defensive operations including air defense, since Ukraine depends on US intelligence for overwatch. Stepanenko said the intelligence sharing was extremely important for Ukrainian forces because it included things like satellite imagery, which Ukrainian forces use for drone operations. It is unclear whether the pause to intelligence sharing includes these. The US has previously stopped humanitarian aid to Ukraine as part of its overall pause on USAID programs. Why is Trump doing this? Trump is trying to force Ukraine into negotiating a peace deal with Russia without committing to providing security guarantees for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky has tried to make the case that a deal without guarantees would be potentially disastrous for Ukraine, arguing that Putin has violated ceasefire agreements in the past. The Ukrainian leader has received near-universal backing from Kyivs Western allies on this point. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the UK Parliament on Monday that security guarantees must be part of any peace agreement. We know (Putin) is not a man to keep his word. We must be vigilant on all fronts in relation to Putin, Starmer said. Melnyk said that Ukraine had spent the past few weeks trying to understand which of Trumps statements should be treated as policy announcements and which were just part of a strategy of trying to please the Russians and lure them into negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With every practical step, there is more clarity that this is exactly what President Trump and his people are going to do (as policy). And currently, its not going to benefit anyone except our enemies and rivals like Russia and China, he said. He said the announcement on Monday sparked shock and sadness across Ukraine. Most Ukrainians simply glorify the United States of America and are being very sincere when saying God Bless America, he said. This is a kind of real cold shower and probably one of the biggest shocks of the war. While Trump has not come out with a specific peace plan, he has suggested Ukraine will have to make sacrifices in terms of its territory, often repeating key Kremlin falsehoods and even suggesting that Ukraine may be Russian someday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To many, this sounds like a capitulation. A woman visits the 'Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine' in downtown Kyiv on March 4, 2025. - Roman Pilipey/AFP/Getty Images John Lough, the head of foreign policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre, said that Zelensky cannot accept such a proposal. I dont really understand what (Zelensky) is supposed to be telling the Americans. I am going to give our territory, I am going to agree to whatever terms that you discuss with the Russians? he said. I mean, this is absolutely absurd. They cant do that, and they wont do that, he added. Could Ukraines other allies help fill the hole? The US is Ukraines biggest single provider of military aid, but not its only one. According to the Kiel Institute, which monitors aid to Ukraine, the military aid that has been coming from Europe is comparable to that from the US and in the short term, the Europeans could step in and help Kyiv bridge the gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This has happened before Europes aid became much more crucial during the first half of last year when US aid deliveries dwindled. At the same time, Ukraine has become more self-reliant since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukrainians have significantly ramped up their production of drones, of their artillery, of their own personnel carriers. Theyve been doing that since 2023 since facing the possibility of not having aid, Stepanenko said. The European Union on Tuesday unveiled a plan to allow member states to borrow 150 billion ($158 billion) to boost their defense spending and massively step up their military support for Kyiv. The EU used a similar approach to raise funds to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of Ukraines European allies are pushing for Russias frozen assets to be seized and used to fund defense aid. For now, only proceeds from these assets are being used to prop up Ukraines defense. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels on March 4, 2025. - Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty Images But the hard truth is that even if Europe had the necessary funds, it will take years for the underfunded European defense sector to measure up to that of the US. There are also some weapon systems that only the US can provide, including the Patriot defense systems which are capable of bringing down cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, short-range ballistic missiles and aircraft. The US holds licensing to the systems themselves and the missiles for them, which makes it challenging for European countries to recreate them, Stepanenko said. The Patriots play a crucial role in Ukraines air defenses, protecting millions of civilians living across the country. While other Western systems can be effective against cruise missiles and drones, the Patriots offer unparalleled protection against advanced hypersonic and ballistic missiles. Russia has been using these missiles on a regular basis; it has increased their domestic production and begun procuring more from North Korea. What options does Ukraine have now? Stepanenko said that Ukraines best option is to focus on strengthening its coalition with Europe. Ukraine had already laid pretty good groundwork for that by forming several initiatives, for example, several European states formed ammunition initiatives, they formed drone initiatives, air defense initiatives, and I think this is the time to expand those, she said. Theres also a significant discussion about the need to seize Russian frozen assets in Europe to help sponsor any procurement of weapons, not just from the US, but also globally, she added, pointing to countries like South Korea, which has in the past sold the US ammunition that was later given to Ukraine. Trump has made no secret that he views the current blow-up through an extremely personal lens, blaming it entirely on Zelensky. Kurt Volker, a former US ambassador to NATO and former US special representative for Ukraine, said that if he were to advise Zelensky, hed urge him to sign the deal on natural resources as soon as possible. The deal was meant to be signed when Trump met Zelensky at the White House on Friday during the meeting that spiraled out of control and ended prematurely when the Ukrainian leader was ordered to leave. This will align the US and Ukraine going forward and serve the interests of both countries, Volker said. If I could advise President Zelensky, it would be do have a public, on-camera signing of the agreement, where he expresses his appreciation to the United States and the American people as Ukraines strategic partner, regrets the way the Oval Office meeting on Friday went, and makes clear that he is 100% committed to getting peace for Ukraine, Volker told CNN. Zelensky said on Tuesday that he was ready to sign the minerals deal any time and in any convenient format. Writing on X, the Ukrainian president said it was regrettable that his meeting with Trump did not go the way it was supposed to be. He said Ukraine was ready to come to the negotiating table, adding that my team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. But a leading Russia analyst and historian, Mark Geleotti, said that Zelensky and Ukraine might need to go beyond the point of kind words to repair the relationship. I think in the circumstances, what Trump is expecting is not just the kind of obsequious flattery that he didnt get in the Oval Office, but its also, firstly signing the minerals agreement, secondly, accepting that, essentially, America will work out some kind of a deal with Russia and then bring it back to Ukraine, he told CNN in an interview. Could the aid be restarted? The past few weeks have shown that the Trump administration is prepared to go on a rollercoaster ride to achieve what it wants and that nobody can quite predict what will happen next. Lough said that there still seem to be gaps in the administration policy on Ukraine most notably in the way different officials view Putin. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month, after meeting with Russian officials, that it remained to be seen whether Russia was serious about wanting peace. How do you reconcile that with what Trump is saying? He is implying hes got Putin on side, that Putin is ready to go, and (they are) going to get a peace deal quickly, Lough said. President Trump is mercurial, to say the least, but I think from a Ukrainian perspective, they cant bank on the fact that hes going to suddenly show mercy and switch on the aid again and perhaps put President (Vladimir) Putin under pressure. We dont see any signs of that yet, he added. Trump has made several U-turns on Ukraine over the past few weeks, calling Zelensky a dictator one day only to deny having made that statement a few days later. While White House officials have said Zelensky should come back once he is ready to talk about peace, it remains to be seen whether Zelenskys willingness to sign the natural resources deal could turn the aid tap back on. Geleotti is sceptical. I think that the fundamental point is that, as far as Trump is concerned, Ukraine is a bought-and-paid-for vassal state and has to understand its place. So its not just a bit of flattery today. Its reassurance is that Ukraine now understands that it has to do whatever America tells it to do, he said. CNNs Lauren Kent, Brad Lendon, Jim Sciutto, Katie Bo Lillis and Zachary Cohen, Niamh Kennedy and James Frater contributed reporting For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Donald Trump may walk into the Capitol like its a State of the Union. He may talk like its a State of the Union. But technically, the big speech he gives on Tuesday before a joint session of Congress is not a State of the Union address. Thats mostly due to tradition. While Article II of the Constitution mandates Presidents to from time to time give Congress Information of the State of the Union, early reports varied in frequency and form. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS): Between 1801 and 1913, Presidents fulfilled their constitutional duty by sending their yearly report as a formal written letter to Congress. It was President Woodrow Wilson who in 1913 revived the practicestarted by George Washington in 1790of delivering an oral address to Congress, though some subsequent Presidents still delivered a written message in addition or instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report was referred to as an Annual Message until President Franklin D. Roosevelt, according to CRS, applied the constitutional language State of the Union, both to the message and the event, which became the popular nomenclature from his presidency forward. The State of the Union Address title became official in 1947 during Harry Trumans administration, according to the House Office of the Historian. That was also the first televised State of the Union. Prior to the 20th Amendment, which in 1933 formalized the swearing in of new members of Congress to Jan. 3 and new Presidents from March 4 to Jan. 20, the Annual Message was typically delivered in December. Beginning in 1934, 10 months into Roosevelts first term, the State of the Union began to be delivered at the beginning of the year (usually January or February but recently as late as March). But the new timing created a question of whose responsibility it was to deliver the report in an inauguration year: the outgoing or incoming President? According to another CRS report, some Presidents have chosen not to deliver a State of the Union address in the last January before they depart from office, or in the year they were inaugurated. But not in 1981. That year, outgoing President Jimmy Carter delivered a written message to Congress on Jan. 16, and newly-inaugurated President Ronald Reagan delivered an oral address to a joint session of Congress on Feb. 18. But Reagan started a new tradition: his inauguration-year speech to Congress explicitly was not a State of the Union address. Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump, and Joe Biden have all followed suit, delivering speeches that are not State of the Union addresses to a joint session of Congress in the weeks after their inauguration. (Reagan called his speech Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Program for Economic Recovery, while the Bushes and Clinton called theirs addresses on Administration Goals, and Obama, Trump, and Biden simply called theirs Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the fact that these speeches are technically not State of the Union addresses makes little difference, according to the American Presidency Project, which says the impact of such a speech on public, media, and congressional perceptions of presidential leadership and power should be the same. For Trumps part, the speech on Tuesday will be an opportunity for him to discuss the first six weeks of his second term that have upended Washington and the world and to outline his agenda for the weeks and years ahead. TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE BIG, Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday. I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS! Contact us at letters@time.com. The National Weather Service issued increased fire danger alerts for North and South Carolina on Tuesday as firefighter crews continued to battle more than 170 wildfires across both states since last weekend. The fires have prompted evacuations in certain areas and a state of emergency declaration. The largest fire stretched across over 2,000 acres in Horry County, S.C., the fourth most populated area in the state, and threatened the nearby Carolina Forest, a community near Myrtle Beach. Residents were told they could return home on Sunday after the South Carolina Forestry Commission announced the fire was about 30% contained. 8:37 am - this is the most insane video Ive seen of the wildfire yet. It was raging near Wyandot Ct. in The Reserve at Walkers Woods early this morning. Heroic firefighters were able to suppress the fire and save all of these homes. Video via Greg Staff. pic.twitter.com/nqkJxVHZXW Ed Piotrowski (@EdPiotrowski) March 2, 2025 A combination of dry fuels, limited rainfall and low humidity in the Carolina areas are being blamed for the fires, the U.S. Forest Service said. The National Weather Service issued a warning on Saturday of elevated fire weather throughout the Southeast due to critically low relative humidity and dry fuels, meaning low moisture in vegetation and plants, which helps spread wildfires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As firefighters continue to battle and contain the fires across the two states, no injuries have been reported and no buildings have been lost in the fires, Horry County officials said. While some evacuation orders have been lifted in affected communities, residents are still being warned about poor driving and air quality conditions due to the heavy smoke. Where things stand in South Carolina Severe thunderstorms are expected to hit South Carolina on Wednesday morning through the early afternoon, potentially increasing wind gusts and causing tornadoes, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division reported. The biggest wildfire in South Carolina, located near Myrtle Beach, started behind someone's house on Saturday afternoon, Horry County officials said. The South Carolina Forestry Commission said in a Facebook post that while an investigation was still underway, the fire is believed to be human-caused, but not by a prescribed burn or a controlled burn to manage decaying vegetation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire is still 30% contained and has covered over 2,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon. Officials said they would investigate what started the blaze after the fire was contained. "It's not uncommon for a fire of this size to take many days to suppress," South Carolina Forestry Commission spokesperson Doug Wood told Newsweek. "The spread depends completely on the direction of the winds. Embers can travel up to a mile, so it's entirely possible the fire can jump the lines." South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Sunday and issued a statewide burn ban in response to the wildfires affecting thousands of acres across the state. The ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning and campfires. This State of Emergency ensures that our first responders, who are working tirelessly and risking their lives to protect our communities from these wildfires, have the resources they need, McMaster said in a statement. Dangerous wildfire conditions require that a statewide burning ban remain in effect until further notice. Those who violate this ban will be subject to criminal prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The South Carolina National Guard shared photos of troops pouring over 1,000 gallons of water onto the fires in Horry County. U.S. Army Soldiers with Company A, 1-111th General Support Aviation Battalion, 59th Aviation Troop Command, South Carolina National Guard mobilized three UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters in support of the South Carolina Forestry Commission and the South Carolina Department of Natural pic.twitter.com/ELbtOxktNi SC National Guard (@SCNationalGuard) March 3, 2025 While schools across the county are operating on a regular Monday schedule, some adjustments will be made based on the weather and air quality caused by the fires, Myrtle Beach news outlet WBTW reported. Where things stand in North Carolina All wildfires were reported to be contained in some capacity, the U.S. Forest Service said Tuesday afternoon. However, the state is expecting isolated flash flooding Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Emergency officials said 15 structures had been damaged by the fires in Robseon County, which experienced nearly 80 fires since Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A brush fire in the Blue Ridge Mountains area was threatening some small communities about 40 miles south of Asheville and had burned around 500 acres. Around 30% of the fire was contained by late Sunday evening, according to Polk County Emergency Management. One of the largest fires was at Uwharrie National Forest, about 50 miles east of Charlotte. The Forest Service reported Sunday night that it was roughly 30% contained and had burned over 410 acres after beginning sometime Saturday afternoon. Evacuations were ordered in some communities like Tyron and Saluda on Saturday and are still in place. Saluda Fire and Rescue reported that a downed power line was responsible for the fire that caused these specific evacuations. Is it normal for the Carolinas to experience this many wildfires? Weather Channel meteorologist Robb Ellis said that these wildfires are not a rare occurrence in the Carolinas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wildfires are not only common in parts of the Carolinas, but are part of the natural ecosystem of the area, especially in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain, Ellis said. Pine forests regularly rely on wildfire for the release of seeds from pine cones and to clear vegetation for new growth." South Carolina also had unusually low rainfall in certain areas throughout February, and the vegetation is dry, which helps spread the fires. The fires at Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management property in South Carolina on Monday. (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources/Getty Images) Whats predicted for the rest of the week Forecasters warned Monday morning that fire danger could continue throughout the Carolinas for the next few days if dry weather conditions continue. Fires on the National Forests in North Carolina have crews increasing containment and are not expected to experience any significant growth, especially as weather less beneficial to fire spread moves into the area Tuesday night, the Forest Service wrote on Facebook Monday morning. The combination of dry fuels, limited rainfall, and very low humidity will lead to an elevated risk of adverse fire behavior today. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services also flagged on X that dry conditions and wind increase the risk of wildfires. Wildfires are raging across Georgia and North and South Carolina. The last few weeks of dry, windy conditions in the South are extremely conducive to fire. Now hundreds of separate fires have caught and thousands of acres have burned, per Axios. Dozens of people have evacuated while firefighters combat the blazes. Wildfires in central Georgia are at 80% containment on Tuesday; North Carolinas largest fire was 63% contained on the evening of Monday; and South Carolinas largest fire, the Carolina Forest fire, is 30% contained as of Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human involvement is the reason behind these fires and the answer to preventing them as well, said Georgia Forestry Commission Protection Chief Thomas Barrett in a statement. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins plans to visit the region on Friday, per NC Newsline. Wildfires in Georgia Though less prevalent than the annual fires that can impact California and the Northwest, the thick, expansive forests in rural parts of Georgia and the Carolinas pose serious risk for wildfires in dry seasons. Moreover, the states five-year average for wildfires has increased, meaning greater danger and more ruined acres of land, per Patch Any spark that takes hold outdoors is capable of igniting a large wildfire, reported Barrett. That means one ember from a backyard leaf pile, grill or campfire can spark a dangerous fire. Also hot machinery on dry grasses or a tossed cigarette. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the National Interagency Fire Center, Georgia is in the red for March, meaning it is at much greater risk than usual for wildfires. A Georgia Forestry Commission spokesperson said that nearly 6,200 acres had burned as of March 3, per WSB-TV. Firefighters mainly attribute causes to humans burning things outdoors. One person has died so far, according to Patch. Rain is due late in the day on Tuesday and throughout Wednesday, but the commission expects wildfire danger to remain high throughout the month. Just dont burn outdoors, said commission spokesperson Wendy Burnett. Save it for another day. Those leaves and limbs will be there in a week or a month, whenever it becomes safe to burn them up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgias wildfires follow just months on the heels of Hurricane Debby in August 2024, which caused tremendous flooding and two deaths, and Hurricane Helene in September, which devastated Georgias power system, provoked massive destruction, including landslides, and killed over 30 Georgians. Wildfires in the Carolinas On Sunday, Gov. Henry McMaster responded to over 175 active blazes by declaring a state of emergency in South Carolina. Though the Carolinas will receive the same cold front that will usher in rain in Georgia, this is too late for the dozens of people who have evacuated their homes in both states. Thousands of acres have burned. The South Carolina National Guard even came in with helicopters and dropped 600 gallons of water at a time on several of the fires. In this photo released by the Horry County Fire Rescue, smoke is seen from fires in Horry County, S.C., on Saturday, March 1, 2025. | Horry County Fire Rescue via Associated Press The largest fire in South Carolina, the Carolina Forest Fire, broke out only 5 miles north of Myrtle Beach, which remains open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, 189 fires have caught in North Carolina as of Tuesday, per USA Today. The brave men and women of the U.S. Forest Service began responding immediately to the fires in the Carolinas, said Secretary Rollins in a statement. We will ensure they have the resources, personnel and support they need to swiftly put out the fires. They are working closely with state and local partners, and we are grateful for all the firefighters working on the frontlines. Like Georgia, North and South Carolina were also partially devastated by hurricanes Debby and Helene, according to the USDA. Lives were lost in both states. Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that wildfires in the region are also growing worse on average. They also predict that increasingly dry weather, pushed by human-caused climate change, will heighten temperatures and increase the number of acres burned every year. AUSTIN (KXAN) On Monday evening, Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell signed orders declaring a local state of disaster for their respective counties, which prohibited outdoor burning. KXANs First Warning Weather Team said the Red Flag Warning for very high fire danger would last from Tuesday morning and continue through Tuesday night. Travis County Judge Brown urged the public to exercise caution and follow the burn ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protecting life and property is our priority at Travis County. While we hope for the best-case scenario, the Disaster Declaration will help prepare our wildfire response for the worst-case scenario, Brown said. Even a small spark can spread rapidly and pose a serious threat to our homes and businesses. I ask all Travis County residents to avoid outdoor burning, keep cars off dry grass, and properly store trailer chains, so we can all do our part to minimize the risk of wildfires. Additionally, signing this declaration will allow Travis County to make all necessary preparations to quickly evacuate neighborhoods if needed and access state resources. Williamson County said their order was issued due to severe drought and weather conditions that present a public safety hazard that would be exacerbated by outdoor burning. Officials said the order can be lifted by a county judge if conditions improve. Based on the feedback from the National Weather Service, I am issuing this declaration. In addition to Tuesday being a Red Flag Warning Day, they feel weather conditions will be so extremely critical for fire danger in Central Texas that extra precautions must be taken, Gravell said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) It has been an extremely windy day across parts of New Mexico. Rain and snow will continue to move through parts of New Mexico overnight, with breezy to windy weather through Tuesday evening. Blizzard conditions are possible tonight in northeast New Mexico. Southwest winds have been gusting to around 60 mph across much of New Mexico Monday afternoon. This has been causing large, dense areas of blowing sand and dust, which has reduced visibility and even caused the closure of some roadways in the state. This wind is also bringing an extreme fire danger to the eastern part of the state, so if any fire does still develop it could spread rapidly and uncontrollably. Meanwhile, there is some moisture with this storm in western and northern New Mexico. A few spotty rain and snow showers are moving through this part of the state. Temperatures are in the 30s behind a strong Pacific cold front in western New Mexico. Forecast Continues Below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tonight, winds will only slightly relax, but it will still be windy across the state. Spotty rain and snow showers will move east across New Mexico as well, bringing some light snowfall accumulations to northern and western New Mexico. A few flurries or sprinkles cant be ruled out overnight in the Albuquerque Metro. Heavier snow will develop by Tuesday morning in far northeast New Mexico, where high winds could cause blizzard conditions up there before ending by the afternoon. Northwest winds could gust to as high as 60 to 70 mph in eastern New Mexico on Tuesday afternoon. Calmer weather returns Wednesday as a large area of high pressure briefly builds across New Mexico. This will also bring in warmer temperatures. This calmer weather is short-lived, though, with another storm system moving into New Mexico Thursday. High winds will return Thursday afternoon with widespread wind gusts over 45 mph again and isolated 65 mph wind gusts possible. Well likely see areas of blowing dust again along with a high fire danger. The good news about this storm system is that it will bring in better moisture and better chances for rain and snow across the state, especially Friday into Saturday morning. Temperatures will warm up as calmer weather returns again on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. A former Jeopardy! champion admitted in a Brooklyn, New York, court Monday to posing as a child online to lure students including from the private school where he taught into sending sexually explicit images of themselves, amNY reported. Winston Nguyen, 38, pleaded guilty to use of a child in a sexual performance as a sexually motivated felony and endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Brooklyn district attorney. He will likely receive a seven-year prison sentence. He will be temporarily kept at Rikers Island before his sentencing next month, according to The New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last July, prosecutors outlined charges that Nguyen catfished underage participants on Snapchat some as young as 13 into transmitting nude photos and videos of sexual acts between 2022 and 2024. He targeted potential victims from Saint Anns School, where he taught math, and students from other schools in the area, the DAs office noted. Todays plea holds this defendant responsible for his disturbing and predatory conduct while sparing young and vulnerable victims from ever having to testify about their traumatic experiences, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. This kind of exploitation of children, made even more distressing by the fact that the defendant was a trusted school figure, will never be tolerated in Brooklyn, and we will continue to expose and root it out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nguyen, who previously served time for stealing $300,000 from an elderly couple he cared for, told the Times before his guilty plea, I very much take responsibility for my actions. I made bad decisions. Nguyen won $10,067 on a 2014 episode of Jeopardy and lost his next game. Need help? Visit RAINNs National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Centers website. Related... Democratic Party leaders announced Tuesday they are launching a seven-figure initiative to counter Elon Musk's spending in support of conservative Waukesha County candidate Brad Schimel in the current Supreme Court election. Dubbed "The People v. Elon Musk," Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler said the party would air digital ads, conduct town halls across the state, do door-to-door canvassing and host media events in support of liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford. She is running against Schimel in the April 1 for a seat on the Supreme Court. The winner will determine the ideological bent of the high court for at least the next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Elon Musk, Donald Trump's bag man, is attacking the very foundations of this country, and Elon Musk has set his sights on Wisconsin to buy the state Supreme Court by buying Brad Schimel and bankrolling a massive campaign to give him a tie-breaking vote on the highest court in the state of Wisconsin," Wikler said on a Zoom call. The first digital ad, scheduled to start running Tuesday, appears on the website peoplevmusk.com. More: New DNC chair Ken Martin visits Wisconsin, calls Supreme Court, DPI races first big test Jacob Fischer, a spokesman for Schimel, noted that Crawford is also backed by billionaires. Records show Crawford has received $1 million from liberal billionaire George Soros and $500,000 from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker via transfers from the Democratic Party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The attempts by Susan Crawford and the Democrats to distract the people of Wisconsin from her extreme views and the radical billionaires funding her are a mockery of hypocrisy," Fischer said in a statement. State campaign records show Musk's super PAC, called America PAC, has spent $3.2 million on voter outreach, digital ads and texting for Schimel between Feb. 17 and Tuesday. Building America's Future, a political nonprofit funded largely by Musk, has reported spending more than $2 million on ads attacking Crawford in the state's five media markets over the past two weeks. Nationally, Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been leading the Department of Government Efficiency as part of Trump's controversial efforts to slash federal government spending. Musk's groups aren't the only outside conservative groups backing Schimel. Fair Courts America, a group funded largely by GOP megadonor Richard Uihlein, and the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state's largest business lobby, are also spending millions of dollars on TV spots supporting Schimel and attacking Crawford. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Better Wisconsin Together, a liberal group, has run ads critical of Schimel. Crawford's campaign has raised at least $7.7 million, including $3 million from the state Democratic Party. Schimel's campaign has brought in $5.1 million, which includes $1.67 million from the state GOP. Both Crawford and Schimel have said they will not be influenced by the big spending by the out-of-state billionaires. More: Bice: Brad Schimel says he's not for sale after Elon Musk group drops $1.5M in his race More: Bice: Susan Crawford says Elon Musk's spending is bad but George Soros' donation is just fine Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his Tuesday press call, Wikler said internal polling found only 1% of likely Democratic voters gave a favorable rating to Musk the wealthiest person in the world while 94% gave an unfavorable rating. But Wikler acknowledged that the conservatives might have an edge in spending so far. "At this point, there is more funding on the right than there is for supporting Susan Crawford," Wikler said. "But that doesn't mean that the Crawford campaign will be out communicated because she's spending more efficiently and her message is more powerful and more effective." Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 313-6684 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on X at @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Democrats to counter Elon Musk'scash in Supreme Court race (WFRV) Deputies in Wisconsin were kept busy on Monday after making a pair of arrests throughout the day for OWI offenses. According to the Crawford County Sheriffs Office, deputies first conducted a traffic stop at 2:23 p.m. on State Highway 35 in the Township of Eastman. Officials say the driver, 49-year-old Josha Czap of Prairie du Chien, had shown signs of drug-related impairment. Czap was arrested and taken to the Crawford County Jail on the charge of Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of a restricted substance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff: Autopsies completed for both victims in Wisconsin death investigation Then at 10:40 p.m. on Monday, deputies made another traffic stop, this time on State Highway 35 in the Township of Seneca. Officials say the driver, 40-year-old David Salis from Dubuque, Iowa, was driving with a revoked drivers license and also showed signs of drug-related impairment. Salis was arrested and taken to the Crawford County Jail on the charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of a restricted controlled substance and operating a motor vehicle with a revoked drivers license. No additional information is available on either incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. On 3 March Colombias Presidentcalled for an international commission to assess ongoing violence in the north-eastern Catatumbo region, where the military is struggling to push back a major offensive by the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN) guerrilla group. End of preview - This article contains approximately 409 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) Deputies said a woman has been arrested this weekend on multiple burglary related charges. The Oconee County Sheriffs Office said on Saturday evening, deputies received a call in reference to a domestic disturbance on Biggerstaff Road, around 7:30 p.m. A man told deputies that he had been assaulted by Amanda Kaye Lawing, 31, and that she had stolen a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado. The victim told deputies that Lawing had drove the truck into a neighbors yard and fled the scene on foot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies said that later that same evening, around 8:50 p.m., they received a call in regards to a disturbance on Biggerstaff Road. Deputies said that Lawing had broken into the home and was seen going through the refrigerator. Lawing then went outside, after she was confronted, and began hitting the stolen Silverado, deputies said. She fled the home on foot and deputies said there was damage to the residence and vehicle, including broken windows on the truck. She was located in a storage building at Chambers Hill Road. Deputies said a wallet that belonged to one of the victims was located on Lawing. Lawing was arrested and charged with first degree burglary, petit larceny, malicious injury to personal property, malicious injury to real property, domestic violence, and use of a vehicle without permission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She is being held on a $37,782.50 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. (Photo by Getty Images) The Iowa Board of Nursing will consider next month whether to award a license to a Scott County woman convicted of bilking dozens of people out of $2.9 million in a precious-metals scheme. In November 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Chelsea Gless, then 31, of Princeton, Iowa, on multiple counts of mail fraud. Prosecutors alleged Gless, as part-owner and manager of Royal Metals Group, offered prospective clients an opportunity to purchase and sell precious metals, such as gold and silver, through the company for an agreed-upon fee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between May 2014 and February 2018, according to court documents, Gless allegedly devised and carried out a scheme to defraud those clients, in part by using their money to make personal credit card payments. When clients inquired as to the status of payments they were owed, or the delivery of precious metals they had purchased, Gless allegedly sent them falsified tracking numbers for deliveries, sent them unsigned checks or checks made out for the wrong amount, or sent them checks that later bounced due to insufficient funds, court records show. At least 71 clients were defrauded a total of more than $2.9 million, prosecutors claimed. As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Gless pleaded guilty to one count of felony mail fraud, punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment, and six other charges were dropped. Prior to Gless sentencing in 2022, Assistant United States Attorney Rachel J. Scherle told the court her conduct was financially and emotionally devastating to the victims. Chelsea Gless was running the business and she was in charge, Scherle said. Chelsea Gless had the power to stop the manipulation, but she continued to lie and lie over and over again until there were no more metals or money leaving the victims high and dry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court records indicate one of Gless victims was an elderly widow who lost $34,000 in the scheme as she prepared to move to an assisted living facility. Another widow lost $18,000 and told prosecutors, $18,000 may not sound like a lot of money to some people. But for a widow on a fixed income with several health issues it is a lot. A third individual lost their entire retirement savings of $260,326, telling prosecutors, I am a very quiet, non-confrontational person. Just the thought of contacting the FBI was so stressful to me that my daughter had to step in and do the contact for me. Gless attorneys characterized her as a pawn in the business which was initiated by her husband, Richard Gless, who was 20 years older than Chelsea. Richard Gless died in 2012, before the alleged fraud occurred. Chelsea Gless was sentenced to three years in prison, plus three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,935,906 in restitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after her sentencing, Gless sought a delay in her scheduled incarceration date of Feb. 10, 2022, telling the court she would like to make an egg donation in relation to her surrogacy business and the anticipated egg retrieval date is February 23. Gless request was denied. Gless was released from prison in November 2023, and in 2024 was awarded an associates degree in nursing from Scott Community College, with plans to work as a labor and delivery nurse. In October 2024, she applied for an Iowa registered nurses license and was denied on the basis of her felony conviction. She appealed that decision and requested a hearing that is now scheduled for April 10, 2025. Court records indicate that as of January 2025, Gless had paid $14,201 toward restitution, leaving $2,921,391 still owed. She remains on supervised release. New London Police said a 41-year-old woman has died at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital after crashing early Sunday morning into a fixture at the Parade Plaza at the corner of Bank and State streets. In a Sunday news release, police said they had responded to the plaza at 12:37 a.m. Sunday. When they arrived, they found a heavily damaged motor vehicle, with the injured driver, Joslyn Wakefield, inside. Wakefield was taken from the vehicle by the New London Fire Department, and transported to L+M, where she was pronounced dead, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wakefield's last known address is uncertain, police said, adding the department has notified her next-of-kin. Police did not specify further what the fixture was that Wakefield had crashed into, but on Sunday night bits of plastic and glass debris appearing to be from a car accident could be found near the south-facing steps to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. There, a heavy concrete block was also displaced. Police said they are investigating, and asked anyone with information to call the department's detective bureau at (860) 447-1481, or to submit information anonymously to the New London Tips 411 system. A woman went overboard from the Royal Caribbean ship Explorer of the Seas during the first day of The 80s Cruise, a nostalgia cruise featuring musical acts such as Squeeze, Adam Ant, Tiffany and Men at Work. The woman has been identified as Kimberly Burch, fiancee of Faster Pussycat singer Taime Downe. The rock group was one of the acts that were part of the cruises lineup. Her mother, Carnell Burch, told TMZ that Burch fell off the ship following an argument with Downe, though its unclear whether she accidentally fell or jumped. Burchs mom believes she would not have intentionally hurt herself. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Facebook post from Burchs family on Tuesday said she will be greatly missed by all that knew and loved her, and asked for prayers during this time for our family as we try to wrap our minds around this heartbreaking tragedy. Multiple sources aboard Explorer of the Seas confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that a search operation involving several ships was conducted after Burch went overboard around 11 p.m. on Sunday. It is unclear what caused the incident. Sources say the Explorer of the Seas continued on with its planned journey with the U.S. Coast Guard taking over the search operation. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told THR early on Tuesday: Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort, is working with local authorities, and we are providing support and assistance to the guests family during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our guests family, we have no additional details to share. THR has also reached out to the promoters of The 80s Cruise for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement THR communicated with one passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, about what happened. [The incident] happened around 11 p.m. Squeeze was the band playing last night. There was an announcement over the PA saying someone went overboard so the ship was going to stop and turn around to try and locate the person. The passenger added, [The] ship was stopped for a few hours. Safety boats were deployed with floodlights to illuminate the surrounding area. Another cruise ship nearby had its floodlights on searching as well. My wife spoke with some people on one of the decks saying they heard that it was a woman and it was caught on camera. Cant confirm though. Eventually the ship powered up and off we went. This morning a PA announcement said that the US Coast Guard had taken over the search. We arrived at Nassau, Bahamas a few hours behind schedule. No excursions were canceled. Havent heard anything since. In a thread, X user Casey Markee tweeted, Currently on the #RCL Explorer of the Seas for the #80scruise. Unfortunately, we have a woman overboard situation and boats have been deployed. We are currently 80+ miles from Miami at 11pm PST. Not good. In a followup tweet, Markee tweeted, It looks like the woman jumped from the balcony of her 8th floor room after an argument with her partner. This is our 15th cruise, and the first time weve actually experienced this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, an X user named Alan Smith tweeted, Person overboard on Royal Carribean Explorer of the Seas. On the 80s Cruise. Just saw a great show by Squeeze, then it was announced a person is overboard. Ship is stopped and searching. Other nearby ships helping. The 80s Cruise is a nostalgia-laced cruise experience that celebrates the music and culture of the 1980s. The 2025 lineup for the cruise also includes Christopher Cross, Sheila E., Andy Bell (one half of Erasure), Warrant, Dokken, FireHouse, Information Society, Kurtis Blow, Honeymoon Suite, TPau, Naked Eyes, Musical Youth, Sunset Blvd. and The Reflexx. The cruise features more than 50 concerts and fans and guests can also interact with their idols. The 2024 edition of the cruise featured Wang Chung, Air Supply, Soft Cell, The English Beat, Debbie Gibson, The Escape Club and 38 Special. The seven-day roundtrip cruise sets off from Miami and calls at Nassau, San Juan and Puerto Plata. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katherine Turman contributed to this report. March 4, 7 a.m. Updated with Royal Caribbean statement. March 4, 11:30 a.m.: Updated with Kimberly Burchs name. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. DALY CITY, Calif. (WJW) A San Francisco woman was arrested and charged with child endangerment after a stunt she allegedly pulled at a local recreation area where kids were learning to ride horses. According to police, during a riding lesson Feb. 23, an unknown woman approached a horse from behind and pulled its tail, spooking the animal and causing it to throw its young rider off, a press release from Daly City police said. Parents speak out after 7-year-old child left on local school bus Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video of the incident shared by People shows two horses with young riders being guided slowly through the Thorton Beach Recreation Area. The group walks by a man and woman who are seen standing on the side of the path. After the horses pass by, the woman is spotted sneaking up behind the horse in the back and pulling its tail. The horse then begins to jump and buck as the camera view falls to the ground. The Barn Manager at Ocean View Stables, Caroline Reed, told Fox 8 sister station KRON the incident happened during their pasture pony rides where kids are taken on 10 to 15 minute rides to allow them to get comfortable with the large animals. [The video of the incident] was very blown up on social media, obviously because it was a very odd circumstance. You wouldnt think anyone would walk up to a horse and just yank its tail. Thats not really the normal thing for someone to do around an animal like that. Weve been in cooperation with the police since. From what were being told, the child is okay, she told KRON. Reed also told news outlet KTVU that the young rider did get back on the horse and was seen playing with his sister before the family left for the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the press release, police said the child was injured, but the extent of the injuries was not disclosed. The childs mother told KTVU that after initially showing no signs of injuries, her 5-year-old son was treated and the family learned he had suffered a fracture in his leg and a hematoma. Shots fired after local baby shower; 5 people arrested: I-Team Police said the woman involved had left the area before police arrived to investigate, but she was later identified as Tomasa Panjojleon, a 29-year-old woman from San Francisco. On March 1, Daly City police met with Panjojleon and arrested her for felony child endangerment, the press release stated. She was booked into jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. UPDATE: The woman who was killed in the motorcycle crash on Monday, March 3 has been identified as 20-Year-old Isbella Rose Mendez of Las Cruces. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A woman in her early 20s was killed when she was thrown from a motorcycle early Monday morning, March 3, on the Spaghetti Bowl in Central El Paso, police said. 2 seriously injured after motorcycle crash in Central El Paso The crash happened just a little after 12:30 a.m. on Monday along the U.S. 54 southbound ramp to Interstate 10 West, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said a man was driving a motorcycle at a high rate of speed when he struck a barrier, causing his female passenger to be thrown from the bike. The driver of the motorcycle was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for serious injuries. The woman died at the scene, police said. Police have not identified her by name, pending notification of her family. The Special Traffic Investigations Unit continues to investigate the crash. This is the ninth traffic fatality compared to 11 at the same time last 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 KTSM 9 News. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Joanna Bojorquez-Higuera blew through a red light while high on drugs on Valentines Day last year, in a hurry to buy something that makes you feel good, she told police. She never made her purchase her vehicle slammed into other vehicles at the intersection of Chester and California avenues, injuring multiple people. One of the victims attended Bojorquez-Higueras sentencing hearing Tuesday, telling the court he hopes she doesnt escape punishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emotional and financial impact will be felt by my family for years to come, he said. Following his statement, Bojorquez-Higuera, 30, was sentenced to four years and four months in prison. She also was ordered to pay tens of thousands of dollars in fines and restitution. Her license will be suspended for three years. Joanna Bojorquez-Higuera, file image Her demeanor on Tuesday was far different from when she made her initial court appearance in February of last year, when she was removed from for acting out. She stood quietly throughout the hearing. The crash happened just after 10:30 a.m. and resulted in broken bones to two people, according to court filings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taken to Kern Medical and questioned, Bojorquez-Higuera said she used fentanyl two or three days earlier and wasnt sure when she last used methamphetamine, according to the filings. An officer noticed signs of possible drug impairment such as jerking extremities, eyelid tremors, watery eyes and dilated pupils. As they spoke, Bojorquez-Higuera became aggressive and demanded her cellphone, the filings say. She made bizarre statements, telling the officer, I have no bones. Then she tried to leave. The officer handcuffed her to a hospital bed. She spit at him and said, I guess Im gonna have to shoot you with an FN, according to the filings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FN refers to a gun manufacturer. Bojorquez-Higuera pleaded no contest in January to DUI causing injury. Three other charges were dismissed. She has two prior DUI convictions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News. A woman was found stabbed to death in a Dania Beach apartment early Monday morning, and a man who lived at the apartment complex where she was found later died at the hospital, deputies said. Someone called 911 shortly before 2 a.m. Monday about a man and woman arguing inside an eight-floor apartment in the 600 block of East Dania Beach Boulevard, the Broward Sheriffs Office said in a news release Tuesday. A neighbor called to report that another neighbor was yelling for help in an apartment on the eighth floor, according to first responders radio communications archived by the site Broadcastify. Another person called and said they heard fighting and shouting. At some point, one of the neighbors told first responders they no longer heard the woman, only a man screaming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When deputies arrived at the apartment, they found Dareika Chery, 36, of Lauderhill, inside. She had been stabbed multiple times and was pronounced dead there, the Sheriffs Office said. Deputies found Chris Little, 42, in the hallway of the fifth floor. He lived at the complex, according to the Sheriffs Office, but it was not clear whether he lived in the apartment where Chery was found dead. Little was detained and then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Sheriffs Office did not provide additional information. The Homicide Units investigation is ongoing. Florida Department of Corrections records show Little had previously been convicted of drug-related charges, burglary with assault, aggravated battery of a pregnant victim and false imprisonment in Broward County. Little had forced his way into the Coral Springs home of an ex-girlfriend who was pregnant with his child and beat and choked her in May 2010, according to a probable cause affidavit in the case. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) A San Francisco woman filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on Monday against a San Francisco police officer, claiming she suffered physical and emotional damages as a result of what she said was an illegal jaywalking arrest. Fire, explosion inflict $100K in damage to Mountain View restaurant On July 29, 2024, cellphone video from bystanders shows police pinning Christiana Porter against a building in San Franciscos Inner Richmond neighborhood. Photo courtesy of Pointer & Buelna, LLP, Lawyers for the People. According to Porter, a 35-year-old mother of five and domestic violence survivor, the light changed while she was crossing. The San Francisco police officer turned his lights on and pulled up onto the curb, arresting her for jaywalking in the crosswalk near Geary Boulevard and Second Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel like I was being stalked because I was walking while Black, Porter told KRON4. Once my head got smashed into the wall, and all I could feel was stay alive, to just stay alive, get through to the next day, to the next moment. Thats all I can think about at this moment. Porters attorney released the following timeline of the incident: Video shows Porter in the crosswalk as she crosses 2nd Avenue. SFPD officer Josh McFalls police vehicle then appears as shes just three steps from the opposite curb. McFall turns on his light bar behind Porter, who continues down the sidewalk. The video then shows McFall initially crossing 2nd Avenue almost onto the sidewalk, then driving against traffic on Geary Boulevard before he stops and confronts her. As Porter walked down the block, McFall exited the police SUV and aggressively stepped into her path. Startled, she stopped, removed her headphones, and asked why she was being detained. McFall ignored her question and instead demanded to know what she was doing, where she was going, and why. Concerned by his behavior, Porter took out her phone to record the encounter and to call her godfather, who lived nearby, to witness the situation. McFall then approached and pulled out his mace. Mistaking it for a taser, Porter asked for his name and badge number. McFall responded that she was being detained. Her concern escalated to fear, the lawsuit states. When McFall asked for her identification, Porter reached into her purse to comply. Before she could retrieve it, McFall reached for his firearm and shouted, Stop reaching into your bag. You are under arrest. When she asked why, he grabbed her and violently threw her against the wall, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit, Porter v. City and County of San Francisco, Officer Josh McFall, et al Porter said she suffers from a concussion, separated shoulder, back pain, neck pain and nerve damage from the incident. Porter said she is also dealing with trauma from the physical assault due to past domestic violence abuse. Im more physically limited and now I find myself having to rely on them to take over, said Porter. My oldest daughter is sixteen. I just told her Mommy cant drive right now. I never thought that I would be in this situation. Photo courtesy of Christiana Porter. Porters attorney, Treva Stewart, said the lawsuit is also a call for accountability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pretext stops in San Francisco are discriminatory, said Stewart. There are racial disparities in policing and even though this law was enacted to circumvent that type of kind of conduct, they continue, and this officer violated the law and this policy. According to reports, the accused officer previously broke a homeless mans arms during a 2018 arrest. The lawsuit names the city, the county and the officer as defendants. We reached out to the San Francisco Police Department for comment but did not hear back in time for 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 KRON4. HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) Six local bartenders competed in the annual Battle of the Bars to raise money for the St. Patricks Committee of Holyoke, but only one business came out on top. The fifth annual Battle of the Bars was held at the Holyoke Knights of Columbus Council 90 last Friday, with bartenders representing bars and restaurants in the area and competing for tips in teams of two. Career and college planning funds awarded to these western Mass. schools Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In round one, Trista Kasperowski represented Donovans Irish Pub and faced off against Matt Dulude of Pics Pub & Pizzeria, with Donovans raising the greater amount of tips. Mary Kate Glasheen of JPs Restaurant took the spotlight in round two, dominating over Colleen Flanagan representing the Halfway House Lounge. Round three was taken by Ashleigh McNulty representing Griffins Cafe, who received more tips than Chy Clemens from Francies Tavern. The total funds brought in throughout the night totaled over $26,500 for the St. Patricks Committee, setting a record in the five years of holding the competition. In the end, JPs Restaurant took home the trophy, raising $9,416. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JPs Restaurant: $9,416 Halfway House Lounge: $7,639 Donovans Irish Pub: $5,997 Pics Pub & Pizzeria : $1,639 Griffins Cafe: $1,122 Francies Tavern: $779 JPs Restaurant will host a trophy celebration in the near future to recognize Mary Kates efforts in the Battle of the Bars. All funds raised during this event will go to the committees Marching Forward campaign, which helps present the 2025 St. Patricks Day Parade weekend and to continue to preserve this tradition for many years. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. After an intense study of the mammoth's genetic code, scientists have engineered 'woolly' mice with altered fur thickness, color, and texture to recreate the extinct elephant's adaptations to the cold. According to researchers at the US biotechnology and genetic engineering company Colossal Biosciences, the mouse's creation is a key step towards the de-extinction of the woolly mammoth not a revival of an extinct species, but the engineering of a woolly elephant that could thrive on the world's tundras. The controversial work has been described in a preprint article that awaits peer review. But the floof somewhat speaks for itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Colossal Woolly Mouse marks a watershed moment in our de-extinction mission," says Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences. "By engineering multiple cold-tolerant traits from mammoth evolutionary pathways into a living model species, we've proven our ability to recreate complex genetic combinations that took nature millions of years to create. This success brings us a step closer to our goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth." Some of the edited mice. (Chen et al., 2025) An extinct species is a bit like Humpty Dumpty. There are a lot a hell of a lot of very small pieces, and working out where they go and what they do is no small task. But you can start small; like, mouse small. Led by geneticist Rui Chen of Colossal Biosciences, an international team of scientists made a painstaking study of several species of extinct mammoths and modern-day elephants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They analyzed 59 genomes from mammoths that lived anywhere between 3,500 and over 1,200,000 years ago, including woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius), steppe mammoths (Mammuthus trogontherii) and Columbian mammoths (Mammuthus columbi). Wild-type mice (top row) compared to edited mice (middle and bottom rows). (Chen et al., 2025) They also studied the genome of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), for a total of 121 genomes. These analyses allowed the researchers to identify mammoth genes that were distinctly different from those of the Asian elephant. From there, they were able to home in on seven genes associated with the luxurious hair of the woolly mammoth, as well as other adaptations suited for colder environments such as fat retention and distribution for warmth. The team used three different gene editing techniques RNP-mediated knockout, multiplex precision genome editing, and precision homology directed repair to make eight simultaneous edits to these seven genes in mouse embryos, resulting in several marked changes from the parent mice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The engineered mice had hair that is up to three times longer than that of wild mice, in addition to being woollier and wavier, with a curl to their whiskers. Those coats are also lighter, like the coats of mammoths, appearing more golden in color, compared to the darker hued fur of wild mice. Edited mice with curlier, woollier coats. (Chen et al., 2025) The hope, one day, is that similar genetic modification of Asian elephants closely related to extinct mammoths will restore mammoths to the world. That may in the end prove unattainable, but some argue the work is still worth doing. The lessons learnt along the way could be a powerful tool for saving other species that are facing extinction today. "In addition to the immense scientific challenge that still lies ahead for the Colossal team, the threats that caused the demise of the woolly mammoth have only worsened in recent years. Therefore, it is somewhat fanciful to believe that one day we will again have self-sustaining populations of mammoths roaming Siberia," says conservation biologist Damien Fordham of the University of Adelaide in Australia, who was not involved in the research. "Nevertheless, the technology could potentially rescue living species from extinction through engineering of their phenotypes. For example, it could be used to reestablish warm tolerant traits lost in dwindling populations of species who are at risk of extinction from human-driven climate change." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colossal has been working on a way to restore mammoths to Earth for some years in what they claim to be a bid to save our planet from the ongoing deleterious effects of human activity. "Never before has humanity been able to harness the power of this technology to rebuild ecosystems, heal our Earth, and preserve its future through the repopulation of extinct animals," Lamm explained in 2021. "In addition to bringing back ancient extinct species like the woolly mammoth, we will be able to leverage our technologies to help preserve critically endangered species that are on the verge of extinction and restore animals where humankind had a hand in their demise." So let's sit back, and appreciate the glorious floof and the hope it represents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study can be found at bioRxiv. Related News With its long, fluffy coat and golden hue, you might be forgiven for thinking this was some kind of exotic hamster from the Siberian wastelands. In fact, this is the worlds first woolly mouse, a genetically engineered pioneer that was bred by scientists to have the woolly mammoth traits of shaggy fur, and the ability to withstand the cold. The breakthrough marks a step on the path to bringing back the mammoth from extinction, and has been created by Colossal, the US de-extinction biotech company, which is also trying to resurrect the dodo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was mostly surprised by how adorable they are, said Dr Beth Shapiro, chief science officer at Colossal. I mean, theyre just mice, I guess, and mice are always a little bit cute, but they are these really adorable, golden haired, long, fluffy haired animals, and I think theyre pretty spectacular. To make the mice, scientists studied the genomes of dozens of mammoths to find out how their DNA differed from modern elephants, and worked out which genes coded for thick, fluffy coats and adaptation to cold. Credit: Colossal Biosciences Once the genes were found, the team then needed to narrow down the list to those that were also carried by mice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They eventually found 10 genes that crossed over both species and related to hair length, thickness, texture and colour, as well as fat metabolism. Scientists then made eight edits to the mouse genome, to modify seven genes. The changes included an edit in the gene FGF5, which alters hair growth cycles, leading to hair that could grow as much as three times longer than normal for the species. Similarly, loss of function in genes FAM83G, FZD6 and TGM3 gave the mice woolly hair texture, wavy coats and curled whiskers through changes to hair follicle development and structure. The team also chose a gene that would make the mice coats turn a golden colour, to match the mammoth mummies unearthed in the Arctic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mice are a test-bed to find out which gene tweaks will be needed in elephant genomes to bring back the mammoth, a task that Colossal wants to achieve by the end of the decade. Dr Shapiro added: You have to say, okay, so which of these genes are the ones that I would need to change if I want to take an Asian elephant cell growing in a dish in a lab and genetically alter it so that when its turned into a mammoth or has these mammoth-like traits? The way that one might test this is to put those changes, a few at a time, into an animal and see what they look like. Here comes a problem. Elephants have a 22 month gestation, and then it takes another more than a decade to reach sexual maturity, which is not a really awesome timeline for testing scientific hypotheses about what you want to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our mammoth mice, however, have a 20 day gestation, and they are also mammals, and so even though theres 200 million years of difference between them, theres still a lot of similarities in their genomes. Multiple changes to the genome simultaneously She added: This is also testing whether or not we can make multiple changes to the genome simultaneously, which is something that were going to have to do if we want to change an elephant genome into a mammoth genome. There are actually eight edits in those mice because one of the genes has two different targets in it, and we get these beautiful, healthy, super cute, little woolly mice. The team used the genomes of 59 woolly, Columbian, and steppe mammoth genomes ranging from 3,500 to 1.2 million years old and compared them to dozens of modern day elephants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mice were also engineered with a gene carried by mammoths called fatty acid binding protein 2, or FABP2, which helps them store fat and put on weight, crucial for surviving in frozen climates. Experts are hopeful that successful engineering of traits that help animals survive in colder or hotter weather could help preserve species as the climate changes. The Colossal woolly mouse marks a watershed moment in our de-extinction mission, said Ben Lamm, co-founder and chief executive of Colossal Biosciences. By engineering multiple cold-tolerant traits from mammoth evolutionary pathways into a living model species, weve proven our ability to recreate complex genetic combinations that took nature millions of years to create. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This success brings us a step closer to our goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth. British scientists said that the new research offered an exciting opportunity to test ideas about extinct animals, but warned it also raised ethical questions about mammoth revival Commenting on the research, which was released as a pre-print ahead of publication, Dr Louise Johnson, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Reading, said: Seeing these mice is a bit like looking back at the past, but with a highly selective telescope. The result does show that it is possible to genetically engineer many genes at once and still produce some live mice at the end of the process, though. The researchers have succeeded in nudging the mouse genome in the direction of a mammoth genome, which is a first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This technology offers an exciting opportunity to test some of our ideas about extinct organisms. Prof Dusko Ilic, professor of stem cell science at Kings College London, added: This raises critical questions: How many elephant cows would need to undergo experimental pregnancies to give birth to a woolly elephant? And how long would it take before the first such hybrid is born? 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. Absolute Drywall, a subcontractor on Eagan's Viking Lakes development, is accused of violating state law by allowing sexual harassment to go unchecked and ultimately firing an employee after she was raped at the job site in 2021, state leaders alleged on Tuesday. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights, represented by Attorney General Keith Ellison, on Tuesday filed to join Norma Izaguirre's lawsuit against the construction company. Juan Diego Medina Cisneros, 31, pleaded guilty to felony criminal sexual conduct in Dakota County last month in connection with raping Izaguirre at the job site while they were both Absolute Drywall employees in May of 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at a press conference, MDHR Commissioner Rebecca Lucero accused Absolute Drywall of violating the Minnesota Human Rights Act by fostering an environment that allowed sexual harassment and rape to go "unchecked." "At the end, Absolute Drywall fired Norma because she reported the sexual harassment to the company," Lucero said Tuesday. Joe Nelson/Bring Me The News Izaguirre began working for Absolute Drywall in January 2021 and began to immediately experience consistent sexual harassment, including unwanted sexual advances, according to MDHR. MDHR said Izaguirre reported the harassment repeatedly and reported the rape, but Absolute Drywall allegedly "failed to take any meaningful action" and ultimately fired Izaguirre. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement Tuesday, Izaguirre said she hopes speaking out will empower other women to tell their stories and hold abusive employers accountable. The States decision to join my case against Absolute Drywall is an acknowledgment of not only my truth, but also the unacceptable reality that women like me, Latina women, too often face sexual harassment and assault in the construction industry, Izaguirre stated. A 2021 report by the Institute for Womens Policy and Research found nearly one in four women working in construction stated they experience near constant sexual harassment on the job. Bring Me The News has reached out to Absolute Drywall for comment. PHILIPPI, W.Va. (WBOY) Workforce West Virginia has invited those who became totally separated from employment on or after February 21, 2025, from the Leer South Mine to attend a Rapid Response Meeting for information on various services and benefits. More than 160 workers in multiple departments of the mine, including those who had been employed there for more than six years, were terminated due to economic challenges in metallurgical coal markets. A quarterly report for Core Natural Resources, the company that acquired Leer South in a merger showed that an underground fire at the mine in January cost the company roughly $30 million, though it is unknown if this was directly related to the layoffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a flyer from the agency two meetings will take place on Tuesday, March 11 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Battlers Knob Cafeteria (Old Alderson Broaddus Cafeteria) in Philippi. The meetings will cover several topics focused on employment, including: Job Opportunities Unemployment Insurance Benefits Retirement Planning Education/Training Community Resources Partner Referrals Previous Coverage Those unable to attend either meeting can request an information packet to be mailed to them by contacting the Dislocated Worker Service Unit at 1-304-558-8414. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 The World Food Programme which relied on the US for nearly half its budget will close its southern Africa office after Washington slashed foreign aid funding. The closure comes as the region is gripped by a severe drought that threatens millions, and as the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo could further strain food supplies. Aid organizations throughout Africa have been forced to close since US President Donald Trumps decision to cut foreign assistance. The UK also announced last month it was reducing aid spending. And although Trumps cuts create an opportunity for China to increase its presence on the continent, Beijing is not likely to plug the aid gap, experts told Semafor Africa Editor Yinka Adegoke. Hong Kongs first new government-approved taxi fleets were launched yesterday, offering 3,500 cabs from five operators. The new-style taxis deliver enhanced service and digital payments, marking a milestone in reforming the industry. The first fleet is expected to take to the road by the end of March, with the restset to be rolled out before July, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan announced at the launching ceremony. With each fleet providing 300 to 1,000 taxis, the five fleets will account for around one-fifth of the citys total of 18,000 cabs. Out of the 3,500 taxis, over 40 percent, approximately 1,500, will be brand new. Each fleet will provide electric taxis, wheelchair-accessible taxis and premium taxis, to promote green transport and cater for diverse travel needs. Chan said there will be 1,900 electric taxis. All the new taxis will provide multiple electronic payment methods for passengers convenience. A triple guarantee system, including global positioning, driving records, and driver monitoring systems will be introduced to ensure vehicle safety. The cabs are also required to display the official certificate and plate of their taxi fleet for easy identification. Chan emphasized that taxi drivers bear the responsibility of shaping visitors first impressions of Hong Kong and are intricately linked to residents daily lives, necessitating progress and innovation to keep pace with the times. She said the overwhelming response to the fleet project since its launch last year reflects the industrys readiness for innovation, calling the initiative a milestone in promoting smart, high-quality services. She said she hopes that these fleets, as pioneers, will attract more drivers and taxis to join the initiative. The five licensed operators Big Boss Taxi Company, CMG Fleet Management, Tai Wo Management, SynCab Service, and Sino Development (International) were selected from 15 bidders in a government tender concluded in July 2024. The first three companys fleets will operate exclusively on urban routes. During the launching ceremony at the Tsing Yi Transport Department Vehicle Examination Complex, around 40 taxis, painted in distinctive colors representing their respective fleets, showcased their features. Aaron Ng Hoi-shan, the managing director of Tai Wo Management, unveiled their new fleet JOIE, which is set to launch by the end of March with 800 taxis, comprising 400 luxury models, 100 wheelchair-accessible units, and 300 hybrids. Ng highlighted that their fleet incorporates various new features such as wireless internet and a ride-hailing platform, emphasizing its superior service quality for drivers. He mentioned the establishment of a training and assessment system within their fleet, along with the introduction of a new intelligent digital monitoring system to ensure service quality. Furthermore, in accordance with the suggestions in the Policy Address, Ng noted that their fleet will provide information in multiple languages besides Chinese and English, including Arabic, to cater to different nationalities. Sonia Cheng Man-yee, executive director of SynCab, stated that their fleet began trial operation in December and started accepting reservations from late-January, receiving positive feedback from passengers and drivers. Passengers can make reservations via phone hotlines or the fleets website and app. Sino Development director Franky Wong Siu-pang explained that their fleet will establish a customer service center to provide 24-hour support, including a rapid complaint resolution mechanism. CMGs fleet, named Amigo Spanish for friend hopes to deliver an especially friendly service, their operation manager Edward Tong explained. The fleet will offer a mobile app covering relevant inquiries and taxi booking services. Big Boss chief operating officer Alex Chiu explained that the fleets name signifies the passenger is our big boss when they board. Chiu said the fleet mainly offers luxury taxis, currently numbering 30, which are more suitable for long-distance trips such as airport transfers, and come equipped with features like massage chairs and ventilated and heated seats. At the same ceremony, Chan also mentioned that in future all taxi drivers will be required to offer at least two electronic payment options. She said that the necessary legislative amendments are expected to be introduced in the second quarter of this year, and they will hopefully be submitted to the Legislative Council during this session. Stephy Zhang, China Daily, Hong Kong, MDT/China Daily Trumps decision to freeze aid to Ukraine was reportedly supported by all his top advisers, and the US president made the move after hearing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy say the war could last a long time. Source: The Wall Street Journal, as reported by European Pravda Details: A senior official in Trumps administration, speaking anonymously, stated that the US presidents decision to suspend aid to Ukraine was backed by all his top national security advisers following several meetings on the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump allegedly made this move out of frustration over Zelenskyys remark that the war could drag on, feeling the need to show he was serious about pushing Ukraine towards negotiations. "The Ukrainians didnt think we were serious," the anonymous official stated. The official added that Trump has yet to determine what would constitute sufficient proof of Ukraines willingness to engage in peace talks. It also remains unclear whether the signing of a so-called natural resources deal between Ukraine and the US would be enough to resume weapons deliveries. On 3 February, the US announced a new agreement between the Ukrainian and American governments on natural resources. Background: Trump ordered a halt to all military aid to Ukraine until he sees that its leadership "demonstrates goodwill toward peace". His decision also affects weapons shipments that had already left US territory and were en route to the Ukrainian border. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Del. Geno Chiarelli, R-Monongalia, lead sponsor of House Bill 2382, addresses the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, March 4, 2025 in Charleston, W.Va. (Lori Kersey | West Virginia Watch) Camping and storing personal belongings on public property would be prohibited statewide under a bill the West Virginia House of Delegates is considering. House Bill 2382 would impose fines of up to $500 and up to 30 days in jail for homeless people who use camping paraphernalia, including sleeping bags and blankets, on governmental or public property, grounds or lawns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill has carve outs for lawfully camping in campgrounds or trailer parks approved for that use. The legislation was before the House Judiciary Committee for a hearing Tuesday morning. Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year upholding a camping ban in Grants Pass, Oregon, dozens of local governments around the country have passed similar laws as they grapple with record levels of homelessness amid a shortage of affordable housing. Opponents of the laws say camping bans do nothing to address homelessness and even make the problem worse by imposing fines and criminal records on people who have nowhere else to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In West Virginia, Morgantown, Clarksburg, Bluefield and Princeton passed camping bans last year after the Grants Pass decision. Morgantowns camping ban is on the ballot for the citys April election after a coalition successfully petitioned the city council to reconsider the law. Del. Geno Chiarelli, R-Monongalia, lead sponsor of HB 2382, said the legislation is in response to Morgantowns ban being challenged and possibly overturned. Chiarelli said he thought the ordinance would have been a positive step for the city. I think that the quality of life in Morgantown is not the same as it was 10 years ago, and I thought this was something that we could do to try and get us back on track, Chiarelli told a reporter after the meeting. It is no silver bullet piece of ordinance, legislation. We know those things dont exist, but I liked where things were going. And then I found out that it was, it was going to be overturned via the petition and everything, and I didnt think that that was the right decision, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the judiciary meeting Tuesday, the bill drew questions from Democrat lawmakers about what the bill would mean when theres no shelter space available to people. According to the bill, no criminal penalty will be imposed on a person unless theyve been offered an alternative place to sleep and declined. But Chiarelli said the bill requires only that people be notified of any alternative shelter and does not contemplate what would happen if no space is available. Many West Virginia counties, particularly rural areas, do not have emergency homeless shelters. In cities like Charleston, Wheeling and Morgantown that do have services, those shelters are regularly full. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Del. Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia, said one of the bills unintended side effects could be that more homeless people may come to places like Morgantown where more services are available to them. Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, argued that, because the bill outlaws camping as defined by using sleeping bags, blankets, tarps and other camping paraphernalia it would require homeless people to give up protection from the cold or risk breaking the law. That could violate the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, he said. My question now is, if the state is now saying that you have to give up protections, which are biologically required because you need to sleep, are we not then becoming violative of the Eighth Amendment in creating a situation where its cruel and unusual by telling people they have to give up their belongings, their protections, because that is now camping and violative of the law? Fluharty said. After the meeting, Chiarelli said shelter beds are something that would have to be figured out moving forward. He pointed to a number of pieces of legislation that address affordable housing and making life better for homeless people, including House Bill 2935, entitled a comprehensive approach to homelessness, which is pending in the Judiciary committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, those kinds of things take money, and Im never opposed to spending money to make life better for people, but it has to be done in a fiscally responsible way, he said. The bill may next come back before the Judiciary Committee for amendments and passage before going to the full House of Delegates for a vote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX CHEYENNE A bill to terminate and defund diversity, equity and inclusion programming at the University of Wyoming and community colleges is headed for Gov. Mark Gordons desk. Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Torrington, has tried to bring sweeping changes like those proposed in Senate File 103, Terminating and defunding diversity, equity and inclusion, in budget amendments during past sessions, but this year, Steinmetz said she felt it was time for the bill to stand alone. This session, Steinmetz has said that rather than DEI programming, she prefers racially neutral, or color blind laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the House, Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, explained that the bill will create two new sections of statute regarding how funds can be used by state entities, be they bequested, charged, deposited, donated, endowed, fees, grants, gifts and tuition. Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland (2025) Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland None could be used to establish or maintain DEI programs, Haroldson said. There are carveouts in the bill for academic course instruction; dissemination of scholarly work by students, faculty or other research personnel of UW or community colleges; and for federally recognized tribes, according to Haroldson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie, said he believes measures like SF 103 will drive young people from the state. Weve heard a lot of talk and we all know this is true about the brain drain. Our young people leaving the state, not wanting to come back, Chestek said. Its stuff like this that makes that happen. Our young people are not as concerned about diversity, equity and inclusion as some of us seem to be in this body, and passing laws like this simply make Wyoming an unwelcome place for the younger generation, Chestek said. Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie (2025) Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie Haroldson pushed back, saying that people in his community are no longer sending their kids to our college because of this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Haroldson said it is within lawmakers purview to say we dont want these things taught to our students, because higher education is funded by the Legislature. SF 103, he said, sets a policy clearly stating what lawmakers want taught in state-funded institutions. The House Speaker Pro Tempore likened it to his role leading Impact Ministries in Wheatland. I have an opportunity to stand as a pastor in a church. Itd be like someone coming in and saying, Hey, we want to give this donation to your ministry, but were going to earmark it to something that morally you disagree with, Haroldson said. Well, thats not going to work. Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, pointed out that SF 103 will also restrict how private donations are used within Wyomings public institutions, which may lead to educational institutions being forced to reject entire donations, even if a small part would be used for programming prohibited under the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson (2025) Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson I think thats a real problem, Yin said. Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie, brought a third-reading amendment to clarify that the restrictions would apply to governmental funds, but would ensure that donor funds were spent according to donor intent. Keep in mind that a governmental entity can refuse a donation from a donor, so if that gift comes with DEI considerations, that governmental entity can say no thanks, Sherwood said. This does not prohibit someone from saying, I dont want to take that gift. Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie (2025) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie Rep. Ken Clouston, R-Gillette, said he would support Sherwoods amendment based on his own experience serving on a cancer care board in his hometown. We would get lots of donations set for different things, he said. The button to call for health help, or when we set up a CT scanner. A lot of the donations were specific for a certain project, so I appreciate the bringer of this amendment, and how it would help in those situations. Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, said Sherwoods amendment would go against the intention of the bill. Here we are trying to decide if we are going to allow private funding to go against the policy that this bill is trying to purport, Bear said. Now, does that mean that some grant monies will be at risk? Yes, it does. But should we be seeking grant money that goes in opposition to this bill? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Haroldson said he was also concerned Sherwoods amendment would prohibit DEI programming except for when it is (paid for with) private funds. I stand 100% behind the idea that we want to eliminate the conversation of diversity, equity and inclusion, and what that has turned into in this day and age, Haroldson said. Sherwood, however, argued that it is easy for lawmakers as collective appropriators to put restrictions on state and federal funds. But the conversation is different when it comes to private dollars, she said. Consider that maybe there is a donor who wants to provide funding for a Black History Month program, Sherwood said. I dont know that it is clear in existing language that that would be allowed. Sherwoods amendment failed, and SF 103 passed the House in a 52-7 vote. CHEYENNE Workers from across the Equality State gathered at the state Capitol on Friday to demand that state and federal elected officials put workers first. A flyer advertising the protest encouraged Wyomingites to join their peers in every field, from mining to federal and state employees, to remind our elected officials that Wyomings strength flows from its working people. The Capitol has been seeing frequent protests during the current legislative session, which ends Thursday. However, this demonstration was unique in its claims to be a nonpartisan solidarity gathering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event was organized by Wyoming State AFL-CIO Executive Director Marcie Kindred. Whether the decisions are being made at a state or federal level, theyre elected to represent us, Kindred said. They work for us, and we want to make sure that they keep us in mind when they make decisions. The rally Kindred was contacted a week prior to Fridays demonstration by local miner and United Steel Workers Local 13214 President Marshal Cummings of Green River. Cummings contacted Kindred concerned about several issues facing the Wyoming workforce, from mining to education, and the two were able to rally a crowd of more than a hundred people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that it was time to let legislators locally know were over all the weird stuff, Cummings said. Everyone in Wyoming is a hard worker. The Wyoming way is the labor way. Growing up working in Wyoming and going into a mine for the first time five days prior to graduating high school, Cummings has watched his working-class peers lose critical protections and benefits. (If) big business gets its way, the first thing theyre going to start cutting is my retirement, my wage, my safety and health, Cummings said. Those things are something that I worked hard for. Cummings added that not only did he work hard for his benefits, but the people that came before him also worked hard for him to have those things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Especially southwest Wyoming, really strong laborers theyre the reason that I got what I got now, and Im not interested in letting it go, Cummings said. Workers from several core Wyoming industries held signs calling out the current Trump administration over federal employee layoffs and demanding action from lawmakers. Cummings invited his former teacher, Daniel Parson, to speak to the crowd about some of the legislation that will directly impact teachers. Im a product of Wyoming education, so when I see that theyre coming after education in a weird way that I dont really believe in, I think its time to let them know thats not what we stand for, Cummings said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parson addressed the crowd, saying this legislative session has seen several bills that have directly attacked education. I have never felt so disrespected in my life, as a teacher, by legislators, Parson said, and more supported in my life by former students, family members, administrators and others. Parson noted that he believed Wyomingites are in favor of a strong education, and the agenda of their elected officials has not reflected that. I really suspect that somethings going on, Parson said. Because how do you get elected and then ignore the will of your constituents? To the gallery Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a moment of serendipity, one of the many bills that workers were concerned about, Senate File 175, Unemployment insurance coverage-period and reporting, was being heard on the floor of the House of Representatives during the rally. The bill would cut unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 20 weeks, with supporters of the bill citing a low unemployment rate as a reason to cut back resources and save employers on their premiums. Kindred encouraged workers at the rally to set down their signs and quietly file into the gallery to show representatives exactly who they were taking unemployment benefits from. Im inviting whoever wants to come and join us to sit in the gallery while they discuss the bills that affect your everyday lives, Kindred said to a cheering crowd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many attendees work in industries that would be directly impacted by the bill, the most prominent of which is construction. Due to the relatively short construction season in Wyoming, it is not uncommon for construction workers to be laid off between seasons, relying on unemployment while they seek another seasonal role. The top industries that utilize that benefit are some of Wyomings highest-paid, highest-skilled workers, and thats how they weather the boom-and-bust and seasonal way of the work, Kindred said. So cutting that is going to affect a lot of our skilled trades directly. Reps. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, and Mike Yin, D-Jackson, came outside to the rally to show their support for workers, and they carried that support onto the House floor. From the floor, Provenza acknowledged the workers and encouraged her peers in the House to applaud them for their hard work in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vote The House was largely split on SF 175. Proponents of the bill say that less unemployment time would save employers and encourage people to find work. Opponents said the bill wouldnt save employers nearly enough to account for the workers that they would lose as people go to other states to seek better jobs. This is to help employees find work sooner than later, Rep. Scott Heiner, R-Green River, said in support of the bill. Lets get them back to work. They want to work, thats self-esteem. People get their self-esteem from jobs, from being able to work and provide an income for themselves and their families. This is a safety net. Its an opportunity to help them get back on their feet and get back to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This sentiment was echoed by Rep. Jayme Lein, R-Casper. My dad often told me that opportunity is overlooked because it looks like hard work. Ive had the opportunity to take some of those less-than-desirable jobs, but its made me a better person, Lien said. Its worked on my character and made sure that I understood the value of every dollar that I was earning, which leads me to fiscal responsibility. Lien said the state should not be responsible for picking up the slack when people mismanage their funds. Why is it our job to fill the gap where they are misbehaving with their funds, Lien said. When did that become the governments job, would be my question. I am for this legislation because were still giving out that helping hand, but were not making it a way of life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yin pointed out how insulting it is that legislators said they would be giving people self-esteem by cutting benefits. The only real purpose that Ive heard from the bill is that we need to shorten the timeline and give workers the self-esteem to go to work? Yin said. I think that is frankly insulting to the workers of Wyoming. They want to go to work! Yin reiterated a point made by many representatives: Wyoming has a workforce problem and cannot afford to lose workers. Workforce is our number one issue, Yin said. If we need more workers in the oil field, we need to train them. We need to make sure our kids want to come back to the state. We need to make sure that they can raise families here, not cut their benefits to give them self-esteem. After nearly an hour of heated discussion, the House was unable to come to a conclusive vote, and SF 175 was indefinitely postponed. The presence of the workers during that discussion definitely impacted the vote, Kindred told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle via text message. We showed the working people of Wyoming their collective power when they engage in the process, and we forced legislators to make a decision: Are you here representing your constituents? Or are you here on marching orders for some political ideology? Kindred wrote. Today, they made the right decision. CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) A bill that would require women seeking medication abortions to get ultrasounds has been vetoed by Wyoming's Republican governor, who questioned whether it was reasonable and necessary especially for victims of rape and incest. Mandating this intimate, personally invasive, and often medically unnecessary procedure goes too far, Gov. Mark Gordon wrote in a letter explaining his veto late Monday. The bill stood a chance of becoming law anyway after a 45-16 vote by Wyoming's House to override Gordon's veto. As of late Tuesday, the bill had yet to be taken up again by the state Senate where a two-thirds override vote would make it law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Groups working to maintain abortion access in Wyoming the first state to attempt to explicitly outlaw medication abortions praised the veto even though Gordon over the past three years has signed into law several bills seeking to ban the procedure. Its important that women are able to access this health care without undue and unnecessary burden," Christine Lichtenfels, executive director of the abortion access advocate Chelsea's Fund, said Tuesday. The bill would have required women planning medication abortions to arrange and potentially drive long distances for ultrasound appointments in the rural state. Abortion remains legal in Wyoming pending the outcome of a lawsuit before the state supreme court challenging the bans. Abortion access has dwindled, however, since Wyoming's lone full-service abortion clinic stopped providing both pill and surgical abortions after Gordon signed a bill into law last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That new law requires clinics providing surgical abortions to be licensed surgical centers. Unable to immediately meet that requirement and wary of legal implications, Wellspring Health Access in Casper suspended all abortion services Friday. As a result, more Wyoming women are likely to travel to Colorado and other states where abortion remains legal and accessible. Wellspring Health Access President Julie Burkhart praised Gordon's veto in a statement and noted the clinic is still taking calls from patients. Despite these new restrictions, Wellspring Health Access remains open. We have not and will not abandon our patients. We are here for them, now and always, Burkhart said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wellspring is among those challenging the bans and the new licensing requirement in court. The vetoed bill would have added a restriction to the vast majority of abortions in Wyoming. The Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights, found that more than 3 in 5 abortions used pills in the U.S. through the formal health care system in 2023. Wyoming had the biggest portion of abortions via pill that year: 19 in 20. Abortion medication remains available in Wyoming through the Just the Pill telehealth service and online providers such as Abuzz, The Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, and Aid Access, according to Chelsea's Fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A family medicine physician in Jackson who has been dispensing abortion medication to Wyoming patients in recent months did not immediately return a phone message Tuesday asking if they were still doing so. ___ Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report. DENVER (KDVR) The clock is ticking: There are less than 30 days left to buy the Zuni Steam Power Plant from Xcel Energy after the city of Denver opted to not purchase the property. The tall, thin smokestacks of the generation station have stood on the banks of the South Platte River for over 120 years, according to Historic Denver. The Sun Valley Coalition, which started a change.org petition to save the building, said the steam power plant was built in 1901. Were cooking up something big: El Chapultepec find architects for historic jazz venue Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it was built it became part of the electrification and steam production elements that supported the Citys growth, the Coalition said. For more than a century, the steam plant produced the heat for downtown buildings. For advocacy groups like Historic Denver and the Sun Valley Coalition, the prospect of redeveloping the Zuni Steam Power Plant means the possibility of a walkable community with quick access to downtown areas that boasts a historic background. Historic Denver has advocated for the building to be repurposed into a community space, similar to the project in New York City that developed what was once a Domino Sugar Factory into a 15-story office building, housing and parkland. The Zuni plant was decommissioned by Xcel Energy in 2021 after it transitioned from coal to natural gas in the late 2010s. The energy service provider secured approval from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to demolish the structures in 2021, but community members expressed interest in adaptively reusing the property. Xcel said in 2022 it entered into a moratorium on abatement of the Zuni plant to explore options for Denver to purchase the property. Because the plant is in Denver, the city had the option of the right to first refusal, which it appears to have exercised. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xcel Energy is not a community developer, the company wrote to the city on Feb. 25. It is our practice and approach not to undertake redevelopment of existing facilities. We have seen around the country multiple examples of how this has not worked and has placed a significant burden due to the cost to our customers and ratepayers. Denvers Grizzly Rose expands to Colorado Springs Xcel noted in its letter to the city, which notified the city and public of the plants realty listing, that it worked with the Denver Housing Authority to make a new riverfront park and housing on a portion of the property. Xcel also said that it would not take on costs that would be passed to customers, that Denver would need to purchase the property and Xcel would need to be released from long-term legacy liability. Mayor Mike Johnstons office provided a statement about its stance on the project on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Denver supports the community and historic preservation advocates in their goal of finding positive, community-supportive uses for the Zuni Power Plant site, the Mayors Office said. Unfortunately, the cost of the environmental and structural remediation required to reuse the property is not feasible for the city to take on at this moment. Historic Denver CEO John Deffenbaugh told FOX31s Nate Belt that the brickwork and scale of the building are unusual among modern spaces. He also said the property is for sale for about $7.5 million. Historic Denver, alongside many community partners, had hoped for a structured agreement between Xcel and the City and County of Denver that would allow time to identify a private-sector partner for adaptive reuse, Historic Denver said on Feb. 26. Instead, the clock is running out on one of Denvers most unique industrial landmarks. The nonprofit said the 30-day timeline makes a thoughtful process nearly impossible, signaling a likely move toward demolition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After many years of community efforts to identify a viable path for adaptive reuse, it is deeply disappointing that no common ground has been reachedone that prioritizes both the historic significance of the building and the many voices of those who value it, Historic Denver wrote. Xcel said in its letter to Denver leadership that if the property does not sell, we may need to locate utility infrastructure on the site to help Denver reach its electrification goals. Sign up for the FOX31 Denver Guide weekly newsletter for events and activities Its just such, such a waste, Deffenbaugh told Belt. You have a wonderful structure which could be converted to such a range of uses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xcel said that anyone interested in purchasing the Zuni Steam Power Plant should reach out to Tyler Reed with Stream Realty. According to the listing, the lot is just under three acres with a nearly 42,000 square foot building on it. The price is not available without contacting the realtor. The service provider said it would continue to abate the property according to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved decommissioning plan after the 30 days expire. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Chinas annual session of its two-chambered rubber-stamp legislature this week, known as the Two Meetings, is likely to double down on pro-growth policies unveiled last year, while eschewing more daring moves to make good on perennial promises to restructure the fiscal system and redistribute income from governments and corporations to households. This conservative stance may seem smart amid significant international turmoil, especially as China can play up its technological achievements over the past few years. Unfortunately, staying the course on Beijings current economic policy direction doesnt grapple enough with how this lack of domestic reform will reinforce the external limits on Chinas growth model. That model, based largely on manufacturing in lead sectors, deprives foreign markets of the benefits of more spendthrift Chinese consumers, while intensifying the external impact of overcapacity and Chinese exporters disproportionate competitiveness. In their sessions this week, the National Peoples Congress, NPC, and the Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, CPPCC, are likely to continue in the same vein as last year, with renewed emphasis on the economy and stimulating domestic demand. They will continue to show love to the private sector through a new law, the Private Economy Promotion Law, which aims to signal more political support and protection for private business. The private economy has long been protected through a constitutional amendment in 2004, so this new law is more symbolic than a game-changer. But it aims to curtail local governments attempts to unfairly tax or fine private firms in order to raise revenue, amid ongoing budgetary constraints due to high levels of public debt and the collapse of the property sector, which had long been the source of local government revenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the CEOs of major private firms last month, in a further sign that the crackdown on private companies launched in 2021 during the Common Prosperity Campaign is over. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. Xis meeting with the corporate leaders was also a chance to highlight the Communist Partys close cultivation of private sector firms in key sectors, such as Deepseek in AI, Huawei in semiconductors, and CATL and BYD in electric vehicles, or EVs. Xi must be feeling good about geopolitical trends right now, given the growing rift between the U.S. under President Donald Trump and Europe, while China continues to provide examples of success and catching up, from tech to automotives. Xi continues to hold onto an economic model that strengthens Chinas party-state internally while promoting export of its overcapacity problems onto the world. Xi may also feel vindicated that his vision for Chinas high-tech self-reliance, first identified in the Made in China 2025 plan unveiled in 2015, is coming to fruition. However, his faith in new productive forces and success in favored sectors may give Beijing a false sense of security that the current path is enough. Rather than using these policy successes to spur further reform, especially directed at the structural problems at the heart of weak domestic consumption and middle-class malaise, Xi is likely to continue projecting the image of a conservative but confident China in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, this continued penchant for policies that promote big government and big domestic firms while delaying reforms that redistribute income and wealth to households stifles the very power of Chinas supersized market that Xi loves to boast about. China continues to hold onto an economic model that strengthens the party-state internally while promoting export of its overcapacity problems onto the world. But the U.S. is doubling down on restrictive tariffs as well as other restrictions on trade and investment; Trump followed through on his threat to impose 25 percent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, as well as an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese goods, yesterday. As a result, Chinas model will place more pressure on Europe and the Global South to absorb Chinese exports, with little chance to enjoy the consumptive capacity of Chinese citizens in return. The external environment, led by the Trump administrations use of tariffs and trade restrictions to gain leverage, will continue to deteriorate. Trumps ire toward China is likely to increase now that he has implemented his tariffs for Mexico and Canada, with Europe on the horizon. China may gain some diplomatic benefits by looking like a stabilizing force compared to the high-profile disruption of the Trump administration, but it is unlikely to gain trade and tariff concessions from trading partners like the European Union and Mexico. To the contrary, increased pressure from the U.S. on these economies will make them even less willing to absorb overcapacity from China. Restrictions on Chinese products, even when manufactured or assembled elsewhere, are also likely to increase as the U.S. aims to shut down third-country loopholes for Chinese firms. While China usually tends to benefit from conflicts between the U.S. and its allies and partners, in this case, Beijings own beggar-thy-neighbor policies deprive other economies from the benefits of continued Chinese growth. In Chinas domestic policies, the Two Meetings will center the need to boost economic growth and bolster the private sector, but narrowly defined to help only Chinese private firms. Policies to reinforce supply and demand will offer subsidies and trade-in bargains for consumers to buy goods from these sectors. However, these policies do little for Chinas external partners, and even worse, they bolster the domestic firms that are already winning the battle for consumers in areas such as EVs and smartphones, as major foreign brands see their market share in China decline precipitously. Rather than promote more difficult reforms to restructure Chinas fiscal system and reduce internal barriers to labor mobility and social welfare, these policies reinforce manufacturing-led growth via consumption subsidies. The aim is to avoid direct redistribution back to households but rather build a virtuous circle that helps domestic firms benefit from more sales to domestic consumers. In reality, they do very little to make Chinese households feel more secure about the high costs of aging, education and property, even as China continues to underspend on social welfare compared to many other countries. They do even less for Chinas trading partners abroad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025 offered China an opportunity to think big and expansively about its role in the world economy. Instead, Xi is doubling down on policies that will deprive China from building a new global coalition of economic partners that could benefit from a consumption-led growth model, at a moment when many countries are disenchanted and disappointed with the United States. The reason for that choice makes it all the more befuddling: Despite low consumer confidence and demand, Xi remains convinced that his model is working. Mary Gallagher is the Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. The post For Xi, Chinas Growth Model Is a Problem Masquerading as a Solution appeared first on World Politics Review. In an effort to reduce bullying, several St. Joseph organizations are teaming up to create an anti-bullying program. The St. Joseph Downtown Rotary Club is giving the YMCA School Age Childcare Program a small grant to fund the anti-bullying program. "This is a pilot program to see if this is something the rotary group can continue to support in semesters and years down the road," St. Joseph YMCA CEO Tammy Killin said. "We are really were excited to find a way to work with and have a greater impact on the youth." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Third and fourth grade girls from Oak Grove Elementary School will be participating in the nine-week program. The program's goal is to encourage students to stand up for themselves and allow them to guide their peers on strategies to help prevent any future bullying. "We recognize that there's a ripple effect that happens when you touch the life of a student," Killin said. Our hope is that we can continue this program, potentially with other before and after school programs and with other schools in the district." The YMCA and the Rotary Club are hopeful that the program will serve as a positive change for the lives of students, both in the classroom and in their personal lives. NEW YORK (PIX11) New Yorkers are struggling with the rising cost of food, according to a new study from No Kid Hungry. Around 53% of New Yorkers have taken on additional debt in the past year due to the increasing price of groceries, the study said. Hispanic families in New York are bearing the burden of rising food costs, with 73% of those surveyed saying theyve gone into more debt to feed their families, according to the study. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over 60% of people who participated in the study reported that their mental health has gotten worse due to the growing cost of food. The majority of those who were polled, 62%, opposed federal cuts to food assistance programs like SNAP or Summer EBT. At least 84% of those who participated in the study said they believed school lunch should be free for everyone. About 90% of the studys participants said all lawmakers, no matter Democrat or Republican, need to find a way to end hunger in New York and beyond. To read the study, click here. 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 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 elections for the eighth term of the local Legislative Assembly (AL) have been set for September 14, 2025. In an executive order published yesterday in the governments official gazette (BO), the Chief Executive noted that the spending cap for each campaigning group in the AL elections will be MOP3,549,622, precisely the same amount as in the previous two elections, held in 2021 and 2017. The amount candidates can spend while campaigning was significantly reduced in 2017 from the previous MOP5,644,278.46 established in 2013 and MOP8,942,959.84 in 2009. When the cap was first reduced in 2017, the idea was that capping campaign spending would contribute to fairer elections. At the time, several campaign groups were accused of making high-priced offers to voters to secure their votes. This was seen as giving a clear advantage to wealthy contestants. The ALs direct and indirect elections are customarily held every four years in September. The 33 members of the AL comprise 14 directly elected seats (elected by universal suffrage), 12 indirectly elected seats (elected by sectorial groups and associations), and seven CE-appointed seats, which are nominated shortly after the elections. The current 14 directly elected seats are occupied by representatives from the civil servants rights group (Macao Public Servants Association ATFPM), the General Union of Neighborhood Associations of Macau, and the Macau Federation of Trade Unions, as well as representatives from the associations of those with links to mainland cities and provinces, which are more prominent in the Macau population. After the disqualification of all candidates from pro-democracy camps in the 2021 elections under the justification of lacking patriotism, the only group not entirely aligned with Beijing and more rooted in local policies and problems that managed to secure a seat in the AL was the Association of Synergy of Macao, which elected lawmaker Ron Lam. Recently, the representatives from the ATFPM, led by lawmaker Jose Pereira Coutinho, and including lawmaker Che Sai Wang, have been attempting to expand their scope of action, targeting younger generationswho in the past were more aligned with the pro-democracy campas well as gaming concessionaire employees and Portuguese-speaking communities in general. Pereira Coutinho is currently the only lawmaker who uses the Portuguese language to address inquiries in the AL plenary. According to information from the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Elections, more than 330,000 electors are registered to participate in this years direct election. Four years ago, the election saw only 137,279 votes cast, accounting for the lowest rate since the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region, with a voting rate of just 42%. CAEAL bids for fair and patriotic elections Seng Ioi Man, president of the Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL), has called for fair and patriotic elections this September. In a press briefing after the CAEAL meeting yesterday afternoon, Seng noted that with the new regulations in force, there are extra guarantees that all candidates running in the election are patriots, thus ensuring the principle of Macau ruled by patriots. He also said that CAEAL will aim to promote all election-related work to create a fairer, more just, and cleaner election environment. The same official also sought to inform the public and voters about the elections progress through media and promotional activities. After the meeting, following the announcement of the election date and spending cap, the CAEAL unveiled the full calendar for the elections, which start this Thursday (March 6) with the first distribution of forms for organizing the nomination committee. Candidate lists and political platforms must be submitted to the CAEAL by June 26. The final candidate list will be published by July 18, and the draw to assign each groups number will be held the next day. All campaign propaganda is banned from June 27 until August 30, when the official 14-day election campaign starts. All campaign activities will close on September 12, two days before polling. The final election results will be announced in the governments official gazette by September 29. platform for election reports The CAEAL announced that it has joined forces with the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) to establish a hotline and an online platform that will work around the clock to receive reports of any wrongdoing related to the AL elections. This reporting platform will operate from today and aims to quickly forward complaints to the relevant authority, according to their content, Wong Kim Fong, Deputy Commissioner of the CCAC, said, adding that the CCAC will adopt a zero-tolerance policy for cases of wrongdoing related to the elections. NEW YORK (PIX11) Has congestion pricing ended in New York City? Not quite. After the federal government pulled its approval for congestion pricing on Feb. 19, under President Donald Trumps directive, the future of the program now rests on a federal judge to make the final decision. More Local News In a public letter, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration called for congestion pricing to end by March 21. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, immediately after the federal government rescinded its approval, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court. More Transit News We responded with a lawsuit which says number one, were seeking a declaratory judgment that this is not proper, and number two, were not turning off the tolls until theres a verdict, said Lieber during a press conference shortly after the federal governments announcement. As it stands congestion pricing tolls will stay in effect until at least March 21. It remains unclear what may happen to tolling after that date. Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. One of daytime televisions most popular actresses will visit Detroit this week. Victoria Rowell, beloved to legions of fans for her nearly 20-year run as the fiery Drucilla Barber Winters on CBS sudser The Young and the Restless from 1990 to 2007, will perform in Jasons Lyric: Live at Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts March 6-8. In the stage adaptation of Bobby Smith Jr.s 1994 film widely regarded as a classic in Black homes, Rowell will star as Gloria, the maternal role originally played by the late Suzzanne Douglas. Also a bestselling author, she will appear on Wednesday, March 5, at Detroits Source Booksellers to sign copies of her 2007 memoir, The Women Who Raised Me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a candid, wide-ranging conversation with the Free Press, Rowell spoke about her long and storied fight for racial equity in the daytime soap industry. The timing is keen: Just last week, CBS her former network premiered the long-awaited Beyond the Gates, Americas first over-the-air daytime soap opera with an all-Black cast, plus Black creatives leading the production elements. I am elated that I lived to see the day that my vision and the vision of countless other Black and brown performers came true, Rowell said. We knew there was a void in this space. I have long campaigned its well-documented for diversity and economic inclusion, and Im talking about behind the camera as well as in front of the camera. We are at over 50 years of The Young and the Restless, and to this date, to my understanding, there has never been a Black executive producer. Yet Black women keep The Young and the Restless at number one (in the Nielsen ratings). And, to be more specific, (those) Black women are brand legacy consumers. Black grandmothers and great-grandmothers watch daytime television. They allow themselves a bit of respite in the middle of the day for this aspirational thing, while they are watching their children, their grandchildren, their great grands. Those children are watching that soap opera and (growing up to buy) the brand products that their elders are buying in bulk. Rowell pointed out that the soap genre began as radio serials in 1934 when Procter & Gamble wanted to create a program that would inspire homemakers to purchase Oxydol soap. P&G continues to sponsor Y&R, with ads for its products running daily during the program. Y&R has reigned for decades as the top-rated daytime drama on American broadcast television and a large portion of its viewership has routinely been shown to be comprised of low-income, middle-aged African-American women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why arent these extraordinary statistics being shared with the Black community, Rowell wondered. How powerful we are! I felt that, exercising the statistics, surely Id be able to convince the powers that be to hire a first African American executive producer, a first African American SAG-AFTRA union writer, a first department head of hair and makeup. Or, surely, Black directors, surely more Black cast covers in the top-tier soap magazines, which drive storyline, which drive the paychecks actors are paid per episode. Surely, I would be able to convince the powers that be (behind) this number one soap opera that is supported so vigorously, so loyally by African Americans Black women keeping it there. I found there was resistance to all of the above, and I found it incumbent to do all in my power, regardless of pushback, regardless of reticence, and words, to stay the course, hold the vision, trust the process. I was successful in getting the first Black writer hired: Susan Dansby, who walked through that door with Emmys under her belt. That was at the 37-year mark. Rowell, who saw white colleagues writing, producing, and directing, offered her own services as a writer but was refused. After years of lobbying for more Black professionals behind the camera, in 2007, Rowell was written off the show, with Drusilla disappearing over the edge of a cliff (but, in typical soap nature, no body was found). Avid Y&R fans continue to plead for Drucillas return. See also: CBS' 'Beyond the Gates' is juicy soap-opera gold: Review Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement See also: Detroit Public Theatre's 'Confederates' examines struggles of Black women in America In 2017, Rowell created The Rich and the Ruthless, a backstage soap she also directed and starred in, leading a Black cast of characters. The first three seasons aired on AMCs ALLBLK streamer, with 2021s fourth season streaming on BET+. Returning to the subject of Beyond the Gates, Rowell briefly nodded to NBCs Generations, which ran from 1989 to 1991 and was the first American daytime soap to feature a predominantly Black cast. Lets be clear it was Generations, right? she said. But whats different (with Gates): This is the first Black-produced venture, with a Black civil rights group, the NAACP, and under the guidance of Sheila Ducksworth at CBS. It is historic, and Im proud to be a part of the DNA of Beyond the Gates. Im thrilled for my colleagues who stayed the course. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Separately from Lyric, the actress recently wrapped production on a film titled The Secret Between Us that will be released later this year. She is also currently working on a film by The Bear actor Edwin Lee Gibson titled a pink and red dress made of satin covered in flowers, mostly roses. At Source Booksellers on Wednesday, Rowell will be signing copies of her New York Times bestselling 2007 memoir The Women Who Raised Me, which examines her upbringing in foster care. It is an homage to the extraordinary women who raise other peoples children, she said, and the sacrifice that people make, especially as immigration has exploded around the globe. Its not just about foster care; its about teachers, its about mentoring, its about healthcare, its about poverty its about the aspirations of children who dream to be a ballet dancer like I did, like my mentee Misty Copeland did. It is about passing knowledge forward, perseverance, no shortcuts. The book resonates with people globally. It has been introduced in India, the Caribbean, in Turkiye. The book has been optioned by HBO and will be made into a film. Stay tuned! Since the books publication, Rowell has found and connected with her paternal family through Ancestry.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We all have been making up for lost time, she said. It is a blessing for me to be on tour with Jasons Lyric and to be able to meet family as I crisscross this nation. Ive been meeting family, re-meeting family members, breaking bread. Its been an incredible miracle. Her stop in Detroit will be yet another family occasion. I love the city, she said. Ive worked there, Ive directed a film there (2022s Catfish Christmas), and I have family there. The Cowan family, on my paternal side, live in Detroit, so Im excited to see them. Rowell said shes thrilled to be working in Jasons Lyric after many years away from the stage, acting alongside friends such as Eva Marcille and Allen Payne and getting a chance to show off her dance skills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jasons Lyric is unapologetically gritty, she said. It is addressing poverty and the ravages of the Vietnam War and how it broke Black families how young men were recruited, promised a better way of life and came back broken or ghosts of themselves. I witnessed that in foster care, living with one of my families, and the devastation that took place. It addresses gun violence, domestic violence, single-parent households so there is no sugar coating in this piece. It is brilliantly executed, and I also get to perform as a ballet dancer, which I cherish. So, its gritty, but its entertaining. And we do come out to the house after the play, to say hello. Rowell said that everywhere Lyric tours, Y&R fans turn out in droves to see and meet her, and she continues to honor the close bond viewers form with soap actors. As a Black girl, she said, I saw that my Black mother allowed herself this one thing to participate in, to enjoy she watched The Doctors and, then, here I was, a part of something that was so important to my foster mothers life. I threw everything I had into the character of Drucilla. I knew the audience I was performing for but, more than that, it was in tribute to my foster mother, Agatha Armstead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was so proud. Im still proud. Victoria Rowell will appear at Detroits Source Booksellers (4240 Cass Ave. #105) on Wednesday, March 5. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. signing event. Jasons Lyric: Live will play Detroits Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts (350 Madison Ave.) four times this week before departing town: Thursday, March 6, 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 7, 8 p.m. Saturday, March 8, 3 p.m. Saturday, March 8, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29.95 and can be purchased at musichall.org. Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Young and the Restless' star hits Detroit for 'Jason's Lyric: Live' At long last, the unthinkable has happened. The so-called gender pay gap has been reversed. Young British women, a study has found, are now earning more than young British men. And by a sizeable margin, too: on average, 2,200 a year. A blip? Dont bet on it. This could easily become the new norm. First, because girls these days consistently do better at school than boys. And second, because fewer and fewer women are pausing their careers (or, perish the thought, giving up work altogether) in order to have children. In all likelihood, therefore, todays young women will continue earning more than their male counterparts. No doubt progressives will be delighted. I just hope theyve thought through the consequences. Because I believe this financial revolution will utterly transform the relationship between the two sexes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Take dating. The reversal of the gender pay gap will also reverse the traditional dynamics of courtship. So when, for example, a man and a woman go out for dinner at a fancy restaurant, it would be unreasonable to expect the man to foot the bill. After all, the poor chap probably wont be able to afford it. So the woman will have to pay instead. Its only fair. That, however, will be just the start. Because, once women are the richer and more powerful sex, the onus will surely be on the woman to woo the man, not the other way round. As a result, the woman will be expected to send the man flowers and chocolates, whisk him away for romantic weekend mini-breaks in Paris, and buy him saucy underpants to wear. In due course, shell be expected to buy a ring, go down on one knee, and ask for his hand in marriage. And then, on the big day, shell beam with pride, as she watches her groom-to-be being walked down the aisle by his mother. All well and good, I suppose. But the trouble will begin when men start demanding equality. The gender pay gap, theyll protest, proves that theyre victims of sexism. Before you know it, theyll be chaining themselves to railings and throwing themselves in front of the Kings horse. Just as women once burned their bras, men will now burn their Y-fronts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the #MenToo movement gathering momentum, men will soon be deemed a marginalised minority. In response, diversity officers across the land will urge bosses to pursue affirmative action by hiring more men, even if theyre less qualified than women. Any woman who objects will be told to check her female privilege. Inevitably, this will cause resentment among women, who will mutter that its PC gone mad. (Call me old-fashioned, but a mans place is in the home. You know: sitting on the sofa watching TV all day, and blowing his benefits on betting apps.) In short: the battle of the sexes will be even more vicious than before. And, out of desperation to secure a pay rise, ever growing numbers of men will decide theres only one thing for it. Change the pronouns at the foot of their emails, and announce that they now identify as women, instead. The real problem with Angela Rayner Whatever I achieve, Angela Rayner complained to an interviewer at the weekend, people still say Im thick. Do they? If so, those people are wrong. The Deputy Prime Minister is not thick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shes just completely and utterly lacking in self-awareness. We know this, because she proved it in the very same interview. One evening, she gaily revealed, Sir Keir Starmer invited her over to his Downing Street flat for drinks. At some point, he happened to pop out of the room for a couple of minutes. And, when he returned, he found his guest merrily necking a previously unopened bottle of his whisky. Keir! hooted Mrs Rayner. This is such nice whisky! The Prime Minister stared at her in disbelief before quietly explaining that the bottle had been one of his most treasured possessions, given to him as a gift several years earlier by a close friend on his deathbed. He had never intended it to be drunk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most extraordinary thing about this story is not the fact that Mrs Rayner evidently saw nothing wrong with helping herself to an unopened bottle of her hosts whisky, the moment his back was turned. Even if the bottle hadnt been a cherished memento of a late friend, that would have been pretty bad. No, the most extraordinary thing about the story is that Mrs Rayner actively chose to tell it to a national newspaper. And, according to the interviewer, she couldnt stop laughing as she told it, either. Its as though she thought it made her seem amusingly relatable. Ee, what am I like! Still, weve all done it, havent we! Then again, it should go down well on the Labour Left. By seizing control of a rich mans property, Mrs Rayner has shown that shes a true socialist. Way of the World is a twice-weekly satirical look at the headlines aiming to mock the absurdities of the modern world. It is published at 7am every Tuesday and Saturday 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. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A Youngstown woman is being honored at the national level for her social justice work in the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys. Samie Winick is one of 12 recipients of the Women of Reform Judaisms 2025 Womens Empowerment Award. Winick was highlighted for her work as the social action committee chair for Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom and the Jewish community relations council at the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation. She is a campaign team and core team member of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism-Ohio and is co-chair of Community Engagement of the Fund for Women and Girls, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Winick also taught in the special education department for Youngstown City Schools for more than 30 years. Its great to be able to make a donation to a cause, but its more important to get your hands dirty, to really get into the work and to be there and to actually show up and do the work, so that was really the inspiration for me to become involved as a community volunteer, Winick said. Winick also said that tikkun olam, the Jewish concept of repairing the world through various forms of action is what drives her. The basis of that is to bring people together in a community because, without the people, you cant do the work, Winick said. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to other people, and its true. When you do that, you find out who you are as a person. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Winick will be honored with this award at the Women of Reform Judaisms Social Justice Conference in Washington D.C. in April. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. A youth detention centre in California forced inmates to take part in gladiator fights, a lawsuit claims. Thirty officers at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Los Angeles are alleged to have encouraged, allowed and watched up to 69 fights involving around 140 inmates, some of whom were as young as 12. We believe that this was planned, it was intended, Attorney General Rob Bonta told CNN. They often wanted them to happen at the beginning of the day, in a certain time, in a certain place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to NBC, he added: The officers look more like referees or audience members at a prize fight, not adults charged with the care and supervision of young people. He added that officers were allegedly overseeing gladiator fights when they should have intervened. Two inmates appear to fight while officers watch According to the indictment, unsealed on Monday, the officers face charges including child endangerment, conspiracy, abuse and battery for the fights, which took place between July and September 2023. Officers allowed and, in some instances, encouraged the 69 fights, the indictment alleges. An investigation into the fights was launched after a video of one of the altercations was leaked in April last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The footage, first obtained by the Los Angeles Times, appears to show a 17-year-old being attacked by a series of other inmates, who advance towards him one by one, as officers stand and watch. Some officers appear to laugh and shake hands with inmates involved in the organised fight. At one point in the video, a female probation officer steps to the side as a youth runs towards the victim and delivers a running kick. The video was made public after a 17-year-old claimed in a court hearing last year that he was not safe at the facility. Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Los Angeles According to the indictment, two probation officers told staff what time the fights would take place and instructed them not to say anything, write down anything, and just watch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It alleged that one officer told young offenders involved to refuse treatment when they went to medical to get treated by nurses. The LA County Probation Department, which manages the detention centre, said that it fully supports and applauds the attorney generals office for Mondays indictments, and that all officers involved have been placed on leave without pay. Our department sought the assistance of law enforcement authorities when misconduct was discovered, the department said in a statement. We have zero tolerance for misconduct of any peace officers, especially those dealing with young people in our system. A lawyer representing the 17-year-old in a civil case against the county said the indictment was the tip of the iceberg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a culture that promotes a lack of accountability, violence and policies that encourage officers to look the other way as evident in the video, Jamal Tooson told CNN. The reaction of the children who were eating their lunch, they really didnt seem shocked or surprised, which tells me this is a daily occurrence. 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. Zum, the new transportation provider for St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS), is hosting a three-day hiring event starting Tuesday at the Courtyard St. Louis Downtown West. The hiring event aims to recruit over 240 bus drivers and 55 attendants to cover 220 bus routes across the St. Louis Public School District. Zum is offering competitive wages ranging from $28 to $32 per hour for drivers and $17 to $19 for attendants. The partnership between SLPS and Zum was announced on Feb. 26. Zum was awarded a three-year transportation contract, ensuring efficient services for over 18,000 students in more than 60 schools. Zum, which already operates in cities like Los Angeles and Kansas City, will provide a new fleet of buses equipped with features such as real-time tracking for families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats stage filibuster in Missouri Senate over safety bill, local control of St. Louis police The hiring event will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the Courtyard St. Louis Downtown West, located at 2340 Market Street. The addition of Zum comes after the school district faced a transportation crisis at the start of the 2024-25 school year after Missouri Central School Bus ended its contract with the school district a year early. All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called his contentious meeting last week with President Trump at the White House a regrettable gathering but stopped short of issuing an apology for the public blowup. In a post online, Zelensky signaled Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table to end the three-year-war with Russia. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way, the Ukrainian leader wrote on the social platform X. It is time to make things right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive, he added. Zelensky reiterated on Tuesday that his country is committed to reaching a peace deal, and he is ready to sign the mineral deal to reinvigorate cooperation between the war-torn country and the U.S. The two leaders were expected to sign the agreement, which would give Washington access to Ukraines critical minerals in exchange for security guarantees, on Friday, but the clash derailed the plan. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format, he wrote on X. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively. Earlier Tuesday, Vice President Vance told reporters the Ukrainian presidents potential apology to Trump over the Friday Oval Office meeting was not as important as Kyiv expressing a strong intention to reach a deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of people have made this about public statements. President Zelensky needs to say he is committed to the peace, [or] President Zelensky needs to apologize to the president. The public stuff doesnt matter nearly as much as what are the Ukrainians doing to meaningfully engage on what a peaceful settlement would look like, Vance said from Capitol Hill. The vice president instead argued that Ukrainians need to come privately to Trumps team and say this is what we need, this is what we want. This is how well participate in the process to end this conflict. Thats the most important thing, and that lack of private engagement is what is most concerning to us, he added. Tensions have been simmering between the leaders for months. Trump has previously hammered Zelensky over his leadership, accusing him of being a dictator without elections, doing a terrible job as the countrys head official and blaming Kyiv for starting the war in Eastern Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian president has shot back, alleging that Trump lives in a disinformation space, and questioning the administrations peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Friday, Trump, along with Vance, went after Zelensky, arguing he was insufficiently grateful for U.S. military assistance and that his leverage in reaching a ceasefire with Russia was miniscule. Trump called off the signing of the minerals deal and claimed his Ukrainian counterpart was not prepared to reach a peace deal. Zelensky, after the meeting, told Fox Newss Bret Baier in an interview that he would not apologize for the heated back-and-forth. On Monday, Trump instituted a freeze on all U.S. aid going to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky said Tuesday that his team is ready to work with Trumps administration to bring an end to the conflict with Moscow, echoing comments he made over the weekend. We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same, Zelensky wrote. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal, he added. The Ukrainian leader also expressed gratitude for the aid the U.S. has provided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins, Zelensky said. We are grateful for this. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of the Senates most forceful supporters of Ukraine, praised Trump after Fridays meeting and said Zelensky needs to fundamentally change or go. I cant believe most Americans after what they saw today would want to be partners with Zelensky, Graham said. He also appeared to approve of Zelenskys new approach on Tuesday, writing on X that Better days are ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Updated at 12:10 p.m. EST. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his Oval Office meeting last week with US President Donald Trump did not go the way it was supposed to, describing the fiery meeting as regrettable and noting that Ukraine is ready to negotiate about an end to the conflict. I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace, Zelensky said on X, addressing his remarkable sit-down with Trump directly. Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky during the meeting, angrily accusing him of gambling with World War Three and telling him: Your country is in big trouble. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be, Zelensky wrote in Tuesdays X post. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of us wants an endless war, he added. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. Western leaders will hope the statement goes some way towards smoothing Kyivs relations with the White House, but the disastrous Oval Office meeting underlined how strained that relationship has become. Zelensky also said in his Tuesday statement that Ukraine is ready to sign a minerals deal, which was meant to be signed on Friday until the argument led to Zelensky being told to leave the White House. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And he made a rare direct intervention on how a possible ceasefire might work. We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same, Zelensky said. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. That framework is similar to the plan proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron after Sundays summit of Western leaders, which took place in London amid anxiety on the continent about Ukraines future. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this, Zelensky added. It remains to be seen how Trump will respond to the Ukrainian leaders proposals or his reflections on the White House visit. But the lengthy statement suggests an effort by Kyiv to force its voice into discussions on the conflicts future, after the Trump administration opened talks with Russia last month and refused to invite Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump on Monday ordered a pause on shipments of US military aid to Ukraine, which could have a dire effect on the countrys war-fighting abilities. The halt in aid, which came after Trump held a series of meetings with top national security officials, will remain in place until Trump determines Zelensky has made a commitment to seeking peace talks, one official said essentially forcing Ukraine to a negotiating table by threatening further losses on the battlefield. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Chinese manufacturers reported an uptick in orders in February as importers rushed to beat higher U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, as a Chinese state media report said that Beijing was considering ways to retaliate. Trump earlier imposed a tariff of 10% on imports from China and that will rise to 20% beginning Tuesday. He also ended the de minimis loophole that exempted imports worth less than $800 from tariffs, in a blow to companies whose online sales direct to consumers had soared in recent years. The Global Times, a newspaper of Chinas ruling Communist Party, said Monday that Beijing was studying both tariffs and non-tariff moves to counter Trumps higher tariffs. Asked about that report, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that China will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard own legitimate rights and interests. U.S. agricultural and food products will most likely be listed, it said, citing an unnamed source. Last week, Chinese Commerce Ministry officials had said the two sides were in a dialogue about trade. The stronger-than-expected data came as Chinese leaders gathered in Beijing for the annual session of the National Peoples Congress. Lawmakers are expected as usual to endorse policies and priorities set by the ruling Communist Party, which could include some fresh help for the economy as it slows to annual growth many economists forecast will fall to about 4.5% this year. Surveys of factory managers showed Chinas official purchasing managers index rose to 50.2% from 49% in January, though that was just above the 50 level that marks the break between contraction and expansion. The new orders index rose to 51.1. Steady industrial production suggests that government spending and front running to beat the higher tariffs supported stronger business activity last month, Zichun Huang of Capital Economics said in a report. But growth still looks at risk of slowing this quarter, at least partially reversing the pick-up in Q4 (October-December). And thats before the hit from tariffs is felt in earnest, Huang wrote. Another survey released Monday, the Caixin manufacturing PMI survey, showed a similar improvement. That survey tends to show trends in smaller and export-oriented companies, Lynne Song of ING Economics said in a commentary. This could be a valuable gauge of the impact new tariffs are having on the manufacturing sector. With an additional 10% tariff set to come into effect tomorrow, this seems likely, she said. Sudden increases in tariffs and other factors have raised uncertainty over the outlook for the worlds second largest economy, which grew at a 5% annual pace last year, just meeting Beijings official target. Premier Li Qiang will present an annual work report to the congress as it opens on Wednesday that traditionally provides the annual growth target for this year, among other policies and economic updates. 2025 is the last year of leader Xi Jinpings Made in China 2025 blueprint for upgrading Chinese industries to become global leaders in advanced technology. It also marks the end of Chinas 14th five-year plan, the partys traditional mid-term policy-setting document. A key priority is likely to be outlining ways to get Chinese consumers to spend more, a weak point in the state-dominated economy following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has moved to provide more support for private industry in recent months as part of that effort. Exports and targeted spending increases have also helped. ELAINE KURTENBACH, BANGKOK, MDT/AP It will have been hard for Volodomyr Zelensky to compromise after the way he was treated in the White House last week. But he is right to swallow his pride and agree to the deal being offered by America. In truth, after Donald Trumps decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine, he had little option. He has told the US president that he is ready to come to the negotiation table as soon as possible to secure peace; Mr Zelensky said it was regrettable what happened at their meeting and it is time to make things right. He added: I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. Many will judge that he has been browbeaten into submission but this was the inevitable corollary of Mr Trumps determination to get a peace deal, come what may. He also wants an end to the war and especially to Americas funding of a conflict that cannot be won. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the Ukrainian leader travelled to Washington last week he was intent on agreeing to the minerals deal proposed by President Trump, only for the strategy to be wrecked by the extraordinary scenes in the Oval Office. By raising objections Mr Zelensky was being portrayed as the main obstacle to peace, even as Vladimir Putin was being groomed for full rehabilitation. The Ukraine leaders willingness now to sign the deal at least temporarily eases the deepening tensions between Washington and Europe, but resolves little until we know where Russia stands. Vladimir Putin is adamant there must be no Nato troops in Ukraine, which is what Sir Keir Starmer is proposing. America wont countenance this either if it means the Russians refuse to sign up to peace. Indeed, everything we have seen so far suggests that the Starmer-Macron plan for a reassurance force is a non-starter. Mr Trump has made it abundantly clear he will not provide the backstop sought by the Prime Minister, without which he will not commit UK forces. Where this now leaves Ukraine is anyones guess since we do not know what Messrs Trump and Putin have agreed between themselves. But in taking another courageous position, Mr Zelensky can at least expose whether Russia is serious about a ceasefire or a long-term agreement on the future status of Ukraine. It may yet be possible to convince Mr Trump that the real villain of the piece is in the Kremlin and not among Americas traditional allies. We are about to find out. 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. Volodymyr Zelensky said he is ready to come to the negotiation table with Donald Trump as soon as possible to sign a mineral deal and secure peace. After Washington halted military aid for Ukraine, Mr Zelensky said it was regrettable what happened in their Oval Office meeting last Friday and told the US president that it is time to make things right. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians, the Ukrainian leader said, praising Mr Trumps strong leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes hours before Mr Trump is set to make an address to the nation to lay out his goals for the next four years, including plans for peace around the globe. I will tell it like it is, he warned. Europe has been scrambling to draw up its own plans for peace in Ukraine and pleading with Mr Trump to provide security guarantees, which he has so far declined. The European Commission on Tuesday unveiled plans for an 800 billion boost to EU defence spending to win over the US with its rearmament. 07:54 PM GMT Thats it for today. Thank you for following our live coverage of the war in Ukraine and the US suspension of military aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will be back soon with updates. 07:53 PM GMT Zelensky requests official information on aid suspension Volodymyr Zelensky said he has instructed Ukrainian officials to contact Washington to obtain official information on the suspension of military aid. I have instructed the defence minister, our intelligence chiefs and diplomats to contact their counterparts in the United States and get official information, he said in his nightly address. People should not be left to guess. 07:29 PM GMT French PM condemns unbearable pause in US military aid Frances prime minister decried the US pause on providing military aid to Ukraine as unbearable, describing it as tantamount to abandoning Ukrainians and helping a Russian victory. The word suspension fools no one, Francois Bayrou, the prime minister, said, mounting his second sharp criticism of the Trump administration in recent days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Addressing French senators, he added: The suspension in war of assistance to an aggressed country signifies that the aggressed country is being abandoned and that one accepts or hopes that its aggressor wins. Its obviously unbearable, Mr Bayrou said. 07:08 PM GMT US and Ukraine plan to sign minerals deal tonight Donald Trumps administration and Ukraine plan to sign the much-debated minerals deal tonight, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The US president told his advisers that he wants to announce the agreement in his address to Congress, three of the sources said, cautioning that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change. 06:48 PM GMT Germanys Merz pledges to unblock 3bn in Ukraine aid Friedrich Merz, Germanys chancellor-in-waiting, said he would support the immediate approval of a 3bn aid package for Ukraine which has been held up in parliament for weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Merz said he would meet outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz to speak about the urgent help needed for Ukraine, around 3.0 or 3.5 billion euros, which... can be approved now as off-budget expenditure. 06:43 PM GMT Listen to todays episode of Ukraine: The Latest 06:22 PM GMT Vance sets conditions for US aid to be restored for Ukraine JD Vance said that for US military aid to be restored then Ukraine must come to the table and start negotiating. The US vice-president told reporters: Its important that everybody come to the table. And the President is trying to send a very explicit message, the Ukrainians have got to come to the table and start negotiating with President Trump for the mineral deal. Pushed on whether the US-Ukraine rare mineral deal will go ahead, Mr Vance that Donald Trump is still committed to the proposal, but they are waiting on a signature from our friends in Ukraine. 06:08 PM GMT What to know about Trumps speech tonight: Donald Trump will be making his first major speech tonight since returning to the White House in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US president has promised that it will be big and he will tell it like it is. Speaking to Congress and the nation, Mr Trump is expected to lay out his goals for the next four years, including plans for peace around the globe. It will start at 9pm ET (2am GMT). It is not formally a State of the Union address. Delivering the Democrats rebuttal to Mr Trump will be Elissa Slotkin, the newly-elected Michigan senator. 05:49 PM GMT US military aid pause is temporary, says US House Speaker Mike Johnson, US Speaker of the House, called the halting of all US military aid to Ukraine a temporary move. Defending Donald Trumps decision, Mr Johnson said: Its a temporary pause, and it is to do a reset. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He encouraged Volodymyr Zelensky to come and make right what happened last week, calling Mr Trump and the Ukrainian leaders televised row in the Oval Office shocking. If Mr Zelensky does that, it would be a win-win scenario for everybody, he said, adding that he was pleased Mr Zelensky has now indicated that he does want to do this deal after all. 05:41 PM GMT Starmer: No one wanted peace more than Ukraine Keir Starmer said no one wanted peace more than Ukraine on a call with Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday afternoon, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. The Prime Minister also underscored that any peace for Ukraine needed to be lasting and secure, the spokesman said of the phone call, which came before the Ukrainian president announced he was ready to return to the negotiating table. 05:26 PM GMT Analysis: Europe needs a Plan B for peace in Ukraine and fast It is not just the United States that believes Volodymyr Zelensky needs to make concessions - particularly on land and on Nato membership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many European allies also privately believe reconquest is unrealistic, and the Ukrainian Nato membership is nothing but trouble. There is a world in which Russia makes concessions too - concessions on Ukrainian militarisation and the presence of European troops in Ukraine. Put those together, and you have the outline of a deal that actually would not be all that bad. Not ideal. Certainly not just. But far from disastrous. Russia would get to keep the 20 percent of Ukraine that it has conquered. Vladimir Putin would be able to tell the Russian public that because Nato membership is off the table, he has defended Russian core interests and the world is finally taking Moscow seriously. Russia might even get sanctions relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine would hang on to all of its most important cities, 80 percent of its territory, and - crucially - its sovereignty. It might be diminished, but it would be relatively secure from a second invasion. The trouble is that Donald Trump at this moment is only interested in the first half. Thats why France and Britain have come up with the second half - it involves some 30,000 of their troops on the ground in Ukraine to back a ceasefire. In plain language, it means American jets and missiles based in eastern-flank Nato countries ready to carry out punitive strikes should Russia break the ceasefire or attack the Anglo-French contingent on the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And yet the White House has shown no interest whatsoever in buying into this idea. If Mr Trump does not shift on this, the European plan is dead on arrival. In fact, by cutting off military aid to Ukraine, the United States is taking entirely the opposite tack - removing Ukrainian security rather than reinforcing it. This is the true test of the White Houses intentions. If Mr Trump does not ask Mr Putin to make any such concession, London and Paris will have to accept he has a completely different vision for peace from theirs. And since that looks quite possible, they had better come up with a plan B quick. 05:19 PM GMT Pictured: Soldiers training in Ukraines frozen east A Ukrainian soldier of the 24th Mechanized Brigade trains at an undisclosed location in the eastern region of Ukraine - AFP Troops crawl through razor wire during the war exercises - AFP A female soldier climbs an obstacle course in preparation for deployment - AFP 05:12 PM GMT Europes arms makers say filling Ukraine defence gap will take time Europes arms firms say they are ready and willing to step up to fill a defence gap left by Donald Trumps pause on military aid for Ukraine - but getting there will take time. The regions defence firms - which saw a major stock rally on Monday on prospects for more spending - are convinced that they can ramp up production, but warned delivery times could stretch into years. It is also a matter of how fast political pledges turn into contracts. When the contracts come we will be ready, said Patrice Caine, CEO of Thales, as the French firms share price hit a record high. Does Europe have the necessary technology to produce the full spectrum of defence equipment that it needs? The answer is yes, he added. 04:45 PM GMT Zelensky proposes first stages for ending war As part of his announcement, Volodymyr Zelensky said the first stage of a truce deal with Russia would involve the release of prisoners and truce in the sky. This beginning stage, he said, would see a ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Next, he said: Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. Below The Telegraph mapped France and Britians proposed plans for a potential ceasefire: 04:37 PM GMT Starmer spoke to Zelensky before announcement Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky before he announced that Ukraine was ready to return to the negotiating table. The Prime Ministers deputy spokesman said the call was made ahead of the Ukrainian leader telling Donald Trump that he was ready to make things right and called for a truce in the sea and the sky. The spokesman added: We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. Were engaging with key allies in support of this effort. Its the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do, and our immediate focus remains putting Ukraine in the position of strength and bringing the US and Ukraine together for the benefits of our collective security. Asked whether anyone from the Government spoke to JD Vance following his apparent criticism of the UK-French peace proposal for Ukraine, the spokesman decline to share details on private conversations. 04:21 PM GMT Zelensky says he is ready at any time to sign US mineral deal Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is now ready at any time to sign a rare minerals deal with the US, calling it as a step towards securing solid security agreements from the Trump administration. Read The Telegraphs in-depth look into what the deal really means for Ukraine. It may be the basis for a new international order but can Kyiv trust this document will ensure US support? 04:03 PM GMT It is time to make things right: Zelenskys statement in full: Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said that Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as he praised Donald Trumps strong leadership. Here is his statement: I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively. I would like to reiterate Ukraine's commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025 03:50 PM GMT EU announces 800bn plan to rearm Europe and win over Trump Ursula von der Leyen has unveiled plans for an 800 billion boost to EU defence spending to win over Donald Trump. The European Commission president announced her ReArm Europe strategy warning that the stakes could not be higher and the time for action is now. The plan follows Mr Trumps decision to suspend all US military aid to Ukraine, which has threatened to deepen the rift between the White House and Europe. In a letter to EU leaders, seen by The Telegraph, Ms von der Leyen said: Some of our fundamental assumptions are being undermined to their very core. The plan, set to be discussed at an EU summit on Thursday, includes a 150 billion defence loan for the joint purchases of air defence systems, artillery guns, missiles and other ammunition. A further 650 billion will be freed up by exempting future defence spending from the blocs strict debt and budget rules. Read the full article here. Ursula von der Leyen unveiled plans for a 800bn boost to Europes defence - AFP 03:31 PM GMT Orban had phone call with Trump about everything Viktor Orban said revealed he had a phone call with Donald Trump to discuss everything. The Hungarian prime minister has good relations with the US president and has been accused of being Vladimir Putins closest European ally. He has praised the recent US-Russia peace talks which Ukraine was shut out off. Mr Orban also said he would meet with Emmanuel Macron to talk about Ukraine on Wednesday ahead of an extraordinary summit of European Union leaders scheduled for Thursday, following on from a summit in London on Sunday. 03:24 PM GMT How long can Ukraine survive without US support? The suspension of all US military aid to Ukraine has fulfilled Volodymyr Zelenskys nightmare scenario, calling into question how long the countrys forces can hold out against Russia. Throughout the war, Ukraine has been heavily dependent on Washingtons military largesse. Not only has the United States been by far Ukraines biggest single financial and military backer, it has provided weapons systems that no European state can match. Despite the blow, and however grave the crisis and sense of betrayal in Ukraine, soldiers on the front line say they will continue fighting the Russian invaders for as long as they can. Ukraine will be able to keep fighting at least until the summer, most analysts agree. How far beyond that it can survive is a much harder question to answer. Read the full explainer here. 03:15 PM GMT France to rally all possible means to help Ukraine France will seek to rally all possible means to help war-torn Ukraine alongside other European nations, the French prime minister said, after Donald Trump announced a halt on military aid supplies to Kyiv. Describing the situation on the ground, Francois Bayrou said US military aid shipments are coming to a halt, as entire trains that were loaded for Ukraine are being stopped and prevented from reaching their destination. Jean-Noel Barrot, the French foreign minister, said that Ukraine was the first line of defence for Europe and for France. He added that it was time for Europe to break from its dependency on American weapons. We Europeans are now faced with a choice that is imposed on us: that of effort and freedom, or that of comfort and servitude, he went on to say. 02:56 PM GMT Foreign Secretary to discuss Trumps Ukraine aid halt with EU leaders David Lammy will speak to European foreign ministers this afternoon as the continent grapples with Donald Trumps withdrawal of American aid from Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary will speak to his opposite numbers in France, Germany, Poland, Spain and Italy in a meeting of the Weimar+ group, which was launched last month in response to Mr Trumps inauguration. The meeting had been pre-planned, but the talks will now be dominated by discussion of Mr Trumps aid withdrawal and how Europe responds. A Whitehall source told The Telegraph: It was a major announcement last night. Were having conversations with lots of people and our strategy remains the same. Were acting as a bridge and bringing people together. The source added that there have also been various levels of contact with the US today. 02:45 PM GMT Badenoch cracks down on Tories sharing thoughts on Ukraine Kemi Badenoch has launched a crackdown on Tory MPs sharing their own opinions about the Russia-Ukraine war in real time. The intervention by Mrs Badenoch came after Alicia Kearns, a shadow minister, called on the King to rescind Donald Trumps invitation for a historic State Visit. Graham Stuart, another Conservative MP, later suggested that Mr Trump could be a Russian asset. A text to all Tory MPs sent by Tory chief whip Rebecca Harris, and first reported by the Spectator, reads: We understand that there are many concerns about the unfolding events around Ukraine and US involvement. We do not need to tweet all of our thoughts in real time. When it comes to defence and national security, we need to raise the threshold for what needs to be said publicly and ensure the facts are clear first. 02:34 PM GMT Ukraine PM: Ukraine is ready to sign rare earths deal Denys Shmyhal, Ukraines prime minister, says Kyiv is ready to sign a deal that would give America access to Ukraines deposits of rare earth minerals. The proposal, which has been contested for weeks and is a particularly sore spot between Donald Trump and Voloydmyr Zelensky, would grant the US half of Ukraines revenues from its critical minerals. Last week, Ukraine agreed to a revised deal with the US set to provide security guarantees to end the war after Mr Trump dropped some of its toughest demands. However, it remains unsigned and uncertain after a major row between the two leaders. Speaking at a press conference, Mr Shmyhal also said the Ukraine was ramping up its arms production and that its forces will hold out against Russia, even without US military aid. Denys Shmyhal holds a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday - AFP 02:17 PM GMT Ukrainians outraged by Trumps aid suspension Anna Vasylyshyna Ganna, 36, was forced to flee from Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine to Kyiv after fighting engulfed her home town last Autumn. Life has been better for her in the capital, she told the Telegraph, but said she and her family were outraged by Donald Trumps recent behaviour, including suspending military aid to Ukraine. It is unfair to the Ukrainian people, I still cant believe that America has become an ally of Russia. It all seems like it was planned, its a pity for the Ukrainian people who are dying. Anna Vasylyshyna Ganna pictured in Pokrovsk eastern Ukraine before she fled the fighting 02:07 PM GMT Badenoch and Farage split over Vances controversial remarks Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage were split on Tuesday over controversial remarks made by US vice-president JD Vance. Mr Vance insisted it was absurdly dishonest to suggest he was referring to France and the UK by stating Donald Trumps peace deal was way better than a security guarantee from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Mrs Badenoch, the Tory leader, said: I know JD Vance quite well. Ive looked at the comments, I dont think he actually said that. A lot of people are getting carried away. Theyre saying loads of things and getting quite animated. Lets keep cool heads America is our closest ally. I believe President Trump and JD Vance want peace, theyre looking after their national interest, we need to do so as well. But Mr Farage, the Reform leader, said: JD Vance is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. For 20 years in Afghanistan pro rata, our size against Americas, we spent the same amount of money, we put the same number of men and women in. We suffered the same losses. We stood by America all through those 20 years putting in exactly the same contribution. And alright, they may be six times bigger but we did our bit. So, on this one JD is wrong. 02:03 PM GMT Watch: Vance attacks European plans for peace In an interview with Fox News, JD Vance said: If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Credit: Fox News 01:56 PM GMT Kremlin: US halting arms to Ukraine will push Kyiv towards peace The Kremlin said on Tuesday that the suspension of all US military aid to Ukraine could push Kyiv toward the peace process. Reacting to Donald Trumps decision, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: We have yet to find out the details. But if this is true, then this is a decision that could really push the Kyiv regime towards a peace process. Yet, he declined to say whether Russia was ready for a ceasefire. We see that some European countries are declaring that they will continue to provide comprehensive assistance, etc. That is, they will probably try to compensate for the decreasing volume of ammunition. But of course, the main volume has so far come from the US and through US channels. Therefore, well see. If the US suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to peace, he added. 01:50 PM GMT Pictured: Volunteer evacuates dog from frontline A volunteer from Ukraines Eastern SOS rescue organisation takes a selfie with an evacuated dog in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine - Anadolu 01:44 PM GMT Kyiv: Trump cutting off military aid is painful not fatal Kyiv believes Donald Trumps extraordinary, and potentially devastating, decision to halt all military aid to Ukraine is very painful, but not fatal. A senior Ukrainian official told Politico: First, it is a suspension that leaves hope for its resumption. So, this is a measure of coercive diplomacy, not a rupture. Second, it is very painful, but not fatal. It will cost Ukraine unnecessary deaths and lost territories, but will not lead to defeat. Third, I am convinced that a solution formula will be found with the new administration. 01:33 PM GMT Ukraine strikes Russian energy targets overnight Ukraines military said it carried out a number of strikes on important energy infrastructure across Russia overnight. The Ukrainian general staff said its drones forces targetted an oil pumping station in the the Rostov region. Powerful explosions and fire were recorded. Separately, it recorded an impact on the production capacity of the Syzran oil refinery in the Samara region and powerful explosions close to a gas pipeline in Sokhranovka in the Rostov region. Defense forces continue to take all measures to undermine the military-economic potential of Russian occupiers and force Russia to end its armed aggression against Ukraine, the military said in its daily update on Facebook. 01:22 PM GMT Pictured: Russian drones target Ukraines port city of Odesa The aftermath of a Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Odesa - REUTERS Firefighters work to control a fire in the city that has for three years been a major target of Russian strikes - REUTERS 01:15 PM GMT What could happen to aid for Ukraine in 2025: 01:10 PM GMT Starmer refuses to take a view on US halting arms to Ukraine Downing Street declined to take a view this lunchtime on Donald Trumps decision to suspend US military aid to Ukraine. It comes despite the pause in aid being heavily criticised by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Decisions for the United States are a matter for the United States. Its only right that we see the details of that. Weve also recognised that theres an absolutely crucial role for Europe to be stepping up in support for Ukraine. 01:06 PM GMT British peace plan will not be derailed by Trump Britains peace plans for Ukraine will not be derailed by Donald Trumps decision to suspend all military aid, the Deputy Prime Minister has insisted. The White House announced the decision late on Monday evening after Mr Trump criticised Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, for saying the end of the war was very, very far away. Mr Trumps decision threatens to widen the gap with European nations, who have been scrambling to boost defence spending amid fears the US could abandon Kyiv. Angela Rayner said the Prime Minister would not be derailed by announcements and said he remained laser focused on getting peace. He will continue that dialogue with our oldest and strongest ally the US and our European partners and Ukraine, she said. It is not clear exactly how long Ukraine will be able to continue fighting effectively without US military support, though some analysts have suggested the summer. Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington, DC on Monday - AFP 12:46 PM GMT Starmer shares his admiration for British troops following Vance row Sir Keir Starmer is full of admiration for British troops who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, his official spokesman said following a row over comments made by JD Vance. The US vice president insisted he was not referring to Britain or France when he took a dismissive sweep at the idea of European plans for peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, saying that Donald Trumps peace deal was a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Asked about the remarks, The Prime Minister, as with the whole country, is full of admiration for troops that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years. The Prime Ministers position on the role that British troops have played in ensuring global security and defending our national interest is very clear. Challenged on whether Sir Keir found the comments personally offensive, the spokesman replied: As I say, the Prime Minister is full of admiration for British troops, many of whom have lost their lives, theyve served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Theyve fought alongside the United States and other allies. 12:42 PM GMT Ukraine isnt Starmers Falklands, its his Iraq Sir Keir Starmer rightly says that Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted, and therefore the US needs to provide a security guarantee for any peace deal. What could that security guarantee be? America and Europe have been sending weapons to Ukraine for 10 years, even more so since 2022, and that hasnt deterred or stopped Russia. It has slowed up Putins army and inflicted heavy casualties, but three years on from the full-scale invasion, Russia is still advancing inside Ukraine. Had significantly more munitions been supplied much earlier in the war then the picture today might be different. But that wont happen now, not even with Starmers promised 5,000 air defence missiles. Nor did economic sanctions achieve very much given Western fears of excessive self-harm plus continued unrestrained Russian trade with many countries including China, India and Turkey. Read the full column here. Keir Starmer is trying to form a coalition of the willing to provide security guarantees and defend peace in Ukraine - Getty Images Europe 12:35 PM GMT Starmer spoke to Trump last night Sir Keir Starmer took part in another phone call with Donald Trump last night, his official spokesman confirmed. Downing Street did not clarify whether the Prime Minister spoke to the US president before it was announced that American military aid to Ukraine would be suspended, although it is believed that the conversation took place before this. The spokesman added: Ultimately [were] all progressing towards the same kind of objective which is a durable peace in Ukraine. Im not going to get into that but the Prime Minister and the President have been speaking regularly in recent days including the trip last week and then twice over the weekend and most recently last night. Im not going to get into the conversation in detail. Obviously the Prime Minister and President Trump are focused on the same outcome which is delivering a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine. 12:30 PM GMT Ukraine vows to do everything to hold out Denys Shmyhal, Ukraines prime minister, said Kyiv will do everything to hold out despite the US military aid cut, adding that its troops had the tools to maintain the current frontline. Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv, he said: Ukraine is absolutely determined to continue cooperation with the US. He added: The US is an important partner and we need to preserve this. 12:09 PM GMT JD Vance denies targeting UK in peace plan jibe JD Vance has insisted he was not talking about the UK or France after he appeared to criticise European plans for a peacekeeping force. The US vice president drew a backlash after insisting Donald Trumps plan for a peace deal was the only realistic means to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years, he said, seemingly referring to British and French-led plans for a coalition of the willing. But responding to reporting of his remarks which said they were bad news for Starmer and Macron, Mr Vance replied: This is absurdly dishonest. I dont even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. He added: But lets be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful. This is absurdly dishonest. I don't even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. https://t.co/hrkb5pTV8p JD Vance (@JDVance) March 4, 2025 12:01 PM GMT Zelenskys first statement since US paused military aid Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken for the first time since Donald Trump decided to withdraw all military aid to Ukraine. The Ukrainian president revealed he had spoken with Friedrich Merz, Germanys next chancellor, about further cooperation between the two countries. We remember that Germany is the leader in supplying air defense systems to Ukraine and plays a crucial role in ensuring our financial stability, Mr Zelensky said. 11:57 AM GMT Todays Blower cartoon Patrick Blowers cartoon on Europes plan to rearm 11:49 AM GMT Putin agrees to broker US-Iran nuclear talks Vladimir Putin has agreed to help Donald Trump negotiate with Iran over its nuclear programme and support for anti-US proxies, sources have told Bloomberg. The US president raised the prospect of Putin acting as a broker during talks with the Russian president last month. It was also discussed by senior Trump figures, including Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, in a meeting with Russian officials in Riadh, Saudi Arabia, just days later. Irans foreign ministry did not deny the claim, with a spokesman saying it was natural for other countries to offer their help. The US president had previously said he wants to secure a verified nuclear peace agreement with Tehran, though insisted he would maintain maximum pressure on the country. Mr Trump has also sought to fast-track a process to normalise relations with Russia, including by restoring embassies in each nation and working on a plan to end the war in Ukraine. 11:41 AM GMT Poland confirms aid pause Reports from southern Poland confirm that United States aid for Kyiv has been paused, Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister, has said. A decision was announced to suspend American aid for Ukraine and to possibly begin lifting sanctions on Russia from the American side, Mr Tusk told a government meeting. The reports that are coming from the border from our hub in Jasionka... confirm the announcements of the American side. 11:24 AM GMT How Ukraine aid levels differ without the US 11:11 AM GMT Tories hit back at disrespectful JD Vance after peace plan jibe The Tories have labelled JD Vance deeply disrespectful after the US vice-president appeared to call the UK some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. Mr Vance made the comments after Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron drew up plans for a coalition of the willing that will likely include sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. In an interview with Fox News, the vice-president said: If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, noted Article 5 of the Nato treaty has been invoked once on September 12, 2001 by the USA after 9/11. Mr Cartlidge said: Britain and France came to their aid deploying 1,000s of personnel to Afghanistan, including numerous parliamentary colleagues, past and present. Its deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice. Helen Maguire, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, added: JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didnt return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality. As the UKs representative to the US, Peter Mandelson should call on Vance to apologise for these comments. 11:00 AM GMT Kyiv ready to negotiate with Trump Ukraine has said it is willing to negotiate with Donald Trump after he paused all military aid to the war-torn country. We are discussing options with our European partners, and of course, we are not overlooking the possibility of negotiations with our American counterparts, Mykhailo Pdolyak, a Ukrainian presidential adviser, said on X. 10:55 AM GMT Analysis: Ukraines nightmare scenario Ukraines nightmare scenario after Donald Trumps aid cut is that the US and Russia announce a deal soon, presenting it as take it or leave it to Kyiv and the rest of Europe, according to the deputy director general of the Royal United Services Institute think tank. The European offer of boots on the ground after a deal has helped reassure Ukraine. But the debate has now moved on. And what will count most of all is how far the UK and Europe are prepared to help Ukraine in defiance of the US, Malcolm Chalmers said. He added: Recent estimates suggest that only 20 per cent of total military hardware supplied to Ukrainian forces is now from the US. 55 per cent is home-produced in Ukraine and 25 per cent from Europe and the rest of the world, but the 20 per cent is the most lethal and important. Ukraine will not collapse they already experienced an aid cutoff last year, but the effect will be cumulative. 10:36 AM GMT UK blindsided by Trump announcement The UK Government was blindsided by Donald Trumps decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine, according to reports. Sir Keir Starmer had told the House of Commons just hours before that withdrawing aid was not Washingtons position. Insiders still hope the decision is leverage by Mr Trump to pressure Europe and Ukraine into backing his peace plan, Bloomberg UK reported. 10:26 AM GMT Analysis: Has Trump strangled Starmers peace plan at birth? A central plank of the Prime Ministers strategy is to keep arming Ukraine to ensure it is in the strongest negotiating position possible for any peace talks and. If a ceasefire is struck, he wants Ukraine to be armed to the teeth to deter any future Russian attacks. By pausing US aid to Kyiv, Mr Trump has put a big question mark over key elements of the peace plan Sir Keir sketched out to European leaders at Sundays London summit. The idea of a coalition of willing countries for a Europe-plus peacekeeping force in Ukraine rests on the US providing European soldiers with a backstop of military guarantees. Mr Trump has also put huge pressure on EU leaders to deliver something concrete at Thursdays emergency summit in Brussels on Ukraine and defence. The US has been the largest supplier of weapons to Ukraine since Putins invasion. The EU has collectively committed nearly $145 billion in aid. It can drum up more money but cant fill a Washington-sized hole in weapons supplies yet. The EU will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat. It has done so before during Covid and the eurozone crisis, but the clock is already ticking down on how long Ukraine will be able to hold out without US weapons. Not all EU leaders are singing from the same hymn sheet. Hungary, led by the Trump-allied Viktor Orban, moved to block an EU 20 billion aid package to Ukraine before Thursdays summit. Where does all this leave the coalition of the willing? France and maybe Canada are on board with Britain but Poland and Italy are not. Some countries may be grateful to hide behind the US presidents actions as an excuse for inaction. Others, shocked at American unreliability, may rally to the idea of building a force that could one day act independently of Washington, culminating in a new European military alliance. 10:02 AM GMT In pictures: Protests in Poland after aid pause People hold a demonstration in support of Ukraine outside the US Embassy in Warsaw - AP Poles express their support for Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelensky after his fallout with Donald Trump - AFP 09:54 AM GMT EU chief unveils 800bn plan to rearm Europe Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, has set out the EUs plans to boost defence spending, declaring we are in an era of rearmament. A new era is upon us, she said in a letter presenting the plan to EU leaders, two days before a summit aimed at cementing joint action on support for Ukraine and European security. Europe faces a clear and present danger on a scale that none of us has seen in our adult lifetime, she wrote, as she outlined options for funding a European defence surge. ReArm Europe could mobilise close to 800bn of defence expenditures for a safe and resilient Europe, she told reporters in Brussels as she outlined the contents of her plan. Part of the plan involves proposing that the EU suspend strict budget rules to allow member states to ramp up their spending on defence. 09:35 AM GMT Pause in aid profoundly worrying, says Badenoch Kemi Badenoch has criticised Donald Trumps decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine as profoundly worrying. The Tory leader issued some of her strongest criticism of the US president to date in a post on X this morning. Mrs Badenoch said: The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying. It is clear that Britain and Europe must re-arm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support. We must work to keep America in, and Russia out. 09:26 AM GMT Rayner: Britain wont cut military aid Angela Rayner insisted Donald Trumps decision to cut military aid to Ukraine was a matter for the US but said Britain would not do the same. The Deputy Prime Minister told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Ive said and Ill say it again that is a matter for the US. We are focused on support for Ukraine, bringing the US around the table alongside our European partners and Ukraine. But when later asked on ITVs Good Morning Britain whether the UK could follow suit, Ms Rayner said: First of all its not either/or. I think the Prime Minister outlined he made some very difficult decisions about where the money was going to come from, and thats why we increased our defence spending and the difficult decision to take money out of the foreign aid budget. She added: I appreciate that people are angry and fed up because theyve not had money in their pockets. The most important job of any government is to keep its citizens safe and thats why we put that money into defence and why the Prime Minister has spent a lot of time working with our allies in the US and across Europe to bring about that peace. 09:18 AM GMT Kremlin glee after US pauses military support Moscow has said Donald Trumps decision to suspend military support for Ukraine is the best hope for peace. If the United States stops (military supplies), this would probably be the best contribution to peace, the Kremlin said, adding that it would need to clarify the details of Mr Trumps announcement. Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putins spokesman, also said any future normalising of ties with the US would require lifting sanctions on Moscow. The United States is reportedly drawing up a plan to potentially give Russia sanctions relief. 09:06 AM GMT Your views... 08:42 AM GMT Republicans criticise Ukraine aid suspension Donald Trumps decision to suspend US military aid to Ukraine has underlined the divisions in the Republican party. Republican Mike Lawler said stopping support for Ukraine would jeopardise the stability of Europe and the free world. Too bad Iran, North Korea and China are not pausing their military aid and economic support, Republican Don Bacon said. There is an invader and a victim, there is a democracy and a dictatorship, there is a country who wants to be part of the West and one who hates the West. We should be unambiguously for the good side, he added. Meanwhile, Mary Miller, also a Republican, expressed her support for the presidents decision. If Zelensky wants to continue fighting an endless war, let him do it himself, she wrote on X. The US will no longer participate in this conflict that has led to the death of thousands. Its time for peace! 08:32 AM GMT Musk: Zelensky should be offered amnesty in neutral country Elon Musk has suggested Volodymyr Zelenesky should be offered an amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for Ukraines transition back to democracy. The Tesla billionaire, a key Donald Trump ally, has repeatedly criticised the Ukrainian president for not holding elections, which are banned under martial law in Ukraine. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine, Mr Musk wrote on X overnight. Earlier, he accused Mr Zelensky of being evil and wanting to extend the war to stay in power as Mr Trumps cabinets stepped up their public attacks against the Ukrainian president. He later shared a video of Tulsi Gabbard, the new director of national intelligence, attacking Mr Zelensky for banning opposition parties in Ukraine. Zelensky cancelled elections in the name of martial law, suspending Ukraines constitution so he could stay in power, Ms Gubbard said. Questions over the legitimacy of Mr Zelensky is a key Russian talking point which the Kremlin has parroted for years. Matt Gaetz, who Mr Trump had wanted to run the justice department, called Mr Zelensky a grifter. True. As distasteful as it is, Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine. https://t.co/ZpF6nLIDtw Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2025 08:22 AM GMT Ukrainian soldier tells the Telegraph: We will fight on A Ukrainian soldier has told the Telegraph that he and his brigade will keep fighting on despite the United States cutting military aid. Mickhail, a soldier fighting on the front lines near Kramatorsk, said believes that his unit can continue to defend Ukraine despite the US cuts to aid. He said that his unit could divide into smaller groups as a way to continue to defend on the front line. If needed we will become small groups and we will still keep pushing to defend our country, he said. Mickhail said that he believes a peace deal would not stop Russia advancing in Ukraine. If it would save lives to have a deal I would accept it, but I believe Russia wouldnt follow it. They will not stick to a deal. He claimed that Russia and the US are only concerned with using Ukrainian natural resources. I want to save Ukraine as a country. Russia and the US want our resources. Mickhail said that he fears his unit will be taken over by Russia if they continue to advance. The rest of Ukraine will be taken by Russia and we will be forced to fight for them, like people in Luhansk and Donetsk. 08:09 AM GMT UK absolutely committed to Ukraine after US aid suspended The Government said it remained absolutely committed to an enduring peace in Ukraine after Donald Trump suspended military aid to the country overnight. A Government spokesman said: We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and [it] is in our interest to do so. We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with 3 billion a year in military aid for as long as it takes, and through a 2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets. In addition, weve set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use 1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace. It came as Alex Norris, a growth minister, said he would not police Volodymyr Zelenskys words when asked if he should apologise to Donald Trump after their Oval Office spat. Mr Norris told Times Radio: Its for President Zelensky to lead his country and to decide what he says and to who he says it. I dont think its for me to try and police his words or tell him what you ought to say. This is a process that were all involved in in our own ways. Were accountable, of course, for what were doing on behalf of the British people. Thats why were giving the aid we are in order to make sure that Ukraine is in the strongest position for a lasting peace. But I dont think Id go any further than that. 08:01 AM GMT How did we get here? Tensions between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky are nothing new. In fact, their troubled relationship goes back to 2019, when the US president phoned his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The call was at the centre of the Democrats efforts to impeach the US president. But tensions have ratcheted up in recent weeks over Mr Trumps efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Their initial spat came after Mr Zelensky rejected a critical minerals deal with the US, saying it did not give Ukraine enough security guarantees. Mr Trump then launched a furious tirade, claiming Ukraine had started the war - echoing Russian propaganda. Mr Zelensky responded by claiming the US president was being influenced by Russian disinformation. This escalated things further, with Mr Trump slamming the Ukrainian president was a dictator for not holding elections, despite the fact they are banned under Ukrainian martial law. There was hope that the relationship could be patched up when Mr Zelensky visited the White House last Friday to sign a revised version of the minerals deal. But a public row in the Oval Office left their relationship in tatters. Mr Trump had reportedly been hoping for a public apology but that never came. And so three days later, he suspended all military aid to Ukraine. Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky engaged in a public row in the Oval Office on Friday - AFP 07:40 AM GMT US military aid stopped in early hours of morning US military aid to Ukraine was stopped in the early hours of Tuesday morning, a source familiar with the situation has said. The source said that the deliveries heading to Ukraine were stopped around 3.30 am (1.30am in the UK). 07:18 AM GMT Ukraine can continue fighting without aid until summer Ukraine will be able to continue fighting effectively without US aid until the summer, according to estimates. Current and former Western officials told the Wall Street Journal that by then, Kyiv will likely face a shortage of ammunition and an inability to use the most advanced weapons. Europe has been preparing to fill the gap, with the EU, UK, and Norway providing more financial aid to Ukraine than the US in 2024. But some key US supplies, including surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, air defence systems, long-range rockets, and navigation systems, will be virtually impossible to replace at speed. In turn, Ukraines ability to strike long-range targets inside Russia and defend its rear positions will be significantly diminished, according to analysts. 07:04 AM GMT Analysis: Trump has given Putin every incentive to keep fighting On Tuesday afternoon, a Boeing 747 jet freighted with US weaponry landed in Rzeszow, the Polish border town that serves as a gateway to the battlefield in Ukraine. Its cargo was safely deposited. But unless it was transported onwards immediately, it is likely to remain there. By nightfall, the Trump administration had frozen all military support to Ukraine, plunging the nation into the deepest crisis it has faced since the war began. For days after their disastrous summit in the White House, it appeared possible that Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump could patch things up between them. By Tuesday night, White House officials briefed out that they had suspended all deliveries of military aid to Ukraine, including weapons already in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting to cross the border in Poland. The impact of a prolonged hold on US aid will be transparently disastrous. When Mr Trumps Republican allies led Congress to block weapons shipments in 2023, guns went silent across the frontline, helping Russia capture towns including Avdiivka. European aid helped make up the shortfall then. But it cannot immediately replace the loss of US military support, which both Europe and Washington have been delivering to Ukraine at a rate of about 1.4bn per month since the war began. 06:49 AM GMT If youre just joining us... Donald Trump has paused all military aid to Ukraine to pressure Volodymyr Zelensky into agreeing a ceasefire with Russia. The extraordinary move came after Mr Trump launched a fresh attack on the Ukrainian president, who he said wont be around very long if he does not agree to end the war soon. Russian advances along the frontline have been slowing, with reports of Ukraine taking back land in key area, though Moscows forces are continuing to take Ukrainian villages. The withdrawal of military aid threatens any progress being made and leaves Ukraine, which is already suffering from a weapons and manpower deficit, facing the prospect of scaling down operations. A White House official said late on Monday night: President [Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. 05:33 AM GMT Vance accuses Zelensky of needling Trump In the interview with Fox News Sean Hannity, JD Vance also accused Volodymyr Zelensky of needling Donald Trump and having a certain sense of entitlement. Mr Vance said the encounter, which happened in front of the media, really set Zelensky off. 05:11 AM GMT Oil pipeline hit by drone attack A Ukrainian drone attack sparked a blaze at a Russian oil pipeline early on Tuesday. Russian authorities have since put out the fires at the pipeline, which is located in the southern region of Rostov. There were no injuries or other reports of damage, Yuri Slyusar, the regions acting governor, said, without identifying the damaged pipeline. Fortunately, no one was hurt, Mr Slyusar said on Telegram. Earlier, he said workers had been evacuated from various sites in the area, just over the Ukraine border. It comes as Russia intercepted and destroyed 18 Ukrainian drones overnight across its southern and western regions, the Russian defence ministry said. Ten of the drones were destroyed over the southern Rostov region, with the remaining over the Voronezh, Samara, Kursk, Belgorod and Astrakhan regions. 04:34 AM GMT Australia open to sending troops to Ukraine Australia is open to sending troops to Ukraine as part of peacekeeping efforts, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday, despite his Labor government suggesting the idea was not under consideration a day earlier. Mr Albanese struck a different tone on Tuesday, saying Australia was ready to assist Ukraine. Theres a discussion at the moment about potential peacekeeping and from my governments perspective, were open to consideration of any proposals going forward, he said. Anthony Albanese has changed his tune on sending troops to Ukraine - Shutterstock 03:40 AM GMT Vance: Private opinions differ JD Vance also told Fox that European leaders are publicly backing Volodymyr Zelensky while privately calling for the war in Ukraine to end. The US Vice President claimed that allies had privately expressed dread about the war with Russia continuing for years to come, and warned them against dragging out the conflict by puff[ing] up the Ukrainian leader. European leaders are privately pushing for Mr Zelensky to build bridges with Donald Trump, the US President, after he threw his Ukrainian counterpart out of the White House last week following an explosive meeting. Read more: EU leaders say different things about Zelensky behind closed doors 03:24 AM GMT Vance confident Zelensky will agree to peace deal JD Vance said he believed that Volodymyr Zelensky would eventually agree to discuss peace with Russia. In an interview with Fox News, Mr Vance said Ukraines president showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process sought by Donald Trump. But I think hell get there eventually, the vice president said. He has to. 03:00 AM GMT Vance: US economic interest would be security guarantee JD Vance has said giving Washington an economic interest in the future of Ukraine would serve as a security guarantee for the country. If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine, Mr Vance said in an interview with Fox News on Monday. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years, he added. 01:46 AM GMT US and Russia talks location still up in the air It is too early to talk about where the next round of peace talks between Russia and the US might take place, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of Putin, told RIA on Tuesday. Mr Peskov added that the talks were unlikely to happen before the embassies of both countries resumed normal operations. Operations have been curtailed since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. 01:41 AM GMT Aid pause another extortion of Zelensky Democratic congressman Dan Goldman said the pausing of US aid to Ukraine was another extortion of Mr Zelensky. This is the exact opposite of peace through strength, Mr Goldman said. Its another extortion of President Zelensky, illegally withholding aid in order to get President Zelensky to agree to a minerals deal. 01:31 AM GMT Trumps pause on Ukraine aid reckless Congressman Brendan Boyle, who is co-chairman of the Congressional EU Caucus, called Mr Trumps decision to pause funding for Ukraine reckless, indefensible, and a direct threat to our national security. This aid was approved by Congress on a bipartisan basisRepublicans and Democrats alike recognised that standing with Ukraine is standing for democracy and against Putins aggression, Mr Boyle said in a statement. Yet, Trump, who has repeatedly praised Putin and undermined our allies, is now playing political games with critical military assistance. With Trump, is always Russia First. https://t.co/aSh0imLoY8 Congressman Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) March 4, 2025 01:26 AM GMT Fractures in coalition of the willing In Europe, cracks began to show on Monday in Sir Keir Starmers coalition of the willing, which is working on a plan for a prolonged ceasefire and European security guarantees in exchange for peace. Italy partially rejected Emmanuel Macrons proposal for a one-month truce in Ukraine, saying that the plans were premature. I believe that everything must be done together, Europe and United States, sitting at a table with Ukraine and Russia to reach a fair and especially a long-lasting peace, Antonio Tajani, Italys foreign minister, said on Monday. Therefore, it is still premature to see what to do, how to do it, he added. Sir Keir suggested he would not send British troops into Ukraine without first having secured vital security guarantees from the US. The Ukrainian president was also unanimously told to patch up relations with Mr Trump at a weekend summit hosted by Sir Keir, The Telegraph can reveal. 01:19 AM GMT Analysis: Trump seems to be playing judge, jury and executioner Just this afternoon, the president said that he had not talked about suspending military aid to Ukraine following the outburst with Mr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday. Yet hours later, a decision was made to ruthlessly cut the aid until Mr Trump determined the countrys leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace. Grim reading for Mr Zelensky when he wakes up, who faces a president who appears to be playing judge, jury and executioner. 01:00 AM GMT Analysis: A crippling blow to Ukraines war effort Trumps decision to pull military aid is a crippling blow to Zelenskys war effort and threatens Kyivs ability to fight in the crucial Spring months ahead. Russia has launched spring offensives when the harsh winter conditions improve, attempting to push deeper into Ukrainian territory before it receives new Western aid. Ukraine relies on the US provided Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems to help protect cities and infrastructure from Putins missile and drone attacks. The air defence system, which depends heavily on American support, could find itself without enough interceptors to protect its military. Putin may choose this time to push for more territory, which Russia may argue to keep in a peace deal, before Kyiv can find alternative sources of support. Europe will scramble to fill the gaps in the supply, a task they will not be able to do quickly. The prospect of a peace deal in the Belgian capital on Thursday, where European Union leaders, and Mr Zelensky will gather, seems all the more pressing. 12:53 AM GMT Reports: Weapons being sent to Ukraine will be paused All of the military equipment that is being sent to Ukraine will be paused by the US governments freeze, Bloomberg reports. This includes weapons that are still in transit and being stored in deports in Poland. 12:47 AM GMT Statement from White House official in full According to a White House official quoted by US media: The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. 12:45 AM GMT Aid frozen until Zelensky shows hes committed to peace Donald Trump is pausing military aid to Ukraine until he decides that Volodymyr Zelensky is committed to peace, Bloomberg and Fox News report. 12:38 AM GMT White House official confirms aid pause A White House official has said the US has paused and is in the process of reviewing aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. 12:36 AM GMT Trump aides took extreme positions against Zelensky Donald Trump had been expected on Monday to meet with close aides to discuss freezing military aid to Ukraine. Some advisers had taken taken extreme positions against Mr Zelensky and his country, Bloomberg reported, while some expected the Ukrainian president to resign after a peace deal - a key Russian demand. 12:25 AM GMT What has Trump said about cutting off aid? Donald Trump was asked whether he was planning to cut off military aid to Ukraine at a press conference on Monday, amid reports that he was considering freezing weapons shipments. I havent even talked about that right now, the US President responded. 12:22 AM GMT Trumps latest criticisms of Zelensky Donald Trump earlier today launched a fresh attack on Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting the Ukrainian president wont be around very long if he does not end the war soon. The rift between the leaders appeared to deepen as he said a peace deal should not be that hard a deal to make. He added: If somebody doesnt want to make a deal, I think that person wont be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long. Because I believe that Russia wants to make a deal. Mr Trump had previously condemned Mr Zelensky for saying that a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia is still very, very far away. 12:15 AM GMT Welcome Fox News and Bloomberg are reporting that Donald Trump has paused all military aid to Ukraine. Follow our live blog for the latest on this developing story. 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. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that peace with Russia is possible if Moscow agrees to certain conditions, as the Kremlin also eyed an end to the war but for different reasons. Zelensky, whose country has been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion for three years, also made clear he bears no grudges following a fractious meeting with US President Donald Trump last week. He thanked Trump for his leadership and arms deliveries. "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer," Zelensky wrote on X following US accusations that he did not want to end the war enough, prompting Trump to even suspend US military aid to Kiev. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," the Ukrainian leader added in a carefully-worded post. "We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same." Zelensky is hoping for a reset in relations with Washington and also said he was still ready to sign a minerals and security exchange deal with the US - which an angry Trump refused to finalize last week. "We remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins [missiles]. We are grateful for this. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way," Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format." Kremlin hopes US move pushes Kiev to peace Russia meanwhile said a peace process was more likely following the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine. According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We have yet to figure out the details but if it's true, then this is a decision that really can push the Kiev regime towards a peace process." Russia has repeatedly accused Zelensky of having no interest in peace negotiations and preferring to continue the war, started by Moscow in February 2022. Trump seemingly siding with Russia has led to dismay among other Western nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration launched bilateral talks with Moscow last month to negotiate an end to the conflict, as well as potentially normalizing ties between the two nations which have been strained since before the war. Peskov on Tuesday stressed the need for Washington to lift sanctions imposed on Russia before the relationship could be restored. "We consider them to be illegal," the Kremlin spokesman said of the punitive measures, some of which were implemented during Trump's first term, before being substantially expanded by Joe Biden amid the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the suspension of US aid deliveries to Ukraine has already taken effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Reports from the border, from our hub in Jasionka, confirm the announcements by the US side," Tusk said in Warsaw. There is no reason to believe that the US announcement was "just empty words," the Polish news agency PAP quoted Tusk as saying. Europe has widely condemned Trump's move and he gained an ulikely critic on Tuesday. French far-right figurehead Marin Le Pen, who has often agreed with Trump, slammed the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine. "This is very cruel to the Ukrainian soldiers who are fighting for the patriotic defence of their country," Le Pen, from France's far-right National Rally party, told the newspaper Le Figaro. "I consider the brutality of this decision to be reprehensible." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that peace with Russia is possible if Moscow agrees to certain conditions, as the Kremlin also eyed an end to the war but for different reasons. Zelensky, whose country has been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion for three years, also made clear he bears no grudges following a fractious meeting with US President Donald Trump last week. He thanked Trump for his leadership and arms deliveries. "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer," Zelensky wrote on X following US accusations that he did not want to end the war enough, prompting Trump to even suspend US military aid to Kiev. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," the Ukrainian leader added in a carefully-worded post. "We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same." Zelensky is hoping for a reset in relations with Washington and also said he was still ready to sign a minerals and security exchange deal with the US - which an angry Trump refused to finalize last week. "We remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins [missiles]. We are grateful for this. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way," Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format." Zelensky repeats message in evening address Zelensky reiterated the importance of his country's relations with the United States in his evening video message on Tuesday. He said that Ukraine is prepared for the current suspension in US military aid and can defend itself. "But for us, normal, partnership relations with the US are important for a real end to the war." He said that US aid is the most important issue of the day. Zelensky said he had instructed his subordinates to obtain official information from the US regarding the halt in military support, which has so far only been announced in the media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He once again regretted the furious row at his meeting with Trump last week. "But now it is necessary to find the strength to move forward, to respect each other, just as we have always respected the US, Europe and all partners, and to do everything together to bring peace closer," he said. At the same time, he again expressed his gratitude to the US for the assistance already provided. The Ukrainian president reported on discussions with several European heads of state, the NATO secretary general, and Germany's presumptive next chancellor Friedrich Merz, all of whom had pledged their support. He said this is important for a just peace, as Moscow has so far not deviated from its demands for territorial concessions and the political weakening of Ukraine. Kremlin hopes US move pushes Kiev to peace Russia meanwhile said a peace process was more likely following the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We have yet to figure out the details but if it's true, then this is a decision that really can push the Kiev regime towards a peace process." Russia has repeatedly accused Zelensky of having no interest in peace negotiations and preferring to continue the war, started by Moscow in February 2022. Trump seemingly siding with Russia has led to dismay among other Western nations. The Trump administration launched bilateral talks with Moscow last month to negotiate an end to the conflict, as well as potentially normalizing ties between the two nations which have been strained since before the war. Peskov on Tuesday stressed the need for Washington to lift sanctions imposed on Russia before the relationship could be restored. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We consider them to be illegal," the Kremlin spokesman said of the punitive measures, some of which were implemented during Trump's first term, before being substantially expanded by Joe Biden amid the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the suspension of US aid deliveries to Ukraine has already taken effect. "Reports from the border, from our hub in Jasionka, confirm the announcements by the US side," Tusk said in Warsaw. There is no reason to believe that the US announcement was "just empty words," the Polish news agency PAP quoted Tusk as saying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europe has widely condemned Trump's move and he gained an unlikely critic on Tuesday. French far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen, who has often agreed with Trump, slammed the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine. "This is very cruel to the Ukrainian soldiers who are fighting for the patriotic defence of their country," Le Pen, from France's far-right National Rally party, told the newspaper Le Figaro. "I consider the brutality of this decision to be reprehensible." President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 4 that his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House "did not go the way it was supposed to be," calling the fallout "regrettable." The statement follows days of mounting pressure from Washington, with senior U.S. officials signaling that Zelensky should apologize for the heated Feb. 28 Oval Office exchange with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The meeting ended without a planned U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement being signed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to sign the agreement on minerals and security "at any time and in any convenient format." "We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively," he posted on X. Zelensky also responded to Trump's latest criticism of his comments on March 2, in which he described peace negotiations as being in the earliest stages and a final deal as "very, very far away." Trump seized on the remarks as alleged proof that Zelensky does not want peace, posting on Truth Social that "America will not put up with it for much longer." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians," Zelensky said. He suggested that the initial steps toward de-escalation could include prisoner of war (POWs) releases, a "truce in the sky" banning missiles, long-range drones, and bombs targeting civilian infrastructure, as well as a "truce at sea." "Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree a strong final deal," Zelensky added. The remarks come as several media outlets reported that Trump ordered an immediate freeze on all military aid to Ukraine on March 4, halting over $1 billion in weapons and ammunition deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's senior adviser, Jason Miller, told CNN that the aid suspension is part of a pressure campaign to push Zelensky into negotiations with Russia. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told Fox News on March 3 that Washington expects Zelensky to show "regret" for the Oval Office dispute and commit to signing the mineral deal. Read also: US sided with Russia, North Korea & Iran Ukraine reacts to Trumps military aid freeze Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. President Donald Trump ordered a pause in US military aid for Ukraine. The pause came after a disastrous Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy last Friday. An advisor to Ukraine's president told BI the decision puts a spotlight on Patriot air defenses. KYIV, Ukraine President Donald Trump's decision to freeze military aid to Ukraine after the Oval Office blowup last week is fueling concerns about the future of key US weapons, particularly its American-made Patriot air defense systems. "For us, the most critical positions are, undoubtedly, everything related to missile defense systems, particularly the Patriot systems. The largest production of these is in the United States," Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told Business Insider during an interview in Kyiv on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump on Monday ordered a pause in the delivery of military aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy into peace talks with Russia on unfavorable terms. The move, though not necessarily surprising, has escalated the already tense situation following a contentious Oval Office meeting last week. Podolyak, speaking through a translator, said that Ukraine still needs to identify which areas of US security assistance would be affected by Trump's aid decision and which weapons or ammunition could be replaced by other partner nations. The pause on US aid to Ukraine follows a contentious White House meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images He singled out Ukraine's Patriot air defenses as an important concern and said Kyiv would continue to work with the US and Europe to find ways to protect civilians and infrastructure from regular Russian bombardments. "Russia is not stopping its attacks; it continues missile strikes on civilians and critical infrastructure. Russia is not stopping and will not stop," Podolyak said. "Therefore, we will continue to look for ways to counter Russian strikes both across the entire territory of Ukraine and along the front line." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will search for available tools on the global market and use them to destroy Russia's capabilities," he said. Patriots have been crucial The American-made MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system, manufactured primarily by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, has played a crucial role in protecting Ukraine from Russian attacks since Kyiv first obtained it from the US nearly two years ago. Ukraine now reportedly operates six Patriot systems at undisclosed locations around the country. These batteries have helped Kyiv shoot down Russian ballistic missiles, including some that the Kremlin claimed were unstoppable. The US is not alone in providing Patriots; other NATO countries like Germany and the Netherlands have provided Ukraine with batteries and missile interceptors. But Trump's decision to pause aid raises questions about the future of what is now Kyiv's top air defense asset. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine is said to be running low on Patriot interceptor missiles, for which the US has been a key supplier. Halting further supply could prove detrimental. German soldiers guard a Patriot air defense system in Poland on January 23. Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty Images Trump's move was a sobering moment for Ukraine. The Biden administration pledged more than $65 billion in security assistance to Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. On Tuesday, in Kyiv, locals expressed frustration and anger with the new military aid pause in translated conversations with BI. "There [are] consequences for the front-line cities," said one local resident, who introduced himself as Viktor and didn't give his last name. "Lack of weapons will result in more bombing of those cities. If we are talking about air defense here in Kyiv and other cities where civilians will die because we don't have enough Patriots, for example." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The military aid pause escalates a substantial rift between Washington and Kyiv, coming just a few days after Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy at the White House over peace negotiations. Ukraine's leader left without signing an anticipated rare earth minerals deal. Zelenskyy said Tuesday that the way the meeting unfolded was "regrettable" and that it was "time to make things right." "Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format," he wrote on social media. "We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively." Read the original article on Business Insider President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced significant news from the European Commission concerning substantial funds to be invested in Europe's defence. For Ukraine, this will mean additional air defence systems and missiles. Source: Zelenskyy in an address on 4 March Quote: "There is very important news from the European Commission about significant funds for Europes defence. For us, this primarily means additional air defence more systems, more missiles, and increased ability to protect our cities and villages, our positions. And all of this creates a solid additional foundation for efforts to bring the war to an end." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy also stated that he has ordered Ukraine's defence minister, intelligence chiefs and diplomats to contact their US counterparts and obtain official information on the suspension of US aid. He noted that there has already been a precedent of aid to Ukraine being halted. Quote: "There was a suspension of humanitarian aid, of energy aid. There was also a halt in military aid at the end of January, but at that time, everything was quickly resumed. We saw the risks. Therefore, our agencies both military and special services managed to develop action algorithms for any developments in the situation. This is not 2022 anymore. Our resilience is stronger now. We have the means to defend ourselves. But for us, maintaining normal, partnership-based relations with America is essential to bringing the war to a real end. None of us wants an endless war." Details: In addition, Zelenskyy stated that the Russians have not changed their position or demands with respect to Ukraine. They will continue to demand a reduction in Ukraine's armed forces, the official surrender of its lands, and significant political reforms in Ukraine, including the weakening of the Ukrainian Constitution. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that the first steps towards a lasting peace in Ukraine could involve the release of prisoners and an immediate ceasefire in the sky and at sea, provided that Russia follows suit. Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter) Quote: "We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previously: French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer proposed a one-month ceasefire in Ukraine "in the air, on the sea and around the energy infrastructure". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said he wants to move past the regrettable meeting he had with President Trump at the White House last week in order to work together to negotiate peace that lasts in his countrys war against Russia. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be, Zelenskyy posted on X. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. The now-infamous Trump-Zelenskyy meeting started off smoothly enough, with President Trump saying it was an honor to have the Ukrainian leader at the White House; Zelenskyys visit was supposed to include a signed minerals deal between the two countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the 50-minute conversation eventually went off the rails in front of the media, after Vice President JD Vance took issue with some of Zelenskyys comments. Youre gambling with World War III. And what youre doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country thats backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have, President Trump said at that point. Afterwards, in a post on Truth Social, Trump said Zelenskyy disrespected the U.S. and could only come back when he is ready for PEACE. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said he is on the same page as President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace, he began his X post. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. Further along in his message, Zelenskyy again thanked the U.S. for helping Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence by providing weapons and funding. Reuters reported on Tuesday that the U.S. has given Ukraine $175 billion in total funding since Russia attacked the neighboring country in 2022. Ukraine is grateful for Americas support, he added. Zelenskyys meeting with President Trump may have went sideways last week, but from a media standpoint, it was good for business. Bret Baiers Friday night interview with Zelenskyy peaked with 6.4 million viewers, and a person familiar with MSNBCs ratings said the cable channel had its best day in terms of viewership since the week of the 2024 election. Looking ahead, Zelenskyy said he wants to sign the minerals deal with the U.S., as was planned, and work towards ending its war with Russia as soon as possible. The post Zelenskyy: Regrettable Trump Meeting Is Over, Ready to Negotiate Peace appeared first on TheWrap. Flow, a wordless cat parable that became the first Latvian film to win an Academy Award, prompted a sleepless night for Latvians celebrating the historic accolade. Flow won the Oscar for animated feature at Sundays 97th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, which aired starting at 2 a.m. Monday, in an upset over DreamWorks Animations The Wild Robot. The Oscar statuette is the latest source of hometown pride for the Baltic country of nearly 1.9 million people who have embraced Flow and filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis in droves since the world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024. The National Film Centre of Latvia calls the film an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of Latvian cinema. More than 320,000 people have watched it in theaters across Latvia, an audience larger than any other film screened in the country in the last 30 years, according to the film center. And over 15,000 people over 10 days visited the Latvian National Museum of Art to see the films Golden Globe Award also Latvias first on public display in January. After thanking his cats and dogs during his acceptance speech, Zilbalodis acknowledged the momentous nature of his win. The film was also nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards. This is the first time a film from Latvia has ever been nominated, Zilbalodis told the Los Angeles audience. So it really means a lot to us. We are very inspired and we hope to be back soon. Latvian musician Ralfs Eilands called the pre-dawn ceremony as indescribable! The best sleepless night in my life! in a post on X. The film called Straume in Latvian is a peaceful, yet post-apocalyptic, fable about a black cat, dog, capybara, ring-tailed lemur and secretary bird trying to survive a catastrophic flood. The film has no dialogue and forces viewers to be mesmerized by the unlikely relationship and understanding between the species trying to escape the rising waters. This is a great and historic day for Latvia! And we will all need time to understand what happened, because something big and beautiful occurred! Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics wrote on X following the win. MDT/AP President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a phone conversation with Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU/CSU bloc, who secured victory in Germanys snap parliamentary elections. Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: Zelenskyy described his conversation with Merz, who is expected to become Germanys next chancellor, as "productive". "We coordinated our positions and I appreciate his support," the Ukrainian president emphasised. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also added that he and Merz agreed on further cooperation and continued contact. Background: Recently, Merz expressed his intention to meet with US President Donald Trump at the earliest opportunity. Additionally, current German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Merz on the evening of 28 February following the confrontation between Zelenskyy and Trump in the Oval Office. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a limited truce with Russia and said his country is willing to move forward on a minerals and security deal with the United States on Tuesday, days after a bitter clash in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump sent shock waves through the global order. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way, wrote Zelenskyy on social media platform X. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. In his social media post, the wartime Ukrainian president said he and his team are ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts, proposing Ukraine and Russia both release prisoners and agree to a truce in the sky and truce in the sea immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyys Tuesday social media post marks a dramatic turn in the negotiations around the Russia-Ukraine war, which has been raging since Russia launched its full-scale offensive in 2022. Trump and Vice President JD Vances dressing down of Zelenskyy last week dramatically escalated diplomatic tensions, raising questions about Americas commitment to the embattled Western nation and sending European leaders scrambling to voice their support. Trump and Zelenskyy had been fleshing out a dealthat would allow the United States to tap into Kyivs mineral deposits in exchange for a reconstruction investment fund for Ukrainian development before last weeks exchange in Washington. Zelenskyy has also insisted on the U.S. providing security guarantees for his country, arguing that without any his country would remain vulnerable to another invasion from Russia. After the tense Oval Office meeting last week, it is even more uncertain whether the Trump administration would be willing to provide any sort of guarantee. On Monday, Trump told his administration to suspend military aid to Ukraine, a dramatic escalation that could hurt a country struggling to fortify its defenses against a Russian invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) an ally of Trump's who had previously been vocally supportive of Ukraine but said last week Zelenskyy may have to resign after the Oval Office meeting told reporters that Zelenskyy's "statement was very good today. It was a step in the right direction." Its a change of tune from the Biden administration, which formed a strong alliance with Kyiv in part to counter Russias territorial aggression. The Kremlin has praised the Trump administrations move and now says the United States vision largely aligns with its own. Vance, though, told a gaggle of reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, before the Ukrainian president's comments, that he believed the U.S. was still applying enough pressure on Russia to end the war. We still have a number of sanctions that are placed on Russians, he said. We do believe the Russians economically are struggling because of this conflict. We believe [in] applying pressure to everybody to stop the killing. European leaders have quickly coalesced around Zelenskyy since the blow-up with Trump and Vance, pledging to support the war-torn country and fill any gaps the United States may leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.K. is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. Europe must do the heavy lifting, but to support peace in our continent, and to succeed this effort must have strong U.S. backing. The U.K. and France have since agreed to craft a peace plan with Ukraine and ship it to Trump, Starmer said, and more countries are joining the initiative. Some Republicans have also chastised the Trump administrations lurch toward Russia, marking one of the first fractures in a cohort that has largely followed the presidents every whim so far. I am sick to my stomach as the administration appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing Putin, a threat to democracy and U.S. values around the world, Alaskan Sen. Lisa Murkowski wrote on X Saturday. Hours after Zelenskyy and Trump clashed, Republican Sen. John Curtis chimed on X, Diplomacy and statesmanship seem to have been checked at the door of the Oval Office today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy is still offering Trump an olive branch, even as top U.S. officials deride his demeanor and country. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format, Zelenskyy said on X. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively. Jordain Carney contributed to this report. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that his country was "ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible" to work out a peace deal to end the war sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian leader also said it was "time to make things right" with the United States after a bruising Oval Office meeting with President Trump and the suspension of U.S. military aid to Ukraine. "Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians," Zelenskyy said in a lengthy post on social media. "My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts." Ukraine's president then outlined possible first stages for a ceasefire deal, which appeared to echo a European proposal floated by French President Emmanuel Macron over the weekend. He issued his statement as Ukraine braced to continue its defense without the aid of U.S. military support, which Mr. Trump said he was pausing on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal," Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy emphasized the U.S. and President Trump's contribution to Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion. "We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this," he said. "Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive," Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine was ready to sign the agreements on rare earth minerals with the U.S., "any time and in any convenient format." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively," Zelenskyy said. War in Ukraine takes perilous turn after Zelenskyy, Trump Oval Office argument Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean, died at age 82. Here's a look back at their love story Federal employees received a new email about weekly tasks. Here's how agencies responded. (NewsNation) Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants peace in a social media post Tuesday morning. Despite a tense exchange with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Friday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table to bring lasting peace. Zelenskyy also expressed a willingness to collaborate with Trump. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Tariffs on Canada, Mexico take effect, as China takes aim at US farm exports Trump called for Zelenskyy to show greater appreciation for the United States on Monday, something the Ukrainian president addressed in his post. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence, Zelenskyy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins, he said. We are grateful for this. Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine is ready to sign a rare minerals agreement. Trump pauses aid to Ukraine amid clash with Zelensky Vance told reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday that, should Ukraine be willing to negotiate, everything is on the table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president is still committed to the mineral deal, Vance added. I think weve heard some positive things, but not yet, of course, a signature from our friends in Ukraine, Vance said. But look, the mineral deal is a very important part of the presidents policy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. On Monday night, Vice President JD Vance told a Fox News host that by giving the United States a stake in its critical minerals it would intertwine the two countries, giving Ukraine a security guarantee if it signs the deal, the Deseret News previously reported. If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine, Vance said. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasnt fought a war in 30 or 40 years, he continued, referring to a European proposal to send a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now willing to agree to American requirements. I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace, he said in an X post that, as of Tuesday afternoon, had been viewed 13 million times. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table ... My team and I stand ready to work under President Trumps strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. I would like to reiterate Ukraines commitment to peace. None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025 We do really value how much America has done Last week, an Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy, Vance and President Donald Trump went awry, ending in a shouting match. A minerals deal was supposed to be signed that day, but Trump and Vance, who took offense to Zelenskyys discussion in front of the press of wanting to change the deal, sent him home before their scheduled lunch and joint press conference, Axios reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spectacle was also marked by Vance calling Zelenskyy out for not being grateful enough for American assistance. Have you said thank you once? he asked. After leaving the White House following Fridays argument with Vance and Trump, Zelenskyy posted his gratitude to X, saying, as he has in the past, Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy went further. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence, he wrote. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins (in 2017). We are grateful for this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be, he continued. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Zelenskyy has expressed willingness to sign the critical mineral deal with the American government at any time convenient for them. SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) Dominicans on Monday celebrated Zoe Saldana's Oscar win for best supporting actress for her role in Emilia Perez, marking a moment of immense national pride. Dominican President Luis Abinader took to X immediately after the actress received the award Sunday night, thanking her for being a worthy representative of Dominican culture. I congratulate you, Zoe Saldana, for becoming the first Dominican to win an Oscar," he wrote. "Your talent and dedication exalt our nation, thank you for carrying our flag high. You are a Dominican pride, Abinader said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minister of Culture Roberto Angel Salcedo, a former film producer, echoed the sentiment. "We are deeply proud of you. It is a well-deserved recognition of your career and your international success. Bravo, Zoe!, he said in a statement shared on social media. Saldana, an American of Dominican descent, won the best supporting actress Oscar for her portrayal of Mexican lawyer Rita Castro in the French narco-musical Emilia Perez. Scarlet Jimenez, a 34-year-old lawyer, drew parallels to Amelia Vegas 2003 Miss Universe win, another historic first for Dominican women. I thought it was super excellent, the domi (Dominicans) shining everywhere, just as Amelia won Miss Universe at the time, thats how it feels, said Jimenez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diario Libre, the Dominican Republics largest newspaper, dedicated its Monday editorial to Saldana. Saldana has established herself as one of the most prominent figures in global cinema, transcending barriers of genre, platforms and film genres, the newspaper wrote. In her acceptance speech, Saldana saluted her mother, who attended the ceremony at the Dolby Theater, and affectionately remembered her grandmother, who migrated to the U.S. in 1961. I am a proud child of immigrant parents. With dreams and dignity and hard working hands, said Saldana. I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award. And I know I wont be the last." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact that I am getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish, my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted, she said. ____ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america Mobile World Congress 2025 kicks off with focus on AI, 5G Xinhua) 08:48, March 04, 2025 People look at a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra during the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) opened here on Monday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced connectivity. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) BARCELONA, Spain, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) opened here on Monday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced connectivity. The four-day event, hosted by the GSMA at the Fira Gran Via exhibition center, is themed "Converge, Connect, Create," emphasizing the fusion of mobile and AI-driven technologies. Mats Granryd, director general of the GSMA, highlighted the rapid global adoption of 5G, noting that connections have reached 2 billion, making it the fastest-growing mobile generation to date. "Now it's time to stamp out the barriers and press the accelerator for growth," he said. The GSMA also released its Mobile Economy Report 2025, which revealed that mobile technologies and services contributed 5.8 percent of global GDP in 2024, amounting to 6.5 trillion U.S. dollars. That figure is projected to reach 11 trillion dollars, or 8.4 percent of GDP, by 2030, driven by the expansion of 5G, IoT, and AI. MWC 2025 has drawn more than 2,800 exhibitors and 1,200 speakers, with organizers expecting over 100,000 attendees. More than 300 Chinese firms, including China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, Huawei, ZTE, Lenovo, and Xiaomi, are showcasing their latest innovations. A visitor interacts with a robot hand during the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) opened here on Monday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced connectivity. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) People try on VR headsets during the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) opened here on Monday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced connectivity. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) A man takes photos of smartphones during the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) opened here on Monday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced connectivity. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) A visitor interacts with a robot hand during the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) opened here on Monday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced connectivity. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) Samsung's Project Moohan headsets are on display during the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) opened here on Monday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced connectivity. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) A man views a HUAWEI's tri-fold smartphone during the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) opened here on Monday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced connectivity. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) People watch a robotic dog during the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. The 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) opened here on Monday, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced connectivity. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) An aerial drone photo taken on July 19, 2024 shows a wind farm in Tongliao, China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua] Recent years have witnessed record-breaking heatwaves worldwide, making it clear that global warming is not merely a distant warning but a harsh reality. Meanwhile, China, with its steadfast commitment and remarkable progress in green development, has emerged as a champion in the global transition to renewable energy, serving as a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change. What has China achieved so far? What does it mean to the world? Here is what to know. A greener China China has been making concrete steps toward its commitment to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP decreased by 50.9 percent in 2021 compared to 2005, the base year for the country's climate contributions, according to recent reports submitted by China to the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The country has been growing literally greener. China's forest coverage rate reached 25 percent by 2023, with forest stock exceeding 20 billion cubic meters. The annual carbon-sink capacity of China's forests and grassland has exceeded 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, ranking first in the world. Meanwhile, renewable energy expansion in China continues to set new records, with over 200 million kilowatts of newly installed capacity for renewable energy power generation in the first three quarters of 2024, accounting for more than 80 percent of total new installed capacity. In 2023, China accounted for 60 percent of the new renewable capacity added worldwide, according to World Energy Outlook 2024. Electricity generated from clean energy accounted for 39.7 percent of the country's total power generation in 2023, up by around 15 percentage points from 2013, according to a white paper titled China's Energy Transition issued in 2024. China is also a top player in reducing energy intensity, with 26 percent down since 2012. Its production and sales of new energy vehicles have topped the world for 10 consecutive years. China's achievements in green development reflect its strong commitment to balancing economic development with environmental sustainability, said Naing Swe Oo, a senior advisory board member of Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies. "Through the ambitious carbon neutrality goals, energy structure adjustments and industrial decarbonization efforts, China has made significant progress in the transition to a more sustainable economy," he said. The green growth Bearing fruitful achievements domestically, China has been assisting other countries in achieving green growth and strengthening their adaptation capacity for climate change. For years, China has aided the construction of clean energy and environmental protection projects in developing countries. For instance, under the China-Ethiopia-Sri Lanka Renewable Energy Technology Transfer Project, 11 green energy solutions have been installed covering 12 small and medium-sized demonstration sites and benefiting more than 50,000 people across five provinces in Sri Lanka and four regions in Ethiopia. They are expected to generate at least 70,000 kWh of energy -- saving approximately 157,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Moreover, clean energy stations with Chinese investments have taken off in both Kazakhstan and Mali. The Zhanatas Wind Farm in Kazakhstan generates 350 million kWh of clean electricity annually, equivalent to saving 109,500 tons of standard coal and cutting carbon emissions by 289,000 tons every year. The Gouina Hydropower Station in Mali has transformed West Africa's energy landscape since its 2022 launch. Generating 687 million kWh annually, the hydropower plant provides enough power for 1 million residents across Mali, Senegal and Mauritania, replacing 240,000 tons of coal and reducing carbon emissions by 630,000 tons yearly. Kenya economist James Shikwati noted that China's experience in green and sustainable development provides valuable inspirations for Kenya and other African countries. "If China can produce more green products within Africa, it would be a significant benefit for the continent," he said. Boasting the world's largest and most complete new-energy industrial chain, China is home to 70 percent of the photovoltaic components and 60 percent of wind power equipment worldwide. In 2023 alone, the country's export of wind and photovoltaic products helped reduce carbon emissions by 810 million tons in recipient countries. "Solving China's problems also helps solve problems for many other countries," said Hoe Ee Khor, chief economist of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office. "If a country has effective and low-cost green technologies, is committed to a global ecological civilization, practices free trade, and is willing to share its green technologies, then it can play a key role in shaping a postmodern, ecological global civilization," said Philip Clayton, president of the U.S. Institute for Ecological Civilization. "China can play and is playing this crucial role." A green future No matter how the international landscape evolves, China's determination and action for proactive climate response never changes. It is one of the initial parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and among the first signatories and ratifiers of the Paris Agreement on climate change. From 2016 to 2023, China supported other developing countries with roughly 24.5 billion U.S. dollars in total climate-related funding. Over the years, China has been active in promoting a fair and more equitable global climate governance system. Within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UN Environment Programme on building a green Belt and Road for 2017-2022, launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development together with 31 countries, and formed the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition with more than 150 partners from more than 40 countries. "Through such initiatives as the BRI, China is helping other developing countries deploy green technologies, such as solar farms and wind power infrastructure. This not only promotes China's influence, but also accelerates the global green transformation," said Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank. By October 2024, China, an active participant in South-South cooperation, had signed 53 MoUs on South-South cooperation addressing climate change with 42 developing countries, and had implemented nearly 100 projects focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Additionally, China had rolled out over 300 capacity-building programs in climate-related fields and provided training opportunities for over 10,000 participants from more than 120 developing countries. With climate change and green development listed among its eight key areas, the Global Development Initiative proposed by China has won the support of an increasing number of countries and regions around the world. It has established more than 30 cooperation platforms, with over 1,100 projects launched, covering all 17 of the United Nations' sustainable development goals. "There's no doubt that China's commitment to green development has positioned itself as a leader in the global fight against climate change, which is critical to global decarbonization efforts," said Malindog-Uy. "China's continued leadership in this field is likely to shape the future of the global energy markets and climate policy." Community members and development advocates are calling for a transformation of the Taipa Municipal Market to revitalize its appeal and distinguish it from nearby tourist zones, as changing consumer habits and business patterns impact visitor flow. The Taipa Municipal Market, located in one of the districts busiest areas, has long been a hub for both locals and tourists. However, shifts in local business dynamics and spending habits have affected the markets popularity. Many residents now prefer shopping at small stores or supermarkets for convenience. I dont usually cook, and there are many small stores selling vegetables and meat in Macau, said one resident in a report by TDM. Despite these changes, some locals still value the market for its fresh goods and unique offerings. I think the goods here are fresher. Its also an extra place for me to shop. I dont really like packaged products in supermarkets. Thats why I come to the market to buy things, said another resident. Stakeholders envision the markets potential for diversification. A stall owner hopes to see food and snack stalls added to attract more people, while others suggest adding lunch options or unique cafes with cultural and creative characteristics. Choi Seng Hon, Vice President of the Taipa Community Development Promotion Association, emphasized the need for differentiated development to draw both tourists and residents. The market should offer things not found in tourist zones, like unique cafes or culturally creative features, to attract both residents and tourists, he said. With ongoing road work on Avenida Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a Transport Advisory Committee member suggested the government optimize bus routes to better serve the area. This move could enhance accessibility and attract more visitors to the market. As the Municipal Affairs Bureau continues to improve other markets like Patane and Red Market, the Taipa Municipal Markets transformation could play a crucial role in supporting local businesses and preserving the areas cultural heritage. In a related development, lawmaker Leong Sun Iok urged the government last month to enhance the public markets of Sao Domingos and Taipa Village. He pointed out that despite recognizing the decline in interest among the population, no substantial actions have been taken to revitalize these markets. The facilities, which are aging, have seen increasing vacancy rates due to changing consumer demands. Leong highlighted the success of the food court at Sao Domingos Market, which attracts both locals and tourists, suggesting that a similar model could benefit Taipa. He also recalled that the government had previously considered optimizing these markets and proposed repurposing unused spaces for cultural and creative industries. The idea of transforming old markets into vibrant destinations is gaining traction, reflecting successful examples from cities like Singapore and Hong Kong. Victoria Chan Looking for a break? Test your knowledge of this week's news from the Yakima Valley. The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park unit in Pioneer Square could shut down if its lease is terminated by the federal government, as a parks advocacy group is reporting. (John S Chao) Josphine Ball, right of center near top, stands with others outside of King County Elections headquarters in Renton and fills out a form so she can become a registered voter. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times, 2024) The Colville National Forest near the Deadman Creek drainage in 2017. President Donald Trump has instructed federal agencies to plan to log national forests harder, working around environmental protections, including for endangered species. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times) Bureau of Reclamation and Yakima Tieton Irrigation District crews remove trees from the district's main canal. The Retreat Fire east of Rimrock Lake has been burning along the canal. Falling rocks and debris prompted an emergency shutdown this week for repairs. The Philippines top diplomat to the United States expressed confidence yesterday that President Donald Trumps new administration would continue military patrols in the disputed South China Sea and move ahead with an agreed expansion of the U.S. military presence in the Philippines, as concerns rise over Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the region. Ambassador Jose Romualdez, who has had meetings with Trumps diplomatic, defense and congressional officials, said the U.S. would likely maintain its support to help modernize the Philippine military, which is at the forefront of deterring Chinas growing assertiveness in the disputed waters. All of that will remain, Romualdez told foreign correspondents at a news conference in Manila. I am confident that it will. A Washington meeting between Trump and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was being arranged and could happen as soon as both leaders schedules allow, maybe in the spring, Romualdez said. There was no immediate comment by Chinese officials on Romualdezs statements. Trumps America First foreign policy and moves to roll back Washingtons development assistance and security aid worldwide have set off concerns about the scale and depth of the U.S. commitment to the Indo-Pacific in his new term. In recent talks between Philippine defense and military officials and their American counterparts, both sides have reaffirmed their commitment to maintain robust ties. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany last month and not only reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the United States-Philippines alliance but noted his enthusiasm for building an even more invested and enduring relationship, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said then. Their discussions included the ongoing bilateral coordination on addressing Chinas destabilizing actions in the South China Sea and increasing economic cooperation on infrastructure, critical minerals, information technology and energy, including through civil nuclear cooperation, Bruce said. Confrontations between China and the Philippines have flared up in recent years in the South China Sea, a major global trade route, where Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have had overlapping claims for decades. Romualdez said helping the Philippines stand up to threats to unhindered passage and overflight in the contested waters would benefit the U.S. and other allied and friendly countries, which are strengthening their defense ties with Manila. Were right in the forefront of this push to make sure that the Indo-Pacific region remains free and clear, he said. Trumps predecessor, Joe Biden, took steps to strengthen an arc of security alliances in the Indo-Pacific to better counter Chinas assertiveness, including in any future confrontation over self-governed Taiwan. That has aligned with Marcos thrust to strengthen his countrys external defenses to protect the territorial interests of the Philippines in the South China Sea. JIM GOMEZ, MANILA, MDT/AP Lawmaker Ron Lam has called for unified emission standards for Macaus sewage treatment plants, citing ongoing environmental concerns at the Coloane Sewage Treatment Plant. Residents have reported persistent odor problems and environmental issues, despite assurances from the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) that discharged water quality meets standards. Lam visited the site following complaints and observed conditions similar to past incidents. He noted that while the discharged water quality may meet standards, long-term sewage discharge with accompanying bubbles and an earthy smell could still impact the ecological environment and bird foraging areas. Lam recommended a comprehensive ecological study to assess the suitability of the site for long-term sewage outfall. The DSPAs 2023 report indicated that the pollution concentration of influent water at the Coloane Wastewater Treatment Plant exceeded design standards, though discharge water quality remained within limits. However, Lam argued that even compliant discharge could affect the ecological environment under poor diffusion conditions, particularly impacting fish and birds in Ecological Zone II. Lam also highlighted the ongoing upgrade project for the Coloane Wastewater Treatment Plant, awarded in 2023, which aims to meet national Level A standards for urban sewage treatment plants and optimize the odor treatment system. He urged authorities to clarify the projects progress, as its completion timeline remains unclear. Additionally, the Marine and Water Bureau is working on the first phase of the Coloane Western Coast project, aiming to reuse part of the sewage plants tail water and reduce discharge. Lam hopes this project will accelerate to help improve water quality at the discharge outlet. Lam emphasized the need to update Macaus water supply and drainage regulations, which have been in effect for nearly 40 years and lack unified sewage plant emission standards. He called for establishing unified minimum standards to replace the current system, where each plant discharges according to its design standards, which he said is detrimental to overall environmental protection. Lam also pointed out that over half of Macaus sewage is discharged without secondary treatment, relying solely on dilution and diffusion. He urged authorities to update regulations and improve environmental protection infrastructure to address these challenges. In late February, Lam inquired about the governments plans following recent typhoons, emphasizing the need for a robust flood prevention system. He noted that the Flood Prevention and Drainage Plan for the Coloane Western Coast is set to begin. Lam expressed concerns over insufficient community consultation and the potential ecological impact of proposed construction, particularly in heritage areas. He urged the administration to prioritize urgent needs like drainage improvements and traffic management alongside flood protection efforts, advocating for a comprehensive public engagement process to ensure local voices are heard in future planning. Victoria Chan Leading international schools groups Nord Anglia Education recently announced the British International School of Budapest has become its first school to receive a Gold Social Impact Distinction. Nord Anglias Social Impact Distinction programme, modelled on UNICEF UKs Rights Respecting Schools award, assesses and celebrates the level of social impact work undertaken by students and colleagues at Nord Anglias schools across the globe. Participating Nord Anglia schools are accredited at three levels of distinction, Gold, Silver or Bronze. These are assessed against several criteria, ranging from curriculum integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to student voice in school decision making. The British International School of Budapests achievement is thanks to the schools united and collaborative approach to social impact across its entire community. This includes: * Students from Early Years to Year 13, teaching colleagues, and parents sharing a common language about the UNCRC and SDGs, working together to integrate them into all areas of school life, and deeply understanding the importance of them. * Students having a strong sense of belonging and pride in the school, demonstrated through a wide range of student leadership roles, ensuring their voices are heard. * The school having a well-established and forward-thinking Behaviour and Conduct policy that incorporates the UNCRC. Mr Benjamin Turner, Principal of the British International School of Budapest, said:All of us at the British International School of Budapest are delighted to be the first Nord Anglia school recognised with the Gold Social Impact Distinction and Im sure we will be the first of many. This is testament to our tight-knit school community, which holds our social impact work close to its heart and works together to empower students to make a real difference in their school, our city and beyond. Dr Leslie Williams, Group Head for Social Impact and EDIB at Nord Anglia Education, said: Our accreditations allow us not only to measure the level of social impact work taking place across Nord Anglia, but also to encourage meaningful engagement amongst our schools and students. We hope that these will lead to shifts in cultures, focused on improving the school community and beyond through outreach opportunities. Im very proud of how our Nord Anglia Social Impact Distinctions nurture purpose and citizenship amongst our 90,000 plus students around the world. Since 2017, Nord Anglia Education has been supporting UNICEF in increasing the understanding and implementation of the SDGs and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The global partnership aims to embed social advocacy and global citizenship in all aspects of teaching and learning at Nord Anglias schools by providing unique platforms for young people. In 2024, Nord Anglia Education and UNICEF launched the second phase of the global partnership to support students in becoming active citizens and working alongside their local communities to address social issues and contribute to UNICEFs wider initiatives to protect children around the world, helping to create the next generation of change-makers. UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service. Click here to virtually visit The British International School of Budapest Home sales in Hungary climbed 5pc year-on-year to 11,338 in February, a monthly estimate by listed real estate broker Duna House shows. Duna House estimated that mortgage outlays came to HUF 115bn in February, up 35pc from the same month a year earlier. Home sales in January-February were up 7.8pc at 20,605 compared to the same period last year. Duna House earnings climb 18pc in 2024 Net income of listed real estate broker Duna House rose 18pc to HUF 2.9bn in 2024, an earnings report published shows. Net sales revenue climbed 21pc to HUF 39.6bn. In Hungary, Duna House booked after-tax profit of HUF 0.9bn on sales of HUF 7.5bn. In Poland, it broke even on sales of HUF 10.8bn. In Italy, profit reached HUF 1.4bn on sales of HUF 21.1bn. Earnings per share were close to HUF 61. Duna House noted that it had outperformed its profit targets for the full year. The board plans to propose payment of a HUF 43.6-per-share dividend at an annual general meeting scheduled for April 30. Guidance for 2025 shows clean core after-tax profit of HUF 2.9bn-3.6bn, up from HUF 2.4bn in 2024. Govt to launch HUF 200bn Housing Capital Programme The HUF 200bn Housing Capital Programme initiated by the National Economy Ministry will be launched in March, state secretary for international financial affairs Marton Bokay said. Bokay said the HUF 200bn limit of the scheme is expected to generate real estate developments worth HUF 800bn-1,000bn, contributing to the construction of close to 30,000 residential properties in 5 years. The head of the National Capital Holding, which coordinates the scheme, said he was confident that the financing could curb the rise in real estate prices by boosting the supply side. Participation will be open to property funds from March 17 until March 24; at least 80pc of the capital allocation must be spent on the construction of homes, rental homes and dormitories, Sandor Buda said. The remaining amount can be used on building office, logistics and commercial real estate. The funds can only be spent on domestic investments and the investors must comply with modern energy-efficiency standards, he added. One fund manager can apply with several funds, for a minimum of HUF 5bn per fund. The maximum allocation per fund manager is HUF 20bn. The share of own resources must reach 30pc of the fund's net asset value and the expected return is in line with market conditions. If necessary, the limit amount could be raised to HUF 300bn, Buda said. Source: MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. Sam Hou Fai, along with a delegation of local representatives, has traveled to Beijing for the annual Two Sessions. The key political event shaping the countrys policy direction is set to convene in Beijing this week against the backdrop of a complex and challenging domestic and global environment. Sam will attend the third session of the 14th National Peoples Congress (NPC) tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), an advisory body, will commence today. The Two Sessions, held annually as part of a five-year cycle, is expected to last about a week. During the meetings, Premier Li Qiang will present a government work report outlining Chinas economic objectives for 2025, including the projected GDP growth rate. Analysts anticipate the target to remain at around 5%, consistent with 2024. Typically, the GDP growth target set in the government work report is one of the most closely watched figures. As Chinas economy transitions to high-quality development, GDP is no longer the sole measure of economic performance, though it remains an important indicator. Macau will be represented by 12 NPC deputies and over 20 CPPCC members. According to Seaport Research Partners, new stimulus measures and supportive policies could be introduced to boost consumer confidence. Analyst Vitaly Umansky noted that Chinas recent visa changes could positively impact Macaus economy in 2025. More significantly, he highlighted Beijings continued pro-Macau stance, with potential policy actions focused on real estate recovery, business regulations, and trade with the U.S. The policies from this years Two Sessions are likely to emphasize growth more than in the past two years, Umansky stated. LV New Delhi: The makers of Andaman, starring Sanjay Mishra, have officially revealed their next exciting project: Arjun Bewakoof. This upcoming film takes a bold new approach to funding, adopting an innovative ticket-funded model that is sure to turn heads in the independent filmmaking community. Under this novel model, audiences who purchase tickets for any two films on the Open Theatre platform will directly contribute to the funding of Arjun Bewakoof. The filmmakers aim to create a collaborative production process, where viewers become integral contributors to the film's creation. Director Smita Singh explained the reasoning behind this strategy, saying, For our first film, Andaman, it was incredibly difficult to build an audience. It took immense struggle to bring the film to life. The challenge lies in reaching people, especially without a well-known face to draw them in. As an independent filmmaker working with new actors, the battle to be seen is relentless and global. This is why we came up with the idea for Arjun Bewakoof. We want to build a community of 200,000 people who will act as micro producers for the film. For just Rs. 99, theyll not only get to watch two films on Open Theatre but also play a part in funding our next project, which will feature newcomers. Writer and actor Anand Raaj shared his thoughts on the initiative, stating, Big star films have their own following, but independent filmmakers lack that kind of community. Were changing that. Were bringing together 200,000 people who will support and invest in this journey. Arjun Bewakoof is set to release on December 25thno matter what." He continued, This film is a suspense thriller filled with twists and turns that are completely unpredictable. Every character is unique, and while I cant reveal too much, I can tell you this: the films audience will also be its producers. This is only the second time something like this is happening in the history of Indian cinema, with Shyam Benegal's Manthan being the first. In 1976, 500,000 farmers from Gujarat contributed 2 each to fund that film. We're following in their footsteps, making cinema powered by the people. Andaman, which is currently streaming on Open Theatre, earned praise for its captivating narrative and powerful performances by Sanjay Mishra, Rajesh Tailang, and Anand Raaj. Directed by Smita Singh and written by Anand Raaj, it was produced under the banner of 8 Pillars Motion Picturesthe same production house behind Arjun Bewakoof. As the filmmakers gear up for the release of Arjun Bewakoof, they hope that this fresh funding model will resonate with audiences, paving the way for a new era of independent cinema supported by the people, for the people. New Delhi: Vikram Bhatt, renowned for his exceptional filmmaking across multiple genres like horror, drama, and comedy, is back with a thrilling new projectTumko Meri Kasam. Known for his distinctive touch, Bhatt takes on a heart-wrenching, genre-bending drama that promises to captivate audiences. The films tagline says it all: "He made a promise to his love, a murder could destroy it." With a stellar ensemble cast that includes Anupam Kher, Adah Sharma, Ishwak Singh, Esha Deol, Sushant Singh, and Meherrzan B Mazda, Tumko Meri Kasam tells the inspiring and emotional journey of Dr. Ajay Murdia, played by Ishwak Singh (in his younger years) and Anupam Kher (in the present day). Dr. Murdia, the founder of India's largest IVF chain, Indira IVF, initially establishes the organization to help childless couples fulfill their dreams of parenthood. Alongside him is his supportive wife, Indira, portrayed by Adah Sharma. However, their lives take a dramatic turn when Dr. Murdia is accused of a murder that could destroy his career and reputation. The gripping trailer offers a sneak peek into the emotional roller-coaster of Dr. Murdias life, swinging between a passionate love story, intense human drama, and a high-stakes courtroom thriller. The trailer also teases an intense courtroom battle where Dr. Murdias lawyer, played by Esha Deol, fights to prove his innocence despite overwhelming evidence against him. This collaboration between Vikram Bhatt and Anupam Kher is especially noteworthy as this marks their first time working together despite knowing each other for over three decades. With Bhatts compelling direction and Khers unparalleled acting skills, Tumko Meri Kasam promises to deliver a memorable cinematic experience. As with many of Bhatts films, the music plays a significant role in adding depth to the story. The songs Berang and Ishqaa Ishqaa have already generated significant buzz on social media and streaming platforms, becoming instant fan favorites. Adah Sharma, fresh from the success of The Kerala Story, joins forces with the talented Ishwak Singh, who garnered accolades for his performance in Paatal Lok. Their pairing is expected to become one of Bollywoods most talked-about fresh duos. With the experienced performances of Anupam Kher and Esha Deol, the film has all the ingredients for success. Tumko Meri Kasam follows the emotional and professional struggles of Dr. Ajay Murdia, exploring his determination to build a legacy in Indias IVF industry while navigating the personal toll it takes on his relationships. As the story unfolds, the characters are forced to confront a murder accusation that threatens everything theyve worked so hard for. The fusion of love, drama, and courtroom thriller elements makes this film an absolute must-watch. The movie will be released in cinemas on 21st March 2025, and with Vikram Bhatts direction, a powerful cast, and a captivating storyline, Tumko Meri Kasam is sure to make a significant impact in Indian cinema. Watch the trailer here: Tumko Meri Kasam is presented by legendary director Mahesh Bhatt, whose groundbreaking work in films like Arth, Saraansh, and Criminal continues to inspire filmmakers across generations. His mentorship and guidance have helped shape the vision of this gripping film. The film is produced by Indira Entertainment, with Shwetambari Bhatt and Krishna Bhatt Sarda serving as Project Directors. The music is composed by Prateek Walia, with lyrics penned by Vikram Bhatt and Shweta Bothra. The soundtrack is available via Zee Music Company, and the film is distributed by White Lion Entertainment. 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New Delhi: Reliance Industries on Tuesday received a demand notice from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, demanding a sum of $2.81 billion from the group and its partners including British energy major BP Plc over alleged gains made from natural gas that may have migrated from state-run ONGCs neighbouring block. The demand is estimated to be worth Rs 24,500 crore. Consequent upon the abovementioned Division Bench judgment, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has raised a demand of US $2.81 billion on the PSC Contractors namely Reliance Industries Limited, BP Exploration (Alpha) Limited and NIKO (NECO) Limited. The letter of demand was received by the Company at 11:30 a.m. on March 3, 2025, RIL wrote in a regulatory filing. Reliance said it is legally advised that the Division Bench judgment and this provisional demand are unsustainable and that it is taking steps to challenge the judgment of the Division Bench of the Delhi High Court. "The company does not expect any liability on this account," added Reliance Industries. Reliance Industries shares declined as much as 1.0 per cent to Rs 1,159.3 apiece in intraday trade on BSE. At 3 pm, the stock was off its intraday low, trading 0.4 per cent lower for the day at Rs 1,166.2. According to an earlier filing, the Delhi High Court on February 14 overturned an international arbitration tribunal ruling that held the duo not responsible for paying any compensation for the gas they produced and sold which had allegedly migrated from adjoining fields. Initially, Reliance held 60 per cent interest in Krishna Godavari basin deep-sea block KG-D6, while BP had 30 per cent and the remaining 1 per cent was with Canadas Niko. Later, Reliance and BP took over Niko's interest in the production sharing agreement. Currently, Reliance and its partner BP hold 66.66 per cent and 33.33 per cent stakes, respectively. Heres a timeline of some of the key events related to this story: Daredevil: Born Again Marvels Latest Series Arrives in India: Following the mixed reception of Captain America: Brave New World, Marvel Studios is turning its attention to one of its most anticipated projects, Daredevil: Born Again. The series is set to reintroduce the beloved superhero in a fresh and compelling storyline, making it a must-watch for MCU fans. Daredevil: Born Again India Release Date & Streaming Details Marvels Daredevil: Born Again will premiere in India on March 5, 2025, exclusively on JioCinema, just a day after its U.S. release on March 4. The series consists of nine episodes, with the first two launching on the premiere date, followed by weekly episodes every Wednesday. Full Episode Release Schedule in India Episodes 1-2: March 5, 2025 Episode 3: March 12, 2025 Episode 4: March 19, 2025 Episodes 5-6: March 26, 2025 Episode 7: April 2, 2025 Episode 8: April 9, 2025 Episode 9: April 16, 2025 Star Cast and Storyline Charlie Cox returns as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, the blind lawyer who takes on crime by night in Hells Kitchen. His performance in previous Marvel projects like Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has already earned him widespread praise. Joining Cox are Vincent DOnofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Zabryna Guevara, and Nikki M. James in key roles. The series follows Daredevil as he battles his longtime nemesis, Fisk, who is now aiming to become the mayor of New York City. Marvel Phase Five & Future of the Series As part of Marvels Phase Five, Daredevil: Born Again is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the MCUs future. Due to its positive anticipation, the series has already been renewed for a second season, ensuring more thrilling stories for fans. With an exciting cast, intense storytelling, and the return of fan-favorite characters, Daredevil: Born Again is shaping up to be one of Marvels most awaited releases. Make sure to mark your calendars and catch all the action on JioCinema starting March 5, 2025! Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde resigned on Monday amid pressure from the opposition as one of his close aides was arrested in connection with the Beed Sarpanch's murder. Munde was Cabinet Minister and was handling Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Protection . According to reports, he resigned after CM Devendra Fadnavis held a high-level meeting with Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. "Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde has tendered his resignation today. I have accepted the resignation and sent it to the Governor for further course of action," said Fadnavis while addressing media. The resignation is linked to Walmik Karad, a close associate of Munde, who has been named as an accused in the case. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis convened a late-night meeting on Monday with Deputy CM and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, along with senior party members, including Munde, to deliberate on the matter. Karad was taken into custody in connection with the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village. Reports suggest that Fadnavis acted following discussions with Ajit Pawar, assessing the political implications of the chargesheet filed in the case. The investigation has reportedly shed light on Karad's alleged involvement in the crime. On December 9, Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of the Masajog village in Beed district was murdered after he allegedly opposed an extortion attempt targeting an energy firm installing windmills in the area. The extortion attempt was allegedly led by a local leader, who demanded Rs 2 crore from the company. Deshmukh's intervention allegedly led to his abduction, torture, and subsequent murder. External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, is set to begin his official visit to the United Kingdom and Ireland today. His trip follows a high-level emergency meeting hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where European leaders gathered to discuss support for Ukraine and its President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This meeting occurred amid rising tensions between Zelenskyy and key U.S. figures, including former President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, during their engagement at the White House. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Dr Jaishankar will be on an official two-nation tour from March 4 to 9. "India and the UK share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has strengthened across diverse areas including Defence & Security, Trade & Economy, Health, Education, People-to-people ties. During the visit, EAM will be holding discussions with his counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and will meet several other dignitaries as well as Indian community members," said the MEA in a statement. It further said that India and Ireland share friendly bilateral relations based on shared democratic values, cultural ties and growing economic engagements. "EAM will be meeting with his Irish counterpart, Simon Harris, other dignitaries and members of the Indian community, during his visit to Ireland on 06 - 07 March 2025. EAMs visit will provide renewed impetus to Indias friendly ties with both the UK and Ireland," it said. While bilateral talks are on the agenda, in the United Kingdom, the focus will be on the Ukraine and Russia wars. During his discussions with Zelenskyy on Saturday, Starmer announced plans for a coalition of the willing, involving Britain, Ukraine, France, and other nations, to draft a peace proposal aimed at securing Trump's backing. Jaishankars visit comes as India maintains a neutral stance in global geopolitics, avoiding alignment with Europe, Ukraine, Russia, or the US. Last week, India abstained from voting on two UN resolutionsone led by Ukraine and another by the United Statesreinforcing its position of strategic autonomy while navigating diplomatic sensitivities. Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, New Delhi continues its balanced approach, refraining from taking explicit sides. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of a just and lasting peace, grounded in international law, UN Charter principles, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations. NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday dismissed the Election Commission's clarifications on duplicate voter ID numbers as a "cover-up" and cited the poll panel's own guidelines to assert that two cards cannot have the same number. The TMC on Monday alleged a "scam" in issuing duplicate voter ID card numbers and gave the poll panel a 24-hour deadline to "accept its mistake". On Tuesday, party Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale shared on X excerpts from the 'Handbook For Electoral Registration Officers' to counter the poll panel's clarifications on the issue, which was first raised by party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "Yesterday, All India Trinamool Congress had given Election Commission of India 24 hours to admit and accept their blunder on the duplicate voter ID fraud issue. Clearly, the ECI, which has been exposed, wants to brazen it out," Gokhale said. "The 'clarification' given by ECI (on Sunday) in response to CM Mamata Banerjee is actually a cover-up. They have admitted there's something wrong but are refusing to accept it. The false 'clarification' given by the ECI contradicts their own rules and guidelines," he said. He said the process of issuing the EPIC (Electronic Electoral Photo Identity) cards is laid down in the ECI's 'Handbook For Electoral Registration Officers'. While the EC said that EPIC cards with the same numbers were issued to multiple voters due to certain states using the same "alphanumeric series", Gokhale shared excerpts from the handbook and said it is impossible as Functional Unique Serial Numbers (FUSN) are different for every Assembly constituency. "EPIC card numbers are an alphanumeric sequence of three letters and seven digits. The ECI handbook clearly states that the three letters, known as a Functional Unique Serial Number (FUSN), are different for every Assembly constituency," he said. "Therefore, it is impossible for voters in two different assembly constituencies (even in the same state) to have the same first 3 letters on their EPIC. How is it then that the same EPIC numbers as voters in West Bengal have been allotted to random people in Haryana, Gujarat, and other states?" he said. Countering EC's clarification that even with two people having the same EPIC number, they can only vote in their respective constituency where they are enrolled, he said the voter is linked to his photo by the EPIC number. "In photo electoral rolls, the elector is linked to his photo by the EPIC number. Therefore, when a voter in Bengal goes to cast their vote, their photo on the electoral roll will be different if the same EPIC number has been allotted to a person in another state. "This will lead to the refusal of voting due to a photo mismatch. By allotting the same EPIC numbers in different states, voting can be denied to those who are likely to vote for non-BJP parties due to photo mismatch," he said. He stressed EC rules mandate that the software used for issuing EPIC cards keeps track of every used and unused number to ensure that the same EPIC number is not allotted to multiple people. Also, EPIC number links the details of voters with their photo and it is considered to be a "permanent unique ID". "Therefore, it is impossible that any 'error' can lead to the same EPIC numbers being allotted to multiple people in different states. Also, since the EPIC number is linked to voter details, a duplicate EPIC number will lead to denial of voting," he said. "This clearly reeks of a conspiracy to conduct voter suppression in favour of the BJP, where voters in non-BJP areas are being targeted by issuing their EPIC numbers to people in other states," he said. Gokhale said the matter raises serious questions about the actions of the ECI, especially considering that the Election Commissioners are now appointed by the Narendra Modi government by ma ajority on a three-member panel where two members are the prime minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "If ECI is compromised on behalf of BJP, there is zero possibility of elections being free and fair. ECI must also come clean and disclose how many EPIC cards are currently active and how many of those bear the same number," he said. "The Election Commission of India must come clean on this, and an impartial investigation must be conducted on this duplicate Voter ID scam," he added. The EC on Sunday said identical EPIC numbers or series were allotted to some electors from different states and Union territories due to a "decentralised and manual mechanism" being followed prior to shifting of the electoral roll database of all states to the ERONET (Electoral Roll Management) platform. According to a source, the issue will also be raised in the upcoming Parliament session, and the TMC is also in touch with some of the other INDIA bloc parties that have raised concerns over voters' lists in their states. New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest in the capital on Tuesday, demanding that the BJP-led Delhi government provide clarity on its promise to give Rs 2,500 per month to women by March 8, International Women's Day. Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Atishi led the demonstration outside Mandi House metro station. Several AAP MLAs and party workers joined her in questioning the BJP over the delay in implementing the scheme. Atishi, in a post on X, accused the BJP government of not fulfilling its commitment. "Four more days are left. The women of Delhi are waiting when will Rs 2,500 come? Modi had guaranteed that on March 8, the first installment would be credited to the accounts of all women in Delhi. Will this guarantee be fulfilled or will it once again prove to be just a slogan?" she wrote in Hindi. AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar also criticized the BJP and called on Delhi's newly appointed Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to clarify the status of the scheme. "PM Modi had said that on the occasion of the International Women's Day on March 8, Rs 2,500 would be sent to the accounts of women. Now, CM Rekha Gupta should tell whether this guarantee is going to turn out to be a 'jumla' like the promise of Rs 15 lakh," he posted on X. The BJP had made this promise during the Delhi Assembly elections, surpassing AAPs offer of Rs 2,100. The BJP won 48 out of 70 seats, while AAP secured 22. The Congress failed to win any seat. With the deadline approaching, AAP has intensified its demand for a timeline on the schemes rollout. Responding to the criticism, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Monday that the BJP would fulfill its promise. "AAP should not question us as to when we will provide Rs 2,500 to women. They left Delhi government's accounts in shackles. While we will definitely fulfil our promise, the AAP surely doesn't deserve to question us on this," she said in the Delhi Assembly. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated on Tuesday that I am not God and will rectify his comments about the Kannada film industry if he has done anything wrong. This comes after he slammed the industry for the low turnout of the actors at the inauguration of the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival and said that he knows how to tighten the nuts and bolts. We may not be right and polished Let me rectify it. I am not God, so if I have done anything wrong, I will rectify it, but I am speaking in the best interest of the (film) industry. I am also from the industry I have an interest in this industry, Shivakumar told reporters as per ANI. He continued, We conducted the International Film Festival in Bengaluru, and next year, I am planning to organise IFFA (International Indian Film Academy Awards) in Bengaluru. According to media reports, earlier at the event, Shivakumar delivered a message to the Kannada film industry of increased participation and said, Going forward, I want the Film Chamber and Academy members to take this as either a warning or a request. This is not my program; it's your program. Bhima Jewellery, the sponsor, is sitting right there. Does only a handful of 20 people require this cinema? Karnataka Deputy CM then added his nuts and bolts remark and said, If the government does not grant permission for shooting, they cannot make a film. They cannot proceed with shooting. I also know exactly where to tighten the nuts and bolts, please understand that. Following Shivakumars remark, BJP Leader CN Ashwath Narayan launched an attack on the ruling party of Karnataka, alleging that it is asking the actors to be part of the Congress campaign. As a responsible government, such a threatening statement by people in power is not right The Congress govt in Karnataka threatening, 'We know how to tighten your bolts and nuts.' What do you mean by that? This kind of threat is not fair and advisable We condemn the statement by Dy CM Ill-treating actors and Kannada film industry, asking them to be part of Congress campaign and their agenda. What kind of mindset Congress have? Narayan told ANI. (with ANI inputs) * Immigration Overhaul Taiwan mulls citizenship clampdown on Macau and Hong Kong * Politics | AL elections set for Sept. 14 * Climate SMG forecasts higher temperatures in spring * Community urges the transformation of the Taipa Municipal Market to enhance its appeal and set it apart from nearby tourist areas * Sam Hou Fai delegation heads to Beijing for Two Sessions * China eyeing US farm exports for retaliation, as importers rush to beat tariffs: Report DOWNLOAD PDF Tuesday, March 4, 2025 edition no. 4672 India slammed the United Nations Human Rights Commission Chief Volker Turk on Monday for his biased take on India. India's permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, asked the Turk to take a 'long and hard look in the mirror'. Bagchi said that Indian democracy continues to remain vibrant and pluralistic. He termed the allegations baseless and contradictory to ground realities. "As India was mentioned by name, let me begin by emphasizing that the world's largest democracy continues to be a healthy, vibrant and pluralistic society. Unfounded and baseless comments in the update contrast jarringly with ground realities. The people of India have repeatedly proven wrong such misplaced concerns about us. We would urge a better understanding of India and our civilization ethos of diversity and openness, which continue to define our robust and often cacophonous civic space," said Bagchi. Hitting at the Turk for his biased remark on Kashmir, Bagchi said, "Nothing illustrates this divergence more than the passing reference to Jammu and Kashmir, erroneously referred to as Kashmir. Ironically, in a year that stood out for that region's improving peace and inclusive progress, be it the large turnout, provincial elections, booming tourism, or the rapid development pace, clearly, the global update needs a genuine update." Watch: Take a "long & hard look at the mirror", Indian Envoy to UN in Geneva @IndiaUNGeneva @abagchimea Arindam Bagchi rips apart UN human rights chief Volker Turk's report raking Kashmir; calls the report's comments on India 'baseless' pic.twitter.com/IdDoyY3Iif Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) March 3, 2025 Bagchi also called out the UNHRC chief for cherry-picking of situations across the globe and urged Turk to look into the mirror. "At a larger level, we are concerned about global updates, oversimplifications of complex issues, sweeping and generalized remarks, usage of loose terminologies and apparent cherry-picking of situations. Mr. Vice President, the High Commissioner has sensed a pervasive unease, but we would submit that a key element to addressing this is a long and hard look in the mirror by the office of the High Commissioner," said Bagchi. Earlier, addressing the UN while giving his global update, the United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk asked India to 'stepped up' efforts to address the violence and displacement in Manipur and uphold human rights. He expressed concern over 'the use of restrictive laws and harassment against human rights defenders and independent journalists resulting in arbitrary detention and a diminished civic space, including in Kashmir'. While Turks global update named India, Ukraine, Gaza, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the United States and other nations, but did not take Pakistan's name. Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, in a press conference, targeted the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) government for endorsing the unconstitutional actions taken by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir. Mehbooba alleged that the NC was working to legitimize the BJPs policies, including the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Unfortunately, what was once unconstitutional is now being normalised by the elected government, which came to power with a different manifesto, promising to fight for the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. But it seems they (NC) are justifying the BJPs decisions of the past six years, she said. There was no mention of any resolution regarding the restoration of Article 370, which the NC claims to have brought forward. This cabinet hasnt even dared to discuss it, Mehbooba added. Taking aim at the Lieutenant Governors address during the opening session of the Budget Session, she said there was nothing for the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the address. Criticising Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba said, He cant even stand up for the rights of the people who voted for him in large numbers. Omar says he doesnt want to be Arvind Kejriwal. No one is asking him to be Kejriwal, but at least he should stand up for his people. Omar Sahib says he cant get Article 370 back from the BJP. But when the BJP could campaign for 70 years to remove it, why cant you at least take a stand and say its removal was unconstitutional? Mehbooba said while targeting J-K CM. She further added that issues of daily wagers, the right to property, and unemployment, should also be addressed. Mehbooba urged the National Conference and other political parties to support their bills in the House. She said her party had introduced several bills in the assembly for the regularization of daily wagers, the right to property, and a ban on alcohol, and hoped all parties would unite to get these bills passed. The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that calling someone "Miyan-Tiyan" or "Pakistani" is in poor taste but does not constitute an offence of hurting a persons religious sentiments under Section 298 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This observation by the apex court came while dismissing the criminal proceedings against Hari Nandan Singh, who was booked under various provisions of the IPC for allegedly abusing a government servant and using their religion and criminal force against them. The court, in its February 11 judgement, had said, The appellant is accused of hurting the religious feelings of the informant by calling him Miyan-Tiyan and Pakistani. Undoubtedly, the statements made are in poor taste. However, it does not amount to hurting the religious sentiments of the informant. The bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathana and Satish Chandra Sharma noted that such statements, though made in poor taste, do not constitute an offence under the IPC. The top court ruled in favour of Singh while discharging him of all charges and set aside the High Court's order. It also ruled that none of the ingredients that constitute the offences alleged against Singh found place in the FIR. In its judgement, the court remarked, A bare perusal of Case No. 140 of 2020 reveals that the essential ingredients of the offences alleged against the appellant under Sections 353, 298, and 504 IPC are not made out. Singh, the 80-year-old man, had sought information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act from the Additional Collector-cum First Appellate Authority. While the information was dispatched to him, the accused alleged that the documents in which the information was sent to him were manipulated, as per ANI. After his allegations, the Public Information Officer (PIO) directed that the needed information was to be personally delivered by an official informant to Singh. Following the PIO's orders, an Urdu Translator and an acting clerk delivered the information to Singh's residence. The official informant (Urdu Translator) claimed that Singh abused him verbally as he was delivering the information. Furthermore, according to ANI, he also alleged that Singh used criminal force against him, intending to intimidate him and deter him from performing his duties as a public servant. Following this, an FIR was registered against the accused, and he was charged with various offenses. Singh later filed an application to dismiss the charges, but the Magistrate, the Sessions Court, and the Jharkhand High Court rejected it. Following this, he approached the top court. (with ANI inputs) Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav engaged in a heated exchange during Kumar's post-budget speech in the state assembly on Tuesday. Kumar claimed that he played a crucial role in shaping the political career of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi's father. As Kumar spoke, Tejashwi interrupted him. In response, Kumar said, "What was there in Bihar earlier? It was me who made your father what he became. Even the people from your caste questioned me on why I was supporting him, but I still did." Earlier, Bihar BJP President Sanjay Jaiswal praised the state budget, calling it historic. He highlighted new infrastructure and airport projects as key to Bihar's development under the NDA government. "The budget is historic. During Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure, the budget cost would be Rs 30,000 crore, and today, after 20 years, the budget cost is Rs 3 lakh crore. New projects on infrastructure and the airport will give a new direction to the development of the state under NDA," Jaiswal said. Responding to criticism from RJD leaders, Jaiswal accused Tejashwi of lacking knowledge about the budget. "Tejashwi Yadav does not read the budget, nor does he understand it," he said. The Bihar government presented a Rs 3.17 lakh crore budget for the financial year 2025-26 on Monday. This marks a 13.6% increase from last year's Rs 2.79 lakh crore allocation. Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Samrat Choudhary presented the budget, which is the NDA government's last before the state elections later this year. The increased budget aims to boost various sectors, including infrastructure, social welfare, human development, and administration. (With ANI inputs) US President Donald Trump called out the European leaders for spending more money buying Russian Oil and Gas rather than spending it on defending Ukraine amidst the ongoing war with Russia. Trump's reaction comes after European leaders rallied behind Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and pledged strong support after his heated verbal clash with President Trump and Vice President Vance at the White House. "Europe has spent more money buying Russian Oil and Gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine BY FAR!" President Trump wrote on social media. US President Donald Trump posts, "Europe has spent more money buying Russian Oil and Gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine BY FAR!" pic.twitter.com/0JbMVbbsKd ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2025 Earlier, Slovenia's President, Natasa Pirc Musar, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared a post on the microblogging site X and expressed their strong solidarity with President Zelenskyy. New Delhi: As part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the government has initiated five pilot projects for using Hydrogen in buses and trucks. Earlier, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had issued guidelines for implementing Pilot projects in the Transport Sector under this Mission. Accordingly, the proposals were invited for different types of hydrogen-based vehicles, routes, and hydrogen refueling stations. After detailed scrutiny, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has sanctioned five pilot projects, totaling 37 vehicles (buses and trucks) and 9 hydrogen refueling stations. The vehicles that will be deployed for the trial include 15 hydrogen fuel-cell-based vehicles and 22 hydrogen internal combustion engine-based vehicles. These vehicles will run on 10 different routes across the country viz., Greater Noida - Delhi - Agra, Bhubaneshwar - Konark - Puri, Ahmedabad - Vadodara - Surat, Sahibabad - Faridabad - Delhi, Pune - Mumbai, Jamshedpur - Kalinga Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram - Kochi, Kochi - Edappally, Jamnagar - Ahmedabad, and NH-16 Visakhapatnam - Bayyavaram. The above projects were awarded to major companies such as TATA Motors Ltd, Reliance Industries Limited, NTPC, ANERT, Ashok Leyland, HPCL, BPCL, and IOCL. The total financial support for selected projects made available by the Government of India will be around Rs. 208 Crore. These pilot projects are likely to be commissioned in the next 18-24 months, paving the way to the scale-up of such technologies in India. The thrust area for providing support under the scheme is the development of commercially viable technologies for utilizing hydrogen in the transport sector as fuel in buses and trucks and supporting infrastructure like Hydrogen refueling stations. One of the mission's objectives is to support the phased pilot deployment of Green Hydrogen as fuel in buses and trucks. These pilot projects can demonstrate safe and secure operations, assess the effectiveness of hydrogen-based vehicles and refueling stations, validate technical feasibility and performance, and evaluate their economic viability, thereby leading to hydrogen-based vehicles and hydrogen refueling stations under real-world operational conditions. The Scheme Guidelines for implementing Pilot projects for using Green Hydrogen in the Transport Sector under the NGHM can be accessed here. The National Green Hydrogen Mission was launched on January 4, 2023, and will cost Rs 19,744 crores up to 2029-30. It will contribute to India's goal to become Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) through clean energy and serve as an inspiration for the global Clean Energy Transition. Mumbai: Actor Chandan Roy Sanyal has addressed the controversy surrounding the show 'Aashram' and its portrayal of religious figures. The show, which has sparked significant debate since its release, has been criticized by some for its depiction of faith and religious symbolism. However, Sanyal remains unfazed, highlighting the overwhelming support the series has garnered from viewers. When asked about the backlash, Chandan acknowledged that criticism is an inevitable part of being in the public eye. He told IANS, Backlash is inevitable, but love always outweighs criticism. On social media, I see that about 98% of people appreciate the show, while a small percentage express anger. However, if the show had only received criticism, it wouldnt have lasted for five years. The overwhelming support from viewers, especially women and younger audiences, has made Aashram a success. In 'Aashram Season 3', Chandan Roys character will dethrone Baba Nirala, a role that was immortalized by Bobby Deol. The actor also spoke openly about stepping into such an iconic role and the challenges it brings. Bobby Sirs portrayal of Baba Nirala is iconic. The show revolves around his character, and people connect with it deeply. The writers made my character the new Baba, and I had to step into that role. Ultimately, its up to the audience. I cant predict whether they will accept me in this transformation. The storyline now has two Babas, which sets up an interesting dynamic. It all depends on how the writers develop my character moving forward. I am also curious to see how the audience reacts and what platforms like MX Player or Amazon Prime decide for the future, he shared. On Chandan's birthday, a major slate announcement revealed several exciting upcoming projects, with Aashram Season 3 Part 2 standing out as one of the key highlights. Sanyal took to Instagram to share images from the event, captioning the post, The wait is over! What a birthday celebration when the whole world celebrated with Aashram! The year has just begun for me. Bhopa is coming soon. The show stars Bobby Deol as the manipulative and sinister Baba Nirala, who exploits the young women in his ashram. The previous season of the hit series aired in 2022, and the second part of Season 3 was released on February 27 on Amazon MX Player. Mumbai: Kareena Kapoor Khan has always been a hands-on mother, balancing her professional commitments with parenting duties. Recently, the actress was spotted at Mumbais Gateway of India with her sons, Taimur Ali Khan and Jeh Ali Khan, on what seemed to be a school outing. However, a viral video from the day shows Kareena sternly reminding Jeh to hold hands, a moment that has sparked conversation online. In the clip circulating on social media, Kareena, dressed casually in a red shirt and pants, is seen ensuring that everything is for the trip. As she keeps an eye on the arrangements, Jeh is seen breaking free from his guardians grasp and running toward her. The actress immediately stops him and firmly says, I said hold your hand. While some may have mistaken her tone as strict, fans quickly jumped to her defence, praising her for being a responsible mother. Given the recent knife attack on her husband, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena has reportedly been extra cautious about her familys safety. Many social media users expressed their support for the actress, calling her reaction justified. Shes just being a protective mom. Kids are unpredictable, and safety comes first, one fan commented. Another added, People always judge celebrities for everything, but shes only doing what any mother would do. Following the shocking attack on Saif Ali Khan at his Mumbai residence, reports suggest that Kareena may take strict measures to shield her children from excessive media attention. It was Zee News English that exclusively told you about Bebo considering stopping paparazzi coverage of her family outings altogether. Despite being a celebrity, Kareena has consistently emphasized the importance of normalcy for her children. Whether or not she takes stricter action against media intrusion remains to be seen, but one thing is clearKareena Kapoor Khan prioritizes her childrens safety above all. Mumbai: Director Anurag Kashyap recently shared that he had initially approached Manju Warrier to play the role of RAW agent Kusum Devi Yadav in Netflixs hit web series Sacred Games. The filmmaker also revealed that he suggested Nayantharas name for the role, but due to various reasons, things didnt materialize. The role, which eventually went to Amruta Subhash in Sacred Games Season 2, was originally meant to feature a well-known face from the South Indian film industry. Speaking during a roundtable interview, Kashyap revealed, We were trying to get Manju Warrier for Amruta Subhashs role We were auditioning for different language actors. We gave them (Netflix) three options: Manju Warrier, Nayanthara, and one more person. However, Kashyap explained that at the time, Netflix did not have an Indian office, and casting decisions were made by the team in the United States. He pointed out that OTT platforms in those days were not actively seeking actors from the South Indian industry. At that time, OTT platforms were not really looking at South films. They were not considering the South market. They wanted actors from regions where their subscriber base was already strong. Their choices were driven by algorithms and audience demographics, he added. Kashyap, who has often praised Malayalam cinema, also spoke about his rapport with Manju Warrier. He revealed that she had approached him for feedback on her upcoming film Footage, as she was planning its Hindi release. Manju and I go way back We first met in 2011-2013 through our mutual friends Geetu Mohandas and Rajeev Ravi (the director of Moothon and a renowned cinematographer). Interestingly, Manju and I also share the same birthday, Kashyap shared. Directed by debutant Saiju Sreedharan, Footage is a psychological thriller featuring Manju Warrier in a pivotal role. The film revolves around Vishak and Gayatri, a couple known for their YouTube vlogs on mysterious subjects. During the COVID-19 lockdown, they get intrigued by a strange story involving their maids mute employer, who lives in the same apartment complex. Sreedharan, the films director, has an impressive track record as an editor, having worked on National Award-winning films like Maheshinte Prathikaaram and critically acclaimed movies such as Kumbalangi Nights and Anweshippin Kandethum. Mumbai: Adarsh Gourav is now set to make his Telugu debut in a psychological horror movie. The actor heaped praise on the South film industry and said that it has consistently delivered some of the most compelling and innovative films. Adarsh shared: "I've always believed that great stories transcend language, and as an actor, my biggest thrill is to explore diverse narratives across industries. The South film industry has consistently delivered some of the most compelling and innovative films, and Im excited to finally be a part of it. The upcoming yet-untitled project is being spearheaded by Jahnavi, daughter of renowned producer DVV Danayya, and is directed by Baba Shashank. The film is scheduled for release in 2025. He said that he has never done a psychological horror genre. This project, in particular, is unlike anything Ive never done Psychological horror genre and it has a gripping story that immediately drew me in. Collaborating with a visionary team and making my Telugu debut with Jahnavi's production is truly special. I can't wait for audiences to see what were creating." Adarsh began acting with the drama film My Name Is Khan in 2010. He gained international recognition for playing chauffeur Balram Halwai in the satirical film The White Tiger, which earned him nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He has also worked in Hostel Daze, the comic thriller series Guns & Gulaabs, and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan. His latest work includes Superboys of Malegaon, a coming-of-age film directed by Reema Kagti and written by Varun Grover. Inspired by the 2008 documentary Supermen of Malegaon, it is based on the life of Nasir Shaikh and other amateur filmmakers in the small town of Malegaon. The film also stars Vineet Kumar Singh, Shashank Arora, and Anuj Singh Duhan. Pakistan Blast: A suicide attack on the Bannu Cantonment in northwest Pakistan killed at least nine people and injured 16 on Tuesday, reported PTI. The attack involved two explosive-laden vehicles that rammed into the boundary wall of the military facility. Security forces neutralised at least six terrorists, police said. The attack took place around sunset. Bannu Cantonment is located about 200 km southwest of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. A little-known militant group, Jaish Al Fursan, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is affiliated with Hafiz Gul Bahadur and is linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Sources said five civilians died in nearby buildings. Four more bodies were recovered from the debris of a mosque adjacent to the cantonments boundary wall. The injured were shifted to a hospital. After the explosions, at least five to six attackers tried to enter the cantonment. Security forces killed them before they could advance further, police added. The army sealed the main routes leading to the cantonment and restricted access to the blast site, sources said. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the attack and sought a report on the incident. Such incidents during the holy month of Ramadan are extremely condemnable and tragic, he said. He also expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the victims' families. (With PTI inputs) President Donald Trump has declared that Canada and Mexico have "no room left" to prevent US tariffs set to take effect on Tuesday, March 4. When asked about the possibility of a deal during his 'investment announcement', Trump confirmed that "tariffs are all set and are going to effect" on March 4 as scheduled. "No room left for Mexico or for Canada. No, the tariffs, you know, they're all set. They go into effect tomorrow," he said on Monday (local time). In the first week of February, Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, along with an additional 10 per cent on Chinese goods. However, on February 4, he paused tariffs on Canada and Mexico for 30 days, citing new commitments from both countries to improve border security. This pause followed discussions between Trump and his counterparts from Mexico and Canada. Trump also shared a post on Truth Social, saying, "To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on the external product on April 2nd. Have fun!" (With ANI inputs) China seeks to scale up its ties with the European Union following the deepening divide between the US and the EU over ending the Ukraine war, particularly after President Donald Trump's stormy meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. China is willing to work with the 27-member EU against unilateralism. Lou Qinjian, the spokesperson of China's parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), gave a media briefing on Tuesday. "Over the past 50 years, facts have proven again and again that there are no fundamental clashes of interest or geopolitical conflicts between China and Europe; rather, they are partners that contribute to each other's success," Lou said. China wants to scale up its ties with the EU, which it regards as a lucrative market for Chinese products, particularly its AI-compatible e-vehicles and batteries. The EU has clamped hefty tariffs on Chinese e-vehicles to protect indigenous models. China is also looking to cash in on the sharp turnaround in strategic alliances after the recent disastrous meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump, casting a shadow over the close US-EU ties. The EU leaders rallied behind Zelenskyy after his tempestuous meeting with Trump, following which he was asked to leave the White House. The meeting videos were played up heavily by the state-run Chinese media outlets. "China-Europe relations are not targeted at, dependent on, nor subject to any third party," Lou said in a veiled reference to the US-EU ties. The Trump-Zelenskyy fallout was a tricky moment for China as while pressuring Ukraine to settle for ending the war, the US President is also warming up to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, a close ally of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. There is lingering concern in Beijing over the emerging rapprochement between Trump and Putin over ending the Ukraine war. Xi and Putin share a close alliance built over the years to ward off threats from the US and its allies. On March 1, Putin dispatched his top security official, Sergei Shoigu, to Beijing to brief Xi about Moscow's current talks with Washington to end the Ukraine war. In his talk with Shoigu, Xi underlined the need to carry on the core spirit governing China-Russia relations in the new era featuring lasting good-neighbourliness, comprehensive strategic coordination, and mutually beneficial cooperation for win-win results Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his "unwavering support" for Israel, particularly with the ongoing situation in Gaza. In a recent statement on X, Netanyahu praised Trump as "the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House," highlighting the significant steps Trump has taken to aid Israel's security in the region. He also acknowledged Trump's role in providing necessary munitions, which was previously been delayed. Sharing his video on X, he wrote, "I want to thank President Trump for his unwavering support for Israel. During my recent visit to Washington, I said that Donald Trump is the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House. And President Trump shows that friendship each and every day." "He has shown it through his visionary plan for Gaza. This is a plan which Israel fully supports. He's shown it by sending us all the munitions that were being held up. This way he's giving Israel the tools we need to finish the job against Iran's terror axis. And he has shown it by fully backing Israel and putting the pressure to release the hostages where it truly belongs, on Hamas," he added. Notably, Israel has accepted President Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff's plan to extend the temporary ceasefire by 50 days. Highlighting, Witkopf's plan, Netanyahu stated, "During that time, we can discuss the conditions for a permanent ceasefire that will end the war in Gaza. In Witkopf's plan, half of the hostages would be released right away, and the remaining half would be released if we reach an agreement on a permanent ceasefire." "Again, Israel has accepted this plan, I accepted this plan, but so far Hamas has rejected it. Hamas had also put forward positions for a permanent ceasefire that are totally unacceptable," he added. He added that Israel has made the decision to stop sending goods and supplies into Gaza claiming that Hamas was "stealing" supplies meant for the civilian population and using them to fund its terrorist activities. "Israel has decided to stop letting goods and supplies into Gaza, something we've done for the past 42 days. We've done that, because Hamas steals the supplies and prevents the people of Gaza from getting them. It uses these supplies to finance its terror machine, which is aimed directly at Israel and our civilians, and this we cannot accept," the Israeli President said. Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel's commitment to taking further steps if Hamas continues to hold hostages. "And throughout this, Israel knows that America and President Trump have our back," he said. In closing, Netanyahu reiterated his thanks to President Trump and stated, "Thank you again, President Trump. Thank you for all you are doing to return our hostages, both to our security and provide a future of prosperity and peace for all the peoples of the Middle East," he said. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, firing thousands of rockets and sending militants to infiltrate Israeli towns near Gaza. The assault resulted in hundreds of casualties and hostages being taken. In response, Israel began airstrikes on Gaza, marking the start of a major conflict. During last week's important meetings in Washington, D.C., two unusual aspects of the political atmosphere stood outsomething rarely seen before in the US. One noticeable thing was the strong loyalty among Republicans, especially those in the new administration, toward Trump. They supported him personally and stood by everything he said. This loyalty is a mix of deep commitment and fear of even slightly going off track. It is extremely strong, far beyond anything seen since the Reagan era. The second thing is a strong belief among these same people that the U.S. government has become too big, corrupt, and wasteful. They think only major changes can fix it. They believe that as budgets are cut, the huge amount of waste will become clear, and they see the Biden administration as the biggest culprit in letting this happen. This is why some government agencies are being shut down or put on hold, and why Elon Musk is being given free rein. Many also strongly believe that aid to Ukraine is part of the same reckless and corrupt spending under Biden, with little accountability. Once you realize how strong this loyalty has becomealmost like obedienceand how deeply this belief is held, it becomes clear why the meeting with Zelensky went the way it did. Many people close to the administration openly show this level of dedication. Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, live in a world where no one challenges them or disagrees with them. They view Ukraine mainly as an example of excessive government spending rather than as a nation fighting for its freedom and democracy. When Zelensky walked into the Oval Office, he faced a difficult situation. JD Vance put him in a tough positionhe could either publicly show submission to Trump or defend his countrys needs. Zelensky, a brave leader who stayed in Ukraine during the war despite the danger, survived many attempts on his life, and led his people with great determination, chose to speak up and argue his case. It was a natural choice for him, but politically, it was a mistake. The situation was set up like a trap, and it closed on him. After Zelensky was asked to leave the White House, and with the U.S. recently supporting Russia at the UN, a serious problem has emerged. This has created the biggest conflict among Western countries since World War II, shaking the unity of nations that have worked together for decades. In the past week, Sir Keir Starmer has managed the situation well. He made the right decision by promising to increase defense spending, handled his meeting in Washington carefully, and showed strong support for Zelensky while also keeping communication open with Trump. On Sunday, March 2nd, he took a good step by hosting European leaders. However, the decision not to invite the Baltic leaders (the leaders of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), who strongly support him, was a strange mistake. Still, the prime minister seems to have gained confidencemaybe even a clear purpose. His recent success now puts a huge responsibility on him. He needs to create a peace plan that Ukraine (Kyiv) will accept, but at the same time, it must not be quickly rejected by the U.S. (Washington). Even though it is a big challenge, Starmer and his team should also see this as a chance to make a difference. Over the past week, he has shown a clear and focused approach that he previously struggled to achieve. Reducing overseas aid is certainly a difficult and unfortunate decision, but it also shows that the government is willing to make tough choices when needed. If they continue to take responsible and difficult decisions for the countrys benefit, it could help the government have a clear purpose, make politics more honest, and give people more trust and hope in democracy. This is a great opportunity for Europe to take action and break free from its slow decline. For todays leaders, this is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime chance to make a real differencean opportunity that wont come again. (The author of this article is an award-winning Science Writer and a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.) In an unexpected move, US President Donald Trump has paused all military aid to Ukraine, in a bid to pressure Kyiv into accepting the proposed peace negotiations with Russia. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been asking for a security guarantee, Trump wanted him to accept the peace deal to save lives being lost due to the war. This comes days after Trump and Zelensky had a heated exchange in the Oval Office during the latter's visit to the US. Following the showdown, Zelensky abruptly ended the meeting and walked out, all recorded on media camera. However, since then, Zelensky has softened his tone saying that the United States is crucial for Ukraine in war against Russia. A White House Official told the AFP that Trump's focus is on peace and the US wants its partners to be committed to the same goal. "We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," the official added. Trump had earlier termed Zelensky a dictator and suggested that the Ukrainian President 'won't be around very long' if a ceasefire deal is not reached with Russia. Meanwhile, after the US visit, Zelensky went to London to attend the European Summit where he met leaders of the European nations. Trump has also been pushing Ukraine for 'minerals for aid' deal. In a recent statement, Trump said, "It is a great deal for us because Biden very foolishly, stupidly gave 350 billion dollars to a country to fight...We get nothing...We could have rebuilt our entire US Navy with 350 billion dollars...What we are doing is getting that all back...". Zelenskyy yesterday said that Ukraine was fighting for normalcy and safety, and added that it wants the war to end. He, however, alleged that Russia does not want the war to end. "Ukraine is fighting for the normal and safe life it deserves, for a just and reliable peace. We want this war to end. But Russia does not, and continues its aerial terror: over the past week, more than 1,050 attack drones, nearly 1,300 aerial bombs, and more than 20 missiles have been launched at Ukraine to destroy cities and kill people. Those who seek negotiations do not deliberately strike civilians with ballistic missiles. To force Russia to stop its attacks, we need greater collective strength from the world," he said. Nine legislators from the Magic Valley fielded questions Saturday morning from a packed crowd at a town hall at the College of Southern Idaho. Education was the main topic of debate as Gov. Brad Little last week signed into law a $50 million private school tax credit. Meanwhile, the legislature is considering repealing the Idaho Launch grant program for high school seniors and increasing tuition at community colleges. Attendees held up their phones with red or green lights to signal their support on issues and some yelled out their thoughts as legislators spoke. Rep. Clint Hostetler, R-Twin Falls, began his opening speech by referencing a chaotic town hall in Kootenai County that made national news recently where private security dragged Post Falls resident Teresa Borrenpohl away for heckling legislators. Borrenpohl said she bit one of the men. You did mention rules, but I didnt hear anything about no biting, is that in effect today? Hostetler said to extended booing from the audience, after CSI President Dean Fisher spoke on the rules of the town hall. They didnt like that joke, Hostetler told the Times-News after the town hall. Later, Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls, asked the crowd whether they are teachers and whether they allow their class to interrupt when others are speaking. Some attendees said they werent children. Fisher then spoke directly to the crowd. Allow me, Senator Zuiderveld, Fisher said. Higher education has always been about civil discourse ... I am going to ask that we engage in civility and if we cant engage in civility, then frankly we probably will just need to end the event, so be civil. Be civil. Private school tax credit Five of the nine legislators from districts 24, 25 and 26 voted in support of the $50 million private school tax credit and four voted against it. In support of the bill, Rep. Steve Miller, R-Fairfield, said the tax credit will give more opportunities to families and that if he had the opportunity to send his child to another school, it would have been a huge improvement. This just opens up, I think, chances for those kinds of people to change the life for that child, Miller said. Sen. Josh Kohl, R-Twin Falls, said legislators need to give families as many options as is practical to find the best fit for their children. This fits within the scope of the governments constitutional mandate to fund K-12 education, Kohl said. Rep. David Leavitt, R-Twin Falls, gave an analogy to school choice and the diversity of life in a jungle. If a disease kills off one form of life, another will replace it if there is enough diversity. When you have true diversity, it drives innovation and it drives change and it makes things better for everybody, Leavitt said. From the other side of the issue, Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome, said he has absolute respect for religion, but mixing finances between the two crosses the line. About two out of three private schools in Idaho are religious. I think this country has been really great for centuries with an absolute separation of church and state, Nelsen said to applause. Keeping the cap for the private tax credit at $50 million was another question. In an interview after the town hall, Zuiderveld told the Times-News that she doesnt know if the cap will remain at $50 million. There are 105 legislators and that would have to go through policy, she said. Zuiderveld is at the top of the Idaho Freedom Foundations Freedom Index, with a 100% score from the conservative nonprofit that aims to expose false conservatives. I am for less government, I am for not overspending money we dont have and protecting our liberties and freedoms, Zuiderveld told the Times-News. Creating the private school tax credit would not grow government, she said, because it is within education and is just taking a piece of pie from the general fund to be able to give the parents that option. Repealing Idaho Launch A bill to end Idaho Launch is currently in a House committee. The grant program provides graduating high school seniors up to $8,000 to cover 80% of tuition and fees. The goal is to get more people into in-demand jobs and careers. The only Democratic legislator in the area, Sen. Ron Taylor, D-Hailey, said he loves Idaho Launch. If we lose it, Taylor said, I fear for our children and what education opportunities that they have now will be taken away from them in the future. Rep. Mike Pohanka, R-Jerome, also supports Launch. He said the state is in desperate need for trades workers. If you look at the trades, we dont have enough mechanics, we dont have enough welders, we dont have enough plumbers, Pohanka said. In opposition to Launch, Leavitt said the responsibility for training needs to fall back on the industry. He said Launch is plagued with issues. Every single time it comes back to the taxpayers, Leavitt said. Its us footing the bill. Its us accepting the liability and responsibility. Community college tuition The House voted in February to raise the tuition cap for community colleges. Fisher said tuition has been frozen by statute since 2018. He thanked Republican representatives Nelsen, Pohanka, Miller and Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, for co-sponsoring the bill. Fisher asked the senators on stage to say how they plan to vote. Taylor said he supports it, while Zuiderveld and Kohl are leaning against it. We dont pay our teachers in this state enough, Taylor said. It doesnt matter whether youre in kindergarten or in college. Kohl said community colleges provide affordable prices and this bill wont help that. One of the things you learn about government is if a fee goes up, it never comes back down, Kohl said. Views from the crowd Debate on the separation of church and state received some of the loudest reactions from the audience. Leslie Wolff, a GOP precinct chair in Twin Falls and member of the Magic Valley Liberty Alliance, told the Times-News she wasnt too thrilled with Rep. Nelsens comments on church and state. I dont know that hes read the Constitution correctly, Wolff said. Were not supposed to keep the church out of state issues. That was made just so our country didnt have to have one specific religion. Twin Falls resident Allison Welch had a different view. Welch said a lot of people in the area are Christians and are disgusted by some of the bills pushing religion, like requiring public schools to read the Bible or display the Ten Commandments. She said she was very impressed with Nelsens stance and feels like Zuiderveld, Kohl, Hostetler and Leavitt are out of touch. Flash Editor's note: As the highly anticipated annual "two sessions" convene, China.org.cn speaks with ambassadors and diplomats in Beijing to gain their insights. In this episode, the Maltese ambassador to China discusses China's economic trajectory, trade opportunities, and the growing bilateral ties under the Belt and Road Initiative. Manila, PhilippinesA Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50 fighter jet and its two-man crew are missing after flying in support of ground forces fighting communist rebels in the southern Mindanao region, a military official said Tuesday. Air Force spokeswoman Colonel Consuelo Castillo said the jet was flying over land on the way to its target area when it went missing during a tactical night operation in support of our ground troops. - Advertisement - While she declined to provide mission specifics, Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema-ala confirmed to Agence France Presse (AFP) that the missing FA-50 was part of a squadron sent to provide air support to troops fighting communist rebels in Mindanaos Bukidnon province. Lieutenant-Colonel Francisco Garello of the 4th Infantry Division told AFP that air support had been called in overnight during a firefight with the New Peoples Army in a mountainous area. There was a firefight between the 403rd Infantry Brigade (Philippine Army) and the rebels, and they made a request for air support, so the air force supported the encounter, said Garello. The long-running Maoist insurgency is now believed to have fewer than 2,000 guerrilla fighters. Local search efforts In an earlier statement, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said the missing jet had lost contact with other fighters in the group minutes before reaching its target area. While the air force has only confirmed the plane as missing, a disaster official in Bukidnon province told AFP preparations were being made for community-based forest rangers to search the area where the fighters signal was lost. We are sending two teams up tonight to the area, one in Mount Kilakiron (2,329 meters, 7,641 feet) and another in Mount Kalatungan (2,880 meters), said Ramil Gulahab. The latter is the fifth-tallest mountain in the Philippines. They will conduct a search there because that was where the signal was lost, he said, adding he had been contacted by the air force as he was a reservist. The fighters flew out of MactanBenito Ebuen Air Base, which shares a runway with the airport in Cebu, the Philippines second-largest city. PAF spokeswoman Castillo told reporters it was the first major incident involving its squadron of FA-50s, which have previously been used in exercises over the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines has a dozen of the fighters purchased from South Korea in the last decade. We are hopeful that we will still be able to recover the aircraft and crew, Castillo said. We are still very optimistic that they are safe. Deadly accidents The FA-50s have taken part in joint air patrols with treaty ally the United States over the contested South China Sea, where China and the Philippines have been involved in increasingly tense confrontations over reefs and waters. Beijing claims almost the entirety of the crucial waterway, through which trillions of dollars in commerce transits each year, despite a Hague ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. Local outlet the Inquirer reported in January that the Philippine government was considering purchasing 12 more FA-50s. There have been a number of deadly accidents involving Philippine military aircraft in recent years. Last April, two navy pilots died after their Robinson R22 helicopter crashed near a market south of the capital Manila during a training flight. Two PAF pilots were killed in January 2023 when their Marchetti SF260 turboprop plane crashed into a rice field. SmarTrade, a trusted name in financial education in the country, proudly took part in the ATFX Annual Gala Dinner 2025 for global partners held recently at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. SmarTrade, the longtime education partner in the Philippines of renowned broker ATFX, joined 700 employees and partners from 23 locations worldwide in an event that served as a platform to recognize achievements, strengthen relationships, and celebrate ATFXs continuous growth in the global financial trading industry. SmarTrade and ATFX have been collaborating in advancing financial literacy and trading solutions. Being part of this annual event reaffirms the strong partnership we have built with ATFX over the years that has allowed us to expand our reach and continue our shared mission of delivering exceptional financial education, said Joyce Mayo, President and CEO of SmarTrade. - Advertisement - During his opening speech, ATFX Chairman Joe Li thanked those in attendance for their relentless and valuable support. He also emphasized the significance of unity and innovation in ATFXs journey and pledged to continue hosting the gala dinner as a yearly tradition. To add excitement to the evening affair, gadgets, cash awards, and luxury items were raffled off. In a showcase of talent, teams from different countries took turns in performing on stage. SmarTrade employees entertained and hyped up the crowd with their Super Bowl themed dance number. Aside from attending the gala dinner, SmarTrade also participated in the 2-day activities prepared by ATFX. An immersive tour of Kuala Lumpur allowed SmarTrade employees to visit iconic landmarks like the Petronas Towers and Batu Caves. It was an opportunity to discover and appreciate Malaysias rich heritage together with the other international partners. A team-building activity that grouped delegates into diverse teams reinforced cross-cultural engagement and collaboration. It highlighted the importance of promoting strong connections among participants worldwide by cultivating cultural exchange and enhancing teamwork, which are key values that drive SmarTrade to strive for global success along with ATFX. Through innovative learning opportunities and strategic partnerships, SmarTrade and ATFX remain committed to empowering traders. As both organizations move forward, they continue to introduce initiatives that bridge financial literacy and trading solutions, ensuring that traders have access to the knowledge and tools they need for success. With its vision firmly set on building a financially empowered nation, SmarTrade invites Filipinos to join its growing community and take advantage of its 100% free learning sessions and mentorship programs. For more details or to register for a free learning session, visit www.smartradeph.com or connect through SmarTrades verified Facebook and Instagram pages. The team from SmarTrade gets a warm welcome from ATFX upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the annual dinner event for global partners. Once again, the students have put themselves at the forefront of a movement against the governments attacks on the people. On 17 February, tens of thousands of university students across Indonesia took to the streets to protest the governments recent austerity measures. A series of demonstrations followed over the next few days, spreading from one city to another. The movement culminated in a national day of action on 20 February. The movement adopted the hashtag #IndonesiaGelap or Dark Indonesia, taking a jab at the governments slogan Indonesia Emas or Golden Indonesia. Dark Indonesia expresses the widespread sentiment among the masses that the nation is entering a dark period under the leadership of the recently elected Prabowo. Stability? Barely four months into his term, Prabowos government has already been rocked by a mass movement. This is in stark contrast to the confidence the ruling class had had following his election in November and the smooth transition of power from his predecessor, Jokowi. Prabowo not only secured a landslide victory in the presidential election but was also able to form a super parliamentary coalition, including almost all political parties even the recently formed Labour Party. His coalition, the Advanced Indonesia Coalition Plus (KIM Plus), controls 470 out of 580 parliamentary seats, or 81 percent. The only party outside this coalition is the PDI-P, with 110 seats. However, PDI-P has made it clear that it will not become an opposition. Instead, it seems to be taking a wait-and-see approach, positioning itself to remain aligned with the government as long as it remains politically viable, but ready to distance itself at the first sign of trouble. Barely four months into his term, Prabowos government has already been rocked by a mass movement / Image: David Wadie Fisher-Freberg, Wikimedia Commons The ruling coalition controls not only the national parliament but also the provincial parliaments. In last months nationwide provincial elections, it won a majority in 25 out of 38 provinces about two-thirds of the total. Its grip on power seems uncontestable. A recent survey by Kompas newspaper in January showed that nearly 81 percent of Indonesians approved of Prabowos government after its first 100 days in office. This is the highest 100-day approval rating ever recorded by Kompas. For comparison, President Jokowis approval rating in January 2015 following his highly euphoric election reached only 65.1 percent after his first 100 days in office. There are indeed many reasons why the ruling class should feel confident in the stability of this government and its ability to carry out the policies needed to address the crisis of capitalism. However, beneath this apparent stability, there is growing discontent that isnt reflected in the ballot boxes or polls. Prabowo has been forced to tread carefully since he took office. The first sign of trouble for Prabowo appeared as early as August, just a few months before his inauguration. The masses, led by students, took to the streets to protest parliaments undemocratic amendment of election laws so that Jokowis youngest son could run for governor of Jakarta. The ruling class did not expect such strong opposition, and the nationwide demonstrations succeeded in forcing parliament to backtrack. Prabowo had to distance himself from Jokowis ambition to propel his youngest sons political career. This marked the first major victory of the masses in recent memory. Prabowos government has inherited massive debt from Jokowi, who, during his two terms, splurged on infrastructure projects aimed at attracting foreign investments. Yet, Prabowos administration still needs to take on more debt to sustain economic growth. He has planned to increase the countrys debt-to-GDP ratio from the current level of 40 percent to 50 percent. The problem is that the era of cheap money has ended. The cost of borrowing money has risen everywhere. No lenders would entertain the idea of extending more credit to Indonesia unless it demonstrates the necessary fiscal discipline to be able to pay them back. Fiscal discipline here means increased tax revenues and cuts to what they consider unnecessary spending, particularly social spending. Prabowos recent policies have focused on exactly this question of enabling the government to stretch its debt. In December, just two months into his presidency, Prabowo announced a plan to boost state revenue by hiking value-added tax (VAT) from 11 percent to 12 percent, starting 1 January 2025. This unpopular move was immediately met with massive public opposition. An online petition against the VAT hike garnered 175,000 signatures within days. Sensing the ground beneath it shaking, the government abruptly retreated on the eve of the planned increase, announcing that the tax hike would apply only to luxury goods. Having failed to increase tax revenues, the government put the state budget on the chopping block. It announced an ambitious plan to cut Rp 750 trillion (US$44 billion) from the budget in three rounds, amounting to nearly 20 percent of total state expenses. Nearly half of that, US$20 billion, will be used to fund Danantara, the newly created sovereign wealth fund. Danantara is an investment vehicle and a super-holding company for Indonesian state-owned enterprises, managing more than US$900 billion worth of assets. With its huge asset base, Danantara ranks as the worlds fourth-largest sovereign fund, surpassing Saudi Arabias PIF and Singapores Temasek. It was created so that the government could access external financing circumventing legal and economic constraints on fiscal deficits and debt by leveraging state assets to borrow and deploying the profits of state-owned enterprises to finance government projects. What we are seeing here is exactly what is happening worldwide as a product of todays crisis of overproduction. Because the capitalist class no longer wishes to invest, bourgeois states subsidise private investments, either directly or indirectly, and in some cases, even take over the role of investing. This is a textbook case of state intervention to rescue capitalism at the expense of the working class. But this time around, despite the hundreds of billions of dollars of state intervention that has pushed global debt to a historic level, the private sector still refuses to invest. This is because the crisis of overproduction is in full swing, and every attempt to overcome it only sets the stage for an even deeper crisis. Austerity The first round of the cuts took effect immediately in February, with Rp 300 trillion ($19 billion) slashed from the budget. There was no scalpel involved. The Labour Ministrys budget was cut by 57 percent; public works by 55 percent; elementary education by 20 percent; higher education by 40 percent; the anti-corruption body, KPK, by 15 percent; the Ministry of Human Rights by 35 percent; and the Ministry of Cooperatives by 32 percent, among others. Nothing was spared. Such a drastic and immediate cut makes Elon Musks DOGE look like childs play. We have no sympathy for the state bureaucracies, known for their inefficiency and rampant corruption. Proponents of the cuts argue that these cuts will make the government bureaucracies more efficient. But in reality, the cuts are passed down to public sector workers and the working people. Despite the government's assurances, these cuts have begun to negatively affect services for the working class / Image: public domain Public sector workers have voiced their discontent openly, as this so-called efficiency mainly affects their working conditions and has little to do with efficiency. A civil servant at the Ministry of Womens Empowerment and Child Protection told a news outlet how her office has restricted the supply of drinking water and toilet paper for the workers. We even have to pitch in to buy drinking water, complained Kardiani. Most lights in the restrooms are now switched off, and the use of air conditioning and elevators is rationed. Now at 4pm, the air conditioning must be turned off, and only one elevator remains operational. Sometimes, we even have to use the freight elevator, she said. At many universities, professors have been instructed to limit their on-campus work to four hours and must finish the rest of their work from home to reduce electricity costs. Most importantly, it is the lower-ranking civil servants who bear the brunt of these cuts. Living costs are rising, but our earnings are stagnant. Its frustrating Our motivation has plummeted. We just want to do the bare minimum. What really crushes our spirit is the disparity in efficiency measures between higher-ranking officials and [other] staff, Kardiani said. For example, many public sector workers relied on government-provided transportation, which has now been cut. Meanwhile, higher-ranking officials continue to enjoy this perk, and are often chauffeured in luxury cars. As a result of these cuts, there have been widespread layoffs of public sector workers. The government has denied this, claiming that these are mainly contract employees whose contracts will not be renewed. The reality is that an increasing number of public sector workers are on short-term contracts, with a precarious existence. They are the first to be let go. Despite the government's assurances, these cuts have begun to negatively affect services for the working class. Indonesias public libraries are shortening their operating hours, and hundreds of journalists from state television and radio networks have had their contracts terminated although these measures have been temporarily reversed due to public outcry. The public relations head of the state meteorology agency, whose budget was cut by 50 percent, admitted that this reduction could decrease the accuracy of weather, climate, earthquake and tsunami forecasts from 90 percent to 60 percent. It could also slow down tsunami early warning systems from 3 minutes to 5 minutes or more. In East Java, it was discovered that train crossings were left unattended as the watch guards, who work on contracts, were dismissed due to budget constraints. Future disasters are being prepared by these deep cuts, disasters that will hit the poor the most. This attack has begun to shift the class consciousness of public sector workers, who have been one of the most conservative layers of the working class. Public sector employment has traditionally been regarded as an iron rice bowl, guaranteeing job security and a decent standard of living. However, in recent years, public sector workers have come under attack, and this iron rice bowl has begun to rust and crack. Outsourcing and contract systems have become the norm in many state departments, replacing many regular employees who once enjoyed job security. This latest efficiency drive is yet another blow, and it may not be long before the public sector workers begin to join the labour movement to defend their living standard. When this happens, they would be a force to be reckoned with. Dark Indonesia The Dark Indonesia movement against the cuts has been primarily led by the students. They also put forward a series of other demands, including free education, allowances for university lecturers, agrarian reforms, police reforms, and rejection of the militarys dual function (dual function is a legacy of the New Order military dictatorship, where active military officers also play political roles), among others. The Dark Indonesia movement against the cuts has been primarily led by the students / Image: Hutomo, Wikimedia Commons After almost a week of demonstrations, the Dark Indonesia movement retreated. However, it is far from being defeated, as the students continue to enjoy widespread sympathy from the masses, though not their active participation at least, not yet. As the impacts of this austerity begins to be felt by the workers, we will see layer after layer of the working class actively join the movement. Students can act as a catalyst, as they often do in Indonesia, but they alone cannot defeat the government and its attacks against the workers. The working class must take the helm of the struggle and ultimately use its most powerful weapon strike action to deliver a mortal blow to the regime. The regime currently feels confident after weathering this first storm, but its austerity budget is planting sticks of dynamite under its foundations. Even a minor accident which the masses perceive to be a result of the cuts, could ignite a mass movement powerful enough to bring down the government. The recent incident in Serbia, where the collapse of a train station canopy killed 15 people and triggered a mass uprising that ultimately toppled the Prime Minister, should serve as a stark warning to the regime. A mass movement of public sector workers could also be sparked by something as trivial as a lack of toilet paper in restrooms. There are simply more than enough accidents waiting to happen that could give expression to this necessity. Even though the Dark Indonesia movement did not achieve its goal, there was no sign of demoralisation among the students. There is a growing radicalisation among the youth, who see only darkness ahead. University students, who after graduation usually make up the middle class, are facing a bleak future. Despite a decade of 5 percent annual economic growth, the number of people classified as middle class by the government defined as those spending $122-$605 per month, who in reality are simply workers with decent incomes has declined by 20 percent since 2018. Meanwhile, those living under the poverty line (spending less than $55 per month) and those considered vulnerable to poverty (spending $55-$83 per month) have increased by 10 percent and 28 percent respectively. There is a widespread process of impoverishment affecting all layers of the working class, a process that is now being further accelerated by the austerity programme. This is a recipe for explosive class struggle, and the Dark Indonesia movement is the first indication of that. Capitalism demands that the youth and workers pay for the capitalist crisis. That is the essence of Prabowos austerity. The youth and workers, therefore, have no choice but to wage a determined struggle to end this decrepit and senile system. Capitalism is beyond repair Indonesia is dark because capitalism itself is dark. The only programme that can snuff out this capitalist darkness is the program of socialism, the light that can lead humanity toward a new golden era. Lema Teferas voice faltered as he recounted the heart-wrenching loss of four children to malaria within a single month, deaths that could have been prevented if not for the ongoing conflict in Ethiopias Oromia region. The farmer, whose village has been plagued by a lack of essential medical supplies, explained to AFP that due to the fighting, malaria treatment was unavailable, leaving families vulnerable. Africa accounts for 95% of the global malaria cases and over 600,000 deaths each year, with Ethiopias Oromia region particularly hard-hit by the intersection of climate change and violence. Since the outbreak of conflict between the government and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in 2018, health services in the region have collapsed, exacerbating the malaria crisis. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recorded over 7.3 million malaria cases and 1,157 deaths in Ethiopia between January and October of the previous year, a situation that has only worsened with each passing year. Nearly half of these cases have been reported in Oromia, where disrupted healthcare infrastructure and the ongoing violence have hindered efforts to tackle the disease. Dr Gemechu Biftu of the Oromia Physicians Association highlighted the impact of the conflict, stating that anti-malarial drug supplies have been severely disrupted. The combined impact of the war and climate change has led to an alarming rise in malaria cases, with subsistence farmers like Lema particularly vulnerable. Experts warn that rising temperatures are creating ideal conditions for malaria-spreading mosquitoes, leading to cases occurring even during the dry season. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has expressed concern that the situation could worsen as the rainy season approaches. The additional challenge of reduced funding, particularly from the recent U.S. aid freeze, threatens to further devastate efforts to combat the disease. As Lema continues to grapple with the grief of losing his children, the regions health crisis shows no sign of abating. A group of 10 MPs in Ghana has resubmitted a controversial bill aimed at imposing some of the strictest restrictions on LGBT rights in Africa. The proposed legislation includes a three-year jail term for individuals who identify as gay, and sentences ranging from five to 10 years for those who promote or advocate for LGBT rights. Although the bill passed in parliament last year, former President Akufo-Addo declined to sign it into law, citing potential legal challenges. The original bill expired with the previous Parliament, and it remains unclear whether the new Parliaments speaker will allow it to be considered. Human rights organizations, both within Ghana and internationally, have condemned the bill as draconian, with many warning that it could lead to increased violence against LGBT individuals. Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns about the bills conflict with Ghanas tradition of tolerance and peace, as well as the countrys international human rights obligations. LGBT activists, including Ghanaian trans woman Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi, have expressed their dismay at the bills reintroduction, though they remain determined to continue their activism in the face of such setbacks. Economic concerns have also emerged in response to the bill, with warnings that passing it could result in Ghana losing significant international development funding. The countrys former finance minister has estimated that Ghana could lose up to $3.8bn (2.9bn) in funding from the World Bank and risk damaging its $3bn (2.3bn) IMF support programme. Despite these warnings, some lawmakers, like John Ntim Fordjour, argue that the current global political climate is more supportive of conservative values, citing the approach of former US President Donald Trump. The bill, which was first introduced in 2021, has faced numerous delays but continues to divide 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: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain For decades, the rare bone condition osteogenesis imperfecta has been diagnosed on a spectrum, from mild to lethal. New research by Nemours Children's Health physicians suggests that many babies whose cases are prenatally classified as "lethal" survive and may benefit from ongoing advances in treatment. The work is published in the journal JBMR Plus. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disorder that occurs in 1 of every 15,000 to 20,000 births. Also known as "brittle bone disease," OI causes fractures or broken bones and bone instability and fragility. Patients with severe forms of the condition may experience significant respiratory problems or death. Ricki S. Carroll, MD, Physician on the Skeletal Dysplasia and Palliative Care teams at Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware, explained that while patients with mild forms of OI are often not diagnosed until they experience multiple fractures during childhood, those with severe cases are often diagnosed in utero, when fractures or unusual bone measurements are detected via ultrasound. The most severe cases are labeled as "lethal." "Parents facing this prenatal diagnosis may be counseled that the disease will limit their child's life, and that they should opt to forego life-sustaining interventions at birth," Carroll said. As a palliative care specialist, Carroll has observed that many babies who were prenatally diagnosed with OI responded well to treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In their research, Carroll and colleagues examined the cases of 18 infants with OI who were cared for in the Nemours NICU between September 2019 and August 2024. Twelve had been given a prenatal diagnosis of "lethal" or "possibly lethal" OI. (Four were diagnosed with less severe forms of OI, and severity-specific diagnostic information was not available for two.) All 18 infants survived until their hospital discharge, and 16 are alive today with minimal breathing or feeding support needs. Carroll explained that prenatal prognosis in OI is based on criteria including decreased chest-to-abdomen and femur length-to-abdomen ratios. However, those measurements may not be accurate due to fractures or the bowed legs that are a characteristic of OI. Carroll recommends that babies with a known OI diagnosis be delivered in an advanced delivery unit, with interventions prepared to support children with life-threatening conditions. For example, in order to survive, most infants with OI will need respiratory support and pain control due to fractures sustained in utero or through the birth process. Skilled nursing care is also needed for the infants, limiting movement to allow their injuries to heal. Babies may be prescribed bisphosphonate to strengthen their bones. The 18 babies in Carroll's study experienced a range of health issues and early interventions. Two babies died of respiratory ailments, at 7 months and 13 months of age. Among the others, seven required respiratory support at discharge, and nine required feeding support. Most were weaned off such support in the following 18 months. Five have had orthopedic procedures including realignment or rodding. The patients have achieved a wide range of mobility milestonesfor example, of the eight patients aged 2 and up, one walks without support; one walks with support; one scoots, stands, and uses a power wheelchair; two crawl, scoot and stand with support; and the others roll with support. Carroll credited the multidisciplinary support these OI patients received at Nemours for their survival and wellness. "Babies born with OI do face challenges," she said. "But for families who pursued supports early on, we saw that infants born with a possibly lethal diagnosis were able to survive and actually do very well." In February 2024, Viana Kelly of Jersey City, New Jersey, gave birth to her son Koa, who had been prenatally diagnosed with lethal OI. He was scheduled to be discharged home on hospice, until she heard about the Nemours OI team. Kelly transferred Koa's care to Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware, when he was just 11 days old. After nearly two months in the hospital, Koa went home. He recently celebrated his first birthday. He is active and happy, scooting, playing and enjoying trips to the zoo. "I saw progress in him every day," Kelly said. "There was a time when I thought, 'This is where it ends.' But with time and with the care he received in the NICU at Nemours, he is doing really well." Carroll said Koa's case exemplifies how advances in OI treatment can help patients survive and achieve a good quality of life. "Our findings show that it is difficult to prognosticate the severity of OI prenatally, and that it is reasonable to offer interventions to families who wish to pursue them," Carroll said. Carroll said she and colleagues at Nemours Children's already avoid the term "lethal," instead classifying OI cases as "mild, moderate, or severe." She said prenatal testing can provide guidance on the severity of the disease, but may not provide a fully accurate picture. "This important research questions physicians' ability to predict lethality in utero. Our suggestion is that all infants with OI should be offered medical intervention as an option, which is not currently the case," said Mahim Jain, MD, Medical Director, Orthogenetics, Nemours Children's Health. Carroll and Jain said future research will examine the role of all aspects of caring for infants with OI, from delivery to physical therapy. Given the rarity of the disease and the lack of physicians with experience in treating severe cases at birth globally, they aim to continue to publish research and disseminate their findings to further advance treatment and results. More information: Ricki S Carroll et al, Most infants with prenatal Osteogenesis Imperfecta diagnosis and poor prognosis survive: experience of a quaternary care OI Center, JBMR Plus (2025). DOI: 10.1093/jbmrpl/ziaf022 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain People with intellectual disabilities (ID) are significantly less likely to participate in population-based cancer screening than the general population, according to researchers from Radboudumc and the academic collaborative Intellectual Disability and Health. The paper is published in The Lancet Public Health journal. People with ID often have a higher risk of health issues compared to others. Screening is therefore important. However, diseases are often detected later in this group, leading to higher mortality rates. Population screening is designed for early detection of cervical, breast and colon cancer. The researchers investigated the participation rate of individuals with ID in these population screening programs. The results, show that people with ID are much less likely to participate in these three population screenings than people without ID. Unfavorable outcomes were found at roughly the same rate in both groups. However, people with ID experienced more frequent difficulties during the screening or follow-up examinations. Using data from nearly 200,000 people with ID, the researchers looked at who was invited to one or more population screenings between 2015 and 2021, how many of them participated and with what results. Then those outcomes were compared with people without ID. The results showed that people with ID were significantly less likely to participate in screenings for cervical cancer (45% vs. 68%), breast cancer (56% vs. 76%), and colon cancer (52% vs. 73%) compared to people without ID. More frequent ambiguity Furthermore, the researchers found that the results were more often inconclusive in people with ID, or that the procedure could not be performed properly. When follow-up testing was needed, people with ID were less likely to participate. This may lead to delays in further diagnosis and treatment or indicate that insufficient thought was given beforehand to the consequences of a possible unfavorable result. Ph.D. candidate Amina Banda, the paper's first author, says, "Our results show that population screening is not well adapted to the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. It's not just about participation, but also about the accessibility of the procedure itself and the decision-making about participation." Better support needed Based on these findings, the researchers argue for better alignment with the needs of people with ID. Project leader Dr. Maarten Cuypers adds,"There is a need for better support in decision-making about participation. There is also a need, where possible, to better adapt the implementation of screening to people with ID. Without additional effort, this group remains vulnerable to a worse prognosis with cancer." To support care providers in the ID sector in this, the Dutch Association of Intellectual Disability Physicians (NVAVG) is currently developing a guide on how to deal with population screening in people with ID. This will include the results from this study. According to the chairman of the working group for this guide, Dr. Esther Bakker-van Gijssel, "These results show the usefulness and necessity of the guide that is now being developed. We hope that this guide will contribute to better participation in population screening in the future." The RIVM, which coordinates population screening in the Netherlands, endorses the importance of improved accessibility. Project leader Karin Honig of the Center for Population Screening at RIVM says, "The RIVM is committed to making easily understandable information available, also for people with intellectual disabilities, for example through Steffie.nl. In addition, the RIVM is involved in the creation of the NVAVG's guide to support the improvement of accessibility and the decision-making process surrounding participation in population screening." More information: Amina Banda et al, Cancer screening participation and outcomes among people with an intellectual disability in the Netherlands: a cross-sectional population-based study, The Lancet Public Health (2025). DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00011-8 Journal information: The Lancet Public Health This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Upcoming spring break trips will give the current measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico a chance to grow, making it particularly important for people who are behind on their shots to catch up now, Colorado's state epidemiologist said. "We are seeing a concerning increase in measles cases across the country, including in states neighboring Colorado," Dr. Rachel Herlihy said in a news release. "As Coloradans prepare for spring break and travel, it's crucial to ensure you and your family are protected against this highly contagious and serious disease." As of late last week, 164 people in the United States had confirmed cases of measlesmore than halfway to last year's total of 285 in just the first two months of the year. Of those cases, 146 were in Texas. Some private schools in the area had to temporarily close because so many children were sick or quarantined, and the health department for the city of Lubbock estimated about three-quarters of its staff were working on the outbreak, according to Healthbeat. An unvaccinated school-aged child in Texas became the first pediatric patient to die of measles in the United States since 2003. The last adult death was in 2015. Before the measles vaccine came on the market, 400 to 500 people died from the disease in an average year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measles is most likely to cause complications in children younger than 5 and adults older than 20. It can also be dangerous during pregnancy, causing premature birth in some cases. The measles virus lingers in the air and on surfaces for about two hours. Typically, if a measles patient in the contagious phase spent time in a room, nine out of 10 people without immunity who move through that room in the following hours will also get sick. One dose of the measles vaccine reduces the odds of getting sick by about 93%, and two doses reduce it by 97%. People who survived measles also typically develop lifelong immunity. Most people won't need a booster shot, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Adults vaccinated before 1968 should get another shot, because the version of the vaccine used then was less effective. If someone isn't sure whether they were vaccinated or when it happened, they can get another shot, state health officials said. Usually, children receive their measles shots when they're about 1 year old and before they start kindergarten. Families who plan to take infants who are between 6 months and 1 year on an international trip should consider getting the shot early, because the virus is more common outside the United States, according to the state health department. The CDC estimated about 88.3% of Colorado kindergartners had their shots to prevent measles, mumps and rubella, tying the state for the sixth-lowest vaccination rate. When about 95% of the population is vaccinated, the virus has difficulty finding new hosts, and outbreaks tend to fizzle out. Even highly vaccinated states can have vulnerable pockets, however. In New Mexico, 95% of kindergartners had the measles vaccine in the most recent school year, but nine people in a county bordering the epicenter of the Texas outbreak have gotten sick with the virus. Seven other states with varying vaccination rates also had a handful of cases this year. Most of the Colorado school districts with the lowest vaccination rates are in rural parts of the state, though the Colorado Springs area could also be vulnerable. Fewer than 80% of kindergartners in Manitou Springs School District had both doses of the measles vaccine. Vaccination rates didn't break down neatly along ideological lines in Colorado. Both the Boulder Valley School District and the Douglas County School District reported that more than 95% of their kindergartners had both measles shots. About 5% of people infected so far this year nationwide had at least one dose of the vaccine. The remaining 95% includes unvaccinated people and some whose records weren't available. One in five people infected in the current outbreak received hospital care. Despite statements by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., hospitals don't provide quarantine services for measles patientsonly those sick enough to need inpatient treatment get a bed. Kennedy has spread debunked claims about the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, despite studies looking at hundreds of thousands of children that found those who received the measles vaccine were no more likely to develop autism than those who didn't. About one in 20 children who get measles develops pneumonia, and one in 1,000 has brain swelling that can result in hearing loss or intellectual disabilities. Kids can also become dehydrated and are vulnerable to secondary infections, because the measles virus also attacks antibodies to other diseases. Patients who have measles can start spreading the virus about four days before the distinctive rash develops, when their symptoms look much like other respiratory diseases: a high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. People who have those symptoms should call their health care provider before coming in, so they can take precautions to limit other people's exposure, according to the state health department. 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: The new guidelines reflect the efforts of a 46-member panel of experts from 14 countries and seven medical specialties. The findings have received endorsements from 34 medical and patient advocacy organizations. The National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the European Medicines Agency all participated in the study. Credit: JACI A groundbreaking consensus report on anaphylaxisthe severe reaction some people experience from bee stings, peanut butter exposures, medications, and the likehas been released by the Global Allergy and Asthma Excellence Network (GA2LEN) and recently published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The report, developed by an international panel of leading medical experts and patient advocacy organizations, aims to standardize the often-differing definitions of anaphylaxis and teach people how to recognize and manage the condition. "Many people, including young children and adults, carry epinephrine-injectors (aka epi-pens) to self-treat if an emergency occurs. Many others do not. Likewise, our sprawling medical system, from first responders to hospital emergency staff, does not consistently follow guidelines for diagnosing and treating anaphylaxis. This is partly because no uniform guidelines are used internationally to define, recognize and treat anaphylaxis. That's what this report seeks to address," says Tim Dribin, MD, an emergency medicine expert at Cincinnati Children's and the study's co-chair who devoted a year to leading the group that produced the new standards. "This tool includes updated clinical criteria to help diagnose anaphylaxis, criteria for using and dosing intramuscular epinephrine, and much more. Importantly, this is the first tool to include distinct infant findings to improve anaphylaxis management in young children," Dribin says. Burden of anaphylaxis Anaphylaxis is a constant burden to patients and caregivers around the world. At any moment, thousands of people encounter situations that could cause severe allergic reactions, with symptoms including hives, swollen lips and tongue, difficulty breathing, wheezing, vomiting, and passing out. While fatalities are rare, successful outcomes require rapid recognition and treatment. Epinephrine is the only proven anaphylaxis treatment to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. However, only 21% of children and 7% of adults experiencing anaphylaxis receive epinephrine in the community. Additionally, epinephrine underuse in emergency departments is well-documented. Expert collaboration The new report reflects the efforts of a 46-member panel of experts from 14 countries and seven medical specialties. The findings have received endorsements from 34 medical and patient advocacy organizations. The National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the European Medicines Agency all participated in the study. "The clinical support tool is a game-changer in anaphylaxis management," says Hugh Sampson, MD, an internationally renowned food allergy and anaphylaxis expert at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the study's chair. "By improving the rate of epinephrine use, we can significantly reduce the risk of severe reactions and fatalities, ultimately saving lives. The report will also be instrumental for advancing cutting edge research to improve the care and outcomes of patients with anaphylaxis." "I believe the elements of this report will help ensure that patients around the world receive timely and appropriate treatment, potentially saving lives," says Antonella Muraro, MD, Ph.D., an internationally renowned pediatric allergist at the University of Padova in Italy and the study's co-chair. "The report will be invaluable to first responders, emergency department providers, hospital providers, and allergists, as well as researchers trying to better understand and manage this serious and burdensome condition." Key highlights of the report include: Unified Definition: The report introduces a new, widely agreed upon definition of anaphylaxis, emphasizing its potential to cause death and detailing the involved organ systems. This definition is designed to be easily understood by health care professionals and the general public to promote improved awareness of anaphylaxis. Educational Overview: An innovative educational tool for health care professionals from different medical fields, training backgrounds, and experience levels. The overview provides essential information on recognizing and managing anaphylaxis, including common causes, symptoms, timely treatment with epinephrine, and key concepts for managing life-threatening reactions. Clinical Support Tool: A new clinical support tool will help health care providers diagnose and treat anaphylaxis. This tool includes updated clinical criteria, indications, and dosing for intramuscular epinephrine and common findings from the different anaphylaxis organ systems. It is the first tool to include distinct infant findings to improve anaphylaxis management in young children, benefiting health care providers not accustomed to caring for children. More information: Timothy E. Dribin et al, Anaphylaxis definition, overview, and clinical support tool: 2024 consensus report, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2025.01.021 Journal information: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology You are here: China An undated file photo shows a customs officer uses a dog to check for illegal substances at an e-commerce industrial park in Hefei, Anhui province, that mainly deals with cross-border businesses. [Photo/Xinhua] China's State Council Information Office on Tuesday released a white paper, titled "Controlling Fentanyl-Related Substances -- China's Contribution," highlighting the country's rigorous control over the chemicals. China has attached great importance to maintaining control over fentanyl-related substances in recent years, the white paper says. The country has exercised strict supervision over fentanyl-related medications, rigorously prevented the abuse of fentanyl-related substances, and stricken hard against the smuggling, manufacturing, and trafficking of fentanyl-related substances and related precursor chemicals, it notes. "These have delivered notable results," it states. The document also emphasizes China's commitment to enhancing international cooperation on drug control through dialogue, joint investigations, and knowledge sharing, while fostering partnerships based on equality and mutual trust. "China has achieved notable successes in in-depth cooperation with countries concerned, including the United States, in addressing problems with fentanyl-related substances and their precursors," the white paper states. According to the document, China has enumerated fentanyl-related medications in the List of Controlled Narcotic Drugs and exercises strict control in terms of their manufacturing, sale, use and export. Regarding control, China has worked actively to establish a digital tracking system for fentanyl-related medications, the white paper notes. The comprehensive use of new technologies and methods, such as radio frequency identification tags, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence, enables whole-process dynamic monitoring and closed-loop management of the manufacturing, sale, transport, use, import and export of fentanyl-related medications, which further prevents them from becoming lost. China actively responds to new challenges associated with fentanyl-related substances, states the document. To prevent the abuse of fentanyl-related substances and to combat and control related crimes to the greatest extent possible, China has adopted integrated measures such as expanding the list of controlled substances, strengthening regular supervision, stepping up inspection and seizure, and implementing innovative controls. Committed to the vision of a global community of shared future, the white paper says China rigorously meets its international drug control obligations and adheres to the principle of shared responsibility among all countries and a comprehensive and balanced approach to drug control. "It advocates mutual assistance, joint contribution, and shared benefit among all countries, and opposes finger-pointing and buck-passing," the document asserts. The white paper further emphasizes that China honors its own drug control responsibilities, firmly upholds the existing international drug control system, participates fully in making important decisions on international drug control, and contributes Chinese wisdom and solutions to the global governance of drugs. 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: Graphical abstract. Credit: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2025). DOI: 10.1172/JCI171077 Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified a new mechanism that may improve the treatment of ischemic stroke. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, shows that the growth factor PDGF-CC and its receptor PDGFR play a crucial role in scar formation in the brain after an ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke, where blood flow to the brain is blocked, affects approximately 12 million people worldwide each year. Of these, about one-third die, and another third suffer from permanent disabilities. Now, researchers have discovered that inhibiting PDGF-CC/PDGFR signaling can reduce scarring in the brain and improve functional recovery after a stroke. "Our results show that PDGF-CC and PDGFR are involved in the formation of scar tissue in the brain after ischemic stroke. By inhibiting these molecules, we were able to reduce the size of the myofibroblast scar while also improving function in the mice," says Jil Protzmann, first author of the publication and postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. The study was conducted in mice in which an ischemic stroke was induced. The researchers used genetically modified mice and pharmacological tools, including a unique monoclonal antibody targeting PDGF-CC, to block the function of PDGF-CC and, consequently, its receptor, PDGFR. The results showed that inhibiting PDGF-CC/PDGFR signaling reduced myofibroblast scarring and improved the performance of mice in a behavioral test, even when treatment was initiated 24 hours after the stroke. "This could be a new strategy for treating ischemic stroke after the acute phase, meaning days after the stroke," explains Linda Fredriksson, corresponding author of the study and researcher at the same department. Ischemic stroke is a serious disease that places a significant burden on the affected patients, their families, and society. The only currently available pharmacological treatment is intravenous thrombolysis, which must be started within 4.5 hours of stroke onset and carries an increased risk of bleeding complications. If a patient arrives at the hospital too late, treatment options today are very limited. The researchers now hope to translate their findings into clinical practice and investigate which brain cells are relevant for myofibroblast scarring after a stroke. They also want to determine whether inhibiting PDGFR signaling could extend the time window for intravenous thrombolysis. The researchers also collaborated with Professor Daniel A. Lawrence's research group at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. More information: Jil Protzmann et al, PDGFR inhibition reduces myofibroblast expansion in the fibrotic rim and enhances recovery after ischemic stroke, Journal of Clinical Investigation (2025). DOI: 10.1172/JCI171077 Journal information: Journal of Clinical Investigation 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: Li-Huei Tsai speaks about the latest gamma rhythm sensory stimulation research in her lab at an MIT colloquium Feb. 27, 2025. Credit: MIT Picower Institute A decade after scientists at The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT first began testing whether sensory stimulation of the brain's 40Hz "gamma" frequency rhythms could treat Alzheimer's disease in mice, a growing evidence base supporting the idea that it can improve brain healthin humans as well as animalshas emerged from the work of labs all over the world. A new review article in PLOS Biology describes the state of research so far and presents some of the fundamental and clinical questions at the forefront of the non-invasive gamma stimulation now. "As we've made all our observations, many other people in the field have published results that are very consistent," said Li-Huei Tsai, Picower Professor at MIT, director of MIT's Aging Brain Initiative, and senior author of the new review with postdoc Jung Park. "People have used many different ways to induce gamma including sensory stimulation, transcranial alternating current stimulation or transcranial magnetic stimulation, but the key is delivering stimulation at 40 Hz. They all see beneficial effects." A decade of discovery at MIT Starting with a paper in Nature in 2016, a collaboration led by Tsai has produced a series of studies showing that 40Hz stimulation via light, sound, the two combined, or tactile vibration reduces hallmarks of Alzheimer's pathology such as amyloid and tau proteins, prevents neuron death, decreases synapse loss, and sustains memory and cognition in various Alzheimer's mouse models. The collaboration's investigations of the underlying mechanisms that produce these benefits has so far identified specific cellular and molecular responses in many brain cell types including neurons, microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and the brain's blood vessels. Last year, for instance, the lab reported in Nature that 40Hz audio and visual stimulation induced interneurons in mice to increase release of the peptide VIP, prompting increased clearance of amyloid from brain tissue via the brain's glymphatic "plumbing" system. Meanwhile, at MIT and at the MIT spinoff company Cognito Therapeutics, phase II clinical studies have shown that people with Alzheimer's exposed to 40Hz light and sound experienced a significant slowing of brain atrophy and improvements on some cognitive measures compared to untreated controls. Cognito, which has also measured significant preservation of the brain's "white matter" in volunteers, has been conducting a pivotal, nationwide phase III clinical trial of sensory gamma stimulation for more than a year. "Neuroscientists often lament that it is a great time to have AD if you are a mouse," Park and Tsai wrote in the review. "Our ultimate goal, therefore, is to translate GENUS discoveries into a safe, accessible, and non-invasive therapy for AD patients." The MIT team often refers to 40Hz stimulation as "GENUS" for Gamma Entrainment Using Sensory Stimulation. Li-Huei Tsai speaks about the latest gamma rhythm sensory stimulation research in her lab at an MIT colloquium Feb. 27, 2025. Credit: MIT Picower Institute A growing field As Tsai's collaboration, which includes MIT colleagues Edward Boyden and Emery N. Brown, has published its results, many other labs have produced studies adding to the evidence that various methods of non-invasive gamma sensory stimulation can combat Alzheimer's pathology. Among many examples cited in the new review, in 2024 a research team in China independently corroborated that 40Hz sensory stimulation increases glymphatic fluid flows in mice. In another example, a Harvard Medical School-based team in 2022 showed that 40Hz gamma stimulation using Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation significantly reduced the burden of tau in three out of four human volunteers. And in another study involving more than 100 people, researchers in Scotland in 2023 used audio and visual gamma stimulation (at 37.5 Hz) to improve memory recall. Open questions Amid the growing number of publications describing preclinical studies with mice and clinical trials with people, open questions remain, Tsai and Park acknowledge. The MIT team and others are still exploring the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie GENUS's effects. Tsai said her lab is looking at other neuropeptide and neuromodulatory systems to better understand the cascade of events linking sensory stimulation to the observed cellular responses. Meanwhile, the nature of how some cells, such as microglia, respond to gamma stimulation and how that affects pathology remains unclear, Tsai added. Even with a national Phase III clinical trial underway, it is still important to investigate these fundamental mechanisms, Tsai said, because new insights into how non-invasive gamma stimulation affects the brain could improve and expand its therapeutic potential. "The more we understand the mechanisms, the more we will have good ideas about how to further optimize the treatment," Tsai said. "And the more we understand its action and the circuits it affects, the more we will know beyond Alzheimer's disease what other neurological disorders will benefit from this." Indeed the review points to studies at MIT and other institutions providing at least some evidence that GENUS might be able to help with Parkinson's disease, stroke, anxiety, epilepsy, and the cognitive side effects of chemotherapy and conditions that reduce myelin such as multiple sclerosis. Tsai's lab has been studying whether it can help with Down syndrome as well. The open questions may help define the next decade of GENUS research. More information: Jung M. Park et al, Innovations in noninvasive sensory stimulation treatments to combat Alzheimer's disease, PLOS Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003046 Journal information: PLoS Biology , Nature This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A technique called facial thread lifting has become increasingly popular as a minimally invasive alternative to surgical facelifting. A report in The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery highlights anatomy-based techniques designed to reduce the risk of complications and side effects of facial thread lifting. "Careful consideration of anatomical factors and potential complications, coupled with appropriate techniques, can assist practitioners in minimizing risks and optimizing outcomes," according to the report by Kyu-Ho Yi, MD, Ph.D., of Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, Korea, and colleagues. Facial thread lifting is a minimally invasive technique for facial rejuvenation. In this procedure, special absorbable, barbed sutures are placed to tighten sagging skin in the face and neck. Because it is a nonsurgical procedure that can be performed quickly and with minimal recovery time, it has sometimes been called a "lunchtime lift." However, side effects and complications of thread lifting may occur. Some common side effects lead to cosmetic issues, such as skin dimpling or bulging or thread migration or extrusion. Other potential risks include damage to the facial nerve, resulting in asymmetrical facial movement; or inadvertent injury to the salivary (parotid) gland. Most of these issues can be corrected with relatively simple procedures. Less commonly, more serious complications may occursuch as infections, inflammatory reactions (granulomas), or excessive scar tissue (fibrosis)sometimes requiring thread removal. Dr. Yi and co-authors emphasize that understanding of the underlying anatomy can prevent many of these issues. They outline anatomically based techniques that can achieve excellent results of thread lifting while avoiding complications. Key techniques to improve outcomes A simple but effective approach is called the reticular cutis gathering technique. In this approach, the patient's head is tilted slightly downward and backwardletting gravity do the work of shifting the soft tissues upward. Taking advantage of this "natural repositioning" effect, thread placement targets not the superficial skin but the underlying connective tissue (retinacular cutis) and fascial layers (the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, or SMAS). "By highlighting the importance of aligning threads with natural tissue movement and the SMAS, our research underlines key strategies for enhancing procedural safety and outcomes," the researchers write. A related "pinching" technique can also help to ensure a stable, natural-appearing correction of loose or lax tissues, while also protecting the facial nerve and other underlying structures. "Techniques like the reticular cutis gathering and pinching method can mitigate side effects and ensure safe thread placement," Dr. Yi and co-authors conclude. Noting the many interrelated factors that contribute to patient outcomes, they add, "Continuous research, education, and advancements in thread materials and understanding of facial anatomy are critical for enhancing the safety and efficacy of thread lifting." More information: Soo Yeon Park et al, Facial Thread Lifting Complications: Underlying Causes, Journal of Craniofacial Surgery (2024). DOI: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000011064 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 Teens who try to project a flawless image of themselves tend to get bullied more often and are less likely to receive kindness from their peers, says new Brock University research. But showing these teens affection and support may mitigate or even reduce the perfectionistic tendencies causing them stress, says the study, titled "Perfect fronts, fragile bonds: Prospective associations between perfectionistic self-presentation and peer experiences." The work is published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. "When young perfectionists experience kindness and acceptance from their peers, it can help them let go of that constant pressure to be perfect," says Associate Professor of Child and Youth Studies Danielle Sirianni Molnar. Some 25 to 30% of youth are highly perfectionistic, she says, with that percentage rising. "If you're a parent, teacher or friend, one of the best things you can do for a perfectionist is to show them that they're valued for who they are, not just for what they accomplish," says Sirianni Molnar, the Canada Research Chair in Adjustment and Well-Being in Children and Youth. Measurement Model Random Intercept Cross-lagged Panel Model. Credit: Note. PSP = perfectionistic self-promotion; NDP = nondisplay of imperfections; NDC = nondisclosure of imperfections; REL = relational victimization; PRO = receipt of prosocial acts. Credit: Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2025.101769 Adolescent perfectionists have excessively high standards, feel chronically dissatisfied (even if they achieve their high standards), engage in excessive comparison and think they need to be "the best" as a way of staving off feeling worthless, among other characteristics. "Perfectionistic self-presentation" occurs when someone projects the best parts of themselves and covers up any mistakes they commit or flaws they may have. Lead author and Child and Youth Studies Ph.D. student Melissa Blackburn says the study is the first of its kind to examine the relationship between perfectionistic self-presentation and peer relationships over time. "Young people often adopt perfectionistic self-presentation tendencies as a way to put their best foot forward and create connections with others," she says, noting the strategy often backfires and leaves perfectionistic youth feeling isolated from their peers. "This may be particularly harmful for teenagers, given that acceptance from peers plays a key role in their developing sense of self." The researchersBlackburn, Sirianni Molnar, Professor of Child and Youth Studies Dawn Zinga and Psychology Ph.D. student Hanna Pufferrecruited 239 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19 years who filled out a series of surveys between October 2017 and November 2021. The surveys measured the participants' perfectionistic self-presentation strategies and the in-person experiencesboth positive and negativethey had with their peers. The team found: Younger teens were more upset about displaying their mistakes than older teens. Girls tended to hide their mistakes more than boys. Girls reported lower levels of relational victimizationfor example, being excluded and ignored, rumors aimed at damaging relationshipsthan boys. The higher the teen's level of perfectionistic self-presentation, the more the teen was victimized by their peers. The lower the teen's level of perfectionistic self-presentation, the more they experienced pro-social acts such as expressions of kindness and care from peers, attempts by peers to cheer them up and receiving help from peers when needed. The tendency for perfectionistic teens to be bullied and deprived of positive social interactions may fuel their perfectionist efforts even more, with the impact of hiding their true selves, says Sirianni Molnar. "The research also shows that when adolescents experience more kindness and positive acts from their peers, they're more likely to relax their efforts to be perfect," she says. "This suggests that supportive and positive peer relationships can help teenagers break free from the pressure of perfectionism and lead to more authentic, meaningful friendships." Sirianni Molnar says her team's research provides support for school programs and policies that prioritize kindness, empathy and social-emotional learning that focuses on empathy and conflict resolution. It also aims to increase teachers' and parents' awareness of perfectionism. This helps youth build and maintain strong, healthy relationships where they are valued for who they are, rather than what they accomplish. More information: Melissa Blackburn et al, Perfect fronts, fragile bonds: Prospective associations between perfectionistic self-presentation and peer experiences, Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2025.101769 Journal information: Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology 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 Six out of every 10 people globally lack access to safe medical oxygen, resulting in hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year and reducing quality of life for millions more, an international report co-authored by the University of Auckland has found. Associate Professor Stephen Howie, from the University's Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (FMHS), was an adviser to The Lancet Global Health Commission on Medical Oxygen Security and co-author of its report "Reducing global inequities in medical oxygen access." A key finding shows global access to medical oxygen is highly inequitable. Five billion people, mostly from low and middle-income countries, don't have access to safe, quality, affordable medical oxygen. Associate Professor Howie, child health researcher and a specialist pediatrician, says he hopes further lives will be saved because of this work, and that children and adults will not only survive but thrive. The Auckland University team are leading the field to improve access to medical oxygen. Howie recently gave a plenary address at the World Lung Health Conference in Bali, spelling out the challenges and opportunities to tackle the global issue. "I have been working in the area of oxygen treatment for oxygen-starved (hypoxic) illnesses for two decades, particularly in Africa and the Pacific. My first priority was children (naturally, as a pediatrician) but we learned soon enough that solving the problem has to involve catering for all ages. "It is such an obvious need. I saw it at the hospitals I worked at in Africa where needless death from diseases like pneumonia happened because oxygen supplies were short, and this hit families and staff very hard. It was at that time that we made it our goal that 'no child should die for lack of oxygen' and this applies to adults too." Fiji was particularly hard hit when the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. At one point, it had the highest rate of COVID-19 in the world. A close partnership between the Fiji Ministry of Health, the University of Auckland, Cure Kids and Fiji National University, played an important role in supporting the pandemic response, says Howie. Dr. Sainimere Boladuadua is Lancet Commission's Western Pacific Region ambassador On the ground during that time was Dr. Sainimere Boladuadua, a public health medicine specialist, now a doctoral student at the University of Auckland and currently undertaking a Fulbright fellowship at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Boladuadua (Somosomo, Cakaudrove, vasu i Levuka-i-Yale, Kadavu/Fiji) also has the honor of being The Lancet Commission's Western Pacific Region ambassador and will spearhead advocacy for improving access to medical oxygen in the region. "I remember those days, the adrenalin was pumping and it was scary. It was very difficult before the vaccine arrived. We had very little sleep trying to get everything set up," she says, recalling the period of the country organizing itself and the national response which included setting up field hospitals. Boladuadua met Howie in Fiji where he helped to lead the Fiji Oxygen Project, supporting the vital work of health leaders like Dr. Luke Nasedra and Dr. Eric Rafai. "The project was just doing exactly this, trying to improve and ensure that all the health facilities had access to medical oxygen, facilities to deliver them. That no child or adult should die for lack of oxygen, and it's such a simple medical therapy that you expect to be available but often it isn't, says Boladuadua. "The reality was that rural health facilities sometimes had to ration the oxygen. You have a limited supply, the cylinders that come in every month you have your quota, and if you run out, then sometimes you have to prioritize who gets it, who doesn't. Which is just so heartbreaking." The Fiji Ministry of Health, supported by the project, was in the midst of covering those gaps when COVID hit, and Boladuadua says the one silver lining was that it shone a light on the gaps, putting the issue on the radar. "You saw the images around the world, hospitals running out of oxygen in India, family members hauling oxygen cylinders on motorcycles. I guess that made it really come to the forefront." This was the entry point for Boladudua to start work on her doctoral studies at the University with Howie as her primary academic supervisor, and unsurprisingly, her Ph.D. has a focus closely related to her previous work. "My research question is how to improve access to care for children with acute respiratory infections in Fiji and obviously links to the supply of oxygen as well." She says respiratory conditions are rising and pneumonia is still one of the leading causes of death and disease, particularly in under-five-year-olds across the Pacific and even in New Zealand. "Within New Zealand, our Pacific children experience a larger acute respiratory burden than children of any other ethnic group." Boladuadua says she's grateful to Professor Cameron Grant, Head of Pediatrics, Child & Youth Health at FMHS, who encouraged her to apply for the Fulbright Scholarship. As well as support from her friends, doctoral candidates Alehandrea Manuel (who has since completed her Ph.D.) and Ashlea Gillon. "Professor Grant was a Fulbright scholar 30 years ago and he said it would be life-changing, and it has been in so many ways," she says of working closely with the team at Johns Hopkins and the opportunities presented, such as the lecture she's been asked to present next month at the School of Public Health: "Decolonizing Global Healtha Pacific perspective." "What appealed to me was they had a Center for Indigenous Health that worked very closely with Native American communities. And although Johns Hopkins is in Baltimore, their work is very much within the communities themselves, in the tribal lands of the Navajo and White Mountain Apache peoples in the Southwest of the US. "They've got sites in all these communities and the staffdata collectors, researchers, the research nurses and everyone in those teams. The majority are Native American. So it's about responding to their health needs and also building local capacity." Learning how the Indian Health System has accommodated traditional medicine has inspired Boladuadua and she's brimming with ideas that she's eager to bring back to Aotearoa later this year when she returns. "I wanted to see how you can use traditional knowledge and practices with western knowledge. I wanted to learn how that happened. They're just doing it so beautifully here. I am learning so much and it has been life-changing with all the different perspectives, exposure and the incredible people I'm able to work with." More information: Hamish R Graham et al, Reducing global inequities in medical oxygen access: the Lancet Global Health Commission on medical oxygen security, The Lancet Global Health (2025). DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00496-0 Journal information: The Lancet Global Health This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Police and a middle school in suburban New York are looking into how a student got hold of marijuana gummies and gave them to about a dozen schoolmates, sending 11 of them to hospitals. The episode happened Monday morning at William Floyd Middle School in Moriches, a Long Island community. The sickened students were 13- and 14-year-olds, Suffolk County police said. They're not releasing any more information, for now, on the source of the pot edibles. It wasn't immediately clear whether the student who handed them out knew they contained the drug. There was no immediate update Tuesday morning on the conditions of the students who went to hospitals. The William Floyd School District said in a statement later Monday that a 12th student went home with family members. No criminal charges have been filed, and it wasn't immediately clear whether any students will face discipline. There have been similar incidents at other U.S. schools in recent years, including in California and Connecticut. At least one involved California elementary-schoolers who thought the edibles were just plain candy, officials said. 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain More than two decades ago, measlesa highly contagious and potentially deadly childhood diseasewas declared eliminated in the United States. So far in 2025, multiple measles outbreaks have been identified across the country, a child in Texas has died from the disease and in late February, Kentucky recorded its first measles case in two years. Measles most commonly affects unvaccinated children and 20%40% of infected children require hospitalization. Ear infections, pneumonia, long-term neurologic issues and even death can occur. In general, most will recover, but some will have complications from the infection. The sharp increase in cases is due to: A national and international decline in measles vaccination rates International travel to areas with active outbreaks The extreme contagiousness of the measles virus. On average, one infected person can infect nine to 10 other people, if unvaccinated. Last year, the U.S. recorded 285 measles cases, and 40% of those individuals were hospitalized, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows. More than half of the infected children under 5 years old were hospitalized. Experts still consider measles to be eliminated in the U.S. but that could change if we don't continue to take proper preventative measures. How do I protect myself from measles? Fortunately, the best tool for preventing a measles infection is still highly effective and safe for both children and adults. Measles is almost entirely preventable through vaccination. One dose of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 93% protective. Two dosesthe recommended numberare 97% protective against the disease. Because of the inherent contagiousness of measles, 95% or more of a population needs to be vaccinated for the entire population to be protected from an outbreak. The CDC recently estimated that 90% of Kentucky's kindergartners had been fully vaccinated against measleslower than the national average of just under 93%. While news of measles spreading is alarming, it can also be a good opportunity to discuss the importance of measles vaccination with family and friends, especially those who are planning to travel internationally or to parts of the U.S. where a measles outbreak is active. The latest tracking of measles cases and more information about the disease can be found on the CDC's measles webpage. Is the measles (MMR) vaccine safe? Yes, it is very safe. The measles-containing component of the MMR vaccine has been given in the U.S. for more than 50 years. It provides strong, lifelong protection against measles. The MMR vaccine is a live, weakened vaccine, so you should check with your health care provider first if you are immunocompromisedsuch as if you are receiving cancer chemotherapy or recently completed chemotherapy, are an organ or bone marrow transplant recipient or take other medications which can affect your immune system. Most people have mild, if any, side effects after the vaccine, which tend to be lower with second (or booster) doses of the vaccine. The measles vaccine does not cause autism in children. This was confirmed most recently in a 2019 study of more than 600,000 children in Denmark. The original study suggesting the association of MMR vaccine and autism, published in 1998, was retracted as the data were falsified by the lead researcher. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles symptoms typically include: Fevers (can be very high) Cough Runny nose Red eyes Symptoms typically begin eight to 12 days after exposure. After the above symptoms, the characteristic red rash appears, starting from the head and spreading downward. People with measles are thought to be contagious from about four days prior to developing the rash to four days after the onset of the rash (with the onset being day zero). What to do if you think you've been exposed If you're concerned you or your child have been exposed to measles, contact your health care provider immediately. We recommend calling your provider ahead of the visit if you suspect measles so that they can take proper precautions to help prevent the spread of infection once you arrive. Many of us, fortunately, have never seen a case of measles in our lifetime. With a renewed focus on prevention, hopefully, we never will. I'm unsure of my vaccination status. How do I know if I need the measles vaccine? The easiest way is to check your childhood shot records. If you have two doses of "MMR" vaccine, you are considered protected, unless you were to undergo a stem cell transplant. If you do not have access to your childhood vaccination records, here are some tips that can help: If you were born in the U.S. before 1957, you are generally considered immune as measles circulated widely during that time. If you work in health care or another setting where you could be exposed, you should check with your employee health program to see if you should have your levels (titers) checked. If you were born before 1968 and received the original measles vaccine (or are not sure), try to track down your childhood and adult shot records. If you did not receive at least one dose of MMR vaccine, you should speak with your health care provider about getting vaccinated. If you were born between 1968 and 1989, and received your childhood vaccines, you likely received one dose of MMR vaccine. You should talk with your provider about whether you need a second dose. People at high risk for complications from measles, those traveling to areas with outbreaks or who live in group settings, such as college students in dormitories, could benefit from a second dose. If you were born in the U.S. after 1989, and received your childhood vaccines, you should have received two doses of the MMR vaccine. If you can track your vaccine record down, it is always good to keep in a safe place if you need it. If you came to the U.S. after 1996 on an immigrant visa or have a green card, you were required to show proof of measles immunity. If you served in the U.S. military, you were required to show proof of immunity or be vaccinated. I'm still not sure. Anything else I can do? You can ask your health care provider to check a level for measles immunity, also called a titer. If the level shows you are not protected, they can offer you the vaccine for your protection. 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 Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have made an important discovery that could help doctors choose better treatments for patients with recurrent endometrial cancer. Their study, published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, found specific proteins in the blood (biomarkers) that may predict how well a patient will respond to a combination of two cancer drugs, cabozantinib and nivolumab. Endometrial cancer (cancer in the lining of the uterus) is the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States, affecting more than 66,000 women each year. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be about 69,120 new cases and about 13,860 deaths from endometrial cancer in the United States in 2025. While immunotherapy is a major treatment option, it does not work for everyone, and many patients experience a return of the disease. This study is the first to examine blood markers that could help doctors personalize treatment and improve patient outcomes. Scientists identified proteins in the blood that behaved differently in patients receiving nivolumab alone versus those receiving the combination therapy. Patients with lower levels of certain proteins associated with macrophages (a type of white blood cell that plays an integral part in the immune system) before treatment responded better to the drug combination, while some had specific immune activation markers that helped them fight cancer more effectively, leading to longer survival. Additionally, high levels of proteins related to neutrophils (another type of white blood cell that is an important part of the immune system) were linked to more side effects from the treatment. Notably, the combination therapy worked for some patients who had previously stopped responding to other treatments. If future research confirms these findings, doctors may be able to use a simple blood test to determine whether a patient is likely to benefit from this treatment. This would help avoid unnecessary treatments and focus on options that offer the best chance of success. "Our research provides new insights into how the immune system responds to cancer treatment," said lead researcher Sacha Gnjatic, Ph.D., Professor of Immunology and Immunotherapy in the Tisch Cancer Institute of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "By identifying specific biomarkers in the blood, we can better predict which patients will benefit from combination therapy, allowing for more personalized and effective treatment strategies. This approach has the potential to improve survival rates while minimizing side effects, ultimately advancing the field of cancer immunotherapy." More information: Vladimir Roudko et al, Immunological biomarkers of response and resistance to treatment with cabozantinib and nivolumab in recurrent endometrial cancer, Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (2025). DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2024-010541 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: steffan wiliams from Pexels Child maltreatment has been the focus of two separate studies led by UQ researchers, who examined the main parental risk factors that lead to child abuse, as well as the behavioral impacts later in life. Dr. Claudia Bull, from the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioral Sciences analyzed data from more than 6,000 children born in Brisbane's Mater Mother's Hospital between 1981 and 1983, finding parental income, social isolation and education were the main risk factors that led to child maltreatment. "This study examined the sociodemographic and perinatal characteristics of the mothers of these children to determine which were risk factors for physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect between ages zero to 15," Dr. Bull said. "We found the odds of substantiated notifications for any type of child maltreatment were 1.88 times higher if the mother did not finish high school, and 1.44 times higher if parental household income was below the Australian median in 1981." "This suggests we need to think how we address child maltreatment across the board, especially in child protection reporting where the rates are not adjusted for other important variables like socioeconomic status, regionality and access to supportive services." Co-author Professor Steve Kisely said the study also found social isolation in the days after a woman gives birth was a significant risk factor for all types of abuse. "This is reflected in previous studies too and underpins the need for targeted social support services prioritizing connection for new mothers," Professor Kisely said. "Interestingly, we found no evidence that maternal mental illness significantly increased the risk of child maltreatment. This research shows some factors thought to be linked to child abuse and neglect are not, which means we might be putting our resources in the wrong place." Aggressive behavior and alcohol use Children exposed to abuse, who show aggressive and anti-social behavior in their teenage years, are 31% more likely to be hospitalized for alcohol use later in life, University of Queensland research has found. Dr. Mike Trott, from UQ's Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, said in one study data was analyzed to find the link between teenage behavioral issues and hospital admissions for alcohol and substance use later in life. "We know that people who have experienced child abuse are nearly three times more likely to be admitted to hospital for alcohol and substance use when they're older," Dr. Trott said. "However, what wasn't clear was how behaviors shown in teenage years can impact this. "We found adolescent internalizing behaviors, such as depression, anxiety and withdrawal, did not influence the link between child maltreatment and alcohol and substance use. "However, we found extreme externalizing behaviors, like aggression, criminal activity and anti-social behavior, in 14-year-olds were strongly linked to child maltreatment and alcohol and substance abuse when they were older." Co-author, Emeritus Professor Jake Najman, said the study found teenagers who had reported externalizing behaviors were 31% more likely to be admitted to hospital for alcohol use, and 22% for substance use, when they were older. "We hope these findings will help inform agencies how to better prepare for these types of hospital admissions, and lead to more targeted intervention programs," he said. The parental risk factors research paper was published in Social Science & Medicine. The behavioral research paper was published in Addiction. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A child holds a man's finger during a service at Community Church of Seminole, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez Measles had struck this West Texas town, sickening dozens of children, but at the Community Church of Seminole, more than 350 worshippers gathered for a Sunday service. Sitting elbow-to-elbow, they filled the pews, siblings in matching button-down shirts and dresses, little girls' hair tied neatly into pink bows. Fathers shushed babbling toddlers as their wives snuck out to change infants' diapers. A little girl in this mostly Mennonite congregation was among those who'd fallen ill with the highly contagious respiratory disease, senior pastor David Klassen saidbut she's doing fine, and she happily played through her quarantine. He heard that at least two Mennonite schools shut down for a bit to disinfect. What he hasn't heard: Any direct outreach from public health officials on what to do as the number of those sickened with measles has grown to 159 and a school-age child has died. And though Klassen is a trusted church and community leader, his congregants haven't asked about whether they should vaccinate their kidsand he wouldn't want to weigh in. "With this measles situation, I can honestly just tell you we haven't taken any steps as a church," he said. "We did leave it up to the mothers." As measlesa preventable disease the U.S. considered eliminated in 2000spreads through West Texas' rural expanse, Klassen is sticking to an approach on vaccines that is a key tenet for Mennonites. Family leaders are the top decision-making authoritynot outside recommendations, certainly not government mandates. Alongside measles in this region, where voters overwhelmingly supported President Donald Trump, there's another outbreak: one of misinformation about vaccines, distrust of local public health officials and fear of governmental authority overruling family autonomy. And on the national stage, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the country's top health official and an anti-vaccine activist, dismissed the Texas outbreak as "not unusual." "Do I trust all the vaccines? No," Klassen said. "And I get from (Kennedy) that he doesn't trust all the vaccines, either. And he is very well educated in that; I'm not." A woman wearing traditional clothing seen in the Mennonite community carries a child while taking a seat during a service at Community Church of Seminole, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez In an opinion piece for Fox News Digital, Kennedy wrote about the value of the vaccine but stopped short of calling on families to get it, saying the decision is "a personal one." He urged parents to speak to their health care providers about options. Vaccine skepticism has also been spurred by state lawmakers who this year filed more than a dozen bills that would strengthen or expand vaccine exemptions, which Texas already allows for "reasons of conscience, including a religious belief." Doctors on the front lines At hospitals in Lubbock, 80 miles to the north and on the front lines of the outbreak, babies with measles are struggling to breathe. Dr. Summer Davies, a Texas Tech Physicians pediatrician, said she has treated about 10 of the outbreak's patients, most very young or teens. She said children have had to be intubated, including one younger than 6 months old. Others come in with such high fevers or severe sore throats that they refuse to eat or drink to the point of dehydration. "It's hard as a pediatrician, knowing that we have a way to prevent this and prevent kids from suffering and even death," she said. "But I do agree that the herd immunity that we have established in the past isn't the same now. And I think kids are suffering because of that." In Lubbock County, 92% of kindergarteners are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella shots, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. That's lower than the 95% threshold experts say is needed to prevent measles from spreading. Gaines County, which includes Seminole, has an 82% MMR vaccination rate, though rates for homeschooled or private school students may be much lower. The vaccine series is required for kids before entering kindergarten in public schools nationwide. Many Mennonite families don't send children to public schools. All of the children admitted with measles to Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock were unvaccinated, officials said last week. Dr. Lara Johnson, the hospital's chief medical officer, told The Associated Press that Covenant has seen more than 20 patients, including children, teens and pregnant mothers, since the outbreak began in late January. Matt Caldwell, left, a Lubbock Fire Department official, administers a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to Clair May, 61, at the Lubbock Health Department, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. Credit: AP Photo/Mary Conlon News of a measles case in Seminole, population 7,200, put doctors on a "shared high alert," said Dr. Martin Ortega, a family physician for Texas Tech Physicians in Odessa, about an hour away. The small towns of West Texas may look completely isolated on a map, with little between them beyond oil and gas facilities and sprawling desert. But the region is connected by its people, who regularly travel long distances to grocery stores, hospitals and houses of worship. Many doctors are seeing measles cases for the first time in their careers. In Lea County, New Mexico, 30 minutes west of Seminole, nine measles cases with no clear connection to the Texas outbreak, rattled doctors and parents. An unvaccinated infant in Austin also tested positive for measles after an overseas vacation. It's "a little bit surreal," said Dr. Rumbidzai Mutikani, a pediatrician at Nor-Lea Hospital District's Hobbs Medical Clinic. Parents were so concerned "our phones were just ringing," Mutikani said. Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock's public health department, said West Texas' rural landscape is a major challenge, not just in getting to patients and transporting test samples, but also in getting the word out. A lot of the messaging is word of mouth, she said, but they are working on public-service announcements featuring trusted Gaines County residents, putting up billboards about measles, handing out flyers and posting in WhatsApp groups. The COVID-19 pandemic caused "a lot of distrust in public health" and government requirements, Wells said. On Facebook, people have accused her of making up the measles outbreak. They hope her department loses its funding. It's "really hurtful stuff," she said. "We're really working to help encourage vaccines for our community and help those kids that are infected to make sure they get medical treatment so that we don't end up with another death." Jennifer Sanchez wipes the face of her 1-year-old son Saul Escamilla after a vaccine at the Ector County Health Department, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Odessa, Texas. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez Pro-Trump, but 'not anti-vaxxer' The reality on the ground can be nuanced, however. Brownfield Mayor Eric Horton is pro-Trump, he said, but also pro-MMR vaccine. His county was hard-hit by COVID-19, Horton said, with nearly 90 deaths. So when measles cases came to his town of 8,600, Horton feared for his community. He said the local hospital has been busy administering vaccines since the outbreak started. "Out here on the south plains of Texas, we are conservative people, but we also are not anti-vaxxers," he said. Across the region, people echoed this sentiment about routine childhood vaccinations in interviews with the AP and The Texas Tribune. Often, though, they are less supportive of COVID-19 and flu shots. "It's frustrating that (Mennonites) don't vaccinate, and they put other people's families and children at exposure for it," said Stephen Spruill, a 36-year-old trucker from Seminole. But "this is America. People have the right to choose." A health worker administers a measles test on Fernando Tarin, of Seagraves, Texas, at a mobile testing site outside Seminole Hospital District, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File Macey Lane, 31, of Hobbs, said, "I do support Donald Trump. I don't support not requiring vaccines." All of Lane's kids are vaccinated. Praising Sen. Mitch McConnell's vote against Kennedy's nomination, she said the fact that "the only Republican that went against RFK was a polio survivor says a lot." But she said she voted off other issues: her religious beliefs, stance on abortion and who would be best for the region's oil and gas industry. "As far as RFK being an anti-vaxxer, this is the most important thing: People have to make a decision for themselves and be as informed as they possibly can," Horton said. But in doctors' offices throughout the region, pediatricians see the consequences of that stance. Mutikani, the Hobbs pediatrician, said she's seen vaccine hesitancy increase in recent years as parents come to her with worries that line up with what's trending on social media. "Virulent" misinformation is especially worrisome in rural areas with few news sources or where many people who don't regularly see doctors live, she said. And having "these really big, respected public figures openly going against the grain, going against research and what we know, it makes it really, really difficult," she said. Most Texans are still vaccinating their kids, including Jennifer Sanchez, a 26-year-old Odessa resident. She took her 6-year-old and 1-year-old to the local public health department last week to get the measles vaccine. She is disinfecting her house out of an abundance of caution, wishing she had more information on how to stop the spread. Fernando Tarin, left, of Seagraves, Texas, talks to his mother Josie Granado after being tested for measles at a mobile testing site outside Seminole Hospital District Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez "The government needs to give us more tools so we can protect ourselves," she said. 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Flash Following last week's Trump-Zelensky White House clash, more than a dozen Western leaders gathered Sunday to revive efforts for a Ukraine peace deal and propose a settlement to Washington. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the summit as a "once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe." Although the meeting could push the region toward greater self-reliance in security, many observers fear the measures may be too little and too late. Wake-up call Europe now finds itself at a moment of truth in its security strategy. Before Friday's diplomatic debacle at the White House, Russia-U.S. talks on the Ukraine crisis took place in Riyadh on Feb. 18, with neither Europe nor Ukraine given a seat at the table. This photo shows a scene during a defense summit in London, Britain, March 2, 2025. [Photo/Lauren Hurley/No. 10 Downing Street handout via Xinhua] Just one week later, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a plan to impose a 25-percent tariff on all goods imported from the European Union (EU), and justified the move by claiming that the EU was formed to "screw" the United States. Europe was in a "moment of real fragility," Starmer told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. Asked about the White House clash involving the duo of Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told BBC before the summit that the breakdown was a "wake-up call" for European nations, stressing that they must adopt a cohesive strategy for the Ukraine crisis and post-conflict arrangements. Stubb expressed frustration over shifting transatlantic ties, saying the U.S.-Europe relationship "is evolving," and "we're witnessing a more transactional United States, where the Trump administration -- rightly or wrongly -- is pursuing an 'America First' policy." This has led European leaders to explore their own security solutions. At the Munich Security Conference last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed for an emergency clause that would allow governments to increase defense spending without being constrained by the EU's strict budget deficit rules. After Sunday's summit, she reiterated that Europe must "step up massively" and forge a common security approach. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Sunday that European countries should boost their defense spending to between 3 and 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). His proposal came a few days after Starmer's announcement that Britain would increase its defense spending to 2.5 percent of its GDP by 2027 and to 3 percent in the next parliamentary term, which would mean by 2034 at the latest. Following a bilateral meeting with Ukraine on Saturday, Britain also agreed to loan Ukraine 2.26 billion pounds (2.84 billion U.S. dollars) to bolster its defense capabilities. Shortly after the summit, Britain further committed 1.6 billion pounds (2 billion dollars) in export finance, allowing Ukraine to purchase over 5,000 air defense missiles. More than eight years after Britain voted to depart from the EU, it has positioned itself at the forefront of European security efforts, trying to play the role of a "bridge" between Europe and the United States to secure a peace deal for Ukraine. Strengthened bond After Sunday's summit, Starmer outlined a four-step plan to strengthen Ukraine and support peace: to maintain military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues and increase economic pressure on Russia; to ensure that any lasting peace guarantees Ukraine's sovereignty and security, with Ukraine at the table for any negotiations; to deter "any future invasion by Russia" in the event of a peace deal; and to establish a "coalition of the willing" to defend Ukraine and uphold peace in the country. The summit's outcome was welcomed by European leaders. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called it "a good meeting," saying "European countries are stepping up to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to fight for as long as necessary." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the importance of NATO and said on social media on Sunday: "In recent years, we have strengthened our alliance with new members and increased defense spending. This is the path we will continue to follow." However, doubts remain over whether Europe can fully safeguard a peace deal on its own. When asked how Britain plans to persuade more countries to join the "coalition of the willing," Starmer acknowledged that some countries may be reluctant to contribute militarily. "I strongly feel that unless some countries move forward, we will stay in the position we're in and not be able to move forward," he said, while admitting the goal to "stay in lockstep with the United States." Transatlantic disagreements The EU and the Trump administration have a range of disagreements on the settlement of the Ukraine crisis, while the U.S. provision of security guarantees for Ukraine is foremost among the discussions. Within a week before the London summit, both Macron and Starmer visited Washington to seek U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine or Europe, but failed to persuade Trump in this regard. U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (2nd R) at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Trump sidestepped the question of security guarantees, expressing confidence that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, would "keep his word" if an agreement is reached. He also ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine's NATO membership has been a focal issue in the crisis. Earlier on Sunday before the summit, Starmer announced that Britain, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States. He named three essential points to achieve "lasting peace" -- a strong Ukraine, a European element with security guarantees and a U.S. backstop, with the last one being the subject of "intense" discussion. After the announcement of the four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine at the summit, the participating leaders also agreed to meet again soon to sustain the momentum behind these efforts. "Europe must do the heavy lifting," Starmer said, emphasizing that the agreement needs U.S. backing. Iain Begg, a research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told Xinhua, "The real question is whether this will be enough to sway the White House. We've seen time and again that Washington can reverse its stance overnight." Also on Sunday, Macron told a French newspaper that he was "trying to make Washington understand that disengaging from Ukraine is not in America's interest." While the summit has pushed Europe toward greater security commitments, the region still faces divisions over whether to deploy troops to Ukraine under a peacekeeping framework. For now, some major European countries, including Germany, Spain and Poland, remain hesitant to commit troops to Ukraine, with Britain and France taking the lead in potentially sending military forces. Meanwhile, the EU is still in the early stages of developing a defense budget plan. Some experts noted that Europe's efforts to build its own defense capabilities may still have a long way to go. David Galbreath, a professor of international security at the University of Bath, pointed to the U.S. military's capabilities: "The U.S. provides far sharper military capabilities, such as long-range strikes, sophisticated anti-tank systems and advanced surface-to-air missiles, than anything coming from Europe." A judge in Gallatin County on Monday upheld the vast majority of four bills from the 2023 Legislature seeking to increase housing in Montana as constitutional but struck down key portions of one tied to the ability for the public to comment on local land use planning. Somewhat surprisingly, most of the parties involved in the case said they were happy with District Court Judge Mike Salvagnis decision, which affirmed the entirety of three 2023 bills on mixed-use zoning, accessible dwelling units and duplexes, and blocked a portion of the Montana Land Use and Planning Act that sought to limit public participation. The package was viewed by Republicans and some others at the Capitol as a key housing package from last session. Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Attorney Generals Office, which represented the state in the case, both issued statements calling the decision a win that would make housing more affordable in Montana. Todays ruling by Gallatin District Court to uphold critical pro-housing reforms is a victory for all Montanans striving for affordable, attainable housing, Gianforte's statement said. These bipartisan measures, developed through the Housing Task Force and passed by the Legislature, address our states housing crisis by increasing supply and expanding access to homeownership, a key part of the American dream. Jim Goetz, an attorney who represented the coalition of single-family homeowners who sued the state challenging the four bills, Montanans Against Irresponsible Densification, summed up the judges decision as siding with the groups main thrust of its challenge over public participation features of the Land Use and Planning Act, but denying other claims based on the constitutions equal protection clause. Were pleased with the ruling. It didnt give us everything we want, but its a major stroke, Goetz said. Because they were trying to shut the public out from final land use decisions, make them what they call ministerial and off-limits to public participation. Montanans Against Irresponsible Densification, or MAID, challenged the constitutionality of Senate Bills 245, 528, 323 and 382 in late 2023 just before they were set to go into effect. Shelter WF, an organization pushing for more affordable housing, along with the Montana League of Cities and Towns and a few property owners, intervened in the case and sought to uphold the constitutionality of the bills. Salvagni initially blocked two of the bills in December 2023: SB 323, which allows duplexes to be built in cities with populations over 5,000, and SB 528, which dealt with allowing ADUs on properties that already have a single-family home on site. But the state and groups appealed, and last September, the Montana Supreme Court found in a 5-0 decision that MAID had not met the new threshold to obtain a preliminary injunction and reversed the district courts decision, leaving the district court to decide the full scope of the bills constitutionality. The judge heard arguments on the various parties motions to finalize the case in January and issued his order on Monday. Nathan Dugan, the president of Shelter WF, which was the lead organization of the coalition that intervened, called the decision a resounding victory for housing affordability. Montana needs these policies to end our brutal housing shortage and restore our state to a place that average people can afford a home, Dugan said in a statement. This ruling is good news for any Montanan looking to own or rent a home here, because more accessory dwelling units, duplexes, and small apartments will mean more affordability for regular working people. Goetz said Monday afternoon it was too early to tell whether he would appeal any part of the judges ruling, saying he would have to talk with MAID first. But he called the judges siding with the group on the public comment periods a major dagger in the heart of the Land Use and Planning Act. The court found that parts of the Land Use and Planning Act concerning the review and approval of an application for a zoning permit or a preliminary plat violated the state constitution. The act requires larger cities to update their zoning and subdivision regulations and land use policies within three years. These provisions of the law precluding public participation without notice and opportunity to be heard at the decision making stage by the planning administrator on a proposal for a site-specific development are facially unconstitutional. This blanket prohibition for notice and opportunity to be heard offends the Constitution, the judge wrote. Goetz said the ruling allows the state to proceed with some of the planning aspects of the act but now must consult the public in any final decisions. Goetz also contended that he didnt believe the decision was as much of a win for the state as officials said. If the governor considers this a victory, Id hate to see what a loss looks like to them, he said. The Gurugram zonal office of the directorate of enforcement (ED) conducted search operations last week at 12 locations in Delhi, Faridabad and the National Capital Region (NCR) region. The searches targeted the WTC group, its promoter Ashish Bhalla, as well as Bhutani group and its promoter Ashish Bhutani, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. ED's action has unearthed large-scale financial irregularities, including siphoning over Rs200 crore to Singapore and the US, pointing towards illegal overseas investments. ED investigation was initiated based on multiple first information reports (FIRs) registered by the economic offences wing (EOW) in New Delhi, BPTP Faridabad, and Faridabad central police stations. Complaints from hundreds of home-buyers and investors alleged cheating, criminal breach of trust and fraud committed by WTC group and its key figures, including Ashish Bhalla, Suparna Bhalla, Abhijeet Bhalla and Bhutani Infra. The FIRs claim that WTC Faridabad Infrastructure Pvt Ltd lured buyers into investing in a project at sector 111-114, Faridabad, promising residential plot allotments. However, the promoters allegedly orchestrated a criminal conspiracy, failing to complete the project and withholding plot deliveries for over a decade. The investigation has revealed that WTC group collected over Rs3,500 crore across 15 projects in the Delhi-NCR region. Despite this, very few project deliveries were made, indicating a Ponzi-like scheme designed to misappropriate funds. ED search also uncovered incriminating documents, digital evidence and records of money transfers, all pointing to an elaborate financial fraud. Further findings from ED suggest that assets worth thousands of crores in market value were transferred from WTC group to Bhutani group at nominal rates, potentially laundering the proceeds of crime. Additionally, the agency uncovered significant cash transactions, along with numerous documents detailing fund diversions, layering of financial transactions and property-related fraud. During the searches, investigators seized multiple sale deeds, registration documents, digital storage devices, laptops and hard drives. The ED has identified fixed deposits belonging to WTC group companies and frozen them, along with seizing jewellery and bullion worth Rs1.5 crore. In response to allegations of financial or operational ties with WTC, Bhutani Infra issued a statement categorically denying any involvement in land or fund transfers from the controversial real estate group. "No land or funds were transferred to Bhutani Infra during its brief association with WTC, including any share transfers in land-holding companies to Bhutani Infra or its directors," the company clarified. Bhutani Infra stated that it had completely severed ties with the WTC Group in February 2025, just six months after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in July 2024. The company emphasised that it has no financial or operational connections to WTC and that any suggestion to the contrary is false and misleading. Despite having no obligations related to WTC, Bhutani Infra said it has been offering support and guidance to distressed customers while fully cooperating with ED in the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, thousands of home-buyers and investors under the umbrella of the Worried Troubled Customer Association (WTCA) are calling for urgent government intervention in what is being described as one of India's largest real estate frauds, involving Mr Bhalla and WTC Noida Development Company Pvt Ltd. The scam, spanning four statesUttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Gujarat and 17 projects, has left over 20,000 buyers stranded with incomplete developments and financial losses amounting to thousands of crores. In a statement, WTCA says, "Despite substantial evidence of fraudulent activities, regulatory bodies such as Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) and consumer forums have failed to take effective action, leaving investors with no recourse. The most glaring failure lies with the serious fraud investigation office (SFIO) and the national company law tribunal (NCLT), where an emergency application under section 241 of the Companies Act has remained unresolved for over 28 months." The Association claims that, on 24 July 2022, it submitted a comprehensive complaint to SFIO against WTC Noida Development Company, uncovering a large-scale financial scam involving fraudulent assured return schemes. In response, the SFIO filed an application (CP-156/2022) with the NCLT on 29 September 2022, seeking government intervention in the company's management due to severe mismanagement and fraudulent activities. "However, despite being an emergency provision, the case has faced repeated delays, with 29 hearings over 28 months yielding no substantial progress. Each hearing is stalled due to the absence of either SFIO's legal representatives or those of the accused, raising concerns about possible interference by the fraudsters to manipulate the system and evade accountability," WTCA alleges. Alka Jain, president of WTCA, alleges that while the NCLT case remains stalled, neither the SFIO nor any other authority has arrested the accused or seized their assets, allowing them to continue defrauding investors with impunity. "The inaction has emboldened Ashish Bhalla and his associates, who continue to operate freely despite overwhelming evidence of financial misconduct at an industrial scale." According to the Association, market regulator SEBI reversed its stance on treating the WTC Group case as a collective investment scheme (CIS) and instead shifted the responsibility to RERA. "Despite receiving hundreds of complaints, RERA from four states did not initiate forensic audit in the matter. Official filings before Punjab RERA indicate Rs372 crore collected, Rs284 crore withdrawn, and 0% project completion, yet no action has been taken. Further, there are 338 complaints have been lodged in UP RERA against WTC group, but no meaningful intervention has occurred," WTCA added. The Association has urged prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi and the Union ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) to intervene and ensure justice is delivered without further delay to home-buyers and investors of WTC group. In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has quashed a first information report (FIR) filed against retired army officer and bestselling author, captain Rakesh Walia, declaring the case to be an 'abuse of the process of law'. The apex court found that the 39-year-old woman, who had lodged multiple similar cases against other individuals, failed to cooperate with the investigation, leading to serious doubts about the credibility of her allegations. In an order last week, the bench of justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and justice K Vinod Chandran said, "Considering the nature of the case and the cumulative circumstances, we are of the opinion that the criminal case initiated against Mr Walia is nothing but an abuse of the process of law. This is precisely the nature of the case where the High Court (HC) ought to have exercised its inherent powers under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) (as per the new act, under Section 528 Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita- BNSS) and should have quashed the proceedings." "Under these circumstances, we see no reason why Mr Walia should be subjected to a process that is clearly an abuse of the process. Accordingly, the criminal proceedings initiated against him, i.e., FIR No.766 of 2021 of Mehrauli police station, South (Delhi) is hereby quashed," the bench says. The case stemmed from an FIR registered at Mehrauli police station under Sections 376 (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860. The complainant, a 39-year-old woman, alleged that captain Walia had lured her under the pretext of a modelling assignment, drugged her and subsequently assaulted her. According to her statement, she came into contact with the army officer through Facebook and was invited to discuss a modelling opportunity. She claimed that after consuming a cold drink offered by captain Walia, she lost consciousness and was later sexually assaulted. Captain Walia asserted that he had only contacted the woman as she had offered her services to promote his books. He first approached the HC to quash the proceedings, but his petition was dismissed. He then approached the apex court. During the hearing, the Supreme Court found that, apart from her FIR and statement under Section 164 of the CrPC, no supporting evidence was presented to substantiate her allegations. A key factor in the Supreme Court's decision was the revelation that the woman had filed similar allegations against at least eight other individuals across multiple police stations in Delhi. In 2023, Mr Walia approached Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj, men's rights activist and director of Ekam Nyaay Foundation, seeking her support in this case. The NGO provided him support gathering more information regarding this serial rape case filer and also legal help in fighting this battle. The NGO engaged advocate Sharian Mukherjee in Delhi HC and advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey in the Supreme Court. Advocate Dubey, representing Mr Walia, presented a chart detailing these cases, highlighting a pattern of identical accusations by the woman-complainant. According to the chart, the complainant first registered an FIR in 2014. However, the remaining seven FIRs were registered between 2020 and 2022. The woman's failure to cooperate further weakened the prosecution's case. Despite being served with notices, she refused to appear before the Court or participate in the investigation, raising serious questions about the authenticity of her claims. In this case, the bench of justice Dhulia and justice Chandran expressed strong disapproval of the misuse of legal provisions. "Apart from her statement in the FIR and her statement under section 164 of the CrPC, there is no other evidence on record. However, what is most concerning before this Court is that the same respondent has filed nearly identical cases at least against eight other individuals (nine cases in total)." This ruling by the apex court raises serious concerns about false allegations and their impact on the justice system. While India has stringent laws to protect survivors of sexual crimes, the Supreme Court's decision underscores the need to prevent the misuse of such laws which can damage reputations and burden the legal system. Legal experts have pointed out that cases like these highlight the importance of due diligence and independent investigation before initiating criminal proceedings. The Supreme Court's intervention serves as a reminder that while genuine victims deserve justice, false cases must be swiftly identified and dismissed to prevent the wrongful persecution of innocent individuals. According to Ms Bhardwaj, this is the first-ever case where the Supreme Court has recognised abuse of process of law by a woman who is a serial rape and molestation case filer, listing down her modus operandi and granting relief of quash. "The verdict is a testament to the fact that mere testimony of a woman can not be used to subject an innocent man to agony of trial when every evidence direct towards his innocence. I am really glad that we could fight this case for Mr Walia, a soldier, who has served the nation who refused to give in to extortion. I hope Delhi police can do some course correction atleast now, book this woman for extortion and send her behind bars before she destroys one more life," she says in a post on X With this verdict, Mr Walia has been exonerated, but the broader debate on the misuse of sexual offence laws is likely to continue. The judgement is expected to set a precedent for future cases where allegations appear dubious or motivated. Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) extended the deadline by one month for reporting differential rights issues by alternative investment funds (AIFs). The new deadline is 31 March 2025, a one-month extension from the previous due date of 28 February 2025. The reporting requirement applies to AIFs that submitted their private placement memorandum (PPM) to SEBI on or after 1 March 2020 and issued differential rights outside the standard guidelines. In response to requests from the AIF industry for additional time, SEBI has granted this extension, the market regulator says in a circular In November, SEBI amended the AIF Regulations 2012 to address investor rights within AIF schemes. In December, SEBI introduced guidelines for AIFs that offer differential rights to some investors. Essentially, these guidelines aim to ensure that the risks and rewards of investments made by an AIF scheme are distributed proportionally based on each investor's contribution to the scheme. This clarifies SEBI's regulatory intent to treat AIFs as pooled investment vehicles, promoting fair and equal treatment for all investors. According to SEBI, differential rights can be provided to select investors within an AIF scheme without impacting the interests of other investors. An AIF is a privately pooled investment vehicle that raises capital from investors to invest according to a defined policy, benefiting its investors. Edwin George Leipheimer III once accepted a monkey for a vehicle trade. The Butte native known as Eddie established his entrepreneurial ethos as a teenager at Butte High School. He set up a used car lot in the schools parking lot. There was at least one problem. The cars belonged to his father, E. G. Leipheimer Jr. E.G. Leipheimer IV [henceforth E.G.] recently recalled there were consequences. My dad didnt finish high school and the reason for it is they werent too happy with him, he said. The monkey transaction came years later. The monkey was taken in on a trade, E.G. said. I was just a little kid when he did it and he brought the monkey home and they put it in the playpen with me. The monkey could get out and it tore up my grandfathers office. E.G. isnt clear about the primates ultimate fate. He said his father likely returned the scampish simian to its original owner. Edwin George Eddie Leipheimer [henceforth Eddie] died Jan. 31, 2025. He was 86 years old. He is remembered for his unique shepherding of a host of businesses and vehicle dealerships in Butte a career that included an unusual consolidation. In the automobile business, it is a big, big deal to put Toyota and Nissan under the same roof, E.G. said. That was not done. He got some assistance from the state Legislature. Eddie was considered a leader in the states automotive industry, E.G. said. Eddie served as president of the Montana Automobile Dealers Association, served 50 years on the board and was awarded Time Magazines Quality Dealer of the Year for Montana in 2006, E.G. said. Eddie was born in 1938, a son of Edwin George Leipheimer Jr. and Dorothy Floyd Leipheimer. Eddies paternal grandfather, Edwin George Leipheimer Sr., had a distinguished career in journalism, serving as editor of The Anaconda Standard and The Montana Standard for nearly 20 years and working also at the Butte Daily Post and Missoula Sentinel. Meanwhile, at 19, Eddie and dear friend Forrest Klies traveled to Philipsburg to rent horses to the U.S. Forest Service. Eddie also worked underground in a manganese mine. Ever the entrepreneur, he started a car lot in Philipsburg and sold cars on consignment from a Ford dealer in Ennis. He also operated a service station in Philipsburg. He met his future wife, Myrna Fessler, when he occasionally worked on her familys ranch near Porters Corner. They married in October 1958 and lived for a time in a back room of Eddies gas station in Philipsburg. Its said that Myrna was less than thrilled to share their bathroom with gas station customers. In 1959, the couple moved to Butte and Eddie and his father opened an International Truck dealership. Eddie would come to own several vehicle dealerships in the decades to come Datsun, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, Yamaha and more. E.G., who later ran Discovery Buick-GMC in Anaconda, said his fathers approach to the business was principled. Everything my dad did was black and white, right and wrong, he said. I am really proud to say that if you were ever to look into the deep recesses of our businesses, you would not find any hanky-panky or questionable deals, E.G. said. Everything we did was cut and dried and honest and above board. Jim Sewell has been general counsel for the last 20 years or so for the Montana Automobile Dealers Association. Eddie Leipheimer was the consummate salesman and car guy, Sewell said. He had hi-test running in his veins. Although I knew the Leipheimer name and connected it with the car business as I was growing up in Deer Lodge in the 1950s and 60s, just 40 miles up the road, I frequently heard the jingle on our one TV station back in the day a Leipheimer deal is a good deal better. A firm believer and promoter of the Montana Automobile Dealers Association as a means to stay on top of current industry trends, events and best practices and networking with his fellow Montana dealers, Eddie served in every capacity he could as committee member, director and as president of the association in 1991, Sewell said. E.G. Leipheimer said his father had a knack for composing catchy advertising slogans, such as, Dont bring much money because you wont need it. Jack Shipley first met Eddie when Shipley worked at a bank in Uptown Butte and Eddie was a customer. They became friends in 1964. I would say he was my best friend for 60 years, Shipley said. He was a great guy. He said Eddie responded when friends needed help, including the time Shipleys boat trailer broke an axle crossing a cattle guard near Georgetown Lake. Eddie promptly came to the rescue, he said. Eddie loved to socialize, he said, at his cabin at Georgetown Lake, on his boat, Important Business, traveling the Inside Passage or out with friends for dinner in Butte during a so-called "Taco Tuesday on Monday" gathering. Shipley said Eddies entrepreneurial reach was long and wide, with car dealerships, an independent insurance agency, a mobile home village, vehicle leasing and more. He said he thinks about Eddie every day. Myrna Fessler Leipheimer died in February 2023. Eddie was also preceded in death by his brother, Bill, and parents. Survivors include his children and their spouses: E.G. (Christine) Leipheimer of Lost Creek; Mark (Kris) Leipheimer; Stacy Leipheimer; and Jill (Tom) Leonard. Also surviving are brothers and sisters-in-law, Bob and Yvonne Leipheimer and David and Gretchen Leipheimer; as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held February 13. You are here: World Flash U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, Feb. 13, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday, March 4. "Very importantly, tomorrow, tariffs, 25 percent on Canada and 25 percent on Mexico, and that'll start," Trump told reporters at the White House. "What they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs," Trump said. Trump also reiterated that the reciprocal tariffs will start on April 2. On Feb. 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with a 10 percent tariff increase specifically for Canadian energy products. On Feb. 3, Trump announced that the additional tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada would be deferred for one month, allowing more time for negotiations. According to this decision, the relevant tariff measures are set to take effect on March 4. In Mandera County, an audit has spotlighted employment practices favoring a dominant clan, raising concerns about adherence to national cohesion laws. The audit by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu revealed that as of June 30, 2024, out of 3,761 county employees, approximately 51 percent (1,918) were distant relatives, contravening Section 7(2) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008, which mandates that no public establishment should have more than one-third of its staff from the same ethnic group, not to say anything of the same family. The audit further highlighted that 11 out of 12 County Executive Committee members hail from the same clan. Additionally, key political positions, including the governor, senator, woman representative, and three out of six members of Parliament, are occupied by individuals from this dominant group. This dominance extends to senior administrative roles, such as the county secretary and chief of staff. Residents have voiced their concerns over these findings. Abdirahman Abdi, a local from Mandera, remarked, That finding is very correct. There is a form provided where you have to declare your clan when being hired in Mandera. Most candidates from the dominant clan are always hired. This isnt the first instance where clan dynamics have influenced Manderas governance. In 2016, the Garre Council of Elders directed 24 politicians, including Governor Ali Roba and Senator Billow Kerrow, to relinquish their seats to uphold a rotational leadership system among sub-clans. Such practices, while aiming for equitable representation, have occasionally led to tensions and conflicts in the region. The current administrations hiring patterns have ignited debates about fairness and inclusivity. Many citizens are now urging authorities to address these disparities to ensure that employment opportunities within the county government are accessible to all, irrespective of clan affiliations. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has cautioned former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua against making statements that could ignite ethnic tensions or incite violence in his ongoing political attacks against President William Ruto. The commission criticized Gachagua for his recent remarks regarding an alleged plot to remove Chief Justice Martha Koome, accusing him of misusing his freedom of speech to fuel division. During a public address in Meru, Gachagua alleged that President Ruto was orchestrating Koomes removal before the 2027 elections due to her ethnicity. Your allegation is misleading and meant to promote negative ethnicity and likely to incite feelings of animosity among Kenyans, thus undermining peaceful co-existence, NCIC Chairperson Samuel Kobia stated in a February 27 letter to Gachagua. The commission referenced a speech Gachagua made on February 23, 2025, at AIPCA Anutebwe Kiongo Church in Igembe North, Meru County, where he allegedly sought to provoke emotions among members of the Ameru community. The NCIC also took issue with Gachaguas warning that President Ruto should not visit Meru County if Chief Justice Koome is removed from office. This is a direct violation of the presidents constitutional rights as the symbol of national unity to visit any part of the country to discharge his official duties as the duly and lawfully elected president of the Republic of Kenya, the commission stated. While acknowledging that freedom of speech is protected under the Constitution, the NCIC urged Gachagua to exercise restraint and carefully consider his words. You are advised not to engage in utterances that amount to propaganda for war, incitement to violence, hate speech, or advocacy of hatred based on discrimination, the commission warned, adding that such remarks could stir animosity between communities and threaten national unity. To safeguard peace and cohesion, the NCIC directed Gachagua to avoid making similar statements, cautioning that divisive rhetoric could undermine ethnic harmony in Kenya. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has partnered with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to kick off a critical initiative aimed at assessing how corruption affects Kenyas economy. In a statement on March 3, 2025, Mudavadi confirmed that a meeting with representatives from the IMF officially launched the IMF Governance Diagnostic Assessment Scoping Mission for Kenya. The extensive study will analyze Kenyas governance systems to pinpoint corruption vulnerabilities. Mudavadi described the session as productive and insightful, highlighting discussions with Rebecca A. Sparkman, IMFs Deputy Division Chief, at the launch. During the meeting, Mudavadi and the IMF team explored the missions key objectives, particularly how corruption influences macroeconomic performance and financial stability. The assessment aims to generate data-driven insights that will shape future policy decisions and governance reforms. We explored the missions objectives to assess corruption vulnerabilities and their potential impact on Kenyas macroeconomic performance, Mudavadi stated. He also urged the IMF delegation to adopt an inclusive approach by engaging diverse stakeholders across Kenyan society and government. I encouraged the IMF team to connect with key stakeholders across national and county governments, the Judiciary, Parliament, the private sector, civil society, and faith-based organizations for a comprehensive approach, he said. The meeting was attended by top government officials, including Albert Mwenda, Director General for Budget, Fiscal, and Economic Affairs at the National Treasury, and Selim Cakir, the IMFs Resident Representative in Kenya. Governments Request for IMF Corruption Assessment This initiative follows a formal request from the Kenyan government to the IMF for a governance and corruption diagnostic assessment. On October 7, 2024, Mudavadi revealed that he signed the request after consultations with President William Ruto. We need to take the fight against corruption a notch higher and cast away the spirit of corruption. The war on corruption has taken a long time. We must ask ourselves where corruption is domiciled so that we can tackle it head-on, he stated. Mudavadi emphasized that the assessment will cover all government institutions as part of a broader effort to combat corruption. On our volition, we have requested a governance and corruption diagnostic, and I signed off on that request on behalf of the Government of Kenya, he affirmed. With the IMFs involvement, Kenya hopes to strengthen governance, enhance transparency, and curb corruption for long-term economic stability. Health workers in Kisii County are on high alert as they grapple with a puzzling disease that has left dozens hospitalized. At least 20 new patients have been rushed to various facilities, fueling suspicions that contaminated water sources may be at the heart of the outbreak. A mother caring for her feverish three-year-old is among those seeking urgent help for symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and diarrhea. We have been moving around, and so far, we have rushed 20 more people to various hospitals, said Kennedy Omari, the County Health Promotion Officer. Some patients, like 60-year-old John Obara, have been under medical supervision for several days. We are pleading with the government not to abandon us and to act swiftly in handling situations like this, Obara, who is gradually regaining strength after three days of treatment, told Citizen TV. Meanwhile, experts from the Ministry of Health in Nairobi have joined forces with Kisii County officials in the village of Amarongo to analyze local water sources. They hope to pinpoint the origin of the illness as quickly as possible. We have joined a team from Nairobi to ascertain the situation, and we are also expecting a report from the government chemist tomorrow, said Dr. Richard Onkware, Kisii Countys Chief Health Officer. Residents remain anxious, calling on authorities to hasten the search for answers. I still cant believe its our water causing this. We keep going to the hospital, but no one knows what is afflicting us, said Eunice Ombasa of South Mugirango. The health department has come here, but what we want most is for the government to speed up the investigations so we can understand what is troubling us, added Nyabigege resident Robert Masese. County Newly Hospitalized Common Symptoms Kisii 20 Fever, headaches, stomach aches, diarrhea Until lab findings confirm the root cause, families in Kisii County must rely on medical aid and hope that government resources will bring lasting relief. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has suspended two county officers for allegedly orchestrating the dumping of garbage outside Kenya Powers Stima Plaza offices in Nairobi. Addressing MPs on Monday morning, Sakaja condemned the act as shameful and confirmed that investigations are ongoing. He emphasized that disciplinary action would follow based on the findings. It is a very unfortunate situation that has us here. The dumping incident was completely uncouth, wrong and it is not something that governments do, Sakaja stated. The dumping was very primitive. On behalf of the staff, I apologise to the people of Kenya. It will never happen under my watch. The suspension letters notified the officers that they are barred from performing their duties until the probe is complete. Preliminary investigations indicate you directed the dumping of garbage outside Stima Plaza In view of the foregoing, you are hereby interdicted from exercising the duties of your office with effect from the date of this letter (February 27), the letters stated. Meanwhile, Sakaja dismissed claims that raw sewage had been released at any Kenya Power facility. Speaking before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security, he clarified that the incident at Electricity House resulted from an internal system flush, not deliberate dumping. For clarity, no sewage was dumped, no sewage was released. None of that happened, he asserted. Sakaja explained that when utility services are cut off, restroom facilities become unusable, leading to unintended spills when systems are flushed. Its almost like an order was given to them to flush the system from inside. That is why you saw something on the road, he said. The development follows President William Rutos confirmation that he intervened to resolve the standoff between Nairobi County and Kenya Power. Two men accused of murdering British businessman Campbell Scott will remain in police custody for 21 more days as detectives work to conclude their investigation. Scott, a British national, vanished in Nairobi before his decomposing body was found in a Makueni forest in late February. On Monday, police arraigned Alex Mutua Kithuka and Albunus Mutinda Nzioki before Magistrate Lukas Onyina. Investigators believe Scott was taken to Kithukas residence in Pipeline, Nairobi, where he was allegedly murdered. The prosecution revealed that the suspects attempted to withdraw money using Scotts credit cards in Nairobi, Voi, and Mombasa. Authorities arrested the duo on March 1 along the Nairobi-Mombasa Road. Further investigations showed that Kithuka had already vacated his Pipeline home, raising suspicions. His phone and credit cards are yet to be recovered. Due to the seriousness of the case, the applicant is apprehensive that if released on bail at this time, they will not attend court, the prosecution argued. Magistrate Onyina granted the prosecutions request, ruling, The application meets the requirements of the Constitution. The two shall be held in police custody for a period of 21 days as requested. The court scheduled the case for mention on March 21, 2025. Meanwhile, investigators are working closely with UK authorities, as Scott had been based there before traveling to Kenya on February 16 for a business meeting. He disappeared just a day later. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has endorsed the governments Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), calling it a game-changer in Kenyas journey toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Speaking on Monday, ODM Chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga described SHIF as a significant upgrade from the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). She acknowledged that while the initiative has faced serious challenges, fixing these issues should be a top priority. SHIF is the best medical scheme we have ever had as a country. Previous governments failed to realise UHC, but this is a bold attempt to achieve it, Wanga said on NTV. She noted that system failures and delays in reimbursing health facilities were major stumbling blocks, calling on the government to address technological and operational challenges that have hindered the smooth rollout of the scheme. If we fix the gaps, SHIF will be the revolutionary scheme weve always needed. We do not need to go back to NHIF as it was discriminatory. I disagree with anyone advocating for a return, she added. Calls for Efficiency and Fairness in SHIF Implementation Wanga warned that unless the government addresses these inefficiencies, SHIF risks failing in its mission. We want the government to urgently address system downtimes and slow reimbursements. SHIF is not working as expected due to these technical challenges, she said. She also called for a fairer contribution structure, arguing that higher contributions should come with better coverage. People paying more in contributions should get better coverage. We need a system that is commensurate with the amount individuals contribute, Wanga stated. ODM Remains in Opposition Despite Members Working with Ruto At the same time, Governor Wanga dismissed claims that ODM has formally joined the Kenya Kwanza government, despite some of its members holding positions in President Rutos administration. There is no formal agreement between ODM and Kenya Kwanza. ODM is not in government, but some of our members are assisting the president in governance matters, she clarified. She emphasized that ODM remains in opposition and will continue to play its watchdog role by holding the government accountable. The president tapped some of our members to steady the nation, and ODM responded to that distress call. However, this does not mean ODM has joined Kenya Kwanza, she explained. She reassured ODM supporters that the party remains committed to advocating for transparency, accountability, and better service delivery for all Kenyans. As ODM, we will keep pushing for good governance. Nothing stops our MPs from questioning the government and speaking out against injustices, she added. Wanga also revealed that ODM leader Raila Odinga is currently consulting party members and the public. A formal announcement on the partys official position will be made later this week. Flash This photo shows a view of one of the displacement camps at the Al-Shujaiya neighborhood in Gaza City, on Feb. 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on Monday called for the Israeli army to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and allow the State of Palestine to assume its duties. In a press statement, the ministry called for real international measures "to curb the occupation's aggression against our people and their rights in a way that ensures the establishment of a ceasefire and the rapid empowerment of the State of Palestine and its internationally recognized legitimate institutions to carry out their responsibilities and immediately extend their sovereignty over the Gaza Strip and the entire Palestinian territory occupied since 1967." Earlier on Saturday, the 42-day initial phase of the three-stage agreement between Hamas and Israel expired, with no breakthrough announced for its next phase. Israel is seeking to extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement for an additional 42 days, while Hamas rejects this and wants to move forward with negotiations for the second phase. The second phase of the agreement is supposed to focus on the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the implementation of a permanent ceasefire. Jio Platforms Limited (JPL), together with AMD, Cisco, and Nokia, announced at Mobile World Congress 2025 plans to form an innovative, new Open Telecom AI Platform. Designed to support today's operators and service providers with realworld, AI-driven solutions, the Telecom AI Platform is set to drive unprecedented efficiency, security, capabilities, and new revenue opportunities for the service provider industry. The company stated that the Telecom AI Platform will be fueled by the collective expertise of world leaders from across domains including RAN, Routing, AI Data Center, Security and Telecom, it will create a new central intelligence layer for telecom and digital services. This multi-domain intelligence framework will integrate AI and automation into every layer of network operations. The AI platform will be LLM agnostic and utilize open APIs to optimize its functionality and capabilities. By harnessing agentic AI and leveraging both Large Language Models (LLMs), domain-specific Small Language Models (SLMs), and non-GenAI machine learning techniques, the Telecom AI Platform will enable end-to-end intelligence for network management and operations. "By harnessing agentic AI across all telco layers, we are building a multimodal, multidomain orchestrated workflow platform that redefines efficiency, intelligence, and security for the telecom industry," said Mathew Oommen, Group CEO, Reliance Jio. He further added that "In collaboration with AMD, Cisco, and Nokia, Jio is advancing the Open Telecom AI Platform to transform networks into self-optimizing, customer-aware ecosystems. This initiative goes beyond automation-- it's about enabling AI-driven, autonomous networks that adapt in real time, enhance user experiences, and create new service and revenue opportunities across the digital ecosystem". The planned platform is a solutions-oriented, multi-domain intelligence framework aimed at enhancing network security and efficiency, reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) "AMD is proud to collaborate with Jio Platforms Limited, Cisco, and Nokia to power the next generation of AI-driven telecom infrastructure," said Lisa Su, chair and CEO, AMD. He also stated that "By leveraging our broad portfolio of high-performance CPUs, GPUs, and adaptive computing solutions, service providers will be able to create more secure, efficient, and scalable networks. Together we can bring the transformational benefits of AI to both operators and users and enable innovative services that will shape the future of communications and connectivity." "This collaboration with Jio Platforms Limited, AMD and Nokia harnesses the expertise of industry leaders to revolutionize networks with AI," said Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO, Cisco. "Cisco is proud of the role we play here with integrated solutions from across our stack including Cisco Agile Services Networking, Data Center Networking, Compute, AI Defense, and Splunk Analytics. We look forward to seeing how the Telecom AI Platform will boost efficiency, enhance security, and unlock new revenue streams for service provider customers." The new Open Telecom AI Platform planned by JPL, AMD, Cisco, and Nokia will be built with Jio as the first customer, creating a replicable reference architecture and deployable solution for the broader global service provider industry. "Nokia possesses trusted technology leadership in multiple domains, including RAN, Core, fixed broadband, IP and optical transport. We are delighted to bring this broad expertise to the table in service of today's important announcement," said Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO at Nokia. "The Telecom AI Platform will help Jio to optimize and monetize their network investments through enhanced performance, security, operational efficiency, automation and greatly improved customer experience, all via the immense power of artificial intelligence. I am proud that Nokia is contributing to this work." Designed to enhance performance, reliability, security, and customer experience, the Open Telecom AI Platform will foster joint development and commercialization of AI-powered telecom solutions. Beyond transforming connectivity, this initiative is intended to drive innovation across the entire telecom and digital services ecosystem, enabling intelligent automation, optimizing network efficiency, and accelerating the adoption of AI-driven applications that enhance enterprise and consumer experiences. (ANI) Indian stock markets witnessed a continued selling spree on Tuesday as both benchmark indices opened in the red, reacting to global concerns over slowing economic growth in the US and the impact of new tariffs imposed by former US President Donald Trump. The Nifty 50 index opened at 22,011.05, marking a decline of 108.25 points (-0.49 per cent), while the BSE Sensex started the session at 72,817.34, down by 268.60 points (-0.37 per cent). Market sentiment remained weak as investors assessed the impact of global economic headwinds and sectoral pressures. Ajay Bagga Banking and Market Expert told ANI, "Trump Tariffs and Ukraine are dominating the markets today as they have since the Nov 5th Elections outcome. Canada, Mexico and China tariffs will go ahead on Tuesday as per the latest White House communication on social media. India is showing strong green shoots in its domestic narrative but the challenged global momentum means any bottoming in India is at least a couple of months away and a recovery from there could take a few more months after that." Experts attributed the negative market sentiment to growing concerns over a slowdown in the US economy. Key indicators such as poor retail sales, weak home sales, declining consumer sentiment, and sluggish manufacturing data have pointed toward an economic deceleration in the world's largest economy. This has raised fears of downgrades to corporate earnings, especially at a time when US markets are considered exceptionally overvalued. Additionally, European stocks are currently attracting investment inflows due to Euro 170 billion in forecasted defense expenditure, which is expected to boost the region's self-reliance in defense. Meanwhile, Asian markets have reacted negatively to the implementation of Trump's tariffs, which are feared to trigger recessions and economic instability in an already fragile global order. On Monday, US markets witnessed a sharp decline due to the release of weak economic data, further fueling bearish sentiment across global equity markets. In a significant development, OPEC+ has announced a production increase starting in April, leading to a sharp decline in crude oil prices. While falling crude prices are typically beneficial for India, a major oil importer, broader economic concerns have kept investor sentiment subdued. Among sectoral indices, Nifty Bank remained flat but managed to stay in the green. However, Nifty Auto and Nifty IT faced sharp corrections, with losses of 1 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively. All other sectors were trading under pressure amid the broader market selloff. In the Nifty 50 index, a significant 45 stocks opened in red, while only 5 stocks were in green at the time of reporting. The other Asian Markets also declined. The negative sentiment extended across other Asian markets, with major indices registering declines, Japan's Nikkei index plunged 1.77 per cent, Taiwan Weighted Index slipped 0.7 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.33 per cent, South Korea's Kospi Index declined 0.26 per cent The global market weakness, coupled with concerns over US tariffs and economic slowdown, has contributed to cautious investor sentiment, keeping Indian and global equities under pressure. (ANI) PRNewswire Kevadia (Gujarat) [India], March 4: The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, visited the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation (GMRVF)-run Ekta Skill Development Centre in Ekta Nagar, (Kevadia), Gujarat. She was accompanied by the Governor of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, and the Protocol Minister of Gujarat, Jagdish Vishwakarma. The visit, on 27th February, 2025, was an occasion to witness the transformative efforts undertaken by the GMRVF in empowering local communities through skill development initiatives. During the visit, the President was given an in-depth briefing on the activities of the GMRVF and the functioning of the Ekta Skill Development Centre. The Centre, which has been pivotal in providing industry-relevant training to local youth, stands as a beacon of empowerment and community upliftment. The President took keen interest in interacting with the trainees and alumni of the Centre, acknowledging their dedication and achievements. Of particular note was her interaction with the female E-Auto drivers who have been trained by the Centre. These women, who initially drove hired autos, have now taken charge of their economic independence by purchasing their own E-Autos and are earning respectable income in the Statue of Unity area. The President expressed her admiration for their entrepreneurial spirit and determination. The Hon'ble President was thoroughly impressed by the initiatives of the Ekta Skill Development Centre, recognising the vital role such programs play in improving livelihoods, especially for women, and driving socio-economic progress. She also praised the progress achieved by tribal women trained at the Centre, particularly the women e-autorickshaw drivers. Sharing her views in the visitor's book during her visit to GMRVF-led Ekta Skill Development Centre, in Kevadia, Gujarat, The Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, wrote, "Skill-based vocational training is integral to making our youth employable, enabling them to contribute to national development. Ekta Skill Development Centre, Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), is making a valuable contribution to this important aspect of nation-building. I am impressed by the facilities and activities of the Centre, particularly its efforts in mainstreaming rural youth and women. I wish the Centre continued success in pursuing its laudable objectives." The GMRVF-run Ekta Skill Development Centre in Kevadia was inaugurated in July 2021, and it trained over 2000 youth with 80 percent placement. GMR Varalakshmi Founodatin (GMRVF), the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of GMR Group, has been dedicated to elevating the quality of life within communities. Operating as a Section 8 (not-for-profit) company, the foundation's endeavors are overseen by a distinguished Board chaired by the Group Chairman of GMR Group. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2631765/GMRVF_KEVADIA.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 4: TalentSprint, a global leader in deeptech education powered by AI, has announced three transformative bootcamps: Java Full Stack Developer, AI-Powered Software Developer, and AI ML. Designed to meet the industry's growing demand for skilled tech professionals, these bootcamps equip graduates with industry-relevant skills to excel in today's rapidly evolving tech landscape. With 15 years of experience in empowering over 30,000 professionals, TalentSprint has consistently delivered high-impact learning experiences, helping participants secure salaries that are 30% higher than the industry median, with top earners landing packages as high as Rs44 LPA. India's IT sector is set for a 20% job growth by 2025, driven by the rapid expansion of Global Capability Centers (GCCs), expected to surpass 2,500 in the next few years. This surge is fueling demand for AI-ML, full-stack, and software development talent. However, a widening skill gap leaves many graduates struggling to meet industry expectations. Recruiters now seek job-ready professionals with deployable skills, not just degrees. TalentSprint's intensive bootcamps bridge this skills gap by providing industry-focussed training, real-world project experience, and corporate skill-building to ensure learners are job-ready. By focusing on various in-demand technologies, job-winning portfolio development, and numerous placement opportunities through regular job fairs and placement drives backed by a strong network of 700+ recruiters, these bootcamps empower participants to gain a competitive edge and confidently step into high-growth tech roles. Anurag Bansal, CEO & MD, TalentSprint, said, "At TalentSprint, we understand that the tech landscape is evolving faster than ever. Our bootcamps are designed not only to help learners keep pace with these changes but to lead them. By offering specialized, industry-relevant programs, we aim to equip our learners with the skills necessary to build successful careers at the world's top companies. With our 15 years of experience, strong industry partnerships, and a deep understanding of the demands of the tech sector, we are committed to delivering real-world immersive learning experiences that set our learners apart in the job market". TalentSprint offers three specialized bootcamps tailored to learners' goals, equipping them with in-demand tech skills: * The Java Full Stack Developer Bootcamp provides comprehensive training in building high-performance applications using Java and related technologies. Learners gain expertise in programming foundations, OOP principles, databases, web development, and frameworks like Angular. * The AI-Powered Software Developer Bootcamp focuses on advanced software development, integrating Generative AI and key concepts like computational thinking, web fundamentals, mobile app development, and data structures & algorithms (DSA) to build a strong technical foundation. * The AI ML Bootcamp trains learners to build cutting-edge AI applications through immersive, hands-on learning. It covers core AI concepts and practical applications, preparing participants for securing jobs in the fast-growing AI industry. With an industry-focused curriculum, hands-on training, and a strong network of 700+ recruitment partners, TalentSprint bootcamps deliver transformative job outcomes. Learners benefit from expert mentorship, monthly placement opportunities, and dedicated placement support, ensuring they are job-ready for the evolving tech landscape. For more details on these bootcamp programs, visit https://talentsprint.com/bootcamps About TalentSprint Established in 2010, TalentSprint is a part of the NSE group and a global deeptech education company powered by AI that brings transformational bootcamps and innovative learning programs to modern-day professionals who aspire to future-proof themselves with deep expertise. TalentSprint partners with top-tier academic institutions and big tech global corporations to create futuristic programs and deliver remarkable outcomes. Its AI-powered platform ipearl.ai, seamlessly blends world-class academic rigor with industry-leading practitioner experience. The company's learner engagement rates and high customer delight scores make it a leading player in the industry. For more information, visit talentsprint.com. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 4: Giift, a leading global AI-powered loyalty and rewards SaaS commerce venture backed by Apis Partners, today announced its global rebranding to Xoxoday (pronounced as Zozoday). This strategic rebranding follows significant market expansion and a US$ 70 Million investment from Apis Growth Fund II, a private equity fund managed by Apis Partners Group (UK) Limited, an ESG and Impact-native global private equity asset manager which supports growth-stage financial services and financial infrastructure businesses. Xoxoday specializes in employee recognition and rewards, sales incentives, and customer loyalty initiatives through its comprehensive suite of SaaS products. The company has established itself as a trusted partner for over 5,000 organizations, ranging from innovative startups to Fortune 500 companies, including companies such as Western Digital, Infosys, Nestle, Mercedes-Benz, and Adobe. With more than 65 million active users globally, Xoxoday manages approximately US$ 1 Billion worth of spending today. The rebranding decision follows Xoxoday's significant market penetration in India, Southeast Asia, GCC, Africa and North America regions. Xoxoday embodies its core values of building Trust, Appreciation, and Celebration among its customers and employees. Sumit Khandelwal, CEO of Xoxoday, says, "Exciting times are ahead for our customers, partners, investors, and employees. With a 300-member engineering team, Xoxoday is unlocking its full potential, offering one of the most advanced tech stacks in rewards, incentives, and loyalty. We're rapidly releasing AI-powered features every fortnight to elevate our product experience." Pascal Xatart, Chairman of the Board, commented: "The company has worked closely with Apis team to drive significant growth and expand its geographical footprint. We are thrilled to see these initiatives pave the way for the exciting new chapter of Xoxoday. Matteo Stefanel and Udayan Goyal, Co-Founders at Apis Partners, said, "Since Apis' 2021 investment in Giift, we've supported significant growth, and we're excited for Xoxoday's next chapter and our continued partnership with the management team." Xoxoday maintains its innovation and development center in Bangalore, with regional offices strategically located in San Francisco (USA), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Doha (Qatar), Dubai (UAE), Dublin (Ireland), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manilla (Philippines), Singapore, Port Louis (Mauritius), and Riyadh (KSA). The company employs over 500 professionals globally. For more information about Xoxoday, please visit www.xoxoday.com For media inquiries, please contact:Kushal Agrawal, CMO, Xoxodaykushal@xoxoday.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2631812/5194435/Xoxoday_Logo.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Despite significant foreign portfolio investor (FPI) outflows in February, the rupee managed to avoid sharp depreciation, because of a stable US dollar and the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) active intervention, according to a report by Bank of Baroda. The report highlighted that the rupee weakened by one per cent in February 2025, following a 1.2 per cent decline in January. It said "Despite the extent of FPI outflows, a benign dollar and RBI's deft intervention has kept a lid on INR's slide" The depreciation of the Indian rupee is primarily driven by external factors, particularly the US Federal Reserve's policy stance and concerns over higher tariffs on Indian exports by the new US administration. These factors have contributed to negative investor sentiment, leading to capital outflows from the Indian market. The report also added that so far in 2025, FPIs have withdrawn nearly USD 12 billion, with the majority of outflows concentrated in the equity market. However, there has been some support from the Fully Accessible Route (FAR) segment, which allows foreign investors to invest in government bonds without restrictions. It said, "In fact, foreign investors have pulled out close to USD 12 billion in 2025. Most of this has been concentrated in the equity market". Looking ahead, the report predicts that the rupee will trade within a range of 86.75-87.75 per US dollar in the near term. However, the report also warned that there are upside risks, meaning the rupee could weaken further if global conditions worsen. Despite some positive developments, including stronger economic growth in Q3 and optimistic projections for Q4, the report suggested that these factors may only provide temporary relief. The key to a sustainable recovery of the rupee lies in improving global risk sentiment and stabilizing FPI flows. To strengthen its ability to manage currency fluctuations, the RBI recently conducted a USD/INR swap, adding USD 10 billion to its forex reserves. This move is expected to provide the central bank with additional resources to intervene in the market if trade tensions escalate further. While the rupee remains under pressure, RBI's measures and global economic trends will play a crucial role in determining its future trajectory. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that MSMEs play a transformative role in the economic growth of India. Government is committed to nurturing and strengthening this sector, during his virtual address at the Post Budget Webinar 2025 on Tuesday. To further streamline regulations, the Prime Minister announced the formation of a committee to review regulations in the non-financial sector. "A decision has also been taken to constitute a committee to review regulations in the non-financial sector. We aim to make them modern, flexible, and people-friendly. The industry will play a crucial role in this exercise." He stated, "Today, the country has been witnessing an unprecedented consistency in government policies for over a decade. Over the past 10 years, India has demonstrated its commitment to continuous reforms, financial discipline, transparency, and inclusive growth.' He added, "The assurance of consistency and reforms has brought a new sense of confidence within our industry. I assure every stakeholder associated with manufacturing and exports that this continuity will remain steadfast in the years to come." He further assured the industry of the government's dedication to ensuring policy continuity, particularly for manufacturing and exports, "The assurance of consistency and reforms has brought a new sense of confidence within our industry. I assure every stakeholder associated with manufacturing and exports that this continuity will remain steadfast in the years to come." Highlighting India's growing global economic stature, PM Modi remarked, "Today, every country in the world wants to strengthen its economic partnership with India. Our manufacturing sector must step forward to maximize the benefits of this partnership." Reaffirming the government's efforts toward self-reliance, he said, "We have advanced the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and accelerated the pace of reforms. Our efforts have minimized the economic impact of COVID-19, helping India emerge as one of the fastest-growing economies." Speaking on the success of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, PM Modi highlighted its impact across 14 sectors. He said, "Today, 14 sectors are benefiting from our PLI scheme. Under this scheme, more than 750 units have been approved, attracting an investment of over Rs1.5 lakh crore, resulting in production worth over Rs13 lakh crore and exports exceeding Rs5 lakh crore. This demonstrates that if our entrepreneurs are given opportunities, they can excel in every new sector." PM Modi reaffirmed India's position as a key driver of global growth. "Today, the world sees India as a growth centre," he said, urging industries to seize emerging opportunities and drive economic expansion. (ANI) PNN Pune (Maharashtra) [India], March 4: Have you ever wondered what happens when the paper trail of shares turns digital? If you're a foreign investor in Indian private companies, significant changes are coming your way. The Indian government has introduced a mandate that could change how you hold and manage your investments. In this article, we'll break down everything you need to know about dematerialization--from the new rules to the steps you must take. Keep reading to find out how you can stay ahead of the curve and comply with the latest regulations without the headache. What Is the Dematerialization Mandate? In 2023, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) issued a new rule. It requires private limited companies in India, beyond the prescribed threshold, to dematerialize their shares. Simply put, this means that companies must convert their physical share certificates into digital form, and any company that breaches the prescribed threshold in future, will also need to dematerialize their shares whenever they breach this threshold. Before this, dematerializing shares was only necessary for public and large private firms. But now, private companies have to do it, too. Most companies impacted by this regulation are either in the process or have already converted their shares into digital form. And it is expected more and more companies will go demat once they breach the revenue and paid-up capital thresholds prescribed. But that is not all, there's a catch: once a company has dematerialized its shares, all shareholders, including foreign investors, need to have a demat account to hold and transact in their investments. For many investors, especially foreign ones, this can be tricky. Challenges for Foreign Investors Foreign investors, such as venture capitalists, angel investors, and investment companies, now face the challenge of opening demat accounts in India, which takes time and effort. It requires going over extensive paperwork and adhering to strict regulatory standards. Despite these hurdles, demat accounts are crucial as they make the securities market more transparent and reduce risks like forgery or loss of physical share certificates. Once a company has dematerialized their shares, all future transactions will need to be in demat format, and hence any shareholder who does not have a demat account will not be able to enter into any new transaction including sale of his investment without a demat account. However, the difficulties arise due to several factors. First, obtaining a PAN (Permanent Account Number) is mandatory for opening a demat account, and with it, foreign entities can proceed. Additionally, investors must choose a Depository Participant (DP), such as a bank, to help manage their digital shares. Lastly, the documentation process is thorough, requiring detailed information, including company ownership details and compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC) norms. One of the significant difficulties is the extensive documentation required, including board resolutions, directors lists, shareholding patterns, and more. This can be overwhelming, particularly for those unfamiliar with Indian regulations. Additionally, unlike in many other countries, India mandates physical forms and wet signatures, which can be a hassle for foreign businesses accustomed to using e-signatures. Another common challenge is that certain documents stipulated by the Indian regulators for proof of identity and proof of address may not be applicable or available with foreign investors, leading to confusion and delays. Step-by-Step Guide to Opening a Demat Account To open a demat account, foreign investors must first obtain a Permanent Account Number (PAN) in India, which is essential for proceeding. Once the PAN is acquired, the investor must select a Depository Participant (DP), typically a bank or financial institution, to manage the demat account. Choosing the right DP is crucial for ensuring smooth operations later. The next step involves completing the necessary paperwork, including authority letters, board resolutions, a list of directors and ultimate beneficial owners, and tax identification, financial and bank statements. After filling out these forms, the documents are submitted to the DP. The processing time can vary but usually takes between 3-5 weeks. If you are a foreign investor who regularly invests in the start-up ecosystem in India, it is highly recommended that you get your demat account as early as possible. Not having a demat account might impact your ability to hold or transact in shares of companies you have already invested. You will also not be able make any new investments in companies impacted by this mandate, since these companies will have to issue shares only in demat format. Conclusion The dematerialization mandate is a big step toward modernizing India's securities market, but it's not without its challenges, especially for foreign investors. By setting up a demat account, investors can ensure they comply with the new regulations and continue holding shares in Indian private companies without any hiccups. The regulators should take positive steps to make it easier for the foreign investors to get demat accounts, especially since this mandate is likely to impact a sizable number of companies in the start-up ecosystem which thrives on angel investors and boutique VC firms for capital. About Accounti Accounti is a full-stack fractional CFO, accounting and finance operations services company helping start-ups and mid-market companies build robust and scalable finance processes. Accounti also provides a fully managed, concierge service to help foreign investors get a demat account in India and successfully got demat accounts for various VC funds, fund administrators, angel investors and others through this service. For more information visit : www.accounti.ai Rohit Kapoor, Co-founder Harsha Baisya, Co-founder at Accounti (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) NewsVoir New Delhi [India], March 4: The Asian School of Cyber Laws (ASCL) and The PACT is proud to announce the launch of their highly anticipated Certificate Course on Advocacy in Mediation - a uniquely designed and delivered virtual learning course in India, aimed at transforming legal practice in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). This cutting-edge course is designed to provide legal professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to grasp the lawyer's role in representing clients in Mediation. ASCL and The PACT have trained nearly 100,000 young lawyers over the span over the last two decades, introducing them to various skills of an all-round modern-day lawyer in India. As India's legal landscape evolves with The Mediation Act 2023, mediation has become a crucial process to dispute resolution, with courts now referring parties to mediation as a norm and not just an alternative. The new course focuses on the practical aspects of client advocacy in mediation, including the art of preparing client's for mediation, building a strategy, working with the mediator to break an impasse, drafting a settlement agreement, and more. Key Features of the Course: - Comprehensive Curriculum: Covering essential topics such as the fundamentals of mediation, the lawyer's / advocate's role, negotiation strategies, problem-solving techniques and settlement agreement drafting. - Professional Development: Ideal for law students, young lawyers, and seasoned legal professionals looking to advance their mediation advocacy skills. - Online, Self-Paced Learning: Flexible learning format that allows participants to study at their own pace while receiving high-quality training. - Expert Faculty: The course is taught by experienced professionals and subject matter experts in the field of mediation and dispute resolution. Course Details: - Duration: 3 Months - Fee: INR 3,500 + 18% GST (Special inaugural pricing) - Mode: Online, Self-Paced Learning - Starting Date: March 1, 2025 Lawyers play a crucial role in mediation, which is a process where a neutral third party (the mediator) helps disputing parties reach a voluntary settlement. From advising clients to attempt mediation to ensuring fairness in the process; from preparing and strategizing with clients to negotiating during the session; from drafting agreements to preserving confidentiality and ethical standards; from providing out-of-the-box solutions to objectively assessing risks and benefits, lawyers offer a unique expertise to the mediation process. In summary, lawyers bring their legal expertise, negotiation skills, and emotional intelligence to the mediation table, helping to guide the process toward a fair and effective resolution. Join the ASCL-PACT Certificate Course on Mediation Advocacy to be a better Mediation Lawyer. For more information, or to register, visit Asian School of Cyber Laws. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) The report serves as a crucial guide for Indian businesses looking to leverage the Netherlands' strategic position as a global trade hub. India and the Netherlands have witnessed a remarkable surge in trade relations, making the Netherlands as India's 3rd largest export destination in FY2024, a sharp rise from 7th in FY2020. During these five years, Indian exports to the Netherlands grew at an impressive 28 per cent CAGR, driven largely by refined petroleum, which now makes up 64 per cent of India's total exports to the country. FDI inflows from the Netherlands into India between April 2000 and September 2024 stood at USD 52 billion, making it India's 4th largest foreign investor. The report also sheds light on the Netherlands' key sectoral strengths, including its dominant services sector, which accounts for 77 per cent of the economy, and its position as a global leader in agricultural exports. Mohan Ramaswamy, Co-founder and CEO at Rubix Data Sciences, said, "India and the Netherlands have built a strong trade and investment bond, and the numbers speak for themselves. With the Netherlands now India's 3rd largest export market and a major investor, Indian businesses have a real opportunity to expand their reach." "Whether it is tapping into trade flows or attracting investment, those who understand the trends and act fast will stay ahead. Our report breaks it all down, giving businesses the insights they need to make the most of this growing partnership," he said. As the Netherlands continues its economic development and strengthens its trade partnership with India, Rubix Data Sciences is dedicated to delivering essential data-driven intelligence to support businesses navigating these evolving opportunities. (ANI) Flash A customer shops for groceries at a market in Toronto, Canada, on Feb. 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said on Monday that Canada is ready to hit back at U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs right away, local media reported. Joly said if the levies go into force, Ottawa will revive its previously announced plan for 25-percent retaliatory tariffs on 155 billion Canadian dollars (107 billion U.S. dollars) worth of American goods. "We know this is an existential threat to us. There are thousands of jobs in Canada at stake. Now, we've done the work, we are ready, should the U.S. decide to launch their trade war," Joly said. Canadian officials made a month-long diplomatic push to avoid tariffs. Joly said Canada has responded to Trump's concerns about the border. Canada named a new "fentanyl czar" and listed Mexican cartels as terrorist groups but is still left waiting to see what happens next. Joly said she will meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he returns from London. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Monday that Canada and the United States are no longer trade partners as before even if the tariffs are removed. "I don't think we are going back there even if the tariffs are removed," said Wilkinson. Trump said Monday that 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday, March 4. PRNewswire Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 4: CEPT University will host a three-part masterclass series on critical aspects of urban planning, in New Delhi on March 11 and 12, 2025. Organised by the CEPT Professional Programs (CPP) - the executive education arm of CEPT University and the CEPT Urban Planning and Design Foundation (CUPDF)- the Masterclass will be presented by world-renowned urbanist Alain Bertaud, along with insightful sessions from globally recognised urban planning experts Bimal Patel, Barjor Mehta and Vidyadhar Phatak. The two-day Masterclass is an advanced program and has been curated for professionals, academicians, government officials and researchers engaged in urban planning, urban development, transportation planning, urban housing, real estate development, urban management, and urban economics. The Masterclass will cover a wide range of subjects that will include markets and urban planning, land use planning and housing and real estate. Each session will take a deep dive into these vital topics, drawing upon Bertaud's global experience and incorporating insights from leading Indian urban planning experts, including Bimal Patel, Director, HCP DPM Pvt. Ltd; Prof Barjor Mehta, President, CEPT University and Prof Vidyadhar Phatak, former Head of MMRDA Planning Division. The discussions will focus particularly on the unique challenges and opportunities presented by Indian cities. The markets and urban planning module will explore the interplay between market forces and urban planning, examining how they shape the development of cities in the Indian and global contexts. The session on land use planning will delve into the complexities of land use planning, considering its impact on urban form and functionality. The housing and real estate session will address the critical issues surrounding housing and real estate markets within the context of urban planning. Speaking about the objective of the masterclass, Dr Subhrangsu Goswami, Head- CPP, CEPT University, said, "This masterclass offers a unique opportunity for urban planners, real estate developers, policymakers, and researchers to learn from leading experts in the field. It also provides a valuable platform for networking and engaging in crucial discussions about the future of urban development in India." Applications are open and interested candidates can register for the program by March 6, 2025, on cpp.cept.ac.in. The application deadline is tentative, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Seats are allocated on a first come, first served basis, and admissions will close once all seats are filled. Registration link: https://cpp.cept.ac.in/program/master-class-by-alain-bertaud-how-markets-and-planning-shape-cities. Participants will be awarded a certificate from CEPT University on successful completion of the program. About CEPT University CEPT University is a recognized leader in education and research in the areas of architecture, planning, design, technology and urban management. Its teaching programs aim to build thoughtful professionals and its research programs deepen understanding in its areas of expertise. CEPT University also undertakes advisory projects to support the national, state and city governments and large sections of private industry. Through its education, research and advisory activities, the University strives to contribute to enriching the lives of people in India's villages, towns and cities. The University comprises five faculties: viz. the Faculty of Architecture, the Faculty of Planning, the Faculty of Technology, the Faculty of Design, and the Faculty of Management. In December 2023, CEPT University was recognized by the Government of India as a Centre of Excellence in Urban Planning and Design. This comes with an endowment of Rs. 250 Crore to be used towards the research and training on India specific knowledge in Urban Planning and Design over the next 25 years. CEPT University was established by the CEPT University Act of 2005 enacted by the government of Gujarat. It was originally started in 1962 as the School of Architecture supported by the Ahmedabad Education Society. The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) of the Government of India recognizes the University as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (SIRO). CEPT University is recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Government of Gujarat. CEPT University has over 30 ongoing collaborations and exchange programs with top-ranked universities across the world. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2323005/CEPT_University_Logo.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) ATK New Delhi [India], March 4: The recent devastating wildfires in Los Angeles have brought the global impact of burn-related emergencies into sharp focus. These fires have not only claimed lives and displaced thousands of families but have also left many survivors with severe burn injuries requiring extensive medical care. Events like these underscore the universal need for advanced burn treatment solutions to ensure timely recovery and reduce long-term complications. Recent devastating incidents in India have also underscored the critical importance of fire safety and advanced burn care. In October 2024, the Nileshwar temple fireworks disaster in Kerala injured over 150 people when a fireworks storage unit caught fire during a festival, creating chaos among attendees. Just a month later, in November, the Jhansi hospital fire claimed the lives of 18 newborns in a tragic blaze at a neonatal intensive care unit in Uttar Pradesh. These heartbreaking events are not isolated cases. Across India, burn injuries continue to pose a major public health challenge, with over 6 million cases reported annually, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. These incidents highlight the urgent need for advanced burn wound care solutions to ensure faster recovery and reduce complications. Rising Need for Burn Wound Care in India Burn injuries in India disproportionately affect specific demographic groups. Women of childbearing age are three times more likely than men to die from burn injuries, often due to self-inflicted burns or domestic incidents. Among children, the median age for burn victims is around 3 years, with scalds being the most common cause of injury. Furthermore, over 85% of burn victims in India fall within the productive age group of 15-64 years, with a mean age of 28.6 years. These disparities underline the importance of targeted care solutions catering to these vulnerable groups' unique needs. In 2024, Delhi-a city of immense national and international significance--reported over 20,000 fire-related calls, reflecting a 37% increase from the previous year. As one of India's largest cities, Delhi's alarming numbers emphasize the widespread nature of fire-related incidents in urban areas. Thousands of victims suffer from burn injuries annually, often facing inadequate access to effective treatment, leading to infections, scarring, and prolonged recovery times. "Treating burn wounds is particularly challenging because they are highly prone to infections and often experience prolonged healing times. Addressing this requires advanced solutions," said Dr. Manoj Jain, Founder of Human BioSciences. "Our collagen-based solutions are crafted to promote effective healing and improve recovery outcomes for burn patients." Kollagen: A Lifeline for Burn Survivors Human BioSciences' Kollagen stands out as an innovative solution for treating burns. Retaining its native triple-helix collagen structure, Kollagen creates an optimal healing environment for burn wounds. It reduces inflammation, encourages tissue regeneration, and minimizes the risk of infection. Dr. Ramakant H. Bembde, a leading plastic, reconstructive, and burns surgeon, shared:"SkinTemp II with very good results for superficial & deep second-degree burns with more than 30% burnt areas. We have observed faster healing with less chances of wound infection & decreased pains in the wound areas. It's very useful on fresh wounds after tangential excision of partial thickness burns wounds, as it helps in hemostasis of minor bleeding from excised burns areas along with faster wound healing due to its protection of remaining dermal elements in the wound base." Real-World Impact Human BioSciences has forged partnerships with hospitals, clinics, and organizations across India to ensure burn survivors can access advanced treatment options. By integrating products like Kollagen and Medifil II into burn care protocols, healthcare providers are witnessing significant improvements in healing outcomes. "Every burn survivor deserves the chance to heal completely--not just physically, but emotionally. At Human BioSciences, we're not just offering products; we're offering hope and recovery," added Dr. Manoj Jain. Expanding Access and Awareness Recognizing the urgency of burn care, Human BioSciences is also working to educate communities and healthcare professionals about proper wound management for burns. Through workshops, training, and outreach programs, the company aims to ensure that advanced wound care is accessible to all who need it. For supplies and purchasing information, contact: india-info@humanbiosciences.com About Human BioSciences: Human BioSciences, Inc. is a global biotechnology company specializing in collagen-based products for wound care management. Founded in 1990 by Dr. Manoj Jain, HBS pioneers advanced wound care with innovative solutions like Kollagen technology, offering SkinTemp II Collagen Sheets, Medifil II Collagen Particles, and Collatek Collagen Gel. The company continues to expand globally, providing hope and healing to patients worldwide. For more information, visit: www.humanbiosciences.com (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) PNN Pune (Maharashtra) [India], March 4: Jehangir Hospital continues to revolutionize healthcare in Pune, setting benchmarks in patient care and medical excellence. Its state-of-the-art Pulmonology Department reaffirms its commitment to providing advanced, comprehensive healthcare for the community. Dr Mahendra Kawedia, Senior Pulmonologist and Head of the Pulmonology Unit at Jehangir Hospital, says "Growing prevalence of respiratory illnesses in today's world, stressing the urgent need for specialized care. In the complex field of respiratory health, accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment. At Jehangir Hospital, this principle drives the offering of a comprehensive range of cutting-edge diagnostic services, carefully designed to address the intricate nature of respiratory conditions." Key Services Offered: Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT): Our state-of-the-art PFT lab offers precise lung function assessments using advanced technology. From spirometry to lung volume and diffusion capacity tests, our expert respiratory therapists diagnose conditions like asthma, COPD, and restrictive lung diseases with accuracy. Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) are non-invasive assessments that evaluate lung function by measuring volume, capacity, flow rates, and gas exchange. They help diagnose lung conditions, determine treatment plans, and assess the severity of pulmonary impairment through a comprehensive respiratory evaluation. Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) at Jehangir Hospital take approximately 15 minutes and utilize the advanced Forced Oscillometry Technique (FOT). This non-invasive method measures respiratory mechanics without requiring respiratory maneuvers, making it ideal for children and frail elderly patients. Jehangir Hospital is among the few in Pune to offer this cutting-edge diagnostic service. Imaging Services: With advanced imaging technologies like chest X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, we provide detailed insights into respiratory health. Our radiology team ensures precise detection of pulmonary nodules, airway abnormalities, and lung diseases, supporting accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. Bronchoscopy: Our dedicated bronchoscopy suite offers advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for respiratory disorders. Using flexible and rigid bronchoscopy, our expert pulmonologists visualize airways, perform biopsies, remove foreign bodies, and conduct interventions like bronchial stenting and thermoplasty. Nidra - Sleep Studies Clinic: A recent AIIMS study highlights the rising prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in India, affecting up to 104 million people, with 11% of adults suffering from the condition--men (13%) at higher risk than women (5%). At Jehangir Hospital, we offer gold-standard Level I polysomnography and home sleep apnea testing to diagnose and manage sleep disorders like OSA, central sleep apnea, and insomnia. Our multidisciplinary team of sleep specialists, respiratory therapists, and technologists ensures comprehensive care, enhancing patients' well-being. Additionally, we provide immunotherapy for select patients, offering curative treatment for allergies. Allergy Testing: In collaboration with our allergists and immunologists, we offer allergy testing services to identify respiratory allergens and sensitivities contributing to conditions such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and sinusitis. From skin prick tests to blood tests for specific IgE antibodies, our comprehensive allergy testing panel enables targeted allergen avoidance strategies and personalised treatment plans. EBUS: EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound) bronchoscopy is a procedure used to diagnose different types of lung disorders, including inflammation, infections or cancer. The EBUS scope has a video camera with an ultrasound probe attached to create local images of your lungs and nearby lymph nodes in order to accurately locate and evaluate areas seen on x-rays or scans that need a closer look. Dr Pankaj Jain, Consultant Pulmonologist at Jehangir Hospital, says "The significance of pulmonology in addressing respiratory ailments, emphasising the department's mission to empower patients to reclaim control over their respiratory health and lead fulfilling lives." Key Respiratory Diseases in India: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, tuberculosis (TB), pneumonia, and lung cancer have posed significant public health challenges in India. COPD: Leading in morbidity and mortality globally, including in India, COPD is exacerbated by factors such as smoking, air pollution, biomass fuel exposure, and occupational hazards. Asthma: Characterised by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, asthma's prevalence in India has surged due to urbanisation, environmental pollution, and changing lifestyles. Tuberculosis (TB): With India bearing the highest burden of tuberculosis worldwide, efforts to control the disease are challenged by emerging drug-resistant strains. Pneumonia: A leading cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly among children under five and the elderly, pneumonia's prevalence is exacerbated by factors like malnutrition and inadequate healthcare access. Lung Cancer: Incidence rates have risen in India due to increased tobacco use, environmental pollutants, and lifestyle changes, with lung cancer being a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. A notable feature of Jehangir Hospital's Pulmonology Unit is its tailored approach to care, particularly for children. Recognising the unique respiratory needs of children, the department collaborates with paediatricians and paediatric pulmonologists to provide age-appropriate diagnostic evaluations and treatments. Dr Sanjay Bafna, Consultant Senior Paediatrician at the hospital, says, "The multidisciplinary approach ensures comprehensive care for children with complex respiratory conditions, addressing not only respiratory symptoms but also underlying medical or developmental issues." At Jehangir Hospital, every breath matters. Our advanced respiratory diagnostics provide patients with crucial insights to overcome respiratory challenges and enhance well-being. Committed to excellence and innovation, the Pulmonology Department blends cutting-edge care with compassion, helping patients breathe easier and live healthier lives. "Acknowledging the pressing necessity, Jehangir Hospital has assembled a team of seasoned pulmonologists, respiratory therapists, and support staff dedicated to delivering unmatched care in the realm of respiratory medicine. From diagnosis to treatment and beyond, the Pulmonology Department offers an extensive array of services tailored to address various respiratory conditions, including asthma, COPD, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, among others. With a patient-centric ethos and an emphasis on cutting-edge treatments, the department endeavours to empower patients to breathe easier and live healthier lives", adds Mr Vinod Swantwadkar, CEO of Jehangir Hospital. Jehangir Hospital - Where Innovation Meets Compassion. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL Bengaluru (Karnataka)/ Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 4: Embassy Developments Limited ('EDL') is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors at its meeting on February 25, 2025, approved the appointment of Jitendra Virwani as Chairman of the Board, and Aditya Virwani as Managing Director of the Company. K.G. Krishnamurthy, previous Independent Chairman to remain as Independent Member of the Board. Aditya Virwani spearheads a dynamic and experienced leadership team at one of India's fastest growing real estate companies, including Sachin Shah, who continues as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, alongside Rajesh Kaimal appointed as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director. Commenting on the appointment, Aditya Virwani, Managing Director said, "I am delighted to take on this role at such a pivotal moment for EDL. Embassy has always been a pioneer in Indian real estate - launching India's first listed REIT, institutionalising the co-working sector, and setting the benchmark for luxury residential projects across gateway markets. EDL represents our flagship development platform with 45 million square feet of residential and commercial saleable and leasable area, and over a 3,000-acre landbank. I look forward to working with such a talented and dedicated team to build a truly pan-India real estate powerhouse." Strategic Growth Initiatives In line with its expansion strategy, EDL's Board of Directors has approved a series of growth initiatives and corporate actions, subject to shareholder's approval: 1) Asset Acquisitions from Promoter Group for Rs559 crores * 100% equity acquisition of entity holding ~1.3 million square feet (msf) luxury residential development potential in North Bengaluru for Rs455 crores in cash * 9.5-acre land parcel with 0.2 msf of plotted residential development potential in North Bengaluru (extension to its marquee Embassy Springs development) for Rs104 crores in cash 2) Enabling Resolution for Rs2,000 Crore Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) * Strengthening financial flexibility to fund growth initiatives and optimize capital structure prudently 3) Launch of a ~Rs4.5 crore Employee Stock Option Plan * A robust incentive plan to attract and retain top-tier talent critical to the company's success 4) Strengthened Leadership Team * Vikas Khandelwal appointed as Company Secretary and Group Chief Compliance Officer * Shailendra Subbaraya appointed as Chief Operating Officer - South * Maria Rajesh appointed as Chief Human Resources Officer Sachin Shah, CEO & Executive Director said, "With the merger now complete, the Company is fortunate to have Jitendra as its Chairman and Promoter and Aditya as its Managing Director. Jitendra's exceptional execution capabilities in India's real estate business remain unmatched. EDL is primed for significant growth, with eight new project launches in FY 2026 spanning 7.7 msf and a gross development value of Rs15,000 crores. We are assembling a best-in-class team and optimizing our capital structure to capitalize on market opportunities. This is an exciting time for our company, and we are committed to creating long-term value for our customers and shareholders." Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) Announcement The Board of Directors has scheduled an EGM on March 25, 2025, to seek shareholder approval for the asset acquisitions and other corporate actions. Embassy Group will abstain from voting on all related-party transactions to ensure the highest standards of corporate governance. With a sharpened leadership team, robust corporate governance framework, and a strategic roadmap for expansion, EDL is poised to redefine India's real estate landscape under the iconic Embassy Brand. About Embassy Developments Limited Embassy Developments Limited is one of India's leading real estate developers, specializing in the construction and development of residential, commercial, and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) projects across Indian cities. With a strategic focus on Bengaluru, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), and the National Capital Region (NCR), the company also has a presence in Chennai, Jodhpur, Vadodara, Vizag, and Indore. EDL boasts a diversified residential portfolio, offering a well-balanced mix of high-value and high-volume developments across mid-income, premium, and luxury segments. Its portfolio of ready, ongoing, and future residential developments includes branded residences, uber-luxury villas, exclusive villaments, sky condominiums, integrated townships, senior living communities, and contemporary homes. Committed to building a resilient ecosystem, the company actively fosters social, economic, and environmental progress in the communities it serves. EDL is listed on BSE Limited (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and holds a long-term debt rating of IVR A- Stable from Infomerics. Following recent approval of the merger scheme between Equinox India Developments Ltd and Nam Estates Pvt Ltd, by the Hon'ble National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on January 7, 2025, Embassy Group has become the new promoter with a 41.4% controlling stake. The merger was successfully implemented with effect from January 24, 2025, and the company has been officially renamed as Embassy Developments Limited as of February 13, 2025. Annexures: Bios Jitendra Virwani Jitendra Virwani is the Chairman and Managing Director of Embassy Group, helming the organisation since 1993. Under his leadership, Embassy has grown to 85 msf across commercial, residential, hospitality, services, retail, and education sectors, with a presence in key Indian and international markets including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, NCR, and Serbia. Jitendra played a key role in launching India's first publicly listed and Asia's largest REIT by area. He oversees Embassy's 53 msf residential portfolio, offering diverse living options including branded residences, luxury villas, sky condominiums, and senior living. In 2017, he introduced WeWork to India, which now has over 100,000 desks across 60+ locations in eight cities. In 2024, he was appointed WeWork India's Non-Executive Chairman. Jitendra is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Aditya Virwani Mr. Aditya Virwani was mentored by Embassy Group Chairman and his father, Mr. Jitendra Virwani, before he took on the role as Group Chief Operating Officer. As a key decision maker for Embassy Group, he has been a board member of Embassy Office Parks REIT since its IPO and several other operating companies of Embassy Group. Focused on growing the Group's core strengths while entering new asset classes within real estate, he has been instrumental in steering its business operations in Bengaluru and Chennai, driving strategic initiatives, and leading several deals. He was also a member of the leadership team that successfully achieved the listing of India's first REIT, which has a market cap of INR 35,000 crores. He is actively involved in the CSR activities of the Embassy Group, which are focused on education and sustainable initiatives. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco and holds a bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. Sachin Shah Sachin Shah has 24 years of experience in real estate investments and development in India and overseas. He was the Chief Investment Officer of Embassy REIT, India's first and largest commercial REIT, where he helped take the company public in 2019, raising over $1.2 billion. Before that, he founded and led Samsara Capital, managing funds for U.S. and U.K. investors in Indian real estate. He also worked with Starwood Capital Group in the U.S. from 2001 to 2006 under Barry Sternlicht, last serving as Vice President-Acquisitions. Earlier, he worked at the Blackstone Group and Salomon Smith Barney's M&A Group in New York. Since joining the Company's Board as Executive Director in February 2023, he has overseen day-to-day operations, led a major reorganisation that enhanced governance, reporting, and transparency. Mr. Shah holds a Bachelor of Science from Babson College (summa cum laude) and an MBA from Harvard Business School (Class of 2001). Rajesh Kaimal Rajesh Kaimal brings over 30 years of expertise in financial planning, treasury, fundraising, project financing, taxation, business development, and digital transformation. Before joining Embassy, Rajesh spent 17 years with the Manipal Group, where he played a vital role in expanding educational institutions in India and abroad, including campuses in Bengaluru, Dubai, Malaysia, and Antigua. As Chief Financial Officer of Embassy Group, he was instrumental in the successful listing of India's first REIT and raised over INR 17,000 crore from diverse investors. He facilitated the sales of Embassy Tech Village to Embassy REIT and Embassy Industrial Parks to Blackstone India. Overseeing the Group's digital transformation, he implemented SAP and advanced solutions like Salesforce, Ariba, and Power BI. Rajesh holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from K. J. Somaiya College, Mumbai, and an MBA in Finance from the Institute of Technology & Management, Mumbai. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) The 25th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) is bound to make all cinema buffs nostalgic with a special celebration of Ramesh Sippy's iconic film 'Sholay'. Marking the 50th anniversary of 'Sholay', the organisers of IIFA have decided to organise an exclusive screening of the film at Jaipur's legendary Raj Mandir Cinema. Andre Timmins, Co-Founder of IIFA, shared his heartfelt excitement on the occasion, saying, "IIFA 2025 is not just a celebration--it's a journey through time, honouring 50 years of Sholay at Jaipur's iconic Raj Mandir. As we mark IIFA's Silver Jubilee, we are celebrating more than milestones; we are celebrating legends, memories, and the magic of cinema that has touched hearts for generations. Sholay is more than a film--it's an emotion, a timeless masterpiece that continues to inspire storytellers and audiences alike. And what better place to honour its legacy than Raj Mandir, a theatre that has been a historical sanctuary for movie lovers for five decades. " He said, "This tribute is our way of bringing together the soul of Indian cinema with the grandeur of an architectural marvel, creating a moment that will be cherished forever. It's a historic celebration of cinema and culture. IIFA 2025 promises to be an unforgettable homage to the power of storytelling, uniting film lovers in a celebration of the magic that makes Indian cinema so special." 'Sholay' revolves around the village of Ramgarh, where retired police chief Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) plots to bring down the notorious bandit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan) and enlists the help of two lesser criminals, Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) and Veeru (Dharmendra). When Gabbar attacks the village, Jai and Veeru wonder why Thakur does nothing to help them. They soon learn that he has no arms and that Gabbar was the one who cut them off. Enraged by this, they redouble their efforts to help Thakur. It starred legendary actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bachchan and Amjad Khan among others. IIFA 2025 is scheduled to take place in Jaipur from March 8 to March 9. (ANI) Actor Rashmika Mandanna recently found herself at the centre of a controversy after Karnataka Congress MLA Ravikumar Gowda Ganiga alleged that the 'Chhaava' star refused an invitation from their government to attend an International Film Festival in Bengaluru. Now, on Tuesday, Ravikumar, in an interaction with mediapersons, shared that he has proof that Rashmika's team had declined the invitation He said, " It is not Rashmika's statement but Rashmika's team's statement. We will release the document (proof) publicly that we had invited Rashmika to the film festival (Bengaluru Film Festival) but she refused" He had earlier alleged that Rashmika didn't attend the film festival despite an invitation and threatened that she should be "taught a lesson". Further clarifying his remarks, Gowda said that he didn't mean "Gundagiri" or "Rowdyism". Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader said, "Being a Kannadiga, I stand by the statement I gave. I am proud to be standing with my motherland, my language and my people... We are proud of Rashmika Mandanna; she is a Kannadiga. We called her, but she said she did not have time for Kannadigas. Is this the way to treat Kannadigas?" "We told her that Kannadiga is your motherland and Karnataka is the base of your career and you should respect your motherland. Now, she is working in Bollywood, but she should not forget her roots... I am proud of Karnataka and I don't need any lessons from Rajeev Chandrasekhar... When I said we should teach her a lesson, I did not mean 'Gundagiri'... I am not calling for rowdyism...," he added. Rashmika has not responded to the minister's claims yet. (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi "received wedding gift" from the prime accused of the 'cash-for-job' scam in state civil services recruitments. The report of the Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma-led one-man inquiry commission, which probed the 'cash-for-job scam' in the conduct of the Assam Public Service Commission's (APSC) Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE) in 2013 and 2014 during the Congress rule, was laid in the assembly on February 17. During a discussion in the Assembly on Monday, Sarma said, "The report stated that Rakesh Kumar Paul (prime accused) had gifted jewellery to the son of former CM Tarun Gogoi during his wedding. Prima facie, it is a case of corruption unless denied." "Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has not denied yet. So, we can consider it a case of corruption," Sarma told the House. "Cong invented a new template for corruption- conceal proceeds of crime as a 'marriage gift' This is exactly what played out it in the wedding of a Hon'ble MP from the Cong party," Sarma said in a post on X later. https://x.com/himantabiswa/status/1896527917930398049 The committee report also revealed that then-Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had given notes in favour of Rakesh Paul's appointment as a member of APSC, following which he was later appointed as its chairman. "The Congress party has a rule. They know exactly where to commit corruption. Now, they have taught everyone this trick of corruption: Don't take it directly; take it as a wedding gift, " CM Sarma said in the assembly. "For the first time in the contemporary history of India, the chairman of a public service commission and all its members were arrested. We took a decision for exemplary action and tried to cleanse the system. Today, all recruitments in APSC are taking place in a clean and transparent manner," asserted Sarma. He further claimed that during the tenure of the BJP government, meritorious students are getting jobs through APSC as opposed to ministers' kin during the Congress rule. "From APSC to Grade IV, we have brought transparency in all levels of government recruitment in Assam. Gradually, people's faith has returned. The biggest achievement is that the students feel there cannot be any corruption in the job process," the CM stressed. (ANI) Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has lashed out at the Congress over the alleged 'cash-for-job scam' in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) exams of 2013 and 2014 under its rule and demanded a apology from the party. On February 17, the first day of the budget session, CM Sarma tabled the report of the Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma-led one-man inquiry commission on the alleged irregularities and malpractices in the 2013 and 2014 CCE exams of APSC. "I want the Assam Congress to tender an apology before the youths of the state for the appointment of Rakesh Paul. They must render a public apology that it was a mistake during our (Congress) tenure, and if we come to power again, then we will not do it again," the CM said during the ongoing budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly on Monday. The house should collectively express its gratitude to Sarbananda Sonowal (former Assam Chief Minister), who initiated strict proceedings against APSC irregularities, he said. "For the first time in contemporary history, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission and all his accomplices were sent behind bars. The BJP government set a precedent by sending the sitting chairman of the APSC and his team to jail. In our government, meritorious students get government jobs, unlike during Congress rule, when ministers' kin were favored," the Assam Chief Minister added. He further stated that transparency had been brought to all levels of government recruitment in Assam, from APSC to Grade IV posts. The committee report revealed that then-Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had given notes in favor of Rakesh Paul's appointment as a member of APSC, following which he was later appointed as its chairman. "The then Congress government bent every rule in the book to appoint Rakesh Paul as Chairman of APSC, ruining the lives of lakhs of youths. Rakesh Paul met the then Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, and on September 6, 2008, he submitted an application requesting to be made a member of the Public Service Commission. Today, if someone comes to me with such a request, I would shut the case. He didn't provide any qualifications or background but wrote in the application that he was a senior advocate of the Guwahati High Court. Tarun Gogoi wrote on the application as 'may be considered,'" Sarma said. "This is recorded in the files. After receiving that remark, the application was immediately processed, and within just 24 days, by September 30, 2008, the file had gone through all the necessary steps and reached the Chief Minister, the Governor, and Rakesh Paul was appointed. No one cross-checked whether Rakesh Paul was a senior advocate of the Guwahati High Court or not. Later, it was discovered that he was a notary public, not a senior advocate. How was the Congress government running? Rakesh Paul served as a member of the Public Service Commission for five years, from 2008 to 2013. In 2013, Tarun Gogoi himself wrote to the Chief Secretary, recommending Rakesh Paul be appointed as Chairman of APSC as the post was vacant," Sarma added. (ANI) The delegation led by NFR General Manager (Construction) Arun Kumar Chowdhury called on Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha at the Secretariat in Agartala on Monday. The discussions focused on the progress of the electrification of railway lines, the introduction of electric passenger trains from Badarpur to Sabroom, the conversion of the single-line railway track to a double-line track, the introduction of the Agartala-Guwahati intercity rail service, the current status of the construction of 23 railway overbridges, and the upgradation of Agartala, Dharmanagar, and Udaipur railway stations into modern railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The meeting also covered the introduction of Agartala-Jammu, Agartala-Puri, and Agartala-Gaya Express trains, the provision of alternative railway lines from Pencharthal to Dharmanagar via Kailashahar, rail connectivity from Jirania railway station to Bodhjungnagar and RK Nagar industrial estate, the establishment of railway lines from Sabroom railway station to the Sabroom integrated check post, the introduction of Vande Bharat Express from Guwahati to Agartala, the progress of the construction of a fuel storage depot at Sekerkote, and the Agartala-Akhaura International rail project. The Chief Minister advised the concerned railway authorities to take necessary initiatives to transform Agartala Railway Station into a world-class railway station while ensuring the cleanliness of various stations. The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister's Secretary Pradeep Kumar Chakraborty, and Assistant Transport Commissioner, Maitree Debnath. (ANI) A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission and Jammu & Kashmir SEC to bolster the process of urban body polls in the union territory, according to an official release. The 31st National Conference of State Election Commissioners is being held at Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district from March 1 to March 4. National and international experts gave presentations in the National Conference on various topics related to smooth and convenient elections. Under the MoU signed on the third day of the Conference on Monday, Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) will assist in bolstering the process of urban body elections to be held in Jammu and Kashmir. The MP SEC will provide 7,000 EVMs and other equipment in the upcoming urban body elections to be held in Jammu and Kashmir as well as provide training to the polling staff. Along with this, the efforts will be made to implement the innovations made in Madhya Pradesh in Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, it will help in adopting the process of paperless booths at selected booths as a pilot project. In the presence of State Election Commissioner Manoj Srivastava, the MoU was signed by Secretary Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission Abhishek Singh and Secretary Jammu & Kashmir State Election Commission Sushil Kumar. Sushil Kumar extended gratitude to the State Election Commissioner of Madhya Pradesh for the MoU, stating that it will help in conducting smooth urban body elections in their state. During the conference, Director of ICPS (International Centre for Parliamentary Studies) London, Arvind Venkataraman expressed his views on the topic of "Recognising India's role as a global leader in elections and electoral diplomacy". He highlighted the process of using an electoral manager, AI tools like e-learning and blockchain for simplification of the election process in a country with a large democratic system like India. Sales Director APAC Turkey Mehmet Burak gave his presentation on the action plan for remote voter registration and online voting. He gave information on the process of voter registration through digital process and identification of voters through biometrics. He further spoke about the process of conducting online voting in a safe, convenient and transparent manner. A demo of voter registration application in Canada, Benin was also presented on the occasion. (ANI) The Odisha government will celebrate the Panchayati Raj Diwas on April 24 instead of observing the same on March 5, the birth anniversary of former chief minister Biju Patnaik, according to an official statement. The state BJP government on Monday said it will observe March 5 as the former CM's birth anniversary and not as 'Panchayati Raj Day,' as has been celebrated for decades. Further, no Government holiday on March 5, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. Though March 5 has been celebrated as 'Panchayati Raj Divas' in Odisha every year, this time, the day will be observed on April 24, in alignment with the national observance, it said. "Odisha Govt will no more observe Panchayati Raj Divas on 5th March, Which Is Biju Babu's Birthday . Instead, Panchayati Raj Divas will be observed on April 24. The new date was approved by the CM today. March 5 is the birth anniversary of Odisha's legendary leader, Biju Patnaik. The state BJP government has decided to celebrate March 5 as the birth anniversary of former chief minister Biju Patnaik and not as 'Panchayati Raj Day'. Besides that, the Odisha government has also canceled the holiday on that day," said the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in a statement today. While Odisha observed 'Panchayati Raj Day' on March 5 since the 1990s to coincide with Biju Patnaik's birthday, the national 'Panchayati Raj Day' is celebrated on April 24. On this day, awards are given to Panchayat representatives from various states, including the Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Award and others. The state government's announcement came hours after the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) asked the state government to clarify its stand on the celebration of the Panchayati Raj Divas on March 5. Speaking to ANI, BJD Vice-President and former Odisha Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said, "...The Odisha government used to celebrate Panchayat Raj Diwas on the birthday of the late Biju Patnaik, a famous freedom fighter of India." "The dilly-dallying of the present government, the 109th birthday of Biju Patnaik, is going to be celebrated the day after tomorrow. Yet the government has given no communication to the collector. ...How will they celebrate it? They are confused...They should immediately take a decision and without any delay, they should celebrate it as Biju Patnaik is above party," Mishra added. (ANI) A fugitive criminal who had allegedly killed a teenager for sharing a social media post in 2021, has been apprehended from Uttarakhand's Rudrapur, said Delhi Police on Monday. The accused, Bhuvan Joshi, was apprehended after an undercover head-constable posed as a momo seller to confirm his identification. Joshi had been absconding since the murder of the 17-year-old boy in Delhi's Uttam Nagar area. The incident took place in December 2021, when the victim was abducted and stabbed to death by a group of men after his social media post sparked criticism. While the other accused were arrested, Joshi managed to escape and was declared a proclaimed offender by a court in June 2022. After the incident, a case was registered at Uttam Nagar Police Station on complaint of the sister of the deceased. During the investigation, other accused were arrested, while Joshi managed to escape and was declared a proclaimed offender by a court in June 2022. To apprehend him, the cops launched an operation. After diligent technical and field work, the team posted in the Southern Range of Crime Branch, Malviya Nagar, located the hideouts of absconding criminal Bhuvan Joshi in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand area. It was revealed that the accused Bhuvan Joshi has changed his name, appearance and was running a food stall in Rudrapur. Furthermore, head constable Sonveer posed as 'momo seller' to confirm the identity of the accused. He also gathered crucial information about the accused's movements and residence. After persistent efforts, the accused was successfully identified and apprehended on March 2. During initial questioning, Bhuvan Joshi attempted to mislead the police but, upon sustained interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in the murder case of PS Uttam Nagar. He was immediately arrested under appropriate sections of law and brought back to Delhi. DCP Crime Aditya Gautam said, "In an operation against criminals absconding in heinous cases of Delhi, the Southern Range of Crime Branch has successfully traced and arrested a fugitive criminal Bhuvan Joshi @ Bunty @ Bunty Singh (aged 31) from Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, who was wanted in a sensational murder case of PS Uttam Nagar, in which a 17-years-old boy was abducted and killed over uploading stories on Instagram. The accused was also declared Proclaimed Offender by the trial court in the case. (ANI) The owner of the tattoo shop and his assistant were arrested by police in Bhubaneswar on Monday after a row erupted over allegedly hurting the sentiments of Hindus after the accused created Lord Jagannath's tattoo on an unsuitable body part of a foreign national. Bhubaneswar Assistant Commissioner of Police (Zone-5) Biswaranjan Senapati said that a lady belonging to a foreign nationality visited the tattoo shop on Sunday, and upon her demand, they created a tattoo on her thigh Biswaranjan Senapati said, "The owner of a tattoo shop located in Saheed Nagar shared a video on his social media of a woman of foreign nationality getting a tattoo of Lord Jagannath on her thigh. The sentiments of devotees got hurt. The owner of the tattoo shop, Rocky and his assistant have been arrested by the police." He further said police did not take any action against the woman of foreign nationality. "After making the tattoo, they shared the video on whatsapp status. We have registered a case under Sections 196, 299 and 305 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the shop owner and the artist and arrested them for defaming Lord Jagannath," he further said. The Jagannath Temple is a temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath. It is located in Puri in the state of Odisha. (ANI) The fire originated from one, Nisar Ahmad Sofi's shop and rapidly spread, engulfing several nearby establishments. Thick plumes of smoke filled the air as the blaze intensified, prompting an immediate response from local fire services. Firefighters are currently on the scene, working to bring the situation under control. In a separate incident near Bhutto Chowk Market, Shopian, another massive fire broke out, gutting multiple structures and leaving residents in distress. Police and fire services are actively engaged in firefighting efforts to prevent further destruction. The cause of both fires remains unknown at this stage. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the incidents' origins. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as locals scrambled to salvage belongings and assist those affected. While no casualties have been reported so far, officials are still assessing the full extent of the damage. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and cooperate with emergency responders. Further updates will be provided as the situation develops. (ANI) Rajasthan police have arrested Abhay Singh, also known as IIT Baba, for possession of 'ganja' under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. However, the latter was released later on bail. According to SHO Rajendra Godara of Shiprapath Police Station, the police received information that Baba Abhay Singh was staying at a hotel and may have been contemplating suicide. Upon reaching the location, Singh admitted to consuming 'ganja' and having it in his possession. "We received this information that he (Baba Abhay Singh aka IIT Baba) was staying in a hotel, and he might commit suicide. When we reached there, he said that I consume 'ganja', I still have it in my possession, and I might have said something when I was unconscious. Possession of 'ganja' is a crime under the NDPS Act. So, we arrested him... Due to the small quantity, we have interrogated him and then released him on a bail bond. His followers informed the police that he was going to commit suicide as he had posted something on social media pages," SHO Godara said. "If needed, he will be called again for the interrogation," he added. Speaking to the media, IIT Baba said that it was his birthday and he just wanted to be happy. "I have nothing to say about it as of now. It's my birthday, and I want to be happy today," he said. Abhay Singh rose to fame as "IIT Baba" at the recently concluded Mahakumbh. He claimed that he got graduated from IIT Bombay in aerospace engineering. Speaking to ANI in January, Baba Abhay Singh aka IIT Baba spoke about his transition to the path of 'Bhakti' and said, "I was born in Haryana's Jhajjar. I did my schooling there then I started preparing for JE, after which I went to IIT Mumbai for Aerospace Engineering. Life took different turns, changed my path from engineering to arts and kept changing my paths until I came to the 'final truth,' that's how I would like to describe it." "I realised that my life took a lot of turns during my time there in aerospace engineering. There was a point where I started searching for a 'meaning to life' and finally then I found something which is destiny. If you read the lives of many people, you will find that there is no choice, you dont choose bhakti, there is just a rujhaan, a connection to all this," said the baba. (ANI) People's Democratic Party MLA Waheed Para on Tuesday said that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's address was a routine document of the LG which lacks serious issues of Jammu and Kashmir, including unemployment, job guarantees act and others. Speaking to the media, Waheed Para emphasized that LG's first address originally reflected the vision of the J-K government. "After a long time, a government has been formed in J-K; we had hopes that as per the aspirations of the people, the promises NC had made to people in its manifesto, it would be reflected in their vision document. Unfortunately, this looks like a routine document of LG, which is being presented for the last five years. Unemployment, job guarantees act, political prisoners, nothing was spoken on those issues," he said. "This was a very disappointing document that the LG read yesterday. We hoped that the political issues of J-K would be mentioned," Para added. LG Sinha addressed the inaugural session of the J-K Legislative Assembly's Budget Session on Monday. Manoj Sinha said that his government is steadfast in its commitment to the Union Territory's statehood and is actively engaging with all stakeholders to facilitate this process. He emphasized that the budget represents a new era of participatory governance, ensuring that the need and aspirations of the common people remain at the heart of policy making. While addressing the assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah praised former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, highlighting his contributions to India's economic growth and key welfare initiatives. "Manmohan Singh ji was born in undivided India. He went to Oxford and Cambridge and started as an officer and finance minister and then PM. When he became finance minister, our country was going through an economic crisis. Today we are the biggest economies of India. Today, the private sector is developing as the license raj was stopped. As PM, he took Indira Awas Yojana, MGNREGA initiatives," Omar Abdullah said. He recalled Manmohan Singh's farewell press conference and said, "Manmohan, in his last press conference, said, 'History will be a better judge of me than contemporary times.' All world leaders respected him." He further recounted an incident showcasing the former PM Manmohan Singh's humility, saying, "I remember I wrote a letter to him (Manmohan) on some issue, and I gave an interview on that issue. But I didn't mention the letter, there was an issue that protocol has been broken. He called me and said This is not right; you addressed the issue in the press. I told him I have not done that... but after 15 minutes, he called back and apologized... He was PM, didn't need to do so." (ANI) Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri visited the historic Gurdwara Sahibs by the serene Saryu River in Brahmakund, Ayodhya, on Monday. He offered prayers and reflected on the deep-rooted ties between Sanatan Dharma and Sikhism. https://x.com/HardeepSPuri/status/1896594302899286184 "I had the good fortune to pay obeisance and seek blessings at the historic Gurdwara Sahibs by the serene Saryu river in Brahmakund, Ayodhyadham," he posted on X. Emphasizing the spiritual significance of Ayodhya, he wrote, "Ayodhyadham, the sacred meeting ground of Sanatan Dharma and Sikhism. The holy land blessed by Prabhu Shri Ram and three Sikh Guru Sahibs - the holy Udaasi of the founder of Sikh faith Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj in 1510-11 AD, 9th Guru Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji in 1668 and our Dasham Pita Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1672." He also quoted the philosophy on which Khalsa Panth was founded in hindi. Speaking about the confluence of faiths and historical unity, he said, "The Gurdwara Sahibs in the holy dham reflect the confluence of faiths, the strong ties between Sikhism and Hinduism dating back to medieval times and how the two have stood by each other to battle the invaders." In his post, he further recalled an important historical event: "In 1697, when the invading Mughal army under Aurangazeb attacked the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji sent a battalion of 400 Nihang Sikhs to fight shoulder to shoulder with the Aghoris in a fierce battle." Highlighting the significance of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's visit to Ayodhya, he noted, "Such was the importance of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Udaasi, that during the long legal battle which ultimately led to the construction of the grand Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, one of the judges said that 'The visit of Guru Nanak Dev Ji in 1510-11 A.D. to have darshan of Lord Ram's birthplace does support the faith and belief of the Hindus.'" (ANI) Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad on Tuesday criticized Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over his reaction to SP leader and Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi's remarks on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, stating that Shinde lacks historical knowledge. "Maharashtra's Deputy CM has no knowledge of history. If he knew history, he wouldn't have given such a statement. Abu Azmi's statements are not condemnable," Prasad told ANI. He further added," Samajwadi Party always talks about integrating the society and safeguarding the Constitution. Maharashtra's DCM did not understand the essence of what Abu Azmi wanted to say, and that is why he is making baseless comments." On Monday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemned Samajwadi Party leader and Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi's reported remarks about Aurangzeb, calling them "wrong and unacceptable." Shinde further said that Azmi should be charged with "treason." "His statement is wrong and should be condemned. Aurangzeb tortured Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj for 40 days; calling such a person good is the biggest sin, and hence, Abu Azmi should apologise. Our CM has taken this matter seriously. He should be charged with treason," Shinde told reporters. Meanwhile, after the uproar over his remarks, Abu Azmi defended his remarks regarding Aurangzeb, saying that the Mughal emperor also destroyed Mosques along with temples. Refuting the claims that Aurangzeb was 'anti-Hindu', Azmi stated that the emperor had 34 per cent of Hindus in his administration and many of his advisors were Hindus. He further added that there was no need to give a communal angle to the issue. "If Aurangzeb had destroyed temples, he also destroyed mosques. Had he been against Hindus, 34 per cent of Hindus would not have been with him (in his administration), and his advisors would not have been Hindus. It is true that India was a golden sparrow during his rule. There is no need to give Hindu-Muslim angles to it," Azmi told ANI. The SP MLA further said that the struggle for power and property carried out by kings in the past "was not religious". Azmi maintained that he hasn't made any remarks against "Hindu brothers". "The Kings back then used to struggle for power and property, but it was nothing religious. He (Aurangzeb) ruled for 52 years, and if he was really converting Hindus into Muslims - imagine the number of Hindus that would have converted. In the 1857 rebellion, when Mangal Pandey started the fight, it was Bahadur Shah Zafar who supported him," Azmi said. "This country will run by the constitution, and I haven't said a word against Hindu brothers," he added. (ANI) Amid concerns over Pakistan's close military ties with Bangladesh, it is now emerging that the Bangladesh military has acquired the Turkish TB-2 Bayraktar drones and is operating them close to the Indian border for surveillance operations. Defence sources told ANI that the Indian agencies concerned have seen the drones operating and are closely monitoring them. Sources said the drones have been seen carrying out sorties in the last few months and are flying inside their own territory along the borders with India. The Indian side has taken all measures, including installing radars for keeping a close watch on their activities in these areas, they said. On occasions, the TB-2s of the Bangladeshi military have also flown sorties of over 20 hours on surveillance missions, the sources said. The Bayraktar TB2 is in the Medium Altitude Long Endurance category of drones and has been one of the biggest successes of the Turkish defence industry. The unmanned aircraft is capable of being equipped with air-to-ground weapons and has been used extensively in global conflicts. In recent times, Bangladesh administration led by Mohammed Yunus is seen increasing ties with the Pakistani intelligence agencies and has even welcomed their officers to visit areas closer to the Indian border inn sensitive zones like the Chicken's Neck corridor in Siliguri, West Bengal. Recently, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi had expressed concerns over the presence of Pakistani military and intelligence officials in Bangladesh near Indian territory. "I had used the word epicentre of terrorism for a particular country (Pakistan). Now those countrymen, if they go to any other place and they happen to be our neighbour, as far as I am concerned, I should be concerned about it. That they should not be able to use that soil to send terrorists to India. That is as far as that is concerned," General Dwivedi had recently said in the ANI Podcast. (ANI) Leaders from Mahayuti, protested outside the Maharashtra State Assembly against Samajwadi Party leader and Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi. The protest was sparked by Azmi's controversial remarks regarding the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Azmi had reportedly said that Aurangzeb was not a "cruel administrator" and "built many temples". He added that the battle between the Mughal emperor and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was for state administration and not about Hindu and Muslim. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Police has registered a case against Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi under several sections of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) over his remarks on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. The case was filed by Shiv Sena MP, Naresh Mhaske, at Wagle Estate Police Station saying that Azmi has "no right to stay in India." The case has been registered against Azmi under BNS sections 299, 302, 356(1), and 356(2) following the complaint from Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske. "A sedition case should be filed against Abu Azmi. He has no right to stay in India. Aurangzeb who destroyed thousands of Hindu temples, tortured women, brutally tortured Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, was against the country, he looted our country...our leader Eknath Shinde has demanded this morning itself that a sedition case should be filed against him. Today we have come here to file a sedition case against him," Mhaske told reporters. After the uproar over his remarks, Abu Azmi defended his remarks regarding Aurangzeb, saying that the Mughal emperor also destroyed Mosques along with temples. Refuting the claims that Aurangzeb was 'anti-Hindu', Azmi stated that the emperor had 34 per cent of Hindus in his administration and many of his advisors were Hindus. He further added that there was no need to give a communal angle to the issue. "If Aurangzeb had destroyed temples, he also destroyed mosques. Had he been against Hindus, 34 per cent of Hindus would not have been with him (in his administration), and his advisors would not have been Hindus. It is true that India was a golden sparrow during his rule. There is no need to give Hindu-Muslim angles to it," Azmi told ANI. The SP MLA further said that the struggle for power and property carried out by kings in the past "was not religious". Azmi maintained that he hasn't made any remarks against "Hindu brothers". "The kings back then used to struggle for power and property, but it was nothing religious. He (Aurangzeb) ruled for 52 years, and if he was really converting Hindus into Muslims - imagine the number of Hindus that would have converted. In the 1857 rebellion, when Mangal Pandey started the fight, it was Bahadur Shah Zafar who supported him," Azmi said. "This country will run by the constitution, and I haven't said a word against Hindu brothers," he added. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Sunil Sharma on Tuesday hit out at Kashmir-based political parties, stating that they survive only by blaming each other for having ties with the BJP. Speaking to ANI, BJP MLA Sunil Sharma said, "Kashmir-based political parties survive only by blaming each other for being associated with the BJP... They all chant the BJP's name time and again and blame each other. In the coming days, the BJP will only strengthen in the valley..." Asserting that the abrogation of Article 370 is a settled issue, he further said, "370 is no longer an issue. It is just a waste of time. It's a closed chapter... BJP will give the status of state to J&K and fulfil its promise." His remarks came a day after JKPDP President Mehbooba Mufti, while addressing the media on Monday, accused the BJP of consistently opposing Jammu and Kashmir's special status since 1947. "Since J&K was granted special status in 1947, the BJP consistently opposed it. But today, our own Chief Minister won't even talk about it, simply saying the BJP won't give it back. We are not asking for miracles, just for you to at least speak up," Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday. Earlier on Monday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that his government is steadfast in its commitment to the Union Territory's statehood and is actively engaging with all stakeholders to facilitate this process. Addressing the inaugural session of the J-K Legislative Assembly's Budget Session, LG Sinha said that the budget represents a new era of participatory governance, ensuring that the needs and aspirations of the common people remain at the heart of policy-making. "One of the foremost aspirations of the Jammu and Kashmir people is the restoration of the full statehood. My government remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing this legitimate desire of the citizens of J-K. My government recognizes the emotional and political significance of the statehood for the people and is actively engaging with all stakeholders to facilitate this process in a manner that ensures peace, stability and progress," he said. (ANI) Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Tuesday criticized Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for his conduct in the meeting with farmer leaders, accusing him of showing disrespect. On the farmer leaders' statement on meeting with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said, "He showed disrespectful behaviour towards the farmers by walking out of the meeting. He should have consciously held a conversation with the farmers and told them about the government's inability to fulfil their demands..." Earlier today, protesting farmers claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had got "angry" and "provoked" them during a meeting with him in Chandigarh. Bhagwant Mann conducted the meeting on Monday to persuade farmers who had been protesting at the Khanauri border in the Sangrur district to call off their protest on March 5. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal described Chief Minister Mann as unusually angry, noting that he had never witnessed such an outburst, even in high-level negotiations. "The meeting was going on well, and we were coming to agreements on several issues. After we came to an agreement on the eighth issue, the CM said he wanted to leave, owing to a doctor's appointment. Then, he asked about our plans for March 5. He said we are holding talks; why do you still want to proceed with the protest? He became very angry and left the meeting saying 'do whatever you want to do'... I have had negotiations at the Prime Minister level but have never seen a leader so angry. We will come to Chandigarh (on 5 March)," he said. Farmer leader Raminder Patila said that this is not how a Chief Minister should behave. "We had a memorandum of 18 demands, and we had reached the 8th point when he straight up asked us not to protest on March 5. If he will not listen to our demands, we have the right to make ourselves heard. If he thinks that things will end just by meeting, that is not the case. The behaviour displayed by the CM was condemnable. He left the meeting mid-way. This should not be how a CM is supposed to behave. We will come back on 5th March and force the CM to sit with us... We wanted thorough discussions, and we will not accept it if he tries to curtail or dictate our discussions... He had invited us for this meeting... We will hold an indefinite protest," Patila said. (ANI) The Maharashtra government has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi following the resignation of the Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde after his close aide Walmik Karad was sent to judicial custody in an extortion case allegedly linked to the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district. The opposition has criticised the Fadnavis government, alleging inaction by them. Congress MLA Nana Patole on Tuesday accused the state government of protecting the accused, adding that the level of crime has increased in Maharashtra. Patole further questioned that when the government would take action against such ministers. "It took so long for the Government to do this. It means that the Government protects the guilty. Crime has increased in Maharashtra...There are several such Ministers in Maharashtra's Council of Ministers. The question is, when will action be taken against such ministers?" Patole told reporters. Congress leader Bhai Jagtap launched a scathing attack on the Maharashtra government following the resignation of the minister Dhananjay Munde. Citing the purported report related to murder incident, Bhai Jagtap questioned the government over the law and situation order in the state. He further mentioned the alleged sexual assault on the woman in Pune. Speaking to reporters, the Congress leader said, "The opposition has always followed this case... When the photos came on social media yesterday, people were shocked how this could happen in Maharashtra, on the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Savitribai Phule, Ambedkar. They (Mahayuti) should be ashamed while taking their names. A minister is giving irresponsible statement regarding Pune incident, which I deeply condemn... DCP was attacked in Pune... Is this the law and order of Maharashtra? On the other side, CM is saying that he accepted the resignation on the basis of ethics. What kind of ethics is this?..." Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde submitted his resignation today to the Chief Minister. This came after Munde's close aide, Walmik Karad, was sent to judicial custody in January. Karad is wanted in a Rs2 crore extortion case allegedly linked to the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accepted NCP MLA and Minister Dhananjay Munde's resignation and forwarded it to the Governor for further action. Speaking on the resignation Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde has tendered his resignation today. I have accepted the resignation and sent it to the Governor for further course of action." Reacting to the resignation, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi slammed the Maharashtra government for protecting and defending Munde for a long time. "High time. Shame that Munde was allowed to continue, was defended, was protected by the government till date. Truth can't be hidden, and yesterday, with the images emerging of the way Santosh Deshmukh was murdered, it was people's outrage that forced government hand," she posted on X. Earlier in January, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that none of the accused in the Beed sarpanch murder case would be spared, underlining that he does not wish to engage in the politics surrounding the matter. "We will not spare any accused. We will find them. Today, I discussed the matter with Santosh Deshmukh's brother over the phone and assured him that the police will identify the guilty and ensure they are punished. The police will act based on evidence, and those against whom evidence is found will not be spared. I do not wish to be involved in the politics surrounding this case," the Maharashtra CM had said. He further added, "I have said earlier as well that if anyone has evidence against any individual, they should provide it to us. My priority is to ensure that Santosh Deshmukh's murderer is punished. Our role is clear--justice must be served for Santosh Deshmukh." Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, Maharashtra, was murdered on December 9 after he allegedly opposed an extortion attempt targeting an energy firm installing windmills in the village. (ANI) Incumbent Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal on Tuesday announced that the party will nominate a new state president as the 'Sangathan Parv' reaches its final stage. The process will also include the nomination of members for the national council ahead of the party's National Presidential elections. Speaking to reporters, Jaiswal said, "Today is the last leg of 'sangathan parv'. The new party President will be nominated for the state. Additionally, members of the national council for the party's National presidential elections will also be nominated..." "Today, our new state President will be elected. The process is about to conclude. The upcoming assembly elections will be held under the leadership of the new party President. NDA will contest the elections together," Minister Mangal Pandey told ANI. Minister and BJP MLA Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu said, "Elections for the new party president are going on, and all leaders and workers of the party have come here from across the state. Dilip Jaiswal is going to be our state president again... We will achieve our target for the 2025 assembly elections..." Earlier, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expanded his cabinet with seven Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs taking oath as ministers. Sanjay Saraogi, Sunil Kumar, Jibesh Mishra, Krishna Kumar Mantoo, Motilal Prasad, Vijay Kumar Mandal and Raju Kumar Singh took oath as ministers. Newly inducted Bihar minister Raju Kumar Singh said, "Today, the regional people must be feeling proud that their MLA has become a minister...I am very happy from within, but at the same time, I am also worried about accountability...The opposition will be wiped out...This time, NDA will cross 200 seats, and the opposition will get only 40 seats." Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Samrat Chaudhary, congratulated the newly-inducted ministers and said they will work for Bihar's development."I congratulate all seven ministers who will work for the development of Bihar under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar," Chaudhary said. Incumbent Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said that both the government and the people will benefit from the experience of the new members of the cabinet. "Those who have been made ministers today have a long experience, and both the government and the public will benefit from it," Jaiswal said. Assembly elections in Bihar are likely to be held in October-November of this year. (ANI) Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said that the resignation of Dhananjay Munde as Maharashtra Minister is not enough and that the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government should be dismissed claiming that the law and order has deteriorated in the state over the past few years. Earlier today, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA, Munde submitted his resignation earlier today, which was accepted by Fadnavis who forwarded it to the Governor for further action. The development follows after Munde's close aide, Walmik Karad, was sent to judicial custody in January this year in a Rs 2 crore extortion case allegedly linked to the murder case of Beed district sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Addressing mediapersons here, Thackeray said, "Mere resignation is not enough. This government should be dismissed. In the past two and a half, three years, law and order in Maharashtra has deteriorated. Sometimes a woman is raped ... what kind of law and order and system is this? If no action is taken and the government is not dismissed, then who would like to invest in Maharashtra? Neither women nor men are safe in this State. This is a matter of all residents of the State and not just one person." Reiterating his demands, the Sena UBT leader further demanded the public hanging of the prime accused in the case of the murder of Beed district sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. "A resignation won't work, chargesheet should be amended, case should be in fast track court and the most important thing is that the prime accused who committed the crime, should be hanged publicly," Aaditya Thackeray said. Speaking on the resignation, Maharashtra CM Fadnavis said, "Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde has tendered his resignation today. I have accepted the resignation and sent it to the Governor for further course of action." According to sources, Fadnavis had asked Munde to step down from his post. Reacting to the resignation, Priyanka Chaturvedi said that the Maharashtra government had been protecting and defending Munde for a long time. "High time. Shame that Munde was allowed to continue, was defended, was protected by the government till date. Truth can't be hidden, and yesterday, with the images emerging of the way Santosh Deshmukh was murdered, it was people's outrage that forced government hand," she posted on X. Congress leader Saran Patel on X, posting a purported report related to the murder incident, of Santosh Deshmukh claimed, "Beed Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh's brutal murder has shocked Maharashtra. The accused recorded a video of the entire incident and even urinated on his half-dead body. The mastermind behind this murder, Walmik Karad, is a business partner and close aide of Maharashtra government's minister Dhananjay Munde. Devendra Fadnavis has still not demanded the minister's resignation, and even the media is not seeking accountability -- for them, Rohit Sharma seems to be a matter of greater concern," Earlier in January, Chief Minister Fadnavis asserted that no accused in the Beed sarpanch murder case would be spared, underlining that he does not wish to engage in the politics surrounding the matter. Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district of Maharashtra, was murdered on December 9 after he allegedly opposed an extortion attempt targeting an energy firm installing windmills in the village. (ANI) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has initiated a probe into the death of a Nepali student at KIIT University in Odisha following allegations of assault on protesting students. NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo said that a team has been formed to investigate the matter and will submit its report before March 10. Speaking to ANI, Kanoongo said, "We received a complaint from an organisation, Kalinga Rights Forum. In the complaint, it was mentioned that a student from Nepal had died allegedly by suicide. We don't yet know if it is a suicide." "The complainant also told us that enraged Nepali students who wanted to raise their voices against this were beaten up...we have formed a team and it will go to the University and conduct probe. Before 10th (March), they will submit the report...," he told ANI. Earlier, Nepal's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sent a written request to the Indian Human Rights Commission requesting to investigate the death of a Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha. Issuing a press release the joint spokesperson Shyam Babu Kafle at the Nepal's NHRC said, "The Commission has written to the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRCI) in a letter dated 2081/11/7 requesting an early investigation into the incident of Nepali students studying at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, who were found dead in the hostel of Prakriti Lamsal University, demanding an investigation into the incident of beating and mistreatment of them." The NHRC urged the Indian Human Rights Commission to provide justice to the victim and mistreated students, ensure full safety to the students studying there, and hold the office-bearers to account with a fair investigation. "As information is being received that Nepali students who were forced to leave the university due to the circumstances arising from the incident are still unable to return to the university in a fear-free environment, the Commission urges the Government of Nepal to take further diplomatic initiatives in this regard and create an environment where students can study," the Nepali Human rights governing body stated. The third-year B.Tech student was found dead in her hostel room on February 16, following which Nepali students staged a protest, alleging that a fellow student had harassed her and that the college had failed to act despite multiple complaints.(ANI) Bibhav Kumar, a close aide of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the main accused in the alleged Swati Maliwal assault case. After presenting their arguments on Tuesday, the Delhi Police requested additional time to further substantiate their case. Justice Vikas Mahajan's bench has scheduled the next hearing for March 11 and asked Bibhav Kumar to submit a written response by then. The Delhi Police has challenged Tis Hazari's sessions court January 29 order, which dismissed their appeal against a magistrate court's directive to provide Bibhav Kumar with a list of unrelied documents. In September last year, the Supreme Court granted bail to Bibhav Kumar, an aide to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The decision was based on several factors, including the completion of the investigation and the filing of a chargesheet by the Delhi Police. Additionally, with over 50 prosecution witnesses, it was evident that the trial would not conclude anytime soon. Earlier his bail was dismissed by the Delhi High Court and Trial Court. On May 16, an FIR was filed against Bibhav Kumar under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those related to criminal intimidation, assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe a woman, and attempted culpable homicide. Kumar is accused of assaulting Swati Maliwal at the Chief Minister's residence in New Delhi on May 13. (ANI) The Supreme Court recently observed that calling someone "Miyan-Tiyan", "Pakistani" will not amount to hurting their religious sentiments under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathana and Satish Chandra Sharma noted that such statements, though made in poor taste, would not constitute an offence under Section 298 of the IPC. "Further, the appellant is accused of hurting the religious feelings of the informant by calling him 'Miyan-Tiyan' and 'Pakistani." Undoubtedly, the statements made are in poor taste. However, it does not amount to hurting the religious sentiments of the informant", the Court said in its judgement. The Court pronounced the ruling while setting aside criminal proceedings against one Hari Nandan Singh, who had been booked under various provisions of the IPC for allegedly abusing someone by using their religion and using criminal force against them. Hari Nandan Singh had sought certain information from the Additional Collector-cum First Appellate Authority under the RTI Act. The same was dispatched to him. However, Singh alleged that the documents in which the information which was sent to him were manipulated. Subsequently, as per the order of the Public Information Officer, the said information was directed to be personally served to Singh by an official informant. The official informant, who is an Urdu Translator and an appointed acting clerk, alleged that while delivering the information to Singh, he was abused by him. He further alleged that Singh used criminal force against him with the intention of intimidating him and deterring him from performing his duties as a public servant. As a result, an FIR was registered against Singh, and he was charged with various offences under the IPC, including the act of hurting someone's religious sentiments. Singh subsequently filed an application for discharge, which was dismissed by the Magistrate. His request for relief from the charges was also rejected by both the Sessions Court and the High Court, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled in favour of Singh by setting aside the High Court order and discharging him of all charges. It ruled that none of the ingredients that constitute the offences alleged against Singh found place in the FIR. "A bare perusal of Case No. 140 of 2020 reveals that the essential ingredients of the offences alleged against the appellant under Sections 353, 298, and 504 IPC are not made out", the Court said in its judgement. Thus, it allowed Singh's appeal and disposed of the case.(ANI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spoke in the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday and demanded that a case of sedition be registered against Abu Azmi, for praising Aurangzeb. "We condemn the murderer of Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, i.e. Aurangzeb whose melodies the Assembly member Abu Azmi sings," he said. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also demanded that a case of sedition against Abu Azmi be registered in both houses of the Legislative Assembly. While making a statement in this regard, Deputy Chief Minister Shinde said, "I salute Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the protector of religion and freedom, and his bravery. Although people like Abu Azmi live in India physically, they live in the Mughals in their minds. They have nothing to do with the history and culture of the country. The world knows what kind of ruler Aurangzeb was. Aurangzeb was cruel. What a great administrator he was. We condemn the Pilawali who is aiding such monsters." "No matter how many grand statements Abu Azmi makes, he will not change history because this history is of the bravery and valor of the Marathas" the Deputy CM added. The Deputy CM said that Abu Azmi needed to learn the true history of Shmbhaji Maharaj. "Shambhu Raja, who won 69 battles in nine years, was a great warrior. He was a great administrator. Abu Azmi should learn the true history of Sambhaji Maharaj instead of telling the false history of Aurangzeb," he said In his statement, the Deputy Chief Minister also said, "The lion that will destroy the country was Shiva's shadow; the most powerful and glorious was Shambhu Raja." The reaction comes after SP MLA Abu Azmi, in an interaction with the media in the Marine Drive area, stated that Aurangzeb was a good administrator. Azmi later claimed that his statements had been twisted and if he had hurt anyone then he was ready to withdraw his statement. "My words have been twisted. I have said what historians and writers have said about Aurangzeb Rahmatullah Alaih. I have not made any derogatory comment about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj or any other great men - but still if anyone has been hurt by my statement, then I take back my words, my statement. This issue is being made a political issue, and I think that closing the budget session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly because of this is causing harm to the people of Maharashtra," he said. A zero FIR was registered against Abu Azmi in the Naupada Police Station of Thane and was transferred to Marine Drive police station in Mumbai in connection with his remarks on Aurangzeb. (ANI) Kerala LoP and Congress leader VD Satheesan criticized the LDF government over ASHA workers' protest, accusing it of failing to fulfill its Rs 21,000 honorarium promise. He slammed the government's "negative attitude" and alleged attempts to "abuse" protesting women. With ASHA workers striking for 22 days, he reiterated Congress's support, citing their heavy workload and inadequate Rs7,000 state honorarium. Speaking to reporters, Satheesan said, "We brought up the matter of Asha workers, who have been striking in front of the secretariat for the last 22 days. Their demand is an increase in the honorarium. They have been getting only Rs 7,000 from state honorarium. LDF had offered Rs 21,000 as Asha workers' honorarium in their election manifesto. Unfortunately, the government is showing a negative attitude to this strike. They are trying to abuse the women who are striking...we support Asha workers as their workload is very high..." Earlier in the week, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the Kerala government over the low honorarium of ASHA workers in the state, calling their ongoing protest a fight for 'dignity and respect.' "It is appalling that women who are the backbone of society should have to beg for their rights like this. Instead of justice, all they have got from the Kerala government is apathy and attempts to silence them," the Congress leader wrote in a post on X. The Wayanad MP pointed out that while ASHA workers in Karnataka and Telangana receive higher wages, those in Kerala are paid a meagre Rs 7,000. The Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers went on an indefinite strike against the Left Democratic Alliance (LDF) government in Kerala, demanding better salaries. Following the strike, senior Congress leader KC Venugopal said that United Democratic Front (UDF) MPs would take the issue to Parliament. He extended support to the protesting ASHA workers and advised the Kerala government to shed its arrogance."Their demands are just and fair. UDF MPs will take this issue to the Indian Parliament. The state government must shed its arrogance. This is a legitimate protest, and the Congress party fully supports it," Venugopal said. Suggesting that the Kerala government acknowledges the demands of ASHA workers, Venugopal said that they were not asking for charity but their rightful dues. The Congress-led UDF has extended support to the ongoing strike by ASHA workers, who have been protesting against the state government since February 10 while demanding a hike in their salaries. (ANI) After protesting farmers claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had got "angry" during a meeting, CM Mann said on Tuesday that he cancelled the meeting because the farmers wanted to continue their protest amid the talks. The Chief Minister further expressed his concerns about the frequent protests and blockades by farmers in the state saying that these protests, such as "rail roko" and "sadak roko," are causing significant economic losses to the state. CM Mann further warned that he is not afraid to take action but as the custodian of 3.5 crore people, he has to consider everyone's interests. "I told farmers that every day you hold 'rail roko', 'sadak roko' protest...This is causing immense losses to Punjab. The state is facing economic losses. Punjab is becoming a state of 'dharna'. Don't take my softheartedness into thinking that I do not take action...I am a custodian of 3.5 crore people. I have to look after everyone...In the meeting, I asked them about the protest the day after (on March 5), and they said it would go on. So, I told them what did you make me sit for an hour?...I indeed got up and left...I told them I did not call the meeting out of fear, I have met them earlier too, that I am your friend...But if you tell me that morcha would continue along with the meeting, I cancel the meeting and you can continue with the morcha," Mann told reporters. Earlier, protesting farmers claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had got "angry" and "provoked" them during a meeting with him in Chandigarh. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal described Chief Minister Mann as unusually angry, noting that he had never witnessed such an outburst, even in high-level negotiations. "The meeting was going on well, and we were coming to agreements on several issues. After we came to an agreement on the eighth issue, the CM said he wanted to leave, owing to a doctor's appointment. Then, he asked about our plans for March 5. He said we are holding talks; why do you still want to proceed with the protest? He became very angry and left the meeting saying 'do whatever you want to do'... I have had negotiations at the Prime Minister level but have never seen a leader so angry. We will come to Chandigarh (on 5 March)," he said. Farmer leader Raminder Patila said that this is not how a Chief Minister should behave. "We had a memorandum of 18 demands, and we had reached the 8th point when he straight up asked us not to protest on March 5. If he will not listen to our demands, we have the right to make ourselves heard. If he thinks that things will end just by meeting, that is not the case. The behaviour displayed by the CM was condemnable. He left the meeting mid-way. This should not be how a CM is supposed to behave. We will come back on the 5th March and force the CM to sit with us... We wanted thorough discussions, and we will not accept it if he tries to curtail or dictate our discussions... He had invited us for this meeting... We will hold an indefinite protest," Patila said. (ANI) The court has also ordered to constitute a committee, to be headed by the Vice Chancellor and including other university officials and student representatives, to address and resolve the issue and ease tensions. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma has directed the university to submit a report concerning the suspension of students involved in campus protests. The court is currently handling pleas from students contesting the suspension letter issued by the Chief Proctor's office. This letter led to their immediate suspension and ban from entering the university premises. Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves and Advocate Abhik Chimni represent the petitioner students. Gonsalves argued that the university's response was disproportionate to the students' peaceful protest. He emphasized that the petitioners had clean records and had gathered outside the canteen for their demonstration. Instead of offering guidance, the university aligned with the Delhi Police and facilitated the students' arrests. On the other hand, Advocates Amit Sahni and Kisley Mishra, representing the university, contended that the students had not obtained the necessary permission from the administration to hold the protest. They also claimed that the protesters caused damage to campus property and were sleeping outside the canteen, which was not permitted. The Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) administration accused the protesters of "vandalizing university property, including the central canteen, breaking the gate of the security advisor's office, defacing walls, and carrying contraband objects." The students were demonstrating against show-cause notices issued to participants of a December 2024 protest, which marked the anniversary of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests and the alleged police brutality on campus in 2019. (ANI) After Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar blamed the previous Bharatiya Janata Party government for pending bills of contractors in the state, BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal on Tuesday said that the contractors in the state are in a "bad state", and are "committing suicide." "Contractors are in a very bad state right now in Karnataka and are committing suicide. The government is not paying the Contractors. They are supporting Andhra's Contractors," the BJP MLA told ANI. Yatnal also attacked the Karnataka government, saying that no guarantees are being fulfilled by the state government. "Budget will stay merely a book... No guarantees are being fulfilled by the state government... The economic state of Karnataka is very bad and hence we don't have any expectation from the budget," he said. This comes after DK Shivakumar blamed the previous BJP government for the issue of the large backlog of unpaid contractor bills in the state. "The association had met with him, urging the government to clear the outstanding payments," the Deputy CM had said. Shivakumar acknowledged the challenge, noting that during the previous BJP government, significant work worth over Rs 1.25 lakh crore was initiated, but the state's budget allocation for capital work is only Rs 16,000 crore. The Karnataka Legislature session began on Monday, with Speaker UT Khader, Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar extending a warm welcome to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot upon his arrival at Vidhana Soudha to participate in the proceedings. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah previously said that the previous BJP government did not achieve any progress; they just "looted," adding that the Congress government implemented guarantee schemes along with development programmes. On Monday, the BJP protested outside the assembly against the rise in the prices of electricity and milk and the MUDA scam. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday inspected the police constable recruitment process at Dehradun Police Line and encouraged the youth who came for recruitment. During this, the Chief Minister took detailed information about the recruitment process from the Senior Superintendent of Police, Dehradun. He encouraged the youth involved in the recruitment and asked them to give their best performance. The Chief Minister took stock of the arrangements for the recruitment process and directed the officials to ensure that transparency is maintained in the entire process. Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Dhami, has approved the implementation of the Central Government's Unified Pension Scheme for officers and employees in the state. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting held on Monday, officials said. The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) has been introduced as an option under the National Pension System (NPS) by the Central Government for the Central Government employees are covered under NPS so that they may receive an assured payout after their retirement. The Unified Pension Scheme will be operational from April 1, 2025 On Monday, the Uttarakhand cabinet approved the new Excise Policy 2025. A statement from the government said that the state's new Excise Policy 2025 has decided to close liquor licenses near religious places, considering their importance. Furthermore, keeping public sensitivities paramount, more control will be exercised over the sale of liquor. Sub-shops and the metro liquor sales system have been abolished. In the new Excise Policy, if a shop charges more than MRP, the license can be canceled. MRP will also apply to departmental stores, which will protect consumers' interests. Excise revenue has increased significantly in the state in the last two years. A revenue target of Rs 5,060 crore has been set for the financial year 2025-26. In the financial year 2023-24, a revenue of Rs 4,038.69 crore was earned against the target of Rs 4,000 crore. In the financial year 2024-25, about Rs 4,000 crore has been received so far against the target of Rs 4,439 crore. Meanwhile, CM Dhami announced that the government will provide financial assistance to 45 writers this year and said it reflects our resolve towards the preservation of literature and culture. " Along with Uttarakhand Sahitya Bhushan, 21 new Sahitya awards were announced. This year, we have decided to provide financial assistance to 45 writers. This is not just financial assistance, but it is a symbol of our commitment, our resolve, our objective towards the preservation of literature and culture," CM Dhami said. (ANI) The meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs with the Swedish Parliament's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs began in the Parliament House Annex on Tuesday. The Committee Chairman, Shashi Tharoor, welcomed the delegation. Earlier on February 27, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on External Affairs said that a very detailed discussion was held in the committee meeting held in the Parliament House Annex on topics ranging from the Government of India's development aid budget to the opening of new embassies and consulates. Speaking to ANI after the meeting, Tharoor said that this was our regular meeting on the Ministry of External Affairs' demands for grants. "This was our regular meeting on the demands for grants of the Ministry of External Affairs, which is the annual budget for this year for the coming fiscal year 2025-26 and we were very interested to see the budget documents of the Ministry and to question the Foreign Secretary on the needs of the Ministry in order to project India's voice abroad," he said. He stated that the meeting was a very comprehensive discussion. "So a very detailed discussion was held ranging from everything to do with the development aid budget of the Government of India, right across the questions of opening new embassies and consulates, the training of Foreign Service officers. Almost pretty much everywhere we're spending our money," he added. "We have been informed by the govt that they put forward India's candidacy for a seat in (UN) Security Council, elected seat from the year 2028-29. That is something which will take place in the elections in UN, next year," Tharoor said. The committee recorded oral evidence of the Ministry of External Affairs representatives on 'Demands for Grants of the Ministry for the year 2025-26'. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and other officials of the External Affairs Ministry. (ANI) Shiv Sena's Maharashtra MLA Nilesh Narayan Rane on Tuesday came down heavily against Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi, for his remarks calling Aurangzeb a "good administrator." "Abu Azmi has lost his mental balance. He does not know Maharashtra's history, and he is disrespecting our Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. He should apologise, but just an apology is not enough," the Shiv Sena MLA told ANI. The Mahayuti MLA further demanded Azmi's resignation, saying that the SP leader has repeatedly made "nonsense" remarks for grabbing headlines. "He should either be asked to resign or suspended and only then will he learn his lesson. He keeps speaking nonsense to stay in the headlines, but now we will not tolerate it," Rane added. SP leader and Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi kicked up a political storm earlier for calling the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb a "good administrator," drawing strong criticism from various leaders. The SP leader Abu Azmi has since retracted his statement, saying that his words had been twisted and misinterpreted. "My words have been twisted. I have said what historians and writers have claimed about Aurangzeb Rahmatullah Ali," read Azmi's X post. "I have not made any derogatory comment about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj or any other great men - but still if anyone has been hurt by my statement, then I take back my words, my statement," Azmi added. Earlier today, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath demanded a sedition case against Abu Azmi for his remarks. "We condemn the murderer of Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, i.e. Aurangzeb whose melodies the Assembly member Abu Azmi sings," Shinde said. Expressing his respect for Sambhaji Maharaj, the deputy CM added, "I salute Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the protector of religion and freedom, and his bravery. Although people like Abu Azmi live in India physically, they live in the Mughals in their minds. They have nothing to do with the history and culture of the country. The world knows what kind of ruler Aurangzeb was. Aurangzeb was cruel. What a great administrator he was. We condemn the Pilawali who is aiding such monsters." A zero FIR was registered against Abu Azmi in the Naupada Police Station of Thane and was transferred to Marine Drive police station in Mumbai in connection with his remarks on Aurangzeb. (ANI) Amidst the uproar over Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi's remarks on Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Shiv Sena will be staging a state-wide protest against statements 'disrespecting' Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The party has demanded that a sedition case be filed against Abu Azmi and that he be suspended from the Assembly for "glorifying" Aurangzeb, the Shiv Sena stated in a press release on Tuesday. Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Narayan Rane said that Abu Azmi has "lost his mental balance", adding that he keeps speaking "nonsense" to stay in the headlines. "Abu Azmi has lost his mental balance. He does not know Maharashtra's history, and he is disrespecting our Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. He should apologise, but just an apology is not enough... He should either be asked to resign or suspended and only then will he learn his lesson. He keeps speaking nonsense to stay in the headlines, but now we will not tolerate it," Rane said. Prior to him, Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, during his address in the Maharashtra legislative assembly also demanded a sedition case against Azmi. Earlier today, Abu Azmi said that his words had been twisted and that he was ready to take back his statement and apologise if any sentiments were hurt. "My words have been twisted. I have said what historians and writers have claimed about Aurangzeb Rahmatullah Ali," Azmi said. "I have not made any derogatory comment about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj or any other great men - but still if anyone has been hurt by my statement, then I take back my words, my statement," Azmi said in a video he posted on his X platform. The MLA and Samajwadi Party chief on Maharashtra also said that the issue was being politicised. "The issue is being made a political issue, and I think that closing the budget session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly because of this is causing harm to the people of Maharashtra," Azmi said. Earlier today, a zero FIR was registered against Azmi in the Naupada Police Station of Thane and was transferred to the Marine Drive police station in Mumbai in connection with his remarks on Aurangzeb. The FIR was lodged based on a complaint lodged by Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske. Azmi, in his comments at an interaction with mediapersons in the Marine Drive area, had stated that "Aurangzeb was a good administrator." The BJP latched on to Azmi's remarks and questioned INDIA block members as to why they were trying to glorify Aurangzeb. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath slammed the opposition for spreading "negative propaganda" about the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj and said that despite their efforts to spread misinformation, they were unable to shake the faith of the people in the country. Speaking at the UP legislative assembly, CM Yogi said, "The negative propaganda and misinformation that was spread had no impact on the faith of the people of the country. Your attempts to spread negativity were unsuccessful. You (opposition) tried to strategically spread negativity, but neither the people of Uttar Pradesh nor the country believed your words. Soon, the public will stop listening to you." The UP CM further said that the mass religious congregation demonstrated the state's capability to organize such a grand event. Targeting the opposition, CM Yogi said, "Mahakumbh has demonstrated the state's capability to organize such a grand event, showcasing not only the state's strength to the country but also India's potential to the world. The negative propaganda and misinformation spread by you had no impact on the people's faith across the nation." "You continuously relied on spreading negativity, which became your primary tool. Despite your efforts to strategically create this narrative, neither the people of Uttar Pradesh nor the country believed in your false claims. No one in the country trusted your words," he added. The Chief Minister further said that organising the Mahakumbh was part of a broader plan for the sustainable development of the holy and traditional city of Prayagraj, adding that the event allowed the UP government to improve the city's infrastructure significantly. The Chief Minister also spoke about the overwhelming participation of devotees, stating that buses filled with people from every village across the state made their way to Prayagraj. In his address, he linked the organisation of the Mahakumbh to the long-term development of Prayagraj, calling it part of a plan to enhance the city's infrastructure. "What we are doing in Sambhal is also driven by faith. The Mahakumbh helped us build better infrastructure in Prayagraj, a city rich in tradition and history," he said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP), accusing it of straying from the ideals of its founder, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia. Addressing the state assembly, CM Yogi criticised the party for forgetting Lohia's principles and for undermining the faith of the nation. CM Yogi alleged that the current leadership of Samajwadi Party had completely disregarded Lohia's conduct, values, and principles. "Today's Samajwadi Party may take the name of Dr Lohia, but it has lost its way. The party has forgotten the conduct and ideals that Dr Lohia upheld," said CM Yogi. "Dr Lohia had emphasised that these figures are the foundation of India's unity, but the Samajwadi Party does not believe in this," Adityanath remarked, accusing the party of playing with the faith of the people," he added. Referring to the SP's allegations of the BJP being a communal party, Adityanath rejected the criticism. "You say the BJP's thinking is communal. How can you claim that when we believe in 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas' (Together with all, trust of all)?" he said, adding that the BJP's vision is rooted in inclusivity and unity, not division. CM Yogi proudly highlighted the BJP's ideal of 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Nirmaya,' which translates to "May all be happy, may all be free from illness," as a guiding principle of governance. He then pointed to the successful organisation of the Mahakumbh, which concluded on February 26, as a prime example of this inclusive vision. "The 45-day Mahakumbh event left an indelible mark on India's heritage and development, both within the country and abroad," he said. CM Yogi emphasised that during the Mahakumbh, no discrimination based on caste, religion, or region was witnessed, as people from over 100 countries participated in the event with immense devotion. "Whoever attended this event of progress and heritage, they left with a sense of overwhelming pride and unity," he concluded, reinforcing the message of national unity and inclusiveness. The Uttar Pradesh CM praised the successful organisation of the the recently concluded Prayagraj Mahakumbh, which saw more than 66 crore people from across India and the world participate in the 45-day religious gathering. In his address, Adityanath highlighted that despite the massive turnout, the event was marked by safety and order, with no incidents of harassment, theft, abduction, or violence. "The Mahakumbh saw an overwhelming number of visitors, and of the 66 crore attendees, half of them were women. Yet, not a single incident of harassment or crime occurred," said CM Yogi, underlining the exceptional organisation and security measures in place during the festival. He also expressed pride in the international recognition that the Mahakumbh received, citing reports from major global media outlets. "More people attended the Mahakumbh than the entire population of the United States, as reported by the Wall Street Journal," he said, quoting the media's praise. He also noted that the BBC called it "the largest gathering of humanity," while the Express Tribune described it as "the world's largest religious gathering." CM yogi said that the New York Times mentioned that the Mahakumbh wasn't just attended by devotees but also by politicians and celebrities, while The Guardian referred to it as "the festival of festivals," filled with joy and enthusiasm. CNN, reporting on the event, noted that over 60 crore devotees participated, calling it a "magnificent display of faith." CM Yogi also highlighted the role of technology in the event, with reports calling it a "digital kumbh," where advanced technological facilities were provided to enhance the experience of the pilgrims. "This Mahakumbh left an indelible mark, not just on India, but on the world, as a remarkable example of faith, security, and development," he concluded. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he dedicated the "successful accomplishment" of the "Mahakumbh of unity" to the feet of Shri Somnath Bhagwan. He said this in a post on X after offering prayers at Shri Somnath Jyotirlinga Mandir here in Gujarat on Sunday. "The Mahakumbh of unity in Prayagraj was completed with the efforts of crores of countrymen. As a servant, I had resolved in my heart that after the Maha Kumbh, I will worship Shri Somnath, the first Jyotirlinga out of the twelve Jyotirlingas," the Prime Minister said. "Today, with the blessings of Somnath Dada, that resolution has been fulfilled. On behalf of all the countrymen, I dedicate the successful accomplishment of the Mahakumbh of unity to the feet of Shri Somnath Bhagwan. During this, I also prayed for the health and prosperity of every countryman," he added. The Prime Minister offered a special 'puja' at the temple and paid obeisance to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's idol inside the temple premises. Mahakumbh 2025 emerged as a historic event with its divine, grand, and well-organized execution, witnessing an unprecedented gathering of over 66 crore devotees. Held on the banks of Sangam in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, the Mahakumbh marked a sacred occasion after 144 years, drawing immense crowds from across India and the world. Mahakumbh, which began on January 13, Paush Purnima, concluded on February 26, Maha Shivratri, in Prayagraj. (ANI) Delhi's Patiala House Court on Tuesday granted six days custody of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) national president, MK Faizy to ED to interrogate him in a money laundering case. Special judge Chander Jit Singh granted the six days custody of Faizy to Enforcement Directorate (ED). He is to be produced before the court on Monday after the expiry of the custody remand. The court has directed the ED to take care of his medicine and take care if he observe ramzan. His cousnsel is allowed to have legal meeting for 15 minutes. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had sought 10 days of Faizy's custody to interrogate him about the proceeds of the crime, the funding, and the money trail. Special public prosecutor (SPP) Simon Benjamin and Naveen Kumar Matta appeared for ED. It is alleged that there was a fund transfer to SDPI from the PFI. ED said he had been a member of the PFI since its inception. In 2009, he started SDPI. He is required to be interrogated in relation to three statements. ED arrested MK Faizy at Indira Gandhi Airport while he was on the way to Delhi from Kochi. "There is proceed of crime in crores, fundraising, etc", the ED submitted. ED sought 10 days' custody of M K Faizy to interrogate him. An investigation is pending regarding the money trail. The agency has alleged that SDPI is the political front of the banned organisation PFI. Documentary evidence is to be confronted to him, ED said. Advocate Satyakam, along with Saipan Dastgir Shaikh, appeared for Faizy and opposed ED's plea. "It was as if all the evidence was documentary in nature and only his statement was to be recorded. A statement can be recorded even in judicial custody," he said. He also argued that funds were transferred in 2017-2019. The PFI was declared an unlawful organisation on September 28, 2022. So how does it become the proceeds of crime? Counsel for the accused also submitted that Faizy was with the ED for three whole days for questioning. "Nothing is to be recovered from him," the counsel said. "Why was Faizy arrested? There is no requirement of arresting him", the counsel submitted. "Evasive reply of questions would not make him liable to be arrested. The alleged proceeds of crime is election funds. The document shows some funds transferred to the party", he added. "SDPI is not funded by PFI. It has no funding from abroad," the counsel argued. In rebuttal arguments, SPP Naveen Kumar Matta submitted that the accused was not cooperating with the investigation. 12 summons were issued, but the suspect did not appear before the ED. A case was filed for disobedience of summons. An NBW was issued, the SPP added. (ANI) A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Aravind Kumar said if needed, he will also appear on March 18, as well, at the same time. The apex court was hearing the appeal of the Punjab government against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order granting bail to him in a drug case. The bench has now posted the matter for hearing on March 24. Advocate General of Punjab, Gurminder Singh, sought cancellation of his bail on grounds that Majithia is not cooperating with the investigation. Singh said that Majithia is refusing to reply to queries. Majithia's counsel replied that he is being harassed for political reasons and asked the court to fix dates for interrogation. Punjab and Haryana High Court in August 2022 granted bail to Majithia. Majithia surrendered after the expiry of the protection period. The apex court on January 31, 2022, had granted protection to Majithia from arrest till February 2023, because of the February 20 assembly polls to contest as a SAD candidate from the Amritsar East assembly constituency. On March 20, 2022, in his first orders to Punjab Police after assuming charge, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann reconstituted the four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the drugs case against Majithia. The previous SIT was a three-member team. The SIT was formed to probe allegations against Majithia based on an FIR lodged under various sections of the NDPS Act on December 20, 2021. (ANI) HK and Macao eye boost from nation's growth 08:51, March 04, 2025 By William Xu ( Chinadaily.com.cn As they prepared to depart for Beijing to attend the two sessions, national lawmakers and political advisers from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions said on Monday that they are eager to learn more about the progress of China's development and further advance the SARs' integration into national development. The National People's Congress, the national legislature, has 36 deputies from Hong Kong and 12 from Macao, while the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, has over 180 members from Hong Kong and 38 from Macao. Speaking to reporters at the Hong Kong International Airport, Starry Lee Wai-king, a member of the NPC Standing Committee, noted that this year marks the end of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), which outlined key goals for strengthening Hong Kong's status as an international center. China's annual political meetings provide a good opportunity for reviewing the city's contributions to national development and also offer a platform for putting forward constructive suggestions for the next five-year plan, she said. Lee said she is looking forward to hearing the Government Work Report to be delivered by Premier Li Qiang during the two sessions. The report summarizes the work done in the previous year and outlines the vision behind the path to Chinese modernization in the coming year. Expressing her confidence in the country's ability to drive economic growth, Lee said she believes the central government will introduce more policies to stimulate private enterprises' investment on the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong. NPC deputy Ronick Chan Chun-ying, who is also a Hong Kong lawmaker representing the finance sector, said he is keen to hear the Government Work Report, as it will provide insights into the nation's economic growth engines and pace. Chan said he expects to see additional policy instruments introduced in order to drive domestic demand, which in turn would provide momentum for sustainable GDP growth. Jimmy Ng Wing-ka, also an NPC deputy from Hong Kong, said he is interested in learning about how the country will utilize artificial intelligence and other technologies to accelerate industrial upgrade. Many of the Hong Kong representatives attending the two sessions shared a keen interest in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a cluster of 11 cities with Hong Kong as one of its core cities. National lawmaker Maggie Chan Man-ki emphasized the need to boost talent exchanges in the Greater Bay Area, while Shiu Ka-fai, a member of the CPPCC National Committee from Hong Kong, expressed the hope for new measures to bolster the tourism industry in the area. Before boarding a flight to Beijing on Monday, Ho Sut-heng, an NPC deputy from Macao, said she is confident in the country's high-quality development. Ho said that during the NPC session, she will focus on new policies that would further advance the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, which is a vital platform for expanding Macao's economic diversification and facilitating its integration into national development. Vong Kam-fai, also an NPC deputy from Macao, said he will delve into issues such as Macao's role in the Greater Bay Area's development and how to leverage the city's connections with Portuguese-speaking economies to fuel the country's growth. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Supreme Court judge (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the five-member-committee formed to frame guidelines on the Uniform Civil Code for the state. During the meeting, Desai appealed to the residents of Gujarat to provide their suggestions regarding UCC. She stated that suggestions regarding the Common Civil Code can be submitted by Gujarat residents, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, social groups, and scholars, as well as religious institutions and professionals. These suggestions could be submitted online through the portal. The deadline for submission is March 7, 2025. Suggestions can be sent in various formats, including Word, PDF, handwritten notes, scanned documents, or typed text in Gujarati and English. The committee will also hold discussions with representatives of various organizations, religious institutions, and political parties. Moreover, as per the instructions of the state government, the committee will review the necessity of a Common Civil Code in the state. In this context, a study has been conducted under the guidance of Retired Justice Ranjana Desai. The committee includes Justice KM Joseph, Advocate PS Narasimha, Advocate CS Vaidyanathan, and Ghatate, who have been appointed as members. Speaking to the media, Desai said, "Gujarat government has formed a committee and from today we have started our work. We have been tasked to work to assess so that UCC can be implemented in the state. We have formed two sub-committees, of which one is for public consultancy and the other one is for draft preparation. We have also formed an office in Delhi where will be keeping meetings." On February 4, the Gujarat government announced the formation of the committee to prepare the draft for UCC and create the law. "To prepare the draft for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and create the law, a 5-member committee under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai has been constituted. The committee will submit its report to the state government in 45 days, based on which the government will take a decision," CM Patel said at a press conference. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Christian James Michel, the alleged middleman in the money laundering case linked to the AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper scandal. Recently, the Supreme Court granted him bail in a related CBI case. The bench of Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma on Tuesday allowed his bail plea. The court had kept the order reserved last week. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed the bail plea of Christian James Michel arguing that he posed a flight risk due to his British citizenship. The ED counsel also highlighted that the Supreme Court had specifically recognized him as a flight risk. Christian Michael James' lawyer, Aljo K Joseph, previously apprised the Delhi High Court about the Supreme Court's bail ruling and stated that the Supreme Court granted James bail due to delays in the CBI's corruption trial. On February 18, the Supreme Court granted bail to Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper scam, stating that "the trial may not be completed in the next 25 years at this pace." Michel was arrested and extradited on December 4, 2018, while the FIR was registered in 2013. The Rs 3,600-crore scam involves the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland. On February 22, the trial court granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) permission to separate the trials of the accused in the AgustaWestland chopper case. The ED sought to begin the trial against individuals who received summons and participated in the investigation separately from those who had not been served summons or had evaded investigation. Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal noted that separating the trials would be in the interest of justice and ensure a fair and speedy trial, as per Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Consequently, files of the accused persons who have yet to be served will be separated from those who have already been served or are currently facing inquiry before the court. The case, investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, involves a total of 60 accused, 21 of whom have neither joined the investigation nor been served summons by the ED to date. The court observed that the first prosecution complaint was filed on November 24, 2014, while the latest, dated November 21, 2024, represents the 12th supplementary prosecution complaint, highlighting a decade-long gap. James was extradited from Dubai in December 2018 and subsequently arrested by the CBI and the ED. He is one of the three alleged middlemen under investigation in the case, alongside Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. According to the CBI's chargesheet, the deal signed on February 8, 2010, for the supply of VVIP helicopters worth 556.262 million euros caused an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (approximately Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer. The ED's chargesheet filed against James in June 2016 alleged that he received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AugustaWestland. The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal occurred during the Congress-led UPA government and refers to a multimillion-dollar corruption case where money was allegedly paid to middlemen and Indian officials in 2006 and 2007 to purchase helicopters for high-level politicians. Following significant controversy and allegations of corruption, the Government of India ordered an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 12, 2013. Subsequently, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2014. (ANI) Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Minister of Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Dhananjay Munde, as recommended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Earlier today, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Dhananjay Munde submitted his resignation, which Fadnavis accepted and forwarded to the Governor for further action. In a post on X, Munde mentioned that he has submitted his resignation as state minister due to health concerns and medical advice "as well". "My firm demand from the very first day has been that the accused in the brutal murder of the late Santosh Deshmukh from Massajog in Beed district should receive the harshest possible punishment. Seeing the photos that came up yesterday has deeply pained my heart," he said. "The investigation of this case has been completed, and the chargesheet has been filed in the court. Additionally, a judicial inquiry has also been proposed. Recalling my sense of discernment and considering that my health has not been well for the past few days, the doctors have advised me to undergo treatment for the next few days. Therefore, for medical reasons as well, I have submitted my resignation from my ministerial position in the cabinet to the Chief Minister," the NCP MLA added on X. Speaking on Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde's resignation, Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat said that there could be other reasons behind it. "There can be some other reasons behind his resignation. But action has been taken into the Beed incident, accused has been nabbed and a chargesheet has also been filed before court. Whosover's name comes out in a Police inquiry, they will be made an accused. But as far as I know, Dhananjay Munde's name is not in the chargehseet...," said Sanjay Shirsat. Reacting to Dhanajay Munde's resignation as Maharashtra Minister, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray said, "What is the reason? Dhananjay Munde cites health reasons, but Ajit Pawar says his resignation was on moral grounds." Reacting to the claims of Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde that Shiv Sena UBT MLAs are in touch with him, Uddhav Thackeray said that he should save his MLAs. "The way their condition is bad in the current government, he should save his MLAs," Thackeray said. Speaking on the resignation Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde has tendered his resignation today. I have accepted the resignation and sent it to the Governor for further course of action." According to sources, CM Fadnavis had asked Munde to step down from his post. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray said that the resignation of Dhananjay Munde as Maharashtra Minister is not enough and that the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government should be dismissed, claiming that the law and order has deteriorated in the state over the past few years. Addressing mediapersons here, Thackeray said, "Mere resignation is not enough. This government should be dismissed. In the past two and a half, three years, law and order in Maharashtra has deteriorated. Sometimes a woman is raped ... what kind of law and order and system is this? If no action is taken and the government is not dismissed, then who would like to invest in Maharashtra? Neither women nor men are safe in this State. This is a matter of all residents of the State and not just one person." The development follows after Munde's close aide, Walmik Karad, was sent to judicial custody in January this year in a Rs 2 crore extortion case allegedly linked to the murder case of Beed district sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. (ANI) Congress leader and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor led "friendly and positive" discussions with the Swedish Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs where they discussed building friendly relations between the two parliaments. "It was a very pleasant, friendly, positive discussion where the members of the Swedish Foreign Affairs Committee had some questions for us, and members of the Indian Foreign Affairs Committee responded on everything from gender equality to representation of women in parliaments, to the India-China border, to the US-China relationship. It's a very wide and stimulating discussion. It's part of the building up of friendly relations between the two parliaments," Tharoor told ANI on Tuesday. Further, the Thiruvananthapuram MP also said that he has requested MEA to expedite the return of the mortal remains of Thomas Gabriel, the Indian national who was killed by Jordanian security forces while trying to illegally cross the border into Israel. "I have written to the Ministry of External Affairs and to the embassy requesting urgent action to expedite the return of the mortal remains of Thomas Gabriel to his family in Tiruvannamalai," Tharoor added. Earlier on February 27, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on External Affairs said that a very detailed discussion was held in the committee meeting held in the Parliament House Annex on topics ranging from the Government of India's development aid budget to the opening of new embassies and consulates. The committee recorded oral evidence of the Ministry of External Affairs representatives on 'Demands for Grants of the Ministry for the year 2025-26. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and other officials of the External Affairs Ministry. (ANI) As the sacred banks of the Ganga prepare to host the International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh from March 9 to 15, attracting Yogacharyas and yoga practitioners from across India and the world, Chidananda Saraswati Maharaj shared the significance of yoga and its impact on global peace and well-being. "Yogis from nearly 75 countries come to Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, to learn yoga, to experience the peace and serenity that this holy land offers," said Chidananda Saraswati Maharaj. Comparing Mahakumbh, he told ANI, "Just as so many people participated in the Mahakumbh, now the world will come together to participate in yoga here." The Maharaj also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising yoga as a global need for peace. "PM Modi understood that the world is searching for peace. As soon as he became PM, he made yoga a central theme in his first address to the UN," he said, emphasising how yoga helps people manage stress and unite the body and mind. He elaborated on yoga's role in transforming individuals, saying, "Yoga makes a person udyogi, upyogi and sehyogi." "The sages have always told us that yoga provides peace, and it is both soft power and smart power. It is heart power and head power," he said. "The Yoga Mahotsav from March 9 to 15 will feature renowned figures such as Kailash Kher, Shri Shrimani Ji, and many other eminent yogis and spiritual leaders. The event promises to highlight yoga's essence--not just as a practice but as a way of life," he said. "Yoga is not about doing; it is about living," said Chidananda Saraswati Maharaj, stressing that yoga is a holistic practice that touches all aspects of life, promoting harmony and peace both within and outside. The International Yoga Festival 2025 will take place at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. The festival is a week-long celebration of yoga, mind, body, and soul. Each year, the International Yoga Festival helps connect with like-minded, conscious yogis and paradigm-shifters from every part of the world. In the 7-day immersion and celebration, people have the opportunity to embrace every major style of yoga and learn from enlightened spiritual leaders, master yoga teachers, evolutionary thought leaders, and wellness specialists from around the world. Parmarth Niketan is home to a 14-foot Shiva statue on the banks of the Ganges. Since 2015, the Prime Minister has led the International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations at various locations, including Kartavya Path in Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Ranchi, Lucknow, Mysuru and even the United Nations Headquarters in New York. (ANI) Reacting sharply to Samajwadi Party leader and Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi's remarks about Aurangzeb, Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant said that this statement was directly or indirectly against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. He also demanded that the MLA be suspended immediately. "It is condemnable to praise the enemies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. We agree with whatever our leader Eknath Shinde said in his speech... This statement was directly or indirectly against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and we demand that the MLA be suspended immediately and a case of treason be registered against him..., he told ANI. Abu Azmi kicked up a political storm earlier for calling the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb a "good administrator," drawing strong criticism from various leaders. The SP leader Abu Azmi has since retracted his statement, saying that his words had been twisted and misinterpreted. "My words have been twisted. I have said what historians and writers have claimed about Aurangzeb Rahmatullah Ali," read Azmi's X post. "I have not made any derogatory comment about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj or any other great men - but still if anyone has been hurt by my statement, then I take back my words, my statement," Azmi added. Earlier today, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath demanded a sedition case against Abu Azmi for his remarks. "We condemn the murderer of Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, i.e. Aurangzeb whose melodies the Assembly member Abu Azmi sings," Shinde said. Expressing his respect for Sambhaji Maharaj, the deputy CM added, "I salute Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the protector of religion and freedom, and his bravery. Although people like Abu Azmi live in India physically, they live in the Mughals in their minds. They have nothing to do with the history and culture of the country. The world knows what kind of ruler Aurangzeb was. Aurangzeb was cruel. What a great administrator he was. We condemn the Pilawali who is aiding such monsters." A zero FIR was registered against Abu Azmi in the Naupada Police Station of Thane and was transferred to the Marine Drive police station in Mumbai in connection with his remarks on Aurangzeb. (ANI) Refuting the Samajwadi Party's claims of boatmen being exploited during Mahakumbh Mela, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shared a success story of a boatman's family who earned Rs 30 crore in 45 days during the congregation in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. Addressing the UP State Legislative Assembly, CM Yogi said, "A boatman's family, who owned 130 boats, earned a total of Rs 30 crore in just 45 days during the Mahakumbh. This means each boat earned Rs 23 lakh over the 45 days, which translates to about Rs 50,000-52,000 per day," said CM Yogi. CM Yogi said that during his visit to Prayagraj on February 27, he took part in the religious rituals, offering prayers and expressing his appreciation for the efforts made by all those involved in the Mahakumbh. He further engaged in cleaning of River Ganga. The Chief Minister said that the invaluable contributions of various workers during the Mahakumbh was also recognised. "We felicitated the health and cleanliness workers who played a pivotal role in maintaining the event's smooth conduct. Additionally, I interacted with the boatmen, police personnel, and security staff, all of whom worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the Mahakumbh," he said. CM Yogi said he participated in religious rituals, praised workers, and interacted with the boatmen, security, and health personnel who contributed to the success of the event. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also presented the 2025-26 state budget, reflecting a commitment to farmers, youth, women, and the poor, marking the ninth general budget under his government. In his address, CM Yogi highlighted the state's consistent focus on inclusive development and growth since 2017, while accusing the opposition of using vote bank politics to deceive the public. "This government has always prioritised the welfare of the people, especially those who have been deprived. For us, the vote bank is not just a tool; it is a legacy," said CM Yogi, taking a clear shot at the opposition for focusing solely on vote bank politics. The 2025-26 budget, according to CM Yogi, continues the theme of supporting the most vulnerable sections of society. "In 2017-18, our first budget focused on farmers, and today, the farmers are content, with suicides coming to a halt. We dedicated the 2018-19 budget to infrastructure, the 2019-20 budget to empowering women, and the 2020-21 budget to the youth. The 2021-22 budget focused on self-reliance, the 2023-24 budget aimed for overall development, and the 2024-25 budget embraced the concept of Lokmangal and Ramrajya," he explained. For the 2025-26 budget, the focus was again on farmers, youth, women, and the poor, with the theme prioritising the needs of the deprived sections of society. CM Yogi pointed out the state's remarkable growth in revenue over the years, noting that in 2016-17, total revenue receipts were Rs 2.56 lakh crore, and by January of the current financial year, the revenue had exceeded Rs 4.10 lakh crore. Capital expenditure was another key highlight, with the 2025-26 budget allocating Rs 2.25 lakh crore (approximately 20.5% of the total budget). This expenditure aims to fuel industrial growth, improve the supply chain, and attract private investment, thereby creating more employment opportunities in the state. CM Yogi also showcased the state's improvement in per capita income, which had risen from Rs 52,671 in 2016-17 to Rs 93,514 in 2023-24, a testament to the economic progress achieved under his government. "Our focus remains on sustainable growth, ensuring prosperity reaches every corner of Uttar Pradesh," he stated. Uttar Pradesh has been ranked as a "front-runner" in fiscal health by NITI Aayog, with a significant improvement in its financial indicators, according to a recent report. CM Yogi Adityanath highlighted the state's impressive growth, noting a remarkable increase in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and improvements in fiscal management, including capital expenditure and tax receipts. CM Yogi said that Uttar Pradesh has earned a spot as a "front-runner" in fiscal health, according to a recent report published by NITI Aayog. "The state's consolidated 'Fiscal Health Index' has improved by 8.9 points between the years 2018-19 and 2022-23, reflecting strong fiscal management and growth under the current government," he said. CM Yogi said that the NITI Ayog report highlights a significant improvement in the quality of expenditure, with capital expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure ranging from 14.8 per cent to 19.3 per cent from 2018 to 2023. During this period, the state's capital expenditure ratio was higher than the average of major states in the country. H further said that a study by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regarding the 2024-25 budgets of states revealed Uttar Pradesh's strong fiscal position. The state's share in the total own tax receipts of all states has been consistently high, accounting for 9.9 per cent, 10.5 per cent, and 11.6 per cent in 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025, respectively, second only to Maharashtra. CM Yogi Adityanath emphasized that despite these achievements, the state has not introduced any new taxes. "We have not increased any new tax," he said, highlighting the efficient fiscal management that has led to the state's financial progress without burdening the public. The state's expenditure on interest as a percentage of revenue receipts has also significantly decreased, from 12.6 per cent in 2022-23 to 8.9 per cent in 2024-25, indicating improved financial discipline. Additionally, Uttar Pradesh's own tax receipts as a percentage of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) have been consistently higher than the national average, rising from 7.6 per cent in 2022-23 to 10 per cent in 2024-25. CM Yogi also reflected on the state's impressive economic growth. "Despite being the largest state in the country with the most resources, Uttar Pradesh's GSDP reached only Rs 12.75 lakh crore from 1950 to 2017," he said. "However, after the public expressed faith in the policies of Prime Minister Modi in 2017, in just eight years, the state's GSDP is set to more than double, reaching Rs 27.51 lakh crore in 2024-25." The Chief Minister credited the robust policies of the state government and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for transforming Uttar Pradesh into one of the leading economic powerhouses in India. (ANI) Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Tuesday accused the Bhagwant Singh Mann government in Punjab of "suppressing the democratic rights of farmers for peaceful protest" and appealed to the Punjab farmers to join the March 5 'Pakka Morcha' at Chandigarh. It also demanded immediate release of all the farmer leaders in the custody of the Punjab Police. SKM said in a release that the use of force will never deter farmers across India from "their protracted, unwavering struggle to achieve the long-pending demands, "including repealing NPFAM, MSP@C2+50 with legally guaranteed procurement and comprehensive loan waiver". SKM said that instead of putting pressure on the Union Government to resolve the "genuine struggle of farmers by convening discussions with all the farmer organisations that are on the struggle path," the state government had resorted to "disgraceful path of unleashing Police at midnight in the houses to suppress and threaten the farmer's leaders". It said the move is "politically wrong and highly unfortunate". SKM said the Punjab government should respect the citizens' right to peaceful protest and support the genuine and long-pending demands of the farmers. "Chief Minister Mann should realise that treating political protest by various sections of the people as criminal acts fails the constitutional spirit of India and converts the time-tested democracy in our country into a mere Police Raj," the release said. It said the Chief Minister was present yesterday in the discussion with the 40-member SKM delegation at Chandigarh and the farmer leaders congratulated him for the repeal resolution adopted in the state Assembly against the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing. "However, instead of being patient to listen and support the farmers on their long pending demands towards the Union Government including MSP@C2+50% with legally guaranteed procurement, comprehensive loan waiver in the context of 31 farmers forced to commit suicide daily across the country among others the Chief Minister Mann just demanded to defer the March 5, 2025 week long protest action at Chandigarh. Though framer leaders explained the importance of the protracted mass protest against the Union Government to achieve the genuine rights, the Chief Minister - without any reason- got provoked and just stopped the discussion and quit the meeting" the release said. The release said that by late night, Punjab Police started raiding the houses of farmer leaders across Punjab and took several leaders into custody, including octogenarian Balbir Singh Rajewal. SKM accused the AAP government of "repressive attitude and arrogance". "The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental right of the citizen and the authoritarian attitude of the State Government of not allowing protest will never be tolerated by the people of Punjab," the release said. SKM appealed to the farmers across Punjab to join the week-long protest action at Chandigarh and "organise widespread campaigns in the villages". (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday approved significant financial allocations for infrastructure development and public welfare projects across the state for the year 2024-25. Among the key projects is the approval of Rs 329.71 lakh for the strengthening and asphalting of the remaining part of the Qualgaon Jhumrada motor road in the Naugaon development block of Yamunotri assembly constituency, as well as Rs 469.53 lakh for similar work on the Naugaon Sayuri motor road in the Purola development block of the assembly constituency. In a major push for improving road infrastructure, the Chief Minister also sanctioned Rs 830.52 lakh for the widening and improvement of the motor road from Km 73 of NH 109 to the New Collectorate Almora and Medical College Almora, via Vikas Bhawan in Almora district. Other notable approvals include Rs 390.16 lakh for the construction of a police station at Banbhulpura in Haldwani, Nainital district, and Rs 422.43 lakh for a new police station building in Banbasa, Champawat district. Additional allocations include Rs 593.39 lakh for the second phase of the Advanced Training Center and the construction of retaining walls and internal roads at Government Polytechnic, Champawat, and Rs 415.37 lakh for the construction of tubewells and related works in the Mayapur drinking water scheme under the Gopeshwar branch of Chamoli district. In a bid to improve drinking water infrastructure, the Chief Minister approved Rs 619.66 lakh for the Naya Gaon Hathibarkala drinking water scheme in Dehradun district. Further, continuing his commitment to community development, CM Dhami sanctioned Rs 41.514 lakh for the construction of Harichand Guruchand Bang Vishal Community Building in Rudrapur's rural areas, Rs 103.50 lakh for beautifying the Chatkeshwar Mahadev fair site in Pithoragarh, and Rs 83.61 lakh for various fair site beautification projects in Champawat district, including Hanuman temple and Aadi fair site. For the enhancement of public infrastructure, a financial approval of Rs 791.79 lakh was granted for the development of electricity, water supply, rainwater harvesting, and other essential facilities at the Government Nursing Institute in Rudraprayag, while Rs 80.39 lakh was approved for the renovation of the Lachair Mahakali temple in Didihat assembly constituency. In a final step toward infrastructure development, Rs 56.30 lakh was allocated for the installation of interlocking tiles in a 500-meter stretch of road from Devidhura district's main market to the college in Champawat. These approvals signify the state government's ongoing commitment to improving infrastructure, public welfare, and community facilities across Uttarakhand. Earlier on Monday, CM Dhami announced that the state government will provide financial assistance to 45 writers this year and said it reflects our resolve towards the preservation of literature and culture. "Along with Uttarakhand Sahitya Bhushan, 21 new Sahitya awards were announced. This year, we have decided to provide financial assistance to 45 writers. This is not just financial assistance, but it is a symbol of our commitment, our resolve, our objective towards the preservation of literature and culture," CM Dhami said. CM Dhami also participated in the 'Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman -2024' ceremony on Monday. It was organised by Uttarakhand Bhasha Sansthan and honored various litterateurs and linguists. Addressing the ceremony, CM Dhami said that the Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman ceremony symbolizes our literary tradition, creative consciousness, and deep respect for word-seekers. "This platform is dedicated to all those great personalities who have given direction to the society with their writings and given a new identity to the culture of Uttarakhand," the CM said. The Chief Minister said that the litterateurs being honored have enriched the cultural and literary heritage of Uttarakhand through their creativity. "The land of Devbhoomi has always been a wonderful center of creativity, knowledge and culture, where the light of ideas has worked to inspire the society in every era," CM Dhami said. He said that the natural beauty of Uttarakhand inspires countless writers, poets and thinkers. From this state, Sumitranandan Pant ji connected the country and the world through words and Shailesh Matiyani ji got the honor of being called 'Premchand of the mountains'. (ANI) In a significant move to advance gender-sensitive governance at the grassroots level, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj will launch its transformative initiative to develop model women-friendly Gram Panchayats (MWFGP) at a National Convention on March 5 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj said in a release on Tuesday. The event is part of the Ministry's International Women's Day 2025 celebrations and is poised to have a lasting impact on rural governance, ensuring safety, inclusivity, and gender equality for women and girls in Gram Panchayats across the country. The primary objective of this initiative is to establish at least one Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat in each district, serving as a beacon for gender-sensitive and girl-friendly governance practices. These model panchayats will exemplify Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of creating safer, more inclusive, and socially just Gram Panchayats, contributing to the larger goal of achieving a Viksit Bharat through Viksit Panchayats. Approximately 350 participants, primarily Elected Representatives and officials from selected Gram Panchayats, will attend the Convention either physically or virtually. Participants will include elected heads and officials from at least one Gram Panchayat in each District from across the country. The convention will be graced by Union Minister of State SP Singh Baghel, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Union Minister of State Anupriya Patel, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj; Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj; and representatives from various Ministries, Departments, State Institutes of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PRs), and international organisations such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will also attend the event. The key highlights of the National Convention will include the virtual inauguration of training for elected representatives and officials of identified gram panchayats set to be developed as Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats. It will also include the launch of a monitoring dashboard to track the progress of Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats, presentations on the concept of Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats, showcasing the best practices and key elements for transformation and screening of informational videos highlighting successful women-friendly initiatives in Panchayats across the country. Following the National Convention, the Ministry will also organise nationwide Mahila Gram Sabhas on March 8, marking the grassroots-level launch of the Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats initiative, coinciding with International Women's Day. (ANI) President Donald Trump has stated that there is "no room left" for Canada or Mexico to avert US tariffs that will go into effect on Tuesday. When asked about the possibility of a deal, Trump confirmed that "tariffs are all set and are going to effect" on March 4 as planned. "No room left for Mexico or for Canada. No, the tariffs, you know, they're all set. They go into effect tomorrow," he said during his 'investment announcement' on Monday (local time). Earlier in the first week of February, Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10 per cent on goods from China. Later on February 4, he paused tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico for 30 days, saying that he had secured new commitments from the two countries to improve border security. The pause was put in place after President Trump said he spoke to his counterparts from Mexico and Canada. Trump also shared a post on Truth Social, saying, "To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on the external product on April 2nd. Have fun!" Last month, Trump decried illicit drugs coming into the country allegedly from the borders of Canada and Mexico, and has decided to continue with the imposition of tariffs on both countries from March 4, while also deciding to continue the imposition of reciprocal tariffs "with full force" on April 2. "Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels. A large percentage of these Drugs, much of them in the form of Fentanyl, are made in, and supplied by, China. More than 100,000 people died last year due to the distribution of these dangerous and highly addictive POISONS," Trump said in a Truth Social post last February. Citing the smuggling of drugs across the border, Trump has vowed to stop or "seriously limit" such drugs, especially Fentanyl. "Millions of people have died over the last two decades. The families of the victims are devastated and, in many instances, virtually destroyed. We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled," read the Trump's post. In addition, China will also be charged an additional 10 pc tariff from March 4. "China will likewise be charged an additional 10 per cent Tariff on that date. The April Second Reciprocal Tariff date will remain in full force and effect. Thank you for your attention to this matter. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" Trump added. (ANI) Pope Francis suffered two episodes of "acute respiratory insufficiency" on Monday as the 88-year-old pontiff continues to battle pneumonia, according to Vatican News, citing the Holy See Press Office. In a statement on Monday, the Holy See Press Office said, "Today, the Holy Father suffered two episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency, caused by a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm." "Two bronchoscopies were therefore performed, with the need to remove large secretions," it added. It further said that non-invasive mechanical ventilation was resumed in the afternoon. According to the statement, Pope Francis remained alert, oriented and cooperative at all times. In a statement, the Holy See Press Office said, "In the afternoon, non-invasive mechanical ventilation was resumed. The Holy Father remained alert, oriented and cooperative at all times," Vatican News reported. "The prognosis remains guarded," it added. Pope Francis's test values are unchanged, suggesting that he does not have leukocytosis (a high white blood cell count). This, in turn, suggests that there is no new infection, and the accumulation of mucus is merely the consequence of the pontiff's pre-existing pneumonia. The cause of the two attacks was the bronchi's reaction, which attempted to expel the accumulated mucus to eliminate the bacteria. The pontiff's clinical condition remains complex, and further crises, such as those that occurred this afternoon, are possible. Earlier on March 2, Pope Francis made a passionate plea for peace, describing war as "absurd," according to the Holy See Press Office release. Pope Francis made a poignant plea for peace, specifically mentioning several conflict-ridden regions around the world. He urged the faithful to pray for Ukraine, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, Kivu, Palestine and Israel. In an Angelus address prepared by Pope Francis while he continues his hospital treatment and published by the Holy See Press Office, the Pope thanked the faithful for their closeness in his moment of "frailty." He urged them to continue praying for peace in the world, just as they pray for him. Expressing his gratitude for the faithful's prayers and support, Pope Francis urged them to continue praying for peace in the world and called for special prayers for these conflict-torn regions: Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and Kivu. "From here, war appears even more absurd," he said, calling in particular for prayers for "tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and Kivu," Vatican News quoted a statement published by the Holy See Press Office. By highlighting these specific regions, Pope Francis brought attention to the urgent need for peace, reconciliation, and humanitarian support in these areas. The Pope also reflected on his own illness, saying it has taught him to trust in the Lord and share in the suffering of others. He expressed his appreciation for his medical care and acknowledged the hidden graces within his illness. The Pope also expressed his gratitude to the doctors and healthcare professionals "for the attention with which they are taking care of me" and reflected on the hidden grace within his illness. "It is precisely in these moments that we learn even more to trust in the Lord; at the same time, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to share in body and spirit the condition of so many sick and suffering people," he said. Pope Francis went on to emphasise the importance of fraternal correction, encouraging the faithful to examine their own lives and how they look at others. (ANI) Prior to the attack, warning shots were fired in an effort to force the boat out of the area. In addition, IDF forces earlier today identified two suspects who were moving towards them in the southern Gaza Strip and posed an immediate threat to them. The forces fired at the suspects to eliminate the threat and identified casualties. (ANI/TPS) Tel Aviv [Israel], March 4 (ANI/TPS): Diplomatic victory for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Attempt to expel Israel from the World Medical Students Association was thwarted Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is celebrating Monday night what it called a "significant victory" in the international arena as the attempt to expel Israel from the World Medical Students Association was thwarted. The MFA credited what it called intensive diplomatic efforts made by its UN missions for the win, saying it succeeded in getting the World Health Organization (WHO) to put pressure on the World Federation, while "making it clear that if the decision remained in effect, the ties between the World Health Organization and the Student Federation would be damaged." (ANI/TPS) US President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine after the Oval Office clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, Fox News reported. According to Fox News, the Trump administration is pausing all aid to Ukraine, including weapons in transit or in Poland, until Ukrainian leaders show more appreciation for the US support and a commitment to peace. A senior Trump administration official told Fox News that military aid will remain on hold until Ukrainian leaders show a commitment to good faith peace negotiations. "This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," a senior Trump administration official emphasized. "The orders are going out right now." Last week, during media interaction with Ukraine President at the Oval Office , Trump used some strong words, telling the visiting leader that Volodymyr Zelenskyy "does not have the cards" and is not "acting thankful" for the support the United States has provided to Ukraine in its war with Russia, which began in February 2022. The two leaders had an exchange in an explosive press conference with the Ukrainian President emphasising the need of security guarantees and noting that the Russian President Vladimir Putin had continued with his actions against his country even during Trump's first term as President. US Vice President JD Vance also expressed his disapproval of Zelenskyy's remarks, saying it is "disrespectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country." Trump emphasised the need of a deal to bring peace and prevent killings and told Zelenskyy "if you didn't have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks". Earlier in the day, during an investment announcement, Trump spoke on the ceasefire deal and suggested that reaching a deal between Russia and Ukraine should be possible if all relevant parties, including European nations, are willing to negotiate. "It takes two to tango, and if you are going to have to make a deal with Russia and Ukraine, you are going to have to have the assent and the consent from the European nations," he said, stressing the importance of getting everyone involved in the room to make the deal. He further stated that such a deal could be reached "very fast," and added that if any party is unwilling to negotiate, they may not remain in power for long. "Maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long," Trump remarked. "Because I believe that Russia wants to make a deal. I believe certainly the people of Ukraine want to make a deal. They have suffered more than anybody else," he added. (ANI) President Donald Trump said under his administration Russia "got nothing except grief" and criticised past US Presidents for their handling of Moscow's 'expansionist' actions when Russia "got" Georgia and a big submarine base and "even tried to get the whole Ukraine" During an investment announcement, Trump contrasted his approach to Russia with that of previous US presidents. He claimed that under President George W Bush, Russia gained control of Georgia, and under President Barack Obama, Russia secured a significant submarine base and land for its military. He criticized former President Joe Biden's handling of the situation, suggesting that under Biden, Russia attempted to take control of all of Ukraine. "Under President Bush, Russia got Georgia. Under President Obama, they got a nice big submarine base, a nice big chunk of land where they have their submarines. Under President Trump, they got nothing and under President Biden, they tried to get the whole thing. They tried to get the whole Ukraine. If I didn't get in here, they would have gotten the whole thing," Trump said. Trump added, "I gave Russia nothing except grief. We have to make a deal because there are a lot of people being killed that shouldn't be killed. But remember, Trump gave them nothing and the other presidents gave them a lot. They gave him everything." Further, Trump suggested that reaching a deal between Russia and Ukraine should be possible if all relevant parties, including European nations, are willing to negotiate. "It takes two to tango, and if you are going to have to make a deal with Russia and Ukraine, you are going to have to have the assent and the consent from the European nations," he said, stressing the importance of getting everyone involved to make the deal. He further stated that such a deal could be reached "very fast," and added that if any party is unwilling to negotiate, they may not remain in power for long. "Maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long," Trump remarked. "Because I believe that Russia wants to make a deal. I believe certainly the people of Ukraine want to make a deal. They have suffered more than anybody else," he added. Earlier, Trump shared a post on Truth Social, saying, "Europe has spent more money buying Russian Oil and Gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine --BY FAR!." (ANI) The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that it has struck a military site where weapons belonging to the previous Syrian regime were stored in Syria's Al Qardahah. In a statement on Tuesday, the IDF said that the decision to strike military infrastructure in Al Qardahah was taken due to the recent developments in the area. According to the statement, the IDF continues to monitor developments in the area and will act as necessary in order to defend the citizens of Israel. In a post on X, the IDF stated, "The IDF struck a military site where weapons belonging to the previous Syrian regime were stored in the area of Al Qardahah in Syria a short while ago. Due to recent developments in the area, it was decided to strike military infrastructure at the site. The IDF continues to monitor developments in the area and will act as necessary in order to defend the citizens of the State of Israel." https://x.com/IDF/status/1896630686637015501 Earlier on March 3, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his "unwavering support" for Israel, particularly with the ongoing situation in Gaza. In a recent statement on X, Netanyahu praised Trump as "the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House," highlighting the significant steps Trump has taken to aid Israel's security in the region. He also acknowledged Trump's role in providing necessary munitions, which was previously been delayed. Sharing his video on X, he wrote, "I want to thank President Trump for his unwavering support for Israel. During my recent visit to Washington, I said that Donald Trump is the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House. And President Trump shows that friendship each and every day." "He has shown it through his visionary plan for Gaza. This is a plan which Israel fully supports. He's shown it by sending us all the munitions that were being held up. This way he's giving Israel the tools we need to finish the job against Iran's terror axis. And he has shown it by fully backing Israel and putting the pressure to release the hostages where it truly belongs, on Hamas," he added. https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1896295111157231971 Notably, Israel has accepted President Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff's plan to extend the temporary ceasefire by 50 days. However, Hamas has rejected the plan. Speaking about Witkoff's plan, Netanyahu stated, "During that time, we can discuss the conditions for a permanent ceasefire that will end the war in Gaza. In Witkopf's plan, half of the hostages would be released right away, and the remaining half would be released if we reach an agreement on a permanent ceasefire." "Again, Israel has accepted this plan, I accepted this plan, but so far Hamas has rejected it. Hamas had also put forward positions for a permanent ceasefire that are totally unacceptable," he added. He added that Israel had made the decision to stop sending goods and supplies into Gaza, claiming that Hamas was "stealing" supplies meant for the civilian population and using them to fund its terrorist activities. Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel's commitment to taking further steps if Hamas continues to hold hostages. "And throughout this, Israel knows that America and President Trump have our back," he said. In his concluding remarks, Netanyahu reiterated his thanks to President Trump, stating, "Thank you again, President Trump. Thank you for all you are doing to return our hostages, both to our security and provide a future of prosperity and peace for all the peoples of the Middle East." On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, firing thousands of rockets and sending terrorists to infiltrate Israeli towns near Gaza. The assault resulted in hundreds of casualties and Israelis being taken as hostages to Gaza. In response, Israel launched a counter-offensive against Hamas, marking the start of a major conflict. (ANI) The Trump administration has paused military aid to Ukraine following a verbal clash between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office Trump warned that the Ukrainian leader "won't be around very long" if progress was not made on a peace deal. Without taking names, Trump hinted that the Ukrainian leader "won't be around very long" without a ceasefire deal with Russia. "It should not be that hard a deal to make. It could be made very fast," Trump told reporters, referring to a ceasefire. "Now, maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long." During an event with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) chief executive CC Wei at the White House on Monday, Trump criticized Zelensky for saying the war could go on for a long time and said Ukraine's president should be "more appreciative" of billions of dollars of military aid in Kyiv's fight against Russia. When asked about what he needs to see from Zelenskyy to restart negotiations, Trump said, "Well, I just think he (Zelenskyy) should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin. We've given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us, because, as you know, that's right there. That's the border. This country really was like the fence on the border. It was very important to Europe. And I'm not knocking Europe, I'm saying they're just -- they were a lot smarter than Joe Biden, because Joe Biden didn't have a clue. He just gave money hand over a fist, and they should have been able to equalize with us." "In other words, if we gave a dollar, they should have given. Well, we gave USD 350 billion. They probably gave 100, but on top of it all, they get their money back, because they are doing it in the form of a loan, and it's a secured loan. So, when I saw that, which I've known about for a little while, I said, 'It's time for us to be smart.' At the same time, it's great for them, because they get us in the country taking the rare earth, which is going to fuel this big engine, and especially the engine that we've, in a very short time, created. And we get something, and we're in the -- we're there. We have a presence there," he added. Trump said that he wants those young people to stop being killed and said that 2700 were killed last week. He said, "With all of that being said, I want one thing to happen: I want all of those young people to stop being killed. They're being killed by the thousands every single week. Last week, 2,700 were killed. Twenty-seven hundred young -- in this case, just about, all young boys from Ukraine and from Russia. And that's not young people from the United States, but it's on a human basis. I want to see it stop. The money is one thing, but the death. And they're losing thousands of soldiers a week, and that's not including the people that get killed every time a town goes down or a missile goes into a town," he added. Earlier in February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his willingness to step down as president in exchange for peace and North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) membership for Ukraine. Kyiv School of Economics President Tymofiy Mylovanov shared a video of Zelenskyy responding to a question from BBC News in Ukrainian. Zelenskyy stated that he is focused on Ukraine's security today and not staying in power for decades. According to the post shared on X by Mylovanov, Zelenskyy was asked whether he was ready to step down for peace. In response, Zelenskyy stated, "I am ready to step down for peace If no peace, I am happy to step down in exchange for NATO for Ukraine I am focused on security for Ukraine here and today and not staying in power for decades." (ANI) Guyana's Prime Minister Brigadier (Retd) Mark Phillips arrived in Delhi on Tuesday to attend the World Sustainable Development Summit 2025. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the Guyana PM's visit to India will add further momentum to the "strong and growing multifaceted relationship" between the two nations. "Warm welcome to PM Brig (Retd) Mark Phillips of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, as he arrives to attend the World Sustainable Development Summit 2025. This visit will add further momentum to the strong & growing India-Guyana multifaceted relationship, including in the areas of sustainable development & renewable energy," Jaiswal posted on X. https://x.com/meaindia/status/1896804914212585515 The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) will be held from March 5 to 7, with the theme 'Partnerships for Accelerating Sustainable Development and Climate Solutions'. The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) is the annual flagship multistakeholder convening organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). Earlier in February, Guyana's Health Minister Frank Anthony expressed deep gratitude toIndia for its timely assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for providing vaccines that played a crucial role in saving lives in Guyana. Speaking to ANI, Anthony recalled how India did not hoard vaccines like other countries, even when India was itself struggling with Covid management. "I think during COVID, the vaccines that we receive from India helped us to save many lives because at a point, although we were looking all over the world to get vaccines, it wasn't possible because nobody was willing to sell us," he said. "And India stepped up and India was the first country to be able to give us the COVID vaccines and we were able to use those to give our frontline health care workers so that they can protect themselves while giving medical care to our population. So we are extremely grateful for this donation of vaccines and it has certainly helped to build a much stronger relationship because we are so grateful for this gesture and we know at a time when we got those vaccines, that India itself was having its own difficulties with COVID. Nevertheless, you didn't hoard like other countries did, but you are willing to share. And so we are extremely grateful," he added. Anthony further said that India is offering the most sophisticated healthcare and that Guyana is inspired by it. "And we have looked to India because India has been doing so much work in terms of health care. And you have a whole spectrum of things that you can offer, from prevention and how to live a life of wellness to one that when people get sick if they need the most sophisticated type of care that is available here in India. So we are inspired by what you have been doing and we hope that we can in some little way relate that in our own country," he said. Anthony also stated that Guyana was pleased to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar from November 20-21, 2024, and 21-23 April 2023, respectively. He further emphasised that the presence of both leaders in Guyana significantly strengthened the relationship between the two countries. "So our President also came to India on a state visit and we were very happy to host Prime Minister Modi and Dr Jaishankar in Guyana. I think their presence and visit helped to further strengthen our relationship and during Prime Minister's visit, there were many agreements that were signed. Among them, there were two that were in health, one of which Guyana has now formally recognized. So we are very pleased with the visit and we have seen that the relationship continues to grow. So we are extremely pleased," he said. (ANI) The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has announced that the Third East Turkistan/Uyghur Summit and the Uyghur Youth Summit will take place in Germany's Munich from May 23-25. According to the WUC's press release, the events will bring together Uyghur leaders, human rights advocates, community representatives, and activists from around the world alongside allies from the Tibetan, Southern Mongolian, Taiwanese, and Hong Kong communities. The WUC noted that these summits occur at a pivotal moment, with China's growing authoritarianism and expansionist foreign policy dominating global discussions. It emphasised that the Chinese government's systematic abuses in East Turkistan, including genocide and crimes against humanity, have been well-documented by 11 parliaments and the Uyghur Tribunal. However, despite this recognition, international responses remain weak, with many nations being influenced by China's economic influence and remaining complicit in its actions. WUC also highlighted China's ongoing efforts to reshape the global order in ways that undermine international law, especially in light of its human rights abuses. The organisation also pointed out that China's transnational repression, particularly through AI surveillance technologies, continues to target Uyghur refugees globally. These individuals face mounting fear of forced repatriation, imprisonment, torture, or worse. Recent incidents, such as the deportation of at least 40 Uyghur refugees from Thailand, have underscored the urgency of addressing this issue. As mentioned in the press release, the shifting global dynamics create both challenges and opportunities for the Uyghur movement. WUC said that while China grapples with internal economic struggles and growing opposition to Xi Jinping's regime, the international community must do more to address China's human rights violations. WUC called on Uyghur diaspora communities to actively engage in these critical summits, offering intellectual, material, and moral support to ensure the success of these vital discussions. The Uyghur population in China, primarily in Xinjiang, faces severe repression, including mass detentions in "re-education" camps, forced labour, surveillance, and cultural suppression. Authorities target Uyghur religious practices, language, and traditions under the guise of counterterrorism efforts, leading to widespread human rights violations and international condemnation. (ANI) The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) on Monday announced that it successfully carried out a special operation targeting the vehicle of the Wing Commander of the 61st Frontier Corps (FC) in Kalat city. The attack, executed by a dedicated fighter, Watan Nadrig of the BLA's Majeed Brigade unit, was aimed at the Wing Commander and nine personnel traveling from the FC headquarters to the FC Officer's Mess in Kalat. The BLA took responsibility for the assault through its official media channel, Baloch Liberation Voice. In its statement, the BLA emphasised that this was neither the first nor the last such attack by the organisation. It said that the first attack of its kind was carried out in December 2011, when Majeed Brigade Darvesh Baloch targeted a Death Squad base on Arbab Karam Khan Road in Quetta. The BLA affirmed that this long-standing philosophy of resistance would continue until the independence of Balochistan is achieved. According to the BLA, its fighters, including Watan Nadrigs, possess the capability to strike at will, selecting the time and place of their choosing. The BLA statement also criticised the Pakistani state, accusing it of disregarding international war laws and legal frameworks in its ongoing war against the Baloch people. The group claimed that Pakistan only responds to force, thus justifying the BLA's continued use of military tactics to expel the occupying forces from Balochistan. Highlighting the exploitation of Balochistan's vast natural resources, the BLA reiterated that these resources rightfully belong to the Baloch nation. The statement accused Pakistani military generals and the Punjabi elite of looting Balochistan's wealth for their own benefit at the expense of the Baloch people. The BLA vowed to protect these resources, calling on Pakistan and foreign investors to cease their involvement in the exploitation of the region's assets. The Baloch Liberation Army's (BLA) recent attack on Pakistani forces is part of a long-standing insurgency in Balochistan, where separatist movements have been fighting for increased autonomy and the recognition of Baloch people's rights. In recent years, the conflict has intensified, with attacks targeting military, paramilitary forces, and government infrastructure. These groups argue that the Baloch are being marginalised and exploited by the central government, particularly due to the region's abundant natural resources. In response, Pakistan's military has launched counter-insurgency operations to suppress the rebellion. However, human rights organisations have expressed concerns over reports of forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and excessive use of force during these operations. Reports have highlighted the serious issue of forced disappearances, where activists and civilians, in particular, are allegedly detained without due process. Furthermore, the heavy-handed tactics used by the military are also under scrutiny. Human rights groups have argued that these practices foster widespread fear and instability, deepening the divide between the Pakistani government and the Baloch population. (ANI) Sinha is an Indian Foreign Service Officer of the 2005 batch. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly. In a press release, MEA stated, "Ashish Sinha (IFS: 2005), presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Estonia." "He is expected to take up the assignment shortly," it added. India has "long-standing historical links" with Estonia. India recognised the Republic of Estonia on September 9, 1991, and diplomatic ties between the two nations were established on December 2 of the same year. Since then, bilateral relations between India and Estonia have continued to be cordial and friendly. Earlier in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Estonia's President Alar Karis on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris. The two leaders discussed ways to boost ties in sectors such as trade, technology, culture, and more. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "Had a very productive meeting with the President of Estonia, Mr. Alar Karis on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris. India's ties with Estonia are growing remarkably over the years. We discussed ways to boost ties in areas like trade, technology, culture and more." (ANI) Aurat March Islamabad, the organisation behind the annual Women's Day rally in the capital, has requested Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to direct the Islamabad administration to grant them a Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) for their planned march on March 8, International Women's Day, Dawn reported. As reported by Dawn, the organisers stated in an open letter on Instagram that despite six years of trying, their requests for an NOC had been denied, often leading to violence from religious groups, police, and local authorities. The organisers emphasised that International Women's Day is a critical platform for advocating gender equality, women's rights, and the fight against patriarchal oppression. They urged the prime minister to uphold women's rights to gather and protest without obstruction In a similar context, the Lahore branch of Aurat March recently filed a contempt of court case against the Lahore Deputy Commissioner for denying permission for their demonstration. As reported by Dawn, the Lahore High Court later confirmed that the march would go ahead with police security on February 12 after the local authorities granted approval. The Aurat March is an annual event organised by women and marginalised gender groups in Pakistan to raise awareness about issues such as gender inequality, violence against women, and human rights. Held every year on International Women's Day (March 8th), the march began in 2018 in Karachi and has since spread to other cities across the country. The participants, mainly women, transgender people, and non-binary people, carry placards, banners, and posters highlighting various social issues, including domestic violence, harassment, and the lack of access to education for girls. Since its inception, the Aurat March in Pakistan has sparked significant controversy. One major point of contention has been the slogans and placards used during the march, some of which challenge deeply rooted societal and religious norms. Another point of controversy is the inclusion of transgender rights in the march. Some individuals and groups have expressed discomfort with the visibility of trans issues, citing cultural and religious reservations. Moreover, detractors from political or religious factions have often accused the Aurat March organisers of focusing on issues that they believe are not reflective of the real struggles of women in Pakistan, such as poverty, education, or healthcare. (ANI) . Demonstrators have continued their sit-in in the Surab district of Pakistan's Balochistan for the fourth consecutive day, blocking the key China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) road in protest against enforced disappearances and alleged human rights violations in Balochistan, The Balochistan Post reported. The protest, organised by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) Jhalawan region and the families of the missing persons, demanded justice and an end to systematic repression by the state. During a press conference held at the protest site, demonstrators accused security forces of forcibly disappearing Baloch youth, describing enforced disappearances as a state policy. "Every day, another Baloch youth is taken away without any accountability. The state institutions are not only responsible for these abductions but are also using violence and intimidation to suppress voices that speak against this oppression," The Balochistan Post quoted a protest as saying. The protesters emphasised the presence of families of 12 individuals who have been forcibly disappeared, drawing attention to their plight. They also condemned the excessive use of force by authorities to break up the demonstration, claiming that security forces, including police, Levies, and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were deployed from across the Kalat Division to dismantle the sit-in. Enforced disappearances of Baloch people in Pakistan have been a longstanding and alarming issue, particularly in Balochistan. The Baloch population, seeking greater autonomy and rights, has been targeted by state security forces, including the military and intelligence agencies. Since the early 2000s, thousands of Baloch activists, political leaders, journalists, and students have been forcibly disappeared, often accused of separatism or militancy. These disappearances are linked to Pakistan's efforts to suppress Baloch nationalist movements and maintain control over the resource-rich region. Families of the disappeared continue to protest, seeking justice, but they face harassment and intimidation. Despite international condemnation, the practice persists, with little accountability or transparency in the cases of forced disappearances in Balochistan. (ANI) Belgium Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prevot said on Tuesday that the US has been an ally of the European continent and should remain so in the future. In an interview with ANI, Prevot stressed that Belgium considers the US an ally but they also need to be clear-headed and that it's time to reinforce its strategic capacities, particularly from the military point of view. On US suspending all aid to Ukraine, Maxime Prevot said, "Everybody sees that the times are changing, they are more complicated. And we have the impression that each week, it seems that time is panning up by a decade. So, the United States have already been an ally of the European continent and it should be the same in the future." "We in Belgium continue to consider the United States as an ally but we also need to be clear-headed and that now it's time to reinforce our own strategic capacities, certainly from a military point of view, and we also need to not only have a look on one direction, and so to reinforce the partnership with such geopolitical power a country like India," he added. His statement comes after US President Donald Trump paused military aid to Ukraine after the Oval Office clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, Fox News reported. According to Fox News, the Trump administration is pausing all aid to Ukraine, including weapons in transit or in Poland, until Ukrainian leaders show more appreciation for US support and a commitment to peace. A senior Trump administration official told Fox News that military aid will remain on hold until Ukrainian leaders show a commitment to good faith peace negotiations."This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," a senior Trump administration official emphasized. "The orders are going out right now." Last week, during media interaction with Ukraine President at the Oval Office, Trump used some strong words, telling the visiting leader that Volodymyr Zelenskyy "does not have the cards" and is not "acting thankful" for the support the United States has provided to Ukraine in its war with Russia, which began in February 2022. The two leaders had an exchange in an explosive press conference with the Ukrainian President emphasising the need of security guarantees and noting that the Russian President Vladimir Putin had continued with his actions against his country even during Trump's first term as President. US Vice President JD Vance also expressed his disapproval of Zelenskyy's remarks, saying it is "disrespectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country." Trump emphasised the need for a deal to bring peace and prevent killings and told Zelenskyy, "If you didn't have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks". (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], March 4 (ANI/TPS): Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz spoke with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, whom he thanked, for President Trump's support for accelerating shipments of weapons and security equipment to Israel, and for his commitment to the "strong alliance between the countries." Katz said that Israel had agreed to the outline proposed by the President's Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and stressed the need to return all the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza and to destroy the Hamas regime there. The Minister reviewed with the Secretary Hegseth the IDF's (Israel Defense Forces) activities in Judea and Samaria against terrorism, emphasized the importance of the security areas Israel's military established in Lebanon and Syria, and thanked America for its support. In addition, Katz and Hegseth agreed that Iran is the main threat to the region, and that close cooperation between Israel and the US must continue with the aim of preventing it from obtaining nuclear weapons. (ANI/TPS) The Vatican said on Tuesday that the Pope slept well through the night and is still resting after suffering two respiratory insufficiencies a day earlier, as per Vatican News. "The Pope slept through the night and now continues to rest," the Holy See Press Office said on Tuesday morning. The Pope has been receiving treatment for bilateral pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli Hospital since February 14, as per Vatican News. Pope Francis experienced "two episodes of acute respiratory failure," the Vatican said Monday, marking the latest in a series of medical crises the 88-year-old pontiff has endured since he was first hospitalized on February 14, CNN reported. Monday's episodes were caused by a "significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus" and a consequent narrowing of the airways, CNN reported, quoting the Vatican. Earlier on Monday, the Pope underwent two bronchoscopies and doctors removed a buildup of secretions. In the afternoon, Francis was given oxygen through a mask to help with his breathing, according to the Vatican. "It was a complicated afternoon," Vatican sources told CNN, adding that the acute respiratory crisis, which lasted for part of the afternoon, is over, and that the Pope was resting. "The accumulation of the mucus is a result of the pneumonia and that causes coughing and spasm as the bronchi try to expel the mucus as it irritates them," the sources said. Theodore Iwashyna, professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University told CNN that a bronchoscopy is a moderately invasive procedure, and that "it is not good" to need two bronchoscopies within a short period of time to manage secretions. "In a person that's quite ill and requiring non-invasive ventilatory support, you would usually need to have a good reason to do it," Iwashyna said, adding that mucus buildup is not a positive sign in a patient with pneumonia, as per CNN. "As your pneumonia gets better you'll produce less mucus. Sometimes as your pneumonia gets better you finally get strong enough to cough it up," he said, as per CNN. (ANI) The event, organised by Muslim Women's Network UK, was advertised as a gathering to unite interfaith groups, content creators, and parliamentarians to honor the cultural contributions of Muslims in the UK. Voice of America reported that the exiled Uyghur community has expressed concerns about TikTok's involvement, accusing the platform of restricting content related to human rights violations in China, particularly those affecting the predominantly Muslim Uyghur population. Nefise Oguz, a student at Istanbul University, shared her dismay with Voice of America, stating, "While I do not believe Muslim Women's Network UK supports violence or genocide, its collaboration with TikTok sends a deeply troubling message." In response, TikTok's Communications team member, Nicholas Smith, told Voice of America that accusations of censorship regarding Uyghur-related content on the platform are inaccurate. The US and the United Nations have both condemned China's treatment of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. The report highlighted that in January 2021, the US officially labeled China's actions such as mass arbitrary detention, forced labor, forced sterilizations, and suppression of cultural and religious practices as genocide and crimes against humanity. The VOA report further cited a 2022 report from the UN, which came to similar conclusions, indicating that the scale of human abuses in Xinjiang may constitute crimes against humanity. Several reports have revealed the systematic persecution of the Uyghur Muslim minority in China's Xinjiang region. These reports have documented human rights violations, including large-scale detentions in "reeducation camps," forced labor, mass surveillance, suppression of Uyghur culture, and forced assimilation. The Chinese government claims these actions are to combat extremism. However, many international organisations and governments view these measures as an attempt to erase Uyghur culture and religion, with some accusing China of committing genocide and crimes against humanity. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Princess Astrid of Belgium and said he looked forward to unlocking opportunities through new partnerships between the two countries in various sectors. PM Modi also appreciated Princess Adrid's initiative to lead a 300-member Economic Mission to India. In a post on X, he said, "Pleased to meet HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium. Deeply appreciate her initiative to lead a 300-member Economic Mission to India. Look forward to unlocking limitless opportunities for our people through new partnerships in trade, technology, defence, agriculture, life sciences, innovation, skilling and academic exchanges." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1896896732505706881 Earlier, EAM S Jaishankar met Princess Astrid of Belgium on Monday, and affirmed confidence that her visit will foster greater collaborations for their ties. In a post on X, the EAM wrote, "Delighted to meet Princess Astrid of Belgium, leading an economic mission to India. Confident that her visit will foster greater collaborations for a stronger India - Belgium and India - EU partnership." Princess Astrid, the second child of King Albert II and Queen Paola and sister to King Philippe, leads Belgium's economic missions as representative of the King. According to a statement from the Belgian Monarchy, these missions contribute to the development of economic and trade relations between Belgium and its regions and numerous foreign partners. She is the Honorary President of the Queen Elisabeth Medical Foundation (QEMF), and supports the King Baudouin Foundation's Scientific and Medical Funds. Princess Astrid maintains contacts with the scientific world to support fundamental medical research in various fields, visiting various sites and participating in award ceremonies. She also took part in a conference on water and waste management. The Belgian Royal Palace said in a post on X, "Princess Astrid takes part in a conference on water and waste management and the support that Belgium can offer to India in this field. She then attends the seminars on the decarbonisation of the steel industry and women's entrepreneurship." https://x.com/MonarchieBe/status/1896651499725627756 "The Princess also took part in the virtual inauguration of the research and development centre of the Belgian company Silox, which is working to decarbonise the steel industry," The Belgian Royal Palace stated. https://x.com/MonarchieBe/status/1896653466011111602 https://x.com/MonarchieBe/status/1896654334953451814 Her day ended after a reception including over 800 guests. (ANI) The 6th edition of the India-Japan joint military exercise, Dharma Guardian, is currently underway at the East Fuji Training Area in Japan, an official statement said. Running from February 24 to March 9, the exercise highlights the deepening defence ties between India and Japan, with both nations engaging in extensive training activities aimed at enhancing cooperation. The primary focus of this year's exercise is counter-terrorism operations in urban terrain, a critical area of focus in the current security environment. Troops from both nations are refining their tactics and improving their ability to conduct operations in complex urban settings. Additionally, the exercise includes simulated United Nations peacekeeping operations, designed to replicate real-world scenarios where multinational forces must work together effectively in diverse and challenging environments, the statement read. As the exercise progresses, both sides have been participating in a series of tactical drills and sharing of combat experiences, strengthening their operational capabilities and fostering deeper cooperation. These engagements are also designed to promote interoperability, ensuring that the Indian and Japanese forces can seamlessly collaborate in future peacekeeping or humanitarian missions. Beyond the tactical training, Dharma Guardian emphasises building cultural understanding and fostering camaraderie between the participating troops. Soldiers from both nations have had the opportunity to showcase their respective cultural heritages, helping to strengthen the bond of friendship and mutual respect. This cultural exchange plays an important role in developing lasting ties between the two forces. The exercise also serves as an opportunity for both forces to learn from each other's best practices, with key lessons expected to emerge that will contribute to future joint operations. The collaboration between the Indian and Japanese armed forces not only enhances their defence capabilities but also reinforces their shared commitment to peace, security, and stability in the region, the statement added. https://x.com/IndianEmbTokyo/status/1895740736123064430 Earlier on Saturday, Indian Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George inspected the joint exercise. "Ambassador Sibi George along with Lt.General TOGASHI Yuichi, Commanding General, Eastern Army inspected the joint training between Indian Army and JGSDF at camp Asaka as part of ongoing Exercise Dharma Guardian 2024." (ANI) As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to scramble for support through Europe following rift with the United States, he held a 'productive' conversation with Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and likely German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz on Tuesday. Appreciating Berlin's support for Kyiv, Zelenskyy acknowledged the supplies of air defence systems which played an important role in ensuring financial stability for the war-hit country. "Had a productive conversation with the leader of the CDU party, which won the Bundestag elections, Friedrich Merz. We coordinated our positions and I appreciate his support. Ukraine highly values Germany's efforts to restore European security and protect lives in our country. We remember that Germany is the leader in supplying air defense systems to Ukraine and plays a crucial role in ensuring our financial stability. Agreed with Friedrich Merz on further cooperation and contacts." https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1896889694559871180 Earlier in the day, in a major setback, US President Donald Trump paused military aid to Ukraine, days after a public spat with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, Al Jazeera reported. Trump will pause all aid until Kyiv is committed to what he determines are good-faith negotiations for peace, multiple US media outlets reported on Monday, citing unnamed Trump administration officials, as per Al Jazeera. "The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well," an unnamed White House official was quoted as saying by multiple outlets, as per Al Jazeera. "We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," the official was quoted as saying. The move came hours after Trump accused Zelenskyy of not wanting peace "as long he has America's backing" in a post on Truth Social, escalating a war of words that culminated in a stunning public clash between the two leaders at the White House on Friday. The decision to suspend the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars in arms and ammunition that are in the pipeline is likely to deal a serious blow to Ukraine's efforts to repel Russia's invasion. "Ukraine is absolutely determined to continue cooperation with the US," Al Jazeera quoted Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Smyhal as saying even after Trump's decision. "The US is an important partner and we need to preserve this," Smyhal said, adding Ukraine is ready to sign the minerals deal "at any time". "We only have one plan - to win and to survive. Either we win, or the plan B will be written by someone else," he said. Smyhal also said the Ukrainian military has the means to maintain the situation on the front line with Russian forces, calling US military aid precious and saying it was saving thousands of lives. He also said there were risks related to the crucial Patriot air defence systems countering ballistic missiles following Trump's announcement, saying these were related to repairs, maintenance, and supplies of munitions. (ANI) Following the decision of the Donald Trump administration in the United States to halt military aid to Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Smyhal said Kyiv is "absolutely determined to continue cooperation with the US" despite the Trump administration's suspension of military aid, Al Jazeera reported. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, said that Ukraine is conducting a thorough audit of what programmes will be affected and where current partnerships can pick up the slack. The decision from the Trump administration evoked sharp criticism from leaders across various countries. "Fundamentally, if you want peace, does a decision to suspend arms to Ukraine reinforce peace, or does it make it more distant?" French junior minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, said. "It makes it more distant because it only strengthens the hand of the aggressor on the ground, which is Russia." "We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort," a British government spokesperson said in a statement. "It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so." A spokesperson for the Hungarian government, which is diverging from its Western allies regarding Russia and its war against Ukraine, said: "The US president and the Hungarian government share the same stance," as quoted by Al Jazeera. "Instead of continuing weapons shipments and the war, a ceasefire and peace talks are needed as soon as possible," the spokesperson added. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said in a letter to EU member states that the continent was facing "the most momentous and dangerous of times." US President Donald Trump will pause military aid to Ukraine, following a spat with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, Al Jazeera reported. Trump will pause all aid until Kyiv is committed to what he determines are good-faith negotiations for peace, multiple US media outlets reported on Monday, citing unnamed Trump administration officials, as per Al Jazeera. "The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well," an unnamed White House official was quoted as saying by multiple outlets, as per Al Jazeera. "We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," the official was quoted as saying. The move came hours after Trump accused Zelenskyy of not wanting peace "as long he has America's backing" in a post on Truth Social, escalating a war of words that culminated in a stunning public clash between the two leaders at the White House on Friday. The decision to suspend the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars in arms and ammunition that are in the pipeline is likely to deal a serious blow to Ukraine's efforts to repel Russia's invasion. The Ukraine-US relationship's lowest point was when Trump took issue with Zelenskyy's suggestion that the end of his country's war against Russia's invading forces was likely still "very, very far away", as per Al Jazeera. (ANI) The foundation stone for the construction of Nepal's Rapti Eye Hospital, which is being built with Indian assistance, was laid on Tuesday. As per the Indian embassy in Kathmandu, the foundation stones were laid jointly by Tikaram Khadka, Mayor of Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City, Dang, and Basist Nandan, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu. "Operation theatre building of Rapti Eye Hospital is being built with Government of India's financial assistance at the project cost of NRs.43.31 million under 'Nepal-India Development Cooperation'," the embassy stated in a release. The Government of India's grant under 'Nepal-India Development Cooperation' is being utilized for the construction of an operation theatre building and other allied facilities. The project is being taken up as a High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) and is being implemented through Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City, Dang. The Mayor of Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City, Dang and Chairperson, Rapti Eye Hospital Management Committee, and other stakeholders appreciated the developmental support being provided by India to the people of Nepal. The officials expressed confidence that the infrastructure being created would help provide better healthcare facilities to the people of Nepal and will also contribute to the overall development of the health sector in the Lumbini province of Nepal. Since 2003, India has taken up over 563 HICDPs in Nepal in various sectors and has completed 495 projects. Among these, 62 projects are in Lumbini Province. In addition to these, the Government of India has gifted 1,009 ambulances and 300 school buses to various hospitals, health posts, and educational institutions in Nepal. Amongst these, 164 ambulances and 43 school buses have been gifted in Lumbini Province. Out of these, 19 ambulances and 4 school buses were gifted in Dang. This includes one ambulance that has been provided to Rapti Eye Hospital, Dang. "As close neighbors, India and Nepal are engaged in wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation. The implementation of HICDPs reflects the continued support of the Government of India in bolstering the efforts of the Government of Nepal in growth and development of its people by augmenting infrastructure in priority sectors," the release stated. Political representatives, government officials and social workers were also present on the occasion. (ANI) India and Nepal held the 9th Project Steering Committee (PSC) and the (JWG) meetings from February 27-28 in the national capital, to review the implementation of ongoing cross-border railway links and overall bilateral cooperation in the railway sector. The Indian delegation was led by Rohit Rathish, Joint Secretary (DPA-III), Ministry of External Affairs and JWG by Pradeep Ojha, Executive Director (Traffic Transportation-Freight), Ministry of Railways. the Nepali side was led by Sushil Babu Dhakal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, for both meetings. Both sides discussed the ongoing works of Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas and Jogbani-Biratnagar broad gauge railway lines between India and Nepal, being developed with grant assistance from India. "The preparedness for the commencement of work on the remaining sections of the two railway lines i.e. from Bijalpura to Bardibas on Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas and Nepal Custom Yard to Biratnagar on Jogbani-Biratnagar was also reviewed. The Nepali side assured that necessary facilitation will be provided for early commencement and completion of the work on the remaining sections of the railway lines," a release from the Ministry of External Affairs stated. "The Final Location Survey (FLS) Report of Raxaul-Kathmandu Broad Gauge Railway Link, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the commencement of passenger train services on the Janakpur-Ayodhya section and additional railway links were also discussed. Both sides agreed to enhance technical cooperation in the railway sector, including in the areas of capacity building, logistic support and training of Nepali railway personnel," the release added further. On the sidelines of the JWG and PSC meetings, the Nepali delegation also visited Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management (IRITM), Lucknow and Ayodhya to view and understand the facilities available for training of railway personnel and officials from Nepal. (ANI) Two groups sat behind signs Greyhound and Trailways on a stage in Amherst in a scene recreating the spring 1961 bus journey of the Freedom Riders and their historic stand for equality that was met with chaotic violence in the South. Amherst County residents, some who are part of the countys branch of the NAACP, spoke during a play centered of the terror unleashed on the Freedom Riders by white crowds in Alabama for testing U.S. laws on interstate travel prohibiting racial segregation but not enforced. A rider said at a dinner in Washington, D.C. before the Freedom Riders departure, according to the script: We better eat well: this may be our last supper. The play, Freedom Riders: Our History Revisited was written by Amherst County resident Sharon Ponton and performed Feb. 28 and March 1 at Second Stage | Amherst, a venue often used for theater productions. Ponton said she wrote it because of a concern some are trying to erase, ignore or downplay parts of American history, particularly dealing with racial discrimination and white supremacy. I have been concerned for a while about book bans and American history being erased and people not wanting to learn about what really happened in the past, Ponton said an interview. I just decided I was going to do it. Ive never done anything like it before. Ponton said she spent a couple of months researching the Freedom Riders and presented the script to Gloria Witt, an Amherst County resident and past president of the Amherst NAACP branch. She said Witt, who ran last year for the 5th Congressional District, told her the play was powerful when a small group met in Pontons living room. The play was presented to Beverly Jones, current president of the Amherst NAACP, who immediately got behind it. I said, lets go for it, Jones said in an interview of the branchs sponsoring the play and paying to rent the venue so it could be seen. The story tells of the brutality and viciousness Blacks faced from white southerners as they sought to become treated as equal citizens. This courageous group of Americans merely sought to sit in any seat on a bus, eat at any diner in a bus station, and go to clean restrooms in bus terminalsbasic requests, I think, a news release from Ponton announcing the play states. Yet they were cursed at, beaten and even firebombed. Ponton, who lived in Nelson County for three decades before moving to Madison Heights, said she was five years old when the Freedom Riders made national news. She said the late John Lewis, a civil rights activist and longtime congressman from Georgia and one of the 13 original Freedom Riders, was an inspiration in her life. In recent years Ponton was a community organizer and worked on stirring opposition against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a planned project that would have run through Nelson County and was canceled in July 2020. She said the Freedom Riders were Christians, patriots and just good down-home folks who wanted equality in the South and she listened to a lot of interviews they conducted as part of her research. She said she also used the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, which was active from 1956 to 1973 and tasked with fighting integration and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum as resources. These people were very religious, they believed in what they were doing. They were nonviolent and they were met with just horrible violence and along the way they were arrested, not the people who perpetrated the violence, Ponton said. My hope is people will understand what happened then, learn from it and make sure it doesnt happen again. The Freedom Rides came through Virginia, including a stop in Lynchburg, where no interference or nastiness occurred, Ponton said. The deeper south they went, the worse it got, Jones said. A major part of the play involves actors playing the Freedom Riders speaking in explicit detail of the racial slurs and extreme violence used against them. Ponton said the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist hate group claiming to be Christian viciously beat Freedom Riders, some in church attire. It was horrible, these people didnt deserve what they got, Ponton said. Due to the extremely violent nature of the attacks, which were explained in detail during the play, Ponton and the NAACP branch advised against young children attending the three performances. Jones recalled being a student in Amherst Countys school system during the Freedom Rides in May 1961 and seeing on television scenes of the buses on fire and riders being savagely beaten. Jones recalls the chatter in Black neighborhoods and churches while much of the county was silent on it. It was action, Jones said. You can talk forever but sometimes you have to take action The Freedom Riders actions showed many in the South just couldnt give it up as far as segregation. Youre seeing history alive, instead of reading about it, looking at a picture, youre seeing it alive right in front of your eyes, Jones said. To me, thats when you get it. Jones said she wishes students in Lynchburg-area schools could have come see the play and understand where they are today in racial equality compared to the climate in the 1960s. I lived it even when I went to college, Jones said. I took Black history courses, because I didnt know my history because it wasnt taught, and its not taught that well today either. Jones said Amherst County is one of just a dozen high schools in the state that offers Black history as an elective and she believes it should be greatly expanded. She criticized efforts at the state level to remove diversity, equity and inclusion material and themes in schools. Its just people knowing their history, Jones, a retired Amherst County Public Schools teacher, said. If you could teach history today like it is, it would be no issue. Theres so much negativity with teaching history. The Freedom Riders, some from the South and others from northern states, ranged from ages 18 to 61 and sang We Shall Overcome, a gospel song that would become their anthem, as they boarded the Greyhound and Trailways bus lines, according to excerpts from Pontons play. The script said stops in Lynchburg and Farmville were uneventful and Ed Blankenheim, a white rider, sat at a color-only counter for more than 10 minutes in Danville and was not served. In Greensboro, just 45 miles south of Danville, the segregation signs became the rule, not the exception, a line from the play was read. In the violence that erupted in Alabama, one actor playing a rider said he had to make a choice: staying on a burning bus and dying, or leaving the vehicle and facing potential death from an angry, violent mob, and deciding to choose the latter. No matter what U.S. law says, as one proud mobster screamed at us: This is Alabama and were going to keep it white, another line from the play was read. The Freedom Rides called national attention to local violence used to enforce segregation in southern states. Pontons play touched on local police in those states considering the Freedom Riders actions to be criminal and in many instances letting white mobs attack the riders without intervention. Jones said she hopes the play, which was timely during Black History Month, is only the beginning in tapping into more stories. We could write 100 plays, Jones said. Amherst County Public Schools 2025-26 fiscal year budget proposal includes 29 added staff positions and a 4% or 5% pay increase for employees. Superintendent William Wells presented the proposed budget of $65.6 million, an increase of nearly $396,000 from the current budget, during the Amherst County School Boards Feb. 27 meeting. Wells said the main budget priorities are maintaining class sizes below the Standards of Quality (SOQ) to support student success, provide staffing necessary to meet students needs, upgrade and modernize facilities, maintain a competitive pay scale with surrounding divisions and build programs that give opportunities for all students to complete their school year ready for the next grade level or life after high school. The budget proposal is built around a student enrollment figure of 3,615, which Wells said is about 69 fewer than the divisions projection but based on a worst-case scenario that wont lead to any state funding deficits. He said a $1,000 state-imposed bonus for SOQ-funded instructional and support positions do not cover several hundred employees and the division has to come up with that money to be equitable across the board. The $65.6 million in projected revenue includes $35.7 million from the state, $5.9 million from the state sales tax, $2.4 million in federal revenue and grants, roughly $659,000 in adult education, $3 million in child nutrition, just more than $193,400 in other local funds and $17.6 million from the Amherst County Board of Supervisors. Wells is seeking a $1.2 million increase this upcoming year from the county board of supervisors. He said he has told County Administrator Jeremy Bryant he is presenting a schools budget based on needs as directed by the school board and if it doesnt come through the division will have to adjust. Thats to meet the needs of what you have asked us to work towards and we feel that is needed to meet those needs, Wells said of the $1.2 million requested increase in local money. The budget plan includes a 3% pay raise for all employees, additional pay scale adjustments for teachers based on their years of service and an added 2% hike for instructional assistants, health assistants, food service/cafeteria workers and information technology technicians, and a 1% hike for secretaries, bus drivers, van drivers and bus assistants. Wells said a 7.74% employer portion increase to employees health insurance is included. Our employees will not see any increase in their insurance costs, Wells said. The added positions include 10.5 van drivers, 10 technicians for Best Labs, a recently implemented program to help students that is proposed to reach into all county schools and six instructional assistants for each elementary school. Most of those positions are filled by current staff; nine of them are new ones. Wells said an instructional assistant in each kindergarten class was considered. Budget-wise, we felt that was a stretch, but we could at least try to get one in each elementary school to support kindergarten classes," Wells said. The other new positions include a class size reduction instructional assistant at Madison Heights Elementary, a custodian at the high school to cover added square footage from an ongoing expansion project, a supervisor of communications, grant and websites, and a homebound coordinator previously funded through the All in Virginia state program. Three half positions include an accounting specialist, a school secretary and a reading specialist. All those positions are direct support in schools, Wells said. The budget proposals also reduces two elementary teaching positions that were due to an enrollment drop and attrition, Wells said. A restructuring of school administration office departments also proposes to cut two other positions. Wells gave the board notice the fiscal 25-26 budget that begins July 1 will be the last year for the All in Virginia funding and four positions two literacy teachers, an instructional math specialist and an attendance officer will have to be folded into the operational budget or be eliminated once it runs out. The $59.6 million operational budget, which is a $2 million increase, has roughly 76% going toward instruction, 9.3% in operations and maintenance, 7.7% in transportation and 7% in administration and health. The overall budget plan also includes $2.3 million, which is a $1.8 million drop. Wells said he expects residential development projects underway or in the works in Madison Heights to increase the countys population in the next five to 10 years, which would lead to an increase in per pupil funding. Vice Chair David Childress asked Wells if the budget plan improves instruction and if the added positions move the needle so the division can see academic gains the board is not seeing currently. I do feel this will help give those teachers what they need in the classroom, especially with behaviors being an issue, Wells said, adding the plan directly supports instruction. Wells said he expects residential developments in Madison Heights ongoing or planned for construction soon to boost the county's population in the next five to 10 years, which is expected to bring more students and gains in state funding. The division is planning ahead for that expectation and a new elementary school may be needed in coming years, he said. Chris Terry, the board chair, thanked Wells and staff for the budgeting work. You put a lot of effort into it, Terry said. We can see that. A public hearing is set for the boards 6 p.m. meeting March 13 at the school board administration building, 153 Washington St., Amherst. Wells is expected to present the plan to the Amherst County Board of Supervisors on March 18 and forward the final version to the county by March 24. To view the fiscal '26 budget in full visit the division's website at www.amherst.k12.va.us. The Algerian regime relationship with terrorist groups operating in the Sahel is raising concern of the international community over peace and stability in the region. According to intelligence reports, Algerian security services facilitate and turn a blind eye on the smuggling of weapons used by jihadist groups operating in Mali, Burkina Faso, Libya, and Niger. Militants of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Group for the Support of Islam & Muslims (Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin) benefit from local complicity in border regions, facilitating their access to arms caches and their movements across the borders of Sahel countries and Algeria. AQIM was formed in 1998 as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), a faction of the Armed Islamic Group, which was the largest and most active terrorist group in Algeria. The GSPC was renamed in January 2007 after the group officially joined al-Qaeda in September 2006. AQIM is U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO) operating in the Sahara and Sahel. The group flourished during Algerias civil war in the 1990s before becoming an al-Qaeda affiliate with regional ambitions. AQIM and its offshoots pose major terror threat in North and West Africa. Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin is a coalition of Salafi-jihadist insurgent groups operating in the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa. Formed in 2017, JNIM has expanded its operating territory across West Africa while waging a sustained campaign of violence against civilians, local security forces, international militaries, and UN peacekeepers. The fall of Gaddafi in 2011 exacerbated insecurity in the region. Due to its geographical proximity and strategic interests, Algiers played an ambiguous role in the Libyan crisis. Although it officially supported the Libyan peace process and affirmed its opposition to foreign interference, some experts believe that the Algerian authorities failed to prevent the export of arms and jihadist fighters from Libya, who crossed the borders to join terrorist groups operating in the Sahel. To counter this regional threat, the Alliance of Sahel States (Mali, Niger & Burkina-Faso) has decided to deploy a joint force of 5,000 soldiers to fight jihadists threatening the stability of Sahel countries. According to experts, accountability for terrorist attacks and other terrorist activity is key to the fight against terrorism and to deterring such acts through worldwide asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo. Furthermore, as money is the lifeblood of terrorists, collective regional efforts must be made to stem the flow of funds to terrorists and terrorist groups. Counter-terrorism strategies must also go beyond security-centred approaches to include comprehensive regional efforts to prevent and deter emerging terrorist threats. General Brice Oligui Nguema, who led a military coup in 2023 that ended over five decades of Bongo family rule, has announced he will run in Gabons presidential election due on 12 April. Despite initially promising to return power to civilians, Nguema stated that his decision was prompted by public demand for his leadership. In a speech in the capital, Libreville, the 50-year-old military leader vowed to rebuild Gabon, focusing on addressing infrastructure issues and the countrys persistent power cuts. I am a builder, and I need your courage, your strength, to build this country, he told supporters. Gabons new electoral code, passed by the transitional parliament in January, allows military officers to run for office. Nguema, who served as head of the presidential guard under ousted leader Ali Bongo, will temporarily relinquish his military position to campaign, with his team stating that if he loses, he will return to the military. Although Nguema presents himself as a reformer, critics argue his rule mirrors that of the Bongo family, with his long-standing ties to the former regime. Gabon faces significant economic challenges, including a growing national debt and concerns over financial stability, yet Nguemas government blames the Bongo era for the countrys financial woes. With presidential candidates required to submit their candidacies by 8 March, Nguemas announcement sets the stage for a contentious election, as many question whether his presidency will signal genuine change or a continuation of the past. Tunisia began a trial against 40 high-profile defendants on the charge of conspiring against state security. The trial involves former diplomats, politicians, and journalist amid protests at the Presidents use of the judiciary to silence dissidents. Protests have erupted in Tunis calling the trial fabricated and denouncing the authoritarian rule of president Kais Saied. The charges, described as cham by activists, include plotting against the state security and belonging to a terrorist group, which could entail hefty sentences and even capital punishment, according to lawyers. The president has dismantled the parliament and concentrated all powers in his firm grip, after he sapped the democratic achievements of the Jasmine revolution, setting the country on an authoritarian course. Tanger Med Port Authority has released its 2024 annual results, revealing strong performance across its industrial sector with a business volume of 174 billion dirhams and over 10 billion dirhams in private investments. The Tanger Med industrial platform attracted 10.06 billion dirhams in investment during 2024 while creating a cumulative total of 14,034 new jobs. Business volume generated by Tanger Meds activity zones reached 174 billion dirhams, marking a significant 12.3% increase compared to the previous year. This growth was distributed across various sectors, namely the automotive sector which generated 117 billion dirhams, up 10.38% from 2023. Other industrial sectors, including textile and aeronautics, accounted for 10 billion dirhams, representing an 11.11% decrease from 2023, while the logistics sector produced 46 billion dirhams, a 15% increase over 2023. Additionally, 95 new industrial projects were confirmed at Tanger Med Zones in 2024, representing private investments of 3.63 billion dirhams and creating 11,239 new jobs. Major companies establishing operations included German logistics specialist Dachser, Polish automotive sealing elements manufacturer SFC Solutions, and American group TI Automotive, which specializes in engine supply systems and fluid transport. Turkish auto parts producer Orhan and American automotive wiring specialist APTIV strengthened their presence through new industrial expansions. The Tanger Tech Zone, developed across 87 hectares, welcomed four new companies in 2024, representing a total investment of 6.43 billion dirhams and creating 2,795 jobs. Among these new entrants is Chinese group BTR New Material, a global leader in the simultaneous production of anodes and cathodes for lithium-ion batteries. Tanger Meds activity zones encompass areas managed by Tanger Med Zones, a subsidiary of the Tanger Med Group, and the new Mohammed VI Tanger Tech City, managed by SATTa partnership between Bank of Africa (BMCE), the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Regional Council, Tanger Med Group, and Chinese company CCCC-CRBC. These zones currently span 3,000 hectares, hosting more than 1,400 companies and creating nearly 130,000 jobs across multiple sectors including automotive, aeronautics, textiles, healthcare, agri-food, electronics, renewable energy, packaging, services, and logistics. Six AH-64E Apache helicopters have been received by Morocco, in a drive to modernize the air forces capabilities in an uncertain environment. The delivery is part of an order made in 2019 for 36 Apache helicopters and related equipment for a total cost estimated at $4.2 billion. A Moroccan Royal Armed Forces account on X showed videos of the helicopters as they were unloaded at the Tanger Med Port before flying to their base. The Apache helicopters are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including advanced General Electric turbine engines, Longbow fire-control radars, and multi-domain warheads. The new acquisition will bolster Moroccos deterrence capabilities of the Royal Air Force, which operates 24 Aerospatiale SA342L Gazelle helicopters procured from 1978 that need replacing. Aware of the importance of air superiority to counter any national security threat that may result from the growing instability in the Sahel and Algeria, Morocco has also ordered an additional batch of 25 units of F-16C/D Block 72 fighter jet that will bring the total number of the Moroccan F 16 fleet to 48 units. In recent months, several reports mentioned that Morocco is about to foster its air defense capabilities with the reception of 30 Mirage 2000 from the UAE. Moroccos evolving military strategy is also attaching particular importance to drone warfare which has proved very efficient in thwarting attacks by the Algeria-backed separatists in recent months. As part of its defense industrialization strategy, Morocco has reportedly signed deals to host military drone production plants. Morocco has reiterated its firm commitment to active South-South cooperation in nuclear and radiation safety, in a bid to create new opportunities and enhance the collective capacities of states in these matters. This commitment was reiterated by Moroccos Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, Azzedine Farhane, before the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Farhane reaffirmed the Kingdoms strong willingness to continue sharing its experience with African countries, while remaining fully engaged with its regional and international partners to contribute to strengthening the international nuclear safety regime and achieving the IAEAs objectives. In this respect, he noted that IAEA Director Generals report on reviewing nuclear safety in 2025 references certain aspects of Moroccos contribution to enhancing regional capacities. Morocco, he recalled, trained experts from 21 African member states in fields related to nuclear and radiation safety, and hosted several training sessions and workshops focused particularly on improving nuclear safety in Africa. The diplomat emphasized that Morocco fully adheres to the principle that nuclear safety falls entirely under the responsibility of states, in accordance with their national obligations and duly undertaken international commitments. In this regard, he noted that Morocco has consistently worked to strengthen its legal framework in the field of nuclear and radiation safety. He also recalled that the Kingdom has made continuous efforts to upgrade its regulatory framework in nuclear and radiation safety and security, in line with IAEA safety standards. Moroccos defense industry is gaining momentum with the establishment of a local company dedicated to the production of components for the WhAP 88 armored vehicle in collaboration with Indias Tata Advanced Systems. Based in Casablanca, Metlonics Morocco SARLAU will produce essential parts for the WhAP 88 armored vehicles designed for the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. WhAP 88 (Wheeled Armored Platform) is Indias first infantry combat vehicle, designed for optimized survivability, all-terrain performance and increased lethality. The vehicle is designed for a variety of combat missions, including troop transport and reconnaissance, with a focus on protection, mobility, and firepower. The setting up of Metlonics Morocco confirms the Kingdoms determination to advance its defense industry, reduce its dependence on arms imports and develop a competitive defense eco-system building on its success in automotive and aeronautics sectors. Last January, Turkish Baykar Company announced its decision to install a manufacturing site of military drones in the North African Kingdom. Baykar, a global leader in drone industry, has set up a Moroccan subsidiary, named Atlas Defence, based in Rabat. The Moroccan plant is dedicated to the design, production, and maintenance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), along with the manufacturing of spare parts and technological systems for the defense sector. In 2019, the North African Kingdom signed with Brazil an investment cooperation and facilitation in military industry. Under this agreement, Brazil pledges to share military science and technology, help in defense product acquisition, and train Moroccan officers in advanced military technologies. Bluebird company had also announced plans to open a production site of its unmanned aerial systems in Morocco. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, with Rep. Maxine Waters, speaks during the We Choose to Fight: Nobody Elected Elon rally at the Treasury Department. Photo: Jemal Countess/MoveOn/Getty Images On Tuesday night, President Trump will give the first joint address to Congress since his reelection. TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE BIG. I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS!, he said on Truth Social Monday morning. Trumps speech comes as his administration, in league with Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, continues to make significant cuts to federal agencies in the name of eliminating excess spending, resulting in mass layoffs in various government sectors. With more Americans voicing their displeasure in town halls and polls, Democrats are looking to capitalize on the momentum and keep those reductions top of mind for voters. Several Democratic members of Congress revealed they have invited federal workers who recently lost their jobs to attend the presidents address as their personal guests. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Monday that he would be joined by Alissa Ellman, a disabled Army veteran who was fired from her position at the Buffalo VA. Firing her, firing veterans, and slashing thousands from the VA workforce is outrageous and should be reversed. This is not how you treat our veterans its not just unacceptable, its un-American, he said in a statement. Axios reported last week that Schumer was privately urging congressional Democrats to invite people who have been personally impacted by the administrations cuts. A similar request went out from the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, per CNN. Members in both chambers heeded the call. Representative Joe Courtney of Connecticut will be joined by Gabriel DAlatri, a Marine veteran who was laid off from the IRS. Representative Ritchie Torres of New York invited Nancy Bolan, a constituent who worked for USAID for six years. Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota invited Kate Severson, a former park ranger who worked at the states Voyageurs National Park, writing on social media, Musk and Trump should have to face the hardworking Park Rangers they sacked. Some Democrats, however, are choosing to skip Tuesdays speech entirely, an action reminiscent of past boycotts of Trumps first-term congressional addresses. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon said Sunday that hes opting out of Trumps speech and will be holding a virtual town hall on Facebook instead, urging his constituents to submit questions ahead of time. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut announced his intention to boycott in an CNN interview Sunday, saying he believes the presidents speech will be a MAGA pep rally. I think Donald Trump is going to spew a series of lies about his alignment with Russia, about what hes trying to do to allow Elon Musk to essentially monetize the American government to enrich Musk and his billionaire crowd. And Im just not going to be a part of that, Murphy said. Since Trump has taken office, Musks DOGE has touted billions of dollars in savings for the American taxpayer by eliminating grants, contracts, and even real-estate leases. A recent New York Times report, however, alleges its successes have been inflated with the organization removing some of its claimed savings from its own website. While the cuts impacts are still being determined, recent polling suggests the American public is mixed on the changes. An NPRPBS NewsMarist poll released Monday found that 55 percent of U.S. residents believed the extensive cuts in federal staffing and funding would do more harm than good, while 45 percent said they thought the opposite. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images The cryptocurrency industry that sunk tens of millions into the Trump campaign and inauguration has so far gotten everything its investors have wanted from the new president. The Securities and Exchange Commission is abandoning or pausing its cases against some of the biggest players in the industry while agreeing not to police the Wild West shootout that is the meme-coin market these days. Theyve got major influence in the Trump Cabinet, and the first-ever crypto summit will be held on Friday. But despite all these warm signals coming from the White House, the crypto market was kind of sucking in February. There were massive sell-offs, tentpole tokens like bitcoin were taking a beating, and much of the news cycle in crypto was dominated by how much of a messy scam it could be for politicians who got too involved. But on Sunday, Trump, or one of his crypto advisers, had an idea. For months now, the president has been promising a strategic national stockpile for cryptocurrency an idea heavily promoted by the industry as a shortcut for the U.S. to assert some financial dominance in crypto. Rather than make the difficult (and potentially legislative) push to create the stockpile, Trump simply revealed the assets that would be inside it. In the social-media announcement, Trump wrote that his stockpile would help ensure that the U.S. is the Crypto Capital of the World. But it was also a fairly obvious play to the crypto crowd, juicing prices without having to actually do anything. The value of bitcoin rallied by $9,000 over the afternoon while the other coins involved (ethereum, solana, XRP, and cardano) all saw significant gains. Cardano, the least valuable of the digital tokens, saw its price jump nearly 100 percent. But the easy win could not reverse the larger forces (weakish demand for bitcoin, massive crypto hacks) that, in February, stymied the asset class that is supposed to be divorced from the larger economy. Today, bitcoin lost roughly half of yesterdays gains from the Trump bump. But more of a concern for Trump than the short-term value of these volatile tokens is the fact that many crypto bigwigs werent thrilled by his announcement. Big investors, including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, thought that including any coins other than bitcoin was an error. Others like Palantir co-founder and libertarian billionaire Trump fan and Elon Musk friend Joe Lonsdale called the presidents stockpile dream a crypto-bro scheme that he didnt want to realize with taxpayer money. Angel investor Jason Calacanis dismissed the idea as the latest Trump pump and crypto grift. Considering Calacaniss close relationship to Trumps crypto czar, David Sacks, this type of stuff may be a bad sign for the president on the crypto front: If you tax Americans to buy crypto, dont be surprised if the people revolt. pic.twitter.com/OoatPdolOl @jason (@Jason) March 2, 2025 Sacks, whose investment firm has massive investments in the five coins in the proposed stockpile, is hosting the White Houses crypto summit on Friday. Perhaps everything will be hashed out among Trump, his advisers with massive crypto investments, and the industry leaders they are hoping to satisfy. But Trump is now entering the difficult part of his courtship of the crypto world. So far, hes lived up to the good will through simple actions under his offices control like forcing out ex-SEC chair Gary Gensler, killing civil actions against major firms, or freeing the crypto-libertarian champion Ross Ulbricht. But now he might actually need to do something to move the market. As crypto skeptic Molly White wrote, we may finally be arriving at the point where words alone seem to be running out. 27 items in this article 27 items on sale! Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers If youre looking to replace some empties or reinvigorate your beauty cabinet before spring Daylight Savings is this Sunday, after all good news: Dermstores Beauty Refresh sale is back, and just about everything is 20 percent off through Thursday, March 13, with the code REFRESH. Ive done some scanning and skimming and have nearly 30 products that (in my opinion) youd be wise to consider adding to your cart, including French body oil, several best-in-class exfoliators, and Amanda Seyfrieds toothpaste. Ive broken out all my picks into four categories, and you can jump quickly to each by using the list above. But if youd like to do some digging of your own, you can find everything on sale here. Skin-care Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. PCA Skin C&E Advanced Serum $133 $133 If youre looking for some real oomph, the PCA Skin C&E Advanced Serum contains 20 percent L-ascorbic acid along with pure vitamin E and other antioxidants that help with aging and free radicals. $133 at Dermstore Buy Body care and wellness Saved View New! You can now save this product for later. This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray $33 $33 This pillow mist is formulated from a blend of lavender, chamomile, and vetiver essential oils. I gave a bottle to my sister for Christmas, and she is already hooked. Since I just ran out of mine, maybe Ill buy a few. $33 at Dermstore Buy Makeup Hair care Get the Strategist Sales Alert Daily dispatches from our deals-obsessed editors. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Three Lee County sheriff's deputies have resigned and one supervisor has been demoted amid allegations that agency policies and procedures have been violated, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office. In a letter to Sheriff Jay Jones dated Feb. 3, Ventiere named four sheriff's deputies who she said have shown a pattern of conduct that at best is an intent to mislead the magistrate, judge, defense, and state to believe these events occurred in Lee County. She gives the last name of three sheriff's deputies and the first and last name of the other. The names listed are Sheriff's Deputy Foley, Crisp, Peppers and Austin Gamper. Jones declined to give the full names of the other three, stating that it's an internal investigation and no criminal charges have been filed. "It's very unfortunate that these circumstances presented themselves. As a result of them, we have taken actions, working with the district attorney," Jones said. "After an internal investigation into the issue when we first became aware of the violations of agency policies and procedures, and that has led to the fact that three deputy sheriffs are no longer with the Lee County Sheriff's Office." Approximately 20 cases dismissed The letter also states that the sheriff's deputies lied under oath about jurisdiction being in Lee County. Ventiere wrote to Jones that the Lee Countys Sheriffs Office internal division provided a list of cases that were made in Russell County by the four deputies working the same shift. The District Attorneys Office audited the cases and reviewed them for proper jurisdiction. The materials reviewed were internal investigation reports, sworn depositions, sworn complaints, incident/offense reports, body camera footage, dash camera footage and county maps. The District Attorneys Office identified approximately 20 cases that were dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, Ventiere said in the letter. Gamper testified that he conducted a traffic stop in Lee County, but camera footage showed that the stop was made in Russell County at Bama Wholesale, according to Ventiere's letter. My experience during my tenure at the District Attorneys Office is that the vast majority of law enforcement officers we work with uphold the highest standards of integrity, Ventiere said. The actions of these four deputies do not reflect the dedication of the men and women I collaborate with to seek the truth in court. As a prosecutor, my duty is to uncover the truth, not just secure convictions. I commend the Sheriffs Office for taking swift action upon recognizing the issue. Sheriff's deputies accused of lying under oath and more Here is a list of a few cases highlighted in Ventieres letter to the sheriff: Case 1: "Defendant was charged with two felonies and two misdemeanors following a pursuit resulting in a wreck. The pursuit began in Russell County and Continued into Lee County. The deposition lists the place of occurrence as Riverchase Drive and Lee Road 248 in Lee County. The Deposition further states the motorcycle was observed at the Lee County/Russell County line. The I/O report lists the place of occurrence as Pierce Crossing on Summerville Road. Crisp and Foleys dashcam videos begin in Russell County before the bypass." Case 2: "The defendant was arrested for synthetic urine. Deposition lists place of occurrence at Lee Road 208 at Highway 80 in Lee County. The deposition states the vehicle was located at Highway 80 and Lee Road 175 in Lee County. However, dashcam video shows the stop was conducted on Hughley Road at Highway 80 in Russell County. No evidence to support Lee County jurisdiction. Defendant pled guilty and served two days in jail." Case 3: "The defendant was arrested for Receiving Stolen Property 1st. Deputy Crisps deposition and report state he observed the vehicle on Lee Road 208 in Lee County. GPS data provided in the internal investigation report states Crisp had not been in the area of Lee Road 208. Additionally, both Crisp and Peppers dash cams begin on Crumpton Street in Russell County." Case 4: "Deputy Austin Gamper testified he conducted a traffic stop in Lee County; however, dashcam footage shows the stop was made in Russell County at Bama Wholesale. The case was dismissed by the court for lack of jurisdiction." Case 5: "Pursuit in Phenix City ending in Applebees parking lot. Depo says he was searching for someone with warrants. Based on video, Peppers first sees the defendant in apartments across the street from Phenix City Intermediate School. Pursuit ends at Applebees off Stadium Drive." Case 6: "Defendant was tased following a pursuit and foot chase. Peppers stated in his I/O he conducted a traffic stop at Lee Road 208 and Hwy 80 in Lee County. Peppers dash cam is not available; however, Crisps dash cam shows Peppers and Crisp turn from Hwy 80 onto Magnolia, a residential area, at which point Peppers initiates his blue lights." Ventiere stated in the letter that because the information the deputies provided in their sworn statements and their incident offense reports could be used as impeachment evidence, she is under a duty to disclose that information in all future litigation to the county and the defense under Brady v. Maryland U.S. 83, (1963) and Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150, (1972). Italy estimates that nuclear energy could provide up to 22% of its national energy mix by 2050, leading to significant savings on decarbonization expenditures and increased energy security. Last week, the Italian government adopted a law to overturn a 40-year ban on nuclear energy in a pivotal move for the future of the countrys energy landscape. Under the law, which has yet to be approved by parliament, Italy must adopt detailed decrees to revitalize the nations long-dormant nuclear power sector. Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin anticipates that the nations new consolidated nuclear code will be ready by the end of 2027. "The government has approved another important measure to ensure clean, safe, low-cost energy that can guarantee energy security and strategic independence," said Italian prime minister Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after the cabinet meeting in which the law was adopted. The law that the Italian government adopted last Friday aims to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for sustainable nuclear energy production which will comprise a wide range of nuclear-related logistical and policy framings including nuclear power generation, the decommissioning and dismantling of existing plants, management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, research and development of fusion energy, and the reorganisation of competences and responsibilities in the sector according to reporting from Euractiv. The plan is centered on the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced modular reactors (AMRs), which are manufactured in a factory setting before being installed on site. These emerging technologies are much more cost effective and efficient than designing and building traditional nuclear reactors, which are custom-built for each site. These models are also supposed to be safer than previous generations of reactors, as they have built-in passive safety mechanisms. The Italian government pointed to these gains in safety and efficiency as reasoning to revisit and overturn the countrys 1987 referendum ban on nuclear power production. The draft law dictates that Italy should make "a clear break [...] with respect to the nuclear plants of the past" and go on to "use of the best available technologies, including modular and advanced technologies". Italy estimates that if 11% of the national energy mix comes from nuclear energy by 2050, the country will save 17 billion euros ($17.69 billion) on decarbonization expenditures. The plan, if adopted as written by the Italian parliament, could potentially lead to a 22% share for nuclear energy, according to reporting from Reuters. The idea of cheap energy is particularly appealing to Italy right now as the country endures a protracted energy crisis. Italians are suffering from punishingly high electricity bills, which many experts credit to the countrys reliance on natural gas imports. In January 2025, electricity costs in Italy were 25% higher than in Germany, 40% higher than in France and 48% higher than in Spain, with a 44% year-on-year increase compared to last January. Increasing the nations domestic energy production capacities with nuclear, would boost Italys energy security and help shield the country from market volatility. Italy is not alone in its recent embrace of nuclear energy. Indeed, Italy is not even alone in its complete 180 degree turn in nuclear policy. Japan, too, recently announced a return to nuclear power production after the nation completely shunned the technology in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear tragedy in 2011. In recent years nuclear has exploded in popularity in both private and public sectors on a global scale thanks to these next-generation technologies and a growing emphasis on decarbonization. Unlike renewable resources like solar and wind power, which are weather-dependent and therefore variable in their production, nuclear is a steady baseload power yielding zero carbon emissions. "With the latest generation nuclear, together with renewables, we will be able to achieve the objectives of decarbonisation, guaranteeing the full energy security of the country," says Minister Pichetto Fratin. "In this way, Italy is ready to face the challenges of the future." By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Refinery closures combined with growing demand for gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel are about to start squeezing available volumesand this squeeze is about to become marked next year. Thats according to the Energy Information Administration, which warned this would plunge inventories to the lowest levels since 2000. Two refineries are set to shut down this year, the EIA said in the latest edition of its monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook. One is in Houston, and the other in Los Angeles. The Houston facility, owned by LyondellBasell, which has already begun the process of the shutdown, has a capacity of 263,776 barrels daily. The Los Angeles refinery, property of Phillips 66, can process 138,700 barrels of crude daily. The closure of these two would reduce fuel production capacity in the country by 400,000 barrels daily. The refining industry globally has been experiencing the effects of a declining supercycle even though demand has continued to grow, and, as confirmed by the EIA, this growth will continue. Even so, the record margins of 2022 and 2023 are gone now. Before the new cycle begins, some belt-tightening is in order. Related: Trumps Tariff To Hike Prices at the Pump for US Drivers: Gas Buddy In the U.S., refiners were also subjected to additional pressure during the Biden administration to join the federal governments climate change-oriented energy policy and switch to biofuels from petroleum fuels. In California, specifically, pressure has been strong, both on the federal and state level, with the government in Sacramento recently demanding from refiners in California to keep a certain level of fuel inventories to avoid price spikes that the refiners themselves attribute to the state governments energy policies seeking to phase out vehicles using petroleum fuels. The closure of the Phillips 66 refinery in Los Angeles is one consequence of that policy. There are even reports that California authorities are considering refinery nationalizations to secure the supply of fuels to drivers in the state. Two refineries in California have already converted to biofuel production plants because biofuel production fetches generous subsidies from the state government: Phillips 66 is closing the L.A. facility by the end of this year, and Chevron and Valero are also considering shutdowns. As a result of these refinery closures, the supply of fuels will understandably tighten, with diesel and jet fuel especially vulnerable, it seems. The diesel tightness will be global and manifest this year, as an estimated 1 million barrels per day of refining capacity across Europe and the U.S. is set to close permanently. Another 800,000 barrels daily in new capacity is set to come online in China, India, and Indonesia, Reuters estimated at the end of 2024, which leaves a gap of about 200,000 bpd. Demand for fuels, meanwhile, has continued to surprise to the upside. In the United States specifically, refining output is estimated to decline by 190,000 barrels daily this year, the Energy Information Administration said this week, with a further decline of 180,000 barrels daily in 2026. To meet the forecast increase in U.S. consumption of petroleum products with less U.S. refinery capacity, we expect refinery utilization to remain relatively high and for net U.S. exports of petroleum products to decrease to meet domestic fuel demand, the EIA said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook. If demand for fuels continues growing, a shortage may well be on the way, as suggested by the chief executive of Phillips 66 last year. Mark Lashier said in September 2024 that refinery closures prompted by low margins could shave some 700,000 bpd from global refining capacity. He saw this as a positive for U.S. refiners, however. The US has become very competitive in refining, Lashier said. Were able to compete out in the world global markets. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com With U.S tariffs on Canadian imports coming into effect on Tuesday, March 4th, analysts have started to quantify the potential losses for Canadian companies from the trade spat. Energy firms account for 40% of the top 10 Canadian companies that would be the biggest revenue losers as U.S. tariffs go ahead, according to a recent report by Syntax Data. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the tariffs on Canada and Mexico delayed by a month to March 4 would go ahead as planned. The U.S. plans a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico, with the exception of Canadian energy which would face a 10% tariff. After the tariffs were delayed by a month, Syntax Data said, While the impact on US-Canada negotiations remains uncertain, one thing is clear: some businesses will be hit harder than others. The energy sector is at risk of losing billions of U.S. dollars from revenues, considering how much business Canadian energy producers do with the U.S., according to Syntax Datas research. A total of 40% of the top 10 companies identified are in energy production, including Enbridge Inc. and TC Energy, which each generate about half of their revenues in the U.S., the report found. With 60 per cent of U.S. crude oil being imported from Canada, a 10 per cent tariff on energy could have major implications for the energy industry, Syntax Data says. While lower tariffs are likely designed to avoid extreme energy price hikes for U.S. consumers, Canadian energy companies with significant U.S. exposure would face major ramifications. Of the ten most exposed Canadian companies, four are in the energy sector, per Syntax Data. These are Enbridge (second most exposed of all Canadian firms), TC Energy (fourth), Parkland Corp (ninth), and Suncor Energy (tenth). Enbridge, the pipeline giant operating Mainline, the largest pipeline network that sends Canadian crude oil to the United States, generates 45.5% of its revenue from U.S. operations, while the share is even higher for TC Energy, at 52.2%. Parkland and Suncor have lower U.S.-generated revenue exposure, with U.S. operations accounting for 20.1% of Parklands revenue and 13.1% of Suncors. In a comment to Oilprice.com, Enbridge states that in the near-term, tariffs on Canadian exports and potential retaliation may impact the market, but Enbridge expects no material effect on its business, as it does not own the oil and gas it transports and, therefore, it expects to remain insulated from commodity price volatility. The most exposed Canadian company is in the chemicals sector, fertilizer producer Nutrien, according to Syntax Datas report. Still, a lower 10% tariff on Canadian energy and the fact that U.S. Midwest refineries may not have immediate substitutes for Canadian heavy crude oil gives a relative (not absolute) reprieve that would relieve some pressure on energy-producing provincesmainly Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador, RBC said. Canadians overwhelmingly support retaliatory tariffs, a poll for Bloomberg showed last month, while Canadian policy makers are now more inclined than ever to find alternative export avenues for Canadian oil, almost all of which currently flows south to the U.S. The province of Saskatchewan in Western Canada will consider all permits for pipelines crossing its territory as pre-approved, Premier Scott Moe said last week, writing Effective Immediately: All pipeline permits going east, west, or south received in Saskatchewan will be considered pre-approved. We encourage all provinces and the federal government to do the same, Moe wrote on X. The U.S. tariff threat was a wake-up call for Canadian policymakers that the federal and provincial governments may have too hastily scrapped over the past decade Alberta-to-coast pipeline projects that could have diversified Canadas oil and gas exports. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Weaker-than-expected oil flows to Asia have led to some questioning the validity of oil demand forecasts for the year. Imports have indeed been 780,000 bpd lower in January and February than a year agoyet it has already been an eventful year. Anything might happen yetincluding even more bearish things for oil. The 780,000 bpd figure comes from LSEG Oil Research, as reported by Reuters Clyde Russell. The decline put the average daily intake of oil in Asia at 26.17 million barrels. Unsurprisingly, it was China that drove the decline, with its crude imports falling by a sizable 840,000 barrels daily over the first two months of 2025. The total daily average stood at 10.42 million barrels, down from 11.26 million barrels over the first two months of 2024. The trend chimes in with reports about Chinese refiners slashing their run rates due to the end of cheap Russian crude, as reported last month. The cause of the price rise: the Biden administrations last sanction package against Russias oil industry. The Biden Administrations farewell sanctions on Russian oil trade and shadow fleet crippled the supply of ESPO crude, which is shipped from the Far Eastern Russian port of Kozmino. ESPO has been a favorite with Chinese refiners, but the scores of oil tankers sanctioned by the U.S. slashed the availability of non-sanctioned tankers to ship the crude to China. Related: Rubio Pushes Iraq To Reopen This Crucial Pipeline With the cost of procuring ESPO going up, run rates at independent refineries have gone down. However, this might change because Russia has reportedly started to reshuffle tankers to prioritize shipments to China. Aframax tankers that serviced crude exports from Russias western ports are now being redirected to the Russian Far East-China route to service the exports of ESPO crude. The above is according to Bloomberg and suggests that it is not demand for oil that is the problem in Asia but rather complications around securing affordable supply. Indeed, an earlier report by Reuters suggested that Chinese oil imports from Russiaand from Iranwere set for a rebound as the tanker market adjusted to the new challenges. The adjustment involved as many as 11 tankers that havent been sanctioned by the U.S. that have recently joined the oil delivery route from Russia to China, including vessels that have previously carried Russian oil to India, according to LSEG data cited by Reuters. That followed a surge in freight rates resulting from the last Biden sanctions against Russia. This, too, suggests that demand for crude oil in Asia is not really an issueaccess to supply is the issue. Indeed, while analysts ponder whether Chinas oil demand growth has already peaked, one of the worlds largest energy traders recently predicted that global oil demand will remain at current levels until at least 2040. According to Vitol, long-term oil demand will remain stable at around 105 million barrels daily, even as the drivers behind this growth change. The trading major expects gasoline demand to decline but demand from the petrochemicals industry to rise, offsetting the decline. Over the shorter term, China will continue to be among the chief drivers of oil demand growth despite the weak start of the year, seeing as the causes of that weak start have nothing to do with organic oil demand. Its contribution to global oil demand growth, however, is going to be smaller, as the pace of demand growth moderates. In the years to 2020, China accounted for some 60% of global oil demand growth, according to the International Energy Agency. This decade, this contribution is seen by the IEA declining to 19%. Yet others in Asia are going to replace China with fast demand growth. India is expected to account for 25% of global oil demand growth this year, the U.S. Energy Information Agency said in December, estimating the rate of oil demand growth at 330,000 barrels per day. Estimates also say that Indias gas consumption could double by 2040 and triple by 2050. So, with India, forecasters see both a strong 2025 and a strong long-term trend in oil demand growth. All this suggests that the weak start to the year in Asian imports of crude oil may well be a glitch, driven by the former U.S. administrations foreign policy rather than any fundamental factor. The new administration, meanwhile, is making an effort to drive demand for oil higherincluding by ending the war in Ukraine and clearing the way for freer Russian oil exports once U.S. sanctions are lifted. Should this scenario play out, it is quite likely that bearish oil demand forecasts will change significantly, as they tend to do when fundamentals point to stronger, not weaker demand ahead. After all, even the IEA has had to repeatedly adjust its forecast numbers because demand kept surprising it to the upside. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Tesla sales are collapsing in Europe as the public are put off by Elon Musks vocal support for Donald Trump. Its an object lesson in how politics can come at a cost to business, says Eliot Wilson Last week it was reported that Tesla sales in Europe fell by 45 per cent in January compared to the same month in 2024, despite the market for electric vehicles being otherwise buoyant. This has led to inevitable speculation that the European public is turning away from the brand because of the high-profile and controversial involvement of its CEO, Elon Musk, in the provocative antics of Donald Trumps second presidency: politics is costing him money. Let us get some technical aspects out of the way which Musks supporters will with justification offer in mitigation. First, Tesla sales have tended to dip in January over recent years, though not by such a substantial margin. Second, the companys Model Y compact crossover SUV, its bestselling model, is undergoing a facelift: the new version was launched in China in January for delivery there and in the United States, Canada and Mexico beginning in March, and it has only just become available to order in Europe. The evidence suggests it is more than this, however. Electrifying.com, an advice site and marketplace for electric vehicles, found that 60 per cent of car buyers have been put off purchasing a Tesla because of Musks political views and activities. It is at least a contributory factor. Musk is a deeply unpredictable and volatile personality. His views can change hugely he supported the Democratic candidate in every presidential election from 2008 to 2020 but he never pursues his ideology du jour with anything less than absolute and fervent dedication. When he eventually endorsed Donald Trump in July last year, he followed that up with $277m and became the largest individual donor of the election. In the Doge house In the same way, Musk has used his position as head of Trumps new Doge(Department of Government Efficiency, not in fact a department but a temporary organisation within a rebranded US Digital Service) to attack the bureaucracy of the federal government with an impulsive, reckless ferocity. His supposed efficiency savings, through mass redundancies and unilateral institutional changes, have been carried out with hyper-partisan relish. When you own a social media platform with more than half a billion active monthly users like X, you can be sure your message will be heard. Donald Trumps popularity in Europe lags far behind his domestic approval ratings. A recent survey showed that in many countries, only a third of people think the presidents re-election is a good thing for US citizens, falling to a fifth who expect it to benefit their own country. This will matter not at all to Trump with his relentless America First focus, and Musk, who sleeps little anyway, will not lose any of it over associated unpopularity in itself. But the Tesla sales figures suggest that his political reputation is having commercial and financial consequences, even if, as the richest person in the world, he can afford to shrug it off. It is worth noting, however, that Musks estimated net worth has fallen by $100bn in the past two months. His wealth, on paper at least, is so great it loses any real meaning: it is comparable to the GDP of Chile or Pakistan. But so substantial a fall demonstrates a relationship which Musk and others on the Trumpian right are eager to point out to their opponents: in business, politics isnt cost-free. Two of the most totemic objects of hatred for many right-wingers are diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social and governance (ESG). They are regarded as policies which have been foisted on private enterprise by a pious, do-gooding liberal elite the unrepresentative obsessions of people who are either misguided or actively malign. DEI and ESG are intrinsically political activities, says the Right, and the private sector will suffer financial consequences for pursuing them. It may be, however, that Musk himself is the object lesson in the dangers of politicisation There has been a movement away from these priorities. Last year, BlackRock significantly downgraded its ESG investments with some proposals labelled overly prescriptive [and] lacking economic merit. Similarly, whether it is accurate or not, DEI has created a perception of reverse discrimination and a diminution of meritocracy, and is now firmly in the sights of Doge. Musk inevitably took criticism to the extreme in January 2024 after an Alaskan Airlines Boeing 737 MAX suffered a mid-air panel blowout. Do you want to fly in an airplane where they prioritized DEI hiring over your safety? That is actually happening. DEI and ESG are intrinsically political activities, says the Right, and the private sector will suffer financial consequences for pursuing them. It may be, however, that Musk himself is the object lesson in the dangers of politicisation. He waded heedlessly into the political arena, and customers are deserting him. Businesses should choose their causes carefully. By CityAM More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The trade war between China and the U.S. is intensifying just as OPEC+ prepares to unwind its production cuts, putting oil prices under considerable downward pressure. - The US-China trade war escalated over the past week with the White House signing off another 10% hike on Chinese imports to the country, raising the overall level to 20%, all the while postponed tariffs on Canada and Mexico took effect March 4. - Canadian crude flowing to US Midwest refiners will be subjected to a 10% tariff, most probably leading to a 2-3% increase in gasoline prices, whilst Mexicos 25% levy would force refiners in the US Gulf Coast to look elsewhere for heavy barrels. - Canada immediately retaliated by imposing 25% tariffs on some $30 billion of US imports, potentially followed by another levy targeting $125 billion in 21 days time, with the province of Ontario also threatening to stop electricity flows to the US. - The discounts on Canadas main export grade WCS widened massively this week, with the grade back to trading at -$14 per barrel to the prompt WTI futures contract, the same level it dipped to a month ago. Market Movers - UK-based energy major Shell (LON:SHEL) is considering selling some of its chemical assets in Europe and the United States, including the Deer Park chemical plant next to the refinery it sold in 2021 to Pemex. - UAEs national oil firm ADNOC merged its polyolefin assets with Austrian company OMV (VIE:OMV), which combined with its $13.4 billion Nova Chemicals acquisition will create a $60 billion petrochemical giant. - Eni-backed Norway-focused upstream firm Var Energi (FRA:J4V) has reported the first oil discovery in Norways Barents Sea this year, finding some 15-45 MMboe of oil with its Zagato exploration well. Tuesday, March 04, 2025 OPEC+ has been apprehensive ever since it started telegraphing its readiness to unwind production cuts, but the market now believes it will happen, prompting a slump in oil prices. So far, ICE Brent has shed $4 per barrel this week alone. Balancing on the edge of $70 per barrel, oil has remained immune to Trumps tariffs on Canada and Mexico, fearing the US-China trade war much more. US-China Trade War Escalates. Following President Trumps tariffs on Chinese consumer electronics, Beijing announced its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agriculture goods, slapping a 15% levy on U.S. imports of chicken, beef and cotton, 10% on beef and pork as well as adding 15 US firms to its Export Control List. Speculators Are Shorting Crude Futures (Again). Hedge funds and other money managers have increased their short positions on WTI Nymex crude futures by a whopping 20% week-over-week to some 133,000 contracts, all the while long positions have remained unchanged at 330,000 lots. Chinese LNG Demand Cools Down. Chinas LNG demand dipped to its lowest since February 2020 as February arrivals totalled only 4.5 million tonnes amidst warm weather, high stocks and weak manufacturing growth, making Japan the worlds largest LNG importer for the second time in a row. Johan Castberg Gets Delayed Again. Europes largest upstream project that is still yet to be launched, Equinors (NYSE:EQNR) 220,000 b/d Johan Castberg field located in the Barents Sea, has been delayed once again due to bad weather, initially expected to come online in December 2024. Mexicos Oil Industry Is Bleeding Money. Mexicos national oil company Pemex reported a $9.1 billion Q4 2024 loss, a stark contrast to net profits posted a year ago amidst declining production, ending last year with $97.6 billion in financial debt and another $24.2 billion owed to service providers. Kazakhstan Breaches OPEC+ Compliance. Buoyed by booming production from the Tengiz field, oil and condensate production in Kazakhstan soared to 2.12 million b/d last month, which would put crude-only output in the country some 350,000 b/d above its OPEC+ quota of 1.468 million b/d. Libya Prepares First Upstream Auction Since 2007. Masoud Suleman, the acting chairman of Libyas NOC, announced that the North African country plans its first exploration bidding round in more than 17 years, seeking to garner the $3 to $4 billion required to reach output of 1.6 million b/d. China Takes Over Ecuadors Main Field. The government of Ecuador has vowed to transfer the operation of its highest producing asset, the 75,000 b/d Sacha field, to a consortium led by Chinas Sinopec (SHA:600028) as Quito seeks to reverse production declines. Trade War Risks Depress Iron Ore. Heavily affected by the deteriorating U.S.-China trade war, iron ore futures have been declining for seven consecutive trading sessions with China's benchmark Dalian May contract dipping to 780 per metric tonne ($107/mt). India Wants Billions from Reliance. Indias Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has raised a demand of $2.81 billion vis-a-vis the countrys largest private energy firm Reliance Industries, citing gas migration to its offshore KG D6 block from the acreage run by state-controlled ONGC. Saudi Aramco Slashes Its 2025 Dividend. Saudi Arabias national oil company Saudi Aramco (TADAWUL::2222) announced that it expects to pay an annual dividend of $85.4 billion, a 30% decline year-over-year, a much bigger cut than the 12% dip in annual net profits last year. Chinese Copper Smelters Prioritize Market Share. Chinese copper production is set to rise by 5% in 2025 to 12.45 million tonnes, squeezing smelting margins to the lowest reading ever with processing fees currently being $20 per metric tonne negative, preferring to retain market share at the expense of profit. Iraq Rushes to Bring Kurdish Oil Back. Iraq failed to reach a comprehensive deal with international oil firms operating in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, agreeing on the initial volumes of 185,000 b/d but seeking to introduce a third-party consultant to oversee future transactions. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Concerns persist among Eastern European nations about the long-term presence of US troops and the reliability of US protection under Article 5 in the face of potential Russian aggression. While NATO allies are urged to increase their defense spending, the US stance on Ukraine's NATO membership remains firm, with no immediate path to accession. US officials have reaffirmed their commitment to NATO's mutual defense clause, Article 5, despite public speculation and calls for withdrawal. Weve been here before -- declaring NATO dead or dying. Recently, US Republican Senator Mike Lee posted on X, saying: Its time to leave NATO and the UN. Elon Musk, the worlds richest man and a close ally of US President Donald Trump, responded simply: I agree. While officials in Brussels and elsewhere note that Musk often shares political opinions on his platform, X, without necessarily shaping US policy, some observers acknowledge his access to Trump and his informal influence in certain conservative circles in Washington, D.C. Still, NATO officials at their Brussels headquarters have remained surprisingly calm so far. Their answer to whether the alliances demise is imminent is still a resounding No for two reasons: the gap between rhetoric and action; and the difference between NATO allies and NATO aspirants notably Ukraine. US Wants Greater Defense Spending Take the first reason. As recently as last week, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to NATOs mutual defense clause, Article 5, in remarks alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. That stance was reiterated multiple times -- both publicly and privately -- by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels in February. While he firmly insisted that European allies must significantly increase their defense spending, everyone I spoke to described the discussions as constructive. He never left the room, listened, asked questions, and took notes -- not the behavior of an ally about to quit, one NATO ambassador told me. And in that vein, NATO diplomats continue to navigate the constant speculation. We need to decipher what it all means, said one senior official. But weve also learned that we should ignore the noise and look at actions. Its a sort of strategic patience we must practice. Ukraine's Uncertain NATO Path Ukraine, however, is a different matter. The Ukraine track has changed, but not the NATO track. Theyve been pretty tough on Ukraine but remain committed to NATO, one alliance ambassador observed. The shift in tone toward Volodymyr Zelenskyy is one clear example, but Britains new role in coordinating arms deliveries to Ukraine is another indicator. Its also evident that Ukraine wont be joining NATO anytime soon -- though, in truth, it was the Biden administration that blocked Kyivs membership at recent NATO summits, much to the quiet relief of some Western European countries. The new US administration is just more blunt about it. What countries on NATOs eastern flank are now asking is whether American troops will remain stationed there. For now, the answer is yes, though many acknowledge concerns about an impending review of US troop levels in Europe. But if these countries are attacked by Russia, will US forces come to their aid? The prevailing belief is that they will. but Article 5 of the NATO treaty depends on both allies and adversaries believing it will hold. As one Eastern European official put it: Its like Schroedingers cat -- it exists in both states, alive and dead, until the box is opened. In NATOs case, until Article 5 is actually tested, we wont really know. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com BP is looking to raise the number of its board members and hire two more directors as part of its strategy to boost oil and gas production and shareholder returns, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the plans. Last week, BP said that it is increasing its investment in upstream oil and gas to $10 billion per year while slashing spending on clean energy by more than $5 billion a year in the highly anticipated strategy reset. BPs chair Helge Lund now looks to respond to investor pressure, especially from activist investor Elliott Management, to strengthen the board. The UK-based supermajor is considering raising the number of board members to 13 from 11. One of the new directors would be in charge of oil and gas while the other will head the companys remuneration committee, according to FTs sources with knowledge of the internal discussions. It wasnt immediately clear whether BP has consulted on possible new hires with Elliott Management, which has demanded changes in strategy or even board reshuffles. Its not clear how far ahead BP is in a recruitment process in the search for two more directors, FT notes. BPs reset announced last week will see the supermajor reallocating capital expenditure to higher-growth businesses. This means increasing oil and gas investment to about $10 billion per year and slashing transition investment to around $1.5 billion$2 billion a year, which is over $5 billion per year lower than the previous guidance. In the upstream, BP will aim for 10 new major projects to start up by the end of 2027, and a further 810 projects by the end of 2030. Production is also expected to grow, to 2.32.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) in 2030, with capacity to increase to 2035. Thats a stark departure from the previous strategy to lower oil and gas output by 2030. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com State-controlled China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) is set to launch a refinery and petrochemicals complex later this year, following a $2.74-billion upgrade, Reuters reported on Tuesday, quoting industry sources. The upgraded joint venture complex on the Daxie Island in Ningbo will feature a 120,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) crude unit, which could raise CNOOCs demand to import crude later this year. With the new unit, the crude processing capacity at the facility will jump by 50% to 240,000 bpd. CNOOCs overall crude processing capacity is expected to increase to about 1 million bpd with the launch of the upgraded refinery and petrochemicals complex on Daxie Island, the sources told Reuters. The complex is set to launch operations at some point in the middle of this year, according to Reuterss sources. It will also have a catalytic cracker, a hydrocracker, a continuous reformer, and two polypropylene units, each with a capacity of 450,000 tons per year, according to a recent procurement tender document from CNOOC that Reuters has seen. CNOOCs core business is oil and gas exploration and production, but the state firm looks to expand its downstream operations, too. Last month, Shell Petrochemicals Company Limited (CSPC), a joint venture between Shell and CNOOC Petrochemicals Investment Ltd, took the final investment decision to expand its petrochemical complex in Daya Bay, Huizhou, in southern China. The expansion will include a third ethylene cracker with a planned capacity of 1.6 million tons per year of ethylene, a key building block to make plastics, and associated downstream derivatives units producing chemicals including linear alpha olefins. CSPCs investment, which Shell did not quantify in its press release, also includes a new facility that will produce 320,000 tons per year of high-performance specialty chemicals, such as polycarbonates and carbonate solvents, critical for everyday life. The expanded complex will primarily aim to meet domestic demand in China, with the expansion expected to be completed in 2028. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Austrias OMV and Abu Dhabis ADNOC have struck a deal to combine their polyolefins business, creating a $60-billion major in the space, ADNOC said in a statement. The new company will be the fourth-largest polyolefins producer. Leveraging its premium product portfolio and global sales and production footprint, Borouge Group International will be headquartered in Vienna with regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi and listed on the ADX, ADNOC said. The new company will also acquire Nova Chemicals for $13.4 billion to immediately boost its position in the chemicals and plastics market, the Austrian partner in the pair said in its press release on the news. Nova Chemicals is a subsidiary of Abu Dhabis infrastructure giant Mubadala. The acquisition of Nova Chemicals, a North American-based polyolefin producer and a leader in advanced packaging solutions and proprietary technologies, will further strengthen Borouge Group Internationals presence across the Americas and increase its exposure to advantaged feedstock, OMV said. Petrochemicals and plastics are widely seen as the biggest driver of global oil demand over the long term, on the basis that energy transition efforts would undermine demand for transport fuels, which is currently the biggest driver of demand for crude. Energy trading major Vitol became the latest to point to petrochemicals as the main source of oil demand in its first long-term oil demand outlook. The companys analysts expect petrochemicals demand to add some 6 million barrels daily by 2040 when it would come to account for 20% of all crude oil consumed globally. Meanwhile, gasoline demand is seen declining by 4.5 million barrels daily over the next 15 years. Liquefied petroleum gas demand was also set for growth over the next decade and a half, Vitol said. Thanks to demand for petrochemicals, crude oil demand was set to expand to 110 million barrels daily by 2030 and only begin to decline in the middle of the next decade. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to help mediate talks between the Trump Administration and Iran on issues including the Islamic Republics nuclear program and its support for proxies in the Middle East, anonymous sources in Moscow with knowledge of the development told Bloomberg on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump raised the American request for assistance during the telephone call with Putin last month, according to Bloombergs sources. The issue with Russia brokering negotiations with Iran was also raised during the U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia several days later, the sources said. In his first two weeks in office, President Trump restored the maximum pressure campaign on Iran, to deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon, and countering Irans malign influence abroad. President Trump will not tolerate Iran possessing a nuclear weapons capability, nor will he stand for their sustained sponsorship of terrorism, especially against U.S. interests, the White House said in early February. The pressure campaign on Iran aims to drive its oil exports to zero. Last week, the U.S. Administration imposed additional sanctions on the Iranian shadow fleet, designating more than 30 people and vessels for selling and transporting Iranian petroleum-related products. Despite the order for stricter enforcement of sanctions, President Trump has signaled a willingness to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran. I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement, which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper. We should start working on it immediately, President Trump posted on social media platform Truth Social, a day after restoring the maximum pressure campaign on Iran. Commenting on the possibility that Russia could mediate or help broker possible U.S. and Iran negotiations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to questions sent by Bloomberg that Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations and that Russia is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The global trade wars intensified on Tuesday as the U.S. tariffs on Canada and Mexico took effect and China was slapped an additional 10% levy, prompting retaliatory tariffs and sending equity markets and oil prices lower. Oil prices were down by 1% in Asian trading early on Tuesday, as markets fear economic slowdown from the tariffs and as OPEC+ confirmed it would begin to gradually return supply to the market, with the first hike of 138,000 barrels per day (bpd) in April. The 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico goods, with Canadian energy taxed with 10%, came into effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on Tuesday and were met with immediate retaliatory levies from Canada and China. China said on Tuesday it would impose additional tariffs of up to 15% on some U.S. goods, mostly U.S. agricultural products including corn and soybeans, from March 10. Beijing will also restrict exports to 15 U.S. companies. Canada also announced retaliatory tariffs, with 25% on US$107 billion (CAD$155 billion) of American goods starting with tariffs on US$20.8 billion (CAD$30 billion) worth of goods immediately, and tariffs on the remaining US$86.6 billion (CAD$125 billion) on American products in 21 days time, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. Our tariffs will remain in place until the U.S. trade action is withdrawn, and should U.S. tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures, Trudeau added. Because of the tariffs imposed by the U.S., Americans will pay more for groceries, gas, and cars, and potentially lose thousands of jobs. Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship. They will violate the very trade agreement that was negotiated by President Trump in his last term, the Canadian Prime Minister noted. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Monday he would direct the removal of American alcohol from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario shelves and is ripping up a $100-million deal with Elon Musks SpaceX for Starlink internet. Ford went further on to say that If they [U.S.] want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything, including cut off their energy with a smile on my face. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The U.S. Treasury just gave Chevron Corp. a short 30-day eviction notice from Venezuela, cutting off its ability to pump and sell crude from the sanctioned country. The decision, following Trumps vow to reverse Bidens oil concessions to Nicolas Maduro and the cancellation of a sanction waiver just days ago, is a seismic shift that could slam both Venezuelas already fragile economy and U.S. refiners relying on its heavy crude. The standard wind-down period is 6 months, according to Bloomberg. For Chevron, this is a hard stop after years of carefully maneuvering U.S. sanctions. The oil giant was responsible for about 20% of Venezuelas total production, providing a rare source of economic stability and desperately needed hard currency. That revenueestimated at $6 billionwas one of the few things keeping the country from total collapse. The Biden administration had allowed Chevron to ship 240,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan crude to U.S. refineries, a lifeline for Gulf Coast refiners designed to handle heavier crude grades. But Trumps crackdown means those barrels are off the table come April 3. Markets reacted immediatelyChevron shares fell 1.3%, while WTI crude slipped to $67.36 and Brent dropped to $70.24 as traders recalibrated expectations. Florida Republicans have long argued that any U.S. dealings with Venezuela only prop up Maduros regime, calling for tougher measures. Trump echoed that sentiment, posting on social media that he was reversing the concessions Crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolas Maduro. Secretary of State Marco Rubio piled on, vowing to terminate all Biden-era oil and gas licenses that have shamefully bankrolled the illegitimate Maduro regime. Venezuela, unsurprisingly, is calling the move harmful and predicting it will cause damage to the U.S., its people, and its companies. Meanwhile, with Chevron gone, Venezuela may revert to shadowy oil deals with Iran and Chinaa return to the ghost tanker days of lost revenue and sanctions evasion. The bigger question? Where will U.S. refiners turn for heavy crude nowand at what price? By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com With World War II raging in Europe and the Pacific, Robert Boyds widowed mother wasnt too keen on letting her 17-year-old son join the Marines. He had quit high school for a union job to support his mother and younger brother. But it was spring 1944, and Boyd longed to test his mettle like a lot of the older fellows he knew. He thought the Marine Corps was the best place to do that. I wanted to go into combat and see what it was like, see if I could handle it, said Boyd, now 98 and living in Bellevue with his daughter, Rebecca. I had a helluva time convincing my mother. She finally relented. Thats how Bob Boyd came to be crouched in a Higgins boat on the morning of Feb. 19, 1945, salt spray in his face, chugging along toward a flyspeck island called Iwo Jima. He didnt know he was headed into what would become the most storied battle in Marine Corps history, a 36-day meat-grinder that would kill more than 6,800 U.S. troops (most of them Marines) and wound more than 19,000. All but about 200 of the 21,000 Japanese defenders died, too. Boyds own stay on Iwo Jima was short, thanks to a piece of shrapnel from a Japanese artillery shell. But the memories from that beach broken bodies, broken machines have stuck with him for the past 80 years. People outside the Marine Corps dont realize how intense that battle was, he said. The Marine Corps calls Boyd spent his early years in Fargo, North Dakota, where his father, Robert Sr., worked as a printer. But his dad died in 1937, when Boyd was 10, from lung disease the lingering effect of being gassed while fighting on the front lines in France during World War I. Though she had completed two years of college, Boyds mother, Elizabeth, couldnt find a job during the depths of the Great Depression. The War Department didnt recognize that (my father) was a victim of World War I, Boyd said. Mother didnt get a pension for four years. So she moved with Robert Jr. and his younger brother, Donald, age 6, to St. Paul, Minnesota, to live with her parents there. In 1941, the federal government finally came through with a pension for Elizabeth Boyd and a job with the U.S. Census Bureau. That meant moving the family again, this time to Washington, D.C. A high school student by day, Boyd worked nights as a journeyman press operator at the Washington Post. That exhausting double life became too much, so he dropped out of school at age 16 to work full time. He made $48 a week. That was big money in 1944, he said. But the war continued overseas, and Boyd fell in love with the idea of joining the Marines. He pestered his mother for months before she signed his enlistment papers. He was sworn in on March 15, 1944, five months before his 18th birthday. He survived the Marines legendarily tough boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, and was sent to intelligence school at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In November 1944, he reached Camp Maui, Hawaii, and the 4th Infantry Division, which was fresh off the conquest of Tinian and Saipan in the western Pacific. He was assigned as a replacement in the headquarters company of the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment. If I stayed put, I was going to get killed The assignment earned Boyd his spot in that landing craft three months later, part of the second wave to storm the Iwo Jima shoreline at 9:08 a.m. on Feb. 19 just 10 minutes after the first group. Boyd said he was actually supposed to go a bit later. But he volunteered to trade places with another Marine named Adams, who had a wife and children in North Carolina. Both presumed the earlier landing would be more dangerous, and Boyd, 18 and single, was willing to take what he thought was the greater risk. It didnt work out that way. Adams went out in the third wave and was killed right on the beach, he said. Boyds boat landed on Blue Beach No. 1, near the east end of the invasion beach opposite the soon-to-be-famous Mount Suribachi, which cast a shadow over the west end. We drove right up on the shore. I was in the front, he said right behind the door that was lowered to let the Marines out and face the full force of the enemys fire. I wanted to get the hell out of there, so I went over the side. On the sloping beach, Boyd sank deeply into Iwo Jimas black volcanic sand. I went up almost to my knees, he said. I tried to get through and get moving. I knew if I stayed put, I was going to get killed. Boyds assignment was to take out an enemy machine-gun nest which he did and then set up communications gear at an observation post that was being set up a few hundred yards inland. It would be critical for radio communications to company and regimental command posts. About 10 a.m., less than an hour after Boyd hit the beach, a Japanese artillery shell struck the observation post. Two radio operators were killed instantly, and a lieutenant lost his arm. A piece of shrapnel no larger than his fingertip struck Boyd in his left knee. It was like I got hit with a hammer, he recalled. One of the guys said, Theres your Purple Heart. He also earned a Bronze Star, with a V device for valor. Boyd and the wounded lieutenant managed to help each other back to the landing beach. They were triaged and sent to different hospital ships. He stuck around Iwo Jima long enough to see the flag flying atop Mount Suribachi four days later. The sight stirred the Marines in the battle, just as Joe Rosenthals famous photo of the flag-raising stirred the home front when it appeared in newspapers across the country a few days later. I think every ship played every horn they had, Boyd said. You couldnt help but be aware of it. You were lucky to get out of there Boyds slow trip back to the U.S. included stops at Guam, Hawaii and San Francisco. There he was taken directly to a train for a cross-country trip to the naval hospital at Charleston, South Carolina where, to his shock, his mother, brother, aunt and uncle were waiting for him. He spent most of the next year in the hospital and in rehab facilities. He ran into several Marines he knew who had endured Iwo Jima. They said, You were lucky to get out of there, he recalled. In January 1946, Boyd returned to duty as a motorcycle security guard at Camp Lejeune. That proved to be more dangerous than he would have guessed. A few months later, a Marine driving a truck turned in front of him while he was patrolling deliberately, he would later learn. His right leg was shattered, which set him off on another round of hospitalization and rehabilitation. He recovered and was medically retired as a corporal in January 1947, with partial disability benefits from the Veterans Administration. Boyd returned to his old job at the Washington Post. But some of his co-workers encouraged him to use his educational benefits and go to college. George Washington University accepted him even though he lacked a high school diploma, after he aced an IQ test. Over the next four years, he earned a degree in history and English, dividing his time between George Washington and Luther College in Iowa, which his mother had also attended. At Luther, Boyd met and fell in love with Margaret Evenson, a fellow student. They were married and raised two daughters, Rebecca and Ruth. The good guys won He spent three years in graduate studies at the University of Iowa, but a curmudgeonly professor rejected his dissertation. I spent three years, and I didnt get a degree, Boyd said, a slight that still stings seven decades later. But he did get a teaching position at Hastings College in Nebraska. He left after six years when his request for a raise was turned down and took a job as a historian at Stewart Air Force Base in upstate New York. In 1963, Boyd moved his family one last time to Omaha, where he took a job as a staff historian for the Strategic Air Command at nearby Offutt Air Force Base. He retired there in 1989 but continued to teach night classes at the University of Nebraska at Omaha for 10 more years. For years, he and a group of Omaha veterans met monthly for lunch. What they all had in common: surviving the crucible at Iwo Jima. When you realize how many were killed almost 7,000! thats why we call ourselves survivors, Boyd told The World-Herald in 2015, when the group met on the 70th anniversary of the battle. Three survivors drank a toast at the groups last luncheon a year and a half later. Boyd is believed to be the last of the group Iwo Jima veterans still living, since the death of Duane Tunnyhill in January. Eighty years after the battle, his pride in having served is undiminished. Im very proud to be a Marine. We never flinched; we got the job done, Boyd said. The good guys won. I helped. The Georgia army base known since 2023 as Fort Moore is reverting to its former name, Fort Benning this time, in honor of a Nebraska hero of World War I instead of a Confederate general who took up arms against the United States. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo declaring that Fort Moore would be named Army Cpl. Fred Benning, originally from Norfolk, Nebraska. Benning was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross the nations second-highest award for valor for his actions in combat. CPL Benning was the living embodiment of the Infantrymans Creed, as he never failed his countrys trust and fought to the objective to triumph for his unit and his country, Hegseth said in a memo announcing the change. The move reflects an ongoing effort by the Pentagon to overturn the Biden administrations 2023 decision to remove names that honored Confederate leaders, including for nine Army bases. The drive to revert to the former names means finding service members with the same name as the Confederate leaders. Thats how Hegseth came to tap Benning, who was born Jan. 12, 1900, in Norfolk and enlisted in the Army in April 1917, according to a Norfolk Daily News obituary posted on the genealogy website Findagrave.com. He was assigned to a machine-gun company of the 1st Infantry Divisions 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment and served in France during World War I. Bennings unit took part in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, a six-week Allied attack that preceded the armistice that ended the war. On Oct. 9, 1918, he took command of 20 survivors from his company after his platoon commander and two sergeants were killed in action. Benning courageously led them through heavy fire to their assigned objective, according to his award citation. After the war, Benning returned to Norfolk. He and his wife, Florence, moved to Neligh in the mid-1920s and operated a bakery there until his retirement in 1965, according to the obituary. Benning served as Nelighs mayor in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and was a commander of the American Legion Post. He died in May 1974. Fort Benning was established in 1918 near Columbus, Georgia. It was named for Henry Lewis Benning, a Columbus native. In the pre-Civil War South, he was a lawyer, judge and politician who opposed the emancipation of African American slaves. He argued vociferously for Southern secession after the election of President Abraham Lincoln, an Illinois Republican who opposed the expansion of slavery. In 1861, he raised, and then commanded, a Georgia infantry regiment that fought at major battles including Second Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg and Chattanooga. Benning, a brigadier general, and his troops surrendered along with Gen. Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, in April 1865. He died 10 years later. The Black Lives Matter protests that followed the 2020 killing of George Floyd prompted the Pentagon to rename military facilities carrying the names of former Confederates who had fought against the United States. Benning was renamed for Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia. Lt. Gen. Moore earned the Distinguished Service Cross for valor and fought in the Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War actions immortalized in the book, We Were Soldiers Once, and Young, and in a subsequent movie. Julia Moore was instrumental in the creation of teams that carry out in-person notifications of military casualties. Hegseth last month signed an order restoring the name of a North Carolina base, Fort Liberty, back to Fort Bragg, and warned that more changes were coming. It was originally named for a slave-owning Confederate general who lost several key Civil War battles. Now it is named for Pfc. Roland Bragg, who earned a Silver Star during the World War II Battle of the Bulge. Hegseth said the original Bragg name is a legacy for troops who lived and served there and that it was a shame to change it. And he said he deliberately referred to Bragg and Fort Benning by those names as he entered the Pentagon on his first day in office. Theres a reason I said Bragg and Benning when I walked into the Pentagon on day one. But its not just Bragg and Benning, he said. There are a lot of other service members that have connections. And were going to do our best to restore it. In his memo, Hegseth further directed the Army to find a way to honor the Moores in a manner that celebrates their significant contributions to the local community and the Army. The Defense Departments Naming Commission in 2022 estimated the cost of renaming Fort Benning to be at least $4.9 million and the cost to rename Bragg around $8 million. Costs of the latest name changes were not available. The Pentagon has recently named several military platforms for Nebraska war heroes. Last April, the Army announced it was naming a new combat vehicle for Pvt. Robert Booker of Callaway, Nebraska, who died in combat in North Africa in 1943 and was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for heroism. One current Navy ship, the USS Miguel Keith, and a future ship, the USS Bob Kerrey, have been (or will be) named for Medal of Honor recipients who served during the Vietnam War. Kerrey also served as Nebraskas governor and represented the state in the U.S. Senate. This report includes information from the Associated Press. This legislative session, rural living in Oregon is under siege from land preservation and environmental advocates pushing for a series of bills that threaten the right to live, work, and thrive in rural Oregon. While those who support these bills claim they are intended to close loopholes in our planning system, these bills stand as shocking and direct threats to our rural communities and private property rights. While the advocates for these bills will say they are to preserve farmland, the reality is that almost ALL land outside of Oregon cities (97%) is farm or forestland. As such, these bills are attacks on rural living in general. BILLS TO OPPOSE SB 79: Limiting Most New Homes Outside of Town SB 79 would prohibit a county from approving a permit on land that is zoned for farm or forest use that is in high-wildfire areas, groundwater restricted areas, land with wildlife habitat, land that is a wildlife corridor, and land designated as high-value farmland. The bill makes limited exceptions for farmworker housing and other houses used specifically by farmers and foresters. Given the broad scope of this bill, almost all areas outside of the urban growth boundary will be off-limits for new housing. It is also unclear whether property owners would be able to replace existing homes that are lost to fire or other disaster. SB 78: Increasing Restrictions on Replacement Dwellings SB 78 targets the replacement dwellings provision in Oregons land use laws, which was designed to help homeowners replace homes lost to fire, flooding, or decay. Despite this process already being so challenging for property owners, this bill seeks to only add more limitations on dwellings when they are rebuilt under this process. As drafted, the bill says that a County may not approve the replacement of a home unless the county ensures that the home will not: (i) Exceed the floor area of the dwelling being replaced by more than 10 percent; or (ii) Have a floor area greater than 2,500 square feet. What good does this bill do to actually help people or get people back on their feet? How does this bill improve the process? We have no idea why the advocates want this bill, other than their unending thirst for control over other peoples property. SB 77: Tightening the Screws on Small At-Home Businesses SB 77 addresses the home occupations provision, which has allowed small businesses to operate on land designated for agriculture and timber production. This bill aims to clarify the definition of home occupations by limiting what types of businesses can be home occupations, limit how those businesses can advertise their services, and how many customers they can serve. SB 73: Preventing the Least Farmable Land in Oregon from Being Rezoned to Any Other Use SB 73 seeks to end case-by-case rezoning of non-resource land for residential or industrial development. While complicated and technical, the consequences for this bill are simple if you own rural land that is so unfarmable that even the state doesnt call it farmland, you can never change the zoning of it to allow for non-farm uses, even though no one believes it is farmland. For example, if you owned property in say, Central Oregon, and your land has no water, extremely poor soil, or any other factor that makes the land unproductive for farming, you couldnt change the zoning to turn it into any higher or better use. Its a high-bar to find any property in Oregon that is so absolutely bad that even LCDC is ashamed to call it farmland, but a little of it exists. This bill would eliminate the ability of an owner of this kind of land from fixing an obvious zoning mistake. It has to just sit there as open space, and the property owner isnt able to earn a living or develop the land to support themselves. How to Engage: All of these bills are committee bills dropped by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Wildfire and Natural Resources. Accordingly, that committee is where these bills will begin and get their first hearing. You can express your concerns to the committee about these bills by clicking their names here, and sending them an email or calling their office: CONTACT COMMITTEE. Remember, if you contact a legislator be respectful! If you name-call or use profanity, they will disregard your email or call and wont take the issue seriously. BILLS TO SUPPORT HB 3133: Supporting Farmers (not just farmland) & Local Food Systems Oregon is not losing farmland; we are losing farmers. Since the last Ag Census, we have lost over 2,000 family farms. This is because farmers are going out of business, not because people are living and building houses in rural areas. One of OPOAs priorities for the session is to support farmers and their ability to use their land to earn a living. HB 3133 removes restrictions on the income they can earn through their farmstands, among other barriers in land use law that prevents farmers from diversifying their income streams and supporting themselves. SB 464: Making it Easier to Replace Homes Lost to Fires and Other Disasters Contrary to the land preservationists, we think the Legislature should make it easier on people to replace their homes after they are lost to a fire. This bill would create an alternative process to replace a home that is greatly simplified from the existing process, eliminate a trip-wire that has caused significant hardship for property owners, and limits the chance that any of these approvals are appealed. The goal of the bill is simple: if you are putting a house basically back to where it was before, theres no reason to have to go through the bureaucratic nightmare we have now. To be clear, there are limitations with this new process that had to be included for this bill to stand a chance. We dont love those concessions, but if passed, this bill would significantly expedite the process to get a replacement dwelling permit. Theres no reason to kick people when theyre down. Were going to fix that if we can. By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com There is an amendment move on HB 2200 to use the massive state Public Employee Retirement System ($28 billion in debt) as a political boycott weapon. The effort is block any pension investment in companies that political environmentalist do not approve of such as oil and natural gas companies. Injecting politics into government investments designed to protect our pension system can open up the State Treasurer to legal liability. So there is a move to pass a law giving our State Treasurer more power to make our investments more riskier when investments decisions are made by politics instead of highest return. By a somewhat similar measure, environmental ESG investment funds, by some have been shown to under-perform the non-ESG funds by as much as 5%. This would make the already unsustainable $28 billion deficit taxpayers are on the hook for government pensions in Oregon. PERS needs to be saved and not politicized or weaponized. Coming to the rescue is Oregon State Representative Ed Diehl who has a bill to protect our state pensions. This PERS protect bill is HB 2571. HB 2571 reads, The Act makes rules for people who care for public pension benefit plans. Establishes standards for fiduciary of pension benefit plan offered by public body. Limits factors that may be considered in investment of assets of plan. Was this helpful? If so, Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty). By Oregon State Represenative Ed Deihl, The base bill is bad enough, but this gut-and-stuff amendment to HB2200 is worse (note the amendment is not yet published on OLIS, but is shown below.) The Oregon State Treasurer aims to decarbonize PERS at the expense of its financial health. The amendment fundamentally conflicts with the funds pecuniary (monetary) duty to its beneficiaries. The biggest red flag? The bill explicitly shields the Treasurer and the Oregon Investment Council from any liability for the inevitable financial consequences. If going green were truly in the best financial interest of pensioners and taxpayers, why would the Treasury need protection from lawsuits? If this were a sound investment strategy, there would be no need for legislative intervention or legal immunity. The reality is clear: This amendment politicizes pension fund management by prioritizing climate activism over fiduciary duty. Oregons public employees and taxpayers deserve better. PERS exists to secure retirement futures, not to bankroll an ideological agenda with uncertain, speculative returns. This amendment is not yet publicly posted, but plans are in motion to fast-track it with a hearing in the Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans Committee as soon as Thursday. Oregon taxpayers and retireesyou are on the hook if this fund underperforms. Now is the time to speak up and demand responsible stewardship of PERS! Reject HB 2200 and protect Oregons pension fund from reckless, politically motivated investment strategies. The bill says Whereas the urgency justifies taking every possible action in the fund portfolio to reduce investment risks associated with a rapidly changing climate. Supporters of this bill believe that if Oregon removes PERS carbon investments, we will reduce wildfire risk. Sorry, thats not at all how investments, forest management, or the environment work. It calls out that the transition to green investments must be fair, collaborative, and inclusive. Huh?! Oregons PERS is already under water, its not returning enough in investments to cover the payouts. Oregon taxpayers are already on the hook for billions, this will just make it worse. The time to speak out is now. A sound alternative: My colleagues and I have introduced another bill that would protect PERS from activist investing. HB2571, the Public Pension Protection Act, assures that the Treasury invests solely in the monetary interest of the fund. Democrat leadership wont give it a public hearing. They also denied a hearing during the 2023 session. An inconvenient truth about ESG investing By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com There are three nuclear power bills up for hearing on Wednesday March 5th in the Senate Energy and Environment Committee. SB 215 Repeals the requirement that there be a licensed repository for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste before a site certificate for a nuclear-fueled thermal power plant may be issued. Refers the Act to the people for their approval or rejection at the next regular general election. (authors Senator Smith DB, Representative Diehl) SB 216 Repeals the law that requires there to be a place for radioactive waste to be disposed of before a nuclear power plant may be sited in this state. Repeals the law that requires a proposed nuclear power plant first receive approval from the electors of this state. (authors Senator Smith DB, Representative Diehl) SB 635 Directs Oregon State University to conduct a feasibility study on nuclear energy generation in this state. (Sponsored by Senator BONHAM) There have been attention in the Oregon House over nuclear energy as well with HB 2410 and HB 2038. HB 2038 is a bill requiring the state to study nuclear energy possibilities. Hb 2410 is described by the Oregon House Republican Office, HB 2410 is a bipartisan bill that allows the Energy Facility Siting Council to issue a site certificate for a small modular reactor energy facility demonstration project in Umatilla County. The bill includes reporting requirements from the Department of Energy along with funding for the demonstration project. If successful, voters in Umatilla County will have the opportunity to approve the measure during the 2026 November general election.This legislation represents a crucial step toward ensuring Oregons energy independence, economic resilience, and environmental responsibility, said Rep. Bobby Levy (R-Echo), author of HB 2410 and vice-chair of the House Climate, Energy, and Environment Committee. Oregons rural communities, including those I represent, face significant challenges in securing reliable and affordable energy. As we continue to experience increasing demand, coupled with concerns over grid reliability, it is imperative that we explore diverse and sustainable sources of power, Rep. Levy concluded. HB 2410 Sponsored by Representative LEVY B, Senator SMITH DB; Representatives LEVY E, WRIGHT, Senators BONHAM,MEEK. Was this helpful? If so, Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty). " " A classic icon of Irish culture, Saint Patrick allegedly used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. Thoom / Shutterstock When we think about St. Patrick's Day, spiritual meaning isn't always the first thing to come to mind. We often celebrate with parades, green attire and festive gatherings but at its core, it is a deeply spiritual holiday revolving around faith and devotion. This day honors Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who played a vital role in bringing Christianity to the Emerald Isle and strengthening the Christian faith among the Irish people. Advertisement For those of Irish descent, St. Patrick's Day is more than a cultural celebration; it's a reflection of Irish heritage, Irish identity and spiritual devotion. The holiday has become a time for the Irish diaspora to reconnect with their roots and for people worldwide to reflect on the teachings of Jesus Christ, the influence of the Roman Catholic Church and the significance of faith in daily life. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The Out of Africa hypothesis. Human dispersal into East Eurasia: ancient genome insights and the need for research on physiological adaptations. Credit: Journal of Physiological Anthropology (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s40101-024-00382-3 University of Tokyo researchers have investigated the origin and dispersal scenarios of Homo sapiens into East Eurasia. The team examined how migration routes, genetic contributions from archaic humans, and environmental adaptations helped shape modern populations and found an improbable flaw in one origin idea. Origin and dispersal of Homo sapiens has been widely, though ever more narrowly, debated between two main competing modelsthe Multiregional Evolution model and the Out of Africa model. The Out of Africa model suggests that Homo sapiens originated in Africa and dispersed globally and remains the dominant scientific consensus over the past 30 years, primarily due to advances in genomic research. Multiregional Evolution models propose that modern humans evolved from archaic populations in multiple regions simultaneously. A major flaw in the Multiregional Evolution model is the improbability of identical mutations leading to brain expansion occurring independently in multiple populations worldwide. While Multiregional Evolution was previously considered in Western academia, it is currently most associated with Chinese anthropologists and archaeologists, who support the idea that modern East Asians evolved directly from local archaic humans, such as Peking Man (Homo erectus pekinensis), rather than from African Homo sapiens. This view is influenced in part by early fossil discoveries in China as well as more nationalistic interpretations of human origins. In the study, "Human dispersal into East Eurasia: ancient genome insights and the need for research on physiological adaptations," published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, researchers applied genomic analysis and archaeological assessments to evaluate migration patterns and physiological adaptations. Whole-genome sequencing of both modern and ancient human populations was used to determine dispersal routes into East Eurasia. Mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA from autosomes and sex chromosomes, and paleogenomic data from Neanderthals and Denisovans were analyzed. Researchers also examined physiological adaptations, including cold resistance, metabolic shifts, and light sensitivity, through genomic variants. Genomic evidence from large-scale projects, including the HapMap Project and 1000 Genomes Project, confirmed that modern non-African populations share a common ancestor who left Africa approximately 60,000 years ago. The study also confirmed that African populations possess the highest genetic variation, supporting an African origin for all modern humans. The study investigated two possible migration paths into East Eurasia. A northern route passing north of the Himalayas, and a southern route through the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia before reaching East Asia. Genetic studies, particularly from the Pan-Asian SNP Consortium, strongly support the southern route as the primary migration path for the ancestors of modern East Asians, including Han Chinese, Japanese (excluding Jomon ancestry), and many Southeast Asian populations. Genome analysis of the Jomon people, an ancient population of Japan, indicated that modern East Asians do not have significant northern route genetic contributions, whereas Native Americans and Northeast Asians do. The Northeast grouping includes Siberians, Mongolic populations, and some Indigenous groups in China, Korea, and Japan. 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. Introgression from Denisovans and Neanderthals played a significant role in physiological adaptations, including cold resistance, metabolism, and immune function. TBX15/WARS2 and UCP1 influenced thermogenesis, while Neanderthal DNA contributed to immune defenses, pigmentation, and circadian rhythm regulation. Cold adaptation from Denisovans in the TBX15/WARS2 gene is linked to thermogenesis and body fat distribution and can be found in high frequencies among East Asians and the Inuit. East Asians, whose ancestors endured Siberian winters, exhibit higher basal metabolic rates, potentially reducing their obesity risk compared to other populations. Denisovans also contributed the EPAS1 gene, which facilitates the Tibetan people's high-altitude adaptation. Neanderthal-introgressed genes in the OAS gene cluster strengthened antiviral immune responses. Pigmentation genes inherited from Neanderthals helped adjust to lower UV exposure in northern latitudes. Ancient genetic adaptations that once conferred survival advantages may now contribute to modern health issues, including obesity and type 2 diabetes risk. The thrifty gene hypothesis suggests that cold-adaptive genes promoting fat storage became disadvantageous in modern environments with abundant food availability. A gene inherited from Neanderthals, SLC16A11, has been associated with higher diabetes risk, particularly in Mexican and Latin American populations. Evidence confirms that modern East Asians descended primarily from southern route migrants, while Native Americans and Northeast Asians exhibit a mix of northern and southern ancestry, all with arrows that point to a shared African starting point. More information: Steven Abood et al, Human dispersal into East Eurasia: ancient genome insights and the need for research on physiological adaptations, Journal of Physiological Anthropology (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s40101-024-00382-3 2025 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Channel path. The path over which the turbulence data was collected from July 2023 to March 2024. The receiver is on the University of Ottawa campus, while the sender is on the Canadian National Research Council 5.4 km East-North-East. This configuration was chosen to minimize the background levels caused by the sunlight. Credit: Optics Express (2025). DOI: 10.1364/OE.546606 In the quest for ultra-secure, long-range quantum communication, two major challenges stand in the way: the unpredictable nature of atmospheric turbulence and the limitations of current optical wavefront correction techniques. Researchers at the University of Ottawa, under the supervision of Professor Ebrahim Karimi, the director of Nexus for Quantum Technologies, in collaboration with the National Research Council Canada (NRC) and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (Germany), have made significant advances in overcoming both obstacles. Their two latest breakthroughsan AI-powered turbulence forecasting tool called TAROQQO and a high-speed Adaptive Optics (AO) system for correcting turbulence in quantum channelsrepresent a turning point in developing free-space quantum networks. These advancements, published in Optics Express and Communication Physics, offer complementary solutions to the fundamental issue of atmospheric turbulence that distorts and diminishes photonic quantum states as they traverse through the air. While TAROQQO facilitates real-time turbulence forecasting to optimize experimental conditions, the fast adaptive optics system actively rectifies turbulence-induced errors, ensuring dependable, high-dimensional quantum communication even under adverse conditions. TAROQQO and AI-driven turbulence forecasting One key challenge in free-space quantum communicationparticularly in satellite-based and intra-city networksis the constant fluctuation of the atmosphere. This can unpredictably disrupt the quantum states of light used for secure communication. To address this, Ph.D. students Tareq Jaouni, Lukas Scarfe, and Dr. Francesco Di Colandrea developed TAROQQO, a turbulence prediction tool based on Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs). By employing real-time weather dataincluding humidity, solar radiation, temperature, pressure, and a turbulence parameter known as CnTAROQQO can accurately predict turbulence strength up to 12 hours in advance, offering a time resolution as precise as one minute. This enables researchers to anticipate atmospheric conditions and plan their quantum experiments at optimal times, thereby avoiding unnecessary losses and maximizing the efficiency of free-space quantum links. Beyond simple forecasting, TAROQQO also allows scientists to simulate the effects of turbulence on different quantum experiments, helping optimize quantum network deployment strategies. The complete TAROQQO software is now publicly available on GitHubTAROQQO, enabling the global scientific community to integrate turbulence forecasting into their own quantum research and communication networks. "By enhancing efficiency, cutting costs, and ensuring improved resource allocation, TAROQQO will serve as an invaluable tool for experimental physicists," stated Dr. Francesco Di Colandrea. While TAROQQO anticipates turbulence, a second breakthrough from the University of Ottawa team directly combats its effect on photonic quantum states in real-time. High-dimensional quantum communication with adaptive optics through a turbulent channel. Credit: Communications Physics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42005-025-01986-6 Fighting turbulence with speed and precision Even with turbulence forecasting, certain quantum communication scenariossuch as free-space links and satellite-based quantum channelsnecessitate immediate correction of optical distortions. To achieve this, the research team has successfully implemented a rapid and accurate adaptive optics system to restore the photons' quantum state in real-time. 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. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a cryptographic technique rooted in the principles of quantum mechanics, allowing two parties to securely generate a random encryption key while simultaneously detecting any potential eavesdropping. If an unauthorized entity attempts to intercept the transmission, the very act of measurement disturbs the quantum states, introducing noise and immediately revealing the presence of an intruder. When conducting high-dimensional QKD (encryption beyond 0 and 1) in free space, atmospheric turbulence introduces noise that reduces efficiency and, in extreme circumstances, renders the channel unsecure since any noise is assigned to eavesdroppers. The University of Ottawa researchers have now demonstrated that adaptive optics (AO) can correct these distortions in real time, restoring the channel's security and enabling high-dimensional quantum information transfer. AO works by using a custom deformable mirror that can change its shape up to 3000 times per second to compensate for fast turbulence effects before the measurement of quantum signals is performed. "In our controlled laboratory experiment, we simulated a turbulent free-space quantum channel to evaluate the effectiveness of our adaptive optics system. The results were striking," said Ph.D. student Lukas Scarfe. "Without adaptive optics, turbulence introduced errors that exceeded the security threshold, making quantum key distribution impossible. However, with adaptive optics enabled, we successfully restored the channel, performing high-dimensional QKD and encoding up to three bits per photonsignificantly boosting the key generation rate." These findings illustrate that adaptive optics presents a viable solution for practical quantum experiments and quantum networks, allowing secure communication even under extreme atmospheric conditions. The University of Ottawa's pioneering efforts in turbulence prediction (TAROQQO) and real-time turbulence correction (AO for QKD) provide complementary solutions that, when combined, pave the way for robust and scalable free-space quantum communication. Indeed, TAROQQO enables pre-emptive scheduling of quantum communication sessions to minimize disruptions, and Adaptive Optics actively corrects real-time turbulence distortions, ensuring reliable quantum key distribution. These breakthroughs are crucial for the next generation of ground-to-satellite, underwater and free-space quantum communications and the deployment of global-scale quantum networks. More information: Tareq Jaouni et al, Predicting atmospheric turbulence for secure quantum communications in free space, Optics Express (2025). DOI: 10.1364/OE.546606 Lukas Scarfe et al, Fast adaptive optics for high-dimensional quantum communications in turbulent channels, Communications Physics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42005-025-01986-6 Journal information: Communications Physics , Optics Express 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: Aerial view of Antarctic sea-ice edge in summer. Credit: Troy Henderson/AAD In the last few years, Antarctic sea ice has been behaving erratically. Sea ice cover has been much more variable than it used to be, with anomalies lasting much longer than previously documented. Most concerning for scientists is that sea ice cover has been remarkably low in recent years. A new study shows that the extreme lows are highly unlikely to have happened in the last century. A big problem for scientists trying to understand these events is the relatively short satellite record, which spans just the last 45 yearsnot long enough to capture longer-term climate variations. Now a team of U.S. and Australian scientists has used a novel statistical model to reconstruct the record of Antarctic sea-ice extent back to 1899. Their paper, "A 21st-century structural change in Antarctica's sea ice system," is published in Communications Earth & Environment. Lead author Professor Marilyn Raphael, of the University of California in Los Angeles, said the publication of their study coincides with the latest satellite data showing there is currently less total sea ice on the planet than ever previously recorded. "An important question for us is how recent extreme lows in Antarctic sea ice compare to sea-ice extent from before satellite records in the earlier part of the 20th century." "We present the first monthly reconstruction for Antarctic sea-ice extent by sector and in total for the entire 20th century, to put the observed changes into historical context," she said. Taking a Bayesian approach, the team applied advanced statistical techniques to reconstruct monthly sea-ice extents, based on monthly mean temperature and pressure records from a network of 30 weather stations across the Southern Hemisphere from 1905 to 2020. Historically, month-to-month Antarctic sea ice variations have been dominated by the atmospheric conditions, so these very reliable weather observations can give a real insight into what sea ice was like before regular satellite observations. A Bayesian approach, which underpins artificial intelligence systems, expresses what is known about unknown properties through the probability distributions that these properties can take. The big advantage of this approach is that it doesn't just provide a "best guess" of past sea-ice states, but also the probability of that best-guess estimate. This allows the researchers to calculate the probabilities of the present extremes of sea-ice extent occurring in the pre-satellite 20th century. The reconstructions show an overall higher sea-ice extent earlier in the 20th century with a relatively sharp decline in the 1970s, consistent with previous reconstructions based on ice core data, whaling locations, and climatological data. The probability of recent Antarctic sea-ice extremesnamely, three record lows within six yearsoccurring in the last century is less than 0.1%, a 1 in 1000 chance, or 999 times as likely not to happen as it is to happen. "Our analysis suggests that the past long-term behavior of Antarctic sea ice can no longer be relied upon to predict its future state," said Prof Raphael. 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. "We show that there has been a structural change in the sea ice system, manifested by increased persistence in the sea-ice extent anomalies and a strongly reduced tendency to return to the mean state." Co-author Dr. Will Hobbs, of the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership at the University of Tasmania, said the "structural change" means that extreme variability in sea-ice conditions may characterize the future state of Antarctic sea ice. "By extending this data back more than a century, we demonstrate that the recent strange behavior of Antarctic sea icewhich includes much greater variability and year-to-year memory, as well as extreme low coveris indeed highly unlikely over the whole 20th century and adds to growing evidence of a new physical regime," he said. More information: Marilyn N. Raphael et al, A twenty-first century structural change in Antarctica's sea ice system, Communications Earth & Environment (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-025-02107-5 Journal information: Communications Earth & Environment Provided by Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP) This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The study compared municipalities located less than 15 minutes from the border (dark green) with municipalities located 1530 minutes from the border (light green). Credit: American Political Science Review (2024). DOI: 10.1017/S0003055424001151 The success of right-wing, anti-immigration parties in Europe is often attributed to the fact that their policies are centered around the negative effects of immigration. According to this explanation, people mainly vote for these parties because they are worried that increasing levels of immigration will result in them losing their jobs, paying higher taxes or rents, or seeing their cultural identity threatened. A new study by researchers from ETH Zurich and Bocconi University in Milan, which was recently published in the journal American Political Science Review, tested out this theory in all Swiss municipalities and cities located less than 30 minutes' drive from the national border. It concentrated on the periods before and after 2004, when Switzerland fully opened its borders to EU citizens for the very first time following the introduction of the free movement of people. Natural experiment What sets the study apart from similar investigations is its sophisticated and quasi-experimental design: The researchers compared the voting behavior of people living in two regions that were affected by immigration to very different degrees: municipalities and cities close to the border (0 to 15 minutes' drive) and, as a control group, municipalities and cities located 15 to 30 minutes' drive from the border. Due in particular to the high number of cross-border commuters in the border region, the proportion of foreigners is much higher here than in the control group following the opening of the borders. With the introduction of the free movement of people, the vote share for anti-immigration partiessuch as the SVP, the Ticino League (Lega dei Ticinesi) and the Geneva Citizens' Movement (Mouvement citoyens genevois) in National Council elections has increased by a full six percentage points in border communities compared to municipalities located 15 to 30 minutes away from the border. To explain this drastic increase, the study authors investigated the negative consequences of the free movement of people that could explain the disparity in the election results of the two regions. "Since the border regions and communities further inland were shaped by similar political and economic conditions before the border opening in 2004, this setting provides an opportunity to disentangle the impact of increased immigration on the success of anti-immigration parties from alternative explanatory factors," explains Dominik Hangartner, ETH Professor of Public Policy and one of the study's authors. Economic and cultural concerns play no role To their surprise, however, the researchers found no evidence to suggest that the increase in the number of foreigners in border regions after 2004 had negative effects on the resident populationneither real nor perceived. Since the majority of EU foreigners were people from the border areas of neighboring countries who shared a common language and culture with the native population, the researchers reasoned that the popularity of anti-immigration parties is unlikely to be attributed to cultural concerns. Economic concerns also appear not to play a role: The study found no evidence that the influx of foreign workers has a negative impact on average wages or employment levels in communities close to the border. On the contrary, wages have even improved slightly. "Anti-immigration parties have won additional votes in border communities, despite the fact that people there are no worse off in the labor market as a result of the border opening," says Andreas Beerli, economist at the Swiss Economic Institute at ETH and one of the co-authors. Also, with regard to traffic congestionone of the most visible indicators of density stressthe researchers did not observe any systematic differences between border communities and municipalities and cities located 15 to 30 minutes from the border. As the traffic situation has worsened in both regions to a similar degree, this does not explain why anti-immigration parties are gaining more traction in border communities. These findings are further supported by representative surveys measuring the population's subjective perception both before and after the border opening. "The survey data provides no indication that Swiss people living in border regions are more worried about unemployment, increasing rent costs, terror attacks or the weakening of their traditions since the introduction of the free movement of people than those living in municipalities further from the border," says Beerli. 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. Density stress narrative catches on After the researchers had ruled out the most common explanations, they investigated the approach to political communication adopted by anti-immigration parties. What stood out was that, from 2004 onwards, the SVP in particular began using a new narrative around the term "density stress" in an effort to frame the negative effects of immigration. This narrative links immigration to overcrowded public transport services, congested roads, and urban sprawl. "The density stress narrative has caught on among broader sections of the population as it expresses an uneasiness around immigration without using terms with xenophobic connotations," explains ETH professor Hangartner. The researchers suspect that this kind of political communication has contributed to the success of anti-immigration parties in border communities. The study authors found several indications of this: first of all, they found that the density stress narrative has been particularly prominent in the media from 2004 onwards. Furthermore, using the example of Ticino, they showed that anti-immigration parties were particularly active in the border regions following the border openingmuch more active than in municipalities located 15 to 30 minutes from the border. For instance, parliamentarians from the SVP and the Ticino League who represent the border regions submitted significantly more anti-immigration motions in the cantonal parliament than their party colleagues from more distant municipalities. These initiatives often make explicit reference to the density stress narrative. Based on survey data, the authors also find that moderately politically interested citizens in the border regions were the most receptive to the arguments of anti-immigration parties. This aligns with established theories, as people with either a strong interest or no interest at all in politics are much harder to persuade. Together, these findings suggest that anti-immigration parties focused on border communities with their density stress rhetoric and that this narrative was effective at persuading voters who are neither highly interested nor completely disinterested in politics. "In border regions, anti-immigration parties not only respond to the population's problemsthey also arouse and fuel these fears through their rhetoric. They shape the public discourse and seem to benefit from the topic of immigration even when immigration has no measurable, negative effects for most people," explains Beerli. More information: Ala Alrababah et al, The Free Movement of People and the Success of Far-Right Parties: Evidence from Switzerland's Border Liberalization, American Political Science Review (2024). DOI: 10.1017/S0003055424001151 Journal information: American Political Science Review 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 After several years of disappointment, there was a sign Sunday that the Big Bear bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow may soon have a hatchling. The Friends of Big Bear Valley announced the discovery on Sunday afternoon: "Initial pip has been confirmed today at 15:09." (Except that line was all in capital letters.) It's a thrilling time for the conservation group, which operates the 24-hour webcam that shows the eagles' 145-foot-high nest in a Jeffrey pine overlooking Big Bear Lake. Fans who have been on pip watch are over the moon. Pipping is when a baby bird uses its beak to crack open its shell, and pip watch is the online vigil and hoopla surrounding that activity. "Tears of joy!!!" responded one on Facebook. "It's been a roller coaster of emotions the last couple years." "Oh please come out little one!!!!" wrote another. In 2023, Jackie and Shadow's eggs were eaten by ravens. And last winter also held heartbreak. The pair added a rare third egg to their clutch in late January, but the cold weather was severe. At one point, a storm kept Jackie on her nest for 62 hours straight, sometimes completely covered in snow. Low oxygen levels at high altitude are one of the reasons Friends of Big Bear Valley suspects Jackie's three eggs failed to hatch last year. Cold, snowy winters and rainy springs also dim young eaglets' chances of survival. Bald eagle eggs typically have a 50-50 chance of hatching, according to Sandy Steers, biologist and executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley. Once hatched, fewer than 50% of eaglets survive their first year, according to the American Eagle Foundation. But hope springs eternal, and the couple had a surprising three-egg clutch again this year. "Even when there's a pip, it's going to take at least a day sometimes longer for the chick to hatch," Steers told The Times during the 2024 pip watch. "With nature, we need to be patient. It can teach us to just breathe and enjoy the process instead of focusing on the result." On Sunday, around 10 p.m., more than 8,000 viewers were watching a sleeping bald eagle sit on its nest amid snow. The eagle awoke and shook out its feathers, fluffing the straw surrounding the trio of eggs as the camera zoomed in. Then the eagle resettled itself, rocking gently back and forth atop the eggs. 2025 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: Pictured: Water whirls. Solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations make it possible to predict the behavior of liquids under a variety of conditions, from the motion of the oceans, to the flow of blood in blood vessels, to the dynamics of quark-gluon plasma on subatomic scales Credit: Maciej ebek, Faculty of Physics, Warsaw University Although NavierStokes equations are the foundation of modern hydrodynamics, adapting them to quantum systems has so far been a major challenge. Researchers from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw, Maciej ebek, M.Sc. and Miosz Panfil, Ph.D., Prof., have shown that these equations can be generalized to quantum systems, specifically quantum liquids, in which the motion of particles is restricted to one dimension. This discovery opens up new avenues for research into transport in one-dimensional quantum systems. The resulting paper, published in Physical Review Letters, was awarded an Editors' Suggestion. Liquids are among the basic states of matter and play a key role in nature and technology. The equations of hydrodynamics, known as the NavierStokes equations, describe their motion and interactions with the environment. Solutions to these equations allow us to predict the behavior of fluids under various conditions, from the ocean currents and the blood flow in blood vessels, to the dynamics of quark-gluon plasma on subatomic scales. NavierStokes equations, formulated in the 19th century based on the principles of conservation of mass, momentum and energy, belong to classical physics. However, the motion of particles is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics, which raises the question of whether these equations can be derived from the principles of quantum physics. The relationship between hydrodynamics and the microscopic description of the movement of the particles forming a liquid is not only theoretical, but also of practical importance. NavierStokes equations contain certain quantities known as transport coefficients, which determine how quickly disturbances in the fluid dissipate, meaning how quickly the system returns to equilibrium. Their values cannot be deduced without knowledge of the microscopic interactions between the molecules. Deriving these equations from the microscopic laws makes it possible to determine the relationship of the transport coefficients to the interactions between the molecules. NavierStokes equations in quantum systems The application of the NavierStokes equations to quantum systems has so far been a major challenge. The University of Warsaw researchers, from the Faculty of Physics, have addressed this issue in the context of quantum liquids, in which the motion of particles is restricted to one dimension. Under specific conditions, such systems exhibit quantum integrability, i.e. the presence of multiple conservation laws. This feature has important consequencesit makes it possible to accurately describe the state of the fluid (using the wave function) and in the case of strong interactions between particles. "In combination with numerous conservation laws, this has allowed the formulation of equations describing the hydrodynamics of these systems, called generalized hydrodynamics. The generalized hydrodynamics equations are much more complex than the NavierStokes equations. Despite their complexity, they have been confirmed in experiments with ultracold quantum gases and were the starting point of our work," explains ebek, the first author of the paper. Another difference between NavierStokes equations and the generalized hydrodynamics equations is the range of applicability. NavierStokes equations hold for most liquids, whereas the generalized hydrodynamics equations apply only to integrable systems. "In our study, we have taken into account the influence of additional interactions between particles that break integrability. If they are sufficiently weak, the dynamics of the system can still be described by the generalized hydrodynamics equations, supplemented with an additional term describing non-integrable interactions. As a result, the equations take a structure reminiscent of the Boltzmann kinetic equation," explains Dr. Panfil. In their paper, the researchers showed that NavierStokes equations are derived from generalized hydrodynamics with an additional Boltzmann term, and derived formulae for transport coefficients such as viscosity and thermal conductivity. "Interestingly, the derived values of these coefficients have two contributionsone from integrable interactions and the other from interactions that break integrability. Classical kinetic theory for weakly interacting liquids predicts zero viscosity, which contradicts experimental results. Our method, on the other hand, provides a viscosity value different from zero, which is due to the subtle interplay between the two types of interactions," the researcher explains. Transport in quantum systems The researchers' results show that the ideas of hydrodynamics are also applicable in quantum conditions. They are an example of the microscopic derivation of transport coefficients in strongly interacting systems. They also have practical relevance for contemporary experiments on ultracold atoms conducted in laboratories around the world. The discovery opens up new possibilities for research on transport in one-dimensional quantum systems. In the future, the researchers plan to extend the theory to more complex systems and to experimentally test the model's predictions. More information: Maciej ebek et al, Navier-Stokes Equations for Nearly Integrable Quantum Gases, Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.010405 Journal information: Physical Review Letters This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service projects that by 2050, the total production of global agriculture will need to equal between 14,06015,410 trillion crop calories based on medium- and high-population growth scenarios. That estimate is a 47%61% increase from 2011 production. To achieve this mark, food systems across the world are adapting accordingly. One approach available to them includes the advancements made in crop breeding and genetics. Genetic engineering and gene editing integrate technologies allow for a quicker and more efficient breeding process to occur compared to conventional breeding. These tools are particularly helpful when looking to incorporate specific traits into crops that contribute to their prosperity, such as improved yields, heightened nutrition and enhanced disease and pest resistance. Genetic engineering refers to the broad action of altering an organism's DNA through the addition of new strands from other organisms, deletion of regions or restructuring of base pairs. Gene editing is the precise method of targeting a specific location within a gene to make a minor insertion, cut or edit in its sequence. Since being made available to consumers in the early 1990s, genetically engineered foods have continued to be thoroughly reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration and USDA to ensure safety for people, animals and the environment. However, Vincenzina Caputo, a Michigan State University professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics and Homer Nowlin Chair in Consumer and Food Economics, has confirmed through her research that there remains a level of distrust among consumers about foods developed with these technologies. She said this is partly due to how information is communicated when consumers look to buy. "If we want to achieve our sustainable goals and increase food production, we can't do that by just using traditional agricultural techniques," said Caputo. "The use of new agricultural and food technologies is the key to the future, but the way we communicate these technologies is important because how people perceive them is how they'll be affected and, ultimately, accepted or rejected." In 2020, two of Caputo's research projects began. The first explored ways food industries could educate people on genetically engineered foods such as genetically modified organismsnow referred to as "bioengineered foods" under the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standardto increase consumer acceptance. Her team learned that labels and other messaging on the packaging of bioengineered food are important to reduce confusion about the science and raise awareness about its benefits. "We found that if food industries communicate to consumers about how these technologies work and produce foods that are, for example, more nutritious or better for the environment, the acceptance among consumers increases," Caputo said. The second project analyzed which communication toolssuch as labels, text and QR codesinfluenced consumer behavior. Findings showed that consumers tend to not interact with QR codes. While consumers preferred gene-edited foods over bioengineered foods for not containing inserted genes from other organisms, they still favored foods labeled as "organic" or "non-GMO." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "What is technically feasible is not always accepted by the community, including both consumers and farmers, so the success of these technologies relies heavily on those two groups," Caputo said. "My team wants to understand what the negative perceptions they have are. Usually, food that has been genetically modified or gene-edited is perceived as unsafe or unnatural. "There are many scientists who believe that gene editing can overcome those negative perceptions because the way the technology works is different from how other genetic engineering technology works." Caputo and her team's research led to two national reports published by the FMI detailing consumers' acceptance and attitudes toward bioengineered and gene-edited foods. It also led to an article published in 2024 in Food Policy, a journal evaluating the economic and social aspects of food policy. David Fikes, executive director of the FMI Foundation, said industry leaders appreciate and have used Caputo's research to make decisions and create effective and meaningful ways of sharing information. "As consumers seek to know more about how their food is produced, packaged and delivered, it's imperative that the information food producers and retailers provide them is relevant, reliable, credible and accurate," Fikes said. "We at FMI have engaged with Dr. Caputo on numerous research projects to help us gauge consumer thinking so we can better know what their questions are, what sources they find credible and how best to craft responses that ring with authenticity and value. "As a partner who's gotten into the trenches with Dr. Caputo on many of these research projects, I can say that I implicitly trust her judgment, character and commitment to accuracy. I know FMI members value the trustworthiness of her research findings and use them to help shape their business decisions. The caliber of her character shines through the high quality of her work." Caputo is now building upon what she's discovered from these studies. A new project aims to further understand and boost consumers' trust in agri-food biotechnologies, as well as the food supply chain actors who play a role in their communication. From MSU, John Besley, the Ellis N. Brandt Professor of Public Relations in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, and Paul Thompson, professor emeritus in the departments of Philosophy, Community Sustainability and AFRE, join Caputo on the project. Valerie Kilders, a Purdue University assistant professor of agribusiness marketing, is also a collaborator. Addressing the negative perceptions consumers have regarding genetic engineering and gene editing can promote a greater acceptance for their use and prevent a more pervasive distrust for food systems overall, Caputo said. That's why she and her team are creating a means for the public to engage with and share thoughts on key players across food and agriculture sectors, specifically those involved with biotechnologies. Using a monitoring survey, the team is tracking consumers' trust in scientists, food retailers, food companies, policymakers, advocacy groups and farmers. Each edition of the survey will focus on one of these groups and include special topics for input. The data collected will be shared publicly through dashboards and other forums, allowing people to learn more about agri-food biotechnologies and stakeholders to develop communication strategies that could help cultivate an expanded trust among consumers. Additionally, food industry professionals will have opportunities to interact with other experts across the food supply chain using an online platform where they can answer questions and take part in conversations. "Communication should not only be upstream and downstream, but it should also be midstream between all the different actors involved in the food supply chainbetween farmers and retailers, retailers and policymakers, farmers and food companies, and so on," Caputo said. The first edition of the survey is scheduled to be released at the beginning of 2025. "As an applied food economist, it's important to see that the work my research team does is valued by both the industry and the government," Caputo said. "When these key sectors invest in our research, it not only validates our efforts but also amplifies the potential to drive meaningful change and innovation in food systems." More information: Vincenzina Caputo et al, The effect of the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) on consumer preferences and acceptance of bioengineered and gene-edited food, Food Policy (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102770 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: High-density lanternfish (Benthosema sp.) aggregation exhibits behavioral adaptations in stable suboxic conditions. Credit: PNAS Nexus (2025). https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf049 An exploratory expedition describes two deep-sea, low-oxygen ecosystems in the Red Sea, including some surprising fish. The findings are published in PNAS Nexus. Persistent oxygen-depleted zones in the ocean are relatively well studied in the temperate zone, but little is known about these unique ecosystems in the tropics. Shannon Klein and colleagues explored two subsurface oxygen-depleted zones in deep reaches of a Red Sea coral reef system with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and crewed deep-sea vehicles as part of the Red Sea Decade Expedition of 2022. Both sites are geomorphologically enclosed and characterized by warm temperatures (22C) and deep, oxygen-depleted conditions (<210.958 mol O 2 kg) beneath the reef's surface waters. ROV video footage from Amq Deep showing lace corals and fish in warm, low oxygen conditions. Credit: National Center for Wildlife (NCW), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia In the Amq Deep, reaching 619 meters below the surface, the authors found lace corals and at least three species of fish, including lightfish, soldierfish, and large aggregations of lanternfish. Lanternfish in the suboxic deep swim five times slower than lanternfish in oxygenated waters and may migrate upwards at night to reoxygenate and feed. In the 491-meter-deep Farasan Deep, near-anoxic conditions (<2 mol O 2 kg) were expected to preclude the presence of aerobically respiring organisms. However, the researchers were surprised to observe fish swimming along the surface of the sediment under these conditions. These fish are unidentified. According to the authors, the warm and saline environment of the Red Sea interacts with deep enclosed depressions to restrict vertical mixing, limiting oxygen resupply at depthand similar zones are likely to occur in abundance in other tropical coastal areas, perhaps with their own adapted fauna. ROV video footage from Amq Deep showing lace corals and fish in warm, low oxygen conditions. Credit: National Center for Wildlife (NCW), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia More information: Shannon G Klein et al. Deep oxygen-depleted depressions in a Red Sea coral reef sustain resistant ecosystems, PNAS Nexus (2025). academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/art 93/pnasnexus/pgaf049 Journal information: PNAS Nexus Provided by PNAS Nexus This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain Denver saw an increase in youth homelessness from 10% to 25% between 2017 and 2021, according to our study recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatrics. We are two physicians whose clinical work and research focuses on the social causes of health and disease. In particular, we've seen firsthand how housing instability influences health outcomes. Homelessness takes many forms, including living on the street or in a car, motel or shelter, or staying temporarily with friends or family. This last scenario is known as "doubling up." Our findings suggest that 1 in 4 Denver youth age 14 to 17 experienced some form of homelessness in 2021, and that the number of youth experiencing homelessness in Denver is many times greater than what traditional methods find. In our study, we used three data sources in what's known as a multiple systems estimation approach. This approach has been used to count other difficult-to-measure groups of people, including those with substance use disorders or COVID-19. Rarely has it been applied to homelessness. Our study relied on data from the public school system, Colorado child protective services and the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative. We combined these datasets to avoid overlap between individuals and counted unique youth present in the data. We then used statistical modeling techniques to estimate those who are "unknown"meaning not identified in the data. Together, these combined known counts and "unknown" estimates can give a more complete size of the total population. Among our findings, we noted that 75% to 83% of youth experiencing homelessness in Denver identified as Black/African American or Hispanic. Why it matters Homelessness is associated with myriad negative health outcomes. Among youth, the rate of death is 10 times higher for those experiencing homelessness compared with housed youth. To count people experiencing homelessness, states and homelessness service providers most often rely on point-in-time counts. In a point-in-time count, local service providers interview and record people experiencing homelessness on one night in January of each year. Typically, only people who are living on the streets or in shelters are counted. Point-in-time counts are crucial for policy decisions around homelessness because they help local, state and national organizations and governments allocate resources. However, point-in-time counts may miss people living in motels, doubling up, those who experience homelessness at other times of the year beyond January, and others. Consequently, many experts and researchers recognize that these counts give incomplete data. Young people are especially undercounted because they frequently experience homelessness as doubling up. For example, the national point-in-time count from 2019-2020 identified 106,364 school-age children experiencing homelessness in the United States. However, estimates from the public schools suggest the actual number was closer to 1.3 million. Service providers and governments need new methods to count those experiencing homelessness. From Denver to Washington D.C., they cannot appropriately make decisions or adequately fund evidence-based interventions using incomplete numbers. We believe our methods can be an important piece of the toolbox to improve estimates and better inform policy. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. What's next Even according to traditional point-in-time counts, homelessness continues to rise significantly across Colorado and nationally. Our results suggest many more youth, and likely persons from all walks of life, are experiencing homelessness than previously known. Our team is working to use this methodology at the state level in Colorado. We plan to expand our counts to include adults in order to improve estimates among racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people and other at-risk communities. At the same time, our results demonstrate that multiple systems estimation can be an important tool in Colorado and nationally. Our team is optimistic that other researchers, service providers and governments will begin to use this method in their localities. We hope that with a better understanding of the scope of homelessness, legislators and service providers can implement more effective policies to address this hidden crisis. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A monarch butterfly sips from a milkweed. Credit: Regina Baucom, University of Michigan An herbicide may "drift" from the agricultural fields where it's sprayed and harm weeds that grow at the edge of the fields, impacting pollinators. A University of Michigan study examined the effects of the herbicide, called dicamba, and found that plants exposed to dicamba drift had a lowered abundance of pollinators, and that pollinator visits to flowers were reduced for some weeds, but not others. The study, led by U-M professor of ecology and evolutionary biology Regina Baucom, is published in the journal New Phytologist. Dicamba was developed in the late 1950s and first registered for use in 1962. But the herbicide is moderately toxic to humans and wildlife, Baucom said. Its use fell out of favor, and farmers began using RoundUp on crops that had been genetically modified to tolerate glyphosate, the active ingredient in RoundUp. Glyphosate has generally been considered environmentally friendly. But weeds have evolved resistance to the intense use of RoundUp. The agricultural company Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, turned to dicamba, and developed crops that were resistant to it. In 2018, the Trump administration reapproved its use. Soon after farmers began using the herbicide, other farmers began reporting that their crops were impacted, Baucom said. "One of the reasons dicamba went out of favor is because it's volatile. A farmer will spray it, and it will go up into the air column or re-volatize, then drift and expose unintended areas," Baucom said. Farmers who weren't yet using dicamba reported that their crops such as soybeans, which are very sensitive to dicamba, weren't producing their typical yield, she said. Weeds grow at the edge of an agricultural field. Drift from the herbicide dicamba could impact pollinator populations in patches of plants such as these. Credit: Regina Baucom, University of Michigan "Then we realized that not only is dicamba drift going to be impacting crops, but it's also going to be impacting plants or weeds that are in the waste areas around fields that serve as important reservoirs for insects," Baucom said. "Given that we are dealing with insect decline on a large scale and we're really concerned about pollinator health, I thought this might be an important thing to start investigating." Baucom and colleagues wanted to see if weeds, and ultimately, pollinators were affected by this drift. They found that weeds exposed to dicamba drift had fewer pollinators near them, and that pollinator visits to flowers were reduced for some weeds, but not others. Dicamba damages plants by mimicking the hormone auxin. Auxin is present at all times of plant development. It's in many different plant structures, including reproductive structures, and is also responsible for how plants tilt toward light. Baucom said that when a plant like soybean gets hit with dicamba drift, its leaves show a cup-like behavior. "We were wondering, does this exposure to dicamba drift cause changes to the production of flowers? Do we see changes to the timing of flowering? We were interested in anything that would potentially impact a pollinator's interest in visiting a group of plants," she said. 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 group built plots in which they grew replicates of 11 different weed species. Five plots were exposed to dicamba a single time, early in the lives of the plants, at drift levels, or about 1% of a typical application. Each species was also replicated in multiple plots which served as a control and were not exposed to dicamba. The researchers then observed how the plants were growing, their growth size, signs of damage and the timing and abundance of flowering. They then screened for pollinator abundance and pollinator visits. A bumblebee gathers nectar from a species of Asteraceae, a plant that looks similar to a species used in a study conducted by University of Michigan researcher Regina Baucom. The study examines the impact of the drift of dicamba, an herbicide, on pollinator populations in plants growing adjacent to agricultural fields. Credit: Regina Baucom, University of Michigan "In the control plots, we found significantly more pollinating insects than we found in the drift environment. And remember, these constructed weed communities were exposed to dicamba drift just once, early in their life," Baucom said. "So this one-time exposure of a low dose of dicamba led to a lower abundance of pollinating insects in those constructed communities." Baucom suspects that pollinator abundance and visits decreased because of the damage dicamba caused to the plants. Dicamba impacted the size of some plants: Some plants produced fewer flowers, and some plants flowered later than they normally would. The researchers modeled this damage, which suggested that dicamba drift could impact plant traits. The damage could then impact the number of pollinator approaches and visits. "In the control environment, there's a positive relationship between the number of flowers and the number of pollinator visits. The more flowers you have, the more often you're visited by a pollinator," Baucom said. "In the dicamba environment, that relationship goes away. There's no relationship between the number of flowers and the number of visits. "What I thought was most interesting is how this one auxinic herbicide disrupts this weed community, and disrupts a long-standing relationship between plant signals and pollinator behavior." Next, Baucom and U-M colleagues will investigate how dicamba drift may impact prairie strips, which are strips of native plants grown alongside farm fields to both catch agricultural runoff and provide crucial habitat for pollinators. More information: Regina S. Baucom et al, Offtarget drift of the herbicide dicamba disrupts plantpollinator interactions via novel pathways, New Phytologist (2025). DOI: 10.1111/nph.20438 Journal information: New Phytologist 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: Biofilm structure analysis (A) ~5 cm thick biofilm sample with distinct color layers. (B) Light microscopy image showing pearl-like mineral grains aligned vertically within the biofilm. (C) Scanning electron microscopy image revealing ladder-like filamentous cell networks. (D) Diverse bacterial cell shapes (blue arrow) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) (red arrow) stabilizing minerals. The tight microbe-mineral interaction is evident, as bacteria leave cavities and filamentous imprints after their decomposition (yellow arrow). Credit: Judit Makk Hungarian researchers have discovered unique bacterial communities in thermal waters that may help unravel the development of stromatolites, one of Earth's oldest rock formations. These findings not only contribute to understanding Earth's geological past but also provide valuable insights into biological and geological processes occurring in extreme environments today. Researchers from Eotvos Lorand University, University of Sopron, and the HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Geological and Geochemical Institute have made a remarkable discovery regarding the development of carbonate structures (stromatolites) formed by microbes. Their findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports. This research could improve our understanding of carbonate formations from Earth's history and help reveal modern connections to similar processes. Stromatolites are layered carbonate structures formed by photosynthetic cyanobacteria. Dating back more than 3.5 billion years, they are among Earth's oldest known fossils. These microorganisms thrived in vast shallow-water colonies in ancient oceans and played a crucial role in increasing atmospheric oxygen around 2.2 billion years ago during the Archean era. Understanding their formation is significant for both ecological and evolutionary research. However, studying them is challenging because actively forming stromatolites have become increasingly rare today. As thermal water at 79.2C reaches the surface, white calcium carbonate precipitates, forming a base for the proliferating red and green layered biofilmswoven bacterial mats. Credit: Judit Makk During research at the Korom thermal spring in Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County, Hungary, scientists observed biological formations structurally similar to ancient stromatolites. The thermal spring environment hosts 35 cm thick red and green layered biofilms, which are carbonate-rich microbial mats. These biofilms can thrive under extreme conditions, including low organic matter content, high salinity, significant arsenic concentration, and a temperature of 79.2C. The researchers identified correlations between bacterial community composition, physicochemical properties, and limestone precipitation processes. They were the first to describe the similarity between currently living red biofilms and fossilized stromatolites. This research significantly enhances our understanding of the geobiological processes behind stromatolite formation, both in the modern environment and throughout Earth's history. The findings expand knowledge on biogenic carbonate formation, providing a framework for interpreting fossilized microbial structures and reconstructing past ecosystems. Beyond offering a glimpse into Earth's ancient past, the discovery also helps scientists better understand ongoing geobiological and geochemical processes on our planet today. The research was conducted by Judit Makk, Nora Tunde Lange-Enyedi, Erika Toth, and Andrea Borsodi from Eotvos Lorand University's Microbiology Department, in collaboration with the University of Sopron and the HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Geological and Geochemical Institute. More information: Judit Makk et al, Actively forming microbial mats provide insight into the development of microdigitate stromatolites, Scientific Reports (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-90175-0 Journal information: Scientific Reports This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The flux density of radio pulsars at 1.4 GHz as a function of the spin periods. Credit: The Astrophysical Journal (2025). DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ada3c4 A recent study utilizing the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) has confirmed the "radio-quiet" characteristics of four magnetars and one magnetar-like pulsar. Conducted by Ph.D. student BAI Juntao under the supervision of Prof. Wang Na from the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the study provides new insights into the radio emission properties of these extreme celestial objects. The results are published in The Astrophysical Journal. The researchers utilized FAST's unparalleled sensitivity to observe four magnetars (SGR 0501+4516, Swift J1834.90846, 1E 1841045, and SGR 1900+14) as well as the magnetar-like pulsar PSR J18460258 at 1250 MHz. These observations were conducted using the central beam of FAST's 19-beam receiver, with a total bandwidth of 500 MHz and a time resolution of 49.152 seconds. To analyze the data, they employed the PRESTO software package to mitigate radio frequency interference (RFI), dedisperse signals, and performed both periodic pulsation searches and single pulse detections. Using previously measured X-ray timing results, they extrapolated the spin periods of these sources and searched for periodic signals. Additionally, blind searches in the Fourier domain were performed using accelsearch, and a comprehensive search for dispersed single pulses was conducted with single pulse search. Despite the deep observations, no periodic radio pulsations or single pulses were detected. The derived strict upper limits on flux density at 1250 MHz (S1250 < 16.9 Jy) are significantly lower than the flux densities of known radio pulsars. This suggests that these objects may be intrinsically radio-quiet or their radio beams are not favorably aligned with Earth. Notably, PSR J18460258 was observed one month after its 2020 X-ray outburst, providing crucial constraints on the timing of potential transient radio emissions. This study provides valuable insights into magnetar radio emission mechanisms and offers guidance for future radio surveys of high-magnetic-field neutron stars. Continued monitoring of magnetars post-outburst is essential to further investigate their radio behavior. More information: Juntao Bai et al, Deep Searches for Radio Pulsations and Bursts from Four Magnetar and a Magnetar-like Pulsar with FAST, The Astrophysical Journal (2025). DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ada3c4 Journal information: Astrophysical Journal This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Key themes of the adulthood transition in Namibia. Credit: Psychological Science (2025). DOI: 10.1177/09567976241311920 A new study from the University of Zurich shows that the cultural influence on the transition to adulthood in sub-Saharan Africa is more communal and less self-centered than in Western contexts. Most of the psychological research on the transition to adulthood has been conducted in Europe and North Americasimilar Western, industrialized contexts. As a result, we often don't know which of the findings capture human universals, and which capture Western-specific phenomena. A new study from the University of Zurich examines emerging adulthood among the Ovambo people of Namibia, who are the largest ethnic group in the country, mostly residing in the northern regions of the country. The research team interviewed about 50 Ovambo Namibians between the ages of 18 and 25. The results are published in Psychological Science. This period of entry into adulthood is important to understand because it helps to discern what a society expects of a full adult. In Western contexts, early adulthood is often defined as a time of individual exploration and delayed assumption of responsibility. "In sub-Saharan Africa, however, the phase of individual exploration is infused with communal values, interdependence and responsibilities, and this is what defines adult personhood," says Selma Uugwanga of the Department of Psychology at the University of Zurich and lead author of the study. Sub-Saharan Africa coming of age will have global impact Emerging adulthood is also a vulnerable time, when opportunities and support can shape a person's future, and when mental health disorders are most likely to emerge. "This issue is particularly important in sub-Saharan Africa because it is the region with the youngest population in the world, with 70% of people under the age of 30," says Uugwanga. Sub-Saharan Africa is also home to more of the world's population than all Western contexts combined. Much of the region's social and economic future is reliant on the development and well-being of this generation, and they will have an impact on the world as a whole. In contrast to Western countries, the researchers found a strong focus on altruism among the 18- to 25-year-old Ovambo Namibians in both rural and urban areas: Self-determination in the pursuit of educational and career goals is ultimately intended to serve others. The importance of the family in the identity of Ovambo young adults is strong, which connects them to a long tradition throughout Africa. For example, older children assist caregivers, leading to earlier recognition of their competence and independence. Gender differences in the transition to adulthood "Being recognized as an adult in this context is shaped by traditional gender roles, birth-order-associated responsibilities, ability to care for others and psychological maturity in terms of reflexivity, resilience and independence. This is coupled with humility and respect for the wisdom of elders," explains Uugwanga. Traditional gender roles still prevail among Ovambo emerging adults and shape the expectations of adulthood. Women often take on caregiving responsibilities earlier, which results in them being perceived as adults sooner. However, they are also seen as more protected and supported by their families. Men have more autonomy but face higher expectations to become financial providers before being fully recognized as adults. Both genders emphasize the importance of education as a new rite of passage that will help them secure better opportunities for their families and communities, especially in today's knowledge-based economy. This may be particularly true for women, whose protective elders may allow them greater independence in pursuing education. Overall gender equality in the labor force is increasing in Namibia with 56% participation for women, 64% for men, which is about average for middle-income countries (The World Bank Gender Data Portal, 2023). 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. Challenges for young adults in sub-Saharan Africa Education and career development are key concerns for young adults in Africa, according to the study. Individuals are striving to live up to communal values and expectations, but unemployment limits their ability to earn enough to care for others, let alone themselves. "The lack of stable employment means that even those who complete their education may experience delays in achieving full adult status. Nevertheless, our study shows that African young adults are resilient in the face of these adversities, as they seem to thrive on the support of their families and communities," says Uugwanga. The findings highlight the need for initiatives that promote economic opportunities for youth, while respecting the cultural values of communal responsibility that are fundamental to the identity of African young adults. They also advocate community-based approaches to promoting the well-being of this population. As Africa continues to globalize, balancing tradition with new opportunities will be key to fostering a generation of empowered and socially responsible adults. More information: Selma N. Uugwanga et al, Becoming an Ovambo Adult: Growing Into Agentic Communalism in Sub-Saharan Africa, Psychological Science (2025). DOI: 10.1177/09567976241311920 Journal information: Psychological Science 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: Anacostia River. Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Duane Lempke Photography. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. On a bright October day, high schoolers from Francis L. Cardozo Education Campus piled into a boat on the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. Most had never been on the water before. Their guide, Trey Sherard of the Anacostia Riverkeeper, started the tour with a well-rehearsed safety talk. The nonprofit advocates for the protection of the river. A boy with tousled black hair casually dipped his fingers in the water. "Don't touch it!" Sherard yelled. Why was Sherard being so stern? Was it dangerously cold? Were there biting fish? Because of the sewage. "We get less sewage than we used to. Sewage is a code word for what?" Sherard asked the teenagers. "Poop!" one student piped up. "Human poop," Sherard said. "Notice I didn't say we get none. I said we get what? Less." Tours like this are designed to get young people interested in the river's ecology, but it's a fine line to treadinteracting with the water can make people sick. Because of the health risks, swimming hasn't been legal in the Anacostia for more than half a century. The polluted water can cause gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses, as well as eye, nose, and skin infections. The river is the cleanest it's been in years, according to environmental experts, but they still advise you not to take a dip in the Anacostianot yet, at least. About 40 million people in the U.S. live in a community with a combined sewer system, where wastewater and stormwater flow through the same pipes. When pipe capacities are reached after heavy rains, the overflow sends raw wastewater into the rivers instead of to a treatment plant. Federal regulations, including sections of the Clean Water Act, require municipalities such as Washington to reduce at least 85% of this pollution or face steep fines. To achieve compliance, Washington launched a $2.6 billion infrastructure project in 2011. DC Water's Clean Rivers Project will eventually build multiple miles-long underground storage basins to capture stormwater and wastewater and pump it to treatment plants once heavy rains have subsided. The Anacostia tunnel is the first of these storage basins to be completed. It can collect 190 million gallons of bacteria-laden wastewater for later treatment, said Moussa Wone, vice president of the Clean Rivers Project. Climate change is causing more intense rainstorms in Washington, so even after construction is complete in 2030, Wone said, untreated stormwater will be discharged into the river, though much less frequently. "On the Anacostia, we're going to be reducing the frequency of overflows from 82 to two in an average year," Wone said. But while the Anacostia sewershed covers 176 square miles, he noted, only 17% is in Washington. "The other 83% is outside the district," Wone said. "We can do our part, but everybody else has to do their part also." Upstream in Maryland's Montgomery and Prince George's counties, miles of sewer lines are in the process of being upgraded to divert raw sewage to a treatment plant instead of the river. The data shows that poop is a problem for river healthbut knowing what kind of poop it is matters. Scientists monitor E. coli to indicate the presence of feces in river water, but since the bacteria live in the guts of most warm-blooded animals, the source is difficult to determine. 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. "Is it human feces? Or is it deer? Is it gulls'? Is it dogs'?" said Amy Sapkota, a professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Maryland. Bacterial levels can fluctuate across the river even without rainstorms. An Anacostia Riverkeeper report found that in 2023 just three of nine sites sampled along the Washington portion of the watershed had consistently low E. coli levels throughout the summer season. Sapkota is heading a new bacterial monitoring program measuring the amount of E. coli that different animal species deposit along the river. The team uses microbial source tracking to analyze samples of river water taken from different locations each month by volunteers. The molecular approach enables scientists to target specific gene sequences associated with fecal bacteria and determine whether the bacteria come from humans or wildlife. Microbial source tracking also measures fecal pollution levels by source. "We can quantify the levels of different bacterial targets that may be coming from a human fecal source or an animal fecal source," Sapkota said. Her team expects to have preliminary results this year. The health risk to humans from river water will never be zero, Sapkota said, but based on her team's research, smart city planning and retooled infrastructure could lessen the level of harmful bacteria in the water. "Let's say that we're finding that actually there's a lot of deer fecal signatures in our results," Sapkota said. "Maybe this points to the fact that we need more green buffers along the river that can help prevent fecal contaminants from wildlife from entering the river during stormwater events." Washington is hoping to recoup some of the cost of building green spaces and other river cleanup. In January, the office of D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit seeking unspecified damages from the federal government over decades of alleged pollution of the Anacostia River. Brenda Lee Richardson, coordinator of the Anacostia Parks & Community Collaborative, said the efforts to cut down on trash and sewage are paying off. She sees a river on the mend, with more plant and animal life sprouting up. "The ecosystem seems a lot greener," she said. "There's stuff in the river now that wasn't there before." But any changes to the waterfront need to be done with residents of both sides of the river in mind, she said. "We want there to be some sense of equity as it relates to who has access," she said. "When I look at who is recreating, it's not people who look like me." Richardson has lived for 40 years in Ward 8a predominantly Black area on the east side of the river whose residents are generally less affluent than those on the west side. She and her neighbors don't consider the Anacostia a place to get out and play, she said. As the water quality slowly improves, Richardson said, she hopes the Anacostia's reputation is also rehabilitated. Even if it's not safe to swim in, Richardson enjoys boating trips like the one with the Anacostia Riverkeeper. 2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. China's manned lunar exploration program under steady progress Xinhua) 09:07, March 04, 2025 This photo shows the exterior design of China's moon-landing spacesuit during the third Spacesuit Technology Forum in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Sept. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao) BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China aims to land its astronauts on the moon before 2030 for scientific exploration. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Monday that the country has been steadily advancing the lunar landing phase of its manned lunar exploration program. By 2025, China's manned space program will focus on two major tasks: the application and development of the space station and the manned lunar exploration, said the CMSA. The CMSA disclosed that, by now, major space flight-related products, such as the Long March-10 carrier rocket, the Mengzhou manned spacecraft, the Lanyue lunar lander, the Wangyu moon-landing spacesuit, and the Tansuo manned lunar rover, are in preliminary development stages with phased progress. Meanwhile, the test and launch facilities related to the lunar landing mission at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in southern China's Hainan Province are being developed and constructed in an orderly manner. The overall plan for the lunar exploration mission's ground systems, such as the landing site, has been completed, and the construction works will be carried out as planned. Various large-scale tests will be conducted on initial samples of the above-mentioned major space flight-related products, according to the CMSA. China's manned lunar exploration program will continue to promote the digital transformation of research and development, targeting the effective improvement of quality and efficiency, the CMSA added. The country plans to carry out a manned lunar landing before 2030. Two carrier rockets will be launched to send a manned spacecraft and a lunar lander into lunar orbit. The spacecraft and lunar lander will rendezvous and dock, and then astronauts will enter the lander. Upon the lander's arrival on the moon's surface, astronauts will drive the lunar rover for scientific exploration. In February, the CMSA unveiled that the moon-landing spacesuit is named Wangyu, meaning gazing into the cosmos, and the manned lunar rover is named Tansuo, meaning to explore the unknown. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) 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: Residents look to evacuate during severe flooding in Indonesian capital Jakarta. Hundreds evacuated from dozens of flooded neighborhoods around Jakarta on Tuesday as torrential rains pounded the Indonesian capital and its surrounding satellite cities, causing several rivers to overflow. There were no immediate reports of casualties after the latest deluge, but parts of the city, home to around 11 million people, ground to a halt as whole neighborhoods were swamped in muddy water. Heavy rain began on Monday, causing some flooding in Jakarta and nearby the cities of Bogor, Bekasi and Tangerang. Water was seen meters high in areas of east and south Jakarta on Tuesday after the rain caused the Ciliwung river to overflow, affecting 1,446 people from 224 houses in one village alone, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said. In Bogor, more than 300 people were evacuated, dozens of houses were damaged and one bridge collapsed. In Tangerang, 350 houses were flooded after the Cimanceuri River overflowed. Residents took to rooftops or used ropes to pull themselves to safety through the floodwater in one south Jakarta district, according to an AFP journalist at the scene. Authorities said they were distributing ready-to-eat food, blankets and tarpaulins to those affected by the floods, and deploying rubber boats to evacuate residents. "If there is a shortage, the public can ask for more. We are ready to help," BNPB deputy for emergency response Lukmansyah said in a statement. The low-lying city is prone to flooding during the wet season which runs from around November to March. In 2020 torrential rain triggered flooding and landslides that killed nearly 70 people in and around Jakarta, while thousands more were forced to evacuate to shelters. 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: Glaciologist Alun Hubbard holds up a section of an ice core collected in southeastern Greenland. The visible divide between ice on the left and snow firn on the right reveals hot summer melt and refreezing events. Credit: Bruno Long The Greenland Ice Sheet is the largest ice mass in the Northern Hemisphere, and it's melting rapidly. Climate change is causing more intense atmospheric rivers, which can deliver intense snowfallenough to slow Greenland's ice mass loss, a new study finds. The work appears in Geophysical Research Letters. Atmospheric rivers are bands of water vapor that transport moisture and heat from warm oceans to cooler high latitudes. Until recently, they were thought only to exacerbate Arctic ice loss. But in March 2022, an intense atmospheric river delivered 16 billion tons of snow to Greenland. That was enough snow to offset the sheet's annual ice loss by 8%, the study reports. This massive dump of fresh snow also recharged the winter snowpack with fresh, reflective snow, increasing the snow's albedo and delaying the onset of ice melt by almost 2 weeks. Study co-author Alun Hubbard, a field glaciologist at the Universities of Oulu, Finland and the Arctic University of Troms, Norway, has worked on the impact of rainfall on Greenland's ice melt and dynamics for over a decade. "Sadly, the Greenland Ice Sheet won't be saved by atmospheric rivers," Hubbard said. "But what we see in this new study is that, contrary to prevailing opinions, under the right conditions, atmospheric rivers might not be all bad news." Credit: American Geophysical Union Tracing an epic snowstorm As the Arctic has warmed almost four times faster than the global average since 1980, Greenland has been melting. Warmer temperatures from climate change mean more rain, less snow and more melt, even farther inland, which has historically been the frigid heart of the ice sheet. If the entire Greenland Ice Sheet melts, sea level would rise by more than 7 meters (23 feet). Atmospheric rivers are expected to become larger, more frequent and more intense in response to climate change, so understanding their impacts on the Greenland Ice Sheet is crucial. Hannah Bailey, a geochemist at the University of Oulu and the study's lead author, was working in Svalbard in March 2022 when the intense atmospheric river hit. Heavy rain fell across Svalbard for days, turning winter snowpack into a quagmire and bringing fieldwork to an abrupt halt. Bailey wondered what the storm's impact was on the Greenland ice sheet. A year later, Bailey and Hubbard went searching for traces of the storm in southeastern Greenland. There, around 2,000 meters (6,562 feet) above sea level, it's cold enough that snow accumulates year after year, compressing into denser snow, called firn, and eventually compacting into glacial ice. In this "firn zone," the researchers dug a deep pit in the snow and collected a 15-meter-long firn core, which captured nearly a decade of snow accumulation. Bailey used oxygen isotopes and the density of different layers to calculate the age profile and snow accumulation rates in the core. She then compared them to local weather and climate data over the same period. "Using high-elevation firn core sampling and isotopic analysis allowed us to pinpoint the extraordinary snowfall from this atmospheric river," Bailey said. "It's a rare opportunity to directly link such an event to Greenland ice sheet surface mass balance and dynamics." 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. Atmospheric rivers: Not all bad The atmospheric river had pelted Svalbard with rain, but 2,000 kilometers (1,245 miles) away in southeastern Greenland, it delivered snowand lots of it. On March 14, 11.6 billion tons of snow fell on the ice sheet, with an additional 4.5 billion tons over the next few days. One gigaton of snow roughly equates to one cubic kilometer of fresh water, which could completely fill the U.S. capitol building more than 2,200 times. In a matter of three days, this atmospheric river delivered enough snow to offset Greenland Ice Sheet mass loss by 8% in the 2021-2022 hydrologic year. "I was surprised by just how much snow was dumped on the ice sheet over such a short period," Hubbard said. "I thought it'd be a minute amount, but it's a gobsmacking contribution to Greenland's annual ice mass." By adding so much fresh snow, the atmospheric river delayed the onset of summer ice melt by about 11 days despite warmer than average spring temperatures, the study finds. More research is needed to understand the net effect of atmospheric rivers on Greenland's ice in the past and to predict how that may change in the future. If warming continues, all precipitation will eventually fall as rain in Greenland, exacerbating ice loss, Bailey said. "Atmospheric rivers have a double-edged role in shaping Greenland'sas well as the wider Arctic'sfutures." 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: Clear and turbid waters mix in the Upper Esopus Creek. Credit: Dany Davis, NYC DEP Every day, the United States' extensive water supply system faces pressure to deliver safe water. Now, University of Vermont (UVM) scientists have invented a new tool using AI to help communities better predict threats to their supply. New research published today by Vermont scientists shows how an already-existing computer systemthe federal government's National Water Modelcan be modified, with AI and real-time data from sensors, to go beyond simply forecasting stream flowto predicting water quality too. "This new tool can be implemented across the country and broadly utilized by folks that could use water quality forecasts in any number of applications," said UVM's Andrew Schroth, the study's lead researcher. "With the first ever application of the National Water Model to predict water quality, we've opened a new window that can really benefit the country as a whole moving forward." To test the tool in real-world conditions, the researchers focused on New York City's water supply, an ideal testing ground due to the city's extensive network of sensors that monitor water flow and sedimentand the episodic nature of the problem that the NYC water supply faces. New York City's water supply Publishing their findings in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association, the team tested the new tool in New York State's Esopus Creek catchment in the Catskill Mountains. This waterway drains into the Ashokan Reservoir, which supplies approximately 40% of New York City's daily drinking water and is part of the largest unfiltered water supply network in the country. A key concern for reservoir water quality is turbidity, a measure of water clarity affected by sediment and other material in the water column. When certain levels are exceeded, the NYC DEP must limit the supply from that reservoir, impacting the management and operations of the entire downstream network. The capacity to forecast high turbidity threats is critical for streamlining water supply operations. "When too much sediment comes into the reservoir during or after big storms, New York City has to limit supply and modify their operations," says Schroth, a Research Associate Professor in the University of Vermont's Department of Geography and Geosciences. He notes that Esopus Creek is prone to high turbidity due to high amounts of fine grain sediment from the glacial clays, silts, and gravels in the valley. When storms occur, stream banks erode, cutting into the glacial sediment and creating an elevated cloudiness which may linger for months, complicating forecasts and reservoir management. High turbidity in Upper Esopus Creek following Tropical Storm Irene. Credit: Dany Davis, NYC DEP National applicability Using New York City as a test case are working to apply the National Water Model beyond hydrologic forecasting. According to the National Weather Service, "the National Water Model is a hydrologic modeling framework that simulates observed and forecast streamflow over the continental United States." The National Water Model allows anyone to access the data, giving users the ability to see how streams or creeks are impacted in the event of heavy rainfall, and if flooding can be expected. CIROH researchers nationwide are advancing innovative applications of the model to improve awareness of water availability and threats. The newly published research, led by UVM scientist, Dr. Andrew Schroth, and Utah State University scientist, Dr. John Kemper, in collaboration with UVM engineer, Dr. Kristen Underwood, NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) geologist, Dany Davis, and U.S. Geological Survey scientists focuses on using AI to combine the extensive datasets from the National Water Model with sensor datasets that collect data from streams in frequent intervals. By leveraging the relationship between the flow of water and concentration of sediment, the team was able to develop a robust forecast for water quality measurements. Across the United States, this tool can have widespread applications, allowing locations that typically face various water quality issues to better predict threats. If a water treatment plant has been implementing water quality monitoring, they now have the potential for real time capacity to understand how an upcoming storm will affect the water quality, giving them greater predictability in plant operation closures. 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. Likewise, if an algal bloom is predicted with a storm onset, authorities will be aware of this water quality threat, closing down beaches for public health concerns. From an agricultural standpoint, farmers would know how much water is anticipated and what would be wet, guiding their use of fertilizer application. Kemper, who hails from Maryland and recently completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Vermont before a move to Utah, acknowledges the impact of the work. "Turning a streamflow forecasting tool into a water quality forecasting tool paves the way for increasingly available forecasts to serve community needs," creating water quality forecasts for communities and informing similar strategies for managing turbidity in basins worldwide. The model will set a precedent for studying other water quality components, extending far beyond New York City. The framework developed by the team has national applicability, as it can be adapted nationwide, allowing water plant operators and other managers to learn about their water quality constituent of interest, such as phosphorus, nitrogen, nitrate, turbidity, or chloride. This new model can transform how water quality can be anticipated and managed across the nation. More information: John T. Kemper et al. Leveraging high-frequency sensor data and U.S. National Water Model output to forecast turbidity in a drinking water supply basin, JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association (2025). DOI: 10.1111/1752-1688.70011 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: Major mortality events in wildlife, including threatened species. Credit: Nature Reviews Biodiversity (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44358-024-00008-7 We live in an era when human activities are negatively modifying the world at alarming rates. We are experiencing a massive species extinction due to environmental damage caused by human land use change, overexploitation, pollution, climate change, and the introduction of invasive species. Our environmentally damaging, unsustainable production patterns (e.g., intensive livestock production), driven by profit-based economies, are also favoring the emergence of dangerous pathogens such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria and zoonotic viruses. These pathogens threaten biodiversity, ecosystems and human health. The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 is one of these emerging pathogens associated with environmental damage caused by intensive poultry production. Since 2020, it has caused the most severe panzootic ever recorded, leading to alarming impacts on animal and ecosystem health. H5N1 virus also poses a threat to human health due to the risk of triggering a new pandemic. Human-to-human transmission, however, has not yet been reported, but its risk is increasing daily. Today, H5N1 has arrived on almost all continents, including the pristine Antarctica. Avian influenza is killing many animals around the world, having serious implications for their populations. This virus also affects ecosystem functioning and the ecosystem services they provide. It looks like a perfect storm that could seriously affect the three spheres of One Health, with outcomes that are difficult to predict. Why is this virus so concerning? The H5N1 virus has become an unexpected threat to many wild animal species. In a recent article published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity, we analyzed how the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 is decimating both abundant vertebrate populations and endangered species, while compromising ecosystem functioning and services globally. The impact of this virus could be considered catastrophic for some wild species of seabirds, such as penguins, skuas, pelicans and many others. Available information suggests that millions of wild birds may have died due to H5N1. The 16% of the wild bird species affected by H5N1 are of conservation concern. It has even affected critically endangered birds, such as the California condor, compromising years of conservation effortsat least 6% of their wild populations have died from this pathogen. Just think about what 6% of a population represents for a critically endangered species with a low reproduction rate. These figures highlight that this virus is severely affecting populations of wild bird species. Additionally, this avian pathogen is strongly affecting some mammalian species, an unexpected spillover. Massive mortalities have been reported in some species; for instance, more than 24,000 sea lions died in coastal areas of South America in less than one year. The 27% of the mammalian species affected by H5N1 are also of conservation concern. Some viral mutations suggest that the virus has adapted to infect mammals, and mammal-to-mammal transmission could be the cause of massive mortalities. Of concern, available figures generally underestimate actual mortalities due to a widespread lack of monitoring, testing, and reportingespecially in remote areas and developing countries. We know little about what is happening in several regions of the world such as Africa. We need information to take action, but this virus imposes logistical restrictions on early diagnosis because it is causing mortality events in areas with difficult access; In fact, remote protected areas cannot protect species from this virus. 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 impact of this virus on ecosystem functions due to the huge mortalities is now undeniable. For instance, the loss of top predators and scavengers can change the abundance and composition of the species that inhabit those ecosystems, also affecting their contributions to people. The huge quantity of animal carcasses produced by the mortalities associated with H5N1 virus cannot be scavenged by available animals or removed from the environment by people. These carcasses can also be a source of H5N1 and other dangerous microorganism infections, not only for animals but also for humans. New dangerous pathogens could emerge comprising the One Health and producing a vicious circle. Apart from the intrinsic value of wildlife being lost and the changes in ecosystem function, ecosystem services being lost are associated with the loss of wildlife. For instance, massive mortalities of marine birds could result in lower production of guano, producing economic losses to many local people. Guano is an important source of fertilizer for some communities and an important economic resource for countries that export it. Ecotourism and cultural services such as recreation, and spiritual enrichment could also be affected by the loss of some charismatic wild animals (e.g., penguins, marine mammals) in diverse geographical regions. Looking forward, what can we do? This H5N1 panzootic and the consequences that it is producing on biodiversity and ecosystem health is a clear example that we are not going in the right direction. Mapping the risk of H5N1 infection would help to prioritize surveillance efforts. We need to escalate the monitoring of marine birds and mammals, as well as terrestrial scavengers, because those groups appear to be infected at the highest rates. We also need better monitoring of birds whose flyways include currently unaffected regions. Vaccination of threatened species against avian flu should be debated and considered in some specific cases, such as critically endangered species. Finally, international collaboration and information-sharing is essential for surveillance, early diagnosis and the provision of financial and technical instruments to enable worldwide actions. However, it is important to realize that pathogens such as the H5N1 occur in unsustainable production systems that mostly look to improve profits, even when they produce large environmental damage. These production methods can put people at risk for emerging pathogens, with unexpected consequences. Therefore, we need production systems that consider the well-being of humans and nature as a whole, not harming the environment. Reducing unsustainable production patterns and promoting other environmentally friendly forms of production can help to reduce the emergence of dangerous pathogens for people and nature. We must be aware of our dependence on a healthy nature to have a good quality of life. This story is part of Science X Dialog, where researchers can report findings from their published research articles. Visit this page for information about Science X Dialog and how to participate. More information: Sergio A. Lambertucci et al, The threat of avian influenza H5N1 looms over global biodiversity, Nature Reviews Biodiversity (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44358-024-00008-7 Sergio Lambertucci is a researcher in ecology and conservation biology at the Argentine Research Council, CONICET and Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Argentina. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain In the battle against climate disinformation, native advertising is a fierce foe. A study published in npj Climate Action led by Boston University (BU) researchers, in collaboration with Cambridge University colleagues, evaluates two promising tools to fight misleading native advertising campaigns put forth by big oil companies. Many major news organizations now offer corporations the opportunity to pay for articles that mimic in tone and format the publication's regular reported content. These "native advertisements" are designed to camouflage seamlessly into their surroundings, containing only subtle disclosure messages often overlooked or misunderstood by readers. Fossil fuel companies are spending tens of millions of dollars to shape public perceptions of the climate crisis. "Because these ads appear on reputable, trusted news platforms, and are formatted like reported pieces, they often come across to readers as genuine journalism," said the study's lead author Michelle Amazeen, an associate professor of mass communication and director of the Communication Research Center at BU's College of Communication. "Research has shown native ads are really effective at swaying readers' opinions." The new study is the first to investigate how two mitigation strategiesdisclosures and inoculationsmay reduce climate misperceptions caused by exposure to native advertising from the fossil fuel industry. The authors found that when participants were shown a real native ad from ExxonMobil, disclosure messages helped them recognize advertising, while inoculations helped reduce their susceptibility to misleading claims. "As fossil fuel companies invest in disguising their advertisements, this study furthers our understanding of how to help readers recognize when commercial content is masquerading as news and spreading climate misperceptions," said study co-author Benjamin Sovacool, a professor of earth and environment in the BU College of Arts & Sciences and director of BU's Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS). The research builds on a growing body of work by Amazeen and colleagues at the College of Communication assessing how people recognize and respond to covert misinformation campaigns. By better understanding these processes, they hope that they can prevent misinformation before it takes root and changes people's beliefs and actions on important issues like climate change. 'The Future of Energy' ad Starting in 2018, readers of The New York Times website encountered what appeared to be an article titled "The Future of Energy," describing efforts by oil and gas giant ExxonMobil to invest in algae-based biofuels. Because it appeared beneath the Times' masthead, in the outlet's typical formatting and font, many readers likely missed the small banner at the top of the page mentioning that it was an ad sponsored by ExxonMobil. The ad, part of a $5-million-dollar campaign, neglected to mention the company's staggering carbon footprint. It also omitted key context, The Intercept reported, like that the stated goal for algae-based biofuel production would represent only 0.2% of the company's overall refinery capacity. In a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, Massachusetts cited the ad as evidence of the company's "false and misleading" communications, with several states pursuing similar cases. Putting two promising interventions to the test The BU-led research team examined how more than a thousand participants responded to "The Future of Energy" ad in a simulated social media feed. Before viewing the ad, participants saw one, both, or neither of the following intervention messages: An inoculation message designed to psychologically "inoculate" readers from future influence by broadly warning them of potential exposures to misleading paid content. In this study, the inoculation message was a fictitious social media post from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reminding people to be wary of online misinformation. designed to psychologically "inoculate" readers from future influence by broadly warning them of potential exposures to misleading paid content. In this study, the inoculation message was a fictitious social media post from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reminding people to be wary of online misinformation. A disclosure message with a simple line of text appearing on a post. In this study, the text "Paid Post by ExxonMobil" accompanied the piece. Studies have shown that more often than not, when native ads are shared on social media, this disclosure disappears. "Each of these two approaches can be beneficial in its own way, and each has shortcomings," said study co-author Arunima Krishna, an associate professor of mass communication, advertising, and public relations at the BU College of Communication and an associate director at IGS. "With this study, we got a clearer understanding of how each message type can work to counteract climate disinformation. We also studied how the two interventions can work together." 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. Bolstering psychological resilience to native ads The team found that the ad bolstered opinions on ExxonMobil's sustainability across the study's many participants, regardless of which messages they saw, but that the interventions helped to reduce this effect. Some of the key findings include: The presence of a disclosure more than doubled the likelihood that a participant recognized the content as an ad. However, the participants who had seen a disclosure and those who had not were equally likely to agree with the statement: "companies like ExxonMobil are investing heavily in becoming more environmentally friendly." Inoculation messages were much more effective than disclosures at protecting people's existing beliefs on climate change, decreasing the likelihood that participants would agree with misleading claims presented in the ad. "Disclosures helped people recognize advertising. However, they didn't help them recognize that the material was biased and misleading," Amazeen said. "Inoculation messaging provides general education that can be used to fill in that gap and help people resist its persuasive effects. Increasing general awareness about misinformation strategies used by self-interested actors, combined with clearer labels on sponsored content, will help people distinguish native ads from reported content." This study is part of the Boston University Climate Disinformation Initiative, interdisciplinary research on how climate lies spread, who they mislead, and how to stop them. More information: The "Future of Energy"? Building resilience to ExxonMobil's disinformation through disclosures and inoculation, npj Climate Action (2025). Journal information: npj Climate Action This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A new University of Massachusetts Amherst study provides fresh insights into why some autocratic governments, despite rampant corruption, draw fewer large-scale protests than others. The research, published in the journal Democratization, shows that ruling parties with deep institutional roots can effectively insulate a ruler with absolute power from the destabilizing effects of corruption. Using global data spanning 1955 to 2010 and a new measure of authoritarian party institutionalization, M. Rosemary Pang, lecturer of data analytics and computational social science at UMass Amherst, shows that the more institutionalized a ruling party is, the less likely protests are to topple a nondemocratic regime. "Although corruption can increase anti-government protests, the level of ruling party institutionalization mitigates the impact of corruption on protests," Pang says. The study presents three mechanisms by which these parties suppress anti-government demonstrations: Predictability of corruptionInstitutionalized ruling parties create a structured system of corruption, making it more predictable, and therefore, less likely to spark outrage among citizens. When corruption follows a set pattern, individuals may view it as an inherent, albeit undesirable, feature of governance rather than an arbitrary abuse of power. However, this does not mean corruption is harmlessonly that its effects on protest mobilization vary depending on how it is institutionalized. Distribution of corruption benefitsUnlike weakly institutionalized regimes, strong ruling parties distribute the economic benefits of corruption to a broader base of citizens, reducing grievances. By integrating more individuals into the corruption network, these regimes deter widespread opposition and create vested interests in maintaining the status quo. Channeling dissent into party mechanismsRather than eliminating discontent, institutionalized ruling parties provide controlled outlets for airing grievances, such as intra-party negotiations and policy adjustments. This can prevent unrest from escalating to protests. Pang's measure of nondemocratic ruling party institutionalization considers factors such as party longevity, organizational strength and integration with civil society. The research shows that while corruption generally correlates with increased protests in autocracies, this effect diminishes as ruling party institutionalization strengthens. In countries with entrenched parties in power, corruption has had little to no effect on protest levels, demonstrating the regime-stabilizing power of strong party structures. Pang says this power can endure even as rulers come and go. "In nondemocratic countries, simply removing a corrupt leader isn't enough. If the ruling party remains strong, it can contribute to suppressed opposition and sustain the system of corruption," she explains. "This is why promoting democracy should focus not just on individual leaders but on weakening the ruling-party institution." While autocracies and democracies function differently, Pang says the importance of institutions transcends any single form of government. "When institutions are robust in democracies, they can uphold norms and hold leaders accountable. But in both democracies and autocracies, when institutions weaken or become tools of political control, corruption and instability can follow," she adds. More information: M. Rosemary Pang, Reducing and channelling discontent: how ruling party institutionalization helps autocracies curb anti-government protest, Democratization (2025). DOI: 10.1080/13510347.2025.2461467 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: Julian Atanassov. Credit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Research from the University of NebraskaLincoln College of Business suggests that political uncertainty, often seen as a hindrance to economic stability, may actually have a silver lining. The study reveals that companies tend to increase investment in research and development when political uncertainty is high, particularly during closely contested gubernatorial elections. In the paper, "The Bright Side of Political Uncertainty: The Case of R&D," published in the Review of Financial Studies, Julian Atanassov, associate professor of finance, found that firms see R&D as a strategic growth option in uncertain times. "This is because R&D functions as a growth option, allowing firms to explore potential future opportunities. If they increase investment when the uncertainty is higher, they have the option to invest more in the future, if there is a favorable resolution," Atanassov said. "If they do not invest, they will reduce their growth opportunities and lag behind their competitors in the future." This finding contrasts with previous research that predominantly focuses on the negative impact of political uncertainty on capital expenditures, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and other corporate decisions. "R&D is considered as one of the most important contributors to long-term economic growth. Therefore, by influencing R&D investment, political uncertainty has a surprising impact on growth and development," Atanassov said. Understanding the link between political uncertainty and R&D To quantify political uncertainty, the researchers analyzed gubernatorial elections with narrow victory margins of less than 5%. "The advantage of using gubernatorial elections is that they are outside of the control of the individual firm because gubernatorial elections occur every four years, and the year of elections cannot be changed by the firms," Atanassov said. "That allows us to make a causal statement that political uncertainty influences R&D investment and not just document correlations." Atanassov illustrated the reasoning with an example: A firm considering an initial R&D investment in solar panels faces an uncertain future due to differing policy stances of two gubernatorial candidatesone who opposes incentives for green technology and one who supports them. "The value of an initial $9 million R&D investment in a stable environment would have the Black-Scholes value of $7.26 million, which wouldn't be worthwhile," Atanassov said. "However, if political uncertainty increasessuch as during an election that could change environmental policythe Black-Scholes value of the R&D opportunity rises to $11.23 million, making it a profitable move." Implications for businesses and policymakers Atanassov and co-authors Brandon Julio at the University of Oregon and Tiecheng Leng at the Harbin Institute of Technology in China, highlight that businesses in politically sensitive and high-tech industries are the most likely to increase R&D spending during uncertain times. Instead of freezing investments, they leverage uncertainty to prepare for multiple future scenarios. "This research has important implications for corporate managers, politicians, and policymakers. Our conclusion is that if investment is sometimes positively correlated with uncertainty, policymakers have less reason to be concerned. Warnings that policymakers should reduce lengthy policy debates and political uncertainty because of their negative effects should be made with caution and only after considering all types of investment," Atanassov said. By viewing uncertainty not just as a risk but as an opportunity, businesses can use it as a catalyst for innovation, ensuring they remain competitive regardless of the political climate. More information: Julian Atanassov et al, The Bright Side of Political Uncertainty: The Case of R&D, The Review of Financial Studies (2024). DOI: 10.1093/rfs/hhae023 Journal information: Review of Financial Studies This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Schematic illustration of EBFCs-based self-powered biosensor for detection and in situ elimination of E. coli based on hollow MOF nanoreactors combined with CHA amplification. Credit: Advanced Functional Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202420480 A small team of materials scientists and chemical engineers at Qingdao University, in China, has developed a self-powered, three-component biosensor that can kill bacteria in water samples. The study is published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials. As the world's population continues to rise, scientists are looking for ways to sustain so many people. One area of concern is safe drinking water, particularly in regions that do not have sophisticated water treatment facilities. In this new effort, the team in China developed a biosensor that could, in theory, be used in developing countries to make water safe for drinking. Biosensors are made using living organisms or tissues. Prior research has shown that they can be faster and less expensive than those based on traditional technology, especially in applications such as testing water for the presence of bacteria. Unfortunately, they tend to also suffer from degradation. The researchers overcame this problem by creating their biosensor with three components. The first was an enzyme-based fuel cell to power the cell. The enzymes generate electricity via chemical reactions that occur once the sensor is placed in a water sample. To prevent their power generator from losing stability, the team put it in a hollow metal-organic framework. The second component used a type of antibody known as an aptamertheir DNA strands were chosen specifically to bind with the exterior of an E. coli bacterium. The third component was the part that kills the bacteria. It is accomplished by the oxidation of the silver nanoparticles used by the second component. The oxidation produces hydrogen peroxide, which kills the bacterium. In testing, the sensor was capable of detecting E. coli at very low concentrations. It was also efficient, killing 99.9% of bacteria in a given sample over just a few hours. The biosensor also distinguished between different kinds of bacteria, suggesting it could be modified to kill other microbes as well. When tested on seawater samples, the sensor had recovery rates of 91.06% to 101.9% and remained workable after five user cycles. More information: Yanfang Wang et al, SelfPowered BiosensorBased Multifunctional Platform for Detection and In Situ Elimination of Bacteria, Advanced Functional Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202420480 Journal information: Advanced Functional Materials 2025 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Every few days now, a giant rocket blasts a fiery trail through the atmosphere, lofting satellites into orbit, carrying out space missions or performing other tasks. Since 2017, both the number of launches and the size of their cargo loads have grown dramatically, with ever bigger rockets carrying ever larger numbers of satellites and other objects per launch. In 2016, a total of 221 objects were launched into space; in 2023, the number was 2,644. There are now about 10,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit, and thousands more that have stopped working. About 6,000 belong to the SpaceX company alone, and its owner, Elon Musk, has vowed to increase those to 40,000. On top of that, there are more than 130 million chunks of "space junk" of varying sizes floating around, the spawn of larger craft that have broken up. Launches have local impacts, including huge though temporary clouds of pollution from fuel combustion, and brief hails of sheet metal, insulation and other debris from disintegrating rocket stages. And, of course, what goes up must come downeverything sent into orbit will eventually fall back to Earth, and as launches increase, so will re-entries of failed or decommissioned spacecraft. Most burn up as they hit the atmosphere, but not always completely. Just last year, sizable metal components landed, albeit harmlessly, in the woods of rural North Carolina, on the roof of a Florida home, in a farm field in Saskatchewan, and near a small village in Kenya. Kostas Tsigaridis is an atmospheric scientist at the Columbia Climate School's Center for Climate Systems Research and its affiliated NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He does not worry much about short-lived local pollution in the lower atmosphere, nor about the still-rare falling of intact debris. He is, however, concerned about byproducts from combustion of fuels as rockets travel through the upper atmosphere, and the byproducts from burning of re-entering debris there. Both could alter upper atmospheric chemistry, temperature and circulation, with possible effects on planetary climate. He and his colleagues are trying to understand the potential for such effects. Preliminary models they have used to make estimates assume that by 2050 there might be 1,000 or even 10,000 yearly launches. We spoke with Tsigaridis about this relatively new field of study. Why are you investigating the possible effects of rocketry? Rocket launches and satellite reentry are increasing at an unprecedented rate. Given the lack of any sort of regulation on their number, we expect they can start becoming a noticeable pollutant in the near future. Even more, they comprise a unique anthropogenic source of short-lived chemicals in the upper atmosphere. Given the rapidly expanding activity, we shouldn't be waiting around for something to happen and then study it. Better to try and figure this out as best we can starting now. What do most rockets use for fuel, and what are the typical byproducts? Kerosene, which is the most popular one, and solid fuels are carbon-rich and produce black carbon as a byproduct, much as automobiles do. Hydrogen, used by Blue Origin, does not contain carbon and has mostly water as a byproduct, but it has less lifting capacity per fuel mass than carbon-based fuels. Liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is mostly methane, is expected to dominate space travel in the future. LNG is still carbon based, but it burns much more efficiently than kerosene, and forms much less black carbon. Black carbon is important because of its long lifetime in the upper atmosphere. Near the surface, it quickly gets rained out by precipitation, but in the absence of clouds or surfaces higher up, including in the stratosphere, only gravity and atmospheric circulation can eventually remove it. Both of these are very slow processes. Hence it accumulates, multiplying its impact on chemistry and climate. The cleaner LNG fuel does reduce the amount of black carbon per launch, but given the projected number of launches in the future, we are still talking about quite significant amounts injected into the upper atmosphere. 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. Are there any perceptible effects yet? What could happen in the future? Let me explain first why we care about the stratosphere, which starts at aircraft cruising altitudes. This is where the ozone layer is, which protects life on this planet from the harmful solar radiation. It is sandwiched between the troposphere, the part of the atmosphere that we live in, and the mesosphere, above it. The troposphere is very moist, hence we have clouds, rain, humidity, etc. The stratosphere is extremely dry, due to its extremely cold temperatures. The coldest part between the troposphere and the stratosphere is called the tropopause, which blocks water from entering the stratosphere. There are many more features that make the stratosphere unique, but water and ozone are the ones of importance here. And, as I already said, the new component introduced by rocketry is black carbon. As its name says, black carbon is black, so it absorbs solar radiation. That heats up the environment around it. This is a very well understood effect. What we found recently, which is new, is that the heating of the stratosphere from black carbon heats up the tropopause, allowing water to "leak" into the stratosphere. This alters the chemistry and destroys stratospheric ozone. The erosion of ozone appears to not be a large effect on the global scale, but ongoing analysis implies that enhanced polar ozone destruction will happen. Furthermore, normal atmospheric circulation will bring most of the black carbon down near the polar regions, where it can land on snow and ice, and accelerate melting by making those surfaces less reflective. This is an effect that has not yet been studied, but we have plans on delving into it soon. What about debris re-entering the atmospherewhat does that produce, and what might be the results? Space debris is a very different story. There is no black carbon involved, and the burning (called ablation, to be more exact) happens higher up, in the mesosphere. The temperatures of ablation are high enough that they break down molecular nitrogen, the most abundant chemical of our atmosphere. This then forms nitrogen oxides, which can affect mesospheric chemistry. Also, the satellites we send into orbit contain large amounts of aluminum in their structures. This oxidizes to alumina, which then forms very small particles that reflect sunlight and affect chemistry. In principle, these are similar but not exactly identical to gases from major volcanic eruptions, which we know can reflect sunlight and cool the planet. These particles, as well as multiple other satellite-originating metals, have been detected in the stratosphere, on their way from the mesosphere down to the surface. Their role is yet to be exactly quantified. What are your next steps? While finalizing our work on the role of black carbon on stratospheric water, we are getting ready to study debris reentry, both in terms of nitrogen oxides and alumina. We are also looking into regional effects, rather than global, since our preliminary analysis shows that the polar atmosphere will be disproportionately affected. 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: Classified map of the range of vertical surface motion during the period 20182021 for the Auchlyne site. Credit: https://www.nature.scot/doc/naturescot-research-report-1344-use-satellite-measures-surface-motion-improve-assessment-peat New research from the University of Nottingham and Peatland Action has highlighted how satellites can be used to predict an area's landslide susceptibility. The research team used interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR)a monitoring technique which uses radar imagery to measure ground movementto improve the assessment of peat landslide susceptibility at 20 peatland sites across Scotland. The technique helps by allowing the production of maps at a national scale to feed into restoration projects, providing surface motion data and allowing sites to be reviewed after restoration to see how it has affected their susceptibility to landslides. Peat landslidesslides, flows and bog burstsare a significant natural hazard particularly associated with areas of blanket peat where steeper slopes, complex topography and generally higher rates of landscape erosion are more likely to lead to peat instability. Evaluating peat landslide susceptibility is made particularly difficult for a number of reasons, including a lack of information on local variations in the thickness of peat, poorly characterized geotechnical properties, and the unknown and complex internal structure and hydrology of the peat. Current geotechnical approaches to landslide susceptibility assessment are complex, intensive and can be expensive to deploy at a large scale. Although peat landslides are rare in Scotland, it's important to consider the risks when planning any peatland restoration project, with this new research helping with these plans. The study, led by Professor David J Large from Nottingham's Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, looked at peatland sites across Scotland, from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway. The researchwhich uses satellite Earth observation data and was first tested over three large peat landslides in Irelandfound that there's a greater chance of movement in areas of natural drainage in the peat. The study also established that a high range of "bog breathing"or up and down motion in the peatdoesn't indicate that a landslide will definitely occur. However, it does indicate areas that may be more susceptible to landslides. "Our method is ideal for rapidly screening large areas to identify where best to undertake more expensive geotechnical investigations. Potential applications include not only peatland restoration but also wind energy developments on peat," says Professor Large. Following the study, Peatland ACTION will be looking in more detail at any areas identified as having "very high" motion. This study will also help to establish whether Earth observation data should be incorporated into peat landslide risk assessment procedures. More information: Use of satellite measures of surface motion to improve the assessment of peat landslide susceptibility. www.nature.scot/doc/naturescot rove-assessment-peat 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: In this Feb 2025 photo provided by Colossal Biosciences are genetically edited mice with long, thick, woolly hair at a lab in Dallas, Texas. Credit: Colossal Biosciences via AP Extinction is still forever, but scientists at the biotech company Colossal Biosciences are trying what they say is the next best thing to restoring ancient beastsgenetically engineering living animals with qualities to resemble extinct species like the woolly mammoth. Woolly mammoths roamed the frozen tundras of Europe, Asia and North America until they went extinct around 4,000 years ago. Colossal made a splash in 2021 when it unveiled an ambitious plan to revive the woolly mammoth and later the dodo bird. Since then, the company has focused on identifying key traits of extinct animals by studying ancient DNA, with a goal to genetically "engineer them into living animals," said CEO Ben Lamm. Outside scientists have mixed views about whether this strategy will be helpful for conservation. "You're not actually resurrecting anythingyou're not bringing back the ancient past," said Christopher Preston, a wildlife and environment expert at the University of Montana, who was not involved in the research. On Tuesday, Colossal announced that its scientists have simultaneously edited seven genes in mice embryos to create mice with long, thick, woolly hair. They nicknamed the extra-furry rodents as the "Colossal woolly mouse." Results were posted online, but they have not yet been published in a journal or vetted by independent scientists. In this Feb 2025 photo provided by Colossal Biosciences a genetically edited mouse with long, thick, woolly hair at a lab in Dallas, Texas. Credit: Colossal Biosciences via AP The feat "is technologically pretty cool," said Vincent Lynch, a biologist at the University of Buffalo, who was not involved in the research. Scientists have been genetically engineering mice since the 1970s, but new technologies like CRISPR "make it a lot more efficient and easier," said Lynch. The Colossal scientists reviewed DNA databases of mouse genes to identify genes related to hair texture and fat metabolism. Each of these genetic variations are "present already in some living mice," said Colossal's chief scientist Beth Shapiro, but "we put them all together in a single mouse." They picked the two traits because these mutations are likely related to cold tolerancea quality that woolly mammoths must have had to survive on the prehistoric Arctic steppe. Colossal said it focused on mice first to confirm if the process works before potentially moving on to edit the embryos of Asian elephants, the closest living relatives to woolly mammoths. However, because Asian elephants are an endangered species, there will be "a lot of processes and red tape" before any plan can move forward, said Colossal's Lamm, whose company has raised over $400 million in funding. In this Feb 2025 photo provided by Colossal Biosciences are genetically edited mice with long, thick, woolly hair at a lab in Dallas, Texas. Credit: Colossal Biosciences via AP Independent experts are skeptical about the idea of "de-extinction." "You might be able to alter the hair pattern of an Asian elephant or adapt it to the cold, but it's not bringing back a woolly mammoth. It's changing an Asian elephant," said University of Montana's Preston. Still, the refinement of precision gene-editing in animals could have other uses for conservation or animal agriculture, said Bhanu Telugu, who studies animal biotechnology at the University of Missouri and was not involved in the new research. Telugu said he was impressed by Colossal's technology advances that enabled scientists to pinpoint which genes to target. The same approach might one day help fight diseases in people, said Lamm. So far, the company has spun off two health care companies. "It's part of how we monetize our business," said Lamm. More information: Rui Chen et al, Multiplex-edited mice recapitulate woolly mammoth hair phenotypes, biorxiv (2025). DOI: 10.1101/2025.03.03.641227 , www.biorxiv.org/content/10.110 /2025.03.03.641227v1 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Terje Sollie from Pexels A new study from the University of Missouri School of Journalism introduces "volunteer journalism" as a promising solution to bridge the news and information gap in communities. According to researchers, volunteer journalism involves individuals voluntarily contributing their time and effort to create, curate and share news and information as part of an organization. "With traditional news organizations struggling or disappearing in many places, volunteer journalism could help fill the gap by keeping communities informed and connected," Nick Mathews, assistant professor of journalism and lead author of the study, said. "This is particularly crucial in areas where professional journalism is no longer available." Mathews said the key distinction between volunteer journalists and citizen journalists lies in their motivation: While citizen journalists may be driven by personal interests or specific agendas, volunteer journalists are primarily focused on serving their communities through consistent and reliable news coverage. The research is published in the Journalism Practice. Focusing on community For their study, researchers interviewed individuals from 16 organizations in the United States, Denmark and India. They used this data to define and clarify the concept of volunteer journalism and to show how it differs from other forms of journalism. They found that volunteer journalism is distinct from other forms of unpaid journalism, such as citizen journalism, in three main ways. It focuses on long-term commitment to an organization, not just singular or sporadic contributions. It prioritizes sharing information, not persuading people or promoting opinions. And it emphasizes serving the broader community, not just specific issues or groups. Mathews noted that there is currently no formal record of the number of volunteer journalists operating worldwide. Filling a void Researchers found that many of the volunteers were responding to a void of news and information in their communities. Mathews, whose research areas are rural and local news and information ecosystems, said several of the volunteer journalists interviewed for the study were responding to a loss of professional news coverage in their areas. "Many of these volunteers see this as a service to their communities," he said. "It's encouraging to see people realize how valuable journalism is to their community, and they are willing to do this for free for their communities." More than 2,000 news organizations have shut down in the past two decades. While society is starting to grasp the consequences of this decline, the industry is still grappling to find a clear path forward. The Missouri School of Journalism is addressing the issue by focusing on entrepreneurialism in the industry, Matthews said. That includes providing courses around news products and business strategies in support of sustainable local journalism. While declining revenues, consolidation of media companies and the rise of digital platforms have placed the future of local media in jeopardy, Mathews and his fellow authors say their research offers a glimmer of hope. "By tapping into the dedication of individuals willing to contribute their time and expertise, organizations can persist in delivering valuable content to their communities," he said. "Therefore, we contend that volunteer journalism warrants a place within journalism studies, given the growing challenges faced by news ecosystems globally and its potential to address these issues." More information: Nick Mathews et al, Volunteer Journalism: Defining a Sub-field of Journalism Studies, Journalism Practice (2024). DOI: 10.1080/17512786.2024.2427620 CAPE MAY A local organization that has helped support a shelter in Ukraine sees new hope for peace, said Charity Clark, one of the organizers of Cape May Shelters Lutsk. The group has raised about three quarters of a million dollars, she said, which has gone toward food, heat, clothing and other needs for a refugee shelter in the west of Ukraine, not far from the border with Poland. The core group, Vesna Palifrova, Patrick McGonigal, Ron Long, Shirley Phinney and Clark, remain involved, Clark said Monday, and share a vision for the future of Ukraine. Palifrovas brother, Zoran Donchev, was in Lutsk when the war began. He and his wife, Tatiana, run shelters in Lutsk, and he helped let people in South Jersey know what was needed most, as families entered the city from areas where the fighting was most intense. The next fundraiser for the group is planned for June 7, Clark said, expressing hope that it will raise money for rebuilding, rather than for shelter in a nation at war. I think the reality is that people over there are tired of the war and are happy with the fact that the war might be ending, hopeful for a ceasefire and a long-term peace, Clark said. Her comments come after an extraordinary meeting last week in the Oval Office between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in which Zelenskyy warned against trusting anything from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance described Zelenskyy as ungrateful and disrespectful. Youre gambling with World War III, and what youre doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country thats backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have, Trump told Zelenskyy during the event, with cameras rolling. After a year of war, South Jersey continues to help Ukraine CAPE MAY About 4 a.m. local time Thursday, Vesna Palifrova spoke on the phone with her bro In Cape May, Clark said the move to unify support for Ukraine from French, British and other European allies may be the most important development from the White House event. A unified Europe could help protect Ukraine in the short term and against future aggression in the long term. The previous administration continued to fund the war, so love him or hate him, at least this administration is talking about ending the war, Clark said. After the White House meeting, which has been described as everything from extraordinary to disastrous, Trump said Zelenskyy was not ready for peace. The event was supposed to be the signing of an agreement giving the United States greater access to rare earth minerals, described as payback for $180 billion in American aid to Ukraine. Zelenskyy pushed for security guarantees that Trump indicated were unnecessary, with the Ukrainian leader insisting that Putin could not be trusted. Reports indicate that most Ukrainians, and significant numbers of Ukrainian Americans, have rallied around Zelenskyy and criticized Trumps approach. While Clark had criticism for Democratic former President Joe Bidens administration, she sidestepped any criticism of Trump in an interview Monday. I think we need to get politics out of it and think in the larger scale about peace, she said. If you want to bash Biden, if you want to bash Trump, you can do it all day long. But she said Biden seemed content to arm Ukraine and allow them to continue fighting, regardless of the cost. Cape May largesse heading to liberated city in Ukraine CAPE MAY On Tuesday, Zoran Donchev and his wife, Tatiana, were preparing supplies and wait She also sided with the Trump administration's position that Ukraine should be ready to surrender some of its captured territory to Russia, saying it would not be realistic that Ukraine would not have to give anything up in negotiations. She said the people shes talking with in Ukraine are ready for compromise, in the hopes of significant investment in their country and new stability. Clark praised Zelenskyy for standing up for his country, both at home and in Washington, even when he is at odds with an American president. He is fighting for his country in the Oval Office. You recognize his frustration and have to applaud him for standing up to America and trying to relay his case, she said. Clark said Zelenskyy has praised grassroots community groups like Cape May Shelters Lutsk for helping people in Ukraine during the war. The war began in 2022, with Russias full-scale invasion of the former Soviet republic, which had declared independence after the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. In 2014, Russian annexed the Ukrainian territory of Crimea, in a move condemned internationally as a land grab. The fighting has been fierce since the invasion, the largest invasion and the bloodiest war in Europe since the end of World War II. In Russia, the fighting is referred to as a special military operation, emphatically not a war. Ive gotten very frustrated when I watch the news. But I just have to have faith. Love or hate Trump, Trump does not like to lose. He would not like to have on his record that he destroyed a democracy, Clark said. I just have faith that the long-term goal is victory for democracy and peace for Ukraine. Rock Island County's next consolidated general election will take place on April 1, 2025, including for school boards. School board terms in Illinois last four years, though some Rock Island County races have two-year terms on the ballot due to board appointments or vacancies. In higher education, Black Hawk College uses six-year terms. Black Hawk College Board of Trustees Incumbent Douglas Strand is running for reelection to one of the two seats up for election this spring. Former trustee Jon A. Looney, Mark Carlson and Dougal Nelson are also running. Strand served his first six-year term after being elected in 1983. He ran again and was elected in April 2013 and has remained a Black Hawk trustee since. Carbon Cliff/Barstow/Eagle Ridge School Board Only two candidates have filed for the four seats up for election, incumbent Stacy Gustaf who appointed to the board in 2023 and Cody Allen. East Moline School Board With four seats up for election, the following incumbent candidates are running uncontested: Chris VanSpeybroek, the current board president, who was first elected in 2021. Joann Snelling, appointed in August of 2023 to fill a vacancy. Amy Beeding, first elected in 2021. Jessica Krol, appointed in October to fill a vacancy. Erie School Board With four seats up for election, the following incumbents are running for reelection: Shelly Punke, first elected in 2021. Jason Norman, board president, first elected in 2013. Keith R. Morgan, first elected in 2021. Lance M. Coers, board vice-president, first elected in 2021. Hampton School Board Incumbent Ryan Gonzales, first elected in 2017, is running uncontested for the districts only two-year term up for election. Two incumbent candidates have filed for the three regular terms up for election: Elizabeth Bornhoeft, who was appointed in 2015 and first elected in 2017, and Trina Larrison, who was appointed to fill a vacancy last year. Mercer County School Board With four seats up for election, three incumbents and one other candidate are on the ballot. Those seeking to return to their seats are board vice-president Donald Yates, first elected in 2008; Talbert Balmer Jr., first elected in 2013; and Jason Monson, who joined the board in 2021. They are joined on the ballot by Zachary Frick. Moline-Coal Valley School Board With three seats up for election, Cheston "Chet" DeSmet is the only incumbent candidate in this election. Current board president Andrew Waeyaert and vice-president Erin Waldron-Smith, both elected in 2017, are not running for reelection. DeSmet was first elected in 2021. Along with DeSmet, the following individuals are running: W. Wayne Marlow Sarah Balkovek Laura Sivertsen Geoffrey Manis Orion School Board Three seats are up for grabs this spring, though only two candidates incumbent Heather Carlson Hoftender and Austin Hepner have filed for the election. Hoftender was first elected to the board in 2021. Riverdale School Board With four seats up for election, the following incumbents are hoping to return to their seats: Scott Beeler, first elected in 2019; Wendy Kelley and Kevin Mahraun, both of whom were first elected in 2021. They are joined on the ballot by Mike Lewis and Amber Klundt. Rock Island-Milan School Board Tracy Pugh is the only incumbent candidate running for reelection in this race, with four seats up for grabs. He was first elected in 2021. The following candidates are also running: Isabel Pena Susan Crowder Quincy Davis Andrea S. Gilman Richard Phillis David Hobin Aside from Pugh, expiring terms include school board members Gary Rowe, Margie Mejia-Caraballo and current board president Terell Williams. Rockridge School Board With four seats up for election, the following four incumbents are running: Greg Marty, who first joined the board in 2020 to fill a vacancy. Lorri Lund, first elected in 2023. Drew Scharer, appointed and subsequently elected in 2021. Thomas Parchert, first elected in 2017. Three others, Mandy Parchert, Ryan Morford and Drue Kampmann, are also running. Sherrard School Board With four seats up, the following four incumbents are running for reelection: John Cabor, who joined the board in 2019 as an appointee. Cassandra Cleaveland, first elected in 2021. Kimberly DeBlock, first elected in 2017. Robert (Dan) Helm, first elected in 2017. Non-incumbents running are Viminda Shafer, Aaron "A.A. Ron" Johnson , Chad Kinsey and Veronica Sparksman. Silvis School Board With one two-year seat and four regular terms expiring, each candidate in this race filed to run for a four-year term, including incumbents Jade Wilson, Rose Hernandez, Daniel Lohse and non-incumbent Amber Hackett. Hernandez is a former board appointee, first elected in 2015. Lohse was first elected in 2021, and Wilson was appointed in June. United Township School Board With four full terms up for election, incumbent board president Susan Koska, vice-president Giovanna Davila and members Chris DeCock and Luis Puentes are all running for reelection. Ivey Earl-Colvin is also running. Koska has served on the UT school board since 2005, with Daila and DeCock elected in 2017 and 2021, respectively. Puentes was appointed to the board last school year following the death of former, longtime member Harry Arvanis. How to vote Off-site early voting is not available this election, but voters can cast their ballot by mail prior to Election Day and during early voting at the County Clerk's Office. To download a vote-by-mail application, visit rockislandcountyil.gov/273/Vote-by-Mail. Voters can also pick up the application in-person at the County Clerk's Office or have it mailed to them by calling 309-786-8683. Applications for mail-in ballots are due to the clerk's office by March 27. Early voting at the clerk's office opens March 13 and runs through March 31 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There are also Saturday hours on March 22 and March 29 from 8 a.m. to noon. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, April 1. Rock Island County residents can register to vote on Election Day at their Vote Center if they bring two forms of ID showing their current name and address. For more information regarding vote-by-mail or any other election process, call the County Clerk's Voter Registration/Elections Department at 309-786-8683. The Lee Enterprises Montana State News Bureau is closely following major bills moving through the 2025 Montana Legislature. This session, lawmakers will weigh several bills related to Montana Medicaid. Perhaps the biggest ticket item is Medicaid expansion, which provides health care coverage to roughly 76,000 adults earning low incomes. Expansion will sunset in June unless the legislature reauthorizes it this session. But lawmakers will also take a stab at other parts of the program, looking at things like provider reimbursement rates and enrollment barriers. Here are the latest updates: Medicaid expansion renewal Update: Monday, March 3 Current Montana Medicaid law requires people up to age 55 to work or participate in education, job training or substance disorder treatment to be eligible for Medicaid expansion. A bill from Rep. Bill Mercer, R-Billings, would change that age limit to everyone under age 62. House Bill 687 cleared a preliminary vote in the House on a vote of 58-41. According to a fiscal note from the state health department, the change would mean 1,674 people would be made newly subject to the work mandate, although its full impact is fuzzy since the federal government has not yet approved Montana's work requirement waiver application. Assuming it passes its final vote tomorrow, the bill moves to the Senate health committee. Update: Thursday, February 27 House Bill 245, a continuation of expansion and its coverage of 77,000 low-income Montanans, cleared its final legislative hurdle Thursday, advancing from the GOP-majority Senate on a vote of 30 to 20. It eliminates the policy sunset for Medicaid expansion in statute, though the Legislature can elect to fund the program or not every two years through the appropriations process. The bill now heads to the desk of the governor, who has expressed an openness to signing into law a bill that renews the expansion of Medicaid with work requirements, but has not commented directly on his plan for HB 245. Update: Thursday, February 20 At a Senate floor debate Thursday that sounded at times like a resigned last gasp for opponents of Medicaid expansion, Democrats and 11 Republicans joined forces behind the government-run health care program. House Bill 245, which would renew the program as its currently written, got an initial green light from the Senate in a 29-21 vote. With few moves left to stall the bill's progress, Senate GOP leadership opted to send the bill which carries a meager $125,000 fiscal note because it technically just continues present law to the Finance and Claims Committee, where its fiscal impacts will be discussed and amendments could be introduced. Nobody objected. Update: Monday, February 17 A bill that would renew the joint federal-state program in its current form skirted through the conservative-leaning Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee on Monday. House Bill 245 advanced on a 6-5 vote with two Billings-area Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Tom McGillvray and Sen. Mike Yakawich, joining Democrats in support of the bill. McGillvray, part of the conservative Senate leadership and a known critic of federal spending, declined to comment on why he voted for the bill. The proposal now moves to the Senate floor for discussion and a vote by the whole chamber. Update: Wednesday, February 12 The Senate looked likely to shoot down a plan from Sen. Jeremy Trebas, R-Great Falls, that would have renewed Medicaid expansion while making work requirements more stringent on a preliminary vote of 23-27, another sign that renewal of the joint federal-state health insurance program has bipartisan backing. SB 199 would have struck community service and substance abuse education from the list of allowable activities, resulting in decreased enrollment and about $5 million in annual savings for the state's general fund. Trebas argued that simply renewing Medicaid expansion as is does not plan for stability in the volatile environment that were living in federally" and suggested that his proposal would create more sustainability for the program if federal support were to decrease. Critics pointed to a "poison pill" in the bill's language that would require Medicaid expansion to terminate if the feds failed to approve the waiver application to institute the work requirement. Although Medicaid expansion work requirements exist in current Montana law, they have not been implemented because the previous Biden White House declined to consider applications. Update: Tuesday, February 11 SB 62, the legislative proposal to phase out Medicaid expansion in Montana, failed to advance in the Senate on Tuesday, a roadblock for Republican lawmakers who hope to prevent the renewal of the program this session. It stalled in the upper chamber on a vote of 20-30 with 12 Republicans opposing the bill. The convincing defeat of the proposal to allow expansion to expire suggests bipartisan momentum looks to be building behind some version of renewal. Update: Monday, February 10 House Bill 245, the proposal from Republican Representative Ed Buttrey to reup Montanas current expansion program, cleared another major benchmark on Monday, passing the House on a 63-37 vote. The bill goes next to the Senate. Update: Tuesday, January 28 The sponsor of an ambitious Democratic effort to overhaul Medicaid expansion offered to gut her own bill Tuesday just four weeks into the legislative session. But it was not enough to garner support from Republicans on the committee, who voted against what would have been a much leaner version of the proposal. As originally written, House Bill 230 from Rep. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, would have nixed work requirements, reopened in-person public assistance offices and made it easier for people to sign up for Medicaid and stay enrolled. At a House health committee on Tuesday, Caferro brought an amendment that slashed almost all of those provisions from the bill. Other than the reauthorization of Medicaid expansion, all that remained in the updated version was a $3 million allocation to reopen 10 public assistance offices and direction to the state health department to improve its communication with enrollees. Even so, all 12 Republicans on the committee voted against Caferro's amendment and then the bill as a whole. HB 230 was tabled in committee and will not move forward. The committee did, however, vote 14-7 to advance HB 245 to the House floor, with Democrats joining moderate Republicans, demonstrating some bipartisan support of the more measured take on expansion reauthorization. Seven more-conservative Republicans opposed the bill. Update: Thursday, January 24 A bill from Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, that would phase out Medicaid expansion over time narrowly passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 62 would put a hard stop on new enrollment in September, continuing to provide health care coverage only for those already enrolled until they phased off the joint state-federal program. Glimm called the proposal "compassionate" as opposed to just cutting the program all at once. Though nobody testified in favor of SB 62 during the hearing, it still made it through the committee process with the support of six Republicans. One lawmaker, Sen. Mike Yakawich from Billings, voted against the bill along with all five committee Democrats. Update: Thursday, January 23 Two proposals one from a Democrat and another from a Republican to continue the joint state-federal health plan for low-income earners garnered a large turnout of supporters at the House health committee hearing. House Bill 245, sponsored by Rep. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, would keep Medicaid expansion in its present form. He touted its workforce development provisions and its efforts to prevent fraud or abuse. Buttreys proposal eliminates the sunset, but he said existing state law requires the Legislature to appropriate funding for Medicaid every legislative session, so in essence, we have built-in a sunset. House Bill 230, sponsored by Rep. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, also eliminates the sunset, but goes a step further and slashes work requirements. Her proposal eases barriers to access, creates an advisory board of Medicaid beneficiaries to guide program policy and directs the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services to overhaul how it communicates with Medicaid beneficiaries. The two lawmakers have collaborated for more than a decade on Medicaid expansion. They were co-sponsors on the law to reauthorize the program and renew it in 2019. A major difference between Buttrey and Caferros proposals is work requirements, which attach employment or other community engagement stipulations to Medicaid eligibility. Buttreys bills would maintain work requirements as they are currently written, while Caferros bill does not tie eligibility to employment. Hers would allow for caregivers to be eligible and recognize other limitations to full-time employment, she said. Making Montana Medicaid easier to access Update: Monday, March 3 With significant bipartisan support, a proposal to give "community assisters" access to Medicaid applications and status updates sailed through its first vote in the House. House Bill 601 from Rep. SJ Howell, D-Missoula, would create a website that allows caretakers, family members and others to help people apply for Medicaid coverage and access information about their application status. It would cost around $714,000 to get the site up and running, but only about $97,000 of the cost would come from state funds. The rest would be covered by the federal government. Howell found an ally on the floor in Rep. Jane Gillette, a Republican from Three Forks who keeps a close eye on government spending and works as a dentist back home. "I think this is a great bill," Gillette said, adding that it would save "lots of hours in my life" helping patients navigate their benefits and health care coverage. HB 601 passed its preliminary vote 81-18. Update: Monday, February 10 A bill from Sen. Mike Yakawich, R-Billings, that would make it easier for seniors and adults with disabilities to access care that could keep them out of the hospital sailed through a preliminary Senate vote 44-6 on Monday. Senate Bill 72 would grant "presumptive eligibility" to people looking to access certain home- or community-based services without having to wait for their application to be processed. Doing so, supporters say, would allow vulnerable individuals to access health care quickly and outside of a hospital setting. The bill was re-referred to the Senate Finance and Claims Committee. Update: Wednesday, January 29 House Bill 185, sponsored by Rep. Ed Stafman, D-Bozeman, passed the House with the support of more than 10 Republicans. It would reduce how often parents have to reapply for Medicaid coverage for children under six. The bill would allow eligible children to be covered by the government-funded health care plan for three-year stints without having to reapply. Montana health department estimates suggest another 3,000 or so children would be added to the Medicaid rolls and cost another roughly $2.5 million per year. HB 185 will be heard next by the House Appropriations Committee. Medicaid in Indian Country Update: Thursday, January 23 During a House health committee hearing, tribal leadership touted the benefits of Medicaid expansion. Some individuals said expansion has also helped to make substance use and behavioral health treatment available to people who need it most. For example, Jennifer Show, the chief health officer for the Aaniiih and Nakoda Tribes on the Fort Belknap Reservation, said the tribal behavioral health facility has increased patient visits by 3,100% since expansion was created. Update: Monday, January 20 Tribal leaders joined other rallygoers at the Montana State Capitol on Monday to make their case to lawmakers that reauthorizing Medicaid expansion is critical for Indian Country. The joint federal-state health insurance program provides health coverage to more than 13,240 American Indians in Montana. Since the Montana Legislature first enacted Medicaid expansion in 2015, uninsurance rates among Native people have plummeted and services such as diagnostic screenings and behavioral health care are now provided in tribal communities where they once were almost nonexistent. More than a dozen representatives from the seven Indian reservations in Montana shared stories with the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services on Monday about how expansion has changed their communities. Among other points, advocates told committee members that Medicaid expansion made it possible to expand behavioral health care services. A report from the Montana Healthcare Foundation found that expansion helped to fund treatment for more than 4,600 Native Americans in 2022. Politics of Medicaid Update: Monday, February 10 As lawmakers debated a proposal to renew Medicaid expansion on the House floor, they did so against a backdrop of looming federal policy changes that could have great impacts on how much the program costs the state. A GOP-led U.S. Congress has made slashing Medicaid funding a top priority in order to cut government spending and pay for other parts of the Trump administrations agenda. Some Montana Republicans who voted against renewing Medicaid expansion raised concern on the House floor that continuing the program without knowing how the feds might act could force the state to foot a much larger bill than anticipated. Just be aware of what youre paying for and what youre getting into if you vote for this because you are stuck with it for good, said Rep. Fiona Nave, R-Columbus. The citys updated water crisis report, released early Monday morning, contains revisions to the timeline of events that unfolded on Jan. 6, placing the arrival of state health officials more than 6 hours later than the city initially claimed. The citys preliminary report, produced by the engineering firm HNTB and released on Feb. 13, indicated that a representative for the Virginia Department of Health was on site at Richmonds water treatment plant by 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, the day that a power failure at the facility took the citys entire water treatment system offline. But the new report shows that the VDH could not access the plant until 6:50 p.m. The updated report also shows VDH staffers had to reach out to the city to be briefed on the unfolding disaster inside the plant after hearing about issues from a third party. That didnt happen until 2:50 p.m., according to the revised timeline over two hours after the city originally said VDH was aware of the situation. The report does not notate or explain the changes, although they align with texts and emails between senior VDH officials exchanged on Jan. 6. The Richmond Times-Dispatch previously reported that those internal communications contradicted the citys timeline for informing state health officials of the plant failure. During a news conference on Monday afternoon, Richmond Department of Public Utilities Director Scott Morris explained that the original timeline had been cursory and generated based on reviews with staff. After issuing the first report, HNTB reviewed call logs, responses from VDH and (other) types of correspondence that conflicted with information provided by staff, and then made the appropriate alterations, Morris said. Morris appeared to place some of the blame for the differences on VDH, which he said was provided a draft copy of the report but didnt note the discrepancies. VDH representative locked out of plant, left the scene HNTBs second report partially attributed the slowed VDH response to state health officials inability to enter the plant upon arrival. According to the report, the VDH representative made it to the plant by 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, but (could) not get in the gate. Unable to get in touch with DPU staff inside the plant, the VDH representative left the scene. The representative returned at 6:50 p.m. and finally was admitted to the facility. James Reynolds, VDHs Richmond director of field operations, arrived at the plant at 11:30 a.m. the following day, almost 18 hours after the crisis began. The report notes that, while the delayed communication with VDH did not violate state waterworks regulations which require localities to inform state health officials within 24 hours of (an) incident it is best practice to notify them as soon as it was evident that impacts to the distribution system were possible. Richmonds plant supplies water to Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico counties, which experienced the impacts of the outage to varying degrees. Both Hanover and Henrico, like Richmond, had to issue boil advisories as a result of low water pressure. According to the report, the first discussions with the localities did not adequately convey the severity of the situation although Mayor Danny Avula pushed back against that finding during the Monday afternoon news conference, and defended the citys communication with regional leaders. I think 9 a.m. is reasonable, Avula said, referring to an email sent at that time to Henrico leaders. What Im looking at shows that there was a good-faith attempt I dont know how to comment outside of that. Report identifies decades of deferred maintenance The sequence of events that caused the plant meltdown and left residents without drinkable water for six days is largely unchanged in the new report, but the 30-page document does contain detailed information on some of the infrastructural and operational problems identified by HNTB. For example, in addition to the lack of training and the inadequate standard operating procedures cited in the previous report, the updated document faults city officials sluggish response to the crisis. Officials failed to alert regional customers in a timely fashion, struggled to establish a clear chain of command between operations and maintenance crews and were short-staffed after a mechanical staff member went home early following snow and ice clearing operations, the report says. And there were no electrical or (instrumentation and control staff) on site at the time of the power outage, HNTB found. Based on staff interviews there are occasional problems finding coverage when an operator calls in sick or otherwise cannot come in. During a Monday afternoon meeting of City Councils Organizational Development Standing Committee, HNTB Vice President Robert Page told the body that the communications breakdown created a very dangerous environment for staff particularly when crews restored power to the plant without warning DPU employees. Were probably lucky no one was hurt, 2nd District Councilwoman Katherine Jordan responded. But city officials failings also long preceded Jan. 6, the report suggests. HNTB highlighted decades of deferred maintenance and a poor process for submitting work orders. Project documentation provided to the engineering firm by DPU showed multiple projects that were slated for implementation from 2001 to 2007, but were only recently implemented or are just now being implemented. There could be many reasons for the 20-year delay for capital projects, but it indicates that there may be substantial amounts of deferred replacement that leads to running equipment failure, the report says. The deferred projects are not specifically identified. The Times-Dispatch previously reported that city officials for at least 8 years put off replacing the plants switchgear. The switchgear is designed to transfer the plant from its main power feed to a second primary power feed in the event of a blackout. Its bus tie failed during the Jan. 6 power outage. Compounding the maintenance problems, according to the report, is the fact that only operations supervisors and not lower-level operations staff can access the system to submit and check the status of work orders. That places a high administrative load on the supervisors. A majority of the work orders entered into DPUs (system) lacked key identifying information and details, such as asset IDs, asset names, asset locations and the specific actions taken to complete the (work order), the report says. Overlapping work orders seeking the same or similar services indicated that some preventive maintenance is not regularly completed within the recommended time interval. Flooding at plant a common occurrence Some of the challenges faced by DPU are a result of the layout of the century-old plant, the HNTB found. The plants clearwells storage basins for water going through the treatment process are located in the plants basement. The basement also hosts critical electrical components. The combination can make operations tricky, the report says. Valves to the pumps that feed the clearwells are in the lowest level of the plant, and are accessed via stairs and a number of ladders from platforms in the center of the basement, the report says. During the Jan. 6 power outage, those valves remained open rather than closing automatically. That caused the clearwells to overflow and the basement to flood, and destroyed non-water-resistant equipment. Manual operation of the valves quickly is impractical because of how they are accessed, the number of valves (22), the amount of time it takes to operate (them) by hand and the potential safety risks for an operator to be in the lowest levels once flooding starts, the report says. Plant staff told HNTB flooding was a common occurrence, citing a previous flooding incident that shut down the facility for at least six hours although the plant had power during that incident. During flooding events, plant staff use basement sump pumps and standby pumps at ground level to drain the affected area. But the conditions these pumps are operating in are less than ideal, the report says. DPU staff have to run 60 feet of pipe and hose from the basement to the standby pumps, which sometimes discharge water back into the basement a failure that occurred during the water crisis. Confusion over generators persists While the updated report still indicates that the plants third redundancy backup diesel generators never came into play, it is still not clear why. According to the report, the on-call electrician arrived at the plant at 6:30 a.m., but staff made no attempts to start the backup generators. Instead, DPU staff were focused on making the manual switch to the secondary power feed that the switchgear had failed to complete. The report characterizes that as the prudent course of action, arguing that, if staff had been trained and reacted correctly, it wouldve taken less time to make the manual switch to the secondary power feed than it wouldve taken to transfer the plant to the generators. But the report also says staff were not adequately trained and did not react correctly leaving unclear the wisdom of neglecting the backup generators altogether. HNTB has recommended automating the backup generators. Utility rate raises may be on the horizon The time elapsed between reports has continued to be a source of frustration for multiple councilmembers, especially given the pressing need for information in light of the upcoming budgeting process. Mayor Avula will propose his budget to City Council later this month, but during Mondays committee meeting, 8th District Councilwoman Reva Trammell stressed the fact that the body cannot make decisions about billing and spending allocations without knowing more about whats needed at the plant. There are so many unanswered questions, Trammell said. Right now, we are going through the budget, so we need to know. This is the most important thing right now that should be on all our minds. She then sparred with Morris over the prospect of raising utility rates. I know were also talking again about raising the water and stormwater (rates), Trammell said. People are in crisis, they cannot afford to keep paying. Every year, it keeps going up. Now, they have to pay for something that they had no control of, she added. I would not advocate for not increasing rates, Morris replied. When you stop having rate increases, you start having deferred maintenance. But the rate increases cited by Trammell have coincided with the deferred maintenance spelled out in HNTBs report. You try telling 50 people a day Im sorry, Trammell snapped at Morris. They dont want to hear youre sorry, they want to know why, and what youre going to do about it. Ill tell you what, you will get an earful, and you wont be too happy, she said. Navy collects 1.5 tons of sargassum off coast of Mahahual Mahahual, Q.R. The Navy has begun at-sea sargassum collection off the coast of Mahahual. The group of seamen worked Monday to collect the arriving seaweed before it made landfall. Approximately 1.5 tons of sargassum was collected by Navy members from the Eleventh Naval Zone. The collected sargassum was hauled ashore near a pier and trucked away. The Navy via the Eleventh Naval Zone within the framework of the Strategy for addressing Sargassum on the Mexican Caribbean coast, reports that Monday, actions were initiated to mitigate the effects of the sargassum in Mahahual. In this context, actions were initiated in coordination with hoteliers, restaurateurs and service providers in the vicinity of the fishing pier and beaches of Mahahual, having recovered approximately 1.5 tons of sargassum and inorganic waste. It should be noted that this is a joint effort derived from the agreements established in work meetings with the participation of the Navy, state government, private initiative and civil society of Quintana Roo. With these actions, the Mexican Navy reaffirms its commitment to implement actions that contribute to reducing the arrival of sargassum on the beaches of the Mexican Caribbean, providing the necessary resources in coordination with the agencies of the three levels of government and civil society, they said in a statement. New fishermans wharf of Puerto Morelos inaugurated in ribbon cutting ceremony Puerto Morelos, Q.R. The seaside town of Puerto Morelos has opened its newly built fishing pier for public use. On Monday, dignitaries made the opening official with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa, accompanied by Mayor Blanca Merari Tziu Munoz, inaugurated the new Fishermens Wharf. The fishing pier was rebuilt after years of deterioration. At the Monday ceremony, Lezama recalled that is was just over a year ago, on January 6, that the announcement of a new pier was made. We appreciate the support of the federal government, SEMARNAT, the Navy and all those who helped us make this pier a reality. The Environmental Sanitation Trust is for this, to carry out projects that improve the quality of life for the well-being of the people of Puerto Morelos who work in the Caribbean Sea, said the Governor. Puerto Morelos Mayor Blanca Merari reported that the new pier is 113.50 meters long and 4.20 meters wide and benefits almost 20,000 inhabitants. It improves fishing activity with a safe and functional space as well as tourism, since the pier is a point of interest for visitors and sport fishermen. She said that this renovated structure, with an investment of 6.7 million pesos from the Environmental Law Sanitation Fund, guarantees greater safety for users, reducing the risk of accidents. It is the first major project to be carried out with resources from this Fund, which is managed with complete transparency. Merari Tziu thanked Governor Lezama for her support and intervention with President Claudia Sheinbaum to make the project possible. Mario Salinas Castro, Secretary of Public Works of the City Council, announced that among the projects carried out was the dismantling of 35 linear meters of damaged wooden dock and the construction of 78.5 linear meters, for a total length of 113.50 meters. He said 141 wooden piles with a diameter of 40 centimetres were driven in. A hard wooden deck was placed on the structure, piles, load-bearing elements, beams and bracing, reinforced with planks as a platform. Governor Mara Lezama highlighted the importance of this project as a symbol of hope for fishing and nautical sector families, as well as its quality in meeting the highest technical standards and its design to withstand the climatic conditions of the region, ensuring its durability for decades, because in the governments of transformation we do things very well, right the first time. Lezama said that the pier was left without maintenance for many years, because the money that should have been allocated for its maintenance ended up in the bank accounts of a few who did not care about the people, of the neoliberal and corrupt governments that have been left in the dustbin of history. Today, the pier is a symbol of shared prosperity. It is proof of the transparent management of the peoples money which is perfectly secured to last for many years, she said. Dear Prudence is Slates advice column. Delia Cai is filling in as Prudie for Jenee Desmond-Harris while shes on parental leave. Submit questions here. Dear Prudence, On Valentines Day, I read the note my husband of three years wrote me for me alongside with the usual box of cherry cordials (my favorite). For context, alongside my day job, I am an artist. I create art in a number of media including short story writing, poetry, oil on canvas, watercolors, graphite, and charcoal. I also dabble in digital art. My husband has a peripheral awareness of the art world, but his hobbies tend to lean toward traditionally masculine ones (sports, video games, podcasting). I think our different passions suit us really well. I learn new things from him and his expertise as he does from my expertise. So imagine my surprise when he gave me my Valentines Day card with the most beautiful, heartfelt love letter that I have ever read. He struck every chord, putting into words things about myself I thought I held closer to my chest, and he did it succinctly and expertly. He made me feel seen, adored, worshipped, and whole by this letter. Now I am dealing with feelings of envy and inadequacy. An art form I have been studying, researching, practicing, applying, editing, failing at, and (rarely) succeeding in since high school, and it turns out my meathead husband has had a natural talent for it this WHOLE TIME! I asked him when he wrote this, and he told me during a meeting the day before. He said he tried to make me an origami animal, got frustrated, and channeled those feelings of love for me and this is what came out. One strategy. One draft. One attempt. I could scream. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am ashamed to say that when he was out walking the dog, I searched his browsing history for AI. I was devastated (but not wholly surprised) when I couldnt find anything. He knows how I feel about AIs place in art (it doesnt have one). I looked through the trash by his desk to see if he was at least lying about his number of attempts, and I found week-old receipts and notes, but nothing about how my eyes are the tether to his moral compass. I dont know what to do. I feel hopeless. I want to give up. I have been producing art for consumption for decades and none of it has come close to his letter. I want to cherish it, rip it up, set it on fire, and turn the ashes into a piece, but that would not undo the knowledge I have that my husband is a natural talent. And it would probably hurt his feelings. He seemed very proud of it. How do I move past this? The awareness of my mediocrity is not exactly a source of inspiration or insight at the moment. Mediocre in Manhattan Dear Mediocre, Advertisement Advertisement I think you need to be honest with your husband, but not too honest: Tell him that while you love the intention of his letter (and the fact that he chose to express his feelings for you in such an objectively romantic way), youre also feeling some weird, complicated emotions about his newly discovered writing talent. I would add something like, I love you, but this letter provoked a side of me that I dont like very much. I am going to work on it, but I just want you to know that if I am acting a little weird for a while, it doesnt have to do with you or how much I love you. This is just me being insecure for a bit, OK? Reaffirm your love for him and your appreciation for his gesture, and then take the actual knot of rage/envy/disbelief to therapy, if possible, or a trusted friend who has some experience with artistic jealousy. Advertisement Advertisement What you need is to first vent, and then to let yourself find out just how surprisingly motivating a little creative envy can be. Throw yourself into your craftwhatever the mediumand work your demons out on your own time, away from your marriage. Advertisement Advertisement I also highly recommend getting into a few biographies or articles of artists you admire (especially if theyre also married to other artists); I think youll find comfort in the agonies experienced by artists like Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, or even the author Emily Gould, whose partners talent often overshadowed their own. Its a pretty universal experience, and the trick for you to handle it productively, I think, comes down to channeling your energy into the right outlets. Get advice from Prudiesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear Prudence, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to Dear Prudence following up) Submit Dear Prudence, Im a medical student who is sick over the recent political shifts. I find myself obsessing over each update throughout the day, essentially kneecapping myself from doing what I feel I need to do to be successful in my program. It feels like no one at my school is talking about whats happening. Im afraid for my future patients, my loved ones, and (selfishly) for myself. I see a future of suffering and overworking in the face of a party and an ever-growing contingent of people who think that science is based on falsehoods and that doctors are trying to trick them for profit. I know that any future we have needs good people who are focused on doing good things, but I truly cannot stop ruminating while feeling so horribly powerless to stop the tide. What am I supposed to do? Scared Sick Dear Scared Sick, Advertisement Advertisement You need to find some like-minded medical studentsand a mentor or twowith whom you can externalize your anxieties with (AKA, talk to). Its miserable to worry about anything on your own, and the issues facing our country are not the kind that one person can fix, either. Take your endless rumination as a sign that youre ready to be helpful. If youre not able to find people in your exact field to commiserate with, Id look into joining a mutual aid group, volunteer cause, or extracurricular activity that can put you in touch with fellow concerned citizens who could absolutely put your energy and expertise to good use. Advertisement Send Us Your Questions About the Workplace! The columnists behind our advice column, Good Job, want to help you navigate your social dynamics at work. Does your colleague constantly bug you after hours? Has an ill-advised work romance gone awry? Ask us your question here! Advertisement Dear Prudence, I have an older paternal half-sister, Chloe. We always knew the other existed and had limited encounters as children, but due to distance, family dynamics, and overall lifestyles, we were pretty much estranged. (I would honestly forget at times that I even had a sister.) Last year, I wanted to change that though and reached out to her. We connected and began talking through phone calls, texts, emails, and social media. I even went out to meet with her. Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, all these instances revealed to me that Chloe is not someone I want in my life. Shes self-centered, rude, opinionated, judgmental, inconsiderate, and just a terrible individual. Our relationship consists of me doing all the heavy lifting, and she never shows gratitude toward me even when I go out of my way to help her. I no longer want a relationship and have already taken steps to cut all contact by changing my number, my email addresses, and blocking her on social media. However, my mom has been giving me grief for this. To be clear, she doesnt care about us not having a relationship; she actually warned me that reaching out might not go the way I hoped. Her issue is how Im going about ending things. She feels I owe it to Chloe to have one more conversation where I explain why I dont want her in my life so that theres closure. I disagree. Were both grown women and I doubt Chloe would even notice my absence until years from now, if she does at all. But my mom feels that since I was the one to initiate contact, the least I could do is officially end it even if it means getting cursed out. Who is right here? No Sisterly Bond After All Dear Sisterly Bond, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do generally think its lousy to disappear on someone if they havent actually harmed you or knowingly done something to deserve it. It sounds like Chloe is not a great person, but that doesnt mean she doesnt deserve a little decency in the form of some acknowledgement. The good news is that you dont really have to say much: You can just write her a text or an email that states some version of, Im glad we had the chance to get to know each other over the past few years, but it seems like were pretty different people. I think Im going to focus on my stuff for now, but I wish you the best. Dear Prudence, When they raised me in the 1970s, my parents firmly believed in the old adage spare the rod, spoil the child. My father had a strap hanging off the bathroom door, which he used at least once a week. My mother joined. When I grew up and left home, I moved on and had a fairly normally relationship with them both. Now, however, as they are getting older and far more dependent on my support, I feel this incredible anger and resentment. Ive heard the excusesit was a different timebut I remember being angry and unsafe, scared, and hurt, and the rage inside me boils up. At times, I feel incapable of being around them and often have to walk away because I feel this overwhelming instinct to lash out. Its becoming increasingly hard to brush over these incidents. Do I cut ties? They depend on my help but I feel so resentful. Hide the Knives Dear Hide the Knives, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now that your parents are starting to depend on you, it makes sense that a lot of these buried emotions are rising to the surface. I think you can express some of your anger as a measured disappointment to your parents (You know, I was really scared of you as a kid), but you do have to be prepared for the possibility where theyre mad you havent gotten over it, or are upset that youd even bring it up. They might not even remember the abuse in the same way and may try to refute your own memories. Advertisement Thats all to say that I think theres a very small limit to what you can expect in terms of closure offered directly from your parents, especially as they get older. It would be a more productive use of your time to seek a good therapist or support group where you can dive into all the complex emotions you have about your childhood and exorcise/process all of the hurt youve suffered. Ideally, once you have a solid outlet, you will be better able to navigate your existing relationship with your parents without feeling so overcome by emotion. At that point, you can then decide what you want your relationship with them to look likewhether that involves limited contact or something else. Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, you can tell your parents that youre vaguely having a hard time, and that you dont want to overwhelm them with your problems. You can say something like, Im taking a few months to work on some anger and hurt that I have been feeling, and it means that I might seem cold or distant to you, but I am still going to keep taking care of you, of course. If it feels right, keep your distance. If you continue to see them and catch yourself at a boiling point with them, take yourself out of the equation and go for a walk or a coffee until you can return to a baseline of calm again. Its the greatest irony in the world that were usually not able to get the apologies we need from our parents, but remind yourself that you have a full, grown-up life now and a great support network who can take care of you better than they ever did. Advertisement Dear Prudence, Advertisement Ive been friends with a couple of people who each individually need an exhausting amount of affirmation. Not only that, but theyre not asking for it like a close friend would (where Id provide it unquestionably), but in the form of click-bait group texts: Guess what I did last Friday? You wont believe who I met. In my three closest relationships, these kinds of affirmations are given and received, but when faced with casual acquaintances that pull me in deeper, all I want to say is, Get some friends to talk about it. How can I say that in a polite but firm way? Reluctant Participant Dear Reluctant, Advertisement Advertisement Theres no law that says you have to reply to any of those texts at all. Let them go unanswered, and then follow up a few days (or weeks) later and explain vaguely that, oops, sorry, youve been bad about checking your phone. After a few of these instances, your friends will learn to seek instant gratification elsewhere. Delia Classic Prudie I was adopted, and most of my biological family was gone when I started looking. I did have a chance to meet my great grandmother who was Dutch. Her name was Sanne. Pronounced Sah-nuh. My husband and I are expecting a little girl, and I want to name her Sanne. My husband is fine with the name but disagrees with one aspect. Woodbine Mohawk Park will host an all-women drivers race in celebration of International Womens Day on Saturday, March 8. In last years International Womens Day race at Mohawk, Julie Walker guided Prince Of Sussex up the inside and pulled away late to win by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:55.4 as the 2-1 second choice. An accomplished trainer in Ontario, Walker has 368 lifetime wins and has sent out starters earning more than $4.5 million. She has driven winners of 13 races and nearly $100,000 in limited sulky starts. I got my [driving] license to help with the horses I train, not to be a driver, shared Walker. I think if I started driving when I was 19 or 20 like most of the guys do, I wouldve driven more, but I was intimidated. Once I was in my 30s, I didnt care, but its harder to get started then. This years race is the fourth edition of the International Womens Day race at Mohawk. The event began in order to recognize the participation of women in harness racing, something that was rare in the past. Growing up in Owen Sound, I was kind of isolated, recalled Walker. But I remember going on a trip with my dad to Hawkinsville, Georgia and seeing two women who could do it all: Rebecca Titus and Sally Foxworth. Their success, and the success of my mom, Lori Thomson, Vicki Gregg, and Susan Walker, to name a few, has been inspiring. Alongside Walker driving in Saturdays race will be Marie-Claude Auger, Natasha Day, Marielle Enberg, Pam Forgie, Maggie Jones, Anita Ouellette, Anne-Marie Turenne and Jesse Turenne. Maybe some of us in this race dont want to be catch-drivers, but any opportunities we have to drive, we should take, to increase opportunities for women in the future, said Walker. The reigning Womens Day champ has no nerves, only excitement for Saturday's race. You only get nervous when you havent done it in a while, and Ive been training my own horses enough that Im ready. Im looking forward to it. As for her bustling stable, Walker hinted that racing fans can be on the lookout for some strong Ontario-sired three-year-olds coming from her barn this upcoming season. Horse racing is unique in the way that men and women compete alongside one another at the highest level of the sport. Woodbine Mohawk Park is proud to celebrate the women of Standardbred racing with the upcoming International Womens Day Race, and in their vast accomplishments throughout the year. Post time on Saturday is 6:30 p.m. The International Womens Day race will be the third race (with an approximate post time of 7:26 p.m.). To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park. (With files from Woodbine) Large Trump administration cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have hit a crucial part of the agency that runs a fleet of more than 100 coastal weather buoys. The buoys enable national and regional weather forecasting, safe maritime navigation and tsunami warning systems. The staff losses stand to slow down maintenance of the essential system, which will leave shippers, fishermen and others who navigate the notoriously perilous mouth of the Columbia River in a more dangerous and less informed position. The buoys enable shippers to safely transport the more than $31 billion in goods that move up and down the Columbia each year. The National Data Buoy Center lost three of its 34 total government employees to the Trump administrations early retirement offer, said its chief of engineering, Craig Kohler, who retired today after nearly 17 years at NOAA. Kohler said emails firing probationary employees were sent out Thursday night. While it isnt yet clear how many people were let go in that move, he estimated Thursday the center would lose three or four staffers. Before the layoffs, the center also employed about 120 contract employees who support its work and whose jobs are funded through March, he added. Its unclear how many are still employed because many of NOAAs 2,500 contract employees are also expected to be fired, The New York Times reported Thursday. Kohler stressed the buoy center will do everything it can to continue to keep its systems operational and data coming in to inform forecasts and weather warnings. Well see. Hopefully it wont get to the point where it kind of falls apart, he said. Everybody has high anxiety right now with everything thats going on, but everybodys working hard every day to get the mission done. So well just do what we can to keep it going. Representatives for Columbia River shippers, bar pilots and crab fishers told The Columbian that the layoffs put river users at risk. Kohlers successor, Brett Taft, declined to comment Friday. A national spokeswoman for NOAA declined to comment on the cuts or their impact on navigational safety. Local impacts from the losses at the buoy center are further compounded by firings in Washington and Oregon NOAA operations reported by OPB. The staff losses impact local weather forecasting capabilities and leave Oregon with 30 percent to 40 percent fewer staff than needed, Salem, Ore.s Statesman Journal reported. A national spokeswoman for NOAAs National Weather Service declined to comment on cuts to local weather service offices. She also declined to comment on the impact those cuts will have on regional navigational safety. Sweeping cuts The local firings are part of sweeping cuts to NOAA around the country. The cuts are expected to impact about 1,200 people, which is about 10 percent of NOAAs workforce, the Associated Press reported Thursday. NOAA is a part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The scientific and regulatory agency is most notably responsible for weather forecasting and providing extreme weather warnings. It also plays a leading role in climate research, fishery management and more, its website stated as of Friday afternoon. The agency was a target of the Trump administration-affiliated Project 2025, partially because its research has helped show the extent of climate change, the Seattle Times reported. NOAAs budget was $6.4 billion for the 2024 fiscal year or about one-tenth of 1 percent of total U.S. spending that year. Economic analyses have found the agency has a positive return on investment meaning it generates more money than it costs to fund. Kohler said he couldnt share the buoy centers yearly budget but said that it delivers a significant return. Compared to other agencies, its very small, he said. You wouldnt believe it for how much we do. Kohler added he isnt political and that the center hasnt had a budget increase in 15 years. Former President Joe Biden had also targeted NOAA for large cuts for the 2025 fiscal year. He proposed to shrink NOAAs budget by 2 percent from the previous year. Dangerous impacts For people like Dale Beasley who is president of the Columbia River Crab Fishermans Association and fished for 45 years less information about weather and river conditions at the mouth of the Columbia has high stakes. Missing a day during the first month of crab season can mean potentially losing as much money as most people make in a year, Beasley said. Thats important when startup costs in the industry are about $2 million. But going out crabbing when the weather is bad can have higher stakes still. The pressure to fish on marginal days, its always there and its a difficult decision, he said, and hopefully guys never make mistakes but sometimes it happens, guys make mistakes and dont come home. Beasley who said he supports some cuts to NOAA and has fought the agency on Dungeness crab fishery management said crabbers use weather buoy-informed NOAA weather forecasts to make daily choices weighing their economic and literal survival. Crabbers arent the only ones. Capt. Dan Jordan is administrative pilot for the Columbia River Bar Pilots, which guides commercial ships in and out of the Columbia. We move ships in rough conditions, Jordan said, and we rely heavily on the weather forecast office in Portland to provide forecasts for us and to update them when we get into extremely rough conditions like last Monday night. During storms like the one on Feb. 24, the pilots will be in near-continuous contact with the Portland office to make choices about whether to suspend and then restart piloted service on the river. That choice essentially turns on or off the regions economic tap and affects tens of thousands of jobs across wide-ranging industries. Theyre choices Jordan said he doesnt take lightly and hell now have less information to make them. Cuts to NOAA, particularly to the (National Data Buoy Center), threaten the reliability of this essential system, putting safety and supply chain efficiency at risk, said Kate Mickelson, executive director of the Columbia River Steamship Operators Association. Its a regional commercial maritime trade association thats made up of private shipping interests, public ports, state and federal waterway groups, pilot associations, and the tug and tow industry. This system supported over 49.7 million tons of international trade in 2022, valued at more than $31.2 billion, and sustains at least 40,000 local jobs, she said. The cuts were also condemned by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. The firings jeopardize our ability to forecast and respond to extreme weather events like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods putting communities in harms way, Cantwell said in a statement. They also threaten our maritime commerce and endanger 1.7 million jobs that depend on commercial, recreational and tribal fisheries, including thousands in the state of Washington. She added that NOAAs workforce provides products and services that support more than one-third of the U.S.s nearly $30 trillion gross domestic product, an economic measure that represents the total market value of goods and services produced within an area during a year. April voyage Despite the reduced staff and other challenges, including freezes to government credit cards, that will make operations even more challenging, Kohler said. The next Pacific Ocean maintenance voyage is still scheduled for April. Itll start out of San Diego to fix the buoys that monitor and predict El Nino and La Nina storms. From there, theyll head up the coast fixing more buoys. Then, in the fall, theyre slated to do another mission, that time fixing buoys more than 100 miles off the coast, Kohler said. That mission will be especially important for Columbia River navigators because the furthest out to sea of a trio of buoys which reveal weather at the rivers mouth hours before it hits has been down since November. Satellogic is a satellite designer, manufacturer and constellation operator. They were founded in 2010 and have offices in Argentina, Uruguay, Spain and the US. They launched three prototype Cube satellites between 2013 and 2014, using China and Russia as their launch partners. In 2016, they began launching ~38 KG, 10K-component, 51 x 57 x 82-cm NewSat microsatellites. These take around three months to build and are meant to last for three years in orbit. They've named the constellation of these satellites "Aleph-1". Below is a rendering of their NewSat satellite. They're aiming to have 300 satellites in orbit at some point which would provide revisit times up to every 5 minutes. Last week, Satellogic announced an open satellite feed programme and named their dataset "Satellogic EarthView". In this post, I'll examine Satellogic's constellation and open data feed. My Workstation I'm using a 6 GHz Intel Core i9-14900K CPU. It has 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores with a total of 32 threads and 32 MB of L2 cache. It has a liquid cooler attached and is housed in a spacious, full-sized Cooler Master HAF 700 computer case. I've come across videos on YouTube where people have managed to overclock the i9-14900KF to 9.1 GHz. The system has 96 GB of DDR5 RAM clocked at 6,000 MT/s and a 5th-generation, Crucial T700 4 TB NVMe M.2 SSD which can read at speeds up to 12,400 MB/s. There is a heatsink on the SSD to help keep its temperature down. This is my system's C drive. The system is powered by a 1,200-watt, fully modular Corsair Power Supply and is sat on an ASRock Z790 Pro RS Motherboard. I'm running Ubuntu 22 LTS via Microsoft's Ubuntu for Windows on Windows 11 Pro. In case you're wondering why I don't run a Linux-based desktop as my primary work environment, I'm still using an Nvidia GTX 1080 GPU which has better driver support on Windows and I use ArcGIS Pro from time to time which only supports Windows natively. Installing Prerequisites I'll use GDAL 3.4.1, Python 3.8 and a few other tools to help analyse the data in this post. $ sudo apt update $ sudo apt install \ gdal-bin \ jq \ libimage-exiftool-perl \ python3-pip \ python3-virtualenv I'll set up a Python Virtual Environment and install some dependencies. $ python3 -m venv ~/.satl $ source ~/.satl/bin/activate $ python3 -m pip install \ astropy \ awscli \ html2text \ requests \ rich \ sgp4 \ utm I'll use DuckDB, along with its H3, JSON, Lindel, Parquet and Spatial extensions, in this post. $ cd ~ $ wget -c https://github.com/duckdb/duckdb/releases/download/v1.1.3/duckdb_cli-linux-amd64.zip $ unzip -j duckdb_cli-linux-amd64.zip $ chmod +x duckdb $ ~/duckdb INSTALL h3 FROM community ; INSTALL lindel FROM community ; INSTALL json ; INSTALL parquet ; INSTALL spatial ; I'll set up DuckDB to load every installed extension each time it launches. $ vi ~/.duckdbrc .timer on .width 180 LOAD h3; LOAD lindel; LOAD json; LOAD parquet; LOAD spatial; The maps in this post were rendered with QGIS version 3.42. QGIS is a desktop application that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. The application has grown in popularity in recent years and has ~15M application launches from users all around the world each month. I used QGIS' Tile+ plugin to add geospatial context with Bing's Virtual Earth Basemap to the maps. The dark, non-satellite imagery maps are mostly made up of vector data from Natural Earth and Overture. Aleph-1's Launch History Satellogic has launched 41 satellites for its Aleph-1 constellation as of January 14, 2025. Their first seven satellites were launched by China between May 2016 and September 2020. Their eighth satellite was launched by the ESA from the Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana in September 2020. China then launched 10 satellites of theirs in one mission in November 2020. Since June 2021, SpaceX have launched 23 of their satellites with the most recent being on January 14th, 2025. Active Satellites Below I've tried to find all of their active satellites' locations. The positions of their satellites should change each time the following script is executed. I couldn't find an official listing of their satellites Two-line elements (TLEs) but I found a listing of NORAD IDs. I scraped the n2yo listings for each satellite and parsed the name and TLE for each of those results. $ python3 import json from glob import glob from random import randint from time import sleep from html2text import html2text import requests from rich.progress import track for norad_id in track (( 46832 , 46829 , 46827 , 46833 , 46831 , 46830 , 46840 , 46835 , 46836 , 48905 , 48921 , 48920 , 48919 , 52168 , 52178 , 52171 , 52184 , 52172 , 52747 , 52764 , 42760 , 52748 , 52752 , 55064 , 55047 , 55045 , 55048 , 56190 , 56203 , 56202 , 56201 , 56943 , 56944 , 56966 , 56968 , 59122 , 60498 , 60500 , 60493 , 46272 , 45017 , 45018 , 46828 )): resp = requests . get ( 'https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s= %d ' % norad_id ) assert resp . status_code == 200 , resp . status_code with open ( ' %d .md' % norad_id , 'w' ) as f : f . write ( html2text ( resp . content . decode ( 'utf-8' ))) sleep ( randint ( 1 , 2 )) tles = {} for filename in glob ( '*.md' ): lines = open ( filename ) . readlines () norad_id = int ( filename . split ( '.' )[ 0 ]) sat_name = None for num , line in enumerate ( lines ): if line . startswith ( '# NUSAT-' ): sat_name = line . lstrip ( '# ' ) . strip () if line . startswith ( ' 1' ): tles [ norad_id ] = { 'tle' : [ line . strip (), lines [ num + 1 ] . strip ()], 'name' : sat_name } break # The TLE always comes after the sat name open ( 'tles.json' , 'w' ) . write ( json . dumps ( tles )) The above produced names and TLEs for 22 of their satellites. I'm not sure if the above is an accurate reflection of their constellation's status or not so please don't treat this as gospel. I then ran the following on March 4th, 2025. It produced a CSV file with names and estimated locations of those 22 satellites. $ python3 from datetime import datetime import json from astropy import units as u from astropy.time import Time from astropy.coordinates import ITRS , \ TEME , \ CartesianDifferential , \ CartesianRepresentation from sgp4.api import Satrec from sgp4.api import SGP4_ERRORS tles = json . loads ( open ( 'tles.json' ) . read ()) with open ( 'locations.csv' , 'w' ) as f : for norad_id in tles : name = tles [ norad_id ][ 'name' ] line1 = tles [ norad_id ][ 'tle' ][ 0 ] line2 = tles [ norad_id ][ 'tle' ][ 1 ] satellite = Satrec . twoline2rv ( line1 , line2 ) t = Time ( datetime . utcnow () . isoformat (), format = 'isot' , scale = 'utc' ) error_code , teme_p , teme_v = satellite . sgp4 ( t . jd1 , t . jd2 ) # in km and km/s if error_code != 0 : raise RuntimeError ( SGP4_ERRORS [ error_code ]) teme_p = CartesianRepresentation ( teme_p * u . km ) teme_v = CartesianDifferential ( teme_v * u . km / u . s ) teme = TEME ( teme_p . with_differentials ( teme_v ), obstime = t ) itrs_geo = teme . transform_to ( ITRS ( obstime = t )) location = itrs_geo . earth_location loc = location . geodetic f . write ( '" %s ", "POINT ( %f %f )" ' % ( name . lstrip ( '0' ) . lstrip (), loc . lon . deg , loc . lat . deg )) Below is a rendering of the above CSV data in QGIS. Open Data Feed Their S3 bucket appears to contain ~7M unique images from more than 3M locations. There is a metadata file for each image they've collected as well as several versions, such as thumbnails, of each image available. There are both RGB and near-infrared imagery available with a resolution of one meter. Below, I'll list out the contents of their S3 bucket. $ aws --no-sign-request \ --output json \ s3api \ list-objects \ --bucket satellogic-earthview \ --max-items = 100000000 \ | jq -c '.Contents[]' \ > satellogic.s3.json The resulting JSON file contains 35,480,124 lines and is 13 GB uncompressed. There are almost 10 TBs of content in this bucket. $ echo "Total objects: " ` wc -l satellogic.s3.json | cut -d ' ' -f1 ` , \ " TB: " ` jq .Size satellogic.s3.json | awk '{s+=$1}END{print s/1024/1024/1024/1024}' ` Total objects: 35480124, TB: 9.79704 Each metadata filename contains its corresponding image's location as well as other useful attributes. I'll parse these filenames and produce a metadata database in DuckDB. $ python3 import json from rich.progress import track import utm with open ( 'enriched.s3.json' , 'w' ) as f : for line in track ( open ( 'satellogic.s3.json' ), total = 35_480_124 ): rec = json . loads ( line ) if not rec [ 'Key' ] . startswith ( 'data/json/' ): continue date_ , \ time_ , \ rec [ 'sat' ], \ rec [ 'zone' ], \ rec [ 'region' ], \ rec [ 'region2' ], \ _ = rec [ 'Key' ] . split ( '/' )[ 5 ] . split ( '_' ) rec [ 'captured_at' ] = \ date_ [ 0 : 4 ] + '-' + date_ [ 4 : 6 ] + '-' + date_ [ 6 : 8 ] + 'T' + \ time_ [ 0 : 2 ] + ':' + time_ [ 2 : 4 ] + ':' + time_ [ 4 : 6 ] + 'Z' try : lat , lon = utm . to_latlon ( float ( rec [ 'region' ]), float ( rec [ 'region2' ]), int ( rec [ 'zone' ][ 0 : 2 ]), northern = rec [ 'zone' ][ 2 ] == 'N' ) # WIP: # OutOfRangeError: northing out of range # (must be between 0 m and 10,000,000 m) except Exception as exc : continue rec [ 'lat' ], rec [ 'lon' ] = float ( lat ), float ( lon ) f . write ( json . dumps ( rec , sort_keys = True ) + ' ' ) The resulting JSON produced by the above script is 3.3 GB uncompressed and contains 7,095,985 lines. Below, I'll import it into DuckDB. $ ~/duckdb ~/satellogic.duckdb CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE s3 AS SELECT * EXCLUDE ( lat , lon ), ST_POINT ( lon , lat ) AS geom FROM READ_JSON ( 'enriched.s3.json' ); Data Fluency The imagery in this feed was captured between July and December 2022. Below is the breakdown by month and satellite of the number of images captured. I've rounded the amounts to the nearest thousand. WITH a AS ( SELECT sat , STRFTIME ( captured_at , '%m' ) month_ , ROUND ( COUNT ( * ) / 1000 ):: INT num_rec FROM s3 GROUP BY 1 , 2 ORDER BY 1 , 2 ) PIVOT a ON month_ USING SUM ( num_rec ) GROUP BY sat ORDER BY sat [ 3 :]:: INT ; sat 07 08 09 10 11 12 varchar int128 int128 int128 int128 int128 int128 SN8 3 SN9 54 66 68 69 100 58 SN11 55 52 82 51 80 78 SN12 1 SN13 66 15 13 41 SN14 7 4 1 SN15 86 52 95 86 49 SN16 71 53 37 72 67 96 SN18 80 75 60 63 118 153 SN20 29 71 56 94 130 73 SN21 70 51 60 117 101 82 SN22 61 33 63 95 119 111 SN23 66 72 70 16 SN24 68 75 66 95 78 131 SN25 93 39 88 9 SN27 71 77 106 99 86 100 SN28 52 94 107 129 110 SN29 18 44 71 104 75 159 SN30 39 45 70 79 95 60 SN31 51 100 64 81 146 107 20 rows 7 columns I'll produce a heatmap of where the imagery was captured. $ ~/duckdb ~/satellogic.duckdb COPY ( SELECT h3_cell_to_boundary_wkt ( h3_latlng_to_cell ( ST_Y ( geom ), ST_X ( geom ), 5 )):: GEOMETRY geom , COUNT ( * ) num_recs FROM s3 WHERE ST_X ( geom ) BETWEEN - 175 AND 175 AND ST_Y ( geom ) BETWEEN - 90 AND 90 GROUP BY 1 ) TO 'h3_5.gpkg' WITH ( FORMAT GDAL , DRIVER 'GPKG' , LAYER_CREATION_OPTIONS 'WRITE_BBOX=YES' ); This is a global view of their imagery footprints. Below is a zoomed-in view of North America. Below is a zoomed-in view of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Hotspots in Albania, Saudi Arabia and between India and China really stand out. The image below might be a bit easier to see on a mobile device. Imagery by Country I'll use the Database of Global Administrative Areas (GADM) to get the number of images per country in this dataset. $ wget -c https://geodata.ucdavis.edu/gadm/gadm4.1/gadm_410-gpkg.zip $ unzip gadm_410-gpkg.zip $ ~/duckdb ~/satellogic.duckdb CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE gadm AS FROM ST_READ ( 'gadm_410.gpkg' ); The heatmap GeoPackage (GPKG) file I produced earlier has a record count for each hexagon across the globe containing at least one image. It contains 6,122 records in total. I'll use the centroid of each hexagon to find its matching country. CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE countries AS SELECT b . COUNTRY AS country , SUM ( a . num_recs ) AS num_recs FROM ST_READ ( 'h3_5.gpkg' ) a JOIN gadm b ON ST_CONTAINS ( b . geom , ST_CENTROID ( a . geom )) GROUP BY 1 ; Not every centroid landed on a polygon for any of the countries listed in GADM. It could be that the missing ~1.5M image locations are just off of the coast or out in territorial waters. SELECT SUM ( num_recs ) FROM countries ; 5,763,960 Nonetheless, the following should be representative of how often any one country features in this dataset. FROM countries ORDER BY num_recs DESC ; country num_recs varchar int128 United States 886871 Saudi Arabia 428122 Australia 423079 Spain 326465 China 324572 Mexico 304916 Pakistan 293720 Russia 250520 Ukraine 184756 Brazil 176929 Argentina 156790 Albania 115472 United Arab Emirates 114530 Oman 102500 Bangladesh 101888 Iran 98160 India 81026 Iraq 72990 Canada 65153 North Korea 64570 Haiti 1519 Denmark 1428 Moldova 1384 Romania 1291 Mozambique 1217 South Korea 1188 Colombia 1139 Northern Cyprus 1088 Slovakia 1075 Indonesia 1070 Dominican Republic 717 Trinidad and Tobago 592 Somalia 563 Switzerland 511 Serbia 472 Guam 431 Cuba 370 Bosnia and Herzegovina 289 Philippines 263 Barbados 244 127 rows (40 shown) 2 columns Metadata and Imagery Every image has a metadata file that describes its location, image structure and metrics around how it was captured. This file will also contain the URLs of each variation of the image, including thumbnails and the highest quality image available, which is suffed with "_VISUAL.tif". Below is an example metadata file. $ aws s3 cp --no-sign-request \ s3://satellogic-earthview/data/json/zone = 04N/region = 603411_2346301/date = 2022 -09-15/20220915_010014_SN20_04N_603411_2346301_metadata.json ./ $ jq -S . 20220915_010014_SN20_04N_603411_2346301_metadata.json { "assets" : { "analytic" : { "eo:bands" : [ { "common_name" : "red" , "name" : "Red" }, { "common_name" : "green" , "name" : "Green" }, { "common_name" : "blue" , "name" : "Blue" }, { "common_name" : "nir" , "name" : "NIR" } ], "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/tif/zone=04N/region=603411_2346301/date=2022-09-15/20220915_010014_SN20_04N_603411_2346301_TOA.tif" , "roles" : [ "data" , "reflectance" ], "type" : "image/tiff; application=geotiff; profile=cloud-optimized" }, "preview" : { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/png/zone=04N/region=603411_2346301/date=2022-09-15/20220915_010014_SN20_04N_603411_2346301_preview.png" , "roles" : [ "overview" ], "type" : "image/png" }, "thumbnail" : { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/png/zone=04N/region=603411_2346301/date=2022-09-15/20220915_010014_SN20_04N_603411_2346301_thumbnail.png" , "roles" : [ "thumbnail" ], "type" : "image/png" }, "visual" : { "eo:bands" : [ { "common_name" : "red" , "name" : "Red" }, { "common_name" : "green" , "name" : "Green" }, { "common_name" : "blue" , "name" : "Blue" }, { "common_name" : "nir" , "name" : "NIR" } ], "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/tif/zone=04N/region=603411_2346301/date=2022-09-15/20220915_010014_SN20_04N_603411_2346301_VISUAL.tif" , "roles" : [ "data" , "visual" ], "type" : "image/tiff; application=geotiff; profile=cloud-optimized" } }, "bbox" : [ -158.00360706174618 , 21.211807250957015 , -157.9998841750412 , 21.21529819598024 ], "geometry" : { "coordinates" : [ [ [ -157.99990754402126 , 21.211807250957015 ], [ -157.9998841750412 , 21.21527632148101 ], [ -158.00358377917712 , 21.21529819598024 ], [ -158.00360706174618 , 21.211829121542312 ], [ -157.99990754402126 , 21.211807250957015 ] ] ], "type" : "Polygon" }, "id" : "20220915_010014_SN20_04N_603411_2346301" , "links" : [ { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/stac/2022/2022-09/2022-09-15/catalog.json" , "rel" : "parent" , "type" : "application/json" }, { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/stac/catalog.json" , "rel" : "root" , "type" : "application/json" }, { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/json/zone=04N/region=603411_2346301/date=2022-09-15/20220915_010014_SN20_04N_603411_2346301_metadata.json" , "rel" : "self" , "type" : "application/geo+json" } ], "properties" : { "datetime" : "2022-09-15T01:00:14.573735+00:00" , "grid:code" : "04N-603411_2346301" , "gsd" : 1 , "license" : "CC-BY-4.0" , "platform" : "newsat20" , "proj:epsg" : "32604" , "proj:shape" : [ 384 , 384 ], "proj:transform" : [ 1 , 0 , 603411 , 0 , -1 , 2346301 , 0 , 0 , 1 ], "providers" : [ { "name" : "Satellogic" , "roles" : [ "processor" , "producer" , "licensor" ], "url" : "https://www.satellogic.com" }, { "description" : "AWS Open Data Sponsorship Program, hosting the dataset." , "name" : "Amazon Web Services" , "roles" : [ "host" ], "url" : "https://registry.opendata.aws/" } ], "satl:altitude" : 456.8651464515633 , "satl:altitude_units" : "km" , "satl:product_name" : "L1" , "view:azimuth" : 97.1382808902086 , "view:off_nadir" : 19.474754820772176 , "view:sun_azimuth" : 249.34650770444287 , "view:sun_elevation" : 48.67771372102758 }, "stac_extensions" : [ "https://stac-extensions.github.io/projection/v1.1.0/schema.json" , "https://stac-extensions.github.io/eo/v1.1.0/schema.json" , "https://stac-extensions.github.io/view/v1.0.0/schema.json" , "https://stac-extensions.github.io/grid/v1.1.0/schema.json" ], "stac_version" : "1.0.0" , "type" : "Feature" } The images themselves can be downloaded via HTTPS with no authentication. $ wget "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/tif/zone=04N/region=603411_2346301/date=2022-09-15/20220915_010014_SN20_04N_603411_2346301_VISUAL.tif" Qatari Imagery I drew a bounding box around Qatar to see how many images in this dataset feature the country. Due to the country's shape and proximity to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, a few of their images were also included in this count. $ ~/duckdb ~/satellogic.duckdb SELECT COUNT ( * ) FROM s3 WHERE ST_X ( geom ) BETWEEN 50 . 6515 AND 51 . 8086 AND ST_Y ( geom ) BETWEEN 24 . 3595 AND 26 . 3612 ; count_star() int64 64375 I'll get the URLs of the metadata for those 64,375 images and download them using eight threads. $ echo "SELECT Key FROM s3 WHERE ST_X(geom) BETWEEN 50.6515 AND 51.8086 AND ST_Y(geom) BETWEEN 24.3595 AND 26.3612" \ | ~/duckdb -csv -noheader ~/satellogic.duckdb \ > manifest.txt $ mkdir qatar $ cd qatar $ cat ../manifest.txt \ | xargs \ -P8 \ -I% \ wget -c "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/%" The above downloaded 252 MB of JSON and took almost an hour to complete. I'll concatenate those files into a single line-delimited JSON file. I'll then use DuckDB to convert the JSON into a GPKG file with a few fields cleaned up for the sake of ergonomics. $ cd ../ $ find qatar/ \ -type f \ -exec cat {} + \ > qatar.json $ ~/duckdb COPY ( SELECT properties . * EXCLUDE ( providers , "proj:shape" , "proj:transform" ), assets . preview . href AS url_preview , assets . visual . href AS url_visual , assets . analytic . href AS url_analytic , assets . thumbnail . href AS url_thumbnail , ST_GEOMFROMGEOJSON ( geometry ) AS geom FROM 'qatar.json' ) TO 'qatar.footprints.gpkg' WITH ( FORMAT GDAL , DRIVER 'GPKG' , LAYER_CREATION_OPTIONS 'WRITE_BBOX=YES' ); Below is an example record of the above GPKG file. $ echo "FROM ST_READ('qatar.footprints.gpkg') LIMIT 1" \ | ~/duckdb -json \ | jq -S . [ { "datetime" : "2022-07-14T11:06:22.192899+00:00" , "geom" : "POLYGON ((50.65626187904185 26.24828637962653, 50.656251675908884 26.25175366324302, 50.65240649343577 26.25174441056527, 50.652416810695826 26.24827712835427, 50.65626187904185 26.24828637962653))" , "grid:code" : "39N-465288_2903610" , "gsd" : 1 , "license" : "CC-BY-4.0" , "platform" : "newsat21" , "proj:epsg" : "32639" , "satl:altitude" : 461.4741909855675 , "satl:altitude_units" : "km" , "satl:product_name" : "L1" , "url_analytic" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/tif/zone=39N/region=465288_2903610/date=2022-07-14/20220714_110622_SN21_39N_465288_2903610_TOA.tif" , "url_preview" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/png/zone=39N/region=465288_2903610/date=2022-07-14/20220714_110622_SN21_39N_465288_2903610_preview.png" , "url_thumbnail" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/png/zone=39N/region=465288_2903610/date=2022-07-14/20220714_110622_SN21_39N_465288_2903610_thumbnail.png" , "url_visual" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/tif/zone=39N/region=465288_2903610/date=2022-07-14/20220714_110622_SN21_39N_465288_2903610_VISUAL.tif" , "view:azimuth" : 97.95684658243894 , "view:off_nadir" : 9.250787005630361 , "view:sun_azimuth" : 269.67692021214305 , "view:sun_elevation" : 57.10934720889825 } ] Below are the footprints of those 64,375 images. I've colour-coded them by the date of their capture. I've tinted the basemap blue to help the footprints stand out. The red bounding box was the search area. When I zoom in on any one of the large stripes of footprints, the individual footprints of each image can be seen. I'll pick a small part of Qatar along its coastline and download that area's images. $ echo "SELECT url_visual FROM ST_READ('qatar.footprints.gpkg') WHERE ST_X(ST_CENTROID(geom)) BETWEEN 50.811115 AND 50.829002 AND ST_Y(ST_CENTROID(geom)) BETWEEN 25.522661 AND 25.542736" \ | ~/duckdb -csv -noheader \ > url_visual.txt $ mkdir imagery $ cd imagery $ cat ../url_visual.txt \ | xargs \ -P8 \ -I% \ wget -c "%" The above downloaded 24 GeoTIFFs totalling 9.1 MB. Each image is 384x384-pixels. Each image has geospatial information embedded within it, so I can group them together into a single image that will retain the spatial data. I'll re-compress the image using WebP, so the resulting image is much smaller than the original source imagery. $ gdalbuildvrt mosaic.vrt *VISUAL.tif $ gdal_translate \ -co NUM_THREADS = ALL_CPUS \ -of COG \ -co COMPRESS = WEBP \ -co PREDICTOR = 2 \ mosaic.vrt \ mosaic.tif The resulting mosaic GeoTIFF is 225 KB. The 24 images look very different from one another and don't blend seamlessly. They share the same processing level and capture statistics, as far as I can tell. . mode line SELECT datetime , platform , "satl:product_name" , "view:azimuth" , "view:off_nadir" , "view:sun_azimuth" , "view:sun_elevation" , COUNT ( * ) FROM ST_READ ( 'qatar.footprints.gpkg' ) WHERE ST_X ( ST_CENTROID ( geom )) BETWEEN 50 . 811115 AND 50 . 829002 AND ST_Y ( ST_CENTROID ( geom )) BETWEEN 25 . 522661 AND 25 . 542736 GROUP BY 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ; datetime = 2022-10-10T07:11:56.894566+00:00 platform = newsat16 satl:product_name = L1 view:azimuth = 283.5615135582265 view:off_nadir = 23.243003077262802 view:sun_azimuth = 149.1609429350105 view:sun_elevation = 53.39441361193675 count_star() = 24 For clarity, below are the grid codes for each image in the mosaic. The following are types of imagery deliverables that Satellogic offers: L0: Raw L1A: Raw corrected L1B: L1 Basic (Cloud, shadow and usable data mask) L1C: Ortho ready L1D/L1D_SR: Ortho L1: TOA Reflectance L1_SR: TOA Reflectance SuperResolution The product listed in the metadata for these images was L1 which I'm assuming means "Radiometric-corrected imagery (TOA reflectance imagery)". Their product documentation says the imagery is corrected for sensor, optical and terrain distortions (orthorectified). My best guess is that the images have been processed independently of one another. Basemap producers often strive to blend images next to one another seamlessly but that might not be a requirement for this imagery's original deliverable. Cloud-Native Metadata Last August, the Cloud-Native Geospatial Forum published an introduction to STAC GeoParquet. The post was authored by Tom Augspurger, whom has since taken on a role at Nvidia, Kyle Barron from Development Seed and Chris Holmes from Planet Labs. The STAC GeoParquet aims to optimise the storage of SpatioTemporal Asset Catalogs (STAC) metadata in GeoParquet format. After my initial publication of this post, Brendan McAndrew downloaded all 22 GB of uncompressed JSON metadata from Satellogic and produced a GeoParquet-formatted STAC catalog. Brendan spent four years at NASA before becoming a Geospatial Software Engineer for Impact Observatory in Washington, DC. This STAC GeoParquet file is orders of magnitude smaller than the original JSON at only 275 MB. This file can also be downloaded much faster than the individual ~7M JSON files. The 64,375 JSON files for Qatar that I downloaded were only a few hundred MB but took over an hour to download with all the networking overhead. I was able to download this file at 28 MB/s on my 500 Mbps fiber connection. DuckDB is also able to download individual columns of data from S3 without reading the entire file. Below I only need to download 783 KB of data out of the 275 MB file to produce a statistic on one of the columns. $ ~/duckdb EXPLAIN ANALYZE SELECT MIN ( stac_version ) FROM READ_PARQUET ( 's3://satellogic-earthview-stac-geoparquet/satellogic-earthview-stac-items.parquet' ); HTTPFS HTTP Stats in: 783.0 KiB out: 0 bytes #HEAD: 1 #GET: 111 #PUT: 0 #POST: 0 Total Time: 1.79s QUERY EXPLAIN_ANALYZE 0 Rows (0.00s) UNGROUPED_AGGREGATE Aggregates: min(#0) 1 Rows (0.05s) PROJECTION stac_version 7095985 Rows (0.00s) TABLE_SCAN Function: READ_PARQUET Projections: stac_version 7095985 Rows (51.22s) Below is an example record from Brendan's version of Satellogic's metadata. $ echo "SELECT * EXCLUDE(assets, links, providers, stac_extensions), assets::JSON assets, links::JSON links, providers::JSON providers, stac_extensions::JSON stac_extensions FROM READ_PARQUET('s3://satellogic-earthview-stac-geoparquet/satellogic-earthview-stac-items.parquet') LIMIT 1" \ | ~/duckdb -json \ | jq -S . [ { "assets" : { "analytic" : { "eo:bands" : [ { "common_name" : "red" , "name" : "Red" }, { "common_name" : "green" , "name" : "Green" }, { "common_name" : "blue" , "name" : "Blue" }, { "common_name" : "nir" , "name" : "NIR" } ], "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/tif/zone=21S/region=667983_6954390/date=2022-07-01/20220701_142509_SN23_21S_667983_6954390_TOA.tif" , "roles" : [ "data" , "reflectance" ], "type" : "image/tiff; application=geotiff; profile=cloud-optimized" }, "preview" : { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/png/zone=21S/region=667983_6954390/date=2022-07-01/20220701_142509_SN23_21S_667983_6954390_preview.png" , "roles" : [ "overview" ], "type" : "image/png" }, "thumbnail" : { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/png/zone=21S/region=667983_6954390/date=2022-07-01/20220701_142509_SN23_21S_667983_6954390_thumbnail.png" , "roles" : [ "thumbnail" ], "type" : "image/png" }, "visual" : { "eo:bands" : [ { "common_name" : "red" , "name" : "Red" }, { "common_name" : "green" , "name" : "Green" }, { "common_name" : "blue" , "name" : "Blue" }, { "common_name" : "nir" , "name" : "NIR" } ], "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/tif/zone=21S/region=667983_6954390/date=2022-07-01/20220701_142509_SN23_21S_667983_6954390_VISUAL.tif" , "roles" : [ "data" , "visual" ], "type" : "image/tiff; application=geotiff; profile=cloud-optimized" } }, "bbox" : "{'xmin': -55.29907329132605, 'ymin': -27.52730527848537, 'xmax': -55.29513299608709, 'ymax': -27.523792485602513}" , "datetime" : "2022-07-01 17:25:09.03115+03" , "geometry" : "POLYGON ((-55.29513299608709 -27.52725766492321, -55.29518646111154 -27.523792485602513, -55.29907329132605 -27.523840092170495, -55.29901994805388 -27.52730527848537, -55.29513299608709 -27.52725766492321))" , "grid:code" : "21S-667983_6954390" , "gsd" : 1.0 , "id" : "20220701_142509_SN23_21S_667983_6954390" , "license" : "CC-BY-4.0" , "links" : [ { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/stac/2022/2022-07/2022-07-01/catalog.json" , "rel" : "parent" , "type" : "application/json" }, { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/stac/catalog.json" , "rel" : "root" , "type" : "application/json" }, { "href" : "https://satellogic-earthview.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/data/json/zone=21S/region=667983_6954390/date=2022-07-01/20220701_142509_SN23_21S_667983_6954390_metadata.json" , "rel" : "self" , "type" : "application/geo+json" } ], "platform" : "newsat23" , "proj:epsg" : "32721" , "proj:shape" : "[384, 384]" , "proj:transform" : "[1.0, 0.0, 667983.0, 0.0, -1.0, 6954390.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0]" , "providers" : [ { "description" : null , "name" : "Satellogic" , "roles" : [ "processor" , "producer" , "licensor" ], "url" : "https://www.satellogic.com" }, { "description" : "AWS Open Data Sponsorship Program, hosting the dataset." , "name" : "Amazon Web Services" , "roles" : [ "host" ], "url" : "https://registry.opendata.aws/" } ], "satl:altitude" : 514.0430664434643 , "satl:altitude_units" : "km" , "satl:product_name" : "L1" , "stac_extensions" : [ "https://stac-extensions.github.io/projection/v1.1.0/schema.json" , "https://stac-extensions.github.io/eo/v1.1.0/schema.json" , "https://stac-extensions.github.io/view/v1.0.0/schema.json" , "https://stac-extensions.github.io/grid/v1.1.0/schema.json" ], "stac_version" : "1.0.0" , "type" : "Feature" , "view:azimuth" : 286.1475475384163 , "view:off_nadir" : 8.171090276284483 , "view:sun_azimuth" : 22.808714817358606 , "view:sun_elevation" : 35.85325119151129 } ] This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A Realme phone shown at MWC changes its color based on temperature. As the world's biggest wireless technology fair, the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is packed with manufacturers showing off their latest gadgets and inventions. This year's stands have looked to wow visitors with an ultra-lifelike humanoid robot, color-changing smartphones, smart contact lenses and many more. 'Spatial sound' in phone calls Mobile equipment builder Nokia and operator Vodafone say their "3D spatial sound" will offer users "truly immersive audio" on phone calls, with the person on the line sounding as if they are in the same room. Where current calls use only a single audio channel to transmit the voice, the new system allows for sounds seeming to come from different directions. Dubbed "Immersive video and audio services" (Ivas), the technology requires handsets fitted with two microphones. That combined with the need for a high-speed 5G connection means the technology could take several years to reach most users. High-fidelity robot Sporting a black dress, red jacket and long brown hair, ultra-realistic humanoid robot Amira is on display by Emirati telecom operator Etisalat. While imitating human features with high fidelity, Amira's movements remain recognizably slow and jerky. Robot Amira can be hooked up to any generative AI. Elliott White of the robot's creators Engineered Arts said that the device could be connected to any generative AI "large language model" to allow interactions with people. Remote driving There is no shortage of connected cars on the floors at MWC, but visitors were able to test-drive a vehicle 3,000 kilometers away in Finland at the stand of congress organizer GSMA. The setupnothing but a wheel and some screenswas created by Estonian firm Elmo, which has fitted the cars with a custom controller and multiple cameras, alongside Nokia. Chameleonic smartphone Chinese manufacturer Realme has developed a smartphone that changes color as the outside temperature shifts. The body of its 14 Pro line, textured to look like a seashell, is infused with thermochromic pigments that shift to blue below 16 degrees Celsius (61 Fahrenheit) or white when it gets warmer. The smartphone maker admits that the purely decorative feature has a limited shelf-life. "The cold-sensitive color-changing function will gradually lose effect due to daily use," Realme says. Attendees were able to test drive a car 3,000 miles away. Smart contact lenses Dubai-based startup Xpanceo is aiming to fit smart features including an "extended reality" display, health monitoring and wireless power reception into a flexible contact lens. Demonstrator models at their stand show off proofs of concept for each of the capabilities that co-founder Roman Axelrod says they want to pack into a single prototype device "by the end of 2026". For now the devices are relatively clunky, with a large metal coil needed to receive the wireless power to light up a single pixel on one demonstration lens. Those components would be miniaturized using "two-dimensional materials... only one atom thick," Axelrod said. "That is the scientific know-how that differentiates us". Solar-powered laptop Chinese PC builder Lenovo has built solar panels into the lid of its Yoga Solar laptop to extend battery life. Its 84 solar cells are able to feed power into the device even when not exposed to direct sunlight, Lenovo says. Lenovo said 20 minutes of solar charging could power up to an hour of laptop use. The laptops will be fitted with a power monitoring system to manage when the solar panel comes into play. "This innovation allows the solar panel to absorb and convert enough direct sunlight in 20 minutes to power up to one hour of video playback on the PC," Lenovo said. "Cat Eye" to spot cataracts Spanish mobile operator Telefonica has joined forces with startup Edgendria Innovacion to build its "Cat Eye" tool. Users can carry out an ophthalmological exam on themselves to determine whether they have a cataract serious enough to require surgical intervention. A simple photo of each eye is churned through an AI-powered platform to detect the ailment. This means doctors can "delegate certain tasks to their team so that they can intervene at the right time, making better use of their time," Telefonica said. 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: A buyer drives a new Model Y car at Tesla's Xiedao delivery centre in Beijing in February 2025. Shares of Tesla tumbled Tuesday following data showing a big drop in auto sales in China, adding to recent losses amid backlash to CEO Elon Musk's alliance with US President Donald Trump. The electric auto maker sold 30,688 vehicles in China in February, down 49 percent from the year-ago period, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association. Near 1840 GMT, Tesla shares were down 4.4 percent. Tesla has lost more than one third of its market value since mid-December as Musk has deepened his association with the polarizing US leader. Musk, who is the driving force behind the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which is seeking to slash through the US budget, reportedly will attend Trump's address before Congress Tuesday night. Musk has been excoriated among congressional Democrats for his role in cutting government jobs. He has also been criticized for endorsing far-right political figures in Germany and for making a hand gesture at Trump's inauguration that resembled a Nazi salute. 2025 AFP